The Greatest Discovery

Listening to music while doing play dough, drawing, or playing with toys is something Stinky really enjoys. While looking for new music to for him, I rediscovered this song that made me cry like a baby. It's The Greatest Discovery by Elton John and Bernie Taupin

Peering out of tiny eyes

The grubby hands that gripped the rail
Wiped the window clean of frost

As the morning air laid on the latch

A whistle awakened someone there

Next door to the nursery just down the hall

A strange new sound you never heard before

A strange new sound that makes boys explore

Tread neat so small those little feet

Amid the morning his small heart beats

So much excitement yesterday

That must be rewarded must be displayed

Large hands lift him through the air

Excited eyes contain him there

The eyes of those he loves and knows

But what's this extra bed just here

His puzzled head tipped to one side

Amazement swims in those bright green eyes

Glancing down upon this thing

That make strange sounds, strange sounds that sing

In those silent happy seconds

That surround the sound of this event

A parent smile is made in moments

They have made for you a friend

And all you ever learned from them

Until you grew much older

Did not compare with when they said

This is your brand new brother

This is your brand new brother

This is your brand new brother

Back to School

I don't really like September much. After a fun and eventful summer, it's hard to adjust to WBH returning to school, for all of us. It can be nice to get back into our routines, but I feel pouty and a little bit melancholy without him here. Stinky asks for him in the mornings, and says "aw, man" when I tell him his dad is back at work.

Yesterday, I survived my first day alone with the two boys. It wasn't too shabby- I got laundry running and dishes swapped. A good friend came over needing to talk and turned out to be a wonderful distraction from my sulky attitude. Stinky and I baked Paula Deen's no-flour peanut butter cookies. I made two dinners- the second, to make up for the one I burned in the crock pot while chatting.

Today, I showered, brushed my teeth and fed the boys. We're watching too much TV, and for now, I'm letting that be okay. This new baby has brought with him a lot of riddles for me to solve. How do I take care of the boys and watch for the dog digging holes in the yard? Can I go to the bathroom or brush my teeth and prevent Stinky's aggressive affection from harming Colin? How do I make sure Stinky doesn't feel put aside or less important when many of Colin's needs have to be met immediately? Where do I find the energy to accomplish anything? I know the answers to the questions will present themselves, and we'll get it worked out, but any insight would be appreciated.

Summer Joy no. 31

Summer Joy no. 31

the first sleep-smiles

I've had fun doing this series, and I think I'll be taking a week or so off from writing here. I've got some ideas for September, but WBH will be back to teaching in a week and it's hard to devote time to this blog, given all our addition. I've got a few pre-scheduled posts, but I'll be away until school starts again.

when a plan doesn't come together

Had everything gone according to the plan*, at this moment I could probably tell you how many hours we had until Colin's arrival. I would be so much more uncomfortable than I am right now. I am so glad things didn't go according to plan, but it turns out I can be a bit of a control freak, and I didn't really see that initially.

Last Monday night, Stinky and I had gone through the nightly snuggle during the evening news and he'd fallen asleep. I got something to eat and took something to help me sleep. I got back in bed, took one bite, and my water broke. I panicked. With Stinky, that never happened. Also, my family was leaving at o'dark thirty the next day to attend my grandfather's funeral in Arizona and to be honest, I really wanted my mommy at that moment. This changed everything. Telling WBH what had happened, I completely lost it.

On the phone with the birth center, the nurse asked me a lot of questions, and told us to come in. "You should know, "she said, "when you get here, you're going to have your c-section. I just want to give you time to wrap your head around that. Your baby will be born tonight."

That night, WBH shaved 20 minutes off of his good-traffic travel time. He joked that if we were pulled over, the officer would see the suitcases and heard the words that were coming out of my mouth and we'd probably get an escort to the hospital. Contractions, which hadn't bothered me all day, were coming hard and fast since my water had broken, and I said a few things that don't need to be repeated. In between pains, I kept saying to my belly "We had a plan, kid! This is not it!"

We'll skip the details of the surgery- honestly, I had taken something to help me sleep, and once I was numb I wanted to take a nap, so I don't remember a lot before hearing my baby's first cry. Those cries wake us up right from the start, don't they? When Colin was born he let out a scream and kept on going, yelling his displeasure at all within the sound of his voice. He was big and loud, and apparently this wasn't in his plan, either. We had to laugh as the nurse said "Whoa there, Bubba." He was born just a few hours into his Uncle Bubba's birthday.

Recovery went well. I was up and moving much earlier than with Stinky's delivery. My family was able to come and meet Colin before they hit the road. Stinky and WBH's parents visited later that day as well. Stinky came in and asked immediately, "Where's my baby?" The look on his face when he first saw him was heaven. He didn't take his eyes off him, until we gave him his gift from Colin: a robotic dinosaur puppet.


We spent two days at the hospital- my recovery was pretty normal and Colin adjusted well to life on the outside. We were glad to have the time just the three of us, but I wanted to go home, and I missed my Stinkasaurus Rex.

Time at home has been good. Stinky still adores him and wants to help with everything. He's quite the baby expert, in his own mind I have to limit my activity, which is hard, but WBH has lived up to his name in every way, not only taking care of us and our house, but also my parents' home and dog. I wake up to a clean home everyday, and he's not letting me push myself to far. Colin is well on his way back to his birth weight and is a good natured and mostly patient guy about while I figure out this whole mother-of-two thing, which is another post in itself.

I have to send out a big, big THANK YOU to WBH's parents, who watched Stinky, along with NoNuts and Brody while we were at the hospital. Talk about above and beyond- and on extremely short notice. We're grateful to our friends at church who have brought us amazing dinners- such a nice change from hospital food.

It feels like we're settling in to normal life- plus one now. I'm not quite where I can't remember life without him- but I love life with him here.

Oh, and for now, I'll just be calling him Colin here on the blog. All the nicknames I can think of at the moment are vampire-based, and that's not a nice thing to saddle a little guy with.