One huge change!

Well, its been awhile! We've had a huge change, the Queen Bean is no longer the only little girl in her house. Baby Sister M arrived on March 31, one week before we had planned on her arrival. In fact, aside from her room and clothes, nothing was very ready for her arrival. Since she was scheduled for April 8, 2013, we just assumed she'd come as planned. We were totally floored when my water broke around 10:30 on March 30. We rushed out of the house (no hospital bag, no camera) and dropped E off at my parents (no bag packed for her either). Since we were getting ready for Easter, E rushed out past the hidden eggs, and we grabbed her basket on the way out the door. In fact, when we talked to my dad later, he asked if he could go to our house in the morning and pick up her shoes!

We got to the hospital, and as expected, M was still breech. So we waited. We had a lovely family evening on March 30 with an early Easter celebration at Great Gramma's house. Unfortunately, this meant that I had eaten too recently for surgery, so we waited, then we waited for the anesthesiologist, then we waited for an operating room. Once we were in, M's birth seemed to go faster then E's. I do wonder if just being fit into the other deliveries of the night, rather then scheduled makes them hurry! E was born just after 3 am. I got a glimpse of our beautiful girl (she didn't slime me like her sister) and then she was off to be examined.

The operating rooms have changed since E's birth, now the mom can see the examination room while on the operating table. The examined her for quite some time. I found out later from Andy that they wouldn't let him in the exam room, he stood outside the door and had to listen to her cry. He finally insisted that he be allowed in, and they let him. Turns out Miss M. suffered from her breech position more then her sister. M's entire left side was pretty squished, and most alarming to the medical staff, her left leg was swollen to about three times the size of her right leg, and she didn't seem able to move it. Her left foot was bent all the way back and was parallel to her leg. Her left arm also moved a bit funny, and her left ear and eye were visibly squished.

Grandma Ama met us in the recovery room, and got to see baby M. I wasn't in the mood to let anyone else hold her, so I don't think Ama got a turn until the next day. We started debating names, since we were planning on having another week to pick one out. Ama probably went home around 4:30 in the morning, and we moved up to our room around 6. The nurse was very sweet and took our baby girl (no name yet) for a few hours so we could sleep.

Between visitors on the 31st, we debated her name, front runners were Violet and Sophia but neither really seemed right. I don't remember how we handled introducing her to E without a name, but we obviously did, since she didn't have a name until April 1! E was amazing and so excited to meet her sister, she had a huge grin on her face the whole time she was at the hospital. While I stayed for four days, she spent two nights with Ama and Ada, one with Grandma and Grandpa and one with her dad. We even had a movie party at the hospital for her, with E and M in matching PJs.

Mommy's baby

When I picked E up from daycare yesterday one of her teachers came over and said, "hi, I just had to see how you were doing." turns out that in the morning, E had informed her "mommy had her baby this morning, she didn't go to the hospital. It was pretty bad."

I was actually a little surprised that I didn't hear anything from daycare sooner!

Funny things she says

E has been talking up a storm lately, she's got things to say to everyone, all the time.

The other day, she informed us that "none of my songs have ends" which is true, once she gets singing there isn't neccessarily a good place to stop her.

We've been debating a name for her baby sister for a while now. E is convinced she should be named Adeline, just like her friend A's baby sister. But, we made progress.

The other night I was laying with E, chatting, hoping she'd go to sleep when she said, "I thought of a new name for my baby [her sister]"  I asked what, she said "Hallway." So, its not perfect, but at least she is open to the idea of other names. She has also since suggested "baby Merida" after the princess in Brave.

Tonight, while cuddling and rocking
E: "we shouldn't tie our friends to train tracks"
A: "you are right"
E: "Why?"
A: "Where did you see someone being tied to a train track"
E: "Video games"

I have no idea what she saw or where she saw it!

Happenings

We were just talking tonight about the fact that E is growing out of some of her mispronunciations. For example, she no longer asks to put on her "PUJs" she just asks for her "PJs." But, she did get a new one, "Bob the Bobble Cat." E has started soccer lessons and Bob the Bobcat is the mascot. Somehow it translated into bobble cat.

E really loves her soccer classes, Wednesday evenings she talks about soccer and the games they played. Her favorite is "mud monster."

The other big news on the E front is the fact that she no longer has a door on her room. Bedtime has reverted into a disaster, and she started repeatedly slamming her door until dada or I went upstairs to tell her to stop. So, no door. She is still confused about what happened to it, and where it went, but it has helped with part of bedtime at least.

Triplets?

Ever since her daycare teacher announced her pregnancy last winter, E has been fascinated by the fact that people can grow babies in their tummies, and that the babies just "pop out." Since last winter, E has been growing babies in her tummy. Once we told her that I was pregnant, she has been growing a little girl in her tummy named Adaline. She is convinced that Adaline is real, and often tells me things that we need to buy for the baby in her tummy and the baby in my tummy. This has been pretty easy to deal with, we simply talk about making a list of things we need.

However, right around Christmas she added a new wrinkle. A baby in her daddy's tummy. Not just any baby, according to E, baby Jesus is in her daddy's tummy. E's daycare is somewhat religious, and rather then learning about Santa around Christmas, they learned the Bible story. And, ever since, baby Jesus has been at the forefront of E's mind.

So, tonight, I was putting E to bed (for the 5th time) and she announced that we needed to buy a bed for her baby. I suggested that her baby could sleep in her crib, since she didn't need it anymore. At that point, E said "its not big enough" I asked her what she needed, and she explained that we needed three cribs, one Adaline, one for baby Jesus, and one for the "baby in your tummy."

I'm not sure exactly what we are going to do about all three of these babies. I'm also starting to get a little worried about what will happen in April once I have a baby, and E does not. Although, E has decided that her baby should be born on March 1, so that she and Adaline can share a "born day."

2012 in review

In January, E had her first hair cut and played in the snow for the first time.

In February, E started loving snacks and made her first batch of cookies

In March, E turned 2 and spent lots of time splashing in puddles

In April, we got a new kitchen and E rode her trike for the first time

In May, E tried her first cup of coffee (now a weekend favorite), visited Circus World for the first time, and attended her first Badger football game

In June, E kicked off the summer at home with Dada and wore a dress for the first time in months

In July, E stopped sleeping, she went to her first wedding, we visited the Minnesota Zoo, and E became completely fascinated by people growing babies in their tummies

In August, we went to Comic Con and Chicago, E loved the Olympics, and we told E about the baby in mommy's tummy

In September, we kicked off our tradition of Thursday breakfasts at Mickie's Dairy Bar, daddy started school again, and E learned about princesses

In October, we had a budding ballerina on our hands, E trick or treated as Cinderella and Captain America, and Princess Hurley arrived

In November, we found out E was having a baby sister (although she knew it all along), we visited the Mississippi River Museum in Iowa and E connected with her second cousin

In December, E and dada survived a week without mommy, E attended her first wedding reception (the dancing was a hit), E learned to look for the "E ones" under the Christmas tree, and E felt her baby sister move for the first time

Here's to the adventures that 2013 will bring

The things she says

In the car...

E: Why we stoppin' at the gas station
A: Because your dad never puts gas in the van, it drives me crazy!
E: Grandpa Ada drives me crazy!
A: (laughing) What?
E: He pushes me crazy in my stroller at the running mall

To a friend, at a party...

F: Oh, a new baby is going to come to your house?
E: Three babies! One in my tummy and one in my momma's tummy

To me, carrying her up the stairs with my hand completely full of things she told me to carry

E: You're not carrying me appropriately

In her defense, I was carrying her low (around her middle) against my middle, not on my hip