The weather outside is frightful

And inside it isn't much better.

A tornado of sorts swept through here this afternoon. Not sure what kind of damage it may have caused but it missed us. Just a lot of rain on our heads.

 Our own personal tornado. Yes, I see it now. That's mini-me sitting betwixt the flower and the mixer. I've never really been able to see myself in my daughter but every so often I catch a glimpse of the mirror.
And our little tornado in training.

Helen's doing well. She is a little bit jaundiced but we're doing double duty feeding and it's perking her up. She's eating on a regimented schedule of every two hours, even if it means waking her up. Pump and feed with a syringe before the actual feeding. Two hours from the start of one feeding session to the start of the next. Which means that momma gets about two and a half minutes off between feeding processes. She's a trooper.

Sleep?

What sleep?

We'll get to that eventually.

Life is beginning to return to its new normal. (Can you return to something when it's new?) Momma came home today, with Nanna and Pappa in tow. They decided to come out for the long weekend. When I first saw the school schedule I figured that a three day weekend after only one week back was a bit ridiculous. I've changed my mind. I managed not to get dropped from any of my classes in spite of the rule about mandatory attendance the first week. I did have to make up a lab this afternoon though. Three hours on a metal stool after being at school all day. Oh happy day.

Helen is eating like a champ, absolutely beautiful, making her sister jealous. I've had to put the brakes on a few times when I look at Emma. All at once she's the big sister and I catch myself having these strange, spontaneous expectations of her that I didn't have 48 hours ago and that are way over her head. Knock it off Wilson. They don't need help growing up any faster than they already do!

Momma and company getting ready to head home. Not much of a picture of Helen. It does highlight her dark hair. We aren't sure who she's supposed to look like. Guess we'll just have to let her look like Helen. Sorry we don't have any more pictures right now. We'll try to rectify that...

A couple random shots of the storm we're having. I know, I know. Wasting film on lightening instead of Helen. She's feeding right now.....enough said.

Helen Rene Wilson

Hey, who put that one in there? That's just gross.

Actually, it was really really cool!

I got to catch her when she came out, cut the umbilical chord, weigh her... Well on my way to being a midwife! They were great. Momma pushed her out sans drugs. She's not sure she'll try that stunt again! It was a noisy affair, but little Helen hardly made a peep. "Hmmm, looks like someone's already taking care of the screaming and yelling- I'll head straight to the boob." And that's exactly what she did. Five minutes old a eating like a champion.

She was 8lb 5oz, 22 inches long.

Actually, the conversation went something like this:

"Eight pounds, six ounces. You want to come check?..."

"I guess- looks like eight four to me. Wait it bounces a little..."

"I'd say eight six..."

"Ok, split the difference, eight five."  

Note: momma was not on the phone just moments after birth. This was actually about an hour later.

The grim birther. Ok, that's not funny. She's just resting on the birthing ball, all bundled up because she was a titch chilly.

 The main attraction. Helen is both my dad's mom's name and the name of a really good friend of Shauna's in Australia. Rene is both my mother and Shauna's sister's middle name. Wilson was my dad's great-great-great-great-great grandfather's last name.

 The obligatory shot of delirium and squalling. Unfortunately, publishable pictures of baby's face require removing said baby from mom's lunch bag. Since that is her entire world at the moment, you can understand why she was a little upset.

 The Douala showed up Tuesday evening, Emma and I rolled in at about 11, we left Emma with the Vails, bless their hearts- really, and were at the birth center at 2 a.m. Shauna's body decided to do a repeat of her first birth and take its sweet time with labor. Her water finally broke at about 10:45 Wednesday morning and Helen made her way out at 11:46. We were back home by about 4.
The girls' picture in the upper right corner links to more pictures.
You know you want to see them.
Go ahead, click on it. I dare you.

K9 Kraziness

Jeanie McElroy had a PC booth at a function in the park so we retrieved Scout from her prison (kennel) and made our way to the festivities. Why make a point of picking up Scout? This fair/bazaar/whatchamacallit was sponsored by some sort of dog association and, since dog associations are generally dog friendly sort of things, this to-do was a dog friendly to-do. And all of the dogs were friendly too. -and i'll cut the rhyming business short right there- So, Scout had fun chasing the ball - AND ACTUALLY GOT IN THE WATER!! She may look like a chocolate lab but her rottweiler half shines brightly when it comes to water. No, thank you very much. Emma had fun chasing the dogs. Mommy had fun not chasing anything.

 "Hey, no running! You there, no horse play! Please don't dive in the shallow end. No peeing in the pool! No sniffing junk in the pool- and absolutely no fornicating in the pool- you there, knock it off! Hey- homo sapiens- get outta the pool!"

 Some of the braver dogs were chugging along in the deep end. Bummer that the slide was closed.  That would have scored high on the entertainment scale!
To answer your question: yes, they drain the pool and clean it after this. Apparently this is the last day it's open. Who knew that 80 degree weather was too cool to go swimming?

 Emma enjoying the off leash area.

She'll sleep good tonight.

Emma and Scout and I have to head home tomorrow. I start school on Monday and contractions make it difficult to take care of Emma. She'll stay in a day care in Twin while I'm in school. That will be a first for us. Here's a warning shot across the bow of Lillypad Daycare: overprotective parents are circling, hovering, looking for the least sign that their little one isn't being treated with utmost care and respect. I will try to keep the list of though shalt and shalt nots, and this is what she is used to, and this is how she likes to be rocked to sleep, and this is the brand of wet wipes you need to use, to a minimum. Parents are weird.
Mommy and the little one are staying here. It's really too bad that we now have two daughters who do things on their own time frame. Looks like I'll be making a flying trip back to Boise when Juniorette the second decides to climb out of her cocoon.

How about a few pictures while you're waiting for the main event...

 Some where around June...

Yes, being up high and seeing people on their level IS quite hilarious. I guess. One sure way to bring on the giggles is to follow her when she's being carried.

 Not sure where her mouth has been. Face down in a pie patch perhaps?

 Elder Waldo

 Life on the colony (I'm pretty sure Lyle was gone by this time).

 July brought piglet tails.

 Storm clouds, smoke and a sunset. The whole valley is burning up this summer, piece by piece.

 Notice the petite sunflowers. Of course, they might be easier to see if there were a little flower to go with the sun. They're just to the left of center if you're still looking. More on that later.

 Learned how to climb up on the couch. Suuuuuuuuper pleased with herself.

Her new favorite thing is stairs. All of the ups and downs and tears that go with them.

 Nine foot tall sunflowers- still all sun and no flower. More on that later.

August-ish
 Carrots, lettuce, corn, zucchini, yellow squash, beans, peas, sunflowers, pumpkins and weeds.

 New neighbor. Wilson. Yep, nice and easy. "Scout Wilson, get out of that flower bed!" He has some people that live with him but I can't remember their names right now. It is nice to have someone living next door again because their yard is getting some much needed help. But, we'd gotten used to being alone. Guess we'll have to go back to wearing clothes.

 From here on out it's pictures of our time in Boise. We're waiting oh so patiently for a baby to come. The plan was to have it at a birthing center here. Her plan was to try to come early. So, plan 15A:  finish out the last bit of bed rest in Boise and then hope the kidlet shows her face before I have to return to school. That would be next Monday- so get a move on ___________.

 Hanging on for dear life or having the time of her life?

 Queen of the slide. Not the swings. Nope, not a fan of the swings. Climbing up the twisty slide and falling on her face? Sure. Yes please, may I have another? Sitting just off the ground in a very secure baby swing? Are you kidding? Get me out of here! (Yes Emma, I'm aware there are separate holes for your legs. Four of them in fact. And two legs. Confusing. With all due respect you had a slot for each leg and a leg for half of the slots before you attempted to squirm your way out.)

 Life on the colony.

 Pretty sure her mouth had gotten into the blue berries that time.

 Rooster tails, and any other do you do to her hair, all end up the same:

a mass of blond curls!
Sunflower update: twelve feet tall when I left a week ago and finally getting some flowers!

To: Grandpa Dave,

much love,

Grandpa Gordon