All Suited Up

I love how my mother-in-law was able to catch Peter getting all suited up for the operating room, not once but twice! Orion's birth Esme's birth

More Pictures from Esme's Birth

While I was in recovery Peter was responsible for Esme. He got to spend some daddy/daughter time with her before I showed up. I just love seeing pictures of them together.Look at those cheeks! Don't you just wanna squeeze them? Orion holding Emse for the first time. He is such a great big brother!

Kids say the darndest things

for example, Esme is crying and I was getting settled in, ready to feed her. Orion looks at me with a serious look on his face and says "Mom, I don't have any milk in my boobies. You have to feed Esme." Chuckling I say "You are correct son."

Another example, I had one of the daycare girls in the highchair feeding her lunch and she purposely kicked my leg. So I touched her leg and explained that it was not nice to kick. A few minutes later she kicks me again. So again I explain that it is not nice to kick other people, that is hurts. Orion comes over and puts his hand on her shoulder and says "It's not nice to kick mommies, it's not nice to kick daddies and it's not nice to kick girls!" He was so serious about it I had to hold in my laughter until he had walked away.

December

December was a busy month for us! Here's the highlights:

Decorating for Christmas

My mom and Orion pretty much did.

My mom took us out to Red Robin for Peter's birthday.

We also had a birthday dinner for Peter and Debbie at Los Arcos.

This is a total of 5 margarita's. He drank it within 45 minutes!

The Koniag Shareholder Christmas Party at the Alaska Native Heritage Center. Orion didn't want to have his picture taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus but Esme didn't seem to mind!
Going on a sleigh ride while it's snowing

Family Pictures

Christmas

Aces Hockey Game

Orion loves Boomer!

Grandma Mary goes home :(

Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving morning the doctor gave me the options of being released or staying another day. My answer was pretty obvious! Send me home to be with my family on Thanksgiving day!!! So most of Thanksgiving was spent waiting to be released from the hospital.

Our morning nurse was leaving at noon and told us that her replacement would be right in to discharge us. 3 HOURS LATER our new nurse came in and said "If I had known you were being released today, I would have done it when I first got here." Oh my goodness! Poor communication! Let's just say that Peter was not a happy camper.

We made it just in time to have a delicious dinner with the all the family.

Esme's Birth

Let me apologize ahead of time for the quality of the photo's. Most of them were taken with camera phones.

The morning of Emse's birth we had to be at the hospital at 5:30 am. To make it easier for us, Orion had stayed the night with Grandma and Grandpa Lukin. Between the anticipation of Esme's arrival and actually having to be up extra early (around 4), none of us in the Hunter household got much sleep at all that night.

While they were monitoring baby and I, Peter tried to catch some zzzzz's. Around 8:00 am they took me into the operating room and shortly after Peter joined me but that was short lived...sorry honey! Shortly after Esme was born he had to leave the room. Poor guy! I thought we were gonna have a Hunter down! Back to Esme...

She was born at 8:48 am, November 23rd. Weighing in at 8 lbs. 4.8 ounces and was 19 1/2 inches long. Look at the time she was born and how much she weighed...funny huh?

I had to wait in the recovery room for 2 hours before I could see her or the family. It was torture! At one point Peter was concerned and had a nurse track me down. Finally they wheeled me into my room and I was alone...just me and my baby girl...for an hour! (The family snuck down to the cafeteria for some grub.) It was so quite and peaceful.

Here's some more pictures from our hospital stay.

My poor neglected blog

I've been thinking about updating my blog lately...my poor neglected blog. How I need to update it so!

So much has happened since I last blogged:

• Esme was born
• Thanksgiving
• Christmas
• My mom's stay

I will be updating over the next few days. I have to compile all the pictures that we have amongst 4 devices! Wish me luck :)

Halloween 2010

This year Orion was Thomas the Tank Engine. On Friday, Grandma and Grandpa Lukin took him Trick or Treating at Auntie Tricia's and Auntie Alaina's work. He made out like a bandit with a bucket full of candy!

On Sunday, Grandma Lukin had a Halloween party complete with a pinata! It's always fun to see the little kids take their turns at it.

Orion showed that ghost who was boss!

I just LOVE this picture taken by Papa. It looks like it should be one of those classic photos in the sephia tone. Like this...

maybe it's just the hat!

I...Have become comfortably numb

Name that song!

Comfortably? Not at all!

Numb? Yes, in both hands!!!

Swollen fingers? Yup, like polish sausages! Serious!!! I will spare you any pictures but if you go to your local grocer and check out the polish sausages you'll get the picture.

Over the last few weeks the numbness and amount of swelling has progressively gotten worse. I had mentioned it to my midwife a few times before and was told "not to lay on them and keep them elevated." Easy peasy lemon squeezy, I thought, but it didn't help. It was getting to the point that I was having issues with everyday tasks. SO on Friday, I marched myself into the OB Triage to have myself checked out. I just couldn't take it anymore!

I was hoping that my blood pressure wasn't the cause. Which it shouldn't had been since it had been fine the entire pregnancy. And it wasn't! Apparently it is just Carpel Tunnel.

WHAT! I didn't have it this bad with Orion!!! It is horrible and I don't wish it upon anyone.

So here I sit patiently waiting for my appointment with Physical Therapy just to get some braces for my hands.

34 Week Check-up

On Friday I went in for my 34 week appointment and everything is great! I am a few pounds over MY weight goal but that's okay. I am still eating pretty healthy. My appetite has just kicked into high gear!

My blood pressure was high, which the midwife was concerned about. I explained it was probably from the walk, the stairs (trying to get that extra exercise in there) and the fact that I didn't have a chance to relax before my appointment. I got called in early. Before I left she rechecked it and it was back to normal!

I walked out of her office hoping to schedule my next appointment at 36 weeks to meet with the OB/GYN to set my c-section date. Boy, was I bummed that I couldn't get in until I'm 37 1/2 weeks! Don't think that I'm not trying to get the baby here sooner, I'm not. I would love for the baby to come when she is ready but having gone through that with Orion, feeling and seeing the strain it put on everyone around me. I really don't want to do that again! I just want to have the date scheduled, to be prepared mentally and within our home.

I just keep telling myself "Patience Amy, patience".

Nesting

Nesting is the term used to refer to an expectant mother's instinct which gives her a surge of energy which prompts her to clean and do various chores around her home.

I think every article I've read fails to mention that the Father's nest too!

This last weekend Peter was definitely nesting. He tells me that he is going to straighten up the bedroom but what I didn't realize is that he was going to purge his clothes, pop the screens out of the windows for cleaning, the same with the blinds, vacuum under the bed, wipe down the walls and bleach the windows and windowsills. I felt so bad! I had to hop right in and help with what I could. From there he also cleaned and bleached the entire bathroom! Thanks baby if you didn't bleach the bathroom it would have waited until my mom got here! (I have a reaction to bleach which causes asthma attacks, so I try not to touch the stuff).

I guess I have been nesting just a little. I crocheted a blanket for Esme and I'm working on a rag blanket for her too. I have a few other little projects that are in the works for decorating her side of the room which I can't wait to finish getting set up so I can start decorating.

Okay now where's this surge of energy that the mother gets? I barely have enough energy to get the normal day to day cleaning done!

6 Years Ago Today...

I married the most wonderful man to enter my life. What a glorious day! I would do it all over again in a heartbeat baby!!!
To celebrate we went to our favorite resturant, Los Arcos. We shared the fajitas for two and was given free dessert! Sopapillas...YUM-O! To top the evening off, we watched "The Spy Next Door" with our good friends, Thomas and Evelyn.

Not a very exciting evening but it was spent with good company!

30 Week Check-Up

Today baby and I had our 30 Week check-up and everything is good. In fact everything is so good that I don't even have to go back for another 4 weeks! WAAAHOO!!!

Orion has been there for all the appointments. Momma's little man! He gets concerned when I have to lay down to have my belly measured and to listen to the baby's heartbeat. He is right there by my side holding my hand, asking me if everything is ok. It is so cute!

I am excited that I am still under my weight gain goal but not so excited that I am rapidly approaching it :( I just seems like I can not get enough to eat. I had a first the other day. Woke up at 3 am and was starving!!! I mean starving like I have just fasted for 24 hours starving!

I can't believe how fast time has flown! We have so much to do before baby gets here.

I Drive - Conversation #3

The conversations between Orion and I are becoming interesting and very entertaining. I just have to share them with everyone.

Orion: Mommy, I drive your car? Go see daddy.
Mommy: Honey, you can't drive mommy's car.
Orion: Ohhhh, peeeeeaseeeee!
Mommy: Orion, your not old enough.
Orion: (Laughing) I drive!
Mommy: Not yet.
Orion starts playing with his toys but returns a few minutes later
Orion: Mommy, I drive your car peeeeaseeeee!

Oh my goodness! Now I gonna be worried that he is gonna try to take my car!

The Sweetest Conversation #2

While Orion and I were enjoying our afternoon snack of freshly baked banana, coconut and chocolate chip muffins we had the sweetest conversation.

Orion: Daddy want one?
Mommy: I don't think so honey. He won't like the coconut and chocolate in his.
Orion: (Biting into his muffin) Oh
Mommy: Is it good?
Orion: (Mouth full of muffin, shaking head yes) Is good cupcake!
Mommy: (Laughing)
Orion: Mommy, thanks for cooking for us. You good cook.

That last sentence just melts my heart!

Baby Steps in Potty Training

While changing Orion's diaper yesterday he told me that he needed to go potty. You can imagine my excitement! He jumped up and ran into the bathroom but when I tried to put him on the toilet he straighted his legs and said "not dis one". So I pulled his little potty chair out and he sat down for a moment, then looked up at me and said "not et mommy. I need diaper". I gotta give him some credit for trying!

28 Week Baby Belly

I am a week late posting this but better late then never!

I hate, hate, hate to take pictures of my belly! I guess if I were a Skinny Minnie it wouldn't bother me but I'm no Skinny Minnie. I am a Chunky Monkey and my self-esteem gets in the way.

This is the first picture of my belly that has been taken this pregnancy and I am hoping to change that. Looking back at my scrapbook when I was pregnant with Orion, I can count the number of pictures that show my belly on one hand. It's such a joyous experience why not document it!

At my last check-up 3 weeks ago I had only gained 16 lbs. This pregnancy I am determined not to make the same mistake I did with Orion. I ate well, all too well! I ate anything and everything I wanted. Not this time! My goal is to gain only 25 lbs. and with less then 10 weeks to go I just might keep my weight under control.

Although I have been cautious about what I have been eating and having smaller more frequent meals, my appetite has kicked into full gear within the last week and I am a little nervous about my weigh in on Friday.

A "mourning" of purging

Like my title? It's fitting.

This morning was a bit of an emotional one. I purged Orion's baby clothes to see what I could keep for Esme. It's hard to believe that my little guy was ever that small! So many cute outfits that I didn't want to part with BUT honestly it felt sooooo good to do it. By the time I was done I ended up with 4 boxes of clothes, his crib set and 2 boxes of toys that Peter and Orion purged the other day.

I figured why not cash in on all this stuff and you know what? I made out like a bandit! One store gave me $50 store credit! It would have been less if I had opted for cash, but I figured I could use it to get some clothes for Esme. At the other store I opted for cash because either way, cash or store credit it was the same amount. They gave me $70!!!

What I have left over? 2 boxes of summer clothes that I will take back in the Spring and 2 toys!

I want this bumper sticker

Peter and I spotted this bumper sticker the other night and couldn't help but laugh. Laugh because its true! Personally I do miss him. I can't believe what is going on in our country because of Obama.

I sawwee #1

Me: (hears the crinkling of paper) Stinker, that better not be candy
Orion: It's okay
Me: No, it's not ok
Orion: I sawwee