The Sun Will Come Out

I was so proud of myself for arriving early enough to get a spot in the front for Addie's preschool recital, especially after last winter's guilt-ridden time snafu.

This is how the first song went.


Turns out the front row isn't a good spot. Addie immediately started to cry, feeling a little overwhelmed by the sea of parents as well as being so close to us and not able to come over. When I had asked her the night before if she was excited for the spring recital, she announced she did not want to go to school tomorrow. I know the feeling. I have to staff an exhibit booth for work on Monday and I'd rather stick a fork in my thigh.

Thankfully after sitting in our lap for a little bit she was able to jump back into line with her classmates to finish out Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah, Tomorrow, and Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo and then follow it up with her dance class performance. Some of the kids seemed like the recital was the best day of the lives, others seemed distracted, while others took the opportunity to make faces and goof off. To each their own! Addie loves singing and dancing, but I think she prefers our house as her stage and not the pre-school playground.




Of course it's all on video too but I haven't downloaded it yet.

The Birth Story

9 months old today. In honor of Eliza living 9 months outside the womb and 9 months in it, I thought I'd share her birth story which I wrote a week after she was born and never published.

The Birth of Eliza Wren
Following her big sister's cue, Eliza Wren was born six days after her due date. Four days after my due date, my mom arrived. Still no baby but she got to see me pregnant. very pregnant. On the evening of the fifth day post d-day, we were eating dinner and I was starting to feel a little, well, uncomfortable. Gee, my stomach seems to be tightening and I feel so much pressure. It wasn't until just before 10 pm that these odd sensations were happening more regularly and I was able to admit that perhaps, just perhaps, I might be in labor. How is it that even after having done this once before, I still wasn't able to recognize contractions when they happen. I kept thinking that it was just the baby doing one of her stretches that seem to cause my entire belly to expand like a star going super nova. Cap had been getting ready to go to a friend's party and was about 5 minutes from departure when I had to come to terms with the fact that we were going to have a baby. soon.

At 10:45, I heaved myself out of bed to better tackle a pesky contraction and then POP! my water broke. My water didn't break with Addie so I was just a wee bit surprised by the sensation. It was, actually, more like how it is on TV - a sudden pop and then a giant gush. I'm pretty sure I screamed and then hollered "my water broke!" before shuffling my soggy self into the bathroom where I went into hysteric peels of laughter. I couldn't help myself. HA HA, HAAAAAA, HAAAA!!!!. I was laughing, guffawing and cackling with such enthusiasm I had tears streaming down my cheeks. I'm not sure why it was so funny. Maybe I was a little startled and a little bit relieved that I wasn't making up this whole I'm in Labor shenanigans, and I was going to get to go the hospital. now.

I left my doctor a message. I was wondering why he hadn't called me back when I realized I had my phone on vibrate and missed his call. I could tell I'd woken him up because all the message said was, "go to the hospital." click. end of call. Cap finished packing our hospital bag and I woke up my Mom. I am so so so glad that she was already here. I didn't have to worry about Addie and maybe when she woke up in the morning, she'll be a big sister!

While I was waiting for Cap to pack up the car, I sat on the giant yoga ball but when I stood up to leave, splat! My water broke again. I changed into another outfit and brought a giant beach towel to sit on. Thank goodness I did because my water broke two more times in the car on the way to the hospital. WHOOSH! Gurgle gurgle gurgle. WHOOSH! Gurgle gurgle gurgle. It was like sitting in my own primordial hot tub except it was in the passenger seat of the SAAB, and I wasn't drinking a mai tai. Contractions were coming 5 minutes apart and it took me ages to walk to the maternity ward stopping for contractions, soggy with amniotic fluid.

By midnight I was all settled and hooked up to machines and tubes, 3 cm dilated and waiting for the magic anesthesiologists to rouse himself from his sleeping berth a few doors down the hall. By 1 pm, I had the epidural and was curled up on my side in complete bliss from having been safely delivered from pain. The nurses turned out the lights and told us to try and get some sleep. She'd be back to check around 3 pm. I was in this euphoric state, excited and amazed that soon we'd be having a baby and that I was given the opportunity to stop and reflect mid-way through the birthing process thanks to the epidural. I couldn't really sleep but I remember the sound of the machines whirring and crackling giving me the impression, when I closed my eyes, that I was sitting in a log cabin dozing off to the sound of embers slowly dying in the fireplace.

Giving birth at night was a magical experience. The entire world was asleep and quiet. It was just me, Cap, the doctors and nurses who had stepped into a small rocket ship and blasted off into space to circle the planet, bringing back upon our return a new life. At 3 pm, my nurse came in to check on me and said that she'd be back again around 5 or 6 am. By 3:25, I felt an enormous pressure, well, down there. I called the nurse and very eloquently announced that I either needed to poop really really badly or I was going to have a baby soon. Suddenly, the solitude of the last few hours was broken. Lights were on, sleeping husbands were woken up, doctors called and trays of shiny utensils were shuttled in. Wouldn't you know it too that my own doctor was (surprise!) on vacation which he neglected to mention when he left me a message to go to the hospital only a few hours before. The on-call doctor would be delivering my baby. Well, fine by me but he better get here fast.

Within 15 minutes, I was "bearing down". I still have no idea what that means but I tried my darndest to push push push. My contractions were irregular which meant I had 2 often back to back and then nothing for several minutes making this final stage a little unpredictable. Also the baby was facing up instead of down and I would have to push harder and longer for her to make it over the pelvic bone. All I knew was that there was no way it could possibly take 2 and a half hours like it did with Addie but she also wasn't go to just fly out after a push or two. I'm not really sure how long I did push for - maybe 40 minutes.

I had the nurse bring a giant mirror so I could see the birth. I didn't do that with Addie thinking that I didn't want to freak myself out and that why would anyone want to see something so gross. But this time, I thought, what the heck. Bring it on! When I saw the crown of her tiny fuzzy head, I burst into tears. There she was! She was coming! Push push push! Then her head came out. More crying on my part. Resting for a few moments and then the final push. Cap was there beside the doctor and helped deliver her. They placed her on my tummy, she cried. I cried. Cap cut the cord and then off she went to get cleaned up before coming back into my arms. She was so chubby and sweet with a little fold-up Murphy bed chin.

And down we came in our little rocket ship to land safely back on planet earth at 4:35 am with a perfectly healthy, little baby girl - all 8 lbs 8 oz of her.

Happy birthday Eliza Wren!

Little Bo Peep

Eliza is outgrowing her 3-6 months clothes, I'm shoving her into dresses that she hasn't worn. We were given so many 3-6 month dresses for Addie and some she never wore and somehow neither has Eliza, which is a shame. Addie now, however, only wears dresses which at least is easy and frees up more room in the dresser for Eliza's clothes.

Dresses on babies just aren't practical until they can walk. Poor Eliza has to crawl with her bum directed skyward looking like some sort of floral-attired crab. I tried to take a pastoral photo of her in the backyard in her Little Bo Peep ensemble, but she wasn't interested in giving me a big smile, instead concentrating on beheading the clover.

Sunday Art Section: Surfer Girl

This is a picture of Addie, Mommy and Daddy (Eliza is apparently not featured) at the beach with a yellow towel and a lifeguard. At the bottom is her cousin surfing the waves. She didn't specify which cousin and it remains a mystery. Addie doesn't have any first cousins but she knows many of our cousins and her second cousins. Hurrah for cousins!

The O.C.

We spent a blissful Memorial Day weekend sequestered in the 'burbs of Orange County at our friend Jamie's parents house. They were traveling and, along with the Emmett clan, we all took advantage of extra bedrooms, a giant jacuzzi and some darn fine hospitality. It was perfect for us - and especially for Addie who had 3 relaxing, glorious days to play with her pals. Heck, I even entered the neighborhood hula hooping contest!

Thanks Gaskins!


Hand in hand. These girls were inseparable.

Watching Ponyo for the second time

Drawing together

Eliza, Addie and Jake

Squatters

After we drank all the wine, look who moved in.

Sunday Art Section: The Princesses

Addie's favorite subject of her drawings these days are princesses. I love the colorful crowns.


This picture tells the story of Cinderella (far right) whose is sad because her doll is broken (can you tell what fell off?). Ariel is the red-haired mermaid in the center and Belle is on the left. Cinderella is going to fix her toy by sewing back on the doll's arm with the needle (can you spot the needle in the drawing?). I'm looking forward to Addie's creating her own storybooks!

Where Babies Come From

I found this stuck to Eliza's leg.

Celebrations (plural)

Addie's birthday party is a total blur. I only took about 4 photos unfortunately and the ones from Disneyland are even worse. At one point in between the pizza and the cake, Addie ran past me; I gave her a big hug, wished her happy birthday and she said, "I love you." I guess if you aren't going to remember much, that moment is pretty good.

Ah Disneyland. We took off from work to avoid the weekend crowds plus we had a built-in babysitter for Eliza - school! Addie was super excited and remembered a lot from when she was last there a full year ago for her third birthday - no Nemo! While she claimed last year that she loved Pirates and Haunted Mansion she insisted that we skip them this time. We of course did It's a Small World which she loves and added to the repertoire - Peter Pan's Flight (very cool), teacups (not as puke-inducing as I thought which was good), and Storybook Land (pokey but sweet). She was also tall enough for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, a real roller coaster. She had her hands over her ears the entire time but when we got off she said she liked it. Last year she was too small and I was pregnant so this was a big moment! My favorite is still the Buzz Light Year ride. Cap was a noble father and husband letting Addie and I shoot Zurg while he shouted words of encouragement.

Addie joined the ranks of the other mini-princesses, wearing her Sleeping Beauty costume and her birthday button. After a 75 minute wait deterred us from Princess Fantasy Faire, we thankfully got to see Princess Tiana, Alice in Wonderland, Cruella deVille and the Fairy Godmother walking around the park. She tasted her first cotton candy, had rainbow sherbet and immediately fell asleep when we got to our car. We picked up Eliza from school glad that she was there all day and excited for next year when she just might be big enough to join us (or then again maybe we can wait until she's 2).

Unfortunately, by the time we got home I could tell I had the flu but my body made it through all of Addie's birthday celebrations before conking out. We still have a few presents to open too!


Actually eating the cake part of her rainbow/my little pony cake - a first!


Waiting in line for Big Thunder Mountain Railroad


Preparing herself. She approached all rides with her ears covered, eyes open though.


Smiling on the teacups

Body Art

Cheerios nose rings. All the rage amongst the 8mo-1yr crowd.

Happy Birthday Miss A!

Today is Addie's fourth birthday. Gee whiz. She's so grown up!

We celebrated yesterday at our house with 40+ guests, balloons, a bounce house and of course cake. In a few minutes, we are heading out to Disneyland to further the celebration, dropping Eliza off at school while we play.

Happy Birthday Adelaide. I love you!

Sunday Art Section: Life Aquatic

The Pretty Sailboat


Mermaids

Poolside

Somehow I neglected to post these photos from our weekend in Palm Springs, um 2 weeks ago. We went out to visit my friend Sara from New York who was their with her family (Alex age 5 and Petra 6 months) visiting the in-laws.

We rocked it at a resort that Cap and I stayed in last year for our 5 year wedding anniversary. Sunday we spent all day by the pool. Eliza totally loved sitting in her pool chair where she happily chewed on a toy while floating around the shallow end. Addie spent most of the day in the pool although she prefered to stay where she can stand. We successfully bribed her with princess diving toys and ice cream to get her face in the water. Eight months of private swim lessons. Geesh! Good news is that at her swim lesson last week, she actually swam with her face in a little bit which she said was fun. A break-through!

We all enjoyed drinks poolside which was thrilling for me since I was pregnant this time last year. I can tell I was excited because I took more photos of our cocktails than the kids.

8 months

Eliza is scrappy!

She's so scrappy, that her new nickname is Scrappy. I mean Cunning Cobra. She will be innocently gnawing on a squeaky giraffe or snuggled on my hip, secretly biding her time, and then . . . Hiiiyah! She lunges arms out, mouth open, catching her prey in her fists of steel. I've been locked in death grips when she gets my hair in both hands and poor Addie continues to loose her locks by the fistful. Now that Eliza is crawling at lightening speed and has four teeth, I fear for my life.



Happy 8 month birthday my little scrappy cobra.


* I promise no babies were harmed in the course of this photo-op.

Best Friends

This is Erica, Addie's best friend.
Erica's last day at school was today.
We only found out a few days ago.

She's off to Korea for the summer to be with her grandparents and then to kindergarden. I'm heartbroken for Addie. I want to protect her from being hurt but I think I'm more upset than she is right now. I also think I might be overreacting and Addie will be totally fine and take it all in stride. I've moved around more than most kids and I survived. I even thrived. But I got to be the person leaving, not the person being left behind. Oh little Addie, don't be sad!

Mother's Day

I got to sleep in (until 7:20).
Cap made waffles with raspberries.
Addie made me a lovely card.
Cap gave me Martha Stewart's new sewing book.
Eliza took the longest nap ever.
We drank mimosas and ate brunch with fellow Moms Grandma Vede and Aunt Karen.
I wished Gran and Nana a happy mother's day on the phone.
Addie went to bed early (which is really on time but since that never happens . . .)
Cap and I drank champagne and watched Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Rather a lovely day.

Except the part where I accidentally pushed Addie off the slide instead of down it. After that I really didn't deserve a mother's day. "You did it!" she said. Terrible Mommy. So so sorry! She recovered with a small red spot on her cheek, and I was left with a guilty smear on my conscience.

Happy Mother's Day!

Watch out, Ariel

I eat mermaids for lunch.