Texas Adventure, Part 1 (Great Wolf Lodge)

We were so blessed to be able to take two weeks away to enjoy some vacation time together as a family in Texas. We have been planning this trip for a long time, since even before Jacob was thought of-- which is why we left when he was barely two weeks old. Brett has not been able to see his family in almost four years! We have an incredibly supportive church family that encourages vacation time and was so excited we got to get away and filled in where needed.

The kids were so excited about getting on a plane. Andrew was just a baby the last time we flew, so the younger ones have never flown & the older two don't remember it. Both going and coming we had two flights, and every time we made it easily through security. The kids did really well on the plane-- only Leah had some issues with earache. Thankfully, they offer free wifi now and they were able to watch their favorite TV shows on my IPad or movies on our portable DVD player. Jacob hardly made a peep and slept or ate most of the flights.

Our only issue with the flights was when we arrived in Dallas-- at about 11:00 at night-- and they told us they'd lost all our car seats. All four. We had five other suitcases to keep up with and Brett had to go pick up our rental car by 11:30 before they closed. We had no way of leaving the airport without car seats. After a little bit of a run-around, they did find the seats and we got the rental van on time. It was nearly midnight before the kids finally got in bed at our hotel the first night.

The first and second day we were in Texas, we attended a conference at Gateway Church. Though we got a few things out of it, we weren't all that impressed, and mainly just used the conference as an excuse to get to Texas. Still, they had child care, so Andrew & Abi were taken care of while we were there. We only stayed until lunch and then left to go enjoy our hotel-- the Great Wolf Lodge!

The Great Wolf Lodge is known for its giant indoor water park that is included with your stay. There are also so many more activities to do while you're there-- all geared toward kids. Our kids will be talking about this place for months to come! Here we are on the top floor in front of the giant window that overlooks the water park.

It was the first thing we did when we got back from the conference Monday. The kids' favorite area was the little kids' splash pool. It was all only knee deep (up to Abi's chest or so), with a couple small slides and lots of places to spray water or splash. We spent most of our time there.

 

They eventually ventured out into the giant water playground where you can squirt, dump, or spray all sorts of things. There was a giant bucket on the top that dumped a huge amount of water every five minutes or so-- we tried to avoid that! By the last day of our stay, Leah was totally comfortable in this area on her own. The kids were all very timid about riding any water slides. Daddy was able to talk both Leah and Andrew into conquering their fears and going on several different ones. And Leah really seemed to enjoy them the first day, as long as Daddy was with her. Then the second day, she went on one on her own and fell into the water at the end. So she was scarred and didn't want to go on them at all anymore.

Jacob did his best sleeping in the water park, lulled by the warm temperatures and the "white noise" sounds of the water and kids playing. He did wear his little bathing suit each day, but only got his feet wet once. It was a challenge for us to keep up with all four kids at the park. Even though it was enclosed and completely safe, it was a big place, and all the kids had different interests. And one of us had to stay with Jacob in his stroller at all times. So we parked him by the kids area and took turns going into the other slides and play areas.

Abi was torn between wanting to be brave but also being scared to do many things. When we finally talked her into going on this small slide in the kids area, she only wanted to go with Mommy or Daddy. When she found out she loved it, she wanted to go over and over again. By the last day, she was going on her own. And she was perfectly content going again and again.

We spent at least 3 hours each day in the water park. Brett and I even dared to leave Leah with the baby for a few minutes one day to go ride one of the slides none of the kids wanted to ride with us. We all had a blast! 

Another activity we enjoyed was the MagicQuest game. We bought each of the kids a magic "wand" that you take around the hotel to complete various tasks, like a scavenger hunt. Computer screens and a little booklet give you hints about where to find the different things you need to complete quests, and you use your magic wand to "collect" them. It required a lot of walking up & down stairs, which made everyone good & tired for bedtime! They enjoyed the quests the first few days but got bored of it by the fourth day we were there.

Our first night in Texas, we had a late dinner/ dessert with Brett's sister, Brenda. It was short, but she was excited to see the kids and we were glad to be able to get together with them. Nathan is now 15 and Stephen is 9. We met at the Rainforest Cafe, which was a fun experience in itself. The kids loved all the animals & greenery, and since we were some of the last few people in the restaurant, they were able to run around and play a little. They got along with Stephen & Nathan as if they'd always been friends.

Another fun activity at the hotel is nightly Story Time. All the kids in the hotel come in their pj's to the main lobby to see a little show and hear a short story. They also get to meet the mascots of the hotel. All three of them loved this! They watched in awe.

Even Jacob enjoyed Story Time. We got this as proof that we may have a thumb-sucker on our hands! (He has since started taking his paci instead!)

We had lots of late nights, but the kids crashed each night when they got into bed. There was a little divided wall between their bed and ours', so it felt as if they had their own little room. We tried to maintain a little consistency by reading our story each night when they got to bed.

Wednesday morning was the first full day we didn't have to go to the conference. So we went on the Wolf Walk. Basically a guide just walked with them around the main lobby and they talked about different animals along the way, pretending to be each one as they walked. It was a little interesting, but we didn't really want to do it more than once.

The month of October, the hotel is celebrating Halloween. So Wednesday morning we went and colored some masks and that night we went "trick-or-treating" around the hotel. The kids got a bag full of candy!

We tried to save money (and time) as much as we could and got bread & lunch meat for our lunches. To make it more exciting, one day we had a picnic in this tree house, high above the lobby of the hotel. (Everything was decorated for Halloween-- hence the giant balloon ghost.)

 Just a few more fun shots as proof we really did enjoy the Great Wolf Lodge:

Wednesday night we met my Aunt Jackie and my cousins Alicia & Aimee and their kids at a pizza place for dinner. I haven't seen them since our wedding and have never met any of their kids. It was good to be with family and the kids again acted as if they'd known each other forever! They had a good time running around like crazy while us adults chatted. 

The last day of our stay, thanks to Brett's sister Karen, the girls and I enjoyed time at the "spa." It is especially designed for kids and we had a mother/ daughter pedicure. Leah was so excited! She loved that she got to go to a spa. Abi kept asking why we had to get our toes painted. She didn't really get it, and was a little scared, but I know she was glad she got to do what Mommy got to do. We sat on a giant banana split. The girls got bathrobes & tiaras. Leah picked strawberry scented water and a bright pink polish. We even got a sugar scrub and lotion and the whole nine yards.

And when it was over, we got to enjoy ice cream. It was such a fun time to enjoy just being girly!

Andrew's favorite place by far was the arcade. We must have spent at least $75 in this place! He especially loved the simulation games, where you have to drive a car or turn a steering wheel or shoot a gun. Especially when Daddy played with him. He didn't even realize you could earn tickets to trade for prizes until Leah got a bunch!

  

Four days was just the right amount of time to spend here, and we all had a blast. We were exhausted and this was only the first half of our trip! 

Jacob's First Week

Although the big kids have had some behavior issues and need lots of extra attention since his arrival, Jacob really fits right into our family. He is so easygoing and doesn't mind lots of people in his face, touching him and adoring him. We have really not had much of a chance to "rest" since he's come home, as we're already busy with everything else we have going on. He's already had plenty of adventures.

The Thursday after we brought him home, I had a moment of paranoia because his breathing was very rapid-- I could literally see his chest moving up and down and it seemed so fast to me. At his check-up earlier that day, the nurse mentioned the same thing-- his breathing was awfully fast. She had told me just to monitor it, so of course when I noticed it again, I was concerned. Plus, he had slept a long time and didn't seem interested in waking up to eat. So I called the doctor on call and at 11:00 that night, took him to the ER just to be safe. There wasn't really anything wrong with him-- he was apparently acting like a normal 4-day old baby, but there are little things newborns do that I guess I'd just forgotten. Still, I was glad I took him, since he'd had high jaundice levels in the hospital and since I just wanted to be careful!

Thursday we also ventured to the grocery store while Leah was at dance class. That was a bit too much of an adventure for me and I definitely would not try it for a full grocery trip, but I just needed a few things. I left needing a nap after keeping up with these three (well, the baby slept the whole time, so he really wasn't the problem!).

These three constantly want to hold their brother. Leah is very good at it and can even get up and carry him to me. Abi just loves to touch his hair and face, but she is also very good at getting him a paci when she thinks he needs it (he's not really too good at the paci yet, but we keep trying).  

He likes tummy time just like all my others did. I let him play on his mat a few minutes every day and he can tolerate it a good 20 minutes or so. Of course, you can't see his 3 biggest fans all around the edges of the mat in this picture. They are always under there with him, making sure he sees his toys!

And we made our first trip to church Sunday. He slept through most of it, woke up to eat halfway through the service and then went back to sleep. Of course he has a lot of fans at church, as well, and everyone says he's adorable-- which I agree.

We attempted a little schoolwork on Monday, with the baby in his bouncer. I ended up holding him much of the time, so my attention was even more divided than usual, but I think we will be able to make this work once we get back to school full time!

At his one-week check-up, he weighed 8 lbs. 7 oz., which is well over the 7 lbs. 11 oz. he weighed when we left the hospital. He is definitely eating well and has no problems with my milk! He is growing so fast and I'm already sad that he's not going to be this little for long. 

His umbilical stump fell off while we were at the doctor so he had his first bath Tuesday night-- the most popular event of the year, apparently! The only part Jacob didn't like was getting undressed & being cold. He didn't mind the water.

We are already so in love with this little guy!

Jacob's Birth

The past few weeks of pregnancy were miserable. I'm not sure if it was worse than the previous pregnancies or I just didn't remember how uncomfortable I was at the end of the others, but I was ready to be DONE. I had really wanted him to come early but sweet Jacob Daniel decided to come on his due date and not a minute sooner. We had tried all sorts of things to get him to come-- including flying on a small plane-- but it was all in God's time.

Sunday the 20th I started just feeling bad. I had a few mild contractions throughout the day but wasn't ready to say I was in labor. Then, around 11 that night, the contractions were becoming more measurable. They were still about 15-20 minutes apart and not very strong, but I had a feeling that it was almost time. That morning around 2 the contractions grew to about 7 minutes apart, and although they still weren't very strong, I felt like we should at least get someone to come over and stay with our big kids so we could be at the hospital and not be rushed.

We got a couple from church to come over (in the middle of the night!) to stay while we left for the hospital at 3 am. When we got there, I was only about 1 or 2 cm dilated. I stayed an hour or two and the contractions actually slowed down. I felt nothing and made no progress. So at 6 we went back home. This was a first for me and I was so disappointed! I had really thought this was it. And I did NOT want to have to go back home and have to do every day things when I just wanted to have the baby. But we did. And by 1 that afternoon, things really were starting to progress. The contractions were definitely stronger and quickly getting closer together. I think I had really forgotten how strong they had to be to be considered active labor. (You would think after 3 others I would remember?) We got someone else to come watch the kids and left for the hospital.

We got there around 2, I think, and I knew it wouldn't be long. I was about 6 cm. dilated. I asked if they would break my water, which they did with every other one of my labors and it really made things speed up. The doctor said we should wait and see if it happens on its own. The doctor that was on call was not the doctor I saw through the whole pregnancy. I had really wanted him to be there because I was comfortable with him and liked his demeanor.

However, Dr. Benvenuto, whom I'd only met once, was amazing. She had this calming presence that immediately relaxed me. She offered suggestions for easing the labor pains, and this was the only time any doctor ever encouraged me to labor out of the bed. I actually got in the bath for a little while, and though it was relaxing, I wasn't too comfortable there. I got back in bed in time to push. This hospital is the first where I was able to labor, deliver, and recover all in the same room. And the nurses were willing to do anything to help me push more comfortably.

So my water broke on its own, then 10 minutes later, I pushed maybe 15 minutes, 6 or 7 times, and Jacob was delivered. I think at one point the doctor had me stop pushing because the cord was wrapped around his neck. He came out so fast he had bruising on his eyes. They put him on my chest immediately and let me hold him there as long as I wanted. They were in no rush to take him away to weigh him or anything. He was slimy and slippery and so beautiful! After they weighed him-- a whopping 8 lbs., 4 1/2 oz.-- and wrapped him up, I got him again and he immediately took to nursing. He nursed almost an hour straight! We had a few issues with latching the next couple times and the usual soreness that comes with that, but otherwise he has been a champion nurser and a very good eater.

Our entire experience at this hospital was amazing. The nurses were all so incredible. The 2nd night, Brett stayed at home with the kids since we didn't want to inconvenience anyone else to keep them on a weeknight. So I was there at the hospital by myself the whole night and much of the day Tuesday. The nurses made me feel completely comfortable to call them for anything I needed. I was not hesitant to have them help me swaddle the baby up (which they were very good at) or just hold him when I was frustrated at his crying. They helped with nursing and one even helped with an issue that Leah was having. And yet they didn't come in the room to "check" on anything hardly at all. They let me sleep.

My big kids have been handling things as I thought. They adore the baby and constantly want to hold him and touch him. They run to his side the second he starts to cry. And yet their behavior at home hasn't been the best. Abigail, especially, wants to be a baby again, or-- the second I'm paying attention to the baby and not her-- she needs me to get her something right now. She cries a lot more and demands a lot more attention. Andrew and Leah have also been a little more whiny and need more attention. They fight a little more and the noise level in the house has definitely gone up. It has been a crazy few days trying to keep up with all the changes, but at least they do not want me to send the baby back!

Physically, my recovery after this birth has been easier than any of the others, which is surprising considering how big this baby is! I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I had no tearing, my water broke naturally and I had a great doctor. Jacob was not a great sleeper the two nights we were in the hospital, wanting to cluster-feed all night long. However, our first night home he slept about 4 two-hour stretches. He is rarely gassy or fussy or squirmy like all of my other babies. I put him in his bed and he is sound asleep. He makes no noises that keep me up all night. When I get in bed, I'm not worried he's going to immediately wake me up again-- and I can actually sleep. He still is a little confused on day vs. night and sleeps much better during the daytime hours but he does at least sleep 2 hours at a time at night, sometimes more.

(Andrew slept in his swing the first 2 weeks of his life, because he was way too squirmy & noisy when laying down flat. Jacob, on the other hand, could care less about this swing and only tolerates it a few minutes!) He does love to be swaddled to sleep. The only thing that really makes him cry is getting his diaper changed and sometimes getting in his car seat, if he's not fed and content beforehand. He is generally pretty happy and easygoing-- an answer to all our prayers for our fourth-born.