Happy 5th Birthday Maleah Rose!!

Oh, what a week!  Maleah turned five years old on Monday.  She had a great birthday.  Here's look back at some pictures of her.  I have no idea why these old ones are so grainy.  Maybe it was the scanner or the old camera I had back then.  I don't know.

I can't believe it was five years ago that I had her.  I remember that day like it was yesterday.  I was sitting at my desk at work (I worked for my Aunt Lori at Farmer's Insurance) and I stood up to head to the restroom and as soon as I did I realized that my water broke.  So I hurried up and sat back down.  That didn't really help anything and within seconds everything around me was soaked - the chair, the floor, myself, everything!!  I was six weeks from my due date.  Lori helped me to the restroom and my Uncle Timmy (who worked in the other part of the building) was watching and asked if I wanted him to call Jason.  Within two minutes Jason and my mom were both there.  We headed to Effingham.  I knew the baby was early but I wasn't really that worried.  After I got to Effingham is when I got worried because Dr. Whightsel told me I had two choices.  I could deliver at Springfield or I could deliver at St. Louis.  He wouldn't deliver me because I was too early.  Sooo, I picked St. Louis because I knew my Aunt Cheryl (who lives over that way) could meet me there.  She had been a labor and delivery nurse and a lamaze instructor for a long time.  And I wanted her to be with me if she could.  They put me in an ambulance, flat on my back, with my legs from the knees down draped around an oxygen tank because my legs were so long there was no place else to put them.  I found out ambulances are made for short people and I think that is unfair.  I was very VERY uncomfortable for 2 hours.  I was having lots of contractions and had pretty much made up my mind that I was going to deliver in that ambulance.  The labor nurse who was supposed to be tracking my contractions was too busy flirting with the male EMT who was riding along.  I'm pretty sure he was gay.  Apparently she wasn't so sure.  If this would've been a sitcom, I would've sat up, obviously in agony, but still able to scream at her to shut up, quit talking about dinner plans, he's gay, quit wasting your time, and pay attention to ME!!  But, it wasn't a sitcom and I didn't say a word.  I arrived in St. Louis and actually wasn't as close to delivery as I thought.  But the nurses at St. John's Mercy made me much more comfortable and within a few more hours I was pushing out baby Maleah.  The worst part of the whole day wasn't the long hours of pushing her out but the ambulance ride.  I hope I never have to ride in another one again.  My Aunt Cheryl was able to meet me at the hospital and was there with me the whole time I was in labor.  She was a wonderful coach and without her I don't think I could've accomplished the natural childbirth I had.  It was a difficult delivery and I'm betting there was at least 35 people in the room watching.  Many were students.  Apparently I was the talk of the OB ward the next day.  How cool is that??  lol.  But it was all worth it and I'll never forget the second that Maleah was born and how loud she screamed.  She is still a very loud child.  My mom commented that there was nothing wrong with her lungs and she was right about that.  She did have to stay in the nicu for 9 days though.  She was so little that she had a hard time eating.  So she had a feeding tube but soon she learned to eat on her own and got rid of her jaundice and she came home.  The hardest day of my life was when we had to leave her in the hospital and we came home for a night to get clothes and stuff.  We headed back the next morning.  But still my heart was broken that I was leaving the hospital and didn't have a baby with me.  Jason started his new job at Newton when she was three days old.  So he couldn't stay with me in St. Louis.  But luckily my mom was able to get off of work and she stayed with me.  It was so exciting when we finally got to bring that little baby home!!

I'll get off my trip down memory lane now and bring you up to speed with what has happened this week.  Maleah had her skating party on Saturday and boy was that a lot of fun!!  A lot of friends and family were able to be there and most of them skated with her.  She is turning into such a good little skater.  I'm so proud of her!!  She had a beautiful cake that was super yummy too.  Jason's cousin Lora made it.  The kids all enjoyed the mini golf, the big slide, the games, and the bounce house at the skating rink too.  It was really the perfect place to have her party.  Maleah and her Daddy skated together too.  He and I decided to find out who was the faster skater.  I am sorry to admit that it was not me.   He beat me!!  This time anyway. 

Saturday morning before the party, my sorority put on their 2nd Annual Beta Sigma Phi-ve K and Half Marathon and I am proud to say that it was very successful.   We had lots of runners and quite a few more walkers this year.  We donate to families in need, support groups, and other local charities.  We try to keep all of our money in Clay County.  It was a great race!  My Mom walked and got 3rd in her age group.  Good job, Mom!!

Monday was Maleah's actual birthday and we ate dinner at my Mom and Dad's.  We had tacos, which is Maleah's favorite.   This weekend we're having a family party for Maleah and Carissa.  Maleah's birthday just seems to go on and on. 

Friday is Carissa's birthday.  I won't bore you with her birth story this week.  I'll save that for next week.  One a week may be all you can handle.  She is starting to cruise the furniture but hasn't taken any steps on her own without holding on to the couch or chair.  But it won't be long.  She had her one year check up and she is in the 22nd percentile for weight and the 60th percentile for height.  I think she is going to be tall and skinny like her sister.  Although when Maleah was one, she was kind of chubby.  Once she started catching up on weight, she packed it on.  She loved to eat.  Carissa, still not so much.  But she's getting there.  She's eaten more this week than last.  So that's good.

She is such a good little girl.  This week we've been walking Maleah to school and back and then walking to pick her up and back.  It's about six miles total.  So Carissa has been in the stroller a lot.  But she does good.   She's gotten frustrated a few times but that's usually on the way back when Maleah is riding with her.  Carissa actually grabbed a hold of Maleah's "Chloey Blanket" (named for cousin Chloey who made it for her, it is the one she sleeps with, naps with, etc.) and said "MINE!" very plainly.  That didn't go over so well.  I think she only said it to irk Maleah.  She's only one but she knows how to push her sister's buttons.  Maleah's reaction made Carissa laugh.  Here are a few cute new pics of Carissa. 
Here's a funny Maleah moment.  Her new favorite show is "Full House".  She told me today, in all seriousness, that she wished Daddy would get his hair done like Uncle Jesse's.  I relayed that message on to Jason.  He wasn't interested.  It's funny just picturing Jason with a long, dark, rock 'n roll kind of a hairdo though, isn't it?  There were a lot more funny stories I was going to tell you this week but it is late, I am tired, and I seriously can not think of any of them!  Sorry! 

Stay tuned next week to hear all about Carissa and her 1st birthday!!!