After many technical difficulties including one new lap top, a new power cord for an old lap top, two or three conversion programs, and a movie half finished when it was accidentally deleted, we have finally overcome all obsticles to bring you this (drum roll please)...
Adlai's first year music video!
Sorry for the holiday delay. We've been a bit busy around these parts. I could write a novel with all the details but, seriously, you don't want to read that. Here is a summary:
Christmas
- Grammy took the train here and then drove with Simon, Adlai and I to Sacramento on Christmas Eve
- Simon had the time of his life. He kept Grammy up until 11 pm!
- Adlai was not pleased to be away from home and away from Daddy so was super cranky until we got back in the car with Grammy to return home on Christmas afternoon
- Both boys passed out on the way home marking the first time (?) both boys have napped at the same time
Hanukkah
- Both boys enjoyed spending the first night and the last night of Hanukkah with the Feefadders
- Adlai loves candlelight
- Simon lit the candles on his own for the first time
Sickness
- Matthew came down with a cold on Christmas and was out of it until Sunday
- Adlai came down with a fever on Sunday which lasted until Tuesday morning
- Sick and angry at me for taking him away from Daddy, Adlai wanted nothing to do with me for the entire week
- Adlai came down with a full body rash on Wednesday so we took him to the doctor
- Adlai had a case of Roseola and just started to cheer up and look normal this afternoon
New Years
- Matthew's brother's family came into town so all eight Kagle men/boys were together for the first time
- Adlai the introvert has been a bit overwhelmed by all the people and activity but spent some time hugging Andrew (age 3) this afternoon
- Neither boy stayed up to ring in the new year (neither did we)
Cheer
- Simon recorded this video for Calvin after Calvin recorded an adorable Hanukkah video for him:
Weaning
- Adlai and I are down to one nursing a day and that will most likely end soon since he doesn't appear all that interested.
Dear Adlai,
A year ago today you came into the world, on time and without much fuss. You were beautiful and healthy and I knew, at that moment, that our family was complete. There are those who are reading this while shaking their heads. Yes, we said Simon was going to be an only child and, at the time we meant it but, with you in my arms and Simon and Daddy looking on adoringly the feeling was different. A moment of perfection. A perfect family. My perfect family.
We moved to Chicago under the false impression that we could afford more space, better schools, and that I might have the opportunity to stay home with you and Simon while Daddy worked. But once in Chicago it was clear that, although housing was less expensive, the cost of pretty much everything else made up for it. Daddy’s school didn't need him full time, we all missed having friends and family, and, of course, the nine-month–long winter was a problem. Everything started to seem twice as difficult as before. I didn’t want to have a baby and be stuck inside for months at a time.
We moved back. And then, of course, we had to wait a little longer because it's not really okay to start a "new job" pregnant. We planned for you to be a Winter baby and, as if it were as easy as wishing it to be true, there you were. It was Easter morning. I woke up at 4 am excited to be feeling a bit queasy. A few minutes later, a pregnancy test confirmed my suspicions. Daddy and I snuggled back to sleep with the knowledge that we were about to be a family of four. We told Simon right away - he wasn't going to be interested enough to spill the beans. (His interest grew in proportion to my size.) We had reservations for a nice Japanese restaurant that evening. Daddy called to ask them to substitute any raw fish. You were just an itty bitty thing and we didn't want you to get sick. They congratulated us. It was thrilling to let complete strangers in on our big secret.
I was five weeks pregnant when we finally signed the papers on the place we would call home. We had your room painted yellow but, after a while - when you became more "real", Daddy repainted the room with two colors and a star boarder to make it more fun.
And that about brings us to your birth. You were born just after 7 pm on a Tuesday (I have all my babies on Tuesdays) a bit smaller than expected weighing in at just over eight pounds. Yes, that is a good sized baby but, you must understand, we expected you to be enormous. I was enormous. And therein lies the story that a few nurses out there will be telling for many years to come. You were pushing your way out (without my help) when you broke my second bag of water. As the nurse leaned in, out the water flew like a scene from the exorcist, four feet across the room, very narrowly missing her face. If I hadn’t been in so much pain I would have been laughing along with them. (I think they held back the laughter until after you were born.) Once the bag broke the nurse asked me to attempt a push. I attempted. She yelled "DOCTOR!!!!!!" A few minutes later, there you were.
Daddy called our families. I text messaged our friends. Grandmother and Grandfather came back with Simon so he could meet you. He held you and hugged you and we told him your name and he was very pleased.
You and I spent the night together in my hospital room but you didn’t sleep much. Once we got you home however, it was a rare occasion to see you awake. We had a new baby. I was home. Daddy was home. Simon was home on a two-week holiday break from school. But it was like nothing had changed. So, for the first two months, we went about our normal routine of running errands and entertaining Simon and you just came along for the ride.
My maternity leave lasted for four months. It was so nice to have that time with you. By the time I went back to work we had a routine down and I left you in the very capable hands of your Dad and assistant caregiver, Simon. Still, it was hard to leave you every morning. Daddy cushioned the blow by bringing you to me at lunch a couple of times a week.
You've been an unexpectedly wonderful addition to our family. You are gentle and sweet and shy and silly. When alone with family you chat up a storm, smile, make silly faces at yourself in the mirror, and play copy cat games with gestures and sounds. While in the presence of "others", you're much more subdued. Some might even mistake your personality as serious. But there are exceptions. Some young women in the Bay Area have been party to your flirtatious side. You know, the one you practice by leaning forward into your car mirror and giving it a big smile along with a exaggeratedly long and breathy "Hiiiiiiiii..." We find these antics amusing but Simon thinks your exaggerated motions and words are hysterical. The two of you have spent many a car ride trying to one-up each other in silliness. Simon usually wins leaving you in deep unstoppable and uncontrollable belly laughs.
You started walking a few weeks ago but, since then, you haven't shown much interest. You're very cautious and it has become clear that you don't want to use walking as your primary mode of mobility until you've perfected every element of the process. You squat and stand and squat and stand and turn and then take a shaky step before deciding that crawling is safer. When there is music, you dance on your knees, scooting across the room like a little Russian folk star. You sing, play the kazoo, and strum the guitar. One favorite activity is pointing to a family member and, once someone else's finger and yours connect, we all say "Beep!" You are an expert at giving tight hugs and love to flip through board books on your own and have them read to you. The other night you crawled over to one of your favorite books, turned the page to the brown bear and sang "Bown beh!" You love being in water and, when at the pool, kick and splash for the entire half hour. And, of course, you and Simon love to bathe together - your primary goal being to flood the bathroom with all that splashing and hugging and sliding around.
You entertain yourself zooming cars and trucks and investigating how toys work for long periods of time however, participating in whatever Simon is doing is usually your immediate goal. You eat what he eats, you play with what he plays with, you crawl after him when he leaves the room and you close the doors behind you where ever you end up. Luckily, Simon thinks you are the best gift ever and, in a way you are. All Simon has ever wanted is for someone to play with him every minute of the day and you are happy to give him the attention and adoration he craves.
You aren't a great sleeper but I forgive you because you *want* to go to sleep and you try. One of us will put you down in the crib and you almost always roll on to your stomach and stick your bum high into the air or, on wacky days, you roll on to your stomach and flatten yourself out completely giving the artificial impression that you are a cartoon character recently hit by a steam roller. We started you on pacifiers around four weeks old and, most unfortunately, you have become obsessed. You still wake up one, two, or three times a night crying because you've lost a pacifier. We try to keep them away from you during the day but you will try to secure one at any cost. Rummaging through the drawer where we keep the kid cups, and plates, and bottles, and pacifiers is one of your very favorite things to do. You spread dishes, pots, and pans evenly throughout the house. We spend a lot of time running the dishwasher.
You're a good eater of solids but are quick to tell us about your distaste for food without much flavor. Our gourmet in training, you like your steak expensive and your asparagus baked in herbs and olive oil. Milk is alright but you rarely want more than four ounces at a time. You gave up "baby food" a couple of months after it was introduced even though you still only have two teeth.
You have one friend, two days younger, who you see on a regular basis. You and Ben don't really "play" yet but you tackle him from time to time with aggressive hugs. I can't wait to see you and the gregarious Ben start to play over this next year.
Adlai, at twelve months old, your very favorite thing to say is "Ank you." You're thanking us. And I wonder how many times you have heard us thank you. Not enough. Never enough. It isn't possible to thank you enough for being in our lives and making us complete.
We love you Adlai B.
Happy first birthday!
Love,
Mama, Daddy, and Simon
Today Matthew is another year older. Over the past few weeks, I've managed to convince him that he's getting some lame gifts and that I just can't get it together enough to plan much (maybe we'll have a cake?). Alas, this morning he is going to find out that we'll be on a plane this afternoon headed for Phoenix, Arizona for a well planned family vacation. The Feefadders are even joining in which means FREE BABYSITTING! I hope I'll be able to post while away (after all, Adlai is about to turn five months old) but, if not, imagine that we're in the pool stuffing ourselves silly with southwestern cuisine and can't be bothered.
Happy Birthday, Matthew!
Love,
Hava
P.S. I wouldn't have bought you a Jesus clock even if you begged me. And the new shorts? Those were so I could pack without you noticing...
So we were at the pool a couple of weeks back, when a woman sitting next to Matthew asked if that was our son. His response was something like, "Yes. That boy, the one enthusiastically splashing his teacher, is my child." The woman chuckled a little and there was the usual question about his age and then shock that he was so tall. And we agreed that, yes, he is very tall for his age - he always has been. There was a little more chit chat about Simon and Adlai and then we sat there, watching Simon enjoy his time in the pool. When class was over he skipped over and she asked, "Is he always this happy?" We assured her that he is indeed a happy kid except for when he isn't. It was then that she handed us her card and asked if we had some time to run over to the nearby park for a bit.
It turns out that she works for a casting agency in San Francisco and thought Simon would be perfect for an upcoming roll in a movie based on a famous series of children's books (we are not allowed to say which). Simon in the movies? Um... we were pretty sure that would never happen but, whattheheck, we let her play with him for a bit at the park (to "get a feeling" for his personality) and take a few photos. It went by really quickly and we didn't hear anything after that so we just let it go. Until yesterday.
We got a call early in the morning asking if we would mind bringing Simon in to a studio in Palo Alto at noon. After a hair cut and an early lunch, we took Simon to meet with the production staff. Simon played ball with one guy before showing off his amazing skills (like screaming and laughing and running and chasing). Although there is still a contract to sign, it looks like Simon got the part. They are currently in the casting phase so he won't start "working" until mid-May but, for the next month, they want to see him three times a week in San Francisco to get him comfortable with the cameras and trainers. That means the boys will all be spending a lot of time in the car for the foreseeable future but how couldn't we say "yes!"
Updates will occur as soon as we have any more information. Who would have thought we'd have a child in the movies? Not us.
Adlai Bernard Kagle was born on Tuesday, December 18th, one day after his official due date and the same day as his original due date. I had a check up that morning in which there was no indication he was about to make his appearance but I really felt he was coming. After the appointment, we stopped off at a Starbucks for my pre-labor maple oat scone. This tradition started with Simon's labor because I swear there is enough fat and sugar in the things to last anyone at least 24 hours.
Just before 1pm, I had my first contraction. It was just like the Braxton-Hicks contractions I'd been feeling for weeks. Just before 2 pm, I had my first painful contraction but, at that time, the contractions were still twelve to fourteen minutes apart and not all of them were painful. Just before 3pm, we called Grandparents Kagle and asked them to start driving toward us. I also silently dropped out of the call I was on for work and sent email explaining that I was in labor and would be taking the rest of the day off. At 3:20 we needed to get in the car to pick up Simon from school. I was afraid to be alone at home so we traveled together. At the time we got into the car my contractions were about 6 to 8 minutes apart.
In the five or six minutes it took to get to Simon's school I was in enough pain and had contractions so close together that we decided to alert the labor department via cell phone that we were on our way. I stayed in the car while Matthew ran in to get Simon. When Simon was strapped in to his car seat we explained what was happening and he said "HIGH FIVE!" Around fifteen minutes later we reached the hospital and I was in so much pain and the contractions were so close together that I couldn't walk on my own. An attendant (who didn't know where Labor and Delivery was) pushed me in the wheelchair while Simon gleefully held my hand and we made it up to labor and delivery around 4 pm.
Unfortunately, as with my first experience, there was no room available in the labor ward. I stood at the desk having contraction after contraction, sweating and wondering: if I just lay down on the floor, would anyone care? Around that time, Grandparents Kagle arrived and we kissed Simon goodbye. Matthew went off to demand a room and they immediately found something. A few minutes later a nurse arrived to set up all the monitors. I lay on my left side unable to move or talk during the contractions. A doctor came to check if I should be admitted and found that I was 5 cm dilated and completely effaced. I was admitted around 5 pm and moved to a birthing room.
All I wanted was for the pain to lessen so they quickly set up a saline drip and added in a drug to help me relax in the thirty seconds or so in between contractions. It was close to 6:30 pm when the epidural was administered and it barely had any effect. Around 6:40 Matthew, expecting hours to go, went to the cafeteria to get some food before it closed. My water broke while he was away. At 6:55 they asked me to roll over on my back to check for progress. I rolled over and the nurse checked and a second bag of water, below the head exploded and a fountain of water gushed four feet across the room. (The nurses will never forget me.) Once the second bag was broken, the nurse asked me to do a "practice push." Someone yelled for a doctor. Adlai was born at 7:03 PM after only a few pushes.
He was really blue which gave him a one minute APGAR of 8 and a five minute APGAR of 9. Apparently he had some fluid left in his lungs because the labor was so fast. He weighed 8 pounds, 1.6 ounces and was 20 inches long.
We called Grandparents Kagle and Simon really wanted to see us so they all stopped by a short time later. Simon was thrilled to finally meet his brother, Matthew was shocked that it was over in only a few hours, and I was elated that the excruciating pain was over! We spent the required 24 hours in the hospital before we checked out to spend time as a family.
Hooray.