best feeling ever

Since we told our kiddos that we were going to become a family of 5, I have been imagining how they would react.

I was totally unprepared for the rush of emotion watching the 3 of them meet.  Babies totally bring out the best in people including my little ones.  A. calmed her intensely sensitive and reactive personality and relaxed with him.  K. calmed his crazy running around personality and sat to examine each and every toe and finger.  This fantastic change lasted for about 20 minutes while my overly emotional self watched with tears in my eyes.  

However, then, the emotion transferred back to my two kiddos.  They realized that they were leaving and  the baby and I were staying.  They started to cry in my room and apparently continued with louder and louder sobs until B. transferred them to Oma and Papa at the door to the hospital.  

Fast forward a few days and my expectations have been met.     

  I knew that A. was going to be my little mama.  I knew that she would want to hold him, change him, dress him, the whole 9 yards.  I knew that she would help me by caring for him when I cooked dinner.  I knew that she would be fiercly protective of him yet want to show him off.  I also knew that we would have many talks about who the actual mama was. 

 However, I wasn't able to quite grasp how K. would react.  I had some scenarios in my head of him throwing the baby like a ball or trying to tackle him.  I was not prepared for the complete love that K. has shown for his brother.  It might be different once R. can play back but, for now, K. is happy with cuddling, sharing his tractors to a practically unresponsive infant.

he's here

My fantastic OB wrote me out of work starting Oct 26.  Man were those last few days amazing.  Kids in school, Mama resting and nesting.  Glorious... Thanks, little one.

On Oct 30, at about midnight, I started having contractions.  Well, I've done this now about 5 times with this little one.  I'm not falling for it again.  I waited it out for about 2 hours timing them and then decided that I should get up and walk around.  At 3:45 B. came down to find me eating some raisin bran with almond milk.  Well, they won't let us eat once we get to the hospital.... We left the house around 5 and got to the hospital at 5:30.  When we got there, the nurse asked, "What brings you in?"  Seriously...  We got through those shenanigans and got admitted to a room where they started the blood work for the epidural.  Well, a downfall of going so early in the morning to a small town hospital is that they do not keep an anesthesiologist in the hospial.  Nope, you have to wait for the blood work and then they call the Dr. whom then commutes the 25 minutes to the hospital.  Well, this little guy was not waiting for that.  B. got to be the lucky person to tell me that this was going to be an unmedicated birth.  As soon as he told me, I said, "well, lets get this baby out."  Unfortunately, he was sunny side up and apparently lodged behind my pelvis.  So, it still took 1.5 hours for him to come.  I was so out of it, that I didn't even know that he was finally born.  It was B's. job to tell me the sex of the baby.  The midwife said, "Sarah the baby is here."  I immediately looked at B.  His response, "I don't know, there is a lot going on down there..."  1 job, he had 1 job.  Haha

So, our sweet little guy was born at 8:02 am 

Big sister and big brother were told by 8:10 with a picture to my mom's cell phone.  Apparently, the rest of the town knew at 8:40 when the happiest girl and happiest boy ever went to school.  What could be better than a baby brother and a Halloween parade on the same day?

let the waiting begin

From Oct 2015-

This is the first time that we have not known the sex of the baby by week 20.  This is the first time that I have felt such peace yet such anticipation for the arrival of our little one.  A. was born at 39 weeks and 5 days.  K. was born at 36 weeks and 5 days.  So, this little baby could come at any time now.  I keep setting milestones to pass 

 1) Oct 1 so that my 12 weeks of FMLA leave would get us through the New Year-- check  

2) Oct 12 so that we go on our trip to Williamsburg

Check- though not witout some excitement.  After we went to bed on Fri night, I started having contractions.  They were pretty consistent for over 3 hours though never got more intenxe.  Brandon was looking up hospitals and we were getting excited that Nanny and Pappy would be around to see their great grandchild in his/her first hours.  But, when we were getting up to get ready to go, poof, no more contractions.  Only a very tired Mama that couldn't handle the all day trip to Busch Gardens.  So, everyone else went and I had a glorious spa pedicure and walk around Colonial Williamsburg by myself.  Thanks baby

3) Career day for A.  on Oct 14-- check

OK baby-- now it is time to come.  I've told every single patient that I may not be back.  Lets do this

scuba diving, under arresting, farmer

Sometimes, I take full advantage of being a working mom with a flexible schedule.  Sometimes, I take full advantage of living in a rural area.  Then, sometimes I get all emotional about it and cry because I feel so blessed.  This was one of those days.  

My little guy LOVES big machinery.  He doesn't care what kind, he only cares that they are huge and work on a farm.  He is partial to Deere but, when given the option of tractor or no tractor, any type will do.  

So, when I went to see a patient on a HUGE working farm during fall harvest, I casually mentioned my 4 year old that just happens to want to be a farmer, a scuba diver, and a police person to under arrest bad guys.  Since, we have no place to scuba dive and it isn't the best time to be with under arresting people, the farm would make a perfect afternoon for him.  The farmer obliged and arranged for a combine ride.  We talked about it for a few days and every night he would ask how many hours, minutes, and seconds until it was his turn on the combine.  (next time, I will not tell him so early...).  Finally, the day came.  

My very pregnant body was not climbing up that ladder so K. had to go by himself. 

They took 3 swipes of the field while I sat and watched and again counted my blessings.  This may or may not be fueled by pregnancy hormones...  When his big smiling face came off the combine, I asked him how it was.  "Perfect,"  he said, "we talked like big dudes and then sang some songs."  Ummm ok.  

"What did you sing?" 

"This is how we roll."  

Why not?  So, my little scuba diving, under arresting, farmer, I hope you enjoyed your time!!

little athletes

This blog is written by a back row dancer.  Yes, my parents paid thousands of dollars for me to take dance lessons up to 6-12 hours a week.  I went to dance competitions, dance camp, and even danced at the half time of the Citrus Bowl.  All, because my dance team carried me.  I was by no means a star.  So, watching my kids thrive is extra amazing.  

This year in field hockey, A. has been awesome.  She can't wait to go and her coach raves about how feisty that she is.  My girl will follow a ball with the best of them and even managed to score s few goals.  But, like me, she starts to feel out of breath and freaks herself out.  She pulled herself out of the game on 3 different occasions because she "couldn't breathe"  Girl, get over it and play some ball.

 

In stark contrast to last years screaming and crying, K. is apparently quiet the little soccer player.  His first few games, while the 3 year olds were figuring out how to kick the ball, K was running around them and scoring 7-9 goals per game.  Yes, we counted (no participation trophies, Play like a champion).  But, about 6 games in, he started to get bored.  Then, soccer became a tackle sport to him and a few other 4 year old boys.  I went from stoked to watching my boy excel to dreading having to pull my apparent defensive lineman off the field.  Fine, take the stupid participation trophy and lets be done with this...

Pre K

Welcome to maternity leave where I have ¸vowed to try and update this blog.  There are so many stories that are already fading from my memory... 

This boy is now in Pre K.  There was a long emotional roller coaster where we didn't know if he would get into the program.  We didn't know if he would have to stay at his fabulous school where we pay for him to go full time or have half days at the free program.  The free program that would allow me to decrease my work schedule to 4 mornings and 1 full day.  I called the school in tears because I didn't know how we would still pay for everything.  Then, one day, he just got in.  They just called, 4 days before he was supposed to start and said, "we need to know in the next few minutes if he is coming."  Well, you don't have to ask me twice...  Then, the tears were leaving his old school, his amazing teachers, and his friends.  Can you say pregnancy emotions?

K.'s pre K questions

1. What is your favorite color? green

2. What is your favorite thing about school?  playing

3. Who is your best friend?  Lincoln

4.  What do you want to be when you grow up?  A football player

5.  Do you behave at school?  yes