Christmas Eve

We opened presents with my parents on Christmas Eve.  My Dad was on a layover and had to go back to work on Christmas Morning, so we enjoyed a great Christmas with him Christmas Eve night.  The crew: Mom, Dan, Grandma, Andy, April, Me, Dan, Ruby, and Jay.  Can I just say that Ruby was in Heaven!!!  She pretty much got to open everyone's presents.  She moved from lap to lap, flashed her smile and cute personality and EVERYONE caved!  

Ruby working the Beiber!

Ruby opening her special present from Namma (Grandma).

She was genuinely excited and ran over and gave Grandma a hug.  She loves naming the animals and making their noises.  

We all made my Grandma a build a bear.  She loved it, and Ruby did too!

Ruby moving in on Grandma's other gift...Now Ruby wants everyone to "draw Annie, draw Annie" (Annie being my Grandma's westie)

She love her Monkey book, really Monkey's are her favorite!  I am hoping that the moral of the story rubs off and she starts sitting quietly during church!!  I will let you know.

Pre-Christmas Activities

Here comes Santa Claus...Since I am being such a poor planner, we had to get pictures with the mall Santa.  Sorry if you know or love a mall Santa, but I do not.  Last year we went to the Garden of the Gods and met the Santa there.  The best Santa ever.  So sweet with Ruby and best of all, no line and they weren't selling photos!  Dare I say that this Santa was not even very nice.  They did however let us take quick pictures since we weren't buying one of their uber expensive picture packages. 

   

 Ruby's favorite word of the season...Snowman!  It was hard to get a picture of her facing the camera.  She kept turning around to look at Frosty.

You can see the look of concern on her face.  But she is being very brave.

 Ok Dad, I have had enough of this guy.

I totally dressed Peter up to match Ruby for pictures with the two of them on Santa's lap...what was I thinking?!?  This kid just got over RSV, he will not be leaving the safety of his car seat and the cover is staying on to hopefully keep germs out!  Peter will meet Santa next year...and hopefully it won't be a mall Santa.

Ruby loved riding the escalator!  Grandpa took her on her first ride, no wonder she loves him best!

We went to build a bear to make a bear for my Grandma.  It was so fun!  I am not sure why every time (which isn't often) I go in there, I have to remind myself that I truly do not need to make a teddy bear for myself.  What a great idea for a business though, wish I would have thought of it.

On our way out, Ruby had to stop and get one more good look.  She did a very good job of not throwing a fit because the bear was not for her!  So good in fact, I should take her back and make her one :)

Later that night, we went over to my parent's house to build our own snowmen.  My family has never had good luck with building gingerbread houses, so we thought we would try something new.  The great neighbor kids came over to make some also.  Eden was Ruby's new BFF, she was so good with her.

 All of us working, I even made my Dad, Dan, Jay and Andy build one.

 Andy is making a face because he knows mine is better...

 I mean seriously, no offense Andy, but what is that?!?

 Peter chillin' with my dad.  

 All of us posing with our snowmen, only you can see the snowmen...

 Here they are.  You can see Ruby's on the left...it was a porcupine snowman.

Jay's

Dan's

 This is mine, ehh, pretty good right?!?

This WAS my mom's.  So funny, we watched the head just teeter off.  It reminded me of Dumb and Dumber...our pet's heads are fallin off...

No official winner was formally chosen, but Dan pretty much won all the adult's votes.  He also beat me at our family bowl off...looks like I have got some work to do before next Christmas. 

Ruby Update

So here is an update on our Ruby since last December.  I will tell you that a lot has happened since our last post.  She has in fact learned to walk, run, climb, talk, and be CRAZY!  She is SO much fun and has SO much energy!  Here are some pictures to get caught up on the last 12 months of Ruby.

December 2010

January 2011

February 2011

March 2011

April 2011

May 2011

June 2011

July 2011

August 2011

September 2011

October 2011

November 2011

Peter's Birth Story

Peter's due date was 11-9-11.  I went to see my midwife on the 10th and was not dilated at all.  Her words, "Well, no baby today".  I was settling in for at least another week of joyous pregnancy.  However uncomfortable and exhausting it was, I was really excited to experience going into labor on my own.  I didn't really know what to expect.  I was questioning myself constantly...was that a real contraction, or just braxton hicks??  Well, the 11th came, and I was a little sad that we would miss this most perfect day for him to be born.  After Ruby went down for a nap I made a batch of  cookies - and I ate a ton of them - even the batter, I mean a ton!  I went to lie down to rest until the Rube-ster woke up, and after a few minutes...something started happening.  I got up quickly and got to the bathroom in time.  My water broke!  Wha!?!  Serious?!? It was a little before 4.  I called Dan using our pre-arranged "it's time" signal to answer the phone or call me back immediately.  It was funny, his friend was in the background hollering, there is still time to get 11-11-11!  I called my mom to come pick up Ruby, she had been on call for a few days, so of course she was ready!...have I told you before how I have the most best parents?  Well I do.  

Our last photo as a family of three, as you can tell Ruby was not thrilled.

When Dan got home I jumped in the shower, because I have heard that is what you are supposed to do, so I did it.  Since I really wanted a natural delivery our plan was to labor at home as long as I could.  We live SUPER close to the hospital, so we weren't worried about delivering the baby in the car or at home.  It was going really well laboring at home,  in hind sight I would have stayed there longer, but as the contractions were getting 2 minutes apart we headed out.  It was 7:00 pm at that point.  When we got all checked in, which seemed to take forever, the nurse checked me and I was dilated to a 4-5.  So here we go.  She left us alone for the most part, which was nice...although she was a great nurse!  I did not want to labor in the bed, so she would listen to the baby for 10 minutes and then let me get back up for the next hour.  I really think that is the worst thing to have to labor while being hooked up to the fetal monitor and trying to keep a stupid heart rate monitor on your own finger.  Dan was a great support the whole time.  I would say I did a pretty good job throughout the majority of the labor, but toward the end - which didn't seem toward the end at the time, I went a little nuts. "I can't do this anymore, I want an epidural!" I said that more than once, more like screamed instead of said.  Dan reassured me that I in fact could do it and that I was already doing it. Thank goodness for his calming presence.  I'm not sure why I even asked for an epidural when it was obviously WAAAY to late for one.  Around 9:45 the nurse checked me again and I was fully dilated, however Peter was not moving down the birth canal.  (He was posterior)  The nurse wanted me to "work" through a few contractions to see if he would come down.  I thought, lady you must be crazy!  I'm not gonna sit here at 10 centimeters dilated and wait for him to decide to come down, can't I push him down??  It was funny, she looked at me like, huh, yeah we could try that.  It worked.  He had come down far enough to call the doctor in at 10:30.  Pushed a few times with the doc and out he came.  Sweet relief!!!  Nothing feels so good as that moment of having the baby out of my body!!!  He was 7 lbs 13 oz, 20.5 inches long, born at 11:09 pm.  I got to hold him for a long time, he was healthy-what a blessing.  Such a different experience from Ruby being whisked away to the NICU.  The nurse commented over and over what a great team Dan and I were.  I literally hung on him during each contraction for a good two hours.  The next day he woke up really sore - I think it surprised him, I said honey you were holding up a 200 pound woman (there I said it) for hours!  Of course you are sore...but I am more sore :)  My sister asked me soon after the delivery if I would go natural again.  It was a really good question at the time.  I couldn't give her an answer-being that it was SO painful.  But looking back, yes I would/hopefully will do it again.  I didn't have some spiritual awakening about the natural birthing process, how powerful I felt or how beautiful it was, sorry. Only that I think our bodies are designed to do it, we can handle it, and so I wanted to give it a go.  I love and am very grateful for modern medicine, hello I had a baby in the NICU for 12 days!  However I do think sometimes they complicate things that were not meant to be complicated.

First good photo of our handsome boy

 Anyway, that was it!  Now we have two kids, how crazy is that.  I have had a few quiet moments to think about that over the last month.  And although when they are both crying at the same time, or one is hungry and the other wants me to play and the house is a mess and the doorbell rings and I realize I haven't put on a bra yet and yes it is 2:00 pm and I am still in my pjs and WHY did you ring the doorbell when my 20 month old is napping - I think, whose life is this??, I'm so happy that it is mine.

First father/son photo after the son was fully dressed.

I love LOVE this picture of him, so sweet and handsome!

My mom came out to see us late that night to meet her grandson.

Great Grandma with Peter Nolan.  Nolan is my grandpa - her husband's name.

Cooking with Grandma! While we were at the hospital.

During Ruby's first meeting with her baby brother.  Notice we don't have any pictures of them together, there is a reason for that!

So sweet, I love this picture too!

There is no place like home!

Dan is already newborn multi-tasking.

Here is the first photo of Peter and Ruby...Notice my mom is holding Peter at a safe distance.  Ruby is so fast you really have to be on your toes!