Oh yeah, he loves it!

Cereal

Today I gave Connor cereal for the first time. I know I know its early....but, he is 4 months in a week and he is ready. He wants our food, he is big and he is strong. Also, I want to get him used to the idea of cereal before he starts daycare on August 9th.

So this morning I made up just 1 teaspoon of dry organic rice cereal and added warmed breast milk to make it pretty watery. He did great! He was not completely convinced but he did seem to get the majority of the cereal into his tummy and not down his front. I have a feeling that as long as I am consistent and keep offering it he will start to eat like a champ.

Miles is such a picky eater and I can't help but feel that its my fault for not being better at feeding him new things when he was a baby. I am reading a book called Super Baby Food and it is great with a ton of really good information. I am going to try my best with this one to teach him to eat a healthy variety of foods. And hopefully not start the juice habit....

The First Time

As I get closer to my due date I have been thinking more and more about my pregnancy, labor and delivery of Miles. For the most part it was great, but there are things I wish had gone differently.

Mitch and I decided in the fall of 2004 that we were ready to start a family and decided that after Christmas I would discontinue my birth control and we would let nature have its way. We both knew that it could take months to actually get pregnant, especially since I had been on the pill for so long. So Christmas day I took my last pill. When my "Aunt Flo" came for her monthly visit in January I was dissapointed yes, but also not surprised - reminding myself that it can take time I had a big glass of red wine (which I had been not partaking of) and moved forward. In mid February I got sick - fever, chills....body ache - horrid. This was on a Friday - also the same day that my usually like clockwork period should have started. By Sunday I was feeling somewhat better but not 100% - we were heading up to Portland for birthday dinner for Alex and "little" Alex and I was contemplating taking some cold meds to help with my stuffiness and general miserable outlook on life. My concern was whether I could possibly be pregnant - Mitch and I both thought it strange I was three days late at this point but really didn't think I was- so I went ahead.

On the way home from dinner I wanted to stop at the store and pick up a pregnancy test - just to know for sure. Mitch and I stopped and I picked up a two pack....figured two wasn't too outrageous as I most likely was not pregnant. When we got home I took the test and tried very hard to not sit and stare at it for the requisite 3-5 minutes it takes to process. The timer went off and I steeled myself for dissapointment - not that it was needed. The test showed positive and I called Mitch in to share the news. We both were a bit surprised but also excited and anxious at the same time. This was on February 13th 2005 - Happy Valentines Day!!

Monday I called my dr's office to see if I could come in for an official test, they said I could bring in a sample and then call for the results later in the week. I don't remember which day I dropped off the sample, but I do know it was Thursday morning that I could call to find out the official verdict. Thursday morning came around and when I awoke I found I was bleeding - not heavily - but enough that it concerned me a great deal. So when I called and they gave me the positive result I also asked them what I should do. The nurse said to come in for a blood test that would measure a certain hormone and then they would do it again two days later to see that the level doubled. She then wanted me to go home and be on "pelvic rest" for the day. Basically if I was having a miscarriage there was nothing they could do. I went in for the test and then headed home. I was wreck and just stayed in bed the rest of the day. By this time the bleeding was more or less spotting, not any heavier than it was but still there. I did go to work the next day but took it pretty easy. The only person at work that knew was the teacher I was working with.

Saturday morning I went in for the second part of the test and then Mitch and I headed to Bend for a weekend with friends. We went back and forth on the way of whether to tell them about the baby. At this point although I was still spotting I did not appear to be losing the baby and so I decided worrying too much was just bad for me and I needed to be positive. We did tell our friends and they of course were thrilled - but at the same time they told us they were moving to Arizona....so some bad with the good. But we had a great weekend and my girl friend regaled me with stories of family members who had very complicated and bleedy pregnancies only to go on and deliver very healthy babies - herself included.

The rest of the first trimester was great. I had very little morning sickness, had a good appetite and did fairly well energy wise. I did take many naps once I got home though. Mitch and I also decided it was time to buy a house and started looking for the right place. As I moved into the second trimester I could no longer hide the belly from the kids at school, one day as I was helping one of my girls she asked me "Mrs. Jones....are you pregnant?" so I had to tell them all. They of course were happy for me, and also were much more understanding of why I was always eating in class.

In June many things happened: I got laid off, we found a house, and we found out that we were having a boy. Although the first was a bummer - I started applying for other jobs and was able to get unemployment. The house we found was a great two bedroom with a HUGE yard where we still continue to live. And of course we were thrilled about the boy - he was healthy and everything looked great. Also in June I got to go visit friends in Arizona and LA for the LA friends baby shower. Her little guy was born two weeks later - a bit early- although out of the little boys he has always been the biggest.

In July my Mom, Sister, Nephew and I drove to Montana to visit my Grammie - it was a good trip and my Nephew seemed to really enjoy feeling his cousin kick and wiggle in the belly. It was also an interesting trip because my family saw a different side of me who wasn't willing to sacrifice comfort and needs for them. Mainly it was my Grammie (who I adored) that seemed to have a hard time dealing with this side of me.

The rest of summer and the second trimester were good - we moved into our house on the 24th of July and I was able to paint the Baby's room and start to get everything ready - of course I had help from my awesome Mother in Law and husband with the painting. I enjoyed being home. I could nap when I wanted, and Mitch and I often had lunch and other time together. As we got into fall I learned that another good friend was pregnant and due in May.

I was pretty darn big by the third trimester, but I still felt good and I don't remember being as tired - of course being at home I could nap and rest whenever I needed it. The baby was due October 21st. We took our birth class, packed a hospital bag and were ready. The 21st came and went. Nothing was happening - my dr's appointment on my due date showed no movement on the cervix whatsoever - as Mitch put it I was, "Locked up tighter than Fort Knox". We went for walks almost every night and contractions would start and then as soon as we got back home they would stop again. Looking back I know they weren't really real contractions....they hardly hurt and were much more like braxton hicks than anything else. I was starting to get discouraged.

On the morning of October 27th I woke up around 5am and needed to pee. I was sitting on the toilet and leaned forward to get a new roll of tp. As I did so I felt and heard a POP. There was also a gush. The water had broken....

29 Weeks

And I am tired. It doesn't help that I think I broke my toe this weekend....the combination of the pregnancy and the pain makes getting through the day even harder. I realized that when I was pregnant with Miles I wasn't working at this stage, I was home and could take naps whenever I wanted. I think this is why I don't remember being this tired.

Honestly I feel pretty good overall. At my last appointment I had to do my glucose test and even though it made me feel totally crappy I cam through just fine and do not appear to be having any problems with my sugar levels. I am however slightly anemic, which is contributing to my tiredness. I am now on an iron supplment and I am hoping it will help me feel a bit more energetic.

I am in a bit of shock that the clock is counting down so quickly. In 11 weeks is my due date and baby could really come anytime within a couple of weeks on either side. I suppose its possible he could come even earlier, but I don't find that acceptable, he needs to stay put until he is done cooking. Although I am getting anxious to meet this little one. I told Miles that the other say and he said, "yeah, I thought you were going to squeeze that baby out" - where do they get these things from?

Overall we are ready. I don't have everything we need for the little guy but we have the majority of the basic staples - as in a place to sleep and some clothes. We do need a car seat, but other than that anythign else could come later if needed. We would get by. The crib is set up and I have the closet cleaned out so there is room. I have made a list of what we do need and registered at target and on wishpot.

The biggest "issue" we have is a name. Mitch and I just can't seem to agree on anything. We do have one name that we both like, but are still looking to see what else is out there. Everytime I find a name I really like he doesn't like it, and everytime he suggests one I don't like it. I know the right name will come along but its still very frustrating, I really just want my husband to agree with me and let me name him. And no, it probably will not be an M name.

So as long as I can make it the next 11 weeks without falling asleep somewhere I should be just fine. The anxiety about birth is hovering near the edges.......I am just trying to hold it at bay.

A better update

2009 has definitely been a year. As outlined in my previous posts I have had a heck of a lot of crap happen in my life and to my family. Fortunately in the past several months since my last post things have taken a turn for the better.

In late July I found out that I was pregnant. This was not only planned but long overdue. Mitch and I had originally held to the idea that we only wanted one child, but then we changed our minds and decided to let “nature decide” earlier this year……My first trimester was uneventful and somewhat typical pregnancy, not much actual vomiting but nausea as far as the eye could see. The thing I could not abide was sweets, this baby liked fresh fruit, vegetables and water. Nothing sweet whatsoever. This passed fairly quickly after 14 weeks or so and now my sweet tooth is back with a vengeance.

The second trimester has been good, more muscle and joint pain then I had with Miles, but overall I feel great and healthy. We found out in early November that we are having another little boy. Miles will be a wonderful big brother and I can’t wait to meet this new little boy. At first Miles was very disappointed that he wasn’t getting a baby sister, but I think he is starting to get used to the idea. One of his little buddies just had a little sister join his family and he wanted a little brother – his suggestion was that he and Miles trade. Three and four years olds have such great logic. The ultrasound showed a healthy baby with all the right parts in the right places. I am now at 25 weeks and I can feel where I am starting to slow down as I get closer to the third trimester. Little Boy is due April 6^th, but I have a good feeling about the 3^rd…..we’ll see.

In early August some very good friends of ours made a move from Portland down to Salem. This has been great, Now all three of us have someone down here to hang out with. They have a three year old (the same one mentioned above) and he and Miles play together quite well. They also just had a baby girl who is amazing and gorgeous, So, I get to have my baby girl fix. Mitch also now has an playmate for audio, the two guys have been doing a lot of film audio together and working on plans. And I get to have one of my girls close by where we can spend some time together. It is especially nice since we will again have babies very close together.

In late August I finally had enough with the evil air museum and quit my job. I had an interview set up already with a company I used to work for, but I was at a point where I needed to leave regardless of whether I had a new job or not. Luckily I got the job and now I am back working for a company that values it employees and has a mission they stand by and believe in. Life has gotten much better since this change, I had three weeks off in between and it was heaven. Now I work a fairly normal schedule and have full weekends together with my family.

This is also a year for babies, not only am I having one as well as my friend here in town but I also have my good friend in Vegas who is due a month before me as well as one of Mitch’s cousins who is due the 4^th of April. Yay babies!! Two friends had babies in the summer and fall as well. They are everywhere.

The new year has begun and so far so good. I am so glad it is here.