Having 2 Kids - Q&A

Go check out my friend Natalie's blog today to read about a Q&A post on being a mom of 2 that I'm going to be participating in.  Natalie, Rachel, and I are all moms of two small children and will all be answering each question so you can get three different perspectives!  If you have any questions for us, feel free to ask here or on her blog!  I definitely don't have everything figured out yet... but I have almost a month of parenting a newborn + a toddler under my belt and I'm willing to share whatever insight I have.  I look forward to reading your questions! We will each be posting the Q&A's to our blogs once completed... so you'll be able to see your question and answer right here!

How Great Thou Art...

Today, we went to church with Brooks for the first time.  We went to our "home church" which is where my dad pastors and is in our hometown- an hour away from where we live.  The boys and I stayed the night at my parents' house Saturday night.  My wonderful hubby worked until after midnight Saturday night, got up and drove an hour to church Sunday morning, and drove an hour back a couple of hours later to go back to work until 1 a.m.  This was our only foreseeable opportunity to go to church there as a family since his work schedule is pretty rough right now.  We didn't want him to miss out on showing Brooks off at church for the first time. ;)

Brooks on his first church day. :)

One of the first hymns we sang was "How Great Thou Art."  By about the second verse in, I couldn't see the words through my tears.  I was just overwhelmed by the truthfulness of those words- HOW GREAT THOU ART.  How great He is... that I should be sitting there with a husband I love like crazy and two beautiful and healthy baby boys.  I remembered, so clearly, sitting in that very pew a few years before crying tears of sorrow over losing our first baby.  Now, I sat crying tears of joy and thankfulness.  Instead of a broken heart, my heart was full.  Overflowing.

If you aren't familiar with this hymn... get familiar. ;) YouTube Carrie Underwood singing it...amazing.  I love new Christian music and all the praise and worship songs...but man... it just doesn't get any better than this old hymn.

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"

Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Savior God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

HOW GREAT THOU ART!!!

Brooks - Hospital Pics

The hospital where we delivered has a contract with a professional photography company that comes around to do newborn photos.  It's a free service but of course the photos cost you.  We didn't get any hospital pics with Holden and I didn't plan to with Brooks either... since we had newborn sessions scheduled for both after we got home. But...the photographer talked us into it.  Of course, after seeing the photos we couldn't part with them and had to buy the disc of prints.  $uckers = us!  Oh well.  Your baby is only a day old once right?  (He probably wasn't even quite a whole day old yet when these were taken!)

Anway...enough talk.  Here is not-quite-one-day-old Brooks Andrew:

Big Brother Holden - How He's Adjusting...

I know a lot of you are wondering how Holden is adjusting to being a big brother.  While pregnant, I was so worried about how having another baby would affect Holden.  I felt like he was so little and just not ready.  I worried he would feel abandoned, left-out, jealous, etc.

So how is he doing?

I think he is doing really well.  As well as expected for an 18 month old boy.  When he "met" Brooks in the hospital, he pretty much couldn't have cared less.  He pointed and said "bay-bee" a couple times but that was about it.  He was not interested in looking at him closely, being close to him, holding/touching/kissing, etc.  The hospital room was much more exciting and interesting.  Lots to explore.  We weren't at all surprised at his reaction (or lack thereof).

At home, he pretty much goes about his business as usual and doesn't pay Brooks a whole lot of attention.  At the same time, he doesn't seem to mind or be jealous when I'm holding or nursing Brooks.  He will often come sit beside me or attempt to crawl into my lap as well.  This is a bit challenging - 26 lbs. vs. 8 lbs. - but I can usually manage to hold them both or put Holden right next to me.  Holden definitely does not realize that he is a lot heavier than Brooks and doesn't quite grasp "being gentle."  Any object he is playing with has the potential to be hurled in Brooks's direction at any second... not out of malice but simply because he just doesn't "get it" yet. I credit this to his age and the fact that he is a boy.  He doesn't have that "motherly instinct" that little girls seem to almost inherently/naturally display with their baby dolls, stuffed animals, etc.  He's a boy...through and through. ;)

That said, he does show some love and affection to Brooks every once in a while.  He "held" him during the first few days of us being home and laid his head on him to kind of snuggle him and was very smiley and sweet.  He has laid his head on him and said, "awww" quite a few times since.  Over the past couple of days, he has seemed more interested in Brooks.  I have been bringing the rock 'n play sleeper into the living room in the mornings with Brooks in it... and Holden seems to like standing next to it with his arms in it/on Brooks and just look at him.  It's quite the precious sight to behold.

During our first few days home, I think maybe Holden was a little bit whinier than usual.  However, I feel like he has already gotten quite used to Brooks being around and he seems like his happy normal self!  No worse for the wear. ;)

I'm excited to watch the relationship between these boys grow.

Holden at 18 Months...

I'm going to do a little different format this time just because I think it will be easier/quicker and that's essential these days. ;)

Holden turned 18 months on March 27th.

At 18 months, you...

... started saying some new words such as "shoe" and "tree."  "Shoe" was one of those words we felt like we never really taught you or talked about but somehow you learned it and started saying it!  Funny how that happens.  You also say "all done" or "all gone" which sounds more like "ah-doh."  You've gotten better at saying "please" - "peeese" and even say it with that long drawn out begging tone. ;)  Your favorite thing to say is still "wus-at" which at times sounds more like "uh-sat" and sometimes has a stutter before it, "uh-uh-uh-uh-sat?!"  I wish I knew how many times a day you ask this question.  Multiple times an hour I'd say!  Most of the time you know the answer to what you are asking and we have to reply, "What is it?" for you to then say it.  I know there are other words that were new for you this month but I can't keep track!  You say lots and more every day it seems.

... name everyone in the pictures hanging in our hallway.  We usually do this at least once a day.  You ask, "wus-at?" and point to each picture.  We reply, "Who is it?" And then you tell us.  Pappy, Gigi, Papaw ("Bapaw"), Mamaw ("Bapaw"), So-So, Mama, Dada, Doug, Lola ("Wo-wa"), Emery ("Ninny") and Baby (6 month photo of yourself) are all on the wall. 

... love the song, "Wheels on the Bus."  You started liking this before now but I would say it is definitely your favorite now.  You do the motions and sing along to some parts.  Very cute.  You have Gigi to thank for making you love this song.

... took an interest in the alphabet.  You love the back of the book "Chicka chicka boom booom" because it has the whole alphabet listed in big bright colored letters.  You started pointing and asking what they were so we told you A through E which you picked up on very quickly.  You also know some random other letters such as "O" which is a favorite for some reason.  

... grab our hands to take us somewhere - the snack drawer, the dvd player, or wherever you are wanting us to go to do whatever it is that you are wanting us to do.  You also grab our hands and make us point at things such as letters or pictures in books, etc.

... are still a great sleeper.  At night you sleep from around 8:30 pm - 8:30 am and sometimes as late as 10 am!  You take one nap during the day which is usually 1.5-2 hours long.

... do a few new animal sounds such as owl and crow.

... are quite cuddly at times.  You will climb up in our laps and sit/cuddle for a good while, especially in the mornings.  We eat it up of course.

... still love books.  Your favorites are "Where's My Mommy?" and "Barnyard Dance" right now.

... have gotten pretty good at using a fork!

... love to play at the mall play place or at Chick-Fil-A's play place!

... looooove to be outside... which isn't new.  However, the monumental fits you throw when we have to go inside are at an all time ridiculous. ;)  You have also taken to throwing these fits when you have to get in your car seat.  I think this is because you think you are getting to go outside/want to stay outside.

... weighed 26 lbs. 3 oz. and were 33.5 inches long at your 18 month appointment.  (Which you were actually closer to 19 months for.)  This puts you at almost exactly 75th percentile for both weight and height.  You wear 18-24 month and some 2T clothing.  You're still in size 4 diapers (size 5 for night).  You wear a size 6 shoe.

We love you sooooo much!  We are in awe of you every day and we don't expect that to ever change.  Can't imagine loving you more and yet it seems like we love you more all the time.  Always and forever, sweet boy.

The Birth of Brooks Andrew

Tuesday, April 2nd started off as a pretty normal day.  I was 39 weeks and 4 days pregnant and had an OB appointment at 12:40.  We were pretty much not expecting anything to happen at this appointment considering the fact that I obviously wasn't having contractions or in labor.  We thought perhaps we would discuss the possibility of stripping membranes or scheduling an induction date in the case that Brooks decided to never come on his own...which was starting to feel like his plan.  (Reminder: Holden came at 37 weeks so we hadn't ever really experienced this whole waiting/wondering if every day was "the day" thing.)  We took Holden along to the appointment.  We had our bags and everything packed and ready in the van as we had for the past couple of weeks.

At my previous appointment, I had been 3-4 cm dilated.  When the nurse practitioner checked me at this appointment, she announced that I was...6 cm!!!  Did you know that you could be 6 cm dilated, walking around going about your normal life, not in labor?  I did not!  Ha!  So, she said, "Well, let me go talk to Dr. P.... today might be the day!"  Upon returning to the room, she said that we could go on over to the hospital and get admitted!  It was baby time!  She said the plan would be to take things slowly (knowing my previous birthing history) and get admitted, get my IV, get an epidural if I wanted one (I did), and then go from there.  Given how fast things went when I delivered Holden, this sounded like the perfect, controlled plan that I had been praying for.  I had been worried about going into labor on my own and things going crazy fast again...not being able to get a working epidural in time again, possible Dr. Daddy delivery at home or in the car, etc.

I text messaged my friend, Andrea, to come and get Holden and take him back to our house until my parents could get there to stay with him.  We were admitted directly to our labor and delivery room and got settled in.  Holden thought it was a super fun new place to play and explore!  Soon we met our nurse and got hooked up to the monitors, answered all the admission questions, etc.  Andrea arrived so Shon took Holden down to her.  That was a bittersweet moment- saying bye to my boy knowing when I saw him again he would be a big brother.

Next, I got my IV.  There was a shift change so we met our new nurse who then got the ball rolling for anesthesia to come and place my epidural.  This process ended up taking a good while because we weren't sure it was working properly at first.  My legs were not going numb and I think the anesthesiologist was being over-cautious because she knew about my past history of not getting my epidural in time and really wanted it to work for me this time!  I was very appreciative that she was so concerned and took her time to make sure it was working properly.  My legs never did go completely numb but what needed to be numb was!  I actually kind of liked that my legs weren't numb...it was nice still having that control over my body.  The time the epidural was started was 4:00 pm.  I was checked again and was still 6 cm.  At 4:55 pm, Dr. P. came and broke my water.  At 5:20 pm, they started pitocin at the lowest rate possible.  (Again, they knew about my previous history of having pitocin started without our knowledge/without an epidural first/the fact that it expedited things quite drastically.)

40 minutes later at approximately 6 pm, my nurse came to check me again.  She asked me if I was feeling any pressure or anything.  At first I responded "no" but then I told her that I thought maybe I was feeling just a little.  She checked me and said, "Ummm, yeah, that's because you're 9 cm."  Ha!  I really had no idea.  I texted a few friends/family at 6:06 pm (I know this from looking back at texts on my phone) saying, "9 cm!  Epidurals are amazing!!!"

The doc came and they had me do a test push which promptly had them telling me to STOP!  They readied themselves for delivery and after one... yes, ONE push... Brooks Andrew was born at 6:26 pm.  Yes, just 20 minutes after my text messaging.  ;)  I felt nothing... it was seriously awesome.  I know this because I felt everything last time.  Kudos to those who want to feel it all... but I did that once and it wasn't something I wanted to do again!  They laid Brooks directly on my chest which was something I didn't get to experience with Holden.  I don't think I will ever forget how warm and wet and new he was.  That may sound gross, but to me it was heavenly.  They dried him/wiped him off while on my chest and I got to keep him there to do skin to skin for a good while. I can't remember if I attempted nursing him at this point or not.  I do know that we nursed early on in the delivery room and he latched right away and I was amazed at how he just knew what he was doing and went to town!  Eventually they took him to weigh him, etc.  He weighed 8 lbs. 2 oz. and was 19 in. long.  Nobody in the delivery room could believe he was that big because he seemed smaller.  They weighed him a couple of times to be sure!

We stayed in labor and delivery longer than expected due to the fact that I was bleeding more than they like. Nothing major and it resolved.  However, I did have high blood pressure throughout my post-partum stay and have to go back to my OB to get it checked soon.  I didn't have any other issues/symptoms and felt great during my hospital stay.

This birthing experience was awesome and a total answer to all of my prayers.  None of my fears came true. All of my prayers were answered.  Thank you, Jesus!  The recovery has been a million times better as well.  There really wasn't anything that could have gone better.  I am so thankful.

Brooks is such a precious babe.  We are thoroughly enjoying his newborndom.  He seems to be quite laid back.  He only cries when he's hungry.  If he's not eating, he is asleep, or in a very calm and alert awake state.  As I'm writing this, he is laying on the boppy on my lap snoozing away.

1 week + 5 days old

We are so blessed.

More to come on what Holden thinks of his brother, life with two under two, etc. :) ..........

Brooks Andrew

Easter 2013 (warning: detailed & picture packed!)

We spent Saturday and Easter Sunday in our hometown with our families.  Being 39 weeks pregnant and supposedly near birthing a child, we weren't sure if we should make the hour trek (1.5 hours from hospital) to our families for Easter.  But ultimately we decided to put it in God's hands and trust Him to take care of us and we headed "home-home!"  There is now only a half hour of Easter Sunday left and we are back home (30 minutes from hospital!) and Brooks has shown no signs of coming.  Little buddy has five days until his due date.  As surprised as he has made us by continuing to not come... I joke that he probably thinks it would be funny to come tomorrow on April Fool's Day.  But since I think that and have now said it, I'm sure he won't.  ;)  ANYWAY... back to EASTER fun!

Saturday, we spent some time with Shon's family.  Holden always loves playing at Mamaw & Papaw's and following all of his cousins around.  He had a blast as usual.  He ran around with cousins outside, went for a 4-wheeler ride with Papaw, and even played some basketball.  He definitely likes being outside and in the country... like his daddy.  :)  We headed to my parents' house that evening to spend the night.

Sunday, we got up and got ready for church.  Holden got to check out his Easter basket goodies from us.  His Easter basket contained: a stuffed Mickey in a bunny suit (that is marshmallow scented, mind you...ha?!) two fork/spoon sets from Target dollar spot, a board book about colors, a Mickey DVD, flash cards, a Percy train, Mickey sippy cups, and a set of Mickey bath toys.  His favorite thing so far seems to be the train...which is just a cheap one that moves by itself after you pull it back toward you. 

We had a very nice service at our home church where my dad preaches.  The choir performed an Easter cantata which was great!  Unfortunately, I didn't get to hear my dad's sermon (heard it was good!) because I had to take a certain little Mister out to the cry room...which ended up being the foyer where he ran/climbed the steps over and over.  (Trust me, we wrestled him a long time during the service before resorting to going out.  That's just the stage we're in right now and that's okay.)  

He did have shoes on to begin with...

Immediately following the service, Holden participated in an egg hunt.  It is usually held outside but was inside this year due to the yucky wet ground outside.  Holden surprised us and did really well picking up eggs and putting them in his basket!!!  He got about 20 in his basket and then decided he was done.  It was time to move onto climbing more steps and running off more energy of course!

Easter miracle = he decided to slow down for some pics!

Needless to say, when we got home Holden took a nap.  We ate a delicious meal of strawberry spinach salad, ham, green bean casserole, broccoli and cheese casserole, corn, pasta salad, rolls, and cake balls and punch bowl cake for dessert.  My mom goes all out for holiday meals.  We love it and the leftovers we take home!  

This was BEFORE eating, folks. ;)  39 weeks + 2 days.

Holden hunted eggs outside at Pappy & Gigi's later in the day.  He did really well hunting the eggs again!  It was so much fun watching him.  

He also did lots of walking around with Auntie So-So and even got a wagon ride!

And of course... another Easter basket from Pappy, Gigi, & Aunt Sophia.

Holden slept the whole hour drive home... had a snack and some milk when we got home... and went right back to bed.  I think it was a very busy and FUN day for him!

Thank you, Jesus, for your ultimate sacrifice!  And thank you for a wonderful Easter spent with our families and soaking in all of the fun moments with our little boy.  (And thank you for keeping Brooks inside my belly while we were away from home/the hospital!)  

my view.

Hope you all had an awesome Easter weekend!

I'll leave you with an Easter quote I came across and really liked....

Let every man and woman count himself immortal. Let him catch the revelation of Jesus in his resurrection. Let him say not merely, "Christ is risen" but "I shall rise." - Phillips Brooks