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!

17 months and 23 weeks :)

I feel like I write something to this effect on every post, but I really can't believe we almost have a one and a half year old! Benjamin grows and changes every single day.  No, every single hour.  No, every single minute!  It is amazing how much their little brains grow during these early years.  His vocabulary is growing rapidly, although we still struggle to figure out exactly what he is saying to us sometimes!  Benjamin loves to play the "What does a _____ say?" game.  He knows what a dog, cat, cow, sheep, bird, snake, lion, and Santa says.  He also likes to point to his body parts when we ask him, "Where's your nose/eyes/ears/tummy/hand/foot?" Benjamin also has a new obsession with Mommy's iPhone.  He asks for it by saying, "Video?"  I think this is because when we got home from Disney World a few weeks ago, we would watch videos from our trip together to unwind before a nap or bedtime.  Now he will ask for a "video" constantly!  Sometimes he will actually watch the videos of himself on my phone, and other times he will play with apps.  He loves to call Elmo, FaceTime Santa, play Fisher Price apps, or play Peek-a-Boo Barn.  I try to limit the screen time to only a few minutes here or there throughout the day, but the little stinker asks for it all day long! He even learned how to unlock my phone and swipe to the page where he can find his apps!  He's already outsmarting us... :) 

He is such a loving little guy.  Benjamin will give the sweetest kisses and hugs these days.  One of my favorite times of the day is when we are getting ready for a nap and he will lay his head down on my shoulder and snuggle up to me.  I hope he always wants to snuggle with his mommy!!!

We went to visit Santa last weekend and Benjamin was not a very big fan of the man in the big red suit!  He was all smiles, was waving to him, and loudly saying, "Ho ho ho!" before our turn to go up and see him.  Then Santa's helper announced (very properly I might add), "Santa is ready to meet Prince Benjamin!"  Daddy held Benjamin and slowly walked up the stairs toward him.  As they got closer, Benjamin started making little cries.  Once they got close enough for Daddy to set him on Santa's lap, Benjamin started crying loudly and grabbed onto Chris!  It was so funny and cute.  We'll try again next year!!

Age : 17 months (almost 1 1/2 years old!)

Weight : 27ish pounds

Clothing and Diaper Size : 18-24 months in Janie and Jack, 24 months in Carters, 80 or 90 in Hanna Andersson, and size 5 diapers

Milestones :  Benjamin says quite a few words these days.  To name a few: hi, bye-bye, Muma, Dada, Ma (Grandma), PaPa, Gie (Maggie), eat, baby, play, video, uh oh and oh no (these two are usually in sequence together in a very dramatic way ;)), cat, dog, up, juice, baba, snack, hot, and more.  I'm sure there are more words that I am forgetting right now! He has 10 teeth now, 4 of which are molars.  He's becoming more and more independent each month.  Benjamin will play by himself in his playroom for quite a while before coming to find Mommy or Daddy.  He definitely still has his days where he wants to be right by our side - or in our arms - though!

Sleep :  Benjamin is doing a great job with sleeping these days.  He sleeps from about 8:30pm-7:30am, and then takes a nap around 1 or 2pm.  We are down to one nap a day which I really like.  It allows me to get all of our errands or activities done in the morning or early afternoon, and then I can have 2 hours or so to prepare dinner and clean up the house before Chris gets home from work.  It's a nice schedule!  I try to remember to enjoy it before things get a little crazy again come March!

Eating : We have a little bit of a bird on our hands when it comes to eating! Benjamin will pick at his meals, but isn't a huge eater.  I sometimes worry that he isn't eating enough at each meal.  He loves to eat macaroni and cheese, grilled cheese, green beans, corn, rolls, spaghetti, McDonalds chicken nuggets and french fries (which he dips in ketchup!), fruit smoothies, baby fruit snacks, scrambled eggs, steel cut oatmeal, and loves pretty much any kind of fruit!  When we are grocery shopping he loves to snack on a banana as we shop!  He will also still eat pouches really well, so I try to make sure he has 2 or 3 of those each day to get some extra veggies in.

Favorites : Going up and down the stairs at our new house, Elmo, Mickey Mouse, Santa (he loves finding Santa at stores or around the house and saying Ho Ho Ho!), juice (especially apple juice boxes), Mommy's iPhone, baby fruit snacks, the song Let it Go (and the music video!), dancing, drinking out of a big boy cup or a water bottle, bottles of milk (or babas), 

Doesn't like : Still not a big fan of diaper changes, but we can usually distract him during them, being around strange people or even family members that he hasn't seen in a while, teething, diaper rashes (he just had a really bad one - I felt awful for the poor little thing!), and sitting on Santa's lap. :)


In addition to having a toddler, we also have a little 23 week old growing away inside of my tummy! I sometimes have to pinch myself - we are so lucky to have not one but TWO little ones!  I cannot wait to meet our next miracle.  

• How far along?  23 1/2 weeks
• Baby size:  Papaya
• Total weight gain:  I think around 18 pounds or so.  My tummy feels huge this time around!
• Maternity clothes?  Yes! I am able to get away with some non-maternity tops, but I am in all maternity pants.
• Stretch marks?  No, but I sure don't inspect my tummy and legs like I used to with the first pregnancy.  No time for that with a 1 year old on the loose! 
• Sleep:  Sleeping great!  Just waking up to go to the bathroom 2-3 times a night. I am trying to soak up these last few months of getting a full night's sleep.... :)
• Best moment this week:  We celebrated Thanksgiving with our families this week. It was great to spend time with everyone and for Benjamin to play with his cousins!  I am excited to add another little one to the festivities soon. 
• Miss anything?  My in-laws were having some wine with Thanksgiving dinner and it looked good, but it's not something I miss terribly.  I was content with my sparkling water, too!
• Movement:  Yes! Baby moves all the time! It is the most amazing feeling. I tell Chris all the time how lucky I feel that I have been blessed with not one but two pregnancies. I know many women dream of being able to experience all these moments, and some never can.  I love and appreciate every kick!
• Food cravings:  Apples!  I have a Honeycrisp apple almost every night. I am also craving McDonalds double cheeseburgers which is not my favorite craving since it's so unhealthy!
• Anything making you queasy or sick:  Not really!
• Gender:  BOY! Benjamin is going to have a little brother. :) We are working on the nursery plans and getting out all of Benjamin's old clothes.  It's so fun to be able to plan for our next little man!  I hope Benjamin and his brother will be great buddies.
• Labor signs:  I have had a few Braxton Hicks, but it's funny how you definitely know it isn't labor your second time around. :)
• Symptoms:  A little bit of back pain and I am more tired than usual these days.  But feeling pretty great other than that!
• Belly button in or out?  It is just starting to pop out! 
• Wedding rings on or off?  On.
• Happy or moody most of the time?  Happy!
• Looking forward to:  Our 4D ultrasound in a few weeks!
• Diabetes update:  My A1C improved a ton over the past couple of months! I am proud of my hard work, but would still like to do even better.  I am in the process of getting a new pump, which I think will be really helpful in better controlling my blood sugars. I am excited about it!

Disney World 2014

Another Sweet Surprise!

A few weeks ago (on July 16th to be exact!), I was digging around in the bathroom cupboard for something and noticed an unopened pregnancy test.  I had already taken a test a few days ago since I was late for my period and one of my best friend's bachelorette parties was that weekend.  It was negative.  I couldn't be pregnant.  I was on the pill!  And still breastfeeding!  Or could I... 

I decided to take the test, just to be sure.  It couldn't have been a more different experience than when I took a pregnancy test and found out we were having Benjamin.  With our first, I had been painstakingly counting the days until I could take a pregnancy test.  I watched the second hand tick as I waited those 3 looooong minutes for the test to give us an answer.  I was elated to see the "pregnant" result!!!  This time around, things were just a bit different. :)  As I was peeing on the stick, Benjamin was crawling up my legs, crying for a snack.  I quickly got the job done, set the test on the back of the toilet, washed my hands, and picked him up to go about our day.  Then, I totally forgot about it!!  I definitely wasn't counting the seconds like before.  I didn't even end up looking at the test again for about 3 hours!  I walked into the bathroom, grabbed the pregnancy test, and gave it a quick glance - expecting to see one line, toss it, and head back out to see what kind of trouble our 1 year old was getting into.  Boy was I surprised to see 2 lines... :)

I have to be totally honest.  This 2nd pregnancy was a surprise, and at first I wasn't sure how I felt about it.  I mostly felt guilty that I would be taking time away from Benjamin.  How could I love another baby as much as him?  He was still just a baby himself - wasn't it unfair to be taking time away from him for a new baby?  Would he resent having a sibling at such a young age?  Could we handle two babies under the age of 2?

After the news sunk in for a few days, and after receiving some great support from my husband and family, I felt completely different.  Benjamin was truly the BEST thing that had ever happened to me.  I may sound cliche, but he changed my whole world - in the best way!!!  How lucky are we that we're going to have not just one, but TWO little miracles to love?!  We are truly blessed, and I know this baby was meant to be.  God had a special plan when he created this little one for us.  Benjamin won't even remember life before his sibling, and I hope that they are the best of friends.  Being so close in age will hopefully be a good thing when it comes to that!  I know there will be difficult days, weeks, or even months - especially at first.  But we are beyond grateful to have this baby coming into our family.  I couldn't be more excited!  

So, here we go again! :) 

• How far along?  15 weeks exactly
• Baby size:  An orange!
• Total weight gain:  6 pounds. A few pounds less than when I was pregnant the first time around. Probably because I wasn't eating much during the first trimester since I was so sick! :( 
• Maternity clothes?  Oh yeah. The tummy is popping much more quickly this time around! I am in maternity pants most of the time, and both regular and maternity tops.  I like the snug fitting maternity tops because it makes me hope people see that I'm pregnant and not just chubby. :) 
• Stretch marks?  No.
• Sleep:  Sleeping great!  I do have to get up to go to the bathroom at least once (usually twice) a night, but it's nice to be able to go right back to sleep.  Benjamin is getting his molars right now, so he has been up occasionally in the night.  It's tough to crawl out of bed, and it is reminding me of whats to come in a few short months...I am getting pretty used to how great it feels to sleep through the night now with Benjamin!
• Best moment this week:  I am pretty sure I felt the baby moving last night!  I heard that you can feel it earlier with a second pregnancy since you know what to look (or feel) for.  As I was on the couch watching TV last night, I think I could feel those first little flutters.  Nothing beats that!  It is the most *amazing* thing.
• Miss anything?  Not really! I am just thrilled to be carrying this little one.  All that stuff you give up when you are pregnant seems more than worth it when you think about the end result.
• Movement:  See above! :)
• Food cravings:  Mexican! I definitely crave spicy this pregnancy. I have also been craving apples and veggies - especially Subway veggie subs.
• Anything making you queasy or sick:  I had awful nausea throughout the whole first trimester, but thankfully that has subsided.  Nothing really makes me queasy now!
• Gender:  I have no idea!  I do feel totally different with this pregnancy, but I am not sure if that means anything or not.  
• Labor signs:  I was having a lot of cramping and pain earlier last week, but that went away! Not really labor signs, but it was a little strange. I never had anything that intense with Benjamin.
• Symptoms:  My back is a bit sore (my sciatic nerve is acting up again this time around, and it probably doesn't help that I am carrying around a 30 pound sack of potatoes all day :)), but other than that I am feeling pretty good! I love the 2nd trimester!
• Belly button in or out?  In. 
• Wedding rings on or off?  On.
• Happy or moody most of the time?  Happy!
• Looking forward to:  Finding out if we are having a boy or girl in a few weeks!
• Diabetes update:  My blood sugars have been good, but not as perfect as I'd like.  Chasing around after Benjamin takes away from my ability to watch my sugars like I did before. I am working hard at it and will keep trying to improve! I am anxious to see what my A1C is now - I head down to the doctor next week!

Well, I'm off to enjoy some TV and relax a little before bedtime.  Benjamin and I have a busy morning at the Library Lapsit class tomorrow. :)  Thanks for reading!

1 Year!!!

I can't BELIEVE our sweet boy is a whole year old! In some ways it feels like he was just placed into my arms for the very first time. In other ways, it feels like that newborn phase was forever ago. It is so true that it just keeps getting better. Every month he surprises us with how much he grows and changes! 

We had so much fun celebrating his 1st birthday! When I was growing up, my mom put balloons all around my bed the night before my birthday so I would wake up to a fun surprise to start the day! I decided to continue the tradition for our little one. I snuck into his room around midnight and taped balloons all around his crib. I knew this would be extra special for Benjamin, because he LOVES balloons. It was one of his first words! We'll be walking around the grocery store and he'll spot a balloon, start pointing at it, smiling, and saying "ba-ba-ba!" (His version of balloon!). :)  I couldn't wait for him to wake up and see his birthday surprise. Welllllll, turns out I could've probably waited a few more hours. He woke up at 3am and was batting the balloons all around, saying "Ba! Ba! Ba!" and he wouldn't go back to sleep! Haha! I had to take the balloons out of his room and put them in the hallway until the morning. Oh well...he was still THRILLED when I carried the huge bouquet into his room when the birthday boy woke up around 7am! :)

We had a special birthday breakfast of German Pancakes that morning (another tradition passed down from my mom!). He LOVED those. We played all morning and had a visit from Grandma Judie. Then we went to Baby Gymnastics with Tia and Stella. He loves crawling all over the cushy, bouncy floor and climbing on all the fun toys at Baby Gymnastics! After that, we had a long birthday nap, followed by dinner with Daddy at Casey's, and cake at home of course. It was such a fun day!

We celebrated Benjamin's birthday with friends and family with a party at our new house. The house wasn't quite done on the inside, but the outside was ready for a party! We had a big tent that was placed right next to the garage. It ended up being a perfect set up! The theme was balloons. We had primary colors and balloons everywhere! We even had a big balloon #1 and stations leading up the driveway to the party. It was a hot and muggy day, and we had some rain, but that didn't stop our fun. About 50 people came out to celebrate Benjamin's special big "one". :) It was such a special day!

Age : 12/13 months 

Weight : 24ish pounds

Clothing and Diaper Size : Benjamin is wearing a 2T in Janie and Jack, an 80 or 90 in Hanna Andersson, and 24 months in other brands!

Milestones :  Our mobile boy is still a crawling machine! He is getting so fast. He is also pulling himself up on all the furniture, and "cruising" around the furniture as well. Just last week (around 13 months) he started standing all on his own in the middle of the room. He will pop up and down to stand up!  It's pretty cute! We are still waiting for those first steps. I am excited because it'll be easier to let him get down and exercise when we are outside, shopping, or out and about!  Benjamin is alllllllll about the stairs right now. He loves going up the stairs at Grandma and Papa's! He b-lines it for the stairs immediately when we get to their house. The trouble is that he doesn't quite know how to get down the stairs yet. He leans over the edge like he is going to go down face first - yikes!  He is getting pretty good about lowering himself down off the couch or chairs by turning his body around, so maybe he'll transfer that to the stairs soon.

Benjamin is talking up a storm these days. He babbles all day long!  He says quite a few more words now - hi, bye-bye, Muma, Dada, baba, ba (balloon), Gie (Maggie), uh oh, Ma (Grandma), and probably a few others that I am forgetting right now!

Benjamin also just cut one of his molars! He now has 7 teeth - 5 on top and still just 2 on the bottom. :) Overall he's been a trooper so far with the teeth.

Sleep :  Benjamin is doing so much better with his sleeping! We can lay him down with no tears for both naps and nighttime sleep now. He was waking in the night a few times for about a week when he cut his molar, but now he is sleeping through the night again. :)

Eating : I am a little sad to report that we are all done nursing. We dropped one feeding at a time and switched to a bottle of whole milk after his first birthday. It took about a month to wean 100%, but overall he (and mommy) did really well! He had no problem switching over to the bottle of whole milk. We are now using 2% milk from a recommendation from our doctor. It helps prevent heart disease later in life, along with childhood obesity! Apparently there is no reason to give a baby whole milk - the 2% is just fine.

Benjamin is becoming a little more of a picky eater! He doesn't love avocado or blueberries like he used to anymore; he much prefers whatever we are eating! Some of his current favorites are corn on the cob, BBQ chicken, lasagna, mashed potatoes, green beans, broccoli, carrots, spaghetti, scrambled eggs, and mac and cheese! 

Favorites : Still loves Maggie's dog food and water!, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, dancing to the baby station on Pandora, his blankies, going for rides in his new bike buggy (thanks Grandma & Papa!), knocking over his stacking cups and saying, "uh oh!", crawling around on Mommy and Daddy's bed with Mommy "chasing" him:), and being free in the bath tub to crawl around/stand up/play! 

Doesn't like : Hates diaper changes, and also doesn't like when Mommy takes away something that he shouldn't have! ;) 

10 and 11 months!

It can't be possible that this is the last post I'll be writing before my sweet baby boy is a ONE YEAR OLD!  I know it sounds so cliche, but holy cow, did the past 11 months fly by.  As I always say, this was absolutely the best month yet!  Benjamin reminds me more and more of a toddler these days.  He is totally mobile and LOVES exploring.  It is fun to watch him discover new things on his own, rather than him depending on me to hand him toys, or carry him to different places.  

Age : 10/11 months (Things got a little crazy with the new house the past few months and I didn't have a chance to post at 10 months.)

Weight : 23ish pounds

Clothing and Diaper Size : He is still wearing 18 month in most brands, and is now ready for 18-24 month in Janie and Jack.  Such a big boy.

Milestones :  We have a fully mobile crawler! Benjamin army crawled for a few weeks, and would lift his belly up occasionally, but then get tired and lay back down to move.  He started legit crawling with his belly up off the floor at around 10 1/2 months.  Chris and I love to chase him around the house!  If we roll a ball along the floor in front of him and pretend like we want to get it, he will try to crawl as fast as his little legs/arms can take him to get to it first!  It is so so cute!  We play all kinds of fun games like this now.  Benjamin will clap his hands when I sing Patty Cake or when I say "Yay Benjamin!".  He'll also hold his arms up high for "Sooooo big!" with a huge smile on his face!  He is saying "bye-bye" and really waving his hand (or handS!) when we prompt him!  It seems like he definitely understands.  He'll also point to things around the room that he wants.  I am still signing with him, but the only word he signs back to me right now is "milk". (Not that surprising.) :)  We'll see if he picks up on any of the other signs in the next month or two.  

Sleep :  Benjamin hit a rough patch with sleeping at around 11 months.  He starting waking up around 4 or 5am everyday, and didn't want to go back to sleep!  It made for a challenging morning, with an early morning nap, and that threw off the rest of the day. Hopefully we'll be back on track with a normal wake up time soon. :)  His naps are still great!  He sleeps for between 3 and 4 hours each day.

Eating : Benjamin is still nursing in the early morning, before naps, and before bed (4 times a day).  The thought of stopping still makes me a little sad and anxious.  I never would've guessed I would be THAT mom that enjoys nursing so much.  We both are just so content with our little schedule, and with me being at home with him all day it's so much easier than formula.  We have a trip to Las Vegas for Chris's 30th birthday planned in mid-August, so my thought is I should wean him from all feedings (except maybe not bedtime) by then.  We'll see how it goes.  He goes through phases with his solid food where he eats more and then less.  Right now he is eating a bit less than usual.  He still enjoys Puffs, fruit, veggies, mac and cheese, grilled cheese, spaghetti, french toast, scrambled eggs, and more!  He loves yogurt melts, so he gets a few for "dessert" while I clean up his high chair after each meal. :)

Favorites : Maggie's dog food (he is OBSESSED with trying to crawl over to get it - and eat it! Gross!), waving bye-bye, eskimo kisses with Mommy before bed, Baby Einstein You Tube movies while he gets a diaper change, the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse theme song and Hot Dog song, dancing, mimicking the sounds Mom or Dad make, crossing his little feet

Doesn't like : Really isn't liking diaper changes or getting dressed lately, only likes his car seat some of the time