Strange Bedfellows

My office desk was replaced with a 10x10 room with a view (of my parent’s back yard), my business casual attire has been replaced with the one pair of PJ’s I own (and I’m lucky if I get that washed every few days), my previously extremely quiet co-workers have been replaced by two cantankerous souls, and my paycheck has been replaced by deposits in the love bank. My cup runneth-over. But man, this whole two kids thing while being a temporary single mom is HARD. Calming a gassy baby and a preschooler with a predisposition for OCD (mom, mom, mom, but mom, mom, mom, mom, mom, mom I need a napkin! I need a napkin! Napkin, mom! – yeah, he got messy and needed a napkin) is just too much at times. Thankfully, I have had family to help. 

But here’s the best part of my new job: my bosses love me, and I love them, unconditionally. Unconditionally, even when the little one decides in the middle of a traffic jam to cry so hard that she starts choking on her tears and I have to find somewhere to pull over and nurse. Even when the bigger one tries wiping himself, only to forget the toilet paper. Even when I end up as the middle of a baby-mom-baby sandwich every night because the little one cries when I put her anywhere away from me, and the big one has a nightmare and jumps into my bed. Because then, the little one gives me a smile that is identical to my husband’s smile, and I start to cry. Because the big one has the best sense of humor, and makes me laugh at least fifty times a day. I sure do laugh a lot more now. Career women and mom-as-a-career women sometimes make strange bedfellows, but there is no need for that. Each adventure we take in life is personal. We all don't get to choose the cards that are dealt. And for that I am grateful. I am grateful that this adventure has been given to me. That I have been blessed to care for these two angels, and that I have been given this chance to stay at home with them for a year. This is a beautiful adventure, and it’s only just begun.

And Then There Were Four (The Birth Story in Pictures)

While this post is not directly tied to Ecuador, the timing of my daughter’s birth is completely related, so I’m posting it here. If you don’t enjoy birth stories, you can skip this one and check back in August for more on the travel.

 Rob has to be in Ecuador by August 11th, and there was no chance we were going to risk Rob missing the birth of our daughter, Abigail. Her due date was August 5th, but my doctor scheduled me to be induced at 39 weeks to ensure her timely arrival. 

We got to the hospital Sunday the 28th at 7 p.m. with the idea that whatever inducing agent they gave me would work its magic overnight, and I would have the baby the next morning. Here I am, thrilled that the hospital knew I was coming, and they weren't going to send me home. 

 We were escorted to Labor and Delivery, where I was initially very happy with the room...

 Abby's heart monitor.

 Rob always wants to make me laugh (note the specimen container).

Around 9 p.m., they checked me and I was already 3 cm dilated and pretty effaced so my only option left for induction was an IV of Pitocin. For those of you who don't know what Pitocin is, it is a drug that is supposed to produce contractions. The labor officially began at 10:10 p.m. 

To start the Pitocin, they had to give me an IV. The nurse told me I had "weird veins," so she put the needle on the side of my wrist. This was the most painful IV I have ever received, and it scared me because if a needle hurt that much, how much would the rest of the process hurt?

Once things began, Rob got comfy on the laptop. 

 If you look closely, you'll see my focus items next to the T.V... A teddy bear and a card from Rob, Rob's lucky baseball that he has had with him during every important event in his life, along with a blown up latex glove (also compliments of Rob).

My contractions started coming every 2-3 minutes, and I was pretty excited that things would speed along, so I sent Rob out to go eat some breakfast in the cafeteria, and to take a picture of the hospital from the outside. When he showed me his mediocre breakfast, I almost cried from my deep deep hunger at that point because once you arrive, no food or drinks are allowed until that baby comes out. 

Despite the contractions, I felt pretty good, and needed no medications, although I couldn't sleep. So I browsed Facebook and Pinterest for hours. And then, twelve hours later, they checked me again, and NOTHING! Those were not the words I wanted to hear. I immediately started crying. How could I have twelve hours of contractions without dilating any more!? I really thought they would just send me home. I didn't want to talk to anyone. So, it was back to my phone for comfort. 

Thankfully, my doctor came in around 11 that morning and broke my water. Within an hour, the contractions came on STRONG, and I asked for an epidural. You can tell by this picture that I was ready for some pain meds. The anesthesiologist that came in was like a real-life Count from Sesame Street, minus the vampire teeth and the cape. Okay, so only his accent reminded me of the Count. It was hard to take him seriously. He smelled of Juicy Fruit gum and cigarette smoke. When he asked me if I drank or smoked, and I said no, he said, why? Followed by a shallow chuckle. When he was looking for a spot in my back to insert the needle, he first poked me with his fingernails, and as I winced in pain, his reply was, "What? (vhat?)," Once again followed by a shallow chuckle. Like, I enjoy giving pain and this is nothing. I really wish I had a video of the whole thing. 

Rob was completely there for me to break his hands during each contraction. 

No joke, within an hour, I called the nurse and told her I could feel the baby coming out. She came in to check, and yup. I was right. My doctor wasn't even in the building yet. As long as I could, I held in my urge to push while she set up this scary looking table. Yikes! As soon as the doctor was in the building, she let me push. 

10 minutes later (after 16 hours of labor), Abby was here!

She was 8 pounds exactly, and 19.5 inches long. 

Abby and the doctor. 

 Her cute little feet.

Daddy and Abby. 

This hospital encourages skin to skin bonding before any weighing or exams, so we stayed in the labor room for over an hour with her before being moved to our recovery room where the visitors were waiting. I was so excited to introduce Logan to his little sister! The first picture here is Logan, two of my sisters, and Abby. 

The second day, Logan was a little bored so daddy took him for a walk around the hospital. 

But every time he gets to hold her, he just beams with pride. 

This was Abby's going home outfit. 

I am so in love. 

So, so in love. 

Although we aren't Kate and William, I couldn't be happier with the new addition to our family. 

And Here We Go Again!

Most of you know by now that I have a pretty bad case of wanderlust. After two years in Ethiopia, I was hooked. After Africa, my husband and I moved to Chicago, then the United Arab Emirates, North Carolina, and finally New Jersey. Although our time in New Jersey has not been easy, we have both been blessed to have great jobs here. Unfortunately, great jobs can’t keep us here. After surviving hurricanes, blizzards, earthquakes, a tragic miscarriage, a head concussion, two house fires, two car accidents, a burglary, and a short sale on our first house, we are ready to move on. I know that a location can not create a series of unfortunate events, but it can offer a new beginning. Because of that hope for a fresh start (and many other reasons), we are excited to announce that we are moving to Ecuador, just outside the capital city of Quito.

Rob was offered a position teaching theatre to high school students at a beautiful school in a quaint South American suburban town. This is not only giving us an opportunity to spend more time together as a family, it is giving me the chance to try my hand at being a stay at home mom. As a doctoral student and self-proclaimed career woman, the thought of becoming a full-time cook, maid, teacher, nurse, coach, referee, etc. etc. etc. is …. a little daunting, but beyond exciting! As all mothers know, the time we spend with our babies is so precious. I prayed for a chance to spend more time with my adorably precocious preschooler and soon-to-be-born daughter. This was the answer to my prayers. Our daughter is coming in July, and Rob will be on a plane shortly after that. The plan is for the kids and I to join him in early October. This blog will serve as a way for our friends and family to keep up with our lives as we prepare to move, and then as we settle in to our new normal at the center of the earth.