My B-O-Y

This morning, Tyler (age 7) came in to me in a panic. There was some brown stuff on his lower abdomen that he didn't know what it was. It wasn't coming from his belly button or from down below, it was JUST in the middle, around the waistband of his underwear. He was pretty worried. It looked almost like a stain in pure brown. So, I rubbed his belly and recognized the texture, then I smelled it to verify.... YEP, chocolate!!! I didn't lead on that I knew what it was, I just told him to go and wash his belly really good and change his underwear. Knowing my son, last night when he went to bed, he must have sneaked a piece of chocolate in his room and when I went in to kiss him, he hid it.... in his underwear!!! He fell asleep abnormally fast last night, so he didn't have time to retrieve his treat and then forgot about it this morning when he saw his belly and thought he was dying!!! That's right, he's my son and I wouldn't trade him for the world!!!

You know what?

Do you really wanna know what I think? Huh? I don't think it's safe. Maybe I should just keep it to myself... yea, that's a better idea!!! This might be the only time in my life that I keep my opinion to myself, so please, call your mom-it's a big day!!!

BTW- I'm gonna do a SWEET blog post on how much I love my car, but I've been waiting to wash it, then some old lady ran through the side glass windows of my favorite car wash and now I need to wait till they change all the blue washer things cuz they have glass in them. So, once they get that fixed then I can do a blog post on my awesome car. I know you can't wait!!!

Life....

Do you ever feel like your life is running away from you? I get those moments and lately I have realized again, life is what you make of it. Sure there is crappy stuff going on, has your husband ever been broken and not able to work for a month? Yea, no one is exempt from what happens in LIFE. But, I want to look at the fun things that happen. Why dwell on the bad stuff? Where does that get you?

Like, when you have a cute little girl that wants to chill out in your "bird nest"? What's bad about THAT?


Or how about when that same little girl gets to snuggle with Gina's newborn? Ohhhh so yummy.


Or when you see your son having a tender moment with that same baby?

What's not fun about spending time at the fair rides with your family and friends? Here's Tyler with our friend, Ronni. He wanted to go on the zipper and I did too, but I let Ronni take him and I stayed with her kids. His smile says it all!!!!



Then you have sisters that are little freaky freaks about rides and giggle the whole time they're on the "roller coaster".
Can you hear the squeals of excitement when Tyler and Maddison went down the humungo slide?

Or what about the first day of school? Do you remember the butterflies in your tummy?


Here's a good moment, daddy being able to SWIM with us for the first time this summer.... minus the cannonballs!!!!


Sweet moments like this, Reagan, our neighbor's little girl took a nap with Randy while her mom and dad are at the hospital having her baby brother!!!
And don't forget the celebration that comes with having that new baby right across the street from us!!!
So, how do you see life? Because only YOU get to chose that!!! I know there is heart ache and worry out there, believe me, I have a nephew in the air force stationed in Korea right now. There is a lot to be sad and worried about, but how does that help anyone? Put your happy panties on and let's do this together!!! It will be a lot more fun!!!!

Cambelle's ECHO

When Cambelle had her 4 year check up last week, Dr. Chamberlain could hear a murmur that he's heard before. Last year, he could hear it and wanted to get an ECHO to check it out. We hadn't met our deductible for the year, which means we would have to pay 100%. At that time, he said it wasn't necessary and told me that we could wait. So, this year when he could hear it again, and since we've paid our soul to the devil in medical costs, he scheduled her for an ECHO today. He could only hear it when she was laying down, not sitting up. Today was the big day. For kids her age, usually they will sedate them. I always get a little nervous to sedate my kids. You have to really question if it is necessary. We decided to try it unsedated and if she wiggled too much, we would reschedule and do it sedated, which I thought was a great plan till I heard that it's a 45 MINUTE TEST!!!! What 4 year old do you know that can hold still for that long? But, it was already on the books, so we might as well try!!! Thanks to her stranger anxiety, she didn't move a muscle!!! In fact, she fell asleep during the ECHO!!! Of course we'll have to wait for the doctor to get the report, but the tech told me that everything looks good. He said that "blah, blah, blah" valve isn't making a full seal, but he said almost every one's valve does that, especially when laying down. So, no worries, but especially because of some cardiac issues in the family, I'm glad we got her checked out and now if she has to have another one, we'll have this one to compare it to!!! She is such a big girl, I'm so proud of her!!!


PS.... like the song? You know I'm a big nerd about the music I play with my blog posts!!! hehehe!!! My life totally has a playlist, this is just one of the songs on it!!!

An inspired article.

I am so happy to have the Ensign to read every month. This month when I pealed open the pages, I found this article, Managing Postpartum Depression. I am so grateful for inspired leaders of our church that are so concerned with our well being. I have suffered from postpartum depression with the birth of all 3 of my children. I was diagnosed after I had Tyler and treated, medically, with Tyler and Cambelle. I am so grateful for a doctor that I trust that when I was forced by my loving mom and sister to get help, that he took me seriously and helped me through those dark times. It is becoming more and more obvious that there are some genetic links to this horrible condition. But the good side is that there is hope. The article in this month's Ensign came just when it was needed. I have lots of family members of mine having babies and I'm so glad they can read that article and seek help. I felt EXACTLY how that article noted when I was suffering from depression. Please be the smiling face that supports those girls that are having a hard time. It makes a world of difference. When talking about future children, my (normally non-opinionated) husband said, "but after you have babies, you are so.... not nice". That is the meanest thing he's ever said in his life, believe it or not. It spoke VOLUMES to me. It's not only I that suffered, but my husband, my kids, my family and everyone around me. Untreated, I have no doubt that after the birth of Tyler, we were going on a path to divorce. I was THAT bad. Now I see that, then I did not. So, to all the beautiful women in my life, there IS help. I have been through that tough time and came out on top. If you are feeling any of the symptoms in the article that I have linked above, PLEASE seek help from your doctor. Most of the time, it's not something that will just "fix itself". Remember, we are all of value and of worth and our Heavenly Father loves us more than we know.

Foam + broken pelvis = happy husband

So, at our last visit to the orthopedic surgeon, Randy talked to him about how much pain he is in when he wakes up in the morning in our bed. He told Randy that it could take up to and more than a full year for that problem to be resolved, but with a foam mattress or topper, he said that 100% of his patients with pelvic injuries get in bed sooner. So I was on the hunt for a foam mattress topper. I found one online for $150.00. Randy felt like we didn't have money for that right now, but when does he need it? When we have the money? No, he needs it now. So, what do I do? CALL MOM!!! His mom is lending us the money for this mattress topper!!! We got it yesterday and put it on the bed. We had a small one already on our bed, and my niece let us use hers also, but they weren't helping at all, so it was a leap of faith (and funds) to see if this was going to work. This morning when Randy woke up, he didn't grunt, he didn't limp and he said his back and pelvis were feeling pretty good!!!!!! I am so happy. Night time has been a real challenge for him. So, today I'm gonna call the doctor and see if he will write a prescription for it, so we can be reimbursed for it being medical supplies. This is going to make a world of difference for Randy and I'm so relieved!!!!

Happy 4th birthday Cambelle!!!

4 years ago today was quite eventful in the Clyde family. It's the day we welcomed our youngest daughter, Cambelle into our family!!! She was quite a SHOCK as you can read in last year's birthday post!!! I'm a sucker for a birth story, so I'm going to share what I wrote about her birth in her journal....

"Aug. 9, 2005. We went to the hospital at 11am for a 12:30pm c-section. Grandma Memmott went with us. Aunt Brenda and Aunt Launa met us at the hospital. I started to get really nervous about noon. At 12:15pm I had to leave everyone to go back to the operating room. I got way more nervous as they prepped me. Then they brought daddy and my mom back. I know how close they are getting when they bring them back.

Everything was going better than I ever remember. All of a sudden your dad said, 'they're getting close, they're sucking your amniotic fluid out now!' (he watched the whole show over the curtain) He was so excited! Then I heard Dr. Chamberlain say, 'I see hair!' Dad and grandma both started crying and saying in unison, 'LOOK AT THE HAIR' and then the doctor said, 'It's a girl and look how big she is'! Immediately I just lost it. I thought you were a boy. I don't know why. I was sobbing so hard. Grandma and dad couldn't believe it either!!! We were so happy! Then they showed you to me and you looked just like Maddison. They were all guessing how big you were. I will never forget how happy your dad and I were in that moment.

The nurse took you to the nursery with Grandma and daddy in tow while they finished with me. They opened the double doors to a huge awaiting family. Daddy whispered to Maddison that you were a girl, she got to break the news to everyone. I heard a loud cheer clear from the OR. Dr. Chamberlain laughed and said, 'THAT'S HOPE'S FAMILY!!!' As soon as I went to recovery, I wanted to tell someone so bad, so I called Anna. I was so fun!"


There is a lot more to that day, but those were the parts that I wanted to touch on today!!!
Here's my mom doing what she does best... loving on the babies!!! Usually they will only let the dad in for c-sections, but I learned with Maddison that if I lied, I could get my mom in there too!!! We would tell the doctor that the anesthesiologist said YES to mom being there, then we would lie to the anesthesiologist and say that the doctor said YES to mom being there!!! They would both think that the other approved it... and VOILA, mom and hubby in the OR!!!! Sometimes you just want your mom!!! My c-sections would be her 6th, 7th, and 8th to be in... I think she knew all the rules by then, huh?
I was in a lot of pain after I had Cambelle. I learned from the others, though, that no matter who is there, if your tired, just go to sleep. No one cares if mom is sleeping!!! That helped a lot.
She was 8# 13 oz. Such a fatty Patty!!! I loved it!!!
She is such a blessing to our family. The only reason she is here is because Heavenly Father knew it was time for her to come to our family and he did His thing. Physically, there is no way I should have got pregnant with her. I can see what a miracle it is now!!!

She is the most maternal child I have ever seen. She loves to do anything with babies, real or fake. A crying baby doesn't scare her away, just the opposite, she wants to be the one to soothe it!!!
Here she is napping on my cousin, KC. Notice her hand in his "elbow pit"? She lllooovvveeeesss elbow pits. If she is on your lap and she can't rub your elbow pit, she'll go for the collar bone!!! I think it's because I nursed her for so long... 22 months!!!
Friday was a big day. A few weeks ago, Maddison got her ears pierced. Cambelle hasn't stopped talking about it, "For my 4th burfday, I'm gonna get my ears peered". Maddison tried convincing Cambelle that it hurt WAY bad, that didn't matter to Cambelle. Pain is not an issue for this child. So, off we went to the beautiful jewelry store in the mall!!!

Here she is with her "naked ears"!!! She was a little excited!!!

They did both ears at one time and she barley even flinched, I would even call it a twitch. She didn't say "OWWW", no crying, no, "that hurt".... NOTHING!!!! She's such a toughie!!! It was almost like she was bored with it!!! It was so funny!!!

This is the first phone call... Aunt Vicky!!!!

Yesterday was her birthday party. She was watching a food show with Randy last week and saw a Cookie Monster cake, that when she decided that's the kind of cake she wanted!!!!

Of course, he did a GREAT job, he always does!!!

No party is complete without a spanking machine!!! Maci Blair was so concerned, "Is everyone gonna spank ME?". She was happy that we were just spanking Cambelle, although I think all the kids took a turn eventually!!!

Randy drew this Cookie Monster poster, we "fed" him all the letters of the alphabet, shaped as cookies!!!

Lots of girls at the party... and Wyatt!!! What a pimp!!! Back to front:
Chantel Brinkerhoff, Reagan Rindlishbacher, Layla Clyde, Elia Moss, Sophia Zitting

Ellie Rowley, Wyatt Anderson, Maci Blair, Lexi McInnes, Carlie Blair

Kelsey Carter, Cambelle and Mazie
And then there's the PRESENTS!!! She loved every single one!!! She was so happy getting all the fun girlie stuff!!!

So, Miss Cambelle. I love you so much and I'm so happy you are MINE!!! Everyday I find more reasons to love you. From your curly locks to your butt chin, from your OCD ways to your strong compassion you have for everyone!!! You are such a special girl!!!


Happy birthday to my baby!!!

Baby oh baby!!!

I love my family!!! I am the youngest of 6 girls. My sisters are a lot older than me, the closest to me is 7 years older than me, the next? 7 years older than her and then 4 in 4 years. So, that means I was an aunt when I was 3. I have grown up with my nieces and nephews and have LOVED it!!! In fact, my oldest niece, Amy, had a baby before me. 2 years ago we had a LOT of babies born in a short time. If I remember right it was like 9 in 6 months!!! It put me in auntie Heaven. This year, a lot of them are having their second babies from that round. I think the miracle of birth is just that... a MIRACLE. I love that our Heavenly Father trusts us to carry and raise his children. What a blessing. So I thought I would blog about some of the babies born this year so far!!!


This is when my nephew, Elijah was born. His parents are Amy and Steven (Randy's brother). He's such a fatty patty now, it's hard to think of him as this small!!! He shares a b-day month with Tyler, he's pretty proud of that!!!


Then we have my niece, Misty's, twin boys!!! They are so much fun!!! They live in Richfield, so we don't get to see them often, but as you can tell, the crazy aunts eat them up when we're around!!!


Here's my niece, Brittney and her husband, Chuck with their second son, Stetson!! He is so much fun!!!
Then this niece Amy, had her 4th boy!!!! Look how pretty she is in this picture with baby Noah!!!
Last week, my best friend Gina, had her second baby, a girl, that they named Emily. She is already saying, "I love Hopie". She's a genius!!!!


And just yesterday my nephew Robert, and his wife Rachel, has this little guy, Jay R. Named after his grandpa!!!
I love seeing the family members of mine that are making good choices. I know not all of them make the best choices, believe me, I have some punks in our family, but I like to look at the positive. The ones that are doing good things, being good people and making good choices are the ones I love spending time with!!!

With a family as big as mine, these are just some of the fun times we've been having since the first of the year!!! How blessed am I?