Fun at Home

A video from a few minutes ago of the girls racing in the living room to Daddy.

Avery has now learned to count to two (but only in Spanish, much to Iain's delight). Audrey is a potty-using pro ... no more crying, no accidents, just smiles and laughter. Whoo-hoo!

Lael Scott McConnell

Lael was born on April 21 at 9:53pm, weighing 9 lb 3 oz and measuring 18 inches long. A few pictures below. The ones of the five of us were taken just as Iain and I were walking out the door to go to the hospital (don't worry, the mark on Avery's cheek is just some lipstick ... she needs someone besides me to teach her the proper application of makeup).





I'm putting some of the details here so that I don't forget them later. Feel free to stop reading here if this is more than you need ....=)

I went into labor just before 3pm (though it took me about an hour to figure out that I was having contractions and not just random stomach cramps). Iain was at work for a night flight so I called him to give him a head's-up and tell him I'd call him back if they got closer together (when I first called at 3:30, they were about 6 minutes apart and by the time I called him back at 4:30, they were about 2-3 minutes apart). When I called back, he was already on his way home (they decided to cancel the flight he was going to fly). My mom had gotten into town the night before (a trip that had been scheduled for over a month) so she stayed with the girls while Iain and I left for the hospital (including a stop through the Chick-Fil-A drive-thru so that Iain would have energy for the evening). =) By the time the doctors checked me around 6pm, I was 6cm dilated and they confirmed that I was in pre-term labor. Because Lael was in the breech position, they needed to check that the oncoming doctor wouldn't require a C-section (she didn't), and they thought that because he was 7 weeks early, he would be small and it would be a relatively quick labor and delivery. Meanwhile, at home, my mom put the girls to bed and then got to the hospital at about 8:15 (we had one friend come and stay with the girls while another drove her to the hospital), so it was really nice to have both Iain and my mom in the room when Lael was born at 9:53.

Because he was breech, his legs were born first and he was moving them around while I was delivering his tummy (which was quite large due to the amniotic fluid which had built up inside his bladder). Unfortunately, during the delivery of his abdomen, the umbilical cord was compressed and Lael passed away at some point during the last 20 minutes of pushing.

Immediately after delivery, they put Lael on my chest. Iain and I got to spend the next 6 hours with him, holding him, kissing him, talking to him, singing to him, telling him about his sisters and just loving him. It's time we wouldn't trade for anything.

Our little angel is beautiful and our hearts are broken because we will never be able to watch his first steps, see him play with Audrey and Avery, and hear his sweet voice. But I can imagine my own daddy rocking Lael to sleep and melting at his smiles. And we rejoice that he is playing at the feet of Jesus.

Disneyland

We went to Disneyland yesterday for my birthday. Both girls had a good time, but Audrey REALLY loved everything (except the Peter Pan ride, which she told us later that she didn't like seeing "the man in the crocodile's mouth"). She especially loved walking through the castle and meeting the princesses (as we were waiting in line, I asked her if she wanted to ask the princesses anything and without hesitating, she said "yes, we should ask them if we can sit on the ground in their house"). We got to talk to Ariel, Snow White and Cinderella, and at every one, she could not stop smiling (Avery, on the other hand, didn't want them to even look at her). Avery really loved the rocket ship orbiters in Tomorrowland (really just some little rocket ships going around in a circle that you can push higher or lower), and when the ride was over and I helped her out of the car, she ripped her hand away from mine and ran back to another car to try to get in (and then screamed when I told her we were finished). Here are a few videos and pix. None of them are really great, but it'll give you a flavor for the day.

Iain and I just kept saying how blessed we are and how much fun life is. By the way, the bonnet that Audrey is wearing is one that was mine when I was little!

Congratulations Iain!

Iain received his acceptance letter yesterday to George Washington University! He has applied to 3 schools for a grad program in International Affairs, starting this Fall. We're still waiting on word from the other 2 schools (both of which are expected in the next 3-4 weeks), but it's exciting to get news from the first.

Good job, honey! I love you!

The Big Easy ... and other things

We went to visit Uncle Brantley, Aunt Becki and Ava last week in New Orleans. We had a great time seeing them, especially my very smart niece!

Also a pic of the girls in some new clothes Mim sent them last week.

Avery's Words

Here's a sampling of some of Avery's new words. She learned "Elmo" yesterday.

Another Audrey-ism

When Iain and I got home yesterday in mid-afternoon after helping one of our former nannies get moved, Audrey was playing with our nanny (but what she was really supposed to be doing was sleeping). I asked her how her day was and what she had done after her ballet class. She told me a few things and then said "and then Paula asked me to get in bed but I wasn't 'aBailable' to take my nap and then I needed to watch a video."

She must not be related to me, because her mommy is ALWAYS abailable to take a nap!