Monday, January 3, 2011

Photo Interlude



July 14th, 2010

Three weeks old : )

oohhhh......

One day I'll use this hand thing for grabbing EVERYTHING

Months later I'm still a smiling boy : )

I just love him!


Summer Summary Part 2


It was really nice to have this picture of Papa's parents with the kids, but who is taking the picture? Maybe my mom was there by then, I'm not sure. Huh.








Just a picture of me and my boys. wow. It amazes me at times that I have sons. That I have children. That I'm almost 36! Ack! When the heck did I grow up? When did I become a "mom" and when did "Mom" become my most loved and most disliked word?

The Summer Summary Part 1

Well, I admit that I have have profoundly dropped the ball on my new blog. I think it has been about 6 months since my last posting. I would like to say it's because I have been so busy doing exciting and new things, but the truth of the matter is is that while I think about writing my blog daily I am just too dang lazy. Oh, I'm tired, too, but I think lazy is more of the truth.

Wy, Owen and Papa bear doing a little cuddle.

Owen, Wyatt, and me taking Wy to his 2 week doctors appointment. He had gained almost all of his birth weight back and was doing so great we didn't have to go back until his 8 week well baby check.

G'Ma Su and Owen made an awesome Fourth of July flag for, well, the fourth of July. the G'rents, Papa and Owen went to see the fireworks this year while Wyatt and I stayed home and cuddled. I love to go to the fireworks, but I was just fine missing them this year.


Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Monday, September 13, 2010

Kindergarten 2010

Well, the day finally arrived. Owen is now officially in elementary school. He is a Kindergartener, a Big Kid, a Big Brother, halfway to 6 years old with an attitude that puts him around 10, and busting with Energy. En-er-gy.

He's also my baby, my first born, the one I am hard on and expect a lot from, the one I want to cuddle even if he is all elbows and knees. The one who drives me to Crazyland and Frustratedville. The one that makes me beam with pride when he is kind to another.


We have spent the better part of everyday for the past 5 and 1/2 years with each other. It was difficult to let go, but he is sooooo ready. He is at a place that demands more than I think I can provide. Honestly, I think I just lack the energy that is required to keep up with him. Did I mention his endless ENERGY?

We had a fun morning on that first morning and to be honest I have enjoyed the ritual of getting ready in the morning. We get up, I make coffee, he gets dressed, he eats, baby eats, lunch is made, shoes and jacket on, and off the the bus stop we go. Now, ask me again in a few months and I might be over the novelty of it all : )

We are so fortunate that the bus stop is two driveways down from ours and we know all of the kids at the stop. They were so silly and welcoming to Owen that it made my heart burst. I felt really good about his bus ride because of that. I knew they would look out for him and let me know if anything went wrong. It was still scary, but I was O.K. I was. I swear. Only a few tears.

After Safety Town, the open houses, the mini meetings, and the Getting Ready for Kindergarten classes I think he was very comfortable boarding the bus and going to school. We have prepared him the best we know how. Endless talks about safety, bullying, kindness, strangers, etc.. I hope it stuck. I hope he remembers the important things when he's faced with a challenge. I hope he remembers he can tell us anything.

Troy and I went up to the school to meet the bus and see what it's like for him getting off and into school. See that man in the tan suit? That's the principle. He was greeting all of the kids and making a point to say hello to the Kindergarteners. See that little guy in the grey and red jacket sauntering into school? That's my baby. We called his name but he never looked over. Just said hi to the principle and walked on in. We didn't follow. We didn't think he needed us to. We knew he was going to be just fine.

So that was the beginning of the Big First Day. Wyatt and I met his bus after school and we stayed outside to play with the neighbors. He zoomed off of he bus with way more energy than I though he would have and it did take until bed time to sort through the whole day, but he slept soundly and didn't protest when we got up to do it all again the next day. I am so proud of him.

My heart may have been full of butterflies all day, but I think he had a good time. I felt a little lost that day and for the rest of the week. Beginning week #2 has me feeling better and I am embracing this new phase in our lives. Tomorrow he is supposed to wear orange and I am trying to convince him to try a hot lunch. Parent/Teacher conferences are in a few weeks and next month is the first PTO meeting. My 'fridge is already started to be covered with self portraits and school news.

Welcome to Kindergarten.




Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Welcome to the World Baby Boy!

I couldn't think of a better way to begin this blog than to start it with the birth of our second child, Wyatt. I decided to merge Owen's blog with this new one to sort of symbolize this new stage in our family's life. We have grown from 3 to 4 and with that I think some things are going to change : )

Wyatt's birth story:

It all started after dinner the night of June 28th. The contractions began steady, but not painful. I had had a few false starts over the past few weeks, but this felt different. I decided to just let them happen, keep watch, and get a little sleep just in case this really was it.

Periodically I was awaken throughout the night with contractions, but it wasn't until the early early a.m. that they began in ernest. Wow. Ouch. They started creeping closer together. I was pretty sure at this point that we were a go for baby. So, we called our friend Dawn to come and pick up the Big Kid for a day of New Big Brother frolicking fun. After she picked Owen up we packed our bags and got ready for the event. And then...everything.....slowed.....down.........

We went from contractions at 5 minutes apart to contractions at 15 minutes apart. I cried. Literally. We decided to go and get a little lunch and have a walk before we called Dawn to return our Big Kid since it felt like there would be no Little Brother that day.

We grabbed some sandwiches and walked at Carver Lake. Then something happened. Contractions happened and they happened in a big way. Suddenly every 2 minutes I had to stop and grab onto Troy and breath through them. We made our way to the car. Believe it or not I still wasn't sure it was the real thing. We went home and after just a few minutes I called the midwife on call at the hospital to get her opinion. She told us to come in and if it was real- we were having a baby- if not- she would send us home.

Once we checked in, the midwife on call checked me, and then we checked into our room. It was really happening. I still didn't quite believe it. It was now a little after 3 p.m. 4cm 95% effaced.

After about an hour of very, very intense contractions my progress was assessed again. To the surprise of the Midwife, I hadn't dilated much, still at 4cm. She offered to break the water to get things going and oh my did it ever. It's now after 4 p.m.

Once the contractions began to kick into high gear I decided to labor in the tub. The big, deep awesome tub. I really wanted to try a water birth, so this was a good indicator to see how I labored in water. I wouldn't have had it any other way.

I must pause a minute here in my story. What about Troy you might be thinking? Wasn't he an integral part of this birthing experience? Yes, yes he was. He was strong and steady and ready to do my bidding to make me feel better. He rubbed my back and held me, and suffered his own comfort. I relied on him to be my anchor and he came through for me without once complaining. He knows I turn inside myself when I face a challenge (and this was a challenge!) and he let me. He supported me 110%.

So, labor without meds is intense. It was the most painful, primal feeling I have ever had. I grunted and panted and moaned. I felt like an animal in the purest sense of the word. It was so real.

I never made it to the birthing tub. About 45 minutes after my water was broken I delivered a baby. 4cm to push! I ran naked as a jay bird from the bathtub to the bed. Admittedly I may have behaved a little insanely when it came to the pushing part (yelling, and carrying on a bit), but it was a new experience for me. And more important than being a little nuts during delivery is that I, we, had a healthy, robust, beautiful baby boy. We were able to deliver him the way we wanted to. He was loud and red and perfect.

Wyatt Benjamin Yeager
5:12 p.m
June 29, 2010
8#4oz 20.5 inches long

Mama and Wy shortly after birth

A proud Papa

My wonderful family.

Big Brother Owen even stayed the night with us in the hospital that first night. I wanted him there with us so much and I was overjoyed that no one said anything about it. The next morning we were able to hang out and get to know our newest family member.

I can't believe two months has flown by. Wyatt is smiling and cooing and Owen is getting ready for the big Kindergarten. Time is flying. I just hope I can get most of it written down so I never forget just how lucky and blessed I am.