Remember that time I did the impossible?

Want to know what had me more scared than labor? Taking 2 small children out in public. I'm dead serious, people. With my second pregnancy, I knew what to expect, so I didn't really fear the new baby's arrival. The thing that really freaked me out was the thought of parenting a toddler and a newborn, especially if I ever had to do it on my own. Well, today was that day. It had to happen eventually; it was inevitable.

So, how did I handle it? Well, with tons of preparation. It was actually kind of comical the way things went down.

No joke, about 15 minutes before we had to leave, the power went out. I freaked, because I have breast milk in the fridge and I would be TICKED if that stuff went to waste. I called the power company to report it and got an automated message that said it should be resolved within the hour. Okay, whatever. Fine. I'd deal with it later if I had to. I loaded up the kids, the stroller and a diaper bag packed full of diapers and bribes, and off we went.

I called my husband from the car and told him about the power outage. He asked if I had locked the door that leads to the garage, since the power was out and I wasn't able to close the garage door. I told him I couldn't remember. Argh. We turned around and went back home, where I discovered that I had not locked the door. I did, and we were off again.

Just as we pulled into the driveway of the pediatrician's office, two things happened. Reid started crying, and I smelled toddler poop. Awesome. I awkwardly changed Colin's stinky diaper on the floor of the car, as there really wasn't room anywhere else. Then I popped Reid, car seat and all, into the stroller, told Colin to hold my hand, and we paraded ourselves into the building.

Amazingly, Colin listened to me and stayed close as we went to the waiting room to sit down. He sweetly read a book about Elmo and sat in the chair like a big boy. Reid took his pacifier and fell asleep.

We were called back almost immediately, and that's where the real fun began. It's kind of a blur, but somehow I managed to get both boys undressed, weighed, and measured. I also nursed Reid, bribed Colin with snacks and juice, and filled out two forms about the kids' development. Dr. G. came in and examined them both, declaring them healthy. Colin only had one "terrible two" moment when he tried to kick her as she looked inside his mouth.

In the chaos I didn't get Reid's height, but I learned he is 10 lbs 9 oz (45th percentile) and that he is in the 65th percentile for height. Just perfect. Colin is still a big boy, but he's slimmed down as he's gotten more active. He weighed in at 30 pounds and was 35 inches tall. Bigger than the average toddler, but not at the very top of the charts anymore. Dr. G. encouraged us to push milk on him, as he has been refusing it sometimes and asking for juice instead, and also said we can make his first dentist's appointment whenever we like.

Other than sick visits (which are inevitable with daycare kids, let's be honest), we don't have to do that again until 4 months and 3 years, respectively. Whew.

Mommy rewarded herself with a McDonald's milkshake. Yum. Both kids are currently sleeping, praise the Lord.

This life is a little crazy, but I love these boys so much. I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world.

Oh. We did come home to find the power back on, in case you were worried. :)

Moby Wrap Review & Giveaway!

Being a momma to two little ones has presented me with all sorts of new challenges. One of the hardest things is that I just don't have enough hands to do everything I need to do. Since Colin loves to climb things and put himself in danger on a regular basis, I need to be able to rescue him every now and then. As you can imagine, that can be difficult when I have a baby attached to me most of the time. Enter the Moby Wrap! This thing is a lifesaver. When I wear it, Reid is safe and secure, and my hands are free to keep Colin from diving head-first off the couch. You can even nurse in it. Pretty cool, huh?

The Moby Wrap comes in a variety of colors and is made of a soft, stretchy, easy to wash fabric. If I had to come up with a criticism, it would be that there's a little bit of a learning curve if you've never worn your baby in a wrap before. I would definitely recommend going over the instructions on the Moby Wrap website and practicing a couple times at home before you use it out in public. Once you've got it, though, it's super easy. There are different ways to wear your baby in the Moby Wrap, but my favorite for teeny babies is to use the Folded Wrap method and the Newborn Hug Hold. If you're a first time Moby Wrap user, you should try out a few of the different methods to find what works for you.

And now for the best part. I am so excited to be able to offer one FREE Moby Wrap to one of my readers, in the color of your choice! Just follow the instructions in the widget below. Good luck!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Of Hospitals and T-Ball

Right when we were starting to get into the swing of things, Colin brought a respiratory virus home from daycare and shared it with his baby brother. I took Reid to the pediatrician last Thursday because his cough, mucus and rapid breathing were worrying me, and we ended up leaving Dr. G's office in an ambulance to get some special care at the local children's hospital. Reid and I spent three nights and four days in his hospital room together. It was exhausting for both of us. He needed a little oxygen while he fought the virus, but thankfully no other treatments were necessary.

Since we've been home, I've been savoring the time with my boys. It makes me a little sad that I have to return to work in a couple short weeks, but I'm trying not to dwell on that. Instead, I am choosing to focus on the time I do have at home, and the precious moments I am so blessed to be able to share with my little men.

A quick update on Colin: It seems that since he turned two, he is suddenly so much older. Case in point? Yesterday evening, he took a whole apple out of the fridge, showed it to Justin and said, "apple!" and then started taking bites out of it. We both started laughing. I've always peeled and diced his apples, but apparently Mr. Big Stuff would prefer to eat them whole. He is also talking up a storm. The other day he pointed at the back door and said, clear as day, "It's cold outside." Speaking of which, he would live outside if he could. He will bring us his shoes and ask to go "ah-side." He especially loves to play basketball and t-ball, since he got a basketball hoop and a t-ball set from his grandparents for his birthday. His batting technique is a bit off (haha), but that doesn't stop him. He is such a little man.

At six weeks old, Reid is doing all sorts of new things, too. He's staying awake for longer stretches of time, and sleeping decently at night. He is still restless because of the cough and mucus, unfortunately, but even that is starting to get better. He loves to nurse, to be swaddled when he sleeps, and to stare up at me when I hold him. It's so funny. When he's awake, he is constantly looking around to make sure he knows where I am. He is a mama's boy for sure, and I love it.

Enjoying a little sunshine on a warm day.

And finally, a little bit of blog business: I have fallen behind, but I do have a couple giveaways lined up, so keep an eye out for those. Also, I am so so excited to have won a blog makeover from Tiffany Kuehl Designs (many thanks to Erin at The View From Five Ten and Sarah at It's a Vol!), so in the coming weeks, Love, Lattes & Lullabies will be getting a new look. I can't wait!

More to come. ♥

Whirlwind

In the past month...

• Our family grew by one more
• Reid spent six days in the NICU before we got to bring him home
• I gave breastfeeding another try, and I'm still nursing 5 weeks in. Yes!
• Our house was hit with not one, but two viruses
• My mom stayed with us and was a huge help
• We celebrated Colin's second birthday

...and now I suddenly find myself the mother of a 2 year old and a 1 month old. 

I've been doing a lot of this...

...and this...

...and as a result, I've gotten pretty good at one handed typing.

I've got so much to blog about, and will hopefully find the time to write more soon.

Right now, though, I smell a poopy diaper. :)

More to come. ♥

Reid's Birth Story

How has it already been three weeks since we became a family of four? While this recovery has been physically easier for me than the first time around, I am finding that it's hard to parent a toddler and care for a newborn at the same time, especially after having major abdominal surgery! We are starting to settle into a routine, though, and now I am finally able to think about blogging. I wanted to write Reid's birth story before I forget the details, so here goes!

December 17, 2012

I was 37 weeks pregnant and feeling fine. I went to work, the same as any other day, and joked with my coworkers about how my goal for the week was to not go into labor early, since our Christmas break would begin in just a few days. My mom texted me to see how things were going, and I told her that I felt fine, wasn't really having any contractions, and didn't anticipate Reid coming anytime soon.

The work day went by pretty quickly and I headed home to hang out with my guys. I didn't have a huge appetite, so I ate a small dinner before watching TV and spending time with Colin until he went to bed around 8:30.

Shortly after my sweet boy fell asleep, I started feeling what I thought were Braxton Hicks contractions. I brushed them off at first, but when they started to get stronger and closer together, I started paying closer attention. I told Justin I felt like I needed to lay down and drink some water to see if the pain would go away. He lay down beside me in the bed and helped me time the contractions, but I had a hard time recognizing when one stopped and another began. Since that was exactly how my labor with Colin started, Justin gave his dad a quick call to let him know we might need him to come over and stay with Colin. I also texted my family and a close friend to tell them what was going on.

Sensing that I might be going into labor, I was determined to tie up a few loose ends. I took a shower, washed my hair and shaved my legs. You know, because I knew I might not be able to shave for a long time. It's so funny the things you think about when you find yourself in early labor. I rounded up Colin's stuff for daycare in case his Papa would need to take him the next morning, and threw the last few things into my hospital bag. As we timed contractions, we found several of them to be 3 or 4 minutes apart, so I gave the OB's office a call and I was told to go straight to the hospital.

As we waited for Justin's dad to arrive, I spent a few minutes watching Colin sleep. I got a little emotional thinking about the fact that this might be his last night as an only child.

Before I had much time to think about it, though, we were off to the hospital. My contractions continued throughout the drive, and the longer they lasted, the more confident I was that our baby would be born very soon. I texted my mom, who decided at that point to hop in the car with my sister and start driving down from Michigan. They hoped to make it in time for the birth, as they didn't arrive in time when Colin was born. Darn these early births! I'm not sure why my body seems to just be done with pregnancy at 37 weeks, but so far, that has been the pattern.

Anyway.

When we arrived at the hospital, we checked in at Labor & Delivery triage and met our awesome nurse, Rebecca. I changed into my lovely gown, was hooked up to monitors, and got an IV for fluids. We watched my contractions on the monitor for a while, and Rebecca seemed surprised when she saw they were about 3 minutes apart, because I was still talking and making jokes through them. In the middle of one, she asked if I was feeling anything, and I assured her that I was. They were painful, but I told her that they were nothing compared to the ones I had with Colin because I was on the max dose of Pitocin the first time around. These "natural" contractions were so much more bearable.

When my cervix was checked, I was dilated about 2 centimeters. I asked if that meant I was in active labor, and she said that in order to get me to the OR, my body had to "prove itself" by making recordable progress. Since I was just 37 weeks, there would be no interventions, but they wouldn't try to stop my labor, either. I would continue to be monitored and checked for dilation and effacement, and if I continued to make progress, we'd go ahead with a c-section.

And on that note, let me go off on a short tangent. Because I did go into labor on my own, I was given the option to try for a VBAC. I briefly considered it, but as we had already planned for a scheduled c-section, I opted to stick with the plan. This is something I discussed with several doctors at my OB/GYN's office, and they all agreed that for me, a repeat c-section seemed like the best option. Because I was prepared for it this time, I felt so much more in control of the situation, and really was okay with it. I have no regrets.

December 18, 2012

Moving on. Justin and I tried to get a little rest in our triage room, but with contractions 3 minutes apart, that was nearly impossible for me. He was incredibly uncomfortable in the little chair he was trying to sleep in, so I sent him to the car to lay back and get some sleep, and I told him I'd call him when it was time to come back in.

While he was gone, Rebecca came back in to take my vitals. She was clearly tired, and I was her only patient for the night, so she stayed to keep me company and we talked about work, motherhood, breastfeeding, and church. Finally, the time had come to check my cervix again, and when she did, I had dilated to 3 centimeters. She said she'd go call the doctor on call and let him know. A short time later, she came back with the news that it was time to start prepping me for surgery.

I'm not sure what time that was.. maybe somewhere around 4:30 or 5 am? I called Justin and told him to come back inside, and then I gave my mom and sister a quick call to tell them the baby would be born very soon. Since they clearly weren't going to make it for his birth, they decided to stop at a hotel and get a few hours of sleep before driving the rest of the way. I was a little disappointed that they wouldn't be there in time, but I didn't have much time to think about that. Our baby was coming - and soon!

Once the surgery prep started, things moved pretty quickly. Rebecca added an antibiotic drip to my IV, as they realized I had tested positive for Group B Strep (not a big deal, the antibiotics are routine and precautionary), gave me some alka seltzer to drink (ew) and shaved my nether regions. Justin was given some scrubs to put on, and he gathered up our things to take to the postpartum room.

Because I didn't have an epidural this time, I was allowed to walk to the OR. It gave me such a sense of calm and made me feel like an active participant in my son's birth. That might sound strange, but for me it made all the difference. This time, it wasn't an emergency situation, so the tone of the surgical team even seemed different.

In the OR, I was given a spinal anesthetic which took effect almost immediately. I did have a brief moment of panic as my chest went numb and I couldn't feel myself breathing. The anesthesiologist assured me that it was normal, and after a few deep breaths I was able to regain my sense of calm.

Justin was allowed to come in at that point, and Dr. Wild began the process of bringing our baby boy into the world. I was so relieved not to feel any pain during the c-section. I felt some pressure, but the whole experience was a million times better with a spinal instead of an epidural. I asked periodically how things were going, and each time, voices on the other side of the blue curtain would tell me the surgery was going beautifully, and that I was doing great. At one point, Dr. Wild said "rupture," and I said, "Did he say 'rupture?'" A woman's voice told me that meant he had made the last incision and was suctioning the fluid out of my uterus. We were almost there!

One minute before 6 a.m., I heard the tiniest, most beautiful cry, and just like that, we were a family of four. Our second son, Reid William Vaughan, entered the world, screaming and pink. He was 6 lbs, 9 oz and 19.5 inches of pure newborn perfection.

To be continued. :)  

Reid is here!

Please forgive my recent absence. I've been busy having a BABY!

Reid William Vaughan joined our little family on Tuesday, December 18, 2012 at 5:59 am. Weighing in at 6 lbs 9 oz and measuring 19.5 inches long, he was and is pure newborn perfection, and such a little love. As he was born a little bit early (37 weeks 1 day gestation) and aspirated fluid during his cesarian birth, he spent 6 days in the NICU before we got to bring him home. There were two nights where we had to come home without him, and I can't even tell you how hard that was. But now we are all home, and our sweet boy is doing so well. He is nursing like a champ, too, which is a huge deal and a big relief to me, as you may remember the difficulty I had with nursing Colin.

So there you have it. I have two sons, and my heart overflows.

More to come. ♥  

State of the Uterus: 37 Weeks!

How far along?  37 weeks, also known as full term. Whoa.

Due Date: January 6, 2013, with a c-section scheduled for 12/31.

Total weight gain/loss: I haven't weighed this morning, but I'm still up roughly 20 lbs.

Maternity clothes? Duh. :)

Sleep: Still waking up pretty often to use the bathroom, and getting restless. Justin also says I've been snoring lately. Sorry, babe.

Best moment this week: Date night on Saturday night! Hubby and I went to see The Life of Pi, which we both thoroughly enjoyed.

Movement: Yep, my little ninja is always on the move.

Food cravings: Chocolate, and sweets in general.

Food aversions: Raw meat is still kind of grossing me out, so I haven't done much cooking lately other than stuff I can easily throw together.

Gender: It's a boy! Reid William Vaughan.

Labor Signs: Having daily contractions, but not regularly enough to time them.

Belly button in or out? It has kind of flattened out, but it is still technically an innie.

What I miss: Being able to sleep in after a sleepless night (thanks, Colin!). Parenting a toddler has definitely made this pregnancy much different than the first time.

What I am looking forward to: Being on Christmas break, which will bleed right into maternity leave. Just four more work days! 

Milestones: I'm officially full term! My next prenatal checkup is on Wednesday, so we'll see if Reid shows any signs of trying to come early, like his big brother did. I'm really hoping he holds out long enough for my family to be here for the birth. They will all be here by the 28th!