Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Ready for Baby

So everyone says it...Baby #2 never gets all of the things Baby #1 gets.  Well in my case, I regret to say that is true.  It certainly isn't because I love this baby any less...it's just life is hectic and well, just making it through the day is difficult enough.

The room is ready.  The bassinet is in our room.  Blankets, sleepers and outfits all washed...

So surreal seeing a crib in our home again.  I guess I was just never quite sure it would happen.  We have wanted another baby for so long.  Truth be told, if Kayla were a "typical" kid, we probably would have tried for number two right after her birth.  Both Rick and I have always wanted a large family...but I just didn't think it would be fair to her.  Just my opinion.  I know lots of families that have kids with Down syndrome that go for another right after that child is born...and they rock it...I just didn't think I could.  I felt the best thing for Kayla {and for us} was to wait until she was in school full day.  Waiting and allowing her my undivided attention to work on therapies and such.  I am glad we waited...it has made this time so much more special for all of us.  Kayla gets it and is beyond excited to be a big sister...and Rick, well...he is just ecstatic...to say the least.

The unveiling of the baby's room...a vintage surfing theme...
Kayla and I made most of the decorations for the room...
The art above the crib started off as a pallet abandoned behind a grocery store...
The lamp was an Ikea lamp, spray painted and embellished with Old Navy flip flops that we painted...
The framed art was done in PhotoShop...


I am super happy with how it turned out.  Still a few things to do...but we are ready for baby!

We also decided on a surfing theme maternity photo shoot...glad we took these a little while ago before my belly decided to quadruple in size!
Onto the fun stuff...
Logan is wreaking havoc on my sciatica...creating mass amounts of pain and numbness.  Oh...and walking up steps is a joy now...I feel as if I have run a marathon {let's be clear...not that I truly know what that feels like...or even a 5K for that matter...I can only imagine}...

Contractions are fun but not consistent enough to be considered "labor"...yay.  I asked my OB for an epidural that I can just tote around with me a few weeks ago and he laughed.  I wasn't joking and didn't find it funny...

At this point, I am fairly certain I would rather be woken by a baby every two hours than rolling over with extreme round ligament pain, attempting to hoist my gigantic body out of bed, hobbling to the bathroom trying not to pee myself, only to repeat the process in an hour all over again...oh the joys of pregnancy.  I am convinced this stage comes so you are less afraid of labor and delivery and more welcoming that process.

Each night Rick and I lay in awe of the show that Logan puts on for us...tossing and turning inside of my belly.  It is quite amazing.

Because I have not dilated further than one centimeter the last three times I have been checked, we will be going after Logan via c-section tomorrow...Wednesday, September 26...his actual due date.  He apparently likes his due date and wants to arrive right on time.  Last week we had an ultrasound and our big boy was measuring 8 pounds, 12 ounces...if he is that big, I am glad I won't have to push him out!

I am beyond looking forward to welcoming baby Logan.  Holding him in my arms, sucking on his cheeks and kissing him from head to toe.  I can't wait to see what he looks like and study every little part of him.

For now, I am enjoying these last few moments with my girl...we are clinging on to these seconds with everything that we have...

She is loving on my belly...talking to her baby brother.  Her favorite nighttime ritual is stalling bedtime by kissing my belly and saying cute things to Logan.  Smart girl.  She knows Mommy won't make her go to bed when she is being so cute!

This weekend she even painted my belly to welcome the first day of fall...
My how our world is going to change in just a few short hours...and we are looking forward to every sleepless moment of it all!

Saturday, September 1, 2012

First Day

It has taken me a full week to digest the first day of First Grade.  Call it pregnancy hormones...or just plain old Mommy doesn't want her baby to grow up...either way, getting through the first day of first grade was...I can't sugar coat it...ridiculously brutal...

Going to bed, Kayla was super excited to be starting first grade.  Honestly, she's been ready to go back to school since kindergarten ended.  She just loves school...

I read The Night Before First Grade...just like I read The Night Before Kindergarten Last Year.  The difference?  This book was even more relatable.  It spoke about two best friends, Penny and Jenny, that were in kindergarten together and were separated for first grade.  Kayla was feeling a bit anxious because her BFF, Kendall, wasn't in her class this year.  Luckily {or unluckily for the teachers}, Kendall was placed in the classroom next door which just happens to be through the bathroom.  I have a feeling there will be a few "visits" happening to that class...just sayin'.  Anyway, as I was reading, I began to tear up just thinking about my girl having to make all new friends.  I knew she would rock it and I knew she would love it, but I so desired her to be in class with Kendall.  After I read to her, Kayla picked up the book and proceeded to try to read it herself...what a difference a year makes.  Sounding out words and reading sight words...my girl is a reader!

I tucked her into bed, holding back tears and went to bed wondering where in the world the past six years have gone.  Wondering how it is possible that she is starting first grade.  It is said that time flies when you're having fun...and nothing could be more true.  These past six years with her have been some of the best years of my life.

Kayla woke to surprises throughout the house left from the Back-to-School Fairy.

A message on the bathroom mirror {"Kayla, Be Fabulous and Smile"}.

Another on the window.
And a little gift and note.

Lunch packed, breakfast digested {a special #1 pancake for the first day of first grade} and we were out the door...


In the rain...grrrrrrr...really?

Rain had to mess up my perfect pictures, didn't it???  Didn't Mother Nature know I was already a hormonal mess and throwing a wrench into my day like this just put me over the edge...but I pulled it together and we managed...

Driving to school we listened to her new Believe CD and of course "Call Me Maybe" and sang at the top of our lungs.  Pulling into the school, Kayla looked scared, dropped a few tears and started saying over and over "I'm not gonna cry"...Quite possibly the most heart-wrenching moment of my life.  Changing the subject has always been the best tactic when handling Kayla crying so I started talking about everything at school that would be exciting.  Soon her smile re-emerged.

We stopped outside of the school for a few pictures...
{Remind me to thank Rick for not telling me the sign was upside down...proof that neither of us were in our right minds at that moment.}

Rick and I walked her to the front door and kissed her goodbye.  The principal grabbed Kayla by the hand and walked her in.  As I hid my tears behind my over-sized Juicy sunglasses, she turned back and gave me a reassuring smile...everything was going to be ok...

During our ride home I realized why she was probably completely overwhelmed.  Her kindergarten center only had ten classrooms within the building.  Her new school is large and has six first grade classes...and goes all the way through fifth grade.  The only time Kayla had been inside the building was on Meet the Teacher night.  As we walked the halls that night, it was packed with tons of Mommy's and Daddy's and kids and she probably couldn't even see two feet in front of her...I know I couldn't!  I didn't explain to her that it would just be kids at school...and it wouldn't be that congested.  Explaining everything to Kayla helps her process her feelings much more...I suppose that's the case for most kids...but us adults take it for granted and just go with it.

I probably should have gone out for the day...shopping would have been good...but at nine months pregnant, I felt like baby Logan was putting a lot of pressure on my girl parts making walking around a store completely un-desirable...and so my couch called my name.  And so did the tissues.  I just couldn't stop the tears...at all.  It was quite ridiculous.  I couldn't think about Kayla or look at a picture of her without crying and I am quite sure I dehydrated myself from crying...oh those damn pregnancy hormones...

She had an amazing first week.  She did her homework throughout the week with very little help from me.

Her teacher said she is very smart, is making lots of friends, and is a complete joy to have in class...what more could a mommy want?  All of that worrying and crying for not...such is the life of a Mommy...my girl's got this...I should have known it all along.  Look out first grade...there's a new girl in town and she is gonna rock it like she has rocked everything else in her life...