Annalisa

It seems like a lot of my posts lately have been about Annalisa.

That's ok, she's our very middle child and she deserves some special attention sometimes.

Her birthday was last week and it was such a busy week I'm just getting to it now.

We had to split her birthday celebrations up a bit because the day of her birthday had so much going on that we couldn't get out of.

Monday she got to have her special birthday breakfast (she chose cereal - Corn Flakes and Muffin Tops), and we went to the movie theater  (the whole family and it was a blast!!) to see Wreck-it Ralph.  Super cute!

Thursday was her actual birthday.
I picked her up early from school and we went to Cafe Rio for lunch.

Then much later in the evening we had her birthday dinner (pesto pasta and salad), dessert and presents!


I thought it would be fun to try and remember my kid's birth stories this year and blog about them.

Leandra has the first birthday of the year in our family, but I blogged about her when she was born, and I am so happy to have those thoughts recorded.

We lived in New Plymouth, ID when Annalisa was born (2002).

I had delivered 4 babies in the hospital (2 with no pain medication), and hated my doctor.  I was desperate to try something different so I chose the birthing center in Nampa (about a 45 minute drive).

I wasn't crazy about the long drive for every appointment but I really loved the staff and atmosphere of the birthing center.

Just like all my other babies before, I had to be helped a bit before Anna wanted to come.

Everything was pretty routine - went to birthing center and started herbs and walking.

After contractions got going doctor broke my water.

Then we had a little problem - meconium.

BUMMER!  That meant I couldn't deliver in the water - I was so anxious to try this time, but it wasn't meant to be.

Annalisa was a few days late, but since this was a new doctor she didn't trust that I knew my body.

I knew Anna was big and I should have been induced a few days early.

Anna's heart rate was all over the place so the doctor was getting anxious for her to come.

Luckily I am an expert at that part!

About a half hour after my water was broken Anna was on her way out - the doctor almost didn't make it (she didn't trust me like I said so when I told her I have my babies fast after my water breaks she still thought she had plenty of time....she left to go to the hospital and en route the nurse called telling her the baby was coming NOW!  She rushed back and didn't even have time to change into scrubs before she was catching Annalisa).

They suctioned out her mouth as soon as her head came out, and Annalisa never had a single problem!

The first time I looked at her I recognized her eyes - same as mine.
I also recognized her nose - it looked like one from my side of the family.
To this day she is the only one with a Johnson type nose.
She was so beautiful!

She was 9 pounds 2 ounces and had a ton of dark red hair.

She was perfectly awake for several hours after she was born.
Dave and I enjoyed watching her look into our eyes and spit her little tongue out.
I love having babies with no pain medication - not only am I more alert, but my babies are too!

Hard to believe it's been 11 years.

Love our Anna girl!


good things:
new vacuum that actually works
time to read
a long weekend