Photos of babies

Our very dear friends Kyle and Sarah are visiting Maine this week. We were so excited to meet little Katy in person. She's a talker and is so adorable. Katy and Timothy got to spend some time together yesterday.

Size-wise, Timothy is fatter, longer and has a bigger head. Katy out does him with her talking, ability to hold things and her neck muscles. She can really hold her head up. Poor Timothy has a hard time because his head is so big.


Here they are laughing and talking together. Katy did most of the talking...typical woman.


And here is Timothy this morning posing for his three month photo with Pooh.

One of those days

Today was one of those days...

Ryan threw up at lunch after choking on a bell pepper that he didn't bother chewing. Lucky for us, I always carry a change of clothes in the diaper bag. I didn't have clean shoes for him, though, and it bugged him for the rest of the afternoon (I had clean socks). Adam had the joy of cleaning him up in the men's bathroom.

Then, we went to visit my brother-in-law and my niece. While playing outside, barefoot, Ryan stepped in dog pooh. To top it off, we didn't know what he stepped in at frist and he touched it! He was trying to wipe it off his foot. Adam had the joy of cleaning that stinky mess up too.

And then... we're driving home, Timothy is sreaming (he always cries in the car, plus he had four shots yesterday) and Ryan starts saying, "It hurts. It hurts." I suppose he was meaning his stomach hurt because two seconds later he was throwing up all over the backseat. Sigh... We both had the joy of cleaning that up. Thank God for the throw up contingency kit in our trunk (Ryan's thrown up too many times for us not to have it there. It consists of a few large trash bags, extra diapers, fabric cleaner for the car and Febreeze).

While we're laughing at it now, it wasn't so funny earlier today. We're both beat and we're hoping there is no more throwing up this week.

Silly Ryan

Here are some random silly things Ryan has said or done in the past month.

• Yesterday, he ventured downstairs by himself while I was in the bathroom. When I went to find out what he was doing, he said his hair was wet from the rain. Now, it had been raining outside so I began trying to figure out where the water could be coming from. When I took a closer look at his hair I realized he'd put diaper rash cream in his hair and what he was trying to tell me was that he needed a bath.
• One evening when we were reading a book about dinosaurs, I pointed out that the dino had a tissue. I was about to tell Ryan he was using it to wipe away his tears when Ryan asks, "Sneeze?" Well that would be a logical explaination since we tell Ryan he has to wipe his nose with a tissue when he sneezes.
• Ryan has a potty that he sometimes uses. He agreed to put on big boy underpants the other day. Right after he went to the door and asked to go in the pool. We use a real swimsuit on him when he goes swimming, not the swim diapers. I guess he figured that the underpants were a smaller version of a swimsuit.
• Pee-doh is how Ryan pronounces Play-doh.
• If Ryan comes up to you and asks for a "new." He'd like his diaper to be changed. I suppose this is because both Adam and I always tell him he needs a new diaper when he needs to be changed.
• A half hour after putting Ryan to bed one evening, he came running into our room and said, "ta-da!" He wasn't so happy when we walked him back to his room and put him back to bed.
• Yesterday, I was sure Ryan put his plate from lunch next to the sink while I was feeding Tim. While helping him clean up his toys last night, I opened the seat of his Mater ride-on to discover he had put the plate and the last two bites of his sandwich inside.

One never knows what a two year old will do or say next.

A sixth sense?

Dear husband is convinced I have a sixth sense. He's sure of this because I can ruin a surprise like no other and I've been doing it for years. I just feel or know something and I ruin all his fun.

I'll give you a few examples. Once Adam and I took a trip up to Bangor to see some friends. On the drive I was getting hungry and mentioned that it would be wonderful to eat Quiznos. At the time, there were no Quiznos sub shops in Maine. I really missed our Friday Quiznos outing from our college days in Illinois and was just expressing my craving for the food. We get to Bangor and pull into this shopping centre and I scream, "Quiznos! Oh my gosh, did you see there's a Quiznos?"

Adam had only been planning this surprise for over a week and my one mention of it ruined it for him.

I've ruined surprises for massages, dates at a specific restaurant just by mentioning things just prior to the surprise. He's even convinced I knew about my baby shower, but I honestly had no clue. I also have this sense when I think someone may be pregnant. I'll say to Adam, "wouldn't it be nice if so and so would/could have a baby?" They call and tell us they are pregnant within a few days.

My sixth sense came in handy this week. I need to give you some background information first for this story to be clear. When we put all of our belongings into storage the storage company gave us this horrible payment booklet with a little sticker on the front that stated our due date was X day of each month. I hate these booklets. I really stink using the pages in them. I do well for the first few months and then I just forget them.

Well, I missed a payment one month and got the late notice in the mail a month later. Adam and I discussed the issue and decided it would work best if they just charged our credit card each month and then I'd pay that bill. In addition, we'd be earning dollars at a local store we love.

Other than that one charge each month, we generally do not use our credit card and if we do it's rare.

So when I get a bill last month that has a charge on it for {horrible store that will not be named} I called the credit card company to dispute it. When I talked to the first lady I asked if the car could be frozen or the number changed to avoid future charges since someone obviously had our number. We did all the steps and I was satisfied.

So my sixth sense worked yesterday. I just had this feeling I should check out our card online. There was another large charge from {horrible store that will not be named} on our supposedly non-existent card.

I called the credit card company. The first lady I spoke to told me there was no way to stop future charges like this (uh, yeah, I'm not buying that) and after we argued for a while, I hung up unsatisfied. I called Adam and expressed my frustration to him and got some advice for the next phone call.

I called the company again and this time asked for someone in the fraud department. We sorted out the issue. The card is no longer usable and since we've had bad customer service with the credit card company, we've closed the account (we know it's not the best credit move, but we're just super frustrated with them).

I'd also like to mention that {store that will not be named} has a phone number, which when you dial it, it rings, and rings, and rings. No one ever answers. Also, when I Googled {store that will not be named} I discovered other people had similar charges from them.

I'm glad my sixth sense came in handy before more charges were made.

Day at the pool

I have been longing for a day in the sun. On Wednesday, we spent the entire afternoon at the pool. It was wonderful. I had been longing to feel the sun on my skin (I am a lover of the sun, but refuse to fake-bake and know that some day I will have lots of wrinkles) and to swim. I enjoyed both yesterday.

Ryan in the kiddie pool...

Timothy was visited by Miss Madison who was adorable in her swimsuit and hat.

Ryan making his way into the big pool.

With daddy on his "boat."

Ryan had such a good time he didn't want to leave. Boy did he sleep well last night. Too bad every day can't be a pool day.

The boys

Tim is two months old today. Here is his second photo with Pooh. Timothy can now roll to his sides. He's a very happy baby. He makes a scream that sounds like a little girl and also a noise that sounds like he's saying, "hi." Ryan is finally warming up to him and helped give Tim a bath this week. He also tries to give Tim his pacifier, but Tim never takes it. Ryan also insists that Tim always have his frog rattle with him like Ryan always his his bear, Paws, with him.

This is a photo of Ryan with Pooh at two months. Ryan has less hair than Tim. Notice I managed to get them both to sit on Pooh's leg. I didn't realize this until this morning when making this post.

Finally, here is Ryan. He's so much like his dad. We've entred the stage of where will we find Ryan tonight? (Adam was often found under the bed, in the closet, in a different room, as a child.) At least Ryan's night time wanderings are currently limited to his own room.

We've also entered the afraid of noises in the dark stage. Last night I heard Ryan crying, so I get up to see what's going on and he's sitting up pointing to his ear saying, "heard, noise." I told him everything was fine, tucked him in and went back to my bed. Seconds later he was screaming so Adam went to check and he was still afraid of this unknown sound. I'm beginning to miss the days when nothing scared this kid. Recently he has also shown a fear of heights... like changing tables in store restrooms. Sigh.

Today also marks my final Friday with the boys before returning to my part-time job at WM. I suppose I've been gone long enough, but I do enjoy these days with the guys. Here's hoping for good weather so we can go swimming today.

Blueberries

The other day, Adam's mom noticed blueberries on the path we walk each evening. Tonight we took a cup with us and let Ryan pick them. We came home, washed them and he shared a few, but he's almost done eating the entire cup. He's already told us "morrow more berries."

Ryan has always liked blueberries. I use frozen blueberries when I make muffins and he usually eats them right out of the bag. What a yummy cold treat.

We were going to show Adam these blueberries when he got home, but I think Ryan will have them all eaten by then.

La Grenouille

Here is a photo of Timothy with his frog rattle and frog onesie.

Photos of the family

Just a few photos from this weekend.

Not Timothy's big smile, but still a smile.


Just seconds before I caught daddy giving Timothy a kiss (I do have a photo of that, but this was cute too).


Ryan at his cousin Madison's birthday party playing with her new toy.

The good the bad and the ugly

I stole this post idea from someone else's blog. This is all the time I feel I have to blog today.

The good: Ryan went pee-pee on the potty today... three times. My parents got him a potty as a gift and at first he rejected it, then hid his artwork in it and then decided to "wet" in it.

The bad: Ryan has a rash again. He had a fever for three days and then the rash showed up. They said it's viral and we'll wait to see if it clears up by Friday, which is when Timothy sees the doc for a check up.

The ugly: I have mastitis again. Talk about disappointment and pain. I wept about this today. I don't think any mother thinks they'll get mastitis once, let alone twice. I think we all hope breastfeeding will feel wonderful and be wonderful and for some it is, but I have, unfortunately, not had that experience.

Mommy's milk

Warning: Contains information about boobs.

I've been pumping milk for almost six weeks now. It's not easy, but I knew that already. The LC at the hospital said I should keep having Timothy latch on and sometimes I did and sometimes I didn't. Then this weekend something bad happened. At first I thought it was thrush and then things got better. Anyway the pain made me want to give up pumping. Adam was behind me 100 percent. His thoughts were that a happy mommy = a happy baby.

Well, I felt guilty for giving up pumping at the almost four month mark with Ryan so you'd better believe I was feeling guilty about giving up pumping at the almost six week mark with Timothy. I kept pumping, but it was SO PAINFUL. At one point we had to give formula because I'd frozen all my reserve from the day before and Timothy had to eat.

He refused. The look on his face said it all. This stuff is yucky and I don't want it. (Note: I am in no way bashing women who feed their children formula. I fed Ryan formula for nine months. I'm a firm believer in whatever works for you.)

So I HAD to keep pumping. At one point we thought he'd drank an ounce of formula only to discover he'd used the bottle as a pacifier and hadn't drank anything at all. Not long after he was awake and REALLY hungry. Sigh.

I was doing lots of reading. Either I kept pumping, figured out breastfeeding fast or... I didn't know. There's a forum for exclusively pumping (Eping) moms. I was one of those so I read and read until I found a few things that might have been helpful. I also went to a website for breastfeeding moms and discovered women managed to put baby back to breast up until the fourth month post partum. Maybe I could do this afterall. I really, really wanted to breastfeed Timothy and while I wasn't disappointed with Eping, something was going really wrong.

This morning when Timothy started rooting, to breast he went. He's fed there all day and it's going amazingly well.

Why would anyone post about this? You're kidding right? I am doing the happy dance. I have been doing the happy dance all day.

Let me clue you into the world of an Eping mom.

• Baby is hungry so you feed baby bottle and burp baby, change his diaper, too. (With Timothy that takes about a half hour. Ryan could drink a bottle in 10 minutes.)
• You pump for 10 minutes (which a lot of Eping moms will say is not enough time, but it was for Ryan and it was for Timothy too.)
• You put liquid gold into bottle for next feeding.
• Wash pump parts.
• By the time you're done that's at least 40 minutes and your two year old may or may not be happy, depending on the time of day.

You do this every time baby is hungry or you won't have a milk supply to speak of anytime soon. This includes the middle of the night, though I have been known to fall asleep and wake up to find I've missed a pumping session and am still holding a bottle that I was supposed to have fed Timothy who is next to me in bed.

If you want to go out anywhere as an Eping mom you have to take the pump with you. For us that required an extra diaper bag filled with hooter hider apron thingy, pump, extra bottles, batteries for pump and pump wipes. In addition, you have to know where you are going to pump while you're out... the car, family restroom or even the hallway to the women's bathroom at LL Bean.

So I am doing the happy dance and I'm praying that Timothy will continue nurse well (I can't imagine why he wouldn't since this is the drink he prefers). We're just going to keep working at it because this is so much easier.

Timothy

I still haven't taken many great photos of Timothy. I'm hoping to do better. I've taken a bunch, but they aren't the best quality photos. So here are two of my favs. I love how he sticks out his tongue at us. I asked him tonight if Ryan taught him that and he made a little laughing sound and smiled at me. I have yet to capture that smile!

They came, they saw, they went

The parents were here to see us for two weeks and they're already gone. I was really glad for the help with night time feedings for Timothy and for help during the day with a Ryan who is always on the move.

We did lots for Ryan while my parents were here.

We went to the children's museum in Portland where Ryan loved this water activity. He left with rather wet clothing.

We went to the zoo and Ryan was thrilled to see all the animals again. He enjoyed feeding ducks and chasing a turtle.

Ryan went swimming in the hotel pool with a swimsuit on (this was a challenge since he was convinced the pool was the same as a bath).

True to my Bahamian roots, we did lots of shopping and of course visited L.L. Bean.

My favorite part of this trip was discovering a Jamaican take-out place in York. I can't wait to go back to have more food which reminds me of home.

I also noticed my parents took all the photos of Timothy and I have none to post. I'll work on that this week!

Alphabet soup

Adam scored above average on his National Contact Lense Exam (NCLE)! We joked that if he actually got this certification that Adam Alphabet Soup woud be his official title (the real one is Adam ABOC, CPOC, NCLC... see what we mean?). I am really proud of him. He worked hard for all of these certifications, but the NCLE was probably the hardest of the three and possibly the reason he left it for last.

In other news... mastitis is better. Ryan is better! The family is here and we're having lots of fun.

An embarrassing moment for this mother: In Olive Garden when I ask Ryan what his belly button was called he grabbed his crotch and said, just loud enough for everyone to hear, "penis."

Timothy is growing. I will post photos at some point.

Mastitis...

is a pain in the boob... literally. I really hoped that what I felt yesterday wasn't mastitis. I felt awful. I wondered if i had the flu. I knew better, though, I was almost certain I had mastitis. I had a clogged duct with Ryan and this was worse. Since my parents are here, I got to rest the entire day -- yay!

We went to the doctor today. She confirmed that I have mastitis. I wish it weren't so. But, at least my parents are here and can help out when I just need to rest.

Now there are two of us on antibiotics trying to feel normal again.

Scarlet

Miss Scarlet in the billiard room with the wrench. Well, that's one possiblitiy. However, it's Ryan in the doctor's office with scarlet fever. Sigh. I'm still not sure how this happened, but it has happened. On Sunday night Adam noticed a rash on Ryan while giving him a bath. We thought maybe it was from sunblock and an afternoon spent in the sun. The next day I noticed the rash, but thought the same thing as Adam. But on Monday evening the rash looked like it could be measles, but Ryan had no fever. We decided we'd see if the doctor could see him at the same time as Tim's first well baby check up. And so it was decided yesterday afternoon that little man has scarlet fever and should take some antibiotics to get rid of it. The doc thinks Tim should be okay, but if he gets a fever, we're to bring him in right away.

So it was Timothy's well baby check up yesterday and he is a nice even 9 lbs now. Like Ryan, Timothy will have to go for blood work on his thyroid. I'm waiting to do that with my parents who will be here next week. I did Ryan's first blood test on my own and it was the worst idea a lady who has just had a baby could have. After they poked him for almost two hours before finally drawing the blood, I was a mess. We won't risk that this time. My parents went with me for Ryan's second blood work event and it went so much better. Basically, the doc just wants to make sure the meds I was taking during pregnancy (which were completly safe -- and if i hadn't taken them there is a chance I could have miscarried or had Timothy even earlier than I did) didn't do anything to Timothy's thyroid.

So far the early weeks of having a new baby are going better this time around. I, of course, have my meltdowns, but overall I'm feeling much better since delivering Timothy than I did when I delivered Ryan. My nights have been a bit difficult this week since Adam is working really long days because it's inventory tomorrow. He gets up at 5:30 and comes home at 9. He's exhausted and I can't even wake him up in the middle of the night so I've been doing feedings etc alone. I'm exhausted by the end of the day and can't wait for bedtime, which seems to be coming later and later. I'm looking forward to naptime today that won't be ruined by a trip to the doctor (Ry napped in the car yesterday and that meant I got no sleep).

In other news... Adam and I celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary this past Sunday. We enjoyed a nice dinner at the Steakhouse. The food was great, the service lousy, but we were glad to have some time without the kids. Then we took a walk on the beach. Below are two of the photos from our walk.

Zoo Photos

Here are some photos from our trip to the zoo on Thursday.

This was a family of ducks we discovered. The ducklings were very friendly... mostly they wanted us to feed them.

Adam and Ryan look at the ducks.

There's an enclosed area where you can walk with the deer. I went in first and then Adam and Ryan had their turn. It was rather weird to be so close to a deer.

Some of the deer walk right up to you and look for food in your hands.

Here are the prairie dogs. They were really cute.

This is my favorite photo of the many we took at the zoo.

Post Script

The above title will deal with the first part of this post. We watched the movie P.S. I love you this week. I give it two thumbs up, five stars, and believe it belongs in our collection. However, if you plan to rent it, you may want to keep a box of tissues with you while you watch. The movie was a great reminder that time is precious with the ones you love.

In other news... Timothy is growing. We have days where he feeds great and days where we keep reminding ourselves that he was early and this feeding thing is harder for him than other newborns. He still sleeps A LOT, but with a near term baby, that's to be expected. He has more periods where he opens his eyes and takes in what he can, but it's different for him than it was for Ryan. We still try latching on, but we're pretty sure we're just going to pump ye olde breastmilk and give Timothy a bottle. I feel no guilt this time around. I felt horrible that it didn't work out for Ryan to breastfeed. I beat myself up about it, but this time I know that whether I pump for three months like I did for Ryan or if I make it through a whole year, I'm doing my best.

Ryan has been a great big brother and loves to help out. He thinks he should get milk everytime Timothy does. He loves kissing his brother and touching his hair. He's been very gentle so far.

I'm feeling much better emotionally and physically this go around with pregnancy. I think emotionally it's been a huge boost to have Adam at home. He's had to go into work each week for a few hours, but those times away have given me a chance for a trial run with two kids. We've managed to play outside without him and haven't had any major problems. We haven't, however, managed to put Ryan down successfully for a nap when he's been gone. That will take some more work.

Physically, my stitches have healed wonderfully. I know they won't be fully healed for a few more weeks, but in comparison to last time, I'm feeling a million times better. My last stitches were awful and it took well beyond the six week mark to feel somewhat normal again. I think we were in the six month region when I felt like myself again. That in and of itself makes this time easier on my emotions. Plus there haven't been any horrible blood tests for Timothy yet. We're hoping we can skip them, but I'm sure we'll still have to do some sort of check on his thyroid since I was taking medicine for mine during the entire pregnancy.

Next week Adam goes back to work and I have a week with the kids on my own before my parents arrive on the 14th. Anyone in Maine who wants to hang out is more than welcome. I have a few plans for my sanity, but I welcome visitors, too.

We've managed to do some fun things as a family also. Today we are supposed to go to York Wild Animal Kingdom, but it's been overcast and while they aren't calling for rain I'd hate to get there and not see all of the animals.

More photos

The two boys getting to know one another. Ryan is slowly warming up to the idea that he's the big brother.

Eyes open!

For Ryan's first year I documented his growth with a huge Pooh Bear. It's currently in storage, but we have this little one so I took a quick photo anyway.

Silly husband

Adam woke up this morning upset that I hadn't gotten him up last night to help with Timothy. I told him he'd fed Timothy while I pumped (Timothy simply sleeps when put to breast and the lactation consultant suggested we keep trying, but pump and give a bottle to supplement during the night... while we're still trying, we've decided this way worked for Ryan and can work for Timothy too.). He even burped the little man, but remembers nothing.

When I asked him to help out Adam was sound asleep. He sat up, took Tim and the bottle and seemed to be gettting ready to feed him. When I looked over to see how things were going he was just holding the bottle and I had to say, "You might try putting that in his mouth so he can stop sucking his fingers and actually eat." And he did what I had suggested.

Still husband remembers none of this today. Silly man!

Best of all... Timothy has been sleeping three hours between feedings at night... so much better than Ryan ever did. I was up every hour and a half with Ry at this point. I'm really thankful for the rest. Ryan wants to play all day and when he naps I just want to be with my husband who so deserves this time off so actually getting some sleep at night and waking feeling rested, is so very nice.

Pictures

Blogger is giving me a hard time with photos, but I promise there will be more later.

So I think I have three pregnancy photos for my entire pregnancy this time. Here's the final one, right after a contraction and just before walking out the door at 5:30 on Sunday morning.

Our newest addition, Timothy James with his mom and dad late Sunday night.

This was a few minutes after birth. Timothy had a really blue face for the first day because he came out so quickly.

All snug.

He's ready to go home!

Surprise!

When I went to bed on Saturday night I didn’t expect to go into labor. I had told Adam it would be neat if both of our kids were born in May and wouldn’t the 25th be a perfect day? We really didn’t think it was possible at 36 weeks. Even though I was exhausted I agreed to watch “The Brave” with Adam. It was a Netflix rental we’d been holding on to for far too long. I feel asleep around 10 p.m.

Just before 2, I got up to go to the bathroom. When I came back to lie down in bed, I was having a hard time getting comfortable. When I rolled over my water broke. Slightly puzzled (my water broke with Ryan, but it was a trickle) at the large amount of fluid, I woke up Adam and told him that I’d either wet the bed or my water had broken. He asked about contractions and I said I hadn’t had any and planned on going back to sleep.

Well, it’s hard to sleep with fluid trickling so I got up and did a few things instead. By 3:30 contractions had started and I’d about finished scrapbooking all of my 2008 photos. At 4 I tried going back to bed, but only ended getting up to take care of Ryan who had a wet diaper. At five I was having contractions about 10 minutes apart and figured I should wake Adam and have him get ready.

We arrived at the hospital at 6, the main entrance was closed, so we entered through emergency and were greeted by a security guard. Before he could ask why we were there, Adam announced, “She’s stubbed her toe.” We all laughed and then got a wheel chair ride to the maternity ward.

The nurse later confessed she didn’t think I was in labor because I was so calm. When she checked me I was already six centimeters dilated and 80 percent effaced. She warned that if I wanted any sort of pain medication that I needed to decide now because my window of opportunity was rather small. While my contractions weren’t anything like when I had Ryan, I knew there was no way I’d risk that same amount of pain again so I asked for my intrathecal.

While we waited, Adam searched the baby name book for a boy’s name. The lab tech who took my blood must have thought we were out of our minds. Adam was throwing out names like Kirby and Gandalf. We pretty much laughed the entire time we were waiting for my antibiotics.

Time went by really quickly because by eight thirty I had my iv and all my antibiotics for GBS and the doctor had checked me again and said I was about eight and almost ready to deliver. He figured I would deliver between 9 and 11. Adam made a few phone calls and when he came back into the room he was shocked to see things in motion for delivery. In 10 minutes I went from and 8 to 10 and fully effaced.

I pushed four times (incredible compared to my hour of pushing last time) and baby boy was born. We were glad we spent so much time working on the boy name. Right before delivery we had it narrowed down to three choices and we decided about an hour after he arrived that he looked like Timothy James.

So, Timothy James was born May 25, 2008 (at 36 weeks and 3 days) at 8:51 a.m. He weighted 7 lbs 13 oz and was 21 inches long. They are pretty sure if I had gone full term he would have been a 10-pound baby.

Ryan came to meet his brother on Sunday with his grandparents. He ignored him for the first half of the visit and then wanted to see everything. When he left he said “bye-bye” to him. Today he’s made sure no toys are anywhere near his baby brother in case he might steal them, but he’s been helpful in getting diapers and such.

Aside from being exhausted, Adam and I are doing well and so is baby Timothy. We’re working on breastfeeding again and just looking forward to some family time while Adam is off work.

The 36th week

My visit this week was almost the same as it was two years ago at this point in my pregnancy. I'm dilated to a 2 and not effaced at all. My doc was excited that things have started because she's hoping it will mean I won't go to 40 weeks which will make it less likely that baby will be huge. I have some mixed feelings about going to early. My parents planned their trip so they could be here and not miss out, but I have so much pressure that some days I wish baby would arrive sooner rather than later.

I am well aware, though, that baby will arrive when he/she wants to arrive. I'll keep walking and eating spicy foods in hopes that this will help speed up the process, though not too much. I was eight days early with Ryan and some number around there would be fine.

I've been having lots of cramps, which doc says are contractions, though for me they are different than any I've had before. I know each pregnancy and labor can be completely different so I take her word for it. Whatever happens, happens.

Well child check-up

Ryan had his two year well child check up today. We waited 45 minutes before ever making into the room. He'd been up since 5 this morning so he was pretty cranky and I kept praying we were up-to-date on shots so we wouldn't leave in a horrible crying fit.

Thankfully, there were no shots and Ryan is doing incredibly well. It's amazing what a difference five months can make. He's now int eh 25th percenitle for weight as opposed to the fifth percentile so we don't have a million more blood tests to take. I seriously would have done the happy dance had I not been so tired.

Ryan, however, will be going for a speech evaluation. While we all hope it's just that he's slower than most at speech, we would like to nip any issue in the bud. He hasn't been putting two words together. If you ask him to say down please or up please he usually opmits the first word and just says please. If you pester him to say the first word, he says that one alone too. He also substitutes easy words for harder ones or just simply calls EVERYTHING a car. Of course, it doesn't help that the words he wants to say all sound similar, though he uses car for cars, trucks, color, crayons, chalk, cup. He loves to read and responds VERY well to instructions he just can't use his speech the way I think he wants to.

This visit with a speech therapist makes Adam more happy than it makes me. I do want him to advance, but I guess I'm not ready to admit there might be something wrong that needs therapy just yet.

I go for my 36 week check up on Thursday. But I want to share my wacky dream with you guys. Last night my dream was that I gave birth on Friday, May 23 (this was Ryan's due date) to a boy who weighted 10 lbs and we had no name picked out. I doubt any of it. I think it all has to do with us still not having a boy name picked out.

Our little helper



These photos just may be proof that Ryan really is my sister-in-law's child. We joke that my SIL has OCD and Ryan seems to be the same. Last week he got down and dirty and helped his grandmother clean the mini-blinds. The bubbles and water were really fun and having a scrub brush just his size was even more exciting.

Our little boy is two

I can't believe that Ryan is officially two today. Where has the time gone? It doesn't seem like it was that long ago we were looking at him on my belly in the delivery room trying to figure out which of our family members he most resembled.

It had been raining for days on end when he arrived. Someone said we should have named him Noah, but that never crossed our minds. On our way to the hospital we were almost in an accident, not by anything we did, but because there was construction on 111 and some guy decided to drive off road and into some construction cones. We made there safely and six hours later Ryan was born.

On the way to the hospital we discussed boy names. He had no name until the following morning. I still have the list of names we considered that night as we looked at him in the recovery room.

It's hard to imagine life without him. While some days are a true challenge, I'm glad he's ours. He's become quite the practical joker and reminds me of my brother in that respect. I love watching him play with his dad and I love how he calls out "night" to everyone as he goes down the stairs to bed at night.

I excited to watch him continue to grow and learn and though I know it won't be challenge-free, I'm sure he's going to make a great big brother.

Week 35

Week 35 started out really bad. Ryan was in a bad mood and gave me a run for my money on Monday that lead to a major break down when Adam got home. I was glad to have a Pampered Chef party to go to that evening to get away for a few hours.

Then yesterday, I went against my better judgement and let Ryan go outside in his PJs (it's a long story, but basically the rule is he has to be dressed to go outside to make getting dressed less of a struggle) with his grandmother and then he got a big boo-boo and we didn't sleep so well last night. I was ready for major break down number two this morning because I am so tired.

But there is good news...

The week 35 visit was short and sweet. I got to miss out on the Group B Strep test. I'm really thrilled about this because there's nothing worse than having that test at this far along in pregnancy. I understand it's necessary, but it's a really bad joke. Anyway I apparently have another bacteria they already know about growing so they will spare me the test and I get antibiotics anyway.

And Adam has the day off tomorrow after working way too many days in a row. He will be studying most of the day for his NCLE, but at least he'll be around. It's a nice feeling.

Second Birthday Party



We had Ryan's second birthday party this past weekend. It's a little early, but we had no other free weekend and we figured he really wouldn't know it wasn't his birthday yet. Last year, we had the party a week late so both of our parents and as many of our friends as possible could be there to celebrate Ryan's first year. This time, I'm glad I was smart enough to realize I'd be tired and I only invited a few people.

Ryan had a lot of fun playing with his cousin Madison while we waited on his godparents to arrive. They were late due because of their work schedules. Ryan loved opening his gifts, but got stalled after he opened his Mater toy from his Aunt Vanessa and Uncle Nick. They also got him a dust pan and broom as a gag gift because Vanessa and Ryan both like to clean (case in point, I was doing laundry when he woke up and he told me "what a mess!").

Ryan was enjoying everyone singing Happy Birthday until he realized they were singing it to him so he hid under the table. He managed to blow out his candle with a little coaching from his dad.

At the end, I was beat and glad I didn't wait till later in the month. I still have a few weeks left to go (three to six, depending on if I deliver at 37 or 40 weeks, I guess), but I am really, really ready. My back hurts and I'm at the point where sleeping is difficult because belly is so large. I know there is an end, but I am ready.

Pregnancy update

Today was my 33 week visit with the good old doc. I also had an ultrasound before seeing her. Baby is very cute and has hands in mouth and eyes open. He or she is practicing his or her breathing, which was really fun to watch.

Adam was sad to have missed this ultrasound, but my mother-in-law came to keep an eye on Ryan who loves to get into the tech's papers.

Anyway, baby is average. At this stage of pregnancy a baby generally weighs around 4 lbs. Our little munchkin weighs about 4.5 lbs and is in the 50th percentile for weight. The heartbeat was 139 bmp for those of you who think this means something. With Ryan that old wives tale meant nothing.

So we proceed with pregnancy like it was any normal pregnancy. Labor will happen when it happens, though Adam has given strick orders that it wait until he's finished taking his NCLE (National Contal Lense Exam) at the end of May. I think that's do-able.

And, oh, I measured a week ahead... it means nothing, if you ask me. I'd read that most women are supposed to measure within two centermetres give or take at each appointment and that it's considered normal. So I'm considering myself and this pregnancy normal.

Boy names?

The husband and I are struggling with a boy name. We had the same problem the year Ryan was born. He didn't get his name for a full day after his arrival. We've read lots of baby name books. We've read lots of baby name websites. If you read names in alphabetical order, it gets really old after a while. I've read lists and lists and still we have no name.

So now we're taking suggestions in hopes of finding that baby boy name just in case this is another boy. We've asked family and had a few possibilities, but nothing we're sold on just yet. I'm worried we'll have another boy and the nurse will ask what we're naming him and I won't have a clue again. And then we'll scramble that night or morning to figure out a name.

Help!

Messed up measuring tape

I'm convinced my doctor's measuring tape, the one used to measure my fundal height, is messed up. Four weeks ago, I measured three weeks ahead. Three weeks ago, I measured right on target. This week I'm measuring big again. This lead me to ask if there was something wrong with her measuring tape. I wasn't trying to be rude, I just want to know what is going on. She wouldn't say how big I measured this visit. What really puzzles me is that the week I really measured big was the week that I also put on five extra pounds. This time I've managed to keep it down to almost two pounds.

I go for another ultra sound next week. We'll get to see just how big baby is at that visit. Adam and his mother are convinced that I won't make it through May without delivering ( vaginally or via c-section) this baby. I think I'd be okay with that, mainly because I am so uncomfortable and I look so huge. There's a lot of pressure in the areas the baby is hanging out in these days. I'm not sure he or she should be allowed to get any bigger. Punches and kicks really hurt. When baby decides to do other movements I cringe.

I think I'm just going to keep on thinking that the measuring tape is messed up, even though everyone else is convinced I'll give birth to a toddler. My line of thinking gives me some peace.

Ryan's first big boy hair cut

My son had his first hair cut and I am ever so proud. I have to admit, both Adam and I were doubtful about this experience when we left for the barber shop this morning. Adam was worried that Ryan would be terrified of the person cutting his hair based on the fact that he was scared of the Easter Bunny. I was fearful based on the fact that he's been a bit crabby lately.

Yesterday I started preparing Ryan for the visit. I told him daddy was going to get his hair cut and we'd like Ryan to get his hair cut like a big boy too. This morning I reminded him that when daddy got up and ready, we'd be going for a big boy hair cut. No more mommy hair cut attempts.

Daddy went first and had his hair done. We thought the same lady cutting his hair would do Ryan's but then the owner showed up and asked Ryan if he wanted a hair cut to which he replied, "yes."

He took Ramsdell's hand and walked to the chair, got his paper neck thingy and cape put on and let him cut his hair. He hated the cape and neck thing and managed to take both off. Then he saw he was getting dirty, so he allowed Ramsdell to put the cape back on. Toward the end of the hair cut he managed to get the cape off again and proclaimed to all in the barber shop that it was, "trash."

He never cried. We were so proud.

And then he got up and said, "thank you," and picked out his own lollipop.

Amazing.

You know it's going to be...

a fun day when your kid refuses to wear the clothes you've put on him. It's not that anything is really wrong with them, it's just that the shirt isn't a long sleeved one and the pants are just not what he wants to wear. He protests by crying for a half hour before finally giving up.

The terrible twos have arrived.

Seeing God in the small things

We've had some wonderful weather in southern Maine this past week. Today, I just sat out on the deck for part of Ryan's nap and enjoyed the warmth and the sunshine. It was beautiful. As I watched the birds and looked at the flowers slowly popping up, I couldn't help but be reminded that there is a person who created all of these wonderful things.

That reminded me of the sermon two weeks ago at church. We were looking at Luke 24 and how the disciples wanted Jesus to stay with them (this was after he rose from the dead). The guest speaker urged us to find Jesus in our everyday lives giving an example of how simple that can be.

He told a story of how a little boy's mother packed him a lunch and let him spend a sunny day at the park. When the little boy got to the park he noticed all the tables were filled with families sharing food, except this one table. An elderly lady sat alone and he figured this was a good place to sit and eat his lunch. They exchanged greetings and when the little boy opened his lunch he noticed his mother had packed two of everything and he proceeded to share it with the lady who wasn't eating at all. He talked and she listened.

The day ended and he returned home. When his mother asked him how his day was he said he was glad to have spent it with God. She asked what he meant and he told her about the old lady sitting at the table and that he had shared his lunch with her and that she had reminded him of what God is like. She was a good listener, he explained.

The same old lady went to the nursing home that night and when asked how her day was she also said she enjoyed her day with God, commenting that the little boy reminded her of how thoughful God is and how he provides for us. They both saw different aspects of God in each other.

Another story I am reminded of when I think about God being made known to us is the story of a new family. The wife attended church regularly, but the husband couldn't be bothered anymore. The day their child was born the doctor handed him to the father and, as most fathers do, he looked his son over with much care. He stared at his ear and marveled to his wife at how perfectly it was made. It was the first time he'd seen God in a long time. When he returned to church the pastor asked what made him come back and the father said, that looking at his sons ear had made him realize that God wonderful and loving.

Today I found God in nature and in the joy of the sun. Sometimes it's the small things in life, like a warm sunny day, that help us realize how big God really is and how much he loves us to have created such wonderful things for us to enjoy.

May you find God in even the small things.

Adam and Gillian

Our friends Adam and Gillie were married last night. I thought this was one of the only weddings I've been to where the wedding ceremony and reception really matched the personalities of the bride and groom. The food was GREAT and I was thrilled someone had the guts to have an ALL chocolate cake, which was so yummy.

Below: Gillian, Adam, Adam and me.



The groom with Adam (just so you know, there were three Adams all together in the wedding party).
Cutting the yummy chocolate cake.

Adam gives his toast.

Chuck E. Cheese



Here are some photos from Ryan's first Chuck E. Cheese experience. We went with Adam's dad while Adam and his mother were at an optician seminar. FYI: I think the games are fun, but the food was just okay.

Ryan on the Barney train. He hates it when you put the money in to make the ride go, so we mostly just let him get on and off the rides.

Playing in the toddler gym.

Before we left Ryan was so excited he put on his own jacket. Too bad it was on backward becasue he did a really good job.

Pregnancy update and random news

I think I've lost a little bit of sleep this past week with thoughts of a possible c-section, so I was anxious for today's visit with my doctor. I had all these questions. While I am okay with a c-section, there's so much I just want to know. My fears were calmed a bit when I (a) hadn't put on even an ounce this week (must be all that outdoor play with Ryan) and (b) when I actually measured just right for fundal height. If I keep on this track and my next ultrasound doesn't show a mammoth baby we're doing a normal vaginal delivery... complete with an intrathecal (spinal).

Thanks to all who have been praying for us. This news really lifts my spirits mostly because I know what to expect with this type of delivery and it would take place in the same hospital as last time. We also have this huge "to do" list that was being a bit messed up with the thought of having a baby at the end of May. We have all these things we want to do with Ry before baby arrives like go to the zoo (it doesn't open until May 24), go to the New England Aquarium and the Children's museum. Not to mention, his birthday is thrown in this mix too, though we'd decided it'd be really small this year with just family and his godparents.

Of course my "to do" list also includes getting some baby things ready. I'm psycho, so the hospital bag is already packed, and has been packed since six months (just like last time. I just don't want to forget anything). The 0-3 month clothes and some 3-6 month clothes have been washed and put into their place. But, I still have things like the swing and bouncy seat to get out of storage and clean up. Of course, I have scrapbooking to finish, too. I'm feeling more motivated already.
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In some random news...

Ry has been sick this week with a cold, which he so nicely passed on to us. He's been up most nights so we're a bit sleepy, too.

The weather has been nice so we've done lots of playing outside. This can be difficult when you have to get to the doctor's office in just a few minutes and your kid wants to go on the swing and draw with chalk on the driveway. It's also really good because I don't have to invent different things to do every day. We just go outside and he's happy to run around. Next week we're expecting lots of rain, so we'll be back to indoor activities. Sigh.

My friend Sarah C. had baby number three on Monday. Little MaKayla and her mommy are fine and we can't wait to see them soon.

I officially turned in my LOA papers at work today. I really miss being there. I like the people I work with so much and I wanted to stay and hang out, but knew that was a bad idea.

Photos will be coming soon of Ryan's first Chuck E. Cheese experience with me and his grandfather.

Bedrest and a possible c-section

I could be having baby number two in about eight weeks. According to dear old doc, if baby continues to grow like he or she has been I'll be having a scheduled c-section near the end of May. The thought is that baby will be too large to pass through the birth canal safely and could just grow way too big by 40 weeks. The magic number here is 37. This isn't a sure thing, but she's simply preparing me for what may happen in a few weeks.

It doesn't help that in just about every four weeks I seem to put on five pounds. I swear I am not stuffing my face with chocolate or any other sinful calorie abundant food, but somehow I've still managed to pack on the pounds. This is a red flag, says nurse, and I'm likely to have another ultra sound in the weeks to come to determine if baby is larger than 9.5 lbs or has too large of a cranium to make the journey south.

I also get to be on a form of bedrest. I will not be working at my part-time job until after baby arrives. On Friday, I started having contractions while at work. At first I was convinced I was imagining things and kept working... for two more hours. The contractions weren't that intense and were about 20 minutes apart. I finally decided to call the doctor who sent me over to labor and delivery for monitoring. I had one contraction the entire time I was there so I was sent home with orders to rest and drink lots of fluids (apparently dehydration in late pregnancy can cause early labor). I had three contractions on Saturday while out grocery shopping, but the magic number to rush back to labor and delivery is six contractions in one hour. Still the doctor thinks we should be careful and do what we can to prevent more contractions and stop working.

At yesterday's appointment, aside from the grand weigh-in, urine sample, measuring of the fundal height (still measuring well ahead of schedule) and listening to baby's heartbeat, I also had bloodwork done. The endocrinoligist called this morning to tell me some great news. I can decrease my thyroid meds to just one pill a day. This could have also been the reason for the early contractions. I've been monitored closely during both of my pregnancies because thyroid disease makes me a high-risk case.

As for the two pieces of news from yesterday's visit, I'm okay with having a c-section if it's necessary to prevent a possibly large baby getting stuck in my vajay-jay (yes, I used Oprah's word) and having to break baby's collarbone to get him or her out. I'm really okay with having a c-section. I'm disappointed in two ways... I'd have to have the c-section in Portland rather than in Biddeford because that hospital is more equipped for such things. I really like the hospital where I delivered Ry. It was so restful there and so much like a hotel with room service. I'm sure I'll get over it though. Plus my mum and dad had planned to be here for actual birth... they missed out last time and I'm sure want to be in on all that hoopla this time. With things up in the air about a c-section I've encouraged them to keep the same plans they already have just incase no c-section happens and baby arrives right on schedule.

As for being on a form of bedrest where I stay home with my little boy and get to actually see Adam for more than a few hours each week is okay. I'm a little disappointed though becuase I enjoy going to work. It's my outlet. I get to be with adults. I enjoy my co-workers and their company. Of course, I'd rather not deliver baby at a register in WM so I can deal with this too.

So I'm okay with all of this. I think it's becasue I know there are so many people praying for me and this pregnancy. I know God is in control, even in the nutty-ness of this pregnancy. I've just come to expect that this pregnancy isn't going to be just like my last.

Adventures with Ryan

I decided to move away from the pregnancy posts and put something here that is about Ryan. As you can see Ryan has made the move to a big boy bed without a pacifier. Yay! The bed was given to us by Adam's cousin who has two kids and is no longer in need of the bed. Ryan loved it from the minute it entered the house. He helped me put the pieces together and move the mattress from his crib to this bed.

The first night he slept in the bed, none of us were sure how things would work. We'd been telling him for months that he was going to get a big boy bed because the crib will then be given to his baby brother or sister. He was really excited when the bed arrived, so we figured the transition wouldn't be horrible, but one never knows with a toddler.

We did our usual bedtime routine and then put Ryan in the bed. He didn't cry. We figured this was a plus. Adam had just gotten home from work that night and needed to get dinner. I stayed to watch from our room. Ryan sat up in bed for a long time just looking around. When I looked a few minutes later I couldn't see him and I was worried he'd made an escape. When Adam came back from the kitchen, he checked on Ryan who was fast asleep in his bed. The photo above is from that very first night. He absolutly loves his big bed.

Another milestone in the big boy world is that we've left pacifier behind for almost a month now. He asked for it a lot the first few nights, just like when we took it away at naptime. Now I don't even think he remembers how attached he was to it.

This weekend, we visited Ryan's godparents again. The guys had planned for a LONG time that they would go to the season opener for the New England Revolution (that's Major League Soccer for those of you wondering). After a small pregnancy drama (more to come in another post) we went up on Friday night. Of course, Ryan looks forward to these visits to see kitty-kitty orange. We all spent most of Saturday together until the guys left for the game and then us girls and Ryan went out for the evening. We took Ryan to a pet store and he LOVED all the animals, especially the turtles and the fish (he calls them shish).

I think we spent an hour looking at turtles and fish. It was great entertainment. He thought the birds were okay and he thought the same about guinea pigs, ferrets and rats. He held on to Kristin for dear life when she showed him geckos, snakes and spiders, but I think those things are creepy, too.

We're looking forward to going to York Wild Animal Kingdom as soon as it opens, which I think is May. We've planned a family day for the zoo and we know he's going to love it. I've warnned Adam that we'll have to spend lots of time at each exhibit, but at least we'll get our money's worth.

In another adventure, Adam brought home a balloon for Ry the other day. He runs around with it in a circle and yells, "GO!" It's really cute. He also attempted to stuff the balloon behind the TV. I tried to explain it wouldn't fit and that it could pop, but he tried anyway. Amazingly the balloon is still around. Speaking of the word "go" Ryan also pretends to race like Mater and McQueen in the movie Cars. He'll say "GO!" and run in a circle and then we have to pretend to be the finish line and say "stop."

I'm happy to report we've had a few nice days, which have resulted in adventures outside. He wanted to go on the swing and in his pool right away. I told him once the snow made a path to the swing we would go. Two days later he led the way as we went for our first time on the swing since last fall. Of course, it hasn't been warm enough for the pool, but he keeps asking. We've made the best of bathtime, though I know it's not the same.

I'm looking forward to more adventures with Ryan outdoors in the coming months.

Longing for a pregnancy like my last

This week’s prenatal visit went a bit more like I expected, though it still wasn’t pleasant. Since Sunday, I’ve been having pain in my nether regions. It’s not the kind of pain I’d get all worked up about, but it’s pain nonetheless. I was going to wait until my appointment today, but Adam was worried and threatened that if I didn’t call the doctor to get reassurance (mostly for him) that he’d call them for me.

The pain started on Sunday in church when Ryan refused to let Adam hold him. I ended up having him in my arms and on my lap for most of the service (in a few months, Ry will be old enough for Sunday School. Until then, he’s stuck with us.). Anyway, I noticed the pain during church. The pain increased as the days went by. It occurred to me that maybe I have a UTI, but I was just going to wait for Thursday’s appointment.

I called my doctor’s MA around noontime and had an appointment for 1 p.m. Basically, there weren’t enough symptoms to diagnose me over the phone so someone needed to take a look just to be safe. It would mean I could cancel my appointment today, which was fine with me.

I have no fever, no vomiting, no nausea, no bleeding. I just have this dull ache in my nether regions that makes me wonder if I have a UTI. Urine sample is collected, OB/GYN is consulted and we’re off for another ultra sound to rule out things like appendicitis, placental abruption and anything that could be wrong with baby. The doc’s best guess is that I’m having some ligament pain, not the round ligament pain associated with earlier pregnancy, but the kind in which something was strained while picking up Ryan. The worst-case scenario is that my uterus is constricting my urethra and I’ll need hospitalization and some fun tubes to open things up. In a what could be a bizarre twist, that cyst that I had earlier in pregnancy may have come back, but that’s not likely.

At this point of the visit it was almost 2 p.m. and Ryan was really tired. We’re moved to another examination room so the OB/GYN in the practice (I use a family doc) can take a look. While in the process of moving, Ryan decides to open the biohazard trashcan. The MA says, “Oh no, Ryan don’t touch that it’s yucky.” My kid is exhausted and has just been told not to do something. Not a good combination, though a needed warning because who knows what’s in those biohazard bins. Anyway, he’s staring at the floor and the MA asks, “is he okay?” And I say, “Yes, he’s just tired and thinks you’re being mean.”

And the kid cried for over an hour! Nothing I did could console him. Nothing the doctors or nurses tried to do could make him happy either. Daddy was called in to help (which I didn’t want to do because he’s having a really busy week at work). I just couldn’t imagine being on the table for another ultra sound with a SCREAMING little boy some how in my arms. I knew if any one in the world could get him to calm down it would be his daddy.

Yet another ultra sound was preformed. Baby is fine. My placenta is fine. I’m not having appendicitis. We’re not sure about my ovaries or my urethra because they weren’t visible. Basically, I get to come home and wait to see if the pain gets worse or if my urine culture shows I have a UTI.

While I realize that some people have way more difficult pregnancies, I’ve hated this one for the constant uncertainty. I often wish it were a pregnancy like the one I had with Ryan. At least I’d know what to expect (seven months of throwing up and four hospital visits for IVs).

It’s hard to remember that God is in control when things seem to always be a bit nutty. As you may imagine, I’m not looking forward to my next prenatal visit next week.