Getting Used To The New Addition

My grandson and granddaughter are having to make a lot of adjustments. They have a new baby brother and they are having to share their parent's attention with a newborn.

It's fun to watch the process. Seeing the little ones' curiosity with the baby. Watching how they see him work into the well oiled machine that is their home life.

Part of the reality of living in a big family is knowing that the world does not revolve around you. Your parents are responsible for more than just your needs and your desires. It's a tough lesson, but one that prepares you for life.

Will and Carolyn are fascinated with baby Charles. They react every time he cries and want to play with him when he's awake between feedings. And he seems to take all the attention very well. I think he's going to really like his brother and sister. They sure love him.

--Sandee Wagner

Welcome Charles!

A new baby brother was born yesterday afternoon. Dad wore his 'sympathy belly' t-shirt to the hospital, hoping to give the labor and delivery nurses a laugh. I'm sure they were entertained.

Will and Carolyn were so excited to finally get to meet the baby that mommy had been talking about. Charles was born 9 lbs, 8 oz and 20 inches long.

A big boy. And getting born is hard work, so when we went to the hospital, he slept the whole time.

Will passed the time playing games on his dad's iPhone. Every few minutes, he'd run over and check the bassinet to see if Charles' eyes were open. Every time the baby kicked his legs, Will was sure that he was finally waking up.

But Charles slept on.

Carolyn is a momma's girl and she was so excited to see her. Carolyn crawled up into the hospital bed to give her mom a kiss, then reassured, she inspected the whole room in great detail.

She charmed the nursing staff with her 'big sister' shirt that sparkled. She also tried very hard to say "Charles". It was adorable. Other than trying to poke him, she was very pleased with the new baby. I'm not sure if she realizes he's an actual boy and not a play toy yet. That will come with time.

Like all newborns, Charles was wrapped up tightly in blankets. A regular 'baby burrito' to quote my son. I couldn't wait to get my hands on him. Who made the rule about 'never bother a sleeping baby'? I want to smack them. Charles slept the whole time we were at the hospital and I never got to hold him at all.

Mom, dad and Charles are due back from the hospital today. I'm sure they'll be glad to sleep in their own beds and get some routine back into their lives. I'm hoping that I'll get a chance to cuddle that little bundle of joy.

The camera is prepped with new batteries and I'm all set to take some more pictures!

--Sandee Wagner

Anticipation

Well, it looks like tomorrow might be the day.

My DIL has been told to call the hospital at 0530 to verify that they have a labor and delivery room free for her before she heads up to the hospital to be induced. This is her third child and we are anticipating a regular birth. Both of her previous labors had to be induced. My son says that the kids hold on to handles in her uterus. Coaxing them out is the work of medical professionals.

The hospital is right down the road, and the doctors are close. All in all, a Wednesday during daylight hours after a full night's sleep seems like a perfect time to have a baby.

So, we'll welcome Charles Jacob Wagner into the family some time tomorrow. The kids cannot wait to meet their new baby brother!

I'm on babysitting detail, so I'll post pictures after they get back from the hospital. I'm sure we'll have time to take some wonderful shots of the darlings getting to know the new addition.

Also, on the home front, DH is house hunting in Dubai. He saw a house today that passes muster. He'll see another one tomorrow and probably make a decision pretty quickly. We want to settle in and 'feather our nest'.

Tomorrow is going to be a great day! I can't wait.

--Sandee Wagner

Como Park Zoo and Conservatory Trip

My DIL wanted to go to the Zoo and walk around since it was 40 degrees and sunshiny today. She's due this week, so what she wants, she gets.

We got up, ate some breakfast and drove to the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory. This little treasure has got to be why Minneapolis and St. Paul consistently rank in the top ten places to live on all the lifestyle polls.

It's a great zoo. And it's free.

This being the first week of April, not a lot of the animals were outside, but there were inside exhibits for most of the animals. It's a compact zoo, but about perfect size for taking small children.
We looked at monkeys, giraffes, zebras, and all kinds of fishes inside. Outside we saw tigers, polar bears, arctic foxes, reindeer and mountain goats.

Once we trolled past the animals, it was time to take a look inside the conservatory. Boy, was that a surprise! What a lovely treat. And the native Minnesotans were out in force to enjoy the greenery.
One of my favorite parts was called 'the sunken garden'. It was where most of the blooming flowers were and you just have to imagine how wonderful it smelled in there.

There is a water feature down the center of the formal garden with raised beds down both sides. The koi were swimming and a fountain bubbled away at the end. The combination of the sunny, warm atmosphere and the formality of the hardscape made it a gorgeous showcase for all the blooms.

Most of the flowers were ones I've seen in southern gardens, so I imagine they're a little harder to grow at this latitude. All of this beauty is provided to the people of MSP for just a donation! Amazing. For the amount of greenhouse I saw, I would expect to pay $10-$15 for entry into an exhibit like this. It was a pleasure to walk through the humid warmth and see all the lovely and exotic plants.

We had a wonderful visit and I think the kids liked it almost as much as I did!
I'm guessing that with a value like free/donation, they will be making the outing to the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory a regular trip for the family. I know I would. Apparently, MSP is filled with family friendly venues so this is one of many. I'm guessing that my family will find a bunch of other places to spend a glorious sunny day. But this one tops Grandee's list.

--Sandee Wagner