Happy Birthday 10/23/14

I am finally sitting down to write this October 28, which was Caleb's exact due date. I cannot believe 5 days have gone by since his birth day. 

Thursday, October 23, 2014 was a very early morning for Mommy and Daddy. Our alarms rang at 4:30am and we were checking into the hospital at 5:30am. Being induced with Connor gave us a little bit more of an idea of how the day would progress. I had incredible nurses and they started the pitocin at 6:45am after getting me all settled in Labor and Delivery room 4. I was lucky to have already come into the hospital at 3 cm dilated and 80% effaced. Around 9:00am  I had my water broken which was a little traumatic and completely different from with Connor (resulting in scratches on Caleb's head), but I also knew it would move things along. Boy did they move things along. Contractions are no joke! I really thought I would attempt to do this as naturally as possible, but being induced gives your body no room to progress naturally into things. By 9:45am I was ready for the epidural, which was interesting because I was having major contractions during the entire procedure. Around 11:00am I had a major drop in blood pressure, something they call the epidural blues. I have low blood pressure to begin with but when I started slurring my words I knew something was wrong and told Tim to check my reading, at that point it was 81/57. After more low readings the nurses put me on oxygen and gave me medicine to help my heart out. At about this time Connor made it to the hospital and I had to have the mask on over my face. I'm not sure that sat with him very well. I also had to spend my time laying on my left side. They attempted to roll me to the right so I wouldn't stay in the same position too long, but Caleb didn't respond well to that and back the left side I went.

Around 2:20pm I started feeling pressure much lower than my other contractions had felt. I told the nurse who decided to check things out. Sure enough, Caleb's head was discovered right away, and she ran off to find Dr. Suidmak who was in surgery there at the hospital already. He whisked in, put on his scrubs, instructed Tim to grab a leg, the nurse grabbed my other leg, and two pushes later at 2:37pm Caleb Guise Petersen entered the world. They placed all 7 pounds 10 ounces and 19 inches right on my chest and my heart fell in love with one more boy. After they cleaned him up I got a good solid hour of skin to skin with my little one.

Big Brother Connor has been smitten since he knew I was pregnant and had been anxiously awaiting the arrival of his little brother. When we spoke to him that morning before school his very first question was whether Caleb was there yet. The above picture is when he first met his new best friend. He still can't get enough. He wants to look at him, talk to him, touch him, and be involved with everything all the time. 

This cheering section was amazing and everyone helped make the day flow so smoothly.

Daddy also got special new footprints added to his Father's Day shirt, and it has been an object of pride since.

Caleb certainly looks like his Daddy, and yet there are moments he looks just like brand new Connor too. I can't wait to see how he changes over the next year and finds his look. He is absolutely beautiful.

After spending some time under the warmer to regulate his temperature everyone finally got a chance to hold him. Caleb had his eyes open and was taking everything in the entire time. Daddy got to hold him first, then grandma, though Connor immediately started to protest that it was his turn. So he was third, and Aunt Kaitlyn was fourth.

Boy did Connor love holding his little brother. Almost immediately he broke into "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and sang with such love and sweetness that the whole room stopped. Caleb perks up whenever he hears his big brother, even now Connor's singing will immediately soothe him. There is a bond for sure. When Connor was done he asked politely for someone to take the baby, and has continued to do the same thing each day when he holds him. I don't have to worry about a baby being thrown to the floor when the older sibling is "done". That's awesome!

I had to spend a little more time in L & D than expected because the epidural had pooled in my left leg and I didn't come out of it for a long time. I actually had to see the anesthesiologist 2 more times before they released me to a room. Caleb was awake and alert even during transport and was really taking it all in. I had an awesome private room on the 8th floor with a great view of our neighborhood, and were able to show Caleb where he was going to live before we were ever released to go home. It was an amazing first day. He latched well, and I was lucky I didn't have problems starting out this time around. Though no one had prepared me for the crazy contractions that come along with nursing your second child. Really, someone needed to warn me. Thank goodness for percocet. Connor spent a good portion of the day with us and I am so blessed that Grandma Glenda could then take him to her house for bed time, or to him, a special sleepover with Aunt Kaitlyn. When it was just Daddy, Mommy, and Caleb left in the room we couldn't believe our new little one was here. He is such a sweet and quiet boy, and yes, even slept during the night only waking to feed. Did you hear that? He slept!!!!! HE. SLEPT. What a great Birth Day!

Yee-Haw: Connor the Kid is 4

 Last Saturday started out as a beautiful morning, perfect for a special little boy's 4th birthday! As soon as he awoke, Connor was out of his bedroom screaming "I'm 4! I'm 4! I'm 4!" I'm sure he was excited about his party too, since he has been telling everyone from the cashier at Publix to all of his friends about his cowboy party, bu at that moment he was just excited to finally be four years old! We of course decorated the hallway and his door opening with streamers and balloons like last year, and the little man was having fun playing with all of it. Daddy and I then were up and at 'em to start putting all of the things for his fun party together. Uncle Casey made another awesome invitation this year, and even made me some others signs to use with the games and activities.

 We had cowboy hats, scarves, sheriff badges, and ponies for all of the kids that were coming to the party. The menu was simple and I got the idea off of pinterest of course. There was no way we were going crazy with food considering how close it is to Caleb being here.

The kids had fun panning for gold, roping the mustang, and especially shooting the tin cans. I'm not sure what was the biggest hit, but I saw all of the areas occupied very consistently. 

 The backyard in all of its glory before the sun was high in the sky!

I had also purchased masks and wanted posters for a photobooth aread. I cut out the middles of the posters and used spray adhesive to attach them to cardboard. They were perfect! My school just recycled them for their Fall Harvest photo area.

 We had to include Caleb in his big brother's birthday!

 Of course the main event was the ponies!!!! When you ask Connor what his favorite part of the whole day was, he will tell you how much fun the ponies were. The company that we hired was wonderful and really made Connor feel super special. He rode over and over again, including the first and last ride of the day. They allowed him to lead himself with the rope, and even let him feed the ponies watermelon by hand. Connor was on cloud nine!

 It was a special day for Connor boy, and made even more so by the people who were there. Even Uncle Casey flew home! There were about 12 kids who came, and the giggles and fun spilling out of our backyard was a great sound!

 It was a tad on the sunny side to say the least. Ok, maybe it got a little warm. Ok, maybe everyone was finding the closest form of shade, but it didn't seem to deter the kids from running all over the place and having a blast.

 I designed his pull apart cupcake cake with Publix, and wasn't really sure what I was going to get, but Connor was happy with his horseshoe cake. The kids also had a blast taking turns hitting the boot pinata and they sat around on the bales of hay under the shade umbrellas to open up presents.

 After the guests went home we moved inside to open the family presents. Connor was beyond ecstatic with all of his gifts from friends and family alike. We had a present explosion in our living room for the past week, and we are only now starting to find places for everything.

 We spent the evening at Chuck E. Cheese and even the big kids had fun trying to make the most tickets off of just one token.

I cannot believe my little baby boy is now a big 4 year old. The time has flown by and I am in even more awe that we are preparing to do it all over again. Connor is going to be such a great big brother. I can't wait to see these two grow up together. I pray for their relationship daily, and I know our family is going to be blessed by these two, it already has been.