Happy Birthday Anna!

Waiting  for cake - I love that face.

 Five days after Brian was born, Anna turned 4. We had a little family party with her that night then had a friend party over a week later.

Anna very happy to get her Rapunzel doll

Anna's friends at her party. I heard somewhere that you should invite the number of kids as age they are turning. 

For her friend party we were going to have a party at the beach again this year (side note, I once told her that other kids whose birthday is in February don't get to have their parties at the beach and she said they should just come here) but we never got things together for that so we just had it at home. She wanted to invite two families who have two kids each and knew just what games she wanted to play.

Popping balloons

A balloon popping game where there are prizes and candy in the balloons. We used shishkabob skewers for the popping and that seemed to work pretty well. Sadly, the loud noise scared several of the kids and Anna took several of their turns. Oh well, she enjoyed it.

She also wanted a pinata. Everyone had a turn hitting it before we realized that if we waited for their strength to break it, we would be there all day. So I helped increase everyone's oomph. It went much faster that way.

Blowing out her candles

We also had cake. I discovered the warm weather makes it really tricky to get the icing stiff enough to decorate with. Notice how the border is slipping down the edge. It wasn't pretty but it was pink and yummy so she liked it.

I think having her birthday then helped her adjust to Brian's arrival and all the presents he was getting. Several of our friends and family included a little something for her too and that helped (she also commandeered several of his presents if they were toys that he was too young for yet).

On Parenting

I have a confession to make, I am judgmental. I look at things people are doing, or read about advice and think, that is wrong. Fortunately, I generally keep my opinions to myself and Jason (who generally agrees with me) but I still feel bad that I think this way. And while I don't necessarily think less of them as people, I do think they are making their lives harder than they need to and I should let them know so they can have a better life doing things "my" way. As you can see, this is no way to think and feel. So I am working on being more accepting of how other people choose to live their lives and raise their children (why is it this always seems to deal with how people raise their children?).

So here are some things that I tell myself to help me remember to be nicer and more accepting:

- Well, if that works for you...: I firmly believe that the children we are sent are the best people for us and us for them. Our ideas and beliefs fit the children we are given. Plus, as their parents, we know our kids better than anyone else. We know what works and what doesn't. Frankly, I'm not in their house and I don't know their kids. It seems like all parents try almost everything they can until they find something that works. I need to respect what they have found through the process of trial and error that is parenting.

- That's not my style: When I was living with my sister, if there was food that her boys didn't like they would say, "that's not my favorite". I have thought about that and it helps me remember that we all have different tastes and just because it's not my favorite doesn't mean it's no one's favorite. The same thing fits with our lives. We all have different styles of parenting and just because it's not my choice, or style, doesn't me it's no one's style.

- I guess there's nothing wrong with that: This one kind of goes with the previous two. Basically, I have to remind myself that barring abuse and neglect, there are very few absolutes with raising children. While things may be more effective or less effective, they are not right and wrong.

- If that doesn't bother you...: I watch some things that parents do and think how much it would drive me crazy. But it's not happening to me and if it doesn't drive them crazy then it's ok.

Several of these things all kind of go together. By reminding myself of these key phrases, I am working on backing off and letting people parent how they want to. I'm not quite where I want to be yet but I'm working on it and like to think I'm getting better.

This Face!

This face kills me.

In the middle of the night, once I pick him up he stops crying and looks at me with this face and I am happy to see him. How do you not love this face?!?

2 Months

When he was 3 weeks old. Anna used to sleep like that too.

Brian is now two months old. As my friend put it, I'm incredibly busy doing absolutely nothing. But why do something when I can stare at and play with my new baby? He's awake more and getting more interactive. He generally enjoys his tummy time and smiles and coos a lot.

Streeeeetching

At his last doctor's appointment he weighed 10 pounds 3 ounces (25th percentile) and measured 23 inches (50th percentile). He got two shots and didn't even flinch for the first one. With the second one, he only mildly complained.

One moth old in Anna's doll's stroller.

He is really strong. When I change his diaper, it's already hard to make him bend his legs if he doesn't want to. While on the floor, he can lift up his head and chest and even lifts his legs up. Because of that, he's rolled over a couple of times.

Anna mostly likes him a lot. The other day at the park, she showed him off to a couple of kids she met there. That being said, she feels sad that I spend so much time with him and not with her. We're working on making sure we still do fun stuff together.

The Birth

I figure I should write down the story of how Brian came before I forget it all. On Wednesday, I started having contractions. Of course it was the one day that I didn't want to have him. My friends were throwing me a baby shower that night and Jason had a job interview that afternoon (more on that later). So once I got the laundry and the dishes done, I spent the rest of the day sitting and drinking water. Fortunately that helped slow things down but they didn't totally go away. In fact, as I was driving Jason to the interview, I got a little bit closer to the car in front of us than we were comfortable with because I was having a contraction and we decided that's why they say a woman in labor shouldn't drive herself to the hospital. Then I had contractions all through the shower and as I was taking gifts out to the car, my water broke.

Jason had just put Anna to bed so my friend who hosted the shower came home with me to stay with Anna while we went to the hospital. Once we got there, we had to wait in the lobby a while for a room to be open. Once we got in and got things set up, it had been two hours since my water broke. The contractions for this labor were different than the ones for Anna, there was a lot more in my back. After a while, I was ready for my epidural. At this point, I was dilated to a 4. They checked me again after two hours to check my progress and I was fully dilated! We were all surprised. The resident who checked me said to not laugh while we waited for the doctor to get there. I was very glad that I was numb for that because going 6 cm in 2 hours would not have felt very good.

Once the doctor came, it was pushing time. With Anna I pushed for two and a half hours (don't even get me started) but I had high hopes that this time it would be faster. This time it only took about 40 minutes. After a bit, they brought in a mirror so I could see what was going on. When they first suggested the mirror, I said no because it just seemed strange but after a while decided to go with it. It was a bit strange but pretty cool too and it helped my pushing be more productive because I could see what was going on (especially since I couldn't feel anything). He was born at about 3:15 am, about 7 hours after my water broke, weighing in at 8 lbs 1 oz and 22 inches and cute as can be.

Brian is Born

This is Jason guest blogging for Ellen to get a few pictures of Brian up as inquiring minds want to know.

Brian was born 2/2/12 at 3am at 8lbs 1oz and 22 inches long. He is healthy and well, sleeping a lot at the moment while he recovers from being born. Ellen is doing great as recovering as well. We anticipate they'll be home tomorrow night.

Almost There

Anna took this picture. She had given me a make over (which did not include brushing my hair but she did do my lipstick). I look like a study in round.

I am almost 39 weeks along now and after my dr appointment today can say I am two, maybe two and a half centimeters dilates. It's nice to see that things are moving along. Today the doctor brought up inducing me. I was induced with Anna on the day after my due date ( more because I cried in the office than any other reason). We decided to just wait for things to kind of happen on their own for now. Occasionally I have contractions but they don't really hurt, they are more just uncomfortable. I realized today that I would rather get as dilated as possible before the real pain kicks in. So, no rush on the inducing.

We're working on getting ready. A friend of mine is throwing me a shower next week (side note: when your due date is right after Christmas and a lot of people go to other places for the holidays, you have late showers, I've noticed). I've talked to some people about watching Anna when we go to the hospital so she has somewhere to go. I washed the carseat cover and we bought a new base for it. I also washed things like the blankets we have, sheets and the newborn size clothes. I figure I'll wait to wash the rest until we have a place to put them all, like a dresser. I have every intention of putting together a hospital bag sometime soon.

Putting together the hospital bag early is not really our strong point (I don't think we did it until we went to the dr appointment where I cried). I figure, I'll have plenty of time to do it when we are ready to go to the hospital. After all, my contractions have to be at five minutes apart for an hour before we need to go in. More than enough time to stick some stuff in a bag. Plus, a lot of things I'm currently using so I don't want to pack them until the last minute anyway. I plan on putting up a list for Jason so we don't forget anything. Don't you love the way I justify my procrastination?

Another Anna shot. I'm starting to grow out of my maternity clothes, not a good sign. All in all, I don't think I'm too big because when I tell people I'm due in a week, they seem surprised. Plus, I still feel like I can get around (I've even been known to sit on the floor and get up by myself - yes, I'm bragging) and, most importantly, my turkey timer hasn't popped yet.

So we are gearing up for this baby to come. It should be soon. I keep thinking about what I'd do if my water were to break right then. I kind of feel like a ticking time bomb waiting to go off.