Lev's birth story (part 1)

Dietrich cuddles his baby brother on "labor day."

Today is baby Lev's two-week birthday! I'm going to celebrate by remembering how he came into the world.

Two weeks ago yesterday, I hopped out of bed at 7 a.m. after dreaming about contractions. Sure enough, they were real -- but infrequent, coming every 20 minutes. Still, I happily went about my morning activities, sure that May 27 was the day.

The fact that I felt really happy was an answer to prayer, as the morning before, I had experienced a bit of a panic attack when thinking about the birth. Though the logical part of me realized that the panic was probably the result of a rush of hormones, and probably even signaled that Lev's birth was imminent, the emotional part of me was distraught and fearful. I asked two close friends and Eric to pray, and I find it not at all insignificant that less than 24 hours later, I was chipper and excited to be in labor.

So. Contractions. Every 20 minutes. Until they stopped a couple of hours later. Boo.

I read a bunch of midwifery books during this pregnancy, and not a one of them suggested that sitting at home on your tush is helpful for encouraging labor, so I decided to take Dietrich and the Oldenburgs out for ice cream. (Eric was at work.) About 30 minutes after we got Dietrich from preschool, the contractions returned -- 30 minutes apart. So heavily spaced that I didn't even admit they were real until 2 p.m., while enjoying my ice cream outside of McDonald's.

Despite the contractions, the day was rather mundane: We went to the store to buy ground beef for dinner, I checked the price on a changing pad, we rode the marshrutka home. All normal activities. This felt so natural to me, so much more natural than Dietrich's birthday, which we spent sitting in a hospital room, listening to the fetal monitor beep. An ordinary day was exactly what I'd hoped for. Plus, ice cream! With chocolate sauce!

And Lev awakes ...

Lev Eleos Oldenburg

Everything about Lev Eleos Oldenburg's arrival on May 28 at 2:25 a.m. was just perfect. I had a hard time yesterday leaving the birthing clinic (with which I had previously had a rather hostile relationship), because it seems like a holy place to me now. I've delivered two babies there: Both times, God took such good care of us. Wow, are we blessed.

So many thoughts. But -- so many photos! Let's just go with photos for now. More here.


There's 7 pounds, 13 ounces, 53 centimeters of Lev in there.

39 weeks

I've been thinking all kinds of deep thoughts recently: Thankful thoughts (that we've made it this far; for God's mercy in giving us another little boy; that Dietrich will have a brother); bittersweet thoughts (because there are only a few days left of just-D-and-me); nervous thoughts (mostly about labor, exacerbated by my doctor's recent comment that my eight-hour first labor was "long"); calming thoughts (so peaceful to be in my own home, living my normal life while awaiting this birth). But when I look at this picture, all I can think is ...



... it's time for a haircut. The last time I cut my hair, I wasn't even pregnant yet!

38 weeks

Big ol' baby ...



... grown mostly on hot chocolate and this salad. Ukrainian salads tend to have official names and recipes (not just lettuce with whatever's in the fridge). My friend Oksana named this one "Desires of a Pregnant Lady." It's spinach, apples, dried cranberries, feta and honey-mustard dressing. I'm basically an addict, though I imagine this addiction will pass on or around May 28.







In other news, we took advantage of yesterday's sudden rainstorm to do some puddle-jumping. I've been waiting for rain so that I could don my new rubber boots. Oh, I love them so. I wore them a bit in the snow, but they're way cuter with a skirt than with winter duds.

Also helping us pass the time while we wait for the baby: Lots of holidays (Victory Day was today), lots of cooking (stocking the freezer for easy post-baby dinner prep), lots of watching "Jungle Book," and lots of prenatal visits. Two coming up this week, including an ultrasound on Friday. Hoping for head-down!

Safer

To get into the courtyard of our building, we walk through an archway. At the entrance and exit, we frequently noticed shattered tiles, which had fallen from the building above. This is a view of our building from our bedroom window -- note the missing tiles:



We were always thankful that we never got hit by a falling chunk of building, but now we can walk a little more comfortably, since someone got smart and added these around the edges of the archway -- and they're already doing their job!

35 weeks ...

... and clearly impatient to add a living thing to our household. In the past week, I've planted basil seeds and a gerbera daisy, and bought a fish. So far, all are still alive. "What to Expect" doesn't mention this instinct, but I'm finding it just as powerful as the need to nest. If someone offered me a baby kitten right now, I'd be a goner. And I don't even particularly care for cats.

Easter-time's a comin'

Two days ago, I found out that Dietrich's preschool class would be putting on a show in honor of Easter. Also, that he needed a special shirt.

Yesterday, we went shirt shopping in the outdoor market. We found a lovely white shirt with blue Ukrainian stitching along the neck and wrists. He was a bit under-dressed, but still got lots of compliments on how Ukrainian he looked. (Other little boys were wearing matching shiny pants and thick, embroidered belts. One young lad even had a pistol tucked into the belt.)

This morning, we convinced a rather-reluctant Dietrich to actually participate in the show by bribing him with a new car. And at 11 a.m., we gathered in the back of a very, very warm room with about 30 other parents, watching our little darlings perform in their Ukrainian best. There were songs. There was dancing. There was an Easter-egg-dying demonstration. There were lots and lots of poems about Jesus' resurrection.

We were so proud of our little guy. He remained on the verge of tears for the whole 40-minute show, but he danced like a champ, and he made it through the whole thing. Later he told me his favorite part was seeing the flowers in the girls' hair. They did look lovely, I have to say.

Alas, my camera died just a couple of minutes into the show, so these will have to do.


Dietrich with a few of his classmates (pistol boy on the left) just before the show.


Dietrich had been spinning around the house for the last week or so, and he said he was learning his awesome moves at preschool. Turns out, his class dance included lots of spinning, plus holding hands, walking in a circle and shaking your hands in the air.


These little girls did a fairly complicated dance in which they interwove the long strips of cloth (I think they're table runners, but I'm not sure) that they are holding.


Notice the eggs and big loaf of bread decorating the back of the room where the kids performed? Well, this afternoon, the wonderful Lois Thorpe brought us a whole loaf of Paska, Ukrainian Easter bread. Yum!