Let's Compare.

Because that's what you should do with children.  Compare.  From Day 1. *wink*

Luke

Leta

Max

So I had a baby the other day...

Tuesday I went to the Dr. Shanbour who predicted he'd see me for my regular appointment the following Tuesday.  He informed that he'd be out of town Thursday-Saturday (I should've known then that I was going to have my baby!  Just my luck!) and again beginning August 10th (my due date).  So we decided that the next appointment we'd set up an induction date so that he'd be able to deliver me.

Wednesday after my workout at Body and Soul I did this (planking):

Thursday after the kids' naps we packed a supper and drove to Arbuckle Wilderness, an exotic animal theme park, about 1 1/2 hours from our house.  We had planned on doing this on Monday afternoon, but Luke threw up Monday right before Body and Soul so we had to rearrange our plans.  Once there, Luke and Leta got to get out of their car seats and ride in our laps and we drove through the park.  Most of the animals roam free and believe me, they know the drill.  They come right up to your car window and will stick their heads right in begging to be fed some of the feed you can buy there at the park.  Luke thought this was great, Leta mostly liked to see them from a distance.  We kept our window up when the animals were near.

The kids really enjoyed it and I'm really glad we managed to get that little outing in...as it turned out, our last as a family of four.  In the middle of the night that night (1:45am Friday morning) my water broke.  We called our good friend Shanna to come over.  Kyle packed up, helped me finish packing and getting things together etc.  I've learned a thing or two since having Luke so I was sure to grab a shower before we left for the hospital.  We arrived around 3am, wishing we'd got to bed earlier than we had =).

At 7:00am they decided that at the rate my (non) labor was progressing I might never have a baby, so they went ahead an induced me me.  I got my epidural at 10:30, and was soon feeling fine.   A little after 11:30 I sent Kyle off to have lunch knowing that it was probably now or never for him and eating.  5 minutes after he walked out the door, Max's heart rate dropped below 90 bpm.  He sure had me worried, but nothing was going to phase my veteran nurse (whom we had when I delivered Luke) and she was not worried since he was recovering nicely.  Dr. Goff (who was pinch hitting for Shanbour since he was gone) got to my room at 12:10 and Max was born at 12:30pm July 22, 2011.  He was 37 weeks 2 days along, so almost 3 weeks early.  He weighed 6lbs 8oz and was 19 1/2" long.  We noticed the nurses all clustering around Max's umbilical cord and then even measuring it.  Turns out, a normal umbilical cord is 28-30" long.  Max's was the longest that any of them had ever seen measuring in at 40".  When I take Max to the Dr. next week I hope to remember to ask him if he knows what determines cord length etc.  Max is completely healthy and doing great.  He's got a very high pitches cry and looks more like Kyle than the other two, I think.  He has less hair than Luke had, but more than Leta.

Leta's a big sister!

Big Brother!

Leta is pretty possessive of me and doesn't like it when I hold Luke (which isn't much of a problem since Luke isn't snugly with me at all.  But when he does let me hold him, she has to be held too and will hit him and try to push him off my lap.  I was VERY nervous as to how Leta would adjust.  So far, it seems I had nothing to worry about.  Leta is simply glad I had her baby for her.  She has to check on "BABY!" all the time and is very attentive when I change his diapers and will hand me a clean one to use.  She is very observant while he's eating and spends a great deal of time kissing his head.  Nothing will be able to distract this child from eating with all Leta's training!  We're doing well, but the true test will be when mom goes home and I don't have full-time, live-in help.

Leta's first Haircut!

A friend in our small group gave Leta her very first haircut.  Leta was not very cooperative.  She didn't cry or anything, but there was a ridiculous amount of head turning and I had to hold her head still with a pretty good amount of force.  Our friend Andrea Lemmonds in our small group at church gave her a quick trim Sunday evening.  So Leta no longer has a mullet.  And while I recognize that her hair looks much nicer now, I'm still mourning the loss of her scraggly baby hair.  Here is a poor picture of the trim.

Kyle "Watermelon Man" Soper

Kyle has a problem.  He is obsessed with watermelons.  For those of you who know Dana (Kyle's dad), you know that Dana has no lawn.  Instead he has a small farm.  It's too big to really be called a garden.  He planted 208 (yes, 208) tomato plants alone this year.  Not to mention the other wide variety of vegetables.  He is selling a lot of them and to no small profit, I'm sure.  Anyway.  I'm seeing a bit of Dana come out in Kyle and he is really enjoying his small garden (all we have are watermelons).  And since I really enjoy watermelons, I have no complaints about Kyle's new hobby.  I do like to tease him about it, however.  He literally checks on his watermelons 3-4 times a day.  He reads about growing them at night.  He has blue tape to mark things on the vines.  He's weeded, mulched, and built a fence to keep out the rabbits (Something I know my Grandpa Olson would appreciate).  He waters, he pollinates.  These had better be some tasty melons =)

Kyle has lost several "watermelon babies"...miscarriages, maybe? But this morning he declared that he thought he might have some melons that are going to make it.  Here are some the beloved offspring:

As a result of the "Melon Project" Kyle has plans of expanding for next year and we've started a compost pile.

Playtime!

Luke's dreams are starting to come true.  Leta is finally getting big enough to "wrestle" with him.  This has to be closely monitored, though, as their WWF session usually don't end well for poor Leta.  But she really enjoys them up to that point.

This was one of their better session.  Leta got to be on top of Luke the whole time.  She was very proud of herself.  These were actually taken on the 4th of July.

I also broke down and got them a cheap inflatable pool as it is too hot to be outside most of the time unless you're doing some sort of water playtime.

 Luke received some bat ears in the mail made by his cousin Solomon.  Is he not the cutest bat you've ever seen?

Independence Day

It's been a long time since I've blogged.  I just realized I haven't even informed anyone of our 4th of July events.  I'm sure my 3 readers are very disgruntled.

 Leta LOVES Karter.  Karter LOVES Luke.  Karter is slowly learning to tolerate Leta.  Leta can say Karter's name, but not Luke's if that tells you anything.

 Doesn't Karter have HUGE muscles?!?

 Snaps!  We quickly found that they worked better dumped out on the ground and stomped on.

We had a low key 4th of July.  Sunday evening we went to our friends house for a very yummy supper and popped off some "kid friendly" (although aren't sparklers one of the more dangerous fireworks?) fire crackers.  Monday morning we got up and headed to the Edmond Parade where we met up with the Hayes again.  No pictures from there.  Leta got a balloon that I tied to her wrist that made a very nice leash.  She didn't venture too far.  About the time she would manage to get brave, something "intimidating" or loud would go past and she would be right back in my lap.  Luke did a very good job of staying seated next to me and watching.  It was really hot (when has it NOT been really hot this summer?) and the kids ate watermelon while they sweated in the sun.  Still no nighttime fireworks for the kids again this year.  Being out all morning wore me out so I was glad we skipped fireworks that evening as I was in bed before 9:30pm.

Seen and Heard

Luke enjoyed the fireworks we set off at the Hayes'

While putting Luke to bed tonight.

Me: Remember to stay in your bed until your clock says 7.
Luke:  Mommy, Daddy is always telling me to look at my clock to see if it says 7 and to stay in my bed, but....that's just not how I roll.  I just get out of bed and go play trains.

Painting!

So apparently I married Michelangelo and this is his most recent Sistine Chapel, AKA Max's room. This is before touch ups and before clean up (obviously).  I'll post pictures when his room is all done.