Daddy and Amelia Movie Date & Max newborn check up!

Dear Amelia and Max -
Yaya, you and Daddy went on a date Thursday morning to see the movie Lorax...you call it the Orange Movie. Daddy said you were a very good girl. You really enjoyed the movie!

Max, you had your newborn check up today! 

Here are your stats:

Weight: 7 lbs 6.5 ounces (down from 7 lbs 14 oz at birth) - 23.63 percentile

Length: 20.5" (somehow down from 21.5" at birth) - 65.25 percentile

Head: 14.25 (up from 14" at birth) - 46.41 percentile

Lets focus on the head for a second, your head is less than average size. DO YOU HEAR THAT?!!?!?!? A DIRKS/STEPHENS/GRADE without a HUGE head!!! YAY MAX!

Love,
Mom

Newborn comparison

Dear Amelia and Max -

Since the second Max was born, Daddy and I thought he looked just like a boy version of Amelia. 

Check it out...

Amelia Alixandra Dirks - October 30, 2008

 Maxwell August Dirks - March 24, 2012

Love,
Mom

Picture Alert!

Dear Amelia and Max -
Well, that labor was MUCH different from Amelia's. As a matter of fact, so was my pregnancy and after labor.

More details on the labor later but for now...some PICTURES!!

Right after Max joined us at 721pm last night. Showin off his muscles!

Papa Jim and Cookie were in the waiting room while Max arrived. You and Kiki headed over around 730pm. As you were coming down the hall, I could hear you saying "I gotta find my Mommy and Daddy" just hearing your voice brought me to tears. 

Cookie has much better pictures but here is my favorite so far. 

You weren't sure what to think at first but warmed up after a few minutes. 

Glamma, Cookie, Yaya, Kiki and Papa Jim left at about 845pm. Max received his first bath, so did I. We switched rooms and we were on our own! 

Max was a good sleeper - he ate at about midnight, 245a and then waited until 615a. His temperature has been a tiny low so he is currently down in the nursery being warmed under the light. He has also been spitting up a little amniotic fluid. The nurse said this is because of his fast delivery (GO ME! 21 minutes to be exact,) he didn't have a chance for the amniotic fluid to be squeezed out of him so he still has some in his lungs. Nothing to be concerned about. 

We are thinkin' the little man will have some visitors today - we are looking forward for Max to meet the people who are special to us!! Show him off of bit. 

Love,
Mom

Maxwell August Dirks...arrived at 7:21, weighs 7lbs 14 oz, and 21.5 inches long

Dear Amelia and Max:

Yaya is a big sister!!!!  He is here, handsome and healthy. Dark hair and we think brown eyes. Your Mommy is a champ…she only had to push for 20 minutes. Such a miracle!


Love,

Glamma.

Almost time to push......

Dear Amelia….


Well she is dilated to 10, but has a little lip on her cervix, just like she did when you were ready to come into the world. So they are going to let her “ripen” a little bit longer and then she can push. Yay! Your Mommy is doing such a good job and your Daddy is really helping your Mommy.

I just ran into your Papa Jim down in the lobby, awaiting your brother’s arrival….your Mommy sent me down there to get her a diet coke and some potato chips…to indulge in after your brother arrives of course. He is so sentimental…and shared with me a story about something he has always said to your Daddy since he was little….”You’re a good man, my boy” which of course made me get all teary-eyed. How wonderful that there is going to be another Dirks man in this world soon, that your Daddy can tell the same thing too.

You’re Mommy and Daddy, have great big hearts and they are just waiting for your little brother to arrive to fill them up even more. How blessed am I to be able to see my third grandchild enter this world. As your Great Grandma Floss says,” I am one lucky old broad.”

You are having a wonderful day with your Grandma Kiki...and I know she is anxious to bring you to the hospital to meet the little guy.

The next blog….will be when your brother arrives. Unless of course your Mommy does something funny.

Love,

Glamma

Cleopatra...please get me some grapes

Dear Amelia:


Your Mommy is funny. She is really hot so I was “fanning” her and without missing a beat, she asked me “to get her some grapes”. You are too little to understand why this was funny, but trust me it is. She is up, alert and sassy…just the way we like it.

More later….

Love,

Glamma

Resting...and snoring

Dear Amelia:


Your Mommy is still resting and while she is having contractions they are not quite as strong as they would like to see. They put a device on your little brother’s head, so they can monitor and determine how to adjust the Pitocin to make the contractions a little stronger. The doctors are feeling really good about how things are going…so no worries.

Your little brother will share a birthday with Payton Manning (assuming he is born today…your Mommy would kill me if she knew I said that…the “if he is born today” part), a famous quarterback for the Denver Broncos. Your Daddy, Uncle Doodie and Uncle Aldo were all football players too.  Or will he be a hockey player like your Daddy and Uncle Billy? I wonder if your little brother will be your BIG brother someday.

We will keep you posted on how things are progressing!

Love,
Glamma

Dear Amelia….


It’s Glamma again! Your Mommy is doing a great job. She is dilated to about a 7…good forward progress, but is getting more uncomfortable, so they just gave her a “little something” to take the edge off. She is resting a bit but I think your baby brother is making his move right now.   

How is your day going with Kiki, Uncle Doodie and Aunt Aubbie?  They just sent this adorable picture of you sleeping.  Such a big girl.  Do you know how many people love you? 

I wonder what this little guy will look like. Anyone want to make some bets about his weight, length or hair and eye color? If so, post your response and we will see who is closest.

Apparently whatever it is that they gave her worked because she is fast asleep.  She is snoring a tiny-bit. 

Lots of Love,

Glamma

Dear Amelia…..


Your Glamma has taken over the blogging responsibilities now…

Your Mommy and Daddy are doing just great. They have a wonderful nurse (Chris) and a great doctor named Dr. Welsh. She is progressing; and is now dilated to about a 4 and 80% effaced . They just broke her water. So in the words of Dr. Welsh, “things should start happening.”

We were just talking about when your Uncle Billy was born; your Mommy was your age exactly. I was telling her that when he was born, your Great Grandma Carmen brought your Mommy to the hospital to meet her new BRUDDER (as she called him) and she suddenly looked like she was such a big girl and I bet you will too when you come to meet the little guy.

I know you and your new brother will love each as much as your Mommy and Billy love each other. They have a very special relationship. Someday I will tell you the story about when your Mommy dumped her new baby brother out of his cradle. 

BTW…her alter-ego Phyllis just made a brief appearance.

Lots of Love,

Glamma

Pitocin

Dear Amelia -
I'm all hooked up to pitocin as of 930am...lets get this party started!

I hope you are having fun at dance class with Kiki.

Love,
Amelia

All checked in!

Dear Amelia -
Well, the call came at 557am to be at the hospital by 7am, Daddy called Kiki and she headed over. We got to Methodist at 7am exactly. We have a really nice nurse named Chris who has me hooked up and asked a bunch of questions. We haven't seen the doctor yet to come up with a plan of how this induction will happen...that should happen shortly.

Glamma is coming between 9-10a. More to come later. I asked Daddy to take a picture of me but I'm not looking that pretty this morning so we will skip that.

I had a hard time saying goodbye to you this morning...next time I see you, you will be a big sister!

Love,
Mom

Taylors Birthday Party + Other stuff

Dear Amelia -

Saturday was a busy today! First we headed to "dance cwass" and then went to Taylor's birthday at the Children's Museum downtown St Paul. Not only was Saturday St Patricks Day but there were about 1000 activities going on in St Paul. Traffic was crazy.

 You got to touch the name-less turtle.

 And make crafts with the birthday girl! 

 And put on funny masks. You wore the mask all the way to the car and moo'd the entire way.

 We had FABULOUS weather this weekend. Even broke out shorts and t-shirts!

 Yes, I'm still pregnant.

5 more days!!!!

Love,
Mom

Ice Skating and Baby Update

Dear Amelia -

Kiki sent over this video of you and Daddy from a few weeks ago ice skating...you are a natural. 

Speaking of skating...look at this sweet picture I found online of your Momma from my 1998-1999 hockey season. I was TERRIBLE but always had so much fun! Can you spot me? Front row, 4th from the left.

Now for a little baby update. I'm finally dilated (sorry for those of you who think that might be TMI) to just about 3cm along with being 50% effaced. My doctor had always talked about inducing me within the 39th week of pregnancy so we OFFICIALLY have an inducement date - next Saturday, March 24th! Yay!! Of course Glamma will be the official blogger for the day. I can't wait to see his sweet face!!!

Love,

Mom

Cankles

Dear Amelia -

I'll admit it, I am currently rockin' cankles. BIG TIME. 

The picture of the left was taken a couple of Sundays ago. I had stayed off my feet (you were at Glamma and Cookies) all Saturday and took this picture right away in the morning

The second picture was taken YESTERDAY after a Pedicure. I mean, seriously? Could it get any worse? Nasty.

 Hopefully this will be my last picture until the little man comes!!!

Love,

Mom

BFF's

Dear Amelia -

You have been such a Daddy's girl lately. You sit practically on top of him on the couch. I came to sit next to you and gave you a hug. You said "Nooooo. Daddy is my BEST FRIEND!"

So precious. 

Love,

Mommy

PS - I changed the look of the blog to a little less girly in preparation of your brothers arrival!