Coming Home

Welcome home baby girl!
Bronwyn was ready to come home after a night in the hospital. I sat in the back with my little girl while Dad insisted I check on her breathing upwards of 100 times... which is a slight improvement from when we brought Jack home from the hospital. Waiting for us at home was Pop Pop, Minni, Jack, Buster and balloons!

Close up at the hospital during discharge! Check out the girlie flower hat. Hee-hee.

Here we are! Home at last!

Minni and Jack waiting for us outside with Pop Pop as the official baby photographer!

Jack giving Bronwyn some brotherly love. He is doing great as a big brother. Excited about his sister and then equally excited to go play with his toys :)

Minni holding Bronwyn. Told you she was sweet and fiesty! Does she get that from Minni???

Pop-Pop and Bronwyn. He had the magic touch and soothing voice to lull her right back to her happy place!

Bronwyn giving her crib a test run. Daddy is the ultimate swaddler look at the little Bronnie burrito!

Welcome Home Bronwyn!!! Grandma and Grandpa are coming soon for their turn to hold and cuddle you.


Love,
your family

What's In A Name?

Fair Breasted...

What does that mean? Fair Breasted? It is the meaning of the name Bronwyn. Does it mean:

- White breasts?

- That she will be fairly endowed when older?

- Pure and innocent?


Well we didn't pick the name because of its meaning. We had a more significant reason...we liked it! So let's just address the question on every one's mind...why Bronwyn? Well, I am not one to subscribe to the world of the supernatural...even though my own husband has some eerie way of calling me as soon as I walk in a door (either he is attuned to me or has stalked me for 17 years). But after two pregnancies I am a believer in woman's intuition. I knew Jack was a boy and Bronwyn a girl before any ultrasound result. And, I knew my children's names when I heard them. In a sense the name picked them. When Gary first suggested Bronwyn my response was "I can't pronounce it and neither will anyone else in my family" (Sorry Mom and Dad). But the name kept calling out to me...and before you know it, I knew it...that was it...she was named Bronwyn...my little Bronnie :)



So how has everyone responded to her name? Here are the most frequent responses we get:

• Is that a family name? Translation: Where in God's name did you ever come up with that one?


• How do you spell that? Translation: I have no idea what you just said...if you spell it maybe I can figure it out.


• Well he is...Translation: I am clearly color blind and missed the pink socks, hat, outfit and diaper bag.
• Beautiful...just like she is (that one is my favorite response).

So a unique and beautiful name for our little girl.

Tuesday's Child is Full of Grace

On this day, September 14th...

• Joey Heatherton, the Lone Ranger and Amy Winehouse were born.


• Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco and President William McKinney passed away.


• 1954, Hurricane Edna hit New York City.


• 1956, the first prefrontal lobotomy was performed in Washington, D.C.


• 1964, Walt Disney was awarded the Medal of Freedom. *Year Dad was born.


• 1972, The Waltons TV program premiered. *Year Mom was born.
  

and BRONWYN ROSE was BORN!!!

After hearing about her scheduled induction for Wednesday, Bronwyn took matters into her own hands. Monday night, during a family game of Mexican Train Dominoes, contractions began. When I announced they were five minutes apart I was met with the same look the boy who cried wolf received. By 2am we determined this was finally the REAL DEAL and headed to hospital. Here is how the next few hours played out:

• 2:13 am-Leave for hospital. Contractions mild to moderate; three to five minutes apart. Placed Jack in bed with Minni and bawled like a 10-month hormonal pregnant woman because it was Jack's last night as an only child.


• 2:53 am-Dad found the quintessential celebrity parking spot in the labor and delivery drop-off zone EVER! Foreshadowing? dum, da, duh...


• 3:30 am- In a REAL labor and delivery room. Goal one accomplished--with Jack we never made it out of a tiny closet called the exam room. Bronwyn was getting princess treatment.

The Labor and Delivery Room

Mom's Last Pregnant Picture--in the Glam Hospital Gown check out those cankles!!! Ew!

Dad waiting to meet his sweet butterball (expecting an 8lb baby!)

• 5:00 am--poke me for an iv. Doesn't work. OUCH!


• 5:10 am--new nurse pokes me for an iv. Doesn't work. DOUBLE OUCH!


• 5:20 am-- IV team comes to poke me for the iv. WORKS! And leaves a bruise the size of an avocado. Good grief!


• 5:30 am--Contractions lessening...WHAT?!?! NOT AGAIN! But what about the CELEBRITY PARKING? Groan!


• 8:00 am--Doctor gives us an option...break water or go home and try again tomorrow with our regular OB/GYN. So if you know us you know we can be a tad indecisive. Where's Jack when you need him--he usually makes the decisions for us...granted about where to go to eat not when to have the baby...but still! Well, we chose to stay and proceed with this stranger of a doctor...and yes, it was due to the CELEBRITY PARKING!


• 8:30 am-Water broken. Go walking around the hospital corridors.


• 9:30 am- In full labor back in our room. OUCH!


• 9:31 am- Asked for epidural. :) Given my water just broke nurse looked at me like I was the wimpiest of pregnant woman ever. Hmph!


• 9:32 am- Said nurse says I need to finish a WHOLE IV drip bag before she can call for epidural.


• 9:33 am- Bribe and beg Gary to puncture small but fast leaking hole in said drip bag.


• 10:30 am- After two attempts the EPI is in the house!


• 11:00 am- Minni, Pop Pop and Jack arrive!

Jack in his last moments as an only child.

• 11:30 am- Start pitocin as contractions slowing down--pooh on pitocin!


• 12:00 noon- Minni, Pop Pop, Gary and Jack head out for lunch.


• 12:05 pm- Gary gets a call to come back as I am ready to PUSH!!! Deja vu with Jack!


• 12:46 pm- Bronwyn Rose is born. She weighed 6 lbs 7 oz and 20 inches long--Gary asked "Where's my butterball?" Isn't she simply perfect!!!

Bronwyn's first bath by nurse Ms. Tina

Jack listens in on Baby Sprout's heartbeat.

• 1:15pm- Ready for cuddling...

Everyone is healthy and doing well. We are blessed once again and grateful for the wonderful family we have. Now to come up with a new name for Jack AND Bronwyn's blog...

Introducing...

Nemo Marlin, the latest addition to our family. Jack picked out his first pet today. A fish. Beta Male. Red, his favorite color and guaranteed by the pet store clerk to be the easiest thing for us to care for (and a 14-day guarantee). I asked Gary how long he thinks we can keep this lovely fish alive. He said, 15 days. I married a comic. Or a realist. What do you think?

Either way Jack loves his new fish and was most interested in understanding how to put him to sleep (not PERMANENTLY!!!) He sang him a lullaby, told him a Prince Nemo story and blew him a kiss. Fish has been swimming his fish butt off ever sense. Seems Jack puts fish to bed as well as he goes to bed himself. Groan!

Watering Restrictions Lifted

Here's one both Grandpa and Pop-Pop will appreciate...Jack's a pop-up sprinkler.

Jack and the Orange Belt

Before the weekend Jack's Karate School had their testing for all Tiny Tigers. Jack tested for his Orange Belt. Picture a roomful of 30 three-to-six year olds demonstrating basic skills on command. Can you see it? Aw...I think your imagination is getting the best of you...here's the vid...check it out!

Jack received a report card after the "judging." He was scored on a 1-5 scale with 5 high.

• Focus = 1 :(


• Physicality = 2.5


• Stranger Danger = 4.5 :)


• Basics = 3


• Attitude = 5 :) :) :)

They made a note to work on Jack's focus. Hee-hee...should we have him go back to the womb and get a new set of DNA...exactly how do you work on focus? Well, we signed him up for another session guess that is working on it somehow! HA!

They held a short ceremony after the testing. When Jack received his orange belt he stood up, held it over his head all Rocky style and screamed, "I got my orange belt! I knew I could do it! I knew I could!"

Here he is with his various Karate teachers. You can read the pride and excitement all over his face. Go Jack, Go!

While You Were Sleeping

Tuesday night Gary and I danced the comedic dance called, "Is this it?"

At midnight, I started having some frequent contractions. Hard enough to be called "uncomfortable." I woke Gary up. BIG MISTAKE! He works in a Field of disaster and emergencies and I was expecting CALM and COOL...HA!

He went right into emergency mode. He ran downstairs and got the laptop (in the old days people timed contractions with watches and paper! Now there is a site, www.contractionmaster.com); FOUR bottles of water for me to "guzzle" and the phone.

We timed the contractions while DH pleaded for me to take a warm bath (they seem to stop the contractions I have had in the past). I didn't want too! Why? I was sleepy and just wanted the contractions to be WILLED away (sounds rationale, right?) The contractions were 3 minutes apart and lasting almost 1 minute in duration. After 30-minutes of this I caved to his request for a bath.

He drew the bath while debating to take a shower himself. At some point I think he comtemplating shaving! At this point it also dawned on us procrastinators that we didn't have a bag packed for the hospital, yet! I stepped into the bath as Gary went to find some bags for packing.

AACK!!! COLD WATER!!!

Try again. (insert whistling while filling a jet tub)...

AACK!!! LUKE WARM WATER!!!

Just as I give up on the bath, Gary comes in with a gazillion questions (where is her take home outfit? Do we pack diapers or use theirs? We need loose change for vending...can we rob from Jack's piggy bank?)

45-minutes since I woke Gary up the contractions start to fizzle out. YAY! We still have 1 1/2 weeks to go to Full Term (37 weeks) and a month until DUE DATE!

While I am ready for bed, Gary sees this event as a wake up call to get our bags packed and affairs in order. Thus, at 3:30 am we almost done packing and discussing the value of taking my Kindle with us to the hospital. GOOD GRIEF! All in preparation of sleepless nights ahead (I suppose).

Moral of the story...may Bronwyn not inherit her parents' craziness or procrastinator genes!

Baby Sprout's Nursery

We are almost finished. Just waiting for our white ceiling fan to replace the brown one. Besides that check out Bronwyn's new room! We are calling it the "Pink Room"...very fitting, huh?

Now Jack is Ready to be a Big Brother

Before Saturday if you asked Jack if he was ready to be a big brother he would reply, "No, I don't know how." Saturday he attended a Big Brother/Big Sister class put on by the hospital we will deliver at. It was an hour long class that included craft activities, education on babies, practice diapering and swaddling and a tour of the hospital. Jack now says he "knows how to be a big brother!"

A few highlights from the class:

1) When asked whether he was having a sister or brother Jack replied, "A baby sister. I named her Baby Sprout!" How long do you guys think he will call her Sprout until he realizes that isn't her real name?

2) When shown a demonstration on a toy baby of the umbilical cord and clamp to teach the brothers and sisters not to touch the belly button when first born, Jack said, "I NEED a toy baby with an umbilical cord so I can play baby doctor!" Just this morning he asked me to put that on his Christmas list? Santa or one of the grandparents...who wants to try and find that doll? HA! (Please don't!!!) :)

3) When practicing diapering each brother/sister had the chance to take a diaper off the doll, wipe it clean and put a new diaper back on. When Jack's turn he did EXCELLENT. A real pro...except for one tiny little flaw. When wiping the baby he wipe the front (good!) then the behind (good!) and then went right for the eyes, ears and nose (not good!) It earned a collective groan from the parents and after Jack completed wiping every exposed part of this doll one father exclaimed, "Well, he is thorough, isn't he?"

4) When visiting the nursery and seeing all the tiny, precious, melt-your-heart newborns Jack looked in and then turned to the instructor and said, "Ready! NEXT ROOM now!" Good grief!

He received a graduation certificate, a coupon for free ice cream at McDonald's and a new sense of excitement about his soon-to-be-here baby sister. SUCCESS!

Happy Birthday Daddy

Jack was very excited to celebrate Daddy's birthday. The proof:

• He woke up yelling "SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!" Then inquired about cake.


• He gave Daddy some of his favorite toys as Birthday Presents, hiding them throughout the house and insisting Daddy go find them. Then inquired about cake.


• He picked out party favors at the store. Then inquired about cake.


• He picked out a card for Daddy. He handed it to Mom and said "It has a convertible and a red car on it. Those are two of my favorites!" Then he inquired about cake.


• He helped hang party decorations. Then he inquired about cake.

Do you see a trend here?

While Mommy was out running some last minute errands. Jack performed some random acit of naughtiness under Daddy's watchful eye. Daddy during the heat of discipline informed Jack he would have no birthday cake if the behavior continued. The behavior continued. Then the tears over the loss of cake began. Daddy gave Jack the opportunity to show he was sorry and make amends to "earn" back cake eating privileges. After 10 minutes of careful consideration, Jack came over to Daddy, crawling into his lap. He said, "Daddy I am very sorry and won't do it EVER again." To which Daddy asked, "Are you really sorry or just saying that to get cake." Jack replied, "Just saying it to get cake."

Moral of the story. Daddy learned on his 46th birthday that his son is very honest, just not so bright...and never to threaten cake as a punishment ;)