28 months and 7 months

"The days pass slowly, but the years fly by." 

Was there ever a truer statement? I can't believe how quickly the days are flying by, even though some days it doesn't seem like Daddy will ever get home from work. :) We are

 having so much fun watching these little guys grow. Benjamin is starting to talk in full sentences, is acting out his favorite movies, and make his toys interact with each other. Andrew is army crawling, picking up puffs to eat, and enjoying pouches of baby food all on his own. It just keeps getting better every month with them both!

We had a wonderful Halloween with our little Monsters! Benjamin loved his Sully costume, and Andrew looked so cute in his Mike costume. Benjamin wasn't too sure about Trick or Treating at first, but then he realized he was getting a bunch of candy all for himself and decided he LOVED this holiday! :) He, Stella, and Tia sprinted from house to house! It ended up raining and Benjamin's Sully costume was weighing him down a bit, so Chris or I had to carry him for a while. All in all he had a GREAT night, though! He ate way too much candy and played with his cousins until it was way past his bedtime when we got home. :) Little Andrew was such an angel all day/night long. Even though he was wet, cold, and in a big, poofy, uncomfortable costume, he still had a smile on his face the whole time we were trick-or-treating! I love that kid!!!

We are heading to Disney World with the boys next week! Chris and I are both super excited, but also a little nervous about how things will go this time around with two little ones! We had our hands full last time with just Benjamin! :) But we're certain this trip will be full of amazing, magical memories, just like last time! We can't wait to watch Benjamin's little face as he sees the characters from his favorite movies and shows. On our last trip, he hadn't yet seen any movies since he had just turned 1, and he only really watched the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse TV show. This time around, he has seen almost all the Disney classics and the new popular movies, too. He will sing along to the songs when he watches the movies, and act out his favorite parts with his figurines. We can't wait to see him experience live shows or rides or meet real characters from these movies! :)  And of course little Andrew won't remember much from this trip, but we can't wait to see his face light up as he watches all the parades and fireworks and rides! He adores watching anything his big brother does, so we know he'll just love watching Benjamin!! I can't wait to upload some pictures from our trip on my next post!

Onto the stats...

Benjamin

Age : 28 months

Weight : 33 pounds

Clothing and Diaper Size : 90 (or some 100s) in Hanna Andersson and mostly a 3T in other brands

Milestones :  Benjamin continues to pick up new words and string them together to form new sentences all the time. He repeats any word we say, and will often ask, "What's that?" when he is unsure what to call something. One of my favorite sayings this month is, "Can you help me???", which he says all the time when he needs our help in his sweetest little 2 year old voice! I also love the way Benjamin says "spill" - it is like he has a southern twang! ;) Benjamin is doing very well at school lately, and didn't cry when I dropped him off for the first time this past Monday! I went to school for his Halloween party last week and he was able to participate in all the activities with his friends without being too clingy to Mommy - although he did want me close by. :) He has made so much progress at school, and we are so proud of him!!!

Sleep :  Benjamin hasn't been taking regular naps for quite a few weeks now. :( Mommy misses that! We aren't sure if this is just a phase or a permanent change. He seems very young to be finished napping, so we continue to put him in his crib for "quiet time" for about an hour each afternoon. Most days he doesn't fall asleep, but every once in a while he does. On the days when he doesn't take a nap he is ready for bed by 7 or 7:30, and wakes up the next day around 7.

Eating : Benjamin is a typical toddler - he doesn't want to try anything new and sometimes won't even eat his usual favorites! He is our picky eater lately for sure. :) He loves treats and candy (he definitely got his mommy's sweet tooth!), and would eat popsicles all day long if we'd let him! He also loves french fries, broccoli, mac and cheese, chicken nuggets, strawberries, and Cheetos. 

Favorites : He loves to play with his bin of safari animals, his dinos, his Monsters play set, and Busy Books with little figurines from movies or shows. He gets a wild spurt of energy around dinner time every night and loves to wrestle with Daddy (or sometimes Mommy!), and have pillow fights with the pillows on the living room couch! He also loves to build forts on the couch. :) He loves playing outside and looking for bugs. He can name many different kinds of bugs now like ladybugs, grasshoppers, and butterflies. He also loves to go to Barnes and Noble to play with the train set with Mommy and Brother.

Doesn't like : Hair cuts, trying new foods, time outs, sharing his favorite toys with his brother, and 

Andrew

Age : 7 months 3 weeks

Weight : Around 20 pounds

Clothing and Diaper Size : 12 months or 12-18 months, 70/80 in Hanna Andersson

Milestones :  Andrew is full blown crawling all around now, but not with his belly off the floor yet. He can go so fast and get anywhere he wants to go! He pulls himself up onto all 4s and rocks back and forth, and although he hasn't started crawling on his hands and knees quite yet, I think it'll be happening anytime! :) He is really interacting with us now and showing off his sweet, endearing, stubborn personality! :) He is truly happy ALL the time. He only gets fussy if he is over tired. However, if you have something he wants and you take it away, he gets quite upset! It is almost comical seeing that side of him coming out!!! He loves to pick up his own food and eat on his own, just like his independent brother used to be. ;) Just today he started eating his own baby food through a pouch because he was getting sick of Mommy or Daddy feeding it to him with a spoon! Such a big boy! Andrew is doing MUCH better in the car these days which is such a relief!

Sleep :  Andrew started sucking his thumb at around 6 1/2 months old and he has been the BEST sleeper ever since!!! Mommy is so thankful that he is a thumb sucker! He has been sleeping through the night ever since he found his thumb. Yay!!! I can't remember the last time he woke up to eat in the night (knock on wood...). :)  He still takes a nap about 2-3 hours after he wakes up in the morning, which is usually around 10am. The rest of the day depends on what our schedule looks like. If his brother is at school that day, he usually falls asleep on our way home from errands after we pick up Benjamin (around 2pm). If not, he will nap in his crib sometime in the afternoon for an hour or two. It's kind of funny how different and more laid back I am with Andrew's schedule compared to how I used to be with Benjamin's sleep schedule! :)

Eating : Andrew is nursing first thing in the morning, and then eating baby food about an hour after that. Then he nurses again about 2 hours later, and has baby food again afterwards. This routine continues throughout the day. He is nursing about 5 times a day and eating solids about 4 times a day. He is a good eater and definitely a healthy, growing boy! :) Everyone comments on how big he is! 

Favorites : Puffs, teething biscuits, eating from a pouch, any and all of his brothers toys, the light up egg toy Grandma got him for Easter, water bottles, Little People figurines, light up toys and phones/iPads, swinging on the swing at the park, bath time, playing peek-a-boo, snuggling with Mommy or being held by Mommy, and his blankie and thumb when he is sleeping.

Doesn't like : Diaper changes or getting dressed (he doesn't want to stay on his back!), being hungry or tired, being restrained when he wants to crawl around and play with his brother! :)

2 years 2 months and 5 months old!

The days are flying by, and I can't seem to find the time to update our blog as often as I'd like to! Our beautiful boys are growing up before our very eyes. Benjamin is an energetic, smart, sassy, loving, endearing toddler, and Andrew is a sweet, happy, adorable, snuggly baby.  We are so blessed!

Benjamin continues to love his role as a big brother! Chris and I are so proud of him. We do have the occasional struggle of sharing toys or Benjamin wanting our attention, but overall I truly couldn't ask for the brothers to be getting along any better. Andrew absolutely adores his big bro. He will get fussy some afternoons while Benjamin is napping, and then instantly perks up when his brother wakes up and is in sight again! It is the sweetest thing. They make each other laugh constantly, especially when riding in the car, sitting in their stroller where the seats face each other, or while playing in the playroom. I hope their bond continues to grow with each passing month.

We had the best time celebrating Benjamin's 2nd birthday. He truly seemed to understand that the festivities were all about him this year! His party was scheduled to be on his actual birthday (Saturday), but extremely high winds, cold temperatures, and rain forced us to reschedule for Sunday instead. It ended up being a really nice change. Chris and I were able to spend his birthday doing all the fun things he enjoys, and then we continued the celebration the next day with our friends and family! On his actual birthday he woke up to balloons all around his crib (the birthday tradition my mom started when I was a kid!), had a German Pancake birthday breakfast, went to Petsmart to see all the animals (he loves doing that!), played at gymnastics open gym, and went to see his first movie at the movie theater. We saw the Pixar movie Inside Out with Stella and Abbie. It was very cute, and the birthday boy was perfect through the whole thing! He really seemed to enjoy both the movie and the popcorn! :) His party was a Jake and the Neverland Pirates theme, one of his favorite shows on the Disney channel. Tons of his friends came to play, and even though it was too cold to have the party on the beach like we originally planned, it was still a perfect day! Grandma Fletcher made the most amazing cake and helped me make every detail of the party over the top!

Benjamin wore a special Monsters shirt to school and took in Monsters cupcakes for his friends on the Friday before his special day!

Andrew is really starting to get his own fun little personality now that he is almost 6 months old! He is happy and smiling ALL the time. If all my babies were like him, I don't think I would ever want to stop having them! :)

Onto the stats...

Benjamin 

Age : 26 months

Weight : Around 30 pounds

Clothing and Diaper Size : 90 in Hanna Andersson and between a 2T and 3T in other brands

Milestones :  Benjamin amazes us with how much he is talking everyday! It seems like his speech takes off more and more each week. He is putting together short sentences, and can usually tell us what he wants/needs for the most part. One of our favorite phrases is: "Come on, Mama/Dada - it's time!" :) He can come up with his own topics of conversation now rather than just responding to our questions or repeating after us. He also will nod his head "yes" in his crib when we ask him if he liked different parts of the day, which melts my heart!  He can count to 14, sing the ABCs (and other songs like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star), name several colors and shapes, and "read" books that are familiar. 

Sleep :  Benjamin takes one nap each day at around 1 or 2:00. It lasts for about 2-3 hours. Around 2 years old he stopped taking naps for 2 weeks or so (yikes!), but he is back to taking them at least 5-6 days a week. He goes to bed between 8 and 9:00pm and wakes up around 7:30am. He lays down on his own after having a bottle and reading some stories. The doctor says we need to stop the bottle soon, but we make sure to carefully brush his teeth after he finishes drinking it and before he lays down, so we aren't in a big rush!

Eating : Benjamin isn't much of an eater! He is going through a little growth spurt right now so he is eating more than usual, but overall he doesn't eat much. Some of his favorites are Honey Nut Cheerios, Fruit Loops, french toast sticks, pancakes, sausage, oatmeal, grilled cheese, french fries, chicken nuggets, apple slices, mac and cheese, spaghetti, broccoli cheese soup, and rolls with butter.

Favorites : Bubble baths, playing in his sand box, going down the slide off the porch, swinging on the swing (and saying "To the moon!") :), his animal figurines, his dinosaur figurines, treats, snuggling with his blankets, Monsters Inc and Monsters University, Winnie the Pooh, and The Lion King.

Doesn't like : Being told no :), time outs, when Mommy can't hold him, and diaper changes.

Andrew 

Age : 5 months, 3 weeks

Weight : Was about 19 pounds when I weighed him on our scale at home, but I am anxious to see his official weight at the doctor next week! He is a big boy!!

Clothing and Diaper Size : 70 in Hanna Andersson, 9 month in Carters, and size 3 diaper (but he is quickly outgrowing these sizes and will be in the next size up within a few weeks!)

Milestones :  Andrew smiles and laughs up a storm! He is such a happy boy! He was having some trouble with gas when he was 3-4 months old, but it seems like he is doing better with that now. He started rolling from tummy to back when he was only about 6 weeks old, and started rolling from back to tummy at 4 1/2 months old! Now that he is 5 months, he can scoot along the floor on his tummy and really make some ground! He also holds himself up with his arms straight in the baby push up position. The other day he was up on his back knees, too, looking like he might be ready to crawl! Whoa! :)  Just in the last 2-3 weeks he is really interested in grabbing things. He wants whatever you are eating or holding, and it goes directly into his mouth! He loves checking out everything around his brother. We call him our little monkey when he is "perched" up on our hip, looking all around. :) We are curious to see what color eyes he will have - they are still changing every day from gray to green to brownish!  He sucks his thumb every so often, which Mommy thinks is so sweet.

Sleep :  Andrew takes a pretty consistent nap around 10am, and the rest of his naps vary from day to day. Usually he still sleeps about every 3-4 hours. Sometimes his naps are only 20 minutes, and other times they are 2 hours! He started waking up in the night again almost every night. I bring him into bed to nurse him back to sleep because I am too exhausted to sit up in his room and feed him! He ends up sleeping in our bed until morning and snacks on and off. I know this is probably not the best habit to be getting into, but it gets us through the days/nights for now!

Eating : Andrew eats about every 3 hours. He loves to nurse to sleep. We tried to give him some rice cereal and some sweet potatoes at about 5 1/2 months, but he doesn't seem too interested yet! He spit it out and made a face of disgust. :) We keep trying every so often, but for now it definitely is ok that he is just content with breastfeeding! 

Favorites : Watching his big brother play, sleeping in his Fisher Price swing, his Fisher Price jumper-oo, Sophie the giraffe, his Lamaze moose, taking baths in the big boy tub, looking at himself in the mirror, looking at pictures of Mommy, Daddy, & Benjamin, and when Mommy blows raspberries!

Doesn't like : Having gas, being hungry, riding in the car, and laying on his back if he can't roll over.

22 months and 6 weeks old

Life is good with our two sweet boys, and as always, time is flying! Benjamin will be 2 years old in two short months (what?!) and Andrew is already half way through the "newborn" stage! Although things are busy around here, I am loving life as a mom of two. 

Speaking of loving things, Benjamin seems to LOVE his new role as big brother! Both Chris and I were pretty surprised, but he adores Andrew.  Benjamin has his moments where he says, "Baby down? Baby down?" and runs over to Andrew's basinet so he can point to where I should set the baby (haha!), but he also has lots of moments when he asks to hold his brother or wants to give him kisses. He also loves tickling his toes or trying to do "This little piggy" with Andrew's tiny little feet! It absolutely melts my heart to see them together. I hope they continue to get along and will be great friends growing up together! It makes me thankful that the boys are close in age, as much as I worried about that.

Benjamin is still going to "school" on Monday and Friday mornings, which gives me some alone time with Andrew. I also use this time to go to the grocery store and run errands since taking two babies out of the house is definitely a lot more challenging!  Plus there is literally no room in the shopping carts if I have both Benjamin and Andrew! ;)  

Benjamin and I have gone on a few "Mommy Dates" to gymnastics or to get a treat at McDonalds. It is SO nice to have alone time with him, too. I have a lot of guilt that so much of my time is spent feeding or caring for Andrew these days. Benjamin definitely watches a bit more TV or uses the iPad more than ever before! He seems to be adjusting to all the changes really well though! I am so proud of him.

As I said earlier, things are busy around here, so I better get going with the stats! :)

Benjamin 

Age : 22 months

Weight : 29 pounds

Clothing and Diaper Size : 2T in Janie and Jack, 90 in Hanna Andersson, and size 5 diaper

Milestones :  Benjamin is talking up a storm and saying so many words these days! We love when he sings along with songs in the car. He especially loves the Frozen CD and will belt out the songs! He is Mr. Independent lately, saying "I do that! I do that!" when we try to help him with something he wants to do himself. :) I think he has officially outgrown his high chair. He will still sit in one at restaurants (for now), but at home he wants to sit in his booster chair at the regular table or at his little table. While I miss the ease of wiping down the high chair, it is fun to watch him with his new found independence at the tables! 

Sleep :  Benjamin continues to be a champ with sleeping! Still sleeping through the night from around 8:30-7ish, and then has an afternoon nap around 1 or 2 for about 2 hours.

Eating : Benjamin is definitely getting pickier with his eating habits! He loves scrambled eggs, french fries with ketchup, chicken nuggets with any kind of sauce, avocado, corn on the cob, fruit, Uncrustables, yogurt, carrots, bell peppers, popcorn, and Cheetos! After enjoying several "treats" in his Easter basket, he asks for "nandy" (candy) on a regular basis. I had to clear out the candy drawer and hide all of it because he was asking for candy rather than eating his meals! :) He loves to get smoothies - or shakes on extra special days! - from McDonalds. 

Favorites : Games of "chase" where he runs after his friends or Mommy or Daddy (or Maggie!), holding his baby brother, watching videos of Disney World or other fun activities we've done on Mommy's iPhone, Jake and the Neverland Pirates TV show, Despicable Me and Despicable Me 2, singing the Frozen Soundtrack in the car, bath time, swimming with Daddy at the YMCA, gymnastics open gym at the Flames Tot Gym, eating sauce or dips with his food (ketchup, honey mustard, peanut butter, etc!). bubbles, and looooooooves playing outside in his new playhouse (or playing outside at all!).

Doesn't like : Being told no :), time outs for hitting or biting or being rough with Maggie, or being tired. 

Andrew 

Age : 6 weeks

Weight : Was almost 9 pounds at his 1 month doctor appointment, but I am guessing he has gained a lot of weight since then!!

Clothing and Diaper Size : 50 in Hanna Andersson, 3 month in Carters, and size 1 diaper

Milestones :  Andrew has had a lot more awake time during the day lately, and loves to look around and check out his world! He has beautiful blue eyes right now. I am curious to see if they will stay that color! Around 4 weeks old Andrew rolled over in his crib on his own. Last week I saw him do it several more times during tummy time on the carpet in the living room! I have a feeling he will be on the move quite a bit earlier than his big brother was! I think I may have seen a few little grins, but I am not sure if I would say he is socially smiling at us just yet. I think he is so close though! That first big smile will be a great moment!

Sleep :  For the past 3 days, Andrew has slept NON STOP during the day! Before that, he was quite fussy and wanting to eat all the time, so I think he may be going through a growth spurt. I am trying to enjoy the quiet time while it lasts and get lots done. ;) Most nights during the week Andrew eats around 10:00pm for the last time, and then doesn't get up again until around 2 or 3am. I am up for about 30 minutes changing him and feeding him, and then he'll usually go back to sleep until around 5am! We still have occasional nights where he is up every 2-3 hours though. Andrew loves to be swaddled in his Ollie swaddle (that particular swaddle is awesome! It works like magic!!), and also likes to nap on his tummy during the day in his crib. At night he sleeps in his Fisher Price Rock and Play Sleeper next to our bed.

Eating : I am breast feeding Andrew and it is going so well! I find that he is able to eat a lot quicker than Benjamin did in the beginning. I am very thankful, because I don't think I would have 40 minutes to sit on the couch and feed him every 2 hours like I used to with Benjamin! I notice that I have a let down when feeding Andrew, where as with Benjamin I never did. I can pump two 2.5 ounce bottles for Andrew in about 5 minutes! With Benjamin it would've taken me 20 minutes to pump that much. I feed Andrew about every 2-3 hours for 10 minutes or so on each side. Based on what I am pumping, I think he is eating about 5-6 ounces at each feeding.

Favorites : Bath time and towels out of the towel warmer, sleeping on his tummy, pacifiers when he isn't hungry, being swaddled in his Ollie swaddle, and cuddling with Mommy, Daddy, or big brother. <3 

Doesn't like : Having gas, being hungry, pacifiers when he is hungry, or being cold.

Andrew James's Birth Story!

I can hardly believe I am about to write another birth story. I am a mom of two boys! My heart is so full and I am feeling BEYOND blessed. I'm not sure if it is the pregnancy hormones or just my normal emotions about these babies, but I cry all the time about how lucky we are! (Chris thinks I am going crazy.) :)  Children are truly God's greatest gift.

Here is the story of how our second little miracle entered the world...

From the moment I found out I was pregnant, I debated about whether or not I wanted to have a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarian) or a repeat c-section. Of course, first and foremost, I wanted what was best and safest for our new baby. I wished the doctors would just tell me which option was best, but I discovered it was ultimately up to me and my personal feelings. There were pros and cons to both. The repeat c-section would be planned and scheduled in advance. This was appealing because we could better plan for Benjamin's care while we were gone, but also a little less fun because it took away the element of surprise ("the baby is coming" moment!). The c-section was also a nice option because there would be little to no pain once the spinal was completed. We would also know that baby would arrive safely without the drama of a dropping heart rate, or a baby that was stuck, or the other issues we encountered with Benjamin's delivery. However, selfishly a part of me kept wishing for a natural birth. I longed for that dream moment that I had always envisioned when I thought about having a baby - Chris by my side as I delivered the little miracle into the world. I wished for the moment when the doctor held the newborn up in the air and placed him on my chest. I hoped for all the emotion of watching Chris look at our new baby while they cleaned him up and checked out our newest addition. Also, one of the biggest reasons I hoped for a VBAC was because of Benjamin. I knew he would already have a big transition ahead of him with a new brother in the house. If I was recovering from a c-section, I wouldn't be able to pick him up for at least 2 weeks. I wouldn't be able to care for him like I had before. I would need full-time help at home during those crucial first weeks when Benjamin would bond with his new sibling. It worried me that if I couldn't be there for him like I wanted to, it could have a lasting impact on the brothers' relationship.

After lots of discussion with Dr. McCloskey, we decided to schedule a repeat c-section for Monday, March 9th. I would be exactly 38 weeks pregnant (doctors like to deliver babies for diabetic moms at 38 weeks due to possible complications with the placenta or a baby that is too large). We hoped that I would go into labor on my own before then so that I would have a chance to deliver naturally if things went smoothly.  I was skeptical that this would happen though; after all, we had scheduled the c-section quite early at 38 weeks!

During my 37th week of pregnancy, things started happening that indicated baby could come soon. I lost the mucus plug and was having lots of painful contractions. Also, I was dilated 3cm at my doctor's appointment! Dr. McCloskey knew exactly what I was hoping for, so she suggested that we delay the c-section until Friday, March 13th. While I wasn't a huge fan of that date (Friday the 13th!!), I was definitely on board with waiting a few extra days to see if baby would come on his own. Even though there weren't any openings for a c-section that day, the doctor made it happen! She was so wonderful. 

Some of my girlfriends had joked with me that if I ate certain things or did certain things, baby would come. One of these things was eggplant pasta! Apparently it's the new craze to induce labor. :) So on Friday, March 6th, I asked Chris to swing by Olive Garden and pick up some Eggplant Parm! We laughed as I ate it, joking about how silly it was to think that something like eggplant could induce labor. Little did we know...



Late that night, I started having more contractions. They woke me up around 1:30 because they were so painful. I would just settle back in to go to sleep, and another contraction would come. I decided to get up and start timing them since sleeping wasn't an option! The contractions were about 10 minutes apart - not close enough to go to the hospital quite yet. I did some laundry, paid a few bills, straightened my hair, changed my sensor...basically anything I could think of to pass the time! I continued timing the contractions and decided I better wake Chris up once they were 6-7 minutes apart and quite painful. We called the doctor and he said it was time to come in to see how things were progressing! Chris and I packed up our last minute things, and went into Benjamin's room to say goodbye for the last time before we were a family of 4. I cried as I gazed in at my "baby" sleeping soundly in his crib. His world was about to change profoundly. I hoped he was ready for his new role as big brother, and the new challenge of sharing Mommy and Daddy...  

Chris and I arrived at the hospital around 7am, and my mom followed shortly behind us. It was a quiet day at Beaumont, and we were taken back into triage quickly. I was hooked up to monitors and the midwife on call checked me out. I was disappointed to hear that I was still dilated to 3, and my contractions seemed to be stuck at 6-7 minutes apart rather than getting closer together. They called my doctor, and he said I should walk around the hospital for 2 hours and then come back to be checked again in hopes that things had progressed. I was bound and determined to have this baby, so I was really booking it around the hospital!!! Chris and my mom could barely keep up (haha!), so they went and got a drink at Starbucks and sat down as I did laps around the hospital, went up and down the stairs, jumped up and down - anything I could thing of to get things moving! Much to my dismay, the contractions seemed to slow down even more with the walking. I knew this could be a sign that the contractions were false labor.

After the 2 hours were up, I sadly walked back upstairs to labor and delivery so I could get checked again, feeling sure I was going to be sent home. Only minutes after I was hooked up to the monitors, the contractions returned, and they were stronger than ever. I was in a great deal of pain, and they seemed to be coming quicker and quicker. The midwife hurried in to check me, saying the contractions were showing up 3-4 minutes apart now. I was THRILLED to hear that I was now dilated to 4! Progress!! I was told to put on my hospital gown because I was getting admitted. We were having a baby TODAY!



I was admitted to the hospital at about 11am. The doctors thought the baby might have been in a posterior position again (like Benjamin), which makes for a long and difficult delivery. They used a "peanut" (a large inflatable peanut shaped ball) and put me in different positions (hands and knees and on my side) to try to flip the baby. It was a success, because when Dr. Sanborn arrived and checked my cervix, he discovered baby had flipped!! Yay! I got an epidural at around 6cm dilated and couldn't have been happier to have some relief from the pain of the contractions. After that, a resident broke my water (that was quite an odd feeling!), and things continued to progress quickly from there. Before I knew it, the doctor was telling me that I was dilated to 10 and ready to push! 

By now, my dad had arrived at the hospital from the airport where he had just flown in from Florida. Chris's parents' also arrived. It was so nice to have our family there for the big day!

The baby's heart rate began to drop with each contraction, so I was given an oxygen mask to wear and a shot of a medication that would slow down the contractions. Dr. Sanborn told me that if I didn't push the baby out quickly, there was a good possibility we'd have to do another c-section. That was all I needed to hear; I didn't come this far just to have another c-section! I was ready to push! 

What happened next was just like I had dreamed...I pushed for about 30 minutes, Chris by my side, and my mom also in the room capturing photos of the momentous event. Our little one arrived at 3:36pm. The doctor held him up before a nurse whisked him over and placed him on my chest. It was such an emotional, beautiful thing! I cannot imagine a greater miracle than a child being born. Chris and I both sobbed as we held our little boy. My heart doubled in size in that moment; I suddenly loved this new child just as much as I loved my Benjamin, which I didn't know was possible! 

After a few minutes of snuggles, the nurses took the baby to weigh him and make sure he looked healthy. Everything checked out perfectly, but he was taken to the NICU to test his blood sugar since I am a diabetic, and his lungs since he was born several weeks early at 37 1/2 weeks. Chris went with the baby, and about 2 hours later we were all reunited in our mother/baby suite. Again, this was just how I dreamt it would be - Chris, the new baby, and me all together in our room to snuggle and rest after the big day. I was so happy that this little guy didn't have to stay in the NICU like poor Benjamin did for a whole week! Things went so smoothly, and I couldn't have felt more blessed.

I feel so lucky to have experienced a natural delivery with Andrew James. It was the most magical thing, and I would do it over again 10 more times despite all the pain! 

I cannot wait to write about my sweet Benjamin, the big brother (!), and how great he is doing with his new role in the next post! :)

19 months and 31 weeks

This was a big month for our little guy. He started a brand new adventure - school!! Benjamin has become quite attached to his mommy over the past few months (which I secretly love :)), and sometimes has a hard time around strangers or even family members that we don't see as often. While we knew this was very common at the 18-19 month age, we thought it would be good for our little guy to have some experience interacting with other adults - and kids!! Chris and I toured a few different facilities in our area and chose to send Benjamin to Bright Beginnings Childcare for "Preschool Prep" two half days a week.  

Friday was Benjamin's first day, and I was absolutely terrified to take him! I was convinced that he was going to cling to my legs and cry as we tried to leave. I had nightmares for weeks. I had to give myself a pep talk the morning of the big day that he would be ok even if he was sad at first when we left. Well...I couldn't have been more wrong! Chris carried him in to the Toddler Classroom and started walking him around showing him the toys. Benjamin immediately wanted down to play with some dinosaurs. Then he started running around playing on the slides and other toys! He didn't even look back! I was SO relieved. Not only was Benjamin super happy to be playing with his new friends in his awesome classroom, but his teacher seemed AMAZING. She was so kind and seemed great with all of the kids in the short amount of time that we were there. I knew I had left our most precious possession in good hands.

I ran a few errands and before I knew it, it was time to pick my little man up from school. When I arrived they were finishing up lunch. Benjamin caught sight of me, got a HUGE smile on his face, sprinted over to me, threw his arms around my neck, and laid his head down on my shoulder saying, "Mama! Mama!" It was seriously the BEST feeling ever! The day couldn't have gone any better - he had an awesome time at school, but was happy to see me when I picked him up! We are really glad we decided to try it out. I can't wait to see how he progresses and all the things he learns at school each week.

Here are some more stats about our toddler!

Age : 19 months

Weight : 28 pounds

Clothing and Diaper Size : 2T in Janie and Jack and most other brands, and 90 in Hanna Andersson. He is in a size 5 diaper.

Milestones :  Benjamin is still talking up a storm, learning new words almost daily. Occasionally we have a hard time deciphering what he is trying to tell us. We lovingly call his little language "Benish". :)  He tries to sing along to the ABCs and The Wheels on the Bus when one of his new Christmas toys plays those songs - it is so cute!  He also will sing along to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star at bedtime, really belting out the last word of each phrase ("Like a diamond in the SKYYYYYYYYYYYY!") haha. He seems to be working on his eye teeth, but I can't feel anything popping through quite yet. He has been painting and coloring pictures a lot lately, and he is able to name the colors blue and green consistently. We are still working on the others. :) He can also recognize the shapes star, heart, and circle *most* of the time. Finally, he is able to count to 3! I'm so proud of him!

Sleep :  Benjamin continues to be a good little sleeper, although he does fight bedtime routine these days! We used to have a nice little routine before bed. He would take a bath, get his jammies on, have a bottle, and we would read 3 or 4 bedtime stories in the chair in his room. Lately, he will sit still for stories until the bottle is gone, but then he squirms out of our lap and just wants to run around his bedroom! He doesn't put up a fight or cry when he has to go in his crib though. Hopefully it is just a phase and he'll be back to loving story time soon. Snuggling up in the chair and reading lots of books used to be one of my favorite parts of the day!

Eating : Benjamin still isn't a huge eater, but he has started to snack a little more throughout the day. I try to keep a bowl of blueberries or grapes or a healthy snack near by while he's playing, and he'll run over and eat a few every couple of minutes. It is easier to sneak the food in that way when he is distracted by playing. :)

Favorites : Going to school to play with his friends, Doc McStuffins and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, drinking out of a big boy cup, bath time (especially in Mom and Dad's big bath tub with the jets/bubbles!), his new iPad from Grandma and Papa for Christmas (he especially loves the Peek-a-Boo apps, Calling Elmo or Cookie Monster, and the Little People app!), puzzles, pushing his new baby doll around the house in a stroller, swimming with Daddy at the YMCA, helping Mommy cook, and taking Mommy or Daddy's hand to show them what he wants or where he wants to go. :)

Doesn't like : Still not loving diaper changes or getting dressed, not being picked up when he wants to be :), taking medicine, being confined in the car seat or high chair once he is ready to get moving, and gymnastics class. We recently tried a "Big and Little" class at our local gymnastics gym, and he wasn't loving having to follow all the directions. He just wanted to run around the gym and play with the things he wanted to play with like we usually have in the past at Open Gym! We decided after 2 very unsuccessful classes that we are going to give it a few months and we might try again once he is a little older. For now, he is absolutely LOVING Open Gym, so we are going to do that once a week instead!

I am starting to get SO excited about our newest addition that will be here soon! While I am nervous and anxious about the responsibility of having two little ones, I know he will be another miraculous blessing.

• How far along?  31 weeks tomorrow
• Baby size:  Pineapple
• Total weight gain:  I have stopped counting! I think I am close to 25 pounds total.
• Maternity clothes?  Oh yes. This belly is huge.
• Stretch marks?  Not that I have noticed!
• Sleep:  Sleeping is starting to become difficult. I am having pain in my right hand similar to carpal tunnel. It gets so intense that it wakes me up at night! Between that, going to the bathroom, and just starting to get uncomfortable, I am up quite a few times every night. But I keep reminding myself that I can run to the bathroom or straighten out my wrist and then go right back to sleep - not exactly the luxury I will have in a few short weeks! ;) 
• Best moment this week:  Seeing Benjamin have a great day at school on Friday was a wonderful moment, not only when thinking about him, but when thinking about the new baby, too.  I am really fortunate that I will have two mornings each week to have alone time with our new little one. I hope to somehow schedule in a morning or afternoon of alone time with our big brother Benjamin each week, too!  I want to make sure that both of our boys get our undivided attention for at least a few hours each week.
• Miss anything?  Not having to pee every 10 minutes. :) Benjamin and I were at Open Gym this weekend, and I had to go to the bathroom twice in the one hour we were there! I had to take him into the yucky public bathroom with me since we were there alone - ew! 
• Movement:  SO much movement! I can see the baby rolling across my stomach as he changes positions now, as opposed to sharp jabs or kicks every few moments. It is the absolute COOLEST thing I have ever experienced. I am so lucky to be able to have such healthy, amazing pregnancies!
• Food cravings:  Hostess Fruit Pies. They now sell them in packages of 10 mini pies (half the size of a regular pie), and I eat one almost every night.  Probably accounts for the 25 pounds I've gained this pregnancy!
• Anything making you queasy or sick:  Not really!
• Gender:  Boy! :) I am a lucky lady to be surrounded by all these sweet boys. I just ordered a few new outfits and pajamas for Benjamin from Hanna Andersson's new spring line, and it was so much fun to be able to get the matching outfit for his little brother!!
• Labor signs:  Just some Braxton Hicks, but nothing too crazy!
• Symptoms:  My sciatic nerve in my lower back is pretty sore, and I also have the numbness in my hand. Other than that I am just starting to get very sleepy. But I can't complain - overall I feel pretty good, and you can't really expect to feel 100% GREAT when you are growing a baby inside of you, can you? It kind of comes with the territory, and I just feel blessed that I am able to have a healthy pregnancy - back pain, tiredness, and all!
• Belly button in or out?  Out!
• Wedding rings on or off?  I am wearing my bigger fake wedding band just for comfort sake. My wedding rings will still fit, but they are getting snug!
• Happy or moody most of the time?  Happy!
• Looking forward to:  An ultrasound this Thursday to see how baby is growing. :)
• Diabetes update:  My A1C was 6.2 when they checked it last! I am proud of myself and glad that I have the tools I need to keep myself healthy for the little one!