Christmas Is Almost Here

We are really getting excited for a Christmas around here! Last week we had some family pictures taken, and made into Christmas cards, and they turned out so cute! I also ordered Kendall an ornament, since Avery has one too, and I was able to use some of the pictures we took in the ornaments. We ordered a CD with all the pictures...I'll post a few soon!

Avery and I made Christmas cookies on Saturday morning, and she had a great time putting sprinkles on them! The dough was a little sticky, so we didn't use the cookie cutters...we made drop cookies instead, but they tasted good. We listened to Christmas music, and got ready for Travis's family Christmas at his great-grandmother's home. We debated on not bringing Kendall, and me staying home with her, but we decided at the last minute to go, and keep her close to me and Travis. It went well, and everyone loved meeting her.

Also last week I took Kendall for her first walk outside! I walked about 2.5 miles, and Kendall napped most of the time. I am getting excited to start running soon...maybe a slow run this week since it's actually going to be in the 50's tomorrow and Wednesday.

We have really enjoyed spending time together as a family since Travis was off all last week, and it has made life with a new baby a lot easier. He is working today and tomorrow, and then he's off until January 5th! We have been doing some shopping here and there, and are looking forward to a great holiday!

Adding Kendall to the Mix

It's been twelve days since Kendall was born and became part of our family, and I have to say I was prepared for pretty much anything...except for her to be such an easy baby so far! The transition has been remarkably smooth, and she is really a dream baby.

 

My first goals with Kendall were to establish full and regular feeding sessions and to have her
sleeping in the crib. According to Babywise, establishing full feedings is the first step in getting into a solid routine and sleeping schedule. I'm also consistently following the 'eat, activity, sleep' routine, even though her activities are mostly just staying awake to look at faces, taking a bath, or laying on
the floor with her big sister. Following this routine has made it pretty easy to anticipate her needs.

The first week was slightly challenging regarding breastfeeding...only because I was having a hard time keeping her awake long enough to get a full feeding. I don't want to create a "snacker" which is pretty common for breastfeeding moms. I have been working hard to keep her awake, and it seems to be paying off. She eats about every 2 1/2 - 3 hours during the day, and has gone as long as 5 hours at night...but more typically will have a 4 hour stretch and another 3 hour stretch.

Starting from the time we were in the hospital, Travis and I knew that we wanted to create good sleeping habits for Kendall, and we have both made a conscience effort to make sure that she is swaddled and sleeping in a crib or pack and play, and not in our arms. We have plenty of times that we are holding her while she is awake, and of course when I am nursing her. We are also trying to put her down while she is very drowsy but slightly awake. So far it's going pretty well. She'll occasionally fuss for a few minutes, and fall asleep. Sometimes I have to pick her back up if she starts really crying, and hold her until she is drowsy again. Most of the time she calms down really quickly and easily, and I think it's somewhat because Travis and I are so much calmer than we were with Avery. She slept in the pack and play for the first 3 nights at home - in our family room, but since then she's been sleeping in the crib at night, and the pack and play for naps, and because I have a good monitor, I have been sleeping in my bed at night (I thought I might be sleeping in her room for a few weeks.) She's also a pretty sound sleeper so far, and noises from people, the TV, and Ranger barking don't seem to bother her too much. The first few weeks with a newborn can be really stressful, but I've honestly enjoyed this time more than I could imagine.

Avery is doing ok with everything...considering what a big change this is for her. She loves her new baby sister, but she misses having our full attention. My mom called her "contrary" and I would say that describes how she is right now. She is being slightly difficult when it comes to wanting to express her independence, and her ability to say "NO!" However, she loves playing with her baby doll that we got her, and she loves helping me with Kendall...such as getting me diapers and checking on her during naptime. In a few weeks she probably won't remember a time without Kendall, which is somewhat bittersweet for me. I love watching her be so sweet with her baby sister though, and I'm excited about watching their sister bond grow!

Kendall's Birth Story

Kendall Noelle DeSavigny was born on Sunday, November 30th, 2014 at 8:06 am. She weighed 8 pounds 10 ounces, and was 20.5 inches long.

Her active labor started on Saturday evening (which was my actual due date) but I had early labor symptoms beginning the week before. I had cramping which became progressively stronger until Saturday night when I realized I was having real contractions. The cramps I had felt like menstrual cramps on and off all week - something I never had with Avery. They also didn't feel like the same contractions I had with Avery, so it was a little difficult to know I was in labor right away. 

On Saturday, we had Travis's parents over in the afternoon, and also were hosting Travis's former boss and his wife, from when he worked on the tree nursery. We had cheese and crackers, tea, and pumpkin pie, and I must have been pretty distracted because I don't remember feeling any cramping for those few hours between 4-8 pm. Everyone left our house around 8, and I had just tucked Avery into bed. 

I came downstairs to spend time with Travis and I joked with Travis that I guess the baby wasn't coming on my due date. Minutes later, my cramping began again, and after it was on and off a little, I mentioned to Travis that it felt stronger, and it could possibly be early contractions. I decided it might be a good idea to time them in order to determine if they were getting closer together, or if they were just Braxton Hicks contractions.  They were about 15-20 minutes apart when I was sitting or laying down, and about 3-5 minutes apart when I was standing or walking around. I figured since there was such a difference that I would try to go to bed, and the doctor let me know that if they were real labor pains, she was sure they would wake me up. We did have my mother-in-law come back over just in case to spend the night, so that we wouldn't have to wake her and have her come in the middle of the night. 

I was able to doze for a little while on and off until about 12:30 I realized they were becoming much more intense and closer together. I panicked and started shaking, and told Travis we needed to go to the hospital soon. We left around 1:00 am, and were checked into a room by 2 am. At that point the pain was manageable and I decided I didn't need the epidural at that point. I labored in and out of the tub, and by taking walks with Travis in the hall. We were the only patients in the maternity ward that night, so it was very quiet! 

As the night when on, the pain became more intense, but I was doing really well relaxing between contractions. However, I was becoming exhausted just from being up in the middle of the night.  The nurse offered to give me a pain medicin IV - Stadol,  and I took her up on it around 5 am or so. I was able to get some rest, and Travis was also able to sleep in the recliner for a few hours. I still felt the pain of the contractions, but the drug allowed me to really rest and almost sleep in between each contraction.

Around 7 am the drug started wearing off, and the doctor came in to see how I was doing. I told her the pain was still intense but manageable, and I still didn't feel like I needed the epidural. My doctor suggested that we should break my water and that would move things along. She told me I could re-evaluate if I wanted the epi afterward, and then I would potentially get Pitocin as well...because often the epidural can slow things down. I opted to have her break my water, and she did it very quickly and surprisingly painlessly around 7:30 am. Almost immediately my contractions became much worse and closer together, and I decided the epidural sounded like a good idea. 

As I waited for the nurse anesthetist, the pain just became worse and worse and I was crying and yelling and wondering how long until the epidural. I was able to get out of bed and stand for my contractions and Travis did a great job of just holding and supporting me. Finally about 20 minutes or so later I was ready to have the epidural, but my nurse had been observing me and guessed that I might be ready to push. They checked me and I was complete (10 centimeters) and therefore it was time to push.

I was totally scared and in the most pain I've ever had in my life, but my doctor and the nurse assured me it wouldn't be long, and she would be here within minutes. I pushed from 7:55 until 8:06 am, and then she was suddenly in my arms! The last 30 minutes of my labor had been extremely intense and painful, but my little Kendall arrived and was perfect in every way. 

Thanksgiving weekend

Well, we had our second baby girl over the weekend! However, before that, we had a great time hosting Thanksgiving for our families!

My sisters and their families arrived on Wednesday night. Avery remembered her 10-month old cousin Cooper right away and was happy to play with him. We ordered pizza for dinner and relaxed.

On Thursday morning, I woke up early and prepared the turkey, before heading out to the Kent City Turkey Trot. Travis's family came over early and came with us. Avery ran in the kids race and loved it! Travis ran with her and they may have been at the back of the pack, but Avery was the cutest! She wore a Turkey hat from her aunt Kelsey, and she received many compliments.

After the kid's run, we had a 5K. Travis, Kyle, Lindsey, and Kelsey ran the race, and Travis's stepfather walked with me. It was a very slow go, and we finished at the end, but we finished! I didn't realize how much "pressure" I would feel in my body, but I was 39 weeks and 5 days pregnant.

After the run we came home to some French toast casserole and parade watching. We spent the rest of the day cooking, eating, and spending time with family. It was very relaxing and nice to have that time (relaxing for everyone except maybe my sister who chased her son Cooper and her dog Olga the whole time...but that's life with a crawling baby haha.)

On Friday morning we made pancakes and spent the morning with my sisters until they left in the afternoon. Avery loved spending time with them and has really matured in the last several months. I loved watching her play with everyone and be completely social and relaxed, and have real conversations with everyone too. I could see that she was ready to become a big sister, and she's really not my baby anymore.

On Saturday I wanted to get out of the house a little bit, so we went to Lowe's to see what Black Friday deals were still going on. We walked around a little and I had to tell Travis to slow down for me several times...which should have been a clue. Since the Turkey Trot I had begun having a lot of cramping, but wasn't sure that it was contractions. We came home and watched the Ohio State-Michigan game and I made a pumpkin pie. We had Travis's parents over for a few hours, along with Travis's old boss from when he worked at the tree nursery and his wife. Everyone left by about 8 pm, and I started having real timetable contractions around 8:15 pm on Saturday night.

More on Kendall's birth story to come!

Ready for Thanksgiving

We are hosting Thanksgiving again this year, and I'm so excited for our family to be here. I am really, really hoping NOT to go into labor until at least Friday. At my 39-week appointment on Monday, my doctor thought I would probably go into labor in the next 4-5 days (but no guarantees.) I was dilated 3 centimeters, and my cervix is soft. I haven't had any contractions that I'm aware of yet, so it's just a waiting game. I scheduled an appointment for next Monday in case nothing happens.

My sisters and families are going to arrive tonight, and Travis's parents are meeting us early tomorrow morning to do our annual Thanksgiving Turkey Trot. I signed Avery up for the Kids Fun Run (it's pretty short) and I'm hoping to encourage her to participate...even if it means someone running with her. Travis, Lindsey, and Kelsey (my sisters) and Kyle (Travis's brother) are all planning to run the 5K. I'm planning on walking as much as I can, along with Travis's stepfather. I really think I can do it, but I don't want to put myself into labor, so we'll just see how it goes.

Afterward we will come back here and start cooking. Avery's cousin Cooper who is almost 11 months  will be here to play with Avery, and I'll turn on the parade to see if Avery recognizes any of the characters (and because I love the parade!) Travis's grandparents will be here early in the afternoon and we're planning on a 3-3:30 mealtime. We are having so many good foods and I'll have to be extremely careful not too overeat. At this point I am super uncomfortable when I eat too much, and I don't want to be sick and then go into labor haha.

Now I'm off to make sweet potato casserole and set the table! Happy Thanksgiving!

Last Minute Baby Thoughts

Now that I am less than 2 weeks away from my due date, I am really trying to prepare for this baby in every way possible. I feel like I am in the "nesting" phase that people say happens at the end of pregnancy. I keep thinking of random things that I need to do, and add them to my lists that I have going on. However, I've been able to cross most things off my list by now.

On Sunday I brought up the infant car seat from the basement and cleaned it and the two bases and they are ready to go! I was also motivated to organize our kitchen junk drawer since I KNOW I won't be doing that again for awhile after he baby is born. Today I went through my bags of samples that I received from Buy Buy Baby and Babies R Us, and organized my coupons, and put most of my samples (diaper rash cream, wipes, sunscreen, etc.) in the diaper bag. The samples are perfect travel size. I totally reorganized my diaper bag to include items for both Avery and a newborn. I absolutely LOVE my diaper bag - JuJuBe B.F.F. - it has so much room and is so easy to organize, but it's not giant and heavy (somehow.)

 I have a small list of things I still need to get for the baby, but the major thing is the monitor. I considered getting a video monitor, but we never had one with Avery, and I don't think we are going with to get one for this child either (at least for now unless I change my mind.)  After reading a lot about monitors, I realize the problem with many of the video monitors is that the audio isn't what I want, and the audio is the most important feature to me. Most of the wifi monitors that connect to phones don't have voice activation audio settings, so they are either totally on or off. We are planning to put the baby in the crib to sleep from the first day, instead of our room.  We had Avery in our room for 10 weeks before putting her in the crib, and as soon as we moved her she started sleeping through the night. I think we were keeping her up as much as she was keeping us up!

But back to the monitor...the monitor that I am going to use is the Angelcare audio and movement monitor.  There are several reasons I am choosing this over the video monitor. First, the audio is very highly rated, and it's voice activated, meaning there will be no static or noise unless that baby is crying or making noise. It also won't be affected by white noise/Sleep Sheep. Our old monitor was voice activated too, and I liked it, except it was cheaper and couldn't always find a good connection so sometimes it would start beeping and wake me up for no reason...which is annoying when you are already waking up several times at night.  Travis and I are both light sleepers and we don't want something that is loud all night, and will be keeping us up, so this seems to fit the bill. We also plan on using the movement sensor, mostly just for the first 3-4 months. The movement sensor makes sure that the baby is moving/breathing, and I think it will give me a little more peace of mind having the baby in the other room. The reviews are somewhat mixed on the movement sensor, but most people say the audio is so good that it's worth it even if they didn't use the movement sensor as well, so I'll be interested to see how it goes.

I've also been reading of my two favorite baby books every night - Babywise and Secrets of a Baby Whisperer - both of which give me a sense of how a routine and planning can make life with a newborn easier. With Avery, I bought these books when I was in "survival mode" (around 6 weeks or so) and it was hard to get a lot out of them because we had already created some bad habits that were hard to break, such as walking with Avery around our kitchen island for 15-30 minutes to get her to sleep. It was exhausting! This time my plan is "start as you mean to go on" and my priorities are to make sure that this baby has full feedings and a simple eat-activity-sleep schedule. I know it won't be as easy as it sounds, but at least this time I feel prepared having goals in mind, instead of just flying by the seat of my pants, and barely surviving. I'm looking forward to seeing how my planning strategies pay off, or if I'll be laughing at this post in just a few short weeks.

Lastly, I had my 38 week doctor appointment yesterday, and all is well. My doctor offered to sweep my membrane...which she said has about a 50% chance of starting labor. Travis freaked out and said no, haha, and I agreed. As much as I'm ready for the baby to come out, I'm also trying to be patient and let the baby come when she's ready.  I also want to spend as much time with Avery as possible - knowing that this chapter in our life is about to close and a new one will start soon enough!!

Living Room Update

We've been talking about upgrading our living room carpet for awhile now, and yesterday it finally happened! Our new carpet was installed yesterday, and it looks fabulous! The old carpet was really worn down, and we knew that the living room carpet would be a nice upgrade since that is where we spend most of our time.

When we built our house in 2007, I was unaware of what a difference a nice carpet pad would make, and we went with the basic carpet pad for all of the areas with carpet. I remember walking through our house soon after and realizing that decision was a big mistake because it felt like there was no padding underneath, but it was too late. We learned our lesson, and when we finished our basement, we upgraded the carpet and pad and it turned out so nice. We thought about doing our living room, but we always had other priorities and projects going on. Finally with another new baby on the way, it became a higher priority because I now realize how much time I will spend sitting on the floor with the new baby. We considered doing the playroom too, but decided to hold off for now since that will be the main space where the kids will play, and make messes - for example Avery was playing with Play-Dough in there just yesterday. She is pretty neat and keeps things on her table for the most part, but for now I think it's better to leave it as is.

Anyway, the new carpet is super soft and comfy, and it's the perfect color! It's light enough that it won't show Ranger's white dog hair immediately, but also has shades of brown mixed in so that it won't show dirt either. We love it! Here is the before and after pic.

Before                                                    After

37 Weeks - Early Term

Seems like my last pregnancy update was yesterday, but it was about 9 weeks ago!! Now I have less than 3 until my due date!!

How far along: 37 weeks and 2 days - not much longer now!

Baby Growth:  According to my BabyCenter app, the baby weights 6 1/2 pounds, and is around 18-19 inches long. Measurements are all right on I think, and the baby is head-down and sitting low (much lower than Avery was.)

Gender: Still girl. The nursery is pink and we've talked to Avery a lot about having a baby sister, so hopefully this is accurate!!

Weight Gain: At my doctor appointment today they let me know I'm up a total of 18 pounds from my start weight. Since I lost weight in the first trimester, it's actually about 23 pounds of baby weight, but I'm happy with that! I feel like I've been more aware this time around to avoid overeating on a regular basis, although I've had my moments - normally only if we go out to eat. We don't eat out as often as we did before kids, so that has probably helped. Also when I worked, I would eat out at lunch more often, and now that I stay home, I eat lunch at home 99% of the time. To compare, at this 
point in my last pregnancy, I was up a total of 27 pounds (and I lost a little in the first trimester that time too, so baby weight was closer to 29-30 pounds.)

Symptoms:  I have a lot of pressure, aches and pains. I wake up feeling ok, and as the day goes on I feel more pressure (like the baby will just fall out) and more lower back pain. Yesterday I had what felt like side stitches, mostly on my lower right hand side. I asked my doctor about it today and she said it's probably just ligaments and things stretching. I am stil getting heartburn and/or acid reflux pretty regularly and hoping this baby will have lots of hair to make it worth it! I still have some nose bleeding, and a nagging cough which is causing me to clear my throat a lot, and annoying Travis. Also, I've been very emotional, and I cry during random things (like Huggies commercials.)

Maternity clothes:  I am wearing maternity clothes sometimes, especially my one pair of jeans that I wear on a daily basis (don't worry I do lots of laundry with potty training going on.) I am proud of myself because I've literally only bought about 5 pieces of clothing since March, and made most of my regular clothes work. I'm looking forward to shopping for myself after I am no longer pregnant!

Stretch Marks: I am not totally sure. There is a chance there is a few on my lower abs, but if so they are very faint. I'm putting lots of cocoa butter on, and it's hard for me to see. At this point there's not much else I can do.

Belly button in or out: Still in, but almost flat.

Sleep: Not too great. Luckily I seem to have a lot of energy during the day still, but I am waking up a lot and thinking of things I need to do, and what it will be like with 2 kids. Also I wake up to pee 3-4 times a night.

Best Moment this week: Date night with Travis on Saturday. We went and picked out a big sister present for Avery, and walked around Barnes and Noble and the mall a little bit. We also went to Applebee's and shared an appetizer sampler for dinner. It reminded me of how we used to do that on a weekly basis. Also, on Saturday morning I went for a 3 mile walk, but I ended up doing some light jogging too! My overall pace was 16 minutes/mile - which is not bad for a walk/run combo. It felt great to get some exercise and enjoy the fall temperatures!

Miss Anything: This week I am missing sushi, beer, and running. I did run a little Saturday, but I miss feeling good while running, and running faster, and doing races. I think now that this pregnancy is almost over, I'm becoming impatient, and it's getting harder not too think about things. I had not thought about sushi for awhile, but Travis brought it up in Saturday, and now I really want it!! Also I saw this is Giant Eagle and my mouth was watering. I know I'll be drinking Christmas Ale soon!!

Movement: Lots of movement still, and a knee/elbow/something that has been poking me in the left side for over a week now. 

Cravings: I wouldn't say I've had any really strong cravings recently, other than my normal Starbucks habit - which only grows with the holiday season upon us.

Concerns: Mostly the concerns I have now are about how Avery will do with the new baby, and my own concern about her not being my only baby anymore. I have randomly cried about it, but talked to friends who have assured me this is normal, and as soon as the second baby is here, I will love both equally. Also, not looking forward to labor pains and pushing.

Looking forward to: This baby coming out, and the holidays!

Notes from Past pregnancy: I did an update at 37 weeks with Avery - to see that post click here. It used to be that 37 weeks was considered full-term, but now it's considered early term. Below are pictures of me from last pregnancy on the left, and this time on the right. Definitely the picture from last time around was not as flattering, and I feel like I have a cuter belly this time around. I also think most of my weight is in my tummy this time, as opposed to more all around last time. My hair looks better too haha...I just got highlights and I'm loving them!

Belly Pics: Here are a few more pictures I took today. I'm excited that the end is near, and a new chapter of my life is about to start!

 

Potty Success! (So Far...)

The past two weeks have been full of ups and downs, but today is turning into a pretty good day - so far. As I mentioned, we have been potty training Avery for almost 2 weeks now, and it's taken a lot more patience than I thought I had. I wanted to document what I did, not only to help other parents who may be having trouble, but also to remember what I went through in the future.

There are a lot of challenging stages in raising a baby/toddler/child/teen, but so far for me, this has been one of the more challenging aspects. I previously made some unsuccessful attempts at potty training, and this time I decided I would just be patient and stick with it and see how it goes - no turning back!

I feel like I've learned a lot in the last 12 days, and what has worked for me is just getting to know my daughter and realizing that every child is different. I am one to try to read about everything, including parenting techniques, and attempt to do things "by the book." However, that doesn't always work for Avery haha. It's frustrating in this day and age seeing all these people that potty train their kids "in just 3 days" via Pinterest and other blogs, and it's hard not to compare. However, even though we aren't quite there, we've made huge progress and I'm glad we are doing this now. I feel like more progress will be made in the next few weeks, and even if there is a regression when the baby comes, I feel like we'll still kind of be in the 'training stage' and it won't be so traumatic (hopefully?!)

So what have we done? Well, I started putting her in regular underwear during all waking hours at home. I am using a little potty for now in our bathroom of the main floor. We have a potty chart with stickers, a toy box, and the toy box also includes lollipops and ringpops for her to choose when she stays dry by peeing on the potty. The first few days I tried to put her on there at regular intervals - maybe every half hour or so. I quickly learned that Avery will NOT pee on command, and it was better for her to figure out when she needed to go, and to let me know. Being 35-36 weeks pregnant, I didn't want to just have her sit on the potty all day, because I also didn't want to sit in the bathroom all day (I need to sit with pillows and back support haha.) I did read that it may take 4-10 minutes of sitting for her to actually go, but if she sat down and didn't go with 4-5 minutes, I took her off and said we'd try again in a few minutes. It took several days of many accidents, and just a few successes, but she finally started letting me know. It was frustrating going through so many pairs of underwear, but I just rinsed and washed them every day, and learned to deal with it.

After a few days - around day 4 and 5, I felt like it was getting a little easier because even though she was still having accidents, they tended to be all in the bathroom. She was starting to figure out when she needed to go, but either not making it, or not letting it all out when she did, so she'd just pee a little on the potty, and then stand up and pee all over the floor. This was also frustrating because she was starting to understand the urge, but it was taking her some time to figure out how to control it. We then went through several days of her telling me that she had to pee, only to go in and have nothing happen. This would happen anywhere between 4-10 times before she'd actually go. However, she started actually going on the potty more regularly, so it was time consuming, but progress!

In the meantime, I am still putting her in a diaper at naptime (which is sometimes just room time when she stays awake the entire time) and bedtime. For the first week, she would only poop in her diaper, so we weren't having any accidents, but she didn't want to go on the potty. I was ok with this because she became the most regular she has been since December!! That was a success in my book, but I wanted to work on getting her to go on the potty. I bought her an awesome book - Even Princesses Poop - and started reading it to her a lot! She actually made the connection herself that Anna and Elsa  (Frozen) are princesses and they must poop on the potty. Last Thursday I caught her pooping, and made her sit on the potty through lots of tears, but she did it and I gave her TONS of praise (and a lollipop of course.) She has now gone a few times. We aren't there yet, but making progress.

On Monday and Tuesday I was still feeling very frustrated that she wasn't totally getting it, and I was wondering if I would just be cleaning accidents for the next few months, but on Wednesday, I think something really clicked!! She let me know she had to pee right after breakfast on Wednesday, Thursday, and today. She went relatively quickly each time on the potty, and I am now starting to get to know her "patterns." It's easier because she's able to fully empty her bladder when she goes, whereas I don't think she was comfortable doing that in the first week. She can hold it much longer than I can right now (being very pregnant) and she normally only goes about 2-3 times before her naptime.

Since Wednesday, she has let me know every time she has to pee, and we have only had one pee accident, and that was because I was cleaning Ranger outside after we had gone for a walk, and Avery was helping and distracted. It had been the first time going for a walk in her underwear, and I think it will just take some time for her to get back to her normal routine without diapers. We're still working on number 2, but I feel like we're getting there.

Now, I would not say that Avery is totally potty trained yet - we still have a long road ahead. I just ordered a potty seat and stool that will come tomorrow to put on a regular toilet. She has not been comfortable with that yet, but I'm hopeful that will help. Once we do that, hopefully I can take her more places and she'll be ok to pee in public. I think that will be a learning curve too. We did go to Target last night right after she peed at home, and I knew we'd have a good chance of no incidents if we didn't stay too long. I did bring her potty with me in the back of the car, along with 2 outfit changes - for an hour away from home - but she did fine and had no problems! It would be nice if she would be able to go on command so that she could go at home before we go somewhere - without me having to wait for her to let me know - but I think that will just take time. Also I'm working with her through the "process" which right now is me helping her with everything except actually peeing. She still needs help with her clothes and wiping. She is able to wash and dry her hands by herself, so thats's a plus.

Overall, I'm very proud of both her and me for getting through the last few weeks together. I know it was stressful on her and I both, but I think even with the long road ahead, we've pushed through the toughest part and made it to the other side!!

Trick-or-Treat 2014

Another Trick-or-Treat has come and gone, and Avery really enjoyed being Minnie Mouse this year. It was a little bit rainy tonight, but that didn't stop us! Last year Travis and I walked with Avery, and she was very hesitant about walking up to all of our neighbors' homes. This year she wasn't scared at all! She confidently walked up to get her candy, and did pretty well at saying "trick-or-treat" and "thank you." She made the cutest Minnie Mouse, and we were so proud of her. Travis's parents came over and passed out candy so that we could walk around with her, and she made it about 45 minutes. Then we came back and kept her in her costume while we handed out candy for another 45 minutes or so. I loved watching the other kids out, and am looking forward to giving her a sister to go with next year!

Tomorrow is November 1st, and I'm officially in baby month - I hope...unless I go past my due date. Either way, this is happening soon and I'm excited! We've got a busy weekend ahead going to a church dinner (lunch) tomorrow and then meeting up with some friends for dinner later. I'm happy to get out for a little bit tomorrow after 6 days of potty training - update to come soon! Have a great weekend!

One month to go!

It's just one month from today that we'll become a family of 4 (plus Ranger)...give or take a week or so, haha. Logistically, I feel totally ready. The room is basically done, and I bought a few things such as bottles, blankets, a new diaper pail, etc. I made a list of things to get done before the baby arrives, and it's almost complete. Last week I even made mailing labels so that I'll be ready for birth announcements/Christmas Cards. Avery's hand-me-downs have been washed and organized, and I bought a cute little "going home" outfit, along with a diaper cover and headband for newborn pictures. We also bought new carpet for the family room, and it is being installed in about 2 weeks. It will be nice because we upgraded the carpet pad, and it will be more comfortable for all the times I will be sitting on the floor with the new baby.

There are some things I feel like I should do...but I really don't need to until she arrives. I don't have the pack-and-play set up in our room yet, since I know it only takes 5 minutes to set up. Last time around, we had a borrowed co-sleeper in our room for about a month before Avery arrived because I was nervous about setting things up. We don't have the car seat in the car yet, but know I that can be installed in 5 minutes as well. I'm just not as worried about those little things like I was before Avery. 

Another thing we are working on (again) is potty training with Avery. We started again this weekend, and I'm not doing it the way I was 2 months ago. I do think she is ready, but I don't think a "three day" method is going to work for us. I'm trying to be more patient and realize this may take several weeks, or even months unfortunately. My goal is to work with her while we are home, and to still put her in diapers when we go places, and nap and bedtime. I thought at first this might be confusing, but she already knows the difference between her diapers and underwear, and seems to be fine with it. We're having lots of accidents at home, but she is aware of it and is normally in the process of trying to get to the potty while it's happening, so for now we're going with it. Travis went to the dollar store and we made a little prize basket that we are keeping in the bathroom as an extra incentive. She seems to actually be pretty excited about it. It would be nice if she was somewhat potty trained within the month, but we'll see. I don't want to put so much pressure on her or myself because neither of us need the extra stress haha. Here she is with one of her "prizes" for peeing on the potty (a football.)

Some things that I am not sure if I'm ready for are the sleepless nights with a newborn, and all of the attention they demand. I know it will be different this time having a toddler around too, and I just don't really know what to expect. I'm thankful that Travis will be taking some time off in the beginning and I won't be on my own right away. I'm excited for Christmas with Avery this year because I think there will be things she'll start to remember and be excited about, and I hope it will be fun for her with a new baby around. 

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On a completely different subject, Avery had her Halloween party at preschool yesterday, and she went as Minnie Mouse. We have our Trick-or-Treat on Friday, and I'm hoping to get some better pictures of her than I did yesterday, but she is just so hard to photograph because she doesn't like the camera for some reason!! She looked so cute, and she had so much fun at the party! All the parents brought in a treat, and I brought these little clementine "pumpkins." 

Avery helped me put them in the tray, and she put all of the celery "stems" in them. She loves helping me in the kitchen.

She was super excited about eating them, until she had a cookie...then she just wanted cookies, but they were a hit with some of the other kids. Here are a few pics of her in her costume, and I'm looking forward to a fun Halloween on Friday evening!

40 Days Until Baby!!

I had my 34-week doctor visit today, and just scheduled my next appointment for November 3rd...which is the month I am due (Nov 29th.) Yay!! With just 40 days left until my due date, I am about ready to be done with pregnancy. Luckily it's still going by quickly, but I am just over being pregnant. I feel bad saying that sometimes, because I know that my pregnancy is going well, but I am just uncomfortable, and my lower back hurts a lot. This baby moves a ton, and the rib-kicking has begun. I think she likes to stretch out a lot too, because I feel movement both high and low, at the same time. My appointment today went well, and I'm up a total of 18 pounds so far. I'm hoping not to gain more than 25 altogether, and it's looking promising if I can keep to about a pound a week for the next 6 weeks. My blood pressure was a little higher this week (110/51) so not high, but in the normal range. I'm still on and off light-headed but maybe just getting used to it, and trying to take it easy.

After my appointment today, Avery had a doctor appointment to get a flu shot. I don't love when she has to get shots, but I think it's important with the new baby coming - especially with her going to pre-school once a week. I brought her Doc McStuffins book with her, and explained to her where we were going, so it wouldn't be a surprise. She definitely did the best she's done with shots so far! I like her pediatricians's office because the nurses are experienced with giving toddlers shots, and they are quick! She still cried during the actual shot, but I quickly scooped her up and gave her a hug and lots of stickers, and she was happy within about a minute. In the car on the way home I talked about it again, and told her how great she did, and she seemed fine, so maybe it will keep getting easier??

On another note, I'm starting to really miss running now. I haven't run for a few weeks now - ever since I started getting more lightheaded. Even though I know it's temporary, it's tough not being able to get out for a run in the beautiful Fall scenery and temperatures. It's also tough knowing that I will most likely not be able to start running until January sometime, and that will be a challenging time to start again because of the cold temperatures. In the meantime, I have been walking a lot with Avery and Ranger, and while it's not the same, it still fun to get out with them. Avery has really been enjoying walks where she can pick up leaves, sticks, and acorns. She also loves seeing caterpillars and also cows when they are out near the far end of our neighborhood. I don't take the stroller as much now, because it's a good way for her to burn off energy, and I will need it for the baby soon enough. I want her to be used to walking like a big girl haha.

On Saturday, we went to a local farm where Travis hunts, and bought some pumpkins to carve and paint. Avery painted a pumpkin with Travis, and he helped her carve one too. She had a great time!! She loved painting the pumpkin, and worked on it for about an hour! She did the entire thing herself. Then she helped Travis scoop out all of the seeds for the one they carved. She doesn't love getting messy, but she was able to get out most of the seeds with her hands, with minimal towels/hand washing.

(Their eyes are glowing just like the pumpkin!!)

On Sunday we went to another pumpkin farm with Travis's parents where there was a hayride and corn maze. It was way bigger and much more crowded than I anticipated. Travis and Avery's favorite part was the petting zoo! She was able to feed goats, sheep, and pet cows  and bunnies. It was a nice afternoon and although Travis wasn't thrilled with the crowds, it was an experience we won't forget!

Halloween Cards

Anyone who knows me knows that I am not the most artistic or creative person, but since Avery started pre-school, I've been getting a few good ideas for projects to work on with Avery. At the beginning of October, we made some Halloween cards and sent them to our families. It was a fun project for an afternoon, and it was a good way to get Avery into the Halloween spirit. Our families really enjoyed getting a card from Avery in the mail, as well.

I used construction paper to make the cards. I cut out some pictures of pumpkins, ghosts, and witch hats, and then traced an area in the card for Avery to glue them onto the card. Avery loves using the glue stick, and is really good about trying to keep the glue in the lines. She matched the pictures to their shapes herself, and glued them in!

She then added a few stickers and we were good to go! They turned out pretty cute, and Avery was very proud of them. She loves doing crafts like these, so I plan on doing more things like this soon! It will also be a great way for her to be busy while I am taking care of the new baby.