He's Here!

Well he's here!!  :)  Cooper James Hermanstorfer was born Saturday afternoon at 12:53 October 13th.  He was 7lbs and 14 oz and 20.5 inches long. 

As for the details...even only a few days later they are a blur!  It happened fast.  :)  We went in Saturday morning at 7 but didn't really get started til 8:30 ish.  At about 9 they hooked me up and gave me Pitocin.  I was really hoping to avoid an IV but they were worried that if they started by breaking my water there would be no progress still and they'd be forced to do something.  So we started Pitocin. 

The contractions I was already having and have been for weeks got more regular and intense and on top of each other but when they checked me a couple hours later...nothing.  No progress.  At this point they broke my water because the contractions were happening regularly.  I honestly don't know what time this was...after 11 am when she broke my water.

After that things happened VERY fast.  And this one hurt.  I mean I hurt with the girls but I don't remember even remotely considering an epidural with Abby's labor.  This time around it was in my back so bad it made everything else hurt.  There was no comfortable position to sit or stand in.  I remember laying there at one point and talking myself out of throwing up and I knew I was probably about 8 cm.  (I was right)  I remember they told it was ok to start pushing about 12:45 ish and less then 10 minutes later he was born. 

 

The girls are completely enamored with him.  They are constantly smooching on him and wanting to hold him. 

So far he's made it VERY clear he does not like to be naked or cold.  He does NOT like having his diaper changed and has incredibly strong legs that you have to pry down from his ears when you change him!

He's doing good at sleeping, and snuggling and is just a perfect Lil Man that I love.  :) 

And he is amazing and adorable and perfect and it feels right.

Hannah + Abby + Cooper = Just right. :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dinner Napkins and the Doctor's Office and Are You KIDDING Me!?

Now...I want to know something...really just humor me for a moment.  I'm aware no one probably really knows the answer to this deep thought provoking conundrum, but, I find myself pondering it today. 
I have had many an annual lady check-up, and what with having three kids and all I've been at the doctor's office quite a lot in the last several years, and I am always baffled...why when it's time for you to strip down for the exam do they hand you a fabric dinner napkin to place around you?  I mean these appear to be nothing special.  I find it hard to believe they are custom made for a doctor's office, and it doesn't seem to matter which medical establishment I get said exam in...it's always the same.  I am told, "Here is a drape to place around you for the exam.  The doctor will be with you in a moment." And there I am left standing there with what appears to be a discarded napkin that once resided on someones table at dinner time. 
...Perhaps in an effort to save money they are collecting old cloth napkins from local Goodwills?  They all appear to be solid in color but I may not be surprised to be handed one one day that appears to have a faded gold Christmas theme on it.  Or a turkey pattern that was used at Great Aunt Ethel So and So's once elaborate Thanksgiving table setting!  I do not understand!  It does not matter if you weigh next to nothing...these dinner napkins do not cover you!  It has no prejudice!  I know even the skinnies can't wrap that around their waist!  And they are always perfectly square so you find yourself trying desperately to turn it every direction hoping, perhaps one side is just a wee bit bigger and you can wrap it around somehow...oh but no. 
I'm no fashion expert, but it seems like as far as we have come in life and with all the strides we've made medically this could perhaps be one area we could make improvements in.  Perhaps instead of scouring the local Goodwills for discarded cloth dinner napkins we could upgrade to searching for old table cloths.  These seems more fitting for us ladies. Seems logical to me...now who do I petition for that....

Wednesday I had my appointment.  I am 39 weeks.  This is not a horrible thing.  ...It's not.  Unless you are like me and used to going into labor 3-5 weeks early.  It's not for lack of trying...he's been trying to get here.  Trust me I can feel it.  But alas, I stay at the same dilation (5) everything else ready to go.  So I woke up for my appointment early Wednesday morning and I felt like this:

This is my niece Kiah.  (She's gorgeous.  I have yet to smooch on her but I love her to pieces already)  This is an older picture of her. (She already looks so much older!!  Aah!) But I believe this particular face nails the emotion I have felt lately in still being pregnant.  I found myself trudging to my doctor's appointment thinking, What is the point of this!?  I go in she tells me I'm fatter and verifies I still have not had a baby!? I think I can do all that at home!?

Well as usual I went and when she walked in she gave me this OMG I am so sorry look...and then she said OMG I am so sorry.  Mostly because she knew I had been at the hospital a few days earlier pacing the halls with painful contractions 3 minutes apart and shorter...and yet....

So she offered up an induction for Saturday morning.  I was surprised at this.  Even more so since I really didn't say a whole lot...but perhaps she read in my face what the above picture of my niece relays so very well...so I am scheduled for tomorrow morning at 7 am for them to break my water.  Except about an hour ago I get a call from the hospital saying they are suddenly so busy and they are not sure they can get me in...(uh-huh) and could I please call first thing in the morning to see if they can still get me in or if I need to be bumped... ... ...

Now friends...things happen.  This I know.  However, what seems odd about this is every time someone I know has been scheduled to be in this particular hospital this EXACT thing has happened.  (And I know a lot of people having babies right now!) 3 of us from the same church.  And since I was there recently pacing the hallways early Sunday morning and noticed there was hardly a creature stirring...I have to wonder...really? 

So perhaps we will have a baby tomorrow and perhaps we will not.  I will say though, that if the answer is not...we can probably expect more of this:

 

Lil Conversation

So somehow yesterday Hannah and I got to talking about families...how I used to live with Gram and Popsie etc.  So then she asked how a person who wanted a baby but maybe couldn't have kids would be able to, so we started to talk about adoption, and how some kiddos we know are adopted and have a new family now that loves and cares for them very much because God gave them a family that wanted and loves them like they were born there.

She was asking about why a person gives a child/baby up for adoption so we discussed some of the reasons people give up their children, that there are some who just don't want a baby or a child to raise, or why maybe they weren't able to take care of their kids.  She was stunned to find out that there are kiddos all over the world without homes that are waiting for a family and she determined when she grows up she is going to adopt as many kids as possible.
(I think this is awesome by the way.  I think adoption is an incredible thing, that if everyone is on board can be so great!)

Fast forward to dinner...as we were eating Adam and I were talking to the girls about how today will be the last day without a brother, and how on Saturday he'll be here.  So then I jokingly said, "This is it.  Once he's here there's no going back.  We can't send him back."  And Hannah without missing a beat says: "Well...unless we want to send him out for adoption!"  hahaha  ...I think she was kidding. ;)

Learning to Pray

One of the things Adam and I did not know about this house before we moved in was that while the baseball fields across the street host many a soccer and baseball game as well as a carnival and various other events...it also is the landing spot for Life Flight.  So if any major accidents happen in this area sirens wail and close off streets, and then you hear the helicopter. 
Every single time this happens my heart sinks.  I don't even have to be looking to know what's going on.  If I hear a helicopter lingering around more than a minute I know something has happened. 
Sometimes we find out what's happened and sometimes we have no idea who is being lifted out to a Portland hospital, but every time my heart is so sad for whoever is being flown away...because it means it's incredibly serious.
The first time it happened I suggested to the girls we sit and pray for whoever it was being taken away...and that has continued. 
During a particularly bad incident involving a woman just down the street from us Hannah turns to me and says, "We need to pray for her Mom.  Pray that she'll be OK."  And so we did.  We sat outside as they were loading this woman onto the helicopter and we prayed for all the doctors and nurses that would touch her and for peace and that God would take the fear away.  And now every time a helicopter lands here (which is FAR too often, especially lately) either Abby or Hannah immediately mention that we should sit and pray for the individual.  This makes my heart glad.  They are learning to pray for even those we do not know directly.  They are learning that God cares for all of us, that we all have value.
Usually Hannah asks if I've found out how the person is doing.  She's always so concerned this one who's little heart cares so much for people.  I'm really hoping she doesn't ask about the one from the other day because it turns out it was a 1 year old that had been hit by a car just down the street from us...and he didn't make it. 
Life Flight has come to mean a little more to Hannah as well because a couple months ago we had a friend that had to be Life Flighted from a very bad car accident and we wonder and hope that someone who drove by or was around at the time saw that someone was being life flighted and stopped and breathed a prayer for whoever it was being lifted.  I am so thankful for these beautiful girls who have a heart and so much love for others.  And as long as we live here we will be in prayer over whoever that helicopter takes away. 

Little Conversations

Oh the things they come up with...that I never want to forget!

"Ohhh no no no Miss Abby. These do not go into my baking oven!! Not on my watch!" -Hannah after discovering where Ab stashed the DVDs.

"Nope! A cowgirl never stops." -Hannah at the pumpkin patch today when asked if she needed to use the restroom.

"Well Mama I am sorry but I has to go now because Papa is waiting fo me and he go to Hawaii and if he go without me he will be sad." -Abby explaining to me that from here on out Papa cannot handle Hawaiian trips without her. :)

"Mom...I've been making wishes on fluffy dandelions for a long time now and I haven't even told anyone what I wished for and the wishes aren't coming true!! ....I think the dandelions are FAKE!" -Hannah Grace

On our walk to the park today Abby saw lots of doggies-which she loves- and exclaimed with each one that she just wanted to "Queeze (squeeze) their little nose!!!"

Abby has come up with a new song on her guitar called: "Shake Your Booty on a Saturday." It's quite catchy. ;)

After spending over an hour up with Abby last night after she had a bad dream I was greeted by a teeny voice this morning saying: Good mornin my best buddy! Are you awake? ...I love her so.

Hannah's Party

We had such a nice time with all the friends who came out to celebrate Hannah being 5 years old.  :)  It was a very pink party. 

Normal Day...

Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so. One day, I shall dig my nails into the earth...and want, more than all the world, your return.

5 years!

 

Interview Questions for Miss Hannah's 5th Birthday

 

Age: 5

Favorite Color: Pink

Favorite Toy: All her art supplies

Favorite thing about her sister Abby: That she likes me so much

Favorite Cartoon: Kung Fu Panda or Doc McStuffins

Favorite Food: Pears

Her favorite outfit: The new pink party dress Gram just bought her (see above picture)

Her favorite snack: Goldfish crackers

Her favorite animal: Cats and the jumpy black pomeranian from the pet store

What do you want to be when you grow up: A vet/pet doctor

Favorite Book: The Dragon Prince: A Chinese Beauty and the Beast Tale

Favorite Thing to Do: Climb up a slide and slide back down.  Slide down the show slide at Enchanted Forest.

Who is your Best Friend: Abby

Where is your favorite place to go: Enchanted Forest

Now that you are 5 what would you like to know more about: Bugs and animals, and how to make animals feel better and how to knit a sweater and a scarf.

What do you love about yourself: That I can run fast, jump and hop...and my smile.

What do you think daddy does at work: Makes money

What's your favorite thing for breakfast: chocolate chip pancakes and scrambled eggs

What do you pray about: Family and that I won't ever get hurt on a treadmill again.

What do you take to bed to sleep with every night: My snoozy bear who keeps bad dreams away and a blankie and my sleep mask..and mouse and doggy.

...and also I love my daddy. :)

 

 

There you go.  A glimpse into a five year old Hannah's mind.  :)