Julia & Sarah L, TJ & Nikki T

Sarah Rose - Sat 14/10/06
Nikki Angel - Mon 30/10/06
Julia & TJ - 21/10/06
Sarah & Nikki - Mon 30/10/06



October 2006 - Updated Friday 10 November 2006
Dates Julia May TJ Sarah Rose Nikki
Week 1
Sun 1 - Sat 7		 Mon 2/10/06 - Public holiday, Mark home.
Tue 3/10/06 - Uncle Geoff's 21st.
Got the padlock thing off the laundry cupboard today and stacked my shopping consisting of 4 cans into a tower of 4 cans. Took me about 3 times longer to copy her and stack the cans the same way, I was amazed at 3 cans, and took a while to balance the 3 the same way to which she promptly just added the forth, she must be very gentle or steady or something, not sure which yet. Also finally figured out how to go forwards on her ride on truck thing yesterday, so now rides back and forward all over the lounge & kitchen going ‘brmmmm’.
Wed 4/10/06 - Today she’s just run around and around in circle until she gets dizzy and falls over. She got her needles, which was very sad, so may be grumpy later and is very likely to get mild measles in a week or so – harmless to everyone else, even newborn RC2.
Evening went to dinner at Ronnies, to see Granny May. Packed Julia's bag for if labour begins, so we'd only need to drop her at mum's while up there. Mark's scooter has flat tire.
Fri 6/10/06 Lovely picnic with TJ, Amanda, Tim & Granny Darrell. TJ would just splash the water with his foot, while Julia liked to sit in the mud and throw the mud all over her head. TJ didn't like getting his hands dirty.
Sat 7/10/06 Geoff's 21st dinner at Paul & Colleen's. We had a very helpful discussion with cousins Olivia, Rachael & Mary over names for RC2 and came home with a list of about 10 names both Mark & I liked.
  Mon 2/10/06 - Woke up very sore, RC2 moving a heap and with back ache. Thought it might mean things were happening, so didn't do much during the day and made sure I slept during Julia's midday sleep.
Very sore and uncomfortable all week.

Wed 4/10/06 - Nothing exciting happening here, though I’ve been eating a mountain of food this week, sleeping everyday and feeling very uncomfortable and sore. Can’t stand for too long at a time.
Either some variation of Catherine, Cathlyn, Caitlyn
OR
Maria
OR
Gloria
OR some other thing I haven’t thought of yet. Still like Elizabeth as a second name, or Theresa.
Week 2
Sun 7- Sat 14

Sun 8/10/06 - Put car seat in, keep sewing change table mat, organise baby and half my hospital bags, decided most probably on Sarah Louise Langlois or possible Sarah Theresa Langlois.
Mon 9/10/06 I hope to pop soon, though I’ve prepared a bit more for the new baby in the past 2 days, putting car seat in, finding some clothes, done half the housework this morning – do the rest this arvo, so it’s probably good we haven’t popped yet.
Julia is sleeping like a banana though, waking VERY often (10 - 15 times) the past 3 nights, so I’m tired and I don’t know what her issues are.
Fri 13/10/06 - Sarah Rose Langlois is born.
Sat 14/10/06 - Michelle & kids visit at the hospital and then at home too.
We get home with Sarah about 4pm. Granny Darrell & Grandpa PG bring Julia around after having her the previous night and the whole day. Julia woke quite a few times with a sore throat, for a sip of milk and snuggled back quickly with granny. She slept in their bed after beginning on a matress beside it and poor granny found she was only able to drift off to sleep each time, as Julia woke the next time.
Tim, Amanda & TJ came too, and Teresa came to see Sarah for the first time as she'd been away in Mandurah for work.		   Sore & uncomfortable this week too.

Thu 12/10/06 - RC2 due

Fri 13/10/06 - Labour & birth
3.45am First mild contraction in bed, continued every 10-15min
5am Woke Mark, we got up to pack my hospital bag and time contractions
6or7am ish Rang midwives to warn them as contractions were about 5-8min apart but fairly mild
8am Rang Michelle to ask her to come and look after Julia
9am-10am No more contractions
10am Contractions started again every 6 or so min, but pretty mildly
11.20am Started getting stronger
11.40am Getting very, very sore, moving position brings them on
12pm Michelle leaves with Julia and we leave too, it's extremely sore and I have about 4-5 contractions on the 12 min journey to the Family Birth Centre. I can't sit in the seat - too sore, so kneel with my head on the seat.
12.20pm Run to our room, stopping for a painful contraction in the hallway.
12.20 - about 2pm Horrible labouring on all fours, sort of sitting on my knees, very low to the ground and with my head on an annoying bean bag that was very squishy and wouldn't hold it's shape. The only way I could deal with the pain, was to grab onto Mark's legs or arms with all my strength, and concentrate on that rather than the pain. I wasn't coping though and my arms were getting very tired. I eventually asked for SOMETHING!!!
Just after 2pm sometime I was offered Gas & Air - slight relief, I can now bear the pain and stop grabbing onto Mark with all my might, letting my tired arm muscles get some relief. Instead of the pain level rising just above my pain threshold, it now maxed with each contraction just below my pain threshold. I could feel Sarah kicking around fairly often. This was pretty painful as well and not a pleasant feeling.
just after 3pm I'd been labouring for 3 hours and they'd really expected me to be almost popping on arrival, so they asked to do an internal. I had not been given an internal to check dialation as the midwives said unless I wanted one I would be left alone as I was labouring well! I remembered the agony of internals for Julia's birth (mostly as I had to turn over and lie on my back, and then they would prod and poke during a contraction) so decided to not be checked. Luckily, while getting the mental strength to turn around and lie on my back, my waters burst all over the floor with a loud pop, giving me a fright. (My waters were broken at about 9cm dilated with Julia, to help hurry labour). It was a nice feeling, to feel that something had happened. The midwife said they usually only popped when you were fully dilated and so it would be soon, and I could start pushing whenever I was ready.
after 3pm Painful pushing!!! While my body took over a little, a lot more effort and conscious pushing was required, and for longer, to get little Sarah out. I feel since I was not on a birthing stool this time with gravity to aid me, it felt a little like I was pushing uphill. By this stage I was on all fours properly.
3.40am Finally birth after about 1/2 hour pushing I think. I had horribly felt her crown and then slide a long way back in, requiring quite a few more contractions and pushing to get to the same stage again and then finally push her out. I felt 3 difficult/sore parts, 2 I assume were her head and shoulders, I don't know what the other was. Her head came out with the cord tied loosely around her neck, but before the midwife could cut it I pushed the rest of her out. I was so sore and knew from Julia that once I got the head out it was only another push until the body slithered out, and so even though my contraction was finished I held my breath and pushed once more!
Cord Mark cuts Sarah's cord and she's placed in my arms on the beanbag, looking very blue. I was shocked at her fine crop of black hair, her blue face and red skin. Her face was a little swollen, probably due to being pushed back and forth through my bones for a while.
Placenta I turned around onto my back, leaning against the bean bag, to cuddle my baby, and to birth the placenta which was surprisingly big to me, but not nearly as gross and icky as I'd imagined.
Feed & family rest After determining that I would need stitches we were left alone for about an hour while I fed Sarah, who attached amazingly. We rested and Michelle brought Julia in to visit and enquire about her new sister.
Stitches Mark cuddles Sarah skin-to-skin while my messy and jagged second degree tear was stitched. I had so hoped I wouldn't tear this time, but unfortunately it was all a repeat of last time. This took a fair while and Sarah's grandparents had to wait patiently outside before meeting their new granddaughter.
She came in at a weight of 3.53kg or approx 7 pound 13 ounces after a 5hr 'official labour'. Sarah is a grand 51cm tall, with an illustrious 33cm head circumference.
Sat 14/10/06 - I woke Sarah at 10.30pm to dress her and then she only woke about 4am.
  
Week 3
Sun 15- Sat 21
Sun 15/10/06 - Julia woke a lot, Sarah only once after 10.30pm. Midwife says count your blessing as long as Sarah's feeding often during the day. 9am Mass, and then visit from Great Granny Tass, and Great Grandpa Big Bob. Nats, Aunty Reeze and Bella came for a visit while Michelle has taken Julia to the park with Jeremy & Bianca. Michelle came in the evening and cooked dinner.

Mon 16/10/06 - Michelle took Julia shopping. Bill, Carly, Jo & Will came to visit, then Uncle Geoff & Emma came and stayed for dinner.
Tue 17/10/06 - Great Granny May & Granny Colleen came bringing dinner & strawberries for dessert. Then Michelle came and again cooked dinner.
Wed 18/10/06 - Julia's waking about2-4 times while Sarah is gradually increasing her wakes. Visit to Granny Darrell's library for a session about reading to your baby/toddler that I'd booked into. Waited around and had lunch with Granny Darrell in a park across the road. Too energetic - sore bum as a result. Ate Granny Colleen's dinner.

Thu 19/10/06 - Woohoo, Julia slept through from 8pm to 6am. Sarah wakes about every 2-3hours. Julia is being a star now, cries if Sarah cries, keeps giving her toys, and calls me (pointing to the pram and trying to look over) to come and get her if she's somewhere and beginning to fidget or whinge. She's much more tolerant at snuggling up to whatever body part of mine she can get to instead of being in my arms all the time, and sometimes will just lay her head against Sarah's back instead (in bed). Sarah is very easy, feeds very well and sleeps almost al the time so we're getting a chance to spend a heap of time with Julia. She's now accepted Sarah, after about 3 days of playing up and being a bit whingy, and looks over to check she's there in the morning instead of sitting up indignantly with a 'humprh' when she discovered the first morning with disgust, we were hiding another body in the bed.
Mark took Julia for a walk, stopping in to nibble at Michelle's and taking Great Granny May for a walk too. Michelle has been a God-send. Looking after Julia the day I was in labour, taking her shopping this week, and being over a lot to give her cuddles and make our dinner.
Fri 20/10/06 - Julia woke twice, unfortunately not in sync with Sarah's 2-3 hourly wakes so I am a bit tired. Julia learns to nod 'Yes' copying me, though it's about 30% head nodding and 70% diaphragm moving.
She's desperate to climb into the pram, and so we spend a good half an hour trying to teach her that she's not allowed to climb the pram. To no avail. She just wants to keep looking and touching, or sharing toys or dripping her water onto Sarah, trying to give her a drink.
She's much more gentle while trying to stroke Sarah.
I place Julia in her highchair to begin feeding her and she babbles and hands out her bib to me as I'd forgotten to put it on.
After dinner and shower, I tell her it's bedtime and where's her bottle, and she goes into the kitchen making her 'where is it?' noise and hand movements, and then gets excited when Mark makes it. Hold out her hands for it, and then when I say 'bedtime, in your bed', marches off and climbs onto her mattress.
She loves her shower, and I can say 'shower with dad' and she will either come to me to be stripped and then excitedly 'run' to the shower, or make her way to the shower and stand there patting her tummy and clothes with her hands, trying to tell us to take them off. When the shower is turned off, she hands us each of her toys to hang up, and then she steps out of the shower, for Mark to wrap her towel around her (though he has to be quick) and comes running to find me to be dressed. Once on the change table I sprinkle powder on her tummy and she rubs it all in for me.		   Sun 15/10/06 - Sarah has lost about 100g. I weigh 63kg.

Mon 16/10/06 - Midwife visit, Sarah is pricked for blood tests. Milk comes in - sore boobs. Poor Sarah can't latch as the leaking milk makes them so slippery. She spends the day mostly licking during feeds.
Tue 17/10/06 - Last midwife visit, Sarah weighs 3.5kg I think - will have to check - licking seems to be giving her enough milk. More milk than ever. Poor Sarah licks and chokes a lot.
Wed 18/10/06 - Swelling beginning to feel better. Feeding Sarah in bed is awesome. She hardly gets her nappy changed, and I just switch on a torch to get her close enough to attach. I get face and boob together and my little pirranha attaches and fixes her latch super fast. I have not had any sore nipples, and only a twinge of tenderness on Saturday - I think more because they were unused to being utilised once again.

Thu 19/10/06 - Sore stitches
Fri 20/10/06 - Very sore weak feeling bones.		  
Week 4
Sun 22- Sat 28		 Fri 20 - Sun 22/11/06 Stayed at Granny Darrell's. Big Sisterly hold.
Fri 27/11/06 Granny Colleen, Grandpa Paul & Great Granny May took Julia for the day to give me a break to get a heap of housework, chores & bills done. Mark spent the day helping Michelle.
Sat 28/10/06 - Market run with grandpa Paul, Great Granny Tass, both babies & I. What an exercise!!! Julia was in fine feisty form at Mass.

Wed 25/11/06 All the family descended upon Granny Darrell & Grandpa PG in the evening. Tim trying to change TJ and stop him from jumping up & running away.

 Fri 20 - Sun 22/11/06 Stayed at Granny Darrell's. Sarah's first bath in a big bath. Fri
27/11/06 Sarah meets Brendan, Bronwynne & co for dinner.
 Wed 25/11/06 All the family descended upon Granny Darrell & Grandpa PG in the evening. Nikki with her family prebirth - 5 days to go and Nikki is 3/5 engaged. Amanda thinks she is going to have another big baby - bets are on.
Week 5
Sun 29 - Tue 31		 Sun 29/10/06 - Aunty Reeze, Gaz & I took Julia & Sarah to second cousin Jade's first birthday party. Julia had a ball with the different toys, moseying around watching other kids and just being left to wander around on her lonesome.
Happy little Langlois photo (note the sarcasm dripping!) 		    Mon 30/10/06 - Nikki (no 'e' any more) Angel Taylor born
11.50am, 48cm long, 7.4 pounds, 35.5 head (BIG HEAD, BIG FEET) looks just like a little TJ or Tim. Beautiful face and a little blonde hair.
Monthly Accomplishments / Details
Julia - 14 months TJ - 14 months Sarah Nikki
Typical Routine:
6am Wake with breakfast 1/2 hour or so later
9.15am - 10.15am ish Go down for nap shortly followed by mum & Sarah.
12-1.30pm Wake from nap depending on time gone down. About a 2 - 2 1/2 hour sleep is usual.
12.30 - 1.30pm Lunch with Aunty Reeze if Julia's awake.
Afternoon play & bug mum
6pm dinner & shower with dad
7pm bed
1am wake with a shriek for a quick suck on her bottle
4am sometimes wake

Favourite Toys/Playing: Ride on truck, pull toys, balls, stacking cups. Tries to wink back at you.
Words: Bye, dada, mama, baby Sarah, moo, uhuh (like when somethings fallen or you're in trouble)
Food: Rice crispies, strawberries, kiwifruit, TOMATOES & chips, chocolate & biscuits when she can get them.
Likes/Dislikes: Loves water, mud, sand, chasing mum & dad around the house or being chased, playing hide & seek, investigating new things.
Temperament: Often frustrated.
Other:
New skills: Understands: lie down, sit down, in your mouth, on your head, shower with dad, on the floor, in the box, clap, where's your tongue, thumb in your mouth, pat, leg, fish, duck, moocow, pussycat, doggy, truck, bus, in the car, outside, bottle, mum's bottle.


  Typical Routine:
6-7am wake
8am bath after messy breakfast
11am sleep for about 3 hours
5pm dinner, bath
6pm daddy gets home
8pm bed
overnight about 2 wakes

Favourite Toys/Playing: Mat
Words: 'B
Food: L
Likes/Dislikes: I
Temperament: V
Other: S
New skills: O
 Typical Routine: Feed every 2 hours through the day and 4ish hours over night. About 2 long wake periods each day now, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Seems to want to feed, then have her burps, do poos and then fall asleep or feed again (as tummy now feels empty as there's room been made from the bubbles & poo you know! Typical Routine: Sleep & Eat