Sunday, December 6, 2015

We had a baby!

Yeah, I know. It's been an extremely long time since I last posted. Life has well...it's been life! So, a little over four months ago, we had a baby! I know, crazy, right? I need to document this memory for a few reasons, 1) if something happens to me, Paul will be able to tell the story to our children for their birthdays (it's a tradition), 2) the memory isn't as fresh as it should be, but I'd like to preserve the details of the telling, 3) she's the 6th and I don't want her feeling like I forgot about her! On with the story, which will have to begin a few weeks prior to her birth.......
It was a Saturday morning in July. I had gone to the doctor the day before and found out that I was a 3 and 50%. I was excited because I was making progress. Towards the end, I always feel like nothing is happening even though I get pretty good contractions, but really, I think I'm going to pregnant for-ev-er! Paul was doing backyard stuff. I was cleaning up the kitchen and boiling some water to kill these horrible ants we had in the backyard. Esme, dear sweet Esme was climbing and getting into all sorts of trouble. I had taken her off the counter a few times and put her in the playroom. I had taken the boiling water off the burner, and it had been sitting for quite a few minutes. I was moving it to the backyard. Ewan opened the door for me, and was going to close it behind me to keep Esme in the house. I set the water down for a second to call Paul for some help because it was kind of heavy and I needed help pouring it. I turned around to see Esme (slow motion moment) stick her hand in the pot. I grabbed it as she was sticking it in, ran inside screaming for Paul, ran her hand under cold water. Paul came in and instructed me to get in the shower with her while he figured out what to do. I jumped in, clothes and all. She was screaming. It was awful! We went to Urgent Care because we are 45 minutes from a hospital. So, they sent me to UMC. Paul dropped the kids off at a friend's house and followed me up with a diaper bag and changed of clothes. After talking to 4 residents, 2 interns, a host of nurses, and 2 attendings, going through 6 blown veins, they finally listened to me and let me hold her while they did a debridment to see what the damage was, 6 hours after we arrived. Long story short (because, seriously, a ton of other stuff was happening), they admitted her to hospital over night for observation and a dressing change. Then released us and had an appointment set up so we could get with the burn unit the next day. Then we found out that the burn unit wasn't open the next day, it was open the following day after driving all the way into Tucson. Instead, we went to our pediatrician who bandaged her much better than the trauma people, made an appointment with the head of the burn unit at UMC, and gave us better wound care and pain management instructions. I also had an ultrasound that day. It was crazy! After seeing the other doctor, Esme got admitted again for another night so they could sedate her for a second debridment and bandage change. During this time, I am having crazy contractions, I can't leave her room, but they wouldn't bring me a meal voucher. It was a bit of a mess, until the nurse told me order all the food I could handle as Esme. He was very nice, and could see that things weren't being handled very well. The following day, we were released with all the stuff we need to take care of a very bad 2nd degree burn, and a follow-up appointment in a week. Everyday, I bandaged her hand, cleaned her hand, and tried to keep her as comfortable as I could. Esi was a trooper! By the second day, she stopped fighting me while I bandaged her, and would stick her hand out with her fingers spread so I could get in between her fingers with the magic burn stuff. She did great! We went in for the appointment with our favorite resident and the head burn guy. They said that with the severity of the burn, they usually have to do skin grafts, and many follow-up treatments. But, we were told to apply sunscreen when she's out playing, keep it moist, keep her moving her fingers, and that we never have to see them again! Wahoo! Tender Mercy. That same day, I went in for another appointment with my OB. My parents were at Lake Powell, and my mother would leave when I needed her to. I was still the same, but had lost a few pounds and he was little concerned. He scheduled an appointment the following week to check things again. He was going to strip my membranes. So, the next week, I went in. I was 80% and still a 3, but I had lost more weight. He didn't want me delivering that weekend because he was going out of town, but he wanted to get her here soon. He scheduled an induction on Tuesday morning. It worked out well so my mom could get home from Lake Powell, and then fly to Tucson Monday night. Our weekend went just fine. I was having a lot of contractions and there were a few times we thought of going in. Every night, I'd have contractions 2-3 mins apart until 1:30, and then all day they were 10 minutes apart. Long labors are so much...! I picked my mom up at the airport Monday evening. Paul and I packed our bags for the next morning and ran through our plan. School was starting Thursday, and I wanted to be home for the first day of school. Paul also had a lot of work meetings that week, and the following week preparing for a big meeting. Life was not slowing down, and with a new baby coming, it seemed like it was going to get a little crazier. Also, my younger brother Court was leaving for Poland in a few weeks, and was having his meeting on the 12th. Anyway, we got to the hospital, got checked in, and hooked up. I was planning on an un-medicated delivery. I don't like being hooked up to stuff, and in the past, the epidural hasn't worked very well. Dr. Decker came in around 7:30am, checked me, I was at a 4 and 100% so we got the party started. He broke my water around 9, and then gave me some pitocin. I think the nurse gave me a little too much, or breaking my water was all that was needed! I rocked on the ball for 45 mins while Paul read to me. They checked again, and I was at a 5. So I did some more rocking, and 45 minutes later I was in a lot of pain. They put me in the bed to check again. I was having such bad contractions and feeling them in my back that I couldn't quite lie down. I held Paul's hand so hard during one of them that he lost feeling in his pinky! It was kind of intense. They were coming on top of each other and were almost 3 minutes long. The nurses were surprised at how long they were. When they were finally able to check, I was ready to go. They called Dr. Decker to come (his office is right across the street), and told me not to push but to breathe! That breathing thing is hard when you're oh so ready to push. I kept holding Paul's hand and the handles on the bed. Dr. Decker arrived. They got everything ready, and then all of a sudden I closed my eyes, pushed for what seemed like a long time, let out a scream (just one), and she was there. It was pretty intense. Paul even thought so. She came so fast! They didn't even clean her up, just laid her on my chest while I kept thinking "Oh my goodness! Oh my goodness! That just happened!" The nurses took her to clean her up and weigh her. She was 6lbs 1oz and 18.5 inches long with light hair similar to Ewan's. It took us a little while to settle on a name, but we chose Adelaide Hannah. Hannah Eccles is my grandpa Crimin's mother. We are so grateful everything went well, and mother and baby were healthy.


























Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Christmas Card 2014

Happy Holidays
from the Burkinshaws

With the Holidays quickly approaching, and 2014 coming to a close, we'd like to give a yearly run-down of our happenings. We have learned a lot, and are very grateful for all that this year has blessed us with. We look forward to 2015 and more adventures!

Esme (7months) entered our family on May 7th, one day before Paul's 30th birthday. She came with dark hair, bright eyes, and a happy disposition. Esme is loved by all, especially her older siblings who often beg to wake her from naps, carry her around the house, and tickle her armpits. Although she may not enjoy their escapades as much as they do, she is patient but has quickly learned how to roll and crawl away to the nearest adult. Esme loves to be held, especially by Mom. It seems that she started the “mommy-only” phase a little earlier than the rest. She does enjoy Daddy when he gets home from work. He keeps her off the floor and away from her many adoring fans. Esme loves to splash in the tub, crawl all over the house in search of Mommy, and stand at her little piano making the lights flash. We are so grateful for her!

Elin (3) continues to keep us hopping. She loves being outside with Ewan and making as many messes as she can. Elin is full of spunk and sass. She's not afraid to tell anyone how she feels and what she wants. We were a little nervous having a “new” baby since Elin was the baby for a while, but she adores Esme. She's a good holding, rocking, singing and loving older sister. She has stated several times that she wants “more Esme's”. Elin has really gotten into drawing and coloring with the older kids. She is quite the artist and loves to cut “books” and give gifts to anyone who might stop by! Purple is Elin's favorite color and must be matched with as many hair bows she can find, as long as she has Elsa or Anna braids. Her favorite ensemble consists of purple shirts, jeans, a princess skirt and top, fairy wings, and a crown. Elin makes the world more colorful and fun to say the least!

Ewan (5) is the ring-leader of the “E” gang. He has big ideas and plans for his side-kicks. One morning, as Molly nursed Esme she saw flashes of children running from the kitchen to the playroom. After asking a few times, “What are you doing?” and having the “nothing” reply followed by snickers, she got a very strong whiff of dill. She put the baby down for her nap, and went to investigate. In the playroom kitchen were two little scientists mixing an “experience” as Ewan called it. They had gotten all of the spices and mixed them in all of the play dishes. It was very spicy! Life with Ewan is busy! He loves riding his scooter around the backyard, writing stories, coloring anything and everything, and checking the days off his calendar. Ewan is still a Daddy's-boy and has enjoyed making trips to the hardware store with Paul. He has his own tools, and is anxious to hammer and “fix” anything. We sure are glad he's ours!

Aislee (6) is becoming quite the lady. She loves 1st grade and Mrs. Mulay. She has become quite the reader and speller. Aislee is very detail oriented when it comes to homework. She likes to make all her letters look “fancy”. With the arrival of Esme, Aislee has become quite the little “mother”. She feels that she must involve Esme in all the things the big kids are doing, especially games that need a baby. Aislee is a big help with diaper and wipes runs, burp cloth endeavors, and blanket finding adventures. She still enjoys homework, but would rather be jumping on the trampoline or riding her bike in the backyard. We've had to find the right motivation! Aislee is still doing the piano, and is excellent! She will be playing Silent Night at her upcoming recital and is very excited! We are so grateful for her goodness in our home!


Olivia (6) is growing to be very independent. First grade was a little bit of an adjustment, but she too loves Mrs. Mulay! Olivia loves to read and write stories for everyone! We have to hide paper from her, or she'll go through a whole ream in a week! Olivia is very artistic and creative, and can be found dancing and acting out stories all over the house. She is a whirlwind to keep up with! Olivia is also a fantastic helper. She loves to set the table, and help unload the dishwasher. She is the first to ask to hold Esme when she gets home from school, and can't get enough of “peek-a-boo” games. Olivia has a sensitive streak. She often asks for hugs and quiet talks when she's had a hard day. Olivia is the first to say sorry and make things right when there is a hard situation. We are grateful for her peacemaking skills. Olivia still enjoys the piano, and will be playing Jingle Bells at her recital. She's learning that she can do hard things! We love her energy!

Although Molly was grateful for the end of morning sickness, adjusting to five has been...well, an adjustment. Life just seems to get busier! A few weeks after Esme's arrival, we went to Utah to say “good-bye” to Molly's younger brother, Jace. He is serving an LDS mission in the Phillipines for the next two years. A little over a month later, Molly and Esme took a plane ride to Salt Lake City for another goodbye for her grandfather who passed away due to complications after a car accident. We are grateful for the knowledge of the Atonement and Resurrection. We look forward to a glorious reunion! With Paul's last class of graduate school, Molly became a “single” parent of 5 for a few months. We don't know who was more relieved for that last day of class! It has been quite an experience! With the twins in full-day school, there has been more opportunities in the day for projects. The list seems to get longer and longer. Molly is again grateful for Raytheon Fridays, and no homework for Paul!

Paul turned the big 3-0 this year. Esme's due date was very close to his birthday, and with our track record, Paul did not want to share his birthday and anniversary with babies. We opted for an induction the day before. He also had another week left in one of his classes with a very large group project due. We are grateful to his mother for helping Molly recover and giving him the time he needed to finish with an A. Graduation was greatly anticipated towards the end of September! It has been a time-consuming and busy process, but Paul did it! We are very proud of all he accomplished! He is looking forward to finishing the backyard (this may be Molly talking), having time to read, enjoying a few more minutes of sleep, and spending more time with the family. We also went to Oklahoma over Fall break to visit Paul's parents before they leave for an LDS mission to Brazil in April 2015. We're grateful for their good example of love and service.

We are glad that 2014 is coming to a close! This year has been busy and sometimes difficult. But, we are grateful for all that we have learned. We are especially grateful for our Father in Heaven, our Savior Jesus Christ and for the blessings of the Gospel. As we soon enter a new year, we would like to strive to live the words spoken by President Gordon B. Hinckley, “May each of us be a little more kind, a little more thoughtful, a little more courteous... May we have the strength and the will to walk the extra mile in lifting up the feeble knees of those in distress. May God bless you and may His peace and His love be upon you and embrace your lives with an essence of goodness. We should make every effort to be like Christ—the one perfect and sinless example this world has ever seen.” May 2015 bring your home many blessings!

Love,
The Burkinshaws