Arden Four Months

My little chunk is four months old!

Here are her stats:
Weight - 14lbs 2.5oz (63%)
Length - 25 inches (77%)
Head Circumference - 16 inches (42%)

...And she's wearing 9 month clothes at this point. I feel like she is way heavier than Avery but she is only one pound more than she was at this age. And it seems (according to the percentiles) she is middle of the road. Maybe all the rolls and double chin are throwing me off! :)

Apparently she looks just like me. (I'm on the left, Arden's on the right.)

I feel like she has developed quite the personality over the last month. She loves smiling and laughing (she's ticklish). She also kicks all. the. time. When she is on my lap I have to block her feet or she'll kick me to death. And I get soaked while giving her a bath from her kicking.

She has discovered her feet and her ability to spit. And she rolled over for the first time on January 9 (from tummy to back). 

She's been doing good in her own room. She takes about five 30 minute naps during the day but usually only wakes up once at night, so I'll take it. I remember the short naps drove me NUTS with Avery, but I learned from her there is nothing you can do about it, so I just go with it. Avery eventually grew out of it and I know she will too. This time it doesn't bother me so much because I am up all day with Avery anyway so it's not like I'm hoping for a nap of my own or anything.

Judge me if you will but she still sleeps in the swing. Avery did for six months and she's fine so I figure I'll move her eventually. 

Before she goes to sleep, she makes all this noise. We call it her "sleepy song." I sing "Jesus Loves Me" to her each time before putting her down and Rustin thinks it's her trying to sing along. I always know if she's making those sing-songy sounds that she is about to go to sleep. It's super cute.

I know I've said this before but she is seriously the most chill baby ever! Maybe you have to be when you're not the only one?

Arden 3 Months and Christmas and a Wedding

Well nothing like doing Arden's three month update days before she turns four months. Better late than never right?? 

She didn't have a well visit at three months so I don't have her "stats." I'm curious to see what they are at her four month because she is quite the chunk! She is wearing six month clothes in these pictures. 

When I went to do her photo shoot, Avery woke up from her nap and insisted on being in some of the pictures.

Cute outtakes- 

Up until she was three months, she slept in our room - usually right next to me. I figured I would move her to her room at three months, but when it came I wasn't quite ready. Sure I wanted my nights back and all, but I loved her cuddled up next to me. And I knew when she went to her room, she wasn't ever coming back. So I thought of keeping her until four months but she started being more social and not such a sound sleeper. I used to be able to just lay her down next to me and she would fall asleep while Rustin and I watched TV but she started not wanting to lay down with me, but play instead and the TV kept her awake so I figured it was time. I moved her in there and was bracing myself for the worst, but she really did ok with the transition. 

Here are a few more of her - 

Christmas was really fun this year with it being Arden's first and Avery being really into it. She had a "Christmas T-shirt Parade" at her preschool. They made shirts with angels on them using their footprint and handprints and wore the shirts as they marched down the hall ringing bells and singing songs while the parents watched. It was SUPER cute! 

Avery also attended her second wedding. One of my long-time friends, Shelby, got married and I was in the house party. 

She had a BLAST! The two girls in the picture above hung out with her the whole time and held her hand while they walked around. It was SO cute! They also went to the photo booth a few times by themselves. The pictures were pretty hilarious. That was sort of the first time at an event where she has gone off by herself. Usually she sticks by us and will only go somewhere if we go with her. Although we were glad she's now confident enough to do that, it was a little bittersweet. She's growing up too fast! 

We celebrated Christmas early in Wichita Falls. On the anniversary of my Grandad's passing we went to the cemetery and let him meet Arden. 

She was also able to meet her future husband, Luke. He is my friend Sarah's baby and was born about three weeks after Arden. 

 And then we were back in Allen for Christmas Eve/Day with Rustin's family. 

Hopefully I will be a little more timely with the next update. No promises though :)

Life with Two

How is life with two kids?

I get asked that question a lot lately. It's not a bad question at all, but since I have been asked it so much it has forced me to think more deeply about it than my typical response of "Oh we're making it."

The real answer is it's stinkin' hard. But I haven't wanted to say that. I feel like I don't have a "right" to say that. I know people with three, four, heck I even personally know a woman with 12 kids. What right do I have to say two- just two - kids are hard?? Not only do I only have two kids, but I stay home, I have a supportive husband, and just the fact that I live in the United States means I have many MANY more luxuries than my fellow moms in say Africa.

But knowing all of those things doesn't make it less hard. I think being aware of how fortunate I am is good because it creates a sense of gratitude in me, but sometimes it creates a feeling of worthlessness. Because it's not really helpful to see the woman with 12 kids wearing something other than sweat pants (an act I have not been able to pull off in days). It makes me feel like even more of a failure. (If she can do it, why can't I??) I think at times we have to allow ourselves to be ok with the fact that we're struggling.

I remember it was hard with just one kid. Avery only took 20 minute naps and when she was awake she was crying. I went from having free time to zero free time. Side note to people without kids: you may think you have no free time now because you're busy with work, etc. and I'm not discounting that, but please, just take pleasure in the fact that you can use the restroom ALONE.

Now with two I have even less free time. Maybe that sounds selfish of me that I need free time, but hear me out - I am an introvert and if you have ever done the Myers Briggs testing you know that the difference between and introvert and extrovert is not how good you are at talking to people, it's where you get your energy. Extroverts get their energy from others, and introverts get their energy from alone/down time. We need some time to just recharge with no one around. And now I no longer have that recharge time that I NEED.

At least with Avery (when she got older) she napped during the day so I had a few hours there, then she went to bed at a somewhat decent hour and I got a few more hours before I went to sleep. Now I think they have conspired so that one of them is awake at all times. I kid you not, there have been days that the SECOND I put one of them down to nap, the other immediately wakes up and it continues like that all day.

And let's talk about going places. I need to get out of the house. Even though I am an introvert, believe it or not, I do like being around people. In fact, I NEED to be around other people sometimes or I go insane. But I pretty much can't leave the house unless I'm going to a place with childcare and only women (because I just can't bring myself to nurse in front of men). Arden takes 40 minute naps every 1.5 hours, and she eats every 2-3 hours. So if you want to try to do the math that leaves me about one 30 minute window to go somewhere, but 30 minutes is how long it now takes us to all get into the car.

It's an adjustment, and I keep telling myself it WILL get better (it did with Avery). But for all you other moms out there with only one or two kids who are struggling and then you see the mom of 12 with actual pants on (you know, ones that button) and then you feel like a failure, just know you are not alone. It's hard. And just because some people have it harder, contrary to popular opinion, that does not somehow make it easier for you.

And a little PSA for husbands: When your wife is confiding in you how she's having a hard time, the worst thing you can do is to remind her how so-and-so did it/is doing it and is fine. You're welcome.

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!