This is Anna again...
Today was my first day at home alone with the two boys. My mom came out before I even left the hospital and stayed with us for 10 days. It was so great to have her here, not only to help out with Oliver and Elliot, but also to keep me company during the day. I was really nervous when she left. I started crying before I took her to the airport. I think that freaked Oliver out but he tried to comfort me by bringing me his cement mixer (doesn't that make everything better?!) I was so touched by his sweet little attempt to cheer me up that I actually cheered up.
Anyway, today wasn't so bad. I was really nervous, but it actually went really well. We spent most of the morning in the backyard. Ollie was content to hit balls off the t-ball stand and make mudpies in his water table while I nursed Elliot. Ollie is proving to be a very sweet big brother. He loves to watch the baby and gives him gentle touches or kisses on the head. When Elliot cries Ollie insists that he needs his "pacie fider" and helps put it in Elliot's mouth. Ollie and Elliot both went down for a nap in the afternoon and so I was able to get some things done and take a short nap myself. Then in the late afternoon all the neighbor kids were out playing together so Ollie played with them while I took care of Elliot. It all seemed to go so swimmingly...so I'm bracing myself for a topsy turvy day tomorrow, because, really, that's just the way things go.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Sunday, May 25, 2008
A Glorious Weekend
An Obligatory Elliot Update:
Dear reader. Since Elliot's arrival, I have taken up the blogging responsibility. At first, it was to me like taking a dog for a walk. A necessity. I now find that I enjoy it. Unfortunately, for Anna, the dog analogy stops here since I have never enjoyed walking a dog and I don't want her to get any ideas. Because, she has ideas about dogs.
Power Play
Since Anna arrived home from the hospital on Monday we have enjoyed Nana's company. She has been a tremendously helpful presence in the house while we transition from an overpowering 2-to-1 child-care to man-to-man defense. Yes, it was she who came to my rescue on Thursday morning at 3:30 a.m. with a crying Elliot in my arms, an out of sorts Oliver going "poo poo" on the toilet (when did he start waking up to do this?) and my sleeping eyes barely open while I was slumped on the bathroom floor.
On Saturday we added Abby to the team, who flew in from NYC. This has been an ideal situation. It's like being on a hockey team with a 2 man advantage.
- Nana has dinner
- Abby has Oliver
- Anna has Elliot
- Ryan has the remote. On the couch. Watching the Celtics.
I became accustomed to this situation almost immediately, except that I was completely weirded out by it, like I was breathing underwater or resistant to gravitational forces. Yet, I have given into to all weekend. And all I can say is: Blissful. I rue Wednesday when all help is gone and we go back to the man-to-man defense, and if you promise not tell the boys, I will admit it is quite porous as neither Anna nor I have perfected it.
The Screen Door
Because I have all this time on my hand I decided to install a screen door. With Oliver's love of the great outdoors -- he calls our postage stamp size backyard the "field" even though I could cut the entire lawn with a pair of nail clippers in about 15 minutes -- the backdoor is always open, inviting flies into the house.
A screen door installation is a rather benign undertaking if you are a real man. I, unfortunately, am not that kind of man. Note that I am very comfortable in my own manliness. I work in HR, a heavily female-dominated profession, ask for directions the first hint of being lost, enjoy photography and read books in my spare time. This makes me uniquely challenged and underqualified for installing a screen door. It required my going over to a real man's house for his help to make sure I did it right. He's got a man's garage with drills, saws, nails, and a panapoly of man tools the likes of which I can barely even fathom the purpose. I got drill-bit envy. In fact, I realize, though do not admit aloud, that I do not even own drill-bits. I spent about an hour sawing and drilling. He, as a real man, ensured the installation was perfect. However, he could not save me from myself. So, after returning with my real man's door, this slightly-less-than-a real-man realized he hadn't bothered -- even though Anna nagged me -- to check to make sure I had measured correctly.
11 holes on the wrong side of the door and a quick trip to white-putty-put-your-mistakes-away-to-the-noticeable-eye store we have a newly minted screen door on our house. You can come over and see it anytime... AND the new Dewalt drill-bits I purchased on Saturday. I have no idea if I'll ever use them... but now maybe you'll have drill-bit envy.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Elliot at Home
Elliot and Anna came home yesteday (Monday) to a house eager to welcome them back. Nana (Anna's Mother) flew in from NY to throw the balance of parents to children ratio to manageable numbers.
Elliot is adjusting to home-life pretty well. He seems to be enjoying the late-night buffet dinners at Anna's expense and sleeping during the day. Oliver is making the adjustment too. No baby holding yet, but he eagerly gives "baby bruzzer's" sloppy, wet kisses on the head.
Elliot got a clean bill of health at the pediatrician's office. He shows a slight sign of jaundice, but it is clearing. Even bigger news, Oliver is now back on the growth charts after nearly 18 months hiatus. Though barely making it, his parents consider this the pinnacle of achievement thus far in his young life. Back on the bell curve... and lovin' every minute of it.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
ARRIVED!!! Elliot Ballstaedt Halverson
The Vitals:
Born 12:28 p.m.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
6 lb. 14.2 oz.
21.5 in.
Mother and baby are in excellent health
Anna and I are over the moon. Elliot joined the world and our family today at Rex Hospital in Raleigh, North Carolina. He is a placid, cute little guy and he, of course, instantly won our hearts. His arrival today, 4 days early, came to a surprise to everyone.
Anna awoke me at 5:00 a.m. and told me that my prediction -- that the little guy would arrive on Tuesday next week (during the full moon) -- would not be coming to pass. She had been laboring since about 1:00 a.m. For the first few hours of the morning, we weren't really sure how to call it. But by 7:00 Anna declared that this was the real deal so we called our friend, Ally Pulley, to come over to pick up Oliver for the day. By 9:00 a.m. we were checked into the hospital and discovered Anna was already dialated to 8cm.
Anna opted for a epidural -- who can blame her -- that arrived around 10:00 a.m. After it kicked in, Anna was on record as saying, "this is like a day at the spa". (This confirmed my dire visions of spa experiences). Her contractions became less productive, but her nurse, Helen, and doctor, Zoe Beaty, were infinetely positive that her active labor would be quick. Anna feared a repeat of the marathon that was Oliver's birth. (Devoted fans will note that both Oliver and Elliot are born on the same day (the 17th).
She labored like a champ for about 20 - 30 min. and then Elliot graced us with his presence. And what a presence. He immediately reminded us of Oliver. He has a very placid demeanor and is light and small... and simply melts our hearts.
The name: We love the name Elliot. Ballstaedt is my mother's maiden name. Halverson seemed to be an obvious ending (and, probably legally required).
After some weighing, photos, cuddling and general oohing and aahing, I left to get Oliver so he could meet "Baby Bruzzer". We were anxious for his response, which was, in a word, non-plussed. He semed more interested in throwing pillows around the room and checking out the bio-hazard depositories than in the new family addition. As long as he wasn't traumatized... we think this is acceptable.
We are excited to share our joy of this awesome occasion with you. Anna and Elliot will be coming home on Monday. I will endeavor to keep this post up to date with pictures and details.
Ryan
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Nesting
So we are 6 days away from my official due date. The only signs I've had that this baby may soon make his appearance is an unusual desire to engage in homemaking projects. Oh, yes, I have busted out my long-neglected sewing machine and have made enough strawberry jam to feel a small army. Besides that I have also really enjoyed simply being at home. Usually I tend to go a little crazy if I have to spend the whole day just at home. I get cabin fever by about 10:00 in the morning so I'll pack Ollie up and head out somewhere (anywhere!)...to the park or a museum or to meet up with a friend, but these days I've just wanted to stay at home and be. It's kind of nice. The weather has been beautiful and I like just taking things really slowly. So sorry if these last few posts have been a little boring, but that's my life these days, and dang it, I'm enjoying it!! Here are some photos of us at home.Ollie loves running (or riding his bike) down the driveway. He runs into my arms and I catch him. Ryan took these pictures after we all went to pick up the mail, which, along with watching the garbage truck do it's thing, is just about the most exciting thing in Oliver's universe. It is such a highlight of his day we usually go as a family after dinner. He runs all the way to the mailbox and then we swing him back home, Ollie urging us on by saying "three, five, go!!" which is his way of saying "one, two, three, go!" Or "ready, set, go!"
On Saturday Ryan put together our new grill. It's pretty sweet. It's a Weber charcoal grill with a gas starter so it's really easy to light. Oliver of course wanted to help. He likes "fixing" things with tools. Ryan's made some awesome meals on the grill this week. If it hadn't been raining in the evenings we would have grilled out every night.
We have kids that live on both sides of us and our yards all connect. It's kind of crazy (and downright impossible) if I just want to relax outside by myself, because they'll come over and sit down and ask what I'm doing/reading/eating, etc. But I really love it for Oliver's sake. It's fun for him to have lots of little kids to play with. Here he is playing like puppies with MacKenzie (5) and Jayla (2).
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Photo Update
On Friday night we had a lot of fun with sidewalk chalk on our concrete slab "patio." Ollie got a big kick out of being traced in chalk and requested all kind of embellishments. All his favorite things are depicted here: his trains, an airplane, the garden hose, his dog underwear, his Crocs, a sippy cup.
Here he is tracing his Dad. 
Our little artist got tuckered out and needed to rest for a while.
Next he decided to trace his trains
This is what I look like these days...
Saturday was the Genworth Family Picnic, Ollie had a blast with this game. He is really into hitting things with bats, racquets, clubs, hammers, you name it he'll swack it. 
He was very serious about collecting cones, I think that they were set up for some game but Oliver had other ideas about where they were supposed to be.
The highlight of the picnic, however, was the train shuttle that took us from our car to the picnic ground. Ollie would have been happy to ride around the parking lot all afternoon.
Our little artist got tuckered out and needed to rest for a while. Next he decided to trace his trains This is what I look like these days...Saturday was the Genworth Family Picnic, Ollie had a blast with this game. He is really into hitting things with bats, racquets, clubs, hammers, you name it he'll swack it. He was very serious about collecting cones, I think that they were set up for some game but Oliver had other ideas about where they were supposed to be. The highlight of the picnic, however, was the train shuttle that took us from our car to the picnic ground. Ollie would have been happy to ride around the parking lot all afternoon. Thursday, May 1, 2008
Ryan's Weekend in Zions
Ryan here... For the last two weeks I've claimed to Anna that I would be able to run a marathon without training. She says, "no way!" Here's my rationale. With some foresight, adventurous friends and phenomenal spring-time weather, I parlayed a recent work trip to Utah with an extended weekend to Zion's National Park. Lance came in from Huntington Beach, CA; Pete drove up from Las Vegas, and Brad flew all the way from Chapel Hill, NC to participate in "dude day." I convinced everyone that, as weekend warriors, we ought to hike the east rim trail. After all was said and done, we hiked 14 miles in about 6 hours, 1/4 of which winded themselves through switchbacks up cliffs. Hence my conclusion. If I can wake up one morning and hike 14 miles... why couldn't I "jog" 26.2? Easy. Soooo easy.
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