Our Little Brainiac

You know I always thought that Emily functioned abouve average. I'm not one to brag about it, but the kid knew all of her letters and numbers by the time she was two. And by 18 months she was singing a variety of songs on her own. They were audible and right. She constantly blew us away with the things that she knew. And she has such a desire to learn and soaks in everything that you tell her. Kinda freaks me out sometimes. By the first quarter or preschool, she was reading. In kindergarten, she was acing her spelling tests and was the top reader in all three classes. By the time we got to Kindergarten conferences, her teacher wanted to push her thru to first grade. I wasn't too thrilled about that because I was just adjusting to having her away from us for five days a week and I surely wasn't ready for her to be gone five FULL days, so we kept her in Kindergarten.

As first grade started, we realized that she was acing all of her tests and her teacher started testing her reading comprehension without our knowledge, just to see where Emily sat on the charts. The day that I found out that we were going to have Maggie in two days, the principal at Em's school called. Kinda freaked me out. I think as a parent, we always freak when the school calls, right? Well, the principal informed me that she wanted to move Emily into second grade. Apparently, the testing that Em's teacher did was off the charts. She is testing at a level 30 reading and comprehension level (end of 5th grade) and average for 1st grade is 6. She scored 85% on the first grade end of the year math test with no instruction.

What a huge thing! Like seriously, I don't want to have to make decisions like that. We took some time though and talked about it. Jay was all for it because it was going to benefit her in the long run. She was bored in first grade and needed a challenge. I looked at it that she is a young kid in her grade to start with and when all is said and done she will be 16 when she graduates. YIKES! After much discussion and talks with family and friends we decided to go for it.

So, the MOnday after I had Maggie, I walked Emily into her second grade class. All new friends and all new class. I was nervous for her, but she was thrilled. It's been almost three weeks and she is doing fantastic. She is actually getting a few problems wrong on her math work and we have to show her her mistakes. We've never had to do that! She is challenged and loving it. For now, I couldn't be happier with our decision. I just hope I feel that way in 8 years. :)

Magdalena's Birth Story

To my best recollection:

Thursday October 8th, 2009
I was up at 4am. We were scheduled to arrive at the hospital at 6am for a pitocin induction. My alarm was set for 4:47am, but at 4:00, I finally gave in and got out of bed. I sat down and typed up a quick blog entry and updated my facebook status. At 5:15. I woke up Jay and at 5:30 my dad arrived to stay with the girls (who were still sleeping) until my mom came home from work. Jay and I left the house about 5:45 and stopped for magazines and m&ms. We got to the hospital right at 6:00am and they didn't even escort us up to l&d because they figured after 3 others, we knew the way. :)

I got checked in and sat and waited for my nurse to come and start my i.v. She didn't have much luck, so I had to wait for another nurse. After 6 or 8 pokes, they finally got me hooked up a little before 9am. My veins are terrible and hard to get. I was pretty bruised up after that fiasco. My dr. came in to say hello about 10am and told me that they were going to get me going slowly because he had back to back surgeries at 11 and 12. So, my pitocin drip was nice and slow and Jay and I enjoyed our "morning out" and relaxed while reading and watching tv. At some point, he went and got himself breakfast.

At 1:45pm, my dr came back to check on me and I was at 6cm. I was actually shocked because I knew I was having contractions, but not one hurt. Nothing more than a little cramp. And they were regular and about 2 minutes apart. The dr broke my water and said that he was right around the corner since we all expected that it was going to happen quickly. I think it was about 2:15 when that happened and I refused my epidural. I was still sitting up in bed and handling everything really well. I was still shocked that things were going so smoothly. Around 2:30pm I felt really pushy. Jay went to find the dr and when he checked, I was only 8cm.

Well then the shit really hit the fan. I went from listening to my hypbirth cds all relaxed and chillin to thinking I was going to die. Transition without an epidural is not that great! Transition started about 2:50. I cried. I screamed, I BEGGED for that epidural (but was way too far along.) In retrospect, I think I felt worse for Jay than myself. HE was scared and had no idea what to do. All of a sudden I got that unmistakeable feeling right about 3:00. I guess they are right and transition is short because the pain was only unbearable for 10 minutes or so.

I'm not sure if Jay went out to find the dr or if they heard me screaming that it was time and came in. That part is a little blurry. Wonder why....The dr came in and I flipped over to my back to start pushing. Only I really don't remember pushing all that much. The baby decided that he or she was in too big of a hurry to wait for them to break down the bed or do much of any preparation. Thank goodness the nurse listened when I said I usually go fast and started bringing in the delivery cart when the dr broke my water. I remember feeling the baby crown and then the dr rotating the baby to get the shoulders out. I think I gave one little push for the shoulders. That was it. LEss than 8 minutes from complete to delivered.

I cried and cried and cried. Jay cried...and cried and cried. Then the baby cried. I asked Jay to tell me what we had because he was so lost in the moment I think he forgot that was his job. haha. I was thrilled to find out we had another girl. I kind of thought it was a boy, but was over the moon to hear it was a girl. Jay cut the cord and baby was passed up to me. She was beautiful!

After taking Magdalena over to get her assessments and get weighed, they brought her back to me and after looking her over and 'mashing her a little, I offered her the breast and she took right off nursing. I have never had a baby so alert and ready to get down to business. But I have also never had an all natural delivery, either. :)

I called my mom first. I was more excited to tell her about my accomplished natural delivery than I was to tell her about the baby- thats horrible, right? I was so proud of myself and a little mad that I didn't go natural sooner. Oh well. I did it once.

My mom and dad didn't tell the girls about their new sister. They actually just told them they were going to visit me and the hospital. So when the girls got there, my parents sent them in first so we could have some bonding time with just our family. The girls were so so so excited to see that I had the baby and they had a sister. They ran right out and told my parents and brought them back in to introduce them to Magdalena.

I don't think I could have asked for anything better than the birth experience I had. It makes me sad to think that this is probably the last one. Unless I can talk my husband into a few more....

Welcome Miss Magdalena Jane

Again. A little behind. But...it's hard to separate myself from all my little lovies.

Magdalena Jane made her appearance at 3:08pm on October 8, 2009. I am pretty sure that I couldn't have asked for a better birth experience. I will post my birth story in the next post so there is a little forewarning. If you don't want to read it, then skip it. :) Our little lady was 7lbs 14 oz and 21.3 inches long. My smallest baby by 2 oz.

She is named for Jay's great grandma- who we have never met, but we looked back on Jay's family tree (courtesy of his Aunt Maddy and Uncle Art) and I fell in love with the name. Jane was the name the Jay's grandma went by. Her real name was Joanna, but everyone called her Jane. And up until she passed away on September 11, 2001, Jay had no idea that Jane wasn't her real name.

We are totally in love with Maggie and the girls can't get enough of her. She is AWESOME! And somehow God granted me yet another sleeper. This kid can out sleep just about anyone. Thank goodness. We are so very blessed and we thank God daily for our many blessings.

Dear Baby,

Tuesday I went to my regular weekly appt. I had made it to 38 weeks which I didn't think was going to happen. I figured it was going to be the same old thing and we would see the dr again in a week. I weighed myself. I gained five whole pounds from the week before. Just a pound less then I had gained the whole pregnancy. The nurse checked my bp. It was high. I had noticed some swelling in my legs. And when she checked my urine, the nurse found I was spilling protein. All the precursors for pre-eclampsia. The doctor came in and said he wasn't pleased with my results and said he would like to have you out rather than in. So he set the date for Thursday October 8th to induce labor. *wow*

I called Busia first thing on my way home. I couldn't stop crying. I am not sure why. I think it was finally an end to the pregnancy and a real beginning to our life together. I knew when you were coming now and when we would get to meet. I stopped at Target on the way home to pick up anything I thought I would need and some diapers for Cecelia. Then I went home to tell Daddy our great news (and I cried some more.)

Wednesday I spent the entire day nesting. I cleaned house, did laundry, made some food. Relaxed with the girls, went to jazz with Elizabeth, made all the girls teachers/ bus drivers/ friends aware of what was going on. I wrote a zillion notes for Busia, Dziadzia and Auntie Lisa so that they know whats going on when I am gone. I stayed up too late and had Phoenix COney Island before I went to bed. Daddy came home at 10:45 which was so nice. He only worked a half day.

Now it's 4:30 am. I have been up since 4am although my alarm WAS set for 4:47am. I can't sleep. I am so excited to meet you. I am so nervous about the work I have to do today and the pain I have to experience, but the joy and pride of meeting you will far surpass all of that. I can't believe the day is already here. I feel like a kid at Christmas awaiting to unwrap my special present. As I sit and type this I feel you hiccuping in my belly and you are stretching your legs out and kicking my ribs. Believe it or not, I am going to miss this all. You are probably our last addition, so I have tried hard to love every minute of this pregnancy. Even when what I really wanted to do was cry from exhaustion or morning sickness.

By the end of today I should have you in my arms. I have been praying that you are happy and healthy and that you make a fast appearance. I can't wait to hold you and kiss you and introduce you to your three big sisters who are so very excited to meet you. Cecelia isn't the baby anymore and I wonder how she will deal with that. She seems so thrilled, but I know its going to be a big change for such a little person. I'm anxious to see if she is right and you are the boy that she has been insisting that you are for the last 9 months. :)

See you soon, Baby. We love you so much already.

Love, Mommy

Anytime Now!

I made my goal. The baby can come now. Since the minute I found out I was pregnant, I prayed that the baby would not be born on Cecelia's birthday. They will be close and I knew that, but even a day apart was better for me than sharing the actual day.

So now Cecelia is two. Her birthday passed. Baby, you can come out whenever you are ready because we sure are ready to meet you! Can't wait!

(I guess I still have 2 weeks and 3 days left, so it could be that much longer, but I am so ready now!!)

Happy Birthday Cecelia Rose

A day late and a dollar short. Isn't that the way that it goes?

Yesterday we celebrated the birth of our 3rd daughter. I can't even imagine that it has been two years since she blessed our lives. It's still amazing to me that she came as early as she did and that she is a "she." I was convinced my whole pregnancy that she was a "he." But was more than happy to learn after she made her debut that indeed we had our third little princess. She has yet to fail to surprise me and every single day with her is new and exciting.

Today we will celebrate with family and a Dora themed Mexican Fiesta. She loves Dora and for the life of me I still can't figure out why. She doesn't watch Dora and I am not even quite sure where the obsession came from. But so it is.

Thank you Cecelia for keeping me on my toes and for helping to decorate everything with your markers and crayons. I love your love for life and I love how you can keep up with your big sisters. I can't wait to watch you grow and learn and to see what kind of person you grow to be.

Thank you God for blessing my life with Cecelia. She was the perfect addition to our family and she keeps life fun and interesting.

Happy Birthday Cece, Celia, Cecelia Rose! We love you like no other!