A's just growing and growing

Here is Sir Atticus. He is all sorts of fun. I suppose that I should cover some of his latest accomplishments. He will be four months on October 8...but he loves to role on his side to sleep, suck his thumb, read books, play under his play gym. Laugh. Scream. Diaper changes. And people, he really loves to babble and talk to people. He does not like: pacifiers, eating, and missing the party for nap time.

Milestones: He can roll from front to back and back to front. He is starting to get his bottom teeth. He is talking around the clock. Smiling. Laughing. Controlling his head.

So far, I love being a mom. I think he is just about the best thing to happen in my life, and Parker feels the same. The only thing more fun than being a mom is seeing other people that you love and care about also enjoy the delightful personality of your sweet little baby!

Here are some update photos and even a video.

He is so cute that even with a massive zit on his nose, he is a heart breaker.

We don't actually put him on side. He always starts on his back, but he loves this position. He also loved this position while in the womb. And usually, there is a thumb in that mouth too. Little Rebel.

We share the same left cheek dimple. Faces people. We are talking about faces!

Summer time swimming. 

Some awesome cousin time in the pool! Here is Lucy (3) and Brighton (18 mos) playing with cousin Atticus! 

Pacifiers happen so in frequently that we try very hard to catch it on camera every time it does, so that we can pretend we have a child that will take a pacifier like other normal children. 

We went to dinner with Kamilla. Parker met her on his mission in Norway. She was in town for a visit from Oslo. She was truly delightful. 

Just two guys spending some time looking at electronica. I think this was probably two seconds before I  body slammed the i-pad because I know babies aren't supposed to look at electronica too much, but come on, is that the cutest? I think so. 

And here is what was being viewed. Apparently, Parker was in a political mood this day...an uncommon mood for my husband, so I guess I am lucky to have caught it on camera. 

Just last week, Atticus got his first cousin on the Wightman side. Her name is Ellen Wightman, and she is darling. Atticus was quite taken with her. 

Here he is with his play gym. He favors Mr. Frog there, and if you look hard, you can tell he is focused completely on hitting that dangling green reptile. Are frogs reptiles? We are going to say yes. 

Unintentionally made him look like a gnome. We try to add diversity to our son's life by making him be the many things that add diversity rather than just learning about htem. 

G-pa Randy and Atticus were rocking the same outfit this day. Look at that love. 

Here are Atticus and Ellie again. She is so new. He was really trying to decide whether his new cousin or the awesome ladybug design on her blanket was more interesting. I am going to say that the ladybugs won out this day...but in time, I think it will be Ellie 100%. 

Also, you may have noticed his rather prominent birth mark on his forehead. A funny story regarding that. We have a neighbor whose wife is expecting a baby in November. As a result, he is rather excited about babies in general, and loves to hold and play with Atticus. While at a neighborhood bbq a few weeks ago, this neighbor had Atticus sitting with his body being supported by his own on the grass. Parker called over to this neighbor, stealing his attention. We are fairly certain that this neighbor didn't realize Atticus couldn't sit up all by himself quite yet, so when he turned to respond to Parker, Atticus face-planted in the grass. More than likely, this startled him more than hurt him, but he isn't quiet about his discomfort. So, pretty much everyone at the bbq soon realized something had happened to Atticus, and of course, our neighbor friend felt terrible. Several hours later, while holding Atticus and talking to another neighbor, she looked at Atticus and said... looking at his birth mark..., "Wow, he took quite fall." We assured her this was in fact not a bruise, but it still struck us as funny. So there you have it! I like to think of him as our very own Gorbachev, and I believe that Parker looks at it as an awesome Harry Potter-esque attribute. So, though most people say it will lighten with time, I think we would be fine either way. 

New Blog

So, I know that this will seem funny, but I have created a new blog. I know that I am not so great at keeping up on our family blog, but I hope at my other blog you will find me more consistent. It is a blog of my thoughts and opinions I suppose...so read if you like.

My NEW blog address is:

makeyourinfluencefelt.blogspot.com


Enjoy!

If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear (the irony of my birth story)

If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear (D&C Section 38), a familiar and fairly well accepted ideology the world over. Preparation = lack of fear. Fair enough friends, fair enough.

Now enter child birth.

Hmmmm.

All the preparation in the world cannot fully prepare you for childbirth. And while this may appear a tongue and cheek quip, I assure you that I do not mean it in any comical fashion. Child birth is hard. Yep. There it is, but holy crapolla CHILD BIRTH IS AMAZING. And that my friends, far outweighs any talk of the arguable unpleasantness associated with bearing a child. All the preparation in the world, could not have fully prepared me for how incredible I felt as I pushed my son into this world and felt his warm little body on my rather exposed self. Nothing could have prepared me for the sacredness of the occasion. For the emotional outpouring of a loving husband and brand new father. For the rush of love that washed over me as I realized the tiny beginnings of motherhood. For the awe that I felt realizing that the medical staff present witness this miracle everyday.

This is not to say that things went as I planned. In fact, nothing went as I planned. Months of preparation and I can honestly say that my birth plan seems a bit of a joke in retrospect, but none of that minimizes the incredible experience of childbirth and how immensely grateful I am that in the end, we had a healthy beautiful little boy.

Bout time for a post...and some pics

My goodness. What a roller coaster these past almost two weeks have been. I know that I owe you all a post about labor and delivery. I know that I will end up writing one about breastfeeding too. So be excited for those! They are coming, but today, maybe just some darling pictures of our new little son. He is such a sweet baby. I love him so much. It is funny to see how similar his tendencies are outside the womb as they were in. He LOVES to sleep on his side. He LOVES to be all stretched out. He LOVES to just relax. He is darling... as long as he is fed. Parker and I still aren't getting much sleep. That is definitely the hardest part of these first few weeks. Being sleep deprived makes everything seem so much harder and daunting, but I really love this little fellow.

Maybe it will happen this week!

So, I went to the doctor today, much better visit than last week. I just knew that I had changed and progressed. I really think that if I can just make it to next Monday's appointment without having to be induced, I will go into labor on my own.

Today, I was 80% effaced and 1 cm dilated. Some of you will look at those numbers and mock...but to me they represent a change. ANY CHANGE. And I am so very grateful for that. I definitely am feeling my body prepare more, and occasionally, I even have a small form of contraction separate from the Braxton Hicks variety that I have been so abundantly blessed with.

The only problem with today's visit was my blood pressure, it was a wee bit high, so that means a Thursday morning appointment as well as some more non-stress testing, but honestly, I am glad. That way I can check in, and re-solidfy that all is well. So long as I am healthy and well, and the baby is healthy and well, my doctor seems delighted to let me take my time getting induced. I am so grateful for this. Last week, I felt all kinds of pressure to set a date, but the whole tenor of today's visit was different. Three cheers for today!

Anyway, as my body prepares, I find myself often thinking. I should clean the house....or I could sleep. I should wash the dishes...or I could sleep. I should walk....or I could sleep. Fortunately, reading is like sleeping with your eyes open, but people seem considerably more impressed when you tell them you have been reading, so that is my one saving grace.

Hopefully the stormy weather today will take a grand toll upon my body and the barometric pressure will prove valuable to women across the valley but putting them into labor. If not though, I will probably be curled up with a book sleeping awake...until I actually sleep asleep.

That's today's update. Huzzah!

39 weeks and 2 days

Here is the update, for all you desirous souls. I went to the doctor today, and she said that I am still just as closed as ever. I have decided to take this as a compliment. I am such a good mommy that my kid literally can't get enough of the home I have created for him inside of me. Additionally, I am like Fort Knox in terms of protecting him, I mean seriously, who knew I would be this good at providing safety and security for this little one.

My doctor asked me today if I have thought much about when I would want to be induced. Actually, her exact words were, "Do you think you will be itching to get this baby out by 41 weeks?" An interesting question since I think most people are "itching" to get their babies out as soon as they find out they are pregnant.

But in my oh so clever and non-commital way, I told her that I just wasn't sure. This is a defense mechanism that many years of school have taught me, when in doubt just say you aren't sure...weighing your options...considering the possibilities...etc. This allows you some serious time to actually decide what you want to do, and not make a rash emotional decision when the deliverer of your child is looking you in the face and essentially saying that if I wanted, the child could be in my arms tomorrow.

So, as I have reflected on my options, I HAVE MADE A DECISION. And that is this. Most of you know that my due date is on Sunday, as in this Sunday, June 3rd, 2012. HOWEVER, I have chosen not to actually count this as my due date, because YEARS of school have taught me that a "due date" actually means something gets delivered that day, and well, that just isn't usually the case with these darling wee ones. SO, instead, I HAVE officially moved my due date in my mind to June 17, 2012. That is the date that I will be induced assuming the baby doesn't come and he is still healthy, as it is the very last possible day that my insurance will cover my birth. That gives this little fellow a two week window to just do his thing and work his way on through the birthing canal. I know that there are risks going so over, but there are risks NO MATTER WHAT, and this is what I want to do. I desire this.

SO, if you want my guess, I think that I will have my little boy Wednesday, June 13, 2012. I think he will be 7 lbs 13 oz.

I can't wait to meet him...but I guess I can a little longer because the FACT of the matter is this: one way or another, I will have my very own baby in 19 short days. Why rush when I have a hard and fast due date like that?

I shall of course keep you posted if anything happens before that, but for now, focus on the fact that I will be giving Parker the BEST FATHER'S DAY present ever this year, because by Father's Day, June 17th, 2012...I will make him a Father. HUZZAH!

Wishing for a change

It's 1:36 am currently. I am still awake. This is a common occurrence as of late. It has become increasingly harder to sleep at night. It isn't so much that I am uncomfortable, just a bit of insomnia I guess. We have 1.5 weeks until my due date. Just 1.5, and yet this last part seems so long. I know it isn't. I know that soon I will be holding my little boy, and it will seem like all this build up was just a blink, but my goodness my emotions are up and down each day.

I christened my kiddie pool today. It was lovely. I thought that I would want all that pool for myself, but who am I kidding, watching toddlers play in the pool while I also played in the pool like a two year old...how much better can life get? Maybe that makes me a sharer. I sure hope so. Best spent afternoon for a while.

I have been 50% effaced and -1 station with 0 dilation since 36 weeks. I think I have decided that in the future, I don't want to be checked for progress until 40 weeks. I am just too bummed after each appointment where I haven't progressed.

Labor is such an odd thing. I mean, you go to the hospital for it, but you aren't sick and it isn't negative, the whole thing makes my head have to think hard. It is so strange to me that your body can be perfectly content one moment and working on getting a baby out the next moment.

Law school grades don't come out for ages. Probably that is a good thing. But yet another waiting game.

I have cleaned every surface of our house. Thanks to the help of my mother-in-law, I have also cleaned all carpets and couches that we own.

We traded in our car for a better one, but the whole thing has me thinking I should have thought more. Those are the worst kinds of feelings about decisions. The ones where for months after you wonder if it was a really a good choice. I think I will wonder until this car is paid off, and then, even then, I will probably still wonder. I know this much: I sure hope it was a good choice, but I think I will be wiser in the future. You know it was an iffy decision when that is the moral you take away.

Anyway, I think I am ready for a change: preferably in the baby form. Hopefully, I will be able to report that change soon...