Monday, March 25, 2013
New brudda
Hurry up and wait
Friday the week before Joseph Benedict was born, my doctor told me at my appointment that I was already at four centimeters so I should expect to go into labor soon, maybe as soon as that weekend. That put us all on high alert, since everything I read says you should pretty much be in active labor by that point. But ... just as with my other boys, apparently this baby was content to stay where he was. So the whole next week was full of waiting and watching for signs other than the Braxton-Hicks contractions I'd been having for at least a month -- although we did make the most of the extra time we were given. As late as Saturday night, we enjoyed an evening out with some family friends. I figured I would make it to my Monday morning appointment and we'd just see what happened from there.
But Joseph decided St. Patrick's Day, two days before his due date, would be perfect timing. I woke up at 4:15 with some indications we should head to the hospital. Contractions started around 4:45, Mike and I got to the hospital at around 5:15, they took a half an hour asking inane questions that you'd think would be unnecessary since we already did the preregistration, and finally the nurse checked and said I was at five centimeters. I told her at least three times I would not like to have the baby naturally (although Mike thought I might not have a choice if Joseph came as quickly as we thought he might!), so she assured me the anesthesiologist would be in "soon," which apparently meant sometime in the next 40 minutes. However, things ratcheted up in intensity and by the time the anesthesiologist was ready to give the epidural, it was too late. Everything happened so quickly that my doctor didn't even make it in time, and they had to yell for the on-call resident to rush in from down the hall to catch the baby at 6:43. That means from start of contractions to Joseph's arrival, it took just under two hours. Boom!
The whole experience was a little crazy for me (and I'm sure for Mike, since we haven't been through the process quite like this before! - but he was great :). I had felt a little ridiculous working from home the past Wednesday through Friday, but given how fast the baby came, in hindsight it was smart not to have been at the office lest I have caused some drama there. I certainly did not intend to have the baby without the epidural since I was pretty content with how that worked with the first two deliveries, and it was overwhelming because I hadn't experienced labor like this before. In the end I'm just glad I made it through! And our baby is just a perfect little guy :) We are so, so blessed and thankful God has entrusted us with another little boy to raise.
But Joseph decided St. Patrick's Day, two days before his due date, would be perfect timing. I woke up at 4:15 with some indications we should head to the hospital. Contractions started around 4:45, Mike and I got to the hospital at around 5:15, they took a half an hour asking inane questions that you'd think would be unnecessary since we already did the preregistration, and finally the nurse checked and said I was at five centimeters. I told her at least three times I would not like to have the baby naturally (although Mike thought I might not have a choice if Joseph came as quickly as we thought he might!), so she assured me the anesthesiologist would be in "soon," which apparently meant sometime in the next 40 minutes. However, things ratcheted up in intensity and by the time the anesthesiologist was ready to give the epidural, it was too late. Everything happened so quickly that my doctor didn't even make it in time, and they had to yell for the on-call resident to rush in from down the hall to catch the baby at 6:43. That means from start of contractions to Joseph's arrival, it took just under two hours. Boom!
The whole experience was a little crazy for me (and I'm sure for Mike, since we haven't been through the process quite like this before! - but he was great :). I had felt a little ridiculous working from home the past Wednesday through Friday, but given how fast the baby came, in hindsight it was smart not to have been at the office lest I have caused some drama there. I certainly did not intend to have the baby without the epidural since I was pretty content with how that worked with the first two deliveries, and it was overwhelming because I hadn't experienced labor like this before. In the end I'm just glad I made it through! And our baby is just a perfect little guy :) We are so, so blessed and thankful God has entrusted us with another little boy to raise.
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| Happy parents with our Irish baby |
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| Happy, sleepy, silly, skeptical, snoozing - our new family of five |
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| Everyone coming up to say hello! |
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| Cousins making a special connection already :) |
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| Uncle Chris and Aunt Stef |
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| First night home |
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Monday, March 18, 2013
Josephum Benedictum
At 6:43 AM, Sunday, March 17, 2013 AD, we welcomed Joseph Benedict Lawler to the world. Joseph, with an impeccable sense of timing, arrived on the Feast of Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, whose feast day is heartily celebrated by Saint Patrick's adopted children, and all those who share their love of music, drink, and revelry.
Joseph spared his sainted mother a protracted delivery, and arrived with the strength and vigor befitting a child who arrives on a saint's day. Despite her own protests, Kimberly performed remarkably well for a woman under such duress, and finally accepted Joseph's arrival when it was all but over.
Mother and son have been resting peacefully since their first meeting, and we expect them both home tomorrow. Joseph has a fondness for sleeping and has taken well to life in this world.
His brothers Michael and Malcolm heartily welcome their brother to this world, no doubt plotting and planning what they can accomplish between the three of them.
We would like to thank everyone for sharing their prayers and wonderful affirmations to our new child and we hope you all can meet him soon.
We thank God for the new blessing he has given us, and ask all to pray for Joseph's namesake, His Holiness Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, and his successor Pope Francis.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Michaelisms
- For awhile Michael has greeted me in the evenings by saying, "How was your day? What did you eat?" (Obviously the most important thing about anyone's day.) Yesterday was the first time in the morning when I said, "Have a good day at preschool!" that he replied, "Have a good day at your office!"
- When we ask him what we should name the baby, his suggestions have included Saiyra, Apay, Selassi (all classmates), Emily, and Jesus. Somehow I think we will not be leaving this decision up to him.
- Yesterday when I informed him that Mommy was going to go potty in peace, he said cheerfully, "Okay! You go potty in peace. And I'll just come in here with you." Missing the concept, bud...
- Last night Michael ran away from me at Kohls while I was at the register. I wasn't *too* worried because I was pretty sure he wouldn't go outside and the store was pretty empty, but it was still concerning. I asked an associate to help me find my four-year-old, so she radioed around, and a clerk from across the store saw him and said, "Michael, your mommy is looking for you." He replied, "Well, I am not looking for her right now," and retreated into some clothing racks. So I had to track him down with a manager.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Too quiet
We were joking this morning that as much as we don't get the frenetic activity and screeching that characterizes a lot of our boys' behavior, it's still more reassuring than silence -- because that usually means someone's getting into trouble. Every time things go quiet for longer than a minute or so I figure we forgot to lock the fridge or pantry again (so they've sneaked away with cookies or crackers), someone found Mama or Dada's phone (and is either playing with apps, or calling random address entries), or they found something interesting to scribble on/tear/dump out/etc. (I once overheard Michael saying, "Come on, Malcolm, let's go see if the pantry is unlocked so we can get some vanilla wafers.") Better to have them screeching and running loudly around the house, right?
This wasn't getting in trouble *too* much (although there was a lot of water spilled all over the counter . . .) but here's how I found them the other morning playing happily in the sink, earnestly pouring and mixing water. At least they were working together!
This wasn't getting in trouble *too* much (although there was a lot of water spilled all over the counter . . .) but here's how I found them the other morning playing happily in the sink, earnestly pouring and mixing water. At least they were working together!
Pre-haircuts
Just about impossible to comb down, even with water . . .
Just a note on those puzzles, which were a Christmas present -- this was a set of three 24-piece Sesame Street puzzles. Michael really loves working on puzzles. He doesn't seem to me to go about it in a particularly methodical way (such as starting with edge pieces first) but just eyes everything and tries it all out. He's done 48- and 60-piece puzzles, and a new Curious George one that isn't rectangular, and he usually sings and talks his way through them. On the Sesame Street puzzles, he solved them fairly quickly the first time through, one at a time . . . and then within a few days, started mixing all of the pieces up and working on them all at the same time. I don't know if that's normal but I thought it was kind of cool. (Also, I do appreciate that he doesn't mind taking them all apart and doing them again on a regular basis, since they are not likely to stay assembled long anyway with a brother around to knock things off the table . . . if everyone's all right with it, we just start again!)
Just a note on those puzzles, which were a Christmas present -- this was a set of three 24-piece Sesame Street puzzles. Michael really loves working on puzzles. He doesn't seem to me to go about it in a particularly methodical way (such as starting with edge pieces first) but just eyes everything and tries it all out. He's done 48- and 60-piece puzzles, and a new Curious George one that isn't rectangular, and he usually sings and talks his way through them. On the Sesame Street puzzles, he solved them fairly quickly the first time through, one at a time . . . and then within a few days, started mixing all of the pieces up and working on them all at the same time. I don't know if that's normal but I thought it was kind of cool. (Also, I do appreciate that he doesn't mind taking them all apart and doing them again on a regular basis, since they are not likely to stay assembled long anyway with a brother around to knock things off the table . . . if everyone's all right with it, we just start again!)
Friday, January 4, 2013
Happy New Year
Well, obviously we missed most of the fourth quarter for posting, but I'll get at least one or two backlogged posts up after this one since we did have a lot of pictures. It's just been busy, busy, busy around here keeping up with the boys and full schedules at work. It was nice last week to take a few days to celebrate Christmas.
Like last year I spread out Christmas decorating over a few nights to let the boys help, and also to make sure we had things to do in the absence of our evening walks. So in the second week of Advent, the Nativity set went up one night, the tree the next, and the ornaments the next. We moved the tree from the living room into the corner of the media room, where we spend most of our time anyway and where I *thought* the boys would not run into it quite as often. So much for that theory, though - as I sit here now, there are no ornaments and no garland on the lower half of the tree because it has been simply too irresistible for little fingers. At least baby Jesus is still in one piece in the Nativity.
Christmas morning was cold and rainy but Mass was very special (we have come a long way since Easter, behavior-wise), the boys loved opening their presents after church and a mac-and-cheese lunch, and we had a wonderful day that even contained a little snow in the afternoon! Merry Christmas, and welcome to 2013!
Like last year I spread out Christmas decorating over a few nights to let the boys help, and also to make sure we had things to do in the absence of our evening walks. So in the second week of Advent, the Nativity set went up one night, the tree the next, and the ornaments the next. We moved the tree from the living room into the corner of the media room, where we spend most of our time anyway and where I *thought* the boys would not run into it quite as often. So much for that theory, though - as I sit here now, there are no ornaments and no garland on the lower half of the tree because it has been simply too irresistible for little fingers. At least baby Jesus is still in one piece in the Nativity.
Christmas morning was cold and rainy but Mass was very special (we have come a long way since Easter, behavior-wise), the boys loved opening their presents after church and a mac-and-cheese lunch, and we had a wonderful day that even contained a little snow in the afternoon! Merry Christmas, and welcome to 2013!
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| Smile! |
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| Christmas morning 2012 |
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| Michael LOVES Curious George in Spanish |
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| Malcolm is really into hats lately. Also bibs. |
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| New favorite present: talking cash register |
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| Malcolm refusing to pose in his new Notre Dame duds |
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| White Christmas! |
Capital times
In November we took what I am calling a "last hurrah" trip to Washington (since flying is now cost prohibitive enough that we'll be a road-trip family from here on out - but it was a great fare for this trip that we had to take advantage of!). It was our first trip there since Michael was three months old, so almost four years - and it's five years now since we moved. Thanks to Noni's generosity we were able to stay at a Marriott for three nights, down near where Mike used to work at the Park Hyatt. We did rent a car since we were flying into BWI and had to get around a few places, but Grandma was our designated driver around town. The boys did great on the flights. Michael checked the signs when we landed - it didn't say Washington DC right outside the airplane, but it did say it on the highway signs once we were on the road so he was satisfied.
The original impetus for the trip was for me to get to go to the Federalist Society annual convention dinner. It was a more somber event than it might have been with a different election outcome, as I think most everyone was glum about, you know, the future of our constitutional republic, but it was still a fantastic event. I ran into several old coworkers and other friends, and thoroughly enjoyed Justice Alito's speech. Those types of events are rare outside the Beltway and it was fun to do the evening gala thing for one night for the first time in years!
After Thursday night we set about making the most of our DC experience. Noni fed the boys all the rice and lentils she possibly could. We were able to visit with lots of family members - so great to see them and we really appreciated them coming to meet us at Noni's apartment! Mike and I got to go out to one happy hour with one of his old coworkers. We took the boys to the National Zoo and the Air & Space Museum - and also a neighborhood playground. We went to Mass at our old parish in Rockville (driving past our old apartment on the way - a funny feeling), and it was a special time. Thanks to Grandma, Mike and I also got a date night out at one of our favorites, Cactus Cantina. It was awesome. There is so much I miss about living in DC, but I know we are where we're meant to be in Texas. It was just fun to be back for a little while.
The original impetus for the trip was for me to get to go to the Federalist Society annual convention dinner. It was a more somber event than it might have been with a different election outcome, as I think most everyone was glum about, you know, the future of our constitutional republic, but it was still a fantastic event. I ran into several old coworkers and other friends, and thoroughly enjoyed Justice Alito's speech. Those types of events are rare outside the Beltway and it was fun to do the evening gala thing for one night for the first time in years!
After Thursday night we set about making the most of our DC experience. Noni fed the boys all the rice and lentils she possibly could. We were able to visit with lots of family members - so great to see them and we really appreciated them coming to meet us at Noni's apartment! Mike and I got to go out to one happy hour with one of his old coworkers. We took the boys to the National Zoo and the Air & Space Museum - and also a neighborhood playground. We went to Mass at our old parish in Rockville (driving past our old apartment on the way - a funny feeling), and it was a special time. Thanks to Grandma, Mike and I also got a date night out at one of our favorites, Cactus Cantina. It was awesome. There is so much I miss about living in DC, but I know we are where we're meant to be in Texas. It was just fun to be back for a little while.
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| Petting a cow at the National Zoo |
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| Michael was grumpy we only had a single stroller but eventually he got over it |
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| Panda! |
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| Christmas shirt at a breakfast cafe |
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| Flying at the Air & Space Museum |
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| Checking out the rockets |
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| Had to get a picture with the USS Enterprise |
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| Malcolm LOVES Grandma time |
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| Michael was starting to get sick but he humored us for one family picture |
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| With Brendan and Lorena |
Four years old
Just a couple of pictures from Michael's fourth (!) birthday party in November. We celebrated with family and a few friends and he had a wonderful time. He asked for a cake with fruit and lollipops, which was interesting, but Elizabeth amazingly delivered on it:
It was a seriously good cake. No candles could fit on there, but we pretended and went ahead and sang Happy Birthday so it worked great. Michael also spent some time playing with his aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. He got a Thomas the Tank Engine pop-up tent that was an immediate hit.
But the special present Dad picked out was a new bicycle! Mike and Michael spent some time practicing in the Target parking lot the next weekend and Michael was so excited to show me how he was riding. We were pretty proud :)
It was a seriously good cake. No candles could fit on there, but we pretended and went ahead and sang Happy Birthday so it worked great. Michael also spent some time playing with his aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. He got a Thomas the Tank Engine pop-up tent that was an immediate hit.
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| There are about five boys inside there |
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