A Spring Day

It seems like the trees outside have started sprouting new leaves - almost overnight in fact. Things are starting to get more green and along with Cruz's new life, life begins to refresh outside as well.

Yesterday the family went outside and basked in the sun. It was a beautiful 80 degrees (as it is today too!)

Ryenne and Kai enjoyed throwing leaves with Peter. Kai especially liked the outside play time. He loves to get dirty and be a boy.







Ryenne... my little tree hugger :)



And the new blossoms on the trees outside. They were literally bare branches days ago!



Just a little out of focus... she was moving quick. But I love it still!



And how is the newest member of the family? Well... he is very much like his big sister in many ways. He doesn't like to sleep and hasn't quite learned how to soothe himself. Other than that, he is super sweet. I wanted to have a photo shoot of him yesterday, but he really didn't want to cooperate. I'm happy with what I got, but I really wanted him to fall into a deep sleep to challenge myself artistically with some different things.

I am still in awe at how much he is like his sister and how fair he is. Such a contrast to my dark little Kai Boy. It will be interesting to see how all the genes come into play and what he will look like as he grows. He has very wise eyes. He stares at me so alert as if he's known me for so long. Last night we had conversations just staring at each other while everyone else was asleep.

I am in love with his mouth.



Don't let this next one fool you. He wasn't sleeping. He was pooping!



So alert... he looks just like me as a baby I think!



His "giddy giddy" - hmmmm what do they call this on the mainland? His head swirl?

milk

Oh my... the milk is totally in. I'm toting around watermelons. Ouch!

Staying in the Jammies kind of days!

We've all been in our jammies for two days. :)

We're all doing good - just tired mostly. Cruz and I had a rough night last night, but we got loads of help today and Peter and I got a nap, which was sooooo needed!

Kai was having a cranky few days as well. He is sweet to his new brother and to me and Peter, but something was bothering him - growing pains maybe? - but he discovered Cruz's plug yesterday, popped it into his mouth and it was like all is right with his world again. I didn't feel like I could take it away from him - it brought him so much happiness... so Kai Boy has his plug again. But I will take it out of his mouth when he bites it and keep my eye on any holes.

Cruz and I had our checkups today. Roswitha came to our house and we are both doing great. Here's the recent pictures... I haven't been much of a shutterbug the past few days. But hopefully on Tuesday I'll get Cruz to cooperate for his first "official" newborn session.

Kai's Big Brother Video

The newest little Dagupion

Peter and I are so excited to announce the birth of

Cruz Nico Ka'ehukai Florencio Dagupion

Thursday, March 4, 2010 at 10:34pm
8lbs, 15oz | 21.75 inches long
Austin Area Birthing Center (Roswitha Dowell, midwife)

The day started out with the excitement of Kai Boy's first day of preschool. We got lunches and extra clothes ready in the morning for both Ry and Kai and then Gams helped me get both kids to school.

I felt a little gush of fluid and figured I'd had a tear. So my midwife asked me to come up to be checked out. She figured that perhaps it was mucus and not amniotic fluid, but a check under the microscope proved that there was fluid and I had to stay at the birth center and start antibiotics since I had tested positive for Strep B. Since there was a tear in the sack, we had to get labor going because "P3" had 24 hours to get out or I'd have to go to the hospital (for risk of bacteria getting in the sack).

The labor journey began with me by myself at the birth center attached to an IV getting antibiotics. Contractions hadn't yet started and I was feeling a little nervous, but my midwife, Roswitha said she had some tricks up her sleeve and something was going to work to get labor going!

Gams picked up both kids from school and stayed with them while Peter drove up to the birth center after he woke up. We got settled into our room and Roswitha started me on some herbs and then hooked me up to a breast pump to stimulate contractions.

Contractions started out slowly but then got stronger. The big contractions began at 6:20pm and they were very intense. My favorite place to labor in the beginning was sitting on a green bouncy ball holding Peter's hands (and squeezing them). At 9pm I was hooked up to IV again for another round of antibiotics and I had a very big contraction while I was on my back. Roswitha assisted the water bag breaking and I think it was one of the most intense contractions of the night. I felt like I wanted to leap out of my body! I was dilated to 6cm at this point.

Shortly afterward I got into the big tub to labor in warm water. The stream of the faucet of warm water felt good on my back and Peter sat on a stool by the side where I could hold his hands and squeeze them when I had contractions.

The contractions really started to hurt and I would squeeze Peter's hands, close my eyes, and concentrate on focusing the contraction on the baby. I felt as if I were pushing the baby down and I could start to see my stomach changing shape.

It was after 10pm when Roswitha checked me again and I was 8cm. She said she was going to step out of the room for a moment since we still had time. But with the next contraction, I felt I had to bare down and I could feel the baby slide into position to come out. Peter yelled that he could see blood and he thought the baby was crowning. I felt down and could feel the babies head. The next contraction brought the baby even closer to being born and we called Roswitha back in. She was amazed that in only a few minutes I had gone from 8cm to now having the babies head almost out.

Getting his head out was challenging and hurt a lot. The baby had his arm wrapped around his head. Roswitha had to push his shoulder back in to move his arm. Once his head was out, I felt like all my energy had gone away. Everyone kept telling me to PUSH! but I felt like I was already pushing and nothing was happening. It was a very frustrating feeling for me. I had to catch my breath. So while everyone yelled to push, I just took a moment to catch my breath and then bared down again. In an instant, I went from feeling like "GET THIS BABY OUT!" to a rush of his body leaving my body into the water - like 20 pounds had been lifted right off my system.

Roswitha immediately placed the baby on my chest and he was covered in vernix and a familiar purple color. I gazed at the baby and immediately recognized the upper lip - the same as my own and Ryenne's. I smiled. And then I lifted the leg to discover that I had a brand new baby boy.

I gazed up at Peter who looked amazed and in disbelief all at the same time. A proud look came upon his face - the nurse assistants all cheered. I felt great, exhausted, and cold all at the same time.

Peter cut the babies cord and then everyone helped me out of the tub and we went to the bed where the placenta was delivered. We discovered that the original tear in the sack was near the top. The placenta was healthy and the cord was thick and long. I couldn't resist touching it. Such an amazing piece of equipment!

We had family bonding time and Cruz was a little lazy starting to nurse but then became a champ. We were discharged just after 4:45am and drove home where we tried to catch a few hours of ZZZ's.

When I went upstairs, Ryenne was asleep but immediately woke when she saw me and told me how much she loves her new baby brother. Then this morning we introduced him to Kai and Kai's first word was "Hi!" and then he said, "Baby!" and he gave him a kiss and has been touching him all day.



I have been really, really tired all day and pretty sore, but mostly happy - just watching everyone interact with each other. Cruz looks like a boy version of Ryenne - almost identical to her newborn pictures. So far he is living up to his name - he is a cruiser. Just wants to eat!

I don't think I'm used to the idea of having two little boys though. When I hear "The Boy" I immediately think of Kai Boy. He's my first boy. And he's such a lovey little boy. It will be so interesting to find out what Cruz's personality is and how he differs and is the same as his big brother. Which is another weird thing for me to wrap my head around... that Kai is a big brother... since he is still so small and such a baby himself. *sigh*... these are things I will just have to learn to let happen and enjoy.

Speaking of Kai Boy... When I wanted to snap a few pictures of Cruz, he was such a helper. He kissed Cruz on cue and then helped me hold the camera lens cap. Here he is being a huge helper!

Big sister Ryenne is also being extremely helpful. I am so proud of her. Such an amazing little human...

I'm sure the coming days will all be so new for our family with one more little person added to the bunch. We're enjoying the new baby smell, the tiny cries, grunts, and squeaks. I'm hoping that I will be able to show each of them how important each one is as an individual and how much I love each of them. That will be the hardest thing I think... to find the balance of my time between the three. But I think I can do it. Here's to a brand new ride... mom of three kids! Wow!

P3 will be coming soon!

So this morning was Kai's first day of pre-school. Gams met us at his school and we took him inside. He cried. We made it a fast escape and then took Ryenne to school. On the way out to the playground, I felt a little "gush" and then me and mom went to breakfast. I checked and I had some leaking fluid.

I called the birth center and they told me to come in and be checked. Sure enough, a little bit of fluid showed up under the microscope. I am Strep B positive, so this meant that I needed to stay at the center and have some IV antibiotics.

The day is progressing... it's 5:50pm and I am having contractions that are starting to hurt and more fluid is coming out with each contraction. I think it might be a long night... we'll see. But P3 should be here in the coming hours! We are excited!

Gonna go to school

Kai Boy. He's growing you know. His Gams & Pops know how big he's getting and how much he wants to join his sister at school... so they gave him a very special gift. I can hardly contain my excitement for him - HE GETS TO GO TO SCHOOL!!!

Ryenne's school doesn't have room for him right now, so he'll be going to another school near our house on the same days as Ry - Tues & Thurs - and he'll get to play with lots of kids his age, eat snacks, and play outside. His first day is Thursday and I can't wait to see him off to his big boy school.

We bought him a lunchbox (with Texas orange, of course!) and sippy cups and a special tote to carry his diapers and wipes. We'll be sure to take pictures. So special!!!

Thank you for the amazing gift, Gams & Pops!!!

17 Months!

It's March 1st! I thought for sure that I would have a brand new baby in the house by now. But I guess I am *technically* still 9 days from my due date. So I wait... I couldn't help but catch a glimpse in the living room mirror of myself and the growing belly. Probably more of me than you want to see, but here it is!

Speaking of this mirror.... this is quite a special mirror. It was gifted to me by my parents and it has made its way from Mexico to Maui and finally to Texas. It finally found it's home on my living room wall just a few short weeks ago. I adore it. It has "flutterbies" as Ryenne calls them.

Today is Kai's 17 month birthday. He is such a big boy - well big on personality - not quite big on size. He is sweet as can be. I was so lucky when he wanted to see himself in our mirror and he decided to try to kiss me just as I hit the shutter. I realize this is not in focus, but so very special nonetheless!

The boy and girl snuggling is a rarity. But I love it.

Below: Oh goodness.... when Peter sees this picture of Ryenne he's going to want to lock her up. Visions of her as a teenager.... gah! And doesn't Kai look so handsome??

And lastly.... my little boy Kai - so big 17 months today. No more pacifier - all smiles.

Should have had my camera...

This morning was delightful.... an absolutely beautiful day out. We started out with blueberry pancakes at Gams & Pops' house followed by tag in their yard. Ryenne and Kai were over the moon being chased and caught and tickled. It was so lovely. I wish I had my camera on hand!!! It was wonderful to sit back and watch that interaction between them. So much love. Makes me just beam with happiness :)

... growing ...

Just a note about the two littles...

Ryenne is officially a big girl who never wears a pull-up! We have gone a week with no diaper at night time and no accidents. SO BIG. I am so proud of her.

Kai's vocabulary is officially expanding. New words are: Choo-Choo, Choos (shoes), Dip-Dip, Doo-Doo, Ball, Doggy, Woof-Woof - I'm sure there are more. Seems he is saying new things every single day!

He also bit through his last plug yesterday, so into the rubbish it went. He cried himself to sleep for a while last night missing his plug - but then he slept all night. He's officially "plug free" (whether he likes it or not).

And for the third little... well I had a prenatal appointment today and the midwife is guessing baby is over 8 pounds already. Big Dagupion baby! I'm dilated to 3cm so hopefully labor will kick in soon? I hear a full moon is on Sunday :)

Our "Snow Day"

Snow doesn't really happen often in Austin... especially South Austin, where we call home. So today was a big treat. We got SNOW!

We really don't have "snow gear" so our venture outside was a quick one. But the kids sure enjoyed it and we all came inside with snow in our hair and on our clothes... quickly melted and got us wet!

This was Kai's very first time experiencing snow. So special!

It was hard to get smiles out of him...

I love these of Ryenne - she had such a great time!!

And lastly, one of my favorite images of the day. Kai likes to run between our fence and the neighborhood fence that is growing berries. I imagine that this will be a spot he'll like for a while since it seems to hold all kinds of treasures. His own little imagination spot, perhaps? Here he is running around with his doggy, Dexter. Priceless.

I took some video too and a couple of things on the little camera. I'll load those up a bit later. Koa also arrived into Austin today! WooHoo! Hopefully we'll get to see him in a bit!

Magic trip to pre-school

Ryenne and I had a magical trip to pre-school this morning. We opened the garage door to discover that it had just started SNOWING! We did a little happy dance and drove safely and slowly to school. When we got there, we got out of the car and caught some flakes with our tongue and watched it land on the plants outside. Ry and all her classmates were buzzing with excitement - nobody wanted to go inside!

She looked like a little snow angel with white flakes in her dark hair. Magical! I wish I had my camera! The snow has stopped for now and has been replaced by rain, but perhaps we'll get some more today. :)

pico

I was attempting to get a smiling shot of the boy. Smiles have been far and few between since he's been sick - or masked by his plug.

But Kai Boy sure does love his pico - his belly button. He proudly displayed it for the camera yesterday. It gets lots and lots of kisses!

And yet another change for my baby boy!

Kai is seriously tripping me out. Since when did he go from my sweet baby boy to a rowdy little toddler??

When I dropped Ry off at preschool yesterday morning Kai cried on the way back to the car screaming and pointing "That! That!" and I realized that I really haven't done enough big boy stuff with him. He's just been "the baby". I know this is totally pregnancy hormones at work, but I felt crushed like I have been cheating him. Ryenne is such a high maintenance little person that she commands so much attention. And Kai is such a cruiser that he just happily plays by himself while his sister is a drama queen. Anyway.... feeling super guilty for not spending as much time as I should with him. He is beyond sweet....

Anyway, the past few days he has been running around the living room making his plug (that's his paci) sideways in his mouth and rubbing his teeth on them. Peter and I inspected his plug arsenal and discovered that he's been severing the sucky part and they are a major chocking hazard. Into the rubbish they went... he now has about 2 that are intact. He has them in his mouth all the time, needs them to sleep, and just to pacify himself. But now I have visions of severed plug nipples dancing through my head and wake up in the night just to go check on him and make sure he's not choking in the night (overstimulated brain you say?).

So this morning after a talk with my mom I decided that he cannot have any more plugs during the normal course of the day. He'll get one for nap and for night-night time tonight, but I think we're going to phase them out completely. I don't know how much more worry I can handle from these things. Seriously... the site of those severed plugs was downright SCARY!

Little Kai Boy will soon be a toddler without his plug - with short hair - a complete transformation from just weeks ago. *sniffle*sniffle* And I'm a hormonal mama!!

Seriously...

My mom mentioned to me today that I have been a little on the "negative" side. And this is SOOOO NOT NORMAL for this everyday optimist. But seriously... I can barely pull up my own pants. So when one starts the day huffing and puffing to pull on one's pants, it kinda starts the day off in a negative way with hurting bones. And I can't figure out exactly why I am sleeping well but wake up feeling tired.

I think I have been a little negative. Especially today. Today I was actually downright bitchy. I dropped an "F Bomb" soooooooo not like me. I think mostly I am peeved at myself for having a hard time saying NO to people. Today was one of those situations, which I won't blog about, but mom and Peter know what I'm talking about. By the way... THANKS MOM for standing up for me! I don't know how I've let myself become such a damn pushover.

And while we're on the subject of bitching.... here is my bitch for today (and if you don't want it, you're getting it anyway or else just stop reading now) I AM A BIG GIRL. Yes... I do know this. I will work on it more AFTER P3 gets here... but by NO MEANS does gaining a TOTAL of 11 pounds for an entire pregnancy mean that I need to cut out all my sugars and only eat salad!!!!! GAH..... I am dang proud of myself for only gaining 11 pounds (so far) and not turning into more of a house than I already was to begin with. So take that midwife!

And see... there I go. I smile in the office and don't say a word and then it call comes to me later of what I should have said. Aysus.

right about now...

I am missing the Boy's mad scientist long hair. I keep telling myself "It's JUST hair" and it will grow, but will it be as wispy? Will the ends ever be as light? He looks so GROWN now. He's upstairs getting a bath with Daddy. Still sweet sweet as ever, just with short hair.

Big Boy

I've been thinking about it for a while... and his hair was kinda "mad scientist" most of the time and in his face and tickling his ears. But it was still hard. His first BIG BOY haircut. We did it. I have two emotions going at once... sad that the baby wisps are gone but then again so proud of how big he's getting.

The "after" picture makes it look shorter than it actually is. We used the longest comb of the clipper so he still has some length in the back but it's not in his eyes or on his ears. He seemed proud of it after he had a shower with Daddy. My big, handsome boy. I love him so much.

A good laugh

Ryenne is so Filipino. She told me that she wants to eat her rice with shoyu and that I shouldn't put gravy on it anymore. Gave me a good laugh!

We had a great day today with Gams and Pops and Kupono Dog. Just hanging out and eating. :)

Happy Valentines Day!

Well.... still no P3. I think He/She is just gonna stay put for a while. Stubborn! I slept well again but I just can't shake the tired feeling... and still having a hard time eating anything (and keeping it down) so I'm pretty convinced that perhaps a stomach virus triggered some false labor. That's the best explanation I can come up with!

So today is Valentines Day. We had originally planned on surprising the kids with donuts this morning but neither of us had the energy to go get them - so the kids had cereal and then we colored some Valentines.

These red hearts didn't last too long. Ry got tired of them and switched over to white paper where "her colors looked better."

Kai Boy liked playing with the crayons for about 30 seconds - then they went in his mouth and he wanted to try a marker and that too went in his mouth. Then he got green fingers and kept trying to shake the green off his hands. It was pretty funny. He is such a snuggle boy in the morning. So lovey and sweet. I just love how he is really playing with his sister now. He wants to copy everything she does.

And Ryenne.... oh Ryenne... she is changing. I've noticed over the past few days that her face is starting to change. Maybe it's losing the baby fat or just plain ole growing, but I see a much bigger girl when I look at her. I think the contours of her face are starting to change and she is just so darn beautiful. It's really amazing to watch that transformation. She is turning into such a big girl! And such a good helper too... she amazes me.

Still Waiting

Fortunately everyone gave me an amazing nights' sleep last night. Seriously. I haven't drooled on my pillow like that in a while. It was a deep, unconscious sleep... and Peter told me that Kai woke up twice last night and I didn't hear a thing!

Contractions have slowed down a lot. Practically gone... but then just when I think they've gone away completely I get one. Go figure. The lower back is extremely sore - signs of a back labor like I had with Kai Boy. My tummy is still upset and only accepts the smallest amount of simple foods. So I've been living on Gatorade and toast/yogurt/crackers for almost 3 days now. Ah well... whatever works!

I am in a good mood though because I feel so well rested today. Maybe P3 is holding out to be a Valentines baby? This is interesting and different to go through such a long prelabor. Maybe the actual hard labor won't be so bad (or long).