The Cure

My labor started within hours of the last post and Wren was born early Sunday morning, April 25th. I am left to conclude that snarky complaints bring on contractions. Wren's birth was quite a ride! Fast labor and no drugs...the opposite of Levi's birth. Levi is handling the advent of his sister well; for the first 8 days he kept asking, "What's that?", but that question comes with less frequency, and now he gives her hugs and kisses. He's always very curious about what we're doing with Wren. He wants to sit with me while I feed her and watch when I change her clothes or diaper. One day I set a stool up next to the changing table so that he could see the goings on.

Both sets of parents were on hand to welcome Wren and give Levi plenty of attention. We snapped this family photo before Bob and Betty left:

This is a recent picture of my sweet baby girl. This isn't the best angle to see it, but she resembles her brother a bit. The consensus is that she looks more like me than Levi did. As much as Levi favors Rob, we may end up with his and hers babies.

We haven't learned all there is to know about her, but this is what we know so far:

She's quite an eater. She weighed 6 lbs., 4 oz . when she was born. At her six-day check-up, she weighed 6 lbs., 11 oz.!

She's an even better sleeper. She sleeps between 18 and 20 hours a day. Unfortunately, most of her wakeful hours are between 10:00 pm and 7:00 am.

She HATES wet and dirty diapers. They send her from serene to extremely angry in the span of four seconds.

She has strong lungs. She usually only exercises them when she needs a diaper change, but when she gets going, it's of the screaming-bloody-murder variety.

We're looking forward to seeing her personality reveal itself over the coming months. Like her birth, something tells me it's going to be quite a ride.

Lynda

A Watched Uterus Does Not Contract

I must have a five-star uterus. If AAA visited my uterus, they would surely take a look around and award me their AAA Five Diamond Award. If the fictitious hotel association from Ocean's Thirteen spent a night in my womb, I would have a diamond necklace dangling from my belly. What is Zagat's symbol of excellence? I'd have that, too.

Okay, so I'm still 11 days ahead of my due date, but I'm two days past the original due date I fixated on for the majority of the pregnancy, and once you have that first date in your mind, it's hard to get it out. It doesn't help my mind to know that altitude babies are often born early...three of my friends here delivered their babies an average of two weeks early. Of course I'm the one that will go past her due date.

I'm taking more walks than I typically do, hoping to 'walk the baby out'. I've considered taking some Castor oil on the sly, until I remember the particular look my OB gives me over his half-glasses when I mention such things. I've heard some women go into labor after having eggplant parmesan at a particular restaurant in the northeast - maybe I should email them for the recipe.

If anyone knows of any other labor-inducing tricks, I'm all ears. I just won't tell my OB about them...

Lynda

The Rundown

This Easter was very different from the Texas Easters of my youth. Our Spring colors were covered by layers of coats and we fought blizzard-like conditions to the car after the service. We were able to get in a family picture between flurries. My little boy looked like such a big boy in his Easter best.

Levi loves being outside. It's really amazing the difference that it makes in a day whenever we're able to spend just 15 minutes outside. For his part, it's never too cold to be outside since he has a snow suit to wear. It's cumbersome, though - we had a 'Christmas Story' moment last week when he fell and was stranded like a turtle on his back.

I don't love the cold, but I do love being outside with him.

Levi was awfully smiley when I went to get him up from a nap last week...

Then I saw this...of course he was smiley. He figured out how to remove his diaper and run free.



He may be 17 months old now, but my baby still likes to snuggle up like the little frog baby I brought home.


I am now somewhere between 35 and and 37 weeks along with Wren. Her last sonogram cast doubt on the original due date of April 22nd, so I don't really know when to expect her. It's a little harder waiting when you have two due dates to consider. Especially when you thought you were having an April baby all along. Her adjusted due date is May 5th. Happy Cinco de Mayo, baby. This picture was taken a few days ago. I may not be giant, but most days I feel like I am.


And here's a bonus picture. Some friends sent us this OSU jersey/onesie. I thought he was so cute running around with his skinny legs that I never did put pants on him that day. That's the beauty of living in the boonies. I can do what I want. Seriously though, don't you just want to bite his little legs? Maybe it's a mom thing...

Lynda

Dear Friends and Family

I am a blogging idiot. I have had several blogging misfires over the last few days, including two premature posts that I've since removed. I would love to blame it all on my laptop, or mom-brain, or something else that would make me feel like less of a blogging idiot, but I can't. Bear with me. I'll get it right soon.

Lynda

Three Years

Today is our third wedding anniversary, and I really can't believe how much has happened since the day we married. We started our life together hoping to one day work alongside each other and start a family of our own. I'm amazed how quickly God granted each of those dreams; by the end of May we'll mark two years at the ranch and welcome our second baby. God is faithful! I'm glad that our dreams were according to His will. I can't wait to see what He'll accomplish in another three.

Happy anniversary, Rob!

Lynda

Stephanie and Clint

I returned my best friend Stephanie and her baby boy Clint to the airport today, after nearly a week of fun and catching up. I've been hoping she could visit us here sometime, but circumstances over the last couple of years conspired to delay that trip until now.


Stephanie and Clint were greeted in Colorado by beautiful mountains, snow, wildlife, and cold germs (sorry about that!). It was great to hear what is going on in their lives, and show her what ours is like here. It was also good to watch our two sons play together. We made hopeful plans for another visit, next time to include Craig, her husband. One of the great benefits and joys of living here is sharing it with family and friends that feel like family.


I already miss you, Steph. Thanks for coming to see us.


Love,


Lynda

Cheese Grin

I suppose we have created a cheese-grinning monster. Sometime in the last two weeks, we noticed that any time a camera was produced, Levi smiled the most unnatural and ridiculous smile. When he smiles this way, he hardly looks like the little boy we know. We don't know where this smile came from, unless it's the result of us coaching him to smile for the camera in over-emphasized, plastic smiles. I guess it's our fault, and we're hoping it's reversible. In the mean time, it's just funny.





Here's hoping the days of authentic smiles are not far off!


Lynda