Contenders

These are the contenders for my new Facebook cover photos...

...as well as a sneak peek of more of Liam's Birth Story photos.

Whaddya think? ;)


Evelyn Rae is 19 months old, Liam is two weeks old

...and I am going to borrow a term from another blogging new-again Momma - we will be back soon, as we are busy stockpiling love.

Bumpdates - Check!

They are all up!

Including the 40 week post ;)

Click "Bumpdates" over on the right...

...or click on these direct links.

37 weeks
38 weeks
39 weeks


Evelyn Rae is 19 months old, Liam is a week and a half old

...and that's a wrap on Bump Watch 2.0!

Upcoming Posts

Happy Monday!

I know that everyone seems to be super duper excited for Birth Story posts - Yay! So am I!! - and I promise, I have already started writing it.

But, I have made a bit of a promise to myself as well.

Before I can post Liam's Birth Story, I have a few loose ends to tie up. So, upcoming posts that will come first:

• 38 & 39 week posts
• 40 week post (featuring my baby boy!)
• Evelyn's 12 month/1 year letter & photos
• Evelyn's 18 month letter & photos

So, yeah. I promise it is coming just as soon as possible though!

Right.

Well.

Um.

How about a preview of Liam's Birth Photos to tide you over?

I haven't gotten all (700!!!) of the photos from my Sister in Law yet, but I do have a few...

...here is one of my faves.

Evelyn Rae is nineteen months old, Liam is one week old

...and thanks to Daddy being home with us, I may actually be able to knock out all these posts!

40 weeks!

So, technically I never made it to 40 weeks this time, as Little Man arrived a whole day before his due date (!!) But, I couldn't let the postpartum post tradition die! We snapped these on Valentine's - hence the red pants.

Skin

Yay! Not stretched at all anymore - huzzah! I got away with way less stretching and stretch marks this go 'round. I definitely have less "jelly belly" so far than I remember with Ev - we shall see if my skin goes back at the same rate as uterus shrinkage. That would be cool.

Weight/Clothes

Overall I gained way less weight than I did with Evelyn, though little Liam came out almost two whole ounces bigger than his sister. Perchance it was the fact that it was winter? Cold = less swelling? I mean it was July and approximately 1,000 degrees every day when I gave birth the first go round. Who knows. Glad to have less to lose, though ;)

Cravings/Aversions

OMG FOOD. I love you again, hallelujah!

Cramps/Pain

Sore, achy...for a while I couldn't really tell where the sickness ended and pregnancy began. But then, miraculously on Wednesday I felt like a champion again. So, feeling good.

Sleeping

Um, oh yeah. Newborns eat. Often. So, no solid stretches of sleep for a while, but holy hell am I more comfortable. You know, until my boobies wake me up because they are about to explode. 

Heartburn

GONE! HUZZAAAAAAAAH!

Fetal Movement

Hahahaha. Nope, none of that anymore!

The Girls

So.Big.OMG.

New this time around

Newborn and toddler. Wowza. The hardest thing so far is the fact that I can't pick Evelyn up. My poor buddy doesn't quite understand it, but I am trying to spend time down on the floor so that we can still snuggle.

Oh yeah, this again.

AWKWARD POST PARTUM COMMENTS FROM STRANGERS. Geeze Louise. We took the kiddos out for a bit of a Valentine's Date on V-Day, just to get out of the house for a bit, and as we were about to cross the road, with Evelyn in her Daddy's arms and Liam in his carseat in Daddy's other hand this man walks by and says, "Wow! Hands full already and you'll have THREE next year? Good luck!"

...

I mean, seriously? I just gave birth 5 days ago dude. Of course I still look PREGNANT. Ugh.

At least he thought I looked early enough pregnant to have another baby "next year"?

I win at awkward post-partum comments.

Mental State

I am feeling really good. I have had a few hormonal moments of tears feeling like they are coming for no reason, but only like two. I sort of expected this as I was so much more emotional during this pregnancy than I was when pregnant with Ev. Other than those little moments I am feeling really great recovery wise, and because of that it is HARD to take it easy. But, I am trying.

40 weeks, last go round.


Evelyn Rae is 19 months old, Liam is not quite a week old

...and yes, my daughter is clutching a bottle of Children's Pain Relief and syringe in that first photo...due to her bottom canine teeth coming in (as evidenced by her whole hand in her mouth in the other photos).

Teething toddler + brand new baby in the same week? WHY NOT? Bring it on, Mommyhood.

Happy Valentine's Day

Our Valentine's this year will consist of snuggling with these two crazies.

Someone was pretty tickled to hold her little brother.

Evelyn Rae is 19 months old, Liam is 5 days old

...and the only "boy" thing we had with red on it was this anchor get up, so we are a little patriotic on this Valentine's Day.

Giving Up

It's Ash Wednesday y'all.

And though I am Catholic, we didn't quite make it to church today, oops.

Life with a newborn, amirite JC? ::looks up hopefully::

In any case, as this Lenten season begins, I have thought and thought about what to give up. Pregnancy (and breastfeeding to some extent) has you already give up some of the best vices. Plus, I have given that stuff up in the past - yadda yadda.

Mountain Dew (back when I drank it), Caffeine, Chocolate, Swearing, blah blah. Done all of that.

This year, I have decided (based on the inspiration of many others) that I am not going to give up tangible things, but I am going to give up things that are bad for me anyway. Things that by eliminating, will hopefully make me more of the person that I aspire to be.

This Lenten season I will be giving up...

Resentment and Complaining

See, the thing is, I don't consider myself a really unhappy person or anything, but I do love a good wallow occasionally. And I love a little nugget of, "I'm right and you're wrong" to relish in my head from time to time.

Right. This.

I also realize that having a newborn and indulging in family time and baby snuggles is maybe an easier time to realize just how blessed in life I am. And maybe I wouldn't be very resentful or complaint right now anyway thanks to those sweet newborn smells and little toes alongside the toddler faces of joy and discovery...

[It is also a time to look over at your snoring husband as you blearily feed a newborn who can only be consoled by you and your boobs, and think nasty thoughts...let's be honest.]

However, I want this to be a permanent change. Not saying that I will give all of this up and be the PERFECT person forever and ever, amen. But, I would like to make an effort toward a long term attitude adjustment. Sarcasm is different than simply complaining, and I know when I am saying something if it is meant to provide an amusing eye roll, or if it is a true complaint that I have chosen to whine about, rather than strive to change.

At the end of the day...

I want to be the person that I want my kids to be.

We'll see how it goes.

Evelyn Rae is 19 months old, Liam is 4 days old

...and on a completely unrelated to this post note - my milk is officially in. I forgot how impressive these  super engorged boobies are. Holy crap, y'all. 

Life With Two

...is crazy. And yet, chill and normal and fun.

All at the same time.

We are of course dealing with all the fun newborn stuff like all night wake ups and diaper changes, trying to identify these new cries, and just making sure that all is well with such a tiny person.

How did I forget how TINY newborns are? Yes, my kids have both been well over 8 pounds, but seriously folks - I cannot imagine having smaller babies than this! TINY!

We are blessed that Daddy gets to stay home for two whole weeks before heading back to work, (minus my first morning and early afternoon with two kids alone earlier today for something that couldn't be rescheduled [Ack! But, we SURVIVED.]) and after he heads back my parents will be arriving for a week! Huzzah!

So, while I will be more than likely hibernating for the next few weeks, and blogging will be rare, I do have hopes to share a few posts soon - including Liam's Birth Story.

If you are dying for updates - make sure to follow me on Instagram.



{Click that button!}


It's the easiest way to get a snapshot into our life with two.



Evelyn Rae is 19 months old, Liam is 3 whole days old

...and newborn smell. Ahhhhhh, how fun is that?

*Sunday News Edition*

HE is here!

William "Liam" Brawford arrived at 3:34 pm yesterday afternoon, weighing in at 8 lbs 12 oz and measuring 20.5" long. He has downy soft blond hair, beautiful blue eyes and the softest, luscious baby skin.

It was a fast and wild ride, and he has absolutely captured the hearts of his entire family.

Happy Due Date, Little Man.

Welcome to the world.


Evelyn Rae is 18 months old, Liam is almost one day old

...and we are so blessed and thankful!

39 weeks

*Post Edit - 

I am super glad that I got these photos accomplished! Since I was so sick earlier in the week, I managed to get them in on Friday...and went into labor the next morning. Eek! Cutting it close!*

Skin

Better this week, though seriously dry thanks to the amount of dehydration I had early in the week. Thanks Norovirus! Moisturizing and drinking water like it is MY JOB Y'ALL. You know, now that I can keep it down.

Weight/Clothes

...annnnnnd I lost the 10 pounds I gained as of last week's appointment. Turns out puking your guts out for two days and not being able to stomach anything but the occasional glass of water keeps you from retaining it! Ha. But seriously, back down to where I was at 37 weeks before the random week of swelling, so...yay?

Cravings/Aversions

Um, well, not to beat a dead horse here, but yeah. No food this week. Also, puking up sushi? Not recommended. (Too much? Too bad. Brutally honest Friday right here folks.)

Cramps/Pain

Sore, achy...for a while I couldn't really tell where the sickness ended and pregnancy began. But then, miraculously on Wednesday I felt like a champion again. So, feeling good.

Sleeping

Hahahahaha, I think I slept more this week than the last few weeks of pregnancy combined. Two or three days in bed drifting in and out of consciousness will leave you...well, bored for one thing...but seriously well rested.

Heartburn

Yeah. Still there, though there was no food in my stomach. AWESOME.

Fetal Movement

Definitely still moving and grooving all around. I was a bit paranoid about insuring that baby was still moving regularly this week as I was worried about dehydration and affects on Bump, but little thing doesn't seem to be affected at all by Momma's misery. Heartbeat and everything was right on track at my appointment on Wednesday, so we are both feeling good!

The Girls

Samesies.

New this time around

HA! Pregnancy sickness?! Last time I had a cold and was whiny and complaint miserable. This time?! Much worse. Apparently I am the worst about "weak" sicknesses. Plus, toddler to take care of? So thankfully hubby got to stay home for three days this week.

Oh yeah, this again.

Starting to wonder when this baby is coming...and people are starting to ask again. As if I know anything about this y'all. My last one stayed in there until she was less than 24 hours from being served her eviction notice via induction.

Mental State

OMG. So much to do. Today has been a blur of running errands - grocery shopping, last minute tying up, vacuuming every surface in my house. You know, BURST of energy and MUST GET THINGS DONE NOW nesting type stuff. Let's do this thing!

39 weeks, last go round

Evelyn Rae is 18 months old, I am 39 weeks along with Bump

...and could she be LESS interested in being in this week's photos? Someone loves when Aunt Ashley comes to town and brings her iPhone.


...also, outtakes below.

You want your phone back?

Alright, I guess it is yours...

Hahahaha, I'm not giving this back to you!

Boom. I might as well be 15.

Supplementing

Now that I am over this BLECH sickness...

(by the way, I hate being sick and am possibly the worst, most pitiful sick person ever...in case you couldn't tell from all these "Woe is Me" posts.)

...I am back to a normal diet, normal water consumption and consuming the myriad of vitamins and supplements that I have been experimenting with this pregnancy. I thought I would share some of them with you today.

Naturally, I have been taking my prenatal vitamins throughout -

I take these guys.

I briefly considered prescription prenatals, but then decided I know myself and I know I would run out and then forget to call back in for another bottle and blahbity blah. These tasted the least fishy to me in my last pregnancy, so I stuck with em through breastfeeding...which then led into pregnancy again, so. Yeah. They are a staple in my cupboard.

Additionally, I take a Vitamin D supplement. Every day.

Throughout the end of my pregnancy, just like last time, I have added Evening Primrose Oil to my nightly regimen. So far I am just taking them orally, as I haven't (and continue) to not really have a problem with my cervix softening and ripening, which is what the capsules are meant to do.

(Apparently, my babies don't care that I am super effaced and anywhere from 1cm - 3cm dilated weeks before their due dates, or in the last case even 4cm ...they are just snug up in there and do what they want. Hmmmm, wonder where they get that from.)

In any case, this time around, I have also added some new regimens to the routine. Due to my bleeding after delivering Evelyn, the midwives prescribed some heavy iron supplements for me, and then after those tapered off, suggested I continue with a liquid Iron Supplement - Floradix - for a while afterwards, just to make sure things were all fine and dandy. 

P.S. Our health food store does not charge as much as the Floradix website - though I buy mine in smaller sizes, soooooo...who knows. Also the midwives have coupons. Regular OBs might too!

Some people like the taste of this stuff. Unfortunately, I cannot claim to be among them, but you only take 10mL twice daily, and let's face it, I used to shoot way worse stuff back in college, so every morning and evening I just gear myself up and pretend like I am partying. 

I really credit this stuff for my quick bounce back after delivering Ev, among other things like, you know, natural childbirth, etc. so this time around I decided to start taking it in advance. The midwives concurred with my guess that this would be a good idea.

This morning I had something a little extra...

Nope, that is not a new fancy drink for St. Patrick's Day.

P.S. Don't you LOVE our neighbor's paint job on their windows? Cue eye roll.

It is really that green, though. It's Chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is known to help your quality and quantity of red blood cells, and the midwives suggested this as an option when I asked what I could do to hopefully prevent the bleeding that I experienced post delivery last time. 

Because I experienced it one time, I am likely to experience it again, blah blah, and since it wasn't really that bad (I was still home with babe in arms at the 24 hour mark (read: as soon as we could get home) ) my main reasoning for avoiding it is avoiding that rough, post delivery, internal exam again - youch!

Anywho, I have this version -

- which is flavored with Peppermint. You take a tablespoon of the stuff mixed into a glass of water or juice (I do water with plenty of ice) and to be honest, I was expecting it to taste as brackish as it looks. Instead, it tastes sort of like a weak mint iced tea. Sort of refreshing first thing in the morning, not gonna lie.

So, there it is. My regimen. 

Minus the Zantac and Tums and Papaya Enzyme for heartburn as needed.

Most of it will continue post delivery.

But hopefully there won't be any need for the heartburn jazz. I am SO OVER that.

Evelyn Rae is 18 months old, I am 39 weeks along with Bump

...and depending how this day goes, I am gonna try to get my 37 and 38 week posts up here!

Land of the Living

I think I'm back.

I don't want to make too much of a declaration, because I still feel a bit achy and exhausted - but let's be honest, what 39 week pregnant woman, a mere 4 DAYS from her due date, doesn't occasionally feel this way? Especially after lazing about in bed for the last few days?

If you couldn't tell from the typos (holy hell) in the last post about BEING sick, I was a little woozy and out of it.

What a weird sickness that was. I am lucky enough to not be sick like that very often - hubs couldn't even remember the last time I was "THIS sick" - but this one was weird. I just felt exhausted and couldn't keep anything down, but no fever, no runny nose, no other symptoms.

For brief periods I would think, Hey! You know what? I feel awesome, let's get out of bed. Then 10 minutes later I was asleep. If you would shave asked me two weeks ago, getting a two day break from "Mommy-ing" to laze about in bed and drowse away as I wanted, I would have told you that sounded heavenly. But, when I wasn't sleeping...I was bored out of my mind.

We recently pulled the trigger with our big bedroom move of having no TV in our bedroom anymore. Additionally for some reason our internet signal is super weak in our new room. Both of these things, coupled with me being quarantined so as to not get Ev or A sick also resulted in moments of extreme boredom...and then more sleep. Luckily, yesterday my hubby jimmy rigged a TV for me, but how much HGTV can you really watch?

It was additionally a bit difficult because I know that there is going to be at least two weeks of "taking it easy" in my future once this baby makes his or her appearance! Of course, that will be healthy joyous snuggly time, but still. I am not one for quite this much, erm, relaxation.

In any case, I am glad to be feeling well enough to be up and about today - still taking it easy, but hoping to be eating semi normal foods by dinner time. Huzzah!

Thanks for all your thoughts, prayers and well wishes, friends.

We're getting there!


Evelyn Rae is 18 months old, I am 39 weeks along with Bump

...and holy heck y'all. It's almost baby time!

Sick Girl

Last night, just like everyone else, we were watching the Suoer Bowl. Surprise right?

And, I started feeling something.

I started feeling contractions.

Real ones. They were coming every eight minutes or so and though I was starting to get excited, but not too excited, since this happened with Ev a few times before I went into actual labor. I started having some additional signs that my body was clearing itself for delivery, and I started taking tht we might just be headed somewhere.

I decided to jump in the shower, and then head to bed to get my rest. I definitely hadn't been getting enough of that lately, so if this was it, I knew I was going to need my rest.

Then, at 3:30, I woke up and threw up all over the place. Again, signs pointed toward what I had experienced when in labor before! Huzzah! I was still having contractions, and was uncomfortable enough that I was tossing and turning and couldn't really get comfortable.

W got up this morning and the contractions were still there! And then, then, they just stopped. I felt so tired and exhausted still, and the baby was moving around consistently, so I wasn't worried, just disappointed. The hubs had already called into work as both if us were pretty positive this was going somewhere.

I still felt strangely fatigued, and not really energetic like I had when I went into labor with Ev. Hmm.

Then, I wasn't hungry. Or thirsty. I just wanted to go back to bed. So I did. Contractions intermittently. Hmm.

I got up and had some peanut butter toast. I felt ok. And then, no contractions. Hmm.

Then, I threw up AGAIN, everything I had had fluid wise, adm the toast. This was no good. When the contractions didn't resume and I was still sleepy I started suspecting I may be experiencing something else.

I was also super concerned about dehydration. So, I called into the office. I was the fifth person who had called in with similar symptoms today. Ugh. It was the norovirus. Or rather IS the norovirus.

I am just a day into 39 weeks so I am not so worried about going into labor, in fact, I am really glad that all the puking and, erm, other stuff, didn't throw me into active labor, because I wouldn't have thought twice about those symotoms being part of labor. Could you imagine if I passed this nastiness onto a newborn baby? I would be crushed.

No fever, just an overwhelmingly huge feeling of blech.

Thankfully, my baby and body seemed to know that it wasn't quite time.

Hopefully I will come through this nice and quickly and we can get back to the healthy and happy process of bringing this baby into the world!

Until then, I'm headed to bed.



Evelyn Rae is 18 months old, I am 39 weeks along with bump

...and I really hope Ev doesn't catch this nastiness.