and i quote...

Lately, Ben has been saying a few things that crack me up. And it is the last story that made me decide to publish the first couple along with it.

Before Lydia was born, I gave Ben a briefing on how feeding the baby was going to go. We talked about breastfeeding and how mommies feed their babies this way. When Lydia arrived, he was watching ever so intently, and then rather bluntly said, "Lydia likes boobs." Not a tough concept to wrap your brain around, I guess.

For the last couple of weeks, Ben has been in our family bubble, enjoying Dad being home and having my MIL, Liz over. Rob and his mom did a great job attending to him and his social activities, but I still think he missed his friends. We were leaving base, and Ben started asking if he could have some friends over. So Rob begins the whole explanation of how babies are too young, and that their immune systems aren't fully developed. He explains to Ben how your immune systems fight off germs, and how all people have germs. Rob concludes, "So, Ben, we have to protect your baby sister from germs in the beginning."

Ben: "Well, can I have one germ over?"
Rob: (standard parental response) "Well, we'll just have to wait a little bit and see..."
Ben: (clearly not satisfied, especially considering he thinks he came to a good compromise with "one germ") "Well, Gram is here, and she's a germ..."

What can we say? Is there such a thing as family germs being OK over friend germs???

And last, but not least.

So, many of you know that fighter pilots refuse to use the word H-E-A-D. Yes, it's a little dumb, but they have so craftily thought of other words to use. So around the house, Ben knows his H-E-A-D to be a "nugget". And it just becomes a word so normal around the house, especially when your son has quite a knack for "bumping his nugget." Today we were eating lunch and he was remembering the other night when he bumped his head on the coffee table so hard that he had a bit of a goose egg. And as much as he has made a career out of hitting/bumping/falling on his head, I said, "Should we take him to the doctor?" (Rob ended up icing it and you could hardly see it the next morning.) Ben was asking me today why I suggested going to the doctor, and this is what he said: "Mom, why did you say I should go to the doctor when I bumped my (wait for it) fore-nugget?" A fore-NUGGET?! As if I couldn't believe it, I said, "Ben, what is a fore-nugget?" and he pointed to his forehead. I just had to laugh.

lydia's nursery.

Here are some photos of Lydia's nursery. She has not yet moved in yet ;). But the room did get completed (sans wall hangings) the day before she was born.

This is a gift from Elizabeth, who had a friend paint this wall hanging.

A dear friend, Wendy, painted these ones for me.

My mom sewed the bumper, and I sewed the rag quilt hanging on the back of the crib.

bakesgiving.

Tonight at Awana's Ben had to complete a project called "Bakesgiving", in which the dads and kids are supposed to bake a cake at home sans Mom. I really love baking, and the prettier the baked item is, the more curb appeal it has for me. So Ben chose to make a Gingerbread cake with Cranberry filling and Orange cream cheese frosting out of Paula Deen's Holiday Collector's magazine. For Ben it was the gingerbread cookies that circled the outside of the cake that made his decision clear. For me, I wasn't sure about the tastes, but the longer I thought about it, it sounded good. I love the orange-cranberry muffins at Starbucks, so I figured it might be a good one to try. I must also say that the boys did a great job, special kudos to the husband, since a 3 year old's attention span would not have baked the cake alone! Rob did a fantastic job, and Ben was a fantastic helper, who was very proud of the cake. Once Ben and his cake arrive at Awana's, it will be judged by some of the church members, and when we pick up Ben tonight there will be a small social for all the families involved. I can only imagine how much cake will be there tonight. Mmmm.

Here are a few pictures of the afternoon:

The masterminds at work...

Pretty much right out of the magazine, huh?!

Rob has been a super Mr. Mom to Ben, I truly couldn't ask for more. I will miss him when he goes to work for the whole day tomorrow. My parents are arriving on Wednesday, and are very ready to meet their second grandchild, Lydia.

star wars fans unite...because i don't get it.

Ben's Thanksgiving homework project:

to disguise turkey cutout as anything else to avoid being eaten on Thanksgiving Day.

Dad on baby leave:
to help keep up as Ben's social director while I am getting used to this two child thingie.

What does it all yield?
One happy little boy - who's favorite thing right now is Star Wars.

Apparently every one we have shown this project to understands the caption that reads: "this is not the turkey you are looking for." Something about Episode 4 and some weird Jedi mind trick thingie....?? Something about it being a "classic" scene that *everyone* knows...?

All I know is that Ben is loving dad time with soccer, baseball in the back yard (which he has been able to hit w/o a tee), school projects, and the upcoming event of baking a cake for Awanas this weekend, that apparently Moms are *not* allowed to help out on. Hmmm...maybe I could look up some yummy recipes for them, but somehow I feel that I would get in trouble with the husband.

lydia taylor brooks.

our little girl...

Our little girl is....here....beautiful.....brown... (something Jenny thought she would never get ;) )...has a full head of black hair....and so not in my belly anymore!  I will be uploading some photos soon.  But I wanted to let family and friends know that she decided to come on Monday, 3 Nov at 9:48 a.m.  My c-section was actually scheduled for this morning, but Lydia had other plans.  It was a quick morning that consisted of Rob leaving for work at 4:50 a.m., and I was somewhat awake when he left.  Most mornings in the last week, I had just felt like ick having mild contractions and discomfort, but Monday morning it felt more crampy and there was pain in my lower back.  From 5 - 6 a.m. I just lay in bed mentally taking note of number of contractions.  Counted 7, decided to just get ready and jump in the shower, finished putting bag together, grabbing a few things for Rob, yarn and book for me, and the rest of Lydia's bag.  Put a call in to the husband, because I knew it was unlikely that he would answer the phone the first time, while also doing a SOF upgrade.  Decided to call the hospital 40 miles away in Amory to see what they suggest to do.  Tylenol and lie down and count for another hour to see if it's just false labor.  After about 20 minutes, I realized they weren't going to go away and I wasn't going to sit around here and let things happen alone.  Put in another call to Rob, no answer.  Call a couple friends to outsource care for Ben and Rainey.  Thanks Shannon and Martha!  Call Rob again - apparently third time's a charm.  I tell him that I think he should come home now.  After getting in to the car, dropping off Ben at Shannon's - Rob made it to Amory (a typical 40 minute drive) in 24 minutes. Rob was quoted saying, "This is great!  I get to have a baby daughter today AND drive FAST."

Arrive to hospital.

Time hack: 8:24.  

8 cm dilated.

C-section prep.  

Lydia arrives via cesarean.  

Time hack: 9:48.  

Having had both a vaginal and c-section experience, I can honestly say there are pros and cons.  If you look at both in a textbook scenario, a vaginal is truly the way God made it to be.  But - how often is textbook the case?  In my situation, a textbook case was not feasible.  The c-section was quite surreal.  To have so many attendants attending to you and your care and safety is quite humbling.  You realize just how big a deal you and your unborn child are at that moment in time.  And it is quite odd knowing the way they are getting your baby out and not feeling it - well, other than the "tugging and pulling".  

We are so glad to be home, and enjoy Lydia.  It is just so amazing and perfect to see how God made us all so different, and loves us the same.  We truly feel loved by God knowing that he has blessed us with a second child.  

Here are Lydia Taylor Brooks' stats:

7 lbs, 3 oz

20.5 inches 

and Perfectly loved by God and her parents and big brother.

Much Love,

Jenny, Rob, Ben, Lydia, and Rainey