Christmas

Because Ansley is still so new, we decided not to travel to see family this Christmas.  My parents were supposed to come for a visit on my birthday and stay for the holiday, but unfortunately they were unable to.  Which meant that our new little family of four celebrated the day alone.  But it was nice to work on building our own traditions, starting with a really beautiful candlelight service on Christmas Eve at our church. We bought tamales at a local eatery for dinner that night to help create our New Mexico Christmas.  After Liam went to bed we stayed up and watched Christmas movies while we wrapped gifts. 

The next morning we took our time opening presents, drinking coffee and hot chocolate and enjoying the day. This was the first year that Liam actually started to "get" Christmas.  We spent lots of time differentiating the birth of Jesus and Santa Clause.  And last year he had absolutely no interest in actually opening gifts.  But this year was totally different and he had spent weeks asking to open the gifts that had accumulated under the tree.  I have to admit, we got a little lazy on Christmas night and opted for Chinese takeout instead of making our own meal. Here are some pictures of our day!

Posing with his new plasma car from the Martinez Grandparents.  The best part is that it can hold up to 220 pounds so Eric and I have both been riding it!

Liam is OBSESSED with Cars.  Many of his toys this year are centered around the movie. 

We bought Liam a mini air hockey table.  Eric and I actually got pretty competitive playing the night before Christmas!

Harmonica from the Pate Grandparents. I love on 30 Rock how Kenneth calls it a "mouth radio" so that I was I have been calling it.

Dado cubes.  Hours of fun!

Mommy and Ansley sans makeup

"Where's my loot?"

Awesome gift basket from Eric's parents.  It is all products from New Mexico including wines, cookies, salsas, etc. They wanted us to have a piece of home for the holidays.  It even came in an old apple crate from a farm in New Mexico that had been devastated by fire this year.  One of the best, most thought out gifts EVER!

Cars guitar from Grandma Becky and Grandpa Ron.  This was in addition to his harmonica and a little piano.  Let's just say that our house is filled with...joyful noise these days!

This and that

Here are a few shots from the past two weeks.

Grandpa Ron meeting Ansley

Ansley sleeping in her lamb swing.

One on one time with Liam at the park.  It is definitely difficult to balance giving attention to two kids with such different needs!

Playing soccer with Daddy.  Hopefully we can get him onto a team at the YMCA this spring.

Twinkies

I spy...

Eric's mom found an old Bearenstein Bears book "New Baby" where Brother Bear gets a new little sister!

Liam playing with a new nativity set from his Papa and Noni Hamby

Chillin' on a blanket

First bath. NOT loving it.

My mom had a layover in Dallas on her way to Puerto Rico, during which time she was able to meet us for a quick meet and greet with her first granddaughter.

Daddy acquiescing to the demands of a toddler to swing with him...on a toddler swing.

Grandpa Ron and Eric get in on the playground action.

3 generations of Pate Men swinging life away.

Enjoying the last few moments of daylight at the playground.

Abuelita

Abuelita meeting Liam during the summer of 2010.

Abuelita means "little grandma" in Spanish.  My mom's mother, Maria, is my Abuelita.  Some of you may know that my first name is Ermarie.  I was named for my two amazing grandmothers: Erma and Maria.  At a very young age my Abuelita, Maria, was widowed and left to raise three children by herself.  She never remarried.  She was a hard, tireless worker who did the best that she could give her kids everything they needed.  She raised my Mom to be courageous, outgoing, and above all, fiercely independent.  Because she lived in Puerto Rico where my Mom hails from, we only were able to see her about once a year.  I remember her to be quiet, but opinionated, have a great sense of humor, and love to cook for her family. 

My Abuelita passed away a few days ago, leaving behind three children, many grandchildren and great grandchildren.  She will be sorely missed by all those who loved her.  Yet, her suffering is at an end and it is through knowing that she has been reunited with all those who have gone before her that I find solace and hope. 

Where was I?

My days all blend together.  I sort of forgot how it is in the early days of having a newborn. While I don't quite feel like I have been hit by a train the way that I was when Liam was born, it is still a little disorienting.  Fortunately the past week and a half Ansley has been mostly sleeping and waking every few hours to feed.  She is starting to have longer periods of awake time.  She really is such a calm, sweet baby.  Liam is also starting to turn a corner and has finally acknowledged that he has a sister "Easley."  He will now come up to her when prompted and kiss her head.  Much better than the early days where he would yell, "NO!" and run away from her.  He also is trying to help us by throwing away her diapers, bringing her receiving blankets, and bringing her toys. 

I have decided to post a couple of details about Ansley's birth along with some pictures.  Mostly because I use this blog to document many things that have happened in our lives, and I am afraid if I wait too long I will forget these things and Ansley will be going to kindergarten.

Liam's birth was not a planned c-section and came after many hours of laboring with little success when my doctor told me that we needed to go another route.  I didn't have time to think about the c-section at the time and knew that it was needed for Liam's health.  This time around, my doctor told me that she felt that I was a better candidate for another c-section.  When they say "planned c-section" they mean planned c-section.  About two weeks before the scheduled procedure I received a letter from my hospital with a confirmation number and the date, time and location of the procedure.  I think I thought I would have a little more say in the date, but it is not exactly like booking dinner reservations.  However, at my last appointment before my c-section, my doctor discovered that I was already having consistent contractions and that was almost 5 cm dilated.  So my procedure was pushed up to the next day. 

I was a little bit in shock even though I knew that it was always a possibility.  I called Eric and my mother-in-law, who fortunately was already en route to Dallas to spend the weekend with us before I had the baby.  I went to the office and wrapped up...6 1/2 years of service in two hours and came home to....twiddle my thumbs.  Too late for anything really productive like Christmas shopping.  And forget trying to have a good night's sleep the night before you know that you are going to have a baby!

Friday morning Eric and I had to wake up at 3:30 am to be able to call the hospital at 4:30 am to "check-in."  Fortunately my good friend, Deanna, was able to come stay with Liam and get him to school that morning.  Then we had to make it to the hospital by 5:30 am to check into labor and delivery.  It was all very regimented.  I even walked to the operating table by myself.  In fact I think I have had oil changes that have taken longer than the whole process. At about 7:15 I was in surgery and everything after that is a little fuzzy.  During my spinal block I had a "wet tap" which caused some complications and prevented me from having an epidural.  I came down with a severe headache and nausea, the details of which I will spare you. The next thing I really remember is being in recovery and the nurses asking me if I wanted to feed Ansley.  I had to stay laying down for several hours until the headache went away.  

Later when we were taken to the hospital room which would be our home for the next few days, my mother-in-law arrived.  A little while later, a woman who looked remarkably like my sister-in-law, Jolyn, showed up.  It turned out that it was Jolyn and that she had woken up extra early with my niece, Holly and nephew, Sam, to make a marathon drive from Wichita, KS to be with us.  What a blessing to have family there for this.  Especially because Liam LOVES his cousins and it was nice to not worry about him feeling neglected during this whole period.  It also enabled Eric to stay with me every night at the hospital, knowing that Liam was in great hands. 

The recovery has been similar to my first c-section and we are trying to settle in as best as we can into what will become our new "normal." Now that I will be a stay-at-home mom, I will try to update the blog more, although it will probably be with the mundane details of our lives!

I needed at least one dramatic labor photo. 

Ansley makes her photo debut.

She weighed in a pound heavier than her big brother did at birth.

Average size head unlike her kinfolk.

Ansley meet Mama.  Mama meet Ansley.

Grandma Becky and Ansley

Cousins Holly and Sam and Aunt Jolyn

Liam, Holly and Sam.  The cousins have decided that it is time to stop calling Liam, "The baby Liam."

Proud Papa

Holly, Liam, Eric, Ansley and Sam

Beautiful flowers from Eric's Neiman Marcus family.

Liam meets Ansley for the first time.  He had more interest in the saltine crackers and rocking chair in my room.

Sweet moment between Daddy and Ansley.

Doing what she does best.  Snuggling and snoozing.

My kiddos!

Ansley Claire Pate

Ansley Claire Pate was born on December 2 at 7:52 a.m. via c-section.  She weighed 6 lbs 7 oz at the time of her birth.  We are settling back into our new routine since we came home from the hospital on Monday.  As soon as our schedule allows, I will post additional details and pictures.  But for now I wanted to at least show a few pictures of our sweet girl!  I think she looks more like her Daddy than she does me.  Liam is sort of indifferent to his new sister but I think that he is coming around.  More details to follow!

Goodbye. Hello.

The past year has been filled with many changes.  New job for Eric. New house. New baby.  But it also meant the end of several things that had been really important in our lives. 

The past few months Eric and I had been praying on whether I could stay home after Ansley came.  While Eric was supportive of whatever decision I made, I finally decided that staying at home was something that I had wanted for a very long time. But it is probably one of the scariest decisions that I have ever made!  I have all these fears that run through my mind, like what if I am bad at being a stay at home mom?  What if Liam is bored and I can't give both kids the right amount of attention? What if it is difficult to get back into the workforce?  What will our budget be like?  These are all probably completely normal concerns, but I have been having a unique mixture of anxiety, happiness, fear, and excitement about what the future will bring. 

The past six and a half years working for Congressman Johnson have been really wonderful. I am so blessed to have worked for someone so family oriented and so kind.  I agonized over giving my notice, partly because I was scared that I might not be making the right decision.  And partly because there are certain things about my job that I just love.  It also meant no turning back!  But as scary as it was, I know that it the right decision for this season in my life. 

Today was my last day of work.  It came a little too early.  Literally.  At my final doctors appointment today before the baby comes, my doctor told me that I am further along than I thought. Instead of having the baby next week, I will be having her tomorrow.  Which meant a mad dash back to the office to close up shop.  My wonderful coworkers all stepped in to help me clean up my office, purge old paperwork, carry out pictures, etc.  Everything happened so fast that I didn't get a chance to really think about it until I was clearing my desk for the last time. 

But when it was all done, I had to take one last picture of my office in the dark.  It seemed so strange.  No pictures on the wall.  No clutter on my desk.  Just the same as when I moved in all those years ago.  So tonight I really do have mixed feelings.  The end of one chapter in my life, and the start of something new.  Because tomorrow at this time I will be holding our baby girl and our lives will once again be changed forever.

Good night office.