He's Here....

I'm sure as many of you can guess with no posts for days, the bambino has arrived. We are all save and sound. The labour was the exact opposite of Lucas. They sent me back home at 3cm, so we hung out here till I couldn't stand it any longer and went back in. I was 7cm!!! Took almost 2 more cm for the epidural to kick in. The good part of it all was that I pushed once and he came out. I'll be sure to document more in the days to come.

Nathan was born 5:56 on Monday morning. I haven't checked who won, but heard it was Goofball who could frame the gift certificate as she can't use it.

Hope everyone is doing well and I'm looking forward to catching up.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Still Waiting

Well today is the day they predicted the baby would come, I never believed it for one minute. Babies seems to love my belly. Lucas took the full extra 10 days before he decided to come out, so hopefully this one will come out in the next week. I also hope this one doesn't get as big while hanging out in my belly.

So while I waiting I am enjoying sleeping through the night, having normal breasts and spending lots of time with Lucas. I know that it will be a lot more work once that bambino comes.

One of the questions I have for all the new moms out there is what is the coolest new "thing" that is out there for babies? I would like to get a sling this time, is there one you recommend? I've also heard of this nursing cover, is it good? Any other great baby stuff out there I should know about?

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Lucas's List of Things to Teach the Baby

This evening Lucas was walking around the house reciting all the things he is going to teach the baby. Here's his list:

• turn things
• press buttons
• clean bathrooms
• pour coffee
• sew things
• put CD's in
• play music to the baby
• read his book out in the hallway
• drive big bob cats
• eat mashed pototaoes
• play the guitar
• how to play with big dinosaurs
• line his head up and do summersaults

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Crazy Dreams

Last night I was robbed of sleep by all the crazy dreams I was having.

The first one was my subconscious telling me I had locked Torin int he basement. I dreamt that you could order funny animals from you tube videos and Darryl had done this for my birthday. There was a dog that when he barked said "Hey Dude" and two cats that made a very peculair noise. Both animals were funny and I remember laughing in my dream. The problem was Darryl goes to work and I had to figure out how to get all these animals back into the carton they came in. The cats were scratching me, the dog didn't want to go. I woke up quick upset with Darryl. But then remembered I had left Torin in the basement.

After falling back asleep I had a dream, that my friend Leanne and I were staying at my grandparents old house and Ben, from Lost, was trying to capture us. We were walking through a bunch of tunnels opening doors and there was Ben standing behind one of the doors. when I saw him I said the F word, which is the only time I swear, in my dreams. Luckily I convinced him to let my friend go.



Maybe I need to stop watching Lost. It's like when Lucas wakes up crying he's scared of the big bad wolf, he needs to stop watching Super Why... But he is so scary.... and plays it so well.

Hope you are all sleeping well.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Smorgy

I haven't really posted in a couple of days, so I feel the need for a round up of the last couple of days.

Lucas had his last gymnastics class this week. We have been going to gymnastics for the last couple of months and Lucas has quite enjoyed himself. It's been a great way to tire him out. He has jumped on trampolines, done flips over bars (with help), mastered the summersault and enjoyed running around.





I also went to another stamping class where I got to be crafty again, which I do love. Look what I made! You may think I'm talented, but it's really all the teacher.







Preparations are still underway for the babies room. We bought a chair from Canadian Tire, leather recyliner for 215$. It was a great deal. Plus it's nice to have a chair in the nursery, and this one should last a while.

Just finished watching Lost. Man I love that show. It answers questions in each episode, but always asks more. Will the questions ever be answered?? I really should stop watching Lost because I'm dreaming about it. But I'll post more on that, and my crazy dreams tomorrow.

I have to go to the doctor who is going to deliver the baby. I'm not to fond of this process as there is a 1 in 8 chance she'll be the one to deliver the baby. Plus I sit there for half and hour for her to measure me and listen to the heartbeat. That being said I do have a question for all the women out there. What is the best way to pee in a cup. Start to pee and put the cup in midstream, try to position it, then start peeing? What's your technique?

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Mommy Massage

Last weekend I went for a "mommy massage" if any is ever pregnant I highly recommend it. It was so nice to go to the spa and have a rain shower where there are shower heads all over. They had cucumber for your eyes and granola bars and water with lemon. It was great. But the best part was the special mom pillow, with a cushion in the middle for your belly. For almost a whole hour I got to lay on my tummy with someone massaging my back, neck and legs.

Highly recommend it.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Nesting.... or just panicking

So today I started to make a list of stuff I'd like to get done in the next couple of weeks before the baby comes. So after gymnastics Lucas and I headed over to Walmart and went baby crazy. I am feeling much more prepared for when the little bambino comes. Although I was reminded about the time after delivery that all orfices of you body are leaking. I've even half packed a bag for the hospital, with all it's catch the leakiness. My goodness I can't believe that baby will be here in less then a month.

Thanks for the well wishes about the cold. I only have one request, Alexis if you ever work for some drug company look into making cold medicine for pregnant people. I mean once you find a cure to cancer and all.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Monthly Newsletter- Minus One and Counting

Dear Baby,

Well in about a months time you will be here with us. People (other then me) will be able to hold you. I will admit to you know that I am quite nervous about your arrival. Don't get me wrong I'm excited as well, excited to meet you, see what you look like, look at your little fingers and toes. But honestly newborns are hard. Your brother is pretty easy going too, but I still found him hard. I'm trying to be optimistic and hoping that because I've done it once it will be a little easier, but I imagine you will be different then your brother and that things I did with him won't work with you, then what do I do. I guess try something different and just keep trying things till I find something that works, kind of like I did with Lucas.

I wonder if you'll cry a lot, if it will bother me or Lucas more. What kind of eater will you be? Good, picky, will you take a bottle as well as Lucas did? Your brother was kind of a medium baby, good eater, but cried lots. How will you be? I'm worried things will be worse, but you never know they could be better. I can just imagine you reading this as a teenager and complaining about how I compared you to Lucas even before you were born, it's just that what I know... when you are going through something tough it's kind of what you revert too.

I do wonder how you'll fit into the family and I'm sure by summertime we'll be wondering what life was like without you, but for the moment I'm nervous about the change. It takes time to create the nice balance we have now. I am also worried about dividing up time. Now we have a nice balance of me time, Lucas time and family time. That will all have to change again. I'm sure the me time will be gone for a while. Either your dad or I will always be with you or your brother.

In this last month I have started to really prepare for your arrival. Getting your room ready, I did a bunch of laundry for you today. Knowing my luck you'll be late, but it's better to be prepared.

With anticipation,

mommy

New Favorite Music

I mentioned it last week but I continue to love some new kids music. We had been listening non stop to the Little Einsteins Theme song and I was ready to throw the CD out the window. But decided to be more rationale and get some new CD's from the library. I had heard about They Might Be Giants from our new Disney station and so got those CD's from the library and I love them. Sometimes I even listen to them when Lucas isn't around.

Here's a couple of their videos.





A quick update from us. Weekend went well. We've started to paint the babies room, which is good because there is about a month to go. We've also been relaxing because I know how it's going to be more of a gong show with a newborn. I'm hoping because I'm so not looking forward to the first 6 weeks that they will be great, much better then I am expecting.

Had a great day with the little man today, after our fight last night. He is getting into the habit of wanting to take a drink to bed with him. The first couple of nights I gave him whatever he wanted, but when it became a habit I worried about his teeth, so last night it was just water, and he was mad. Sometimes being a two year old is hard.....

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Pregnancy #2.... 34 weeks

Well I am able to breathe a little easier in the last day or so. That being said I feel like I have to pee all the time. Kegels are definitely in order. So as you can tell the baby has dropped down into my pelvis more. There is a bit of a space now between my breast and belly. What does this mean?? Hopefully the baby will come early. But with all these predictions I'm sure it will be late...



This pregnancy has been quite different then my last one. With Lucas I had horrible morning sicknesss, but then things were quite good until the last month or so. I also don't think I dropped as early. This pregnancy I've had way more problems mid to late. In the beginning I was tired, but not as tired as the first time. This time my problems were heart burn (tums and I were best friends) and constipation ( my bowels quit working). I am carrying very similar in both pregnancies, like a big basketball under my shirt. So we'll see how the rest of this pregnancy and labor goes compared to the last one.

But for now I'm enjoying breathing deeply.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Baby Names

Hi Everyone,

I've added a poll to the website as I'm trying to get a general feeling on people's feeling about the names on our list. I find that baby naming is such a hard part of becoming parents ( of course it's a distant third to labour and sleeplessness, but still challenging.) We'd like to see the baby before we name it, to be sure it somewhat suits him, although I know babies all kind of look similar. But with Lucas, he was going to be Nathaniel, but I kind of picture Nathaniel to have dark hair, so when Lucas came out a surfer boy with blond hair and blue eyes, that name was scratched. Plus Lucas was added as a last minute choice for us, so don't be surprised if when the baby comes, it's names is not from this list.

We have a short last name, so keep that in mind. Plus I like a name that can have a cutesy nickname when the baby is little and cute, but a professional name for when they are older and looking for a career.

Please vote and if you have any comments about the names leave them here or you can e-mail me at curly(dot)jenn@ gmail.com (of course without the spaces)

Thanks for sharing your opinions =)

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Lucas and the New Baby

One of the questions I'm often asked if Lucas is excited about the new baby. We do talk about the new baby often, be careful of mommy when horsing around or when changing bums we talk about when the baby poops it's going to be yellow.

For a while he was refering to the baby in his belly. But that seems to have subsided since my belly has gotten bigger. Plus now when I carry him he'll talk about how the baby kicks him, so I think it is becoming a little more clear.





That being said it is going to be such a shocker to him when that baby comes. He likes being the center of our attention. Sometimes if Darryl and I are talking he'll make noises to interupt us, or say "talk to me". Sometimes if Darryl goes in to him in the middle of the night if he cries, he'll say I want mommy.

I'm sure it will get better once the baby can smile and doesn't cry all the time, but for the first couple of months I don't know how it will be....

For any of you who have two kids how did you get over the initial hump of the first one not getting all the attention they are use to?

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

As Promised.... 31 Weeks

Doctor's Appt

I have been fairly relaxed with this pregnancy. After the first 3 months, everything went so smoothly with Lucas that I expect the same type of thing this time around. Lucas was late, so I expect this one to be late. Labour was long with Lucas, I expected this one to be shorter, but still long. No 20 minute babies for me....

So at today's doctor's appt I was surprised to find out I am on the cusp of being anemic. For the baby it really means nothing. The baby will take whatever it needs, it just leaves me depleted. I went from a level of 36 (I have now idea what that number stands for) to 6. If it were down to 4 I would be anemic. So now I have to start taking iron pills. Normally this would be no big deal. Although taking pills is not my favorite thing, it's certainly not the worst thing in the world either, but (didn't you know there was going to be a but....) I'm already having enough trouble with being pregnant and constipation that this is only going to make it worse...

So at night I'll be taking iron pills and in the morning I'll be eating all bran to counteract it..... If anyone has any great recipes that are filled with fiber I'd love to hear them. How do you get enough fiber in your diet?

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

A Miracle

As I sit here writing this, there is a party going on in my belly. For anyone who has never gone through this the feeling is hard to describe. It kind of reminds me of being tucked really tightly in a bed, where you can barely move. Or someone poking at you, but from on the inside. Being pregnant is one of those miracles in life that I'm so grateful I have experiences. There are parts of it that are hell, but it is truly amazing too. I know the memory of the action in my belly will fade but I hope this blog post refreshes it a little as the years go by.

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Baby Update

This pregnancy has been quite easy, especially compared with the last one. Although today has been the one of the first times (other then not being able to drink wine) that I have been very aware that I'm pregnant. My pelvic floor feels like it's going to fall out. There was a deal at the Superstore where if you spent 250$ you got 30$ off. So I got diapers, every kind of meat, and all the "stuff" for turkey dinner. Superstore has the big bins to put your food in which usually I love, but today I over did it. I carried too much stuff today, geez I don't like not being able to do stuff. Guess I'll have to go to the grocery store where they carry the groceries out for you....

The Alien

As this could be it for having kids I'm trying to savor being pregnant this time. It has been a really great pregnancy and have nothing to complain about. It's weird to go through a stage in your life and know that this may be the last time you go through it. That's kind of how I feel about this pregnancy. One of the great things about pregnancy is feeling that baby inside you. I have been able to feel the little bambino for a while. Now Darryl and Lucas can feel the baby too. I feel that baby doing summer salts all the time. Especially in the evening or when I go to bed. I must say I have really enjoyed pregnancy this time (although I may have changed my mind in a couple of months, when I can't sleep because of being uncomfortable =) But for now.... it's great.



Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Introducing #2

Last week we went for our 20 week ultrasound for this pregnancy. Here are some of the many pictures. It definitely made me more excited to meet this new little person. For those of you without ultrasound eyes, the body part is at the top of the picture.





Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Baby Names

I personally think one of the hardest things about being pregnant is trying to chose a name for the new person coming into the world. With Lucas it took us forever to pick a name. We made lists nad lists and lists. We had about 3 names when I went into labor and Lucas wasn't even on the list 2 weeks prior.

Last night Darryl and I were taking about names in bed. I can tell it's going to be another long, drawn out decision. My sister suggested the name Ruby, which is good. Darryl figured out a couple of ways to make fun of it, so that name is off the list......

Yesterday I was at a meeting with a friend of mine that is 3 days more pregnant then I am. She already knows that the baby is a girl and they have given her a name. Holy Crap, I say.

It is National Blog Posting Month It is a "blog" thing, where people post everyday in the month of November. I usually post everyday but take the weekends off. So for the national posting month, I'll be posting some baby name polls and you can help through the long drawn out process.....

What about you was it easy to pick your kids names?

Till Tomorrow

Jenn

Pregnancy #2

Yesterday in my e-mail I got an update and it's my 17th week. 17 weeks already. Holy crap this pregnancy is going by fast. It's too bad becuase this may very well be the last time I'm pregnant (especially if it's up to Darryl, which is 1/2 is=). You want to savour every moment. I'll only live life once and this may be the last time I'm pregnant. In the future I'll get to live vicariously though others, but it's just not quite the same. So I thought I'd decidcate a bunch of posts to this pregnancy.

So far the the first 17 weeks have been easy compared with my last pregnancy. No throwing up, a little more tired then normal, but nothing horrible. I think one of the other things that is so different this time is that I already have someone to take care of, so that comibined with feeling well, it's easy to forget I'm pregnant. My belly did get bigger much faster this time, therefore I started wearing maternity clothes much faster. I've also been felling kicks for a couple of weeks as well, which is much sooner then last time.

Allie asked a couple of questions in a previous post. Had we told Lucas. We have told him recently, so that he will be more cautious of "mommy's belly" but he really doesn't get it. The other day we were on the swings and he told me Lucas had a baby in his belly. A couple days after that he told me I had a baby jaguar in my belly (after his new favorite character Diego, best buddy).

One of the other questions everyone wants to know is if we are going to find out the sex. Darryl and I haven't really decided. With Lucas we didn't find out. Although I "looked" like I was having a boy, at least that's what everyone told me. I had prepared myself for having a boy, becuase (sorry Lucas) but I REALLY wanted a girl. Now that I have gone through the experience, I love having a boy now and think I may even want another one. Teenage girls seem so hard. I think it would be nice for Lucas to have a brother, they may have more in common then a sister. But part of me would still love a girl, so whatever comes will be just fine. So the question still remains, do we find out or not? What do you think, what did you do, were you glad?

Till Tomorrow

Jenn