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.

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 7^th, one day before Paul's 30^th 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 1^st 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

Pictures

Long time no post...!

Okay, so a lot has happened since the last post. We got over the flu. We went to Texas for Spring break. Paul finished two classes. We had a baby...yeah, a lot has happened. We'll just talk about the baby since that's probably the biggest event that has happened!

Warning: birth story
So, I have contractions from about 20 weeks. They're not just Braxton Hicks, but I get those a lot too.I'm like one big Braxton Hicks contraction for the last few months of my pregnancies. When I started my every-week-appointments my doctor and nurse practitioner would say, "you're [this much dilate] but this is your fourth pregnancy, so things could change really fast. You could have this baby any moment". I would then have dreams at night of going into labor while driving home from appointments, while taking care of kids without Paul around, or just doing random things that would warrant some time of chaotic event. Anyway, Paul's mom was flying in Tuesday the 6th, and we decided to do an induction because I was dilated pretty good, my contractions were pretty consistent, and we knew we'd have Grandma around to watch kids. Dr. Decker first scheduled it for Tuesday morning, and I thought he said Tuesday evening. Then he switched it to Wednesday morning, but switched it again to Tuesday evening. So I drove to Phoenix to pick Paul's mom up at the airport Tuesday morning. We got home and I was so tired. I figured I'd have a long night ahead of me, so Grandma took the kids to play at the park while I slept. I got all the bags packed and ready. Paul got home and we decided to go on one last date. We went to dinner and then Wal-Mart to make sure we had everything we needed. We thought about going to a movie, but all the movies ended after we were supposed to be at the hospital. So, we drove to Tucson and walked around the park we used to live by. We got to the hospital around 9:30pm. It took them a while to get everything all going. I really wanted to do this one without an epidural  since with Elin it only worked on one side. We got an orienting nurse and a senior nurse. The orienting nurse started an IV. She blew my vein the first time. It hurt really bad! I'm not one to complain about pokes since I had been poked so many times with the twins, but this hurt! So, the senior nurse put the IV in and it still hurt really bad. I was kind of bummed because I didn't want to be hooked up to anything. I wanted to sit in the rocking chair, go to the bathroom without having to take the stand in, I wanted to do it by myself. They said it was "just in case". I was then given a drink every two hours to help things move along. Nothing really happened all night. They'd give me the drink, tell me to rest, and then come in every 15 minutes to move me so they could get a better read on the baby and contractions, which I was having every minute or so. They asked me several times what my pain level was, 5 being crying. My contractions were hurting, but I wasn't crying. Paul says that wasn't a good scale for me. He would look at my face during them and say it was probably worse than a 5. At 6am, they changed staff. Dr. Decker came in and checked things out. He said he'd be in at 7 to break my water and that things would go pretty fast after that. He decided to give me a little pitocin. I was once again bummed because I'd be hooked up to something, and that wasn't the plan. We once again got an orienting nurse and a senior nurse. Around 7:30, Dr. Decker came back in and broke my water. He said, "At any time you would like an epidural or something to ease the pain, let us know. And, that's all I am going to say about that." We had talked several times in his office about doing an un-medicated delivery. He was great about it, and had no concerns with my heart issues. Before he left the room, he mentioned that he had to go down to Nogales at 1:30pm and would like to deliver this baby before he had to go, but he promised to deliver my baby ;). Things were still progressing slowly, but the contractions were getting a lot stronger. I tried to lie in the bed and pretend I was jello. I used the bathroom several times. I tried to rest while watching ESPN. We chatted with the nurses about the kids and all that stuff. Around 9 I decided to go walking or do something. The nurses brought in the birthing ball. I bounced on that for 45 minutes, and then they checked me. I was at a 6. So I bounced on it for a little while longer while Paul rubbed my back and held my hand during contractions. They started coming really really fast and hard. They kept coming, one on top of another. The nurses wanted to check things, so I got into the bed. It had been 20 minutes since they checked last. I was now at a 9 3/4. It hurt too much to lie down, so Paul held my hand while I leaned forward. I got a little teary and kept apologizing for hurting his hand. I apologized to the nurses for being too loud, and for crying. Paul said I didn't really make a much noise except for saying, "Oh my goodness" and "Whoa." Dr. Decker came in, they got all the stuff ready, and then it was time. I have to say that the shot they give just in case you tear is more painful than anything in the entire world! Pinch and a burn...my left knee! He's lucky I didn't kick him in the head! Then I pushed. It's a lot different to be able to feel everything. I could actually adjust the way I was pushing because I could feel when things weren't quite right. With an epidural, I just kind of held my breath while everyone said that I was doing a good job! Half-way through one of the contractions, I finally asked for the epidural. Everyone laughed...? She came out with a lot of dark hair, and a good cry. What a relief! They laid her on my chest while they did all the other important stuff. I got to hold her for a few minutes, and then they cleaned her up and cleaned me up. It was nice that I could feel my legs right away, but being able to feel the nurses knead my stomach was not that pleasant. It was a very neat and wonderful experience. I may do again without an epidural. Let me get passed the first six weeks...! We are so grateful to have Esme in our family! Four girls...! Crazy! Side note: Ewan is absolutely in love with her, and loves having another little sister. Although, he still says there's at least one brother waiting for him!

The flu!

We got hit with the flu. It was like a huge semi that plowed itself through our home, leaving many sprawled on the couch and floor moaning in pain and begging for relief. Yes, it was that bad! I don't know if it was our second bout of it, but we were hit with something earlier in January that was not very pleasant either. But, this flu...of heavens! this flu has wiped us out! It hit poor Olivia first. We went to Phoenix for Paul's sister's baby's blessing on Saturday. Olivia was not feeling so hot Sunday morning, and slept most of the day. We didn't want to stay too long since we worried about infecting anyone else with whatever it was we had. That evening everyone was kind of out of it and just laying around the house. Paul woke up Monday not feeling very well and decided to stay home. If you know Paul, that is unheard of! He never takes off work! Even when we're leaving for vacation and we've planned out our PTO for the year, he still works a lot the week that we're leaving so we have ample PTO...we carry over the maximum every year! I was shocked. The kids were all complaining about headaches and hurting everywhere. We just hung out on the couch, watching movies and trying to keep the fevers at bay with tylenol and motrin. Monday afternoon was when I started feeling not-so-great. Ewan started to complain about his ears hurting. That evening, everyone crashed pretty early. I called the pediatrician the next morning to get the four kids in. Strep had been going around, and I wanted to make sure we got people started on medicine before it got really bad. We couldn't see our regular pediatrician, but all of the doctors in her practice are fantastic! I don't mind driving 45 minutes for a great doctor! She checked everyone out and asked me some questions seeing that I was 26 weeks pregnant and obviously not feeling very well either. She confirmed that it was indeed the flu, and a bad one. I made sure the kids all wore masks while we were in there because there were a lot of little babies there for newborn screenings. We got out with many sympathetic looks from the nurses and other moms in the waiting room. Rest, fluids, more rest, and no school for the rest of the week was the treatment. We were so sick. I was tired on the drive home too! Paul returned to work because he said he honestly got more rest at work than at home when he wasn't feeling good. (!!) It's true. So, we spent the next few days lying around, taking naps, drinking lots, and trying to stay comfortable. Ewan and Elin would come and lay with me in my bed while the twins slept on the couch as Disney movies played in the background. One afternoon Ewan and Elin moaned and cried for a good ten minutes before finding a comfortable position on the bed and falling asleep for a few hours with me. We didn't eat much, because we had no appetite. There were a few days where they would ask for lunch right around 5pm. Paul also had his midterm that week. He stayed at work and worked on it for a few hours. When he'd come home, we'd get the kids to bed which was not hard at all! They were exhausted. He'd help me clean up any toys that we dragged out of the playroom, and arrange the pillows and beanbags for the next day. Dinner consisted of cereal and toast for the most part. We went through a gallon of apple juice, and cranberry juice. By Friday, people were starting to feel better. Ewan was starting to complain about his ear more. I was actually feeling okay, and then Friday evening hit me. I was so stuffed up that I couldn't breathe. I couldn't sleep! Every time I closed my mouth I felt like I was drowning. The next morning, we actually had breakfast and everyone ate. I was struggling though. Paul had to work on his midterm, it was due at 5pm. We decided not to go to the ward Chili Cook-off. I was on the couch trying to breathe while the kids took turns laying with me. Paul finally finished his midterm around 3pm. I was not in any shape to do anything. So, he took Ewan to the grocery store. It may have taken him 2+ hours to get everything, and he called almost every 10 minutes with questions, but everything was purchased! We were going to survive the next week! Well, at least we were going to have food. We decided to stay home from Church. We were still napping a lot! I finally decided that I needed some help! I hadn't slept at night, I was in serious pain around my head. I went into Urgent Care. Sure enough, I had a secondary infection from the flu. Sinus infection. The doctor felt bad for me and kept telling me how hard the flu is on a pregnant lady. He's right! It was hard...really hard. He sent me home with antibiotics and well-wishes for healthy rest of my pregnancy as did the nurses. We also filled Ewan's antibiotic for his ear. He's stopped complaining about it. The twins are back to school, and are fine. I'm starting to feel a little better. And, the morning sickness is back! Either I am sick with a cold, or the flu and can't breathe, or I am throwing up anything I have ever even thought of eating. The baby is doing great! She moves all the time! I mean, all the time! She'll fit right in! We're glad to be on the mend.