Yesterday was my first day alone with the girls as Brad went back to work. I was nervous and to be honest a little overwhelmed at the idea of not only being alone but being outnumbered!
Instead of giving a play by play I thought I would give a list of things that did and did not happen yesterday:
THINGS THAT DID HAPPEN
1. We woke up nice and early - okay early but nice, eh...
2. Breakfast was made and consumed by all
3. Tummy time
4. A shower
5. Kitchen and dishes were cleaned
6. A little too much Mickey Mouse was watched
7. Two Band-Aids we used
8. An icepack was also used
9. Four toddler tantrums
10. One time out
11. More diapers were changed than I would care to mention
12. Floor was swept, twice
13. Floor was mopped, by mommy and then also by Ella
14. Two waffles may have been consumed by one toddler for lunch
15. The phrase "gentle with baby!" became the phrase of the day
THINGS THAT DID NOT HAPPEN
1. Make up
2. Shower BEFORE noon
3. Dinner made
4. Laundry put away
5. Leaving the house during daylight hours
6. Tears from mommy - now the other two had plenty of tears for all three of us
7. Educational learning (ha!)
8. Toys picked up
9. Hair brushed and dried after late in the day shower
10. Lunch that did not include syrup
11. Christmas shopping started
12. Baby book started and photos ordered
13. Grocery shopping for Thanksgiving meal
14. Vacuuming or dusting
15. Mommy running out of the house because she went bonkers
So there you go. Some good things, some not so good things. The life of being a mom of two will take adjustment. So far it isn't too hard because one of us sleeps most of the day and can't move much. Thank goodness! The other one is a little crazy ball of energy that is having some mommy issues where she also wants to be rocked like baby and when baby cries she also feels the need to cry. Hooray!
I am on day #2 so we'll see how today goes...so far I did get a shower before noon so that is a win in my book!
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Newborn Photos!
I can't say thank you enough to our friend Charlotte Lewis for taking these beautiful photos of our little Charlotte. Her photography is beautiful and she captured so many sweet poses that I know we will cherish them for years to come - especially once we forget how exhausted and overwhelmed we were during the time these were taken.
I wanted to share them with all of you! If you are looking for a photographer please contact Charlotte Lewis at her website www.charlottelewisphotography.com!
I wanted to share them with all of you! If you are looking for a photographer please contact Charlotte Lewis at her website www.charlottelewisphotography.com!
Friday, November 22, 2013
Who needs sleep anyway?!
Wait...I need sleep! It has been a rough couple of weeks. Charlotte goes to bed very late (often after 4am) and Ella wakes up very early (sometimes 6:30am) so needless to say we are very tired in this house. It is getting easier with the constant feedings and diapers that you sort of forget by the time you have a toddler, but poor Ella is having some mommy issues because she wants to be close to me also. So here are a few things I've learned about having two children:
1. People will tell you that you should have waiting until the older one was older. Thanks for that one. I honestly don't believe there is a right time for having kids, you just do it and it works because it is life. Back in the day I doubt people told families that they had too many children or had children too close together so it kind of blows my mind that anyone thinks they get to have a say on these choices now. Just saying...it is rude people. Just rude.
2. When one is eating, the other will ultimately want to eat. It is better to just feed them at the same time, especially if a toddler claims they are not hungry because they will wait until you can't move to decide they are starving to death.
3. Carve out time for just you and one of the kids. It is hard, but worth it.
4. Meltdowns will ensue. Just deal with it and try to move on...or leave the house. Leaving helps...as does sleeping.
5. Commiserate with your significant other. This is a big one. Thank God for my sweet husband!
So there are my top 5 tips or at least things that you need to keep in mind. Love every second of it. Ha! Or just survive. Isn't that all we can do?
1. People will tell you that you should have waiting until the older one was older. Thanks for that one. I honestly don't believe there is a right time for having kids, you just do it and it works because it is life. Back in the day I doubt people told families that they had too many children or had children too close together so it kind of blows my mind that anyone thinks they get to have a say on these choices now. Just saying...it is rude people. Just rude.
2. When one is eating, the other will ultimately want to eat. It is better to just feed them at the same time, especially if a toddler claims they are not hungry because they will wait until you can't move to decide they are starving to death.
3. Carve out time for just you and one of the kids. It is hard, but worth it.
4. Meltdowns will ensue. Just deal with it and try to move on...or leave the house. Leaving helps...as does sleeping.
5. Commiserate with your significant other. This is a big one. Thank God for my sweet husband!
So there are my top 5 tips or at least things that you need to keep in mind. Love every second of it. Ha! Or just survive. Isn't that all we can do?
Thursday, November 14, 2013
And then there were four...
Welcome to the world, Charlotte Jean!
We became a family of four on November 5, 2013 at 12:21am when our sweet Charlotte Jean was born. She was 7lbs 10oz and 20 inches, also known as a big baby! We were told my whole pregnancy that she would be small but she proved them wrong! She is anything but small, she is a big and beautiful personality that has the lungs to let you know what she wants.
Here is Charlotte's birth story for those of you who like birth stories (because I love them!):
I had a doctor's appointment the morning of November 4th and the doctor had said I was only 4 cms and probably wouldn't go another week, but scheduled my induction for 11/12/2013 just "in case" which scared me because that meant a whole other week of being pregnant. I had been very uncomfortable and still was battling feeling nauseous and having major pain from a split pelvis. We came home and decided to call my mom to come over since she had several days off in a row and that way we would have someone here to watch Ella. My mom left work early and made the drive from Spokane.
I had a few pains and contractions, but nothing too exciting the rest of the day. Then my mom got here and things started to get more painful. After the contractions became closer together we decided to head in to the hospital. It was about 8pm and I was watching the Monday Night Football game of the Giants and Packers and was a little upset that I couldn't finish he game. Especially because Aaron Rogers got hurt so it was an interesting game!
We got the hospital and they admitted me. The contractions got stronger and I requested to sit in the bathtub the same as I did with Ella. I didn't want drugs and just wanted to go as natural as possible. It got harder and harder and I finally told Brad that I couldn't do it anymore. I felt like no one was listening to me as I was saying I couldn't do it...and then I started pushing without me even knowing it. The nurse semi-freaked out because I was still in the tub and they didn't want me to give birth in the tub so they pulled me out and I basically threw myself on the bed and started pushing. The doctor on call was Dr Fure. He is a very no-nonsense man and was taking his time. The nurses kept making me stop pushing because he wasn't ready. Finally after 15 minutes of pushing and stopping out came Charlotte perfectly red and screaming. She came out with her hand up by her head so it wasn't the most pleasant experience, but she was healthy and perfect! They have a new policy where the mom is the only one allowed to hold the baby for the first hour, so for an hour I sat holding my sweet baby as she cried and wiggled. I fed her and then they came in to give her a bath. She hated the bath. Poor thing!
We were then taken to the recovery room and it was very late/early in the morning I guess at this point! Not much sleep happened that first day. Brad went home about 5am and Charlotte and I were alone in the room. She didn't like to be put down so I held her all night. The nurses would come in and comment how perfect she was, that she was a great eater and had the most wonderful hair!
Finally the next day Ella came to meet her sister. She immediately knew it was her baby sister and wanted to hold her. Ella yelled at the nurse when she came in to take the baby's vitals and told her it was "my baby!". She held her and kissed her and then was ready to run around and get into everything in the room. Oh the life of a toddler!
We came home that Wednesday and had a nice quiet day with my mom here and Ella at daycare. When Ella got home she cuddled with me and her sister and wanted to touch and look at Charlotte. She shared her stuffed puppy and also shared her ability to cry like a baby too. Apparently when Charlotte cries Ella also needs to cry.
Well we are over a week as a family of four and it has been difficult but worth it. Charlotte is a sweet baby that is apparently a night owl who likes to make sure everyone else is awake too. Ella is having some jealousy issues but overall has been very good with her sister and with adjusting to not being an only child. So the new adventure begins!
Here are a few photos of our first week together:
We became a family of four on November 5, 2013 at 12:21am when our sweet Charlotte Jean was born. She was 7lbs 10oz and 20 inches, also known as a big baby! We were told my whole pregnancy that she would be small but she proved them wrong! She is anything but small, she is a big and beautiful personality that has the lungs to let you know what she wants.
Here is Charlotte's birth story for those of you who like birth stories (because I love them!):
I had a doctor's appointment the morning of November 4th and the doctor had said I was only 4 cms and probably wouldn't go another week, but scheduled my induction for 11/12/2013 just "in case" which scared me because that meant a whole other week of being pregnant. I had been very uncomfortable and still was battling feeling nauseous and having major pain from a split pelvis. We came home and decided to call my mom to come over since she had several days off in a row and that way we would have someone here to watch Ella. My mom left work early and made the drive from Spokane.
I had a few pains and contractions, but nothing too exciting the rest of the day. Then my mom got here and things started to get more painful. After the contractions became closer together we decided to head in to the hospital. It was about 8pm and I was watching the Monday Night Football game of the Giants and Packers and was a little upset that I couldn't finish he game. Especially because Aaron Rogers got hurt so it was an interesting game!
We got the hospital and they admitted me. The contractions got stronger and I requested to sit in the bathtub the same as I did with Ella. I didn't want drugs and just wanted to go as natural as possible. It got harder and harder and I finally told Brad that I couldn't do it anymore. I felt like no one was listening to me as I was saying I couldn't do it...and then I started pushing without me even knowing it. The nurse semi-freaked out because I was still in the tub and they didn't want me to give birth in the tub so they pulled me out and I basically threw myself on the bed and started pushing. The doctor on call was Dr Fure. He is a very no-nonsense man and was taking his time. The nurses kept making me stop pushing because he wasn't ready. Finally after 15 minutes of pushing and stopping out came Charlotte perfectly red and screaming. She came out with her hand up by her head so it wasn't the most pleasant experience, but she was healthy and perfect! They have a new policy where the mom is the only one allowed to hold the baby for the first hour, so for an hour I sat holding my sweet baby as she cried and wiggled. I fed her and then they came in to give her a bath. She hated the bath. Poor thing!
We were then taken to the recovery room and it was very late/early in the morning I guess at this point! Not much sleep happened that first day. Brad went home about 5am and Charlotte and I were alone in the room. She didn't like to be put down so I held her all night. The nurses would come in and comment how perfect she was, that she was a great eater and had the most wonderful hair!
Finally the next day Ella came to meet her sister. She immediately knew it was her baby sister and wanted to hold her. Ella yelled at the nurse when she came in to take the baby's vitals and told her it was "my baby!". She held her and kissed her and then was ready to run around and get into everything in the room. Oh the life of a toddler!
We came home that Wednesday and had a nice quiet day with my mom here and Ella at daycare. When Ella got home she cuddled with me and her sister and wanted to touch and look at Charlotte. She shared her stuffed puppy and also shared her ability to cry like a baby too. Apparently when Charlotte cries Ella also needs to cry.
Well we are over a week as a family of four and it has been difficult but worth it. Charlotte is a sweet baby that is apparently a night owl who likes to make sure everyone else is awake too. Ella is having some jealousy issues but overall has been very good with her sister and with adjusting to not being an only child. So the new adventure begins!
Here are a few photos of our first week together:
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