It's beginning to look a lot like spring!

We have been anxiously awaiting warmer weather and finally it seems "warmish" temperatures are here to stay.  In the wise words of Rory, "woot woot!"

As a Mom, I needed warmer weather for multiple reasons.  #1. Less germs which means less sickness.  We just had a flu scare at our house and Andrew was only 5 weeks.  I had the car packed in a matter of minutes and hightailed it to Cincinnati....far, far away from Josh and his flu.  Sorry sweets.  #2.  Boys need to be outside to play.  I think it may even be part of their genetic makeup.  Rory could spend hours playing in our garden, digging holes, picking up rocks, moving rocks from one pile to another.  It's his happy place.  #3.  My feet need flip flops.

This weekend we did some visiting in our former stomping grounds.  It was a lot of fun!

Andrew had his first playdate with his new cousin.  Joanna younger by just a week.  It's been fun to share pregnancy notes with her Mom and now baby notes!  We couldn't get either baby to grasp the seriousness of their first photo shoot together.  Ha!  Joanna wasn't happy and Andrew seemed confused!

After that, we headed to see Josh's grandparents.  It was great to visit--and show Andrew off.  Andrew and Rory are one of many great grandchildren on this side.  

It was beautiful and sunny out--so Great Grandpa, or as Rory refers to him as "Great Shaw" offered a gator ride.  Rory doesn't need to be offered that twice!  So, the boys (less Andrew), took the gator out for a ride.

The next day, we went to Kings Island.  We spent most of the day like this....

Somehow, we managed to get in everyone's favorite ride except one.  Rory is such a daring one...He loves roller coasters and he doesn't get that from me!  If he was tall enough to ride, he got on.  He loved it--just giggled the whole way and after the ride would dance and jiggle around with excitement.  It was as if he physically could not keep his excitement in!

My job at Kings Island is to be the keeper of wallets, sunglasses, hats and other apparel that might fall off.  It's ok--I really enjoy watching other people have fun.  I'm not a roller coaster type of person!  Andrew and I are in the below picture--believe it or not, he is there!  I would not have considered myself the baby "wearing" type but I'm a believer now!  He was warm and dry in his pouch and it was so much easier than getting him in and out of the stroller, and worrying about keeping him warm on a chilly, damp day.

At the end of the day, we had ice cream and then headed home to warm up and dry out.

Andrew-1 month

It's hard to believe that our new little guy has been with us for a month!  Where has the time gone?  Slow down...sheesh!

Andrew is quite the sweetie weighing in at 9 pounds and 9 ounces and 21 inches long.  He's in the 23% percentile for size--except for his nogin which comes in at the 78% percentile.  Rory had a big head too.  It must be genetics.

Big accomplisments:-He is tracking toys or people with his eyes.
-Can hold his head up moderately well.  The doctor was impressed since his head is big. :)
-Longest stretch at night: 4 glorious hours!


What he likes:
-Cuddling, who can blame him?
-Skin-to-Skin.  I think skin-to-skin is like crack for babies.  They LOVE it.  When I hold Andrew on my chest he will kick his little feet until he has firmly face planted in my neck.  He's happy there.
-Watching Rory bee-bop around the house.
-Wall colors and anything hanging from the ceiling.
-His pacifier.


What he doesn't like:
-Not sure yet--he eats, sleeps and poops just like a newborn should.

Andrew James

I wanted to get this out of my head before I forget it altogether.  Andrew's arrival was only somewhat eventful because he came a little earlier than expected!

Rory was born at 39 weeks and 4 days, Andrew decided to up the ante and was born at 38 weeks and 4 days.  I had a repeat c-section scheduled for March 2nd but it wasn't going to happen.

The past month or so I had been dealing with the typical pregnancy insomnia.  I'd wake up around 2:30am every morning and lay there for a few hours before drifting back to sleep.  I had decided no more of that--I was just going to get up and do some laundry, read, or waddle around the house getting something done.

I'm certain Andrew's arrival starts on February 26th, which is my birthday.  I was hoping for a little birthday buddy...little did I know how close it would actually come.  We spent Thursday night with our Life Group from church--an amazing group of people we wouldn't trade for the world.  That night had been particularly funny and we all laughed until we cried.  I remember sitting there thinking, "It would be so funny if my water broke here at the kitchen table!"  After a solid hour of laughing, we left our group to go home...and I remember feeling a ton of pressure.

At 2:30 that morning I woke up, nothing new there.  I decided to grab a snack and catch up on a few shows I had dvr'd.  Josh had bought me chocolate chip bagels with cream cheese from Panera (my fav!!) for my birthday the day before.  Rory didn't eat all his so it seemed appropriate to polish off the rest.  Who would know? Ha!

At 3:30 I thought I should lay back down and as I was walking to put my dishes in the sink, I felt that rush...my water had broken.  My first thought was, "Shoot--I just ate a bagel!"  Rory came via c section and Andrew was scheduled to come that way, which means no eating or drinking at least 8 hours before hand.  I had no idea how this would influence the rest of my day!

We arrived at the hospital around 5:30 where the nurses confirmed my water had broken.  I explained that I had eaten a bagel before my water had broken--it went in my chart and every nurse thereafter, during shift changes explained to the next nurse, I had, indeed, eaten a bagel.  How embarrassing!  I felt the need to explain that I had eaten before my water had broke.

Huge thank you to Aunt Sue for coming to stay with Rory that morning and huge thanks to my parents who came up early to help out and watch Rory.

Due to the bagel...I had to wait 8 hours from the time I ate it so I wasn't scheduled to go to surgery until 10:00.  We had hours to kill...literally.  We watched the Today show in triage...and then we were moved to recovery because triage was getting full.  It was kind of a bummer because there are no TVs there.  Josh had packed the iPad so we pulled up Netflix and watched Ragamuffin.  (A great movie if you are a Rich Mullins fan.)

9:00am...The time was getting close, so Josh double checked the camera to make sure it was working--and it was until he checked it.  Our camera was great but it was old so during Josh's check one of the tiny little metal pins that attached to the flash card broke.  Ah!  We had an hour to go and if I thought Josh had time, I would have sent him to buy a camera.  We were so bummed--I say this only so you understand why our pictures are kind of stinky the first day.

Just a few minutes after 10:00am I was being wheeled into the OR.  It's such a weird feeling being so awake and alert, hearing all the noise and chatter, smelling disinfectant and cleanliness.  I was super nervous about the spinal--I didn't like the feeling (I can't imagine who would) but overall it went great and I can't complain.  At 10:43, Andrew James was born!  He weighed in at 7 pounds 6 ounces and 20.5 inches long.  (He actually didn't have a name until we were in recovery awhile!)  When I first saw him, I couldn't help but think he looked just like Rory.  It's amazing to have 2 little boys!

Yes, sadly, this is the best picture we have.

I think Rory was pretty in awe of all the goings and happenings at the hospital.  This was not long after we were settled in our room.  I actually, don't remember this at all.  I'm fairly certain I was given some pretty hefty painkillers, so the rest of the afternoon is quite a blur.

Enjoying a round or two of Go Fish while the babe sleeps.   

This is one of my favorite pictures--Andrew looks like a little Cabbage Patch doll to me.  So sweet.

Thus far, being a mom of 2 is about as challenging as I expected it to be.  I know once we get a good rhythm down and everyone starts sleeping more things will be smooth sailing.  Rory seems to enjoy Andrew...always makes sure he has a blanket or a pacifier and wants to help out by feeding or holding him.  By no means do I want to wish time away, but I am curious to see how the relationship between these two blossom.

Welcome to the family Andrew James!