Ingrit's New Favorite Book

Thanks to my dear friend Susan, Ingrit has a new favorite book. Bear in Underwear. It's been quite some time since I've been asked to read a book 6 times in a row without a break. It's a great book though so it's okay.

And she LOVES it. I think part of the appeal is that I read it in the same way we gently mocked her kvetching this summer on vacation. She was "too itchy" "too deep" "too hot" etc...and she liked saying them the way we did with high pitched voices. Part of the Bear in Underwear is about all the ways the underwear he's trying on are wrong. They are all "too tight" "too loose" "too dorky" "too girly" etc.

Here are some pictures from our summer vacation. You will see that Ingrit wasn't ALWAYS too itchy, too deep or too hot. We had a lot of fun.

Things that can be said on the blog

Finley sat in the high chair for the first time today. He seems to enjoy being up higher and being a part of the activity at the dining room table--right now that means Ingrit cooking me up some yummy foods "that I like" and me typing up this blog entry. The high chair reclines really far back so little man is safe and sound in it.

Yesterday the three of us went to the Pine Tree Apple Orchard with my friend Tina. Very fun annual outing for us. Every year I've had more kid with! Year one I we had no children with. Year two I was preggers with Ingrit. Year three Ingrit was about 5 months old. Year four Ingers was 18 months and walking around and picking out her pumpkin. This year Fin and Ingrit were both along. Ingrit really liked watching the apples move down the belt getting polished, sized, sorted and bagged by apple workers. The weather was super cold so we didn't get to do the outdoor activities.

In other newsy bits...I took Fin in to my workplace and was thrilled to show him off to everyone.

He seems to just listen to us talking to him and around him and he frequently smiles---I know too early for a real social  smile but heart melting none the less!

Ingrit has just about mastered all of the climbing equipment at the Eagle's Nest. She just needs help getting in the ball pit and she hasn't tried the rock climbing wall quite yet. It's very cool to see her running around with the other kids. She loves to hang out and be part of the chaos that a group of kids can be. It might be really good for her to spend a few hours in a group daycare type setting. I know I'm torn about that---I'd love to stay home with her myself, but that's not in the cards for us. It's been nice for her to stay home with Daddy, but we're really hoping David's able to find a job soon--hopefully something on 2nd shift or part time evenings or something so there's less day care needed. Know anyone who's hiring? :)

We've also enjoyed visits from Mimi. Mimi and Grampie took the family out for our anniversary and David's birthday last weekend. Ingrit and I made a worm cake for Daddy's birthday.

Laboring on the ball and walking around like a hula dancer AND all of the strange exercises the week before worked to spin Fin the right way for his birthday. He had been presenting sunny side up with toes in my ribs---not good for bug babies and mamas who want natural childbirth!

Funny memory--I ate lunch around 1. Finley was born at 3:46. My nurse said that's unusual for mom to have eaten so recently. Really until 2:30ish I was feeling great for the most part playing cribbage and swiveling my hips around.

Found out from my midwife that I only actually pushed for 3 minutes. Wow.

Finley at Home

We're loving our family. Ingrit continues to dote on and love her little brother. Daddy keeps looking proud. Mama is happy, but currently experiencing a pretty good bout of post partum blues. Wow, what a bum kicker those can be!

We had our first pediatrician visit which confirmed our diagnosis of the handsomest little guy in the world. We also had a home health nurse come check on me and baby. He's started to gain weight after losing the customary 10%. Nursing is going well.

We all went to Como Zoo yesterday. Trying to do as many Ingrit-led things as we can.

Finley Wheat Herfel

Welcome home, Finley Wheat!

Finley was born at 3:46pm on 9/7/2010 at Woodwinds Hospital in Woodbury, MN. He weighed 9 pounds and 2.8 ounces. He was 21" long. I thought he looked so tiny! He was born with a full head of black/brown hair. I fell in love instantly as he lay wide eyed and quiet on my chest looking at me. Daddy cut his cord after it stopped pulsing and we all just looked at each other for awhile and tried our first try at breastfeeding. Finley seemed to be a natural.

He was so calm and quiet at birth. He just right away seemed to be such a sweet little guy. This continued to amaze me throughout our first few days together. He would let me know something was wrong and then I'd fix it and he'd be happy. Most often this something wrong was just that he needed snuggling. He's a super snuggly baby.

It was amazing to watch little boy come into the world. I'm so glad I opened my eyes! His labor happened very quickly once things really got started and I couldn't look anywhere but in.

Labor began at home with my water breaking at 5 am. I called Mimi and she came to take care of Ingrit for the day.

Finley got weighed in and because he was over 8 lb 14 oz, his blood sugar was checked right away. It was fine at this check. It dipped at the next check so little man needed to go get his blood drawn for a more accurate reading the special care nursery. He went with Daddy and Grandpa in the Woods to get this done and I climbed in the tub with some lavender bath salts and felt so calm and good and relaxed.

The rest of Finley's blood sugar checks were good and he came right back up after a quick feeding of 15cc's of formula by bottle. They checked them every hour until about 1 AM.

All other tests/checks for Finley were passed and he seems to be perfect.

Finley, Daddy, and Grandpa came back and Grandma in the Woods was there too to hold little boy.

At about 6pm, Mimi and Grampie W came by with the Ingers to meet Finley. Ingrit seemed to fall in love with baby right away she kept saying "I pet it!" and "Baby SO cute!" She was upset that I wasn't coming home with them, but since Grandma in the Woods was coming home with her that helped.

I can't say enough good about the care I received from the midwives and nurses at Woodwinds. They were all great and made me feel so cared for. They even took time to show care for Ingrit and taught her to use the stethoscope to listen to heartbeats.

Ingrit visiting Finley....Ingrit is so much fun to watch with her little brother! You can see that she loves him. Even in moments of "hey my world just got turned upside down and I don't know how to deal with that" she hasn't shown any negativity toward little boy. Ingrit is the best big sister!

Rooming in with Finley gave me a chance to bond alone with little man and I hope I never forget some of the time we spent looking at each other in the twilight hours of our first days together.