updates needed

i knew i was going to be busy- but my God.

my 14 month old "angel" has turned into some sort of...creature? i mean seriously- tantrums & screaming & fits like i've never seen.

or rather, i have seen- but those were always someone else's kids & i judged them. it's karma.

i know it's a mixture of everything- age, baby, teeth, being cooped up, wanting mommy- everything! but still- it's killing me.

thank God the husband was home this week- i might have jumped out a window if not for that. however he is off to work tomorrow- so it's just me. omg. scared.

anyway- i desperately need to post brynn's birthstory before things start getting gray on me (memory wise)- i'm going to shoot for that tomorrow or tuesday- yes? ok.

but for now i'll leave you with a few pictures of the girls- these are a few days old, but that can't be helped:

brynn doing what she does best (during the day that is)

getting ready for her first sponge bath...

not quite sure about things....

officially pissed. sorry kiddo.

and miss alex- don't be fooled- she is only this happy for like 1 hour per day. the rest of the day = angry screaming crying snotty face.

i'm so happy....for now.

she's freaking kamikaze now too- climbing & jumping & falling- i might go crazy.

"oh hai!"

hmmm- so yes.

things are going well.

i'm tired- but good. alex is good- a toddler terror, but still good. brynn is doing well- back up to birth weight by day#5 and getting bigger. she lost her umbilical stump yesterday- much sooner than alex did- so that was nice.

she nurses like a champ- like, A LOT- but the nips are doing much better. God bless the inventor of the Nipple Shield. that thing saved me!!!

she sleeps well (during the day) and pretty ok at night- 2-4 hour stretches. the only thing is i pretty much have to be holding her or VERY near her. no swaddling & into the crib for this kid- so different than alex.

so right now we're co-sleeping & we go down around 9-10 & she's up about 3x per night.

once the hubs is back to work i'll need to be out of bed by 5-5:30 to start the day. alex gets up around 6-6:30 and brynn does whatever she wants.

i think things would be a LOT easier if it wasn't for breastfeeding/pumping. i know it's great for her & all- but it kills me. she's attached to the boob or the boob is attached to the pump. and not pumping is NOT an option.

i have an INSANE oversupply & i've already dealt with 3 clogged ducts because i tried not pumping at night. in fact- i have one right now- and it's hell. so blah.

i'm thankful that i have the milk i need & i can't complain- but it's hard to pump & nurse with a 14 month old & a newborn who demands to be held. but i can do it- i have to right?

ok-i promise i'll try to update more.

thank you all for your congrats & well wishes. they made me teary (probably would have even if i wasn't a hormonal mess for the first few days)!

moo

and so it begins...

brynn everly bird

12.10.10

she arrived on her due date. healthy & whole.

alex thinks she's just dandy...mostly.

and we came home today, on 12.11.10.

i'd have loved to stay in the hospital the extra day- but being home is easier on miss alex- so home it is.

i'll type out all the details later. but for now i rest, cry, feed, rock, change- etc etc.

and dear God- how could i have forgotten the pain of breastfeeding??? barely 2 days in & i'm dying. i've resorted to a nipple shield- need. relief. now.

but it's worth it. oh indeed.

no work no play

apparently my niece was nice & sick last monday & her parents still decided it was a good idea to drop her off at my mother's in all her snot-nosed glory.

along with tuesday- awesome. so for 2 days my child wallowed in germs. just what i DON'T need right now.

so the past 5 days have been spent with a rather sickly child. sick enough, in fact, that i camped out on her bedroom floor on Sunday night.

comfortable? no. necessary? yes.

there's something about the sound of your kid choking on cough-vom that makes you want to be within 5 feet at all times. so that's what i did.

she's better- but not quite. the nasty cough & runny nose lingers. no fever & she's in a fairly agreeable mood- but clingy. and a bit whiny. i pray, pray, pray this is gone before #2 arrives.

oh- you want to know what the above child looks like in this state?

like "leave me alone mom. now."

and then she just ignores me.

sweatshirt: Target

t-shirt: Threadless Tees

leggings: Target

socks: Old Navy

shoes: PediPed

"alex, don't stand so close to the tv...!"

screw you mom. nice.

this was yesterday. she was a beast of sorts- and we had to run to Target. but she fell asleep in the car & i didn't want to wake her- so i decided to wait it out....for 2 1/2 hours. omg.

and then she woke up and i swear she wasn't my kid. screaming bloody murder all through the store. i was mortified. but i was on a mission- that i accomplished rather quickly thanks to the circumstances.

ah well. this too shall pass.

at least her shirt makes me smile:

heh.

in other news- we finally got her a chair of her own:

adorable. she prefers to climb on it & step off. now, the drop is only like 3 inches- but she's come pretty close to bashing her face on the floor. why do children look for death? why?!

anyway. her big girl room is all but done. i need to transfer clothing & toys & hang up a few pictures- but the walls & floors are done & 99% of the furniture is up.

it's perfect. it came out just like i wanted. and i promise, as soon as i'm done with it i'll get pictures up.

alex loves it- but i don't think she realizes that it's actually hers. or that she can't have both rooms- upstairs & down. i think we'll be moving her into it this weekend coming up. or sooner if #2 decides to make her exit.

either way- i'm not ready- but it must be done. and she'll be fine.

and now me- i'm due friday. i'm thinking i'll still be here- sans a baby. i feel "ready" but i don't think she is. i'm tired & crampy & a sore & all of the things that go along with being 39-40 weeks. and since i'm off work & home with alex 24/7- you can multiply all of that x5 or so.

in fact- elmo is over. so that means my child is now demanding my attention & i have to actually get up & do stuff. or she'll scream. a lot. and loudly.

like right now. i just told her no- so she threw her book & started screaming & stomping her feet. and then she'll slowly lower herself to the floor & actually kick her legs & throw a true to life tantrum.

wtf?!

39 week stats

i forgot to update last Tues (37 weeks 4 days):

- 37 weeks 4 days
- 150 lbs (lost some weight!)
- excellent BP
- heartbeat: 140's bpm
- no swelling
- baby#2 is still head down

and today- Fri (39 weeks):

- 39 weeks
- belly measured @ 38
- 152 lbs
- excellent BP
- heartbeat: 130's bpm
- no swelling
- baby#2 is still head down

i completely spaced my appt today- so when they called looking for me i was momentarily baffled. then i felt horrible- i'm NEVER late. i must have apologized 20 times.

they said it was quite alright & i drove right over.

everything looks good- and no internal thank GOD (my OB doesn't start those until after you're due)
if i go into labor sometime next week then they'll see me at the hospital & if not, i have an appt on Fri Dec 10th (my due date)

i have a feeling i'll be making my appt, which i'm very ok with.

in other news- this is my last day of work! i have a ton of vacation time that i have to use or lose so it only made sense.

it was the hub's b-day yesterday (happy 31st birthday husband!) so i made a cake (an awesome cake that will go up in my food blog this weekend!) - i brought the rest into work & i think this reminded my co-workers that today is it.
no more baked goods until March.
they keep stopping by my desk telling me how much they'll miss me.

...me? or my baking? hmmm.

Christmas gifts

so honestly, alex doesn't "need" much. i mean, she's more interested in tissue paper & bubble wrap than actual toys & such.

but that doesn't mean i'm planning on leaving her high & dry on Christmas morning. but i've also been stumped- what to get this kid?! she's really got everything she needs & the husband buys her everything she wants (i see problems in the future)...

plus- i don't want to buy a bunch of toys/junk/crap- etc etc. we simply don't have the space for "stuff". so i've been trying to think of things that'll benefit her/us.

and then i found this adorable lunchbox that i simply HAD to buy- for OBVIOUS reasons:



right? right?!

i do pack her breakfast & lunch every single day, so why not do so in style? omg- i love it. so after a bit of searching- bam. purchased.

1 gift down.

and then: See Kai Run is having a killer deal with promo code HOLIDAYJOY.

seriously people- that code will give you 40% off your order. 40%!!!!!

i suggest you all go NOW & purchase some kicks at a ridiculously good price.
so yeah- as i said- killer deal = must buy cute shoes. correct me if i'm wrong.

so i snagged a few pair:

gah! the bird & dots ones are for alex- the heart ones are for her sister. i just couldn't resist. plus- i got all 3 pairs for $63. yeah- $63! please keep in mind that at regular price i would have been down $104.

are you good at math? cause i'm not but even i know that i scored. big time. like $41 worth of big time.

so yeah- those 2 pairs will get wrapped & placed under the tree- and i'm sure alex'll unwrap them & not give a crap. but at least i'll feel good.

alex's snowsuit & boots

alex's snowsuit & boots arrived at my doorstep on monday. when i got home i was simply silly over the Nordstrom box- silly i say!

however my kid was not in the mood to play dress up so i waited until the husband got home to stuff her in the new threads.

i would have taken a picture- but all she did was sort of stand there like a winter dressed blob. she can't really walk in the boots & the snowsuit is a bit on the larger size (even though it's only 12 month size)

she looked adorable though- so i think i'll make her put them on again & snap some shots. she thought the suit was hilarious & kept falling down & rolling around. thank God i decided not to go with the simply precious WHITE snowsuit from babyGap- that would have been a waste.

but here's what i did go with:

snowsuit:



Patagonia Reversible Bunting

Patagonia is supposed to be the "king" of outdoorwear- so i sucked it up & dished out the $$$ for a good quality snowsuit that she can wear all winter & that her sister can wear next year.

i went with green because, hello- we like green! plus it's reversible so it's like having 2 suits- right? it may look boyish online- but it's really very unisex in my opinion- it's a really pretty green too!

i went with the 12 month size over the 18 month size & i'm glad i did because the 12 month size is a bit large still. so she should be comfy all winter.

plus- it's not a super puffy suit. it seems warm & cozy- but also breathable. i approve!

boots:



Kamik 'Snowbug' Waterproof Boots

i went with Kamik because they're awesome. cute, waterproof, comfy- etc etc. and i'm not usually big on purple- but they go so well with the green suit that it was a win over the pink, black or blue ones.

alex is currently a size 4, and these start at a size 5- so i grabbed a 5. they're big- but it's ok. thick socks & fluffy snow to fall in = A-Ok. she'll be able to wear them all winter & into the early spring. and next year- hopefully baby#2 will be able to do the same!

so there you go. our winter gear!
now if i can figure out how to make her keep her mittens on, we'll be golden.
i think i'm going to have to invest in some that have super long arm bands- because my kid freaking loathes her mittens.

the hat? she deals. mittens? hell no.