Victoria attended the A-San (5-6 year old) overnight School camp yesterday, and it was a great success.  George missed her so much that when it was time for us to leave home and pick her up, he already had his shoes on waiting for me by the door.  I loved hearing him tell me how excited he was to see his sister again, and HURRY UP, Mum! I heard it over and over.  We arrived a bit early and were happy to see the children all formed up nicely ready to go home.  Victoria said that today is the best day ever and she doesn’t want it to end.  I told her I missed her, she said she missed me too but she wasn’t gone for long at all.  She loved sleeping over with Emi-Sensai and loved hiking the mountain and she saw the most beautiful butterfly ever!  They danced and sung and ate yummy Japanese food and Bryan her class mate asked her does she ever stop talking? hehe…  I asked what she replied and she said no because I LOVE to talk all the time, even when I am sleeping I feel my tongue move from side to side so I NEVER stop talking.  I laughed so hard I cried! She sure can talk!  It was amazing, she told me.  I knew she would be just fine away from home since she kissed me goodbye yesterday at school, she never looked back.  She didn’t even hear or look up to George and I yelling out her name and waving her goodbye, she was too excited to be off and on her way to the big adventure.  Very quickly my heart felt heavy as I watched her walk up the hill holding her sensai’s hand and then the children load onto the bus.  I am so proud of her, and she did so well a night away from home.  George and I definately didn’t do as well as her, and for that she makes me so very proud and happy for her.  My big girl Victoria, I love you!

Afterall, who wants to get that phone call in the evening to go collect your unconsolable child north of Nago?… Not me.

I guess its better to be three hours early… then late for your flight!  Here are some fun pictures I took of the Victoria at the airport in Osaka while waiting for our last flight home to Okinawa, from Australia last week. 

I am having a great time with two bored Monkeys!

Kisses for you Mummy! Aaghhhh – gf, all I see is nostrils!! Mum, are you kidding? hehe!

Is this one better? Um, well, you can do better!  Give me the best Nostril shot EVER!!  OH, V, you are awesome and the ultimate Master of the best nostril POSE, haha! 

I am having so much fun with you, Mum.  What can I do now?  Um…, hug your bored brother.

Love and squeezes.

What a fantastic day!  Nathan was able to take a vacation day and finally, after four years on this island we went to the Dragon Boat Races in Naha.  We were not disapointed!   Awesome day! CONGRATULATIONS Ladies!

Victoria had a friend over to play and taking pictures was all I could do to entertain George so the girls had some playtime alone with their dolls.  Here is an afternoon of the boys captured back in January. 

These guys were serenading the seawall with their tunes, they were pretty good too…

The kids have been home for the past three weeks for spring break.  I haven’t been able to get anything done for myself  like I had planned.  Sewing, posting pictures here, that thing called spring cleaning, ACK!  Oh well, there is always next year, HA!  One of many morning trips to the park and I was able to somehow get a decent picture of our three kids together.  You have no idea how hard I worked for that, LOL!  Here are some of the pictures from that day…

Oops, cut her off at the neck. I couldn’t help but lose focus to my girl with this dandelion.

Victoria had so much fun and now asks that I take a picture of her… YES!!!!  I hope the days I BEG her for one  quick pic are long gone! 

These three kids are what bring Nate & I so much love and happiness! 

Happy Spring!  Bring on that heat, I say! 

Happy Easter.

More pictures to come, after the days chores are done. Ugh!  Wish me luck.

A sweet, sweet princess was married!!  This day was perfect and beautiful as they passed us by with a quick wave. 

This place I call home -  You can never be fully prepared for what you will see next, but I try to be.  I love you, Okinawa!

You have to enter this… why not? I personally doubt I will win anything, but you just never know so here I am…  what are you waiting for… ENTER the contest, or just go drool over their bags – oohlala… I want the red one…

Click here for the Contest details.

When I first arrived at the hospital about 12.30am, contractions were coming 3-5 mins apart.  Nathan received the news that I was going to the hospital.  He tried to call me from Iraq but my phone rang during a contraction, there was no way I could take that call.  The nurse took my vitals and timed my contractions et cetera.  At this stage, I was 1cm dialated. 1 CM… DIALATED?!!! The same as I was two days ago WITHOUT all of these contractions!  I felt like I was having a bad dream and could not wake up.

I was not able to check a bed until I was 4cm. It was about 1.30am now and I was advised to hang around the hosipital and check back in about 2 hours.  I was feeling very confused a little discouraged, and a bit nasueated.  We (being my MIL, Mother-in-law and my younger sister) prepared ourselves for the thought of being here all night long.  We found a nice area to rest as these contractions kept coming.  I would stand for them, rest up against a wall and rock side to side.  All of a sudden I just felt like throwing up, and I did, A LOT.  We decided to take a walk outside.  These contractions just kept coming and coming, 30 to 45 seconds apart and building with intensity.  We kept walking our paved route, remembering I was still in the “early stages”.  Then I started to feel the pressure of the baby trying to descend.  Still unsure if it was time to check our bags and tag a bed, I decided to just go ask L&D a few questions about going through all of this to be about… at most now… what… 3cm?!!  We headed up to Labor and Delivery. 

YES!! Here I am being admitted to the room 2.45am.  About 6cm. 

This is about 15 mins before Ryan is born.  What can I say?  I always vomit during transition.  Here I guess I am at 7-8cm dialted.  I can’t remember what the nurse is doing, but it sure looks like she is giving me an IV.  They always want to IV me and I always fight them about sticking me. I HATE NEEDLES.  I never used to care about needles, they never bothered me.  Then I got bit by a snake when i was 15, I got needles, and lots of them – I HATE NEEDLES, snakes teeth – yeah, like needles. HA, I am sure you get my point.  Anyway, that’s another story for another day!  The nurse and I made a deal that as soon as she took my vitals, I could get back up right and that she would give me that big ball to continue to labor on.  BUT, little did I know there was no more time left.

The Dr. still had not arrived and I had to be on all fours to “stall” the birth.  Doing that felt something like my eyes rolling to the back of my head.  I was begging the nurse to assist me in the birth of my son. I informed her we did not need a dr. and all I needed was for her to help me catch him, she was not on board with that plan.   Just as I could not hold back the urge to push, my water broke!  One of many happiest moments in my life and oh  boy is it up there in rank!  The Dr. walks in snapping on his gloves and asked what stage we are at. I was so happy it was push time! 

Oh sweet Ryan!  He made his exit so fast he was born looking blue.  I could feel myself begin to lose composure and panick, but I was able to remain calm.  I was doing everything I could to keep cool and let them do what they had to for Ryan.  The doctor was quick to assure me he was fine and continued to explain the bruising was from his rapid descent.  Basically he slammed into my pelvis on exit.  The doctor pointed out to me with Ryan’s eyelides and lips being pink indicated he did not lose oxygen it was from the bruising – my inital question.  I of course was very concerned. I was so relieved everything worked out just fine. 

One of many ‘Best Moments’ in my life – I feel blessed. 

Minutes after Ryan was born, Nathan was able to call me.  Nathan asked how I was doing and as I announced Congratulations Nate, he heard Ryan cry out in the background.  He could not believe it was over so quickly, I had birthed to our second son.  Ryan was born and we had a healthy (bruised, but healthy) 8lb 3oz son.  21 inches, 3.26am.  I was just so happy to hear from Nathan and talk about perfect timing with the call!  The second call, that is!!

Ryan had a massive hemotobin on his head from the birth.  This did not disapear until he was almost 5 weeks old.  If it didn’t heal on its own, it would need to be drained.  Thankfully, it took care of itself. 

Here are some more of Ryan’s first day in the hospital.

To be continued…

George, you make me laugh so hard at times. Looking back on all these pictures I am going through makes my heart melt. I miss my baby George… but I also adore my toddler George. Parenting is all too bittersweet, sigh! I am having a great time raising you.  You never give me a dull moment, and your animation ability is just AWESOME! I love you.