Some Very Special News Times Two

 I'm going to be an aunt again!  Dan's sister, Laura, and her husband Kevin are expecting twins.  I do love all of my nieces and nephews but these two babies are going to be extra special to our family.

I can't begin to explain how important Kevin and Laura are to me.  Kevin is the go-to guy for any computer problem, knows how to smoke ribs with the best of them,  and loves his wife Laura to pieces.  Laura has been such a good aunt to my children.  She babysat Lorena for 4 months before she went to daycare and helped babysit both of them this summer while Ida was still very young.  She readily volunteers to watch her sister Kate's 4 kids if Kate needs some help.  Laura has a love for children that I've never seen before.  She was truly happy for me when I found out each time I was pregnant, mourned with me after my miscarriage, and loves Ida and Lorena with such a deep love.

Divorce rates for parents after the death of a child are 8 times higher than the average according to one study.  No marriage is all sunshine and roses, but Kevin and Laura are a perfect example of a marriage that will last through better or worse, good times and bad.  I'm so excited for them to be parents again.  They were such good parents to Kaden and I'm sure he is looking down from heaven smiling.

Please pray for Laura, Kevin, and the health of their two little babies that are due next spring. ~ Lydia
 

October 2014.  Ida, Laura, Lorena, and Kevin

Grain sorghum?!?

Fall is a busy time for us.  Soybeans to harvest, wheat to drill, corn to shell, cows to bring home, and usually last but not least is grain sorghum harvest.  I had a few free hours today so I jumped in the semi truck with Dan and rode along to the field to haul in one of the last loads of grain sorghum for the year.

A honestly didn't know much about grain sorghum (also called milo) until I moved to Kansas.  I knew it was grown in a few placed in extreme southern Illinois and was also a "poor man's crop."  Milo has a whole different meaning for Kansas farmers.  Milo is main crop on many farms here and is utilized every year in our crop rotation.

Fun facts about milo:
1.  Kansas and Texas are the top milo producing states, usually switching rank every few years
2.  Milo's main uses are livestock feed and biofuels
3.  Milo is more drought resistant than corn
4.  Milo is a very hardy and dependable crop, meaning yields are usually more predictable
5.  Milo is usually planted on more marginal ground making it a good option for some fields

Not so fun facts about milo:
1.  I can't explain in words how itchy milo dust is...you just have to trust me on this one.

Milo is usually planted a month or so after corn making it our last crop to harvest.  We are finishing November 6 this year which is a pretty average timing.  We are very pleased with the yields and will continue relying on milo as an important crop in our rotation.

Tractor waiting to dump milo onto semi trailer

Grain cart unloading onto semi trailer

Uncle Phil loading Dan in the semi-trailer

Cousin Jason harvesting with the other combine

This is Milo to the Illinois folks

Kind of pretty, but very itchy

Hubby not smiling because he doesn't like pictures

shot gun rider

Life the past few months

I went back to work 4 months ago on June 30th and life has been complete chaos since then.  I looked back at my last post from June 26th and I had mentioned I would blog the next week about how things were going being back at work.  Yep, that didn't happen.  Here I am 4 months later and finally sitting down to take the time for an update.

Work is always crazy in the summer and this summer was no different.  I had a lot of wheat claims which required paperwork and traveling to meet with farmers.  I really like my job and it definitely has perks (setting my own hours, being able to take off for an appt, taking a day off here and there to head to my parents, and having really supportive co-workers, working with farmers, and the list goes on and on.  It's just when you work from home the work is always there!  My office is also Ida's room.  Therefore, I constantly see the papers piling up and my email inbox overflowing. Things have finally slowed down which I'm very thankful for.  It's just been an overwhelming few months for me and I'm ready for a slow down.

Summers are hectic.  Having a May baby added to the crazy months.  In July I went to my friend Angela's bachelorette party in Illinois.  It was Ida's first trip to Illinois and she and Lorena spent one  night with my parents.  Beginning of August I flew to Nashville for Jennifer's bachelorette party.  It was so nice to get away for a while and Dan's parents really helped with the girls.  In late August we went to Angela's wedding in Wisconsin.  Cindy and Ernie made the trip with us and it was so great to have them there to help.  They are so good to help us when we need it.  I then took the girls to Illinois in middle of September to see my family. We squeezed in a few camping trips to Milford Lake too. Our last wedding of the year was Jennifer's in St Louis.  The girls stayed with Dan's parents so we had a nice little get away by ourselves.

I've heard that it takes 18 months to fully recover from having a baby.  I still don't feel completely like myself. I pumped and supplemented with formula since i only made about 1/3 of Ida's needs.  I just stopped pumping a few days ago.  I finally have more time to just hang out with the kids so I'm really enjoying freedom from being hooked up to that dang pump!  I have been trying to jog 2 or 3 times a week.  I really want to devote more time to myself this fall and exercise on a regular basis.  It's just been a struggle juggling two kids now.  Dan has been helping more around the house and I finally hired someone to come help me clean occasionally.  I have no idea why I waited so long...it's been the best money I've spent.

My goal is to blog once a week so we will see if that happens.  Will do update on girls next post.  Bye for now! :-)

September 2014

October 2014

Season of Life

I love the TLC Show "Nineteen Kids and Counting."  If you are not familiar with it, it's about the Duggar Family that has 19 children.  The mom, Michelle, recently found out that it is highly unlikely that she will be able to conceive another child.  She is coming to terms with this and has said many times that the baby season of life is over for her.  She has also said that she is looking forward to other seasons in life like seeing her children become adults, weddings, and more grand babies.  She is embracing the next season God is giving her.  I really get a lot of insight from this program.

I realized a few weeks ago that my season of life has changed.  Having a baby is such a blessing, but also an enormous responsibility.  Now that we have 2 kids, I am beginning to see the ginormous responsibility that we have been given.  Don't get me wrong, life did change when we had Lorena but I did feel like I could pretty much still do everything and have some sort of a social life.  I'm now outnumbered by the girls and it is a bit overwhelming.  I'm really trying to embrace my current season of having babies.  This is such a good season but a difficult season as well!  My mother-in-law always told me that "the baby years" are very challenging and I'm beginning to think she was spot on.  

Ida is almost 6 weeks old.  We are still trying to establish a routine for the girls.  Ida is a wonderful sleeper so far.  She sleeps for 7-8 hours at night now which is awesome right?  I shouldn't be tired but I am.  I think being a Mom is just going to be tiring for the rest of my life.  Now that she has been with us for a while, it's really sinking in to me about how different life is with two kids.  It was cute and challenging trying to balance a newborn and toddler at first but now it is frustrating and exhausting.  I find myself not "liking" Lorena as much.  I know that sounds bad, but I'm just being honest.  I think all Moms must go through this right?  She is just constantly pushing my buttons.  Lorena is either climbing on me, climbing on tables, taking the bottle out of Ida's mouth, basically doing anything bad to get attention.  She wants to be held all the time (she never even wanted this much as a baby!).  I left the room for 2 seconds at one point and came back to find Lorena dragging Ida across the floor by her feet.  When I made her stop, she tried to hit Ida with a fly swatter!  It's just hard (and impossible) to be in two places at once.  I try to balance my time between the two girls but I feel like my brain is going in too many directions at once.  There are some times that make it all worth it. Whether it is putting Lorena's hair in pig tails, hearing her say "cow" when we drive by the feed lot, or seeing her wave at a diesel truck because she thinks it's her daddy...these times are still wonderful with her.

Dan's current season of life is farming.  Dan's been working with hay the past week and getting ready for wheat harvest.  It seems like he is constantly busy on the farm.  I know he loves the responsibility and thrives on it but it is hard on me when he gets home after 9:30 p.m. most nights.  I know this too shall pass but for farm wives it is basically our lot in life some seasons.

I start back to work on Monday so maybe that's why I have been analyzing life so much!  Part of me is ready to go back but part of me is not.  I will let you know how it all works out next week in my post about going back to work.

~Lydia

Settling In

It's June 20th and Ida is over a month old already.  She will be five weeks tomorrow.  You probably know that I'm going to say "it's gone by way too fast" but it really has.  I can't believe I only have one more week left of maternity leave.  I work for a great company that offers 6 weeks paid leave for a regular delivery.  I could also take 6 more weeks of unpaid leave.  However, my job is busiest this time of year and I know I am needed back in the field.  It's been a rough year for wheat in Central KS.  I have heard the average will be in the 20s throughout most of the area but we will just have to wait until the combines start rolling.  Poor crops mean heavy claim loads for adjusters like me.  I don't really mind being busy but it will be interesting heading back to work with a 22 month old and 6 week old.

Ida has been a great baby so far.  She slept for 3-4 hour stretches when we brought her home.  At about 2 weeks old she would sleep for 5-6 hour stretches at night, usually from 11-5.  For the past week she has been sleeping from around 11-6:30!  I know I shouldn't be so tired but I still am.  Unfortunately we have been passing around a cold, sinus, cough, congestion sort of sickness since Ida was born.  Dan, Lorena, and I have been on antibiotics twice.  We also have all had viral infections.  Now Ida has a cold and a cough.  Lorena went to the ENT this week.  We are getting her tested for allergies.  We thought she may need her tonsils out but the ENT didn't think it was necessary just yet.  It will be nice when we are all well.  I am nursing/pumping for Ida and supplementing with formula.  I think I'm making a bit more milk than I did with Lorena but I'm still falling short.  It has been nice to have the nursing relationship with Ida because I didn't have that with Lorena.

Ida was only in newborn clothes and diapers for 2 weeks.  She is now filling out 3 month clothes and size 1 diapers rather nicely.  She is awake more during the day and her neck is getting much stronger.

3 weeks old

5 weeks old

We have had a ton of visitors the past few weeks.  We baptized Ida June 7.  Aunt Kate and Uncle Jeremy Olson are Ida's sponsors.

Look at cousin Will in the background!

We also had Linn Picnic the next weekend and my sister came to visit for 3 days.  I love Linn Picnic but was thoroughly exhausted after it.

This week my Mom, Aunt Becky, and Uncle Danny came to visit. They cleaned my kitchen, did laundry, and vacuumed.  It was good to have them here.

I feel like I've been living on caffeine for the last month.  I know Ida is an excellent baby but it is just plain tiring keeping up with a toddler and newborn.  I know parents have done it forever, but it is just a major adjustment especially for Lorena.  When we brought Ida home, Lorena was constantly climbing into the pack and play to get to her.  Now she leaves Ida alone for the most part and enjoys handing me her bottle or pacifier.  Lorena has been her normal rambunctious self and recently got her first black eye.  I'm sure she will have many bumps and bruises to come.  I also think she regressed a little bit with speech for a few weeks but is now talking as much as she was before we had Ida.  Her favorite words are cow, moo, milk, mom, dad, and cookie.

Ida's Birth

I had Ida at the Clay County Medical Center in Clay Center, KS.  Clay Center is about 30 miles away from our house.  I was skeptical of going to a smaller hospital to deliver but since I didn't have any complications during pregnancy, we decided it would be the best option for us.  Remember, I went to Omaha, NE (2 1/2 hours away from our house) to a specialist until my third trimester.  I did have the option of delivering in Omaha but I'm so glad we chose Clay Center and Dr. Susan Thompson.  It was a wonderful experience!  I highly recommend Dr. T.  She is the best!

My due date was May 15 and this is a picture of me on that day.  I couldn't believe I actually made it to that day!

due date

I started having some mild contractions May 16 which was one day past my due date.  Baby had been head down for a while and I had been dilating for a few weeks before hand and was already dilated to a 3 at this point.  

4 p.m. Leaving for the hospital.  Feeling good.

Dan did not want to take a selfie with me

By the time I got to the hospital that afternoon I was at a 4.  I really wasn't in any pain though.  I could feel some mild cramps but that was it.  I got checked into the hospital around 7 pm and after being checked a few hours later, I was at around a 5 or 6.  I had always planned on getting an epidural like I did with Lorena so that was on the agenda for the night.  Honestly, I wasn't an any pain up until this point.  The contractions were getting a bit stronger but just still felt like normal cramps and my lower back had some pain but that was it!  I was like "I thought this was supposed to hurt."  Back labor in the days leading up to Lorena's birth was much worse than what I was feeling this time around.  

Still feeling great.  At a 5 or 6 now and sitting on the birthing ball.  I also told Dan I would not post this picture but he hasn't read my blog in years so who cares!

Since Dr. T wanted me to progress some more, she broke my water at about 11 p.m.  I felt more pain after that so I got an epidural.  Getting the epidural was pretty much pain free too!  The epidural hurt so much more when I was in Topeka having Lorena.  I was able to sleep from 12 am to 2 am and then for another hour before 3 am and 4 am.  Dan also slept a while too but his snoring woke me up several times...typical right? :-)  The epidural took the edge off and allowed me to rest.  I could still get up and go to the bathroom and move my legs which is how they like them to be.  I still felt like I had some control over my body which was nice.  I definitely felt a lot of pressure and it did hurt during the contractions but it wasn't that bad at all.  I pushed for an hour and a half and Ida was born at 7:33 am on May 17, 2014.  

I always joked with Dr. T that it took 3 pushes to get Lorena out since she was so small.  Dr. T told me this one would take a few more pushes.  She was right.  Baby's head was 14 cm and shoulders were as wide as the head circumference.  She did have a bit of a cone and was stuck under my pubic bone for a while I think. Ida was still a beautiful full term baby.  Ida was 8 lbs and 7 1/2 ounces and 20 inches long.  Perfect.

The whole experience was great.  The room was nice.  I could labor, birth, and recover in the same room and didn't have to shuffle to other rooms.  There are 3 maternity rooms in the hospital but I was the only one there so I got treated like a queen!

Dan and Lorena hanging out before we were discharged

The nurses and anesthesiologist were all really good to me.  Like I said before, Dr. T was awesome too.  She was very calm the whole delivery and it was truly an enjoyable experience.  She told me all along that this would be a much better experience than my birth with Lorena.  Having Lorena was such a scary time for Dan and me.  She wasn't supposed to come that earlier.  We were warned of all the possible long term problems she could have and that she could die.  I didn't want to hold Lorena when she was born, I just wanted the doctors to take her away and keep her alive.  Having Ida was so different.  We wanted her to come out, especially being 2 days over and having pushed for an hour and a half.  I wasn't scared to hold her when she came.  Dan got to cut the cord and she started nursing right away.  I couldn't have asked for a better day.

Dr T with Lorena and Ida - Dr T was supposed to deliver Lorena until I had complications and went to Topeka

My favorite picture of them!

 

Ida Mae Hiesterman

Ida Mae was born May 17, 2014 at 7:33 am.  She was 8 lbs 7 1/2 ounces and was 20 inches long.

My favorite picture

Dan looks more tired than I do!

Our first visitors were Dan's parents and sister Kate.  They brought Lorena.  She proceeded to ignore Ida and would cry if she got near me or tried to hold her!

The next day Lorena finally warmed up to me.

Clay Center provided a fancy meal for us before we went home.  We had cheeseburgers, baked potatoes, salad, and dessert.  

We came home the day after Ida was born, on May 18.  I was feeling good so there was no need to stay another night.

Lorena proceeded to get into lots of trouble once we got home. Her new thing is dumping toilet water on herself.  She also gets into lots of mischief while I'm nursing.  She stands on the end table and looks out the window and says "daddy".  She can see him working in his shop from our living room window.

My parents came to see us a few day after Ida was born.  It's always good to see them.  Lorena warmed right up to them and really liked the attention.

Overall, Ida has been a wonderful baby!  I will post all the details of the birth another day.  I also have a another post to do about having a full term baby versus a preemie.  Having a full term baby is a walk in the park once you have gone through the trials of having a preemie!

New swimming suit