I will do better blogging, I will do better blogging...
I am so sad that I got so far behind with blogging. The first week of December was a sickly one around the Cox Household. Alexa and Justin had both been fighting coughs. They were both given 2 rounds of antibiotics and were able to fight it off. Fortunately it was not anything too serious. We are keeping our fingers crossed that we do not have a bigger winter illness coming as we have had in the past. I somehow managed to escape the sickness so far. Addison has had really crusty eyes for several weeks. She had her appointment with the eye doctor. He diagnosed her with a clogged tear duct. I am not 100% certain on this but he said she had all the symptoms. She was given an eye antibiotics to clear up the current infection from the clogged duct. It worked very quickly. She was better within 2 days. The doctor told us to use the eye drops for 5 days. If the infection returns we can use the drops again no sooner than 3 weeks after the last time. If they continue to get infected, meaning the ducts have not opened around the age of one they will operate to open. He is predicting that they clear up over the next few months. Another thing only time will tell. Over Christmas Addison's eyes started crusting up but nothing severe. They cleared up on their own and I did not use the drops. Somehow I managed to get pink eye right around Christmas Eve. I have NO idea how, but it's an easy fix and life continued.
Alexa had sooo much fun this month getting gifts in the mail. Her enthusiasm is something I hope to never forget. She is very appreciative of each package that arrives and loves to tell everyone about it. I am glad she at least knows that Christmas is more about Baby Jesus' Birthday, but the gifts are certainly the high light for our 3 year old. I am sure as she gets older she will learn more about the true meaning of Christmas. Alexa also enjoyed watching "Fab," her elf bounce around the house and even get into some mischievous situations. Fab has since returned to the North Pole and Alexa misses him. We have reassured her that he will be back next year (Yah!).
Since Justin is leaving the Army in just a few months he has made the decision to save as much of his vacation time as he can. This meant we were not going to travel like we usually do for Christmas. Justin had to be in North Carolina for the weekend before Christmas, so I took the opportunity to take the girls in Cincinnati. Alexa was VERY excited to see Matthew, Aunt Megan & Steve. I actually think Matthew wore Alexa out. This is no easy task, but he did it. She went to bed exhausted from all the fun they had together. I really hope they stay close and have fun together. Alexa told me Matthew is her friend and he is a boy. This is a big deal for Alexa who really prefers to have female friends.
In Ohio we saw Papa's new house, GB, Uncle Jeff, Maggie, David, Grammie, and Aunt Heather & her family. We kept super busy as always and had a great time. Alexa decorated cookies. The highlight for me was she made four, one for each member of her family. Her cookie had LOTS of MnM's on it. At GB's house she played on her new piano with Matthew and Uncle Jeff. At one point she went potty and then told GB she gets MnM's. It made me laugh that she remembered the special treat she got when we were in town 3 months previously. At Grammie's house Alexa had a lot of fun playing Matches and doing shape sorting with Jackson. She got a scooter from Aunt Heather and LOVED it. She still rides it around the house daily. We are going to keep it inside for the winter so she can get more use out of it. We were really sad to leave, but excited to spend our first Christmas in Kansas.
On the way home we stopped in St. Louis. We got our room updated to a super nice one. Alexa had her own room but decided our big king size bed looked better. When Justin went to the restroom, Alexa jumped into our bed and fell asleep. When Justin returned he decided there was not enough room on the bed and sleep on Alexa's. Alexa, Addison and I enjoyed our king size bed.
Christmas ever was soo much fun at home. I got everyone their traditional Christmas Eve PJ's and we watched a Chrismtas movie. Alexa could not wait for Santa to arrive. She went to bed with no trouble and slept all night. Christmas morning we brought her down and she was excited to see the presents. Unfortunately she was sad because she thought Santa and the Reindeer were still going to be here. She quickly got over it when we said she could open her gifts. She loved everything she received. She was a very generous helper and handed out everyone stockings and even opened them for us. The cats loved their usually toys and Dad enjoyed his candy. We had lunch at June's Cottage. Alexa did not eat much but enjoyed watching Mrs. Clause sitting at the next table. After lunch we went to the movies and saw Frozen. It is probably one of my favorite Disney movies ever. Alexa sat through the entire thing and enjoyed it. Addison ate her lunch in the beginning (nursing) and then slept through most of the rest of the movie. Christmas a great family day and I look forward to next year.
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Saturday, December 7, 2013
4 Months Old
Our baby girl is 4 months old. I cannot believe it. On one hand it feels like it was just yesterday but on the other hand I cant remember life before her. She has been the perfect addition to our family. She certainly has her own personality & makes it clear when she wants something. However when she smiles at you it melts your heart. I really did not know how I could love another daughter the way I love Alexa. Now that Addison is here I have found a new love that is equal but different than my love for Alexa. It's amazing to realize the capabilities of our heart and how it can grow beyond what one can imagine.
Addison weighed in at 12lbs 5oz at 24 inches long. She is tiny but perfect. She is actually around the 20th percentile, she is bigger than I am. Since she is exclusively breast fed and does not take a bottle I believe her weight will pick up once she starts on food in a couple months. She has a hemangioma on the right side of her head. It looks similar to Alexa's but it's not raised. I guess it's just a birth mark they get from their Momma. :) Addison's eyelids have been red since she was born. The doctors were not worried about them and said they would fade. In the last few weeks they have built up a scaly type crust on them. The doctor referred us to a specialists just to make sure it's nothings we need to treat. The eye doctor visit was a really good one. I enjoy being able to go off post to a "civilian" doctor. Addison has a clogged tear duct. She was started on antibiotics with the hopes that the duct will open up before she needs surgery to assist. We go back in 2 months.
Thanksgiving was spent in Chicago as usual. Both girls did great in the car. We spent the night in Springfield since we got a late start. Alexa fell instantly asleep on the couch & Addison was up every few hours because it was cold. She ended up sleeping next to me most of the night. Thanksgiving morning we arrived at my Grandparents house. Alexa was soo excited to see her Grandparents & Great- Grandparents. Alexa really enjoyed seeing her cousins Ethan & Henry. She also loved sitting with her Great- Grandfather and making up songs together.
Addison weighed in at 12lbs 5oz at 24 inches long. She is tiny but perfect. She is actually around the 20th percentile, she is bigger than I am. Since she is exclusively breast fed and does not take a bottle I believe her weight will pick up once she starts on food in a couple months. She has a hemangioma on the right side of her head. It looks similar to Alexa's but it's not raised. I guess it's just a birth mark they get from their Momma. :) Addison's eyelids have been red since she was born. The doctors were not worried about them and said they would fade. In the last few weeks they have built up a scaly type crust on them. The doctor referred us to a specialists just to make sure it's nothings we need to treat. The eye doctor visit was a really good one. I enjoy being able to go off post to a "civilian" doctor. Addison has a clogged tear duct. She was started on antibiotics with the hopes that the duct will open up before she needs surgery to assist. We go back in 2 months.
Thanksgiving was spent in Chicago as usual. Both girls did great in the car. We spent the night in Springfield since we got a late start. Alexa fell instantly asleep on the couch & Addison was up every few hours because it was cold. She ended up sleeping next to me most of the night. Thanksgiving morning we arrived at my Grandparents house. Alexa was soo excited to see her Grandparents & Great- Grandparents. Alexa really enjoyed seeing her cousins Ethan & Henry. She also loved sitting with her Great- Grandfather and making up songs together.
Friday, November 22, 2013
Be Brave Mommy
That is what Alexa told me when she saw me running inside when we saw a mouse in our garage. Now I will admit I am afraid of lots things. Mice are not scary to me, but not knowing where the mouse is and when he is going to run out in front of me scares me. So as I was getting Addison out of the car with Alexa by my side we saw the mouse. Alexa said, "Be Brave Mommy, we are pirates and pirates are brave." Haha I love her and her encouraging words so much.
Recently Alexa has started saying things that have really surprised me. It has me realizing how much she is picking up on things she watches on TV, sees when we are in public and hears from Justin and I. I am making a really conscious effort to make sure she is only exposed to good role models. No more Mommy TV while Alexa is awake. Here are a few of my favorite Alexa quotes
On to Ms. Addison. She has been a great office assistant over the last few weeks. My goal in the mornings is to start working quietly and early so she can stay asleep. Once she wakes up, I feed her and let her play on the floor for a little while. When she starts getting fussy I let her sit on the couch next to me. She usually chews on her fist and smiles at me. It is always refreshing to have a happy baby smiling at your when you are dealing with the stresses of work.
Addison is becoming even more vocal. Usually its happy sounds but we do get the occasional crappy cakes, particularly when we are in the car. We still do not do enough tummy time. She does like sitting up in her boppy and playing with her kicking toys. She is doing awesome with breast feeding. We are back to doing 1 feeding at night after 3 weeks of sleeping through the night. Oh well! During the day she eats every 2-3 hours. Sometimes she goes more but I do not track her time. Instead I just feed her when I think she is hungry. So far so good. Hopefully she will keep this up until we start food in just a few months. She still wont take a bottle. At this point I am not going to push it. I plan on working from home for at least the next few months so we should be OK.
The last few weeks I have started making great progress in finding balance. Before Addison was born I felt I had a good handle on the house, Alexa and work. Once Addison came things were throw off balance and it took me a few months to find out how things were going to work out. Cutting my hours to part time has been amazing. My afternoons are spent running errands, cleaning the house & one on one time with Addison. The extra time has opened up our evenings. We now have uninterrupted family time. I can tell the happiness level in our family is increasing & that's what its all about.
We are looking forward to spending Thanksgiving in Chicago & then getting ready for Christmas. :)
Recently Alexa has started saying things that have really surprised me. It has me realizing how much she is picking up on things she watches on TV, sees when we are in public and hears from Justin and I. I am making a really conscious effort to make sure she is only exposed to good role models. No more Mommy TV while Alexa is awake. Here are a few of my favorite Alexa quotes
- "Red is the new Pink" (No idea where this came from)
- "We only play with girls and teachers." (This hurt Daddy's feelings a little bit)
- "Oh dear me."
On to Ms. Addison. She has been a great office assistant over the last few weeks. My goal in the mornings is to start working quietly and early so she can stay asleep. Once she wakes up, I feed her and let her play on the floor for a little while. When she starts getting fussy I let her sit on the couch next to me. She usually chews on her fist and smiles at me. It is always refreshing to have a happy baby smiling at your when you are dealing with the stresses of work.
Addison is becoming even more vocal. Usually its happy sounds but we do get the occasional crappy cakes, particularly when we are in the car. We still do not do enough tummy time. She does like sitting up in her boppy and playing with her kicking toys. She is doing awesome with breast feeding. We are back to doing 1 feeding at night after 3 weeks of sleeping through the night. Oh well! During the day she eats every 2-3 hours. Sometimes she goes more but I do not track her time. Instead I just feed her when I think she is hungry. So far so good. Hopefully she will keep this up until we start food in just a few months. She still wont take a bottle. At this point I am not going to push it. I plan on working from home for at least the next few months so we should be OK.
The last few weeks I have started making great progress in finding balance. Before Addison was born I felt I had a good handle on the house, Alexa and work. Once Addison came things were throw off balance and it took me a few months to find out how things were going to work out. Cutting my hours to part time has been amazing. My afternoons are spent running errands, cleaning the house & one on one time with Addison. The extra time has opened up our evenings. We now have uninterrupted family time. I can tell the happiness level in our family is increasing & that's what its all about.
We are looking forward to spending Thanksgiving in Chicago & then getting ready for Christmas. :)
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Disney World
Where to begin? I am really struggling to make time to sit down and blog. It is important to me to remember the small stuff, yet between 2 kids, work, Justin & taking care of a house I cant find the time. I am making it my November resolution (I think I just made that up) to blog at least every other week through Addison's first year. Wish me luck.
Addison had a big few weeks. She had her first plane trip & first visit to Disney World. The airport, security and the plane ride were a breeze. Addison slept through most of the flight and only woke up to eat. I think the white noise had a lot to do with it. I believe Alexa was a good flier when she was really young too. Once we arrived in Orlando we were greeted with the WONDERFUL 80* temperatures and my Dad & Beth. We spent the first day at Magic Kingdom. Alexa loved seeing the princesses and of course Mickey & Minnie. Addison spent most of the weekend in the baby bjorn. GB even offered to walk around with her through the parks as well. I really appreciated the break. Her ~12lbs really feel heavy after a few hours.
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The first night we were all exhausted and made it an early night. Having been to Disney with Justin 4 times previous I knew it was just beginning. Friday morning started out early. We went back to Magic Kingdom to finish up the stuff we missed the day before. Addison and I nursed in the bjorn (covered) for the first time in public. I was quite proud. Alexa saw some girls getting their face painted and decided she had to have hers to. Of course all she has to do is look at Daddy and say please. While I was changing Addison first of two blowouts, Daddy did this.
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Addison had a big few weeks. She had her first plane trip & first visit to Disney World. The airport, security and the plane ride were a breeze. Addison slept through most of the flight and only woke up to eat. I think the white noise had a lot to do with it. I believe Alexa was a good flier when she was really young too. Once we arrived in Orlando we were greeted with the WONDERFUL 80* temperatures and my Dad & Beth. We spent the first day at Magic Kingdom. Alexa loved seeing the princesses and of course Mickey & Minnie. Addison spent most of the weekend in the baby bjorn. GB even offered to walk around with her through the parks as well. I really appreciated the break. Her ~12lbs really feel heavy after a few hours.
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Alexa was sooo proud of her face & wore it with pride. She slept on her face during 2 naps & overnight and the make up held up. She was sad to have it washed off after 2 full days. Friday night Justin the girls and I went to Disney Quest. Alexa enjoyed all the games. Addison and I played for awhile and then found a quiet couch to nurse on for the next hour. We both enjoyed the break.
Saturday morning was the start to our biggest day. I ran a 5K through Animal Kingdom. Justin and the girls where there to cheer me on. It was by far the biggest race I have been apart of, but my second slowest time. Oh well, I was still really proud of myself for getting into shape only 3 months after Addison was born. We had to rush back to the hotel and then off to Alexa's race. She ran a 100 meter dash with kids her age. She LOVED it. I ran with her and really enjoyed seeing her cross the finish line and get her medal. She even tried to get me one. Such a sweet girl. She wore her medal around the park that day and talked about it for a few days after. I really hope the girls enjoy running in the future so we can do something as a family. We spent the rest of the day at EPCOT. Just after dinner the girls and I headed back to the hotel. I was really ready to do some laundry, give the girls good bathes and get some rest. 3 days was definitely my limit before needing to recover. Justin on the other hand had a half marathon to run. Although he did not have the time he was hoping for I know he was glad he did it and finished it. I would love to run one with him one day.
Sunday morning we all woke up and headed to Hollywood Studios. I think at this point we wore down Dad & Beth. I really tried hard to keep a slower than normal (for Disney) pace, but I know it's still exhausting. They were troopers and held up anyways. Alexa saw the Mickey Head at Hollywood Studios and said that Mickey had a cone on his head. Haha! That night we watched their light show. It was a highlight of the trip for me.
Monday morning we played putt putt & then had some ice cream. Walking around the Boardwalk area made me sad for going home. I really want a vacation with a nice pool & warm weather. Maybe next year? Overall it was a nice weekend. I am glad we went & look forward to our next time back.
Friday, October 25, 2013
Farewell Maternity Leave... You Will Be Missed
Addison Alena is 12 weeks old. This means, legally I have to return about to work if I want guarantee job protection. I don't think it would ever be easy to return but I am grateful to have been able to take the full 12 weeks. On my first day back I decided I could not do it. I missed the girls to much (after 10 minutes of being there). Justin and I talked about this previously and he told me if I wanted to stay home, he would support me. So I walked into my bosses office (remember this is 710 in the morning) and told him I needed to be home with my girls. He first thought I meant I needed a longer maternity leave. After some discussion he understood my intentions. He then told me he could not allow me to resign. He really wanted to help me no matter what that meant. I was truly humbled by the conversation. I really felt appreciated and loved. He offered me the option to work from home part time but I had to come in for 4 hours once a week. SOLD! I was pumped up. Starting on the 28th I will begin my teleworking. I am super nervous on how I will handle Addison and work for 4 hours every day. I know others have done it so I am going to give it a shot. It is completely up to me on when or if I want to return to regular office hours.
Alexa June will still be in her pre-school room. I am going to take her early and pick her up around lunch time. I think this will allow her to have the social interaction and the structure she needs. Of course this is only for 7 more months before we move on to our next adventure. Life around here is always changing. So far it has been for the better. We are just enjoying the ride!
Addison has developed the sweetest personality. She loves to play with her mobiles, kick and plays and her big sister. She smiles and laughs more than I thought a 2 month old could. After she eats she is the happiest baby ever. I love those moments. Even during her middle of the night feeding she smiles sooo big. Love those moments more than anything. Addison unhappy moment happens the second she gets put into her car seat. That's when you see the "mean muggin" face.
Addison had her first babysitter this month. Justin and I attended the military police ball. Justin was the adjutant, which meant he introduced everyone to the guest of honor as they walked through the line. My close friend and co-worker Rebecca stayed downtown at our hotel and took care of the girls. Addison of course would not take a bottle so I ran up every few hours. Over all it went well. I of course HATED being away from her but it was good for both of us. Justin and I even spent 3 hours out with some friends afterwards.
Addison is 12 weeks old. She is over 11 pounds and for the first time I am not worried about her weight. I love being more relaxed with her than I was with Alexa. I feel like I a can stop stressing and just enjoy her. Everything about being a Mommy is awesome and I just love my girls. We are looking forward to Halloween, our Disney trip & Thanksgiving.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
2 Months Old!
Addison met her last set of Grandparents. Justin's Dad and step- Mom Susan came in town. Whenever we have visitors coming I try to show Alexa pictures and teach her their names. I want to make sure she is comfortable when they arrive. When showing Alexa a picture of her Grandparents she picked names for them. They are now Papaw & Suzie. Haha! They loved it. We spent the weekend with them and had a great time. Alexa told Suzie she was her best friend and was really sad when they left. This was Alexa when we said they were leaving. :(
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Another big first for Addison was our traditional trip to the pumpkin patch. We found this pumpkin patch when we arrived in Kansas 3 years ago. Alexa was 5 weeks old and smaller than most of the pumpkins there. 2 years ago we went with Megan & Matthew and last year it was just the three of us.
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Addison had her 2 month well baby appointment. She weighed in a 9 lb 9 ounces, 22 inches long and her head was 40 centimeters. She is catching up to the "average" size of an infant after being born 2 1/2 weeks early. She did have one minor issue which is being taken care of. Over all she is doing great. She even smiled and gave a small giggle to Dr. G. Addison had 4 shots. Three in her legs and one in her mouth. The one in her mouth should have been the easiest but instead she threw up the entire thing and her last meal. It was exhausting!
On October 1st Justin was promoted to the rank of captain. Alexa, Addison and I had the honor of standing next to him. Alexa was even able to put on his new rank hat. It was a great time & the first time we have seen him be promoted. If he decides to stay in the military it will be another five years before he is up for Major. We are very proud of him.
October is going to be a tough month for me. I am scheduled to return back to work and Addison will be at Ms. Darlene's house. There is nothing about returning to work that I am looking forward to. At this point I am just praying it will a little easier that I am anticipating. We have lots of long weekends to look forward to & then Christmas in just 2 months.
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On October 1st Justin was promoted to the rank of captain. Alexa, Addison and I had the honor of standing next to him. Alexa was even able to put on his new rank hat. It was a great time & the first time we have seen him be promoted. If he decides to stay in the military it will be another five years before he is up for Major. We are very proud of him.
October is going to be a tough month for me. I am scheduled to return back to work and Addison will be at Ms. Darlene's house. There is nothing about returning to work that I am looking forward to. At this point I am just praying it will a little easier that I am anticipating. We have lots of long weekends to look forward to & then Christmas in just 2 months.
Friday, September 20, 2013
7 Weeks!
My baby girl is changing so quickly. For the first time I feel like she has been in our lives forever. I also think Alexa's view on her sister has changed. I believe she now considers her just as important as Justin and I in her world. It's hard for me to explain. Something with their interaction has recently changed and I love it. Alexa now soothes Addison without being asked to help. She thinks about what her sister may want to do (or not do) and includes her in her plans. I just love it! I know they are very early in their relationship as sisters but I think we are off to a good start. Alexa has also tried picking up her sister on her own a few times. Alexa's intentions a really good but it is scary. Addison weighs around 9 lbs & Alexa is 26 lbs. There is little chance Alexa could pick up 9 lbs and less of a chance she could carry a baby safely. We are just going to have to keep a closer eye on them.
Parenting/Mothering a newborn is much harder than I remember. I feel like I am at a disadvantage having a second child. Everything I learned with Alexa goes out the window. I am having to figure out if what I know is true to all babies or rather it was just what worked with Alexa. Alexa liked to lay on the floor and she would fall asleep. Addison wants to be held and rocked. Alexa liked to eat once and be done for hours. Addison would prefer to on demand nurse all day long. My girls have very different personalities, looks and habits. The one thing they have in common is how quickly they captured my heart. With both girls every day brings new things I fall in love with. They are both my whole world & I feel truly blessed to be their mother.
Addison still sleeps swaddled, eats when she wants (except at night she eats every 4 hours), giggles in her sleep and HATES dirty diapers. The first 7 weeks have been great. We have 3 more weeks home together before we slowly go into our new normal. These are the best days. :)
Parenting/Mothering a newborn is much harder than I remember. I feel like I am at a disadvantage having a second child. Everything I learned with Alexa goes out the window. I am having to figure out if what I know is true to all babies or rather it was just what worked with Alexa. Alexa liked to lay on the floor and she would fall asleep. Addison wants to be held and rocked. Alexa liked to eat once and be done for hours. Addison would prefer to on demand nurse all day long. My girls have very different personalities, looks and habits. The one thing they have in common is how quickly they captured my heart. With both girls every day brings new things I fall in love with. They are both my whole world & I feel truly blessed to be their mother.
Addison still sleeps swaddled, eats when she wants (except at night she eats every 4 hours), giggles in her sleep and HATES dirty diapers. The first 7 weeks have been great. We have 3 more weeks home together before we slowly go into our new normal. These are the best days. :)
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
One Month Old
Addison and I are having so much fun being home together. I absolutely love being able to take my time getting up, taking walks with my girls and enjoying endless giggles. They are truly the greatest girls ever. Addison is VERY alert. When she is awake she enjoys sitting in my lap and staring at me. Of course she wants me talking and playing right back to her. She is going to keep me busy.
We had our first trip to Ohio this week. The trip started out rough. We had lots of traffic, had to drop Justin's car off at the airport and 2 upset little girls. Once we finally got going things were much more relaxed. We made it about half way before stopping for the night. Alexa and Justin shared a bed & Addison and I shared another. It was challenging having all four of us in one room. On Friday we made it to Ohio. We saw Dad, Beth, Megan, Matthew, met baby Kate, Grandma & Grandpa and Aunt Maggie. I love the initial excitement of seeing family & of course showing off my new little girl. Saturday we were able to see everyone again & Donna and David arrived in town. Justin spent the evening making Alexa's birthday cake.
Sunday was Alexa's third birthday party. She choose Sophia the First as her theme. I have to say I was very excited about it. She is one beautiful princess. She was caught sneaking cake & even ate some of her candle. Addison was dressed up as Cinderella. We had Alexa's slideshow playing & everyone seemed to have a good time. Alexa got lots of Sophia toys, books, super cute clothes & much more. She is one spoiled little girl.
On Monday we had Beth's birthday party. Alexa and Matthew had a great time playing. Addison spent the day getting spoiled by Great Grandma & Grandpa. Justin had to fly home so he could work. It was my first night with both girls by myself. It was very exhausting but we made it through. During the week we had LOTS of time with Megan, Matthew & Katelyn. It was the most time I have spent with her in a long time. I loved it. We visited Dad & Maggie's work places. Had countless meals out (quite the experience with two toddlers and 2 infants). We did some shopping, saw Maggie's new house, went to a "Run, Jump & Play" and the Cincinnati Zoo and even had a sleep over. It was a great week.
On Saturday we drove to Dayton and picked up Justin. He was such a trooper for flying all the way back just to drive us home. We had another rough start but made it through anyways. I am really starting to just enjoy the journey instead of stressing about running late or sitting in traffic. We arrived home on Sunday and I have to admit it felt good.
This week we are getting things back in order and getting ready for Alexa's actual third birthday. Always lots to do around here. I am even getting things ready for fall. I cannot believe the summer is over. Oh well, this was our last summer in Kansas. Time to clean out the pots & get things boxed up for South Carolina. I am also starting to run again. I took an unplanned break while in Ohio. I need to run every other day in order to make my goal for Disney in just 8 weeks!!!
Addison's one month appointment was this week. She gained 2lbs & over 2 inches since birth. She is now 8lbs even & 20.75 inches. My tiny peanut is growing right on schedule. The doctor said she looks great & is doing everything she should be. I asked about the bruise she was born with. The doctor said it looks like one caused by a bone she was resting against. I giggled when she said this. I guess my bruised or broken tail bone is starting to make more sense. We will go back in the beginning of October for her 2 month appointment. Doctor said she should gain 2 lb again this month. She will also be getting her first set of shots then (I am already dreading them).
Addison is a very active little girl. When she gets uncharacteristically still & starts starring at me for a long period of time I know what is coming... a dirty diaper. I think its the most serious time for me. Love it!
My poor baby has had baby acne since she was a few days old. I know it has a lot to do with our nursing but I am not too worried about it. The doctor said to wash her face after feeding... clearly my doctor has never nursed a baby. There is NO way I am going to wake a sleeping baby after a good feeding. I guess we will just work on it slowly.
Nursing has been a struggle from day one, most because of my nerves. I am constantly worry about how much Addison is eating. I want her to have every chance to be a normal size and not tiny like me. I still enjoy nursing and really find the bonding experience remarkable. I am however starting to supplement with some formula. Although I don't think formula is bad I do know every time I give her formula I am hurting my own supply. I also really want to make it to a year with breast milk like I did with Alexa. I know I will not exclusively pump so the breast is my only option. I am also taking Fenugreek. It is a natural herb that is known to increase milk supply. I currently take 2 pills 4 times a day. I smell like syrup. :)
The Fenugreek also has the symptom of causing gas. Poor Addison has had it rough. I am not 100% certain it is the Fenugreek and not the formula. Addison has her first cold. Once her cold passes I will look at either stopping the formula or the Fenugreek to see if I can find the cause of her belly issues.
I packed up all of the newborn clothes. Addison is officially in 0-3 months & will probably stay there for the next 2 months. I love her new wardrobe. There are a bunch of outfits that were Alexa's first. I love seeing them on Addison. As if I had not said it enough, I LOVE having daughters. :)
We had our first trip to Ohio this week. The trip started out rough. We had lots of traffic, had to drop Justin's car off at the airport and 2 upset little girls. Once we finally got going things were much more relaxed. We made it about half way before stopping for the night. Alexa and Justin shared a bed & Addison and I shared another. It was challenging having all four of us in one room. On Friday we made it to Ohio. We saw Dad, Beth, Megan, Matthew, met baby Kate, Grandma & Grandpa and Aunt Maggie. I love the initial excitement of seeing family & of course showing off my new little girl. Saturday we were able to see everyone again & Donna and David arrived in town. Justin spent the evening making Alexa's birthday cake.
Sunday was Alexa's third birthday party. She choose Sophia the First as her theme. I have to say I was very excited about it. She is one beautiful princess. She was caught sneaking cake & even ate some of her candle. Addison was dressed up as Cinderella. We had Alexa's slideshow playing & everyone seemed to have a good time. Alexa got lots of Sophia toys, books, super cute clothes & much more. She is one spoiled little girl.
On Monday we had Beth's birthday party. Alexa and Matthew had a great time playing. Addison spent the day getting spoiled by Great Grandma & Grandpa. Justin had to fly home so he could work. It was my first night with both girls by myself. It was very exhausting but we made it through. During the week we had LOTS of time with Megan, Matthew & Katelyn. It was the most time I have spent with her in a long time. I loved it. We visited Dad & Maggie's work places. Had countless meals out (quite the experience with two toddlers and 2 infants). We did some shopping, saw Maggie's new house, went to a "Run, Jump & Play" and the Cincinnati Zoo and even had a sleep over. It was a great week.
On Saturday we drove to Dayton and picked up Justin. He was such a trooper for flying all the way back just to drive us home. We had another rough start but made it through anyways. I am really starting to just enjoy the journey instead of stressing about running late or sitting in traffic. We arrived home on Sunday and I have to admit it felt good.
This week we are getting things back in order and getting ready for Alexa's actual third birthday. Always lots to do around here. I am even getting things ready for fall. I cannot believe the summer is over. Oh well, this was our last summer in Kansas. Time to clean out the pots & get things boxed up for South Carolina. I am also starting to run again. I took an unplanned break while in Ohio. I need to run every other day in order to make my goal for Disney in just 8 weeks!!!
Addison's one month appointment was this week. She gained 2lbs & over 2 inches since birth. She is now 8lbs even & 20.75 inches. My tiny peanut is growing right on schedule. The doctor said she looks great & is doing everything she should be. I asked about the bruise she was born with. The doctor said it looks like one caused by a bone she was resting against. I giggled when she said this. I guess my bruised or broken tail bone is starting to make more sense. We will go back in the beginning of October for her 2 month appointment. Doctor said she should gain 2 lb again this month. She will also be getting her first set of shots then (I am already dreading them).
Addison is a very active little girl. When she gets uncharacteristically still & starts starring at me for a long period of time I know what is coming... a dirty diaper. I think its the most serious time for me. Love it!
My poor baby has had baby acne since she was a few days old. I know it has a lot to do with our nursing but I am not too worried about it. The doctor said to wash her face after feeding... clearly my doctor has never nursed a baby. There is NO way I am going to wake a sleeping baby after a good feeding. I guess we will just work on it slowly.
Nursing has been a struggle from day one, most because of my nerves. I am constantly worry about how much Addison is eating. I want her to have every chance to be a normal size and not tiny like me. I still enjoy nursing and really find the bonding experience remarkable. I am however starting to supplement with some formula. Although I don't think formula is bad I do know every time I give her formula I am hurting my own supply. I also really want to make it to a year with breast milk like I did with Alexa. I know I will not exclusively pump so the breast is my only option. I am also taking Fenugreek. It is a natural herb that is known to increase milk supply. I currently take 2 pills 4 times a day. I smell like syrup. :)
The Fenugreek also has the symptom of causing gas. Poor Addison has had it rough. I am not 100% certain it is the Fenugreek and not the formula. Addison has her first cold. Once her cold passes I will look at either stopping the formula or the Fenugreek to see if I can find the cause of her belly issues.
I packed up all of the newborn clothes. Addison is officially in 0-3 months & will probably stay there for the next 2 months. I love her new wardrobe. There are a bunch of outfits that were Alexa's first. I love seeing them on Addison. As if I had not said it enough, I LOVE having daughters. :)
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Settling into our new normal...
What a fun week it has been. The last of our out of town visitors left this week. Tuesday was our first day of "normal." Justin went back to work & grad school. Alexa went back to Galaxy (pre-school) and Addison and I had our first day home together. Justin has been very busy catching up on the work he missed for two weeks. He is hitting the end of his first quarter of grad school. He has been doing LOTS of homework and study for finals. Only 7 more quarters to go.
Alexa had a tough time getting back into her routine. She has really enjoyed being home more than normal and all the extra Grandparent spoiling. This week she went to Galaxy everyday and it seemed to help. I take her in after breakfast and pick her up right after her afternoon snack. She is there a total of 5 hours a day. It has been a nice break for me too. She will continue to go next week until we head to Cincinnati. Oh and a side note. Alexa is no longer having accidents. I guess our short regression ended. :) She is only wearing pull ups at night. They are usually dry and I am sure she can learn to not wear them. I am just not ready for that yet. One accident is too many for me right now. We will address it again at another time.
Addison and I are working on nursing, napping (her) and housework (me). We are getting lots of cuddle time in too. I just love the newborn/infant bonding stage. I cannot get enough of her little hands, uncontrollable facial expressions and our starring contests. Nursing is still going OK. We both seem to be more comfortable with it. I am concerned about my supply not being enough for her. Hopefully we will be able to continue nursing but only time will tell.
This week we will get the house cleaned up, pack our bags and head to Ohio. I CANNOT wait for my family to meet Addison and spend time with Alexa. We have not been there since Christmas but we have seen most of my family at least once since then. Alexa's 3 year old birthday party will be next weekend. She is very excited about it. I am sad my baby will be 3 next month. I am very proud of the sweet, smart & adorable child she is becoming. I hope the next 3 years go a bit slower than the last 3. I am not ready for my newest baby to grow up quite so fast.
Alexa had a tough time getting back into her routine. She has really enjoyed being home more than normal and all the extra Grandparent spoiling. This week she went to Galaxy everyday and it seemed to help. I take her in after breakfast and pick her up right after her afternoon snack. She is there a total of 5 hours a day. It has been a nice break for me too. She will continue to go next week until we head to Cincinnati. Oh and a side note. Alexa is no longer having accidents. I guess our short regression ended. :) She is only wearing pull ups at night. They are usually dry and I am sure she can learn to not wear them. I am just not ready for that yet. One accident is too many for me right now. We will address it again at another time.
Addison and I are working on nursing, napping (her) and housework (me). We are getting lots of cuddle time in too. I just love the newborn/infant bonding stage. I cannot get enough of her little hands, uncontrollable facial expressions and our starring contests. Nursing is still going OK. We both seem to be more comfortable with it. I am concerned about my supply not being enough for her. Hopefully we will be able to continue nursing but only time will tell.
This week we will get the house cleaned up, pack our bags and head to Ohio. I CANNOT wait for my family to meet Addison and spend time with Alexa. We have not been there since Christmas but we have seen most of my family at least once since then. Alexa's 3 year old birthday party will be next weekend. She is very excited about it. I am sad my baby will be 3 next month. I am very proud of the sweet, smart & adorable child she is becoming. I hope the next 3 years go a bit slower than the last 3. I am not ready for my newest baby to grow up quite so fast.
Friday, August 16, 2013
First 2 Weeks
Bringing Addison home was a very different experience than with Alexa. From the moment we walked in the door I became a mother of two. Alexa was pulling me one way and Addison was needing to be fed. Fortunately I had some help with the transition.
Addison started out sleeping a lot and has since become alert for hours at a time. She is very happy when she is awake. I enjoy talking to her and watching her eyes respond. We are working on keeping her up more during the evening in hopes that the nights will be longer sleep stretches. I am used to getting 8-9 hours of sleep at night. A newborn baby certainly changes that. I am hopefully once we are alone and in our normal routine I will be able to get to bed earlier and sleep in later until Addison sleeps longer stretches.
Addison had her first bath at just an hour old. I waited a week before giving her another one. She really was not dirty so I didn't find a need to earlier. She had a sponge bath & of course had to wash her hair. I think she actually enjoyed getting her head rubbed and hair cleaned. Her hair usually has an oily look to it. After I was her hair it fluffs out & I LOVE it. At 12 days old Addison had her second bath. It went well & I am now looking forward to her first real bath.
I was determined to give nursing a good attempt. Once we got home from the hospital I was so afraid of how much Addison was eating & rather I was nursing correctly. I REALLY do not want to pump exclusively this time. I am trying to make sure everything I do encourages successful nursing and not leading me back to pumping. I had a rough few days once my milk came in. So far we made it through & it seems to be going well. I plan on attending the breast feeding support group on post starting next week. They will weigh the baby before, watch and give suggestions with the nursing & then weigh her after. It should be very helpful. Fingers crossed that we are making strides in the right direction. I am taking it one day at a time, but really hoping we can make it a year. :)
The pediatrician that saw Addison in the hospital suggested she go to her primary doctor in 2-3 days. Addison went at 6 days old. She weighed 5 lbs 14 ounces. Up three ounces in 3 days. Everything checked out great. Addison went back to the doctor at 13 days old for her 2 week well baby visit. She was 6 lbs 7 ounces. I was pleasantly surprised at how much she gained in a week. It was a huge victory for breast feeding. She will go back in early September for her 1 month well baby check.
Addison's newborn photos turned out great. She slept through most of the shoot and cooperated to the best of a 12 day old ability. Justin brought a heating pad and we made it our goal to keep her warm. I think that was the biggest help in having a successful session. Alexa
Alexa has been doing great as a big sister. At first she was struggling with the attention but I think we are finding a balance. She has asked to hold her sister and even walks up and rubs her head. I am glad she feels comfortable being around her. So far we have not had any major issues. Hopefully this continues for awhile. I am guessing the big test will be when all the visitors leave & Daddy goes back to work. I will be on my own with my two girls (which I am REALLY excited about). Alexa will go to preschool a few hours a day. I am hoping this will give her the play time she needs and also allow Addison and I to have some bonding time.
Addison's cord was originally cut about three inches long. On her second day the nurse cut it down to a near stub. Around day 9 it feel off. We had some minor bleeding after that. I kept it dry until her 2 week birthday an then she got her first dip in a real bath. Her skin is VERY dry after the bath. I think we will be limiting her soaking to once a week at the most. Her face on the other hand has some baby acne. I am not sure if its from nursing, being touched too much on the face or a combination of both. I am going to work on keeping it oil free and dry.
I am so in love with my little Addison. I am really struggling with the thought of her going to daycare or even an in home daycare in just 10 weeks. I am trying not to count down but I feel the impending deadline quickly approaching. Even 3 days a week feels like too much for me. I guess we will have to work on that over the next two months. For now I am going to cuddle with my littlest peanut as much as I can. They really do grow up too quickly.
Addison started out sleeping a lot and has since become alert for hours at a time. She is very happy when she is awake. I enjoy talking to her and watching her eyes respond. We are working on keeping her up more during the evening in hopes that the nights will be longer sleep stretches. I am used to getting 8-9 hours of sleep at night. A newborn baby certainly changes that. I am hopefully once we are alone and in our normal routine I will be able to get to bed earlier and sleep in later until Addison sleeps longer stretches.
Addison had her first bath at just an hour old. I waited a week before giving her another one. She really was not dirty so I didn't find a need to earlier. She had a sponge bath & of course had to wash her hair. I think she actually enjoyed getting her head rubbed and hair cleaned. Her hair usually has an oily look to it. After I was her hair it fluffs out & I LOVE it. At 12 days old Addison had her second bath. It went well & I am now looking forward to her first real bath.
I was determined to give nursing a good attempt. Once we got home from the hospital I was so afraid of how much Addison was eating & rather I was nursing correctly. I REALLY do not want to pump exclusively this time. I am trying to make sure everything I do encourages successful nursing and not leading me back to pumping. I had a rough few days once my milk came in. So far we made it through & it seems to be going well. I plan on attending the breast feeding support group on post starting next week. They will weigh the baby before, watch and give suggestions with the nursing & then weigh her after. It should be very helpful. Fingers crossed that we are making strides in the right direction. I am taking it one day at a time, but really hoping we can make it a year. :)
The pediatrician that saw Addison in the hospital suggested she go to her primary doctor in 2-3 days. Addison went at 6 days old. She weighed 5 lbs 14 ounces. Up three ounces in 3 days. Everything checked out great. Addison went back to the doctor at 13 days old for her 2 week well baby visit. She was 6 lbs 7 ounces. I was pleasantly surprised at how much she gained in a week. It was a huge victory for breast feeding. She will go back in early September for her 1 month well baby check.
Addison's newborn photos turned out great. She slept through most of the shoot and cooperated to the best of a 12 day old ability. Justin brought a heating pad and we made it our goal to keep her warm. I think that was the biggest help in having a successful session. Alexa
Alexa has been doing great as a big sister. At first she was struggling with the attention but I think we are finding a balance. She has asked to hold her sister and even walks up and rubs her head. I am glad she feels comfortable being around her. So far we have not had any major issues. Hopefully this continues for awhile. I am guessing the big test will be when all the visitors leave & Daddy goes back to work. I will be on my own with my two girls (which I am REALLY excited about). Alexa will go to preschool a few hours a day. I am hoping this will give her the play time she needs and also allow Addison and I to have some bonding time.
Addison's cord was originally cut about three inches long. On her second day the nurse cut it down to a near stub. Around day 9 it feel off. We had some minor bleeding after that. I kept it dry until her 2 week birthday an then she got her first dip in a real bath. Her skin is VERY dry after the bath. I think we will be limiting her soaking to once a week at the most. Her face on the other hand has some baby acne. I am not sure if its from nursing, being touched too much on the face or a combination of both. I am going to work on keeping it oil free and dry.
I am so in love with my little Addison. I am really struggling with the thought of her going to daycare or even an in home daycare in just 10 weeks. I am trying not to count down but I feel the impending deadline quickly approaching. Even 3 days a week feels like too much for me. I guess we will have to work on that over the next two months. For now I am going to cuddle with my littlest peanut as much as I can. They really do grow up too quickly.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Addison's Announcement
Monogram Ribbon Girl Birth Announcement
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Monday, August 5, 2013
Addison Alena
We had our weekly OB appointment on Monday. Addison's heart rate was good and in her normal range. We did find out I was group B strep positive. This meant I would need 4 hours of antibiotics before I delivered or Addison would need antibiotics after birth. My blood pressure was the highest it has ever been. My doctor had me lay on my side and we continued on with the appointment. After everything was measured and questions were answered my blood pressure was taken again. It was only 1 point above the safe zone. We discussed rather it was concerning or not. Basically it was decided that it was something to watch but nothing more at that time. The doctor told me if I had any headaches to call right away & we were on our way.
The rest of the work week was normal. On Wednesday I was given a gift card from my co-workers. Thursday I left work with every intention of return for 1 more week. My boss joked with me on the way out saying I was not to have the baby while he was on vacation. Haha, if only we would have known in less than 24 hours I would be on my way to the hospital.
Friday morning started out normal. I got up before Alexa and Justin. I ate breakfast and searched for new beds on my computer. Around 7 am I went upstairs to check on Alexa. She was still asleep so I laid down with her. At 8 am we woke up and I did not feel good. I wrote it off to just normal pregnancy aches and pains. Alexa had her breakfast and then we sat and watched Mickey Mouse. Around 11 am I was nauseous and started having blurry vision. I tried to get a hold of Justin and then decided I would take a bath. I got a hold of Justin around noon & told him to come home. When he arrived I got out of the bath (which Alexa joined me in) and laid on the bed. We decided to call the doctor. The nurse told me to come in. I decided to pack our hospital bags, Alexa's weekend bag and all the extras I wanted to have with me. We got to the doctor's around 1 pm and my blood pressure was 129/ 101. I normally have very low blood pressure so this was concerning. I laid on my left side and my blood pressure was taken again about 30 minutes later (121/80). I was still feeling sick so the doctor decided her options were either bed rest until I went into labor or deliver. She decided it was not worth risking mine or the babies health to continue the pregnancy, so she sent us the hospital.
I immediately attempted to get a hold of Rebecca (Alexa's babysitter) and was unsuccessful. I panicked and called a few other friends. Fortunately Rebecca called me back and we were able to drop Alexa off at her house. She was really excited about being there. It made it easier on Justin and I to go.
We stopped at Wendy's on our way to the hospital because I knew I would not be allowed to eat. The doctor told me not to eat, but I did not want to be miserable all evening. We arrived at the hospital at 330 with 2 duffle bags in tow. We got to our super awesome labor room (handicap room). It took the next hour to get everything checked in and set up. At 515 pm my antibiotics was started. At 530 a very low dose of pitocin was started. My OB checked me and I was still 4 centimeters. At 730 I was still 4 centimeters and the contractions were coming more regular.
850pm the delivering doctor arrived and checked me. I was 5-6 centimeters dilated and she decided it was time to break my water. As soon as she did the contractions picked up instantly. The pain was one of the worst in my life. Justin ran out of the room and asked the nurse to turn off the pitocin until I could get an epidural. They turned it off and the contractions became a bit more controllable. At 950 my epidural was put in and the pitocin was moved until to 3 ML/ hour. At 1010 I was 8-9 centimeters dilated. Around 1040 Addison's heart rate started dropping. Two nurses helped me get on my knees and hands. Addison's heart rate picked up a little and the doctor decided it was time to push. The nurses helped me back on my back and the room was set up for delivery. I pushed holding my own legs back 3 counts of ten with each contractions. 5-6 contractions later Addison was born with the cord around her neck. She came out with a full of head of hair.
Addison was on my chest right after birth while they were cleaning her up. She had some trouble maintaining her body weight and had to spend some time in the warmer. We tried some skin on skin but she still had a low temp (96*). After an hour of warming she was doing better. Around 2 AM we were moved to our Mother/Baby unit room. The next several hours were filled with constant vital checks, nursing and skin to skin.
The two days at the hospital were spent getting all of Addison's newborn tests done, talking with lactation consultants, and visiting with my parents. Addison lost 6% of her body weight (normal weight loss is 6-10%) and regained 3/10th of an ounce before we left the hospital. It was a busy few days and really enjoyable. Alexa did fantastic meeting her new sister. We were released from the hospital on Monday morning.
The rest of the work week was normal. On Wednesday I was given a gift card from my co-workers. Thursday I left work with every intention of return for 1 more week. My boss joked with me on the way out saying I was not to have the baby while he was on vacation. Haha, if only we would have known in less than 24 hours I would be on my way to the hospital.
Friday morning started out normal. I got up before Alexa and Justin. I ate breakfast and searched for new beds on my computer. Around 7 am I went upstairs to check on Alexa. She was still asleep so I laid down with her. At 8 am we woke up and I did not feel good. I wrote it off to just normal pregnancy aches and pains. Alexa had her breakfast and then we sat and watched Mickey Mouse. Around 11 am I was nauseous and started having blurry vision. I tried to get a hold of Justin and then decided I would take a bath. I got a hold of Justin around noon & told him to come home. When he arrived I got out of the bath (which Alexa joined me in) and laid on the bed. We decided to call the doctor. The nurse told me to come in. I decided to pack our hospital bags, Alexa's weekend bag and all the extras I wanted to have with me. We got to the doctor's around 1 pm and my blood pressure was 129/ 101. I normally have very low blood pressure so this was concerning. I laid on my left side and my blood pressure was taken again about 30 minutes later (121/80). I was still feeling sick so the doctor decided her options were either bed rest until I went into labor or deliver. She decided it was not worth risking mine or the babies health to continue the pregnancy, so she sent us the hospital.
I immediately attempted to get a hold of Rebecca (Alexa's babysitter) and was unsuccessful. I panicked and called a few other friends. Fortunately Rebecca called me back and we were able to drop Alexa off at her house. She was really excited about being there. It made it easier on Justin and I to go.
We stopped at Wendy's on our way to the hospital because I knew I would not be allowed to eat. The doctor told me not to eat, but I did not want to be miserable all evening. We arrived at the hospital at 330 with 2 duffle bags in tow. We got to our super awesome labor room (handicap room). It took the next hour to get everything checked in and set up. At 515 pm my antibiotics was started. At 530 a very low dose of pitocin was started. My OB checked me and I was still 4 centimeters. At 730 I was still 4 centimeters and the contractions were coming more regular.
850pm the delivering doctor arrived and checked me. I was 5-6 centimeters dilated and she decided it was time to break my water. As soon as she did the contractions picked up instantly. The pain was one of the worst in my life. Justin ran out of the room and asked the nurse to turn off the pitocin until I could get an epidural. They turned it off and the contractions became a bit more controllable. At 950 my epidural was put in and the pitocin was moved until to 3 ML/ hour. At 1010 I was 8-9 centimeters dilated. Around 1040 Addison's heart rate started dropping. Two nurses helped me get on my knees and hands. Addison's heart rate picked up a little and the doctor decided it was time to push. The nurses helped me back on my back and the room was set up for delivery. I pushed holding my own legs back 3 counts of ten with each contractions. 5-6 contractions later Addison was born with the cord around her neck. She came out with a full of head of hair.
Addison was on my chest right after birth while they were cleaning her up. She had some trouble maintaining her body weight and had to spend some time in the warmer. We tried some skin on skin but she still had a low temp (96*). After an hour of warming she was doing better. Around 2 AM we were moved to our Mother/Baby unit room. The next several hours were filled with constant vital checks, nursing and skin to skin.
The two days at the hospital were spent getting all of Addison's newborn tests done, talking with lactation consultants, and visiting with my parents. Addison lost 6% of her body weight (normal weight loss is 6-10%) and regained 3/10th of an ounce before we left the hospital. It was a busy few days and really enjoyable. Alexa did fantastic meeting her new sister. We were released from the hospital on Monday morning.
Friday, July 26, 2013
Full Term (37 Weeks)
We made it!!! Baby Addison is considered full term from the medical stand point. Full term really just means all the organs are developed and the baby should be safe if she arrived at this time. I have also learned that babies born between 37 and 39 weeks are at higher risk for jaundice (like Alexa had), breast feeding issues and weight issues. So of course our goal is to make it until 39 weeks. Either way, she will come when she is ready & we are very excited to meet her.
At 36 weeks I had my cervix checked. I was 2 centimeters & 50-60% effaced. 10 days later I was still 2 centimeters & 70% effaced. So we are making slow progress. I am hoping I will dilate a little more before my next appointment. :) I have gained a total of 29lbs as of 37 weeks.
We are very close to being completely ready for Addison's arrival. I have installed her new car seat in my car, packed her bags & her room is ready for her. We still need to finish packing the rest of the family's bags, put up her wall letters (once they arrive) and get her video system installed. I believe we have everything else ready to go.
Alexa keeps asking me if it is Addison's birthday. It's adorable, yet hard at the same time to explain to her what "soon" means. We are at the point where everyone keeps asking her if she is ready to be a big sister. She of course has no idea what that really means. I am still very eager to see how she responds to her new sister and really hope the change is not too overwhelming for her.
My fabulous co-workers through us a surprise shower this week. Our office was decorated with pink balloons, table clothes & an "It's a Girl" sign. I truly had no idea it was happening until I pulled up to work that morning. We were given lots of care items, including diapers and a gift card. There was lots of breakfast foods, flowers & great friends. It made me VERY excited to go into labor.
This weekend I am going to finish my small things to do list & then hopefully start my count down next week.
At 36 weeks I had my cervix checked. I was 2 centimeters & 50-60% effaced. 10 days later I was still 2 centimeters & 70% effaced. So we are making slow progress. I am hoping I will dilate a little more before my next appointment. :) I have gained a total of 29lbs as of 37 weeks.
We are very close to being completely ready for Addison's arrival. I have installed her new car seat in my car, packed her bags & her room is ready for her. We still need to finish packing the rest of the family's bags, put up her wall letters (once they arrive) and get her video system installed. I believe we have everything else ready to go.
Alexa keeps asking me if it is Addison's birthday. It's adorable, yet hard at the same time to explain to her what "soon" means. We are at the point where everyone keeps asking her if she is ready to be a big sister. She of course has no idea what that really means. I am still very eager to see how she responds to her new sister and really hope the change is not too overwhelming for her.
My fabulous co-workers through us a surprise shower this week. Our office was decorated with pink balloons, table clothes & an "It's a Girl" sign. I truly had no idea it was happening until I pulled up to work that morning. We were given lots of care items, including diapers and a gift card. There was lots of breakfast foods, flowers & great friends. It made me VERY excited to go into labor.
This weekend I am going to finish my small things to do list & then hopefully start my count down next week.
Friday, July 12, 2013
35 Weeks- Officially in the home stretch!
35 Weeks feels so close, yet so far from "D" day. Just not knowing rather we have 2 weeks or 5 makes it feel sort of nerve wrecking. I better start back to where I left off 2 weeks ago. 33-34 weeks really started with lots of contractions. Overall they have been relatively painless up to to this point. Over the last two weeks I have had two episodes of painful contractions 2-3 minutes apart that tapered off. Throughout the day I am feeling them quite frequently. I cannot remember how these are compared to Alexa's pregnancy. As long as we get to full term I am going to do my best to not worry about them.
I have gained 27lbs up to this point, I am sure there is more to gain before she arrives. My knees are crackling more & my hands are getting swollen. You can say pregnancy just go real for me. My energy level is decreasing, yet my list of things to do seems to be growing.
I don't want to sound all negative when describing my pregnancy. I really am enjoying feeling her move around in my belly & preparing for her arrival. When I think about this being my last pregnancy I get really sad. I love being able to create a human life inside of me and day dream about what this new person will be like.
The next week or two I am going to finish up all the last minute shopping, install the car seat and pack my hospital bags. Hopefully when she does make her arrival we will be all ready.
34 Days to go until our due date!
I have gained 27lbs up to this point, I am sure there is more to gain before she arrives. My knees are crackling more & my hands are getting swollen. You can say pregnancy just go real for me. My energy level is decreasing, yet my list of things to do seems to be growing.
I don't want to sound all negative when describing my pregnancy. I really am enjoying feeling her move around in my belly & preparing for her arrival. When I think about this being my last pregnancy I get really sad. I love being able to create a human life inside of me and day dream about what this new person will be like.
The next week or two I am going to finish up all the last minute shopping, install the car seat and pack my hospital bags. Hopefully when she does make her arrival we will be all ready.
34 Days to go until our due date!
Monday, July 1, 2013
33 Weeks!
The last three weeks have been mostly uneventful. At 31 weeks we had a routine doctor's appointment. Nothing really stood out. Addison's heart beat was good & everything measured just as it should. I got my hospital registration packet and started getting all the paper work completed. My pre-registration appointment is July 12th. I will be 35 weeks then. I was planning on doing it sooner but decided I would wait until my first furlough day. Justin, Alexa and I went for our hospital tour. It was very brief but got me really excited. The labor & delivery unit seems great. The rooms are huge. The hospital offers whirlpools, birthing balls and lots of little extra amenities. The Mother/Baby unit seems nice as well. The rooms are small but still seem comfy.
The end of last week started out with a scare. Addison typically moves like crazy during most of the day & then chills out for a few hours at a time. When she is calm I can still poke her & she will jab me back. On Thursday morning I felt NOTHING. I went over 2 hours with absolutely no movement. I drank lots of fluids, ate a banana & some candy and still nothing. I called the doctor and he wanted to see me right away. Justin picked me up and we went. The doctor wanted an ultra sound down. Addison's heartbeat was strong and consistent. The ultra sound tech did a few tests on her to check her responses. She seemed to try for more than 5 minutes to get her to move/wake up before she finally responded. She ended up giving her an 8/8 on her NST (Non-stress test).
I had my routine appointment today. Addison's heartbeat was 155 and measured perfect. I have gained 24 lbs on the doc's scale. She told me if I do not feel 4-5 movements in 2 hours then to call right away or if I am concerned outside of that. I really feel a lot better knowing she is just a morning sleeper. The doctor also checked me to make sure we are not having any early labor signs. I am 1 centimeter dilated & 50% effaced. This is about where I should be for a second baby & being 33 weeks. So I am going to do my best to relax for the next 2 weeks.
Over the last few weeks we have also been working on getting the house/nursery ready for Addison's arrival. I got all the clothes washed & put way. It took a really long time to get everything sorted by size. I made my big list of everything that needs to be done before she arrives. So far it has around 20 items on it. I am trying to do at least one a day to get things done before I hit full term. We shall see.
Happy July!
Monday, June 10, 2013
30 Weeks & Feeling Blessed
As of today, I have two healthy daughters. Life is good!
We are in the last quarter of our pregnancy. 7-10 weeks to go! I have done really well to not count down and I am not really doing that now. Since this is not my first baby I feel way more prepared for the pregnancy itself. I think the combination of going through this 3 years ago and also working in an office setting has also kept me more relaxed and less focused on the pregnancy. With Alexa, I was home quite a bit more since I was only working part time and of course it was my first. I used to focus on every little thing I felt or did not feel. I would research the craziest things and called the doctor several times as well. Of course we did have some real scares with Alexa so I had reason to worry as well. However this time I feel soooo much more relaxed. I LOVE it. Once we made it passed the 24 weeks marker and I am not having the symptoms I had with Alexa I knew we were heading in the right direction. I am now 7 weeks further along then when I started bed rest with Alexa and have no reason to think that will change.
At my last doctors visit I have gained 21LBS and measured a little bit small. This doctor was the last one I had to rotate through before delivery. He only delivers one day a week but I still wanted to meet him just in case that was the day. He is great and I really enjoyed my visit. He was however a bit concerned with my history and wanted a quick cervix measurement and growth check on Addison. The cervix measured 3.6, the normal range at 30 weeks is considered safe at over 3.5. So we are good there. FYI- with Alexa I was already shortening at this point below 3. Addison also measured between 29 1/2 weeks and 31 1/2 weeks on all measurements. So I guess the belly tape test (1 centimeter for each week) is not an exact science. I did ask the doctor about what I should be concerned with in terms of feeling her very low. He said that the nice, tight ab muscles that we have in our early 20's do not return after we have a baby. Therefore I will be feeling her lower this time around. :( I left the appointment feel good over all. I look forward to my ever other week appointments.
This month we also started with the baby nursery set up. Justin was a trooper and brought up the furniture. I had to help with the crib and have to say it was way harder than it should have been. We had it already assembled and had to carry it up 2 sets of stairs with turns. Fortunately we have wide stairs but it was still a comical event. Justin and I's large height difference makes carrying furniture a bit awkward. I think we are both glad it is up and done. So far the crib is put together with Addison's new bedding including her super adorable mobile and Alexa's sleep sheep. We also moved the glider from Alexa's room into our room and put together the changing table. I forgot how much stuff we used on Alexa. I am so grateful to have kept the majority of it. I had fun sorting bibs, burp clothes, and random odds and ends that I was either gifted or purchased with Alexa. I also went through the newborn and 0-3 month clothing. If it was stained and gross I threw it out, if it was good then I put it in a basket to be washed. I am going to wait until July before I start washing. Mostly because I don't have the motivation yet, but also because I have not figured out what I am going to do with the clean clothes. Hmmm!
My goal for this month is to have everything down on paper that I still have to do. My planning before my planning type thing. I just need to figure out what is left and then in July I can do the final prep work.
A little update on Alexa. She has become quite the social little girl. She has begun the early stages of reading and spelling. If we help her pronounce a word she can spell it. Example- C-C-C A-A-A-T-T-T She can spell CAT. I am not sure how to type of the sounds but she seems to be getting the hang of it. She also recognizes words that she has memorized on random signs. She has a GREAT memory and I think that will help her with reading. Justin swears the reason he is a good reader/ writer is because he learned to memorize sounds, sign words and grammatical rules.
Her new adult like phrases have us laughing constantly. She will say, "It's perfect Mommy" or "She's so cute." When she is doing something she is not suppose to she will put up her hand and say, "It's OK Mommy, You don't see me." Or if one of us are upset with something she is doing it will put her hand up, close her eyes and shake her head saying, "It's OK Mommy, It's OK." In the last week she asked if baby sister can come out and play and she also asked if her baby sister can sit next to her in the car. Such a sweet girl!
Alexa will also be transitioning to her 3 year old preschool room on the 24th. She is soooo excited and ready to go today. I asked her school if they would allow her to go early since all of her friends recently transitioned and I wanted to minimize the amount of change she will be going through in August. At first they told me no, but it appears they reconsidered. I told her when I found out that she is going to Galaxy. She decided she was ready to go right there and then. It was a rough few days to explain to her why she had to go back to Kaleidoscope for a few more days. Parent mistake I wont make again. :(
Alexa's favorite things include her baby dolls, with coordinating blankets and bottles, Mickey Mouse, Pia (Sophia). Her favorite accessories are her umbrella and sunglasses, worn together of course. She always makes sure her toe nails and finger nails are painted even if she does not like getting them trimmed first. She has just recently been able to recite her entire bedtime prayer on her own. She LOVES to hide from Daddy when he gets home and jump out to scare him. A few times she has actually really startled him. She wears size 6 shoes, mostly size 2 clothes is 35 inches tall and 26lbs.
We are in the last quarter of our pregnancy. 7-10 weeks to go! I have done really well to not count down and I am not really doing that now. Since this is not my first baby I feel way more prepared for the pregnancy itself. I think the combination of going through this 3 years ago and also working in an office setting has also kept me more relaxed and less focused on the pregnancy. With Alexa, I was home quite a bit more since I was only working part time and of course it was my first. I used to focus on every little thing I felt or did not feel. I would research the craziest things and called the doctor several times as well. Of course we did have some real scares with Alexa so I had reason to worry as well. However this time I feel soooo much more relaxed. I LOVE it. Once we made it passed the 24 weeks marker and I am not having the symptoms I had with Alexa I knew we were heading in the right direction. I am now 7 weeks further along then when I started bed rest with Alexa and have no reason to think that will change.
At my last doctors visit I have gained 21LBS and measured a little bit small. This doctor was the last one I had to rotate through before delivery. He only delivers one day a week but I still wanted to meet him just in case that was the day. He is great and I really enjoyed my visit. He was however a bit concerned with my history and wanted a quick cervix measurement and growth check on Addison. The cervix measured 3.6, the normal range at 30 weeks is considered safe at over 3.5. So we are good there. FYI- with Alexa I was already shortening at this point below 3. Addison also measured between 29 1/2 weeks and 31 1/2 weeks on all measurements. So I guess the belly tape test (1 centimeter for each week) is not an exact science. I did ask the doctor about what I should be concerned with in terms of feeling her very low. He said that the nice, tight ab muscles that we have in our early 20's do not return after we have a baby. Therefore I will be feeling her lower this time around. :( I left the appointment feel good over all. I look forward to my ever other week appointments.
This month we also started with the baby nursery set up. Justin was a trooper and brought up the furniture. I had to help with the crib and have to say it was way harder than it should have been. We had it already assembled and had to carry it up 2 sets of stairs with turns. Fortunately we have wide stairs but it was still a comical event. Justin and I's large height difference makes carrying furniture a bit awkward. I think we are both glad it is up and done. So far the crib is put together with Addison's new bedding including her super adorable mobile and Alexa's sleep sheep. We also moved the glider from Alexa's room into our room and put together the changing table. I forgot how much stuff we used on Alexa. I am so grateful to have kept the majority of it. I had fun sorting bibs, burp clothes, and random odds and ends that I was either gifted or purchased with Alexa. I also went through the newborn and 0-3 month clothing. If it was stained and gross I threw it out, if it was good then I put it in a basket to be washed. I am going to wait until July before I start washing. Mostly because I don't have the motivation yet, but also because I have not figured out what I am going to do with the clean clothes. Hmmm!
My goal for this month is to have everything down on paper that I still have to do. My planning before my planning type thing. I just need to figure out what is left and then in July I can do the final prep work.
A little update on Alexa. She has become quite the social little girl. She has begun the early stages of reading and spelling. If we help her pronounce a word she can spell it. Example- C-C-C A-A-A-T-T-T She can spell CAT. I am not sure how to type of the sounds but she seems to be getting the hang of it. She also recognizes words that she has memorized on random signs. She has a GREAT memory and I think that will help her with reading. Justin swears the reason he is a good reader/ writer is because he learned to memorize sounds, sign words and grammatical rules.
Her new adult like phrases have us laughing constantly. She will say, "It's perfect Mommy" or "She's so cute." When she is doing something she is not suppose to she will put up her hand and say, "It's OK Mommy, You don't see me." Or if one of us are upset with something she is doing it will put her hand up, close her eyes and shake her head saying, "It's OK Mommy, It's OK." In the last week she asked if baby sister can come out and play and she also asked if her baby sister can sit next to her in the car. Such a sweet girl!
Alexa will also be transitioning to her 3 year old preschool room on the 24th. She is soooo excited and ready to go today. I asked her school if they would allow her to go early since all of her friends recently transitioned and I wanted to minimize the amount of change she will be going through in August. At first they told me no, but it appears they reconsidered. I told her when I found out that she is going to Galaxy. She decided she was ready to go right there and then. It was a rough few days to explain to her why she had to go back to Kaleidoscope for a few more days. Parent mistake I wont make again. :(
Alexa's favorite things include her baby dolls, with coordinating blankets and bottles, Mickey Mouse, Pia (Sophia). Her favorite accessories are her umbrella and sunglasses, worn together of course. She always makes sure her toe nails and finger nails are painted even if she does not like getting them trimmed first. She has just recently been able to recite her entire bedtime prayer on her own. She LOVES to hide from Daddy when he gets home and jump out to scare him. A few times she has actually really startled him. She wears size 6 shoes, mostly size 2 clothes is 35 inches tall and 26lbs.
Monday, May 20, 2013
27 Weeks
Finally finishing up the long second trimester. The last few weeks have been rather unproductive. Baby Addison has been doing great & not giving too much to worry about. Mother's Day would be my only exception too all of this. I had contractions 2-3 minutes apart for about 4 hours. I was really nervous but did everything I was told to, to help them pass. Finally they slowed down & I was able to breath a sigh of relief. I called the doctor and she told me if they stopped to wait until they started again and then to call back. So far we made it another 8 days without any consecutive hours of more than 10 or so. Outside of this once incident I am doing OK. I still have the crazy right hip pain & of course pregnancy back pain.
Addison and I had our monthly appointment today, right at 27 weeks. I have officially gained 17.5lbs. I fully expect to gain ~30lbs by August and am OK with that. But seeing the increase is still very shocking to me. Knowing my baby girl is only 2lbs or so makes me wonder where it's all going. My blood pressure has been good & my belly measures right on schedule. I had the one hour glucose test & will hear the results tomorrow. I should not have anything to worry about. When the doctor tried to find Addison heartbeat, she went crazy. She started head down with her body to my right. We would hear a few beats, then a swishing like water & a kick. The doctor then tried again on the other side. After a few attempts we were both laughing. Addison ended up completely switching sides and is now head up. Crazy baby girl. We are now going back every 2 weeks for the next 4 visits & then every week after 36 weeks. I have 6 more OB visits scheduled.
My goals for the next 2 weeks includes getting the crib moved upstairs and sorting through some of the clothes. Also want to continue working & not have any preterm labor scares.
Addison and I had our monthly appointment today, right at 27 weeks. I have officially gained 17.5lbs. I fully expect to gain ~30lbs by August and am OK with that. But seeing the increase is still very shocking to me. Knowing my baby girl is only 2lbs or so makes me wonder where it's all going. My blood pressure has been good & my belly measures right on schedule. I had the one hour glucose test & will hear the results tomorrow. I should not have anything to worry about. When the doctor tried to find Addison heartbeat, she went crazy. She started head down with her body to my right. We would hear a few beats, then a swishing like water & a kick. The doctor then tried again on the other side. After a few attempts we were both laughing. Addison ended up completely switching sides and is now head up. Crazy baby girl. We are now going back every 2 weeks for the next 4 visits & then every week after 36 weeks. I have 6 more OB visits scheduled.
My goals for the next 2 weeks includes getting the crib moved upstairs and sorting through some of the clothes. Also want to continue working & not have any preterm labor scares.
Monday, April 29, 2013
24 Weeks!
Addison Ann is officially in the early stage of viability. Of course we do not want her here a day earlier than she is ready, however 24 weeks feels like a milestone to me. ~16 weeks to go. Crazy to think 16 weeks ago I was 8 weeks and terrified of another miscarriage. Now here we are looking forward to hitting the third trimester and making plans to meet our little girl.
We had our monthly (love that I can say that) visit to the OB this last week. I have gained 14 lbs and am having no issues. I have never appreciated it more having a healthy & happy (for the most part) pregnancy. In reality I am not sleep well & when I do I have crazy & scary dreams. For someone who usually sleeps 9 hours a night this has not been a welcomed change. The new sleeping patterns has caused some severe pain on my right side. I have found a way to stop the shoulder pain but the hip is almost unbearable I have known for quite sometime that my hips do not stand straight. The orthopedics are not sure if it may have caused by knee issues almost 10 years ago or if the knee injury in some way caused the hip alignment Either way it is not fun when it flares up like it is now. However if it is not causing issues to Addison then I will learn to deal with it.
My contractions are only at the braxton hicks stage & happening 1-2 times an hour on average. So far so good. :) The doctor told me to "take it easy" and call if any new symptoms pop up. I feel really good that they trust my instincts and are not over treating me based off my history with Alexa's pregnancy. Addison's heart beat was in the 150 range & we measured right on schedule. I do not go back for almost 4 weeks!!! The long space between appointments is rare for me after the second half of Alexa pregnancy & the trimester of Addison's following the miscarriage. No complaints from this Momma. I am hoping at the next one they will let me go 4 weeks ago & then we will be safe and in the home stretch.
This past weekend Alexa and I picked up a travel swing and Addison's bedding. This was our first purchase for Addison and I was very excited. I decided on a Victorian style nursery of pale pink and ivory with a brown accent. There is a princess theme within it, but I am passing on anything with a tiara or the word princess. It is not my style but I love the bedding otherwise. I was hoping Justin would be willing to move the nursery set upstairs this weekend. He however believes it is way to soon for all of that. :/ So we will wait for another month or so. If it was up to him he said he would wait until the end of July/ early August. There is no way I will wait that long. I think I will wait until after Memorial Day Weekend and then bring it up again.
That's about it for now. 16 weeks to go!
We had our monthly (love that I can say that) visit to the OB this last week. I have gained 14 lbs and am having no issues. I have never appreciated it more having a healthy & happy (for the most part) pregnancy. In reality I am not sleep well & when I do I have crazy & scary dreams. For someone who usually sleeps 9 hours a night this has not been a welcomed change. The new sleeping patterns has caused some severe pain on my right side. I have found a way to stop the shoulder pain but the hip is almost unbearable I have known for quite sometime that my hips do not stand straight. The orthopedics are not sure if it may have caused by knee issues almost 10 years ago or if the knee injury in some way caused the hip alignment Either way it is not fun when it flares up like it is now. However if it is not causing issues to Addison then I will learn to deal with it.
My contractions are only at the braxton hicks stage & happening 1-2 times an hour on average. So far so good. :) The doctor told me to "take it easy" and call if any new symptoms pop up. I feel really good that they trust my instincts and are not over treating me based off my history with Alexa's pregnancy. Addison's heart beat was in the 150 range & we measured right on schedule. I do not go back for almost 4 weeks!!! The long space between appointments is rare for me after the second half of Alexa pregnancy & the trimester of Addison's following the miscarriage. No complaints from this Momma. I am hoping at the next one they will let me go 4 weeks ago & then we will be safe and in the home stretch.
This past weekend Alexa and I picked up a travel swing and Addison's bedding. This was our first purchase for Addison and I was very excited. I decided on a Victorian style nursery of pale pink and ivory with a brown accent. There is a princess theme within it, but I am passing on anything with a tiara or the word princess. It is not my style but I love the bedding otherwise. I was hoping Justin would be willing to move the nursery set upstairs this weekend. He however believes it is way to soon for all of that. :/ So we will wait for another month or so. If it was up to him he said he would wait until the end of July/ early August. There is no way I will wait that long. I think I will wait until after Memorial Day Weekend and then bring it up again.
That's about it for now. 16 weeks to go!
Sunday, April 14, 2013
21/22 Weeks
Baby girl had two anatomy scans. The first one was our normal scheduled appointment. I took Alexa with me and she was able to see her little sister. Double A was rather calm during the ultra sound. She had a heart rate of 154 and everything measured right on schedule. A few of her bones measured up to a week ahead. I know it's very subjective but it's great to see a good size baby. Alexa commented that double A had a big head. Haha! This Momma hopes that is not the case.
Baby girl is sooo active. For a few weeks I was only feeling little flutters here or there. More recently I feel her very consistently. She was uncomfortably low until last week. Now she is up more in my belly and her movements are not as painful for me.
I have started having braxton hicks contractions. I cannot believe how much I forgot about being pregnant until the symptoms came back. After I had my first contraction is was an unwelcome reminder of the months ahead. This time I know what to expect and feel a little more relaxed about what I am feeling. As long as the doctors are monitoring me I am not going to worry. I really want to make it to mid-August. It will give all of us enough time to prepare and allow my maternity leave to be at the best time for Justin & Alexa as well. Of course baby girl may have other plans, we will have to wait and see.
We have finally decided on a name. At first I was hesitant because I did not want another A name thinking it may be confusing with mine & Alexa's. I tried really hard to love a J name but could not. The closest we got was Juliana, however Justin is not a fan of 4 syllable names and I do not like Julie or Julia. There were lots of A names that I loved. Baby A's name just feels right and I cannot wait to share it. We are still deciding on a middle name. We have been trying to either do another A or J letter. We have considered forms of our names (Ashtin, Justine) but feel more compelled to use one of our middle names, Ann or Allen. So nothing is definite yet. Hopefully by the end of April we will have something decided... hmm the name April just came to me. Might be silly to have a months theme named (Alexa Justin & A*** April) ;)
Baby A should be over 1 lb and getting very close to viable. 24 Weeks will be a big milestone. I have gained 12lbs and am over 100lbs. The only time I have ever been here before was the last 4 months of pregnancy with Alexa. It's a welcomed change but only temporary. We still have not purchased anything for the baby yet. We have decided on a car seat, double stroller & a few other things but will wait awhile to purchase. I get really excited with new things and do not want to have a baby swing sitting out for 4 months. :) I think we will start on the nursery sometime in June. I have until then to figure out the theme. So exciting! I cannot wait to have 2 girls.
Baby girl is sooo active. For a few weeks I was only feeling little flutters here or there. More recently I feel her very consistently. She was uncomfortably low until last week. Now she is up more in my belly and her movements are not as painful for me.
I have started having braxton hicks contractions. I cannot believe how much I forgot about being pregnant until the symptoms came back. After I had my first contraction is was an unwelcome reminder of the months ahead. This time I know what to expect and feel a little more relaxed about what I am feeling. As long as the doctors are monitoring me I am not going to worry. I really want to make it to mid-August. It will give all of us enough time to prepare and allow my maternity leave to be at the best time for Justin & Alexa as well. Of course baby girl may have other plans, we will have to wait and see.
We have finally decided on a name. At first I was hesitant because I did not want another A name thinking it may be confusing with mine & Alexa's. I tried really hard to love a J name but could not. The closest we got was Juliana, however Justin is not a fan of 4 syllable names and I do not like Julie or Julia. There were lots of A names that I loved. Baby A's name just feels right and I cannot wait to share it. We are still deciding on a middle name. We have been trying to either do another A or J letter. We have considered forms of our names (Ashtin, Justine) but feel more compelled to use one of our middle names, Ann or Allen. So nothing is definite yet. Hopefully by the end of April we will have something decided... hmm the name April just came to me. Might be silly to have a months theme named (Alexa Justin & A*** April) ;)
Baby A should be over 1 lb and getting very close to viable. 24 Weeks will be a big milestone. I have gained 12lbs and am over 100lbs. The only time I have ever been here before was the last 4 months of pregnancy with Alexa. It's a welcomed change but only temporary. We still have not purchased anything for the baby yet. We have decided on a car seat, double stroller & a few other things but will wait awhile to purchase. I get really excited with new things and do not want to have a baby swing sitting out for 4 months. :) I think we will start on the nursery sometime in June. I have until then to figure out the theme. So exciting! I cannot wait to have 2 girls.
Monday, April 1, 2013
We are back...
Ugh I swore I was going to get better about blogging but once again it got put on the back burner.
The highlight of February was lots of snow & snow days. My morning sickness continued on the entire month. At our 15 week 3 day appointment the doctor did a quick look to see if she could determine the gender. She told us she did not see boy parts but could not say for certain. Justin still thought we were hanging a boy & I still said another girl.
The first week in March we traveled for our first family trip to California. Justin, Alexa and I had a great time. We saw San Diego, Disney World, Sea World, Legoland, the San Diego's Zoo wildlife park, Laguna Beach and I am sure more I cannot recall. Alexa was such a trooper. She slept great & had a smile on her face most of the week. We had a hard time with using the potty but I decided not to worry about it and kept her in a pull-up. She LOVED all rides, animals and of course Mickey Mouse. Our last weekend in California we decided to sneak away a do an elective 4D ultrasound to find out the babies gender. We found a great place in Anaheim & we were now having a second girl. We are super excited to give Alexa a sister. Although it would be nice to have a son, we really wanted another girl for Alexa. It is a built in best friend that she will have (hopefully) the rest of her life. We feel two girls are what we are meant to have and we are super excited.
We told a few people right away and then decided to keep it to ourselves for a little while. It was nice to be able to enjoy it before everyone started asking us the follow up questions... Do you have a name? Do you want a third? Blah blah blah!
We made the official gender announcement on Easter after the 20 week anatomy scan.
Now lets see how long we can go before we spill the beans on the name. For now we will call her double A (AA). ;)
The highlight of February was lots of snow & snow days. My morning sickness continued on the entire month. At our 15 week 3 day appointment the doctor did a quick look to see if she could determine the gender. She told us she did not see boy parts but could not say for certain. Justin still thought we were hanging a boy & I still said another girl.
The first week in March we traveled for our first family trip to California. Justin, Alexa and I had a great time. We saw San Diego, Disney World, Sea World, Legoland, the San Diego's Zoo wildlife park, Laguna Beach and I am sure more I cannot recall. Alexa was such a trooper. She slept great & had a smile on her face most of the week. We had a hard time with using the potty but I decided not to worry about it and kept her in a pull-up. She LOVED all rides, animals and of course Mickey Mouse. Our last weekend in California we decided to sneak away a do an elective 4D ultrasound to find out the babies gender. We found a great place in Anaheim & we were now having a second girl. We are super excited to give Alexa a sister. Although it would be nice to have a son, we really wanted another girl for Alexa. It is a built in best friend that she will have (hopefully) the rest of her life. We feel two girls are what we are meant to have and we are super excited.
We told a few people right away and then decided to keep it to ourselves for a little while. It was nice to be able to enjoy it before everyone started asking us the follow up questions... Do you have a name? Do you want a third? Blah blah blah!
We made the official gender announcement on Easter after the 20 week anatomy scan.
Now lets see how long we can go before we spill the beans on the name. For now we will call her double A (AA). ;)
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Wrapping up the first trimester!
I am sooo glad it's February. I am taking a very positive outlook on this month. This month I will...
- Announce our pregnancy to everyone :)
- Stop having morning sickness
- Feel more secure about the pregnancy
- Find the energy to pack for our California vacation!!!
- Start taking weekly pregnancy belly shots
Becoming secure in this pregnancy is really crucial for me. I cannot live in fear of what tomorrow brings. Today I can say "I am pregnant." Hoping this optimism will keep up.
The last few weeks I have continued to have morning sickness. For me it's been more like afternoon sickness. I stopped taking progesterone due to the headaches. I felt really guilt about it for awhile, but I am more at ease. Last week I started to get really nervous that something was wrong with the baby. I could not find the heart beat on my doppler. I really tried to get bad thoughts out of my head, but could not. I decided to go into the doctors to get checked out. My normal doctor was not in that day so I saw one of her partners. I think he thought I was a bit crazy. He could not find the heart beat either so we did a quick ultra sound & this is what he found.
The baby was moving around & her (my guess) was flickering away. I felt silly for going to the doctors, but it did give me a sense of peace for a few days. My regular check up is scheduled for next Thursday. I am sooo excited. My doctor likes to do quick ultra sounds just to make sure things are OK. We plan on announcing the pregnancy after that appointment.
My evening exhaustion is kicking in. I am going to go rest up. Happy Saturday to all!
Saturday, January 19, 2013
2013
Hello, is anyone out there? I am not sure where to begin. I hope my blog world will take me back. It's been a very emotional, challenging, exciting 2 months. Although my intentions were to start this post with where are today I believe its important to explain how we got here.
The month of November was very similar to September & October. We were still very actively trying for another baby. Alexa continued to thrive and learn new things everyday. In the middle of November Justin called me about an opportunity to for him to take Command of a head quarters detachment as well as becoming the brigade S1. Either opportunity would have been a promotion, the combination of both is an offer he could not refuse. We both agreed he would move forward with the interview process.
About a week later he was offered the job. The only hold up would be his branch manager having to take him off of his orders to Fort Jackson for Captains Career Course. We were unsure of the response he would receive from his branch manager. Fortunately they recognized the tremendous opportunity and pushed his course date back to July 2014. On December 6th, Alexa, my Mom & Mother-In-Law watched Justin take command. I have never been more proud of Justin. He did it with elegance and grace. His professionalism is well beyond his 26 years.
Let me back up once again. I decided in November I was to seek fertility testing. I wanted to make sure there was nothing prohibiting a healthy pregnancy from starting and continuing for 9 months. I went into my regular primary care physician. I was given a referral to an off post specialist. During the same time frame we traveled to Chicago and had a wonderful Thanksgiving with my family. When we got home we were starting our 2 week window on finding out if we were expecting or not. I decided to cancel the fertility appointment until I confirmed we were not expecting. The morning of December 6th (same day as Justin's change of command) we had a faint positive. The next morning we had a slightly darker line & a positive blood test. It felt good & we were elated.
The next 2 weeks I had frequent blood draws & an early ultra sound. Things were looking good. After the loss this summer we were/are extra reserve about our excitement. We also found out my progesterone was a bit low. Because of my history I was immediately put on supplements. The medicine makes me very sick & moody. We spent 10 days traveling between Christmas & New Years. I knew I could not hide my sickness so we decided to tell our families we were expecting.
When we got back in town I had a follow up U/S. Everything looked fantastic. Our peanut measured right on schedule giving us an August 19th due date (my Grandpa's 84th Birthday). I am still nervous about something going wrong again. We have decided to wait until my next appointment at the end of the trimester to public announce the pregnancy. I Have lots I want to get down on in blogs but for now I am going to stay goodnight. :)
The month of November was very similar to September & October. We were still very actively trying for another baby. Alexa continued to thrive and learn new things everyday. In the middle of November Justin called me about an opportunity to for him to take Command of a head quarters detachment as well as becoming the brigade S1. Either opportunity would have been a promotion, the combination of both is an offer he could not refuse. We both agreed he would move forward with the interview process.
About a week later he was offered the job. The only hold up would be his branch manager having to take him off of his orders to Fort Jackson for Captains Career Course. We were unsure of the response he would receive from his branch manager. Fortunately they recognized the tremendous opportunity and pushed his course date back to July 2014. On December 6th, Alexa, my Mom & Mother-In-Law watched Justin take command. I have never been more proud of Justin. He did it with elegance and grace. His professionalism is well beyond his 26 years.
Let me back up once again. I decided in November I was to seek fertility testing. I wanted to make sure there was nothing prohibiting a healthy pregnancy from starting and continuing for 9 months. I went into my regular primary care physician. I was given a referral to an off post specialist. During the same time frame we traveled to Chicago and had a wonderful Thanksgiving with my family. When we got home we were starting our 2 week window on finding out if we were expecting or not. I decided to cancel the fertility appointment until I confirmed we were not expecting. The morning of December 6th (same day as Justin's change of command) we had a faint positive. The next morning we had a slightly darker line & a positive blood test. It felt good & we were elated.
The next 2 weeks I had frequent blood draws & an early ultra sound. Things were looking good. After the loss this summer we were/are extra reserve about our excitement. We also found out my progesterone was a bit low. Because of my history I was immediately put on supplements. The medicine makes me very sick & moody. We spent 10 days traveling between Christmas & New Years. I knew I could not hide my sickness so we decided to tell our families we were expecting.
When we got back in town I had a follow up U/S. Everything looked fantastic. Our peanut measured right on schedule giving us an August 19th due date (my Grandpa's 84th Birthday). I am still nervous about something going wrong again. We have decided to wait until my next appointment at the end of the trimester to public announce the pregnancy. I Have lots I want to get down on in blogs but for now I am going to stay goodnight. :)
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