September Post

It's October! Exciting! I think I'm surprised every year by how much I love the holidays and the lovely feeling I get thinking about Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas (and my birthday), and the lead up to all those occasions.

September was pretty mellow. We're still getting a lot of help from our parents to get Everett to and from school and to entertain the older kids so I can care for Rosalind and zone out due to sleep deprivation. But everyone's doing well adapting to this change in our family.

We got the pictures back from our newborn shoot with our talented photographer friend Dana Holt. Who else could get such a great family shot?! And capture the kids' silly sides so well.

Baby's first bath in the tub. She'd been rinsed off in the sink before, but this was the real deal on September 1st.

My dad took this one of me and the tiny babe. She really is small! Even big newborns are so small.

My mom likes to bring over special projects for the kids to do. Lydia can paint page after page after page, and Everett needs to change/break the rules. You want me to finger paint?! I'll use me feet! I kept hearing my mom say, "oh Everett no!"

In the midst of moving from Chicago to Houston, Katie came to visit and got to meet Roz so young!

I do these questionnaires with Everett at the beginning and end of school every year. This year, I missed the first day. I was just too consumed with Rosalind. But two weeks later, I put him back in his first day of school outfit and took a picture. I get a pass this year!!

I know the last answer doesn't fit with the second to last. We'd all been commenting on how he needs to practice staying in the lines. He heard it loud and clear, and we don't mention it anymore. He's definitely working on it.

Finishing off the series. Hurrah! She's such a big one-month-old. Of course I completely forgot to do one at one week. Having three and one in kindergarten is different, guys. I forget stuff.

And here they all are! Growing, growing, growing! Holy moly, I'm glad I'm not pregnant anymore. I love having Roz here.

Lydia let me french braid her hair. Lydia, Everett, and Brian all working on plans--Brian and Everett's for the Lego table. I'm not sure what Lydia was designing. My wild girl with crazy hair. And frozen yogurt. I took Lydia and Rosalind out to do errands on the hottest day. I had to do it because we needed Rosalind's birth certificate. We also stopped at the UPS Store, and while there we got yogurt (we were already out of the car!), but we only got to eat a few bites before Rosalind started crying inconsolably and we had to leave (life with a newborn).

Baby's first puppet show.

And I love comparing babies--to each other, to themselves. These are both Lydia. We have this chair out for Roz, and Lydia can't help sitting in it. I didn't even pose her. I found the first image after taking the second.

Everett's first parent teacher conference! Brian and I met there wearing the exact same color, like dyed in the same Old Navy batch same color. We were pretty embarrassed, embarrassed and amused. Of course, Everett's doing really well. Top of the class. She said the trick will be to keep him challenged, but so far, he's enthusiastic and loves school.

Lydia in a leotard! Too cute for words! She loves gymnastics.

The girls got to go to the doctor's together. Both are healthy and growing. Rosalind was 12 pounds 8 ounces and 24 inches long. Another big baby!

Everett made Roz her very own Netflix channel. I like the way he spelled it--phonetic? Kinda?

Lydia had her first day of "school" at Playtime Discoveries, parent participation. She used up all the paper painting before we could stop her. And she enjoyed the paper plate craft (something I never once got Everett to do).

Brian came with us and will probably continue to take Lydia on his own for a while. He's taking 10 Fridays off for paternity leave!! I'm going to get so used to it. 3 day weekends (and 4 day weeks) are the best.

Rosalind's perking up a bit. We got her a high chair, and she actually seems to like being included at mealtimes.

Lydia had her teeth pulled!! It went really well. She was cooperative, and the drugs didn't knock her out too much. The ride home and the first few hours were rough. There was pain and numbness, and she was a bit wobbly on her feet. But she was pretty much back to her old self by the end of the day. And she got to put her teeth in the window for the tooth fairy to collect, and she got two gold dollar coins in return. A tooth fairy visit before her big brother! Pretty cool! She'll be getting her new teeth October 19th.

This has been such a big month for Lydia. She's been learning the whole potty thing, and it's been going really well. Yet another thing that makes us say, "she's so different from Everett!" For one thing, he didn't care to be praised. She LOVES being praised. She takes bows when we praise her for using the potty!

And she's talking so much! It's still not super clear, but it's getting clearer all the time. She'll say full, accurate sentences like, "where did Elbow go?" Elbow's a dog. And yesterday at speech she said, "my mom likes tea." But my favorite phrases right now are "Rozzy eat you?" when she's talking about Rosalind nursing. And "my share you?" when she wants to share our food.

We've started saying good night and leaving Lydia alone to go to sleep by herself at night. I know that doesn't sound like a big deal, but after she weaned a year ago, someone would always lay with her in bed until she went to sleep. Now she's putting herself to sleep, like her brother does (after books with brother and more books on her own).

Even at 5-years-old Everett still thinks it's funny to put stickers on his sister's head. And his mom's head. The top right picture is newborn Lydia.

Apple picking at Avila Valley Barn.

Brian made this cool Lego table! I was a bit nervous about the color, but it actually looks pretty good in our living room (until Roz can get into it--then it can live in Everett's room).

Pirate dress-up day at school. Left was my choice, right was Everett's choice. Silly Lydia in her fun glasses from Grandma Kathie.

Roz in her chair looks so much older than 5 weeks! And Baby's first dinner at the Asdel Gran's house. 

Look at her getting so much more expressive! We're looking forward to even more smiles in October!

I'll wrap things up with a picture of Roz with Lydia's (clean) underpants on her head and body.

Until next month!

August Post: Rosalind is here!

It's September already?!? So funny to be having that thought when July and the first half of August went by so slowly. But then Rosalind arrived and time is flying by, as we knew it would. 

Exciting that this will be the first post of a new blog book. What a way to start a new book! With the introduction of our new family member. 

Beyond Rosalind making her appearance, Everett finished preschool, started kindergarten, and we did a few other fun things. 

Introducing Rosalind Elise Asdel Cisneros! 

Born August 14th 2015 at 6:52 pm

weighing 10 lbs., 3 oz., 21 3/4 inches long

She's so sweet. We all love her so much already. And we're very happy she's here. 

I'll go back and talk about Rosalind's arrival. She was due July 31st. I'd been having some contractions and other pre-labor symptoms for at least a month. Imagine every "sign" you're about to go into labor. I'd had it. So, every day for a month we were like "any minute now!" That's exhausting. And since I seemed so ready, Brian took the last week of summer school off, then he had two weeks of "summer vacation." We were planning to be adjusting to life with a newborn then, not still waiting for our newborn.

So, on Friday August 14th, we dropped the kids off with Phil and Gion and went to the hospital for my second non stress test (I had one at the doctor's office two days before) and an ultrasound. Once again, I passed with flying colors and was free to go home. But they also said I was welcome to stay and be induced. It was such a hard decision because I had waited this whole time specifically to avoid an induction. I wanted to labor at home and be hooked up to machines at the hospital for as little time as possible (like I did with Lydia). But, the latest my doctor was willing to let me go was Monday (17 days late), and that was Brian's first day back at work. So, induction that day would leave me alone. If we induced that day, Friday, and everything went well, we'd have one day at home together before school started. Wait any longer and I was in the hospital up until Brian started work. So we stayed!!

Luckily "induction" this time meant breaking my water (I was already over 4cm). That's all it took! (unlike my labor with Everett that was 24 hours of Pitocin). I labored mildly for a while. Brian and I played cribbage. I started laboring harder, decided I'd like my epidural, the anesthesiologist was finishing up a c-section, it took 45 minutes for her to get there, I was hating everyone in the room, I started getting the urge to push WHILE getting my epidural, they said that can happen (just the position I was in), but when they checked me right afterward, I was 9.5 cm dilated (why no one thought to check me before is beyond me--but I'm glad they didn't), I got some much appreciated relief for a bit before the pushing started. A couple of pushes, and Rosalind was out! At 6:52 pm. Maybe 6 hours total from breaking water to meeting baby. She was "sunny side up," which I've been told is more painful, but I can't say the pushing was any more painful than my other two experiences.

If I'd known how fast and uncomplicated the labor would be, I would have had my water broken a week earlier. But you know what they say about hindsight.

But Rosalind was finally out and with us! She was big! 10 pounds 3 ounces! Everett was 9 pounds 4 ounces and Lydia was 8 pounds 8 ounces.

I like this. Mom watching nervously as baby is poked and prodded. Just kidding. I don't think she was poked at all at this point.

An hour later we had some visitors!! Big Brother and BIG Sister! Grandma Gion, Grandpa Phil, Grandpa George, Grandma Kathie, Cousin Bob, and Rachel! The kids had a great time staying with Phil and Gion. They were eating ice cream right before meeting their baby sister. Lucky ducks! 

We stayed in the hospital the required one night, Rosalind already showing her mellow personality. We watched Hot Fuzz, The Hangover, and Hannibal, picked at the healthy hospital food (but really enjoyed the sushi and champagne Phil and Gion brought us), and critiqued the hospital menu (what is Latin Food? Sugar Foods?--super foods).

The next morning, we got another visit from Rachel. She visited right before I went into labor too--hung out and brought yummy snacks--what a friend! Then Phil and Gion with Everett and Lydia. They were on their way to the beach! Everett and Lydia got their gifts from Rosalind. Everett took the shark, which he named Roar. Lydia took he octopus, which Everett named Sandy but Lydia just calls "Octopus."

Some cute and silly Big, Big, Little shirt pictures.

Family photos. They're so sweet with her, most of the time.

Here the kids are at the beach, having a blast while we were stuck in the hospital. 

Then we got a visit from George, Kathie, and Bob. We're so happy Bob stayed in town a little longer to meet Rosalind before heading to his property to start work on his house.

As with the other two, we made it very clear we wanted to leave as soon as we could. They make you stay for 24 hours. We were able to go home around 10 pm, after Rosalind passed her bilirubin screening. Luckily Phil and Gion had already planned to take the kids for another night. So we got home to a peaceful house, no more hospital sounds, and started adjusting to life with a new baby.

Let's go back to July 30th, since I last blogged on the 29th.

What an unfortunate coincidence! July 30th was the day Lydia smashed her face into the coffee table. An event that will forever be burned into my memory.

While I was making lunch, Lydia got up on the back of the couch, and jumped or "flew," I only saw it out of the corner of my eye. But her teeth and face slammed into the coffee table. Blood everywhere. I cleaned her up a bit and called the dentist. We scheduled to meet soon at his office. In the meantime, Everett was so sweet. He set the table for a lunch we would never eat.

Since then, we've seen our dentist a few times. Then a pediatric dentist for a consultation (second picture). Our dentist wasn't immediately concerned, but it's looking more and more like she'll be losing her two front teeth.  I feel really bad about this for a whole host of reasons, but I'm sure I'll get used to her toothless grin.

If Rosalind was born on time, Lydia's face would have been a puffy, bruised mess. Makes me kind of happy she was so late so Lydia looked almost back to normal in the hospital pictures. Yes, I'm shallow.

Oh man, are we done with pink shirt pictures yet?!

Some things we did while waiting for Roz. Everett brought me his "stuffies" because I was so big and feeling miserable. Kamryn came to visit and Lydia adored her immediately. Brian made the labor inducing eggplant parmesan. Of course we know it's ridiculous, but it was so yummy and made great leftovers for days and days! All the "men folk" working on the jeep.

Nope, not done with pink shirt pictures, and we're all getting a bit giddy. In the first pictures in this blog, I had gotten dressed to do our 42 week pink shirt photo, but we ran out of time (and patience?). We had to pack for the hospital and for the kids' overnight with Grandma and Grandpa, so it didn't happen. But I was wearing the shirt!

More things that happened while waiting for Rozzy. Lydia turned two-and-a-half (8/8), Brian made a picnic table, and Everett had his last day of preschool. Sweet picture with his good friend Paloma.

We had a great time at Everett's preschool graduation. He preformed The Very Hungry Caterpillar and sang "Mr. Rabbit." He was recognized for moving on to kindergarten and got a book (called Milk, that he can read himself) and pendant. 

I was so happy I could make it. As the date got closer, I started worrying that I'd go into labor and miss it. I didn't! Had a lot of conversations about how I was woefully overdue, but that's to be expected. 

And then Rosalind showed up the next day!

We've been hanging out at home a lot. The kids have been getting used to there being a baby in the house. The Hunters came over on the 16th. Rachel, very thoughtfully, wanted to come visit before the kids were exposed to school germs. I like this picture of me nursing R. Happy World Breastfeeding Week! It really was right before she was born.

Dixie and Jason came up to visit and meet Rosalind. Brian took advantage of Bob being here to get help fixing his leaf blower.

Everett's first day of kindergarten!! It was a very exciting morning. Gion and I took Everett and Lydia and waited with the throng of other "late birds" and their families. Phil stayed home with Roz.

The night before, Brian and Everett had attended a sort of "meet-n-greet"/back to school night where they got his room assignment and met his teacher.

We had fun posing for these sibling shots. Lydia's more enthralled with the baby. Everett likes to be a goof--pretending to breastfeed her, messing with her snaps. Baby is unamused.

The kids are generally very sweet siblings. Neither of them are careful or gentle enough, so they need to be supervised with her at all times. She sure will be tough! Lydia likes to "read" to Rosalind.

Eating popsicles with my mom. My mom has been such a big help lately. She's spent countless hours at our house entertaining and caring for the kids, doing kindergarten drop-offs and pick-ups. Phil and Gion have also helped so much. They usually take the kids to their house, so I don't have any pictures. We have the best "village." We literally couldn't do this without them.

Everett and my mom bought Rosalind a card for her one week birthday.

Meeting Henry. And meeting Katie over FaceTime. Keith, Pelin, Aras, Dijar, and Ben Blair also came to visit when Henry was here but I didn't get pictures.

Roz wearing the traditional Hunter/Asdel Cisneros onesie, I love that Everett's default movie to watch while eating popcorn is The Wizard of Oz, Grandma Kathie stopped by for a little snuggle, and Lydia getting creative with old Easter baskets.

The kids were with Phil and Gion, so Rosalind got some floor time. The floor isn't usually a safe place for her. Aw. Lydia loves her sister so much already.

My parents came over to ogle the baby and bring us a yummy dinner. My dad took these pictures.

Everett's been in kindergarten for two weeks now. It seems like a great fit so far! I love this self portrait he brought home. He got the eyelashes right! When he can, Brian's been taking the kids out disc golfing to give Roz and I some alone time. Sometimes they're lucky to meet up with Rosa and Ines. This time they were at Laguna in SLO.

Three kids in the car for the first time! We were going to the Hunters' for bunch. We had such a nice time, we got to see them moved into their new home, and the girls got to hold Rosalind again.

Ok, one last picture, and I'll wrap this longer than expected blog up! Wendy and Ash sent us "Christmas in August." Very thoughtful and fun gifts for all of us. We miss our Colorado family.

Geez, I thought August was pretty dull beyond Rosalind's birth, but I guess I was wrong. It was an unusual month for sure, but we managed to fill it.

Until next month!