Happy Birth Day

Jackson is coming up on the one year mark--just a few more days. The one year is significant in my mind because it is the move from baby to toddler. He seems especially mature because he is a walking pro. My other children chose not to walk until 13 months. Because this is his first birthday, I can't help but reflect upon what was happening at this time last year. So, since I never blogged about his birth story, I have decided to do it now. You can skip to the pictures if you don't want the blow by blow version.

At this time last year, I was largely pregnant and very uncomfortable. I was trying to be patient knowing that infants come with their own challenges but my body just wasn't cooperating. It was very uncomfortable to stand for long, but also uncomfortable to sit for long. For that matter, it was uncomfortable to lay down for too long. And the transition from each position was even more painful as the tendons and ligaments in my torso and hips stretched and moaned. On February 23rd I was getting ready for bed and said to Diego, "I can't believe I have another week to wait. This baby literally feels like he is going to fall out of me."

During the night, on one of my many trips to the bathroom, I felt a strange sensation and immediately thought my water had broken. Since, I wasn't having contractions, I decided to go back to bed. At 6:30, Diego started stirring and I awoke him and told him what had happened. The conversation went something like this:

"Diego?"
"Hmmm?"

"I think my water broke last night."

"Ok."

Pause, pause.

"What did you just say again?"

"I think my water broke."

"Uhhh, aren't you supposed to go to the hospital or something?"

I just wasn't sure . . . this had never happened before. I called the midwife who was even less convinced that something was happening. However, she sent me to get checked anyway. Still no contractions.

I went to the hospital at 8:00 in the morning with Diego and the kids. They said "no water leaking." Still no contractions. Sent home. On the way home, a few little contractions came but I wasn't sure if it was just wishful thinking. (For me, the end of pregnancy is so uncomfortable that a few weak contractions barely register on the pain radar.)

Diego went to work and I decided to take my children to the park. It was the end of February and there were snow crusties and ice on the playground. The kids didn't care though . . . they were just happy to be outside. Contractions started coming a bit more as I was walking about playing with the kids. When a big one would come I would go sit on the bench and then they would stop altogether. My mother called me to see how I was doing. I told her I was having some contractions but wasn't sure if it was the real thing. She told me to keep track of how often they were coming anyway. (My mom is very experienced with birth and has worked for years with pregnant and laboring women.)

Half an hour later, my mom called me again and I said contractions were coming at regular intervals. Out of her own free will, she decided to leave the legislative luncheon that she was at to come be with me for a bit. It was a good thing she did because by the time she got here, I couldn't get my kids lunch and during contractions, couldn't move. Even then, I still wasn't sure I was "really" in labor so I hadn't called Diego to come home. After all, it had only been about two hours since I sent him to work. However, once my mom saw me, she convinced me that it was time to head to the hospital.

Diego came. We left. She took my kids to her house. I was admitted to the hospital less than four hours after leaving. I was dilated to about a 6. Unfortunately, I had to wait for the anesthesiologist for awhile in which time I became completely sure I was in real labor. The pain was much more severe than my other two labors and at one point I even said, "I don't think I can do this."But then, I sucked it up because really, you don't have any choice, right?

Eventually, the anesthesiologist came wheeling in his little cart of sharp needles. As he came through the door, we heard the nurses yell, "No, not her. Number 2 has been here all morning." The anesthesiologist replied very sternly, "this one is farther along and I can't wait too much longer or it will be too late." Oh, heaven bless that rude, headstrong anesthesiologist.

An hour later, I pushed three times to meet a perfect, complete baby boy. So sweet. We say he is made from sugar. (As a side note, Nicolas says that if Jackson is sugar than he, Nicolas, must be pepper.)

We had a beautiful honeymoon period with the baby and then the ensuing weeks proved to be challenging in multiple ways. We worked through the hard parts and barely remember them and just focus on the fun-loving bundle of sugar that is part of my family.

Cabin Fever

I don't have anything to say. Nope nothin'. But I just can't stand the thought of having my current post being about Christmas. I'm done with Christmas. I'm over it. And I don't want to see it again for many months. I must not be a kid anymore.

Right now I am in the winter doldrums. Oh January. Why must you be so long? I'm tired of running with snow in my face and squishy wet shoes. I'm tired of worrying about bad air. I'm tired of staying inside all the time. Wouldn't it be nice to go on a little picnic in the park right about now? And I can't figure out how to get away for a day to go skiing. I've got this baby who only wants mom to put him down for naps. Maybe I just need to wean him already and be done with the whole mess. Yeah, that sounds good. Only, I don't believe the task can be completed before the end of the apex of the ski season. I might only be able to squeeze in one slushy spring run. I'm driving Diego crazy with the whole thing but I feel sort of stuck.

So, I am taking refuse from the winter in cookbooks, food blogs and such. Becoming a foodie in the sedentary winter is probably not the best idea but I just feel so cooped up, you know.

Oh yeah, I did have one idea today. I need to run a half marathon in the spring to get me motivated. Anyone know of a close half I could run in the spring?

To top it all off, our landlord emailed the other day and said she is going to drop by for a visit on Monday. Just for a short inspection. That might be fine for regular people but I am in no position to have my closets and medicine cabinets scrutinized. We live with barely controlled chaos around here. And although I am taking impeccable care of the house itself, I'm not sure that she will be able to see it. The thought of having it all clean at the same moment sends shudders through my body. It would be so easy for me to clean it now and be done with it . . . three little kids later it would be just as filthy by then. Everything has to be cleaned within the last hour of someone entering. That's how bad it's gotten.

Yesterday Alisa went to school in the morning while Jackson napped. Nicolas was at school too so I had two blissful hours of silence. I took the opportunity to shower and clean the kitchen. By 11:30 it was all done and I was sitting in awe just looking around. By 3:30 Alisa had thrown moon sand all around the kitchen (she said it looked like fireworks), Jackson had dumped the dishwasher silverware basket and completely emptied one cupbboard. Meanwhile Nicolas had been playing in the snow and tracked mud/slush all around the house while systematically stripping his wet clothing. AND all three of them were yelling at me to let them have cookies. Is this what I signed up for? I could laugh if every day wasn't like that.

See one more plug for summer . . . . kids spend the day outside too.

Holiday Pictures

CHRISTMAS EVE


Tracking Santa Around the World (Nicolas and Jackson)


Building Puzzles (Mark and Michael)


Food (Dad, Mom, Patti)


Nativity Story (Alisa, Jackson, Nicolas, Michael, David, Mark, Kristen, Patti)


Adriel, Alisa, Isabel

CHRISTMAS DAY


Mayhem at Midnight


Nicolas was the only child of mine awake at midnight to open his presents


A very tired Alisa opening presents after the sun came up


Jackson opening his one present (babies don't need presents, right?)


Alisa in a new dress-up


Nicolas trying out his binoculars


I got this--don't ask me how to use it


Diego making breakfast. When he saw this picture, he said "whoa hair!" I guess he didn't know he looked like this that morning.

NEW YEARS EVE
Snowshoeing in the backyard

The Back and Forth Game

Is it possible to be more excited for Christmas than your kids? I think I am. Not because I think I'm getting something great under the tree. And not because I'm sure to have some dissapointed children who don't get what they want. Well, probably one dissapointed child who is an eternal pessimist. (It never fails: he gets a whole bag of loot and within an hour is complaining about being bored.) No, I am more excited because I know what's coming.

I have the unique experience of having my family and my spouses family living one block apart. I know I can't be the only one with a set up like this but it does make for an interesting Christmas. Christmas Eve we head to my parents house in the late afternoon. This is after taking a nap (hopefully) and loading up the minivan with my food assignments, all of our sleeping requirements, and all of our presents. There we play games, eat Christmas dinner, and have a "live nativity." Then we hop back in the car to cross the road to my in-laws. We can't possibly be required to walk because carrying three kids through 20 degree weather just isn't worth it.

At the Carrolls, we play more games, eat Christmas dinner again, and have a Christmas program. Then as we are all enjoying dessert downstairs, Santa drops off all our presents. We have never caught a glimpse of him but we always hear his footsteps and "ho, ho, ho." Aren't we lucky? In case you are wondering, it is now 12:00 and officially Christmas Day. We run upstairs, open all our presents in a mad frenzy with flying wrapping paper and, sometimes, flying children. Some of the gang stay up all night playing with their new video games, pop n style cabbage patch or whatever. Me? I drag my group back to my parents by 1:30 or 2:00 because I'm trashed.

Back again, we get in as much sleep as a baby will let us (maybe only a few hours) and then are awake ready to open presents again with the Valentines. The rest of the day is spent back and forth from house to house as we see fit. Does this sound crazy to you? IT IS. And it takes me two days before I'm not tired anymore. But that's what we do.

Man, I started this post planning on telling another story about Alisa but it looks like I got sidetracked. That will have to wait for another day, I guess.

We Love Chest

The other day Nicolas and I were playing a rousing game of chess whilst Alisa looked on collecting the killed pieces. Alisa calls it "chest." I don't know why I was playing chess with a 6 year old--quality time? Or more likely . . . that's about my chess level. He is catching on to how each piece moves and how to look ahead a few moves. He instinctively plays very defensively by building up barriers around the king and protecting each piece. He's not very proactive about killing . . . there has got to be some sort of psychological cues to him in that. I don't now . . . self preservation, I guess.

Anyway to get on with the story, as Alisa collected our pieces she would line them up or set them up in formation for parties or whatever and they would talk to each other (typical girl--turns chess pieces into dolls.) Later, I heard her say that they were at church (I'm sure you can see what's coming) but I wasn't really paying attention. Soon though, I looked over and she had all the pieces on one side of the piano bench in a group while one piece was on the other side facing the group. It was a church congregation. It just so happened that the piece that was facing the rest was, of course, THE BISHOP. She must have been listening to us pretty carefully to figure out which piece was the bishop. Very perceptive.

Housework, Staples, and $9.00 Fleece Pants

Last week was Thanksgiving and I did no, absolutely no, housework. I'm paying for it this week . . . had that panicky feeling yesterday when I realized there was no place in the house where I could sit down without utter chaos. Nothing a little floor scrubbing won't fix.

Also, the cold is coming. I thought it had already got here until I checked the weather report last night. Fourteen degrees. Are you kidding me? I went and bought some $9.00 fleece pants for running. I told Diego this morning that it is one of the best $9.00 I've spent. Adidas vinyl just doesn't cut it.

Speaking of spending . . . I feel like it's an avalanche right now. Sorry Diego, I really am trying to reign it in. Holidays and growing kids aren't a good staple.

Speaking of staples . . . Alisa had staples in her head last week. A heavy pot fell off the counter and landed on her head. It split right open. The staples look like real staples. Imagine that. I'm too lazy to download the picture but here are some other pictures.

I've Got Crazy Hair

Washing the Blankie Requires Constant Supervision

Is He Really Painting Wood Chips?

Mom Forgot to Wash My Cute Little Face

Waiting for Mom to Get Ready for Church

Beautiful People

I know I am completely biased but I think that my family is beautiful. Here are some pictures that we had done by my friend Amber--Emoticon Photography. We have some more traditional shots too but I love these leaves shots. You get only kid pictures today. Sorry.