Introducing Renee

Well, she came early - 11 days to be exact - born on Sunday afternoon. She was 8 lbs, 12 oz and I cringe to think how big she would have been had she decided to stay put until her due date. Labour was no picnic, longer than Nicholas, shorter than Ethan. Still hurt like hell - but she was worth every second.

She totally looks like Dad, she certainly didn't get that hair from me!

Out of the mouths of babes....

Ethan is at the age where he is obsessed with all bodily functions and body parts, especially those ones that some people can get mighty squirmy about. For the most part I try to be very forthcoming and answer all his baby related/body related questions honestly (and most of the time I manage to keep a straight face, but not always).


When Ethan was smaller, my brother and sister-in-law bought him a book entitled "All about Scabs". He loved that book. So, since "poop" is the theme of the month, I bought him a book as a "present" from the new baby, do you think I might be encouraging him much?




The other day when Ethan was out with my Mom, those "questions" came up again. Thankfully my mom is around here on a regular basis and has had a front row seat to my explanations about babies, poop, intestines and childbirth to Ethan, so she isn't totally taken aback with some of the things that come out of his mouth. They were at the mall, and mom had to go into a clothing store to look at some tops. On the way out, Ethan asked her why mannequins don't have penises. We have gone over the girl/boy body parts list a number of times, but I guess since he saw breasts on some, he naturally wondered why the boy bits weren't on others. I have no idea what my mom told him, but I am sure the number of shoppers that heard Ethan ask would have loved to know her answer.

A bit of pampering.

Today I spent some time with my SIL and we got our toes done. It was so nice to just relax and chill, because I know that I won't be in for that type of pampering for a long time once the baby is born.

Before Ethan was born, I painted my toes blue. At the time I had hoped to do one foot pink and one foot blue (since we didn't know what we were having), but after struggling to get the polish on, I just did both feet blue. With Nicholas, I was just too darned big to reach my feet, so I didn't do anything at all. So for this wee babe, I decided to go all out and here are the results - I made sure to get both pink and blue...

Wordless Wednesday

So....boy or girl? And the "?" isn't photoshopped in, it is actually on the shirt!

Insomnia

It is 4:30 am. I am wide awake, and I can't even blame the kids. I am up this early BY CHOICE because I just can't sleep. Yesterday I spent most of the day lying on the couch with the worst backache I have had in my life. At one point I thought I may be in labour - and you'd think since I have done this twice already I'd know if I was or not, but honestly, I didn't. It was so different. One huge backache that lasted all day. And from what my friends have told me, that can be what back labour is like. Oh joy.

Right now, no backache - so that is a good sign. Now I just need to figure out what I am going to do for the next couple of hours before the house wakes up. I could mark exams, but ick, I don't feel like it. I am reading a great book with only a couple of chapters left, but I hate finishing great books because then I have to find a new one to read and I don't have any around that I can start. I guess I'll just have to find a movie to watch, and enjoy this "me" time because I know that within the next couple of weeks there will be none of that left!

Could be a week....could be four.

Judging by the two boys, this kiddo could make an appearance next week, or in a month. Ethan was surprisingly early, Nicholas annoyingly late. I was told that genetics played a part in when you deliver and how long delivery should be. When I was born, I was two weeks late, and according to my mom, her labour wasn't too bad and not too long either. I remember when I went on maternity leave with Ethan I was looking forward to getting the house all sorted, and then parking my ass on the couch for lots of TV and rest. I didn't get either - I had pretty much only a weekend to "relax" before he made his very early appearance. As for my labour - it was long, about 20 hours, and quite painful (why is it that no-one tells you about the "ring of fire"????)

So, when I was going on maternity leave with Nicholas I figured that since he would be early like his brother, I would leave work earlier. I was off for almost a month before he was born. And it wasn't a relaxing month - looking after a toddler when you are as big as a house is a bit of a challenge. Thankfully labour was shorter (about 3 hours all up). We were lucky that we got to the hospital when we did - I thought they would just send me home because my contractions weren't regular (my water broke first), but it didn't take long before they got to the point of me just about passing out with each one, so I was going nowhere.

All I ask of this wee bean is that he/she stays put for a week at least. I have got the worst hair going at the moment, and am in BAD need of a dye job. My hairdresser is always booked months in advance, and I have had to wait two months for this appointment. Sounds quite vain, I know...but really, if I can't get my hair done before this baby gets here I have to wait another couple of months at least, and that would just be scary.

The only thing I fear about this birth is the pain - I did both previous with no drugs (the first by choice, the second I was begging for them, but the hospital that we go to is a trauma hospital, and the doctors that have all the happy pain free drugs are usually tied up with serious accident victims or in surgery, so pregnant women don't rate too high on the scale). I totally understand, but ugh...I now know what to expect and I know it won't be fun. I also hope we make it to the hospital on time - Nicholas was pretty quick, and hopefully this one will be too.

At this point it is a waiting game - I am enjoying my maternity leave, the boys are quite good at keeping themselves occupied most of the time, so as long as their fights are kept to a dull roar, the house doesn't collapse and there are minimal amounts of blood shed I am one happy camper.