Hello Cashew!

He's here! No more whining or moping from me, beautiful baby #2 has arrived. Henry Winston joined our little family on Friday, at lunch time, weighing in at a whopping 8lbs 12.2oz. (yes folks, that is 2.8oz shy of being  two full pounds bigger than Peanut at birth). We are so happy and excited and have been enjoying every minute snuggling this happy little baby.

THE STORY
So here's how it when down. I slept terrible Thursday night, feeling like I had to pee every hour or so. I finally just went downstairs and read in the rocking chair until 2am, then finally fell asleep. When I woke up for the umpteenth time on Friday morning it was thanks to my first real contraction at 7am. From then on contractions were 3-5 minutes apart. So I told Rob to stay home from work to see what happened. We sat down, ate some breakfast and I started giving Rob the list of "honey-do's" in case we needed to leave for the hospital. We cleaned a bit and then I jumped in the shower. I was starting to really feel it at this point but could still talk through them (aka, dole out some orders to Rob and Peanut) so I figured it couldn't be that far along. Rob finally made us leave at 9:15am noting the fact I was almost doubling over. I guess I was in denial.

So off we went, dropping Peanut at our friends, and keys at another friends and then continued the 45 minute drive to the hospital. When we got there the front desk nurse had me sit down in the waiting room and then was like, "Are you here for a scheduled birth?". I said, "No, I'm just in regular labor." She exclaimed a big woops and told me I was smiling too much to be in labor and immediately sent me back to get a room. I was just excited to be having a baby! I then changed into a glamorous hospital gown and the midwife came in to check me. She looked up and shocked me with this news, "You are at an 8 or a 9 and the only thing keeping you from having the baby now is your water hasn't broken. And I'm surprised it hasn't already. Do you want me to break it and just have the baby right now?".

I totally chickened out and still wanted the epidural. So they rounded up everyone as quick as possible. Labor and delivery was super full that morning and I was one of the last ones to show up and was going to be the first to deliver. I received the most perfect spinal epidural, that acted fast and didn't completely numb me. I could feel Henry coming out but could barely tell I was having contractions...and an hour after he arrived I was even able to walk myself to the bathroom. Hallelujah.

After the epidural was in place, the midwife broke my water and out came Henry. I hadn't even missed a meal yet! Bless this child.  Rob cut the cord this time and was the expert photographer. We couldn't ask for a better support person! He knew exactly what to do. Looks like I need to listen better, and head to the hospital earlier next time so he doesn't have to deliver the baby in the car.

Well Cashew is perfect, if I'm allowed to say so! He is calm, snuggly and is a fabulous eater, other than the fact that he would like to eat all day if I would let him. And may I say, we are delighted that he came out the right gender this time. He looks completely different than little Peanut...who does not look little at all these days. I think we are so much more calm and ready this time around. I loved just sitting in the quiet of my hospital room snuggling with my new little boy. I feel completely blessed in every way to be able to have a family, and to have not one but two kids to bless our lives! They really make life complete.

On Saturday we had Peanut come to meet his new brother for the first time. He wanted NOTHING to do with the new baby. He wouldn't even look at him and the minute Rob took the baby, he crawled on my chest and almost started crying. I felt so bad for him but knew he'd come around. So we offered him a cookie and a cracker and that seemed to smooth things over. Food is important in this family :). 

So we are just having a ball. I want to give a big shout out to the great friends who have been so kind to visit and make meals, watch Peanut and surprise us with signs. How fun! A big big thank you! 

Check back sometime in the future for...Visits from Grandma and newborn/family photo shoot

Any Time

I have not been in the mood to blog. Sorry. I want to have a baby. Today though I have run out of things I am capable of doing as I am basically stuck sitting so I guess the time is now for an update. Why am I sitting you ask? I think I pulled a muscle somewhere in my pelvic region right where Cashew has wedged his beautiful little head. It was just about killing me last night and today so much so that I found myself crawling up the stairs to get Desmond out of bed, and lifting my leg up with my hands to get over the tub edge and into the shower. Rob even pushed me around Home Depot last night in a wheel chair. We were there instead of the fair. You know it's bad when I turn down an offer to go to the fair for family night. I have never turned down an opportunity to look at farm animals and eat funnel cakes. Yikes. I had to call a friend this morning to come play with Des while I just sat there on the couch and watched. I feel pathetic. I am so glad to know I have people to call that will do that for me though. Blessed. That is what I am.

So on a more pleasant note, we finally got a new camera. No more manta ray tank problems here. I bought a waterproof, shockproof, freezeproof, orange beauty, Fujifilm point and shoot. It sounded about as kid proof as I could possibly find in our price range. I'm excited to have one again, and just in the nick of time with my due date being Sunday. Here is the explanation of photos above:

1. Playing with the new camera.
2. Rob hard at work sealing the newly refinished T.V. stand.
3. Finished sign for Peanut's new Peter Pan bedroom.
4. The end is near!
5. Home made pumpkin spice doughnut holes. Mmm I love fall!
6. Blankie game. Thinks he's hilarious and puts it over his head then walks around until he runs into something.
7. He also thinks it's hilarious to put stickers all over his head, especially when Dad does it for him.
8. Peanut and his buddies ogling the giant beetle they found on our mommy exercise walk last Friday.

We are currently waiting! That is our purpose it seems, as I watch the four other women in my area and my aunt (who had the same due date as our little one) all have their babies a week early. Go figure. So until this blessed pulled muscle we've just been trying to stay productive. I continue to coach, walk, and try to keep the house in order.  Peanut has become the destroyer and keeps life interesting.  Rob continues to work hard at the office and at home. I've kept him busy with a long list of honey-do's, and he has indulged me in cleaning the house every night in case tonight is the night. He is a really great guy in so many ways. Again, blessed.

And to leave you all with another fun bit of imagery, I have also been blessed in that I have not swollen much at all until today, and now I am making up for so much lost time. I just looked down to figure out why my feet itched and were feeling hot and all of a sudden they are at least five times their normal size. Baby tonight?

What's in a name?

HENRY IAN CUSICK

As we have been narrowing down the name selection for little Cashew, these three have made the final round: Henry, Lucas and Ian. We have no strong particular meaning behind any of them except that we like how all three sound and that Peanut's only viable suggestion on the topic of naming his little brother has been something sounding like Ian (which followed after the suggestions of  "doggy" and "book").

So as a little back story, when naming Peanut, if you didn't already know, we may have been inspired, just a little bit, by the characters on the epic TV series, LOST. That said, this little nugget of joy is what has kept our family laughing all morning. Here is an email my sister in law just sent:

Hey Brother!

So it just occurred to me that if you name the new baby Henry or Ian, you will be continuing your theme! I don't know whether or not you realized this, but the actor who played Desmond on Lost is Henry Ian Cusick. Therefore, you should totally go with either Henry or Ian.

Also, Cusick was born in Peru and speaks fluent Spanish and has a Scottish accent (his mother is Peruvian and his father Scottish). Thus, he is awesome. He also appears to have a son named Lucas. So even that would b only one degree removed from the theme.

Well there you have it. Thank you Holly! I will second your motion that he is awesome. Just like our son is awesome. And we should continue to make sure that our next son is also awesome. We are feeling fully inspired now to move forward with our name choices.

This does not resemble obsessive behavior in any way, does it?