Lake

We took the boys to the lake house last weekend.  Michael and I remember the days when we first took baby John Michael to the lake and how we filled my whole car with the Boppy, the play mat, the breast pump, the Pack and Play, the Boppy papasan chair, the bouncy chair, etc.  Now, with Aaron, we brought the Pack and Play and his carseat.  :)  Anyway, the weather was great and we all had such a nice time.  It's good to get a little change of scenery!  By the way, the picture of me in my robe?  What happens when you mention you want a picture with Aaron to Michael and you happen to have just rolled out of bed.... Well, it proves I was there.

Miraculous

The past few days with Aaron have been HARD.  I was talking with my neighbor women the other day and we agreed that with time us mamas forget these early days of infancy or else the human species WOULD NOT GO ON!  For three nights in a row, Aaron was waking up every 1.5 to 2 hours.  There was a lot of me putting him back in his bed after a nice long 45 minute feeding at 2:30am and then at 3:30, he'd start crying again.  You know, just when my head hit the pillow?  Those nights when I decided to just sleep in the rocker in his room and woke up more than once with Aaron on the Boppy and me passed out underneath him.  Sigh.

Yesterday, a lightbulb went on in my cloudy and tired brain and I realized he has his days and nights confused.  During the day yesterday I made a concerted effort to get him out of his pajamas and into lighted rooms, to feed him every 2-3 hours and to wake him to feed him during his long lunchtime snooze.  Knock on wood, but the little stinker slept for 4.5 hours, then 4 and then 3.5 during the night last night.  That is DOUBLE the sleep I've been getting!!!! Thank you, Aaron!  Even if he goes back to 1.5 hours tonight, at least I know he can do it!  Woo hoo!

10 on Tuesday

...the sleep-deprived version. I'm not sure I have the strength for a full post right now, so here's a 10 on Tuesday:

1. Add to the list of things I don't need right now bronchitis. I have been hacking up a lung, especially at night for the past four days. Went to the doctor, yesterday, and sure enough, I have bronchitis. The good news is that I waited so long to go to the doctor that I feel a lot better, now.

2. Also on the list of stuff I don't need is a thyroid ultrasound, because the doctor says my thyroid is four times the size of what it should be. He thinks this is hormone-related. I'm trying not to worry.

3. The past two nights I have successfully kept myself asleep while feeding Aaron at night. I don't turn on any lights. I latch him on. I don't let my mind get "awake." Aaron eats. I fall asleep in his rocking chair with him in my arms. I wake up 15 minutes later to change his diaper and change sides, then latch him on the other side and then conk out again and wake up usually 45 minutes later to both of us asleep. God bless that child. It almost and I mean, almost, feels like normal sleep. I really hope Aaron is back to his birthweight at two weeks because he is sure eating A LOT.

4. John Michael and Noah are acting particularly horrendously the past few days. I am trying to be sympathetic to the huge life change they have also undergone, but seriously? Hitting? Throwing items at each other? Kicking mama? Oye ve. Thank God I can drink a glass of wine again. Sweet, sweet wine.

5. That said, I love Legos. We just discovered Legos over here. Mom found a Bob the Builder Duplo kit at a garage sale and it has been distracting both big boys while I breastfeed for hours on end.

6. Picking up Legos is going to drive me batty.

7. It takes a village. I am incredibly thankful for the friends and neighbors who have helped me out the past few days, having my kids over for playdates, bringing us dinner, babysitting so Michael and I can go see a movie (love you, Nana and Poppa) and for offering to bring JM home from school for me. Do you know someone who recently had a baby who has an older sibling? Offer to take the older kids for a bit. It is a huge help.

8. My husband rocks. Aaron ate at 5:45 this morning and I went back to bed and slept until 8. I'm so thankful his job is flexible. I'm not sure how effective his conference calls are with two needy toddlers, but I am grateful he can (try to) work from home to help me out!

9. Best new parent baby gift ever= 2 lbs of Alterra coffee from Milwaukee! (see 3). I love you, Karen G!

10. Speaking of beautiful gifts, Mike's friend Corinne knit us this gorgeous Love Cocoon for baby Aaron. She also knit the blanket Aaron is laying on underneath. Is this not so precious? She even has an Etsy store, so you can get your own cocoon. Love! She is so talented. Anyway, do you not want to kiss every wrinkle on this baby's head? I do!

Good days and bad

Today was a good day.
Yesterday and particularly, last night, were bad.
The adrenaline wore off. The devil seeped in and I started worrying about Aaron's eating. He wouldn't latch on. He cried. I cried. Ah, sweet days of sleep deprivation and newborn neediness.
This happens every time to me! The first few days are great. Then I get tired. Then I get grumpy. Then I start to freak out and worry about baby weight. You would think I would remember! The predictability of it all is actually quite funny!

Anyway, today has been much much better. I started writing down when I fed Aaron and how many poops and pees, so I can see how well he's doing and feel more organized. Maybe tonight I won't have a meltdown at 10:30. Right now, I'm living in the moment. In this moment, I am doing okay. Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow is unknown. Today I'm just happy for this:
And, this:

And, for Michael. Doing the dishes. Folding laundry. Dealing with "hold you, peas" Noah at 6:45. He rocks. Anyway, so far Aaron is a dream. He is pretty chill, which is very much what we need in this toddler frat house!

Meet Aaron

Hello from the hospital!

I love love love this little bubble time in the hospital. It's so quiet. No one has asked me for a snack or to wipe their bottom. All I have to do is feed a baby every 2-3 hours and snuggle him as much as possible and read my US Weekly. Bliss!

Anyway, I skipped something, right? Oh, riiiiiight. We had our baby! Wednesday night, I started having contractions, so I started walking around the block. Michael and I got all packed and then they stopped. We went to bed and around 3:45, I woke up again and this time they didn't go away. We called Nana and Poppa, who came around 7. When I got to L&D, I wasn't in too much pain, they checked me and I was at 5cm. Since I historically go fast, I asked for an epidural right then and I'm glad I did, because it took forever for them to get the anesthesiologist to me. I was having some serious contractions and freaking out that I was going to miss the window of opportunity for drugs. It is all a blur after the epi, but they broke my water, gave me some pitocin and things happened FAST. Baby's heart rate dropped. They made me lay on my side. I was freaking out internally with worry. Oh, and I could FEEL a lot "down there." Like when Dr. S. (yes, Dr. S! delivered one of three of my babies!) gave me an exam and told me I was at a 7. Then when they inserted the catheter (youch). Contractions and another exam from Dr. S, I was feeling it all and pressing the epidural "go" button, but to no avail. The epidural did not work. Or, work fully? I felt pain. And, by the time I was raising my hand saying "this thing doesn't work!," it was time to push. Ugh! Anyway, I think I felt the infamous "ring of fire" that non-medicated moms feel. Not fun. This was definitely the hardest of my four labors. But, look what we got at 10:53am! A sweet little new H.

Meet Aaron Marce! Aaron is a name I've always liked. It was the name that Michael liked from the beginning, but that I kept going back and forth on. Once we saw him, we knew he was an Aaron. Aaron means strength. I like that. Marce was my dear sweet Grandpa. So far A's doing great and eating like a champ. He is making all sorts of mewing sweet baby noises and seems very alert. He was sleepy all day yesterday and was up a lot last night to eat and today he's sleeping a lot. Nana and Poppa have been having fun with the older boys and they are currently on their way up here to meet Aaron. I miss them! "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" We are blessed!

Not in labor

For the record, I am not in labor.
Dr. S offered to induce me, but I declined. Game plan as of now is to wait it out and I'll go in Monday for a non-stress test (since I'll be overdue) and to set an induction date, if we're game for that sort of thing at that point.
Don't worry. There is no way we will forget to call any family members or close friends and let you know if something exciting happens!

This "not knowing" thing is hard. Dr. S. says I could go at any time, but even he can't give us a firm date. For the record, he estimates sometime between now and Sunday. I wish I had something to put on the calendar, some firm date, but we are opting to do this the old-fashioned way. Patience is hard in this modern world! Seriously, we know Christmas is December 25. Valentines Day is February 14. There are all sorts of things on my calendar, but this baby's arrival date is sadly just an estimate. It's so hard! Right now, I'm trying to surrender to God's plan (His past record with timing has been quite ideal, I must say) and focusing on the fact that I can still sleep fairly soundly. Very soon, I'll be blogging about being up all night long, I'm sure (or not blogging, more likely, as I'm going nuts with three babies!)!

Summer. I mean spring!

Yesterday afternoon, we went to the pool. This afternoon, we had a front-yard sprinkler party! Is it summer? April in Austin cannot be beat. And, for people who were considering moving to the 'burbs a few months ago to meet more young parents, suddenly our block has been immersed with new blood and our yard is the place to be, which is an answer to my prayers, but really makes it hard to get dinner cooked. Between the afternoon pool trips and neighbor happy hours, I have the feeling it's going to be a lazy, lazy summer.

I'm so mad these pictures didn't come out better. These little people were having a blast! What is it with kids and water? That's no fancy kiddie sprinkler, just our plain ol' yard waterer!

Bluebonnets 2012

No planned photo shoots, just taken on the way home from church this morning in what we were wearing. And, yes, Noah's outfit is as close to a girl as I'm going to get. Poor thing. :)