Tell me it isn't so...1 month already!!! *Picture overload*

Our little baby boy is one month old today (Mar. 7)! Unbelieveable!  It seems like just the other day he arrived!  He is such a sweet baby and he is growing very well!  I don't know his official weight & length yet because his checkup is on Monday, but when I weighed him on our scale the other day, he was a little over 8 lbs!  We can definitely tell the difference because he feels heavier and his body is filling out now instead of being just a skinny mini :)  He still sleeps pretty well at night, but the past 2 weeks or so his tummy has been bothering him, so he makes me sit on my exercise ball and bounce him to sleep.  The other night he was awake for 2.5 hrs straight before he fell asleep (and just bouncing in bed is not satisfactory and he'll cry because he prefers to be upright).  Last night was a long night as well because he strains to poop, but not much has come out since yesterday morning, so he was/is pretty uncomfortable when he's not sleeping.  I was remembering this morning that the exact thing happened with Adrian when we went to Oregon when he was a month old.  I was so worried about the lack of poop and the increased fussiness, and then on Halloween he officially christened me into motherhood and literally exploded all over me.  After that, he was fine :)  So, I expect and hope that Victor has a great big poop soon to relieve the gas & stomach pain, but I hope the explosion stays confined to his diaper haha (Update: this was written in the morning of 3/7 and by the evening, he made a very big poop [that remained in his diaper] and he seemed so much more comfortable after that...he didn't give me too much trouble going to bed woo hoo...but he wanted to be awake very early this morning)
We finally got his ultrasound for his spine scheduled for Wednesday, so we pray that we only hear great news and then I can finally relax and not be so worried. *For those reading that may not know, Victor has a closed hole in his skin at the bottom of his spine, and we are getting the ultrasound to make sure that all things are attached as they should be and that nothing is irregular besides the hole in the skin.  Because his legs work just fine and he is having normal bowel movements and peeing just fine, we are optimistic that everything is fine, but the reassurance from the ultrasound will definitely bring us peace of mind :)

Adrian is such a good brother and will ask where Victor is if he doesn't see him.  He asks to give him hugs and kisses too.  He is generally a good helper and follows directions pretty well, but he has his stubborn times and has been doing time out more often than before (sometimes by his request...I guess he knows when he needs a break).  Hopefully with the weather getting nicer we can get outside more and he can get rid of all that energy that I think being inside has pent up inside him.
I think we're all transitioning pretty well into life as a family of four, and I look forward to watching my boys grow up together.  I'm still working on getting into some routine, so I've been bad at phone calls, but feel free to call after 9 and I'm sure to answer :)  (In fact, I'd love to chat to loved ones)

Watch me grow! 1 month old!

 

Here's a comparison pic :)

 

Our little men

In addition to his strawberry birthmark on his neck,

our baby boy has another unique feature:

a two-toned tummy! :)

I think the lighter part is a normal birthmark

 

Handsome little Adrian, as of last week, has gotten in two more teeth!!

His last bottom 2 molars came in!

 

Dreamy smiles

 

 

 

 

Teddy thinks he's okay too ;)

 

All clean!!

 

Not sure if he'll be a true thumb sucker, but he finds it every so often :)

 

 

In the words of Mickey Mouse, "Thanks for stoppin' by!"



Birth Story of our precious Victor!

Date of Birth: February 7, 2013 at 8:07am

Original Due Date: February 4, 2013

Weeks Pregnant: 40 weeks & 2.5 days

Weight: 6lbs even (my boys like even birth weights I guess haha)

Height: 20 inches long

My weight Gain: I got up to 169.2 lbs (I weighed myself when i was in labor haha)..so a total of 45-46lbs...I weighed myself a couple hours after delivered and I had immediately lost 12lbs and as of 2/13, I've lost 20lbs!...On my way to trying on those bridal gowns and sooner to wearing normal pants again lol :)

 

Birth Story: On Feb 6th, I had called my mom to come over to get out of the house and to go to lunch together. After lunch, we went to walmart, got a couple of things and then we headed towards home. On the way, we decided to take Adrian to the park to play a bit, and I had walked a quarter mile lap around the park just to keep active and see if I could get some contractions started. Around 3:30pm or so we headed home and I laid down with Adrian to get him to take a nap, but also to rest a bit myself.

I started feeling some contractions, but ignored them at first because I had been feeling contractions for weeks and I didn't want to get my hopes up that I would actually go into labor then. Starting around 4:30pm I started timing them and they were anywhere from 6 minutes to 10 minutes apart. They were so mild that I felt normal, just had tightening every so often. Since Adrian was asleep, I decided to walk around the house and up and down the stairs in hopes of keeping the momentum up. By 6pm they were around 7 mins apart, but still nothing that I had to breathe through or anything. I had manny bring dinner home because I just didn't feel up to making anything. I probably could have, but I was SO ready to go into labor that I just wanted to continue walking around the house and focus and prepare my mind for labor so that if this was the real deal, I'd be relaxed and ready. I had texted my mom, sister, Margie and Tina around 7pm that I had been having contractions and this could be it, but that it was still too early for me to be confident it was time. After we had eaten, Manny had the T.V. on, Adrian was running around making a bunch of noise, and I just lost my focus at that point. I was still walking around the house and rocking on my exercise ball, but with all the noise around me, I couldn't feel contractions anymore and eventually conceded that I wasn't in labor yet. I texted everyone back around 9:45pm that the contractions had slowed a lot, that they'd probably stop like before, and to not lose sleep over me.

Once I laid down to sleep and got Adrian sleeping (Manny went to shave just in case this was the real thing haha), I was feeling contractions and they actually started getting stronger. I texted my mom at 10:30pm and said I felt silly for saying they were stopping because they hadn't and asked her if she'd come stay the night over here just in case. At 10:50pm I texted Margie and let her know that contractions hadn't stopped and they were coming about every 9 mins or so. I told her we'd call once things were more serious and she told me to try and get some sleep. I tried laying down, but eventually I felt like I needed to sit on my exercise ball to be more comfortable and possibly try and sleep that way by leaning on the bed. Once my mom got to the house, we tried to get Adrian to sleep with her (he had been sleeping in our bed), but he woke up and didn't want to. Manny took him into his room to sleep in his own bed and manny laid on the floor next to him. :) Manny slept off and on in there the whole night (I think it was his way of spending the last moments with him as an only child).

Things started picking up around 11:40pm or so and contractions were coming around 2-4mins apart so I had my mom call Margie at 12:30am and then Karla, and Tina were called shortly thereafter and notified that things were definitely moving along now and all of them were soon on their way over. Even though the contractions were so close, I was still talking and laughing between them, so I knew we were still pretty early in labor, but being my 2nd time, things could progress much more quickly. Once Margie got there, she checked me and I was only 4.5cm (she said "it's more than 4 but I don't want to call it 5, so we'll call it 4.5") dilated. At that point I was satisfied that today was the day our baby Victor would be born, but we still had a ways to go still. Margie went and laid down in the spare room, Manny went back to Adrian's, and mom, Karla and Tina stayed in the room for a bit and we chatted and joked for a bit (in between contractions of course). Tina even said "you are the only person I know that laughs during labor" hahaha. Eventually we decided we all needed to rest as much as possible because this was looking like it was going to be a long night. I stayed on my exercise ball with my head on my pillow on the bed, mom and Karla slept on our bed and Tina went downstairs. I was able to sleep between contractions which came anywhere from 2.5 to 6 minutes apart. Around 4-4:30, I got tired of sitting and wanted to try and speed things up, so I started walking back and forth in the upstairs hallway in the dark and quiet while everyone else slept. During contractions I remember thinking that they were definitely getting stronger and I felt myself tensing up, so I just reminded myself to stay "open," focus on the end result and not so much on the pain, and to just breathe.

Around 5:40am there was a change in my contractions. They started coming every 6-7 minutes, but they were longer and much stronger. I woke my mom up and told her I needed counter pressure now on my back because I started having back labor. My mom, sister and Manny took turns pressing on my back during contractions and I slept in between (and I know I was sleeping because there were a couple times I wiped drool off my face LOL).

At 6am I requested to be checked again because the contractions were very strong and I felt like I should be close to push time. She said that I was 7cm dilated, and I felt a little discouraged. When I was in labor with Adrian and measured 7cm, it was at least another 5 hours before he was born, so I thought (and my mom, Karla, and Manny thought) that we had many more hours to go until Victor would arrive. Around 6:30am Adrian woke up and he was taken downstairs where Tina entertained him, and I could hear him giggling and having fun. I eventually wanted to get off my exercise ball and onto my side on the bed. I had several contractions that way and Manny helped press on my back through the contractions. My mom switched out with him at one point, and I was told later it was because Adrian started fussing downstairs (I had made a loud noise and he became concerned and wanted mommy) so Manny went to console him. That was probably around 7am. Karla had gone downstairs as well to play a bit with Adrian because she figured it'd be several hours until I'd be pushing. Well, at 7:35ish, I told my mom I was pushing and she said, "no, don't push Vicki." I said, "I can't help it, I'm not doing it." At that point, Margie was in the room again and they told me I needed to get my shorts off...let me tell you that when you feel your body pushing and then you try to move from your side to your back to prepare for actual pushing, it is not only difficult but p.a.i.n.f.u.l! Lol. We got the shorts off, Margie got all the pads under me and ready and she listened to his heartbeat...just perfect! At that moment, I asked with urgency, "where's Manny and Karla?!" They were still downstairs and my mom called them up. Karla said she thought "well that was fast!" Haha. I tried giving a couple simple pushes because Margie said I had just a little lip of cervix left. Then at 7:55am, my body took over and MADE me push.. I wanted to take it easy, but my body said "oh no, we're pushing this baby out!" I definitely felt the "ring of fire" and oh it was not fun! My water finally broke right before he started crowning. Once his head was out, it was a relief...but everyone was like "you need to keep pushing Vicki, you need to push him out!" I said "I can't!" because I didn't want to feel the burning again, and like I said before, I feel like I personally wasn't pushing him out, my body was. So I gathered courage (haha) and started to push, and just that little push initiated my body to take over and push again, and he was out! Just 3 pushes and our sweet baby Victor was born Feb 7th at 8:07am!

He was put on my chest, and we all cried with joy that he was finally here. I wiped him down with the receiving blankets, and he let out little peeps and squeals. He was just too precious and so calm. I counted fingers and toes, 10 & 10, perfect!

Adrian was brought up to meet his brother and he wasn't too impressed at first, but now he wants to hold, hug, and kiss him. He's still adjusting and it'll probably take a bit, but I think they're going to be best friends as they grow.

Although my labor was essentially the same length this time as it was with Adrian, I felt great and had much more energy probably because I was much more relaxed since it wasn't my first time, and I actually slept, in short bursts, throughout labor. I remember being in some pain for at least a week with Adrian, but I've had none. Healing and recovery has been a breeze and I am truly thankful for that :) I am happy that we chose home birth for both our boys because they were wonderful experiences for us. There's nothing like being home in a relaxed atmosphere, giving birth in a calm, peaceful setting, and enjoying every second with your brand new babies without all the lights and sirens and people coming and going in the hospital all night & day. It's a decision that's not made lightly and was done with much reading and research, but in the end, we decided it was the best thing for our family and I couldn't be happier we chose to do it even though many criticized us the first time around.

Both our babies are perfect, healthy, and our family feels complete. I can't imagine life without our boys and I look forward to our future and watching them grow!

 

Thanks for reading! We love you all and have appreciated all the love and support we've received from all our family & friends.

 

 

 

 

 

Introducing our sweet Victor Manuel!!

 

First Bath

 

Watch Me Grow: 3 days old

 

2nd Bath

 

 

39 weeks...1 week til "B-day" (or so we hope)

How far along? 39 weeks!! The finish line is in sight!!

 

Maternity clothes? My wardrobe these days pretty much consists of my pjs...but even then, my t-shirts are always revealing my belly because he's so low & my belly is so big. I am SO ready for normal clothes!

 

Weight gain: Last I checked, I have gained 38lbs. Not bad since I'm no bigger now than I was with Adrian at this point. In fact, I think I weigh a lb less :)

 

Stretch marks? Yep, I can say with certainty that he has definitely left his mark (well multiple marks) on me in addition to his brother's marks.

 

Sleep: It's okay...I wake every couple hrs to use the restroom, and it's a lot harder to roll out of bed or even walk the 6 steps it takes to get there. The past couple nights I have had some disturbing dreams too :( I'm sure they are just manifestations of my nervousness of being able to handle 2 kids soon, but I wish I didn't have them because now I feel guilt and paranoia, and obviously they're not real, but its hard to get the images out of my mind.

 

Best moment this week: Well I'd have to say the baby shower was a wonderful gift to me and baby a couple weekends ago & it was nice being able to spend some time and laughs with loved ones!
The bridal show was fun too and gets me excited about all the planning & preparation ahead for our wedding!

 

Movement? Yes...my little karate kid is still kicking with full force...he is calm 80% of the day, but when he's active, he gets a little crazy sometimes haha I will definitely miss the feeling of hiccups for sure though :)

Cravings? Just sweets still...I CAN'T WAIT to eat sweets without guilt or fear of swelling once he's here LOL

Gender: I have this big fear that the ultrasound tech could have been wrong. If I were to deliver a girl, it would be quite a shock but we'd still be thrilled. We just have so much personalized stuff for our little man and our thoughts revolve around life with two boys, I can't imagine life without this boy I have pictured in my mind. Probably just normal pre-delivery jitters, but I still find myself hoping that the tech wasn't wrong LOL

Labor Signs: I actually had some spotting a couple weeks ago at 36 weeks and it made me nervous that I would possibly deliver early. We're pretty sure it was just due to me over doing it with vacuuming and a sensitive cervix because I haven't had any signs like that since then. I think a week after that happened, I did have contractions that were consistent but not painful but once I had two big glasses of water and laid back down again, they stopped, so I just needed fluids obviously.

I'm ready any day now to begin having those contractions that don't stop, but I'll just have to be patient and know that he will come when HE'S ready, not when I am.

Belly Button in or out? Out haha it's barely anything, but it's still out :)

Rings on or off? Off...they're just too tight now...I can still put them on, but I'd rather not have to use soap to get them off haha

What I miss: Normal clothes. I know that I'll continue to live in my PJs for the first week or two once baby is born, but at least I'll be able to fit in them without having the bottom of my belly being exposed. I also miss sleeping on my stomach, or even just comfortably for that matter.

What I am looking forward to: Meeting our new little man. I have completed many projects and things around the house trying to keep me preoccupied when I'm not chasing after Adrian and it keeps me busy while I'm doing it, but the idea of planning these things was that I wouldn't be able to get to all of them. Fortunately I've been able to complete these projects so I don't have to stress about them not being done, but now I'm still here just waiting and hoping I'll go into labor LOL

Weekly Wisdom: I suppose the past 2 weeks or so have just been about patience and accepting that babies come on their own time, not when we think they should. I don't know why I had this idea in my head that because he's my second that he would come early, but I need to get that out of my head right now! I remember when I was pregnant with Adrian, I had accepted very early on in pregnancy that he may very well be born 2 weeks late and I was content with that. I feel selfish the times that I feel like I just want to be done because it's not in his best interest. Yes, I may be in pain and uncomfortable, but he obviously has more growth and development to do inside the womb or else he'd be out already. I thank God for my two healthy pregnancies and the fact that I do not have to go through the struggles that may come with a pre-mature baby. I believe that my baby will be just as healthy as his brother and will be perfectly and wonderfully made. I am not nervous about taking care of another baby because I feel prepared from Adrian. I am nervous about the transition of going from one to two kids and how well Adrian will adjust to life with a baby. I know that we will do our best and that's all we can do.

I seriously can't wait to meet our baby already! tick tock tick tock...
 

Milestone: Not a milestone that I like having, but like clockwork like when I was pregnant with Adrian, my feet and ankles are pretty swollen and my blood pressure is a bit higher than normal (no headaches or facial swelling or anything of that nature). Nothing that's super concerning, but just means that I need to spend less time on my feet again...I was really enjoying getting housework done again, but looks like I'll be taking it easy until baby arrives. The week before Adrian was born, this is what happened as well so it makes me very hopeful that he'll be here around his due date and not much later than that! Yay!! Mom's vacation starts on the 31st, so maybe we'll have to go get pedicures (Adrian was born on a Thurs...the Tuesday before, my mom had given me a nice foot massage making sure to press "labor inducing" reflex points...a nice pedicure and foot massage sounds great for my swollen feet and if it just happens to help me go into labor too that would be awesome haha).

 

 

That's it for now...here's me today and I'm sure the next time I write here it'll be to share the story of our precious son's birth :) Hooray!

 

 

 

 

Comparison of the beginning and "the end" :)

 

 

Here's a pic I took yesterday just out of curiosity...on a birth board I am a member of online, another mom had described herself as looking like a "busted can of biscuits" in her bikini compared to before pregnancy ha ha ha!   She posted her pictures (she didn't look bad at all) and challenged everyone to post their pics if they dared...so I did LOL

 

 



35 Weeks & a birth announcement!!

I am having to re-type this all over since the website was messing up yesterday and when I selected everything to copy it, it unfortunately only copied just one picture and no text grr...so anyway, here we go again!!


How far along?  35 Weeks TODAY!!  According to the countdown app on my phone, that is 34 days from my due date!!  Getting super close!!

Weight gain:  According to the scale the other day, I am up 31.2lbs. I think at this point with Adrian, I was only 2 lbs lighter.  Not too bad considering that I started 5-6lbs heavier this pregnancy than with him :)

Maternity clothes?  YES!  But I am even avoiding those these days because PJs are just so much more comfortable.  Getting dressed up is just such a chore these days since its much harder to reach my feet, so if I can get away with staying in PJs all day, I do!  LOL  I am looking forward to being able to wear my normal clothes again :)

Stretch marks?  Yeah, I think I've seen new ones above my belly button...hopefully the damage isn't too much worse than when I started this pregnancy since I thought Adrian gave me enough :P

Sleep: I am having bouts of insomnia each night which I guess is good preparation for the sleeplessness I will experience in the fast approaching months ahead of me.  It would be nice to be able to sleep through the night though without waking for 2 hours at ramdom times.

Best moment this week: Christmas was just wonderful and I am so thankful for the family that we have here to celebrate it with!  I am also thankful for technology (even though its the reason I'm typing this for a second time haha) because we were able to Skype with my dad and stepmom on Christmas morning and open our presents with them!  Its great that Adrian can interact with them and see their faces instead of just trying to get a busy toddler to talk on the phone :)

Also, my wonderful friend Stephanie and her husband Tallas welcomed their beautiful baby girl, Veronica Giovanna into the world on the 29th!  Stephanie was exactly a month ahead of me in her pregnancy (due Jan 4th) and it was so fun being able to experience things along with her.  I have no doubts that they are and are going to be wonderful parents and that God has big plans for their precious blessing!  I only wish that I could meet her in person (they currently live in Italy).  Happy BirthDay Veronica!  Lots of love to you and your family!!!

Movement?  Everyday!  He seems to be busiest early morning, and when we go to bed at night...he's currently moving a bit as I type :)

Cravings?  Just sweets, but in order to avoid swelling, I've been keeping my intake to a minimum.  With the holidays, it certainly been harder to resist in eating sweets, but I think I've been doing well and have had little to no problems with swelling :)  I am definitely looking forward to indulging in sweets once he's here though for sure! (I've always had a sweet tooth)  I found a cookie recipe on Pintrest that supposedly helps you maintain your milk supply, so I will definitely be making those for snacking :)

Labor Signs:  Just braxton hicks...they usually happen around the times that he starts getting more active (early morning and before bed)...I have a couple throughout the day as well.  Nothing consistent and very sporadic, but at least 4 times throughout the day.

Belly Button in or out?  I suppose that you could call it out, but it's not that impressive haha...I am thankful it doesn't stick out more than it does, and I'm pretty sure where it's at is the extent of "out" it's going to get.

Rings on or off?  On!  I have a feeling that I will continue the rest of the time with them on as well. :)

What I miss:  I am not missing too much these days because I seem to have gotten my energy back which was weighing me down heavily for at least the last 6 months!  I feel like I am able to do things without getting exhausted or dizzy within 20 mins of doing something.  Nesting is setting in I think, so I feel like I am getting more accomplished these days!   But with a toddler and all the new Christmas stuff, my house still seems to remain a mess LOL

What I am looking forward to:  Meeting our newest son of course!!  Only 5 weeks to go!   I finally hung up things on the walls of his room, so now it's not so bare in there...I still am working on completing his quilt, a wall hanging and a couple other things.  I am quickly running out of time!!  Plus our birth kit came in the other day, so we are all set in that department, minus a few minor things I need to pick up at the store.
Also, at Christmas I was informed that a baby shower will be thrown for our little one on Jan 12th, so I am looking forward to that!  Other than the date, everything else has been kept a secret from me, so am anxious to see the fun they have planned :)

Weekly Wisdom:  I am amazed how quickly the time passed and it truly seems like I should have like 3 more months of being pregnant, not a couple weeks!  I'm not sure if it is the fact that most of my day is preoccupied with Adrian that I don't have much time to think about things, but I feel much less anxiety about bringing our second baby boy into the world.  I know that with Adrian, everything was new and uncharted territory for us, so of course it can be a little scary.  And I suppose that we are going into uncharted territory again with balancing life with two children, but I have learned that there is no use in stressing about things before they happen. 
I feel like since we're only 2 years past Adrian's birth that things are still pretty fresh in my mind and that gives me encouragement that I know what I'm doing.  I know that each child has a personality of their own and I can't expect him to be like Adrian, but I just have a feeling that he'll be a little easier than Adrian was.  And even if he is just as fussy as Adrian was, I think that I have handled my fair share of screaming baby at this point, that it won't be as traumatic to me when he may cry for bouts at a time haha 
In addition, I feel like we have kind of gone with the flow and followed the cues of our child and really listened to what he needed from us as he's grown as opposed to setting expectations for him because of things that others have done or because he has reached a certain age, etc.  I think that going into having a second child without expectation has really helped keep stress out of my mind becuause honestly, you just never know how things are going to be and worrying about "what if" will only cause you grief.

Milestone: 35 weeks!!  Just 2 more weeks and I'll feel most comfortable about delivering at home (if he decides to come early) without him being too premature!  I have a feeling that he will be born much closer to his due date though, and have not worried about passing this next "milestone."

Here I am at 34 weeks...I need to take a picture today still:

Here are a couple fun pictures from our snow fun yesterday

 

 

 

I am very much looking forward to spending times like these in the future as a family of four!!

 

Love you all!  Thanks for reading!!

 

 

Reflections on our Big, Little man Adrian

I wrote this on facebook on Dec 7, 2012, and wanted to memorialize it here since it's a big step in our little man's life:  "*tear* *tear* my baby boy is growing up. He slept the ENTIRE night in his own bed last night. Went to sleep around 10:45pm & woke up at 8am this morning! When he woke, he grabbed his pillow and blanket and came to snuggle with me in bed. Now he keeps saying "I slept in my bed mommy" I tell him good job and he says "thank you." He's so pleased with himself and I'm so proud! I'd have to admit that at 4:30, I woke and couldn't sleep for over an hour...I missed my cuddle buddy, but I have to keep in mind that he'll sleep better there when we have a baby crying at night in +/-58 days :)"

Adrian is such an amazing kid and I can't help but always be amazed at him every day and how incredibly smart and loving our little boy is.  He is such a character and quite the conversationalist.  For instance, just today we were heading to my prenatal appt and I was singing along with the Christmas music.  All of a sudden Adrian starts shouting "enough, enough mommy!!" from the back seat haha  I couldn't help but laugh because a few days prior to this I was driving and singing and when the song was done, he said "good job mommy, woo hoo" and was clapping for me LOL  You never know what you're going to get with him, and I love it!  My most favorite times are when he climbs up on my lap and gives me a kiss and hug and says "I love you, mommy" just because.  I think I should start a book of Adrian-isms and write down all of the funny things he says and does, but it may be harder to do that once little brother comes along :) 

He is certainly exploring his independence and wants to do as much as he can by himself.  The biggest struggle we have these days is that he wants to buckle himself in his carseat, which is fine if I want to wait 10 mins before leaving, but if we're in a hurry or we've been in and out of the car several times already, I just don't have the patience any more.  He gets infuriated when I am the one to buckle him up, but what's a mom to do? (I'm just so mean lol) I am able to distract him sometimes and buckle him before he realizes that I've done it.  He also will not let me let Teddy outside or back in, and he always tells Manny to sit with him at his little table to eat dinner (or breakfast and lunch if it's the weekend).

It has been 12 days since Adrian started sleeping in his own bed (he spent the last 2 nights in bed with us only because he's been running a fever and I felt better about him being with us so I could monitor him more closely), and he has been doing great.  He doesn't wake up crying at all!  Most days he wakes up around 4:30 or so and will grab his blanket and pillow and come climb in bed with us.  A couple times he's slept until 7:30-8:00am.  Each time he comes back into the room with us, he exclaims, "slept in Thomas bed mommy, slept in Thomas bed dadda!"  and we tell him good job and he says "thank you!"  He's actually feeling a sense of accomplishment by sleeping by himself, and that makes me feel 100% justified in our co-sleeping choice from the beginning because I truly feel that it's what he needed.  I am also a little relieved at the same time with little brother coming that he's staying for long periods of time in his bed now without complaint, and I think that'll give me a good amount of time with a newborn getting up every couple of hours. :)  Next is potty training, but I don't think he's quite ready yet, but he's getting closer!

With all this growing up that Adrian has been doing, it's made me so thankful that I get to stay home with him everyday.  It's true that they grow up too fast but it's wonderful to observe all the new things he learns and picks up every day...I am always shocked when he says or does something that I have never seen him do before.  It's quite miraculous how quickly they pick up on things!  It also makes me a bit sad at times because I feel like these 2 years have flown by, so the 3 years he has until he starts school will surly go just as fast.  I often think about the day when I have to let him go off into the world on his own (especially those days when we've been at the park, and a kid is less than kind to him) and I can't be there to protect him anymore.  It will be such a hard day on me I'm sure. 

I already was having these feelings, but now even more-so after the tragic events that occurred this past Friday (Dec 14th) when 20 little kids lost their lives.  That, along with the shooting in the movie theatre in Colorado, and the shooting in the mall in Oregon, it just feels like there is no safe place to be or to send your kids today.  I wish that I could just keep my kids little and not have to let them go into the big world that is full of danger.  That is not realistic though, so it just makes me even more determined to continue telling my babies everyday that I love them and make sure that they know how much they are loved.  Even if Manny just takes Adrian on a quick little ride to the store, I always give him a hug and kiss...you just never know when you may never see them again (and I pray that we are all very old when that day comes).  I hope they (Adrian and his brother) grow up knowing that there is not a problem too big or too small that they cannot come to me with and that they are my everything.  I pray they come to us when they need encouragement and know that they are special and beautiful and worthy of everything that is great in this world.   I cannot imagine the extreme pain it must cause to have to send your baby off to heaven much too soon, and my heart and prayers go out to those families that lost their children in Connecticut.

The big THREE ZERO!!!!

How far along? 30 weeks!!!  I can't believe how close we are already to meeting our newest son...just 10 weeks to go! :)

Maternity clothes?  Yep, even bought some leggings...I swear these are a pregnant woman's best friend.  They are WAY more comfortable than maternity pants and still look great :)  The ones I got are even lined with fleece (perfect for the colder weather) :)

Stretch marks?  I'm not sure if there's new ones, but the older ones (from Adrian) are more pronounced around my belly button now (which is funny because those are the ones I couldn't see with Adrian until he was born)

Sleep: Pretty good actually...I have to switch sides several times a night or else I get really bad hip pain, but I haven't had to get up as frequently to use the restroom, so that's a pleasant plus :)

Best moment this week:  We had our prenantal appointment last Tuesday with Margie and everything sounds/ looks great.  My blood pressure was great.  I gained 7 lbs since my last visit (6 weeks previous) so a little over a pound per week which is awesome. I am still measuring ahead at 32cm but I measured ahead with Adrian too, so I think that he'll still come around his due date and not early.  And his heartrate was 126 bpm :)  I looked at my pregnancy journal for Adrian, and I just happened to have a prenatal visit the same week with him and his heartrate was 127 bpm...so they're pretty similar in that aspect :)

Another plus this week was Thanksgiving and being able to spend 4 days with Manny...I think Adrian really enjoyed having his dadda with us all day long for the long weekend :)  The food was awesome and the company was equally great with family and friends.  I indulged a lot in sweets and juice, but I think I need to get back to my exclusive water drinking (at least until Christmas dinner).

Movement? He's still really relaxed and only moves certain times of the day (like afternoon around Adrian's nap time and especially when I lay down to sleep).  There were several weeks that I considered him to be a baby ninja because he'd kick and punch out of nowhere a couple times and then that was it haha  That has seemed to calm down, but now he likes to stretch his feet into my ribs and it feels like he lays transverse at times which always causes me to have to run to the bathroom lol
One this that I always enjoy are baby hiccups though...I don't know why, but I think they're just so precious and, unlike Adrian, he doesn't really seem to mind them...When Adrian would get hiccups, he'd get all upset and start kicking like crazy LOL

Cravings? Just sweets since I am limiting myself on them...the more I eat/drink sweets, I would notice swelling in my feet and ankles, so it's best I think to limit my intake, but it makes my craving for them more prononunced :)  I always look forward to my prenatals at night since they are sweet gummys :)

Labor Signs:  None...I'm getting some braxton hicks contractions here and there now, but that's normal...practice makes perfect afterall :)

Belly Button in or out? It semi sticks out now and I can see it through thinner shirts...sometimes it's still flat :)

Rings on or off? Still wearing them...I don't think my hands have swelled at all (even when I had the swelling in my feet)

What I miss:  Motivation to clean haha  Household chores just seem to be even more of a chore now because my center of gravity is off with the growing belly and I seem to get a backache fairly easily.  Funny thing is, is that I am actually beginning to miss being pregnant already because I know this is the last one, and it has been going by super fast this time and I know it'll all be over soon.

What I am looking forward to: Personally, I am looking forward to the birth of my friend Stephanie's daughter in a little over a month from now!  She lives in Italy, so of course I will only be able to see her through pictures, but Stephanie is going to be such a great mom and I am just so thrilled for her and her husband.  I am also looking forward to knowing the gender of my cousin's baby who is due in April!  Not sure if it's just wishful thinking (on my part), but I think she's having a boy (that would make 2 boys for her as well) hehehe
For this pregnancy, I am just looking forward to delivery day, not because I want it to be over, but because we finally get to meet our littlest little man.  We still are making progress on his room, so I am anxious to get that done...which is getting more complicated with the holidays being upon us now.  But he'll be staying in our room in the bassinet at night for several months, so I guess it's not essential to get his room done right now, but it would be a weight off my mind to have it done before his arrival :)

Weekly Wisdom:  I think with the holidays around now, all I can think to write for this weekly wisdom is just for all the things I am thankful for.  I am so thankful for my family near and far that are always such a huge support for me.  I am truly blessed to have everyone I do in my life.  I wish that I could see everyone more often (for those that are far), but am glad to be able to have the technology we do these days to be able to keep in touch so well, even at a distance.
I am also blessed and so thankful that I have been given the ultimate gift of motherhood from the Lord above.  I have two wonderful sons who are my whole world and give me new perspective and purpose in life.  Without them I know that life would not be complete and they definately make me feel whole.
I am grateful to have such great in-laws who raised a wonderful son whom I love with all my heart.  I always feared the "in-laws" that you hear so often about that you just can't please or get along with, but I am lucky enough to have a wonderful extended family who have taken me in since day one as another daughter :)
To me, the holidays are more about family and spending time with one another than about the gifts.  I'm glad to have Adrian with us (and soon his brother) to celebrate the holidays because sometimes I get a little sad missing those that I can't spend the holidays with and those that I will only see again in heaven.  Adrian brings back the excitement and wonder to this time of year and I hope that he will grow to appreciate the holiday as I do and not just for the commercial side of it.

Milestone:  Baby can now regulate his own temperature and he produces his own blood now too!  He will also be gaining about a half a pound per week now until birth (and I will gain around a lb per week).  10 weeks to go!!  According to a little countdown clock on my phone, 66 days! :)

 

 

 

 

27 weeks today! 13 weeks to go!!

How far along? 27 weeks today! Chugging right along! :)

Weight Gain?  I am up 20-21 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight (I weighed 145.8 lbs this morning)...not too bad (sounds like a lot sometimes, but I know my body is quick to go back to normal).  At the end with Adrian, I weighed 164 lbs and when I weighed myself the day after he was born, I had lost 12 lbs immediately.  So I expect I'll probably gain another 19 lbs or so in the coming weeks (equals less than 1.5 lbs per week)...hopefully the holiday eating is good to me though haha

Maternity clothes? Yep!  I was able to fit in quite a few non-maternity shirts before, but now only the longer more flowy shirt are what fit over my big belly haha

Stretch marks?  I'm not sure if I've gotten any more (Since Adrian), but my belly has been itching more lately, so I try and slather on much more lotion! :)

Sleep:  Still waking at least 3 times a night to use the restroom and to flip myself from one side to the other.

Best moment this week: Well last week was so fun with Halloween!  Adrian's first time trick-or-treating and it was definitely a treat having my great friend Stephanie join us.  Adrian was so cute going up to the doors and saying "trick or treat" and "thank you" to everyone...He was not quite sure of the person dressed as Santa though (foreshadowing of whats to come trying to get pictures with Santa this year?) lol  once he saw the candy in his hand, then he cautiously approached him, took the candy and said thank you.  The same happened with a lady dressed as a minion from Despicable me...he was afraid to turn his back on her though when we went to leave haha

Another great moment was getting Adrian's 2nd birthday pictures...although his enthusiasm when taking pictures was short-lived, we still got some great shots and I can't wait to pick them up on Saturday.

I may be biased, but isn't he the most handsome little man you've ever seen?!?



Movement?  He likes to move a lot early morning (I'm getting kicked right now as I type) and he moves a lot when we lay down for bed.  I have gotten a couple rib kicks at 3am when he decides to move and stretch and those were not so pleasant (and they weren't even that hard. yikes!)  At times, he really likes to snuggle really low which means I make a dash to the bathroom (as fast as a pregnant woman can waddle dash HAHA)

Cravings?  Probably sweets since I'm really limiting my intake of them...the day after Halloween, I had indulged in the leftover candy we had and at the end of the day, my feet and ankles had swelled up, which hadn't happened since I had cut out juices and started drinking water exclusively.  So just a sign that what I'm doing is beneficial, but makes sweets even more desireable now!

Labor Signs:  None, 13 weeks ---> 91 days to go!!  Not sure if I've had braxton hicks at this point either, but that's fine with me...funny thing is is that I forget what contractions feel like (except the point that I hit transition and had back labor)...I know I'll remember once they start though haha

Belly Button in or out? It's kind of flat at this point.  Sometimes the bottom sticks out a little, but I don't think that it ever completely popped out with Adrian either.

Rings on or off? They are still on and easily slid on and off :)

What I miss:  My energy.  I know that I'll be exhausted once baby is here, but at least I'll be able to do things like walking up and down the stairs without feeling winded and needing to take a break haha  I also miss not having restless legs when I'm tired and not having pain from SPD, but I know they're not forever and come with the territory of being pregnant, so I will gladly deal with them for 13 more weeks for a healthy baby :)

What I am looking forward to:  I am truly looking forward to meeting our new little man and beginning life as a family of 4!  It seems like this pregnancy has flown by so far, and I'm sure it's bound to start picking up even more now with the holidays!   I think I will miss pregnancy since we're done after this, so I am enjoying it while it lasts, but I think this experience has made it apparent to me that pregnancies after the first are much more exhausting becuase you already have another baby to run after and take care of...I'm not sure how people do it with 3+, but I'm pretty sure that it is definitely not for me haha

I look forward to taking pregnancy pictures in the next couple weeks too probably 3-5 weeks from now :)

Milestone:  One week until we reach the THIRD TRIMESTER!  Yes, that's right, the 3rd trimester already!!  Where did the other 2 go? haha  Baby is approximately 2 lbs now (according to babycenter.com)


Weekly Wisdom: Being a part of a birth board group on a website I think has it's benefits because people share their stories, concerns, questions and most of the time you can relate to them or gain insight from people's posts.  I am a member of a group for February 2013 babies, so all the women on there are generally around 24.5 to 27.5 weeks pregnant at the moment.  My problem with some posts lately is that some women are already discussing how uncomfortable they are right now and/or will be towards the end of their pregnancies and are already talking about how they plan on trying to naturally induce themselves after 37-38 weeks.  I just don't understand the thought process because I understand that while you may not be comfortable the last couple of weeks...it's only a couple weeks!!  The baby is still developing and growing and preparing to make it's entrance into the world...the baby will not stay there forever, and should be allowed to come when it's good and ready (medical issues aside).

I am so grateful to have never experienced a loss and have had two successful and healthy pregnancies thus far, but I don't take that for granted for one second.  How selfish I think it is to complain about the discomforts of pregnancy and decide for yourself the child should be born on your schedule, not theirs.  It makes me angry and sad that there are women who struggle to get pregnant, or to keep a pregnancy and would give anything to reach that 40 weeks, enduring all the pains happily because it's worth the prize at the end of a healthy baby to hold in their arms. And then there's those that complain about every little thing like it's not a big deal to be pregnant.  Every pregnancy is a blessing and a miracle and should be treated as such, not as an inconvenience as some of these women portray it to be.  I think it's sad that some women haven't educated themselves about the benefits of the baby remaining in the womb until it's ready.  Even the March of Dimes has a campaign going urging women to at least go to 39 weeks because it's that important to allow labor to happen naturally rather than to induce because "you're done." http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/09/health/09brody.html

My hope is that more women become educated about the well being of their babies, and stop thinking of themselves selfishly.  I pray that those women I know who are struggling with getting pregnant or loss are able to experience all the "discomforts" that pregnancy brings because it's all worth it. All the morning sickness, all the back ache, all the swelling, all the stretch marks...all of it is worth it!  There should be no complaining about something so precious that many women yearn to have the pleasure of experiencing.

Okay, I've said my piece...onto pictures haha

27 weeks

Adrian and baby brother in belly (stretch marks are my tiger stripes earned from having Adrian) :)

You are so loved little man...can't wait to meet you in February :)