My awesome husband

You know, this guy should get a prize of some sort. I just want to take a moment to fully recognize the fact that I married the best man ever.

Omar has been so great in keeping the elder Ansari 3 happy and occupied while I am on nursing duty. And I don't just mean when I am actively nursing... I mean letting me sleep more in the morning while he gets the boys breakfast, gets everyone dressed, makes lunches for Cal and Spence, packs them away to daycare and sets a timer for Max telling him when to come wake me up. The other day, Max comes in 15 minutes before the bus to tell me it's time to get up and there is coffee waiting for me.

Since Omar is out of the program for ~7-8 hours today due to a beer event, he took the big 3 out to a park all morning, and now the house is quite while the twins and Leo nap. (Also big kudos to the in-laws! They had the big boys overnight last night and are currently with Max at the Children's Theater).

Be careful people... you make it this easy on me, and I might just want to try for that girl ;-)

Six Years ago today...

... our little Max was born. I can't believe that just a slight 6 years and 1 day ago, I wasn't a parent yet. How things can change in 6 years!

Our day began with Max yelling to his brothers (who, mind you, are on the bunk below him and on another be ~3 feet from the bunk) "It's my birthday! I'm SIX!" Toaster Strudel was the breakfast of champions for everyone, and then we started out on our normal routine's for the day. I have delivered brownies to Max's class for birthday treats, and I need to hit Target at some point to actually purchase the gifts I have in mind.

To my son - I am so proud of the person you are and are becoming. You are kind, empathetic and good. You try to do your best (when you aren't forgetting and throwing chips at your friends in a fit of hilarity...), and you make ammends when you don't. You are such a joy to have in my life.

Happy Birthday my son.

Things I forgot from last time

• Nursing a baby at the computer makes for very slow, one handed typing
• After each of my babies nurse, they crunch their eyes closed, raise their eyebrows, purse their lips, arch their backs while cocking two tight little fists by their ears, then let out quite a symphony from below
• Babies make a very funny eager sound the closer they come to the boob
• Nursing every 2 hours at night is brutal... thankfully Leo has only pulled that a few times so far
• They say breastfed baby poo doesn't stink - I disagree

Let the hooliganism begin

Well, we are in the third week of kindergarten, and I am proud to announce that my first born was sent to the principal's office.

He is not even 6 years old.

The crime? Food fight.

Now, after hearing that my neighbor got the best comic relief of his day after hearing about our son's current issues, I am trying to take it in stride. I started the process by asking Max how his day was (after fielding the call from his teacher 10 minutes earlier). I have to give the kid props for at least telling me immediately what had happened, without me prompting him. If the 5 year old's story is to be believed, he and his buddy from pre-K were apparently throwing "one little chip" back and forth. It certainly beats the mental image I had of pudding and chocolate milk splattering all over the cafeteria. Something tells me the truth is somewhere in between.

He will have to pay his due by having no movies or computer time this week. He also made a card of apology to his teachers. There was some talk of the school taking away some recess time, but it appears that hasn't come to pass, and he and his buddy will simply be separated for the next few days.

So, this is the only time this will happen, right? My beautiful boy who really isn't a trouble maker has learned his lesson, right? ... how many boys do I have...?

More pictures

Omar's baby picture

Pictures now, deep thoughts later

Leo August - the Virgo born in September

As you can tell from the photo Omar shot out there yesterday, we had a baby! It's kinda crazy that after waiting 280 days, on the evening of my due date, little Leo started the process right on schedule. Not that I hadn't become a little mental waiting for my due date... and then went a bit more mental when early labor turned out to be what they apparently call "latent labor" - up to 20 hours of contractions without really getting the ball rolling. But after ~3 hours of sleep, Omar and I finally headed to the hospital at 9am... not entirely sure they weren't going to send me home.

They decided to check me into the hospital after verifying I was in fact contracting, but I hadn't dilated one bit since my previous 2cm measurement in the office visit the day before... a reality that almost brought tired tears. "Seriously, all that contracting for the past 13 hours and NOTHING to show for it?!?" But I was thrilled they decided to keep me, because that meant we were gonna have a baby at some point soon. One way or another.

I continued to contract, started to get more and more incomfortable, and by 1pm my dear friend, neighbor and OB-on-call Roxie was able to give me the first good news that I was 3cm. Then she sent my folks and in-laws away for lunch and worked her magic by breaking my water.

Let the tsunami of labor begin.

Instantly I was thrown into contractions every 2 minutes, and these were those real-deal doosies. Within 10 minutes I was clutching the siderail of the bed, needing cool towels on the forehead, wretching, getting IV anit-nausea medications and begging that the anesthesiologist high-tail it out of the c-section he was in to get his keister into my room for the epidural. Since I knew an epidural was the smart option having previously had a c-section, I hadn't mentally geared up for a tough-guy Max-style medication-free labor. I wanted some pain killers and I wanted them now! I could have kissed the man who placed the epidural 15 minutes later. By the time my family got back from lunch, I was laying there with a peaceful smile on my face... they had missed all the fire works.

The nurse checked me at 3pm, and informed me I was 10 cm! Since I was comfy and still contracting every 2 minutes, we let a bit more time pass to "labor down," trying to avoid the 3 hours of pushing I had with Max. I started pushing at 4:30 and Leo arrived in the world at 4:52pm!

Welcome to the world little man! May you not be smothered with love by the big brothers who already think you are ready for football style shinanigans. Tomorrow I take you home to the first day of the rest of our lives. We love you.

Leo August Ansari 9# 3oz. Everybody good

Incredibly frustrated

Well, as noted before, my contractions started at every 7 1/2 minutes, and that lasted for ~2 hours.

Then they went to every 8 minutes. Then 11.

By 11pm, they had slowed to every 20 minutes. My OB said to get some sleep, so from 12-3:30am I napped in my clothes with contractions waking me every 45 minutes.

It is now 4:30am, I am back to ~15 minutes, but it seems the only one who is going to be crying like a baby is me, not an infant. I think this is how they invented Chinese water torture. Maybe a hot shower will help...

Maybe...?

Well, as I write this (9:45pm monday) I am getting pretty convincing contractions every 8 minutes or so. I have had so many false alarm contractions along the way that I don't know whether to believe this or not. I think we are heading for the real deal... stay tuned.

Don't bring me down

This weekend was full of what seemed to me to be "false alarms." Many contractions that were certainly on the uncomfortable side, but nothing that turned into anything. There were other signs I will keep to myself for fear of grossing out the reading public, but I was getting very hopeful. After realizing I really didn't want to miss Max getting on the bus to Kindergarten, I tempered my enthusiasm long enough to get him going... then I marched off to my OB appointment to see just how much progress had been made.

Last week I was dilated 1 cm, and that little head wasn't really pushing down much.

This week, I was dilated 1 cm, and that little head wasn't really pushing down much.

My OB called in one of her colleagues, given that she is the queen of stripping membranes. She basically couldn't even attempt it and said "Oh, this one isn't ready yet... how far along are you??"

Let the many hours of complete disappointment begin. We started discussing if and when to schedule my repeat c-section instead of ever going into labor. Ever. Ever again in my life. This is the last hurrah, my last chance at having that "Honey, I think it's happening now!" moment. I know to some that sounds stupid, and they likely would have already had a c-section and be holding their baby... but that isn't what I wanted.

Granted, life frequently doesn't hand you what you wanted (how many times have I already said that to my children). I guess I am just born to birth healthy term (and late) babies. My due date is Monday. So, after a long nap and some zen-like thinking yesterday, I am trying to be calm and cool with whatever happens. I have completely ramped down my eagerness, and now just hope to avoid the section if possible. We also have the freedom to say "go" at any time since I am repeat section... very strange. And my dad leaves when I am 40wks and 6 days... seems stupid to not have the baby before he goes.

So these are the things I am thinking about as I sit at work, hoping that mother nature will take this choice right out of my hands in the next few days. Afterall, Grandma arrives tomorrow, and Grandparent's day is Sunday. Maybe this little one is just good at saving up all the fireworks for one big day.

Off he goes!

Today, my first born kiddo, the one born almost 6 years ago, jumped on his first school bus and barely looked back. He was happy, easy going, and smiling as he took off...

... and I survived too.

I can just look at my little guy, smile at how confident he is becoming while still being a very caring and sensative friend to his family and buddies. Way to go Small Guy. We love you so very much.

Still pregnant...

... in case you were wondering....