Sunday, May 29, 2011
baby bear
This is what we did today. He was 100% cooperative, too. My child... cooperative. Who would have guessed? More to come...
Friday, May 27, 2011
new
So. We have a new little family member. He decided to make his entry into this world less than 14 hours before Mommy was scheduled to be induced. Here is the quick low-down:
TUESDAY at my doctor's appointment, I was about 4cm. Our insurance is changing June 1st & we wanted to avoid 2 insurance companies for 1 hospital visit, so I elected for a 3am (yes. 3. AM) induction for Thursday, May 26th.
WEDNESDAY at about 2am, I wake up to light cramping. Meh. Fall back to sleep. At about 3am, I wake to more light cramping. Meh. At about 4am, I decide my bladder is full enough to completely wake myself. Might as well see if the cramps have a pattern. Yup. They do. 8 minutes apart. I wake Robert. We time them. I text my mom and ask her to hold off on going to work. From 5am to 6am, the cramps go from 8 minutes apart to 3 minutes apart. I text my mom and tell her to come over, just in case this is the real thing. Run to the bathroom and throw on some makeup (I mean, IF this is the real thing, there will be photos right?). My mom arrives. We leave for the hospital. Empty. NICE. Get into triage at 7am. I am checked and told I am at about 5.5 cm. Real thing. NOW they begin to feel like contractions. INTENSE contractions. They hook me up to penicillin (I was positive for group B strep) and they tell me that they are going to try to delay delivery for 4 hours so they can get a second round of penicillin in. Okay. BUT GIVE ME MY EPIDURAL. Cause I hurt. At 8am, we are taken to our labor and delivery room and the epidural is started. Doesn't quite work. I can still feel pain during contractions. And the catheter. AND I AM GOING TO DIE. Maybe not. But it feels like it. At 9am, they give me a nice epidural cocktail by increasing the drugs and adding some mix-ins. All pain is gone, yet I can still move my legs and feet. Perfect. Relax for a couple hours. At 11am, the second round of penicillin is started. At 12pm, I am given a "peanut" ball to help with the last 1.5 cm AND to turn the baby. He is "sunny side up". And that is not favorable. At 12:50pm, we are ready for delivery. As the nurse positions me and preps the bed, baby decides to flip back to "sunny side up" (in a matter of seconds). Doc arrives. Grabs the baby by the head and flips him back (um. don't twist my baby's head off...). They tell me to push during the next contraction. One comes before we realize it, but I push anyway. Missed delivering him in one contraction by a hair. Second contraction and baby is out. I watched the entire thing (from the "safe" position of my natural viewpoint. no mirrors, thanks). Then I grabbed the camera and began taking pictures like a madwoman (yes. while my baby is still attached to me. before he begins breathing. crazy? maybe... freezing an amazing moment? definitely). I put down the camera as they hand him to me (and possibly command my husband to play photographer). Our third boy. As perfect and unique as his brothers. He has been simple and easy; more laid back than Lucas thus far and DEFINITELY easier than Joel. One night in the hospital and we are home. Recovery? Smooth. Nursing? Great. Joel and Lucas? Handling the new baby well. The most difficult thing so far: Joel. Who is 2.5 years old. And in the swing of "terrible twos". AND acting no different than in the days/weeks prior to the new arrival. We shall see how the first night home goes...
TUESDAY at my doctor's appointment, I was about 4cm. Our insurance is changing June 1st & we wanted to avoid 2 insurance companies for 1 hospital visit, so I elected for a 3am (yes. 3. AM) induction for Thursday, May 26th.
WEDNESDAY at about 2am, I wake up to light cramping. Meh. Fall back to sleep. At about 3am, I wake to more light cramping. Meh. At about 4am, I decide my bladder is full enough to completely wake myself. Might as well see if the cramps have a pattern. Yup. They do. 8 minutes apart. I wake Robert. We time them. I text my mom and ask her to hold off on going to work. From 5am to 6am, the cramps go from 8 minutes apart to 3 minutes apart. I text my mom and tell her to come over, just in case this is the real thing. Run to the bathroom and throw on some makeup (I mean, IF this is the real thing, there will be photos right?). My mom arrives. We leave for the hospital. Empty. NICE. Get into triage at 7am. I am checked and told I am at about 5.5 cm. Real thing. NOW they begin to feel like contractions. INTENSE contractions. They hook me up to penicillin (I was positive for group B strep) and they tell me that they are going to try to delay delivery for 4 hours so they can get a second round of penicillin in. Okay. BUT GIVE ME MY EPIDURAL. Cause I hurt. At 8am, we are taken to our labor and delivery room and the epidural is started. Doesn't quite work. I can still feel pain during contractions. And the catheter. AND I AM GOING TO DIE. Maybe not. But it feels like it. At 9am, they give me a nice epidural cocktail by increasing the drugs and adding some mix-ins. All pain is gone, yet I can still move my legs and feet. Perfect. Relax for a couple hours. At 11am, the second round of penicillin is started. At 12pm, I am given a "peanut" ball to help with the last 1.5 cm AND to turn the baby. He is "sunny side up". And that is not favorable. At 12:50pm, we are ready for delivery. As the nurse positions me and preps the bed, baby decides to flip back to "sunny side up" (in a matter of seconds). Doc arrives. Grabs the baby by the head and flips him back (um. don't twist my baby's head off...). They tell me to push during the next contraction. One comes before we realize it, but I push anyway. Missed delivering him in one contraction by a hair. Second contraction and baby is out. I watched the entire thing (from the "safe" position of my natural viewpoint. no mirrors, thanks). Then I grabbed the camera and began taking pictures like a madwoman (yes. while my baby is still attached to me. before he begins breathing. crazy? maybe... freezing an amazing moment? definitely). I put down the camera as they hand him to me (and possibly command my husband to play photographer). Our third boy. As perfect and unique as his brothers. He has been simple and easy; more laid back than Lucas thus far and DEFINITELY easier than Joel. One night in the hospital and we are home. Recovery? Smooth. Nursing? Great. Joel and Lucas? Handling the new baby well. The most difficult thing so far: Joel. Who is 2.5 years old. And in the swing of "terrible twos". AND acting no different than in the days/weeks prior to the new arrival. We shall see how the first night home goes...
Daniel Liam Root
8lbs 4.6oz, 20.5in
May 25, 12:55pm
brown hair, steel blue eyes
8lbs 4.6oz, 20.5in
May 25, 12:55pm
brown hair, steel blue eyes
Monday, May 23, 2011
man
So. Been thinking a lot, lately. Pause. Rewind. I ALWAYS think a lot (one of Robert's main "complaints"). Regardless of how often or how much I think, lately I have been thinking a lot about Robert. Perspective changes over time. Dating. Marriage. Parenthood. Roles are constantly being redefined. I never contemplated the strain children could have on a marriage until I HAD children of my own (I mean, how could you know how something is going to be until you are experiencing it?!). Sometimes it feels like Robert and I just... coexist. That we are two adults who happen to live together while caring for small children. I know this is "common". I know this is "normal". But that doesn't mean I have to like it or have to settle for it. So. Been thinking a lot, lately. And getting back in touch with why and how much I love and respect Robert. Any time the topic of marriage comes up, whether it be with him or with friends, my adoration and gratitude for Robert is strengthened tenfold. Sometimes just catching a glimpse of a photo of him is enough to put a smile on my face. Though I often joke that he is dull, boring, or plain, Robert is so many things. Generous. Kind. Thoughtful. Valiant. Hardworking. Respectful. Diligent. Honest. Maybe even a little bit nerdy and a lot a bit sarcastic. And even if that newlywed passion has, well, died off, I still know that Robert's world revolves around me JUST by the way that he looks at me and the way he treats me. I wouldn't change that for anything - even all the newlywed passion in the world. I cherish him.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
three
This post will be divided into three parts.
PART I: Pregnancy
I am now 38.5 weeks along. And miserable. If you see me or talk with me, you may not know this. But secretly, deep inside, I might be rolling my eyes any time someone asks me how I am doing. Not out of irritation or frustration towards the person asking, of course. Just out of the simple fact that I am still pregnant. And uncomfortable. And have just been reminded for the umpteenth time that I have not yet had the baby. If this shocks or offends you... well, sorry. Saying it like it is.
Two things make this pregnancy frustrating at this point. First, just over a week ago, the baby was ALREADY measuring to be about 7lbs 11oz. Which means, if I go full term I will most likely have another 9+lb baby. The longer it takes, the bigger he gets. Second, yesterday I began having regular contractions. 9 am. 8 minutes apart. Noon. 5 minutes apart. 9 pm. 5 minutes apart. 10 pm. GONE. 12 hours of early labor that died off. Had a doc appointment yesterday afternoon; he thought he would see me in the hospital before the night was over. Clearly that didn't happen. Majorly frustrating. But I know it will happen. And soon(ish). -End rant-
PART II: Children
Welcome to the happier part of the post. Sorry for earlier. My kids are crazy/silly. Parenting, while exhausting, is entertaining. With Lucas, it is just every little detail about him. The way he walks, the way he runs, the way he laughs, the way he talks. The kid is an entertainer. With Joel, it is the way he has become a "mother hen" to Lucas.
Kids pick the most interesting phrases to repeat (luckily, no "choice phrases" have yet been repeated). Joel is at the "no" stage. Not just repeating the word, but sincerely expressing an opinion (I like the repeat stage with that word better...). Lately, I have told Joel, "Do not tell me 'no'. Say 'okay Mommy'". Which he usually does, albeit crying. The other night, Lucas started saying "no" out of the clear blue. No particular reason. Joel turns to him and says, "Cuca, don't tell me 'no'!". Robert and I looked at one another and busted up laughing. It. Was. Perfect.
During lunch, Lucas has the habit of shoving as much of his sandwich into his mouth as he possibly can. A few days ago, I paid attention to Joel's reaction to this. "Cuca, take it easy! Take it easy!" A phrase Joel must have learned from his father. It made me smile. Joel's ability to communicate is becoming quite entertaining.
PART III: "Stuff"
Much to the disappointment of my husband, I have major nesting instincts. Pregnancy number three has been no exception. Last week, after finishing up with my last few photography clients, I began nesting like crazy. Sewed a couple of things. Taught myself to crochet. You know, the norm. Now, 3 hats, 2 blankets, 1 cocoon, and a car seat tent later, I am done. I even managed to finish my mom's Christmas gift (only 4.5 months late, right?!). She now has the beginnings of a "heritage wall" in her dining room...
The heritage wall.
The steel blue baby blanket I am 1/3 of the way finished crocheting.
Car seat tent.
I thought some good pictures of the boys would be nice... too bad they were both throwing fits when the camera was out...
PART I: Pregnancy
I am now 38.5 weeks along. And miserable. If you see me or talk with me, you may not know this. But secretly, deep inside, I might be rolling my eyes any time someone asks me how I am doing. Not out of irritation or frustration towards the person asking, of course. Just out of the simple fact that I am still pregnant. And uncomfortable. And have just been reminded for the umpteenth time that I have not yet had the baby. If this shocks or offends you... well, sorry. Saying it like it is.
Two things make this pregnancy frustrating at this point. First, just over a week ago, the baby was ALREADY measuring to be about 7lbs 11oz. Which means, if I go full term I will most likely have another 9+lb baby. The longer it takes, the bigger he gets. Second, yesterday I began having regular contractions. 9 am. 8 minutes apart. Noon. 5 minutes apart. 9 pm. 5 minutes apart. 10 pm. GONE. 12 hours of early labor that died off. Had a doc appointment yesterday afternoon; he thought he would see me in the hospital before the night was over. Clearly that didn't happen. Majorly frustrating. But I know it will happen. And soon(ish). -End rant-
PART II: Children
Welcome to the happier part of the post. Sorry for earlier. My kids are crazy/silly. Parenting, while exhausting, is entertaining. With Lucas, it is just every little detail about him. The way he walks, the way he runs, the way he laughs, the way he talks. The kid is an entertainer. With Joel, it is the way he has become a "mother hen" to Lucas.
Kids pick the most interesting phrases to repeat (luckily, no "choice phrases" have yet been repeated). Joel is at the "no" stage. Not just repeating the word, but sincerely expressing an opinion (I like the repeat stage with that word better...). Lately, I have told Joel, "Do not tell me 'no'. Say 'okay Mommy'". Which he usually does, albeit crying. The other night, Lucas started saying "no" out of the clear blue. No particular reason. Joel turns to him and says, "Cuca, don't tell me 'no'!". Robert and I looked at one another and busted up laughing. It. Was. Perfect.
During lunch, Lucas has the habit of shoving as much of his sandwich into his mouth as he possibly can. A few days ago, I paid attention to Joel's reaction to this. "Cuca, take it easy! Take it easy!" A phrase Joel must have learned from his father. It made me smile. Joel's ability to communicate is becoming quite entertaining.
PART III: "Stuff"
Much to the disappointment of my husband, I have major nesting instincts. Pregnancy number three has been no exception. Last week, after finishing up with my last few photography clients, I began nesting like crazy. Sewed a couple of things. Taught myself to crochet. You know, the norm. Now, 3 hats, 2 blankets, 1 cocoon, and a car seat tent later, I am done. I even managed to finish my mom's Christmas gift (only 4.5 months late, right?!). She now has the beginnings of a "heritage wall" in her dining room...
The heritage wall.
The steel blue baby blanket I am 1/3 of the way finished crocheting.
Car seat tent.
I thought some good pictures of the boys would be nice... too bad they were both throwing fits when the camera was out...
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Sunday, May 1, 2011
:)
I am a demanding wife; I MADE my husband take a couple of maternity pictures for me (he hates cameras... he also hates my criticism of his photo abilities - or lack thereof). After some coaching on my part, (and adjusting all the settings for him) he took several great pictures. Thank you, Robert Root!
Just over 36 weeks. End in sight...
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