Thanks Eli...

While getting Ready for church on Sunday:

Eli: "Mommy's pretty!"

Me: "Thanks Eli!"

Eli: "Potty's pretty too!"

All of a sudden I didn't feel nearly as complimented.

Another day:

Me: "I need to change Brianna's diaper."

Eli: "Change Mommy's diaper!"

Me: "I don't have a diaper."

Eli: "Daddy Stinks! .... BAD!"

The Birthday Cake

As some of you may remember, I like to make special birthday cakes. This year Eli has been crazy about Thomas the Train. He even sleeps with a little plastic engine in his bed! So of course his cake was a Thomas cake.

It didn't turn out quite like I imagined. For one thing I accidentally put too much black food coloring in the gray for his face, and for some reason it came out looking purple instead. But overall, I'm pleased with it!

A couple of other pictures while I'm posting:

Happy Birthday Eli!

I can't believe it is your second birthday! It doesn't seem possible that you could be that old already. It seems like only yesterday you were a helpless little infant in my arms. I guess time flies when you are having fun! And oh what fun we've had. You make your daddy and I laugh every day with your smiles and fun games. Timber and Tag being your favorites and dancing being mine. You are so smart! You never cease to impress (and sometimes embarrass) with the words you know and the observations you make. Brianna is lucky to have such a wonderful big brother. I was sure that you would be ultra-jealous when she was born and wouldn't like her at all. Instead, you like to give her hugs and kisses. Sometimes you'll even share Teddy with her. Still, I know it has been a big adjustment not getting as much attention as you are used to. We love you so much and are so proud of you!

More Pictures!

Brianna was very cooperative for a photo shoot last night.

I couldn't resist getting this flower head-band from Kid to Kid.

Of course, Eli wanted to be part of the action as well.

Yaay! She has my dimples!

I think he likes her!

This one is from a few days ago, but still cute!

Welcome Home Rachel!

A few days before Brianna was born, her cousin Rachel came into the world. She gave us quite the scare because of her Hiatal Hernia, but was finally able to come home last Thursday.

Rachel Denise

I think they'll be best friends don't you?

A Birth Story

    For those of you interested in all of the gory details, here they are. Don't worry, I won't get too graphic.

  The last few days before Brianna was born, Cameron was very impatient and was taking me on long hikes in the hopes of getting labor started. Eli was born twelve days early, so in Cam's book three days early was LATE! My body had been showing signs of being ready for labor for weeks, so even the doctor was expecting her to make an appearance sooner than she did.

Just before midnight on the 22nd my water broke. Because my water had also broken with Eli, and I wasn't contracting after our rush to the hospital, causing me to need pitocin; this time, I decided to wait to go to the hospital until I was sure that labor had really started. After having very mild contractions for several hours, we arrived at the hospital at 4:30 AM.

Upon arrival, I found out that I was dilated to a four. After going through some questioning, refusing an IV, but agreeing to a capped off catheter (just in case), Cameron and I decided to try and get a little extra sleep. While I was sleeping (sort of), my contractions slowed down slightly. So, at about 7:30 AM, Cameron and I started walking the halls. We did this periodically throughout the day, but were told that I needed to be on the monitor at least twenty minutes out of every hour. At about 2:00 PM I decided to take a shower to help calm me during the contractions. The shower was WONDERFUL and made the pains considerably less.

Around 3:00 PM, I was checked again, and was told I was dilated to an eight. I was using the Bradley method, so every time I had a contraction,  I breathed deeply through my mouth as Cameron talked me through relaxing all of my muscles. My mother-in-law was there as well, and was the most wonderful foot masseuse imaginable.

Close to 6:00 PM I was checked for the last time and was told I was still at an eight. DESPAIR! At this point I was offered pitocin, which I refused, and very shortly thereafter a new nurse arrived to replace the one who had been attending me all day. The first thing she did was tell me to lay on my left side (previous to this I was on my back, propped up at about a forty-five degree angle, with my knees propped up on a pillow, and my arms at my sides). A few minutes and three contractions later I was pushing. Those last three contractions were very hard on me. Partially because I had been going through some pretty tough contractions for the last several hours, and partially because the monitor was jostled when I turned over, making it so that Cameron couldn't see that I was having a contraction, and thus I lost my coach. I felt like I was in high-panic mode, and I remember repeating, "I don't want to anymore!" several times.

I've not had to push for very long for either of my children, luckily, so Brianna was born at 6:34 PM. I think I was pushing for about 20 minutes, but it seemed like 5. I didn't have to have an episiotomy. YAAY! But I did tear just a little. BOO! But I only needed one stitch. Yaay! The nurse who had attended me all day decided to stick around long enough to watch me give birth, and everyone was talking about how they had never seen a woman be so calm during natural labor and that I should teach the Bradley classes, etc., etc. Thanks, but I think I'll pass on that one.

I was able to hold Brianna right after she was born. I wasn't able to get her to nurse right away, probably because she was a little tongue tied. We tried for about 40 minutes before my dinner arrived. I was STARVING so Brianna went to get her first bath while I ate what I had been craving all day. Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo. Mmmmm....

After that, we were able to get her to nurse quite successfully. Which is a big improvement from Eli. I had to pump milk for him and give it to him because he wasn't able to latch on right for the first week or two. All in all, it was a very joyous experience for us. I was quite proud of myself for going all natural, and for feeling as if I was in total control (except where previously noted). It was definitely worth it. Go through a little pain (well, maybe a lot) and in exchange get the most beautiful daughter in the world!