Mr. Finnegan is one!!!  Our big boy!

Tavie in action

Ms. Kira with her funny face.

Daddy pile

Tavie reading to her brother

My little helpers doing the dishes.  Yes folks, we are still in the nakey phase.

Mr. Dez

Iris and Grandpa

Let me tell you, riding in the car for 10 hours with four kids, three under the age of three, is definitely chaotic.  It’s an exercise in patience and long lasting ability to be on top of a lot of things for a long time.  Did I mention the trip was long?

My favorite part of the trip was our jaunt to Theodore Roosevelt National Park to visit the Badlands.  We drove one of the loops in the park out of Medore, North Dakota.  It was beautiful to watch the sunset in the stark, windy hills.  The wildlife we saw was amazing.  We saw buffalo, wild horses, prairie dogs, mule deer and white tail deer, elk, owls, what else?  I know I’m missing something.  I thought it was magnificent to see all the animals in their wild nature, especially the horses.

So, here are some pictures from our trip.  I’m getting behind in my blogging again.  We got new iphones and I’ve been an iphone lunatic for the last week.  Time to get back to my regular computer and my blogging again.

We watched the sunset over the Badlands at a beautiful lookout point.

It was windy and cold.  Daddy is trying to keep baby Finn warm.

cute chubby wubby prairie dogs

the faraway butts of wild horses as viewed from our car window

children running into the sunset.  what could be better?

plenty of wildlife in the car, too.

Finnegan is laughing big belly laughs. And he is rolling over. And holding toys. And growing like a little boy weed. He’s such a great baby. The girls are still potty training. We have good days and we have bad days. Iris won’t wear dresses anymore because her friends at school tell her it’s not cool to wear dresses to school everyday. Makes me so, so sad.

I am in the midst of my yoga teacher training program and LOVING it. I am really glad I took a break during my pregnancy and started again after Finn was born. I am in such a better place physically and emotinally. It’s going really well. I am in the 9 month program and my class is a lot smaller this time around, too. Another bonus! Well, time to get going as the morning in the Puklich household is in full swing.

When Blayne got home from work we had dinner and brought the girls to the park to play for a while.  It was so hot I just sat on the bench and drank ice water and watched the girls play with Blayne.

That night B and I went to bed around midnight.  I noticed some mild, regular contractions….but this was pretty normal and par for the course.  I’d been having regular contractions on and off for several weeks, over a month probably.

At around 1:30 I noticed the contractions getting more crampy and moving from my back to my front.  They felt different from the regular braxton-hix contractions I’d been having.  They were also coming very regularly, from 6 to 9 minutes apart.  I turned on the light and spent the next hour timing contractions and relaxing.  At 2:30 I woke Blayne up and told him what was going on.  We decided to call the birth center at our hospital, Ridgeview in Waconia.  After I explained what was going on they said we had better call the babysitter and come on in, especially since I was going to try to have a VBAC.  I called Lisa and Andrew and told them it was time and that we were going to head into the hospital.

The contractions were getting more intense by this time but we had packing to do so I tried to work through them and pack at the same time.  Blayne helped me go over our lists and when my bag was packed I went downstairs to wait for Lisa and Andrew and to wait for B to finish packing & loading the car.  I sat in the rocking chair and breathed through the contractions.  Dez, our dog, had been acting funny and clingy from the start of the contractions and he was laying at my feet while I rocked and waited to go to the hospital.  Lisa and Andrew arrived a little after 3 am so we headed out.  It was so quiet and still outside; so much cooler than the day.  Blayne kept reminding me to breathe through my contractions because I was holding my breath with them.

At 3:45 we got checked in and headed for our room.  Because I was going to have a regular birth after my cesarean with the girls, certain protocol had to be followed.  For one, there had to be an emergency staff available at the hospital in case I had to have an emergency c-section.  Also, I had to have constant monitoring of the baby.  This was hard for me because with my first birth (un-medicated and completely natural) I had to move a lot during labor.  I also really responded to being in the shower and tub.  But because of the monitoring I had to stay close to the bed and was only able to rock in the rocking chair. I also had to have an IV put in my arm.

After 4 some time the Dr. came in and checked me and I was at a 4, almost a 5.  He broke my water because they had to do internal monitoring of the baby.  This was probably the most painful part of the whole experience.  It did not feel good.  Blayne had to go sit by the window and look outside because he got a little light headed during the procedure.

After my water was broke the contractions got a LOT more intense.  Blayne was an awesome coach/birthing partner and really helped me breathe and relax as I was having contractions.  We decided it was time for an epidural.  We thought it would be best for me (we had been talking about it for a few weeks) since I could not move around like I really wanted to.  At about 6:15 or so I got my epidural.  It was difficult to sit still through the contractions during the procedure, but I was really looking forward to some pain relief!  I think I probably broke a few of Blayne’s knuckles while the Dr. was putting the needle in my back, but he was a trooper and it felt good to have him there to keep me grounded and somewhat relaxed.

After the epidural took hold I was able to really relax and enjoy the process.  My regular Dr. came in at this time and I was at a 7.  I was really glad she was able to be there…..perfect timing as she was on call that day.  Blayne got to eat some breakfast at this time.  We both relaxed and chatted and just hung out.  It was surreal, being in active labor but being able to enjoy the process and being able to relax.  It felt amazing.

At about 8:15 my Dr. checked me and I was at a 10.  Time to start pushing.  I could really feel the urge to start pushing and I was so excited that it was time!  Pushing is my favorite part.  And I was excited that my Dr. would be able to deliver the baby.  I only had to do about 6 good pushes and Finnegan was born.  It was of course an amazing experience.  When you meet your baby for the first time it’s the happiest, best time of your life and I was crying tears of joy.  Blayne and I met our little baby boy and he was perfect and wonderful.  The Dr. said there was a knot in his umbilical cord and that it was wrapped around his arm and leg.  She said he must have been a very active little baby in my belly.  And he was!

The stats:  Born at 8:42 – weight 7lbs, 14 oz, 18 inches long.  9 on the apgars.

I’m so glad Blayne and I had such a great experience with Finnegan’s birth.  B said that everyone should experience birth once in their lifetime.  It is just one of those passages of life that make you human and plugged in to life.  We had two such different experiences.  A c-section with the twins and a regular birth with Finn (and I had an un-medicated birth with no interventions with my first child Iris).  Each of my births have been so unique and different, but they have all been so joyous and amazing.

We had a wonderful 2 days in the hospital.  Finn took right off to nursing and pretty much has not let go since he was born.  He’s been a sleepy little boy so far and an absolute joy to have.  He is handsome and looks like his daddy.  Welcome to the world.  Your three sisters and mom and dad are so happy you have joined our family.  We feel complete now.

Wicked

B and I went to see Wicked and it was fabulous. Really fabulous and really great. I am a huge fan of Gregory Maguire and have read all three books in the Wicked series as well as his other novels. The musical was a great visual and auditory experience and interpretation of the book as well as the movie. The special effects, lighting, music, props, costumes, everything was absorbing and so well done. My only criticism is about some of the dialog. Maguire is a genius with words and dialog and the play fell short trying to replicate this. But I’m sure trying to get this essence was a very difficult thing to do. This was only a tiny part of the entire experience. 99 percent of it was a great and happy experience. I want to see it again…. tomorrow.

Henry Rollins

A few weeks ago we saw Mr. Rollins at the Pantages Theatre. Three hours of in your face. When it was over you say to yourself what the hell just happened to me? But in a good way. This was before the elections so of course there was a lot of political talk, but also lots of funny stories about his travels and encounters with different cultures. He is right on about so much, but sometimes he gets a little too out there. I must be getting old if I have to say that!

Here is a snapshot of our weekly class.

The girls have helped put the doggies in their kennels and await excitedly by the door to go to class!

Once we get to our school building the girls love to ride the elevator. It is the most exciting thing ever.

When I get the girls into the classroom they waste not a second standing around. They go immediately to all the fun activities awaiting them. Their first activity of the day was play-dough. Oh how fun!

After play-dough it is more messy fun in the oatmeal. Mom never lets us make this much of a mess at home!

Tunnel time. How cute am I?

I don’t know what Kira is doing here but her expression is super funny. She was very serious about whatever it was going on in her imagination.

This is our favorite, favorite thing to do at ECFE classes. We love the little “jungle gym”. We wish this was in our basement.

Fighting over the slide….but I think I still see some smiles.

After play time with mom it is circle time for all the children and mommies. We sing songs and do fun group activities. At the end of circle time we spread out a parachute and bounce fun things in it to silly songs. Then the children who want to ride in the middle get a little ride from the moms as we walk and spin them around in a circle. Tavie ended up crying today and wanted out early.

After circle time we wash our hands and have a snack. The mommies leave the room for a parent meeting the the kids get to play with really nice ladies.

After our 1/2 hour mommy meeting I come back to the room to get the girls….they always run to me yelling, “mama, mama, mama, mama” and I get the best hugs ever. But they have never cried when I leave the room. What big girls.

Children, Parenting, Twins

Cloth Diapering

Knitting

Yoga & Meditation

Running

Books

Cooking & Baking

Politics & Alternative News Media

Health

Camping & Outdoor Recreation

Living Green