Aurora - Thirty Three Months

Connor's Birth Story

Connor Howard McCord was born Wednesday morning at 9:17am, just in time for Thanksgiving! He is 7 pounds 4 ounces and 19 inches long.

Nanny and Grumpa arrived Tuesday evening to celebrate Thanksgiving with us and to watch Aurora in case "the baby" decided to come over the holiday. We stayed up chatting for a while and then went to bed. I had very irregular contractions from about 3am until Matt and I decided to get up and shower around 6:30. I got in the shower and the intensity diminished but so did the amount of time in between. I think I went from having 45-60 second contractions to having 20-30 second contractions but all of the sudden I was only getting a 3 minute break in-between. Matt called the midwives and after listening to me through a contraction told us we should head their way. I was surprised to hear this since I still felt very much in control and the contractions were not as strong as they had been when we went to the birth center with Aurora.

Matt had taken Aurora down to Nanny and Grumpa when she woke up so I assumed everyone knew what was going on. However, when I went downstairs to get in the car Nanny looked up from the couch and said, "Oh, where are you off to?" Hah! Apparently Matt hadn't told them anything.

The drive to the midwives was more uncomfortable than I remember during my labor with Aurora. When we arrived at the midwives I was about 8.5cm dilated and quickly got in the tub. The contractions were coming super fast at this point and were really gaining in intensity. I think the only way to characterize this birth is fast and furious! I never got to the point of "I can't do this" with Aurora, but I definitely did this time.

Right before the birth there was a last minute gender vote. Matt and all the midwives said girl, but I knew better :) I had thought boy through most of the pregnancy, but was unsure towards the end. I carried the same as with Aurora so I started to think maybe girl. But as soon as I went into labor I was absolutely sure Connor was a boy! 

I didn't have to push very long, I would guess maybe 10 or 15 minutes. Then Connor was here! I think your Matt was a little shocked but so happy to have a son. He squeaked a little bit but settled right down with us to rest and try to nurse. After about an hour Matt cut Connor's cord and he was weighed and measured. I ate a little and got a bath. Then we were on our way home! Everything happened so fast that we almost beat Nanny, Grumpa and Aurora home from breakfast. By about 2:30 we were back home with Connor and I tucked in bed upstairs.

Aurora - Thirty Two Months

Aurora - Thirty One Months

Aurora - Thirty Months

Aurora - Twenty Nine Months

Aurora - Twenty Eight Months

You are starting to talk in real sentences! The first one I heard was after I asked you if you took a shower and you replied "yes, my Dada was in the shower too." Well alright ;) You have also started referring to yourself as "me" instead of just as Aurora.

You are totally diaper free! We have completely stopped using them at naps or night and it is going really well. We have been taking you to the potty before bed and then before we go to bed and that has been keeping you dry until the morning. Yay for no more diapers!

You and I have started taking walks around the apartment complex. I think it is really important to get both of us out walking more and not just having you ride in the stroller. These "Rora walks" are about a half mile and take probably a half hour to complete but you seem to really like them.

You are trying to walk up steps rather than putting one foot up and meeting it with the other.

You are still not napping. I had hoped that my taking all the toys out of your room you would sleep, but it didn't work. You only nap maybe 1-2 times a week and were getting pretty bored in there so we started giving you books to read which has definitely helped keep you occupied for "quiet time"

These days you are loving your marble run, beginner wooden pattern blocks, counting bears and of course your books. You are also starting to do some pretend play by putting your old cloth diaper covers on your stuffed animals and then taking them into the bedroom and putting them down for a nap. It's super cute to watch.

You adore an audience. We went to the hospital to see Tasha, Uncle Roger and Rod and you had everyone in a circle around you doing exactly what you wanted. I think I was crying from laughing so hard.

We went to Costa Rica with Nanny, Grumpa, Uncle Allent, Lala & Mason this month. You loved swimming in the pool and were getting very bold by putting your face all the way in the water. I love that you aren't scared of the water, but you clearly don't have any idea how dangerous it can be which makes me a little scared. Your Nanny brought you Sweetie which is a dancing mouse that sings "How sweet it is to be loved by you" and I think we heard the two of you belting it out about a million times that week :)

You enjoyed seeing the crabs, monkeys and cuatis while we were there. You loved telling and retelling the story about how a monkey came down to our pool and tried to take your shoes while you were with Grumpa but Grumpa scared him off and you said "No no no monkeys! That's mine!"