2 months old

Little guy is growing so so fast!! He actually had his 2 month checkup a week early, and he weighed 12lbs 9 oz, so he's probably 13 lbs now and  22.9" long. He was born in the 20 something percentiles in both and now he's in the 70th for weight and 60th for height. We still can't tell what color his eyes are. They have changed from the newborn grey color to ummm... Hazel? I'm sure they'll turn brown eventually though. His hair is starting to fall out in the back which is making his already hilarious hairstyle even funnier. He is already outgrowing most of his 3 month clothes and the 6 month size fits perfectly! He is also is outgrowing size 1 diapers which stinks because that's the size I have the most of from shower gifts..I guess I'll just regift them! 

This month he has been smiling, cooing and interacting more and more, but we are still waiting on that first laugh. That's my favorite milestone! The best thing about this month we are sleeping through the night!! Well for a baby.. He has consistently been sleeping a 5-7 hour stretch for the past few weeks, which is heaven for me! It truly makes a world of difference!

We probably haven't done as much tummy time as we should and he falls asleep half the time, but J's getting pretty good control of his head anyway. He's sat in the Bumbo a few times and seems to like it! 

 We are starting to really get into a routine and finding our groove of making it out of the house with two kids. It takes an average of 1.5-2 hours to get everyone ready by myself, so needless to say, we are late to everything. Not shocking I know, but it's safe to say Avery takes after me with being slow at everything and being easily distracted which doesn't help. So we are working on that!

We have had such a busy month with lots of birthdays, Father's Day, a wedding, and our 5 year anniversary last night. We are also still fighting thrush, which seems like will be the death of me! Everytime I think we are getting rid of it, the shooting pains come back. It's the most annoying thing ever. We are both on our 4th round of meds and hopefully this will be the end of it. 

With Papa on Father's Day in their Rangers gear. 

Looking dapper for a friend's wedding

Some things Jonah likes at 2 months are milk-and lots of it, bath time, swimming and snuggles. 

He doesn't like getting in his car seat, being set down, having hiccups, or cold wipes on his bum. 

Avery is still the best big sis ever. She loves to pick out Jonah's clothes and hold him. It's so cute she'll be in the middle of playing or watching tv and just lean over to kiss him or tickle his feet, then she goes right back to what she was doing. She always checks on him when he cries and tries to comfort him. 

Kicking off 4th of July week with a Bomb Pop today! 

We are so blessed! 

Jonah 1 month update

The fastest month ever! It went a little like this...

Week 1- We are all in total awe and love with our new little person. Adrenaline gets us through the night feedings, which I still had to set alarms for and wake him up for. By the end of the week he had gained back to his birthweight plus a few ounces. 

Week 2- Jon goes back to work, family and friends visit, exhaustion and hormones kick in, Jonah gains a pound, but also has thrush. 

Week 3-The worst parts of recovery subside, and I feel a little bit more normal, until I too develop thrush, which is super painful. We start to get the hang of being a two kid family. 

Week 4-Jonah has outgrown newborn size diapers and sleepers, but may have another couple of weeks in the onesies. Boy is growing too fast for my liking and is probably 8-9 lbs by now!

Week 5 (so far)-He smiles for the first time but I've yet to capture it on film. We are on our second round of medications to fight thrush.Avery had her last day of Mother's Day Out and has had rehersals all week for her first dance recital this weekend! 

At one month, Jonah loves eating, snuggling and staring into space. He doesn't cry much unless he's starving or cold during a diaper change or bath. He is the squealiest, loudest eater and snorts like a little piggy.   He recognizes mine, Jon and Avery's voices and will turn his focus when he hears us. He is getting good at holding his head up and is working on not choking as he eats. He doesn't like having his arms swaddled, sleeping alone or getting into his car seat.

 He's a sweet little baby and easy to please so far!! We all love him, his dimples and tiny feet so much. 

Jonah's Birth Story

Our newest little nugget is already 9 days old! Here's his birth story.

I was scheduled to be induced on April 28th (39 weeks) for about a month before I was due, based on my doctor's recommendation. Jonah had measured a week or two ahead my whole pregnancy and with my hip problems and narrow pelvis she didn't want me to struggle with delivering past that time, so I went with it. Not to mention I was uncomfortable, eager to meet my little guy, and the idea of having a plan when it came to Avery's care was ideal for me. 

The last few weeks of my pregnancy I tried really hard to make every second with Avery count. We spent a lot of one-on-one time together, had lots of snuggles and bedtime chats and the night before he was born we had one last Momma-daughter date for some frozen yogurt before she became a big sister. 

Tuesday morning we woke up and got Avery dropped off with Aunt Lacy by 6:30, which was the earliest she's ever been outside, and she was delighted with being up before the sun! Then Daddy and I were off to have a baby!!

The whole morning I kept saying that it felt like we were going on vacation, putting our bags in the car, getting up so early and checking in at the front desk for a two night stay made this whole  planned experience so different than coming to the hospital while already in labor with Avery.  

Once we got checked into our room, they came in and did a bunch of paperwork and bloodwork then started my IVs. I came in dialated at a 2, but things were progressing slowly. I was worried that pitocin induced contractions were going to be so much worse than natural labor, because that seems to be the general consensus from everyone that had been induced and warned me, but the contractions were really no worse than the Braxton hicks I had during the whole third trimester, at first. 

Around lunchtime my doctor came in and checked me and I was only at four. She went ahead and broke my water to speed things along. Immediately after my water was broken contractions got more intense. They were a lot stronger now but still were the same types of pain I felt with Avery's labor the whole time. I went ahead and asked for the epidural at this time. Shortly after the epidural we realized that Jonah's heart rate was dropping with each contraction. My nurse tried laying me on my side and changing to different positions to help but it didn't. The next thing I knew she was strapping an oxygen mask to my face and telling me to take some deep breaths. I was a little worried but remained calm until she turned down the Piticocin and paged for another nurse to come in. Panic set in as the second nurse gave me an injection in my thigh to stop labor altogether. 

My nurse reassured me that unfortunately this was normal after the water being broken because there was no more cushion in my uterus and his cord was probably getting smushed somewhere.

They placed an internal heartrate monitor on Jonah and waited about 45 minutes to establish a strong steady heartbeat before turning the Pitocin back on. He was still moving so much though that he kept kicking off my contraption monitor that was placed on my belly. So then they put an internal contraction monitor on so they could gauge how strong the contractions were. They didn't want to put him back in distress by turning the medicine up too high but we needed to make some progress so he could come out quickly.

His heart rate was still dropping with each contraction so they put me back on oxygen and got an IV to actually put up some fluid back inside to provide a cushion for him. This was the last intervention they could really do before we would be looking at a C-section. The nurse said it works about 50% of the time so I got pretty worried, but thankfully it worked for us. Jonah's heartrate stabilized and I was finally making some (slow) progress. 

By 5:30 I was 5 cm and the nurse and doctor both said we would likely be looking at another centimeter progression per hour. It was looking like our baby wouldn't be here in till late that night. I immediately started thinking about Avery and now we had promised her a baby brother that day. I sent Jon to go be with Avery for the evening until I had made more progress. I had a few visitors so I wasn't going to be alone and my main concern at this point was her. At 6 o'clock I was a seven so I texted Jon to keep him updated...we were thinking it would still be a couple of hours plus pushing time. My nurse that I had had all day was about to have her shift change so she said she would check me once more before she left and would come visit me in the morning. When she came back at 6:30 I have been feeling a lot of pressure. She checked and told me I was a 9 1/2 and almost ready to push. I panicked again because now, after waiting by my side all day, Jon was gone. My doctor came in and said she had the forceps ready to go and we needed to get the baby out because his heart rate was dropping with each contraction again. That moment felt so surreal. I thought I was going to have to deliver all on my own. I begged her to wait for Jon to as I called him to come back ASAP. 

She agreed to watch the next two contractions while I got a hold of him and said if baby stayed stable during those two contractions that we could wait for Jon to get back. 

Thank God, everything turned out okay! His heart rate stayed stable as Jon drove 90 miles an hour back to the hospital from Lacy's house. While we were waiting I tried to put on a Music app on my phone but the Wi-Fi and all the monitors were making it screw up. Jon got there a little after seven and everyone else left the room so we could start pushing. My nurse even stayed with us past her shift to be with me too. We did two pushes and I really wanted some music so I could count through it and concentrate. I asked Alex who was there to take pictures to try to play some on her phone but my doctor interjected and said that I didn't need to concentrate because Jonah would be here with my next push. So with that he was finally here at 7:16 PM he weighed only 6 lbs. 14 oz. but was 20 inches long. Tall and skinny! When I first saw him I thought that he looked just like Avery, but not how she did as a newborn. I think he has the same nose and lips as her, and Daddy's eyes.

 

His labor was an emotional roller coaster but the delivery was so quick and easy! The night nurse that came in right when it was time to push joked that I must have been a soccer player to have such a strong core. But I told her no, but I was  a dancer my whole life, and she responded "Oh I knew you were an athlete! Not many people just 'get it' like that with the pushing!" It made me feel so  strong. Giving birth is seriously so magical and amazing. The rush of adrenaline and hormones when you meet your baby for the first time are so overwhelming. 

Right after he was here I had Jon call Lacy so she could bring up Avery to meet her brother! We spent some time with just the three of us doing some skin to skin and Jonah latched on for nursing right away. He met my sister in the parking lot and walked Avery up to the room where we spent some time as a family of four, alone before allowing any visitors in. Avery is so in love with him! I don't think there's anything sweeter and the world. 

Of course she is a little emotional as we adjust our family dynamic to include our little , but we have strived to keep everything pretty normal for her and I think she is doing awesome as a big sister!

We had such a great experience with all of the sweet nurses at our hospital, and I love my doctor, but I kind of feel like some of the complications we had during delivery were perhaps because Jonah wasn't ready to come out just yet. I am thankful I didn't have to deliver an 8 lb baby though! If I were to do it again I would probably not get induced unless I was past my due date. All that matters though is that Jonah is here and he's healthy and he's also really cute. He's latching and eating like a champ and has already surpassed his birthweight. 

 I am so thankful that I had my best friend Alex in the room with us to take these amazing photos! Such special memories!! 

2 and a half!!

Umm how has it been 6 months since my big girl's birthday?!

This age is the best! She's a full-on miniature person with her own thoughts and agenda.In fact one of her favorite things to a say is' "Just a minute, I'm busy!" Or "Wait a second. I've got cool stuff to do!" 

She is still the smartest little person that I've ever seen and blows our minds daily with the stuff she says and does. She is becoming so independent and can play by herself for long periods of time, but still cries for Mommy's every now and then, and I just eat it up. I know she'll only cry for me and want to hold my hand everywhere, for a little while longer. 

Some of Avery's favorite things at 2 1/2 are: 

School! Avery LOVES her teachers and school friends, and learns so much. She just goes twice a week, but we have all been so happy with the program. It's been so great for her! She will be so sad once summer is here. 

Dance class! It took her a few weeks  to warm up when we first started her, but she's a star in her class now. She pays such close attention and soaks up everything. Of course it makes her Mama very happy to see her enjoying it so much. I may or may not have cried watching her practice her recital dance last weekend. 

Anything PINK! She'll tell you anytime she sees something pink, that it's her favorite color. If you tell her your favorite color she'll remember it always and point out everything in your favorite hue too. 

Music! This girl loves to listen to the radio. She prefers "chuntree" and "wock n woll" songs the best. She also knows at least 15 children's songs that she performs on loop. Her favorites are twinkle twinkle, wheels on the bus, BINGO, and the ABCs. My favorite has to be the song she made up the other day; to the tune of Frere Jacques she sang, "Where is mommy? Where is mommy? Her's at work. Her's at work. Where is mommy? Where is mommy? Here she comes. Coming soon." She also still frequently jams to jingle bells, in April. :-)

Playing "tichen" and helping us cook real food too. She also loves playing baby dolls, dollhouse, instruments, cars, hide and seek, I spy, Candyland, "chetch me" (tag), games on the ipad and running outside. She loves puzzles, books, blocks and play-doh too. 

Picking out clothes- she wants a say in what she's wearing these days and is most particular about her panties for the day and her shoes. She is also practicing dressing herself, and can do it alone with lots of coaching and patience.  

Watching TV-Bubble Guppies is still her most favorite show, but she also loves Mickey, Dora and Friends, Paw Patrol, Daniel Tiger, and Super Why. She also loves movies now and some of her current favorites are Cinderella, The Land Before Time, Finding Nemo, and Frozen. 

Avery's current favorite foods are anything involving cheese, carbs, fruit or sugar. She loves Mac and Cheese, pasta, grilled cheese, pizza, cheeseburgers, yogurt, waffles, berries, plums, cookies, and lollipops. She was also recently introduced to lemonade and loves it! 

Avery is so excited to become a big sister! She says she can't wait to snuggle him, which she will get to do in just a couple more days!! I cannot wait to see how much she is going to love him. 

Some things Avery doesn't like at 2 1/2:

bugs, vegetables, her carseat, missing mommy in the mornings, being told no, heights, loud noises, being messy, and 

when daddy can't come to dance class! 

The funniest things she's said lately:

While Jon is yelling at cars in traffic, "Daddy are you disappointed?"

"Guess what? Babies don't have fingernails." 

As soon as we get home in the afternoon, "You gonna change into your comfy pants, Mama?"

After getting upset on the playscape at Chic fila and I ask her what's the matter,

"Those big kids were frustrated with me and pushed me betause I am small."

"You know what I'm gonna call Jonah when he gets here? I'm gonna call him, hey little fella!" 

On seeing the pack n play in our room, "Oh! You put my playpen in here so I can get in there and snuggle him!"

While playing I spy she says,

"What you spy something, Mama/Daddy?"

I could go on and on. I feel like this kid could have her own reality show with the amount of funny stuff she does and says. It's so crazy to hear her use big words like "disappointed" and "frustrated" in the correct context. She also says "y'all" and it's the cutest ever!

Some things we are working on at home are dressing herself, drinking out of regular cups without lids, less potty accidents, and learning the days of the week and months of the year. She knows her birthday is in October and talks about  it almost every day. 

Pregnancy update:

Baby brother can come any minute now! I've been having irregular contractions the past few days and am scheduled to be induced on Tuesday morning!! 

I really do feel like pregnancy is so beautiful..until the last month of it. Then I'm all swollen and stretchmarky and sweaty and waddley and crampy and over it. Knowing this is very likely my last few days to be pregnant, ever, I am trying to enjoy all the rolls and kicks and punches to the bladder, because I know I'll eventually miss it, but gosh I'm uncomfortable. 

I've gained about 26 lbs total, which is 9 lbs less than I did with Avery but I never lost the last 7 with her, so I'm almost exactly the same weight I was at her birth. However, the way I am carrying him so much lower, I've gotten a ton more stretchmarks this time and they are super  itchy. I'm glad I'm not as swollen as I was with her though! And the heartburn isn't nearly as severe so I'm really a lot less uncomfortable than I was at the end of my last pregnancy, but still so ready to trade it all in for sleepless nights and spit up in my hair! 

2 more days until we meet our little fella!