Three's Company

Long time, no blog and now lots of catching up to do. There is no better thing to get me out of my anti writing slump than the desire to talk about something, or in this case someone, I love. Today that subject is Noah. Just three days ago he left the terrible twos behind for good and, despite a resistance to say goodbye to diapers, likes to proudly tell all that three makes him a "big boy"

He now declares himself a big boy, but that is a term I have always used for him considering he wasn't ever small to begin with. Joe was 11lbs 2 oz when born and a friend of mine had a 11lb 8oz baby not too long ago, so I know he wasn't the largest child ever born, but 9lbs felt pretty big to me at the time, and looking at him next to the other nursery babies seemed to bear that feeling out. But let me rewind a little here to the start of Noah's story.

When Joe and I found out we were having a boy, we were very excited. We would now have a child of each sex and would feel no pressure to have more children so as to get one or the other. Having been told how different boys were from girls we were also curious as to the differences of havnig a boy versus the cute little girl we had become accustomed to. Speaking of the little girl though, I was also very nervous. Chloe had been the center of our lives up to this point. She most always received our attention when she wanted it and always when she needed it. How was she going to deal with having to share the attention. How was she going to deal with not being able to be held when she wanted to, having to wait to play with mom or dad, or having to sometimes wait for other things she wanted. How was I going to deal with splitting my attention between the two and making sure they both knew how much I loved them each. Joe was great to calm my fears - he being one of 9 children, and I being one of six we both survived sharing our parents with siblings and, as he told me, so would our children.

On March 10, one day before my due date I went up to the hospital for a doctors appointment. I was excited to find out how dialated I was and hopeful that it was almost time for our little guy to join us. My wish was my body's command because when the doctor checked me she told me I was almost fully effaced and dialated to a three. She then dropped the bomb: "How about we have this baby today?" That the doctor told me that my time was here if I wanted it, was shocking to me and I still find that humorous, because it was exactly what I wanted to hear yet it freaked me out. She told me that she would be doing c-sections all day the next day and if I went into labor she couldn't guarantee that she would be able to deliver the baby but didn't think I would make it on my own through the day anyway. Considering I had Chloe to consider and arranging for her to be taken care of during my labor, and considered that I had been induced with Chloe and had experienced smooth sailing, I agreed with her idea to go home, gather my things, take care of Chloe and return.

Joe was also a little surprised when I called him as I was driving home and told him that today was the day, but we agreed we were ready and excited to have Noah here with us. While I called my mom and arranged details with Chloe, Joe prepared everything else. I still vividly remember sitting on the couch waiting for Joe to finish and watching Chloe as she played with some toys. She was so oblivious to what was going on and to the fact that her life was about to forever change. We had talked to her about having a baby, but even still, it was not a concept she really grasped. Tears started to well up as I felt bad for the inconveniences and hardships that she might experience as a result of Joe and my decision to add to our family and I felt bad for having to thrust this change on her. You could say the pregnancy hormones were in full swing by this point. True, her life did forever change but I would like to say they changed for the better, as no one is a better friend or playmate that her brother.

That brother arrived pretty quickly that day. We made it to the hospital about 12:30, got some pitocin in me at around 1:30, and epidural shortly following that and with little effort on my part, my 9lb 21 in wonderfully beautiful boy was born at 5:30. Chloe's delivery wasn't a hard experience in any way, but Noah's delivery was even that much smoother and I was surprised when they told me he was big, because I didn't feel like I had worked nearly as hard. My beautiful boy was here!

I have loved every minute of having Noah join our family. There were indeed the moments I feared, where Chloe needed something at the same time Noah did, and there were the stresses of carting two kids around places and dealing with having to remember two sets of things, but I wouldn't trade those moments for anything. Noah was a happy baby and made his first year of life a pretty smooth one.

Now three years into it I am happy to still be the mom of a child that is still happy and, most days, easy. Some of my favorite things about Noah this year are:

The way as he tells you things, he closes his eyes to emphasize his point.

How he just wants to sit close to me whenever I am sitting still. He loves my neck and will reach up to touch it as often as it is in reach

He is happy to do whatever Chloe wants to do, but I also often find him in his room just playing by himself.

He is obedient and his nursery teachers can't stop raving about how well behaved he is for them

He is always "starving" for something to eat and most often wants an apple.

When he has to go the bathroom he puts his hands to the ground and his butt in the air in whatever corner is closest - cracks me up.

He is a sponge and repeats everything he hears. Example: to the neighbors: "My dad call Adam a butthead" Proud parenting moment there

Is happy doing almost anything and makes me happy to watch him.

Opening Presents

Birthday Cake

Singing
I love my little Noah so much and feel so blessed to be his Mom. Happy Birthday to my little buddy!

Have to include a picture of my two other favorite subjects on his birthday. Way to cute to be mine!