Oliver has arrived!

Oliver Rhys

6lb 14oz, 19.5 inches long

Born December 16, 2010 at 8:21am

He is absolutely adorable!!  Everything went really well. I would say it was the smoothest birth experience I've ever had.  The worst pain was getting the IV and that wasn't so bad at all.  It was such a huge relief.

We began our day by coming to the hospital by 6am sharp.  We were swiftly escorted to the room that we would basically just wait in until it was our turn for surgery.  Once there I was hooked up to the baby monitor and then set up with my IV.  I wasn't the only one that was anxious this morning, Oliver didn't seem to want to sit still in there and kept rolling away from where they had his heart monitor set up.  It was kind of funny, like he was having a little goodbye party inside!  While we waited Jeramie watched the news while I listened to my iPod and worked on some crochet.  Jeramie was trying really hard to hide his own nervousness but I knew better.  The time seemed to fly by and before we knew it we were walking down the hall to the operating room.  Walking into that room is very intimidating.  You look around and it's all these machines and surgical tools.  It was time for the dreaded spinal block.  This was the moment I'd been dreading the most.  Would it be excruciatingly painful like with Jackson, or relatively bearable like it had been with Wyland.  I've experienced both ends of the spectrum.  Jeramie did good, he told me I could squeeze his hands as tight as I wanted and kept telling me it was almost over, even though I knew that he didn't know any such thing.  It was still good to hear.  It's amazing how quickly that thing kicks in.  I was in a crossed leg position while they put it in and just as I transitioned from that to lying down I already needed help with my legs.  It's so weird!  As they finished getting things set up I could feel my heart just racing.  Even one of the nurses said something to the anesthesiologist about it but he indicated that one of the drugs he'd given me apparently that was one of the side effects.  It was rather disconcerting though and I tried really  hard to focus on making it go down, even though no matter how calm I tried to make myself nothing seemed to work.  I guess it at least gave me something to focus my attention on.  They had begun the surgery before I realized it so it seemed like no time before they said that they were almost to the baby.  At that point they asked whether we wanted to see him, which seemed like a silly question to me.  So my doctor held him up and Jeramie is saying how cute he is but yet I can't see him above the curtain because my head was so low.  There I am saying, "I can't see .. I can't see" but because I've got the oxygen mask on they were having a hard time hearing me.  They figured it out though.  It was neat to see him right out of my belly like that.  He didn't look like Jackson and Wyland did when they were first born.  He definitely has his own look about him.  It seemed like they cleaned him up and took his weight and stuff pretty quickly. The entire time we could hear him crying up a storm over there.  It was funny because neither of our other boys made that much of a fuss.  Before we knew it though they brought him over to Jeramie to hold.  He was still fussing at this point but as soon as Jeramie put him by my face and I could talk to him he immediately settled down.  Jeramie got to hold him for the entire remainder of my surgery, even my doctor mentioned that it was unusual for us to get to hold him so long in the OR.  Everything really happened so quickly though, I think from when we walked into the OR to the time they transferred me to a bed and wheeled me out was only about 45 minutes!  As soon as they wheeled my bed down the hall I could see my mum waiting.  Guess she had pretty good timing.  So there I was all teary eyed because I was holding my baby for the first time and there's my mum all teary eyed I'm sure because she was just happy to see Oliver and I come out of surgery safe and sound.  They then moved me into the room that I'll stay in for the rest of my hospital visit.  We got to just spend time with Oliver for about an hour before I had to give him back to them to take to the nursery.  Both Jeramie and my mum went with him there and took lots of pictures and video.  I haven't had a chance to watch the video yet but I'm really looking forward to doing that.  Maybe tomorrow.  So anyway, that's about the total of Oliver's arrival story.  It was pretty much a breeze.  I'm feeling really good just 1 day later today, much better than I did with Wyland.  I'm already looking forward to going home, however it won't happen until Sunday.  By which time I'll be REALLY antsy to escape this place.  For the most part I've had all really nice nurses.  For the next couple of days I'm hoping that Oliver will become a champion eater, fingers crossed for no jaundice (he goes tonight at 1am to have the blood drawn so it's ready for the Dr in the morning), and not too much weight loss so that we can both break out of this place first thing on Sunday. I won't deny the peace and quiet is nice here.  But at the same time there's nothing like being at home.  Plus I know soon after we get there it's almost Christmas and I'm so very excited for that too!

So here are "a few" pictures from the past couple of days.  Thanks to everyone for your confidence and well wishes with Oliver's arrival.  You were all right .. I had nothing to worry about!

Even with the shadow across his face I love this early picture. 

 Looking a little like Wyland here.

 Baylee can't wait to get her hands on her new brother. 

 First Bath

 There's Dad.

 This picture really captures Wyland's curiosity.

 Wyland isn't the baby anymore.

Tommorrow's the BIG Day

Well it's hard to believe that the day has finally arrived.  Tomorrow morning this little fella ..

 ... will make his grand arrival.  I was originally scheduled for surgery at 12pm and have since been bumped up to 8am.  I guess it's good to go in and get started early.  At this point my anxiety is mixed with excitement for sure.  I'm excited to move past the nerves and enjoy my new baby.  I can't wait to introduce him to the kids too.  Baylee is always very excited but she also has clear memories of both Jackson and Wyland joining us.  Jackson is also excited this time around and I can't wait to see his face when he meets his new brother.  Wyland .. well he doesn't get it .. but I know he'll be equally delighted when he figures out what all the fuss is about.  There are so many things that you have learned by the time you get to your fourth child, I sure wish I'd known these things with my others.  Things like bringing their own clothes to wear, with Baylee and Jackson all I brought was an outfit to wear home.  This time I've brought a few things, whether he'll wear them or not remains to be seen but at least I have a choice.  Knowing that even though often times hospital staff act like you don't have a say in things, really you do and you just have to assert yourself.  Knowing up front that my babies all lose more than the "allowed" 10% loss of birth weight.  They all did it and they were all just fine, so I'm not going to stress about it and I'm not going to allow nurses to threaten me that he won't be allowed to come home if I don't do what they say.  That it sucks to get the IV but sometimes that can be the most painful part .. and that's not so bad.  That the hard part only really lasts an hour at the most.  Oh .. and I'm sending Jeramie to the nursery with my new camcorder which means that I will actually get to see what the heck they do with my baby when they take him away!  Hmm .. am I sad to think that this is the last one?  Well .. maybe just a tiny bit but not really.  I think it's always a little bittersweet to close a chapter in your life.  But there are so many exciting ones that lay ahead. 

So I'm hoping for the best possible experience tomorrow.  It's so very strange to think that all of the "unknown" will likely be revealed by this time tomorrow.  Just one short 24 hours from now I will hopefully be snuggling in bed with Oliver.  WOW!!

Looking Back.

People have made comments to me about the poor timing of my Christmas baby.  Good natured comments, not offensive ones.  But really, as I look back none of my kids have ever been timed especially well.  For the most part it's all been by matter of coincidence, not from a lack of planning.  Just as far as things .. and I'm talking rather big things .. that have popped up to happen to coincide with the birth of my child.

Let's begin with Baylee .. well she was 6 weeks early.  Then spent 4 weeks in the NICU.  Enough said.

Then there was Jackson.  I was due with Jackson on April 28th.  Due to a very crazy house market at the time we ended up closing on our house on April 28th.  I kept wondering what would happen if I was in the hospital when it came time to close (since you know those things aren't especially flexible).  It just so happened that my mum had offered to buy my town house early that year which gave me the luxury of not being rushed out of where I currently lived in order to move into a new place.  But it really sucked that we had so much packing to do while I was SO pregnant (we had a LOT of help, packing and moving .. thank GOD).  I spent my week of overdue-ness at our new house every single night painting with Jeramie and my mum.  Then while I was in the hospital they came and installed new carpet.  I came home and spent one night at my townhouse and we moved the very next day!  Perhaps .. this worked out to be good timing for me.  Post surgery I couldn't life anything so I got to sit and take care of the baby while all my loved ones packed and lifted!!  They are the BEST!  But I then spent almost my entire maternity leave unpacking boxes, that was kind of a bummer.  I think I finished literally a week before I was scheduled to return to work.

Then along came Wyland.  I thought an end of June baby would be great.  I would only miss a couple months of wakeboarding and summer fun.  He would still be so small that he would be totally easy to take camping and boating (eat, sleep, poop).  Well then they made the big announcement that Miley Cyrus would be coming to the Stadium of Fire that year.  Being that my only daughter was a HUGE fan and we had an inside source to actually obtain tickets I think I planned my delivery day around this event.  I had Wyland on a Monday.  I came home from the hospital on Thursday.  I climbed the stadium stairs all the way to only a few rows from the top the DAY AFTER I came home from the hospital.  I bought the tickets with the "hope" that I could also schedule my delivery in time to be home to take her (although my parents would have taken her if I couldn't have).  Jeramie drove all the way down to the stadium with us and then got called out to work before he even made it inside.  Wyland was actually exposed to lots of those kinds of events that summer.  Not long later he came along to a John Mayer concert at Usana.  Don't worry .. no permanent damage! lol  So yet another very carefully timed birth.

Then there is Oliver .. whom is scheduled to make his arrival next week.  My official due date being Dec. 23rd, I had no desire whatsoever to be in the hospital for Christmas.  So yet again we are very carefully planning so many things around an on time arrival.  Well and not even just an on time arrival, but counting on being able to come home from the hospital on time (being 4 days later).  I guess that's the bigger point I'm trying to make here.  How would I have moved into a new house with a baby still in the hospital or even myself?  Same with Wyland, if he hadn't arrived safely and been discharged as planned.  Literally to the DAY!  This is what gets me thinking these days.  The "what-if's".  I can't imagine Christmas morning without all of my kiddie winks there.  So yet again, I'm carefully counting on an on time and even more importantly uneventful and uncomplicated delivery.  So that we can all be home in time for Christmas.

I know .. I know .. "everything will be fine .. stop worrying".  But I'm a worrier by nature.  This is just what I spend time thinking about these days.  I worry that I've used up all my luckiness with Jackson and Wyland.  But then again having a baby in the NICU for 4 weeks should mean that we DESERVE 3 more uncomplicated births right?!  Fingers crossed!!!!

How big will he be?

Baylee was 4lb, 4oz and 17 1/2 in long.

Jackson was 8lb, 3oz and 20 in long.

Wyland was 7lb, 9oz and 20 in long.

How big do you think Oliver will be?

I'm officially feeling done with being pregnant.  I have noticed just in the last week that I'm moving much slower now.  Perhaps I'm also done because everything is ready now too, I have no more distractions other than things at work I need to finish up in the next couple of weeks.  Starting today, now that we are officially in December, it means that I can actually see D-Day on the calendar everytime I look at it.  Another reality check for sure.  I'm so excited to meet the little guy!!!

Baby's Bedroom - CHECK!

I am very pleased to announce that we have officially finished Oliver's bedroom and it's all ready for him.  We're done with all of the immediate house redecorations .. THANK GOD!!  I never thought we would get here.  I'm really pleased with how all of the bedrooms turned out and am even more excited to meet our new baby.  All the tiny clothes are washed and put away.  Blankets are washed and folded.  Bed is made.  Car seat is cleaned up and restrung with the smaller strap settings.  I can't really think of much else we need to do to prepare for him. 

Now .. we wait.

Can't believe we're almost here.

I was just going through some of my old pictures from the hospital.  Brings back so many memories of when Jackson and Wyland were born.  Baylee was pre-digital age so I don't have a whole lot of hers scanned in, plus with her preemie status they whisked her off for a multitude of tests and I didn't get to hold her right away so there actually aren't a whole lot of pictures from that first day. It's so weird and exciting all at the same time to think that in only a few weeks we'll be doing all this again.

This is Jackson.

Interestingly enough we don't have a similar picture of Wyland.

Notice the nurses hand that looks like she's preventing me from touching my baby?

 Jackson was whisked away from the OR and I only got to hold him AFTER they

had taken him to the nursery and "cleaned him up".  It felt like a long time

just waiting in recovery to finally get to hold my baby.

 Love this picture of Baylee holding Jackson for the first time.

 This is one of my favorite hospital pictures of Jackson.

 I delivered Jackson at Alta View.  Then I had Wyland at Jordan Valley.  I'm not

sure if it is a hospital thing or lucky circumstances but with Wyland they did a lot of their

initial cleaning up and stuff in the OR.  So as soon as I was wheeled into recovery I got

to sit and hold him for over an hour before they took him away to give him a bath in the nursery.

They didn't have a room ready for me so I kind of think this is why I got so much time with him.

But I was so grateful to actually get to spend time with him before they just took him away from me.

 Plus at Jordan Valley my mum went with Wyland to the nursery and she

took lots of pictures of him while he had his first bath.

Hope she's planning on doing the same next month!

 Wyland and my first picture together.

 I LOVE this picture of Jackson holding Wyland.  His expression is priceless.

I'm hoping that by our fourth baby that we are more organized for pictures and video.  I love looking back at these first pictures of them arriving in the world.  All of the hospital experiences have been very different.  The other day someone tried to get me out of my funk by saying, "Well at least you know what to expect."  But that really isn't true in many ways.  All of my kids have been very different hospital experiences.  When I was waiting to go into surgery with Wyland I was in a communal room because as I mentioned they didn't have a clean room ready for me yet.  So there was a lady next to me (I couldn't see her because we were separated by a curtain), but she was in there for them to try and turn her breech baby.  I felt bad for her having to go through that (since I've heard it's very painful) with me a complete stranger listening in on the other side of the curtain.  Plus I really don't love all of the constant poking and prodding, not to mention nurses who tell you what you can and can't do with your baby.  I mean really?  I am this childs mother, why is it they think that they know better than me?  Just because they work in the hospital?  They just come and take your child whenever they want, you don't have much choice in the matter.  It really bugs me!  In a normal setting would you just let a stranger take your child away .. not so much. 

See here's the other thing with having a c-section .. you can't just get up and go with your baby when they take him away.  With Jeramie going back to work on Friday it means I'll be there by myself all day Friday.  So when they take him away for this that and the other it's not like I can send someone to find out where he is and what's going on.  I'm just stuck in this bed.  And I don't need anyone to tell me how I should just be grateful for a healthy baby and this is all par for the course.  I get all that and of course I feel that way. But I'm still entitled to not like parts of the experience.  I'm so ready to get the hospital experience over and done with.  I can't wait to meet my new baby and come home!

Tick Tock

This is what I keep thinking in my head.  I hear the clock ticking away.  I haven't posted anything really blog worthy in over a week which I don't feel is "like me".  But really not much has been going on.  This past weekend Jeramie and my brother Mike headed to South Bend, Indiana to go to the Utes vs. Notre Dame football game.  As I mentioned here my parents gave Jeramie the trip for his birthday this year.  Jeramie has been a die hard Notre Dame fan since before I've known him.  I was so excited for him to get to go to the game .. despite the fact that it meant that I was home alone with the three kids for four days straight!  I wondered if I would be insane by the time he came back but surprisingly I wasn't.  Although the Utes didn't win it was a decent game to watch and there's nothing like going and watching your favorite team in their home stadium!  Honestly since we've been married Jeramie has become a Utes fan too, how could he not when my whole family is and we've gone to Ute's games here in Salt Lake.  So I don't think that Jeramie was really all that concerned with who won the game as long as it was a good game.  And it was still a good game to watch (that coming from me who was totally rooting for the Utes of course!).  Here are a few pictures that he took with his phone while he was there.  I was a bad wife and forgot to send him with a real camera!  Okay .. he had some responsibility in that too.

All in all they had a really great trip.  Jeramie came home with some really fun gifts for everyone as well .. BONUS!!  He bought Jackson and Wyland matching Notre Dame football jersey's.  I can't wait to have their pictures taken in them.  And I must also mention that he even got sizes right!  I was worried they would be too small, but they were perfect.  He got Baylee a Notre Dame t-shirt which she proceeded to wear to school Monday morning .. have I taught her nothing??!  Apparently the lunch lady "really liked it".  Funny!

In other news, I went to my 34 week OB appointment today and am officially booked for surgery.  They called over to the hospital while I was there and made my "reservation".  So it's official (assuming he doesn't make an earlier appearance) we're scheduled for noon on Dec. 16th.  I thought I would be really excited about this fact.  It's the very last detail that I've been wanting to iron out.  But I actually left the office feeling rather out of sorts.  I got the exact date that I have been counting on for MONTHS now, so I should be super excited.  It's perfect because it's on a Thursday which means that I'll be in the hospital Thursday, Friday, Saturday and come home on Sunday.  (of course that's assuming all goes perfecting according to plan)  This is good because it means it's two additional days that Jeramie can be there with me without having to officially take time off work.  My mum has already scheduled off work the following Monday and Tuesday, which means that those first couple days that I'm home (and Jeramie is working) that I won't be alone with all four kids.  Remember this will now be the week OF Christmas.  But now all of a sudden it's kind of a lot more real.  I always experience a great deal of anxiety prior to my c-section.  I try not to bore people with the details but it's super scary to me.  The surgery part that is.  The thought of my abdomen being cut wide open.  The unpredictability of the pain associated with the spinal block (when I had Jackson's it was excruciatingly painful, when I had Wyland's it was a breeze).  So I know in the back of my mind it can go either way .. and I haven't forgotten how much Jackson's hurt.  Then there's the anxiety of will the baby be healthy.  Of course everything has been seemingly just fine, but you never know.  It's all the "what-if's"?  So now that we're officially scheduled all of this is drifting to the forefront of my mind.  Plus it doesn't help that I'm running out of distractions!  Which REALLY is a good thing in so many ways.  Tonight we completely finished up all the touch-ups to the paint in the babies bedroom.  This means that all that's left is to sort through the stuff in there and organize it.  Then assemble the crib and the changing table.  Then we're ready.  I never thought I would even be saying that!  And I'm SO glad to finally be getting a break from all of the decorating we've been doing.  It's going to feel amazing when we have the nursery officially finished, which I now know will be within the next week.  So then I'll be down to three weeks of .. just waiting. 

So all in all it's actually been a busy week and a half.  I'm really excited for Thanksgiving next week .. I can't believe it's NEXT WEEK!  Plus that also means that my birthday and wedding anniversary that weekend too.  So it'll be lots of fun for sure.  Not sure what we're doing about Black Friday yet.  Have I mentioned that I'm am only a few presents away from being COMPLETELY done with my Christmas shopping?  All that will be left is to wrap it all.  Which I hate wrapping presents .. but it'll all be finished before the baby arrives which is another huge relief off my mind.  I'll actually be kind of bummed though if we don't go shopping on Black Friday because I actually think it's really fun!  But if I'm done shopping then there isn't much point in going.  Blah .. we'll see what the advertisements have for me.  Maybe they will change my mind.  If nothing else I am SOOO ready for the short work week next week and the LONG weekend.  This entire year I have only take time off of work for our trip to California and then 2 days for Lake Powell.  I've been saving all of my time off for the baby.  I'm to the point where I'm starting to feel worn down and ready for at least a small break.  As I was down in HR this morning going over all of my FMLA paperwork and the such preparing for my leave even my HR lady said .. WOW you have a LOT of time off saved up!

With all of that being said I'm getting really excited to meet Oliver.  I can't wait to just get the surgery part over with and move on to the brand new baby part.  Pregnancy-wise I still feel pretty good.  With the exception of being a little more tired than normal and hating the fact that I feel clumsy and curse in my head every time I drop something that requires me bending over to pick it up .. I actually feel pretty good.  (well except for the wicked heartburn!)  Well .. sorry for the rather long rambling about nothing in particular.  Although it doesn't feel like we've been up to a lot of blog-worthy activities I've still apparently got a lot to say.  Send me lots of good "anti-anxiety" thoughts my way in the weeks to come. 

In Utero Movement

So as I close in on 33 weeks pregnant I've been thinking about in utero movement and how it is or isn't a predictor of a babies personality.  Since Baylee didn't move much to begin with due to the PWS I can pretty much take her out of the equation completely.  So with Jackson he was very kind of jabby.  I felt him move really early on in my pregnancy.  He would almost play with me, I'd poke him and he'd poke back.  He did most things pretty early, especially smiling.  Besides his lack of desire to eat he was a very easy baby.  Always slept well too, albeit not in his own bed, but slept through the night early on.

Wyland was more of a roller.  His movement was not so much "jabby" as it was slow and deliberate.  As a baby he was very mellow.  Perfectly happy just to sit and be held.  Didn't matter to him if it was me or Jeramie.  I totally thought he was going to be my mellow kid.  As he's gotten older he's definitely much more physical than he was as a baby.  Still a very fun loving, loves a good time type of personality.  But I really wouldn't describe him as mellow anymore.  Jackson to this day will curl up on my lap to cuddle.  Wyland isn't like that at all.  Although he gives great hugs and kisses, he does them on the fly.  I felt him start to move kind of early, but not nearly as early as Jackson.

This baby however was a late mover.  I didn't feel him until what to me seemed like "late".  I think maybe around 18 weeks.  It was very sporadic at first too.  However, in the past few weeks he has been REALLY active.  Way more so than either of my other boys.  And for long periods of time too.  This is kind of freaking me out a little!  Haha.  Is he going to never sleep when he arrives??  I swear sometimes I can tell it's even a hand like he's trying to reach out and escape!  It's crazy weird, and a little hard to describe and do justice to it.  One night Jackson felt him do these super weird alien like movements and yanked his hand away and started crying!  Haha .. that's how much it creeped him out!  So since he is anything other than mellow does that mean that I could take the opposite thought process as with Wyland and assume he will actually grow into a mellow child?  What does it all mean I keep thinking to myself?!

What about you other mommy's?  Do you think that your in utero movement of your babies predicted any of their personality traits later on?  My mind chews on this topic for long periods of time.

8 Weeks

Yep, as of this week all we have left with this pregnancy is 8 weeks.  Can you believe it?  I cannot.  It has flown by so quickly.  It's kind of freaking me out, only 8 weeks left .. that's nothing.  I have SO much to do.  It's a good thing I started Christmas shopping in August!  Here are all things I have to do in the upcoming 8 weeks:

1.  Finish repainting our basement.  We actually started last night.  So we should have it complete by the end of this weekend.

2.  Move all the toys from our upstairs living room into the basement.  This includes sorting through them all before moving them.

3.  Redecorate Baylee's old bedroom upstairs.  Then move all the boys stuff into it.

4.  Completely assemble 2 dressers from IKEA, which I wouldn't classify as easy since I have to bug bug bug Jeramie to do it.

5.  Touch up all the paintwork in the babies room.  Including peeling off and rehanging portions of the border.

6.  Put together the crib that we don't have a mattress for (guess I better add mattress to my shopping list).  Sort through all of the babies hand me down clothes.  I still am not sure the poor baby has enough clothes since I gave so many away after Wyland grew out of them.  OMG .. what if I don't have enough clothes?!

7.  Finish all my Christmas shopping.  Thank GOD I'm so organized this year.

8.  WRAP all those Christmas gifts (because as of right now nothing is wrapped).  And when am I supposed to do that when the kids are awake until I go to bed?!

9.  Let's not forget Halloween and Thanksgiving, those wipe out some days with various events.

10.  Then there's Jonathan's birthday, my birthday, our anniversary, Winter's birthday, Mike's birthday (although technically that's after the baby arrives).

Not to mention at work I have some REALLY hefty projects I'm trying to complete prior to going on maternity leave.  And it's no joke .. we're talking really big projects.  Can't screw them up kind of things.  I got a new boss not too long ago, I like her alot.  But I feel bad because she doesn't see the professional me that I normally am.  I'm talking about my inability to fit in any of my cute/nice corporate casual attire. Plus the fact that I'm so freaking tired that my hair ends up in a pony tail more days than not.  I feel so pulled in so many directions right now it's insane. 

Then today hits and all of a sudden I realize 8 WEEKS!!!!

O M G

I guess nobody can accuse me of painting a picture perfect blog life.  Nope, today I'm feeling really stressed.  I mean really could we squeeze anything more into the next 8 weeks?  BUT .. deep down I do know that it will come together and everything will be fine.  My mum is such a huge help coming and painting (like she is tonight).  I know she'll be back many weekends and weeknights helping us make sure it all gets done.  On a good note I'm very excited to report that Wyland has pretty much mastered potty training!  He's not perfect yet but at least I know we aren't heading back to diapers.

Where is the time going?

I can’t believe we are at the start of October already. So much to do and so little time. We did make a little more progress in our house this weekend. We moved a lot of Baylee’s toys down to her new room. Last Wednesday my mum came over to help sort through toys in her old room. She ended up taking FIVE garbage sacks home with her for the big trash pick up. So we’re actually getting towards the end of all the toy sorting. Then we’ll need to be taking apart her bed in her old room to deliver to my parents house. We also managed to get both of our couches out of the basement this weekend. Another big step in the right direction. Now there’s still a somewhat large pile of stuff that Jeramie needs to sort through and then we’ll be ready to just move everything away from the walls in preparation of painting.


This is our next big step, painting the basement. It was kind of a dilemma. I really want to move on to the bedrooms upstairs, however we have to make up the futon beds for the basement for Jeramie’s boys. But I don’t want to take ANYthing more down there until after we have painted because otherwise it’s just more stuff for us to have to move and paint around. Given that the basement itself shouldn’t cost too much for the minor redecorating I just want to get it over with fast. Fresh coat of paint, 2 sets of new blinds, replace door knobs and she’s good to go.

THEN we get to move upstairs. Now given that we’re down to only 2.5 months before the baby arrives this stresses me out a bit. I feel like we’ve been living in limbo for a month now. It’s EMBARRASSING to have anyone come over to our house because there’s just stuff everywhere and mess. It’s exhausting to spend every free moment that we aren’t working and/or committed to other things just hauling stuff all over. I thought at the time that it wouldn’t be a big deal carrying stuff down to the basement (thinking carrying down 2 flights of stairs is so much easier than carrying up!). Yeah, I’m sure it is. But just carrying my 7+ month pregnant self up two flights of stairs repeatedly is exhausting too!! I really want to get Jackson and Wyland’s winter clothes out to sort through and figure out what they’re missing for this year. What fits .. what doesn’t. Then I really need to pull out all my newborn stuff to see what I have, what I need. Niether of which do I have time for because all we’re doing right now is moving Baylee’s room and sorting out the basement. It’s like if I start pulling the boys room apart to get some of these answers then the one room that isn’t a disaster turns into one. And I struggle with the current disaster. There are days when I feel like everything in the house just keeps breaking and needs repair. It’s just so overwhelming. And then it comes back to .. I only have 2.5 months and counting!!! Plus finishing Christmas shopping, wrapping Christmas shopping, Halloween, birthdays, anniversary, Thanksgiving .. oh and don’t even get me started on the HUGE projects I have recently taken on at work that I REALLY need to finish prior to going on maternity leave.

Breathe .. that’s what I keep telling myself. When my fat pregnant self just wants to sit on the couch and relax .. I don’t have the energy for all this!! LOL.

Babies and Binkies

So I thought this would be a fun topic to talk about. It seems that for the most part people usually have pretty strong opinions on the topic. I can’t speak on behalf of my experience with Baylee, because of her Prader-Willi Syndrome we were lucky to get her to barely suck on a bottle let alone a binky. So Jackson was really my first experience with a baby and a binky. And boy did this kid LOVE his binky. He had it until he was two years old. But looking back it was the best. He rarely had bottles in the middle of the night, he just wanted his binky popped back in his mouth. In all reality I would rather he sucked on a binky at nighttime then have that milk swimming around his teeth. It was such a great way to quiet him down when he was upset too. It was soothing but at the same time it stopped the wailing noise! The main reason that we got rid of it at 2 years old was because Wyland was expected the following month and we didn’t want him stealing the babies binky. Little did we know this wouldn’t be a problem.

Wyland on the other hand never really took to a binky. I didn’t push it on him (I don’t recall pushing it on Jackson either). Wyland just would spit them out, he really wasn’t remotely interested in them. Since Jackson had become SO addicted I didn’t see the good in encouraging Wyland if he didn’t need one. My mum always said, “none of you guys had binkies!”

Now don’t get me wrong I too look at parents walking around with their 3 and 4 year olds and wonder what the heck are you thinking?? That kid is TOO old for a binky!! But up to around age 2 I must say there are way more positives than there are negatives. With my next baby I will for sure ENCOURAGE a binky!! I know some people will tell me that I’m crazy, but that’s just my opinion. I know people say they’re ugly and this .. that and the other. I think in a lot of ways it was a good thing with Jackson, at least for my sanity. When I’ve been at work all day long I don’t want to spend all my time trying to console an unhappy child that could just as easily be happy and consoled with a binky popped in his/her mouth. I would rather spend that time playing and having fun!

Any other strong opinions out there?

Half Way There

So last week I hit the 20 weeks pregnant mark. It’s kind of strange to think that I’m already halfway there. It’s been a totally uneventful pregnancy (knock on wood). I had my official ultrasound a couple weeks ago and everything looked great. I don’t think I’ll even have another one before the baby arrives. I have purchased quite a few outfits for the little guy, mainly because both Wyland and Jackson were born in the summer time therefore I didn’t have a whole lot of long sleeve newborn items. Sounds like a good excuse to me! Carters has had amazing sales over the past couple of months so I’ve really gotten a lot for my money as well.

My heartburn hasn’t been as bad as it was with Wyland and Jackson so far either. I’ve only gained 4 lbs so far, so I definitely can’t complain about that. My next challenge will be maternity clothes. All mine tend to be summer related but this time I’ll be needing pants. I HATE maternity clothes. I haven’t worn any yet so far at all. I stick to just stretchy stuff. But trying to maintain a decent degree of complying with company dress code but also comfortable is a challenge. It will be much worse as the Winter weather arrives. All in all I can’t complain things are going well. The kids are really excited. Baylee LOVES babies so that is no surprise she was excited with both Jackson and Wyland. Jackson is a pleasant surprise because he “understands” it a whole lot more this time around. He’s cute about it too, like he’s shy when he talks about it. He told my mother in law the other day, “My mom is getting FAT. It’s because she gets a baby at Christmas.” So cute. Wyland just wants to lift up my shirt and kiss my belly, he says “Kissy Poo’s” Jeramie taught him that. I think they will love having another brother. We still haven’t done anything to prepare furniture wise, or deciding where we’ll actually put the baby. I figure we’ll have several months of him sleeping in our room. More importantly at this time is getting a dresser or something to put his clothes in. Plus where do we put said dresser? Hmm.

Oh and also (I almost forgot) this week apparently my due date got moved up based on my ultrasound. I’m now due on Dec. 23rd. This means I will be allowed to deliver as early as Dec. 16th. This is good because it means that we’ll get to come home for a few days before we launch into Christmas.

Baby Bottles

Isn’t it funny how this can be such an important decision? Well for me it is. When I had Baylee I bought all Avent bottles. Then Jackson had second hand Avent bottles. Then Wyland had third hand Avent bottles. Now they’re all about them being BPA free, well I have 2 Avent bottles that are BPA free. But I have a huge supply that I’ve accumulated over the past 13 years. Can you believe that? These bottles are 13 years old!! When I had Wyland I also bought a sizable assortment of plain Gerber bottles. But to be totally honest I hate them. Plus Wyland never loved them either. So here I am back at square one. Here is what I have now purchased for the new baby:

Tommy Tippie bottles. What an adorable name!! Plus they get extra bonus in my book because they’re made in England. Yeah that means I pay more for them, but I’m okay with that. My mum even said that these were out there when I was a baby! With my English background I always like to introduce just a little of England whenever I can. My strollers are Maclaren too, however these have really taken on well in the US recently. They’re great strollers. With the Gerber bottles, although the bottles themselves were cheap I was constantly buying new nipples for them. So it just spreads that cost out over time. I know that since this little guy will be the 3rd boy in our family (not counting Jeramie’s 2 that don’t live with us) that there will be many things that he won’t get brand new. So I feel good about getting him new bottles that aren’t 13 years old!

What all do you other mommy’s out there use? Well and more importantly why?

Coming Home Outfits

Baylee - Oct. 1997

Jackson - May 2006

Wyland - Jul. 2008

I'm just now noticing I did a terrible job of not capturing the outfit itself.

(note to self - don't make that mistake again)

So when I have babies it's a pretty big deal what outfit is chosen for them to come home from the hospital in.  I'm not even entirely sure WHY it matters at this point.  But I always put a lot of thought into it and try to choose something special.  Wyland (my 3rd) was the only baby that I actually took some regular clothes for him to where during our hospital stay.  I think because with Baylee (my 1st) she was in the NICU and therefore wasn't allowed to wear her own clothes.  Then with Jackson (my 2nd) I didn't want to jinx any kind of repeat of my Baylee experience.  So in a way he was kind of my first normal experience.  With Wyland I knew what to expect.  Since I always have my kids via c-section I'm stuck there for a full four days.  I always have my babies "room-in" with me which means that their clothes are only changed by me.  So it was really fun to actually have my baby in real clothes rather than just a plain t-shirt that the hospital puts them in. Not to mention that with Jackson he was cold and their solution was to put a long sleeved t-shirt on him upside down, yes shoving his legs through the armholes.  So now I not only pack for me in the hospital, I also pack for my babies too.  I bring my own binkies because I want to get them started on the ones III want them on.  I personally don't love the hospital ones.  They're giant and when they fall they BOUNCE!  I also bring my own formula, just in case.  I don't want to have to switch when we get home and give my baby a belly ache.  Anyway, back to the coming home outfit.  Once I found out I was having a boy I literally headed straight to the baby store to buy some clothes.  It's kind of like my little celebration.  I had SUCH a hard time finding an outfit when I had Wyland.  But this time I found two that I really love and think are relatively ideal.  So here they are.  I just have to choose between them.  The "Little Brother" one is actually short sleeved, that's the downside since it will be Winter when I have him.  They both come with cute matching hats!  And I LOVE HATS!

Option #1

Option #2

Then here are just another couple things I picked up.

Right now boys newborn clothes are WAY cuter than the girls.

Oh and as a side note, if you didn't know monkeys are my favorite animal!  This year there is tons of monkey stuff out there.  If you can't tell from the pictures above .. I pretty much bought anything monkey. 

Drum Roll Please ….

Baby Boy Howard-Kramer # 3 will be arriving at the end of the year. We are thrilled to be adding another boy to the brood. I mean really who wouldn’t be thrilled with just how freaking adorable Jackson and Wyland are? I know every mother thinks their kids are beautiful so take it for what it’s worth. Jackson’s curls were to die for and people would stop me all the time to tell me how cute they are. Wyland’s hair is equally as cute in a straight way. I LOVE his little Beatles haircut he’s sporting. People stop me equally as often to tell me how gorgeous his big eyes are. So that begs to question WHAT or should I say WHO will this next little boy look like? I don’t think that either of my boys look a whole lot like Jeramie’s side of the family so this one could be the one. None of my kids have brown eyes. Guess we’ll just have to wait for several more months to see. Wyland looked so much like Jackson when he was born and very little like him now. So it’ll be really interesting. For now, here’s a few more pictures of the little guy.

Below is his face, with his hand on his right side.

A profile face shot, with arm and hand laying across.

Call me crazy but how could you not think another one of these guys will be adorable??

Just think of three of them!!