day at the park

We spent about a half hour at the park on a very hot summer day.  Brenna had a great time, though.  Going down the slide....

 

And Nick took one for the team and made sure she had a good time in the horrible heat.

Walking through the tunnel...such a big girl!

Baby Jace

Just a bunch of cute pictures of our little man :)

first bath

Jace had his first bath...he hated every minute of it, but calmed down very quickly.   He's already so tall that he nearly hangs off the bathing pad!  Hopefully that darn belly button will fall off soon and we can get him in the water where he'll stay a bit warmer.

Getting his back washed

Snugly warm and still a little mad that we had to bath him

A little daddy/son time

Hi mama!

 

He's very alert (when he's awake) and is always swinging his head around to look around.  He's a good eater and he is starting to fill out.  I can't wait to see how much he weighs at his 2 week check up!

 

Corn on the Cob

Brenna enjoying her first corn actually ON the cob!

 

 

 

Jace bonus pics

 

My push presents ;) 

 

First car ride

 

First family photo

Welcome home Jace!

We were so anxious to get home and get everyone settled in. Deb had some baby boy decorations for Jace. The best part of coming home was something I didn't get a picture of....Brenna. When she came around the corner and saw we had Jace with us and that he was wearing a monkey outfit was priceless. She gasped and pointed and ran up to Jace in the baby seat. As soon as she saw the monkey hat, she started making monkey noises.... It was awesome!

Day one. Handsome little guy.

All ready to go home!

 

Siblings meeting for the first time.

First kiss.

JACE!!!!!

Labor started about 11pm Thursday night.  Contractions were strong and quickly became regular and about 5 min apart.  I was pretty sure this was it, but wanted labor at home for a while before we went to the hospital.  So, I woke Nick up when I was sure this was going somewhere.  I notified the L & D unit that we'd be coming in.  We took showers and got our stuff around and by this point my contractions were about 3 min apart and I was pretty uncomfortable.  By the time we got to a room to get checked out, I was sure we'd have a baby in just a few hours.  Brenna was so fast and easy that I thought this would be similar.  I was wrong.

 

I was told that even though my contractions were 2 min apart and I was having to 'breath' through the contractions that I was only dilated to 2 and 75% effaced.  They debated about just sending me home, having me walk for a couple hours or admitting me.  We ended up walking around the hospital for 1.5 hours, which was awesome since I was contracting every 2 min.  I'm sure it was quite the spectacle.  Luckily it was just past midnight so there were not many people at the hospital.  I did manage to throw up along the sidewalk during our stroll.  Nick was wonderful the entire time and kept me going.  I probably would have found a seat outside and sat for the entire time. 

 

After our walk, we went back to the unit and I had dilated to 4.  They admitted me.  I got my epidural (Thank God) pretty quickly.  It completely numbed my right side, but only about 90% on the left side.  I had a great deal of relief and that was great.  I got some on and off sleep for a few hours and managed to dream about Candy Crush....hehe.  There were a couple times that his heart rate dropped and people came in to reposition me, but otherwise it was pretty uneventful.

 

I started having some significant rib and back pain on my left side and when I was further dilated, determined that LB was not looking toward my back like he was suppose to.  So, we tried to turn him and when that didn't happen just decided to go for it and deliver.  3 good contractions, about 10 minutes later.....Jace was born!!

Here I am, ready to get this going!

 

Jace James 7 lbs 9 ozs, 21 inches long. 

 

 

So happy to meet the little guy!

 

He's pretty worn out!

40 weeks

 

The due date is here.  I really thought labor was starting last night, I was having contractions every 5 minutes but was still pretty comfortable so I was just waiting for the contractions to get more intense.  We went to bed and....woke up the next morning with no contractions.  And here we are....so uncomfortable, sooooo ready to have this baby!!  I feel like the skin around my belly button is slowly ripping apart.  It also feels like the muscles around my hips are so tight that with some contractions, the hip will pop out.  It's crazy!  I feel like a slug and sit around playing candy crush all day.  Thankfully Deb and Don are here and are entertaining Brenna. 

This was a hopeful smile that baby is coming soon.  Actually, it was pretty fake.  I was miserable.

 

We had a Drs appt today and I'm barely dilated.  We did get to set up an induction date of next Monday (at 41 weeks) so at least there is an end in sight. 

18 months!!

Our little baby girl is 18 months old!  It blows my mind how fast the past year and a half have gone...and here we are expecting our second any day now.  My how life has changed :)

 

Brenna has decided that she is a little nervous around Mr Bear now.  Especially when he talks.  She did give him a kiss after we took the pictures.  Of course I didn't get a picture of that!

 

 

Brenna has finally started saying some words.  A couple weeks ago she started saying 'mama' and can say 'dada' but mostly calls him 'mama' also.  There is 'Hi' and 'bye' with some waves.  She's starting to try to copy what we are saying too.  She's tried 'pop,' 'clock,' 'baa baa' (as in baa baa black sheep), and she tried to say Caite but it sounds like kiki.  She still loves her books and loves to make the animal sounds.  She has a couple search and find books that she's pretty good at.  She loves to sing, listen to music (both music on the radio and songs we sing to her) and dance. She also has really started appreciating bracelets and necklaces and hats and shoes....my little fashionista!  She has most of her teeth.  Still waiting on the last 4 molars and one canine.  There isn't much she doesn't like to eat, but she's a bit more opinionated on when and how she wants to eat.  She likes to to have her hands clean and insists on using a napkin every meal. 

 

Brenna is always on the move.  It's hard to get a picture of her most of the time, other than a blur.  She loves rough housing with her daddy, though.  He's teaching her positions like guard and triangle and she's pretty close to getting it.

 

She has lots of questions and is so curious about the world.  She understands so much and loves to test her boundaries.  When she knows she shouldn't be doing something, she will start to do it and shake her head no with a smile. 

 

39 weeks

Well, I made it to August.  Now I've made it to the second week in August....other than this coming weekend (the second weekend in August) I don't have anymore mile markers for this child coming out.  I suppose I have a couple more OB appts.  I just keep hoping the next time I'm in the hospital it is to deliver and not for another check up when they tell me 'soon' or 'well see ya next week' or whatever.  I know that it will happen when it happens but man, the waiting is physically (and mentally) exhausting.

 

There is nothing left to grow or develop on LB.  He's about 7lbs and 20 inches long, the size of a mini watermelon.  He just needs to come out.  I don't know what he's waiting for....he's so stuffed in there, I can't imagine it's very comfortable.  Although, it's probably cooler in my tummy than it is outside here.  hehe.  He is still moving and it is still uncomfortable.