Ellie Milestone @ 15 1/2 weeks . . .

I put Ellie on the floor last night to change her diaper. Once I had most of her clothes off I decided to give her a little tummy time. She seems to prefer tummy time when she has little clothing on. I think she feels like she can move around better. And she proved it . . . after only being on her tummy for a few minutes, she pushed up on her right arm and then rolled over to her back! She did it like she had done it a million times before. I rolled her back over and tried to cheer her on so she would do it again, but she didn't roll over. Oh well. I can't wait until she does it again!

Breakthrough!

My mom mentioned to me that one of the girls at her work swaddled her 2 month old baby and that baby was already sleeping through the night! I kind of dismissed the advice because I used to swaddle Ellie and it didn't seem to matter either way. But then I decided I was desperate enough to try anything. Ellie has been waking up at least 3 times a night to feed and usually 2 other times she just wakes up and I have to give her a binky to get her back to sleep. So two nights ago I swaddled her and put her to bed at 7pm. She slept about 15 minutes and somehow managed to houdini her way out of the swaddle. So I rocked her (without a swaddle) and got her back in bed around 8:30pm. She was up again at 11:30 for a feeding and after an hour of trying to rock her back to sleep after she ate (she is stuffy though and was having a harder time getting to sleep), I was so frustrated. I decided to wrap her in a blanket as tight as I thought was safe. ALMOST INSTANTLY she fell asleep! And the best part . . . SHE SLEPT UNTIL 6AM!!!

I was worried that it might have been a coincidence, but last night I swaddled her tight and put her down at 8pm. She woke up at 12:30 to eat, went easily back to sleep, and didn't wake up again until 6:30am! YAY!!! Let's hope this is the solution because I have already gotten used to getting 4-6 straight hours of sleep.

Ellie and the sleepless nights

Seriously, I don't remember being this tired ever in my life. EVER. Sometimes I don't trust my memory, especially when I am trying to compare Ellie's growth and development to Tate at the same age. But I really think that Tate was a much better sleeper than Ellie. Not only do I seem to remember that he slept in nice good chunks of hours at a time, I also seem to remember that he was easy to put back to sleep after a late night feeding. To be fair, I do remember that sometimes getting him to sleep in the evening consisted of an hour of singing or humming the Brady Bunch theme song (I don't know the words to a lot of songs off the top of my head). Anyway, the point of this post is to document my struggle with Ellie and her lack of sleeping at night. Currently, her sleeping schedule is thus: in bed for the night around 9pm (we have tried to put her down earlier and she just won't go), up at 1am for a feeding and back to bed pretty easily, up at 4am for a feeding and putting her back down takes quite a bit longer (for some reason she thinks 4am is the time to party and often starts talking and wanting to interact), up again at 6am (that is only 2 hours from the last time she got up!) for another feeding and an even longer task of putting her back down to sleep. Usually by the time I get her back to sleep Tate is up for the day. I am slowly losing my sanity.

Funny Tate-isms

- We were driving in the car a couple weeks ago, on our way to Tate's music class. Ellie was a little fussy and had been crying off and on. For the umpteenth time she started crying and Tate said "Oh man, not again!"

- Rob's sister April had given Tate a package of dinosaur figures while we were at a Sunday dinner. The next morning he asked me if the dinosaurs could have a snack. I told him that dinosaurs ate waffles and coincidentally, that was what I was making for breakfast. He quickly informed me that dinosaurs don't eat waffles. When I asked him dinosaurs eat, he looked at me out of the corner of his eye and said "MARSHMALLOWS!"

- Tate is so excited to be a pirate for Halloween. He is borrowing a pirate costume from his friend Wesley, who lives down the street. We bought him a pirate sword to go along with the costume and since then, his favorite thing to do is sword fight with Rob. The other night they were sword fighting and Tate aimed his sword at Rob and said "Eat my steel!" Apparantly, he heard that phrase in the Veggie Tales pirate movie he is so fond of watching!

Ellie - 10 weeks old

I can't believe how big Ellie is getting. Just today, I looked down at her as I was putting her down for a nap and couldn't believe how big she was. She has lost that newborn look and is starting to look like a baby! At her 2 month check-up she weigh 10 lbs and 14 oz (50th%ile) and was 23 inches long (90th%ile). She smiles a lot now. We have tried making her laugh, but haven't been successful yet. She is still eating every 2-2.5 hours during the day and usually every 3 hours at night. It seems like it is so often. Sometimes I can push her to four hours at night if I keep giving her a binky. I tried putting her down in her crib a couple nights ago but decided that it was too ahrd for me to keep getting up to give her a binky. Maybe in another couple weeks she will be sleeping longer at night and I will be ready to put her in her crib. It is just so convenient to have her next to my bed in the pack 'n' play.

The last couple of days she has been a little grouchy at night and it has been hard to calm her down. Last night I tried calming her down for an hour so she could nurse. I finally stripped her down to her diaper and nursed her in her dark room with the door closed. I wonder if sometimes she just gets overwhelmed with all the noise of a busy two-year old and his parents who are trying to keep up with him. Tate is a great older brother and helps us out usually whenever we ask. He still gives her little kisses on her head and has started asking me what is wrong with her when she starts to cry.

She is not the best at taking naps, but today she slept for 2.5 hours in the early afternoon! Usually she cat naps (20-30 minutes) until late afternoon. I have tried putting her to bed early (around 7pm) but that doesn't usually work. She prefers to go to bed around 9:30pm and wakes up around 8 or 8:30 in the morning.

We blessed her last Sunday and it was wonderful. Rob did a great job with the blessing. He blessed her with unique talents and encouraged her to recognize and develop those talents. He also blessed her that she would grow close to her Heavenly Father through a relationship with the Holy Ghost. He blessed her that she would be married in the temple and that she would return to her Father in Heaven. Finally, he blessed her that she would be quick to repent and even quicker to forgive. I am grateful that Rob holds the Priesthood and was able to give her such a dear blessing.

Ellie - 6 weeks old

This was the best shot I could get of her today!

She's smiling! Although I have yet to capture it on camera, Ellie started smiling a couple weeks ago. It was hard to coax a smile out of her at first, but now it is easier. I can't believe how much she has changed in a few short weeks. Her hair is getting lighter and is, sadly, starting to fall out. Unfortunately, it seems to be falling out mostly on top and in the back. I am afraid that she is going to look like an old man! She is awake more often now, usually for about an hour after eating. She likes to look around with her big, dark eyes. She is also starting to be vocal. Not much cooing, but more like little shrieks and "AH!" sounds. It's adorable.

The sleeping situation at night is getting a little better. She still loves to be awake from 9pm to midnight, and it is so hard to get her to sleep during this time. Rob can rock her to sleep more easily than I can. I usually lay her next to me on the couch until she falls asleep. The only problem with that is that I fall asleep too!

She is still a rockstar pooper. I try to wait until I think all of the grunts, pushing, and mini explosions are over before I change her diaper. But it is not uncommon for me to have to change two diapers within 5 minutes.

Tate is starting to take much more of an interest in her and has asked to hold her several times. He is mostly gentle with her, but sometimes we have to remind him that he needs to be "soft." He also likes to pretend that he is a baby and has started asking for his own binky. We tell him that big boys get to do fun things like play soccer and eat cookies and that babies only get to take naps. That usually seems to work.

Sleep all day, party all night

I need to write this post so I won't forget how Ellie slept as a one month old . . . HORRIBLY! She takes really great naps during the day, but at night she is up so much! She experiences horrible gas at night that causes her to grunt, push, moan, and wiggle for hours. By the time she finally goes to sleep, she only sleeps for an hour or so before waking up to nurse again. I have been in tears a couple times because I AM SO TIRED! It is not uncommon for me to get only 3-4 hours of sleep at night, and that is only in one hour increments. It is really rough. I hope she grows out of it soon and starts sleeping better at night. Mylecon does not seem to help with the gas at all, so I need to do some research and find some other remedies.

Ellie's 2 week check-up & Tate's pending surgery

Tate and I took Ellie to the doctor today for her first check-up. She weighs 7 lbs 7.5 oz (30th%ile) and is 20.5 inches long (75th%ile). Her head size was in the 15th%ile, small like Tate. The doctor said that she looked great. She does have a "stork bite" mark on the back of her head. It is about the size of a golf ball but will fade with time. She is a rockstar when it comes to pooping - we usually change her diapers in pairs (she waits until you get a new one on and then minutes later fills it up again). She is also a pretty good little eater, if I can keep her awake long enough. She is starting to be awake more during the day. She will usually stay awake for an hour or so after she eats. She still struggles with sleeping well at night, so I usually only get about 1 or 2 hours of straight sleep in between feedings. Rob has been home all this week, which has been a big help. I am struggling a little with getting the hang of two kids. I guess it is a learning process, I just hope I can get a handle on it soon. Rob leaves for Boston next Tuesday!

We took Tate to a pediatric ENT doctor yesterday. He still snores loudly at night and often pauses in his breathing. I never realized how used to his snoring I had become until Ellie came home. She is such a silent sleeper, I often wake up and get freaked out by how quiet she is. I have to stare for a while to make sure I can see her breathing. The ENT doctor had an x-ray of Tate taken and told us that his tonsils and adnoids are large and he would benefit from having them removed! I almost started crying right there in the exam room. I just can't imagine sending my little boy in for surgery. But, in an effort to help him sleep better, we have scheduled his surgery for September 28th. I am NOT looking forward to it at all.

Ellie - 8 days old

My baby is a rockstar! She slept for six hours last night! It was so nice. She fell asleep around 9:30pm and didn't wake up for a feeding until 3:20 this morning! I don't know if it was a fluke or not, so I will just appreciate it. When Ellie was a couple days old Rob said "We know two things about her: she cries like a kitten and farts like a sailor!" Both of which are true. She has kind of lost the "mewing" cry and has developed quite the wail (but she doesn't cry unless she is really ready to eat) but she still passes gas that smells like rotten eggs. She is starting to develop a schedule, which I love. And she is also starting to stay awake for a while in between naps and feedings which is fun. I can't wait for more milestones to come.

I have been struggling a little bit with my feelings about how this is all affecting Tate. He has been a little sensitive the past few days and I have had less patience - which is the wrong combination. I know that he is going through something, trying in his own little way to deal with the change in the family. I felt sad last night when Rob and Tate went to Rob's parents house for a visit after dinner. I feel a small temporary division of the family - me and Ellie (for obvious feeding reasons) and Rob and Tate. I just hope that the feeling goes away soon and that I can have more patience with my little boy.

Introducing . . . ELLIE MONA ANDERSON

She's here! We are so excited and grateful that everything turned out so well. We got a phone call around 9am on Wednesday, August 5th, that they had a bed available for us. So we quickly packed up and took Tate to Janet's house and then on to the hospital. We got to the hospital at about 10am and into our room around 10:30am. The nurse started the pitocin at 11am and after checked me, telling us that I was 3+ centimeters dilated. At 11:30am, Dr. Hebert came in and broke my water. At that point I was dilated to 4 centimeters. My mom arrived shortly thereafter (with some lunch for Rob) and we spent the next little while chatting. I got an epidural about an hour after they broke my water. That was not a fun experience. I think that it was less painful when I got the epidural for Tate's birth. Still, I am grateful for modern medicine that takes away the pain and allowed me to enjoy the experience.



Around 2pm I turned in my bed, causing the fetal monitor to move. The nurse came in to adjust the monitor and decided to check to see how I was progressing. After checking, she said "You're complete." I thought she meant that she was done checking me, but she meant that we were ready to have a baby! After quick preparations on the part of the hospital staff, and a few pushes on my part, baby Ellie arrived at 2:30pm! She came out quietly and was purple, which scared Rob and I. Apparently she had taken a big gulp of fluid on her way out and that may account for the silence. Once they started suctioning her out though, she started screaming and yelled for a really long time!



After a while she calmed down and Rob and I got a really good look at her. She is beautiful. She weighed 7 lbs and 3 oz and was almost 20 inches long. At first glance I thought that she looked smaller than Tate had, so I was surprised to learn that she was actually bigger than Tate had been (and she had been born 10 days earlier than Tate). Her head was beautifully shaped, probably because it didn't take long for her to come out.



My Mom and Dad were at the hospital before she arrived, so they were the first ones to meet her after me and Rob. Janet brought Tate a couple hours later. I think he was scared when he first walked into my hospital room and saw me laying in the bed. He looked like he was about to cry. I think he was just overwhelmed with everything going on around him. He met Ellie and was interested, but there was so much going on: Nana, Papa, Grandma, Grandpa, and Cory were all there plus nurses were in and out, etc. We gave Tate the present that we had gotten him and told him it was from his new baby sister. He opened his new Mack truck (from Disney's Cars movie) and was SO excited. We picked a good gift.

I felt really good after the delivery. I didn't have any pain even though the epidural was wearing off. The nurses kept asking me if I had pain and seemed surprised by my negative response. The pain finally did come, but not until about midnight that night. Eventually everyone left except for Rob and Tate and we finally got some alone time together as a family.

It was hard being in the hospital this time. I didn't mind it so much when I had Tate. In fact, I think Rob and I were terrified of going home and taking him with us. But this time I spent more time alone because Rob was with Tate. So I decided early the next day that I wanted to go home. We left the hospital around 5pm on Thursday. I was glad to be home but REALLY overwhelmed and ended up having a little breakdown around 10pm that night. I bawled my eyes out. I just wasn't sure I was going to be able to handle two little kids plus all the things that come with keeping up with my house. Rob was very sweet and insisted that I go to bed. After a few hours of sleep I felt so much better. It must have been the fatigue and the drop in hormones after delivery.

Anyway, here we are 5 days later. Still tired (Rob and I both forgot about how newborns sleep all day and stay up all night) but slowly getting the hang of it. Rob has to go back to work tomorrow and I am very nervous about being by myself. I am mostly anxious about being able to give Tate the attention he needs. We are trying very hard to have extra patience with him and to make him feel involved in everything that is going on. We'll see how this next week goes!

Me and Tate right before we left the house to drop him off at Grandma's and head for the hospital.

We let Tate take the very last picture of my belly.

This is the last official picture of our family of three before it becomes a family of four.

Such a great picture. Rob gave me no warning before he took it!

She's here!

He is such a natural Daddy.

Our first picture together.

Nana and Papa.

We finally decided on the name Ellie. I have a little girl in my Primary class named Ellie and she is such a doll. We thought the name was cute. It was down to Ellie or Abigail and we decided on Ellie after we got a good look at her. I had picked the middle name of Mona almost from the moment we knew we were having a little girl. My Mom has always said that she hates her name, but I am honored to be able to give my daughter such a strong name and have her be forever linked to such a great woman.

Tate and his new Mack truck.

Ellie in her "going home" outfit. It is newborn size but was really big on her.

Tate holding his baby sister for the first time. He didn't want to hold her while we were at the hospital. We didn't want to pressure him on any aspect, so we just waited until he was ready.

SO CUTE! It makes my heart melt.

Uncle Bryan.

Such a doll. Healthy and gorgeous. We are so blessed.

Pregnancy Update - Week 38 + 6 days

I got a prescription and it is working! Kind of. The blsiter part of the cold sore is greatly diminished and one its way out, but my lip is still oddly swollen. So now it looks like I was punched in the mouth. The pictures from labor and delivery are going to be hilarious.

Rob has the day off today and we have decided to spend the day with Tate, doing whatever makes him happy. We talked to him a little last night about being a big brother and how cool it is. We also mentioned that mommy was going to the hospital soon to get Baby Sister and that he could come to the hospital to see her. We probably need to repeat the conversation today. He is such a great kid, I don't anticipate many issues. But we still want him to feel involved and loved.

Pregnancy Update - 38 weeks + 5 days

This cold sore is not tied for first place in the "worst ever" category. It is officially the worst cold sore I have ever had. I bawled my eyes out last night about it. Rob just stood there and hugged me, poor guy. I am so upset that I will not be able to kiss my baby girl the moment she arrives into my arms. Not to mention the fact that I still look like I am over the legal limit in collagen injections to my upper lip. I called my doctor's office this morning and they called in a prescription of Valtrex. Expensive little pills, but at this point I don't care. I think I can tell a difference in the swelling, but nothing too obvious yet. I am trying to have a better attitude about it all and not get so sad.

Tate is having a strange day today. I wonder if he is somehow anticipating the end of "only child"hood. He has been crying a lot today, which is so unlike him, and wants me to constantly hold him. He has fallen asleep on my shoulder twice already and it is only 1pm. I was able to successfully lay him down in his bed after the first time and he took a 30 minute nap. The second time he fell asleep on my shoulder I tried to lay him on the couch but he woke up. Luckily it seems the little nap may have helped him. He is now watching Curious George while I make him some macaroni and cheese. Which I should probably go check on.

Pregnancy Update - Week 38 + 4 days

Well, I have been feeling plenty of contractions over the past couple days, but nothing that makes me feel closer to labor. I also haven't been sleeping very well and encountered a MAJOR bummer. Yesterday morning I developed a cold sore. At this point it is tied for first place for one of the worst cold sores I have EVER had. The worst part about it is that I will not be able to kiss my little girl if I have her this week. That makes me so sad. Not to mention the fact that my upper lip is EXTREMELY swollen (like I was stung by a bee or something). I am so embarrassed and bummed by it that I skipped the monthly family dinner with Rob's family tonight. Tate and Rob went, but I opted to stay home. So not only am I sad about the cold sore, uncomfortable by the pregnancy, but I am also now lonely and a little depressed by my situation. Self pity. I am just hoping and praying that the swelling goes away by morning so I can feel better.

Pregnancy Update - Week 38 + 2 days

Still no Baby Girl. I had a rough night of intense contractions, but with no real consistency. I would just wake up every hour or so with one and lay there until it went away. Then I would wait a while to see if another one came, but usually they didn't so I would fall back asleep. It was a very restless night. I have been trying to walk more, but nothing really seems to be working. I guess I will just wait for Wednesday and hope that it works out!

Pregnancy Update - Week 38

UGH! Still only dilated 3 cm. Bummer. I am now effaced 70% though, so still some progress. I have had a lot of contractions the past few days, at least a few every hour with a big one every few hours. Since none of the contractions were lasting very long or seemed to have any consistency to them, I assumed they were just Braxton Hicks contractions. However, I thought that at least the false contractions would be helping me dilate. At my doctor's appointment today I had my membranes stripped. I had that done twice when I was pregnant with Tate and it lead to nothing. So we will see if it will provide any benefit this time. I am still on the schedule for August 5th, but it would be great if she decided to make an appearance before then. So, for right now we are still waiting. Rob and I have a date planned for tonight and hopefully I can keep myself busy enough for the next week to go by quickly. We can't wait to meet Baby Girl (yes, we STILL have not picked a name).

Pregnancy Update - Week 37

PROGRESS! I had a doctor's appointment today and to my shock I am 3 cm dilated (the doctor called it a "tight 3") and 60% effaced! Wahoo! I think the most I ever got with Tate on my own was maybe 2.5 cm dilated. I am still on the schedule to be induced on August 5th.

MILESTONE!

I thought about putting this on my public blog, but decided that I didn't want to cause any future embarassment. But . . . TATE WENT POOP ON THE POTTY! It was totally unexpected! Saturday morning I was changing his diaper like I usually do and asked him if he wanted to pee on the potty. Recently he has been so great about peeing on the potty whenever we change his diaper. He said yes so I followed him in there. He sat down and started pushing a little harder than usual. So I told him that if he didn't have to go it was alright and he could get down. He kept pushing and then all of a sudden I heard it! (I know, this post is a little graphic). I freaked out and called Rob in and we yelled and high-fived and made a huge deal and he just sat there and smiled. I had read and heard so many times that most kids are freaked out about pooping on the potty and that it is one of the hardest parts of potty training. He hasn't done it again, but he acted like it was no big deal, so I don't expect many problems in the future. I bought him some pull-ups later that day and am going to have him wear them today and see what happens. I had put off any more potty training until after the baby gets here, but if he is ready I don't want to miss the opportunity!

I tried to get him to stand by his potty for a picture, but he was not interested.

Pregnancy Update - Week 36

Today I went to the doctor's office and had my 36 week check up. I am dilated 1+ and am 50% effaced according to my doctor. Which doesn't mean a whole lote for me. With Tate I was dilated 2+ and 80% efface for two or three weeks and they still had to induce me three days after my due date. I am on the schedule for an induction on August 5th. But in reality, I could be bumped from that list for any reason since I am not being induced for a medical reason. I am ready to be done. I have not slept well the past few nights. My hips ache at night and in the morning, and Baby Girl (still not officially named) moves around like she's doing laps in an Olympic-sized pool. Sometimes she will stretch and stay in the stretch until I feel like I can't take it anymore. Some great news from my checkup today though was that she is head down, WHICH IS GREAT!

Rob is allowed two weeks of PAID paternity leave after the baby is born, but right now we are not sure how that is going to pan out. He is short-staffed at work and has a staff member going on vacation the week of August 10th. That means he has to work that week. So, best case scenario - if I have the baby on August 5th, he can stay home the rest of the week but will have to go back to work on Monday. He can stay home the week after that, but still won't be able to finish his two weeks before he has to leave for Boston on a business trip. ARGH! I am just hoping it all works out. I am lucky enough to have my mom stay with me during the days while Rob is in Boston, which will be a lifesaver. At least I am not alone in this pregnancy . . .

Pregnancy Update - Week 33, 34, and almost 35

All is well with Baby Girl. STILL NO NAME! That part is frustrating. Rob and I talk about it and have a few names on our list (Annistyn, Elise, Abigail) but nothing that we have committed to yet. I went to the doctor's office last Wednesday and everything still looks great. I have gained a total of 25.5 pounds so far. And just when I feel like I can't get any bigger, I look down at my belly and am surprised at the size of it. The heat of summer has been getting to me lately, but I expected nothing else. I have been dealing with heartburn (in my throat mostly) a lot lately at night, so maybe Baby Girl is growing some hair! I am excited for my next doctor's appointment (a week from Tuesday) becuase I will be able to get my name on the induction list for August 5th and my doctor will see if my body has made any progress towards labor.

Pregnancy Update - Week 32 (and a whole lot of hormones)

I feel like having a little pity party for myself today. I didn't fall asleep until after 2am last night, so I am sure this is all due to being extremely tired and those darn pregnancy hormones. Being pregnant is hard. Your body doesn't feel good, you can't move the way you are used to moving, and people get tired of hearing you complain and stop listening. And I don't blame them. I even took my own belly picture today because I have asked several times for Rob to take one but it never gets done. So all you get in this belly picture is a belly - the most important part anyway. Tate is downstairs right now with Rob, the way he prefers it. If Rob isn't around, I am a good buddy. If Rob is around, Tate doesn't want to have much to do with me. This has been going on for a couple months now. At the beginning it bothered me but I got over it, mostly. Today it bugs me, only because the feeling of not wanting me around is only contributing to my pitiful mood. Tate should have been getting ready for bed by now. But I am not going to go downstairs and be the bad guy by ruining all the fun and making him get ready for bed.

I went to the doctor's today. All is well with Baby Girl (still no name yet). Her heart rate is great and she moves constantly. I only gained a 1/2 pound (yipee!) the last two weeks, so that was some great news. I still have the vericose vein issue and it looks like I may be getting some more. Pregnancy does the weirdest things. In an effort to preserve details that my otherwise foggy memory would forget, I am going to list the differences between this pregnancy and my pregnancy with Tate . . .

~Pregnancy with Tate: bleeding gums, stretch marks on my breasts, almost constant heartburn from the beginning (up near my throat), morning sickness through week 12 or 13 (and usually only once or twice a day for a short amount of time).

~Pregnancy with Baby Girl: vericose veins, stretch marks on my stomach, morning sickness through week 21 (usually sick all day long), several cold sores, heartburn (up near my throat) starting around week 30.

Well, here's hoping that I get a decent night's sleep tonight so I can stop feeling so sorry for myself and stop feeling sad.

Pregnancy Update - Week 31

It's getting closer. I have had some good nights of sleep and some not-so-good nights of sleep. My vericose veins are starting to bug me and I have worn my new support stocking two full days this week. Luckily, the weather has been mild and rainy so I haven't overheated. Baby Girl moves like a champ though. I swear sometimes she is trying to bust out of there. I don't remember Tate moving so much and so hard. I think I am a little smaller, so maybe she has less room to move around. We have been getting out the baby stuff (car seat, swing, etc.) and that has been fun. I just have a few more touches for the nursery and we should be all set. Thanks to Nana, we are good to go in the clothing department! She has spoiled us rotten, just as she did when we had Tate. I have been meaning to get a new picture to post, so that will be the goal for this next week.

Pregnancy Update - Week 30

Yay! I love numbers that end in "0." I had an appointment today with the doctor. She told me that I was measuring (my stomach) at 29 weeks. I looked at her and silently dared her to change my due date. That would have been awful. But she didn't, so maybe it just means that Baby Girl is squished in there and maybe that is why it often feels like she is kickboxing the heck out of my insides. Everything else checked out great . . . good weight gain (22 pounds so far), good blood pressure, glucose test came back normal. My friend Britt is 35 weeks but will be getting induced at 38 weeks. So she only has 3 weeks to go! Somehow that makes my remaining 10 weeks seem extremely loooooong. I bought a pair of support stockings, hoping they would help with the achiness that has started thanks to a great pair of ugly vericose veins. Unfortunately, the stockings are not very comfortable (think VERY tight nylons) and make me more hot than I already am. So now it is a question of what makes me more uncomfortable, the stockings or the veins. I'll keep you updated.

Pregnancy Update - Week 29

Yay - I am sleeping better! I still wake up a few times at night, but currently am not laying awake for hours at a time. I can't tell you how nice it is to get some decent rest at night. Everything else is pretty much the same. I keep daydreaming about how I will get back into shape after this little girl enters our lives. I just hope I can find the energy and motivation when I need to!

Pregnancy Update - Week 28

I had a doctor's appointment today. I have gained 20 pounds so far. I am not very happy about that, but I think it seems worse than it really is because I am carrying the weight differently this pregnancy. When I was pregnant with Tate I feel like I was all belly. This time I feel like you can tell I am pregnant from the back. The baby's heart rate was great and she is moving around like a champ. I have a hernia above my belly button that we are going to keep an eye on. It didn't hurt hardly at all until Dr. Hebert started looking at it and messing around with it. UNCOMFORTABLE! I also started getting some vericous veins on the back of my left thigh. THEY ARE UGLY AND THEY SUCK! I was pretty upset the first time I saw them. Now I am just hoping that they don't get worse and that they go away after the pregnancy. If not, I will be saving my pennies to get them removed. Other than all that, the pregnancy continues. The sleep lacking nights continue. No names picked out yet, and we still have a few more things to get ready in the nursery. August is coming faster and faster.

Pregnancy Update - Week 27

All I want is to have one night of GOOD sleep. Is that too much to ask? It might be. The cold I got from Tate isn't helping the sleeping situation and most nights I end up on the couch either from sheer frustration or because I am keeping Rob awake. Tylenol PM and Unisom don't help. Ugh!

Pregnancy Update - Week 26

I had another doctor's appointment today. My doctor was out on a delivery so I saw the nurse. Baby Girl's heart rate was good and I am measuring in range for my due date. I still haven't had a good night's sleep lately, but especially not last night. Tate has a fever and a runny nose. He had a long night. Truthfully, I am a little nervous about being a mother to two little ones. Excited too, but definitely anxious. I know it can be done, women do it all the time. I am just afraid that there will be so little time left for myself. I guess that is the downside to motherhood. I was looking at Tate yesterday and my heart swelled. I love that little boy so much. The thought that in a few short months I will have that much love for another little spirit is overwhelming. What an amzing blessing children are.

Pregnancy Update - Week 25

I couldn't see my feet while I was wearing this dress! Baby Girl is moving all the time now and is getting stronger every day. I am not sleeping very well anymore. I just can't get comfortable and I miss sleeping on my stomach and back. I feel good regardless and could probably have a bit more energy if I ate better things. My diet is definitely something I need to work on!

Pregnancy Update - Week 24

Not too much has changed this past week. Except maybe my weight. I really need to get a grip on the eating and exercising wouldn't kill me either. I am heading to California tomorrow with my parents and Grandma and plan on walking each morning. Good sleep is getting harder and harder to come by. I have also noticed that I am experiencing a little heartburn regularly each night. Maybe this little girl has decided to grow some hair! Additionally, we are about 99% painting the nursery!

Pregnancy Update - Week 21, 22 and almost 23

I haven't updated much lately because there hasn't been much change. I am still feeling good. Although sleeping at night is starting to be a little more difficult (just a lot of tossing and turning, trying to get comfortable). Last week I had to wear maternity pants for the first time! A sad day, but I definitely felt more comfortable. I went to the doctor's office last Wednesday and everything is looking good. Her heart rate is excellent and my weight gain is fine (almost 13 pounds so far). The good news from the doctor's appointment is that Dr. Hebert said that she would induce me as soon as 39 weeks. I am due on August 12th, but Rob leaves on a business trip to Boston 10 days after that! So, if it all works out, she could be making her debut as early as the 5th. We still haven't decided on a name yet, but I did buy paint for the nursery over the weekend. I will post some before, during, and after photos - hopefully soon!

P.S. Potty training only lasted two days! Tate wasn't feeling very well (getting two molars) and I think he is still a little young. He went on the potty four times, but also had four accidents. I don't think he is ready yet to tell us when he has to go. I decided that having two kids in diapers won't be the end of the world.

Potty Training - Day 1

Well, we decided that we would give potty training Tate a try. Today was the first day and the day ended even - 4 accidents and 4 successful "pee in the potty." Tate likes to wear his new underwear but isn't very good at letting me know when he needs to go. So as of right now, it is more of a guessing game to get him on the potty at the right time. My strategy today was to sit him on the potty every 30 minutes or so. He wore a diaper during his nap and we will put one on him before he goes to bed. I am just not ready to clean up a wet or messy bed. By the way, this potty training report is simply for future reference (when training child #2) not necessarily something I am writing down for my posterity.

Pregnancy Update - Week 20

HALFWAY THERE! I am feeling a little better everyday, although sleeping at night is starting to suffer. I can feel HER move several times a day now and even saw my stomach jerk as she was moving on Monday. I bought the crib bedding and have started the plans for the nursery!

We are having a GIRL!

And we couldn't be more excited!!! We had the ultrasound this afternoon and everything looks great. We took Tate with us. While I think he was pretty much bored most of the time, he was excited to see his baby sister on the giant TV.

It's a girl!

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Married for 9 happy years

Dear Rob . . .

I have no idea when you will read this since I don't think you ever check this blog. Every chance I get to write down how much I love you helps me to love you a little more. I have said this before, but you saved me. When we met, I was living in an environment (family issues) that was difficult to say the least. But you never once judged me or my family and ALWAYS gave me a safe place to be. You have always made me feel safe.

I cannot truly express how much your smile means to me. When I hear you laugh out loud, it still makes me smile. We have a home filled with happiness and laughter, and that is something that I have always wanted. I remember when we were dating that I thought how lucky I would be if I could marry you. I consider our marriage to be the greatest blessing in my life. You have taught me how to let the little things go (a process I am still working on), how to communicate, how to be an equal partner in a relationship, and how to be a better person.

Thank you for choosing me. Thank you for serving a mission and for the blessings I and our family receive because of that. Thank you for being a worthy priesthood holder. Thank you for being such an amazing Dad. My heart melts when I see how much Tate adores you. This new little baby is so lucky to have you for a daddy. Thank you for working so hard and for providing a safe and comfortable home for us. Thank you for being happy and relaxed. Thank you for being active and introducing our son to the wonderful world of sports! Thank you for loving me unconditionally. I am looking forward to spending forever together. I love you, I love you, I love you.

Always,
Ali

Pregnancy Update - Week 19

I stopped taking the anti-nausea meds becuase the side effect of constipation became more than I could handle. The good news is that I have been off the meds for four days now and haven't thrown up. I do feel yucky periodically throughout the day, but it is manageable. I have felt the baby move every other day or so and last night (on our 9th wedding anniversary) Rob was able to feel the baby move as well. What a great experience! We are counting down the days until Monday, when we will find out a little more about this little person.

Pregnancy Update - Week 18

I am about 90% sure that I felt the baby move on Sunday! But nothing since then. I had a doctor's appointment on Monday (and was sick that morning). The hearbeat was easily found and in a great range. I was also able to schedule my ultrasound for the 23rd! So in less than two weeks we should know if we are having a little boy or a little girl! I am so excited!!! Other than being sick on Monday morning, I haven't felt too bad and have been sleeping really well. I spoke too soon on the bleeding gums - that started up about a week ago. Oh well!

Pregnancy Update - Week 17

Not much has changed in the past week. I was sick once (dry heaving) and had another day where I felt yucky in the afternoon. But other than that, it seems that the meds I am taking are doing their job. My appetite has definitely picked up, so I need to watch that. I have a doctor's appointment on Monday and will be able to schedule the ultrasound that will tell us if we are having a little boy or girl. I can't wait!

Dear Tate,

Two years ago today, my life changed forever. My life was blessed so much when you came into this world. Today you are turning two years-old, and I can hardly believe it. I love you so much and feel so lucky to be your mom. You are a very happy little boy who loves to laugh and play. Some of your favorite things right now include Jazz games (and anything else Jazz related); any kind of sports ball (basketball and soccer are current favorites); pretending to play drums (I gave you some chopsticks the other day and you have been banging on things non-stop since); pretending to be a puppy (you like me to play with you and we usually eat "doggy food" - cereal - out of a bowl on the floor); your Dad (you LOVE to spend time with him doing anything); and watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Tigger & Pooh, Handy Manny, and Baby Signing Time.

You are such a smart little guy. Your dad and I are always amazed at how quickly you pick up vocabulary and how you seem to forget hardly anything. You have rediscovered your love for signing and often show us signs to things you see or need or want. You are defintely entering an independant stage, where you want to do things on your own and have little patience sometimes, but that is what being a toddler is all about. Your excitement about life is contagious and we love it when you try to make us laugh. You are now a pro at sleeping in a big boy bed. Hopefully potty training will be as successful!

I cherish you and am so grateful that I was chosen to be your mother. I pray that you continue to be the happy person that you are and that you grow into a happy and healthy child. Being your mom has been my life's greatest joy and I look forward to the years ahead. I love you more than I could ever express in words. Thank you for blessing my life. I love you.

Always,
Mom
P.S. Today for your birthday we went swimming with our friends Brittany and Presley. You love the water and can't get enough. You went down a real water slide today for the first time and loved it. Nana, Papa, Charity, Kendall, and Bryan came over to give you gifts after dinner. Tomorrow, family and friends are joining us to celebrate at the local bowling alley. You had so much fun bowling the last time we went, so we thought it would be a perfect birthday party idea. I can't wait until you see your Mickey Mouse birthday cake!

Pregnancy Update - Week 15 & 16

I think the morning sickness might be weakening a little! Yay! I still take one to two Zofran pills per day, but they pretty much clear up any yuckiness I am feeling. I haven't felt the baby move yet, but I didn't feel Tate move until I was 19 weeks pregnant. I have also noticed a few other differences between my two pregnancies (besides the current persistent morning sickness) . . . when I was pregnant with Tate my gums bled all the time! Everytime I flossed my teeth they would bleed quite a bit. Not this pregnancy. Also with Tate, my feet would cramp up all the time at night. I had to be especially careful when stretching and keep my feet flexed. Not a problem this pregnancy. It's funny how different the experiences can be.

Pregnancy Update - Week 14 & Imagination at work

Well, I rang in week 14 last night with the worst sickness I have had. I had a pretty good day, but the later it got, the worse I felt. Finally at about 10:30 I was vomiting so much and so hard that my stomach and throat ached after. Not fun. I feel much better today, except that Tate and I have colds or sinus infections or something. It is snowing today, so we will be spending the day inside, probably watching a lot of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and My Friends Tigger and Pooh. I can't wait for spring. I would like the snow and the sicknesses to stop!

On a happy note, it has been so much fun lately to watch Tate start to use his imagination. He likes to pretend that he is a dog, complete with eating "doggy food" (Rice Krispie cereal) out of bowl on the floor and sleeping on a "doggy bed" (pillows on the floor). The other day at lunch he was pretending that his drink was a soap dispenser and his bowl of mac 'n' cheese was a sink. He would "pump" soap and then plunge his hands into his bowl of food. It was so cute. Big mess, though.

Pregnancy Update - Week 13

Still more of the same, except that my appetite is picking up a little bit. I did have a doctor's appointment yesterday and was able to hear the little heartbeat. It was a little stressful because the nurse (my doctor was out for a delivery) had a hard time finding the heartbeat. After several LONG minutes she finally found it and I almost teared up from relief. It is amazing how much I need to hear that little heartbeat to know that everything is ok.

Pregnancy Update - Week 12

Not much of an update though - everything seems the same. I am looking forward to the 2nd trimester and my appointment next week!

P.S. Tate ended up having another sinus infection. And after a few days on Cefdinir (an antibiotic) he seems to be doing much better.

Pregnance Update - Week 11

More of the same! Not much has changed this week. I have had some good days and some bad days. I am definitely starting to pop a little. It may even be noticable to other people. Although, if they didn't know I was pregnant, they just might think I have a little belly fat! We have told Tate that there is a baby in mommy's tummy. He likes to point at my tummy and say "baby!" He giggles when he touches my tummy and I flex it and say "ugh!" Just wait until he feels the baby moving on its own!

Inauguration and snoring.

Today Barack Obama took the Oath of Office to become the 44th President of the United States of America. Tate had kinder music class today, but we decided to be a few minutes late in order watch the historic event take place live. I couldn't help but get teary and a little emotional. Not only am I grateful for Obama and the hope he is bringing to this country, I was also proud to be witnessing history as it happened. Maybe I was a little more emotional than usual because I had my precious little boy on my lap and another one on the way. But I am so glad for this new President and feel confident in the future for my children. It is overwhelming to see the hope I feel reflected in millions of Americans. I pray that the next few years, although undeniably difficult, will maintain the hope I have felt recently. I also hope that Rob and I can make the decisions necessary to financially secure our family and to strengthen our bond. I love my little family and am GRATEFUL to be a citizen of a free nation that has the right to pick its leaders. God bless USA!

After another wonderful music class, I took Tate to his doctor. Tate has been SNORING for a few weeks now. And not just cute little toddler snoring. Great, BIG bear snoring that causes him to catch his breath and then start coughing. I wondered if his tonsils were getting too big and Rob urged that I take him in (he is so smart). The doctor suggested that we take Tate for a sleep study and in the meantime try some nasal spray. I want to use the nasal spray for the first time tonight and if it doesn't seem to help, I will call to schedule the sleep study tomorrow. Depending on the outcome of the sleep study, Tate may then need to see an ENT doctor. So we will see what happens!

Pregnancy Update - Week 10

This week has been mixed. I had a few really good days and a few bad days. I had been taking vitamin B6 and ginger pills to help with the all day nausea. It seemed to be helping until about two days ago. I got sick in the afternoon and the ginger came back up through my nose. It burned! And then my nose started bleeding. I felt horrible the rest of the day. The next morning I attempted to take another ginger pill and as soon as I caught the scent of the pill I was running towards the kitchen sick for a dry heaving session. Needless to say, no more ginger pills. My doctor prescribed an anti-nausea pill which I took for the first time this morning (why does an anti-nausea pill taste so bad it makes you want to puke?) and am not convinced yet that it has helped any. I may just have to endure until the nausea decides to leave on its own.

I also haven't been sleeping very well, which I think makes me feel worse during the day. I decided the other day that major life decisions shouldn't be made while you are pregnant. If someone asked me right now if we were going to have any more kids after this one, I would definitely say no. Pregnancy is not fun. I can't wait for the second trimester to see if it is better. I feel like I am starting to show a little bit, although I don't think most people would notice. My sense of smell is still super-sensitive, but that lasted my entire pregnancy last time, so I am not expecting any different this time around.

The little bean!

Here is our little one! This is actually a really good ultrasound picture! When I was looking at the monitor, watching the heartbeat, I saw the little baby kicking its legs. Seeing the little person makes the sickness a little more bearable. The doctor measured the baby and believes that I am 9 weeks along (4 days less than what I thought) so she changed my due date to August 12th.

Pregnancy Update - Week 9

Oh boy. This is not fun. Now I have started throwing up - 2 days in a row now. I was feeling completely miserable and on Tuesday my genius of a mother suggested that I stop taking my prenatal vitamins and get a prescription from the doctor. When I was pregnant with Tate I took a prescription prenantal. This time I just bought some at costco and have been taking those the whole time. Anyway, the day after I stopped taking them I felt so much better! I still feel better than I did last week, but the crumminess hasn't gone away completely. Only 5 more days until my doctor's appointment. I can't wait!