Obviously we’ve known for months that we were having another baby, but it still strikes me as bizarre to say I now have two children. That was always our plan, but it’s still a little strange to think that our family is now complete (which it definitely is, despite pleas from the grandparents). I’m the mother of two little boys — I just can’t get over that.

I keep waiting for Brayden to turn colicky or something; it’s hard to believe he could be such an easy baby (how did we get this lucky twice?) He has clear hunger cues (unlike his brother), he almost never fusses and he apparently likes to sleep for 22 hours a day. One of my fears about a second baby was that he/she would cry at night and wake Justin up; that’s really not an issue at this point, since Brayden is so quiet that the only person who even knows he’s awake is the one listening for him through the baby monitor. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, but maybe we’re just blessed.

As for me, I’m doing much better. The engorgement is over and done with, I’m off the painkillers and I’ve even managed to go for a few short walks. Chris and I have taken both kids to Justin’s play group, and to the library, so at least I’m getting out of the house. I look like I’m still four months pregnant (remember how all the weight I gained ended up right in front?), which is annoying, but we’ll see what happens by the end of the six-week recovery period. Cross your fingers for me!

Thanks to an abundance of help from my parents and my husband, I’m recovering quite nicely from the birth. Yesterday Chris and I actually managed to take both kids down to the library for a little family outing, which was great, although it did take a lot out of me. For that one hour we proved to ourselves that we CAN look after two kids at once. I don’t like to think about what will happen when my parents leave, but at least Chris will be home for a few months so we can figure out a new routine.

Brayden continues to be an angel baby and I just cannot believe our luck. Justin is adjusting well and has even settled back into his regular napping/sleeping routine, so everybody’s happy about that (it helped a lot when we put one of those childproof doorknobs on Justin’s room — at least now we know he’s not going anywhere at odd hours!) We’re slowly getting used to life with two little boys, but we haven’t quite figured out the new normal yet. It’ll come…

Well, it’s been three days since Brayden’s birth and everyone seems to be surviving. The hospital sent me home yesterday morning (less than 48 hours after my c-section…that sounds early, but it’s impossible to get any rest in the hospital and my doctor agreed that I’d be more comfortable at home). I’m mighty sore from the surgery, I’m still getting over that stupid cold that Chris gave me last week and I’m currently battling a bad case of engorgement (I gave up the breastfeeding yesterday), but things could be worse. So far at least, Brayden is an angel who never seems to fuss, and he pretty much just sleeps all the time — but he IS only three days old, so time will tell.

I’d planned on breastfeeding for at least a little while, but I certainly didn’t enjoy it any more than last time, and my doctor wondered why I was torturing myself. So we went to formula yesterday. My mom volunteered for baby duty overnight, and since I was no longer pregnant or nursing, I took a sleeping pill and crashed hard for the whole night — heavenly. On the down side, I’m feeling kind of useless cause I can’t really hold Brayden until my milk dries up (it hurts like hell when Brayden comes near me…how does the body just instinctively know when baby is near?) and I definitely can’t keep up with Justin.

It’s still early, but Justin seems OK with his little brother. We haven’t seen any signs of jealousy or resentment, but of course Grandma, Grandpa and Dad are all here and Justin isn’t having to compete for attention. He is, however, having sleeping issues. He recently learned how to open his bedroom door, and for the past few days he’s been refusing to go down for a nap (but then he zonks out around suppertime, which means he’s no longer tired when it’s time for bed). He also occasionally roams the house at odd hours of the night and someone has to corral him back into bed. We’re hoping it’s a phase, but we’ll see.

(Chris here)

So, after much to-do, baby Brayden entered the world this afternoon @ 2:34pm. He weighed in at an impressive 8 pounds, 5 ounces – which explains Mom’s oblong shaped, gravity-defying belly!

As you know from previous posts, we had a section scheduled for the 23rd – but turns out Brayden was ready this morning, sending Mom into early labor Some of those contractions were doozies! At least, that’s what the machine said… I’m just a bystander in this whole process.

Brayden is sure a lot quieter than Justin was – he can screech a bit, but nothing like Justin. He’s also been sleeping quite well already – perhaps this bodes well for the year to come????

Mom is recovering well; quite tender from the surgery, and by the time I get back there in the morning likely quite bored as well. We’ll bring her the portable DVD player and spend the day down there – this is a big change to her otherwise structured routine!

All in all, a great day!!!

Crystal, Chris, Justin, and Brayden!

I’m starting to think that maybe I should do more in the way of baby preparations than simply counting down the days (it’s been two years since I cared for a newborn, and the body does tend to forgive and forget) but to this point I’ve basically taken a “been there done that” approach. From what I do recall, keeping baby fed is what it’s all about in the beginning anyway, so why sweat all the other details?

My surgery is scheduled for the 23rd, but my doctor figures baby will come early — that’s the best news I’ve had in weeks, but he might just be trying to make me feel better about the fact that I’m the size of a duplex. I’ve had some trouble sleeping lately (not least because Chris is sick and can’t seem to stop snoring) but I finally got some good rest when I moved out to the couch at 4 a.m. last night. Maybe I’ll just camp out there for the next 12 days. My parents arrive this weekend and I’m looking forward to having some live-in child care so I can just relax.

The end is near…

Now that April is here, we’ve officially entered Baby Month. There are 22 days to go, so we’re into the final stretch, which is good because I just cannot stretch any more. My waist is now a staggering (in every sense of the word) 42 inches, which Chris has kindly calculated as 70 percent of my height. A stat like that really warms the heart, I must say. About the only shirts that fit me these days belong to Chris, so it’s probably a good thing that we’re not still working in the same office.

Justin is learning a few new skills (like climbing up on the playground to go down the slide by himself) from sheer necessity; I physically can’t help him the way Chris would, so he’s finding his own way. It bothers me that I can’t do those kinds of things cause it reinforces the idea that Dad is the fun one while Mom’s a bore — and that’s only going to get worse while Mom’s recovering from childbirth. C’est la vie, I guess.

We opted not to find out whether we’re having a boy or a girl, which means it’s fun to guess. My doctor, who doesn’t know for sure any more than I do but who has a pretty good track record with these kinds of things, thinks it’s another boy. Of course, this is the same doctor who told me (with a straight face) that I would sleep better after the birth cause I won’t be getting up in the night to go to the bathroom (who raised his kids?!?) So maybe we should take his opinions with a grain of salt.

Nevertheless, I also happen to think it’s a boy (a big boy — I’m already 41 inches around, which is two inches more than I ever was with Justin). Chris is clinging to his hopes for a girl, but he’ll be happy either way. When it comes right down to it, the fact that we’ve managed to create two little people just blows me away.

Why does the ninth month of pregnancy seem to take four years to get through? My c-section is scheduled for 34 days from today and as far as I’m concerned it can’t come soon enough. I’m tired of being so off-balance that standing is a problem. I’m tired of having only two outifts I can wear comfortably. I’m tired of baby kicking me in the ribs and dancing on my bladder. Enough already!

Our baby is officially two years old today! We gave him a little table for his room he can use for coloring — we weren’t sure how he would take to it, since he usually stands at a table in front of the window to color, but the new table seems to be a hit. He also got spoiled at Grandma and Grandpa Lee’s house this morning, naturally: ice cream, presents, and a giant Elmo balloon…who could ask for more?

He had his two-year checkup yesterday and really wasn’t fond of the doctor, but I suppose it could have been worse. Apparently he’s 35.5 inches tall (does this mean he’ll be 5′11″ as an adult?) and weighs about 28 pounds, so he’s still tall and thin.

And thus we enter the terrible two’s…

It seems spring has sprung in the Okanagan, and I love it. The snow is pretty much gone, temperatures have been way above zero and the sun has even come out a few times. We had Justin out playing in the backyard today for the first time in months — the little guy had a blast kicking the soccer ball around. I always feel so alive in weather like this!