Sunday, October 21, 2007

Personalities (Part 2)

I have been sick and in bed for 4 straight days. I called in a sub, which means I must have been deathly ill. I try to not call in subs because I am always needing my sick days for maternity leave and sick children. So, you know it's bad when there is a substitute teacher in Mrs. J's class.
Back to personalities....
When we got pregnant with D2, we were ecstatic. We didn't know if D1 would be are only one and it only took us 15 months to get pregnant this time. We were excited to add a new little one to our family. James was sure that it was a boy. We were so excited to find out what we were having. The day of our ultrasound came and as we were walking in we found out that our house was on fire. We had waited a long time to find out, so we put the fire in the back of our mind's (as well as you can do that) and found out it was another girl. I was happy to have a little sister for D1. It was also nice to have them born in the same season because I was able to have clothes for them. Little did I know at the time that we would lose a lot of D1's babies clothes in the fire.
I spent the last part of my pregnancy at my in-laws. It was so nice to be there. James works long hours and it was nice to have the company. It was also nice to have the help with Hannah.
A month before D2 arrived, we moved back into our home. It was a race to get everything unpacked and buy anything that we needed for the baby.
I was scheduled for a repeat C-section on June 20th. My sister and her kids were coming on the 16th to spend the week. I went to my mom's work that Friday afternoon and thought something didn't feel right. I had promised my niece, N2, that we would take her to Hogle Zoo for her birthday and I didn't want to go back on that promise. So the next morning, after trying to convince myself all night that my water was not broke, we went to the zoo. I remember sitting in the bird show really thinking that I should probably go to the hospital. We had called earlier and they told me to come in, but we had to go to the zoo first.
When we got to the hospital they told me that my water had broke and that we were going to have this baby in less than two hours. My water breaks at the top and slowly leaks. This is why I am never certain if it is really broken. I was the one that everyone referred to as the zoo lady. They couldn't believe that I would go to the zoo when I thought my water was broke.
D2 was born at 11:49 pm weighing 8 lbs. 4 ozs and was 20 inches long. I didn't have her in two hours but 8 hours. I was bumped 4 times for emergencies. It was harder to wait that 8 hours than it was the 15 hours with D1.
D2 was beautiful. She had a ton of black hair and looked a bit like Hannah to me. Once I saw a baby picture of D1, I knew she would have her own look.
She was a good baby and nursed right away. What a change from D1!! When we took her home, she stopped nursing, but began again on her blessing day. I guess blessing days are the days my children remember how to nurse. Who knows?? D2 was sleeping through the night at 6 weeks. She was a great baby. We didn't have insurance on her (a whole other story) until March. I knew I needed to nurse her for at least 8 months in order to help us. D1 began getting her ear infections right after I quit nursing her. She weaned herself right at 8 months. Just after getting insurance on her, she had her first ear infection. It is the only one she has had (knock on wood).
D2 was different from D1 with being held. D1 was very wiggly so she spent a lot of time on the floor and loved it. D2 wanted to be held quite a bit, which was hard for me.
D2 also had a hard time being with strangers. She cried alot and only wanted to be held by mom and dad. She was a great baby and didn't cry much until she wasn't around mom. I thought I would love having a snuggly baby that wanted me. It got very hard and I realized that D1 being so independent was much nicer.
D2 doesn't smile much. She is not a cheeser like D1. It takes a lot to get her to smile. She gives the perfect dirty look, I've decided. She gives crusties all the time. She is terrified of strangers and absolutely hates the doctor. I can't blame her after her ER experience of almost cutting the tip of her finger off. D1 will let the doctors listen to her heart, look in her ears...no problem. D2 screams the whole time.
D2 throws the biggest tantrums I have ever seen. As a matter of fact the other night she threw a 15 on a scale of 1-10. She is the only child that I know needs a time out in her crib around 5:00 everynight. She enjoys her times out and I think she really needs it. She also throws a proper tantrum. She will throw herself on the floor and kick and scream. She started these when she was just little. We entered the terrible twos long ago.
It took about a month for her to warm up to my sister and she was living here. She is more reserved and shy. Such a complete opposite from D1.
Now that she is walking (or more like running) I have seen a personality change. She is much happier with life now that she can run around with the kids.
We know that D2 was meant to be in our family and is bringing different aspects of raising a child into our lives. She is a joy and has a great personality. Some of you may be thinking otherwise, but she really does have one once she allows you to see it.
She is very sweet and loves to give us kisses. Every though she has a more standoffish personality, she is our little sweety. We love her so much and just smile when she waddles in and babbles at you. We look forward to what she has to offer.

So there you have it. My two girls with complete opposite personalities. I will post some of the pics from our last photo shoot. It captured their personalities to a T.
We are wondering what this new little one will bring????????





3 comments:

jennie said...

That is so neat to hear the story about your girls. They are so cute together! Have any ideas on what you'll have next? I bet James wants a boy, eh? How is your pregnancy going this time other than being so sick?! I hope you feel better soon. Is it still that terrible cold? How is James doing with the new job? I hope all is well!

NY Barney Family said...

so cute!!
I love the pics!
Miss those girls!

daherfamily said...

she is so cute. i love your new blog with the fun header. you are so good. i can't figure out how to do all of that. i am so sorry you've been so sick. that is not fun, especially when you can't save your days.