When You Were Born

By the time you arrived at 10:15 pm on that Friday night, it had been a long day (two days really).  You were in no hurry to come out into the world.  After being induced and a long labor and pushing, you still wanted to stay put.  Eventually the Drs decided it was in everyone's best interest for me to have a c-section.

As the nurses got everything ready and they wheeled me to the OR, I was very tired, nervous and so anxious to see you and know that you were healthy.  Once everyone was ready and Daddy had made it to my side, you were out so quickly.  They wrapped you up and Daddy walked over to see you - you were so calm in those first moments after your birth.

Daddy got to hold you first since the Drs were still working on Mommy than you were back in your tiny bed and Daddy went to the recovery room to tell your Grandparents that you were here and that you were perfect.

It was so quiet in the OR at that point.  The Drs had finished their work and the nurses got Mommy ready to go back to the room, I didn't even know that you were still there.  Just as I was ready to be wheeled out, they brought you to me and I held you for the first time.  Even now 4+ years later I can remember that moment as if it just happened.  I was overjoyed to hold you close and see your cute little nose and tiny fingers.

We spent the next few days in the hospital getting to know each other.  We took lots of pictures because we thought that you were the cutest little baby we had ever seen.

We took the first pictures of our new little family.

We dressed you up for the first time just to take more pictures.  You are even wearing a pink barette in your hair.

We held you lots, it was rare that you were in your little bed and not being held by Mommy, Daddy or one of the visitors who came to meet you.

On the morning that we packed up and got you ready to go home, we were so happy that you were our little girl.

After the time we spent snuggling you and gazing at your cuteness and wondering what we ever did without you, it was clear that we had fallen completely in love with you.

My (little bit) Big Girl

Sometimes I look at her and I am amazed at how quickly she is changing and growing up. 

She plays by herself for longer stretches of time - emerging from her craft table with fabulous masterpieces - or appearing in fantastic dress-up attire - or sitting quietly playing her leapster.

She is watching "real movies" - movies with people.  During the week that school was closed for snow she watched The Princess Diaries I and II.  Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune are quickly becoming a favorite part of her evening - she yells letters at the TV and is very pleased if they call that letter next.  Can I watch one more puzzle before bed...

She takes showers instead of baths at night - a huge time saver and so much easier for me.  I squeeze shower gel into the puff and she washes herself and is starting to do a better job of washing her own hair.

After months of being dry at night in a pull-up, she started sleeping in panties last month.  We didn't pressure her to make the switch because she sleeps really well at night and is usually asleep for 11-12 hours.

After almost 2 years of not letting me doing anything but brush her hair in the morning, she is finally letting me style it.  And she was very excited when I bought new barrettes and ponytail holders this week.

When she wakes up in the morning, she brushes her teeth and gets herself dressed before she comes downstairs.

She loves helping in the kitchen for short streches of time - measuring and mixing ingredients

And maybe, she might not be mad at me anymore about Ruslan and Wyatt and the attention that they get from me that used to be entirely reserved for her.  Afterall, she kinda loves being a big sister.

The Dentist

I hate going to the dentist.  Not in the normal way that people just don't like going, it's bigger than that.  I had a bad experience as a child.  And now on the days leading up to a dental check-up I feel sick and dread every moment that takes me closer to that time.  The first time I went to the dentist in Cranberry when I lived in that area, it wasn't good.  When I left, she gave me a prescription for Valium and said that I needed to take it before every appointment.  I did and it helped a little bit.

Given my history I really wanted Juliana's first trip to the dentist to be a positive experience.  I made an appointment at a pediatric dentist recommended by a friend (Dentistry for kids - Monroeville, they have other offices in the area as well).  In advance we talked in general terms about what to expect and explained that everyone would be very nice.

The staff was wonderful.  On the way back to the chair we stopped to visit the fish tank and then she had time to look around the room and watch another little girl having her teeth cleaned.  She hopped up in the chair, picked out sunglasses to wear and payed close attention as each tool was explained to her.  She did great!  At one point she was asked a question and I could see the look in her eyes - how am I supposed to answer you while you have your fingers in my mouth.

She sat perfectly still for the x-rays and even had a fluoride treatment - they had 10 different flavors of the fluoride - she selected cotton candy (after her bubble gum flavored tooth paste).

She left with 4 Princess stickers and lip gloss as a prize for being so good and she excited about going back!

Juliana and Ruslan

Early on it was clear that Wyatt was Juliana's favorite brother.  She told me that Ruslan was my baby and Wyatt was her baby.  Recently she is just as interested in Ruslan.

Pigtails

As I was brushing Juliana's hair this morning, I realized how long it is now.  We keep it shorter for a number of reasons - it doesn't get in her face (especially while eating), there are less tangles to carefully remove each morning, and because she won't let me do anything with it.  So this morning I asked her if she wanted pigatils and she said yes!  I moved quickly before she could change her mind and after I was done she told me she was keeping them in her hair all day.

These pictures reminded me of the first time she wore pigtails, just past her 2nd birthday.  For a few months, I have lots of pictures of her in pigtails, but not any since.

I have a scrapbook page with these photos that says: "Pigtails - just one of the many little reasons I wanted to have a girl.  Some of the others - tea parties, dress-up, sparkle shoes, dance, princesses, dolls, shopping..."

My wishes came true with this little girl because she loves all of those things.

Disney Day #6

Wednesday was our last full day at Disney World.  This was our 3rd time staying at the Pop Century Resort and although the buses to most of the Parks are very efficient, we forgot how long the buses to the Animal Kingdom take.  We waited a very long time.  Combine that with the fact that it was a very hot and much too humid day and it was not a great day for the Animal Kingdom.  Once we arrived we decided to focus on the most important stuff first in case we didn't stay long.  Juliana went with my mom to the Lion King show which she loved 2 years ago and loved it again this time.  While they were at the show, I went straight to the Safari to get Fast Passes and then to Everest.  Using the single-rider line I was able to ride 5 times in 30 minutes.  Then I met Juliana and mom back at the Safari entrance.  While we were "on safari", it was obvious that Juliana was too tired and we were all hot so we decided to head back to the hotel.

We ate lunch and then Juliana and I went swimming in the big pool.  Even in her swim vest, she was very nervous in the water.  She held on to me tight as I swam and bounced in the pool and eventually she started to get brave.  She stayed next to me holding on and than little by little she started navigating herself.  Every few minutes she would get out of the pool to dry off her face (baby steps in the water) and then she would jump right back in for more swimming.

The swimming break was just what Juliana needed, she was in a much better mood after that.  We showered and headed to the Magic Kingdom.  We were on a mission to see the only characters Juliana really wanted to see and had missed so far in our trip - The Fairies, especially Tinkerbell. 

While my mom went to twke care of some important shopping - the fake hair Juliana had requested from Santa - Juliana and I went for a ride on the speedway.  She was so excited that she was going to get to drive the car - I was in charge of the gas pedal and she was supposed to steer.  After a few minutes she decided that it was to hard to steer so she quit.

We needed a snack before our dinner reservation and we decided that a funnel cake was the perfect early evening snack.

We left the Magic Kindom and walked to the Contemporary Resort for our dinner at Chef Mickey's.  Juliana was getting so tired that this meal was not as much fun as it should have been. 

We made it back to the bus stop before the fireworks started so we didn't have a long wait for a bus.  We got back to the hotel and started packing.

Thursday morning we finished packing, ate breakfast and then checked our bags for our flight at the hotel - this was such a great service.  It was pouring rain and even though we had a few hours before we needed to go to the airport, we would have been soaked if we went to a Park.  S instead we went to a nearby shopping area and then had lunch before driving to the airport.

Trying to imagine going back with 3 kids next time...

Disney Day #5

Tuesday was also my friend Sarah's birthday and we spent the day at Epcot.  Our first stop was getting a FastPass for Soarin' so we could come back later and not have to wait in line.  Juliana was started to get nervous about new rides so we didn't want to wait in line and give her any extra time to panic.  Then we went to the VIP Center for Siemens at Spaceship Earth.  We had a drink and relaxed for a few minutes (it was already getting hot out) and then we walked on the ride from the special back entrance - no waiting! 

We were also given a Express Pass for Test Track while we were at the VIP Center, so we headed there next.  And once agin we walked right on without waiting in line. 

Then it was time for our Soarin' FastPasses so we rode that and to my surprise Juliana loved it!  There was one loud part that scared her, other than that she was very excited that we got FastPasses to come back later.  After a morning of rides and no lines we were having a good time.  Then it was time for our lunch reservation in Norway with Princesses Belle, Aurora, Ariel, Cinderella and Snow White. Juliana took advantage of a few minutes wait to play in the dirt before our Royal lunch.  Juliana posed herself in these pictures, we were cracking up at her positions and expressions.

The food was much better than I expected it to be and Sarah got a birthday treat and a card signed by all of the Princesses.

From Norway we walked through the World Showcase.  At each country they had a kid's center with markers and a shaped tag.  At the first stop, Juliana got a mask and started coloring it and then at each country we would find the stop and get a tag to add to her mask.  There were stamps that could be added at each of the countries and they wrote her name in Chinese on the mask when we stopped in China.  It was a great way to keep her entertained along the way.  That and she was riding in the stroller so she didn't have to walk.

At one point, Mickey and his pals appeared and Juliana was right there when they lined up.  So she quickly ran to Mickey and we took pictures with all of the characters without waiting.

Santa and Mrs Claus were waiting for us in the United States pavilion.  And Santa couldn't stop himself from laughing when Juliana announced that she wanted fake hair for Christmas.

We also stopped for treats along the way.  Lemoncello and Champagne for Sarah and I - it was a birthday celebration afterall...  And of course a break for pastries in France.

Canada was the last stop and Juliana spent some time working on the finishing touches of her mask and she invited a boy to come and talk to her.

We went back to Soarin' and Juliana had a great time again and told everyone that was her favorite ride at Disney.  Then we went on the Energy ride (Juliana was scared throughout most of it) and left the Park asit was getting dark.  We went back to the hotel, had dinner and Juliana went swimming in the kiddie pool.  Then it was time to wash all of the Princess glitter out of her hair and go to bed.