...side note...

Its been 2 weeks and I only have 4lbs to go till I reach pre-baby weight! ...and then 22 more lbs to go after that. The wonders of only gaining 20lbs this time as apposed to 40lbs last time!! Now if only I hadn't put on that extra 22 prior to getting pregnant! :)

What?

Not the most flattering picture ever, but I just love his wrinkly little legs! :)
Oh, and just so we're clear on it - he was NOT 19in at birth! ...because five days later (at the pediatrician's) he was 20 3/4 inches long! Now that's some fast growth!

So, get this.... Daniel was born on Friday at 7 lbs 12oz. In the hospital they tell you to feed every 2-3 hours so I did because I was there and kinda had to. We were discharged from the hospital after 36 hours and Daniel was 7lbs 7oz. They like it to be a full 48 hours so the Pediatrician asked us to bring him to the office for a weight check in 2 days... ...I bargained for 3 days because Abi already had an appt for her flu shot. So on Wed Daniel was 7lbs 8oz - doing great. His Dr asked me how much he was eating and I said, "oh, about 20 min every 3 hours." Actually, knowing that it didn't really need to be quite that often I was doing 3hrs during the day and 4hrs at night. Her immediate response was, "Oh, you need to work on that! Feed him every 2 hours during the day and no more than 3hrs at night! And do whatever it takes to get him to feed for longer!" Then asked me to bring him back in a week for another weight check. I was frustrated. I wasn't going to push it - I did that with Abi and it was miserable. I know from experience that a baby will feed better when he's actually hungry and that he was getting PLENTY in just 20 min at a time! But - I'm an OCD rule follower... I didn't change anything - kept doing 3hrs during the day and 4 at night for the next week, but I was anxious all week about it because now it was in my head that I might be wrong. And my poor husband heard about it all week! :( Well, I took Daniel back for his weight check this past Wed. and he was 7lbs 14oz!! The Dr's exact words were, "Wow! He's doing great! He's ahead of schedule!! Keep doing what you're doing!" Haha! I didn't say a word. :)

Totally Different

I hesitate to be too hasty in saying this... ...but so far this is a completely different kind of baby experience! Daniel just... SLEEPS! They say that new borns sleep most of the first 2 weeks and then things change... He isn't 2 weeks old yet, so we'll see if that changes, but I know that Abi was already screaming by this time. I literally have to torture him awake to even eat. Pretty sure he'd sleep through the night now if I didn't set my alarm so he doesn't starve to death in his sleep! :) I feel blessed - this has made transition to two fairly easy so far.

Abi has done remarkably well so far with all the transition. She's madly in love with her baby brother - a couple days ago she informed me that he was her best friend! She's precious with him - constantly wanting to kiss him and telling him how cute he is. :) Today we had a bit of a rough day... as well as she really IS doing, it doesn't change the fact that she's not at all good at entertaining herself and is very demanding of attention. Before Daniel was born we had gotten to the place where I could get her to play with toys in her room by herself for about 20 min to half an hour during the day. I think its going to take a while to get back to that. Abi loves Daniel to death, but struggles with the fact he sometimes needs my time and that means she can't have it - she's a little clingy right now! All in all I think the transition is going quite smoothly.

We got to get out of the house to MOM's group this morning. It was great for me, and I was happy to find that I could actually get us all out of the house by 9am. :) Abi was just happy to go "play with her friends!" Our little lady loves her social time - its been hard for her being home most of the last 3 weeks!!!

New Baby :)

Daniel James Milo

11/5/10 6:33pm

7lbs. 12oz. 19in.

He is precious :)

Kids rooms are done at last!

This is Abi's new "big-girl" room...
No - it doesn't say "arm." Those are her initials...
I'm no interior designer, but I'm happy with the results!

I did her silhouette for the frame - I love it!!

The tree was all Kris' idea and I love it - best idea ever!

Little man's room is all ready too!Small, but its a perfect nursery :)

Very manly bedding for the "little man!"

The time has come - and I'm ready!! ...or at least I'm ready when the time really does come! Hopefully any day now "little man" will be ready to join us in person! There is nothing left to prepare! Its been a busy last 5 months!

Landscaping finished in the front yard - check!

Rooms ready - check!

Abi adjusted to new room and bed - check!

Abi potty-trained like a champ - check!

Car cleaned and car seat in - check!

House cleaned (though if he doesn't come quick it will need it again!) - check!

12 meals in the freezer - check!

Baby clothes washed, sorted, folded and put away - check!

Diaper bag packed - check!

...can't think of anything else.... Oh - baby afghan half done... Better work on that!

I seem to have pulled a couple muscles in my back a couple days ago and could hardly walk for the last 2 days. Thankfully its on the mend today. I'm kinda surprised it never happened before this, but very glad too!! I'm scheduled to work Fri, but that should be my last day before maternity leave - its getting to be too much... Hopefully won't waist much time before he comes though!

Laying the smack-down!

Yesterday - at my OB appointment - Little Man was was given the word... Helen (my Nurse Practitioner/midwife) says he has to come early...! ...she's leaving for Ireland on Nov 14Th. You heard that Little Man!! We're ready for you whenever you want to come :)

Sleep - or lack there of...

I really don't remember having so much trouble sleeping when I was pregnant with Abi. I know its common, but ever so frustrating. I'm exhausted, but when I lay down I just can't sleep. Last night I finally fell asleep around 2am. I think I might get more sleep after the baby comes!! So - by all means come early, Little Man!

Reaching for new heights!

This afternoon I was standing at the kitchen sink doing a few dishes with my head in the clouds (as seems to be my usual state recently!) and suddenly realized the kitchen light was turning on, off, on, off, on, off... My little lady just realized that she can reach her first light switch!! And let me tell you - she is VERY pleased! :) My little lady is growing up all too quickly! Gosh, I love her so!

PS... I thought all light switches would be placed at a standard height? Apparently not - there are only a few she can reach right at the moment.

I should also mention that yesterday I cleaned the car - scrubbed every inch - and installed the infant car seat. So glad to have that done! I feel more ready now. This morning I took Abi and we went to MOM's group. I was wondering what Abi would say when she saw the seat in the car. She took one look and said, "Oh, Mamma! Its so cute! That's for my baby brother!!! He's going to talk to me!!" Such a little sweet-heart. She's very excited to have her baby brother! :)

"Little Man Milo Timeline"

Yeah - so its only been 6 months...! Worst I've done since starting my blog years ago. Oh, well - having a 2 year old and being pregnant is hard. Period. That is my only excuse. ;)



I've wanted to do a time-line on this pregnancy from the beginning since a lot has gone on, but I'm only just now getting to it. I'm stuck sitting here trying to stop contractions, so here goes!

May 2009 - time to start hoping for baby Milo #2
2/6/10 - last period
3/8/10 - Dr. appt with PCP for sore throat. Pretty sure I had Strep, but they said no. Rapid strep was negative, now have to wait for cultures to come back. Had blisters in my throat for 3 days - I know they're wrong!! ;) I had mentioned there was a chance of pregnancy in case of the need for abx. Pregnancy test was negative... so frustrating!
3/9/10 - I don't believe I'm not prego - buy a test... There is a VERY faint + but I'm afraid to believe it and tell Kris I'm not sure what to think. Its been a long road and I don't want to get my hopes up...
3/10/10 - I call Kris and ask him to pick up another test on the way home from work - the result is the same... a VERY faint +... My throat is still killing me and I can't eat. Call the Dr to find out about my throat cultures, but they came back negative also. Try to get back into the Dr's but they have no appts left for the day. Went to urgent care where my rapid strep is positive!!! Head out with a script for abx (pregnancy OK'ed just in case.) On the way home I'm talking to Amy who informs me that there is a lot of Strep going around that is resistant to Abx - so if It doesn't get better I might need different abx - heart sinks...
3/12/10 - Still can't eat - can hardly drink... Call PCP - they won't give me a script and I have to go back in! New abx and I finally start to feel better in a couple days! Woohoo!!
3/15/10 - Just one more prego test to be sure... Now that I'm feeling better I might believe it... Its +!!! A very dark, clear, obvious +!!! Woohoo!!! Can it really be??? We've been trying so long and I was loosing hope!
3/19/10 - First GYN appt - to confirm what I already know.... We are finally having another Baby!!!
3/20/10 - I have a little spotting, but I had that with Abi so I'm not terribly concerned - only lasted a day...
3/23/10 - first U/S - they say its too soon to "date" and I'll have to come back in 2 weeks...
3/27/10 - Spotting starts again.
3/30/10 - Still mild spotting off and on - Call GYN. They are concerned and want an U/S, but they only do them on Tuesdays and its too late in the day. Have to wait a week for the U/S. But while I'm on the phone find out from my GYN that I have an infection and need to start abx immediately as the infection usually causes a miscarriage and also can keep you from getting pregnant in the first place. (No wonder I couldn't get pregnant for almost a year!!!)
4/6/10 - U/S appt - seems to go well, but I don't know what they're looking for. Call from GYN to inform me that I have a Subchorionic Hemorrhage. I'm told to be on complete lifting restrictions and to do as little as possible. Ummm - how does that happen with a 2 year old at home?? Work is telling me not to come in till I can lift - stress!!
4/13/10 - U/S to re-eval Hemorrhage. It has reduced to half the size!!
4/20/10 - U/S again - Hemorrhage is almost gone, but I'm told to continue with the restrictions for another week and then I can return to work. GYN wants me to get the 12 week (where they check for abnormalities) U/S at the hospital. I didn't do that one with Abi, because no matter what - this is our baby! But they really want me to get it done so they can double check the bleed. I say OK. Why not, right?
5/10/10 - U/S at Belleview.
5/20/10 - Phone call from Helen (my Nurse midwife.) "Jessamyn, I want you to listen to me very carefully. Your blood work is negative, but the U/S came back borderline for Down's Syndrome." My heart seems to stop for a minute, but I pull it together for long enough to ask questions. She advises me to get an amnio so that I will be prepared and not worry about it for the rest of the pregnancy. I call Kris and cry, but we decide to go with the amnio - I just have to wait 3 weeks to have it done! I spend a couple days crying a lot, and then God gives me such peace! No matter what happens, it will be OK! But it is still a rough time off and on for weeks...
6/10/10 - Amnio day - I'm nervous, but Dr McCarthy and the U/S tech are awesome and put me at ease. Now to wait for the results.
PS... ITS A BOY!!! We're so excited!!!
6/23/10 - Call from Helen again with amnio results.... ALL IS WELL!!! We are having a healthy baby boy. We can start to relax and enjoy the pregnancy. :)


Its been a busy few months since then... finishing the landscaping in the yard, doing over the spare-room to be Abi's new big-girl room (including spackling, sanding, tons of painting, and sanding and painting my old bed and dresser!), and starting to prep for the baby. There is still more to be done but its all coming together... Abi adjusted fabulously to her new room and bed. She LOVES her new bed and sleeps great! Just have to do up the finishing touches on her room and get to decorating to babies room. Wish it wasn't so expensive to get a couple rooms ready!!

Tonight I'm doing nothing... Spent the weekend working and at 2pm started having contractions - every 4 minutes for 90 minutes... not good. 33 weeks is a little too soon. I think I'm just tired and dehydrated. I forgot to drink at work all day and never sat down! Called the Dr. and they said I was right - rest and rehydrate!! So I'm trying. As long as I sit still I don't have a single contraction, but the second I stand up they start in again. ...so its been a sit around and do nothing night... :) I'm awfully blessed that Kris is so good to me - even though he doesn't feel well at all this evening. I love you, Honey!

PS - last night I started an afghan for the baby. I realized that I've made several, but none for my own kids - gotta fix that situation!!

Hmmm

I should blog sometime - its been awhile. Hmmm.... guess I'll think about that tomorrow... :)