Frozen German Sweet Chocolate Pie...

The baby is graciously allowing me to put him down at the moment, so I'm typing fast.

I made this pie last week for friends who were bringing pizza over, since it was his birthday. I know, I know, we're still having meals brought to us, and I haven't figured out how to make a meal at meal time yet, but I did this. Probably BECAUSE there are still being meals brought to us. =)

But its just because I'm cheap. =) I priced ice cream cakes, but couldn't bring myself to buy one that I didn't think would be as tasty for far more money.

And I was ready for another challenge, I guess. It's like Baby Survivor around here...

"See if Ellen can make it through her last 15 minutes of shopping at Food Lion with two crying children. (Evan- because a loaf of bread fell on his foot and woke him up. Seth- because he had to share his extra race car seat with a gallon of milk.) Observe as the other customers look at her race car shopping cart full of baby, toddler, and precarious groceries like she's a circus act. Follow her home, and watch as she makes this pie with a baby on her shoulder, since he's decided not to sleep at his usual time. Yes, faithful viewers, she did it... one handed. She won't be voted off the island this week."

Without further ado, here's the recipe:

Frozen German Sweet Chocolate Pie

1 pkg. (4 oz.) Baker's German Sweet Chocolate
1/3 c. milk
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 T. sugar
1 8 oz. tub of Cool Whip, thawed
1 graham cracker crust

Get out a large glass bowl, and put chocolate and a couple of tablespoons of the milk in it. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, stopping halfway through to stir. With a mixer, beat in cream cheese, sugar, and remaining milk until well blended. Refridgerate 10 minutes to cool. Stir in Cool Whip, and spoon into the crust. Freeze 4 hours. Thaw 15 min. before serving.

A good link...

I came across this by looking at the Radical Womanhood blog, and I thought I'd share it. I think this lady is dead on.

When I first met David, I initially rejected dating him because I didn't think he was "my type," and I had something different in mind. Thank the Lord that He didn't allow me to continue in my shallow folly. I would've missed out on so much blessing. It was only through getting to know him as a friend, watching how he treated others, and seeing his daily walk with Christ in action, that I began to see the true quality I'd been so quick to reject because of lack of initial romantic attraction.

Go check it out...

4 weeks old...

Evan, its impossible for me to get my mind around the idea that you are 4 weeks old today. It literally does seem like yesterday that we were in the hospital. These past days have flown by in a haze of sleepy cuddles and snuggles and myriad diaper changes. I look at the counters, and its a mess of burp cloths and green pacifiers. It is such a gift to see the evidence of tiny baby you wherever I look...

You're another dream come true for us. You're so perfect and healthy, and we're grateful. We are parents to two! The barren woman has become a mother to children...plural. We're so glad you came...

Every day, I take a nap with you while Seth naps. Sometimes I know that you're sleepy enough that you'd sleep on your own... but I don't let you. =) I know that the day will come very soon when you won't want to nap with me anymore. So I curl you up in the crook of my arm and doze with your downy hair under my chin. This time is a gift...

Little man...

I got the funky pants at a yard sale for a quarter. They're some of my favorites right now. He also has a shirt that says, "Party in my crib... 2 a.m." David took him when he came through the door the other day when he was wearing that, and he said, "Hit's a little too close to home these days." =)

Brothers...

Seth, its so good to see how much you love your baby brother. Thanks for being so patient when Mommy has to put him down before she can do something for you. I love how you ask to touch him before you do, and you're so gentle as you examine his eyes and nose and arms and hands. You don't want to go anywhere without him, and once we put you in the car, you always ask, "Where baby?" God has been so good to give you a little brother to play with. Thanks for welcoming him into our family with so much joy and kindness. I love you, and I'm proud of you. You're Mommy's favorite big boy.

Baby blanket...

I made this for Evan before he was born. It turned out really nice and soft and pretty, and I'm resisting the urge not to use it for fear of losing or ruining it. =) It's amazing how much you can get done by crocheting one hour a week during your Bible study lecture. No, our lecture teacher did not mind. I got a lot of sweet looks from the other ladies while I worked.

If you'd like to make one yourself, here's the pattern I used... but wherever it says sc (single chain), I did a double chain. That made it go faster... and I think it also made my ripples a little less tight than in her pictures. =)

Father's Day 2009

... Because every father should have this cute of a place mat for his Hardee's Thickburger...

Hey, at least this way, we got to eat dinner without hearing any screaming. I'm not saying that the baby escaped with no mustard on his shirt, but that's a small price to pay. Yup, it was quiet, except for the toddler saying, "I need some Daddy's ice cream. I need some Mommy's ice cream. I got french fries..."

Things to be thankful for today...

A list of things to be thankful for today...

- The sun is FINALLY back out again! It's been rainy and gross all week, and that's been hard on my admittedly postpartum mood. I don't like gray days unless its winter, and I can curl up with a good book and some hot cocoa.

- Though Evan was wide awake until 1:00 a.m., after that he went right back to sleep after feedings until 8:00 a.m. Hopefully David got to sleep through...

- The nursery teacher from CBS just brought us a yummy chicken pot pie, blueberry sour cream coffee cake, and a salad. Ok, girl, you rock my baby every Thursday out of the goodness of your heart, lend Seth your son's awesome shoes for a year, and then bring me a meal when I have a new baby... and you're going to rock this baby all next year. C'mon, when do I get to help you out!

- Though the days with a newborn can seem long and never-ending, the moments of snuggles and blue eyed stares do still seem too short. I love awake time with Evan propped up on my knees on the loveseat, just the two of us, while big brother saws logs upstairs.

- Seth loves his baby brother. No hints of jealousy.

- I'm learning that sometimes its ok to put the nursing baby down in between sides, take care of the big boy, and get back to business. The wailing is fine if it only lasts a few minutes. =)

- Tomorrow is Friday, and I've almost made it through a whole week on my own! I may even have enough energy to do something for Father's Day this Sunday! =)

Because inquiring minds want to know... day 2...

Since Kelli, and presumably some of my other relatives, want to know how day 2 went...

It went a lot better than day 1. =) Seth had a really good attitude and played well, and that makes all the difference.

Even though I didn't get a shower because Evan resisted strongly going back to sleep without being in the bed with me. But showers really aren't a priority right now. I did manage to get dressed, put on makeup, and get Seth up without him waking up!

I tried to get to the library story time this morning. The library is literally 3 minutes from my house, so I thought this would be a good test outing. We even got there 7 minutes early... only to find that they'd filled up and started already. A rainy day combined with this being the first week back for the summer session, I guess...

I nearly cried in the library. I'm hormonal. And Seth kept asking if we could "go storytime."

So I tried again. We loaded back up and went to the local bookstore to see the train table. I should've known something was up when most of the front parking spaces were full. Yep, they were ending their own weekly story time. And that meant several children around the train table.

A particularly nasty 3-year-old boy ran Seth's train off the tracks and pushed him aside, and he eventually melted in tears. So we had to leave that outing, too. Sigh. The little boy survived to shove another day. I was seething, but I restrained myself from chewing out the boy's mother, who was obliviously chatting with her friends while her son terrorized the small fry. Watch your children, people! And do something when they're unkind to others!

So this day went well... if you don't count my fragile hormones. =) The boys did great. I napped with Evan, and Seth was so tired (probably from listening to Evan scream from 5-7 a.m.) that he asked to "go night night" at nap time and took a long nap. And now my Big Angel is playing outside for a bit with Daddy. =)

End of the 1st day...

I'm typing this with Evan lying on my lap, a ton of groceries and the dirty dinner dishes behind me, and David upstairs putting Trouble to bed...

But we survived. No major injuries and everyone is alive. And I hope that tomorrow is easier!

Things started out really well. Everybody got up at the right times and got fed at the same time with no problems.

But things with the toddler started going downhill after we went outside...

I think the highlight of the day was when I told Seth that I was going to discipline him if he threw the bucket of rocks in anger. He did, and just as I was about to follow through on that, I turned and saw that Evan had had his first diaper blowout ever. And it was a doozy. So I disciplined the toddler and rushed the baby inside for detox. Seth freaked out with all the activity and proceeded to have a crying meltdown for the next 20 minutes, until I finally took him upstairs for crib timeout.

By the time I brought him back downstairs, my confidence was shot. He really did pretty well after that, but I couldn't wait for naptime. My nerves needed a break.

After naptime was pretty good. I had Evan in the sling, and Seth "helped" me make box mac n' cheese. (He stood on the stool near the stove and watched and dumped the noodles and cheese sauce.)

But he's been doing a lot of running away from us when we ask him to come and do something. I think he's figured out that we have less hands, and he's testing to see if we'll enforce it when we need him. I am realizing that we've been relying a little bit too much on picking him up and physically stopping him when we want him for something. He thinks running away is a game too much of the time.

I talked to Terri today, and she said that Isaac did a lot of testing limits the first week that she had Claire. That made me feel better, since we use a lot of the same discipline techniques.

So if you're praying, keep up the prayers. I need divinely inspired patience and gentleness and firmness with Seth and Evan right now. And I need an extra shot of confidence, too. =)

Purely hypothetical situation...

Let's say that tomorrow is the first day that a particular totally natural blonde has with her two adorable small boys, aged 2 years and 4 months and 2 weeks, respectively.

And let's say that she's a little bit panicked about it, seeing as she doesn't have 5 arms...

And both boys need to eat at approximately the same time...

And the smallest one is used to being held at this point... all the time, especially when napping. Because she and her hubby get nights down before they start working on napping alone during the day...

Would anyone out there have any good ideas for making it through the next few days? =)

Hypothetically speaking, of course...

Lazy Saturday...

Everyone slept in this morning...

I just now got a shower, and it felt great. I had time to take my time, since I wasn't praying that someone wouldn't wake up before I got done... =)

We loaded up the car and took the boys to two yard sales... and got three Dr. Suess books for $1. I can't believe we have already been yard saling. It was all David's idea. He gets ambitious after a few hours of good sleep...

Seth is learning to go down the stairs by himself, in preparation for the time he won't be carried on Monday. At this point, it takes him several minutes to crawl down backwards. He's cautious about stairs...

Evan slept for 5 hours straight last night. And I was allowed to let him... because he gained nearly a pound this week! I make cream this time around, I guess. =) A strong sucker makes all the difference in the world...

We'll be dining on the leftovers this weekend from the tasty meals that have been made for us so far...

A summer newborn provides all kinds of opportunities for photo shoots that I didn't have before. Any ideas?

Early days with two...

One week old... and a much more eventful week than our first with Seth! We even ventured out to a toddler birthday party on Saturday...

Giving his brother a gentle pat...

First playtime together... =)

We're doing well overall. It's been nice to snuggle up together in the house. Seth has really enjoyed just playing with his toys and in the back yard the last couple of days. Makes me realize that we don't always need to be running around to be having fun. I tend to be an overscheduler, not an underscheduler. =)

And Evan is starting to get his days and nights straightened out. We're thankful that he wasn't wide awake for three hours at 3 a.m. last night. That's a big deal in this house these days... Nana and Seth are currently making beef stew together, and I've got Evan sleeping on my lap in a sling. Love, love, love the sling this time around...

Second week begins...

David left this morning for work. It's 7:39 a.m., and I miss him already. That's what happens when you have a husband who insists on putting the baby back to bed every time you nurse him... no matter how long it takes.

I'm starting to hit the second week wall. I remember this. Exhaustion means I am always just a moment away from holding back weepy tears. This time I worry that I'm not giving the firstborn as much of me as I would like. I have moments of missing the days when I could just walk down the street, holding his tiny hand, leisurely letting him hunt for rocks. I want to pick him up and hold him, and I can't just yet. I miss that.

Mom came riding in on her white horse (disguised as a blue Honda minivan). She will help me with all the many little things that need to be done, and I can go grocery shopping alone today. She will help feed us, and she will help me keep from losing it. That's what she did last time. =)

So pray for us as we transition. New babies are so wonderful... and exhausting... and perfect... and confusing... and bring up all sorts of crazy emotions...

Sunshine on a cloudy day...

Sarah and I had plans to go out for ice cream tonight... just us and the littlest man.

By the time dinnertime rolled around, I was frazzled and cross. I had just discovered that I had two pairs of anything cool that fit me on the bottom... a gray pair of loaner capris and a faded pair of black capris. And most of my maternity tops look rough with them. I still look awfully pregnant. It's pretty depressing. I kinda forgot how depressing it is, actually.

So, both boys were needing attention, and we were both working hard to get dinner on the table. And I felt like a cow. Because last time around, I could at least wear my maternity pants after my c-section. This time... no dice. I am more swollen in the exact wrong areas.

But Sarah came, and she brought sunshine with her. We left and went to Target. And she brought me item after item, and she encouraged me because the same thing had happened to her after her c-section. She couldn't wear her maternity pants either. And I started feeling a lot better.

I left Target with skirts and shorts and capris that I really like. But I came away with much more than that. I came away with a refreshed and soothed heart because Sarah took the time to empathize and sympathize and help me get some of the spring back in my tired step.

Thanks, sis. You were a wonderful extension of the body of Christ to me today.

Set up a backyard festival...

It was a beautiful evening here last night. Evan and I sat out on the back porch, listening to the crickets, for several glorious minutes. Seth enjoyed the back yard with us earlier in the day, and that led me to think about how much time we'll be spending out there this summer. With a plastic tub full of rocks and water... =)

Go here for more info about ways to effectively use your back yard with a toddler. I also liked the link at the bottom of the article about creating a toddler car wash. =)

At the computer...

Clicking around the net... toddler down for his nap... eyelids drooping and drowsiness winning...

David walked out the door a few minutes ago, holding an infant carrier and a diaper bag. Pride was shining in his eyes. He's off to show his newborn to the folks at his office. They'll be back in time to eat again. =) Amazing the confidence that allows us both to let him go alone to do that. Second time parenting is more confident and relaxed than first time...

First doctor's appointment this morning. Seth and David had time to kill. God provided a special blessing for my 2-year-old.... a construction site full of equipment and activity right across the street from the pediatrician's office. Right when they needed something to do while they waited. I feel God's love for my oldest today, and I see it in the provision of dumpers dumping, diggers digging, welder's welding, shovels shoveling... He loved it.

Baby has gained a lot of weight back from his time in the hospital. And I love wheeling him around and hearing others tell me how "beautiful" he is. I beam with quiet joy. He is, isn't he? =)

Now, time for me to take this chance for a little beauty rest of my own...

A little surgery conversation...

Me, while Dr. Z. is cutting open my stomach: "Is that steady beeping noise my heart monitor?"

Dr. Z.: "Yup."

Me: "Sweet. I was humming in time to it while they put in my spinal."

Dr. Z.: "What were you humming?"

Me: "Be Thou My Vision. Nothing like a complicated 18th century hymn to keep your mind off the needles in your back..."

Dr. Z. (laughs): "Well, the beeping is your heart rate. The pitch of the beeping monitors your oxygen. It's high, so that means that you're getting plenty. But if you hold your breath for a couple of seconds, the pitch will go lower and lower... Hey, why don't you hold your breath and see?"

Agitated anesthesiologist: "Let's not and say we did."

Me: "Dr. Z., I don't think they appreciate your sense of humor."

Dr. Z.: "Yeah... I'm used to it."

C-section vs. VBAC: The final analysis

I'm sitting here with my teeny one asleep in his infant carrier beside me. It's been a good day so far, which means that we both got showers and the house is pretty clean and straight, and David got the food for the week from the grocery store. Oh, and I got to nap with Evan in the crook of my arm. Like you see here... =)

But I thought I'd write and let you know the final conclusion on the c-section vs. VBAC debate...

As David and I drove to the hospital on Friday morning, me with my palms all sweaty from the thought of surgery, we talked about the c-section. We both wished that God would've just sent a sky writer to tell us whether or not this was the best thing for us to be doing. But that was not to be, so we just prayed that He would keep us from doing anything that was unwise.

Fast forward to about 10:40 a.m. My doctor was sewing me back up, and they had whisked Evan off to the baby room to take his vitals. This particular doctor was the one who was most in favor of me trying for VBAC. He didn't think the risks were very great, so he thought I should go for it if I wanted to do that.

So I was pretty surprised when he casually said, "You know, I think you made the right call to have another c-section."

Of course, I asked why he thought that...

"Well, the area of your uterus down near your c-section scar is very thin. It's translucent; I could see the baby's brown hair through it. When I cut into it, it gave very easily. I'm not sure it would've handled several hours of labor very well."

I am beyond grateful for confirmation that the VBAC wasn't a risk that we were meant to take. And I'm thankful for God's hand on us, keeping us safe through this delivery...

Evan Vance...

Evan Vance was born at 10:28 a.m. on May 29th, weighing 8 lb., 5 oz., and coming in at 21 inches in length. He was born by c-section, and as they whisked him past my head, I thought, "He's bigger than Seth." Sure enough, he was a whole pound bigger! =) You think when you have a second boy that he'll look just like your first. Not so... Evan looks a lot more like my baby pictures than Seth ever did. He is beautiful in his own perfect way.

Our hospital experience couldn't have been any different from the first time around. =) Evan nurses like a champ, latching on really well from the beginning. I have thanked God for this over and over again in the past few days. He is not jaundiced, and he has kept his weight really well, not losing much at all. My milk even came in a full day earlier with this little guy, probably because he is such a good nurser. God has been so gracious in even the little things...

Being in the hospital was like a lovely honeymoon for the three of us. We got the chance to get to know this little one on his own, and it was wonderful. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to sleep on my back again in a bed that goes up and down. That's honestly one of my favorite things about the hospital experience. =) I also love nurses who take your baby at night so you don't have to put them back to sleep, food that comes when you call and order it, and sheets that are changed by other people. I was impatient to get back home after Seth was born. This time, I kinda wished we could stay just a little longer. Especially since we have to juggle two now that we're home...

Seth had a wonderful time being spoiled rotten by his Mimi and Pop Pop and his Great- Aunt Judy. They brought him to the hospital to visit us every night, and he was pretty taken with his new brother. "That's a BABY! That's a BABY!" He also liked the graham crackers and eating Mommy's leftover "cake" and walking the halls with Daddy. Now that we're home, he wants to talk about how the baby has a hat and hair and he wants to "touch" the baby. We missed him while we were away, and we're glad that he missed us. He loved taking a walk with his daddy while Mommy nursed tonight. So far, so good...

And here we are... I can't say enough good things about the man I married. When I am weak, he is strong. His tender care for me in every way melts my heart. I don't have to ask; he pours himself out in serving me when I literally cannot get up out of my hospital bed. I pray that his sons learn this kind of humble servanthood from watching their father's life. He is an incredible example for them to emulate.

Now we're home, and I'm loving walking around our house with my littlest man snuggled into my shoulder. This is where he belongs. He is an important part of our family now. I'm so thankful I get to experience the awesome newborn thing all over again...