This month has brought a lot of change to our family. We welcomed a new addition to our family, Zachary Thomas Mikos on December 7th. Alex continues to be a lot of fun and remains our sweet little boy.
Alex has really enjoyed his first semester at St Brigid Day School. He has made some new friends and even has a new little girlfriend, Anna Grace (as mentioned in a previous post). This was his first school performance ever. It was for Thanksgiving and they sung The Whole World in Our Hand. In the picture above Alex is looking for us...
This is when he finally spotted us! You could hear him say, "That's my Daddy, that's my Mommy!"
After he found us he still wasn't interested in signing, he just wanted to check out what everyone else was doing.
After a previous bad hair cut, I was so glad to have Alex get a good haircut again I had to take a picture.
Alex is just like his father, keeps things neat and tiddy...
Trent happy to help out with his baby brother Spencer.
Peter and his mini-me. Alex has really gotten into wearing these Cars rainboots I got him. We have like them as well because they are the only shoes Alex can put on his own. So he is wearing them everywhere lately!!
Alex's first visit with Santa was way more successful than I expected. He wasn't scared at all and even told Santa what he wanted for Christmas - a ball.
Alex actually asked to hold Spencer (and had fun doing it). Hopefully this will carry forward to when his brother arrives.
Alex helping Daddy put the star on the top of the tree!
My sweet boy asleep in the car.
Writing with his new pencil and paper he got a Trent's Birthday party. Alex loves to write, color, and do crafts.
Alex lighting his Advent candles. He loved to blow the candles out.
Alex in his Christmas outfit from Grandma!
Alex in his second school performance - singing Jingle Bells.
Last picture of me pregnant at home. This was December 7th around 12:30 before we headed to the hospital. Hard to believe there is a 8 lb 5 oz baby in there, huh?
My last picture with Alex as an only child. He looks real concerned - doesn't he!! :)
So here is the story... Pete and I were both working from home. I was in my 39th week and so ready for this baby to come. I had fully expected it to come early since Alex had come 2 1/2 weeks early so being 39 weeks and 2 days I was about over it all. I was finally starting to think I'd get to my due date and maybe go over it. It was 11:30ish and I had gone upstairs to talk to Pete and see what we were going to do for lunch. Pete had to leave at 11:50ish to go get Alex from school so we had to come up with a plan. I was laying on the bed in our office/guest bedroom talking with Pete about what we should have for lunch. I asked him to come over and talk to my belly because I hadn't felt Zachary move that much and I was just ready for him to come out. So being silly Pete came over and talked to Zach telling him to come out. We finished up our conversation and had decided what we wanted for lunch so I was getting up and off the bed when I felt my water break. At first I was like no - this can't be happening - but it was ON!! It really couldn't have worked out more perfect (even though I had been worried about the worse case scenario for weeks). It was Friday afternoon. Alex was at school but Pete was about to go get him. We all ready had the sitter planning to come over to watch Alex in the afternoon while we worked. Pete was getting ready to head into a weekend of working that he wasn't looking forward to and I had all ready handed off all my work so I didn't have that much going on. The only bad part was that Lisa was working so she did have to leave work a little early to come get Alex. But overall it couldn't have worked out better. We had to go to the doctors office first just to confirm my water had broken. The doctor said there was no doubt as a pool of water formed on the office floor as she checked! It was on! We stopped and got something to eat and then headed ot the hospital.
By the time we got to the hospital it was about 2/2:30. My goal was to not have an epidural like I did with Alex. I gave it a real good effort but when things started getting slow at 4cm and the contracitons were geting really intense I gave in and got an epidural. I have to say in the end I kind of wish I didn't do it. It definitely helped with the contraction pain but I still had a really bad lower back pain that was almost as bad. Then I ended up having a bad headache for about a week after having the baby (not 100% sure it was related since all the doctors said it wasn't but still I didn't have the same issue with Alex). After I got the epidural the baby arrived about 45min/an hour later. Zachary Thomas Mikos arrived at 8:34pm on Friday, December 7th. He weighed 8 lbs, 5 oz and was 22 inches long. The deliver was easier than Alex - I felt like I hardly pushed (only about 6 times) before he came out.
Zachary just after he is born. For now we are calling him Zachary. We called Alex, Alexander for a few weeks after birth so who knows if we will shorten it to Zach - I'm sure we will. Although Alex ony calls him Zachary so that might stick - we'll see.
Pete's first time holding Zachary!
Here are some pictures of Alex at his cousins. He ended up just staying Friday night and most of Saturday. Here he is cutting babies hair with a saw!
Playing Doctor with Dr Lea. Love how Trent is over in the corner waiting for his turn with Dr Lea.
Playing outside!
Saturday Pete picked Alex up and they went out to dinner on our typical night 'Out'. Here Alex is signing the bill!
Almost looks like he is smiling!
The two pictures below are Zach and Alex. Was trying to pose Zach just like Alex so we could see the difference in looks and size.
Zach ready to head home. The hospital stay with Zach was soooooo different. With Alex we got there Wednesday night and left Sunday and we had several complications along the way. With Zach it was super easy. Got in there Friday afternoon and was out of there Sunday just after lunch with not a single complication (except for my headaches).
Say cheese daddy and Zachary!! Alex has really gotten into playing with his little camera.
Holding Zachary for the first time.
He was all ready to feed him as well!
Timing really worked out with Zachary. Tom and Lauren had planned to come down Sunday the 9th of December regardless. It really just worked out that it was the night we brough Zach home!!
Special time with Daddy, Grandpa Mikos, and Lauren at the mall. They rode the choo choo train, visited with Santa, and rode the carousel.
Alex's second visit with Santa went about as well as the first this year.
Part of the main reason for Tom and Lauren driving down to Georgia was to bring this horse that Pete and Lauren had as kids. It had been moved from Nancy's to Tom's earlier this year and Tom was itching to get it to Atlanta. Renee bought Alex some boots and a hat to go along with the occasion. It was fun for all!!
Alex wasn't sure what to think at first. Especially since all the adults were acting crazy (there is a video of this that I didn't want to post but will probably load to YouTube at some point).
He slowly started to get into it!
This is one of my favorites. We were all in the small bathroom for Zachary's first bath at home. Alex wanted to 'help' me so the whole time I was giving him a bath he kept his hand on my arm. So cute!!!
Alex has named the horse Browny and as you can tell he loves his horse!
Shorty after Zach was born we had our favorite photographer Nikki come in to take some pictures for us...
