1 Year Anniversary!

I just realized that I started blogging a year ago this month (February 21, 2009 was my first post). I always thought people that blogged were strange and wondered why they would write in an online journal for other people to read. Then, after reading other blogs I decided that it would be such a nice way to document our family's life together even if no one ever reads it. I have done a scrapbook for Owen and Adam's first year, but other than that, I don't scrapbook. I am not that creative, nor do I really have the time, so this is my way of scrapbooking. I am NOT a good writer and I know I make a ton of mistakes in my writing, however I figure one day, when I am no longer here, my kids or even my grandchildren will enjoy reading my blogs (mistakes and all). There is a great company (blog2print) that will take blogs and make them into hardcover books. I need to work on that. I think I will do one a year.

Adam is 2 Weeks Old

Dear Adam,

Today you are two weeks old! Here's what you are up to...

- At your weight check appointment on Wednesday you weighed 8 lbs 8 oz! That means you've gained almost 1 pound since you were born. I knew you were gaining weight because you are getting a double chin and adorable little rolls on your thighs. Yesterday, I was not able to button the top button on a newborn outfit you were wearing because your neck is getting thicker and your double chin gets in the way. The little hats we've been putting on you are starting to be too small. We only have a few newborn diapers left and then we will move on to size 1 diapers (sniff sniff).
- Your umbilical cord fell off so you can now have normal baths. You had one for the first time last night and hated it. I am sure you will learn to love your baths soon.
- You love to be held and snuggled. Daddy's favorite thing is to lay on the couch with you sleeping on his chest. When we have a lot of things to do around the house, but you want to be held, we put you in the front carrier and you are as happy as can be.
- You sleep pretty well at night. You are up every 3 hours to eat and usually go back to sleep without much trouble.

We love you so much!

Great Grandpa

Last night, Adam got to meet his great grandpa, Papa Doc, for the first time. Today Papa Doc turns 88 so we wanted to stop by and bring him dinner and have him meet his newest great grand baby. Hopefully we will soon be able to stop into the nursing home so Ollie can meet Adam too!

I Survived

Today was my first day home alone all day with both boys by myself. I was feeling a little nauseous last night and I think it was because I was nervous about how today would go. It went fine. Besides seeing cat puke all over our basement.... again... first thing this morning because Cheech keeps getting a hold of string and eating it, and besides Adam almost peeing in my mouth and Owen refusing to take his afternoon nap, things went relatively well. I was most nervous about entertaining Owen while nursing Adam and that was fine. Adam did nap most of the day, however, so that made it pretty easy. We'll see if he decides to be awake all night now.

Each day I am home with Owen I try to do something special. Today we made cupcakes. I am not sure every activity we do together will be that ambitious, but it was a good start.

This is what the cupcakes looked like after Owen put icing on them. I had to go back and try to fix them up. You should have seen my kitchen afterwards!!

Yummy!

Frosty the Snowman

The snow has finally melted enough to make it perfect for making a snowman!

Adam is 1 Week Old

Dear Adam,
Today you are one week old. Here's what you are up to:

- You are such a great baby! You sleep most of the time, but are starting to be awake and alert for longer periods of time. When you are awake you are usually very happy and pleasant.
- You are sleeping in your own room and crib at night and for at least one nap during the day.
- We started "tummy time"
- You had your first bath this week
- You love your swing
- You love your pacifier
- You hate getting your diaper changed
- You enjoy sleeping with your hat pulled down over your eyes
- You do not like camera flashes
- You are a good nurser and eat about every 3 hours. I have to wake you up most times to feed you or you would sleep right through your feeding.
- You are such a snuggle bug and I would hold you all day if I could
- Your big brother is really getting used to you being around and loves to hold you and give you kisses
We are so happy to have you in our family!
Love,
Mommy

1st Doctor Appointment

Tuesday was Adam's first doctor appointment. He did very well and slept through most of it. He is 20.5 inches (I guess he grew a half inch in 4 days?) and weighs 7 lbs 8 oz (only two ounces less than his birth weight). We go back again next week for a weight check.

Dr. Schaffer made us feel better about giving Adam a pacifier. I thought I had to wait till he was about 3 weeks old to give him one, but Dr. S does not agree. He said some babies just need to suck all the time and Adam is one of them. I really think that is going to help us out tremendously. Last night, Adam was up every hour to eat. I was getting cranky and wondering what was wrong that he was not getting satisfied. Finally, after an HOUR of nursing, I gave him to Mike (at 3 am) and said to go somewhere (like the basement) and not bring him up till 5am. He had to be able to go 2 hours without eating after eating for an hour straight. As soon as Mike brought him downstairs he slept on him for 3 hours. He was using me as a human pacifier.

We decided to take Owen along to the doctor because he has been pulling on his ear and I wanted to make sure he did not have another ear infection (he doesn't). Dr. Schaffer is a wonderful pediatrician. Owen loves him so much and does whatever Dr. Schaffer asks him to do. Dr. Schaffer asked him today what he wanted to be when he grew up and Owen said "You". If Dr. Schaffer told Owen to run a mile, we really think he would. He just has such a calm, sweet personality and Owen adores him.

Dr. Schaffer had a student intern who took a look at Adam before he came in. She really wanted to check his eyes, but he was refusing to open them so she turned off the lights for a bit to see if that would work. To try to keep Owen entertained I had allowed him draw on a piece of paper with a pen I had brought along to the appointment. The lady doctor turned off the lights for, honestly, 1 minute. Owen was sitting on Mike's lap and was so confused and kept asking what she was doing. I knew he had the pen in his hand, but had no idea he was using it to make himself look like a warrior. When she turned on the lights this is what Owen looked like...
I about died! Luckily, they did not turn us in for being bad parents and allowing our child to draw all over his face and eye with a pen. We have no idea how he did not scratch his eye. Dr. Schaffer was able to remove the ink with an alcohol swab. Next week I think I'll take Adam to the doctor without Owen. It is a lot of work taking two kids and I even had Mike along!

Watch What I Wish For

Just when I brag about how great Adam did two nights ago practically sleeping through the night, he did just the opposite last night. I think he finally fell asleep around 1:30ish and then I had to wake him up at 4 to eat. I can't wait till he weighs enough that I don't have to wake him up- I hate doing that! I think I got around 2 hours of sleep total. So he is acting like a baby should, I guess. He is usually so pleasant and yesterday I told Mike that Adam makes having an infant seem easy and he makes me want to have lots and lots of babies. Mike did NOT like the idea so maybe he is glad that Adam kept me up half the night. Hopefully we get some sleep today.

Last Night

Besides having a great husband, I might have one of the best infants ever! Last night, Adam slept for the first time in his crib in his own room. I had already had enough of him sleeping in our room and decided he might as well get used to his crib. He ended up sleeping from 10-2ish and then 2:45-5:45. I think it helped that he could not smell my milk because he was in his own room. Both times he woke up to feed it was because I jumped out of bed worried something was wrong with him and in pain from not feeding for so long. I think he might have gone almost through the night had I not woken him up.

At first I was super excited. Mike and I planned on it being a long night trying to get him to sleep in his own room/bed away from us. Then, after he did so well, I started to worry something was wrong with him. He is such a content baby compared to Owen (although we are trying not to compare them!). So we'll see....maybe I just jinxed myself and he will start acting like a "normal" infant.

Mike's 1st blog.

Hello to everyone who reads this blog. For those who don't know me, my name is Mike, and I am Sarah's husband. And, yes, I am the one who wanted to buy Sarah rollerblades as a "push present." Let me just say that in hindsight, after all the events that took place, as well as the unbelievable sacrifice and effort put forth by my wife and all mothers out there, roller blades just doesn't quite say "thanks for pushing." What was I thinking!?

Since Sarah has no idea that I am doing this, I would like to take this opportunity to share how I feel about her and what she has given me. After our first son, Owen, was born, I was so excited. He was the greatest gift in the world. But, what got lost in the the whole birthing process was the "birthing process." I was so overwhelmed that I was a father, I didn't fully appreciate what Sarah had to endure. She makes it look easy. She pushed for 10 minutes with Owen and didn't make one sound. With Adam she pushed for 7 minutes, and still didn't make enough noise to get kicked out of a library.

In life we are force fed stories on the TV about heroes. Often after watching these programs I reflect and think "Is that really a hero?" Some are, some are not, but this much I do know....My wife is my hero. I am so proud of her. She is so strong, so brave, and so unselfish. She just amazes me.

Thank you Sarah for being such a great mom, a great wife, and the best friend a guy could ever have!

Love,
Mike

Visitors

I had a really nice, new room at the hospital with hardwood floors!


Adam had many visitors while we were in the hospital and when we came home. Here are just some of the people that came to see him...

Lala

Nana Wei

My cousin Kate and Aunt PhranPapaAunt Beth (who stayed at the hospital with me the second night so Mike could be home with Owen and get some much needed sleep)

EricAdrianne
We received the prettiest bouquet of flowers from Owen's friend, Levi and his family.Papa Steve
Aunt Judy made a sign to hang in our dining room welcoming Adam home.

Adam's Birth Story

Thursday night I started having contractions. Some were as close as three minutes apart, but they were not painful and when I would get up and move around they would lessen in their intensity so I figured they were "fake". The following morning (Friday) I was finally able to get in to see a doctor since my appointment on Wednesday and Thursday were canceled due to the snowstorm. Mike took a half day and came along with me to the appointment. I had progressed somewhat and was about 3 cm dialated, but my cervix still had a way to go. Dr. Bradford "stripped my membranes" again, but we decided if that did not work I would be induced on Sunday at 8pm.

Well, it worked. Almost as soon as I got home I started having more and more contractions and they were getting stronger and stronger. I was only having cramping and pain in the front and they said if it was true labor I would feel it in my back, which I remembered from when I had Owen. I tried taking a nap, but my contractions were too strong and were occurring about every 6 minutes. I walked to Linda's house to pick Owen up and when we got home I started to clean up and get things ready because I had a feeling that maybe I would go into labor that night. I started to keep track of my contractions around 4 o'clock and they were all around 5 mintues apart. My midwife had told me to come to the hospital when they were 10 minutes apart and I was huffing and puffing through each contraction. Well I never experienced them 10 minutes apart, but I was not really huffing and puffing yet so I thought I had time. Mike was getting VERY nervous and wanted to leave for the hospital, but I kept assuring him that we had time. Finally, around 5:30 I knew it was time to leave so we said goodbye to Owen and off we went.

The traffic to Lancaster (especially through Manhiem) on a Friday evening after a major snowstorm is NOT fun when you're in labor!! We probably should have left when Mike suggested. My contractions were getting much stronger and were about 3 minutes apart. Mike began driving with his hazard lights on and about 4 times we had to drive up the turning lane to pass a LONG line of cars. I would put the window down and get the driver's attention in the car next to us and tell them I was in labor and I'd ask if we could cut in front of them. Everyone was very kind and let us go ahead.

We arrived to the hospital around 6:15ish. The midwife checked me and said my cervix still had a way to go and was a little confused as to why my contractions were so close together. In a "round about way" she questioned if I was really in active labor, however the monitor clearly showed how close together and strong my contractions were. I was in so much pain by that point that I wanted an epidural. I told her we were not going home and she said she would call "to see if there was a room available". The nerve! I almost cried. Magically a room became available and my fluids were started and my epidural was ordered. I think the epidural guy arrived around 8:00pm. It only started to take effect around 8:30pm and I know it was not working to its full potential. They broke my water around the same time and after that I had so much pressure I just had to push. I pushed for 7 (extremely grueling) minutes and he was out at 9:10pm.

We couldn't be happier and feel so blessed to have a healthy baby!

Introducing...

Adam Robert Reager
Born Friday, February 12, 2010 at 9:10pm
Weighing 7 pounds 10 ounces and 20 inches long

We are absolutely in love with this little guy and so is his big brother, Owen!

2nd Blizzard of 2010

Here are some pictures from the second blizzard which occurred only 3 days after the first one.