....and a Paddington is Born.

Chronology Of A Birth

Tuesday, January 24th, 2012.

10:20am - Doctor appointment reveals Amanda is 3-4cm dilated. Still no contractions or pain. She opts to have her cervix 'rimmed' in the hopes of getting things started on their own. Induction scheduled for Friday.

1o:50am - Amanda is very soar walking home from the doctor's office. Can't wait to get home and rest. A full body ache is beginning to spread through abdomen. She wonders if she should still meet her girlfriends for coffee today.

12:00pm - Amanda is still achy and feeling a bit ill. Decides not to meet girlfriends.

2:30pm - Water breaks at home while resting is bed. Amanda is thankful she had decided not to meet her girl friends for coffee at Indigo at 1:30pm- 'Clean-up' in isle ten' would have taken on a whole new meaning. Warren rushes to pick-up Rhys from Daycare. Nana and Grandan are called. No contractions or pain yet.

3:30pm - Arrive at Rockyview Hospital, Labour & Delivery Triage. No contractions or pain yet.

4:30pm - While being assessed, some very mild contractions begin. Paddington's heart rate goes down for the first one, but stays strong and steady after that. Amanda is admitted to the hospital and taken to the birthing room to be assessed again.

5:30pm - Start walking the halls to bring on labour. Told if things don't progress on their own, Amanda will be induced with Oxitocin at 8:30 pm. Contractions are still relatively mild. Pain scale of 1-10, we're at a 3 (aka: heavy breathing, cramping, tightness, fear of what is to come).

6:30pm - Contractions are coming regularly and have dramatically increased in intensity. Amanda is no longerwalking the halls, and instead just pacing the room until contractions hit. On the pain scale we are at a 5 (aka: heavy breathing, groans, bent over/leaning on husband, squeezing his hand, wiggling toes, scrunching face). Nurse comments on how great Amanda's hair looks.

7:30pm - Contractions are now full blown. We're at an 8 on the pain scale (aka: hunched over on the bed on all fours, howling in agony as husband pushes his fist into Amanda's tail bone with all his strength). Nurse wants to check Amanda's progress. Amanda is terrified. Amanda is 6cms dilated. Nurse 'reassures' her that she has now transitioned to full labour, that she's 'over the hump' and things will progress very rapidly from here. Amanda silently calls 'bullshit' under her breath.

8:30pm - Pain scale 9 (aka: Laying on side in bed, howling and screaming like a tribal woman being mauled by wild animals in the jungle). She asks for 'laughing gas'. You know, 'cause that will help.

9:00pm - The time has come, and only Amanda knows it. We're at pain scale 10 - the pushing stage. AKA : Demons have entered the body and take over all muscle control to exorcise and expel all internal organs. The Demons also take over the vocal cords, and Amanda's screams no longer sound human.

9:10pm - Amanda feels the head crowning. The nurse wants to check Amanda's dilation (???!!!). Amanda uses all her strength to muster the words 'Doctor. Get...the..doctor.' Warren repeats these words to the nurse, who replies "Soon enough. These babies don't just fall out you know". Another Demon induced push ensues. Amanda silently thinks to herself, "Fall out. What the F**K have I been doing for the last three hours?".

Soon after - Doctor arrives, Demons expel the child from Amanda's womb in 2 - 3 pushes.

9:21pm - Kyle Joseph Jones Cronin is born. 8lbs, 8oz.

And Amanda feels like a Rockstar. Because she is one.

P.S. - You can't see it in the picture, but I had my 'beads of strength' on.

A Conversation With Warren

This afternoon (5 days overdue)...

Amanda: This has been the longest pregnancy EVER.

Warren: I know what you mean. It feels like you've been pregnant for two years.

Amanda: I guess that makes me like an elephant...gestating for two years.

Warren: Elephants gestate for three years. So, you're more like a Rhino.

Amanda: I'm going to pretend you didn't say that.

Warren: Well, I could have said Hippo, but I didn't. Because I'm sensitive.

Paddington Watch, 39 weeks and 6 days

39 weeks + 6 days (night before the due date)

Baby is the size of a watermelon (no kidding!).

Weight gain so far: 30.5 lbs

The theme of this post is my sweet little Rhysie Pie. I have been very nostalgic the last couple of days. Looking at his baby pictures and watching the videos of his first year have reminded me how truly amazing kids are, and how blessed I am to be a mom. Especially to be Rhys' mom.

One of the big 'house projects' we had to undergo to make room for Paddington, was transform our crappy office/spare room into a big boy bedroom for Rhys. This was a a process I LOVED. First of all - I never liked the room before. It was always cluttered and messy and disorganized and was just never set up properly as either an office or a spare room. It was very mediocre at both jobs. But we saw the potential. It's certainly not a designer kids room. It's not matchy-matchy, it's not perfectly colour coordinated. But I love it. It's cozy, warm, soothing and we put a lot of love and effort into getting it ready just for him.

First - here is the AMAZING shelf my dad scored (for free!) from a kid's toy store that went out of business. It is an actual Thomas the Tank Engine merchandise display case. SERIOUSLY:

Cute colourful curtains from Ikea for his closet:

His 'Rhys You Are A Rockstar' poster, along with his Boxer dog picture from his Nana:

Left airplane painting - Warren bought it in an antique store in England when he was 9 years old and had it framed. Right airplane painting - Warren bought for Rhys at the Comic Convention in Calgary, signed by the artist with a 'Best Wishes for Rhys' note and gave it to Rhys on his 2nd birthday:

The wall decals I painstakingly applied in my pregnant state... could do about 3 a night before my back would be DONE (and as you can see, we chose to keep him in his crib until he's ready to move to his big boy bed - luckily there is room for both):

(Cute side note about the stars on the ceiling... Rhys said to Warren one night "I want to fly through the sky and sit on a star!):

These next photos are what I call the 'Waiting For Baby' pics. First, I helped Rhys make a 'gift' to take to the hospital and give to Paddington when he meets him for the first time:

Here is Rhys testing out our new (second hand) sit 'n stand stroller (or as we all call it, the 'Rhys Train'):

Making sure 'the baby' is safe and snug in his carseat:

Rhys with 'the baby' in the baby's new crib:

"Mommy, baby is hungry!":

Putting baby in the swing:

Dressing the baby:

*SIGH*. I love this little boy.

Paddington Watch, 38 Weeks

38 weeks (9.5 months)

Weight Gain: 29.5 lbs

Baby’s Got Bag

Last week I had my 37 week doctor’s appointment, and the doc mentioned that Paddington is now full term and that he could come anytime and they’d be okay with that. She also mentioned that all my paperwork has been sent to the hospital, so everything is ready to go. I left that appointment in a mild panic. I immediately went to Zellers and purchased newborn diapers, size 1 diapers, some fresh sleepers and receiving blankets and some ‘emergency’ formula. Felt much better after that. With a bassinet at home, he now has a place to sleep, and diapers to poop in. Phew.

Big Brother Rhys

This kid is melting my heart these days. First, when we moved the new change table to the nursery (Rhys’ old room), he insisted on laying on it. I could not believe how big my ‘baby’ looked.


He’s also taken a big interest in a teddy bear he has, and has adopted this teddy bear as his ‘baby sister’. He puts ‘her’ to bed, kisses her, closes the door and says ‘shhhh...baby is sleeping’, and feeds her a bottle while rocking her in his little kid sized rocking chair. I’m thinking the key will be to make sure he feels involved in baby duties and that we let him help whenever we can, no matter how much easier it would be to just do things ourselves. Paddington is going to be a very lucky baby, I think. Did anyone else find their older child liked helping with the baby? Or am I delusional and this is really just a fun game for him to play with an inanimate toy bear? It’s okay to be honest. I’m pretty sure I am fully underestimating how incredibly hard the transition to two children is going to be.

Unexpected Sadness

We gave notice at the daycare today, and both Warren and I were surprised at how sad we feel about taking him out. How ridiculous is that? All the heartache we went through putting him in daycare, and now we’re sad to be taking him out. Seems so silly. But he thrives there, and the daycare Director kept going on about how Rhys’ little buddy ‘Jasper’ will miss him. And it’s true. If Rhys was staying, and Jasper’s mom was having another baby and took him out – I’d be devastated! I think I will always remember Jasper as Rhys’ very first ‘friend’. I’ll miss asking him at the end of everyday ‘what did you do today?’, and hearing his sweet voice answer back with ‘I played! With Jasper and Ms. Connie!’ I have a lump in my stomach about it all, really, which I know doesn’t make any sense. I’m looking forward to the time I’ll have with Rhys at home this year. But I’m still sad about it. I want the best of both worlds. I want my cake, and to eat it too. I’m just going to have to try very hard to make sure he continues to ‘thrive’ at home with me and Paddington.

Belly Pics

Extra cool milestone this week: Today was my last day of work. Baby is due in 12 days, so time to tackle the 'nesting' TO-DO LIST!

Best On Record (Christmas 2011)

There was something very special in the air this Christmas. Maybe it was sparked by the fact that I took 11 straight days off work over the holidays - something I had never done in my 7 years at my current job (or any job, really). That alone was beyond fabulous. Warren didn't have to work either. It was as if the whole city decided to chill out, fully and completely.

Rhys got some amazing mommy and daddy time, packed full of visits with grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and close friends. There was so much love around him. It melted my heart. The weather was warm so he even got to spend some time outside. He had a better understanding of Christmas, Santa and presents this year. He expanded his love of Classic Christmas Cartoons to include 'Frosty the Snowman' AND 'Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer'.

I think Rhys needed a break from the daily grind as much as we did, because he slept in until 8am or 8:30am nearly every day.

We took WAY LESS photos than past years, which disappoints me. But, I like to think it's because we were simply enjoying the moments too much to think about it.

Here are some of the (very few) photos I did take....

Rhys was being way too quiet - which is never a good thing - so I rushed to find him and see what he was up to... to catch him red-handed being mischievous. And this is what I found:

The adorable wooden kitchen that Santa brought him:

Hanging with 'The Big Kids' at the Prior's house, watching 'A Dolphin's Tale', which is a live-action, totally too-old for him movie. But because he idolizes big kids, he watched the whole thing! Warren and I got to sit and relax and visit with the grown-ups. Definitely a memory worth capturing on camera! (Warren - I know what you're thinking..."He's way too close to the TV!"):

Rhys sporting some Elton John style glasses, and his new Dinosaur jimjams (that he insisted on wearing for about 5 days in a row):

And these adorable pics of Rhys with his little girlfriend Taya, who wore her best booties and headband for the occasion:

Lastly, here is some video of Rhys discovering his Santa gift, along with some other highlights (warning - it is 'grandparent length', but every second is pure cuteness if you ask me!):

Link to full screen version here.

EPIC.

The title of this post is 'EPIC' because there is no other way to describe the Kids Christmas Party that my company puts on for it's staff. It's held at Spruce Meadows and has bouncy castles, an arcade, face painting, cookie decorating, cotton candy & popcorn, a photo booth, live reindeer and a petting zoo, tons of kid friendly food like burgers, chicken fingers, KD and juice boxes, hilarious "dancing head" videos of your family they'll put to DVD for you, pictures with Santa and an age appropriate gift for each child... oh yah... AND PONY RIDES.

We were skeptical that Rhys would want to ride a pony. He really likes horses, but as soon as he's near a real one he gets scared. Not the case with these ponies. The first one he rode was named 'Brittle' (as in 'peanut brittle):

Petting Brittle:

A genuine smile of delight:

Very focused:

Next is our Photo Booth pics from the last 2 years. The set on the left - with the big glasses - is from this year. I love that Warren's facial expression is identical in all 4. It's like we photoshoped his head. And I also love that Rhys ended up with a green boa again by random coincidence. Last year we all had soothers in our mouths....

And finally, the Santa Photos. This kid gets more and more unimpressed in these photos each year.

Chinook Centre:

Kids Christmas Party:

Paddington Watch, 34 weeks

34 weeks – Paddington is the size of a honeydew melon.


Weight gain so far: 25 lbs


Room Progress
What’s more fun than decorating a nursery? Decorating a toddler room, of course! We took a week long ‘stay-cation’ a week ago, and used some of the time emptying out our spare room/office to make space for Rhys’ new ‘Big Boy’ room. So far I’ve bought him a new dinosaur pillow case from a craft show, a new duvet cover, and some fun wall decals. I'll post photos when it's closer to completion.

The plan is to move him into his new room/bed over Christmas – we’re just waiting for the new office room in the basement to be ready (as Warren would say, it is a symphony of room shuffling in our house!). If the transition is a nightmare, our back-up plan is to move his crib into the new room until he’s used to sleeping in there, and Paddington can sleep in a pack ‘n play until Rhys is out of his crib. Any advice/anecdotes on the transition to a big boy bed? Do we really need a bedrail (his big boy bed is just a regular single bed, not a toddler bed)? I doubt he’ll fall out of the bed, but I wonder if a bedrail offers some familiar security to toddlers, making their bed feel more like a crib? I just don’t want to waste money on a product we don’t need.


The Name Game
We’ve had a name chosen for Paddington for a long time, but we were keeping an open mind in case a name came along that we liked better. As time passed, we began calling him by his name to test it out and get a feel for it. Now there is no turning back. We love his name, and it would feel strange to call him by any other. I really need to watch myself around other people, because I’ve nearly blurted it out without thinking.

Back when Rhys was still ‘Wellington’ we had a baby pool going where people would pay 2 dollars to guess his name. No one got it right. For fun, here is a list of all the guesses (a number beside the name indicates how many people guessed that same name):

• Michael (2)


• Edward


• Christopher


• Timothy


• Josh (2)


• Drake


• Cohen


• Heath


• John


• Jack (6)


• Benjamin


• Scott


• Stephen


• Henry


• Daniel


• Evan (2)


• Euan


• Mark


• James


• Sean


• Rhuaridy (Rory)


• Johnathon


• Sam


• Peter


• Paul


• Andrew


• Tobias (Toby)

Do you think Paddington’s name is on this list? Only time will tell!

Preggo Pics
Another thing we did on our ‘stay-cation’, was have a night away together while my mom babysat overnight at our place. We rented a room at the Hyatt in downtown Calgary, did some Christmas shopping in The Core, and went out for dinner at Saltlik. Here are 2 pics of my big-ole pregnant self that I made Warren take of me before dinner (and yes, in case you're wondering, the weave has been taken out for the time being...):

Before getting ready for dinner, I was sitting on a sofa chair in the room in jeans and a black tank top, reading some gossip magazines. I looked up and saw Warren staring at my bulging belly. As his eyes grew wider he asked me ‘Are you SURE I don’t need to take you to the hospital RIGHT NOW?’. He redeemed himself later on, after taking the above photos, when he said my belly ‘didn’t look as big when I was standing up’.


Reality Check
Rhys has been sick. Not overly sick at first, but was running a fever and having some really bad nights and a wee bit of vomiting. He also had some really rough nights of inconsolable screaming (my guess is ear infection). In the morning after one of these ‘rough nights’, Warren groaned ‘Gawd...when we have TWO kids this is really going to SUCK’. Yaaahhh. It’s hard to imagine coping with nights like that when you also have a second child waking up and needing you. Our new mantra is ‘They don’t stay little for long...they don’t stay little for long...’. Hopefully I can remind myself of this when we’re in the throws of misery. I also try to remind myself of all the magical, amazing moments we have to look forward to with a new little person in our house.

Paddington Watch, 30 Weeks

30 weeks (7 months, two weeks)

Weight gain so far: 20 lbs

Things I’m Thankful For

I did such a good job of posting weekly ‘Wellington Watch’ updates, and I’m thankful. It’s been nice going back and reading those posts, because I’m realising a lot of my current ailments (severe back pain, poor eyesight, moodiness) were all present with my Rhys pregnancy. This is reassuring. I also appreciate all the photos I took, how honest I was, the topics I chose to write about, and the fact that I posted my weight gain progress. I find it fascinating to compare for some reason.

I’m also really thankful for grandparents, and the large amount of family who live in the same city as us. If there is anything I have learned over the last 2 years it’s that it truly takes a village.

Emotions I’m Toying with Lately

I’m not sure how exactly to put it into words, but I’ve got this anxious/sad/worrisome feeling about how having another child will affect my relationship with Rhys. Right now Rhys is my EVERYTHING. But surely this new little boy will be my everything as well? How can I have TWO ‘everythings’? My heart breaks just thinking about it. I worry that all this means is that Rhys gets LESS. Less of me, less of Warren, less of his grandparents. I think I need some words of wisdom and experience from my mom friends. And I don’t want generic wisdom like ‘there is room in your heart for both kids’ or whatever. I need real advice, a real heads-up on what to expect. Will Rhys suddenly annoy me with his energy in comparison to the sleepy little bundle of joy? Will I find the new baby boring and needy compared to Rhys’ comedic and independent personality? Will I want to document every little thing Paddington does the way I did with Rhys, or will it be a ‘been there, done that’ kind of thing? It’s so hard to imagine what it will be like. When Rhys was tiny I would sing this song to him “Whooooo’s got...the cutest little chin....in the whole wide world? Rhyyyyyys does!” And I would cycle through all his little body parts. But how can this new baby have the cutest of anything, with Rhys standing right there? Again. Heart breaking.

Gender & Honesty Overload

The reality that I will not have a daughter took a little while to sink in, I’m not going to lie. It wasn’t a feeling of disappointment at all – I describe it more as a feeling of openended-ness. As if I lacked some closure. A door was still left open. It was unsettling. In some ways I felt like I had to ‘put on a brave face’ because how awful is it to not to be overjoyed in every way possible when you’re expecting a healthy baby? I read a lot of blogs about families who have been to hell and back when it comes to fertility, prematurity, lifelong disabilities and even death. I consider myself someone who has a good, or at least modest, perspective on the topic. And yet, I still had to put on a brave face. And I am ashamed of that.

But the wonderful thing is, that after a few short days of ‘letting it sink in’, I quickly filled with excitement and the feeling of ‘this is just right’.

A close friend of mine recently had a baby girl – we both had our boys at the same time – and someone at work said to her ‘Welcome to the Million Dollar Family Club’. I heard this, and my heart sank. Because that’s how it is, isn’t it? The perfect mom/dad/boy/girl and a family dog. Picture Perfect. But the reality is, no family is perfect. Or, maybe more true is all our families are perfect. Just what we need. Just what our kids need. A boy tribe. A girl tribe. A mixed tribe. Our tribe.

I’m thrilled to have a life to look forward to with ‘My Boys’. Sweet, polite, cuddly, rough & tumble, eating worms and breaking hearts, boys.

Belly Pics

According to my pregnancy ticker, Paddington is the size of a squash right now. Good times. I love squash. P.S. - I think these photos are proof that black IS slimming. Seriously. My belly looks double the size when it's 'naked'.

Things I am LOVING these days

Bravado nursing bra. OMG. I wish I had this last time. I hated all my nursing bras last time. This one is SO comfortable. SO supportive. NO under wire. It’s heaven. I think I will buy one every pay period until Paddington is born.

My EMU boots. I got these last Christmas from my mom, and they are a god-send right now. Soft. Slip on. Don’t need socks. Room for swollen feet at the end of the day. Perfect.

Kijiji. I’ve bought a designer changing table, a Shermag rocker & ottoman and a handmade pine TV hutch with 2 bookcases for the living room. All for under $400.

My Weave. It’s going to be hard to say good-bye to my long hair when the time comes.

"What's Wrong With This Photo?" Photo.

High Five to the person who can find what's a little odd about this picture.

Warren Story

It was a typical morning at our house...we were in the kitchen eating breakfast. Warren and I were talking about something or other, when Rhys started asking for some apple juice. Warren, continuing to chat with me, got up and grabbed the juice from the fridge. Clearly no longer paying attention to what he was doing, he grabbed a small blue bowl from the cupboard and started to pour the apple juice into it. I started laughing, and he looked down to see what he had done. He hung his head with embarrassment, chuckled, and then walked over to the other cupboard and grabbed a cup.

Rhys: No! Want bowl! Want boooowl!

Warren: No, Rhys. Daddy is getting you a cup.

Rhys: Bowl! Want bowl!

Amanda: Rhys...we drink juice out of cups, not bowls. Daddy is getting you a cup.

Rhys: No, no, no...want boooooowl!

Amanda: (exasperated that her ‘reasoning’ and ‘logic’ wasn’t working) Now Rhys, cups were designed for –

Warren: (cuts Amanda off) Oh – let him drink his juice out of a bowl. He’s like Steve Jobs. He’s thinking outside of the box.

Ooookay then.

Paddington Watch, 27 weeks

27 weeks (6 months, 3 weeks)

I cannot believe it's been 7 weeks since my last Paddington update. Seriously - this pregnancy is whizzing by me in a blur. Yet, at the same time, when I think that I've been pregnant since before Mother's Day, I can't help but feel like I've been pregnant forever.

The Good

I'm at the 'can feel the baby moving all the time' phase. This is the part I think a lot of women miss later on. This is the part we yearn for when our babies have grown up a little. Last night, in bed, I grabbed Warren's hand and placed it on my bare belly so he could feel Paddington pushing and bouncing around in there. The baby seems to get very active around 10pm, when I'm settling into bed, so it was the perfect opportunity to lay there, quietly, and connect with our little boy together.

The Bad

My body is not holding up well this time around, I'm afraid. My bones hurt - especially my shins and hips. My lower back aches all the time, and sometimes when I'm walking, or standing up after sitting for a while, I literally need to support my back with my hands and waddle. Other times, I get sharp, sudden pangs of pain that shoot out from my tail bone - almost like a pinched nerve. I feel like a senior citizen. And not the 'ran my first marathon at the age of 70' type of senior citizen. This is also pushing me into that awful stage of pregnancy where I start to wonder 'Is my body ready for the physical demands of labour and delivery? Will my body ever feel fit and strong again? Is this damage permanent?'

The Ugly

I would say, without question, the biggest difference I notice between my pregnancy with Rhys, and this one, is my mood(s). I feel like a grade-A bi*tch most of the time. I'm extremely hormonal and it's not uncommon for me to be on the floor crying while I screw a new light bulb into the floor lamp. I'm snippy with the adults around me (read: Warren and my mom). I have zero patience or empathy. Oh, sorry, you feel light headed and tired? Suck it up. I work full-time, have a 2 year old and I'm nearly 7 months pregnant - what's your excuse?

What I'm Worried About

I call Paddington my 'Sugar Baby', because my sweet tooth these days is seriously out of control. I could eat sugar non-stop all day, and some days - I kind of do. Sour soothers and chocolate covered blueberries are a daily treat. I don't say no to donuts as often as I should (read: hardly ever). Recently at a 4 year old's birthday party I wanted a second piece of cake so bad, that I cut a second helping for myself under the guise that Rhys 'wanted some more icing'. I didn't want to admit I was the cliche pregnant woman who wanted more cake. Anyway, I'm worried Paddington will come out as a rolly-polly 10-pounder who looks more like a 3 month old and won't fit any of the newborn onesies. And my senior citizen body probably won't be able to push out a baby that big.

What I'm Excited About

I'm excited to see what Paddington looks like. All I can picture is Rhys. I look at my friends' kids, and they are all unique and special and distinct from their siblings, so it's fun to try and guess how he'll be different from his brother. I'm excited that this time around a newborn might not be as shocking to our system as it was the first time. I'm excited to see this baby through Rhys' eyes. But most of all - I am so excited to have a family of four. To be complete. To be 'The Cronins'.

It's A Weave, Baby.

I think we all remember this traumatizing day from a couple years ago...the day I went to the hairdresser and asked 'for a change':

Well, after nearly two years of 'giving it a fair chance', and then deciding to grow it back out, I decided to take matters into my own hands... and I got a weave.

Gotta say...I finally feel like my old self for the first time in a LONG time. Having a weave isn't awesome - I'd much rather it be all my own hair - but it's a fun temporary fix.

Like Oprah says, "A woman's hair is her crowning glory".

Now that I'm past the 'permi-headache-feels-like-I'm-wearing-a-wig' phase....I feel like a queen again.