Aveline Sportelli
On March 3, 2006, at 5:43 Central European Time, Aveline Sportelli was born. She weighed 8 lbs, 6 ounces and measured 20.47 inches.

We had her in the water tub in our living room. I can honestly say, I NEVER want to give birth without painkillers again. But I am happy with our new addition. She is absolutely beautiful.

Her name has a lot of history behind it. Aveline was a woman in Paul's genealogy, born in 1109. The name is a French Medieval version of Evelyn and we are pronouncing it [A-vuh-lin]. Sportello was my maiden name, but when our family came over from Italy, we were actually Sportelli. The ship's manifest and early census records confirm this information. So her first name is from Paul's history and her middle name is from mine.

Paulchen isn't quite sure what to make of her yet. He'll come over and check her out, but then shy away. I keep trying to have him hold his little sister's hand. I also tried to get him to help me snap her outfit shut, but he was busy with something. Over time, I'll keep gently encouraging him to help out with his little sister. Plus the fact that he is only 21 months, Paulchen will grow up with Aveline and never really remember a time without her. We are both so thrilled with our perfect little, All-American family.

Double Dipping...
Well, it cannot be said that my son lacks cunning. We're just sitting and having a nice treat of pretzels with French onion dip. Paulchen likes to put his own pretzels in the dip, like a big boy. But he's new to the concept of no double dipping. So I showed and explained that he can only dip the pretzel once. I meant for him to finish that pretzel and then move on to the next one. Instead, he dipped a pretzel, licked off the dip and put it down. Then he picked up another pretzel, dipped and licked. Cunning little bugger.

His singing and dancing has also improved. He loves the sing "Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes." He'll place his hands on his head and sing, "Heaaa..." That's the signal for us to sing the song and he'll go through most of the motions. He'll touch his head, knees, toes, ears, mouth and nose. The only two he doesn't have down yet, are the shoulders and eyes. Still, this has all occurred in about a week, so I'm surprised how quickly he's picked up the song and movements. Then every time we finish the song he'll clap his hands and say "Yaaaaay."

He's also into "Itsy Bitsy Spider." Though he doesn't have the motions down quite as well.

As for the new baby, I really wish it would come already. I only have a week left until the due date. The midwife said the head is in place and it could be born at any time. I really hope I don't have to wait that final week. I've been ready for two weeks now. I keep getting the false contractions, which give me false hope. I think last night I had some real contractions, as walking around didn't get rid of them.

Even though I've been through a childbirth already, I still cannot fully grasp the concept of how children are born. I know all the technicalities, but it's the idea that gets me. I love arts & crafts and often stock up on supplies. Once I've hit the stores, I use those supplies to make neat things. But I didn't do anything like that to make our children. I didn't go to the store for the components, nor did I put the pieces together to create the new person. Instead, a little seed grew inside of me and created the new person. Then I go into a tub and suddenly the person appears. Yes, there's pain and time involved, but the person just comes out of me. The very idea is amazing. No matter how many times I think of it, I still can't get over it.

The people at work are great. They keep telling me to check in with them once the baby is born. They also keep asking how I'm holding up. As our wood shop guy, Randy told a customer, it's the store baby. Just as Paulchen is our store mascot.

When it's been about a month, I'm planning to invite everyone from work, for a little get together. Since I don't have family over here, I'd like to have the people who have worked with me through this pregnancy to come and greet the new member. But this time it will be easier. Though I will be putting the party together, it will be a month after the baby is born and I've had time to recover. As great as it was to see my WHOLE family after Paulchen was born, one week was WAY too soon. I was exhausted in the first hour with all those people. So this will be a little smaller and a little easier.

I'm also setting ground rules for Paul and I, in regards to the soon to be, big brother. Whenever one of us comes home, we are not to hug the new baby first, but go to Paulchen first. The new baby won't be affected by this, but Paulchen will understand that he is still loved. Also, he is to help out at times with feeding the baby and other small tasks. Obviously this will all be under supervision, but I want him to feel a part of everything right from the beginning, not pushed away. I think everything will work out nicely.

1...2...3...4...
This morning, as usual, a certain someone named Paulchen, gave me grief. I wanted him to sit by me so I could get his clothes on and we could run some errands. Of course, he would just look up at me and smile and ignore my command to come over. Finally I told him he better not make me count. Well, I had to count. That's when it was all over.

"One..." I looked at him sternly. Then this little voice responded, "ooh." My eyes bugged out. I tried to look stern, but I was too surprised.

I finally got my expression under control and try to warn him again. "Two..." "Eee" is the response. Right after, that is followed by an "Or."

My son actually counted to 4! I went over it a few more times with him. I started with 1 and he continued with 2, 3, and 4. So later today I counted with him a few times, up to 5. He wasn't interested and just smiled. Then tonight when I told Paul about it, he counted with Paulchen. Paulchen was interested again and counted up to 4. I realize he's just saying the words and doesn't understand the concept yet, but I'm still really impressed. Even more so, as I don't go past 3 when I give a warning count. I don't know where he picked up 4. Probably from one of his songs or Sesame Street. But I'm thrilled none the less.

Finally Able to Rest
Yesterday was a red-letter day. Paulchen walked up the three floors to our apartment, all by himself. He did it again today. I showed him where to hold onto the vertical railings for support. He made it up two floors the other day, but now he's made it all the way.

This is great for me, as there is just no way I can carry both he and the new baby up and down the stairs. Also, while I'm still pregnant, I get so incredibly winded by the time we get upstairs right now, I practically begin to hyperventilate.

Granted, he doesn't know how to walk down the stairs by himself. But as that's a little more difficult, I'm not too worried. Hopefully this weekend Paul and I can have him practice a few stairs. I think we'll probably have him hold the rails and step down backwards. But if I can at least get him to always walk up by himself, then I won't mind as much carrying him down. Even with the new baby, I think I can carry him to the side, so he won't bother the baby in the carry sack.

Also, he does take forever in climbing those stairs, but since I'm pretty easily tired at the moment, I don't mind the rest. The only thing that bugs me is when he gets distracted at the landings by the window. Then I have to help him focus on the task at hand.

Devil in Disguise
Okay, today was one of those days I just wanted to throw Paulchen out the window and say I'm done with being a parent. The day started off fine, but has ended in headache and fatigue.

We went grocery shopping this morning and headed out for a heavy walk this afternoon. We were going to go geocaching and explore this older tower they have in the woods near us. The geocache was supposed to be by the tower. The Ludwigsturm, from what little info I could find, was supposedly built around 1815. Though that might be wrong, as I was only able to one piece of info about the age and they might have been referring to something else, as the text was a little confusing.

Well, we didn't quite make it to the tower. I took us down the wrong path and the path we would have to take to the tower, was WAY too steep. As Paul put it, even when I wasn't pregnant, that hill would have been too steep for me. But now I know which path to take and we'll go next weekend. Also, we did get some views of the tower through the trees. So we basically had a nice 2 mile hike which left me exhausted. I only have 5 weeks until the baby is due, so I got some great exercise.

Then we hopped back on base and stopped by the PX. That's when it all went downhill. There was a kid throwing a massive temper tantrum in the store and Paulchen was napping in the stroller. Since he naps better in the stroller than home, we weren't about to wake him. But this little terror jolted him out of a dead sleep. So Paulchen was so surprised, he woke up crying and it took a bit to calm him down.

Then ever since we came home, he's been in and out of his room on time outs. He's been acting like a wild maniac and trying to hurt himself by jumping on the chairs or trying to climb over the backs. He's also been very destructive for him.

So we finally put him to bed early, as he was tired and we couldn't handle him anymore without having a nervous breakdown. Of course, he's up in his room, crying and banging on the door to be let out and play. Eventually he'll crash, but until then, I'll just add up all the grief we'll repay him later on, for today's annoyances.

On a lighter note, he was really funny when he kept spinning in circles until he'd fall down earlier today. Then he staggered around like a drunkard. Once he was normal, he'd do it again. Ah, the simple pleasures in life.

Paulchen is also getting much better with pointing to the parts of his face. I did a trial run yesterday and asked him to point to his nose, eyes, mouth and ears. But this time, I didn't point to my own features. He was a little slow and had trouble a bit, but today he did much better. He's still a little funny about pointing to his eyes, but he had the rest down pretty well. I'm really pleased with the quick progress.