Rules Schmules

Knowing which rules are worth fighting about with your 2 year old is hard.

Enforcing the rules that you deem "important enough" is harder.

Enforcing the important rules when you happen to have a cute 2 year old is even harder.

Enforcing the rules when your cute 2 year old is, say, so very thrilled to be jumping on her bed when she's supposed to be listening to her bedtime story, is really very hard.

Enforcing the rules when your cute 2 year old starts chanting "no more monkeys jumping on the bed" while she's breaking about 3 rules by jumping on the bed is really really so much very hard.

Enforcing the rules when your 4 month old starts laughing hysterically at your cute, rule-breaking 2 year old is downright impossible!

Sometimes, a happy family moment is more important than enforcing the rules.

Merry Milestones

Hello all! Here are a few pictures I thought you might like to see. Ironically, on the night of my previous post, our little Abby Kate hit my favorite milestone - sleeping through the night!!! She made it a full 7 hours in her bouncer (our record, so far), woke up to eat, and then proceeded to sleep another 3-4 hours. It was wonderful!! I'm not sure if it had anything to do with my purposely avoiding caffeine at dinnertime that night, but just in case, I've cut back. Anyway, enjoy the pictures, and have a very Merry Christmas Eve!!!

Ready to go to church!

So peaceful, I just had to capture it on camera!

Getting ready to make her acting debut as "baby Jesus."

She made a very sweet "baby Jesus." "Joseph" was about the most attentive "new dad" I've ever seen. He didn't take his eyes off the baby the whole program!

Singing "Away in a Manger" for the crowds.

Earlier today, we hit another major milestone. I put Abby Kate on the floor for some tummy time, and proceeded to organize some pictures just in from my photographer. I turned around to check on her, and saw this:
Luckily she rolled over again for the video camera because I totally missed the first one!

As Christa says, "Mawy Kissmas!!"

Weekly Update

Hello all! In keeping with my half-promise to get back to my weekly updates, here I am. (Feel free to do the happy dance if you feel so inclined :) We have been relaxingly busy the last week... if that is possible. Cline is right in the middle of a 2 week break, so we have very much enjoyed having Daddy around all day!! We'll pay for it at the end of the month when he works nonstop for a while, but we're trying not to think too much about that right now.

We are almost ready for Christmas. I have just a few more presents to wrap, and maybe a last minute gift or two to purchase if I find just the right thing. Tonight, we had the pleasure of going to LaLa and Poppy's (Cline's parents') church for their children's Christmas program. Abby Kate was "baby Jesus" and sat as content as could be on "Mary's" lap for the whole program!! I was quite proud. She's a terrible sleeper (more on that fun in a minute), but she makes up for it by being so happy and easy-going the rest of the time. At the end of the program, Christa joined the kids as a little angel and sang Happy Birthday to Jesus. Then, at the request of LaLa, she did an impromptu, solo, acapella performance of Away in a Manger. Sooooo cute and soooo on tape thanks to my father-in-law! (He said he'd have to think about how much he was going to charge me for a copy :) She completed her number with enthusiastic applause for herself. To say Cline and I were proud of both of our girls tonight would be a huge understatement! I'll try to get some pictures of the evening up in the next day or so.

As far as Abby Kate's sleeping goes, there have been no "Silent Nights" around here for many days. She started out sleeping like a dream - 4 or 5 hours at a time from the day we brought her home from the hospital. She was never a great napper - she likes to cat-nap, and I'm lucky to get a full hour at a time. Plus, she's always gotten very fidgety unless she was being held. But she made up for that by sleeping at night. Then, we had the feeding issues the first month, and I had to wake her up at night to eat. She was still doing ok for a while, but I was kinda hoping she'd start sleeping through the night at 7 weeks like her big sister did. Instead, it's gradually getting worse. If she sleeps 4-5 hours, she wakes up every 30 minutes to an hour after that to "eat" (i.e. nurse for 30 seconds until she falls asleep again). The last 2 nights, she's woken up every 2-3 hours all night long. Come on, kid - this is newborn stuff!! We're supposed to be past that!

I'm totally blaming the SIDS recommendations, and I have to admit, I'm having a harder and harder time resisting the urge to put her on her stomach and be done with it. I'm learning that babies don't like to sleep on a marble slab with no blankets, no lovies, and no cute bumper pads to look at, stretched out on their backs like all of the health care professionals insist on! I actually knew that from the beginning, but figured that plenty of other parents out there get their babies to sleep on their backs, so we should, too. (How do you do this, people??) We let Christa sleep on her stomach from about 3 weeks on (due to reflux issues), and it was a dream! While I don't expect Abby Kate to sleep all the time like Christa did, I do feel like she should be able to sleep comfortably for a decent stretch at night and a couple of hours during the day by this point! Not to mention, she's about to be able to kick herself out of the bouncer she sleeps in (early on, she showed her disdain for the very nice bassinet that was purchased just for her)! Any advice on this would be greatly appreciated. I'm about out of ideas.

The rest of my time lately has been spent obsessively reading the latest news articles about the health care reform bill. Without opening a huge can of worms on that topic, let me just say that I've been concerned about it, but I'm doing my best not to let it consume my life. I find I'm a much happier person when I just don't pay attention to the news, and I'm going to do my best to do just that this week as I celebrate the greatest event in history with my family. Although it sure is hard to resist pulling up the latest Fox News headlines when the iPhone is right there... all the time :)

Alright, I'm off to try to get my wide-awake infant to sleep for the night 3 hours, pretty please with a cherry on top!! Have a great night!

Merry Christmas 2009

Dear Friends and Family,

Wow! 2009 is going to be a hard one to beat! As we wrap up a fabulous year for our family, we are so thankful for our many blessing and look forward to good things in 2010.

Just after Christmas last year (literally a few days), we learned we would be adding another baby to our family. We were soooo excited, and I began preparing immediately with my good friends, nausea and vomiting! After a long and uncomfortable (but thankfully, healthy) pregnancy, we welcomed Abigail Kathleen, "Abby Kate," into our family on September 2 at 5:12 am. Despite our best efforts, the little 8 lb 12 oz bundle of joy missed the Kindergarten cut-off date by just a few hours. Somehow, I don't think I'm going to mind keeping her at home with me for an extra year! Christa jumped right in to her new role as "big sister," and introducing our two girls to each other was definitely the high point of the year! I don't think I'll ever forget hearing Christa tearfully yell "baby" down the hall of the post-partum unit when she had to leave that first night. They still seem to like each other, and Christa is very helpful, bouncing Abby Kate or fetching her pacifier when she cries. I couldn't be more proud! Abby Kate is a sweet, cuddly baby who smiles all the time. She's not the greatest sleeper in the world, but I blame that mostly on the statistically effective, but frustrating SIDS recommendations we're attempting to follow.

Early this year, we got some other exciting news - a position was opening up at our local trauma center. Cline has envisioned working locally for many years, and this opportunity came to us much earlier than we had anticipated when he accepted his first job offer in a nearby town in 2008. After much prayer and careful consideration, we decided that Cline would accept the new position here in town. It was definitely the right choice! Cline now works 10 minutes from home instead of 30. The schedule is much better, and Cline absolutely loves working with people he knows and being available when our loved ones have their own emergencies.

Christa continues to grow and change faster than I would like to admit. She turned 2 in June, and we celebrated "Nemo-style" with a water fun pizza party at our house. Shortly after that, she learned to talk in sentences, and converses with us like a little adult. She also embraced a new "big-girl room" and transitioned herself out of her crib and into a "big-girl bed." We are in the very early stages of potty-training. (I'm hoping to find the motivation to fully tackle that one sometime before she's 5 :) In August, she started going to a local church program, similar to a Mother's Morning Out, 2 mornings a week. She loves her teacher, and I enjoy the craft projects that I'm too lazy busy to do with her. She now insists on saying the prayer at each meal, and adorably sings Jesus Loves Me and Away in a Manger. She wants a Buzz Lightyear for Christmas, and has recently discovered the thrill that is Mickey Mouse.

As for me, I am thoroughly enjoying the energy that comes with not being pregnant! After 8 months of being sick and exhausted, and 1 rough month of teaching Abby Kate how to nurse, I am really enjoying being a wife and mother of 2. Our days are spent running errands, having play dates, going out to eat when Daddy's off work, and trying to keep some semblance of organization to the house. I also enjoy my Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS) group, which is a ministry to... well... mothers of preschoolers. I'm on the "steering team" which is the group of ladies who does all of the behind the scenes organization to keep the group running. I've gotten to know some terrific women through this group, and I look forward to the "girl time." I'm also hoping to resume Kindermusik classes with Christa after the New Year.

Well, I think that wraps up our year. We hope all of you have had an equally wonderful year.

Merry Christmas!

Jessica (and family)

** cards are in the mail **

It's Almost Christmas!!

Hello all! My wonderful husband spent the morning downloading all of our pictures to the new computer so that I can (hopefully) resume regular blogging again!! Unfortunately, I can't figure out how to move the pictures around, so they're going to be out of order this time. The best part about this morning is that Cline was downloading pictures while I was SLEEPING IN until 11:45!!! I can't remember the last time I got to sleep in as late as I wanted, and let me just tell you, it was awesome!

The rest of our time in recent past has been spent trying to "de-antify" (I know that's not a word, but it is here) our house. These little pests are stubborn this year. The last time we had a problem like this was the summer we had Christa in our Augusta apartment. What is it with ants invading our house when we have newborns?? At any rate, we've tried everything to get rid of these bugs and have only gotten a day or two's worth of peace in between attacks! Currently, we're going for the kill with tons of bait inside and out.

Also today, we found out that Cline passed his boards exam. He had to travel to Chicago in October to take this test, so we are praising God for the good results. He is "board certified" for the next 10 years!!

Christa is quite cute this year. She is very much into the tree decorating, and daily chocolate from her edible advent calendar. She required a little coaxing to sit on Santa's lap this year, but she did it after Abby Kate proved he didn't hurt :) She and I looked through a Toys-R-Us circular earlier today, and the only thing she says she wants is a Buzz Lightyear toy. A little elf told me that Santa arranged for just that very thing along with a tricycle on Black Friday, so it looks like she'll be pleased on Christmas morning.

Alright - enjoy the pictures:

Christa's little preschool had a breakfast with Santa. Here I am with my two girls! Cline had to work for this event, but the girls and I had fun eating pancakes and making a snowflake ornament.

Here are the girls with Santa. Abby Kate was starting to get sleepy by the time Christa finally decided it was safe to sit on Santa's lap.

Here's Abby Kate on her 3 month birthday (Dec. 2). That's Christa's hand, "helping" me to get a good picture.

Here is Christa helping to decorate the tree. She got a "Toy Story" ornament this year, and Abby Kate got a Winnie the Pooh Baby's 1st Christmas ornament to start her collection.

This is Abby Kate watching us decorate the tree. She was so good just sitting there so we could have all of our hands to hang ornaments.

Gotta run! Hopefully, you'll be hearing from me on a weekly basis now that we're starting to get on a better schedule and I have a working computer now!

Play Date Anyone??

Hey guys! I'm trying to get several play dates scheduled (especially with you out of town people who I don't get to see often enough :). I've decided rather than go to the effort to call each of you (although you're totally worth it :), I'm making you do the work and asking you to contact me!! The week after Christmas is particularly good for us! Hope to get some dates on the calendar soon!

It's Turkey Week!

Hello all! I fear I've lost readers from my lack of posting. Maybe if I can get into a routine again, I can win them back! I've noticed a lot of blogs aren't being updated very often anymore - it seems like everyone is on Facebook now. I, for one, like Facebook, but also like the blog, so I'm going to do my best to continue mine and update more regularly.

Things around here have been just how I like them lately - exciting enough to keep me from being bored, but average and mundane enough for me not to have much to worry about. We're busy getting ready for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and I am soooo excited about them both this year. For the first time ever, I was not offended when I saw the first Christmas decorations pop up before Halloween. In fact, I'm feeling a little behind that we are not decorated yet, even though I have never made an effort before Thanksgiving.

The girls are keeping me busy, but are sooooo much fun. The 2 year age difference is really great. Christa loves to "play" with Abby Kate by squeezing her cheeks and patting her back. Christa "pounds" her little fists and loves to hug and kiss her. Abby Kate just smiles back - I hope they always like each other this much!

I've also been keeping busy with MOPS, which stands for Mothers of Pre-Schoolers. It's a ministry where moms gather to meet other moms with young kids. I'm on the "steering team" this year. We organize the meetings and activities, and take care of the behind-the-scenes duties. I'm really enjoying it - I've been looking for ways to "volunteer" for a while now, and have had a hard time connecting with anything. This gives me a way to serve and has allowed me to get to know some other moms even better!

We are spending Thanksgiving this year with Cline's family. For the first time in a long time, the whole family will be together for the day, and I can't wait. Christa has caught a bug and is currently in bed with a fever, so I'm hoping everyone is well by then. On Friday, my mother-in-law and I (and possibly my mother) will brave the early morning crowds in search of amazing deals. I love Black Friday, even though I rarely save any money. I guess I just like the excitement, running into people I know, and feeling like I'm getting a bargain.

Abby Kate seems to be hungry, so I'd better run. Here's to more regular posts once our new computer gets here (hopefully tomorrow)!!

Pictures, Pictures, Lots and Lots of Pictures

Hello all! Here I am, delivering on the long-awaited, promised pictures. Go me! Get ready - I have lots for you. But first, I'll tell you a funny Christa story.

I can't remember if I've mentioned it or not yet, but Christa transitioned herself over to her big girl bed in her big girl room about a month ago. About a week or two ago, we were over at Mimi's house for the afternoon. When naptime rolled around, I debated on whether to go back to our house for her nap or attempt a nap in Mimi's guest room. Mimi stepped in and told Christa that if she took a nap in "mimi's big girl bed" then she could have some cookies as soon as she woke up.

I carried her upstairs, and found some stuffed animals to keep her company. I reminded her of the promise of cookies and kissed her goodnight. After a few hours passed, I decided that it was time for Christa to wake up. I tiptoed into the room and sat down beside my sleeping daughter. As I rubbed her back and whispered, "Christa, it's time to get up," she groggily rolled over. Her eyes squinted open, and my little junk food junkie whispered back, "I want cookies."

In less funny but equally exciting news, I am feeling like my "old self" again. I remember feeling this way when Christa was born - it took a good 2 months for me to feel like me again after the pregnancy and delivery. This time, I physically felt like my old self very quickly after Abby Kate was born, but I was very nervous about being alone with both girls for some reason. At first, I thought it was the feeding issues, and not being sure how to entertain Christa while spending so much time nursing Abby Kate. After those resolved, I still wanted help around the clock - not because I needed it necessarily, but because I just didn't want to be alone with the kids. I'm not sure why I felt this way - I didn't think that they were unsafe with me in any way or that anything bad would happen. I just really wanted company all the time, and I hated the thought of letting Abby Kate cry if I couldn't hold her while I cared for Christa.

Sometime over the last couple of weeks, I seem to have developed some new confidence, because the thought of caring for the girls by myself for a few days does not "scare" me in the least now. It helps that Abby Kate is on a more predictable feeding routine and is willing to go a few minutes without being held these days. But in retrospect, I'm thinking that hormones had a lot to do with my wanting constant company. Have any of you other mothers had a similar experience? I'm just wondering - I haven't heard any of my friends talk about anything like this, so maybe it's just me. At any rate, I'm having a blast with my 2 girls. Christa loves her sister, and Abby Kate gives Christa the biggest smiles. Here's a picture of one from Tuesday!

Abby Kate's first "real" bath - November 2, 2009. She loved it.

Enjoy the next several posts of pictures!

Abby Kate's Baptism Pictures

Here are some of the pictures taken at Abby Kate's baptism on November 7. In a following post, you will notice pictures taken on the day of the girls' baby dedication. The reason for this is that Cline comes from a Baptist background, and I from a Lutheran background. After much prayer and consideration, we decided to uphold both traditions. (No theological debates on this in the comment section, please :)

This is the dress that I wore for my Baptism. My sister and Christa also wore it for theirs.

It was an extra special day because it was also the first service in my parents' new church! My parents stood in as sponsors for Alicia, who couldn't make it due to work conflicts. We missed you, sister!

Our family!

Our family with Mimi and Pa!

Our family with La La and Poppy!

More Pictures

Abby Kate sure is a smiley baby! I love it!

Halloween night. Christa was an adorable Georgia cheerleader. I hate that she didn't have fun Trick-or-Treating. We had a little cheer worked out and everything! Maybe she'll have more fun with it next year.

Abby Kate won "funniest costume" at the Fall Festival at my parent's church. Christa tied for "cutest costume."

Abby Kate is 2 months!! The hands at the top of the picture are Christa's - wildly bouncing the seat up and down. Abby Kate loved it, apparently.

And a Few More Pictures

Fall Bazaar - Christa asked to ride the horse, and loved it! She's quite the daredevil.

Baby dedication - we had both of the girls dedicated at our church's baby dedication on October 18th. We did not have a "home church" when Christa was a baby, and Cline's schedule at the time made it quite difficult to schedule one. It was sweet to dedicate them together.

Sweet smiles from Miss Abby Kate. She started "awake smiling" around 5 weeks, and "on cue" around 7 weeks.

Like Arnie Said Back in the Day...

..."I'll be back..." very soon, I promise! Maybe tomorrow, even. We're still working on getting a new computer - the delay is that we want a Mac, and can't decide on an iMac or Macbook. Any thoughts on that guys??

At any rate, Cline's figured out a few tricks for our old computer, so I think I'm going to try and post some pictures tomorrow. We're doing really well. I'm feeling pretty comfortable taking care of both kids now, and having a blast with both of my girls.

Gotta run for now, though. I'm typing with one hand and holding a sleeping Abby Kate in the other.

So Much to Say... So Much to Post...

Hey guys! Hoping to order a computer in the next few days, so hopefully, my regular updates will resume. I've had so many cute stories, and I hate that I don't have a great way to post them while they're fresh on my mind.

Halloween was a complete disaster! I was completely overwhelmed and basically, the failed Trick-or-Treating experience led to me sobbing in the rocking chair over my inability to do "anything" right as a mother. More on that later...

I have lots of cute pictures I'd love to post and hope to do just that in the next few days/week. Christa was the cutest little Georgia cheerleader, and Abby Kate just wore a "Baby's 1st Halloween" outfit.

Also, Abby Kate is 2 months old today! (Picture of that soon, too :)

Gotta run - sorry for the random bits of information, but Christa's awake, and Abby Kate will be soon, too. Better post coming soon :)

Hellooooo Out There!!

Just another quick update from my parent's computer. It's going to be a few weeks before I have great access to one again.... we need a computer, and my husband said something about being financially responsible.. doing appropriate research on big purchases... waiting until we've paid other bills... I don't know - I tuned him out after he firmly said we can't order one "today." It won't be too long though - I miss you guys!

We're doing well. Christa has transitioned herself to her big girl bed!!! She asked to sleep in it a few weeks ago, but kept getting up. So I braced myself for a painful move that would likely involve me sitting outside her door and physically placing her back in her bed hundreds of times. Until that time, though, the crib still suited all of us just fine. Then, last week, the night before her "school" pictures (and also a night Cline was conveniently working :), she insisted on sleeping in her big girl bed. I actually tried to talk her out of it - I wanted Cline to be there to reassure me she wasn't going to go tumbling down the stairs in the middle of the night or pull the office bookcase over on herself, or that whatever horrific image my mind conjured up wouldn't happen. I also wanted her to get a good night's sleep so she'd look great and cooperate for her pictures. I told her several times that we'd sleep in the crib a few more nights, and if she could nap in the big girl bed for a few days, I'd let her sleep in it at night. Well, Christa insisted that she wanted to sleep in the big girl bed that very night.

I decided to compromise with myself. I would put her in the big girl bed and explain to her that if she got up just one time, it was back to the crib. I didn't even bother grabbing the baby monitor - just put her in bed with her duck and blankie, and waited outside her door for the offense to occur, certain she'd be in her crib within 3 minutes. Actually.... 5 minutes passed.... then 10. No sign of Christa exiting her room. I started to panic because I hadn't put the baby monitor in her room, and how was I going to sleep "so far away from her" with her having so much freedom to roam about the house unsupervised???? After 30 minutes passed, I decided to risk this surprising progress and sneak the baby monitor into her new room. I don't know if she'd fallen asleep by then or not, but she was contentedly lying in her bed and gave me a big smile when she saw me. I told her I was so proud of her, that she was doing great, and I loved her. Then I went to my room where I got a great night's sleep, knowing the baby monitor would alert me if she woke up. The next morning, she was sound asleep in her big girl bed with many stuffed animals to keep her company. She's been sleeping there for naps and at night ever since!

If potty training is that easy, we're in great shape :) That is our next goal, hopefully to be tackled in the next 6 months.

Well, gotta run - have a great day!

Hello From My Parent's Computer!

Hey guys! Just a quick hello to let you know that we're still around and doing fabulously! However, our computer has bitten the dust, and I'm not sure how long it will take us to order a new one and get it set up. Updates (especially pictures) might be fewer and farther between than I'd like for the next few weeks.

I am, however, on Facebook now, and I am able to check that and briefly update my status from Cline's iPhone, so look for me there while we wait for our home office to re-enter the 21st century. I will warn you that I have the most boring profile ever so far :)

Have a great weekend!

Very Quick Update

Hello all! I'm taking a few extra minutes to share these pictures with you. (I'm supposed to be "replying to ultra-important e-mails" right now - shhhhh.... :) We ventured to church yesterday for the first time since before Abby Kate was born. It was wonderful to be back! I took a few pictures on our way out the door, since it's the first time the girls have been dressed up together.

The picture below was just taken a few minutes ago. Christa cut her nap short today, but wanted to lay down in her big girl bed. She decided Abby Kate should join her. My sweet girls...

Alright, I'm off to watch the kids so Cline can go running. One day I'll have time to be creative with my posts again.....

Abby Kate is 1 Month!!

Where did the time go?? Sadly, this is the first time I've had a chance to post pictures since we brought her home from the hospital (and I had to really work to squeeze this time in - she's crying for food as we speak :) Even more sadly, these are among the only pictures I've taken of her since we brought her home - poor girl is already getting the short end of the stick with picture-taking! Life with 2 kids is chaotic, but I'm loving it! Gotta run and feed the baby, so enjoy the pictures!

Taken on my birthday - Sept. 12

Going to the football game with La-La!

Sweet sisters.

One month old today!

Quick Update

Hey guys! I have some pictures to post very soon. We're doing great. Cline is officially back at work, and is working his first long stretch since the baby was born, so this will be the true test to see if I can handle two on my own with the help of my wonderful mother and several paid babysitters!

I have been taking care of the girls completely on my own for a few hours at a time, and so far, it's not so bad (knock repeatedly on huge piece of wood). And I'm getting to the point where I can leave the house for more than 2 hours at a time - very nice. Yesterday, I even got some cleaning done - like serious, sweeping and vacuuming floors cleaning. It's a nice change from 9 months of filth! I think my body is just so happy to not be pregnant anymore, it's rewarding me with the energy of an Olympian! (Although I have a feeling I just might have a bit less energy after this week "on my own" :)

Abby Kate is truly a sweet baby, and Christa is the best big sister. I couldn't ask for a better transition - Christa tries to help, and often tells Abby Kate to "stop crying." When Abby Kate doesn't stop, Christa does what she can to fix the problem - i.e. rocking the swing, holding the pacifier in her mouth, etc. She's not overbearing, though, or wanting to hold the baby constantly, which is nice. Although anytime we are out in public and someone wants to come see the baby, Christa yells, "NO" until we remind her that they aren't going to take the baby, they just want to look at her.

Gotta run - I hear the baby stirring, and we're taking a road trip to get fitted for a bridesmaid's dress today. How I'm going to get accurate measurements 3 weeks post-partum is beyond me, but I'm going to make the best guess I can!

We've Graduated...

from lactation school!!! I had an appointment today with my lacation consultant, and it appears that most of our issues have resolved. Abby Kate weighed in at 9 lbs 4 oz. (a hefty 12 oz. above last week's weight), giving us the all clear to nurse how I love nursing best - on demand! No more watching the clock every 3 hours; no more pumping; no more having to offer bottles (unless it's more convenient for ME!!) Oh, and the best part is that I can let Abby Kate sleep up to 6 hours at night - boy it was painful to set alarms to wake her up so we could stay "on schedule."

I'll take her back in a week to make sure she doesn't lose weight under this new "system," but at least for now, I'm nursing like a normal mom of a newborn. I guess that means I've lost my excuse for constant help :)

Christa is still doing great and is still loving her little sister. She wants to see her all the time. Yesterday, Abby Kate was in her swing, and she started crying. Cline and I were both busy at that moment, so we didn't rush to get her. Christa went over to the swing and gently rocked it until Abby Kate stopped crying. It was truly sweet and helpful!

Gotta run - I think my little one is demanding a nursing session right now :)

The Good, The Bad, and The Baby

The Good: Christa is handling the recent changes in our family with style and loves, loves, loves her little sister! In fact, I seem to be more traumatized by our recent lack of time together than she is.
The Bad: I miss taking care of my big girl myself.
The Baby... doesn't seem to mind the eye-poking, cheek pinching, and rolling around on big sister's lap so far.

The Good: My lactation consultant told me to eat a high fat diet, drink no water - only caloric beverages, and eat lots of carbs. That fits in well with my normal diet.
The Bad: This advice does NOT mesh with my "I don't have time to eat right now quick weight-loss plan."
The Baby... eats constantly.

The Good: My lactation consultant told me to go to the local baby boutique and buy an expensive breast pump. I took that as permission to look around at some cutsie, fun things too.
The Bad: My husband is addicted to Dave Ramsey, so, being the respectful, obedient wife that I am, I did not make any fun purchases.
The Baby... is devastated and probably emotionally traumatized at not having the silky pink blankie I thought about buying.

The Good: I've seemed to manage a daily shower since the baby was born.
The Bad: I hear you can't "stock up" on showers, so I'm expecting a pretty smelly week around here when Cline goes back to work.
The Baby... could use a daily bath herself, but until she learns how to nurse, that's a low priority.

The Good: There are some adorable birth announcements available.
The Bad: They are really expensive if you plan to send out more than, say, five.
The Baby... doesn't know or care what her announcements look like, but that didn't stop me from breaking the Dave Ramsey rules and ordering the cute, folding cards with the printed pictures. I'm hoping I spelled everything correctly...

The Good: I have lots of clothes left over from Christa's newborn days.
The Bad: It's a lot colder here this time of year than it was in Augusta, so the sleeveless outfits just aren't cutting it.
The Baby... has been living in onesies and swaddlers as a result of the lack of clothes and lack of places around here to purchase cute baby clothes.

Well, I'm off to pump and get my 3 hours of sleep in! We're doing great around here, and the feeding thing is actually getting a little better. Have a great day!!

The Last Week in Four Words...

Nurse. Bottle-feed. Pump. Repeat.

We're doing great, but having some nursing difficulties that are extremely time-consuming to try and correct. I'll post a longer update as soon as my baby learns how to nurse properly and my body remembers how to actually produce milk.

They Called Me "Rachel" (A Delivery Story)

Me and Abby Kate the night before we went to the hospital!

Alright, I'm going to tell the whole story of my delivery (more for me than for you, so if you want to just skip to the pictures at the bottom, feel free :)

We actually scheduled an elective induction on Sept. 1 (1 week early). I searched and searched for a "medical" reason to do it, but our only rationale was that Christa's induction went so perfectly (and we believe saved me a C-section), that we really wanted a repeat experience of that wonderful day.

I checked into our hospital at 6 am, per my instructions, having no idea what to expect in a new hospital with a new doctor in a new town. I decided about a month ago that I liked this new doctor as much as the great one I had in Augusta, so I resisted the urge to freak out right before the delivery, and chose to believe that I was going to have another painless experience :) I got settled into my room, and nurses were there immediately to get things going. They asked me several times if I wanted an epidural, and I cheerfully replied each time, "yes, please, as soon as possible... in fact, right now would be good," thinking I was making a funny (half serious) joke. Well, this comment must have offended them or something, because 4 different nurses made it a point 3 different times each to tell me how it was going to hurt this time.... a lot. Great - just what a nervous mother-to-be wants to hear!

I tried to shrug it off, still wondering who my nurse would be for the day and hoping she would be a calming source of comfort for me if I did start to hurt. Another nurse came in to place my IV, and although I usually have no problem with needles, this particular IV hurt worse than when I was dehydrated and they had to stick me 5 times to get the thing in. I began thinking things were not off to a good start. As I looked out the window to get some perspective, my eyes fell upon a moldy air conditioning unit - an unsettling contrast to my garden view in Augusta.
After a mild breakdown, now convinced I was going to be split wide open and feel every bit of it, Cline had us pray for a moment. Shortly thereafter, our nurse, Laurie walked in, as cheerful and friendly as could be. She assured me that she would have the paperwork for the epidural ready whenever I needed it - what a relief!

The Pitocin began, and we waited around for some excitement. Much like with Christa, I began having regular contractions according to the monitor, but was unable to feel very many of them. The doctor came into check me a while later, and informed us that I hadn't progressed much. No surprise, really. I didn't progress much with Christa until they broke my water, which was not possible to do this time around, until I progressed on my own a bit more. Several more hours passed, and the nurse came in occasionally to increase the Pitocin. She left each time, saying "I'm leaving now; you're boring me." I truly appreciated the joke!

As the day went on, we had several visitors to pass the time. At this particular hospital they play a little nursery song each time a baby is born. I swear that little song played 12 times that day! I enjoyed it the first few times, but as the day went on with no baby in sight for me, I started to get a little bitter.

Around 5, the doctor came in and said we needed to turn off the Pitocin altogether, and resume in the morning. He said I could eat a bite and walk around for a couple of hours, and then the night nurse would begin Cytotec therapy to ripen my cervix overnight in hopes that the Pitocin would be more effective the next day. So we sent the family home, and made our peace with the fact that our baby would not be born that day. Our day nurse came in one last time, and informed me that I was the only laboring mother left who'd shown up that day - all the other mothers had had their babies, and I wasn't even close. She asked if I'd seen the episode of Friends - the one where Rachel is in labor and not progressing, and she has to share a room with other laboring mothers. Mother after mother passes through the room and goes on to delivery while Rachel sits there doing absolutely nothing. It's a great episode. Anyway, Laurie said I was "Rachel" that day, which I also appreciated, being the Friends fanatic that I am.

After dinner, a shower, and a quick walk around the hospital, I returned to my room. The night nurse, Amy, came in, and was as kind and calming as could be. She checked me, and immediately said, "girl, you are a 3." (I'd been a 1 all day, so this was impressive.) I hardly believed her, but got excited anyway. She did the first round of the Cytotec therapy, and I prepared for a night as uneventful as the day was.

The delivery song went off a couple of more times. I finally said to the nurse, "the next time that goes off, it had better be for me - it's my turn now." A few hours later, Amy said I'd progressed to a 4. She said the doctor could break my water if I wanted, as long as I didn't mind having the baby in the middle of the night. (Um, yes, please)! The doctor was there a few minutes later, and I had a painless water-breaking experience (yay)! A few minutes after that, another doctor was there to place my painless epidural (double yay)! I knew things were going to be just fine after that.

I got a few hours of sleep, and before I knew it, it was time to push. Three easy pushes later (a very nice contrast from the hour of pushing with Christa) Abby Kate was here! I think she decided to come when she did because she wanted to wait an extra year to start school! (The cutoff for kindergarten is Sept. 1, which we aimed for and missed by 5 hours and 12 minutes :) The recovery has been amazing as well - I haven't needed any pain medicine, and am getting around just fine (another nice contrast to the 6 week recovery with Christa).

So, I am pleased to report that I still don't know what a real contraction feels like. I sure wish I liked being pregnant more, because I absolutely love the delivery/hospital process. Life just doesn't get any better than being a new mom with lots of people around to take care of you! And being "Rachel" turned out to be great - I have a beautiful, perfect baby girl, who I know is the reason you're here, so here she is:

Proud big sister! She adores Abby Kate and wakes up every morning asking for her. She screamed when she had to leave after meeting her, despite promises of carousels and playgrounds. It was soooooo sweet. When Abby Kate sneezed a few times, Christa said, "bless you, baby" then asked for more "bless you" while making the sign for more. Too cute!

Our first picture as a family of four!

Christa had to help bring the baby inside when we arrived home.

Our little angel.

The baby's crying now, so I have to go. More pictures to come soon!

Christa's First Day of "School"

... OK, not so much "school" per se, but rather a mother's morning out program. They do educational things there, though, as well as music and movement classes, and Christa is loving it. (I'm ignoring the couple of times she's said "that way" and pointed the other direction when I turned onto the street her school is on :) Anyway, here are some pictures from that day.

Welcome Abby Kate!!!!

Hey guys! I just wanted to let everyone know that little Abby Kate arrived on Wednesday morning at 5:12 am. It was quite an exciting process that I can't wait to write about soon! She weighed 8 lbs, 11.9 oz. (sooooooo glad she was a week early :) and was 19 inches long. She's beautiful and perfect, and big sister adores her! (Cute stories about that soon, too)!

We got home from the hospital today, and I'm on a bit of a post-pregnancy high. I feel better than I have in 9 months, and am sleeping better, too, believe it or not. I am getting around great - it's soooooooo much easier the second time around. I don't know if all this will last, but I'm enjoying it for the moment, for sure!

I know everyone is anxious to see pictures, and I will be sure to make that a top priority in the next day or two. I have to find time to filter the hundreds we've taken so I can download them, first, and right now, I'm going to enjoy a few minutes snuggling with my husband and new baby while we wait for Christa to get back from her dinner and theater night with grandma "La-la."

Have a great day! Love to all!

Dear....

.... heartburn, nausea, swollen feet, fatigue, achy muscles, veins sticking out of places you shouldn't be, pain, various digestive problems, round the clock thirst, weight gain, and stretch marks that are trying to appear during my last week (you will not win - not this late in the game),

I have put up with each of you off and on for nine looooonnnnnngggggg months. I have to say, I'm going to miss you..... BIG FAT NOT! I can not wait to get rid of all of you! You have made my life very difficult , and have stolen much of the joy I should have been feeling during this pregnancy. You will not steal my joy of having this baby, though, and thanks to all of you, I'm already used to being awake and exhausted all night. So having a screaming newborn around the clock will at least give me some company!

You are not welcome back during my next pregnancy (which, thanks to you, may be a while)! Go away and stay away. Good riddance. You almost beat me, multiple times, but I can see the end of you in sight - and I feel pure joy about that!

Sweet baby, YOU, I can not wait to see, and I want you around for a very, very long time. I love you! Please come soon :)

Guys, enjoy some new (old) pictures and have a GREAT day!

Christa playing with her cousins at Daddy's birthday party (back in July). She sure does love Maggie Beth and Charlie!

The Children's Discovery Museum - she loves Curious George.

Stone Mountain - not the greatest picture, but the best we could get. Christa loved the cable cars and asked for them for days afterward.