Madden Patrick

In many ways, this pregnancy was very similar to the first.  It was easy.  Granted, I had the usual bouts of "morning" sickness, that seemed to last through the morning, past the afternoon and well into the evening for the first several months.  And I battled with heartburn during the last trimester, but I held tight to the old wives tale that links heartburn to a baby with lots and lot of hair and I embraced it.  And amid these very common and normal pregnancy side affects, I knew I was blessed.  Blessed to be called a mommy a second time.  Blessed to have the chance to raise a boy and a girl.  Blessed to have had an easy and stress-free pregnancy.

Maybe it was because it was the second, that I felt more relaxed.  More at ease.  More confident in my mommy-skills.  Something about this one though made nine months feel more like nine short days.  One day we confirm we're having a sweet baby boy and then I blink, and we're driving through snow and ice to the hospital, holding hands, scared and excited, all over again.

February 5th, 2015.  The day you were born.  The day you blessed us and made us mommy and daddy all over again.  It was a day I had waited for and been anxiously awaiting for weeks.  Two days past our "official" due date, and to be honest I was growing impatient.  Because I was a week early with your sister, I just new I wouldn't make it into the month of February still pregnant.  Your daddy was convinced you'd be born on Super Bowl Sunday, just two days before our due date; after all, you are your daddy's son and football is your daddy's passion.  But, you held out and proved both your daddy and me wrong.  Much to my surprise, February 3rd came and went and still no baby.  

We were scheduled to be induced on February 5th at 5:30AM.  But you had other plans.  On your own time and just as God had planned all along, we went into labor late into the evening on February 4th.  I had spent the day home from work, with intentions of finishing up last minute errands and maybe even sneaking in a nap.  However, your big sis had other plans of her own as she had come down with a cough and runny nose, and spent the day home with me as well.  As luck would have it, we had already arranged for uncle Marcus and aunt Anna to come over and stay the night at our house with Olivia so we could leave for the hospital early the next morning.   But just after 9:30PM, I started having regular and semi-painful contractions.  Within an hour, after a hot shower and no relief from the contractions, we had loaded into the car the bags that had been packed and ready for several weeks.  "It's finally time..." I nervously and excitedly remember whispering to Daddy as we drove to the hospital.  

It felt like an eternity to get to the hospital, partly because it had snowed and iced earlier that day and partly because during labor, until the epidural, everything feels like it takes forever.  Daddy had one hand tightly gripped on the wheel, and the other intertwined with mine, encouraging and supporting through each contraction.

We arrived at the hospital and the epidural was administered shortly before midnight.  And then we waited.  Daddy and I speculated what you might look like, hair color, eye color, personality, everything that would make you, you.  We tried to rest our eyes, but it was impossible, we were about to meet you, our sweet baby boy.

My legs were shaking with adrenalin and excitement, nervousness and anticipation of what was to come.  Three short hours later, the doctor was reminding me when and how to push.  Three pushes, three pauses and three contractions later, in the wee hours of the morning on February 5th, you were born.

You squealed and cried, and as my eyes met your daddy's, I could feel the tears stream down my cheeks.  Mommy again.

And finally after nine months of waiting, the placed you on my chest.  Those first few moments are precious and will never be forgotten, etched in memory forever.  Those moments are difficult to put into words, they are magical and surreal, and some of the most cherished moments for all of life.

I was a mommy to two.  And you, my handsome little boy, made that possible.   Daddy and I are so proud.  Proud to call you ours.  Blessed to be your mommy and daddy.

And just as your sister had done two years before you, you changed us again.  You changed our world forever.  Our hearts, which I was quite sure could not possible grow anymore, swelled again by leaps and bounds with love for you.  You have blessed us beyond measure and we are so completely in love with you.  Our precious, perfect and adorable Madden.

Madden Patrick Schamberger

February 5th, 2015

3:13am

7 pounds, 15 ounces

20-1/2 inches long

Shawnee Mission Hospital 

 

And your big sister, she is absolutely smitten with you.  Which is a whole other story for another time ...

Blessed

Sometimes, it's the little, simple moments in life that can remind you just how blessed you are.

This past weekend we celebrated Easter, spring time and spent lots of time with family.

There may be many miles between us, and the days between visits can seem to take forever, but it's true what they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder.

Olivia participated in her first Easter Egg Hunt.  We may or may not have done a dry run the night before in our own backyard.  Turns out she is more interested in the contents inside than actually finding the eggs. 

 

 

After the warm-up egg hunt, she was practiced up for the real deal the next day.  Our neighborhood hosted an egg hunt for all of the kids.  Olivia enjoyed hunting for eggs, but I think she may have been more excited to see the other kids and get her hands on a juice box when it was all over.

We also colored Easter eggs, well scratch that...Although I boiled a dozen, we only colored three.  Olivia couldn't understand why she couldn't drink the juice or eat the egg...shell and all.  And then she found out Mama didn't like when she whipped the whisk out of water and got colored water everywhere.  And so she did it twice as much.  It was a mess, but fun while it lasted...and there's always next year.

And the Easter Bunny outdid himself this year...again.  Shoes, shorts, sidewalk chalk, DVD's for the car and books.  Not to mention a very adorable stuffed pouf for you - just your size.  But everyone knows the Easter Bunny can't sew.  The pouf was made especially for you by Grandma. 

And Olivia had some special help trying out your new chalk.  Lucky for you, she was a pro and patient with you as you stood on and colored over her drawings, mixed the chalk colors together and even attempted to taste them.

It was a good weekend.  We are feeling blessed indeed.

Happy Easter friends!

Life Lately

I'm sure it is obvious, but after we hit the 52-week mark, this mama had to end the daily/weekly updates. 

Not going to lie, I already miss them. 

I feel like life goes by even faster without them.  

I have mommy panic moments and can't remember exactly what day did you finally have hair long enough for your first pony?  Or what day did you say the cutest little "uh-oh"?  Or when did your play time evolve into pretending ... cooking, reading, rocking babies, sipping coffee ... Or when did you figure out you needed to use a napkin at dinner?  You are growing up.  There's no doubt about it.

Days turn into weeks turn into months and all of a sudden you are sixteen months.

At your fifteen month check-up, you weighed 26 pounds and were 33" tall, which puts you in the 99th percentile for height and 90th percentile for weight.  Your pediatrician is convinced you are going to be 5'10" when you grow up.  And as you would guess, you are still a very good eater, on most days.  Your favorite is roast beef, mashed potatoes and carrots, which must make your Daddy very happy because this is his favorite too.  You also love cheese, fruit, eggs and milk.  And recently, you have discovered a new obsession with ketchup.  Mama uses it to disguise veggies you may not have eaten otherwise, and I've also caught you dipping your fingers in it, and licking them clean.

You have some pretty adorable habits ... including "blowing" on your food when mama tells you it is hot and insisting on using a napkin during dinner.  If we forget to give you a napkin, you start pointing at the paper towels and raising your voice at us.  As soon as we give you one, you wipe your hands and your mouth and then stuff the paper towel beside your leg for later.  We should consider stock in Bounty as we are going through many more rolls of paper towels these days.

You also insist on blowing your nose with a Kleenex.  You've recently went through a spell of runny noses, and now that you are tall enough to reach the drawer where the Kleenex's are kept, you help yourself.  You blow your nose, which actually consists of blowing air out of your mouth, and then put your tissue in the trash.  It's adorable.  You also help yourself to a tissue (or the whole entire box), when you find any trace of water on the floor, whether it's from Mama's wet hands moving between the stove and the sink, from a dish out of the dishwasher, or from your sippy cup.  As soon as you spot the water, you immediately get a tissue from the drawer and are quick to clean it up. 

You had your first doctor's appointment for being sick when you were 13 months.  We took you in to see your pediatrician right before Christmas when you had a fever of 104 degrees.  You were diagnosed with a virus and spent the next 24 hours at snuggled at home.  Luckily, you bounced back quickly. 

Thanks to mother nature, we had had several snow days at the beginning of the year.  You and Daddy bundled up and went outside for a bit.  You loved the snow and loved being outside.  However, we are completely over the cold, wintery days and looking forward to a steady stream of spring weather!
 

Bath time is still your favorite.  You are getting quite onery though before you get in the tub and if mama isn't careful, you will sneak out of your bedroom and streak around the upstairs, running between bedrooms and down the hallway yelling, jabbering and carrying on.  You've discovered you can see your reflection in the spout and blow kisses, talk and laugh to yourself.  You also figured out how to get into the bathtub even when it's not bath time.

You love music.  You love to play the piano but when Mommy tries to join in with you, you quickly swipe my hands off of the keys.  Sometimes, if I'm lucky, you'll put your hands on top of mine and we can play together.  I know it's a good song when I see you start to sway back and forth.  You also love anything that plays music.  We resurrected your exersaucer from when you were a baby...not because you want to sit in it, but because you love the music it plays.  Daddy taught you how to jam out to the jungle music, you think it's hilarious.  Mama also laughs and loves to watch you and Daddy dancing :) 


You are still my little helper around the kitchen.  You love to help empty out the dishwasher.  Mama usually gives you the Tupperware to put away, kitchen utensils that go in the drawer that you can reach (if you stand on your tippy toes), or if I'm really brave, you are in charge of taking cups or bowls from Mama and giving them to Daddy who is across the kitchen, waiting by the cabinet.  Emptying the dishwasher is one of your favorite things so much so, that typically when we're all done, you're mad and have been known to throw a full-blown fit.  Hmmm...I'll remind you about this when you're 10 or 11 years old and I ask you to unload the dishwasher.

Second to the dishwasher, you love taking everything within your reach out of the pantry and sitting it on the counter.  You've also become so clever as to shut yourself in the pantry...and lucky for you, the light in the pantry is motion-censored ... so you're never left in the dark and Mama is left to wonder what exactly you're getting yourself into. 

Your playtime has evolved into lots of pretending.  Your favorite is cooking, stirring and eating.  You feed your babies, and then give them lots of hugs and pats.  You also cook for daddy and his meals usually consist of eggs, Oreos, a hot dog (no bun because it's in the bottom of the toy box somewhere) and corn on the cob; Daddy's meal options are limited :)  You like to pretend drink from your tea cup, but not before cheers-ing your Daddy's tea cup first.

 

 

No doubt, I miss your babyhood days but something about this stage you are in now is pretty wonderful.  Keeping up with you some days is quite the workout, which is good because sometimes it's Mommy's only workout.  Daddy says you are a mover and shaker.  And we can already tell you are a smarty pants.  While your vocabulary may still be limited, it's pretty amazing at what you can comprehend.  I'm always amazed at how well you follow directions, sometimes even better than Daddy :)  And your personality continues to develop.  You can be shy around new kids or in new settings (we've had several friends celebrate their birthday's recently!) and at first you like to stay close by Mama or Daddy, but by the end of the party, you are playing with the other kids, running around trying to sneak food or drinks off of the tables and...showing off your belly.  You're a little bit ornery and a whole lot of sweet. 


You are a happy toddler, a delight to be around, and have brought more joy to our lives than I would have ever guessed sixteen months prior.  Not every day is perfect and some are more challenging than others, but we have learned to ebb and flow and figure it out along the way.  When you were still just a little bean inside my tummy, I tried to picture what it would be like to have a baby, who would eventually grow to be a toddler.  I can say it's really nothing like I imagined.  It is better.