Sunday, July 29, 2012

Starting the Day Off Right

This morning I woke up feeling grateful, which happens...never. Usually it takes me a good hour or so to access the positive range of human emotions. Its amazing what a good nights rest can do though - Joseph only woke up once last night, bless his soul, and Riley slept till seven thirty. Its a beautiful day, best day of the week, and my little girl is cuddling with me as I type, occasionally contributing her own writing such as bhghgyjnnknkkm. It all reminded me of this song Don sent us when we found out we were pregnant again nine months ago. Its uplifting and makes me happy, and he won't mind my sharing so I thought I should.

Good Sabbath!




Saturday, July 28, 2012

Watch This. Unless You Hate Babies and Smiling.

The exercise that produces endorphins for the whole family :)

Taking down Dad

Life is good
(Videographer credit to Gweepa McClure)

 
Getting excited about hands smaller than hers, and Joe enduring some sibling love, ancestors protect him.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Joseph Maverick Munion


         I had been having contractions for weeks but nothing regular enough to call labor. So I elected to have an induction. The hospital starts calling inductions in at five thirty and I was wide awake by four thirty, excited and hoping they didn't have a sudden influx of natural labors so that they would call me asap. The call came at 5:45. I alerted Mom and Dad (who arrived from VA on Thursday) to watch Riley and Dave and I left as soon as they arrived. By 7:30 I was on Pitocin and feeling contractions about 2.5 minutes apart. I got the epidural as soon as the doctor broke my water because contractions suck. A word on the epidural: it was administered by a man in smiley face suspenders who "was doing this long before [I was] born." He was quite a character but had that needle in in three minutes easy and ahh sweet relief - I took a nap. By this time Mom had arrived, passing off Riley to Don so she could be with me for the birth and Dad could go to Idaho for my sister, Emily's graduation. Dave and Mom kept me supplied with ice chips (conveniently, the only thing they allow you to have before you deliver as well as the only craving I have had with both my pregnancies) and kept me from boredom the whole whopping 6 hours it took to deliver.
    Around eleven came the only complication of the day - baby's heart rate started to drop during contractions. "He probably just has the cord wrapped around his neck a little bit," said the nurse. Wha??? Sounds bad, but the staff didn't seem too concerned - apparently it happens a lot and isn't dangerous up to a point. They stopped the pit for about an hour to give him a break and then gave me a small dose to get me the last few centimeters dilated and it was time to push. Know what? THREE contractions, and he was out! It was so easy it was ridiculous. Less than five minutes of pushing, and at 1:02, Joseph Maverick Munion - all 19 inches, 7 lbs of him - made his debut. 


     They put his slimy, purple self on my chest and it was love at first sight.
 We cuddled and then they took him across the room and cleaned him up a bit before returning him to our arms where he made the funniest, sweetest cooing noises you ever heard and had us laughing and kissing like it was New Years Eve. I'm trying to think of a happier moment and drawing a blank. I'm also trying to put the feeling into words and its difficult. You might say its how you would feel if you had been waiting for someone you love more than life for twenty-something years and you've prepared and planned all those years and then they, he, finally arrives. And you feel like you specifically were meant to be a family, same as I felt when I married Dave and when Riley was born. God is good.
      Eventually they and took him down to Recovery to bathe him, get his prints, etc, accompanied by Dave. I hung around so they could remove my epidural and regain the use of my legs (last time they let the epidural subside at the end so I could feel the contractions and when to push, but this time I had it full strength up to the end and they just told me when to push). We met up in the recovery room we would occupy for the next two days. Riley came with Suzette and Jakob and she was hyped up on the excitement and could spare only a few moments to pat Joseph on the head before she was off, swinging on the bed rail or twirling in the curtains. I was content to let everyone else hold the newest member so I could order food. I wasn't famished - it'd only been 9 hours since I'd eaten at this point - but I'd been looking forward to hospital catering which seriously is amazing.

curtains vs baby brother
     That night Dave stayed on the pull-out in the room with me and Mom stayed with Riley (that girl is going to be sooo bored when it is just us at home again). Joseph slept most of the time, and the nurses took care of his diaper so all we had to do was relax and enjoy cuddles or feed him when he was hungry.
   Saturday had one sad moment: circumcision. Da-du-duuuu... It was quick and he did great (so I heard - I did not witness the actual event), but then - and tune out now if you are easily nauseated - Dave was changing his diaper a few hours later and Joe kicked the still healing wound in just the wrong way and it started bleeding. A lot. It was awful and totally unexpected. I called for the nurse and she helped us get it under control and diaper him back up, and she took him to the nursery to put thrombin on the cut to help it clot quicker. Since then there have been no issues, I'm happy to say. I  included this little vomit-tale in case any of you are going to have your son circumcised - something to be aware of, though I'm told it doesn't happen a lot.  I've never seen Dave get pale over anything, and he's been injured and bloody lots of times, but...well, the above-right picture was taken just after the crisis passed.
     Picture#1: Taking Riley home from the hospital. 
Picture #2:Taking two babies home from the hospital, 13 months later. I think its wearing on Dave :)

Sunday we checked out of the hospital and got home around 11. Mom and Dad made dinner and watched babies. Dave went to church and taught Sunday school. I was supposed to nap or something but I think my nesting instinct finally kicked in because I wanted to vacuum and clean stuff instead, which is what I did. Girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. Em and Chris came for dinner and we went for a walk after and everything was incredibly peaceful and oh-so-normal like. That night, stuff got real, know what I mean? Baby boy was fussy and awake a lot and managed to pee and spit up on both of us and Riley woke up a couple times. But we survived, and in fact it wasn't as bad as it was the first time we had a newborn - everything has seemed a lot easier this time around. Half the labor time, faster recovery, and its not the unknown anymore - we've done all this before.





Joe has dark blue eyes with brown around the pupils - we are thinking they will be all brown eventually. And he has his dads long limbs, fingers and toes.





      Its been fantastic to have lots of family and friend visits over the past few days and people have been so considerate in offers to babysit or bring meals and delivered thoughtful gifts. I have felt quite spoiled! Dave has paternity leave till Monday and another week when he wants to take it and spending time together as a family of four has been priceless. And how lucky am I that Dave and Riley will go for walks and come back with presents - flowers for me or a sock monkey for Joe's crib, for example.
        Riley keeps a close eye on her baby brother - when he is awake and flailing his arms around she will run over to give him a high-five, and when he wakes up in his bassinet she is usually the first one there, standing on tippy toes, trying to peek in and making concerned noises in our direction.


       There are a few things I'd forgotten that I want to remember, and then this novel will end:
1)Newborn smell - I don't know of anything like it and I take deep inhales of it ten times a day because I don't know how long it will last. It is divine.
2)Newborns, or at least mine, really are that tiny, so be sure and bring a going home outfit that looks impossibly small - the 0-3month size swamped our lil' Joe.
3)There is technique to breastfeeding - request a lactation consultant while you are in the hospital, even if its not your first kid - babies are all different anyway. We are good now, but it took a couple days to remember what the consultant told me to do with Riley and get everything running smoothly.
4)When baby is fussy in the middle of the night and you are sleep-deprived, it is more effective to pray to know what to do to help him than to pray for him to please konk out now. Its a good life lesson, and kind of a silly way to learn it, but applies in all our trials - we are meant to learn something and usually its not that by simply by asking our trials will be removed.

Friday, July 20, 2012

Twas the Morning of Due Date

And all through the house, not a creature was stirring...except the big ole pregnant lady. Its 5:21am. I'm up and waiting for the hospital to call and tell us to come in so I can be induced and have Joe today! I fell asleep last night thinking how I should have documented Riley's last day as an only child. She is 13 months old today and WHAT A DELIGHT she has been! She makes me laugh every day and is already showing her personality to be social, empathetic, and loving. Its hard to imagine loving another baby this much but I hear your heart just expands to make room, or something. I'm as excited to see how thats going to work as I am to meet our son, see what he looks like and what his little personality is like. At the moment he is giving me an inner ab-wall massage - I can feel knees and toes all down my sides and on my hip bones - how kind of him.
    Yesterday we had a nice day together. Started out with Riley and I going to the gym - my last chance to work out for a month or so and Riley's to see her fellow mini gym rats. Then I went to the doctor, who told me that I was progressed to 3cm and that she thought the delivery would probably go really fast once I start pitocin and get my water broken. That would be great! Riley took 12 hours getting here and it was kind of boring. The past half hour I've had contractions about 9 minutes apart so that is promising. After the doctors, nap time, then Mom and Dad got here and gave us presents (Riley finally has a rocking chair of her very own and she is estatic), and took us to dinner along with Em's new husband, Chris. We had a nice visit and then turned in for an early evening to get some rest before the big day. Which is today! Now I just need the hospital to call us! They said they start calling around 5:30. Its 5:38. Jeopardy music has been playing in my head since I got up at 5. In the meantime I am re-watching this ridiculousness that Dave shared with me last night:
In other news: Em is graduating today and moving down to SL to finally live with her hubby: congratulations to her and cheers to a new chapter!!!

THEY CALLED - WE'RE GOIN IN!

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Song from Dave

Dave shared this song with me today and it made me really happy, so here is me passing on some happy.
Riley liked it too:


Silly baby...
Delightful! A few other things that are cause for joy lately:
  • Honey vanilla greek yogurt (http://www.greekgodsyogurt.com/html/yvanillahoney.php) - LOVE! I like it with granola, graham crackers, fruit, chocolate chips - not all together, though that would probably be divine.
  • Dave found an awesome double stroller, in black and purple and I can't wait to wheel my two babies around in it
  • I have made ten freezer meals, mostly "dump" kits that can go in the crockpot and will make life easier when I need it to be. I'm so proud.
  • Riley has learned to pick up her toys! Now we just need her to change diapers.
  • Mom and Dad are getting here this week, as is our new baby, as is Joy Kennedy from England, whom I haven't seen in years!


Thursday, July 12, 2012

Here Ya Go, Cyber Void

     I feel like. I want to. Ok, I am too lazy to get up and get my journal, or the camera, but I want to get some thoughts out there and oh hello the computer is right here! So, a picture-less blog post it is. Its been a tiring few days. I am lucky to have had a really healthy pregnancy and everything is progressing well toward due date, one week from tomorrow, but I just gotta say I would love to have this baby tonight. Maybe its the stretch marks that have just presented themselves (never had em on my belly before) or the fat feet and ankles (new today too), or the Dr. telling me we could induce tomorrow (decided to wait for due date though).
      I guess its a good thing today was Dave's day off and Suzette offered to babysit so we could go out - I needed a date with the hubby. Its nice to hold hands and talk about inconsequentials, have ice cream and a movie and drive around in our 'stang (Dave had a minor collision - other guys fault - and so we got this charger as a replacement while the jeep is in the shop). We saw Moonrise Kingdom and it was just the thing - I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience and thought the main character, "the least-popular scout...by a significant margin," was totally awesome and refreshingly original. I can see our kids being totally original and awesome too. Riley already is. If you've endured my babbling so far, you deserve some cute stories:
       In the past few days Riley has given me a wet willy and pantsed me while I was kneeling against the couch, the little bully. When we had family prayer yesterday morning I peeked to see what shinanigans she was up to and wouldn't you know it but she had her hands clasped like ours and her eyes squinted almost shut as she paced around and around us. Then Dave kissed me goodbye to head to work and she came over for a kiss too but last minute stuck her tongue out and that's what I got to kiss. Oh it was pretty disgusting but gave us all a good laugh. When I picked her up from the gym's daycare today the attendants told me that she is the most social baby - that she is constantly making the rounds so she can be a part of all the games and interact with all the other 15 or so kids. Maybe a reason God gave us her is to inspire me to be more friendly and interested in people - Riley is definitely superior that way.
       I can't wait till we have this awesomeness squared - two little nuts to love and laugh at. With. There now, I feel much better than two paragraphs ago - nothing like spilling your brains into writing!

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Vacumming with her head


Hey Dad - this is how Riley bumped her head on the table leg the other day when we were on the phone and then started screaming - she does this most days, and I don't know where it stems from unless watching the vacuum. Or maybe she is trying to smooth down her crazy hair. Its anyone's guess.

Friday, July 6, 2012

The Rules?

My sister just emailed me something she found in some old school papers, written in my handwriting. I'm not sure if I came up with this or if I copied it out of a Dear Abby or something, but apparently I enjoyed it enough to write it down and not throw it away like I usually do with school papers and projects at the end of the semester. I hope I don't think this way now but....Hubs, if ever I am, you can tell me. Carefully... :)

"The Rules"
1.  The female ALWAYS makes the rules.
2.  The rules are subject to change at any time without prior notification.
3.  No male can possibly know the rules.
4.  If the female suspects the male knows all the rules, she must immediately change some of the rules.
5.  The female is never wrong.
6.  If the female is wrong, it is because of a flagrant misunderstanding which was a direct result of something the male did or said wrong.
7.  If rule 6 applies, the male must apologize immediately for causing the misunderstanding.
8.  The female can change her mind at any given time.
9.  The male must never change his mind without express written consent from the female.
10.  The female has every right to be angry or upset at any time.
11.  The male must remain calm at all times, unless the female wants him to be angry or upset.
12.  The female must under no circumstances let the male know whether she wants him to be angry or upset.
13.  Any attempt to alter these rules could result in bodily harm.
14.  If the female has PMS, all rules are null and void.
15.  The male cannot diagnose PMS. 

In other news...2 more weeks till Riley looses her seat:
38 Weeks down, 2 to go
And here: what happens when we put off bed time. Riley becomes deliriously slap-happy. Then in due course she melts down, but we don't film that. It ain't pretty. 

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Seperation Anxiety Psht

Last Thursday Dave and Riley left me for a family reunion in Minnesota, not to return till Monday. I know. Crazy, right? I have never been apart from Riley, and almost never from Dave, but last year during the reunion I was too pregnant to travel then as well and I didn't want him to miss it again. Reunions are so important - I treasure every time I get together with my family. Besides, with my due date approaching I decided I could use a little time to relax and get baby stuff in order. As fun as Riley is, relaxation and order are not her specialties. Partying is, so a fun family gathering was just up her alley!
    So we parted for four days. Don and Suzette were great at updating me regularly with pictures and texts so I always knew she was having a great time. My mind at ease, I likewise had a great time: swimming, shopping, visiting with friends, going to the movies, hiking, water aerobics, garage sailing, and getting everything ready to go for when our son arrives in less than three weeks. I didn't sleep in or nap, except for once - it was a packed weekend! Keeping busy kept me from dwelling on my babies being gone, and when I started to do that I reminded myself to live in the present and appreciate all the many blessings of the moment, which I would like to be in the practice of doing always! And now: pictures. Assuming you haven't already skipped onto them...

 Riley had some good cousin time - she is so social, that one - always loves being with other kids.
 Glad to see her tolerating a life jacket. A girl's gotta keep safe,
even if it does make you look like a chub-scout :)
 Riley in a...baby canoe? That's hard core.











Golfing with Great grandparents
 Exploring the cabin. Don't you love sunhats? I kind of want one for me! But on a baby, aw so cute! I want to eat her!

I'm glad they got some quality Daddy-daughter bonding in. Riley gave me a nice cuddle and smiles when they got off the plane, but she definitely is more dependent on her dad now - keeps her eye on him and appeals to him with toys and books and what not. Which is ok I guess since my attention is about to be divided with a newborn.
And one from my weekend - I hit 37 weeks on Friday, full term now! I am having contractions, but not regularly - just enough to make me think, "Is this one actually coming on time??" I hope so! I'm feeling pretty good, but just excited to meet our son. And for my parents to come out. There is much to look forward to! Trying to live and enjoy the present still, though.
PS: don't count on milk expiration dates: we gave Riley spoiled milk last night that wasn't supposed to expire for another five days and realized it'd gone off after she drank most of it. She threw up four times between 2 and 4 am last night - it was the saddest thing I'd ever seen. Dave got the lovely task of changing her sheets and ours before I wised up and got her a bucket and sat on the floor rocking her. Don't worry - she's fine now. She was up at 6:15 wanting to play, and we went to the gym/daycare as usual, and now she is taking a looong nap. I think I shall join her.