Along came a baby

Baby Benjamin has arrived. 

Saturday June 7 2014 @ 6:15am weighing 8lbs14oz. 

I had a c section with Henry so I was able to choose between a repeat section, and a Vaginal Birth After Cesarian (VBAC). A VBAC is slightly higher risk that just a normal vaginal birth because the old incision is a potential weak spot on the uterus and therefore you are at increased risk of the uterus opening during contractions. My babies are pretty close together...so my risk went up by a few percent since the incision may not be completely healed up. You may google uterine rupture if you like but it's gross and carries a scary high fatality risk to the baby....so just trust me that it's a bad thing. But then CSections also really suck. 

I decided to not decide. Meaning I wouldn't book a section, I would wait for baby to decide to come and I would give a VBAC a try...but reserved the right to call for a csection at any time if David and I decided. 

So Benjamin didn't come. At 5 days over I drank some rancid witches brew my Midwife whipped up to get things moving. And get moving they did. First I moved towards the toilet, then Benjamin moved towards the exit. But he moved slow....real slow. 

8:00am drink witches brew

8:30-11:00 feel like crap

11:00 contractions start. and stop. and start. and stop. 

2;00 drink more witches brew

3:00 it's on like Donkey Kong

3:00-8:00pm call midwife a million times. Finally she tells me to come into the hospital

9:00 3cm and admired into the hospital (woohoo!!!)

contraction.laughing gas.contraction.laughing gas. 

12:00 3cm...... (devastated)

Call for an epidural cus this sucks. And decide to proceed with csection. 

I am informed the maternity ward is at capacity, they are turning mothers away and I am in the line. 

For 3hours!!!! I am left to labour without my epidural. I'm not relaxing in my lazy boy waiting fir the anisthesiologist. I am in ridiculous labour. I dont know how many canisters of nitrous oxide they pumped into me that evening but it was a lot. And it was exhausting. 

3am epidural. Crank that baby up and slip into a paraplegic coma. David and I (and my poor suffering midwife) took a much needed nap. 

At 6am David suited up and we rolled to the OR. 

6:15 Benjamin arrives

6:30-10am I lay crieing paralysed in the recovery room without my baby (I hate c sections). 

Finally the nurse takes pity and calls for David to be sent down...which was nice, but I wanted my baby. 

Apparently I have a problem with the epidural as both times it took forever for the numbness to subside.  And instead of creeping down my body, it creeps upto about my chin, then makes it's way down. And takes forever. 

But Benjamin is here and he is beautiful and healthy and I am recovering well.

We requested the State funded "ward" accommodation as we didn't want to pay extra for private but due to overcrowding we were put in some sort of VIP suite. We had a beautiful view of the Fraser River and PortMann Bridge and the helicopter pad was right outside our window so we watched all the poor souls being helicoptered in and out at all hours. It provided some excitement which was nice. 

And here he is the man we have all been waiting for. 

Ok you get it....he's freakin adorable. 

David and Benjamin napping

And a helicopter :)

Benjamin was born with low blood sugar so they pumped him full of formula and did some tests and he bounced back easily, he also has a few scary episodes of turning absolutely purple....like an eggplant. They did some blood tests and deemed it "thick blood" and promised that with some feedings under his belt his circulation would improve. And he failed his hearing test...twice. This was, and continues to be very upsetting for me. We are taking him in next week for further testing. 

Born on Saturday- home on Tuesday :)

Pre baby photo dump

Pre baby goings on have been a lot of David and Henry time as I grumble and groan about feeling like garbage. 

As anyone who knows me (or just Facebook stalks me) knows I have become passionate about baby wearing. Specifically the shopping side of it :). I decided to get into baby wearing as a way of managing two kids under two. The thought being that I can hold Benjamin while still having my hands free for Henry and chores. I joined a Facebook "vancouver baby wearing" type group and got sucked down a dark rabbit hole of buying, selling and swapping baby wraps. And we're not talking your sisters Baby Bjorn here, we're talking high end woven wraps that, like art, often sell for more after retail. It's a whole underworld of mothers hoarding baby bonus cheques and spending them on rare and precious handwoven wraps, much sought limited edition prints and rare and illusive fiber blends (linen, hemp, cotton tri-blend whaaaa?!?). 

I'm totally hooked. 

I think this may have had something to do with potent pregnancy hormones making me crazy, the sheer fear of having a second baby (I am convinced baby wearing is my salvation), and the fact that I got a little bit of birthday money that I was allowed to spend without getting purchases authorized by David. 

Lets just say David's got some surprises coming in the mail. 

Now I'm not into the $1000+ handwoven rare stuff but i did probably spend more than a sane, non-hormonal Sarah would have...no matter, it just gives me an excuse to get back on the Swaps and resell them :)

Soooo since I was 9 months pregnant David and Henry got to be Guinnea pigs for my wraps. This is my beautiful, and most expensive and prized wrap. It's a Didymos Petrol Hemp  Indio (a cotton/ hemp blend). And it's totally gorgeous. 

And here's me dorking out and practicing my ring sling skills with MrBunbun (Henry was not cooperating). I'm selling this sling cus I don't like it (a NatiBaby "swallows" linen blend- too thick for a newborn I think. So out it goes)

We received potentially devastating news (or so my hormonal pregnant brain tells me) that we were misinformed and David May in fact NOT qualify for paternity leave. I will not get into the nitty gritty of our financial situation (especially after my wrapping shpeal) but this is devastating. That was what we were going to live off of for David's first year of school. We have no.other.income.... and two kids. This paternity money was so integral to our plan that I went to the Service Canada EI office before I was pregnant to make sure David was eligible for paternity leave....they said he was...so we got pregnant.  Now they say he's probably not...and I'm one week away from my due date. shit

I cried, David quietly fretted, I got pissed off, David quietly fretted, I stormed around declaring that they simply could not do this to us (I lean towards the dramatic during pregnancy), David quietly fretted and I cried some more...and now we are done. What's done is done. 

And here is a picture to illustrate our financial distress :) just kidding, I just think my boys look tres trailer trash in this pic. 

aaand Henry enjoying some warm weather fun. 

the one where I complain about a sick grumpy Henry

Henry is sick again.

If a very confusing and unclear way. 

It allllll started a couple months ago when Henry dropped a laptop on his toe (don't judge me). He got a bit of a bruise and cut on his big toe but after a few tears he got over it and I didn't think much of it. 

Fast forward a couple weeks and it's infected (don't judge me....is beach/ swimming/ barefoot season) 

We went to the dr who prescribed a quick course or oral antibiotics. 

After about 4 doses of this new antibiotic Henry was up with an INSANE fever, a splotchy red torso and vomiting. I called 811 (our nurse hotline) an they said that vomiting and fever was listed as a possible side effect of the meds and I should take him to a Dr ASAP. We did a walk-in clinic the next morning and the woman said the toe was less concerning than the possible reaction so we should stop the antibiotics.

Done.....not done

2 days later Henry is still crazy feverish and misserable. BACK to the walk in clinic to the same Dr who looks in his ears and throat and declares he has strep throat (and probably NOT an adverse reaction the the meds). Henry is prescribed more (but different) antibiotics for the strep and she does a quick throat swab. 

The next day we go see our GP (who is completely amazing and I love) just to follow up because I feel like we have been bouncing all over the place. 

She agrees that it was def not a reaction the the antibiotics (and implies that whoever told is that is a dum-dum) but reveals that Henry's throat swab came back negative for strep. 

BLARGH!!!!

She says it could be a false negative (these things happen) or it might be mono (sore throat and puss filled sores in throat are symptoms also).  

So we are assuming it's strep mostly because the test for mono is a blood draw (ick) and even if it is mono there isn't much that can be done. 

3/4 of the way through the antibiotics and the fever is gone but Henry is still a pretty grumpy baby. I'm starting to worry it isn't strep :(

In case you have forgotten I am due....like tomorrow!

Henry...bless his sick little heart....has been a total pain in the butt for like 2 weeks.  REFUSES to sleep in his bed.  David or I have been having to nap and goto bed with him at night if we have any hope of him sleeping.  He is tossing and turning, taking short naps, is SO grumpy and whiney.  I know hes sick and probably feels like garbage so I try to cut him slack but it has been going on for SO long.

I really need my sweet boy to be back to his sweet ways by the time this baby arrives.


sick snuggles :(

aaaaaand then he noticed the camera and mustered a smile.

spray parks and fish!

As I have mentioned...I LOVE summertime with my baby (well my Henry baby....not sure about this other guy, will have I wait and see).

David has stopped driving to edmonton so he's around a lot - this combined with the beautiful weather means we have been doing a ton of awesome activities. 

Did you know that you can not walk by a spray park without going in to play?

I didn't realize this until my 15 month old told me. 

We have had 2 unplanned spray park stops in as many days. 

Queens Park in New West

And then at Lumbermans Arch in Stanley Park

We went to Queens Park on Friday because we heard there was a free petting zoo 

Henry thought the animals were ok...the water park and play ground were way more interesting

On Saturday (Happy 29th Birthday to me) I saw that a woman had posted on Facebook that she had a couple free passes to the Vancouver Aquarium that expired that day....like in a few hours. For those not in the know the Aquarium is awesome....but it's $25 per adult. So I had come to terms with the fact that we would NOT be taking our kids to the aquarium anytime soon. So FREE tickets was a very appealing prospect. So appealing that we all jumped in a hot car and drove an hour to the aquarium only to do a quick 45min zip around.

It was totally worth it

Henry and a beluga 

Henry and I with some Jellyfish

Henry and David at the shark tank (aquariums are dark and very hard to take a decent picture in)

The aquarium was busy and rushed but we took a stroll and splashed in the water park after so it made the whole sweaty 2 hours in a car worth it. 

And hopefully Henry had a good time because we probably won't go again until we stumble upon another free pass. 

A super busy, super hot but super fun few summer days. And perhaps our last hurrah before baby Benjamin joins us. 

It's summer!

I am officially declaring it summer in Greater Vancouver (or Metro Vancouver for the under 20 crowd).

On Mother's Day we had an awesome hot sunny day at the park. It has been followed by day after day of beautiful, sunny, hot weather. It has been awesome. 

To add to the beauty of it all David hasn't worked all week (yes, yes bad for the bank but good for a tired, 9month preggo mama). With the sun shining and David's helping hands we set off for the beach this afternoon. 

I LOVE having a toddler. Babies aren't my favourite thing but Henry is 15months and is more of a kid than a baby and I am loving it. 

Having a child makes things more fun, the things that I remember being awesome in my childhood are awesome once again. 

This week we have gone swimming at the pool, spent three full afternoons at the local playground, gone skating (hello?!? when was the last time a non-child-having adult went skating??), gone to our non-local park for a sunny afternoon and today...the beach. 

Henry woke up from his nap (which means he took a nap :):):):)), we packed some sandwiches, bathing suits, lawn chairs, towels, sunscreen, more sunscreen, hats, band aids, a soother (no one said going to the beach with a toddler was a quick and easy thing) and set out. 

We have a lovely local beach about 15mins from our house with a proper sandy beach and a proper fresh water (and surprisingly warm) lake. Henry was in heaven. 

He dug in the sand, threw the sand, stuffed sand into his diaper and rubbed it on his head. All with the blessing of his parents. He was allowed to get wet, splash and kick the water to his hearts content. By the end he was crusted in sandy mud and his clothes were filthy, and no one minded. 

Henry went straight for the water. Totally fearless and unphased by the chill. 

(Another non maternity shirt?!?  The heat is forcing me to make questionable clothing choices as I am almost completely lacking in warm weather maternity clothes)

Henry staying hydrated in the heat

He was then invited to a picnic table where he refused his healthy toddler dinner and instead opted for a giant white bun and a bag of chips (all served with a gritty sprinkling of sand).  

Henry got to eat potato chips and sit on the table. What are beach picnics without a little rule breaking?

And Henry and Mama doing some selfies

  To cap off this amazing day there was a giant, noisy truck and workmen power washing near our table that Henry was obsessed with. He kept pointing and grunting and saying his "t" sounds (which is reserved for trucks). He demanded we pick him up and take him closer so he could see better. 

aaaaand Henry looking misserable with David :) Henry is a total daddies boy but David had just dragged him away from a giant truck power washing (aka the most awesome thing ever) so Henry was NOT pleased

As we left the beach Henry's power washing work-man friends waved to him and he blew them a couple kisses in return. 

Such a great day. It is making me seriously excited for the rest of summer. Hopefully this pesky newborn won't cramp our style too much. 

Mother's Day

We decided to combine mine and my mothers Mother's Day celebration on Sunday. Unfortunately Hunter was away in Toronto for a big show so David and my dad were left to make us ladies breakfast. Unfortunately for David my dad is not a morning person and didn't make it out of bed in time to be much help with the preparation, but he did help with the clean up which is nice. So David and my dad slaved over a beautiful breakfast for two women who were not their mothers (but are the mothers of their children so I feel that that can still be celebrated). And the result was bacon, scrambled eggs, strawberries and croissant. It was all very delicious.

The card that "Henry" made for me

The original plan was to then all head to the local farmers market but I decided that the only thing nicer than going with everyone was to make everyone go without me :) so I layed on the couch for a blissfully quiet hour.
Little did I know all hell was about to break loose.

As I may have mentioned in previous posts Henry is not a good sleeper. I guess all the Mother's Day / farmers market excitement threw him off and he refused to nap. It may sound easy enough to skip a nap but I will give you a glimpse of what that looks like in our home. 

11:15 lunch time

11:30 a bottle 

11:45 reading a story/ relaxing

11:55 go into crib

11:55- 12:15 screaming

12:15 read another story, relax some more

12:30-12:45 scream in crib

12:45-1:15 lay in mommy and daddy's bed with mommy and daddy.  laughing like a lunatic and thrashing and jumping

1:15 give up and get in the car to pick up Uncle Hunter

1:17 Henry falls asleep in car seat

1:30 return home and attempt to transfer sleeping Henry to bed

1:30-1:45 scream (Mommy and Daddy join in the screaming at this point)

2:00 put Henry back in car and drive around to get him back to sleep....

2:15 ....still driving....no sleeping

2:30 arrive at a lovely park...Henry still not sleeping. Give up

2:30-4:30 play at park and have an awesome time

4:30 get in car to head home

4:32 Henry is asleep in car seat 

FML

*spoiler alert* Henry also screamed and refused to sleep at bedtime. He also head butted me in the face while I was trying to get him down to sleep at night and left me with a swollen and bloodied lip. 

Happy Mothers Day :)

But back to the park (let's focus on the possitive shal we???)

It was AWESOME. So so beautiful. The weather was gorgous the water was beautiful and the park was full of lovely children who entertained my grumpy sleep deprived son. I sat on a blanket (as one cannot lay on a blanket at 37 weeks pregnant) and sunned myself like a turtle on a rock. Glorious. 

Henry at the Farmers Market playing with some sidewalk chalk they had set out

Daddy and Henry checking out the shoreline and getting splashed. This is Henry's first time at the ocean (more of an inlet....but still salty)

An outdoor diaper change that Henry thoroughly enjoyed. 

Down on the dock checking out some boats and crab fishermen. We also saw a friendly seal hanging around

please take a moment to appreciate Davids glorious locks blowing in the sea breeze, you may also admire his moustache if you like....

*note to self- stop trying to squeeze into non maternity shirts...they do not fit anymore*