Halloween Festivities!

In order to keep Christian's life as normal as possible we continue to do whatever we want to do and just drag our little pumpkin along with us! This past week a Baptist Church in our neighborhood has a huge fall festival with pony rides and jumpers, carnival rides, face painting and everything you could imagine for FREE! The festival started at 5:30 and lasted until 8:00pm. Lately it has been very cold at night in the 40's and I was not sure if I should take Henley out, but I knew Christian would love it! We just hired a young girl from Samford University, Stephanie to help me at night from 4:30 until I put Christian down for bed. I have her 4 nights a week since Brian is usually out of town or out with brokers. I can not tell you how great it is to have some help right now until I get a good routine going. Well we packed up the two kids (sounds funny to use the plural kids) and went to the festival. I had Stephanie with me and she had Christian and I had the baby. I have a sling to put her in and that makes it easy to carry her around and still keep my hands on little man. Well, tonight she was not having any of being in the sling. Henley was hungry and I was trying to figure out how to nurse her in this sling inconspicuously? Difficult is not the word I should use to describe this form of feeding! Thank goodness I had a big blanket because I was able to walk around and nurse her and keep covered! Not one person knew what I was doing......wow I am getting good at this moving around and nursing her! Innovation is the key when you have an active 2 year old! The festival was a hit and we had a blast! I have no pictures because that is to much to ask of me when I have two children to keep up with! Actually, I forgot my camera! I wish I had it with me because Christian was adorable in so many ways! They had one of those swings that hangs from chains and swings through the air. The swings you see at carnivals, fairs and even six flags. Well they had a double seat, so Christian and I go on the ride! I have never in his two years of life seen a smile that big! Literally ear to ear! I think that face was worth it all together! He had the best time ever! We left soon after because it was late for him and it was nearing bedtime!

The next day was Halloween festivities at school! They wore their costumes and had a parade for the parents! They actually walked out on a stage and stood there looking around wondering what in the world is happening and who are all these people staring at us? Hilarious! After that they sang a blessing and we had snacks with kids. I think the teachers were the only ones singing because the kids just stood there staring out at the adults! We were all snapping pictures and taking video, looking like fools cheering on our little ones! Christian's best friend Elijah is in his class and they are always together! He is Nemo the fish! Christian is a train engineer because he LOVES Thomas! When his hat goes on he screams, "All Aboard!" I love it! We can not believe he actually left his hat on the whole time! My mom was there too and we all hung out awhile. Christian loved showing everyone his baby and after kissing us all good bye they left to go trick or treating to the different classrooms. Just the first of many fun events and I look forward to always making a fool of myself every time!

Special Day with Daddy!

Christian has probably felt a little neglected lately even though we are doing everything to make his life seem normal. He does not quite understand this new little life that has come into his and totally disrupted it all together! He has had his share of breakdowns and makes it very difficult on us because we can not explain to him what is going on! Anyhow, this weekend Brian took him to Bakers Farm in Harpersville, Al. This is a pumpkin patch about an hour from Birmingham and has hay rides, petting farms and games for the kids. They packed up Saturday morning and met some friends Brad Stephenson and his son Chance and Sam Paolino and his daughter Malerie. Christian loves both these children and I think has a crush on Malerie! He loves her and from what I was told held her hand the whole time they were together!

The farm was very muddy considering the day before it rained all day. Perfect for a little boy who loves to get dirty! The rode on the hay ride, posed on some big tractors ( which Christian loves) and fed the horses hay! Christian now has a new obsession with horses and goes crazy if he happens to see one on TV. Brian was flipping through channels the other day and he went nuts because he saw a horse race!? Christian came home a tired little guy and very muddy. He had a great day with daddy and hopefully felt like he got a special treat that did not involve that screaming baby!

Making Gains.........

Alright, I am finally getting back to a little bit of normalcy in my household! A few meltdowns and sleepless nights later we are finally adjusting to a family of four! I am sure some of you did not know, but Henley was very jaundice after she was born. Her jaundice got so bad that we had to put her under the photo therapy lights at our home. After three days we were able to take her out from the lights, but unfortunately her jaundice numbers are still over the norm. Just this past Wednesday we had to go back in for a biliruben check and her number was 13. The doctors prefer it to be in the range of 10-12. The doctor tells us that sometimes it justs takes awhile for some babies to get it out of their system. The pediatrician says, it is breast feeding induced jaundice, which is apparently common? I do not have to stop nursing or supplement and it is just supposed to run its course! I am just glad I can hold my baby anytime I want and not have to have her under lights! We have been putting her in the front window or taking her outside as much as possible to help with the jaundice, but it is just taking it's good old time leaving! On the up swing she has made great gains in her weight! Due to the jaundice she was even more difficult to keep awake to nurse everyday! All you moms know what I am talking about! When you nurse them they seem to go right to sleep! Well, jaundice makes it even worse if you can imagine. Henley's weight had not returned to her birth weight by two weeks and so they were getting concerned. However, when we went to the doctor on Wednesday she had gained 8 ounces! I was so happy because I did not want to have to supplement with her at all!

Everything is going well and we are all doing great! I have had my mom with me all this week and next week will be the true test! Christian is the one causing problems thus so far and I know it will eventually stop. Christian is not wanting to go to bed and has been crying himself to sleep at his door each night! I know.........it breaks my heart! He just wants to be with his family downstairs and it is difficult to not give in to him! He has had a few meltdowns and seems to want me to hold him exactly at the time his sister wakes up and needs to be nursed! How convenient for him! I am trying to be patient with him and give him special attention when she is sleeping and Brian of course helps alot when he is home! I hear it takes a few months to get better so I have a little while until that happens! Keep us in your prayers and if you have any great advice moms send it our way!

First Photos

Hey everyone! This past Monday we had our first pictures of Henley and our new family! If you want to take a look go to

heatherswannerphotography.com/banta

Enjoy! I will post something new this week! Sorry for the short and few posts. It has been a little hectic around our home lately!

Welcome to the World Henley Lynn Banta!

Alright, finally I can write a blog! I do not know what happened to my computer, but it has not been allowing me to sign into the blog since the birth of our baby girl, Henley. everybody has probably been wondering if I fell of the deep end or what with two little ones!?

So here is the story of what went down that Wednesday afternoon before she was born! I went in for a routine 38 week check up at my OB office. They had been watching my blood pressure since it was high with Christian. The whole pregnancy I had not had any problems until this Wednesday afternoon. The nurse took a routine pressure check and low and behold it was high! It was 150/96 and to those who do not know they are really concerned with the bottom number. My doctor came in to talk to me and was like what is going on with your pressure? I did not know considering I had a very relaxing afternoon before going into see her. She left the room and I heard her talking about a C-section in the morning? I was not prepared for her to come in and tell me to go straight to Labor and Delivery! HUH? You want me to do what? They were going to monitor me and then do my C-section the next morning! I could not believe it! I was ready to not be pregnant, but not ready to have her a week early! I did not even have my cell phone with me to call anyone..........especially Brian. Well, needless to say that chaos is the best way to describe went down in the next few hours! Since I could not go home Brian was going to have to bring me all my stuff which by the way I had not packed! I had to find someone to take Christian and by the way did I say my father was having surgery the next day too! Murphy's Law was definitely setting in at this moment! I got in touch with my mom and we got a plan under way. Finally, I was able to get in touch with my husband to ask him if he was ready to have a baby tomorrow? What? We got everything taken care of and Brian would soon arrive at the hospital. Poor Debbie had literally just left the day before from helping Julie with the birth of Preston and now they had to turn around and come right back! I called my sister in Indianapolis and asked her if she felt like driving? Everybody would be there the next day at some point! My father was the only one there for her birth and was able to watch her get bathed and everything! I think it was special for him and I am glad he got to be there before his surgery that afternoon!
Henley Lynn Banta blessed us on October 2nd, 2008 at 7:15am. She weighed in at a whopping 7lbs 90z and was 21 inches long! Healthy and with a set of lungs already we could not wait to see her for the first time! She is definitely bigger than Christian was when he was born! However, they could be twins at birth! There will never be any denying they are related. Brian and I almost fell over when we saw her because it was as if we were looking at Christian the day he was born! I think you always expect siblings to look a little different especially when you grow up with a sister with blond hair and blue eyes! I love looking at them as babies and here is a picture of both.........can you tell the difference? I am sure you can since Christian has more masculine features. Henley is so little and petite and defiantly looks like a little girl! Both adorable in our opinion! The whole family made it there that day. My mom made it there with Christian to meet his new little sister, then the Mizerany's, than my sister and last, but not least Nene and Poppy Banta! It was a wonderful day and God has blessed us again with a healthy, beautiful new little life! The Banta's were staying with us for the week to help out and I thank them dearly for everything they did! They did anything from playing with Christian, to cooking fabulous dinners and taking care of household chores! We are so appreciative for being blessed with so many loved ones who are here to help us! Thanks Debbie and Lynn and my sister Heather for coming so quickly........We all love and miss you all already! My mom is about to help me now with Brian starting to work and travel! I do not know what I would do if she did not live down the rode. Thanks in advance Mom! I have a couple of posts to add, so keep checking each day!