Happy 2 Months Lil' Lady!

Namera,

You are one sweet girl. You weigh 11 lbs 9 oz and measure 23" tall. You are getting chubbier by the day and your cheeks show it, just like your brother's!

You started smiling and cooing. So far you make us work for those smiles but I'm hoping you make it easier soon because your smile lights up a room. You do love your voice though and when you get going you make us all smile. 

You got your first cold which has been a major bummer but you got lots of snuggles out if it.

I was worried it would throw off your sleep at night but after a few days you were able to sleep on your own again and have been sleeping like a champ, 3-5 hours at night and 3 good naps during the day. 

You still love your changing table and you've really started having fun in your bouncer. 

You celebrated your first Thanksgiving.

You showed everyone that beautiful smile and met lots of relatives but I forgot to take pics, sorry! You also went to your first Friendsgiving. 

You got your first set of shots and though they weren't fun you recovered so quickly and didn't give a squeal once we left the doctor's. 

Thank you so much for being such an angel when I drag you around to all of your brother's activities.

You are an amazing daughter and little sister and we love you so much!

Mommy and Daddy

Namera Brin is Born!

39 weeks (Namera was born 2 days later)

A little backstory. Namera was breach the entire pregnancy so at around 35 weeks my doctor said we really needed to start watching if she was going to flip. So I started doing exercises to try to get her to move and at 37 weeks she still hadn't turned so we went to the hospital to do a version, the manual, external process to try a flip a baby. After an excruciating hour Namera still would not turn so we scheduled a C-section for October 2. After lots of tears and mixed emotions I finally got comfortable, as comfortable as I could be, with having a C-section. One amazing thing about a planned C-section is just that, it is planned, so we knew exactly how October 2 was going to go.

On the morning of Thursday, October 2 we had a family outing to Starbucks

and then, like every other Thursday morning, I took Lucas to swim class.

We then had lunch, well everyone but me because I had to fast that day and a little jam session.

I put Lucas down for his nap and off to the hospital we went to meet our daughter. As soon as we walked out our front door the nerves kicked in and the tears rolled. The only other time I've ever been hospitalized was when I gave birth to Lucas. I've never even gotten stitches for an injury before. 

We love our hospital. It really has an amazing labor and delivery unit so when we got there and our nurse was checking us in, though I was incredibly nervous, I knew I was in great hands. My Caesarian was scheduled for 5:30 pm so we had to be to the hospital by 3:30 pm to get prepared. On a side note while I was getting ready and waiting I got a text that my son had his first kiss! I love that he looks timid.

The 2 hours went pretty fast and a little before 5:30 we walked over to the operating room.

Kevin wasn't allowed in until I was fully prepped so I had to walk in the room without him. I was really freaking out about the surgery and when I got to the room I felt like I was being abducted by aliens. There were bright lights everywhere and "beings" working in silence sterilizing and preparing. It was really creepy. The anastesthiologist was awesome. He let me choose the music I wanted playing during the procedure (I chose country) and talked me through everything. Once I was completely numb and ready Kevin came in.

From there everything moved pretty fast and Namera was born at 5:55 pm. My doctor immediately informed me Namera was fine but that the cord was wrapped around her neck and that is most likely why she never flipped, she couldn't. I also thank God that the version didn't work because we would have been rushed to do an emergency Caesarian right then. It took a couple minutes before I could see her but the first thing my nurse said was that she had a full head of hair:) Kevin said she looked just like Lucas. After they cleaned her and measured her (7 lbs 2 oz, 19 in long) Kevin was able to lay her on me.

She was beautiful! I got to be with her for about 10 min before they had to take her to the NICU for the post delivery exercises they do with babies born via c-section. Kevin went with her and we were all reunited about 1.5 hours later.

In that time I was SO exhausted and then got nauseated and threw up the nothing I was allowed to eat that day. I'm not one who throws up easily so all the meds I was on must have really been quite the cocktail. Once we were all together it stayed that way the rest of the stay. Normally Caesarian patients stay 4 nights but since we had Lucas at home I requested to be discharged a day early so we were able to head home on Sunday, the 5th and made it home before Lucas woke up from his nap. Lucas did visit both of the full days we were in the hospital and Kevin took him home each night to have dinner with him and put him to bed. My mom and sister stayed with me while Kevin was gone.

It was a great system we had.

Happy 1 Month!

Dear Namera,

On November 2 you turned 1 month old. You weighed in at about 10 lbs. I didn't get a chance to measure you but at your 2 week check up you measured 20.5 inches tall so you're still probably right around there. You are wearing newborn and 0-3 month sized clothes. You seem to be in between sizes because NB sometimes seems a bit small but the 3 mo size is just too big, usually. The brands that do 0-3 month are pretty good.

You are sleeping better than your brother did at this point but still have your "issues".  Since birth you get nasaly at night so sleeping on your back is an issue. This is not the case during the day. So, like your brother, you have been sleeping in my arms at night. Sometimes you'll sleep a couple hours on your own at first but then the congestion kicks in and you're done.

The last week of the month we borrowed a swing to see if you would like it and if sleeping at an angle would help. The jury is still out but you don't hate it. 

During the day you will take 30-60 min naps on your own with your longest nap being at lunch, about the same time as your brother (thank you!). The second half of that nap I usually hold you but I will not complain about a 1.5 - 2  hour nap. 

You are also a strange sleeper. You love to be in the most uncomfortable positions. We kept trying to move you but you would wake up so now we let you be. 

You are gaining weight like a champ so I know that nursing is going successfully but you don't make it easy for yourself. You choke almost every time you nurse which makes each session quite the ordeal because you turn blue, finally you scream, then you pass out for a sec and then cry because you're still hungry, than you can finish eating. I know you'll get used to my fast let down soon but for your sake I hope it's sooner than later. You're not on a schedule yet because you don't use me to pacify yourself so we go on command. During the day you cluster feed in the morning and at night but then during the middle you'll go 3-4 hours in between sessions. At night you go about 3-4 hours also if I'm holding you. Only about 1.5-2 hours if I'm not. Oh and you are a loud sleeper! You are always making noises, it's no wonder you can't sleep too long. 

This is probably embarrassing for you but it's funny. You toot worse than an old man! You poor thing, you are so incredibly gassy. Daddy and I can't help but laugh because it's unbelievable that such a tiny being can create such sounds so often. 

You like being held by mommy, tummy time on your mat and getting your diaper changed. I think that last one is because we got you a Tempurpedic changing mat. As soon as we lay you down on there and undo your diaper you relax. You'll lay there happy for 15 minutes if we let you. 

You've been a pretty good little sister too. Lucas doesn't always have the softest touch but you don't ever complain. It will be very exciting watching you two grow together. 

This being your first month of life you obviously have a lot of firsts but two big ones were your baseball team won the World Series! Woohoo!

And you celebrated your first Halloween.

We love you so much Namera Brin! Thank you for making our family feel complete!

Mommy and Daddy

Happy 18 Months!

My little guy is 18 months old today. I cannot believe how fast time flies. And in just one week he will be a big brother…we are crazy!!

Just want to post some memorable things along with random pictures:)

Lucas had his 18 month check-up yesterday. He is 31.5 inches tall (20th percentile but they had him stand up this time, instead of lay down, so they said they usually see a drop in height. At the same time our son is shorter than most kids his age), 24 lbs (48th percentile) and has a huge head like mama in the 98th percentile.

He still has the chubbiest cheeks and everyone always wants to pinch them. He still has non-brown eyes. They are a blue/green hazel but seem to match what he is wearing, sometimes looking gray like my mom's can.

Lucas is a cautious kid. Yes, he climbs on things and stands on everything he can and apparently doesn't have issues picking up live bugs (EW!!!) but he is cautious. He won't go under the parachute that kids go under and adults shake. He just wants to be on the outside shaking it too. Though on Tuesday he went under it for about 30 seconds.

He won't go through tunnels at gymnastics or on any type of jump house type thing. He finally tried jumping on the big trampoline with one of the instructors but again that lasted 30 seconds and he was shaking his head no. I was very proud of him for at least trying.

He still loves swimming though and feels completely comfortable jumping, swimming, going to the teacher, etc. This is the one place that he seems to have no fear but he's been taking classes for a year so maybe gym will take a year?

Big loves are animals, coloring, balls, his trike, cars/trucks/airplanes/trains and books. Our day usually rotates around these things. He still is a very good eater, pretty much will eat anything but is currently very anti blueberries. He over did them earlier this summer. He also doesn't really like potato foods. Kind of strange but potatoes aren't a necessity:)

This child of mine is a tidy one. He doesn't like putting his hands on sand, grass, dirt or bark. He'll play with them but doesn't like pushing off them to get up or if he falls on these things his hands go up like they are being burned. If his hands get dirty he immediately wipes them off. He has never been a food thrower but if food or milk spills he points at it until it is cleaned up. Thankfully he has starting cleaning up things himself. Be ware, he will point out stains or spills on you if you he finds them;)

Swatting a fly. He will do this no matter where we are or who he sees a fly on. We have to watch him:)

Lucas doesn't have any real words yet. He will call out to me with Ma and Kevin is Da. Sometimes he will say Hi when he waves. His communication is amazing it just isn't verbal.

ROAR!

I would say 90+% of the time I know what he wants or is talking about. He speaks through sign but since he won't say words yet I have stopped signing with him. There is absolutely no research that states that sign inhibits speech, actually the opposite is found, but Kevin and I decided that he knows so many signs that we are just going to focus on words now. So what does Lucas do? Makes up his own signs! I have a little smarty pants!

Thankfully his made up signs are usually in context or obvious to what he is asking. He currently has two "signs" that I cannot figure out though. Anyway, due to his lack of verbal skills we are getting his ears checked (I really don't think this is an issue as he fully understands what we are saying and babbles all day long but it is a first step in figuring out if something is going on.)

We will also be having a pediatric speech therapist come to the house. I am not concerned at all but I have always said that if my child seemed behind on something or there seemed to be something a bit strange (for lack of a better word) that wasn't changing than I would research and do whatever was needed to see if we could help him.  Lucas does do animal sounds and I know I am biased but he may be the cutest kid ever doing them. Our favorites are when he mimics a lion, gorilla, elephant, alligator and shark. I seriously need to figure out how to upload videos on here.

Oh, my son is also quite the flirt! He can really get the women going. He is such a ham. And his laugh! We get so many comments on how great his laugh is. Lucas loves to laugh and it doesn't take much to get him going.

Another growth thing…He has his 4 top and 4 bottom teeth. A few weeks ago his top and bottom right molars started breaking through and yesterday the doctor showed me that his "fangs", upper and lower, aren't far behind.

Teething for Lucas hasn't been too horrific until the molars. Seriously some of the worst days we've ever had. I feel horrible because I didn't realize he was teething. Everyone kept saying that must be it but I couldn't feel them. Turns out I just didn't know where to feel. Another mom got specific with me where they would be and they were already half way through! Mom fail:(

Lucas loves to brush his teeth and get them brushed. He also takes fluoride and requests it each night. Yes, he made up a sign for that too. And it's a good thing he asks for it because I would probably forget half the time.

Ok, this has been long but there has been a lot to catch up on and 18 months seems like such a significant age. Ah, I keep thinking of a million things I want to remember! I really need to figure out how to blog more but with our daughter arriving in a week I'm sure that's realistic;)