Trying to catch up on posts when you havent done it for a while gets pretty intimidating! But here in what has been going on the past three months in a nutshell:

 Christmas seemed to come and go as we were just settling in from Kostons birth. But it is still my favorite time of the year!

Bailee had her first orchestra concert and did a great job

Jadie decided to get into roller derby

The kids came up with some inventive ideas on how to make their chores more fun : roller blading while sweeping ...

and tying the broom to your bike so it sweeps as you ride. We have the cleanest street in all of Gladden Farms!

Jadie tore some skin off her toe while playing outside without shoes - such a dramatic moment that she fell asleep after we got her all fixed up :) Just to sweet not to take a picture!

 Lexi decided that she was so tired after school pretty much anywhere was a good place for a nap - she didnt even make it to her after school snack.

 Papa stepped in for Jared since he had to work and took Bailee and Lexi to the Father Daughter dance at school. It was formal so the girls wanted to dress up. They looked great if I do say so myself! Thanks so much Papa - they had a great time!

 Raden had a second grade musical program where they sang patriotic songs. This is the only picture I got of him since he kept hiding behind his friend standing next to him.

And of course Crazy Day at school!  Our favorite!

lexi's way of thinking

It never gets old listening to the way kids think and reason. Today we saw a commercial on tv for anti-wrinkle cream and the kids started to talk about old people and wrinkles. I said that that was just a part of aging and getting older. Lexi piped in and said "yep - its because your skin doesnt shrink when you do" So now I have this picture in my mind of a person shrinking but their skin staying the same and getting wrinkled - too funny!

Survival mode

Sometimes in life you are going to be going along in pure survival mode. Maybe not in the physical sense of actually having to survive - but days that you are just happy to get through in one piece - as ragged as that piece may be :) Jared just started another job and between working two jobs, taking his captains class, and everything else he does we dont get to see him much. And when he does get to come home he gets to see his beautiful wife, usually not showered yet, baby spit up all over, dark under-eye circles, no make up and pajamas on. We get dinner on and the kids in bed - accept for Koston who has one more late night feeding. Eventually we will get a chance to sleep in the same bed together - some nights - but only for a little while until one of the other kids crawls in bed with us and we are just to tired to care enough to kick them out :) Oh and working out? What's that? Lets hear it for surviving one more day! I really am smiling as I post this :)

somewhere

Over the past week I have come to a conclusion. There needs to be a place that moms can go when they are sick. To be taken care of  when the husband isnt there. There would even be free babysitting to take of the kids. Someone would bring you chicken noodle soup, find some medicine that  you can take even though your nursing that would knock you out, and just the sound of quiet. Or moms just shouldn't get sick. Especially moms with sick newborns. I like that idea even better. And while you are at this wonderful magical place there is a spell put on your house that prevents it from getting destroyed because you arent there to take care of everyone else. Just saying.

My Lexi Love

Wow - time is flying faster every day. My Lexi turned 6 last month and I am just now getting around to posting it. With Koston being just a couple weeks old we didnt do anything big but had a family party with grand parents.

 Make sure to check out the "birthday best" dress and crown she decided to wear for her big day!

Happy 6th birthday to my bug catching, rough housing, always singing, gate climbing, mischievously smiling, cuddling, adorable Lexi. We love you so much and are so grateful to have you in our family. You bring so much fun into our lives! 

Almost 5 weeks

Okay - so when Koston was 8 days old I took him to get pictures taken - I have never done this with my other kids but the photographer needed a newborn for her site and did them for free. I dont have the rest of the pictures to post yet but here is a link to her sight for anyone that wants to see the others

http://www.jenniferbphotography.com/?p=388


It has been a chaotic 4 1/2 weeks. I went to the hospital in the morning on Nov 23. I was induced around 9:30 and he was born at 12:30. Very quick with no complications - yay! I must say I was the closest to getting an epidural with him than the other kids - mostly just because I was tired, my body was tired , and not very excited to go through labor - but luckily it was fast and i ended up not getting one.  Jared was amazing as usual and even had the nurses commenting on what a good coach he was. Koston was 7 pounds 11 ounces and I cant remember how long - I'll have to look that up. But he have been waiting  for him and are so excited that he is here and healthy. Jared had an experience that made him feel that there was another boy waiting   - mind you this came from someone who was finished having kids :) So we know that he is supposed to be here with our family. The kids all adore him- especially Raden. Jadie usually ends up smothering him with hugs and kisses. We are all adjusting to having a newborn. I've heard people say the more kids you have the less of an adjustment is becomes - not so, for me anyway. It has been hard. overwhelming. exhausting. I really have had to let things go because I just cant do it all anymore - not that i had it all under control before - but almost :)  Like when I found Jadie and Lexi eating cereal out of the box in front of the tv getting it everywhere and my first thought was " Yessssss! Now I dont have to make them lunch!"

That being said - I walked into church the other day and saw a baby only 2 months older and realized how much they change in just a short time, and I realized that if I didnt start to take time to enjoy these moments - i would miss them completely.  Now I cherish them. I love how he melts into me when I hold him, the little noises and faces he makes, his smell - most of the time :) , his big eyes that are starting to focus on me when I talk to him, and the pure innocence he has that comes from having so recently  left our Heavenly Father. I just wonder - who is this little spirit?  and pray - please help me to be the mother he and the rest of my kids need me to be.

Here are some pictures of the past 5 weeks - I know there's not alot of the hospital - but what can i say - he is number 5 :)

 

I love you so much Koston and am so grateful to have this chance to be your mom and be part of your journey here.

OOOPS - one more thing

Wanted to add this in the previous post -

ANOTHER TRI FOR JARED

Last year Jared did his first triathlon in Casa Grande. So of course he had to go back a year later and do it again. I wasn't able to go but a friend of ours took pictures for us - thanks so much Cherise!


Waiting for swim to start - "one of these things just doesn't belong here " (sing to sesame street tune)

 Just keep swimming - just keep swimming

 Speed racer!

Run Jared Run!

 Just kidding babe! You did awesome and and I am so proud of how well you've done in all the races you've been in the past year. I love you!

Catch up post before baby day!

Here is what we have been up to the last month or two :

 BAILEE'S BIRTHDAY 
 Bailee turned 11 in September and celebrated it with her cousin Kylee be eating at Chillies and then going to Barnes and Noble to use her gift certificate. We later had a family party for her with grandparents too.

HALLOWEEN

Halloween came and went - with of course carving pumpkins ...

Iron man, Skeleton, cheetah and princess Lea making faces at the camera while trunk-or treating at Grandma and papa's ward party ...

Family picture with the big spider - aunt afton and uncle matt assured us they were dressed up - as college students ...

Mom and Dad wondering why in the world they wore the wigs and thinking that Halloween is not a favorite holiday.  Haha!

RADENS BASKETBALL
 
Raden played basketball for the first time - not his favorite but enjoyed playing with great friends

Team pictures at Peter Piper Pizza Party - say that 10 times fast

TREES

Jared and I decided that our Christmas presents to each other this year would be two trees for the backyard. We are going to redo the backyard in the spring but wanted to get  some trees in. I love them and am just more excited to do the rest of it!

The kids came home from school and spent the afternoon helping Jared

We threatened to bury them in the hole if they weren't good  - they thought it was a cool idea

helping to bury the tree

COUNT DOWN

After all the trouble this little guy caused during this pregnancy he has decided that he is quite comfortable and happy waiting to make his arrival until induction day on Tues the 23rd. This picture is 8 days to go. I had a dream he has dark skin and hair and light brown eyes - we'll see.

DINNER/ BABY SHOWER WITH FRIENDS

Some friends took me out to dinner last night to Olive Garden and had a little baby shower for me. Thank-you so much guys - I had a great time! After dinner we decided to walk around Charlies jewelry store and make fun of each other - Congrats girls - you made the blog! Love all you guys!

The next post will hopefully be the new baby post - still unsettled about the name, may have to look up some baby names online :)

Lake Powell triathlon

Jared and some friends of ours signed up to do the triathlon at Lake Powell this year. It was Jared's second Olympic length triathlon and he did awesome - he cut 31 min off his last time. We were able to go without the kids and spend time just relaxing on an amazing houseboat on a beautiful lake. We had a little scare with contractions on the way there but had a great weekend hanging out with friends.


 The house boat we got to stay on!

 The view from the top of the boat

 Lake views from the hallway on the main floor

Alicia, Ginni and me freezing in the cold and rain while watching the boys race. 

Jared finishing his swim - trying to peel off his wetsuit while running 100 yards UP the boat ramp. I had to stop half way just walking back up it.

Finishing his bike ride

And finishing the run! I have decided that I am a horrible picture taker.

 

 You did awesome Babe!!!!

Letting go and feeling better

Yes it has been a while since I've posted. A lot has gone on the last three weeks. So here you have the long story short - kind of. About three weeks ago Jared and I went to Mesa to the temple and while there I started to have regular contractions. Since I was only 29 weeks along it was not a good thing. We did still get our Bahama Bucks on the way home though. By the end of that night we were headed to the hospital with contractions that had been three minutes apart for two hours. Luckily after about 6 hours in the hospital the nurses were able to get them to stop and we headed home with the instructions to stay in bed as much as possible and be on light duty. Funny thing is that this exact thing happened with Raden when I was pregnant with him but I was in the hospital for a couple days with him. Silly boys. Anyway - Jared was amazing and didnt let me lift a finger. The kids were great and Bailee was a huge help getting them ready for school and making lunches. Now  - I tend to think that I am a really independent person and didnt realize how hard it would be to stay down. The first day was nice but by the third and fourth I was going crazy. I really think some depression set in. It was really hard to let other people  - family and friends - come and do my " job" - as much as it was appreciated. It was hard for me to hear what was going on in the other room and not be in control of it. I ended up on the couch some days just so I could be in the middle of things. Aside from being fiercely independent I may have a little thing called a control  issue. Haha. And to not be in control of my body or anything else was extremely hard. Why is always harder to accept service than give it? It came to the point that I finally realized I needed to make a choice - Let go or go insane. Seriously.So I let go - not that is was as easy as that - some seriously emotional days followed.  But I found out that it is actually nice to let others do things for you sometimes.

Just as I was feeling better I had a couple days of extreme back pain and vomiting. I finally decided that that was not normal and luckily had both of my sisters to help take me to the hospital and take Jadie for me. Jared met us there and after some tests and wonderful drugs - was told that I had kidney stones and a kidney infection. I was also having more contractions 2 minutes apart. Fun.  We had to stay overnight to get everything under control but was able to go home the next afternoon. The next 4 days or so are kind if blurry thanks to pain meds. Jared, my sisters, mom and friends took over once again and once again I had to learn to let go. It was a little easier this time with how much pain I was in. I can really see how easy it can be to become addicted to pain meds.


So now  it has been a week since I was in the hospital, no more pain meds, only three days left of antibiotics and I am feeling better.

So here is where I need to say thank-you.  Jared - thank you for being with me. For sitting in uncomfortable hospital chairs and sleeping on even more uncomfortable sofa/beds. For rubbing my back when nothing else worked and translating what the nurses were saying. For taking care of everything at home that I wasnt able to do and never complaining once. For being the strength that I needed to lean on.  Bailee, Raden, Lexi and Jadie - thank you for helping each other and  being understanding. For being willing to go to others homes and have people come to ours. For your prayers and smiles that helped me through the day. Alicia and Afton - thank you for being willing to drop whatever you were doing and take me to the hospital and staying there until Jared got there then going back to the house to watch the kids. For taking Jadie at the last second, helping with the other kids and calling to see how I was doing. Mom - thank you for coming over at the drop of a hat and staying with us for a couple days. I cant list how much you did :)  It meant so much to us to have you there.  And to all those that gave priesthood blessings, brought dinners, books, took my kids, and just called to see how I was doing - thank you. For helping me let go and for just being there.

Here are just a couple pics that were taken - things we learned :)

Sleeping in bed is over rated - especially when you can be in front of the tv all day with snacks

 Naps are good anywhere anytime

 It is much more fun to get to wear what you want to. mask, slippers and all

 Grandma has some really cool craft ideas - mini marshmallows and toothpicks were just the beginning

 Breakfast in bed from the kids is always good. Toast and eggs and a glass of milk. So cute! Haha this picture makes me laugh -  Jared got breakfast in bed too.

Aunt Afton is a great trampoline jumper - poor Jadie had been inside for days with me.

I've never been good at putting my thoughts into words so this post didnt come out the way  it sounded in my head. I just hope everyone knows how grateful I am for everything and how much I love you all.