What a determined little baby you are. You’re not content with being a newborn anymore. You’re learning to roll and are working hard at sitting up too, when all we want is to enjoy you as a baby for as long as possible. You see your older siblings doing things, and you just want to be where they are. You love them so much, if you hear them you’ll crane your neck and move your body to try and see them. Of course they love you just as much, some nights you get a hug when Mama and Dad don’t.
Two Months
About halfway through the month, I looked at you and realized you were no longer a newborn. It was shocking and sad. I wasn’t sure how the change had happened so quickly, and was immediately mourning the fact that you’d left the sleepy and squishy phase. It is, of course, an accomplishment for you. You’re growing! You’re one step closer to showing us who you are as an independent person. And pretty quickly I learned to love this new phase too. You love eye contact, and when I coo at you, I can make you smile.
Passing Time
E and I have been discussing time lately. Specifically how it can sometimes go quickly, while other times it seems to take forever. It started during nap time. E is getting to an age where he hasn’t given up naps yet, but he doesn’t take one every day either. We tell him that he can nap if he wants to, and if not he can have quiet time in his room. He usually does a combination of resting in his bed, maybe with a book, or playing with his dollhouse.
Out of the Mouths of Toddlers
The older E gets, the more interesting it is to talk to him. It’s gone from demands to short sentences to stories. Sometimes they’re true, sometimes they’re completely made up, and sometimes I’m left confused wondering.
E: Mama look at my boo boo
Me: Oh no!
E: I told it to my teachers yesterday
Me: Oh yeah? And what did they say?
E: The scooped me up and threw me in the trash!
Me: How did that make you feel?
Two Months
Nick Names: Goober, Snortle-pig, Lovey
Height: 23.5 inches (76th percentile)
Weight: 13 lbs, 15 oz (87th percentile)
Head: 16.25 inches (97th percentile)
Special Outings: First time with all 4 of us in the car (to get oil changed haha), Burlington Mall, First snow angel, Mama’s dr appointment, PetSmart
Visitors: Grandma & Grandpa, Raina & Zaida, Nicole, Stephen & Alice
Loves: Sleeping, pacifiers, big brother, staring into the light
Hates: The cold, being hungry, tummy time
Birth Story Part II - Active Labor
After I got my first dose of medicine, Tom and I settled in to wait. We ordered dinner, and watched Game night and Jumanji in our room. Around 4:30 I mentioned to Tom that my head was a little itchy, and that was weird. A little while later, it was REALLY itchy and I couldn’t stop itching. I must have been freaking him out a bit, because he said he was going to go find our nurse. By the time they returned, not only was I going crazy with an itchy scalp, but my hands had turned bright red and my palms were also super itchy.
Knowing that I was already allergic to one type of antibiotic, the nurse got worried and immediately stopped the vancomycin and called the doctor. Within a few minutes, my itchiness had gone away, and my hands were no longer red. After some brainstorming between the doctor and pharmacist, it was decided that I was having a transfusion reaction, and not a reaction to the actual antibiotic. Because my itching stopped so quickly, and the antibiotic was still in my system, it was decided I could safely finish my dose, just at a slower pace. Luckily after the dose was slowed, no more itching! And in better news, as long as I delivered by 5am the next morning, I wouldn’t need another dose of antibiotics.
He's Here!
Getting Closer
I’ve mentioned that I’m being monitored like crazy during this pregnancy. I’m really appreciative of it, and I love my medical team, so I’ve managed to not be too anxious or worried, which is great.
Baby has been doing wonderful, and lately I’ve been feeling pretty good too. I mean I’ve been super sick, but that has nothing to do with being pregnant. All my pregnancy symptoms have really mellowed lately, so I’ve officially reached the “forgetting I’m pregnant” stage again. It’s weird to be so pregnant and feel that way, but it happened last time at the end too. Something about the baby changing position or dropping I think.
What's New?
Recently I pointed out a few things that haven't changed, but now I want to talk about things that have. Things that are new and different around here lately!
New Tricks
Some times it seems like E doesn't change or learn anything new for a few weeks, and then there are weeks where he learns a new trick every hour. All of a sudden you're watching him and saying "Wait, since when does he know how to turn pages in a book??" And then you scoop him up and smother him with kisses because you're so proud and he's so squishable!
Heading Home
E was born Sunday morning, which meant that we headed home from the hospital on Tuesday afternoon. I thought it was going to feel weirder than it did, but I think because every part of this process has seemed surreal, this wasn't any different. I still don't think it ever set in that I was pregnant, I'm just continuing that denial now that E is here. I swear sometimes I look down at this little baby in my arms and just think "WHO GAVE ME A BABY!?"
Introducing Baby E
Celebrating Bubbles
The Nursery is DONE
Are We Out of the Woods Yet?
The 2nd Trimester is Boring
Stop Dancing on my Bladder
So after the last, not so encouraging ultrasound, Tom and I were ready for a do over. That chance came when we were given the option of doing a down syndrome test, which requires an ultrasound. I'll be honest, I just heard ultrasound and said I was in. Especially because it was at a different office where they had the new, high tech ultrasounds. I knew we'd be able to see a lot more, and have a much better chance at hearing a heartbeat. The results of the test meant very little to me compared to that.
Heading into the appointment, I was mostly excited and just a little bit nervous. I knew things were probably okay, but I still really wanted to hear that heartbeat as confirmation. Then I checked the website and looked at the pre-appointment instructions... and that's when I became very nervous.
The First Heartbeat: Sort Of
Alternatively titled, "How I almost gave Tom a heart attack."
So the first appointment I had was with a midwife, and was supposed to be mostly a checkup for me, and gathering a medical history. It was in the middle of the day and Tom had to work, so I went alone. I'd already gotten all the medical information from him, so it wasn't a big deal. At the very end of the appointment, the midwife decided to try and do a quick ultrasound to check and make sure it wasn't an ectopic pregnancy.
Pregnancy: The Symptoms
I mostly didn't know what to expect for pregnancy symptoms. I figured I'd be puking in garbage cans left and right and making Tom go out in the middle of the night to buy me pickles. (Again, thanks movies). I've seen friends and family members pregnant before, and it didn't seem that bad? But as I soon found out, most of pregnancy is about suffering in private.
Seriously, who decided that the worst pregnancy symptoms would happen at the beginning when you're not supposed to be telling anyone you're pregnant!? It's the worst cruel joke nature could play on you. I was lying and faking my way through life while feeling like I was going to die at the same time. I was also feeling a bit dramatic haha.
The Nursery Round I
I wish I had a better 'before' picture of this room for you. Something more than a half painted wall to show you what it looked like. I don't even have one from the walk through I don't think - it was the previous owner's daughter's room, and they didn't post any pictures of it on the listing, and I never took any. Once we moved in, it was always just an empty room, so we never went in there. The walls were a dusty rose (or as I call it, dirty pink) and the only room of the entire house where I hated the paint color.
I think in the back of our mind we always knew it would be a future baby's room, whenever that happened to be. In fact I often referred to it as the baby's room. It was better than "the extra bedroom that isn't the guest room, and isn't the craft room, you know the ugly one with the gross pink walls?"
Pregnancy: The First Few Days
For another post about how life is different from movies, let's explore what we did after finding out I was pregnant.
In the movies, this is a huge turning point! Lots of things happen very quickly! Symptoms start immediately. A visit to the doctor is planned for the next day. Funny things happen. People are told. In reality, none of this happens.