Henry Clyde Smith

Henry Clyde Smith was born at 7 lbs 5 oz, 20.5 inches long and exactly 12:02 Alaska time.

Henry was a repeat c-section.  Early on in this pregnancy I had decided to be happy knowing I was going to have to do a repeat C.  Despite that, I ended up getting really hopeful that Jr would make his appearance by himself.  But since that didn't happen, I don't have a labor story, but I have another story that I think is worth telling.

The morning before the c-sction, I was feeling really sad about having to have the surgery again--especially since this was the first time I could see no good reason not to wait to have a trial of labor.  I went in for my pre-op that night and the nurse who checked me in (I wish I could remember her name!) turned out to be an answer to our prayers.  Weston and I had been praying to know if we should push back on the doctors to wait a little more so we could do a trial of labor.  We had already pushed them back from doing the c-section at 39 weeks to 40 weeks, but we both wanted to hold out a little longer.  (The biggest problem with waiting was my doctor, Dr Bell, was going to Honduras to go scuba diving the day after my surgery).  The pre-op nurse and I chatted and a few key things were said that gave me the peace I was looking for.  First, she told me many times what a great doctor Dr. Bell is.  Second, she was impressed that I was able to convince Dr. Bell to let me go till 40 weeks,  She kept saying 'good for you! That's great!' Finally, she said that with Dr. Bell going out of town, it really was time now because he is definitely the doctor I want doing my surgery.  It seems pretty simple, but that conversation left me feeling about 100% better going forward with the surgery.  I am so thankful that we can pray to a loving Heavenly Father.  I know he heard my prayer and sent that nurse to help me feel that our decision about a c-section was right.

And here we are with a healthy, happy, hungry, Henry :)

Dr. Bell really did do a great job on my surgery.  I got moving sooner and have felt less pain than the other two times.

William smiles the cutest smile when he sees baby brother Henry.  I have a mental picture of it, just picture the cutest sweetest most excited William smile you can imagine :)

Lily Anne likes Henry too, she doesn't really stop running around to tell us, but she does ask to hold him and she likes to take care of her dolly like I take care of Henry. 


A before and after, for fun :)

"Mommy, lets do an activity"

Everyone knows this, but I'll say it again: life is a funny thing.

I have been doing more varied activities than ever with my kids; and the kids are, of course, as cute as ever, but I don't really have much to show for it (as far as blog pictures/posts) 

But I can share a few things.

First is this awesome website:  http://www.productiveparenting.com/default.aspx

I signed up for the daily emails for activity ideas for William and Lily Anne (you sign up with your kids age and gender) and it has been GREAT!  I do not have the creative energy to come up with things for them to do every day, and this website just sends ideas!  For instance, one day I just put them in their booster seats at the table, gave them spoons and Tupperware and they moved dry pinto beans around for at least a half hour, William probably an hour. Another day I gave them some cotton balls, paper, and a little pile of glue and drew them shapes to glue the cotton into, another hit!  Or something as simple as showing William how to trace a "W" I had drawn with his finger--now he does that all the time.  Another day, We just cut scraps of paper and glued them to other scraps, home run!  William often asks if we can do 'gluing' or 'beans' or 'an activity'... it makes me happy :)

That said, I personally think that parents can be overly involved in coming up with activities for their kids.  Kids need to learn to create their own fun.  But, pardon the dog training analogy, its like dog training.  If Pico gets his walk, and a 5 min training session, he really is a pretty good puppy.  If I do one newish activity with the kids every day or two, they are much more willing to go outside and play in the yard by themselves.  And oh how I love to look out the window while I do dishes and see them push each other on the swing, or dig in the mud together. 

A lot of the emails remind me to let the kids help with chores.  At 8 months pregnant, with two little kids, that can be hard to do.  But I have been trying a little harder.  William really enjoys sorting laundry and putting dishes in the dishwasher.  It takes longer to let them help, and Lily Anne has her own ideas about how things should be done, but I do think its worth it to get them involved.