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Sunday, May 22, 2011

A year later...

This time last year, we were in quite a different place.  We'd just had to put Annie to sleep (after the miserable Murphy incident earlier in the year), we'd sold our house but hadn't found a new one so we were preparing to move into an apartment while we continued looking, and we were on our last two IUI attempts.

I told a friend at work, "I didn't expect to end the school year with no dogs, no house, and no baby."  Those are three pretty huge things in my life to be missing!

May 24th I found our house online, we went to see it the next day, and made an offer the following day!

Memorial Day weekend we moved into a tiny apartment.

June 30th we gave IUI one final attempt and were starting to look at adoption options.

July 8th we moved into our new house.

July 15th we found out we were pregnant.

About 2 weeks later we decided to get a dog.

So... in less than 2 months all of that changed!!!  For a person who doesn't like change and thrives on the known and routine that's an awful lot, thankfully they were all wonderful things.

This picture was taken for our moving announcements and taken the day we found out we were pregnant.  It will always be so special to me since it's the first picture of our family of four and in front of the house we'll raise these two girls in.

When I feel stressed or down I can think back to those days and realize once again how very lucky we are and the baby belly should be the least of my worries! I'm greatful for all we've been through together and the memories we've created, but I'm also so glad we're in a more settled place now!

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Operation "Goodbye Baby Belly"

(and greys and love handles)

Yesterday while I was feeding Lucy Stella poked at my belly and started laughing.  I asked what was so funny and she said, "your belly hangs over your belt like this" and demonstrated with her own skin.  Ouch!

I'm over it - I've never been on a "real" diet (of course I've had times I've eaten better or less and exercised more, but nothing organized), so this morning I download a calorie counter on my phone and it will help me track how many calories I'm eating and how much exercise.  I've ordered some videos from the library because lets face it, there's no way I have time to go anywhere to workout.  I've even measured my food this morning.  I don't know how long that will last, but it is interesting to see how all of the little things add up.  It says that I should lose 7.5 pounds by June 23rd (our anniversary).  That's not exactly enough to get me excited, but we'll see if I can do a bit better.

I really don't have a goal weight, I just want to be able to confidently wear my clothes.  As of now, when warm weather hits the only thing I'll be able to wear is athletic shorts with baggy Fife t-shirts.  That's NO FUN!  I've been able to hide under hoodies thus far but with the mercury reading in the 70's that's not going to last long (at least we can hope).

So, I'm going to stop whining to Jim, stop feeling sorry for myself, dye my hair, get a haircut, and work my butt off to feel better about myself.  After all, we have so very much to be greatful for I have no reason to feel sorry for myself, it's pitiful.

Other than that, things are going so very well.  Lucy has slept through the night for the past two nights and I feel so much better getting a bit more sleep.

Last night we took the girls to see Sesame Street Live and had a great time.  No pictures now because we cancelled our internet, had to get it through a different company, and don't have wireless set up yet so the computer is in one room and my hard drive is in another.  I'm too lazy to go get it and load pictures (plus Lucy is waking).

For girls around here, happy SUNNY days, for others, happy Thursday!

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Sleep vs. Shower

After 4 weeks as a stay-at-home family, Jim returned to work last week.  While I'm eternally grateful that we had the opportunity for him to stay home as long as he did, we loved it so much it was tough to have him go back!

I have yet to figure out how to shower while I'm home by myself, so I try to get up with Jim before the girls (Stella is still climbing in bed with us most nights) and get a shower in/make coffee/start Stella's cocoa.  It does wonders for how I feel throughout the day, BUT most days I'd really just rather get an extra half an hour of sleep!  I shouldn't complain, two nights ago Lucy slept for 6 hours straight and last night it was 7.  I don't know if it's a sign of things to come of if she's luring me into a sense of bliss only to revert, but for now I'm thrilled about it!  (Though I'd give a lot to get to sleep kidless in a king sized bed for a night!)

(Stella loving making Daddy's birthday cake)

Lucy is quite different than Stella.  Stella ONLY cried if she was hungry.  She didn't get crabby, she didn't care if she was wet/dirty, nothing.  Though when we talk about the girls as they grow and we seem to think that Lucy is going to be a bit quieter and less dramatic, I have no idea why because so far she's definitely louder and more dramatic!  Stella was a champ at the Dr - Lucy screams at you for ages if you dare to let someone look at her.  She gets mad when we change her, mad if we don't, mad if she's hungry (which is ALL OF THE TIME, her nickname is bruiser),  crabby in the evenings, mad because she wants to be able to lay on her back and stretch, mad because you left her laying on her back for too long.  I could go on and on...  I thought perhaps she had a dairy issue or reflux, but the Dr seems to just think it's her being crabby.  I'm hoping!

At 5 weeks I've had my eye on beginning to get her to take a bottle.  I've pumping a bit over the weeks and decided to give it a try Sunday.  They usually tell you to have someone else try because if Mama is doing the feeding they'll want to nurse.  Jim wasn't available so I decided to give it a go.  No need to have worried, she doesn't maintain her Chunky Monkey status by being a picky eater!  She took it like a pro on the first try.

The other think we're working on is her napping without being held or driving.  We're not having quite as much success in this area.  Sunday she slept for about 1.5 hours in her basinette and I was thrilled, yesterday it was 10 minutes in her crib.  We'll keep working on it.  Stella was an AWFUL napper and I really want to get into a better routine with Lucy.  It makes a world of difference when I have a little bit of time to get some cleaning done and spend a little time one-on-one with Stella.  We are all happier girls! 

We spent Easter weekend at the beach with my family.  It was so fun to get out of town for a bit, we stayed in an awesome townhouse, and there were tons of people willing to do a bit o baby holding.  Stella had SO much fun with her cousins, hopefully there will be many more similar trips in the future.
The little family - Lucy is in a pack under that blanke I promise!
The cousins dying eggs
Ferris Wheel with Mama
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the looks on their faces - having so much fun together!