Reflecting on 1 Year

One Year.....It's been nothing short of amazing!

One year ago I went into labor at 2am. Jared was sound asleep and at 3am I woke hime up because I needed help timing my contractions. At 4am we drove to the hospital where they told me to wait in an exam room. After waiting for a while and no one coming into the room to talk to us, Jared went to the front desk only to find out they had forgotten I was in that room waiting. So a nurse came in, told me I was 6cm dilated and to head over to a labor and delivery room. My water broke and the fun began! Labor was tough, but that wasn't much of a surprise. Finally they let me push. Jack's heart rate would drop with each contraction, I was on oxygen, and wasn't sure how much longer I could go, but finally I got to meet my baby boy at 8am! I was so proud of myself for reaching my goal of having an all natural birth. I was also so proud of Jared for how amazing and supportive he was during my labor. A few minutes later I blacked out and I really don't remember much. But I'm thankfully to my wonderful nurse who really stuck right by me and assured me that everything was okay. After the whole black out incident, they had to monitor me in my room around the clock, plus they had to do checkups on Jack. So that basically meant 0 sleep. I was so ready to get home!

My mom flew in the day after he was born, and between her and Jared I had all the help I needed! They were amazing! I think I asked her about 1 million questions while she was there, and then 2 million after she left! My family was so sweet and flew all the way to us to meet Jack.

In the past year there have been so many challenges. But no matter what I have loved EVERY second of being a mom.

Now my tiny 6lb baby is a toddler. He is always getting into something and he is best buds with our dog. He can say mama and dada. He can give kisses, but it's a gamble, because sometimes he will try to bite your nose instead. He is still the most happy, smily, silly boy I know! God has truly blessed us with such a sweet baby boy and we thank Him everyday for this blessing.

I can't wait to see what God has in store for Jack!

Teething

I have to brag for one quick minute, I think I have the world's happiest, most easy going baby. Seriously. He rarely cries, he sleeps great, and he doesn't mind being left to play on his own while I get the house work done.

But then....his teeth started to come in. I feel so bad for him just because it makes me said seeing my happy baby so miserable ALL day. We started supplementing him with a bottle to help him gain weight (the doctors advice, J is a on the small side) and now that he is teeth he refuses the bottle and refuses solids. He is back to just nursing. I tried to avoid tylenol because I'm not a huge medicine fan, but I know if I was in that much pain I would want tylenol so I went ahead and gave him a little.

I'm hoping this comes in waves and this isn't the new normal for him. It really does make me so sad seeing him so grumpy. Tonight he wouldn't even give me a smile! Thankfully he has still been napping and sleeping through the night.

So let's hope these teeth pop through soon and he can catch a break before the next ones come in!

6 Months Old

Well we made it to my goal of exclusively breastfeeding for 6 months! so I'm going to insert a little vent here, if you don't want to hear a breastfeeding vent, feel free to skip ahead!

When my friends try to make plans with me I usually have very specific times I am free due to breastfeeding. Several people have voiced their opinions that breastfeeding is the easiest thing to take on the go, so I should get out more. I totally understand I CAN breastfeed anywhere in public, but I really don't like to. I'm really not worried about what other people think, I'm more uncomfortable myself. So insert comment about just using a cover. A cover......ha.....that's laughable at this point. My first breatfeeding with a cover experience was in ikea when Baby J was only a couple weeks old. I was using an extremely light weight, breathable cover and yet my poor baby started crying and wouldn't nurse because he was too hot. I mean think about it, he is pressed up against me with a blanket covering him, I couldn't blame him one bit. The stress overwhelmed me and I quickly went into the restroom to get my own stall to nurse him. Gross. I was definitely not sitting on a toilet, so I stood and nursed my baby. Even now he still hates covers. He either gets mad and tries to pull it off and won't eat, or he wants to play with it and gets distracted and won't eat. Both lead to a crying baby. Finally I usually resort to nursing him in the car. Not great, but it works. As most of you know I live in California and my family is in Missouri. This past month I decided to go visit them. My husband couldn't get time off so I had to fly with Baby J, since I can't do a 27 hour drive by myself. I just want to say, to any of you women who have breastfed a baby on the plane sitting next to a stranger, I'm so sorry. It took everything in me not to cry. The seats are so close together that when I tried to nurse Baby J, he was kicking the guy next to me (while pulling the cover off). I'm trying to keep him from kicking the guy next to me, while also trying to keep the cover up, because I really don't want my boob brushing up against the guy next to me. It was a mess! I was getting teary just praying Baby J would fall asleep quickly. So to all the moms who are on that "getaway" trip, I know you don't want to sit next to young moms with babies, like me, because you are on a trip to have a break from kids, but PLEASE consider grabbing the seat next to me, so I don't get stuck nursing my baby next to some drunk guy. It would relieve so much stress to sit next to someone who could say, "don't worry, I have kids too!" Back to my main issue, don't tell a breastfeeding mom that it's easy or convenient, because it's not. It's actually the complete opposite. I wish I could just back a bottle and not have to stress out! So yes, I will avoid plans because I don't want to hassle with trying to breastfeed in public.

End of vent.

On to our update! We had quite the trip to St. Louis. It's getting harder to fly with Baby J, since he is older and doesn't just fall right to sleep anymore, but he still did great! I'm so proud of him! My Grandad was admitted into the hospital a few days before I got there, and needed open heart surgery (quadruple bypass!), so I spent most of my time visiting him. And then the car my parents were letting me use broke down, so I actually couldn't go out much. It was fine though. It was so much fun getting so see everyone!

Once we got home from the trip I decided to start Baby J on "solids"! I'm not really sure why they call them solids though when everything is just pureed... Anyways, he did great! I wanted to do baby led weaning, but I really didn't know enough about it and didn't have a chance to talk to my friends who do BLW. So purees it was! We started with peas and he has done great! He loves to grab the spoon himself and shovel it into his mouth. We have learned that bibs are slightly pointless and it's easier just to wipe down a naked baby! :) I have made all his food, and I freeze it in small mason jars.

I really love making his food! So far I have made, carrots, peas, spiced pears, rosemary-garlic chicken with peas, butternut squash, and sweet potatoes! He hasn't tried all of them yet, but he sure loves the ones I have given him so far! The rest are in the freezer waiting.

Baby J isn't sitting up on his own yet. And I honestly think he really just doesn't want to... He LOVES to roll and scoot around to get into everything, so whenever I try to have him sit he gets really mad. But I'm not worried, every baby is different and does things at different times! Now that he is moving around and getting into stuff, our dog loves to bring him her toys to play with. No worries folks I take them away before he can grab them!

Last update, my brother and sister-in-law had their baby! A little girl! I am anxious for my next trip so I can meet her!! We are hoping to move soon, so I really want to get a little closer to my family! Baby J needs cousins to play with!

6 months later........

Well I guess you could say I have been a little busy....So I'm happy to announce Baby J has arrived!!!!! I had been planing on making this big huge post about delivery and then decided not too and just got distracted......for 6 months.....oops. Anyways, let's get a summary on the last 6 months!

Delivery: 3 Days before delivery I had been having really strong contractions and figured I was close, and the day before my due date I went into labor! At 2 am the contractions started. While my husband slept I stood in the shower and walked around. Finally I woke him up to time the contractions, and decided to go in. It's probably a good thing I went in because I was 7cm dilated! I hated the first doctor I had, at one point she hugged  me while swaying, and while I'm sure that works for some girls, that about sent this laboring momma into an anxiety attack. But thankfully she backed off. She left in the middle of my pushing since her shift ended and a new doctor came in (thank goodness). She was so nice and helped me finish things up and delivered the baby! I went to the hospital at 4am and had Baby J at 8am. And I was so happy I was able to go all natural! A lot of people told me since I didn't take any classes and didn't read anything I would end up asking for an epidural, but honestly it never even crossed my mind. Also, big shout out to my nurses!! I am so grateful to them, I had a very hard recovery afterwards and they helped me so much! 

Sweet tiny baby. Lot's of hair! 6lbs 5oz. 

Month 1: Baby J was a scheduled baby from the start. I'm not getting much into stuff like that because I don't care to hear the ten billion opinions on babies. He did go through a phase where he would just scream for hours at night, no matter what we did. But he grew out of that around 2 months old. For the first month he didn't really do much.... he slept, ate, and pooped.

Month 2: Baby smiles! One of my favorite things was when he learned to smile! He is still smiles all the time, I love it! He hit a MAJOR growth spurt. And this month he started getting new hair...which meant his baby hear started falling out...

Month 3: He started really playing with his toys, I even put him in his little walker and he loved to play with toys while I got stuff done around the house.

Month 4: Bye bye baby hair! I shaved his head! The baby hair was driving me nuts so I shaved it off. Which ended up making his head lighter so he could start rolling around! :)

Month 5: Officially joined the  Rollie Pollie Club! Also, his laugh is adorable! His eyes are turning green, and his hair is definitely light like his dad!

So we are about to enter the 6th Month and I'm really looking forward to starting solids! And he is more than ready! He is constantly grabbing at food and he just stares at the food when we eat. The only reason I haven't started him yet, is because I'm out of town and I want my husband to be with us when he tried food for the first time. With Jared being in the military I'm sure there will be lot's of "firsts" he misses, so I try my best to make sure he is there for as many as possible!

Big boy hair, and a big smile!

What have I learned so far?
-Not to second guess myself. I know I'm a new mom and I'm always seeking the advice of moms that I respect and look up to, but I have also learned that I can do it. Even though I'm still learning a lot I have learned to trust my instincts to do what's best for my baby.
-Don't ask for advice on social media. I never post a question on social media because I don't care what 90% of the people on my Facebook have to say. So I have a select few moms that I trust that I will call or message when I need help. I think this helps filter out a lot of crap.
-Smile and nod. Even when you don't ask for advice, people will just give it to you. I used to explain why I didn't agree, but I realized pretty quick that was pointless. So now when I get advice I don't agree with I just smile and nod.
-Ignore pinterest. Pinterst is the ultimate mommy guilt trip. I constantly see things like, "Baby Products You NEED" or "1 Million activities you have to do with your newborn" etc.... Your baby will be fine if you don't play peekaboo with them for exactly 10 minutes everyday. And they will survive without that mamaroo. I mean it has it's benefits, but don't stay on there too long.
-Slow down and enjoy every single second. I hear a lot of moms say, "gosh I blinked and they grew up!" and while I do feel like that a little, I feel like I have done a good job at soaking in every second. I'm not a fast paced person. There are some days I want to rush, but then I really stop myself and say, "he's going to be a little bigger tomorrow, it's time to forget the plans for today and enjoy him."

How's breastfeeding?
Uhhhh......not my favorite thing in the world. Also, to the moms who are about to have their first baby and try breastfeeding for the first time: You will hear, "if it hurts, you're doing it wrong" all the time, but breastfeeding for the first time is going to hurt! It took a while for my body to adjust and stop being sore, but sometimes breastfeeding for the first time does hurt. Don't let that discourage you! Now it doesn't hurt, but gosh those first couple of weeks were not very pleasant.... And yes I did see a wonderful lactation consultant to make sure I was nursing probably, it's just part of getting used to the process. Also, I want to punch people when they tell me "breastfeeding is way more easy and convenient than a bottle." You're joking right?! Please tell me what part of trying to take my shirt half off, while holding a hungry crying baby is convenient. And what part of cracked nipples, mastitis, and engorged boobs is easy??? Breastfeeding isn't easy, but it's worth it. Seriously....do you even know how much money I have saved??? ;)

Advice for new moms:
-The internet can be a wonderful place, but it's also holds the Guinness World record for the most opinions. So I really do suggest ignoring the internet and having just a close circle of experienced mommies you trust that you can call up anytime for either advice or just some encouragement.
-You can do it! Don't panic, just take a deep breath and realize that babies are resilient.
-Say no. Seriously. You can say no. I said no when people asked to come visit right after I had the baby, I say no when some people ask to hold him, I say no all the time. Which is actually hard for me. I don't like saying no, but my baby can't and I have to protect him, and if it means saying no and pissing someone off, I will most definitely say no.

I think that about covers everything! Congratulations to the few who read the whole thing! I'm hoping to post more often and use this more as a mommy diary of sorts. Hopefully the next time I post will be sooner than 6 months... I probably won't post many pictures of Baby J, this is a pubic blog so I really don't want him to be smeared all over the internet. I even limit what I post on Facebook. Anyways, the next post I write should be about try baby food! That will be fun....I might have to add a picture to that......

Gestational Diabetes Success!

I am lucky that my pregnancy has gone smoothly and the only major issue has been the diabetes. Don't get me wrong, I realize completely that this is not a huge deal. But I will admit I'm a bit of a sugar addict. In fact I come from a family of sugar addicts! The best way to describe my family's relationship to sugar is Christmas cookie decorating. First it starts out like a fun time actually decorating the cookies and setting them aside, but after just a few cookies it turns into more of a chips and salsa time. We just dip the cookies in the icing and eat them. In fact after my baby shower we had leftover cupcakes and I actually had one at each meal. It's bad.... We just love sugar! And of course you can imagine how many times we quote Elf, "We try to stick to the four main food groups, Candy, Candy Canes, Candy Corns, and Syrup."

Anyways, so when I was told I had gestational diabetes and sugar was now a "no no" I did panic. Seriously I panicked. I was about seven months along and I had only cried two times before in my pregnancy, one time after having morning sickness all day, the second time I had gotten a different doctor who said some pretty awful things (I better not see her ever again...). But when I had to change my diet and cut out sugar I cried....a lot. I had no energy, I felt hungry all the time, I couldn't figure out what to eat without sugar in it. It was so discouraging. One day I ate a salad thinking that was the safest thing, yeah....I forgot that dressing has sugar and I spiked my blood sugar. It was so discouraging. But I am happy to say, I have figured it out!!! It's all about portions!! It has taken about a month, but I know how to balance my meals so that I can enjoy a roll with my dinner, or cheerios in the morning. This is definitely not a pleasant diet, but I'm not longer crying because I feel so hungry and I can't figure out what I'm allowed to eat. My dietitian said, "Now after you have the baby we do encourage you to stick with this diet because it's a really healthy lifestyle." I actually laughed out loud. No I will not be continuing this diet. I will definitely change the amount of sugar I eat every day and be more aware of my food choices, but I will definitely let myself enjoy a normal sized brownie every now and then!

I am so excited for my son to be born and cuddle him, but I'm also so excited to send my wonderful husband to go get me a fat piece of chocolate cake for me to enjoy! Some girls have a list of things to pack for the hospital, I have a list of foods I want to have after the baby gets here. Some people told me that this diet will end up totally changing me and I won't miss sugar by the end of it. FALSE. I definitely miss sugar, but I will change the amount of sugar I eat, and I'll try to reconsider getting fries with my burger.

Well to all the girls out there struggling to figure out gestational diabetes, good luck, I feel your pain!

Are you ready??

"Are you ready??" is about the most asked question I get, and to be honest the answer is, "...well I don't know..." I mean I probably have plenty of onesies, we have a crib, diapers are ready to go, and now we are just waiting for the baby. But even with all of the stuff I still don't feel "ready." How do you get ready anyways?? I have read a couple of books, I used to babysit for other people, but can you really ever be ready for your own baby?? I'm not panicking just yet, but there have been several nights where I lay there and think about the 5 billion things my books haven't covered. Usually I'm the person who is pretty carefree and doesn't need much of a plan beforehand, but I finally looked at my husband and said, "uhhh I really do not know what I'm doing...." Thankfully he just replied that we will figure it out as we go along. Cue the sigh of relief!...kind of, I might still be a little anxious. 

Anyways, last week we had maternity photos done and I LOVE the pictures!! Greene Label Photography did an amazing job! I debated whether or not to get them done, but I'm so glad I did, it's a great memory to hold on to. 

I can't begin to explain how blessed I am to have a husband who keeps me calm when I wake him up in the middle of the night with my ridiculous worries. He has been so great! We can't wait to meet our little man in less than a month!! God has been so good throughout this pregnancy and we are so blessed!

34 weeks - Happy Thanksgiving

This has been such a productive past couple of weeks! My mom came in last week to help me paint the nursery, we had the Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving, Jared and I finished up the nursery, got Christmas decorations up, and today I have maternity photos! the nursery looks wonderful! Unfortunately the rest of my house is in need of a deep cleaning....

O'side Turkey Trot 2014 (although I think I should have called it the Gobble Waddle)

Anyways here's a couple pictures of the nursery!

I'm so happy with how it turned out! Not too shabby for being on a tight budget!

I think my favorite thing is the Bible verse above the crib. It took forever to make and hand paint all the letters, but I love it!

So far I have been feeling really good! One night I had some strong contractions, but I went to bed and they were gone when I woke up in the morning. Jared is leaving to the field soon, and once he gets home the baby could be here anytime! That's so crazy to think about! I still think he won't come until January 10th, but who knows!

34 Weeks