I don't know how or why I didn't expect to be this busy...

I honestly have had good intentions of blogging but never seem to find an extra second.... Somehow I didn't understand that just adding one baby to the already chaotic, crazy "Hilton life" would triple??? my every day work!? Who knew and why didn't they tell me? So this is my fastest attempt at an update........ We had a fabulous Easter Sunday. The boys were so excited because the Easter bunny "somehow knew" they really wanted some "real" soccer shoes and uniforms!

We even baked an easter bunny cake that REALLY impressed Mark (until Aunt Kris showed up and spilled the beans that she (and I) had seen the idea on TV the day before! thanks a lot!)

I set up the kitchen (and kids) to color eggs but then was abruptly called away to nurse Harlie- let's just say Mark was not very happy to have to take over the project- but he did great at not letting the kids know that he thinks coloring eggs is stupid!

Harlie got her first bath on Easter. Her cord didn't fall off until she was three weeks old and then we had to wait another whole week to be able to put her in water- she LOVED it! I thought it was adorable that she still fit in the sink!

Kortlen and Tristen have been the best brothers and my biggest helpers! They are so in love with this little girl! They have been so patient with her even though she cries a lot. I love to watch and listen to them with her, it melts my heart.

Harlie hated her oxygen and was constantly trying to get it off of her face. When the doctor finally took it off she was so calm and happy (and so was I!) I took her home and ran around my house with her just because she wasn't hooked up to anything anymore and "we could"!

My little Ross has been so patient with me and so loving to his new sister- his favorite thing is to kiss her on the head (it's so dang sweet!) Every time I have her on her changing table he comes toddle'n in with his stool so he can stand next to me and see what she's doing.

Daddy and Harlie having a good, long, talk.

The little monkeys on her shoulders are her friends and when she can't find her binky she just turns her head and gives them little licks.

She constantly has one arm up whether she's awake or asleep. Mark says she's practicing her "Rodeo Queen wave" (I hope not, I hate how they wave!)

First time to church at six weeks old. She had RSV people!- okay, I admit I would have liked to milk it longer! Thanks for the cute dress Aunt Leslie!

And this is my sweet girl today! She is doing SO much better and finally getting bigger!

and the story continues....

We did our VERY best not to let Harlie be exposed to RSV but... she got it anyway. She started with symptoms last Saturday morning and by Sunday night we were in the ER and she was admitted to the hospital. Harlie and I spent three days there (away from the family AGAIN) and then the doctor let her come home on oxygen. A nurse comes here to check on her and she seems to be doing better now with the respiratory side of things but is having a hard time being interested in eating at all and so we are trying HARD not to let her get dehydrated- (which would take us back to the hospital and require IV fluids.) She is TOO LITTLE for all of this and it has killed me to watch her little body shake as she coughs and then to be totally still because she is exhausted from being sick! There should be some rule some where that if you agree to come into this world- you will be healthy and strong- life is hard enough when you're only 6 and a half pounds! The doctor says she will probably require oxygen now for about a month until she recovers fully from this stupid virus. One thing is for sure- she's a "tuff" little cowGIRL!

Happy St. Patty's Day!

Kortlen and Tristen had been trying for a solid week to catch a little leprechaun that had been leaving them treats and causing all sorts of mischief around the house. They would brainstorm
and come up with some new kind of trap to set up in their room each night and that little bugger somehow would always get away! One morning they found that their trap had been set off and thought the leprechaun was caught under the box- you can only imagine the excitement!!! They actually made grandma Lori lift the box because they were just a "little" scared of what they might find. To make a long story short... we think we know what happened to that sneaky little leprechaun............................................................................................................Ross ate him!!!

nothing went according to plan.

Harlie Beth

born March 6th at 11:45am

5 lbs 14 oz

19 inches long
She is such a little sweet heart!

the story goes like this...

My labor was supposed to be started by my doctor on the 15th which was a week before my actual due date- so I was happy about that decision and was trying my hardest to be patient until that day. On May 5th I was home taking care of my boys when I started having some pretty serious pain. I knew it wasn't labor pain because of my past experience with the child birth "thing" so I tried to ignore it. It became so bad that I couldn't stand it and called Mark home from work. We went to the hospital and found out that I was apparently having a kidney stone attack and the doctor thought there were more complications and sent me in an ambulance up to the Jackson hospital to a surgeon. (what a long and bumpy ride!) By the time I got up there I was in labor and starting to dialate so the OBGYN that had been called in for me gave me the choice to stay and labor in Jackson or to travel back to Star Valley to my own doctor. We decided to drive back. (what an EVEN longer drive home- this time it was in Mark's bumpier truck without drugs!) As soon as we got back to the Star Valley Hospital my doctor was waiting for me with an epidural. (what a good doctor) The only bad thing was that in the time it took for me to go to Jackson and come back- three other ladies had come in to the hospital in labor and our quaint little hospital only has TWO labor and delivery rooms- so I got the shaft (and I was "technically" there first!) no fair.... well, ALL three other ladies still delivered WAY before me- my little girl waited until the middle of the NEXT day to make her appearance! But she is healthy and PERFECT!!!

And the story continues...

My mom was planning to come the day before I would be induced so she could take care of my three little monsters while I was gone. She wasn't able to come until the day after I delivered so my two FABULOUS aunts and cousin Kylee had to wrangle the boys until Grandma Lori arrived... then we thought all would be well....

Thank you Aunt Kris and Aunt Julie and Kylee- I sure LOVE you guys!!!


The boys all came to visit their new sister but by the looks on their faces they weren't quite sure what to think... And baby sister was too scared to even look at her brothers!

and the story goes on...

I went on to "apparently" pass the kidney stone sometime on Sunday morning and was excited to leave the hospital on Sunday night. But then my mom called to tell me that Tristen and Ross were really sick- so I decided to stay an extra night so she could take them to the doctor on Monday morning to make sure everything would be okay. Well it turned out that Ross had RSV and there would be no way I could take my new baby home to expose her to it. And that's where my FABULOUS Aunt Kris comes in again- she let me and little Harlie come home to her house to spend a week and make sure that Ross would not pass his RSV onto Harlie. Talk about torture- to be away from my boys when they were sick and not be able to see them at all, and to hear all the chaos going on over the phone and not be able to help my mom or Mark and to not be able to explain to little Ross that mommy wanted to come home but couldn't (he's only 16 months old). It was such a hard experience for me but made bearable by my wonderful husband, mom and aunts! Thank you all for your patience and help! I am so happy to finally be home with ALL of my children and ALL of the chaos! (and to NOT be pregnant ANYMORE!)

and by the way...... we named our little Harlie Beth after Mark's Aunt Bethie that we love so much and have felt her sweet presence in our lives!

a little bit of sunshine.......

I am SO in love with this kid- he makes me happy every day!

WOE is me...............

This fourth pregnancy is nearly KILLING me... doctor says that the baby is "hanging out" SO low in my pelvis that it explains why I feel like my bones are going to break EVERY time she moves- and that having FOUR pregnancies in six years is going to take a toll on my body... whatever, I've seen '19 kids and counting' and that woman doesn't walk around like her hips are broken with the look of death on her face -like I do! I guess it's just Heavenly Father's way of telling me that four is enough and I get to be done with the whole being pregnant thing for good!!!

My mom and dad came to visit (thank heavens) so Mark and I could have one last weekend without children........ and to help me move the kid's rooms around, and put new dressers together, and sort through baby girl clothes people have so nicely passed to me, and baby proof my house a little more, and talk me off of a cliff..... etc, etc, etc (they were busy!!! - what would I EVER do without them?)

Mark has even sensed a break-down coming and has "happily" decided to help cook Sunday dinner when we get home from church......... his potatoes are AMAZING! luv you honey:)

Oh, the day when I can ride a horse again.......... but for now I just watch Mark out the window and imagine myself......

He also has been taking ALL three boys out in the rhino with him when he has to plow our snow- they LOVE it and I LOVE it even more!!!

What we've been doing....

We had two bedrooms and one bathroom in our basement that we "stupidly" didn't finish when we built our house. Maybe we didn't think we would be growing into the rooms so soon- or maybe we thought we would have more money at a later time- or maybe we thought that once construction slowed down, the price of subcontractors would come down.... ALL have proven not to be true! However, we are having our fourth child and now need the extra space and have gotten REALLY tired of having to go upstairs to use a bathroom when ever we are down there. (Im sure our guests are REALLY sick of it too considering our guest room is downstairs). So we buckled down and got serious about finishing the basement..... Thanks to our little painter's helpers- we got'er done! (the short ones were the only cheap labor we could find!)

However, Ross has been "kicking back" through this whole thing since he has not been permitted in the construction zone.

He has a new fascination with sunglasses because he noticed that his dad won't go outside with out his....... and since it's too cold to go outside- he just wears his in the house!

Kortlen and Tristen have been spending a lot of time playing out in the snow- whether they want to or not- mom NEEDS them to! (notice Tristen's smiling face)

And Grandma Lori and Grandpa Malcolm FINALLY came to visit and we had a WONDERFUL time!!! We love you guys- come back and use our new bathroom!

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

Christmas was SO FUN this year with three little boys.... they were so excited for the big event that Santa took a boot string off just to "tie our gate shut" so the boys would HAVE to wait for mom & dad! (sorry Santa- we hope you were able to keep your boots on for the rest of your deliveries)

Ross had to watch his big brothers to "learn the ropes" about opening presents but it didn't take him long to catch on! And yes- he wore his Santa hat for most of the month (just to give his cowboy hat a rest).

Santa brought Kort & Tristen their very own clone trooper helmets and guns- apparently they are "one size fits all"......... hilarious!

Ross instantly fell in love with the hula hoops that his big brothers had asked for but his favorite present out of his own stack was his new coat- he wanted to wear it ALL day!

Tristen also asked Santa for his VERY own turkey to sleep with- because I hear that's what most four year old's ask for... Good thing Santa is magic and can find ANYTHING for little children! (whew, it was a close one!) "Gobbles is a big hit!"