Ava Grace - Birth Story

My mom decided to come stay with us early last week and I was convinced that she wouldn't have to wait long before Ava would make her appearance. However days went by and I continued feeling about the same - constant contractions but no real signs of anything changing or progressing. On Friday nothing seemed different and if it did, I wouldn't have taken it seriously anyway since there had been so many false alarms up to that point.


On Saturday morning I woke up about 5:30 with my first painful contraction but I wasn't entirely convinced that was what it was so I decided if I had a couple more then it would be reason enough to go to the hospital. Sure enough another wave of pain came and went but I needed to feel one more before I was ready to wake up DJ. After the third one, it was just a little before 6 and I woke up DJ, told him I thought it was probably time and that I was going to shower. I continued to time my contractions and noticed that they were getting stronger. Thankfully they weren't going away as they had in the past and they were anywhere from 2 minutes to 5 minutes apart. I wasn't feeling entirely rushed though because I was still able to function through most of the contractions. Much to DJ and my mom's dismay, I decided I needed to eat something before we headed to the hospital. I think they thought I just needed to get to the hospital as soon as possible! By the time we actually left for the hospital, it was 8:00. Jayden woke up before we left so we were able to get one more family of three photo before we told him that we were headed to the hospital to get Ava. He was more than happy to have a day to spend with Nana.


When we arrived at the hospital, my contractions were strong enough that I had to stop what I was doing and breath through them. Thankfully I had completed most of the paperwork when I had gone in at 38 weeks so there were just a few things to do before they monitored the baby. When the nurse checked how much I was dilated I was 6.5 cm and 100% effaced so we knew this was it! That was about an hour after we first got to the hospital. The contractions were getting very painful and I was seriously doubting my decision of a drug free birth. I decided to get in the tub but first they had to draw some blood for a routine blood screening. I sat on the birthing ball while the lady took my blood and I remember thinking what a ridiculous policy it was to take blood from a laboring lady. They're poking me with needles while I'm doing everything I can do to get through each contraction. It was miserable and I hated the position I was in on the ball. 


Once the lady finally finished taking my blood, I had to get in the bed so the nurse could check my cervix before I got into the tub since my contractions were getting so close together. Just moving into the bed was miserable because each movement made me contract and I ended up in the worst position possible to have a contraction. It was so uncomfortable and I couldn't keep the tears from coming. I felt somewhat like I was losing control and that scared me a little since I knew I wouldn't be able to handle the pain if I couldn't get my mind in the right place. When the nurse checked me at that point I was 7.5cm dilated and that really frustrated me because the pain was so bad and I still had 2.5cm to dilate. I started thinking that I didn't have it in me to keep going without an epidural. The nurse suggested getting into the tub to see if that helped first. As I walked to the bathroom, I was having contraction after contraction and I just broke down. I decided I had to have the epidural; I knew I couldn't handle any more pain. I was at my breaking point. However the nurse said it would be a good 15-20 minutes before that could happen so it would be best to still get in the tub and try that out. The only problem was I could barely move from where I was and I started feeling a lot of pressure. We decided it would be best if we got back to the bed so the nurse could check me again. Easier said than done; I kind of remember thinking I wish someone could just carry me to the bed which was literally like 5 steps away.


When the nurse checked me again I had fully dilated and was really feeling the urge to push. The only problem was they had just called the doctor and he wasn't there yet so they were telling me to not push. I had heard that happen to other women before and although I thought it sounded crazy to tell someone not to push, I didn't realize how horrible it was. Making your body do something that it is quite naturally doing on its own is IMPOSSIBLE. I was practically yelling "how do I not push?!?" because they were really making me think that it would be bad to deliver the baby if the doctor wasn't there. Nothing was being done to prepare the bed or the room to deliver the baby and I just kept thinking that I was going to push the baby out right there on the bed. It was a little terrifying and so miserable all at the same time. When the doctor finally came into the room, I have never been so grateful to see anyone in my entire life. I pushed two times and the head was out and then a couple more times to deliver the shoulders and the rest of the baby. And then the doctor held up the most beautiful baby girl that I had ever seen. I will never forget that moment as long as I live.


At this point everything was different then what I had experienced with Jayden. It was so much better since Jayden had to be taken away immediately. I didn't get to hold him till he was about an hour old. But they laid Ava on my chest right away and I just rubbed on her and talked to her and took in the sight of my precious baby. Before that day, I thought I might be grossed out by having a newly birthed baby put on me but I wasn't disgusted or squeamish in the least. I was so happy she was here and it was just the best moment ever. The doctor continued working on me; he delivered the placenta and then had to do another procedure before stitching me up since I had a minor second degree tear. But that part wasn't nearly as bad as my first delivery either since I had Ava in my arms to distract me. 


I was able to start nursing Ava about 45 minutes after she was born and after a few attempts, she latched on and nursed for a good 30 minutes which is a great first feeding. I was so glad that breastfeeding was off to a great start since I had a lot of issues with Jayden when he was born and that continued for weeks.


Overall the entire delivery was extremely better than my first delivery. I was so grateful for that and the fact that I ended up not getting an epidural after all! The last few days have also been a lot better for me physically and emotionally. My body doesn't feel nearly as traumatized as it did with the first and emotionally I'm not nearly as overwhelmed. I feel almost normal actually and the pain from the stitches has been almost non-existent. I am staying on the Motrin religiously but thankfully I haven't even needed anything stronger. I feel so blessed to have had such a great experience and it truly is an answer to my prayers. I had prayed for the delivery and recovery to be just like they happened and I am so grateful that God chose to bless me with such a wonderful past 3 days!

I am...

• Still pregnant.
• At 39 Weeks, still 4.5 cm dilated, 80% effaced but the baby has now dropped to -1, instead of -2 where she was last weekend.
• Getting horrible leg cramps/nerve "stings" because the baby has again dropped and seems to have "landed" on key leg nerves.
• Highly productive and have made multiple lists that I never thought I'd make it through but alas, I always do so I then have to think up more things to do to make the time tick by.
• Immensely enjoying my last few Momma and Jayden days without other distractions.
• Having constant contractions but, see bullet #2, they are doing nothing.
• Loving the beautiful sunny days that Laramie has been having for the last few days.
• Waiting for my mom to arrive today so we can be "bored" together, i.e. do lots of mundane tasks as we "patiently" wait for Ava to make her appearance.
• Loving the part-time schedule that Jayden has at day care because it gives me some time to get things done around the house and he gets to spend some time with his friends and teachers and yet, I get to spend SO much more time with him each day.
• Surprised that companies haven't capitalized on the nesting period that pregnant women go through and hire them for those few weeks before they give birth; it's unbelievable what one can get done in a day. Liability issues, I guess.
• Spending time reading books and have really enjoyed a few of them.
• Trying not to be annoyed with the question, "Any baby yet?" since I answer it multiple times on a daily basis.
• Attempting to fill my days in other ways besides eating very unhealthy comfort food.
• Wondering what day we are going to get to call Ava Grace's birthday!!

Pregnancy Update - 38 Weeks

We've had a somewhat eventful last few days but as of the moment, baby Ava still has not made her appearance. On Saturday, we went up to the mountains to do a little hiking and have a picnic (we saw two moose!!) and on our drive back, I started having a lot of contractions. As we made it back home, I started thinking that this could be it because the contractions were getting pretty close together and I was having back pain as well. Well this could have been really exciting except that the only two days that we didn't have ANYONE to watch Jayden was Saturday and Sunday so this was actually highly inconvenient! We were just completely baffled about what to do because we really didn't want to have to take Jayden to the hospital with us but we just couldn't think of what else to do. 


Our biggest concern was not leaving him with someone that he wasn't already at least a little familiar with. Most of our friends were either out of town or their husbands were out of town and since they have kids, they wouldn't be able to come watch our kid. Well thankfully we thought of calling Jayden's daycare and told them what was going on and asked them if they could call Jayden's daycare teacher who I really like (and I know is single and doesn't have kids of her own) to see if maybe she could come over and watch Jayden. Blessings of all blessings, she was willing to come and sounded more than happy to be of assistance to us! We ended up going to the hospital about 7pm even though I still felt ok other than just having a lot of contractions that were close together. They weren't hurting but we didn't want to wait any longer and have to call someone in the middle of the night so we felt it would be best to just go and get everything checked out. At this point we had also called DJ's parents and they were headed to Laramie to stay with Jayden but they wouldn't get to our house until well after Jayden was asleep. Jayden's teacher came over and by the time we left to go to the hospital, he was so excited to have her sole attention that he barely even noticed that we left. We felt sooo relieved that his teacher was able to come over and Jayden was so happy to have her there.


When we got to the hospital and got all checked in, including changing into a horrible hospital gown (those are the worst things ever!), they checked me and I had only progressed 1 cm since my appointment on Tuesday, regardless of the fact that I had been having consistent contractions for about 7 hours at that point. The nurse was skeptical that it was active labor since I should have progressed a lot more after having contractions for that long. So at that point I was 4 cm dilated, 80% effaced and it was 8:30pm. The nurse suggested that we walk for a couple of hours and see if that did anything to get things going quicker. And, boy oh boy, it definitely made me have more contractions (read: 2 minutes apart with contractions lasting well over a minute) but it got to be so painful to walk, that I decided to sit on the birthing ball for awhile and the contractions almost immediately slowed down. By the time they checked me again, I had only progressed a half of a centimeter and I was exhausted. I felt like walking was definitely the thing to do to keep things going but I was dead on my feet and could barely keep myself upright, let alone what would happen if I got to the point of having to push. I knew I would never have the energy to do that and I would be miserable. I did not want to remember Ava's birth that way. On the other hand, having contractions so close together and that were painful by that point, it seemed crazy to go home and not know when to come back; we really didn't want to have the baby at home or in the car! So we finally decided that I would stay overnight and that way if the contractions continued to get stronger, we wouldn't need to deliberate about when to come back to the hospital. Unfortunately, even though it was hard to go to sleep initially because of the contractions, I slept in spurts until finally I noticed that I was sleeping pretty good because the contractions had stopped!


The doctor came in the next morning about 6:30am, checked me again, and I had not progressed at all. So we all agreed I should go home and wait it out where I would be much more comfortable. It was so crazy because we went from thinking that we would have a baby by the morning to leaving the hospital still pregnant and completely clueless about when our baby girl would arrive! So it's been two days since I left the hospital, DJ's parents left yesterday and I am still having tons of contractions. Every baby and pregnancy truly is so different. Here I am 4 cm dilated, contracting constantly and having my patience tested because days keep passing and still no baby. Craziness!


I have noticed some additional changes in my body since Sunday so I know she'll be coming soon, but how soon??? NO CLUE! One good thing about our "test run" though is I realized that there were a few things I didn't consider bringing to the hospital that I really wished I would have had so we're just more prepared now then we were before the weekend!

Two Babies

This is probably the easiest I'll ever be able to hold both my babies where both are happy and comfortable!

Pregnancy Update - 37.5 Weeks

Yes, I'm still pregnant although I'm kind of surprised because I have been dilated now for 2 weeks! I thought for sure that meant I would have the baby by now. At 36 weeks, I started having some pretty consistent contractions (read: 5-10 minutes apart for about 3 hours) and we thought we'd be headed to the hospital that night. But since it was late and we were going to have to call someone to come stay with Jayden, it caused us to hesitate and thankfully, we did wait because the contractions stopped and we saved some money by not checking into the ER! But ever since I've been thinking it could happen at any moment.

After that night of contractions, I went to the doctor the next day and I was 2 cm dilated and 75% effaced so it definitely wasn't false labor! A week later, I was another centimeter dilated and DJ and I decided that it was best if he didn't go to Vegas for the week. He was supposed to leave this past Tuesday and be gone until Sunday night for a conference but given that I could go into labor any minute and I am more and more uncomfortable every day, it didn't seem like the best idea.

I am still feeling really good in terms of aches and pains but I am feeling LARGE. I can barely bend over to tie my shoes and picking up dropped items is a lesson in squats (thankfully, I've been doing squats at my workouts for the last few months so these are easier then you would think!). My larger pregnancy clothes are all getting too small or at least, I am filling them out much more. My appetite has reached a new level and although I have managed to only gain about 30 pounds with this pregnancy so far, I may just make up for that in the last 2 weeks!! Yikes! I am having contractions all the time and they are definitely getting more and more uncomfortable. And the baby has dropped so walking has turned into waddling...lovely...

So that's the update! It's funny because although I would love for our baby girl to come early; I also just want her to hold out for a little longer. I haven't had time to get bored yet so I don't feel ready at all! There are still things I'd like to get done but the list is getting very, very small so I may be entering bored status by Monday. It's been great to have DJ around too to help out and we've gotten a lot of little odd jobs done. Love that! 

I have my next appointment on Tuesday and I would be very surprised if the doctor tells me I haven't dilated any further. I'm thinking, if I make it that far, that Tuesday will be my last prenatal appointment!

Becoming a mother...again

Almost a month has gone by since my last post and that is because life has been BU-SY. I have approximately one month left before our sweet Ava enters our family as a precious newborn and I have been in a race to make sure everything is ready. I feel like she could be born tomorrow and I need to be ready! 


Washing laundry piles that go on forever, 


organizing two little people's clothes to make it all fit in one bedroom, 


rearranging furniture to make sure we have enough space to bring out all the baby items again, 


cleaning the cracks and crevices that probably won't get cleaned again for another year, 


training at work to make sure things are covered there while I'm on leave, 


and the list goes on and on and on. 


Thankfully, I can see progress so I'm not too stressed out. All this might stress someone else out but for me, a planner and organizer by nature, I am thriving on this. I've also been feeling fantastic so that's helped a lot too. I have been blessed with what I am pretty sure is the easiest pregnancy a person could ask for. I contribute it all to being more active this time around and really trying to stay as fit as possible. As a result, my muscles have stayed strong and my energy level has remained elevated (for the most part).


But as the time approaches to deliver this baby, I am starting to get a severe reality check. (Never mind the fact that I am starting to remember just what that means to DELIVER the baby...) I have spent the last 8 months in somewhat of a denial stage. Yes, I know we're having a baby. Yes, I know I am about to have 2 kids under 2. But, hey, that's all in the future and I don't have to worry about that just yet. That's the beauty of a 9 month pregnancy. 


Well, hello future, you have arrived. Or just about. 


And I'm starting to remember those early newborn days and I. am. getting. nervous. I remember being grateful when each stage was over with Jayden because things always got a little better, a little easier. And I didn't have to feel guilty about being grateful that a stage was over because I really feel like I took the time to enjoy them. I didn't rush, I held Jayden as much as I ever wanted, I was able to spend as much time with him as I wanted. So I never felt like I was missing out. But now I'm about to go through all those stages again. Yaaay. I hope I can love it as much as I did the first time around.


And then there's the fact that this time is about to be so much different. Yes, I know every baby is different but there are other things too.


And me and Mr. Different don't always get along so well. So therein doth my anxiety lie.


This time around, I won't necessarily be able to sit on the couch holding Ava all day long as I let her sleep and nurse whenever she wants to. I will also have a toddler vying for my attention and I want to continue to make the most of my time with him too. Difference #1.


This time around, I only have 4 short months to spend with my little girl before I have to actually take her somewhere outside of our home to be cared for so I can go back to work. Difference #2.


I will have to learn what kind of bottles Ava likes, what the best pumping schedule will be and decide when to start using a paci in order to avoid nipple confusion, because I won't be steps away to feed her myself whenever she's hungry or upset. Difference #3.


I will have twice the mommy guilt now that I am not only taking my son to daycare to be cared for by "strangers" but also my new baby who still seems way too young to be placed in an environment with strange sounds and smells and activity. Difference #4.


Those are just a few things that come to mind that I am always worrying about because I just don't know the right answers. If all I had to worry about was how is this baby going to be different from my first, I would be ok with that. I would try out the ol' tried and true techniques that may have worked for Jayden and that would at least give us a starting point. From there, well, we would just figure it out. But now I also have to figure out all those other things that I didn't have to do with Jayden and it just makes me a little sad. I feel so blessed to have had such a wonderful first year with Jayden.


Every mother, I think especially when you've already been through it at least one time, wants to do just as good if not better the next time around. And that is even more true for a recovering perfectionist like myself. I always thought that the beauty of becoming a mother again meant that you wouldn't have to learn all those things that were such a mystery before, i.e. bathing a baby, changing a diaper, washing diapers, helping baby sleep, etc. But as it becomes more of a reality that we're about to have another little human that is completely dependent on us, I realize it's just not that easy. Plus we still have little human #1 to take care of and he's still going through all new stages too.


I keep telling people who ask if we're done after this one, that if I survive #2 then we'll think about #3. But right now, I am just hoping for survival and really, more than just survival. I am hoping for happy healthy kids and parents who all enjoy living in this house together. And while that's easy to type, I know it takes much much more to actually make happen.

Now with all that being said, don't think that I am in a crying crumpled heap over here and am sitting here with knots of worry in my stomach. I'm very much a realist and know that I am not the first person to go through having a second child. Both my parents and my in laws did it for one thing and we all turned out really well, i.e. none of us are in jail or homeless. Also I know that God gave DJ and I this child as a gift and each one is a blessing and although blessings may feel like challenges sometimes, they also bring joy every single day. God is with us on this every step of the way and this child is His first. So I am keeping perspective. Don't worry. But I don't want to forget what was going through my head in the days right before Ava is born and this is the reality!

29 Weeks

Technically I am a few days shy of 29 weeks in this picture but I'm pretty sure I haven't changed much. I'm feeling good overall and I feel great about the fact that I found out that I am 10 pounds lighter than I was at this point in my last pregnancy. Woo hoo!! I guess the exercising is working. That, and having a toddler to run around after has certainly been a factor. 


DJ and I got a huge wake-up call at my last doctor's appointment when we found out that I will now start going to my appointments every 2 weeks, as opposed to every 4 weeks. Yikes! How did that creep up so fast??


Jayden has learned that pointing at my belly when we ask where baby sister is, is the right thing to do. Whether he actually knows what the heck we are talking about is another question. I have no doubt that he has no clue. But we are working on saying Ava and it is seriously the most adorable thing ever.


I am definitely feeling overwhelmed when I think of having two kids and I'm hoping it's just because we are having such sleep issues with Jayden right now and that it will end up being no big deal. But EVERYONE says that the biggest adjustment is from 1 to 2 kids and I am the kind of person that takes to heart what people say and that they know what they are talking about. So I'm not ignoring this apparently well-known fact. 


So I know it's going to be a big adjustment but I'm also just a little worried about HOW BIG. Like manageable, just more tired at night big? Crying lots of stressed tears every night big? OR like PPD big...?? (PPD = Post partum depression) I'll admit that the fact has crossed my mind that I was "slightly" overwhelmed when I had JUST a newborn to take care of (in addition to myself) but having a newborn AND a toddler...I'm just hoping that, by that time, 21 months of motherhood will have taught me a thing or two and it will be manageable. So before I go off on a big ol' tangent (I just started doing that and deleted a whole bunch of stuff), I will just say that I have 76 days (according to my phone app) to get my head in the right place for baby #2. 


Pray for me.

Love Letters - To my Daughter

Dear Ava,


I started writing these love letters of sorts to your brother when he was already born but I thought starting before you were born would be a good idea too!


You are so wanted. Your daddy and I have wanted a baby girl for so long and now that we have spent 17 months with your brother, we know that a baby sister will be good for him too. (By the way, you will soon find out how lucky you are to have a big brother like Jayden. He will pour on the sweetness and you will never feel so loved. He's a sweetheart like that.) I hope you will always know and feel secure in the fact that you are needed and wanted in this family.


This pregnancy has been different because I can actually picture you as you roll around in my tummy. I had a hard time doing that with your brother since I had never been pregnant before. I love imagining your little hands as they push on my stomach and it makes it a little easier to persevere through the many bathroom breaks I have to make throughout the day and into the night when I imagine your precious little feet that are doing the kicking against my bladder. Imagining the sweet little baby that you are already just 26 weeks into this pregnancy has made the anticipation of meeting you so much fun. I absolutely cannot wait to hold you in 100 days (or whenever you decide to arrive)!


I know that having a daughter will be so much different than having a son and while I am intimidated by the challenge, I know that God will make a way for us. He will lead us both through this adventure and I hope that I can do a good enough job that one day, when we have made it through the child/parenting days, you will call me your friend.


I have to admit to you that, while I will be ok if you decide that you are completely offended by anything frilly or pink or girly (I went through a stage like that as a girl), I am very much looking forward to doing your hair and dressing you up and having girl time with you. I want you to know that it's ok to like those girly things and you should be proud of your femininity. I think about how I will encourage you as you grow up and I think this is an important one because you will often hear how men and women are equal and women can do anything a man can do but the truth is that God made each of us unique and with special qualities and I hope to bring to light those things that are special about you because you are a girl and one day, a woman.


Another exciting aspect that I am looking forward to is the relationship that you will have with your dad. Dads are really important in a girl's life and your dad is up to the task, let me tell you. He will fiercely protect you against life's scary parts and do his best to be the #1 man in your life until you meet the one that God has for you in a husband. I have no doubt that you are going to think your dad is the coolest, most handsome, most fun man in your life and I look forward to watching your eyes light up when he comes into the room (much like your brother's do now I imagine).


So only a short while to go, my girl, and soon you will be in my arms and meeting your brother and your daddy. There's also a bunch of grandparents and  some uncles that are anticipating your arrival. You will never know as much love as when all your grandparents get together and dote on you. You will think you have hit the jackpot!


I love you so much already Ava Grace!


Your momma

A Bite to Eat

Jayden decided to show his skills with the spoon last night. I was so impressed because I didn't know he could do that! I'm not sure if it just clicked last night and he got it or if this is something that he's been practicing a lot at "school" but either way, he is quite the big boy when it comes to feeding himself now! He's eating some rice in this video and in the first part of the video I think there must be a grain stuck on the spoon which is why he keeps putting it in his mouth. So funny.

He impressed me even more this morning at 5:30 a.m. when he fed himself half of his bowl of cereal! It hit me how fast he's growing up.


On another note, I have started working out and I am loving it! Tuesday and Thursday nights I go to a workout class for prego ladies. It's quite a blast. Tuesdays is either Pilates or Yoga and I was very surprised to find out that a pregnant lady can do just about anything that a non-pregnant lady can do. I kind of knew it in my head but needed told by a professional because I was always afraid I might do something unknowingly that hurt the baby. Thursday nights is strength training. Bring on the defined muscles!! And I'm walking again in the mornings which is actually more of a workout then it used to be so I'm glad I started that up again. Here's to only weighing 25-30 pounds more this pregnancy (instead of 50...)!!!

A Day Trip to Cheyenne

We received an Olive Garden gift card for Christmas and decided to drive to Cheyenne yesterday to use it. It ended up being just what we needed to do on a Sunday afternoon. Jayden got a nap in on the way there and on the way back which was perfect and we found a way to get out of the house. 


We had a very nice lunch and Jayden got to try his first OG breadstick. It's a rite of passage somehow I'm sure. DJ and I both looove the OG breadsticks. Jayden loved it too of course and he definitely loved the penne pasta with meat sauce that he had for lunch. I had the never-disappointing soup/salad combo with my fav Zuppa Toscana.


After lunch, we found a park/lake where we walked around for a while before heading back to Laramie. It was a very overcast day but it wasn't too cold where we couldn't walk around for awhile. 


Here are some pictures from the walk! And also the most-up-to date pictures of our family since I haven't posted any in for. ever.

 This is Jayden's fake crying face - it totally cracks me up when he does this.

 Jayden was kind of over taking pictures at this point and just wanted "up"!

Me and Ava! I'm 22 weeks now and feeling pretty good overall!

Random Thoughts on Friday

We got our carpets cleaned today and I have to say it's one of the more exciting things that is happening around here. I feel like I'm living in a new house again. I've also given our house a good deep cleaning over the course of the last two weeks so it feels really nice. One of my "resolutions" is to keep on top of the house cleaning and manage it rather than do these deep cleanings every few months.

We are working on getting Jayden to sleep in his own room, in his own bed... This is one of the more challenging things going on around here. I will say overall, things are improving but I am still waking up with him 2-3 times/night and it takes, on average, about an hour to get him down each night. I need to continue repeating to myself "this is only a stage, I will miss it when he's 18 and moving out, enjoy this stage, it is only a stage..."

It has been downright COLD here. I feel like I have gotten soft since we've had such a mild winter so far but the last couple of days have been windy, snowy and freeeezing! I just never seem to feel warm!

I feel Ava move all the time and I love it. I love even more that I can actually picture a teeny little baby moving around in my stomach because last time it just felt weird. I couldn't picture an actual baby and I just didn't know what to think about the whole pregnancy thing but this time around, I have to say it's been much more enjoyable. I cannot wait to meet her. The anticipation grows and grows each day.

I have a cold...a nasty, stuffy in the head, burning eyes, can't breathe cold. I feel somewhat miserable. And I can't take any knock-me-out-for-a-few-days-so-I-can-wake-up-better medicine. Ugh.

Dinner tonight is Baked Ziti. Yummm. The big question though is "will Jayden like it??" He is one picky little eater these days and I blame daycare. Let's just say, I am not a fan of what they feed him there. But I also don't feel like I have much of a say. Seems rather backward since I am his mom and all.

Tonight is movie night and the feature film is Moneyball. Anyone seen it? Liked it? Not liked it? I'll try to remember to let you know what I think. The previews looked good.

On Monday I will be starting a workout regimen. I have been doing some little exercises recommended by my chiropractor to help ease/prevent hip and back pain that I got later in my pregnancy last time but that has been occurring much earlier this time. But I also really really REALLY want to stay within a healthy weight gain for this pregnancy (unlike last time, which wasn't necessarily unhealthy but it definitely wasn't recommended). So I am striving to be more active and not have such a garbage disposal mentality when it comes to my eating habits.

My last lingering thought is about the room re-design that will be taking place somewhere in the next few months. We will need to change Jayden's nursery into a big boy/nursery that is both boyish and girly. I think I have some good ideas so I hope I can make it happen! It involves re-painting the room a neutral color, adding some painted stripes and buying some new furniture. The only problem now is, where will our guests sleep? We haven't gotten that figured out yet. It would be great if anyone had some ideas of things they've seen work in other peoples' homes!

Happy Friday!

It's a.....

GIRL!!!


And thus begins the onslaught of shades of pinks, purples, aqua, lemon yellow, and any other girly color that I have been forced to put on the back burner! Also along with the colors come frills, lace, ruffles and adorable dresses that I have been dying to dress a little baby in. Seriously I am so glad that I had Jayden first so I could really appreciate the cuteness of girl clothes. I mean, I thought I did before but now that I have had to search high and low for cute boy clothes and had to wade through racks and mounds of girl clothes in order to find one little rack of boy clothes in the stores to find them, I will now truly appreciate how easy it will be to find something adorable. 


So the cute clothes and girly toys and hair accessories are obviously what have me excited about having a girl this time around but when I think harder about it, I get even more excited about how another girl in the family will round us out. I think our sweet little girl will bring an additional element to our family that no one else can, which hopefully doesn't include a lot of drama but who am I kidding? Drama runs in the family so I probably won't be so lucky. Still, I'm going to pray for a laid back, mellow kinda gal that can roll with the punches because I really do want what's best for her. Drama is never any fun in my opinion.


Because DJ and I have had a name picked out for a girl forever and haven't kept it a secret, I will go ahead and tell you that our little girl will be named Ava Grace. Ava is a bit old-fashioned but I love that. And I've always loved the name Grace, especially for it's meaning. Grace is a powerful word and hopefully we can teach Ava just how special it is to have such a name.


Aside from the fact that we found out we are having a girl, we also found out that Ava is quite healthy, praise the Lord! She has a steady strong heart, 10 toes, good looking organs, spine and brain and is the perfect size for a 21 week and 1 day baby. I truly feel blessed that God is giving us a girl and I can't wait for Jayden to understand what that means. I am trying to teach him to say sister but we're not very far with that yet. 


It's actually always been my dream to have 1 boy and 1 girl (at least... I'm not saying there will be more but I'm also not saying that there won't...) and I always thought it would be fun to have an older brother so I hoped that I would raise children that fell in that order. Jayden will be a great big brother!


Oh, and it has occurred to me that I will probably end up with a tomboy that hates frills and pink but as a baby, I will have my way!!

A Much Needed Update

Hello from the blustery dang cold Wyoming prairies! We have solidly landed in the middle of winter here and I don't like it. But I'm learning to deal with it.

Since my last post about Jayden's birthday, lots has happened!

There's been a couple of haircuts, which have proven to be Jayden's least favorite thing in the world,

Lots of playtime and discovery of new favorite playgrounds,

Successful, and not so successful, nap times (this was after a particularly active nap time apparently),

A baby turned ferocious dinosaur,

A successful first trick-or-treating experience (as you can see he wasn't the only ferocious dinosaur),

If you count, there are a total of 3 dinosaurs, 3 ladybugs, 1 Alice (in Wonderland), 1 lion, 1 Ironman, 1 Peter Pan and 1 airplane.

We've also traveled to Arizona, just Jayden and I, which was the first time I have traveled by myself with Jayden. It was a success but I wouldn't want to take any flights longer than what we did (2 or less hours). It is hard keeping an active toddler busy in a small space!

We have attended many football games. I'm happy to say that, of the home games, we've only missed one! That's a big improvement from last year when I think I only attended one. Jayden usually takes naps midway through the game and I wear him in my wrap the whole time. It's worked out really well for us this year. Unfortunately we will probably miss this weekend's game because it is going to be COLD and snowy so, no thank you. I'll watch the game indoors. But the Cowboys are having a winning season and bowl talk has begun. So proud of our Pokes!

We've had many many visitors. I don't think a month has gone by where we haven't had at least 2 weekends busy with people visiting. It's been great and I'm so glad we live closer to our family now. Grandma and Grandpa Martinez will be arriving today as a matter of fact!

As for Jayden...

• He's a full-fledged walker and has been for a good two months now. He started walking soon after his first birthday and hasn't stopped since. I'm convinced he'll be running by Christmas!
• He says "Hot", "Uh uh" (uh oh), "mama", "dah" (daddy), and I'm sure there are others but I haven't deciphered them yet. He's always making noises and I'm convinced there are times when he is singing. I really think he's got a knack for music but we'll see as he gets older.
• Speaking of music, his favorite show is "Sing-off" and he loves to dance during the performances. Pretty much anytime music comes on though, he is bouncing his little legs.
• He's forward facing in his car seat now which was by necessity rather than my choice. I was hoping to keep him rear facing for another year but traveling backwards is torture for him apparently which means its also torture for me. We turned him around on a road trip in October and ever since he's been facing forward because I just couldn't bear to turn him around. He loves to watch the road and I love to see his face.
• He is a good little eater and will eat, or at least try, anything you put in front of him.
• He still doesn't like milk but he's getting better.
• He's started at day care. No more nanny, so we've been transitioning him to day care the past couple of weeks and he's been doing so fantastic. I'm so proud of him!
• Still nursing but starting the weaning process because...

• He's going to be a big brother!

And that's the last of the news! Baby Martinez #2 will be arriving sometime around May 21. We're very excited. I've been feeling much better as compared to my pregnancy with Jayden and I can't help but think maybe that means this one will be a girl?? We'll find out sometime around Christmas/New Years. Yes, we will be finding out and I wouldn't have it any other way. I've gotta plan for these things! I'll talk more about the new baby later though.

As for the immediate future, I am so excited the Holidays are here!! This is my favorite time of year and my second trimester is starting next week, just in time for Thanksgiving! I already feel more energy coming back and less nausea (which is usually the extent of my morning sickness when I'm pregnant) so I'm very ready for the weeks to come. I just need to start my Christmas shopping now.

Happy Thanksgiving all!

I'm baaaaaack!

I've decided I need to get back into blogging. Jayden is growing up so fast that I need a way to document his little life so I don't forget what I'm thinking about now. I wrote a few little personal journals when I first found out I was pregnant and I found them the other day and I loved reading what my thoughts were at that time. I had already forgotten the details and I don't want to miss the details of Jayden's life. They are just too special to be forgotten! Plus I think others may enjoy reading about them too!

So in order to bring this blog up to date, here's a synopsis of what's been happening the last 4 months (4 months!)...

• 36 Weeks: At 36 weeks we had a little scare where we thought my water had broke. It was about 10:00 at night and I kept feeling like I had to pee and it seemed never ending so, since there was no pain involved, I didn't think it was an infection and I called my midwife. She thought we had better go to the hospital just in case. So we did and they admitted me and everything. That was surprising; I had just expected that they would check me and then if my water had, in fact, broke, they would admit me then. But no, they admitted me right away, wheeled me up to a room (which felt kind of foolish since I was perfectly capable of walking, albeit very slowly since my hip and back were giving me so much pain), had me put on a (backless, eek!) gown, hooked me up to monitors, asked me a million questions and then checked me. It all felt very surreal because I was having no contractions so it kind of felt like we were playing make believe but I was also nervous too because they were all acting like I was going to have the baby that night and I knew he wasn't ready to come yet. Thankfully, I ended up having a minor infection after all, thus the excessive peeing and my water had not broke after all. That was a relief! And now we were prepared for when I really did go into labor since we had just had a trial run!  

• 37 Weeks: I went on maternity leave starting at 37 weeks and enjoyed a couple weeks of relaxation, organization and preparation. Different family members came to visit (my grandparents, aunt, mom and inlaws) and see our new house and I was able to get our new house more in order before the baby arrived. One thing I want to remember during this time is that I had time to take care of our dog Maia. We would go on walks, not every day, but lots of days. I miss that now since our dog no longer lives with us and may not again. I also want to remember how huge I felt because I look back on pictures now and I don't actually think I look all that huge but man oh man, I felt GINORMOUS. Lots of things hurt like my hips and back which actually make moving quite difficult, let alone walking around the neighborhood. That pain all seems like a distant memory now though which is good news! I never thought I would get rid of it at the time.

• 39 Weeks: At 39 weeks, I did go into labor. And I will post my birth story on a seperate posting since that will be a long one.

• September 2: On September 2 at 3:52pm, Jayden Noah arrived weighing 7lbs, 10oz and measuring 20 inches long. He was everything that I had prayed and hoped for. He had a head full of dark hair, blue eyes, and a perfectly shaped head (not misshapen from a rough delivery or forceps). He was also the perfect size - I was so afraid of having a giant baby since it kind of runs in both our families. The only thing that really didn't go as "planned" was that he wasn't able to breastfeed right away since he took in a little meconium when he delivered so they had to work that out of him and give him some oxygen before I was able to try feeding him. That's another posting too - the trials and joys of breastfeeding. Stay tuned.

• Newborn:

• 3 Weeks:

• 6 Weeks:

• 8 Weeks: 

• 12 Weeks:

• And now here we are at 3 months and (almost) 2 weeks and I have a very active little boy. Well, very active, and yet a great little sleeper too. Just as he was everything I hoped and prayed for when he was first born, he is still everything I had hoped and prayed for as he is showing more and more of his personality. I heard once that you should pray very specifically for what kind of baby you want. So, since I was a little worried about how I would be as a mother, I prayed for a good little baby who had a great disposition. And guess what, I got one! Jayden never cries unless he needs to tell you something like if he's hungry or tired. He sleeps like, well... like a baby. He started sleeping through the night (5 or 6 hour stretches) at about 5 weeks even though I am exclusively breastfeeding. And he takes usually 2 two hour naps during the day, in addition to a few cat naps (30 minutes or so). He is always quick to smile, although in the first few weeks, even though it was still too early for them to smile, I figured I was going to have a very serious little boy because he had quite the stern little face sometimes.

He is such an absolute joy to be around and he has made the transition to motherhood extremely easy. If it's true that God only gives you what you can handle, and I believe that very much, then it's obvious that God knew I could not handle a fussy/colicky baby the first go-around. Jayden is the polar opposite of that description.

36 Weeks

This week: 36 weeks - that'd be 9 months. That's right, I've been pregnant 9 months and it's not over yet!
Total weight gain/loss: 35 lbs or so
Sleep: Interrupted. I wake up several times during the night, sometimes to pee, but usually just because I can't find a comfortable position. I don't think I'll ever sleep on my left side again after I have the baby. And I so miss sleeping on my back!
Best moment of the (last few) weeks: Being able to feel the baby' little feet and his little booty as he moves around. DJ and I joke that sometimes it looks like he's trying to stand up in my stomach because it will majorly bulge on one side of my stomach like he's trying to escape.
Movement: He's still moving quite a bit but it's changed from a rolling movement to more of a side to side movement where a foot will often make contact with my ribs.
Food cravings: Sugar is still the name of the game and actually even more so then before to the point that I really don't ever want salty stuff. I just always want something sweet. I've been eating a ton of fruit this summer. Mmmmm
Gender: Boy
What I miss: Oh man, so much. Sleeping comfortably, walking comfortably, moving comfortably in general. I cannot wait till I feel NORMAL again!
What I am looking forward to: I am SOO excited to meet my little boy. I've gotten to the point that I try to picture what he looks like and I just can't wait to see him. I'm also looking forward to figuring out how to be a mom! Also I'm really ready to get his nursery done and get everything organized and ready for his arrival! Oh, and I'm also excited to be able to tell everyone his name!
Weekly Wisdom: Wow, the "wisdom" really has been flowing the last couple of weeks. I didn't receive much unsolicited advice in the beginning of the pregnancy but now that I'm closer to D-day and it's quite obvious I will be a mother very soon, people let the information flow. Some of it is really helpful and some of it is really annoying but mostly I do appreciate the information more often than not. Since I'm a first-time mom, there's a lot I don't know!
Milestones: The little dude is all done developing and he could be born at any time really. Right now he's just putting on the weight and building rolls. He's probably around 4 or 5 lbs and he will gain an ounce a day from here on out.

27.5 Weeks - 87 days to go

This week: 27 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss: Probably in the 25 pound neighborhood - that's what the scale said a week or so ago so it may even be a little more than that by now. I've given up caring too much. Bring on the poundage. But not really. I mean, it would be easier to just stop caring, and you might say that I have if you saw the rate at which I can eat, say, a piece of cake, or two... but I know it will be a lot easier after the baby is born to lose the weight if I'm more careful now. Hm... so much easier to say then to do.
Sleep: Well I've increased my pillow to human ratio from 1:1 to 4:1 so if that tells you anything... Sleep is definitely becoming more interrupted due to aches and pains that wake me up. I've been trying to fix the problem by propping pillows here and there but thankfully, I'm able to fall asleep again fairly quickly if I do wake up.
Best moment of the week: This should really be best moment from the last few weeks since this post is so overdue. The best moment has been putting an offer on our first house and having it accepted! It's so exciting to think of bringing our baby home to OUR own home. The idea of having a baby is becoming more and more real!
Movement: The movement is becoming more and more pronounced. I feel him rolling around all the time and a lot of the time I can see it too which is crazy because my entire stomach moves. I still LOVE feeling his movements though. They aren't painful yet! And both my mom and DJ's mom have gotten to feel his movements too although I have found the little dude to have a bit of stage fright. He'll be moving like crazy and then as soon as someone else tries to feel him, he'll either stop completely or just give a little nudge. What a stinker.
Food cravings: I've still got a major sweet tooth. I love fruit and, of course, the less healthier things like cake, cookies, and other homemade goodies that I've been getting a plethora of lately since I've been visiting my parents and inlaws.
Gender: Boy
What I miss: Wine! I knew I would miss this once summer hit. I've never been a huge wine/beer drinker in the first place, but I do enjoy a glass once in awhile so I've missed not being able to have one with my mom on the deck or with my mother-in-law at her home while I've been in Rapid. Oh well. Small sacrifice!
What I am looking forward to: In the more immediate future - more baby showers! And in the little further immediate future - moving into our new house!!
Weekly wisdom: I thought it was kind of funny today at the furniture store while shopping for a glider for the nursery when the salesman said that I should start "training" my baby now, in utero, to enjoy a rocking chair versus riding in the car. I didn't quite understand everything he was talking about but the general idea was that he thought babies got used to certain things while in the womb and that's how they would be comforted once they were born as well. So if I wanted a rocking chair to soothe the little dude then I had better start a-rockin' now because so far all I've done is ride around in a car all over the country. The last thing I want my kid to do is demand midnight car rides.
Milestones: Little dude is like 2 whole pounds now! What a chunker! And he's about 14.5 inches long. It's amazing, too, that if for some reason he was born right now, he would have a pretty good chance of surviving. Although I don't know if I would, at least mentally. I am SO not there yet. Holy cow. I need about 12 more weeks to prepare. Please God.

24 Weeks - 111 days to go

This week: 24 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: Let's put it this way...I'm on track to set records... As of yesterday I have gained 19 pounds. The pregnancy books all say that I should gain a TOTAL of 25 pounds for the ENTIRE pregnancy. Yeaaaah.
Sleep: Not too shabby. I get hot flashes periodically in the middle of the night because my preggers pillow keeps me plenty warm so I have to stay uncovered for awhile to cool off but it hasn't been bad enough that I can't sleep.
Best moment of the week: My coworkers had a baby shower for me over the lunch hour today. It was so thoughtful and so sweet because I felt like it was something they didn't have to do. I barely work directly with them and we only talk to each other periodically so I didn't form any strong relationships with any of them. And yet, they wanted me to feel appreciated and they totally did a good job! And there were cupcakes. 'Nuff said.

Also, although this wouldn't normally be considered a "best" moment, I had my glucose test yesterday and the drink that I had to take wasn't NEAR as bad as everyone said it would be. I was very nervous about that and was very pleasantly surprised to find it palatable.
Movement: Constant. Within the last couple of days, the kicks and movements in general have been getting stronger. Sometimes I feel movement from both sides of my belly at the same time which is just straaange. And I can often feel just movement inside without even seeing or feeling any kicks from the outside. That's also really strange. I still mistake some of the movement for something else like just general stomach bubbles or body twinges but then I remind myself that no, it's actually a baby.
Food cravings: Movie popcorn which has initiated two seperate dates to the movies the past two weekends. That's like the most we've gone almost the entire 9 months we've lived here! But like all the other cravings, I'm over it now. No more popcorn for me. It doesn't even sound good. The sugar cravings are even getting a tiny bit better but that one definitely holds the record so far for longest craving in my pregnancy.
Gender: Boy
What I miss: Being able to bend over or move without feeling like I'm taxing myself. Seriously, I feel every pound that I've gained; it's ridiculous. Packing for our move has been quite the chore. I'm really only good for about two hours at a time and then I've gotta take a rest. (I don't think DJ minds that part one bit!)
What I am looking forward to: Preparing my new house for the baby - I can't wait to decorate a little space for him and set up all his clothes and toys and supplies in organized little drawers and containers. I'm also looking forward to getting our cloth diapers and mentally preparing myself for that whole process.
Weekly wisdom: Something I've been hearing a lot lately is to take it easy when packing and moving to Wyoming. Well-meaning advice for sure but it's hard to know what's "taking it easy" and what's overdoing it. I'm just trying to listen to my body. Hummmmmmmmmm... ("Listening to my body" always sounds so hippiesh to me even though I know it's true.)
Milestones: We have a little 12 incher now. He actually might be smaller than that given his genetics but I'd like to think that he's at least a foot long now. I'd also like to point out at this point that although I'm expecting them at some point, so far, no stretch marks!! Woo hoo! I have started to lotion up at night though since it feels like I'm growing more and more, but I know nothing will stop the inevitable. But oh man, that cocoa butter does smell good!

22 Weeks

This week: 22 weeks and it's amazing how much BIGGER I feel. Kinda huge actually.
Total weight gain/loss: hmmm, that's a good question. I haven't weighed myself since my last appointment so I guess I'll find out the answer at my next appointment.
Sleep: It varies. We've had to start sleeping with the air conditioner on because it just gets too darn hot during the day and it never cools off in the house at night, no matter how wide open are windows are. So pre-air conditioner, the sleep wasn't so hot...well, actually it was too hot...but you know what I mean. But now that it's cooler in our house and I'm using my pregger pillow, the sleep is actually pretty good! AND...this is big news...I actually went TWO nights last week where I didn't wake up in the middle of the night to pee!!! Small victories people. Small victories.
Best moment of the week: Every time our little boy kicks is the best moment and actually this morning, he was moving so much right before I got out of bed that I just laid there longer so I could feel his movements. He was turning somersaults for sure.
Movement: So busy in there and I'm enjoying it as much as I can now since everyone tells me it's not so great later when he gets elbows and feet in my ribs. Fun fun.
Food cravings: Oh the cravings. Sugar definitely. I'm trying to limit that although you could say I'm taking baby steps in that direction. It just always sounds SO GOOD.
Gender: Muchacho
What I miss: Sitting in a chair and not having my ribs hurt. OR Sleeping a full night and waking up the next morning thinking the night went by too fast. OR Shopping for summer clothes that are cute and fun rather than looking at the clothes and thinking, nope, can't buy that 'cause I'll only wear it for a few months. Soooo, there's kind of a lot but I don't really try to dwell on those things too much. It'll just be nice when I get some of that back.
What I am looking forward to: Trying out camping again this weekend - last weekend didn't go so well (more about that later) so we're gonna give it another go. Oh and the movie we're planning to see on Friday night - Iron Man 2. Can't wait for the popcorn! We're trying to get all those activities in that we won't be able to do as much later.
Weekly wisdom: Lately it's been all about diapers - cloth diapers to be exact. Since we've made the decision to go that route, I've been trying to gather as much information as possible and those that use cloth diapers are full of GREAT information!
Milestones: Little dude is about 1 whole pound now! That means I can now say that although I may have gained 10 pounds, it's really only 9 pounds. Nice.