May Vacay

Last week one of the marketing guys with a company Jason contracts with called him and asked if he had received his email about the trip.  Jason of course asked which trip he was talking about, and the guy informed him that he had won an all-expenses paid trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in May.  Spouse included!  Jason's next question was whether a breast-feeding infant would be allowed, and a few days later he received word that we could bring Hayden.  So we're off to Mexico in May!  Without two of our three kids!  Lord knows my figure is nowhere near beach-ready, but who cares.  The thought of R&R on a warm beach is all I can think about.  That and quality time with the hubby, post 6-week checkup (if you know what I mean).  *Ahem.*  And him getting away from work for 5 days.  Please ignore the fact that the previous three sentences are fragments.  I tend to blog like I speak, so I'd appreciate it if you don't hold me to the highest grammatical standards when you read.  All of this coming from the Grammar Nazi... perhaps I'm letting go in my old age. 

Jax is in a big-boy bed tonight, and I'm a little verklempt.  He's been sleeping in Emerson's sleeping bag beside her bed since we moved in because we realized we were missing the side frames of the bed when Jason tried to put it together last Saturday.  The furniture store where we purchased his crib two years ago looked in their warehouse and discovered the missing pieces, so tonight the crib officially became a full-sized bed.  He was definitely a little unsure about staying in it after we read books and prayed tonight, but we didn't hear a sound from his room, so I think sleep was the victor. 

Here are a few pictures from our first week at the new house.  Daddy and the munchkins have been having a lot of fun getting used to playing in a new place.

Weight udpate

Hayden was up to 8 lbs, 8 ozs at her weight check on Tuesday!  Talk about a sigh of relief.  She's also nursing so much better the last few days which is another blessing.  Last night the little turkey slept through the night... we'll see if it was a fluke or not.  Her new favorite thing to do?  Smile with all her might when we get right in her face and talk baby-talk to her.  She has the cutest little dimple in her right cheek... see below.

We were scheduled to have her newborn photo session this morning here at the house, but our photographer rescheduled because of the rain (makes for bad lighting in the house).  Jax, of course, hit his eye on the corner of Daddy's nightstand last night, so he'll more than likely have a shiner for pictures on Monday.  Can anyone say Murphy's Law?  Oh well.  It'll remind us what he was really like at this age... ALL BOY and ridiculously rough-and-tumble.

Can I just say again what a blessing so many of you have been these past three weeks... from the calls and emails to meals and visits, I have constantly been reminded that we are loved and thought of by so many people.  And let me just say that I think I have made it through the worst of the stress.  The move this weekend almost sent me over the edge, but I've come to terms with the fact that the boxes will just have to be here for a while.  I'm trying not to let my to-do list get the best of me either.  We're just gonna work on this house a little at a time. 

Two nights ago I timed how long it took me to get to Super Target.  Less than two minutes from our driveway to a parking space.  This is a dangerous discovery.  :)

The Great Move

Oh my goodness, am I ever tired.  I strong discourage moving to a new home two weeks after giving birth.  For a variety of reasons.  The first of which involves a sore uterus.  Just sayin.' 

We successfully moved yesterday, but it's a day I'd rather not relive ever again.  First off, I had every intention of getting the house entirely packed before moving day, but that just didn't happen.  So while the guys were moving the heavy furniture, I was frantically trying to get the rest of the house packed, and it was nuts.  The kids were at Jason's parents' house all day, and by all day I mean 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.  Even baby Hayden.  I just had to pump bottles for her and bring them by.  I stopped in twice to feed her and see the other two.  I was missing them terribly.  They had a blast with their grandparents... Emerson and Pa-Pa went to the neighborhood school's playground and MeMaw and Jax hit golf balls in the front yard.  Needless to say, when we put them to bed last night in the new house, they were out so quickly.  Bringing them home to the new house was so much fun.  They ran around and screamed and went up and down the stairs multiple times.  I think they like it. 

Today we got up, dropped the U-Haul off, and went to the old house for a final clean.  Jax cried and fussed in the car because he wanted to go back to the new 'castle.'  Now the kiddos are sleeping, Daddy is catching a nap as well (I think he got about three hours of sleep last night), and I just returned from Target where I bought shelf paper.  I'm determined to get the kitchen put together before I lose my mind. 

Thanks for your well-wishes and comments about Hayden's weight issues.  I have been feeding the heck out of her, so I'll update her weight after she goes back on Tuesday.  I'm ready for the fat rolls to make their appearance! 

Crying at the Doctor's Office

Tuesday was brutal.  I went for Hayden's 2-week checkup at her pediatrician's office, full expecting her to be back to her birth weight.  When the nurse put her on the scale and it said 7 lbs, 12 ozs (she was 8 lbs, 3 oz at birth), I just lost it.  Even though she had gained weight from the previous week, it startled me to see that she was under 8 pounds, and I immediately starting thinking the worst.  The nurse gave me a hug because she could see it was one of those cries that wasn't going to end anytime soon.  About ten minutes later when Dr. B came in the room, I was still bawling.  Thankfully she reassured me that since H was gaining an ounce a day, there wasn't any reason to change what I was doing.  She said because of her jaundice a few days after birth, she just lost her weight quickly and was slowly making her way back.  I was glad to hear I didn't have to start supplementing with formula, but my sleep-deprived, hormone-out-of-whack self couldn't stop feeling like I was failing my baby.  It was the worst feeling ever, and it was embarrassing to be such an emotional wreck. 

Needless to say, I'm pumping two out of three feedings for her, just to make sure she's gaining enough weight this next week.  She's definitely not a great eater like my other two.  She'll latch on for a minute or so, then pull off to look around.  I think once she's back to her birth weight, I'm gonna go on a boob-only mission for a day or two and force this child to become a better eater. 

A Beater-Lickin' Valentine's

The rugrats helped me bake a cake this morning which will be used to make chocolate cake balls for dessert tonight.  Doesn't Emerson's expression in the second picture just say it all?  She's clearly chocolate drunk.  Her words after her first lick?  "Ooh, Mommy, I yuv this.  It's choc-o-licious."  On the menu tonight: chicken tetrazzini, stuffed mushrooms, salad, and cheese garlic biscuits.  I'm salivating just thinking about it.  Too bad I actually have to cook it now! 

And here's what the youngest sibling has been doing most of the day, her first Valentine's Day.  Isn't she so snuggly and cute?

Hope each of you have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

Oh, I almost forgot... here are pictures of the completed wood floors!  Now all we have to do is actually move in!  Please begin praying for my sanity this weekend...



Future Office Project

When we finally start moving in (wood floors will be completely finished tomorrow morning!), I have all of these design ideas, decorating goals, and things I'd like to accomplish very quickly.  However, given the current fact that (a) I have a week-old child, (b) I wouldn't ever call myself a very crafty person, and (c) there are also two other little people running around... it's little projects like these that will undoubtedly take a backseat.  But how cool is this??  Taking a boring black filing cabinet (we have a 3-drawer beast almost exactly like the one featured) and giving it a cool facelift would be awesome.  I'll put it on my to-do list... more than likely to be completed sometime around 2018. 

http://californiacallahans.blogspot.com/2011/02/filing-cabinet-beautified.html

1 Week Old

Lil' Miss H turned a week old yesterday.  I think it's official... she's a keeper.  I'm falling in love, and Daddy has to remind me to put her down occasionally.  Big sister is also quite smitten and wants to hold her every single chance she gets.  Here are the sisters in their monkey PJs. 

The first two days of this week have been a lot of work.  On Monday Hayden had her first checkup at the pediatrician's office, so I dropped off E & J at GiGi and SueSue's house to take their naps.  It turns out the little monkey was 8 ounces below her birth weight.  It was such a shock to me because I've never had a baby who didn't immediately get HUGE from breastfeeding.  She's definitely somewhat of a lazy eater, so Dr. B wanted me to increase my nursing to every two hours and check her the next day.  She also was looking a little jaundiced, so we went to the lab to have her biliruben levels checked.  We then left the office, drove clear across town to get the kiddos, and then clear across town the other direction to pick up Daddy from his office.  We had dropped him off that morning because his car is fairly low to the ground and wouldn't have been able to get out of our neighborhood.  Yesterday we went back to Dr. B's office for a weight re-check (this time toting all three children... yea for me), and she had gained a full ounce, so I think she's good to go.  Her biliruben levels were a little elevated, but not enough to do any kind of photo therapy.  Being at the dr's office with all three was so overwhelming to me.  I texted the hubby and told him how crazy it was, and he reminded me to just breathe and know that I was loved and adored by him.  Also a keeper, that one!!!

Here are a few more pictures of the one-week-old's last few days:

And don't even THINK about messing with this guy.  He chews lightning and poops thunder. 

Settling In

Baby Hane, as her brother affectionately calls her, has been such a joy these last few days at home.  I had a little bit of anxiety about the chaos that I assumed would commence the minute we walked through the door with a third child.  It's been really manageable, but it's probably due in part (or in whole) to the fact that Daddy is here.  I'm forcing myself to believe that tomorrow, when he's back at work, our children will continue to be just as good as they've been since she was born.  However, if the following picture is any indicator, I might be in for it.  I seriously turned my back on him for 30 seconds while he and Emerson were painting. 

The Blizzard Baby's Arrival!

I have to admit I stole the title of this blog from many of my sweet friends who replied to my text that Hayden was born.  So many of you called her a blizzard baby, or snow baby, or (my personal fave) Hayden "The Blizzard" Van Valkenburg.  So here's how it all went down.

Literally as I was posting my last blog at my in-laws' house on Monday night, I was starting to experience some contractions.  I didn't blog about it because I figured that would jinx my mojo just in case I truly was going into labor.  At about 10:45, my contractions were 6 minutes apart while sitting and 2-4 minutes apart while standing or walking around.  I wanted to wait a while longer before heading to the hospital, but by then the sleet was coming down pretty hard and Jason wanted to head that way.  We got to the hospital, they checked me, and I was only dilated to a 3.  I suddenly panicked that they were going to send us home, but the nurse said if I progressed for the next hour, they would go ahead and admit me.  An hour later, I was at a 5, and I was officially admitted and allowed to walk.  For the next 45 minutes, Jason and I walked the halls of the labor and delivery wing, me in my hospital gown and him carrying the full-size birthing ball.  Sitting down rather than standing up during contractions was the best way for me to manage the pain, so with each contraction he would put the ball on the floor, and I would sit and get through it with my breathing, focusing, and vocal techniques.  I really did feel like a pro this time around, like I was truly in the zone.   

During the next check, I was at a 7, and the nurse called my midwife Kim.  Let me just say that I love, love, love my midwife, but never so much as that night.  She was not on call, but she got out of bed at 2 a.m. in the miserable weather with the forecasters advising against even getting on the roads.  She said she didn't want to miss delivering our third baby.  She's the bomb.  Anyway, I progressed to a 9 in no time, and she asked if I wanted her to break my water.  I said yes, she did, and as she was walking out the door to go to the nurse's station, the urge to push hit me so hard, I started freaking out.  I yelled, "I need to push NOW!"  She and the nurses came running in with their tables and delivery garb, and I could see the suppressed panic in their faces.  At that point Hayden was crowning, and with the first push, her head came out, and the next push got the rest of her out.  It all happened to stinkin' fast, I was totally in shock.  I looked over at Jason and said, "Oh my gosh, I can't believe she's here!  And I can't believe I never have to go through that again."  The relief I felt at that moment was overwhelming, and her warm little body on my chest and Daddy's sweet kisses on my forehead were as close to perfect as anything I've ever experienced.  I was just trying to savor every single second as I was keenly aware that I was going through it all for the last time.  It was truly amazing.

So since that moment (3:56 a.m. on February 1st, to be exact), we've been at the hospital, just the three of us in our little room.  I missed having visitors and, as Daddy would say, 'gettin' my sanguine on,' but it was also nice just to be cozy with my husband and my daughter.  The hospital was a ghost town with a large majority of the staff forced to stay there because of the roads.  There was no room service available and we couldn't leave to go get food, so we ate cafeteria sandwiches and vending machine food like it was going out of style.  Taking Hayden out in her little push cart and walking the halls became something to look forward to.  At one point, I went downstairs by myself and walked outside just to feel the air and see the snow, and when I turned around, the front doors wouldn't open.  It was so cold, I thought I was going to freeze to death in a matter of seconds and pried the doors open with my hands.  It was scary!

We made our way back to the in-laws' house a couple of hours ago, and Emerson and Jax have been so sweet with their little sister.  If Hayden has been kissed once, she's been kissed 29 times.  Jax has no concept of being gentle, so we have to watch him like a hawk so he doesn't poke her in the eye or lay on her.  Emerson is fascinated with her little fingers and toes and has already held her.  When she was going potty before taking her nap, she played through the whole scenario of what it's going to be like to show her off to her preschool friends for the first time.  So cute. 

I can't believe I have three children!  Ahhh!!!  What a fun ride this is going to be.  I'm so thankful that Jason's dad called and invited us to stay with them, I'm thankful that we didn't have to deal with the snow coming down on the way to the hospital, I'm thankful that Hayden is healthy (8 lbs, 3 ozs, 19.25 inches long), I'm thankful that I had the best labor coach to get me through it and that he still loves me despite seeing ALL OF THAT, and I'm thankful for getting to be a mommy to a beautiful litttle girl, the final piece of our newly completed family.

Here are pictures of our last few days! 

Thrilled to finally be dilated to a 7!

She's here! 



Daddy's proud of his newest girl.



Hayden sandwich



A few hours old.



Daddy's lavish sleeping quarters!



Pretty in pink



Getting to know her mommy



She looks just like Jax to me in this picture.  Also a little like Mike Ditka. 



And this picture looks identical to Emerson's birth announcement picture.  So I think the verdict is still out on whom she looks most like. 



The little Snow Bunny is ready to get in the car!

They couldn't stop smiling today!





Hayden and Pa-Pa Van Valkenburg



Sister kisses

One of his few 'gentle' times.