Tuesday, August 28, 2007

First day of School


Two years ago, we dropped Sam off for his first day of Kindergarten. As we pulled out of the parking lot, the tears started flowing. Benjamin wanted to know what all the fuss was about.
b: Mom, why are you crying?
m: I'm just a little sad about Sam starting school.
b: he's not going to be gone forever -- we have to pick him up today.
m: I know, but I'm going to miss him.
b: when I start school will you miss me?
m: of course I will!
b: but will you miss me so much you cry?

So today, my dear sweet Benjamin, as you start your first day of Kindergarten, know that I miss you so much I cried.

I can't believe that Benjamin is in kindergarten and Sam is in 2nd grade! How fast time does fly. And although I was very grateful for the quiet, non-chaotic house this morning after they left, I do miss them -- more than even I thought!


Monday, August 27, 2007

To all her adoring fans


Here is Miss Eliana at 2 weeks. Of course, tomorrow she is turning 3 weeks. It's funny how when you are pregnant, time seems to crawl. But once the baby is born, time runs as fast as it can, till there is no possible hope of ever catching up.

At Ellie's 2 week doctor's appointment, she had already gained 1.5 pounds! She looks so different from when she was born -- she has a double chin already and her cheeks are beginning to fill out, and she getting little fat rolls in her arms and legs.
I wish I were a baby, when it's cute to have double chins and fat rolls. People look at babies and say, "Look how big you are getting! I love your cute round cheeks!" Right now, I'd really like someone to say to me, "Look at the rolls on your arms, they are adorable! I love your double chins -- what a big girl you are!" (Of course, the tone matters -- it would have to be said in the same adoring tone reserved for babies!) But if that were the case, I might never be inspired to loose the baby weight.

At least I can look at my cute fat baby and realize that MY un-cute baby fat is worth it!



Tuesday, August 14, 2007

Eliana is one week old!

Having a new baby is a lot of work -- the diapers, the constant feeding, the crying . . . But it always amazes me how wonderful it is to have a new baby in the house. There is just a peacefulness that comes with the baby. And an indescribable joy, despite the lack of sleep and personal space (and some days, time to shower). Eliana has brought such light to our lives. We are one lucky family!


Nicholas is NOT happy!

Nicholas, who turns 20 months old today, is very unsure of the changes his life has taken lately. We tried to prepare him for the new baby. We showed him the blankets and clothes for his new baby sister. We pointed out other babies and told him we were going to have one in our house. And we knew that there would be a period of adjustment. But I was not prepared for how he reacted! In the hospital, he wouldn't let me touch him. He wouldn't come to me or talk to me, and he wouldn't even acknowledge Eliana.

We bought him a Blue's Clues toy for a "big brother" gift. When we gave it to him in the hospital, he seemed really excited about it, until we told him it was from baby sister. Then he promptly threw the toy on the floor and didn't want to touch it again. So much for bribing her way into his heart!

Once we got home, he clung to Josh for dear life. If I tried to hold him, he would cry "NO. NO. Want DADDY!!" If we put Ellie any where near him, he would push her away and start crying. Josh went to work back to work yesterday, and it broke Nicholas' heart. He cried, "Nicholas go Daddy's car too!"

Then, overnight, he accepted his fate. This morning, he looked at her and smiled. He said, "Nicolas baby sister." Perhaps all is not lost. . .

Thursday, August 09, 2007

It's a girl!!

Eliana Joy White was born August 7th at 1:59 p.m. She was 7 pounds 6 ounces and 20 inches long, with a head full of dark hair.



Here is Josh's narrative of the day:

I arise at 6:30 a.m. We need to drop the boys off at a friend’s house, and then head to the hospital. After getting myself ready and after unplugging the video and picture cameras from their respective power sources, I help get the kids to the car and we leave the house.

At 6:45 a.m., Rachel and I are on our way to Providence hospital. As we drive down Imperial, we see a family friend who is on his way to work. And, after mouthing, “Are you going to the hospital?” and reading “Yes” from our expressions, he gives us a thumb’s up and “Good luck!”

We get to the hospital at around 7:00 a.m. After Rachel changes clothes, there’s a lot of waiting.

Finally, at around 8:00 a.m. a woman by the name of May comes in and begins to set up a baby-delivery package on a table. After just a few minutes, Ms. May has arranged a wide array of medical instruments and cloth materials that might be needed at delivery. She instructs a intern nurse as to the various stages of “opening” a labor and delivery scene.

It’s 9:00 a.m. More waiting. The hospital room is cold, but Rachel doesn’t feel it. Because she is not in labor, I take a ten-minute break to warm up outside and to drink a glass of orange juice. When I return, Rachel and I watch a news story on a coal mining catastrophe in Huntington, Utah—as well as other headlines. We also talk about the boys’ school supplies, soccer sign-ups, and other things that need to be done this next week.

The anesthesiologist arrives at around 10 a.m. And, because of Rachel’s quick labors, he has been instructed to begin administration of the epidural before Rachel is given any labor-inducing drugs. Rachel is told to sit up with her back to the doctor so he can put in the spinal catheter. I decide not to watch. Minutes after Rachel sits up, three nurses come into the room and immediately begin checking monitors and quieting alarms. The baby’s heart rate has dropped to the low 40’s, and no one tells us why. Rachel and I are perplexed because labor hasn’t even begun; and we wonder whether an epidural can affect the baby. I ask some questions, and, in response, the anesthesiologist discusses the importance of blood pressure and the effect that an expectant mother’s low blood pressure may have on her baby. Epidurals can cause low blood pressure. But he doesn’t think the epidural is the problem. Still, whatever is causing the problem, the whole scene is quite alarming. The C-section room down the hall is being prepared, just in case. Rachel and I are very glad when Rachel’s doctor arrives.

It is determined that Rachel will need to lie on her side because our daughter seems to do better in this position. Indeed, her heart rate has recovered significantly—i.e., back in the 150’s or 160’s. We’re then told by the attending nurse that she is supposed to wait to administer labor-inducing drugs until the baby has had a half an hour to recuperate.

At around 11 a.m., the attending nurse finally turns on the oxytocin—a Greek-named drug meaning “quick birth.” Shortly thereafter, the contractions start hitting hard. I’ve seen oxytocin work on two of my three boys this way, so I’m not surprised. I’m just glad that Rachel isn’t feeling them. Still, we’re told that the hospital policy is to keep the contractions “below 400” (whatever that means). And then we’re told that Rachel’s contractions are “easily at or over 500.” As I look at the real-time graph on the monitor screen, it becomes clear to me that my daughter’s heart rate is suffering because of the hard contractions. Indeed, I can hear the pounding clicks from a machine that measures my unborn daughter’s heart beat slow down every time Rachel has a contraction. More alarms. More nurses. More calls to Rachel’s doctor. Eventually, the attending nurse cuts back on the oxytocin, and, as the contractions remain “off the chart,” she cuts the oxytocin altogether.

Just after the noon hour, Rachel’s doctor comes in to again assess the situation. He is not surprised to see how quickly Rachel has progressed, and he explains his reasons to the attending nurse. He leaves the attending nurse with instructions to keep monitoring the situation, and he says that he is confident that he’ll be called back soon to deliver the baby. The attending nurse seems doubtful. But, unlike Rachel’s doctor, she wasn’t there when Nicholas was born.

Sometime after 1:00 p.m., the attending nurse follows up on Rachel’s progression and is stunned to find that that baby is about to be born. She commands that Rachel not to push until she has had a chance to call Rachel’s doctor. Fortunately, Rachel’s doctor is in his office just two floors down. He is dressed in delivery garb and ready to go. Within minutes after his arrival, our baby girl is born. Both she and Rachel are doing very well.

After our daughter is born, it is determined that a “true knot” in her cord was likely the cause of her distress during labor. Evidentially this occurs in less than half of one percent (.521%) of all pregnancies. But Rachel and I are very relieved when her Apgar scores come back as nines.

Rachel and I decide to name our baby girl Eliana—which is Hebrew for “God has answered.” We will call her Ellie for short—which is a reference to light and life itself. Welcome, Ellie, to your new home. Welcome.




Thursday, August 02, 2007

Kids say . . .

Here's a post of some funny things that have come out of my kids lately.

Nicholas:
Nicholas is pretty good about eating everything. And lately, he'll say "like it" when he REALLY likes something. So the other night at dinner, he was really enjoying his corn on the cob and asked for more. He said, "More Porn. Like it Porn!!" Isn't that sweet?

When Sam and Benjamin were fighting, Benjamin started crying. Nicholas turned to me and said, "Benjin crying. Sammy bad, bad bad!!" It never ceases to amaze me how quickly kids catch on to things.


Benjamin:
Benjamin: I’m sick.
Josh: No you aren’t
Benjamin: Then how come I have a fever?
Josh: Buddy, you don’t have a fever.
Benjamin: I do -- I can prove it. Every time I check my temperature with a thermometer, it tells me F for fever.

Sam:
Sam: Did you know Tarantulas can talk?
Josh: No they can’t.
Sam: Yes they can -- they have to talk to mate.
Josh (ears perked): What do you mean?
Sam: Well, one Tarantula has to asks another tarantula to mate, and the other one has to say if they want to.
(And thankfully the conversation ended there . . .)