Baby Birdies!

These pretty little baby mourning doves are probably about 3-5 days old here.  Actually, they really aren't all that pretty, but its been fun to watch them!  Mama is very protective right now.  We leave them alone unless she is gone from the nest...then we can't help but take a peak!



Lovey Dovey

A couple of weeks ago I bought a hanging plant for my back patio.  A few days later I noticed a lovey dovey sitting in the middle of it.  When I got close she flew away, but check out what she left behind!

Here is the mama bird that sits on the nest...

She used to get very upset and fly away every time we went out on the back porch, but now we are "cohabitating."  She sits quietly even if the kids play right under the flower plant and she even stays in her nest when I water the flowers.  She keeps her eyes on me, but I get as close at 10-12 inches from her and the nest without her flying away now. 

I'm super excited to see baby birdies hatching soon.

Baby Jax has arrived!

Once again the process of bringing a little life into this world was dramatic....but I am so glad this little bug has finally arrived! 

John Xavier Larson (Jax)
Born 9:27AM on Saturday, June 9, 2012
7lbs 10oz
18.5 inches long
St. Marien Klinikum, Amberg, Germany

I ended up in the hospital on Wednesday, June 6th with pregnancy induced hypertension and extreme swelling in my feet, legs and hands.  Its one of the signs of preeclampsia (which I had with Bella) so they admitted me and said I wasn't going home until the baby came via c-section on our scheduled date of June 19th. 

Talk about a stress case.  That was nearly 2 weeks in the hospital.  Who was going to take care of Bella!?  I think that stress caused me to worsen...because by Friday my doctor said the baby was coming early...at exactly 37 weeks...and they tentatively scheduled the c-section for Saturday morning 9:30AM on June 9th.

This is me saying goodbye to my belly on Friday night...

On Saturday morning they took me in for "monitoring" at 8:30....and once I got there was told it was actually prep for the surgery and they had moved my time up.  EEEEEK!  John wasn't there...nobody was there yet!  Within 10 minutes I was in the operating room and getting a spinal and I was a complete stress case.

The spinal wasn't working so they told me it was likely I'd be put under a general anesthesia.  The anesthesiologist told me to breath some air....the next thing I remember is gasping for breath, and asking what happened and where is my baby....

The "air" was the general and it knocked me out pretty quickly.  As a side note...waking up from a general anesthesia is A.W.F.U.L.  I would gladly NEVER experience that again.  Ugh. 

They took me to the ICU for recovery and I was there for nearly 4 hours before I finally got to meet Jax...I couldn't help it...I just cried when I finally got to hold him.

Apparently when I went under, my body reacted very badly to the general and my blood pressure skyrocketed.  When that happened it apparently caused Jax to become distressed and before you know it both of us were "critical."  They delivered him quickly...he wasn't breathing...a byproduct of the general anesthesia and the traumatic birth process...raced him to the baby NICU and thankfully got him taken care of quickly...Little man is PERFECT with all 10 fingers and toes and the cutest little mug....he did have low blood sugars, but that was quickly remedied and we didnt' have any other problems. 

John holding Jax just about an hour after birth...

Bella holding Jax for the first time after we got back to the hospital room...

Me and my baby boy after I returned from the ICU...

I still look drugged...and he is cherry red.  We found out later that his poor little extremeties were being deprived of oxygen because they put the bands around his hands and feet on too tight.

Of course the good news is that neither Jax nor I remember anything related to the actual delivery.  We were both passed out.  :)  And despite the experience were both able to heal and get moving around pretty quickly.  They released me to go home a week after I arrived in the hospital on Wednesday June 13th.  I was so excited to finally get back to my house, my bed, my little girl.....

Getting ready to go...Bella brought Jax his little Simba stuffy.

Bella pushing Jax in his little stroller around the hospital floor...

Bella also fed Jax his last little bottle before we left the hospital and headed home.  We wanted a content happy baby with a full belly for the 30 minute drive back to Vilseck.

Me and my babies...loving on my children.  I am a blessed mama.

The all-new extended Larson family.  Headed out from the hospital in just minutes!  Yeah!

Daddy carrying Jax in his car seat out of the hospital...

 Now that we're home we've had quite a fun time getting adjusted to having a baby around...

Bella drew this little picture of baby Jax and signed it.  We're not sure if thats all his hair or a little cap on his head.  :)

I am spending lots of time just loving on both my kids...

When he doesnt think anyone is looking we get random extreme cuteness...

He had his first bath and loved it...yes...that is his loving it face...

and he was dressed up like Elton John...

Overall, he is an absolute blessing and treasure...a little piece of heaven...just like his sister.  

Welcome home baby Jax!!!

Baby L has a cute little face!

Yesterday was my 30 week appointment for our little man...he is getting so big!...as evidenced by the cankles, belly protrudence and waddle walk.  :)  But...I was so excited to see that little mug shot yesterday it didn't even matter!

Look how cute he is! 

He had his foot up in front of his face with one hand wrapped around it the whole time.  We were lucky to get such clear 4D shots of his face...he normally won't cooperate at all with these ultrasounds. 

Just two months left...  Doctor and I talked about the birth process yesterday.  She is still not sure whether to just schedule a Csection or try natural...she said most of it depends on my blood pressure, evidence of any preeclampsia and my gestational diabetes.  As of yesterday I was a rockstar with BP...120/70 and no signs of preeclampsia...and the blood sugars are being managed...who knows what will happen with this little guy.

This pregnancy has been so different from my first.  This kid sits LOW in my belly...pummels my lower belly constantly...Bella was always stuck up under my ribs.  They were both kickers, but I have to say the lower they sit the worse it feels...he is super active...moving ALL the time...in fact last night I was awake for 3 hours from 12:30 until 3:30 because of his cartwheels and high kicks...maybe he'll be a dancer or a gymnast? 

Regardless....I'm so excited to meet him...its coming up soooo fast.  If this was my Bella pregnancy...I'd have a baby in just over a MONTH!  Eeeek!

A house with a view...

My backyard this evening was gloriously orange....i just had to sit and watch it for a bit.  Then I realized I was numb from head to toe and went back inside...but for just a few minutes I sat and watched something glorious.

Look, Mom!

A proud mommy moment...her first macaroni necklace.  **sniff sniff**

There is a reason...

There is a reason why Switzerland is considered one of the most beautiful countries in the world.  While on vacation we drove through Switzerland to get back to Germany.  The scenery was amazing...we simply could not get enough of it.

You may not be fully impressed with the photography.  I'm ok with that.  I've had my moment of acceptance that photography taken from a moving vehicle is not always going to capture the full "essence" of what you want, but that just makes these photos even MORE amazing to know you are getting really shoddy photos and yet still the view is breathtaking.

Like this mountain.  In the middle was a giant glacier.  I wish you could see it better, but you'll just have to take my word for it.

Oh wait...no you don't...

And once you got to the other side you could see the full extent of that glacier and the "change" it had caused on that mountainside.   It reminded me of a trip many years back when I went with my sister Sarah and my dad into an actual glacier high up on a Swiss Mountian...googling it...be back soon...

Dang...couldn't find it, but I remember it had this rickity bridge you walked over to get into the ice cave and then it was just this pristine almost neon blue color...absolutely amazing.

And here we have one of many "natural bridges" we drove through, under, over and around...

And after getting below this little tunnel look what was on the other side!

And if that wasn't enough waterfall you should know that you can see one about every 100 feet or so as you drive through the alps...

The Swiss, like the Germans are very very careful about the beautification of their space, homes..even the freeway coming into their towns...

Which from further away look more like this...

The color of this water made my teeth chatter.  Glacier runoff...there is no color quite like it in the crayola pack...

We rounded a corner and saw this amazing lake.  I just love the lone sailboat...

And last, but not least...a glimpse of what we drove on...check out these hairpin turns.  Did I mention John gets carsick?  muwahahahahaha....

And, just for a laugh...at least it was funny to a recently returned soldier from Afghanistan...we drove through this town and aren't they nice...a parking lot specifically for the Taliban.  :)

Until next time, lovely lovely Switzerland...