Henry's Birth Story

We went into the hospital to be induced at 5 AM on Tuesday morning. Did you know it's hard to sleep when you know you're going to have a baby the next morning? I only slept 3 hours and then couldn't go back to sleep so I went and got ready and put some laundry and things away before we left. We got there at 5 and they started me on pitocin around 6 AM and contractions started almost immediately. They were bearable for the first couple hours but around 9 AM they were starting to get pretty intense. It took them a while to get the epidural after I requested it, and it was awful! I never want to have a natural childbirth. It might have been worse because I had no idea with how to deal with the pain and also I was having them every 30 seconds. I think the lack of any recovery time and anticipation of another one coming right away made it even worse. Anyway, a little leprechaun finally came and gave me the goods. It took him forever to be able to get it where it needed to be and it was so hard to sit still through all the contractions. Luckily, he got it done and they checked me immediately after and I was dilated to a 7. That's why it hurt so bad! They numbed me up pretty good and I couldn't feel anything. I didn't like that at all. With Maddie I was still able to move on my own and feel a light pressure with contractions but I literally could not do anything on my own. The doctor came to check me around 11:30 and I guess I was ready to go because he broke my water then we started pushing right away. It was hard to push since I couldn't feel anything but apparently I was doing it because at noon exactly out came little Henry Jacob! He is perfect. He looks a lot like Maddie but with a different nose.

We spent 2 days in the hospital. I was able to nurse him the first day but the day after he was born I ran out of milk. The lactation consultant kept telling me all these ways I could try and breast feed and formula feed but they were all really complicated. After our experience with Maddie and trying to do both I didn't even want to try. It was a lot of work and completely exhausting and painful to only get one measly ounce of breast milk a day. So Otto and I decided to do formula right then and there and we have never made a better decision. Babies are so much more enjoyable when they get enough food! He is also so cuddly and calm and only cries when he wants to eat and when he gets his diaper changed. Man, he HATES getting his diaper changed. He loves being held and I love holding him. He also sleeps pretty well in his pack-n-play and will sleep in it all night... Except after his last feeding when I bring him into bed with us just because I like having him there. I am recovering so much better this time so that has helped too. My mom and dad are going to take Maddie for 10 days until we pick her up on fourth of July and I will miss her so much but I think it will be good to get rested up before I jump into the life of taking care of 2 kids on my own. Maddie has done so well with him, she is so helpful and loves to give him kisses and see where he is and what he's doing. She does feel a little neglected sometimes and wants us to hold her whenever we hold him but other than that she has been great. And now... some pictures!

This was the night before we went in, our last picture as a family of 3!

 After the epidural...

 Oh, sweet cherry popsicle. How delicious you were. How hungry I was.

 We couldn't get him to keep that one eye open. We took like 20 pictures and it was closed in all of them.

 Proud Grandma.

 Proud mom.

 Maddie holding him for the first time and giving him kisses.

 Home at last.

 He is so adorable!

The days of Maddie

We traveled all the way to St. George for Otto to do a half Ironman. It was a quick and exhausting trip but it was great to see my parents and have one last "vacation" before the baby came. (Is traveling with a toddler ever a true vacation?) I only took one picture the whole trip and it's pretty boring. Shortly after this was taken Maddie dropped my mom's phone on the cement. Sorry Grandma.

The botanical gardens had a free admission day and it was on Otto's Friday off so we took Maddie. It was raining on and off that day so we were pretty much the only people there. I love this picture of Maddie and Otto. 

 Whew! Who is that big pregnant lady? I don't know, but that little girl is so cute!

 Yes.

 I discovered a store called Dirt Cheap. They sell goods from other stores that are returns or the boxes are damaged, etc. Most of the stuff is from Target. It's very exciting and I'm obsessed with it. They had tons of pools and slip-n-slides and I got this for 8 dollars! Maddie loves it.

 Of course, she will always stop whatever she's doing when there's an airplane sighting. Good thing we live close to the airport.

St. Patty's Day and Easter

My parents came out for St. Patty's Day and we went to the Huntsville parade. The weather was perfect for the entire weekend and much fun was had by all!





 For Easter we drove to Tulsa to visit my parents. On Saturday a local church put on an egg drop. They had bouncy houses before and during the event and Maddie loved it! She especially liked this one by a gymnastics gym and ran up and down multiple times.

For the egg drop, they separated out areas for different age groups. They spread TONS of eggs out over the field and then...

 Dropped even more from a helicopter!

 Then they released the kids! Maddie caught on in no time.

 Look how happy she was with all her loot.

Another great weekend in Tulsa!

Our new hood

 Maddie helping me un-pack the pantry.

 Hey it's our house and if we don't want to wear pants we don't have to.

 Maddie was and is still very much obsessed with shoes.

 Our backyard! Now all we need is something to do out there.

 Cutie.

 Could she look any more like her mom?

I LOVE this picture.

 Our first bike ride! Still a little cold, probably wasn't the best idea.

I went in to get her and found her like this. I love that you can see one eye.

Huntsville

We moved to Huntsville right after Thanksgiving. We were able to find and purchase a house and I love it! It's so much fun decorating and having our own space. Otto loves his job and Maddie and I like it so far. Talk to me after the summer...

 What do you do when all your toys are packed up? Play with the Drain-o!

 Panda Express on the floor.

Helping pack up the car.

ROAD TRIP! (First to Iowa for Thanksgiving)

 Hey, if you're a good baby you get rewarded with a Slim Jim. Thems the rules.

Maddie and I spent a lot of time in the hotel before we closed on the house. It wasn't too fun so we tried to get out as much as possible. This is the Bridge Street Mall. We have an Anthropologie AND an H&M. What else do you need?

 Hotel window.

 Lunch date with mom!

There is this "zoo" called Harmony Park where you pay and get to drive around amongst all these animals. I think it was 7 bucks for both of us. If you want to feed them you can, but I opted to not have open windows while trying to watch Maddie by myself. She looks like she cares about the zebra standing right outside her window but she was more excited she got to sit up front out of her car seat. Maybe she will enjoy it more when she is older. We were the only ones there that day so we stayed for a while.

 At the end they have a places to look at caged animals like a few monkeys and there is a building full of reptiles. Oh, and there are peacocks walking around.

 Nothing much to do in the hotel room but lounge around.

Maddie fell asleep as soon as I drove all the way to this huge, cool playground. It's ok though because a few minutes later they called and we finally got the keys to the house!

 Sitting on the curb eating Fruit Loops. Life was so simple then.

I'm pregnant and I know it

Did you hear the news? I'm pregnant! I am 31 weeks along right now, this pregnancy has flown by. I am trying really hard to be healthy and not get fat this time. So far, I think I am about right where I was last time with my weight gain but I feel better and healthier. I have been doing a pregnancy workout DVD for strength training 3 times a week and Maddie and I walk about 2 miles every day we can so hopefully that will help after the baby comes. We are having a boy and we are naming him Henry Jacob. Henry, because we like it, and Jacob, because it's Otto's middle name. His due date is June 13 so we should be seeing him before it gets too hot to handle here in Alabama (that's what people tell me anyway). Because apparently June is bearable and July is not. I think I will start to hate things around the end of May. Here are some bootleg pictures from my phone I have taken to document the process.

I made this shirt for Maddie to wear to announce the baby to our families. Otto's family got it right away but my parents took too long and we had to tell them since it was time to put Maddie in her pajamas.

 

12 weeks

 



 14 or 15 weeks.

 I think this is 18 or 19 weeks, when we found out the gender.

 24ish weeks.

30 weeks? That sounds about right.

I guess I only own striped clothing. Everyone tells me that I don't look very pregnant at all which is fine with me! I certainly feel like it when I am trying to get comfortable. Nine more weeks!