Russell, Heidi, Brielle, Hyrum, Clara, and Sam: April 2014

Samuel Gregory Streadbeck

born April 25, 2014

4:17 AM

9 pounds 10 ounces

21 inches long

Sammy was born two weeks early. He spent his first days in the hospital NICU. Since I was Group B Strep positive, and since I had developed a fever during labor after a spontaneous rupture of membranes, they had to put him on IV antibiotics for 48 hours. He also needed glucose in his IV because he was hypoglycemic. Sam needed an x-ray too, to rule out a fracture of his left clavicle. It wasn't broken, but had gotten stuck behind the pelvic bone during birth and was strained or pulled.

Here he is with his IV. He also has an EKG hooked up to his chest, and monitors on his feet. After he was born he was whisked away, and I didn't see him again for 7 hours. Russell didn't get to hold him until the next day.

(above) Russell's first time holding Sam

A different day in the nursery. This picture shows a lot of the cords connected to Sam. I would go to the NICU to feed him every few hours. Nursing was very tricky with all the cords, and because his right arm had an IV in it, and his left side was sore from the strained shoulder. Sam would yelp or whimper whenever I held him under his left arm, and he wouldn't nurse if the left arm was down (putting pressure on it), so his left side always had to be up, but that put his IV hand down, which was tricky as well.

Finally they let Sam come to my hospital room. This was the first time the children got to hold him. (children aren't allowed in the nursery)

He still had his IV port in.

And on Sunday we took him home. In the next post I'll write up his birth story.

Easter

We had Stake Conference on Easter Sunday. I stayed home that morning because I was having intense contractions, and Russ took the older two children. That afternoon (the contractions having slowed down), we went to Spencer and Roma's house to enjoy the holiday with them. We ate a delicious meal of brunch foods (Roma is one of the best cooks I know!) and then the children got to look for Easter eggs. Each child had a different color to look for (except Brendon was looking for a certain shaped egg, in all the colors, which made his hunt more difficult!)

Finding eggs.

Look close in the background and you can see my large pregnant belly. (this was 4 days before my water broke)

After the egg hunt, showing off their full buckets! The children had a marvelous time playing with each other. It's so great to have cousins for your best friends!

That night we read in the scriptures about the crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. We wanted to be sure our children knew why we celebrate this important holiday.

Pysanky

In the beginning of April several of my friends came over for a girl's night, and we made Ukrainian eggs, or Pysanky eggs. The process uses special dyes, wax, tools that hold the wax as you melt it over a flame (called kitskas), and a very, very steady hand. The ones above are the three that I made.

Here are the eggs from our group that night.

When Spencer and Roma came over so the men could go to the Priesthood session of Conference, Roma made this beautiful egg!

One of my favorite friends is VERY artistic and makes everything look amazing. Here are the eggs she made, they're incredible!

Another dear friend borrowed my supplies later to make some with her family, and they turned out lovely as well!

Brielle's birthday party

Brielle had a birthday party in February, a couple weeks after her baptism. She invited three friends to go swimming with her at the Lynnwood rec center, which has several pools, with waterslides, a splash playground, lazy river, and all sorts of fun things. After swimming the kids came back for pizza and cake and ice cream.