What a Fall It's Been

Wombles is settling into home life!


Wow, so it's been a while. I remember saying to J.D., "I can't believe I haven't blogged since October SIXTH!" He said, "What you should be saying is, "I can't believe I've blogged since William was born!" What a nice guy. :) Of course, that conversation was at least a month ago...

The fall has flown here, all the more speedily with no falling leaves, color, or real temperature change until the past week, when our highs have dipped into the 60s. We are in a routine, and it's hard to mark that we're moving through time when every day seems so much like the one before. There are some highlights though! For example:


I heard Bud in the bathroom (a no-no without parental notification) running water (again...). As I was nursing Wombles, I just called to see what he was doing. "Washing my hands, Mama!" was the reply. I asked him to come out...somehow I had missed his discovery of one of Pixie's blue markers. Once he came out, he looked at me for a moment before wiping his marker-wet hands across his face. Just for fun, I guess!

This is one of the post-op photos of Pixie for her Chicago surgeon. It has been seven months now, and we're looking ahead rather than backwards now. We have an appointment with a new surgeon down at UCLA in January, but are really hoping to come back to Chicago instead.

In late October Wombles made his first cross-country trip with me. We saw my parents and grandmothers, and went to Stef's wedding in Savannah. Congratulations Stef and Kerry!

Our little munchkins on Halloween. I was vicariously Dorothy...Pixie's only seen about 5 minutes of the Wizard of Oz in her life, but I found the real-deal costume and couldn't pass it up. She was a good sport. Maybe she'll be a ladybug again next year (has been one twice already). Bud still likes to put on the dragon costume, only he thinks that means he can run to the neighbors and ask for candy any time he's wearing it.



"C----n on the Carry, II"

Westmont College had a Fall Festival mid-November, and Pixie and Bud had their first experience of a bounce house. It was awesome.

Yes, it's really fall, despite the green grass and palm trees...

Early smile from Wombles--he grins at us often now ,and has even learned to laugh! J.D. is best at getting the chuckly giggles to come.

With the Thanksgiving break so short, it was nice to be close enough to family to drive. We went to Quincy (J.D.'s first Thanksgiving at home since he was 14) and celebrated with his parents, his sister & her family, grandmother....

The five eldest cousins had a great time playing. The younger two (Wombles and Effers) are about 2 months apart in age, and aren't running around QUITE yet.

We are still settling in. The garage is still full of boxes, although by now most of them are opened, some with contents strewn about. We are looking forward to the break from classes for J.D., for visits to come (We love you Matt and Brandy!!), to celebrating the first coming of Christ. May your December be peaceful and joyous. And thanks for checking in.

Wombles' Homecoming

J.D. came and helped me get out the door of Cottage Hospital--I had stayed the full two days...mostly to get rested up before heading back into the fray. As it turns out, my Mom pretty much held down the fort for those first few days back. What a blessing! Here, J.D. gets Wombles all buckled up--and the lad seems none to happy about heading out into the wide, wide world.









Wombles! Surely it can't be that bad...

OK, we're in the Astro, not the Ferrari, in case you were wondering (Santa Barbara truly is a surreal place to call home)

I really don't think Wombles has much to complain about, with this being his drive home.

Then again, maybe he foresaw the welcome awaiting him...I wish I had the audio (Bud developed a new, high-pitched shriek of excitement especially for the occasion).

Welcome Home, Wombles!!

The two-part Bud welcome: Sweet kisses,
and
"Bud--Wombles' eyes are NO TOUCH!!"

Pixie did dances to welcome Wombles home--and she's great at holding him, too!

The Arrival!

Wombles

Hello again! It's funny to me now that just over 12 hours after that last post, our little rascal made his debut. We are occasionally referring to him as "scooter"-- once he decided to join us, he didn't tarry too much. If you are interested in more of those sorts of details, see the bottom of the post... here are the first-day photos!

Family of Five!

His middle name is after his Dad, of course...I hope Wombles grows up to be just like him. I have always had intense admiration for J.D., and that has only grown during this pregnancy, for his heroism and sacrifice.


Pixie is a proud--and prime--big sister.

After repeatedly checking to be sure that the baby was "out of Mama's tummy" and "bo--orn," Bud was ready to inspect the toes. He's been talking about putting little shoes on the baby for a couple of weeks now.

J.D. came back to visit later Monday night, and got some eyeball-to-eyeball time with young Wombles.

On Sunday night, after deciding that the babe was definitely going to be late, we got to bed at a decent hour. Around 4 am, my water broke, but no contractions; since I'd never had my water break before, I had no idea what I was supposed to do. It didn't qualify as an "emergency" (to me), so while I waited to see whether anything would happen soon I started to fold laundry (J.D. picked up Aristotle, figuring correctly that there wouldn't be much time to finish class prep on Monday). Around 4:40am I realized that contractions were starting; we got to the hospital with my mom around 5:30am (my dad stayed with P&F); and Wombles was born at 8:36am!! His cord was wrapped twice around his neck and once around his body. We had known something was up but the nurses and doctor did a great job of not letting me get nervous about it. In fact they were completely wonderful. The delivery was definitely the best yet.

He is a big, healthy boy who likes to sleep a lot and has decided that eating's not too bad, either. Pixie and Bud are being wonderful, and are besotted--all kinds of sibling kisses. We feel so blessed.

We are also blessed that Mom was able to stay and help. Thank you Nona!! And DD, for sharing her with us!

Homecoming and early shots coming, soon. Thanks for sharing in our joy!!

F.C., for the five of us!

Not Yet...

Hello, everyone. Yes, today is the due date, and no, there isn't a baby yet. We will let you know when the rascal arrives!

We are enjoying a visit with my Mom and Dad, and we're all acting like we're not waiting for something to happen. Pictures soon. :)

Due!

I don't know whether you can read my shirt or not, but it reads "DUE / Santa Barbara" and was given to me by a friend in the neighborhood here. So what if I'm not technically due for another 9 days. We're all hoping for an earlier arrival, especially as the little due dude has settled into pinching a nerve in my back that can at times make walking difficult. Pixie and Bud are being super-champs about having a limpy, gimpy Mom...and J.D. has been downright heroic. Anyway, so I'm feeling due! :)

Besides feeling the Irish are due for a win tomorrow (Michael Hart nothwithstanding), this week Bud was overdue for a haircut. J.D. came home on Wednesday and gave him one in the backyard. I love this shot with the shadow of the scissors...

Halfway through?

Last weekend we took a family trip down to the wharf, where J.D. outfitted the kids and let them fish. Pixie was pretty easily distractable...

But she still got (as she emphatically and repeatedly referred to it) a "little nibble". She was actually right--she caught a tiny crab, which was very exciting.

Bud's first trip fishing

OK, this is J.D.'s idea and caption:

"C------n on the Carry"

(Last weekend, the false labor must have had us a little bit giddy!)

Cheer, Cheer for old Notre Dame

The crew in "The Shirt" 2007

I know I just posted, but about an hour of false labor tonight (9/8) has me wanting to get caught up with things a little bit. I packed my hospital bag this afternoon, cleaned out and organized the pantry last week, and we--hooray!--have the nursery all set up. The garage is, alas, still full of boxes...

So, we're all pretty disappointed in the luck of the Irish so far this season. Is the only balm that Michigan is having just as hard of a time (and they with higher expectations??) This is apparently the first time in history that both programs have started 0-2 the same year. Good thing we play them next weekend. Someone has to snap this losing streak! It reminds me of my senior year of high school, when our last game was homecoming and we were playing the cross-town rival...who also happened to have no wins on the entire season. Yikes.

We think that Bud is finally "getting it" that a baby brother is on the way. I think it has been the combination of spending time with a baby boy from down the street and seeing the tiny little baby shoes in the nursery closet (these were Bud's, but he was too big at birth to wear them. I'm hoping this one is under, say, the nine-pound mark!!). So what if half the time he says the baby is in his own tummy? He can make it poke out alot like mine.

As I type, we are 14 days out from "the date." We haven't been early yet, but this time I'm kinda hoping...we'll see!

Remnants from Hurricane Deane gave us a rare sunset


P& B view the penguins at the zoo from underwater


Pixie tucks Bud in on his first night in the toddler bed...

...And where we found him when we came in to check later that night

Flora's Visit

We had a great time with our niece, Flora. Besides an exciting trip to the zoo (the lioness above was not messing around--some camp kids had really irritated her--good thing there was glass between us! You should have heard it when she batted at the glass) we bopped around town and took a fun nature walk. We've been to the zoo several times since and still haven't seen the male lion. Maybe he's scared of the lioness, too.

The Chinese alligators are runts compared to what we have down in South Georgia (or maybe this was a baby)

Bud LOVES the elephants

A rare misty-moisty day down at the coast. The fog did burn off while we were down there, but the difference from normal has a beauty of its own. There wasn't much swimming until the sun came out.

Bud was more into swimming in the sand.

Oak-tree-playhouse amigas and chalk artists extraordinares, Pixie and Flora got to share lots of time together. We're so grateful! We miss you, Flora!