Proof

Yes, I really meant it when I was describing the Karate matches going on inside me against my bladder.
See more cute photos from Brooks "one week birthday" in the right hand column.

Back Home

We made it back home yesterday in one piece. I was a little hesitant to leave the safe confines of my hospital room and come back to reality. I was really enjoying ordering my lattes and having nice meals brought to me...and passing off Brooks to the nurses with a dirty diaper after a night feeding. At the same time though I was ready to bring the little man back to our home, and I had been missing Chance so much too that it's been nice to be back here with all my boys.

Our car ride home was a breeze. Brooks was surprising awake the entire time, peacefully looking around at his new surrounding. He is such a happy content baby so far. The only time he'd fuss was on the changing table cause he was cold, but good ole Daddy to the rescue on that one......bought a space heater and now he just lays there and let's you change him without any complaints. When we arrived home he was still awake and just looked around at our apartment and his new surroundings, taking it all in. He is so alert and inquisitive already. And then it's so cute to see his little eyes drift off in to the back of his head and then poof, he's gone to baby wonderland.

Chance is very excited to have us home. He's been showing Brooks all his toys. This morning he brought his clothes out to where Brooks was sitting and got dressed in front of him, showing him what big boys do. He even sat nicely at breakfast eating all his food, in the name of showing Brooks how to eat breakfast. Wonder how long this type of motivation will work. He's already begging to bring Brooks up to school. Maybe next week I can conjure up the energy to ride along and let Chance show him off a little. I need to make leaps and bounds this week for that to happen. Healing seems to be a little slower this time around but I have to keep reminding myself that the injuries were way greater!

Our first night was great too.....he woke like a clock every 3 hours but the feeds were short and luckily he saved all his pooping for the morning. Thank you Brooks. You know that really adds a good 15 minutes on to the night feed to have to change poopy diapers....and usually it's just not that simple. Some disaster ensues, like firehoses going off and pee getting everywhere, or you change the diaper, snap all 5000 snaps, get him snuggled back in to his swaddle, and then EXPLOSION, AGAIN. Oh the joys of night feedings. Then back to bed an hour later, to know you get to wake up now again in less than 2 hours to do it all again. I'll be begging Brooks again this afternoon to go ahead and get all his poops out now before the night comes :)

Welcome To The World Brooks

He's finally here, our newest bundle of joy arrived Friday morning at 11:14, weighing in at 8 1/2 pounds and about 21.25 inches. He was much bigger than expected, and was the biggest baby born to all the Hirslanden hospitals on that day!

Last year when we had the opportunity to tag along with Ryan on a work trip to Vienna, making it our second time to see the town, I remember making the comment that it really takes 2 times to see a place to get a real feel and ingrain it in your memory. That's sort of how I am finding having a second baby to be. It's all coming back to me, slowly! From how to put a diaper on a very tiny squirmy body on the first try, to nursing, to holding this little piece of joy that smells oh so baby good. I forgot how babies smell so good, I could just do it for hours.

We are definitely being well taken care of here. Again, the Swiss know how to do it up right. Really, it's such a better system in the US. They keep you a minimum of 5 nights, which if you think about it, is so smart......you get all the kinks worked out before you are sent home out in to the wild: your milk should be in and established by then and jaundice will have appeared if it's going to happen. They take all the testing much slower too, and Brooks won't under go a heel prick or other tests until Monday. It's nice to give the little guy a break to adjust to his journey in to this new world. Besides the care, we are in a great big bright room overlooking the city. Ryan got his own hospital bed to sleep in and I get a choice of 4 menus for lunch and dinner. Tonight we go to a family dinner offered by the hotel, I mean hospital....their treat to us as part of the celebration package here!

Chance has been such a proud big brother, and has been up here spending time with us as much as possible. He can't wait for me to bring him up to school to show off to his friends. Im worried about when the jealousy will start to finally set in. But in the mean time Chance is pretty excited with the pokemon gifts Brooks picked out for him.


And here he is holding his brother for the first time



Last night I was awakened to a large fireworks display out my window over the lake. It was clearly for me, of course, giving me a little ra-ra to commemorate the hell that I was forced to go thru Thursday night and Friday morning. (This is where I'd like to invite my weak stomached readers to go ahead and stop reading now). My entire pregnancy, I have to admit I was a little worried about how the actual birth process was going to go. Being in a foreign country in unmarked territory always leaves you questioning. But my doctor and I had it worked out in the end...he agreed to my pleas of inducing and even encouraged an epidural. I was elated, it couldn't be planned better. Chance was graciously cared for by Jack's family and all we had to do was show up, get hooked up to pain killers and have this baby as peacefully and painlessly as we did the first time with Chance. Chance's birth was such a blur to me, and now I know why. Cause it was so perfectly painless, that is after I got the epidural, that I mean....what is there really to remember? He came out, it was great. Well things didn't quite get repeated as planned. It was actually so traumatic that I feel the need to write it all down so that a. if I happen to one day forget the emotional and physical trauma I was just put through, I can look back and read what it was like so that I remember I vowed to NEVER do this again, or b. maybe the writing of this will envoke some sort of therapeutic effect and help me actually forget what happened so that I will have to revert to letter "a" above. Or then there's c. I am sure little Brooks would like to know how he came in to this world, and despite all the pain, boy it was worth it as I look at this amazing bundle sleeping peacefully next to me in his little hospital bed, under his little baby down comforter.

So the story of Brooks birth begins with our check in Thursday night. We dropped Chance off at Jacks just before their bed time and then headed down to our favorite sushi place (yes, moms, the sushi I was eating was cooked) to endulge in one last date night. Jane snapped this one last photo of our family just before 3 was to become 4.

And of course we topped it off with Movenpick ice cream, which I justified as my one last endulgence before the hard core diet has to start. Unfortunately as I write this, I am still waiting for that motivation to set in, as I just finished my breakfast and have Ryan bringing me up another round. Milk production is costly on the calories. Then we headed home to grab our bags and call the nursing station to see when they'd be ready for us. We arrived around 10 p.m. and got checked in to our very nice, modern room. I thought it was our room for the next 5 nights cause it was so nice and had a normal bed. But then the nurse opened up 2 double doors to the rest of our "suite" to show me the birthing bed and room, fully equipped with a whirlpool tub that I wouldn't be needing cause I was getting the drip instead.


So, I'd labor in the plush comfy bed until 8 cm, then move to the more medical looking room to actually deliver. How nice. So I was planning to get the cervix thinning medication around midnight, then drift off in to sleepy wonderland until 8 am when I'd get put on pitocin to start the process a-going. Well, we snuggled in to bed to be not even half asleep when the contractions started WITHOUT pitocin. I spent the rest of the night on the edge of my bed rocking back and forth thru each contraction cause it was too painful to lay down. Finally at 5 am the nurse calls for the anestesiologist who gave me the epidural. That started the flow of tears that would keep coming for the next 5 hours. Clearly my hormones were working. The epidural was scary, painful to insert, and then when I had to lay down for it to take I started feeling the tingly sensation in my left leg, but not my right. I told the French speaking nurse in my broken German that it wasnt taking and so she had me shift on to my right side to help it take there as well. It finally did, I THOUGHT, and from there until about 10:00 my very cool "walking epidural" was my trusty companion thru the worst of the pitocin contractions. I didn't feel a thing and was even able to get up and walk to the bathroom. Not sure how you can maintain feeling in your legs and still be numb, but it worked. That is until I was 9 cm and the nurse broke my water, and then told me that she wouldn't be topping me off my epidural any more cause she "needed my help to push". Those words started back the river of tears flowing, and apparently those tears turned off the epidural off all together. I'm pretty sure the nurse thought I was just being dramatic, but when I screamed out in pain that the meds were no longer working, I didn't just mean they were wearing off. So just as I am feeling the baby descend, she tells me I am somehow supposed to get up and leave the comfy bed to walk across the suite to the next room to deliver. Somehow I managed, probably leaving a hanzel and gretel trail of drama tears along the way. It was then she sees where the epidural was placed on my spine, too high up apparently, and says that because of this that it wouldn't work once the baby had descended. Thanks so much mister anestesiologist. Did you sleep thru that class in med school? So the last 45 minutes were hell, and in an effort to spare the gorry details, I'll just say that I am surprised Ryan still has fingers left on his hand. I am sure that the entire floor could hear my screaming and I am still just a little embarrased of the thoughts going thru Dr Langs head each time he comes in to check on me...I am sure he's reliving the dramatic scene in his head of the crazy loud screaming American woman. In fact it was so bad that he talked me in to using a vacuum to help Brooks come out faster, saying it needed to be done cause I was in a "very bad state".

Here's proud Papa minutes after birth, fingers intact



And here we are all together, me just happy as a lark that the pain was over


But enough of the whining. He's here, he's beautiful, he's perfect in every way and I'll recover. And now our family is complete. Welcome to the World Little Brooks.

Our "Football" Player

Chance couldn't wait to start soccer this year......there's club soccer that happens once a week after school. They don't actually have games but learn technique and scrimmage amongst themselves.

The boys went out in the backyard on Sunday to test out Chance's new soccer gear while grilling up some dinner for us. I hung my head out the window and got a quick snapshot of the two of them taking a little snack break.

And here he is on his first day of practice Tuesday rearing to go.

I am so proud of him this year. It seems like he has grown up so much just over the summer, in to a very eager little boy. He's giving everything he does lately 105% and I really like to see him shining in his new element!

Coming to Terms

Today marks 39 weeks of me being a human incubator, basically all of 2009 so far I have had this little life growing inside of me. It's fascinating to think of the miracle of life, and to watch it in action every step of the way. To feel this little person moving inside me. And moving is quite an understatement.

I've had 2 appointments in the last 2 weeks both of which they've hooked me up to the fetal monitor for 30 minutes to measure contractions and track the baby's heartbeat. Both times Brooks has put on quite a show, and has sent the poor nurse in to a tizzy. 2 weeks ago, she came in to check on me after 10 minutes, read the paper print out and her eyes got huge and asked me......"are you feeling something"? Am I feeling something? As soon as I lay down, Brooks decides to start his dance party and hiccup at the same time, completely throwing the monitor off and the reading was all over the place. Yesterday the exact same thing happened. The first nurse came in to check on me at 10 minutes.....the disco was happening again and the readings were up and down, scribble marks all over the paper. Heart beat was okay but still spiking and dipping. She gives me a perplexed look, walks out of the room and I hear her call to her co-worker. Coworker rushes in, takes a look and her eyes get big as well. They talk back and forth in Schweitzer Deutch and leave the room. Minutes later, Dr. Lang comes in to check the reading. He asks if he is moving a lot, and I concur.....Moving would be an unjust description of the torture Brooks was putting me through....the bladder punching, the rib kicking. He was having a party and he wanted everyone to know about it. So we have been 2 for 2 in successfully throwing off the monitor. But the good news is, Dr Lang was still able to see that his hearbeat/rate looked good and little Brooks is healthy and kicking, no pun intended. Nonetheless, this leaves Ryan and I wondering at night as we fall asleep....could our child ALREADY be hyperactive? I mean this kid never stops moving. Guess we'll see here in 4 days when we get to meet him.

Yip, you heard me right, we are inducing on Friday. We are all coming to terms with the reality of this in our own ways. Telling people this leads to some funny reactions over in Europe, especially since inducing is not the typical norm for most people here. Me being best friends with my calendar, I love the idea of inducing. It worked like a charm with Chance. We showed up at the hospital, bags packed, 2 naive soon-to-be-parents checking in with smiles on our faces. Little did we know how that day our lives would change forever, and of course for the better but I think first time parents really have NO CLUE what they are about to get themselves in to, and how it will take 5 1/2 years before you get to sleep in until 8 am on a Saturday cause your child will finally occupy himself for that long before waking you. 2 of my good friends are currently pregnant with their firsts right now, and I just have this pulling need to tell them....enjoy your sleep now, 8 am will become a luxury you only dream about. And that's if you wait 5 1/2 years to have your second kid. Otherwise, kiss 8 am goodbye! So as the alarm clock goes off this week at 7 am, I think to myself every morning....you enjoyed your last 8 am sleep in on Saturday, enjoy your 2 more "late mornings" of waking at 7 am while they last, you won't be seeing 7 am for another couple years. But when our little bundle arrives Friday morning...or afternoon, or evening, it will all be worth it. Our family will be complete. And I will be completely outnumbered by a bunch of boys!

Chance is handling things in his own way as well. He's so loving of my stomach, and always wants to hug and kiss on it, and talk to Brooks. He calls him Brooksy. But yesterday I saw the first inkling of panic in his eyes. I picked him up from his play date and told him I had good news for him. That if Brooks didn't come by Friday I would be going to the hospital to get medicine to make him come out. He looked at me with the most scared look of panic on his face, did a blank stare for what seemed like an eternity, and then said, "I SAID I was thirsty and you STILL haven't given me any water". Oh *&$# he might not be handing the reality as well as I had thought. But we shall see. Brooks plans to give Chance a new nintendo game and some pokemon ball he's been wanting, so hopefully he'll score some bonus points with his big brother from the get go. Bribery always works.

This morning was funny in the car, I was trying to go over the plan for Thursday night and Friday so that Chance would be comfortable with the fact he'd have to spend Thursday and probably Friday night with his friend Jack. I tell him all the plans, and I am countered with....."will Brooks be naked when he comes out? When will he get to pee? Ooh, he has to wear a diaper, ooh that is stinky. I can smell the stink already. Gross. Why doesn't Brooks have on clothes when he comes out? When he comes out is it magic?" Luckily I've still not been asked the direct question of HOW I am supposed to get this thing the size of a watermelon out of me. I wish it could be magic.

And Ryan, he's just plugging along, being the rock to us crazies as usual. Although I have to wonder if the fact that his neck has only been moving to about 25% capacity and his shoulders have been so tight that he had to get them needled yesterday, is any possible indication that he too is ready to hear my complaints stop and to have the wife back that he once knew so that he doesn't have to pull 95% of the weight around here! I think he should book a few more chiroprator appointments just in case.

So, 3 days and counting, and our new adventure will begin.

Quote of the Day

As we are leaving school today, Chance sees his Kindergarten teacher from last year and says

"Hi Nilde! You know what's different about me this year? My daddy is much more useful now. He has his very own Nintendo".

THE BIG 3-1

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO RYAN!!!!!!

Chance loves birthdays and this was the first year that he came up with his very own idea of what he should get Ryan: his very own gameboy, so that the two of them can compete/play wirelessly together. Now, if you really think on this, you soon realize that this probably wasn't really a gift for Ryan now was it? But so goes the mind set of a 5 year old. Nonetheless, I had to buy the thing, I mean it was his first time coming up with and fully owning a gift idea on his own. And the poor kid was dying for weeks not to spill the beans, begging quite a few times for Ryan to open his gifts just a little early.

But the time finally came and so here we are, opening gifts on the big day.


In addition to the gameboy, he made Ryan some very heartfelt cards. How cute can you get?

Quote of the Week

First Grade started off with a bang. Chance is LOVING it. This year has been such a noticeable difference already...as soon as we hit those school doors, Chance is off and running and before I can catch up, he's already in his classroom ready to start the day. There's also a great comradery amongst his friends, that I didn't witness last year. He basically has the exact same classmates again, but I can tell that they are already much closer and enjoying each other's company more.

Today as we were leaving school, Chance's friend Mikkel stops him in the hallway for this exchange:

MIKKEL: Hey Chance, tomorrow do you want to play with me?
CHANCE: Sure Mikkel! Would love to. We can do whatever! But, just remind me tomorrow, okay?

And of course you know Chance, never avoiding a moment to party......here he is at his girlfriend Lavinia's birthday party this evening at McDonald's. Never a dull moment!

Our First Grader

Here he is folks.....our big First Grader. He got off without a hitch, anxious and ready to see all his friends from last year. Ryan and I both took him to school today and left asking ourselves, are we old enough to have a first grader?

After dropping Chance we headed to the other side of town to pick up our new ride. After a year of commuting for 45 minutes in EACH direction.....times that by 4 and you have my typical school day......we committed to renting a car to carry us through the next 8 months of our stay in Switzerland. That is, carry me and Chance and Brooks to and fro school everyday in some sort of sanity!

So here it is, our new little beauty.



I wish I could say that we had been given options in terms of brand and color, but at least it didnt have the words MOBILITY written across every window and sides of the car as we were afraid of. Ryan got to drive it home and I followed behind in the exact same car that did have the words MOBILITY plastered all over it. We dropped that car off and when I hopped in to ours, Ryan's first words were...

"If I close my eyes hard enough while the car's not moving, it almost feels like I am driving my S5". Poor kid.



But to me, you see, it is like an S5. It's as luxurious as it gets for us right now, and it sure beats the hell out of me on a train with a baby :)

My Zara Niño

Ryan went out last night with some coworkers and was showered with a nice stash of clothes for Brooks. I love the store Zara. I am sure to many others it's about a medium grade store....kinda in the middle price range and quality. But to me, the Old Navy shopper, it's a bit more than I like to typically spend on clothes unless they are on sale. So when Ryan came home with these little man Zara jeans, I just had to laugh. How adorable they are. Not to mention I really like that my little kiddo will be dressed in Spanish apparrel. Viva Espana. And they even have the Euro cut legs.