William's Smiling!

Just like babies do, William has been smiling since he was born, just as a reflex.  He's finally smiling for real, at six weeks!!  It just brings joy to my heart!  I'm in love with this little guy!

Visit with Santa!

This may be one of the few years that William will not remember Christmas at all.  But a gal still has to have pictures of her baby boy visiting Santa, right?! 

Cloth Diaper problem

So we haven't been using cloth diapers at all really (only a few days total).  William has had a nasty diaper rash and we have been working to clear it up.  We are only using cloth wipes and creams to clear it up.  It's looking so much better, but until we can have it fully cleared up, we are in disposables to be able to use the creams. 

For any CDing moms out there, any suggestions for handling diaper rash with cloth?  Do you just switch to disposables?  Any recommendations for CD friendly ointments or creams?  Once we do switch over to cloth, any suggestions on preventing diaper rash??  Thanks!!

My little guy is 6 weeks already!!!

William,
I can not believe you are already six weeks old!  The time is flying and you are growing and changing right before our very eyes!!  I love you more and more each day.  When people told me how much I would love you (before you were born), I was so excited to meet you and to see you grow and to love you.  Now that you are here, I finallly understand the words of the those people - I love you in a way that I haven't felt before.  Every smile or funny face or sound that you make makes my heart burst with joy and I can't help but smile.  You are a miracle created from the love of your daddy and me and we both have fallen in love with you together.  In just over a month, we have seen all your changes and we look forward to watching you continue to change and grow.  In the last six weeks, these are just a few of the things that you have been up to!

• You are able to hold you head up for extended periods!  You are so strong!!
• You already love your baths
• We are thinking your hair might be a little red (like your Uncle Jordan and Grandpa V) instead of blond
• Your eyes have gotten much lighter blue since when you were born
• You make so many noises, like grunting, especially when you eat.  It's so funny!
• You are able to focus on people's faces
• You definitely recognize mommy's voice
• You like to sleep with your hands in front of your face - just like when I was pregnant with you and we saw the same thing during all of the sonograms!!
• You love being held and love to cuddle
• You kind of like your pacifier but are just fine without it
• You do not like being hot
• You don't mind noise around the house - cars outside, vacuum, Tressel barking, TV...you sleep thru it all!
• You LOVE it when daddy wraps you up in a towel after your bath and cuddles with you [It's daddy's favorite part of the day]
• If you have a clean diaper and are fed, you are pretty much a happy baby!!!

Catching up

So for about the last 6 weeks, I have been floating on a cloud and enjoying my little man and trying to soak up every second I have off work to be with him.  In a little over a week, my bubble will pop and I will have to re-enter the "real" world and go back to work and say goodbye during the day to my little man.  I have not been hooked to a computer like I normally am to update my blog because I can't seem to pry myself away from William long enough to even check up on facebook or the blogs I follow or to my email.  He's too dang cute and cuddly!!

I still have so much to write about!  My little man is now 6 weeks old - how did that time fly so quickly!

Get ready for lots and lots of entries!!!

A good day....

So yesterday was my birthday - turned 28!

It was a good day.  William woke up for one of his feedings around 3:00 am and was very content starting his day and being wide awake!  We went downstairs to walk around and to allow mommy to relax in the living room chair and watch a little TV.  I found a bouquet of flowers with a 'Happy Birthday' balloon in them.  And THAT is how I started my day!  :)

My hubby came downstairs around 5:30am - William was just starting to fall asleep.  I thanked him for my flowers and he got out the most magical blueberry muffin (that was iced and pretty much as delicious as a cupcake!) for my birthday breakfast....a little earlier than I normally like to celebrate my birthday. HA!  Adam gave me a present and then took the NOW sleeping lil' man and let mommy go back to bed.

It was a good day.  Spent most of it with my men, did a little Christmas shopping, treated myself to lunch, got a visit from my in-laws in the evening (they visited with a Baskin Robins cake roll.....yummy!!).  It was a great day.

Another year older...
An extra man in my life...
So blessed and lucky in so many ways...
Couldn't be happier :)

Finally!! Cloth Diapers!!

The day has finally come to start cloth diapers!  We have known for many months that we wanted to do cloth diapers and I have spent many months researching and asking around about CDing. 

I have made several orders to start a stash that we can start with:

• 6 Flip Covers and Stay Dry Inserts
• 5 Rumparooz (2 with hook and loop closure and 3 with snaps)
• 1 bumGenius 4.0 pocket
• 1 Fuzzibunz pocket
• 1 bumGenius elemental AIO

To save money, we decided to go with all one-size diapers and we have been waiting a few weeks since lil' man was born for his cord to fall off and for him to "fill in" a little to start growing into the one-size diapers.  We have also been trying to clear up some diaper rash with some cream and needed to wait for it clear up.

I have two Planetwise wet bags on hand and plan to use Rockin' Green detergent.  We bought several packs of thinner baby washcloths to use for wipes with a water solution (with a little baby oil and baby soap) to use to wet them. 

So today was the day - we finally put lil' man's first CD on, one of the RaRs first!  It actually didn't fit too bad.  We haven't had him weighed since his 2 week appointment with the doctor and he was almost back to birth weight of 9 lbs.  It wasn't even necessary to have the rise  or waist on the smallest setting.  It was just a little bulk under his clothes, but no biggie!

I know that we will be tweaking what we like or what we use.  But we have started!!  Wohoo!!  [Is it still sad that I'm so excited for something my child is going to poop and pee in??  haha]

Napping with Daddy

My heart skips a beat for both of my "men"!  I love them both so so much!

Three Weeks Later

Time is already flying!  I can't believe it has already been three weeks!  How can that be?

Liam is already growing so fast.  His cheeks are getting chubby, his hands aren't newborn baby hands anymore, he's already starting to barely fit in his 0-3 months clothes! 

I'm just trying to cherish each day and remember right "now".  [especially before I have to go back to work :-( ]

Swaddling it is....

I'm a mother of a newborn - who just turned three weeks old....my expectations for sleep are very low.

Even with that said, SOME sleep would be nice, right?  I will always feed lil' man before I head to bed, it usually ends up being between 9 and 11 pm when he gets hungry.  After said feeding, he is more awake than any other time of the day - go figure.  He wants to be held and look around and move his arms and legs.  Adam has been staying up with him during these times, until he falls asleep or wants to eat again.  He's had been eating every 2 hours or so, even at night.  This equals a tired mommy.....

Until I decided to try swaddling again at night.  Thanks heavens!!

The past two nights have been glorious!!!  Sleeping much better and going about four (even five!) hours between feedings!  Mommy is a happy camper!

Loving on Liam...

So I realize I have not been keeping up with blogging much lately.  I guess it could be because I recently had a baby and haven't been able to pry my eyes away from the most beautiful thing I've ever seen - my little man.  hehe 

Even in less than three weeks, I've learned so much and he's already changing before our eyes.  He is so strong already and is picking his head up.  He loves to sleep with his arms above his head with his mouth open (just like his mommy).  Although I can see hints of Adam and me in his face....I gotta say, he looks a lot like I did when I was a baby - and even more like my brother, his Uncle Jordan.  He definitely doesn't seem to mind when his big brother (our black lab dog) gets curious and sniffs him.  He absolutely looks great in Ohio State gear!

As first-time parents, less than three weeks in, Adam and I have learned quite a bit so far.  It's amazing how little sleep you can live off of.  ALWAYS cover a boy when changing his diaper to avoid a 'shower'.  The baby, although fragile, is not breakable like we started off treating him (we could barely change his diaper or get him dressed without being terrified! haha).  You can't have too many pictures (even if they practically look the same!  We have literally taken a thousand!  haha)  There is absolutely such a thing as love at first sight!!

Thankful Thursday - THANKSGIVING!!

Absolutely so many things to be thankful for today and each day and each year.

I'm so happy to be able to share this holiday with my family, with everyone in excellent health this year.  I'm so relieved that my family that traveled to Illinois to be with us made it safely.  I'm thankful for my wonderful job that allows us to live in our house and fill our fridge and support our lifestyle.  I'm so happy to have a husband that loves me and supports me.  I'm thankful for this holiday season and our Christmas tree that is already lighting up our living room.  I'm thankful for the amazing meal we just ate around the table with family.

This year, I'm mostly thankful for my little baby boy.  We anticipated his arrival for nine months and hoped and prayed for his safe delivery.  He is now here and almost two weeks old and I can't believe how in love I am with him.  I love his sounds and his smell and his facial expressions and mommy cuddle time.  In less than two weeks, I already can't imagine my life without him. 

So thankful and happy for all the blessings around us.....

One Week.....

One week of cuddles...
One week of sweet baby smells...
One week of nursing...
One week of changing diapers...
One week of falling more in love than we could have ever imagined...

It's been one week and one day since Liam has joined our family and I already know that things will never be the same.  Everything has been going wonderfully since he made his arrival.  He is a healthy baby boy.  Breastfeeding has been going wonderfully!  [ever since the first time I nursed - in recovery after the c-section]  My own recovery from the c-section has completely surprised me and has been going very well.   Tressel (our puppy) is already loving his baby brother and has been so gentle and just curious around baby. 

Adam has been amazing - from all the help he gave me in the hospital to all the wonderful things he does to help with Liam.

Our families and friends have been beyond supportive - from visits in the hospital and helping with meals and already spoiling Liam.  To my mom especially, who has been staying with us since he was born - things would not have been so smooth if it weren't for her. 

I have fallen in love more than I could have imagined.  I can barely take my eyes off him and I know people will be sick of me talking about our son, but I can't help but be so proud of him already. 

It's absolutely amazing how much your life can change in just one week...

William is HERE!!!!

My little sinker is finally here - William Edward ("Liam")!!

The little man had a mind of his own.  I was scheduled for a c-section (little man was breech) on Friday at 11:30am.  My alarm was set to go off at 7:30am to start getting ready and head in to get admitted.  However....a little after 7:00am, while laying in bed with the puppy, I felt a gush - my water broke!!  Adam was down stairs finishing up some homework so I called for my mom.  Whoa, buddy - this was real!  We called doctor and hospital and I went to hop in the shower and the contractions started - they were already 3-4 minutes apart and painful!  I figured since people usually are in labor for many hours, a shower and drying my hair wouldn't hurt and they would just move up my c-section. 

We got in the car to head to the hospital - Adam dropped me off at ER door and grabbed the camera.  They wheeled me upstairs to labor and delivery, a trip that felt like it might have lasted about 10 hours - contractions were now 2 minutes apart and it was less than an hour after my water broke.  I changed into a gown and a few nurses came in to start asking me questions and to get my IV going.  Another nurse came in to check my cervix.  She had a hard time telling because little man had dropped so far down.  She told me I was at least 8 cm dilated, but it felt like it was more like 10.  This was reported to the other nurses and people began to swarm - they needed to hurry!  My doctor and the anesthesiologist came in - they were worried they might not have enough time to give me the spinal before they had to deliver.  I begged and asked them to please, pretty please, try - I wanted to be awake for the birth!  The nurses were making a mad dash to finish up what they needed to do.  Adam went to change into scrubs.  They started wheeling me into delivery. 

Everyone worked so quickly that I was able to have my spinal and the procedure began.  There was a lot of tugging and Adam was sitting by my head holding my hand and rubbing my shoulder.  A few minutes later we heard the words from the doctor say the words we knew already - "It's a boy!"  The held him up for me as they send baby to the warmer - daddy followed.  After the first site of my baby boy and hearing his first cries, I started to sob!  I was bursting with love and happiness and relief that he was healthy and my wait was over.  He was here!

Stats:
Born Friday, November 12, 2010 at 8:57 am
Weight - 8 lbs 15 oz
Length - 19.75 inches

Things on my mind

So I know I have been absent from blogging for a few days now.  I can't really help it!  William's arrival is less than 48 hours away!  Even typing that out seriously makes it impossible to believe that it's almost THE day!  I finished up my last day at work yesterday [insert huge sigh of relief].  Finishing up laundry, trying to straighten the house and finish putting together and putting away baby stuff.  Setting up video monitor.  Adam installed the car seats.  Got a mani/pedi - because a gal has to have nice nails for her hospital stay.  And every moment of doing all of this, trying to begin to comprehend what is about to happen to turn our lives upside down!

It's not sinking in.....

I'm so excited and anxious but am still unable to visualize or imagine what is about to happen!! 

My family is coming into town tomorrow night and Friday morning, Adam and I will make the drive to the hospital where we will anxiously await the arrival and first meeting of the baby we have already fallen in love with - our William!

Thanks for all of your support!! 

Thankful Thursday - 11.4.10

There are only three weeks until Thanksgiving and I have been slacking on keeping up with my 'Thankful Thursday' posts.  Still so much to be thankful for!

• Crockpot - Adam throws dinner in in the morning.....I come home from work to a wonderful smelling house and dinner is ready!!  I love it!
• My doctors - I have been very pleased with my OB practice I am a patient with.  All of the nurses, doctors and midwives have been so helpful answering my questions and comforting me throughout the last nine months.  They have all been so patient and informative and treating me and my baby like we matter and not like we are just another pregnancy that they see everyday.
• My work group - They surprised me this week with a cake ("Welcome, William") and snacks and a wonderful card and some money to buy cloth diapers!  They know me too well!!  [Only 3 days left of work for the rest of the year!]
• Cinnamon raisin bread - OK, so it's not homemade (I'm a slacker), but Adam picked some up at the grocery this week and I can't get enough!  Toasted with a little butter.....yummy!

This month, I am also participating in a 'Give Thanks' Blog Hop hosted by Mommy Made Green!  Stop over to link up and reflect on what you are thankful for this month!  I don't know about you, but sometimes I feel like I'm moving too fast to sit back and take in what's around me and reflect of all of the things that I have to be thankful for.  As we are moving towards Thanksgiving and the holiday season....don't you think we owe at least that much to ourselves?  What are you thankful for?

Growing a Human - 3rd Trimester

Being as I'm in the very late stages of the 3rd trimester - I might not be as kind towards this trimester, being as it is what is ailing me at this particular time.  It all starts off fine and dandy - rainbows and sunshine and glowing still lingering from the 2nd trimester.  Then it ends with your beautiful baby (which I am still eagerly awaiting!).  Anticipation is growing.....your belly is growing.....your rear end is probably growing....

• If it wasn't obvious already, your belly clearly gives it away now - you are pregnant.  For me, people have been telling me I look like I'm "about to pop" since about 30 weeks.  Only slightly discouraging when I had to clarify that I wasn't due for over two more months.  HA!
• If you are lucky enough that your stretch marks have held off until this trimester, there is a good chance they are appearing now.  Unless you are one of those women that doesn't get any...and if that's the case, then I don't wanna talk to you about it.  HA! 
•  This is probably about the time for finishing up baby's room if you haven't already!  For me it was hanging pictures and decals, washing and putting away baby clothes, putting away his toys and books, playing all the wind-up toys that played lullabies and talking to William while doing it all!  Each day I'll peak my head in the door and imagine putting my baby boy to bed and rocking him to sleep and reading as a family in that room...can't wait!
• Those HUGE maternity clothes that I contemplated taking back for a smaller size....yeah those....ummm, barely fitting anymore.  Unless showing off the bottom of my belly has somehow become appropriate.....
• Umm....what ankles?  Swelling may strike at any point in this trimester and you may dream of the days that your feet and calves were completely separated by lovely, dainty ankles.  Those were the days - when your shoes fit and ankles were free to bend as usual without all the swelling....
• Can you still bend at the waist?  Enjoy it while you can.  Soon enough you'll have a bowling ball growing from your belly and the days of picking things up off the floor, tying your shoes or being able to hug your significant other up close will be history.  HA!
• Hello, discomfort.  Good-bye, sleep.  Until the later parts of the 3rd trimester, I figured the worst thing someone could say to a pregnant woman was something regarding how huge she was.  So wrong - the phrase "Get sleep while you still can" is actually the meanest thing.  Between having to pee 100 times in the middle of the night and the horrible leg pains, hip pains, pelvis pains, anxiety about the fact that you are about to be a parent....sleep isn't even something you look forward to anymore.  The thought that sleep once baby is born will be even less creates more anxiety, which causes less sleep....a vicious cycle!  hehe
• You're sure that your bladder is now the size of a grape.  If it were bigger than that, you would not have to pee this many times a day.  You might notice you have to go until you stand and a 10 lb watermelon drops completely on the bladder and then it's "Get out of my way!!!  Bathroom needed now!"
• Little baby kicks have now turned into big baby jumping jacks!  I am still in love with this!  I could just stare at my belly and watch William moving around in there.  That's my baby boy!!

As much as I can complain of the discomfort around this point and finally understanding the get-this-baby-out-of-me mentality that you commonly hear from super prego women, I know I will probably miss being pregnant.  I have been blessed with a very healthy pregnancy and will be meeting my son in less than days!  The amount of love and support extended by our family and friends has been absolutely amazing.  Knowing we have such an extended support system around us warms my heart.  William is coming....... 

Growing a Human - 2nd Trimester

Trying to think back, the 2nd trimester seems like a bit of a blur.  As "uneventful" as "growing a human" can be - it was the months spent "glowing" (as my husband would call it).  I had survived the 1st trimester and things were still healthy and smooth sailing!  I would have to call the 2nd trimester the "I'm feelin' good trimester" - morning sickness ended and I was still months away from the discomforts of the later parts of pregnancy.  Enjoy!!

• Yay!!  I can finally stay up past 9 pm again!!  It was almost like a light switch that someone flipped and I started feeling better and the extreme exhaustion started to wear off.  I had survived!! [If you are not one of the fortunate ones that morning sickness fades after the 1st trimester....I am so sorry!!  HA!]
• I started noticing a little belly.  It started as only noticeable to me under my clothes and then started to grow.  This is when it becomes the "in-between, awkward belly stage."  People will wonder "Is she pregnant or has she just starting to 'let go' a little after a year of marriage."  HA!
• Anticipating all doctor appointments!!  In the early trimester, when I couldn't feel the baby moving yet, I would look forward to my OB appointments with great anticipation just to be able to hear that wonderful sound of the heartbeat!  Such a comforting feeling!
• I must have gas.....or could it be?  Is that the baby moving in there?  I'm pretty sure I had been feeling baby's movements for weeks before I actually figured out that's what it was.  Everyone describes it as something different - I thought it felt like a very mild muscle twitch. 
• Boy or Girl??  Not finding out wasn't an option!  I'm the kind of person that buys Christmas presents and can barely wait another 24 hours before wanting to hand them out because I get so excited!  When we found our little one was a boy, it was the beginning of what I would consider "bonding" with him.  That was our son in there, kicking and growing.  Our William! 
• Eat fiber.....NOW!  Do not find out the hard way that your digestive system isn't the same as it was pre-pregnancy.  I don't think this needs any further explanation - eat your fiber.  hehe

Overall, the 2nd trimester wasn't all that "eventful."  I felt great and it was easy to sit back and enjoy being pregnant! 

Growing a Human - 1st Trimester

If I had to sum of the 1st trimester using only a few words:  tired, saltine crackers, disbelief.

Understanding that everyone has a very different experience while pregnant - here is my advice for surviving the first couple months.

• You will probably be more tired than you've ever felt in your entire life....starting being okay with a 7:30pm bedtime.
• If you are like most other women and suffer from morning sickness - start keeping a sleeve of saltine crackers on your nightstand.  Eat them....before you even lift your head in the morning and know you might need them before going to bed at night.  I never threw up, but had nausea from morning until night.  Although crackers helped - find the food or snack that settles your stomach!  I've heard anything from ginger ale, preggie pops or lemonheads.  For some strange reason, sour patch kids helped me - not sure if it was the sugar or sour taste....I ate lots!
• Another morning sickness related one - Stop buying stinky food immediately!!  And have your hubby or SO or someone take the trash out...often!  Smelling just about anything was enough to send me running to the bathroom in dry heaves....too much info?  HA!  There were days I would come home from work and spend the evening in the bedroom....as far away from the fridge and garbage and pantry that I possibly could!
• Have a 'puking action plan' - OK, this might seem a bit ridiculous.  Although I did not ever puke, I remember sitting in meetings at work (keep in mind I hadn't told anyone at work the news yet....) and trying to sit close to the garbage can and close to the door.  I had an elaborate game plan on exactly what I would do if the need to hurl came - grab the garbage can, run out of room, know where nearest restroom was, return to meeting and pretend like nothing happened......that should about do it, right??  HA!
• Stock up on antacids.  I had heartburn start in the 1st trimester and along with the nausea - this wasn't cool.  [make sure too check with your doctor on what you should or should not take!]
• OH!  No one told me and I had no idea that having to pee all the time starts in the 1st trimester!!  Who knew?  Until the baby grows big enough and you "pop" out of your pelvis, that's just more pressure on your bladder.  [and then it gets better after you "pop" and so much worse in the 3rd trimester!  HA!]
• Let it sink in!  You are pregnant!  You have a tiny heart beating inside you!  Although you still might be starting everyday in complete disbelief....believe it!!!

He knows....

There is no doubt that our puppy, Tressel, knows there is something up and he's about to be a brother soon.....spending a little time cuddling with mommy and feeling William move and listening to baby.