Why not?

So while we were in fabulous Kansas City, we did alot of playing with friends! On Friday we met the Burnesons for lunch outside the crown center, by the fountains. Paige couldn't keep her eyes off of the fountains, she was dying to run through them.

Emily and I finally decided, hey why not?

Here is Ms Emily explaining to Paige, that they have to wait for the water to go down to run across the fountain area.

Here is Paigemonster doing it her way!... as usual

I think I have my hand up trying to tell the water to stay down. You know, one of those "talk to the hand" moments

The boys were so good about following directions they ran in a nice single file line.

Okay, is Kelly not beautiful even running through water? Look at these nice patient children waiting for the water to go down.

SUPER FAST Daniel!

Love these monsters

So tiptoeing through the fountains went well. I did not fall and break my leg again. The only fall was Dallin and it just left him a little wet.

So then we sloshed our wet feet and bodies back to our hotel room where Emily used a hairdryer to dry all the monsters off.

Note to Parents out there: Let your children run through the fountain. Water Dries... it really does.

Room Service?

When I first told the monsters that we were going to be staying in a hotel, Paigemonster got really excited and said "DO WE GET ROOM SERVICE?!?!" (Apparently she has watched the movie Eloise too many times)

I told her no way jose!

But she won. yep she sure did. We found that the hyatt had a kids menu, so one morning we decided to get that girl some room service!

They loved the little table and immediatley put on their napkins. Kelly hates jelly, but as soon as she saw the mini containers she made herself a strawberry toast sandwich.

Room service was a success. I loved watching the kids get a kick out of these little things. (But NO they can't have it again)

I was really tempted to put Laney on the table as the meal, but decided that my mother might hurt me.

She Can Be Taught!

So I've been MIA since this baby monster came, and I'm trying to get back into the swing of things.

You see my lovely little munchkin is many things

• She Has a great temperament
• She sleeps ALL the time
• Is absolutely beautiful
• Has great fashion sense
• Loves to be cuddled

But the one problem she had was that she didn't know how to breastfeed. Yeah, I'm sure some of you are skeptical or rolling your eyes saying "Jen probably hasn't tried..." But I can safely say that we have tried EVERYTHING, I mean everything. There has been many many tears shed, but I can now say that after 7 weeks, my beautiful baby girl has finally caught on. She can be taught!

After she was born, she wouldn't latch. I mean as in no suction no attaching nadda. She started out at 8lbs 6 Oz's, and by day 10 she was down to 7 pounds even. I only know her weight because we ended up back in the hospital while they ran some tests on the little Jaundice monster. While she was admitted I had a lactation specialist come and meet with us.

This sweet lady had no help to offer us, just support. She said don't give up. Well, because she wouldn't attach and try, my milk supply was about gone. I was barely pumping an ounce total and I didn't want to supplement, so I cried. Crying helps everyone.

So to make a 7 week long story shorter here is what we did:

- We met with 3 lactation consultants

-Pumped every 2 hours throughout the night (even though my sweet baby slept like a rock)

-Started taking herbal supplements to help with the milk supply issue.

-Syringe fed the monster, First with my finger to help her with tongue placement

-tried nipple shield to help with the latch (Which was a joke for us. this girl didn't get the latch idea)

-We were told that she had a weak suck and swallow, so we took her to an Occupational Therapist (AND NO I'm not Joking!)

- They started me on a prescription of Reglan to help my milk supply.

-I have had countless friends come and try to help, you name it, I've tried it.

But today I don't care anymore. That's in the past. She finally got it. She really did. She still struggles in the morning when she's tired, but I haven't had to pump in 3 days and I feel like a free women. It still takes her FOREVER to eat, but I'm not in a hurry, I'm just happy she's breastfeeding.

I thought I would quit after week one, I was tempted to quit after week 3. But we made it. I really don't know how we made it.

Actually I do know how I made it. Persistence and love.

I was persistent and my mother loves me so much she came over daily to help me handle it all.

I had to attempt to feed Laney, then pump, then feed Laney... Every 2 hours. I don't know how I would have remained sane if it weren't for my mother. She helped with Preston chasing, diaper changing, Laney feeding, Tommy taxi driving, and constant Cheerleader. She understood how important this was to me and because of that she dropped her whole life to support me in mine.

A mother's love is amazing. And the funny part is, the whole time that she was dedicating her life to me, she would tell ME how proud she was of my determination. Crazy I know. My mother drops the world for me, then says that she's proud of me?? They don't make many women like her.

So at 2 in the morning when I would get up just to pump, the only thing that kept me going was Galaxy Quest.

NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER SURRENDER!!

(yeah I know you were probably thinking it was some uplifting scripture)

Where have I been??

Mother, O Mother, come shake out your cloth,Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,

Hang out the washing, make up the bed,Sew on a button and butter the bread.

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?

She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I've grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,

Lullabye, rockabye, lullabye loo.

Dishes are waiting and bills are past due

Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo

The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew

And out in the yard there's a hullabaloo

But I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo

Look! Aren't her eyes the most wonderful hue?

Lullabye, rockaby lullabye loo.

The cleaning and BLOGGING can wait till tomorrow

But children grow up as I've learned to my sorrow.

So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!

I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

- Ruth Hulbert Hamilton

No Words

Last Saturday on March 6th, my family was lucky enough to get to be at the blessing of a beautiful baby girl. Hailey Hunter.

This sweet baby girl went to be with our Father in Heaven and join her Grandmother on Saturday March 13th .

Crystal and Billy have been amazing examples of strength. I've always known Crystal was strong, even when we were younger she was the strong one and I was the weepy emotional one. But I can say that watching her is a personal testimony builder. My heart is full.

"In the gospel of Jesus Christ you have help fom both sides of the veil, and you must never forget that. When disappointment and discouragement strike-- and they will-- you remember and never forget that if our eyes could be opened we would see horses and chariots of fire as far as the eye can see riding at reckless speed to come to our protection. They will always be there, these armies of heaven, in defense of Abraham's seed."-Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

At Hailey's Blessing