Thank you Oxo and Williams Sonoma for accelerating
the speed at which I can eat cherries!
the speed at which I can eat cherries!
Friday, May 28, 2010
Just a Few Pictures and a Few Moments
Well, it's been three weeks since Blake joined our family and I have exactly three pictures of him.
Can you tell this is the 4th child?!?! It's time to get the camera out more often!
A few milestones from today:
Blake was awake (the rhyme that always opens a long thread of rhyming) and I thought, hmmm, maybe I should give him his first "tummy time." So I turned him over onto his belly and FLIP he rolled over onto his back. What?! So I turned him over onto his tummy again and FLIP ... 6 more times in a row!!!! What?! 3 weeks old and first time on his tummy he rolls over? I'm sorry, little guy, but infant mobility is NOT permitted in this house. No more tummy time for you! Seriously...
Also, Ben requested to hold Blake for the first time today. Again, no visual proof because there was no way I'd leave him alone with the baby in his arms long enough for me to touch the button of the camera, but it really did happen. And then he sat in the rocking chair and rocked him and sang that Rockabye baby song. You know, the one that says "down will come baby, cradle and all." I was (more than) a little concerned when Ben paused before singing that last line and had a smirk on his face and a twinkle in his eye. Fortunately, he just kept rocking and then giggled that the last line was silly. Phew!
And then, as I took Blake from Ben's arms and turned his little face to mine and talked to him, I definitely got a happy baby face and beginning smile in response. So precious :)
May 14th - 8 days old
May 19th - 13 days old
(Dad's birthday)
(Dad's birthday)
May 28th - 22 days old
Can you tell this is the 4th child?!?! It's time to get the camera out more often!
A few milestones from today:
Blake was awake (the rhyme that always opens a long thread of rhyming) and I thought, hmmm, maybe I should give him his first "tummy time." So I turned him over onto his belly and FLIP he rolled over onto his back. What?! So I turned him over onto his tummy again and FLIP ... 6 more times in a row!!!! What?! 3 weeks old and first time on his tummy he rolls over? I'm sorry, little guy, but infant mobility is NOT permitted in this house. No more tummy time for you! Seriously...
Also, Ben requested to hold Blake for the first time today. Again, no visual proof because there was no way I'd leave him alone with the baby in his arms long enough for me to touch the button of the camera, but it really did happen. And then he sat in the rocking chair and rocked him and sang that Rockabye baby song. You know, the one that says "down will come baby, cradle and all." I was (more than) a little concerned when Ben paused before singing that last line and had a smirk on his face and a twinkle in his eye. Fortunately, he just kept rocking and then giggled that the last line was silly. Phew!
And then, as I took Blake from Ben's arms and turned his little face to mine and talked to him, I definitely got a happy baby face and beginning smile in response. So precious :)
Friday, May 7, 2010
The Other Side
Blake James Smith
May 6, 2010
2:53pm
8 lbs, 7 oz
20 inches long
May 6, 2010
2:53pm
8 lbs, 7 oz
20 inches long
Here are some winning moments of this experience so far ...
Best: Looking down and seeing that healthy, screaming baby boy that was just inside and now outside. I do have a picture, but I'll spare you that one. Ya know, it's a little personal.
Easiest: This is crazy, but I have to say the labor itself was the easiest part. It was so strange. My epidural was massively effective (more on that later) and so we pretty much had a tea party while we waited for the time to push. Then I pushed 1.5 times and there he was. Very strange - just hanging out and then ta da, a baby. Attending the labor party was Jeff, of course, his mom Colleen, my mom Joan, and my sister Amy (we didn't get any pictures of Amy?).
Feistiest: My feisty side emerged when I realized how massively effective the epidural was. I don't like those kind. I like epidurals that are just enough to take the edge off but I still feel the pain. I asked the anesthesiologist several times to turn down the dosage. After the second request was denied and she left the room, I had some words to say about her. Thanks to the righteous influence of my husband, the words were about 2nd grade in severity, but they were words nonetheless. Thankfully on the third, very polite, request, she listened to me so that by the time baby came I was actually feeling a (small) portion of the experience.
Most Uncomfortable: Those bloated, swollen feet (and legs and hands).
During labor
A week later
Most Overwhelming: Within a couple hours of labor, these three gigantic kids arrived. And I realized they are all mine. And I didn't feel so great. And they were so big and had so much energy. I love them, but I was glad they left and then I enjoyed a couple of days in the quiet hospital spa. That is after I bawled for an hour and all the nurses kept asking me if I was okay. Um, no, but, yes.
"That's my little brother! Oh, a little brother.
Mommy, cell phone, please?"
Mommy, cell phone, please?"
Ethan's face demonstrates his uncertainty.
He's warmed up a bit, but he's full of baby book vocabulary like
"the baby will take all the attention and I won't get any" ... blah blah blah ...
He's warmed up a bit, but he's full of baby book vocabulary like
"the baby will take all the attention and I won't get any" ... blah blah blah ...
And, of course, a delighted big sister
Thank you, Papa, for tending to the big kids all day.
Here's your reward!
Thank you, Papa, for tending to the big kids all day.
Here's your reward!
The Official Weight
Leaving the Hospital
Daddy and Blake - the Best Way
to snuggle a newborn
to snuggle a newborn
Very Excited Cousins
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Delivery Eve
March 27, 2000 - Ethan (10 lbs)
July 2, 2002 - Benjamin (9 lbs, 2 oz)
December 28, 2005 - Eliza (9 lbs, 8 oz)
May 5, 2010 - ???? (??? lbs, ??? oz)
Any predictions on baby's weight?
Tomorrow, May 6th, is D-Day, when I am delivered from this swollen, pregnant state and delivering a (hopefully) healthy, handsome baby boy. See you on the other side!
April in a Nutshell
Ethan and Eliza - Swim swim swim! Swim team practices are now everyday afterschool. We don't make it everyday, but we are certainly there a LOT.
Easter Dinner and Treasure Hunt at Grandma's - a favorite tradition!
Sarah's Concert - finished the costumes and saw them on stage for the final performance.
Jeff - got snipped (insert big smiley face from Jennie).
Me - Swollen Feet - make that swollen legs and ankles and feet and toes ... oh, and hands too. Ugh.
Ben - finally increased his time in general education settings. He's loving the 3rd grade Board Math visits, now trying 3 other classrooms for various subjects.
Eliza - favorite show is Dinosaur Train. She spends hours pretending these blocks are dinosaurs. I love how independently she can play!
Garden planted - thanks to the Burrs!
My Birthday - enjoyed a pedicure with my sister and lunches with friends. Lovely lovely 35.
Easter Dinner and Treasure Hunt at Grandma's - a favorite tradition!
Sarah's Concert - finished the costumes and saw them on stage for the final performance.
Jeff - got snipped (insert big smiley face from Jennie).
Me - Swollen Feet - make that swollen legs and ankles and feet and toes ... oh, and hands too. Ugh.
Ben - finally increased his time in general education settings. He's loving the 3rd grade Board Math visits, now trying 3 other classrooms for various subjects.
Eliza - favorite show is Dinosaur Train. She spends hours pretending these blocks are dinosaurs. I love how independently she can play!
Garden planted - thanks to the Burrs!
My Birthday - enjoyed a pedicure with my sister and lunches with friends. Lovely lovely 35.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Big Day
Jeff and I have often used the term BIG day for those unique, memorable days. That doesn't mean anything to anyone else as I write this, but maybe it will in 30 years when Jeff and I read back on this together. I'm sure we'll have many more BIG days in that time, however.
Anyways, today Jeff had a calling change at church and his new responsibility will be as the 1st counselor to the Bishop, our good friend Travis Burr. Here's the official, lds.org explanation for what that means:
Members of the Church are organized into congregations that meet together frequently for spiritual and social enrichment. Large congregations are called wards. Each ward is presided over by a bishop, assisted by two counselors.
The opportunity for Jeff to serve in this way will definitely be a humbling, learning experience for him. I, of course, am happy to support him in this calling, but I do have to laugh at the timing of it all. You see, I'm very pregnant. In fact, I'm being induced on Thursday morning. Since Jeff will be sitting on the stand for church meetings, that leaves me with a newborn + 3 kids during Sacrament meeting. Ah, well. The big kids really are pretty good at church so we'll find a way to survive. Everyone was really nice today to promise to help hold the baby or sit with the big kids or whatever. The bigger irony of today was that I was hoping to send my family off to church then relax on the couch with a big glass of water and my feet up. Not so. Instead I had to waddle my way up to the microphone to share a heartfelt testimony after my husband was sustained as a counselor in the new bishopric. It was a memory, and because of the timing, I'm certain I'll always remember it.
Anyways, today Jeff had a calling change at church and his new responsibility will be as the 1st counselor to the Bishop, our good friend Travis Burr. Here's the official, lds.org explanation for what that means:
Members of the Church are organized into congregations that meet together frequently for spiritual and social enrichment. Large congregations are called wards. Each ward is presided over by a bishop, assisted by two counselors.
The opportunity for Jeff to serve in this way will definitely be a humbling, learning experience for him. I, of course, am happy to support him in this calling, but I do have to laugh at the timing of it all. You see, I'm very pregnant. In fact, I'm being induced on Thursday morning. Since Jeff will be sitting on the stand for church meetings, that leaves me with a newborn + 3 kids during Sacrament meeting. Ah, well. The big kids really are pretty good at church so we'll find a way to survive. Everyone was really nice today to promise to help hold the baby or sit with the big kids or whatever. The bigger irony of today was that I was hoping to send my family off to church then relax on the couch with a big glass of water and my feet up. Not so. Instead I had to waddle my way up to the microphone to share a heartfelt testimony after my husband was sustained as a counselor in the new bishopric. It was a memory, and because of the timing, I'm certain I'll always remember it.
Remembering Some of March
At the end of March I realized it was quite a month and I'd better write some things down or I'd forget about it all. Well, it's mid-April now and I'd say much is forgotten. But here's a few things just to jog our memories.
Ethan had a big month. After placing first in the 4th grade science fair at his school, he went on to the District Science Fair. The irony was that I was less-than-thrilled about his topic choice and experiment (too many variables - not enough control) but then he won. That'll teach me. I think the key was that it was totally Ethan's idea and he carried it out with simple guidance from me.
Ethan also graduated to a GOLD belt at Kung Fu (3rd level). Though that was exciting, it's not enough to keep him happy about going to Kung Fu class several days a week. So he's started with (gasp!) swim team. Eliza is going to swim too. I'm a bit anxious about the time we will be spending at the pool, but we feel that Ethan needs a change-up in terms of his activity of choice. I think Kung Fu has moved to the groan and hardly bear it list, so swimming it is!
I spent many hours in March and into April sewing costumes for my friend, Sarah. She is finishing up her Masters Thesis in Choreography at Mills College. I was dancing in her thesis for a few weeks last fall until I discovered that I was pregnant, so I switched to the role of costumer. Now that the costumes are done, I can say it was a pleasure. I just had to get past that 2/3 finished point that always kills my enthusiasm. Eliza spent a lot of time under my sewing table, creating her own masterpieces.
Ethan had a birthday at the end of March. We celebrated the week before with family and friends and Ethan's favorite dinner of homemade macaroni and cheese. The kids wanted to decorate so here's a photo of Ethan and Ben working TOGETHER to hang streamers in the kitchen. Ethan's actual birthday was spent in Virginia.
Ben is trying new meds - looking for a magic "chill pill." We're starting with ADHD drugs. It's funny, I don't really think of him as hyperactive but he totally is. We're just so accustomed to it! The truth is he can be very focused and very sedentary. But, Ben is a boy of extremes. Either he is in one place or he is everywhere. Either he is content and happy or he is freaking out about every little thing. So it will be a long process of trying a variety of meds until we find the right fit, but we hope it will be worth it!
Ben also loved tagging along to his big brother's basketball lessons at the YMCA. The 2nd court was open and the baskets nice and low. There was a lot of drama about sharing the basket with other kids, but we survived and he held himself together on most days. Let's just say he takes every phase of child development to the EXTREME. For a few months it's been an extreme case of I must be first and I must win.
Ethan had a big month. After placing first in the 4th grade science fair at his school, he went on to the District Science Fair. The irony was that I was less-than-thrilled about his topic choice and experiment (too many variables - not enough control) but then he won. That'll teach me. I think the key was that it was totally Ethan's idea and he carried it out with simple guidance from me.
Ethan also graduated to a GOLD belt at Kung Fu (3rd level). Though that was exciting, it's not enough to keep him happy about going to Kung Fu class several days a week. So he's started with (gasp!) swim team. Eliza is going to swim too. I'm a bit anxious about the time we will be spending at the pool, but we feel that Ethan needs a change-up in terms of his activity of choice. I think Kung Fu has moved to the groan and hardly bear it list, so swimming it is!
I spent many hours in March and into April sewing costumes for my friend, Sarah. She is finishing up her Masters Thesis in Choreography at Mills College. I was dancing in her thesis for a few weeks last fall until I discovered that I was pregnant, so I switched to the role of costumer. Now that the costumes are done, I can say it was a pleasure. I just had to get past that 2/3 finished point that always kills my enthusiasm. Eliza spent a lot of time under my sewing table, creating her own masterpieces.
Ethan had a birthday at the end of March. We celebrated the week before with family and friends and Ethan's favorite dinner of homemade macaroni and cheese. The kids wanted to decorate so here's a photo of Ethan and Ben working TOGETHER to hang streamers in the kitchen. Ethan's actual birthday was spent in Virginia.
Ben is trying new meds - looking for a magic "chill pill." We're starting with ADHD drugs. It's funny, I don't really think of him as hyperactive but he totally is. We're just so accustomed to it! The truth is he can be very focused and very sedentary. But, Ben is a boy of extremes. Either he is in one place or he is everywhere. Either he is content and happy or he is freaking out about every little thing. So it will be a long process of trying a variety of meds until we find the right fit, but we hope it will be worth it!
Ben also loved tagging along to his big brother's basketball lessons at the YMCA. The 2nd court was open and the baskets nice and low. There was a lot of drama about sharing the basket with other kids, but we survived and he held himself together on most days. Let's just say he takes every phase of child development to the EXTREME. For a few months it's been an extreme case of I must be first and I must win.
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