Fairy Princesses

In the five minutes the girls have been flitting about the room as fairy princesses, all three have been injured, I have been accidentally punched, slapped, and kicked, and Sushi the dog has been assaulted with a wand. This dress-up stuff is not for the faint of heart!

The Girls

Life has been a blur lately!  So much has happened, and so little remembered.  This will be a fragmented review of the goings on...

Ellie is a firecracker!  She has decided (since we gave away her crib two weeks ago) sleep is no longer mandatory.  She has determined to wake up as often as possible and make as many excuses to be awake as she can muster!  This girl is seriously workin' it!  Any of the following lines will be repeated as long as she can muster:

• Can you come scratch my back, Daddy?
• Daddy, I have to tell you a secret! (What is it Ellie? Big girls play in the back yard....)
• I need to go potty!
• I need you.... I NEED you...
• Mommy!  Daddy!  Mommy! Daddy! 
• To which we reply: Yes, Ellie?
• and she comes back with something like: Sweet Dreams; or I love you so much; or Good Night

Camelia is growing out of her terrible tantrums, but still can be an emotional wreck at the mere mention of an unwanted word.  Words such as "No" and "Come" and "Please help me clean up" can leave her in a state of noxious behavior. She suddenly has attained a great grasp of sketching, and no longer scribbles, but crafts excellent figures with detailed hands and grins upon their curly-headed faces.  It amazes me how abruptly she transitioned from a toddler scribble to the accomplished scrawl of a preschooler.

Gigi is enjoying school and making new friends.  She is rather exhausted at the end of every school day, but still tries to be a helpful, nurturing and loving big sister.  Unless they get ahold of her crayons.  Or her markers. Or are suspected of having had fun at home without her.  Then she is jealous.   But it usually doesn't last for too long before it is time for them to don their fairy princess outfits and frolic about. 

3 Month Mojo

As of today Massimo has such an improved interaction with surroundings, grabbing at toys, my necklace, etc. He also just experienced his first crush. Auntie Lu (Luana) suddenly came into focus and my little boy jolted alert and started some serious flirting. We are in trouble. This boy's smile can light up a room with that dimple-cheeked cuteness!

Giggle

Massimo just gave me a real, genuine, sweet-as-can-be giggle! I am in Momma Heaven!

Trials Can Be Humorous

Life with small children is filled with precious, sweet moments that leave a mother breathless in awe of the beautiful lives which God has bestowed upon her to shepherd and care for. This is not one of those moments. Gilana is wailing in sleep-deprived hysteria whilst Camelia growls derisively "I will never be your sister again!" In the background I hear a startling medley arranged by boisterous little Eliana singing at the top of her lungs, "Happy Birthday to Ellie!!!!" as Massimo screams a harmony in overwrought angst. Given this situation, who do you recommend I join in with?!

Gigi Sings

Apparently Mopsie taught the class some new songs today, here is the result.  Sorry for the poor videography, I'll get better!

Styled

Elli just came out of the bathroom and went straight for Massimo who was cradled in my arms.  She exclaimed "Oh! Cute baby Massimo!" and proceeded to style his hair with wet hands. Wet hands?!  She never ran the water in the bathroom!

Sorry little dude, you need a shampoo!

Potty Training

Over the past 3 weeks, Camelia has taken it upon herself to potty train her 22 month old baby sister.  Eliana is now in underwear at under 2 years old, and I had nearly nothing to do with it!  Camelia is quite the teacher, leading little Ellie to the Froggy Potty, removing her diaper (now underwear), and victoriously celebrating every achievement.  At first I made the error of rewarding both girls for Ellie/s successes, until I noticed Camelia dragging an uninterested Ellie to the bathroom repeatedly in hopes of treats.  When this proved fruitless, Camelia began using the potty herself and attributing the contents to Eliana.  Treats stopped being distributed, and Camelia ceased her deceptive attempts!

Eliana now can leave the house in just underwear as long as we keep an eye on her, and I haven't had to change a stinky diaper since this endeavor started!

This morning the toilet overflowed and startled Camelia greatly.  The water was cleaned from the bathroom floor and toilet plunged.  I later overheard Ellie joyously leaving the bathroom to which Camelia happily gushed with great exclamation, "Good job Ellie!  I thought you were going to die!"  Apparently the bathroom is a dangerous place.

At this point I have no desire to potty train Eliana at night, after all, I still have a newborn to attend to!

Sleep

Why did it take me till now to discover he will nap when put on his belly?! I have been a slave of continual bouncing and rocking the little dude all to discover over the last two days that he simply will be laid down and thence contented. Fourth child, but still so much to learn on the art and exacting science of childrearing!

One Month

My son is now one month old! To celebrate this great day, he permitted me an entire two hours of sleep for the entire duration of the night.  I groggily oozed my way downstairs this morning with him and was rewarded for my nocturnal efforts with a darling smile from his sweet face!  Massimo is truly a sweet boy and at 15 pounds, quite a lovable chub! He is a continual delight to his sisters who like to try and mommy him and give him sweet affection.  They are having so much fun with him!!

What better gift could a Mommy have for her birthday, than four precious children to admire and a husband who upholds me in my weakness?  I am truly blessed and entirely overwhelmed by the goodness of it all!!

Massimo's First Days Home

So the girls all came down with hacking coughs and runny noses...

so did Massimo.

Thus is life, but he has proved himself to be a jolly fellow thus far

good sleeper, not a colicy screamer,

heart-throb of the big sis'.

This guy has it made, 

and certainly is making life sweeter for all of us.

I love his sweet scent

gentle coos and gurgles.

The girls love to kiss and cuddle and love on him in whatever way possible

(hence the sharing of germs).

I am in love.

How could I not be?

Mojo has us all whipped.

Massimo Meets His Family

Mopsie and the girls were waiting to greet Massimo when we got home on Tuesday with the little man.  They were delighted to see him!

Massimo is Born

The long wait is finally over, our son is born! Massimo Joseph was born July 15th at 11:31am. He shares this most auspicious day with his Great-Grandma, Moosie! My beloved settled on this name after the realization that he could be called "Mojo." Massi weighed in at 9 lbs, 7 oz and about 21 inches long. (The length is apparently debatable, though, since the pediatrician measured him at 22.5 inches two days later.)

 Knowing induction was in my near future, Byron and I took advantage of our last few hours by dropping off the girls with Mopsie and Popsie, went on a Sushi date, jogged around the neighborhood (not quite, but my heaving and contracting sides made me feel like this was the case), cleaned the house, and settled remaining loose ends before picking the girls back up to get them ready for bed. Mopsie came over to stay the night and we were off on our pre-induction date! Byron had the grand idea to stroll about the Americana for dinner and a movie before heading over to our "appointment" at midnight. We enjoyed an excellent dinner and dessert at Cheesecake Factory (he ate the dinner, I ate the dessert) and thoroughly scared our waiter when Byron announced to him, "If I flag you down for the check, that means I'll need it fast, because my wife is in labor." The waiter stammered his understanding, and rushed off to put in our order.

At this time my contractions were quite regular and coming every ten minutes, so we were very hopeful that our active day was benefiting our goal of getting Massimo out. Next up on our agenda was a movie, but I was getting quite nervous about going in to see one and leaving the theater with a baby in my arms, so we decided to skip the movie, and stroll about to window shop and people-watch instead. As the contractions began to hurt more and more, we opted to leave the mall and go to the hospital waiting room to play computer cards and bide our time in a safer location.

At midnight I checked in, was hooked up to monitors, and after a rather lengthy process involving four nurses and one anesthesiologist, I was on an IV with my arms full of bruises.  Much to my chagrin,  contractions had tapered off a bit at this time, but my doctor opted to hold off on augmenting/inducing till later in the morning.  At 5am I was put on a low dose of piton which was gradually upped over the next several hours.  Shortly after 8am I requested an epidural as I was in a great deal of pain and dilated a 6 or 7.  Progress!

Around 11am my doctor broke my water, expecting me to deliver in another two hours or so.  Shortly after I felt a unbearable urge to push -- despite the epidural-- and Byron rushed to get a nurse.  Everything after this point is a haze as I barely could acknowledge who was in the room.  Delivery process was swift, and I needed no encouragement or the doctor's aid to push him out-- so different from my other deliveries! With only three minutes of pushing he arrived!

Final Prego Pics

Here are some of the final shots of my massive belly before Massimo arrives!

 

   

Happenings

I am full term today and eagerly awaiting the arrival of our rather elusive little Massimo.  Every night I pray that I would go into labor; I am getting very impatient to evict this little guy, even though I am feeling SO much better than earlier in the pregnancy!  He is definitely getting cramped in there and I am not gaining any weight at this point and his movements are becoming greatly restricted.  I have tried various means to make my body go into labor including walks, cleaning, swimming, and even castor oil, but so far no luck! We have an induction scheduled for Sunday night (tomorrow) if he does not come sooner.  I hope he does!  All these contractions just need to get more effective and get to work!

Ellie was quite a little character this morning.  She has taken on one of Camelia's bad habit's of moaning after she is told "No" about something.  After breakfast she decided it was time for crackers, so she went into the kitchen and brought out a package of Graham Crackers.  She came to me with a cheesy grin and announced "Crakas Mommy!"  I told her no, she moaned "Ahhh" and returned to the kitchen with her loot.  This scenario was repeated three times and then she tried the same strategy on her sisters.  They also denied her request and she moaned her dismay accordingly.  Later, after finally returning the crackers to the pantry, she nestled in next to me on the couch and grabbing my arm whispered, "I wub you, Mommy, I nuggle you!" Such sweet moments!  Yesterday she came to me very obstinately and announced, "I nuggle my wata boddle, not Mommy!" as she reclined back onto a pillow with water bottle clutched lovingly in her grasp.

Today we had a scavenger hunt in the backyard to pass our summer hours.  We printed an activity sheet for each of the girls. The younger two lost interest rather quickly, but Gilana was very diligent to complete her entire worksheet and win the prize.  Camelia was very disappointed to find that Gigi won the prize Gummi Worm.  Gilana has been practicing kindness towards her sisters, and exclaimed: "I am going to give most of my candy to my sisters because I love them so much.  I am being kind to them and now they all want to give me hugs.  Isn't that nice?  When we eat lunch I will sit between the girls because they love me so much for sharing my candy and Mommy will have to eat alone.  Mommy did not share candy with the girls so she doesn't get to sit with anyone.  [To the sisters] How's about if I be in the middle of the two both of you?  I was born first.  Camelia was born in the middle and Ellie was born last.  I wish Baby Boy would come out!  Now, no girl's eating my bagel or my cherries, I need to eat my food. You be good girls and eat your broccoli. It's ok if Camelia wins and eats all her food first.  This is 'cause I am being very nice!"