Beck at 3 weeks

He is ten pounds as of Monday, September 1. He is sleeping fairly well. His neck muscles are strong and all is well. Unfortunately, he has blocked tear ducts in both of his eyes, which is a common condition for newborns, according to the doctor, but it is unpleasant because it makes his eyes goopy all the time. Yuck! I guess it will resolve itself some time before he turns one. Could be a couple of months or several. But he is very healthy overall. His favorite thing is sleeping at the moment. He likes the ocean sounds on his swing, but he doesn't necessarily like swinging--go figure.

A few more summer pics

Phoebe and Brett made sugar cookie words. She likes her letters! Ignore my face--it's a pretty embarrassing picture, but I included it because I can't believe how much it really does look like I shoved a basketball up my shirt--man he was round and sticky-outy. Phoebe and Ike shared a snack at the top of the slide. And Ruby and Iain spent a morning with Phoebe at the zoo.

Summer Pics

I know I'm crazy with posting, and I REALLY should be studying, but I am playing catch up and I just want to capture so many of these moments before they are too far away or gone altogether. So here are some memorable pictures from the summer:

Swimming on Independance Day

Phoebe's version of "watching" fireworks

Giant bugs at Morton Arboretum

and a beautiful day in Millennium Park watching a performance called Strange Fruit

Busiest Year+ Ever (almost over--phew!)

For a little over a year, life in our house has been the most chaotic, rushed, and stressful that we have ever experienced, but the end is finally in sight and we hope to resume a more normal pace in less than a month. Last school year (07-08) began a whirlwind of activities for us. With Phoebe being at an age that requires constant entertainment and engagement, we didn't have a moment of down time. Brett and I were working full time and going to school part time. Brett took a class in the fall and so did I. We both had new classes to teach--I gained two new classes that I had to prepare all new material for and Brett gained one new class. On the weekends, we were taking turns taking Phoebe to museums, zoos, orchards, etc. to share the world with her and spend as much time as possible with her since she was in day care on the week days. Sometimes one of us would go on an adventure with her while the other stayed home to catch up on work, homework, or studying. But often, we would both end up going because we didn't want to miss out on the excursion and the Phoebe time, so we wound up spending most of our nights up late playing catch-up. Late in the fall, I got pregnant, which we chose to do, but it made things a little more difficult because I didn't have the same kind of leisure rest time that I had when I was pregnant with Phoebe. In the spring, Brett added some complications to the mix by coaching track--which he had done for the past two years, but this year, he decided to do his internship for his degree at the same time. In the past, he did not take any classes or extra work while coaching. So, I was taking a class, working full time, and taking care of Phoebe almost exclusively because Brett's track schedule did not allow him to be home much, and when he was home, he often had to get his coursework and school prep/grading done since his plan period was taken up with the internship--though he did manage to do as much as possible with Phoebe and to help me whenever he could. In the summer, Brett took one class on Saturdays and I took two that went all day on Tuesdays and Thursdays and we chose to remodel our kitchen. Thankfully, on August 7th (the day I went into labor with Beck) I finished my two classes, thus concluding my coursework for my M.A. in English literature and Brett finished his class 4 days earlier, also concluding his coursework for his 2nd M.A., this one in Educational Leadership (his first is in English--specifically rhetoric and composition). Our kitchen is mostly done except for some small corrections and finishing touches as of this past weekend (labor day). We can cook and clean, and we have a dishwasher! And all I have left for this degree is a very scary test that is fast approaching on September 27 (and for which I should be studying right now instead of posting). Once that is over, I think we will be able to drop our shoulders a little and run at a moderate pace. I am home for the year. Phoebe begins preschool (two days a week for 2.5 hours/day) next week, and Beck turns one month old on Friday. I plan to embrace and enjoy every minute of their development as I get to spend this time with them.

Phoebe's baby

Phoebe said this morning, "When I get old like you [Mommy], I'm going to have a baby in my belly. My baby's name is going to be Uno."
We ate at Pizzeria Uno on Friday night and apparently she likes the name. :)

In honor of Labor Day I'm sharing the stories of my most difficult work.

How long were your labors?
Kid #1, 12 hours.
Kid #2, 5.5 hours

How did you know you were in labor?
Kid #1, 5 weeks early, water broke 12:00 a.m. contractions began much later at the hospital. The entire labor took place in the hospital.
Kid #2, 1 week early, water broke 10:30 p.m. contractions began 1.5 hours later. Most of the labor took place at home in the tub. The hardest labor took place in the car. Got to the hospital just in time for the pushing.

Where did you deliver?
Kid #1, Little Company of Mary Hospital where I was stuck in a delivery room bed without getting up for 12 hours.
Kid #2, almost in the car, but thankfully with some soothing from Mom and careful but aggressive driving from my husband, with 15 minutes to spare, we made it into the delivery room at West Suburban Medical Center's Alternative Birthing Center

Drugs?
Kid #1, pitocin and epidural
Kid #2, au natural--painful, but worth it

C-section?
nope

Who delivered?
Kid #1- Dr. Bonaminio--a stand-in for my original Doctor who had her baby two months before mine and, of course, left the practice to take care of her child for a while. I ended up not loving my new doctor, so I sought a new one for the second pregnancy. I really wanted a woman and a less medical experience overall
Kid #2- the midwives at Women's Healthcare Center in Forest Park--specifically, Shirley. She was awesome! All of them are, but she did the delivery. She was at the hospital and ready for my incredibly fast, intense delivery, and for a minute or two, Beck was stuck at the shoulder. She did some amazing maneuvering and got him out quickly without harming him or me.

Pictures of Beck

homecoming and hanging out. He's got a bit of a grouchy-old-man look going on, but he's beginning to fill out nicely.

First Day on Our Own

Our first day without Brett went smoothly--much better than I thought. Phoebe was cooperative and sweet and played nicely. We stamped and colored and played in th back yard, and Beck slept most of the day, so I could spend most of my time with Phoebe--which I think will help with her adjusting and being home all day with just us, since she is used to going to day care all day and used to all of us being home in the summer--this year is going to be very different for her. She will have some things to break it up, of course, with preschool on Tuesday and Thursday each week, and hopefully, a gymnastics class if they don't fill up before Oak Lawn non-residents can sign up. But if things continue the way they began, we should be all right. Today, Tuesday, is our second day, and I thought Phoebe would be a bit difficult this morning because she had a hard time going to sleep last night--she kept having monsters come in her room :( I don't know where she learned about monsters, or where any kid does, for that matter, but it makes me sad that she did because she has nightmares often. Anyway, she has been great, however, and I have learned a bunch of new things that she knows this morning. And she just went down for her nap--she ate a good lunch and then said "I want to go night night now." And that was that. But here are some of the funny things she did this morning. She was stamping names (she tells me a name, I write it in all capitals, and then she stamps the letters over it) and when she did a good job finding a letter she would cheer herself and say "give me a hint" but she meant "hit," not "hint." She would put her fist out and she wanted to pound knuckles. It was pretty funny. I asked her where she learned that and she said "Brian"--that wasn't ringing any bells for me, so I said, "Brian who?" and she said "from the cake party"--that still didn't help. I had no idea who she was talking about, then she said "with the baby, Sam" so then I figured it out--one of Brett's work friends who was at the barbecue that we went to on Aug. 7th taught Phoebe to "pound it." :) Then I was composing a couple of emails and she was in the bathroom playing with the sink when she came out and said, "Does this look awesome with my beautiful hair all wet?" It looked awesome. And finally a few minutes later, she said from the bathroom--"I'm cleaning the potty, Mommy." So I had to go in and put a stop to that--she was using her water spray bottle for her hair to spray the toilet tank and then wiping it with toilet paper--super helpful! And so it begins--our year of learning how to have two kids and keep them intelligently entertained on a daily basis and hope they get along.

Introducing Beckett Reid Lettiere

Beckett was born on 08/08/08 at 3:57 a.m.

He was only one week early as opposed to Phoebe's five weeks but eager to get out fairly immediately once he decided it was time. Phoebe took 12 hours to enter the world once she began to descend, but Beckett was only 5.5 hours from start to finish. My water broke at 10:30 p.m. My contractions began at 12:30 a.m. and he was born 3.5 hours later. We were only at the hospital for 15 minutes before his arrival, but we made it. He was 7 lbs 11 oz, and they measured him at 18 inches, but four days later at his check up, he was 20 inches. I am guessing he didn't grow two inches in four days, they just mismeasured him at the hospital--didn't quite stretch him out all the way--or else he is going to be some crazy huge growing anomally. He did, however gain over half a pound in those four days because he weighed 8.4 lbs. at that check up. He is eating well and sleeping a ton. We are getting plenty of rest, and Phoebe is adjusting fairly well. She had a hard time the first couple of days--not so much with him specifically, she was just misbehaving and seeking negative attention quite a bit, but that seems to be subsiding. She likes him a lot--she gives him lots of kisses and wants to check on him often. She tries to comfort him when he cries and tells me to go get him because he wants up. She is proud to be a big sister, of course. It's getting late--I'll post more pictures in the next couple of days, but this will get me started. Stay tuned for pics in the next post of his eyes and full head of blonde hair.

A few more pregnant pics

The pictures in the last post are from late May (the 24th) through late June (month 7.5 or so). These will begin in late June and go through the present.

Pregnancy #2

I have been terrible about chronicling this pregnancy. I have kept a pregnancy journal, like I did for Phoebe, but I haven't documented it much with pictures--the time just isn't the same this time around, of course--with Phoebe needing most of it and my coursework taking up the rest, it doesn't lend to much down time for blogging. Happily, I will finish my coursework for my M.A. program in literature at Northeastern Illinois University at the beginning of August--and I am due August 15 (or so). We have taken some pictures along the way, so I will include some from the bigger months. I feel like I have been pregnant forever because I was only not pregnant for one holiday (Halloween) in the last year, and I have been pregnant through the almost entirety of three seasons. I know that 9 months (which is a lie because 40 weeks equals 10 months in my book) is 3/4 of a year, but it didn't seem that long the last time. I have gained almost the same weight this time as with Phoebe--I weigh one pound more than I did when I gave birth last time, but Phoebe was five weeks early--right now, I have four weeks to go, so I have made it a little longer so far. I hope to last minimally one more week so that he can be full term and I can be at least very close to finishing my classes. Then I should be able to finish them from home if I need to. Oh, I said him--we found out that we are having a boy this time. He almost didn't cooperate at the ultrasound--just like Phoebe didn't--but he opened up at the last minute. So at least we could do a little more planning this time. With Phoebe, my stomach enlarged by 13 inches, but as of right now, I have grown 16 inches. So, while my weight gain has been the same, my distribution is quite different.

Is anyone even still checking?

Here are some of the things we have been doing since I last posted pictures--forever ago!

One is obviously from Christmas when Sydney and Phoebe got their Cinderella dresses from Uncle Traveling Matt and had to put them on right away. Henry looks so deceiving in his Groucho disguise that I had to include it. I bet you didn't even know it was him! Phoebe has grown a bit since last summer--more mentally than physically. She loves her outdoor chair--isn't she sophisticated :) We were having a picnic dinner at the Pritzker Pavillion in Millennium Park and listening to Northwestern University's concert band. And, on her third birthday, July 13, she went to the annual Ralph's World concert at Morton Arboretum and got her picture taken with Ralph--she also got to go on stage (along with hundreds of other kids) for the last couple songs of the concert. She loves concerts and music!

Life in the Lettiere Household

4:15 alarm goes off, 4:45 get out of bed and move in our zombie-like state through the morning routine: wash up, contacts, skin care, dress (which usually involves putting one or several items of clothing in the dryer to de-wrinkle--who has time for ironing?), Brett makes lunches then runs out to shovel (almost every morning for the last two months, at least it seems like it), I make tea and set up breakfast (cereal, or a bagel, or yogurt; Phoebe's vitamin and milk, and my juice and vitamin), then either Phoebe is already up and has been yelling my name for 15 minutes or one of us has to go wake her groggy self. It is better when we wake her because she is nicer. If Brett tries to get her in the morning when she has already woken up, for some reason, she is vehemently against this. As soon as he opens her door, she says "no, Daddy! I don't want you!"
"But I love you, Phoebe, and I missed you last night." (if he had a track meet or class or something else)
"no, Daddy. I don't love you!"
"Oh, Phoebe, you love me?! I love you, too. I'm so happy to see you this morning."
"No, Daddy! Don't get me!" as she proceeds to reach out her hand to hit him away
"Oh, Phoebe, are you patting me and giving me love taps? Thank you. I love when you give me little pats. Are you massaging me?"
She reaches up and squeezes his face or pinches his arm
"Oh, those are nice rubs, Phoebe. That feels nice. I love you, too. Let me rub your arm and give you nice pats."
"No, Daddy. Put me down."
"Oh, ok, Phoebe, you don't want to come with me? I guess I'll just go eat cereal because you don't want any."
"Daddy, don't leave me. I want to come with you!" And then she finally cooperates and pretends the whole thing didn't happen. The only reason we can guess that she often gives him such a hard time in the morning is because she is mad at him for not having enough time for her at night. Because really she is head-over-heels about him the rest of the time. She always wants to know when he is coming home and squeals with delight when he walks in the door. And she loves reading books with him. She just sometimes feels the need to punish him for whatever transgressions he has committed in her head.
Anyway, so the morning continues. It works best if we get Phoebe dressed before she goes down for breakfast, but sometimes this doesn't happen and it is much harder to do it in reverse because she is much less cooperative if we do it after breakfast. It's especially that last 3 or 4 minutes that are the biggest fight because she wants to put her own coat on and take her time doing it, but we have to get out the door by 6. We rush out the door and head on our way to work/school. Some mornings things go well--if travel is good. Brett always makes it to work by 6:40. For me it is much more iffy. By leaving at 6, if all goes well, I should be at school by between 7-7:05 (school starts at 7:15), so if there are any traffic hiccups, then I'm in trouble. For example, last Wednesday (Feb. 20), I got on the ramp to the Bishop Ford from I-57 when all traffic halted and remained at a standstill while they closed the road to clean up an accident from 6:10 until 7:15. I did not make it to school on time that day. Most of the time, however, we safely make it to school on time. Phoebe goes into daycare. We sign in; she insists on signing in, too. Then we head to her classroom to hang up her coat and fill out her daily report card (I have to indicate when she woke up, last ate, urinated, and if she had taken any medication) then we go back out to join the other kids. She's usually really good about all of this--some mornings she is clingier than others. I go to school and teach, she plays and learns all day, then I try to get her by 3:00 unless I have a meeting or some other obligation. She expects me after nap and snack. We have long chatty conversations on our drive home where she tells me about her day--what she ate, what she and her friends did, how her nap was, etc. Most of the time we listen to music, sometimes my books and sometimes her stories. Her most requested music is Ralph's World and Wiggleworms, still! But she is branching out and her new favorite song is The Plain White Tees "Hey There Delilah" which she simply refers to as "my song"--"play my song, Mommy." Sometimes she remembers her manners and even says please. Her most often requested stories to listen to include Panda Bear Panda Bear (read by Brett), The Bad Case of Stripes, and Pinocchio. The story listening happens more in the morning than the afternoon. She likes the music in the afternoon and knows the words to most of the songs, so she sings. If I happen to listen to whatever book I am on, she will sit in the back seat and have conversations with herself or her stuffed animal or anything that will listen about what's going on out the window or her day or whatever else. She doesn't stop talking much. When we get home, we play a little bit--color or read or play catch. We'll usually listen to music and then she'll play in her play room while I make dinner. She and I usually begin eating dinner and Brett joins us once he gets home and we are nearly done. Then it is time for bath, potty, brush the teeth, books and bed by 7:00. As soon as she goes to sleep our work begins--grading, reading for class, writing papers, dishes, laundry, etc. until we can't stand it anymore and pass out--which is much earlier for me than for Brett because I usually pass out in the chair as soon as I start reading. In fact, I am supposed to be reading and completing an assignment right now! So I am going to get to that. I just wanted to record our weekday routine for posterity. I'll get back to this--perhaps soon and talk about the weekends--which are much more eventful and fun, and more about Phoebe, and post some pictures--and maybe I'll squeeze some stuff in about this second kid that is developing without complaint or much attention. :)

More Summer Day Trips and Activities

Another Wiggleworms concert (they were free everyday at 10:00 all summer in Millenium Park. I think she went four times.) Indiana Dunes. Reading with Gram. And at the Chicago Cultural Center.

Summer Day Trips and Activities cont.

more Children's Museum

Summer Day Trips and Activities

Visiting the trains and tractors at the Museum of Science and Industry and exploring the Kohl's Children's Museum with Sydney