Almost 4 months later and I am sitting down to write down Brielle's birth story. Sadly, I had to go back to old Facebook posts and text messages to piece together the day.

     My maternity leave started on Friday September 11th since my due date was on Monday. I actually wanted to work until the day I went into labor to save my sick time, but my administrators told me my substitute was starting on Monday. I had been having some weird pains that last week of work. When I went to my last check up before my due date, I was at 4cm and 80% effaced. When I had Bailey, I was admitted to the hospital by that point. I found it crazy I was still walking around, let alone working and going to school. Thursday night in class I started to have some contractions, but they stopped before they got consistent.

Saturday morning I remember having energy and feeling great. I also felt like the baby would be here pretty soon. In the early afternoon I started to have some mild contractions so I decided to email my professor to let him know that I probably wouldn't be to class on Tuesday. I was texting and calling Wes telling him that I think he should come home early because I was scared to go into labor being alone with the two girls. Thankfully he got off a bit early to help with girls because I was starting to have painful contractions. When he got home, he made the girls dinner and I ate toast because I knew I needed SOMEthing in my belly. it was about 6:30 at this point and the contractions were super inconsistent, but extremely painful and it was hard to talk and walk through them. I kept saying "This is it, we have to go." but then I would feel good and felt silly for thinking it was time. Living 30 minutes from the hospital I wanted to make sure I got there in time though. It was a lot of back and forth of "Do we load up all the girls and go?" "What if it is a false alarm?". I decided to load up the car with the girls things I had packed while Wes and the girls were inside finishing dinner, getting dresses and running around in a bit of a panic mode. As I loaded up the last of the stuff I had a bad contraction and thought for sure baby was coming right then and there in my garage. I went inside and pretty much told Wes to get everyone in the car, we were leaving. My brother thankfully was on alert and was headed to meet us at the hospital so he could take the girls.

On the car ride I had 3 good contractions, which would make them about 10 minutes apart. I remember telling Wes that I should have brought my Biology book so I could get some homework done. I am pretty sure he thought I was a bit crazy for thinking about that at that time. We got to the hospital about 7:30 and we said our goodbyes to the girls and handed over our key to the car. Uncle Spidey and Aunt Heidi were having a sleep over with the girls. We went up to Labor and Delivery and we told them that I thought I was in labor, but it was still inconsistent so I just wanted to check to see. In my mind, we were going home that night to wait it out.

The nurse checked me at 8:20 and I was now 5 cm and the contractions were about 5-6 minutes apart. It looked like I was staying. I guess I didn't get my bloodwork done when I was first pregnant, because there was a big issue with finding the results. They needed those results, so I had to have two different people come in to draw my blood. I don't even think all the results came back before I had Brielle. Ooops.

The nurse asked if I wanted any medications and I said that I didn't, wanted to do this med free again. The nurse had asked if I wanted my water to be broken or not, I had said I would rather everything happen on it's own. I stayed at 5 cm for the next hour, so she thought maybe we should break my water. I told her I wanted to wait since it had only been an hour.

At about 10:15 contractions started picking up and now were 3-4 minutes apart and pretty intense. The nurse was pretty impressed with how well I was getting through them. I remember laying there watching America Ninja Warrior and trying to focus on that and my breathing. No, not the crazy breathing they show you in movies. I was more trying to take calm breathes in and out and relax my body. The more my body tensed up and tried to resist the pain, the more it hurt. The nurse checked me since I felt  a lot more pressure. I was now about 8cm and she said she didn't think we needed to break my water and the doctor would come in to talk to me. I am not sure why she was set on breaking my water in the first place, I am assuming because the hospital was packed and they were trying to get us in and out. I kept telling the nurse that once my water breaks I get the urge to push instantly. I don't think she fully believed me.

The doctor came in at 10:50 and introduced herself. She confirmed I was 8 cm and 100% effaced (at 10:52). For some reason she broke my water without talking to me about it, I think the nurse had not told her I decided to wait on that. Instantly after breaking my water I dilated to a 10 and I got a huge urge to push. The dr. had said it was time for baby to come. Nurses were running around getting everything ready for the delivery. They didn't expect the everything to happen that fast, apparently they didn't believe me!

At that point I was in a bit of shock because I had JUST met the doctor minutes before. I thought we had a bit more time. We had only been there for a little over 2 hours and I had figured we would deliver after midnight. A contraction came and my body was trying to push, I was trying to not to since the doctor and nurses weren't finished setting up yet. When the next contraction came I pushed and Brielle's head was out. The doctor asked if I wanted to touch her head and my response was "No, just get her out!". I pushed again and out she came out at 11:05, which was 15 minutes after the doctor came walking into my room for the first time to introduce herself. The first words out of my mouth were something like "Wow that was fast!" and "I never want to do that again".

The hardest part of delivering Brielle was after the birth. I just want to be left alone and cuddle with my baby and I am getting poked, tugged, pushed on, etc. I also get cold and have horrible shakes after delivering, so it was hard for me to hold Brielle for a bit because I was shaking so bad.

Around midnight or soon after the nurse rolled me out of the delivery room which was right next to the front desk where I checked in a few hours prior. The nurse who checked us in was still sitting in the same spot and when she saw me she said "Congratulations, that was fast!"

When one sister cries...we all cry!

All is great at home. Bailey is coloring, Brooklyn is building with blocks, and Brielle is playing on her play mat. Next moment the baby starts to cry, then the toddler begins to cry, and I then I want to start crying.

I don't know what it is about your baby's cry when you are a mom. When I hear the inconsolable crying, it is painful and I need it to stop. I seems like when the crying starts, everything escalates and everyone is out of sorts.

I decided nothing was going to calm the baby down, so I put her in her crib and walked out of the room to give us each a break. She cried for a bit while I got the toddler to calm down with a Mickey Mouse Christmas movie she has watched a million times...if not more. Then suddenly there was silence from the baby's room! She fell asleep in her crib for the first time!!

This calls for a beer! It is 5:00 SOMEwhere.

Cue the Kindergartener who wants a snack, wants water, wants to watch something else, WANT, WANT, WANT!

I then declared a kid free 15 minutes! It has lasted long enough for me to type this...I see that as a success.

I had many plans today: finish the last load of laundry, finish organizing my closet, and the girls' rooms, as well as other things. Instead I took the girls to get donuts, colored with them, built towers with blocks, watched a movie, and played with the baby. So what do I do when I get a few minutes of quiet time? I write a blog post about it.

Why would I do that? As much as these times are draining and I want to run from the house screaming, I also want to remember them. I will miss these loud and out of control times when they are older and locked up in their rooms, not wanting anything  to do with me. This is my place for me to keep some of these memories and have a place for them to go and enjoy them as well when they are older. This journey with three girls is never dull and I wouldn't have it any other way.

**And the crying and fighting begins again...which wakes the baby.**

Well at least I had a few minute to myself!

The not so quiet hours of the morning

"STOP PULLING MY HAIR!" "MOM!!! SHE IS PULLING MY HAIR!"- Bailey

This is how my morning is starting out as I am trying to enjoy my coffee while it is still warm. Just as the hair pulling event ends, my sweet 2 year old pulls on my leg crying because I won't let her have chocolate for breakfast. Once that is solved, she continuously asks for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Thankfully we have them recorded, so that is an easy fix, but the recordings are not working... of course. Well, thankfully I kept that Netflix subscription, Mickey Mouse Christmas it is. She will be content for about 5 minutes. It is now time to continue on with my warm coffee.

This is the current soundtrack of my life these days and crazy as it is, I wouldn't have it any other way. Life has changed so much in our lives in the last 5 years, it is crazy to think about life before kids. We had extra time to do things, extra money, and could be spontaneous. What we didn't have was the unconditional love that comes with being a parent. The feeling you get when your toddler comes running up to you to give you a random hug, when your baby smiles and giggles at you, and when your oldest proudly reads you a book. These are moments that make it all worth it and for that moment, the frustrations that come with being a parent go away.

2015: A year in review

As 2015 comes to a close, I sit here and reflect on how much has happened in the past 12 months. This year is probably one of the years I will always remember because of all the changes and craziness that happened. I will now briefly reflect on the years' events month by month. Enjoy! :)

January: I started my 3rd semester of graduate school where I went to class twice a week for four hours. Days into the new year Wes and I decided to meet with a realtor to discuss the steps we needed to take to buy a new home and rent out our home. I remember during our meeting I was saying that we would have extra money every month since Bailey would be starting Kindergarten and we wouldn't have her daycare expense. We were also looking for a 3 bedroom so each girl could have their own room. A four bedroom would be nice, but they were a bit harder to find in our price range. After our meeting, we went out to Sushi to celebrate my birthday. I remember the sushi tasting funny while Wes said it tasted fine, I instantly thought something was up. When we got home I decided to take a pregnancy test to see if that could be what it was. After minutes of waiting on the result to show up, I walked out to Wes in disbelief and showed him. It was now time to look for a house with 4 bedrooms instead of 3.

February & March: We were in the house hunting process and it was difficult with both of our schedules. The housing market in the area we were looking was a bit challenging. Houses were either not in our price range for what we needed, or the ones that were, were getting bought before we could even take a look at them. Wes and I decided to broaden our search to an area we swore we would never live in since it isn't considered "Reno". We needed to keep options open since it was crunch time and we were determined to be out of our house before baby #3 arrived. We talked to our realtor and he took us to three houses out in the new area, there was only one we could actually see ourselves living in since it had many things we were looking for. We decided to put it an offer and see what would happen. After our offer being accepted, we realized we needed to find renters quickly. By the last day of March, we were signing papers to close.

 During the house hunt process, I decided to apply for a teaching position at a new school. Days before signing the for the house, I also accepted a new position co-teaching with the teacher who I taught with for about 5 years a couple years prior. 

April: With me being on spring break for two weeks, that was our only chance to make the big move! We moved the first few days of April, just in time to celebrate Easter in our new home.  Before going back to work, we also had to work hard to get our first home together ready for renters. It was a bittersweet experience to be leaving our old house. We moved in as renters when we were engaged and I was graduating college. Once we got married in 2007 we decided to buy it thinking we would be selling in a few short years, then the housing market crashed. Here we are in 2015 and the house is still ours.

May & June: We were busy settling in to the house and working on my masters program. During this time, a close family friend of mine passed away. I took an 8 hour road trip while 6 months pregnant with a 4 (almost 5 year old) and an 18 month old toddler all myself. It was a quick trip to LA, but the girls got to spend time with my siblings and their cousin. After coming back from LA it was time to get ready to pack up my classroom at a school I was at for about 7 years. I needed to be moved out the last day of school since I had to start my summer school class for my masters on the following Monday. To say that this whole moving experience (moving homes and classrooms) was crazy would be an understatement. With the help of wonderful coworkers and friends, I got things moved.

July: My summer was dedicated to my two summer school classes as well as getting ready for baby #3 who would arrive in September. Our main project was painting all three of the girls bedrooms, Wes did a fantastic job getting that done. We also spent time together as a family, going to Pyramid Lake, relaxing at home and in the yard, going to the park, etc.

Before

After

August: I went back to work at my new school for a few weeks and started my Fall semester with two courses. Bailey started Kindergarten at the same school I work at. We wanted her to go to school with me for Kindergarten, but she will be going to her zoned school starting in 1st. We were also in our final weeks of preparation for our final baby girl! Clothes, blankets, and baby accessories were out of the garage and washed up. We also finally decided on a name as a family! We were looking through baby names one day during the summer and we couldn't agree on any names I said. I read "Briella" and Bailey had said she liked that name. Ever since we found out we were pregnant, I wanted Bailey to take part in naming her baby sister. Wes and I agreed it was pretty cute as well. As days went on, I wasn't completely sold on Briella, but liked Brielle better. Bailey and Wes said they liked it too! Her middle name, Parker, is my maiden name. If we had a boy, I wanted to name him Parker, but since we are DONE having children, I was sad I wouldn't get to use it. So we decided to use it as her middle name.

September: We were on baby watch 3.0 while working and going to class. We figured she would come on her due date, but Brielle surprised us and came 2 days early! (Birth story to follow in a different post). The girls welcomed their new baby sister. Bailey was a very proud big sister who adored her sister. Brooklyn wasn't really sure what to think and just stayed away from her. Wes' parents came to visit a week after Brielle was born. It was great having family here during that time. I am glad they got to see Brielle so soon after her being born.

October: Although I was on maternity leave, I feel like it wasn't the same as it was when I was on leave with Bailey and Brooklyn. This time around we were driving Bailey to and from school everyday (30 minutes each way). We also ended up joining the mini van club. The car we had was big enough for the three girls, but it was a pain getting them in and out with the car seats. Wes went to the dealership one day to get the oil changed and decided to go check out the mini vans for fun. After negotiating with the dealership and many calls/texts to me, I was informed he was driving home in a mini van. As much as I feel the rest of my youth died, the mini van is pretty convenient!

November: I went back to work in November leaving Brielle with the daycare where Brooklyn goes. It is a long drive from our house, but it is worth it to us since we trust them. It has been hard having an hour commute some days when I have to take the two younger girls to daycare and get Bailey and I to work/school. The juggle with work, graduate school, a newborn, and keeping up with the other two girls was difficult and continues to be, but I am learning to adjust a bit more.

December: While still juggling everything and wrapping up the semester with work and graduate school, I was just trying to survive. The light at the end of the tunnel was going on winter break for three weeks, which was desperately needed.

We celebrated Brielle's first Christmas, but unfortunately Bailey and I were sick and weren't really able to enjoy it. Since it was Brooklyn's birthday that day also, we decided to celebrate it the next night when we were feeling better. Uncle Spidey and Aunt Heidi came over to celebrate her 2nd birthday Minnie Mouse style.

We are hours away from a new year and I am looking forward to what it will bring. In 2016 I will be graduating with my Masters in Elementary (with a focus in STEM education), we are planning on taking trips to California and Colorado, Bailey will be moving on to first grade, and our lives will be a bit less crazy than this year....hopefully. 2016 feels like a whole new chapter in our lives and I am excited to see what that next adventure will be!

Happy New Year!

 Claire, Wes, Bailey, Brooklyn, and Brielle

Sparklers, scooting, sushi, and sisters

Brooklyn is 6 months old, almost 7 months. She is trying to crawl these days. She is scooting more and more everyday. Brooklyn wants to play with Bailey's toys, which doesn't make Bailey too happy. Bailey will be 4 in a couple weeks. So crazy how fast they grow. 

We had fun with sparklers on the 4th of July!

Wes had a campout with Bailey in the backyard, so we roasted some marshmallows!

   Bailey wanted to feed Brooklyn dinner, such a good big sisters.

            Someone loves the swings!

                         Sisterly love!

Brooklyn is playing with her sisters toys while she is supposed to be in bed.

              Learning to crawl...

               And sit up....

           Picking our first tomato...

         and squash...

Yesterday we celebrated our 7th anniversary. We went to sushi with the girls. This was only about a quarter of what we ate. Yum!

Bailey loved the first bite, but I think the rice was a bit much (probably because she shoved the whole piece in) for her so she only ate the middle part of her California roll.

Summer fun!

It is not very often that we all get to hang out as a family. I sure cherish these moments with our family. These are pictures of us from our day of playing outside. Wes wore Brooklyn in the amazing Ergo for the first time. I think he is hooked!