My baby turns 5

Another birthday in the house~this one is bitter sweet~my "baby" is turning 5!!  It seems like just yesterday I was in the doctor's office....I will take you back.....

It was Grace's 4 month well baby check up~the weight check and all the goodies.  She had been admitted not too long ago with RSV so we had to keep tabs on her weight~anyway...I had been asking the doctor some personal questions about my cycle returning.  He looked at me like I was an purple people eater when I asked why my cycle had not returned after 4 months.  He was the doctor~I was asking him!!  He went through a check list of questions and looked at me once more~asking me if there was any possible way that I could be pregnant.  I for a moment thought NO WAY, but I remembered this 1 time that Grace had fallen asleep...;)  I said I guess there is always a possibility~but it was only once so probably not.  So on his last attempt to find out the culprit to my missing cycle we ran a pregnancy test.  He was gone from the office for what seemed like an eternity~when he returned he extended his hand and told me "congratulations~your pregnant!"  I'm sure I turned every shade of white because he kept asking me if I was feeling alright~I actually wanted to throw up right there!!  How was I going to explain going to my BABIES 4 month check up and finding out that I was pregnant??  So we tallied back to the one time and discovered that I was 2 months pregnant.  Talk about a shock~I am one of those lucky pregnant ladies with no sickness so there was no signs of pregnancy~maybe being tired but I had a newborn!!  I remember thinking that my body had betrayed me~wasn't it supposed to protect me from this?? I didn't breast feed but still~I never knew that you could get pregnant that soon after having a baby!!

So I tottled home in complete shock~what was I going to tell my husband??  My dad??  My friends??  My in-laws??  Well.....my husband didn't believe me at first~he had the same reaction, my dad was worried about the toll it would take on me being pregnant again so quickly.  I have to admit~during those times I had horrible thoughts~~at one point I prayed that I would miscarry (and I have lost a pregnancy in the past) and I knew that it was a horrible thought to have but 2 babies in a year~not even a year~11 months!!  Looking back now I can see that I was suffering from postpartum depression but at the time it just seemed like the only answer.  Well....when the 3 month safety net came upon us and the little peanut was still living in it's nice cozy womb I began to realize that we were having this baby wither I liked it or not.  As time moved on and that baby began to move and kick I fell in absolute love~the ultrasounds could not come soon enough.  I was considered high risk because of the pregnancies being so close together, so I got to see the doctor's office quite a bit~not to mention that I still had an infant that had check up's.  lol   The nurses in the office were taking bets on when I would deliver~I delivered at 37 weeks with Grace (story to be told in about a month) so they really didn't think I would carry to term.  But I walked in carrying my 11 month old on the date I was due and the doctor checked me and I was dilated and looking good~so he asked if I was ready to meet this little peanut~that was hugely strange to me to be induced as with my 3 other deliveries my water had broke~my children decided their own birthday.  And here I was deciding when this little girl was coming into the world.  I told the doctor that would be great~just needed to get a sitter for the kids and get my husband home and we would be set.

So with everything in it's place we walked into the the hospital ready to deliver the little surprise.  I was terrified~everyone has always said that inductions are terrible~I am living proof to tell you they really aren't that bad!!  lol  From the time I walked into the hospital and the moment little Miss Tessa was welcomed into this world it was 4 hours!!!  The moment I held that beautiful baby girl I fell in love~she had a full head of black hair and was perfect!!  I cried thinking that I had prayed for this to never exist~so in that moment I was greatful that God had not listened to me.  Sure there were up's and down's to having your babies 11 months apart~but I would never change it.  Tessa was there for Grace's 1st birthday (not that she remembers)~they have always been close.  They could finish each others sentences~they just clicked the moment she was born~it was like the piece to Grace's puzzle was finally put in.

Everywhere we went people asked if they were twins~they were almost the same size~I have chunky babies once they start eating.  lol  Many people offered their stories of close knit babies and I began to realize that I was part of an unspoken club of mothers who are crazy enough to have babies that close.  I was called super women a lot~to have a 8 year old. a 3 year old, an 11 month old and a newborn.  Maybe I was~but I would never change my past.  <3

Germs and friendships

There are days in our lives that we just wish we could crawl into a dark tunnel and never come back out~well.....I've had a few of those.  lol  Between being sick (strep throat) and friends you're not sure you can trust I think if I went missing a few days that would be fine by me!!  As mothers have you ever noticed that the only thing that children ever share with anyone is their sickness??  It's true though........they don't share their toys, they don't share their food or treats and they just don't share anything that you would call your parents and say "hey, little Gracie shared her favorite stuffed monkey with little Tessa."  In a fantasy world we would be keep dreaming on that one!!  Instead they share their sticky, germ covered fingers EVERYWHERE!!  I'm the first one to love to hold hands with your sweetie walking down the street but come germ breeding season that must come to a halt.  No matter how many times you tell your precious little gems to wash their hands it just doesn't matter~mom is always the first to catch that sniffle or drippy nose. (at least in my house it is!)  Anyway, would you change your daily snuffles and sneezes for anything else, well........let me think about that one...........

And on to the friends, adults seem to need that adult language time with someone other than their toddler.  Someone who doesn't always talk about buggers, snot or farts (guess that leaves husbands out!)  lol  But that leaves us to turn to our group of best friends.  But it's hard to tell who will have your back~I know there are always people who will be there but sometimes ya just don't know.  You feel like you are part of a group and then the next thing you know your not invited to coupon swap or the coffee hour (even though I don't drink coffee) but it feels like high school all over again.  I don't know about any of you but I'm going to be 31 years old this fall and I don't need this drama anymore.  If I had time to sit and ponder genuine friendships well then we wouldn't be sitting here!!  I cherish by best friends~the real ones~ya know.  The ones that hung by your side when you told them you were pregnant in high school~the ones that know more about you than your spouse does.  Sometimes it feels great to have someone that you know will always answer your phone call~regardless of the time of night.  I know I have changed my way of thinking about friendships~who I deem my friends and the others I file away in to a folder marked "acquaintances."  So I challenge you to call up your best friend and recall old memories one of you might have forgotten~and make it a date~a weekly one!!

First time blogger

Well lets give this a whirl....lol.  Let me start by telling you a little about me........My name is Jamie Lynne Schallock~I am currently 30 years old~until October.  I was born and raised in Osage, IA~never really felt the need to move (although small towns have their ups and downs).  I married my 3rd boyfriend~we actually grew up together as children and had drifted apart.  Our fathers knew each other when they were younger.  I adore my father~he has always been there for me~at the age of 17 I told him I was pregnant and he never bat an eye.  That was one of the hardest things to ever tell my parents~but my past has shaped who I am now and I wouldn't change it for the world.  So on to my current family......I am married (of course) to my wonderful husband, Tim.  We have 4 daughters~Haley just turned 13 in July.  Seems like I am too young to have a 13 year old.  Was not ready for the teenage drama but I guess it doesn't care if your ready or not~it just moves in!!  lol  Then there is Allison~she also just had a birthday in August (all of my kiddo's are summer/fall babies) so this little diva is now 8 years old.  She thinks the world revolves around her~might be an Allison thing.  ;)  Then comes along Grace~my little miracle.  I will get into Grace's issues in a future post, but this little girls taught me to believe that miracles can and often do happen.  She taught me to love without fear.  Grace will be turning 6 in October.  Lastly there is the princess of the house~little Miss Tessa~our HUGE surprise baby~she will celebrate her 5th birthday in a matter of weeks.  Grace and Tessa should have been twins~they can finish each others sentences and actions.  :)  They are 11 months apart~talk about close.

I am a stay at home mom~although the girls are all in school~Tessa only goes 1/2 days so I still have a little company at home.  :)  I love to craft.....sewing is my stress relief.  I have a in-home crafting business that I started around 4-5 years ago.  I began to make cloth books for the littles in my life~family and friends.  Then I was told that I should expand and offer my books at shows~so that's the direction I went.  I will post more on a later date about the birth of Cuddle Time~we are on Facebook so make sure to check it out!!  Also on-line!!  http://www.cuddletimeclothbooks.com