Annada Marie Vergo

Follow our adventures with Annada AND Aragorn at http://family.marcandevangeline.com/.

We are so excited to meet our little boy.

This blog is soon to convert to Aragorn and Annada’s website, so I’ve decided they are already going to start sharing space. I know how quickly my memories of being pregnant with Annada faded, so I want to take a moment to write out what I am remembering now – the wonderful, strange and even rough.

1) My stomach clicks. Really. I checked in with my midwife about it and she doesn’t know why. I looked online and the best answer I could find is that Aragorn may be pushing out a rib and it clicks when it rubs the one next to it. It’s pretty loud, but doesn’t hurt.

2) Aragorn loves to kick when I lay down. Annada likes to lay against me when I am singing to her at night, so he kicks her in the back. She smiles and says he is saying hello. Marc likes to watch my belly jump around. He smiles too, already proud of his little boy. I love it.

3) Marc named Aragorn Marc Vergo. I named Annada Marie Vergo. (We both love the names.) Aragorn is the ranger-to-be-king in the Lord of the Rings. Tolkien made up the name. It roughly translates, “Priestly King.”

4) Overall, I feel great. Sometimes though my lower back swells and even bruises. It seems to happen on weeks my belly grows a lot (which is this month – no growth from week 20-36. 8 cm in the last 3 weeks!).

5) When I picture Aragorn, he has startling blue eyes. I’m curious to see what color his eyes really are.

6) Annada is convinced Aragorn is going to “fall out” in the night. Then she will hear him cry (because I will sleep through the event) and come get him and take him to her room where he will join the 30+ animals and baby dolls in bed with her (she calls it her nursery. The dolphin and caterpillar watch the babies for her when she is at school). She is particularly excited about potty training Aragorn.

7) I was so sick the first 4 months (like 7-8 times a day, some days I couldn’t keep water down). And I still feel nauseous until about 2 pm each day. But I haven’t actually been sick since the end of the 4th month. So I just ignore it and eat anyway. I would guess it has to be part of why I’ve had a hard time gaining weight, though.

8) I have had contractions about 1-2 times an hour since 28 weeks. I was the same with Annada. I’m curious to see if I have another fast labor. (Annada was less than 2 hours from start to finish.) Or as Taylor says, “I either have the longest labor or the shortest – depends on how you want to count it.”

9) About 2 weeks ago I had contractions about 6 minutes apart for 4 hours in the night. They were strong enough I couldn’t sleep but not nearly as strong as when Annada was born. So we stayed home. But I was SOOOO happy. Beforehand I didn’t know how I would react when labor started. But when I thought I might be meeting Aragorn that night I woke up and literally danced for a few minutes at 1 am. The rush didn’t wear off until the next night – I was totally awake and excited about how real everything was all day.

10) I admit, it is hard to believe I could love someone as much as Annada. I can only imagine it must be amazing.

A new braid Marc is learning.

Marc and Annada have a new hobby – hair braiding. They love to watch YouTube videos on different types of braids and then Marc tries them on Annada. He is getting really good. I get compliments on her hair all the time, but the truth is, Marc does her hair more often than I do.

This is all part of the “Marc-is-my-hero” aspect of pregnancy. Back in those first months when I felt AWFUL Marc started getting up with Annada, bringing me something small to eat and letting me ease into the day. Somewhere along the way he decided his part in helping Aragorn grow is to get up with Annada and let me get up slowly. I am incredibly grateful. Marc is a great dad.

We had lunch together at Sweet Mamas (chocolate chip pancakes, of course) and then headed out to play. I’m taking advantage of this time before Aragorn comes :).

Cooking food for me and the babies.

Annada spent about 2 hours caring for the babies and cooking them lunch. She is ALL about babies right now. And she is 100% convinced Aragorn is coming tomorrow. She’s right about so many things, it is unnerving. We will see…

After Peanuts Playhouse closed, Annada and I got treats at Sonic and sat outside to talk while we drank them. Annada is such a joy to be around.

Our good friends, Don and Debbie, hosted Annada for a sleepover Friday so Marc and I could have a “babymoon.” It was great to get away for a night and we had a blast – a vintage hotel, live Jazz, a 2.5 hour dinner that would make any foodie jealous, sleeping in and farmer’s market. Ahhhhh….

Saturday Aunt Debbie took Annada strawberry picking. We just finished the last strawberries today. They were so good!

Annada had a blast. When she got home Saturday evening she prayed that Aunt Debbie would “make a good choice and have another sleepover soon.” I am so grateful for friends who love on our daughter.

Annada and Aunt Debbie

After strawberry picking, Annada and Aunt Debbie took a picnic to the playground.

It’s more fun with your hands up!

Annada ran in her first 5K today with Daddy. When I picked them up she looked exhausted. But Annada told me she wants to do it again with me.

Ready to go!

It sounds like a success – she alternated running at full speed with riding on Daddy’s back. And she raced another little girl (a couple years older). Just when Annada caught the girl, she looked over to celebrate and… wham! She ran into a tree.

She skinned her knee. It was well worth it though, because security was high at the race (due to Boston) and a police woman fixed Annada up with a bandaid and a Care Bear. It’s a stuffed green Care Bear. And it was clearly worth the pain.

Plus Annada got a cookie in her sandwich box afterward (this girl LOVES sugar – just look at her eyes). I think she’s sold on 5Ks :).

When I told Annada Easter was coming, her reaction surprised me.

“I want to make you breakfast in bed!” she yelled out, jumping up and down in excitement.

We make each other breakfast in bed for birthdays and Mothers’/Fathers’ Day, but I had never even thought about Annada making Marc and I breakfast in bed. While my first thought was how impractical that was, I couldn’t look at her excitement without seeing how beautiful her heart was. I’m pretty sure when I was a kid I thought more about my Easter basket than how to love on my parents.

I even explained to Annada that when she woke up there would be a trail of eggs leading to her Easter basket – a basket with new toys and candy. Annada was quite excited about it. But she was bubbling over with joy over her idea, “I’ll go get my basket while you eat breakfast!” she said.

So that afternoon Annada and I planned out a menu of things that she could prepare. We went shopping together and bought fresh fruit, cheese and juice boxes. Annada started working on something at her art desk she wouldn’t let me see. Once when I walked in her room unannounced she yelled out, “Mom! I’m making decorations. Shut the door!”

The night before Easter Annada asked Daddy to get the breakfast and bed tray and put it next to our bed. She and I cut and washed the fruit, cut the cheese and put the plates, napkins and juice she had picked out together in a bag in the fridge.

We put the eggs out leading her to her Easter basket. I was curious what would win out in the morning.

The next morning I heard “Eggs!” as Annada began collecting the ones at her door. A minute or so later, though, I heard her run down the stairs. Marc and I sat up and smiled. Pretty soon she came bursting in with our breakfast and a cheerful “Happy Easter!”

She put the bag on the ground and pulled the tray up on to the bed. It was hard, but she did not want us to help. Then she opened the bag and set each place. Then she got each food item and carefully made each plate. Last she ran to her room to bring us each an Easter card and a package of art she had created for us each.

Only after we opened our gifts and started eating did she resume hunting for her basket. After she opened it, she joined us for breakfast. Best Easter morning ever.

We’ve been working hard getting Annada’s new room set up (Aragorn gets her old room). At first Annada had a lot of concern about switching beds. She’d happily sleep in the new bed (which is a bunk bed) if someone was sleeping below her (like Aunt Erica or Meme). But when it was just her, she’d switch back and forth.

Until… she discovered that she could fit ALL of her stuffed animals in the twin size bed. When I first saw her bed covered in a mound of 30+ stuffed animals/baby dolls I said no way. Without thinking it through I told Annada, “You don’t even fit in the bed! You have to be able to lay flat and comfortably or the animals go.”

Well, Annada immediately climbed up there and began very carefully arranging each animal and baby doll in her “nursery”. She found a way that each one could lay flat, have a blanket and still leave just enough room for her to nest in.

It reminds me of when she was a baby. She always loved sleeping either in my arms or in an infant rocker. It didn’t have to swing, it just needed to cuddle her on the sides. She also wanted to be swaddled with one arm out. When she got older, she slept pressed against the rails of the crib so that she woke up each morning with a mark on her forehead.

Even now she sleeps wrapped in a blanket with one arm out. If I cover her up in her sleep, the arm shoots back out right away. (An awful lot like she was in the womb too – one arm up).

So there is something extra sweet to me when I see her surrounded by animals, covered up, arm free, sleeping like… well, a baby.

Annada has been giving us a lot of dance shows lately. This morning she planned one out with Daddy. When I can down for breakfast she asked me to sit on the couch to be the audience for the ballet.

She hid under a blanket as he danced around and then stumbled on a “rock.” When he bumped the rock, the rock fairy came out and danced for a long time.

Then Daddy sat down on the couch and pretended to be a princess trapped in a tower (he really is the best dad ever). Only the rock fairy could save him. He let down a special red rope Annada had made for the performance and the rock fairy freed him.

They danced with joy.

Then the rock fairy ran off, leaving the princess (Marc) to dance in despair (not so much dancing happened once she was around the corner, but that’s our secret). A couple of minutes later the rock fairy came back with a horse for them to ride away on. And again they danced for joy.

When the show was done, I clapped for them. Then Annada ran down the hall and called out that the actress was available for pictures in the lobby. So, of course I had to get one :).

And please don’t mistake her for a butterfly. That is very offensive. She is a fairy.

Annada has no mercy for sleeping a sleeping Daddy :). Luckily for me, she knows wrestling is off-limits until Aragorn is born. But how can I sleep with all this joyful laughter?

Annada is carefully testing toys to pick out the best one to give Aragorn on the day he is born.

She picked out a duck that shakes when you pull a string. After we got home, we wrapped it in cellophane and Annada picked ribbons to decorate the package. Then we put it in the pile of stuff we are going to take to the Birth Place. Annada really wants to bake a cake for Aragorn’s birthday and then put the present on top for him. I am so grateful that she is already starting to love her brother.

One of my favorite ways she is kind to Aragorn is by “petting” him. At one of my appointments she saw a poster of healthy ways for mom’s to be to sit or lay down. One is cross-legged with my hands on my belly. When Annada saw it, she lit up. “You can pet Aragorn!” she said. So now, before bed, she likes me to sit like that while both of us rub my belly.

Annada also likes to lean on me when we talk or read stories in bed at night. Aragorn tends to kick at anything that pushes on him (like a seat belt or the bed when I lay down). So he often goes nuts on Annada’s back. It makes me giggle but Annada smiles and says, “Aragorn is just saying hi, Mommy.”

Annada had a picnic at school today. She was really looking forward to it. She brought cookies, plates and her two princess baby dolls.

Friends are becoming a very serious part of life for Annada. No longer does she play side-by-side, but she becomes quite attached to the people she calls friends. She’s loyal to the end (which has led to some tears) and we are trying to help her understand that it is good to have lots of friends and let her friends play with other people.

Fortunately, our neighborhood is full of amazing kids. Even though most are older than Annada, they love on her and play with her. It’s not unusual for 4-5 kids to come to the house asking if Annada can come out and play.

For her part, Annada LOVES to feed her friends and make them presents. The week she made gingerbread men (think cake pops in the shape of gingerbread men) to give away. Then she runs to the playground to find kids to share with. The neighborhood kids are quick – when they see Annada walk out with a plate of something they come running.

My Friends Warm Me Up

Last week Marc was out of town so I asked Annada to think of something fun she would like to do. She said she would like to have a tea party. So we planned a party.

After getting ready and baking orange rolls we headed out to find some girls to invite over. I was hoping for about 3 girls. Well, we ended up with nine as word got out and kids kept showing up at our door (after 9 I started saying no – there were only 9 rolls). It was really fun. And some of the kids even ran home to find something to bring. We ended up having more of a full dinner than just tea.

After eating, all the kids went into Annada’s special room under the stairs. If you have seen the room, you know that required people sitting on other people. The kids made sure Annada had a spot but after about 10 minutes Annada left and went up stairs. I watched her on the monitor just mess around in her room while everyone else played downstairs.

After about 15 minutes I went up after her.

“Annada, do you want the kids to leave?” I asked. I though maybe she had enough.

“No!” Annada burst out.

“You aren’t even playing with them. Why do you want them here?” I asked.

“When it is just you and me I get cold,” Annada replied. “But my friends warm me up.”

This was the most kid-firendly wedding I have ever attended. It was great. All the kids were invited to be a part of a parade before the Bryn walked the aisle. Annada was so excited to get to be in the wedding. She took her role very seriously.

I always love it when Annada is cuddly!

They had a movie and coloring for the kids during the reception, but Annada never even checked it out. The moment the music started playing she was out on the dance floor… without me!

We had just gotten food and I was hungry, but I watched as she danced her heart out and found new partners for every dance. It is amazing how much she had grown up – she doesn’t just jump around anymore. She was dancing with the best of them :).

20 minutes in I noticed she was down to one shoe. The other sandal had literally spilt in half because she was dancing so hard.

She danced the whole time, only stopping to eat wedding cake. (Once I ate, I was out there too. I know Annada comes by her love for dancing naturally.)

I think we were quite a pair, the pregnant lady and the 4-year-old prima. (And 2 days later, I could stand up again with feeling like my hips would spilt.) The only time Annada reminded me she wasn’t a 20-somthing was during the Cupid Shuffle. She couldn’t quite get the whole dance and would get frustrated every time she turned the wrong way.

One of the sweetest moments of the night came as Annada was eating cake. She’d danced several hours non-stop and she was holding up her head with her hand. She looked like at any moment she would fall asleep and face plant into the cake. But even with her eyes half open, her shoulders were bobbing up and down to the beat.

The upside to feeling sick is all the cuddles :).

Sunday and Monday I was not feeling well. My guess is that Annada wasn’t feeling great either, but she’s got to have at least the flu to stay in bed.

I, however, crawled in bed Monday afternoon and stayed there. Annada joined me for a movie before bed and then I fell asleep. Usually I do “cuddle and talk time” before she goes to bed, but Marc wouldn’t let her wake me up. Right after he left her room, she came out saying she needed to “make my goal.”

Every night after I put her in bed she runs out of her room saying she needs to “make her goal” which is to give me one last hug. I wait by her door, hug her and she goes to bed. I know she’s stalling, but hey, I get one more hug!

So right before going to sleep yesterday she ran into my room, jumped up on my bed and gave me a kiss. I expected her to head to bed then, but she turned and put her arms around my belly. “Dear God, please heal my Mommy’s tummy,” she said.

This morning I woke up feeling better. So I when I came downstairs I told her.

“I prayed for you all night,” she replied.

Every night before bed I tell Annada I have something important to tell her. They I say, “God made you on purpose and with purpose. He loves you with a never-giving up, unbreakable, always and forever love. And I love you too, just the way you are. You are a blessing and a gift and I am so glad you are my daughter.”

It’s become part of the routine, so if I forget Annada tells me to say the “important words.”

Last night as I was putting Annada to bed she said she wanted to sing to the baby. So she put her head on my tummy and sang a song. Then she rubbed my belly and said, “God died. He loves you. You are important.”

“I told the baby his important words,” she told me.

The Ballet Queen dances wherever she goes.

As I opened my eyes Annada put her face right up to mine, “Wake up mommy,” she said softly.

Then she held up some butterfly wings for me to take. “I am Strawberry Kate, the ballet queen,” she continued. “Here is a gift from the ballet queen – your angel wings. You are an angel and your name is Anna.”

I’m seeing Jennie Joseph for my prenatal care, a woman who should be deemed a saint one day. Several years ago Jennie determined to see any woman who showed up at her clinic regardless of finances, despite almost going into bankruptcy several times. She sees paying patients roughly 2 days a week and loves on moms-to-be 7 days a week. Many of those women have never had prenatal care before.

Plus the women’s hospital in Orlando frequently calls her when women show up in labor without any family or support, sometimes without speaking a word of English either. Jennie and as many volunteers as she can find get translators on skype and hold these precious women’s hands as they welcome their babies.

Even though Jennie has delivered thousands of babies, she cried when Annada was born. Somehow every baby and mom is precious to her. It’s worth going to my appointments just for the smile and hug I get when I show up. Geesh. Did I mention she should be up for sainthood?

I took Annada for my an appointment a few weeks ago. When I asked Jennie if that would be okay she said, “Oh goodness yes, I love my junior midwives.” So I told Annada she could be my junior midwife, something Annada took very seriously. When we got ready to go Annada made sure to bring her stethoscope.

When we showed up the waiting room Annada’s eyes lit up when she saw the dolls, wraps and books for her to play with. “They do like kids here,” she told me.

When Jennie came, she taught Annada to do everything she did, including listen and record the baby’s heartbeat (using a Doppler, the stethoscope was just used because Annada brought it). Jennie beamed the whole time, calling Annada one of “my babies.”

Later that day Annada told me we didn’t need to see Jennie anymore, she could be my midwife. “When the baby comes I will get a basket and put something really soft in it to catch the baby,” she said.

Learning to skate

My theory is that Floridians overcompensate for the lack of snow at Christmas. Lights, fake snow, 4 real skating rinks, about 12 versions of the Nutcracker, zillions of Christmas parties… we celebrate!

We went to my team party Thursday, Marc’s team party Friday morning, a company party Friday night, breakfast with Santa at the YMCA Saturday morning, took Sunday and Monday off (not for lack of options), went to 2 parties today and will take Annada to see Santa at my chiropractor’s office tomorrow. Annada has started asking before before bed “What parties will we go to tomorrow, Mommy?”

At this morning’s party the big surprise was… “ice” skating in 80 degrees! Annada has been asking to go ice skating so it was an awesome treat. I wasn’t sure if she would really enjoy it, but she did great. Marc and Annada skated on basically a giant cutting board sprayed down with water. It worked well except for the people trying to do jump turns. I think she would probably do great on ice.

Annada guessed there would be music at this party, so she decided she wanted to wear her “singing outfit” (self-named) and sing at the party. (Just to be clear, this was 100% her idea.) She was a little miffed they had music playing with singers already on. But then the power went out and she got a chance to sing. She got a little song and dance out then seemed to change her mind. A few minutes later I took her back to my desk so I could sit down.

She curled up under my legs. I asked what was happening. She said there were too many people and she wanted to hide for a while. We were both very content for about 5 minutes, just sitting by ourselves, recharging. Once she was done though, she went back out and didn’t want to leave even when people started cleaning up!

Friday night’s party was even more fun – they had bubble snow and a real snow area to play in! Annada and I hung out in the bubble snow for about 20 minutes. And the snow area… Annada immediately started a snow ball fight. She could not stop grinning as she picked up snow and aimed at us. I think she only had a 3 minute turn, but I am glad because I couldn’t breathe I was laughing so hard.

This face means trouble!

In between the parties, Annada has been wound up but so much fun. We told her it was her job to care for the nativity sets. So every day she spends about 30 minutes setting up elaborate stories combining the pieces of different sets. Todays story centered around everyone taking turns to see the baby Jesus. All the people lined up for their chance.

She also has a paper chain counting down until she sees Grandma and Grandpa, a Christmas countdown and special ornaments we put on the tree. We fill them with popcorn and she hunts for them. Once she’s eaten the popcorn she puts them on the counter for us to refill.

Today after rest time she told me she wanted to play God. “Be dead in the tomb,” she told me. “My bed is the tomb.”

I laid down and she told me she was Mary. She went to the bathroom and filled two bowls with water and came back to wash my body. Just as she got close I sat up and said, “Mary, I am alive! Now you can live with me in heaven forever.”

Annada gave me a long hug. Then she walked away and paused for a moment. She walked back and gave me another long hug and another.

“What do you think God would tell me?” Annada asked. “I think He would say, ‘I love you with a never-giving up, always and forever, unbreakable love, Annada. I made you on purpose and you bring me joy.'” I told her.

Annada curled up in my arms for a long time and just sat there.

After a few minutes her mischievous smile came back and she started climbing all over me pretending I am a jungle gym. The moment was over but I always wonder what she is thinking in those times.

Beginning to understand the overcompensating?

Annada thinks a lot about her baby brother/sister too. She picked out a stocking for the little one and has already started saying things like “next Christmas we will have a baby!” She talks and sings to my belly.

At night she often prays that the baby would be born tomorrow. I’ve explained that it is better to wait until the baby is done growing in my tummy. So now she prays “God, please make the baby grow really fast so he can come out tomorrow!”

(PS: I’ll keep updating this post, there is a lot missing!)

I am sorry I have been so ROTTEN about posting. I’ve been pretty sick the last 3 months. Okay, really, horribly sick. But I’m not complaining – I’m pregnant!

7 Week Ultrasound

Right now I am 17 weeks pregnant and the baby is the size of a sweet potato. A few times a day I can feel the baby kick or spin around (at least that is how it feels). I am so very, very grateful.

Triple checking!

We found out on August 30, 2012. Marc and I had both pretty much given up hope that I would get pregnant again. In April I had surgery and found out I have tubal disease. My doctor told me “It would take a miracle for you to get pregnant. But you already have one miracle, so no one can tell you for sure.”

Warning, this post is going to have a lot of pictures. In this case, I think they tell the story better than words.

After seeing that blessed second red line (3 times – we were afraid to trust one!) we called my doctor’s office and went in for a blood test. I know the nurse was laughing at us for taking a picture of a blood draw but I’ve probably given blood over 100 times in hopes of conceiving. This was the one time I don’t want to forget! I think most of the staff were there to give us hugs and cheer for us. Some nurses even popped their heads around the corner and said, “I just wanted to see you!”

Once we got back the comparative HCG results and everything looked good we decided to tell Annada. We both struggled with when to tell her in case we lost the baby. But if that did happen, we didn’t want to be sad and have her not know why either.

Plus it seemed like Annada already knew. She had been praying for over a year for God to give us another baby. We never encouraged her to pray for a sister or brother. We knew the odds were low, so her prayers broke my heart. Then, around the beginning of August Annada started thanking God for the baby instead. I didn’t know what to say but I told Annada I didn’t think there was a baby. She just stared at me, like I was saying the sky was green.

A few weeks later I was walking up the stairs with her when she pulled up my shirt. “I can’t see the baby!” she exclaimed. “Annada there is no baby,” I said. Again, she just stared at me. I got her playing some games then went up in my room to cry. It hurt so bad that she wanted a brother or sister.

Mr. Pail is giving Annada the first clue, to go look in the sandbox.

After all that, I was excited to tell Annada there really was a baby. She loved Blues Clues, so we set up a Blues Clues game. First we had pancakes for breakfast, her favorite. Marc put a face on a pail to make Mr. Pail. After breakfast Mr. Pail asked Annada if she wanted to play Blues Clues and sent her to the sandbox where she found glue sticks and a note asking her to make a book to put on the fridge.

Hard at work on her book.

Once the book was made we went over to the fridge to find the first Blue’s clue. It was a picture of our family.

Annada then carefully drew a picture of our family in her thinking notebook. She tried to guess but had no idea what the clue meant yet.

Then she found a note on the polar bears. “Please read us a special story,” it said.

Annada went over to the bookshelf to find another Blue’s clue. It was a book called, “God Gave Us Two.” We already had “God Gave Us You.” We read the book together (complete with my tears) and then Annada drew a picture of the book in her notebook.

Then Annada found a note next to one of her dolls. “Ouch! My foot hurts,” it said. Annada got her doctor stuff and fixed up the doll. Once the doll was all better he told her to go upstairs and check out Mommy’s tummy too.

I had run upstairs and was lying down when Annada came in ready to play doctor. She lifted up my shirt to find the last clue on my tummy.

She drew a picture of my belly and then jumped in our chair to think. “Family, story, belly, hmmm,” she said over and over, just like in Blue’s Clues. She made a couple random guesses, but I figured she was being coy.

“Annada, do you know what we are trying to say?” I asked. And Marc caught the exact moment above, “You have a baby in your tummy!” she said.

At first she seemed happy. But then she got kind of mellow. “How do you feel about being a big sister?” I asked.

Crying for a few minutes about being displaced.

Really quietly she said, “I am afraid no one will like me when the new baby comes.” I realized she had been thinking about this for a few weeks. Annada balled up in my arms and cried for a few minutes. When she stopped we reassured her that we will always love her and she seemed relieved.

Now Annada has fully embraced being a big sister. I let her pick out a big sister shirt and Leanne bought her one too. They are her favorites. And often when I walk into a room of people Annada will jump in front of me and loudly announce, “You have to be gentle to my mom. There is a baby in her tummy!”