Go UTES!!

I have not been able to get a good picture of all of the kids in their Utah gear this year...but don't worry because I will for sure!  I was able to get this darling picture of Isaac and Kate together on opening day.  Cutest little UTAH fans ever!

This little UTAH cheerleader has my heart.  

We took Benny with us to the first Utah game of the year and he was SO good!  He slept the entire time!  He's welcome to come to all the games with us if he is this well behaved ;).

Each and every one of my babes has worn this shirt when they were little, and I just can't get enough of this sweet face!  I love him!

First Day...

I think that this has been the first year where I was actually looking forward to school starting.  The children have missed their friends and were so looking forward to seeing them, plus, lets be honest, I haven't had any down time since the baby came, so I was looking forward to resting a bit.  

The Sunday before school started (2 days prior), Leah came down with a terrible fever and was so sick.  We waited it out on Monday, but she was still sick, so we made the decision that she would miss her first day of school.  So so sad!  She had been looking forward to her first day of first grade all summer long...and now she was too sick to go.  I'm just glad that she was understanding about it and I reassured her that her real first day would be extra special.

So...it was just Noah who was to go on the first day.  He, of course, woke up very early and I made him a yummy pancake breakfast.  I love how boys are so easy to get ready, so he was ready pretty quickly...maybe too quickly!  We went outside and I was able to take some shots of my THIRD grader!  Wasn't he just going to kindergarten yesterday?  Waa!!

And here's my first school lunch for Noah this year...that boy is pretty easy to please :).  

It was raining like crazy that morning, so we drove him to school because I didn't want to leave Leah...and I was NOT going to miss out on taking him on his first day.  After all, it is pretty much the only day during the year that I actually go with him.  I was able to snap one last photo before he took of to be with his class.  I'm so thankful for Noah's teacher this year...after meeting her I just know that she is going to be a great fit for Noah!  So excited for a wonderful year for my boy!

This is how Leah spent the first day of school...so sick.  My poor girl.

BUT, once that evening came, she felt so much better!  I kept my fingers crossed that she'd feel good to go to school the next day, and she did!  She woke up so excited to tackle her first day as a first grader!  I was so happy that she felt so much better!  Here's my girl all ready for her big day...

Isn't she just the most adorable first grader that you ever did see?!?!  Love that little gal! 

It was raining, again, so I drove them to school once again.  I was honestly a little nervous that she would cry, but she didn't at all!  She was so ready and just so dang excited to go to school...and that is was just warmed my heart!  I wasn't sad for her to go this year, but it just touched me to see how confident she was to go.  And that, my friends, is what made me tear up.  She's growing up way, WAY, too fast for my liking!  And honestly, I miss her like crazy when she's not home.  Just like I miss Noah.  The moment that 3:30 rolls around every day is my favorite time of day...when my littles come back home to me and hug me and tell me about their day...that is what I live for.  

And I'm just so thankful for the school that they go to and how wonderful it is.  I feel safe having them there with such great teachers.  

Here is to another great school year, which I'm sure will fly by in a blink of an eye.  

Paramore!

I have been waiting 10 years to see Paramore in concert, so when I heard that they were coming to town, I was SO excited!  The show was one month after I had Ben, but I was determined to go!  My mom came to watch the four older kids, and Alli was SO kind to watch our little guy.  I'm so thankful for amazing family that help out when needed.  Plus I really needed a night out after being housebound for a month with a newborn.  Needless to say, I was very excited once the day of the concert arrived.  

Doug's sisters, Andrea and Steffanie, came as well, so it made for a very fun night!  I absolutely LOVE going to concerts, and this one did not disappoint, especially since one of Doug's favorite bands, Fall Out Boy, performed as well.  I didn't know much of their music, but their performance was amazing!  It was definitely a great night out!

Ben ~ 1 month

Why must a babies first month fly by so fast?  I blinked and Ben was one month old!  It's crazy how fast time goes by when there is a newborn in the house.  But, let me just say that we have soaked in as much as we could of Ben this past month as possible, since we are all well aware that it doesn't last long.

I'm not going to lie...five kids has totally kicked me in the butt!  I think the fact that he was born in July, right in the dead of summer when all of the kids are home, was the main contributor to the craziness this past month.  Obviously, my main focus has been on Ben, but I, of course, have to be there for Noah, Leah, Isaac, and Kate as well.  Kate has been the hardest, which I expected.  She's always been pretty attached, so I wasn't at all surprised when she wanted to be by my side 24/7.  And, of course, she wanted me most when I was tied down to feeding Benjamin.  Lets just say that Kate has had her fair share of iPad use this past month...and I'm not going to feel bad about it one bit.  It's just the way it is right now.  PLUS, watching Daniel Tiger has taught her some good manners and other life lessons!  Ha!

At one month old, Ben...

...is as cute as a button.  I pat myself on the back for all of the cuteness that Ben graces us with.  All of his features are just as perfect as can be and I could just stare at him for hours.  And I do...a lot!  He's definitely some good eye candy!

...eats like a champ!  Not gonna lie, nursing a baby during those first 2 weeks is torture for me!  I honestly didn't look forward to feeding him at first, but now all is well and we are both enjoying our bonding time.  And he is such a good eater, and he will for sure let me know when he is hungry.  Missing a meal is NOT on his agenda.  My little ladies were so mellow when it came to eating...but my little men, no sir!  When they're hungry, they want to eat now!  As soon as his belly is full he is so content.

...spits up all . of . the . time!  I've never had a spitter before!  I had no idea that a baby could spit up this often!  He and I go through a few outfits a day.  It's just crazy to me that he can spit up that much!  I'm now in the mode, and am usually prepared with 3 burp clothes for his eruptions after every feeding.  Oh the joy.

...is somewhat of a fussy baby.  He is usually fussy for a little while after he eats and in the evening.  I've never had a baby with reflux, so I'm beginning to wonder if that is what he has.  If things don't change soon, I'll probably take him to the doctor to see what's going on.  Sometimes his cries are as if he's in pain, which breaks my heart.  We'll figure it out soon enough.

...absolutely loves taking a bath!  His umbilical cord fell off when he was a week and a half old, and up until that point he did not like his sponge baths.  I was SO looking forward to giving him a real tubby.  When the day finally came, we filled up his bath and as we started to put him in it he started to sob.  I think that he was expecting another torturous sponge bath...but then all of a sudden he stopped crying and started to look around and was completely content.  It was adorable watching him sit there soaking in his little tubby.  Naked babies in tubs getting all clean and stuff makes me so happy!  Although, he didn't like getting out.  Can't win them all.

...is totally and completely adored by his siblings.  They all argue over who gets to hold Ben next...blah blah blah.  I'm always telling them that he isn't going anywhere and that they'll all get a turn.  And when they do, it's just as cute as can be to watch.  Noah and Leah would hold him forever if they could...that is until he starts fussing, then they want me to take him.

...is not a fan of his carseat...at all!  The moment that we put him in his seat, he starts to sob.  We have spent a lot of time at home because of this.

...is a classic newborn and sleeps majority of the day.  He can sleep really good stretches at night as well, just depends on the night.  I really enjoy those nights when he decides to sleep 4 hours straight!

...has earned the nick names Benny and Bubba.  I'm sure that there will be many more to come!

...loves to snuggle and prefers to be in someones arms.  I don't mind this one bit!

...is still wearing newborn clothes and we just pulled out some that are 0-3 months.  He's definitely growing and I'm sure I'll be pulling out 3-6 month clothes before I know it (sniff sniff).

We sure do love this little man and he has enriched our lives during this past month.  Love you to the moon and back little man.

Rugby ~ 2014

Noah played rugby again this year, and it was so fun.  This is his second year playing and his team did so well.  They all worked together so well and really understood the game this year.  The games were pretty intense and so fun to watch!  Noah did such a great job on defense, as well as scoring a few times.  Fun times!

I took this right before Noah tagged the other kid...

Here's Noah scoring...

And here's Noah's team.  Such a great group of boys!

Five Kids...

This was taken the morning that I was solo for the first time with FIVE kids!  It's so funny because when I am in the moment with the kids, it doesn't seem like there are five of them.  I'm sure it's because they are my kids...they are so individual to me and I have such a different relationship with each one!  I don't look at them as a group of kids...but as five individual kids.  So, when I see pictures like this, it makes me realize that I do have a lot of kids...but I love them so much!  Those faces are my world...I would do anything for any one of them!  Ben is the caboose in our family, and I so look forward to all of the memories that I make with ALL FIVE of these kids!  

When Kate met Ben...

Doug and I made the decision to not take Kate to the hospital to meet Ben and to just wait until we came home.  Kate has been really attached to me lately, and I was a little nervous about her coming to  the hospital to see me, just to be taken away to go home afterwards.  But thank goodness for technology, because I did FaceTime with Kate multiple times and she was able to see Ben that way.  Whenever I talked to her, she was so happy and would talk to him, which was adorable.

Then the moment came for us to come home.  I was honestly SO excited to finally come home and see Kate!  I have NEVER spent a night away from my girl...ever!  So I missed her terribly!  As soon as we came home, I came in and told all of the kids to stay calm for Kate's sake.  After walking in the door, we greeted everyone, and then Doug and I took Kate aside into our bedroom with Ben.  She was so so quiet and just sat on my lap and looked at Ben...all with a smile on her face.  I was so relieved that she wasn't sad or anything like that...she was happy!  Although she was a little confused too.  She didn't say a word the entire time we were with her, which was so unlike her!  

And here's a video of Kate's first meeting with Ben...nose picking and all.  We're just keeping it real :).

Of course, she has now warmed up to having a brother and is the best big sister to Benjamin.  I just know that they are going to be close, and it'll be so great!

He's Here!

Benjamin Sloan Smith

July 7, 2014

10:17 a.m.

8 pounds 6 ounces

20 1/2 inches long

Our sweet baby Ben is here!  I am beyond happy that the day finally came to deliver him.  This pregnancy has been so so hard on me and I honestly was starting to think that it was never going to end!  And then the day finally came, and I can't put into words how happy I am that my sweet baby is here and that I can hold and snuggle him.  It was definitely a great day!

My official due date was July 15, but, like my other pregnancies, I was set to be induced one week early.  And it's a good thing too because he was a good size baby for being one week early...he could have gained close to a pound more if we had kept him cooking until his due date!  So, July 7 was the day that we were set to have our baby.  I got a call from the hospital on the day before (Sunday) and was told that I was first one on the on-call list.  I wasn't too thrilled about this, because the last time I was on the on-call list, I wasn't called until 7:30 at night (with Isaac).  I expressed this to the nurse, and she assured me that I'd most likely come in before 8:00 a.m.  I told her that I was going to hold her to it and that I was looking forward to getting a call *early* on Monday morning!  

I ended up waking up at 5:30 on Monday morning to get ready for the day.  As I was drying my hair, my phone rang!  I was SO excited!  The nurse asked if we could be there at 7:30...to which I said YES!  I finished getting ready and woke Doug up to do the same.  I was really happy that we were leaving so early because I really wanted all of the children to still be in bed when we left.  It was hard enough for them to go to bed the night before...there were some tears shed...and I just didn't want to have to say goodbye again!  My mom was so great and came to stay with the kids while I was away.  Once we were ready to go, I snuck in to where my mom was and told her we were leaving.  Thank goodness, we were able to leave without waking up a soul.  Mission accomplished.  

Once we arrived at the hospital, they took us to our room and had me get all ready.  I started to get a little panicked because reality was setting in that I was getting ready to have my last baby!  But at the same time, I was just SO excited to finally be done with this pregnancy!  Our nurse was so amazing and made me feel so comfortable...I seriously LOVE the nurses at that hospital...they are so amazing!  Around 8:30, my doctor came in and told me he was going to break my water.  I was NOT happy with this at all because we had talked about the fact that when my water breaks, my labor gets kicked into high gear.  In the past, I got my epidural after they broke my water....and then the epidural didn't work because my body progressed SO fast.  He assured me that I was going to get my epidural as soon as he broke my water.  He promised that it would work.  So, I put my trust in my doctor and let him do his thing.  The anesthesiologist walked into the room moments after he broke my water...thank goodness.  By the time I was done answering all of his questions, I was starting to feel some pretty painful contractions.  It had only been 10 minutes since my doc broke my water...TEN minutes!!  Everything went well with putting the epidural in and I could actually feel it working within minute!  I was told by my nurse that this anesthesiologist was one of the best and that she rarely sees anything go wrong when he administers epidurals.  This made me feel great!  But, then after about 10 minutes, I started to feel some pain on my right side.  I started to panic, yet again, that this was going to be another painful delivery!  My nurse gave me another dose of medicine and had me lay on my right side to get my right side numb.  I started to relax and then all of a sudden I realized that I was having some pretty big contractions and I couldn't feel a thing!  I was grinning from ear to ear that my epidural actually worked this time!  I kept telling Doug over and over..."Look...can you see that contraction??  I didn't feel anything!!"  I was really so thrilled!  I'm not one for pain, so it was nice to have this thing actually work!  

Around 10:00 I was feeling SO much pressure.  I didn't think that I was close to delivering, so I just tried to relax.  Doug was sitting on the couch and got a call from work, so he was helping his co-worker figure out a problem.  Around 10:10, my nurse checked me and said that I was completely dilate!  NO WAY!  I was shocked that I was ready to have this baby!  Doug was STILL on the phone at this point, and I started to yell at him to get off of the phone!!!  He pretty much hung up on his co-worker when he realized that it was time.  And at this time I was feeling so much pressure and felt the need to push.  My doctor walked in the room at 10:15 and got all prepped to deliver.  Then...on the next contraction...he had me push, and let me just say that it hurt so so so badly!  I could feel everything!  But I'd rather deal with this pain instead of all the pain of actual labor.  I just shut my eyes and did what I felt was impossible at that point...I pushed so so hard and it was taking everything out of me.  I felt exhausted when my doctor told me to stop.  I honestly didn't think that I could finish this...I had no energy!  Then he told me one more push and he'd be here.  I didn't open my eyes at all and just gave it all that I had.  Then, all of a sudden, I felt this huge splash hit me in the face.  Apparently, there was more water stuck in there with the baby, and it came out full force when I finished pushing the baby out.  Everyone thought it was hilarious...I honestly could have cared less.  I was just SO happy that with that last push my baby was here.  All of the pain and pressure was GONE...and I was so happy that I wasn't pregnant anymore.  My doctor even said that to me.  I know I keep saying that, but this pregnancy was not fun one bit and I was just so so happy that it was done!  

After he was born, I covered my face with my hands and just started to sob.  I felt the weight of the baby on my chest, but I was so overwhelmed that I couldn't open my eyes!  I don't know why, but I just needed a moment to catch my breath!  Then, after a few minutes, I opened my eyes and saw my new baby for the first time!  My heart was bursting with happiness at this point.  I was in love, once again.  This precious little angel was going to bless my life in ways that I don't even know yet...just like his siblings.  He was the perfect fit into our family from the first time that I saw him.  He was meant to be a part of our lives and I was just so happy that he was finally here.  My first thought when I saw him was that he looked just like Isaac.  Yes, he has changed since he was born, but he resembles Isaac so much!  It was crazy looking at him and having deja vu of when Isaac was born.  It was pretty crazy!  

He was great when he was born and they didn't have to take him to the nursery right away, which was so nice.  The nurse put him on my chest right after he was born and it was so nice to snuggle with him and just stare at his precious face.  After a while, they took him and weighed him, measured him, and did all the necessary things that they do when they are born.  When they were done, they brought him back to me to snuggle, and I was able to nurse him for the first time.  It was a great moment for Doug and I to just bask in happiness of this new babe!  I honestly didn't want that moment to ever end...there is something about those first moments of bonding with a baby that is just priceless.  About an hour after he was born, they took him to the nursery to give him his first bath and do all of the other tests on him.  Doug stayed with him while I stayed in the labor and delivery room.  A while later, I was taken down to my other room and Ben was brought in to me.  I'm all about keeping the baby with me the entire stay in the hospital, and it was so nice when they finally rolled him in to me.  Doug and I just sat and gushed on our precious little baby for a few hours.  It was the BEST!  

Words can't describe how in love I am with our precious Ben.  He has changed us all for the better in the short time that he has been here.  We love you sweet boy...to the moon and back!!!

One of the first pictures of Ben.  He has such a quiet little cry...it's so sweet.

Snuggling with Mommy minutes after he was born.

Getting weighted :).

Back in Mommy's arms after being man handled by the nurses ;).  It was honestly so so wonderful to just sit and snuggle with my sweet babe.  

I was really nervous about bringing the kids to the hospital to see the baby.  The idea of having 4 kids running around a tiny little hospital room did not sound like fun to me.  Doug and I decided to bring the boys to see him, and then maybe we would bring the girls the next day.  The boys were great coming and meeting their new brother.  They both sat so well and loved holding Ben for the first time.  We then realized that it would be in everyones best interest if we just left the girls at home while I was in the hospital.  Kate was already having a hard time with me being away, so I thought that it would make things harder if she came to see me.  Plus, two days isn't that long to be away.  

Oh how I LOVE Doug!  He is the best daddy to our kids.  Ben is lucky to have him!

I was able to take some pictures of Ben during our hospital stay.  He's pretty precious!

Me and my boy.

Here we are getting ready to go home!  I was SO excited to bust out of the hospital...it was pretty boring just sitting there.  Yes, it was nice to just have time to snuggle with Ben, but I was so ready to go home and be with my people and sleep in my own bed!  

My handsome boy all ready to go home.  This is the same outfit that Noah and Isaac came home in :).

He looks so tiny in his car seat.  

Love you baby!!

Happy 4th of July!!!

Happy 4th of JULY!!!

Our 4th of July consisted of sitting and home and relaxing for two reasons: first, because I was WAY too pregnant to go anywhere and do anything, and second, because Noah was so sore from his crash the day prior.

Even though Noah's face looked horrible, I still insisted on taking our annual 4th of July picture.  

And that evening we went to Alli and Spencer's house for a BBQ and fireworks.  All of the kids were perfectly happy with this :).

Kate had a great time playing at the BBQ, but she was terrified of the fireworks.  And I mean, absolutely terrified!  She just plugged her ears and clung to Doug the entire time that we were outside.  Bless her little heart...

It was so great going in Alli's backyard and seeing all of the fireworks being set off around the valley.  Noah had such a great time just sitting and watching...such a special boy.