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Thursday, December 31, 2009

Its Not a Fish!



Its Piper holding Persephone!
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Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Almost the End of 2009



When you take a group photo of 4 kids six and under, its hard to get a good shot. Someone is either not looking, sticking their tongue out, wiggling too much, and completely out of the shot. This is the best one I got. I like it, even if Piper isn't looking. Again.

So Christmas is over. I know I haven't posted pictures of it. I will. But the tree is already down. I couldn't take it up anymore. Which makes me sad because I remember how much I loved the lights hanging up year round at the farm. I would stare at them and squint my eyes up, and wiggle my head back and forth. I'd watch how the lights would spin when you closed your eyes halfway. How they colors could all swirl into one. I'm not sure how no one knew I was autistic back then. Even to me looking back its pretty obvious. Oh what the power of the internet and google could have done 30 years ago! It would have made sense to my endless spinning. Even when I got older and played with my cousins, I'd manufacturer games that involved spinning. As I watch my daughter interact with kids, I cringe knowing thats how badly I interacted as well. I was bossy and demanding. I know why. I needed them to play the way I was playing because I already had it in my head. THIS was how the Barbies were going to play today. They had boyfriends and they were going to watch and movie. And pretend I said that I loved him. Pretend I was here. Pretend I was there. No! No! Not there! HERE! Uggghhhh over HERE! .... I didn't care what they wanted to do. I didn't like their ideas because I had already written how the playing was going to go. It was already in stone. You can't change that. ..... I watch my 3 year old struggle to play with Ivy because she wants to use her own ideas, and Ivy will have none of that. I've become a broken record; Let your sister play the way she wants to play Ivy. Let her use her own ideas please. Ivy stop telling her what to say. .. Eventually Piper gets tired of it and wanders off to watch tv, which of course leaves Ivy absolutely angry beyond belief because SHE WAS PLAYING!

I look at the picture above and I can see it. I love her to death, and the picture is adorable! However.. her arms are around both the baby and Odin, because then SHE is the one in control. I know her reasons. It helps to control the chaos in her head. It gives her consistency and helps her to know whats happening if she's the one calling the shots. But to others it appears controlling and bossy. And it often leaves Piper out..

One of my New Years Eve things this year... I can't think of the word I'm looking for. Promises... um...oh! Resolutions! One of my resolutions is going to be to make more time for Piper. To pay attention to her more when she talks and grabs my arm. She's the middle girl and she tends to get lost sometimes I think. I don't want that. I want her to know I love her and she's every bit as important as Ivy (chris and my first together and the one with special needs) and Odin (the only boy) and Persephone (the baby) and Sierra (the real oldest but different kid cause she has two homes) .... Piper just IS in all of this, and I want her to feel special too.

I'll post more later, PJ is fussing.
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Monday, December 21, 2009

On Our Walk


My Childrens Birth Stats



And finally all in one place, here are my childrens birth stats. Of interesting note: Sierra and Piper share the same day of birth, Odin is only one day off. Ivy and Persephone share the same birth weight, and Sierra and Piper share the same length. Record holders for weight, Piper! Sierra was the smallest. Piper took the award in length as well! Persephone took the award for shortest baby. Odin was the only baby born during the morning hours, and Persephone was the closest to midnight without going over! (why did I just hear the Price is Right theme song?)

Sierra Morgan 6-12-98 9:53pm York Hospital, York Maine
7lbs 4.5 oz 20 inches long
born 3 days past her due date (6/9/98)

Ivy Keriana 7-30-03 6:03pm Southern Maine Medical Center, Biddeford Maine
8lbs 11oz 20.5 inches long
born on her due date

Piper Anastasia 1-12-06 10:37pm Mercy Hospital, Portland Maine
9lbs 1.8oz 20 3/4 inches long
born on her due date

Odin Christopher 2-11-08 8:49am crowned on I295, Mercy Hospital, Portland Maine
8lbs 10oz 20 inches long
born on his due date

Persephone Jade 10-27-09 11:48pm Mercy Hospital, Portland Maine
8lbs 11oz 19.5 inches long
induced at 39 weeks (a week before her due date of 11/3/09)

Introducing Persephone Jade (PJ)

The last picture of me before induction began. 39 weeks.

I was induced October 27th at about 10am. They broke my water and let my body take it from there. I was confident labor would progress on its own, and it did! There were a few points that the nurses were miffed that I wasn't in enough pain they said, and talked about using Pitocin. I said no way! Just because I'm on the computer and laughing and joking doesn't mean things aren't progressing! I just have a higher pain tolerance for labor.

I had the laptop in front of me and updated constantly.

Anastasia Quill

Anastasia  Okie dokie... I'm leaving for realz this time. Its late, and I gotta get up early. After I shower and shave everything tomorrow, the hopsital better let me come and have a baby or I'm gonna be pretty angry... LOL

October 27 at 12:14am 

AnastasiaBirthing center is making me call them back at 9:30. Figures! Actually got up and showered and everything is set here at home. Bah.

AnastasiaWhoohooo! I got the laptop working here! All is well on the labor and delivery floor. They broke my water and contractions are picking up. Its all a waiting game now. I'll keep ya posted!

October 27 at 1:39pm


Anastasia Things are still going well. No baby yet. Fish chowder was good though! LOL

October 27 at 4:56pm


Anastasia Quill

Anastasia 3 cm's left to go. Come on baby! I ordered room service before they closed at 7 just so I'd have something to eat later... cause I'm good like that. LOL

October 27 at 6:48pm

Anastasia  My husband is having a hard time with things tonight. LOL I feel bad for him actually. He's tired, in pain, and just seems to be a bit fuzzy in the brain. I ♥ him so very much though. :)

October 27 at 8:50pm

Anastasia  8 cms! Making good progress. I feel like I have facebook fans cheering me on. LOL

October 27 at 9:14pm

Anastasia Alright... taking a POLL people! Will this baby be born in the next two hours and be here on October 27th, or after midnight and on October 28th??? Voting starts... NOW!

October 27 at 10:15pm

Anastasia Why is narcotic pain relief considered pain relief? It doesn't take away any pain at all. It just turns me into the chick that had a few beers at the hospital. LOL this birthing stuff is funny

October 27 at 11:07pm

Anastasia gonna try out the tub for a few minutes. Baby should be here soon.

October 27 at 11:35pm

Anastasia Persephone Jade was born October 27th at 11:48pm. We are doing great :)

October 28 at 12:28am

 Anastasia Quill

Anastasia Persephone is 19.5 inches long and 8 lbs 11 oz with a 14 3/8th inch head size.

October 28 at 1:14am

Anastasia Quill

Anastasia  Pediatrician came, all is good with the baby. Eating my breakfast now.

October 28 at 8:51am


Anastasia  Persephone Jade. My blurry cellphone picture. LOL






Anastasia 





Anastasia I slept past lunch?! Oh I don't think so! I'm having that turkey club sandwhich!

October 28 at 2:50pm

Anastasia  Internet went down for awhile. That was a bummer. Staying here for the night so they can do the PKU testing on the baby. We'll be going home early in the morning cause I miss my other babies! :) waiting for dinner now.

October 28 at 6:30pm


Anastasia  My hubby is taking a shower, and I'm watching Ghost Hunters and thinking about re-heating my dinner and eating it. Beautiful baby girl is sleeping on the bed. Much better mood she's been in today. I ♥ her.

October 28 at 8:06pm


Anastasia  Chris is sleeping, and so is the baby. I have to wake her up and feed her so they can do her hearing test again. She keeps failing in one ear. They're doing vitals at 11 tonight, so its pointless to go to sleep before then. But man... 3 hours of sleep for the past 72 hours doesn't feel that great...

October 28 at 10:17pm


Anastasia Baby girl sucks her thumb! The first one to do that. ♥ I'm gonna have to wake Chris up so he can put her to sleep for the hearing test. She wants nothing to do with sleep as long as food is nearby. (me) Boy am I tired..

October 28 at 11:39pm


Anastasia We're home and settling in. The kids are meeting their new baby sister ♥

October 29 at 3:03pm




I never did make the jacuzzi.  Look at the time stamp from the last update on facebook to her time of birth. Literally my entire labor I was on the computer. LOL It was a good distraction. But boy did it make the nurses mad.



Our first picture together. The OB took it.



 Persephone nursing for the first time.




Hanging out in the isolate for a few. 




One of the hospital pictures.




A few days old at home. PJ has the most wonderful disposition even now at almost two months old. Even after our bout and hospitalization with H1N1. But thats another post! Hopefully I'll write a better birth story soon. Things are kinda crazy with FIVE kids. Whew.

Merry Yule! Happy Solstice!
Welcome to the family Persephone Jade!

 

Sugar Cookies




Sugar Cookie Icing

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This is the best icing I've found. I love it!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 2 teaspoons milk
  • 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • assorted food coloring

Directions

  1. In a small bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup.
  2. Divide into separate bowls, and add food colorings to each to desired intensity. Dip cookies, or paint them with a brush.



Sugar Cookies


The best sugar cookies of all time!
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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
  3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.