2-4 Months

Ssshhhhh....I am having 2nd Child Syndrome by combining blog posts. I, for realz, can't remember so much as what has happened the last few months we are THAT busy!

I know my biggest boy turned 2!!

I really wish I captured his expression on video while we were singing to him! He gets SUPER shy sometimes. For example, when he gets hurt or in trouble in front of anyone other than Bri and I, it's an immediate face plant into the side of my leg as if it will help him disappear. Anyways....we had a super fun fire truck (of course) party at the park. Lots of food and friends, also, the first perfect Spring day, made for a great 2nd Birthday. Two for two...*as Mama pats herself on the back*

Ok...so back to Brady...

2 Months Old

By 2 months old Brady was officially on an all formula diet...so his rapid chunkiness started around 8 weeks. He was still in 3 month clothes and was weighing in at about 12+ pounds. Around 10 weeks old I was checking on the monitor while he was napping and noticed that he was laying on his back. Which is fine, except that I laid him down on his tummy. That was my first HOLY SHIT BATMAN, things DEF move a lot faster with #2. 

3 Months Old

^^^6 Month onesie^^^

Officially in 6 Month clothes...thank goodness. B/c all of Brady's 3 Month clothes were long-sleeved and the Georgia heat was rapidly approaching! B-rad is about 15 lbs and may have stronger abs than I do. All he wants to do is sit up. His poor head is holding him back though. He has decent head control...but I wouldn't trust him to not smash his face into the table if he were sitting on my lap at the dinner table. Piggy eats about 6oz every 3 hours! And...wait for it...HE SLEEPS THRU THE NIGHT!

4 Months Old

^^^ Soak it up sweet friends. Life's greatest blessings right here <3 ^^^

So I sped thru the last few months...hopefully he won't notice when he's totally dis- interested in this blog in 20 years. B is almost 18 pounds!!! This little boy right here is the light of our lives...except at 4 am. 4 am, you ask?? Yes...he's decided that sleeping thru the night is overrated and to throw an early morning party everyday. It's the pits. Sleep training starts next week. Hopefully he doesn't try and coo at me...or smile...b/c I'll just end up giving in.

B-- The 1st Month

The first month when a baby is around is a weird one. I want my friends, who haven't had kids yet, to store these things away for the future...

1. The first night we were home, Brady was downstairs with some of the family visiting and Brian and I were upstairs putting Griffin to bed. Griffin and Brian are about to start story time, I'm in Griffin's room putting something away, and all of a sudden, the water works start. I'm like, "crap." I walk into where Bri and G are and head right for the tissue box. Bri sees me and says, "what happened to you between Griffin's room and our room?" I start hysterically laughing...while I'm still crying...and say, "I'm crazy. I have no clue."

2. About 2 weeks in you realize why you cry. B/c you realize it is solely up to you to feed the child who is NEVER full. Latching on like leeches with a million sharp teeth. I know, I know...it's NOT what it's supposed to feel like. Whatever. I hate breastfeeding. I'm a huge supporter of the whole process. Heck...I'll even hold your boob for you if you need me to. But just don't ask me to do it...until we have our next baby. B/c even though I know how much I'll despise it all over again...I owe them what I can give them. Even if it is just a short 3 weeks.

3. You'll hate when people tell you to give them the baby so you can sleep. I thought, FOR SURE, that I was going to easily be able to pass Brady off at any given moment so I could play with Griffin, sleep, shower, etc. But no. I was so very wrong. I was like a Mama Bear protecting her Cub all over again. I wanted to do it all. The feedings, the changings, the baths...but that's passed. Thank goodness. B/c I was getting tired.

4. Showers will happen at the most random times. I remember being in Brady's room, freshly showered, just sat down to do the nighttime feeding. He ate, I propped him over my shoulder, and he let out the best burp (you Mama's know what I'm talking about), and I was like, "Yesssss!" Until I realized it wasn't just a burp...but an intense amount of spit up. Down my shirt, on the glider, in my hair...So I laid him down, b/c he was fat, full, happy, and sleeping, and I marched myself right back into the shower. 2 in one day?? Almost unheard of.

Regardless, you spend a lot of those first few weeks in a complete daze. It's a pretty even mix of being on the verge of a complete meltdown, yet blissfully happy.

Brady spent the first month of his life rockin' the newborn clothes. It took him an entire month to get back up to his birth weight :-(  He was SUPER sleepy the first 4 weeks. And honestly...waking a perfectly good sleeping baby to breastfeed (which you all know how I NOW feel about that) was pure torture. But finally...he made it back up to 9lb4oz by week 4!

During those few weeks he would wake about every 4 hours...life was definitely not rough and Bri and I were getting enough sleep. Our routine was the same as it was when Griffin was born. The baby wakes, Bri gets up with him, changes the diaper, then hands him off to me to feed. I can't even begin to tell you how good it feels to be a team when the baby is first home. The fact that Bri didn't just assume I had nights under control since I was breastfeeding always made life easier...and it helps that I didn't need to wear a flashing sign to get that point across either. I'm just that lucky :-)

Bringing Brady Home

Griffin seemed to really take to Brady in the hospital. He visited every morning and afternoon. We let him hold him, kiss him, and touch him as much as he wanted to.

I think it was this moment here when my worries about having 2 under 2 drifted away.

I love the time spent in the hospital. I loved it with Griffin and I loved it with Brady. We actually stayed one more night than we really needed to. But just as Griffin had those moments with just Brian and I, I thought it was equally important for Brady to have those first few days with just Mommy and Daddy, as well.

The day we left the hospital was extremely hectic. One minute it was just the 3 of us relaxing in our room, the next minute it was time to be discharged and our room was filled to the brim with people, talking, asking questions...basically just too loud for my liking. << I blame the serious amount of hormones on those feelings.

I was instantly missing the quiet, peaceful moments Brian, Brady, and I had the last 3 nights. I knew once we left the hospital my life was going to be utter chaos.

It was in those hectic moments, that I now realize, I never got the hospital pictures that I wanted. At the time, it just wasn't worth the effort. But most of you know I'm a picture fanatic...and I wish I had just hushed everyone, told them to get out, and did my Mommy Picture thing. After all, I just had a baby, nothing I would've said out of annoyance should've been held against me :-)

Of course the day it was time to come home Griffin was a CRANK FACE! I'm not sure if he woke up too early, woke up on the wrong side of the crib, or what...but naturally, the day we came home he wasn't pleasant.

Until we actually got home.

Piece of advice to having another baby #2: Have a "Big Sibling" present waiting for them when you get home. Brady (Brian and I) bought an awesome fire truck for Griffin with sirens, sounds, a ladder...it had all the goodies. We let Griffin open it and we told him that it was from Brady....

It worked. PHEW!

And I'm not sugar coating it when I say we've had ZERO jealousy issues. I think there has been one time in 16 weeks where Griffin has asked me to put Brady down to play with him. I'm not sure if I just have a really understanding, now 2 year old, or if Brady just has an insanely calm disposition, but I thank the good Lord for my rather calm household. Minus the occasional ball that flies past my head...our 2 year old has a wicked (LEFTY) throwing arm (cha-ching!).

Tie stickers. Genius. I figured out AFTER this pic that in order for them to not look totally weird I actually have to cut the tie out. They didn't have these gems when Griffin was born. I used a sharpie and a piece of printer paper to document the months. So I'll just go ahead and say #newishmomproblems

Brady George

Brady was one of my MOST favorite boy names when we were picking names the FIRST time we were pregnant. When we found out that we were having a boy again I put it back on the table...and won the battle of the names :-) Brian wanted Oliver, which obviously wasn't going to happen.

Side note: I apologize to ANYONE that wants to name their baby or future baby Oliver. That is all I'm going to say.

George is both my Grandfather's first name and Brian's Grandfather's middle name. I don't know much about Brian's Grandfather b/c I was never lucky enough to meet him, but my Grandfather...he was kind, he was loving, he was tall, and he loved golf. He reminds me a lot of the man Brian is...and a lot of what I want my own boys to grow up like.

BIRTH DAY:

Well...January 23rd came and since Brady didn't want to come out on his own, we forced him out via c-section. I had a c-section with Griffin, so I "sorta" knew what I was in for as far as the surgery went. But after 36+ hours of labor and almost 3 hours of pushing, a c-section sounded like a princess party on crack. So I knew I was going to be nervous going in for the c-section with Brady.

And I was. So stinkin' nervous. But I managed to shave my legs and blow dry my hair....so it must not have been so bad.

My sweet friend, who has a son the same age as Griffin, came over to watch Griffin while we all left for the hospital. I still don't know how I got so lucky meeting her (at the nail salon of all places!!!), but I did. And I am eternally grateful for her and all of her help. I knew Griffin would be having a fun play date and I would have minimal worries about him. 

It's weird walking into the hospital to have a baby and not having intense contractions, shortness of breath, begging for an epidural. Just kidding...none of those things happened to me with Griffin...except for the contractions...those are just really un-fun.

Most memorable moment in the OR? The nurse was standing in front of me while I was getting ready to have my spinal tap put in when my own doctor came in, told the nurse that she was going to take over her place, she stood in front of me, put her hands on my shoulders and was the one to comfort me while I got the dreaded shot. I don't know why this took me by surprise. I guess I just had thought she would be doing something more important. It was very calming and very much appreciated. I told my doctor at my 2 week follow up that it meant so much to me that she did that. She told me that there was no where else she was supposed to be than right there in that moment. Wow...just wow. 

The surgery was a success and at 1:10PM (after the most intense pressure EVER) I heard my doctor say, "He's DEFINITELY bigger than Griffin!!" Then I heard Brian say, "Holy Crap!! He looks JUST like Griffin." 

Brady George came into our lives weighing in at 9 pounds 4 ounces...and here's the gross money shot that Mom said I couldn't post on Facebook.

They look so gross and beautiful all at the same time. Something I think only a Mom would truly understand. You wait a long 9 months to see just what they are going to look like...and he was perfect. Just like his big brother.

Then...I get left alone. Which is what I like. I want my babies to hear a familiar voice when they come out and their Daddy's voice is the perfect one to hear, and I'm okay with that. I had my moment alone...just as I did when Griffin was born...where I let a tear or 2 trickle down my face as I listen to my newborn baby cry and then hear him calm down as he gets all comfy and warm in his blankets and gets passed on to his Daddy.

I did it. We did it. We managed to bring another beautiful, chubby, healthy baby into this crazy world. 10 more fingers and 10 more toes to kiss, play with, worry about. It's an amazing feeling. 

Hey Griffin! You're Going To Be A Big Brother!

The second we found out we were adding another baby to the fam...I immediately felt a little guilty for Griffin. I was literally a day and a half pregnant and I was already thinking the worst...

"What is Griffin going to do when the new baby comes?"

"Is he going to be okay with sharing Mommy and Daddy?"

"Am I going to be able to handle TWO kids?"

"How am I going to go grocery shopping?" 

"HOW AM I GOING TO GET A PEDICURE????????"

Seriously...I had a few meltdowns over the course of the 9 months preparing for Brady to arrive. But at the end of the day, I just told myself, "plenty of people do this, we are going to be fine" Somehow it made me feel less bat-shit crazy better. 

I found this adorable letter written by this Mom (on Pinterest, of course) to her first born son a few weeks before his baby sister was about to be born. It made me cry like a baby (duh), but I'm posting it here b/c it's everything I ever wanted to say to Griffin before Brady joined us:

“Sweet Little Ryder, Thank you for being you. My wild, sweet, witty, superhero, lego loving little boy. Thanks for making me laugh every day. I know you can’t possibly understand what’s happening to me right now. You’ll be a big brother very soon. You just see that Mommy is bigger and tired and not as much fun at the playground as before. You have taught me so much in the past 3.5 years. I’ve learned to stop and live in the moment more often. Because every day you grow older is bittersweet for me. I’ve learned that sometimes fresh air and sunshine make everything better, that I have magical kisses that heal, that sometimes everything looking perfect isn’t as important as your family being happy. I’ve learned that I need to be the best possible person I can be because you are watching and taking in more than I realize with every passing day. Plus I’ve also learned a LOT about dinosaurs. Ever since you were born, I rush home to you whenever I’m away. I don’t want to miss a second of this magical time when you are little. You’re suddenly going to look so big to me. I know you will change and grow up a lot in the coming months. I remember looking at your tiny hands when you were born and being in awe that I grew them. They still look so small and sweet to me and I know soon they’ll look so big in comparison. I promise I will remind myself to stop, put down the baby and be there for you… to make the most of the only time in your life you’ll be 3 and 4. You have the sweetest spirit I have ever known and I am sure you’ll love your little sister. She will be here soon. Four short weeks if she’s early like you. She will be celebrated and loved by everyone, just as you were. Please know during this time that you will always have my heart. It’s just going to grow big enough to hold enough love for two. I would love to tell you that things aren’t going to change that much, that your life will go on the same. But that’s not true. Our world is about to be rocked. You will probably be woken up at night for a while. You’ll be dragged to doctor appointments for her and I won’t be able to play as much while I’m feeding your sister. You will have to learn to share everything. Even our precious story time every night. But after a while you’ll find that you have a cool little friend and that all of your friends will think you are so lucky. Because you will be. We all will be. Because if she’s anything like you. If she’s half as funny, adorable and loving as you, there will be no way to get around loving her more than we can stand. Just think, you’ll never get a chance to feel lonely, as I’m sure she won’t let you. One day, when I’m not on this earth anymore, I hope you can look at her and see pieces of me and I hope more than anything that this makes you smile. You’ll always be my favorite little boy in the whole wide world. I am so grateful that my life has been blessed with you. “I love you more than you love me.” Momma ^^^silly me.^^^

My biggest piece of advice? Talk about the new baby as much as you possibly can in the most positive light possible. They will love them. If not at first...eventually.

Want to know a secret? We ended up just fine. 

We're PREGNANT!

Well...not exactly. I'm going to pick up where I left off and pretend like I didn't drop this blog like a hot potato as soon as I peed on the stick approximately 1 year ago! I logged onto FB the other day to find that one of our dear friends updated her family blog and I literally had an "Oh Crap! The blog!!" moment and decided that in all my free time I have these days that I would get back into it. So let's start from the beginning...which would be May of 2012.

As I was sipping a fresh raspberry mojito at Mom and Dad's (I feel like every pregnancy has started with a really good "last" beverage) I didn't think a baby was on the horizon...not that I wasn't hoping for one. But after Memorial Day weekend was over I realized the date (as all of us women do...or will one day) and thought, Hmm...I should check the calendar. So there I was, counting the days, and of course it wasn't adding up. So I took the test and lo and behold!! I said to Bri, "Well...it's exactly what I thought." To which he replied, "Oh, negative?" And I said, "Nope!" The look on his face will never get old. I'm thinking of having 7 more kids just to relive that moment over and over (just kidding).

Pregnancy with a rambunctious 1 year old is for the birds!!!!!! I realized this rather quickly. I had some serious "mommy epic fail" moments in those first few months. One in particular: One day I was sleeping sitting on the couch and Griffin comes up and taps me on the arm with a 6 pack of applesauce in his hands and says "hungry." Oh...right...just b/c I don't feel like eating anything but saltines doesn't mean you should go hungry too. My child ate more processed foods in those 9 months than he ever has in his short life.

The plus of having a toddler while pregnant? You don't have time to sit on the couch and stuff your face. I gained 20 pounds MORE with Griffin than I did with Brady. So to that I say, thank you Griffin, for keeping Mommy in shape. And for all of you who are wondering if carrying a toddler while 9 months pregnant is difficult...it strangely isn't. It's like God has somehow perfected the mother's body to do just that.

So here I am...in all my glory...the day I gave birth to Brady. This pic was a total Pinterest fail (as most of my creative Pinteresty ideas are).