Arden Two Months

Arden turned two months on Nov. 26! Here are her stats:

Weight: 11 lbs 7oz 59%
Length: 22.75" 56%
Head Circumference: 15" 27%

Here is her two month picture-

She has now celebrated her first Halloween and Thanksgiving! Here is Halloween -

And we were in Wichita Falls over Thanksgiving and went to the Fantasy of Lights -

She is really such a great baby. And if you read that and are bitter, please go back and read my posts from this time with Avery. TRUST me, I paid my dues!

Even though she is great, it is still a big adjustment going from one to two. She may be an easy baby but I also have a 3 year old this time! I keep saying I am overwhelmed with life. I am having a hard time finding a minute to do normal tasks like empty the dishwasher and do laundry. I keep telling myself it will get better... it will get better...

Arden is still sleeping in our room. I moved Avery to her own room super early - like two weeks I think. I don't know what it is with Arden - whether it's that I know she's my last baby or that her room  is all the way upstairs. With Avery we were still living in our one-story, but now Arden's room is literally the furthest room from ours in the house and I am dreading making that trek in the middle of the night. But I will say there have been several nights where she's slept all the way through - from like 9pm-6am. My goal is to start transitioning her to her room at 3 months.

And like her sister, she sleeps in a swing. People may say what they will but I really believe babies need a "4th trimester" and Avery gave it up when she was ready, so when Arden is ready I will move her to her bed.

Almost every night Avery wants me to take her and Arden's picture so here are a couple -

And here are a few of Arden just hanging out.

I also let her take naps on me when I can (so pretty much only when Avery's napping) and I love those little cuddles! Also, she does not take a pacifier! I was so thrown off by that since Avery was obsessed with it, but they are certainly their own person as I can already tell.

I really have so much more to write about but there are about 50 other things I need to be doing right now so I guess it will have to wait :) Happy two months, Arden! We love you!

Arden One Month

I remember so clearly taking monthly pictures of Avery and I can't believe I'm already doing it with another little girl! I also can't believe she's already a month old.

At her appointment they said she was 9 pounds 8 ounces and 20 inches long.

Likes: nursing, sleeping, spitting up
Dislikes: the car seat (aka seat of death)

During the day she takes short naps (usually 20 minutes) but she sleeps pretty good at night. She wakes up 2-3 times to nurse, but goes right back to sleep (usually). I remember Avery's short naps used to drive me NUTS but she eventually settled into a routine and longer naps when she was ready so I'm just going with the flow with Arden and trying not to stress. Honestly it sort of works better right now anyway so I can run errands and do things with Avery and not be tied down to her nap schedule. I know that day is coming though.

We love her chubby cheeks and sweet noises and are just enjoying this stage!

It looks like she's shooting me the bird in this picture...

Arden's Two Weeks

Arden is already two weeks old! She had her check up yesterday. The doctor said the goal at two weeks is for them to be back to their birth weight. Hers was 7lbs 12oz and now she is all the way up to 8lbs 6oz! She has also gotten taller - she's up to 20.5 inches (was 18.75 inches at birth). Her head circumference is 14 inches (I have no idea if that's big or little?).

Her first two weeks have been night and day compared to Avery's. We just had such a hard time with her (if you want details on that, see my posts from 2011), but Arden is just a dream. I really think a lot of it has to do with her staying in until her due date and coming out at a healthy weight.

But I think it's also just an unmerited blessing from the Lord. I am sort of thankful that I had my easy one second. I just know myself and if Avery had been this easy I probably would have become prideful and thought that it was my awesome parenting or whatever book I was reading's strategy that was making her that way. Now I know it's nothing I've done.

While Arden has been easy, a certain toddler went a little wild for about a week. I think she was just so excited about the new baby being here, along with Nana here and different people stopping by for visits. She just couldn't calm down and was constantly bouncing off the walls, which if you know her that's not like her at all. She's usually very chill and calm. So that was a little hard, but she has settled down now. Rustin has been a huge help by taking care of her so I could focus on Arden (or in other words so I could feed Arden...all the time. It's no accident she's gained so much weight!). When dad's in charge shenanigans like this happen - do it yourself face paint.

Avery has been just so sweet. She decided that Arden needed all of her princess undies and socks in her bassinet.

Then yesterday she went upstairs by herself and got her stool and a book and said she was "reading" to Arden. It was so cute! 

We had Arden's newborn photos done also. I met Ryan and Laura O'Dowd when I went on my mission trip to Guatemala back in 2007 and have stayed friends with them since. Ryan started a photography business so we were excited to have him take her photos. I will post more soon when I get all of them, but for now you can see some on his blog. 

Another thing that has been just a HUGE blessing these past few weeks are friends and people from our church bringing us meals. It's so awesome and is almost reason enough to keep having more kids! haha

Arden's Arrival

Well I must say Arden already has a flair for the dramatic, but we'll get to that...
So my due date was Sept. 26. I know due dates are "best guesses" and most babies don't come on that exact day BUT it was the day I calculated (based on my cycle) from the second I found out I was pregnant. It was the day I looked forward to for 9 months. I thought surely by that day she would be here. So when it was about 6pm that day and no baby, no contractions, I started getting sad. I was sitting outside with Rustin while Avery played on the swing set and just talked about how frustrated I was that my due date was obviously going by (I mean I figured if I hadn't gone into labor yet and it was already 6pm that she wouldn't be born that day).

Our plan was right when I went into labor to call Rustin's mom, who lives in town, to come over with Avery until my mom could get here from Wichita Falls. Well Rustin's mom had gall bladder problems and ended up going to the ER the night before my due date. Since I didn't know who we would call if I went into labor in the middle of the night, I went ahead and had my mom come down. She got here at about 7:30 that evening. I figured by this point I was going to be late, so I was thinking in my head of all the different things we could do while she was here to pass the time.

Well later that night we (Rustin, my mom, me) were all watching tv and I started having contractions. This was nothing new though as I had been having Braxton Hicks for about 2 months. I timed them and they were 6 minutes apart (doctor told me to go to hospital at 5 minutes apart but since I wanted to labor at home as long as I could he said I could wait until they were 3 minutes apart if I wanted). I have always heard that if they are real contractions they won't stop if you get up and move around. So I went to pack a few more things in my bag for the hospital and sure enough they stopped. I didn't have another one for 20 minutes. So I just figured it was not the real deal.

Then as Rustin and I are going to bed - maybe around 10:30 - I started having contractions again but they were still no closer than 6 minutes but this time they HURT! Like really bad. I told him I wanted to go to the hospital, even though I thought it was a false alarm, just in case it was real so I could get an epidural in time (ironically) because those babies were painful! I went into my mom's room to give her Avery's monitor and told her it was probably a false alarm. I also texted a few friends at 11:15 to let them know I was heading to the hospital, but also put the false alarm disclaimer in there.

On the way to the hospital the contractions were getting very close - like every 2 minutes and again they hurt BAD! We go into the hospital and the girl stops us because we have to check in. I'm not sure if she could have gone any slower. Then they called a wheelchair down from labor and delivery, which also took FOREVER. In fact, she had to call them again to remind them to come down because it had been so long. By this time I am having horrible contractions seemingly all the time.

I got to L&D and they put me in triage first and wanted me to change into a gown, pee in a cup, then they were going to hook me up to a machine. I was thinking the whole time - "I don't have time for this! Get me an epidural!" So I change and come out and just Rustin is there and we are still waiting for the nurses. I told him to go tell them I need an epidural. So he tells this one nurse who didn't even know I was in there! Anyway she comes in and tells the other nurses they probably should have skipped triage. She checks me and tells me I have no cervix - it was completely effaced. So we walk just a few feet to my room and I am still under the impression that they have ordered the epidural and it's on its' way. As we're walking I tell her "I don't see how people do this natural." And I'll never forget this, she said "Well I think you're about to find out." Panic like I've never known swept over me and I wanted to cry.

(Side note - be careful what you wish for. I said in my "birth plan" post that I hoped it went so fast so that I wouldn't be able to get an epidural.)

I don't remember a whole lot once I got to the room because I was in such horrific pain. I remember Rustin telling them "she's squeezing me really hard." And I also remember the nurses scrambling to call my doctor and reassuring me he lives close and would get there in time (although I don't know if they believed it). Then I couldn't help but push. The nurse told me that it wouldn't be long and we would get the baby out and I would feel much better. I thought she was lying because I didn't think there was any way the baby was close to being out. I didn't think it could happen that fast. The pain was so bad I kept saying "I can't" which looking back is kind of funny because whether I thought I could or couldn't, it was still going to happen. But Rustin and the nurses were very encouraging the whole time.

In the mean time some nurse tried to get an IV in and it didn't work. So I didn't have anything hooked up to me - no medicine, no vitals, nothing. I remember my doctor coming in, who I LOVE by the way, and Arden coming out super fast. They said her head looked like a c-section baby because she was in the birth canal for such a short period of time. So even though she made me wait until the last minute - she was born at 11:59pm - she came on her due date. She weighed 7 pounds 12 ounces and was 18 3/4 inches. I was worried that I couldn't love another child as much as I love Avery, but when I held her I found out it was possible. I couldn't sleep at all that night and just kept staring at her and thinking how thankful I am.

I don't know that I could go natural again, but I must say I felt GREAT after delivery and feel like I recovered much much faster than when I had Avery.

My mom brought Avery up the next day and she was so cute. I was worried she would be jealous since she's very attached to me, but she absolutely loves Arden. The girls gave each other presents and Arden's present to Avery was an Elsa doll. She hasn't let it out of her sight - as you can tell since it's in every picture. As she was leaving, she asked if she could hold Arden and sing a song to her. Of course we said yes and sat her on her lap. Then Avery sang every word of "Jesus Loves Me" to her. Mom and Dad might have gotten a bit teary-eyed.

Here are some pictures from the hospital. We are so in love with our girls!

Belly Pictures

I haven't been that great about doing consistent belly pictures. I've seen the ones where they do one every week with a cute chalkboard beside them. Yeah that wasn't happening. They have just been sporadic and mainly happened when I would go somewhere cool and think, "Hey why NOT take a pic here?"

This one isn't a "belly pic" but I thought I would include it. I was probably 10 weeks, I think. I just know I had not announced it, but you can definitely tell my belt is pooching out. I started showing WAY earlier with this one. 

This is halfway through - 20 weeks. I figured the Dave Matthews concert was a good spot.

This one was just a week later, but we were at the beach so I HAD to get one there!

This is 26 weeks. We were on top of Mt. Scott in the Wichita Mountains.

.

So I sort of judge myself for the next two because they're "selfies" which I never take, but I think you get a pass when you're pregnant. Honestly I am just amazed that my belly is this big and wanted to remember it. This picture is right before the Counting Crows concert. I was 32 weeks. I really couldn't fathom getting any bigger than this...

...and then this happened. This was taken 11 days before my due date. Very ready to be able to hold her in my arms instead of my belly because I don't think I can take much more! 

Pregnancy Update - 38 Weeks

So I realized that I haven't blogged about my pregnancy except for when I posted that I was expecting, which really tells it all.

When I was pregnant with Avery I had an app on my phone that told me fun "pregnancy facts" every day and exactly what size produce she was (grape, avocado, etc.). I also ALWAYS knew what week I was - even to the day. I remember telling people sometimes I was "28 and a half" weeks. I mean I made it those 3-4 days so I wanted to claim the half!

Oh and how things are different this time... most of the time I had no idea what week I was. People would ask me and I felt like a horrible mom because a few times I didn't even have a ballpark guess. I wouldn't say that I would "forget" I was pregnant because my belly was a constant reminder, but it hasn't been something I think about every day. When you're chasing a toddler, you just don't have the time to worry as much about your pregnancy.

This pregnancy has also been a lot harder. I don't know if it's because of my age. I know I'm not that old but I was 29 when I was pregnant with Avery and now I'm 32. I just feel like lots of things got harder after 30. The first trimester was AWFUL! I developed a new sympathy for chronically ill people. It was so bad I told Rustin I will NEVER be pregnant again. Second trimester was pretty much a breeze, but third trimester has been as hard as the first just in different ways.

I tell people all the time I feel like an obese senior citizen. I don't mean it in a way to complain about my weight (I mean I'm pregnant - I expect to be big) - I just mean that everything those two groups of people complain about, I totally feel! My feet hurt; my back hurts; I can't handle the heat; I get winded going up the stairs; I groan getting up from a seated position (or really any time I move); I go to the bathroom every 5 minutes. Seriously by the end of the day, I am done. I can hardly walk. I am thankful that everything has been totally fine with Arden, but physically for me it has been really hard.

I usually only get about two pedicures a year. I consider them a luxury since I figure I can paint my own toenails. Well I've gotten them regularly the past few months because I literally can't touch my toes. Shaving is a joke. I feel like I deserve a gold medal whenever I finish because it was so hard. Therefore my legs are hairy 90% of the time. I ordered some booties online. When they came and I went to try them on, I could not do it. I realized that was the first time in MONTHS I've tried to wear actual shoes - not flip flops. It wasn't that they were too small, it was that I couldn't move my body in such a way as to physically get them on my feet. It was quite comical.

I hate to complain because I am SO thankful that God blessed us with another little one. It took us a while to get pregnant with this one and I started to think I wasn't going to be able to. But I have made no qualms about not liking being pregnant - with Avery or this time. I like the end result though :)

I have been praying for her to not come early (so that she wouldn't be small like Avery) and that I wouldn't have to be induced or anything and so far so good. I went to the doctor yesterday and I'm not dilated or anything. They keep checking my amniotic fluid and it looks great. So I'll just keep praying (and appreciate all other prayers) that things continue to go smoothly and we welcome a healthy little girl in two weeks. (Ahhh CANNOT believe it is that soon!)

Here is the last "belly pic" I took. It's from 32 weeks. I'm quite a bit bigger now!

Avery is Three!

If you can believe it, Avery turned three years old on Sept. 7! Honestly I'm just most excited that we made it past that day and Arden was still in my tummy. I had this fear that she would come early and they would have the same birthday, which I can imagine would not be fun for them.

Here are her stats from her three year check up:
Weight - 30.8 lbs (50th percentile)
Length - 39" (85th percentile)
Head Circumference - 19"

And here is a picture of her at the doctor's office. It was so cute - they had her wear a gown this time.

I decided since I was SO pregnant, we were just going to do simple and easy for her party so we had another pool party at Lolly and Pops' house. I held myself back from putting too much pressure on myself but I couldn't resist making a few things like the cupcake toppers and tissue paper garland. Here are a few pictures:

That's right - I totally forgot the candles AGAIN this year, so she blew out three votives. Hey whatever works.

I wish I had done a better job at documenting the funny things she's done this year. If anyone has any tips on how to keep up with those things, I'd be glad to hear them! But I'll share what I can remember - 

- Says frisbee = frisberry; beef jerky = beef turkey; chopsticks = stopsticks; prairie dogs = fairy dogs; baptized = bathtized (that one actually makes more sense. Totally get where she's coming from.)

-She LOVES helping. She has a stool she can carry around and that's all she does. She wants to be right in the middle of whatever I'm doing - washing dishes, cooking, etc. I've put her to good use with the swiffer a few times. 

- She has a very active imagination and is always pretending to be someone - mainly princesses. She also always wants other people to be the hyenas from Lion King or Scat Cat's band from Aristocats and talk to her (don't ask). 

- To say she is my daughter is an understatement. She dresses up in gaudy clothes, loves horses and is super shy especially around men. My mom has told me many times she acts EXACTLY like I did. Here is an example - 

- Better than any comedy show is listening to her on the monitor after we put her down. She talks to her animals and oftentimes sings songs - mainly Let It Go.

- I got her a "ready to wake clock" (which I HIGHLY recommend by the way) that turns green when it's ok for her to get up. If she wakes up before it she'll play, but the second it turns green she yells, "MOMMY MY CLOCK'S GREEN!! MOMMY MY CLOCK'S GREEN!!" until I can get up there.

- She says her prayers at night. She mainly prays for Nana's cats. 

I tell her all the time that I am so thankful that God chose me to be her mommy. I just love her so much! Happy birthday sweet girl!!

Avery's First Day of Preschool

So I have been kind of a spaz about preschool. For some reason it has been a hard decision for me as far as if I should send her or not. I don't feel like I need to send her so she'll have a "leg up" in kindergarten. But at the same time I feel like it would benefit her socially since she's so shy. Another struggle I had was just missing that time with her. I know kindergarten will be here before I know it and time with her at home is fleeting and I selfishly want to enjoy it as much as I can. But with Arden coming, I figured I would turn into a hermit for a while after she's born and I didn't feel like that would be fair to Avery. She is used to us getting out a lot, running errands, doing play dates, etc.

We are already doing Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) one day a week (which I have LOVED and highly recommend), so she goes to the children's program there for two hours on Wednesdays, and all the preschools in my area are at minimum two days a week. So that would be three days a week where we would have to be somewhere and that just seemed like too much. To make a long story really short, one preschool would allow you to split the two days with someone if you found the other person and Avery's friend Abigail's mom felt the same way I did so that's exactly what we were able to do! But instead of them going on separate days, they had more openings for some reason on Mondays, so both the girls are going that day. 

So anyway that LONG explanation is to say she is going to preschool ONE day a week from 9:30-2. I feel good about it and feel like it was a good compromise as far as my struggle with it was concerned. 

She has been SUPER excited about it. We bought her a nap mat and she has wanted to sleep on it for days. (I put it on her bed when she's actually sleeping, not on the floor haha.) Also did anyone notice the dog hair in the background?? Don't judge. I literally vacuum daily but when you have a wolf-like dog, it's really a losing battle. 

We went to Meet the Teacher last week and she didn't want to leave the classroom but wanted to stay and play, so I have been feeling confident and at peace with the decision.

Here are her first day of school pictures (ahh can't believe I'm taking these!) -

I had her do an "interview." Not sure if you can tell, but she was super pumped her friend Abigail was in her class.

Oh and yes she is in the 3 year old class. That is another decision that has been hard for me. The "official" cut off is Sept. 1 (and she didn't turn 3 until the 7th), but preschools are more lax and let me put her in the 3 year old class rather than the 2 year old. After all, she WAS 3 when school started, very verbal and potty trained so I just felt like it would be the best fit. But now I'm a little worried because she will HAVE to wait to start kindergarten because schools ARE very strict on the Sept. 1 cut off (plus I would rather her be a little older when she starts school anyway). So that means if she continues, the year before she starts kindergarten her only option with preschool is to do the kindergarten program, which is 4 days a week, and I just don't really want her gone that much. I guess I don't have to worry about it now and could always have her repeat either 3 or 4 year old preschool. 

Disclaimer: When I was a teacher I told myself I would not be one of "those" parents but as I read back over what I am writing, I totally am one! BUT this is her FIRST time to go to school and she is my first kid so I get a little break right?? If I'm still spazzing like this when she's in 4th grade, someone stage an intervention for me. 

More Pallet Art

Thanks to my dad and father in law, who both gave me pallets, and my neighbor who tore his fence down and gave me access to as much wood as I wanted, I have had plenty of supplies for making pallet art! So that's exactly what I've done...

First, I have definitely needed some decor for the playroom upstairs. We've been here for over a year and I have had NOTHING on the walls. I guess I've just been too focused on downstairs. First I used one piece of wood and made these little guys with the girls' names on each one to display their work. As much as I LOVE Avery's artwork, my fridge can only take so much.

I made another one with Arden's name on it, but obviously she hasn't contributed any work yet :)

There was still one wall that needed something. I like using just a part of a Bible verse. Since I hand-paint the lettering, the fewer words, the better. I can foresee sisters fighting so I thought this phrase was perfect from John 13:34. I am a perfectionist and always critique my work, so if I was to do it over again, I would have done probably one or two less pennants.

Speaking of pennants, I'm kind of obsessed with decorating with them. I've used them on a few things so I should probably stop so it's not overkill. But they're all in different rooms so that's ok right?? For these I just used scrapbook paper.

Since I made Arden a sign for her room, I figured Avery needed one as well. I'll be honest - this one was a beating. I originally did it in antique white with black lettering, but it seemed too harsh so I primed it and started over. Her room is white, pink, and green, so I feel like these colors went a lot better. I chose this phrase from Proverbs 31:25. I love both of the verses in the girls' rooms and pray they become a reality in their lives.

Just a reminder this is the one in Arden's room -

And finally the last one. I am done after this because I think I am pushing the limits on how many of these are appropriate for one household. We have had a spot in our master bath that has needed something since we moved in. I chose this phrase from Psalm 118:24. I am not a morning person. I don't know how to emphasize that more. But when you become a parent, you have no choice. So when I am woken up in the morning, I am not happy about starting the day. I thought having this verse would be a good reminder that each day is a gift from God. I'm usually still bitter until I've had my coffee but I'm working on it...