Baylor Kate's arrival

Our perfect Little Miss arrived on July 5 at 4:04 pm, measuring a healthy 8 lb 8 oz and 20.25" long.  Though I was induced with her (as I was with Gavin), my labor and delivery experience was WORLDS different -- as opposed to pushing for three hours and ultimately requiring a forceps delivery, Baylor was a one-push wonder.  As a result, my physical recovery has been much easier and I've been able to spend a considerable amount of time bonding with our daughter, helping our son cope with the enormous changes in our household, and figuring out how to do this whole two-kids-under-two thing.

I'll tell you, it's a struggle.  There are definite perks to having a summer baby versus a winter baby, but it's been HOT and RAINY out lately, so we haven't had much of a chance to take Gavin outside to play.  As a result, he's been a bit stir crazy.  (Haven't we all?)  On the days we manage to get outside, things tend to go MUCH more smoothly in the Dowd household.  Taking Gavin to BabyBees has certainly helped -- and because it's not flu season yet, we've felt comfortable taking Baylor with us to Kids First, restaurants, etc...  We feel good about our decision to have a July baby.  :)  Today, it's in the mid-70's and sunny, so we put together our double stroller and plan to take both babies to the park after naps.  

Gavin is pretty obsessed with his little sister, which is both a blessing and a curse.  He doesn't fully understand what it is to be gentle, though he definitely tries, so it's a challenge to make sure he is never in contact with her without Stephen or I standing guard.  He is especially fascinated with Baylor's eyes and ears.  Still, it warms my heart when he reaches for her bottle to help feed her or actually tries to put one of her purple binkies in HER mouth versus HIS.  He's such a good boy...I'm looking forward to the fall, when we've all settled into our roles a bit more and I can really give him the attention he needs again.  Plus, pumpkin spice lattes will give me the caffeine jolt I need to get through this newborn phase... 

Baylor is actually sleeping alright, all things considered.  She's going three hours between feedings -- the challenge lies in that sometimes she doesn't go down easily after a diaper change and bottle.  If she's up at 1:00 am for a bottle, is finished at 1:30, and doesn't go back down until nearly 3:00 (which has definitely happened before)...there's only an hour before she's up and hungry again.  Having learned our lesson from Gavin's newborn shenanigans, Stephen and I take turns sleeping on a mattress on the floor of Baylor's nursery while the other tends to Baylor in our room.  That way, we're promised at least 4-5 hours of consecutive sleep, which is enough to function (though not well).  It's not a long-term solution of course -- we plan to move her to her own room in a week or two -- but for now, it's keeping us FAR more pleasant and productive than we were with Gavin.  (My parents have been super helpful as well, coming over in the evenings so that I can take a shower while Stephen puts Gavin down for bed, or taking Gavin in the afternoons so Stephen and I can take naps or get work done while Baylor sleeps.  Thank goodness for them!)

Anyway, we're surviving.  Baylor is gorgeous, and everyone swears she looks just like Gavin.  Her temperament is far more mellow than Gavin's ever was, but that's probably typical of a second baby.  Stephen and I feel very blessed to have safely brought two beautiful children into the world, and it's been fun to show Baylor off and introduce her to so many friends and family members in these past few weeks.  I could sit here and write all day about the joys, frustrations, and lessons learned since Little Miss joined our family -- but there are bottles to be cleaned, laundry to be put away, toys to be organized........

The Wall.

Okay, I've finally reached it.

I swore it wouldn't happen this time...but I've officially reached the point in my pregnancy where I am OVER IT.

I've hit the wall.

I am 38 weeks pregnant.  I am terribly uncomfortable and tired of waddling.  I wonder if my wedding rings will ever fit again.  Heck, I wonder if my SHOES will ever fit again.  (Don't even get me started on my pre-pregnancy clothes...)  My poor toddler wants to go outside to play, but all I want to do is prop my feet up (not that they even look like feet anymore) and pray that another episode of "Henry Hugglemonster" will somehow make up for the fact that I simply do not have the energy to pick up 48 different colors of sidewalk chalk from around my front yard (again).  I'm still working four days a week, though I move slowly and forget EVERYTHING.  (I never had pregnancy brain with Gavin -- but this little chickadee has sucked the intelligence right out of me.)  In short, I'm a mess.

It doesn't help that we put off a lot of baby prep until the last minute, and with an active little boy, two working parents, and Stephen taking a handful of difficult classes to boot -- last minute is a virtually impossible thing to pull off.  Take, for instance, scheduling a carpet cleaner.  Our carpets were disgusting -- it's incredible what nineteen months worth of milk stains can do.  So we decided that before Baylor made her arrival, we had to get these carpets in order.  Easy enough, right?  WRONG.  Our house is 95% carpeted, so we had to find a time where one of us could take Gavin out of the house not only while the carpets were being cleaned, but for a few hours afterwards (to let them dry enough to avoid instant re-staining).  To complicate things further, carpet cleaners give a THREE HOUR arrival window.  Three hours!  So our first appointment was with Stanley Steemer last Saturday morning.  The arrival time was between 9 am and noon.  We woke Gavin up early, fed him a quick breakfast, and Stephen took him to the mall.  At noon, three hours later, they still had not arrived.  We were quickly approaching Gavin's nap time, so I called Stanley Steemer, only to be told that they wouldn't be able to get to our house until nearly 1:30 because of a broken down truck.  (Uh, thanks for the phone call, guys...  Nice.)  With no other choice, I cancelled with them and had Stephen bring Gavin home for nap.  A grand total of four hours...wasted.  Carpets?  Still dirty.  Unfortunately, that meant we had to do the whole routine again.  This time, we went with Widmers, who not only showed up on time, but was super pleasant and efficient.  Stephen still had to take Gavin out for the evening and it still took quite a bit of orchestration to work around naps, meals, and other commitments...but it got finished, our carpets look wonderful, and one more thing is thankfully off our to-do list.  Also accomplished this week?  Fan installation in Baylor's nursery, another ultrasound/OB appointment, kitchen cabinet reorganization, and packing the hospital bags.  Somewhere in there, my parents also bought a new car and traded in my Mazda.  (I'll now be driving my mom's 2007 Honda Civic, which is not only in much better condition, but is slightly larger for carseats.  It has as many miles on it as the Mazda, but feels a whole lot safer.)  Oh, and the rock n' play and bassinet are officially set up in our bedroom, ready for Baylor's arrival.  Peyton and Eli are keeping them warm until then.

So it's time to break out the pineapple and yoga ball.  It's time for the spicy foods and acupressure.  It's time for all those things I know (from experience) do NOT work to induce labor...but at least make me feel as though I am being somewhat proactive towards accomplishing my goal to get this girl OUT.  We can't wait to meet her, of course...but I also can't wait to be able to put on my own shoes (and preferably, those shoes will actually fit.)  Little Miss has two weeks until I officially serve her an eviction notice -- but goodness knows, I wouldn't mind holding her in my arms (and not my belly) sooner rather than later!

Father's Day

Father's Day was this past weekend, and we are blessed in this family with some great fathers to celebrate!  Though there was a teeeeeeensy tiny part of me that thought Baylor might choose to make her appearance in time for Stephen to celebrate with both kiddos, I was thrilled that we were able to sleep in, make a leisurely breakfast, play together as a family, and see both of our dads on Sunday.

 

Gavin's friend Dru came over to play for a bit!  Gavin wasn't big on sharing his sidewalk chalk, but Dru didn't mind...

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to all the great dads out there, but ESPECIALLY to my father, my father-in-law, and the father of my children!  

37 Week Update

Alright, we're almost there!  We've got three weeks to go, and we're making the most of the short time we have left before meeting our beautiful girl!  Here's my belly picture from last week --

She's definitely dropped, and I'm making good progress as of my last OB appointment.  I now see the doctor weekly and was told to get my hospital bags ready -- so we are coming to terms with the fact that we will be holding Little Miss very, very soon!  We still have SO MUCH to do in preparation -- fan installation, carpet cleaning, whole HOUSE cleaning -- but somehow we'll make it all work.  Gavin is busily preparing to meet his baby sister as well --

Heartbreakingly cute, right?

In other baby news, our niece Eva Capri arrived last week!  Doug and Mindy welcomed their daughter on June 6, weighing 6 lb 10 oz and 18" long.  She's a peanut -- a gorgeous little peanut!  We were able to visit her a few days after her birth, and while we are terribly sad they now live in New Albany, Indiana, we feel so blessed to have welcomed a precious new baby niece into our growing family and can't wait to snuggle with her more.

Gavin, meanwhile, has been enjoying daily playtime with lots of other kiddos.  Whether playing with his cousin Quinn or splashing around with his many, many neighborhood friends, he's definitely wearing himself out during the day -- this kid is PASSING OUT by the time bedtime rolls around!  Here's hoping he continues to sleep this well when his baby sister arrives!

TROUBLE.

We also started Gavin in BabyBees at Kids First this past week (a gym class for toddlers).  We were hoping that there would be lots of other kids Gavin's age and that he'd get to work on his social skills (i.e. SHARING), but as it turns out, he's the only kid in the class!  He doesn't mind -- he loves the extra attention and it's a great way for him to run off some energy when it's 90+ degrees outside and his pregnant mommy can't chase him around at the park.

And that about sums it up for the Linford Dowds!  We have Father's Day coming up this weekend, and then prep prep PREP for baby girl.  I know things seem super crazy now -- but in July, we will have THREE BIRTHDAYS in this household to celebrate!  Holy smokes.  Game on.

The Bittersweetness of Baby 2

Stephen and I are so beyond excited to welcome Little Miss into our family, but as we're nearing the finish line and staring our early July due date in the face, we're starting to get a little...nervous.

Scared?

Maybe even a little...sad?

Please don't get me wrong, we can't wait to meet Baylor.  As her nursery has come together, her closet has filled up, and her kicks have become stronger, our anticipation has grown.  We can't wait to hold her.  To kiss her.  To experience (again) those moments that flew by too quickly with Gavin.

Ah, Gavin.  There's the tinge of sadness.

You see, Gavin is the light of our lives.  I know it sounds cliche, but he is our world.  I love staring at the monitor as he's sleeping, his ratty blue lovey tucked under his head and his dinosaur binky hanging from his mouth.  I love watching him play and explore, wondering what is going through his mind as he runs from one corner of his playroom to the other, giggling and pointing.  I love finding fun things to do with him, be it special time with Mommy or special time as a family.  Stephen and I are blessed enough to go on occasional dates, and we manage to have an hour or two each day to spend as a couple, but we truly enjoy experiencing things through the excited eyes of our headstrong baby boy.  So there's a little bit of sadness that our time with just him will be coming to an end, and Stephen and I both agree that the thing we are most nervous about is finding time to make Gavin feel just as loved and just as special as he is now, even once our attention is split.

Our nervousness stems from the fact that Gavin himself was not an easy newborn.  As I've shared before, he was a terrible sleeper, had severe colic, started teething early -- you name it.  We were walking zombies trying to figure our way through the newborn stage.  But with a toddler, being a walking zombie will not be an option.  I honestly do believe that Baylor will be easier -- Baylor has to be easier! -- in part because she's been so mellow in my tummy, and in part because Stephen and I have navigated this territory before.  We know what to do about baby acne.  We have gas drops on hand, and a full can of Nutramigen in the cabinet (just in case).  The Ferber Method of sleep training?  We are experts.  Gavin made us jump through all sorts of hoops, so now we feel more prepared to handle whatever Baylor throws our way.  But a part of me also thinks Baylor's newborn phase will be easier because there just won't be time to dwell over how tired we are.  (I think it's also the main reason this pregnancy has been easier -- who has time to slow down and lament the aches and pains of pregnancy when you have a cutie pie little boy tugging at your jeans constantly?)  Or maybe this will be every bit as difficult as it was with Gavin -- but at least this time we know there's a light at the end of the tunnel.  A routine will form eventually.  Gavin will settle into his new role as a big brother the same way we will settle into our new role as parents of two.  The best gift you can give a child is a sibling, and we are doing just that.  Gavin will not hate us for bringing his baby sister into the world.  (Not forever, at least.)

Anyway, this nervousness -- this sadness, even -- it's nothing new.  I vividly remember driving to the hospital to be induced with Gavin and Stephen asking me if I was excited.  Of course I was excited, but it came with a healthy dose of bittersweetness.  Until then, it had just been me and Stephen.  If we wanted to see a movie on a Friday night, we went to see a movie on a Friday night.  We slept late on Sundays, made a big breakfast, and then walked it off at the Loveland Bike Trail before heading to the grocery store to pick up something fun to make for dinner that evening.  We were free to do whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted.  I knew that would all change when Gavin arrived -- and we were prepared for that change, and wanted that change -- but we also loved each other so much that we weren't sure how it would affect our relationship to suddenly introduce a tiny being that so desperately needed both of our attention.  Would we have time for each other still?  The answer, we now know, is a resounding YES.  In fact, my love for Stephen has grown exponentially as I've seen him as a father.  Our relationship now is certainly different than it was in our pre-baby days -- but the sleepless nights, colic, and difficult teething spells have ultimately made our marriage stronger.  We've learned to cope with situations that, at times, have seemed insurmountable.

Similarly, I'm sure our relationship with Gavin will change.  He will still be the light of our lives and we will still shower him with so many kisses his giggles simply won't be able to keep up.  Stephen will still read "Pat the Bunny" to him and show him how to feel Daddy's scratchy face, just like the story instructs.  I'll still stare at the monitor in the middle of the night, wondering what I did to find myself blessed with the cutest little boy in the entire universe.  But after I do that, I'll scroll over to the other screen, where my daughter will (hopefully) be peacefully snoozing as well, and I'll marvel at this family Stephen and I have created.  Things change, and we grow, and it's scary and bittersweet and a little bit sad -- but when everything is said and done, when the dust has settled, it's a pretty incredible thing to be a parent.  

Memorial Day Weekend

We've had some GORGEOUS weather for Memorial Day weekend, and we've definitely tried to make the most of it!  It's always so nice to have extra time to spend together as a family, especially since our time as a family of three is coming to an end soon.  Knowing that we'll be struggling with the newborn phase again in a few weeks makes us appreciate this time even more -- and despite the fact that Gavin has absolutely no idea what's coming his way in July, we know he's really enjoying the special attention he's getting from Mommy and Daddy now.

Between hiking around Landen Lake, playing in the fountains at Sharon Woods, and celebrating my dad's upcoming 58th birthday, it's been a busy weekend for sure -- but we wouldn't have it any other way!  Tomorrow is back to the daily grind -- and let's face it, short work weeks always feel the longest for some reason -- but before we know it, we'll be back at another weekend and brainstorming different ways to enjoy this exciting time of year!  HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY, everyone!

Drinking up before some fun at the park!  (Haha -- it's an empty cup, but the boy DOES love Smoothie King!)

One of my favorite pictures of my parents with Gavin...so happy!

Bubbles...water toys...sunshine...the perfect recipe for a beautiful weekend!