ivy and orchid

Today was our third baby appointment and little baby is measuring about 2 cm (2 weeks) behind. The midwives don't say anything, but Abigail was always right on time, so I'm thinking Baby B will be born later than May 6th. This little one has been kicking up a storm and I feel pretty healthy. Shelie said I should watch out when it comes time to labor, because my pushing with Abigail was so short, this may happen also. That excites me! Concerning Miss Abigail, she has been a big cranky pants today. Two days ago, Shawn and I left her for about 10 hours and it has affected her terribly. She hasn't been sleeping, yesterday she was clingy yet sweet, but today she has been so mean. She wouldn't take a nap and she had crazy tantrums full of slamming her head and hitting herself and myself. Shawn accidentally bit her finger and she has been cuddly and sweet. Now she is sleeping three hours before her bedtime. I do not, in the least, agree with people when they say little ones ne...

Just a few more and I'm in the third trimester! I just wanted to comment on how amazing Abigail is! The first night we were going to work on getting her out of the bed, I asked her if she wanted to sleep in her "big girl bed." She continuously said yes. When it came time, we read books, sang lullabies, said prayers and she when to sleep. She does wake about 2 or 3 times in the night, and she comes back to bed around 4:30 on, but she does marvellously. I'm not sleeping much better yet because my ears are so open so I can listen to her, but we'll get there like we have with everything else. Right now, I really support the Attachment Parenting method. Abigail is developing very well in her own time. I just wish other people would allow her to take her time in becoming more independent. She is still so young, yet people feel she needs to stop nursing, get out of our bed, spend time without her parents in to "train" her to function in society. She is already ...

It is 8:30 at night and both Shawn and Abigail are asleep. Abigail completely skipped a nap today which is frustrating and tiring. Shawn and I planned on some quality time together once Abigail napped, but after 2 different hours of trying, I got more and more frustrated and tired. Shawn even took her out to sled and play in the snow, but she was too tired and cranky to enjoy it. Toddlers are confusing. So, I am tired, but enjoying my quiet time here. Two weeks ago, Shawn, Abigail and myself had another baby appointment at 22 weeks. I measured about 21 cm(?) which is surprising because my stomach feels so big, but I was measuring a week behind. The heartbeat was right around 140 bpm which is lower than Abigail. Right now, my mango likes to hang out on my right side or deep in my pelvis. Baby moves most when I'm sleeping, and very little while I'm awake. I'm often concerned that baby is alright mainly due to the two large cups of caffeinated tea I drink every day. It's h...

Happy New Year! It is officially 2012 and I am proud to say I am no longer nursing! After Christmas, we came home and decided we would cut off Abigail could turkey. The first night, she cried for over an hour then finally slept the entire night, not waking once. Today is the fourth day and she does not cry at night and will occasionally wake in the middle of the night, but she rarely asks for "milkies." I think she and I were finally ready and she has done so well! We started a new routine of bath time at 8:30, warm milk and books in our bed at 9:00 and this step has taken from a half hour to over an hour. She is so sweet and likes to wrap her arm around me while we sleep. She is such a great, big girl!

Christmas was just a couple days ago and we had a lovely time. Abigail became really clingy and she is still a bit needier than usual now that we're home. Tonight begins our first now of quitting "milkies" cold turkey. She will still be in bed with us, but hopefully! once she is weaned, she will sleep through the night which will enable us to put her on her big girl bed on the floor next to ours. When I stopped nursing her during the day, it was not too difficult and she stopped asking (on a regular basis) after a week. I am willing to have a very difficult week, maybe two, but that's it. Doesn't it take seven days to break a habit? I still believe that nursing is still beneficial and comforting, especially since Abigail does not have a pacifier or any other sort of "lovey" besides myself. I would even continue nursing if I was getting a good sleep at night and if we weren't having a baby soon. I am determined (although at times doubtful) that attach...

I had my second prenatal appointment on Monday and everything is going smoothly. Audra confirmed that I am indeed about 18 weeks and no, I am not having twins or having a baby a month earlier. Baby B's heartbeat was so lovely to hear and Abigail gets a kick out of it every time she hears it. Shawn will get to go to the next appointment where I will be 5 months. This pregnancy is going so quickly! I remember Niki said that it was really slow when she was pregnant with Jackson, because she already knew what to expect. I was afraid that would be the case, but it is just flying by! Abigail is a great 17 months old now. All 4 of her incisors have cut and she only nurses at night. Once school is out and Christmas is over, Shawn and I are going to work on weaning Abigail completely and getting her out of our bed. I think that will be the only way I can survive once B is born. I think we can try Dr. Gordon's approach again and hopefully it will go better now that she's older. She i...

It has been one week since Abigail and I went to our fist appointment at the Birthing Center. Clarice said my due date is about May 6th as long as everything is correct. With that being said, she felt my abdomen and said my uterus feels larger than 13 weeks. The most likely scenario is I'm growing larger and things will slow down later. She also said I could be a month further along than we think or it could be twins. I could not handle that one. My next appointment is Dec. 5th and Audra will measure me. If I'm still large, I will probably have to get an ultrasound. Abigail and I got to listen to Baby B's heartbeat, in which Abigail smiled when she heard it. The Doppler also made a 'bloop' sound when the baby moved. Abigail always got really still when she was in my tummy so this was a new experience. It's very exciting and I can't believe we're going to have another baby again!