Already trained?

Korri is an enigma. She has been daytime potty trained since right after her second birthday. She has been about 90% night time trained for about 9 months (right around her third birthday). I'll give her that she has had a LOT of changes in the last 6 months. But for the last month, she has been wet EVERY SINGLE NIGHT, even when we wake her up to go potty, sometimes even twice! It has been beyond frustrating, not to mention doing all the laundry is exhausting.

We'd been throwing in words like "pulls-ups" and "diapers" here and there and finally I decided I had enough. She isn't being "naughty" but she also just doesn't seem to care. Well, except when she is soaking wet in the middle of the night and says she is sorry over and over (which, of course, tears my heart apart). The most frustrating thing is I KNOW she can do it. She could stay dry all night well before Finn did. She can hold it and if she can't, she is 100% capable for getting up to go potty (even though she still wakes me up to do so, which is fine with me!). So I gave her one more chance. If she was wet Wednesday night, I was going to buy Pull-Ups Thursday at the store and once she started wearing them, she had to wear them at night until she is dry for one full week. And she was wet, so I bought the darn Pull-Ups.

She wore it for the first time last night. Baby slept from 11:30pm until 6:00am (holla!), so I didn't wake her up to go potty like I normally do when he wakes up to eat. And she was DRY this morning! What?!?! She said she got up and went potty by herself when I asked her this morning, but I'm not sure I believe her (she ALWAYS wakes me up when she gets up). While I'm very glad for her being dry, it is beyond frustrating, too. Here's hoping that in 7 days, we'll be back to wearing unders and NOT wetting the bed. Kids: they always keep you on your toes, if nothing else!

And because I like a post with pictures, we went to Fall Harvest Orchard on Wednesday with Pam and Levi. It is super close to home but we'd never been there. We all LOVED it. Sadly, they are selling it so this might be the last year (anybody want to pool $550,000 to buy it together?), but we enjoyed it while we could! And we couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day.

And, a super big happy birthday to Big Ben who turns TWO today!! Where does the time go?

Seven year itch?

Happy 7th Anniversary to my wonderful husband. Wow, the last 7 years have been a whirlwind. We bought our first house. We got married (obviously). We had our first child who was born early and had a rough two year journey (but is thankfully perfectly healthy now!). We underwent a remodel project that completely finished our basement and created a master ensuite upstairs. We had our second child who had severe colic and would NOT sleep for the first year...and she still doesn't like to sleep. I went back to work after being a SAHM for three and a half years and the kids went to daycare for the first time (it was VERY traumatic for me at least). We sold our beloved home in NE, and while that is a simple sentence, it was NOT easy doing so with two small children! We then found, bought and moved into our dream home out in the western frontier in Waverly. We had our third (and final!) child and a week later, Jim resigned from his job of 15 years! And finally we all started a new venture when we sent our oldest to Kindergarten this fall.

And these are just the highlights! Crazy. But there is nobody else I'd rather experience all these things with than you, Jim! We love fiercely, we disagree loudly, we bicker constantly...but we fit together perfectly. I never knew how crazy wonderful these last 7 years would or could be. That being said, I think we've earned a few "quiet" years...or at least different than the first 7 have been! Probably won't be "quiet" until they all move out. I love you so much.

For our anniversary, Jim and I went out alone for the first time since before Mac was born! Thank you to DeAnn for coming over and watching all three kids! We went to Birch's in Long Lake and it was wonderful. Jim even liked it and he can be hard to please when it comes to food. I think we will be back. Jim got me seven presents, one for each year, with the last one being tickets to go see A Christmas Carol the weekend after Thanksgiving! So thoughtful and I can't wait. For all the ups and downs; laughs and tears; smiles and frowns...I am one lucky lady and I wouldn't trade my life for anything. And I think that "seven year itch" has been scratched! We are good with how and where we are in life. What will the next seven bring?

Dance at dance?

So, they WILL dance at dance class right? Last night was Korris first night of dance class. But because all the girls ordered shoes, it was pretty much just for trying on shoes to make sure they fit. Korri was not a fan, as the only thing they did was stretch, I think. Oh, well. I told her next week they will actually dance. She is super excited about that (even if she HAS to stretch first). We got a little backpack to put her ballet and tap shoes in so they will be ready every week (and we can find them). The teacher said that after a few classes, they will let the parents in for the last few minutes to watch a little bit. I can't wait for that!!

We brought Mac to the doctor this week. He had a low grade fever for 4 days and was lethargic (i.e. was sleeping a LOT). So the nurse said to bring him in, even though I was sure it was nothing. The doctor did a thorough exam and took his temperature twice and couldn't really find anything wrong. Then she looked at his weight gain and said, "oh, he is probably going through a growth spurt!" She said to come back in today if he wasn't better, but he seems fine to me (I stopped taking his temperature since it wasn't a big deal). So my "little" buddy is growing...AGAIN! I just switched his clothes out to 3 month MAYBE two weeks ago and now I already feel like I should move up to the next size. While at dinner this week, there were twins next to us who I heard were 2 months old. I said I wasn't going to tell that mom that Mac was 2 months old, too! I'm sure the twins were early but holy small, especially compared to Mac!! I don't mind. My big baby is eating great and sleeping even better. I'll take it over my first two who didn't.

Because I can't have a post without a picture, here is Korri trying on her snow gear:

She said, "I'm going to go outside and wait for the snow." However, here is Korri 3 minutes later practicing her Gopher cheering:

Use the fitting room!

We were so lucky to have Auntie NaeNae come visit today! She starts her new job on Wednesday, so today was her last day to be able to just "pop" in. We LOVE visits from her and I don't think she minds them either (even if she misses out on seeing Finn).

Thanks to her visit, I was able to complete a project I've been wanting to do for a while: make some crock pot freezer meals! That way when Jim is traveling, I can just grab a bag out of the freezer in the morning, plop it in the crock pot and have a yummy dinner ready for the kids. Otherwise my meals are kind of lame. Since Renae was here to hold Baby and keep him company, I was able to do it all at one time...maybe took an hour?!?! It felt so good. I can't wait to try them and if they work out, to venture into other recipes, too.

We had a new experience this afternoon: I had to take Finn shopping for pants! We've been very lucky to have lots of Austin's clothes, but to say Austin isn't kind to his pants is being generous. Which means Finn gets fewer of them. Plus, Finn is between sizes; too tall for a 4T, too short for a 5T, too "little" for a 4/5 in boys. Prior to this, I've always just bought things he needs and brought them home but I knew I needed to have him try things one. So all five of us headed to Children's Place (my FAVORITE store to buy kids clothes...and I had a coupon!). Daddy kept Mac and Korri busy while Finn and I picked some out (in several sizes!) and headed to the dressing room.

I realized when I told him we needed to try them on and he started to take his pants off in the middle of the store that this was new for him, too! He LOVED everything about trying on the clothes. We walked into the fitting room and I think he would have stayed all day. He said to me, "Mommy, this is like when you were trying on dresses for us to see." Ha, yes it is, buddy. We were able to get two cargo pants, one pair of tailored sweat pants and a pair of sports pants, which I think should be good in addition to what he already has. I wish we'd had more time because I always want to look at every rack, but that doesn't happen when you have three children with you!

Tomorrow is picture day and because we got home late from shopping, I wasn't able to pick out either of their clothes tonight. Since that is stressing me out, I think I'll get up a little early to make sure we have time in the morning. Plus, we need to actually "do" Korri's hair and say a little prayer that it lasts until picture time! School pictures will be a new experience for us, too and I can't wait. I just pray that Finn does a good smile and not his weird, fake one.

Mac has been a little under the weather the last couple of days with a low grade fever but not too many other symptoms. Today the fever seemed to be gone but he seemed sleeping and a little more clingy than normal (which auntie didn't mind!). He is handling it amazingly well, but still, hopefully tomorrow he is feeling better.

Mac's first visit to El Loro:

He didn't seem all that impressed. Maybe he will be when he can actually eat the food! My texas jumbo margarita was FABULOUS (gotta love not being pregnant any more!!).

Ren Fest

Jim, Korri, Mac and I went to the Renaissance Festival yesterday. Shhhh...don't tell Finn! Actually, we did tell him after he got home from school. I have to say, planning around when Finn leaves and gets home from school has been the hardest transition. Since I've been home with the kids, I'm used to going where we want, when we want, for however long we want! We thought we left in plenty of time to beat the bus home...but with unexpected traffic, I think we ended up with a five minute cushion! Yikes.

Anyway, I digress. Jim and I love the Ren Fest but the tickets are expensive and it seems that our fall weekends are always full before we put it on the calendar. But they had a special "Festival Friday" yesterday (normally only open Saturday and Sunday), so we thought, why not? The tickets we cheaper and there were fewer people there, but a lot of the venders were closed. So a trade off I guess.

Before we left, I told Korri about the "festival" that we were going to and said people dress up there. It took very little convincing to get her to wear one of her princess outfits, including her crown.

Once there, she got glitter sprinkled all over her, her face painted and a wreath of flowers (I don't have a picture with the wreath on)!

It was fun to go here with just Korri. We could do all the things that she thought would be fun. Like Mermaid Cove (although she was upset that none were swimming!), Fairy Wing Forest and a fire show!

While Jim and I shared a giant turkey leg (when in Rome!), Korri had...yup, pizza! She is predictable, if nothing else. The weather was absolutely beautiful, if not even a little bit hot at times. Mac was a good boy and once I put him in the carrier and carried him, he slept like, well...a baby! Ha. Korri also got to feed some animals and saw elephants and camels (I told her they weren't doing rides...we didn't have time for that). But she did get to ride a double ended horse.

He started her out slowly, but by the end, she was going higher than I thought possible! She loved it. There was a ton of stuff we didn't get to do, but it is a huge place and we had to be mindful of getting back to the van in time to get home to pick up Finn. Korri had a hard time walking "all the way" back to the van, but she was NOT tired, and don't make the mistake of suggesting such a thing. Once we got in the van, I told her she should sleep for a bit. Her reply: I'm not tired! Okay, then why don't you just rest? Her reply: I'm NOT going to even rest, mommy! Hmmm...I think it took her four minutes to fall asleep, but do NOT be so audacious to suggest she was tired!

We had a really good time. We probably wouldn't go back on a Friday again, even with the reduced pricing and the "no-line" crowds because so many of the venders were closed, including Jim's favorite treat (florentine ice), which was a pretty big disappointment. Other than that, we had a really fun family adventure!

We have a lion cub

On Monday night, Finn had his first pack meeting for Boy Scouts. Since he is in Kindergarten, he is a lion cub. I think Finn had a good time. It was a little boring in that it was very informational and the boys had to just sit there for a while. But then they got to go play games while the Cub Master spoke to just the parents. I really hope that Finn likes it and sticks with it for a few years, at least.

That being said, holy unorganized! I know I am new to the whole thing but I felt like nobody knew what was going on. The Cub Master didn't have a single thing he needed. At one point, he left to go home and get some stuff during the middle of the meeting! We got the notice to register the DAY BEFORE registration! Nobody came and talked to the classes, so there are only two boys Finn's age, which is disappointing. Especially since the pack expects the two "brand new to boy scout" parents to run the den. I was hoping for more experience and for it to be more official. I told Finn to invite his friends to join, so we will see (he keeps forgetting!). The good thing (if we do end up running it ourselves) is the Lion Cubs don't earn badges so the monthly meetings are more about going over a theme at the den meeting and should be "easy." We will see, I guess.

The being said, since Finn is now a Cub Scout...he is selling wreaths and popcorn! If you feel your front door needs some Christmas cheer or your tummy needs some yummy popcorn, Finn would appreciate your order. The cool thing is that a portion of what he sells actually goes into an "account" in his name that he can draw from to buy things like his uniforms, badges, trips, etc. So in theory, he can "pay" for his own way! I thought that was cool and you know you are helping Finn directly.

Here is a picture of the popcorn order form:

I, personally, LOVE the Chocolatey Caramel Crunch. It is like crack (in that it is totally addicting). Jim loves the Classic Caramel Corn. Whatever you pick, it will be super yummy. Oh, they had the Jalapeno Cheddar to sample at the meeting and Finn will tell you that it was a little too spicy for him!

Here is the wreath information:

Finn will tell you that the cross wreath is the best. He told Katie it was the fanciest! I think they are all beautiful, so good luck figuring out which one(s) you need! If you can't read the images, let me know and I can email it to you.

Orders are due Oct 25 and payment is due at the time of order. You can mail me a check made payable to "Pack 494." The product will arrive the Saturday before Thanksgiving and Finn will personally deliver it, for those who live somewhat locally. If you live far away, but would still like to order, let me know, as there are shipping options so it can be shipped directly to you!

A huge thank you to anybody who places an order. Finn (and I) really does appreciate it.

All is good

Mac's 2 month well-child appointment could not have gone better. He weighed 13 lbs 3 oz, which is the 76% and was 23" long, which is the 52%. His head was the 92%...which you can tell by looking at him that he has a big head!

The doctor said that he should be eating between 5 and 8 times a day. He eats between 8 and 10, which probably explains his weight gain! At least it reassures me that he is getting enough and that he doesn't need to eat every time he fusses. She was 100% happy with his stats.

She was happy to hear that upping his reflux meds seems to be helping. So she gave me refills and let me know how often to keep upping it to stay on top of it. Glad she is so proactive and trusts that I can follow instructions (instead of requiring me to come in for a visit and spend another copay every three weeks!).

We talked about Mac's tendency to look to the right and tilt his head to the left. She examined him and while he showed right rotation preference, he could fairly easily look to the left without help. So she wasn't concerned about that. His tilt is much more prominent but she was able to stretch out his neck muscles against the tilt, so she isn't overly concerned and thinks he will out grow it without getting Torticollis. She is very happy with the shape of his head, which is usually one of the first indicators there is a problem.

Mac has two "stork bites;" one on his forehead between his eyes and one on the back of his head, near the base of his neck. A stork bite has to do with the dilation of certain blood vessels and appears reddish/pink. She assured me that they are usually temporary and will slowly fade. I feel like the one on his forehead is already lighter than it was.

Poor little buddy had THREE vaccine shots today and one oral one. He did well, but it broke my heart to hear him crying in pain. I fed him right after and that calmed him down. The best part of the visit for me? Finding out he can now have Tylenol! Don't get me wrong, I'm not a crazy Tylenol wielding parent or anything, but it sure is nice to be able to give it, if nothing else works. It definitely helped this afternoon. The doctor also recommended a warm bath to soak his legs in, so I guess tonight is bath night for Baby! I read through all the vaccine handouts and it looks like his 4 month well-child will have about just as many. Maybe daddy can come to that appointment...it seems he usually misses the ones with the shots. Hmmm...

Tuckered out after his shots:

I was happy to see on the handout that while they stated it is required to be rear-facing in a car seat until 20 pounds and 1 year of age, it also stated that the AAP strongly recommends until the age of 2! Nothing about extended rear-facing, but I was happy to see the new recommendations in print.

After the appointment, the three of us went to Dairy Queen. Korri wanted a root beer float but when I said I was having a pumpkin pie blizzard, she quickly changed her mind. For somebody who doesn't like pumpkin pie, I sure do LOVE the pumpkin pie blizzard. Go figure! Do you think Korri liked it too?

Yesterday was a crazy busy day. It was cleaning day in the AM, which is a HUGE blessing, but does require a lot of work to get the house ready for cleaning (ironically). Mac and I had our first Baby ECFE class in the AM. Korri had Open House for her Dance Class in Winsted at 5:30 and Finn had Cub Scout registration in Waverly at 7pm. Nothing like feeling like you accomplished a lot!

He turns two!

Mac was 2 months old yesterday! It is so weird because I can't believe two months has already gone by but on the other hand, it feels like he has been part of our family forever. I guess that is a good thing. Here is a list of developmental milestones that most children can do by the end of 2 months (so Mac might be working on them this month).

Social and Emotional:
Begins to smile at people (Mac smiles a lot, sometimes at people but usually at the ceiling fan and his Goldy mobile)
Can briefly calm himself - may bring hands to mouth and suck on hand (maybe, easily calmed when picked up, though)
Tries to look at parent (he has started looking at mommy when I talk to him, even if not right next to him)

Language/Communication:
Coos, makes gurgling sounds (Yes, and I LOVE listening to him)
Turns head toward sounds (I think so, unless he is having a "conversation" with the ceiling fan!)

Cognitive (learning, thinking, problem-solving):
Pays attention to faces (sometimes does and sometime doesn't)
Begins to follow things with eyes and recognize people at a distance (follows things, yes; recognize people, I don't think so)
Begins to act bored (cries, fussy) if activity doesn't change (I don't think so, he usually fusses when he is tired or hungry)

Movement/Physical Development:
Can hold head up and begins to push up when lying on tummy (Yes, doctor impressed with his head strength!)
Makes smoother movements with arms and legs (still pretty jerky)

Mac slept six consecutive hours last night for the first time! You better believe momma was ready for him to wake up, if you know what I mean! As a whole, he is a pretty good sleeper. He typically sleeps between 3 and 4 hours at a time at night, which I think is pretty good considering how young he is. He sleeps on and off all day, too...no "napping" schedule yet.

We took Mac into the doctor last Friday. All week he was extra fussy, was spitting up a lot, seemed to be in pain and was hard to console. He was a whopping 12 lbs 10 ounces!! The doctor upped his reflux medicine, since she thinks he out grew the amount we had been giving him. She said if that didn't help, so call her on Monday and she would switch his meds to a different kind. But he really did seem better, so I figured I'd just wait to talk to her at his well child tomorrow. I also am giving the meds to him more often throughout the day, so I think that is helping to (so they don't wear off). The amount of spit up has dropped drastically as well. Oh, and he is eating closer to every 3 hours during the day, which is WAY better than every hour and a half to two hours he had been doing! He is still a super gassy baby and strains often but I'm hoping he out grows that (and soon!).

Mac has started smiling, laughing and coo-ing. I joke that his best friend is the ceiling fan because he can smile and laugh at that thing for a long time! I caught him having a hilarious conversation with Goldy (his mobile on his crib) the other day. I don't know what they were "talking" about, but Mac sure thought it was funny! If you can get his attention, he will smile at you, but he is usually too busy looking around.

Jim has been gone this week...the first time for a long stretch since Mac was born. I've been very lucky that he hasn't had to travel much up to this point, but I was still nervous for him to leave. Overall, it hasn't been too bad. We've been busy, which actually make it easier, I think (the kids have less time to get bored and fight!). The kids also got used to him always being around so him being gone has been hard on them, especially Finn. Jim gets back tomorrow and all four of us can't wait!

Oh and we had to get a pacifier clip; something I've never had to buy or use before! Both Finn and Korri were serious thumb suckers but other than a couple accidental incidences, Mac hasn't really found his thumb or fingers...or he just isn't going to be a thumb sucker, which is what I think is the case. So weird!! He doesn't always want or like his pacifier either, but usually calms down right away if he will take it. Here's to a new experience, even though he's the third child!!

I'll have more information after his 2 month well-child appointment tomorrow. I can't believe how much he has already grown:

 

Korri's going too!

Yesterday morning, the four of us headed to Korri's pre-admission conference for preschool. Her preschool is in Finn's school...two doors down! Love that. And Mrs. Pam, her teacher, facilitated Art, Craft and Story time this summer, so Korri already knew her, which was fabulous. We had a little scavenger hunt when we got there (find your cubby, find the bathroom, give Mrs. Pam your forms, etc.) and then Korri and the other kids got to play while Mrs. Pam went over the details of this preschool. Korri has preschool Tues and Thurs from 8:15 to 10:50 and there will be 13 kids in Korri's class (seemed like a lot to me but Mrs. Pam said it was a nice break to have lower admission...okay then!).

It is WAY more organized and structured (in a good way) than preschool was this spring that we did in Howard Lake. Korri played really well beside two other girls (they weren't friends yet so they didn't actually interact much) which was fun to see. Korri WILL be riding the regular elementary bus to school but a preschool bus on the way home. I would be more worried about this if Finn weren't with her on the bus in the mornings. They made is very clear the steps they go through to ensure the preschoolers safety and make sure nobody is forgotten. There was SO much information during the meeting but I think at the end of the day, it is all common sense.

Korri's first day is Tuesday, Sept 9. The sad thing is that by the time Korri goes to Kindergarten, the school and the bus will be old hat, so it won't be nearly as emotional or impactful as it was to send Finn. Here's to sending another baby off to school! Good thing we have Mac!

And for those of you whom Korri has talked incessantly about this to for the last year...I submitted her Dance Class forms today, too! Based on the description, it will be ballet and tap. I honestly can't wait and hope she loves it even half as much as she has talked about it since last fall! It doesn't start until the beginning of Oct.

First crash

Finn's second and third days of Kindergarten have gone well. He said he learned to raise his hand, which is a good one to learn! I feel like he also needs to learn to speak up a little more to be heard (he comes home saying teacher didn't answer him or respond to him; sad), but I'm sure that will come. He is very concerned that he hasn't gotten to play with the trains in his classroom. Oh and he loves that he gets to drink THREE cartons of chocolate milk a day (breakfast, lunch and snack). That seems like a lot to me. Anybody else?

Yesterday after school, he and Korri went outside to ride bikes. Within minutes, Finn was back in the house crying heavily. He had fallen off his bike! A first...and he did a pretty good job, too. His knee was pretty scraped up but nothing else seemed to be worse for the wear. He even got to have two band-aids because one didn't cover it. It was important to Jim and me that he get back on his bike before he went to bed, so we all went outside so he could reenact the "crash" for us. We still aren't sure if he hit the curb or was turning to avoid hitting the curb but regardless, he said he was looking backward to see where Korri was...and he now understands why daddy keeps telling him to look where he is going! He did get back on to go for a little bike ride with daddy and Korri and all was fine. A little scary for a short time but he handled it fairly well and recovered faster than I expected. I guess he IS a big boy now. I told him to show me his knee and give me a pouty face:

Our first day

I was going to title this Finn's first day...but it really was all of Team Thomas' first day of Kindergarten. It ushered in a new era for our household.

Leading up to the first day, we talked about it a bit but I didn't want to overwhelm Finn either. He kept asking if "today" was Kindergarten day. I told him we would let him know the night before at bed time! The night before, he said he had a tummy ache, and I think it was nerves. Who wouldn't have them?!?! There were a ton of forms that had to be filled out and returned. Finn completed his first "homework" which was cutting out, decorating and naming a bear. He went with "Crazy Bear." Finn needed to bring a stuffed bear to go along with the theme, I think. And a blanket for rest time. His supplies were already there and daddy had put the extra items for the classroom in his locker. I lost the bus card for his backpack, so Jim made one and attached it. I filled out his hot lunch card for the week (thankfully, we only have to do this for a couple of weeks until the kids know if they are eating or not). We picked out his clothes (and by that I mean I told him which outfit I wanted him to wear...and he shockingly agreed!). He normally wears sports shorts, so I thought a little dressier the first day would be nice. He put his backpack, sweatshirt and shoes by the front door. He took a bath and went to bed by 8pm! That was a miracle. The ONE thing I forgot was that he was supposed to wear a name tag sticker the first day. Oh, well. He survived and said that nobody else had one anyway (who knows if that is true, but it made me feel better!).

The morning of, we planned on getting him up around 7 but when I got up at 6:30 to feed Baby, both kiddos were already up! Excited, I guess. Korri wanted to come with to the bus stop, so we had to get them both ready. Brush teeth, get dressed, have a muffin for breakfast (all Kindergartners at our school get breakfast at school, so we don't HAVE to feed him if he isn't hungry, which is super nice!), get shoes and sweatshirt on, make sure backpack is ready...and time for pictures! We were ready and outside by 7:15, I think and the bus was scheduled to come at 7:37!

NeNe came over to wish Finn a good first day and helped by watching Mac so I could enjoy the morning. We took pictures (LOTS!) and then walked to the corner. Finn and Jim played Frisbee. We talked with Max and his mom because the bus stop is on their corner. The bus was late, I'm sure because of it being the first day. I think it finally picked him up about 15 minutes late. And then when the bus stopped, the driver said he will pick Finn up at our driveway because he turns around in the cul de sac anyway. Sweet!! Finn hopped right up, turned around and gave me a look that showed that he was a little scared. My heart officially broke. I was okay until that point. Then the doors shut and I lost it. My baby was gone and I couldn't protect or help him. All day long, I kept wondering what they were doing and if he was doing okay (which I knew he was, but I kept thinking about it). Right when we walked back into the house, Korri said she missed Finn and asked when he was coming home!

The bus is scheduled to drop him off at 3:25 and it was super late the first day (like 20 minutes or more!). Just when we started wondering if we had to call somebody, it turned the corner. Thank God! He hopped off and ran up the driveway. He was happy until he saw that Korri had a special treat. Then he said that nothing was fun at school (because he wanted a treat, too!). Bad planning. We went inside and looked through his folder. He had to fill out a mad lib kind of thing and he said that he was sad at the end of the school day because he wanted to come back! Oh, again, thank God! He didn't have a ton to say, but we slowly got information out of him throughout the evening. I think it was all overwhelming, to say the least.

Side note: in the last couple of days, Baby has started being entertained (at least for a little bit!) by his play mat and bouncy seat! Praise the Lord. It gives me some time to put him down and try to get something done. And it is so cute to see him hitting the toys and cooing. He is getting so big...he IS seven weeks old tomorrow, after all!

Pictures from Finn's first day are on our picture website (link to the right) but here are a couple:

Finn's open house

We had Finn's open house for Kindergarten on Tuesday night. First, I must confess that I forgot to bring my phone...so no pictures! I was brokenhearted when I realized that. But other than that and the total chaos of the whole event, everything else went smoothly.

First, we went half an hour early for people new to the district. In hind sight, it wasn't overly necessary, but the principal went over the handbook and things that we might not know about their school (like their elementary is K-4 not K-5). Finn's favorite part of that meeting? Finding out they have chocolate milk.

After that, we entered the world of chaos in the commons/lunch area with all the booths and things you had to pay for and sign up for. We first signed up for fall and spring conferences. Is this normal practice to sign up now? Seemed odd to me, but I guess this way, everybody is assigned a time well in advance. Then we paid for Finn's supplies...a whopping $20! LOL. The only things we had to buy beyond that were napkins, Kleenex, pencil box and two folders. I think we can handle that.

Since we didn't have a check to pay for school lunch (who doesn't accept debit/credit cards in this day and age, anyway?!?), we didn't have to wait in that monster line and headed to Finn's classroom instead to meet his teacher. She was giving an information meeting at 5pm, so we were a little early, which was nice. Originally, we thought Ms. Thorsen was the teacher we'd met at Kindergarten registration, but she wasn't. But she seemed really nice and I think she will be a good fit for Finn. We received a scavenger hunt (i.e. check list) when we got there, so we were able to complete that before the meeting started.

The informational meeting was very helpful and gave us a glimpse into what Finn's new life is going to look like. They have little tables instead of desks, which I'd have a picture of if I'd had my phone! Finn saw two friends from baseball, so he thought that was cool. After the meeting, we found Finn's locker (they seem so big!) and then went outside where they had bouncy houses for the kids. We played on those for a bit and then were heading out when we ran into Jackson (from gymnastics) and his mom.

Thankfully we did because she said that preschool had open house tonight, too! I had no idea. So off we headed to Korri's new classroom (two doors down from Finn's!). I wasn't sure if they'd have her information since I'd just turned it in the week before, but they did. And we found out that her new teacher, Ms. Pam (not to be confused with OUR Ms. Pam, Lilly and Levi's mom, said Korri!), is the same teacher who facilitated their craft and story time this summer! We also had to sign up for a pre-admission conference to go over preschool things, I guess. Glad Jackson's mom told us about it!

There is SO much to do and get ready before the first day of school. We were sent home with a whole packet of things to read, fill out and do. One thing is that Finn has to memorize and learn how to punch in his lunch code because apparently they aren't allowed to help them with this. I was a bit nervous, but Jim showed Finn ONCE and he had it down pat...of course! We have a mock-up keypad taped to our table and Finn has to punch in his code before he eats anything here at home! LOL. I hope we figure it all out and have what he needs the first day. Although if we don't, I doubt we'll be the only ones!

Jim ran over to the school yesterday to drop off a check for lunch and drop off the extra supplies we volunteered to bring for his classroom. I didn't want Finn to have to fit baby wipes and paper towels in his backpack the first day. Three things off the list, now on to the other 87!

Speaking of the first day, we never received the postcard from the bus company telling us Finn's busing information, so I called them yesterday. Oh, they never received the information that he needs to ride the bus. Of course. But thankfully, he was able to add Finn to the system right away and tell me his bus numbers and pick up/drop off times. They pick him up on the corner, three houses down from us, which is fine. Pick up is at 7:37 (give or take, LOL). Also, we will find out at our pre-admission conference, but I think Korri will be riding the bus to school with Finn on her preschool days! I wasn't prepared for that, so I'm glad I have a few days to process that.

As with most kids in MN, Finn's first day of school is this Tuesday, Sept 2. Korri's is the following Tuesday, Sept 9. I'm looking forward to getting into a "school" routine and also the few hours a week I'll have alone with Mac. I wonder if Finn and Korri will fight less once school starts. Jim and I were talking about this the other night and I wonder if they just never have the chance to miss each other. I guess we will see. At least they won't be fighting all day for me when Finn is at school!!

I promise not to forget to take pictures the first day of school. I still can't believe I forgot my phone for open house. Boo.

Side note: Baby started smiling this week. So much fun to see. It isn't consistent yet but he's smiled at Finn and Korri, too! They LOVE that.

Korri's screening

So, Korri had her Early Childhood Screening last Tuesday (a little late in posting, I know!). This screening is a brief, simple procedure required by the state of MN prior to starting kindergarten. It is used to identify potential health or developmental problems in young children who may need a health assessment, diagnostic assessment or educational evaluation. Screening in early childhood supports children's readiness for kindergarten and promotes positive child health and developmental outcomes.

The school contacted us mid-summer letting us know that Korri was eligible for the screening and when they were offering it. Finn did his screening twice due to his early start in life (once in NE Mpls at three and a half and a second time in Howard Lake this past spring). Since Korri went along to Finn's, she knew what to expect and was excited to go. Before we went, we talked about listening and thinking about answers and following directions. I needn't have worried.

Korri has never been evaluated for any of these things (well, except vision, obviously). You have to remember that Finn was constantly evaluated for every aspect of development and I always knew where his strengths were and where we needed to work. But I guess "normal" children don't have that luxury, so I was looking forward to seeing where Korri was developmentally (assuming she'd be smack dab in the middle at 50%).

We walked in and she pretty much owned the place. Everybody loved her and made her feel special the whole time she was there. They first measured her (40"; 75% and 40.5 lbs; 75%). She STILL has a high BMI, but the nurse was not concerned based on looking at her and her body type (compact, muscular bodies have high BMI's).

Then they did her hearing test. Her only resistance all day was that she told the tech she couldn't raise her arm when she heard a noise...but she eventually did. Not sure what that was about. She passed with flying colors. Because she already has glasses, they deferred to her specialist for that and didn't test her (which she was NOT happy about...because FINN got to do it! LOL).

Then they did her development testing. Again, I didn't know what to expect but I did NOT expect what happened! For Korri's age, she should have scored 14. She quickly and easily answered every single question correctly and scored a 24! I wonder how high she would have scored if they'd kept asking her harder questions. Honestly, I was SO proud of her. I always just assumed that Korri was average (what is wrong with being average? NOTHING!). But Jim has always told me, "she is smarter than you give her credit for." I guess daddy was right! Holy moly. I think it helps that she has an older brother (they even commented on things like how well she holds her pencil) but regardless, she can hold her own.

I have a feeling things might get interesting in the Thomas household during the school years but for now, I'm just basking in the warm mommy-pride at how well Korri did. I LOVED that she got to feel special and just mommy and her went (the boys stayed home). My little princess is growing up...quickly! Good job, Baby Grill!

It just got real

Wow, I think it just set in that my little baby boy is actually going to be going to kindergarten in less than a month. In a school. With other kids. Learning things only "big" kids learn. Riding a bus. Doing all this WITHOUT me. I already miss him and he hasn't even gone yet!

I got a text this morning from a neighbor asking which teacher Finn got. Wait, how would I know? I thought we got that at open house in a couple weeks. Nope, they were mailed out this week. So I went through all the mail on the counter and grabbed the school packet. Nope, just general information. Then I ran out to the mail box (bare feet and all) and yup, there is an envelope from his elementary school. It is all there is black and white. Finn's kindergarten teacher will be Ms. Thorsen. (Jim and I both really liked her at kindergarten orientation this spring) My neighbor's daughter also has her, as does at least one other boy from baseball. Good, Finn will know a few kids on his first day. Do you think they will let me just sit in the back of his room all day? All week? Just the first week? No? First day? No? Fine, I may be okay, but I KNOW Finn will be just fine.

In all honesty, I think he has been ready for kindergarten for two years. Especially academically. But one thing I've noticed more this summer is his growth socially. He stepped right up and joined baseball without knowing ANY other kids and had a great attitude about it (again, refer to our experience with tumbling class a year and a half ago to know what a big deal this is!). And made friends quickly and easily. He is very friendly to people he doesn't know (maybe we should reiterate the "no talking to strangers" talk!). We were at the beach last week and he said hi to everybody who came without 20 feet of him and often started a conversation, even with adults. I was SO impressed, especially since Korri is our outgoing one...NOT Finn! He will be fine. If I write it enough, maybe my heart won't hurt so much!

All of his paperwork is in (I think). He already picked out his backpack (Dusty Crophopper, of course). We have open house in two weeks. He now knows his teacher. I still need to get some school supplies but for kindergartners, you only need to get a few things, as they just "let" you pay for a supply box! So easy. I really think we are about as ready as we can be. I can't wait to see him after his first day and talk to him all about it. Here's to a new chapter in the Thomas household...the school years. (I really hope the kids aren't mean...that is what I really care about)

Meanwhile, here is my "big" kindergartner sleeping on his mommy yesterday. LOVED it.

What's due?

Ha, yesterday was my due date. I can't even begin to imagine how awful I would have been or felt if I'd had Baby yesterday. In all reality, they would have induced me last week at 39 weeks, so I wasn't in "danger" of that, but still. Crazy how things work out. Instead, we've had three amazing weeks to get to know Little Mister and LOVE him so much.

So almost immediately after his two week well child appt last week, his eating behavior changed. He started spitting up large amounts and seemed very uncomfortable and gassy. So, last weekend we got gas drops which I think helped a little but he continued to spit up a LOT. Jim had enough when Baby threw up all over him as we were walking out the door this morning. So he called the doctor and they were able to see him this afternoon. Jim took him, as both Bigs were sleeping in the van, so I stayed with them. The doctor said while it isn't presenting clearly as one thing, it COULD be reflux or (gasp) colic. So we have a prescription for reflux and the doctor said we can keep using gas drops and can use Gripe water if we want (which is supposed to be colic relief). The good news is that he weighed in at a whopping 9 lbs 11oz, which means he is gaining just over an ounce a day (even with the spitting up) and they like to see an ounce a day. Good news!

Hopefully this new medicine will help. If not, we PRAY with all our might that it isn't colic! We've been through the colic ringer with both Bigs and I don't know if I can handle it a third time. NeNe is already on call to come and walk the cul de sac with Baby if needed (she was my savior with Crabby Korri). We will see, I guess.

Today, Pam, Lilly and Levi invited us to a puppet show in Maple Grove. It was SO cute and the kids LOVED it. Thanks for thinking of us. It was nice to get out of the house as a family and have something fun to do. I didn't even know there was an amphitheater in Maple Grove, but there is and it is really nice. Here are the four Bigs watching the show (Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your stair!):

And Mister Mac slept through the whole thing:

Be warned...

Clicking on the following link MAY be just too cute to handle. Don't say I didn't warn you!

With no further adieu, here are Mac's newborn pics:

www.jessicahislop.com/macnewborn

password:  babygan

Sneak peek:

As always, Jessica did an amazing job. Now I have to figure out which one to put on the wall!

Also, I wanted to let you know that I've finally updated our picture website through yesterday, I think (talk about a big job!).

Here is a direct link to Mac's Birth photos (be warned there are a couple graphic ones, but you can see them coming): https://picasaweb.google.com/106162675812290445107/MacSBirth?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Here is a general link to all photos (July has the most updates, also some cute ones in Videos): https://picasaweb.google.com/106162675812290445107

Two weeks and counting...

Daddy and I took Mac to his two week well-child appt this morning. And the doctor basically said he is ridiculously healthy! Music to this momma's ears, to say the least. It is such a different experience having a healthy baby who eats and sleeps well (don't get me wrong, this momma is still VERY tired, but I count 2-3 hours at night as good sleeping compared to Korri's 20 minutes!).

Based on his stats, we have a big, healthy, proportionate boy:
Height: 21" 70% (birth 19 3/4)
Weight: 9 lbs 2.5 oz 67% (birth 8 lbs 13 oz)
Head: 36.75 cm 76% (birth 35.5 cm)

While his jaundice hasn't resolved, she isn't concerned about it at this point either. She said that it can take 6 to 7 weeks to fully resolve with breast-fed babies and it does seem to be improving. So unless it seems to get worse, she will just check it at his two month visit. She isn't concerned about his eye goop or congested nose and said to keep doing what we've been doing (putting ointment in his eye as needed and suctioning his nose as needed).

That is it. Nothing else! And he was a rock star at the appt. She was very impressed with his alertness (see Jess, he really is just awake a lot!). He let her do her thing but was very happy to get back to momma to eat when all was done. He does spit-up a lot, so we are going to keep an eye on that, but it doesn't seem forced or painful, so hopefully he is just over eating a little or eating too fast and it will resolve itself as he gets bigger, stronger and his stomach can hold more!

I pray for all future doctor visits to go this smoothly!

Big kids are in Oville for the weekend. Sure is quiet here without them. Momma and Mac took a nap together and then snuggled in bed until it was bedtime yesterday. What a luxury and precious time together.

We ran errands are the doctor appt and then had a late lunch. Here is Mac enjoying lunch time!

What a week!

One week ago today, we got to take Little Mister home from the hospital. What a crazy week it has been since then. We are so thankful that Memere was here to help with the big kids and help daddy clean out and organize the garage. It looks so much better and we were able to find all (?) of the baby stuff and get it cleaned and ready for Baby.

Sunday night, Sharon, Laena, Braeland and Pam came for a visit and brought dinner from Famous Dave's! So yummy. Hanging outside for a bit:

Monday morning, we had Mac's first well-child appt and Finn's ear follow up. Both appts showed the boys were doing perfectly well. Yay. That afternoon, Daddy, Memere and Korri took Finn to baseball practice and of course, the one day I miss, they PITCHED the ball! Oh, I bet Finn LOVED that.

Tuesday, we had Finn's last (sniff, sniff!) baseball game, which Mac thoroughly enjoyed, snuggled up with daddy.

I'm so glad we signed him up for baseball this summer. It seemed like a HUGE time commitment in the beginning but it just became our routine and he loved every second of it (and he got to meet more kids his age!). NeNe came over in the evening to play with Finn while Memere graciously took Korri to gymnastics, which they all loved.

Wednesday, Jim met Grandpa Ron in Murdock to pick up our lawn mower in order to get it back to our place (we needed a trailer). Then once they got it here, they loaded the trailer back up and headed to Hutchinson to pick up the rest of our bed pieces. Can't wait for that to get installed so our bed/room feels more like it belongs to a "big person." Memere finished up all of her help (again, for which we are beyond grateful) and Grandpa and Memere headed home (sniff, sniff).

Thursday, Pam so kindly invited Jim and the big kids to go boating with their family for the morning, which they did. Finn even went tubing for the first time and LOVED it:

Jim said both kids loved swimming in the middle of the lake, too. I'm so glad my kids aren't afraid of the water. While they were out having fun in the sun, a home health nurse from Allina came to visit Mac and me. We both checked out great. While I wasn't too concerned, it is a nice service. That evening, we had Finn's end of the year baseball picnic/party. It was a bit windy, but Little Mister slept happily in his covered car-seat the entire time! The kids had a blast. Again, I was sad to see the season end, but so excited to see what the rest of the summer holds. After the party, we met Grandma and Austin at our house for Austin/Finn weekend at Grandma's! Korri has been very emotional since Mac was born, so Jim and I were looking forward to some time with just her.

Speaking of, Friday, Jim and Korri had a daddy/daughter date! They both knew they wanted to go shopping and Korri picked Ridgedale, I think to Jim's dismay, as I think he would have preferred MOA. She played in the play area, they got their pictures taken in a photo booth, did a little shopping and had lunch. A perfect date for both of them. Later that evening, Born's came over and brought dinner (in additional to picking up some grocery necessities we were out of!). It was a great evening but holy moly, was I tired by the end!

Saturday, I packed up the kids and met Auntie Kristine and Zander at Lake Rebecca park to play and swim! I may have over done it a bit, but the weather was perfect and Korri and Zander play super well together. Then we headed to our respective houses for nap time and then auntie, uncle Alex and Zander came over for dinner and so Alex could help get the lawn mower started (which he did, but it STILL needs s tune up...will we ever be able to mow our own lawn?!?!). In the afternoon Stacey and Dillon stopped by for a quick snuggle session with Mac!

This morning, I packed the kids up and took them to church by myself! And it went well. There is nothing a bunch of Catholics like more than a newborn! When we got home, NeNe and Uncle Les brought LeAnn Chin over for lunch...yum! Then, I had the pleasure of a long nap. Awesome.

Here is Big Sister giving Baby Mac a 'moochie (through all that hair):

Most importantly (to me!), I finally am feeling somewhat "normal" again! It was a tough week for me physically and somewhat emotionally, as the "baby blues" have reared their ugly head a few times, but so far, doesn't seem to be postpartum depression, although I am very watchful for the signs (given I had it with Korri, I'm much more likely to have it again). Also, I was severely anemic (I think due to the blood loss during birth) but due to side effects, my doctor didn't want me taking an iron supplement. I don't know if you've ever been extremely anemic before but wow...just walking around took more energy than I had (and I was pretty yellow, just like Mac!). The effects of the third degree tear were pretty rough, too, but I am now able to get up and down without cringing, which I think is a victory! And I'm so happy to report that the swelling in my feet seems to finally be gone, for the most part. That was really tough and painful but I noticed on Friday that it seemed to be getting better. They said it would take about a week and I guess one week and one day is close. Overall, well on the way to recovery.

What's in a name?

I'm a little surprised more people haven't asked about Mac's name, but I have a feeling they are thinking it. So, how did we come up with MacKeegan?

Well, one thing that was different this time around was that we had to have two names picked out, a boy and a girl, which we've never had to do before. And if you know Jim and me at all, agreeing on something this important is usually not easy at all! Luckily, we had the girl name picked right after Korri was born. I was watching TV and LOVED the last name of somebody on the show: Maddigan! I love the nickname Maddi and since I love long names that can be shortened and it "fit" with the "gan" theme, it stuck. My only reservation about this name was that it was close to Madison, so I didn't want her having to correct people her whole life. Oh, well. Guess we'll never know for sure. Side note: I love Addi even more, but Addigan didn't really have the same ring. Side side note: this is the name Stacey was able to guess during the rousing game of hangman during delivery. She was very proud of herself!

After Finn was born, Jim and I both loved the name Declan, which is a very traditional Irish name. But oddly, after we got pregnant with #3, neither of us liked it any more, and didn't fall into the "gan" theme, which I think I would have been okay with! Weird. So back to the drawing board. I did some looking around but couldn't find anything that was unique and that I liked enough. Jim randomly looked online one afternoon and said, how about MacKeengan? Yup, that was it without a second thought (although we went back and forth on the spelling, of course!). I've always LOVED the name Keegan (which also has a special place in our sister-in-laws heart!) but as of late, it is WAY too popular for me to name my child that. This was the perfect compromise. Once we picked the name, we knew we wanted his nickname to be Mac but went back and forth on the spelling of that too. Jim felt strongly about it being "Mack" so I agreed, as I didn't really care all that much (I already got the name I loved...and Jim got his spelling for Korri, too!). But right after he was born, Jim said, "It should be Mac." Okay, then! Ha. I guess there is nothing wrong with changing it at that point. I've called him Keegan a few times, which I think is okay, too. I have a feeling it will be Mackey (spelling?) most of the time anyway. Both kids just call him Baby for now, which is too funny. Korri keeps asking what his "long" name is!

Mac is a strong name and MacKeegan means "fire" in Gaelic. I think it will serve him well. Since both big kids have about 10 nicknames, I can't wait to see what his end up being as well! And I'm so glad you decided to be born when you did. I can't imagine how I'd be feeling if I were still pregnant or how big you would have been had you "cooked" for a couple more weeks!

Happy one week birthday, Mac! I can't even describe how much I love you already and how complete you've made our family. Oh, the places you'll go and the things you will do...I can't wait to see and experience them with you. Stealing words from Dr. Seuss:

OH! THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!
You'll be on your way up!
You'll be seeing great sights!
You'll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
 So...get on your way!

Mac's Doctor Visit

Mac had his first non-well doctor visit this morning. I noticed last night that he had greenish/yellowish/brownish snot coming out of his nose and green gunk in his left eye. He still ate decently overnight but was taking longer breaks between sucks, probably to accommodate the congestion. And this morning didn't seem too interested in eating at all.

However, all is well! The doctor thinks his eye is because of a plugged tear duct, which the nurses at the hospital said that as well. He gave us a prescription to put in Mac's eye when it gets gunky but it is something that he might have to "deal with" for several months and sometimes up to a year. I am to massage the inside of the eye socket near his nose, too, when it is gunky, as that might help loosen it up.

As for his nose, probably related to the drainage (or lack thereof) of his eye. It could also be a symptom of a little cold (since three people in our house have colds). I just have to sucker his nose before feedings and that should help, which I'm already doing.

So, overall not a big deal. I just figured I'd better call since he is SO young. He weighed in at a whopping 8 lbs 12.5 oz...1 oz shy of his birth weight, which he is "supposed" to be back to by one week, which is tomorrow! I can't believe it. It is such a blessing to have a good eater. I hope it continues. The doctor thinks his belly button nubbin will fall off today or tomorrow. Yay! But we should continue to put Vaseline on his circumcision site until his two week well child appt next week. He also thinks his bilirubin levels have probably improved since his appt on Monday! Another yay!

One week tomorrow? Wow.

And because we have two other adorable children in our family, big siblings playing in the new pool daddy got for them!

Mac's Well Child

Sunday was a nice and quiet day. Mac did great and the big kids were so happy to have us home. Thank you to Sharon, Laena, Braeland and Pam for visiting and to Sharon for bringing us Famous Dave's for dinner! So thoughtful and appreciated.

Bright and early Monday morning...okay 9:30, we had Mac's first well child appt. Jim was able to schedule Finn's ear follow up at the same time, which was SO helpful. Basically, Mac is perfect, even given his slightly early arrival into this world! There was nothing of concern at all. So happy to hear that. They took his blood for his bilirubin levels and while they were still elevated at 13.9, they would have needed to be around 19 for them to treat. That means we don't need to do anything special until his two week well child! He had gained 3 oz, which is AMAZING, which brought him back up to 8 lbs 8 oz. The dr was so happy with that that he said Mac can go up to 4 hours at night between eatings, if he is sleeping! Sweet! So so so happy about the whole visit.

Finn's left ear had healed and the tube was still in (we already knew the right one had come out, but that one wasn't infected)! We couldn't believe it. That means it was just an infection and NOT his ear drum rupturing. The dr said that "most" kids don't need tubes once they are in kindergarten, but then again, Finn doesn't usually follow the path of "most" kids when it comes to medical things. The Dr said we will need to watch him through this cold and flu season and if he does well (has less than 3 infections in 6 months), we can probably say he won't need new tubes! I'm praying for that to be true as I'm really not comfortable with a third set. Finn did a great job and was showing off the whole time!

Basically, Mac is doing great, sleeping lots and eating well. I'm so happy he seems to have figured out this eating thing, after two horrific experiences with my first two. He isn't eating even close to the supply I have, so I am trying to be patient for that to even out on its own (I've only pumped twice since coming home). I finally got a nursing app to help me remember when, which side and how long he eats and that helped a lot for me (too much to remember). Nights have been really good so far...but then again, he is sleeping almost all the time, so I'm not sure how long it will continue.

I don't think I mentioned that Korri got a cold on Thursday (the day he was born) and Jim and Finn got a cold on Friday! I've been hoping and praying that neither I nor Mac got it but last night, Mac was congested, lots of extra snot and a congested eye. Argh! I'm hoping it doesn't turn into anything but will probably call the dr just to be sure. Darn germs! And I feel everybody has been trying so hard to wash hands and use germ lotion. I guess you can only do so much to prevent these things. Hopefully just a "normal" cold, if there is such a thing with a 6 day old!

And because who doesn't love a baby video, here is Mac sucking his thumb last night, which he figured out all by himself! What a little sucker...LOL!

Finn had his last baseball game yesterday. I can't believe how quickly the season went by! When I signed him up, I thought it was going to be more of an inconvenience than it was. Finn had a blast all season and I think learned a few things. I was/am really proud of him for how well he listened and paid attention, especially for a five year old when all the other boys were dinking around (he did, too, but not nearly as much!). It was disappointing that it was tee-ball instead of baseball, but that starts at age 7, I guess. Hoping to get Korri in next year, even though she will be half a year too young. Here is Mac and daddy watching the game:

Mac's First Day(s)

Mac had an interesting first couple of days. After birth, they checked his blood sugar levels as is procedure for the size he was. They were borderline at 41, and have to be above 41 to be considered normal. So that means he was pricked every one to two hours for the next 24-36 hours to continue testing his levels. They ranged between 50 and 32 over the next day and until he had three in a row above 41, they continued. It was really tough because he was not bleeding very much and who wants their newborn to be not only pricked that often, but in clear pain when they squeezed and pinched for more blood.

Finally, they were not happy with the progress he was making, so they asked me to supplement his feedings with formula. As you can imagine based on my past history with feeding my babies, I just lost it...sobbing uncontrollably. They started with having me self-express, which is painful but did produce a little colostrum, and having Jim give him formula after each feeding as well. My nurse was amazing and offered me lavender aroma therapy and massaged my neck, shoulders, legs and feet. She wanted me to relax so I could sleep, which I finally did.

After a few self-expression sessions, they agreed that I could just start pumping after feeding Mac to make sure we were getting as much as possible out of each side and to get more to give to him after. Finally, my milk came in yesterday, Saturday, so we were able to slowly ween the formula and just give him the extra pumped milk! Yay.

Also, in the first day he lost 5% of his body weight. While losing weight is normal, losing this much in one day is much higher than "normal." But with the extra food he was getting, they weren't overly concerned. And this morning, he'd only lost another 1% so they were happy to see that. He should start gaining weight again after about a week. He latches on so well and now that my milk is in (and that he has reserve weight!), I don't think we have much to worry about with that.

Friday, the rounding pediatrician noticed that Mac was a little yellow, even though it was hard to tell with how red he was, and told us to have the natural sun shine in on him as much as possible. Then Saturday morning, as is normal procedure, I think, they checked his bilirubin levels which came back as high risk. The extra food he was getting would help his body get rid of the extra levels but he needed to be under the light therapy and would NOT be going home Saturday. This was very disappointing for us as Finn and Korri were REALLY ready for the three of us to come home AND because I was discharged Saturday just after noon. But the really nice thing about our hospital is they have a "rooming in" policy where if your baby has to stay longer than mom, you just stay in your room until baby comes home! SO NICE. One of the nurses did comment that it was nice we were pretty calm with all the changes and needing stay longer. Ha, this is nothing!

He was under the lights all day yesterday and all last night. The really hard part about him being under the lights is that we can't hold him when he cries (he could only be out when he ate)! Eventually we realized we could position him on his side or tummy because he HATED being on his back and not swaddled. That helped. They had him in the nursery over night because since we would be sleeping, we wouldn't be able to make sure his goggles stayed on (and I would get more sleep!). This morning, they rechecked his levels and they dropped slightly, which was enough to let him come home as long as he is rechecked tomorrow for his levels! AWESOME. So excited to go home, which should be by late morning! He just had his circumcision and he NOT happy. Hopefully he feels better soon, poor guy!!

Overall, he is doing great and LOVES to snuggle and be held. I think his big sister is going to LOVE that as all she has talked about is holding the baby for forever, even if she really wanted a baby sister instead of another brother! Thank you to everybody for the kind words and support over the last couple of days and over the trying months of this pregnancy. We'd love visitors so just get in touch with Jim or myself if you have some free time or want to meet Mac!

Mac snuggling on mommy's lap early this morning while I was pumping.

Party of Five!

Short version? MacKeegan (Mac) John joined our family at 11pm on Thursday, July 17 weighing 8 pounds 13 ounces and 19 3/4 inches long at 37 weeks and 1 day of gestation.

Long (LONG) version? Mac's actual birth started with my OB appt on Thursday at 10 am. I had progressed to a dilation of 5 centimeters and 80% effaced. My doctor did a manual exam of my belly and thought the baby was measuring at 9 pounds 1 ounce. She did strip my membranes but wasn't sure it would do too much since I'd had so many cervical exams already. She basically said she would be happy delivering Babygan any time since we were over 37 weeks (but couldn't do more than she had since we weren't 39 weeks) and to come in if I had a window when my contractions were consistently 5 minutes apart, as they could call that "real" labor and break my water. 

So after, Jim decided not to go to St. Paul for work, the four of us went shopping and have lunch. During lunch I started charting my contractions between 3 and 6 minutes apart (not exactly consistent but still frequent). We went home so the kids could nap. Finally at 3:30, Jim convinced me to call in. They told me to come in right away. So Jim figured out plans for the kids (they went to our neighbor Beth's and Memere, who was already on her way, would pick them up there) and we went in. I still had the sense that they would assess me and send us home, like they'd done so many times before, but I didn't want to miss our opportunity either.

By the time we got there (around 4:30 pm), contractions were between 2 and 4 minutes apart and I was at 5.5 dilation. The charge nurse was NOT comfortable sending me home and talked with my doctor, who just happened to be on call! They agreed to check me in an hour and make a plan. After that hour, I was to a 6 and the decision was made to move us into a Labor and Delivery room and get this party started. I still didn't fully believe that we were going to have a baby presently, but thought things would slow down and they would change their mind and send us home.

We decided to have me walk around the halls for a bit, get the process for epidural started and wait for my doctor to come meet with us. Finally when the epidural had been ordered, I asked the nurse if we were going to have this baby tonight and she said either tonight or tomorrow morning! So, now things were real. Stacey joined us as photographer and support. Jim was told he had 30 minutes before the epidural so he ran out to get some food...and the anesthesiologist was there in 15 minutes instead. So he came right back, because he knew that the process wouldn't be pleasant for me and wanted to be there. After the epidural, things calmed down for a bit so Jim ran out to Taco John's to get dinner for him and Stacey, thinking nothing would happen any time soon.   They completely screwed up Jim's order.

However, my doctor came in, checked me and decided it was time to break my water (around 7p m). So, Jim missed that, oh, well. Better that then the birth! LOL. My water has always broken at home, so this was a new experience for me. She basically checked my cervix and while in there, slipped a crochet-like hook in and broke the water bag. There was a HUGE rush of water. I couldn't see it, but I could hear it and they had to move my legs out of the way of it all! Guess I did have extra fluid.

After that it was a wait and see kind of game with enough time for my doctor to go home for dinner. At this point, Stacey decided she should really get to know the baby's name, so Jim and she started a rousing game of hangman...with her getting to pick a letter every half hour. Honestly, this sounds silly but really made the time pass quickly and kept things light. My doctor came back after dinner and around 9 pm, I noticed my contractions were moving into my lower back (yay for back contractions, NOT!) and getting stronger. So at that point, I started upping the epidural, which I could do every 5 minutes, for which Stacey and Jim helped time for me so I wouldn't lose any time or relief.

The nurse checked me a little bit later and I was fearful that there had been no change but she quickly put that fear to rest when she said I was at a 9! Sweet. Now I knew it wouldn't be too long but still not sure if it would be Thursday night or Friday morning (both Jim and I were thinking Friday morning). A bit later, the nurse checked me again and said she wanted the doctor to check. Dr. Teri came in, checked me and said it was time to push! Wait, what?!?! This was around 10:45 pm.

So they got things ready and I started pushing. I'd somewhat forgotten how HARD you have to push but they were so encouraging I felt like I had a team of cheerleaders there just for me. After a couple pushes, something clearly was wrong, but they weren't entirely sure if it was with me or baby so they gave me an oxygen mask. I decided to focus just on what I could control and not worry (as it wouldn't help and I'd lose my focus) but I knew the baby's pulse was very low (in the 50's at one point instead of a normal 150's or higher). Eventually, Dr. Teri said it was like the baby was holding his breath, so we had time before things were critical. But in the same breath, she had a team of nurses in our room, Jim was relieved of his duty of holding my leg/foot and she ordered the Operating Room to get ready for an emergency C-section. She was elbow deep trying to move the baby's head and decided we had one more opportunity to do this together before surgery. She grabbed the forceps and she told me to push like I'd never pushed before. We timed the next contraction and both gave it our all. On the third push (we'd been doing three pushes each time), I felt things shifting and out he came at 11:00 pm. Holy moly, I'd forgotten how great it feels when the baby actually comes out! Yes, for those still paying attention, that was 15 minutes of pushing.

At this point, is when I started thinking about what could be wrong with baby. He was put directly on my chest and the words I heard were, "good color", "doesn't look bad", "doesn't need extra help" etc. Ah, words every mother wants to hear. Oh, and a great big cry!! All good things. But since I was focusing on that, I didn't know what we'd had! Finally after about two minutes (in my world, I really have no idea how long!), I said, "Wait, is it s a boy or girl?" And they all laughed and said, "BOY!" Too funny. Since he was on my chest, I couldn't see the rest of his body.

From there, all things were pretty routine. After I got some snuggles, they took him with daddy over to the warmer to get his vitals and check him over. The nurses kept saying how big he was, so I was curious to find out exactly HOW big. He was a little smaller than all things were indicating but still big: 8 pounds 13 ounces, 19 3/4 inches and 14 inch head circumference...definitely all big for 37 weeks! They like to get mom and baby moved to their post-partum room within 2 hours. After I was stitched back up (a third degree tear, made worse by my previous third degree tear with Korri!), they removed the epidural (when I fainted for the first time, but was in bed, so they just laid me back) and started getting my fluids and toast (I hadn't eaten since lunch!). They wanted me to urinate before they moved me but my legs were still pretty shaky, so they had this little "walker" type thing and the nurse assisted me. I made it to the bathroom and on the toilet and then fainted again, keep in mind, before this I don't think I'd ever fainted before. She yelled for assistance and they got me in a wheelchair and decided to wheel me to my new room. I was told I fainted two more times before they got me to my room and in bed. Yikes! Probably a combination of blood loss and low blood pressure.

I was able to nurse Mac right away and he latched on like a champ (my nurse was very helpful with all of it). It was after 2 am by the time I was able to go to sleep. They took Mac to the nursery for the night so I could get as much sleep as possible.

I'm sure there are tons of details that I've glossed over but you clearly get the point. Overall, we are just so happy and thankful that we have a healthy baby. All pictures will be uploaded to our picture website as time allows, but here is one from this morning with daddy and Mac doing skin-to-skin: