My Big Boy is 3!

It's hard to believe that Ethan is 3 years old!  It seems like just yesterday he could barely speak a few words or walk without fear of tripping.  My how he's grown!

Ethan now wears 3T/4T clothing and size 8 shoes.  We are starting to get out of the toddler (T) sizes and into regular big boy clothes.

Ethan speaks a mile a minute!  He's able to put his thoughts and emotions into words.  He can tell you when he's excited, sad, angry, disappointed and exactly why.

He climbs, jumps, rolls, hops...everything that terrifies the momma of a boy!

Ethan loves to watch Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Little Einsteins, Cailou, and Yo Gabba Gabba

He loves to tell you about his day and the friends he hung out with.  When days go by and Ethan hasn't seen someone in awhile, he will constantly ask about them.  He met a friend's daughter once and asks about her all.the.time!

Ethan has really started to delve into imaginative play.  He can use his Handy Manny tools to fix the "broken" table or make tea in the middle of bath time!

He favorite toys of the moment are skeletons, helicopters, trucks, ambulances, and fire trucks.

Ethan is becoming extremely independent, which can be very difficult when trying to wrangle Ethan and Andrew at the same time.  He would prefer to not hold your hand when walking through a parking lot and seems to know many safety rules.  Ethan is extremely demanding and expects attention on him at all times.  When Ethan doesn't get what he wants, he becomes quite the little spit fire!

Ethan still loves Chipotle just like he did as a small baby.  He also enjoys Pop Tarts and yogurt.

Ethan is completely potty trained, nighttime included!  I'm so proud of my guy!  Ethan also loves to undresses himself before bath.  In fact, if you attempt to help him, you'll get an earful!

Ethan is such a loving soul.  He absolute LOVES his little brother and enjoys making him laugh.

Ethan is starting to be able to sing songs melodically, specifically the ABCs and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.  He is extremely inquisitive and loves to learn about everything.  His new favorite question is, "why?!"

Ethan continues to wake in the middle of the night for random reasons.  Most recently he comes in our room to my side of the best, looks at me until I wake up, then runs back to his bed to be tucked in.  Very little, if anything, is actually spoken.  I'm not sure if it is a security thing or what but combing that with Andrew waking, this Momma's exhausted!

I love watching Ethan grow and develop into this independent, inquisitive little person.  Watching his little brother grow up makes me realize that it was not long ago when Ethan was doing the same things.  I can't even fathom what changes will come our way as he grows!

6 Months!

Andrew you are getting so big.  Mommy needs to schedule a doctor's appointment for you so we can see just how big you've gotten.


Most nights you go to bed by 6:00 and sleep until around 7:00 am.  The month started out VERY rough because you would wake up about 5-6 times PER NIGHT.  Mommy and Daddy sure were exhausted between you and your brother.  I'm still not sure what the problem was but thank goodness it has been resolved.  I would feed you if it was time but other than that, we decided to let you cry it out.  I was pleasantly surprised at how well that worked out.


We are able to lay you down in the crib still awake and within minutes, you manage to put yourself to sleep.  We've also noticed that you've started sleeping on your belly with your butt up in the air...just like a few other boys I know!


With your 6th month comes even more excitement...food!  You had your first tastes of rice cereal just before turning 6 months old.  You absolutely loved it.  Luckily you seemed to know exactly what to do with the cereal and everything went smoothly.

Next we tried avocado.  After mushing it up and mixing it with milk, you had your first tastes.  To say you hated it would be an understatement!  With each bite you'd open your mouth, taste the food, then gag as if we were feeding you dog food.  I'd like to say that was the end of it but it wasn't.  Within minutes of getting you out of your high chair, you became the exorcist, spewing green nastiness all over the kitchen!  I guess you didn't like avocado?!

You take 2 naps a day.  The first usually falls around 9am and lasts between 40 minutes to 2 hours.  The second nap is between 12-1 and typically lasts an hour.

You still wear size 3-6 month clothes but they are just starting to get a bit snug in length.  You still wear size 2 diapers but we'll be moving up a size in those very soon as well.

You now roll all around the room when placed on the floor.  At times you hike one knee up to your chest as if attempting to crawl.  You can also sit up by yourself for very short periods of time.  Although you are able to do this, I still like to surround you with soft, cushy surfaces.  Slow down baby boy!

This month you celebrated your very first Thanksgiving at Mimi Kathy's house.  As soon as dinner was served, you began crying because it was your bedtime.  I preceded to lay you in the pack n play to sleep but you were having none of that.  My typically easy peasy baby cried his little eyes out for hours because you absolutely did not want to sleep!  Lucky for you though, I brought you back downstairs to hang out for a bit more before passing out a bit later than normal.  I can't wait to see you enjoy your first Christmas!

5 Months!

What a big boy we've got on our hands :)

Night times continue to go fairly easily.  You get a bath every other night, nurse, then fall asleep afterward.  It is so unusual for me to have a baby that can fall asleep without needing to nurse to sleep.  I'm hoping that will help make falling asleep even easier as you get older.  You go to bed around 6:30-7:00 at night and wake up around 5:00 to be fed.  Most mornings you fall right back to sleep afterward until you wake up for the day at 7.
 

Holly has been attempting to get you on a 2-nap-a-day schedule the past few days and has been fairly successful.  Your naps have been about 2 hours long!

You are now eating 8oz bottles every 3 hours or so.  I still can't believe such a little guy can down that big of a bottle but apparently that's what works best for you.  I am worried that I won't be able to produce enough milk to meet your demand but at this point, it is still working out.

You are now starting to wear 3-6 month clothing and are still in size 2 diapers.

You can now roll in both directions on a fairly regular basis.  We are going to need to start considering baby proofing the house once again now that you have started rolling around large areas.  Just the other day I laid you down in the living room while I made dinner and you ended up at the opposite end!

You've also found your feet!

You went to your first pumpkin patch this month.  We also took you to hang out with the family at Great Grandma's 80th birthday celebration.

Time sure is flying!

Things I Don't Want to Forget

Andrew started blowing raspberries last week.  Ethan loves to tell him to stop and it makes me smile when Andrew doesn't listen :)

Yesterday, Andrew started rolling from back to belly.  He's been working on it for a few weeks now and was finally able to hoist himself all the way over.  He did it for the first time at Holly's house.  I have to admit, I felt a slight twinge of sadness because I wasn't there to witness this "first" but I was just as excited when I saw it for myself the first time.

Ethan has been practicing his ABCs and numbers a lot lately.  In fact, I think the ABCs is his favorite song of the moment.  He can get through the whole song until the "WXYandZ" part which he skips entirely.  Ethan's counting is equally amusing.  He'll get all the way to the teens when you start to hear, "...10, 11,12, 13, 14,14,14,14,14,..."  I'm guessing 14 is his favorite number!

Ethan and I started a new step as part of our bedtime routine that came about when I wasn't feeling well one day last week.  He wants to lay right next to me on the couch snuggled up in a blanket while we watch our bedtime show.  Ethan has NEVER been able to sit still long enough to snuggle through a show which makes me even more delighted that it's happening now.  I look forward to these snuggles each night.

4 Months

Our little boy is 4 months old already!

You go to the doctor on October 5th so we'll see just how big you are at that point.  You've grown quite a bit since your last doctor's visit.

You are doing such a wonderful job falling asleep at night and staying asleep.  On a typical night, you fall asleep around 7:30 and sleep until about 6.  There were a few nights when you would wake up once to be fed but that was very rare.  I've found it is easier to get you to sleep now since I am able to better recognize your cues.  You absolutely adore having a snuggle blankie pressed up against your left cheek.
 

During the day you are usually awake for about an hour or two before getting tired and needing a nap.  At those times I find an activity to occupy Ethan and I'm able to quickly rock you to sleep.  We're all so lucky that you are such an easy going baby.


You eat 5 oz. every 2 hours and boy do you make it known when you are hungry.  The babysitter and I joke around that you are like an alarm clock with how punctual you are.  When it's time to eat, it's TIME.TO.EAT!


You are wearing 0-3 month clothing and size 2 diapers.

You started rolling from belly to back on a regular basis.  Although you've done it previously, you are just now at the point where you do it intentionally.  You have also gotten very good at grabbing toys and putting them in your mouth.  You love sitting in the Bumbo seat since it gives you the chance to watch things around you.

You had your first overnight visit with Mimi and Pawpaw.  You were such a good boy!  We also attended the Lunken airshow where you got to admire all the big jets.

Mommy and Daddy love you, Andrew!

3 Months!

My itty bitty baby is no longer a newborn :(

Your next well baby visit is at 4 months so we don't have updated stats this time but I can tell you are definitely filling out!

At the beginning of the month, you would wake up 1x at night (around 4) to be fed but that has since changed.  You are now officially sleeping through the night!  I feed you for the final time each night between 7:00-7:30 and you don't usually wake up until I'm getting ready for work around 6:00.  We've been blessed to have such a terrific sleeper.


During the day, you eat 5 oz every 2.5 hours.  Of course today you wanted to mix things up and went 5 whole hours without a feeding!  I'm definitely not expecting that to continue...although it would be nice to get a slightly longer stretch between feedings.

You continue to take about 4 naps per day.  Your first nap usually lasts 1-1.5 hours.  The rest tend to last one hour.

You now wear size 0-3 month clothing.  Certain brands are getting a big snug length-wise and are moving to the storage bins :(  You can still wear size 1 diapers but I put you in size 2 due to the fact that those are the size we have here at home.  Momma scored an awesome deal on diapers so we were able to stock up on 12 boxes for less than $70!

You've accomplished quite a few milestones this past month.  The biggest one (for us!) is sleeping through the night!  You've also rolled in both directions, although you don't do it frequently.  You continue to discover your voice and love to coo responses when spoken to.  You are just starting to grasp and hold the colorful links on your play mat.

As summer begins to wind to an end, it was time for Mommy to return to work.  I brought you to Mommy's work while preparing the classroom for students and you enjoyed meeting all of Mommy's work friends.  You joined big brother Ethan at the sitter's this month and seem to be adjusting well.  I know you are in excellent hands and being well cared for my Miss Holly.

I look forward to seeing your personality blossom in the next few months :)

STTN!!!!

Andrew really, truly slept through the night last night!  He was last fed around 7 pm, fell asleep around 7:30, and didn't wake up until 7 am!  So proud of my little guy.  Here's to hoping it happens again tonight!

Potty Training

After stalling long enough, we finally came to the realization that it was time to potty train Ethan.  Over time I had done quite a bit of research and found that the Three Day Method was very popular and successful.  In summary, this method tells you to get rid of all diapers, put kid in underpants, and for the next three days, constantly ask, "are you dry?"  and "tell me when you need to go potty."  You are to stick by kid's side for 3 days attempting to catch accidents as they begin and rush them to the potty to finish.  Here's how our potty training weekend went:

Day 1:  Ethan chose to wear Mickey Mouse underwear.  Throughout the day he ended up having 5 accidents.  However, I don't really count one of those because it happened when he was in the bathtub fully clothed helping me give Andrew a bath.  Ethan had many many successes that first day.

Day 2:  Today Ethan only had 3 pee accidents but still no poo attempts. He hadn't pooed in four days which was extremely unusual for him.  We increased his fibrous foods, gave him tons of water, exercised, etc...everything we could but still no poo.  He was super cranky at times but I'm sure it's because he needed to go. Day #3 (Monday) was going to be my first attempt at this whole potty training thing alone and I was pretty worried about how to juggle Ethan and Andrew at the same time.

Day 3:   After having fairly successful days #1 and #2, I don't know how to characterize day #3.  Chris ended up taking the day off work unexpectedly so at least we had an additional pair of hands.  Ethan did great the first 2 days going pee but was obviously constipated since last Wed. All of that changed on day three. He still did great with pee, only had one accident. He FINALLY pooed today with a little help from Miralax. He's always hidden when needing to poo and today was no exception. Being that backed up, it was obviously painful for him to poo and the poor kid didn't know how to handle it. The first poo ended in an accident. He hid again for the second but this time he made it to the toilet kicking and screaming. Kid got super excited when rewarded with his Eve (From Wall*E) Pez dispenser! The third turd (couldn't resist!) he hid again, kicked and screamed heading to the toilet, and had another accident.  While the day didn't end with the potty training success expected after reading the literature, I was pretty happy with the overall results.

On day #4, Ethan he goes to the sitter for the first time since being "potty trained." She's planning to continue the 3 Day Method to the best of her ability. I've packed 10 pairs of "manties" as we call them, 5 pairs of shorts, 3 shirts, and plenty of treats. I'm worried she's going to get the brunt of the Miralax but, it is what it is.

2 Months!

Andrew, we have had so much fun with you this past month.  You are getting bigger before our eyes and learning so much about how the world works.

You go to the doctor early next week for your 2 month well visit.  You seem to have grown a lot over the past few weeks and I'm guessing you're somewhere between 11 and 12 pounds at this point.  The shots won't be much fun but I hope to help you tough through them.

The doctor expressed concern about the shape of your head.  For the next few months we have to be more careful about having you look over your right ear instead of towards the left all the time.

I am happy to say that you are technically sleeping through the night!  At 8 weeks old, you slept for 7.5 hours and only woke once to be fed.  Each night you slept progressively more hours until you reached 9.5 just a few days ago!  On a typical night, you are fed between 7:30-8:00 and stay awake for a few minutes before heading to bed.  You usually wake up between 3:30-5 for a feeding and fall back asleep few about 3 more hours.  We have been very lucky to have a baby who sleeps so well.  We've never had a problem with you staying awake, needing to be rocked to sleep, crying after being put down...you've been very easy and I am so grateful for that!  Hopefully it continues!

During the day you eat every 2-3 hours except during your long afternoon nap.  Since sleeping through the night, you've started to cluster feed in the evenings right before bed.  Daddy gave you a 3 oz. bottle for the first time at the beginning of the month and you did wonderfully.  One day this week you didn't seem satisfied after finishing a 3 oz bottle so I'm starting to question whether this is enough or not.

At this point you usually take 3 or 4 naps per day:  2 morning naps that are between 30 min to an hour long, an afternoon nap that lasts 2-3 hours, and an early evening nap that lasts 1-2 hours.

Newborn sizes are getting a bit snug so we're starting to move in the 0-3 clothes.  You wear size 1 diapers.

You've learned how to smile!!!!  Mommy and Daddy love being silly and trying to catch a glimpse of that sweet little smile.  Even Ethan gets a kick out of seeing you smile.  At the beginning of the month during tummy time, you rolled from belly to back two times.  However, we have yet to see it since.  You've got great head control and love to look around at your surroundings.  On your two month birthday, I noticed you purposely put your fist in your mouth.  You've found your hands!  You also love to watch people as they walk and move around.  Lastly, you've found your voice by making little gurgling and squealing sounds.

You've had some exciting adventures during your second month.  You met Nonni.

We visited Granny at her house and visited Mimi and Papa Don's house for the firs time.  You saw your first parade on the Fourth of July.  We took a small road trip to Wilmington, OH.  Mimi watched you and Ethan while Mommy had a doctor's appointment.  You hung out with Daddy and Ethan alone for the first time.

Birth Stats
7 lbs 5 oz. (41st percentile)
20.5 inches long (78th percentile)

1 Month Stats
9 lbs. 6 oz.
22.25 inches long

2 Month Stats
11 lbs. 13 oz.
23 inches long
 
Happy 2 Months, Baby Boy!

Recreations Outlet

Part of my summer bucket list was to take Ethan to Recreations Outlet in Milford.  I had heard lots of good things about the place and wanted to save it for a rainy/hot day.  My friend Jen and her daughter Allie met us for lunch at Chipotle then on to the play place.

The place is filled with tons of playsets, trampolines, play houses, and riding toys.  Ethan immediately wanted to jump on the trampolines and boy did he love it!  The kids spent over an hour and a half sliding, swinging, bouncing, climbing, and riding all the toys.  I can't wait to take Ethan back to show Chris what the place is all about.

Andrew: 1 Month!

Dear Andrew,

I can't believe you have been with us for one month already.  I know I've said it before, but boy does the time fly when there are two little people to care for!  You have blessed our lives in more ways then you'll know.  Our little family is just buzzing with energy and love since your arrival.

You are one of the calmest, yet alert babies I have ever seen in my life.  At this point you rarely cry unless it is time for a feeding or a diaper change.  Thank God for your easy going personality because I really don't know how I'd care for two, high energy children!

Your big brother absolutely adores you.  I love to watch the two of you interact with each other.  You love to watch Ethan during tummy time and he loves sharing his bed with you briefly before going to bed himself.  I can't wait to see your relationship grow as the two of you get older.

You've already learned how to do so much in your short time here on Earth.  You have started to focus on objects/faces and follow the movement with your eyes.  You can lift your head and keep it lifted for a short period of time.  Just today I was having a conversation with you and you cooed a response back to me several times!

You love being held yet are perfectly content hanging out on the floor or in your Rock N Play.  When Pawpaw Don and Daddy hum and sing to you, you instantly calm down.

You love bath time and getting baby lotion massages afterwards. Most nights bedtime is around 8:00 and you wake again to be fed anywhere between 12 and 2.  You get fed every 2 to 4 hours depending on when you decide to wake up and cry!

You still wear NB clothing and diapers although we've put you in size 1 diapers recently because we have so many of them!

Birth Stats
7 lbs 5 oz. (41st percentile)
20.5 inches long (78th percentile)

1 Month Stats
9 lbs. 6 oz. (
22.25 inches long (

We love you Andy Bear!

My boy is so Sweet!

In preparation for Alex and Mel's wedding, I actually put on a little bit of makeup and dressed in a new outfit.  Other than work, I rarely take the time to get myself "do-did up."  As I woke Ethan up from his nap that day, Ethan took a look at me and said, "Mommy your eyes is pretty."  How stinking cute is it that from a 2 1/2 year old?!  Too sweet!

Uncle Alex Gets Married

Yesterday, Alex and Mel finally got married!  Ethan was the flower girl escort in the wedding while Chris was the best man.  Ethan did an excellent job!  We were anticipating mid ceremony meltdowns with Ethan running around from me to Mimi but that didn't happen.  He did choose to sit next to me rather than up front but, other than that, he did wonderfully.  Andrew was introduced to Aunt Dorothy during the ceremony and spent a few minutes getting acquainted! 

Despite a temperature of close to 90 degrees, Ethan was a champ, keeping busy with his Madagascar ("move it, move it!") toys.

Somehow Ethan managed to hang out at the reception until just after 10:00 when things started taking a turn for the worse and the poor kid became exhausted.  Both kids fell asleep as soon as the van bumped along on a few roads.  I know Ethan had a great time at the beautiful wedding and reception because he keeps asking when "Alex and Mel get married again?"

Summer Bucket List

Fly a kite
Sleep in a tent
Parkys

Berry picking (Cancelled this year due to "bird activity."  This really stinks and I was really looking forward to stocking up on blueberries for the winter.)

Loveland Castle
Starlight Drive In
Duck boat
Cincinnati Nature Center
Catch lightening bugs
Cupcakery
Beech Acres water park
Eat a snow cone
Recreations Outlet

Birth Weight

Andrew had his follow up weight check on Monday (2 weeks 2 days).  After only weighing 6 lbs 14 oz at his last appointment, Andrew has surpassed his birth weight.  At this appointment, Andrew weighed 7 lbs 8 oz!  Yay Little Porker!

Family of Four

Life certainly is entertaining as we adjust to being a family of four.  Andrew had his very first doctor's appointment on Friday, June 1 to check weight gain.  Unfortunately he only weighed in at 6 lbs 14 oz so we go back again for a repeat weight check this Monday.  The doctor did explain that this is normal, however, so I am not worried just yet.

Andrew has spent a majority of the past 11 days sleeping, eating, pooping and repeating it all 24 hours a day.  He eats every 2-4 hours around the clock and usually falls asleep immediately after eating.

Ethan continues to struggle in the middle of the night and usually wakes  up 1-2 times each night.  He's recently given us trouble falling asleep at night and throws the world's worst tantrums just when we're needing rest the most.  We've tried everything to get Ethan to return to his wonderful sleep habits but we're having no luck so far.

On a positive note, Ethan seems to be absolutely enamored by his little baby brother.  The first thing Ethan does each morning is ask to see "baby brother."  Ethan is constantly hugging and kissing on Andrew and wanting to be around him.  We are constantly reminding Ethan to be gentle so the poor little guy doesn't get a flying foot to the face!

Chris and I are exhausted and dream about the day we'll get a small nap or, even better, a full night's sleep.  Chris returns to work next week and I'll be on my own most days (when Ethan's not at the sitter's.)  I am a bit nervous about how I'll juggle two kids needing my attention NOW rather than in a few minutes.  I am so grateful Ethan will continue going to the sitter a few days.

Introducing Andrew Thomas Becker

Andrew Thomas Becker was born Saturday, May 26, 2012 at 7:47 pm.  He weighs 7 lbs 5 oz and is 20.5 inches long.

On Friday, May 25th contractions started right before Ethan's nap around 1:00.  The contractions came every 15 minutes and were painful but manageable at that point.  Around 2:00 I called Chris at work.  He had just been given the option to leave work at 2:15 due to the upcoming Memorial Day holiday.  By the time Chris came home, contractions were every five minutes and lasting for one minute.  We made the decision to head to the hospital.  We called Kathy and asked her to come take Ethan.  By the time she arrived, contractions were coming every 3 minutes and were getting fairly painful.

After arriving at Good Samaritan Hospital, we were instructed to sit in the waiting room until a nurse could assist us.  We sat for a miserable hour as the contractions intensified but began to space out.  After being checked in the triage room, it was determined that I remained 2 cm dilated, just as I had been at my previous appointment on Monday.  We were sent home that night with orders to keep my doctor's appointment for Tuesday and return to the hospital when the contractions were more intense.  I was crushed and feeling extremely defeated.  In my mind, if I wasn't experiencing labor just now, I didn't know what I could handle!

Contractions continued all night long ranging from 3 to 15 minutes apart.  I couldn't even attempt to sleep laying down so I tried the rocking chair.  I spent the night and much of the morning in an enormous amount of pain and slept very little.  However, I was terrified to return to the hospital just to be told to go back home.

Around 1:00 on Saturday, we decided to go back to hospital expecting to be sent home again.  We thought it would be wiser to be spent back home around 4:00 as opposed to 9:30 like the night before.  Contractions had really slowed down and were anywhere from 10-15 minutes apart and felt relatively weak.  In fact, we stopped to get ice cream before going to the hospital.

When we returned to the hospital, yet again, I was given a room in labor and delivery immediately rather than in the waiting room  because triage was full.  I was checked fairly early where it was determined that I was dilated 5-6 cm!  From there, everything seemed to go so quickly!  I was immediately given an epidural and the doctor broke my water around 4:30 to place an internal monitor on baby.  I was check again around 6:45 pm and was dilated 8 cm. 

Dad and Linda arrived around this time but weren't able to stay long in the room.  Almost as soon as they got there, I felt an incredible amount of pressure.  When checked, I was AC (almost complete.)  Literally two minutes later, my doctor returned to the room, checked, and said it was time to push!!!!  After just a few pushes, baby's heart rate started to drop and I became terrified that another c-section was in the future.  Instead the doctor used forceps and Andrew arrived quickly after.

I ended up with a second degree tear but overall, delivery and recovery has been so much better with the VBAC.

38 Weeks

I had a doctor's appointment today.  Weight is up 26 lbs and blood pressure was a bit high.  I was expecting high blood pressure due to the fact that I had just received a call saying Ethan had gotten sick.  The good news is that I'm 2 cm dilated and thinning at this point!  Everything else is looking good.  Next appointment is Tuesday at 39 weeks 3 days.

"Loving Two"

"Loving Two"

I walk along holding your two year old hand, basking in the glow of our magical relationship. Suddenly, I feel a kick from within, as if to remind me that our time alone is limited. And I wonder: How could I ever love another child as I love you? Then she is born, and I watch you. I watch the pain you feel at having to share me as you've never shared me before. I hear you telling me in your own way, "Please love only me." And I hear myself telling you in mine, "I can't." I know, in fact, that I never can again. You cry. I cry with you. I almost see our new baby as an intruder on the precious relationship that we once shared. A relationship we can never quite have again. But then, barely noticing, I find myself attached to that new being, and feeling almost guilty. I'm afraid to let you see me enjoying her- as though I am betraying you. But then I notice your resentment change, first to curiosity, then to protectiveness, finally to genuine affection. More days pass, and we are settling into a new routine. The memory of days with just the two of us is fading fast. But something else is replacing those wonderful times we shared, just we two. There are new times -- only now, we are three. I watch the love between you grow, the way you look at each other, touch each other. I watch how she adores you -- as I have for so long. I see how excited you are by each of her new accomplishments. And I begin to realize that I haven't taken something from you, I've given something to you. I notice that I am no longer afraid to share my love openly with both of you. I find that my love for each of you is as different as you are, but equally strong. And my question is finally answered, to my amazement. Yes, I can love another child as much as I love you--only differently. And although I realize that you may have to share my time, I now know you'll never share my love. There's enough of that for both of you--you each have your own supply. I love you both. And I thank you both for blessing my life. ~Author unknown

37 Weeks: Full Term

How far along: 37 Weeks 2 days

Total weight gain: 25 lbs.  Not bad for full term

How much does baby weigh: around 6 lbs

Maternity clothes: I've outgrown most of them.  Thank goodness for cozy jammy pants and yoga pants

Stretch marks:  I haven't noticed anything new

Sleep:  I still wake up every two hours or so but I'm not sure if that's because of baby or Ethan.  Ethan's been having trouble staying asleep at night and we've had to go in at least once most nights.  I'm really looking forward to my naps now that I'm on leave.

Best moment this week:  Finding out that I've made progress.  As of today I'm 1 cm!  It may not sound like much but it was enough to keep the doctor from scheduling a repeat c section today.

Movement:  Still lots of movement on the left side.  It's actually becoming a bit painful at times.

Food cravings:  Sour Patch Kids...mmm!

Belly button in or out:  Half and half.  The top is starting to pop out a bit.  It's kinda weird since that never happened with Ethan.

What I miss: walking freely without feeling like I'm carrying a bowling ball

What I'm looking forward to:  getting this baby out soon :)

VBAC frustration

Today I had my weekly appointment with my regular doctor.  She kept making comments about how a VBAC isn't looking good because I had no progress as of Friday.  Then she tried to say how size could be an issue even though baby measured 58% at the growth ultrasound today.  I just didn't like how she kept mentioning that baby may have to come via c/s for this reason and that reason.  I even had to have her reiterate herself that I'm allowed to go to 41 weeks because even THAT sounded questionable from her.  I guess this is the point where I have to stick to my guns unless medical necessity comes into play.

False Alarm

I had my very first false alarm last night at 34 weeks 5 days.  I thought my water had broken while I was home alone with Ethan.  I quickly called Chris who was able to come home right away and had his parents come get Ethan for the night.  The doctor on call wanted me to wait things out to see if there were any changes overnight.  Nothing happened so I went about my night.

This morning I received an early morning phone call from my doctor telling me to come in and get checked.  This call came 20 hours after the incident and I began getting a bit worried again.  I immediately left work to head to my appointment where it was confirmed to be a false alarm.  Thank goodness we were able to buy ourselves some time.  Baby boy definitely isn't ready yet and neither are his parents!

33 Weeks 4 days

How far along: 33 Weeks 4 days

Total weight gain: 25 lbs.  The doctor believes that to be water weight so I'm happy with that explanation!

How much does baby weigh: around 4.5 lbs

Maternity clothes: I bought some new yoga pants that are soooo comfortable. My belly hangs out of some shirts even with a maternity tank underneath.  PJ pants are the best invention ever post work!

Stretch marks:  I haven't noticed anything new

Sleep:I wake up just about every 2 hours to flip directions and end up rolling like a freaking whale.  It's a tough process when you're belly outweighs the rest of you!  I get up 1-2 per night to pee and STILL rely on my weekend naps for sanity!

Best moment this week:  Finding out that everything is still A.O.K at the dr. this past week

Movement:  I feel like I constantly have a foot or elbow jabbing my left side.  I was actually able to touch a body part of some sort this morning when he stuck it way out there.

Food cravings:chocolate!

Belly button in or out:  still in

What I miss: sleeping through the night and not moaning every time I bend over or flip.

What I'm looking forward to:  getting the owl tree up in the nursery...hopefully this upcoming week.

31 Weeks

How far along: 31 weeks 4 days

Total weight gain: 19 lbs

How much does baby weigh: around 3.5 lbs

Maternity clothes: I've been breaking out my summer maternity gear.  Luckily I have a pair of shorts and capris that are fairly comfortable at this point.  Summer shirts are mostly too short though so I've been having to put maternity tank tops underneath.  I just ordered some yoga pants that should be arriving any day now.

Stretch marks: I haven't seen any new red marks but I'm not so sure I would notice them if they did pop up.

Sleep: I've had to add another pillow to our bed in the past few days.  I end up switching sides about every 2 hours just to get comfortable.  I typically wake up once a night to use the bathroom.

Best moment this week: I've started unpacking and washing Ethan's old baby clothes.  Now that the dresser has been put together, we actually have one place to put the clothes.  The blinds were installed this past weekend.  Chris' dad is planning on finishing the baby's closet sometime this week which will luckily add to the storage.


Since I'm on Spring Break this week, the plan is to prepare lots of freezer meals to have once baby gets here.  So far I've made a single batch of yummy blueberry strudel muffins and lasagna is on the menu for tomorrow.

Movement: I feel him all the time at night when I'm trying to fall asleep.  When I finally get a chance to relax at night, little guy tends to kick and stretch all over the place.

Food cravings: Strawberries.

Belly button in or out: In but it's getting just a bit shallower

What I miss: Being able to sit in bed comfortably while reading books to Ethan.  I feel like I can't get comfortable regardless of what I do.

What I'm looking forward to: Dr's apt. tomorrow, getting the nursery closer to complete, prepping clothes, and enjoying the rest of Spring Break!

29.4 Weeks

Had another doctor's appointment today.  Weight gain is steady at 19 lbs.  Baby is measuring 1-2 weeks ahead.  Had to do a blood draw to rule out Fifths Disease because of school.  Baby is head down at this point but can flip many many times before all is said and done.  Dr. Long stated that if baby doesn't come on his own, I will have him on Friday, June 8th either through induction or c section.

28 Weeks

How far along: 28 Weeks 1 day

Total weight gain: 19 lbs (I had a heavy sweatshirt on though so I'm thinking it's closer to 17-18)

How much does baby weigh: around 2.5 lbs

Maternity clothes: Some of my maternity clothes are starting to get uncomfortable.  I can't stand the pants that hit mid belly and really need to buy some that have the hidden panel that stretches up to my chest.  Many of my shirts are getting too short so I've started to layer nursing tanks underneath.  I change into pajama pants almost as soon as I get home from work to make myself more comfortable.

Stretch marks: I haven't seen any new red marks but I'm not so sure I would notice them if they did pop up.

Sleep: I find myself waking up every few hours to change positions or to reposition the belly pillow.  I fall asleep on my side but end up on my back just to give myself a chance to stretch out.  That doesn't last long though because my arms fall asleep and I end up uncomfortable.  I don't know how people survive without naps.  Thank God Chris is willing to get Ethan once he wakes from his own nap making it possible for me to sneak in a few hours myself!

Best moment this week: I passed the gestational diabetes blood test!  Painting the baby's room was complete as of last week and the new dresser and wall decal has been ordered.  I measured the windows today so we can purchase new room darkening blinds.  I also measured the existing shelves in the closet today so that we can add more storage shelves in there.  Now we just need to buy the stuff and install.  My cough has also slowed down quite a bit thanks to some good medication.  I'm just glad I've stopped peeing myself!!!!

Movement: He typically moves like crazy at night once I'm finally able to sit down.  His movements are much higher now, usually in my ribs.  I'm able to see my entire belly move at this point.  Baby responds to noises such as the dog barking and music on tv or the computer.

Food cravings: Not really

Belly button in or out: In but it's getting shallower and more stretched

What I miss: Being able to comfortably sit on the floor and play with Ethan.  Bending over to perform simple tasks like pulling weeds.  Sitting for long periods of time without my back hurting.  Sigh, can you tell the aches and pains are here?!

What I'm looking forward to: Spring break at the beginning of April!  I'm hoping to get some freezer meals taken care of that week so I won't have to cook up dinners during baby's first few weeks.  The weather has been getting gradually nicer and we've been able to enjoy playing outdoors more.

How's it going?

I'm just starting to feel large. My belly feels stretched out near the belly button and my back is starting to ache. I've had a cough for 2+ weeks now that makes me pee myself far too often. Ok, done complaining!

LO's room is starting to come together. We painted all the wood trim white and just need to finish the doors. I scored a dirt cheap changing table this past weekend and plan to order a chest of drawers soon. I really want to order the wall decal but I'm forcing myself to wait until the window treatments and closet are finished.

24 weeks and doc apt

How far along: 24 weeks 6 days

Total weight gain: 15 lbs

How much does baby weigh: around 1.5 lbs

Maternity clothes: All the time.  Some pants are starting to get a bit snug and may need to be retired to the box.  I bought some comfy tanks to wear under shirts and hopefully extend the life of them.  I scored tons of maternity clothes from a coworker who was getting rid of her old stuff.  Thank goodness.  She saved me TONS of $$$

Stretch marks: I haven't seen any new red marks but I'm not so sure I would notice them if they did pop up.

Sleep: I still sleep with the small pillow under my belly each night.  I've started to notice that it's more difficult to lay on my back at night and my arms fall asleep.  I usually flip myself a few times each night to get more comfortable.  Naps are a God-send!

Best moment this week: We're almost finished painting the woodwork in baby's room.  We've primed the baseboards and doors and put one coat of paint on the baseboards.  One more coat is needed on the baseboards and 2 more for the doors.  We've got to fix the blinds and closet next before ordering the wall decal.

Movement: He's pretty consistent at night when I'm relaxing on the couch.  Movements are still very low but frequent.  Chris was able to feel baby earlier in the week.

Food cravings: Not really a craving but Valentine's Day candy is the devil!

Belly button in or out: In but it's getting just a bit shallower

What I miss: Energy.  I had a very difficult work week combined with a nasty cough and I just felt like I could go to sleep so so early each night.  I'm worried to see what happens to my energy level as I progress.

What I'm looking forward to: A nice long, 4 day weekend and, hopefully, having my cough go away!

Half Baked!

How far along: 20 weeks

Total weight gain: 11 lbs.  I'm pretty happy about that...so far  Up 10 lbs. at my 20 week apt.  Even happier about that!

How much does baby weigh: around 10.5 oz

Maternity clothes: Maternity pants all the time.  I flip back and forth with shirts but I'm having to rely on the maternity shirts more often.  Just this past week I commented on how annoying it is to be constantly pulling the pants up and shirt down!

Stretch marks: I found my first 2 of this pregnancy

Sleep: I sleep with a small pillow under my belly each night.  I've actually slept very well, without any issues.  I do love my naps still!

Best moment this week: Baby's movement has really picked up.  We have our anatomy scan and doctor's apt. this upcoming Wednesday.  Can't wait to see little booger again!

Movement: He's definitely making his presence known.  Most of the time it feels like he's bouncing around on my butt and that I'll fart at any moment.  He's definitely much lower than Ethan was.

Food cravings: uh none this week.

Belly button in or out: In but it's getting just a bit shallower

What I miss: Nothing this week

What I'm looking forward to: Our next doctor's appointment and ultrasound onWednesday.

How will I ever make it with two?

Tonight was one of the most difficult moments I've had as a mom.  Chris did the grocery shopping while I took night duty.  After watching Mickey Mouse, Ethan came upstairs for bath time. 

I proceeded to take off his shirt where he began screaming bloody murder.  The type of cry where the poor kid can't catch his breath long enough to breathe.  He wanted to keep that damn shirt on.

He screamed while taking off his pants.  And socks.

He screamed while putting him in the tub.  Normally I'd say "screw it" at this point but the kid was covered in spaghetti sauce.

He screamed while trying to wrestle a diaper on.

I screamed.  He cried.  I left the room to cool off.  He followed me.  I left the room again, he continued to scream and cry.

He screamed while putting on pjs.  He kicked and smacked.  I swatted his little butt.

I don't spank.  I don't believe in spanking.  I believe a child can get the point through firm words and gestures.  I spanked out of frustration.

With the boy finally dressed, I put the screaming, crying kid in bed and left the room.  I cried with him.  How will I ever deal with two kids if this is how it is with one?

Given some time, I went back into Ethan's room and apologized.  The crying had stopped (from both of us.)  I told Ethan I was sorry for yelling and spanking and that Mommy was just frustrated.  He asked for a kiss and hug and for Mommy to "stay" for a bit.  I obliged.  What am I going to do?!

Christmas 2011

This year, we spent Christmas Eve at Granny's house.  Much of the family joined along and the house was quite packed.  I was worried about how well Ethan would do considering he refused to take a nap that day.  Overall, though, he did wonderfully.  E was initially a little shy around everyone and specifically wanted Mommy to hold him.  He slowly warmed up and enjoyed hanging out with his family.  Ethan especially enjoyed playing with is newest baby cousin, Lydia.  While I held her, baby Lydia snoozed.  Ethan liked to touch her feet, pet her hands, and attempted to touch her little closed eyes.  I'm glad to see he SHOULD be gentle with little babies!

Christmas morning arrived with our typical 7:30ish wake up call.  Ethan could immediately see presents under the tree and wanted to go downstairs to begin the fun. 

He was so excited opening gifts but ultimately ended up losing interest. 

We'll have to tell Santa to consolidate some of those presents next year!  Our traditional Christmas morning breakfast of cinnamon rolls and breakfast casserole followed then we began our trek to Chris' family's house.

After waiting for everyone to arrive, eating breakfast, waiting for others to finish wrapping gifts, we FINALLY sat down to open presents.  Many hours later, we continued to Aunt Carol's house for the McMillan family Christmas.  Ethan was not the slightest bit shy this time and really was a crazy boy! 

We had such a wonderful Christmas despite it being a very long day with no nap.  I look forward to next year's Christmas when we have 2 BOYS to enjoy it with.