Priscilla

This wonderful lady passed away yesterday.

She is Tanner's great grandmother.

My children's great-great-grandma.

Priscilla was 97 years old and she left a great legacy behind.

This summer she lived with Tanner's grandparents and we got to spend a lot of time over there and the kids got to know her well. I'm so glad we had this time with her because my kids never knew any of my grandparents. In fact, I barely knew my own grandparents.

Great Grandma was a sassy little thing, just like my Grammy, and she had a great sense of humor.

I'm sad she didn't get to meet Stetson (he was born just a few days after she went back to AZ), but at least my other kids will have some memories to hold on to.

Bishop's Pumpkin Patch

Growing up around here we always went to Apple Hill during the Fall. Now the new thing is Bishop's Pumpkin Patch. It's not exactly close to us but there's lots of fun stuff to do. We didn't even get around to getting pumpkins cuz we were too busy.

Our besties the Mendiola's met us out there and Steph and I got the privilege of taking all the kids through the ridiculous corn maze. I wouldn't say we got lost (because we did find the end of it) but we were definitely not quick.

Massive large pumpkins, train rides, rocking horses


Cute petting zoo with baby pygmy goats, piglets and one mother of a HUGE pig.


Brynn's funny face is because the kid was bleating, 5 day old piglets, 1 month old piglet


Boys were resting in the shade while watching a puppet show

How many silly faces can you make while I try to get ONE good picture



The Mendiola's came back to our house for the night and we watched conference all Sunday. I say watched because it was on the TV, but with 8 kids under 10 we really couldn't hear anything besides a bunch of screaming. But we tried. At least we finally got to hang out with our buddies who we hardly ever see anymore.

Family Funnies

Hudson can't say Stetson for some reason, its always SKetson. One day after preschool he came running in and said "Where's my little Sketty-boy?" So now that's the baby's nickname.

Saying the prayer the other night Hudson was about halfway through when he said "Dear Heavenly Fa-- oh CRAP! I already said that part! . . . . . . Moooom, help me out here!"

Bryson was trying to calm the baby down and the baby kept turning in on him. So he brought the baby to me and said "Mom, I think you need to milk him now."

Hudson was holding the baby when he started sucking on his shoulder. He thought this was hilarious and it must have tickled. "Don't suck on me baby! I don't have boobies for you. Quit trying to get my boobies Sketty."

Brynn helped me clean the bathroom one day and then that night the boys were messing around while brushing their teeth and got water all over the place. Brynn was ticked! "Gosh dang it boys! Do you have any idea how long it took me to clean this place up?!" Now she finally knows how I feel.

The kids were all talking about TV stars from Disney Channel or something. Brynn and Bryson were both saying if they liked this star or that one. Hudson piped up "Well. . . I fink she's super hot!"

I recently put all of our Baltic photos into a book and had it printed off. Tanner and I were looking through them the other day and realizing how chubby we both were in all the photos. Tanner said "I hate hearing my voice and seeing my pictures. I just think people stand too close to me whenever they take my photo!" I must be really tired or something because every time I think of that excuse it makes me laugh. It's the photographer's fault I look fat in all my photos.

We have 2 nieces who are super dark, with dark brown hair and eyes. Not really sure where it comes from. Out of nowhere the other day Bryson said to Brynn "You know Jamie's not a black person right? All that dark stuff on her skin, that's just her tan." FYI, in case you were wondering.

I was holding the baby while he was crying and Hudson ran up and starting pulling at my shirt and trying to twist the baby's head around. He was saying "I gotcha baby. I'll help you out." I asked him what he was doing and he said "I'm getting your booby thingy for him. He wants it." Thanks Mr. Helper but I'll take it from here.

Lately when you ask Hudson to do something he doesn't really want to do he starts moaning "ohhhh, I just feel so weird now!" Like I buy into that at all.

I was saying something to Tanner like "I gotta go get. . ." and Hudson said "Oh Mom, I thought you were talking about Lady Gaga."

A friend of mine came over to the house last week to see the baby and Hudson said "Mom, is she your BFF?"

Lately if we tell Hudson something he doesn't like he'll throw himself on the floor and say "Oh no! Come on! You've gotta be kidding me."

I told the kids that Grandma wants to take them to a movie this week and Bryson replied "Um, yeah, I think I can squeeze that in."

3 wks . . . and then some

Well Stetson is 3 1/2 wks old already and I can hardly believe it. Its seems like its gone by really fast, and yet it also feels like we've had him a lot longer than just 3 weeks. He's still a very good baby. I got him out of the habit of sleeping through the night because I just didn't have enough to keep him happy during the day without mid-night feedings. He eats. A. LOT!!!!

Seriously, its pretty much all I do. I had to rent movies all last week before I could find a good book to keep me occupied. I really feel like I spend the majority of my day on the couch feeding the baby. And now my nights as well.

Tanner was gone on business all last week and I am quite proud of myself. I will admit that a few years ago I was a total spaz. When I had just 2 kids I would often call Tanner about 3 pm and tell him I was done for the day and he needed to get home real soon if he wanted his kids alive. And don't even think about leaving me alone for a few days with two kids by myself. That was WAY too hard. But I managed to keep cool all week with 4 kids and no hubs.

I managed to get the kids up and off to school on time (mostly) while nursing a baby all morning; I not only made dinner for my kids but brought dinner to 3 other families during the week; did a little hair and makeup for my 2 nieces first school dance, and got Bryson to the dentist. I managed to not scream and yell at them all week and felt pretty chill. Fortunately I've matured and mellowed out over the last few years and now 4 kids is really no big deal. Oh, and did I mention the insane amount of laundry I did?

I did start a bad habit of leaving the baby in bed with me all night since Tanner was gone. I was sooooo against this with the first 2. Hudson did us in because the nights he slept with us were the only nights he didn't scream like a banshee the whole night. This sweet baby was not put down for the first 2 1/2 wks of his life, literally. He barely ever went in his bassinette or anywhere other than someone's arms. We've totally spoiled him and now he prefers sleeping right next to me, preferably with a boob in his face. Typical male.

Defenders of the Universe

We all love babies here. Especially our sweet baby. He has been such a blessing. Right now Stetson is our whole universe, and my older 3 are his biggest fans. First thing in the morning they all rush into my room and smother him with kisses. They argue over who gets to hold him, or who's had him the longest. I'm not sure who loves him the most.

Every night Brynn wants the baby to sleep with her. She usually waits until she's in bed to ask if she can hold him because she's pretty busy playing all day. But she loves it when I pick her up from school cuz all her little girlfriends run over to catch a peek at her baby brother. I can remember always wanting a baby sibling to show off.

Bryson is the baby whisperer. He loves to hold him, especially at the store (I think he likes the reaction a baby brings from people.) Whenever he quiets the baby he'll say "Okay seriously!!! I am totally magic. Works every time." And he's usually right.

I try to let Hudson be as involved as possible but sometimes, just sometimes, he's too much and I have to tell him to back away from the baby, to which he responds "Ohhhh but I wuv him soooo much! I just can't get enough of him!" He thinks the baby has the most perfect head in the world and his favorite part are his little teeny ears. Whenever someone comes to hold the baby Hudson turns into the baby Nazi. Did you put hanisizer (hand sanitizer) on? Hold his head like this. Don't touch his face, etc. Finally when he's had enough of other people touching his baby he goes, "Alright why don't you just give him back to me now. He loves me the most." Stetson has yet to start squaking when Hud climbs all over him.

This picture was Stetson at 10 days old. At 2 wks he weighed 9.11. He eats constantly and I have had to resort to setting my alarm for 3 am feedings just so I have enough for him the rest of the day. He got circumcised this week and was not super happy for a few days but now he's all better. I had a bath with him last night and noticed his thighs are filling out quite a bit, his arms are getting beefy, and his double chin is doubling. He's getting cuter by the day.

I don't wanna brag but . . . I will anyway

3 was a doozy. I'm not gonna lie. It was difficult for all of us.

4 has been HEAVEN. I know its only been a week but it was a good week. Everyone loves this little guy so much and we just can't get enough of him. And he might be our cutest one yet.

This is the most perfect baby EVERRRR!!!!

All you other young moms, don't hate me cuz . . . my baby is sleeping through the night basically. I consider a good 6 hours or more sleeping through the night.

I usually have to wake him up to feed him and then he just lays in bed with us until we both fall asleep again. Heaven!

The first day home from the hospital. Tanner spent most of his day laying around with the baby. He finally understands why that's my favorite thing to do.

There's nothing that compares with the first 6 wks of life. Its my absolute favorite stage, probably because it always seems to be the shortest. I spent several days this week in bed

till . . . well, we don't have to go there. Lets just say I haven't been real productive this week.

And the best part is that I don't even care.

The baby was on my bed one day and the kids were really quiet after they got home so I went looking for them and this is what I found. Melts my heart:)

THIS is going on my wall somewhere!

I wonder how many times I kiss his little head every day.

Its probably close to at least 4 million.

His first nap outside. The position of his arms and legs tells you how much he enjoyed it.

He didn't quite enjoy his bath though. At all. As soon as his UC stump falls off he'll be taking baths with me from now on.

All wrapped up but still whimpering to let me know how much he didn't like it. He sounds like a little bear when he gets mad - its not really crying or screaming, it really sounds like baby animal grunts or something. I prefer that to the ear-peircing screams of our last baby.

He loves tummy time

He looks so much like Hudson did (with polar opposite dispositions). I signed him in at the Dr.'s office as Hudson and then sat down for a few minutes before having to walk back up to the window, cross out Hud and write Stetson. Felt like an idiot. Don't mind the new mom who doesn't even know her kids' name.

Now that my milk is in he's an eating machine!!! He put himself on a 3 hr schedule yesterday so I expect those little bird legs will fill out in no time. He's already back up to birth weight and starting to thicken up.

And yay for pacifiers. He takes one! Not all the time but enough to be helpful. He rarely needs one for fussiness but he does get hiccups a lot and he doesn't like them. He has the best temperment and doesn't care who's holding him, or how. The kids are all over him, especially Hudson all day and he just lays there without making a peep. He has been such a blessing. He's absolutely perfect.

Drumroll Please . . .

Introducing. . .

Stetson McNeil Zufelt

September 2, 2010 (90210)

10:23 pm

9.9 lbs, 21" long, 14" head!!!

. . . and perfect

9:00 am - doctor broke my water and started me on pitocin (dilated to a 3 1/2 -4)

9 am - 1 pm - increased pitocin 2 un/hr every half hour or so

1:30 pm - finally feeling the contractions (pitocin is now at 19 un/hr. I only had to get to 11 with Hud and he was born less than 2 hrs later)

2:00 pm - baby's heart rate goes from 130-150 bpm down to 50

3:30 pm - baby's heart rate still dropping, contractions every 2 min w/o chance for baby's recovery in between, dilated to a 6-7, talk of c-section

5:30 - I've been on my left side for 2 hrs b/c that's the only position the baby stays stable, dilated only to 7-8; doctor mentions c-section again

6:00 - lost my resolve and opted for epidural

6:03 - fell in love with Scott the anesthesiologist; left my very dark place and feeling very peaceful and relaxed (not really sure anymore why I was so against an epidural)

8:30 ish - still only dilated to an 8, started back on pit, baby crashes again

9:00 - doctor trying to decide if she needs to do a c-section

9:30 - sent Tanner to get some oil for a blessing, lots of prayers being said.

9:45 - doctor is amazed that I'm now dilated to 9 1/2 (until we told her how hard we were praying and then she understood)

10:00 - start prepping for delivery, pushed for 10 min to get him into the birth canal

10:20 - pushed 4 times and there he was

It was a long, horrible day and we were very close to having a c-section or a very scary delivery at best. But it only took a heartbeat to make it all worth it.
All my boys have had similar deliveries. All unstable, all had the cord around the neck, all turned out to be just fine. I'm really good at getting pregnant, really good at making big babies. . . . apparently I need lots of help getting them out.
Can't see the scale but it says 9.92!!! I warned the doc we should have kicked him out weeks ago but she wouldn't listen

First time he got to hold him


Very gently giving him his first bath

The kids thought they'd be able to meet their new baby right after school. When it was time for bed and he still wasn't here they were pretty sad. Tanner brought them all up first thing Fri morning and they could all hardly stand it.
Hduson loves that Stetson looks just like him. He tells everyone Stetson is the cutest baby in the whole world. His favorite part is the perfectly round head and the "teeny tiny ears".

Brynn's feeling totally fine with him not being a girl. One look and she was madly in love.
He's also very curious about the rest of the baby. He like to check his "eyeballs" often to make sure they're still blue, and open his mouth to make sure his teeth haven't grown in in the last 20 min. ;-)
Stetson was this alert right at birth. Its only been a few days but he is such a good baby. He hardly ever cries and he doesn't even care when the kids smother him all day. He's getting plenty of milk now and he's even more relaxed than before. He will be fat and happy before you know it.