election day

I think it is pretty cool to be alive for and to have participated in one of the most historically important elections. And here is my brief election day story. Phoebe and Beckett went with me to vote this morning--we walked down the block--and it was fine until Phoebe voided my vote. I decided to go with the electronic voting rather than the paper, so the lady handed me my card and I waited in line (there was only one person ahead of me). When I got to the machine, Phoebe said "I'll be right back, Mom." and she ran to the trash can--"I had to throw away my paper." She got a sticker from one of the ladies at the polling place and she threw away the paper backing. I was happy with her for being so conscientious. While she was at the trash can, I inserted my card into the machine and began to make my selections. She returned and was standing underneath me when all of a sudden she says "here's your credit card, Mom." She pulled the card out of the machine--the one that the instructions say "do not remove until you see this screen..." My machine all of a sudden started rolling paper and printing stuff and at the end in big fat letters it said VOIDED! I was embarrassed and stunned. Luckily, I was still able to vote and it would count--I just had to start over. That was fun.

Pictures:

proud big sister and baby brother

Phoebe being a mean witch (who rides her broom backwards :)) who tells all the children "No More Birthdays!"

Brett and I on a night out--we actually even dressed up. It was our first time away from Beckett, but we took separate cars. We were at a friend's wedding that was extremely nearby. Beckett actually got his first cold that day, so I didn't stay out long because he was too sneezy and pitiful to stay away from. :( Aunti Terra did a great job juggling the three kids for a while, though.

Brett and Beckett sharing smiles on the floor at a Halloween gathering of Argo parents and kids.

Beckett will be 3 months old on Saturday. He's healthy and happy--recent developments:

It appears he is sleeping through the night--for the moment. October 31 was his first full night of sleep from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. which coincidentally is the exact same night that Phoebe first slept through the night. She only did it for a couple of days because she had a cold, but it was Oct. 31, 2005. Interesting! He sleeps in the bassinet in our room and I have been putting him in there around 9:00 and he has been sleeping straight through until atleast 4:30. He is awake and alert most of the day with several little naps and at least one longer one (two hours or more) in the afternoon. I'm not sure when he'll get on a permanent nap schedule, but he is doing well. He's such a happy baby. I've never heard a baby laugh the way he does--he has these deep belly laughs and he squeals with delight. His whole face giggles and coos. I've really never heard anything like it. What's especially wonderful about it is it makes me laugh out loud everyday--which is something we should all do, but this has happened for me more in the past year especially, because three-year-old talking, reasoning Phoebe says and does the most amusing things and Beckett couldn't be happier. And Phoebe is a doting big sister. If Beckett cries, Phoebe makes sure that I go get him. He smiles at her constantly and she loves to amuse him. When he cries in his swing, she'll sit on her stool next to him and rock him and coo, and he immediately calms down and smiles. I am definitely in love with my children. Phoebe amazes me and Beckett smiles at me. I'm sure he'll amaze me too when he develops his identity and starts talking.

Conversational Bits

I occasionally record bits of conversations that Phoebe has with me. While I am often not near a pen or computer during some of our most interesting discussions, I would like to share some of her recent thoughts. I did not include dialogue tags, but I hope you can discern which lines are hers and which are mine:

“When Beckett gets bigger, he could use my spoons because Beckett and I are going to be friends. And when he gets big and when I get big, we can read together.”

“I love you, Phoebe”
“Where?”
“Everywhere.”
“Underneath the moon?”

"It takes a long time to get big, Mom."

“I had to put toilet paper on my knees because sometimes it can’t come out if I don’t have toilet paper on my knees”
“you have to put toilet paper on your knees to go to bathroom?”
“yes, because it comes out easier if I have toilet paper on my knees.”

“I don’t need a shirt on because I have my coat”
“You still need a shirt”
“but my coat will be zipped. I’ll just put on my pants and then go.”

“you are boogery”
“snort! I don’t have boogers now. I sneaked it in.”

And about two weeks after Beckett was born, we had this conversation:
"Why wasn't I born with a penis like Beckett?"
"Well, because you were born as a girl, Phoebe."
"Well, I don't want to be a girl. I want a penis."
"Why do you want a penis?"
"Because I like penises."
"What do you like about them?"
"I just like penises and I want one."
"You don't need a penis."
"Well, penises are my favorite."
We went on to discuss why not having a penis is perfectly good. We talked about all the good things about being a girl so that she could perhaps get over her penis envy. She is quite fixated on them these days. In the first two or three days after Beck was born, she pointed at every man and boy she saw, including our plumber, cartoon characters, and characters in books and asked "he's a boy, does he have a penis?"

Firefighter Phoebe and Friends

A playgroup tour of the EP fire department on September 17.

Butterfly Beckett

I'm a bit out of sequence. He's about 4 weeks old here.

Beck at ten weeks

His first smile in response to my smile was just before six weeks and he hasn't stopped since. His smile and laugh are absolutely infectious. I never knew peek-a-boo was so hysterical but that is his favorite game these days. And this week (October 28) he is trying to grab for his toes. He has found his thumb and soothes himself by sucking--he refuses to have it replaced with a pacifier. Oh well.

first day of preschool

Phoebe loves going to preschool at the Farm and Nature Discovery Preschool at The Center. So far, they have gone on a hay ride and met many farm animals like horses and chickens and goats and they had a pony ride and a visit to the pumpkin patch. They picked and helped clean out their classroom pumpkin and they made a class scarecrow. They also went on a creekwalk. Of course they work on the normal preschool activities of tracing and cutting, recognizing letters, numbers, and colors, but they do it all using farm and nature themes. Its super cool. She has some of her playgroup friends in her class and one of Brett's co-workers also sends her son there. Yay preschool (and while she is there, I am working on my mushy belly by doing my friend Danielle's stroller fitness class at Chicago Ridge mall.)

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.