Melody Ann

Melody’s Birth Story  November 30^th, 2018

            Around 7:30 on November 30^th, while Matthew, my mom and I were watching a show—I started getting some contractions. I had read some parts of a hypnobirthting book and was using some of the breathing techniques I’d learned to breathe through them. Which was AMAZING. They were SO much less painful and stressful than past contractions I have had. I also loved the fact that I wasn’t in a hurry to get to the hospital or feeling chaotic in any way. There was a sense of calm and control about it and it was totally different from my other labors. Yay for hypnobirthing!!

            I was timing the contractions. They started about ten minutes apart, and then progressed to being about seven minutes apart. I left whatever show it was we were watching and went to the front room to keep laboring where I could focus better. I sat on the front room couch, watching my stomach rise with my ‘in breaths’ and holding them through to the end of contractions. Matthew came out to check on me every few minutes—once they got to five minutes apart, he started asking if we needed to go to the hospital. But, honestly, I just felt so calm and in control that I didn’t feel like we needed to! Haha, but, he did ask a few more times and I could tell he was starting to feel like we should go. (Totally understandable, since with every other pregnancy we’ve headed to the hospital immediately after I’ve started laboring). I actually waited until the contractions were about two or three minutes apart…which was clearly a little too long. Haha! I realized this on the way to the hospital when they continued to be two minutes apart and increasing in intensity.

            We got to the hospital around 9:30. After finding out how close together my contractions were, they didn’t bother having us fill out paperwork, but got us right into a room. I had the SWEETEST nurse who had some neat holds she would do with me during my contractions. Good nurses are underpaid. This sweet, angelic nurse deserves at least a 50% raise to whatever she is making; its not enough. Also, an OVERLOAD of blessings from Heavenly Father. After laboring for about forty-five minutes, I let her know I was ready for an epidural.

            The epidural was not an ideal experience. Albany Med is a teaching hospital—and teach we did. I have a tricky back, and it took four people trying to successfully place my epidural. I was shaking, crying, and in significant pain each time. All through this, my sweet nurse was looking at the screen at the frequency of my contractions asking if I wanted to push. Haha. My response was, ‘is my epidural in??’ When she said no, I said then, no. haha! It was SO weird to me that this was even a question, since my previous labors were all 10+ hours. How was this even a question at this point? I generally get my epidural and then get to sit and watch my contraction monitor on a screen painlessly (and blissfully) for a good few hours before dosing off for an epidural nap before nurses are even talking about any sort of pushing.

            Well, come five minutes later, I had residents coming trying to get me to let them break my water.. But I was not to be robbed of my epidural nap. Granted, I was at a 9+ and fully effaced, but I really felt my body would tell me when it was time! Also, I have a friend who actually delivered with an unruptured amniotic sack. So, no. Not gunna happen. My water will break when it will break and all will be fine in the world. What is the rush? Well, after they came in two more times trying to coerce me into letting them break my water, I found out what the rush was: “I don’t think you understand—this baby is about to come out and we are all going to be showered in amniotic fluid.” What was my response? “Well, you look like you need a shower.” If that response didn’t make Matthew want to steal a pillow off my bed and bury his head under it, I don’t know what would. Haha. But seriously! I was so sick of them hassling me and trying to get me to do things.

            In the end, I did let them break my water. I don’t even remember what it was that made me decide that. I think I was probably tired of arguing with them. 20/20 I would have been feistier, believe it or not. This is my body! You are here assisting as part of your job—if there is no risk to my health, I see no reason for intervening medically. Tyler would have HATED delivering one of my babies, guaranteed. Lol.

            Anywho, it didn’t take long after them breaking my water for them to come back in telling me I needed to start pushing. Seriously? My body will tell me when it’s time to push. They came back twice more. Finally, they convinced me by telling me that they wanted to make sure someone was there to catch the baby when I delivered. Well, two pushes later—and sweet Melody was put on my chest.

            We always say she came into the world singing, and it was one of the most tender things I’ve ever heard. It wasn’t a cry, but this sweet little high-pitched melody. One of the first things I did while holding her was hum, and any part of her sweet voice that resembled crying returned to her calmed, continuous sweet noises.

           She was one baby we didn’t really even have any other name contenders for. And yet, we went to the hospital with a list that the name Melody wasn’t even on. I had met someone at the Round Lake Library named Melody while pregnant with her, but hadn’t even put it on our list or held onto it. But, when I looked at her, it was the only name in the world for her. Any other name I tried to assign her just felt ridiculous—she was Melody. And all the more because she came into the world singing. Matthew had never thought of Melody either, but he said it just fit. After fidgeting around a middle name, we named her Melody Ann—Ann after her great grandmother Barbara Ann, whom we adore.

            Angelic Melody Ann slept through SO much of our stay in the hospital, and my recovery with her was insanely fast—as was evidenced by me walking around my hospital room without any pain the next day. Melody slept for thirteen hours straight in her first twenty-four hours of life—and it has proven the perfect indicator of her angelic babyhood. Her amazing sleep habits stuck, and she was just a calm, sweet baby to the core.

            I can’t tell you how grateful I am for sweet Melody Ann. She brings joy every day and is still easy, even as a toddler. She loves to be with us, but she can hang on her own. She is giggly, chill, and rolls with any punches that come her way (which mostly come inadvertently from her tornado of an older sister).

            From the moment they handed me Melody, none of the pressures or drama of the delivery room mattered. She was a picture of perfection and exactly the calm, peaceful influence we so needed in our family. I can’t tell you how truly perfect and magical that time in the hospital with her was. I am so, so grateful for my Melody Ann. Today, 20 months later, we enjoy her sweet (surprisgingly unslobbery) bedtime/goodbye kisses for everyone in the room, her upside down kisses (always accompanied with smiles and giggles), her love of block building with anyone, and the sweet way she walks right up to my legs and wraps her arms around them, looking up at me, until I scoop her up in a hug and just love on her and include her in whatever I’m doing. Melody Ann, you are sweetness, goodness, and peace. We love you. I’m so grateful for the day you were born and everyday following, because you’ve been a part of them.

Hello, World

Do people still read blogs? Is this still a thing? 

I'll open with a cute, real-life picture from today of my darling kiddos. Because, well, maybe you've forgotten what they look like. 

Okay, so I know you haven't forgotten what they look like. But, aren't they darling? 

Let me also start this off by saying that this post is no-where near as articulate and well-thought out as it could be. This comes as I lay in bed next to a sleeping husband, typed full-speed as fleeting thoughts fly through my mind. This comes after our first five hours of having the internet in our home in over two years.

I'm re-entering the world of high speed internet after a two-year 'experiment' if you will. Well, a money saving experiment. 

Society tells us we need a lot of things these days. Smart phones, botox, cars with electric windows....the internet..... 

What? You think you can't live without internet? 

Or are you still stuck on electric windows?

Well, when we bought our house two years ago, we decided to go at life without the internet. I'm not talking 'no internet' but still have unlimited highspeed data on our phones... I'm talking--the slow speed data on our phones life. And 1GB of highspeed data monthly per phone. So....

• no more netflix
• no more using my computer (because, if we're not using the internet, what do we really use our computers for...)
• no more watching any kind of videos online at home

Some things we still had, but at a SIGNIFICANTLY slower speed...

• Marco Polo
• FaceBook
• Instagram
• FaceTime

Here's how things changed--

• Our internet use became extremely intentional
• If we needed to send an email through the Church's website or actually accomplish many things online, it required going to the library. This sometimes meant late night trips to the library, sitting outside on our phone, sending an email through the wireless internet.
• I spent less time on social media
• We all question the value of social media. But, there's nothing that will make you question its value more than having to wait 45 seconds or more for ONE picture to load. Yeah. I spent significantly less time on social media. 
• We got shows and movies from the library 
• Yes. You can still find ways to watch shows and movies without Netflix and Hulu. (Or TV, which we don't have, besides one to watch dvds on...)
• Doing anything on our phones took FOREVER
• buy something on Amazon? Forever. Download an app? Forever. Listen to a podcast? Forever. Watch a thirty second video? FOREVER. Email or message a video? FORget it.
• I changed where I got my news
• certain news sites have too many pop up ads or side videos for my slow data to handle. I had to find a newsite with "reader view" on every page. 
• 'READER VIEW' became my best friend
• Never heard of it? That's because you've never tried loading a million articles without the internet. 

Here are my take-aways for you: 

• You decide what you 'need'. If you want to save money or pay off your house faster, find ways to do it. Don't let other people dictate what you 'need'. Also--if something is sucking the life out of you--be okay with cutting it out of your life for awhile.
• We can waste time with or without the internet. Sometimes I did wait ages for a dumb video to load. Or for pictures of people I didn't even know to load. But I will say this--most of my time 'wasted' involved the internet. I don't ever feel like time I spend doing other things is time wasted. Staring at a wall? Thought-provoking. Sneaking into the basement to eat candy while my kids are distracted? Often helpful. Scrolling mindlessly because I'm stressed or need a break? Well, kind of time wasted. How much more renewed would I feel if I took a second to myself, without my phone, to breath. To be present. To meditate. 
• There are great things about the internet. Well, obviously. But--the things I missed most were inspirational church videos that I couldn't access or view. I also missed being able to look up videos of animals to show the kids on youtube. 
• You don't need high speed internet to use social media There are benefits from social media--being able to keep in touch and updated on college roommates, extended family, old neighbors. I do love that aspect of the internet. But--you really don't need high speed for that. 

Today.....

We got the internet again! After our two year hiatus, we've decided the benefits of working more effectively in our callings and having access to a lot of resources for gospel learning and teaching in the home are worth the steal of a deal we managed to secure. 

Right now...

I'm looking forward to using the internet INTENTIONALLY, by 

• performing tasks related to our callings in church that really are important, and so much more efficient with fast internet.
• keeping up with people I love WITHOUT waiting 20 minutes for a MarcoPolo to load... or for a video to load
• Not spending time looking at a social media feed filled with people I wouldn't actually greet if I saw in person somewhere.
• Sharing meaningful videos with my kids about the gospel, nature, dance, and sports

Honestly, being able to share my thoughts as they enter my mind is truly cathartic. My fingers type SO much faster on a computer than my thumbs do on a phone. I've missed this. 

Addie Mae at 17 Months

Classic Addie: 'Up!' She is ALL about people, people people. This month, she took to asking new people to pick her up. While at the library at a children's activity, she went up to the librarian leading a song in front of a big group of people and just stood in front of her like this, repeating that silly word, 'up' over and over again. 

Always climbing, always going. Always getting into something she shouldn't be.
Always ECSTATIC to be doing it. Heaven forbid you run towards her to stop her from doing something, and the giggling ensues, because whatever she was doing somehow awesomely resulted in a game of 'chase'. That giggling is almost enough to make me let her do those naughty things. ALMOST.

ALWAYS putting things in her mouth. Dirt, earrings, snow, crumbs, anything she finds on the ground. EVERYTHING. If she can't get small things that turn out to be bothersome off of her tongue, she enlists my help, which is what she's doing here. 

I don't even know what this face is. But it's dang cute. 

And the stuff in mouth continues...

And continues....

And continues...

She loves life. She loves doing anything and everything we or Anthon are doing (especially Anthon). We finally got her sleeping through the night this month. Well, almost. I still sometimes comes into her room if she wakes up crying and sing to her so she'll go back to sleep. 

Her list of words includes (but isn't limited) to: up, bye, hi, bow(bowl), dog, dad, mom, Ahhh (anthon), bink, blanket, roll, bread, straw(strawberry), back (what she says whenever she wants something back), good (what she says when you ask how she's doing. It's adorable), Meh (milk), cheese (please)

LOVES: 

-climbing everything

-putting everything in her mouth

-watching dogs and cats out our window

-making animal noises at any animals (or bugs) she sees and then trying to give them kisses

-putting on hats, gloves, and anything else she can to let me know she's ready to go outside (which she ALWAYS is)

-mimicking everything Anthon says or does

-being chased

-chasing

-being tickled

-tickling

-raisins, strawberries, broccoli, bread, cooked carrots

-going up and down the stairs (after three weeks, in our house, I finally feel like she's just about got the hang of them to where I'm not constantly in fear of her life). 

-Reading. (still loves reading to herself, and being read to). 

NOTso LOVES:

-having anything taken away from her

-sitting still for more than 15 seconds

-being held when she's decided she wants to walk

-eggs. I try and try again. Homegirl does not like eggs, regardless of how they're cooked. 

New Things

-pretend play (to talk on the phone, to eat) 

-zipping up her pajamas (she hates it if I don't let her do it) 

-brushing her teeth up to the sink just like Anthon does (though she hates it. But, it involves staying still, so, obviously).

-playing chase with Anthon. (I LOVE that I'll be making lunch and they'll both disappear upstairs together--and then I hear their little feet pitter-pattering with accompanying giggles).

Homegirl has a zest for life that you'd never think could fit in her tiny, spunky body. She is spice, energy, and fun. She knows what she wants and always tries doing it herself before asking for help. 

A prompting, kindness, and a police car.

The picture to jumpstart this entry. Spoiler alert: the police came to our apartment building. 

A little background for you. . . 

We have an elderly couple who live next door who we LOVE. The husband is a retired police officer that served in New York City for over thirty years; he recently turned 90. His health, sadly, has been on the decline. He is in an upstairs apartment and unable to get down the stairs without significant help, so he has been housebound for months now. He's the funny, real kind of person you can imagine he'd have to be after being an NYPD cop. Being inside has worn on him--there's really not much he can do these days. When we first moved here about three years ago, he and his wife went out to dinner almost every night. They were always dressed to the nines and having fun together. 

Anywho, his wife has been worried about him and has shared some of her worries with me. I would worry about me, too, if I were cooped inside all day with nothing to do, in essence, but watch TV. 

I'd offered to have Matthew or myself take him out, but they know we have two kids and just don't feel comfortable putting something else on our plate, as happy as we'd be to do it. 

I had the thought to call our Clifton Park Police Department and tell them about the situation. I thought maybe they had a police veteran society or something or even a retired officer that might be able to come pay my neighbor a visit and chat sometime in the future. I called the police department last night and asked just that. After sharing the details, I was told the information would be put on the sergeant's desk and he'd see what he could do.  

Less than an hour later, I look out my front window to see the picture included with this post. I poked my head out my door to thank the officer and just clarify that it wasn't an emergency of any sort. He smiled and said he completely understands and is more than happy to sit and talk with my neighbor for awhile--he has some free time as it is.

Ha, I think answering the door to a police officer about gave my neighbor a heart attack. But, they (or course) let him in. 

An hour later, the officer left with his lights on for an emergency call. 

A few minutes later, my sweet neighbor's wife came over to thank me. She looked lighter than I'd seen her in ages and was just beaming. They'd been able to talk the officer into telling them who'd called him; she told me that if I would have given her husband $10,000, it wouldn't have meant a thing. But that visit, being able to sit for an hour and just talk and share police stories, was more than he could have ever wanted. She all but cried, standing on our doorstep, thanking me repeatedly. She shared that she has been praying for months and months to know what to do and how she can help her husband. 

That incredible officer is coming back Wednesday to take our neighbor out for a cup of coffee. I can't think of anything more perfect. 

I am amazed at the kindness of people. I am so grateful for officers that would take the time out of their day to visit a 90 year old man who is housebound. For officers who would make him a priority and get to his house within an hour of my call. 

I truly feel that officer acted as a spiritual guardian last night and was a tool in the Lord's hands. 

I'm so incredibly grateful to have been blessed enough to receive a prompting from Heavenly Father and be of some use in bringing joy and brightness to two of his children next door. I'm SO grateful for good people and SO, so grateful to be allowed to play some small part in Heavenly Father's answer to my neighbor's prayer last night. 

I know God hears us. 

I know He answers our prayers.

I know He answers prayers through others--be they neighbors, police officers, or otherwise. 

More than anything, I hope I can continue to be worthy of these promptings and quick to act on them. I also hope I can be like that officer, and go to serve others with a swift, cheerful determination.

Addie Mae

The last four months have escaped me, as far as my blogging efforts go. However, this picture has given me cause to introduce you all to the go-getter, have-it-soer, happy, social baby crawling all over our house these days. 

This picture prompts SO much telling about miss Addie Mae. 

We'll start with the SPOON...

   -Addie physically CANNOT allow me to feed her rice cereal without grabbing onto the spoon herself. She likes to do things and touch things herself. It's the same when I give her vitamins or Tylenol. 

   -A pistol. Seriously, SUCH a pistol. Since she was four months, she has thrown little fits every time we take something away from her. Yes, as a four month old. There is no distracting or handing her something else right away. Homegirl KNOWS you just took that piece of crinkled paper out her hand, and she isn't going to forget any time soon that she was SET on eating it!

   -Have it so-er. Kind of goes along with the pistol thing--but, she just has ways that she wants and likes things. Things are totally in her own time. I try to feed her. She shows no interest. I wait fifteen minutes. Still no interest. I give her to Matthew to put down. He comes back out ten minutes later and Addie acts like she hasn't eaten in days and has a huge feeding. It's the same way with sleep. Homegirl knows what she wants and is in chargeeeee. hahahaha.... I can laugh now, because I'm not currently trying to put her down or feed her for the sixth time when I know she's actually hungry....

  -SO coordinated. Seriously. The other day, I knelt down to clean Anthon up after lunch. She proceeded to pick up his sippy cup with both hands, tip it back, and try to drink from it. My six month old. ha! 

   -HAS to have something in her hands and mouth at all times. Note the fact that one sock is missing--which is pretty much the case any time I put socks on her. They last for about a minute before she's taken at least one of them off and put it into her mouth. 

   -Is a mover and a do-er. She is ALL over the place. She has the army crawl down, but only uses it intermittently with her up-on-all-fours crawl. This makes for a brother putting his blankets and toys up on couches, tables, and anything else--that is, if he hasn't asked me to barricade him in so she can't get to him. 

   -HATES being confined. Carseat, bumbo, ERGO, stroller, you name it. If it's got straps, it's not for Adeline. Anytime I put her in the bumbo, she wriggles herself sideways and catty-whompus in her escape efforts less than two minutes later. She seriously HATES being confined. Her happy places are either on the floor crawling around, or on my hip (facing OUT). 

And, now her EYES...

   -Addie has been alert since day one. Always watching people and following the party. She is ALL About people, light, and what's going on. We actually have to go in the bathroom to rock her to sleep, because if you keep her in the bedroom, her eyes and head stay fixed on the illuminated bedroom door back out to where she knows everyone is having fun. If there's ever a time we toss in the towel on putting her down, by the time we've opened the bedroom door, she has either started laughing, or has the huge open-mouthed grin spread across her face before the light even hits her face. 

   -She is SO stinking happy. Seriously, without fail, the first thing people say to me when they meet her--'She's so HAPPY!' And, she is. The first thing she does when she meets someone new and they make eye contact with her is to smile a fatty wide-open-mouthed grin. The first thing I see every time I go in to get her after a nap, is her adorable head, poked just above her bumper, with that same adorable wide-open-mouthed grin, just ready and SO excited to see me. She is SO social, and so happy. Honestly. If Addie has eye contact with someone, it's a safe bet so say she is also smiling. 

And...some other thoughts... 

   -I can say this, but you won't believe me. No picture we ever take of Addie is as cute as she is. With Anthon's baby pictures, I felt like I took a picture, looked at it, and it was every bit as cute as he was. With Addie, it is so not the case. One might argue I just say that because I'm her mom.... But her dad, aunt, and grandma are all with me on this one. Don't ask me why. But, is it really a surprise, hearing how adorable the whole of 'Addie' is? She is a GEM. 

Anywho...this post is far from conveying the 'the whole of 'Addie'', but, alas, it's as close as I can come tonight. Hopefully it gives you a small idea of the joy this happy, determined, little burst of sunshine blasts throughout our apartment on a daily basis. 

In Other News/Developments....

   --Our first TOOTH sighting was today. Actually, TEETH--as her bottom two have both officially broken through. The one on our left appears to be farther along though, so maybe it snuck through yesterday. Also, she's sitting up now.

Month Two, With Two...

Alrighty....Month Two with Two...

I'll give the highlights, some thoughts/tidbits, and then let the pictures do most of the talking

This picture pretty much sums up month two for Adeline--sleepinggggg, being held, snuggieeee...

Likes:

-being held

-sleeping on her tummy

-big smiles mid conversations with her

-every other day kind of nap schedule (naps tons one day, virtually none the next)

-sleeping 8 and 9 hour stents at night

Dislikes:

-laying on her back. HATES it and only lasts for about forty seconds.

-baths. Okay, she likes it for like a minute. But then, she is SO done.

-being laid down to sleep before she is completely out

 haha. This very classy, very adorable outfit is evidence of the fact that we didn't have very many newborn sized clothes for Addie... haha. And then when we did buy more, she had already outgrown them. So...we pretty much spent the month in snuggies. But, really....even if we'd had newborn clothes, I'm pretty sure that still would have been the case. One zipper? Hello! Yes please!

And, in summary of Anthon's month, this picture. Basically, to say that he was SUPER CHILD. Like, seriously. Addie basically needed to be held at all times, and he just rolled with it. For his naptimes, if she was awake, he would sit on the couch or a chair and turn the pages while I (or he) read to him as I stood and rocked Addie. If his being put down were interrupted by the sound of Addie crying, he would take the book in my lap, put it on his lap, point, and say, 'bebe'. Honestly. He amazed me more every day. He also magically developed an ability to entertain himself, which he's never had. TOTAL tender mercy of the Lord.

Likes:

-apple jacks

-bringing car after car after car and lining them up next to me while I nurse Addie....

-call me calmly from his bedroom when he wakes up, 'mom. mom. mom. mommmmm.'

-pancakes

-Toys R' Us (the car aisles)

-singing Happy Birthday (it was his birthday this month)

-Cars

-playing hide and go seek (and telling us where he's hiding)