Audrey's Story

She's Here!
She's arrived, and she's beautiful!  Audrey May Bowden entered the world at 9:03 p.m. on Friday, November 26.  She weighed 8 lb 11 oz and was 20 in long.  Against all odds, she has lots of dark brown hair.  A gorgeous baby, if I do say so myself.

Her Birth Story
For those who've asked, I want to share her birth story.  I started contracting around 12:30 p.m. but thought maybe the Thanksgiving leftovers were to blame for the tummy trouble.  When things weren't getting better, even after a nap with Clara, I sent Aaron and Clara to the bookstore so I could get some peace to time the contractions.  When I saw they were 4-6 minutes apart, I called Aaron and told him we needed to head to the hospital. We finished packing, got Clara settled at our cousins' house, and parked the car at 7 :00 p.m

Well, when I told Audrey not to keep me waiting, she listened!  Things progressed very quickly, and I went from 1 cm to holding a baby in less than 2 totally surreal hours. I got a last-minute epidural but had to push before it kicked in.  Everything I learned in Lamaze class went out the window.  If you were in Torrance on Friday night (like anyone is) and heard a crazy woman alternately begging the Lord for mercy and cursing an anesthesiologist ("HE LIED!"), that was me.  Sorry if I scared you.

Her Name
As many of you know, I wasn't completely sure of a name the entire pregnancy.  We just knew Clara Anya was "Clara Anya" before we even knew we were having a girl.  With Audrey, I knew I loved the name, but wasn't sure it was her name until about a week and a half before her birthday.

Aaron and I agreed when we had kids that we would choose a first name that we simply loved, and we would choose a middle name that "means something to us."  I knew that this baby's first name should convey a peacefulness, and I had it narrowed down to Audrey and Eve, both of which sound so serene to me.  Aaron loved Audrey more, so that was the working title most of the pregnancy.

The middle name was tougher, because "means something" could mean anything!  The obvious choice is to choose a family member's name, so we picked Genevieve, my only non-living grandparent (and it had that "Eve" sound I like).  But, in the final weeks, I kept feeling like we should name her after me or Aaron somehow.  We considered Audrey Keane (her daddy's middle name) or Audrey Elizabeth (at a friend's suggestion), but decided to name her after both of us.  May is the month of both mine and Aaron's birthdays (see "Lovefest" post below).  And we were married in May, in Riviera Maya.


I love it.  It is absolutely perfect on her.  And when things get hairy here in this new stage of our family, I'll say Audrey's name and think of peace and my love for my daughters' daddy.

And so concludes the first of many one-handed blog posts.

I'm Back, Baby!

So, yeah, it's been a while.  I've spent the past six months being a kick-ass full time working pregnant mother of a 2 year old.  I visited family in Illinois, Nashville, and Pennsylvania with a toddler in tow (one who thinks she is the expert on making her way through LAX).  I cowgirled up when my husband was given five hours notice that he was to spend 20 of the next 30 days traveling with the rodeo while I was 7.5 months pregnant.  I conquered a severe flea infestation.  I made and froze our Thanksgiving dinner.  I gained 36 pounds and may have done a little shopping.

But now.  Now, I am on maternity leave.  Today is my first day to myself since my 30th birthday in May 2009.  A leisurely shower, a movie on the couch, a little more shopping, and here I am!

When Clara was on the way, I figured she would be late like most first babies, but she came a bit early and I had to start my maternity leave early (i.e.,  I worked late then 22 hours of labor, no break).  I expected the same this time around, since I'm finding it next to impossible to imagine my new little girl as anything other than Clara Part II.  But maybe not...maybe this one is a little more cooperative.  She hardly ever wakes me up with kicks, she stayed inside until Daddy met his big deadline, and she is letting Mommy have at least one day of restful alone time.  Bless your heart, baby girl.

But keep it short.  First of all, Nesting + Maternity Leave + Pre-Black Friday Coupons Pouring in my Inbox + Christmas Spirit = Recipe for Overspending While I Still Can (But Shouldn't).  Not to mention the more serious equation of  Sweet Tooth + Holiday Treats + Nobody Looking = Abnormal Glucose Test Results.

Anyway, I'm happy to be here at home over the next 11 weeks and plan to keep you all posted on the fascinating goings-on of the Bowden family as it grows to include, as Clara would say, "Three Princesses ... and Aaron."