Because Size Does Matter

We had a successful two week well-child appointment today. Other than Boone's hatred of the car seat he was perfectly behaved on our outing, and came in with some impressive stats. He was born 8 lb 1.5 oz, lost about 10% of his weight in his first 3 days (which is normal), then managed to come in at 8 lbs 15.5 oz today.

2 week Height: 21.5 inches (78 %)

2 week Weight: 8 lb 15.5 oz (55%)

2 week Head Circumference: 15 inches (71%)

All the family is doing well. We survived our first weekend with a 1:1 child to adult ratio. Well, we barely survived. Harper has decided to stop napping the most inopportune time. She really should have waited at least 6 more months. So she plays in her room for a few hours in the afternoon. Based on the noise from her room her "play" involves a herd of elephants, a chain saw, and a pogo stick.

Update, and more importantly, more photos!

So, things are settling down. Grandma Susu was here for 2 helpful weeks, and departed tearfully, but leaving us with lots of wonderful food in our fridge! As a result we hadn't had to prepare our own meals, clean them up, deal with both kids with just the two of us, etc. yet. Thanks Susan!
So, last night was our first night of that, and it went well. Having good food that just needs to be heated up makes a big difference. Harper has also been great, although yesterday she was rather "3". I can't believe how mercurial she is. For example, last night she was eating delicious turkey meatloaf, then just screeched in anger because a couple of the bites split into too small of pieces when she stabbed them with a fork. Stab, screech, stab, screech. Fun.
Then we gave Boone his first bath (his umbilicus feel off earlier that day), in the little infant tub with the hammock in the big tub with Harper in it. Pretty cute. We shot a video of it, but given little kid parts I'm not posting it online. Feel free to ask to see it when you come visit. I might try to extract a photo or 2 from it or something.
We also got a chance to shoot some posed shots of Harper and Boone together that are pretty good. Sometimes you can see the "posing" done by Mama's hands, but c'est la vie. Here they are: http://www.s9s.net/BoonePhotos. Let me know if you need higher res versions for printing.
Sleep has been going pretty well. Last night I got to lay on the couch and watch football with Boone sleeping on my chest. What more could you ask for?

Birth Story

One way to sum up Boone's birth would be to say that our car was parked in the Emergency drop-off lane from when we arrived at the hospital until 30 minutes after his delivery. It was very, very quick.

Harper, Grandma Susu, Rick and I went for Vietnamese food Saturday night hoping that some good spicy papaya salad would get things moving. Harper was being a bit of a non-listening three-year-old during dinner so I took her outside to sit on the curb and when I squatted down I felt a little trickle of what could have been my amniotic fluid. So we paid our bill, took our left-overs and headed home. It was about 7:30 PM and I hadn't felt any real contractions.

Rick put Harper to bed while I relaxed. Around 8:30 I started having contractions just a hair more intense that Braxton Hicks. I was settling in for what I thought would be a long night. Then around 11ish I had a slightly more intense contraction and had some bleeding. So, just to be safe Rick packed the car, I lay down in the backseat on my side and we headed to the hospital. It was around 11:30. Well, in the backseat things started to gear-up. I was laying on my right side, with my right-leg on the seat and my left-foot resting on the driver's side head-rest. And my contractions started getting stronger. I could still breath through them, and even laughed a little when a contraction and a right-hand turn coincided. Then we got to the ER.

Rick parked in the emergency drop-off. I waddled inside. Oh, my contractions were about 3 minutes apart and lasting about 90 seconds. And I was pretty much just moaning, really loudly through them all. Really loudly.

If at this point in the story you want to cut to the chase just imagine the stereotypical sit-com birth.

It took forever for the stupid check-in process. So much for preregistration. And the check-in, paper-work lady didn't seem to be in any hurry, but got terribly upset when I just up and left to use the restroom. I guess she wanted me to pee on the floor while she copied my insurance information.

Then an equally annoying ER nurse came with a wheelchair to take me up to labor and delivery. Well, at this point I could not sit. Just not physically possible. So after a bit of arguing and eye-rolling they let me walk. And every few minutes while walking through the ER halls I would have to start moaning and yelling and hold onto Rick. Many ER nurse's eyes were rolling I think.

Well, we made it to Labor and Delivery where they put me in the triage room. I think it must have been around 1 AM. I answered more ridiculous questions and now my contractions really got going. I could barely breath. They checked me and said I was on 2cm. Then the nurse left the room for 20 minutes. And for 20 minutes I pretty much just screamed and cried, and yelled "Why won't anyone help me?" In hindsight I was probably scaring the crap out of any other laboring women in the unit. I was REALLY yelling. So, after 20 minutes I yell at Rick, "I need to push! I need to push! Why isn't anyone helping me." Rick goes out to find a nurse. She comes back in and in 20 minutes I have gone from 2 cm to 5 cm.

The doctor on the unit is attending another birth. Thank goodness that woman delivered at 1:30 AM. Dr. Adawadkar arrived at 1:40 and I was at 8cm, and then they finally realized how quick this was happening and wanted to get me out of the triage room and into a delivery room. Of course they offered the stupid wheelchair again, and after demonstrating that there was no way in hell I could sit I walked to my room.

It's probably about 1:55 AM now, and I am screaming for an epidural. Well, they need to get a blood sample to the lab before they can get an epidural, and since they didn't realize how fast this was all happening no one had bothered getting a hep-lock in me. I have no visual memory of them trying to start an IV, but apparently it was comical, and resulted in a pool of blood after much inept fussing with needles, but I guess they got a sample. Then I screamed that I wanted a narcotic. Well, since the IV wasn't really working they had to give me a shot of Nubain intramuscularly. It must have been about 2:15 now.

I two point I tried biting down on anything to help with the pain. Well, the anythings I bit on were my husband's hand and arm. He still isn't too pleased about that.

Dr. Adawadkar checked me again, and I was fully dilated. So, no epidural; I was pretty pissed about that, and I was really pissed that the Nubain was going to take 15 minutes to take effect. I think I kept complaining about why the narcotic wasn't working, and they kept saying "5 more minutes." Well, Boone was born at 2:38 and I am pretty sure that the Nubain never took effect.

So, the pushing was actually the most pleasant part, and went very quickly. Boone is happy and healthy. So am I.

We're Back!

 So, we got home from the hospital at about 10:30 on Monday. Mom and Dad relaxed and got a little rest. Boone did what he does, sleep, eat, cry, pass meconium. Susu helped out with lunch, etc. A little after lunch we went and picked up Harper early from school. I got to witness the CH3 kids enjoying lunch, astonishingly peacefully. It shouldn't amaze me any more how good Montessori kids are, but it always does. Anyway, I brought Harper home to be with baby brother and Mama. Harper had really been stressed the night before after meeting baby bro in the hospital, although possibly not for the most obvious reason. When she got home she cried to Susu because she wanted baby brother home so she could play with him, not because she had been usurped as the center of the McTodd universe. So, when she got home to see Boone we were wondering how it would go.
First she plied him with gifts, literally piling on little stuffed animals, rattles, and teething trinkets:

 Then, when we moved upstairs she practiced her whispering, and chilled in bed while mom fed Boone:

 Then she resumed the gift boonanza by piling them into his crib, running up and down the stairs to retrieve them. She only held back a couple of her absolute favorites.

 Group photo from standing on the bed:

Mostly she was amazing, although once in a while her "threeness" (inability to stay quiet and/or gentle) showed through. Her's Diana trying to keep her from smothering Boone:

Wellfleet Trip

Rick, Harper and I returned from a week in Wellfleet, MA. Photos here.

The trip started with an unexpected detour for me to Asheville for my grandmother's funeral (see posts below). Rick and Harper drove to Arlington, VA Friday night and stayed through Sunday morning with Uncle Bill and Aunt Danielle. I am very jelous that Rick was able to take Harper to her first "spray park": a playground with water jets and fountains.

Rick and Harper got on the Acela train in Washington DC Sunday morning, and I got on a plane in Charlotte, NC and somehow we all met up with Rick's sister in Boston and drove to Wellfleet.

Rick's mum found a really wonderful rental house on Long Pond where we all stayed for a week. We were joined by our family friend Paula. And across the lake were old family friends who vacationed in Wellfleet with Rick's family when he was young.

A typical day:

1) Wake up wayyy too early as Harper never sleeps in on vacation.

2) Play with Harper until everyone else gets up.

3) Go play in the water, either the pond or the ocean

4) Lunch

5) Harper naps, Rick and Diana either nap or get some exercise.

6) Another swim with Harper

7) Dinner

8) Harper to bed, followed soon after by everyone else.

We did go to Provincetown (aka "PEE town" according to a t-shirt I bought for Harper). I LOVED this little town. While Rick, Kate, Paula, and Dixie all went whale watching I ran a mile long jetty out to the very narrowest part of Cape Cod. It was beautiful. The running on the jetty was probably pretty stupid, but I survived.

Our travel home balanced out all the relaxation. Dixie drove us to a bus station. The bus took us to Boston's Union Station. The Acela took up to Washington DC's Union Station. A cab took us to Bill and Danielle's house where we left our car, then we drove the 3 hour drive home. Total: 15 hours of travel.

Blog only photos

I finally downloaded photos off out point and shoot camara and found a few gems.

Harper drunk on milk:

Harper riding a cow at the Manchester, IN library:

Harper with Aunt Laura:

Bertie Boone Sams

My remembrances

Many of the funeral stories were of Bertie’s mother. Maude, known as Mami, lived 99 years. I met her on two occasions. While Bertie was shy and liked to observe, Mami and the other “B’s” as the sisters were known, are notorious for their sharp wit. Mami discouraged her children from sneaking into her closet by telling them, “You know there are dead people in there.”

My father, Charles, remembers being dropped off at his grandmother’s house for a weekend and having Mami say in a somber voice, “Charles, you know they aren’t ever coming back.”

Bertie and Glen raised Charles in Asheville while the rest of his cousins grew-up in rural North Carolina. He remembers Maude asking him to go milk the cows while visiting and he replied, “I don’t do that. I’m a city boy.”

I also heard a number of stories of corporal punishment. Maude was known to switch her children for misbehaving. Bethel told me that she received the most whippings because she was the worst. She said this to me with the Boone twinkle in her eye.

Birma is a family historian and gossip and at the reception regaled the entire family with the story of her father, Lewis, who ran logging camps across the South. Through the Great Depression he and Maude kept the family fed, clothed, and shod with logging, and an extensive farm. Lewis was a keeper of fox hounds and loved to spend nights out fox hunting, which seemed more like an excuse to tromp into the mountains, build a huge fire, and tell lies with the men and their sons. I don’ t think a fox was ever disturbed from its slumber by Lewis’s skinny fox hounds, but I know all the men enjoyed their nights outside listening to the braying.

Almost all of my sorrow during the weekend was caused by the surety that could have known better. But her passing allowed me to meet a dozen relations for the first time.

Her official obituary:

Bertie Boone Sams , 91, of Asheville, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday July 21, 2010.

Bertie was born December 24, 1919 in Madison County, NC. She was the daughter of the late Maude and Lewis Boone of Madison County.
Surviving are her husband, Glen W. Sams of Asheville; her son Charles Sams of Atlanta, Ga., and daughter Samantha (Norma) Salvadorini of Lexington, NC.
Bertie has four sisters, Bonnie Gosnell of Marshall, Bethel Ammons of Weaverville, Beulah Brown of Shelby, Birma Sawyer of Swannanoa, and brothers Wayne and Ernest Boone.

Bertie has three grandchildren, Lisa Salvadorini Cascardo of New York, Kimberly Salvadorini of New York and Diana McSpadden of Williamsburg, VA. Bertie has one great grandson Miikko Salvadornini and one great granddaughter Harper Todd.

Bertie spent much of her time working for the Clerk of the Court for Bumcombe County. Bertie was a member of the West Asheville Baptist Church and the Chapter of the Eastern Star.

Those desiring to make a memorial contribution are encouraged to consider the Alzheimer’s Association – Western Carolina Chapter 3800 Shamrock Drive, Charlotte, NC 28215

Thank you Aunt Samantha for the remembrance

Quick Trip to Asheville

My paternal grandmother (Chuck's mother for those of you in the know of my complex family tree) passed away this last week. I am in Asheville for the services. I am also meeting family for the first time. Saturday morning finds me in a condo catching-up on work and watching the Tour de France with my newly discovered uncle David.

Last night I was regaled by the story of my great-great uncle "Maul" (my best spelling of heavily accented Appalachian ole-world English pronunciation) who murdered a competing suitor, was sent to prison, escaped from prison and hid under his mother's porch while his father was out with a posse searching for his escaped convict son. Maul ended up moving across the state and starting a large family of his own with a woman who hadn't roused his blood lust. My grandfather Glen's response to the story, "Guess he needed killin."

My greatest sorrow on this trip is that this is my first time getting to know many of these relatives, and hearing these stories. I will post more about my grandmother, Bertie Sams, after the services this afternoon.

On the plus side her immune system is getting stronger

Poor Harper. Heat rash started last week. Followed by a UTI diagnosed Monday at urgent care. (Watching a little one get cath'ed is no 4th of July treat). And now she was diagnosed with Hand, Foot, and Mouth disease which is making its rounds at Montessori.

Antibiotics. Ibuprofen. Liquid diet.

Next week we get to decide if we want to subject our daughter to a very strongly recommended voiding cysto cystogram. Parents not happy. Harper not happy.

Lily is also strangely scared of our floor fan.

MidWest Trip

Harper and I triumphantly returned to Virgina from 10 days in the MidWest.

Activities included:
1) Custer Street fair
2) Diana at a gyrotonics class
3) Dinner with Alex and Lynn
4) Breakfast at Blind Faith Cafe
5) Driving the wrong route to New Paris
6) Time with Abuela, Grandpa, Towser, Stella Moo, and Nikki
7) Birds, fish, Susu, Great-grandparents, tornado, sleeping in bathtub
8) Susu nannying
9) North Manchester park
10) Excellent lunch at Kenomokopoko
11) Relaxing at great-grandmother McSpadden's
12) Fancy dinner out with Abuela and Grandpa Larry
13) Driving the correct route back to Chicago
14) Skokie Farmer's Market
15) Flying home

See the photos here: http://www.s9s.net/June2010MidWest/

Two Photo Galleries

First, is a photo gallery from dinner at Abby and Nina's house:

http://www.s9s.net/LateApril/








Second, is a photo gallery that includes Mother's Day and Camy's Graduation from Colorado College: http://www.s9s.net/Graduation/index.html

Harper and Nine: Mother's Day 2010

Diagnosis: Strep Throat

Doctor's appointment for Harper on Tuesday
Fever: 103.6
Diagnosis: Strep Throat
Treatment: Tylenol, Antibiotics, Eye Drops
Pharmacist Says: Antibiotics taste bad, cause loose bowels, eat lots of yogurt
Behavior: Awake all night. Moody.
But fever is gone.

Now Mom's throat hurts.
Psychosomatic? Doctor appointment for Mom today.

I'm Waiting For Her Head To Spin Around

Saturday morning Rick, Harper, and I packed into the car for an overnight trip to Virginia Beach. Our long-time, Colorado-residing friend Karen was making an appearance in Virginia with her oldest daughter, Rachel. We were meeting at the VA Beach Aquarium, to be followed by Puerto-Rican restaurant, beach-time, pool-time, and ice-cream.

The aquarium was fabulous (pictures to be posted soon). We finally found a restaurant that wasn't crappy pancake-house, or crappier pizza. Check out Mojito Cafe next time you are at VA Beach.

We checked into our hotwire-rate ocean-front hotel, Harper and I napped while Rick and friends frolicked on the beach, and in the chorline-whiskey scented pool. Then we all went out for ice cream. Karen left for the evening, and the McTodds had a nice, though rushed, dinner.

Then we went to our hotel room, put Harper to sleep in her tent, and proceeded to watch bad tv, read our books, and try to go to sleep.

At 9 PM we were reminded why we hate to stay in hotels. The VA Beach Ocean Front Sheraton had given us an adjoining room, the kind with the connected, yet locked door to another hotel room, with 4 high-school boys on a field trip. The other three rooms around us also contained high-school friends. Why do hotel doors close with such a dramatic, multi-syllabic bang? We gave the young men til 11 PM when Rick spoke with their chaperon, and hotel staff. They settled down.

Oh, did I forget to mention that Rick was on-call. Silly me. At 3 AM he got an on-call page. He kindly went into the bathroom, sat on the toilet softened by a folded up bath towel, and used the counter as a desk. Then at 4 AM Harper started making some strangled gurgles in her tent. Then cried. I stumbled over to the tent, stuck my hand in to feel warm, chunky liquid that was soon identified as baby vomit.

Harper and I joined Rick in his office/hotel bathroom as we took a bath to clean off the vomit while he fixed the Colonial Williamsburg e-commerce site. Then we all snuggled in a double-bed together and slept for an hour when Harper woke-up again and projectile vomited all over the bed.

We immediately called for the bell-boy and drove home. Oh, and we left $20 for room service. I hope this was enough.

Well, Harper seemed fine. We kept her on clear liquid + dry toast + apple sauce + bananas diet. Then last night she was fusy, and had no appetite and registered a 103.5 temp on an ear thermometer, and a 101 on the doctor-preferred, baby-hated rectal. What has happened since: baby tylenol, lots of sleep, and staying home for school.

Here is the URL to the promised Easter Photos: Kent Easter 2010

Easter: More To Come

Rick, Harper, and I returned from a quick Easter/ Birthday celebration in Kent, CT last night. More details/photos to come. Here is a brief glimpse.

H's first 3 days of school update

Day 1: 1 hour - 15 minutes in class room with teacher, 45 minutes on playground with other kids - went well although a couple of times she got a little overwhelmed and wanted to sit on Dad's lap
Day 2: 2.5 hours - in classroom with other students and on playground - all with mom - was very needy
Day 3 (today) - 3.5 hours - was needy in classroom with mom. Mom leaves. Harper does great. Mom and dad are torn between wanting to be needed and wanting her to be happy/independent

More Photos

More photos of the family including Grandpa Chuck and Grandma Sha-Sha's visit, and the visit from Auntie Kate:
http://s9s.net/HarperFeb2010/index.html

punishment from The Chicken

Well, we are surviving..barely. Head and chest colds all around. Some progress teaching Harper to blow her nose. And then Monday afternoon Rick came down with a very nasty bout of food poisoning. We called an ambulance at 8:00PM Monday night and I am very glad we did as Rick could hardly stand up without the risk of fainting, and there was blood where there shouldn't be any blood. Our awesome baby sitter, Kendra, came over and I went the hospital for a few hours, then came back home. Rick arrived home via a taxi around 1:30 AM. Kendra was nice enough to spend the night and helped by getting Harper up in the morning and walking Lily.

Rick is starting to recover. He has managed to eat a few bananas and some white bread. We all still have the darn head/chest colds.

Totally Forgot

jacket, coat, pull, push, banana, cup, wipe, hat, shirt

Words Harper Says as of 02/04/10 (17 months old)

Listed in the order of my best memory of when she learned them
mama
poppa
monkey
lamby
Nina
Abby
book
Harper
all done
hi
light
walk
big step
away
back
please
more
no
thank you
duck
sheep
night night
nap
lap
sit
tubbies (aka bath)
shower
slide
milk
water
snack
play
Elmo
puppy
doggy
Lily
hello
help
diaper
clean up
night night
ahh choo (which she says after she sneezes)