One Week Old

Ruby June

Just about a week ago, we had our Ruby June!

I was in labor a week ago today, Sunday, and she was born at 1:38 am in the early hours of Monday, March 15, 2010.

Here is what Joe wrote to a few family and friends after she was born:

"We got her now!
At long last, please welcome our little girl, Ruby June, to the world. She's simply beautiful and amazing, just like her mom.
She was born Sunny Side Up at 1:38 this morning, after about an hour of pushing (maybe less!). Not bad for being 9 days after the due date!
Ruby is 21.25 inches long, and weighed 8 lbs, 6 oz. Molly did an amazing job to bring this little one into the world safe, happy and healthy. There were no complications at all. So far, both are resting comfortably and bonding quickly. Ruby has taken to nursing like a duck to water, and she has even found her thumb to be satisfying. That may be important in a few weeks, if she can self-soothe and sleep contentedly.
We're excited for everyone to meet her in time, and she'll be home from the hospital tomorrow. Please stop by to visit and meet the little one sometime soon. Thanks for all the support and love through the last 9 months. We all appreciate each of you!
Joe, Molly, Kai and Ruby"

Happy Birthday Ruby June!!

41 weeks

It feels in so many ways that we are on the edge of the cliff with our toes on the edge and we are waiting to jump.....it just is that we don't know when we will be pushed!

Yes, it's 41 weeks and we are still waiting for this little girl to come. But, we feel patient still.

I am feeling wonderful (most of the time) and am not feeling super anxious and nervous. Our midwife (and dear friend) Julie assures us the babe is just fine. We have until Tuesday to do testing to make sure she is still fine and then we have until 42 weeks before the big "I" would have to happen (Induction).

But, I try to remind myself that this is a perfect time for me to let go of some of my "Type A" personality characteristics and just wait for her to come and not push it too much. I mean, really, what can we do?

I hope she is going to be laid-back like her dad (and therefore this would explain the whole late thing). I can't think of anything better for a second born child!

In the mean time, we have been enjoying spending time just the three of us (Joe, Kai, and I). We know our life is about to change for all of us. Kai has been the focus of our life and as many of you know, when three becomes four, well, everything changes!

Here is a little blast from the past from my family-- I was the second born (but certainly not the laid-back one) and our family is following in the birth order of my own family growing up. Kai will be the wonderful sensitive, protective big brother just like my brother was. A story that our family likes to share is that whenever someone would offer my brother something (like a cookie or a treat) he would say "yes" but ask if his little sister could have one first.

Joey and Kai are so similar already in many ways-- so, I hope he will take after his Uncle Joey. But, maybe Kai, don't blow your nose on your sister's shirt when you get older. Just a suggestion....

40 weeks

Kai: Mama, when do you think you will have the baby?

Me: I'm not sure. But, I think it will be soon. What do you think, Kai?

Kai: Probably in 40 minutes.

I love his positive thinking!

Walking

We are still waiting for the babe to come!

I've been walking a lot trying to get this show on the road-- although, I'm actually feeling wonderful and not super anxious quite yet.

But, here is a photo of Kai and my brother's dog, Osa. Kai just loves my brother and Osa. He asked me the other night, "Do you think that Osa really loves me?"

Uncle Joey, Kai, and Osa hung out on Friday night so my mom and I could really pick up the speed and walk along the river.

Then, I pretty much have been walking ever since...but, I don't feel like there is much action happening quite yet with the baby thinking of entering into the world.

My due date was on Friday, March 5th, so I still have some time...we will keep you updated.

Flash From the Past

Here is Kai at 4 days old--

We're so curious to see what our new little girl is going to look like. Will she look like Joe again? Have my curly hair? Resemble her brother?

Check back here often for updates!

4 more days

We had such a great weekend!

After dinner on Friday night with some new friends from Kai's school, then a great wedding for Joe's co-worker on Saturday night, followed by brunch out at a yummy restaurant with just the three of us (Joe, Kai, and I)-- well, it's no wonder I'm tired, happy, and ready to roll with this new baby.

Joe and I are still laughing about dancing at the wedding on Saturday night. It felt like we were either in 6th grade again or at a Bible College, since we were dancing so far a part from each other due to this big belly!

Eloise

I feel so lucky that Kt's little girl, Eloise, will only be 10 weeks older than our new little one. I feel like it's like an arranged marriage, except for it will be an arranged friendship that we know will include canoe trips, late night girl chats, chocolate sundaes, and moms who have known each other since we were 16 years old.

Here are some photos from lunch on Friday--

Love Bug

Sometimes, just out of the blue, Kai will say to me:

"I love you"

Or other times, it is, in the middle of dinner, while drinking his milk:

"I love you guys sooooooo much."

Or having fun with his Uncle Joey, or Nonny, or Pops and Nana Kit, he might say:

"You are the best."

What a complete sweetheart!

I have to remember this, during the times, when he spits (for some reason, he thinks this is a funny thing to do), or screams "poopyhead," or pretends his magic wand is really a gun that hurts mean people.

I know it's all normal...but, man, it can be challenging.

Slumber

As many of you know, both Joe and I are pretty flexible about sleeping arrangements with Kai. We love snuggling with him in his bed or in our bed and we also love that he chooses to sleep in his big bed on his own too.

We have been wondering, talking, and reading about sleep once again for a newborn. We have some ideas of changes we will make for our new little baby. The main thing is that we'd love it if she sleeps through the night before 2 years old!! But, we still are committed to not letting her "cry it out" and are wondering if we will be able to strike a good balance.

Hmm....we will keep you updated!!

Painting Part 2

Kai wanted in on the action!

Ouch!

I received a phone call at work on Friday morning from Kai's school saying he had tripped over a friend and landed on the radiator down in the gym!

We spent the afternoon at the hospital and 6 stitches later, he looks like a boxer who didn't win his match. But, the hospital experience was so much better than last year's experience (stitches in the same place) so we were pleasantly surprised. Kai was very brave and loved the two Popsicles and toddler vicodin that kept him relaxed and happy!

Henna

Here is the actual henna! We had so much fun-- I'm not sure if you can hear all of the laughing, but we stayed up until midnight laughing so hard we were crying.

But, they made my belly look beautiful!

Painting

We told Kai that we were having people over to paint my belly (using Henna). So, right after we were all done having dinner, Kai went downstairs and got his paints and brushes and said he was ready for painting!!
Then, we decided to have a little fun!!

37 weeks

Cousins

Since our trip to Maryland, Kai has asked when he can go back to visit his cousins every single day. I'm seriously not even making this up.

He is particularly in love with Abby and tells me at breakfast every morning, "You know, Mama, I can pick Abby up." Or "Did you know Abby is moving in with us?" Or "Abby is my best friend!"

We are hoping that Bailey and Reba can come in May to help us with the new baby!! Kai is nearly wetting his pants in excitement at this possibility. He also is planning a trip to the cabin this summer with all of his cousins, even though I'm not sure if they are planning it (we hope so!)

Sunny Hollow Montessori

The famous pink tower....
Orange Juice Squeezing....
Spice Work...
Kai has been attending Sunny Hollow Montessori School, just over the river in St. Paul, about 5 minutes from our house. He has really been enjoying school-- it has been a transition for him, but it's incredible how much he has learned (and how much we are learning too!)

I am amazed when he sings a song about the continents or tells me how to squeeze oranges to make juice or how to build a pink tower and roll up his mat.

His teachers inform us that he is the most extroverted child in the class (hmm...who does he get that from?) and that he has a pretty advanced understanding of social order and grouping. It seems we have a social butterfly.

On his birthday, we were invited into the classroom for a birthday ritual (they light a candle, the parents tell special events from each year of their life while they walk in a circle around the children holding a globe). We then got about 45 minutes of time, just us, in the classroom and Kai got to show us all of his "work." He was so proud (and so were we!)

Birthdays

Somehow December and January are gone, but I forgot to post our birthday photos!

Joe turned 40!! I turned 36!! Kai turned 3!!

Here we are hiking at William O'Brien State Park on Joe's big day!

We were in Maryland visiting Joe's twin sister, Rosie, and her wonderful family for my birthday and to celebrate Joe and Rosie's big 4-0! Rosie, Tommy, Joe and I went out for a fancy dinner at an incredible Greek Seafood restaurant in D.C. It's the first time in all of these years that just the adults went out together....it was splendid. When we came home around 11:30 pm, 4 of the kids were still up (yep, including Kai, of course). I think the cousins were having just as much fun as us!



Finally, Kai had a wonderful birthday celebration with a small group of his friends. It was hard for him to pick just a few to invite, since he truly wanted over 20 of his friends! He picked out vanilla cupcakes with blue frosting and was thrilled when our favorite baker put a little hamburger decoration on his special cupcake. We had a pinata in the garage (it was too cold to do it in the backyard in the snow like we had hoped) and the kids had a blast!