Sunday

This past Sunday was our wards Primary presentation. It was Gavins first presentation and he had two parts which I had helped him memorize. So we went to church to see him do his part. He did such a wonderful job and I was in the floods of tears most of the time. Besides being postpardom, the spirit was so strong, especially when the primary kids sang the beautiful songs. I was very proud of my little Gavin.
After church, we took some pictures of the family with Niamh. On Monday, we had her first doctor check up. She weighed 9lbs 3oz. I am so happy that she has gained back all her birth weight plus an ounce :) This is my first time being successful with nursing and I am so glad I perservered this time. I am trying to get into a routine with having a newborn and two other kids. It hasn't been smooth and the boys have had their moments but it all takes time. I am really enjoying my baby girl and I could just watch her and cuddle her all day long. She is so beautiful!!!

3 days old

Introducing Niamh (Neev) Liberty Abbott

Well, she is here! Niamh was born on Monday, October 20th at 2:44pm. We got checked into the hospital and I was hooked up to my I.V and everything by 8:30am. I let my contractions get a little too close before asking for the epidural and was feeling what was the worst pain of my life and then complete bliss after the epidural. Thank goodness for them. After that things progressed pretty fast and my doctor barely made it. I could feel the pressure of Niamhs head and my body pushing her out with every contraction. Sorry, if that's TMI for some of you :) My doctor got there and put his mask and gown on and had me push with the next contraction and voila Niamh was born. It was by far my easiest delivery and I had pretty easy deliverys with Gavin and Tyrone. My doctor said she was a heavy baby, but I didn't believe it until the nurse weighed her and she was 9lbs 2oz and 20 inches long. She is a beautiful, perfect angel. I felt like I already knew her the minute I saw her. What an amazing spiritual experience it is to welcome such a miracle into the world. Niamh has dark hair and little chubby cheeks. Lucas noticed right away that she has dimples if she cries or smiles.

Gavin and Tyrone were excited to see her and knew exactly who she was. Since I've been home they want to see my belly and know that baby Niamh came out of there. We are adjusting pretty well, so far. Niamh has been such a good baby. I had problems nursing Gavin and Tyrone and was a little nervous for this time, but she is such a good baby and we're working together. She sleeps more than the boys did. Last night was our first night home and she only woke once, at 2am to feed. I was so in need of that sleep. I feel so richly blessed right now. I have an amazing husband who is there with me through everything and 3 beautiful, perfect kids.

A Silver Lining

Okay, so my doctors office finally got back to me and my doctor set an induction appointment at St. Rose DeLima for Monday at 7:30am. Yay! I feel pretty confident that my appointment will not be cancelled because I have heard this campus is not as crazy busy at the Siena campus. So, I called the hospital to see if I needed to fill out new paperwork because it is a different hospital. They said they would get my registration paperwork from Siena. Then I received a call from someone at DeLima that said I was nowhere in the system and the Siena campus didn't have my paperwork. I went to St. Rose DeLima and filled out all new paperwork, only to find that St. Rose Siena had faxed over the so-called missing paperwork. There is always some drama like that attached to anything involved with me, so I'm used to it by now. I still had to sign new paperwork, so it wasn't a total waste of a trip. Gavin & Tyrone were excited to be in a hospital and kept telling me I needed to go see the doctor. I have a giant coldsore on my nose. So, lets hope my next posting is announcing our little girls arrival into the world. Thanks for all the encouraging comments, I know a lot of you have been through this already.

Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

Okay, so I'm a little irritated right now. Not even an hour after I posted my last update, my doctors office called to say that St. Rose Hospital called to cancel my appointment for Monday and that they would not have an opening until October 26. I mean, how can they know that they will be full over a week from now. I told the nurse on the phone that I would be willing to deliver at any hospital as long as I don't have to wait till the 26th. I know my doctor delivers at St. Rose DeLima, so I am hoping I can get in there even by Monday or Tuesday. I have heard wonderful things about that campus, so I wouldn't mind going there. I'm a little more frustrated because my doctor hasn't gotten back to me yet. Way to leave a pregnant woman hanging......not a good idea :)

So, I am not going to post another update and drive everyone crazy until I have something more for sure to report. I guess I am being taught patience and deep down I am very grateful to be feeling pretty well and getting to be a mommy once more. There is always that silver lining, I just have to look really hard to see it right now.

Baby Update

So, today is Niamhs due date, but I wasn't counting on her coming today. I had my last appointment with Dr. H and I got a bit of good news that I was dilated to a 2....yay! My doctor scheduled an induction appointment for Monday morning at 9am at St. Rose Sienna. I delivered both Gavin and Tyrone at this hospital and I am all about tradition but I have learned to expect to be called the morning of the induction appointment for a reschedule. So, fingers crossed that I get in to St. Rose on Monday before my appointment gets cancelled. I can't wait to have our little girl here. I hope I don't go crazy waiting till then. I did the whole "castor oil" thing with Tyrone and swore I would never do it again. We'll see.......

Date Night

Last night Lucas and I went to "The Seasons" buffet at the Silverton. For any of you who haven't eaten there before, I highly recommend it. It's a little pricey, but well worth the food and atmosphere. We went with my sister Kim and her husband Sam and my sister Trudi and her boyfriend Tyler. We were there for almost 3 hours. Let's just say we took our time stuffing our faces and talking. It was so nice for Lucas and I to be out together. Who knows how long it will be before we get out together, alone once little Niamh comes.


~So, I haven't posted a pregnant pic of me for a while, but since I'm almost there I thought I would post one. I was a little freaked out when I saw the pic because I look like I have a pillow stuffed up my shirt. I don't know if it's the stripes or the fact that the baby has dropped, but it looks a little wierd. But, at least you can all see how big my belly is.

Trudi, Me & Kim


Sam, Lucas & Tyler. If you look at Lucas' hip really close, you can see his gun. He can't go anywhere without it. I should be jealous, but I feel more safe.



The boys are loving the Halloween holiday and because the weather has suddenly gotten cold, they couldn't wait to wear their new spiderweb sweaters. I couldn't get them off them last night. I think they are so cute!

My little mullet men.

So, Gavin, Tyrone and I were going through our Halloween costume box and we came across a mullet wig that Lucas wore one year when he dressed up as a "Hick." We got such a laugh out of the boys wearing it, I just had to post the pics. I hope it makes some of you smile!


A side profile of Tyrones flowing locks.

Spiderman with a mullet.

Are we there yet?

So I just got back from my OBGYN visit and was hoping that I was progressing a little further, but no such luck. I have been 1 cm dilated for the past 2 weeks and I'm still there as of today. Dr. H. says that Niamh (Neev) is still pretty high up, which I believe because she still gets me under the ribs at times. I have been walking and on my feet a lot but I guess not enough to bring her down. I have a feeling she is as stubborn as I am and the doctor will have to go in after her. I do have 1 week left till her actual due date and a lot can happen in a week. I can actually wait another week. I'm not at that "I'm miserable, get this child out of me" point yet. I'm just very excited to see our little girl and to have her join our family. It's like waiting for Christmas morning to come, but Christmas always comes on the same day. If only I could guarantee little Niamhs arrival on her due date. So, for now I guess I should be catching up on as much sleep as possible and continue my nesting phase until things start happening.

Walk a mile in someone elses shoes......

Last night I was watching a program on Discovery Health about a family that have six children that have some form of Autism. This family have so many trials and have so much to deal with, it really made me feel grateful for what I have and realize that there is always someone else with bigger trials than I have. It broke my heart to see these children, who are blessed with amazing parents, who do the best they can to help them through this life. I know Heavenly Father has sent each one of these children to this family for a reason and I know that he is blessing them.

Discovery Health Profiles the Inspiring Kirton Family in Autism x6

SILVER SPRING, Md., Sept. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- When John and Robin Kirton first married, they knew they wanted to have a large family -- but like many couples, they had no idea what they were in for. Today, the Kirtons are the parents of six children -- each of whom has been diagnosed with autism.

To say the Kirtons live modestly would be an understatement. The entire eight-member Kirton family resides in 1,100-square-foot house with a single bathroom located outside of Salt Lake City. Caring for the children's special needs requires round-the-clock supervision, making it impossible for either parent to have a permanent full-time job and causing financial resources to be scarce. Autism x6 takes viewers into the Kirtons' world and offers a view of John and Robin's daily struggle to maintain order in the midst of chaos, where the household can spin out of control the moment they turn their backs.



Considered to be a spectrum disorder, autism ranges from severe to mild -- and the Kirton children span the entire spectrum. Viewers will meet --

-- Mary, 3: Diagnosed with pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) -- the least severe form of autism

-- Ammon, 4: Diagnosed with classic autism -- the most severe end of the spectrum

-- Sarah, 6: Diagnosed with classic autism

-- Nephi, 9: Diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome -- a high-functioning form of autism

-- Emma, 10: Diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome

-- Bobby, 14: Diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome

AUTISM x6 is the portrait of a resilient family coping with the struggles of each day by rolling with the punches and maintaining their sense of humor. The documentary also serves as a profile of the unconditional love that parents feel for their children.

"We did not choose to have autistic children, but they are here," said John. "We love them, and we want to do the best we can for them. That's the right thing to do."

I was truly inspired by this family and I admire them for pretty much giving up their life in the service of their children. If any of you get to see the program again, I know you will also be touched.