Welcome Baby!

Connor James

born on 6 March 2011 at 3:11 am.

7 lbs 10 ounces ~ 20 inches

Finished Baby Quilt

I was showing Miss Mia the blog this morning and realized there were no finished pictures of the baby quilt we made for our friend!

Here is one . . . sorry the pics aren't as good as normal.  My favorite squares are the blue clouds with yellow stars and pink hearts. 

The friend said this quilt was THE gift at the shower!

YAH!

She also said her hubby tried talking her out of giving it away because it was so soft and cuddly!

DOUBLE YAH!

We're now on our next project . . . hope to have pics soon!

Closing the Door

The last few hours of 2010 are quickly ticking away.  I'm currently tucked in bed with my Little One while she decides if she IS going to sleep, or if she may wake up and want a snack.

Waiting for her to make this decision, I let my mind wander and realize that, last New Years at this time, we were still praying we would have more children in our life.  How neat to know that our prayers were answered with such a perfect gift!

I continue to wander and think of everything that has happened this past year . . . I lost a friend - one of the best people to ever step on this planet.  I am still of the opinion that his prayers helped when I was using fertility treatments.  To go even further, I think he's my little Miz Aise's guardian angel.  We lost family members - one of the oldest and the very youngest. My heart still aches each time I think of my little cousin's passing.  I am comforted in knowing my Great Uncle Earl is there with her.

Miss Mia  . . . . let's see . . . .
~ is going potty without accidents.  I was so worried with how she would do when Miz Aise came and she had to share the spot-light.  We had a few bumps (and still do), but nothing like what I thought.  Yah, we took a step or two back in potty training, when she would tell us it was Aise or Hansy who needed to go potty, but that trend quickly ended.  And yes, she'll still purposely do something forbidden to get our attention, but those are fewer and fewer. She makes up by being so cuddly with her sister and so protective of her. 
~ is getting so vocal.  It's amazing at how many words she now knows as well as how complex her sentences are becoming.  I love that she uses please, thank you, excuse me and I'm sorry.  Yesterday, she complimented a cashier at Lowe's by telling her she was wearing pretty make up.  It doesn't get much cuter than that - and it was so wonderful seeing the smile on that cashiers face.  She couldn't believe Miss Mia was only 2 - and that Miss Mia responded with the correct answer when she asked her her age. 
~ is able to do split jumps just like Miss Picky.  She dances up a storm whenever music comes on.  She has perfected her summersalt, does bridges and kicks. Now, she walks through stores doing cheerleading moves - again, just like Miss Picky.

Miz Aise . . . hmmm . . . her list is a little short . . .
~ is starting to get on a schedule for sleeping and eating.
~ is cooing and smiling.  She also started laughing on Christmas Day.
~ favors Miss Mia - her first smile was for her big Sister.  Her eyes follow Miss Mia everywhere.  She also coos more and gets all excited when hearing her sister's voice.
~ is currently wearing size 0-3 clothing and size 1 diapers while eating approx 4 oz milk at each feeding.  She doesn't like taking a bottle from me, preferring natural feeding, but she does accept it from every one else.  She has also started using the binky this last week instead of comfort nursing (I hate using binkies, but at the same time, I am sooo glad she's started that as she would "nurse" for 1/2 hr or longer and then would start freaking out if I would remove her!)

The Home . . . Hmmmm . . . .
~ We have my sewing room together and I've been using it for projects.  Have orders for 3 quilts.  Made 12 pillowcases for the 1 Million Pillowcase Challenge (in Russ' honor).  My friend Christine gave me some adorable material - and those pillowcases will be in Lainey's honor. 
~ Our sunroom was enjoyed throughout the entire year.  It has become one of Miss Mia's favorite rooms and it shows as most of her toys are stashed there.  I do still have to stucco the one wall, but it's complete but for that.
~ Outside, I didn't get much accomplished due to the extremely hot days and pregnancy . . . but we did plant some fruit trees.  I'm also planning to continue planting a garden, even if only to show the girls the enjoyment of watching something grow from seemingly nothing.

And, me . . .
~ My goal last year was to get pregnant.  I did accomplish that!  YAH!
~ The other half of my goal was to continue the weight loss.  I was doing great, getting into size 8s the week I got pregnant.  Now, my goal is to get back on the weight loss train.  I've been working out with the Wii and dancing with Miss Mia.  I can feel it - especially the days after doing a lot of lifting her!  The scale isn't showing a change, but I'm having fun and moving, so that's what counts.

For 2011 . . . .
~ I hope to continue improving myself through learning . . . .
~ I want to focus on becoming a better Mom to my two girls.  I want them to have fun childhoods where they were free to learn and be themselves - as well as to grow up normal, well-adjusted girls.
~ Physically, I want to keep working out and toward my goal weight.  I hope to defy my PCOS and stay med-free.  I will be starting my cinnamon supplements again.

Miz Aise has decided she needs her beauty sleep, so I'm going to tuck her into her cradle and snuggle in my own bed.

Happy New Years!

Getting It Gone!

The maternity clothing - after having sold two "lots" of clothing on ebay.

So, I've decided to use Ebay for good instead of just evil. I've been posting items on the site - and selling them!

Mostly, I've been posting my maternity clothing. The hubby and I've talked about it and decided that the chances of another baby are slim to none since I needed fertility meds (and lots of effort) the last time. This means - no keeping the zillions of articles of maternity clothing I have cluttering up my bedroom.

I've sold 6 "lots" of clothing and have a few more to go. I am just excited to see the stuff leaving and to be making a little money at the same time.

Then again, I'm sad. I really, really wanted at least three kiddos. I know, be happy with what I have. BUT - I want to be greedy!

OH heck, I'll be good and just thank God for the two blessings in my life and let the simple joy of selling clothing on ebay help me accept that my "big" family stops at two little ones.

Sisters

Aislyn Grace

Aislyn Grace made her debut at 1:43 pm on 10.20.10. She weighed 6lbs 13 oz and measured 20 inches. She came out crying and was covered in vernix - so much so that one of the nurses asked the doctor - are we certain of her due date??? It was a little disturbing as Miss Mia had only a few spots, nothing like Aisey Daisy! She was born Sunny Side Up with the cord wrapped around her throat one time. Her Apgar score was a 9. Holding her in my arms after the birth (that was LONGER than Miss Mia's) was just amazing! She began nursing right away and has nursed like a dream. My Mom and DH were both in the birthing room at time of delivery. My Dad was with Miss Mia in my regular room.

Miss Mia gets along with her - and asks to hold "Sissy" daily. The best part of my day is when Miss Mia comes into my bedroom in the morning and cuddles behind Sissy while I nurse. I love, love, LOVE having my two girls cuddled with me!

My water broke in the middle of the night - the birth story will be posted at another time. Let's just say, I didn't leak much - and only thought I'd pee'd my pants. It was only when I began to worry that I hadn't felt the baby move that I decided to have my Mom take me to the hosptial. There, they had to break my water on the bottom as the initial break was on top . . . Yes, silly me, I had to have my water break two times before this little one arrived ;)

I just sit here and think of the creep-o doctor who said I would never have children. HA! I have two of the most wonderful gifts - and I KNOW this newest gift was a result of prayers . . . I will let Aisey Daisy know that she has a Guardian Angel named Russ when she is older.

My Second Baby BUMP!

"Miss Mia, where is Sissy?"

To which, Miss Mia lifted my shirt, trying to show Jen Sissy's location.

My friend, who is an excellent photographer, dropped by last Saturday when I was 37w 2d to take pictures of My Second Baby Bump! Here are a few . . .

Again, thanks Jen! You're a danged awesome photographer - and a great friend as well!

Baby Daze

So, one of these days, very shortly, I'll have a new little one to hold in my arms. I must say, I'm ready for it RIGHT NOW. Not only am I so eager to meet her and see what type of personality she'll have, but I am so tired of having to deal with this one doctor in the practice with which I deal.

I'm going to make this blog entry all about whining and complaining. If you don't like it - deal. I'm pregnant, cranky and need to vent. So there.

I have spent much of this pregnancy tired and emotional - and I know a lot of it is due to this doctor. I'm afraid. Seriously. I don't know what I'll do if I go into labor and have him as my doctor. I'm praying that I don't have that worry in the delivery room - and I've asked friends and family to do the same.

Let's go back to the beginning of my problems with Dr. Bad. He just came into the practice. We have to see all of the doctors in the practice. I'm okay with this as I love my main doctor and the second is pretty awesome as well. They're both laid back, tell you (it) like it is and are in no way alarmist. So, I was thinking Dr. Bad was going to be the same.

I was wrong. I went to him for the first time when I was around 18 weeks. First off, I was his first appointment of day - and he was approx 45 minutes late. Also, by this appointment, I'd been reducing the amt of Metformin and just needed doc's last okay to go off of it at this appointment. Unfortunately, he decided I was killing the baby as I should have been off of it at 12 weeks, exactly. He decided I needed to go to a specialist. ASAP. He also decided I needed to take 1 hour glucose test.

Oh - another thing!!!! His office helped had taken my blood pressure. She said it was high, so she instantly switched to the other arm and said "oh, it's still high". REALLY? you mean it didn't come down in the two seconds it took you to switch arms???? AND she told me I'd get a high tech ultrasound @ specialist. This was after she yelled at me for not having had a 20 week ultrasound - um, not my decision. Believe me, if I could, I'd have an ultrasound done weekly just to watch the amazing progress of a growing baby.

So anyway, off to specialist I went.

And I was treated like an idiot as specialist told me to go off meds as I was currently doing (specialist had all notes and didn't understand why Dr. Bad had decided it was an emergency to see him).

Next time I had the joy of Dr. Bad - it was to tell me my 1 hour glucose test was good - but he needed me to do a 3 hour - just because I was off of Metformin.

Then, the next appointment with him . . . he told me the baby was obviously measuring bigger due to metformin and I needed to have another ultrasound to check on her weight. Again, this was different than everything up to this point. 20 week ultrasound reflected baby a week and a half behind . . . Drs A and B both said I was measuring the same with each appt and belly measurement.

So, went to ultrasound. Baby was ***SURPRISE*** a week and a half behind.

At that ultrasound, it was determine my heart rate and baby's was high. So, Dr. A sent me to Labor and Delivery to be monitored. Heart rate returned to normal quickly. Dr. A also had bloodwork run just in case - since I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's and the heart rate was "trucking along."

After that appt - saw Dr. B. He thought everything was fine - and Dr. A. had received bloodwork results and saw nothing wrong.

Go to Doctor Bad. Had to wait another 45 minutes as first patient before being seen. Of course, he decided that my bloodwork and the blood pressure/pulse readouts I had taken over the course of the week were "high". My BP is measuring as low and pulse high 80s/low 90s. Baby, at appts, was around 154 bpm. These are all same measurements - execpt for the one bad day - and he had told me before they were fine.

He said I have hypERthyroidism and need to get to endocrinologist ASAP. He told me that I wouldn't understand the hypERthyroidism and didn't bother to explain more. Hello - I'm not a freaking idiot - talk to me. He said he was faxing my results to my doc in meadville . . . uh? I don't have a doc in Meadville. I corrected him more than once - made me feel he gets a bonus for each patient he sends to Meadville.

So, I made appt with Dr. T.

In meantime, had appt with Dr. A. Dr. A said there was NOTHING wrong with my bloodwork and test results and there was NO REASON to go to specialist - but to go just b/c I should have her look the results over - and let everyone know things were okay.

Went to Dr. T today. Dr. Bad will be glad to know that Dr. T believes it was total waste of her time and mine because my bloodwork was in the normal range . . . and if anything was high, it was due to my being pregnant.

Oh, and Dr. Bad never did send that letter to Dr. T. stating that I was hyperthyroid and what my test results were - they had to get them faxed from hptl while I waited.

THE BIG NEWS

So, I didn't fall off the face of the earth. Yes, it may have appeared that way after I blogged at least weekly to not blogging for almost 6 months.

SIGH.

I'm lazy.

Oh wait, no I'm not . . . I'm PREGNANT!

That's right! One round of Clomid and DING! Baby Dust! I'm having a little girl. We just found out that news about two weeks ago!

So, that first trimester, I was beyond tired. I was actually going to bed before Miss Mia! How sad is that? Thank goodness for DH And the rest of the fam for watching my little one so I could get the sleep I needed. Then, when the energy finally came back, we had a stretch of nice weather, so we've been outside every evening, working in the yard and trying to get some order to the flower beds prior to me getting so large I can't move!

We had Miss Mia plant Zukes and sunflowers in Goobie's garden. Then, we made a raised bed up here and she planted pumpkins. I cannot wait for her to see what comes from all of the work we did this spring!

But - back to the news! I am beyond excited to be pregant AND to be having another girl. Miss Mia pats my belly every night and says "bebe" (sounds like french for baby, my girl is so smart!). Then, she kisses the bump each night when she gets ready for bed. SIGH. SO CUTE.

I'm afraid of the jealousy situation, but we'll deal. With all of the other babies being born right now in this family, Miss Mia is getting to understand babies quite well!

AGAIN - I'm PREGNANT with a little GIRL! YAH!

Rag-y Tag-y Sewing Fun

The above is a walker tote I made for Steve's Mom for Mother's Day. I love the material - Steve actually picked it out. It's pretty cute.

My experiment with a Rag-y Tag-y that was given to Miss Mia. She loves chewing on the fabric stuffed tags.


A Rag-y Tag-y and two burp cloths for my TL.

Just the Rag-y Tag-y.

The Rag-y Tag-y and burp cloths again.

First off - thought we'd be celebrating a blessing in 9 months, but it was a false alarm. My friend just decided to wait an entire week after she should have been here to arrive. Crazy annoying PCOS symptoms will getcha every time ;)

Next, for some reason, I've been crazy-mad for sewing. I had this huge brain-storm for ideas as my TL at work (well, his wifey) is due on the 11th. I came up with a Rag-y Tag-y and Rag-y burp cloths. If I were close to the TL, I would have thought about throwing together a baby throw as well.

I washed and dried those new baby gifts today. They are cute, if I must say so myself!

***

I made a walker tote for Steve's Mom as well today. The instructions were horrid and I ended up just kinda doing what I thought was right. I used two yards of material for a tiny little tote. I will NOT be using the instructions again!