Today and March 1, 2010

Today has been one of those days! The kids are being good and my house is clean (no thanks to me), but I am so tired. Every few days the broken sleep catches up to me. Macey slept all morning until it was time for John Henry to take a nap. Of course. So John Henry is skipping his nap today. No way I am sitting up with Macey awake while John Henry sleeps. If he sleeps during the day he has a really really hard time going to sleep at night. Then Macey screamed and screamed for about 30 minutes earlier. That isn't like her at all. I think it is a combo of gas and being overly tired. I can't wait for bed tonight. Hopefully we can all go to bed early.

Right now, Macey is sleeping in her stroller. We have been going on walks when Kurt gets home from work, and she always sleeps so well when we come in. I put her in the stroller to see if that has anything to do with it. She is sleeping with her arms over her head now- so cute! But my stupid camera went dead when I tried to take the picture. :(




And John Henry is on the floor playing with his train, bus, and airplane. He is really good at entertaining himself, praise the Lord! Notice the big boy underwear? We are seriously potty training over here. I say seriously because this isn't the first time I have tried this. He does great around the house then not so great when we go places. We have been mainly hanging out at home this week so he can get the hang of it. He even pooped in the potty this afternoon! Yay!! We have had a few accidents, but he usually catches himself and runs to the potty to finish.

Macey's first real bath last week. John Henry was a big help until he tried to dump a huge cup of water over her head. Then I yelled and made him cry. I felt bad, but I had JUST said, "Don't pour that water on Macey."



Another of John Henry hugging Macey. This morning I was in the shower; Macey was in her bouncy seat on the floor and John Henry was watching Toy Story 2 on the portable DVD player (excellent parenting I know). Macey started crying and John Henry said, "Mommy I am going to pick up Macey now." Uh, no!! Then he tried to put her paci in her mouth (mainly by shoving it in really hard) and he was talking to her so sweetly. He was saying, "Don't cry girl. Don't be sad." It was adorable. Even though he is still a little jealous, he is so sweet to her- most of the time!



Now the birth story. I wrote John Henry's in his baby book as soon as we got home from the hospital, but my poor 2nd child is deprived and doesn't have a baby book yet. This really bothers Kurt, but it has been ordered!


I went to the doctor on February 23rd and Dr. Ross said that he was going to induce on March 1st. I wasn't dialated at all, but John Henry weighed 8 lbs., 5 oz. and he was afraid Macey would be big as well. Kurt had actually been telling people that she would be born on March 1st for a while. I guess he's psychic.

So on March 1, I got up at 3:45 am and got ready to be at the hospital at 6:30. I got Kurt up and he got ready to go as well. I forgot that I was supposed to call the hospital and see if they had room for me. I called around 4:45, and the nurse said they were really really busy and to call back in 10 min. I called back and they were full! They said they would call me when they were ready for me to come in around 9 or so. I swear as soon as the nurse said to go back to bed and get some rest, John Henry woke up. So we laid on the couch and watched tv until the hospital called at 7:45 and said to come in at 9:30.

This is me on the way to the hospital. I had no idea my face was so fat until I saw this picture! Check out my unfinished living room. Still looks that way. It will until we win the lottery.



We dropped John Henry off at my mom's, which was really hard. I cried so hard when we left Bailey the morning I was induced with John Henry. I don't think I cried as hard when I left John Henry which sounds really bad, but I knew he would be fine with my mom. She called when we were pulling into the hospital and said he has stopped crying.

We got to the hospital around 9:45, and the induction didn't really start until 10:30 or so. I was dialated 2 cm before the induction started. I decided as soon as I got the nubain painkiller with John Henry that there was no way I was getting it this time. It made me throw up all.day.long. So I toughed out the pain until it was time for the epidural. I think I got the epidural around 1? I can't really remember. All I remember is that the nurse told me it would be about an hour, and it was the longest hour of my life! Then she told me she called the anesthesiologist, but I don't really think she did because a little bit later when I asked how long it would be again, she said she has to call the anesthesiologist. What the heck?! We thought she was on her way! Thankfully it only took a minute for her to get to my room.

The epidural hurt this time and it didn't work on my left side, exactly like with John Henry. She had to come back and adjust it. While I was waiting on her to come, I could feel everything on my left side, but it was definitely a relief to only feel the pain on one side instead of both! She adjusted it where most of my left side was numb. I could still feel part of it though, which made it hard to sleep. They promised that they could give me a local if I needed it during delivery.

For some reason epidurals make me really really sleepy and worn out. I just laid there and couldn't even talk b/c I was so tired. I only threw up 2 times, which was much better than last time. At one point, I told the nurse I had to throw up, but I didn't have the energy. :) Kurt was so sweet to hold the barf bag and wipe my face. I hate to admit it, but that is much nicer than I would have been if he were throwing up. I would have been running the other way.

I started pushing around 4, and Macey was born at 5:02. As soon as she came out, she grabbed Kurt's hand. He said it was really cool, but really gross too. Ha! I think she would have been born earlier, but it was a shift change, so I had to stop while they brought the new nurse in. It was soooooo much easier this time. I didn't really know if I believed everyone when they said the second was easier, but it was. I am sure it helped that she was almost a pound smaller than John Henry.

I am already telling Kurt that I want another baby, but he is admant about no more children. I just can't believe that we will never have another little baby. It makes me want to cry to think about it. Maybe he'll read this and see how sad it makes me and want another one. :) Yeah, right! Two that don't sleep has about sent him over the edge.

Macey's first picture. She screamed like that for 30 minutes straight. We were both a little nervous that she wouldn't stop once she got home.

John Henry meeting Macey for the first time. He held her for a second, then told me he was too big to hold her.

She has so much hair!

John Henry loves Macey.

If Macey is anywhere near the ground, this is what John Henry does. He is trying to hug her, but he really ends up lying on top of her.

See? :)

Bec Bec holding Macey when they came to visit last week.

Cowboy John Henry

This is where our hunting dog hid during a thunderstorm. She is going to be a great hunter!

Check out the hair!

New post below

Update on us

Macey is 3 weeks old today. I cannot believe how much bigger she has gotten! She is getting fatter, holding her head up more, and staying awake a lot more. She stays awake more than any other newborn I have ever seen. From the beginning she stayed awake for 3 hours at a time. I think her stomach hurt yesterday, but she was up from 9:30 when we woke up until 1:00 in the afternoon! Praise the Lord, she is a wonderful night sleeper. She stays awake for a few hours at night, then I put John Henry to bed, come and get her and feed her, then we go to bed. At night she is sleeping in 3-4 hour stretches. Then I just change her diaper, feed her, and put her back down. After John Henry I don't think Kurt and I can take another bad sleeper.

We had a few rough days with John Henry being bad but thankfully those are over. He still has his moments, but I think that is mostly from him being 2. He is a little jealous of mine and Kurt's time with her- he wants us to wrap him up in blankets while we hold him or hold him like a baby, but I guess that is to be expected and I will take it over the screaming and yelling NO that he was doing a few weeks ago.

John Henry loves Macey so much. Whenever she is on the floor in her bouncy seat or in her swing, he hugs her and lays down with her and says, "Hey gril. I love you gril." He is trying to say girl, but it sounds like grill. :) When she cries he gets her paci to put in her mouth and rubs her head. He is a very sweet big brother.

I do feel guilty b/c we stay in the house so much these days! The weather is gross and it is so time consuming to get 2 kids out of the house just to go to Wal-Mart (b/c that is all we have here for entertainment). By the time we are finished at the store, it is always past nap time. Then John Henry naps late and is up all hours of the night. We have gone to Birmingham two times this past week- once to play with Ben and Bec and the other to see my mom on Saturday. It was so nice to get out of the house and have some help!

Even with how hard it is to get out of the house, going from one child to two is so much easier than going from no children to one! Seriously, this is so much easier than I ever thought it would be. God has been very gracious!

Pics in the next post. I hate how blogspot puts all the pics at the beginning of the post. They are so hard to move.

A few pics of Macey from her newborn photo shoot

Beth Daniel (http://www.bethdanielphotography.com/) has taken some of John Henry's pictures before, and she does a great job. She happened to go to an nationally recognized newborn photography seminar last weekend, and as an incentive to get newborns in to shoot them, she was running a special of a free session and 20 free prints!! I was so excited, and we had to do them before Macey was 10 days old, so we went yesterday at 9 days old. Below are a few pictures that she took and posted on facebook. The others are coming soon. They are amazing!

First week at home

First of all, if you have called or emailed and I haven't emailed back I am sorry! Things have been crazy here, and I feel guilty talking on the phone and taking more time away from John Henry.

Our first week at home has been good! John Henry loves Macey and wants to hold her, but the jealously has started to set in a little bit. He wants me to hold him more and more and has been acting out for a few days! The 2nd day we were home, John Henry looked in Macey's bassinette and she wasn't in it. He asked where she was and I told him downstairs with Daddy. He said, "Mommy, I wanted two babies!" I think he has changed his mind since then. :)

Macey is doing well. She was jaundiced so she had to say on the light for 3 1/2 days. It really was a blessing b/c we couldn't hold her all the time, so she is learning to sleep on her own. Something John Henry never did! She sleeps great, but is awake more than any newborn I have ever seen. Usually about 2x a day she wakes up for 3 hours. Today she was up from 7-10 am and 4-7 pm. I am talking wide awake the whole time. She will lie in her bed for a while, but then she fusses to eat or be held. God has been very gracious and not let that happen at night yet, praise the Lord!

Kurt and I both had a stomach virus last night. He spent the night in the basement b/c I didn't want him touching the kids. John Henry and I slept on the couch with Macey beside us in the basinette. We are both feeling better today, but John Henry and I are pretty tired!

We went and had Macey's newborn pictures done with Beth Daniel today. Just this month she is doing a special for newborns 10 days old and under- free sitting fee and 20 free prints. Yay!!! I think the pics will turn out really well. I can't wait to see them. John Henry flat out refused to take a picture with her, but I can't blame him. We did get about 6 hours of sleep on the couch and he was an angel for the first two hours we were there. I was very disappointed though b/c I really wanted one of them together.

I know I have more to add, but I will do it later.

She's here!

Macey Evelyn was born last night at 5:03. She weighs 7 lbs, 7 oz. and is 20 inches long. She looks a lot like John Henry to me; they definitely have the same lips. :) She has TONS of dark dark hair.

John Henry held her for a second and then told me, "I'm too big to hold her." Then while Kurt was holding her, he said, "She came out of your tummy with blankets on!" He did not want to leave last night. I think everyone in the room was crying. My mom said he slept from 1:45-5:15 this morning and woke up asking to "go to Mommy's hospital." So they will be here in just a little bit. Hopefully, John Henry will fall asleep and take a good nap for my mom!

Here are some pics. More updates to come later. :)

Monday is the big day!

Macey will be born on Monday. One week early, but the doctor says she is big so it will be better than waiting. John Henry acts really excited. He said this morning that he wants me to hold him and Macey at the same time. I don't think he really knows what he is asking for!

Another funny John Henry story- For Valentine's Day we got some window gel clings for our front door. He had lots of fun putting them up and looking at them, so I told him that we would get some for Easter. We haven't gotten them yet, but we did get some foam craft stickers from Hobby Lobby.

When we were playing with the foam stickers yesterday, he kept saying that he wanted to put them on the window. I told him they weren't window stickers, and he would ask why. I would say, "They just aren't. They are for playing not windows." He kept asking so finally I said, "Well, God gave everything a job. Some stickers' job are to be window stickers. Some stickers are supposed to be foam stickers. God didn't make these stickers window stickers. He made them foam stickers" John Henry said, "Well that wasn't very nice of God." He is too funny!

We will update Monday with pictures- I promise!

Quick update and no pics

My new laptop! Yay! Maybe I will be able to post some pics of John Henry soon. My old one got some virus that started downloading porn on my desktop and eventually messed it all up. It was literally in 3 pieces though (you had to prop the screen up against a pillow to use it), so it wasn't really worth saving. I am so excited about my new polka dot one, and Kurt is so excited that I am not stealing his every few min. :) He was adamant that I get a new laptop- not because he was concerned about me, but b/c he was sooooooo worried I was going to mess his up. In fact, every time I used it I got accused of messing it up. 2 laptops are key in our marriage!

***

We are all moved in our new house! We still have some things to do- countertops in the laundry room and kids' bath, bar downstairs, the whole man room downstairs, and unpacking lots of boxes! I can't wait to post before and after pictures when we are finished. I think it looks so different now. John Henry's bathroom is my favorite room of the house. The penny tile grouted in grey and the aqua walls just make me happy. I have taken over his bathroom rather than using mine.

John Henry likes his new house, but for about 3 weeks he would whine and beg to "go back to our house, our old house." I would tell him that this is our house now, but he wasn't really into it. Usually I could tell him that he has a new big playroom, but one time he said, "I don't want my new playroom. I want to take all my toys back to my old house and put them in my old playroom." That broke my heart! But he is over it now. He even told me the other day that he loves his new house.

***

Macey is supposed to be here in 2.5 weeks! We are so not ready! Well, Kurt and I aren't. John Henry talks about her all the time and seems to be really excited. Kurt and Hank put the crib together tonight, so her room is almost finished. Just need bedding for her full sized bed and to hang some pictures, and get a mattress- okay, maybe it isn't almost ready! The doc says there is no way she will be here within the next week, so next week after the consignment sale is finished, I am going to start asking about induction. I don't want another big baby. And I am measuring 3 weeks big!

***

And a funny JH story. You know I always include these. He got a haircut the other day. He always gets Smarties when he is finished, but she was out, so she tried to give him gum. I knew he didn't really know what to do b/c I always tell him he is too little for gum, but I told him to say thank you and he refused! I thought I was going to die of embarrassment. I kept telling to say thank you but he just wouldn't. He looked right at Cindy, and said, "I can't talk."

So I took his gum away from him, and we went home. He really wanted the gum, but I wouldn't give it to him. On the way home, he said, "Mommy, Santa Claus knows you have that gum in your pocket." I said, "Oh yeah, well he also knows you wouldn't say thank you!" Little stinker.

***

Wee Swap is this weekend, so if you are in Cullman, stop by! We will have lots of good stuff.

John Henry is already teaching Macey

In case you haven't read my last 2 posts, John Henry is obsessed with Macey. He talks to her all the time, shows her things, tries to feed her, kisses her, etc.

Tonight after his bath, he wouldn't get his diaper on, so I asked him to show Macey how to put a diaper on since she would be wearing them. He laid right down and said, "Macey, you go like this [lie down], and put your legs up high in the air, and put your diaper on, and put your legs down. And we don't get mad at people. We don't get mad at people." It was sooooo funny. Today he got in trouble for not wanting to put his diaper on. Kurt had to hold him while I changed it. I guess he knew he wasn't supposed to be mean about changing his diaper.

And a random pic of John Henry on Christmas.






I did order the bedding that I love for Macey! Now I just have to decide what color to paint her room. My mom and I went to Alabama Furniture Market in Calera, where it was much less expensive. The store was great! If you need any furniture or bedding, I definitely recommend going there. They had all kinds of nice bedding, baby gifts, and furniture for great prices. http://www.alabamafurnituremarket.com/

We officially sold our house today! We have 13 days left to be out, and I have packed 6 boxes. At the new house, the painters and tile people should be done by early next week. Most of the cabinets should be done this week; then we just have some carpentry work to be done and we can move in! It already looks so much better. Except for the kids' bathroom. I wanted it aqua, and it is BRIGHT turquoise. I am going tomorrow morning to try and figure out a new paint color. This one is absolutely horrible. I need to take a picture and post it. It's bad.

John Henry has also added those little tile separators to his Christmas list. And he keeps talking about how Santa is bringing him an elevator and an ultrasound machine.

Funny JH stories, Macey's bedding, and an oil of JH

Ever since we went to the 4D ultrasound I have had to sit around the house with my shirt up so John Henry can "see" Macey and talk to her. Cute, but it's cold! We were watching Little Einsteins tonight and he wanted Macey to see it too. :) He leans down to hug her every few minutes and says, "I love you Macey." He knows that Caillou and Leo (Little Einsteins) are big brothers so I think that makes him excited.

A few weeks ago John Henry was measuring my stomach and listening to it with a stethoscope and Kurt took a picture with his cell phone. I made him swear he would never show anyone; I don't think anyone needs to be scarred for life. When we pulled up at his parents a few days later, he said he was going to show them- totally kidding. I said, "Kurt if you show anyone, I will take your cell phone, throw it on the ground, and smash it into a million pieces." We were laughing about it. I didn't even think John Henry was listening, but when I went to get him out of his car seat, he pointed to me and said, "Mommy. You not do that to Daddy's phone. Daddy be so sad you do that to his phone." I had no idea he was listening, let alone could figure out what that meant! He's a genius!

Tonight John Henry was in the bath, and he was all worried that his toys were going to go down the drain when he let the water out. (I love how that sentence is right after I just said he was a genius.) I told him they wouldn't. He looked at them and said, "Guys. You not go down the drain. I be so sad you go down the drain."

His Christmas list now consists of a paint roller (specifically a corner roller), an ultrasound machine, and an elevator. He rode the elevator at Pop and Ri's beach house 5000 times this weekend, so he thinks we need one. Santa better rob a bank before Christmas this year!

For Macey's bedding, I ordered this:

But I just love this:

I think I may call and cancel the first one tomorrow. I mean this the only girl crib bedding I will ever buy. It should be my dream bedding, right?

For Christmas my mom had her neighbor paint an oil of John Henry. It turned out perfect! I think we are going to get his nose fixed just a little b/c I don't feel like that is how it looks in real life; although, it does look like that in the picture that she took.

Picture Jaime took:

The oil- it still has to have the acrylic clear coat on it, so it will be another month or so until I get it. Can't wait to get it framed and in my new house!

And the tile for John Henry's and Macey's bathroom. I just love it! It will be white with grey grout. The tile guy told Kurt I watch too much HGTV. :) I think it is really hard to install, but it just makes me happy to look at it!

Macey's 4D ultrasound pics

I will post some Christmas pics soon. I am on my mom's computer now, so I don't have any here.

We went to get Macey's 4D ultrasound this morning. She is definitely still a girl; thank goodness! We got better pictures of her than we did John Henry. She was moving a ton thanks to the grande peppermint mocha and cream cheese danish I had on the way to the doctor's office. :) I don't really think she looks like John Henry did, but I can't tell. With John Henry we knew immediately that he had my lips; with Macey I don't know.

Mouth open:

Tounge out:

Macey:

John Henry's 4D:

After the ultrasound, John Henry told me that he wants Santa to bring him "one of those" (an ultrasound machine) for Christmas. His list now includes a paint roller and an ultrasound machine.

He has been so sweet about Macey. I hope it lasts! He measures my tummy all the time and listens to it with his stethoscope. Right now he is watching Barney. I asked him which one he wanted to watch, and he said, "Which one does Macey want to watch?" He hugs my tummy all the time and says, "I love Macey." I think he will be a great big brother if he survives me being gone to the hospital for 2 days.

We sold our house yesterday! We have to be out by the weekend of January 23rd! I haven't packed one box. I know y'all all know I am a procrastinator, but I have really got to get to packing. The painters and tile people should be done at our new house in the next few weeks. After that we have a few things to do like an alarm system and carpet cleaning, but at least I will be able to move some stuff in. It is really looking good; I can't wait for it all to be finished.