We love you sweet Owey (this is what Eli has named Owen)!
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Wow, Five Weeks Already!?!?!
I feel like I have known this kid for a lot longer than 5 weeks!!!! Owen is growing like a weed. In fact, he is already as big as Eli was at 11 weeks! He is such a sweet, easy-tempered little big guy with a healthy appetite and a love for sleeping! We have heard a few coos already and he is lifting his head like a champ. Im just waiting on pins and needles for his first sweet smile, instead of just the gassy smile, although that one is still pretty sweet!
We love you sweet Owey (this is what Eli has named Owen)!
We love you sweet Owey (this is what Eli has named Owen)!
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Whats that?!?!?
The other night after dinner Blaine and I had the idea to count Eli's all time number one phrase at the moment...."whats that?" He has about four different ways he says the phrase....whaaaaats thaaaaaaat? (really slowly and with a lot of interest), whatsdat? (as fast as he can say it, making into one word), "what IS that?" (really pronouncing each word)....anyway, no joke, in the first 6 minutes we started counting, he said it 19 times. In the first 20 minutes, it was 40 something....we eventually lost track.
I guess that is what they mean when they say toddlers have a natural curiosity about everything.
He has the same curiosity with Owen. He loves to watch him, touch him, kiss his toes, hold him and check on him while he is still sleeping. He seems to think he is pretty funny, even though he doesn't do much more than lay there, occasionally sneeze, cry and eat. Which, by the way, he doesn't quite get the eating thing, he just watches and you can see the wheels turning in his head just trying to figure out why and how is Owen eating like that! Eli pretty much wants to be anywhere that Owen is.
Tomorrow, Blaine is going back to work. Ahhh! I have got to give this guy some serious credit. He has been super dad these past 4 weeks. I always knew he was great, and a wonderful father, but he really stepped up to the plate and has been a huge help! This morning while I was getting my coffee, all I could hear in the room next door was giggles...giggles from Eli and giggles from Blaine. It was such a sweet sound, and it just sounded like they were having so much fun together, and they were, and they always do.
I think the reason this transition in our family has been as easy as it has is because Blaine has been there for us and with us for four weeks. We decided that when Owen was born, Blaine would pretty much be responsible for Eli, so I could focus on Owen, but also make sure Eli knew that he was still heard and was getting the same amount of attention as before. Blaine has gotten up with him every morning, fed him, gotten him dressed, entertained him, took him to and from school, changed (almost) everyone of his diapers, taught him new things, bought him more than a few new trucks to play with, and taken him to family events even when I wasn't ready to get out with Owen. Saying that he was been wonderful is an understatement! I feel like these boys are so fortunate to have the dad that they do. And its a good thing because as much as I love playing with trucks, trains, bugs and balls, and I really do, watching Blaine play with all those things made me realize that I'm just not quite as much fun playing with the trucks and trains as he is. He lays on the ground with Eli, and makes all the right sounds, teaches him how to make the trucks jump, and crash, and calls them by the right names (flatbed truck, front loader, scraper....), windowsills, walls and tables become perfect race tracks and train tracks, and he can play with him for hours and not get bored. Even when he has to answer the famous question "whats that?" 100 times in an hour, he does it with patience, and excitement every time.
So, if you were to ask me how things are going, my answer today would be that things are great and we are all adjusting better than expected. If you ask me the same question after Sunday, I may have a totally different answer! I hate the Blaine has to go back to work at all, but know that its inevitable and we will figure out a way to get through the day without him here with us!
I wish I knew the perfect words to really tell Blaine how much I appreciate him, and love him and let him know that I think he is the perfect father to our sons. I am seriously going to miss him when he goes back to work, especially when Im waking up with Eli at 6am again after waking up with Owen every three hours throughout the night. Sigh....we will get through it!
I guess that is what they mean when they say toddlers have a natural curiosity about everything.
He has the same curiosity with Owen. He loves to watch him, touch him, kiss his toes, hold him and check on him while he is still sleeping. He seems to think he is pretty funny, even though he doesn't do much more than lay there, occasionally sneeze, cry and eat. Which, by the way, he doesn't quite get the eating thing, he just watches and you can see the wheels turning in his head just trying to figure out why and how is Owen eating like that! Eli pretty much wants to be anywhere that Owen is.
Tomorrow, Blaine is going back to work. Ahhh! I have got to give this guy some serious credit. He has been super dad these past 4 weeks. I always knew he was great, and a wonderful father, but he really stepped up to the plate and has been a huge help! This morning while I was getting my coffee, all I could hear in the room next door was giggles...giggles from Eli and giggles from Blaine. It was such a sweet sound, and it just sounded like they were having so much fun together, and they were, and they always do.
I think the reason this transition in our family has been as easy as it has is because Blaine has been there for us and with us for four weeks. We decided that when Owen was born, Blaine would pretty much be responsible for Eli, so I could focus on Owen, but also make sure Eli knew that he was still heard and was getting the same amount of attention as before. Blaine has gotten up with him every morning, fed him, gotten him dressed, entertained him, took him to and from school, changed (almost) everyone of his diapers, taught him new things, bought him more than a few new trucks to play with, and taken him to family events even when I wasn't ready to get out with Owen. Saying that he was been wonderful is an understatement! I feel like these boys are so fortunate to have the dad that they do. And its a good thing because as much as I love playing with trucks, trains, bugs and balls, and I really do, watching Blaine play with all those things made me realize that I'm just not quite as much fun playing with the trucks and trains as he is. He lays on the ground with Eli, and makes all the right sounds, teaches him how to make the trucks jump, and crash, and calls them by the right names (flatbed truck, front loader, scraper....), windowsills, walls and tables become perfect race tracks and train tracks, and he can play with him for hours and not get bored. Even when he has to answer the famous question "whats that?" 100 times in an hour, he does it with patience, and excitement every time.
So, if you were to ask me how things are going, my answer today would be that things are great and we are all adjusting better than expected. If you ask me the same question after Sunday, I may have a totally different answer! I hate the Blaine has to go back to work at all, but know that its inevitable and we will figure out a way to get through the day without him here with us!
I wish I knew the perfect words to really tell Blaine how much I appreciate him, and love him and let him know that I think he is the perfect father to our sons. I am seriously going to miss him when he goes back to work, especially when Im waking up with Eli at 6am again after waking up with Owen every three hours throughout the night. Sigh....we will get through it!
Monday, September 13, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
Brit Milah
The performance of Brit Milah, ritual circumcision of the male on the eighth day of life, is one of the happiest of Jewish occasions.
It is however, one of the more nerve wracking days for the mother and father! At least for me! It is a beautiful occasion and one that all of our family and friends come together to celebrate this new little life and to bless him and give him his Hebrew name.
For those who don't know much about it (which is probably most of you!) here is a little run-down of what it is all about.
The Brit, or Covenant of Abraham, is a very important Jewish precept. It is so important that we are allowed to make a Brit even on the Sabbath or on a holiday should it occur on the eighth day. The Brit is a symbol of man’s role on Earth. God gave us a world which is almost, but not totally, complete. It is our task to be God’s junior partner in creation and to finish the job of completing the world. God wants us to begin with ourselves. Each of us is born incomplete, even physically, and it is the act of circumcision, for the male, that completes him. Physical completion for the female takes place later, when she marries. Abraham was not blessed with Isaac until he was circumcised. That fact signifies that children are the greatest blessing that God can bestow upon man, and that the organs that produce children must never be allowed to be sullied. We must always realize that the sexual act is a gift from God and should be conducted in holiness and purity. We believe that God’s laws were given to us for our benefit. Therefore, it is not surprising that circumcision also has hygienic and medical benefits. Circumcision must never be performed before the eighth day. If it is, the circumcision is not valid religiously. A Brit can be made after the eighth day if the baby is not well or if no Mohel is available on that day. Physiologically, on the eighth day the infant’s clotting mechanism is naturally improved. Symbolically, in Judaism, the number eight signifies the completion of man in both his roles - as man the creator and as man the meditator and appreciator. Six days of the week we are to create and help God complete this world. On the seventh day we are to step back and appreciate what God has given us. We gain, through study, new insights into ourselves and the world. A Jew must be both man the creator and man the meditator in order to be complete. The act of circumcision, which is our physical completion and symbolic of all other completions, could not take place before we have assumed both these roles. Also, circumcision must take place only during the daylight hours to be religiously valid. We demonstrate pride in following God’s precept by doing it openly, in the clear light of day. May your children grow up to give you only pride and joy and to help the Holy One, blessed be He, complete this world.
An important custom is the presence of a chair for Elijah, the prophet. Elijah is called the guardian angel of children because God allowed him to miraculously revive the lifeless son of a widow in the town of Zarepeth. Also, Elijah lived in the time of Ahab, king of the northern Kingdom of Israel. Under the influence of Jezebel, Ahab’s wife, people disobeyed God’s commandments, including Brit Milah, and followed the idolatrous prophets of the Canaanite gods, Baal and Ashtarte. Elijah tirelessly urged people to keep God’s law and to perform Brit Milah. Eventually, he exposed the falseness of the idolatrous prophets and led the people back to belief in God. And, according to tradition, Elijah will return to Earth to announce the coming of the messianic era. Elijah’s chair represents our silent prayer for the baby’s safety, a sign of our faithfulness to God’s law, and an expression of our hope that God will bring the Messiah soon, perhaps during the life of the child or even in our own lifetimes.
So, on this day Owen was surrounded my all of his family and some very dear friends of the family. Before he was passed off for the actual ceremony, he was passed down from generation to generation of women in his life. Susan (Susu) was chosen to act as the Kvatterin who brings the baby out into the room where the ceremony takes place, and Ethan was chosen to be the Kvatter who is responsible for holding the baby during the ceremony.
In the Kruger family we have a 'Bris Blanket' that has been used for generations and generations for all of the Kruger boys (and there are A LOT!!!) during their Brit Milah. It is a crocheted baby blanket that is over 100 years old and made in Europe for Jacob Schmidt when he was born. Most of Papa Schmidts male grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren have used it during their Brit Milah.
Before the actual circumcision Owen was given some anesthesia to help numb the area. Of course I was holding back tears the entire time walking out into the big crowd at my parents house but somehow managed to keep myself together. Rabbi Blumofe was there to perform the ceremony, and as always he made it personal, and did a beautiful job!
It was a beautiful day, and one that I am glad is over!
It is however, one of the more nerve wracking days for the mother and father! At least for me! It is a beautiful occasion and one that all of our family and friends come together to celebrate this new little life and to bless him and give him his Hebrew name.
For those who don't know much about it (which is probably most of you!) here is a little run-down of what it is all about.
The Brit, or Covenant of Abraham, is a very important Jewish precept. It is so important that we are allowed to make a Brit even on the Sabbath or on a holiday should it occur on the eighth day. The Brit is a symbol of man’s role on Earth. God gave us a world which is almost, but not totally, complete. It is our task to be God’s junior partner in creation and to finish the job of completing the world. God wants us to begin with ourselves. Each of us is born incomplete, even physically, and it is the act of circumcision, for the male, that completes him. Physical completion for the female takes place later, when she marries. Abraham was not blessed with Isaac until he was circumcised. That fact signifies that children are the greatest blessing that God can bestow upon man, and that the organs that produce children must never be allowed to be sullied. We must always realize that the sexual act is a gift from God and should be conducted in holiness and purity. We believe that God’s laws were given to us for our benefit. Therefore, it is not surprising that circumcision also has hygienic and medical benefits. Circumcision must never be performed before the eighth day. If it is, the circumcision is not valid religiously. A Brit can be made after the eighth day if the baby is not well or if no Mohel is available on that day. Physiologically, on the eighth day the infant’s clotting mechanism is naturally improved. Symbolically, in Judaism, the number eight signifies the completion of man in both his roles - as man the creator and as man the meditator and appreciator. Six days of the week we are to create and help God complete this world. On the seventh day we are to step back and appreciate what God has given us. We gain, through study, new insights into ourselves and the world. A Jew must be both man the creator and man the meditator in order to be complete. The act of circumcision, which is our physical completion and symbolic of all other completions, could not take place before we have assumed both these roles. Also, circumcision must take place only during the daylight hours to be religiously valid. We demonstrate pride in following God’s precept by doing it openly, in the clear light of day. May your children grow up to give you only pride and joy and to help the Holy One, blessed be He, complete this world.
An important custom is the presence of a chair for Elijah, the prophet. Elijah is called the guardian angel of children because God allowed him to miraculously revive the lifeless son of a widow in the town of Zarepeth. Also, Elijah lived in the time of Ahab, king of the northern Kingdom of Israel. Under the influence of Jezebel, Ahab’s wife, people disobeyed God’s commandments, including Brit Milah, and followed the idolatrous prophets of the Canaanite gods, Baal and Ashtarte. Elijah tirelessly urged people to keep God’s law and to perform Brit Milah. Eventually, he exposed the falseness of the idolatrous prophets and led the people back to belief in God. And, according to tradition, Elijah will return to Earth to announce the coming of the messianic era. Elijah’s chair represents our silent prayer for the baby’s safety, a sign of our faithfulness to God’s law, and an expression of our hope that God will bring the Messiah soon, perhaps during the life of the child or even in our own lifetimes.
So, on this day Owen was surrounded my all of his family and some very dear friends of the family. Before he was passed off for the actual ceremony, he was passed down from generation to generation of women in his life. Susan (Susu) was chosen to act as the Kvatterin who brings the baby out into the room where the ceremony takes place, and Ethan was chosen to be the Kvatter who is responsible for holding the baby during the ceremony.
In the Kruger family we have a 'Bris Blanket' that has been used for generations and generations for all of the Kruger boys (and there are A LOT!!!) during their Brit Milah. It is a crocheted baby blanket that is over 100 years old and made in Europe for Jacob Schmidt when he was born. Most of Papa Schmidts male grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren have used it during their Brit Milah.
Before the actual circumcision Owen was given some anesthesia to help numb the area. Of course I was holding back tears the entire time walking out into the big crowd at my parents house but somehow managed to keep myself together. Rabbi Blumofe was there to perform the ceremony, and as always he made it personal, and did a beautiful job!
Eli joined in on the fun in the end....he couldn't quite figure out why this guy with hair on his face was singing so loudly!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
School Days
Owen arrived on quite a busy day for our family. Eli's school also started that week and we wanted to make sure he was taken care of, and able to go to school with at least one of his parents. So, while I was tied up at the hospital, Blaine took Eli to the open house to meet his teacher and see his classroom. The open house was great and turns out his teacher is a friend of ours, so we felt even more comfortable with all the changes going on around Eli leaving him with someone we know and trust and is aware of all the changes in Eli's life right now. Wednesday was his first day of school. We decided that he was getting a little bored being with us day after day and needed to get out of the house more and have new activities, new people and new surroundings a few days a week. So, he is going to 'school' at a church close to our house two days a week from 9am-2pm!
When Wednesday morning rolled around, and it was time for Eli's first day of school, I was a wreck! The whole morning. Of course the hormones from having a baby two days before didn't help. But I wanted to be there with Eli so bad, and get him dressed and pack his lunch and see him off for his first day. Blaine stayed at home with Eli Tuesday night and on Wednesday morning my mom came over to help Blaine get Eli ready for school and drop him off. I had made a very detailed list of everything that needed to happen and everything that needed to be packed for his first day because Blaine was pretty much clueless (and I mean that in the nicest way possible!). And thank goodness for my mom because I don't know that Blaine could have done it alone.
Eli was SO excited to have Lolli in his room that he was doing a little dance, slipped on his I'm a Big Brother book (ironic???) and hit his face on the corner of his drawer, resulting in a pretty good gash on his eyebrow. Blaine was convinced that he needed stitches, but my mom talked him down, cleaned it up and was able to get him ready in time for school.
When it was 9 o'clock, I lost it in my hospital room, the tears were rolling. Was he sad that I wasn't there? Will he be OK without us? Will he have fun? Will the other kids be nice to him? Will he sit still long enough at the table to eat lunch? Do they seriously think they will get him to nap on the floor on his nap mat?????
At 9:05am I got the report...he tried to walk into every classroom on the way to his, and when they finally got to his room, he ran right in and made himself at home. No problems! I could finally breathe a little easier knowing that he was happy and just ran in to start playing.
Eli had a great first day of school and actually only started crying when Blaine picked him up because he wasn't ready to leave! Mrs. Barbara (his teacher) said he was the first child to fall asleep on his mat---GASP!!! Seriously??? We couldn't believe it! Blaine didn't hear any more of the report about his day after that because he was so shocked that he slept on his mat. We can barely get him to stay in his crib at home to nap, much less on a mat in the middle of his room surrounded by toys and new friends!!!
The second day of school was not so easy.
We all took Eli to school on Wednesday so Blaine could show me the drill and where his classroom was. It was NOT fun. Eli cried. I cried...all the way home.
I think it will take some time to get used to his new schedule, but I am sure that when he does he will just love it, and I think we will love the time with just Owen as well.
All of a sudden Eli seems like such a big boy!!!
He seems HUGE to me after holding this little munchkin....
When Wednesday morning rolled around, and it was time for Eli's first day of school, I was a wreck! The whole morning. Of course the hormones from having a baby two days before didn't help. But I wanted to be there with Eli so bad, and get him dressed and pack his lunch and see him off for his first day. Blaine stayed at home with Eli Tuesday night and on Wednesday morning my mom came over to help Blaine get Eli ready for school and drop him off. I had made a very detailed list of everything that needed to happen and everything that needed to be packed for his first day because Blaine was pretty much clueless (and I mean that in the nicest way possible!). And thank goodness for my mom because I don't know that Blaine could have done it alone.
Eli was SO excited to have Lolli in his room that he was doing a little dance, slipped on his I'm a Big Brother book (ironic???) and hit his face on the corner of his drawer, resulting in a pretty good gash on his eyebrow. Blaine was convinced that he needed stitches, but my mom talked him down, cleaned it up and was able to get him ready in time for school.
When it was 9 o'clock, I lost it in my hospital room, the tears were rolling. Was he sad that I wasn't there? Will he be OK without us? Will he have fun? Will the other kids be nice to him? Will he sit still long enough at the table to eat lunch? Do they seriously think they will get him to nap on the floor on his nap mat?????
At 9:05am I got the report...he tried to walk into every classroom on the way to his, and when they finally got to his room, he ran right in and made himself at home. No problems! I could finally breathe a little easier knowing that he was happy and just ran in to start playing.
Eli had a great first day of school and actually only started crying when Blaine picked him up because he wasn't ready to leave! Mrs. Barbara (his teacher) said he was the first child to fall asleep on his mat---GASP!!! Seriously??? We couldn't believe it! Blaine didn't hear any more of the report about his day after that because he was so shocked that he slept on his mat. We can barely get him to stay in his crib at home to nap, much less on a mat in the middle of his room surrounded by toys and new friends!!!
The second day of school was not so easy.
We all took Eli to school on Wednesday so Blaine could show me the drill and where his classroom was. It was NOT fun. Eli cried. I cried...all the way home.
I think it will take some time to get used to his new schedule, but I am sure that when he does he will just love it, and I think we will love the time with just Owen as well.
All of a sudden Eli seems like such a big boy!!!
He seems HUGE to me after holding this little munchkin....
I am so excited for Eli to get in the groove of going to school. I know he will love it and know that even though its hard on us right now to see him sad when we leave, he will learn so much and love it!
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Nice to meet you Owen!
I was starting to think that this baby had gotten waaay too comfortable in my belly. Every night the weeks before I always thought to myself 'OK, tonight is the night' but no such luck. After 40 weeks and one day, he decided he was finally ready.
Monday morning at about 3am I woke up with some contractions, nothing too major but they were coming pretty consistently. My fear was that I would wake up Blaine, make a B-line for the hospital and be sent home because they weren't close enough together, even though I had been hanging out at at least 4cm and 80% effaced for the last week. But around 4am I decided to get in the shower, shave and make sure things were tidy around the house. I waited until 6:45 to actually wake up Blaine and tell him I was having contractions, but I still didn't feel any immediate rush to do anything quite yet. I drove to my parents house (where Eli stayed that night, just in case!) to pick him up so my mom could make it to a spin class that morning and told her about my contractions and she suggested I just call the doctor just in case. I went in about 30 minutes later, got hooked up to the machine to track heart rate and contractions and they did some tests. Turns out they were coming consistently, I was already 5cm dilated/90% effaced and my water was leaking. They sent me upstairs to the hospital to be admitted. I called everyone to let them know it was time to have a baby!
Blaine and my family came within the hour while Eli stayed back at home with my wonderful Aunt carol.
Things were great, and I was calm, the contractions were completely tolerable and things seemed to be moving along quite nice, I was starting to think that I could maybe do this without an epidural. I mean, I made it to 5cm with no problems, right? As the contractions got closer and closer together, they did intense pretty fast and I figured it was time to request the epidural, even though I still didn't feel like I needed it quite yet.
The nurse came in to do her part to set up for the epidural and told me it would be about an hour before it was actually administered. No big deal. Until about 5 minutes later when I felt a pop and a gush of water. Unbearable contractions that never seemed to end. And the urge to push, a very, very strong urge that I couldn't stop. I don't know how it happened but all of a sudden, the anesthesiologist came in, realized that I was actually ready to push, and somehow gave me the epidural as I sat, shaking from the pain, huffing and puffing, I'm sure making some pretty strange sounds, and pushing Blaine away from me telling him not to touch me! I felt almost paralyzed from the pain and could barely swing my body back around to lay down so they could see where I was at. Turns out, I was 10cm, and baby was coming and coming quick. Literally, one minute I was fine, and the next...whoa! It felt like it took an hour for the epidural to kick in, in reality, it was something like 10 minutes. Just as it was starting to feel better, I found myself pushing. After the first one, baby wasn't tolerating it that well and the doctor told us that the cord was wrapped around his neck but that it was possible to still deliver him safely since they were aware of it. My mom was at my head, holding her breathe and pushing with me. The nurses got the biggest kick out of it because she was literally out of breathe from 'pushing.' Blaine was at my side cheering me on, and maybe four contractions later he was here!!!
It happened SO quickly, I couldn't believe it. Unlike with Eli since he had some breathing issues, Baby was put right on my chest so we could meet each other and say hi, cleaned up a little bit and he was back with me to breastfeed for the first time within a few minutes of delivery. It was heavenly. For so many reasons.
One: I was so happy to have him out in the world with us. Two: he was fine despite having the cord around his neck and breathing well. Three: he latched! and was hungry and I had hope that this time around my pump would not be stuck to me like a white on rice!
We took a look at him, and finally, he had a name. Owen Grant Kruger.
First Owen met his Dad....his proud Papa
Our hospital stay was great. There was a constant flow of visitors throughout our stay.
The most important visitor came to the hosptial on Tuesday to meet his new brother. To be honest, I was a bit of a mess worrying about how he would react, to a new little person, but it was also his first week of school (more on that in another post) and I wasn't there to pick out his outfit, make his lunch and drop him off. So there was a lot going on in his little life last week!
Here is how it went down. Blaine and Eli walk in. Eli points and says "Whats that?!?!?" as he pointed to....a balloon.
We introduced him to Owen, and he was pretty uninterested, until we changed his diaper and he heard him cry.
Oh, and filling in my log on Owens wet and dirty diapers and pushing all the bottons on the bed, accidentally calling the nurse a couple of times.
Since we got home, Eli has done great with the transition, at least so far. He loves saying hi to Owen and shooshing with his finger up to his mouth every morning while he is still sleeping.
I think my favorite brotherly moment so far was when Eli walked up to Owen, grabbed his arm, opened up his fingers and gave him a High-Five. He was so proud of himself!
As I was doing my first load of laundry since getting home, I had a real moment. As I was pulling out all the clothes, I realized everything I was pulling out was for little, tiny people-- little, tiny people that Blaine and I created, that depend on us for everything, that live in our house and that belong to us! It was such a fulfilling, proud moment for me.
We survived our first week at home, and I can only hope that the coming weeks are as wonderful as the first!
Monday morning at about 3am I woke up with some contractions, nothing too major but they were coming pretty consistently. My fear was that I would wake up Blaine, make a B-line for the hospital and be sent home because they weren't close enough together, even though I had been hanging out at at least 4cm and 80% effaced for the last week. But around 4am I decided to get in the shower, shave and make sure things were tidy around the house. I waited until 6:45 to actually wake up Blaine and tell him I was having contractions, but I still didn't feel any immediate rush to do anything quite yet. I drove to my parents house (where Eli stayed that night, just in case!) to pick him up so my mom could make it to a spin class that morning and told her about my contractions and she suggested I just call the doctor just in case. I went in about 30 minutes later, got hooked up to the machine to track heart rate and contractions and they did some tests. Turns out they were coming consistently, I was already 5cm dilated/90% effaced and my water was leaking. They sent me upstairs to the hospital to be admitted. I called everyone to let them know it was time to have a baby!
Blaine and my family came within the hour while Eli stayed back at home with my wonderful Aunt carol.
Things were great, and I was calm, the contractions were completely tolerable and things seemed to be moving along quite nice, I was starting to think that I could maybe do this without an epidural. I mean, I made it to 5cm with no problems, right? As the contractions got closer and closer together, they did intense pretty fast and I figured it was time to request the epidural, even though I still didn't feel like I needed it quite yet.
The nurse came in to do her part to set up for the epidural and told me it would be about an hour before it was actually administered. No big deal. Until about 5 minutes later when I felt a pop and a gush of water. Unbearable contractions that never seemed to end. And the urge to push, a very, very strong urge that I couldn't stop. I don't know how it happened but all of a sudden, the anesthesiologist came in, realized that I was actually ready to push, and somehow gave me the epidural as I sat, shaking from the pain, huffing and puffing, I'm sure making some pretty strange sounds, and pushing Blaine away from me telling him not to touch me! I felt almost paralyzed from the pain and could barely swing my body back around to lay down so they could see where I was at. Turns out, I was 10cm, and baby was coming and coming quick. Literally, one minute I was fine, and the next...whoa! It felt like it took an hour for the epidural to kick in, in reality, it was something like 10 minutes. Just as it was starting to feel better, I found myself pushing. After the first one, baby wasn't tolerating it that well and the doctor told us that the cord was wrapped around his neck but that it was possible to still deliver him safely since they were aware of it. My mom was at my head, holding her breathe and pushing with me. The nurses got the biggest kick out of it because she was literally out of breathe from 'pushing.' Blaine was at my side cheering me on, and maybe four contractions later he was here!!!
One: I was so happy to have him out in the world with us. Two: he was fine despite having the cord around his neck and breathing well. Three: he latched! and was hungry and I had hope that this time around my pump would not be stuck to me like a white on rice!
We took a look at him, and finally, he had a name. Owen Grant Kruger.
First Owen met his Dad....his proud Papa
Lolli
Pop
Aunt Ra
Our hospital stay was great. There was a constant flow of visitors throughout our stay.
Great Grandmother Maw
Judy Waxman
Brooke Anna, Owen and Me
Aunt Kathy
Aunt Carol
Cousin Heather
Diane "Dinky" Sliverstone
Aunt Marsha
Xio and Sophia
Duke Turpin, Blaine's Chief
The visitors didn't stop once we got home, although I wasn't as good at capturing all the moments of Owen meeting his new friends and family...oops!
Great Grandmother "Grandma"
Owens Great God Mother
Cousins Max and Simone
Cousin Adam
Here is how it went down. Blaine and Eli walk in. Eli points and says "Whats that?!?!?" as he pointed to....a balloon.
He was way more interested in all the new cars and trucks Lolli bought him and his new Brobee.
And the nutritious snack Blaine shared with him (we don't usually give him Doritos, so this was a BIG (and very unhealthy) treat!
I think my favorite brotherly moment so far was when Eli walked up to Owen, grabbed his arm, opened up his fingers and gave him a High-Five. He was so proud of himself!
As I was doing my first load of laundry since getting home, I had a real moment. As I was pulling out all the clothes, I realized everything I was pulling out was for little, tiny people-- little, tiny people that Blaine and I created, that depend on us for everything, that live in our house and that belong to us! It was such a fulfilling, proud moment for me.
We survived our first week at home, and I can only hope that the coming weeks are as wonderful as the first!
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