Saturday, July 30, 2011

The Last Two Weeks

 

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Yes, Jameson.  Do you have a question?

 

What has been going on the last two weeks?  Lots.  Two weeks ago, I was sitting in the foyer at church talking with two ladies, and they questioned me about whether I would be attending an event that was being held that weekend, and if not me, then would Josh be there.  I told them very matter of factly (I don’t think factly is a word), that we would not be there, because I would be busy with a new baby.  Sure enough, Jameson was born the next day!

 

The story of Jameson.  If you don’t want to read a birth story, skip this paragraph.

Sunday, the 17th, I had contractions throughout the day, and kept waiting for them to turn into “real” labor.  They never seemed to progress, and after 8 hours or so, they fizzled out.  That was frustrating.  Monday morning came, and I felt determined to have a baby that day.  Silly, I know, since I was only 37 weeks as of that day.  I must have instinctively known, because soon after breakfast I got the urge to do laundry, and not just a load, but ALL of my laundry.  It felt very important to me.  So, I loaded up the kids and headed to the laundry mat.  We have a washer and dryer, but I really had to have it all done at once…for some reason.  I put my 5 loads in the washers, and it was about when I needed to add the fabric softener that the contractions started.  Strangely, though, they didn’t start gradually.  They came hard and pretty close together from the get go.  This was a little unnerving since I had sent Josh off to work for the day, and wasn’t really sure what I was going to do with my kids while I was in the hospital.  Contractions continued.  I put the clothes in the dryers, and really started getting nervous.  The contractions were 5-6 minutes apart, and I was husbandless, babysitter-less, and had 5 loads of wet clothes.  So, I called Josh and told him I thought we better go to the hospital.  I called sweet Sis Daines, and put her on call, and I let my clothes dry.  By the time they were done, contractions were 4 minutes apart, and I was starting to panic a bit. 

We stopped at McDonald’s for the kids.  Sis Daines met us at home soon after, and I was really hurting.  I think it made her nervous.  Nobody wants to see someone deliver a baby on a couch.  Gross.  Unfortunately, I didn’t stress to Josh the urgency I felt to get to the hospital, so he kind of took his time wrapping things up at the lab, and getting home.  My contractions were coming hard and were 2-3 minutes apart when we headed out.  I had called ahead and told my doctor I was headed in, so they were expecting me.  When the nurse was walking me back, I told her that this would have to be the real deal, because I had a babysitter for my kids in place right now, and I wasn’t sure that I could manage that again.  She laughed.  I was serious.

She checked me right away, and you can imagine my shock when I was only a 3!  It didn’t make sense!  I was experiencing the kind of contractions that I felt with Isaac when I was an 8.  How could I have been a 3?!  My urine sample revealed that I was severely dehydrated.  oops.  I didn’t mean to be, but it is suspected that the dehydration led to the intense contractions and the frequency they were coming.  Awesome-or not.  So they hung some fluids and allowed me to stay in triage for an hour.  If I progressed, I could stay, if not then I could go home.  Thankfully, after an hour I had progressed and labor kept up just as strong even after the fluids.  They made me have at least a full bag in me before they would even think about giving me the epidural.  Finally, I had enough water and the epidural was placed.  My doctor came and broke my water and very soon there after I was complete and sweet baby Jameson was out in two more contractions.  Easy breezy, except for the few hours of hard contractions that were right on top of each other.  He is so worth it though.  So start to finish, I was only at the hospital laboring for 4 hours or so before he was born at 6:25pm.  Weighing in at 6lb 12oz and 19 1/2 inches long.  I don’t know how women labor for 24 hours plus.  That is just crazy.

 

Flash forward to today, I was just outside with Jameson and Josie, and my neighbor came out, shocked that we had another kid.  He said, “You couldn’t have had a baby! I’m sure that I’ve seen you around every day in the last two weeks.”  He’s right, he has.  I went to the hospital Monday afternoon, and we were home Tuesday evening.  I can see how he’d be puzzled Smile 

I would say that we are transitioning well.  Josh has 6 full weeks off of work, and it has made it all much easier.

 

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There have been moments of craziness, and a lot of diapers to change.  I laughed pretty hard when I noticed the diaper attached to Josh’s Velcro pocket on his bum.

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I’m not sure what was happening in this picture, but that looks like a great way to restrain Jo when Jameson is around.  The kids have loved having dad around so much.

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We’ve all loved taking turns loving on him.  So far, he is sweet and patient. He still sleeps a lot, so we will see more what he is like as he emerges from hibernation.  It is crazy to have a 15 month old and a two week old.  It’s good though.  It is a constant reminder of how fast this first year goes.  Too fast.  Josie is a big girl now.  Of her own doing.  She is rough and rowdy like her brothers and loves to be down wrestling with them and her daddy. 

Really long story short…Josh and I are unbelievably blessed.  Thanks to everyone who has checked in on us, fed us, and has just been excited with us as we welcome Jameson to our family.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Peaceful

 

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All is quiet and peaceful here. 

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Well…umm…

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Perhaps I should have been more specific?  All is quiet and peaceful here, as in on my lap.  The rest of this house is a stinkin’ zoo!

Saturday, July 23, 2011

A Day in the Life of Jameson

 

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Here he sits.  Innocent and unsuspecting.

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Then Josie sniffs him out.

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She sure looks happy.  Wonder what she’s thinking…

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Quick sudden movements are best when dealing with new infants.  They never see it coming!

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Poor Jameson.  This is exactly what he sees.  Ahhh!  Scary!

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Announcing…

Jameson Gardner Brown

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On Monday, July 18th at 6:25pm sweet baby Jameson was born.  More to come on his arrival and how we are all transitioning, and how some of us aren’t (ahem…Josie) but I wanted to get a few pictures up of our little guy.  He weighed 6lb 12 oz and was 19 1/2 inches long.  He is our biggest so far.  He is going to need those 6 ounces he had on Josie to try to quickly gain strength to ward off her advances.  He is healthy and handsome, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to have him, and to not be pregnant anymore Smile

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Monday, July 4, 2011

Kind of the Opposite of Nesting

We are down to crunch time with the next baby coming. Usually by now, I would be surrounded by rolls of paper towels, cleaning products, and scrub brushes, but something different is going on this time. I want to be out and on the move all the time. I think Josh has heard me say I want to see something new at least 100 times in the last couple of weeks. Unfortunately, we aren’t made of money and time is scarce for my mister, so it has resulted in a lot of trips to new parks. The other day I loaded up the kids and took them for a day in Oconomowoc (a small city in a neighboring county). They seemed confused by this excursion—with good reason, we have a park that is great just down the hill from us, but I had to go somewhere new. It’s also a little silly that we keep doing this, because pretty much every car ride looks a lot like this…


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Here are a few pictures from two of our outings. The first is from a trip to North Beach in Racine. It is a great beach. Super clean. Tons of clean, non-rocky sand, and a huge play structure for the kids. It is a lot more family friendly than the Milwaukee beaches. Too many youngsters lookin’ to catch each other’s eyes at those beaches.


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Josie after she followed Will into the lake and fell in fully clothed. Thankfully, Will was a good big brother and quickly picked her up and brought her to us.


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If that isn’t the face of a happy kid in summer, I don’t know what is! Yummm, sandy cheeto fingers.


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Even a little R & R for daddy


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Always the model of fitness, Will doing what appears to be, a little Tai Chi on the beach. He is so Zen.



Next up, Grant Park.


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Josh and the boys, overlooking Lake Michigan


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Josie and Daddy at Grant Park Beach


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This picture makes me laugh. My big belly and Josie attached to my dress. Very common site for me.


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The best walks include really big walking sticks.