Because you asked so nicely...

Kevin's bestie* Scott is currently on his second tour of duty with the US Army in Iraq. To say we miss him is a HUGE understatement. He left us a comment the other day that I can't ignore.


I know it has been almost two weeks since Lydia joined our family, but honestly I don't know where the time has gone. It isn't like I am using it to sleep... let me tell you. Honestly posting is just not at the top of my priority list, but for Scott, I make a major exception.

And I know that photo doesn't show our little girls best features off, so there are a few from the hour after she was born.



I do have a lot to blog, but right now I hear her crying from the other room. Birth story, meeting the big sister, coming home and adjusting to life as a family of 4 coming soon.

Until then, we love you all!

*Yep, I said bestie... deal with it.

mg

It's what?

It's Saturday? Saturday? Really?

All is well here. I hope to upload photos sometime very soon. As for now, we are entrenched in our newborn and adjusting to being a family of four.

Quick update:
Madeline is dealing with being a big sister very well. She has her moments, but is very loving with Lydia.

Lydia is adorable. Although she is a typical newborn and was up 1/2 the night. Photos soon...promise.

Mom and Dad are tired. Really happy and in love with our girls, but very tired.

mg

Lydia Elizabeth

We welcomed Lydia Elizabeth to our family this morning at 8 am. She is 7 lbs 2 oz and 20 inches long. Everyone is great and doing well. We'll get some pictures posted asap. Yeah!!! My heartburn is gone!!!

Just haven't met you yet

I've said it before but I am done being pregnant. Oh the drama that swims through my head when I type that. Let me tell you a story.

My delivery with Madeline was induced. I don't' know if I posted about that or not and honestly I don't have the energy to go look. I was totally ok with that choice at the time, but was thinking this time I'd like to let nature take it's course.

The problem with that... I am a control freak.

I wanted to have this baby before my due date. I planned on having this baby before my due date. Kevin took 7 days off work.. which are quickly being burned. We are ready to have this baby. So we scheduled an induction. I wanted to wait, but I am done.

None of this is makes my mother happy. She wasn't thrilled about our induction last time and believes in the natural process of child birthing. It isn't that I disagree, but my control issues (which is a personality trait I also get from my mother) and hip pain and lack of sleep and constant heartburn and crabbiness, win out over my desire to wait. (Sorry Mom. I do love you.)

So today as we get ready to become a family of four I wanted to post my last pregnancy photograph.
Taken on Friday, October 16, my 30th birthday and 3 days short of 40 weeks. Don't know what Madeline was doing there, but she had to be in the picture, but wouldn't look at the camera.

I am an avid fan of Michael Buble and got his new CD as a birthday present from my parents. As we get ready to meet our #2 I have to share a song with you. It is the first single off his CD and it made me cry (at 5am) the first time I heard it.



Haven't Met You Yet by Michael Buble

The line, "I know that we can be so amazing and baby your love is going to change me. Now I can see every possibility." makes me all teary.

We can't wait to meet this kid. We can't wait to hold our second baby. We can't wait to introduce him or her to our loving friends and family. Control freak or not, we just can't wait.

"I promise you Kid I'll give so much more than I get. I just haven't met you yet."

So the next time you hear from me, I'll introduce you to our #2.

I can't wait.


mg

Thirty

Today is my 30th birthday.

To say it has been over shadowed is an under statement. I knew this was going to happen 9 months ago when I got a double line on that pregnancy test.

Under normal circumstances, us having not moved just days before Kevin's 30th and not having a baby due 3 days after mine, I think we would have made a much bigger deal of our birthdays. As it is, this year has been crazy enough without the addition of these birthdays.

Recently someone asked me how I felt about turning 30. To be honest I am down right excited about it. I come from a long line of family members who are proud of their age. My 82 year old grandmother wears her age like a badge of honor. As well she should. With age comes experience. (I am not going to say wisdom because we all know that those two things don't always go hand in hand.)

So although my 30th birthday isn't going to be a huge celebration I know it will be a wonderful day. The fact that this baby could come on my birthday has been talked about... a lot. Although I am looking forward to actually having this baby, I don't know that I want to share my birthday. I am not being selfish, honest, I'm really thinking of the kid too. Who wants to share anything with their mother? I am sure it will be a memorable day no matter the outcome right?

I thought about making a list of 30 things to do when I am 30. But I don't know that can think of thirty things. Ok, let's try.

#1- Have a second baby
#2- name that baby
#3- try not to go insane

Ok, that's all I've got. That looks like a good list to me.

Happy October 16th.

Hopefully the next time you hear from me I'll have more baby news. I do have a Dr. appt tomorrow... lets all send some baby dust my way that I have this baby on Saturday... what do you say? Bring it on.

mg

Funny little things

Madeline applies the weirdest inflections on words. 90% of the time she says mother but just the other day she started saying 'mudder' instead. My mom has a bunch of examples, because she finds it totally adorable. Not that I don't, I just don't have the brain space for that right now. Maybe in a few months...

Today, on the way to our local grocery establishment,* however I captured Madeline as she found her inner Carol Channing.




__________

*I have been in no way sponsored by this grocery store chain. It is just that her inner Carol is "Channeled"** when shopping here!

** How punny I mean funny am I?

mg

WARNING: Toilet talk ahead

***If you don't like hearing about poop you might want to skip this post. You've been warned.***

Alternate post title: Why we may never eat White Castle's again

I am here, still pregnant. We are doing everything my doctor suggested to get this show on the road. This includes long walks and slyders. (That is how the WC people spelled in on their trademark, honest.) Among other things that I will leave to your imagination.

In order to get working on this process, Kev and I took Madeline to lunch at Castle's yesterday while running some errands. She ate one... just one mind you. Then we ran errands, where we walked around Target, a lot. If you hadn't figured it out, it didn't work. I am still not in labor. Madeline however had quite the reaction.

This is where I start talking about poop so if you are squeamish, look away.

She is a very regular pooper. She poops twice a day. Once in the am and once in the pm. Before lunch she had a regular BM. Totally normal. After lunch however she never did poop. This has happened before, she just wakes up in the am and poops and then we are back on schedule. I didn't even think she would have issues. That is until 2:30am.

Kevin went into her room to calm her down because she was crying. As soon as he walked in, he said he knew something was wrong, because "of the smell." I got up shortly there after to help with the mess, and boy what a mess it was.

I love footie pajamas. Kids are so cute in footed sleepers, running around the house and getting cozy in bed. They are NOT however good for WC poop explosions. She got dirtier getting her out of the sleeper then she was in the sleeper. It has been a long time since we've bathed a child in the middle of the night, but last night we did just that. And a load of laundry. We were all back in bed by 3:15am.

Why do I even mention all of this? Well, first to let any other pregnant women out there know that WC are not going to send you into labor. I've had them twice in four days. Still pregnant... and now exausted. Second, to keep a record of what not to do as a mother for both myself and others. Don't feed your children WC, unless you are ready for a craptastic night. Litterally. Third, and finally, to remind myself that it could have been worse. Madeline could have been here with other family members while we were at the hospital, OR I could have already had the baby and had to deal with NO sleep at all last night. (Just another fear, coming to reality before #2 is here.)

So be warned. No more WC for us. We'll stick to long walks and those other things.

mg

38 weeks

...and then some.


The photo above was taken last Friday. The look on my face says it all.

I am not sure I was aware the photo was being taken at that exact moment. That look however is priceless. As I look back at my posts on and around my due date with Madeline (here and here) I can feel how optimistic I was. Maybe optimistic isn't the right word... maybe rested? Or not miserably uncomfortable? Or not totally *&%$#ing ready for this baby to come out? (That is if I swore, which I don't, of course.) I am still happy and most definitely looking forward to meeting this little person. I am just significantly more READY to have this baby than I was last time.

Maybe it was nerves last time... I had no idea what was in store for me in the delivery room and that did honestly make me nervous. If I could go back and tell first-time-child-bearer-me that it was going to be ok and not that scary and pretty darn near perfect then maybe I would have been more ready to actually HAVE a baby.

It also could have been that I didn't know what was in store for us as parents either. In all my years of babysitting and nannying and such I knew nothing was going to prepare me (us) for the road that lie ahead. If I could go back and tell first-time-parent(s)-me (us) that it was going to be both better and worse than we ever imagined, but that those worst moments would be totally out shown by those best moments then maybe I would have been more ready to actually HAVE a baby.

Or it could have been the fact that I knew I wasn't going to go back to work full time and that I was worried that we wouldn't be able to manage our expenses (totally a worry that has yet to come to pass... but something I think I'd worry about even if we had hundreds of thousands of dollars in the bank...). If I could go back and tell soon-to-be-first-time-stay-at-home-mom-me that it was all going to work out and not only would we not go broke, but we would be buying a larger home and still not going under then maybe, just maybe I would have been more ready to actually HAVE a baby.

As for me, today, at almost 39 weeks pregnant with our second baby, I am still nervous. I am nervous about how Madeline will react. I am nervous about adding another member of our family which seems pretty balanced most days. (Two on one is a good thing in parenting.) I worry about money (see above). I worry about a lot of stuff...

BUT

I am not nervous enough to ignore the fact that I am READY to HAVE this BABY!

I am ready to get rid of the heartburn that has plagued me for the past 10 weeks. I am ready to see my feet again and wear shoes that tie. I am ready to hold my baby and know who he or she is. I am ready to actually get to sleep again without hip pain and a million pillows. (I know Kevin is ready to get more than 2 inches of room in the bed at night!)

I am ready.

So that face...


that is the face of a woman who would like to have a baby. Soon. Like, now. Please.

__________

As for my header, I know it is October 9th. I figured as long as this baby was still in that bump, it should still be watched. So until #2 is here... the bump watch continues.

mg

In My Room

My mother was told by my pediatrician to tell me the baby (my younger brother) was in her womb, not her belly. The thought behind this is that I wouldn't get confused and think I had a baby in my belly.

So my mom started this with Madeline. Instead of womb, she has been convinced that the baby is in my room. Kevin can't stop singing the beach boys.

All this to say the baby is still in my room. For now. Argh.

mg

It's kicking me

Tonight after dinner we were having desert and as I was cleaning the ice cream off of Madeline's face, hands, hair, chin, neck, elbows, etc... I got a swift kick in the side from #2.

Me: Ouch!
Madeline: You ok Mommy?
Me: Yeah babe, the baby just gave me a little kick.
Madeline (While very seriously looking at and rubbing my belly): Baby, be good to our mudder. No kicking.
Me: Thanks honey.

Today was a much better day.


mg

Jump Up

Because yesterday's post was so cheery:



Video of "Jump Up" by Dan Zanes

Where can I find a mustard suit and who does that man's hair... can you say awesome?!

mg

This post is NOT an Update

I had plans to update with my 38 week photo and all that jazz. Simply put, I'm distracted.

Distracted by what you ask?

• actually BEING 38 weeks pregnant
• having no less than 8 loads of laundry to do today, no joke
• parenting a two year old who still doesn't want to nap and says things like "I'm too tired to nap." How do you argue with that?
  
• Ken Burn's new documentary on the National Parks system
• crying over a two year old who won't nap
• crying over the fact that I can't nap if my daughter doesn't nap
  
• crying because in two weeks or so I am going to have TWO children who won't allow me to sleep
  
• crying,* just cuz
  
• cottage cheese
• heart burn
• the Real Simple Magazine my sister in law let me borrow
• wallowing in the mess that is my kitchen but putting off the dishes because I have done 8 friggin' loads of laundry today, by gone it!
• not having the baby's room even close to ready
• thinking about packing a bag to take to the hospital
• not packing a bag to take to the hospital
• worrying that I haven't packed a bag for the hospital
• still not packing a bag for the hospital

And finally...

• blogging

I am sure there are more.... many more... but know that I am still pregnant. At least for now.

**********
*Did you get that I cried today? It's ok... I am better now.

mg

I'm tired

and it is raining. That about sums it up.

Olive, cuddling in her favorite hole.

I think my daughter might actually be taking a nap, so I'd better go join her. Just wanted you all to know I was still waddling around. Update tomorrow.

mg