Conversations with My 2 Year Old: A Trampoline

Norah Kate is really talking... I mean REALLY saying a whole lot of sentences, stories, and she is also listening to a whole lot of stuff too (time to start spelling out words and watching which conversations we have in her presence!)

It's funny to me how she will ask questions or make remarks that let me know she was listening to a conversation I had with Matt or my mama... Of course not that it's bad stuff or anything but she is very observant.

She has starting asking me:

What you looking, Mama? What are you looking at, Mama?

Who you talking? Who are you talking to?

Why you laughing?

I don't know why but it's so funny to me when she asks me this stuff.  Curious little girl.

It shouldn't surprise me that she talks so much because, bless her heart, I have talked to her pretty well non stop since she was born... Just about any and everything.

Anyways, the most recent conversation that really tickled me went as follows:

Earlier that day she was looking through a flyer that came from Toys R Us with the trampolines and pools and outside toys. Later that night I was getting out of the shower and she was walking in the bathroom.

NK: you hear me, mama?

Me: what is it baby?

NK: I want a trampoline! (Imagine the sweetest little face and voice asking you this.)

Me: you do?

NK: uh-huh. And a pool. And a balloon. A Mickey Mouse balloon!

Me: Oh wow. Ok then. Anything else?

NK: a BICYCLE!!

Uh oh Daddy! We are in BIG trouble now. She has learned to ask for what she wants! I sure love that little girl and my funny conversations with her!

Grant- One Month Old

I can't believe my sweet baby boy is already a month old!  At least I was forewarned with Norah Kate how quickly time goes by when they are babies.  I was telling a friend of mine how it is so sad that it goes by so fast, even though you are looking forward to more sleep at night, a healed body, a more rested mind, and a glimmer of a routine, the first few weeks are SO precious and the babies change drastically through that first month!



Coming home from the hospital (1 day old)

Grant is a great baby!  Really, I mean, if I knew it was gonna be this easy the second go around I wouldn't have been so nervous.  Of course, there is very little sleep and a lot of eating going on around my house, there is no sign of a routine even in sight, and we have our moments of exhaustion, frustration, and desperation, but overall it has been much easier (for me anyways) this time.

I had a terrible time with my hormones after Norah Kate, I mean, those baby blues made me slap crazy, so I terrified this time that they would come back or be worse.  I honestly don't think I have even had a touch of them.  I have only had a few moments of tearfulness or moodiness.  It was actually weird/scary how GOOD I felt after I had him.  I was so happy and had energy and my body felt great (my body appreciated 7lbs of baby SO MUCH BETTER than almost 9lbs of baby with NK, I have healed faster/easier.  Heck, I was cleaning house when he was days old, walking when he was a week old and went for my first "run" at 2 weeks).  I felt so much contentment and love towards my babies.  I kept waiting for those "blues" to hit, but fortunately they never did!!

Now, don't let me paint this beautiful picture of motherhood with an infant and a 2 year old.  I have struggled keeping up with both of them because a lot of time Norah Kate gets a little jealous (she is still a baby after all, and for those that know about mine and her relationship she is very close to her mommy).  I try to spend time with her when he is napping or content, but usually she don't want anything to do with me until he is crying or hungry or needing something. I get overwhelmed sometimes when they both need me at the same time.  And bedtime around this household... holy cow... I just hang on tight and pray fervently until they are both asleep.  A lot of times I am wishing I had a nerve pill and a glass of wine to help me through those crazy hours.

I told my mama the other day that bedtime around here feels like a marathon.  That I usually want to quit, but I can't, I have to keep going and that I am trying to beat my "time" from the night before.  Or at least try to get it to go "smoother."  Ha!  I am hoping that with time we get more of a routine down. 

Also, it hasn't helped matters that for the last two to three weeks my husband has been transplanting tobacco, so bless him, he has left the house around 6:30 and not been home until well after bedtime (9:30-10).  Which means I have been manning this ship all by my lonesome.  He has been home this week and it has been WONDERFUL!!  I don't see how single mamas do it.  I dread the summer months when he gets real busy again.

Back to Big Boy Grant.

Eating:

He is eating wonderfully!  He treats his mama like an all day, all you can eat buffet.  His eating habits are still unpredictable.  Sometimes he will go 3 hours without eating, then he will nurse every hour for 3 hours off and on, basically though he eats around 10-12 times a day.  I just nurse on demand regardless of if it has been 30 minutes or 2 hours... just when he wakes up and acts hungry.  I am not complaining though because I haven't gone through any latch issues, rejecting issues, etc like I did with Norah Kate.  No sir, he nurses like a champ.  You can tell it too in his clothes.  Some of his newborn stuff is too tight and we outgrew newborn diapers when he was a little over 2 weeks old.  He can wear a few of his 0-3 month clothes but they are long.

It's funny because I bought nipple shields, manual pumps, bottles, etc in case I had all the issues I did with NK, but haven't needed any of that!  I have used the pump though, only to relieve some engorgement, and I just introduced a bottle last week.  He takes a bottle good (3 oz, but I can't tell if it satisfies him or not because I usually end up nursing him again within an hour).  So far he takes a NUK, Avent, and Medela bottles/nipples without any trouble.  He is not a big fan of a paci right now either.  He gags and spits it out.  Poor thing has a very sensitive gag reflex.

Grant lost down to 6lbs 11oz right before we left the hospital that Friday, but he had gained back to birth weight (7lbs 1oz) by Monday when I had to take him for a weight and bilirubin check.  He was slightly jaundiced, but nothing requiring a hospital readmission.  We had to go back to the doctor for another weight check and check up the following Monday and he weight 7lbs 13 oz.  They told me then that one of his lab results came back abnormal from his PKU/metabolic screen so we had to have more blood drawn but everything came back perfectly normal after that :)

At our 1st doctors visit (4 days old)

I have weighed him at home and he weighs about 9.5 lbs according to my scales... We don't go back to the doctor until May 2nd so I am curious to see how much he has gained.

Sleep:
Sleep?  What's that?  Routine?  What?!
Right now, its sleep when we can, where we can, for as long as we can.  Ha!

Usually I start winding the household down at around 5:30-6 with supper for NK and a bath for Grant.  Grant usually nurses and then FIGHTS sleep.  I mean, that boy, he will fall asleep for about 10 minutes and just when I lay him down he starts fussing.  Usually its about 9-9:30 before we are all asleep for a good stretch.  I haven't really even tried to establish a routine until the last week or so because we were all just figuring things out. (Which of course that first week, before he became alert, was a piece of cake because I could just nurse him and put him down wherever and he would sleep... now that he is more alert it's a little more difficult) It would probably run a little smoother if I could rock him longer or if it were more quiet, but with a 2 year old running around who needs to eat, get a bath, and trying to settle herself down as well, it just ain't happening.

Sleeping in the cradle/rocker

Also, he doesn't like sleeping flat.  When I had him in the basinet flat he was up almost every hour at night. Whew, talk about exhausting.  So I borrowed the SnugAMonkey cradle rocker thing from my sister in law and that is where we start out the night.  Then we sleep in the recliner for a little bit because I fall asleep while nursing him, then we move to the swing or couch in the living room.  Crazy right?  It will get better.

He has just starting giving me 3-4 hour stretches some nights though, then we will have some nights were we are up every 2 hours.  This too will get better.  I know he will sleep through the night eventually :)  For now, I will be grateful for those 3-4 hours of sleep I get at a time!

(I think that's why it might be easier the second time- because you are prepared, you know that the sleepless nights will end, that tomorrow is a new day, that this time passes quickly, that it is okay to answer the door for your neighbor in your pjs at 2pm, it is all ok.  This is normal, for now.)

Personality
He has started to act like he notices me when I pick him up or walk in front of him.  His expression changes and I have just started getting a slight smile from him.

He isn't too crazy about tummy time, but we are working on it.

He will just sit and stare at NK when I have him on the floor.  She entertains him and I know he will enjoy watching her even more as he grows.

Grant is developing a temper.  He don't cry much, but when he does he will get sweated down and almost turn purple from holding his breath while crying.  He might just be a spit fire like his sister.

Things he likes
The swing
Being worn in the Baby K'tan baby carrier (I have started "wearing" him so that maybe he will like being in the carrier more than NK, it sure will make housework/cooking/taking care of NK easier.  So far he likes it)
Laying on mommy's chest (and I love letting him snuggle there!)
Nursie (Matt's name he gave feeding/eating time when I had NK)
Riding in the car
Sleeping with mommy (while I do not agree with letting them sleep in the bed with you while they are super little, there have been several instances where I have fallen asleep nursing him in the bed or on the couch and he sleep SO good while he is next to me... so I can see where it is tempting just to let them sleep in the bed with you.  It scares me though, because I know its not safe.)

Things he doesn't like
Not being held or rocked to sleep (spoiled already)
Goings to sleep at night time
a pacifier (although Norah Kate swears he should have one.  I have caught her shoving/forcing it in his mouth more than once!)
cold wipes (poor baby will almost crawl out of his skin!)

Grant,
Mama loves you so much and you have already brought so much joy to our life.  You are such a blessing to us and I can't wait to watch you grow.  I know this time will go by way too fast and am trying to cherish every moment!  You are such a good baby and thank you for being patient with me while I juggle you and your sister.  You are a sweet boy and a precious addition to our family!

Love,
Mama

Yes, that is both of my babies in our bed.

Wee morning hour snuggles.

His favorite spot!

 

Big Sister NK

Norah Kate has been a wonderful big sister.  She really is helpful and already amazes me with what she knows about Grant.

At the hospital she had to check him over good.  It was so sweet.  She asked a million questions about him.  It also amazed me that once he was here she never looked or talked to my belly.  She immediately made the connection that he was here now and not in my belly anymore.

She was very curious about him nursing.  We told her from the beginning that he could only have "mommy's milk."  Since then she is still curious when I feed him or when I have to pump.  She wants to watch and I let her... hopefully I am setting a good example and she will want to breastfeed her babies (way later down the road).

When he is crying she comes running to me- "mama!  him hungry!"  She don't like for him to cry either.  If I am getting a shower, or cooking and he starts to fuss she will yell to me that he is crying.  The other day he started crying in his carseat and she was trying to unbuckle her carseat to get to him.

She will turn his music on his bouncy seat for him and talk to him in the sweetest voice.

"Heeeeey brudder/buddy/big man/baby Grant!"
"Ahhh boo"

She gives him lots of kisses.

Several times I have caught her trying to "get" him.  She will say "I get you." when he is crying.  Poor Grant.  I have to rescue him.

She loves to help me.  She has put a chair in every room so that she can help me bathe him, change him, feed him, etc.

She can be helpful about going to get things for me (socks, burp cloth, diaper, wipe).  She also likes to take the liberty of changing his socks, wiping his face, putting his hats on his head (all these things are within her reach so she will go get them).  She forces him to take a paci.  She has tried to share her food several times but we just keep reinforcing "only mommy's milk."

She is still very protective over him and don't like to share him too much with other people.  She also gets a little jealous if people don't address her first. When people came those first few days at home and asked how they could help I would get them to take her outside or spend special time with her OR watch Grant so that I could go play outside with her for a few minutes.  It seemed to really help her feelings that first little bit.  We had a tough time the first day or two because my body wasn't quite ready to pick her up or hold her...and she just didn't understand that... but fortunately I healed quick!

I usually am nursing him or rocking him with them both in my lap.  Morning times are a little rough because she wants my direct attention.  No sharing.  Good thing Grant goes right back to sleep after nursing because then me and NK get to watch cartoons and drink our coffee together.

Other new/interesting things with NK:
-She is suddenly "scared" of things (the dark, the wreath on the front door, monsters).
-She is cutting her bottom two 2 year molars (bless her and my heart!)
-She will tell stories "The other day... ummm... so, but," it is quiet hilarious.
-She can still be very defiant and will act out for attention.  Time out has been re-introduced.
-She thinks she can sleep in the basinet or the baby swing.  She also likes Grant's bouncy seat and car seat.
-She likes to be told stories.  This has started this week.  We had gone to Valdosta and she was extremely ill on the way home (seriously her and Grant both were SCREAMING) so I said very dramatically, "Norah Kate, let me tell you a story!" and she was instantly distracted... now I have to tell stories a lot :)
-She likes to give kisses and hugs.  She will tell us she loves us and misses us.
-She will sometimes tell me thank you for sweet/random things.  "Mommy!  Thank you SO MUCH for washing my blanket!"  Haha!  Never a dull moment.
-We went a few weeks of me being "Mom" and Matt being "Matt/Dad" (this was before Grant was born).
-She wants to "save" stuff.  "Norah Kate, that is enough candy."  "Okay, mama, I save it!!"  So then she goes an puts it in her kitchen where she has access to it when she wants it.  Which is usually a few minutes later.
-Everything is "my do it" "norah kate's turn" "norah kate's toy" "that's norah kates" (hence the chairs and stools in every part of the house, so that she can "do" stuff)
-Potty training is a disaster.  I may have to do a separate blog about this.  She is just stubborn and sometimes will be dry all day and then there will be days where I am carrying her kicking and screaming to the potty.  It is still a work in progress.  This week is a good week to potty train per the Almanac so wish me luck!
-She loves to exercise.  I did Insanity yesterday only because all day she kept saying "Exercise Mama!  Exercise!"  Talk about motivation!  She even ran and put her tennis shoes on and exercised with me.  She was super pumped up about it. 
-She enjoys putting puzzles together (or rather watching someone else put her Minnie Mouse puzzle together).

Norah Kate,
You are being a wonderful big sister!  Mama is so proud of you and loves you SO much.  You are such a great helper.  Thank  you for being so sweet to mommy and patient with mommy while I have to take care of baby brother.  I know this time has been hard for you too.  Things will get smoother around here I promise!

I love you Baby Girl!
Mama



Grant Samuel Thompson

.

Grant Samuel Thompson
1:32pm
7lb 1oz
19.5 inches long
Proud Parents: Matt & Katie
Proud Big Sister: Norah Kate



Once again I was blessed with a wonderful labor and delivery.  I was much more anxious leading up to this delivery, I guess because I knew how bad the pain could be and of course their was the nagging worry of the things that could go wrong.  I actually almost backed out of my induction I was that nervous!  I prayed for God to let me make the right choice about being induced and to not let me be hasty.  The strange thing though, when we were on the way to the hospital I felt so much peace and by the time they got the process started I was so EXCITED.

 

I went to the doctor on Tuesday March 18 for a check and an ultrasound.  I was 1cm and 50% effaced.  Grant looked great on the ultrasound and they estimated his weight at 7lbs and 4oz.  I was a little shocked by this because Norah Kate had always measured so big, so I still was expecting an 8lb baby.

 

I was to be admitted to the hospital Wednesday night at midnight for the Cytotec.  My progress was VERY similar to Norah Kate's.  I actually labored for almost exactly the same time.  With Norah Kate I got the first dose of Cytotec at 11pm and delivered at 10:40 am and with Grant I got the first dose at 1am and delivered at 13:22pm. 

 

Anyways...

 

When they hooked me up to the monitor and started my IV I was already 2cm (progress from even the day before) and already contracting regularly (every 3-4 minutes).  I knew I had been contracting for a while!!  They weren't painful contractions though, I could barely feel them.  I got my first dose of Cytotec at 1am.  The first dose of Cytotec didn't make me hurt, but continued making me have regular contractions.  Grant's heart rate looked great :)

 

At 3:25am I started having back labor, but it wasn't unbearable.  I was just hoping it meant I was dilating more.  Needless to say though, I got ZERO sleep!  Between the excitement and the contractions and being hooked up to everything and having to pee every 30 minutes... I just watched the second hand tick on by.  Matt slept though!

 

I got the second dose of Cytotec at 5:10 and just like with NK, I started feeling the contractions almost immediately!  This time though I had lots of back labor.  Let me just tell you something about back labor, that mess hurts!  It wasn't unbearable though and I wanted to wait on my epidural until I was more dilated.  I also decided against any IV pain medicine this time because the Demerol I received with Norah Kate made me terribly sick... and drunk... and miserable.  I was only 3cm, but at least I was progressing.  Since I was starting to hurt and really feeling the contractions, and because of my history of fast progression, we went ahead and called our mamas and sisters in at about 6:30 (we told everyone to just stay home until we called, there was no sense in nobody getting sleep that night).

 

Around 8:00 I stood up at bedside and started to rock back and forth, trying to move him on down the birth canal.  It also helped tremendously with my back labor.  For a while I couldn't feel the contractions as much when I was standing up.... but the story changed shortly.  Because I was contracting so frequently (2 minutes apart now) they decided to hold off on the Cytotec.  I started considering the epidural around 9:30 because I was getting pretty uncomfortable and I didn't want to get in unbearable pain before the epidural...but I kinda wanted to be dilated a little more.

 



 

Dr. Asbury broke my water at 9:40 and I was still 3cm.  I was getting nervous then because I was hurting but not progressing a lot.  I went ahead and asked for my epidural.  My mistake- I should have gotten the epidural BEFORE they broke my water.  The actual "breaking the water" doesn't hurt... no.. it's those contractions AFTER.  I didn't realize how much all the fluid helped cushion the pain.  Oh. my. goodness.  The next hour and twenty minutes was torture.

 

I do not tolerate pain and I am a wimp.  There.  I said it.  I am not even going to pretend I am tough.  There was no pictures taken during my intense labor pain.  I think my family was afraid to even talk around me.  I also became angry towards my husband during this time... he was catching cat naps during my discomfort.  I may or may not have threatened him bodily harm through gritted teeth ;)

 

I was hurting very bad.  I wanted to get up and walk or do something, but I could barely move for the pain.  I just kept breathing while my fluid boluses were going in.  I kept watching that bag of LR wishing they could have pressure bagged it in!  When it finished, then I had to wait on my anesthesiologist to get out of a surgery so he could come in.  I have never been so glad to see someone walk in my room!!  Man, oh, man.

 

I got my epidural at 11 and was dilated 4-5 cm.  At 11:15 I started feeling very nauseated and I couldn't feel my face.  My blood pressure had bottomed out despite the boluses and Grant's heart rate started dropping.  I wasn't worried too much about my blood pressure, because as an ICU nurse I have seen patient's bounce back from extremely low blood pressures, but seeing his heart rate drop was VERY scary and I started panicking a little.  They gave me ephedrine and reglan for my blood pressure and nausea and I felt better within minutes.  They checked me again at 11:25 and I was 5-6 cm.  After all the excitement and now that I was finally relaxed, I had the best 30 minute nap a girl could ask for!  I fell asleep before the nurses could even walk out of the room.

 

Woo hoo for Epidurals!!

 



 

I woke up at 11:50 and was feeling a LOT of pressure.  8cm!  By 12:15 I was 9cm.  My poor nurses were in a delivery next door and the pressure was getting intense.  I felt like he was coming out whether I wanted him to or not!

 

I was complete at 1:22 pm and Dr. Asbury came in and told me to show her if it was gonna be quick or take a while.  I gave a good push and she laughed and went ahead and put on her gown.  It was gonna be quick. 

 

I pushed for a total of 10 minutes and my sweet baby boy was here! 

 

I hate the movies, when they show three pushes and the baby is here... because its hard work.  Much harder than three pushes.  Even though I only pushed for 10 minutes, it was still harder than 3 pushes!

 



 

When Grant got here the cord was wrapped around his neck and it seemed like an eternity before he had that first good cry and pinked up. But he did. 

(This is when it sucks being a nurse... I saw the cord around his neck, I panicked when he didn't pink up right away... I remember that gut sinking feeling when Dr Asbury asked for some oxygen -which he ended up not needing- I remember frantically looking at the nursery nurse saying "he is still blue, he is still blue, what's wrong?". I remember wanting to get up and run to the warmer to check on my baby.  Wanting him to be okay.  Wanting to help but feeling helpless.  Hearing that "tone" in the doctors in nurses voice... the one I am familiar with because we use it in the Unit.  The tone where you appear calm as to not worry the family, but there is a sense of urgency under your tone.  Feeling like it lasted an eternity when it was only seconds.)

Thank you Jesus.  Thank you Lord for a healthy baby boy!  Thank you Lord for allowing me to get him out quickly before something happened.  Thank you Lord for telling me to go a head and get induced.  And Thank you Lord for letting him only be 7lbs so that I could push him out in 10 minutes instead of an hour.

 

Grant nursed IMMEDIATELY after he was born.  They tried to put him on my chest right from the start but because he was a little blue still I was panicking and they took him to the warmer for just a second.  He pinked right up and they brought him to me.  He was sucking his hand and latched to me right away.  He was perfect.  One of the most beautiful things I had ever seen (comparable only to Norah Kate).

 

Norah Kate had to really check out Baby Brother and Mama.  She was curious about my IV, name bracelet, Grant's umbilical cord, and all the machines in the room.  She wanted to look at his ears, his hands, feet, and belly.  It was precious.  She also kept looking at my belly.  She learned her first lesson about Mommy's Milk too, and how Grant drank only Mommy's Milk.



 

I am forever grateful that I got a second blessing from God and got to witness this miracle of life and be a part of it.  Thank  you Jesus for my sweet family!

 



Third Trimester

Since I am a little behind on my blogging, I will just compile my third trimester in one blog post.

Overall, I had a wonderful pregnancy.  I felt great and pretty well kept my energy levels and health all the way through.  It was challenging sometimes though caring for a 2 year old (carrying, bathing, dressing, hauling) with my big ole pregnant belly :) 

The only "complication" so to say was when I was 33 weeks.  I had laid down for a nap while NK was napping and when I woke up my back hurt. I figured it was the way I slept and that maybe a walk would kinda "work the kinks out."  I started walking with my friend Amanda at her house.  About half way through the walk I started cramping and would feel sharp pangs of pressure "down there."  My cramps were not intense like contractions at all, very mild with no rhythm or pattern at all.  However, I called my OB just to be safe and they wanted me to come on in.

They hooked me up to the monitor and luckily I was not having contractions.  I also hadn't dilated or thinned any but his head was already "engaged" and my cervix was posterior so they put me on bedrest for a week just to be safe.

Let me just say that bedrest with a two year old was IMPOSSIBLE.  I tried to do as little as possible though and rest (or at least stay off my feet as much as I could).  I still continued to hurt some in my back and feel lots of pressure, sometimes it felt like I could just sneeze and he would pop out (not that easy mind you!) and it remained that way until the end!  My cervix never changed though, not until the last couple weeks then it only changed slightly.

I started back walking after they released me from bed rest and started back working 2 days a week.  I probably could have worked 3 days, but I didn't want to push it and by this point tending to Norah Kate was getting harder.

When I turned 37 weeks, I began exercising again... mainly just doing 30 minutes on the elliptical.  I was still feeling lots of pressure and started having frequent Braxton Hicks that would often get regular.  I was only 1 cm dilated and not making much progress.

I had an ultrasound at 36 weeks and Little Man was measuring perfectly!  They guessed his weight at 6lbs 1oz then.  I had another ultrasound at 38 weeks and 5 days, the Tuesday before going to the hospital and they guessed his weight 7lbs 4 oz.  Again, measuring perfectly, but smaller than Miss Norah Kate :)

34 Weeks

 

36 weeks


37 weeks!

I may or may not have laid out just a few days before being induced!



 

38 weeks!

 

 A couple weeks before being induced and right up to being admitted to the hospital I was having a lot of anxiety.  It wasn't that I was having doubts or regrets, mainly I was just very nervous about delivery and having another newborn in the house.  I started worrying about my capability to be a mother to TWO precious blessings.  I worried about Norah Kate and ensuring that she was still a priority and that she didn't feel left out.  Needless to say, up until the day I was induced I was pretty well a nervous wreck those last few days!

39 weeks!  On the way to the hospital to meet Baby Grant!

I went in to be induced Wednesday March 19 (really March 20 @ midnight) and they started the induction process!