Mormon Batallion Celebration

Monday was a no school day.  We spent most of the day working on Jared's hero project.  It wasn't what I was hoping to do, but it needed done.  He had kept putting it off.  Jared had chosen Charles Dickens for his hero.  He really had read a lot about him and knew everything he needed to it just all needed to come together.  We were able to play outside some for a break.

Tuesday we took Alan to work in the morning after dropping Jared and Lauren off at school.  Then a little later we took Camilla to the doctor for her weight check.  She was up to 9 pounds and 15 ounces!  She gained 6 ounces since the Thursday before.  I was pretty happy because I had been working so hard at it.  I feel like it is all I did all weekend... feed her.  We played outside after school.  Alan got picked up from work from a guy in our ward to go to a party/meeting for a blog called hack a day.  Two other guys from his work went too.  It was up in LA.  He got home pretty late that night.

Tuesday morning when I woke up I found Bradley sleeping in the stuffed animal box.  He must have gone back to sleep there after going to the bathroom in the night.  Looks cushy!

Wednesday we went to playgroup.  It was out at Sunset park in San Marcos (not that far really) and Bradley and Connor wore their swim suits and played in the splash pad...yes it was that warm.  I really love that we can play outside in January in shorts.  I went to a parents meeting at the school that night to learn about the STEM fair they will be having in March  (district )and May (their school).  These guys are excited about the project possibilities.

Thursday was just a normal day...mostly.  Not much going on just scouts in the afternoon.  Alan got sent home in the early afternoon.  There was an attempt at his work to get rid of the current CEO and a few people in the management by some other people in management.  I guess he wasn't told anything though when he was told to leave.  Someone saw the locks on the building being changed as they were leaving.  Alan went with some other guys at work to see a movie and then he got a ride home.  That night Alan went to an Elders Quorum Activity at the church.  They played ultimate Frisbee in the the gym.

Friday Alan was home all day which was nice.  I took Jared and Lauren to school in the morning.  Then did a few things around here.  Alan was going to drop us off at story time and then go to the car parts store, but we were a few minutes late to story time.  I ran in to return some books before dragging everyone in with me and it was over.  I had forgotten it was a special day...they had some circus performers there, but it only lasted about 10 minutes.  On my way in I saw a guy with 3 clubs and another guys with a mini bike.  It would have been fun to see if I remembered, but since I didn't and I saw what it was I wasn't too disappointed that we missed it.  I was also glad Alan hadn't just dropped us off and driven away since it was over before we got there.  We all went to the car parts store and to Frazier Farms and Food 4 Less.  We got home just before time to pick up Jared and Lauren.  Later that afternoon Alan changed the oil in the car.

Saturday we went to the Mormon  Battalion Celebration...Celebrating when they arrived here in San Diego.  We got there in time to be in the parade.  They had costumes and everything to be in it.  Alan got to pull a handcart and the kids got to ride in it.  Bradley really didn't want to be in it and really didn't want to ride in the hand cart, so he and I just walked along/ watched on the side.  Since we were there in time for the parade we got to see Keegan.  Elder Briggs had gotten to help set up and be in the parade, but then had to go.  It sounded like he had big plans for later with a baptism interview and baptism.  It was fun to see Keegan at the temple in Provo when we lived there and then here in San Diego when we lived here (We don't actually live in the San Diego mission, so it never occurred to me that we would run into him here.).  We had a lot of fun at all the activities they had for the celebration.  After the parade we went around to different booths like rope making, brick making, making rag dolls, quilting, toys, laundry, cooking a biscuit on a stick and a few others.  It was at the Old Town State Park.  I was really tired, but the kids really wanted to pan for gold so we went to the Mormon Battalion visitor's center and panned for gold for a few minutes.  All the kids fell asleep in the car on the way home.

Before the parade started and before she was recruited to ride in the handcart she was going to walk with the laundresses.

In the ranks for drill.

Look left

Front of parade

You can see Keegan in this one.  He is in the 3rd row back with a green shirt.

Connor peeking through a little rip in the cover.

Sunday was a good day.  I went visiting teaching and  Alan had ward council before church.  After church we did stations and just had a good day here.

Getting Back to Normal

Monday I started taking and picking the kids up from school again.  That morning I went to help in Lauren's class.  Bradley, Connor, and Camilla all went to play at a friend's house.  My friend was telling someone else that she was getting to watch Cami and said something like she is an Atherton she probably doesn't even cry.  Bradley and Connor are always really good when they go over there and helpful to each other.  They all survived and she said Cami did great.  Bradley and Connor played play dough almost the whole time they were there.  That night we had Family Home Evening.

Tuesday like most Tuesdays we didn't have anything on the calendar.  I worked on laundry as much as I could and dishes and other things around the house.

Wednesday I went visiting teaching in the morning.  On the way to the sister's house I tried her gate code or what I thought was it and it just wouldn't open.  We were supposed to be there and she only had so long before she had to take her daughter to kindergarten...which added to the urgency I was feeling.  So I started to turn around to try a different gate but the turn around place is a really tight turn.  My wheels got stuck....front ones on ones side of the island, back ones on the other.  After going back and forth and back and forth several times the guy working on the grounds came over and said "I put in code"...so he did and the gate opened.  Then I had to go back and forth and back and forth to get back so I could go in the gate.  I felt pretty silly doing my 20 point turn (or so) to turn and turn back.  The gate code had changed, but we did make it for a nice short visit.  We went to play group.  I was grateful to the friends that put Connor in the baby swing and took him back out.  He was in the swing for probably 30 minutes.  It was nice to not have to chase him and help him around the play ground since I'm not supposed to lift him.  We also went to the craft at the library.

The shelf fell out and Connor found a new place to play and hide.

Thursday we picked Jared and Lauren up at school and took Cami to the doctor.  Camilla had her 1 month check at the doctor.  She looks good, but she is not gaining weight well.  She only weighed 9 pounds 9 ounces.  She gained 4 ounces in the last 4 weeks.  The doctor said I would have to supplement her feedings.  He figured it is probably a supply issue and she is not getting enough.  His guess is that my milk supply is down from the surgery.  If it's not my milk supply then there is something wrong with her and we will have to do lots of testing.  On the way home from the doctor we dropped Jared off at scouts.  I came home and read all I could about increasing milk supply and supplementing her.  I'm not sure I decided on the best way to do it, but it is a way that will work for us...I hope.  I decided to feed her and pump after every feeding and then feed that to her too if she would eat it and make sure she was eating every 2 hours.  I wasn't really surprised she wasn't gaining.  She didn't seem to be getting heavier to me and her little cheeks were getting thin but I didn't want to hear it all the same.

Friday was a no school day for Jared and Lauren.  It is nice they get a 4 day weekend.  We went to story time at the library and  played outside, but the rest of the day for me was spent feeding Cami and pumping.  I didn't get much else done.

Saturday I made 2 apple pies in the morning.  One was for a funeral and one was just for us.  I had the pie crust and filling in the freezer so it wasn't too hard.  It was stake conference for us and Alan had a priesthood leadership meeting and then he just stayed and went to the adult session.  The youth were invited (and will be from now on?). I wasn't sure who to get to babysit so I just stayed home.  I spent most of the day pumping and feeding Camilla.  Before his meetings Alan changed the shocks in the car.

A picture Alan drew.  A cross between 2 animals.

Sunday was Stake Conference.  It was a broadcast from Salt Lake for all of southern California.  We just went to our building to watch it with the other ward that meets in our building.  We did stations and had fun as a family and I focused on feeding Cami.  Alan moved the entertainment center/ shelf thing to another wall and put up our white board where it had been.

How she really felt about the whole thing.

Back to school, Recovery, and New Water heater

Monday was back to school and work for everyone.  Alan took Jared and Lauren to school that morning, but arranged with a friend to take them every other morning and to pick them up from school too.  This was helpful so I didn't have to lift Connor in and out of the car...or wait for him to climb in and out him self.  We also put a chair in the bathroom so he will be able to wash his hands during the day.  He thinks this is great and goes in and plays in the sink and uses the soap to fill the sink with bubbles.  It might be a long 4 weeks.  We just hung out here at home and didn't really do much...I just tried to recover.  I did wash the kitchen floor with our floor cleaner because it was black!  and I just couldn't take it any more.  I'm not sure if it had been washed since Cami had been born.  Jared even noticed that I had cleaned it...and that's how you know it was bad before.  Someone brought us dinner that night.

Tuesday my visiting teacher that doesn't live across the street came over and picked up Bradley and Connor.  She took them to her house and they played there all day.  Cami and I just rested here at home.

Wednesday was more of the same.  I did pick them up from school and take them to the craft at the library because Jared needed some books about Charles Dickens for his hero project.  When I started a load of laundry in the afternoon I noticed the water didn't get warm like usual, but didn't really think anything of it.  That night though when I was brushing my teeth and washing my hands I kept waiting for the water to get hot and it never did.  I told Alan the water heater isn't working and he confirmed that it was broken after some examination.  Another family brought us dinner.

Thursday I didn't take a shower...just a 'sponge' bath...enough to not feel totally gross.  Not having hot water was a good excuse to not do laundry or dishes or any thing else.  Jared had cub scouts, but we just were hanging out again.

I was super glad when Friday rolled around and Alan could be here.  I'm always excited for the weekend, but especially this one.  I was exhausted!  We managed to make it to story time, but skipped the usual shopping we had been doing after.  In the afternoon a guy came out and fixed our water heater.  Yea!  Two different families brought us dinner...so we saved one for Saturday.

Our water gets nice and hot now!

Saturday Alan wanted to go to a huge sale they were having at harbor freight.  We all needed out of the house so we all went along.  He took us back home before going to Food 4 Less.  We just did more resting.  It was kind of a rough week for all of us getting back into the routine of school after Christmas break.  Everyone had been going to bed just a little later and sleeping just a little longer, so getting up for school made for a few grumpy kids most of the week.  The next week was better though.

Sunday I taught primary, but it was just a normal day.  Stations, lots of family time, and resting.  We are super grateful for all of the people that helped our family this week with dinners, watching kids, and taking Jared and Lauren to and from school.  I'm slowly getting better.  It is kind of frustrating to be because I just want to be all better now, but it will take time.  I am getting better but I can tell when I have done too much.

A recreation of one of our favorites of Lauren.

This is Lauren.  She is just over 2 months old in the picture.  We might have to do it again with Cami in a month.