Cheap Thrills

How is it possible that Lennox has already begun goo-ing and smiling????!!



I kiss his cheeks so much that I'm surprised he still has them on his face. He gives us so much joy it is ridiculous.



Love these boys to PIECES.

Lennox's Story

Wednesday October 6th I had gotten in a car accident after someone ran a red light and felt miserable while waiting 2 hours for the police to arrive... there was no trauma to my abdomen but my head and neck were hurting and I was feeling stressed so I'll always be wondering if that kickstarted my labor. Of course I have to acknowledge how thankful I am that no one involved in the accident got hurt and that Crosby wasn't in the car with me!

That being said, I had told myself I would record Lennox's birth story on the blog but I find myself turning to good old-fashioned writing when it comes to things like that, and made sure I had my memory of the ordeal safely and promptly written in my journal before I forgot too many details! So I will give a shortened version of how Lennox came into the world...

D and I had a belated anniversary dinner on Friday the 8th... just a low-key night, when we were done D picked Crosby up from my parents' while I went to Sabita's to give her her eye drops (after having cataract surgery). While I was at her place standing in her living room 10 pm-ish I had these menstrual crampy feelings and just overall felt like I needed to rest. When I got home, D and I finished our movie and were in bed around midnight. I was awoken around 1 am with STRONG enough menstrual crampiness that I couldn't fall asleep. Then at 2 am I began with squeezing slicing pains down lower than low. They started out 5 minutes apart. These were the exact same pains I endured for THREE DAYS with Crosby, along with getting turned away from the hospital twice, so I was bound and determined to tough this out. I kept running to the bathroom with diarrhea too. The pains only got worse. After hanging onto our bed rails for dear life trying to sleep through them, I broke into tears and was saying things like, "I can't do this," and "PLEASE STOP!!!" Told D what was going on and he was completely out of it. I should know better... should have been gripping onto HIM for dear life; that would have woken him up. I drew myself a bath but it did nothing for the pain. I threw clothes on and by now the towel bar and bathroom wall were my best friend as I was gripping the bar and smacking the wall HARD through contractions and seriously though I might die. I went to D again in tears and said, "I can't do this," he said we really need to call the hospital, I grabbed the phone from him, had 2 contractions that I couldn't talk through while on phone w/the nurse, and she said you should get in here. D called my mom to come be w/ Croz and in the meantime I had stopped timing contractions because they were coming so fast it almost seemed as if there wasn't even a break between them. I started shaking and became drenched in sweat and once again said to myself I am going to die. I couldn't sit anymore, I had to stand... little noises were involuntarily sneaking out, like little yells of pain. I thought I had an infection the way I was shaking and hot. Something I'll never forget about this experience is how I became COMPLETELY drawn inward. I could NOT look at anyone or anything. Couldn't talk, only breathe as if it would save my life. Once my mom showed up I had 3 contractions from the living room out to the truck and we were off to the hospital for the most wicked ride of my life, I'll spare those details, then down to the ER and they wheeled me up to the delivery room and I felt this bit of a pop and then a trickle during the few steps to the bathroom. 2 more contractions as I squeezed the life out of the nurse's hand and a big pop and my water broke all over the bathroom floor! The nurse was saying, "I really need to check you," so up on the bed and I was a 9. I couldn't believe my ears but at the same time I could. The nurse phoned the doc and told me I had to hold this baby in 'til doc arrived and I for probably the 120th time told myself I will die as she held my eyes with hers and made me mimick her quick breathing. It felt an eternity but we arrived at the hospital at 6:50 am and I had Lennox at 7:38! D arrived a minute or two after the doc... she said, "Don't you have a husband?!" as he had to park the truck and sign some papers, and I said I don't care it's go time and then he walked in and I was so happy and after lots of pressure, pain, and pushing I felt a tiny warm and waxy little body against my chest. I kept kissing his little waxy lips and they made my lips waxy :) All I could keep saying to him was, "I love you so much, I'm so glad to see you, I'm so glad you're here!" I was completely exhilarated. I immediately felt from him this wash of calm. He was SO calm and sweet. I loved that they had me breastfeed him right away; he knew exactly what to do and it was so great. I didn't get to with Croz and I'll always be left wondering if that's why we had so much trouble with feeding.

Anyway, D and I were beside ourselves happy. It is incredible what having a baby does to you. So happy. When my parents brought Croz into the room, he looked around and found his brother all by himself up in the little bassinet. He did this double-take smile, the cutest thing, and said, "It's my baby brother!" He has been nothing but sweet and kind towards Lennox since. How he is towards me is another (emotional) story, but I'll spare those details because he loves his bro and that's what matters :)

You can tell how thoroughly Croz washed his hands... all the way up to the elbow... showing Lennox his new dozer...



The time in the hospital flew by, and so have these 3 weeks. Days with a newborn and 2-yr-old are like a revolving door. But it is all a wonderful thing and as hard as some days are I am motivated by the fact that it will not be this way forever; transition phase has to pass. D had a week and a half with us and it was time well-spent; we enjoyed every second together as a family.



This is the look I get from Croz a lot. He is being a trooper though and dealing with the change and lack of attention from me the only way he knows how. When I got the costume box out to figure out Halloween the other day I found out that he likes to dress up! He wanted to wear my pirate shirt and was having a ton of fun being Captain Hook until I told him to smile for the camera :) We have lots of good times ahead and are very very grateful for our blessings and this new sweet boy.



HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

He's Here!

Lennox Kanti Barua arrived 1 week early... Saturday October 9th, 2010... 6 lbs 15 oz... 19 inches... dearer to our hearts than you can imagine.



Stay tuned for details :)

Canyon Weather

We have been making up for some summer things we didn't get to, like going up Millcreek!



At one point we all stopped gabbing for a second to listen to Davis and Croz telling each other passionately about garages and trucks. They were chattin' it up for 2 year olds! It was so cute.



Crosby was so excited to find a "woosting stick" in the woods and absolutely loved roasting marshmallows; first time!



Grateful for our outdoorsy friends :)



Croz went the whole summer with no sunglasses, but that's because I knew he wouldn't wear them. We finally bought him some though because he's been complaining how bright the sun is in the car. Headed up the canyon on a Sunday.



Silver Lake is kind of our spot.



So picturesque!



Jess secretly flew into town and she and Steph surprised me, just sitting on the couch the other morning. I have the best friends! So of course we kicked things off with a bang... dinner and games and picture-taking and then looking like this at around midnight.



Jess is in town for 2 or so more weeks, so we'll see if she catches a glimpse of the new baby. He is a trooper, this baby... Croz and I met Codi and Luce at the zoo Friday afternoon and once I got home my body became an involuntary magnet to the couch. So D took care of the night's happenings as I began to grow this literal sickness in my belly; it kept getting worse. Once being on all fours didn't alleviate the horrible feeling, I went to bed only to 5 minutes later be in the bathroom throwing up what seemed like years of my life. It was sitting on the toilet with diarrhea while holding the garbage can throwing up I don't even know how many times, all night until around 5 am. At 3 am when there was nothing coming out either end but what tasted like stomach bile I started to worry a bit that my body STILL needed to get rid of... anything else. Being 38 weeks pregnant and not having felt the baby move for a long time I started to flip a bit. I hopped online and got lots of hits on flu + 38 weeks where there was plenty of history of women getting the flu or flu-like symptoms as early labor, as it is the body's way to cleanse the system right before birth. Aha! I figured our little guy's on his way, just hang in there. Especially when the aches crept up on Saturday: it was like hips, butt, thigh, and menstrual-crampy aches. I so thought I was giving birth this weekend! Nope. NASTY flu. Well my abs couldn't have handled it anyway. Thanks D for toting countless bags of you-know-what out to the garbage all night and Cloroxing every time I asked. And for D, my dad, and Cam giving me a blessing because I know it worked. I am SO grateful to be back in function mode so quickly. Whew.

Copycats

These two have been hanging out a lot.



Thanks to my dear sis-in-law, I am able to run various errands and fit my swim classes in while she lets Croz come and play and (besides Nan & Grandpa's) it is his favorite place to be.

When we are on the way to their house, Crosby says in this deep monster voice, "I go to my CAH-ZINS (cousins)." And then points which direction for me to turn off the freeway, gives a shout-out to the fountain we pass each time, and then tells me once again which road to turn down.

Today I took Sabita to an eye doc appointment and Crosby went over to play... he and Brig have been good buddies lately. I have even noticed him starting to talk like Brig. I will ask him to go do something and he will say "Uhkay," JUST like Brig, and then today as I yet again asked him to go do something he slumped his shoulders over and hunched his back as he shuffle-stepped out of the room... JUST like Brig. It's just funny.

When this baby comes, Croz will need to seriously rely on a circle of friends. What a rude awakening coming his way! My poor baby guy. He walks around the house saying, "Mama, should we wrestle? Should we play in the black dirt outside? Should we make a ramp for my snow plow dump truck? Should we make a Love Day card? (from Blue's Clue's, which he LOVES)... and sometimes he just walks around saying, "Should we..." Overstimulated? Maybe.

He is very considerate about feelings. The other day I was (trying) to bend over and made some sound of excruciating pain and he said, "Mama? You can't bend over? Because of my baby brother?" Any "ows" or "ooohs" I make he says, "Mama... you hurt yours... (fill in the blank)?"

He walks around the house calling himself Dr. Barua and wears a badge that he holds up and says, "See? I a doctor. Doctor Bo-wu-ah."

After many bed-wrestling sessions, a phrase has come about that Crosby whips out everywhere. It sounds like, "Ho-ba-dough" and he says it before violently lunging himself over my extremely pregnant belly. He says it as he closes the car door. I have been meaning to write some of these things down in my "motherhood" journal, but typing is so much easier for now.

For weeks after I returned from my Vegas trip he said once a day, "I'm so glad you're back." Heartbreaker!

Crosby will not come out of his room on his own. D and I have been told by MANY people to treasure this habit for as long as possible! He talks to himself and Mama Puppy and Gus until we open the door. And I'll go in and say, "Hi guy! How was your sleep?" For a while he would say, "Mine sleep is weevy good." Now he says, "Good." The baby in him is fading fast!

He is EXTRA detail-oriented. It's not his truck, but his teeny-tiny snow plow dump truck. It's not his notebook, but his teeny-tiny handy dandy notebook.

Here he is on the way home from a string of errands... HAD to hold the chocolate muffins each time he got back in his seat. Can't blame him-



The songs he requests me to sing at night: Mr. Sun, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, I am a Child of God, "Temple song," Leafy tree song, Puff, "the other one sun song," Baby Beluga. Requests when D snuggles him in for bed: Dr. Worm. And he still says, "Come go snuggle me." He is just our baby guy. We love him so incredibly much.



D turned 30. UNBELIEVABLE! He says he does not feel that old... surprise surprise! Time is creeping out of sight! Steve took the birthday boy and a handful of special guests to the September 11th U Game :)



Life has been good to us; we are so grateful for so many blessings. Though I feel my life is nothing but me complaining right now, I know it will end soon. Just SOOOO uncomfortable, but such is the last two weeks of pregnancy. I have been a really awful picture-taker... I normally like to document everything! This includes the MOST ADORABLE baby "sprinkle" that my cousin Codi threw for me earlier this month. I am both sad and embarrassed I have no pictures from this. It was outrageously cute with a French theme. Vines hanging with the word "Bebe" spelled within them, wire baskets filled with croissants, the most DELICIOUS asparagus with parmesan cheese, quiche - a new favorite, and fleur-de-lis on each table. Funny that I have an endearing story behind that flower as it was the symbol of my Greek sorority, I happen to love the emblem and flower, and it bears my nickname... coincidence Codi, or planned? Let me know! Once again, thank you, because it was all so perfect and an evening enjoyed by all!

Last Saturday my girlfriends Steph, Aimee, Mirjeta, and Amy "kidnapped" me for a mani/pedi plus Pei Wei. Can I begin to say how wonderful this was?! I have officially reached that point... no toe painting or trimming because of this whopper of a belly. And there was a massage chair and I got a hand massage... and then the Pei Wei... wow, it tasted amazing. So thankful for wonderful, thoughtful friends and family.

Wish I had more blog motivation but I will just post a couple pics from my Vegas trip with my friends from beginning of August... we road-tripped down there to celebrate Steph's 30th, stayed at the JW, drinks by the pool, great laughs/girl chat, delicious food, went to see Phantom. A weekend well-spent, and I loved this group of girls!







Well I guess this is why I have feared blogging lately... it would all end up in choppy bits and pieces. That will probably be my way of blogging for some time now! Just focusing on our little cycle of life until our sweet baby boy bundle decides to show up. We are ANXIOUSLY awaiting...



(36 wks)

Fading

Crosby's tan lines are fading fast, and that means so is Summer... I've tried so hard over the past few months to make sure Croz and I have something to do every day, whether it's going to the zoo or the park or the waterpark or on a walk or a playdate or on a snowcone run, up the canyon, etc. etc. I have been eating up every second with him and I must say he has become my best friend! I thank my lucky stars I get to spend all of the time with him that I do, especially before our new addition comes around. He gets constant reminders that his baby brother will be coming to our house soon and he kind of laughs and scoffs at the idea of it. Then there's the more tender moments, like when he catches a glimpse of my belly button he says, "There's the tunnel... I see my baby brother in the tunnel?" And he will kiss my belly and we become one of those precious sights you see everyone catch on film, with the little one on tiptoes smooching his mama's belly. Although I think minus the tiptoes... we might have a giant on our hands! Crosby is growing so tall and has this maturity about him sometimes that I almost forget he is two.

Well speaking of bellies, mine is quickly becoming quite the conversation piece. My doctor has earned the title "weight nazi," and when trying to find a doc I was a bit apprehensive about going to her for that very reason, but it is only for the good of her patients. One visit I had gained 8 pounds in a month and she grilled me: "So... what are you eating, what can we change..." I have grown to appreciate that she keeps me in check actually. Something she said that has been really helpful that I wish I would have had on my mind with my first pregnancy is: "Carbs make you grow but protein makes the baby grow." She encouraged me to take a swim class and I love it. I have one more 2-weeker and then the visits are every week. Time to get lots of rest before this munchkin shows up! The doc will be in Peru end of September to beginning of October so he better stay put 'til she gets back.

Flickers

These are hardly even thoughts... I call them flickers because they are... well, hardly even thoughts...

-Impending Fall
-Learning to play checkers again
-The fact that I have another PERSON moving inside my body and when I just lie down... it is like I am giving him a chance to grow... he moves SO much compared to Crosby. I find that fascinating because my doctor said that the amount of activity can be based on where the placenta decided to plant
-Want a strawberry surf rider Jamba
-Of course I have the itch to buy our baby boy the cutest clothes. But why do I also have a shopping bug for MYSELF when I'm 8 months pregnant? (I'm not talking maternity outfits)
-How timing plays into basically everything in life
-How glad I am that I'm not an alcoholic or drug addict
-I've lost my appetite for books for a time and I'm not sure why
-While playing with Crosby my hair fell all in my face and he said, "Where's you, Mama?"
-My bladder is made of gauze (maybe that's why... can't sit in one place for more than 5 minutes without having to race to the toilet)
-It seems harder to form habits (good ones like flossing) rather than to break old habits
-I wish I could write music because I think I could write lyrics but I feel that music comes before lyrics
-I can't wait to see my new son