The Story

To make a long story short, this is what went down this week. 3:30 Thursday morning, I start having contractions that are 10 minutes apart, not too painful. This continues until about 7am, when they become a lot stronger. They are still about 10 minutes apart. Around 7:30, mom says that since they are painful, we might as well go in to the hospital. So I get up and start getting Megan, myself and Russ ready to go. As soon as I get up, the contractions start happening every 2-6 minutes. We hurry everyone along and we get to the hospital around 8:30. They are now about 2-3 minutes apart. I get to triage and they examine me and all they can feel is my water and they say that I am probably complete and don't have time to get an epidural. They take me to a labor room around 8:45 and get an IV started just in case I can have one. They broke my water and I soon start pushing. I didn't have time for an epidural. OUCH!!!!! Melanie was born at 9:21 in the morning. She was 6 lb 13 ozs and 20'' long.
Here are some more pictures:

She looks so much like Russ did when he was born.
Megan meeting Melanie.

In the nursery, getting examined.

Right before we left for the hospital. I was in between contractions at the time.

Long Promised Picture

We will give the story later.

Of Bellies, Bubbles & Babies

This is what Russ was working on this January. His baby. Don't worry, it is gone now.
Megan loves her bubbles. Not to actually play with them per se, but to hug, kiss, shake and wrap in blankets.

Of course not for the camera, but she likes to wrap everything she can. Or have mom do it.

Helping mom with the dishes. Our new obsession. Plenty of bubbles here. And water on the floor (and mom).

I finally caved into pressure and put up a belly shot. Enjoy while you can.

Megan's First Haircut

We took Megan in for her first official haircut. I have cut her bangs a little bit, but it was getting pretty obvious that more was needed. She did so well. Only a little crying at first and when she got her bangs cut.

Her hair was getting a little crazy
Right before

After.

As you can see, we didn't do anything drastic. Just a little trim.

Some Christmas Pictures

It has been so long since we posted I thought I better get on it. We spent our Christmas vacation is Utah and Indiana (and airports!!). We had a great time playing with cousins and puppies. This year, only mommy got sick, so that made the vacation much easier. We are now back in Connecticut realizing that we must had a mild winter last year compared to this. Russ has made stupid comments like "What if we get a snow storm and the baby is coming and no one can get in or out?". He now has to memorize one page in "What to Expect" on how to assist a birth without medical help. That should teach him to keep his month shut.
Anyway, on to the pictures!

Cheese! And I must say that the toy she is holding is delightful. Simply delightful.
She went to Discovery Gateway in Utah. She had so much fun!

She and daddy went sledding. Dad almost didn't make it back.

Megan feeding the baby.

Megan loves our Christmas tree.

Christmas Past and Present

It is amazing how much change one year can bring to a family. Merry Christmas!

Dinner time

Elizabeth and I had a discussion about whether me contributing 23 chromosomes makes Megan half mine. I said it is like I provided half the blueprints for a building and Elizabeth provided the other half, the labor, materials, and all other construction costs. Plus since birth, she has provided the lion's share of the child rearing. So I maintain she is more responsible for Megan's behavior than I.

What, pray tell, precipitated this conversation?

We were sitting down to a lovely dinner Elizabeth fixed--marinated chicken, peas, and baked potatoes. Elizabeth dutifully made Megan a peanut butter sandwich, gave her her some peas, a glass of water, and at Megan's insistence, some pickles. It seems, though, that what Megan really wanted was soup. She smushed the peas between her fingers and threw them into her water, smiling with delight each time. Pea soup, I thought. Then she smashed the peanut butter sandwich in her face, leaving a dignified peanut butter mustache, and submerged it into the soup. Peanut butter and pea soup? No, she can't be hungry; She is just playing, we thought. At last, Megan Triumphantly raises her pickle high into the air. Like a graceful cliff-diver, the pickle plunges into the soup. Megan repeats this process several times, but each time she raises the pickle offering to the gods she decides that they want her to have it instead. So one bite at a time she finishes her peanut butter sandwich and pea soup soaked pickle.

That is what started the discussion. Which one of us is responsible for this little mess. What ended the conversation is when Megan picked up the cup and downed about half of the concoction. Elizabeth and I both almost puked. Megan on the other hand thought it was just fine and took another swig.