You're looking well

On November 8, 2011 just six days after Noemia was born, my Grandpa Don passed away.  He is and will be greatly missed.  For those of you who knew him you will know that the world has lost an amazing man, and those who didn't I wish you could have.  He was an amazing man, who taught me how to love unconditionally and to accept all those around me.  I am forever grateful for his example to me and for his love.  He has missed my Grandma these last five years and I know he his happy to be with her once more.  I am sure he is up there telling jokes and making everyone's day a little brighter.  As he would say whenever you called him "you're looking well, and stay sober."   You're looking well Grandpa,  and until we meet again, All is well, all is well.  I love you!

Noemia Marie

Noemia Marie Dutra joined our family on November 2, 2011, and has every one of us wrapped around her finger.  She was named after Ze's Grandma who passed away when he was just two. Truthfully she had us wrapped around her finger long before she came, the boys started asking for a sister months before we even decided to have another baby.  She weighed 8lbs 1oz and was 19.5 inches (which for us was short).  My pregnancy with her compared to the boys was relatively easy, the hardest part was that Ze was traveling through the whole pregnancy and was pretty much gone the last three months.

My c-section was scheduled for 7:30 in the morning and we had to be at the hospital two hours early.  Since the hospital was 40 min away we decided to stay the night before in a hotel close by.  The night before we had the boys come down and swim at the hotel then my parents, my cousin Sarah and us went out to dinner.  During dinner I started having contractions, and they lasted through out the night.  I debated all night if we should go early but figured since we were going at the crack of dawn it wouldn't make a difference.  However, I spent all night contracting, and being sick.  It defiantly made any nervousness I had about having a c-section again leave, I just wanted it to be over.

The hospital staff was AMAZING! it was such a great experience.  I was so nervous to get the spinal block, because it was so painful with Gavin, and my nurses were horrible.  This time was totally different.  My anesthesiologist was wonderful.  Everything went great and I hardly felt it.  Unfortunately I was sick during the whole delivery, especially once they gave me the morphine for the pain.  I always have a little regret that I am unable to have normal deliveries and feel there is something missing sometimes.  I think this is because, during the surgery and after my blood pressure keeps dropping so I am not always quite there.  This time was no exception, as soon as they told me she was here and showed her to me, I kind of went out of it.  I remember them saying here she is, and all of the commenting on what a good sized baby she was and how beautiful she was.  Ze went with her to show her to the family and be checked out while they finished stitching me up.

To be honest I don't remember much of the rest of that day. I know that my family came to visit and were there  however I was very out of it the rest of the day.  I had a bad reaction to the morphine and continued to be sick throughout the day. So along, with the pain medication, and then the medication to help with the nausea, and the reaction I get to the anesthesia I was in and out of sleep and.

Ze stayed the night the first night, we were lucky to have been put in a room with two beds, so he had a bed to sleep in.  However, the poor guy was freezing, because I was hot (another side effect) and I had had the room turned down so low.  After the first night, he went and stayed in the hotel, and Noemia stayed in the nursery while she slept.

I was only in the hospital two days, we went home on Friday the 4th, which is Ze's and my Dad's birthday.  I am so grateful for my beautiful daughter.  I am grateful for a loving and supportive husband who not once complained that I chose a doctor who was 40 minutes from our house and who was so supportive and loving during all of this.  Noemia we love you, and you are a joy to have.

Gavin

Gavin turned 5 at the beginning of the month!  It just seems so unreal, that he is this old, and no longer the "baby" of the family.  He is full of personality and so much like his Dad.  He is in his second year of preschool, and has had a great teacher also.  I put him in a different school this year than last year, because this teacher really focuses on having them reading before they are done this year.  When I told Gavin this was why we switched school, he was VERY excited.  His first day of school when he got in the car, I asked him how was school, he said "well, I can't read yet, so not very good."  It took a couple weeks before he understood it wouldn't happen in one day. 

His birthday was on a Sunday this year, (I always hated it when mine were on a Sunday, so after church, everyone came up for dinner.  Once again my aunt and her family were all here, my grandparents, my sister, sister-in-law and of course my parents since we are at their house until we move this month.  Gavin wanted a chocolate cake, with chocolate ice cream so that is what he got.  However, he was worried about what Drake would have and wanted me to make brownies for him, since Drake doesn't like cake.  I think he had a fun birthday.  The only thing missing on both boys birthdays' was their Dad.  Unfortunately Ze was gone for both their birthdays.  On Drake's we were able to Face time on the ipads with him, however on Gavin's he was on a plane and we weren't able to. 

Gavin loves his computer games.  It is amazing how well he is able to maneuver on the computer, thankfully he likes playing games that encourage learning along with a few that don't.   Gavin is able to use his imagination in everything he does.  He doesn't need much to be entertained, and is constantly making up his own games and stories.  His little sister loves him!  From the first days at home, she has responded to him.  Sometimes when she is crying he is the only one who can distract her and get her to stop.  He also loves his big brother, many times his response in asked what he wants to do, or eat, he responds whatever Drake wants.  We love him, and are so grateful for him in our family.  He brings a special joy and light into our family and is always able to make you laugh.  

Drake

*Well, since it has been almost two years since I last updated, I am just going to start from today and go forth.  There is no way I could catch up on the last two years there has been so much.  So two years later here is where we are starting with Drake.*

Drake turned six at the end of last month! I can't believe how fast these last six years went by!  He is in kindergarten this year and loves it.  His teacher Mrs. Kagie is great, and he has made a lot of friends in class.  When I went into volunteer at this class, she told me that she had never seen a class respond to one student quite the way this class had.  She said that he is the leader of his class, and whatever he says to do they all do it.  She is sad to lose him when we move after Christmas, and he his sad to go.

Both boys birthdays were pretty low key this year.  I just wasn't quite up to anything more this year with all we have had going on the last two months since Noemia was born.  On their birthday's I always let them chose what they want to do for the day.  Drake wanted to go to Chik-fil-a for lunch before school, so my mom, aunt, and cousin met us at chik-fil-a for lunch, later my dad felt left out so he let him choose what he wanted for dinner, and he chose Panda Express.  After meeting all the family there, we came back to my parents house and opened gifts and he had brownies and ice cream.

As a joke, my cousin had told him that Justin Bieber was going to come to his party because he was here visiting.  (Drake loves music, and loves his music, but will no longer admit it because his dad has brainwashed him into thinking he is not cool)  So she went and bought a life size cut out of him, and walked it in, you can tell drake is trying not to smile and show he likes it.

Drake is our little protector and responsible big brother.  He LOVES LOVES his new little sister.  He is always checking on her and wanting to help feed her her bottle, give her her bath etc.  It is amazing to see how much he has grown in maturity over the last year.  He is able to make friends with kids all age, I constantly have the eight and nine year old neighbors knocking on my door to see if Drake can come and play.  He is learning to read and is constantly reading words as we drive around or as we read books together.  I am so proud of how much he helps and how much he loves his siblings.  Him and Gavin are still the best of friends and the worst of enemies at times.  He loves BYU football, and watched almost every game with my dad this last year.  He can't wait until next fall when he is old enough to start.