Life Lately

Over the past month, we have somehow managed to stay completely busy while doing absolutely nothing. Our weekends, while mostly unplanned, have been consumed with baby preparation and failed potty training attempts. We have been washing and folding baby clothes, pulling baby stuff out of storage, and cleaning and organizing the entire house all while taking Taylor to the bathroom every 5 seconds. Super exciting stuff here. Thankfully, unplanned weekends allow for leisurely morning snuggles in bed, lots of homemade waffles, and jammies all day long. It has been simply wonderful.

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 Last weekend, we dug ourselves out of our hibernation funk and had all of our best friends over for our annual "Merry New Year" party, a combination Christmas/New Year celebration. We devoured appetizers and cocktails, talking nonstop the entire time, while the kids entertained themselves with Taylor's toys, junk food, and a continual loop of movies in our bedroom. The highlight of the party is always the white elephant gift exchange where we all try to out do each other by coming up with the most ridiculous gift we can find. Safe to say that Jake was the winner with an over sized "I like big MUGS and I cannot lie" coffee cup while Corey was a close second with his denim jeggings and breast enhancer. He was quick to try on both and had all of us rolling. The night was completely fantastic and just what we all needed. Our schedules are so hectic that we have to plan months in advance just to get everyone together, but the time that we do get to spend together is always full of love, laughter, and endless chatter. Have I mentioned how lucky we are to have such an amazing group of friends?

 Unfortunately, life hasn't been all fun and games lately. Jake's grandmother passed away recently and, due to a number of different circumstances, we weren't able to travel to Idaho to attend the funeral. Her passing is something that has been weighing heavily on all of our hearts, but ultimately we are glad she is no longer suffering and has been reunited with her husband, Stanley, in heaven. We were fortunate that Taylor was able to meet her great-grandmother and spend time with her while she was in good health during our trip out west last fall. Rest in peace, Gigi. Although we will always miss you, we are happy knowing you are in a better place.

As the weeks roll by and D Day grows closer, we plan on spending our time close to home. I feel like there is so much left to do but all I care about is snuggling with my girl and watching The Little Mermaid on repeat. Soon my days (and nights) will be filled with feedings and endless diaper changes, so it's easy to justify putting things on hold now to spend quality time with her. I hope the coming weeks are full of sunshine and warmer weather and lots of family bonding time. And now that I have someone to help with the vacuuming, we just may get everything on our list done before little brother arrives.

Toddler Sleep Styles

Almost a year ago, I wrote this post about Taylor's quirky sleep styles, and since then Jake and I have been collecting images of all of the funny sleep positions that the tot has ended up in. It's always amusing to check the camera in the middle of the night and find her in the strangest way, especially now that she has a twin size bed to sprawl out on.

Some nights she sleeps peacefully in the same position that she's in when we tuck her in for the night, head on her pillow at the top of the bed with the covers pulled clear up to her neck.

Most nights she's a wild mess, flip flopping all over the place and usually ending up horizontally with her head on the body pillow (which is there to keep her from rolling off the bed) and her feet against the wall. Unfortunately, this sleep style has led to her pushing both the body pillow and herself off the edge of the bed on occasion, but when that happens she gets up and climbs right back in without shedding a tear or expressing any fear of falling out again.

And other nights are a free for all where anything can happen. Thank heavens for footed, fleece pajamas, otherwise she would freeze without any cover!

 

No matter where she travels during the night, she always ends up with Penny (her Cabbage Patch doll) and Hello Kitty under each arm. And ever since Snoopy joined her collection at Christmas, he is certain to be somewhere in her bed each morning as well.

Although her sleep styles are entertaining (as she seems to be continuously active throughout the night), she never wakes up or gets out of bed. We tuck her in, turn out the light, and she is asleep within minutes. I have always been thankful for her sleep habits, especially when she began sleeping through the night in her crib at just 8 weeks. As she has gotten older and we have transitioned her from the crib to a toddler bed and again to a twin size bed, we have had zero issues. We have kept the same bedtime routine in place since she was an infant which I'm certain has helped in her dozing off each night without complaint.

I'm grateful every day that her love for sleep is as strong as mine, especially during these last few months of pregnancy. I just hope that her brother will be equally as complaint when it comes to sleep training him in a few short months!

33 Week Update

After talking with my OB at last week's check-up, Jake and I decided to go ahead and schedule a C section for March 11.  Surgery is (and always will be) our back up plan as I have every intention of letting this little boy determine his own path into the world, but since the morning surgery slots fill up quickly (and no one wants to sit around unable to eat all day) we decided it was best to get something on the books, just in case. So no matter what little man decides to do, March 11 will mark the end of this pregnancy journey. Although last night I dreamed that I gave birth in the middle of a meeting on the conference room table, so I guess anything is possible.

Size: A pineapple. Baby boy is approximately 19" long and weighs approximately 4.5 pounds.

Gender: Boy - and he officially has a name! Contrary to what Taylor says, it is not Eeyore.

Maternity Clothes: 100% of the time because regular shirts just can't cover this belly anymore. I've even started dipping into Jake's closet on occasion. It's times like this that I'm thankful for my larger-than-average husband.

Sleep: Still hard to come by mostly because I just can't get comfortable. And because I have to pee every 15 minutes. I have been taking full advantage of Taylor's nap time on the weekends and indulging in some extra rest myself.

Best Moment of the Week(s): Finally having my husband back after his busy rush season and a 4 day business trip (Halle-friggin-lujah). After I completely lost my shit the day after he got home, we both determined I am entirely too pregnant to be single parenting at this point. So no more long hours or traveling until after this baby comes.

Miss Anything: Mostly breathing at this point. It's safe to say that my belly is as big now as it was at 39 weeks with Taylor. I can't believe we still have another 6-7 weeks to go!

Movement: So much movement! The doctor confirmed that he is still laying sideways which makes me hopeful that he may actually turn head down and enter this world naturally (unlike his stubborn sister). Until then, I have been trying to embrace every jab and kick since I'll only get to feel them for a little while longer. It makes me sad to think that this will be my last (planned) pregnancy!

Cravings: Oatmeal cream pies and ice cream. My father would be so proud.

Sickness: Lots of heartburn and, more recently, intense lower back & hip pain. I have bi-weekly massages scheduled from now until my due date, and I'm hopeful they will alleviate some of the pain.

Looking Forward To: Finishing the nursery and getting everything ready for baby's arrival. We are well into nesting mode (let's face it, I'm always in nesting mode) which meant a super productive weekend at our house. We hung all of the artwork, picked out the last of the decor, and Jake whipped up a couple DIY projects. I can't wait to share the final product with you soon!

In other news, we have been working on potty training with Taylor and, after this weekend's failed attempt at putting her in underwear, we've officially determined she is not ready. So, we're taking a step back for now and preparing ourselves for life with two in diapers. It's not ideal, but it is reality. Besides, I'd much rather she do it when she's ready rather than us forcing her into it and then she regressing once her brother arrives (which I'm told is quite common).

And just for fun - and because Taylor was too busy playing to take a picture with me this week - here is a look back to August 2013 when I was about 32 weeks pregnant with Taylor. Oh how I wish my toes were in that warm Michigan sand as I sit here awaiting the snow to fall. Spring, we're ready whenever you are!

Snow Days

Alternatively titled "Being confined indoors with a 2 year old for 48 hours." 

Okay, so we weren't actually confined to our house, but with Jake out of town for work and a few inches of snowfall Saturday morning I made the executive decision that the tot and I would not be going anywhere all weekend. Even though we live in an area of the country that sees snow every winter, people tend to freak out and drive like maniacs as soon as the first snowflake falls. So, I did what any sane pregnant woman would do and hibernated in our home until Monday morning. And let me just say, we had a blast.

Saturday morning Taylor was up bright and early because it was Saturday. She came bounding into my room just before the sun came up requesting milk and "Doc McStuffins" to which I happily obliged. Doc kept her content until it was time to roll out of bed and make breakfast then start on my first of seven loads of laundry. Apparently laundry doesn't care about snow days.

After watching "The Little Mermaid" for the first time that day, we engrossed ourselves in puzzles, books, and a tea party until lunchtime. Tay was wiped so I put her down for an early nap while I folded baby clothes and reminisced about my first baby being that little. Three glorious hours later, the tot awoke and immediately began pulling every article of clothing out of her dresser. I walked in to find her little booty shoved into not one, not two, but three of last year's swimsuits complete with a sunhat and sunglasses. As soon as she saw me, she smiled and asked if she could go outside and play. When I told her no, she threw a fit and then ran to put on her snow boots (as if that was the only thing missing from her outfit).

We played dress up a while longer, pulling on one princess dress after another, until I finally talked Taylor into putting on her real snow gear and going outside to play. Approximately 25 minutes later, after I somehow managed to shove my pregnant self into my cold gear, we waddled outside to build a snowman. That idea quickly faded as Taylor began running around the yard like a crazy person, darting in and out of the bushes and stopping only to pull her gloves back on. Toddlers and mittens are a funny combination. This lasted about 5 minutes in total. The other 5 minutes we were outside were spent attempting to pick up rocks that were frozen solid. Once she realized she wasn't getting anywhere, it was time to go in. We stripped off our layers, put on some warm jammies, and watched "The Little Mermaid" again before bed.

The next morning was another slow start that eventually led to warm cinnamon rolls, hot coffee, and some light cleaning. Taylor pushed her toy vaccum into my ankles while I pushed our real vaccum throughout each room of the house. Once the floors were clean, Taylor decided to drag out her brother's new bathtub and give each of her babies a bath. She must have realized how much work bath time can be for a momma, because eventually she threw the babies aside and lay back in the bathtub with her book to relax. And then she read me a few stories, each beginning with "Once a time..."

After another three hour nap, we spent the rest of the afternoon playing dress up in Taylor's room. I just love how girly she is becoming, taking care of her babies, cooking in her kitchen, and throwing on a princess dress and jewels any chance she gets. Her imagination runs wild, and we are constantly laughing at the random things that come out of her mouth. I have no doubt that her brother will have a hard time keeping up, but she has made it very clear that she is ready for him to get here and "play wis me" already. Poor fella, I sure hope he likes high heels and bracelets! ;c )

 

31 Week Update

I'm only 4 weeks behind on updates, but who's counting? As you can tell, the belly is growing and so is our little one. He is more active than ever, so much so that Jake was able to spot his dance moves clear across the room last weekend! With approximately 8 weeks until he makes his debut, we are still undecided if I will go ahead with a second C section or wait to see if decides to come on his own. My doctor has given me the option of scheduling a C section if we want, but for now we are taking it day by day and letting him decide his course of entry into this world. I get so anxious thinking about his arrival and, honestly, I could care less how he arrives as long as we're both healthy in the end. But still, the thought of another C section makes me cringe. Recovery was not easy with Taylor, and I can only imagine how much more difficult it will be with a 2 year old and a newborn in the mix.

Size: A coconut. Baby boy is approximately 18" long and weighs approximately 3.2 pounds.

Gender: Boy

Maternity Clothes: The hubby was super sweet and surprised me with a bunch of new maternity clothes for Christmas, which I desperately needed. My hips are definitely wider this go round making my dress pants super uncomfortable to wear for 10 hours each day, so it's basically maternity leggings from here on out.

Sleep: Pregnancy insomnia is a real thing, and I've definitely been encountering it lately. I just can't seem to get comfortable and when I do my mind won't shut off. I'm getting so anxious for his arrival!

Best Moment of the Week(s): Christmas was absolutely wonderful this year. Taylor had a blast with her cousins and has been playing with all of her presents nonstop. Her favorites include a mini Dyson vacuum, Elsa doll, and coffee maker. I love her imagination and watching her thought process as she plays. The terrible two's can be draining at times, but overall I just love this age!

Miss Anything: So many things! As my belly grows, I'm getting more and more uncomfortable. Mostly, I miss being able to breathing normally, and lately our nightly bath/bedtime routine leaves me feeling like I've run a marathon. I should also note that putting on my socks and boots has become a real struggle over the last few weeks. My dad offered me his hospital grabber stick to help. How thoughtful.

Movement: Lots! His movements are much more pronounced now that he's getting bigger, and they're definitely visible from the outside. He lays sideways nearly 100% of the time which means frequent jabs/kicks to the ribs, hips, and basically all of my internal organs. He's so much more active than I ever remember Taylor being!

Cravings: I'll be the first to admit - it's pretty amazing the amount of food I am able to consume during one meal!  I don't discriminate much when it comes to what type of food I'll eat, but my sweet tooth always kicks in just before bedtime. I swear, I'm hungry all the time!

Sickness: Just this never-ending cold, which isn't a big deal until I try to lay in bed at night. Then the stuffiness begins and I'm forced to sleep sitting up on my side, which is about as comfortable as it sounds. I can't wait to be able to sleep flat on my back again!

Looking Forward To: A new year! While 2015 was pretty good overall (despite the worst experience of my life), I am ready to start anew and welcome our little boy into the world. I'm nervous and anxious, scared and excited, but so ready to hold him in my arms and introduce him to his big sister!

And speaking of the tot, here she is giving little brother some "eski-moochies," nose to belly button. So. Sweet.