Happy Easter!

I was never a big fan of Easter  (setting aside the religious aspects anyway).  I don't love pastels, the weather usually stinks here, I don't like the little girls frilly dresses, and I can't STAND the hats, gloves and little purses girls have.  I couldn't love it any more now though.
Rewind...  We'd been trying to get pregnant for 4 excruciating years.  It seemed that everyone around us was getting pregnant the instant they thought about it.  It was our 8th or 9th (and last) IUI and it just happened to fall on a cold dreary Easter Sunday.  I had pretty much given up hope of it working and was trying to figure out how we could pay for IVF with no help from insurance.  We made the familiar trek to Seattle that morning and were supposed to go to Jim's moms later that day.  I couldn't go.  Jim went alone and I laid on the couch in the dark in sweats crying and feeling sorry for us.  Pitiful huh?

Little did I know that day that one of the biggest miracles of my life was occuring (ok, well it would occur over the next week or so).  It worked and we got our first beautiful miracle girl.  I'll never be cranky or negative about Easter again!  I still don't like the hats and gloves, but now I just smile and feel grateful that I have two little ones I could dress up that way if I ever chose to.  I am so very blessed, and it all began on Easter.

                                                          Stella - Easter 2008 (3 months old looking an AWFUL lot like Lucy does at 4 weeks!)
Happy Easter!

Lucille Jean Snider

Lucille (Lucy) Jean Snider was born on March 28th 2011 at 6:26 weighing in at a whopping 8lb 11 oz and 21.5".  It's only taken me 2 weeks to post this, what can I say, I've been just a little bit busy being in LOVE!

I was induced on Monday morning (she would have been a week late on Tuesday) and labor progressed almost identically to the way it did with Stella.  Slow at first, pitocin started to kick my butt, epidural was fabulous, and at about 5 pm still only being dilated to a "maybe" 5, I sent my Dad, Step-mom, and Jim to dinner.  The next time the nurse came in she told me it was time to push.  I had to call Jim to come back.  It took a few more pushes than it did with Stella (she was only 5 lb 10oz) and the nurse had to threaten to "help" her out if I didn't do it on the last push as she was in some distress with each contraction.  I was prepared for labor to be different this time as everyone says they're all different, but it couldn't have been scripted to be any more similar.

Stella's "babysitter" who is AMAZING and her second family, kept Stella for a sleep-over the first night and brought her in to see her baby.  It was one of the sweetest moments I've ever witnessed.

We got tons of pictures of everyone with Lucy and me, but in all of the craziness (the room was packed after she was born), we didn't get a single picture of all 4 of us in the hospital.  I can't believe I let that happen and it honestly breaks my heart just a little bit. 

She's been wanting to read to her baby for months and is finally getting the chance.  We're so very blessed to be able to watch these two miracles grow up together and the relationship they'll have.



If you're a facebook friend you've already seen these all...

The other day I told Jim I can see why people have 6 or 7 babies, they're addicting!  Lucy will be our last though, so I'm trying to soak up every second.  The first night home we were all at the dinner table and I starting sobbing.  I can't believe that after all we've been through here we are with two beautiful girls of our own.  I don't think I slept more than 2 hours that night, I couldn't stop looking at her and didn't ever want to put her down.  There was also more crying...  I even cried watching American Idol!  Someone sang "Your Song" and the line "How wonderful life is while you're in the world" made me bawl.  I think it will be the quote that I put on my Lucy bracelet.  Stella and I had our song the whole time I was pregnant and Lucy and I never had that.  I guess I've found it.  I just wish I could somehow slow these first days down, the newborn days go by much too quickly!

And.... done!

The nursery is done! (Ok, it was done last week I just hadn't taken pictures and written a post yet) I know we'll all be spending a ton of time in this room, we already do.  I also know that it will evolve with our needs when she actually starts to spend time in it (she'll spend the first few months sleeping in our room)

One of the things that I LOVE about this house is that each of the kids' rooms has two windows (ours has 5 if you count the two in the adjoining bathroom!)  The morning light is absolutely beautiful!

Some people have wondered why we have a bed and a crib in the nursery.  We had both in Stella's room and actually got a TON of use out of the bed over the years.  We'd do a lot of reading, playing, changing, etc on it.  I foresee many hours spent in the chair too.  Stella has the rocking chair that my parents bought when I was born and I love the sentimentality of it.  I have to admit though, this is just so easy to glide in and it's super comfortable.  I never did find pillows that I liked, so I made all of the pillows, valences, and the crib skirt.

Here's the view when you enter the room:

View 2 is of the empty crib.  I'd love to have some pillows or a cute bumper, but there's no use spending time and money on it when none of it will be in there once she starts sleeping in it.  Even the lamb and rabit will be moved when the time comes.

Her mostly empty bookshelf...  We'd set out to get the Ikea bookshelf that was 4x4, but they no longer carry it at our store. Thank goodness - this is plenty big!  Stella is constantly "redecorating" it which I love.  There's a picture of her last ultrasound, a "dream big" print from Etsy, a book of quotes, and some toys for now.  All of the baskets are empty and waiting to be filled with her treasures.

This is the view from the closet area.  I think that once we start using this room we'll put her changing pad on the dresser.  I cannot bring myself to put a changing table in our house, I find it such a waste of furniture!

 So, with a day to spare (ok, I'm thinking it will be more like 5-7 but who's counting) you have her nursery.  I look forward to hours of happiness here and someday looking back at how it evolves as she changes.

Winding down

We're a few days out now and I feel like it's the calm before the storm.  The nursery is officially done, we don't have any commitments for the weekend, and Stella and I have been doing a lot of snuggling.  As anxious as I am to meet this little one, I'm trying to make a conscious effort to savor this time.  It's my last few days of feeling a little life inside.  It's something that after all of our struggles I am so very grateful to be able to experience.  Jim has said a few times, "oh, your poor body.  I'll be glad when you don't have to do this anymore."  I don't feel that way at all.  I'm beyond blessed to have this experience and part of me will be sad when it's done.

I'm also trying to soak up these last few days of Stella being an only child.  Part of the reason I fought so hard to have a second was so that she would NOT be an only child, but now that things are about to change I'm cherishing all of the one on one time she and I enjoy.  I could never have imagined how much she would become my little buddy.  She had a tough time the other night so we were in her room rocking and snuggling.  I told her that when the baby gets here I won't be able to hold her all of the time.  She said that Daddy can hold the baby and I can hold her.  I asked her if she was going to get upset when I held the baby and she nodded.  When I asked why she replied, "because then I won't be able to have cocoa on your lap and snuggle."  (our nightly before bed routine).  I promised her she'd always be able to sit on my lap to have her cocoa and snuggle while I cried and got in some sniffs of her hair because I realized how much her little life is about to change.  It will be wonderful and I know that they'll be so lucky to have each other, but my biggest fear is still how much she and I will miss each other.  I am completely and utterly head over heels for this little stinker!

I'm going to miss it a little... shhh :)

I'm so looking forward to spending the spring home with my girls.  I was supposed to be done working on Friday, though now it looks as though I may be working an extra week.  (We'll see what the Dr thinks at my appointment on Thursday)  Though I'm so excited to be done, and March is a rough month in schools, I also know that I'm going to miss the hustle and excitement of the end of the year.  I'll miss being there as my Seniors get ready to move on with their lives.  One of my seniors said to me, "I've been waiting to take this class since Geometry (I had her as a Sophomore)!  Why'd you have to get pregnant and leave this year?"  Ah, it warmed my heart and made me a little sad.  When I told them they may be stuck with me for an extra week I prepared myself for the groans but they were so happy.  Too often we hear complaining, it's nice hear the good stuff too.  It's always nice to feel the love.

Three of my classes have taken up pools on date/weight/length.  You want a good laugh?  Ask a high school boy about babies, they have provided endless laughs!

So as thrilled as I am not to have to return to work this time around, I do know that when June rolls around I'm going to miss the end of the year rituals and especially my seniors.

One week - I'm ready!

Baby girl No. 2 is due in 1 week and we're all so very ready to love her up.  Yesterday, Stella told me that she can't wait for her baby to pop out.  Lovely huh?  She also tells me often that she wants baby out so she has more room on my lap.  She says she can't get comfy on my lap when we snuggle at night.  I love that she calls is "her" baby.  Friday, when I went in to wake her up she said, "I remember the baby is out of your belly."  I asked her if she had a dream about the baby being born.  She said, "Yes, and I'll teach her to walk.  I'll hold her hand while she walks, walks, walks, (she did a little walking motion with her fingers without ever opening her eyes) and I won't push her."  I really can't wait to see them together! 

Here's one last picture of the belly.  I was doing so well documenting it for a while, but life got in the way.  It's HUGE!  I've traumatized my poor students with shots of skin, I just don't have shirts that are long enough to cover it all. 

Stella "demanded" a photo shoot the other day.  She typically does not like me taking her picture, she can't be bothered.  The other day she was sitting on the steps and said, "Mama, isn't this pretty?  You should take a picture." I then had to take dozens of pictures while she went through different poses.  We're shocked daily at how fast she changes.  People say that babies change quickly, but nobody prepares you to get your 3 year old up and find a different person than you put to bed that night!

The nursery is waiting on ONE LAST THING and then I'll post pictures.  I should finish in time (although I'm ready to start speed walking and inhaling spicey foods!)  Ok, enough rambling - my mind is mush!

I can see the future...

Stella spent a few hours with her Aunt Katie on Saturday.  They made the cutest little unicorn for the baby (kind of like build a bear and they put a heart in it).  I put it on the dresser in the nursery, and Stella promptly moved it to the bookshelf.  After she went to bed, I put it back on the too-naked dresser.  I got pretty much chewed out when she found out.  I can't believe that this little 3-year old wanted  a new mama because I changed her hinges and door knob to her room, and is now in charge of decorating.  I can only imagine the power struggles that are going to occur during her teen years!  In the end, the unicorn that she made is hanging out on the bookshelf.  It's just one of those things that is NOT a big deal and it's so much more important to me to let her make some choices and to be respectful of them.  (pictures coming SOON)

I also worked on a little arrangement of frames.  They'd been hung, but were empty.  I finally decided that until we have pictures of her to use she will have pictures of Jim, Stella, and I in her room.  I printed four (two of him, two of me) that kind of went together and let him choose...




(Jim on the left, Julie on the right)

I can't believe how similar they are!  Same age, pose, direction - I love it!  It's not the first time this has happened.  When I was putting together pictures for our wedding I found Christmas pictures from my first, his second, Christmas and they were also the same.  Same chair, same Santa - crazy!

So, I want to finish up a couple more things before I post finished nursery pictures.  We are two weeks out!  Almost everything is ready, just a couple more things on the "to-do" list that lives on the kitchen counter.  :)