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Rachel is great. Really, she is. She's doing all the wonderful things babies at her age do if not more (remember, my children are extremely advanced. They are. Just ask me :) )

Butttt...there is one thing that she hasn't done that is preoccupying 90 percent of my effort. That's right. She hasn't said "mama" yet.

So, maybe it's self centered. Maybe I carried her for nine months, act like a milking cow and wrestle her multiple times a day to get her dressed, change her diaper, avoid her getting her fingers bit off my the dog...you know, normal stuff.

Oh, she says "dada" just find. "Hi, Dada". "Dadadadadadadadadadadadadadadada". Sounds like, "Blah. Blah. Blah. Blah. Blah." to me. I mean really, where's the love?

Who gets up with you at night, Rachel? Mama. Who produces nourishment for you? Mama. Who carried you? Had labor? Suffered? Pain? Agony? That's right. Mama. But, if you want to say Dada, that's fine.

Seriously, I will sit there any try to get it out of her. Like saying it slower is going to help.

ME: "Rachel, say 'Maaaaaama'"
RACHEL: "Dada"
ME: "No, 'Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaama'"
RACHEL" "Dada"
ME: "Mama"
RACHEL: (Spitefully, with an attitude and maybe a little twinkle in her eye) "Da.Da."
ME: (Crying) "For the love! Say, 'MAMA'"
RACHEL: (Hysterically laughing) "Ginger" (yeah, that would be our dog) "Ethan" (brother) "President Bush" (well, you know).
ME: (in anguish, weakly) "mama?"
RACHEL: "Um, no. Dada"

Okay, so maybe there's a little hyperbole. But really, am I asking too much?

Due to several scheduling snafus, Rachel's six-month check ended up being at seven months. She's very healthy, 19lbs, 26.75" and 17.23" head circumference which is the 78th, 53rd and 73rd percentiles. And, someone told me she was "so small" yesterday. I asked if she had ever seen a baby before ;)

This month was eventful. She is now sitting very well and able to go from her belly to a sitting position. She also has learned she can pull herself up on things and that her crib mattress really is a great trampoline! She got her first tooth on Oct. 16; the better to bite me while nursing with...and looks as though she's getting a few more. She learned how to wave bye-bye (whole arm wave) and can say hi though I really don't think she knows what it means. However, whenever she is on my lap while we're reading other baby's blogs, she'll wave at the baby and say hi about six thousand times.

I have also begun teaching her some simple signs--milk, eat, more, all done, cup and poop (you know all the important ones). Anyway, after her shots yesterday, I nursed her as usual and when I thought she was done, I started getting her ready to go. Let me tell you, she made the sign for milk like there was no tomorrow. Poor baby wasn't done :) But, I'm hoping this helps alleviate her grunting when she's not getting what she wants.

She also has learned how to bounce in a sitting position which can scoot her a little. However, the funnier thing is watching her reach for something in front of her, fold completely over, make the crawling motion with her hands but have her feet still stuck underneath (video forthcoming).

With the first one, you want them to hurry up and move--crawl, scoot, walk, whatever. But, with Rachel, I'm really happy right now knowing I can sit her down and she'll still be there when I get back. Over the next few weeks, Ben and I are going to have to baby-proof the house because I'm sure the inevitable is going to happen soon!

I think it's funny that she actually reacts to my question, "Where's your socks?" by looking down like, "Gee, I don't know?!"

I showed up for Rachel's six month appointment at 11 a.m. today only to be told that the appointment is tomorrow at 11 a.m.

Now, I have an appointment at 11 tomorrow, which was scheduled after my first OB followup appointment so I know that it has been in my planner forever.

Why would I schedule Rachel's appointment for that day? So, I say to the receptionist, "Well, how are we going to fix this?" And, she says, "I don't know. I wasn't the one who showed up on the wrong day." EXCUSE ME?

Then, I think she caught herself. "Let's look at the schedule and see when we can reschedule you for." Yeah, do you think?

So, we begin looking at dates and every day or time she gave I couldn't do. And, then, like icing on a cake she peers over her reading glasses and says sternly, "You're going to have to work with me to get this scheduled." What exactly does one say to that?

"Really? Because up until this point, I've been trying to see how long until you snap. Looks like I've done it. Now, let's get down to business."

Rachel is a rather pleasant baby but her over-the-top reaction to strangers (and, funny enough, her dad) is just too much.

Every time, she'll look away and bury her head in my shoulder and then quickly look back like "Oh, you're too much. But, really please do more". It's sad, but I think she's a prima donna already!

See for yourself...

The picture to the right is macaronni, tomato and beef dinner. Delicious! *Warning: Once consumed, Macaronni, Tomato and Beef Dinner will cause anything coming out of your baby to smell just like the contents of the jar of baby food* PS: The smell is not exactly what you would call pleasing...

Here's our view from the dining room. Gotta love all the pollution in the air around here that causes all the colors :)

Well, sort of words. She is saying "da" and "ba" and what sounds a whole heck of a lot like "hi". All in one day. She slept in today. That must have done it!

Ethan asked his dad if he had a license for firearms. So, his dad answers. And, my sweet little Ethan responds, "Well that's good because I need a license to carry these guns" as he pulls his sleeves up to expose his "guns".

He will not be spending any more time "hangin" with the varsity football team.

Ahhheeee. Agggeeee. Ahhhgh.

Yes, the words of a 6-month old. She talks non-stop to anyone and anything. Usually flailing her arms and legs and screaming between "words".

I read online today that a 6-month old should be able to have noticable words "da", "ma", "ga". Though she doesn't do that quite yet, it's coming. Endless babble flows, mostly with her hand wedged inside her mouth.

Still no teeth yet. They are also coming.

She's getting up on her knees but usually has her head down. Or she's on her hands but butt is down. Ahh, the complicated combination that will open the door to mobility (and the rooms we've been keeping her out of).

It happens so fast. I half expect her to walk into the room one day with a "Hey, mom".

Someone once told me that we spend the first year telling them to stand up, walk and talk and we spend the rest of their lives telling them to sit down and shut up.

Profound, I do think.

Being in the first grade, Ethan has started taking tests...spelling tests, social studies tests, reading tests and math tests. So, when he came home talking about a math test on Wednesday, we thought nothing of it. But, when he came home on Wednesday and said that he didn't take the test with the rest of the class, I didn't know what to make of it. He said that he and another little boy had to do worksheets while the rest of the class took the test.

What does this mean I thought? Of course the mom in me automatically starts thinking, oooo he's advanced and they didn't make him take the test because he's so smart. Yes, we all think those things.

BUt then, the pessimist in me starts wondering if maybe the teacher didn't think he was able to complete the test. (Which, in reality, I knew wasn't true considering he's doing multiplication and division already). But, I e-mailed the teacher. E-mail is a wonderful thing...no worries about sounding this way or not sounding the right way. It also comes off as nonchalant.

What was the reason, you ask? The class takes a pretest on Monday, if the student scores perfect, they don't have to take the end of the week test, instead they work on more challenging assignments. So, for this time at least, the mom in me gets to be right! He is doing well! As if we had any doubts :)

This morning I told Ethan I was going to take him to school. We live about 2 minutes from the school, he's the last picked up and really, if I take him, we leave about the same time the bus comes; so it's really a horse a piece just to take him but he LOVES to ride the school bus.

Anyway, I told Ethan to get his bookbag and lunchbox in the car while I ran up to get Rachel's pacifier. I came down, picked up Rachel and her "stuff" and went outside to put her in the car. Ethan was no where to be found. I yelled for him because sometimes he likes to play hide-and-seek but nothing. I ran through the house and couldn't find him.

THANK GOD that my SIL works for the school district driving a bus. I called her cell knowing that she would already be at the school delivering her kids (you can't answer when you're driving) and asked her to ask Ethan's bus driver if he got on the bus.

And, sure enough, the little stinker got on the school bus.

I ask him about it when he got home.

"I panicked, Mom" was his response.

Poor kid ;)

My little baby has started the first grade. And, he really doesn't like to be called a baby anymore (or so he told me the other day). I've also noticed he isn't "snuggling" as much anymore without prompting. I know that this is all a part of growing up but I was hoping for a little more time with the "little boy". He seems to be enjoying his year and is excited to be taking Health this year because that's what his dad teaches...dad teaches 10th grade though...I'm thinking they cover some different material ;)

Here's a few snapshots that he let me take before the bus got there...I have to admit that I was teary-eyed after he left...

Brotherly love :) At least for now...I have a feeling that when she starts getting into his stuff, it may be a different story!

Rachel is quite active these days; sitting still is for the birds! She loves her scooter and "Johnny Jumper" (that's what they used to call it at least). Ethan would get to the point with the JJ that he would back up until his little tootsies would be barely touching the ground and then he would pick his feet up and SWING!!! She hasn't figured out she can do that yet but here's a video of one of her first attempts. And, yes, I know that the American Association of Pediatrics does not recommend using them. And, yes, I'm sure my son could have hurt himself. And, yes, I did watch him while he was in it. And, no, I don't use it as a baby sitter ;) Just thought I'd be proactive.

Oh, and I use a scooter, too. Tisk, tisk I know.

So, after finding out that it's a virus and antibiotics will do no good, I turn to alternative medicine...the chiropractor.

Ben and I have been going to this chiropractor, who we fondly refer to as "The Witchdoctor", since we've been married. He's awesome, does great adjustments, provides us with advice and uses some interesting tactics.

When I told him that Rachel was sick, he did his "voodoo" tactics (okay, applied kinesiology to be specific) and said he suspects that she is not digesting her food as well as she should and believes she is a little adverse to carrots and peas. Her inability to digest causes a backup of the "poison" that should be passed through and causes illness.

He gave me some suggestions for vitamins that I would take (B12 and another supplement that I haven't received yet) and she will get passed to her through my breast milk.

I'll try anything once :) We'll see if it has an effect!

Maybe I'm just a bad mother. Or maybe I have bad luck with pediatricians. But, everytime I seem to call when my kids are sick I am the one who ends up feeling awful.

If you don't call, you feel bad when you finally do call, go in and find out that they have a double ear infection. Then the nurse looks at me like I'm a bad mother. But, I also feel bad when I call and it's like it's a complete inconvenience for the nursing staff and a "how dumb are you?" conversation ensues. Or, you feel bad when you take them in and nothing is wrong, like you've just wasted their time (or at least that's how they make you feel).

Case in point...

Rachel has been running a 100-101 fever since Thursday. On Monday afternoon, the temp goes up to 102. I don't like giving my kids Tylenol unless they really need it but after a lot of lukewarm baths, cold compress, etc. and no resolve, I give her a dose of Tylenol to which the fever drops to 101 and then rebounds three hours later (it's a 4 hr dose). I continue with the Tylenol but on Tuesday morning she doesn't eat but two spoonfuls of cereal and a sip of milk. So, on Tuesday afternoon I call.

Here's the conversation:
*answering machine picks up* "Thank you for calling..blah blah blah...we're updating our medical records so we're limiting patient visits" Great. "Our nurses will triage for the situation...blah blah blah". I hit a number which goes to VM. I try again. Same thing. Finally, I hit the magic zero and get a live person who sounds pissed that I even called in.

Me: (already feeling bad for calling considering it's obviously a bother since they're doing that medical record thing) "Hi, my name is Meghan and my daughter, Rachel, is a patient ...."
Her: (cuts me off) "Date of birth"
Me: "APril 1, 2007"
Her: "Your name"
Me: "Um, Meghan"
Her: "Reason for calling"
Me: (Impressed how "efficient" she is being...oh wait, that's her being rude) "Well, she has been running a temp since Thursday, etc. (See above for details).
Her: "I'm sure it's teeth"
Me: "Well, I just thought since her temp went up to 102 and doesn't seem to be responding to Tylenol and she's really not eating and seems really tired that...
Her: "102 is a low grade temp"
Me: (in my head) "Since when!" (really) "Oh, well, with my son, the doctor told me anything over 101 was a fever?"
Her: "Uh, huh" (obviously irritated that I am still on the phone)
Me: "Okay, well, I just thought I should call" (feeling stupid)
Her: "You can bring her in at 2:45 if you want but that's the only appointment that we have today because we're changing to electronic medical records."
Me: (there's the medical records thing again) "Okay, that should work.. I'll ..."
Her: "You'll be seeing the nurse practitioner" (as if to talk me out of it)
Me: That's fine. I'll..
Her: Okay, bye. (Hangs up)

Nice huh? Well, Rachel was fine, just a virus they suspect or teeth. So, I feel stupid for taking her. I always feel like they're looking at me like I'm dumb when there's nothing wrong. Oh, well. Better know than her be really sick I guess.

I suppose I just can't win.

Okay, no more diapers. That's it. We're done. We're going to potty train our 5 month old. Ethan, our oldest, was 3 before we potty trained him. So, we're not messing around with this one. We're starting early. In fact, we should have started at birth.

Okay, yes, I'm kidding. But, you have to check out this article about how parents are potty training their kids from birth. It is common in parts of Africa and Asia where parents can't afford diapers. One woman quoted was training her 14-week old. I don't think it's the kid who's getting potty-trained...it's the parents.

Ben asked Ethan to hold Rachel while he made a snack for him. Ben noticed it had gotten very quiet and when he went in this is what he found...

I also posted this on Rachel's blog but it's too cute to pass up. Ben asked Ethan to hold Rachel while he made a snack for him. Ben noticed it had gotten very quiet and when he went in this is what he found...

Someone once told me that Ethan has two gears--on and off. Well, when he finally does go into "off", he continues to make us smile. Here's why:

She's healthy! 15lbs11oz, 25.5" and 40cm head circumference. She's doing just fine at the 75th, 50th and 90th percentiles.

New tricks for this month: in addition to shoving her hands in her mouth, she has also learned how to screech (and no, I don't mean scream...there is a big difference), how to barrel-roll across the floor though she's only done it twice, how to sing (in about the same key and tone that I sing...poorly for those who don't know me), and she's started reaching and grabbing. After she started grabbing for our food, we decided to try cereal. She does like her cereal and grabs onto our hands and shoves the spoon in her mouth. However, the applesauce gets an "I just ate a lemon" face that we're try to capture on camera. She also is fascinated by our mouths. She loves to stick her hands in my mouth and moves her lips like she's talking but all that comes out is either baby babble or a loud screech.

Rachel has learned to blow raspberries. She makes them when she's happy, she makes them when she's mad, I even think she makes them in her sleep. They're cute until...she's eating. She loves to talk while I'm feeding her cereal but now she blows raspberries causing quite a mess.

Though I tried to get a video of Rachel starting on her back and rolling to her front, this is the best I could get after running and getting the camera. Then, of course she wouldn't do it again. So, really I didn't start her on her side.

Our little bow hunter.
Ethan loves to go out and shoot his bow and arrow. He does a pretty good job, too. This also shows you our summer project of getting our yard fixed. Our house was moved to a vacant plot and they never did any landscaping. So, now we get to pick rocks and plant grass! Anyway, I think we have a little hunter on our hands.

Look at me! My first big girl bath!

Yesterday, Ben decided Ethan was old enough to start using a knife to help with dinner (supervised of course).

Ethan's assignment: prep the radishes.

He got his stool out and very carefully worked at his job. It wasn't until he was almost done that Ben actually looked closely at the radishes....

Ethan had taken a bite out of each of them to determine if they were hot and then separated them into "hot" or "not" piles. It was kind of nice for me because I don't like anything hot so I knew just which ones to put on my salad.

Way to take one for the team, E!

Last night, Ethan, Ben and I all sat down to watch a good family movie--The Bridge to Terabithia. This is probably the first non-cartoon movie Ethan has watched the whole way through. Though an excellent movie, it was also very emotional. Well, after a certain part of the movie that involves death, Ethan found himself in tears and was very upset that a movie would make him cry. Of course we explained to him that it's OK to cry (both his dad and I were) and that many movies are made to cause you to feel something and that even though they were people, the movie wasn't real. Though he still wasn't too sure of whether he liked the movie, he says he understands the points we were trying to explain. But, for me, it's a sign that my little boy is growing up. . .

We have a morning ritual that involves Rachel laying on my stomach (tummy time!) and talking to me. She usually gets excited, yells and shoves her hands in her mouth (hey, to each their own I guess). Anyway, this morning we were chatting and she got excited except this time she stuck her fingers too far down her throat and well, you can guess what happened.

I'm just thankful my mouth wasn't open.

Taking a 6-year-old on vacation can be difficult. Will they like where you're going? Will they ask, "Are we there yet?" 17 million times? What about safety? You get the point. Well, we ventured off for about 2 weeks to DC and then on to OBX with both kids in tow.

The vacation began with two cars in the shop the day before we left and a decision to rent a car. That was revoked after discovering that they charge you an arm and a leg. So, we set off in Ben's truck which would have been fine except that about 2 hours into the trip, the air conditioning went. Now, hindsight is 20-20 and in that perspective, we would have parked the car and rented one--I can get used to using only one arm right? But, instead we decided to drive without. Then it rained which meant we had to roll the windows up. Oh, and did I mention it was 90 degrees? Great fun! But, Ethan and Rachel both did great. In fact, Ethan only once asked if we were there yet and that was on the way home after 6 straight hours of driving.

So, kids will be kids. Our first stop was DC where thanks to Sears Reward Points, we stayed for three nights for free at an incredible hotel. Though we saw the sights, ate where the tourists ate, etc. I think Ethan's favorite parts of the trip were riding the carousel, riding the Metro and feeding the pigeons. Though he did give our Capitol tour guide quite a run for her money. She told us she was impressed by how attentive he was and what good questions he asked. Ethan told us that the Capitol was his favorite part of the trip. He was very interested in the whispering room, the crypt and all the statues. He also liked the Air and Space Museum and the National Zoo. We were all disappointed that the Museum of American History was closed but there was much to do. The only sight we didn't have a chance to see was the White House. Though we decided that next time we'll call our Congressman a few months in advance and get tickets for a tour anyway.

Then, it was off to OBX, NC, and the ocean. Ethan was very apprehensive of going in the ocean for fear of sharks. And, once he saw how big the waves were, the fear increased. However, his parents are mean :) so we made him go in. By the end of the vacation, he was body surfing and using his boogie board to ride the waves in to shore. He also played all of us in foose ball matches, learned to play Dominoes (along with the rest of us who are now addicted, thanks Aunt Nina!), played putt-putt where he scored a hole-in-one (see below), rode on a ferry to Ocrocoke, and even ate frog legs and crayfish. What an adventure! As you can see by the one golf picture, Ethan was just about the center of everyone's attention. However, my brother's girlfriend became the center of his attention (sorry, Emily!)

All-in-all, Ethan and the rest of us had fun. In fact, on the way home he commented that he was ready for school to start because he had a great summer vacation.

We've done good :)

This was Ethan's third season of t-ball and my second coaching. There is nothing better than 10 kids who are asking "Can I go to the bathroom?" "When will the game be over?" "Did you know I lost my tooth?" "So-and-so is throwing dirt" etc. for 14 games. They are die-hard let me tell you, our right fielder even fell asleep in the middle of one game. Now, Ethan and a few of the others are a bit different. They seem to actually grasp the concept of competition: They have realized and do not like the fact that everyone gets a single regardless of where they hit it. They want to slide into home. They want to know when they can throw the ball somewhere other than first base. They tag kids out...hard. The rest are in it for fun (or because their parents have made them play, which is what one 5-year-old explained to me). Though I would have to say across the board the best part of the season was twofold: snack after the game and getting trophies!

Rachel rolled over from back to front yesterday so now she's really dangerous considering she has the potential to barrel roll across the house. Will she do it? Probably not but the potential is there. In other news, and because I love to push the envelope, I decided to see what would happen if I sat her up. Why not? Here's the results...

Yes, we're still here. Just back from a lengthy, much needed vacation. For the record, if you have a three month old and your car air conditioning quits on hour 2 of a 12 hour trip, park the car and rent another. We drove to Washington, DC, and Outer Banks, NC, with no air. To make it even better, the forecast was 90+ and humid. Then, it rained on the way to DC so we had to roll the windows up! AHHHH!!!! Never again. But, the vacation was wonderful and the trip home was much cooler and therefore much better.

Rachel had her first taste of the ocean and wasn't too sure about it but had a good time otherwise. She got passed from person to person (we went with my family) and was very good. We think she's teething considering the slobber increase and the fact we haven't seen her fingers in a few days because they've been wedged inside her mouth!

Have you ever wondered if your kids are listening to you? Rest assured, they are but just not to what you want them to. "Wash your hands" "Make sure you wash your hands" "Before dinner wash your hands" "Did you wash your hands?" I feel like a broken record and then at the table, guess what he forgets to do...

However, then there's the things that you say once, think to yourself "I probably shouldn't have said that" and pray they didn't hear you, which inevitably, they did.

Case in point: We were sitting at the dinner table yesterday at my parent's house. We were discussing a local high school football rivalry between the HS where I grew up and the one that Ben grew up which is where Ben teaches and the district in which Ethan goes to school. (Ben coaches football so it's a common topic.) Ben and my dad were playfully bantering about how our team was going to have more yards this year than their team. Ben turns to Ethan and says, "What do you think, Ethan?" Ethan nonchalantly responds, "We're going to beat the crap out of them."

Go Tigers!

Rachel has finally met Lily, a friend's daughter who was born 9 days after Rachel. (Lily's so adorable and I have pictures to prove it--see below!) Though the girls didn't really notice each other, I'm sure they will in the months to come. For us moms it's also much more fun when you have someone who really understands the concerns of leaky diapers (and leaking through shirts!) and sleepless nights.

We had an emergency this morning that nearly killed us both...yes, it's true, we lost Rachel's pacifier. Now, we have nearly 10 others scattered throughout the house and you'd better believe I tried each of them. I tried feeding her, rocking her...anything I could think of. But no pacifier, no peace. FINALLY, I found it under her co-sleeper, wedged between her bed and the wall. Got it rinsed it "plugged it in" and ahhhh. She was asleep in about 2 minutes.

So, curious me wondered when babies roll over. And, after a Google search I found a site that said babies may be able to roll over from front to back as early as two months. "By George! she's two months," I thought, "let's give it a whirl." And, wouldn't you know, she flipped right over. I guess this also is my admittance that I do not give her enough tummy time! This opens up a whole new world of being cautious when we're changing her and leaving her on the bed, etc. I guess they don't flip from back to front until four months so I have a little more time before she begins barrelrolling through the house.

As proof, (and since I finally learned how to add video to the blog), I have posted a short clip.

It's funny what happens when moms stop looking...

Introducing, Ethan! Since I started his sister a blog when she was born, I figured I should start a site for Ethan as well. Since he is six and has learned to type and spell this year, he will be posting too.

Ethan a really great kid, very sweet and smart and cute if I may say so myself! He is just finishing kindergarten this week and has really taken off academically.


He loves to go "tromp through the woods" with his dad and loves to fish! In fact, Ethan usually catches the most and the biggest fish when we go.

Ethan loves spiderman, batman, superman and ninja turtles. He also loves to draw and look through his dictionary for pictures to draw.

Bath Time (how does her arm bend that way?)

She has been getting more and more alert every day and has taken to her bouncy seat (the one that vibrates) and has just started getting interested in her activity gym though it scares her when her hand accidentially hits Elmo or Big Bird which are hanging and they begin to swing or make noise.


We've also decided that we should begin a resume for her. I'm still working (from home) but we've been cutting commercials and working on several other projects. She has experience supervising commercial production and edit, media buying, Web site design and edit, print advertising copywriting and placement and writing policies. I'm pretty impressed! I made the comment the other day that she cut her first commercials before she cut her first teeth. And, to brag about what a good baby she is...she sat through four hours of TV edits, twice! What a trooper! I'll make a PR pro out of her yet!

Here's what's on my desktop these days. It's my favorite picture of the kids. This was taken on Mother's Day at my mom's house. Many thanks to "Aunts" Sandy, Heather, Stacey and Carley for the soooo cute outfit!

Another blog that I check frequently was discussing sleep deprivation in moms with babies. It was just funny until the other day when I was in the McDonald's drive thru. I had placed my order, given the girl my credit card, which she swiped and handed back, and was waiting for my food when she poked her head out of the window, looked down the building and then looked back at me....I forgot to pull forward.

Maybe another hour of sleep would do me good.

One of the best sloutions I have found for getting Rachel to sleep is co-sleeping. It's like she's right in bed with me but protected by a bar so no one rolls and it is an add-on to the bed so we don't loose any sleep space either! Plus, I don't have to get my lazy self out of bed to change her diaper in the middle of the night. There are pockets right on the end of the co-sleeper that you can stuff all that stuff in. Now if only she will sleep through the night...

Happy Mommy's Day to all those who have kiddos! Ethan asked us yesterday why there was a Mother's Day. Of course I chimed in with "a day to honor your favorite person in the whole world....your mom". Ben's answer was a little different but probably more true..."Hallmark".

I thought as a tribute to Mother's Day 2007, I would post pictures of the other moms in Rachel's life....Her Nana (my mom)-top and her Grandma (Ben's mom) - bottom

What is it with grandmas and only having pictures when the baby is asleep. I scoured my photo library for photos of both of them and in all of them, Rach is sleeping!

Rachel turned 6 weeks old on Mother's Day. I can't believe it's been that long already. And, I can't believe how much she's changed in that short time. She's started smiling... and attempts to laugh but you have to work with her. Though at 4 a.m. she's usually wide awake and will smile at just about anything (if you can keep your eyes open).


And, finally she also has transitioned from that "cute baby cry" to the full out screams!

Rachel's first trip to the grocery store with mom...

• 2 trips to the bathroom to change her diaper,
• 1 feeding
• six people stopping us to look at her
• oh yeah, and 2 weeks worth of groceries (which I think is what I came for)

Total time: 2 hours 40 minutes

Yes, I know I am terrible for not posting. I remember this being easier last time :) So, I come bearing several pictures since none of you actually read what I write anyway!

Rachel is doing well; she's an eating machine. In fact, I think she's working on her third chin. I managed to sneak her onto the scale when Ethan was in for a sick visit yesterday, and she's well over 10lbs! She slept four hours yesterday (9pm-1am) which seemed like a full night sleep for me. She's a good baby but seems to have a bit of colic and is fussy from 5pm-9pm but then crashes so I really can't complain too much. She is holding her head up a little bit and tracking us all with her eyes though she goes cross-eyed pretty often which Ethan thinks is hysterical.

So, my mother chastized me for not having any pictures of Rachel's big brother holding her so I have posted a few. The first one shows just how excited he is to have a baby sister. He is a very big help to me (mostly, "go and get" types of errands but he LOVES to hold her too).

I like the look on her face in this one...
She has dimples! Which of course only come out when she "smiles" which she only does in her sleep (I guess we're not funny enough for her yet!)
And, she has her daddy's blue eyes at least for now.

Rachel Elizabeth finally arrived on April Fool's Day (and her aunt's b-day!) weighing in at 8lb3oz and a disputable 19.75". Labor and delivery went as well as could be expected (I'll spare you the details!), but I have to say that a 4-pounder (Ethan) and an 8-pounder feel about the same on their way out ;)

She is beautiful, healthy and at her check up on Wednesday has already gained another 6oz and miraculously an inch (I think the hospital measured wrong because she is loooong). She is a very good baby--sleeps 6 hours at night, never cries...oh wait...maybe -- is up every 2 hours and has a set of lungs on her is a little more accurate. But, we'll keep her anyway.

Big brother Ethan is doing very well with Rachel. He loves to hold her and she seems to think he's pretty cool too. Though he has been a little jealous of mommy spending too much time with the baby.

Now that I am up and around, I'll try post a little more often. Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers.

Yes, I know I am not overdue but I am contracting every two minutes (as confirmed by my non-stress test), still 2 cm and 80% effaced. NO PROGRESS!!! They gave me more "stuff" to try. But, I am still here anxiously waiting and getting uncomfortable. So, yes I'm impatient! And, I can't fit behind the steering wheel :) I'll keep you posted!

So, after a "I think this is it" on Tuesday when contractions were 6 minutes apart for 4 hours, I have to say I'm disappointed that she's not here yet! We're sitting at about 2 cm and 90% effaced as of this morning...now it's all a waiting game. Though, after telling my midwife that I would rather have a self administered c-section rather than be induced with pitocin, she gave me a few suggestions on getting this process moving--raspberry leaf tea and evening primrose oil. So, off to the co-op we go! Baby is doing well but if this is any indication of her temperment, I'm in big trouble. Stay tuned!

So, after a "I think this is it" on Tuesday when contractions were 6 minutes apart for 4 hours, I have to say I'm disappointed that she's not here yet! We're sitting at about 2 cm and 90% effaced as of this morning...now it's all a waiting game. Though, after telling my midwife that I would rather have a self administered c-section rather than be induced with pitocin, she gave me a few suggestions on getting this process moving--raspberry leaf tea and evening primrose oil. So, off to the co-op we go! Baby is doing well but if this is any indication of her temperment, I'm in big trouble. Stay tuned!

Well, this weekend came and went without event. Darn! I was hoping for a St. Pat's baby! Last Thursday's checkup was good. Rachel's heart rate was back up to normal and her NST was very good (though she moves too much and they have to keep adjusting the monitor). She would not cooperate on the photo end so no pics again this week. However, and without going into a lot of detail, things are beginning to happen that indicate the onset of labor. BUT, depending on what book you read, there are big disclaimers that say things such as "this may indicate labor is beginning or it may be weeks away". So much for predictive medicine. They did say that I am 80% effaced and 1 cm dialated so we're at least moving in the right direction. My mother-in-law took pictures of my wonderful little basketball shaped figure so I will post those as soon as I get them. At least I don't look like I did last time! (For those of you who didn't know me then, it was quite a site to see....I gained about 100 lbs because of toxemia and looked like a blimp.) This time I'm carrying all in front. Anyway, another week down and a maximum of 5 possible!

Well, after having contractions all day on Wednesday, I called to ask when I should be concerned since I've been having them for 3 weeks now. After getting passed around a few times they determined that I shouldn't worry because I was 36 weeks. I, of course, told them that they must have the wrong patient because I was only 34 weeks (as of Mar. 7). And, then they told me that when I was in getting my sono the Wednesday before at the hospital that they measured her at 35 weeks which would put me at 36 weeks on March 6. So, now that I have no idea when I'm due (guessing April 3. And, I guess I'm not supposed to worry about being in labor. However, I am still concerned that I will have no idea when I am in "real" labor without my water breaking or the baby actually coming out. That should make for an exciting time!

I had my ?week appointment this Thursday complete with non-stress and sono (pictures coming). Rachel's heart rate dropped when I had one of my bigger contractions and set off all sorts of alarms. However, they said it's nothing to worry about. Now, I don't know about you, but when I hear an alarm going off and watch her heart rate drop, it seemed like something I should be concerned about. But, they are the experts. So, another week down and a maximum of six to go (if I go to 42 weeks!)

Well, sorry for the picture lovers but there will be none for this week. I ended up in labor and delivery last night after having contractions that were about 7 min apart. So, Ben and I got to stay for 4 hours while they checked everything out. And, I was having contractions which was kind of a relief to me that I wasn't going nuts. In fact, I was having many more than I was feeling. However, I am not progressing which means everything's still "sealed". So, lucky me, I will continue having them until d-day! They also gave me a fetal fibronectin test which tells if you will deliver within the next two weeks. And, mine was "negative". So, looks like I'll make it another few weeks. But, the midwife did strongly suggest I "slow down", a.k.a. cut my work days. Well, for those of you that know me, you know that's not happening easily so I have her talked down to me leaving a few hours early and trying to work from home as much as possible.

They did do a sono but the hospital wasn't sharing their pics. But, Rachel is doing fine. She's measuring at about 35 weeks (4.5-5 lbs, 18") and was moving like a crazy woman. Until next Thursday!

Well, Rachel cooperated a little more for her 33 week photo op so we could see more of her face. Though she also showed us that, yes, she does have a tongue and knows how to use it (see photo below). The appointment went well; she jumped around a lot which made the non-stress test go a lot faster.

We're still guessing as to when this little bundle of joy will appear. However, I was having Braxton-Hicks contractions last night (PS, which are not fun) and my midwife said that in another TWO WEEKS they wouldn't try to stop labor anyway because I'll be at 36 weeks. I guess I still am looking at 40 like it's a given deadline, but I suppose anytime after 36 is considered "on time". So, will she be more of a St. Patrick's baby, an Easter baby or born on her daddy's birthday? Despite the requests from family and friends born between March and May, I'm hoping she picks a birthday that's all her own.

We'll here we are at t-minus 2 months (no, I'm not kidding. and yes, I feel like I've been pregnant forever!). I have to go to the doctors every week from this point for an ultrasound and a non-stress test because of the pre-eclempsia from last time. And, as an added bonus, today's appointmented ended with me getting a doppler done to check for DVT. No worries, all was good.

I asked my midwife about my increasing size...specifically that I'm HUGE. So I asked my midwife if I was of normal "belly" size. When she stopped laughing, she looked at my chart and guess what..I'm carrying about 2 times the normal amniotic fluid. Which, come to find out, is not a bad thing; they just don't like it when you only have half. So, little Rachel has a swimming pool in my stomach. Let's hope that I don't just tip over one of these days. Anyway, Rachel is fine. Measuring right on for 32 weeks and is about 4 lbs, 7 oz and is in the 55% of baby's at this gestational age.

This 3-D photo is a little better because she actually has fat (see the 20 week pics below). However, she wouldn't put her arm down so you can only see one side of her face. But, it was enough for me to determine she looks like a Corbin. Just look at those cheeks! We'll I'll post more next week after the appt.