We had such an amazing Halloween this year.
Last year we didn't take Stephanie Trick-or-Treating, since she was only 8 months old. We had made the decision to take her this year, but weren't really sure how she'd handle it. She can be shy in front of strangers, and the basic premise of Halloween is to walk up to the houses of people you don't know and ask them for candy. But we wanted to try, and figured that if she didn't do well, we'd stop after a house or two.
We dressed her in her Bumble Bee costume, which was absolutely adorable. (Not that i'm biased or anything!) We watched "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" before heading out, and took the opportunity to explain the process to Stephanie. We had her practice saying "Trick-or-Treat" and "Happy Halloween."
We headed out to a nearby neighborhood, and Dan held Stephanie's hand as they walked up to the first house together. (I lagged behind, lugging Joseph in his car seat. We need to get the double stroller put together at some point soon.) She knocked on the door and said "knock-knock!" And when we prompted her, she said "Trick-or-Treat!" She was amazed and astonished when she received a piece of candy to put in her bright orange pumpkin, which she then swung back and forth in her hand as she ran, giggling like crazy, to the next house. It didn't take her long at all to catch on to the premise of the activity, and she was full of energy as we made our way through the neighborhood. She was thrilled to get candy, charmed all the home owners with her bright smile, giggle, and little voice, and had a magical glow about her as she experienced her first Trick-or-Treating experience.
I felt a warm feeling come over me as I watched my precious little girl revel in her happiness. As she climbed into the car with her bright red cheeks, begging to eat some M&M's, I thought about how much Halloween has changed for me. Ever since I stopped Trick-or-Treating myself, the day just wasn't a big deal. But now that I'm a Mommy, the holiday has taken on a new meaning. Seeing the joy in my daughter's face makes me happier than gathering a bucket full of candy ever did, and I get to experience the magic all over again with more appreciation than I ever did as a child. I know how fleeting this time of innocence and amazement is, and I made sure to soak up every minute of the night.
As we drove home, with Stephanie begging for more Halloween, and Joseph sleeping soundly in his car seat (which was how he celebrated the entire time), I realized that this truly was the best Halloween I've ever had. I hope that all of my readers had an equally amazing and safe holiday. Happy Halloween everyone!
Monday, October 31, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
My Children Get Vaccinations!
Today we went to the pediatrician for Joseph's two-week appointment and to get Stephanie her flu shot. I feel like getting the flu shot is really important for our family, because little Joseph is too young to get it, and I never got it in time when I was pregnant to provide him with the antibodies. But, with Dan, Stephanie and I all having it, hopefully that will be enough to prevent the virus from being brought into our home, and therefore preventing Joseph from getting the flu.
This "community immunity" idea is one of the biggest reasons why I am a supporter of vaccines. Children receive vaccinations for a variety of communicable diseases that can cause horrible side effects, debilitating health conditions, and even death. I for one would rather see my children get their shots than get one of those illnesses. But, there are children who have conditions and/or immune system issues that prevent them from receiving vaccinations. However, if the children around them receive their vaccinations, those other children will be that much more protected because the disease won't get spread around. The more people who get vaccinated, the less potential for an outbreak, and the more protected we as a community will be.
I know there is the whole "Autism is caused by vaccines" movement. Many people feel so strongly about this, and therefore do not vaccinate their children. I have done research on this, and talked to Dr's and specialists during my time as an Early Childhood Educator, and I have made the personal decision that, whether or not this is true, I will vaccinate my children anyway. I would rather have them protected from a deadly disease, since it has never been definitively proven that there is a link between Autism and vaccines.
I also don't buy into the whole "oh, these diseases have been eradicated, so I don't need to vaccinate my children" idea. In fact, several diseases, such as whooping cough and measles, have seen a recurrence in recent years. I know that I for one don't want to risk that my child catch one of them.
Lastly, there are those parents who just don't like the idea of putting foreign substances into their children's bodies. While I can see their point, again, I think the risk of a deadly disease is greater than the risk of any chemicals from a shot.
I know that not all parents agree with me, and I know that this is a heated topic among the mommy community. I'm also not saying that i'm right and that parents who choose not to vaccinate are bad. I am saying, however, that my personal belief is that my children should get their shots. I want them to be protected, and I feel like I am doing the best thing I can for them by keeping them on a vaccination schedule.
This "community immunity" idea is one of the biggest reasons why I am a supporter of vaccines. Children receive vaccinations for a variety of communicable diseases that can cause horrible side effects, debilitating health conditions, and even death. I for one would rather see my children get their shots than get one of those illnesses. But, there are children who have conditions and/or immune system issues that prevent them from receiving vaccinations. However, if the children around them receive their vaccinations, those other children will be that much more protected because the disease won't get spread around. The more people who get vaccinated, the less potential for an outbreak, and the more protected we as a community will be.
I know there is the whole "Autism is caused by vaccines" movement. Many people feel so strongly about this, and therefore do not vaccinate their children. I have done research on this, and talked to Dr's and specialists during my time as an Early Childhood Educator, and I have made the personal decision that, whether or not this is true, I will vaccinate my children anyway. I would rather have them protected from a deadly disease, since it has never been definitively proven that there is a link between Autism and vaccines.
I also don't buy into the whole "oh, these diseases have been eradicated, so I don't need to vaccinate my children" idea. In fact, several diseases, such as whooping cough and measles, have seen a recurrence in recent years. I know that I for one don't want to risk that my child catch one of them.
Lastly, there are those parents who just don't like the idea of putting foreign substances into their children's bodies. While I can see their point, again, I think the risk of a deadly disease is greater than the risk of any chemicals from a shot.
I know that not all parents agree with me, and I know that this is a heated topic among the mommy community. I'm also not saying that i'm right and that parents who choose not to vaccinate are bad. I am saying, however, that my personal belief is that my children should get their shots. I want them to be protected, and I feel like I am doing the best thing I can for them by keeping them on a vaccination schedule.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
A Rough Day
Yesterday was probably the most challenging Joseph day that we've had so far. And we only had him at home all day, because Stephanie went to play at my mom's house. (I must have had a psychic feeling that he was going to have a tough day, because I had called her the night before to ask if Stephanie could spend the day there.)
To start with, Joseph has been having a lot of tummy troubles. He's gassy and fussy, much more so than is "normal" in my opinion. He refused to be put down all day, which meant I had to hold him. But not just hold him...stand up with him and bounce and dance around the house. He continually arched his back and cried and screamed. He's obviously in pain, which breaks my heart because there's only so much I can do for him. He ended up settling down around 4 in the afternoon, and was able to take about an hour nap. He's also eating really well finally, so at least that's helpful. The rest of the evening went smoothly, and he seemed more peaceful and in less pain.
But then we had a really difficult night. He and I went to bed at 10, and he woke up to eat at 11:30. Dan fed him, but I woke up when he did. Then Stephanie woke up at 12:30, and needed her Cloud B Sleep Sheep turned back on. Then Joseph woke up again at 2:20 to eat. I put him back in the bassinet at 3:30, and just as I started to doze off, Stephanie woke again. Then Joseph woke up at 4:50 in pain, so I rocked him back to sleep. And then he woke up to eat at 5:50. I begged Dan at that point to give him his bottle so that I could get a little bit of sleep. I managed to sleep until 7:30, when Stephanie woke up for the day.
Even though i'm super exhausted, I am more frustrated about the fact that Joseph is having such issues with his tummy. We're working on switching formulas in order to find the one that works for his digestive system, but it's a trial and error system, and I want to make sure that he gets a good amount of time with one before I give up on it. I also want to talk to the pediatrician tomorrow at his 2 week appointment, to see if she has any other suggestions. I know we'll figure it out eventually, but in the meantime it is a truly awful experience to see my little one in pain.
To start with, Joseph has been having a lot of tummy troubles. He's gassy and fussy, much more so than is "normal" in my opinion. He refused to be put down all day, which meant I had to hold him. But not just hold him...stand up with him and bounce and dance around the house. He continually arched his back and cried and screamed. He's obviously in pain, which breaks my heart because there's only so much I can do for him. He ended up settling down around 4 in the afternoon, and was able to take about an hour nap. He's also eating really well finally, so at least that's helpful. The rest of the evening went smoothly, and he seemed more peaceful and in less pain.
But then we had a really difficult night. He and I went to bed at 10, and he woke up to eat at 11:30. Dan fed him, but I woke up when he did. Then Stephanie woke up at 12:30, and needed her Cloud B Sleep Sheep turned back on. Then Joseph woke up again at 2:20 to eat. I put him back in the bassinet at 3:30, and just as I started to doze off, Stephanie woke again. Then Joseph woke up at 4:50 in pain, so I rocked him back to sleep. And then he woke up to eat at 5:50. I begged Dan at that point to give him his bottle so that I could get a little bit of sleep. I managed to sleep until 7:30, when Stephanie woke up for the day.
Even though i'm super exhausted, I am more frustrated about the fact that Joseph is having such issues with his tummy. We're working on switching formulas in order to find the one that works for his digestive system, but it's a trial and error system, and I want to make sure that he gets a good amount of time with one before I give up on it. I also want to talk to the pediatrician tomorrow at his 2 week appointment, to see if she has any other suggestions. I know we'll figure it out eventually, but in the meantime it is a truly awful experience to see my little one in pain.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Life With Two Children...so far
I'd love to say that life with two children is just as easy as life with one, and that Joseph's arrival has fit seamlessly into our life. However, that's not entirely true. It also isn't true that life with two is more difficult. The truth is, we really don't KNOW what life is like with two children because we haven't had the chance to truly experience it.
We brought Joseph home from the hospital on Saturday. Stephanie didn't get home until 6, and went to bed at 7. On Sunday, we had friends visiting, which kept us all distracted. On Monday, my Dad ("Grumpy" to Stephanie) spent the morning with her while Dan and I took Joseph to the Dr. That night, Stephanie came down with a cold and fever, so on Tuesday we sent her to stay with my parents in order to keep the germs from Joseph. She stayed there until Thursday afternoon.
As much as I hated to send her away, I knew it was the best thing to do for little Joseph, who really shouldn't get sick at such a young age. My emotions were all over the place, and making the decision to send her to my mom's caused a lot of hysterical crying. But she was THRILLED to be going back to her Nana and Grumpy's house, and was actually able to get a lot of rest and TLC. At our house, things were really peaceful. Taking care of one newborn was a piece of cake, since we have a lot of "been there, done that" feelings. Dan and I each even took one morning to sleep late! Unheard of when you have two children at home.
Last night Stephanie came home. Major tantrums occurred, but I really couldn't blame her. She has had no time to adjust to her new lifestyle, and is confused about why she's sometimes home and sometimes at Nana's. Plus, there's this new little person living in her house. (She loves Baby Joseph though...she asks for him when he's not in the room, and gets concerned when he cries.) She slept awful last night, and therefore so did we. Joseph slept like a champ for the first half of the night. Then when Stephanie finally settled down, Joseph was awake. Needless to say, exhaustion has set in for this family.
Today we took both children to the Dr. It turns out that Stephanie has an ear infection, which explains the not sleeping thing. She still has her cold, too, so we need to continually keep her away from her precious baby, and we're washing our hands constantly. With the withered, dried skin to prove it. Yet, despite the fact that she's sick, and we're all exhausted...today was a good day. We all went to the Dr, then Dan and Stephanie took a nap. Joseph and I cuddled and bonded during that time, and when Stephanie woke up she and I ran some errands. The evening was semi smooth, with only a few meltdowns on Stephanie's part. (Due mostly to exhaustion, since she was up all night.) Right now both kids are sleeping soundly, and although Joseph will be woken up soon to eat, i'm hopeful that the night will be peaceful and we can all catch some zzz's. And once Stephanie is better, we can really work on life as a family of four!
We brought Joseph home from the hospital on Saturday. Stephanie didn't get home until 6, and went to bed at 7. On Sunday, we had friends visiting, which kept us all distracted. On Monday, my Dad ("Grumpy" to Stephanie) spent the morning with her while Dan and I took Joseph to the Dr. That night, Stephanie came down with a cold and fever, so on Tuesday we sent her to stay with my parents in order to keep the germs from Joseph. She stayed there until Thursday afternoon.
As much as I hated to send her away, I knew it was the best thing to do for little Joseph, who really shouldn't get sick at such a young age. My emotions were all over the place, and making the decision to send her to my mom's caused a lot of hysterical crying. But she was THRILLED to be going back to her Nana and Grumpy's house, and was actually able to get a lot of rest and TLC. At our house, things were really peaceful. Taking care of one newborn was a piece of cake, since we have a lot of "been there, done that" feelings. Dan and I each even took one morning to sleep late! Unheard of when you have two children at home.
Last night Stephanie came home. Major tantrums occurred, but I really couldn't blame her. She has had no time to adjust to her new lifestyle, and is confused about why she's sometimes home and sometimes at Nana's. Plus, there's this new little person living in her house. (She loves Baby Joseph though...she asks for him when he's not in the room, and gets concerned when he cries.) She slept awful last night, and therefore so did we. Joseph slept like a champ for the first half of the night. Then when Stephanie finally settled down, Joseph was awake. Needless to say, exhaustion has set in for this family.
Today we took both children to the Dr. It turns out that Stephanie has an ear infection, which explains the not sleeping thing. She still has her cold, too, so we need to continually keep her away from her precious baby, and we're washing our hands constantly. With the withered, dried skin to prove it. Yet, despite the fact that she's sick, and we're all exhausted...today was a good day. We all went to the Dr, then Dan and Stephanie took a nap. Joseph and I cuddled and bonded during that time, and when Stephanie woke up she and I ran some errands. The evening was semi smooth, with only a few meltdowns on Stephanie's part. (Due mostly to exhaustion, since she was up all night.) Right now both kids are sleeping soundly, and although Joseph will be woken up soon to eat, i'm hopeful that the night will be peaceful and we can all catch some zzz's. And once Stephanie is better, we can really work on life as a family of four!
Thursday, October 20, 2011
The Birth Story
I'm excited to finally find a minute to sit down and write Joseph's birth story. It's definitely one of those memories that start to fade over time, and so the sooner I get it down, the more I'll remember. (Oh, I know i'll always remember the highlights. But the little things are the ones that tend to get forgotten.)
On Wednesday afternoon we dropped Stephanie at her Grandparent's house, and headed to the hospital. I checked into my room, and we met one of the most amazing nurses ever. We'll call her B. B made us feel like we were the only and most important patients that she had. She made Dan's bed for him, always made sure to ask us if we wanted anything to eat or drink, and managed to finagle a hospital meal for Dan to have that night.
I was still only 1cm dilated (Joseph was in no way ready to make his grand entrance) so my Dr arrived to start the dilation procedure. After she left, we ate dinner and watched some TV. B brought me an ambien around 10, and I fell asleep half-way through Revenge. I slept through the night, and woke up when the morning nurse showed up to take my vitals. It turned out that she was a girl I went to high school with, and it was nice to chat with her for a little bit. (This is one of the joys of living in a small town and delivering in a community hospital.) I took a shower and ate some toast while I waited for the Dr. She showed up at 6:45, and when she discovered that I was 2-3 cm dilated she broke my water. My Labor and Delivery nurse, D, showed up at that point. (In this hospital, you get one nurse that is only assigned to you. So she stayed in the room with me almost the whole time.) I started to have some small contractions, but nothing major. She started a pitocin drip at around 9, and then the contractions really started!
By 10, I asked for my epidural, since the contractions were coming every 2 minutes. The anesthesiologist arrived, and we discussed a plan for preventing me from passing out when the epidural went in. (This happened when I had Stephanie.) It went in with no incidence, and I started feeling relief immediately. I even managed to rest/sleep until about 12:30.
The nurse came in to check me, and I was 6 cm. The Dr arrived at 1, and I was 8. At 1:30 I felt immense pressure (my epidural had been turned down because my arm was tingly) so the pressure was really intense. When the nurse checked me, I was fully dilated and the baby was moving down fast. By 2, I was ready to push. He descended so quickly that the Dr was shocked that it was already time for me to push. I pushed for 54 minutes, and let me tell you, I felt a LOT more than I had with Stephanie, since my epidural had been turned down. It was extremely tiring, and I kept feeling like I couldn't do it. But, at 2:54, I pushed out the most beautiful baby boy in the world. They placed him on my tummy immediately and I just couldn't stop staring at him. They took him to the warmer and I heard his little cry. It was the most amazing sound in the world, and the sense of calm and peace that came over me at that moment is difficult to describe. They told me that he was 9lbs 9oz, and all of us in the room were shocked! I couldn't believe he was so big. At that moment I was so grateful for the fact that I was induced. Who knows how big he would have been if I had waited to go into labor naturally.
I had some "fixing up" that needed to be done, but it was nothing compared to the trauma that I went through with my first baby. In fact, I felt great when the Dr finished up. They handed me my little boy, and we had skin-to-skin contact. Staring at him, and cuddling with him created an immediate bond between us. I felt an overwhelming sense of love for this little person, and I couldn't believe that Dan and I had made him, and that I had brought him into the world. Nothing can compare to that moment, and I feel so blessed to have shared it with my wonderful husband who never left my side during my labor.
Over the next few hours I continued to feel great, and was even able to get up and walk to the bathroom. This was a major accomplishment for me, since after having Stephanie and losing so much blood, I had had to spend the night in bed and couldn't get up until the next morning.
Stephanie arrived with my parents at 6:30 that night, and she was very interested in the baby. "Baby crying!" she announced when she first saw him. Then she decided that the baby wasn't all that interesting after all, and wanted to walk the hallways of the hospital. This gave my parents some snuggle time with Joseph. They left after about 45 minutes, and my sisters showed up. There is nothing quite as special as sharing your new baby with the people you love. Seeing the love and adoration in my family's eyes made me so happy, because my children are surrounded by people who care about them.
After everyone left, the three of us settled in for the night. The nurses took Joseph to the nursery for a little while so I could sleep, and only brought him back to me for feedings. (He had no interest in eating...that's a story for another blog post.) I went to sleep that night so happy and content with my new little family of four. It seemed like the day had flown by, and while I couldn't believe that it was already over, I knew that the real joy had just begun.
On Wednesday afternoon we dropped Stephanie at her Grandparent's house, and headed to the hospital. I checked into my room, and we met one of the most amazing nurses ever. We'll call her B. B made us feel like we were the only and most important patients that she had. She made Dan's bed for him, always made sure to ask us if we wanted anything to eat or drink, and managed to finagle a hospital meal for Dan to have that night.
I was still only 1cm dilated (Joseph was in no way ready to make his grand entrance) so my Dr arrived to start the dilation procedure. After she left, we ate dinner and watched some TV. B brought me an ambien around 10, and I fell asleep half-way through Revenge. I slept through the night, and woke up when the morning nurse showed up to take my vitals. It turned out that she was a girl I went to high school with, and it was nice to chat with her for a little bit. (This is one of the joys of living in a small town and delivering in a community hospital.) I took a shower and ate some toast while I waited for the Dr. She showed up at 6:45, and when she discovered that I was 2-3 cm dilated she broke my water. My Labor and Delivery nurse, D, showed up at that point. (In this hospital, you get one nurse that is only assigned to you. So she stayed in the room with me almost the whole time.) I started to have some small contractions, but nothing major. She started a pitocin drip at around 9, and then the contractions really started!
By 10, I asked for my epidural, since the contractions were coming every 2 minutes. The anesthesiologist arrived, and we discussed a plan for preventing me from passing out when the epidural went in. (This happened when I had Stephanie.) It went in with no incidence, and I started feeling relief immediately. I even managed to rest/sleep until about 12:30.
The nurse came in to check me, and I was 6 cm. The Dr arrived at 1, and I was 8. At 1:30 I felt immense pressure (my epidural had been turned down because my arm was tingly) so the pressure was really intense. When the nurse checked me, I was fully dilated and the baby was moving down fast. By 2, I was ready to push. He descended so quickly that the Dr was shocked that it was already time for me to push. I pushed for 54 minutes, and let me tell you, I felt a LOT more than I had with Stephanie, since my epidural had been turned down. It was extremely tiring, and I kept feeling like I couldn't do it. But, at 2:54, I pushed out the most beautiful baby boy in the world. They placed him on my tummy immediately and I just couldn't stop staring at him. They took him to the warmer and I heard his little cry. It was the most amazing sound in the world, and the sense of calm and peace that came over me at that moment is difficult to describe. They told me that he was 9lbs 9oz, and all of us in the room were shocked! I couldn't believe he was so big. At that moment I was so grateful for the fact that I was induced. Who knows how big he would have been if I had waited to go into labor naturally.
I had some "fixing up" that needed to be done, but it was nothing compared to the trauma that I went through with my first baby. In fact, I felt great when the Dr finished up. They handed me my little boy, and we had skin-to-skin contact. Staring at him, and cuddling with him created an immediate bond between us. I felt an overwhelming sense of love for this little person, and I couldn't believe that Dan and I had made him, and that I had brought him into the world. Nothing can compare to that moment, and I feel so blessed to have shared it with my wonderful husband who never left my side during my labor.
Over the next few hours I continued to feel great, and was even able to get up and walk to the bathroom. This was a major accomplishment for me, since after having Stephanie and losing so much blood, I had had to spend the night in bed and couldn't get up until the next morning.
Stephanie arrived with my parents at 6:30 that night, and she was very interested in the baby. "Baby crying!" she announced when she first saw him. Then she decided that the baby wasn't all that interesting after all, and wanted to walk the hallways of the hospital. This gave my parents some snuggle time with Joseph. They left after about 45 minutes, and my sisters showed up. There is nothing quite as special as sharing your new baby with the people you love. Seeing the love and adoration in my family's eyes made me so happy, because my children are surrounded by people who care about them.
After everyone left, the three of us settled in for the night. The nurses took Joseph to the nursery for a little while so I could sleep, and only brought him back to me for feedings. (He had no interest in eating...that's a story for another blog post.) I went to sleep that night so happy and content with my new little family of four. It seemed like the day had flown by, and while I couldn't believe that it was already over, I knew that the real joy had just begun.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
5 Days Old
He's here! He arrived on October 13th, 2011 via an induction. I will write a post that chronicles his birth, but I need time and focus to write it, both of which i'm lacking right now.
His vital stats: 9lbs, 9oz, 20.5". Yes, he was a BIG boy! But compared to his sister he is teeny tiny. We are completely in love with him, especially Stephanie. She asks for him every morning, and loves to rub his feet. Sadly, she came down with a cold and fever last night, which makes me 100% paranoid that Joseph is going to get sick. Therefore, I sent her back to stay with my parents for a few nights. It broke my heart to send her away, but I know they will give her all the loving and tender care that she needs. (It helped validate my decision when my dad came to pick her up and she couldn't get out the door fast enough.)
Joseph is a sleepy baby, and a lazy eater. We have to wake him up every 3 hours during the day to eat, which is exceedingly difficult. The kid loves his sleep! We're letting him go longer stretches at night, which is nice for all of us. He feels so-so about his bassinet. Some times he'll sleep in it like a champ, other times he's not that interested. But he loves to curl up on my chest, and cuddle with me. I feel incredibly bonded to him because he calms right down when I hold him. There's nothing like a newborn cuddle :)
I can't believe he's already five days old. Time is flying. But, i'm really living in the moment and enjoying every second of my time with him. This newborn stage will only last so long, and I don't want to spend it worried about the state of my house. So, things aren't that clean, and the clutter is threatening to take over. But I am healthy, Joseph is healthy, and we are slowly adjusting to life as a family of four.
His vital stats: 9lbs, 9oz, 20.5". Yes, he was a BIG boy! But compared to his sister he is teeny tiny. We are completely in love with him, especially Stephanie. She asks for him every morning, and loves to rub his feet. Sadly, she came down with a cold and fever last night, which makes me 100% paranoid that Joseph is going to get sick. Therefore, I sent her back to stay with my parents for a few nights. It broke my heart to send her away, but I know they will give her all the loving and tender care that she needs. (It helped validate my decision when my dad came to pick her up and she couldn't get out the door fast enough.)
Joseph is a sleepy baby, and a lazy eater. We have to wake him up every 3 hours during the day to eat, which is exceedingly difficult. The kid loves his sleep! We're letting him go longer stretches at night, which is nice for all of us. He feels so-so about his bassinet. Some times he'll sleep in it like a champ, other times he's not that interested. But he loves to curl up on my chest, and cuddle with me. I feel incredibly bonded to him because he calms right down when I hold him. There's nothing like a newborn cuddle :)
I can't believe he's already five days old. Time is flying. But, i'm really living in the moment and enjoying every second of my time with him. This newborn stage will only last so long, and I don't want to spend it worried about the state of my house. So, things aren't that clean, and the clutter is threatening to take over. But I am healthy, Joseph is healthy, and we are slowly adjusting to life as a family of four.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Pregnancy Highlights
My pregnancy is officially coming to an end. If Joseph hasn't arrived by tomorrow night, I head to the hospital to begin the induction process. Even though I've been hoping and waiting to go into labor, it hasn't felt completely real until now. (Probably because there is an absolute end date in sight right now.)
I was thrilled to get pregnant again. I adored being pregnant with Stephanie, and couldn't wait to experience the process all over again. While pregnant with her, I completely enjoyed watching my belly grow, taking pictures, picking out cute maternity clothes, buying itty bitty baby clothes, and dreaming about our growing family. It was never an option for us to only have one child, so when Stephanie was 10.5 months old, and we started discussing expanding our family, I was more than ready. I never expected it to happen so soon (Stephanie took 7 months to conceive), and I never expected the pregnancy to go so fast. The process was entirely different this time around, some parts better and some parts worse. And even though I didn't get to keep a pregnancy journal this time, I have been using my blog as a way to commemorate and remember this special time. Now, with it being so close to the end, I felt like today was a great day to kind of wrap things up by highlighting the best parts.
-Knowing I was pregnant before taking the test.
Even though I thought it would take a long time for me to get pregnant again, I somehow knew, almost the minute I conceived, that I was in fact pregnant. A peace and happiness settled over me, and deep in my heart I knew that there was a tiny life starting to form, even though my mind was saying "no way, it took 7 months with Stephanie. You could not have gotten pregnant on the first try this time." Yet, when I took the test and saw the bright plus sign, I wasn't in the least bit surprised.
-How we told our family and friends.
I got the positive pregnancy test result on January 31st. Stephanie's birthday party was scheduled for February 12th, and all of our closest friends and family were going to be there. It was the perfect time to announce it to everyone, in person. We wrapped up a big sister shirt for Stephanie, and gave it to her as her final present. It was such an amazing thing to watch everyone's reactions when we held up that shirt, and to see how excited they all were for us.
-Teaching Stephanie that there was a baby in Mommy's Belly
I can't really remember when we first started talking about the baby, and telling Stephanie that he/she was in my tummy. But for as long as I can remember, she's known, and it is adorable to watch her rub my tummy, kiss her brother, and talk about him. (When we ask her who loves her, she says "Mommy, Daddy, Joe-Joe.") Now, whenever the name Joseph comes up in any conversation, she runs over to give my belly a quick rub. I know it will be a big shock for her when he is actually here, and not inside of me, but in the meantime, watching her grow to love my expanding belly has been such a miracle for us.
-Finding out that it was a boy!
I actually thought I was having a girl. (Part of that may have just been me wanting a chance to re-use all of the adorable baby girl clothes that Stephanie outgrew way too fast.) But when the ultrasound technician showed us that he was, without doubt, a little boy, I was overjoyed. I couldn't wait to start buying little boy clothes, and I was thrilled that my husband would have a chance to form a father/son bond with Joseph, much the way I have the mother/daughter bond with Stephanie.
-Being much more active
During my pregnancy with Stephanie, I stopped working at 13 weeks, and developed high blood pressure. That meant I needed to slow down my activity level. I was hardly active at all, and that was one of the reason I gained 45 lbs. I only gained 30 this time, and my energy level has been higher, since i'm much busier. I've been told that should help with the labor and delivery too, which i'm hopeful for. Being so active also made the past 9 months (except for these past few weeks), go by so fast.
-Bonding with my son
I never once doubted that I would love my second baby as much as my first. I have always believed in a mother's ability to love every child that God sends to her, and am so excited to cuddle and love this baby when he comes out. What I wasn't expecting was the enormous bond I would feel for him already. I obviously felt bonded to Stephanie while she was inside of me, and loved her from the minute I found out she was on her way. But I spent a great deal of that pregnancy nervous and anxious about labor, delivery, and being a first-time mom. This time around, i'm confident in my body's ability to birth this baby. I also know that, while I am far, far from perfect, being a mom is the most amazing job in the world, and I know I can do a good job raising my children. Those factors have eased a lot of the anxiety that I felt before, and have allowed me to focus more of my mental energy on the bonding aspect of growing a child.
There are many more things about this pregnancy that I have loved (and plenty of others that have been irksome...a post for another time!) However, I feel like these six do a pretty good job of summing up why I've loved this pregnancy. For anyone that has read along right from the beginning, thank you, and I can't wait to share the news of Joseph's arrival with you. If you're someone who only recently started reading, or who only reads once in a while, thank you for checking the blog out. I hope you'll come back again, and I appreciate everyone who takes the time to check out my ramblings. The next time I post, I will officially be a Mommy of Two under Two!
Monday, October 10, 2011
3 Day Weekend
Well, it is officially two days past my due date. In order to not drive myself crazy all day every day, we spent this three-day weekend keeping busy, and having a lot of quality family time!
On Saturday (due date day!), we went to the playground for an hour and a half. Stephanie had a blast on the swings, climbing all over the equipment, and sliding down the slides. After nap, we went to the ocean and took a long walk on the sea wall. Stephanie adored looking at the water, pointing out the birds, and looking for helicopters. (She also threw a huge fit when it was time to leave. It was slightly amusing to watch Dan as he attempted to wrangle her into her carseat.)
I woke up on Sunday still pregnant, but determined not to mope around all day. We went for a 40 minute walk, since we are having unseasonably warm weather, and it was beautiful out. In the afternoon we ran errands. I was hit with a huge burst of energy after that, so I washed a sink full of dishes, and made dinner. When Stephanie went to bed, I changed the sheets on our bed, sorted a load of laundry for Dan to put in, and cleaned the bathroom. I was hoping this was some sort of nesting instinct.
Today, I had to go for a non-stress test. Joseph was very cooperative, so we weren't there very long. Then Dan and I went grocery shopping (he had the day off for Columbus Day, which was a nice treat!). We spent the rest of the day at my mom's house.
Tomorrow Dan goes back to work for one day (my induction is Thursday, and I need to go in on Wednesday afternoon to start the process, so he is taking the day off.) I think Stephanie and I might just spend the day at home, getting last minute baby preparations done, and spending some quality time together.
Even though it has been frustrating that i'm overdue, i'm doing my best to just enjoy these last few days as a family of three! I am so excited to embark on our new adventure, but I also know it's going to be very tiring. So i'm making the most of the time we have now, and really making sure that I give Stephanie a lot of attention. It also makes it easier that I know for sure he will be here in three days!
On Saturday (due date day!), we went to the playground for an hour and a half. Stephanie had a blast on the swings, climbing all over the equipment, and sliding down the slides. After nap, we went to the ocean and took a long walk on the sea wall. Stephanie adored looking at the water, pointing out the birds, and looking for helicopters. (She also threw a huge fit when it was time to leave. It was slightly amusing to watch Dan as he attempted to wrangle her into her carseat.)
I woke up on Sunday still pregnant, but determined not to mope around all day. We went for a 40 minute walk, since we are having unseasonably warm weather, and it was beautiful out. In the afternoon we ran errands. I was hit with a huge burst of energy after that, so I washed a sink full of dishes, and made dinner. When Stephanie went to bed, I changed the sheets on our bed, sorted a load of laundry for Dan to put in, and cleaned the bathroom. I was hoping this was some sort of nesting instinct.
Today, I had to go for a non-stress test. Joseph was very cooperative, so we weren't there very long. Then Dan and I went grocery shopping (he had the day off for Columbus Day, which was a nice treat!). We spent the rest of the day at my mom's house.
Tomorrow Dan goes back to work for one day (my induction is Thursday, and I need to go in on Wednesday afternoon to start the process, so he is taking the day off.) I think Stephanie and I might just spend the day at home, getting last minute baby preparations done, and spending some quality time together.
Even though it has been frustrating that i'm overdue, i'm doing my best to just enjoy these last few days as a family of three! I am so excited to embark on our new adventure, but I also know it's going to be very tiring. So i'm making the most of the time we have now, and really making sure that I give Stephanie a lot of attention. It also makes it easier that I know for sure he will be here in three days!
Friday, October 7, 2011
Tomorrow...
...is my due date. And as of right now, there are no signs that this baby is anywhere near coming out. (Although, as everyone likes to tell me, things can change in an instant.) Strangely enough, today I don't care that he isn't out. It feels like just a regular, pregnant day, not THE DAY BEFORE MY DUE DATE.
I thought i'd be freaking out and upset that he isn't here. (Since that's pretty much what I've been doing and feeling for the past few weeks.) But i'm just not. It doesn't seem real, I guess. I'm also still busy doing all the normal mommy things, whereas in the days leading up to my induction with Stephanie I just sat around hoping that i'd go into labor. I guess that must make a difference. Keeping busy is awesome, and in fact, we're heading out to Babies R Us this afternoon. (With my first pregnancy, I wouldn't venture a half an hour away. I was too afraid of going into labor. This time I honestly don't think it's happening anytime soon, so going "far away" doesn't seem like a big deal.)
At the Dr's yesterday, I was still only 1cm dilated. But she said that his head has dropped even lower, and my cervix had moved into the anterior position, as opposed to the posterior. (This is a good thing apparently.) I'm still on for an induction on the 13th. I actually have to go in the night before again, to start the dilation process. But she did tell me that if I go in and am 2 or 3cm, I can go home and come back first thing in the morning. Dan was not happy to hear that first thing meant 6:30am, so I think he's hoping that I won't be dilated the night before. Oh, and I need to do a baseline non-stress test on Monday. I guess they like to do that for post due date babies. I had to do two of those when pregnant with Stephanie, because of my high blood pressure. They are actually boring, but i'm making Dan come with me, to keep me entertained.
In terms of feeling "ready for baby", I think I am. We've prepared, prepared, and prepared, so now it's time to just relax and enjoy whatever time we have left as a family of three. For me, this means watching TV and reading at night instead of feeding and sleeping whenever I have the chance. It also means spending as much quality time with Stephanie as I can, and maybe even sneaking in some quality time with Dan. (By quality time, I mean watching TV together, or maybe playing some Wii.)
So as of right now, the wait is on, and I will do my best to update the blog as soon as I can after he is born!
I thought i'd be freaking out and upset that he isn't here. (Since that's pretty much what I've been doing and feeling for the past few weeks.) But i'm just not. It doesn't seem real, I guess. I'm also still busy doing all the normal mommy things, whereas in the days leading up to my induction with Stephanie I just sat around hoping that i'd go into labor. I guess that must make a difference. Keeping busy is awesome, and in fact, we're heading out to Babies R Us this afternoon. (With my first pregnancy, I wouldn't venture a half an hour away. I was too afraid of going into labor. This time I honestly don't think it's happening anytime soon, so going "far away" doesn't seem like a big deal.)
At the Dr's yesterday, I was still only 1cm dilated. But she said that his head has dropped even lower, and my cervix had moved into the anterior position, as opposed to the posterior. (This is a good thing apparently.) I'm still on for an induction on the 13th. I actually have to go in the night before again, to start the dilation process. But she did tell me that if I go in and am 2 or 3cm, I can go home and come back first thing in the morning. Dan was not happy to hear that first thing meant 6:30am, so I think he's hoping that I won't be dilated the night before. Oh, and I need to do a baseline non-stress test on Monday. I guess they like to do that for post due date babies. I had to do two of those when pregnant with Stephanie, because of my high blood pressure. They are actually boring, but i'm making Dan come with me, to keep me entertained.
In terms of feeling "ready for baby", I think I am. We've prepared, prepared, and prepared, so now it's time to just relax and enjoy whatever time we have left as a family of three. For me, this means watching TV and reading at night instead of feeding and sleeping whenever I have the chance. It also means spending as much quality time with Stephanie as I can, and maybe even sneaking in some quality time with Dan. (By quality time, I mean watching TV together, or maybe playing some Wii.)
So as of right now, the wait is on, and I will do my best to update the blog as soon as I can after he is born!
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Small Town Living
I have been feeling very reflective lately. I think it might be end of pregnancy hormones, but either way, I've been doing a lot of THINKING about how I feel, and about the changes that are in store for us, and about how happy I am with my little family of (soon to be) four.
One of the things that has been on my mind lately is how happy I am to be raising my children in the same small town that I grew up in. I know we might not stay here forever, depending on my husband's job and where we can buy a house, but it's a place that is so dear to my heart, and a part of me hopes we'll never have to leave.
I gave birth to Stephanie (and will give birth to Joseph) at the same hospital that both of my sisters and I were born in. When I take my daughter to visit my parents, she is playing in the house that my mom and her siblings grew up in. When I go to the store, or out to eat, or for a walk around town, I almost always run into someone I know. If I don't know them personally, they know or recognize me. This history, this sense of belonging, gives me a warm feeling in my heart and is something I value and cherish.
This then makes me think of the history that my new nuclear family is creating. We live in our own separate little community where everyone knows us. So many people recognize me as Dan's wife, even if I don't know them. When we walk outside our apartment, there are people who greet us by name, or just smile and wave. Stephanie stands at our sliding glass window and waves hello to everyone that passes by. It gives me a true sense of belonging and of community. Being connected to so many people creates a network of supporters, and it's such a good feeling to know that there are people around who we can call upon if we need something.
I love how my past and my present have come together, and how we are building a strong foundation of belonging for our children. They have roots in the same place that I, my parents, and my grandparents grew up. We have a long history here, and I'm proud that Dan and I have added to that history. And even though Dan is a transplant here, (he grew up in New York), he feels the sense of belonging, and has fostered a deep connection with our community. I am a huge fan of small-town living, and I know that, even if we eventually move away, this town and all of the experiences we have lived through here, will stay with us forever.
One of the things that has been on my mind lately is how happy I am to be raising my children in the same small town that I grew up in. I know we might not stay here forever, depending on my husband's job and where we can buy a house, but it's a place that is so dear to my heart, and a part of me hopes we'll never have to leave.
I gave birth to Stephanie (and will give birth to Joseph) at the same hospital that both of my sisters and I were born in. When I take my daughter to visit my parents, she is playing in the house that my mom and her siblings grew up in. When I go to the store, or out to eat, or for a walk around town, I almost always run into someone I know. If I don't know them personally, they know or recognize me. This history, this sense of belonging, gives me a warm feeling in my heart and is something I value and cherish.
This then makes me think of the history that my new nuclear family is creating. We live in our own separate little community where everyone knows us. So many people recognize me as Dan's wife, even if I don't know them. When we walk outside our apartment, there are people who greet us by name, or just smile and wave. Stephanie stands at our sliding glass window and waves hello to everyone that passes by. It gives me a true sense of belonging and of community. Being connected to so many people creates a network of supporters, and it's such a good feeling to know that there are people around who we can call upon if we need something.
I love how my past and my present have come together, and how we are building a strong foundation of belonging for our children. They have roots in the same place that I, my parents, and my grandparents grew up. We have a long history here, and I'm proud that Dan and I have added to that history. And even though Dan is a transplant here, (he grew up in New York), he feels the sense of belonging, and has fostered a deep connection with our community. I am a huge fan of small-town living, and I know that, even if we eventually move away, this town and all of the experiences we have lived through here, will stay with us forever.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Conjuring
Closing my eyes and smelling the crisp, cool air.
Opening them and witnessing the vibrant reds, oranges and yellows that top the trees.
Listening to the infectious laughter of children as they crunch through the leaves, jumping and twirling as the colors fall around them.
Feeling the breeze brush against my face, bringing with it the scent of hay, and freshly pressed apple cider.
Meandering through a maze of corn that stretches far beyond my height.
Pausing at the edge of a giant orange carpet of pumpkins, just waiting to be cut from the vine.
Blissful enjoyment.
*I wrote this post as a memoir prompt from Write on Edge. The task was to conjure something you like, ie write about it without actually saying what you're writing about. Oh, and it had to be under 100 words. I used 97. :)
*If you're interested in Write on Edge, here is the link: http://writeonedge.com/
*Follow me on Twitter! @megRtaylor
Opening them and witnessing the vibrant reds, oranges and yellows that top the trees.
Listening to the infectious laughter of children as they crunch through the leaves, jumping and twirling as the colors fall around them.
Feeling the breeze brush against my face, bringing with it the scent of hay, and freshly pressed apple cider.
Meandering through a maze of corn that stretches far beyond my height.
Pausing at the edge of a giant orange carpet of pumpkins, just waiting to be cut from the vine.
Blissful enjoyment.
*I wrote this post as a memoir prompt from Write on Edge. The task was to conjure something you like, ie write about it without actually saying what you're writing about. Oh, and it had to be under 100 words. I used 97. :)
*If you're interested in Write on Edge, here is the link: http://writeonedge.com/
*Follow me on Twitter! @megRtaylor
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