pumpkin carving birthday party

I know I was crazy and everyone else agreed, but I am still glad I did it.  Less than a week after, I gave birth I had people over to my house for a little celebration for Jimmy's third birthday.  Part of it was because I really wanted to make a point to not neglect Jimbo's birthday in the chaos of bringing a new person into our household (especially since a lot of his future birthdays may end up being shared).  Even though I was planning on having something on his actual birthday, it seemed like a good idea to have people over the Saturday before Halloween so that the kids could dress up in costumes and we could carve our neglected pumpkins.  Also, my sister Erin was in town and I wanted to be able to celebrate with her (Oh, and I wanted to show off Gus a little too).  Jimmy dressed up like Woody because my friend Rheannon had given me an extra costume to use as back-up in case I didn't finish making his actual Halloween costume (more on that later).  We borrowed a hat and boots from the Burches (so don't worry Aunts Nat and Angie--he still needs his own cowboy hat).  He, of course, looked adorable, but then again I am biased.

The dad's ran the Pumpkin Carving on the porch.  

The kids were all entertained by it for a few minutes at least and then the guys spent lots of time perfecting theirs while the kids ran around in the yard.

Jimmy and Lucy designed this pumpkin together and then Baabee helped them carve it.

Right after this picture Jimmy threw it on the ground and it lost a tooth and got a big crack in it.

I guess he thought we were all done with it.

Lucia sported this cute tutu.  I think she also won the prize for keeping her costume on the longest.

And we had a lot of junk food.

The Tabers (and Gus)

Gus with Michael and Mary McMahon

Finn helped frost the cupcakes

Jimmy just licked all the frosting off and was done.

Later that night we lit our pumpkins.

 Jimmy's wounded pumpkin looked like it had a big creepy scar.

(Plus, I love the way the stringy stuff inside makes it look extra scary)

I got a lot of blurry pictures because Jimmy wouldn't hold still, but I kind of like this one because it looks ghostly.  However, it also kind of scares me.

We tried to recreate this picture from last year, but Mickey didn't quite have the same effect. 

(and neither does the Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus in the background)

And then I actually got to be in one, too, for a change.

gus comes home

After just one night in the hospital we were able to come home which was okay by me.  The hospital stay was nice and all, but I like my house better and Jimmy was missing us (and I missed him too).  Jimmy came home after a nice long day of playing with Mimi and Aunt Emmy to find the new person who will now be living in our house.  Fortunately, he was happy to see him.

Jimmy had decided awhile ago that he was going to give "Baby Glowworm" to the new baby so he was very excited when he got to do so.

He did however start giving Gus a lot of other stuffed animals and I had to explain that babies don't really need stuffed animals to sleep with, but that he was being a very nice and generous brother.  I don't think he really got it.

He also wanted to give Gus all of his "baby toys"...

Again, "He still can't play with them yet Buddy."

Jimmy was also very excited to come see Gus when he woke up in the morning.  

Now he wants to come see him first thing every morning.

Gus' first morning at our house was a lovely one.  We all sat outside for awhile and enjoyed our beautiful new winter grass (surely a crazy concept to some of you, but it sure makes me happy).

Zach only got two days off of work, so Uncle Danny came and hung out during his time off of work.  He played with Jimmy until nap time and then Gus took a nice long nap on him.  What a good brother I have!

Aunt Erin came on the weekend for a quick trip so she could meet the little guy.  Thanks for making the effort sister! 

I love you and can't wait to see you again at Thanksgiving.

I have been lucky to have lots of help from my family and so many friends have been bringing over meals which is so very helpful.  It feels like such a crazy and busy time, but we have been having fun and have been trying to just enjoy it.  Let the dishes and laundry pile up!  My house is a mess, but I have a cute little baby to play with and I can blame it all on him... as opposed to usual when I have no good excuse and still haven't done the dishes or laundry.  

And my dad thinks it is hilarious when Gus falls asleep in funny positions.

He is more of a thumb sucker than Jimmy, but he only does it when he is laid on his belly... I think that is the only way he can keep it in his mouth.  When he is sitting up it always seems to fall out.  It is pretty cute right now, but let's hope it doesn't last.

And then when I had a little time with him by myself, we had a photo shoot to try to capture some of those cute expressions.

Here is my favorite:

I am so glad I caught him with his eyes open and a smile!

Jimmy kind of wants Gus to do everything with him all the time which is nice, but a little tricky sometimes.  Again, Jimmy is still loving him a little too aggressively.  What starts out as a rub of the cheek slowly turns into Jimmy leaning on Gus' entire head.  It is sort of like Jimmy knows he loves him, but he also knows he resents him a little too. So what starts out as nice slowly turns into a way to express his anger.  

He says, "I was just giving him a little love."... a little too much love.  

Oh, well it could be a lot worse.  I know they will be best friends some day.

gus

On Sunday Oct. 24, 2010 at 6:10 in the morning, our second son, Augustine William Weisse was born. To us he is just Gus (or Gus Gus or Guster or a variety of different nicknames).  He was a week late and Mom was more than ready for his arrival.  If he held out much longer I was ready to induce despite the fact that I didn't actually want to have to do that.  I probably would have been more patient if Halloween and Jimmy's Birthday weren't slowly sneaking up.  I had already avoided a Halloween baby once and I was getting worried this one might just ruin my prior good luck.  I also didn't want my kids to have to share a birthday.  However, Gus decided to be a good little boy and give me a week between birthdays.   This will be helpful to me in the future, but they may admittedly end up having a few joint birthday parties that may also be Halloween parties.  The end of October will be a busy time for me for the rest of my life.  Gus was also a little bit more helpful to me on the labor end than his brother was.  Jimmy gave me almost 48 hours of labor and little Gus gave me 4!  I started feeling contractions at 2:00 am on Sunday.  They weren't very intense but they were already about 5 minutes apart which is when they tell you you can go ahead to the hospital (some theories say 3-4 minutes though).  I woke Zach to tell him that it was starting, but that they surely had a lot of time since we live 2 minutes from the hospital.  I wanted to spend as much time at home as possible since I spent way too much of it at the hospital last time.  When the contractions started getting a little worse we called my dad and he got to our house around 4:00.  We finished getting everything organized and packed and by 5:00 when we got in the car I could tell the contractions were pretty intense and were now suddenly coming 2 minutes apart.  I was able to walk myself up to the maternity ward (stopping frequently) and when the triage nurse checked me she said, "Are you ready for it?  You are completely dilated!"  She thought I would be shocked, but I was not surprised based on how I was feeling.  I thought the baby was going to come out right then.  Once they got me in the labor and delivery room, I kept insisting that the baby was coming and I needed to push, but everyone around me seemed busy doing other things .  A nurse finally looked at me after I begged and said, "I don't see the head yet."  My midwife still hadn't arrived so they brought in the doctor on call.  They asked me if I wanted to wait for the midwife, but I said I didn't care who delivered the baby, but that it needed to happen as soon as possible. Little Gus had a sort of traumatic entrance into the world since he came out a little sideways and sort of got stuck and had the cord around his neck and was all purple.  They quickly fixed everything and got him breathing.  He was fine after that, but he does have some burst blood vessels in his eyes to show for all of it.  What a joy when I finally got to hold him!  It is so nice to be done with labor and have this wonderful little guy to show for it.  I just knew it would be a boy.  I do think I will have all boys after all (God's little joke on me for saving all my Barbies and dolls).  I am exited for Jimmy to have a brother closest in age to him.  Gus looks so much like Jimmy to me sometimes.  He does have his own look to him, but other times it is like deja vu. 

Jimmy was super excited to finally meet his little brother.  When I told him the news over the phone he didn't really say anything, but my dad said he was smiling a lot.  Then when my dad relayed the message to him saying, "You have a little brother named Gus." Jimmy responded, "No! Oliver!"  He said it with a smile, however, so I guess me fears of him crying when he didn't get the name he wanted were quelched.  He has mentioned it again a few more times and tried to convince us that the babies name was actually Oliver, but he came around to Gus pretty fast.  He has actually had more trouble not calling the baby "Fred" but I had trouble with that at first too.  Jimmy got to spend the night and day with Baabee which he was very excited about, but I guess he did start to miss us a little when it was bedtime.  All in all he is adjusting relatively well. He loves his brother, but sometimes a little too agressively. We are working on that.  

His eyes crack me up in this one.

Our first family picture.

.... Gus still looks like a little alien, but that is okay.

Gus with "Crazy Old Maurice" as my dad likes to call himself lately.

The Burches came to visit and took turns holding him.

And, of course, Mimi dropped by.

Lucia inspects Gus.... mostly she just wanted to touch his hair.

Gus and the Kerstings.

With the Gorraiz family.

And with my Godparents, Uncle Dick and Aunt Sharon.

The end of a long, tiring, wonderful day.

On the start of Day 2, he  was looking a little less red faced, but he still resembles a little old man which only seems to make his name more fitting

Sometimes when you are the primary photographer of the family, you have to take measures into your own hands.

... I just love catching him with his eyes open.

Jimmy came back for a second visit before spending a fun filled day with Mimi and Aunt Emmy.

And he discovered that Gus has even softer cheeks than Mommy.

Then Uncle Danny got to come meet the little guy and keep us company for awhile.

Then it was time to head home.

So I am obviously a little obsessed with this little bugger.  It is so crazy how this little person grows inside you for so long and you know you are going to love him, but when he actually comes out you immediately love them more than you could have imagined.  I feel so blessed and happy with my life right now.   I am feeling good and recovery had been much easier this time.  Thank you God for this wonderful gift.