Christmas

Natalie, Kendal and Willem on Christmas day. Natalie and Willem are about 3 weeks apart in age. (photo by Uncle Geoff)

reason #323

I was emptying out the diaper pail for garbage day for the toddlers night time pull ups. and there was no garbage bag. I was so peeved because the diapers were not rolled up into tidy little balls and there was nice big open pee diapers in there. And the smell of a week's worth of pee diapers... gah. not pretty. which made me think... i love cloth diapers.

reason #323 i love cloth diapers - no emptying of garbage pail for trash day

Shh...

itty bitty is sleeping... in her crib. daddy is excited. :) now if i would just get off the computer and clean the house.

3 months

Gone is the jaundice...
Gone is the baby acne...
Gone is the falling reflex...
Gone is the tiny little fragile thing...

HELLO BABY! :) I'm 3 months old now. I coo and I smile. I'm awake a lot more of the day. I can handle being in a swing or a bouncy chair for a few minutes at a time. I like the mobile in my crib. Lots of motion and lights are fun and entertaining. Right now I like to exercise my legs by 'standing'. My fingers taste REALLY good if I can find them. I like to suck on them a lot. I am teething so I stick out my tongue and drool too.

12 weeks

I'm 12 weeks old today. I am wearing 3-6 month and 6 month clothing. My Mom says I am a very sweet girl. I like to smile and coo. I like it when you cluck your tongue or say goo or gaa. My favorite face is my big sister. Mom also says I look just like my Dad's baby pictures with these big cheeks. I still have really dark hair just like my Dad. I sleep for almost 4 hours at night and I weigh almost 13 pounds.

I am a fan of the vibrating bouncy seat with the kissing fish. I also like the mobile in my crib... although I don't like to sleep in my crib yet. I like to sleep with my head in mom's armpit with my face right near the food. I am still a wiggler with my arms and legs always on the move. Mom says she knows when I am hungry at night because I shimmy and wiggle towards her.

Mommy and Daddy say all babies love the bounce and boy do I ever! It usually gets out a burp or puts me to sleep. Mom says she couldn't live without the exercise ball.

Mom had to buy new diapers for me. I am in these cool cloth diapers (not pictured) that she just loves and they are Daddy approved! And Mom says not one rash yet!

Well, in one week I will be 3 months old and get to meet my cousins who will be home from London. And I get to experience my very first Christmas. Hopefully Mommy will let me have the computer back sometime to tell you all about it.

Momma Lil One Holiday Wish List

Mama’s Holiday Wish List Meme
TodaysMama and Provo Craft are giving away a sleighful of gifts this holiday season and to enter I’m sharing this meme with you.

1. What 5 items are on your holiday wish list this year?

• No more medical bills
• A really big gift card to Amazon.com - I buy too much stuff from here
  
• A new digital camera that won't die in a year.
  
• Gift certificate to the spa for a massage
  
• New working garage doors
  

2. What is your favorite handmade gift you have received?

• cookies
  

3. What handmade gift have you always wanted to tackle?

• needlepoint gift for Nana Kathy... still sitting in my closet
  

4. What was the best Christmas gift you received as a child?

• A puppy - named him Odie
  

5. What items are on your kid’s wish list this year?

• pretty much anything princess - Cinderella and Snow White

6. What is your favorite holiday food?

• Wassail
  

7. What will you be hand-crafting for the holidays?

• mostly cookies
  

8. What is your favorite holiday movie?

• How the Grinch stole Christmas
  

9. Favorite holiday song?

• Chestnuts roasting on an open fire (The Christmas song)
  

10. Favorite holiday pastime?

• drinking wassail, telling stories late on Christmas Eve just before going to bed.
  
• I love to wrap presents! It gets me excited to know that soon someone else will be opening them.
  

10 weeks

We had our 2 month well baby appointment this week.

Stats:
Height - 23.5 inches (80th percentile)
Weight - 12.12 pounds (95th percentile)
Head - 50th percentile

An interesting comparison for me... stats from her sister:
Height - 22.5 inches (40th percentile)
Weight - 12.7 pounds (75th percentile)
Head - 40th percentile

Natalie doesn't feel so 'itty bitty' anymore. She has outgrown her 0-3 and 3 month clothing and is into her 3-6 and 6 month clothing. Breast milk apparently does a baby good.

Smile

I have been trying to capture a smile on camera for a couple of days. Tonight I was able to get one with Daddy's help. LOVE it.

laundry

proof I need to do laundry or buy clothes for itty bitty...

onesie, t-shirt from another outfit and baby legs

itty bitty

Daddy has nicknamed Natalie 'itty bitty'. Kendal has started calling her that as well. So, I think that is her new nickname. :)

Halloween

I didn't get many pictures of our Trick or Treat gang. But, here you can see the gaggle of kids gathered at one of our neighbors doors. We had 7 children under the age of 4 including our infant. It truly is a great neighborhood that we live in.

Our little frog...

Smile

Time really flies when you have 2 children. I get it why people say 2 is a lot more than 'double' the work. It is wonderful and chaotic. But, I am enjoying every day and sleepless night.

Yesterday, I was doing the typical diaper change and asked big sis to put a hand on lil sis so I could grab a diaper. Daddy was on hand to keep an eye on both of them. While I was gone, Daddy yelled for me to come quick.

It was a camera opportunity missed. Big sis had a hand on lil sis and then lil sis put a hand on big sis and smiled. I think it melted Daddy's heart. :) We love our lil girls.

Natalie's birth story

Our little girl arrived on September 20th, 2009 at 8:54 a.m. via scheduled c-section. She weighed 6 pounds 10 ounces and was 20 inches long. We named her Natalie Ryan Graves.

We went to the doctor on Wednesday 9.16 for our last visit and my blood pressure was a little high. But, was sent home. Then I had a headache on 9.17 and was asked to come back in. My blood pressure was really high and we did PIH blood screens. And was sent home again but was asked to come back the next day. We had a 50/50 chance of having the baby on Friday. I went back in and my PIH tests were normal... which was good and we could wait until Sunday to do the c-section.

Sunday morning, Ryan, Montana Nana and I went to the hospital. We checked in and were taken to our room. We listened to the baby's heart and mine. I was prepped and the nurse tried to give me an IV in my arm... failed and then tried my hand. After I was prepped, Dr. Wells came in and said we could go in early. We walked to the surgery room and Ryan and Nana both got in their sterile suits. Nana was in charge of the camera and Ryan was in charge of being with me and getting baby.

When I went to sit on the surgery table I started to get the shakes. I think it was adrenaline and nervousness. My blood pressure started to go really high again. The anesthesiologist prepped me for the epidural and it went well. I started to feel the warmth/numbness in one leg and then the other. He pinched me to test the drugs and gave the all clear to start. The surgery went quickly and I felt tugging and pulling and then they said the baby was about to come out. We dropped the curtain to see her head. The cord was around her neck, but it was quickly removed. When she was pulled out she had a lot of dark almost black hair. While I was being sewed back together it was really uncomfortable in my upper abdomen.

Ryan went with the nurse to weigh and measure the baby. Then he brought her to me so we could see her together. With surgery finished we all went back to our room. It seems like a blur now.

Ryan and I had some time alone while Nana went home to pick up big sister. We were trying to decide on her name. We took almost the whole day, but finally decided on Natalie. It wasn't the two names we had thought we were going to use. I think we surprised everyone with her name.

38 weeks

Last doctor's appointment today. My blood pressure was up, but could be because I am on Sudafed for congestion. Doctor didn't seem to be concerned about it at this point, but I need to keep an eye on it.

I am down another pound. Not sure how I lost 2 pounds in two weeks. Seems odd to me. But, my belly is measuring exactly at 38 weeks.

So, all systems are a go for Sunday. C-section here we come. We get to meet the new babe in just a matter of days now.

stats

We had our 37 week checkup today. And things are still looking 'on target'.

Momma's Weight - lost 1 pound. Total weight gain is 21 pounds per the doctor visits
Blood pressure - still within normal/acceptable range 124/84
Belly - measuring 37 cm at 37 weeks

She checked my cervix and said it is still closed. So not really close to going into labor - which is good.

C-section is scheduled for 9.20.09 at 9:15 a.m. We should get to meet this little girl in 11 days. One last checkup next Wednesday before we deliver.

12 days to go

1- 10

1 baby fully cooked (37 weeks is considered full term)
2 weeks until c-section
3 people in our current family
4 people is what our family will be
5 pacifiers found
6 aunts and uncles waiting for her arrival
7th of December I will 'go back to work' (and take 3.5 weeks of PTO)
8 weeks of medical leave
9 working days left
10 fingers and toes I am looking forward to counting

etsy

My two obsessions - Etsy and Craigslist.

Here is what I am buying from Etsy.

She is going to make it in lavender for me with the white flower. I'm hoping it will make a good picture in front of the 'tree'. :)

tree + flowers

finished the tree and flowers today... it only took about 6 hours plus MT Nana's help and Daddy making extra stencils. but, i love it.

to VBAC or not to VBAC

that is the question. it really is hard for me... still. I really want to have a more 'normal' delivery and yes a c-section is normal. but, I don't really want to be cut open. not on my list of 'to do'.

and I know that women have very successful vbac's. but, there is the usual fear about passing a child through the vaginal canal and the possible tearing, etc. and does it really matter that much when the end result is a healthy child? there isn't going to be any badge that says "I did a vbac". am I turning into the total hippie chick and want to green everything including my labor? I don't think I am that 'green' yet, because i'm sure i would want an epidural. drugs can be a good thing!

and I know it shouldn't factor in, but it does. I would get 8 weeks of 'disability' pay for a c-section and only 6 weeks for a vbac. it factors in because I want to be able to stay home with this baby as long as possible. we all know how tight this economy is right now. plus, we have renters whose lease is up at the end of October and we don't know if they are staying or going. and things are tight with two incomes.

so right now leaning towards a c-section... suprisingly.

holy onesies batman!

i pulled out a box of baby clothes today. and i already put away about 20 onesies and i swear half of this box was onesies. I really, really, really don't think this kid needs any more onesies.

but, the other half of the clothes were summer clothes. bummer. Found Big Sis's First Halloween outfit, but it is size 9 months... bummer again. Found the christmas dresses and outfits... 12 months... bummer. I sense a theme here. We have opposite season girls, so much for the re-use of the clothes!!

With Montana Nana coming into town this weekend, maybe we can hit up some consignment stores like Me N Mom's. I know I will be filling my craigslist addiction looking for fun baby stuff.

Now if someone would buy some of my fall maternity clothes, so I can buy fun baby stuff. :)

tree

Some progress has been made on the baby's room. It is slow going but we are getting close to d-day so I really need to wrap this up.

The walls are painted, the door is hung, the dresser and crib are up. We have some clothes put away and I have purchased a ton of kissaluvs fitted diapers (mostly from craigslist).

Now I just need to do the finishing touches on the theme. Here is a picture of the tree I painted. Thinking to leave the lines in between instead of filling them in. I put up the stencil to start painting flowers, but haven't painted any flowers yet...

34 weeks

39 days

If we make it to Sept 20th... we have 39 days left to go. Let the countdown begin!

blood pressure

I had HELLP with my first pregnancy that was a pretty fast progression. And so with this pregnancy I am high risk and thus we have had a lot of tests, scans, etc. So far everything has been normal. But, each time I go to the doctor I get a little nervous. I don't want my blood pressure to be above normal at all.

My blood pressure was 130/90 which is too high and then she had me lay down and took it again and it was 120/80 which is fine. My doctor wasn't concerned but I'm nervous. I really don't want to deliver a baby early. I am 32 weeks and I know the baby could survive now, but I would rather have a long uncomfortable pregnancy than the baby delivered anytime before 39 weeks.

Other stats to keep track of:
I have gained 2 pounds since last time for a total of 15 pounds
My belly measured at 32 centimeters at 32 weeks (has measured exact for the weeks along)
And baby's heart rate was 153

32 weeks

baby room stencil

So, I have been on a hunt for a stencil I really wanted. I wanted the big hibiscus, but couldn't find one that I liked. I didn't want one that looked like a Hawaiian shirt. Plus, I am not going to try and create one or rent a projector and manually trace them. That is just too much work.

I went to Michael's to see if they had any in store that would work. We have searched online but the only one I like is the one from My Wonderful Walls.

So, I finally just bought it. I hope to post pictures once we get the stencils and start using them.

popsicles

I think this is a citrus craving pregnancy. I have eaten all the lime popsicles in the house. I have been drinking lime juice with 7-up. I made lemon cookies last week. Lemon bars sound really good. I chug orange juice in the morning before I head out the door.

I wish there was an entire box of just lime popsicles. Need more popsicles...

30 weeks

Craigslist economy

I was reading an article this morning from the NY Times - For Firstborns, Secondhand Fits the bill. It is a pretty interesting article and says we are in a 'Craigslist economy'. I would consider myself part of the Craigslist economy... I would rather find some baby item needs on CL than buy it new.

For example, we were looking for a Phil & Ted's stroller - way too expensive brand new. We wanted this stroller and we didn't want to pay the $450 price tag. So, we went to Craigslist and it took a little while, but we recently bought the stroller for $100 less than new and it was still in the box! Now, we just need to find the doubles kit...

I look pretty frequently on craigslist for items that are used but in good condition. Right now, we are on a hunt for a dresser for first child in order to move the dresser/changing table to second born's room. I am also hunting for Kissaluvs fitted diapers and found a craigslist/ebay site that sells just used cloth diapers.

Other things I have bought off CL that have worked great - infant car seat, Fuzzi Bunz cloth diapers, Britax car seat for MIL's car, bumbo, etc. I think it is great that people are reusing items. I don't want to be the throw away generation that buys everything new and throws it away when done with it.

Remembering...

I went back to my posts about this time in my pregnancy with Kendal. I was nearing 150 pounds and had gained about 14 pounds. In comparison for this pregnancy, I have gained 13 pounds and am just over 140 pounds. So the weight gain is about the same but my starting point was less.

We are nearing the 30 week mark... Sunday 7/19. This is where my worries usually lessen. But, I am still worried this time around. You are still too small and I would like you to sit tight.

Your Dad started working on your room the past couple of days. He build a closet organizer and last night he repaired and prepped the walls for painting. So, now we are waiting on me to pick the paint. And all of us are calling it the baby's room now, even your sister. (which we find incredibly cute)

3-D images

A pretty good picture of the face of baby girl

lips pursed and hand in face (she had her hands in her face most of the scan)

50/50 good news

Good news from the doctor on the baby - no more regurgitation on the heart. So, really happy to hear that. She is measuring a little smaller than a month ago, only at 28th percentile instead of the 35th. But, doctor is not worried about her size at this point.

The bummer news for me is that the placenta has not moved and right now I have no choice but to have a c-section. But, I am holding out hope for our August 19th appointment to see what the status is on that.

I hope to scan some photos soon to post, but our scanner is being a pisser. The 3-D is amazing. I got to see her putting her hands toward her mouth and trying to put her thumb in her mouth. It is so cool what technology can do these days.

Both, hubby and I said she has a big nose - from the 3-D. I guess we will have to see what she looks like when she arrives! She will be beautiful no matter what!

Another appointment

Off to Maternal Fetal Medicine again today. We get to see how the lil frog in my belly is doing. I am hopeful for the placenta previa to have moved up into a 'normal' position. And for the trivial tricuspid regurgitation to have resolved itself. Update to come after the appointment.

28 weeks doctor appointment

I have gained 13 pounds. My belly measures at 28 weeks. And we set the c-section date of 9.20.09.

Have I really officially decided I want to have a c-section instead of a VBAC? no.

#1 reason to have c-section: hubby says he doesn't want to raise 2 children on his own.
my rebuttal: there are 70% of women having successful VBAC's. and around 1% of complications of VBACs result in dealth of the mother or fetus.

and can I just say... I really don't want to die either. or is that just a given?

Mary & Michal's bellies

28 weeks = 7 months

whoa... and I still have 3 months to go!

2nd child

oh second child, your life is not as heralded/celebrated as a first child. you can tell by the hand-me-downs. you will get the older sibling's crib, blankets, clothes and toys. you will have less mementos since your bleary eyed parents will be too distracted or tired to grab a camera for each new thing you do. your first smile, your first coo, your first spit up, your first poop, your first food will still go noticed but maybe not as captured for future memories.

i know this as your mommy (who is a 2nd child too) right now because thinking of your arrival in a few short months has me thinking of what i need to get ready. and if i should just re-use most of your sister's stuff or try to make your room as unique as you will be. i want to have a beautiful room that is yours and yours alone with the purple walls and the perfect coordinating colors. but, another part of me thinks will you care? no. you will be loved and the colors of your room will not matter. the clothes you wear might be slightly used and possibly stained... the toys you play with will be previously loved and may show some wear.

25 weeks

Baby girl #2 and I had our 25 week checkup today. Everything so far looks normal. I have gained 10 pounds (from doctor's visits). I have gained about 15 pounds from the beginning using my home scale. The size of my belly matches with 25 week growth.

We talked about the options for birth... either trying for a VBAC or doing a repeat cesarean. If we did a repeat c-section we would go to 39 weeks or about 9-21-09. If we tried for a VBAC we would wait for labor to commence and they would schedule a c-section at 41 weeks if baby did not arrive on her own.

I would really like to go into labor to get to see if my body could accommodate it. And to see what normal delivery feels like. I know it is scary, but I think it is kind of important to me to experience it. If I just do a repeat c-section, I will be able to be awake this time but will never be able to experience the whole labor, birthing thing. There are pros and cons for each option. There are risks for each option. The least risky is a c-section.

I am not obsessed with the idea of giving birth vaginally. Who wants to pass a bowling ball through the vaginal canal? Any takers?

It might be nice to say schedule time and date and then all family/friends, etc can show up on said date. Plan time for family to take care of child #1. And not to really have to freak out the husband or the mom's due to last minute, emergency c-section.

name update

So the name list has been consolidated. We are pretty much down to two names.

1. Siena Ryan
2. Aprilia Ryan (april for short)

I know Aprilia sounds weird to a lot of people, but I do think it is very pretty. This list still might change but so far these are two we like the best. Initials for Aprilia would be ARG (said in my best pirate voice, which is not that good. and one eye closed)

And Siena is a bit more popular on the whole names chart list. And I don't know how much she would be teased that her name could be a color or a city or a toyota minivan. There is Sienna Miller who is a celebrity and she would not be named after her at all.

Naming is hard for parents. I know it is hard for me because both my husband and I have unique names. I don't want to go way too out there but I don't really like a lot of traditional names either.

names

we have been tossing around name ideas. here is what we have so far in no particular order.

1. Maria Angeline (call her by her middle name)
   
2. Siena
   
3. Aprilia Ryan
4. Natalie
   

So far, from the people I have told names to they like #2. Daddy really likes the name Aprilia. But, I know a couple people who think it is odd or hard to pronounce or is related to the motorcycle company. (He says he just likes the name - no affiliation) One comment was #1 sounded too Catholic.

And these are ideas. I am not sure how these will morph over time. Or if these will end up being in our final list of options. We already had one name fall off the list since the neighbors named their dog Ella.

It's a baby!

We saw the doctor today and had an ultrasound to check for uterine notching. The scan was normal for notching which is good news. But, they found something else that they would like to watch.

I have marginal placental previa and the baby has trivial tricuspid regurgitation. So, the doctor would like me to return at 28 weeks for an additional scan to check the growth plus the two other new issues.

The frustration is that every single test has been normal! And we are so relieved that things are good so far. We just feel like some of the tests now are getting to be a bit much. How do people do this without insurance or jobs to help pay for bills? How do you say no to the tests when it is the life of your child and your health?

dr appointment

We are headed to another appointment today with Maternal Fetal Medicine. This appointment is to do a ultrasound with dopplers to check uterine notching. This is to check the blood flow through the uterine arteries. What we hope to see is normal blood flow.

They check this now between 22 and 24 weeks to see if their is any uterine notching as a predictor to preeclampsia. And since I had HELLP syndrome with baby #1, they think this might predict preeclampsia or HELLP with this baby.

Our fingers are crossed and we hope all goes well.

23 weeks

The belly is getting big...

baby room idea #3

I think this is a beautiful room. I love the purple and the green and blue accent colors. It is more feminine than the blue monkey room. I like the vibrancy of it.

baby's room idea 2

So, I have been doing some more baby room research. And I love this room. I wish I could be this creative sometimes. My brain just doesn't work that way. The couple that did this room are art school grads and owners of graphic design studio, so I think they are probably way more creative than I will ever be.

ABC Nursery from Mod Wee Ones: link

baby's room

Kendal said she wanted the baby's room to be blue, so daddy suggested blue and violet. I think it is a wonderful idea and have been trying to find ideas for the room.

My first idea was the blue room with the white adhesive stars that I had seen from Pottery Barn Kids, but I can't find them now online.

This is something I found today and LOVE it. Even if it is expensive. It is a beautiful wall mural in just the right shade of purple for a girl. :)

Baby Pictures

Montana Nana 18 months

Mom & Uncle Burke

string theory

a friend came and visited this weekend. she says the string test has proven successful on baby sex prediction.

we got a string and tied a needle to it. friend held the string over my wrist and the needle moved in a somewhat circular pattern. which means girl

so the consensus is that the baby is a girl based on the chinese calendar, pregnancy quiz and string test.

now we wait for the ultrasound on May 21.

19 weeks

the belly

19 weeks

closing in on 19 weeks.

From Pregnancy Ages & Stages:
Baby's length: 6 inches
Baby's weight: 7.5 ounces
Baby's size: Magic 8-ball

I see a theme over the past couple of days... consult magic 8-ball and now you are the size of one.

i can feel you moving these days. tonight you were moving from about 9:30 p.m. until about 12:30 a.m. it felt like i had someone's fist in my stomach doing twists and turns.

now you are quiet.

Magic 8 Ball

I decided to do a very scientific test. I decided to ask my Magic 8 Ball if I was having a boy or a girl.

Ask question: is the baby in my belly a boy? Answer: Positively
Ask next question: is the baby in my belly a girl? Answer: Can not foretell now

Then on to the Chinese Calendar:
Age: 33
Conception month: January
Gender: Girl

Pregnancy Quiz: Girl

Now for the really scientific part... what do the Mothers think...
mom: Boy
mom-in-law: Boy
Aunt: Boy

What do I think? I am undecided.

rough

I think women are chemically altered after they give birth to think pregnancy was GREAT! But, the truth is sometimes it sucks. Its not all glowy and eating whatever you want.

It can be really, really, really rough. Your immune system sucks, so anyone who tracks down a bug you are more than likely to get it.

This week... I had a glorious stomach bug that had me retching into a toilet that was already filled to the brim with excrement. Yay... pretty picture here.

Then after said bug is gone... I get a cough. Just a nagging cough that you can't take any proper 'knock me out so I can friggin sleep' medicine.

Oh the joys of pregnancy.

First Trimester

Nausea - I haven’t had ‘morning’ sickness but afternoon/evening sickness. I just have these waves of it that come and go. It is worse when I let myself get too hungry. But, I have been trying to ‘snack’ more often.

Exhaustion - all I want to do is close my eyes and sleep. My body basically crashes after a day at work. I just become a blob. One flight of stairs at work gets me out of breath.

Constipation - I have been going sometimes 2-3 days without a BM. I don’t remember being this bad with my first pregnancy. This is like passing a rock sometimes. No wonder Lil One doesn’t like going poop if she has bouts of constipation!

Body temp - I haven’t been able to stay warm at night. I can have a full layer of warm clothes on, have the pellet stove cranked up, a blanket on and I will still have the chills. I am never like this so it HAS to be the pregnancy.

The Beginning

Monday, January 26, 2009