New camera

SO I finally invested in a nice camera. Best Buy was having a sale so I decided to take advantage of it. I think it is going to take a little practice to get the kind of pictures I am looking for, but here are a few I took as soon as I got the camera, so they are not the best. But I can tell a huge difference in the quality of the picture already. And that is what I am going for.

My baby boy's gorgeous eyes

The princess

Braxton and his crazy expressions

Brooklyn is now a thumb sucker

So far I am happy with the camera. I am sure I will be even happier once I get it all figured out. It shouldn;t take me long since I am always snapping shots of the kids!

Milestones

This weekend was a great one. We got our tax refund and we "caught up" on a lot of things we had been putting off since we are always broke. We got Brooklyn's ears pierced. I was reluctant to do it, because I didn't want to cause her unnecessary pain. But everyone I talked to that has a daughter got them done at her age, or wish they got them done at her age. They heal better, since they can't mess with them. They won't remember the pain. Etc.  So we did it. She only cried for a second. really. I was so surprised. She did great and was all smile a few mins later. I am glad I did it. The rule in my house was you had to wait until you were 12 to get them done. I thought that rule was dumb, and I definitely didn't want to continue that tradition. So this is her at 14 weeks.

This is a few mins after. She was fine!

Brooklyn is also rolling from her stomach to her back. This little girl is growing up so much faster that Braxton did. It's nuts! Her teeth are still right below the surface. She has her good days and bad days. I can't wait until she feels better again. Her ears are healing fine. They actually look like they have always been there. No redness, no bleeding, no nasty crusty stuff. I have no regrets :o)

House of 4......will you add more?

 barbie said...

Do you think you will ever have any more kids? If not, will you get your tubes tied? Will Rick get "snipped"?

Well, this is something we talked about over and over again while pregnant with Brooklyn. We both come from 2 children households, and we wondered if we would continue the tradition, or go for more. Our decision was 2 is what we are happy with. No matter what the sex of the baby would have been we agreed that 2 was our max. We were blessed and very lucky to get one of each so we can experience the differences raising a boy and a girl. But I don't think I would have changed my mind if I had another boy. Not at all.

So I discussed this with my doctor and  we decided to tie my tubes during my c-section. I had to sign papers a month before my scheduled surgery, so I had time to think about it. It is quite a big deal, and my doctor at least, wanted to make sure I was making the right choice for me and my family. Which I believe I did.

I already miss being pregnant. Weird I know. And knowing that I will never be pregnant again is hard. But I know it was the right thing to do. Being a surrogate has even crossed my mind. LOL But if I ever feel the need to be a mother to more than 2 children, I would love to adopt and give a child a home that was not blessed enough to be born into one. Now of course that is in the very far future. WE have a lot to get in order with our own family first.

what's new....

Poor Brooklyn has been eating her hand and drooling everywhere. She has been a fussy little munchkin for a few days now. Her little tooth is trying to come through and it must be painful. She usually prefers to lay on her belly but lately she wants to lay on her back so she can chew on her little hands. She is also spitting up more frequently. I want to get her 3 month pictures taken but she has been so fussy. We may just have to stick with Mommy's amateur shots.

As for Braxton, potty training is still something we are working on. But he is doing pretty well. He has been saying some really funny stuff! Yesterday he said "whew, that was a close one!" It was so cute! He has also started "mocking" us. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes it's not. He will discipline himself. I will say his name and he will say "I know, be nice" or "I know eat your oatmeal" I tend to say "Braxton Michael James" when he does something wrong. James is not even his name, but it is Rick's middle name. It just sounds better when telling him no. LOL, So now when I give him the Mom look he says "Braxton Michael James" real fast like me. So funny! He keeps me laughing that's for sure. He still continues to be a great Big Brother and really looks out for Brooklyn. He makes sure she has her blanket and binkie and that her glider is on and the music is playing. He is such a lover. My little man.

I think I might....

I am back into my cooking phase again. What this means is I find new and interesting recipes and cook them for the family and then get their opinions. I prefer to use odd ingredients or things that don't sound good so when people try it and I tell them what it was they are surprised. This has lead to me using recipes as a guide, but creating my own version. But I have to say my feelings do get hurt when I am told "it was ok". But I get over it. LOL

I also like to try things that my fellow bloggers have posted. So that gave me an idea to also blog about my recipes and post pics etc. Then we could all share our favorite things and recommend them or not. And I could also share my "creations"

SO what do you think? Yay or Nay?

The first few weeks as a Mommy of 2....

 barbie said...

how hard were those first few weeks being home alone with a newborn and your toddler? how did you function all day with him when you hardly got any sleep the night before?

I am not sure if "hard" is the right word. Challenging, yes. I was lucky enough that Rick took off for a week after Brooklyn was born. This gave me a chance to try to establish a routine for her while Rick solely took care of Braxton. But even after that week, I was still juggling and taking it day by day. I am so so so so lucky that Braxton is a really independent child.  He is really good about occupying himself and playing with his toys. So at times when I had to BF, or take time with Brooklyn I would put him in his room and he would play. Then when I was finished doing whatever it was he could come back out and play with us. To this day, everyday is different, and some days are harder than others.  But just keep reminding yourself that this is temporary and try to enjoy every minute you can. It's not only about watching the new baby grow, but about the Big Brother grow in a different way now.

As far as functioning on little or no sleep. I have no idea how I did it. I think Mommy mode just takes over and you do what needs to be done for both kids. Lots of other things never got done, like dishes, laundry, or a shower. But when Rick came home he would take over and I could do things I needed to do. This is when the "good team" really comes in handy. There were plenty of nights that I felt like I was sleepwalking while getting up to change/feed Brooklyn. But during the day, I made it happen. Now I am lucky that they both take their 'long" naps around the same time in the afternoon. So I can usually get a power nap in if I am lucky.

Oh and another crazy thing that I realized while taking care of both kids is how big Braxton was/is. Before Brooklyn was born he was still my baby and I still considered him completely dependent on me. But once I had a newborn again, I realized just how much growing up Braxton had done, and what a "big boy" he had become. So I kind of rediscovered him again too. Which is happy and heartbreaking all at the same time.

Ask me anything

So I am taking this idea from Barbie and Alicia. I need some ideas on what to blog about. So if you have any questions for me at all just post it here and I will try to blog the answer. It can be anything about my Mommy life, to my relationship with Rick. Anything at all. I am open to it!

Crib transition and cradle cap

Ok, so yesterday Brooklyn was 3 months old. I can not believe how fast she is growing. Anyway, following instructions on the bassinet, I decided this was the time I would have her start sleeping in her crib. So Last night was the first night and she did very well. It was not an issue at all. She went to bed around 9:30, which is normal. She woke up at 5:30 to eat then went back to bed until 8. I have to say I was very pleased! So I will now in the next few days break down the bassinet, and wash it so it is ready for my God-Daughter Victoria!

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention my Best guy friend Kurt asked me to be his daughter on the way's God-Mother. I have to say I was honored to say the least. What an awesome responsibility! And to top it off, her middle name is going to be Raine....after me :o) She is due in April.

Back to Brooklyn. She has had cradle cap, I think. I thought it was just me not washing the shampoo out of her hair well enough. I don't bathe her every day, so I didn't think it was just dry. So I took my Mom's advice and tried baby oil in her hair. I had read somewhere about how to use the cradle cap shampoo. You add it to their hair, then brush it gently then wash it out. So I was planning on giving her a bath today anyway so I put the oil in her hair and used the little brush they give you in the hospital and gently brushed her scalp. The flakes started just coming off! I have to say it looked pretty nasty, and if it was not my daughter I think I would have been grossed out! But after a few times brushing it, it seemed to be all loosened up. Then I gave her a bath and shampooed her hair. And it was a success! It seems that her cradle cap is gone! Braxton never had that issue, so this was new to me. So I am sharing this with you Mommies so you don't go buy the $7:00 shampoo for cradle cap, and just use good old baby oil!

not already!

Ok, so I think little Miss Brooklyn is getting her 1st tooth! Already!! She has been super fussy. I noticed she was drooling a lot and also started spitting up more. After reading Alica's blog about Jude teething it clicked. She is only 12 weeks old! So I stuck my finger in her mouth and I could feel a tiny little ridge in there. I could not believe it! I remember Braxton getting his first tooth pretty early, I think around 4 or 5 months. But wow, 3 months! So I have been massaging her little gums when she gets fussy. She bites down on my finger at times and chews a little. Poor little mama.

I guess with her being my last baby,  I want to take everything slow, one day at a time, and she is just zipping right by. It is so funny. With Braxton I was so anxious and waited everyday for Braxton to do something new, or hit that milestone. With Brooklyn I am so patient and will wait as long as I have to to savor each little moment and milestone with her. I think it is because now I know how fast it really goes. How quickly they grow, and before you know it they are 3!

So we will see when the little tooth actually breaks the surface. But I am not hoping for any day too soon.

days fly by....

Wow. All I can say is wow. It is a new year/decade. I have 2 beautiful babies and love being a stay at home Mom. I can honestly say I never expected this to be my life. I knew I always wanted kids, but never thought it would happen. I am not sure why. I have been with Rick since high school but never expected us to actually be a family some day. Then Brax came along, it was the best moment of my life! Even as he was growing up I thought he would forever be an only child. But I enjoyed being a Mommy so much I wanted just one more. And here I am! I could not ask for anything better than being a mother of 2. And even though it has taken A LOT of sacrifice, I am so happy to be able to stay at home with them.

So I am still breastfeeding. It is going very well. I still have formula as a back up. She seems to hit these growth spurts that my body will just not keep up with! It only takes about 1 day for my body to adjust, so I only have to supplement a few ounces. Brooklyn is getting bigger and she is healthy. She is almost 11lbs! She is growing so fast, I am trying to savor each moment with her since this is my last baby.

Braxton turned 3 on the 29th of December. We took him to Hullabaloo to play and he loved it! A few days before Christmas, he started potty training. He is doing pretty well. He even tells me when we are out that he has to go, and I sit him on those humongous toilets and he goes! I definitely thought that would be a problem, but he proved me wrong very quickly. I am really proud of him. And he continues to be a great Big Brother.

I have been taking time out of each day after Rick gets home from work to spend one on one time with Braxton. I have to say those moments are one of my favorite parts of my day. I can tell he enjoys it too. We usually read some books. Some over and over. Yesterday I had some errands to run and I decided to take him with me. We went to the eye doctor to pick up my contacts, Kohls, and Wal Mart. He was very well behaved. So I bought him 2 cars at Wal Mart. I really enjoy my time with him. Especially when he is a good boy :o)


Hopefully I can update a little more frequently in the future. Here's to hoping.....

My birth story

Ok so I have not updated my blog since I had my daughter 7 week sago. LOL I guess I have had my hands full. She is sleeping in her sling as I type, so hopefull I can get this all out before she wakes up to be fed.

Let's start out with her birthday: SO my last post I told you about my visit to the doctor because of swelling. To all of you preggo's out there, use this blog as a tell tale sign of labor to come. yesterdays events 
Two days later my water broke! I was really surprised because I was scheduled for a c-section the following week and I thought I would never get the chance to experience REAL labor/childbirth. But I was laying in bed and I was awake a little. I felt what was like a trickle. I just figured it was nothing, but then I felt it again. SO I got up to go to the bathroom when I felt it....the gush. It was 2:30 am. I was just standing there for a second in shock when I had another gush. So I called Rick's name and he sat right up in bed (which is odd for him, he is a deep sleeper) and I said my water just broke. So I waddled over to the bathroom and Gush after gush. No one ever told me when your water breaks it just keeps breaking. I thought it was a gush then you eventually start having contractions. So as I change my pad and underwear 4 times I decided to just stay on the toilet while I called the doctor. LOL. So I got a call back and I was told to go right in. (Now I wish I would have stayed home for a little while longer, as I will get into later) So I was getting my stuff ready and wished I had shaved my legs the day before like I wanted to, I was a nervous wreck. My legs were shaking so bad I could hardly walk.  I was realizing that I was going to get to give natural birth a try. I was so excited. So I told my Mom my water broke and that we would call her later.

On the way to the hospital there was no traffic. We were not really in a hurry because  I was not having contractions yet. Then it happened......I sneezed. And the gush was back. No turning back now. So when we got to the hospital I got out of the car and as soon as I stood up, the waterfall turned on. I was soaked. So it was not a real busy night. No one was in the triage area and since I was "grossly ruptured" I was admitted right away. Here is my lovely picture of my wet pants. I thought it was hilarious, as you can see from my big smile.


I was in a room by 3:30am. They of course had trouble getting my IV started. They ended up putting it in my hand. After they stuck me 5 times in other places. When the nurse checked me I was only 1 cm and stage 4 which is not thinned out at all. Not the news I wanted to hear. SO when I got up to my room in labor and delivery they started me on oxytocin to try to get my contractions started. I was surprised because my doctor and nurse at the office said they would not give me anything to assist in my labor because of my previous c section. Well it did not take long for the contractions to start. I was having them about every 3-5 mins. They were not really what I expected. I was thinking I was going to be in a lot of pain, but it was just like a strong cramping, not a sharp pain. But it did hurt. Rick said he was watching them on paper and they were pretty strong. So I was thinking I was def making some progress. So at 7:30am my doctor arrives. She checks me and I am still 1 cm. So in 5 hours I went no where! I was so disappointed. I was not allowed to walk or anything I had to stay in bed. (This is why I wish I would have stayed home longer. I could have at least walked around some). So Rick and I talked about it. My doctor said I only had until 2:30 in the afternoon to make it all the way to 10 because of my water breaking, to avoid infection I would have to have a c-section by then anyway. So instead of me waiting, and going through the pain of labor to end up with a c-section anyway, we decided to just go in to surgery. Oh and also they baby was not tolerating contractions very well, I had to keep changing positions, so I was also concerned about her going another 7 hours in distress.

So I was happy with my choice. I got to have my doctor deliver the baby. They nurses and surgical staff were super nice. I was so comfortable with everything. The surgery went great. She was born at 8:40am. She was 7lbs 15 oz and 19 inches long. A LOT smaller than we had thought, since Braxton was a big 9lbs 3 oz. She was healthy and doing well. I was so happy to see her. She looked just like her brother. The top pic is Brooklyn and the bottom pic is Braxton.






So I was walking around that  night after surgery and I was determined to get released early. But my doctor kept me there until Saturday. It was okay though, I ate well and bonded with Brooklyn. Rick spent most of his days at home with Braxton and spent the nights with me. I only had a few visitors. Kenny, Kurt and Michelle, Dyana, and of course my parents.

This time around was a great experience. I am not sure if it was because I had done it all before, or because I was just lucky. Anyway you look at it I am lucky. I have 2 beautiful kids that complete my life. And I am fulfilled :o)


Our days have been filled with breastfeeding and nap time. I have more energy than I could ever imagine, but at night I crash and burn. I will continue to update on where and what we are up too. I figured this blog was long enough. I will get into breastfeeding and juggling 2 kids under 4 later. Just for you Barbie :o)

yesterdays events

OKay, so yesterday morning I woke up around 5:00am and noticed my hands were so swollen that I could not make a fist. And they hurt. I went to the bathroom and my face and feet were also swollen. So I drank some water, ate a banana and went back to bed. When I woke up to get Braxton around 7:30am I was still swollen, but figured it was normal, I only have another week. But then I started vomiting. A LOT. I was shaking. I thought maybe it was morning sickness and I needed to eat something. So I ate some cereal. Not too long after that I was vomiting again. A lot. The swelling had not gone down yet so I called the doctor's office and left a message with the nurse, just to make sure it was normal and that I did not need to be concerned. Hours later I got a call from the nurse asking me to come in right away. They wanted to check me and see what needed to be done. SO my first thought was "maybe they think I am about to go into labor" So in that case I wanted Rick to come with me. I had to call my Dad home from work to watch Braxton.

SO I get to the office, the nurse checks my blood pressure 108/88 which seems low to me, but she said was fine. Checked my feet and hands for swelling which had gone down some because it had been hours and I had been moving around, drinking water etc. And that was it. I was not checked for dilation, my baby's heartbeat was not checked. It was like I just went to my regular doctor. Then I get a speech about eating more protein and drinking more water. I explained that I usually eat every few hours but since I was VOMITING today, I had not eaten as much. So yeah, we were sent home. I have my regular visit tomorrow with my doctor. But I was just a little upset that she told us to come right in like it was serious, and then just checked my blood pressure which I could have done from home. I got everyone all riled up, and home from work for nothing. Ugh. It was frustrating.

So last night I still felt yucky. I did eat a big salad with chicken, it was so good, and kept it down. But I could only eat 1/2 a potato at dinner. I went to bed and slept pretty well. Only 8 more days!

37 week appointment

Well I went to the Dr today and I saw the Nurse Practitioner. I asked if she could check to see if I am dilated and she said no, because they don't want to disturb anything in there. Um ok. I was dissapointed to say the least. But I am being sent for another ultrasound to check the size of the baby. Only 2 more weeks left!

And apprently there was a patient there today with Swine Flu! Yeah, that is a little scary. I made sure i wshed my hands a lot. That would not be fun at all!


Oh yeah. And my Group B Strep was positive this time! IT was negative with Braxton. She said it changes all the time. SHe said if they checked 2 weeks from now I might be negative again. If this is the case, why not just treat all Moms with antibiotics at delivery?

a little scary

SO last night I had a scare. This whole pregnancy Brooklyn has been very active. Usually when I go to bed she kicks for about 10 mins. Well last night I laid down and I did not feel her. So I pushed on my belly to try to wake her up and still nothing. I asked Rick to push on my belly and talk to her to see if she would respond. Nothing. So I got up called the dr's office and got the emergency line. I must have written it down wrong because I could not get anything but a fax. While I was in panic mode Rick suggested getting the flashlight and seeing if she would respond to it. Luckily she did. What a relief! We were both so nervous. I am so glad Rick thought about that. So I didn't have to call the Dr and I did kick counts to make sure. She must have just been resting.

I still have net been feeling well. I feel nauseous and tired. I am so ready for this baby to come. But only 15 days left, so I think I can make it.

37 weeks today

Well my day started out yucky. I had morning sickness out of nowhere! But some say that is a sign of early labor. Let's hope so! I have been having bad back pains all weekend. I have had a hard time getting comfortable because my back is aching. SO maybe the baby is getting into position. I Am going to ask to be checked this week to see if I have dilated. I have been taking some short walks to loosen things up.But hey if I am not dilated or effaced, then what is the point? I Could just be relaxing at home :o)

I took a "just for fun quiz" to see what it said and here are my results: You won't need to try any secret recipes to bring on labor. Have your emergency numbers ready. Don't wait until the last minute to get your nursery ready. We predict your baby will... come 1-2 weeks early. Your baby will most likely be born in the morning.Your baby will weigh approximately 9.2 pounds and your labor will be about 5 hours long.

LOL


And here is my picture 36 weeks and 5 days. I feel like my belly grows every day!






And I Want to say a big Congrats to Billy and Chrissy Walsh! They had their son this morning and he is perfect!

Probably TMI, you have been warned.

Ugh. I am just grumpy today. I do have a doctors appt at 2:30. I beleive I will be going every week from now on. But in reality that is only for 2 more weeks because as far as I know I am still having a c-section. We will see what she says.

I really wanted to enjoy this pregnancy. But I am so sick of the sore nipples, leaking nipples, digestive issues, constipation, and now diarrhea. Which is now turned into hemorrhoids. I did not have any hemorrhoid issues with Brax, and I felt very lucky. But I feel a lot of pressure this time in my lower areas. Both of them. She feels so heavy. Sometimes I feel a sharp pain which makes me believe I am dilating. Who knows. Should I even embarrass myself and ask my doctor about it. I wonder if she is even going to check me. She never did with Braxton. The only time I got checked was when I saw a different doctor and she thought I was in early labor because of my symptoms that day. Is that something you ask for. "um doc can you check my cervix today" Too bad there is not an at home cervix checking kit. LOL

So I am 3 weeks away from my c-section date and I am so ready to be done with this huge belly of mine. And I mean huge! I will have to take some pics today. I look like I am smuggling a 10 lbs pumpkin.

Due Date Countdown Widget

ugh...the cold virus

I have been fighting this cold for what feels like forever now. Yesterday was the first day I felt better than usual. So I went to the grocery store with my Mother. I had to pick up my prescription and pick up some birthday cards. My Mom takes FOREVER in the store. I don;t know why, but what would take Rick and I 45 mins takes her 2 hours. I was getting very tired and uncomfortable towards the end. SO when I got home I tried to relax. I was laying down and started having contractions. They were irregular but frequent. They stopped after 2 hours. I thought that I really walked this baby into labor. LOL Not so lucky.

SO today I am feeling so so. My body hurts and this cough is exhausting. Only 3 weeks left until the c-section. Unless my Doctor feels like I can have a VBAC. I am looking forward to my appointment on Wednesday. WE will see what she says about my scan :o)


Oh and does anyone know if they still do trick or treating at the Christiana Mall for kids? I am not sure how I will be feeling on Halloween and I don't want Brax to miss out on the fun. The mall would just be so much easier than walking the hood. LOL

4D!!!

Okay so I got my ultrasound yesterday. My Doctor sent me to Maternal and Fetal medicine to get a more accurate weight estimate. They are a high risk facility and monitor pregnancy that is high risk. SO their equipment is top notch. They are super nice. She talked to me and explained everything that was on the screen. My baby has a lot of hair. She estimated her weight to be 6lbs 4oz. Which is a little big but not huge. So when I go to my doctor next week we will discuss my options once again.

But the coolest part of the whole appointment was when she converted it to 4D! I have always wanted to do a 4D ultrasound, but could never afford it. But this place does it for many reasons so she just did it for me and printed me some pictures. I was so excited! Gosh I would have loved Rick to see it, because the pictures do not do it justice.

Here she is!

UGH

Well I am officially sick. I caught what the guys have/had. Yuck! SO I am trying to talk myself into feeling better for my ultrasound today. And it looks like I can't get my flu shot tomorrow because they do not give them when your already sick. Rick could not get his yesterday at school. SO I will just make an appointment when I feel better.


And the dreams about random people have not stopped. Last night it was Jason Hawes from Ghost Hunters. Wow!