first time mommy

update

2011-01-14T05:12:00.000-08:00

So, it's been forever since i've written on here. things have been kinda crazy around here with two little ones. This picture can sum up what we have been going through with Eleanor. She has been a very hard baby. We found out she had acid reflux and she also can't handle it when I eat dairy. These past eight months have been crazy. We love our little princess but she is some kind of crazy.

Pumpkin Adventure

2010-10-25T19:33:00.000-07:00

So, a couple of weekends ago we went searching for pumpkins. We remembered driving by this one place that looked really cool last year. So, we decided to check it out this year. When we got there it was ten dollars to get in, all the activities costed a dollar to do, and there was no pumpkin patch. They just sell pumpkins there. We then decided to go to the place we went last year. By the time we got there they were closed and the kids were freaking out. I had to nurse Eleanor on the side of the road while Adam tried to calm Jonah down. We then decided to go back to the first place. The kids were upset the whole way there. Once we got there though they were fine. We got some really good pictures of the kids and got a few pumpkins while there. Hopefully next years trip is better and we actually get to go to a pumpkin patch.

Eleanor is here!

2010-09-13T12:58:00.000-07:00

Adam, Jonah, and Eleanor
Our ride home
Daddy and his little girl
Mommy and daughter

Eleanor Marie Franklin entered the world on August 23, 2010 at 4:50 am. We are very excited to have our little girl here with us. I went into labor on August 22 around dinner time. We ate dinner, put Jonah to bed, went for a walk, and then headed for the hospital. Everything seemed to go really fast this time. We checked into the hospital around 9pm. I started to have very intense contractions and was already four centimeters when we got there. I got an epidural to help with the pain and soon it was time to push. I actually got to see her head coming out, which I didn't do with Jonah, it was pretty cool. After only a few minutes of pushing, she was here. It was amazing. Our hospital stay went really fast. We checked in Sunday night, she was here early Monday morning, and by Tuesday afternoon we were home.
My dad flew out for the first week to help out, which was awesome. It was really great to have that extra help around the house. It was awesome of my mother to take off that Monday and stay home with Jonah, since we were in the hospital. It was awesome having my parents here to help out.
That weekend was my 29th birthday. We didn't really do a whole lot to celebrate but it was nice all the same. We plan on doing it up next year for my 30th.
Luckily I get twelve weeks off work to spend time with the kids. Unfortunately I do have to go back. I really wish I could just stay home, but that's not realistic for us. Trying to appreciate my time at home with the kids while I got it.

Temper Tantrums

2010-08-05T10:14:00.001-07:00

So, we have entered the age of temper tantrums. We thought those didn't start until the age of two, but were surprised to find out they start before that. We have definitely had some doosies so far. He just gets so upset and just cries. We just had his eighteen month checkup and according to the doctor, we are just supposed to ignore the outbursts and eventually he will stop. It makes you feel so guilty, but we don't want to create a monster. I guess this is just a preview as to what's to come.

Road Trip

2010-07-22T12:02:00.000-07:00

So, last weekend we got back from a road trip. Jonah did really well on the trip. We were so proud of him for how good he was. We went to Salida, Great Sand Dunes, Taos, and ended in Albuquerque. We went with my dad, little bro, and my dad's best friend Robert. We had a lot of fun but it was nice to be home. Can't wait to do another one!

Gardening

2010-07-09T13:21:00.000-07:00

So, we have planted lots of veggies in our garden this year. Jonah has really loved "helping" out with it. Here are some photos of it.

Summer

2010-07-07T10:42:00.000-07:00

So, this summer so far has been great. Jonah loves being outside. I mean he would love it if we were outside ALL day long. We have been going for walks and playing out in the backyard a lot. We have been working on our garden, which Jonah loves to "help" out with. He loves to water the garden. So far we have been able to eat our lettuce and broccoli, just waiting for everything else to grow. So glad the garden has been a success.We are starting to get real excited about our special delivery next month!
We are having some house guests this weekend that we are really excited to see. We are then gonna take Jonah on his first road trip. Hopefully he does good on the trip. Real excited about seeing some new places!

Getaway

2010-06-08T18:03:00.000-07:00

So, this past weekend Adam and I went up to the mountains with our neighbors. This was the first time we left behind Jonah. My mom watched him while we were up at the cabin relaxing. It was really nice to have some quiet time before things get even crazier than they are now.
Though it was nice having some down time, it was great coming home. I really missed the little guy. I think he missed the dog more than he missed us though. He was very excited to see his doggie was back. Very great weekend.

Giggles!

2010-05-21T06:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Jonah was giggling because he was "throwing" the ball for Toby. I just love the sound of him laughing. I wish I could just bottle it up, so cute!

Bath Time!

2010-05-14T10:00:00.000-07:00

So, lately bath time has been pretty fun. Jonah the other day actually went and grabbed his towel, when i was drawing his bath. He always looks for his bath toys when he gets in too. He just loves playing in the tub. He's really cute when he gets out, because he loves to run around naked like a crazy man. I just can't get over how much he understands, even though he doesn't talk much. Too cute!

Mother's Day!

2010-05-14T09:54:00.000-07:00

So, this past Sunday was my second mother's day! Unfortunately like most moms, i didn't get to sleep in. I was up at 5am because I had to work:( I did get off at 2pm, so we had the whole afternoon to hang out. When I got home, my mom and hubby made me french toast! Nothing like having breakfast for lunch:) After lunch, we went to the park. Jonah got to play in the sandbox and go down a few slides. Lately, the weather has been awful, but it was really nice on Sunday. I got some flowers, a framed picture of Jonah, and a mix cd from adam. It was a great day! Too bad mother's day is only once a year.

New Word!

2010-04-27T10:05:00.000-07:00

So, we have been a bit worried about Jonah not talking quite so much yet. We have heard him say da da, ma ma, and yeah but that's really about it. He really doesn't even say those very often. He babbles all the time though and it sounds like he is trying to talk.
My brother was visiting this past week and while he was here Jonah started saying truck. We were on the road a lot and kept passing semis and now every time he sees one he says truck.
I have heard from others, that sometimes if your child is mobile sooner, they talk later. I hope that's true because he is really just babbling right now. He also is very into pointing and grunting for stuff he wants.
He is very good with understanding what different things are just not really saying what they are yet.

It's a Girl!

2010-04-16T10:20:00.001-07:00

So, we had our 20 week ultrasound on Wednesday and found out we're having a girl! Everything is looking good. She is apparently a bit long for how far along we are. That is just crazy to us since we are such small people. We think it would be funny if she was taller than the rest of us. Too early to tell, but really exciting. Now we will have one of each and can't be more excited! Can't wait to meet her!

Easter Weekend

2010-04-08T08:41:00.000-07:00

So, this was Jonah's second Easter. Last year he was really too young to do any partaking in festivities, but this year was a different story.
We started out on Friday going to his first Easter egg hunt. It was a part of a mom's club I'm in. He was so cute. I really didn't know what to expect since he is only fourteen months, but he had such a good time. After all the eggs had been hidden, it was time for the kids to hunt the eggs. He actually picked up the eggs and put them in the basket all by himself, I was so proud. Unfortunately the weather was really cold/windy so the festivities were cut short. He had so much fun though.
On Saturday morning we went to another local Easter egg hunt. This time my husband and mom got to go. He really loved looking for eggs.
He has really enjoyed playing with the eggs. He likes opening and closing them. He has been playing with the plastic eggs for almost a week now.
On Sunday I had to work but when I got home we did some fun stuff. We gave him his Easter basket full of goodies, which we have been eating of course. He got some sand toys, crayons, and magnets from the Easter bunny.
He really made out this year. I can't wait for next year.
Trying to find our camera cord, will post pictures of the weekend soon.

Vacums and Brooms, Oh My!

2010-03-18T07:29:00.000-07:00

So, Jonah is totally into cleaning products right now. He LOVES the vacuum. I don't know why, maybe it's the sound it makes. He really likes when you hold him and push it though. While a friend was visiting out here, she bought him a toy vacuum. It makes the sound a vacuum makes, but also sings songs. He is also really into pulling out the swiffer and broom. The swiffer is easier for him to push but loves using both of them. It's really kind of cute.

More recently he has been getting into playing with kitchen stuff. He is pulling out pans to play with and kitchen utensils. While over at a friends house, they have a little play kitchen that he was totally into. I think now we are on the look out for a toy kitchen set.

We joke that he will either be a cook or a janitor.

one!

2010-02-09T08:09:00.000-08:00

So, Jonah is now one! We had his party two weekends ago. It was so much fun. I took the whole weekend off so we could spend it as a family. We had a lot of our friends show up, which was fantastic. We had a bunch of little ones running around and it was so cool. Jonah definitely had the classic cake all over the face. It was so cute. We were just so excited that everyone could be here to see Jonah turn one.

We had his twelve month check up the week before his birthday. He is now 18lbs. and 6oz. He has grown an inch and is 27 and a half inches long. He is still in the less than 5% category. We are scheduled to get his shots this week. He is doing so good.

Things he is into doing:
He loves headbanging
Loves hitting his head into things i.e. the wall (reminds me of parenthood)
Running around like a crazy person
"Talking"
Not taking his afternoon nap
Loves his blankie

New things he is doing:
He is now drinking whole milk
Trying to switch him to a sippy cup
Sleeping through the night

I still can't believe he is now one. My little guy is getting so big.

Maybe Just A Tad Obsessed

2010-01-21T12:23:00.001-08:00

So, I know this is totally silly but I just recently finished the Twilight series. Adam has totally been making fun of me for it, but I don't care. It only took me about a week to finish the entire series. I am a bit of a nut and kind of embarrassed about it. It has been kind of nice getting lost in a fantasy world.
I feel kind of like a little teenybopper but whateves I guess. A lot of people told me how great/addictive the series is. I tried real hard to not to read it, but my dad left one of the books here over the holidays and I decided to give it a read. I am just a little sad that the series is over now. I did however like the ending.
I really wish I were good at writing. I really wish I had the ability to write real well. I would love to one-day even if for just myself, to write a book or short story. Maybe someday something good will come to me. I mean Stephanie Meyer had never written anything before this. I find that sort of encouraging. How awesome would it be to have a dream and then write something from that?

Bananas For Bananas!

2010-01-21T07:32:00.001-08:00

So, Jonah will seriously eat just about anything. We are real lucky that he isn't a picky eater. His favorite food right now though is bananas. He is seriously obsessed with them. If he sees one, he tries to get hold of it. He totally freaks out when he finds them. He even knows the word banana. So, unless your gonna feed him one, you can't use the word.
He got a toy for Christmas, which is a monkey. The monkey plays songs and names the different shapes on it. The monkey also has a banana attached to it. I swear Jonah is eyeing the banana like he's gonna steal the banana from the monkey. I just think it's cute how obsessed with bananas he is right now.

Back That Thing Up

2010-01-18T08:19:00.001-08:00

So, for the past couple of weeks Jonah has been backing his booty into us. It's pretty funny. A couple of weeks ago he was playing on the dinner table and started backing his booty up into our friend Beth. Ever since then, he has been doing it. Every time he's doing it we are laughing because we are thinking of that song, Back That Thing Up.

Morning Sickness?

2010-01-17T13:44:00.000-08:00

Why do they call it morning sickness when it lasts all day long? This is one of those things people don't tell you about before your pregnant. I guess if they did, nobody would want to procreate. I had it with my first pregnancy, but with the second go round it's freaking awful. I have never felt so awful in all my life. All I want to do is curl up on the couch and sleep all day. I really hope like the last time, it goes away after the first trimester.

Here we go again

2010-01-13T10:20:00.000-08:00

So, before Christmas we got an early present. We learned that we are having another baby. We are due August 27, which is the day before my birthday. Things needless to say have been a bit crazy around the house. It's been quite difficult trying to keep up with an 11 month old when you just feel nauseated and want to sleep all day. I have been so oober sick this time, I just really hope the second trimester is better. This is way worse than how i felt with Jonah.
Jonah seems to find me not feeling good funny. This morning I was throwing up and he was just cracking up. It's nice to know that my misery is funny to him.
I just got to hope that my sickness gets better. Feeling like poo all day and trying to keep up with a little one is not fun. Here's to hoping that i feel better after 12 weeks.

Jonah's First Christmas

2010-01-13T07:13:00.001-08:00

So, i know this is a bit late but things have been a little nutty lately. We had a nice quiet Christmas at home. We woke up early of course and came downstairs. There was a truck sitting under the tree from Jonah's aunt and uncle. He was very into the truck. We really thought he would be so excited to open presents because of the paper, but he was more into the truck than the paper. This was a bit odd for him since he usually prefers paper, boxes, and anything that's not something to play with over toys. We got to video chat with our family which was awesome. It's great being able to see the family with being so far away from home. Thank you skype. We had a quiet day watching movies and hanging out and it was fantastic.

Two Sick Parents= No Bueno

2009-12-13T19:07:00.000-08:00

So, Jonah has just gotten over his first cold. Unfortunately his dad and I are now sick. I know I shouldn't have gone to work today but went anyways. After getting home from work I have just gone downhill. I work in a cold room, which I was trying to avoid today but alas I ended back up in there. Someone moved my stuff back in to the refrigerator and took over my spot in the kitchen. I was just so upset cause I should have just stayed in bed. Now I am running a fever and feeling awful. It doesn't help that my husband is also feeling sick, so both of us want to be taken care of but not really possible. It is so hard to try to keep up with a very active ten month old when you feel like death. Jonah did make my day when I got home from work though. As I walked through the door he climbed the stairs and was smiling at me and waiting for me to pick him up. That made my day and made not feeling so hot not so bad. It's like he could sense that I wasn't feeling good and needed some baby love. Those kind of moments make me so happy to be a mommy. Hopefully we kick this sickness out soon.

More Pics

2009-12-01T11:22:00.001-08:00

Pics continued.

Thanksgiving '09

2009-12-01T07:32:00.000-08:00

So, this was Jonah's first Thanksgiving. We had so much fun. My dad flew in for the holiday, which was awesome and our friend Beth drove up to spend some time with us as well. Beth and I cooked all day while drinking a couple of mamosas. Cause it's not the holidays without having a drink while cooking good food. Our dinner turned out most excellent. Jonah had some turkey dinner with us and of course it got all over his face.

My dad had to leave the day after but not before going out for breakfast at the Farmer's Table. We also ventured out to Best Buy to pick up a new camera. I am so loving it. On Sunday we put up the tree, while watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas. This has become our yearly tradition, while drinking hot cocoa. Jonah loves the tree! He keeps trying to take off all the orniments.

The Crib Challenge

2009-11-05T09:26:00.000-08:00

So, we have let our little guy sleep in our bed for way too long. We have been very bad at having Jonah sleep in his room. It is definitely time to get him to sleep in his own room now. He is just so wiggly and it's making us have problems sleeping. It just seems like it is going to be a long journey, to get him to sleep on his own. It is looking kind of like a long road ahead before he sleeps in there willingly. I took me laying down in there with him, to get him to fall asleep. It will be hard but good for all of us, when this is an actual success. I don't know if anyone else has had problems with this, but any tips would be greatly appreciated.

talking and climbing...look out

2009-10-23T09:37:00.000-07:00

So, the other morning Adam was changing Jonah and he said," dada." He has been saying it nonstop ever since. He is just so darn cute. So far, this is my favorite age. He is a little person now. I know the teething hasn't been fun, but he is turning into a little boy and it's so cool.
Yesterday I went upstairs to grab something and on my way back down, Jonah was sitting next to the front door. He had climbed from the bottom of the stairs up. He then proceeded to crawl the rest of the stairs where I was. It was totally terrifying but kinda cool. He is most definitely going to be a climber.
I am sure he will be walking in no time. Look out world here comes the Jonah man.

And the Teething Begins

2009-10-11T18:27:00.000-07:00

So, lately we have noticed that Jonah has been having swollen gums, chewing on everything, and has bumpy gums. Today I just saw for the first time, his first tooth about to cut through his gums. I am so excited for him but also kinda sad that he isn't going to a baby much longer. He is now almost nine months and I just can't believe it. I can't wait for his tooth to cut all the way. He has been a bit fussy but nothing too bad. I am just so excited for him.

Baby Wrestling

2009-09-21T07:40:00.000-07:00

So, now that my son is constantly on the move, it has become difficult to do a diaper change. We have now figured out why there are straps on the changing table. Not only does he not keep still, but he loves grabbing for the diaper. He tends to either get poo on his hands, or it gets on his feet. Changing diapers has gotten SO messy. I swear it's the funniest thing trying to get his diaper on. I am constantly wrestling with him to get it on.

Who's that Looking at Me?

2009-09-10T09:36:00.000-07:00

Jonah has really gotten the hang of standing recently. While my husband was getting ready for work, Jonah was standing up looking at himself in the mirror. I have no idea if he knew it was him, or thought it was another baby. It was the cutest thing ever though! He was trying to touch and kiss the baby in the mirror. I got some cute photos of it. We just thought it was the coolest thing.

Wanted: Baby Friends

2009-09-02T18:13:00.000-07:00

So, I don't know how many people have experienced this or not but trying to find people to hang out with babies is hard. I was telling my husband the other day it's like dating. You meet new people, hang out, and see if you get along. It's really sort of funny. I have used things like moms like me, which is online and also joined a moms group. I just sometimes feel that I don't really fit in with the women I have met. I guess I just have high expectations in meeting people with babies. I just really need to get out of the house sometimes and have been trying to find people I click with to hang out with. I just haven't really found many people that I can relate to. I tend to hold on to the fact that I still have best friends from middle/high school but they don't live around here. I keep thinking I will eventually find friendships like that again, but I think it's rare that I have experienced that in the first place. I don't know how many people can relate to this but this is something I've just been thinking about lately.

Time is Just a Flying

2009-08-25T22:18:00.000-07:00

So, this weekend Jonah will be seven months old. He is already crawling and as of today can pull himself into a standing position. I can't believe how fast he is hitting these milestones. I also can't believe how fast this year is going by. It seems like just yesterday we brought him home from the hospital. Now that fall is coming, I can't wait for all the cool stuff that is to come. I am super excited about celebrating the holidays with our little guy in the house. I love the holidays and it will be cool to do all our traditions with Jonah. I just can't believe how big our little guy is getting, man time really flies.

Sleep?

2009-08-17T19:52:00.000-07:00

So, our son has been sleeping horribly lately. He wakes up about four times a night now. He was just waking up once a night, which we could totally handle, but now it's ALL the time. The weird thing is, that there is no pattern to it. One night it might be every hour, but another night it might be every couple of hours. I have tried everything possible to get him to sleep better i.e. feeding him tons of food and having a routine. It seems to be just the way he is. He wakes up for the day feeling refreshed and we just want that extra minute of sleep. I know this can't last forever, but at the moment it does.

Ready, Set, Go

2009-08-04T08:25:00.000-07:00

So, our little guy has really taken off. He is now full on crawling. Before it was more of an army crawl, now he is full on moving. I put him down in the living room this morning to check my e-mail, I looked over and he had made it to the kitchen. He was headed for the dog bowl, where he was playing with Toby's food. I know the saying is like father like son, but this is more like mother like son. I remember my mother telling me how when visiting my grandfather, I was trying to eat the cat's food. I guess our life is going to be different now. We are definitely going to have to safety proof the house now. I can't believe our little guy is mobile now. They really do grow up fast, huh?

2009-07-25T04:00:00.000-07:00

So, I have just received my first award. My blog is still pretty new and someone gave me a lovely blog award. I have really appreciated the people that read my blog and those who leave comments. It's nice to have a community of mothers who blog out there. This award was given to me by Alexandra and her blog My Take on Mommyhood. I was also just given this award by Momma Such and her blog Raising my Four Sons.

The rules of the “One Lovely Blog Award” are:
Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link. Pass the award to 15 other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.
So here are some of my newly discovered 'lovely' blogs…

1. www.myconfessionsasafirsttimemom.blogspot.com
2. http://dirtydiaperlaundry.com
3. www.manicmother.com
4. www.thiscrazylife-michelle.blogspot.com
5. www.krazymamakarebare.blogspot.com
6. www.theincoherentramblings.com
7. www.supermommytotherescue.com
8. www.theplaygroundprincess.blogspot.com
9.www.ziggysblogs.blogspot.com

Solid Foods

2009-07-24T08:02:00.000-07:00

My son has just now started to eat solid food. We started feeding him solids a few weeks ago. Until recently his diapers really weren't so bad but now they are awful. He usually only has one really nasty diaper a day but it is a doozy. It's like you have to wear a nose plug while changing it. It also seems to get everywhere now. He really just has wet diapers during the day but that one poopy diaper is just awful. Before there was really no smell whatsoever, now it will just blow you away. I guess we should get used to it though, cause we will be helping him wipe himself for the next couple of years. So long to the no smelling breastmilk diapers and hello to the solid smelly poopy diapers.

Family Visit

2009-07-20T07:04:00.000-07:00

This past week we had some visitors. My father, little brother, my dad's best friend and his wife. It was the first time my brother got to meet Jonah. They got in last Saturday where we were throwing a birthday party for my husband and my father. It was a lot of fun. We had tons of food, drinks, and games. My friend Beth and I made all the food, which everyone said they loved. I had been dying to get an ice cream maker and this was the perfect opportunity to get one. I made homemade vanilla ice cream and I made a carrot cake for the guys. The party was a big hit. It was great to have Beth there to help out, because it was hard trying to make a bunch of food with a five and a half month old, who wants to be held. Jonah seemed to have as much fun as the rest of us, which was great.
We ate out a lot, which we haven't done much of since Jonah was born. The guys went on a bunch of bike rides, while Jonah and I hung out at the house. We got to show the guys around Fort Collins and take them on some really pretty drives. It's always so much fun having people come visit, but now we are so exhausted and have just been trying to recoup since their trip. It was so much fun, but it is nice to be just the three of us again.

Spit up sure does happen a lot

2009-07-10T14:20:00.000-07:00

So, after my son woke up and he had eaten lunch, we were off to run an errand. My husbands birthday is on Tuesday but we are having a party for him tomorrow. It's totally like me to leave getting his present until the last minute. After we get to the store and I find what I'm looking for, we head up to the counter. As we are waiting and I'm holding him, he decides to spit up all over me and himself. I don't know why i decided to carry him instead of taking in the stroller. As soon as it happens it's our turn to check out of course. I'm wiping the spit up off of him and myself, when the lady at the counter is telling me how cute he is. I am just thinking, usually he is really cute but he and myself are now covered in spit up. I know it happens ALL the time but this was my first experience with it happening this badly in public.

Lucky Momma

2009-07-07T09:06:00.000-07:00

So, this past weekend we went to visit some family in Kentucky and celebrate his first fourth of July. This was our second trip with Jonah. We had taken him to Florida before, so he had already been on an airplane before. He has really been quite the trooper when it comes to traveling. He does very well on airplanes and doesn't really fuss too much.
This trip taught me that we are very lucky to have such a good baby. I never really knew how happy of a baby he was until everyone was saying how happy he was. They kept saying I've never seen a baby smile so much. He just gives smiles away, where other babies you have to earn them. I guess that's stuff you just never notice until others point it out. It was so nice to be around family, which we don't get to do very much because they all live back east. It was so great to have people help out with him, it makes you realize that saying that it takes a family to raise a child is totally true. Now it's back to reality of just the three of us. I wish we lived closer to family but we love it out here in Colorado and it's a sacrifice we've made to live somewhere we love.
We really are lucky to have him. He has just really started to be so interactive lately and I'm enjoying every minute of it. I wish I could be around for everything but working gets in the way of all the fun I could be having with him. It sure does make me appreciate the time i have with him. Sometimes i just look at him and can't believe I helped create something so cute.

warning: cranky mom walking

2009-06-29T12:15:00.000-07:00

So, these past few weeks our son has decided to wake up three to four times a night. He used to only wake up once a night around 4:30 am. I could totally handle the one time a night, but four times, yikes. He has always been a pretty good sleeper and now it is awful. I have become so cranky because I am not getting enough sleep. I totally feel bad for my husband because in the morning, look out, I am not very nice anymore. I used to totally be a morning person and now it's like, stay back. We have tried feeding him the rice cereal before bed, as some other women have suggested but still not working. I have no idea why he is like this. If any of you other moms out there have any suggestions, PLEASE let me know. My husband would be much appreciative to have his wife back. Sleep is good.

stewie

2009-06-25T14:56:00.000-07:00

so, my husband always compares our son to that of stewie griffin from family guy. for anyone that doesn't know who that is, he is the baby on family guy. he says this because our son is constantly moving and he tends to punch, kick and pull on me. i don't think he is trying to kill me like that of stewie but sometimes it sure does feel like it. he gives you those cute loving looks but maybe he is thinking like stewie that he wants to get rid of me. i know it's all jokes but he is really good at hurting me physically sometimes. i just think it's because he needs to constantly be moving. he moves so much that he does all this stuff in his sleep as well or used to anyway. we just recently started crib training him, so he isn't in our room/bed anymore. he is still an angel to me though even though my husband thinks he's trying to hurt me(jk). this has become a running joke between the two of us, since we were watching an episode of family guy.

sleep?

2009-06-23T22:22:00.000-07:00

so, jonah has never been one of those babies who "sleeps" through the night. he has always woken up at least once to eat or be changed. it was so nice when it was just the one time but now it's more like two or three times a night. he was sleeping in our room for the first four and a half months but we decided it was time for him to move into his room. so, we have begun the dreaded crib training. i know that's why he is waking up so much and i can't blame him. he was sleeping in our room, knowing that mommy and daddy were right there. now he is in the room right next to us, but still all alone. i really miss him being in our room, but know that it's for the best.

i have really gotten use to not getting much sleep. sometimes, i do admit, i take naps when he is, which is awesome.

he also loves to start his day around like 5:30 am and some days i just wish we could get him to go back to sleep. it is really hard to be upset one the cutest thing you've ever seen is smiling and laughing. his smile can make me forget that i am totally sleep deprived. i just love that smile so much, i can't help but be happy. so, i guess getting little sleep isn't so bad after all.

it always comes back to poo

2009-06-22T07:10:00.001-07:00

who knew that the topic of conversation about our child tends to be about poop? like i said before, when our son was first born i didn’t really know what i was doing when it came to breastfeeding. so, he wasn’t pooing. after going to the lactation consultant they gave us a chart to keep track of his bowel movements and they also showed you what they should look like. yes, that’s right, there is a chart showing you what your childs poo should look like.

i have never talked so much about poo in my life, until having my son. we were keeping track of how many poos he had a day and making sure they were the right color. it usually looks like mashed peas or mustard, which is what is normal for a baby. it’s only time to worry when you see like blood or if the poo is black.

every time he poos he tends to make this ahhhh sound. i have never laughed so hard in my life. my husband and i still laugh every time he goes poo because of the sounds/faces he makes. it’s really funny cause it sounds like he is going to blow an o ring from trying to push one out. afterwards he looks so happy, but who wouldn’t be happy after getting out what i have seen in some of those diapers. i still can’t believe how much we talk about poo in this house but i guess that happens in everyhousehold with a baby. it’s not a good morning without having a blowout with your morning coffee.

breastfeeding...who knew it would be so hard?

2009-06-22T07:09:00.000-07:00

so, i was so excited that i was going to breastfeed my child. i thought it was going to be this totally natural and easy thing to do. boy was i so wrong about that. i always wondered why people opted out of breastfeeding and chose to use formula. i mean breastfeeding is free and is a way for mothers to bond with their babies. i now know why people choose to formula feed. though our child does consume mostly breast milk, we do supplement some formula with him.
after having jonah i was so excited about breast feeding. i had read that this would help with the bonding between us. i swear this is the hardest thing that i have ever done. after we brought him home from the hospital and were on our own i had no idea what i was really doing. he was hurting me every time i would have to feed him. i just wanted to give up and just feed him formula. my husband kept telling me that it would get better. i was thinking, easy for you to say, he isn’t ripping your nipples off. that is totally what it felt like. i would cry every time that i knew it was time for him to eat.
after a few days we had an appointment with a lactation cunsultant. this was the best thing ever. he had lost like 8% of his birth weight. i obviously had no idea what i was doing. he was dehydrated and it was just bad. they showed me how to latch him on right and position him better to get him to eat more. in no time he was gaining weight.
it has been a stuggle with him to get him to nurse since birth. he has never really been that into it and will really only do it if it’s the middle of the night. i find myself pumping so i know that he is getting the nutrition he needs. i hate pumping though, it’s so awful. i feel like a cow every time i have to hook myself up to the machine. yes, it plugs into the wall and you just see yourself spewing milk out like a cow. even though it’s awful and i spend all my breaks at work pumpin instead of eating, i know that it’s good for him developmentally.
it’s just funny how you have an idea of what things are going to be like and they turn out totally different than you expect them to. i just thought breastfeeding was going to be this totally natural, bonding thing for my child and me and it has turned out to be one of the hardest things i have ever had to learn how to do. i have never cried so much before in my life, because of the pain i went through for the first few weeks with it. it is still hard to this day but at least now it doesn’t feel like he is ripping my nipples off anymore.

hello world

2009-06-22T07:08:00.001-07:00

so, i was able to stop working two weeks before the due date. those two weeks seemed like the longest ever. i went for walks, watched movies, and just took it easy. i kept thinking man, is today going to be the day? i never had contractions on my own though.

our due date came and went. we ended up having a check up on the due date. they checked to make sure everything still looked good. my fluid levels had shrunk but everything still looked good. they scheduled me for another appointment a couple of days later. that thursday we went in and they checked the fluid levels again. they had diminished so much they told us to go straight to the hospital. we were definitely not expecting to go to the hospital that day, so we had our friend swing by our house and pick up the bag we had packed. i called my dad that day and he scheduled to fly out the next morning. they were going to induce us.

when we got to the hospital they weighed me in and sent us to our room. it took about two hours to check in. checking in seemed like forever. luckily doctor king, who i had been seeing during my whole pregnancy, was on call that day. she was going to try and induce me by giving suppositories. this never ended up working that day. we just ended up chilling in the hospital all day and night. luckily our good friends were there with us that whole day. it was nice having some friendly faces there with us.

the next morning the nurse woke us up at 5am. i took a shower and started to have some contractions. after taking a shower, they hooked me up to pitocin. pitocin is to help kick start labor. it is also supposed to make labor more intense. i was going to try and have an all natural labor, with no drugs but that didn’t go as planned.

luckily my dad arrived about 11am. it was so wonderful to have my father by my side, for this special part of my life. my husband was great throughout the entire labor. he was there holding my hand as i screamed and squeezed the crap out of his hand. i am sure he was glad to see my dad, so that his hand could return to its original color. the pain of labor was so intense. you always wonder what will it feel like, will i know when i’m in labor. you will definitely know. it is the most intense thing you will ever feel. i was in so much pain because of the pitocin and as my labor progressed the pain became more and more intense. after about eight hours of labor they were going to up the pitocin. at that point i couldn’t handle the pain anymore and needed something for the pain. so, even though i wanted an all natural birth i ended up getting the epidural. the pain was just way too intense for me. my friend that was sitting in the labor room with me was like, “i’ll just get that when i check in.” i thought that was really funny. it’s sort of a process getting the epidural. they want you to be completely still while giving it to you. it seems impossible to be still when you are having contractions and can’t manage to hold still. if you move though you can really mess yourself up. after getting the epidural they ask what your pain is and i just looked over and said “that’s about a zero.” i ended up being able to sleep after getting that. i think the epidural is a miracle drug.

my labor seemed to progress a lot faster after getting the epidural. i was only about 2 or 3 centimeters dilated before the shot and after it seemed like no time before i was ready to push. i really had that urge to push and the nurse didn’t believe me. after checking me though, i was dilated to 9 centimeters. she had to go find the doctor before he decided to eat his dinner and she told me not to push until they got back. i was like you are crazy if you think i can hold this thing in. i really needed to push and they were telling me not to. they were gone for about a half hour and i was like f this i am going to push. my husband was like wait a few more minutes and then i will go find them. i said ok and by the time he was gonna go on a search for them they were back.

i only pushed for about a half hour before jonah came out. it’s funny though because as i was waiting between pushes, the doctor was just looking at me like i was boring him. i felt like i was in a rush to push him out because i wasn’t entertaining enough or something. maybe he was really just wishing he was eating instead of helping me deliver. thinking man i could be eating a sandwich or something. as the doctor was pulling him out, he looked at my husband and asked if he wanted to finish the job. my husband was so overwhelmed though he just let the doctor finish. finally at 7:48pm jonah entered the world. in the movies they always scream out whether it’s a boy or girl and they didn’t do that with us.like i said though we didn’t know what the sex was, so when he came out i yelled “what is it” and they told me it was a boy. he weighed 6lbs and 5oz and was 18 1/2 in. long. he was so beautiful. i just couldn’t believe i could have helped created something so amazing.

we were in the hospital for a total of three days. it was so wonderful to be going home that sunday. it was nice to be in our own home, in our own bed, with our new baby. everything was just so wonderful.

honey, we're pregnant

2009-06-22T07:05:00.000-07:00

so, i have always known that i wanted to be a mom. i just knew that this was something that being a mom was something i was meant to be. i married my boyfriend of two years and we didn’t wait long to get started. both of us knew and talked about being parents early on in our relationship. we waited about six months after getting married to start trying for a baby. it took about three months to get pregnant. we think it was when we were on our honeymoon in ireland that it happened, at least that’s what we wanted to believe. we waited a while after our wedding to go on a honeymoon. we were lucky enough to have some of my husbands family give that trip as a gift to us for our wedding. it was the coolest trip i have ever been on and we hope to go back someday.

i knew that there was something different going on with me. i felt kinda funky and i knew it had to be that i was pregnant. i think i took three different pregnancy tests before really believing that it had happened. that night my husband got home i told him what was up but i think he knew what was going on by the look on my face when he walked through the door. even though i had taken three pregnancy tests, he wanted to make sure that it was for real. i made an appointment with my doctor and they told me what i already knew, i was pregnant. it only cost like $70 for them to tell me what i already knew, that was one expensive pee test. they recommended some ob’s for me to see. i was so excited i made an appointment right away.

the first three months were awful. all i wanted to do was lay on the couch cause i felt so sick. it was funny though cause i felt worse at night than i did in the morning. the term morning sickness is funny because it was never really in the morning i felt sick, it was always at night. i didn’t really gain that much weight at first either. i was really hoping to only gain about 30lbs but that didn’t happen, i ended up gaining 40lbs. it was really the end of the 2nd trimester and throughout the 3rd trimester that i gained most of the weight. i always hated that they would weigh you before seeing the doctor at each appointment. i kept thinking they were going to tell me that i needed to watch myself because i did start to gain so much weight. i kept thinking that i wasn’t going to be able to enjoy holiday sweets. like they were going to say no pie for you, you are getting to big. it’s funny because i always thought my tummy would get big like in the movies. my tummy never really looked like most pregnant women. i felt like i just looked like i was fat or something, not like i was pregnant. my little boy was so low down the entire time i think maybe that was the reason why. it’s funny because i would relate stuff that happened to me as not what i had seen in the movies. like when i was about six weeks along and had some spotting i had no idea that was normal. i think that was apart of the implantation. it’s just one of the things that people don’t tell you. there are so many things about pregnancy that people never tell you, i think that’s so women will have babies. if everyone knew what pregnancy was like, a lot of people probably wouldn’t have babies.

i really enjoyed being pregnant. you always hear those horror stories about women being moody because of all those hormones going on. i really was never like that. i tell my husband he was lucky, that he could have been with someone who was completely crazy during the whole thing. the only time i really freaked out on him is when he went out with his friends and stayed over at their place. i got no phone call and i was irate. i really loved being pregnant but by the end i was ready to meet our little jonah. we didn’t know he was a boy until he was born, but we sort of had a feeling it would be a boy. i always had dreams of a little boy, which is why we felt that way.

i can remember when we got to see him for the first time. it was when i was twelve weeks pregnant and we had our first ultrasound. it was so crazy that he already looked like a baby. we also got to hear the heartbeat for the first time. it was a really special moment for us. i really felt like this was real. it really stinks that you really don’t get that many ultrasounds though. you really only get to see them a couple of times. we felt lucky to see him numerous times because most people only get the one ultrasound at twenty weeks.