So the blog left off with me in labor on October 30th. After hours of doing squats, walking the halls of labor and delivery (while carrying Adlai), and not eating or drinking, I still did not go into labor on my own. Thus, the magical Pitocin was brought out and got labor going in a hurry. Having witnessed many labor inductions in my life, I was feeling doubtful about being able to get through it without an epidural or c-section. However, almost 8 hours after starting the Pitocin, and with the help of an awesome midwife (who I had never met before that night), L & D nurse, and Damon, Ms. Miriam made her entrance into the world on Halloween! I don't know if I ever mentioned in previous posts that I felt certain she was another boy - so needless to say I was very surprised, and very excited to have another female in the family. I think my favorite part was that no one looked to see what she was after she was born - so everyone asked me - and I got to know first (I mean, aside from those 3 ultrasound techs who knew, of course) :)
The next two months were a whirlwind of getting used to three, which I have found actually easier than the transition from 1 to 2. I mean, granted, there's always someone in need of something (except right now - this hour or so when they're all asleep and I'm still awake), more laundry to be done, more toys and pacifiers and stuff to pick up, etc. But the boys have each other for entertainment (or fighting), and Miriam has been a very calm baby so far. The boys have also been much more tolerant of their sister than I thought they would be - particularly Edison, who was adamant that he would not stand for a sister. He seems to love her most of all :)
So in keeping with the last blogs, I'll just (try to) quickly run through each little munchkin and summarize the last 4 months. Miriam has been growing way too quickly if you ask me. She's already in 6 month clothes....and I hope she stays here for a bit. She's graduated to the bouncy chairs, and seems to love them as much as her brothers did. She's (by far) the best traveler of the three, with only a rare complaint from her carseat. She has yet to meet any big milestones, like rolling over, but we'll keep you posted.
Adlai has been surprisingly accepting of his younger sibling. He seems to take cues from Edison as to how he should treat her, and fortunately Edison is very doting, so Adlai is too. His vocabulary continues to grow and he's finally putting words together in sentences - yay!!! Now we all live a much less frustrated life - it's amazing what communication will do for your overall wellbeing. He is extremely independent and insists on doing everything himself - he can cook waffles, prepare his oatmeal, get undressed, etc. I felt the independence may have crossed a line when he opted to start wiping his own rear...so we had to squelch that for the time being - but in general it's pretty entertaining. He likes to eat most foods with two spoons (probably because he's always eating yogurt or oatmeal), and loves soy corn dogs. And candy. And animals, and Star Wars. Or so he says. His last set of molars is just now coming in - it's about time! And he's getting more brave with swimming at the Y.
And then there's Edison - the biggest character of all. He's been rather obsessed with Star Wars for the last few months....(what? Edison obsessed with something, you say?!) I will just throw out there that the Golden Books Star Wars books are very, very helpful in understanding what was happening in any of the Star Wars movies. I seriously had no clue what had happened in any of them until I read the books - and now, finally, it all makes sense. So now we live with either Han Solo or Luke Skywalker every day. Some days he also dresses up as Yoda (all hand created costumes, mind you). One of his preschool teachers brought him two lightsabers in the fall, and so there are daily battles as well. Adlai is always a 'bad guy' - he's either Darth Vader or Anakin (depending on how generous or positive Edison is feeling towards his brother that day). Aside from Star Wars, Edison still loves superheroes and Paw Patrol. He's getting great at swimming and loves jumping off the diving board. He's very protective of his younger siblings (even Adlai) and tries to teach them things, like exactly who does what in Star Wars (and just FYI, Miriam and I share the role of Princess Leia). He's moved on to reading simple books (he's assigned a book a week in preschool), and I've found him reading to Adlai recently (quite possibly the sweetest thing I've seen in a long time). He has been very helpful since Miriam was born too - he can help entertain her, or get diapers for her, or find lost pacifiers (Adlai's surprisingly good at this too). He's also still enjoying preschool and improving his crafting skills each day he's there.
So I think those were the summary items. Now on to quotes, and then the pictures (4 months worth - yikes!!!)
E: Mom, when I’m big I’m going to be a doctor.
Me: Oh? What kind of doctor?
E: The same kind as you. And then I’m going to go to work with you.
Me: So we’re going to work at the same office? Ok.
E: Yeah. I’m going to work Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Thursday.
Me: So you won’t work Tuesday, Wednesday or Friday? What will you do those days?
E: I’m going to be a stay at home dad.
Me: Oh. Well, then who’s going to watch your kids while you’re at work?
E: There will be two stay at home dads.
Me: Ok, I see, so you’ll have another SAHD to watch the kids. That sounds good.
E: Yeah, dad will watch them.
Me: Oh - your dad is going to be your stay at home dad? I better let him know.
E: Yeah, and if he has to go somewhere, like Johnson’s Workbench, I’ll stay home with the kids. And if he’s going for a really long time, I’ll just have to get a babysitter.
Me: Hahaha. Ok, sounds like a plan.
(knock knock, a Jehova’s Witness is at the door)
Me: Edison, can you see who’s at the door?
E: Yeah, it’s somebody strange.
Me: Who does it look like?
E: Just a white guy with brown shorts. He looks really strange. You should go check him out. I think it’s Dr. Destructo.
(walking out of the DMV with dad)
E: That was boring. I didn’t enjoy it at all.
E: Hey guys, this is my helmet that I used to wear back in the 90’s. Back when I was a knight in shining armor.
(after arguing with me about what outfit to wear for the day)
E: Mom, I don’t feel like arguing with you right now. If you want to argue with someone, go find dad. Because I’m not in the mood to argue with you.
E: Mom, can I have dessert now?
Me: No, you just told me you had chocolate at Caleb’s house.
E: Mom, I was just kidding, I didn’t have chocolate there.
Me: Edison, why would you joke about eating chocolate earlier?
E: Because I did. I didn’t have any.
Me: Well, now I don’t know what to believe.
E: In God.
Me: Uhh, well, ok. Where did you get that?
E: From the Witness guys.
Me: Edison, I’m trying to show you how to coordinate your outfits so they match.
E: But dad doesn’t care if my outfits match.
Me: Ok, well I do
E: Dad doesn’t care about what I wear because dad doesn’t care about what he wears.
Me: Haha.
E: Mom, I don’t like princesses.
Me: Ok, well, you don’t have to like princesses.
E: I like Star Wars, and ninjas, and super heroes, and knights in shining armor, and farts, and turds, and burps, Legos, and dogs, and cats, and creepy cats, and creepy spiders.
Me: Who do you think she (Miriam) looks like? Like you? Or Adlai, or...
E: She looks like herself.
Me: Edison, how do you know if someone loves you?
E: They buy me lots of toys and presents.
Me: Do dad and I buy you lots of things?
E: No.
Me: Do we love you?
E: Yes.
Me: Then how do you know we love you?
E: You hug me and tell me you love me.
(while picking up toys in our room)
E: Dad, do you just want me to pick up the whole room? Then just cook dinner for everyone? So you can just do whatever you want?
D: Yeah, that would be nice.
I can foresee Edison and Adlai in the future - lots of hazing going on.
“Do it again Adlai!” “Adlai, do you like to eat poop?” “Yeah” “Adlai, say pumpkin fart”
E: Mom, I think Miriam is partly sunny today.
Me: What does that mean?
E: Well, we have a forecast thing at school and it tell us if it’s partly sunny or cloudy, and Miriam is partly sunny.
Me: Ok, but what does that mean? Like she’s in a good mood today?
E: No, she’s kind of awake. Later she’ll probably be cloudy.
E: (smelling Miriam after she nurses) You smell like broad milk.
Me: What? She smells like what milk?
E: Like broad milk.
Me: What’s broad milk?
E: Milk that comes from your boobs.
Pamma: Hi Edison, I heard you weren’t feeling well today.
E: Yeah, I have a throat fever.
Me: Edison, why don’t you go play with Adlai?
E: He doesn’t know how to play right.
Me: So you think you’ll have more fun with Adlai when he’s older?
E: Yeah. maybe. Except his name will still be Adlai.
E: Pamma, let’s go turn on Paw Patrol.
P: Edison, I don’t think your mom and dad want you to just watch tv when you’re here.
E: Well, let’s go have some chocolate.
P: I don’t think they want you to eat chocolate when you’re here either.
E: Yes we can. Pamma, you’re the grandparent. It’s your job to spoil us. Mom and dad know that.OK, so before you go on to the photos, I'm just going to let you know they are ALL out of order. And there are A LOT of them. I mean, there is just no chronological sense to be made here, and if there's any hope of this being posted before Miriam's 1st bday, I'm not going to rearrange them. Some day we'll figure out how to get them to load directly from Damon's computer again...but not today. Sorry!
Riding the miniature Halloween train - it was really comfortable at 9 months pregnant.
Enjoying apple picking on Edison's field trip.
Preschool field trip to pick apples! Edison seems to have picked the bad apple...
Silence of the Middle Child
Enjoying a birthday doughnut at the grocery (who doesn't like to shop on their birthday?!)
Birthday bouncing! (and sliding)
Adlai sizes up his older cousin, Edison supervises.
Zoo Boo with the cousins!
Jumping from the highest heights at gymnastics.
Heading into the hospital for suspected labor, October 30th...
Adlai's excited about the events so far.
October 31st - sometime in the afternoon. There are more photos from her birth, but they're way down the line here.
Zeke meets his newest human sibling. Edison supervises.
Edison and Adlai clean the car to make sure there aren't any more babies in there.
Great Hilary meets her great-niece.
Edison's adult teeth come in.
Triking!
Well, not sure who or what he was this day. But it was freaky.
And as a side note, Edison just looked at this and said, "who am I? a creep farkus?"
Grandpa Lonn meets his grandaughter with mixed emotions.
The internal struggle is real.
Flash Man
Thanksgiving fruit tray for preschool party. I was pleased with my Pinterest skillz.
What? Leaving Pamma's house with candy? Unheard of.
Another alias.
And another.
Decorating gingerbread houses - and eating the supplies!
Edison gets those giant teeth checked out.
Lighting the menorah
Yoda (couldn't you tell?)
Bubble boy (I'm laughing to myself)
Burger Knights
The hired help.
Christmas morning!'
Miriam meets Aunt Lynn.
Doing the Sarrett winter scavenger hunt (this photo was required). And yes, that is a baby under my coat.
Adlai ponders a jump. And then had to be rescued by the lifeguard.
Zeke shows off his jumping for Dave.
Aliens are real, Miriam.
Adlai and Miriam relaxing together.
Nothing like a beard to keep you warm in the winter.
First day back to work.
Enjoying the office.
"Look, the Millenium Falcon!" (made out of salami.)
Miriam enjoys the nurses at work.
A delicious snack
Sledding on a nice day at the beach
Miriam's first attempt at sticking her tongue out at her brother.
What? It's not dry in here.
What's that? Snow, you say? Who needs clothes!
Miriam's first attempt at pinching Adlai.
Home from a walk.
Graduating to forward facing in the Bjorn.
Luke Skywalker.
Miriam in her super cute sweater made by Ema.
Graduating to the bouncy chair!
Han Solo happy about reading.
Oh, and here we are, back at the Halloween train.
Birthday streamers for the birthday boy! I'm pretty sure Edison had the same reaction at 2.
Birthday firetruck time.
Posing for a photo.
Birthday cake! (with a firetruck nearby in case of any extinguishing needs)
Edison explains Adlai's new, awesome quilt from Great great Aunt Nancy to Adlai
Back to the Zoo Boo
Shortly after Miriam's arrival.
At 9lbs, she's the lightest (and earliest) of the three.
Miriam meets Daddy.
The boys meet Miriam. Edison gets his gloves on.
And later in the evening, Edison holds his sister for the first time.
Edison holds his sister at home.
Adlai disappears in a leaf pile.
Edison finds him.
Daddy needs rescuing.
Superman to the rescue!
Here he comes for the rescue!
Trapped.
An assortment of Iron Men.
Miriam meets Phoebe.
Edison tells the real Santa what he wants. Legos. And more Legos.
Edison gets a mohawk.
Miriam meets Great Aunt Lorraine.
Trevor holds his niece!
Christmas tree shopping with Pamma.
Is this the one?!
Edison in charge of his sister.
Watching the reindog parade.
Get used to this, Miriam.
Elves stuck in presents were admittedly a weird decoration choice at the Bass Pro Shop.
Menorah lighting again
Miriam gets comfortable on Grandpa Marshall.
Visiting the MSI with Grandpa Lonn.
Quite possibly the highest baby changing station I've ever seen. Do you like how I stepped away from said station to take this picture?
The U-boat
Enjoying a banana split at the MSI
Hanging on for dear life.
A redux of a photo from 2013
Edison loves his sister.
No one was happy about this photo.
Trying to get a nice photo for Pamma's Christmas card.
Devlin gets a photo op - because she's just so cute.
Cousin photo!
I put a picture of these in here because the genetic variance of the reindeer was just too awesome to not share.
Preschool Christmas party - unfortunately this was the extent of Edison's participation due to a sore throat.
Annual reindeer photo op.
Adlai learns the value of a pacifier very quickly.
And here we are, back at Christmas.
Perfect.
Adlai helps himself to some coffee cake.
Bernie's youngest supporter.
Christmas dinner
Learning how to use their selfie-sticks
Isis takes advantage of Great Val.
Miriam meets Uncle Jamie.
Christmas dinner part 2
Edison gleans as much Star Wars knowledge as he possibly can from Cousin Griffin.
Visiting Pamma's house
Adlai's making a phone call for Miriam.
Daddy's b-day lunch buffet - finally - after 3 years of trying, we made it to the Casino buffet!
How could I not take a picture of this?
Still enjoying the office chair.
And enjoying Pamma's marshmallow chair
Edison pulls Adlai very, very slowly on the sled.
My work here is done.
Sledding by moonlight.
I can see who's in control here.
Walking on a frozen Lake Michigan.
hahaha
Miriam takes a selfie.
Making snow angels
Edison
3 generations
This one doesn't even need a caption.
Miriam gets her own beard.
Discovering a frozen pond in the backyard.
Miriam's 2 week photo
Light display in the yard - I just really like this photo
What's wrong, Miriam?
Back to Christmas, again.
Hot tub kicks.
Uncle Jamie recovers.
And finally, a favorite Christmas gift - the Fart Piano.
