Home sweet home

We made it home from the hospital yesterday afternoon.  Although I was glad to leave the hospital, it was a little overwhelming to step back into life with a 2.5 year old.  Aubrey was a little overwhelmed by it all and had a SERIOUS meltdown last night.  She found Henry's "binki" and decided she needed one (she sucks her thumb and hasn't used one since she was a newborn) and wanted to be a baby.  I made the mistake of letting her play with it for a little while, and when we tried to tell her it was time to give it back... she lost it.  Doesn't she look distraught.

Henry and his friends

It's been such a blessing to have so many wonderful friends and family close by to help welcome Henry into the world.  Thank you to all of you who called, emailed or visited us in the hospital.  Your support has been amazing!  What a difference it makes having a baby in the USA!  Communication is soooo much easier.  Here are a few photos of some of our visitors. 

GiGi holding Henry

Shannon and Henry

Henry's best buddy...Aubrey

Amy and Jane (7 weeks) Skaggs

Kathryn Sedberry and Henry

More photos

Waiting to meet little brother. She had a gift to give him and couldn't wait to hold him.

First family photo

Kisses for Henry

Stork bites on his eyes

GiGi, Granddad, and Henry

It's a BOY!

Henry Joseph Baumhover arrived at 2:19pm on May 28.  7 lbs 10 oz 19 in.  He's doing great and I'm recovering :).  More details tomorrow after some sleep, but here are a few photos of the dark haired little boy. More tomorrow.

Ouch, but smiling anyway...at least for a few minutes.

Check out that hair!  

Tired, but unbelievably happy!

Bath time

Memorial Day Thank You

Well, it's 5:30 am and after trip number 7 or so to the bathroom, I have given up on going back to sleep.  The short bursts of rest have finally ended and I just can't settle into dreamland again.  So, of course my mind starts to reel and then all hope is lost.  After a few minutes of the usual thoughts (Am I ever going to have this baby?  What the heck am I going to do when I have this baby?  Will I ever sleep for more than an hour at a time again?  Will Brian ever stop snoring?),  I think about the fact that today is Memorial Day.  

Growing up, I never thought too much about the meaning or importance of this day.  I was too busy celebrating the end of the school year or my birthday, which often fell on memorial day. Of course, now it has a much different meaning for me.  

As most of you know, both Brian and I served in the U.S. Navy.  We are painfully aware of the many sacrifices one has to make as a member of the armed forces, and as a significant other of someone in the military.  We have been on both sides... the one leaving and the one left behind.  From my experience, it is equally difficult, but for different reasons.  But in the end, we were both incredibly fortunate.  We came home.  

We have both experienced the loss of dear friends and family to the dangers of the job.  You cannot serve without being touched by death in some way.  So as I sit here this morning safe from danger on my comfy couch, I think of those who didn't come home.  I think of their families.  I remember their sacrifice and I'm incredibly grateful for their service to this country.  I remember my grandfather, Aubrey East, who never returned from WWII.  I remember LCDR Robert "Plumbr" Clukey who never returned from a routine training mission on my deployment.  There are countless other names and they all deserve more than a day of remembrance.

So, I hope that you will take a few minutes today, and the rest of the year, to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice and to honor their families.  I am grateful for their service and for the service of all present and past members of the armed forces.  I feel honored to have served among their ranks.  

 

One last art project

Ok, so I finally finished the projects I had planned for Aubrey's room. I've planned for months on painting a mural for her room and actually got around to doing it yesterday. It's nothing to brag about, but then again, I'm no artist!  I just wanted it done before the baby shows up and my time for "fun" is limited.  At least it fills the space on an otherwise bare brown wall.

What a difference a year makes

I was looking back at some photos today and couldn't believe the difference in Aubrey from this time last year. I remember she finally put two words together and we were shocked. Now, she is none stop talking. She still had such a baby face back then . Now she is all little girl.  

Then

Now

"My daddy's home!"

These are the words Aubrey says first thing each day when she sees her daddy.  It has been so nice having Brian around the last week and a half.  We'll be in for a shock again when he starts his internship on June 9.  He and Aubrey have been spending a lot of time together so I can "rest" and she isn't phased in the least when mommy isn't around.  I'm hoping this will help when the baby arrives and I can't be at her disposal 24/7.  

Hanging out with daddy in the pool.  This has become an afternoon ritual.

Leaving on a bike ride.  She's still not a huge fan.

39 weeks

I ended up going for my check-up a day early since I've been experiencing a lot of sharp abdominal pain this week.  The baby is sitting on my right side 99% of the time and the ligament is being stretched to the max.  So, that is probably causing the pain, but they wanted to check to make sure I don't have something more going on.  They hooked me up to the monitor for a while and the baby looks great.  I'm contracting some, but I'm certainly not in active labor.  They did some lab work, so I should know later today if I have some kind of infection. I'm still at 2cm, so no progress on that front, which is a little frustrating. For now, I just have to take it easy so I don't irritate the ligament.

Mayfield Park

I spent the morning taking it easy while Aubrey was at school since I woke up at 5:30am with some sharp abdominal pain (not contractions) that lasted for several hours.  We thought a walk might help relax the muscles a little, so this afternoon we headed to Mayfield Park.  It's a great place for kids to run around and explore the woods.  Aubrey was a little freaked out when a peacock fluffed up his feathers and started chasing a crow.  She thought it was coming for her!  It was a terrible time of day to take pictures, but I couldn't resist.

Trying to beat the 97 degree heat!

"They scareded me"... Aubrey

Chicks hiding in the shade

Waiting for daddy to bring the car around so I didn't have to walk.  So much for the theory that a little walk would help.  Ugh.

Just the three of us

We have been enjoying some great family time now that Brian is done with school and doesn't start his internship for a few weeks. As much as we are ready to meet the new peanut, we're trying to relish this time as a family of three. It took a few days for Aubrey to adjust to having daddy around again, but now she's attached to him like glue. They have gone to the park to ride the train, washed our cars together and gone on many walks. It's been so nice for me to have help around the house and also some quiet time... although sleep is still a challenge right now.

Here are a few photos from today. The calm before the storm!

Washing Daddy's windows

CHEEESSSSEEEE

Big mamma and Aubrey

Kisses for baby

The Nursery

Aubrey's big girl room

My attempts to save some money and make her "decor."  Probably didn't save much in the end, but I think they turned out OK.

38 weeks!

Another check-up today and it looks like baby Baumhover is getting ready to make his/her debut.  I've made some progress since last week.  I'm 2 cm and about 70% effaced.  It could be anytime now, or a few weeks I suppose.  We'll just wait and see.  Now that Brian is done with school for the summer, I've had my hair cut, and Aubrey's double ear infection is under control...I'm ready.  We'll keep you posted!

Aubrey's Stage Debut

Aubrey's Mother's Day Out program had an end-of-year celebration this evening. Her class, the Teddy Bears, sang "Twinkle, Twinkle" along with one other class. She did a great job of holding up her star, but I don't think she sang a word of the song. She's been singing it everyday, but I think she was a little distracted by all the comotion.   I'll try to get a video clip on here tomorrow.

Brian was able to come too, which was great.  She's been missing time with Daddy!

37 week check-up!

The weekly Dr. visits have started and there is a little progress to report.  I'm about 1 cm dilated, which doesn't mean a whole lot I suppose, but I wasn't 1 cm until 40 weeks last time.  It's all a guessing game at this point.  Brian was able to come with me today and meet the Dr., plus we had a sonogram to check the position and size.  The head is down, so that's good news and they estimate the current weight is 6 lbs 11 oz.  He/she will probably pass Aubrey's 7 lb 4.5 oz mark.

Everything looks great, although it was hard to see too much since the baby is running out of room.  It did appear to be sucking his/her thumb, so it is already following big sister's lead.   We'll keep you posted.

Getting ready for baby

We pulled out the infant car seat the other day to wash the cover and get it all ready for the baby.  Aubrey immediately said "it's for my brother sister."  She made one attempt to climb in, and quickly realized she was too big.  Her "naked baby," however, was not.  She spent a good hour in the nursery yesterday rocking the baby in the car seat, changing her diaper, turning on the "rock-a-bye" (aka white noise machine), and telling me "sssshhhhhh...baby sleeping."  Best of all, she actually smiled big for a picture next to the baby.  I think she is getting pretty excited for the real tiny baby to arrive.  We've talked so much about it, I think she's sick of hearing about it and is ready to meet her brother or sister.  

I have been having a lot of Braxton-Hicks contractions this time around, and Aubrey gets very concerned when I hold my belly and appear uncomfortable.  The other day during such an episode, she asked "mommy go hospital. Go see Dr. and check heartbeat?"  I couldn't believe she put it together that when mommy's belly hurts it might be time for the baby to come. Crazy what they pick up on at this age.

OK... against my better judgement, I am including a prego picture of me so I will stop getting grief.  36.5 weeks and counting!!!