Our Little Nest On The Coast

Christmas Eve

2012-02-08T00:02:00.003-05:00

We spent Christmas Eve at my parents' house. I intended to go to church as a family (it is the one time of year that I get Tony to go too) but the kids weren't feeling great (the start of what would be a three week illness) and things were just crazy at home so much to my sadness, but much needed, we took it easy until it was time to head to my parents' house. We exchanged gifts and my grandmother was there so it was great to see her (poor Grammie broke her elbow days earlier). Fun was had by all and the usual lobster stew my mother makes was the main attraction. We also watched "Christmas Vacation" as is a tradition as well. Here is the fun-filled, jam-packed evening in picture review.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree...

2012-02-07T23:18:00.012-05:00

So here is our tree all decorated (Cole poked his head in the photo..lol). This year it took me two nights to do :)

Someone was anxious to touch it :)

Oh you saw me!?

A present Cole helped me with :)

The whole family around our tree.

And I just had to add this one. Cole made a "train" with random items and he was the conductor. Notice who is in the caboose? LOL.

Stay tuned everyone as I get you caught up. Lots of big things happening lately!

Catching Up: Oh A Hunting We Will Go...

2012-01-25T22:20:00.007-05:00

...for a Christmas tree!

Cole was so excited to get our tree this year. We hunted and hunted and nothing fit for him. Finally we convinced him of one and it was "perfect." I am embarrassed to say that it really must have been perfect because someone else picked it too! It wasn't until we cut it down that we realized it had an orange tag. Oh no! It didn't have a name on the tag and it was way in the tree hidden so I pray that it was one someone tagged and then forgot where it was or didn't come back to get because I felt horrible. We were like outlaws running with our tree to the truck. My husband left Cole, Miles and I in the dust, I booked it to the truck only to hear "wait for me" and realize we had left Cole in the dust in our mad dash. HA! Stay tuned to see this "perfect tree" in all its glory :)

As a side note, Cole was just saying today he can't wait until Christmas next year. When I asked him why he said, "because I want to find the perfect tree." He went on to explain he looked and looked and found a square one (not sure what that is about) and then he found an "alright one", which he got because he got embarrassed. I think maybe he took felt shame :)

6 Months Old!

2012-01-22T21:40:00.007-05:00

How quickly time flies. I cannot believe Miles is 6 months old today! He is growing up so fast. He is so adorable and an amazingly laid back baby (unless he is ready to eat or getting his shirt changed.) He is such a blessing in our lives and I cannot thank God enough for him.

Miles, Mommy loves you more than words can describe. You are such a light in my life and I thank God every day for you. You have the most amazing smile. I LOVE your laugh. Your happiness is incredibly contagious. Happy 6 months big boy! I love you!

Here is what you are up to right now...

- You are in size 6-9 months clothes and size 2 shoe.

- You are still in cloth diapers and have moved up to the second snap on most diapers and completely unsnapped on your Rumparooz!

- You are rolling frequently to your belly now but seem to have forgotten how to get back to your back!

- You still like your pacifier AND your thumb. You are more likely to go for your thumb since you have that with you at all times :)

- You always suck your LEFT thumb. Mommy wonders if you will be left handed but they say it is too early to tell :)

- You have BEAUTIFUL big blue eyes and get complimented on them a lot.

- You like to talk and sing :)

- You think Peek-a-boo is SOOOO much fun. You laugh so hard when we play.

- You can sit up alone!

- You can stand holding on to us or something!

- You started rice cereal yesterday and LOVED it.

- You currently eat cereal for breakfast now.

- You are still exclusively breastfed (besides cereal now!)

- You eat about every 2-3 hours and when you get a bottle, you take 7 ounces!

- You ADORE your big brother.

- You are so cute when you are around us when we are eating...you chew too :)

- You still spit up a lot :)

- You still are pretty gassy :)

- You are pooping a lot less now. Sometimes I can't remember when you last did! So when you do go...watch out! :)

- You still sleep well at night and take on average, 2 naps a day.

- You are VERY laid back but if we make you mad, you let us know.

- You don't like having your back touched.

- You hate having your shirt changed.

- You fuss when we change your diaper until you get the WARM wet cloth on you :)

- You are still teething but no teeth...you drool and bite a lot!

- You LOVE the tag on the Boppy Mom uses to feed you.

- You love your buzzing bumblebee teether.

- You still have a tuft of hair on the back of your head that didn't fall out so it is longer than the rest of your hair...Mommy likes to play with it when she feeds you :)

- You still enjoy being swaddled at night.

- You still go to sleep on your back but can sometimes be found rolled onto your left side at night or be found in the morning on your belly.

- I see a lot of your Dada in you (especially the forehead) and I also see Cole in you at times.

- I LOVE kissing your forehead. My lips fit perfectly on a certain spot :)

Edit: You went to the doctors on Tuesday and you did great even though we had to wake you and completely undress you and give you FOUR shots. You are such a good baby. Here are your stats: You weigh 17 lbs 3.8 ounces (50th percentile), you are 27 inches long (73rd percentile) and your head is 17 inches in circumference (53rd precentile). The nurses and MD commented on how good natured you are and I agree. They also all couldn't get over how big you are. Mommy and Daddy find this funny because we keep thinking you seem short but you are not! :) One nurse also liked all your hair :)

Poll Results: Will I stick with cloth diapering?

2012-01-19T22:10:00.004-05:00

You bet I will! Well at least for now. I really have no intention of stopping but we are about to embark on a new journey...solids. Sigh. So bittersweet. So glad my little guy is growing big, healthy and strong but so selfishly sad that my days where my little man relies solely on me for nourishment are coming to an end.

With starting solids this weekends means another whole dynamic to cloth diapering. Up until solids it is so easy to wash. Just throw everything in the washer because breast milk is water soluable. Now though, what do I do with the solids? Scrap into the toilet, dunk and swish in the toilet, get a diaper sprayer? No idea what I will do but starting this weekend, I will be doing something! I pray this part of it does not deter me because right now, I am a cloth diapering finatic and loving it!

Getting Updated

2012-01-19T13:14:00.000-05:00

So Thanksgiving was nice and quiet. We had a great Thanksgiving with my in-laws. It was perfect. Small and surrounded by family...it was great.

When we first started sharing holidays with each other's families I wasn't sure how I would like the much smaller one that my in-laws have (just my husband's parents and brothers) since I am so used to such a large gathering of Aunts, Uncles, cousins, cousin's kids, cousins' dogs, etc. but as much as I do like to see all of them, I actually look forward to the nice quiet one that my in-laws have.

I didn't take pictures other than this one my mother-in-law took for me.

I have adopted my mother's rule, which I hated as a child...photo as soon as we get there, of the whole family and then you may be on your way :) This would have been an amazing photo but Cole had a meltdown as soon as we got there and this was the result we got. Everyone else looks great though! I have actually grown to love these quirky photos though. They help you remember those moments. Life truly isn't picture perfect so why should the photos be right? Happy belated Thanksgiving everyone!

How Quickly Things Change...

2012-01-17T22:51:00.002-05:00

From looks of adoration...

To this just seconds later :)

My Dear Friends...

2012-01-02T10:14:00.003-05:00

I don't know where to begin. Things have just been crazy. I LOVE my kids so much I am struggling again with wanting to be home with them all the time but then also enjoying work (at times) and having some "me time." I just feel like the days fly by lately and are consumed with work, cooking dinners, cleaning the house and laundry. I fall into bed exhausted each night feeling like I didn't get half of what I wanted to done. What I don't get is as much as this stresses me out, I am loving it AND much to my husband's dismay, I want more kids when it seems I am barely getting by right now. I have no time to eat healthy and exercise these days it seems and I feel like I don't have the time I want to play with my kids. I am hoping that things will settle with the holidays past us (I usually love that time of year but this year, it was just more work on top of what I am not able to keep up with.) I just kind of feel lost but at the same time, satisfied and at the same time, not. Does that make any sense at all? Probably not because I can't make sense of it either. Two things came to mind as I was pondering this all...

"I love this crazy, tragic, sometimes almost magic, awful, beautiful life."

And then this...

"I once was lost but now I'm found."

The first I think is how I feel about the "tailspin" I feel like I am in and the second, is where I want to be. Today I was thinking, I haven't been to church in several weeks now (so not like me)...perhaps, I need to start there.

It is Way More Work Isn't It?

2011-12-15T22:11:00.003-05:00

I hear this a lot lately when people ask me how things are going with two kids now. I always respond, "Great!" To which I then often hear, "It is way more work isn't it?" I often say it isn't that bad and I mean it. It doesn't feel like much more work. However, I was just reflecting and I realized my Christmas cards still are not out, my tree is going on Day 6 in our house and so far I have gotten lights on it and half the decorations, and my house is not decorated except for the outside lights and a few things here and there. So....maybe people are right. Maybe it is a lot more work. I would have all of this done by now a year ago. But then again, maybe it isn't. Maybe it is just having a new baby. I don't know. What I do know though is that it doesn't FEEL like a lot more work and I think that is key. The little things like decorating my house are no longer priority. My kids are. I am okay with this. It isn't more work because I have shifted priorities. I think that is key. It isn't more work because I haven't let it be and I think that is a good thing.

Are You Still Checking In?

2011-12-11T22:55:00.004-05:00

If you are, I am here! Life has been crazy since Miles was born really. Between his birth, my gal bladder removal when he was 5 weeks, returning to work, raising two kids, birthdays, holidays, dying and now dead computers, keeping up the house, sickness all around, cloth diapering, breastfeeding, and trying to fit sleep in there somewhere, my blog has been VERY neglected. I haven't ever been this bad. It isn't just my blog though. I haven't exercised, sat down for a meal, participated in meetings for organizations I am a part of, read a book, watched T.V., etc. either. Honestly, I have not had any ME time. My life is completely consumed with caring for others right now in some way. My life is completely different now. I do miss my old "normal" once in a while but for the most part, I am honestly 100% happy with how life is right now in all of its craziness. I think this is because I know it, "wont be like this for long" (I love that song by the way.) I know what a blessing my life is right now and I wouldn't change it. I am content and that makes me happy. However, I do hope to get on the blog a little more just because I enjoy having the journal of my life with my boys. It is fun to reflect on...if I ever have the time someday :) With that, I will close with a picture or two :)

Partying With the Family

2011-11-05T22:01:00.006-04:00

Cole is so loved. A very lucky boy indead. Each year I like to celebrate Cole's birthday with his friend party but on his actual day, I like to celebrate with family. Birthdays are a big deal to me...can you tell? :) Anyway, here is the family celebration in pictures...

Thanks to MeMe, Mommy was able to enjoy some of the party with her big boy. "Baby Miles" wasn't feeling too well. He caught the cold that had gone through the house (and soon gave it to his Mommy). MeMe came in his room and held him for a bit so he could rest while Mommy celebrated with Cole for a bit. Thanks MeMe!

And what is a birthday without cake? Icecream cake that is! I LOVE to make cakes and thanks to my Aunt Roberta's tips it has become easier and more fun! So you can imagine my excitement to finally have children to make cakes for but alas, I have a boy who like his Daddy, prefers the icecream cake. So, I do what every good Mommy would do, I give him what he wants on his special day and he sure looks happy to have it doesn't he? :)

Happy birthday handsome! You are so loved!

Cole is 3!

2011-11-04T21:03:00.004-04:00

Cole turned 3 in October. I cannot believe I have a 3 year old. He is such a smart boy. He had his check-up and got his flu shot. He did such a good job. He just said, "Ow, ow, ow." but then the nurse wasn't holding his leg and he moved it. The needle came out and restuck him. She then had to stick him again to give him the remainder of the shot. Poor little guy. What a trooper he was though. He is in the 97th percentile for height and weight! He is such a big boy! He is smart too. He can cut with scissors and use them correctly while holding the paper himself. He knows some letters and can count to more than 10. He knows all his colors and his vocabulary amazes me! He speaks in long and complex sentences and can even get and use some humor. He can jump getting both feet off the ground. he can throw a ball and hit it with a bat. He is great with a soccer ball. He loves to play basketball. He loves trains (he has almost all the Chugginton chuggers) orange, tractors (particularly Papa's Kubota) and he loves to "do work." He loves to help. He likes order. He loves his brother and is a great big brother. He can spell his first name, knows his full name, his Mommy's name and his Daddy's name. We are working on where he lives. He loves to draw and "write" and he loves cutting with scissors. He can completely undress himself (we are working on dressing.) He is comletely potty trained and has been since Miles came home. He loves to be outside. He is loving and sensitive. He is a little clumsy. Gross motor is not his strength right now so we will work on that. He really seems wise beyond his years in many ways. He is an old soul. He has begun to "fib". He listens when spoken to for the most part and really hates to get in trouble. He apologizes and is very polite. He has come out of his "shell" a lot but continues to be "shy" in large groups. He is amazing in so many ways. I love him more than he will ever know and thank God every day for bringing him into my life. I love you big boy, happy birthday!

Life As I Know it Right Now

2011-11-03T23:27:00.003-04:00

Life is so busy right now. I am up late yet again. Way past when all my "boys" have gone to bed. I go from work, which is crazy busy, to home, which is crazy busy with children and household chores and computers that don't work so I am behind on computer stuff and I am so busy at work I sometimes have to bring my little peanut back to work with me to finish paperwork and I am busy with breastfeeding a hungry baby. (Yes, that is one crazy sentence but that is honestly how my mind runs lately.)

I was told today that I "look exhausted" and you know what? I am. I am running on pure adreneline I think. You know what else though? I honestly wouldn't have it any other way. I have a job. I have two amazing children. I have a loving husband. I have a roof over my head. I have a baby that so far is exclusively breastfed and cloth-diapered. I have a son that is amazingly smart. I have a wonderful family. I am happy with my crazy life.

And just because I love them so much, some pictures of my boys...

Cuteness and Handsomeness...

2011-10-24T22:45:00.003-04:00

3 Months!

2011-10-22T23:04:00.001-04:00

Miles turned 3 months old today! It is so hard to believe. I feel like I just gave birth to him yesterday (well not physically, but mentally!)

Here's where you are at Miles...

- You have found your thumb and are loving it. Dada is fighting it but giving in and I am not loving it but don't try to stop you. The reason? A pacifier can be taken away when the time comes and a thumb cannot! I must admit you look so darn cute sucking it though!

- You still could "take it or leave it" when it comes to your pacifier.

- You have begun reaching for things and love to show me how you can hold your arms out straight...too cute.

- You still love to talk and especially love when we imitate what you say.

- You have begun to laugh out loud and are ticklish around the neck and hips :)

- You give smiles pretty freely, which Mommy loves.

- You are sleeping through the night! (Knocking on wood now!)

- You are still getting all breastmilk. You take 4 ounces when you get a bottle when I am away.

- You are still in cloth diapers!

- You can hold your head up well and can sit up in your bumbo pretty well.

- You can old your head steady when we pull you up to sitting.

- You tolerate tummy time and can hold your head at 90 degrees but for short periods.

- You can almost roll from back to belly. You get your top half all the way around pretty much but don't get your butt around yet...you rock and kick but just don't get there yet.

- You love watching your brother.

- You continue to have reflux but it seems to have decreased some (knock on wood again.)

- You love your crinkle elephant toy.

- You are a pretty easy going baby until you want something or are mad...watch out when you are!

- You wear size 3-6 month clothes.

So True

2011-10-15T15:48:00.002-04:00

The above cartoon is so true. Miles started sleeping through the night at around 2.5 months (big blessing compared to what we experienced with Cole and his colic for his first 3 months). However, the night before my return to work, he woke at 4 AM. The next night, 3 AM. You know what though? I wasn't upset. I was okay with it. I love nursing Miles and at that time in the AM when all is quiet around me, I hold my son, nurish him and rock him back to sleep. At that moment, I don't want to be anywhere else.

My Bumbo Boys

2011-10-12T22:20:00.003-04:00

I have begun looking back over photos of when Cole was as small as Miles is now and I came across a photo of them each sitting in the Bumbo. They are around the same age in their photos. Cole is slightly younger thus proving exactly what I have been thinking...Miles is lagging slightly in motor development compared to Cole. Cole was sitting in his Bumbo closer to 2.5 months than 3 months and Cole rolled over from back to belly at 3 months. Miles is still working on that. However, Miles is a talker compared to Cole. Funny how different they can be. With that said, here is the photo comparisons.

Do they look a like? I think if you cut Cole's hair they would look a lot alike in these photos. People seem to think they are looking a lot alike as Miles gets older. People also comment on the head of hair Miles has but compared to Cole's mop it is no comparison. He looks like I put a wig on him! In fairness though, Miles' looks thinner because it is lighter. Also, notice Cole's "balding patches"? He had begun losing the baby hair and pulling it out at this point. Something Miles has begun to do...lol. Also, I knew Miles' hair was lighter but it is A LOT lighter. So cool to be able to compare these photos...can't wait to find more :)

High Ho, High Ho....

2011-09-30T21:33:00.002-04:00

....in 1 week it is off to work I go. I have been prepping Cole for this transition and he said he was sad (break my heart) but then okay with it because it meant he could play with MeMe more :) I struggled with this with Cole too. I didn't want to go back after having him. Now, I don't want to again. It seems like I am just getting "organized" and getting a good routine and I am going to throw work into it and mess it all up. I realize even more so this time how short my time is with them before they are busy with school, friends, sports, etc. I cherish my time with them even more. I don't want to go. However, not going means major changes in our lives. Our income literally would get cut in half. We are in a good place right now where we are fortunate enough to be putting money away for retirement, funding college savings plans, being able to not have to worry about money, etc. We are in a good place. Money from what I hear is often a major strain in relationships and we are so fortunate that it isn't currently in ours. So many people would LOVE to have a job right now. I am lucky. Yet, I want the time with my kids. It is a tough place to be in. I think once I get back to work I will fall into my normal routine and all will be okay. I will remember why I went to school for 6 years, and that I love my job and the company of adults :) However, right now, I am also already mourning the loss of 100% motherhood. I think maybe the lesson in all of this is that all time with my children is precious and that I should remember what I soon will be giving up so that when the hustle and bustle of work starts up again I don't get lost in that. I enjoy every minute. I don't know, that just isn't convincing me enough right now. I still have a week left and I am already missing my life right now. Sigh...

How Great Thou Art

2011-09-29T09:01:00.000-04:00

At the end of the night when both boys are asleep in bed and I am about to go to bed myself, I check one last time on each boy in his room and I stop and pray over them thanking God for the blessing of them in my life. A friend of mine recently posted this hymn on Facebook and it sums up what I think every night...

How Great Thou Art

Lyrics ~ Carl Boberg, 1859 - 1940

English Translation ~ Stuart K. Hine, 1899 -

O Lord my God,

When I in awesome wonder

Consider all

The works Thy Hand hath made,

I see the stars,

I hear the mighty thunder,

Thy pow'r throughout

The universe displayed;

When through the woods

And forest glades I wander

I hear the birds

Sing sweetly in the trees;

When I look down

From lofty mountain grandeur

And hear the brook

And feel the gentle breeze;

Then sings my soul,

My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

How great Thou art!

Then sings my soul,

My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

How great Thou art!

When Christ shall come,

With shouts of acclamation,

And take me home,

What joy shall fill my heart!

Then I shall bow

In humble adoration

And there proclaim,

"My God, how great Thou art!"

Then sings my soul,

My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

How great Thou art!

Then sings my soul,

My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

How great Thou art!

Brotherly Love

2011-09-28T16:27:00.002-04:00

I just love the "big brother" role Cole already plays. When Miles cries he wants to know why he's upset and how we can fix it. He asks to hold him. He touches him lovingly. He loves him.

I love the adoration Miles has already for Cole. Cole can calm Miles just as I can. Miles is content if he can sit and watch Cole. Miles smiles and coos hoping to catch Cole's attention. He loves him.

Brotherly love.

Apple Picking

2011-09-20T16:05:00.002-04:00

Cole and I went apple picking with our church recently. It was a great "just Mommy and Cole time" and Cole had a blast. He was an apple picking machine! We came home with way more apples than we needed. I swear he picked more than half of them himself. I only had to weed out a few of his. He can't wait to go again.

Miles

2011-09-20T16:00:00.003-04:00

Here's a peek at what Miles has been up to lately...

Miles Thomas is 2 Months!

2011-09-16T22:16:00.002-04:00

Miles Thomas...you are 2 months old today! Where did the time go? When I look at you I see you changing already. You are looking so long and already looking less like a "newborn." You have the most beautiful long lashes just like your big brother and Daddy. Your hair is looking lighter too. I can see shades of blond in it. You are a content baby but when you get mad you definitely get mad! You are beginning to pull at your hair and ears just as your brother did when he was your age. You are "talking" and giving lots of smiles now. You love when Mommy imitates you and you love to kick your arms and legs. You are a pro at holding your head up and you are trying to role from back to belly. Your brother did it at 3 months so you just might too! You continue to breastfeed well but still squeak while eating and gulp to keep up with my letdown. You don't give up though! You continue to eat every 2 hours in the day and nap frequently. Recently you have been a little fussy and wake from naps and have started to drool a little. Teeth? Your brother got his first 2 at 3 months so maybe! At night you usually wake every 3 hours but the past couple nights you have skipped your 11 or 12 feeding. Mommy hopes you keep this up. You also have "snacked" on your 2 or 3 AM feeding so I am hoping maybe you are going to drop that? Probably not yet but Mommy can dream right? Actually, so far you have been 100% better than your brother in the sleeping department so I can't complain and I am so happy you are 100% breastfed still. You also continue to not really care for the pacifier (so unlike your brother) and prefer to use Mommy as one. I don't know your height or weight as you haven't had your 2 month appt. yet with the doctor. You did have a visit for the reflux you apparently have (Mommy chose not to medicate you at this point) and the squeaking you do while eating and you are 11 lbs then and that was a week ago. You have been out several times and been to restaurants several times and you do so well. You are wearing 3-6 month clothes and are still in cloth diapers. You outgrew Mommy's favorite prefolds for you (Thirsties) and are soon to outgrow your OsoCozy ones :( Mommy loves the pocket diapers but I am surprised to say I love prefolds too and will be sad when I am not using the angelwing fold and snappi with covers on you anymore! You continue to hate having your diaper changed. You really are a joy Miles and Mommy thanks God every day for you and your big brother. Happy 2 months big boy. (Mommy calls you big boy and handsome a lot.) :)

To My Boys...

2011-09-08T21:17:00.002-04:00

"No one else will ever know the strength of my love for you. After all, you're the only one who knows what my heart sounds like from the inside."

Cloth Diapering

2011-09-08T20:44:00.001-04:00

Friday, September 2, 2011 began my journey of cloth diapering. I had prepped everything and was ready to start well before but kept putting it off (well I did have a gall bladder removed in that time so I cut myself some slack.)

I decided I needed to just bite the bullet. What was I afraid of? Miles' circumcision was looking as good as it would get and the CD safe diaper cream I bought said it was good for that anyway. I had done tons of research, bought plenty of diapers, wipes, and accessories and I had even taken a class! I was ready and the disposable wipes and diapers were running dangerously low. So I did it. I dove in and I haven't looked back! I started with prefolds, covers and snappis for the day with fitteds and covers for overnight. I have since moved to using cloth wipes full time and starting to test my pockets. Here is a picture of my "stash" that I use right now.

This first picture is of my pail liners, wet bags, and cloth wipes bags as well as the directions on how to wash my diapers and use them...lol (I bought several different kinds of pockets to see what I like.)

This next picture is of my diapers I am using the most right now. The top cubby is my wipes, the second cubby is my prefolds (I use two snappis with these), the third cubby is me covers, and the fourth cubby is my fitteds. I have another hanging thing (from the dollar rack at Target by the way) that I need to get up to put my pockets in because right now as I trial them I am keeping them in the laundry basket they came up in from prepping...lol.

And here is a picture of my first "fluffy butt" as cloth diapering people like to say. Remember, this was my first time. I have gotten much better at it since and they look much neater now. Miles was so patient as I learned.

The first picture is the prefold folded in the newspaper fold and secured with a snappi.

Prefolds are cotton and not waterproof so you need a cover and that is what you see here. Notice the cover snaps. You can get Velcro (I have a couple) but they can stick together in the wash and wear out easier. The positive to Velcro though is a better fit overall. I have mainly snaps. Snaps also take a second longer to put on. Also, notice this diaper snaps down. It adjusts in size to grow with him. Almost all my pockets do this.

And from the back...so cute!

I must say I am LOVING cloth diapering. The laundry is just one extra wash load right now so no biggie. It takes me no longer to diaper him than it does a disposable now (honestly) and they actually make it kind of fun cause they are so cute on him! Prefolds are the most work but they are the cheapest and with him going so much right now they make the most sense. I thought I would hate prefolds but I am not minding it at all. Fitteds are easy as they go on like a regular diaper but they are not waterproof so they are a little extra work as you have to put a cover on. Pockets are much easier although some brands are not as easy to stuff as others. I am already finding some brands that fit Miles better than others so I am glad I took people's advice and went with a variety to start. I also use a cloth wipes warmer, which some may say is a luxury but I find it really helps keep the wipes moist so I can premoisten a bunch and be done for the day. I also use the CJ's BUTTer stick as I mentioned in a previous post for his butt with every change to help prevent diaper rash. I am loving this stick because I just rub it on his butt and done, no fingers to clean off! I use CJ's BUTTer in the cream form too on his circ site because that still gets blisters some. The MD now wonders if he is sensitive to urine! Sigh...no adhesions like Cole though so prayers it stays that way. Also they seem mild right now so I pray it stays that way or clears up completely!

So that is my start to cloth diapering. I will show you my pockets next!

Edit- My husband, who was not on board at all and only let me do this (so to speak) when I said I would do all laundry and diaper changes, just voluntarily changed his first diaper and put on a prefold! :)

The Boys

2011-09-06T21:12:00.003-04:00

Been busy lately with a baby, increasingly defiant toddler, lack of sleep, recovering from gall bladder surgery, trying to maintain a home, dealing with now two computers that are dying AND....

CLOTH DIAPERING!!!! (More on that later.)

So here are a few pictures to hold you over until I am able to get back.

Life is What Happens When You're Making Other Plans...

2011-08-30T12:20:00.004-04:00

These lyrics from a song never rang more true for me recently. I was feeling great 5 weeks post-delivery. We were getting out more and life was normalizing. Then, "life" happened. I awoke Wed. AM to a "stitch" in my side. I went back to sleep figuring it was the way I slept since I breastfeed Miles in bed during the night. Then an hour later I awake to feed Miles only to have terrible pain wrapping all the way around me under my rib cage. I somehow made it through a nursing session with Miles but then had to call someone. I called Tony first and then my mother who came over immediately (Tony has to take a boat in from work.) I drove myself to the ER and Tony met me there. I refused all pain meds due to breastfeeding. They suspected my gall bladder (as I did too at this point as the pain was starting to focus on my right side under my ribs and HURT when the ER doctor pushed there.) I had to go to another hospital because our small local one had no ultrasound that day. LOL. I stopped at home to breastfeed Miles first though of course. LOL. I was discharged from the other hospital with pain meds and told to call the general surgeon for an appointment as my gall bladder needed to be removed at some point. Fortunately, I was able to get an appointment with the surgeon the next day because that night I had another attack. I gave in and took a pain med at this point and it numbed the pain. With two little ones I had no idea how long I could keep that up so thankfully the surgeon had an opening for surgery Friday. Apparently, the surgeon told my husband I had 50 stones! I guess it was a good thing I had my gall bladder out. I had the weekend for my husband to help me and thanks to the hurricane, he was also home on Monday to help. Thankfully, my parents as well as my in-laws also live nearby so they have also stopped up to help as they can. So, a little set back but hopefully since it was done laproscopically, I will be feeling myself very soon.

Mom Monday...

2011-08-22T13:33:00.000-04:00

You Know You're A Mom When...

My Boys

2011-08-20T12:43:00.000-04:00

Cole asked me to take a photo of him with Miles so I jumped at the chance to do a quick little photo shoot. Here are a few pictures from it. Enjoy!

1 Month Old!

2011-08-19T12:13:00.000-04:00

Miles I cannot believe you are 1 Month Old today! Where does the time go?

You are still exclusively breastfeeding, which is exhausting but so rewarding. I said I would start introducing a bottle to you now and I know I need to since I will be going back to work full time in October but I really don't want to do it. I am loving that I am able to provide you with all the nourishment you need straight from my own body. It is amazing. Yes, you will be getting pumped milk but the fact right now I am the only one who can give you what you need is rewarding.

You are in size 1 diapers and after trialing Swaddlers that didn't have Dry Max we are back in Baby Dry and yes, still disposables because you got another adhesion/blister on your circ site so we are back to Baby Dry and hoping that clears up so we can get into cloth. I can't do cloth with the adhesions because I am putting the Alba Unpetroleum jelly on it but I am thinking that it would be okay. I am using the diaper safe cream on you, CJs BUTTer and am really liking it so far. It cleared up your red butt and "callus" that appeared to be forming. I hope it continues to work well. I really need to get your diapers prepped so I can be one step closer to cloth. I should have prepped them prior to your arrival. Lesson learned there!

You are outgrowing some clothes. I have squeezed you into a few newborn and size 0-3 months clothes just so I can say you wore them at least once but then had to pack them away. I can see a change in your face already and can feel when I pick you up that you are bigger. Sigh...bittersweet for sure.

You still HATE diaper changes. You cry bloody murder when they happen and you also get quite upset when you have to wait a minute to eat (and I literally mean maybe a minute at most.)

You continue to be very loud when you eat.

You have a tuft of hair on the back of your head right around your "crown" that swirls a little and stands up like a rooster's head dressing (not sure what they are called). I think it is cute and some wonder if you might have wavy hair like Mommy. You also appear to have a red tinge to your hair when the lighting is right. Several people have commented on it and I see it in photos of you sometimes.

You still could take or leave the pacifier and prefer to just use Mommy as a pacifier.

Your basic schedule right now is to eat every 3 hours but sometimes you eat more and once in a while you will go 4 hours at night.

You still burp well and spit up like crazy!

Your most alert and fussy time right now is from around 6 PM (I think I am going to have to move dinner time back some because this is when we are trying to eat) to 10 or 11 PM. You are tired during this stretch and just wont go to sleep. You also sometimes like to do a little cluster feed during this time.

You still love to be swaddled and held but will allow us to put you down.

You hold your head up pretty well but you hate tummy time.

You and Mommy fight at night sometimes as you want to feed one way and Mommy wont let you and then you get cranky and Mommy is tired...lol. I can just imagine what Daddy thinks :)

You're a wonderful gift from God that I can't thank Him enough for!

Meet Paco and Larry

2011-08-18T09:30:00.000-04:00

This is Paco and Larry. Cole lately is more partial to Paco (he is on the left) and often lets Paco sleep with him and calls Larry "the dog" right now. LOL. Not sure where he came up with the names either :)

Remembering Eliza

2011-08-17T12:27:00.002-04:00

I have to make sure to take a moment to pause and remember my dear friend Eliza today. It is her birthday today but unfortunately, as many of you know, she left us when God called her Home 8 years ago on February 21, 2003. Happy Birthday dear friend. I miss you and thank you for watching over me and my family in more ways than I am sure I will ever know.

Things That Make You Go Hmm....

2011-08-16T09:25:00.000-04:00

The dinasour is just one of the many things Cole leaves in Miles' room :) He is being sure his presence is everywhere. The other picture though made me laugh. I kept looking at Miles' bouncer thinking what is that pink thing stuck in it? I thought maybe a wire or something was sticking out of where the vibrating mechanism was and then I looked at Mr. Potato Head's body next to me on the floor and it dawned on me. Cole stuck Mr. Potato Head's ear into the cushion of the bouncer. LOL. Cole is leaving his mark literally everywhere :)

2 Week Check-Up

2011-08-15T13:46:00.003-04:00

On August 5th Miles turned 2 weeks old! The day before we had our two week check up with the MD. This of course is the time when a breastfeeding Mom especially is anxious to hear the weight (or me at least) because they should be back to their birth weight if not a little more. Miles has been doing well so I wasn't too worried but still wondered where he was at.

He not only gained his weight back (he went down from 7 lbs. 10.5 ounces at birth to 7 lbs. 2 oz. at discharge (a 6% loss I was told, which is right in the middle of okay) but he also gained more! He was 8 lbs. 2 oz! My big boy gained a full pound in 2 weeks! His weight and head circumference put him in the 47th percentile so he is doing well but so far, definitely not like Cole who was already in the 90th percentile! I don't know his height because I forgot what she said and the graph wasn't working for her. I was a little preoccupied because he was hungry (I breastfed him while waiting for the MD to come in the room) and while taking his diaper off his healed circumcision stuck to the stupid diaper and tore him and made him bleed. The poor guy screeched and bled and would you believe the office had no petroleum jelly for me to put on it!? Anyway, he was 20 inches at birth so he was more than that :)

The MD said he is doing well. Eating great (he joked that I was putting soda in a bottle or something) and he isn't concerned about the Group B Strep but I still worry a little. He said his "yucky" eye should clear but worse case scenario he may need to see an eye doctor to have a procedure to open the tear duct (praying it opens on its own.) I massage it every day but it still is weepy...sigh. His umbilical cord still hadn't fallen off at the appointment, which surprised the MD since he was 2 weeks old basically but it did end up falling off 2 days later. It literally hung by a string for the longest time! LOL. This little man has his own agenda for everything!

We haven't gotten his newborn screening results back yet. This makes me anxious because as you may remember Cole failed one of his (the one for MCAD.) Praying all is well with this little guy.

We are back to putting petroleum (I actually use Alba unpetroleum jelly) on his circ site again and I have switched diapers from the Pampers Dry Max because I think they may be too drying. I have actually found some Pampers that are not Dry Max (Baby Dry) and I like these but I found some old Snugglers in the store that were not Dry Max yet so I bought those to try as well. I tried Huggies but he pees through them! The MD even agreed with me that cloth may be the way to go and is anxious to see what happens. He said studies are actually being done about the possible side effects of the chemicals in disposables now because they are seeing more instances of penile issues (particularly the urethra closing up some in boys). Makes me more sure of my decision to cloth diaper! I hope it is the answer for my little guy.

This little guy loves to eat as I said. I had to breastfeed him before we left the office too! LOL. So glad I am getting this chance that I didn't get with Cole (I breastfed him but not exclusively due to issues with us both) but man, it sure is tiring! All worth it though and I keep putting off introducing a bottle because of it! I need to do it soon though because he will need a bottle when I go back to work in October (lets not think about that right now though.)

Finally, just a few facts...

- Miles is in the 47th percentile overall for growth.
- He wears a newborn diaper at 2 weeks old.
- He wears newborn and size 0-3 clothes.
- He is exclusively breastfed and eating well.
- He sleeps fairly well but eats about every 2-3 hours but sometimes every 1-1.5 hours!
- He is pretty laid back but HATES diaper changes.
- He did well with his first bath at home but screams like Cole did now.
- He burps well unlike Cole did but does get a very uncomfortable bubble once in a while and doesn't handle that well.
- He is gassy! (I know this is most likely what I am eating but I don't know what that is!)
- He loves to be swaddled but does fight it sometimes.
- He isn't much for the pacifier...he could take it or leave it and this is fine with me.
- He prefers the bouncer over the swing, which is the opposite of Cole.
- He like Cole, holds his head up fairly well from just days after he was born!
- He still has the stepping reflex, which I don't remember Cole doing but I think is funny.
- I call him my cat because he constantly tries to move off the burp cloth and when he does, he will ALWAYS then spit up.
- He is very loud when he eats. Tony says he sounds like a flock of geese :)
- When he wants to eat, he wants to eat and you better not make him wait!

Miles' Birth Story

2011-08-10T15:51:00.010-04:00

This is the only picture we have of Miles' birth. It was taken with Tony's camera phone. It went so fast we didn't have time to think about pictures! I am glad Tony thought to snap this one!

As many of you know, Thursday, July 21st I had my weekly OB visit and the OB had said I was still closed, not effaced, my cervix was still posterior, etc. She was thinking Miles was not coming any time soon. I was starting to get just a little anxious as I was hoping for a natural delivery. (Little did I know just how natural it would be!) However, I was feeling pretty good and was in no hurry to hurry the little guy along. I was scheduled for a massage at 11:30 the next day (Friday, July 22nd) and was hesitant as to whether I even wanted her to do some induction points as I really wanted this little guy to come in his own time. However, I was also fully aware that my OB probably would suggest induction if he didn't come by his due date.

Now, fast forward to 3:30 A.M. on Friday, July 22nd. I awoke to some period like cramps and went to the bathroom. I then ended up in the bathroom several times. The medication I am on for my PCOS can cause this issue so I wasn't so sure it was anything but that. However, I began to notice the "cramps" were appearing "timeable". So I began timing them. They were always a minute in duration but frequency was anywhere from 5-12 minutes apart. At this point I was sure it was labor but knew it was early in the game.

Fast forward to 6 A.M. Contractions are now about 5-7 minutes apart and more uncomfortable. However, Cole's labor was 30 hours and I really wanted to labor as long as I could at home this time. I sent Tony to work (he figured he was just going to work a half day anyway because of the heat) and I decided to wait until the OB office opened at 9 A.M. to call them unless things progressed a lot. I continued to time contractions and breath through them feeling great in between each contraction and did so with Cole stuck to my side most of the time. I didn't tell him what was going on but I know he sensed it because he never left my side. If I was on the couch he was laying with me. If I was in the recliner, he was in my lap. Thinking back I think how wonderful it is that my son actually was with me for a large part of my labor. Daddy wasn't here but my son was my labor coach :)

Just before 9 A.M. I called my Mom to tell her I was pretty sure I was in labor and to "be on call." I called the OB office at 9 A.M. I immediately told the nurse my duration and frequency as well as intensity of contractions...she said, "Wow, that is all the info. I needed, what number kid is this for you?" :) The nurse said it sounded like labor but if I was comfortable laboring at home then she would call me back in 45 minutes and for me to walk around (not sit and lay like I was) to see if I made progress.

My Mom came over after running some errands to help with Cole as walking was definitely bringing on the contractions. I finished packing my bag, called Tony to inform him what was going on and waited for the nurse to call back. When she did call, contractions were 1 minute long, 2-3 minutes apart on average and intense enough that I had to stop what I was doing, lean on something and breath through them. The nurse said she thought I should come in since I had a 40 or more minute drive and possible traffic and I needed to get there 4-5 hours before delivery for my antibiotic because I was Group B Strep positive (as I was with Cole.)

I called Tony who was on his way in instead of waiting for the 11 AM boat because based on my updates he felt he should come (and so did his co-workers I am told.) Just as with Cole's birth, I know someone was watching over us because as you will soon hear, had Tony waited for the 11 AM boat, he would have missed Miles' birth!

Tony got home and packed his bag and my Mom was there to take Cole. Cole got a little uneasy as Daddy was home at an odd time and Mommy was obviously uncomfortable at this point and suddenly we both were leaving with bags. However, a few hugs, kisses and waves good-bye and he was fine. I got a little emotional leaving him but the pain of the contractions soon distracted me :)

On the way to the hospital my contractions got more intense and I really had to concentrate to breath through them. Tony was worried I may not make it to the hospital and kept saying that if I needed him to pull over he would and call an ambulance. (My Mom was worried before I left, kept telling me to get going as I made sure we had everything we needed before we left. LOL.) I kept telling Tony to just get me there :) He took a "short-cut" and that turned into a wait due to construction. We literally got to the man with the sign who turned it to stop on us. I was waiting for Tony to yell at him that his wife was in labor and to let him through! I also thought if the man can see me in the car he must be wondering what my problem is. LOL. Never-the-less we made it to the hospital.

There was no parking close so we pulled up front and parked to get me in. I had to stop and hold on to the car door for a contraction and a pregnant lady was sitting on the bench near us. I thought she must be thinking, this will be me soon! She just smiled at me :) As we were walking in a volunteer elderly man collapsed outside. I wanted to stop and help but was too uncomfortable but luckily someone else was right there to offer assistance. Remember, this was the hottest day on record for our area. I was told the temps hit 101 degrees! We took the elevator up to L&D and Tony kept asking me if I wanted a wheelchair but I was determined I could walk in. I checked in to the locked unit and the girl checking me in started looking my name up as if I was a visitor. I told her I was in labor and she said, "Oh! Then go right in!" LOL. I guess I hid my pain well :)

The nurses' station was not that far but I had to stop once and hold the rail to get through a contraction. I told the nurse, "I'll be with you in a second" and she said, "Take your time." Tony said he was thinking, "Help her!" LOL. They got me into the triage room and I had to get changed, give a urine sample, etc. Again, I had to keep stopping to breath through contractions and hold onto something. They did the usual check-in and said they would monitor me for 20 minutes, etc. I was checked and I was 4 CM and 80% effaced. I was glad to hear this as it meant I was making progress but somewhat surprised as I told Tony in the car the pain was at the point I remembered when I was 7 CM with Cole and got the epidural. Tony left to move the car. Lab came and drew some blood. Contractions were getting more intense. Tony returned, anesthesia came to try to get my I.V. in. Lab came back as they needed more blood. I really was having some intense contractions I had to breath through. I remember Tony returned and had all our bags and I thought why did he bring all that? What if we don't stay? LOL. Then, my water broke.

The nurse came in to check and it had broken. My water was broken by the OB and I didn't feel anything when I had Cole so this was a new experience for me. I was very happy to have it break on its own this time. It literally felt like you were peeing and I remember telling the nurse I think it was my water as I felt a little pop and then warm liquid but maybe I had peed myself. LOL. She said, "No, it is definitely your water." I told the nurse the contractions were more intense (could she tell by my moaning? LOL) and I was starting to feel a little pressure so she checked me again. I was now 8 CM and fully effaced. This is when things got crazy. Suddenly I remember them saying I was definitely staying, had my OB called back yet? We need to move her to a room! We need to get that I.V. in! Then I remember being moved to the room on the stretcher. Getting out the door I was told to put my legs together some so I didn't bump them and I thought, "Are you crazy, the nurse told me this would help with this intense pressure!" They got me out the door just find :) Then I was being told I needed to slide to the bed when I could and I remember like 5 people there all helping. My OB was there, lab was told it wasn't going to happen for them and they needed to leave, anesthesia kept trying to get my IV in, my nurse was there, the nurse manager, Tony and maybe another nurse or two! Then I remember hearing the IV was not going to happen, I was ready to deliver!

I felt intense pressure and an urge to push (never felt this with Cole due to the epidural). I remember just before this the OB said I still had a little "lip" and I thought great, that is what I had with Cole and tore. That thought soon faded though as the urge to push overwhelmed me. So began the pushing. It was amazing to feel that. Your body really takes over and knows what to do. The contractions were horrible but the pushing felt good. My nurse was amazing. She kept reminding me to breath. My OB was great offering whatever encouragement she could and using hot compresses and massage to try to prevent a tear. I remember several times saying, "I can't do this" and asking if they were sure there was nothing I could take for the pain :) Once pushing was in full swing I remember how good pushing felt though. The anesthesiologist held one of my legs and I labored and delivered somewhat on my right side. At one point I was trying to hold my leg too and they told me my hand was so close to touching his head. They asked if I wanted to feel it and I said yes. It was amazing. It gave me strength I needed at this point to deliver him. As he came out they suddenly said, "Stop. Don't push!" I tried so hard not to but my body was in complete control. I told them I was trying but my body was doing it anyway. Apparently the cord was double wrapped around Miles' neck and the OB couldn't get it off. I was later told by the OB that it was also wrapped loosely around his belly. Tony says they ended up having to cut the cord a few times to get it off Miles' neck. Miles Thomas was born (July 22, 2011 at 12:13 P.M. weighing 7 lbs. 10.5 ounces and 20.5 inches long...he was shorter and lighter than Cole and often this is not the case...Cole was 7 lbs. 13.5 ounces and 22 inches long) and immediately placed on my belly. (This is always the most incredible moment.) It felt like forever for the placenta to deliver. With Cole it came immediately. I asked the OB how long before I delivered the placenta and she said it should come soon :) I felt the contractions for this, which I didn't with Cole so I was a little more eager to deliver it. I asked her how it looked and she (as she did with Cole) showed it to me. It looked great compared to Cole's as you may remember, his was aging faster than it should. I got stitched up as I did tear (I didn't feel it this time interestingly) but my OB said it wasn't as bad as my last tear. I felt so much pressure as she was stitching me but she assured me it was due to the meds they inject at the site to allow "plumping" for stitching. I never felt this with Cole of course. After delivery I felt so good though compared to with Cole. I had no meds except something they gave me in the arm at one point I honestly think just to make me feel better because previously I was told nothing would help at this point. I was offered a fecal med at one point during delivery too by the OB and anesthesia said I couldn't hold still enough for it but the OB said she wanted me to know my options...they were almost arguing about it. I think the OB just felt so bad for me...lol. I was able to breastfeed within an hour after delivery and Miles did so well.

I kept asking if Miles was okay and they said yes. I was so worried because I hadn't gotten the antibiotics he needed to ensure I didn't pass infection on to him. They said since his labor was so quick his risk was lower. However, over the 48 hours in the hospital they did multiple blood draws to check for infection. Numbers were going up and down so they kept drawing and talk of him having to stay an extra day or two or possibly week and get antibiotics were discussed. I prayed and asked for prayers for his health and he was able to come home with us. He isn't fully in the clear as infection can show up months later I guess but so far he is home, healthy, and exclusively breastfeeding! Continued prayers are of course appreciated.

I felt really good after delivery as I said. I was able to get up, do most of my care and Miles' on my own and Miles breastfed well. He cluster fed the first night keeping me up most of the night literally feeding for hours straight. My nurses were great. It was such a different experience than when Cole was born. I didn't like the pediatrician and Miles ended up with a few extra heel sticks because the lab spilled his blood once and another time the blood clotted before they tested it but otherwise, the stay went well. I was ready to come home this time too. I missed the comfort of home and I missed Cole badly. It was also lonely in the hospital especially at night as Tony went home early often because he was with Cole.

So, start to finish, first contraction to delivery was just about 9 hours compared to the 30 hours with Cole. Labor was completely natural unlike my much medicated delivery with Cole. Recovery is going much better this time around. No bladder or bowel issues this time and the tear is not as bad so at almost 3 weeks post-partum now I almost feel myself. I am bleeding longer than I did with Cole but I suspect since I am feeling so good it is because I am much more active than I was after Cole's delivery. I even asked the nurse the other day when I could exercise again. She said I was only 2 weeks post-partum...give it a bit :)

Breastfeeding is going well. I am tired but Miles does sleep some, which is a big change from Cole. He naps some during the day and sleeps sometimes 3-4 hours at night with the occasional 5 hour stretch. He cluster feeds some still, which is exhausting but I am so proud to say that Miles is 3 weeks tomorrow and has not had a bottle or formula yet. Cole had a bottle/formula starting with Day 2! I am pumping and storing milk and have so much that I had to put some in my Mom's freezer. This all makes me smile through the exhaustion.

I pray all continues to go well in all areas and am so thankful for this precious gift from God. If I had it to do again, I wouldn't do it any other way. Well, maybe a little something to take the edge off contractions :) Who knows. I hope that I do get the chance to find out :)

Edit- I forgot a funny detail. During the most intense part of the labor (right before pushing) I heard a nurse say to my OB, "I like your shoes" and my OB said, "Thanks, they are my socks. I didn't know if I would make it down here in time so I kicked off my shoes and came down in my socks." LOL. I had my eyes closed during most of this part so I didn't get to see but Tony said she had the slipper things over the socks and I am guessing that she changes her shoes when she goes from her practice down to deliver a baby just in case they get soiled. Regardless, I think the fact she delivered my son in her socks is funny and the fact she wasn't sure she had time to put on her other shoes reminds me just how fast this labor went :)

Poll Results: When Will Miles Arrive?

2011-08-10T15:24:00.003-04:00

This picture was taken within an hour of Miles' birth.

So for those of you that said Miles would arrive "next week" you were correct. Most of you thought he would come the week he was due and a select few thought I would have him the week I posted the poll. I have to say even my OB thought he would arrive the week he was due because as you may remember from the post the day before I delivered him, I was showing absolutely no signs that Miles was coming any time soon :)

I am still working on the computer that is "on its last leg" so I promise the birth story will be coming (it is a good one...at least I think so) but I have to limit my time on the computer to when I am uploading photos for fear it wont make it much longer. Plus, raising a toddler and newborn takes a lot of my time too :)

Update....

2011-08-08T19:34:00.004-04:00

So Miles is having circumcision issues (yes, like we dealt with for 2 years with Cole...sigh) and his umbilical cord is refusing to "let go" although it did some yesterday but it still isn't fully healed and the little guy seems to be having issues with his diapers (he is still in disposables because I was waiting for the umbilical cord to fall off and the circumcision to heal...the circumcision looked healed and stuck to his diaper making it bleed at his 2 week check-up...this makes me all the more sure I need to have this kid in cloth). Also, Miles is wanting to eat and be held constantly. He was okay with being put down initially but not lately. I am still exclusively breastfeeding but that leaves little time for "me". Also, my computer I am told after several trips to the computer "guy" to fix it and several hours on the phone with him today that my computer is on its way out and quickly. I also have a very busy toddler who just wants some love...it sure sucks being the first born in my opinion when a sibling arrives. Finally, I am working on little to no sleep daily. With that said though, I am doing it all with a little tear from frustration but otherwise a huge smile internally. I have a roof over my head, a job, and a beautiful family. Really, all the other stuff is just an inconvenience. Sorry for the ramble and any typos...I am typing on borrowed time as my littlest man is ready to eat again and my dinner is getting cold.

Miles Thomas is Here!

2011-07-31T15:54:00.004-04:00

As those of you with children can imagine, I am pretty busy right now between a toddler and a (cross your fingers it continues) exclusively breastfed newborn and trying to get sleep when I can as well as keep up with necessities of life in general and oh yeah, recover from childbirth! With that said, I did want to quickly let all of you know that Miles Thomas has arrived :) His birth story and all details will come later. For now, here are a few pictures to hold you over :)

Miles' Crib

2011-07-22T09:25:00.000-04:00

This is the use Cole immediately found for Miles' crib :)

Progress?

2011-07-21T21:33:00.002-04:00

NOPE! I had my OB appointment today and my OB was saying before she checked me that she hoped I delivered Friday or Sunday because she was on-call. Then she checked me and said, "Well, I am on call Tuesday too!" No progress at all. Not even a little dilated or effaced. Soft but my cervix is still high (yes, more detail than some may want to know.) Looks like little Miles is content for now. I am okay with this because I am not incredibly uncomfortable yet. He is measuring 39-40 weeks and I have lost 3 lbs according to their scale, so I have only gained 7 lbs. now. She asked if I was eating enough and I said I was just not snacking at night. She thinks since my BP was up last time (it was good this time at 116/60) that maybe I lost my water weight (remember I gained like 3 lbs in a week?). Still wearing my rings! ;-)

I did get sent for an NST though. Miles always hides for his HB check but this time he was harder to find and was in the 130s when he usually is in the 150s and she couldn't get him to move much. Miles has always been less active than Cole was but she wanted to just be sure. I prefer she be over cautious anyway. They released me within an hour so all must have been well. I surprisingly was not very worried. Thanks to God for everything being okay and being with me to keep my cool.

I had my first contractions while being monitored! They were irregular but coming frequently. Painless though so most likely my first BHs with this pregnancy (I had them a lot with Cole.) Haven't really had much since, just an occasional one or two. I went into labor with Cole tomorrow A.M. (39 weeks 2 days) and delivered him the following day in the A.M. (39 weeks 3 days) but it isn't looking like little Miles is going to follow in his big brother's footsteps. Good for him for setting his own path as long as it ends in a good labor, deliver and a happy and healthy little boy! :)

"We'll Leave the Light on for You"

2011-07-21T09:20:00.000-04:00

Does anyone remember that commercial? Was it the Holiday Inn? Anyway, that is all I think about when I see this... (A sneek peek at the nursery by the way!)

Since the nursery is really coming together Cole likes to spend time in there. One thing he likes even more though, turning this little light on (which by the way was Cole's and he asked me today why I moved it out of his room into the baby's I told him it was because he was possibly getting a new big boy light from Nana as we talked about that used to be Daddy's and was a basketball. Cole added that the light also matched the mobile, which I had told him was his when he was a baby. That seemed to suffice for now. Phew.) Anyway...we have to constantly check Miles' room because no matter the time of day, the light may be on. Cole doesn't just turn it on to go in either. He may simply reach in the room, switch the light on and then leave. He said something once when turning it on about "leaving it on for baby Miles." I guess it is Cole's own little way of welcoming Miles home...lol.

39 Weeks!

2011-07-20T14:08:00.003-04:00

I have no comparison post from my pregnancy with Cole! Apparently, I did not take a picture of myself pregnant with Cole or at the least, I didn't post a 39 week post on my blog. Huh. Well there is something Miles will have that Cole didn't ;-)

Here I am at 39 weeks pregnant with Miles...

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 39 Weeks and in denial! :) I keep wanting to say 37 weeks...lol. I don't know if mentally I will ever "feel ready" but in terms of getting the house in order, etc. I am feeling better. I have cleaned the car, installed the car seat, moved Cole's over, set up a lot of Miles' room and Cole's is all organized. I have ordered most things I need, etc. Of course there are still things I want to get done but I don't know that the list will ever end...part of not being mentally ready I think :) I just have to add that I love this part of being pregnant and out and about. People ask when I am due and when I say, "next Wednesday" they always seem shocked. LOL. I love how people seem shocked I am out at this point :) I think that is a blessing of having a toddler. I thought I would be exhausted but he actually keeps me going more than I was without him (we went to the train station for the morning for example.)

Size of baby: Baby's now the size of a watermelon (and it sure feels like I am carrying one at this point!) Although today he is treating me pretty good. He has his moments :)

What's Happening Now: Baby's brain is still developing rapidly, and his skin has taken on a paler shade thanks to a thicker layer of fat around the blood vessels. (Don't worry; he'll change color again soon after birth.) He's now able to flex his limbs, and his nails might extend past his fingertips.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Happy to report I am still at 10 lbs more than my pre-pregnancy weight and hoping it stays this way. Not just because it is a good weight gain for my body but also because it means I am doing a good job keeping the swelling down (unlike with Cole.) Still wearing my rings if you notice in the picture above! :)

Maternity Clothes: Maternity everything now except I am still wearing my jersey skirts I wore pre-pregnancy and still squeezing into a few t-shirts and tanks that are pre-pregnancy although I tried on two today I just felt I looked ridiculous in at this point so I took them off :)

Gender: Another boy, Miles :) The middle name is STILL up in the air. I think it will be Thomas but Anthony is still not completely ruled out. I cannot believe we haven't decided this yet! I keep mentioning it to Tony but he has a lot on his plate right now :)

Movement: Every day now and I can SEE him move :) He is still moving less than Cole but has started moving more (or I am feeling him more since his quarters are getting VERY cramped.) The movements are more uncomfortable but I still love every minute of it! He is head down but still face up right now (I delivered Cole this way...ugh.) I feel like he drops sometimes and I am VERY uncomfortable when he does (usually when I am on my feet more than I probably should be since I am technically on modified bed rest) but then I swear he moves back up!

Sleep: Getting harder. I still wake up between 1 AM and 2 AM and then again at 4 or 5AM to pee and sometimes now more in between. Also having trouble regulating my temperature now so I often wake up sweating.

What I miss: Sleeping on my belly and being able to bend at my waist and today while I was feeding Cole lunch (ham) I missed that :)

Cravings: Sweets still but I just have "moments"and 3 Musketeers are still my sweet of choice :)

Symptoms: Some breast tenderness but fairly mild right now. Heartburn has increased in the last week but I still am coping with Tums. Round ligament pain is still mild. My "stuffy nose" has increased a little this past week. Some shortness of breath too. Back pain has decreased but I keep up on cat/cow stretches and am off my feet more so I am sure that helps. Fatigue seems to have leveled out and my nesting instinct has gone up a notch. Swelling seems to have leveled out and I will know tomorrow at my OB appt. how my BP is, which I pray is good again. Some continued pubic bone pain but not nearly as bad as it was and again, usually when I am on my feet more than I probably should be. Also noticing increased trouble moving around...belly is starting to get in the way especially since I officially can no longer bend at the waist! Getting out of chairs or off the floor are becoming trickier :) I am a little uncomfortable overall so I have "good days" and some "tough ones." But hey, I am 39 weeks! WOW!

Best Moment The Last Week: Spending time alone with my little man. He has been overall so sweet and loving this week. Constantly apologizing for any mistake he makes and just being so sweet and precious. I have looked at him so much this week and just melted. From a baby perspective, feeling like I am finally getting my act together and feeling a little prepared for the baby finally. Phew!

This Boy Cracks Me Up

2011-07-19T09:12:00.003-04:00

Cole LOVES to be naked and I have let him be naked in his own home. I don't want him to grow up feeling that his body is something he should hide or be ashamed of but yes, I also have been teaching him there is a time and a place that is appropriate. With that said, he decided he wanted to eat his snack sitting on the floor but it was too cold for his naked butt I guess because he pulled out his Winter hat I was packing away because he had outgrown it and used it as a seat...lol. This boy cracks me up :)

The Carpets...

2011-07-18T10:19:00.008-04:00

Oh how I obsessed about getting these in. So much hung on that part and our carpet guy did an amazing job coming right in for a quote, ordering and starting all within a week's time. He even came to do Cole's room earlier in the week than he planned because I even worried him I was going to go into labor before it was complete and he knew how much I did not want that to happen! So now, we have Cole's room all set up again (we changed the layout around and that made him feel even more special, which was cute) and we have the crib, blinds, dresser, clothes, chair, etc. in the baby's room. Things are finally coming together. Here are some pictures of the carpet after it went in Miles' room (the walls in the first picture and the carpet in the second are pretty true to color!)...
And here is the bureau in Miles' room. I can't remember if I told you how I was so excited to find this in the "nicks and dings" section of a furniture store for a great price and in great shape until my husband and brother-in-law accidentally dropped and broke the top off of it getting it into the house. Luckily, my husband was able to repair it to the point that unless you look at the back of it, you would have no idea it was broken.
Tony hates how it opens up at the top. He thinks it is girly. I told him he doesn't have to open it...lol.

Here is the carpet after it went in Cole's room...

And just for fun, here is how Cole so kindly slept the night before the carpet was in his room... On his mattress on the floor among all the "stuff" thrown into Miles' room and without his A/C but we did have a fan blowing on him. He liked it though because he hadn't slept in his Thomas tent in a while since it is really on its last leg. The carpet must have been comfortable too because when I got up at 2 AM to go the bathroom I checked on him and found him on the floor :)

From 8 to 38!

2011-07-17T13:49:00.008-04:00

As I did with Cole, here is my 8 weeks to 38 weeks comparison :)

Here I am at 8 weeks pregnant with Miles...

Now here I am at 38 weeks with Miles...

And for comparison between the two pregnancies, here I am at 38 weeks with Cole...

For the biggest change from last week, I am done work as of last Friday and on modified bed rest because my BP was elevated for the first time (140/80). Also, my swelling has definately increased too. I have noticed that lately when I get home from work my feet don't go down as quickly as they were if I put them up. My OB seemed surprised I was still working full-time and said that she thought it would be best for all if I got done work and just took some time to rest up. I actually was okay with this. Although I want all my time I can get after Miles is born, I was getting tired trying to work full-time, get the house ready and be a Mommy and a wife. I feel like now I can just focus on the baby and my family, which is great. Plus, as my Mom pointed out, this gives Cole a little "Mommy and Me" time before his world is turned upside down even more than it already has been. I will cherish these last few moments.

I am not sure how I am doing with the modified bed rest. I still do a lot around the house but I do get a lot more time to stop and put my feet up, which I couldn't do with work. I will see how my BP is at this next appt. and if it is bad I may make another appt. with my accupuncturist. We had stopped ironically as of my 37 week mark because I was doing so well and was full-term. I guess that just shows it was really helping (not that I doubted it!)

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 38 Weeks

Size of baby: Baby's now the size of a watermelon (he sure is!)

What's Happening Now: The last bits of vernix caseosa (the white goo keeping baby's skin moist) and lanugo (downy hair) are slowly shedding into your amniotic fluid. Baby's head is about the same circumference as his abdomen (not my little guy! I am told he has a huge head!), and his head could be covered in an inch or so of hair (with Cole they kept pointing out all his hair on the ultrasounds so they also knew since it showed up that it was dark. Nothing with this little guy so he either has blonde or no hair is my guess!)

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 10 lbs so I lost a pound from last week. This is not uncommon I am told and I am glad I have lost it. I hope to stay steady here. I am eating more veggies and fruits and snacking less at night so hopefully it is helping. This also means although my BP is up my swelling isn't horrible (since bed rest it has stayed down even in all this heat we have been having so that is good.) Also, I am still able to wear my rings! I don't know why but this makes me feel good :)

Maternity Clothes: Maternity everything now except I am still wearing my jersey skirts I wore pre-pregnancy and still squeezing into a few t-shirts and tanks that are pre-pregnancy.

Gender: Another boy, Miles :) The middle name is STILL up in the air. I think it will be Thomas but Anthony is still not completely ruled out.

Movement: Every day now and I can SEE him move :) He is still moving less than Cole but has started moving more (or I am feeling him more since his quarters are getting VERY cramped.) The movements are more uncomfortable but I still love every minute of it! He is head down but still face up right now (I delivered Cole this way...ugh.)

Sleep: Getting harder. I still wake up between 1 AM and 2 AM and then again at 4 or 5 AM to pee and sometimes more in between. Also having trouble regulating my tempurature now so I often wake up sweating.

What I miss: Sleeping on my belly and being able to bend at my waist.

Cravings: Sweets still but I just have "moments". Right now 3 Musketeers are my sweet of choice :)

Symptoms: Some breast tenderness but still not as bad as when pregnant with Cole. Heartburn continues but I still am coping with Tums. Round ligament pain is still mild, so I am okay with this. Still having a "stuffy nose", which I had some with Cole. Some shortness of breath too. Still some back pain doing cat/cow stretches seem to help. (I haven't worked out much this past week as I have tried to keep my feet up more due to the bed rest and also because I am spending most free time getting Miles' stuff ready.) Fatigue has started to set in again as well but it is more just the end of pregnancy and needing to take rest breaks more versus extreme fatigue. Swelling is up a little bit with the heat but hopefully thanks to modified bed rest, it seems to be going down quickly too. I pray it stays this way! I am also having some increased pubic bone pain...ugh. Also noticing increased trouble moving around...belly is starting to get in the way especially since I officially can no longer bend at the waist! I am a little uncomfortable overall so I have "good days" and some "tough ones." Also, I am having some "GI issues" and I will leave it at that. At first I thought it was the antibiotic I was on for a possible UTI but I stopped that so I am thinking it is just my hormones gearing up. It may also have been my snacking at night so I have stopped that as well.

Best Moment The Last Week: Finishing work. It was just a relief to know I had one less thing to worry about and I could just focus on staying healthy, keeping Miles healthy, and spend some time getting ready for him and appreciating this miracle. And of course, being given the chance to spend some extra time with Cole!

Note- I am actually 38 weeks and 4 days pregnant today but this means I am all caught up now :)

37 Weeks!

2011-07-16T21:17:00.005-04:00

Here I am with Cole at 37 weeks...
Here I am at 37 weeks with Miles... These are the first photos comparing the two pregnancies where I think I look a little different. I think with Cole I look a little higher and wider than I am carrying with Miles. Miles definitely seems to curl right up so that he makes my belly look like a little (errr...big) ball. Recently I have even gotten comments about how he is "sticking right out there!" LOL.

I should also mention I had an ultrasound at 37 weeks because it had been 5 weeks since my last one and my OB wanted to check fluid since the little guy keeps measuring big (as did Cole). Plus, if you remember my placenta was aging with Cole. Cole came to this ultrasound and "read a magazine" through it. LOL. Tony was there as well so it was nice to have "all the family" together :) All looked good with Miles. He was still facing up but a little to the right so I am praying for delivery he turns the right way! His face was squished into my placenta (Cole did that too) so we couldn't get a profile shot. The technician was a guy so he actually didn't give us any shots. LOL. He was good but way more technical and to the point than the women usually are :) He said Miles is measuring ahead but his head is the farthest ahead. His body is in the 67th percentile while his head is in the 97th! Ugh. He passed his "test" by scoring an 8/8 on things they look for such as tone and breathing...yes we got to see the little guy do some practice breathing :) I am very glad all looked well with the little (I guess I should say "big") guy. Also, at my OB visit my BP was still good (yeah!) and Miles' heartbeat was in the 140-150s and he was measuring about 38 weeks (same as last week.)

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 37 Weeks (and therefore considered full-term!)

Size of baby: Baby's now the size of a watermelon (and it sure feels like I am carrying one at this point!)

What's Happening Now: Your full-term (yay!) baby is gaining about 1/2 ounce a day and getting his first sticky poop (called meconium) ready. He's also brushing up on skills for the outside world: blinking, sucking, inhaling, exhaling, and gripping (it's getting strong!).

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 11 lbs! I am now officially 11 lbs. more than my pre-pregnancy weight AND I have gained 3 lbs. in 2 weeks! Ugh. I need to be a little better about watching what I eat...definitely slacking on making sure I get my fruits and veggies in and not so much junk! And less snacking at night! I wasn't doing this much but recently I am hungry a lot more :)

Maternity Clothes: Maternity everything now except I am still wearing my jersey skirts I wore pre-pregnancy and still squeezing into a few t-shirts and tanks that are pre-pregnancy.

Gender: Another boy, Miles :) The middle name is STILL up in the air. I think it will be Thomas but Anthony is still not completely ruled out.

Movement: Every day now and I can SEE him move :) He is still moving less than Cole but has started moving more (or I am feeling him more since his quarters are getting VERY cramped.) The movements are more uncomfortable but I still love every minute of it! He is head down but still face up right now (I delivered Cole this way...ugh.)

Sleep: Getting harder. I still wake up between 1 AM and 2 AM and then again at 4 or 5 AM to pee and sometimes more in between. Also having trouble regulating my tempurature now so I often wake up sweating.

What I miss: Sleeping on my belly and being able to bend at my waist.

Cravings: Sweets still but I just have "moments". Right now 3 Musketeers are my sweet of choice :)

Symptoms: Some breast tenderness but still not as bad as when pregnant with Cole. Heartburn continues but I still am coping with Tums. Round ligament pain is still mild, so I am okay with this. Still having a "stuffy nose", which I had some with Cole. Some shortness of breath too. Still some back pain but working out really helps with this as well as doing cat/cow stretches. Fatigue has started to set in again as well but it is more just the end of pregnancy and needing to take rest breaks more versus extreme fatigue. Swelling is up a little bit with the heat but my BP continues to be good! I pray it stays this way! I am also having some increased pubic bone pain...ugh. Also noticing increased trouble moving around...belly is starting to get in the way especially since I officially can no longer bend at the waist! I am a little uncomfortable overall so I have "good days" and some "tough ones." But hey, I am 37 weeks!

Best Moment The Last Week: Getting another look at the little guy (although my men hogged the screen so I didn't see as much as I would have liked and I had to keep answering questions about the magazine Cole was "reading"...lol) and the fact that I was there with my THREE happy and healthy boys was just amazing. Thanks be to God for sure.

Note- I am actually 38 weeks 3 days today :)

Room Progress....

2011-07-15T08:13:00.007-04:00

A few weeks ago Tony got the room painted. I swear he killed a few brain cells doing it because bless him, he did not want the paint fumes going throughout the house so he kept the door shut. I would go in to check on him and have to cover my nose the smell was so overpowering! Here is a 360 degree view of Miles' room...
I think the second picture probably is the closest to the color although it is very "muted"...it is actually much more vibrant. In fact, Tony said we look like an Easter egg now because our bathroom is a cheery yellow, Cole's room a nice blue and now Miles' room a green :)

Tony also took the time to repaint all the trim and after we took the closet doors off for the carpet he also painted them (notice in these pictures we still have the painted subfloor.) When we first moved into the place we had to have all floors covered and since we were on a budget we literally bought some cheap gray paint and painted the whole house floors gray. Over time we put wood laminate down on the kitchen, living room and hall, linolium in the bathroom and now carpet in the kids' rooms. Only room left is our bedroom!

I also just have to share the "after" photo of the bathroom window. My father-in-law is such a talented carpenter...look at his wonderful trim work...

And here is Miles' room after we pulled all the painter's tape off, which I think gave Tony several gray hairs. The tape stuck and pulled a lot of his beautiful wall and trim paint off. This meant a lot of touch up for the guy who thought he was finally done. I forgot to mention that he had also had to painstakingly put some putty, sand down, and repaint around all the windows we replaced because when the new windows went in they "fell" slightly "in" from where the initial window trim fell leaving places that needed repainting. Luckily we had paint left over from painting the bathroom and living room but unfortunately, none left over from Cole's room AND we had no idea what color we used. Tony and I had to guess what color we painted it over 2 years ago! Ugh.

Where it Began...

2011-07-13T23:02:00.003-04:00

In June we began our major overhaul. We began replacing the windows in our house starting with Miles' room so we also had begun cleaning out Miles' room as it was our office/storage at the time. We also replaced Cole's window, the bathroom window, and the smaller living room window. Cole started "acting up" a bit at this time. All the change was a lot for my very sensitive little boy to take. However, once it all was underway he really loved getting in there with the boys and helping :)

Here is Miles' room at the beginning "take down" stage...

And here is one of the windows going in Miles' room (notice Cole right there "helping")...

I wont bother showing you the living room, Cole's room and the bathroom window...they all look the same :) A big thanks to my father-in-law who saved us a ton in labor by offering several weekend days of his time to help my husband put the windows in!

Poll Results: 2nd+ Baby Showers

2011-07-12T21:27:00.003-04:00

I am not surprised that most of you said that you think baby showers for 2nd or more children are tacky. I was not aware of this "typical" thought until my cousin became pregnant with her second child and nobody was throwing her a shower so I threw her one.

I am of the belief that every baby should be celebrated. I think the second or more showers don't have to be grand. They could be a simple as gathering for a luncheon together and just enjoying the company of friends. I feel like not doing something feels like the next babies are somehow considered not as special. Plus, even if the second or more baby is the same sex, don't they deserve at least a few new clothes or toys? And, who couldn't use diapers, wipes, or a gift card?

However, I can see why many would think that it would seem greedy to keep having babies and keep getting stuff. So, when I found out I was having another baby AND another boy, I became nervous about whether I would get a second shower. I believe every baby is special and should be celebrated as I said, but I worried about what people would think if I did in fact get a shower.

I did get a shower. It was a surprise and it was very much appreciated. Yes, I have a lot of clothes and big items that I am reusing from Cole. However, little Miles now has a few toys and clothes that are his and not something his brother used first or that I picked up second hand. Also, there were just some things I needed like another bottle warmer and cloth diapers that were much appreciated as were the gift cards because some things you just have to buy as you go along and these will come in handy. In fact, I used one already to buy a garbage can to hold my dirty cloth diapers...lol.

So, I get why many feel "extra showers" are tacky but I personally would throw and/or attend one for subsequent babies without thinking twice and if there wasn't a shower for that baby I would probably bring them a gift when I visited them anyway :)

36 Weeks

2011-07-11T22:03:00.006-04:00

Here I am at 36 weeks with Cole...

And here I am at 36 weeks with Miles...

Again, I would say I am about the same size between the two pregnancies. However, I know I am overall less bloated because in case you can't notice, I am still wearing my rings and I had to take them off at 34 weeks with Cole. Granted I do swell but if I get off my feet for a bit and drink a little water it usually goes down :) Also, I am officially 2 weeks past when I went on bed rest with Cole AND I am still working full-time :)

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along: 36 Weeks

Size of baby: Baby's now the size of a honeydew!

What's Happening Now: Baby's skin is getting smooth and soft, his gums are rigid, his liver and kidneys are in working order, and his circulation and immune system are basically good to go. His lungs are the only organs that still need to fully mature, but every day he gets a little closer to breathing on his own.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 8 lbs! I am now officially 8 lbs. more than my pre-pregnancy weight. Ugh.

Maternity Clothes: Maternity everything now except I am still wearing my jersey skirts I wore pre-pregnancy and still squeezing into a few t-shirts and tanks that are pre-pregnancy.

Gender: Another boy, Miles :) The middle name is STILL up in the air. I think it will be Thomas but Anthony is still not completely ruled out.

Movement: Every day now and I can SEE him move :) He is still moving less than Cole but he has started moving more. The movements are becoming more uncomfortable but I still love every minute of it! He is head down but still face up right now (I delivered Cole this way...ugh.)

Sleep: Getting harder and I still wake up between 1 AM and 2 AM and then again at 4 or 5 AM to pee.

What I miss: Sleeping on my belly and being able to bend at my waist.

Cravings: Sweets still but I just have "moments". Right now 3 Musketeers are my sweet of choice :)

Symptoms: Some increased breast tenderness but still not as bad as when pregnant with Cole. Heartburn continues. I still am coping with Tums though. Round ligament pain is still mild, so I am okay with this because with Cole I had it much sooner and much worse. Still having a "stuffy nose", which I had some with Cole. Some shortness of breath too. Still some back pain but working out really helps with this as well as doing cat/cow stretches. Fatigue has started to set in again as well but it is more just the end of pregnancy and needing to take rest breaks more versus extreme fatigue. Swelling is up a little bit with the heat but my BP continues to be good! I pray it stays this way! I am also having some increased pubic bone pain...ugh. Also noticing increased trouble moving around...belly is starting to get in the way especially since I officially can no longer bend at the waist! And for the biggest turning point, I am a little uncomfortable overall so although I have "good days" I am also starting to have some "tough ones." But hey, I am 36 weeks!

Best Moment The Last 2 Weeks: Realizing I am doing okay right now. I can still wear my rings, I am working full-time still and I am still exercising. Feeling so blessed to have a little guy that makes me smile every day and knowing that another one is on the way...praying all continues as well as it is.

Note: I am actually 37 Weeks and 5 Days today.

At 35 Weeks and 5 Days...

2011-07-10T21:31:00.003-04:00

I attempted to take a few pictures of Tony and I together and Cole and us since I forgot to do this after my shower like I did when pregnant with Cole. I am trying really hard to make sure to do what I did when pregnant with Cole so as not to already start short-changing the littlest man. Here is a sampling of what I got...LOL. The first picture Tony looks freaked out...he looked this way in all the photos I have of him and I together. I think all the work we have been doing to the house in preparation for Miles' arrival and the idea of doing this all over again with a VERY active toddler is getting to him :) The second photo is typical too. Not a bad photo but notice the toy in the background? If it wasn't a toy it was Cole. LOL. In my picture pregnant with Cole I had a nice shot. Beautiful landscape behind us, etc. Finally, the last photo. It is the only one we had of the three (ahem, four) of us. Tony had to literally hold Cole's head up and just getting him to stand there was work enough. He wanted nothing to do with some stupid photo of us with baby Miles in Mommy's belly. Forget the cute little photos you always see of the toddler kissing or touching his Mommy's belly. I got this and I have to say, I love it. This is my life. This is real. This is the perfect picture :)

34 Weeks!

2011-07-09T10:49:00.000-04:00

Here I am at 34 weeks pregnant with Cole...

And here I am at 34 weeks pregnant with Miles...

I would say I still look about the same "size" between the two pregnancies however I will tell you that I wrote in my post for Cole that I had to work hard to see my toes at all with Cole and if I had leaned over at all in the picture "from the top" with Miles I can see a lot of my feet. Not sure if this means my belly is smaller or I am just more flexible this time around :)

Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 34 Weeks
Size of baby: Baby's now the size of a honeydew!
What's Happening Now: Baby can recognize and react to simple songs...time to start practicing your lullabies! In fact, baby will recognize frequently sung tunes after birth and probably find them soothing. Less cute news: He now urinates about one pint per day. Get the diapers ready!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: 6 lbs! I am now offically 6 lbs. more than my pre-pregnancy weight. Ugh.
Maternity Clothes: Maternity everything now except I am still wearing my jersey skirts I wore pre-pregnany and still squeezing into a few t-shirts and tanks that are pre-pregnancy.
Gender: Another boy and his name is Miles :) The middle name is still up in the air. I think it will be Thomas but Anthony is still not completely ruled out.
Movement: Every day now and I can SEE him move :) He is still moving less than Cole. I mostly feel rolls and changes in position versus the kicks and jabs Cole used to give me. These "rolls" are becoming uncomfortable at times but I still love every minute of it! He is head down but face up right now (I delivered Cole this way...ugh) and likes to settle in on my right side. Sometimes he prefers down in my hip but usually he is up higher in my rib just as Cole liked to be.
Sleep: Pretty good but I now wake up between 1 AM and 2 AM and then again at 5 AM to pee.
What I miss: Sleeping on my belly and now also being able to bend at my waist.
Cravings: Sweets still but that has settled some and I just have "moments" now. Symptoms: Some increased breast tenderness but still not as bad as when pregnant with Cole. Heartburn has increased and is not just at night anymore. I still am coping with Tums. Round ligament pain is still mild, so I am okay with this because with Cole I had it much sooner and much worse. Still having a "stuffy nose", which I had some with Cole. Some shortness of breath too. Still some back pain but I find working out really helps with this as well as doing cat/cow stretches. Fatigue has started to set in again as well. Swelling is up a little bit with the heat but my BP continues to be good! I pray it stays this way! I am also having some increased pubic bone pain...ugh. I know I keep saying this, but overall I really am feeling good and still sometimes honestly forget I am pregnant! Also noticing increased trouble moving around...belly is starting to get in the way especially since I officially can no longer bend at the waist!
Best Moment The Last 2 Weeks: Finding out my BP is still good so I have officially made it past the point when I went on bed rest with Cole! Wahoo!

Note: I am actually 37 weeks and 3 days pregnant right now :) I am trying to catch up I promise but the projects around the house and a very busy toddler as well as getting slower and more uncomfortable are taking up a lot of my time!

At 30 Weeks 6 Days...

2011-07-01T15:02:00.004-04:00

May 24th we had our "big hospital" ultrasound to check the placenta since right around this point with Cole I had an ultrasound to check for hydrocephaly and they noticed my placenta looked "oldish" (that was the MD's exact words...lol.) My OB wanted to check this time around because of this, which I am thankful for.

The little guy held still for the exam so it went really quick. He apparently also was folded up with his feet at his head for a lot of the ultrasound. He was also facing up, which made me nervous considering I had to deliver Cole this way...ugh. The tech had to poke him a few times to make him move for some stuff she had to check. This little one is so much less active than Cole was, which is enough to make me nervous sometimes. Hopefully it just means he will be a very relaxed baby and child :) The tech asked us if Cole had a big head...lol. Apparently, this little guy's head is measuring large. This scared me at first because I know a sign of hydrocephaly is a large head but according to the tech, everything looks good. (By the way, I don't think Cole has a big head. He is a big kid but proportioned well I think.) We were told this little guy is measuring in the 65th percentile overall. I asked my OB if she thought the little guy would "fit" if he had a big head and she told me it is better they have a big head than body because once the head is delivered you are in the clear versus if the body was big and the head fit but the body got stuck you could be in trouble. I guess this was a little reassuring. I had very bad tearing and other issues with Cole's delivery so hearing this little one has a big head made me cringe.

We got a video of the ultrasound just as we did with Cole, which was nice. We also got some pictures so here they are...
The top is a frontal view of his face (awww...), the second is a great profile shot and the third shows he is still a boy ;-)

Note- I am actually 36 weeks and 2 days today. As I mentioned I have been a little busy with house projects lately but I am determined to get caught up soon :)

Where Have I Been?

2011-06-27T22:14:00.002-04:00

Still pregnant everyone and just starting to feel the impact of it. Swollen feet are starting to happen with or without humidity and fatigue and achiness are common but I am not complaining and I am not ready for Miles to make his debut. (I am trying to really use his name a lot in an attempt to make this seem more real...you would think feeling him move inside me, which he is doing a lot more of lately, would be enough, lol.) Anyway, we have been busy with a toddler who has become much more demanding, a house that has had a lot of projects going on and the stress of knowing that very soon our whole world will be turned upside down and we just don't feel prepared. We all are very excited for Miles's arrival and for him we truly did pray but it just seems so surreal. I promise you all that may be waiting on pins and needles for posts that I have been keeping up on my photos of our projects and my growing belly so I soon will get around to it I promise. For now though, I am off to bed soon. Mondays are my long work days and today I also hosted my parents for dinner (although Mom did most of the cooking) while Dad helped with Miles's room. I then helped Tony peel paint off the walls (that is what it felt like as the tape stuck to our freshly painted walls...sigh) until my feet were so swollen I knew I had to sit. So....I am calling it a night everyone! Tomorrow is another day! :)

Poll Results: What Name Did We Go With?

2011-06-14T10:52:00.000-04:00

So it looks like most of you either read my blog regularly so you caught the post where I dropped Little One's name in there or you are good guessers because the majority of you got it right...we are going with Miles for Little One's name. I really like Owen too but for some reason I like Cole and Miles together better (I think because they are both a little more unique.) I honestly think most people don't like Miles as much as Owen because I get the generic, "Oh, that's nice" from most people but honestly it doesn't bother me. We still don't know if it will be Miles Anthony (which I agree with people, this flows nicely) or Miles Thomas. I think honestly it will end up being Miles Thomas (Cole likes this because of Thomas the train...lol) but we shall see.

It is weird. We had Cole named at 20 weeks and I was very sure about it. This time I have waivered so much but honestly, I feel a stronger connection with Miles. I think the hesitancy is honestly that I still have a hard time believing I am pregnant and in just 1 1/2 months we will be expecting the Little One's arrival. I don't know if it is denial or what. I mean I want this little guy more than anything and prayed so hard for him so I don't know why I would be in denial. Perhaps it is just knowing what is ahead and wondering how I will manage it all with a toddler now too! I truly do feel so blessed to have this little guy but I think knowing what is in store this time around from the labor and delivery to the worry, stress, and sleep-deprivation after it makes me want to "pretend it isn't happening" some :)

Mom Monday

2011-06-13T10:40:00.002-04:00

You Know You're A Mom When...

- You bring lots of snacks to church with you :)

- Going into and out of the house now means you have at least one item on each arm and most likely something in each hand too.

- You cook a nice healthy meal for your son but then are so exhausted you eat a frozen pizza for dinner yourself.

- You often now make friends of your own through your son.

- The idea of preschool makes you want to cry.

Helping Dada

2011-06-10T21:27:00.002-04:00

Tony and his father replaced a window in our living room the other day. Cole could not have been more happy to get in there and help.

32 Weeks!

2011-06-07T10:23:00.000-04:00

Here I am at 32 Weeks with Cole...
And again...
And here I am at 32 Weeks with Miles...

And again...
I feel like maybe this time around at this point I look a little less bloated and am maybe carrying a little higher? What do you all think?

Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 32 Weeks
Size of baby: Baby's now the size of a squash!
What's Happening Now: Ready or not, baby's getting ready to emerge. He's probably in the head-down position by now, with his bottom facing up. This is the comfiest way for his body to fit in your increasingly cramped womb and will make his eventual exit (only a few months away now!) much easier. (If he's still head-up, don't panic -- there's still time for a flip before birth.) I am told he is head down right now but he is still facing up instead of towards my tailbone...Cole was delivered this way and it wasn't easy so I pray Miles flips to facing my back by delivery!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: 4 lbs! I am now offically four lbs. more than my pre-pregnancy weight. Ugh.
Maternity Clothes: Maternity everything now except I have been wearing skirts alot lately with the warmer weather and am able to wear my jersey skirts I wore pre-pregnany. I also pulled out all my summer clothes and was able to fit into a jersey summer shirt I had too...made me feel pretty good :) LOL.
Gender: Another boy! :) The name is officially Miles :) However, the middle name is still up in the air. I think it will be Thomas but Anthony is still not completely ruled out.
Movement: Every day now and I can even SEE him move :) He is still moving less than Cole. I mostly feel rolls and changes in position versus the kicks and jabs Cole used to give me. These "rolls" are becoming uncomfortable at times but I still love every minute of it! I felt him have hiccups for the first time Wednesday night (last week) and at my Thursday OB appt. (last week) he had them while she was trying to check his heartbeat. We kept hearing his heartbeat then a thud then his heartbeat and a thud. I was nervous about what this weird heartbeat was and then she asked if he had hiccups. I felt my belly and got rhythmic movement so I think that is what he had. He is head down but face up right now (I delivered Cole this way...ugh) and likes to settle in on my right side. Sometimes he prefers down in my hip but usually he is up higher in my rib just as Cole liked to be.
Sleep: Pretty good but I now wake up between 1 AM and 2 AM and then again at 5 AM to pee. Lately, Cole wakes up between 10 and 12 AM so this makes for some much interrupted sleep and therefore I am pretty sleepy when getting up in the AM for the day.
What I miss: Sleeping on my belly and now also being able to bend at my waste.
Cravings: Sweets still but that has settled some and I just have "moments" now. Symptoms: Some increased breast tenderness but still not as bad as when pregnant with Cole and I am definitely noticing they are larger this time around. Heartburn has increased and is not just at night anymore. I still am coping with Tums. Round ligament pain is still mild, so I am okay with this because with Cole I had it much sooner and much worse. Still having a "stuffy nose", which I had some with Cole. Some shortness of breath too. Still some back pain but I find working out really helps with this as well as doing cat/cow stretches. Fatigue has started to set in again as well. Swelling has started now but I had my OB appt. last Thursday and am happy to report my urine "looks good" and my BP was excellent! I pray it stays this way! I am also having some increased pubic bone pain...ugh. I know I keep saying this, but overall I really am feeling good and still sometimes honestly forget I am pregnant! Also noticing increased trouble moving around...belly is starting to get in the way especially since I officially can no longer bend at the waist!
Best Moment These Last 2 Weeks: Deciding on a name and making our first baby purchases (a dresser and crib.) It makes me feel like things are "coming together." :)

Note: I was 32 weeks last Wednesday. So I am actually 32 weeks 6 days today :)

Mom Monday

2011-06-06T11:05:00.002-04:00

You Know You're A Mom When...

- You find yourself saying, "No" but really wanting to say, "Yes" because your little one looks so cute and asks so nicely.

- Sometimes you find yourself laughing during a temper tantrum because your little one looks so pathetic.

- You have found yourself saying, "Because I said so" in desperate situations.

- You answer the same question a million times.

- You have a reward chart on your fridge.

- You have some sort of project proudly displayed somewhere in your house.

Waiting

2011-06-05T22:26:00.002-04:00

The other day Cole woke up set that he was visiting MeMe and Papa. I explained it was the weekend and he got to stay home as he had been saying all week he wanted to stay home instead of going to MeMe's (she watches him while I work) but he was determined. I kept occupying him with other things but after we would end each task he would say, "Now I go to MeMe and Papa's?" Finally I said we could call them and see if they were home. They were and of course were happy to have him. As soon as we hung up the phone Cole got on our bed and watched out the window for the car to pull in the drive. So, here he is brushing his teeth, waiting, and watching :)

Playing in the Rain

2011-06-02T21:55:00.000-04:00

Wordless Wednesday: Pregnancy Truth

2011-06-01T10:15:00.002-04:00

Mom Monday

2011-05-30T22:13:00.002-04:00

You Know You're A Mom When...

- You come home from a weekend away more exhausted than relaxed :)

- Your life revolves around pooping and peeing (how often, where, when, etc.)

- Naps are a necessity for you as much as your little one.

- Sometimes you need a time-out too.

- You would do just about anything if it meant you would get a smile or a laugh from your child.

Poll Results: Cloth Diapering

2011-05-26T09:55:00.000-04:00

I was both surprised and not surprised with these poll results. Knowing how many feel about cloth I am not surprised the majority of you feel I will give up quickly. However, I was somewhat surprised since almost half of you said you have cloth diapered or would in my previous poll. So....it leads me to think that those of you who voted that I would give up quickly feel I personally can't do it. This kind of makes me smile because I am thinking you must not know me well (and the few that said I would cloth diaper the whole time must know me well.) I say this because I am one who when I really set my mind on something I stick with it and I dive in full force. I have researched cloth diapering to no end and took a class not long ago in which I no joke, felt like I knew more than the person teaching it!

I think back to breastfeeding Cole. It was so incredibly hard. I honestly think I had almost every obstacle with it you could. Not enough milk, too much foremilk, too fast a let down, improper latch, couldn't latch, etc. Yet, I stuck with it. I was determined. I did it even when the lactation consultant herself said to me, "Breastfeeding just isn't for everyone." LOL.

So....with that said, I am pretty determined to make this work. I can assure you I WILL be cloth diapering to some extent as I am determined. However, I also realize this is a new undertaking for me at a time that I will be raising both a toddler and a newborn and also working full-time after a few months so I am not completely naive. We shall see! Wish me luck!

Mom Monday...

2011-05-23T09:22:00.000-04:00

You Know You're A Mom When...

- Under desperate measures you give in and use the phrase, "Because I said so."

- You are the queen of positive feedback (e.g., "Mommy is proud of you for...", "Mommy likes that you...")

- A reward system is VERY important in your house.

- Your DVD collection is overrun with children's movies.

- The next time you will be seeing a movie with your husband in a LONG time is to see a children's movie with your son :)

- When you go grocery shopping you now push a cart with a car on the front :)

Movie Night with Daddy

2011-05-21T14:31:00.004-04:00

Last week a movie came on that Tony thought Cole would like so they had a "movie night" in Cole's room. Cole loved it (except he didn't get why there was no popcorn...lol.)

30 Weeks!

2011-05-19T21:21:00.002-04:00

I am hitting the point where I am realizing this pregnancy is well over half-over (3/4 over to be exact!) and it shocks me how it has flown by this time around. It makes me sad that it has gone so quickly but I feel so blessed that so far, it has gone quickly and well. I pray it continues this way.

With that said, here I am at 30 weeks with Cole:

If you read the post from when I was pregnant with Cole at 30 weeks I loved this shirt. I still love it for how it feels when wearing it but hate it for how big it makes me look. This time around as you can notice I am liking the tighter shirts, which typically is NOT me. I also read in the post that I was starting to hear from people that I finally "look pregnant" and this time around at 30 weeks I am hearing the same thing. And, I also wrote that I was starting to feel pregnant finally and this again is true. I am, as I said in that post, a litle more achy, a little more tired, and I am just "feeling the impact" of pregnancy more. Fun to see how they compare and how at this point, it is very similar.

Without further delay, here I am at 30 weeks with Little One:

I think I look about the same still between the two pregnancies.

Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 30 Weeks
Size of baby: Baby's now the size of a squash!
What's Happening Now: As baby's skin smoothes out, his brain just keeps getting more wrinkled. All those grooves and indentations increase surface area, meaning more room for that oh-so-essential brain tissue. He's also adding some brawn -- his grip is now strong enough to grasp a finger.
Total Weight Gain/Loss: None since 28 weeks. I still have gained back all of the 12lbs. I lost. So I am still at my pre-pregnancy starting weight (aka zero pounds lost/gained.)
Maternity Clothes: Maternity everything now :)
Gender: Another boy! :) I think the name is going to be Miles but Daddy still threw Owen out there today...errr, he is just trying to push my buttons delaying this! I call him Little One still but have thrown Miles in there a few times now and I correct Cole now if he says Owen instead of Miles...poor Cole is even confused now! :)
Movement: Every day now and I can even SEE him move sometimes :) He is still moving less than Cole...not sure if I am so busy with work and Cole that I don't notice as much or maybe he isn't going to be a busy bee like Cole :) I mostly feel rolls and changes in position versus the kicks and jabs Cole used to give me.
Sleep: Pretty good and my wake-up time during the "night" has shifted to 5 AM so that is not as bad.
What I miss: Sleeping on my belly.
Cravings: Sweets still but that has settled some and I just have "moments" now. I was on a chicken quasadilla kick last week though :)
Symptoms: Some increased breast tenderness but still not as bad as when pregnant with Cole and I am definitely noticing they are larger this time around. It is like it happened suddenly! LOL. Heartburn at night has set in but so far 1 Tums covers it :) I had this with Cole too and it isn't as bad as with him so I hope it stays that way! Some round ligament pain too mainly if I change positions too quickly, so I am okay with this because with Cole I had it much sooner and much worse. Still having a "stuffy nose", which I had some with Cole. Some shortness of breath too. Still some back pain but I find working out really helps with this as well as doing cat/cow stretches. Fatigue has started to set in again as well. However, I try to push myself to work out because it really does seem to help this as well. I know I keep saying this, but overall I really am feeling good and sometimes honestly forget I am pregnant! Also noticing increased trouble moving around...belly is starting to get in the way some :) I am also noticing the swelling more especially if I don't get off my feet until around 7 at night :(
Best Moment These Last 2 Weeks: Deciding on a name (at least I have) and having Cole talk more about his "baby bruder" :) His latest thing is that he is going to share his bed with his baby brother...awww.

Note- I am actually 30 weeks and 1 day today but the picture was taken at 30 weeks :) I had my OB appt. today and my blood pressure was excellent (wahoo!) It was going up at this point with Cole. I pray it stays down. Little one is measuring 32 weeks (Cole was measuring 33 weeks) and Little one had a heartbeat of 140-145 which is right around what Cole was (he often hung around 150.) Little One continues to hide from the OB when trying to get his heartbeat so we always get a "range" from her :) Also, I had some pretty consistent contractions yesterday towards the end of my work day. I wasn't too worried but they definitely felt like more than Braxton Hicks so I laid down on my left side and drank a ton of water. My OB said today she suspects it was an "irritable uterus" due to dehydration since I am not experiencing any UTI symptoms, which can also cause it. I will be monitoring my water intake better because I don't want those again!

Is This Miles?

2011-05-19T12:07:00.000-04:00

Some of you may remember I did this when pregnant with Cole (uploaded a picture of Tony and I into a program) and got this:

This time I uploaded a picture that had both Cole, Tony and me in it and I got the above picture. I guess only time will tell if this is what Miles will look like but I can guarantee you I will not be dressing him like that! LOL.

Take Steps, Be Heard!

2011-05-17T09:23:00.000-04:00

This coming Saturday my family and I will be walking once again for Crohn's and Colitis in support of my brother who has had Crohn's Disease for over 10 years now. My Uncle, who has Colitis once said, "You don't control the disease, it controls you" and he is so right. My brother has been hospitalized several times. Missed several events and almost missed others such as graduation day from college because of his disease. He has Remicade infusions every 6 weeks that leaves his immune system very weak and vulnerable among other things. He has a cyst on his kidney they were sure was cancer but decided they could "wait and see" (he has a follow-up coming up soon). He takes several medications, follows a very strict all natural and organic diet and has to work hard to keep his body in the best shape possible. He has to worry about insurance with any job he considers and he has to worry about if something so important as his Remicade is even covered if he switches insurances. He goes through a lot just to live each day as he does.

Crohn's Disease and Colitis are devastating diseases with no known cure currently. Please, take a moment to support us in our walk Saturday. Every dollar makes a difference. 80 cents of every dollar is put directly into patient care and of course every donation is tax deductible.

Go to www.ccfa.org then click on the Take Steps Walk button in the top right of the page. Click on donate to a walker on the top of the page that comes up. Type in my name and go from there. Thanks so much for your support!

Mom Monday

2011-05-16T10:23:00.003-04:00

You Know You're A Mom When...

- Nothing is more important to you than making your child happy.

- You let a lot of things slide that you normally wouldn't.

- You are just as proud of the small accomplishments as the big ones.

- You do things you would never dream of doing in public because it makes your child happy.

- You can tune out a tantrum fairly well and go about your usual business.

- You are now the one getting the sympathetic smiles when you are in a store :)

Camper Fun in Your Own Backyard :)

2011-05-12T21:31:00.000-04:00

We popped up the camper recently to see how it faired over the winter and Cole was SOOOO excited. He kept saying, "I love my camper" and "Daddy put it up for me" and he literally spent every free moment in it until we put it back down. He was devasted we wouldn't let him nap in it. Camping should be fun with him this year so it is unfortunate I will be too pregnant and then later with a newborn for us to go as much as we would normally go in the summer.

We ate pizza in the camper for one lunch :)

And here in the background you see the necessities Cole felt he needed for the camper. A pillow, blanket, fishing pole and rope...lol. He also has informed us he will no longer be sleeping on the toddler bed that the table they are at makes into. He will be sleeping in the double bed the couch on the other side turns into :)

Mentally I am looking forward to our first and possibly last camping trip this summer but physically, my body is already cringing. Luckily the sheer joy my son will be radiating will make it all worth it :)

Poll Results: Cloth Diapers?

2011-05-10T21:23:00.002-04:00

Wow. I was not expecting so many people to say they would/have done cloth...I am impressed. From what I read and hear it sounds like something few people do anymore.

With that said, I plan to do cloth with this little guy. For me, it began with my feeling like part of Cole's "issues" with his circumcision were "aggitated" by his disposables. I am going more and more organic and natural so cloth seems all the more of the way to go too. Then, the amount of money you supposedly save became another factor. Plus, the more research I have done, they are cute!

I made Cole's baby food so why not add cloth diapering into the mix huh? We shall see. I admit I am nervous. I do worry about rashes (we had none with Cole in disposables despite his very sensitive excema prone skin) and I worry about leaks and keeping up with the laundry, cleaning them in general, etc.

I have done a lot of research though and will go from there. I took a class on baby food making and cloth diapering recently and felt honestly I knew more than the lady teaching the class so that made me feel confident but we shall see. I want it to work. I am confident I can and will but I am nervous about the inevitable bumps along the way.

Wish me luck!

Mom Monday...

2011-05-09T22:19:00.003-04:00

You Know You're A Mom When...

- You play "Monster Game" every day now in most of your "down time."

- Only you and your son know what "Monster Game" is :)

- You find yourself answering questions you never thought you may get asked.

- You are a full-time translator.

- You always need an empty laundry basket but not for laundry. It has many other more important jobs such as a place to curl up with a pillow and blankie, a cage for the monster, a great place to sit and watch a movie or cartoon, etc. :)

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T16:35:00.004-04:00

Mother's Day is one of the few times I request a photo of Cole and me instead of always being the one behind the camera :)

The gift Cole made me at story time :) I remember as a child my Mother telling me that the gifts I made her were the best gifts and I thought she was just being nice. Now that I am a Mom, I totally get it. They really are the best.

Cole insisted on napping with the the flower I got from the grocery store for Mother's Day. He wanted it right by his bed but we compromised and put it on the chair in his room. He wanted it where he could see it :)

Being a Mommy is one of the greatest gifts in life. I cherish every moment and feel completely blessed to not only have Cole but to have another miracle growing inside me!

28 Weeks!

2011-05-04T10:52:00.004-04:00

Here I am with Cole at 28 Weeks:

And here I am with "Little One" at 28 Weeks:

I think I am pretty comparable in size between my pregnancy with Cole and "Little One" at this point. I am measuring 29 weeks at this point just as I was with Cole.

Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 28 Weeks
Size of baby: Baby's now the size of an eggplant!
What's Happening Now: Baby's lungs are mature enough that, if born right now, he has a pretty good chance of surviving (with help from medical technology). His skin is still pretty wrinkly (one byproduct of living in amniotic fluid) but will smoothen as fat continues to deposit.
Total Weight Gain/Loss: I have gained back all of the 12 lbs. I lost (ugh...6 lbs. gained in one month!) So I am now at my pre-pregnancy starting weight (aka zero pounds lost/gained.)
Maternity Clothes: Maternity everything now :)
Gender: Another boy! :) Still nameless! I call him Little One :)
Movement: Every day now and I can even SEE him move sometimes :) He is moving less than Cole though...not sure if I am so busy with Cole I don't notice as much or maybe he isn't going to be a busy bee like Cole :) I mostly feel rolls and changes in position versus the kicks and jabs Cole used to give me. Also, Tony felt him for the first time last night! The little guy has stopped moving every time I call to Tony to come feel him but last night he was moving so much Tony caught the little guy in action finally :)
Sleep: Pretty good but in the last week or so I have been starting to wake at night again :(
What I miss: Sleeping on my belly.
Cravings: Sweets, which is not good...probably where the 6 lbs came from! I passed my glucose screen though, thank God!
Symptoms: Some increased breast tenderness but still not as bad as when pregnant with Cole. Still having a "stuffy nose", which I had some with Cole. Some shortness of breath too. Mid back pain has also set in. I didn't have this with Cole...I am guessing having a 30 plus lbs. toddler helps contribute to this :) Some mild heartburn but not yet as bad as I had it with Cole. According to my recent OB visit I also have some mild swelling and a trace of protein in my urine :( I am told I need to get more rest and take it easy...easier said than done with a full-time job and a buys 2.5 year old! I really want to avoid bed rest this time around! At least my BP was good! Praying it stays that way but with Cole it was good at 28 weeks and started creeping at 30 weeks and I went out at 34 weeks on bed rest. The swelling and protein is happening this time earlier than with Cole :( I also found out my iron is low, which I am not surprised because I had this with Cole too so lucky me, an additional iron supplement it is! Overall though, I really am feeling good and sometimes honestly forget I am pregnant! Starting to have trouble moving around...belly is starting to get in the way some :)
Best Moment this Month: Of course Daddy finally being able to feel the little guy move! I also love the increased movement I feel where I can tell when he is changing positions, where he is resting, etc. and holding my big boy while feeling my little one moving inside me too. Also, love the times Cole has his hand on my belly or is leaning against me and his little brother kicks as if to say to Cole "you're squishing me!" :)

Guess Who's Nesting...

2011-05-03T21:42:00.000-04:00

Cole! :)

He just loves my Snoogle and likes to create a little nest for himself with it and a few additional blankets and pillows :)

Mom Monday

2011-05-02T10:19:00.002-04:00

You Know You're A Mom When...

- You willingly sleep on the floor of your child's room at 7 months pregnant because he asks

- You play the same game over and over that your child made up because he loves it so much

- Instead of watching the movie, you watch your child squirm, laugh and squeal with delight

- You no longer worry about the rules of a game such as mini-golf and just follow your child's lead

- Doing the simplest things are so fun when done with your child

- You basically spend a weekend just hanging out in the camper because your child loves it so much

- Watching your child delight in the simplest things is more amazing than words can describe

- Just sitting with your son in your arms and you littlest guy kicking away inside you makes everything alright

- When your health comes into question you immediately think not of yourself but of how your children will handle it

- You spend every day just delighting in the precious gifts from God that children are

My Musical Men...

2011-04-28T21:51:00.001-04:00

Wordless Wednesday: Stickers and Stamps

2011-04-27T21:56:00.004-04:00

Poll Results: Which Name?

2011-04-26T12:21:00.000-04:00

Well I can see a clear winner with you guys. I do like Miles Anthony. I think it flows nicely. However, I really like Owen Thomas as well. I can tell you that Cole often says the baby's name is "Miles" and lately has been saying "Miles Thomas" (this name is growing on me.) He used to say "Miles Anthony" but I think Cole likes "Thomas" because of the train :) However, recently he has also said, "Owen Thomas" and even once said, "Miles Owen Thomas" LOL. Tony has recently started calling the baby Miles but nobody (Tony, Cole or myself) have really set a name for this baby. We have talked about waiting until the baby is born since we cannot seem to decide (we had Cole named at 20 weeks and I am currently 27 weeks today with this little one!) but I told Tony labor was so hard last time I don't want to have to be deciding if I have another difficult labor if the name doesn't just "come to me." We really seem to get a good mix from people about either Miles or Owen so it doesn't make choosing any easier. If we go with Miles we often hear people prefer Anthony for the middle name but that is about the only thing we seem to get consensus on :) I have my reasons for why I like each name. The middle names I don't mind either one either because both have family meaning to us, which is why we picked them. So, for now, we continue to remain undecided and I continue to call the littlest guy "Little One."

As the Tears Flowed...

2011-04-24T22:08:00.002-04:00

...I thought nothing could get better than this.

Cole had a hard time after we left him with Nana to go to a concert recently so I slept on his floor that night until he fell asleep after we returned. Since then, once in a while he asks me to do it again. Tonight, was one of those nights.

He got me a blanket, book, flashlight and some toys and told Daddy to give me a hug and kiss goodnight too. He kept checking in with me to make sure I was okay and didn't need anything :) It was so cute how serious he took it.

At one point he reached his little hand down towards me (he requests that I sleep on the floor right next to him) so I reached up and stroked his hand. He pulled it away after a few minutes and he had quieted so I assumed he was getting comfortable. Instead, he started stroking my hand. He then squeezed my hand and I squeezed his. We sat in silence "communicating" this way for a moment or too. Then, he drifted off to sleep with me holding his hand.

As his hand twitched off and on in my hand as sleep raced what I hope to be sweet dreams through his mind, my eyes filled with tears and I wept silent tears so as not to wake Cole. In that moment time stood still. I rotated between getting lost in my loving thoughts of Cole with my eyes closed and staring with the most intense love at his tiny hand in mine. I thought in that moment, nothing is greater than this...the gift of a child. The gift of a child's love. I also morbidly thought if God forbid something were to happen to me, I would want to go this way...with Cole holding my hand because at that moment I felt nothing but love and peace. Thank God for moments like this. Thank God for the gift of children. Thank God for my child.

And to top it off, my littlest man began kicking inside me. Just me, the quiet melody of lullabies playing on Cole's radio, Cole's hand in mine and my littlest man kicking inside me. God is good. Happy Easter everyone...

Promoting Health and Fitness

2011-04-23T21:55:00.006-04:00

Last weekend a local health facility had a day promoting health and fitness. There was a lot of fun things for kids. Cole LOVED the giant blow up pirate ship but he would have had to navigate it himself and with all the "big kids" on it he was nervous to do that alone. We did a lot of walking around but he settled on a few things to try...

1. The marine life touch tank. He loved that but I didn't get a picture...hard to hold wet creatures and use your camera :)

2. We stopped to make (and eat!) a healthy snack :)

3. We visited a police officer and loaded up on stickers, pencils, etc. No picture here either...too busy assuring Cole the police officer was a nice man :)

4. The basketball hoop was a big hit but it was so high as you can see it was impossible to get a basket. However, bless his heart, Cole kept trying. He spent his time just working to get it into the inflatable part...lol.

5. Making a bird feeder. He enjoyed this very much and was excited to hang it when we got home :)

We concluded the day with a visit to the playground and we met up with my sister (and her now fiance'...congrats to you both!)

So, we really did have a healthy and fit day that was also lots of fun!

Wordless Wednesday- Hard Working Boy

2011-04-20T22:09:00.003-04:00

First Scissors

2011-04-19T21:33:00.004-04:00

I was coupon clipping the other day and the ever helpful Cole (he is in the wanting to help with everything stage, which I really do love) asked if he could help. I let him help me but was very nervous about my fingers as I held the paper and guided him. I told him I would try to find him his own scissors when I went grocery shopping that weekend and he was so excited about it. Thankfully, I found just what I was looking for- dull and rounded tip blades and small for his little hands.
He was so excited when I showed him the scissors and he has been happily cutting since :)

I showed him the correct way to hold the scissors but he prefers to hold them with both hands because he can cut more twice as fast :) However, I do remind him frequently of the correct way to cut and he does pretty well for 2.5 years old using them that way. In fact, today when he was cutting I looked over and noticed he was holding them the correct way! The only problem, lots of sweeping is now going on in our house because the paper inevitably ends up on the floor. Today was hilarious too because his palm from Palm Sunday (which he already managed to break into two pieces as we were leaving the church) was all dried out so he asked if he could cut it. I hesitated thinking it probably isn't proper to cut up the palm from Palm Sunday but I let him. He kept telling me that he wasn't going to cut in certain spots but the scissors kept making it to those places :) In the end he was left with nothing but the stalk (is that what it would be...stem maybe or reed? anyway...) and he said, "Ohhh....I cut too much!" LOL. The kid loves to cut now. :)

Easter Eggs

2011-04-16T15:12:00.002-04:00

Cole dyed Easter eggs with MeMe the other day. 10 out of 12 eggs made it, which I consider pretty good for a 2.5 year old! According to Cole, MeMe was the one who dropped and broke one of them so Cole did really well! I saw in a local store's flyer that Easter baskets and stuffing were on sale so I stopped in and picked up this cute little basket and "stuffing" to display the eggs. Came out pretty good I think!

2.5 Today!

2011-04-15T21:04:00.005-04:00

I just realized as I looked at my ticker on the sidebar that my Little Man is 2.5 years old today! It is so hard to believe he is so close to being a 3 year old! Time really has flown by and I have loved every minute of it (even the really hard times because they are far outweighed by the good.) Cole has been such an amazing blessing in our life. You cannot help but smile when you are with him...even when he is tantruming he can still be funny! Everyone comments on how big he is still and often thinks he is at least 3 years old. I have some Kindergarten kids that he is the same size as! Everyone also is impressed with how "well he talks" because of his age and his gender. This of course makes me smile (how could this not warm a speech therapist Mommy's heart?) To be honest, he even surprises me with the sentences he forms. He frequently speaks in 5 to 7 word utterances and the language he uses is impressive even to me at times! He uses "my" instead of "me" a lot so we are working on that :) He can count to 10 well and knows his primary colors pretty well. We are working on dressing himself and he impressed me getting both his boots on for the most part by himself the other day. He can spell his first name well and knows his full name and Daddy's name. He for some reason still struggles with Mommy's name. He really became interested in wanting to use scissors recently so I purchased some child friendly ones recently and he has been happily cutting paper since :) He can do pretty well holding them the right way but prefers the incorrect way because he can cut more faster the "wrong way." He still eats pretty well. Lately, he is in LOVE with the old Donald Duck movies (yes Donald Duck...he wants him in any he watches.) He loves to help. He continues to love to be outside. He is quiet and reserved. He likes to "feel you out" before he warms up to you. He is so loving and gentle. He feels things deeply. He is eager to please. He is amazing. He is my Little Man...

Watermarking

2011-04-15T15:07:00.003-04:00

I find it ironic (and perhaps a sign) that I logged on to my blog to find two bloggers I read writing about watermarking photos. I have thought about this for a while mainly since I had Cole and thought about it more when a few fellow bloggers starting using it. However, I had no idea how to do it and when I looked into it, I found programs you had to buy, install, etc. and I just got turned off. Yet, it still sat in the back of my mind. I considered making my blog private but I have met some great blogging "friends" because it is public. However, thanks to LeAnna I found out I can use Piknic to watermark simply and for free! Above are my first two attempts at watermarking. It is a little more work than just adding my photos to my blog but considering that typically I just add one or two photos a post, it isn't that bad and makes me feel so much better. You just never know who is out there checking out your blog and just as I do when I am out and about, I wish to do all I can to protect my son online as well. So, from now on, you will hopefully always see my photos with a watermark. I will play with it and as I figure it all out you may see it change some. If anyone has any suggestions for my watermarking please feel free to share!

Happy 2nd Birthday MeMe!

2011-04-09T20:58:00.002-04:00

MeMe had a birthday on Thursday (Happy Birthday again MeMe!) and Cole was so excited about it. He picked out her presents and excitedly told everyone about them (even one of the clerk's we bought something from...lol). He also helped me make her cake. I am sad to say that I used a different cake mix than I usually do and although it was amazingly moist, it was so moist I couldn't place it as I usually do to avoid the splitting it did as you can see in the picture. Cole also helped decorate it with LOTS of sprinkles (Cole LOVES sprinkles.) He said we had to have a candle to blow out and I only had the number candles from his birthday so he picked out the number 2 for the cake because it was "bigger." :) He loved having MeMe come over in the morning and presenting her with the gifts, opening them for her, playing with them and then helping her blow out the candle. He was as excited as if it was his own birthday :)

24 Weeks!

2011-04-08T20:35:00.014-04:00

Here I am at 24 weeks with Cole....

Here I am at 24 weeks with Little One...

Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 24 Weeks
Size of baby: Baby's now the size of a papaya!
What's Happening Now: Baby's skin is becoming more opaque as the fat starts to pack on. And, thanks to the formation of small capillaries, his newly thick skin is taking on a fresh pink glow.
Total Weight Gain/Loss: I have gained back 6 of the 12 lbs. I lost so I am now at minus 6 lbs.
Maternity Clothes: Maternity everything now :)
Gender: Another boy! :)
Movement: Every day now and I can even SEE him move sometimes :) He is moving less than Cole though...not sure if I am so busy with Cole I don't notice as much or maybe he isn't going to be a busy bee like Cole :)
Sleep: Pretty good now.
What I miss: Sleeping on my belly.
Cravings: Still tacos.
Symptoms: Some increased breast tenderness but still not as bad as when pregnant with Cole. They must already be stretched out from him! :) Still having a "stuffy nose", which I had some with Cole. Some shortness of breath too. Mid back pain has also set in. I didn't have this with Cole...I am guessing having a 30 plus lbs. toddler helps contribute to this :) Overall though, I really am feeling good and sometimes honestly forget I am pregnant! Starting to have trouble moving around as well...belly is starting to get in the way some :)
Best Moment this Month: SEEING the baby move in my belly and hearing Cole matter-of-factly tell someone the baby's name was Miles (we haven't decided yet but he seems to have!) :)

Reminder : I am actually 24 and 2 days today but the photo was taken at 24 weeks :)

So now I am officially caught up! I caught up this time around faster than I did with Cole...I am impressed with myself :)

20 Weeks

2011-04-07T21:20:00.001-04:00

So just for fun, here is the little guy at almost 19 weeks (18 weeks 6 days)

And here is Cole at almost 20 weeks (I think he was 19 weeks and 4 days?) Do they look like brothers? :)

Here I am at 20 weeks pregnant with Cole...

And here I am at 20 weeks pregnant with the little one...
I think I have finally caught up with looking just as pregnant as I did with Cole at this point...yikes!

Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along: 20 Weeks
Size of baby: Baby's now the size of a cantaloupe!
What's Happening Now: Baby gulps down several ounces of amniotic fluid every day, both for nutrition and to practice swallowing and digesting. And, these days, those taste buds actually work! Studies show that after birth, babies respond best to tastes they've already had via amniotic fluid.
Total Weight Gain/Loss: I have gained back 2 of the 12 lbs. I lost so I am now at minus 10 lbs.
Maternity Clothes: Maternity pants and working in maternity tops while weeding out regular tops. I am in maternity bras and underwear now too for the most part.
Gender: Another boy! :)
Movement: Starting to feel him move more now.
Sleep: Getting better at sleeping on my side. Still getting up at night to pee but not as much.
What I miss: A good night's sleep...yes, I know, it will be a long while before that happens again!
Cravings: I have moved my cravings again...now it is tacos!
Symptoms: No more nausea! Some breast tenderness but still not as bad as when pregnant with Cole. They must already be stretched out from him! :) Still having a "stuffy nose", which I had some with Cole. Some shortness of breath too. Makes me feel out of shape! Mid back pain has also set in. I didn't have this with Cole...I am guessing having a 30 plus lbs. toddler helps contribute to this :) Overall though, I really am feeling good and sometimes honestly forget I am pregnant!
Best Moment this Month: Finding out at the anatomy scan that our little one looks happy and healthy and that we are having another boy!

Reminder: Today I am actually 24 weeks 1 day...that post coming soon I promise!

Wordless Wednesday- A Little Too Big Now :)

2011-04-06T22:29:00.000-04:00

"Idea"

2011-04-05T22:43:00.000-04:00

I just have to put this in here because I think it is so darn cute. I don't know where he got this from but very recently Cole has started saying, "Idea" and then what follows is genuinely an idea he has, usually about something we are about to do. For example, yesterday, I asked Cole if he wanted to call MeMe and then we could clean his room. He responded, "Idea...how 'bout we clean my room AND call MeMe" (aka call MeMe while cleaning my room not before because I am really excited to clean...the boy loves to clean!) Also yesterday, I asked him if he wanted chocolate or vanilla pudding for a special treat after dinner (he usually gets fruit.) He replied, "Idea...how about try "banawa" first then chocolate." LOL.

"Idea."

How cute is that?

Mom Monday....

2011-04-04T22:18:00.002-04:00

You Know You're A Mom When...

- You feel like a kid again...trying to sneak a cookie without getting caught and it never happens!

- You can't sneak above mentioned cookie because you can't honestly tell your little guy no not before dinner when you are eating it!

- Cleaning your child's room from top to bottom has never been so much fun (or taken so long) as when you involve a child in it all.

- You find yourself "standing corrected" by a 2 1/2 year old.

- You find yourself thinking before you say "no" about whether it is really worth the fight or not.

Poll Results: Boy or Girl?

2011-04-03T15:40:00.000-04:00

In case you didn't read yesterday's post (see below)or can't tell from the pictures in the post, I am officially announcing that we are having another BOY! I am so thrilled. I couldn't stop smiling when we left the ultrasound (partially because all was well with our little one too.) Tony had a hard time believing me when I told him I felt it was a boy and I really wanted another boy but after seeing my smile he knew I wasn't bluffing. I don't know if it is because Cole is such a joy and I know how to "raise a boy" or because I have always gotten along well with guys (one of my close friends in college was a guy and in high school I often hung out with my now husband and his guy friends) or even because my husband is 1 of 4 boys but I am beyond thrilled that the baby is healthy and a boy! As some have said, it will also be nice for Cole to have a brother. It will also be nice to reuse all the clothes I have saved (they will be 3 months apart in terms of when they were born so I am hoping the sizing is somewhat close so that a lot can be reused.) I am excited to pull out stuff that Cole once wore and put it on the new little guy. We really wont need many clothes or toys because we are set there and that is wonderful. I considered doing a different "theme" for this next little guy's room but decided since I saved it all, why not reuse it? As someone suggested to make it a little different, I will make this little one's room a different color but still use the same farm theme and thus reuse the light, mobile, etc.

So, tell me, did you guys know it was a boy from hearing it before I posted about it or did you all just have an instinct that it was a boy when you took the poll?

At 18 weeks 6 Days...

2011-04-02T14:32:00.000-04:00

We went for our anatomy scan. It was Tuesday, March 1st and I was so nervous. With Cole's I was so excited to find out what we were having. However, this time around, I knew all the stuff that could be wrong with the little one because I now knew what they check and look for. So far, all my screenings, etc. had come back normal but I still couldn't help but worry and that trumped the excitement of finding out what we were having.

As a reminder, Cole said he was having a baby sister but that the baby was a boy...lol. Tony (as he did with Cole) was insisting this little one was a girl. I had no clue with Cole but deep down was hoping for a boy I think (and I got him!) This time around, I felt it was a boy. I don't know if it was intuition or if I just felt it was a boy because I already had one and was used to thinking about a boy. Also, a woman I am in the Lions Club with knew I was pregnant with this little one and with Cole before I told anyone other than Tony. She also knew Cole was a boy and said this little one was too. She said, I am destined to have boys. She also said she didn't have a strong feeling about the third one yet. Third? I said how many does she see for me? (Remember I have the number 4 stuck in my head for some reason.) She said she sees 3 right now :) I digress though.

Thankfully, we had a great ultrasound tech. The scan went really quick because little one was very good for her allowing her to get all the "hard shots" right away. I was impressed because this little one usually scares me each appt. because he/she hides when the OB tries to get the heartbeat. Little one also wasn't very cooperative at the NT scan when the tech tried to get his/her NT measurement.

We went to the bigger hospital because of them wanting to check out the little one for hydrocephaly since my Dad was born with it. Thankfully, all looked well with little one. And we got a good video and pictures. Pictures are below...

Adorable little feet...

Amazing profile...

It's a....

Easter Decorations and One Smarty-Pants

2011-04-01T12:14:00.000-04:00

Cole and I decorated for Easter today. He loves to decorate for the holidays and he got so excited today except he kept squealing with delight, "It's Valentine's Day!"...lol. Anyway, here are the pictures from the bathroom mirror decorating...his favorite part.

I initially tried to show him the correct way to assemble the ducks and eggs on the mirror so we didn't have body parts and broken eggs on the mirror but I let my controling side go and let him do as he wished and the above is the result :) Also, note he had to wear sunglasses while decorating. LOL.

I decided to clean our full length closet mirror in the bathroom too after we were done decorating and Cole went to play. Then I heard, "Uh-oh, I broke it" in a very disappointed tone. When I asked him what he broke knowing he couldn't have done too much damage because I hadn't heard much noise, he replied that he broke the backhoe on his riding tractor. I came out to find that he had gotten a screwdriver out of our junk drawer and unscrewed a very long screw from his backhoe. Screw in his hand, he showed me he did it with his plastic screwdriver. I soon realized as I tried to fix it that he had not used that one and he said, "Use this!" and went to the junk drawer and retrieved the "real" screwdriver. I was not mad at all. I was actually impressed and I told him that but I also reminded him to be careful what he takes apart as Mommy may not be able to reassemble everything. What a litlte smarty-pants!

Mom Monday....

2011-03-28T21:21:00.000-04:00

You Know You're A Mom When...

- Mulit-tasking becomes commonplace...you even fold clothes while exercising!

- You use a shopping cart when you only need one item because someome likes to be what goes in the cart :)

- Routine is very important in your house for both you (so you can remember) and your little one (because he likes it.)

- You turn down a night out with the "girls" for a night on the couch watching 1930s and 1940s Disney cartoons featuring Donald Duck :)

- There is not a room in the house that does not have at least one toy in it.

Where's Daddy's Baby?

2011-03-25T14:46:00.004-04:00

Cole giving me the Valentine's Day present he picked out for me with MeMe :)

Lately Cole is really "getting" that there is a baby in Mommy's belly and that he is having a little brother/sister. (I still have to do the post on what we are having!) He often points to my heart and askss if the baby is there. I have thought about this and he is partially right. I hold Cole and this little one in my heart for sure! I tell him that the baby is in my belly though and show him where. More recently he has said that, "Mommy has a baby, Cole has a baby brother/sister and what does Daddy have?" I told him that Daddy had a baby too. He then asked, "Where?" Uh-oh. At 2 1/2 are we already getting to those questions? I have been very open with Cole about body parts, etc. and using correct terminology (much to Tony's horror.) So, I told him that, "Mommy, Daddy and Cole's baby was in Mommy's belly. Mommy is lucky to be the one to carry the baby for all of us." That was enough for him...for now :)

Handsomeness...

2011-03-24T22:55:00.001-04:00

Every night I still stand over him and look at him in awe and then thank God for such an amazing blessing in my life.

Mom Monday....

2011-03-21T20:50:00.003-04:00

You Know You're A Mom When...

- You get excited about a new children's movie coming out and are already planning on going and it doesn't come out until May.

- You get yourself a snack and eat none of it because before you take a bit it ends up in someone else's hands.

- You sometimes have to attend work meetings with a child in your lap.

- Your co-workers laugh at how easily you can give your presentation while dodging a pencil in the eye and keeping busy hands from wandering too far.

- You trip over the potty spilling pee everywhere just before you are heading out the door to work.