A 4th of July Comparison

  We have here, six years ago on the 4th of July a baby named  Dawson. And right beside him on this day the 4th of July of the year 2012, we have an Evan. I dressed Evan in the same onesie that Dawson wore. As you can see, they look nothing alike. The other day I was going through baby pictures of Dawson and I couldn't believe how much he and Evan look alike. Actually, now that I think about it, Dawson doesn't even look like Dawson in this picture. Maybe that's a picure of someone else's baby. No I'm kidding. Besides, I woudn't have stolen a onesie from someone else's baby... sheesh.

I suppose this means I will need to post a few more baby pictures of Dawson here soon. That will give me something to do, you know. Give me a purpose in life.

A Father's Day Dedication

We had Evan dedicated on Father's Day. He was looking rather cute in his brand new plaid shorts outfit and bare feet.  

Taking a good look at my niece Gabbi and Dawson, I'd say I dont' think they were paying attention to the dedication. More like it was a personal photo shoot.

This was near the end of the dedicatoin and I was looking at Evan to make sure he knew he was being dedicated and to also ensure he was not taking notes by watching his brother Dawson who I just yelled at for climbing on the altar. I guess that wasn't too bad though. My brother-in-law Steve was so desperate to keep Gabbi happy that he fed her a Klennex box.

To end this post here are some great pictures of Jason with the boys outside in our back yard on the big day.

Steamboat Sprangs (Springs)

Last week we took another memorable vacation to Steamboat Springs. Or "Sprangs" as Dawson calls it. I have yet to find out where he developed this southern twang for only the word "springs". Must be the vaccination shots he's had.  We stayed 3 days in this pretty ski town of Colorado. Of course we go to ski towns in June. Do you really think we could afford to go there during ski season?
This is the view of the condo where we stayed.

Let me show you some pictures of our room:

Please disregard the fact that we had to go to the bathroom sideways. Jason wanted to know why I even took that picture. Well. Let me tell you. The reason is this:

Do you see that stain?! The one with the arrow? I was conviced that the reason this particular condo was so affordable was because someone was MURDERD in the bathroom! Jason, on the other hand, said it's just a flaw in the tile. By the end of our stay I managed the courage to take a piece of toilet paper, wet it down and try to clean up the stain to prove to him it was blood.

I guess it's a flaw in the tile.

We had a hot tub on our front porch along with a fireplace. Of course we used the hot tub and fireplace in 90 degree heat. Who wouldn't?

Evan was showing us how Dawson is no match for his tummy time skills.

A view on one of our walks.

Dawson throwing rocks at kayakers. No. I'm kidding. There were no people around.

Speaking of Dawson...he fell asleep in our bed. We obviously did not...

Another view on one of our walks.

We did a huge hike straight up a mountain. Being overly enthusiastic, I encouraged Jason that we could do it despite the fact that I had Evan strapped to my chest. Yes. I am an idiot. 

As you can see we made it about two miles uup the hike and my face was beet red, my shoulders were killing me, I could hardly breathe BUT, I still managed a smile for this blog.

Pool Time! This was Evan's first experience in a pool. You should see him swim. He doesn't even need a life jacket. That's because we held him.

Speaking of Evan.. He napped like a champ in the pack-n-play on this trip. Just because he's wrapped like a mummy doesn't mean he doesn't like it.

We took Dawson swimming at a hot springs pool place. We didn't get any pictures of that place for some reason. Probably because there was too much cellulite.

*editor's note: since an hour ago when I published this post, I was given the great idea of stealing a picture of the hot springs place from their website. Here it is:

The picture above is Jason nearly fitting his butt on playground equipment.

Me and the boys relaxing on the couch.

I am ending the blog with this cute picture of Dawson. believe it or not, he loves to wear those goggles and his "snarkle" (as he calls it)... in the hot tub. He is Jason's kid.

Congenital Ptosis: The Infant Eye Patch

Evan has been diagnosed with an eye condition called congenital ptosis. (droopy eye). When he was first born, we noticed that he was not raising his right eyelid that well. We asked his pediatrician who said she thought it was due to swelling from birth trauma and to give it a week or so. After a week (and several doctor visits due to jaundice) we found that he was still not raising his eyelid. The pediatrician recommended that we see a pediatric ophtamalogist. So. We did.

According to the internet (which one should never ever go to as a source of any sort of information because people are crazy and the next thing you know, you will have diagnosed a sore throat as being irritable bowel syndrome) Evan would need surgery. Although, we did many many searches online about this condition and really didn't find very much. Especially not anything that was useful. So I guess it's a good thing we went to an opthamalogist... His eye doctor said that he is so young, it's too early to do surgery. His eye condition is moderate, not severe (if it were severe, he would be unable to open his eye at all, and without immediate help, would go blind in that eye). Soo at this point in the game we are to:
Have him wear an infant eye patch.

We have to patch his good eye for one (alert) hour, 6 days per week for 8-10 weeks.

This will ensure that his vision does not decline by forcing him to focus with the eye that is slightly covered. At his next appointment, she will determine how he is doing and then we will most likely only need to patch his eye 3 days a week for an hour each day.

At around 10 months to one year, he may need a minor surgery where they will do a suture which is temporary to make his eyelid go up all way. Then when he is older he will most likely have permanent surgery to correct the muscle that is weak in his eyelid.

So that is the story of

Our poor little pirate...

Me & Da Boyz

So I'm a huge advocate of the book "Babywise" which is highly controversial. It requires a routine for your newborn as well as allowing them to "cry it out". That's all I have to say about that right now. I'll save it for another post. But I figured if I didn't write about it in this post I wouldn't remember that I was going to do a post about it. I mean I almost put my hairspray in the refrigerator the other day...

I have the 2 cutest boys ever! Dawson's shirt says Big Brother and Evan's shirt says Little Brother. You know. Because they are brothers. And Dawson is older than Evan.

I am including this picture even though I'm not in it because of the sheer difference in size between Dawson and Evan.

I don't have much left

to say this time. I'm pretty sure it's because I'm at the library and I look like a slob and I'm trying to download music from itunes and also check Facebook and also rock Evan from time to time in his car seat to buy me some more time while he's fussy. I'm a good mom like that.

A Newborn Survey

It’s been six years since I had a newborn. Although I’m much more relaxed this time around, there are things I do not remember. It’s all a sleepless blur. Below is a series of questions I have compiled in order to get your input on life with a newborn. Let’s begin:

1. Surely all parents go through a time of frustration when their newborn has his fussiest existence at 2:00 a.m. and refuses to fall asleep. Does his happen? Is it normal? Because I cried just a bit last night when I couldn’t figure out what the heck was causing Evan to be fussy. Although I did eat a whole bag of chocolate covered peanuts…

2. All mother’s have a moment when they want to cut off their boobs and take a hammer to the breastpump. Correct?

3. When do you give up on the stinking swaddle? Evan sleeps better when he’s in it but he can break free from it like an innocent man on death row and he grunts til he’s free.

4. Pacifier. Yes or No?

5. A shower is a masterpiece. A work of art. Or am I the only one who has to shower in order to function? Well. A shower with a cup of coffee. At the same time.

6. Fact or Fiction: Babies sleep longer when formula fed.

7. Adult interaction is taken for granted, right? I mean, if a telemarketer called me right now I would probably chit chat for a good hour. I wouldn't buy their product but I'd be happy to tell them all about the number of diapers I've changed and how I haven't done my hair and need a new hair color and talk about how to lose weight. Really. Someone should call me. Actually. I don't like talking on the phone. So. Now what.
Joy

Evan & Dawson

One of the first questions we get asked since having Evan is “how is Dawson doing as a big brother?” I’m not going to answer that question. Just kidding.
Dawson is the most amazing and loving big brother we could have ever been blessed with. He constantly asks to hold Evan. He gives him kisses and wants to lay by him. He’s not fond of how loud Evan cries though. Tonight he made the comment that he doesn’t like it when Evan cries because “he can’t hear himself think”. Pretty mighty statement for a 6 year old. Dawson is always willing to help out. He comforts Evan and grabs his pacifier because he knows it will make Evan happy. Now if I could just get Dawson to nurse Evan…

This post is really told in the pictures so I’ll end this one with the comment Dawson made last night. He didn’t know I could hear him, so it made me cry because it was the sweetest thing ever. Dawson was lying beside Evan who was in the middle of us. I was reading to them. While I was getting out a new book to read, Dawson leaned over and whispered in Evan’s ear: “Always remember that I’m your brother.”

Evan.Robert.Wilkins

9.26.2012
3:13 p.m.
5lbs 12oz 17.34 in

Of course I’m going to blog about the birthday of the newest addition to the Wilkins family. And since I can’t think of a proper segue into it, here it is.
On Sunday morning I woke up and thought I had peed my pants. So rather than tell that to Jason and let him tell everyone including the youth at church, I kept it a secret. Just between me and Evan who apparently was pressing on my bladder so hard I wet the bed. But no! Come to find out, my water broke. I found this out because I called the hospital to let them know I might be coming in, not because I peed the bed but because I thought my water broke or sprung a leak. While on the phone with the nurse though, I told her I had just gotten up and I stank and asked if I was allowed to shower before coming in. What I didn’t want to tell her was that I wanted to shower and do my hair. I was not going to have a nappy head when that newborn mommy baby shot was headed in my direction, you know? She said yes go ahead and shower and I figured it was because she was the nurse on call and didn’t want to smell me when I came in. So I showered and curled my hair and Jason took me to the hospital because he’s a good husband.

I wasn’t in any pain, so I was shocked to learn I was having contractions that were 4 minutes apart. The nurse was shocked as well and the GUY doctor who was on call that was not my doctor told her to get me started on Pitocin because the test came back positive that my water had indeed broke. But that word broke doesn’t sound right being used that way in that sentence. I told the nurse that Pitocin was not necessary because I did not mind that I was not in pain. She didn’t listen to me, she listened to the doctor. I wish I had a badge, I would have flashed a badge and told her hold the Pitocin! By now only a couple of hours had gone by and the nurse seemed to think Evan would come by early Monday morning. Bleh!

I got moved to the delivery room where she started the Pitocin and soon my contractions were about 2 minutes apart but I still didn’t know I was having them, which I still didn’t mind. The nurse told the doctor said I could have an epidural any time I wanted so I decided I liked him. Even if he was a guy. I was only 2cm dilated so I was annoyed but happy to be pain free. Then the nurse came to check on me because she said she saw on her monitor that something was happening and she thought the baby had moved down quite a bit. Then I started feeling mild discomfort and told her so and decided to go ahead and get that epidural because I didn’t want the anesthesiologist out to lunch if pain were to hit. She told me she would go get him and then came back and said she got hijacked by some lady who claimed to be a OBGYN that said to tell me to hold off if I could because I was only 2cm and blah blah and I said okay I’ll try but I’m not happy about it. The next time she came to the room I said I wanted the epidural so she said she’d go get him. I was still only in mild discomfort but I was panicked that at any moment I would have pain and wouldn’t like it. She came back and said the epidural man was on his way. I said he must be walking and not jogging like I’d expect. He came in, gave me the epidural and instantly I was itchy all over. The mild pain had subsided only a tad though and I thought perhaps one minute was not enough time to expect it to kick in. About 20 minutes later the doctor came in and said I actually came to check on someone else, but I saw her monitor and something is going on, I think we should check her. The next thing I know the doctor said the baby is coming and is scrambling for the chair and to get the delivery table I’m on set up and I’m in severe pain! I asked where the stinking epidural was because I didn’t need it in my brain! I needed it where the baby was headed out! Then I had to push and he said no so I didn’t but Evan was coming without my help and I pushed there he was. Like seriously, 2 pushes. 2 stinking painful pushes. Then I felt another pain to which I said out loud “What are you doing? I disapprove”! And the doctor said, I’m very sorry but I have to deliver the placenta. And I said oh, that will be acceptable.

So I had a 2nd degree tear and an episiotomy. I didn’t approve of those either but I felt bad for yelling at the doctor so I didn’t say anything. Although I did ask if since the good doc was making about $25,000 off the 5 minutes of my pushing time... would he go ahead and do a bit of a nip and tuck. No I didn't really ask him that. BUT, my little Evan Robert was born and I’ve been smitten ever since.
Now for pictures:
This is of course before the Pitocin pain kicked in and the anti-epidural medicine was not needed and I thought I had good hair.

I did it! Yay me.

Daddy did a good job too. Talking me through the panicked state I was in while feeling pain. -Speaking of which, this is a shout out to my sister Bobbie who prayed that I'd give birth like the Hebrew women of the Bible. I think they would have been jealous.

First bath. Hmm. He looks how I felt while I was in labor.

A shout out to my amazing husband and wonderful first born. Jason has been Mr. Mom. He's awesome. More about Dawson and Evan in my next post. But he's awesome too.

...P.S. At least one of us got a nap.