I love my boys

Parker was born via c-section on May 1, 2010. He was due May 8, so he was exactly a week early. My blood pressure was on the high side throughout the pregnancy, but it was consistent. The last 2 weeks it climbed really high. The plan for his delivery kept changing with every doctor appointment.On April 29th, I had to see the doctor for a blood pressure check (I had already been in 2 days earlier, where we decided that we would probably have to do a c-section on May 3). The blood pressure was around 155/95. Normally they may have put me on bed rest, given me medication, and tried to hold out until I delivered. But with my history of not dilating, and not being anywhere close to dilating with this one, the doctor said that waiting around wouldn't be safe.The c-section was scheduled for Saturday, May 1. It was a breeze. Spencer's was an emergency c-section, and was absolutely miserable; I was down longer, the epidural hurt more, I had blood clotting issues, so they had to come in and check everything out every 30 minutes...everything was a hassle. It was so nice this time around, knowing exactly when I was going to the hospital, and exactly when he would be born. When I had Spence I went through 15 hours of labor before we decided to do a c-section. Initially, we were going to attempt a vaginal birth, because the more c-sections that you have - the more high risk your pregnancies become...and you pretty much have c-sections from there on out. But that didn't happen. Parker has been an awesome baby...he eats and sleeps:) That's a whole new world that we are not use too:) He must have a Pannell sleeping gene in him. He also (so far) has tolerated milk just fine. Spencer screamed the first 2 weeks he was alive from a milk intolerance. I can also put Parker down in a chair and get some stuff done. Spencer wouldn't have that either - everything I did - until Spencer could crawl - I did with Spencer in my arms. Parker is really making juggling 2 kids a lot easier on me. Spencer loves his brother. He loves helping me with him, and running and getting Parker his diapers...I think he likes it so much because if he's getting Parker's diaper it means that I'm not changing his. Spencer has also been very patient. He acts a little bit sad here and there, but will generally sit nicely and wait for me to finish with Parker before I can help him. So far Spencer hasn't acted jealous, or mad towards Parker, and loves talking to him. Parker is darker complected than Spencer. His hair looks light brown - but blonder at the roots. However, when the sun hits it, it looks really red. I think that it will grow in blond, or maybe strawberry blond, like Lindsey's. His complection is also very clear. He was born with a skin tag right next to his left ear....but Spencer (who must be related to his dad) managed to pick it off this morning. I left the room for 2 seconds, and Parker didn't make a sound. Later that day, the skin tag was really red - it was obvious that someone had messed with it - so I asked Spencer, and he was very honest in saying that he did in fact pick the skin tag. My Dad's birthday is exactly 1 week after Parker's, then Scott's birthday is exactly 1 week after my Dad's (and I believe that Scott's Dad's is exactly 2 weeks after Scott's). My parents took everyone out to a nice dinner to celebrate all of the May birthday's, Mother's Day, and my Mom's graduation (Master's degree), the day before Scott's birthday...so we didn't do much on Scott's actual birthday. He also had to work all day, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. For Scott's birthday we had planned on getting a new camp stove. We weren't thrilled with ours, and sold it, so we needed to get a new one before camping season. They are spendy little things, but we saved and bought a nice one that we really liked. It was basically his only present, due to the price...so working all day and one present doesn't make the most exciting birthday.

We did have an awesome cake however. It was a french vanilla cake, with a cheese cake type frosting, covered in fruit. Spencer loved the topping, it is about the only cake he will eat.Scott spent that evening playing Mario Kart Wii with Spencer - can't have much more fun than that:) Spencer is getting really good at Mario Kart...he actually makes his way around the track, and is on his 2nd or 3rd lap when Scott gets done...I think that means we need to limit the Wii time with Spence:)

While Scott was working, the rest of us spent his birthday outside. It was so warm that day, we went for a walk around a nature center and then to a park.