Saturday, October 30, 2010

Happy Halloween!



This week we enjoyed a Typhoon Day (Okinawa's version of a Snow Day).  I was hoping we would get two days off, then I wouldn't have to have Jayce's Halloween costume ready for the parade at school.  Well, I was a good Mom and planned for the worst, so he was ready for the parade and he won the Scariest Costume award in his class. 

We spent today getting ready for Trick or Treating tonight.  Jason and the kids took care of the pumpkins while I finished up the costumes.  They each designed their own face!  I love how they turned out.


A vampire with scars!


She shuddered after quickly dropping the handful!
What shape do you want its eyes - circle.  What shape do you want its nose - circle.  What shape do you want its mouth - circle!


This year we had a mummy, a vampire, and a princess with a pink sword to get the bad guys (can you tell she has big brothers?).
Cape: circa Halloween 1984 (it was mine, I think I really liked being a vampire.  I picked to be a vampire several Halloweens)
To make Jayce's costume I cut cheesecloth into strips (doubled).  Dipped in coffee.  Then I sewed them to cream colored thermals.  I had to pin some of the strips on while he had the thermals on part way.  Wherever the thermals had to stretch, so over his head and his bum.
For the pink princess I painted a foam sword pink.  I couldn't find a tiara anywhere, so - I grabbed some wire and bead caps and made a tiara on a headband.  Oh! and add sparkly makeup!

They came home with too much candy, but I think Jayce said it was the best Halloween every.  He had friends to hang out with and our neighbors (there are 2 girls) had a party with a DJ and balloon man that lasted until 10.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

First Bath!

Jason doesn't like pictures of babies in the tub - but I am making an exception.



Tennyson was crying before I put her in the water.  She stopped crying and really enjoyed the bath and as soon as I pulled her out of the water she started crying again.  It was a long bath, too.  I am so glad she enjoys it, she seems to be very opinionated.  When she states her opinion about something it is very intense!

How did I stumble across the coolest baby bath tub ever?

With Jayce I used a big plastic tub.  It collapsed a little for storage and came with a bath sling.  It was fine.  By the time I had Grahm, I didn't want to use the big bulky tub.  I just wanted a bath sling - easy enough.  A bath sling is great because it is small and you can wash the mesh cover when it starts to smell sour.  I bought a new one for Charlotte and was very happy. 

I went on the hunt for a new bath sling for Tennyson because the covers never make it through more than one baby - maybe I wash them too much.  I could not find one at our on base store or at the Toys R Us on the island, so I turned to Amazon.  In my search I discovered the PUJ tub.  Now I wish they would have paid me to review their product, but no such luck.

However, as a mother I am always on the hunt for good design.  I instantly fell in love.  When it arrived, I was even more excited.  Now that I have tried it, I don't want to use anything else. It lays flat to dry - no mildew, it is super soft, not cold - Love it!!


Monday, October 25, 2010

A Blessing in Disguise

Blessings come in many shapes, sizes and colors.

As soon as we had decided on which housing we would be spending the next 3 years we went and purchased a couch.  I regretted the decision the moment the couch was delivered.  It was awful, the wrong size and shape for our living room. 

I thought I had wanted a sectional instead of a couch and a love seat.  I thought it would help divide up the living and dining room just right.  Well, it took me a few weeks to finalize where to put it (thanks to my interior design sister for helping me make the final decision - Jason was sick of moving it around).  It was going to be tolerable for the next 3 years.

I now love my huge sectional couch.  Since Tennyson seems to sleep the best in my arms and the floors here are concrete.  I don't like her in my bed - so we crash on the couch.  I am mostly sitting, but I get sleep.  She is good for a 5-6 hour stretch - So I LOVE  my couch.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

The Messy Story Continued...

Without further ado.. (and with spelling and grammar corrections - shouldn't type with a fussy baby in your arms).

As soon as I had been admitted I informed the nurses that I wanted an epidural as soon as super humanly possible (NOW!!).  So they had started the process.  Which means they needed to get an  IV line and a vial of blood for lab work.  Try 1:  they hit a valve in the vein - but could get the vial of blood they needed.  Try 2:  hit a valve.  Try 3: different nurse - too shallow of veins, Try 4: different nurse - hit a valve.  I have gorgeous veins - if I do say so myself, but for some reason they were have trouble that morning.

This is the point where the Dr. tells me I am at a 9.  My worst fears are becoming a reality.  True, I have been swayed to consider natural child birth due in large to the enormous sharing of stories on the web and people describing it as a very spiritual experience.  Thanks to friends and family who think like I do for talking me through it (We live in the age of modern medicine and I doubt that most of the women before would have opted out of using the resources available to them - but that is a debate for another time).  By now the contractions are very intense and I didn't want to play anymore, that is why I asked for the epidural as I was walking through the doors.  I didn't want to do it, I didn't know if I could do it. 

The Dr. tells me we have 2 options at this point.  1:  Have this baby in an half hour, or 2: wait an hour for the labs so I can have my epidural.  This is not a decision I want to make, I want the Dr. to just tell me what we are going to do or Jason.  At the very least, I needed Jason to tell me I could do it.  I probably hummed and hawed over this for what felt like 5 plus minutes and 2 or more contractions.  I decided: lets do the half hour option, the hour option didn't have any guarantees that the baby would wait that long and it meant that I wouold have to endure contractions for that much longer.

So we started pushing.  The Dr. tried breaking my water, but thought it must have already broke.  When?  I did discover that pushing during a contraction makes the pain go away, not completely.  The Dr. and nurses where so great.  They were bossy and kind all at the same time.  The Dr. at one point told me 3 more pushes and she would be here - well that came and went and so did that half hour.

Finally the Dr. informed me that she was sunny side up.  I was devastated.  Grahm was sunny side up (they thought he would be born before midnight and we didn't manage that one until after 8 the next morning).  I could not do that again.  The Dr. recognized the fact that I would not let him try and turn her, I was too uncomfortable.  So he offered to get me the anesthesiologist if I wanted.  At this point that is what I wanted.

The Dr. did the IV and was able to get it, thank goodness.  I was not sure I could handle several more tries.  Then every one left except Jason.  Mentally I had given up and was having a hard time coping with the contractions again.  Well, I had nothing to do when they came.  So I started barely pushing when a contraction came to ease the pain a little.  For almost all of the delivery I had my eyes closed, so I am not sure of the time line or how long some things actually took.  Most of it felt like forever.  At one point I sent Jason out to find the anesthesiologist.  He describes it - that he went whimpering out with his tail between his legs and came whimpering back in.  She was here. 

They had decided to do a spinal block.  They had me sit up, but then had to have me lay back down because the baby was not doing well.  After the spinal block was done I believe the Dr. turned her.  The spinal block is not as amazing as an epidural, but it was so helpful in easing the pain.  The Dr. announces after the spinal block that we have an hour and an half to get the baby here before the block wears off  (okay, I am a little concerned Grahm was so slow).  We start doing some good pushing again, the Dr. tells the nurse to get the forceps (I half sigh in relief - help!).  A few minutes later a neonatalogist comes in (so glad they didn't tell me they were calling him in), but the Dr. tells him that the baby is doing much better and he isn't going to have to use the forceps.  She is finally here at 7:20am.

I was overwhelmed with so many feelings.  The main feeling at her arrival was relief, that the pain was finally over with.  Also very happy and excited to meet this little angel.  It was a very emotional experience.  I was worried about loosing control, about screaming, doing something embarrassing.  I remember praying for help and my prayer was answered.

Some of the funny things that I did or happened during deliver or myths.  Delivery can not be a quiet thing - its like lifting weights or when a tennis player makes a loud noise every time they hit the ball.  It is not screaming (well maybe some women do), but you make noise with the effort of having the baby.  At one point I said I wanted to cuss, then a few contractions later I managed a quiet "Hales Bells"  (made Jason smile).  If the Dr. tried to check on the baby or me during a contraction I refused to push because the pain would not subside with pushing it would get worse.  The same with my leg position, if they had my legs in some crazy contortionist position (like behind my head  - exaggerating) I would refuse to push with a violent shake of my head, again the pain would get worse with pushing.  After awhile I could only use one arm on the pull bars because the other arm was so bruised from the attempted IV pokes.  The nurse had to tell me to help Jason fill out the form for my spinal block because when Jason asked me how tall I was (I was irritated that he was asking me).  I realize now that wearing makeup into delivery is worthless, I labored it all off - every bit of it.

Recovery was fairly "smooth".  Maybe better than an epidural recovery.  The IV trouble translates into black and blue bruises all over my arms.  Pulling on the pull bars meant my arms and back were very sore.

Jason said he felt for me until I was still asking if this was our last baby of if we could have one more!

Monday, October 18, 2010

The Messy Emotional Details!

If you  are one of those who do not like to listen to people's birth stories - then this post is not for you!

First of all, all of my pregnancies have ended with an induction.  Mostly because I never start labor before my due date.  Jayce because I was working and wanted to get the longest maternity leave I could.  Grahm and Charlotte because we lived away from family and my Mom was coming to help out and didn't want to be there with no baby.  I have never been induced early - just on my due date.  This pregnancy was no different we had an appointment scheduled so my Mom and sister would be able to spend a week helping out before they had to leave.
2 days before my appointment I had a Dr's visit and low and behold I was actually starting labor on my own!  I went snorkeling later that day - so much fun!!  The next day we went shopping (fabric stores) and ate Japanese food for lunch and curry for dinner - I was experiencing an occasional uncomfortable contraction through out the day. 
That night the adults were watching a movie and I was packing and preparing for our morning appointment (you know - shaving my legs - all the important things silly girls worry about!!).  I of course went to bed way too late and first woke at 2 am with a contraction.  Went back to sleep until 3 am and then dozed with my contractions happening every 10 minutes for an hour.  I decided at 4 am that it was time to go, so I woke up Jason and told him I was going to get ready.  I went and put on my makeup and then told him to get ready.  Once I was standing I was worried that the contractions would stop - well they didn't - they started to come closer together.  Even though Jason was not taking a long time - I knocked on the door and said hurry up (his eyes got a little bigger).  We left at a about 4:30am and arrived at the hospital before 5am.
They went ahead and admitted me because I was scheduled to come in soon any way.  When I was situated and checked I was at a 9!!!!

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Official Introductions

Everyone I would like you to meet...



Tennyson McKay Geary



Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Torture

Sorry - I know I have some back blogging to do - but I also wanted to jot down some thoughts as our new little angel becomes part of who we are.

Last night (Tuesday night) at about 11:30pm she saw me for the first time. 

It is so fun to watch their reactions to their new world.  She had both eyes open and I was googling baby solutions on the web and the monitor was our light.  My face must have caught her attention because she sat and stared and tracked my face for awhile.  It was a magical moment, the kind you love but never can have enough of.

Friday, October 8, 2010

New Baby

Hi this is Hannah, Micah's youngest sister. Just posting the pictures and update on the new addition to the Geary Family. I'm not going to say her name just yet because it is still up in the air of what they chose to name the beautiful baby girl. Born today, October 8, 2010 near 7:30 am she is 7 lbs. 10 oz. Healthy, Happy, and has a look like Geary Grandpa Dennis. Enjoy the pictures!



Monday, October 4, 2010

A Day to Celebrate 6!


   How did this become this?



How can he be 6?

6 Years ago - I looked similar to this and probably felt exactly the same (minus the heat and swimsuit)


To celebrate another year come and gone for Grahm we headed to the beach to play and snorkel.

More to come of the dinner - but I have to go get my MOM!!!!!!! from the airport!!!!!

Friday, October 1, 2010

The Laundry Fairy!


 The Laundry Fairy (finally) visited my house and this is what he brought and installed!!  I have been waiting for about 2 months for this!!




No more laundry drying all over my dining room and living room!  I just wish the Laundry Fairy would visit and do the laundry!!