Proud Papa

While I was out grocery shopping, I received this text message about Moses from Dave:

"He totally got in his chair and started watching Primal Grill..."

If you know Dave at all, you know he loves his barbecue and is a loyal follower of all things Steven Raichlen--so this development made him one doting dad.

Com(id)a

Well, it's that time again. Moses fell asleep while eating. I think I'm going to start a whole new blog just for those pictures since it's all I seem to post lately. I might just start adding captions, too, in the same way icanhascheezburger.com has done with LOLcats.

This is probably one of my favorite asleep-at-the-meal pictures so far because he was obviously still eating when he fell asleep--hand on fork, hand in bowl.

(yup--Moses is still in his pjs--for the first time in awhile we didn't have anywhere to be today so we're having a lazy day.)

Out for a Stroll

As a baby gift, I received my dream stroller from my Dad and Sally. I know I previously said I wanted a Phil & Ted's Sport but after doing more research, I decided on the BOB Stroller Strides Duallie* because it allows me to either walk or jog with two, and with the infant seat attachment, we can get outside sooner rather than later. Ultimately, I want to start running again, but for now, we're just using it for long walks to the park.

On Monday morning, we walked a mile to the park, played, and then walked back. Aside from a couple of Milo's outbursts, the walk went great! The stroller handles so well---it's easy to push through grass and sand, turns on a dime (really!), takes bumpy sidewalks like a charm, and fits though our doorways. It must be cozy, too, because Moses fell asleep on the return trip.



Of course, that tiny nap threw Moses off schedule and he ended up crashing mid-play that afternoon.
*No, I don't do Stroller Strides but wanted the extra amenities the stroller has to offer (handlebar console, exercise bands, and workout manual). The stroller comes with a free week's worth of classes so I'll definitely give it a try but $45 a month for classes is tough when I'm not bringing in money. Shoot, maybe I'll just follow behind our local class and copy their workouts--I suppose there's nothing to stop me (except extreme embarrassment)! Ha!

Toddler-ese

"My-mo" is how Moses pronounces Milo. It just warms my heart every time I hear it. He occasionally sing-songs it as a "Myyyyyy-mo," and it's the sweetest song in the world.

Milo: Two Week Check-Up

Mr. Milo is two weeks old today! How do we celebrate? With a cold stethoscope, a tongue depressor, and a heel prick! We sure know how to party.

Milo's first appointment with our pediatrician was this morning. It was a pretty early outing for us, especially since I'm still trying to master getting out the door with two kids' diapers, drinks, toys, blankets, etc. Thankfully, I was able to drop Moses off at his Gran's on the way so that I could devote my attention to Milo at this first visit and Moses was guaranteed a much better time than I could have provided.

As for the appointment, all looked well and sounded great to Dr. Gray. Milo's growing like a weed: he's already 9 pounds 8 ounces (oddly, he didn't lose more than a few ounces in the hospital) and 22 inches.

Milo had the nasty heel prick test too, and after screaming fantastically for a couple minutes, he calmed and cooed himself to sleep. His little noises had the nurses giggling. Milo is a very noisy sleeper despite being at complete peace. Happy two weeks my little piglet!

My daily dilemma

Most days the boys will nap at the same time and I'm met with the same daily dilemma: Do I clean? Do I nap? Do I waste hours online? It's so difficult to make a choice because various parts of my mind are itching for different decisions.

Yesterday, I desperately wanted to sleep but Moses was being stubborn about napping. Despite acting tired, he just wanted to PLAY! WITH! CARS! Finally, in early afternoon, he crashed while playing with those cars.

Thankfully, I still was able to get in a power nap before the craziness set in again.

Night Cap

There's nothing like a little yogurt before bed...

Like night and day

It seems Milo is falling into the easier-second-child stereotype I've frequently heard about, and I couldn't be more thrilled (and dumbfounded) by his mellowness. I wouldn't say Moses was a difficult baby--okay, maybe I would--but he never slept for longer than 20 minutes at a time, refused to sleep on his back, was very difficult to soothe, and didn't allow anyone but Dave and I to care for him. Of course, he's my little boy and I love him all the more for those long sleepless nights and difficult days, but I will say it's nice to have an easier baby this time around. I'm sure my very writing of this post will jinx Milo's easy-going disposition, but at least I'm documenting this beautiful time.

Milo's been a dreamy sleeper and eater and even soothes himself back to sleep with little effort. He's a sound sleeper too, sleeping through Moses' untimely lawn mowing episodes and the occasional toddler fit.

Moses is vacillating between being a helpful big brother and jealous sibling, which is understandable. One minute he'll offer his juice to Milo or show concern for his crying, and the next he'll throw a fit over Milo sitting in his bouncy seat or being held by Mommy. Overall, he's really done a great job accepting his new brother and the changes he's brought with him and been a tender, shining poster child for big brotherhood.

Week 1 Mash Up

I've started several posts over the course of the week but haven't completed any due to the overriding need for sleep, food, or child care. The following is a mash up of some of those incomplete posts:

I knew there'd be an adjustment as we transitioned from one child to two, but I didn't realize how much easier one child is in comparison. Now, I find it difficult to find the time to sleep, clean, and even eat. I've heard people say that pregnancy weight comes off much quicker with a second child, and now I know why! I'm constantly on the go and rarely have time to indulge in anything except Moses' leftovers. Every moment of craziness is worth it though because we have these moments to enjoy:

On Friday, we had our first (and last!) trip to the grocery store as a threesome. Between the nearly two hours of prep work required to leave the house with two children in tow and the chaos that ensued towards the end of our shopping trip, I must have burnt 2000 calories. If the Steeplechase can be an Olympic event, shopping with two should also be a sport. Moses did well standing in the basket of the shopping cart but found the grocery goods at his feet too tempting not to step on them. Once we had that issue resolved, Milo woke up. Let me say that steering a shopping cart, minding a toddler, and feeding a newborn is not a task for the weary. Checking out got even hairier. I think I may have scared the young woman behind me in line into lifelong abstinence. I've since resolved to take only one child to the store with me for now until I have better mastery of two (and maybe a third arm).

Moses is using a spoon like a pro now, and this week, he mastered eating yogurt, cereal, and soup with minimal mess. As a cereal fanatic, I couldn't be prouder of my little Cheerios eater. There's nothing like enjoying a breakfast of toasted oats together in the morning while his little brother snoozes. His obsession with yogurt is a little scary at the moment, but I guess there are much worse foods he could be addicted to.

Moses has also started climbing tall furniture and reaching counter tops with the help of a toddler-sized chair he's had for ages but only recently found worth his time. I've had several mini-heart attacks this week as I've found him on top of our desk, laying atop our console table, and (once!) at our butcher block with a knife. These recent events have me reconsidering our household layout and I expect we'll be doing a lot more toddler-proofing in the coming days.

Dave's parents and niece also stopped by on Saturday to see Milo and Moses (and us, too). Milo enjoyed all the attention from his grandparents and Moses was giggling non-stop with his cousin, Jasmin.

I aim to start posting regularly again soon and will be sure to post more pictures of the boys, too. Poor Milo's life hasn't been chronicled nearly enough as it should have been at this point, but I'm going to make an earnest effort to get the camera out more these days.

Just like old times

Thank goodness Moses hasn't let the recent changes in our household affect his tendency for inopportune sleeping.

Milo's Birth Story

My doctor called Friday morning when I was on the way home from my umpteenth attempt at walking myself into labor. She said that she had a room ready for me if I wanted to go in then. I was still scared about being induced but very ready to meet my boy (and so done with being pregnant) so Dave and I hightailed it to the hospital.

When I arrived at the hospital, it was 11 a.m. From my previous post, you know that I was already pretty progressed--sitting at 5 cm, 90% effaced, and -1 station and contracting. I got an epidural around 2 o'clock (which didn't fully take on my left side, boo) and started the Pitocin around 3 to help move me along. Having all of those medications administered at once made me feel a little strange and lightheaded so I took a brief nap and, thankfully, woke up feeling better. At 4:30, I was checked and had only changed to 5.5 cm so my water was broken.

That was a magical, magical event.

Nearly an hour later, I began to feel intense pain and the incredible urge to push. My nurse checked me and said I was fully dilated and effaced. She barely had time to call for a set up and the doctors before I started to push. Thankfully, Dave had just returned from eating dinner in the cafeteria. 3 back-to-back pushes and 30 seconds later my boy was here!

I'm still amazed at the quickness of it all since Moses tested the limits of my pushing ability and my doctor's time allowance. I always envied those women who "pushed for only 20 minutes." Little Milo must have known my delivery desires and did me one better--3 pushes! He wasn't messing around! I do have a second degree tear but other than that, I'm doing fine and feeling much better physically this time around.

Milo arrived so quickly that my doctor wasn't able to make it there for the delivery, but strangely enough, a childhood friend of Dave's delivered Milo.

Milo's doing well and has received a clean bill of health from all the professional pokers and prodders who've visited. I'm breastfeeding again and am thrilled he's got a great latch--if only he wasn't always nodded off to sleep at each meal!

Moses met Milo for the first time yesterday! He didn't really notice Milo and was more interested in the room's furniture (with buttons!) than his new brother. I don't think he realized that Milo is going home with us and that he's a permanent fixture in the family.


It's so nice to finally have Milo here with us and we look forward to getting home and being a foursome!

Meet Milo

A little play-by-play

I'm here at the hospital now (hooray for Wi-Fi!). When I arrived, I was 5 cm, nearly 100% effaced, and contracting regularly but still painlessly. Since then, my contractions have intensified a ton so I think this little boy was coming anyway. I just got my epidural, which was a breeze compared to my last one's two-hour-long fiasco. I haven't even started the Pitocin yet, but my body is doing a good job on its own.

It's funny, now that I'm here, I don't care how my little boy gets here so long as he's healthy. My body is just a vessel for his arrival anyhow. No worries. :)

Going in!

My doctor just called and stressed that we go in now for an induction! Hooray for space! Wish us luck!

Another week comes to an end.

And I'm still pregnant.

That pretty much sums up this entire post. I've had varying contractions and cramps, along with some "signs," but nothing has become unbearable enough to head to the hospital. I'm convinced this baby will just fall out before long!

I've been pregnant for exactly 3 more weeks than I was when Moses arrived. Sigh. My doctor is trying to get me in for an induction but the hospital is completely booked so I'm on stand-by essentially, waiting for a bed to free up. I suppose if I just go into labor they'll have to take me, but there's no telling where I'd end up. Can I just say from experience that the renal wing is not fun when you aren't having kidney issues (and you are well under 60)?

Send some labor vibes. I'm growing nervous about Dave's need to return to work soon. I'd like to have my hubby for some transitional days!

Stubborn child!

Well, I made it through the night! The membrane stripping hasn't been successful (yet), but I've been having more painful cramping than usual and some stronger contractions. We're not making a mad dash for the hospital just yet though. It's a nice overcast morning here so I think I'm going to head out doors for a long morning walk...

Psyche.

Dave and I just returned from my appointment. The doctor examined me and said I was 3-4 cm, 70% effaced, and -1 station--so I'm progressing. She went ahead and stretched my cervix to a 4 and stripped my membranes so I could very well go into labor on my own tonight, but in the event that doesn't happen, we'll schedule an induction time for later this week. Labor and delivery is packed today and tomorrow so she's going to call us this evening and tell us how Friday and Saturday look. I'm really hoping her "tweaking" this afternoon will help me go into labor before the weekend, but if I don't, at least there's an end in sight.

And, while it doesn't always mean anything, I'm measuring 41 weeks. My doctor doesn't think he's too big yet though.

Game time

For fun, I added the above poll to see how big you all think this baby will be. Moses was 7 pounds 8 ounces when he was born at 36 weeks 5 days (of course this baby hasn't done anything like his brother so he might not be as big). I was 9 pounds 2 ounces at birth, and we don't about Dave's birth weight. I've gained 50 pounds this pregnancy, but we all know that's not all baby. ;) I also have no medical problems that contribute to a smaller/larger baby.

So take that information and give me a guess!

Here's a picture from this morning (ignore our dated bathroom). This is the only belly-bearing shot you'll ever get!

Decisions, decisions

Well, I'm at 39 weeks 3 days today and while not yet overdue, I'm over being pregnant. I have an appointment this afternoon and I'm curious what my doctor will have to say. I know she'll probably want to induce but whether or not I consent to an induction depends on my little boy's readiness to come out and my own nervousness. I keep thinking he has to be ready to arrive on his own soon, right? It's rare that a second child would outlast the first's gestation by so much time (almost 3 weeks!) so I would think he could arrive on his own any day now. If it's tomorrow, great, but if it's a week from now, not-so. Come out sweet boy!

Just for belly laughs

I consider myself a stoic person as it usually takes a lot to solicit an out-loud laugh from me so I have to give Nicole kudos for this comment on my last post:

"Gahhhhh, you are still pregnant? You are going to give birth to a MAN."

Maybe it's just my delicate state (is a 205-pound pregnant women still considered delicate?) but I had a good laugh at that remark because I do, in fact, also think I'm going to give birth to a MAN.

Thanks, Nicole, that made my still-pregnant evening.

It's morning.

And I'm still pregnant.

Each morning I wake up and tell Dave, "I can't believe I'm still pregnant" and he shakes his head in mutual disbelief. I was hopeful last night would be the night because I was having some semi-painful contractions around 10 minutes apart, but they faded after an hour and never came back.

Moses had a rough night last night, too, so I was more conscious of the fact that I wasn't near labor each time I was up with him. I'm not sure if Moses is beginning to have night terrors or what, but lately he wakes up with a fright and is inconsolable unless we turn on a light and get up for a bit. Last night he howled for an hour even with our solace and didn't calm down until I turned on a closet light and suggested we read a book. So, we read books and watched old episodes of The Muppet Show from 3-5 a.m. before he crashed again. I wish I knew what was bothering him at night. These freak outs aren't ideal for a family about to welcome a newborn!

My still-pregnant state has me thinking that maybe this stubborn little boy in my uterus is holding out for an 08-08-08 birthday. Wouldn't that be a great birth date? I'm sure there'll be a lot of intentional deliveries that day though so I'm not sure I'd enjoy a crowded hospital stay. For Moses, we had a nice, big room, but I've heard stories of women delivering in a tiny triage room (no TV!) on busy days. Yuck. I'd also be stuck watching Olympic coverage for my stay. I'm a fan of the sporting event, but at times the coverage is a bit overkill. Isn't it funny that I'm concerning myself with my possible TV schedule in the event I deliver post opening ceremony? I can't help but think about what mindless entertainment I'll have in those early, tired days, and I love me some boob tube.

Flipflop

Still here. Other than cramps and the usual painless contractions, I've received no more signs of impending labor.

The more Dave and I talk about it, the more we are okay with an induction if this boy doesn't come on his own soon. Last week, I was more than 3 cm dilated, 60% effaced, and -2 station, and from reading lots and lots of information on inductions, those numbers make me a decent candidate for a successful induction (especially if his station has improved). I know regression is possible though so we'll have to see if those numbers have progressed or not on Wednesday.

Why the sudden change of heart? Dave starts back to work on the 12th, and we'd really like to have some time to adjust before he has to return for the school year. I'm sure the school would understand if he needed time off for the birth of his child, but in addition to attending mandatory teacher meetings, it's important that Dave uses the two weeks before class starts to ready himself and his room for the new year. I taught and know how precious that prep time is.

Yes, there's something special about your child being born on his/her own time, and I'd prefer it that way. Hopefully, this boy decides it's his time soon so that we don't have to decide his birthday for him, but it's crunch time! Come on kiddo, make this easy for your mama!

I'm still scared of a c-section or longer-than-necessary labor so I'm not guaranteeing anything I ramble on about here.

39 weeks

My baby countdown ticker is playing a cruel joke on me today. I don't know why it's suddenly telling me I'm only 34 weeks 4 days instead of 39, but I don't appreciate the widget denying me those hard-earned additional 31 days!

I woke up this morning surprised that I made it through the night, let alone to 39 weeks. I think this boy's getting closer and closer to making his arrival, but I'm growing a little tired of repeating my "today's the day" mantra. I know this sweet boy will come when he's ready, but these final days are rough. I feel like such a bump on a log when it comes to cleaning, cooking, or playing with Moses. I try to get active, but it's short-lived and I quickly retire to the chair in front of my portable fan.

My doctor wants to talk about an induction at my appointment this Wednesday, and if conditions are favorable, possibly induce that day. As ready as I am to meet my boy, I'm scared of inducing because I don't want to end up with a c-section. My post-partum recovery with Moses was difficult so I'm praying for an easier convalescence this time. The induction wouldn't be for anything more than convenience and the avoidance of a large baby so it's hard for me to justify. After all, this boy will come out when he's good and ready, right?

I might have a completely different outlook by Wednesday though.