World Cup 2010

We have been thoroughly enjoying the World Cup this year.  There have been three to four games a day so we have had soccer on in the background pretty much the first half of each day.  I love seeing the enthusiasm of the fans.  It would be awesome to be in attendance.  I imagine the feeling is much like that found at the Olympics just hyped up about ten times with a ton more drunk people.  I wish soccer would be like this in the states.  It has come a long way stateside, but still has a long way to go.  Today the USA plays in the round of 16 and I can't wait.  It is so much more nerve racking to watch the knock out rounds.  Go USA!

Tade is sporting his USA kit and Seth is sporting his Manchester United kit.  We can root for more than one team right?

Coach Sheli

Two years ago Tade was involved with his first summer soccer camp.  It was through UK Elite, a British soccer camp.  All the coaches come over from the UK for the summer and put on camps in the area.  When we showed up for camp the first day the coaches asked the families to host them for the week.  I thought it would be fun to have them stay with us.  So we ended up hosting all three of the coaches running Tade's camp.  These three coaches, Sheli, Vicky, and Liam, were awesome.  We had so much fun with them and are still in contact with them.  Last week one of the coaches, Sheli, came back to the states on holiday for two weeks.  She is staying with another host family in Annapolis, but was able to come visit one afternoon and evening.  It was great seeing her.  The boys had so much fun visiting and playing the Wii with Sheli.  She was such a good sport.  Tade even put on his England kit for her visit.

Kindergarten Comes to a Close

About 9 months ago I couldn't believe I had a kindergartner.  Now I'm even more in shock thinking I have a first grader.  Tade is officially done with kindergarten.  He loved every minute of it.  Well every minute with exception of art.  For some reason he did not enjoy going to art class even though he loves doing art projects and crafts.  Tade ended his year having made some wonderful friends, getting an award for being an outstanding leader and friend (only 4 kids in the school got the award), reading at level 10 when level 4 is what's expected, and being well into first grade math.  It has been so easy being Tade's mom this year when is can to school.  Every morning I would drop him off.  As he walked into school he would always make sure to turn around and sign I love you.  Then when I picked him up he would get in the car with the biggest smile.  He loved being around friends all day.  Now on to first grade where he will make new friends and have new adventures.  I love you little man!

We did have an end of the year party. Instead the whole kindergarten does a beach day. They collected kiddie pools and water slides. Then they had an afternoon filled with crafts, water activities and popsicles.

Here is Tade with some of his buddies.  Kira and Sophie were his favorites.

To me he looks so much older in just 9 month,

but he's still just as goofy.

Freezer Jam

Every other year my mom makes strawberry freezer jam.  It is absolutely delicious.  Growing up we used to go with her to Butler's Orchard to pick the strawberries.  Picking was the best part of the whole process because as we picked the strawberries we also at them.  I know it probably took twice as long to fill of the flats, but it was great fun.  After picking we would head home where my mom would make the jam.  We make enough jam so we only have to do this every other year.  Two years ago we weren't able to get to the orchard so we bought strawberries from the store.  I must say it just wasn't the same.  The jam still tasted ok, but it just didn't look the was it does with the fresh ones from the field.  Anyway, this year we the year for jam again.  My mom and sister went to pick the strawberries.  I had a 9 day old so I opted to stay home.  I was able to help a little with the actual making the jam process.  The best part about that this year was Seth wanted to help also.  He was actually very excited.  I thought that excitement would be short lived after a couple turned of the grinder, but I was wrong.  Seth stayed the whole time and helped out.  He pretty much smooshed all the strawberries be himself.  I loved watching him involved in something I remember doing and loving as a child.

The Painful Entry

Two weeks ago today Andelyne Arris Wangberg made a speedy entry into this world.  I should have know that with all Andelyne was putting me through with the not so great pregnancy that she would also have to make a statement with her birth.  My due date was June 8.  With both Tade and Seth I was able to get induced a week early because the doctors said I could and I took them up on their offers.  So with Andelyne I wanted to be induced also because it had gone so smoothly the first two times.  I was scheduled for the induction Wednesday, June 2.  One day shy of the induction date about 4am Monday, June 1st I woke up with my stomach feeling "yucky" for lack of a better word.  We had just had a bunch of people over for a Memorial Day BBQ and I thought it was just my pregnant body trying to digest all the food I had eaten.  After a little while I noticed that the "yucky" feeling kept coming and going in regular increments.  Keep in mind that I was induced with the first two so I had never gone into labor on my own and didn't know what it felt like.  I guess that's what I get for cheating.  Anyway, I knew I wasn't going to be able to sleep so I started packing a bag for the hospital just in case this "yucky" feeling turned into something more.  Well about 4:30am the feeling went from "yucky" to cramps, but not painful ones.  So I went downstairs and started timing things.  These cramps, aka contractions, were 2 minutes apart, but only lasting about 30 seconds and were not really uncomfortable so I just sat there thinking and timing.  Just a little before 5am I decided to go wake Jake up and tell him I thought we might need to head to the hospital.  Then I called my doctor and he told me to go to the hospital to get checked by a nurse.  I went and woke my mom up to tell her we were leaving.  The hospital is only about 10 minutes away, but half way there things started to hurt.  Now I knew I was for sure having contractions.  By the time we got to the hospital I was definitely feeling the pain, but it was still very manageable.  Jake dropped my off and parked the car while I headed up to the maternity floor.  They handed me a clipboard with a few things to sign.  I sat down and in between contractions I was able to sign the forms.  On one of the forms I had to write the time.  At this point it was 5:31am.  Finally about 5:40am a nurse came with a wheelchair and took me back to triage.  They wanted to check to make sure I was really in labor.  The whole time I'm sure they were thinking I was just a wimpy pregnant lady who couldn't handle the pain.  I know that wasn't it because with Tade I didn't get the epidural until I was at a 7 and then I only got it because the nurses were bugging me so much about getting it.  Anyway, so I went back and she told me to get the hospital gown on and leave a urine sample.  All of a sudden these contractions stepped it up a notch.  I was in the bathroom with this hospital gown that wasn't put together.  There were snaps on the sleeves that were supposed to be snapped.  I was so frustrated at this point.  I was in pain and this gown was just one big sheet.  I couldn't figure out how to put it together with all the pain.  Seriously, they couldn't have assembled the gown for these pregnant ladies coming in?!  So after cringing many times in pain I finally got things together and headed back out to the bed.  The nurse checked me out and said she was having a hard time finding my cervix (sorry for the detail, but this is my journaling of the event).  I think she was causing as much pain at the contractions.  Finally she said, "oh you're dilated to a 10."  No wonder she couldn't find it.  Up to this point the nurse had been very casual bordering on caring less.  All of a sudden a sense of urgency kicked in.  She ran and got another nurse to check me.  This nurse said I was at an 8.  The thought in my head at this point was "there goes my epidural."  They went and called my doctor to let him know I was really in labor.  I was in such pain by now.  Then the nurse asked me to get up and walk across the hall to labor and delivery.  I got to the room about 5:58am or so.  I hadn't been sitting on the bed more than a minute or two when I had the most painful contraction of all causing my water to break.  This was immediately followed by the most incredible urge to push.  While this was going on they had managed to get a doctor in the room.  I was yelling that "it hurts, it hurts," then "it's coming I need to push."  The doctor had barely sat down and I pushed the head out.  Holy cow ladies.  Those of you who choose to do this naturally are insane!!!  Worse than the pain was the burn when her little head was coming.  I was only in pain for a total of about 20 minutes and that was more than enough.  After her head was out there was a little pain with the shoulder, but not much and at 6:02 am it was over.  It was so strange going from almost unbearable pain to nothing.  So with only 30 minutes at the hospital, 5 minutes in labor and delivery, and 1 push Andelyne Arris Wangberg entered this world at 6:02am without much warning, but with plenty of pain.  She weighed in at 8lb5oz and 21 inches long.  Of course I had to have my biggest baby naturally.

I am so glad we live close to a hospital.  Up until two weeks before this I was actually going to go to a hospital in Olney about 40 minutes away.  It was the hospital where Seth was born and I preferred it more than the close one.  My doctor convinced me to go check out Shady Grove because it had been redone.  He arranged for a tour so I went and ended up deciding it would be fine going to Shady Grove.  Good thing otherwise this baby would have been born in the car.

After Andelyne was born they told me I had group b strep.  For this you are supposed to get antibiotics four hours before giving birth.  That obviously didn't happen.  The doctors told me that she came so fast that I probably didn't need to worry about anything, but that they were running the blood work and would let me know.  I was a little nervous for most of the day, but in the end they said she was fine and had not contracted the infection.  Our little girl had come out healthy and is absolutely adorable.  She is definitely a girl with a little feminine mouth an nose.  She even had a little heart shaped tongue to add to her girlishness, but that was because she was tongue tied.  Last week we saw and ENT and had it clipped.

  

This is right after I had Andelyne.  I was so relieved it was over.  My hands were still hold onto the side of the bed.  I couldn't let go.  It was like my hands were stuck after gripping so hard.  My muscles were shaking every time I did try to move.

  

  

  

  

 Tade was so excited to have a little sister. He is so good with her. Seth on the other hand could have cared less. When he came to the hospital he just wanted to explore the room. It wasn't until a few days ago that he started to recognize Andelyne. That is when I saw the sweetest side of Seth come out. He would just come over and quietly sit with us on the couch. He would sit there watching his cartoon and just reach his hand out sideways and softly rub her head. It was seriously the sweetest thing ever.

It's no longer me and my boys, but I'm totally fine with that.  I need some pink and purple in my life.

Seth did finally come around and show some interest in his sister. 

Tade is still the most excited.  He always need to know where his sister is and freaks out if he forgets to kiss her goodnight.

My sad tongue tied baby.

  

  

 My sleeping girl.  It has been very strange and hard to use words like little girl, she, her, and sister.  I'm so used to boys, dudes, guys, he, him and your brother.

Welcome to the World

Andelyne Arris Wangberg joined us rather quickly
Tuesday, June 1 @ 6:02am.

The exciting story coming soon.

Memorial Day BBQ

Each Memorial Day we had a BBQ.  It's turning into an annual thing and is a ton of fun.  This year we had several families over for food, chatting, and games.  I was going to get induced two days after this and thought what a fun way to spend the time before the baby came.  Plus I would do anything to bring this baby faster.  Little did I know....to be continued.

Some of our awesome friends.  I just love it in this area.  There are so many great people to just sit around and laugh with.

Seth had the best time leading Anderson all over the place.  The got into anything and everything and had a wonderful time doing it.

The kids were entertained by the Wii most of the afternoon.  We didn't mind.  It was a holiday, kept things quiet and kept the kids cool from the nasty humidity weather outside.

After eating and chatting the grown ups played a game of the Great Dalmuti.  I pretty much stunk the whole game, but we all had a great time.  At the end of a fun day everyone was sad we all had to get up for school and work the next morning.  Three day weekends can be so wonderful and then so depressing at the same time.