How life will change with 2 kids

Now that Christmas is over, it is all baby prep and spoil Niah. I have less than 3 1/2 weeks till my due date and plan to utilize every bit of time I have. I usually leave my Christmas decorations up till after the New Year but I have alot of things going in the next few weeks I used Niah's nap time to take them down today. I am one of those people that plan every detail and like to do it myself. I hate other people cleaning, organizing, or any other thing to my house, it actually stresses me out. Thankfully, my husband knows that and he has his jobs and I have mine and knows when I need help I will ask but until then he just lets me run with my almost obessive compulsive disorder. I think it is because my husband is very similar and when he works on projects he likes to work on them alone so understands my need of doing things myself.

Now, for my sweet girl, I have planned a mommy and Niah activity everyday until baby comes for just Niah and Mommy. I also have some Mommy, Daddy, and Niah activities planned. I want her to soak up her last bit of only child she has. I plan to have Niah very involved with baby after he comes and have lots of Niah and mommy activities planned for at the house while baby is sleeping. I really do not think that Niah is going to have a jealousy issue at all with the new baby but I want her to feel confident that her Mommy still has plenty of time for her. The hardest thing I think will be for Mommy and Niah, is that it will be Niah's first time sleeping away from home. Thankfully I will only be in the hospital 1 night (24 hours) and thankfully Niah's cousin, Kyah will be here for a distraction but it is still nerve racking and hard to think about.

While getting ready for baby I have come to several realizations with having 2 kids.

1. Traveling for the next 3 years will become almost obsolete. (I guess you save for those 3 years to start traveling with a bang). Probably limited to day trips and possibly an over night here and there but I am pretty sure for the sanity of everyone in the house it will be light traveling.

2. The everyday errands will not come with lots of extra luggage. I will now have to carry all of Niah's supplies as well as a newborn supplies, good news no bottle or feeding supplies.

3. That it is a good thing I am a planner and I can plan a day out well to make time for everyone and everything in the day.

4. That our car will be completely full with just our family; 2 car seats, diaper bag, mommy, and daddy. (It is a good thing we do not drive that often.)

5. That I am so glad that we never co-sleep with Niah and will not with this baby because it makes for a much better sleepers.

Now I am off to get things done. Started washing all newborn clothes, cleaning and organizing nursery, making list of essentials still need (the boring things like diapers), Installing car seat, and finishing up last purchases and details for Nursery.

Less than 3 1/2 weeks till I have this baby.

Here is a picture of the new baby from a few weeks ago at our ultrasound. Best ultrasound picture we have gotten between both babies, my babies always hide in my placenta

Here is my sweet girl!!

35 Weeks

This pregnancy has flown by and I am almost 35 weeks, less than 6 weeks to due date. I may have not had the time to blog and post every detail of this pregnancy like I did with Niah but this pregnancy was just as special to me as Niah's. I may of had to jot notes down in my planner and down on paper to later put inside the baby book but I have all of the note and details of the pregnancy so I will not forget. This baby already has a place in my heart.

I realize that coming home from the hospital will go a little different since this one is the second but I am ecstatic for that day. I have already began to think of little things to make it special for Niah and baby. I plan to let Niah be the first to hold the baby and take pictures with the baby at the hospital. I am also going to take on potty training Niah shortly after we come home with baby so that it will be Niah's big girl activity to focus on.

The anticipation of this baby is growing as the day comes near. I have absolutely adored every stage Niah has gone through and I am so excited to go through them with this baby and cherish every moment. I pray and think about this baby just as much as I pray and think about Niah and if you do not know me it is an over abundance (which I do not think is possible but I have been told). This baby has such a special place in my heart and I can not wait for the arrival.

This last week, I found a crib for just the right price and now Niah will not have to give up her crib. I am almost completely done with the bumper and now to start on a diaper stacker and the crib skirt. We hung the curtains, got the rug in, and got several adorable accessories from baby's Aunt Mary in Thailand to go in the room. I have been searching endlessly for the perfect pieces here and there. Despite the ugly boy clothes that stores have available I have been able to find, modify, and fix several adorable outfits for baby.

Crib with Bumper and you can see the carpet a little bit

This week I had an ultrasound and we are 100% sure it is a boy. Baby boy is just like Niah measuring big as far at uterine growth but actually only in the 38% for weight so a little below average 4% more than was at this ultrasound Niah. Thankfully that will put me with in a good spot since the doctor is pretty sure I can only deliver a baby pound over Niah. Baby has a small head, another blessing and answer to prayer because it could not be much bigger than Niah. Dr. says as of right now everything is on track for a normal delivery!! I got moved from biweekly appts to weekly appts. Baby will be here before I know it!!

Me at 35 weeks

The Nursery

Our lives have slowed down just enough for me to start focusing on a nursery for this little one. With Niah, we had a snow storm and and got snowed in and I was able to do lots of preparation for her in that week.

Here is my inspiration picture for the nursery. It will not be the same but I am using the theme and colors and going from there.

Luckily, the room is already painted so I do not have to worry about that. I have the material for the bedding and started making the bedding this week, I am almost done with the bumper.

I searched and searched for the perfect rug at the perfect price. I found a wonderful cyber Monday deal and got the rug for $50 for a 5x8. I believe it was a pretty good deal considering it was originally $300 and every rug I found was $300 or more. It almost matches the picture exactly

Matthew likes this light fixture. It is a little out of our price range so I have been trying to find one close to that and redo it to look similar. I have found a few on amazon.

I currently am looking at ordering a giant giraffe stuffed animal to go in the room as a decor item. The one in the picture is a Doug and Melissa product and ran close to $60 and I found one similar to that one just shorter for $20 with S&H. I purchased panel curtains and now since I am not allowed to use a drill on the wall, I am waiting for the husband to hang my rod. My guess is this weekend it will be done.

In Niah's room we have a maternity picture with the scripture "The Lord called me before my birth; from within the womb he called me by name" so I am wanting to do something similar in this room. This poor baby is going to get Niah's changing table and crib. Eventually I will move the crib back in Niah's room because it turns into a daybed and a full size bed. I plan on having the baby sleep in a bassinet in our room for the first 4 months and then do the transition of Niah to a toddler bed. My mom found Niah a beautiful antique dresser that I was going to refinish but my husband wanted to strip the paint and since I could not be around the paint stripper he willingly took on the project.

It is coming along as I find the exact right items for the room, slowly but surely. I found some adorable safari animal statues I am going to put on a shelf for $3 a piece and thankfully they were a neutral. I love basic neutral colors (my entire house is covered in it)

I also got a starting supply of preemie and newborn clothes. I do not think this baby will be early but the dr. does not think the baby will be over 6lbs and I am praying for the sake of recovery and my body it is not over 6 lbs (he is pretty sure I could not naturally deliver a baby bigger than Niah, it was pretty risky with her). I was unprepared for Niah and did not have anything to fit her so I already took the plunge and got some preemie outfits.

Right now the room is in shreds but I am excited for the end result.

Niah's 1st ER visit

Sunday, we went to church and then went to lunch and Niah was playing before we left. She started to climb these stairs as we were leaving and right before I picked her up she started crying. Matthew assumed she was upset because she wanted to play and not get in the car. I never put her in the car seat crying so I was holding her trying to calm her down and the car was anxious to leave. I said, "I think something is wrong she never cries like this." I reluctantly put her in the car seat and we started to pull away. Mary was sitting in the back and said I think something is wrong with her hand she will not grab my hand. Matthew pulled over at the gas station and I got her out. He tried to get her to lift her arm or grip with it, and she would do nothing. Matthew ran into the gas station bought some ice cream and tried to get her to hold the ice cream and she was not moving that hand. We knew something was wrong when she was not going for the ice cream!!

It was such a scary moment to know she never fell and was not sure what was wrong. I sat in the back with her as we headed to the ER and fed her ice cream and as long as she sat completely still she would not cry. I will admit I shed a few tears on the way to the ER, my baby was hurt! The ER was wonderful got us in quickly and the doctor came quickly looked at her arm and moved it. With in 1 minute of the dr. being in the room he said she had nursemaid's elbow and put it back in place. Relief rushed over me as I saw that Niah with in 5 minutes started moving her arm. With in 10 minutes or less she was back to her self.

We were so thankful for a good quick ER and Dr. That the Dr. was the same Dr. that sewed my foot up and we really like him and was thankful he knew what he was doing and did it quickly.

Here is my sweet girl

The adrenaline was high in both Matthew and I that day. We are so thankful how God has protected our little girl and that has been the only Er visit we have gone to.