I'm starting to learn after nearly 6 months as a mom of two kiddos I am not going to get "caught up" anytime in the near future. This is a hard lesson for my Type-A planner personality, who would really enjoy having all my ducks in a row again. I feel like since having baby #2 that I am on that horrid stair stepper machine at the gym. Every time I get close to being "on top" of things, the speed increases, it's a constant uphill battle, and no matter how hard I try, how hard I work, I'm just not able to get everything done. I really struggle feeling like I'm not getting anything "accomplished" but then I look at the faces of my beautiful children and know that the laundry, dishes, cleaning, emails, blog posts and everything else can wait (which is good, because they all DO! ha ha.)
It's been almost a month since my parents were here, but it feels like yesterday...then we had JT's birthday, Halloween and life in general racing ahead full steam. I'm going to recap all of these events in posts because they are too important not to document despite taking place awhile ago! :)
Showing posts with label Baby #2. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Baby #2. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Friday, September 14, 2012
Life with Two
When we found out we were expecting baby #2, I remember parents with more than one kid being very encouraging and saying how it was going to be easy. "Going from 1 to 2 is so much easier than going from none to 1"...
They lied. Well, maybe they didn't? Maybe it is "easy" for other Moms, but NOT FOR ME.
I think having two kids is TWICE as much work. There are now TWO little people relying on me at all times to keep them clean, fed and happy. I don't know how parents of twins do it!! (Kendra, my hat is seriously off to you!)
I find it super hard to meet everyone's needs. I constantly feel like I'm doing a half-butted job. When E is nursing, CJ is having to entertain himself. (He'll say "all done feeding E?!"and it breaks my Mama heart because I know he wants more than I am able to give). And when I'm busy with CJ there are times that E is having to cry. (equally breaks my heart). There are two of them and only one of me and I feel like I'm doing them both a horrible injustice. When CJ was a baby, I'd have all the time in the world to sing to him and play baby games. E gets to do those things when I can find time in between telling CJ not to jump off the couch and not to throw things in the house.
Venturing out in public by myself with the two of them is something I'm just now getting comfortable with. It's so challenging! Especially the store! I still don't take both kids to the store by myself unless I HAVE TO. First of all, to find a time window where they are both happy so we don't have a melt down is hard enough. E's car seat takes up the entire cart, and then CJ rides in the seat part...so where the heck do you put stuff? (I could wear E in the Ergo, but then CJ would probably spend the entire time kicking her as I pushed the cart). It's challenging even trying figure out how to get them both in and out of the cart. (Think about it...leave one in there to potentially roll away or get taken while you are loading/unloading the other one...) STRESSFUL.
And don't even get me started on my inability to get ANYTHING done around the house. Cleaning falls to the bottom of the priority list (since a tornado hits the house several times a day anyhow...) and we're lucky if I can throw a dinner together. Maybe if my son took naps? But always having to be on "high alert" 24/7 without breaks is tough. Toddlers need CONSTANT supervision. It is mind blowing how quickly they are able to get into trouble (or at least mine anyhow).
By the time JT comes home, I'm so relieved that help has arrived, that I toss whichever kid is crying into his arms. Quite the welcome home for him I imagine...plus the usual lack of dinner.
My life is in a continuous state of chaos. Everyone who knows me knows this, and anyone who doesn't can probably figure it out by my disheveled exhausted look. There is never a free moment it seems, and when there finally is, all I want to do is just sit and do nothing or sleep.
Don't get me wrong. I am SO SO SO thankful for my two blessings, but taking care of them is hard work! I know things won't always be this way. I know one day CJ will be potty trained. One day he'll be able to pour his own milk and get his own snacks 52,000 times a day. I know that one day E won't need to eat so frequently. One day she won't blow out a diaper the second I get her strapped into the carseat. I know that one day I'll actually get to eat a warm meal or go to the bathroom in peace. One day I might miss this "season" of young children...well, maybe certain parts. I DEFINITELY know I won't be telling any expectant Moms that it is going to be "easy".
They lied. Well, maybe they didn't? Maybe it is "easy" for other Moms, but NOT FOR ME.
I think having two kids is TWICE as much work. There are now TWO little people relying on me at all times to keep them clean, fed and happy. I don't know how parents of twins do it!! (Kendra, my hat is seriously off to you!)
I find it super hard to meet everyone's needs. I constantly feel like I'm doing a half-butted job. When E is nursing, CJ is having to entertain himself. (He'll say "all done feeding E?!"and it breaks my Mama heart because I know he wants more than I am able to give). And when I'm busy with CJ there are times that E is having to cry. (equally breaks my heart). There are two of them and only one of me and I feel like I'm doing them both a horrible injustice. When CJ was a baby, I'd have all the time in the world to sing to him and play baby games. E gets to do those things when I can find time in between telling CJ not to jump off the couch and not to throw things in the house.
Venturing out in public by myself with the two of them is something I'm just now getting comfortable with. It's so challenging! Especially the store! I still don't take both kids to the store by myself unless I HAVE TO. First of all, to find a time window where they are both happy so we don't have a melt down is hard enough. E's car seat takes up the entire cart, and then CJ rides in the seat part...so where the heck do you put stuff? (I could wear E in the Ergo, but then CJ would probably spend the entire time kicking her as I pushed the cart). It's challenging even trying figure out how to get them both in and out of the cart. (Think about it...leave one in there to potentially roll away or get taken while you are loading/unloading the other one...) STRESSFUL.
And don't even get me started on my inability to get ANYTHING done around the house. Cleaning falls to the bottom of the priority list (since a tornado hits the house several times a day anyhow...) and we're lucky if I can throw a dinner together. Maybe if my son took naps? But always having to be on "high alert" 24/7 without breaks is tough. Toddlers need CONSTANT supervision. It is mind blowing how quickly they are able to get into trouble (or at least mine anyhow).
By the time JT comes home, I'm so relieved that help has arrived, that I toss whichever kid is crying into his arms. Quite the welcome home for him I imagine...plus the usual lack of dinner.
My life is in a continuous state of chaos. Everyone who knows me knows this, and anyone who doesn't can probably figure it out by my disheveled exhausted look. There is never a free moment it seems, and when there finally is, all I want to do is just sit and do nothing or sleep.
Don't get me wrong. I am SO SO SO thankful for my two blessings, but taking care of them is hard work! I know things won't always be this way. I know one day CJ will be potty trained. One day he'll be able to pour his own milk and get his own snacks 52,000 times a day. I know that one day E won't need to eat so frequently. One day she won't blow out a diaper the second I get her strapped into the carseat. I know that one day I'll actually get to eat a warm meal or go to the bathroom in peace. One day I might miss this "season" of young children...well, maybe certain parts. I DEFINITELY know I won't be telling any expectant Moms that it is going to be "easy".
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
I'm back!
One year ago today I found out we were expecting baby #2. Talk about a shock!! I thought I would commemorate this anniversary, with the relaunch of my blog. I know all two of my readers have really missed me, so I'm back!
Where to begin?! You'd think as a military family we'd be used to change...but the addition of a family member has been an major adjustment for us all. Even now, almost four months later, we're still trying to get the hang of our new life.
She was a little jaundiced when we came home from the hospital so she was a glow worm for her first week of life. E is a beautiful girl.
For the most part E is sweet tempered, except when she needs something she will LET YOU KNOW. E nurses every 2.5-3 hours during the day and sleeps 10-12 hours at night.
She is very flexible with naps, probably because she has to be with a noisy big brother and us always being on the go.
I can't believe how quickly she's growing up!
After being the center of attention for 2.5 years, the transition to "big brother" wasn't and still isn't easy for CJ, but everyday gets a little better. I'll eventually do a separate post about this as well. I know once E gets bigger and becomes more "fun" they'll have a great time playing together!
CJ started preschool, two half days a week. It is nice for him to have his own thing, and he LOVES it!
CJ also loves trains and puzzles right now. He no longer takes naps, so we do a "quiet time" when we're at home.
We attempted potty training, but CJ wasn't quite ready yet, so we'll wait a little while longer.
JT is an awesome Dad to his two kids. The biggest adjustment for him has been at work. Shortly after E was born, he was officially made the OIC (officer in charge) for the dental clinic. This is a big responsibility for someone of his rank (he is commanding approximately 60 people, some ranked above him too!).
The US. Navy Dental Corps celebrated 100 years this year and we got to go to a ball on the USS Midway. JT is doing such a great job juggling everything at work and then coming home and helping me and playing with and loving on our kids!
When he walks in the door, CJ still runs exuberantly into his arms yelling "Dada!" Highlight of the day for both of them I think.
E has a special bond with her daddy too. There are times where she gets so worked up, but she'll instantly melt and calm down in JT's arms.
And then there's me. Honestly, I'm still in survival mode. Hence the lack of posts...still trying to figure out how to meet everyone's needs and time manage everything. I'll expand upon all that in upcoming blog posts. I've had a few health issues post delivery, from a kidney infection that landed me in the ER to chronic back pain. In my spare time (ha ha!) I've been jumping through hoops with the doctors office, referrals and insurance company trying to figure out what's wrong and how to get better. Since resting isn't an option, I'll be starting Physical Therapy at the end of the month.
We've had a few visitors come out to help us and meet our new little bundle, so that has been fun and SO nice!
I think that's about it for now...I will try to do much better about posting, but in all reality it won't likely be as frequent as it was pre-E. ;)
I'll eventually post about E's birth, but it was great! We had trouble with breastfeeding at first which was challenging for both of us, but after several lactation consultations, we got it figured out!
JT is an awesome Dad to his two kids. The biggest adjustment for him has been at work. Shortly after E was born, he was officially made the OIC (officer in charge) for the dental clinic. This is a big responsibility for someone of his rank (he is commanding approximately 60 people, some ranked above him too!).
We've had a few visitors come out to help us and meet our new little bundle, so that has been fun and SO nice!
Nana came to meet her newest grandchild and stayed for 2 weeks. CJ misses playing with her and I miss her cooking and company!
Then my friends S & K came out for an extended weekend, which was so generous of them to sacrifice time away from their lives, and so nice for the three of us to have that rare time together!
My grandmother "Gigi" came and stayed with us for 3 weeks. Coming out here wasn't an easy task for an 85-year-old, and her visit was irreplaceable. I'll cherish the memories of her getting to see the Pacific Ocean for the first time, and meeting E and spending time with her great-grandkids my entire life. I'm so excited because my little sister and her husband will be here next week; I can't wait!!
I think that's about it for now...I will try to do much better about posting, but in all reality it won't likely be as frequent as it was pre-E. ;)
Friday, May 18, 2012
Welcome Baby E
Prayers were answered, and it was a WONDERFUL day, including the delivery!
Lacy & E are both doing well, and we will post more later, but wanted to share the good news now.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Overwhelmed
I'm feeling so overwhelmed; in both good and bad ways. This is such a big week. The week that CJ goes from only child to big brother. The week that E joins our family. The week that JT and I become parents to and responsible for TWO children!! So many emotions...anxious, excited, sad, happy, stressed.
I've done everything I can possibly do for everything to be "ready". The checklist is all checked off, and yet, I still feel so anxious. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Philippians 4:6
The one thing I'm most worried/sad about is CJ. I worry so much about how this change will affect him. I know eventually it will be such a positive thing, for him to be a big brother. But, I know that initially it is going to be so hard for him to have all his schedules and routines turned upside down. And for the first time in his life he won't be the ONLY center of his Mama & Dada's universe. I feel so sad for him, and really hope that I can continue to be a good Mom to him as well as to his sister.
When you're pregnant, the whole going into labor thing is so scary. (The unknown always is.) I kinda feel like a ticking time bomb, with no clock...no way of knowing when it and if it will detonate on it's own. I didn't really mind this as much last time, when I was pregnant with CJ. Since it was just JT and me...But this time, now that we have CJ it feels so different. Being in the military, we don't have the luxury of family nearby...so we're having to rely solely on friends to be "on call" to take care of CJ when the time comes. I feel bad because everyone has families and lives of their own, and I hate so much feeling like an inconvenience.
People have continued to tell me how "small" my belly is. And yet, when I compared my belly pics from CJ's pregnancy to this time...my tummy looks pretty much the same. Fear creeping in... The doctor told me he thought E was probably "6 or 7 lbs". That is pretty much the SAME quote my doc in Michigan told me before my giant baby CJ came out. Totally Satan trying to scare me, but I can't help for my thoughts to drift back to memories of last time. "When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world." John 16:21
No matter how accustomed I think I am to KNOWING that things can't be planned...life always still continues to throw curve balls. There was a family medical emergency at "home" in SC last week. Things are "okay" and improving, but sadly, my parents won't be able to come visit right now. I'm sad about that and of course so worried about them since I'm physically unable to go there right now.
And poor little CJ has a cold. He would have to get sick the week we're going to have a baby...I've been planning and dreaming of him meeting his little sister in the hospital. Obviously if he is sick those plans will have to be adjusted. And because I haven't been sleeping well, and am feeling so exhausted, I have a scratchy throat today. Ugh.
Those are all my worries...but I have so much joy and excitement too!! Overwhelming me in the completely opposite way. We feel so much love and anticipation from our friends and family for the birth of this tiny miracle. I am so excited to finally get to meet this little girl who I've gotten feel growing and wiggling inside me. I cannot wait to see all the happiness that she is going to bring and the good changes to come for our family. I so look forward to wrapping my arms around baby E and have her wrap herself around my heart forever. I hope I can REALLY cherish every second this time because I've seen firsthand how quickly children grow watching CJ. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above..." James 1:17
Selfishly, I am asking for prayers. Prayers for me to be able to "let go" and trust that God has everything under control. Prayers labor and delivery to go well. Prayers for E to be healthy. Prayers for CJ and the transition. Prayers for JT and me to be able to handle this change and be the best parents possible to both our son and daughter. Prayers for my parents. Prayers for CJ and me to kick this cold quickly!
The next blog post will hopefully announce the arrival of our E! :)
I've done everything I can possibly do for everything to be "ready". The checklist is all checked off, and yet, I still feel so anxious. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Philippians 4:6
The one thing I'm most worried/sad about is CJ. I worry so much about how this change will affect him. I know eventually it will be such a positive thing, for him to be a big brother. But, I know that initially it is going to be so hard for him to have all his schedules and routines turned upside down. And for the first time in his life he won't be the ONLY center of his Mama & Dada's universe. I feel so sad for him, and really hope that I can continue to be a good Mom to him as well as to his sister.
When you're pregnant, the whole going into labor thing is so scary. (The unknown always is.) I kinda feel like a ticking time bomb, with no clock...no way of knowing when it and if it will detonate on it's own. I didn't really mind this as much last time, when I was pregnant with CJ. Since it was just JT and me...But this time, now that we have CJ it feels so different. Being in the military, we don't have the luxury of family nearby...so we're having to rely solely on friends to be "on call" to take care of CJ when the time comes. I feel bad because everyone has families and lives of their own, and I hate so much feeling like an inconvenience.
People have continued to tell me how "small" my belly is. And yet, when I compared my belly pics from CJ's pregnancy to this time...my tummy looks pretty much the same. Fear creeping in... The doctor told me he thought E was probably "6 or 7 lbs". That is pretty much the SAME quote my doc in Michigan told me before my giant baby CJ came out. Totally Satan trying to scare me, but I can't help for my thoughts to drift back to memories of last time. "When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world." John 16:21
No matter how accustomed I think I am to KNOWING that things can't be planned...life always still continues to throw curve balls. There was a family medical emergency at "home" in SC last week. Things are "okay" and improving, but sadly, my parents won't be able to come visit right now. I'm sad about that and of course so worried about them since I'm physically unable to go there right now.
And poor little CJ has a cold. He would have to get sick the week we're going to have a baby...I've been planning and dreaming of him meeting his little sister in the hospital. Obviously if he is sick those plans will have to be adjusted. And because I haven't been sleeping well, and am feeling so exhausted, I have a scratchy throat today. Ugh.
Those are all my worries...but I have so much joy and excitement too!! Overwhelming me in the completely opposite way. We feel so much love and anticipation from our friends and family for the birth of this tiny miracle. I am so excited to finally get to meet this little girl who I've gotten feel growing and wiggling inside me. I cannot wait to see all the happiness that she is going to bring and the good changes to come for our family. I so look forward to wrapping my arms around baby E and have her wrap herself around my heart forever. I hope I can REALLY cherish every second this time because I've seen firsthand how quickly children grow watching CJ. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above..." James 1:17
Selfishly, I am asking for prayers. Prayers for me to be able to "let go" and trust that God has everything under control. Prayers labor and delivery to go well. Prayers for E to be healthy. Prayers for CJ and the transition. Prayers for JT and me to be able to handle this change and be the best parents possible to both our son and daughter. Prayers for my parents. Prayers for CJ and me to kick this cold quickly!
The next blog post will hopefully announce the arrival of our E! :)
Monday, May 14, 2012
Surprise Shower
SUPER late, but I gotta post this before E arrives!!! :) Two weeks ago when I walked into MOPS the first thing I saw was a chair with balloons and a beautifully decorated table with flowers and presents. SURPRISE! It was for me. How sweet is that?! I thought it was so fitting too, because almost every shower I've ever had (wedding, bachelorette, baby) has been surprise...so these new MOPS friends must have known that would be perfect! ;)
Opening presents.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Prepping for Baby & Nursery Tour
I'm excited that almost everything is ready for Baby Girl! We had our hospital tour a couple weeks ago. All the clothes have been washed, freezer meals in the freezer, pack n play beside my bed, and nursery is done! Just need to finish packing for the hospital this week and we will be as ready as we can be!
I wanted to share pictures of the nursery! I am so pleased with how it turned out. When we first moved in to the house in July this was our office. It was the only room we hadn't hung pictures up...and good thing because then we found out we needed to make it into a nursery! :)
So even though we don't use real names on this blog (other than mine), I felt like I could still share this picture because I'm not going to write Baby Girl's name. :) She will be called "E" on the blog...for obvious reasons I couldn't call her "ET" (hello movie!) or "EH" (less than pleasant sound), so E she will be. I painted all the butterflies, flowers and ladybugs on the letters!
This is the view from the glider. Blankets, and burp rags on top shelf for easy grabbing, and "baby" toys and board books on the other shelves. CJ loves "sharing" E's toys already! And our little "princess" couldn't NOT have a little Disney in her room...Sleeping Beauty prints.
We have been SO very blessed by the generosity of friends and hand-me-downs with this baby. We were given new clothes for CJ as gifts, but the majority of things we had to purchase. Expensive! So I was concerned about the finances of a surprise baby. We were taken care of! E has been given boxes and boxes of beautiful girl clothes. I have them all sorted by size and ready to go! :)
On top of the toy shelf, the bear music box and angel figurine were mine as a little girl. So neat to have those to pass on to her. And I LOVE the frame that has Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed you in your mother's womb, I chose you".
The view from the hall, coming from our bedroom. The big window looks out into our front yard, but is shaded/given privacy by a camellia tree (which reminds me so much of SC!) The pink bunny hung in my room as a girl. The crocheted blue hat with pink flower was made by my Mom a long time ago. That word "HOPE" hung in our empty room, would-be-nursery in Michigan as we prayed to be blessed with a child. Now, that will be E's middle name, and I glued it to a frame holding the scripture Jeremiah 29:11: "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you HOPE and a future."
I wanted to share pictures of the nursery! I am so pleased with how it turned out. When we first moved in to the house in July this was our office. It was the only room we hadn't hung pictures up...and good thing because then we found out we needed to make it into a nursery! :)
So even though we don't use real names on this blog (other than mine), I felt like I could still share this picture because I'm not going to write Baby Girl's name. :) She will be called "E" on the blog...for obvious reasons I couldn't call her "ET" (hello movie!) or "EH" (less than pleasant sound), so E she will be. I painted all the butterflies, flowers and ladybugs on the letters!
I bought the quilt hanging above the glider in Hawaii before we moved in 2008. We'd started trying to have a baby, and it was the only thing I allowed myself to buy ahead of time because I didn't want to jinx things if we couldn't have a baby. What a sweet reminder of God's promises fulfilled it is for me to see it hanging in her room. :) This was CJ's crib (that he outgrew), so now it belongs to little sis! The pom pom of blue hydrangea flowers hanging from the ceiling was a decoration in one of my best friend's weddings where I was a bridesmaid! We had blue hydrangeas in our backyard growing up, so they also bring those memories. I thought this was the perfect "reuse" for that decor! And the rocker got moved into the nursery too from CJ's room, and CJ now has a beanbag chair.
Baby E's room is directly across the hall from CJ's room and caddy-corner across the hall from us. We had a limited amount of space for a changing table because we couldn't block her closet on the left (the one on the right opens from the other side of the hallway). I found the changing table I wanted on Craigslist for about half the price!!
I got the pink baskets from Michaels, and the drawer pulls are Olive Kids. Her coming home from the hospital outfit (laid out on changing table) has an elephant on it just like her big brother's did! :) But E's pants have a ruffle butt! 
I was inspired by a couple of different bow holders I saw on Pintrest, and I made this bow holder! I painted the different pieces of wood and put it all together. I should have taken a close up, but the bows are hanging on braided brown yarn (because she'll more than likely have brown hair?). The bows are a mix of some that I've made, and some that have been given to our sweet girl.
Now all that's missing is a baby girl!!! :)
Monday, April 16, 2012
The Planner
A couple of things about this pregnancy I wanted to share before I forget (& before it's over!)
One thing I had always said from the time we first got married in 2005 was that I wanted to have both of our kids (we always wanted 2) before JT turned 40. JT turns 40 in October. (yes, there is a bit of an age difference between us!)
When we first moved here last July, being the planner that I am, the first doctor that I found for myself was a new infertility doctor. Even though we weren't planning on "trying" again until the Summer of 2012 (ha ha! we'll already have our baby before then now!), I set up an appointment for us to meet the doctor and get the ball rolling (not knowing what tests they'd want to rerun, etc). Our appointment was going to be on September 27, 2011. I had "jokingly" said a couple of times "Wouldn't it be so funny if I went to the appointment and they said 'you're pregnant'". Well, I guess God thought that was funny too. ;) Needless to say, I didn't need to go to that appointment.
According to my calculations, we got pregnant somewhere around the same time I wrote this post. How crazy is THAT?!
And the last, most ironic thing in my mind was a conversation that JT and I had about a week before we found out we were pregnant. I still remember, we were walking through the Safari Park talking about what if we couldn't have a baby #2...would we be "okay" with CJ being an only child, or would we think about pursuing adoption. We were ALREADY pregnant!!
On September 12, 2011 I took a pregnancy test. I'm still not even sure what prompted me to do it. I hadn't had any symptoms, and I had a period pretty recently ago (for me). It was the day before "trash day" and I typically liked to pee on sticks right before the trash would go out. A couple of reasons for that...1) so I didn't have to look at the "no" staring me in the face from the trash can every time I stepped out of the shower/went to the potty. 2) so JT wouldn't see the thousands of dollars worth of pregnancy tests that I continuously "wasted". GOODNESS was I EVER shocked to see a faint line that evening!!
God, yet again, in His infinite wisdom and perfect timing had given us the most beautiful gift. Another baby. There are SO many things that infertility, and being a mother has taught me...but I think that the biggest lesson of all for me is that not everything can be planned by us but God always has a perfect plan! "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
Sunday, April 15, 2012
35 weeks
How far along: 35 weeks yesterday
Size of baby: 18.2 inches long, 5 lb, 6 oz. About the size of a honeydew melon.
Gender: Baby girl
Total weight gain: + 27 lbs
Maternity clothes: Yes.
Symptoms: Backache, right rib pain, TIRED!
Sleep: Approx. 8 hours with 3 potty trips.
Food cravings: Seafood, spicy, red meat, ice cream and Cadbury Cream Eggs! (I stocked up Friday when they were 70% off!)
Movement: Still super, super active!
Best moment this week: Having a PERFECT last ultrasound to check on her. Isn't she beautiful?! She is head down, and everything looks great: umbilical blood flow, placenta and BABY! On Monday, Baby Girl weighed 5 lbs, 5 oz, putting her in the 53%. (Which means she is going to be a very AVERAGE sized baby, not a giant like her big bro, CJ! Praise!!!!) She was measuring 4 days early, putting my adjusted due date on May 15...but who knows when she'll decide to make her debut! We are so thankful that she is doing well. My blood pressure is good and my weight gain is much more reasonable this time around! :) Can't believe she'll be here SO SOON!
What I miss: I wish I didn't have to RUN to the bathroom quite so often...but overall very content this week.
What I'm looking forward to: A "relaxing" week with minimal plans, and beautiful weather on the forecast.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Worth the Wait
Since this pregnancy has been pretty rough on me, I've said a number of times that "I'm ready for her to come". I do feel guilty saying that, after going through everything we had to to have CJ, and knowing there are still so many ladies who would love to be in my shoes. I find it to be such a fine line to try and walk...between being considerate of my friends with infertility, but still being real about pregnancy and motherhood. I don't want to sound ungrateful, but not every moment of pregnancy and being a mom is always perfect and wonderful.
Anyhow, I saw something this week that kind of snapped me back to reality, and made me want to stay pregnant just a little while longer.
WOW! Talk about a difference. There were several other risk factors and important reasons listed, but probably since I'm a visual person, the comparison of the brains is what struck me the most.
I'm going to try to enjoy my last few weeks of being pregnant, since I'll never again feel a baby hiccuping or wiggling around in my belly. I'll tough it out, as long as she wants (within reason!) for HER. Because, just like her big brother, she is most definitely worth the wait!
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Easter 2012
The week of Easter we dyed eggs for the first time as a family! CJ was old enough this year to do it and had fun while he did! (But his attention span only lasted 6 eggs, so I ended up doing 6 on my own, HA!)
Dipping the "E" egg into the pink cup for his little sister! :)
Pulling out the finished egg!
Here are some of our eggs from this year! My favorite was the pink and green with the swirls on the left (CJ drew those swirls and chose what colors to dip so not only did it turn out so pretty, but CJ did it!)
I found one!
CJ ended up finding just 5 eggs because he was too busy trying to open each one as he found it instead of filling his basket. That's okay! I was proud of my little boy!
JT and CJ stirring up the vinegar, water and dye.
Such concentration as he colors one of the eggs with a crayon! (surprisingly NONE got broken!)
Dipping the "E" egg into the pink cup for his little sister! :)
Pulling out the finished egg!
Here are some of our eggs from this year! My favorite was the pink and green with the swirls on the left (CJ drew those swirls and chose what colors to dip so not only did it turn out so pretty, but CJ did it!)
On Saturday morning, the moms group I'm in, hosted an Easter egg hunt. Let's just say CJ isn't going to enter any competitive egg hunt contests anytime soon, but he had fun! CJ and Dada on the hunt!
I found one!
CJ ended up finding just 5 eggs because he was too busy trying to open each one as he found it instead of filling his basket. That's okay! I was proud of my little boy!
CJ is still too young to understand death. Every time I read our "Story of Easter" book and it talked about Jesus dying and his friends being sad, CJ was very perplexed. So the Christianity aspect of Easter will have to wait for another year... but this year CJ knew that the "Easter Bunny" was going to bring "presents, treats & eggs".
Easter morning CJ got a new alphabet puzzle and an Easter Basket from the Easter Bunny.
CJ is LOVING puzzles right now! He is really good at them too!
Look what the Easter Bunny brought, CJ!
WOW!
"Big Thomas" (the little Thomas sticker was "Baby Thomas").
We did an egg hunt in our backyard, and CJ was MUCH more successful (since he didn't have any competition). HA HA!
It was so funny, because as he picked up each egg he would announce "Blue Egg" or "Yellow Egg" or "Pink Egg" etc. as he put it in his basket! HA HA!
On the move!
We let him have a little bit of candy...scoping out the jelly beans from one of his eggs as he shoves them in his mouth.
A mouth FULL of jelly beans!
This is what happened when we told CJ that he'd had enough candy...The "MORE TREAT!" tantrum.
Our family Easter photo, taken in our beautiful front yard!
Easter Sunday was SO beautiful in San Diego, so we decided to spend the afternoon on the coast! CJ is so observant, when we turned onto I-5 North, he said "Mickey House?" (because that is the way to Disneyland. This is the 2nd time he has said this...the first time I figured it was a fluke...but again?! And, not to mention this turn is 45 minutes away from our house! He amazes me in so many ways every. day.) The beaches and parks were all pretty busy but the aquarium wasn't so we stopped there. "Baby jellyfish"
I LOVED seeing my "twin" boys. ;) CJ looked SOO handsome in his Easter outfit that his Nana bought him! We got so many compliments, and our little hat lover had a BLAST sporting his adorable cap!
CJ is LOVING puzzles right now! He is really good at them too!
Look what the Easter Bunny brought, CJ!
WOW!
"Big Thomas" (the little Thomas sticker was "Baby Thomas").
We did an egg hunt in our backyard, and CJ was MUCH more successful (since he didn't have any competition). HA HA!
It was so funny, because as he picked up each egg he would announce "Blue Egg" or "Yellow Egg" or "Pink Egg" etc. as he put it in his basket! HA HA!
On the move!
We let him have a little bit of candy...scoping out the jelly beans from one of his eggs as he shoves them in his mouth.
A mouth FULL of jelly beans!
This is what happened when we told CJ that he'd had enough candy...The "MORE TREAT!" tantrum.
Our family Easter photo, taken in our beautiful front yard!
Easter Sunday was SO beautiful in San Diego, so we decided to spend the afternoon on the coast! CJ is so observant, when we turned onto I-5 North, he said "Mickey House?" (because that is the way to Disneyland. This is the 2nd time he has said this...the first time I figured it was a fluke...but again?! And, not to mention this turn is 45 minutes away from our house! He amazes me in so many ways every. day.) The beaches and parks were all pretty busy but the aquarium wasn't so we stopped there. "Baby jellyfish"
I LOVED seeing my "twin" boys. ;) CJ looked SOO handsome in his Easter outfit that his Nana bought him! We got so many compliments, and our little hat lover had a BLAST sporting his adorable cap! The "Fish are Swimming".
Another thing that amazed us, was when CJ showed us his recall ability. When we finished with the seahorses, CJ told us it was time to "see sharks!", when we left that exhibit, CJ ran to the railing to look out at the ocean to "find whales!" And finally, (because we always do it last!) CJ knew it was time to "touch sea stars!" He did a great job lightly touching the sea creatures until he started splashing, and then he was having so much fun!
So thankful for our beautiful day. So thankful for our growing family. And so thankful that Jesus paid the ultimate price so that we can all be saved.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)