But like any newborn, he doesn't stay awake for long...
Sweet sweet boy....
Today we asked Margaret Mary what her brother's name was. She paused for a moment and then said with a smile, "Curious George!" We're getting closer...
Friday, April 20, 2012
Look Who's Awake!
But like any newborn, he doesn't stay awake for long...
Sweet sweet boy....
Today we asked Margaret Mary what her brother's name was. She paused for a moment and then said with a smile, "Curious George!" We're getting closer...
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
How Peter Came
This is the story of how Peter came from here...
to here...
For those who aren't really into birth stories, just look at the pictures. I LOVE birth stories, hence the detail.
On Friday afternoon, I began having some small contractions. For those who know that I am consistently overdue with my babies, this was a big deal. The midwives I had been going to told me about something called "serial sweeping of the membranes" that could keep me from going too overdue. Not that being overdue is bad, but my babies seem to have issues because they are so overdue. Margaret Mary had breathing issues because she had already swallowed meconium in my womb. John Henry had to be induced because my fluid levels were dropping (shown my multiple ultrasounds), which can show that a placenta is just getting too "old" (they are temporary organs). So at 37 weeks pregnant, they began to "irritate" my cervix to help it start doing some work. Serial sweeping of the membranes is shown to help a consistently overdue woman deliver more around her due date. It is also shown that it won't send a woman into labor if her body isn't ready. I trusted my midwives discernment and felt comfortable with this decision. At my first sweeping, I was 50% effaced and totally closed. The midwife wasn't able to sweep me, just irritate my cervix a little. Afterwards I had some period like cramping but nothing too bad. The the second sweeping I was still 50% effaced, about 2 cm dilated at the bottom of my cervix, but still closed up top. The midwife wasn't able to sweep, but irritated my cervix again. I had little cramping, but nothing bad. At 39 weeks, my third sweeping, I was still about 50% effaced but was dilated 1 1/2 cm all the way through. She was able to sweep me, aka, separate the bag of water from the top of the cervix. It didn't hurt at all and I didn't have any cramping afterwards. On Tuesday, I had a little bit of bloody show and lost my mucus plug (again, if you aren't into birth stories, skim). So on Friday afternoon when I started having little contractions, it had been four days since my last sweep. The contractions were little and irregular, so Jason and I practiced labor breathing (deep breaths that fill your gut) and I went to bed. The contractions got stronger (some woke me up), but I was still able to sleep some, as well as a nine month pregnant woman can. :)
Saturday morning, the contractions were gone, but came back slowly as the day progressed. Around 1:45 pm, I gave my midwife the 6-1-1 call, that I had had six contractions within one hour lasting one minute. She told me to call her back when either the contractions were getting hard to breath through or I was going to bed because they had tapered off. Unfortunately, they tapered off and when I called her before going to bed, she told me to take some benedryl (to help me sleep). That night, contractions woke me up around 12ish and I spent the next hour timing them. They were coming about 5-7 minutes apart and were getting stronger. Around 2ish, I called my doula (kind of a "sherpa guide" to labor) and asked her if she could come on over around 3 because the contractions were getting more intense and harder to breathe through. But, then the contractions started to taper off again. I was so confused, called the doula and told her not to come. When I was laying down, the contractions were 10-15 minutes apart, but when I was up vertically, they were about 5-10 minutes apart. The contractions continued to get more intense, but I kept my doula on hold because I didn't want her to come over if I was still in early labor (which is characterized by irregular contraction times). By 5 am, the contractions were so intense I was walking around the house moaning through them (GOSH does that HELP!!!). I couldn't keep still durring them, they were too much, BUT they were still irregular. When I called the midwife around 6:15 am, we talked on the phone for 10 minutes and I didn't have ONE contraction. She said that she thought I was still in early labor and to try to get some rest. I tried to lay down but couldn't because the contractions were so intense; I had to keep moving! At 6:30, I called my doula crying I was so overwhelmed. The contractions were coming on top of each other now, I couldn't keep still, and trying to rest was NOT going to happen. I asked her if it was okay to call the midwife and to ask to come into the birthing center to be checked. There was NO WAY I could go about the day with contractions like these. She said to call them right away and that she would meet me at the birthing center. I called the midwives, asked to be checked, and then told Jason to take me to the birthing center (he had taken the kids out to eat because the noise was too much for me). When I got to the birthing center, they checked me and I was 8 CM!!!! Everyone was shocked. I got into the birthing tub and immediately relaxed. How women birth without birthing tubs is a mystery to me. It REALLY helped me deal with the intensity of the contractions. What amazed me most about labor was how intense the contractions were, and yet how peaceful the breaks where in between them.
Baby Peter was born at 9:30 am in the birthing tub after two pushing contractions. Everyone was amazed that I pushed him out so fast. All I could think about was pushing him out fast so that I wouldn't have to experience another contraction. Moaning through each contraction, and my doula holding a washcloth on my forehead are what saved me through transition. My doula had to go to the bathroom durring one of the contractions and until she got back, I couldn't get it together. She was such a relaxing, peaceful presence. Margaret Mary watched Madeline in the kid room until it was time to push the baby out and Henry sat in Jason's arms beside the birth tub with me. I wondered how they were doing with them seeing me in labor, but at a birthing center, everything is so calm and normal that they weren't phased as all! Jason's take on the whole labor was "it was so normal!." No big scene when its time to push, it just happens. The baby comes out, they put him on your chest, you move to the bed to deliver the placenta. You nurse and admire your baby. When I pushed Peter out, Margaret Mary ran around the birth center singing "my baby is out! my baby is out!" So sweet. Margaret Mary and Henry both think the baby is so funny, they just watch him and laugh and laugh at all his little faces. When it was time to deliver the placenta, the midwife told me to push and I said "I don't want to push anymore!" I was pushed out. But I did, and guess what, my placenta looked "old!" It already had calcifications all over it. Everyone was in aggreement that the serial sweeping of my membranes had been a good idea. The placenta was ready to be out. Praise the Lord!
When I was in labor, I was so confused the whole time. I texted a friend Lisa constantly. Why were my contractions getting more and more intense if they were so irregular in how often then were coming? Was I still in early labor? If so, why was it taking SO LONG? If I was still in early labor, how was I supposed to function the next day with contractions so intense? I didn't even wake up Jason because I wanted to let him sleep if I still had a lot of laboring in front of me. But looking back at my labor, it was only nine hours once the contractions started getting too intense to sleep though. That's not too bad. Also, this was my first natural labor. I'm too tired to look back through my blog to link to MM's birth story and Henry's birth story. But, both were disappointing, frustrating hospital births. No one tells you how much your labor affects you... I don't know what will happen next birth, but I promise you this, I will NEVER try to labor on my back again (moving saved me) and I will never (unless a medical need) labor without a birthing tub again. A house bath tub can't even compare.
One of my favorite moments of the whole thing was when I was in the birthing center in the birthing tub. I was rocking back and forth on my hands and knees and moaning during a hard contraction. I looked up from the water and saw my husband and Henry looking at me with sweet little smiles on their faces. I couldn't help but take a break from moaning for a second and smile before getting back to business.
A funny moment. When we got home, Jason was pondering aloud at how much my belly had already shrunken up. Margaret Mary looked at me and said "It's still a little big!" How I love a little one's honesty. :)
So that's it for now. It took me three days to write this post things have been so busy around here. I'm doing well. The kids are a little fussy and mischeif-ey (we caught MM pouring milk from her sippy cup all over the carpet), but that's normal for a transition time like this, and they LOVE their little brother. Henry says "ba ba" for baby and all by himself, picked this truck out of his car/truck/train box for his brother.
He brings it to his baby Peter often as if to say "this truck is for you." He is such a sweet older brother.
So I posted a ton of pictures, because like all doting new mothers, I can't pick just one because he is so darn cute. So you pick your favorites to download...
Baby Peter is great. He loves to be swaddled, thank goodness for my swaddling pregnancy obsession! It stops a hard cry in its tracks. He also loves to nurse and only lost 3% of his birth weight before my milk came in. He was 8 pounds 4 ounces and 21 inches long when he was born, but I still think he looks soooo tiny! (I actually thought once he was born, that he looked so tiny he couldn't be over seven pounds! ) He doesn't have a big Craig head, but instead a little Kaman one. Everyone think he looks just like his big brother and sister.
We are so amazed at this little one God knitted together in my womb...
to here...
For those who aren't really into birth stories, just look at the pictures. I LOVE birth stories, hence the detail.
On Friday afternoon, I began having some small contractions. For those who know that I am consistently overdue with my babies, this was a big deal. The midwives I had been going to told me about something called "serial sweeping of the membranes" that could keep me from going too overdue. Not that being overdue is bad, but my babies seem to have issues because they are so overdue. Margaret Mary had breathing issues because she had already swallowed meconium in my womb. John Henry had to be induced because my fluid levels were dropping (shown my multiple ultrasounds), which can show that a placenta is just getting too "old" (they are temporary organs). So at 37 weeks pregnant, they began to "irritate" my cervix to help it start doing some work. Serial sweeping of the membranes is shown to help a consistently overdue woman deliver more around her due date. It is also shown that it won't send a woman into labor if her body isn't ready. I trusted my midwives discernment and felt comfortable with this decision. At my first sweeping, I was 50% effaced and totally closed. The midwife wasn't able to sweep me, just irritate my cervix a little. Afterwards I had some period like cramping but nothing too bad. The the second sweeping I was still 50% effaced, about 2 cm dilated at the bottom of my cervix, but still closed up top. The midwife wasn't able to sweep, but irritated my cervix again. I had little cramping, but nothing bad. At 39 weeks, my third sweeping, I was still about 50% effaced but was dilated 1 1/2 cm all the way through. She was able to sweep me, aka, separate the bag of water from the top of the cervix. It didn't hurt at all and I didn't have any cramping afterwards. On Tuesday, I had a little bit of bloody show and lost my mucus plug (again, if you aren't into birth stories, skim). So on Friday afternoon when I started having little contractions, it had been four days since my last sweep. The contractions were little and irregular, so Jason and I practiced labor breathing (deep breaths that fill your gut) and I went to bed. The contractions got stronger (some woke me up), but I was still able to sleep some, as well as a nine month pregnant woman can. :)
Saturday morning, the contractions were gone, but came back slowly as the day progressed. Around 1:45 pm, I gave my midwife the 6-1-1 call, that I had had six contractions within one hour lasting one minute. She told me to call her back when either the contractions were getting hard to breath through or I was going to bed because they had tapered off. Unfortunately, they tapered off and when I called her before going to bed, she told me to take some benedryl (to help me sleep). That night, contractions woke me up around 12ish and I spent the next hour timing them. They were coming about 5-7 minutes apart and were getting stronger. Around 2ish, I called my doula (kind of a "sherpa guide" to labor) and asked her if she could come on over around 3 because the contractions were getting more intense and harder to breathe through. But, then the contractions started to taper off again. I was so confused, called the doula and told her not to come. When I was laying down, the contractions were 10-15 minutes apart, but when I was up vertically, they were about 5-10 minutes apart. The contractions continued to get more intense, but I kept my doula on hold because I didn't want her to come over if I was still in early labor (which is characterized by irregular contraction times). By 5 am, the contractions were so intense I was walking around the house moaning through them (GOSH does that HELP!!!). I couldn't keep still durring them, they were too much, BUT they were still irregular. When I called the midwife around 6:15 am, we talked on the phone for 10 minutes and I didn't have ONE contraction. She said that she thought I was still in early labor and to try to get some rest. I tried to lay down but couldn't because the contractions were so intense; I had to keep moving! At 6:30, I called my doula crying I was so overwhelmed. The contractions were coming on top of each other now, I couldn't keep still, and trying to rest was NOT going to happen. I asked her if it was okay to call the midwife and to ask to come into the birthing center to be checked. There was NO WAY I could go about the day with contractions like these. She said to call them right away and that she would meet me at the birthing center. I called the midwives, asked to be checked, and then told Jason to take me to the birthing center (he had taken the kids out to eat because the noise was too much for me). When I got to the birthing center, they checked me and I was 8 CM!!!! Everyone was shocked. I got into the birthing tub and immediately relaxed. How women birth without birthing tubs is a mystery to me. It REALLY helped me deal with the intensity of the contractions. What amazed me most about labor was how intense the contractions were, and yet how peaceful the breaks where in between them.
Baby Peter was born at 9:30 am in the birthing tub after two pushing contractions. Everyone was amazed that I pushed him out so fast. All I could think about was pushing him out fast so that I wouldn't have to experience another contraction. Moaning through each contraction, and my doula holding a washcloth on my forehead are what saved me through transition. My doula had to go to the bathroom durring one of the contractions and until she got back, I couldn't get it together. She was such a relaxing, peaceful presence. Margaret Mary watched Madeline in the kid room until it was time to push the baby out and Henry sat in Jason's arms beside the birth tub with me. I wondered how they were doing with them seeing me in labor, but at a birthing center, everything is so calm and normal that they weren't phased as all! Jason's take on the whole labor was "it was so normal!." No big scene when its time to push, it just happens. The baby comes out, they put him on your chest, you move to the bed to deliver the placenta. You nurse and admire your baby. When I pushed Peter out, Margaret Mary ran around the birth center singing "my baby is out! my baby is out!" So sweet. Margaret Mary and Henry both think the baby is so funny, they just watch him and laugh and laugh at all his little faces. When it was time to deliver the placenta, the midwife told me to push and I said "I don't want to push anymore!" I was pushed out. But I did, and guess what, my placenta looked "old!" It already had calcifications all over it. Everyone was in aggreement that the serial sweeping of my membranes had been a good idea. The placenta was ready to be out. Praise the Lord!
When I was in labor, I was so confused the whole time. I texted a friend Lisa constantly. Why were my contractions getting more and more intense if they were so irregular in how often then were coming? Was I still in early labor? If so, why was it taking SO LONG? If I was still in early labor, how was I supposed to function the next day with contractions so intense? I didn't even wake up Jason because I wanted to let him sleep if I still had a lot of laboring in front of me. But looking back at my labor, it was only nine hours once the contractions started getting too intense to sleep though. That's not too bad. Also, this was my first natural labor. I'm too tired to look back through my blog to link to MM's birth story and Henry's birth story. But, both were disappointing, frustrating hospital births. No one tells you how much your labor affects you... I don't know what will happen next birth, but I promise you this, I will NEVER try to labor on my back again (moving saved me) and I will never (unless a medical need) labor without a birthing tub again. A house bath tub can't even compare.
One of my favorite moments of the whole thing was when I was in the birthing center in the birthing tub. I was rocking back and forth on my hands and knees and moaning during a hard contraction. I looked up from the water and saw my husband and Henry looking at me with sweet little smiles on their faces. I couldn't help but take a break from moaning for a second and smile before getting back to business.
A funny moment. When we got home, Jason was pondering aloud at how much my belly had already shrunken up. Margaret Mary looked at me and said "It's still a little big!" How I love a little one's honesty. :)
So that's it for now. It took me three days to write this post things have been so busy around here. I'm doing well. The kids are a little fussy and mischeif-ey (we caught MM pouring milk from her sippy cup all over the carpet), but that's normal for a transition time like this, and they LOVE their little brother. Henry says "ba ba" for baby and all by himself, picked this truck out of his car/truck/train box for his brother.
He brings it to his baby Peter often as if to say "this truck is for you." He is such a sweet older brother.
So I posted a ton of pictures, because like all doting new mothers, I can't pick just one because he is so darn cute. So you pick your favorites to download...
Baby Peter is great. He loves to be swaddled, thank goodness for my swaddling pregnancy obsession! It stops a hard cry in its tracks. He also loves to nurse and only lost 3% of his birth weight before my milk came in. He was 8 pounds 4 ounces and 21 inches long when he was born, but I still think he looks soooo tiny! (I actually thought once he was born, that he looked so tiny he couldn't be over seven pounds! ) He doesn't have a big Craig head, but instead a little Kaman one. Everyone think he looks just like his big brother and sister.
We are so amazed at this little one God knitted together in my womb...
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Update from Papa
Peter George Ambrose Craig. We may change it though - MM said that she doesn't like Peter and we should name him Strawberry. "A child will lead them," is not a command.
Divine Mercy Sunday. Anniversary of entering the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. Anniversary of arriving in Colorado. The actual due date.
He's named for this guy and this guy. Also, Peter is in honor of entering the Catholic Church, in union with Peter, on this liturgical day (Divine Mercy Sunday). George also maintains the English Catholic patrimony adopted (a patrimony can adopt you right?) because of the likes of G.K. Chesterton, Bl. John Henry Newman, Belloc, etc. We've been stalked from heaven by St. Augustine for a while, so we honored him be honoring his mentor Ambrose, Bishop of Milan during Augustine's conversion.
O Lord, our God, who freely chose to come down from heaven and to be born from the holy Theotokos and ever-Virgin Mary for the salvation of us sinners, who know the frailty of human nature: Bless your servant Katie who has this day given birth. For you have said, O Lord, "Increase and multiply, and fill the earth and rule over it." Therefore we, your servants, pray and cry out to the holy name of your kingdom: Look down from heaven and bless your servant Katie and all her household and all present with her; for you are a good and merciful God who loves mankind.
(Eastern Collect)
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
For all you Pregnant Mamas Out There...
Saw this today when looking for something on GodTube. It made the whole family laugh, a lot. Margaret Mary even ran around singing "Look at my belly!" while shaking her belly afterwards. Nothing like a good laugh to get you through the last couple of days...
This video has been removed as it added annoying music to my blog...
This video has been removed as it added annoying music to my blog...
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Holy Week
Holy Week takes on a whole new meaning when you have a child capable of understanding what is going on. It is so much fun to plan family rituals and to put together activities in which you hope your children will personally encounter the true spirit of the season. Catholics don't celebrate Easter till Easter. Lent is a time to meditate on the cross, and Holy Week, a time to specifically reflect on the Passion: the last supper, the agony in the garden, the betrayal, the scourging at the pillar, the crowning of the thorns, the carrying of the cross, and then on Good Friday, the crucifixion. To prepare for Holy Week, we read a lot of books about the Passion.
Jason is great at explaining things on a toddler's level and this week, Margaret Mary has really "gotten it." On Good Friday, at mass was the "veneration of the cross" which Margaret Mary was really looking forward to - its where everyone approaches the cross and kisses it (in the middle ages it was customary to crawl there in humility) - she doesn't get to receive communion so this was something she could do. She was so eager she wanted the liturgy to hurry up and then when she was done she exclaimed, "I kissed the cross!" Then we went home and after we wrapped a crucifix of Jesus in a white cloth and "buried" Jesus in our homemade tomb...
Margaret Mary said "I'm sad because it is all over. Jesus is dead."
Holy Saturday, we woke up and went to pick flowers for his tomb.
and sang songs to him. On Holy Saturday we made Easter Story Cookies and spent time preparing for Sunday, when we celebrate the miracle we have been awaiting and longing for...the Resurrection. In my devotional, it talked about how Mary was relieved on Holy Saturday. Her son was no longer suffering and she trusted completely in his word that he would rise from the dead. While the disciples and the holy women were running around making preparations to embalm Jesus's dead body, Mary trustingly waited for the Resurrection. So in the Craig house, we mourned our Lord's death, but waited excitingly and made preparations for Easter Sunday.
One of the little family traditions during Lent I was excited most about was our crown of thorns. This is what was left of it on Holy Saturday. We put the toothpicks that we pulled out in the center of the crown and I wanted to do something special with them. They held so much meaning to me; every toothpick represented how someone in my family had made a sacrifice out of love for someone else - "Deny yourself, and take up your cross...". Toys shared, tantrums alleviated, extra coffee made, tongues held...
We decided to get out the Easter basket early and let Margaret Mary put the toothpicks in the eggs. We then told her that because of the cross and the Resurrection, that Jesus does something beautiful with our sacrifices, and that she would have to wait till Easter Sunday to see what he does.
On Easter morning she was so excited to see that all of the thorns were gone and that candy was inside all of her eggs; Jesus had turned all of her sacrifices into sweet things. We also did gifts, just a small book for each of us on the spiritual life. Margaret Mary has been begging for a scapular and was SOOO EXCITED to see one attached to her little book. We then ate sweets, worried about the kids eating too many sweets, then ate some more sweets and went to Mass and then spend the afternoon preparing and cooking for an Easter Dinner with friends.
The kids played...
Below is Marianna, one of Margaret Mary's favorite "big girls."
and then had an Easter egg hunt...
and the kids rocked it till 10 at night! Happy Easter! He is Risen, just as he said! Alleluia!
Thursday, April 5, 2012
The View from Here
Before the baby comes, I wanted to share some stories and reflections that I don't want to forget about this pregnancy. It has been WAY HARDER than my first two pregnancies: more pains, more sickness, more tiredness, more nausea. It has also been extremely joyful as Margaret Mary is old enough to know what is going on inside me. She cannot wait to have another sibling and talks all the time about how she can't wait to hold the baby, how the baby is going to be so cute, and how she is going to be a big sister again. She sings songs into my belly, tries to feel the baby moving and gets a big kick out of being kicked by the baby. When she hears the baby's heartbeat at the birthing center, she yells "that's my baby!" John Henry is just fascinated at how big my belly is. He likes to kiss it (in fact, he will only kiss my stomach bare, not over clothes), drive tractors on it, hit it (with sincere affection), and hug it. I think he knows there's a baby in there, but I have a suspicion that he will continue to love on my belly long after the baby comes out. He also LOVES to help. If he hears me say anything like "okay Margaret Mary, lets go find some shoes," he will come running with her shoes, even if he is in the next room. If Margaret Mary falls and ask for help, he is the first one on the scene trying is best to pick her back up. If I could train him to refill my water bottle, I would be set!
I have found GREAT comfort in the many trials of pregnancy knowing how many of our good friends are going through the same thing. The Andersons, The Havens, The Langs, The Staudts, some friends here at church (and a couple others that haven't announced yet!), are all balancing kids, trying to cook good healthy food, educate our children, keep an orderly home, not let their kids watch too many movies, all while dealing with the exact same exhaustion that I am. So many moms laying down their lives for their young growing families; all doing it out of love for Christ, learning more and more each day that "to love" is the most important commandment. So you ladies have been such an inspiration to me as I lay on my couch watching my children destroy the house...this is the good fight. I love you ladies and think of you often.
Random Things I don't want to Forget:
* I have had the craziest food aversions with this pregnancy. I didn't have this at all with the others. I would feel the need to eat, open the cabinents, then the fridge and get grossed out at everything that I saw. When going out to eat, I wouldn't know where I wanted to eat and then I would have to have Jason order for me because everything on the menu looked unappetizing. When food was brought to be fully cooked, it always looked good, but for some reason the thought of raw ingredients made me sick. The only thing that I consistantly want is chili cheese fries from Bubbachinos. :) Don't judge me...
* I have had an obsession with swaddling blankets. Not recieving blankets, but blankets big enough to swaddle with in muslin and flannel. These blankets are pretty expensive, so I was super excited when I saw a flannel bed set on sale from target for 7$. My mom then made me a swaddling blanket from that material when she was in town. I had this plan that I would sew blankets and diaper wipes from this bed set, but have found that I have NO extra energy once the kids go to bed for such operations.
* I have had round ligament pain like crazy these last couple of weeks. It feels like a runners cramp, except you can't walk it off, you have to sit down and rest for it to go away. They always come when I'm taking the kids for a walk in the afternoon. Margaret Mary has learned that when I start pushing the stroller really slow I have a cramp and will yell back to me "Mama, are you okay? Do you have a cramp?" I love that she looks after me.
* The first time I got one of the said cramps, I didn't know that you couldn't walk it off. The cramp got worse and worse and I had to call Jason to come take us back to the house. I knew it wasn't a contraction cramp, but was treating it like one, leaning over the stroller, rocking back and forth, etc. I was so into dealing with the pain from the cramp that I didn't notice that Margaret Mary was holding her sippy cup upside down the whole time. When I looked up to see if Jason was there yet, I saw drops of water all around me and where I had been standing and rocking. I was in shock for a minute thinking my water had broken! Thankfully, Margaret Mary started complaining about being wet a minute later, so I was able to put the pieces together and calm down. It is so amazing how being pregnant with young children around makes everything different and exciting!
*My first instinct was that this baby was a girl, but now am leaning more toward boy. With my other two pregnancies, my first instincts were right, but I always changed my mind by the end of the pregnancy. We shall see! The baby's heartbeat was high at the beginning but is now a steady 140 beats her minute. Margaret Mary's heartbeat stayed high for the whole pregnancy (170's), and John Henry's stayed low (140's). The midwives tale is that high heartbeats are girls and low are boys. So, even though my first instinct is that the baby is a girl, the heartbeat makes me think its a boy. So exciting; we can't wait to see who is inside me!
* As I said earlier, I think this has been the hardest pregnancy pain wise; I feel like I have arthritis in my hips each night (which is totally normal and nothing to worry about). But Jason says I'm always in pain during the beginning and end of each pregnancy, and that I always forget how hard the previous pregnancy was. He thinks I'll have forgotten how hard it is a month after the baby is born and already be talking about wanting to grow our family more. I don't know if I will forget that fast, but maybe by next Christmas I'll have the "baby bug" again...
The following picture is a little out of focus (I was trying to shoot it from the hip, not looking through the view finder), but I love how it turned out. Henry playing with my belly and Margaret Mary on the couch, talking to her Papa. Just another day in the Craig household...
(I totally stole the blog title and picture idea from The Sivyers blog. Thanks Brittany for all your great ideas!)
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Dear Grandparents...
I have a little request. Next package you send me, PLEASE send some masculine dress up clothes.
I feel bad asking, because you are always so generous and loving. But I'm desperate. There is only so much a boy can do with tutus, fairy wings and beads.
Please.
I miss you guys.
Love,
John Henry Alfred
I feel bad asking, because you are always so generous and loving. But I'm desperate. There is only so much a boy can do with tutus, fairy wings and beads.
Please.
I miss you guys.Love,
John Henry Alfred
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Goodbye to the Afternoon Nap
This is a rare happening in the Craig Household:
Its been a rough transition. Margaret Mary just wouldn't sleep in the afternoon. She still had to lay in her bed and look at books, but she was being too loud, waking up Henry and making me mad (as I was trying to nap as well). We moved out of the bedroom and instituted the quiet time, aka listening to lullabies and reading books while a tired Mama napped beside her. But nothing can replace the afternoon nap. When she does nap, Margaret Mary is the most kind, agreeable, obedient little girl. But when she doesn't, all hell brakes loose. I didn't know the girl could throw such a tantrum. We know its because she's overtired and adjusting to a new sleep habit, but she basically "looses it" emotionally. On average they last about an hour and consist of her screaming a litany of things she doesn't like or want. Things like "Don't touch me," "this blanket is too soft," "the pack n play is too bumpy," "I don't like the light," I don't like the dark," 'I don't like your name,""get away from me," etc. Its intense. She gets even more mad if you try to help her or to offer her something (like a sippy cup of water or a hug), that she doesn't want. My favorite thing she yells frequently is "I NEED A MAN!" aka, I want papa. The best bet is to put her on the couch, wait until she calms down a little, and then when SHE asks for help, "mama, hold me," or "i can't stop," to move in and hold her.
Jason and I talk a lot about how to love her in these times. My first instinct is to yell at her to stop (embarrassingly enough). But it is obvious she has lost control and couldn't stop even if she wanted to. Not to mention that that reaction would NOT be very loving. I'm learning that this is an adjustment time for us all and that her tantrums are a normal reaction to being out of balance; overtired yet not tired enough. Things are getting better. Quiet times are becoming more of a relaxing time for her and the tantrums are getting shorter.
Margaret Mary finds great comfort in her Papa's arms during these times. He's able to talk to her in a way that I don't know how and can often keep a tantrum from escalating. I love that my little girl feels safe and secure in her Papa's arms and even when she has lost it, knows that she is HIS and knows his love for her. I captured these moments outside the other day. We had a picnic and they were laying together on the blanket...so sweet.
Margaret Mary said the other day while getting ready for bed, "I can't wait to show Papa my pajamas. He thinks I am so beautiful and I think he is so handsome!" My heart melts when she says stuff like this; it's so important in her understanding of her heavenly Father to know the love of her earthly father. She also said she wanted to marry him the other day for the first time. Sweet sweet Papa daughter time.
Before I end this post, I have to say that John Henry has turned into such the Papa's boy. He talks about his Papa all day (says his name over and over again), and only wants Papa to help him when Papa is home. He also signs that he wants to drive every big truck or train he sees. I am enjoying the rest and think that John Henry has chosen the perfect time to really latch-on to his father's love. Come on baby #3!
Its been a rough transition. Margaret Mary just wouldn't sleep in the afternoon. She still had to lay in her bed and look at books, but she was being too loud, waking up Henry and making me mad (as I was trying to nap as well). We moved out of the bedroom and instituted the quiet time, aka listening to lullabies and reading books while a tired Mama napped beside her. But nothing can replace the afternoon nap. When she does nap, Margaret Mary is the most kind, agreeable, obedient little girl. But when she doesn't, all hell brakes loose. I didn't know the girl could throw such a tantrum. We know its because she's overtired and adjusting to a new sleep habit, but she basically "looses it" emotionally. On average they last about an hour and consist of her screaming a litany of things she doesn't like or want. Things like "Don't touch me," "this blanket is too soft," "the pack n play is too bumpy," "I don't like the light," I don't like the dark," 'I don't like your name,""get away from me," etc. Its intense. She gets even more mad if you try to help her or to offer her something (like a sippy cup of water or a hug), that she doesn't want. My favorite thing she yells frequently is "I NEED A MAN!" aka, I want papa. The best bet is to put her on the couch, wait until she calms down a little, and then when SHE asks for help, "mama, hold me," or "i can't stop," to move in and hold her.
Jason and I talk a lot about how to love her in these times. My first instinct is to yell at her to stop (embarrassingly enough). But it is obvious she has lost control and couldn't stop even if she wanted to. Not to mention that that reaction would NOT be very loving. I'm learning that this is an adjustment time for us all and that her tantrums are a normal reaction to being out of balance; overtired yet not tired enough. Things are getting better. Quiet times are becoming more of a relaxing time for her and the tantrums are getting shorter.
Margaret Mary finds great comfort in her Papa's arms during these times. He's able to talk to her in a way that I don't know how and can often keep a tantrum from escalating. I love that my little girl feels safe and secure in her Papa's arms and even when she has lost it, knows that she is HIS and knows his love for her. I captured these moments outside the other day. We had a picnic and they were laying together on the blanket...so sweet.
Margaret Mary said the other day while getting ready for bed, "I can't wait to show Papa my pajamas. He thinks I am so beautiful and I think he is so handsome!" My heart melts when she says stuff like this; it's so important in her understanding of her heavenly Father to know the love of her earthly father. She also said she wanted to marry him the other day for the first time. Sweet sweet Papa daughter time.
Before I end this post, I have to say that John Henry has turned into such the Papa's boy. He talks about his Papa all day (says his name over and over again), and only wants Papa to help him when Papa is home. He also signs that he wants to drive every big truck or train he sees. I am enjoying the rest and think that John Henry has chosen the perfect time to really latch-on to his father's love. Come on baby #3!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)