Happy Birthday, John

John turned 37 on May 30th! In celebration of this 30-something birthday, we went to celebrate with steak at Firebirds. Thankfully, our new baby, Ariana just slept through the dinner and we all could relax through the evening.

Perfect dinner out..a sleeping baby

Catching an unsuspecting Elise...she's in a phase where she doesn't want pictures taken.

A little help with the gift opening

Creme' Brulee cheesecake...yum!

Memorial Weekend 2011

Over Memorial weekend Paul & Jodi visited us in Charlotte. Curt had some tickets for the race in town, and so the family got to go and see the race. I opted to stay home with my two girls, because I wasn't sure a Nascar race was where I wanted to be with a 2 week old and 3 year old. John, my dad and Robbe were in the pits, and John captured some great shots during the event. Mom, Paul & Jodi got the VIP tickets and enjoyed an air conditioned booth with endless food for the afternoon.

Happy!

Curt at work

Nationwide #20 - Joey Logano

Joe Gibbs

Curt doing his calculations as Race Engineer

Charlotte Motor Speedway

Reviewing pictures from the race

Bright eyes

Rhubarb pie

When we find rhubarb in the store (which has only recently started happening more frequently) we try to buy as much as possible. It's kinda expensive, but for these mid-western natives, it is a must have in May. Paul tried some pie while they were visiting, and thought it wasn't too bad.

Just the girls

Brothers

New Normal: 2nd week at Home

We are so grateful to all our friends who have showered us with their love by bringing meals to us - this has been such a wonderful help! I feel like our days have been zooming by. At the end of each day I look back and say, well..John and I changed diapers, I fed the baby, we did laundry, helped Elise & ate...all repeatedly throughout the day - and this is all consuming. I am more tired this week as my sleep deficit continues to grow, and so here is a glance back at our second week at home in pictures:

Toes!

Tummy time

Feed me...

On our way to the last day of preschool this year

Our sweet Elise has grown up so much, and we see such a delightful, polite little girl. She attended her last morning of preschool on Thursday for this school year. Wow - the years truly do fly by!

New Normal: 1st week at Home

Sleeping like a baby

Our girls

Talking

Sisters

Happy Baby

1 week old

Happy Elise

Getting a little vitamin D

Rosebud

She just learned to throw a frisbee!

Time to go home...

We had wonderful staff to take care of us at the hospital, but there really is no place like home. The pediatrician cleared Ariana to go home, and so we opted to head home after a 24 hour stay following our delivery. We enjoyed a quiet morning in our hospital room on Sunday, May 15th & then we packed up and took home our new baby.

Ariana Rose - 1 day old

Taking home beautiful flowers along with our little Rosebud

Ready to go home

Waiting for our ride

Buckled in and ready

After an afternoon nap, my parents brought dinner over for the evening and Curt & Robbe stopped in to see Ariana. Now it's time to adjust to a new family of 4! John will take the next 2 weeks off to stay home. Even though we had to wait for this little girl to arrive, the timing really worked out great. My parents got home from their visit to MN to help with Elise; we got to take part in all the special activities at Elise's preschool; and we were in the hospital over the weekend so that my parents & John didn't have to use extra time off as well. God is good. Our hearts are full. Welcome to our home, Ariana - you are a gift we have prayed for & now rejoice at your arrival.

Introducing Ariana Rose Brandenburg

Once we got settled in our room at the hospital, we called Elise to see if she wanted to come and meet her new baby sister. She was eager to come to the hospital - and my parents said that she was just giddy on the ride to see us. On Friday night as they were awaiting news, Elise found an extra chocolate Easter bunny and asked if she could have it - and my mom said that once the baby was born, she could eat the bunny. When she woke up Saturday, she got the news that her new baby sister was born and her first response was, "Can I eat the chocolate bunny?" The chocolate bunny got to come along to the hospital, and she enjoyed it with us there.

Elise meets her new sister for the first time

Delighted to hold her little sister

First kiss

Meeting Grandpa Ron

Grandma June & her granddaughters

A Birth Day cake to celebrate Ariana's arrival

Enjoying her chocolate bunny

Holding uncle Curt's hand

The waiting is finally over...

On Friday, May 13th I had an 8:30am appointment at my doctor's office, and when she came in to see me she said, "What are you doing here? Why aren't you being induced today? Who saw you last?" I explained that I had just been in on Wednesday and had an ultrasound and my amniotic fluid was good, the placenta was still working properly and the baby's heartbeat was strong, and that I preferred to wait as long as there was no risk to myself or the baby. So - she promptly said, I will make you an appointment to come in Monday morning and we'll break your water and get your labor started.
Elise came with me, and we got home and decided to go for a walk to the duck pond and playground. It was a hot and sticky day already, and so on our way home we decided to pull out the pool and I would let Elise cool off with a litle dip in the pool.

Enjoying the tire swing

I made us some sandwiches for lunch and we sat out on the patio to enjoy. I got up to check on Elise in the pool and noticed that my skirt was wet...and I thought, I am sitting on the patio chair and I'm nowhere near the water, why is my skirt wet? Then, I looked under my chair and there was a huge wet spot, and I quickly concluded "OK, my water just broke." It was 1pm.  I called John and he said he was on his way home; next I called my mom at work & she said she was on her way to help with Elise. Then, I called the hospital to let them know & they said to come on in. I sent out a text, "my water just broke...and so it begins." It was finally time to have a baby.

Cooling off in the pool

Getting settled in our delivery room

We checked in to the hospital around 2:30pm, and got settled into our delivery room in the newly remodeled maternity ward. My L&D nurse at check-in was just delightful & she was so accommodating and good at making me feel comfortable. My contractions didn't really start getting regular until around 6pm. They also checked and I had no idea this happens sometimes, but I had a second membrane of water that they broke in the hospital. I was afraid that things would start getting really painful really quickly, so by 9pm I had my epidural & a pitocin drip and was feeling great. We dozed from 9:30pm - 2:30am, and labor was progressing, but slowly. At 2:30am, I was at 8cm, and had been laying on my side so the epidural can sometimes drain to one side with gravity, and I was feeling a lot more than I should have. I pumped on my epidural cord & by 3pm I was once again very numb and happy. Around 4am, we called my CNM, Jan Smith & got ready to meet our little girl. I pushed through 3 contractions and our second daughter, Ariana Rose arrived at 4:33am on Saturday, May 14th, 2011. She was 7lbs 11oz & 20.25" long. The waiting was finally over and our little girl was here! We are so grateful to God for a safe delivery and a healthy little girl.

Arrived on May 14th at 4:33am - 7 lbs 11 oz & 20.25"

New baby minutes old and very alert.

Adoring our sweet Ariana

First bath

Jan Smith, CNM - she delivered Ariana & is a gem!

Darling girl - she looks just like her big sister, Elise