On our own

Well, after having visitors for over two weeks to help out with Benjamin and Peter - we are now officially on our own! Which is a little daunting, I assure you. But we're working on it. Petey is handling the decreased amount of attention okay - we just need to get Benji sleeping more consistently at night so I can be a more interactive mom during the day. 

Our last guest was my dad - Petey had a wonderful time being thrown around by 'Silly Grandpa'

We took Benjamin to his 2 week checkup a few days ago and the doctor confirmed what we already knew: he is a little piglet. Benji not only has passed his birth weight, he's already 6lbs 13oz. Quite the little chunker.

But really, ever so cute.

Anyone else just love watching their babies sleep in these curled up positions?

Pete and Benji just hanging out. We are still working on Peter not loving Benji to death.

But he sure does enjoy helping Daddy feed the baby.

And yep, I even make an occasional appearance with Benjamin. 

Lastly, this is entirely non-baby related, but I must share my most recent cooking acquisition. I specially requested this cake pan for Mother's Day (which was spent in the hospital - so I figure I get to pick out my own present) and Travis more than came through. Behold the stoneware bundt pan from Pampered Chef! 

Of course the first thing I had to make was my all time favorite dessert: angel food cake (12 egg whites!) which was superb and divine and entirely consumed within 24 hours. 

Mainly by me. 

Don't judge - I'm nursing. 

The First Week

We've officially been home with Benjamin for over a week now and things are going great. I really don't want to jinx us, but Benji has been a great little baby so far. Mostly he just eats and sleeps. And poops. Sometimes I even have a hard time waking him up for the eating part, but we're working on that.

Probably it's been so easy because we've had so much help. Trav took all last week off work and my mom was wonderful enough to come and take care of Petey while we were still in the hospital and she stayed for a whole week afterwards too. Thanks Mom!

Yesterday she pulled a switcheroo with Travis' mom and now we have the other grandma in town all this week. Yay for family!

This past week, we celebrated Travis' 29th Birthday, which was pretty low key, but he didn't seem to mind. Probably because I made him my super delicious chocolate-coconut creme cake. 

Petey also spent some quality time in the pool since it was pretty warm for a few days. Only problem is, this is how the kid likes to go swimming. I'm sure our neighbors love getting an eyeful.

And then we gave Benjamin his first bath...which he absolutely hated. Of course. But I loved it! Mainly because I got to use my new Puj Tub that my dear friends Amber, Katie, & Angela gave me. It snaps together so you can set it right in your bathroom sink and then pops open to hang up flat to dry. Love, love it.

It's been a busy first week, but we are loving having Benji home with us. Peter is starting to warm up too and constantly asks to hold him or will bring me the pacifier whenever he hears his brother crying. It's too cute.

Millet Boy - New 2011 Model Revealed

Introducing...

Benjamin Golden Millet

May 7, 2011 - 1:39 am

6lbs 2oz

19.5"

And for those of you who like a little story with your pictures...

This was Michelle Friday morning.

Miserable and 40 weeks pregnant exactly.

Even though I hadn't gone into labor yet, my kind doctor had pity on me and had told me earlier in the week to plan on heading to the hospital Friday night as long as I was already having contractions. 

Contractions? 

Oh, you mean those things I've been having since I was 5 months along? Got 'em.

So after a family dinner and a nice walk to get me really going, Trav and I headed off to the hospital. 

Me: determined to have a baby, Trav: pretty sure we'd be sent home.

Luckily, they weren't really busy and after spending some time in triage, my doctor had them admit me and we headed to a room to get started on pitocin around 9:30pm. Since Peter had also been an induction, we were pretty certain it would take some time to get things going and that we wouldn't be having the baby anytime before 5 or 6am. Not so much this time.

After hanging out for a while, my water broke around midnight and all the sudden my contractions were coming 1-2 minutes apart and I was quickly begging for an epidural. Cause I tell you those bad boys hurt. After the epidural I was only at 5cm, but things were going really fast and within 30 minutes I had gone to 10cm and they had me start pushing. 

Needless to say, the epidural didn't really have all that much time to take effect properly.

After some very, very difficult pushing (I am a wuss), I was basically ready to beg for a break when the doctor looked at me and said "We need to have this baby now!" That pronouncement was sufficiently dire for me to put a little more effort into things and within a few more minutes out came Mr. Benjamin at 1:39am.

 Turns out the cord was wrapped around his neck which had been causing his heart-rate to drop during each contraction.

So it took basically one hour and 30 minutes from my water breaking to delivery. I find that pretty dang speedy.

Benjamin was tiny, but perfect and needless to say Travis and I were in love.

I bet after seeing these pictures you will be too.

If you remember, Travis marked Peter with a pi symbol at birth to make sure we came home with the right little man. We didn't want Benji to feel left out, so he made sure to get a beta symbol on right away.

Michelle and Benji after delivery. Can we say sleep deprived?

My two boys.

Daddy and the little man

Peter is the best big brother. I don't think he was too thrilled about the fact that Benjamin was a baby instead of a big friend to play with but he's quickly learned how to love him.

"All By Mine Self"

Pete's hair is getting a little long which usually equates to some pretty terrific bed-head every day. This morning as I was wetting it down to try to tame the beast, he demanded to be able to do it himself.

The results (no help from mom, remember):

The Shark is back folks.

Picnic with Friends

Yesterday it was such a beautiful day, Peter and I decided to have a picnic snack time in the backyard. What I didn't realize was that Peter had also invited several guests to the party already. All four of these animals sleep with Peter every night and he was very particular about having them share his popcorn.

Their names are: Peanut (the blue dog), Edwin "Poop" Millet (sock monkey), Snuffy (the mammoth) and Frappuccino (the brown & white dog).

At one point I asked: "Peter, are you having fun with all your babies?"

And his instant reply: "No Mama! They are not babies. They are mine animals. Say it Mommy! Say it!"

And would not be satisfied until I said: "Sorry, Peter. I meant your 'animals' not 'babies'."

I guess I was thinking too much like a girl who remembers having tea parties with her baby dolls.

Here is Pete introducing his friends: