Photos

"ROCK ON MY LITTLE MAN"

"CHILLIN' IN MAMAS ARMS"

I have two friends that are photographers and both offered to do baby photos. I just got this set of proofs from Julie Cruz Photography. This was one of her first newborn shoots. For as cranky as he was she did a great job. I keep thinking he looks a lot like Jared, but in the photos he looks so much like my baby brother Max when he was little.

Astros!

Last night was "NASA NIGHT" with the astrosat Minute Maid Park. It was also the 40^th anniversary of Apollo. Every year we get together with a big group and get a row of nosebleed seats and take the kids. When we first started everyone had one kid, now we take up a whole row and its frankly mass chaos, but it’s a good time.

Eliza really got into the clapping and cheering. And Isaac got introduced early to the game. They had the roof closed so the park was incredibly loud, but it didn’t seem to bother him and he stayed up the WHOLE time, which meant he actually slept last night (and so did we).

Week II

We managed to survive another week. Things are falling into place, minus the sleep. I honestly don't know how women do this in their late 30's and 40's. I give them credit because I have never been so exhausted in my life. Eliza stopped napping a few months ago so I have been running on about 3-4 hours of sleep for the last two weeks.

Other than that things are going great. I took my first trip out with all three to Walgreen a few days ago. All I had to pick up were photos and a card. Needless to say it was a complete disaster; I need a leash and straitjacket for Eliza :) But we made it out with photos, a card and a few packs of opened M&M’s.

Isaac had his 1 week well check. He weighed 8lbs 2oz at 9 days old, regained his birth weight plus a few ounces in a little over a week.

The First Week

Well, Isaac officially survived his first week home as did we. Erin has done a wonderful job and Eliza has transitioned better than anticipated. My mom headed home early Wed morning, but Jared took off Friday just to catch up on sleep and help get the house put back together.

Three kids is just like having two…because at any given time I have no idea when one is and what they are doing (typically Eliza).

Jared's new toy(s) - he purchased a lot of model airplanes and a boat off craigslist this week. He has been wanting to get back into it for sometime, but its really expensive. Some guy passed away in north Houston and they sold his whole collection for next to nothing. So now our garage is full of half built airplanes, battered wings, engines and receivers :)

The Chronicle Continues…..Part 3 – The Precipitous Delivery

My midwife told me your first labor is unknown, your second is faster and your third is unpredictable; I concur. Erin’s was brutally tough, Eliza’s was fast (if you missed that whole saga, click here) and Isaac’s, well frankly was non-existent; under 90 minutes and far from textbook (yes every laboring woman in America wants to shoot me). However, just because it’s fast does not mean that the process is any different. It’s like walking up to the starting line of a full marathon and as the gun goes off realizing you accidentally joined the 8K race, or in my case the 800m dash.

Isaac was due on Tuesday June 30. I question why they give you an exact due date, it amazed me the emotional strain and boredom that came with each passing day. I was sick of people calling and asking. I about strangled the random lady in the grocery store that kept referring to it as the “4^th trimester” and I was ready to pummel the next person that stated things like, “Wow I bet he is going to be like 10 pounds” or my favorite, “You’ll be induced at 42 weeks, just like you could have been at 38 weeks”. He was only five days overdue but it felt like an eternity. By the weekend I thought the kid would come out with tennis shoes, a mustache and would still be living with us when he turned thirty.

I had an appointment the day before my due date, I was dilated to a 3 and took the midwife up on some interventions, and everyone was confident that labor would start in the next day or two…so this is how we spent the week.

Day 1 overdue - No sweat, Eliza was a day late. My mom flew in on Wednesday. I drove up to IAH with the girls (against my father’s wishes) and we spent the afternoon trekking around IKEA.

Day 2 overdue - We did a ton of shopping, took the girls swimming, and went out for dinner.

Day 3 overdue – cleaned the house, Jared and I went grocery shopping, and what few contractions or signs I had that labor would soon be approaching completely stopped.

Day 4 overdue – Happy freaken 4^th of July. We went to our wards pancake breakfast, came home mowed my lawn (Wanonie’s suggestion) in the 100 heat, weeded the flower beds, took the kids to the 4^th of July festival, cooked dinner and went out to fireworks…and still NOTHING! ( I apologize to anyone who spoke to me that day, I was just plain pissed off).

Day 5 overdue - Sunday morning I woke up at 6:15 am with one solid contraction. I thought to myself, yikes, I forgot how uncomfortable the process is and geared up for a long morning of labor. And then all was silent for about 20 minutes. I got up and walked around and had a few more contractions, not nearly as strong as the first and I debated if it was labor or I really should have passed on the brats the night before.

I told Jared that I thought labor MIGHT be starting, this time he didn’t roll over and go back to sleep. He frantically got out of bed. As he half-hazardly ran around the house getting things together, he kept repeating “Go ~ we got to go”. It was like a broken record. Typically you leave for the hospital when your contractions are 5 minutes apart and last 60 seconds. With my record my midwife recommended 7-8 minutes apart, but she was pretty firm on the 60 second rule. Mine had no pattern yet, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 4 minutes, 12 minutes. Finally about 7:15 something inside told me it was about time to hit the road, but Jared was already dragging me out the door. I told him to knock it off, they probably would not even admit me since nothing was consistent. But he would not take no for an answer. I called the midwife on call, Deb (which lives just up in Clear Lake and we had a good plan) as we headed out the door and said I am kind of having contractions, lasting about 30 – 45 seconds. And she said “you sound great, but if you think its time I am out the door and right behind you on I-45”. I didn’t think it was time, but Jared did, so to make him chill out we went.

This little guy had good timing; Sunday morning is the only time that traffic is dead on I-45. We left and on the course of the 30 mile drive to the hospital in downtown Houston. I had four contractions, not horrible, but mighty uncomfortable being strapped in a seat belt. With each contraction I watched the color drain from Jared’s face and the speedometer on our Buick’s dashboard climb. My water broke about 5 minutes from the hospital. I thought from past experience we have about 30 minutes, we are good to go, no sweat. Jared went from pale to white and started to run stop lights and broke out his mad Nascar skills (which probably did more to speed labor than inhibit it). We pulled up to valet and ran inside and of course there was not a wheelchair in site.

St. Lukes is a huge complex and someone told us to go up to floor three, the problem is there are a half dozen elevators that go to different places. Finally I couldn’t walk anymore, looking back down the hallway seeing the trail on ammonic fluid behind me thinking, there goes part one of my dignity. We finally found the elevator (it’s the Red one for future reference). Some old lady wished me luck. I knew I was getting close but still was in control, the contractions were not horrible, I didn’t feel like I had gone through transition (who needs chills and to puke right)? I still had a good chunk of time and was priding myself on actually getting to the hospital. Security sign in took what seemed forever and then finally we walked onto the OB floor.

We both breathed a sigh of relief, we made it, and we signed in at 8:50am. A nurse came up and said my midwife had called and was just a few minutes behind and warned her I had fast active labors. The nurse took my weight and asked my pain medication preference and I laughed and said I don’t think it’s even an option. We walked into the room she threw me a gown and told me to change in the bathroom and that my midwife was now just a few blocks away. Perfect. The midwife practice I am with is awesome and I was really looking forward to having a labor with them since I didn’t make it downtown with Eliza. I was hoping for more time to you know, relax in the tub and use some of their stellar labor techniques, but can’t be picky, I should be glad we made it. I was changing in the bathroom thinking how much I hated hospital gowns and felt another contraction coming on. Hmm, this one was a little stronger, and then it happened….

He started to crown. Eliza crowned in the car so I thought been here done this, I got this all figured out. I got about 10 minutes left, sweet! Luckily I grabbed his head and lowered my center of gravity. It took me a second to realize what was happening. Within a few seconds of the initial crown came the rest of him. I grabbed him on the way out before he hit the tile (which is probably the only object I have successfully caught in my life). It took a second to register that I had actually delivered my own baby. Isaac came out alert and healthy at 8:54, 4 minutes after checking in.

There is a lot of junk that comes out with the kid, and as that hit the floor I heard the conversation between Jared and the nurse on the other side of the door cease and Jared say, “I don’t think that was the toiled that flushed.” The nurse rushed in completely surprised, but not hysterical like the nurse we had when Eliza was born. She called for a few residents to back her up. And there I was sitting naked on that tiny bathroom floor surrounded by strangers thinking there goes the rest of my dignity. The nurse was really cool, she let Jared cut the cord right there. My midwife ran in just a few minutes after he was born. She was impressed with my self delivery skills and finished the last few things and let me co-sign on the delivery physician line on my take home birth-certificate. The paper work took forever. You know things like; were heart tones present before delivery…sure he came out alive. In the meantime they just let Isaac hang out with us for about an hour before even doing his assessment. My midwife Deb stayed around a chatted for a while before going home. As she headed out the door she laughed and said you know, the 4^th just goes faster.

I can’t speak for Jared, I assume at this point he is done having kids, the drive seems to stress him out :). This birth was not the chaotic experience the last two were; maybe we are just getting use to it. Now on two of my birth records in capital letters it reads “precipitous delivery”. Nature is an amazing thing. With all the technology and interventions we have today, sometimes I think we miss out on the physical and emotional experience that comes with birth. Although quick and unplanned, catching this little guy was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. So now I can cross of my bucket list, “ #57 deliver a baby”, I just never though it would be my own.

Isaac has Arrived....

Five days late, he made one heck of an entrance into the world.....story to come. He is alert and beautiful and everyone is doing well and should be home Monday. As for now..

Born: Sunday July 5th 7:43(ish) a.m.
St. Lukes hospital - Houston
Weight: 8 lbs.
Length: 20"

My nurse and midwife Deb (who was 8 minutes behind me coming from clear lake and didn't make it).

The Waiting Game...

To all those phone calls and emails I have not returend, no baby yet. I am in that don't want to talk about it phase, but I appreciate everyone checking in, just not in the mood to talk.

Kallie (and Jed ironically) had a dream last night that he was born. With that maybe tomorrow is the day.

Happy 2nd Birthday Eliza

It's hard to believe that Eliza is already two years old. Two years ago at 10 am we were still sitting in the recovery room at Clear Lake waiting for color to return to Jared’s complexion, laughing hysterically at the morning events. Where do the years go?

Last night we had a little get-together with neighbors to celebrate. Her birthday is actually today, but we didn’t want to push out luck. We kept it pretty small and low key since I am so close to my due date (yes, no baby yet).

Eliza had a blast! She devoured almost a pound of M&M’s on her own and really got into the presents, she got some really cool things. I have to say the winner was the Nerf basketball hoop, Eliza and Jared played late into the night (not sure who had more fun, my BIL Derek got in on the dunking action also). I think Eliza is destined to be the athletic one; she loves anything with a ball right now.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEET PEA!

No Baby, Just Some Good Brittish Humor

Modesty in the Eyes of a 4-year-old

I guess it’s socially acceptable to run around the house and neighborhood naked, strip down every doll that we own, but not to be born naked….

A family at church just had a little boy and I was looking at the email photos. I thought it would be a good chance for Erin to see what a baby looks like right after they clamp the cord.

Erin took one look and exclaimed, “Mom, thats gross! He’s naked, where are his clothes!?” I told her babies are not born with clothes. She was adamant that they came out diapers, onsie and all. Curious I asked her how that happens. She looked at me like I was an idiot and said “Moooom, you eat the clothes and then they get dressed before they come out.”

I asked her how they got a shirt on with the umbilical cord…she is still thinking about that one…

I won’t even go into the dinner conversation we had after my midwife appt a few weeks ago when they checked me and she was there.

YOUTH CONFERENCE & BIRTHDAY

Talk about a crazy week. Thursday – Saturday was our annual Stake Youth Conference for church. Being YW President, attending most of it comes with the territory. We had 13 teenage girls plus adults stay at our home. This is my crew, I love them to death. They showed up Thursday night and announced they had a well-concocted plan if I went into labor. I said really? Christina was like “I am totally ready to deliver you because it would be totally cool just as long as no one died... Brittany (who does not yet officially have a license) is going to drive to the hospital, and the others are on the towel brigade”. The humorous part was they were completely serious, it was all planned out and “well researched”. Luckily for all parties involved I made it though the weekend, baby still intact.

I will admit by Saturday night after two nights past 1am, 12 hour days, a three hour service project in a cemetery with a 109 heat index and 38 weeks pregnant, I was completely and utterly exhausted. If I would have gone into labor last night, I am dang sure I would have slept through it.

Today I turned 28. Jared took the girls this morning so I could sleep in until 9:30. Growing up I always said I would never get married until 28…..now I am married with 2.9 kids and this is what I look like (mom you wanted a preggo photo, thank Erin for her great photography skills). And I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Jared got me a really nice Swiss hiking pack, which looks pretty hideous on me at this point. I am having this dilemma on how people go shopping with three kids, especially since Eliza can slide out of any shopping cart belt ever made…..I think Jared just solved my problem. I figure we will not be backpacking until at least until fall, but it’s big enough to put Eliza in when I go to the grocery store. I could just pack her in on my back; the material is breathable and has a hydration system in it. It would be perfect minus the fact it would probably look like I was hauling around a rabid badger….cps probably frowns on that eh?

Anyway, spent the afternoon at church and then Jared fixed dinner (chicken basil pasta and brushetta). Minus the point he cooked three pounds of pasta, it was wonderful. Erin helped make a cake and once again I am ready to hit the hay.

Bottoms up

This little guy finally decided Sunday night which way was south (lets hope he stays that way). Most babies face frontwards or backwards, he decides to face left, still not perfect but he still has a few weeks to rotate and its a much better situation. I was really getting concerned and not a big fan of the c-section thing, did some of the fun home exercises and guess it worked, or he just decided it was time.

I am now 37 weeks, and all lights are green, guess we just sit and twiddle our thumbs for the next three weeks and wait for the mad 30-mile dash in rush hour traffic downtown.

Brazos Bend

Some of my Young Women kids have what I call Boy Scout envy. They are always asking why as a girls youth group we don’t go camping, especially since the scouts go every month. This year I petitioned for a little extra money in our budget specifically for camping and it was approved.

So Friday night I headed to Brazos Bend State Park with 18 girls, ages 12-18 to go camping. We were anticipating about 10 would make it, but almost everyone did, which made it really fun.

Since I am 37 weeks along, I figured it was best to take Jared just incase I went into labor. We also took Erin and Eliza and several of the other leaders took their families.

Brazos Bend is a beautiful park known for its century live oaks and its alligator sanctuary. And they were out in full force, its mating season and we saw them everywhere. However, they were not the animals to be scared of; the raccoons at the park are malicious.

When we set up camp, I explained to the girls that there can be no food in their tents…no food, no candy, no toothpaste, no deodorant. It took about three raccoons unzipping tents and tearing through backpacks before they understood it. The last was the blood curdling scream at 1am when someone who was sleeping rolled over to snuggle up to one of the little critters.

Erin entertained herself most of the night by throwing rocks and running after raccoons that came into camp. She thought it was a great game.

The weather at night was beautiful for June (upper 60’s). It was perfect for sleeping, minus the fact I spent most of the night completing what I was thinking camping so pregnant, it was mildly uncomfortable to say the least.

Saturday morning, the girls went hiking. I made it through the night without going into labor, so we skipped the hike and went to the nature center. I was really proud of Erin, she pet a snake (several actually), a tarantula and a baby alligator. Eliza was enthralled with the alligator skulls that showed how big they can open their mouths. And Eliza was very found of the raccoon, which she kept of referring to kitty.

We took our fishing pole, but forgot bait. Erin really wanted to go, so Jared took a rock and tied it on the end of the string so she could catch a “rock fish”. This was one of the guys lurking below our fishing pier.

Finally around noon the summer heat caught up to us and we headed home. It was a really fun weekend and the FIRST time we have gone camping in Texas that we have not camping in sheeting rain.

Now I have to survive youth conference this week and then this little guy can come….

A Life in the Day of Eliza

Eliza has decided to hit her terrible twos just about the time I am so preggo I can’t keep up. Yesterday we had a rough day. I was cleaning the kitchen and they were both in the living room…hiding under the bar between the kitchen and living room where I could not see them. Erin denied collaborating in the crime. I walked out to see my wallet completely emptied. It took me over two hours to recover my debit card (toilet), drivers license (garbage can), temple recommend (washing machine) and one insurance card (under the couch). I decided that was enough to survive for the weekend. I am still missing my credit card (I decided it was just easier to put a stop on it and order a new one), insurance cards, grocery store cards, library cards and pretty much the rest of my life…..and that little incident sent the tone for the day, no one was in a good mood.

Eliza was being a pill. I was in the office when out of the corner of my eye I say something go over the stairs with the thunk, thunk, THUD…..Eliza had stuffed herself in a cylinder container and manage to bounce down the first flight of stairs it in. She actually scared herself for once, but for the first time that day I got a good laugh.

This is Elizas little friend Mikey. Typically she is really mean to him, but has been much nicer lately. Last week he was over and she decided she wanted to serve him dinner. Being a boy, he wasn’t into it, so when he got up for the table, he got a plastic strawberry (yes the same one I dig out of the printer a few months ago) chucked at his head.

Let hope this baby is born with a helmet on, I have a feeling the middle child syndrome is already starting.

Well I am off, I just heard….”Mom get down here and see what Lizza did”…and Friday begins….