Telluride!

This was our incredible trip to Telluride, CO. Ben ans I went paragliding (running off the mountain was so freaky but cool). The boys loved the pool and waterfalls.

Joseph turns 2!

We celebrated Joseph's B-Day yesterday with new bikes for the boys and rides on Ben's motorcycle. (Joesph loves motorcycles.) He was so happy!







Since he got the helmet, he hasn't wanted to take it off (I don't blame him with two older brothers!)

Star Philosphy according to Chance

We were riding home late last week and Joseph was singing "Twinkle, Twinkle, Star, Star." Chance, hearing his brother, looked up at the stars and said, "Look, Joseph you make the stars so happy!" I listened as he went on. "In the morning when the sun comes up, the sun covers the stars in butter and the sky eats them up."

Makes sense to me!

Here are some more updates:
Morgen is laughing! So fun. Makes up for her constant gassiness no matter what I do.



Benjamin starts pre-school in 2 weeks.


Ben works 12-14 hrs a day at our auto-body shop. In other words, many evenings spent by my lonesome. But we're still grateful and it gives me time to write (when Morgen lets me) without guilt.



Joseph turns too tomorrow! He loves motorcycles and tractors.



I'm happily still writing and singing.



Hope you're having a great summer!

BTW this is my audition video for the "X Factor" Fun!

Morgen's Baby Blessing

Her blessing was over a month ago, but I thought I'd share these pictures.

Summer Pics

We're loving summer here in beautiful Bayfield, Colorado. Here are some pics I took of the boys playing in our yard.

Water Birth

Here's the story of our daughter, Morgen Elise's water birth. (I finally have a moment to get it down and thought I'd better do it while the memory is still fresh).

I have had four children: all of them were born naturally without epidurals or pain medication. I chose to do this for several reasons including: shorter labor, less risk of c-section (important to us because we want a lot of children), and less risk to the baby. Childbirth is a natural process that women have been capable of doing for centuries. I don't look badly upon women who make an educated choice to opt for pain medication, I just could never personally justify making myself more comfortable at the risk of the baby, that is until... after I had Joseph (my 3rd child).

You'd think that this being my 3rd labor and deliver, I'd have it down right? Not so much. He was huge, weighing 9 lbs 6 oz and he had a big head. His was the longest and hardest labor I had. All my relaxation training went out the window when I was stuck at 8 centimeters for 3 hrs and wasn't progressing. I never fully dilated and ended up having to push him out at only 9 cm. That hurt! It was a pretty traumatic experience for me, even though both he and I were healthy and fine. I was just surprised at how difficult it was (and here I thought I knew so much!). After his birth experience, I fully understood why women have epidurals.

When I found out we were expecting our fourth, I was immediately filled with terror about the birth and told Ben I was considering having an epidural this time. He was supportive, but I still didn't feel right about it. I was hesitant about getting an epidural, but still had all this fear and I KNEW that fear wouldn't help me if I chose to go natural again.

My midwife informed me that they offer water birth at the hospital and at first, I didn't think much about it, choosing instead to continue wallowing in worry and indecision as the due date ticked closer and closer. Finally, I began to research water birth online. At first it sounded to "new age" and seemed risky to me. I mean, how natural is it to have your baby born in the WATER?

Apparently, pretty natural. Many cultures have gone to the ocean and waters to aid their labors and birth their babies for centuries. But I still had my doubts. I watched about 80 water birth videos (birthing videos are NOT my favorite thing to watch, but I just had to know that the babies were ok). What I found was that the mother's were more relaxed and peaceful even in their labor and delivers than I could have imagined possibly. I read their stories. Time and time again, these mothers told how the water eased their pain (even as much as 80%) and how calm they were. The babies were born calmer as well. You could see it in their body language. (Just like when you put a newborn in a bath). Their arms weren't flailing about, their muscles were soft and at ease.

I decided to plan for a water birth, but I knew I'd have to do some serious relaxation training to help with my fear. For two months straight, I practiced deep breathing, visualization and meditation. (I followed mediation guides on youtube).

I felt ready.

At 1 a.m. on April 6, I woke up with a strong contraction and knew immediately I was in labor. I got Ben up at 2 a.m. and we drove the 30 minutes to Durango to the hospital. The nursing staff monitored Morgen and I for the first 20 min and I used deep breathing to get through the contractions. I was dilated to 5 cm. They called the midwife in and began filling the tub which was in a back room (like an over-sized bathroom).

When I got into the tub, my whole body became so much more relaxed. They keep the water at 99 degrees, so it feels like a warm bath or spa. The warm water, plus Ben rubbing my back eased the pain of the contractions. He was the perfect partner and knew just when I needed him to help.

Just after 5 a.m. I felt the urge to push. The midwife checked me and to my surprise, I was already 10 cm dilated and fully effaced. I'd been in transition and hadn't even noticed it! My body was so calm and relaxed that between contractions, I was able to talk and joke with Ben. It was beautiful!

The midwife told me I could go ahead and push when I felt the urge to. This was so different than my 3 other births, where the doctor and nurses are all around telling you "Push, Push, Push." Everyone was really quiet. I listened to my body and did what it told me to. 20 minutes later, at 5:24 a.m., Morgen was born into the water and immediately brought up to my chest. The chord had to be unwrapped from her neck and then they took her to be cleaned. They had warm towels for both of us.

Just minutes later, she was in Ben's arms and then back with me for her first nursing. Ben and I were both filled with so much love and joy.

The water birth was an incredible experience. It was easier on my body: because I was so relaxed, the labor progressed quicker and more comfortably. The water also supports the muscles and tissues, so I didn't tear at all. It was easier on my spirit: I felt completely connected to my body and let myself experience childbirth in its most natural and comfortable form. I understand its not for everyone, but for me it was a beautiful and blessed experience.

Baby Morgen is born!

On April 6, 2011 our daughter, Morgen Elise Choate was born at 5:24 a.m. She weighed 9 lb 1 oz and was 20 in. long.



We are so happy to have her in our home. The boys adore her (especiaaly Benjamin and Chance. I think Joseph has finally learned that A. She's not a toy and B. She's not going away.



For her birth, I went all natural but had a water birth this time. It was a beautiful experience and I plan to write about it soon. (in-between all the feedings, diaper changes and trying to entertain the boys!)

Choate Christmas Greetings

Merry Christmas 2010!
Dear Family and Friends,
Merry Christmas! What an exciting and blessed year. We hope you are happy and well.
Here are ten things we learned in 2010:
1. There is no end to the amount of sand Joseph will consume. We brought him to the beach to let him see the ocean; he must have seen an endless buffet.
2. No matter how much Native American Ben thinks he has in him, he can still get sunburned.
3. Seeing Sea Turtles is best done from 600 feet in the air strapped to a parasail.
4. Benjamin’s obsession with trains is not about to end soon.
5. Chance spends approximately 95% of his time thinking about food and the other 5% thinking about how to con you into giving him yours.
6. If getting a book published was easy, everyone would do it.
7. No matter where we live (even Heather’s parent’s basement), Colorado always feels like home.
8. Sometimes it’s better to laugh when Chance decides to “decorate” his brother’s faces in diaper cream.
9. In every change, the Lord is there.
10. Expecting a baby girl (she’s due this April) is very different from expecting a boy (one word: pink)

We love you and hope you have a blessed Christmas!

Love,
The Choates

Expecting Baby #4

Ben and I happily found out we are expecting our fourth child. According to the online due date calculator I'm 9 weeks pregnant and the baby is due March 30, 2011. I'm excited to have a Spring baby.

Little Benjamin tells everyone it's a "baby sister" but Ben thinks its another boy, so I guess we'll see who's more spiritually in-tune. I really have no idea and would be grateful for either one. If its another boy, we have already decided to name him Cody. If its a girl, well, we haven't even really allowed ourselves to think about that.

I'm feeling pretty sick most of the time, but its not too different from any of my other pregnancies and I think I've learned to handle handle it better.

Although it came as somewhat of a surprise, this pregnancy has really been a blessing in my life right now. I've been very consumed in my desires and frustrations of trying to get published and this has helped give me something much greater to focus my attention on. It's like the Lord knows that there is something much more important that I'm here to do in this life and wanted me to know it too.

We are in the process of trying to buy our own home out east of Colorado Springs with about 40 acres of our own land. It may be too difficult right now to qualify for a loan because Ben just started with a new company, and so if the time isn't right now, we will look for a home to rent until then. I'm really hoping to get out our own asap and out of my parents basement!

All in all, I feel very blessed and humbled because I know that it is truly the Lord who is directing my life right now. Here comes baby #4!

Maui '10

Our trip to Maui for two weeks was incredible. So many fun memories from hiking to waterfalls, to Joseph eating fist-fulls of sand on the beach. What fun!