Sweet sleep

Oh it is SO NICE when the kids nap at the same time. Eva was sleeping so sweetly that I had to get pictures of it. Then I thought I might catch Brendan in one of his crazy sleep poses (the boy is always movin') but all I got was a shot of his drool. Oh well, I think they are both still SO CUTE!

New computer, therefore, new pictures

She found her thumb.

She prefers the bouncer to the swing. Of course, the swing cost four times as much so doesn't it make sense that she doesn't like it?
Brendan uses the bouncer as part of a race track but he doesn't drive on the baby, just around her. Boys!
Mommy's swaddling job

The stats

It's official - I have a big kid! She has gained over an ounce a day for a grand total of 10 lbs after two weeks of life. The pediatrician said things looked great and remarked that she was "strong as an ox". Not really that flattering - could give the girl a complex. :) Not to mention that her dad calls her "Bigs".

Sorry, no pictures

Okay, so I have new pictures but I am not going to put them up yet. We got a new computer and I need to transfer the files from the old computer. It would be silly to download pictures onto the old one (which is hooked up) just to have to transfer them in a day or two. I know you are all on the edge of your seat but you'll just have to wait. :)
Brendan has decided that his sister is not so bad. He is at least interested in her and asks, "Where the baby sister is?" every morning before he sees her. He also pats her head while saying, "Soft with the baby." Wonder where he got that line? But he doesn't understand that when she is asleep in the bouncer that we should not shake it and wake her up.
Eva is an eating machine but she is a good sleeper too. I average a total of 6 hours sleep (interrrupted, of course) so I am tired but not exhausted. She has a doctor's appointment tomorrow so I'll let you know her stats later.
It is still tough to get out of the house with two but I ordered a double stroller and a baby sling so when they get here I will be ready for action. Now if only the weather would cooperate.

At last, the details

This is for all of you who love the delivery stories. I started feeling contractions around 2:30 on Sunday.They felt a little different than the Braxton Hicks I had been having so I timed them - 20 minutes until the next one. I wasn't worried so I took a nap. I woke up two hours later still having contractions. They were closer but about ten minutes apart and not regular. I decided to pack my bag. After all, I could always unpack it the next day if these were false. I mean, it was 9 days until my due date.
Around 5pm the contractions were still coming so I timed them again. Not regular but really hurting! I was supposed to speak at a Young Women's function that night so I called up our YW president and told her that I might not be there. Luckily I had emailed her my remarks already in case this should happen. I also called my midwife to ask if I should come in. She told me to wait until they were regular and five minutes apart. Well, that never happened. At 7:30 we dropped off Brendan at our friend's house and proceeded to the hospital. The contractions were never regular but vacillated anywhere from 5 to 3 minutes apart. I was really in pain!
At the hospital I was put in a room to wait for the midwife to check me. 30 minutes later another woman in labor comes in. She was screaming in pain. The midwife checks her first. Jason was pretty miffed. But then I heard the midwife tell the lady she was dilated to 8 cm and they rushed her off to the delivery room. I didn't feel so bad that they got to her first. In fact, right after they checked me (I was at a 6) an alarm went off and a nurse ran in to get the midwife since the other lady was crowning. Yikes!
So into my delivery room I go. I had this awesome nurse who put in my IV without me feeling a thing and gave me the wonderful IV drugs. :) Contractions still weren't regular but were pretty intense. Even with the IV drugs I had to breathe through them. I went to a 7 within the hour but stalled there for over two hours. The next time they checked me the midwife broke my water. Less then 2 hours later I had the urge to push. I actually felt her slide into the birth canal (weird feeling). They let me feel how close she was to coming out. I could feel her head with my finger!
But then the contractions got farther apart and weaker. The pushing seemed to take so long since I had to wait almost five minutes for a contraction to push with. In fact, she crowned and I had to wait a couple of minutes to get to another push . It was h#$@!! After her head came out I pushed without contractions since I wanted to be done. Finally, at 4:24 am my 9 lbs+ baby arrived.
More gory details: tore in three places (I hate it when they stitch those up, OUCH!)
I lost more blood than they'd like and was becoming anemic so now I am on iron pills.
And lastly, I think I can get more sleep at home than in the hospital. I mean, how many times do they need to come in my room?!

More pictures

Here are some recent pictures of the baby girl. I will write the details of the labor later as she is right now nursing on my lap and I am typing very slowly one-handedly. But I promise I will get out the details. :)

Chillin' on the couch
A nap with Daddy
Eyes wide open

Bad timing

Hi all, Jason here. I am so thrilled for Eva's arrival. She is so cute. Christine didn't mention it, but when Brendan and Eva first met, Brendan had no idea what to make of the situation. "Say Hi to your sister," I said. So Brendan looked at her... and punched her on the shoulders with both hands in a toddler form of manly bonding. It wasn't mean... it was just very Brendan. I remember that he also tried to headbutt her but I pulled her away. We are going to have to watch those two.

About the bad timing. Earlier this semester our instructors at the dental school gave us our syllabi and explained their expectations and policies for the coming quarter. Dr. Cohen, our physiology professor said that he absolutely, 100%, refused to grant any exceptions to his exam policy. Either you were there or you got an incomplete for the class. I came home that last month, looked at the calendar and told Christine that she was not allowed under any circumstances to have the baby on any physio test days. The only one around the due date was... Feb 4th. Wouldn't you know it, Christine goes into labor late on the 3rd, delivers at 4:30 am, and I was sitting in a physio test at 8am. I took the test in a semi zombie state and managed to pass. The horrible thing about having the test hanging over my head was that I was just worrying about the exam more than the actual labor. Lame.

Pictures . . . details to come

Eva at less than a day old

The happy Daddy

Brendan meets his sister for the first time. He doesn't know quite what to do.

At home, asleep . Under that hat is a lot of dark hair.

News!

This will be short but I'll post more later with pictures.
Eva was born on February 4, 2008 at 4:24 am. She was 9 lbs 4 oz (a whopper!) and 20 inches long. Mom and baby are doing just fine. She is sleeping now so I am trying to get a shower in. Wish me luck! :)

Showered

Well, I have been showered in more than one sense of the word today. It has been raining all day and it is supposed to rain tomorrow. Last week it rained and the week before that. Just walking to the car can get you soaked. But I suppose it's the "green tax" we pay for living in such a beautiful area.
But all this rain did not stop the wonderful ladies in my ward from putting on a joint baby shower for me and another woman in our ward due three days after me. There was quite the turnout. We ate, talked, played a game and opened the presents. It was a lot of fun and I think everyone had a good time. I sure did. It was so nice of them to do this for me, especially since this is not my first baby. Afterwards, I went home and put away all the "babyness" I had recieved. All I can say is that Eva will be a very well dressed child. These ladies have great taste.
So thank you to all who have been so kind to my daughter and I. We really appreciate it! :)

P.S. When she is here and can wear some of those cute clothes, I'll post pictures.

A "Winn"- er

Here is my newest niece, Evelyn Anne Winn. Isn't she so pretty?! My oldest sister had her daughter this past Tuesday. Now it makes me even more anxious for my own to come!