Dom is 3 Months Old!

Can't believe it has already been three months! Talk about time moving at a very quick rate. They are keeping me busy to say least. Here are some pics so you can see Dominic's growth.

1 Month

2 Months

3 Months

Welcome to our Christian Family, Dominic Charles Cassidy!

Each of our children's baptism's seem to have such a special memory in my mind. Dominic's baptism was no different. He was welcomed into our Christian family about two weeks ago. We had a house full, with my mom being in town as the God-mother, and then two very dear friends of ours, Deacon Brian Lager and Chris Amaties. Deacon is a dear friend of ours who was one of Jeremy's groomsmen (he was just entering seminary the year we were married), and Chris Amaties, who we call our son, because he has spent so much time with us over the years. Deacon Brian presided over the Baptism (thanks again Lager!), and Chris is the God-father. Dominic did beautifully, considering he loaded his diaper several times during the ceremony, and was waiting very patiently to be fed.

Dominic is almost a month old!

I can't believe that Dominic is almost a month old! He has been such a joy for us to have. I think the jury is still out for Joseph on Dominic, but that is to be expected. Even he has his moments of sweetness, even if he doesn't want to admit it. Here are some of the highlights that we have experienced so far:

• Dominic weighed 9lbs 8 ozs on 1/27/12. He is eating like a champion. The Dr. asked me if I had any questions on breastfeeding. When I told him I thought it was going well, he remarked, "Yeah if you were concerned I wasn't going to believe you." I am sure he is now approaching the 11lb mark. Hagen Daz milk I have. He seems to change just about everyday. Currently I think he looks like Joseph, and myself.
  
• Dominic has been sleeping anywhere from 4.5-6 hour shots as night. That has made mama feel like a whole new woman!
• He was baptised on 1/28/12. Coincidentally, it was the feast day of St. Thomas Aquinas, a great Doctor of the Church, and also a Dominican.
  
• He is starting to smile to smile even though I haven't been able to catch it on pictures yet.
• He loves to talk in his sleep. If you didn't know his habits, you would think I was ignoring him when he was sleeping, but he constantly talks while he is sleeping. It's not until you see his eyes wide open, or he actually cries that he is awake.
  

A Retreat with Dominic Charles at Hotel Avera Hospital

I am quite proud of myself. It's my first photography, and design feat in quite sometime! Sir Charming (that's right, he is a prince) let me get some great shots of him this afternoon.

We are all doing well. Thank you all for the calls, emails, prayers, meals, and gifts (even before Dominic was even officially here...sorry if I didn't respond. I was a little grumpy). The morning of the 15th we knew something was going to happen because I had started to bleed. We got the boys settled with their sitter, a college student who is in my bible study, Sarah McCann. We headed to Sioux Falls, because the hospital asked us to eventually come in sometime that day since I had passed my due date on the 13th (Friday the 13th I might add...wasn't broken up on that one). We headed to to mall to get our walk on, and spend a little of Jeremy's birthday money (Jan. 17th). Around and around we went, window shopping, stopping every now and then to catch my breath. The contractions were coming, but not on a regular basis. We decided to head to the hospital around 2PM to see where we stood and what was coming next.

Well...I was 2. Not very exciting, of course! Story of my labors. I could work really hard to try and help the process along, and not progress. At 4PM we had my water broken to see if we could get the party started. By 7:30PM I was almost a 6 and with the pain kicking my hiney, I opted for an epidural. At about 9:45PM, I had progressed to an 8. We were starting to gear up, as we knew our little one would be here soon. I let my Mom and Dad know we were doing okay and that hopefully we would have a baby before midnight.

Then the action hit. At 10:05PM my nurse came in real quick to check me, and check on our little one because she had seen two quick drops in heart rate. The baby was crowning, but could barely feel it, because they gave me such a strong epidural (which I didn't like, but couldn't argue with at the time). In rushed my doc, and the several nurses to help my quickly coming baby. I gave it one quick push, and out came Dominic Charles who had descended so quickly that he had the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck. The Dr. gave it quick snip snip, and let me push one more time to finish the process at 10:08PM! Jeremy started to tear as he announced to me that it was another handsome little boy, and I started to giggle as I couldn't believe it. I am one of three girls, and now a mother of three boys. I love how our Lord works...I said I wanted boys, and boys I've received. Be careful what you pray for...:) I got to hold him for the first 30 minutes, skin to skin, before they officially weighed him in. He was just as calm then as he is now, hardly making a peep.

We had probably the most amazing birthing experience that we could have ever asked for. In this modern day in age, hospitals have to focus on meeting the bottom line. Avera McKennan Medical Center (a Catholic hospital) has an incredible facility that was truly focused on the family. I really couldn't believe it! From the very first step in the door, it seemed as if their staff had been trained in hospitality. It seemed like they were reaching out to us saying, "How can I make this experience a joy for you." And let me remind you, I wasn't going in for some measly stitches; I was birthing a baby! The nurses, doctors, volunteers, and even the cafeteria lady constantly were reaching out to our family to try to ease the discomfort that you feel during and after birth. We were so impressed!

It was the first time that the hospital has covered food for my husband. Not only did they feed Jeremy, they feed all children of the family birthing for free! But I do have to mention that the icing on the cake was the spa experience the day we left the hospital! They offer every mother a choice between a massage, a pedicure, or a manicure. I scooped up my massage, and we even paid just a little to get Jeremy a massage as well (of course the coach deserved to have some tension released!) On the way home, we were able to take a deep breath, and even though we had just received the newest addition to our family, we felt rested and over-joyed to welcome him to the rest of the Cassidy clan

The Cassidy Clan of men

"She's pregnant: She CRAZY!"

Over Christmas, Jeremy and I realized that we were a little bit at each others necks. A couple days before Christmas, after some good prayer, he approached me, and brought up a story from when I was pregnant with Joseph. At the time, he had taken some of his frustrations with me to his spiritual director, who is a great Spanish priest. Father gave him some of the best advice that he tries to live out today. He told him, "Jeremy, she's pregnant. She crazy. Just love her and serve her right now because that is what she needs." Once he said this to me I realized that once again that no matter how wonderful my husband is he can't read my mind. So when he asks me what's wrong, and I say "nothing," he doesn't know the internal dialogue that I am having with myself: that I wish I could just have this child, that it would stop stomping on my internal organs, giving me contractions that haven't lead to anything major, making by back ache, or making me go to the ladies room every half hour during the night.

So there it is. I know I am crazy. Here are the top 12 reasons of how I know this...

12. I hit hunger stage, but am in the middle of task and won't give up what I am doing. Jeremy recongizes this as he can see the trance state coming over my face and helps me finish my task, as he knows I will eat once I am done (stubborn...)
11. I have the irrational need to deep clean things I usually don't want to even think about. (like the inside of my fridge)
10. My favorite food group, chocolate is no longer appealing.
9. Much of my maternity wardrobe is getting almost too small.
8. Time is not of the essence (shouldn't it be the exact opposite?)
7. I feel like I can't remember anything unless I have written it down or it's in my phone. (It doesn't matter if I have asked the same question of Jeremy 4 times.)
6. I'm hungry, but sick of eatting.
5. Jeremy's charm and humor seems a little lack luster right now.
4. I wake up and I am irriated. (Please pray for my patience)
3. I would rather not acknolwledge my children when they are getting into mischeaf. (or I think their mischeaf is clever and funny, not naughty)
2. My beloved husband, who has done nothing but dote on me, is driving me nuts and I can't explain why...
1. I can acknowledge that I myself am indeed CRAZY.

P.S. I came up with this list while I was in the shower and was giggling out loud as I did it. I then told Jeremy, and he just shook his head and said (in his spanish imitation voice of Father) "she crazy, she's CRAZY!"

P.S.S. Thank you all for your concerns, prayers and happy thoughts. We'll be sure to let you know when our little blessing has arrived!

Our Third Born

Yesterday we had our first 4D ultrasound. It was increadible to see the facial features of our little third born. He wasn't very cooperative, so the picture is a little obscure, but you can still see his little face. The more we tried to persist to see him, the more he moved his arms, feet, and of course the umbilical cord right into the line of fire. At one point we could see all 10 toes right in front of face...stinker. Must get that from the Cassidy side.

Loving on Baby Giorgie

Our FOCUS teammates, Beth and Josh Santo, had their first child on October 1st. John Giorgio (Giorgio is after Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassatti, the patron of youth) has been a blessing to their family, but also to ours. Every time that we get together with our team, we annouce that Giorgie is coming over as well, and you see the boys faces light up. Simeon is especially sweet with him. He is very eager to help change diapers, play with him, show him baby toys (and his own of course), and mostly he wants to be able to hold him.

Since Beth has had Giorgie, Joseph I think is coming to understand what is growing in my own tummy. He very sweetly comes up to me and pats my tummy and says "hi baby." Usually it is followed with kissing my belly (although most of the time in lands on my breast. ) :)

Hopefully once Baby Cassidy makes his appearence (yes I still think it's a he), their sweet little demeanors will remain. One could hope....

Our very own Thanksgiving Parade

This year the Macy's day parade came to our back door. Each year, they test the big balloon blow-ups you see on TV, all across the country in indoor arenas. It just so happens that Vermillion is home to the Dakota Dome, a smaller enclosed arena that houses many of the colleges' and states' big events.

If you don't know they are coming, you will miss it because it's not advertised. However, Jeremy happened to be at breakfast with one of his student mentors, when about 40 New Yorkers swarmed the little breakfast cafe. Jeremy with confusion asked John what was going on, and John let him know they were here to test the Macy's Parade balloons.

So out we set for a little intown field trip to the dome for our very own personal parade. We got to see the Sock Monkey, and Sonic the Hedgehog. The kids were totally intersted for about 10 minutes until it became a game of who could get onto the football field first. Either way it was a good time, and something out of the ordinary.

Eatting all of my kids trick-or-treat candy

I might be a little late on the game, but I just saw this video last night, and since I haven't posted anything since Halloween, I thought I would stick with the theme. You must to watch the entire video, becuase the ending is the best. It's absoutely hilarious.

I Told my Kids I Ate All of their Halloween Candy

P.S. And even though I am pregnant, I haven't eatten all of my kids candy from Halloween. :)

Our First Trick or Treating Experience

It was an exciting day of preperation for the little basket of goodies. We practiced playing "Trick or Treat" all day on account that it was so fun. Simeon and Joe would get there little baskets, and run to the end of the sidewalk. Then I would wave them in, and up they would run or ring the door bell (usually several times) for me to open the door. Simeon would explain "Trick or Treat" really well, while Joe managed "Treat" or just a nice "please?" They would do this about 3-4 times, and then they would take a seat on the sidewalk, and attempt to break into the candy that had been given to them for the trial runs. It was hilarous watching them run back and forth, racing to see who could get to the door first to either knock on the door, or ring the door bell.

Simeon got dressed first. We had several fights over his fireman of hat of who was going to get to wear it. I think at one point, Joe thought he wasn't going to get to wear a costume. Then I pulled out Simeon's Shrek costume from the year before, and man was he elated! "Shrek?" as if saying for me Mom? I was nervous I was going to have to fight him to get it on. Let's just say, I couldn't snap the snaps quick enough.

So off set "Joey Shrek" as Simeon called him, and Fireman Shrek. We visited about 6 housed of people that we knew, and had a great time, knocking on doors, and collection our delisious treats. After each house, Joseph was ready to stop and take a candy break. :) By the end of the night, and Joseph was pooped. But Simeon would have gone all night long....