The Birth of Charlie

It all happened quite unexpectedly and differently than I had envisioned it. Davey was a week late and ultra-fast and Charlie was two and a half weeks early and my contractions had to be helped along after my water broke.

The final belly picture.

We tried to get the same picture we have with Davey of

entering the hospital, but the camera's battery was dead. Luckily

we found the extras we had packed once we got inside.

My water broke around 11:30pm Saturday night and by 5am when I called the hospital, my contractions still weren't following a consistent pattern. We dropped Davey off at our friends' home, the Holidays, and got there around 6:30am. I was dilated to a 3. My doctor of course wanted to start me on pitocin right away but I was quite sure my body knew what to do after last time and would kick in any minute. Plus, I was deathly afraid of that big epidural needle that I knew I'd need to weather the intense contractions that would accompany pitocin. But I gave in around 9 (no further dilated) and followed the advice of my doctor and nurse.

I made it through the administration of the epidural, knowing it would be worth it, and it sure was. It was absolutely amazing the difference between the births of my two children.

Settling in after the epidural and oh-so-comfortably awaiting the birth.

It felt like cheating. I still can't get over the difference in how easy and smooth it all was this time. Once I felt the urge to push, I had to still wait quite a while for the doctor to arrive at the hospital. The baby was then born after 5 or 10 minutes of pushing. I really can't get over how pain-free it was. Pushing was still work, but not painful.

Charles Lawrence (though he wasn't yet named at the time) was born at 12:46 pm on Sunday, December 28, 2008.

The first picture of our little angel.

Delivered by Dr. Jacob Tal.

The first thing I heard when they saw him was, "Look at the hand!" Apparently it came out with his head. He probably liked his hands near his face in the womb since he always has them there now. Thinking back on it, Dave realized the doctor was telling him to grab the baby's hand; it would have been so cool if he'd have taken it and "guided" him into the world.

My first time holding him.

His official weight was 6 lbs 0 oz, but apparently he was really

5 lbs 15.7 oz and 19 inches long.

I was able to hold the baby for about an hour (he nursed the whole time and screamed when I took him off!) before they whisked him away to bathe him and observe him to make sure he was able to maintain his body temperature. I was not happy when they said I wouldn't see him for 3-4 hours. In the hospital where Davey was born, the baby literally does not leave your side the whole time you are there (they don't even have a nursery for you to send them to if you wish). They do everything in your room where you can watch, which I liked a lot better. Though I did grow to like it a little by the time I left because I was able to get more sleep with them taking care of everything except the feedings at night. I was also quite impressed with how quiet the hospital was and they pretty much left me alone at night. It actually felt like true recovery time rather than constant poking and prodding.

Such a sweet little yawn!

Dave picked up Davey from the Holidays about 5pm on Sunday and brought him to meet his new brother. When they walked through the doorway, Davey says, "Baby Jared!" mistaking his brother for his best friend Lauren's baby brother.

Davey has been wonderful with Charlie. He is very interested him, wanting to hold and kiss him a lot, hold his hand, point out all his features ("baby brother have eyes, nose, toes," etc...) and is quite entertained by his "making baby sounds." Davey was very happy to see that his baby brother had brought him some gifts, the definite favorite being Percy, a replacement of Davey's former favorite train that he had lost while carting it around somewhere.

Though his baby brother was of most interest to him, notice that Percy

is not far away on the table next to Davey.

What a helpful big brother he already is.

Monday I had a really fun visit from my friends Amy, Jamie and Mary. We enjoyed chatting while Dave was nice enough to watch the kiddos in the waiting room. Davey and his two best pals Lauren and Sammie apparently had a ball together, so it was a nice time for Davey to get out some energy, but did exhaust Dave a bit. We also had a nice visit from Ramona Oettli, our ward's Relief Society president.

An example of the crazy, spontaneous things Dave described

this trio doing in the waiting room. They laughed and laughed and

thought they were hilarious, though Davey and Sammie

look distracted in the picture.

It was a really nice touch that the hospital sent a cake with a Happy Birthday Baby message.

Davey had fun poking it and eating the icing before we took the picture.

On Tuesday, we were both ready to go home. Davey did very well with me being gone (and Dave too, having to do everything for Davey while running back and forth to the hospital and getting together the things I didn't have ready yet) but did show he missed me Monday evening when he implored, "Mommy, come home." I sure missed Davey. I am so so happy to have Charlie as a part of our family, so I hope this doesn't come off wrong, but there is a small part of me that is sad for the era of just pal-ing around with Davey all the time to come to an end. Davey is such a sweet boy and such a fun companion. But now I'm sure we'll just have more fun, right?! I think part of the reason Davey seems to be doing so well with the change (not to say I don't expect some jealousy still to come) is his desire to have a more exciting life. He loves change and activity, excitement and being on the go.

Ready to leave the hospital.

Our first photo as a family of four!

While I was getting ready to go home, I commented to Davey that our whole family was going home, Charlie included. Davey squealed with joy, jumped up and down saying, "Davey hexcited!" On the ride home, Davey was so cute, laughing and giggling at all the things baby brother was doing. (We took so long deciding on his name that Davey still isn't used to calling him Charlie.) He even shared his Percy train with him, placing it in his lap.

I couldn't resist taking a little video of him, he was so happy, though I had to hide that I was doing it so he wouldn't stop what he was doing immediately, hence the limited view.

Every few minutes after we got home, Davey would run over just to see him. So sweet.

A few pictures of our sleeping angel... (just ignore the hat falling off his head)

When Dave first saw this picture, he thought it was Davey.

I agree that he looks quite a bit like him.

Happy Birthday Charles Lawrence Adams

We plan to call him Charlie. He was born on Sunday at 12:46 weighing 6 pounds no ounces. He is 19 inches long. Mom and Charlie are doing well and resting. He was definitely early but that wasn't an issue. Jasmin did a great job. Davey is excited to be a big brother.

First Visit with Santa

This is the first year we've taken Davey to see Santa and I'm happy to report it worked out pretty well in the end! 

We had talked about going to see Santa at the mall and he was very happy about the opportunity to tell Santa what he wanted for Christmas, but whenever I mentioned that he would need to sit on his lap, he would change his tune and say, "No want to. No want to see Santa." in that whiny voice he does so well. But the one day I actually got to the mall to do it, Santa was at lunch.

So the perfect opportunity to see him was at a storytime with the Big Guy two days before Christmas. First, Santa tried to win them all over with some treats and I was quite worried when even animal crackers didn't tempt Davey to go near Santa to get them.

It took a bit of effort just to get Davey to sit with the other kids.

Still a worried look on his face.

I had to hold Davey to keep him in line to see Santa and he was complaining the whole time. I kept reminding him that on the way in the car he had said he wanted to give Santa a hug and kiss (somehow that seemed better to him than sitting on his lap). But, when it was our turn and I handed him to Santa, Davey didn't complain! (Though there were no kisses or hugs.)

Posing for a picture.

Davey finally gets to ask Santa in person

for the trains he wants for Christmas.

During the stories Santa read, Davey became increasingly worried and, when it was over, insisted on speaking with Santa again because he forgot to tell Santa which specific trains he wanted. He wanted Gordon and Edward so badly. (After that I realized I had better go back to the store and get Edward since I didn't have him under the tree yet.)

For Sale

Well, I haven't gotten any subscribers yet to the Jasmin Diet, so I was relieved when last night I found a new way to make some holiday cash... the Michigan Mitten Strawberry!

Look for my posting on eBay!

Kids These Days...

Dave was discussing the workings of Christmas with Davey this morning and advised him that he had better write a letter to Santa to let him know what he would like as a present. Apparently poo-pooing Daddy's antiquated ways, Davey went and found an old cell phone we let him play with and then walked into the kitchen in the midst of a conversation...

"...trains, engines," we overheard. "Bye Santa."

And that was that!

I'm So Jealous!

It's probably not just Davey - likely all fresh, young minds - but his memory just amazes me. And I am so jealous of it. My memory is so bad that I can't remember if my memory has always been this bad or if it just started once I got pregnant with Davey. 

So tonight at dinner, Davey randomly says, "Jacob." I sit for a second wondering what he would say next, thinking it would have something to do with naming the baby, since we've been tossing that name around and I am getting to the point of stressing over what the name should be. I think, "maybe Davey has some revelation to share with me that will help me with the decision" (I'm grasping at straws these days). Then he says, "Davey swim with Jacob at pool." Amazing. 4 months ago, in August, roughly one-seventh of his life ago, while we were in temporary housing here in Houston, Davey and I were swimming and we met a boy named Jacob. 4 months ago, Davey's speech was still in it's infancy and remarked to Jacob's mother that Davey coined a new nick-name for Jacob, "Teacup." (That was how he pronounced Jacob.) We only ever saw Jacob that one day. How does he remember something like that?? Plus, remember hearing that his name was Jacob even though he could only pronounce it so poorly at the time. So not fair.

I'm going to include a few pictures with this post because there have been too many posts in a row without them... Last weekend I took Davey to a little Christmas party put on by a Moms' group I have joined here. They had a photo-op set up, though it wasn't so perfect with the flash reflecting in the background...

Who isn't happy when surrounded by presents? 

I'm worried; maybe they're for mommy.

The bounce houses were a blast; surely the best part of the party. Davey spent the majority of the time climbing out of the balls and jumping back in. Needless to say he had a great nap that day!!

Bringing a ball back into the jumper.

The rest of his time was spent being the ball monitor. Anytime a child threw balls outside of the pit, he took it upon himself to put them back in, even if they had been thrown outside of the jumper. He is a very conscientious child that everyone should follow the rules and everything should be kept in its place. I need to take better advantage of that!!

The Jasmin Diet (Warning: Really Lame Post Below)

If you invent a new diet, you get to name it after yourself, right? Here is my ticket to making millions! And it all started with a free tube of toothpaste and the common cold...

Here's how the diet works. It is all about options (that's the key, right?) and is so simple anyone can do it. You have the option of using either one of my specially-crafted olfactory receptor-blockers (sounds like it's backed by science, eh?). The first is a gentle, comfort-fit clip that will seal off airflow to your nostrils. Simply clip to the outside of your nose. The second option is a custom-molding pair of plugs that will perform the same task (intended to be undetected by anyone you're dining with) by being inserted into the nose (like an earplug).

Simply place the receptor-blocker into place before you eat and your desire to overeat will disappear! You won't enjoy your food at all!

********************************************************************

I have a really bad cold right now. I'm not sure I've had my nose plugged so badly before that I truly could not breathe at all out of either of my nostrils. Anyway, I have this horrible-tasting toothpaste that sounded intriguing (Crest Citrus Splash -- don't bother trying it) and I bought it since there was a rebate making it free. Last night was great because my cold was so bad I literally could not taste it at all. I knew that the sense of smell played a large role in taste, but breathing only through my mouth completely blocked it. It was a great night of tooth-brushing since I didn't have to put up with the icky flavor and I invented my new diet! :)

Shameless Plug

I ordered some gifts from Oh! Nuts for Christmas and this link to their website will earn me a $5 refund. Yea!

Family Portrait

Well, I have learned an important lesson: Don't be such a slacker that since it has been 2 years since your last family portrait you are so desperate to get one that you're willing to do it when you're 8 months pregnant. Ugh. We went to get one this morning and not only was Davey difficult, but my face is so chubby. Yuck. So don't expect to be seeing one of them. They will be kept very close only for our remembrance purposes. We'll surely be getting another, hopefully better, one after the baby comes.

We tried to bribe Davey with the promise of an ice cream cone afterward if he cooperated. He didn't really cooperate, but we felt like we had to give him the treat anyway. Dave couldn't help getting out the camera...

Quite content.

Can I have another wipe?

(He really likes to be clean.)

Is there any more ice cream in here?

When Dave turned the camera to show me how cute he thought the pictures were, Davey added, "Mommy, say "awww."" 

Along the same lines, after Davey's last bath, he spotted the red clown nose Dave wore a few years ago while pulling the Clowny float in Detroit's Thanksgiving Parade. He asked to wear it and then demanded:

"Take a picture of it."

The next day while Davey was on "the pot," Dave stuck the nose back on him again. Davey made the same appeal. We had to laugh but didn't indulge that time.

What a Sweet Day!

Is there a better way to ring in December (the month of indulgence in sweets and treats) than with a tour of an ice cream factory? We don't think so! Davey and I were invited by our friend Amy to accompany her and her parents and our friend Jamie on a tour of the Blue Bell Ice Cream factory (not to mention with Davey's best buddies Lauren and Sammie!). Texans are very proud of their hometown brand that is only available in 16 southern states and still #3 in the nation, and with good reason -- it is great ice cream!

Sammie, Davey and Lauren

with their hats and ready for the tour!

Davey was actually quite interested in the tour (I'm really not surprised since it was about ice cream!) and it was just the right length, starting with a charming video about the beginnings of the company. No pictures were allowed on the tour, but we we were rewarded at the end with a cup of the flavor of our choice...

The three munchkins enjoying their Birthday Cake ice cream -- 

all three chose the same one and were way too into it to look up for the picture!

Two happy, ice cream-loving Adams!

These three love holding hands!

Of course Davey had to ride the train and I love the slogan written along the bottom:

"We eat all we can and sell the rest... "

Maybe they need a financial analyst?

Jamie, Sammie, Me, Davey, Amy and Lauren

After all the picture taking, we adults were chatting away while the kiddos played on the grounds. Then we noticed that the kids had created a game to play: two would sit and pose near something while the other was the photographer. They'd all yell "Cheese!" and then switch places. It was so adorable! (Of course by the time we thought to try to get it on video, they were finished.)

Lunch with Zulma

I had been looking forward to the Saturday after Thanksgiving for months and months... that day one of my best friends from Bakersfield (who now lives in Portland) had a 4 hour layover here in Houston on her way to see her family in Colombia, so we were able to wisk her and her children away from the airport for a quick lunch.

It was so nice to see Zulma again, see how Sarah had grown and meet baby Matthew for the first time! Zulma is pretty much responsible for all of my fond memories of living in Bakersfield -- thank goodness for her! She and her husband, Cesar, will always be our dear friends.

Sarah and Davey were also very excited to see each other -- it was so cute how excited they were. When we first met up with them in the airport Sarah just kept hugging Davey over and over and over.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was very nice for us this year and it was the first time we hosted family at our house for the actual day. We were fortunate to have Dave's parents and older sister, Carrie, come stay with us from Wed - Sun. We had a really nice time with them.

Dinner was ready right after naptime, so we indulged ourselves and let Davey sleep through the meal, but not before he had is own turkey feast. I had promised him that on Thanksgiving Day he could eat one of the turkeys he had made the prior week... 

I couldn't get him to look up for a picture the entire time he was eating it!!

The meal was delicious (if I do say so myself!), though once we got started I forgot to get a pic of the spread...

The table. 

I think this was the first time I had used my china since last Thanksgiving! Oops!

Davey had an absolute blast the whole time with all the attention he received from everyone. He is such a people-person and remembers the names of everyone he meets. He knows the names of the siblings and mothers of each of his little friends. He keeps talking about our friend JP, one of the guys who came into town for Dave's guy's weekend a couple weeks back and Davey only saw him for a couple hours. Yesterday we attended Dave's company's holiday party and once the babysitter arrived, he would barely take his attention away for a minute to say goodbye to us. Certainly no tears!

Davey and Aunt "Ki-ki." 

He loves his new New York sweatshirt! Thanks Ki-ki!

Carrie lived in Dallas for several years and was ready for a new set of cowgirl boots, so some of our Black Friday shopping (I went shopping all day with the girls while the guys hung with Davey! :) time was spent at Cavender's Boot City looking for some swanky boots for Carrie. Grandma Adams saw the little kids' boots and couldn't resist putting together Davey's full cowboy look (complete with a toy pony to ride)! 

Though he wasn't in the right mood when we tried it all on him... the hat made him most upset.

"Hold you, Mommy!"

We ended up exchanging them for a bigger size a couple days later; he wore the new pair out of the store and has worn no other shoes since then, except that I was able to convince him not to wear them to church this morning. But the minute we got back he had them on.

Not exactly the right cowboy look, but he likes it!

We had to laugh at the twins who didn't care enough that they were wearing the same thing to change..

Like father, like son!

Thanks for the great visit and come back again soon!

I Just Can't Resist...

... sharing a picture so sweet.

Houston Zoo

Like most kids, Davey absolutely loves zoos. We had been trying to get to the Houston zoo for a couple months and finally made it happen about two weeks ago. Our friend Haley Brown was a great tour guide and playmate for Davey. (Thank you!) It was such a beautiful day.

The tunnel through the aquarium was so cool!

Davey turned into a rodent!

Two little chicks chillin' in the nest.

Not real great for a photo op but Davey just had to sit on the zebra.

The petting zoo was so fun, with brushes to use on the animals.

The coolest thing we saw was the monkeys. Take a listen!

Most days since then Davey has asked to go to the zoo. So we'll have to be heading back soon!