Big Girl - 3 and a half years old
Height: 41 inches
Weight: 40 lbs
language: she rambles in complete thoughts and paragraphs, wanting to tell me about her day or asking to call her friends on the phone. I'm amazed at how she can carry on a conversation, its seems she's grown up so fast recently. fun favorite phrases include: "are you kidding me?!" and singing to baby.
new skills: she LOVES preschool. she can identify all the letters by name and sound and is learning to write her letters. She likes to pick out her own clothes and dress herself. She started her gymnastics class again and is loving it. I love when she dances, throwing in somersaults and jumps with her twirls and prancing. she is my good little helper, especially with the baby. she can fasten and open her carseat buckles and sleeps great through the night. she loves to color pictures and is getting really good at staying in the lines. she loves to read books and we take turns reading. sometimes I read the book and sometimes she "reads" by turning the pages and describing the pictures (all stories start "once upon a time, there was a young prince/princess"). She can recite her "long name" (first and last name) knows my and daddy's first names and can recite her phone number in her adorable sing-song voice.
favorites: she loves to help me set the table and helps me cook by adding ingredients. favorite color is pink, favorite movies are Hercules and anything princess related. she loves fish and pizza and any form of junk food (she's my baby for sure). she loves going to church because she gets to wear her pretty dress, go to nursery and play with friends.
Little Girl - 2 years old
Height: 37 inches
Weight: 28 lbs
language: somehow, she began talking in full sentences seemingly over night. She often still rambles in her own jabbering language but I'm amazing at how clearly she speaks when she wants to tell me something. I also recently realized how many songs she knows and I absolutely melt when I hear her singing along with her favorite movies. She also knows the alphabet and can count to 20. We are starting to learn shapes and colors but need more practice.
new skills: she insists on putting on her own shoes. since being moved to her "big girl" room downstairs, she has begun sleeping through the night and staying in her own bed. she's a really good eater and will try anything off of daddy's plate. she likes to brush her own hair and asks me to "put pi-tails". also, having to imitate her big sister, she's working on learning to fasten her own seat belt buckles. she loves pretend games, especially cooking in her little kitchen or taking care of her babies (who seem to spend a lot of time on time out lately).
favorites: favorite phrases include "dang it" and she calls daddy "honey" ("watch a movie please honey? eat breakfast now honey?"). favorite foods include any kind of fruit, rice, pasta, raisins, cherry tomatoes and fruit snacks. she loves the tv show "wonderpets" (I love listening to her sing the theme song), mickey and sesame street. Favorite movies are Tangled, Gnomeo, Pocahontas and Nemo. (all of her favorite movies and shows have animals as main characters) She maintains her blanket habit, dragging around, cuddling and holding to her face her two favorite blankets which she calls "yellow" and "panda".
Baby Girl - 2 weeks old
Height: 21 inches (oddly, an inch shorter than when measured at birth.)
Weight: 9 lbs 15 oz (has gained a full pound in two weeks!)
update: it's so wonderful to have our baby girl home. She came home at 12 days old and spent most of the next two days meeting with doctors and specialists. The longer our investigation drags on, the more confident we feel that our concerns are related to an immature system and that she will grow out of it soon. But we appreciate the cautiousness of the doctors and are waiting to hear on another round of tests (hopefully the last). Until we hear back from the specialist, she remains on medication and a respiratory monitor, just in case. Meanwhile, baby is eating great and growing well. She eats 4-5 oz in a feeding and typically goes 3-4 hours between feedings. If I'm holding her, she will occasionally go longer. Last night was her record--she woke up at 3 hours but fell back asleep as soon as I picked her up. So I cuddled her in the recliner and she slept almost three more hours! Her sisters are crazy about her and have been smothering her with hugs, cuddles and nonstop kisses. Every time she wakes up and starts to cry, even the tiniest bit, her sisters race to the rescue and with dramatic concern, insist I help her. She spending more time awake, especially in the later morning and evening, and letting us admire her beautiful sapphire blue eyes. Her tiny body is filling out with a healthy fullness and she hardly looks like a newborn anymore. She loves to be swaddled (and fortunately, sister is okay with the blankets being for the baby now--except yellow and panda of course). She takes a bottle well and will even take the binky most of the time.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
we're coming home!
Our baby is being released from NICU. We don't have an official diagnosis but she is stable and thriving and we will follow up with a specialist from the children's hospital.
Thank you so much for your thoughts, prayers and support.
Thank you so much for your thoughts, prayers and support.
quote of the day
Butterfly: "i have a message!" (runs over, picks up a toy phone, taps furiously on it, flips it closed) "now where were we?" (mind you, SHE'S THREE)
Monday, September 26, 2011
perspective
Lately it seems easy to feel sorry for ourselves. We got to go to a family dinner tonight, a nice distraction from the hospital, time to be with my husband and big girls, a chance to see family and eat a home cooked meal. I really enjoyed it. But after dinner, as I sat on the front steps with my husband to watch our girls run and play, I couldn't help but feel depressed. I miss being with them and ache to have our baby come home and be with her sisters. Each night I drive away from the hospital, without our baby, I want to cry.
But I'm trying to remember that we have so much to be grateful for:
-Baby is eating well and thriving. With the human body being so complex, its amazing that we don't have more complications in all of us.
-My husband, who is our anchor, giving me love and support while juggling our girls, work and everything else that we've neglected lately
-Grandparents, family and friends that have helped take care of our children and offer support to us
-Incredible nursing staff who take such tender and diligent care of our baby
-Medical technology and dedicated doctors
-Being able to communicate with her care providers and ask lots of questions. (another mom here doesn't speak English and with privacy laws, its hard to find a translator)
-Having her here gives me a team of nurses to help, time to recover from labor and delivery and the chance to give her my undivided attention. Life will be much busier when we go home.
-My brother living less than a mile from the hospital and letting me stay with him
-A fast and straightforward recovery for me, which allows me to focus on her
-Our big girls have been great, spending time at grandma's house and bouncing around, not appearing to be too affected by our absence lately and giving especially great hugs when I do get to see them.
-Being able to sit and hold my baby all day, nursing her when she needs and monitoring her
-Our plans were being made one day at a time and we were riding a very confusing and emotionally draining rollercoaster. But now we have a plan and there's light at the end of the tunnel.
But I'm trying to remember that we have so much to be grateful for:
-Baby is eating well and thriving. With the human body being so complex, its amazing that we don't have more complications in all of us.
-My husband, who is our anchor, giving me love and support while juggling our girls, work and everything else that we've neglected lately
-Grandparents, family and friends that have helped take care of our children and offer support to us
-Incredible nursing staff who take such tender and diligent care of our baby
-Medical technology and dedicated doctors
-Being able to communicate with her care providers and ask lots of questions. (another mom here doesn't speak English and with privacy laws, its hard to find a translator)
-Having her here gives me a team of nurses to help, time to recover from labor and delivery and the chance to give her my undivided attention. Life will be much busier when we go home.
-My brother living less than a mile from the hospital and letting me stay with him
-A fast and straightforward recovery for me, which allows me to focus on her
-Our big girls have been great, spending time at grandma's house and bouncing around, not appearing to be too affected by our absence lately and giving especially great hugs when I do get to see them.
-Being able to sit and hold my baby all day, nursing her when she needs and monitoring her
-Our plans were being made one day at a time and we were riding a very confusing and emotionally draining rollercoaster. But now we have a plan and there's light at the end of the tunnel.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
mascots
It's been fun to pick out an animal mascot for each of our girls. I wanted something that would be special and unique for each of them but it turns out they are each collecting more than one.
Our oldest is our Butterfly, made more notorious by this blog but originally chosen because that's how we decorated her room. It was especially well chosen because as she's grown, her personality really shows that she is in fact, our social butterfly--friendly, beautiful and full of energy. But she's also been our tiger (the first gift we were ever given for her was a tiger stuffed animal that took to the hospital with us) and our bunny (another gift was a hooded towel that looked like a bunny and had her name embroidered on it, as well as her first Halloween costume).
Baby 2 is our Ladybug, picked because she was so delicate, pretty and sweet (and that's how we've decorated her new room). But as she's grown, she's become daddy's "munga". It's how she first pronounced monkey, a favorite toy (which was actually a kid leash that she begged to wear) and now because she really is a monkey! She's mischievous and playful, afraid of nothing and loves to climb everything!
Baby 3's mascot is undecided. We picked a stuffed animal kitty to be her first gift but didn't really intend for it to be a nickname. Perhaps she will be our little bird because of her cute baby bird eagerness to eat. Or maybe flower because her skin is incredibly soft like rose petals. Sometimes she moves in her sleep like a little puppy when dreaming. Or when I hold her up to my shoulder, she tucks her feet up and snuggles in like a little tree frog. When pregnant, she gave me serious sugar cravings and moved like a tasmainian devil. And when I hold her now, especially with what she's been through here in NICU, I can't help but think about angels. There are lots of possibilities, we will see what she picks.
Our oldest is our Butterfly, made more notorious by this blog but originally chosen because that's how we decorated her room. It was especially well chosen because as she's grown, her personality really shows that she is in fact, our social butterfly--friendly, beautiful and full of energy. But she's also been our tiger (the first gift we were ever given for her was a tiger stuffed animal that took to the hospital with us) and our bunny (another gift was a hooded towel that looked like a bunny and had her name embroidered on it, as well as her first Halloween costume).
Baby 2 is our Ladybug, picked because she was so delicate, pretty and sweet (and that's how we've decorated her new room). But as she's grown, she's become daddy's "munga". It's how she first pronounced monkey, a favorite toy (which was actually a kid leash that she begged to wear) and now because she really is a monkey! She's mischievous and playful, afraid of nothing and loves to climb everything!
Baby 3's mascot is undecided. We picked a stuffed animal kitty to be her first gift but didn't really intend for it to be a nickname. Perhaps she will be our little bird because of her cute baby bird eagerness to eat. Or maybe flower because her skin is incredibly soft like rose petals. Sometimes she moves in her sleep like a little puppy when dreaming. Or when I hold her up to my shoulder, she tucks her feet up and snuggles in like a little tree frog. When pregnant, she gave me serious sugar cravings and moved like a tasmainian devil. And when I hold her now, especially with what she's been through here in NICU, I can't help but think about angels. There are lots of possibilities, we will see what she picks.
pretty in pink
How is it that a three year old, with supposedly no understanding of gender profiling or stereotyping, can have such strong feelings about it? Her favorite color is pink and she prefers to dress from head to toe in it. She saw Grammy working on a green blanket and declared it was a boy color and not okay for a girl. She saw an arcade game at chuckie cheese and said it was a scary game for naughty boys and not for good for girls.
Silly girl. She is my girly girl, through and through. She loves her dress up clothes, begs me to paint her nails, plays pretend princess, dances and hosts daily tea parties. I think its adorable. One of my favorites is when she introduces herself as princess so-and-so with an awkwardly adorable curtsy, sometimes falling over in the process.
One of her new habits is that she has gone from clutching and smoothing a fistful of my hair to holding a handful of her own. She's so proud that its getting so long and soft.
But on the other hand, she's still daddy's girl without a doubt. She loves to help with his "projects", especially yardwork or keeping him company when he works on the car. She's already begging him to go rock climbing, camping and snowboarding. When I half joking, half serious asked daddy who he's going to take hunting and camping if he ends up all daughters and no sons, he didn't even hesitate to say the girls. :-)
Silly girl. She is my girly girl, through and through. She loves her dress up clothes, begs me to paint her nails, plays pretend princess, dances and hosts daily tea parties. I think its adorable. One of my favorites is when she introduces herself as princess so-and-so with an awkwardly adorable curtsy, sometimes falling over in the process.
One of her new habits is that she has gone from clutching and smoothing a fistful of my hair to holding a handful of her own. She's so proud that its getting so long and soft.
But on the other hand, she's still daddy's girl without a doubt. She loves to help with his "projects", especially yardwork or keeping him company when he works on the car. She's already begging him to go rock climbing, camping and snowboarding. When I half joking, half serious asked daddy who he's going to take hunting and camping if he ends up all daughters and no sons, he didn't even hesitate to say the girls. :-)
Friday, September 23, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
nicu
We've been hanging out in the NICU for five days now. I've always thought of it as a place for tiny little premie babies but here we are anyway, despite being full term and almost twice the size of the rest of the babies in here.
She also eats probably twice as much. We tease her about holding seminars for the other babies (most of which are on feeding tubes) to teach them to eat.
She's very stubborn. She demands food as soon as she wakes up and cannot be fooled with a binky. (based on her cry, she is determined to let us know that.) But once I start feeding her, she's happy once again. She nurses eagerly but falls asleep quickly.
She might outgrow her take-baby-home outfit before she gets to wear it.
NICU nurses are exceptional people. They are sweet and compassionate and incredibly gifted. Not only has her care been fantastic but they've bent over backwards trying to accommodate us, including trying to find places for us to stay at the hospital so we could be close enough for feedings. I love getting to know them individually and they fall in love with our little girl. Even our L&D nurse (my nurse during labor) has become a good friend. She realized we were still here and thoughtfully checks in on us to offer help and support.
Hospital food for patients was much better than what's served in the cafeteria. Especially since we rarely make it there during the very limited "dining" times and have to settle for the grill or deli.
I miss my big girls. They came visit the other night but could only see baby through the window. This has been really hard because they got to cuddle and hold her when she was first born but not since she was admitted to NICU. The first time I met them at the window, an overly tired Butterfly burst into tears not understanding the separation. Ladybug was curious though, waving and jabbering. I held baby's hand up to the window so they could match their hands together. Ladybug quickly turned this into giving "knuckles", which made Butterfly laugh and then she wanted to do it too.
Baby gets more beautiful everyday.
She smiles a lot in her sleep, especially when daddy is holding her. I know newborns supposedly don't smile socially yet. But its still cute.
For each of our girls, daddy and I picked out a stuffed animal to use as a focal point object during labor. Then the animal is for baby to keep. We picked a little tiger for our first baby (and she slept with it for months), a lamb for our second baby (we picked out a monkey but couldn't find it at go time) and a kitten for our third baby. The kitten now sits in the corner of her bed wearing a U of U hat.
My ability to comprehend information is seriously compromised and I have the memory of a goldfish. I was claiming "preggy brain" but I think I've declined into a simple inability to think. this means I ask a lot of questions (sometimes repeatedly). thank heaven for patient doctors and nurses.
I've lost 15 pounds in one week. I suspect the nine pound baby is to blame. The remaining weight seems to have taken up permanent residence in my ankles. It's not attractive.
She also eats probably twice as much. We tease her about holding seminars for the other babies (most of which are on feeding tubes) to teach them to eat.
She's very stubborn. She demands food as soon as she wakes up and cannot be fooled with a binky. (based on her cry, she is determined to let us know that.) But once I start feeding her, she's happy once again. She nurses eagerly but falls asleep quickly.
She might outgrow her take-baby-home outfit before she gets to wear it.
NICU nurses are exceptional people. They are sweet and compassionate and incredibly gifted. Not only has her care been fantastic but they've bent over backwards trying to accommodate us, including trying to find places for us to stay at the hospital so we could be close enough for feedings. I love getting to know them individually and they fall in love with our little girl. Even our L&D nurse (my nurse during labor) has become a good friend. She realized we were still here and thoughtfully checks in on us to offer help and support.
Hospital food for patients was much better than what's served in the cafeteria. Especially since we rarely make it there during the very limited "dining" times and have to settle for the grill or deli.
I miss my big girls. They came visit the other night but could only see baby through the window. This has been really hard because they got to cuddle and hold her when she was first born but not since she was admitted to NICU. The first time I met them at the window, an overly tired Butterfly burst into tears not understanding the separation. Ladybug was curious though, waving and jabbering. I held baby's hand up to the window so they could match their hands together. Ladybug quickly turned this into giving "knuckles", which made Butterfly laugh and then she wanted to do it too.
Baby gets more beautiful everyday.
She smiles a lot in her sleep, especially when daddy is holding her. I know newborns supposedly don't smile socially yet. But its still cute.
For each of our girls, daddy and I picked out a stuffed animal to use as a focal point object during labor. Then the animal is for baby to keep. We picked a little tiger for our first baby (and she slept with it for months), a lamb for our second baby (we picked out a monkey but couldn't find it at go time) and a kitten for our third baby. The kitten now sits in the corner of her bed wearing a U of U hat.
My ability to comprehend information is seriously compromised and I have the memory of a goldfish. I was claiming "preggy brain" but I think I've declined into a simple inability to think. this means I ask a lot of questions (sometimes repeatedly). thank heaven for patient doctors and nurses.
I've lost 15 pounds in one week. I suspect the nine pound baby is to blame. The remaining weight seems to have taken up permanent residence in my ankles. It's not attractive.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
update
Dear family and friends,
We wanted to share an update with you.
Our new little baby was born on Friday, September 16th at 5:27 pm. She weighed 8 lbs. 15 oz, was 22 inches long and is absolutely beautiful. We've named her ***** and her sisters are crazy about her. Mom and baby did well through the delivery and got a great start to our recovery. We spent the first two days cuddling together, absorbing how wonderful she is, learning her routines and watching U of U slaughter BYU.
As we spent time with her, we've had a few concerns develop regarding a mild fever and brief episodes of unusual movement. The doctors decided to keep her for observation and began a regimen of antibiotics. Our brave little girl has gone through several tests, some of which had normal results and others are still processing. We feel great about the care she is getting; we have wonderful nurses and doctors who are being very conservative and careful to consider all the possibilities. We anticipate she will remain here for a few more days for more antibiotics and observation.
We hope to have more answers soon and be able to bring her home. Your thoughts and prayers are deeply appreciated.
We wanted to share an update with you.
Our new little baby was born on Friday, September 16th at 5:27 pm. She weighed 8 lbs. 15 oz, was 22 inches long and is absolutely beautiful. We've named her ***** and her sisters are crazy about her. Mom and baby did well through the delivery and got a great start to our recovery. We spent the first two days cuddling together, absorbing how wonderful she is, learning her routines and watching U of U slaughter BYU.
As we spent time with her, we've had a few concerns develop regarding a mild fever and brief episodes of unusual movement. The doctors decided to keep her for observation and began a regimen of antibiotics. Our brave little girl has gone through several tests, some of which had normal results and others are still processing. We feel great about the care she is getting; we have wonderful nurses and doctors who are being very conservative and careful to consider all the possibilities. We anticipate she will remain here for a few more days for more antibiotics and observation.
We hope to have more answers soon and be able to bring her home. Your thoughts and prayers are deeply appreciated.
Monday, September 19, 2011
red vs. blue
This weekend was the great rivalry game of Utah. A fun bonus perk of the weekend was that the hospital has cable so we were able to hang out in the hospital with our beautiful baby girl and watch the game. Snug in her blankets, baby cuddled into daddy's arm and watched her first Ute game (okay, she slept through it).
I'm more of a basketball fan than football but the game was a lot of fun to watch. The first quarter was sloppy, mistakes being made by both teams as they got warmed up and focused on the game. The second quarter showed more talent and then I assume there was magic in the locker rooms at halftime because the second half was incredible. Almost dumbfounding-can't-stop-watching-because-its-such-a-train-wreck kind of incredible. But hey, that's the way the game is played.
This rivalry entertains me. The banter and teasing can be so much fun despite the guaranteed whining and complaining that will happen at the end. Undoubtedly, there are fans who will claim that the other team only won because they cheated/bad refs/bad calls and other such excuses. Apparently every year. But aside from that, the bantering is fun. We are one of the few red houses in a very blue neighborhood. This year, some of our next door neighbors had a bet that if their team lost, they would have to fly the winning team's banner in front of their house for as many days as the difference in points. Which means my byu fan neighbors will be flying a red ute flag for the entire season. brilliant.
I'm more of a basketball fan than football but the game was a lot of fun to watch. The first quarter was sloppy, mistakes being made by both teams as they got warmed up and focused on the game. The second quarter showed more talent and then I assume there was magic in the locker rooms at halftime because the second half was incredible. Almost dumbfounding-can't-stop-watching-because-its-such-a-train-wreck kind of incredible. But hey, that's the way the game is played.
This rivalry entertains me. The banter and teasing can be so much fun despite the guaranteed whining and complaining that will happen at the end. Undoubtedly, there are fans who will claim that the other team only won because they cheated/bad refs/bad calls and other such excuses. Apparently every year. But aside from that, the bantering is fun. We are one of the few red houses in a very blue neighborhood. This year, some of our next door neighbors had a bet that if their team lost, they would have to fly the winning team's banner in front of their house for as many days as the difference in points. Which means my byu fan neighbors will be flying a red ute flag for the entire season. brilliant.
new baby
a new baby is one of those rare and precious miracles that leaves me in awe. She's beautiful and perfect and such an incredible little gift from heaven.
Our little girl was born on Friday September 16. We showed up to the hospital at 7am for our induction. We checked in and were lucky enough to have the same nurse that helped us with baby 2. Our doc arrived to get things started and the first few hours passed uneventfully. My brother and his little family came to visit (I wasn't much for conversation) and provided a brief distraction. Soon the contractions kicked in and I spent most of the time laying on my side with husband rubbing my lower back, listening to gentle piano music and focusing on becoming deeply relaxed. Despite being tangled up in IVs and monitors, we hung out in the bathtub for awhile, enjoying the hot water and eating a lemon Italian ice. More time passed and the contractions got more intense but I knew I wasn't progressing as quickly as I hoped. We tried sitting in the rocker for awhile or kneeling on the bed to relieve the discomfort in my lower back but eventually just ended up in the bed again. So we tried distracting ourselves by watching an episode of Glee. We had to pause for each contraction and husband would help me focus by breathing with me, focusing his exhale against my neck to help pace me and help me stay focused. As time went on and labor lasted longer than we anticipated, I became more frustrated and had a harder time staying focused. I became more discouraged as time passed and I didn't feel the urgency that I knew would come with transition. But all through the contractions and my frustration, my husband was incredible, providing me with the support and encouragement that I needed to stay centered and focus. He coached my breathing to pace me, gently demanded the eye contact I needed to stay focused and constantly reassured me with the things I needed to hear. When I felt like I was losing control, it seemed like the strength I needed was in his eyes and he became the only thing in the world that could keep me from being swallowed by the intensity of the moment. In between contractions, I fell into myself, relaxing as hard as I could. I remember feeling overwhelmingly tired and desperate. Finally, I wanted to push. The contractions and pressure were so intense that I couldn't focus and was thrashing and I struggled to collect myself enough to do what I knew was needed to get my baby here. But daddy coached me and after only a few pushes, I saw her face. Her shoulders were just as much work and then I felt her body slip free. The doctor worked quickly and suddenly she was whisked away to the neonatal table and medical personnel crowded around her. I was surprised and frustrated that she had been taken away from me. I was confused and still struggling with active contractions so much that it took several minutes for me to realize something was wrong. Apparently she inhaled amniotic fluid on her exit and didn't cry at birth. So the nurses did a deep suction to clean out lungs and put her on oxygen. One of the nurses used our camera to take pictures of her and brought it to show me as they continued cleaning her up. Finally she was brought to me and I got to hold her and bask in her newborn perfection. She was born at 5:27 pm, weighed 8 pounds, 15 ounces and was 22 inches long. Her hair is dark and thick and she has deep dimples in her chin and cheeks. Her eyes are dark blue and her fingers are long and elegant. Despite being purple at birth, her skin is now healthy and beautiful with a slightly olive coloring and no hint of jaundice. Her apgar scores were 8 and 9 because she wasn't responsive at birth and had to be stimulated to cry. But once she began to move and respond, she immediately began to root (wanting to nurse). She has a strong sucking instinct and took to nursing eagerly.
Soon she was taken to the nursery so I could be cleaned up and taken to postpartum. I settled into my new room and felt surprisingly good. Despite some tearing, I can move comfortably and am enjoying a fast recovery. Daddy got to go to the nursery and be with baby through her first bath and newborn tests. Then she came back to our room so we could cuddle her and introduce her to her sisters. Ladybug stared and pointed exclaiming "daddy, its a baby!" while Butterfly begged to cuddle her and see her toes (I think we've counted them at least fifty times).
We spent the night cuddling our beautiful little girl, absorbing her newborn innocence, marveling at her perfection and cherishing the intimacy of the incredible experience we shared together.
Our little girl was born on Friday September 16. We showed up to the hospital at 7am for our induction. We checked in and were lucky enough to have the same nurse that helped us with baby 2. Our doc arrived to get things started and the first few hours passed uneventfully. My brother and his little family came to visit (I wasn't much for conversation) and provided a brief distraction. Soon the contractions kicked in and I spent most of the time laying on my side with husband rubbing my lower back, listening to gentle piano music and focusing on becoming deeply relaxed. Despite being tangled up in IVs and monitors, we hung out in the bathtub for awhile, enjoying the hot water and eating a lemon Italian ice. More time passed and the contractions got more intense but I knew I wasn't progressing as quickly as I hoped. We tried sitting in the rocker for awhile or kneeling on the bed to relieve the discomfort in my lower back but eventually just ended up in the bed again. So we tried distracting ourselves by watching an episode of Glee. We had to pause for each contraction and husband would help me focus by breathing with me, focusing his exhale against my neck to help pace me and help me stay focused. As time went on and labor lasted longer than we anticipated, I became more frustrated and had a harder time staying focused. I became more discouraged as time passed and I didn't feel the urgency that I knew would come with transition. But all through the contractions and my frustration, my husband was incredible, providing me with the support and encouragement that I needed to stay centered and focus. He coached my breathing to pace me, gently demanded the eye contact I needed to stay focused and constantly reassured me with the things I needed to hear. When I felt like I was losing control, it seemed like the strength I needed was in his eyes and he became the only thing in the world that could keep me from being swallowed by the intensity of the moment. In between contractions, I fell into myself, relaxing as hard as I could. I remember feeling overwhelmingly tired and desperate. Finally, I wanted to push. The contractions and pressure were so intense that I couldn't focus and was thrashing and I struggled to collect myself enough to do what I knew was needed to get my baby here. But daddy coached me and after only a few pushes, I saw her face. Her shoulders were just as much work and then I felt her body slip free. The doctor worked quickly and suddenly she was whisked away to the neonatal table and medical personnel crowded around her. I was surprised and frustrated that she had been taken away from me. I was confused and still struggling with active contractions so much that it took several minutes for me to realize something was wrong. Apparently she inhaled amniotic fluid on her exit and didn't cry at birth. So the nurses did a deep suction to clean out lungs and put her on oxygen. One of the nurses used our camera to take pictures of her and brought it to show me as they continued cleaning her up. Finally she was brought to me and I got to hold her and bask in her newborn perfection. She was born at 5:27 pm, weighed 8 pounds, 15 ounces and was 22 inches long. Her hair is dark and thick and she has deep dimples in her chin and cheeks. Her eyes are dark blue and her fingers are long and elegant. Despite being purple at birth, her skin is now healthy and beautiful with a slightly olive coloring and no hint of jaundice. Her apgar scores were 8 and 9 because she wasn't responsive at birth and had to be stimulated to cry. But once she began to move and respond, she immediately began to root (wanting to nurse). She has a strong sucking instinct and took to nursing eagerly.
Soon she was taken to the nursery so I could be cleaned up and taken to postpartum. I settled into my new room and felt surprisingly good. Despite some tearing, I can move comfortably and am enjoying a fast recovery. Daddy got to go to the nursery and be with baby through her first bath and newborn tests. Then she came back to our room so we could cuddle her and introduce her to her sisters. Ladybug stared and pointed exclaiming "daddy, its a baby!" while Butterfly begged to cuddle her and see her toes (I think we've counted them at least fifty times).
We spent the night cuddling our beautiful little girl, absorbing her newborn innocence, marveling at her perfection and cherishing the intimacy of the incredible experience we shared together.
oreos
Oreos have been a particularly popular snack lately (this may have been the pregnant woman's fault). But the best part is sharing them with the girls.
We have one glass of milk sitting in the middle of the table for us to share. Butterfly and mommy like to dip the oreos (and have to be careful not to leave them in too long, otherwise they break and fall to the bottom and Butterfly goes fishing). However, Ladybug has her own method. First she opens the oreo cookie. If the cookie part breaks, she calls out "man down!" and gives it back. Assuming the cookie halves stay intact, she opens the oreo and then peels off the layer of frosting. Usually the frosting comes off as a solid patty. She giggles, eats this and then gives the discarded cookie pieces back to me. If the frosting patty falls apart, she will smear it all over herself and the table and then get upset that her hands are dirty.
Eventually mom has to hide the package of oreos and put little girls in the tub.
We have one glass of milk sitting in the middle of the table for us to share. Butterfly and mommy like to dip the oreos (and have to be careful not to leave them in too long, otherwise they break and fall to the bottom and Butterfly goes fishing). However, Ladybug has her own method. First she opens the oreo cookie. If the cookie part breaks, she calls out "man down!" and gives it back. Assuming the cookie halves stay intact, she opens the oreo and then peels off the layer of frosting. Usually the frosting comes off as a solid patty. She giggles, eats this and then gives the discarded cookie pieces back to me. If the frosting patty falls apart, she will smear it all over herself and the table and then get upset that her hands are dirty.
Eventually mom has to hide the package of oreos and put little girls in the tub.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
too cute
Scene: sitting on the floor, Ladybug's head in my lap, I'm playing with her hair while she watches a movie and insists I feed her raisins like a Greek goddess.
Me: "okay honey, I have to go clean up."
Ladybug: *sticks out her lower lip* "But I need you!"
And that is why I only vacuumed half the house today.
Me: "okay honey, I have to go clean up."
Ladybug: *sticks out her lower lip* "But I need you!"
And that is why I only vacuumed half the house today.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
pregnancy snapshot
If I could take a snapshot of these last few days of pregnancy, this is what it would be like:
--her movement. I've taken to calling her "Lumpy" because my belly is definitely not round or symmetrical. She sits (head down) with her bum towards my right side and likes to push her feet out towards the center of my left side. It's very strange to see these body parts sticking out as awkward lumps. I know she's not comfortable anymore and can often feel her move as if she's trying to roll over. She pushes with harsh movement and then suddenly shudders back to where she was. It's not comfortable for either of us and yet, still pretty amazing.
--I've "dropped". it was not near this noticeable with my other two pregnancies. But as I lifted my shirt to show husband a particularly odd shape she was causing, he pointed out the the apex or roundest part of my belly is definitely a few inches lower than it had been the day before. (p.s. none of my clothes fit anymore. Even my maternity shirts don't cover my belly as well as they should.)
--my emotions swing back and forth like a bungee jump, wanting her to wait until induction day so I can conquer my ever-increasing to do list before she arrives and being desperately impatient for her to get here. I really would love to not have to be induced but know that's its very unlikely. Still, I fantasize about being able to call daddy and tell him "it's time" or what it would be like to labor without being tied to an IV. Supposedly being induced makes contractions harder but since it's all I've ever done, I have nothing to compare to.
--my frenzied activity. I feel pressed to get so many things done-organizing and cleaning and sorting and packing and preparing for baby. For example, yesterday I opened all the boxes of clothes in various sizes and resorted them to make sure they were in their proper box so they could be stored and ready for when this little one will need them. Maybe its that nesting instinct-something I've always written off as a crazy hormone, especially because everything on my to do list really is things I need to get done (and not just cleaning the same things over and over). There's a great satisfaction in adding things to the list and being able to check them off.
--I got a pedicure last night and this cute little Asian lady fussed over me like a mother hen. She asked when I was due and I told her Friday. She clucked her tongue and told me "no, baby come tomorrow. I give you good foot rub, baby come tomorrow." The foot rub was awesome and then I had contractions less than 7 minutes apart for the rest of the night. By 2:30 am, they were so intense I couldn't even sleep any more. How could I not get just a little bit excited? But around 6 am, baby changed her mind and let me sleep. Looks like a baby on Friday after all.
--her movement. I've taken to calling her "Lumpy" because my belly is definitely not round or symmetrical. She sits (head down) with her bum towards my right side and likes to push her feet out towards the center of my left side. It's very strange to see these body parts sticking out as awkward lumps. I know she's not comfortable anymore and can often feel her move as if she's trying to roll over. She pushes with harsh movement and then suddenly shudders back to where she was. It's not comfortable for either of us and yet, still pretty amazing.
--I've "dropped". it was not near this noticeable with my other two pregnancies. But as I lifted my shirt to show husband a particularly odd shape she was causing, he pointed out the the apex or roundest part of my belly is definitely a few inches lower than it had been the day before. (p.s. none of my clothes fit anymore. Even my maternity shirts don't cover my belly as well as they should.)
--my emotions swing back and forth like a bungee jump, wanting her to wait until induction day so I can conquer my ever-increasing to do list before she arrives and being desperately impatient for her to get here. I really would love to not have to be induced but know that's its very unlikely. Still, I fantasize about being able to call daddy and tell him "it's time" or what it would be like to labor without being tied to an IV. Supposedly being induced makes contractions harder but since it's all I've ever done, I have nothing to compare to.
--my frenzied activity. I feel pressed to get so many things done-organizing and cleaning and sorting and packing and preparing for baby. For example, yesterday I opened all the boxes of clothes in various sizes and resorted them to make sure they were in their proper box so they could be stored and ready for when this little one will need them. Maybe its that nesting instinct-something I've always written off as a crazy hormone, especially because everything on my to do list really is things I need to get done (and not just cleaning the same things over and over). There's a great satisfaction in adding things to the list and being able to check them off.
--I got a pedicure last night and this cute little Asian lady fussed over me like a mother hen. She asked when I was due and I told her Friday. She clucked her tongue and told me "no, baby come tomorrow. I give you good foot rub, baby come tomorrow." The foot rub was awesome and then I had contractions less than 7 minutes apart for the rest of the night. By 2:30 am, they were so intense I couldn't even sleep any more. How could I not get just a little bit excited? But around 6 am, baby changed her mind and let me sleep. Looks like a baby on Friday after all.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Happy Birthday Ladybug
This weekend we celebrated Ladybug's 2nd birthday with a party in the park. We kept it pretty small and simple as mommy is a little low on energy these days and we wondered if we would need to cancel for baby's arrival. But since baby seems content to stay where she's at, we got to enjoy Ladybug's birthday party after all.
We met grandparents and a few close cousins and friends at the park. Ladybug got to wear her cute Minnie dress and ears (but wouldn't leave the ears on for very long, they were much more fun to play with than just wear on her head). We ordered a 6 foot party sub sandwich (we had way too much food) but most of the kids were too excited to eat. Ladybug had been sitting by her sister and friend but once they abandoned their plates to go play in the park, Ladybug scampered around grazing from all three plates, eating their chips and stealing the turkey from their sandwiches. She especially loved the cluster of balloons Grammy brought for her and giggled as she bounced her hands against them and insisted that daddy kiss them. She rolled around in the grass with her uncle booga and filled glass after glass with grandpa's delicious homemade root beer. As the clouds started to roll in, we sat her on the table and let her dive into her presents. She was thrilled and so excited with all the great loot she got but as the last one was opened, it began to rain so we hurriedly shuttled everything back into the cars and moved the party to our house.
Once there, we sat the birthday girl in front of her cake and she grinned as we sang and she blew out the candles. I decorated the cake very simply by smoothing on the frosting and using sprinkles and toy figurines to embellish it. She thought this was great and loved pulling the toys out the frosting, licking them clean and shoving them back in to start over. Eventually we took the toys away to be cleaned but before we could move the cake for cutting, she wrapped her arms around the sides and face planted herself in for a huge bite. Once the cake and ice cream had been served and devoured, we scrapped plans to go swimming and the kids headed downstairs to play with toys and watch a movie.
Today we celebrated some more. We picked daddy and grandma up from work and took them to lunch with us. I told her we could do something special for lunch today and she told me where she wanted to go and asked, "daddy too?" (how can he resist that?) So we took the girls to lunch and they munched on their burgers and played with the toys. This evening we will spend on her "big" present--her new big girl room. Ladybug is moving out of the nursery and the toddler bed into a new bedroom, with new furniture and especially decorated just for her in (what else?) ladybugs.
Happy Birthday to my beautiful girl!
We met grandparents and a few close cousins and friends at the park. Ladybug got to wear her cute Minnie dress and ears (but wouldn't leave the ears on for very long, they were much more fun to play with than just wear on her head). We ordered a 6 foot party sub sandwich (we had way too much food) but most of the kids were too excited to eat. Ladybug had been sitting by her sister and friend but once they abandoned their plates to go play in the park, Ladybug scampered around grazing from all three plates, eating their chips and stealing the turkey from their sandwiches. She especially loved the cluster of balloons Grammy brought for her and giggled as she bounced her hands against them and insisted that daddy kiss them. She rolled around in the grass with her uncle booga and filled glass after glass with grandpa's delicious homemade root beer. As the clouds started to roll in, we sat her on the table and let her dive into her presents. She was thrilled and so excited with all the great loot she got but as the last one was opened, it began to rain so we hurriedly shuttled everything back into the cars and moved the party to our house.
Once there, we sat the birthday girl in front of her cake and she grinned as we sang and she blew out the candles. I decorated the cake very simply by smoothing on the frosting and using sprinkles and toy figurines to embellish it. She thought this was great and loved pulling the toys out the frosting, licking them clean and shoving them back in to start over. Eventually we took the toys away to be cleaned but before we could move the cake for cutting, she wrapped her arms around the sides and face planted herself in for a huge bite. Once the cake and ice cream had been served and devoured, we scrapped plans to go swimming and the kids headed downstairs to play with toys and watch a movie.
Today we celebrated some more. We picked daddy and grandma up from work and took them to lunch with us. I told her we could do something special for lunch today and she told me where she wanted to go and asked, "daddy too?" (how can he resist that?) So we took the girls to lunch and they munched on their burgers and played with the toys. This evening we will spend on her "big" present--her new big girl room. Ladybug is moving out of the nursery and the toddler bed into a new bedroom, with new furniture and especially decorated just for her in (what else?) ladybugs.
Happy Birthday to my beautiful girl!
Friday, September 9, 2011
first day of school!
My first baby had her first day of school today!
This morning she was sleeping soundly so I cuddled in next to her, trying to gently wake her. Her eyes finally fluttered open and I asked, "do you know what today is?" She grinned and answered "go to school!"
Daddy stayed home for awhile this morning so he could share the excitement. We had breakfast together and she got to pick out an outfit from her new school clothes. Then we loaded up and headed to school. She managed to stop bouncing long enough to let me take her picture in front of the door and then we headed inside. Parents had been invited to stay for the first half hour as an orientation but as soon as we started, she turned to me and whispered "mom, can you go now so I can play with friends and teacher?" She was not at all shy and full of excitement. She introduced herself to classmates and was literally bouncing in her chair to answer questions and volunteering to help her teacher. Then the kids lined up to go to another room and she didn't even acknowledge the separation.
So I went home, picked up little sister and we ran errands, picking up a few last minute supplies for her birthday party tomorrow and a new backpack for big sister to use at school. Then we returned to the school to pick up my bouncing Butterfly and she was ecstatic, full of rambling news and thrilled with her new backpack. She hugged her new teacher and asked me to take their picture together. Even little sister couldn't help but be excited and ran around with a backpack on, asking "go school now?" and wanting her picture to be taken in front of the school.
The school year is off to a great start!
This morning she was sleeping soundly so I cuddled in next to her, trying to gently wake her. Her eyes finally fluttered open and I asked, "do you know what today is?" She grinned and answered "go to school!"
Daddy stayed home for awhile this morning so he could share the excitement. We had breakfast together and she got to pick out an outfit from her new school clothes. Then we loaded up and headed to school. She managed to stop bouncing long enough to let me take her picture in front of the door and then we headed inside. Parents had been invited to stay for the first half hour as an orientation but as soon as we started, she turned to me and whispered "mom, can you go now so I can play with friends and teacher?" She was not at all shy and full of excitement. She introduced herself to classmates and was literally bouncing in her chair to answer questions and volunteering to help her teacher. Then the kids lined up to go to another room and she didn't even acknowledge the separation.
So I went home, picked up little sister and we ran errands, picking up a few last minute supplies for her birthday party tomorrow and a new backpack for big sister to use at school. Then we returned to the school to pick up my bouncing Butterfly and she was ecstatic, full of rambling news and thrilled with her new backpack. She hugged her new teacher and asked me to take their picture together. Even little sister couldn't help but be excited and ran around with a backpack on, asking "go school now?" and wanting her picture to be taken in front of the school.
The school year is off to a great start!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
38 weeks
We had our last appointment with the doc today! Baby is doing great, her heart rate is 138, her size and movement are good. My weight is slowly creeping up the scale but I'm still ten pounds less than I was when our other girls were born (despite starting out 15 pounds different, I ended both previous pregnancies at almost the exact same weight). Even though I feel huge, I'm measuring small compared to before and regularly have people comment how small I look. (I suppose that's better than being told I look like a whale.) I'm still 50% effaced but I've progressed to almost 3 cm! Doc said we are "in the zone now" and that baby could come anytime. But I suspect she will wait until we kick her out. I told the doc that its actually easier to plan if she waits until I'm induced so I'm kind of hoping she will just do as she's told. He joked back that he's been working on his kids for years and they still don't. :) So a surprise arrival is possible but because of her large size, the fact that I'm already dilating, the frequency/intensity of the contractions and the pattern of my previous two labors, we are scheduled for an induction! So unless she surprises us sooner, we will have our little girl next Friday!
Some random thoughts as this pregnancy draws to a close...
how in the world does a baby get the hiccups? I know they are swallowing amniotic fluid but if there's no air in there, how can they get hiccups?
if not for the guilt of depriving baby of essential nutrients, I think I could live on a diet of Jamba Juice, watermelon and double stuffed oreos.
Lately I've been watching birthing videos and reading other people's labor stories. It makes me feel more calm and prepared about what is going to happen. Ironically, doing this gives me more contractions. Sympathy pains? Or maybe I'm just more aware of them?
this kid is seriously running out of room. Her stretches are downright painful for me and she has a new fun habit of somehow wedging her feet in front of my lower ribs. I'm not sure that's possible but that's certainly what it feels and looks like.
I miss sleep. Partly because my enormous belly lacks sufficient support as I try to sleep on my side (when I roll over, I actually have to hold my belly and move it with me, as if it's some floppy appendage that just hangs off to the side). Partly because of the dull ache in my hip joints and ribs that make it hard to get comfortable. But mostly because of the contractions (regularly five minutes apart for several hours, especially during the evenings and night). Fortunately my husband is amazing. He moved the recliner into our bedroom so I can switch between it and bed throughout the night as needed, plus he actually rubs my back in his sleep! I've been trying not to wake him but he seems to sense my discomfort anyway and will reach over to rub my lower back.
I'm really grateful for a wonderful doctor that I have such confidence in and especially for the technology and medical advancements that allow us to so carefully monitor our baby.
I really love when the girls play with the baby. Butterfly likes to cuddle or sing to her. Ladybug usually shows no interest or acknowledgment but every once in awhile she will cuddle next to me and use my belly as her pillow. If she accidentally hits or bumps my belly, she will apologize and kiss baby.
I'm about to have 3 children under 4. yikes. it's going to be wonderful and chaotic. we've had people try to "warn" us about the insanity we are about to enter with unhelpful phrases like "oh three is when you just give up" or "three is when you lose control". I wonder what people feel like they are accomplishing by telling us this. It's obviously too late to change our mind and we are well aware that we're about to be totally outnumbered. Bring on the chaos. (I have to add that we've also heard, though not as often, that three is when it gets easier or that it doesn't really change much. So it's all just a matter of opinion and perspective anyway.)
I get asked a lot if this is our last baby. I don't mind when it's family or close friends but I think it's awkward when it's someone I don't know very well. But the answer is, I don't know. I don't feel strongly about having more but I do think that's a decision we shouldn't (and don't need to) make right now. But sometimes I wonder if it is our last pregnancy. Is it the last time I will get to feel those flutters? The last time I get to surprise daddy and grandparents with the news? The last time I get to feel the excitement and anticipation in this way? Maybe.
We also get asked a lot what we are going to name her. But we still haven't told anyone. Husband offered that for $100 a guess, he wouldn't say no if someone got it right. No one has taken us up on it yet. Which is good, because I'm still not committed on a name and don't plan to be until she's born.
okay baby girl, see you in one week!
Some random thoughts as this pregnancy draws to a close...
how in the world does a baby get the hiccups? I know they are swallowing amniotic fluid but if there's no air in there, how can they get hiccups?
if not for the guilt of depriving baby of essential nutrients, I think I could live on a diet of Jamba Juice, watermelon and double stuffed oreos.
Lately I've been watching birthing videos and reading other people's labor stories. It makes me feel more calm and prepared about what is going to happen. Ironically, doing this gives me more contractions. Sympathy pains? Or maybe I'm just more aware of them?
this kid is seriously running out of room. Her stretches are downright painful for me and she has a new fun habit of somehow wedging her feet in front of my lower ribs. I'm not sure that's possible but that's certainly what it feels and looks like.
I miss sleep. Partly because my enormous belly lacks sufficient support as I try to sleep on my side (when I roll over, I actually have to hold my belly and move it with me, as if it's some floppy appendage that just hangs off to the side). Partly because of the dull ache in my hip joints and ribs that make it hard to get comfortable. But mostly because of the contractions (regularly five minutes apart for several hours, especially during the evenings and night). Fortunately my husband is amazing. He moved the recliner into our bedroom so I can switch between it and bed throughout the night as needed, plus he actually rubs my back in his sleep! I've been trying not to wake him but he seems to sense my discomfort anyway and will reach over to rub my lower back.
I'm really grateful for a wonderful doctor that I have such confidence in and especially for the technology and medical advancements that allow us to so carefully monitor our baby.
I really love when the girls play with the baby. Butterfly likes to cuddle or sing to her. Ladybug usually shows no interest or acknowledgment but every once in awhile she will cuddle next to me and use my belly as her pillow. If she accidentally hits or bumps my belly, she will apologize and kiss baby.
I'm about to have 3 children under 4. yikes. it's going to be wonderful and chaotic. we've had people try to "warn" us about the insanity we are about to enter with unhelpful phrases like "oh three is when you just give up" or "three is when you lose control". I wonder what people feel like they are accomplishing by telling us this. It's obviously too late to change our mind and we are well aware that we're about to be totally outnumbered. Bring on the chaos. (I have to add that we've also heard, though not as often, that three is when it gets easier or that it doesn't really change much. So it's all just a matter of opinion and perspective anyway.)
I get asked a lot if this is our last baby. I don't mind when it's family or close friends but I think it's awkward when it's someone I don't know very well. But the answer is, I don't know. I don't feel strongly about having more but I do think that's a decision we shouldn't (and don't need to) make right now. But sometimes I wonder if it is our last pregnancy. Is it the last time I will get to feel those flutters? The last time I get to surprise daddy and grandparents with the news? The last time I get to feel the excitement and anticipation in this way? Maybe.
We also get asked a lot what we are going to name her. But we still haven't told anyone. Husband offered that for $100 a guess, he wouldn't say no if someone got it right. No one has taken us up on it yet. Which is good, because I'm still not committed on a name and don't plan to be until she's born.
okay baby girl, see you in one week!
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
cuddle in chair
Putting the girls to bed at night can actually be really nice.
Ladybug has a surprisingly strict internal clock that makes it easy. For example, in the afternoons she inhales her lunch and then asks to go to bed before her big sister is even halfway done eating. She eagerly hugs me and snuggles into my shoulder as I carry her to her room and tuck her in. At night time, I help her get dressed and then she tries to launch herself into bed but I usually stall with a book, prayers and a short cuddle, just because I love that one-on-one time with her. (Then again there are other nights when I'm worn out and can't get them in bed fast enough.)
Butterfly's routine is more involved and usually involves as much stalling as possible. First she has to go potty and takes an unfathomably long time. She stalls and plays as she washes her hands and brushes her teeth. Putting on her pajamas takes an equally long time and then we cuddle in the chair to read a story. After the story, we typically say prayers and I tuck her in. If daddy is putting her to bed, she will always ask "cuddle in chair five minutes?" He almost always says yes and lets her fall asleep on him (and tries hard not to fall asleep himself). I don't get the cuddle request very often because I usually say no, selfishly wanting her to go to bed so I can go relax or finish some random project. But every once in awhile, it's pure bliss to hold that precious little girl and feel her relax into me, sharing her warmth and listening to her soft breathing.
Tonight she asked "can I cuddle baby in chair five minutes?" How can I resist that? So we cuddled in the chair with her hands wrapped around my belly. The baby was especially active and Butterfly was thrilled. We talked softly about the baby kicking and about how the baby was getting bigger and almost ready to come out. She talked about the things she wants to teach the baby when she gets bigger and the fun things they could do together. Then she solemnly told me that she has to get bigger too, just like the baby, but we would always be best friends forever and ever. "promise?" I asked and she agreed. I gave her a hug and a kiss and she had to hug and kiss the baby too before I tucked her into her bed and said good night.
Please don't forget your promise, please please...
Ladybug has a surprisingly strict internal clock that makes it easy. For example, in the afternoons she inhales her lunch and then asks to go to bed before her big sister is even halfway done eating. She eagerly hugs me and snuggles into my shoulder as I carry her to her room and tuck her in. At night time, I help her get dressed and then she tries to launch herself into bed but I usually stall with a book, prayers and a short cuddle, just because I love that one-on-one time with her. (Then again there are other nights when I'm worn out and can't get them in bed fast enough.)
Butterfly's routine is more involved and usually involves as much stalling as possible. First she has to go potty and takes an unfathomably long time. She stalls and plays as she washes her hands and brushes her teeth. Putting on her pajamas takes an equally long time and then we cuddle in the chair to read a story. After the story, we typically say prayers and I tuck her in. If daddy is putting her to bed, she will always ask "cuddle in chair five minutes?" He almost always says yes and lets her fall asleep on him (and tries hard not to fall asleep himself). I don't get the cuddle request very often because I usually say no, selfishly wanting her to go to bed so I can go relax or finish some random project. But every once in awhile, it's pure bliss to hold that precious little girl and feel her relax into me, sharing her warmth and listening to her soft breathing.
Tonight she asked "can I cuddle baby in chair five minutes?" How can I resist that? So we cuddled in the chair with her hands wrapped around my belly. The baby was especially active and Butterfly was thrilled. We talked softly about the baby kicking and about how the baby was getting bigger and almost ready to come out. She talked about the things she wants to teach the baby when she gets bigger and the fun things they could do together. Then she solemnly told me that she has to get bigger too, just like the baby, but we would always be best friends forever and ever. "promise?" I asked and she agreed. I gave her a hug and a kiss and she had to hug and kiss the baby too before I tucked her into her bed and said good night.
Please don't forget your promise, please please...
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
babymoon weekend
someone teased us that the last minute getaway before a new baby comes is called a "babymoon". We didn't really go anywhere, actually we stayed home but since Grammy and Papa took our girls for the weekend, we got to enjoy a long weekend together.
To kick things off, I took the girls for the birthday portraits. We finished in record time and finished without a complete meltdown from the Ladybug! The pictures turned out great and I let each of the girls pick a treat as a reward (who knew they loved Snickers?) Then we met Papa at his work so he could show them the fish pond. His office is in a complex of multiple buildings overlooking a beautifully sculpted area of pathways, bridges and ponds filled with fish. Papa let them feed the fish and they tried to name several of them. Then I trade cars with Papa (easier than moving carseats) and gave my girls kisses because they were headed out for a long weekend at my grandparents cabin while daddy and I stayed home.
We had a great weekend together, splitting the time between date nights and the honey-do list. We managed to finished a couple of projects around the house (okay, daddy finished, I usually lounged on the couch and supervised--we have a green light for baby to come but I still need to be careful or I make myself miserably uncomfortable). For example, daddy hung artwork and decor (despite living here two years, our great room is still sparsely decorated because we haven't gotten around to it until now) and fixed up a desk we bought for Ladybug's new room (since she will be moving out of the nursery and into a "big girl" room). We sorted, re packed and organized the enormous pile of boxes in the unfinished basement which means after living here for two years, we finally finished unpacking! We worked on some deep cleaning and getting things ready for the baby. And then the fun stuff--one night we went out for a fancy dinner, another night we laid on the couch watching movies and one night we took out our new trailer so we could roast smores over a campfire. We left after dinner and came home before breakfast so very little work was involved, just a beautiful evening under the stars with my amazing husband. We spent most of Labor Day hanging out at the lake with husband's cousins (an eagerly anticipated yearly event because we don't get to see them very often). We kind of missed having the girls because they would have loved it, but on the other hand, we actually got to relax and enjoy being with cousins rather than chasing girls the whole time. (besides the girls had so much fun at the cabin, they never even asked for us) Grammy and Papa brought the girls home, and we gladly received long hugs and cuddles (maybe they missed us after all!) and wrapped up the day with a BBQ with friends.
What a great weekend! Thank you Grammy and Papa for playing with our girls and thanks to our other friends and family we got to enjoy being with.
To kick things off, I took the girls for the birthday portraits. We finished in record time and finished without a complete meltdown from the Ladybug! The pictures turned out great and I let each of the girls pick a treat as a reward (who knew they loved Snickers?) Then we met Papa at his work so he could show them the fish pond. His office is in a complex of multiple buildings overlooking a beautifully sculpted area of pathways, bridges and ponds filled with fish. Papa let them feed the fish and they tried to name several of them. Then I trade cars with Papa (easier than moving carseats) and gave my girls kisses because they were headed out for a long weekend at my grandparents cabin while daddy and I stayed home.
We had a great weekend together, splitting the time between date nights and the honey-do list. We managed to finished a couple of projects around the house (okay, daddy finished, I usually lounged on the couch and supervised--we have a green light for baby to come but I still need to be careful or I make myself miserably uncomfortable). For example, daddy hung artwork and decor (despite living here two years, our great room is still sparsely decorated because we haven't gotten around to it until now) and fixed up a desk we bought for Ladybug's new room (since she will be moving out of the nursery and into a "big girl" room). We sorted, re packed and organized the enormous pile of boxes in the unfinished basement which means after living here for two years, we finally finished unpacking! We worked on some deep cleaning and getting things ready for the baby. And then the fun stuff--one night we went out for a fancy dinner, another night we laid on the couch watching movies and one night we took out our new trailer so we could roast smores over a campfire. We left after dinner and came home before breakfast so very little work was involved, just a beautiful evening under the stars with my amazing husband. We spent most of Labor Day hanging out at the lake with husband's cousins (an eagerly anticipated yearly event because we don't get to see them very often). We kind of missed having the girls because they would have loved it, but on the other hand, we actually got to relax and enjoy being with cousins rather than chasing girls the whole time. (besides the girls had so much fun at the cabin, they never even asked for us) Grammy and Papa brought the girls home, and we gladly received long hugs and cuddles (maybe they missed us after all!) and wrapped up the day with a BBQ with friends.
What a great weekend! Thank you Grammy and Papa for playing with our girls and thanks to our other friends and family we got to enjoy being with.
Friday, September 2, 2011
37 weeks
We officially have a green light!
Had a check up with the doc and he says baby is doing great and she is now welcome to make her arrival whenever she wants. Unfortunately, I strongly suspect that she will repeat what her older sister did--after her attempt at an arrival arrival was rejected, she decided to dig in and refused to budge until we kicked her out by induction. Contractions? yes. Progressive labor? No.
Speaking of which, this strange condition of mine continues. But now I have even more fun terms to describe it. Added to the list of "non progressive labor" or "an irritable uterus", we now have "an excitable uterus" and "dysfunctional labor". I continue to have contractions (this week they were 10-12 minutes apart for a day and a half but am making very little progress. Doc even checked to make sure and I'm 50% effaced and 2 cm. While normally this might mean labor is imminent, doc said nothing to that effect and we're trying to be patient.) It's ironic really, with one statement from the doc, we went from "keep her in as long as we can" to "can't she get out already?" But since I'm past the risk of a preterm delivery/NICU baby and no longer losing amniotic fluid/risking infection, I feel much better and feel like life is a little more the way it should be (last minute washing/cleaning/organizing, dates with daddy, playing with my girls, basking in the excitement, etc.). More details from the check up--baby's heart rate is great and my fundus measurement is right on the normal average (which happens to be small compared to my first two pregnancies but not enough to be concerning--hopefully that just means no more nine pound babies for me!).
It makes me think about an episode of the sitcom Friends when Rachel is pregnant. Having reached her due date, she has a tender moment with her friends as she expresses her appreciation for them and for all she has been able to experience, even saying how beautiful pregnancy is and that she's actually going to miss it a little bit. But the next scene (the next day), she's frustrated and miserable and can't wait for the baby to come! I'm not at my due date yet (technically still have three weeks to go) but I feel those twinges of whispering "I can't believe its almost over", immediately followed by an exasperated "how much longer?!"
Patience. And in the meantime, kid--consider this your two weeks notice. :) see you soon.
Had a check up with the doc and he says baby is doing great and she is now welcome to make her arrival whenever she wants. Unfortunately, I strongly suspect that she will repeat what her older sister did--after her attempt at an arrival arrival was rejected, she decided to dig in and refused to budge until we kicked her out by induction. Contractions? yes. Progressive labor? No.
Speaking of which, this strange condition of mine continues. But now I have even more fun terms to describe it. Added to the list of "non progressive labor" or "an irritable uterus", we now have "an excitable uterus" and "dysfunctional labor". I continue to have contractions (this week they were 10-12 minutes apart for a day and a half but am making very little progress. Doc even checked to make sure and I'm 50% effaced and 2 cm. While normally this might mean labor is imminent, doc said nothing to that effect and we're trying to be patient.) It's ironic really, with one statement from the doc, we went from "keep her in as long as we can" to "can't she get out already?" But since I'm past the risk of a preterm delivery/NICU baby and no longer losing amniotic fluid/risking infection, I feel much better and feel like life is a little more the way it should be (last minute washing/cleaning/organizing, dates with daddy, playing with my girls, basking in the excitement, etc.). More details from the check up--baby's heart rate is great and my fundus measurement is right on the normal average (which happens to be small compared to my first two pregnancies but not enough to be concerning--hopefully that just means no more nine pound babies for me!).
It makes me think about an episode of the sitcom Friends when Rachel is pregnant. Having reached her due date, she has a tender moment with her friends as she expresses her appreciation for them and for all she has been able to experience, even saying how beautiful pregnancy is and that she's actually going to miss it a little bit. But the next scene (the next day), she's frustrated and miserable and can't wait for the baby to come! I'm not at my due date yet (technically still have three weeks to go) but I feel those twinges of whispering "I can't believe its almost over", immediately followed by an exasperated "how much longer?!"
Patience. And in the meantime, kid--consider this your two weeks notice. :) see you soon.
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