Esther Pearl

Went to bed Sunday night the 22nd, one day overdue.  Thought I was having mild contractions but I kept thinking they would stop so I didn't start timing them with my app until and hour or so later at 12:30midnight. At that point they were around 8 minutes apart. Got up and went in the living room to sit on the exercise ball and played solitaire and sudoku and chess on my ipod while timing the contractions. At 1:30am I decided to take a shower to see if they would stop. The shower felt great but the contractions sped up to around 3 minutes apart each time. After the shower I called the on call doctor line(2:10am) and the nurse said I should come in to the hospital. Woke Dan up(he had actually been sleeping through all my wanderings) and let him know we needed to go. Called Teresa and she came right over to stay with the girls for the night. So we left for the hospital around 2:30am and got there around 2:45am. Parked under the hospital and walked in and they walked me up to labor delivery triage. She checked me and I was already 7cm!  Just like with Siobhan. Walked down the hall to our room. I felt really antsy and was walking pretty fast since with the contraction pains I didn't feel my pelvis pain at all. Walked around the room alot and had several serious contractions, had Dan push on my lower back to help the pain while I leaned on the bathroom sink. Finally got in the bed vocalized through the contractions(low groaning & such is supposed to help move labor along), which was honestly kinda funny to listen to myself. Anita came down for the birth. They kept calling the doctor to let him know I was close. Dr Haugen was on call and came in and checked me and I was ready so he broke my water. So much water! And hot.  She quickly came down and after several pushes her head came out and another push her body. Born at 3:37am 9lbs .2oz, 21inches, 14inch head. 4 hours total from first contraction to birth. A little longer than Siobhans but she was bigger, and it was still very smooth and easy. They laid her on my chest and she was so warm! They even took her temp and it was high. Hot tub in my uterus! 
She is such a good little baby.  Now that we have nursing figured out she is sleeping all night waking twice briefly to nurse.  I feel so rested, it's lovely!
The girls adore her.  Siobhan is happy and interested and so gentle.  Juliet is very excited, but a little too rough and overbearing in her affections.
I love my little sweet Esther!

little Esther!

Been a Year!

What a great year it's been.  Enjoying being home with my two little girls.  Watching them learn and grow and play together, it is such a blessing.  They are my wonderful little blessings.  I was just looking through photos today and thought I would put together some comparisons of Juliet & Siobhan at the same age of 11 months.  I think Siobhan has a more Conover look to her.  And then their hair is so different, my little blondies.  Strange no brunette babies for me ;)

Changes

Awe, my lovelies. We blessed Siobhan last month. I can't believe how fast she is growing. She was nearly as big at 2 months as Juliet was at 4 months. Crazy! And she is developing faster too. Rolling over, holding herself in a sitting position. Just a nice robust healthy baby girl, and a happy one too. Doesn't cry nearly as much as Juliet did. She doesn't sleep well at all during the day, but thankfully does at night so its all good.
Changes...I will not be going back to work in February. I can't believe it. I am conflicted but I think I feel good about it. I have always wanted to stay home with the girls, but now that it is really happening I realize that I did enjoy my job too. And it was a sweet gig, once in a life-time, never gonna have such a good job ever again kind of gig, It's a shame to let it go, but it just isn't going to work out right now. Grandma can't watch the kids so much anymore and paying for childcare x2 is expensive! Plus I have a hard time finding he right person to do it. So I get to stay home with my girls, yay I'm excited! Hopefully we will make do on Dan's income, it will be really tight but I think we will be ok. I think I might try to do some babysitting if someone needs, and maybe earn alittle extra money that way. Plus Juliet misses her playmates, it would be fun to have more kiddos around :)

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Siobhan Lily

Siobhan Lily joined our family on Monday 11/7/11 at 10:32pm. 8lbs 20.5in. Exactly one week past her due date as I predicted. The day she was born I had an OB appointment in the morning and was still 3cm as I had been for the last week or so. Having no contractions at all. Watched my friends daughter for a couple hours. At 3 pm I slipped and fell in the laundry room and fell flat on my back. Hurt my ankle alittle but nothing else. At 6pm Juliet pooped in the bath and I got to clean that mess up. At 7pm I had one tiny contraction, wasn't even sure it was one. Followed by two more that hour.
At 8:30 I called the OB since they were about 5-10min apart by then but still rather faint and I wasn't sure if and when to go to the hospital. She said I needed contractions 5 minutes apart for an hour that are strong enough so I can't walk or talk through them. Called grandma & friends to be on call for the night. Grandma headed over to spend the night. Contractions came less frequently then & I thought is was a false alarm and tried to go back to bed.
At 9pm they were coming every 3 minutes but still not unbearable so called the OB again and she said to come on down if I wanted to. Dilly dallied around at home making a few calls and tidying up. Told my sisters not to rush down, we'd get a room and give them a call. Figured I'd be there all night.
Got to the hospital just after 10pm and the contractions were pretty strong by then and still 3 min apart. Decided I wanted the epidural. They said they'd get right on it. And they were talking about maybe calling in the OB. Got checked in and checked and I was 7 cm! Walked me to my room and got in bed and my water broke(10:20?). Treeva arrived, Tasha thought she had time for a shower first.
Asked again about the epidural, they said it would be there in 10 minutes or so and I told them I didn't think I had that long. The doctor is still not there. I start pushing and they go frantically looking for the doctor. OB runs in just in time to catch her head. 2 pushes and she was out. So 3.5 hours from first measly contraction to holding my baby. No pain meds, and really it wasn't so bad. The contractions were strong, but not for long. So yeah, if we would have waited any longer I would have been having that baby in the car or lobby! Juliet was just about 24 hours from start to finish. Next time I know to hurry!

Juliet loves baby sister. She is so sweet with her, if alittle too rough sometimes. I love seeing my little girls together.

Siobhan seems like an easy baby. I think it's cause I actually know what I'm doing this time and can better anticipate her needs. Also feeding her more, instead on on a schedule or something like I thought I needed with Juliet, whenever she squeaks I feed her. And then she sleeps. She is so cute when she sleeps, and nurses, and looks around. Oh I just love a newborn. So floppy and soft and silky. Cute little squeaks and noises. So much fun!

How do you learn how to parent?

I am feeling like a bad parent lately and not sure what to do. Juliet can be a very troublesome child and I honestly don't know how to handle her. Sometimes I feel like all I do all day is punish her. Do I expect to much of her? I don't know. If she can understand what I want her to do why does she choose to do the opposite...over & over again no matter the consequences? She throws tantrums. I feel like I can't take her out in public because I can't control her. Is it her personality or is it my parenting? I feel completely lost sometimes. How do you learn how to parent? What are good resources? There are other kids her age I observe behaving so it must be possible. I get mixed reviews from the grandparents. My parents always chastise me for not disciplining her more & letting her get away with too much. Dan's mom is always saying I'm too hard on her and that she is doing great for her age. I don't think she is the worst kid I've seen, but I'm very unhappy with her behavior and my inability to do anything about it.

I love her so much and I just want to be a good mommy to her and love her while also teaching and molding her into a good person. How do I learn how to parent?

I want to have a baby!

Ok maybe not today, Halloween would be an unfortunate birthday I think. But anytime now, I'm ready and willing. My big sister pumpkin is very excited to meet baby pumpkin. It's so bizarre not having any lead up this time. No contractions, no swelling, not feeling hugely pregnant. Totally not complaining here, I'm very thankful I feel great. Last night I was dreaming I was in labor, everytime I had a cotraction in my dream I would wake up all exctied only to realize, "oh I just have to pee" or "darn it was only in my dream". Too funny. I keep looking around, watching my back, like labor is sneaking up on me and gonna get me if I don't keep a lookout. I'm seriously so excited though!!! I was alittle scared going into it the first time with Juliet, you'd think I'd be just a bit scared this time knowing what I'm in for :)


Juliet makes a cute little pumpkin don't you think?