Madi and Mommy Make Cupcakes

Madison's classroom had a Valentine's Day potluck for the kids. Madi and I made cupcakes to bring to the potluck and she absolutely LOVED helping in the kitchen. She was a bit scared of the mixer but otherwise had a blast. I think her favorite part was licking the bowl.

Coffee Shop Walk

We managed to walk to the coffee shop only once before Ryan went back to work. After Madi was born we walked several times but while Ryan was off this time we spent more time decorating the nursery (since we didn't know Adam was going to be a boy) and running other errands. Here are a few photos from the one chance we did have to walk there.

Day Trip to Temecula

Ryan and I decided to take the kids to Temecula to see our parents the Sunday after we brought Adam home. We knew we'd have our hands full with both kids so we thought we'd enlist the help of our parents. Grandma and Grandpa Banda met us at the outlet mall so that I could look for items for Adam's nursery at the Pottery Barn outlet and then we headed over to Carters to pick up a few newborn sized boy outfits since we had very few things for Adam to wear. Madison had so much fun running around trying to impress her Grandma and Grandpa in every way possible and then Grandma bought her some really cute new clothes.

We met Grandma Hug-a-bug and Natalie for lunch and then headed home in time to see Sarah Crosson who dropped by to meet Adam for the first time.

Here are a few photos from our day

Grandma let Madison pretend to drive the car while they waited for me to feed Adam

Grandma Banda and Adam at lunch

Two Grandmas and their Grandbabies

Grandma Banda and Madi

Grandma Hug-a-Bug and Madi

Welcome Baby Adam

Well, it's been a while to say the least but here we are again, sitting at the coffee shop with our newest addition, Adam Wilder Banda. It's hard to believe that two years ago we were here with little baby Madison.

The story of Adam's Birth:

I was scheduled to be induced on the 25th of January, 2010 at 5 am. My mom and Kelli agreed to be with Ryan and I at the hospital, Mel was planning to watch Madison overnight, and Grandma and Grandpa Banda had made arrangements to be at the hospital to meet the new baby as soon as he/she was born. Ryan and I wanted to make sure that the weekend leading up to the birth was as special as possible for Madison. She was supposed to start soccer with her dad that Saturday morning but the entire week before San Diego had one of the biggest storms we'd seen since moving here in 2001. The soccer fields were rained out so we headed out to breakfast and then took Madi to the beach at Del Mar where she played around on the playground, chased seagulls and took a walk on the beach. The next day, my mom (Grandma Hug-a-Bug) arrived for dinner and afterward we celebrated her birthday since we knew she would be with me in the hospital on her actually birthday (the 26th). We made sure to go to bed early Sunday night since we knew we had to be up at 3:30 in order to be at the hospital by 5 for the induction. At 1:30 am, I had a dream that my water broke. I woke up and immediately woke Ryan up to tell him I thought something was happening. Sure enough, just a few moments later, my water did break so I jumped in the shower while Ryan made arrangements with Alicia and Mel to stay the rest of the night with Madison and then take her to school. I called Kelli to tell her plans had changed and we were headed to the hospital early. Ryan, my mom and I arrived at the hospital around 3 am.


At the hospital I was checked into triage. They monitored my contractions which weren't painful yet and told me I was 3 cm and 80% effaced. While in triage, Ryan and I had the pleasure of listening to two women who were clearly in intense pain - one of whom my nurse told me was at 4 cm. I looked at Ryan knowing it wouldn't be long before I felt the same way and we both shared a laugh as I described my pain to the nurse as a negative 2 on a scale of 1-10 compared to the other women around me.


By 4:00 am I was checked into the labor and delivery room where I would spend the next several hours. By now I was starting to feel the contractions and, at my request, the nurses allowed me to walk the halls until 6:30am while Kelli slept and my mom flipped through magazines. I also came back and sat on a large exercise ball to see if that would help. At 6:30 am I was only 4 cm so the nurses started me on pitocin.



By 8:00 am I was in severe pain and started talking about getting an epidural. The nurses encouraged me to try a narcotic instead which I refused until they told me that the anesthesiologist was in the OR and wouldn't be able to help me for an hour. By then I had tears in my eyes with each contraction.



I finally received the epidural around 10 am and was told I was 6 cm. Almost immediately the baby's heart started to slow dramatically with each contraction. The charge nurse was in the room talking to my regular nurse and they decided the doctor needed to be called right away. I was on oxygen laying down with my back to them but knew something wasn't right. When Dr. Reagan arrived at 11:30 or so, she asked how far dilated I was and was told 6-7 cm. She then told me they were going to inject my uterus with water and try to float the baby because they thought the baby was laying on the umbilical chord. I asked her what if that didn't work and she said we were in a race against the clock so likely she'd do an emergency C - section. However, Dr. Reagan then checked me herself and said that I was at 10 cm and ready to push, not at 6-7 as the nurse had said. She told me it was time to have the baby and within 5 minutes, they had the NICU team in the delivery room in case something was wrong with the baby's heart and I was being told to push. 3 pushes later, the baby's head was out and the doctor discovered that the chord was wound tightly around his neck. The doctor cut the chord and then told me to give a final push and that's when we learned that we had a little boy born at 11:48 am.

Despite a hectic end to the labor process, Adam is as healthy as can be. He was 19 and a quarter inches long and 6 pounds 11 oz. We are both doing great. Two weeks later he weighs almost 8 pounds and is such a little blessing.

My mom and Ryan help me through early contractions on the bouncie ball


While Kelli takes a catnap after being woken up at 1:30 am

The nurse who helped deliver Adam shows him to me for the first time


The first moment I met Adam


Adam Wilder Banda

6 pounds 11 oz and 19.25 inches long

Adam meets his daddy

We are so happy to have a son!


Grandma Hug-a-bug says hello

Adam with his mommy and auntie Kelli

Adam and Auntie Kelli


Dr Reagan and Adam


Adam's first bath

Adam meets Grandma Banda


And Grandpa Banda too

Alicia comes to visit in the hospital


And so does Kim

At home, Adam gets to meet his Auntie Jamie

And his big sister

Madi loves to kiss the back of Adam's head

Weekend Before Adam's Birth

We spent Saturday before Adam's birth at the park in Del Mar



Madi loved the swings

And went down the slide about a million times


We stopped to take a couple photos of us with our little girl

Madi and Daddy

Madi loved playing in the sand

Mommy and Madi

Madi chasing seagulls

A beautiful day in Del Mar

On Sunday we celebrated Grandma Hug-a-Bug's birthday

Madi loves a good birthday party



At the end of the night Madison discovered the baby's bouncer and thought it was just for her

Thanksgiving

Hello again. In the interest of not letting the blog die, I've made it one of my new years resolutions to become better at updating our entries. We had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year. We were so lucky to be able to have members of both sides of the family together. Grandma Cooley, Grandma Banda and Grandpa Banda came over to Uncle Jim and cousin Natalie's house to celebrate with us and Madison. This was where Madison got her first taste of Grandpa Wilder's cranberries. We were a little surprised that she liked them so much given the fact that they are sweet AND tart but just like her parents, she loved them! We had a great day, good meal, and lots of fun with the family. Natalie and I got into a whipped cream fight which I wish we had photos of but we only have video that is a little too long to upload. According to tradition, Natalie and I also made monkey bread while we were in Temecula.


Grandma Cooley and Madi at Uncle Jim's


Grandma Banda and Madi get ready for dinner


Natalie and Madi on Thanksgiving

Madison plays at Grandma Cooley's

Madison Shows off her new travel bathtub (the beak squeaks too)

Banda Family Photos

Hello everyone,

It's been WAY too long since we last updated the blog. My goal is to get back into it ASAP. I'll likely go back and post the photos we've been taking since July once I've got the photo software back on my computer. We've had so many amazing moments with Madi since July, including a trip accross country to visit Auntie Kelli, lots of time spent with her little friends Addie, Jacob and Calvin, and many "firsts" like photos from when she started to crawl and stand. Those are all coming soon. In the meantime, here are a few of our family photos and a link to view them all online.

Happy Thanksgiving and Love to you all!

Sarah and Ryan

View all photos here: http://schellphotography.smugmug.com/gallery/6586034_mZCWw#419465238_ttQUa