November 11th, 2005

The excerpt from Parker's Scrapbook...

November 7th is the day that started it all. I thought I was leaking amniotic fluid but just wasn’t sure. Barrett did some research online and figured that I was, but my water certainly hadn’t “broke”. Tuesday we headed out to the shack so Bear could hunt. We hit a deer on the way-that didn’t even send me into labor! While Barrett hunted I stayed back at the shack with Papa Don and Norm. We had walkie talkies to communicate-or so we thought, they ended up not working too well! Norm made his signature dish for lunch-sauerkraut with potatoes. Maybe that’ll get things going?! Nope not yet.

Wednesday, I was convinced that I was still leaking amniotic fluid so I put a call into Dr. Stone’s nurse, she had us go to the clinic for some tests. Is this the beginning or a false alarm? One test said I was the other said I wasn’t. Back home we go, they said to keep our appointment for Thursday (November 10th) and have the non-stress test done on the baby.

Thursday, November 10th around 1 pm. I was watching Days of our Lives and felt a few contractions. Nothing big though. We had our appointment at 3 o’clock so I figured we would wait until then. We get to the clinic and get all hooked up to the non-stress test. Dr. Stone runs some more tests and tells me that my water had definitely broke and that I was dilated to 3 centimeters. Wow! This is it…so he tells us to go home, eat something, grab our bags, and head to the hospital. I still wasn’t feeling much so I was convinced I was going to be sent home until things started to progress more. Nope, we get to the hospital at 5:30 and they admit me. Here we go…we made a few phone calls to let our families know what is going on. I managed to watch Survivor and part of ER. I was too excited to sleep so they gave me a Benadryl. Well that didn’t start working until after midnight and by then I was dilated to 5 cm and feeling the contractions more!

It is now November 11th. Barrett started to get really tired so he slept a little. I rested and labored until 2 am when I reached 6 cm. Then I asked for some pain relief. I was given an injection into my IV to help “take the edge off”. Well it did but it also slowed down the labor. At 4 am I was dilated to 7 cm and begging for the anesthesiologist to give me the Intrathecal. They gave me another IV injection to tide me over until he arrived. I joked with the staff about him having lots of money and living up at the lake and that was what took him so long to get there! Come to find out he did live up at the lake. We decided to call family to tell them to come to the hospitals waiting room. Grandma Audrey arrives just before 6 am along with Dr. Stone. The anesthesiologist finally arrives and gets the spinal in place at 6 am. I was finally able to relax and let my body go the rest of the way. I dilated from 7 cm to 10 cm in one hour. 7 am we had a shift change and Lisa was my nurse. She gave me some pointers on how to push and we begin the delivery. I had my mom and Barrett on each side of me. They took turns counting to ten and helping me breathe. This is it…

After 2 ½ hours of pushing our little Parker Anthony arrived at 9:26 am. They put him on my chest and we all started crying. It was a very emotional time. We couldn’t believe how beautiful he was!

Daddy wheeled you down in the bassinet to see everyone in the waiting room. Then they took you to be weighed and measured. You were 7# 11oz and 20 ½ inches long. You have light brown hair with a little red in it and big eyes! Will they be brown like mommy’s? You have daddy’s nose...

Weekend with Friends

This weekend was spent with friends. We had Jillian and Brooks stay the whole weekend with us. It was 2 sleepover nights! The kids all got along great, no meltdowns or tantrums. Four kids and no meltdowns? You could never have predicted that one. But they truly played with each other non stop. It wasn't just the big kids playing together and the babies playing together, it was all of them switching it up.

Friday night I went to Power of the Purse charity event and got 2 babysitters. The kids were great for the sitters and were all excited to have 2 of them and order pizza. Saturday morning we were up early. Auntie Tammy called and (bless her heart) offered to help me get the kids, the strollers, the snacks, the diapers in the car and head up to Voyageurs National Park for a hike. It took us a full 30 minutes to pull out of the driveway. The 2 double strollers were by far the most difficult part. I can't believe I'm going to say this...but Thank God for Regan's minivan!

The kids all had a great time getting out of the stroller and stretching their legs on the trail. We parked the van and headed up and down all the hills for the 4 mile walk. The kids rode in the strollers for that part of the hike. Boy was my butt burning from the hills, but Tammy and I both only had sore wrists from pushing the strollers!

They were excited to take a hike through the woods and find all sorts of things. We only had to remind them that they couldn't pick up or move things in "Grandma Audrey's Park". They were all excited when we came to this fallen tree on our path that we got to climb over.We had snacks along for the kids to enjoy while sitting on the little bench. Then back to hiking.The boys eating granola in the woods. I have a feeling these two will be in a deer stand eating granola 10 years from now.

Jillian was more than willing to help her little brother up the hill. I had referred to her as Sissy a few times and pretty soon she was calling herself that! It was so precious.

Regan and Derek (and the rest of the family for that matter) got their deer this weekend hunting. Of course they all got bucks! I was so happy to help out so that they could spend a weekend away together, kid free and enjoy the beautiful weekend hunting. I plan on taking Regan up on her offer to "repay me" in a couple of weekends when my whole family attends Grease the Musical in the cities!

These two kids are very special to our family. We all refer to ourselves as Auntie and Uncle. It doesn't matter if we aren't blood...like I've said before-you find family in many different ways.

Checklist...

Birthday Checklist:

• 30 cupcakes? check
• birthday cake? check
• ice cream? check
• golf decorations? check
• scrapbooks to look at during party? need to put those in order still
• 4 year old? (sniff, sniff) not quite yet...but in 2 short days he will be turning four.

He has been pretty adamant about not being four yet. We have to put the almost in there. He is totally excited for his birthday and the idea of being four. His parents? Well we are still struggling with the idea that 4 years have gone by since we became first timers...

Captain Hook, Peter Pan and the Crocodile

Captain Hook, Peter Pan and the Crocodile. Oh Halloween, how I love this holiday so. I actually looked at Bear that night and said "what should we do next year?" he responded with wide eyes and a "seriously?" raised eyebrow. I got him when I said they would be on sale right now! But I am going to have to think on it for awhile. I have a 4th Birthday to plan.

Parker was cousin Peter's Peter Pan costume this year. Pete wore it when he was four. Last year, Parker was cousin Derek's lion costume. So far these costumes aren't costing me anything.

He had a blast trick-or-treating. He loved running up to the doors and knocking. He was thoroughly disappointed when the people weren't home.Emmitt was of course the Crocodile who took Captain Hook's hand and is forever trying to finish him (her) off. I was a little surprised at how many people had forgotten the whole Pan story and didn't put our little get ups together.

He didn't love the idea of being in his costume right at first, but over the week leading up to Halloween the kid had it on daily.When I, Captain Hook painted on my styling mustache and goatee Emmitt got totally freaked out of me and wouldn't come near me. He just kept questioning momma? Finally he put the two together and warmed up to the idea. Bear was initially supposed to be Hook and I, Wendy. But a miscommunication on my part-who thought he was staying at the shack-I took his costume and quit looking for a big blue dress for Wendy. So here I am as Hook.

The night of Halloween turned out to not be too cold. The kids survived the 3 block walk. We did have the stroller part of the way and Auntie Tammy AND Daddy came along this year. Each year we have gone out trick-or-treating with Regan and the kids. Each year they get easier.
When it was time to start heading home the kids enjoyed walking in the wet leaves and stomping in the puddles. They each got to have a treat when they got home and hand out candy to the big kids who came around later. They loved handing out the candy more than being out themselves. Go figure...