Evelyn arrives

Evelyn Violet Shreve entered the world on Sunday, February 1st at 10:02pm. She was 8.7lbs and 19 3/4" long.



Evelyn's birth was so different from Toby's! Everyone always says that every baby is different, and it was definitely true for mine.


As many of you know, I was expecting Evy to be early. Possibly a whole month early. That was based on my last period and we reached milestones earlier with this pregnancy. Then, we had tons of contractions as December dragged on. We had a false labor start at the very beginning of January.

So I was very surprised when Jan 14th passed (my guess at her arrival), and even more surprised when her due date (Jan 27th) passed us by. The 2nd week in January, we were 2cm dilated, and 40% effaced. (Toby came 2 days after that point, so I was just sure we were having her anytime). The following week, we were 3cm dilated, and 60% effaced. Another week and we were still 3cm, 75% effaced, with a cervix "like butter," according to our midwife.

So Jan 30th, we were 4cm dilated, almost totally effaced, and the midwife was just sure that she would see us that weekend. All weekend, I was having contractions, but not regularly, and most weren't very strong. I had bloody show from Friday onwards, sort of indicating that I was still dilating. So Sunday afternoon, I was getting pretty nervous about sending Ted back to work and having an emergency dash to the hospital in traffic. I asked the midwife if I could come in and be checked, and she allowed it and let me know that if we were 5cm or more, they would be willing to break my water and keep me.

We got to the hospital around 6:15pm. I was 6cm when she checked me! Still not having regular, strong contractions. She broke my water at 6:30, and we were having crazy contractions every other minute by 7:30. I had an idea from Toby's labor and the false start that my contractions weren't going to space out from that point, so I asked for the epidural. (It does make me feel a little wimpy, but not sorry in the end). We got our epidural in place at 8:30pm. I was 8cm at 9pm. I couldn't feel pain with contractions, but my body was still tensing with them involuntarily. And I was shaking uncontrollably, as if I were really cold.

So the midwife needed to go assist a C-section briefly, and then would be right back. So...maybe 9:30 the pressure and urge to push are beginning...The nurse pages the midwife out of the surgery and she's asking me to breathe normally through the contractions. I fought pushing through 4 contractions, and then something changed. I can't describe it, totally different sensation, and I knew she was coming NOW. The nurse is like, "hold on, the midwife is on her way." So not happening! The midwife comes running in with the next contraction and I'm like, "she's coming, I can't help pushing!" She said I could, as she throws on her gown and gloves. Next contractions, they can see her head! The midwife asks me to do tiny pushes...(this is something like trying to stop peeing mid-stream, or stop pushing in the middle of a large bm, really weird and almost IMPOSSIBLE). The epidural was not strong enough to dull the tearing sensation as she crowned. I screamed something about tearing, and then - she was there! 10:02pm

4 hours from start to finish, and 2 minutes of pushing. 2 contractions to get her out. Crazy fast! Kind of scary fast.

Halloween 2008

We had a pretty chill Halloween this year. Took Toby to the mall for his first real Trick-or-Treat experience. He figured out how to take candy from people and put it in his bucket. And then he was so excited about eating his first sucker (wrapper and all) that I finally gave up and let him have it. It lasted for about 30 minutes of trick-or-treat madness before it was gone and I threw the stick away. Oh man, was he mad about that!!! Threw himself on the floor, and hence, our first trick-or-treat experience ended early. :) Lovin' the toddler years!

Back on the web

Well, it's been a busy summer. Mostly hanging out at the barn with Toby and friends. We did visit family a few times and took a fun trip over to Lake Chelan, as usual. I haven't taken many pics lately, but here are a few.

Toby is doing well. He was 2' 9" at his last check up, he's getting so tall! He loves to point out noses, he's working on saying ears, eyes, and mouth. He brings me books to read to him all day, and he really likes flash cards now too. Of course he's still very busy with balls, and now he plays with his duplo blocks a lot. And he's 18 months going on 2...practicing tantrums and no's. A bit frustrating, but consistent time outs are starting to pay off.

And there is more news about baby #2. It's a girl and she should be joining us sometime around January 27th. The name game is still ongoing. She had her arm behind her head in the ultrasound - a diva already. My belly is much bigger with this little one, she takes up as much space as possible

Ted's family together for Jack's birthday

Toby on Christina's horse, Kyle Rachelle's daughter, Kyleigh, brushing Willow

Big boy potty!

Toby used his big boy potty today for the first time today! I haven't gotten the potty training books or anything. He was squatting in the hallway to take a poop, and I just pulled the potty chair out and showed it to him. He looked at it for a minute and flipped the lid up and down. So we pulled down his pants and sat him down and he did his business on the potty like a pro! It is so exciting to think we might have Toby out of diapers before the next baby gets here :) Let me know if you've got any tips or favorite books I should know about.

June updates

Okay, I haven't blogged in a while. Been working 50 hour weeks with a 1.5 hour commute people, gimme a break! :) And I haven't had any energy lately! I've been falling asleep at like 7:30pm. So one day last week I wasn't feeling so hot and actually got sick at school....are you following where I'm going with this yet?...Yes, we are expecting another baby! And it took me 2 - 3 months to figure it out :) So I don't know when we're due, January - February-ish. We just never slow down!

Toby is doing really well, learning lots of words. Mama, Dada, Nana, no, more, thank you, ball and bubble are some of the regulars. Still working on up and please... He went out to the barn with me yesterday and rode the tiny mini (my friend Kaila's pony)! I think he's even more addicted to horses than I am. He gets so mad when he has to get down :)

And 2 weeks ago, we FINALLY took Willow to a show. (we've been trying to go since February, but the weather has been most uncooperative!). Stephanie showed her in 1 flat class and 3 jumping classes (18" jumps). She did so well! She took like 8th place, but she was riding against a lot of old school horses who've been doing this forever. For her first jumping show and second show ever, she was awesome! I didn't end up showing because she did so well and was tired after the morning classes, so I gave her the afternoon off. She's super cute this year with all her dapples. Here's a pic of me messing around for a few minutes on her. I have no idea what I'm looking at...

That's all for now.

Our little Cowboy

Toby has officially begun his cowboy training! He took 2 laps around the barn yesterday! All those piggy back rides from Dad are paying off :)

Fingerpainting!

Toby did his first painting yesterday!

Not happy when it was time to be done!

In other news: I've got my own classroom now! I took over on Monday for Ms. Bauer at Kenmore Jr High teaching 7th grade life science. We're learning about the human body systems right now, and then we head into genetics and evolution (my favorite subjects!)