3 months old and baptized!

I am really behind on my blogging and I am sorry. Verity Claire has turned 3 months and has had quite a time! She's holding up her head really good, laughing and smiling all the time. She has even grabbed her feet a few times and grabs onto things like my hair and her rattle, blankets and stuffed animals. She is a very social baby, LOVES it when I talk or sing to her. She also seems to really like the TV, hee hee. Like Mama, like daughter. She is still a very sweet baby and so very easy. She isn't quite sleeping through the night yet, but that is ok. She wakes me up around 2 or 3am and again at 5 or 6am. But, she sleeps pretty good in her cosleeper in her swaddle blanket. She has been sick pretty much since we went back to day care unfortunately. She is congested and is having a hard time breathing when she eats. We saw the doctor just today and she is ok. Her big brother is another story, he is pretty darn sick with a fever and double ear infections. Poor little guy. I hope Verity doesn't catch it!

We also had Verity baptized last weekend on Valentine's Day. Uncle Aaron and Aunt Shannon flew up with baby Eva for the event and to be her Godparents. Uncle Beau and Tiffany are also her Godparents, but couldn't make the trip right now. It was a nice weekend spending time with cousin Eva and just hanging out. Verity looked like a baby princess in her beautiful dress I had custom made on Etsy. I just love Etsy!

Back to work!

I have been back to work now for a week and it hasn't been so great. Verity didn't eat much at daycare last week, she started out totally refusing the bottle. This is partly our fault for not giving her the bottle much in the days leading up to my first day back. However, we did try to give her one, she just wouldn't take it! She has drunk from the bottle in the last couple months a few times, so I wasn't that worried. Boy, was I wrong! She spent her entire first day at day care not eating, crying and sleeping. Poor baby... Mama had to leave work early - although I still didn't get there until 4:30pm. She was one hungry girl! She didn't drink much on Tuesday either, just a little bit here and there that dripped in her mouth. She wouldn't latch on and suck on the bottle. I worked at home and picked her up early again. On Wednesday, Verity and Maddox are home so Rudy had to take over working with her and the bottle while I pumped at home all day. By lunchtime he had succeeded in getting her to latch on and suck! Thank GOD! Daddy is a GENIUS! He is such a good Daddy. She drank a little more that day and Thursday, but still not nearly enough, I think like 5 - 7 oz. On Friday she finally started to warm up to Carrie and drank 11 oz.

I was still really worried and called the pediatrician's office and they told me to just stop giving her boob cold turkey until she was taking the bottle consistently. I was NOT happy about this, it was a very harrowing week for Mama and Dada and then I had to pump all weekend? ARGH! I ended up pumping in the morning and feeding her in the afternoon on Sat. She was taking the bottle pretty good by then so wanted to see how she would do on Sunday morning. Again, Sunday she took the bottle, even from me, so thought she had it. Monday she only drank 5 oz though, I was still very worried. She seems to be warming up to Carrie though- I think this has been a combination of missing Mama, not wanting to drink from a bottle and being in a strange place with a stranger. Poor little butterfly - I feel so guilty taking her to daycare and going to work, it is breaking my heart. Tuesday she did better and drank 11 oz again, so I feel better. I want her to drink at least 12 oz, I think that will be good. Maddox drank 16 oz while I was at work though, maybe she will work her way up to that.

All in all, it's been pretty stressful going back to work. I am working at home every Wednesday to be there and breastfeed and take a break from pumping in the middle of the week. Pumping is not that much fun. But, JPMorgan Chase has a mother's room for women to pump in, so that is awesome! It is not as nice as the mom's room at Orbitz, but it is still a nice room with two private places to pump, a sink, fridge and a place to store your things. There are quite a few women using the room too, so that is a positive thing!

Today, Verity is officially 3 months old! I can't believe how time has flown by. I will have a separate post about her and hopefully some new pics soon. I need to take some photos though, don't have any new ones yet.

Sleeping through the night!!!

Two nights in a row, my perfect little princess has slept through the night. YAY for Verity and YAY for Mama! She slept last night from 10pm to 5am, and the night before from 9pm to 6am. WOW!!! I hope this continues...! She is also holding her head up really good at tummy time, almost 90 degrees! I have to get a pic of that soon. My baby is growing up too fast! On another note, this is my last week of maternity leave and I am kind of in denial. I am very sad and can't believe how fast the time has gone by. Sniff sniff. Verity and Maddox will be going to Daycare 4 days a week and spending Wednesdays at home with Dada!! I am lucky that I will be able to work at home on Wednesdays too so I can see them at lunchtime and breastfeed Verity rather than pumping. Pumping is not so fun! It will be an adjustment, but we will cope.

Verity Claire - 2 month checkup

Baby Verity is two months old! We went to the doc with big brother Maddox and here are her stats:

Weight: 11 lbs 3 oz (75th percentile)

Height: 23 in (75th percentile)

Head: 15 in

She gained almost 3 pounds in the last month, unbelievable!

Verity is doing wonderfully. She is sleeping about 6 hour stretches at night and has taken a really good afternoon nap for the last few days. She is all smiles and gets really excited when you talk to her and it almost seems like she is trying to laugh. She is a really easy baby. Rudy remarked yesterday that he thinks she is easier than Maddox! I think they are the same. She hardly every cries, only when she is hungry or wants to be picked up. She is really spoiled, but you wouldn't know it. She lays in her bouncy seat and is content to watch Maddox play. She is really a joy and I couldn't be luckier!

Here are some recent pics I took:

Posing like a supermodel

I finally captured her long and curly eyelashes!
A sweet, smirky smile
Tummy time!
Chubby baby - poor thing has the same double chin as Maddox
Pretty princess flower baby - another flower from Mamie

Christmas babies

Christmas came and went. It was fun to spend with my babies but a little sad too. I don't get to spend the holidays with my family (parents and brothers and their families) so I am a little sad around this time. We were also fighting with Jackson right before Christmas, so that makes it hard to have fun and enjoy. Very tired of that scene. However, here are some highlights of the time we spend together. My babies and husband are the best thing that have ever happened to me and I love them so much! Verity is smiling so much and starting to "talk" to us - ok she coos a little, but it is so wonderful to hear her sweet little voice. Her face has cleared up finally, however she has very dry skin the poor little butterfly so I am lubing her up with lots of goop. She is sleeping for 6 hour stretches at night, whoohoo!! Maddox had fun opening presents, although he really couldn't open them himself. He was most interested in Jackson's 154 piece tool set. We got him his own tool puzzle and he conquered it in no time. We didn't buy that much for the kids, our house is already loaded with toys and they don't need that much clothes right now. It is too much to absorb all the gifts other people buy so hey, saves us some money! Maddox's favorite word right now is "hot!". It sounds more like "hos!". All food is hot. Candles and lamps are hot too. He is so smart! He amazes me every day with the things he knows or remembers. He picked up is Go dog go! book today and opened it to the page that has all the dogs in cars and started saying "car, car, car, car..."! I was flabbergasted! I read him that book days ago and pointed to all the cars and said "car, car, car, car...". So cute! I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!!

Family posing by the Christmas tree, minus Jackson

I'm in heaven with my babiesPretty princess Christmas baby
Verity has the curliest eyelashes!
Mamie sent Verity her very special Christmas ornament! She also bought her her christmas ball dress, so comfy and sweet!
Almost a smile!
She loved her new book!
Maddox fooling around with these lights, really he just wanted to unplug them and plug them back in, repeat.
His new favorite pastime, screaming!
Snuggling up to Dada
First time in the snow getting pulled in a sled, it was cooooooold! BRRRR!

Sleeping...

The nightly sleeping has gotten better the last two nights, knock on wood that it will stay that way! Verity only woke me up twice to eat - once around 1:30am after going to sleep around 10pm, and then again at 5:30am. Woohoo!! This is better than every hour or two, I am actually getting to sleep for longer stretches again which is wonderful. Although, I don't really feel like it, it is going to take some time to catch up on my sleep.

I also wanted to mention that she actually ROLLED OVER already!! It happened on Tuesday before Thanksgiving. I am sure it was a fluke, she was doing tummy time on the couch on the edge of the cushion and lifted her head, then her leg and next thing I knew, she had rolled closer to me! Such a smart and strong little baby!

Well, I am working on getting my announcements done and have to get back to working on that since I am having a rare moment where both kids are napping at the same time!

4 weeks old!

Our sweet little princess wearing a flower and blanket made by Mamie!

Verity in her beautiful blanket I bought on Etsy

Mama and baby Verity - yes I made an effort to shower and do my makeup and hair

Daddy, Mama and baby Verity
First picture with big brother Maddox!
Mamie, Papa, Maddox and Verity!

Well, I survived another birth. Having a planned c-section had its pros and cons, I need to write the birth story in a separate post, but just wanted to write about the last few weeks before I forget anything! I am really behind on blog posts, but the last few weeks have flown by in a blur.

We came home from the hospital on Thursday, Nov 5th, a day earlier than I needed to. But, I really wanted to get home as being in the hospital is not much fun. They had a restriction on visitors under 18 too, so Maddox was unable to come to the hospital to meet his sister and I missed him! We had pictures taken at the hospital with Bella Baby again - that's where some of the pics in this post are from. We dressed her up good as I brought lots of "props" with me this time and was prepared for the photos so I could get some with all of us in them. I am sad I couldn't have Maddox in any of the photos as he wasn't allowed in the hospital. :-( Oh well, I am trying to get some here at home, but it's not easy!

Here are some of the other highlights of the past 4 weeks (I can't believe it's been FOUR weeks already!!).

Big brother Maddox

Maddox met his sister when we came home Thursday - he was just finishing up lunch. He took a look at her and then just went on with his business. He was indifferent I guess, or didn't know what or who she was. He has slowly warmed up to her though. He'll come over and look at her and point at her, or grab her hand. He tries to bounce the bouncy seat when she is in there, because that is what we do to him when he sits in it. He did hit her in the head with both hands one day - it happened so fast, we couldn't prevent it. He looked scared when Rudy said "NO!". But other than that, everything is fine. He is just too young to really understand that she is his sister at this point. He is otherwise acting normal, just a rambunctious toddler running around the house with boundless energy. He is keeping my mom very busy! He is slowly warming up to his sister and giving her kisses and holding out his arms like he wants to hold her (he really doesn't, he just pretends to). Just this morning I was changing Verity's diaper and Maddox came over and kissed her on the head, then on the mouth, then kissed her 3 more times, hee hee. He is a very lovable boy!

Eating

Verity is eating pretty good. She did lose a little over 10% of her weight by the time we went to the Pediatrician's office on Sat. But, my milk came in on Thursday (the day we got home) so I thought that she would have gained some back by then, but she didn't. So, I got to worry for another week and a half about her eating enough. I was trying to get her to eat every 2 hours and sometimes it was hard, she was very sleepy. And, she would only eat about 10 minutes on one side at a feeding. We went back for a weight check on Monday, Nov 9th and she had gained a couple ounces and was 7lbs, 3 oz, so was on the right track, thank goodness! At her 2 week appt she should have been back at birth weight (7lbs, 15 oz), and was close at 7 lbs, 13oz. So, we came back for one more weight check at 3 weeks and she was tipping the scales at 8lbs, 13 oz! Wow! She has also grown about an inch in length! So, she is doing fine now and we don't go back to the doctor until 2 months old. I am relieved that she is thriving now.

Sleeping

Verity has slowly stretched out a little between night feedings, but I am still feeding her 3 times overnight every 2-3 hours and it is pretty tiring. Some nights are better than others, last night was not. She will sleep in the cosleeper for 3 hour stretches sometimes, but other nights she wakes up within 15-30 minutes of being put down. Then, I have to nurse her back to sleep in bed with me and more often than not, we fall asleep that way. I don't sleep as good with her next to me, it is a little scary. But, she is safe and I will do what I have to so we both sleep. But, I would rather she slept in the cosleeper all night. I am slowly training her to do it and some nights she does most of the night. I really hope she starts sleeping longer stretches at night by 2 months like Maddox did, but I should probably prepare myself for that not happening. All in all, I am getting less sleep than I did with Maddox because I have to get up with him in the morning. Luckily Rudy has been doing the first hour or two with him so I can sleep more, but this morning Rudy had to go downtown so I was up by 7am to take care of him. It is pretty hard to adjust to taking care of two kids at the same time, the house is a disaster!!

Problems

Verity has a bad case of baby acne right now, the poor little thing. So, I am not taking any pictures right now, awww. I feel so bad for her, she is such a cute baby and the acne is all over her face and in her hair and on her ears. I pray it goes away very soon!

Mommy has mastitis, it is no fun. I went to bed this past Friday with a sore boob and woke up the next morning with a bad headache and felt achy all over like the flu. I was in denial for a little while, but Rudy took my temperature and it was about 100 so I called the doc and got some antibiotics. My boob was also red and splotchy on one side. It didn't hurt to nurse, and I continued to do so and was better by yesterday.

Today I am home alone for the VERY FIRST TIME with two kids! You are probably wondering how the heck I am writing this post. Well, I started it 3 weeks ago and am trying to finish it while nursing the baby (ooh, she just pooed! hee hee). Maddox is in his crib "napping". This is another problem we are having, Maddox has pretty much stopped taking his morning nap. It STINKS! We are not ready for this to happen so still put him to bed, but he mostly just rolls around and plays and talks to himself the whole time he is up there. So, he is "resting" but not really napping. He does still take an afternoon nap, usually at least 2 hours, sometimes longer, so that is good. Back to the topic of being home alone. It is hard! It seems like one kid is always crying when you are trying to tend to the other, how do you choose between them? There is alot of guilt wrapped up in having a second child I have to say. I feel like I have betrayed Maddox, my first born, now he isn't the only baby who gets all my attention. I have to spread myself around. I really don't know why people have 3, 4 and more children, the more you have, the less time each one gets with you! I am not being judgmental, it is just not for me. I feel guilty that I have two and have to work and still find time for myself and my husband, and oh yea, the dog too. We are definitely done having kids now, it is really perfect for us to have these two, one of each, what I always dreamed of! Technically, Rudy now has 4 children, so he is definitely done! Speaking of which, after years of trying to get pregnant, we are now trying to decide how NOT to get pregnant, hee hee. I have to go back on some time of birth control soon, we can't take any chances. How ironic. Well, that's it for now, I will post more stories soon!