Let's take it back...

So looking back on my posts today, I realized I was terrible about putting up any pictures of the kids in Hannah's first month, so I wanted to put a few up so you can see how much she has really grown!

The day we brought her home from the hospital:


3 days old:


4 days old:


Hannah with GG... 2 1/2 weeks old


almost 1 month old:


1 month birthday!!




5 weeks old:

time is flying by!

Just wanted to post some new pictures. Hannah is 2 months old today! I haven't done her photo shoot yet today, but I have some new pictures that I like and want to share! Enjoy!!

Zach is such a proud big brother!!


Hannah wearing big brothers old clothes


Zach stomping.. but being too lazy to stand up and do it :)


Hannah wearing mommy's christening gown


Just hanging out


Not enjoying tummy time

Halloween!!

I have been terrible about updating this blog.. but wanted to get some pumpkin patch and Halloween pictures up before Thanksgiving is here.

We found a really neat local family pumpkin patch pretty close to us and since Zach is learning about farm animals and barns (and we were able to catch both at this place) he was so excited!

This year we carved 4 pumpkins (one for each of us) and when we went to San Jose for the weekend it rained. We came home to moldy bug infested pumpkins that had turned to mush, so on Halloween night, we had none.

Zach was Donald Duck this year (again). Last year he hated the costume and wanted nothing to do with it. This year, he loves Mickey and friends and loved the costume and wearing it. My mom and I took the kids to Paso. They do a nice Halloween deal around the downtown and all the businesses hand out candy. When we came home we took him to a few houses in the neighborhood. He wasn't sure about it all and kept trying to go into peoples houses.

Hope everyone had a great Halloween!!

out of the mouths of the ignorant....

This weekend someone was watching Zach expel some of his mounds of energy. He was climbing up on something, probably about 2 feet high, and jumping off. Repeat over and over again.

She says:

"It's amazing how normal he is"

I just didn't know what to say. I said something along the lines of 'yes, he is very normal'. You always think of all the things you would say after the fact. However, no matter what you say, some people just can't be educated.

Hannah's Birth Story

Hannah is 3 weeks old today and I decided it is finally time to post the birth story before I forget all those fun details. The picture above was taken this afternoon.

At my last OB checkup (3 days before my due date) we decided to schedule an induction. I was getting horribly uncomfortable and she was not making any progress. Dr. Hirsch said he would call the hospital and see what times they had available and they would let me know that afternoon. When I was talking to the front desk and checking out, the lady told me that because of my insurance I could only deliver at French Hospital. For many reasons I had been planning on delivering at Sierra Vista, the biggest reason being that they are the only hospital in the area with a NICU. We never toured French, knew nothing about it, so needless to say, I was stressed. And to top it off, they said that French was full and couldn't take anyone anyway. I was in tears. After talking to the insurance company and understanding why I had to go to French, I was ok with it.

I got the call that afternoon that they would induce me on Tuesday, September 11 (my due date) at 8pm. They said to get there at 6:30 to pre-register and then the induction will start at 8. So we got Zach all fed and got Grampa Buck organized to care for Zach for the next couple days and we headed to the hospital. When we got there they said that I was all registered (I guess by the doctor's office) and I could just head to the Birthing Center. The nurse was a bit surprised to see us so early but got us in a room. We were pretty happy that we got stuck at French, it was a really nice facility!

The nurse said that she was going to call my doctor and get his orders, but she wanted to check me first to let him know where I was at. She checked me and I was at 3cm. After calling him he said to wait until 4am to start pitocin to see how I progress on my own. We were a little irked about that. We could have been home with Zach instead of sleeping in the hospital. (my OB is very into scheduling things so that nothing gets in the way of his sleep schedule). At that point they started my IV. That was terrible. The first try she couldn't get in far enough, she said she hit a valve, so she pulled it out. The next try she couldn't get it in right either. She then tried the right side and was able to get one in the top of my hand. Chris and I went to sleep. About 4 they came in and checked me and there was no change. They started pitocin. We slept a little more. Woke up about 6 or so and my mom was there. They were gradually increasing pitocin every half hour.

About 9 or 10am I looked at my hand with the IV and it was huge. Grossly huge. It looked like a rubber glove that someone blew up. So when the nurse came in I pointed it out to her and she looked a little freaked. They pulled the IV out and it bled pretty good so of course she pressed on it for a bit. When she pulled the gauze off, my hand looked like a volcano from where she was pressing it, that is how huge it was. We think that the needle from the IV poked through the vein and the pitocin and antibiotic was going straight into my hand. Fun! So we start the process of finding a vein in the other hand that we can re-start the IV in. Once she got that going, we had to start the pitocin back and square 1. And they said not to move my right hand a whole lot and keep it elevated and to be careful with my left hand so I didn't have a problem with the new IV. That made it pretty hard to try and move around in bed, that is for sure.

At about 11 or so, the nurse came in and said that my doctor wanted me to get the epidural to see if that would speed things up and make her drop into place. I had started having contractions, but they weren't too terrible, so I told them I wanted to wait and let things go naturally a little longer. About 1pm I decided to finally give in and get the epidural. I wasn't in excruciating pain yet, but the stronger they were getting, the more I was remembering Zach's birth (no drugs). So I get the wonderful epidural and couldn't have been happier. About 2pm the doctor came in and broke my water and said "ok, we are going to have this baby at 5... we all thought he was full of it (later to find out, he was right). At about 4:30pm, I could feel contractions a little more, so I gave myself that extra boost of drugs that they set up for you. It didn't help right away and I could feel that she had dropped into place so the nurse checked me and sure enough I was 10cm and ready to go. While I could feel my legs, they felt like I had 100lb weights tied to them, so my mom and Chris got into position and both grabbed one. The doctor got there and asked the nurse for the olive oil which I thought was weird. He wiped it on my who-ha and I completely accredit that as to why I did not have any tearing at all! After about 4-5 pushes, she was out at 5:12pm. It was such a wonderful birth experience.

About an hour after she was born, grandpa and Zach got there and he wasn't too sure about the whole thing. Chris, Buck and Zach went and got food (I hadn't eaten since 6pm the night before) We stayed there for 2 nights and came home Friday. Her big brother was so happy to have her home. She is such an amazing little girl and I am so in love with her!

Hannah Rose has arrived

Hannah Rose made her appearance on September 12, 2007 at 5:12 pm. She weighs in at 8 lbs. 6 oz and is 20 inches long. She is a beauty, if I say so myself.
We came home yesterday and are adjusting to life with our new addition. Zach is in love with his sister. When I have more time, I will post the birth story.

still pregnant....

Well, I am 39 weeks today. I am ready for her to get here. At this point with Zach, I was already having contractions. With her, nothing, but lots of pain.
We had a crazy thunder and lightening storm here about a week ago, followed by some showers. So, this has made for a miserable humid heat. It has been anywhere from 100-105 everyday for the past week since I have been on maternity leave. It is horrible. I am not looking forward to our electric bill after running the A/C as much as we have.

On the up side, Zach started back at preschool last Monday and is loving it and doing great. He is such a big boy and he makes me so proud. I am still not sure how he feels about his baby sister coming soon, so that remains to be seen. The other night we were cuddling on the couch and I said "I love you my little boy" and he looked up at me, shook his head No and said "baby". It was so cute but also broke my heart a little. I thought maybe it was a fluke so I said it again, and he had the same response. I told him he will always be my baby boy. And he will always be my first baby.

Here are some pictures from the first day of school... enjoy!

In front of our house:


Zach was looking out the window, waiting for the bus at Cindy's and he noticed me taking his picture:


All strapped in on the bus:

She Flipped!!!

I feel like a huge weight has been lifted! Now things can just happen naturally!!

Last week of work!!!

I have officially started my last week of work before going out on maternity leave. Lots to do, but very excited to have some time at home before our little girl gets here.
We have my 37 week appointment on Wednesday and we will talk about what we are going to do since she is still breech. We are going to talk about scheduling an external version, which scares me quite a bit, but if it will help our chances of a natural birth, I figure I have to go for it. Chris thinks that they day he tries to move her, will be the day I have her. Not sure if I agree with him or not. I am really set on having a September baby, so we'll see how far out he will let me schedule this thing.
We had the hospital tour yesterday. It was better than I expected, but it is no El Camino Hospital (where Zach was born), but it will do.
OK, back to work for me. I will update after my appointment on Wednesday.

I am leaving you all with a cheesin' picture of my little man.....

Never Say Never

This is a wonderful article that I wanted to share. Enjoy!!

http://grandparents.com/newsletter-archive/51-web.html



By Beverly Beckham

"The tooth is missing. It will never come in. Missing teeth are common among children with Down syndrome," the specialist told my daughter and son-in-law months ago.

He didn't cushion his words. He didn't say, "May not." He said never.

And then last week, there it was - a lower right lateral incisor, next to her lower right central incisor, exactly where it belongs.

"Well, what do you know, Lucy Rose," I said standing all 35 inches of her in front of a mirror. "Look at what you have - a brand new, shiny, white tooth!" I called my daughter at work. "I know," she said. "I saw it this morning. Can you believe it?"

I can now. Because it is here in front of me. But I thought never, too. Because the specialist said. And once again, I believed someone I shouldn't have, someone who doesn't know Lucy.

She will never walk.

He will never speak.

She will never go to college.

She will never have a full set of teeth.

When you have a child with special needs - with Down syndrome, with autism, with diabetes, with muscular dystrophy - with anything that's chronic and defies a cure - you hear "never" all the time.

Doctors say it. Strangers think it. And it rubs off.

It's what we thought - Lucy's mom and dad, grandparents, aunts, uncles - in the beginning after Lucy was born and doctors and nurses looked at her, and us, with a "There, but for the grace of God, go I" in their eyes. It's a great misstatement, this phrase, a huge spiritual falsehood because it means that God withholds his grace from some people and bestows it on others, who are then spared from tragedy.

This isn't true. God doesn't withhold grace. In fact it was through the grace of God that Lucy came to us.

Lucy, who is almost four now. Lucy with her new front tooth. Lucy who has surprised doctors and keeps surprising us.

She made a joke the other day. We were in the kitchen and the window was open and I said, "Listen to the birdie, LuLu," because something was crowing madly in the back yard. And Lucy, who has heard me tease, a million times, that a cow says oink and a pig says meow - (And then she corrects me, because she knows it's a game) - looked me straight in the eyes, shook her head and said and signed "Mouse."

Mouse. Not bird. See how clever I am, Lucy was saying.

She is clever. And resourceful. Two days ago, she was trying to tell me something about a rainbow and was signing and saying "bow" over and over. But I wasn't understanding. So I was guessing. "Cookie? Ball? Outside? Plane? I don't know, Lucy. I'm sorry. I'm not getting it."

And instead of screaming in frustration or giving up - she never gives up - she sat still for a moment. Then she hopped off the couch, walked over to the TV, opened the cabinet door, riffled through about a dozen DVDs, found the one with a rainbow on the front and handed it to me.

"Oh! Rainbow!" I yelled like a contestant on a game show who through no skill of her own wins first prize.

"Yes," Lucy said. Then she hugged me and forgave me my incompetence and smiled.

Pre-natal tests target children like Lucy and doctors apologize when children like Lucy are born. Lucy is a child the world would choose not to have. Foolish, foolish world.

She will never do all the things that typical kids do. That's what the experts say. What they fail to mention is all that she will do.

I read this on a website recently and copied and pasted it in my journal. "Common characteristics observed in [people with Down syndrome]: natural spontaneity, genuine warmth, penetrating clarity in relating to other people, gentleness, patience and tolerance, complete honesty, and the ability to engage in unfettered enjoyment of life's gifts."

I watch Lucy and her unfettered enjoyment of life's gifts. I watch and I learn from my first grandchild, who is life's gift to me.


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Beverly Beckham is an award winning columnist who writes for the Boston Globe. But she is better known as Mimi to her three grandchildren, Lucy, Adam and Charlotte.