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.

Little One

Wow! We are past 24 weeks! We found out on December 30th that you are a girl! We are so excited! I made a cake when we got home the ultrasound, and then had the kids cut it after dinner. Ewan figured out that it was pink! It took him a few minutes to be okay with it. He has been surrounded by girls for a very long time. Don't worry. Uncle Blair was surrounded by girls for a while, but then he got six younger brothers! Ewan asked me to "try again" for a brother. I told him I'd do my best. We've been throwing out names since we found out! We'll find one, and it'll fit! Don't worry. We've been struggling with a headcold for a few weeks. It's been kind of miserable with stuffy noses, runny noses, coughs and slight fevers. I haven't been able to smell for over three weeks, and was feeling pretty relieved from the nausea and  vomiting. But, the cold is gone and now I am back to visiting the bathroom quite frequently. You like to show me who is in charge. Rest assure, I have known that the baby is in charge long before you came around! Last night the girls were wondering why I was sick again. I was explaining the whole chemical thing, and how all of them caused me to be very sick throughout my pregnancy, and that the twins were the worst! We started talking about IVs, and trips to the hospital, and how if Mommy doesn't eat, the baby doesn't get what she needs. It lead us to a discussion on metabolism and how are stomachs and intestines work. I can only imagine how it sounds to 5 year olds! Oh well. They will have some pretty interesting things to tell their kindergarten teacher today! Well, we are so excited! We pray for you every night. Aunt Kathleen had her baby on Tuesday, which made me all the more excited to have you here!

Christmas/New Year's Letter

Happy Holidays

from the Burkinshaws

As 2013 has come to a close, we'd like to give our wrap up of the year. Life has not slowed down, to say the least. We are grateful for the opportunities we have had, and look forward to more to come in 2014!

Elin (2) keeps us on our toes. This year has been especially busy for her. A week before a month and a half of traveling, she decided to potty-train herself. Elin did quite well, and enjoys being more independent. She has enjoyed being considered “one of the big kids”. While jumping on the trampoline, she landed funny on her leg resulting in a proximal tibial fracture. Her cast lasted four weeks, but she did not slow down. Elin figured out how to walk on the cast after a day. She was climbing, running, and getting into trouble! Her best friend is Ewan. They have really enjoyed the few hours they get a day to be buddies. Elin either agrees whole-heartedly with whatever Ewan wants, or completely disagrees with it. She is quick to voice her opinion on any subject matter. We love Elin and are so grateful for her.

Ewan (4) is the little man of the house. He is always on the move, and only slows down long enough to watch a Kratts Creatures or Curious George. Ewan loves cars, trains and ninjas. The morning of Halloween he requested to be a black ninja while we walked around Wal-Mart. Ninja costumes are very easy! Maybe we will all go as ninjas next year! Ewan's most common phrase is “my daddy and me”. He sure loves spending time with Paul, and can't wait for more time with Daddy after graduation. Ewan was a little bummed at not being able to go to school this year, but we think he has gotten over it. He really enjoys the quiet time to really play with whatever he wants, and have a lot of Mommy's attention to draw and paint, build towers and train tracks, and take walks around the park. Ewan is a sweetie. We are grateful for his goodness in our home.

Aislee (5) loves life. She is constantly asking questions, running around, and coming up with all sorts of games to play. Her favorite is “Mommy-Daddy” where she gets to be Elin's mommy. Aislee is always eager and willing to do her homework, and loves to color all of the pages. She loves school and finding new friends. We get to hear all about her classmates and how they are her “new best friends”. Aislee has a very kind heart and wants to include everyone in everything. She is very concerned if we have prayer and we're missing somebody. Her favorite things to do are color, write, and play outside. She also likes some down time to watch a princess show. She pauses any movie or show when anyone leaves the room so they won't miss any part of it. She recently started piano lessons, and loves it! We are so grateful for the sweetness she brings into our family.

Olivia (5) is full of energy. We wish we could bottle it! She is constantly moving. Olivia especially loves to play outside. She can be found walking the wall chasing lizards or collecting rocks in baggies all along the back porch. She is also loving school, and has so much to say when she gets home. It took her a little while to warm-up to her teacher, but after cutting her (own) hair, and her teacher distinguishing her from Aislee, she is right at home. Olivia loves being included with Aislee at all times and has to know what's going on. She loves singing and dancing around the house. She has decided that Wednesdays are her favorite days, and has to say the prayer at mealtimes and bedtime. Olivia loves to write letters and draw pictures for her classmates. Olivia also started piano lessons, and really enjoys it. We love the energy she brings to our home!

With four moving kids, Molly has to stay moving to keep up. She trained and ran a half-marathon in March, and got 8^th in her division. Molly decided towards the end of Paul's very long and hard semester that she was going to take a trip with the kids. She drove to Cedar City to visit her family, and then caravaned to Oklahoma with Paul's family. Paul flew out 3 1/2 weeks later so they could go to Branson, MO for a week sans kids. It was wonderful to spend time as a couple. The summer was busy with Girls' Camp, family activities and kids. And, with the start of school for Paul and the twins in August, life hasn't slowed down. Molly was released from the Young Women's Presidency, and called into the Primary Presidency. It'll be neat to be more involved in what her own kids are doing for a little while. Molly has also been struggling with pretty serious morning sickness since September that hasn't gone away. We are excited to welcome a new baby girl coming May 2014!

Paul is probably the busiest with work, school, Church and home demanding his attention. He's finished out his classes with A's, and is looking forward to 2014 and being done with school for a while. Paul and a group of guys from the neighborhood ran the Phoenix Tough Mudder in February. His team did very well and got really muddy! He also ran a 5K in July with Molly and placed in his age-group. Paul worked very hard during the summer while constructing the “Great Wall of Burkinshaw”. It's a 100 feet long and ranges from 2-4 feet tall. It'll be full of fruits and vegetables someday (probably when life slows down)! Since September, Paul has had to pick up the role as Mommy also as Molly has been very sick. He is a very good nurse and tries to keep her as comfortable as possible while managing the chaos of 4 five and under. He has kept up with laundry, dishes, and vacuuming as if nothing is happening. He is fantastic!

We are so grateful for 2013 and the things we have experienced and learned! As we reflect on the end of the year, we are so grateful for our loving Father in Heaven and for his Son, Jesus Christ. Without which, we would not know of the Atonement and know that He lives. We look forward to the new year, the new opportunities, the new adventures, new challenges, and new blessings that are sure to come. May 2014 bring your home many great and wonderful things!

Love,

The Burkinshaws

Little One (December 29)

We hit the 20 week mark! YAY! We will be seeing you in 20 weeks or less. It's so exciting! We were going to find out the gender on the 20th, but I was kind of picky about the ultrasound. I haven't gotten very good ultrasounds from the place by the hospital with the last two, so I requested somewhere else. They've decided to try us with the lady who everyone asks for. If it doesn't go the way we'd like it to go, they'll get me another somewhere else. We find out tomorrow! The nausea has been a little bit better, but it's mainly because I have a bit of a head cold and can't smell anything. My nose is starting to clear, so I'm starting to feel nauseated a lot more. After Christmas, we headed up to Aunt Kathleen's house to go to the aquarium with Spencer and Owen. All the kids really enjoyed it. Then, Aunt Kathleen and Uncle Bryce took the kids back to their place so Daddy and I could have a long date! We saw the 2nd Hobbit movie, went to dinner, and stayed at a hotel. In the morning, we went to the Temple. We didn't think it was a good idea to do a session since I was feeling a little sick. We started doing sealings, but then I started getting a wave of nausea and then I started coughing. I existed quickly and found the bathroom. I made it! So, my streak is over and the nausea is back. I did get to finish a sheet of sealings, and then it hit me again. Then, we picked up some lunch and went back to Kathleen's house. We tried taking all the kids to Frozen, but it was sold out. So, we went back to the house with lots of candy and they watched Monsters University and ate lots of candy! Aunt Kathleen and Uncle Bryce went on a date when he got home from work. We stayed the night and left in the morning for home. It was a good visit, and we had lots of fun! We may be going up to Utah this week. Great-Grandpa Burkinshaw was diagnosed with leukemia, and has a short time left with us. He is a pretty special Grandpa.