Learning Curve and the Privledge Child

I can hear it now..."Mom was Hazel the favorite child??"(cue in adult Oscar and Poppy as they review the records of Hazel's life).
You see it isn't really the case, it just so happens she is the first child who was born while I was a blogger, first to receive an abundance of monogrammed blankets as gifts from friends, first to have "professional" baby pictures (Betina), first that I may actually document what I remember from their baby blessing.
You see, I'm not really playing favorites, it is more a result of the learning curve and very generous people.
Postpartum with Hazel has been a much smoother road this time around. I'm certain it has a lot to do with the fact that I have had two other children first, we are more stable than we were for the first two, and I am much more laid back than I used to be.
I remember when Oscar was a baby that people would say "oh, you won't worry about that with your third child...etc." I would roll my eyes and be certain that I would maintain the same level of parenting objectives as I did then. I would chalk up their comments to their disillusioned parenting. I would certainly have the same objectives, ideals, and parenting style as I did then... Yeah, I was wrong.
I don't particularly mind being wrong. I don't mind chilling out and discovering that baby #3 has been a much easier transition than baby 1&2. Hazel could be the reason, but there are seriously some big differences between her and the first two.

With Oscar and Poppy I experienced some form of postpartum or baby blues emotional breakdown shortly after their birth. Oscar's was over his belly button getting stinky, and Poppy was over her having to stay at the hospital a couple of extra days. In both cases the situation just seemed bigger than life. I felt as though the whole world was going to fall. Oscar I even had postpartum for about a year...it was just something I figured out after it was over (gotta love hindsight).
This time around however I haven't had so much as a few little tears of joy. I haven't broken down, I haven't felt like I was going to fall apart. I'm not sure why, it could be that Rick took the entire week off after Hazel was here, or maybe that we are more established...what ever the reason, recovery has been smooth in this area.
I am beginning to wonder this time around if my Postpartum is int he result of food addiction...seriously my body isn't going back to normal as quickly as before and I seem to not have any self control...So, I suppose maybe postpartum this time is in the form of junk food.
Here are a few other differences:
Hazel has not been interested in a binki...the other two were binki lovers from birth (once again I'm not sure if this is a result of me or them???).
Hazel is a back sleeper...Oscar and Poppy would not sleep on their backs, I tried I really did, but no they were good sleepers as long as they were on their bellies.
Hazel eats on demand rather than me scheduling feedings every two hours. I know this sounds strange but with Oscar and Poppy would just feed them every two hours. It was peace of mind for me to know that they were eating frequently enough and that I could schedule them and know that I could do certain things during those two hours before the next feeding. I realize this was entirely my doing, but with Hazel I have chilled and let her let me know when she wants to eat. I have discovered that this has been nice. I know I can't predict the next feeding, but I no longer worry about having to feed her in public. I don't mind having a two hour break one feeding to a 1, 3 or 4 hour break the next. I just do what I need to do and when she lets me know, I stop and feed her. NO BIG DEAL!
These all seem like funny differences but believe me they are pretty big when you consider that your life is dictated by these small little things and how your baby responds to them. I'm a much more low key mom...I never thought that would happen. I have taken my sweet o'l time getting back to normal routines, and I really don't mind. I like the calm side of just letting this baby #3 flow naturally. So far this has been a good thing.

Today Hazel was blessed...she was beautiful and the blessing was enlightening. I really listened this time, I actually jotted down a few thoughts from it. It may be the fact that we had no family here for me to be thinking about, or that I wasn't worried about dinner after church...what ever the reason (along with all the other differences) I was grateful that I am learning, growing and discovering that I really don't know how to be the perfect mom but I don't mind changing along the road. I hope Oscar has patience with me as he is number one on the learning curve. I hope Poppy will know that even as the middle child, who I don't remember what was said at her blessing, will know that I love her and think she is a great big sister. Lastly I hope that I will continue to learn and grow into a much more capable, moldable mother.

Courtesy of Betina

Creaping Back to Normal

Because I am taking my sweet ol' time coming back to "normal" life, blogging has taken a hit. I have a bunch of things to post and everyday I seem to find new things and yet, I never manage to actually spit them out.
So, here are a few updates...Poppy as you can see from the above photo is being very well groomed and attended to.

Just the other day she told Hazel :
"Hazel if you were to fly to the sun you would die...but you can't fly."
She is being the very big sister and quite helpful in the baby world.
Oscar and Poppy love to herd the chickens around the yard. The other day I found that they had put all seven chickens in the tree house. Oscar even built a make shift fence to keep them in...I wonder, do you think they would have jumped off?
Walking has been the exercise of choice lately. I'm elated to discover that Hazel loves the stroller and Bjorn. This is a good sign. The girls are already getting along great in the stroller. Although poppy has her occasional must snuggle fix and smothers the girl until she squeaks and then she moves away.
Now that we are a family of 5 (that seems like a lot...) we have taken out a wall in the basement and have built a new one. Oscar will soon have a room in the basement. Hopefully by the end of this week, he will be moved.
I have been overwhelmed with gratitude for the kindness of others. I have been so blessed to have so many wonderful people delivering gifts, flowers and food. To all of you who have given to us we are so thankful! This is Ashley and Hazel displaying the beautiful blanket she made for her...I can't wait to get the crib up so that we can put it on it. The moses basket is a little too small.
Ricky got his bee keeping gear and our hive. The bees will be here next month. He will then have about 20,000 new babies to care for.

Here is the lovely Hazel modeling her cold weather gear.

Lastly but not leastly Grandma and Grandpa Dilworth came to visit shortly after Hazel was born. I should have posted this much sooner, but as I said before I have taken a break. It was delightful to have them hear and the kids loved to see them.
The down side of having babies when youa re far away from family is that they change so quickly you wish they could see all of teh changes...I will work on posting more frequently so they can see via blog.

Well friends this isn't quite as elequently written as I had hoped to do...but at least it is a post.
Hopefully I will get a few more of the posts from my brain on here in the near future.

Worth a thousand words...

I can't get enough of this girl!
Thanks to Betina for the beautiful photo.

Adjusting...well

All of us are adjusting to the presence of our new little Hazel...so far it seems to be an easy thing to do. Daddy has resumed his favorite napping position...

Oscar and Poppy can't seem to get enough of her...they love to come snuggle her in the morning. I can't blame them...I too can't help but squeeze in one extra snuggle before I put her down.

Smiley is curious...he likes to take a little sniff when he get the chance.

And Poppy...she is a Pro-big sister already. She loves to help me with all of the diaper changing...her job is to pull out the wipe. She also wouldn't think of passing up baby bath time. In fact the other day Rick had to convince her to go with him to the science center because she wanted to stay home with me and the baby. I think she is afraid she will miss something while she is gone.

As for me...I'm sure it has to do with this being #3 and having done this a couple of times, but recovery has been pretty smooth so far. I have had zero meltdowns (not to say there won't be any), my milk supply hasn't come on with such force as previously, I actually feel pretty good. the pain meds help a bit with the discomfort issues, but overall I would say that it is going well.
I have loved having Ricky home with us, it has been so peaceful (short of Poppy and Oscar squalls) and pleasant. He is so great at being a star hubby and dad that I have been able to sit back and really relax. In fact I haven't felt a itch to get out or even blog...I am just content. It feels great to have my little family home and around me. I know it can't last forever, Dad will have to go back to work and the kids will have to do their activities and I will have to resume my outside responsibilities...but for now, I'm content. And it feels great!

Hazel Daphne

Born Tuesday March 3, 2009 @ 9:21pm
8.15 lbs 21"long
(Picture courtesy of Pullman Regional Hospital)

Proud Daddy, Big Brother and Sister
All is well and we are home.A very relieved and happy momma!

Cliff notes: ( I may post a more detailed version later)
Tuesday morning see my Dr. she strips my membranes and tells me that I should fry up some scrambled eggs in a few tablespoons of Caster oil to see if it will promote labor.
Scheduled an Induction for Saturday because I was seriously SICK of being prego.
Poppy and I buy some caster oil...walk to get Oscar from school, research a little on caster oil and decide I'll give it a go.

6pm we have Dinner. I scramble up my eggs and quite truthfully they weren't too bad.
I don't know if it was the caster oil, because it never gave me the poo's and truthfully I never really felt anything in response to the caster oil...unless it actually threw me into labor???

8:31 One 15 min Contraction followed by continuous contractions...no breaks.

8:50 tell Rick it is time to go-he calls our sitters/ we leave...

Hospital arrival 9pm

Room 9:10pm

Delivery 9:21pm
Hazel was born "in the caul", meaning that the amniotic sac did not break and my Doc broke the sack after her head was delivered. He informed me that this indeed is lucky. I suppose it is only flitting for our March baby. Lucky baby, lucky month.
Doc delivers baby in his sweatshirt (he did get gloves on) luckily he lives 3 minutes from the hospital.
I was still in my shirt and jacket post delivery.
Doc changes into some scrubs to stitch me up and we joke about that it took him 4 minutes to get to the hospital because he couldn't find his car keys. He had just gotten out of the bath tub and had crawled into bed when he got the call.
Due to Poppy's Delivery being 1hr 45min...he knew he had to get there quick. My actual Dr. was called first but because she was 20 minutes away they called him.

Rick got to spend the night with me at the hospital, because some of our great Friend Helen and Justin stayed with the kids.
Rick went home at 6am and the kids never even knew we left.
Everything went really well and we were able to go home last night.
Today life is good... I can move, breathe, and to be quite honest I think Hazel is much more snuggly on the outside.
We are all smitten by her good mellow nature and both of the kids adore her.
Tonight, I am basking in the blessings I have. So many well wishes and close friends that care for us. I truly feel an overwhelming sense of love...and I know it isn't just the hormones!

For the record (despite all of my whining and complaining)...It was worth the nine-plus months of work.

Flour Pop

What happens when you look into a cup of flour and blow???
I think Poppy just figured it out...notice the flour in the eyes stare.

Due Day!

(Oscar is my in-house photographer)

I almost can't believe I'm posting this, but for the sake of our posterity (and curious blog friends and family) here is a picture of today...Due day.
It shouldn't really be a surprise since the other two were late, but I couldn't help but hope that this one would come early. I mean so many other people have their babies a week or two early. I would have even taken a day early. Alas, not so.
I have tried the wives tales...including cleaning ALL day yesterday and all it did was give me some big contractions with no follow through.

I keep telling myself that this is just like a marathon. Training has pretty much finished, tapering always feels slow and you just want to get to race day so you can get it over with. All of your hard work is in place and you just want to pound out the miles.
I'm currently feeling like I'm about mile 21 of the race. I'm tired, my muscles are feeling each step, you dare not walk for fear of not getting started again, you keep telling yourself that there are only five miles left to go. Five miles is nothing compared to how far you have come...You can feel the finish line close, and yet it is so far away. You know you will make the finish, that there is no doubt, but you keep thinking it hast to be just around that corner...only to find one more.

I'm anxious to just get it over with! I want to gorge on Oreos and orange slices at the finish line, while my legs tingle and twitch from the effort. I want that shiny little medal that says "you made it"! Not to mention a warm snuggly little medal that I'm ceratin will be much more delightful on the outside, that on the in.

Typically when I run a marathon I get a black toenail and blisters...so I suppose that it is only fitting that my feet go though some form of metemorphasis during this last bit too. But I don't recall ordering marshmallows for feet. I swear church always makes them the puffiest. This my friends I will not miss!!! Behold the Hooter-Hider

Lastly, I have just completed my first ever "Hooter-Hider", at least that is what the lady at the fabric store informed me it should be called. It is a nifty little nursing blanket that has an opening at the top that the baby can see you, and you it, without a peep show. So cool! And really easy to make. I think I'm going to start making these as gifts for other expectant mothers.