Thursday, September 2, 2010

Terrible

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I'm a terrible blogging mommy. Terrible. Westley is 3.5 months old now...

We closed on our new house a week and a half ago. There's a ton of work to do, and we're exhausted. Jason is back at school. The boys are great. Baxter is learning new words right and left. We still don't know half of them. At least he finally learned "yes." Westley, who we call Dubs (as in an affectionate way of pronouncing "W") is seriously the smiliest and happiest baby ever. He looks a lot like I did as a baby.

That's all I have time for, I need to do some packing. But I'll leave you a photo!

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Saturday, May 15, 2010

Westley Willem

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For a week I’d been in labor. Nothing painful. Nothing particularly promising. I had several 5-8 hour stretches of contractions every 6-20 minutes. On Friday the 7th I thought for sure I was in labor. I had Jason stay home just in case, I was having a hard time watching Baxter anyway. But no, just a wasted day of paternity leave.

On Saturday we decided to make it family day. We walked around Whatcom Falls park. It was beautiful. Baxter kept collecting sticks, and then Jason taught him how to throw rocks into the creek. They were both adorable. I was pretty sore and swollen after we got home. Sunday was Mother’s Day and my “estimated due date”, and I was too tired to do anything. So we had a lazy day at home. Jason realized he had messed something up from Friday, and wanted to fix it on Monday. He told me I couldn’t go into labor yet. We had a great weekend as a family, and as Jason went to school on Monday he said “everything is ready, you can have the baby after school.”


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Just after 2am on Tuesday, May 11th I woke up to go to the bathroom. While I was up I had a contraction. By 2:25 I’d had 3 more. I decided to time them and quickly realized they were 3 minutes apart. I just knew it was time. I called my doula Jen, and took a shower while Jason called our sitter and the midwives. In the shower the contractions picked up more. But I still got out, did my hair, and even put on (waterproof) mascara. I remembered thinking “there will be pictures, it won’t take long, just look decent!” This whole time I had Lady Gaga’s song “Bad Romance” running through my head. I’m not a huge Lady Gaga fan, but earlier in the day someone had posted an a cappella version from YouTube on facebook, and it was stuck. Badly. I got through my contractions by going with it, singing in my head and dancing to them. Hey, it helped! I’ll take it. We got to the birth center about 3am. I knew it was time, but I was enjoying myself.

Jen and C (my midwife) were there waiting for me. There was another birth in the big room down the hall, so I got the medium sized room. Perfect, it was my favorite one anyway! I got through a few contractions standing, and then did a few on all fours over some pillows on the bed. Jen did some amazing back massage that totally helped put me in the mood and relax my body. Hire a doula. Seriously. You won’t regret it. C checked me, and I was between 5-6cm, closer to 6. I know I didn’t go from 1-6 in just over an hour, all that painless (but irritating) pre-labor the week before had prepared my body. I joked about the song in my head, and made it easily though contractions. It was just so peaceful. The lights were dim, but it wasn’t dark. A few candles were lit next to the tub. It was the perfect temperature, not too warm, not chilly. The windows were open, and I could hear the birds outside. I remember being COLD the entire time I was in the hospital with Baxter.

I kept feeling like I was hungry, but I wouldn’t be able to hold anything down if I tried. About 4 I was feeling ready to get in the tub. They filled it up and I got in just about 4:15 or so. At least these are the times that I remember, but they could be off. Time seemed to stand still once I got in the tub. It was so peaceful and serene. I was still having contractions, and part of me was worried that they had slowed down. I felt like I had 10 minutes of relaxing and joking around between contractions. But no, they were still just as regular. I relaxed leaning back on the tub for a while. And I spent some time on my knees and the side of the tub. Being in the warm water took away so much pain, but soon I was toning through contractions. I had no idea my body had decided to step it up, because I was feeling so much better than before. Ahh the power of warm water! C was laying on the bed resting, while Jason held my hand and Jen helped me through contractions with gentle words and counter pressure on my lower back.



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Active labor continued for a while. I had a handful of peanuts and raisins from the trail mix I brought, and that helped a ton for my energy. Jason and Jen kept me hydrated. I remember telling them that this must be transition, because I’m ready to be done now. I remember not getting surly, but losing my sense of humor. It was starting to get painful! I started blowing through contractions instead of just toning. I moved onto my hands and knees, and occasionally went back to my knees and the side of the tub. I kept reminding myself that yes, even though my ankles are getting a tad uncomfortable, I’m letting gravity help me. I didn’t want to move back to my back and restrict the birth canal with my tailbone. I did my research! It still wasn’t nearly as painful as I remember Baxter’s birth being. With Baxter there were some very strong contractions that I could only get through by thinking “if I wait a little bit longer it will be too late to get drugs.” I couldn’t use that mantra this time, so instead I just kept singing that stupid song over and over in my head. I don’t even know all the lyrics, just part of the chorus. The same 20 seconds repeated in my head countless times (Well, no more than 810 times, since my labor was 16,200 seconds long… yes I married a math nerd). Great, now writing this up has it stuck in my head again. I can’t say enough about Jen through this stage. She kept up the counter pressure on my back through contractions. When I was on my hands and knees the pain caused me to want to arch my back away from the pain, but with her gentle but firm hands keeping me in alignment it was so much easier. I wasn’t having back pain, but having a child going through your birth canal isn’t ever a delight. She helped me remember to breath and tone low, and not whine. She whispered encouraging thoughts, and reminded me to relax. Little things. Jason was my rock. I needed him there, holding my hand. Reminding me that he was there for me. But Jen was my internal voice when I couldn’t think on my own.

Back to the story. In the room next door, the other mama started pushing. I could hear her, envious. I wanted to be her at that moment. As soon as I heard her baby cry for the first time, my body kicked into high gear. It was like a primal trigger. With Baxter, because of hospital politics and a change of nurses right as I was entering the pushing stage of labor, I never really experienced what pushing felt like.

With Baxter, I knew I was fully dilated, but my body wasn’t contracting. I think it was my body’s way of telling me “you’re not ready, take a small break” but the incoming nurse wasn’t happy with the monitoring. She thought that I would need a c-section. Even though my doctor and previous (awesome) nurse knew I was doing well. She just knew I was having a big baby, and assumed the worst. She had called in the on-call OB (my doctor is family practice) and additional nurses, and wanted me prepped for c-section. I just remember the terror of that possibility, and I started pushing without my body’s cooperation. I amazed everyone in the room, and used “purple pushing” to power Baxter out of my body in 30 minutes. He was 9lbs and 11oz and gave me almost 4th degree tears. I wasn’t allowed to listen to my body with him. That was the main reason I chose to do a birth center birth this time.

Back to Tuesday. It was just about 6:35 or so. Our sitter for Baxter had to leave at 7:30, so Jen and Jason were asking who I wanted to leave at 7 to transfer Baxter to our day sitters. I told them to ask again in 5 minutes. I kept feeling like my body might be getting ready to push, but I wasn’t sure. I asked my midwife if it was ok if I pushed. C responded “Oh, I thought you already were!” She didn’t feel the need to check me, she was allowing my body to do what my body needed to do. How reassuring. And a little daunting! So this is what pushing is when your body takes over…. The pushing was PAINFUL. Much worse than with Baxter. But this time I was listening to my body, and not the 9 people in the room urging me to just do it. I could feel my body stretching. The “ring of fire” as the baby’s head crowning. I was told to slow down, let your body do it, instead of having a random person counting at me to keep bearing down. I remember three contractions where I pushed. But between the three contractions, I could feel the baby moving down the birth canal and slowly stretching me as I breathed out. It hurt so much less to just breathe and let my body do it on it’s own. After two pushes, his head was out. A third, and he was here! It was 6:47, 12 minutes of pushing, and only a few minutes longer than I asked for. I turned around and leaned back on the tub as they unwound his cord. They gave him to me and I remember just thinking how beautiful he was. He cried a tiny bit, and then opened his eyes, lifted his head (and amazed the midwives) and looked at me. I was in love. Westley Willem was here. Jason and I looked at him, smitten. He looked nothing like his brother did at birth. He was himself.



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The midwives (K had arrived by that point to assist in the actual birth) gave us our time, and unobtrusively checked him and I out. We took off my tank top (since it was damp and making Westley cold) and 18 minutes after giving birth, Westley latched on with no assistance. A perfect latch. My amazing doula took photos with my camera the whole time. I just set it up at the beginning and told her how to use it. She did an amazing job, and I’ll treasure them forever. On top of that, she grabbed Jason’s keys and went to pick up Baxter.



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After the placenta was delivered, and the cord finally cut, we moved up onto the bed. I rested there, nursing Westley for a good hour. Jen brought in Baxter. Baxter did NOT know what to think. He attached himself to Jen and wouldn’t let go. He wanted nothing to do with me or the baby. Eventually he consented to letting Jason hold him. After about an hour C did the newborn exam and weighed Westley. 9lbs, 7oz, 21” long. Same size head as Baxter, and only 4 ounces lighter. Also 7 days earlier!


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I relaxed at the birth center for a few hours before deciding it was time to head home after Baxter knocked over a table, spilling water and juice all over himself and everything else. A birth center is NOT a place for an active toddler. Who wants the door open at all times, even if his mom is laying naked on a bed. And wants to go in and see the other family who just had a baby. I got checked out really quick. One very minor tear, that didn’t even require stitches. In fact, it corrected what was over corrected last time! I was pretty swollen, but I was swollen from before so that was no surprise.

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Overall, I cannot say enough good things about our birth center birth. I would love a homebirth next time. I would have this time, but the rental townhouse we are in now is not set up well for a homebirth. I knew I wanted a waterbirth, and our defective hot water tank and no where to put a tub made the birth center preferable. To make things even more fun, about 2.5 hours after I gave birth to Westley, we put a contract in on our first home. Our contract is now accepted, and we’ll be closing sometime in August. And the master bathroom already has a tub that’s perfect for number three…. In several more years.

Westley is now 4 days old. He’s the happiest newborn. So calm and content. He’s a great nursling. He’s a little piglet though, my milk came in on day two, after a night of 8 hours straight of nursing. I haven’t gotten engorged or leaked at all, thanks to his diligent efforts. He only sleeps well while being held, hence why it’s taken me so long to write this. He’s currently snuggling with daddy. But now I miss him, and I’m all weepy from writing this. I hope there’s not too many errors, because I don’t want to go back and edit it! Enjoy. I hope that reading about Westley’s birth inspires you to look into water births, midwives, and doulas for your future children. After having an “intervention free” hospital birth, I can tell you, there’s really no comparison.



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Monday, May 3, 2010

Birthing....

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things.

Yes, things.

I'm due in 6 days with this child, and feeling huge. Although I don't want him here for at least a few more days at this point. I've been having contractions off and on, but nothing that's real labor yet. But that's not why I don't want him here in this world yet. And that's because we're buying a house.

Yup.

We are buying a house.

It's an amazing deal that we can't pass up. The house we are buying is a 3bd/2ba 1500 sq ft house with attached garage on 1/3 acre about 10 minutes north of Sedro Woolley, and 2 blocks from an alpaca farm. Which I'm sure Baxter will adore. We are buying it through a program that allows teachers to buy certain foreclosed houses for a super reduced rate, and it allows us to do $35k of repairs and renovations on top of that. We are required to live there for 3 years though. That's do-able. All said and done, our total mortgage price will be $100-150 less per month than our current rent, but our utilities will be higher, making it about the same per month as what we are paying now. But we'll be building equity, have the extra space, and have a YARD. I think I'm most looking forward to the yard. And maybe the garage. We're planning on using as much of that $35k as possible though, and updating a lot.

But the next few months will be super stressful. Like we got confirmation that we can buy the house this morning, but the contract has to be completed tomorrow morning. So I have to drive to Sedro Woolley tomorrow morning to get the paperwork needed from the school, and then drive back to Bellingham and pay the earnest money. And then come home and schedule the home inspection and get utilities turned on for the home inspection. Which has to be done within 15 days. Then theoretically we'll be closing in mid-June, and moving mid-July. Or end of July, not sure yet. But if you think about us, pray that the mortgage and the estimates go smoothly, and that things are just meant to be!


Sunday, April 11, 2010

Oh, a bit of everything.

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Jason and I had our 8 year wedding anniversary on March 30th. My mom and step-dad came up and spent the night with Baxter, and Jason and I went to Vancouver B.C. and stayed the night at the Sutton Place Hotel. It was glorious. Great food, lots of sleep, and no Baxter interruptions. Although I thought about him constantly, and worried that he was sleeping ok without us. But he did great.

I'm feeling huge. I'm 36 weeks today. This boy is getting huge. I finished sewing newborn diapers tonight, and now just have a few more sewing projects that I must get done. I'd like to get more done, but we shall see....

We had a lovely scare this week. Our ceiling above our bed started leaking again. And starting to mold. Our management wanted us to move. But the only option was another 2 bedroom (that wouldn't be a good fit for us, even though it's the same layout) or pay an extra $60/month and move to the 3 bedroom right next door to us. We are trying to save money and to hopefully purchase a house this summer.... Not to spend more money or to move at 37 weeks (which is full term) pregnant. We finally got them to admit that they could do temporary repairs on our place, but it wouldn't look pretty. Who cares? Our place has never looked pretty! We won't be here long enough for it to matter. They just don't want to do the temporary repairs because it's more work for them. It's less work for us. They can deal.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Baxters Words - 19.5 months

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I'm a terrible blogging mom. I'm WAY behind on editing photos, and haven't taken many lately because Bax gets upset if I don't let him play with the camera. As that this is from my phone, I'm keeping this short. I want to make a list of words he says and signs :) also note that many of these only we can understand.

Please (signed only)
More (signed only)
Pain/owwie (signed only)
Drink (signed only)
Food/hungry (oood and signed)
All done (signed only)
Thank you (ank oooh and signed, often without prompting)
I love you (luh ewe, and tries to sign. Both rare and hard to understand!)
Mama
Dada
Nana
Bye bye
Hi
No
Uh-oh
Bite
Cheese
Juice
Cookie (key!!!!)
Cracker (sounds very similar to cookie)
Yum (yum or mmmm)
Banana (it's more of a distinctive noise that sounds nothing like banana, but it always means banana)
Blueberry/strawberry/grapes (Vees! I think he identifies them all as berries)
Kitty
Waffles (woofoz, as in Mr. Waffles our cat)
Meow
Woof woof (oof oof, for any dog)
Elephant (oooo-OOOH-oooo, complete with arm as trunk)
Pig (exhaled snort sound, but he tries!)
Monkey (oo-oo-ah-ah)
Rawr (lion, tiger, bear, etc)
Elmo (momo)
Cookie Monster (key key! But might also be seeing the cookies. Hard to tell)
Train (choo choo. Sometimes calls large trucks choo choos)
Car (beep beep, maybe from our car alarm doors?)
Baby
Tv
Ball
Block (bock)
Book (booooook)
Sock (cock)
Shoes (Jews)
Mine

Wow, I didn't realize there were so many now! He also said his first 2 word sentance. I told him he needed to take another bite of his lunch before he could have another grape. He clearly said "no bite!" and then laughed.

Ok, that's all for now :)

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Hello? Anyone there?

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I've been a bad blogging mommy. I've been thinking about blogging for about a month now, but I still don't have my pictures from Christmas edited, and that's been preventing me... Plus I've just been generally exhausted and busy! That's my excuse. So for now, just know that I'm alive, and this little boy has now been cooking for 27 weeks. That means I'm in the THRID TRIMESTER! Goodness! And Baxter is starting to talk (finally!) more and more. Except I'm Dada, and so is Jason, but that's ok. At least Mr. Waffles has a name (Woofooz). It's 8:42, and I think I'm going to bed. Maybe I'll blog more later now that the gate has been broken?

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

The new baby is a...

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BOY!!!

That's right, Baxter will have a little brother this coming spring. Two boys in two years. Lets hope that someday when I get pregnant with #3 that we have a girl to help level out the testosterone in the house :)

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Baby Poll!

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Ok, we find out on Tuesday afternoon... but what do you think?

(poll died, sorry!)

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

16 months old, my little man...

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I can't believe he's 16 months old. And counting! Here are some of his recent antics over the last month. I'm really glad I twitter, so that I can go back through my twitter feed to remember some of this! If you don't follow me on twitter, that's ok. My feed is protected, because there are a ton of spam bots out there. Ugh.

So I"m going to copy and paste some tweets, and might explain them :)

(Keep in mind, that over the last month Baxter has cut 2 molars and an eyetooth, and is working on a second eyetooth. UGH!!! We've also been battling the WORST diaper rash ever.)

Baxter, your stacking blocks are not shoes. But gosh you're cute. Even better when you woof at the same time.

Uhhh, Baxter figured out how to pull up the mattress of the pack n play. We may be in trouble. He can also open his door...

Baxter keeps turning on the tv to infomercials. Sorry Baxter, I'm not bald now but the way you're acting I may be by the end of the day.

I started singing to Baxter, and he coveted his ears and grimaced. There goes my confidence. Concert choir, you have failed me.

Overheard downstairs- Jason "you can't get milk from me, I don't have boobs!" in response to Baxter signing to nurse.

Baxters new favorite thing - when I "kick" him in the head. He picks up my feet and makes me do it. Boy has a long memory too! LOL

The noob kicked the doppler and startled Bax with the loud noise. The HB was 140, and the ultrasound is scheduled for my birthday!!!

Baxter, the kitty does not want your cherrios, no matter how enthusiastically you share them. Time to vacuum.

Nrbbgfhgfggfrtrffhjhgsf grglts Gdsfeyrcdcswcfehrgvr f dvzmgbh - love, Baxter

I will never understand my sons love of infomercials. He turns on the TV, and changes the channel until he finds one. Today it's "The Ninja"

Baxter is a noisy farter today. He let's one rip, looks over at me, & cracks up laughing. Such a boy! Oh wait, he probably got that from me.

Baxters new favorite toy - a bucket he wears on his head (but won't wear regular hats) http://twitpic.com/q15l1 and sometimes over his face.

Soooo tired. Already took two naps, and I'm ready for bed. Two nights on your own with a toddler as a pregnant mama is killer!

Baxter loves his yogurt sooo much, he has to have two spoons so he can eat it quicker. And we figured out the sleep issue, my lack of milk :( (this pregnancy has completely killed my milk supply)

Operation: give Bax a sippy at 4am instead of the boob - SUCCESS!

Reminded why I wait 20 min after Bax wakes up to change his diaper. He doesn't poo overnight, and that first one is just like clockwork.

Showed Bax a pic of a walrus, and told him the funny teeth were called tusks. He pointed at his teeth. I didn't know he knew that one!

Baxter faked sleep in the car, and J and I made fools of ourselves with silly noises to wake him up. He slyly opened an eye & giggled at us.

Jason felt the noob kick last night :) and I'm 17 weeks today! 2 weeks and 2 days until we find out of we have a little brother or sister.

Bax got too quiet. I walked over to Js desk to see what he was doing. Turned the chair, & he was waiting hands clasped like Dr. Evil, lol!!

Baxter is carefully putting pine needles back on the tree. Without touching the tree. Lol.

This might be Baxters last night nursing... Or one of them. He's more interested in his sippy. Cry! I don't want to be done yet! (He woke up at 10pm wanting to nurse, so I let him. That was the last time :( December 2nd, 16 months and 1 day.)

Making Turkey and Dumplings for my Turkey. Or is that my Dumpling? I think he swings both ways :) (In reference to Jason, but it cracked me up, so I included it)

I bought a laser pointer for the cats. Bax chases it just as much. He brings it to me so he can chase it, while the cats compete with him.

Baxter has a serious love affair with Thomas the Tank. He's my little train boy.

How do I convince my toddler NOT to share his lunch with the kitten?

Its cold and drafty when you shower with a peeping Tom of a toddler in the room.

Note to self. When dancing with a toddler, don't pick them up & spin with them then put them down. They will be dizzy, fall & cry, but fun!

Whenever Baxter sits on my lap, the baby goes nuts kicking him, lol! I hope this isn't the start of something permanent.

Can someone please tell Baxter that drinking the water condensation off the windows is gross? It's cold & coming faster than I can wipe up.

Ok, that catches you up on Baxter's funny antics through this morning. He's always doing something hilarious though, and leaving me in stitches. Like if I pat his belly after a diaper change he'll pat his belly, and then want me to do it to him again and again. And now when I bring out the camera, it's all "ohhhh!!!!" and running at me with open arms. He like to try to kiss the lens. He loves to show us his belly button and have us tickle it, and then tickle the rest of him. He patted my belly and said "baaa" which I'm not sure if it was supposed to be "ball" "baby" or "belly button". He's not really talking yet, but sometimes he'll repeat woof, duck, baaa and rawr. He repeats mama every time he hears it, but it's still not really connected to me. I'm thinking that when he starts talking it's just going to be in full sentences.

He's down to one nap a day, which he's usually pretty good about, but he's fighting today (ugh). It used to be that he would ONLY take a morning nap, and that if it was even 15 minutes late it would be super short and he would refuse an afternoon nap. He's more flexible now, and will take a morning OR an afternoon nap, but still only in his crib or in the car. However, if he sleeps in the car it's ALWAYS 1 hour and 5 minutes. Or less. Naps at home are at least 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Ok, I'm going to shower and hope he's sleeping when I'm done. :)

Monday, December 7, 2009

Catch up

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Ok, I have 20 minutes, so lets see how much I can catch up on? Warning, long post and LOTS of photos :) As always, more photos on my flickr page!

Ok, first up, the halloween photos:
Halloween - 7
Halloween - 8

In October, we also had professional family photos taken with the whole Spears/Dilley/Irvine/Schwarz clan. Fred Calma www.fredcalma.com did them, and they turned out GREAT! Here are a few of my favorites of the day :) And yes, Baxter had a HUGE cat scratch on his face thanks to Stanley, the new cat at my mom's house. I. do. not. like. that. cat.
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The first week of November, my good friend Beth and her husband Mike and daughter Leah came to visit. I met Beth through an email loop of women who were all due the same day. Leah was a few days early, and Bax was 9 days late, so they're about 2 weeks apart in age. The Hammers live in Illinois, and we had a GREAT time with them. We went downtown, along the waterfront, where the kids chased seagulls.
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We went to the Public Market (gratuitous produce shot)
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where Leah LOVED the piggy bank, but wasn't impressed by the flying fish.
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Baxter was a ham in the car ride home.
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The next day we went to the Children's museum downtown and met up with a bunch of other women from our online group. The kids had a TON of fun, and the 6 moms all helped watch the 6 little ones. Baxter ran around the entire time, shrieking in delight. We might have to get a yearly pass. We will most certainly be going back! This is through a fish tank :)
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We then went back to Bellingham and just had a fun relaxing time. Beth is also pregnant, and was sadly suffering from severe morning sickness, but we had fun anyway :) Picking them up and dropping them off were my first two weekends in November.

The third weekend, the Thursday before I had a workshop to go to, where I learned how to pose and photograph newborns. That was soooo much fun. I don't have any of those photos uploaded to flickr, but you can view them here. April and Richard watched Baxter, and then I spent a few days in Seattle "recovering."

The next weekend was Thanksgiving. My mom and Richard were in California, so we housesat for them and spent a lot of time with Jason's family. We shopped early on Black friday and got a ton of deals. But due to a death in the family, John, Jessica and JoAnne didn't get home until Thursday afternoon, so we didn't have a turkey dinner. We had a fun time, but I missed the turkey...

So when we got home, I bought a turkey and made a Thanksgiving dinner for just the 3 of us! Boy, does Baxter LOVE cranberry relish... And also turkey.

I know you probably want to know more about how Baxter is doing, but that's another post. We put up our Christmas tree, and have been teaching him the "one finger rule" where he can touch it, but with only one finger. So far it's been working pretty well, and the kitten has been worse to the tree than he has.

I'll share a few more photos, then I've got to go. I have 2 minutes. This one, I was trying to get Baxter to smile for the camera, and I made the dolphin noise. So he grabs his animal book, finds the dolphin picture and points to it. Tooooo cute! He's so smart :)

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December-19

Here's Baxter's first look at the tree and his reaction, and also demonstrating the one finger rule (on his favorite ornament, the Oscar Meyer weinermobile):
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And finally, here's my baby bump at 18 weeks :)
Merrilee 18w #2

Phew, did you get all that? I'm not proofreading, I"m a minute late. Enjoy!!!

Sunday, December 6, 2009

I"m terrible!

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I know, It's been over a month. I'm now 18 weeks pregnant, and we find out a week from Tuesday (on my birthday!) if we're having another boy or having a girl. Care to take a guess? I know what I think :)

November was extremely busy. I was in Seattle every weekend for at least 3 days. It was exhausting. But good! Ok, I have other stuff to do, just know I'm still alive...

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Things that go bump

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I'm definitely showing. I look pregnant. I need to take a picture of this bump.

Speaking of bumps, this kid is moving a storm! I felt Bax between 13-14 weeks, and this one I've felt a few times starting at 8 weeks (which no one believes) but I'm starting to feel it daily now at 13 weeks.

I have halloween pictures, but I need to upload them to Flickr, which I'm about to go do, so I'll post on that soon :)

Oh, and Bax had his 15 month appointment. He's almost 33 inches tall! I'm not 100% sure on his weight, but he's barely over 26lbs clothed. Hehe.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Lately

2 comments
Sorry I haven't blogged much lately. At the beginning of September when we found out we were pregnant, I wasn't ready to share yet. So I had to be guarded in what I posted. And then I sort of fell out of the habit.

Morning sickness hasn't been too bad on the puking front. I can count on one hand how many times I've vomited, so that's somewhat encouraging. Although the food aversions have been much worse this time. Like I can't eat anything. Or what I can eat changes on a day to day basis. As soon as I found out I was pregnant, I gained 5lbs. Mostly water weight. On the cruise I gained a few more, but the massage I had released a bunch of the water, so I was up all night going to the bathroom. Oops! As of today, I've gained 2lbs total from my pre-pregnancy weight. Not too bad for 12 weeks and 1 day! With Baxter I lost a lot of weight the first trimester, and didn't start gaining for a long time. I didn't have the nausea as much with him though, I just didn't want to eat. Now I HAVE to eat. Maybe because I'm still breastfeeding Baxter? Dunno.

Bax is down to nursing 3-4 times a day, and one nap a day. That's been an adjustment. And my great sleeper has turned into a molar bear. He's getting two molars and two canines right now, and that makes a VERY grumpy baby. Ugh.

I'm defiantly looking pregnant now. Looking at me now, I look like I did at 17 weeks with Bax. We had family pictures taken with Fred Calma Photography yesterday, and I can't wait to see them. We had my mom, Richard (stepdad), me, Jason, Baxter, Brent (my brother), April (stepsister), Aaron (April's husband), Riley (April and Aarons almost 8 month old), Andrew (stepbrother) and Tony (stepbrother). It went pretty well other than Baxter being fussy, and having a lovely run in with a cat that morning...

More on that later, it's Jason's and my date night :)

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Baxter is going to be....

2 comments
.....15 months in 15 days

......a handsom man when he grows up

......devastatingly charming

......a cat whisperer

......not talking until he's 3

......a professional climber

......a big brother next May