Settling In

I feel that I can say I have settled in to my new role as a mom of two. Jonathan just turned three weeks old and between my husband's few days off, grandmothers cycling through for another week and my sister visiting for nine days, I am just starting to care for both boys all by myself. I am grateful for the help I received (especially from my husband in the mornings and evenings) which allowed me to spend many more quiet moments with the new baby than I expected. My husband is started a new job, technically his old job, next week and won't be working from home anymore so that may be a whole new definition of "long day" for me.

As most moms know, Jonathan wakes up for his first morning feeding around 5:30-6am and then goes back to sleep for a few hours…unless big brother wakes him up. This allows me to be with William once he wakes up between 6-6:30am, watch 30 minutes of one of his shows and have breakfast. I have been trying to run laundry, clean up, etc during this time because it is William's best time of day in terms of being content playing on his own and being calm. As far as sleep goes, the rest of the day is just a toss up. If they both nap at the same time, I try to also. I am very grateful for the sleep I do get at night because there have been several days that I have not napped and felt pretty good. Yes, I am always in bed by 10pm, usually 9pm :). Two nights ago it was 8:40pm!

A big change this time around is that when I feed Jonathan at this first morning feeding, sometimes I get him dressed for the day (in his first outfit at least) because sometimes we leave for an activity before he wakes up. He is not a big fan of the car. William slept all the time in the car but Jonathan spends more time awake and isn't always happy. So this prevents me from waking him to change him. Yes I have brought him out in pajamas, but it has been so hot that he would cry from being uncomfortable the last few days. Jonathan is sleeping in our room which is where I keep him in the morning and try to keep William away. I wish I had taught him the concept of whispering before the baby was born…

So we are doing the activities we used to do before baby, but I am not putting pressure on myself to stay out all morning, etc., just taking it day by day.

More pictures coming soon!

It's a BOY!

 Jonathan Paul

April 27, 2013

9lbs 5oz

21 inches long

A fast five hours from my first contraction until birth

7cm dilated when arrived at the hospital

Extra bag of epidural fluid needed to ease pain/discomfort

One proud big brother who was more interested his second visit

One set of very excited parents

One mother who could have sworn she was having a girl…but didn't!

Two weeks of getting life back on track as a family of four

Too little time to myself to spend it blogging -- I just want to sleep

Endless feelings of being torn between my boys already (but I am working on that)

"Estimated" Due Date = Overdue (again)

The end of my pregnancy has (kind of) arrived! Yesterday, Thursday, April 25th I was 40 weeks pregnant with our second child. I have been feeling great for about three weeks now which has allowed me to do all sorts of walking, playing and climbing with my sweet William. Last weekend exhaustion hit me like a truck and I felt like I could barely function. Midweek I got some energy back, but daily naps are a must. Being overdue is a feeling I know -- William arrived at 40w3d.

At my OB visit on Tuesday (39w5d) my weight was the same as last week so I have gained 35 pounds. My BP was healthy and thankfully baby is head down, my body is dilating and this baby and family are just waiting for his/her birth! I have contractions and other paints every day (seeping is not too enjoyable on my side with the extra weight) but none of the contractions have forced my water to break or stayed consistent enough to send me into active labor. So here I am…impatiently waiting…again.

I took a photo of myself last Friday before we went out to dinner, but it is still on my camera so I don't have it to share now. I will try and add it here soon. This week has been all about my little boy. We have gone to different parks several time, visited with lots of friends, gone on a tour of the post office and taken several walks together down our lane to get the mail, something he loves to do. Whenever he sits on the couch, I snuggle up with him since both my arms are his still and I just tell him how much I love him over and over and what a good big brother he is going to be.

At two years old he is rather interested in every baby he sees which will hopefully bode well for us in the coming days, months and years. And if it doesn't, Daddy is taking time off, then my sister will be here from May 11-19 and his Nana and Grandma and Grandpa will be around scattered between and after those dates. It might not hit him (or me) for almost a month that there are two kids and one Momma during the day. I hope the first few weeks with the new baby allow me time to relax my body and mind while others are here to help. But, I don't want William leaving to go to an activity every day either because I want time with him and for him to start adjusting.

My husband repaired all the walls in the new nursery, painted the walls, ceiling and trim. It looks great. Look for another post on the nursery soon :).