Maternity Leave Fun

We are having so much fun on my maternity leave!  I'm so thankful for the nice weather so that we are able to go out and about and do things together.  Ava has been going to school (daycare) two days a week, but on the days she's home I try to take her to do something fun.  Sometimes its just the neighborhood park and a walk, or the blow-up pool in the backyard, or going to Rachel's house to see Baby Kai.

We've been to the Splash Pad a couple times.  Ava is always pretty timid with all the other kids, but as soon as she warms up she has tons of fun!

Yesterday we went to the local movie theater for their $2 morning kids movie.  We saw Pirates: Band of Misfits.  Ava loved it and was really good.  Ella cuddled with me the first half of the movie, wide awake and looking around.  She didn't make a peep the entire movie.  Once she fell asleep I put her back in her car seat so that Ava could sit on my lap.  After the movie we walked around the mall for a little bit.  Ava got to throw some pennies in the fountain and ride on one of the cars in the middle of the mall.  She thought she was pretty big stuff.  She's also been talking about her birthday a lot lately, so we stopped in the store My Dress Up Shop so that she could look around and I could get some ideas.  The entire time we were in there all I heard was, "That's so cute!"  "This is so beautiful!" "Maybe I get this for my birthday?" "How 'bout this for Baby Ella?"  She is the sweetest!

Today we took advantage of the Dollar Thursday at the Phelps Youth Pavilion.  We had never been but I had been wanting to go and with admission only $1, its a great opportunity to check it out!  We were there for two hours and Ava didn't want to leave!  She had so much fun doing the artwork and playing pretend in the barn, the market, and the garden.   They also have an area where you can visit several different countries and learn about the culture there.  They even have little costumes.  She learned how to roll a burrito in Mexico and eat with chopsticks in China!

Splash Pad

She loves to climb...

and swing...

and slide!

Daddy got stuck in the tunnel slide!

She wanted to stand and watch the movie.

Ella slept right through the movie!

Driving the bus in the mall!

Digital painting at the Youth Pavilion .

 Ella watching what's going on.

 Planting vegetables and flowers.

 Driving the bus.

 Learning how to use chopsticks in China.

 Love her!

Mini golf.

The flu... boo!

We woke up Sunday to rain so it was the perfect day for snuggling and watching movies, which we spent most of the day doing.  Sunday afternoon Ava wasn't acting quite like herself.  She was very lethargic, her eyes look glazed over, she was a little whiny and she felt quite warm.  I got out the thermometer and sure enough... fever.  Oh no!  

After finally getting her to take some tylenol by holding her down and hearing her scream (seriously, this girl hates medicine!)  We snuggled up together in the recliner once again and before I knew it, Ava was vomiting... all over herself and me!  After she stopped we got her stripped down and in the bath tub and actually, she was doing much better and the temp had already come down.  She seemed much better when she went to bed that night, however around 4 am she woke up to go potty and started vomiting again.  Again, we got her cleaned up and sheets thrown in the laundry, gave her more tylenol and a drink and back to bed.  She slept Monday morning until 9 am.  

We spent Monday in our jammies and pushing the fluids.  She was doing a lot better, still a little glassy in the eyes and didn't want to eat.  I also spent Monday washing the bedding and Lysol-ing everything in sight.  I'm now praying that Ella and I don't get sick.  I can't imagine a 4 week old baby with the flu and I can't imagine having to take care of two little girls if I get it.  

Fun Saturday!

Saturday morning Ella and I met my mom and Rachel and Kai at the weekly downtown Farmer's Market.  I've only ever been once before but had been wanting to go, especially to check out a new local business Mama Made that makes homemade baby food, cloth diapers, and other baby-related items.  Ava stayed home and had a Daddy day, going with him to Blaine's to get my oil changed.  Darren said she had a lot of fun at the "tire store" going up and down every aisle looking at everything!

After the Farmer's Market we met Darren and Ava as well as my dad for a quick lunch before heading to Evansdale for the skateboard competition that my brother was in.  It was pretty hot that afternoon sitting in the sun, so we used an umbrella to keep Ella shaded.  My brother ended up placing 3rd in his division!  WAY TO GO JOSHY!

Baptism

We had a busy weekend this past weekend. The festivities started on Friday when I went over to Rachel's house to help her clean for the weekend events that were taking place at her house. Saturday we spent the morning hanging out at home and then the girls and I ran over to Rachel's house to bring over some things for later that evening. We had Kai's dedication Saturday afternoon. At Tyson and Rachel's church rather than do infant baptism they choose to do a dedication where the parents make the commitment to having him brought up in the church and when Kai is older he can make that decision himself, and then will be baptized. After Kai's dedication we ate pizza together in the cafe at their church and then attended the Saturday evening service. Kai looked so handsome and was his normal, happy self. Ava and Ella looked so pretty in their dresses as well.

After the service we went back to Tyson and Rachel's house for drinks and snacks. Rachel and I also had to finish our cakes for the next day. Oh, the cake... Let's just say when I was about done frosting it and ready to decorate I dumped mine on Rachel's kitchen floor. I shed a few tears and was very upset. I'm so lucky to have Ava to lighten the mood and make me laugh, she saw the cake on the floor but then when we cleaned it up she said, "Where's the cake?" I showed it to her in the garbage and then she said, "But we need it for the party!" My dad and Darren told me to go to Hy-Vee and buy a cake, but that wasn't going to cut it. I made a homemade cake for Ava's baptism, darn it, and I was going to do it again! So at 10:00 pm I sent Darren and my mom to Hy-Vee for more ingredients. Thank goodness we don't live in a rural area and there are grocery stores open all night!

The next day was Ella's big day! She looked so beautiful, just like a little doll, in her white dress. The dress has become very special in my family, worn by me, Rachel, Ava and now Ella. I hope many, many more little girls will get the opportunity to wear this very special dress. As I learned on Sunday that it was purchased for me by my Grandma Meinders, its even more special now. After the baptism we headed to Rachel's house for the lunch and CAKE that we had prepared.

I'm a lucky Mommy, I've got two pretty girls that love to snuggle!

Sisterly Love

Ava has been very loving towards Ella, but still a little nervous to get too close. I am thankful that she hasn't been too over-bearing, as I have some friends who have told me their older child has tried picking up his/her younger sibling. But still, I couldn't wait for those lovey pictures of big sister holding/kissing/loving up little sister. And today I got it! I asked her (as I had been asking daily) if she would like to hold Ella, and in true Ava fashion she replied "Sure." Doesn't she look so happy and so proud?

Happy Birth Day, Ella Rae Malcolm!

Ella Rae, This is your birth story.

 The past several weeks of record-breaking heat and two (yes, two) false alarms that sent us to the hospital had made me extremely ready to meet you, little one. I was getting extremely uncomfortable and impatient. Being that your sister was born 11 days early made this pregnancy seem so much longer. I realize now, 11 days in retrospect isn't all that long of time, but hauling around a huge belly in the heat while still trying to play with and run after a 2 year old made those 11 days seem like eternity. My last day working was July 12 and I was so glad to be done. Shampooing my clients we becoming nearly impossible. With my due date approaching, I had hoped I would go into labor soon, but of course we didn't know when you would arrive. I had my 40 week doctor appointment scheduled on my due date, Tuesday, July 17. I dropped Ava off at daycare late morning and came home to get a few things done and get ready for my doctor appointment. I went to my appointment and was eager to hear what my doctor had planned as far as scheduling an induction. I assumed it would need to happen, I figured you weren't coming out on your own. When Dr. Hintz checked me, I was surprised and extremely happy to learn that I was already dilated to 4-5 cm and was 80% thinned out! He stripped my membranes and said there was a good chance I would be back later that evening in labor. He told me if I had any contractions start, to go ahead and call him and head to the hospital. We also set up an induction for Saturday, July 23 just in case. But he didn't sound like he thought I would make it that long.

 After my appointment I went to meet a friend for lunch. After lunch, I came back home and did a few more things before I needed to pick up Ava from day care. I started having some contractions around 3:00 pm. I left home around 4 to get Ava and we headed to the grocery store. I still wasn't convinced that these contractions were the real deal since I had been having contractions all the time the past few weeks. It makes me laugh now that in the middle of labor I had to get groceries! By the time we got home from the store, I knew we would definitely be headed to labor and delivery when Darren got home, so I called him to give him the heads up. He said he as there by himself and had to wait for the last truck to get back, he thought it would be close to 6:30. I got Ava fed and had a snack too, but the contractions were getting stronger and closer together and I was becoming pretty uncomfortable. I called Darren and said it was getting worse, so he made a phone call to his boss and his boss came in to relieve him so he could leave. Ava and I were ready and waiting when he arrived home. He quickly showered and we headed out. We still had to drop Ava off at Tyson and Rachel's house. We didn't get her there until about 7:30 and I called the doctor on the way. He actually beat us to the hospital and called me as we were pulling in the parking lot, wondering where we were!

 We were finally checking in to Admissions about 8:00 pm. By the time we got up to Labor and Delivery and Dr. Hintz came in to break my water it was 8:30 pm. I was surprised and excited to learn that I was already dilated to 7 cm! Holy cow! SEVEN! They paged the anesthesiologist and he arrived around 9:30 for the epidural. My pain was pretty intense by that point so I was more than excited to see him. The nurses kept saying that I have a high pain tolerance and that I was clearly meant to have lots of babies. I wouldn't agree with the high pain tolerance thing at all. It makes me wonder if other women are screaming and yelling when they are experiencing labor pains?! My parents arrived shortly after I received my epidural and we waited. Dr Hintz came in shortly after I received my epidural as well and I was still dilated to 7 and my contractions had slowed, so I thought we were in for a long night. Now we wait. The nurse came in around 11:20 to check me again and I couldn't believe when she said I was at a 10 and ready to push. I even questioned her expertise and said, "Are you sure? Because I really don't want to have to push for an hour." She reassured me I was ready and next thing I know she has the doctor in the room. I was still skeptical. However, after 5 minutes of pushing we had a baby girl!

 Ella Rae Malcolm was born at 11:33 pm and weight 8 lbs, 1 oz and was 21 inches When she came out I started yelling, "is it a boy or girl?" over and over. She, of course, was upside down and the umbilical cord was in the way and I couldn't tell. When I finally realized it was a girl, I in true Wendy fashion like at the birth of Ava started screaming with joy "it's a girl!" I was laughing and crying and saying "I can't believe I have two girls!" My dad and Rachel were in the hallway and didn't have to wonder what the gender was, you could hear me yelling down the hall! They could also hear baby Ella crying, and they said she was the loudest baby they've ever heard! It was love at first sight! The next morning, I was eager for my mom and Rachel (and baby Kai) to bring Ava up to meet her new sister. She was a little nervous at first, but I told her baby Ella had some presents for her so she warmed up. They visited for a couple hours and then left to take Ava shopping to pick out something for her baby sister. She came back later that evening with two cute outfits and a toy for the car seat.

 I remember after Ava was born wondering how I could ever have enough love for another child. I learned the moment Ella arrived that your love doesn't split when you have another, it doubles.

40 weeks