Welcome to the world, Baby Bri!

Because my hypertension was getting worse and not being controlled, the doctor decided that we needed to do a C Section on Sept. 13th. I originally wanted a VBAC and the Dr. was fine with that as long as I knew the risks of uterine rupturing (which happens in less than 1% of VBACs done), but given my blood pressure issues, I agreed to the C Section. I was super nervous especially because the healing from the first one took forever and was really painful.

Two days before the 13th, I went into the hospital for blood pressure issues and they kept me there until they could get it lowered. I was already contracting there and wondered if I was going into labor, but alas- nope! I did see my surgeon that night and he was the same person that delivered Leah via emergency C sec. almost 2 years ago....I felt really comfortable with him doing it again because he saved Leah the first time around...He told me he'd see me in 36 hours and to come back then!

On Tuesday, we got to the hospital at about 7am and filled out paperwork....then they took me to get monitored to make srue the baby was still doing fine (which she was)....they prepped me and got me ready to walk back to the OR. It was a strange feeling walking the same halls calmly that they ran my gurney down 2 years ago during leah's distress. This was a much calmer experience! I walked into the OR and I got extremely nervous.....For me, the worst part was the spinal and then afterwards, I got really panicky. I don't know if it was just the fear of being awake when they cut me open (even though I knew logically it would be fine) or just general nerves, but I broke out into a huge sweat and almost puked....luckily that passed quickly and soon the doctor and nurses and I were joking as they finished doing things liek inserting the catheter and making sure I couldn't feel anything. I was numb from my feet to my breastbone. They let Julian in and Dr. Sanchez started!

First he fixed up my C Section scar and made it prettier. He had to get in tehre so fast the first time around, it wasn't his best work :) so this time he tidied it up....then he started into my uterus. He said that there was extensive scar tissue from last time and later I found out that some doctors would rec. not having more children if the scar tissue is bad....he told me that he wouldn't tell me that at this time so if we want to try for another, (big IF), that I just need to make sure it is a C Section and planned at 39 weeks. I could feel them working in there and there was a ton of tugging......after several minutes, he started to get Bri out and I heard him say something about a cord and it turns out that Bri's cord was not only wrapped once, but tightly wrapped two times. He said that I would have ended up with another fast emergency C section bc no way would the baby would have tolerated labor....there wasn't any slack in her cord to make it out of the canal. I thanked God that I didn't ever go into labor and try to have a vaginal birth. Because of the scar tissue, they used a vaccuum to get her out, but she came out screaming loudly (much louder than Leah did). They brought her out to meet us, cleaned her up, and then I got to hold her for a few minutes. I loved her so much from the start! I was so glad I could hold her because since Leah's was so hectic and they had to make sure she was okay, I never held Leah in the OR. This time around, it was so much smoother and calmer.

Julian went with Bri to the nursery to get her shots and a bath while they sewed and stapled me up. Afterwards, I held Bri and I couldn't believe she was here. She looked different than Leah which was unexpected, but just as cute and cuddly. I wished Leah could have been with us as we first bonded as a family but I knew that a 2 year old wouldn't sit still in the recovery room anyway.

When Leah saw her, she was in love from the start. All she wanted to do was kiss the baby....she got very scared and sad when Bri started crying, though...

The hospital stay was over quickly and we got out on Friday.....when we came home, Leah ran around like a silly puppy dog outside bc she couldn't control how happy she was that the baby was here....she didn't even notice me at all.....she ran to the car seat, ducked underneath it and planted a hundred kisses on Bri until we pulled her off of her....she would say "rock" and rock the car seat.....and she pointed out her little ears and head and mouth and would name off all Bri's little baby parts in English and Tagolog. It's been so fun to see how much Leah loves the baby....we have to watch her, though, bc sometimes she grabs a little too hard. I know at some point jealousy may start but it hasn't happened yet....Julian is home right now, though, but I have a feeling when it is just me and the girls, it might be a different story.

C section wise, I am healing ten times faster this time around than the first one...I think it is bc my body has gone through it before and also I didn't go through 22 hours of labor with pitocin beforehand so my body was rested....I am mostly just on IB profen right now and can walk around up and down stairs, and get up easily from laying and sitting. It still hurts when I overdo it, though....but compared to last one it is a piece of cake.

Bri was admitted to the hospital a few days ago bc of her jaundice and it was so sad to watch her under the lights, but they worked and we came home....and now everything is going well....sleep deprivation sucks, though.....but it's easier this time bc we know how to live on 3 hours of sleep where as the first time around, we didn't....

all in all, things are going great! Bri is agood nurser ad seems to be a pretty easy going baby. We are really blessed! Cross your fingers it stays this way and that the transition of Julian going back to work is a smooth one....he has another week home and then we shall see!

I will try to post pics too but the same ones are on facebook.

potty training attempts

Well, Leah is starting to ask to go Pee Pee on the potty but she doesn't actually ever go pee....I just hold her up there or sit her on her mini potty (she picks which she wants). Today I took off her diaper and she was running around and I reminded her that if she goes pee pee or poo poo in the potty, she can have a treat. Well, she comes back about three minutes later and she says, "Teet?" I say, "Ok, but you need to go pee pee or poo poo in the potty." She looks at me seriously and says, "Poo poo!" Then I thought she was going to go in the potty but she leads me to the kitchen and I see that she has taken a dump on the kitchen floor. She points to it and says, "Mama! Teet!" So, trying not to laugh too hard, I had to explain to her that she only gets a treat if she goes poo in the actual potty. The kitchen floor doesn't count. I did take a picture and sent it to Julian, though. I am sure he appreciated the visual.

29 weeks

Today I am 29 weeks pregnant with baby girl number 2! We are struggling finding a name that we love for her and welcome name ideas sent to us! I feel so bad that we don't have a name for her yet, but we think about it every day.

I am starting to get things ready for the new baby...we have all Leah's little clothes out so wash (eventually) and today I started organizing Leah's room to make room for our next little one. I found things I did for Leah like my belly cast, pregnancy journal, and this blog that I didn't do for the next little one. I am debating doing a belly cast just so she doesn't feel left out but honestly, I don't know what anyone will do with it. Part of me thinks that I should just do it so that she can't be upset about it later and part of me thinks that I will just do something else for her that I didn't do for leah. Any second children out there that have an idea how she will feel? I am sure my little sister would say to do it, but it WAS a pain in the butt and it will sit in our garage for years to come. It did remind me that I need to 1. keep up this blog so that I can update things about her as well so she feels included and 2. do some special things for her to have as keepsakes when she's older. Also, any ideas send them my way.

Leah has been clingy and emotional the last couple of weeks but she's so much fun too. She's talking more and able to play a little more by herself. Today she ran errands with me and then we went out for frozen yogurt. She sat in her own chair across the table from me like a big girl.

One of her new things is saying "mama. YEA" she says "Yeah" in a really high pitch and that's her either mocking me or pretending to be me. I'll go with the latter although Julian laughs that it's the first. She falls a lot now but getting mommy's kisses seem to fix every boo boo. I wonder how long that will last.

we spent the 4th w my fam in donner...she mostly loved playing w Oreo, my brother's cocker spaniel. She follows that dog everywhere.

I asked Julian what else I should add and he said that she is starting to go down the slides at the park by herself and that she pretends to talk on the phone like Julian does. She'll say "Uh huh. Okay. yeah. Yeah. ha ha ha (very fake laugh)" Right now she found my makeup bag on the counter and she has it beside her and is going through it all by herself. I just bought new makeup and put my old stuff in her own bag but of course, she only wants the stuff I use now. She has a 40 dollar eye brow pencil/highlighter set that she's shaking around. I swear, she's going to break everythign in that bag, and yet I send Julian over there to take pictures instead of taking it away from her. I guess it serves me right.

Then she moved on to find the Britta water pitcher and tried to fill up our glasses. More than once, she's done this and spilled water all over our carpet. It's pretty cute, though.

Ok, time to get her off to bed.

long time, no post!

Well, Leah is almost 22 months now and I am 27 and a half weeks pregnant. The first trimester was really rough having a toddler and feeling sick all of the time....The second trimester got much better. Thank goodness for Julian's mom who helps out all the time.

Leah is not sleep trained as the last post mentioned we would do...she sleeps with us....I know...I know....some are thinking "What are you going to do when the new baby comes?" We have no clue. We are done making plans and figure that we will figure it out when it's time. Leah sleeps the whole night through now and so do we (when she is with us) so, for now, this is what works. She holds our hands and snuggles. She is getting spoiled by asking for foot rubs and arm tickles but she does okay when we tell her we are finished doing that. (She will shove her foot at your face or take your hands and place them there, though, until she gets the hint).

Leah is still working on being gentle and not hitting. This has been really trying for me in social situations. She's such a loving girl and gives kisses and hugs all the time (even when not asked to) so the hitting and pinching kids is really frustrating! I can't wait for that phase to pass!

Leah's favorite things right now are playing at the park, riding in her red wagon, playing in her swimming pool outside (she calls it her poo), watching Elmo, stickers, reading books, etc. She loves fruit still a ton, french toast, spaghetti, broccoli (yes! broccoli!) green beans, corn, and treats (which she shouldn't have...I know...but she loves ice cream!)

She's had 2 official hair cuts..the first one looked like a china doll but this last one is looking stylish. We are growing out her hair and love to have her wear pig tails.

Leah still loves playing with my makeup and knows how to brush the blush on and where the eye lash curler goes. She plays with the lipstick daily too. I had to get new makeup recently bc she dumped out the rest of my foundation on our carpet. Oh well :)

She's been talking a ton now...a few of her pronunciations are funny...examples: poo for pool and cock for clock. She asks for Elmo daily and repeats almost anything we say. She says peas for please constantly and has great manners. I can ask her questions and she responds to me. Example: Leah, did you hide my makeup brush? She tells me "No." I know she did though. She sings songs and her nightime favorite is singing "Goodnight Dada!!!" i ask her to say goodnight mama but it's only Dada....we try to sing other people too but she always says Dada! She also sings the Indiana Jones theme song when she sees weeping willow trees because Julian takes her to pretend to swing from them and sings that song. I heared her singing the supermario brothers music while moving mario magnets on our fridge....another things Jules has passed down to her. One not so great thing he passed to her was when he dropped something on his foot and said "oh sh#t".....so when she sees things drop she says "Uh oh! Oh sh@t!" We are hoping that one passes too.

Leah likes to kiss my belly and say "baby!" although I am not sure she knows what is going on. I think she may actually think her favorite baby doll is in my stomach. I hope she is not too dissappointed when her sister is born and she doesn't look like the Latino Baby Alive doll. She will also be bummed when she realizes that unlike the baby alive doll, she can't throw this one on the floor when she is through with it.

We started swim lessons but had to put them on hold because I was having some fake contractions.

So, this pregnancy has been better than my pregnancy with Leah. It has helped to not be working and to have Julian's mom to help me so I can rest more. I have not had any blood pressure issues this entire pregnancy which is also a huge change from last time. I threw up more this time around...several times a week for 5 months but that is better now. The baby wasn't moving as much but has picked up now that I am starting my 7th month. Julian thinks that this one kicks harder than Leah did, but I haven't noticed that. The ultrasounds were totally different...Leah was always kicking like crazy and jumping around in my stomach....this one has always just been laying there calmly with her hand up to her face. I think she sucks her thumb but am not sure yet.

We don't have any names! I am hoping we can find one for her soon so that I can order letters for their room, but we can't find anything we like yet.

Well, Leah and Julian are asleep and I am going to get ready to go out. Nice updating :)

and more changes

Leah no longer sleeps well...it is literally exhausting....sleeptraining starts tonight....again. UGH.

She's 17 months now and is having a few problems with her actions towards other kids...she's been hitting them and pinching their cheeks....hopefully this passes soon.

Other than that, things are good. Julian's mom is back from Asia which means that I have help with Leah and actually had a few hours to clean a good chunk of our house today....Thank goodness for Lola.

big changes

Our little girl is growing up! She started sleeping in her crib all by herself for the whole night. She still wakes up one or two times a night but it is getting much better and she goes back to sleep pretty quickly.

It was time to stop nursing her and so a few days ago, she reached for my shirt and i just told her, "Baby girl, there is no more milk. It's all gone." and she looked at me and reached again like, "What?" and I said, "No more, baby. All gone." And I offered her a sippy cup with whole milk and she took it and hasn't asked again...she HAS been mad at me though. I know this because when I tried to hold her she would arch her back and scream and cry as if I was hurting her. At 4am yesterday I burst into tears because I was so sad that she didn't want me at all.....Today was a little better....I have been taking over other things to do with her like I did bath time tonight so I can bond with her in other ways. I hope she comes around soon.

The pain associated with weaning is crazy. I would imagine it's what a bad case of blueballs feels like only it lasts for a few weeks. There are a lot of guys that are reading this so I will spare too many details but it sucks. * Not literally, of course, as that would help the situation). I am so desperate that I am trying the cabbage solution. Google it.

blind side

We are watching Blind Side and we were at the part where Leanne is reading to SJ and Michael a story and Colins is sitting in the stairway so that her mom can't see, listening and smiling. I burst into tears and said that one day that might be Leah. Then of course I told Julian that I am going to read her stories forever.