My life as Mommy

Oh how life has changed with two little ones...

Free time = the 30 minute train ride to work (If I'm not dead tired from the night before. Then it's nap time)

Time with the hubby = on the phone with Hubs while pumping at work

Normal day at work = Emails, meeting, PUMP, meeting, process paperwork, PUMP and Lunch, phone call, more emails, PUMP, run to catch train to pick up son before 6 ~ repeat tomorrow

Weekday evening = pick up kids, eat/make dinner, one bath (me, toddler, or infant - usually not me), infant to sleep, toddler to bed, wash pump and bottle stuff, eat snack to replenish energy ~ repeat tomorrow

Dinner = whatever is available (frozen or at Mom's), in between making Mac n Cheese or grill cheese or meat and rice for toddler

Exciting evening = Grey's Anatomy (only the part that's left after kids are asleep)- oooh drama!

Glass of wine after long day = glass of water (with a side of Fenugreek and a prenatal vitamin)

Good night's rest = a 3 hr block of sleep between feedings

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger...and probably adds more stress wrinkles to my aging face.

Oh, last one:

Smiling, toothless infant
Loving, funny, smart toddler
=
Worth every minute

Le sigh.

Mommylove Monday

Most days I am bogged down with breastfeeding, toddler potty training, work- 'nuff said, washing bottles, feeding the picky toddler, feeding myself and husband, bathing the children, then sleep- very little sleep. No, it's not all negative. A baby's smile can brighten any weary parent's darkest hour. And today, my toddler did something similar.

I left my two sleeping darlings as I went to work this morning. I don't like leaving the toddler without telling him where I'm going because he seems to feel abandoned. But he was so tired this morning, I had to let him sleep. I closed the front door and as I was walking to the car, I hear a tiny voice come from the house. "Mommyyyy!" sob-sob-sob. I saw my tiny little man standing in the doorway calling me. I usually just wave and let my mom explain where I'm going. But I felt like he needed to know how much I cared to tell him myself. I walked back to the house and opened the door. He had tears streaming down is cheeks sobbing, "You need to go to work?" I told him that yes I was going to work and would be home soon. In the meantime he would play with his Auntie and Grandma until me and his Dad got home. As he calmed down and I reassured him I was coming back, he told me, "OK you go to work. Have a good day." So sweet. I told him I loved him and walked to the car. As I'm reaching the car, I hear that precious little voice yell, "I love you SOOO much!"

My heart melted.

My evening of little sleep and a busy, tiring morning didn't matter. All the typical toddler horrors of potty accidents, yelling fits, and emotional outbursts that occur daily didn't matter. Kids aren't special because of the frustrations they give us. It's all about the unconditional love they show us in the little moments. I was given mommylove this Monday morning and all of a sudden I've forgotten everything negative- just focused on seeing my little man when I come home.

Transformation: Homestead

Me and the hubby are determined to transform our home into a comfy home for 4. At 33 weeks I know I'm not much help, but I'm trying to chip in when I can. What does this mean? Let me splain...

First, baby is coming. For our own sleep and sanity, baby will be in our room for a while. This means Andrew's bed is no longer in our room and he gets his own big boy room! Hooray! Another thing we discovered is that we need a bigger bed. Usher in a King sized bed (on its way) , leading to our queen sized bed going into Andrew's room. I wonder if he'll be like a turtle and grow to the size of his habitat. Bigger bed = taller Andrew? All I know is that he likes to stretch- better for growth I suppose.

So with all this means lots of cleaning, moving, rearranging, and adjusting to new space. Exciting but different- all in preparation for this lil one. It's coming along!!

Now I must stand strong in my commitment to the laundry and getting rid of excess and unnecessary clothing. My big big tummy gets in the way but I'm hangin in there. 7 more weeks right?

29 weeks - Exhausted!!

Oh my gosh!! I can't even to begin to explain the feelings of exhaustion I've been feeling lately. Grant it, we went on vacation to Vegas for a week (our final before new baby). Then after a week of working took another long drive to LA for the weekend for our Australian cousin's wedding- Congrats JB and Annie! All well worth the efforts, but now I feel like my body needs to recoop. So I've taken the day off to rest- sue me!

I was sitting at my computer yesterday, so exhausted I could barely think. I know our trips took a toll on me and James, but I finally gave in to the fact that being pregnant is tiring and I may need more time to recover than the average traveler. But I really don't remember being this tired with Andrew. I'm so exhausted lately. Last night, I made sure to get an ample 7.5 hours of sleep (plenty for me these days), I took a shower, even ate a little and still feel so weary! This too shall pass and all that. Just trying to figure out what to do in the meantime.

Now is also the time to really prepare for baby. As we enter the last trimester, we just barely started a registry and are sorting out the clothes and items that we can reuse from Andrew. So much to do in the final stretch, including moving Andrew into his new room to make room for the lil one in our room. This also means us buying a new bed, which is a task in itself. Here's to hoping all these things can happen before baby arrives :).

Pregnantus Domesticus = Cupcakes

Whew- Coming on 25 weeks and can't believe it's moving so fast! I feel so pregnant these days- tired, backaches, and lots of waddling. Top it off with this recent cold and I'm a walking, achy zombie. But getting better and more well adjusted. Pic at 25 weeks:



Latest mental notes of the Prego:
= Leggings are great!! Did not utilize these at all in last pregnancy. Comfy, cute and very versatile. My new fave.
= Having a cold while pregnant bites. I cannot take any meds! I'm not even really supposed to drink orange juice. Lots of oranges, soups, and rest. Ugh, the natural cures- how unbearable!! haha
= I got curious and wanted to peek in the envelope. The hubby said I was denied- way to go with the will power hun!!


The latest in the pregnancy sagas- NESTING. Every night (minus the nights where we've been so pooped from the whole family being sick) I've been wanting to clean and/or bake. This is not good for my good food intake! I've only gained 8 lbs to this point which is very good and on track with what the doctor wants. But pancakes and eggs last night, cupcakes tonight, who knows what tomorrow...This is not good for me or the hubby!





I'm bringing the majority of the cupcakes to work to divide and conquer the calories. Hopefully they will appreciate my nesting for their treats! Until then, maybe I need to explore some nutritious baking recipes. That will get me into less trouble. I'm gonna try try try to cook better and eat better so the fam will eat better too. But need to forgive the occasional cupcake ;)

Fashion for the round and getting rounder

22 weeks and I’m getting round. The second I eat anything my belly balloons into this tight ball- like I’ve got a large balloon under my shirt. The waddle has begun, and dammit it feels good! Only becuz it’s more comfortable to walk a bit slower and creates more stability for me.

I noticed last night that my shirts are getting shorter no matter how much I try to pull them down! Full maternity wardrobe here I come…But for the matter of being financially conscious, does anyone know of some inexpensive, versatile, yet somewhat stylish pieces to have in a maternity fashion collection? I’m a bigger girl so I don’t necessarily sport a cute lil baby bump on a small frame. But I do have a baby bump that needs room to grow in comfortable clothing- hopefully cute clothing! Just trying to be more girly this time around. Last time was all about t-shirts and whatever maternity clothes were on sale. This time I’m trying to be more aware.

Hmph, more girly…does that mean I’m having a girl?

12 weeks- it's for real

As if the nausea, fatigue, moodiness, and snug fitting clothes didn't already confirm that I was pregnant, let's add the decreased risk of miscarriage associated with the end of the first trimester. Here I am, 12 weeks tomorrow, and things are going smoothly. The ultrasound taken at 10 weeks confirmed a lil baby wavering around in there- always makes things more real when you see the baby shaped being in the womb. A big sigh of releif as I end trimester number one.

Tomorrow is also my 31st birthday. This birthday eve reminds me that I had a list of 30 things to do in my 30th year. Most of which I completed- others which I didn't even have the time to think about. I did pretty good, but I liked checking things off life's to do list. Most of the things on the list helped me develop personally, or my family grow as its own great lil creature. No matter what, I've loved the journey- ups and downs- cuz it helps me to realize how strong we can be and how we're willing to work through everything together. I love that feeling.

Next on the list is to break the news to work. Although things seem pretty liberal at work as far as life events and giving time off, I'm very hesitant to tell the news cuz I'm new and don't know how well this kinda thing goes there. It will all be ok in the end. And I hope they can see in the past month how much I'm willing to learn and how much I can offer their team. I really like it there and feel like I can have a solid place there.

So, goodbye first trimester, hello second trimester! Bring on the blood tests, pee tests, dr appointments, and growth. I will really begin to look prego and people will know it. People will give me their seat on BART (hopefully). And no one will let me carry anything. I'm good, I'm ready - let's be prego!

Happy birthday to me :)

We're pregnant with #2!

My hubby and I recently found out we are pregnant. It was a surprise...we thought we were going to stop "trying" for a while-- even though we weren't really trying. We just weren't not trying. A pleasant surprise, really. We do want a second. But I didn't know he/she would come in the midst of all of this...stuff.

An amazing opportunity came up for a new job. At the same time, I was finally getting a promotion at my old job- one I had been waiting almost 3 years for. I was in a place where I was comfortable, knew what I was doing, but just not happy with the role that I played. Finally comes the opportunity to do the things I know I was capable of for this company, but this new opportunity was in a field I am passionate about and brings together my capabilities faster than the promotion would. I took the new job- so far so good!

Somewhere in August, I decided to compete in this year's hula competition. A unique feat because we are doing 2 dances that directly relate to Kumu's Loea. That's her new hula guru of sorts. These are important, special dances to her- thus they are to us too. We have a good group- 5 of us who have been there at least 3-8+ years. The other girls are younger but also have experience in competition. It's a really good time to do competition. But apprently, my babies love hula competition and always wanna come into my life during competition time. I guess it's meant to be...

So here I am...pregnant at a new job. Just waiting for my next appointment with an OB to confirm all is well to tell my job. This new job was one of the reasons we were gonna hold off on trying. I just hope everything goes well when I do tell them. :/ Until then... I'm pregnant and it's so great to envision such a bright future full of possibility!