One month olds and sleepless nights

{95percentile for weight and 99for hight. He is a bit giant-sized.}

Liam is 7 weeks old. 

That's just a week shy of 2 months. 

And I'm just now doing his one month post. 

The lack of sleep wins over blogging once again. 

Life with two littles is busy my friends. 

And very very very sleepless. 

I swear I could probably sleep for a week if someone would let me. 

It's not that he's not a good baby. Because he is.

 In fact, he's light years away more behaved then his sis ever was at this age. 

The problem is that when you have more than one kiddo, you can't just sneak in a little nap during the day to make up for the sleepless night you had bc,

Well, you have a super active toddler who demands to be bathed and fed, and that you play every game you know, and read every book available all before noon, thankyouverymuch. 

Oh, and she laughs in your face when you tell her to nap. 

The nerve. 

So yeah. My eyes and eyelids don't go on dates much anymore.  

But good gracious, if I learned one thing from my first rodeo with a baby is that they grow up SO FAST it makes me cry. 

So I'm trying to bottle it all up, take it in, and preserve it for as long as I can, bc before I know it, he will be two and follow in his sister's footsteps screaming from the top of his lungs 'Never EVER Mom!' to every single thing I may suggest. 

{Oh toddlerhood, you will bring me my grey hairs.} 

What sexy men are made of

You know what's sexy? 

A man who loves his babies. 

And his family. 

One that changes diapers and lets his kids poop allover him? 

HOT.ALL.DAY.LONG! 

A man that loves God, and his family...

That will be a father, a provider, a disciplinarian and a friend...

A man that will let his toddler jump allover him like he's the best bounce house in town even after working a 9hr day? 

I'll be allover that man like white on rice... as long as I'm married to him of course. 

And thank the good Lord above, I'm married to one.   

A Birth Story (part 2)

(read part one here)  

We got at the hospital around 6:30am and with each hour passing by, I was becoming more and more convinced that I had the entire Nile stored inside my uterus, because I was soaking pad after pad after huge pad with amniotic fluid. Up until about noon.  Initially when I got there, my midwife wanted to see if my contractions would come up naturally since my water broke. So we did a couple of hours of walking around with nothing but some useless kinda painful Braxton Hicks.  By 11:30am I was still only at about 5.5-6cm, which was about a 1cm improvement since the prior day and only about 0.5cm since early that am when they checked me. I was obviously not getting places on my own. That's when we started the Pitocin. Slow and steady until they were about 2min apart at about 1:30pm and I was ready to crawl out of my own skin from pain. Brandon was by my side the entire time, except for the few minutes I sent him to get me some frozen yogurt and sour gummy worms in order to distract me from the pain. I never knew how aggravating or psychotic the fact that the 'sour' gummy worms were actually sweet could make me. I literarily wanted to scream and throw someone through a wall over it. Not to mention the fact that when my loving husband offered to hold my hand and asked if he could do anything to make me feel better I told him that he can go and pass a bunch of kidney stones, and maybe I'll feel better.   
Obviously I was not being myself. So far the entire process was going totally different than what I had experienced with Giada. With my first birth, I started to labor on my own and I was progressing really fast. I was also a lot more calm, bc it hurt to even talk. This time around, it was almost like it hurt less if I was being more vocal. It makes no sense, but it's true. I remember the nurse asking me how long I pushed w Giada, and when I told her about 35min, she said "Well, second time around people hardly ever push more than 30min." And I immediately thought "Oh great. This heifer just jinxed me." Not that I really believe in that stuff, but nothing had been going like the first time around so what were the chances that this would.   
By 2:30pm, I could hardly breathe from all the pain, so  I asked for an epidural. A little bit before 3:30 is when all was well with the world again. Initially, it was only working on my left side, and I could feel all the contractions on the right, just like it happened with Giada. However, thank God, that this time around the positioning worked, and I was able to get complete relief from pain. 
Once I was able to relax, I started to dilate a lot faster. By 5pm I was at 9.5cm however he was still not coming down.  Also, even though I had a lot of pressure, I didn't feel like I had to push. My midwife had me start pushing regardless, but it was useless. After 10minutes, she made me stop and repositioned me so that his head would turn around and he would be able to descent more. 
At 6pm I was feeling a lot more pressure and she wanted me to start pushing again. A couple of pushes in, and I started to feel the desire that I need to push on my own. Here comes the TMI part. With Giada, all my contractions were in my lower belly area, and that's how I knew I had to push her. With Liam, they were all in my butt. Like he was going to come out of there. 
At about 5pm or so I had started to shake, which is partially a side effect of the epidural, partially the fact that I had been up since 3am and was exhausted, partially the pain. The point is, by 6:30pm when I was really in the middle of all my pushing glory, I was shaking so uncontrollably that I felt like I was going to die. It was taking all the energy out of me in between contractions, and when I had to push, I had almost nothing to give. As soon as I was pushing him down a little, I wouldn't have enough energy to carry it through and he would go back up. It was a very painful hour and a half of pushing. Close to the end I was thinking, I don't know if I have anymore to give and that they would probably have to take me in for a c-section. Also, remember how I said I was the really quiet calm person while giving birth with Giada? Well, the last 10-15minutes of pushing with Liam I was screaming like a mad woman. I was completely hysterical, well aware of it, and could care less. He was almost 2lbs bigger and 3inches longer than her, and while I didn't feel the 'ring of fire' with Giada, I totally felt it with him. And good gracious, in case you haven't experienced it, that head coming through hurts yo! The last couple of minutes I was screaming so uncontrollably and was so erratic do to the nonstop contractions and pain, that I was not able to actually push when I was being told, but wanted to keep going petty much on my own. It took the nurse, the midwife and the husband to yell back at me and tell me to stop, for me to actually focus and listen. While I am thankful now, at that time I wanted to punch all three of them in the face because none of them knew what I was going through. However as soon as I was able to stop screaming for 5 seconds, I gave one good push, and his head and shoulders were out. And because he was so long and lazy, the midwife actually had to pull him out the rest of the way before his entire body was out and he was born at around 7:30pm after an hour and a half of intense pushing.

 He was placed on my chest, and even though I was beyond exhausted, at that moment I knew that all my hard work and pain was worth it, because he was so perfect. I was able to hold, and kiss, and hug him, and know that he is all mine for a few good minutes before they took him way. I praised God and dedicated him to the Lord that very minute.  I was so glad and thankful to have experienced that with him. Giada was taken right way and sent to NICU, so we never got that experience. However, it really is one of the best things in the entire world. That feeling of holding your new born baby that you carried for 9months, and worked so hard to deliver, is so overwhelming and beautiful, and can't really be explained but only felt and lived. As soon as I laid eyes on him I felt like I've known him for ever. Instant love. Instant heart explosion. Boom. Just like that I was a momma of two. No looking back. No regrets. Just a heart filled with an endless amount of love and wonder at all that I was so undeservedly given. 

A Birth Story

So I guess it all started on Monday, February the 4th at my 39week appointment. I was 4.5-5cm dilated,  80% effaced and at about -1station.  My midwife asked when I wanted to get induced, and I told her "How does your schedule look for tomorrow?".  We left the clinic that morning with a scheduled 7am induction for the next morning. Unless they were going to be too backed up. Then I would be the first one to get kicked off since mine was not an emergent case.  

The entire afternoon I was trying to put 'finishing touches' on the house, babysitting arrangements for Giada, packing the last things for the hospital... and at the same time thinking about the fact that our life is going to be completely different after tomorrow. More busy, more crazy, more full of joy.  My heart was bursting from a happy dance. 

At the same time, my head was filled with all kinds of emotions about the induction and birth.  On one hand, I was so happy that we'll be meeting our little guy the very next day. On the other, let's be real, I was giving birth again. I've done that once. I know how 'fun' the entire process is. Hour long contractions that make you want to punch Mother Theresa in the ribs and severe vaginal trauma is not my idea of a good time. But you gotta do what you gotta do, while cursing Eve under my breath the entire time. 

Anyhowsers... We went to bed that night, and even though I knew it would be useless, I told myself I needed to get as much rest as I could. Around 3am I woke up to go to the bathroom again, and on my way there I remember praying for the bazillionth time that week that my contractions and my water would break naturally. I finished peeing the Mississippi river and went to bed again thinking about what 7am will have to bring. About 30min later, around 3:40am, I felt like I had to pee again. Oh, wait, no. Crap. I am peeing. Ummm, on another note, maybe I am not. Is this what... yep, yep...."Brandon! My water broke!" 

I called the hospital to let them know that I was on my way, and this is how that conversation went 

Me: "I am scheduled for an induction for 7am..."

RN: " Well, let me ask the charge nurse because I think we'll have to cancel yours."

Me: "Yeah, my water broke."

RN: "See you in a little bit."

Me: "You sure will" 

{ .... Come back tomorrow for the second and last part...} 

Resurfacing...

Hold your breath and shut the front door folks. 

I have returned. 

I will not go into great detail of why I have been MIA for the past, well, ummm, ever...

Because really, I have no great excuse to detail...

Except that I have been exhausted and busy and (insert any other excuse a prego working mother would come up with)...

But lets get to the good part.

I mean the really really good part. 

I have birthed a one month old. 

At least it sure as heck felt like it when he was coming out. 

But really, what else would you call a 8.12lbs 22'' baby? 

So here we go blog world and everyone else who doesn't follow me on Instagram (pretty much the best  way I keep in touch with the world around me).  

Meet Liam Ross. 

Born February 5th to two proud parents and one skeptical older sister that loves him more and more every day. 

So right now? 

We're trying to adjust with this new life. 

And I, well I take it one shower at a time. 

See you real soon with more updates. Promise. 

All about Giada: 22 Months

22 Months. 

2 Months shy of two. 

Hold me. Anyone. 

This kid. 

I blink and the next time I see her she's doing something new, and more fun, and more wild. 

She is growing up SO fast. 

Seriously. I'm not just saying that. 

I want to bottle it up and find a way to capture and save every single moment I have with her. 

 I think I haven't been documenting her enough; the things she does;  the way she is right now. 

So funny and full of life and too smart for her own good. 

She repeats and remembers everything. 

And I gotta watch myself and my actions even more than usual.

The other day I let a "oh crap!" slip by as I dropped some food on the floor. 

And she said it a second later as she drops her food too. 

Not my best parenting moment, I'll admit. 

She knows and recognizes all kinds of animals.

We're just mostly avoiding her saying 'fox' bc it sounds a lot like another, not so pleasant, 'F' word. 

She talks a lot in full sentences. 

"Mommy, what you doin?" (her favorite thing to ask me 100000 times a day)

"I'm watching you. What are you doing Giada?"

"I eating mellon/ I colla (color)/ I wonnin (running)/ I weedin (reading) mommy etc." 
"Mommy it cold and weedy (windy) ouside!"  

She points to my belly and tells me that that's were her little 'bothe' aka brother is. 

She pees herself laughing when she asks her daddy "Da-ee, mell feet!" and her daddy smells her feet and falls on the floor because they are 'sooo stinky Giada!' 

She is so tough! Almost never cries if she hurts herself, and she can hurt herself pretty good.

If we ask her "Giada, are you ok?" More than 90% of the time she responds with "I fine mommy/da-ee." and then runs off and keeps on playing. 

She counts to ten in english and romanian.  

Likes to sing along to all kinds of nursery songs. 

Finishes my sentences while reading her books. 

Knows all kinds of colors... they just don't correspond appropriately...

She just blows me away every single day with the things she knows.
I loooove this stage she's in. 
Minus the crazy out of nowhere tantrums she has every now and then. 
Those, I'm not a huge fan of.

And still, thanks to this kid, my heart is so full and happy words cannot describe it. 

Happy weekend friends! 

Potty training and birthing thoughts...

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Thank you! For all your kind words, encouragement, prayers and love that you sent over after the last post. Thank you a million times. You will never know how much they really mean.
























Life around here has been still busy.  Mostly because I'm once again down right determine to potty train the heck out of Giada. So we've been doing this all day everyday for the last week or so.  I'm exhausted! I initially started it when she was 15months old, bc she was showing signs of being ready. And then I got a little frustrated, she got a little frustrated, I got a little inconsistent, and? We stopped for a few months.  But now we're full force back on! Because she is ready. SOO ready. She knows what she needs to do, and where, she just down right refuses to do it. She doesn't really have 'accidents.' Mostly, as in 90% of the time, she holds it for 7hrs at a time, until I give up and put her down for her nap. And then she lets it loose. You think she may be stubborn much?  No amount of candy or bribing can get her to cooperate. However, it is coming along little by little, and we had FOUR successful attempts yesterday. Tell you what? I'll take that and run with it. My goal is to have her completely trained by the time our little guy comes around bc lets be real, changing one set of diapers is so much better than changing two.

We pass out watermelon like it's getting extinct. 

Seriously, why does she think this is torture? 

I would love for someone to offer me a piece of cake or candy every time I don't have an accident on the floor. 

I've been thinking a lot about the birthing process and what awaits me and my, ummm...., lady parts in 4.5 short months. You see, with the first kid, people mostly worry about the labor and delivery pain, and then they think that once the head and shoulders are out of your most private parts, BAM, you are your old self again. At least that's what I mostly worried about.  What a fool! I mean, sure, I am worried about that part too. Because that ish hurts. But you know what else hurts? Peeing after the fact. And pooping, while we're at it. Because your whoo-ha looks like a boxer who just got the crap beaten out of him. So swollen, puffy and rough looking that even your gynecologist won't recognize it. And then there's that forever lasting period that is more like a two to three week hemorrhage on my part, and the pads that you gotta wear with it, which really, are more the size of a small pillow. Try fitting that and a bag of ice in your pants for a few weeks. It really doesn't help with your already crappy post baby body image, that's for sure.
Also, I worry about breastfeeding. And the swollen boobs, the bleeding nipples, the unlatching infant, and all the engorgement that comes with it.  Last time we did this, I would have put Pamela Anderson to shame with my knockers. They were the size of my head, so hard they could be used to crack nuts, hurt more than the birth itself, and were unusable bc I would have cut Brandon's arms off if he came anywhere near them. Oh, let's not forget the basket/mental case I am right after for a couple of weeks thanks to all the unbalanced hormones. Crying for absolutely no reason at 5am, having my husband look at me in horror? That too happened. True story. Seriously, can I curse Eve again? That heifer screwed us all.

This is a 21 week belly by the way...

Do I feel immensely happy and blessed to have this little guy? You better believe it. Am I willing to go through it all for his sake? Of course. This still does not make the birthing and postpartum pain any less real. This was just a little disclaimer for those of you who may get your panties all torn up over this. Please don't. I am beyond grateful, but this does not mean that having a swollen and sore crotch doesn't suck. Because take my word for it, it does.

So yeah... All kinds of fun stuff have been taking place in our lives and in my head...

Starting next week I'm getting Giada's new room ready! I cannot wait to share the end results with you. This time around, since I have two rooms to take care of, I'm starting earlier. Apparently, if I don't get it done before the baby comes, I never will. The proof is in Giada's nursery which is still not completely finished.

And that's all the blabering you get from me for one Friday.

 Have a happy weekend my friends!