Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Toilet Training

I'm pretty frustrated with Will. He is 3 1/2 and still not toilet trained. He has only successfully peed on the toilet a few times but has never had a bm. Joshua was trained at 2 years and 11 months old so I feel like Will should be trained already. Today I took him out of a diaper and put his undies on him, he asked for a diaper right away because he didn't want to wear his undies. I don't want to traumatize him by forcing him to train if he isn't ready but it is hard to believe he isn't ready when he will come up to me asking 'mommy will you change my diaper please' he will bring me a diaper then I'll have him throw the old one away. I don't like people asking me 'when are you going to train Will?' because I have tried and I'm exhausted. Hopefully he trains by kindergarten... at this rate it feels like he will always be in diapers.

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas everyone!!! I have been HORRIBLE about posting pictures probably because we keep changing which computer has the pictures stored on it. Our Christmas was a good one. Sunday evening Michael and I decided to take a trip to an Opera House in Denver to watch The Nutcracker. I went online to get the tickets but they weren't able to purchase on the computer anymore. We bought our parking pass and hoped that there would be tickets still. We arrived at the ticket booth to find out the show was sold out :( I was disappointed but knew that could be the case. I asked her if there were any other shows to see and she suggested walking across the way to the other theater. On our way over there we say a lady in a fancy black coat with red trim guiding people into the Opera House to see The Nutcracker. As we were walking near her the lady asked if we were going to the show. I told her we didn't know what we were going to see as we didn't have tickets. She told me she had two extra tickets she would like to to give us!! I told her she made my day. She walked us inside and handed the tickets over so they could check us in. We went up to the third level... a box seat. The show was beautiful from where we sat and I'm so happy we were able to go. I hadn't seen The Nutcracker since 1997 with my mother. The kids did great for the baby sitter and they were all sleeping when we arrived home. Christmas Eve we hung out at home then went to the candle light service at 5. We gave the kids their matching pj's then they went to bed. Christmas started for us at about 7, then Macy woke up at 8:30. We had a nice leisurely time opening gifts, ate a nice crock-pot meal and relaxed the rest of the day. Macy loved the stuffed toys and baby cradle we gave her, and the boys enjoyed their legos. It was a great day!

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Happy Easter!

Macy's first Easter! Here are a few of my favorites!

Friday, December 16, 2011

Monday, August 22, 2011

Macy's birth story

I guess my birth story starts on August 17th 2011. I went in to see my midwife for my 39 week check up, I was 38.6 weeks at the time. I went in fully expecting her to strip my membranes, when I asked her she said they will not do it until I'm exactly 39 weeks. I went home slightly disappointed but was comforted to know I could go back on the 18th in the morning and she would do it then. All that afternoon I was having some crampy contractions that lasted into the night. I didn't sleep well and woke up on and off due to the contractions. I ended up waking up at 4:45am to take a shower and get ready for the day since I couldn't sleep well, later I went back to bed and slept for about an hour before Will woke me up.

On August 18th we all got up, ate breakfast and got ready for the day. I was just about to drop the boys off at my friends house so she could watch them for my appointment when my midwife office called. My midwife had a delivery early that morning and wanted to reschedule so she could eat and shower. So my friend took me on the walk, it was Joshua's first time riding a big boy bike with training wheels on it. He LOVED it!!! The walk lasted about 30 minutes or so in the heat, we ended just in time for me to leave for my appointment. Once I got to the office I weighed my self ending this pregnancy at 155.5 pounds then she checked for dilation, 3cm and about 50-60% effaced, then she stripped my membranes. On the way back to my friends house I had a couple of what I thought was the start of contractions. I stopped at Walmart to get Joshua's half birthday present and cake mix for the 19th: ) Then I went to my friends house. We stayed there for a long time and wanted to go on a walk but it was at least 94 degrees although it did feel much hotter. So we decided to go to the mall instead to walk around in the AC. We arrived at the mall around 1 walked a couple of laps with Michael the boys, my friend and her boys then I decided I should get checked by my midwife. We arrived at her office around 3:30pm and at 3:43 I was 4cm and 80% effaced.

After seeing my midwife we agreed I would go home and she would call me at 6 to see what I wanted to do. So my friend took me back to her house, I loaded the van up and we went on our way. I picked the boys up some McDonald's for dinner as well as a snack wrap for myself then we went home. Once we got home I got the boys settled with their food and a movie while I bounced on my ball. Around 5:04 I could no longer talk through my contractions. Michael arrived at the house around 5:55pm and my sister arrived to pick the boys up around 6:00pm. By the time my sister showed up I could no longer walk or talk through the contractions and had to get down on my hands and knees to rock on my ball through them. At 6:25pm we were on our way to the hospital so we probably didn't arrive to the ER until 6:35, So I probably wasn't checked until 6:45 or 7 and I was at 5.5 cm... I don't remember how effaced I was. I went from hugging my ball on the floor on my hands and knees to hugging the ball on the bed, to sitting on the toilet to finally in the bed kind of laying on my side a bit. At one point I felt sitting on the toilet rocking back and forth helped me a lot during contractions. I had people in my room needing me to answer questions about my health and insurance so I went out signed a form then ran back in the bathroom to deal with the contractions. I remember at one point I asked Michael to page some one to come check me, the nurse said someone would be in soon. As I was sitting on the toilet I felt the urge to push, felt it again and told him to tell them I felt like pushing! Immediately we had 4 or more nurses in the room with my midwife and Michael getting ready to deliver. When my midwife came in I was on my hands and knees on the bathroom floor not feeling like I could get up to move. She told me we needed to get to the bed so we could deliver Macy better, I remember shaking my head a couple of times (no) but eventually making it to the bed (probably in a minute of her asking me). Once I got to the bed I pushed three times... Maybe, and Macy came out big and healthy. It was quite the whirl wind of a delivery that is for sure. I was only in my room for an hour before she was born at 7:46pm. She weighed in at 9lbs 1oz and is 21 inches long. I was able to hold her right way, with my eyes closed through most of it because I was SO tired. Since I was out of it the nurse asked if she could take Macy to clean her up. I agreed and just relaxed there for a bit. Immediately they started getting the placenta out and cleaning me up. I didn't tear at all, I didn't have any problems getting the placenta out and I didn't have any time for an IV!! : ) YAY I beat the system.

I'm not sure how much time had passed, probably two hours or so. I was able to nurse Macy successfully and the nurses decided it was time to clean me up and get me to recovery. Well they successfully got me to the bathroom when I started feeling light headed. I knew I was going to pass out so the nurse had Michael bring over the wheel chair so I could sit down and get back in bed faster. On the way out the bathroom door I passed out, they needed two nurses to lift me out of the chair onto the bed and I was immediately given O2 and laid flat on my back. While I was laying there they decided I needed an IV for fluids and some pit to help stop the bleeding. The nurse calculated that I had lost double what a normal woman looses at delivery of blood. That was NOT good at all. I later found out I was hemorrhaging and lost 900cc's of blood when a normal woman looses 300 or a little bit more. The nurse tried two times in my right hand to start the IV and finally succeeded in my left arm, my veins kept collapsing. I was put flat on my back for what felt like forever, I drank lots of juice and ate a plain sandwich while we tried to watch a bit of a movie. Around 10 or 11pm I was finally able to be moved to my recovery room. They brought in my new bed and moved me over to it then wheeled me to my new room. I was able to Nurse Macy much more there and she is doing great!

Around 12:30am I felt like I needed to use the bathroom so they laid me down in bed, tested my blood pressure then sat me up and tested it. I failed miserably so I had to lay back down until I was back to normal again. At 2pm we tried again and I passed the blood pressure test. It's so funny the things you celebrate after just having a baby.

So far I have no other complications and Macy is doing well. When Macy was first born the nurses thought she might have a sugar level problem since she was born so big but they tested her blood and everything is looking great. I just hope she continues to breastfeed so well. My nurse had to bother me at 1am, 2am and again at 3am, now it's 4am on the 19th and I'm finally allowed to sleep. They won't even bother me until 7am!!!

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Family Update

I feel like I need to provide an update on here. I cannot believe it has been so long since my last update. I know I said I'm done blogging but I might take it up again. I really don't enjoy getting on FaceBook and I'm lousy at emailing so I thought maybe this should be the main way my extended family can see how we are doing.

I'm not really sure how our winter or spring ended. It feels like forever ago. Our summer has been great though. Since the first of June we have been at the pool 5 times, had our first sun burns and the boys have had their fair share of boo boo's. Joshua LOVES swimming and is doing great so far. Our first day at the pool he wouldn't let go of someone's hand and by the 3rd day at the pool he was jumping in on his own with his floaty and could kick his way around the pool all on his own. Not a day goes by where he doesn't ask to go swimming. I'm hoping he will be able to swim on his own by the end of the summer. Will likes the water too and enjoys floating around in his little baby float his aunt bought his brother back in 2006. They have become quite the water babies and I love it. I never went swimming while pregnant with Will or Joshua, I never thought I would enjoy it. My first day in the water I LOVED it, I enjoyed not feeling heavy, pregnant, and large. Will loves it too because I'll hold him more, since he doesn't put the pressure on me or my belly in the water like he does on dry land. We really enjoy being able to walk to our swimming pool, and we love having the mountains outside our back door it truly feels like we are on vacation all year round.

The month of June is crazy busy and we are supposed to end the month on vacation to Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana. I honestly don't see the vacation happening since the last two nights I've had very regular contractions. I do have a midwife appointment next week and she will check me out. Then we will make our final decision... but it isn't looking good people. :(

As soon as our tax return arrives we will get the boys room set up with their bunkbed and new mattresses. Then finish putting Macy's room together, the crib needs to be installed, the mobile hung up and the bedding, as well as some small finishing touches then we will be finished.

I have no pictures to post as our camera isn't focusing correctly and we just get blurry pictures. Hopefully we can fix that before Macy arrives... or can afford a new camera.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Our baby is a GIRL!!!

We had our professional ultrasound and we are having a girl!! We are so excited, but now need to start looking for baby girl clothes and things! :)

Sunday, January 9, 2011

The baby we lost June 20, 2008

I was looking through the items in my dresser and found the only picture I have of our baby we lost on June 20, 2008. I have wanted to hang the picture on our wall for a long time and thought now would be a good time to do so. As soon as it was hung up Joshua noticed it and went running to find me.

Joshua: Mom! I found an x-ray!
Me: (knowing what he was talking about I said) It is actually an ultrasound.
Joshua: What is it?
Me: It's a picture of mommy and daddy's baby.
Joshua: William?
Me: No it's the baby after you and before Will. The baby died and is in Heaven now.
Joshua got a concerned look on his face then started to walk away, so did I.
Joshua: What is the baby's name?
Me: Jordan.

I have thought about the baby we lost for a long time. I've thought about what stones I would want on a ring if I had every child's birth stone on it. I want one for Joshua, Will, my August 2011 baby and one for Jordan the baby we lost in 2008. I really feel it is important for me not to forget him or her. We loved that baby and still do so much that I cannot cast that baby out of our family just because we didn't get to see his/her little face. I saw his/her heart beating the day Jordan died. I am so glad I was able to and am so glad I have a picture of our baby.

Well I wasn't crying when Joshua asked about the picture but I am now. I think it is good not to forget. We love that baby just as much as Joshua, Will and my August 2011 baby, and always will.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Joshua is READING!!!

As of yesterday Joshua can read, I came across a web page called ABC Reading Eggs. It says your child can read in 6 weeks. I signed up for the free trial and have been letting Joshua play it almost as much as he would like since I don't know when the trial will end. They have mini games in each lesson learning how to say the sound the letter makes and every other lesson they start to learn words like am, Sam, I, at, cat... etc. Joshua can read the words I, am, Joshua, Sam, Cat, fat, sat, bat. I can write out on paper sentences like; I am Sam, I am Joshua, Sam I am, I am a fat cat, I saw a bat. He can read it all. If he doesn't know the word he can sound out the first letter like the b in bat, then he says at because he knows that word, he gets excited once he has it figured out. I need to go the library now to get some easy readers for him so he doesn't loose what he has learned. We might be reading even more than we are already... I think that could be a good thing.

Once this trial runs out we might have to buy the program. It is $54.00 I think but we aren't paying for Preschool so I think it would be worth it. This program creates a lot less stress on me because I'm not having to sit down with him and force him to listen to me. He gets to play his computer game while he learns how to read. I think that is a pretty good deal for me and him.

I am so proud of him and cannot believe he can read some words now and write his name correct. I cannot believe he will be 5 in February and is learning so much already... My little guy is growing up.

Saturday, December 25, 2010

We are pregnant!!!

I just wanted to let everyone know we are pregnant and due August 25th :) I'm 5 weeks 1 day along. We would appreciate all of your prayers for this little one and me during the pregnancy, labor, and delivery. I have a pregnancy blog for this one too: http://www.whooiemooie.blogspot.com

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Merry Christmas!!

This is our Christmas letter this year as we are not sending them through the mail this year.

2010 has brought many changes in our lives. We started the year in Laramie, Wyoming as Michael was attending graduate school there. Joshua turned 4 in February, in March we traveled to Oregon to see family and Idaho to see dear friends. Will turned 1 in May and we moved from Laramie to Fort Collins, Colorado where Michael got a job working for Northwestern Mutual. We really felt at the time that it was God's plan for us to move to Colorado, with how smooth the transition was. It has been a hard 7 months, trying to find friends, Michael trying to find client, trying to find where we fit in but I think we are doing better. We have met some wonderful friends at our church and Michael seems to be doing better at his job just pray for more clients!

In July one of my best friends got married, we were there for about two weeks helping with preparations. The wedding was beautiful and she looked gorgeous! While we were in that part of the neighborhood we saw Michael's sister and family for a few days. The cousins enjoyed playing together and were very sad when it was time to go.


In September my baby sister got married to her childhood friend. I was blessed to be the Matron of Honor. I am very happy with them and know that God truly blessed them with each other.


The months of November and December have been filled with making Christmas gifts for my family, I'm very excited to give them all away. We bought all the kids toys (gently) used or I am making them. I made Will a quilt, pillow case, and quiet book. For Joshua I made some bean packs (to heat up for sore muscles or when he is cold), and a lego table. It should be a fun Christmas in Cheyenne.








It is so hard to believe it is December already! I cannot believe my children are almost 5 and 2! WOW where does the time go? I truly hope the next year is filled with fun, that Michael's job becomes enjoyable, and that time slows down.

We hope you all have a wonderful and blessed time with family and friends this Christmas!

The Lucas Family

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Wow it's December already!

I cannot believe it is the last month of the year now! We had a great Thanksgiving, spent in Cheyenne with Michael's Dad, Mom, and sister. We ate wonderful food, played games, and visited. November 30th we put up our Christmas tree, on Michael's desk. I really didn't want to say "Will, No" every second as he touched the tree so we put it up high. Fortunately we have high ceilings where the desk is so the tree works great! We have our stockings hung, nativity scene up and our shopping is basically finished. We have a couple big toys for the boys that won't be able to go with us to Cheyenne (they are just that big) so we will give them their big gift on Christmas Eve and they can have all day to play with it before we go to Cheyenne for Christmas. We have made two types of cookies this week, oatmeal and 7 layer and plan on making Pizzelle cookies today (My Grandma's favorite). I am very much in the Christmas spirit now and am loving the count down, Christmas music, gift wrapping, and everything else.

Have a great week and weekend!!!

Friday, November 12, 2010

Funny kid

Joshua received a sticky cinnamon bear in Church Wednesday night and hasn't eaten it yet. While we were sitting at the table coloring he said

"I forgot to eat my bear... that tastes like Christmas and smells like Christmas"

Monday, November 8, 2010

Joshua can count

Joshua is doing great with counting. He can count from 1-15 then he needs my help for 16-20, then he can count from 21-19, 31-39, 41-49, 51-59, 61-69, 71-79, 81-89, 91-99. Then I say, very loud, 100. He is very proud and his favorite numbers are 31-39, I'm not sure why. I was going to video tape this but my camera ran out of batteries and I have no more. Maybe next time...

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Joshua makes me laugh.

Yesterday we had tator-tots with cheese quesadillas.

When Joshua would talk about tator-tots he would call them tadder-toddlers.

He makes me laugh.


Today while Will and Joshua were playing with their water table indoors that has dried beans in it. Will kept picking up the beans and throwing them.

Me " Will do you want to go nigh night?"

Will gave me a head shake

Me "then don't throw the beans or your going to bed". It was about nap time anyway.

I went back to doing something in the kitchen when I heard beans flying...

Joshua "uh oh Will that was a bad incision"

They make me laugh so hard some days :)

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Look Mom!

Tonight while Joshua, Will and I were walking our neighborhood. Joshua came across a seeded dandelion. He picked it up, started blowing on it then plucking out the seed and said 'Mom, I've seen these in Mario a Galaxy!'. You can tell what he likes to do. :)




(The little dandelion seed looking things sticking up out of the ground is that he was talking about)

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Halloween

We dressed the boys up as pumpkins this year. Joshua was the one who wanted to be a pumpkin since he had a jack-o-lantern shirt. I made both boys matching pumpkin hats so they would look more like a pumpkin. I think they looked cute this year!


Michael dressed up as the frog prince and I was a princess. We were invited to a party Saturday night and needed to dress up for the occasion. I didn't spend a penny on my outfit since I was a bridesmaid this summer I used that dress and I wore my tiara from my wedding. We just bought Michael a Kermit hat from Walmart and I made a crown. It was nice getting out of the house with no kids.





Monday, October 25, 2010

Thinking about birthday parties.

I have been thinking a lot about birthdays and have decided for Joshua's 5th birthday we will have a lego themed birthday party. I really want to make him a lego cake and pinata, with a lego play table for the guests and him to play with. I thought it would be cute to make lego people crayons for the gift bags as well as some lego cars or a person the kids could put together. I really like this cake, I like this shirt, and this mold

For Will I want to have a car theme birthday. I want to make this play mat, and I want to do a lot of the ideas found here.
I want to make these crayons for gift bags, and possibly a watch me grow banner.

I love birthdays and since I make a lot of the gifts and decorations I have to think about it earlier.






http://homemadebyjill.blogspot.com/2010/10/oscars-car-playmat.html

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Pumpkin Patches

Last month we went to a couple different farms in Colorado. I love living so close to the pumpkin patches they are great for Joshua to run around and play in. The first pumpkin patch/pick your own farm was great, it was only a 15 minute drive from our house. My friends from Laramie drove down to visit it and invited us along. It was great to see them again. Joshua loved the animals, the hay ride and best of all picking your own produce. We got carrots, bell peppers, tomatoes, and pumpkins. The prices were GREAT, we will definitely be going back for more.








Will doesn't like the feel of the grass on his feet



The second farm we went to was fun as well. They had a corn maze, hay maze, pumpkins, petting zoo, trike ride, playground, cornbox to play in and much more. Joshua LOVED playing here and Will enjoyed sleeping in the stroller with the breeze on this face. I am so glad my friend from Laramie invited us to meet them there.































Tuesday, October 12, 2010

A few birthday crafts

My nieces birthday was last month and her brother's birthday was yesterday so I had a lot of fun in September making gifts for them.

For my Nephew's gift I made a car roll, like the one I made Joshua last year at Christmas time. I had fun with the D on the front and making it match the John Deer fabric on the front of the roll up.







For my Niece's gift I made a little dolly quilt. This is my first quilt that I quilted myself and made the binding myself. I enjoyed it so much I made a quilt for Will as well! I love the green and pink and the cupcake!