Montecito Mama

The Wagner Four toured the maternity ward last night in anticipation of soon becoming the Wagner Five. Grayson was very somber, sticking to his mantra of "I can't believe you guys are having another Lucie." He appreciated looking at the handprints and matching names on the wall of NICU graduates, and even found a Jesus, whose miraculous birth must have been before the recent remodel as there was definitely no mangers in sight. Lucie had fallen on her way into the hospital, and was paranoid the entire time that a doctor would discover her injury and force an examination upon her. "Don't let dat lady see my knee," she'd say as she tugged her pant leg a little lower. And since the nurses frowned at jumping on the labor and delivery beds, the tour was of little interest to her 2-year-old mind. Until we got to the nursery window. "Dare babies in dare!" she squealed with delight. "Hold me up! Hold me up so I can see dem babies!" There were

I mentioned to Rob that the tree outside the kitchen window was in need of a trim. Note to self: Rob is not to be trusted with the children's haircuts.

I've heard of sympathy pains, but this is getting ridiculous ...

Wagner #5 has gotten fed up with the cramped conditions and decided to leave the nest early. It started on Tuesday while watching "Wonder Pets" with Lucie and a sudden gush of blood. I can almost laugh now about Rob's initial reaction, walking in from the garage in response to my screaming and asking in confusion, as I stood in a puddle of blood, "What are you doing bleeding like that?" He recovered quickly and took charge and then used his EMT skills to run 3 red lights with our little white van on the way to the hospital. My angel of a friend Julie was on our doorstep in a flash to whisk away the children, and even cleaned up the blood and did the dishes and some math problems with Grayson. Karen fed them, Chris cuddled them, and I am overwhelmed by their TRUE friendship. I had neither a bag packed nor the presence of mind to give any instructions for packing one, and the only thing that Rob grabbed as we ran out the door was my Easter dress from 2 years ago.