Moments that last a lifetime

It seems lately it's been difficult just to go to the restroom in peace, never mind updating a blog page. Hence, here we are months later and I finally have a couple of minutes to myself to update this blog with pictures. Actually Instagram has become my new platform to post images and updates of the family, but I feel sad that I spent so much time describing the small beautiful details of Leia's early moment's, a little bit about Nora, and hardly any about Kira. So this post is dedicated to highlighting life with Kira.

I think I am still in a state of awe to see how much love and excitement Kira has brought to our family. Her sisters are so incredibly in love that it still intrigues me the level of unconditional love they have for her. Even though their needs now sometimes come after Kira's, they never get upset with me or Kira but instead offer her more love. The power of these siblings is astonishing to both James and I.

Kira decided to stop taking a bottle after our vacation to San Diego. It has been her passive aggressive way of going on strike. So she waits patiently until I return from work to get her milk from the source. She is such a beautiful little baby. She is extremely calm with me and is very go-with-the-flow. However, I think she has the tendency to be more stubborn and fussy when the Momma is gone.  I have been able to stay at home with her much more than I did with the other two. That may have contributed to her being more attached to me, or it could just be her personality. Kira is now 7.5 months and is sitting up now (which she started at 1 month) and learning to crawl. She adores her sisters and loves playing with them. I would say her happiest moments are spent in the pool. This is definitely my water baby. She calmly floats on her back while I have one finger on her head and one finger on her back.  She has 2 teeth on the bottom coming in and boy has she made it known in the house that teething is taking place.

James has been extremely busy with work and I have been busy balancing my consulting company and working PRN at local hospitals. Leia is enjoying preschool and Chely, our babysitter for Nora and Kira is our biggest blessing.

We have been able to enjoy many wonderful visits from family and friends who try to come see us before the weather jumps to triple digits. We do still love living in the desert and are looking forward to expanding and updating our home in the coming months/years. 

Funny Videos:
Nora reading to her friends: https://youtu.be/NEPWlJpC4pM

Brave Robertson girls: https://youtu.be/RN4zF5Pap7c

Robertson Love: https://youtu.be/MmA3qJigeJ8

A day in the Life of a Toddler: https://youtu.be/Zqb7qkpuuG8

My days off with Nora: https://youtu.be/46vXtvwuB_Q

Funny Comments:

Leia tells people that the reason Kira has red hair, blue eyes, and white skin is because she was born on the brightest star where sweet strawberries fell on her head, blueberries fell in her eyes and vanilla milk covered her body.

When I ask Leia if we should have any more babies, Leia's prompt reply "no. please--me and Daddy are at saturation and when Daddy married you he begged you to have 3 girls".

Happy Halloween, Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year--Boy time goes by fast :)

Here are a few fun pics of our latest experiences.

Our new life as a family of 5

As you can tell by how long it has taken me to update this blog, we are busy! lol. It's a lot harder to have downtime these days. It's crazy, yes but I am enjoying every single passing moment as a Momma to these little angels. It's amazing how much Leia and Nora love their sister. They take care of her like she is their own baby. Their loving maternal side has really shown itself. I am so lucky that welcoming a 3rd baby into our family has brought us nothing but happiness and excitement. We are slowly but surely getting back into the swing of things. Leia has started preschool 3 days a week and we have a nanny come watch the girls while I go to work 3 days a week. It has really been an easy transition. Kira has been so easy-going. She smiles and giggles now and is so happy throughout the days. She nurses and takes a bottle like a champ and her favorite moments are spent snuggling into someone's arms. We are so blessed with her and I am thankful everyday that I get a chance to have a new baby in my arms again. The girls are growing so fast that I want to hold on to every moment. Some of my favorite moments these days are when I get to have one-on-one time with each girl. After I drop off Leia at school Nora, Kira and I go to the fountain on the days I am off and enjoy splashing, laughing, and playing together. Nora is simply a joy to be around. 2 year olds are so fun to be with and I feel so lucky to her Mommy. Nora especially is happy every second of every day. She makes me want to be a better person. At all times throughout the day she will randomly come kiss me and say "I love you so much Mommy". Life doesn't get much sweeter. Each child holds such a special place in our hearts and the challenge these days is to try to fit in as much quality time with each of them as possible.

walking our babies

It's finally cool enough to play outside!

Leia is loving being a soccer player



Learning to babble: 6 weeks

My little red head and I

My sweet girls

Mornings at the Robertsons

Our SD trip to move in Summer into SDSU

The big day

On our way to the birth center to have our baby
8:30am

It was Tuesday night on the 29th of July that I went into labor around 9pm with consistent, yet manageable contractions. For some reason, I have always considered Leia to be my best friend. She seems to have an old soul even at the age of four. So it was with great relief and happiness that I looked up at around 3am and saw my oldest daughter smiling at me. She said in the most confident way "Mommy my baby sissy is coming today. Let's get you comfortable on the couch". I am still in awe when I think back about her intuition. Leia stayed up all night with me rubbing my back, making me toast and coming up with names for the baby while we watched the "Baby Story" on TV. The contractions were very consistent and by 8:30a I called the midwife. I told James to go to work but be "on call" since our baby is on its way. At around 9am my mom, Sandra, Nora, Leia and I left our house for the birthing center. The midwife at the birthing center checked and confirmed baby is indeed coming, at 6.5 cm dilation, she predicted baby will arrive within a few hours. In the most nonchalant way, she recommended I go hang out at Starbucks for a protein meal while they get the birthing center ready. James met us at Starbucks and we enjoyed a coffee beverage while laughing at the fact that the midwife wasn't at all concerned that I would go into labor at Starbucks. The contractions were extremely uncomfortable but not painful by any means and certainly not anything I couldn't laugh through. We arrived back at the birth center at 11am. I spent 1.5 hours laboring in bed with my mom massaging my back, Kristina encouraging me and James and Sandra keeping the kids occupied. Perfect scenario for me to enter my hypnotic sleep state where I lay perfectly still and go into a dream zone. I really wanted to experience a water birth so I entered the bath just before 1pm and that is when the baby dropped. The nurse and the midwife never checked my dilation throughout the labor and instead told me to push whenever I felt ready. Very different experience from a hospital birth. I spent a few minutes pushing and at 1:15pm we welcomed sweet Kira Suzanne into our lives. One of the most incredible experiences ever in my life!! She started nursing immediately and it wasn't but 3 hours later that I left the birth center as a mother of 3 beautiful little girls. Kira Suzanne Robertson Born July 30th 2014 at 1:15pm 7 lbs 13 oz 21 inches of pure JOY

10am: A quick stop at Starbucks 3 hours before baby was born
 



2 minutes before baby Kira was born in the bath

10 minutes after baby was born

3 generations of women

Grandma Sandra holding her granddaughter

Grandma Janice and baby Kira

2 weeks old

The days leading up to the big day

Nothing like having a baby to get the family all together! Mom came out on July 13th to stay with us for a full month. I continued to work while she took the girls to 2 weeks of vacation bible school. The girls had the time of their lives and Mom had so much fun getting them ready in their matching outfits. At my birthing appointment on July 18th, they told me that I was 4 cm dilated and 80% effaced meaning the labor should start any day. At this point I felt great and didn't have any other reason to believe that the delivery would come soon. Nonetheless Dena and Julian rearranged their schedule to fly out to Phoenix in case baby was going to be born. They flew out on Monday the 21st and stayed that week. Summer flew TO Phoenix on Friday and we celebrated her 18th bday at the Marriott. Boy do we know how to make a celebration out of a celebration! On Sunday Dena and her family flew back to SF and Sandra flew into Phoenix on July 27th. It was like the revolving Robertson door. I wouldn't have it any other way!




Mom relaxing in the pool



Leia is my hypnobirth teacher helping me prepare for the water birth

Swimming with cousin Julian!



Enjoying the lazy river

The expecting couple