Sleepless in Sarasota

We're coming up on the three week mark as a family of four. I've come to the conclusion that little Todd isn't fully human. In fact, I'm beginning think he is part dinosaur. Pterodactyl to be exact because I've seen Jurassic Park and Todd sounds just like the pterodactyls. Those are the winged dinosaurs that fly around and squawk. I'll be able to confirm that he is indeed part pterodactyl once I do the research and determine if pterodactyls are nocturnal because Todd, Todd grunts and squeals like nobody's business between the hours of 2am to 6am. He doesn't necessarily cry, but with the racket that he makes he might as well. So other than having his days and nights extremely mixed up and the fact that I haven't slept longer than a 2 hour increment in almost three weeks we are doing well. Brian started back to work on Monday and so far I have made it through two days at home alone with two kids and somehow we've even still managed to make it to Hayley's daily swim lesson. I'll be the first to admit that I'm not very pleasant however. I don't do well with little sleep so fair warning to all who cross my path for the next few weeks. When I was pregnant, I had eliminated caffeine from my diet, a habit I had hoped to continue postpartum. Of course reality has set in and with a toddler named Hurricane and my nocturnal dinosaur I'm now in the process of petitioning Starbucks to open a location closer to my home. So much for good intentions!

We've had several comments that Todd looks like his Daddy. Sigh. Yes, he does. I'm hoping to get some of Brian's baby pics scanned to compare to Todd. So to recap, currently Hayley is the spitting image of her Dad when he was about three and Todd looks just like Brian did as a newborn. I'm 0 for 2. I am pretty sure they are mine, but I am starting to wonder!

While Brian was at home last week we managed to finish up a project we had started before Todd was born. Brian's Dad found a used Power Wheels jeep in someone's trash. He got a new battery and Brian and I renovated the jeep for Hayley's upcoming second birthday. Yep, we "pimped her ride!"

Week 1

We successfully made it through our first week with TWO children. Truthfully, a day with Hayley can be like parenting two children (sometimes named Jekyll and Hyde) so in a way we are parents of three! Lucky for us though, Todd seems to be quite different then his big sister. He rarely fusses and so far appears to be very laid back. Our only complaint is that he seems to have his days and nights mixed up... boy do we miss sleeping!

Hayley has done better than we expected adjusting to life with a sibling. She's been VERY attached to Daddy though so it will be interesting to see how things go next week when Brian returns to work. For now we're just trying to enjoy each day together as a family. We've spent several days at the park trying to burn off Hayley's excess energy. Todd enjoys the outdoors and it's keeping us from getting cabin fever.

Below are some pictures of Todd and Hayley from his first week of life.

We'd like you to meet...

...Todd Michael Roberts who entered the world at 3:53pm on Friday, April 11th, 2008. Todd weighed 7 pounds, 7 ounces and was 20.25 inches long.

On Friday morning, I went to my scheduled 39 week Dr. visit to find out my blood pressure was elevated. I was sent to the hospital for another blood pressure check and some labs. Upon arriving at the hospital I was told they were going to induce me, which I adamantly did not want. Upon hooking me up to all the monitors though we realized that I was actually almost 4 cm dilated and having fairly regular contractions which I just wasn't feeling. Aware of my previously fast labor and my elevated blood pressure, the Dr. decided to keep me at the hospital, break my water, and get labor really going. Obviously the good Lord was taking care of us because I ended up going from 5 cm dilated to fully dilated in a time span of 30 minutes. I could have been in real trouble had I not had an appointment with the Dr. that day and thankfully Brian was there in plenty of time after driving back from Tampa.

We are "almost" all home from the hospital as Hayley will return from her stay with Nana and Papa later this afternoon. She did visit us in the hospital and say "baby" while pointing at Todd, but then went back to running around like a wild woman so it will be interesting to see her reaction to our new, permanent family member. Obviously we are proud parents and in complete adoration of our new little boy. So far he has been the complete opposite of Hayley as a newborn. He sleeps, rarely fusses, and is content being held. We aren't quite holding our breaths, but do have some hope that he may be "laid back." Oh, and he has hair! A reward for all that indigestion I had to put up with!

Obviously more updates and pictures will be forthcoming!

Expanding vocabulary or potty mouth?

I'm still pregnant. And as much as I'm physically ready to not be pregnant, I think emotionally I'm actually kind of glad to still be pregnant. It's not that I'm not excited to meet our new family member, but rather that the significant life change that is about to occur is just beginning to hit me. For almost two years Brian and I have showered just about every ounce of our attention on our precious little girl and the thought that we'll soon be dividing our attention is somewhat heartbreaking for me. I know that providing Hayley with a sibling will be a wonderful thing, but in the emotional haze that these remaining weeks of pregnancy have left me in, I'm still trying to convince myself that I'm not betraying our little girl.

I've been told that toddlers are much more perceptive and understand much more than we think. If that's the case, then I'm certain that Hayley knows life is about to change in a big way for her. In the past week she has given me a very strong introduction to why they're called the "terrible twos." Tantrums have been a daily occurrence in our household and I consider it a good day if we make it through with just one meltdown. Thank goodness she's cute.

Unfortunately, I'm not sure that just being cute is going to help either of us out with Hayley's most recent quandry. My daughter is fascinated with all things transportation oriented. Trains, planes, boats, cars, motorcycles, tractors, trucks (particularly trucks). (You didn't expect her to be interested in dolls and princesses did you?) Hayley knows what each of these modes of transportation are and she'll tell you when she sees one along with make the sound that each one makes. Yep, I should be proud of my little scholar. The problem is with her pronounciation. Hayley has problems getting that "tr" sound out and instead makes an "f" sound so train becomes "fain" and truck becomes... well, you get my drift. We can't take a car ride without my not quite two year old yelling a series of what most people would consider to be expletives in the backseat. Although the weather is nice I don't dare roll down my windows and let the fresh air in. I live in fear... never knowing when Hayley is going to see a "truck."

Dear Tenant,

This letter serves as a formal reminder that your tenancy of the herein described premises will end on April 17th, 2008. You have been allowed to reside rent free for the past ten months and during this time the Landlord has graciously expanded the "building" for you. However, the Landlord is quite certain that any additional expansions will cause significant damage to the structure. It is clear that your needs have outgrown your existing quarters and the Landlord is adamant that it is time for you to "move on out," so to speak.

Despite the backaches, permanent aversion to certain foods, stretch marks, indigestion, and other assorted "damages" incurred by your tenancy, the Landlord has happily prepared new living quarters for you. However, the Landlord has stated that it will be unacceptable for you to kick the walls of your new residence as you seem to be accustomed to doing.

Should you fail or refuse to vacate said premises by the agreed upon date of lease termination, the Landlord WILL take actions not limited to the use of pineapple, walking, and red raspberry leaf tea to evict you from the premises.

Now, start packing!

Love,
The Landlord