The Tangrens

Since my due date was Tuesday June 3rd and my induction date was set for nearly a week later Monday June 9th I thought for sure I'd be going into labor on my own this time.  Then in the weeks leading up to my due date I heard story after story of fast labors and driveway/ unexpected home deliveries all assuring me that fourth children were rule breakers.  For weeks I felt like a ticking time bomb, I set up a three deep middle of the night calling tree.  I was ready but terrified that this one wasn't going to be as predictable and convenient as the rest.  That half an hour drive to the hospital seemed longer and longer as I considered the possibilities.

June 3rd...due date

Then my due date came...and left without a baby.  I started to look at the induction date and notice every little feeling wondering if this was it.  He was so scrunched in there that I felt every movement he made and since he was so stuffed in there a lot of the movements were painful. There was tightness from time to time but I just attributed it to him being so squished in there, because it didn't really hurt.  There were moments of discomfort but just figured it was just him getting into a weird position because it would last longer than I remember contractions lasting and it eventually went away and didn't come back.  In retrospect I think I was just paranoid that I wasn't going to know when I was in labor and we'd be driveway or side of the road rockstars.

On Friday the sixth I had what really felt like a contraction and was in fear the rest of the day that I was going in to labor.  The boys were dying to play with friends but I didn't really want to have a house full of boys when I was in labor.  They were bored beyond words. But luckily the next day I felt terrific and got a lot of last minute things done. Sunday was a little more on the iffy side. But by now I was committed to make it to Monday and try for my calm scheduled induction.   It would be the 13th anniversary of our first date anyway and I thought it would be fun to have that as a connection. As if my mind finally allowed my body into labor I woke up at 2:00 am this morning with a contraction. But I ignored it and went back to sleep, but when I was woken by another at 3:45 I decided that I should pay attention to how frequently they were coming.  They were coming approximately every 10 minutes.  I finally got out of bed around 4:30. I took a shower around 6 and they slowed down. I laid down with Derek and Eli ( who had woken up early) and nearly fell asleep until Becka came at 7:00. Eli wanted to play so we all stayed up. Around 8:00 there was a knock on the door.  It was the baseboards and doors that we'd been waiting for for over a week.  As soon as the workers got there to start installing them we got a call from the hospital (at 8:45) asking if we could be there at 10:00.  We assured them that we'd be there and got the boys up and dressed.

June 9 Induction date...time to have a baby!!

My dad had gone into the hospital in Texas on Saturday (the 7th) with a staph infection on his knee that had previously had bursitis on and was scheduled to have surgery on it today as well. When I texted my family to tell them that we were headed to the hospital my sister told me that my dad was headed into pre op.  We were having synchronized procedures.

We got to the hospital at 10:00 with having had two contractions on the way. We got to the hospital and made our way to the third floor and were lead to the labor and delivery room.  Sadly we were not treated to the room with a view and like when we had Hyrum our windows faced the opposite direction to the temple and the mountains.  This time we faced the two new additions to the hospital. Not as pretty.  But as it turned out we weren't there that long so it wasn't that big of a deal.

When they came to start the IV I warned them that I tend to get light headed when I get IVs. They didn't seem too be too concerned because I was laying down and wouldn't be falling on the floor but after a blown vein and then the IV came the familiar light head dizziness and yucky feeling. They asked me question after question and told me to take deep breaths.  The nurse is sure that I passed out for a few seconds but it's all a blur to me. Meanwhile little mans heart drummed away unaffected by mom's distress, and contractions continued.  Around 11 they finally got me started on the pitocin and checked me...3 plus (I was a 3 plus a WEEK ago!!) a few minutes later the doctor on call came in to meet me, Dr Jones, who was the doctor that delivered Hyrum when he was on call and I went into labor.  My doctor who was suppose to be on call was rushing back from her family vacation in St George hoping to make it on time.  Dr Jones suggested that he break my water, which seemed fast since i just started on the pit. But when he checked me I'd already progressed to a 5 so I guess the show was already on the road.


Even with the pitocin the contractions were quite bearable and I wasn't feeling the need for an epidural  although as is typical with an induction they were offering it as soon as I entered the room. I was just beginning to think that maybe I should get it sooner than later when the nurse came in saying that everything was ready for the epidural and the anesthesiologist was on her way in.  Not sure if they read my mind or if the Doctor who was nervous that I'd miss my window seeing how fast it was progressing had ordered it despite me. The epidural was different than any other I'd had. It took a lot longer to take affect. I continued to feel contractions for a good long time after. I pushed my button a couple more times and after that I could feel NOTHNG below the epidural site. I'm beginning to think that epidurals are always followed by extreme exhaustion with me.  All I wanted to do was sleep.  It was a herculean effort to keep my eyes open much less move my body.  Around 12:30 the nurse came in and told me that my doctor had just walked in the hospital (with her kids who were encouraging her to deliver a baby so that they could raid the snack closet) she said if I was close that she'd deliver our baby.  The nurse checked and found me complete.  Dr Cloward came in and got things ready for delivery. They had me sit up.  It was soo hard to keep my eyes open much less sit up.  Then they wanted me to push!  As it turns out Dr Jones had been called into another procedure and wasn't available to deliver our baby so it was a blessing that Dr Cloward got there when she did and when he was born we found that the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck.  His heart rate had shown a bit of distress earlier and seeing that the umbilical cord had been around his neck explained that, but it didn't turn out to be a problem as he pinked up quickly as normal. It was a further blessing that Dr Cloward was there to deliver him because if I'd had to wait to be delivered the cord may have proved to be more of a problem. As it turned out less than two hours after starting the pitocin he was here (and less than three hours from getting to the hospital)

Isaac Andrew Tangren
8 lb 15 oz
20.5 inches long
12:55 pm
June 9, 2014

The first reaction everyone had was that he was a very big boy.  He weighed in at 8 lb 15 oz.  Not surprising after an extra 6 days in utero. Especially since he was measuring a week older at 28 weeks.    Derek who was closer to him and could see him said he looked like Noah and did look like an Isaac Andrew as we'd thought to call him. Isaac was just a biblical name we liked and Andrew is the name of  Isaacs third great grandfather on his paternal line who was one of the first in the Tangren line to come to America from Sweden. Plus both Derek and I have cousins named Andrew too.  The name fits with our other boys names as well.

My room also faced the new wings of the hospital not the prettiest view but as it turned out I was lucky to have a room as when I left I was told that  there were mom's who had to stay in the labor and delivery rooms since so many women had gone into labor. As soon as I hit the room and the nurses left I didn't move for three hours. When Derek made it back to the room he too fell asleep and we all napped for a good long time.

When we woke up we got to know our sweet little man. It dawned on me that I hadn't heard him cry since he'd been born.  He is such a sweet little mello fellow.


We couldn't get enough of him.  After dinner

 then I FaceTimed with my parents hospital room to hospital room so I could see how my dad was and that they could see the little bundle.

got a call that Isaacs brothers were coming with Aunt Kim, Uncle Papa and Rebecca.

For the last day of kindergarten they perform a show for all of the parents highlighting the things they learned about every month of the school year. Derek worked from home and took a half day to be there and experience the magic.

Eli was excited too

Here's a little flavor


It was super cute! At one point Mrs. Tanner talked about how she was going to miss them and I got teary as did she. It really was the end. Here's another flavor of one of my favorite songs they sang. "Everything I learned I learned in kindergarten."


As you might notice, Noah needed some attention.

After the performance was a reception in the classroom with cookies. We coerced Hyrum into taking a picture with his teacher.


He just wanted to go home. When we got home and I tried to stage last day of school pictures. Hyrum was being silly, walking up the sidewalk bent over.


As he walked up the sidewalk he saw a school bus that slowed down in front of our house.


And the school bus driver threw out two little bags of Skittles for the boys!


They were THRILLED!! What a last day of Kindergarten!


Sweet taste of success.

Love Field Day! Don't you remember Field Day as a kid?  There was just a change in the air that day. To spend the whole day outside running and jumping and competing. I remember getting hot lunch (of hot dogs!) that day which was something I never did so it made it extra special. So this year when they needed volunteers to run Field Day for the kindergarten (and I was responsible to get volunteers as well) I jumped at the chance and so did my sweet husband.

I got there with Noah and Eli in tow. Noah running around and Eli on my back. It was nearly 90 degrees that day and we were outside. It was hot!! We were in charge of a jump rope and hula hoop area.


We had them spin the hula hoop on its side,


 or try to actually hula hoop, run around it. jump in and out of it, crawl through them and roll them.  We had them roll them around the little kindergarten play area in a race.


Noah was right there doing it too.


We did things with jump ropes too jumping, walking on them and making letters with them. I even showed them how to do a little chinese jump rope (in, out, side, side, on, in , out anybody?)


Derek had been assigned to an indoor job helping kids to color bookmarks. The woman who was in with him offered to let me go in with him but Noah wanted to be outside so outside we stayed.  With every group that filed through he participated in every activity and took his turn at the drinking fountain.  I was impressed. Noah has typically wanted to do his own things and hasn't really wanted to do things in the group but today he was all about being a part of the group.  Poor Eli was just hot!!


I tried to keep him in the shade while he sat in the backpack and sat him just inside the doors of the air conditioned classroom as much as I could.

After it was all over, ( Noah and Eli spent the last 20 minutes inside with dad) the kids all were treated to a popcicle. And we got the old mommy preschool crew back together under the tree ( minus Spencer)


Good memories!! :)

And we thought that the 5th birthday was going to be the best birthday ever. We may have jumped the gun by a year.

Hyrum's birthday May 11 was the start of the 2013 BRAVES Tee ball season. Hyrum's coach, Val Winward, is a die hard Atlanta Braves fan and has been itching to have his son's ( and Hyrum's) team be the Braves. And this year was his year.  Derek has also always been a Braves fan (albeit not as die hard) so he too was excited about the team choice.


Hyrum was #10. We were told it was Chipper Jones number. (He retired from the Braves last year and they retired his number this year)


The start of the Tee ball season means the Tee ball parade through Mapleton. Always fun.  I decided this time that I wasn't going to run all over trying to see them but just sit along the parade route and watch the proceedings. Noah and I found a place to sit (with Eli too, of course) and he tried to open a fruit snack with his "baseball gloves" which didn't work to well.


and had to cover up when the firetrucks came by


but it was fun and we scored on candy.


It occured to me as I sat down to the game that this would be his last year in tee ball. Next year it would be coach pitch and they would add more rules to the game. It was a bitter sweet moment. But we would also likely have TWO in tee ball/coach pitch next year too.


But as has become tradition, his first at bat was an in field home run! (or in other words he was last up to bat and they were simply clearing the bases for the other team to take to the plate) And he also got to reprise his role as first baseman.


It's going to be a great season.


After the game it was home to prepare the house for his birthday party!! This year Hyrum decided he wanted a Ninjago birthday party.  Don't what that is? Not surprised, but ask any 6-9  year old boy and chances are they know. There were no commercially produced party supplies for this theme so it left me with one option.  PINTREST!  Thanks to a dozen incredibly creative women out there (most of which were throwing a 6 year olds birthday party) who love their boys enough to make it happen I was able to get some good ideas.

I organized the ideas into a training course relying heavily on the story in the two Ninjago books that Hyrum had. I busted out the Chinese New year decorations I bought in February and set them out. They started out coloring pictures of the Ninjago Ninjas.

Then came a message scroll from Master Wu. Informing them of their mission to train to be ninjas. The first task in their journey was to discover their Ninja name.


Which took longer and was harder than I thought it would be. As they were doing that I put my camera down on the counter and then put something on top of it and didn't find it until the end of the party. FAIL! I did get some pictures before and took some videos during so that will have to do.

After they found their ninja names there came a new scroll telling them about their next mission. This mission was to learn the skills of ninja star throwing from Zane the Ninja of Ice.


When they completed that task they opened the scroll to send them to their next task which was to learn "Spinjitzu" from Jay the ninja of Lightning.  They just spun around 6 times and then ran from one side of the backyard to the other and back. Some spun 6 times...others 3 yet others 1 and others the whole way down and back.  It was kind of a free for all really.

The next scroll led them to the front yard where they trained with Cole the ninja of earth to learn how to defeat the Serpentine. They practice on the wiggly "snakes" on the sprinkler I had going in the front yard.  It was a hot day and the water was welcomed.

It was all I could do to lead them toward their next challenge which was in the backyard with Kai the Ninja of Fire. Since they had completed their training to this point they were now easy to face Loyd Garmadon to retrieve the stolen candy. (Loyd is the son of the ultimate bad guy in the series who just goes around stealing candy- and controlling the Serpentine-snake like creatures that hypnotize people) Hyrum always wants a piñata at his parties but finding a Ninjago pinata was a tall order to fill so in my searches found a different way of making pinatas.  It was done using a paper bag. Loyd Garmadon steals candy so who better to have a pinata made out of.  I decided to make it happen. After spending the better part of the evening designing, free handing the face and putting it together I was impressed how it turned out and was excited to show Hyrum.

The next morning after I made it Hyrum walked into the room took one look at it and said "That looks dumb" Awesome. I wanted to cancel the party right then and there.

I also made wraps for the drinks that had things like "Kai's fire punch" and "Coles rock ade" etc after I spent quite a long time on them Hyrum came home from playing at a friends house and immediately started slipping the wraps around saying "Why do these slip right off?"  It was another near cancellation of the party.


But needless to say that despite the initial irritations the piñata was a smashing success, although I don't think any one appreciated it like I did.  They each went home with a bag full of piñata candy. Everyone was happy.  After they defeated Loyd and retrieved the stolen candy they were ready to fight the serpentine....the real Serpentine.  Ok ok it was really a chalk drawing they were going to throw water balloons at.  I had envisioned some simple chalk drawn snakes but as the party got closer I ran out of time and asked Derek to draw them. But I forgot ( again! ) that my amazing husband is an artist and he had something a little more elaborate in mind.


Amazing huh?  Oh this is what they look like.
                           
After they destroyed them


(which I have to say kinda pained me to see) they got the last scroll which lead them to the final challenge Cake and Ice cream ( and those unsatisfactory wrapped drinks )We did cupcakes instead of cake and put Ninjago paper toppers on them. They were a hit.

After that it was more playing in the water and going home.  A good birthday for the big six year old, who probably can't wait to see what next year brings. It just keeps getting better.