Birth Story
When I think back on this pregnancy, most of the memories are not fun. It was a rough one. After finding out we were having twins, I had about 8 weeks of feeling somewhat comfortable as I tried to get as much done as possible. Once 28 weeks hits the amount I would do each week slowly decreased. I did find that laying daily was not just nice, but necessary, in order to function throughout the day. I was getting Braxton Hicks starting at 26 weeks and if I didn't take a break daily, I would often experience them quite strongly, which made me rather nervous. And so each week I was doing less and less and eventually hired a young women in my ward to come clean for me and the last two weeks my mom (week 35 & 36) came daily to help get the baby stuff ready and just wash my dishes. It's humbling to need that much help. I remember having to use the motorized scooters at the grocery store and trying to hold back tears the entire time. It made me think about and understand a little but better how our elderly feel as they loose their independence. Unlike them I will get mine back, but it was hard non the less. And just to try and paint an accurate picture if what it was like I'll mention just how uncomfortable I was! My knees hit my tummy when I would walk up the stairs and touch when I would try and sit in a normal chair. I also had symphosis pubic dysfunction which means walking was extra painful and slow, as well as standing up and rolling over. It was hard!
As I neared 36 weeks I wasn't sure how I was going to do this much longer. I had stopped cooking dinner weeks ago because I just couldn't be on my feet that long! I had stopped going to the store for groceries. I even had a hard time feeding myself because I just couldn't put forth the effort! As I look back I'm not really sure what I was doing...but it wasn't much. July 21st and 22nd were very emotional days for me. I cried multiple times each day and just felt so defeated by this pregnancy. I was annoyed with those around me and was taking everything personally. I was not myself and even wondered if this meant things were getting closer. On Wednesday I went to the chiropractor because I literally could not walk without intense pubic pain. I felt much better after, not perfect, but I could at least walk. Thursday the 23rd I felt much better, physically and emotionally. In the morning I went in for an ultrasound and found out that baby B, who had always been breeched, had turned to head down. It seemed that baby B was getting ready for the big day! While I wanted to keep these babies in as long as possible I couldn't imagine being pregnant much longer!
After my appointment I came home and ate lunch, talked with my mom for a little bit and went and laid down. It was almost 2 o'clock when I was startled awake with my first trickle of liquid. The day before I had literally peed my pants so I wanted to make sure I knew what it was. After 30-40 min I got up, went to the bathroom and put a towel between my legs. I continued to leak. My mom came back from some errands and we decided to pack my hospital bag. Marshall got home and we ate dinner around 5 or 6 (I ate a lot because at this point I knew it would be a while before my next meal). We spent a little time as a family of three and put Ernest to bed and then found someone to watch him so we could go to the hospital.
We left for the hospital at 10:30pm. At 1am they told us according to their test I was not leaking amniotic fluid, but they didn't believe it. Haha makes you wonder how reliable those tests are anyways. They checked me and I was a 2 and we spent the next hour walking the halls to get things started. I progressed to a 3 in that hour and I was officially admitted. I asked my doula to come so that I could have some support and Marshall could hopefully sleep. We continued to walk the halls until almost 5am. This is when they checked me again...and it was so painful I wanted to kick her hand out of me! She said I was a 5, but I don't think she really got a good check, and I think she was off. By this point I was really tired so we decided to,take a break from walking. I got in the bed and tried to relax. At this point the problem was that I wasn't having regular contractions. If I was standing it was almost like I was having one long contraction, but if I sat or laid down they totally slowed down. So at 9am, with little to no progress we started some pitocin.
For the next 5 hours we continued to slowly increase the pitocin hoping that my body to begin contracting strongly and regularly. By 2pm I was at a 10 on pitocin (highest dose offered is 20) and things were getting real. Contractions were close together and very intense. I was sure my body was doing what it needed to to progress, so when I was checked and was still at a 5, that is when the tears came. Yes it was frustrating to not be progressing, but more than that I knew they would want to increase the pitocin which would only make my contractions stronger and closer together and I was scared. It already hurt and pushing the button that will make things harder on purpose is a hard thing to wrap your mind around. Mentally I went straight to the I want an epidural now. But then I just talked to myself and reminded myself that I didn't know for sure that it would be harder, that I could just try it and see. And it worked. I do think allowing the tears to come and being able to talk with Marshall about what they meant allowed me to then move into a better place instead of feeling stuck there. We increased my pitocin and not too long after my doctor came in to see how things were going.
My doctor is Dr. Young. And even though he works in a rotating practice he agreed to special me, meaning he would come in even if he wasn't on call to deliver my babies. So here he was on a holiday, stopping in at the hospital, when he wasn't on call, checking on me. He explained that while my progression slowed I was ok to continue to progress slowly, but that the longer I went the less likely he would be in to deliver me and I would get the doctor on call. We agreed to check me at 4:30 and decide then what to do. Once everyone left we continued to work through contractions (which hadn't increased in intensity yet) and I was able to think clearly about the position I was in and what things I wanted most. It was in those moments that I decided I would Ike to get the epidural at 4:30 so that they could check me and then increase my pitocin enough to help me progress faster so Dr. Young could deliver me. I knew that I would have the greatest chance for a successful vaginal birth with him, so even though it meant getting my epidural earlier than I wanted I knew I wanted this doctor more. After deciding this we let the nurse know we would get the epidural at 4:30, and that is when things really got intense!
It was intense like lots of low and loud moaning. We were changing positions frequently and both Marshall and my Doula were doing pressure points. It's hard for me to imagine contractions more painful, or trying to push while dealing with those contractions and the extra pain of the baby actually coming out. But who knows, maybe I just have a low tolerance for pain. Or maybe labor is just longer and harder for me. In any event, when the epidural finally came (because they are always late) I was ready and it was welcomed. Once I was comfortable they checked me and I was at a 6. Even though I had wanted to get the epidural at a 7, I felt comfortable getting it when I did and was glad I was able to progress to that 6 on my own. Then they turned the pitocin from 12 to 16 and soon after that up to 20. I was able to sleep for a little bit and when they checked 2 hours later at 7pm, I was ready to go!
They called the doctor and handed Marshall his OR attire and me a hair net. Once everything was ready they wheeled my bed back to the OR. Oh how I wish Camilia could have gone back with me to take pictures. But we couldn't get them to budge on that one. The OR was bright, chilly, and crowded. There was hardly any room for just Marshall! They wheeled my bed next to the c-section bed but let me stay in my bed, which I took as a good omen. They quickly checked babies positions with an ultrasound, paying close attention to baby B. Once they knew how he was positioned the doctor directed the nurse that once baby A comes out to guide baby B down so that he would come head first as well. Once everything was ready I got to start pushing. It's hard with an epidural to know if you are pushing hard or not because you can't really feel it. I did ask them to set the mirror up this time and I'll be honest, it's not really pretty, but it was nice to be able to see my efforts pay off! I'm not entirely sure how long I pushed to get baby A out, but SHE popped out at 8:04. So between them checking me at 7 and her coming at 8, I don't think I pushed for too long.
She made her presence with eyes wide open and peed all over the doctor. They placed her on my and the first thought I had was ELIZABETH. Later Marshall would tell me he had the same thought when he first saw her. She wasn't breathing quite like they wanted so they took her away for a few minutes and then brought her back all wrapped up because it was so cold in there. She weighed 5 lbs 5 oz and was 19 inches long. With her on my chest I began pushing baby B out. I had always thought baby B would kind of 'just fall out' because the birth canal was already open, but that wasn't really the case. Baby B had to start at the beginning of the birth canal, so I actually had further to push with him. When he was about half way through the canal his heart rate dropped to about 70. I listened as the doctor and nurse discussed this and then the doctor told me not to push and asked for the vacuum. While they got the vacuum ready I remember closing my eyes and praying that everything would be OK. I did not receive a confirmation that all would be OK in that moment. Instead I was reminded that The Lord had been reassuring me my entire pregnancy that everything would be OK. I clung to the remembrance of those previous prompting and got ready for what was next.
Once the vacuums was positioned, the doctor told me to get ready to push. And push I did! Even though it's hard to feel how hard I was pushing, I can say with confidence those were my strongest pushes! And we just kept pushing until he came out! HE was born at 8:19pm, just 15 minutes after his sister. He weighed 5 lbs 15 oz and was also 19 inches long. They took him over to the warmer to make sure his heart rate returned to normal and within a couple minutes he was also placed on my chest all bundled up. Marshall and I held them as I got stitched up and as they got my bleeding under control. Once all that fun stuff was done we got wheeled back to our room. Camilia was there ready to take pictures and my mom had snuck into our room while we were in the OR.
Everyone had time to admire the babies while the nurses and my doula took care of me. I was pretty light headed after all the bleeding, and luckily all my vitals looked good. I tried my best to eat and drink something. I ended up throwing up and pooping my pants. Oh the joys of birth! But I also had the joy of skin to skin and tandem nursing! I felt pretty cool being able to do that. Their latches were not the greatest, but they were both on and sucking! Once I got a shower and nursed them again all I wanted to do was sleep. Like I was seriously exhausted. One of these days I am going to go into labor and have my baby all with 12 hours! That would be just ideal.
I feel so good about this birth! Obviously having healthy babies is a huge plus, but I feel like I made the choices that were best for me. I feel like I was well informed. I do not regret any decision I made. And i feel like I worked through my labor, had a better attitude, and didn't make any choices in a state of desperation. I was able to overcome my mental block, and that really means a lot to me. Sometimes I worry that I am not mentally strong enough...and it was so empowering to get to a place where I wanted to just give in and give up but instead was able to push through. That means a lot to me!
My recovery after birth was also a little rough. For a solid two weeks it was just as painful to walk as it was the last week of my pregnancy due to my loose ligaments that were taking their time to tighten up. Not to mention walking hunched over as my body tried to adjust to my rather large belly suddenly disappearing. While my labors are long and hard and my recoveries aren't great my silver lining is always breastfeeding. And breastfeeding is awesome! Both babies have a great latch! Baby boy had a shallow latch but after using a nipple shield for a day he has been perfect! I was only engorged for a day, no cracking or bleeding. It has been great and for that I am truly grateful!
It took us a good week to decide on names. And even then I felt rushed. I've decided I really don't like naming babies. It is hard! It is important to Marshall that they be named after someone. It is important to me that their name somehow fits them or that I feel prompted or pulled to a certain name for them. That is probably why I refuse to name my babies before they come. How can I feel prompted about their name if I can't even see them!? Even though I felt prompted with the name Elizabeth it still took me almost a week to decide on a name. I am not a huge fan of the name Elizabeth, so I tried really hard to just name her an Elizabeth nickname, but at the end of the day I couldn't deny my impression so we did end up officially naming her Elizabeth Marietta, but she will forever be known as Libby! His name was a lot harder for me because there really was no impressions to help me out. We tried out our top names on him but they just didn't fit him, which is a bummer because I obviously liked them! Marshall has always pushed for the name Gene, but I've never been a big fan. But there was no denying it, out of all the names we tried Gene seemed to fit him best. For the middle name Marshall asked me to think of someone that I look up to and who I would want my son to be like. Naturally I chose the name Marshall (against his wishes hehe). So Gene Marshall it was. Phew I was glad that was behind us! Now I could just enjoy them!
And so here we are. Three children under 2. Twins. Family of five. So crazy. I still can't wrap my mind around it. And the lack of sleep probably isn't helping. Two babies is hard, but one baby is hard too. Luckily I have a ton of help and an amazing toddler so it'll work out. We might spend most days in our pjs or eat oatmeal for dinner on a regular basis, but we'll get there. Ernest is doing great so far. Mainly because so far I have had helpers which means he has had attention. We'll see what happens when it is just me at home. Man I am lucky to have him though. He is a good kid, and very well natured. I feel so blessed. So very blessed.
Thursday, August 13, 2015
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Twins? Come again?
That's right folks! Twins! And now that the shock is finally wearing off I figured I'd better document a few things up to this point.
Deciding to start trying for another child was nothing like the first time around. I knew I'd get sick so we had to at least wait till I took my MFT licensing exam. I took it on November 13th and we started talking about having more children right away. I wanted them to be close in age, then maybe I could take a longer break for the next one. So on a whim we tried...for about a week...before I kinda freaked out and said it was too soon. When December 4th came and went without the return of my cycle I knew. But my symptoms were different so I held out hope. I didn't take a test (I didn't have a test and just never made it to the right store to get one), but just waited.
The third week in December Marshall went to Vegas for work and Ernest and I went to St. George to visit Kalli and her kids (Chris was there too, but was working a ton). Of course they asked when we were thinking of trying. When Kalli heard my story she informed me she had a test and the next day when I drove down to Vegas for a quick visit with Marshall we took a test. Positive it was. And I was not surprised! Neither of us were. I'm a very regular person so there was no way I was just late.
Back in St. George I had my first moment of morning sickness as I was making dinner for everybody, and I distinctly remember Kalli shoving apples in my mouth so I didn't get more sick. Haha good times. Once we got home it was the week of Christmas. For the most part I felt pretty good and just kept hoping I could make it past the holidays still enjoying food.
Enter Christmas Day. I don't remember much about the morning, so I'm guessing I felt fine. But somewhere things turned sour. Marshall's family was in town and because I wasn't feeling great they did most the cooking, but then left to take food to his brothers house. I remember there was a pork roast in the crock pot and baked potatoes in the oven. When I walked into the kitchen the smell was overwhelming and made me sick to my stomach. I quickly prepared a baked potato and had to eat it in the formal dining room, that we NEVER eat in, because the smell was too powerful to me. I tried to eat, thinking food in my stomach would help, but it didn't take long before Marshall brought me a bowl and I lost anything I had in my stomach. He cleaned it up for me and then threw his food away, saying he didn't have much of an appetite after all that. It was quite the Christmas dinner for us.
After that I was pretty much sick through January and into February. It was rough. My house was always messy! It pretty much looked like Christmas Day for an entire month. Except my dishes. I forced myself to keep up on the kitchen. We ate oatmeal for dinner about three times a week. Ernest and I never left the house (and he was so good about it!). I was lucky to take a shower on a weekly basis. But all in all it wasn't as bad as last time. I only threw up once or twice a day instead of 3 or 4 or 5 times. Ernest would mimic me in the morning by leaning over the toilet and coughing. His empathy is right on track. And I tried everything to help! After the worst week I drank watered down apple cider vinegar and surprisingly felt better after that. Who really knows though?! I also got a UTI and was able to treat it naturally without antibiotics! Being able to drink pure cranberry juice while you have constant morning sickness is a big deal!
Towards the end of February I was finally starting to feel like myself again. Ernest and I would leave the house every now and again, I started meal planning, cleaning more, and getting dressed regularly! Clothes were turning into more of a challenge this time around. Looking back I'm sure I was growing faster but in the moment i just didn't want to wear maxi dresses like I did last time. I started sporting leggings and tunics. And the further along I got the bigger I got, but again it didn't seem out of the ordinary because everyone 'pops' sooner with their second. My body, however, did feel more pregnant than I was. I felt so big, and had to pull out extra sleeping pillows earlier than last time, and it seemed I was already waddling! But again I just figured these were normal for your second pregnancy.
Everything changed March 30th at my 20 week ultrasound. Marshall was almost going to stay home with Ernest because we didn't have a babysitter, but I brought a snack he doesn't get often and reminded myself Ernest's 20 week ultrasound was maybe 15 min tops, and we headed in as a family of three.
We all got situated and the tech asked if I had had any other ultrasounds this pregnancy. I said no, and told her to feel free to go as fast as she can. I've never been one to connect with the ultrasound pictures and with a toddler there I didn't want to create chaos. She smiled and said, "well it is going to take a little longer than normal," (This is where my heart dropped a little. My first thought was that she had found something wrong and needed to document it carefully.) "because you are having twins!"
The first thing I felt for maybe half a second was relief that nothing was wrong. And then pure shock! I looked at Marshall and his eyes were huge, deer in the headlight kind of huge! The shock and unbelief continued for about the next 24 hours. We told family and friends and continued to share the news over the next week. Everyone is so excited! Which is good because it's rubbing off on me. Finding out that you are having twins puts you in a weird place. It's like you are caught off guard by a busy, overwhelming, and challenging blessing. Having twins comes with so many extra worries...and I'm not even talking about once they are here! My entire vision of what pregnancy and birth will look like has completely changed.
I don't know a lot about the possible risks I may face. I meet with the maternal fetal medicine group at utah valley this Friday and I will learn more. I do know that it looks like my babies are sharing a placenta which may mean they could be identical, and it adds extra risk for their growth and sharing of blood. I pray every day that they can share blood and food so that we don't have to take them out too early! While I was originally planning on a baby by the end of August, I am now preparing for two babies as early as the beginning of July. I hope they stay in as long as possible because suddenly leaving my babies at the NICU is a very real possibility. And that is scary. Oh well, I guess I'll have the birth I dream of next time.
Once the shock wore off I went into crazy mode. At least that is kinda how it felt. I went shopping and bought things that have kinda been on my list for a while but haven't bought because I was just casually looking for a good deal. It was like I felt like if I didn't buy these things now I never would because there would be no time! And no, these were not baby items! I kicked my butt in gear and started organizing my house and finishing projects (which considering how unproductive I was when I was in my first trimester was a lot). And then I started buying baby gear. I went from thinking I would need only a baby swing to buying two car seats, and looking at baby swings, twin nursing pillows, and that is just the beginning. Oh well, I'll finally have everything I need for the next baby.
And so this is my life right now. It is crazy and a complete shift from where I was just a little over a week ago. Sometimes life throws you a curve ball...but you know what, I think I'll take this one.
Deciding to start trying for another child was nothing like the first time around. I knew I'd get sick so we had to at least wait till I took my MFT licensing exam. I took it on November 13th and we started talking about having more children right away. I wanted them to be close in age, then maybe I could take a longer break for the next one. So on a whim we tried...for about a week...before I kinda freaked out and said it was too soon. When December 4th came and went without the return of my cycle I knew. But my symptoms were different so I held out hope. I didn't take a test (I didn't have a test and just never made it to the right store to get one), but just waited.
The third week in December Marshall went to Vegas for work and Ernest and I went to St. George to visit Kalli and her kids (Chris was there too, but was working a ton). Of course they asked when we were thinking of trying. When Kalli heard my story she informed me she had a test and the next day when I drove down to Vegas for a quick visit with Marshall we took a test. Positive it was. And I was not surprised! Neither of us were. I'm a very regular person so there was no way I was just late.
Back in St. George I had my first moment of morning sickness as I was making dinner for everybody, and I distinctly remember Kalli shoving apples in my mouth so I didn't get more sick. Haha good times. Once we got home it was the week of Christmas. For the most part I felt pretty good and just kept hoping I could make it past the holidays still enjoying food.
Enter Christmas Day. I don't remember much about the morning, so I'm guessing I felt fine. But somewhere things turned sour. Marshall's family was in town and because I wasn't feeling great they did most the cooking, but then left to take food to his brothers house. I remember there was a pork roast in the crock pot and baked potatoes in the oven. When I walked into the kitchen the smell was overwhelming and made me sick to my stomach. I quickly prepared a baked potato and had to eat it in the formal dining room, that we NEVER eat in, because the smell was too powerful to me. I tried to eat, thinking food in my stomach would help, but it didn't take long before Marshall brought me a bowl and I lost anything I had in my stomach. He cleaned it up for me and then threw his food away, saying he didn't have much of an appetite after all that. It was quite the Christmas dinner for us.
After that I was pretty much sick through January and into February. It was rough. My house was always messy! It pretty much looked like Christmas Day for an entire month. Except my dishes. I forced myself to keep up on the kitchen. We ate oatmeal for dinner about three times a week. Ernest and I never left the house (and he was so good about it!). I was lucky to take a shower on a weekly basis. But all in all it wasn't as bad as last time. I only threw up once or twice a day instead of 3 or 4 or 5 times. Ernest would mimic me in the morning by leaning over the toilet and coughing. His empathy is right on track. And I tried everything to help! After the worst week I drank watered down apple cider vinegar and surprisingly felt better after that. Who really knows though?! I also got a UTI and was able to treat it naturally without antibiotics! Being able to drink pure cranberry juice while you have constant morning sickness is a big deal!
Towards the end of February I was finally starting to feel like myself again. Ernest and I would leave the house every now and again, I started meal planning, cleaning more, and getting dressed regularly! Clothes were turning into more of a challenge this time around. Looking back I'm sure I was growing faster but in the moment i just didn't want to wear maxi dresses like I did last time. I started sporting leggings and tunics. And the further along I got the bigger I got, but again it didn't seem out of the ordinary because everyone 'pops' sooner with their second. My body, however, did feel more pregnant than I was. I felt so big, and had to pull out extra sleeping pillows earlier than last time, and it seemed I was already waddling! But again I just figured these were normal for your second pregnancy.
Everything changed March 30th at my 20 week ultrasound. Marshall was almost going to stay home with Ernest because we didn't have a babysitter, but I brought a snack he doesn't get often and reminded myself Ernest's 20 week ultrasound was maybe 15 min tops, and we headed in as a family of three.
We all got situated and the tech asked if I had had any other ultrasounds this pregnancy. I said no, and told her to feel free to go as fast as she can. I've never been one to connect with the ultrasound pictures and with a toddler there I didn't want to create chaos. She smiled and said, "well it is going to take a little longer than normal," (This is where my heart dropped a little. My first thought was that she had found something wrong and needed to document it carefully.) "because you are having twins!"
The first thing I felt for maybe half a second was relief that nothing was wrong. And then pure shock! I looked at Marshall and his eyes were huge, deer in the headlight kind of huge! The shock and unbelief continued for about the next 24 hours. We told family and friends and continued to share the news over the next week. Everyone is so excited! Which is good because it's rubbing off on me. Finding out that you are having twins puts you in a weird place. It's like you are caught off guard by a busy, overwhelming, and challenging blessing. Having twins comes with so many extra worries...and I'm not even talking about once they are here! My entire vision of what pregnancy and birth will look like has completely changed.
I don't know a lot about the possible risks I may face. I meet with the maternal fetal medicine group at utah valley this Friday and I will learn more. I do know that it looks like my babies are sharing a placenta which may mean they could be identical, and it adds extra risk for their growth and sharing of blood. I pray every day that they can share blood and food so that we don't have to take them out too early! While I was originally planning on a baby by the end of August, I am now preparing for two babies as early as the beginning of July. I hope they stay in as long as possible because suddenly leaving my babies at the NICU is a very real possibility. And that is scary. Oh well, I guess I'll have the birth I dream of next time.
Once the shock wore off I went into crazy mode. At least that is kinda how it felt. I went shopping and bought things that have kinda been on my list for a while but haven't bought because I was just casually looking for a good deal. It was like I felt like if I didn't buy these things now I never would because there would be no time! And no, these were not baby items! I kicked my butt in gear and started organizing my house and finishing projects (which considering how unproductive I was when I was in my first trimester was a lot). And then I started buying baby gear. I went from thinking I would need only a baby swing to buying two car seats, and looking at baby swings, twin nursing pillows, and that is just the beginning. Oh well, I'll finally have everything I need for the next baby.
And so this is my life right now. It is crazy and a complete shift from where I was just a little over a week ago. Sometimes life throws you a curve ball...but you know what, I think I'll take this one.
Thursday, February 26, 2015
All About My Little Growing Boy
My baby is no longer a baby. And I am horrible at updating this blog. And they say it only gets worse with each child...so soon you won't even know how many children I have.
Right now Ernest is 17 months and such a joy. He has completely mastered walking. He started a week or two before 12 months with a few steps and at his birthday party he decided to walk a bunch. From there he has always been walking. He has wanted to walk from day one. He loved standing, even as a newborn and walking was so thrilling for him.
He is truly a pleasant person. He rarely gets upset or cries or has meltdowns. While i do think he has an easy going temperament, I also think that enough sleep and routines make a huge difference for any child. And speaking of bedtime...Ernest loves bedtime! Which is just wonderful! He only gets his binky when he is going to sleep so when you take him in his room to go to bed he just starts giggling because he is so excited to get it. We have a nightly routine that he knows and is fairly short. The best part is when we turn the lights off and sit in the rocking chair he immediately puts his head on your shoulder. This is kinda big, well, actually really huge. He never cuddles...like ever! The fact that twice a day this kid lays his head on your shoulder is a miracle and often the sweetest part of my day. After rocking for a minute, and the recent addition of a song, we lay him in his bed and to sleep he goes. No fuss. I love it! And I worked hard earlier in his life to make bedtime as easy as possible. I'm sure our challenges will come but for now I am going to enjoy this. He goes to bed around 7 and wakes up around 7:20. And sleeps through the night. One nap after an early lunch. I could probably talk all day about sleeping, but I'll try and stop here.
He is speaking a little bit. He says Mom, Dad, bus, more, please, yes, thank you and a myriad of animal sounds. My favorite is the rabbit, which I guess you see more than hear. His favorite is the puppy and dog. And any time he gets a hold of any electronics he just wants to see pictures of puppies. In truth the only words someone other than his parents might catch are mom and yes. Those two are quite clear. Even though he can't speak a ton it is so fun to see him understanding more and more of what we say. Just today I asked him to go wipe his hands on the towel by dad, and he did, even though that is not something I regularly say to him. And of course he is constantly jabbering as if he has plenty to say and everyone knows what he is saying. I love it!
Despite his many food allergies I do my best to try and feed him whatever we are eating. Obviously it doesn't always work out as we still love our wheat and dairy, and the fact that he is still a toddler and there are just certain foods he doesn't like. I am always glad when he tries them though. I figure that is all I can ask of someone his age. He hates beans (even though he use to love them) and he doesn't really like meat unless it is beef jerky. He loves breakfast! When he get downstairs for the day he goes straight for the fridge, and while I don't doubt that he is hungry, he just loves breakfast foods. I make a special wheat free, dairy free and egg free waffle for him that he likes. He also loves oatmeal and cereal. The kid can easily out eat me at breakfast too. He gets a green smoothie twice a day with his cod liver oil and probiotic and helps me feel like he is eating healthy food! He has already outgrown two minor allergens (coconut and peppers) so I keep praying he will eventually out grow the rest (or at least the dairy and egg ones).
He gets so excited when we leave the house. He is so excited that sometimes I feel bad when I know that all we are going to do is drive. He may also be a little deprived of outings at this point. I am pregnant (if anyone is still reading this I guess you can consider that your announcement haha) and was sick pretty much all of January and I pretty much never left my house. So the poor kid really is desperate to get out. Luckily I am feeling starting to feel normal again and we have been leaving the house more and more. He is so easy to pleased though, a trip to the grocery store is more than enough to satisfy him.
And the randoms: We've always read books to him and he has just started to pull books out and read to himself. So cute. He loves buses and big trucks and gets so excited to look outside to see them. He loves to honk noses and will often pull that trick out when rocking to sleep. He is sometimes still slow to warm up to others. But at the same time...not too slow. By the end of any outing with new friends he will almost always be talking with them and give them a hug goodbye. He loves saying goodbye and doesn't know how to say hello. He loves babies, especially if they are girls. He has never really gotten clingy to me when I am holding another baby, but if Marshall is around he wants to be held by him. He is really isn't a clingy baby. The other day I left him in nursery to go to our stake religion class and he did great. Hopefully he responds the same when with nursery during church in a few weeks. He loves glasses and hats. He loves spinning tops. He loves pots and pans and the tupperware draw. He loves lids and putting lids on. He loves when someone will sit next to him on something that he can sit on all by himself (like the stairs). He loves real tools. He loves Facetime! We facetime Dad and Grandma Paxson most and he always has a lot to say. And he loves D'mar, like a lot!
And I am going to post this now...and hopefully add pictures sometime! haha This is so not my forte.
Right now Ernest is 17 months and such a joy. He has completely mastered walking. He started a week or two before 12 months with a few steps and at his birthday party he decided to walk a bunch. From there he has always been walking. He has wanted to walk from day one. He loved standing, even as a newborn and walking was so thrilling for him.
He is truly a pleasant person. He rarely gets upset or cries or has meltdowns. While i do think he has an easy going temperament, I also think that enough sleep and routines make a huge difference for any child. And speaking of bedtime...Ernest loves bedtime! Which is just wonderful! He only gets his binky when he is going to sleep so when you take him in his room to go to bed he just starts giggling because he is so excited to get it. We have a nightly routine that he knows and is fairly short. The best part is when we turn the lights off and sit in the rocking chair he immediately puts his head on your shoulder. This is kinda big, well, actually really huge. He never cuddles...like ever! The fact that twice a day this kid lays his head on your shoulder is a miracle and often the sweetest part of my day. After rocking for a minute, and the recent addition of a song, we lay him in his bed and to sleep he goes. No fuss. I love it! And I worked hard earlier in his life to make bedtime as easy as possible. I'm sure our challenges will come but for now I am going to enjoy this. He goes to bed around 7 and wakes up around 7:20. And sleeps through the night. One nap after an early lunch. I could probably talk all day about sleeping, but I'll try and stop here.
He is speaking a little bit. He says Mom, Dad, bus, more, please, yes, thank you and a myriad of animal sounds. My favorite is the rabbit, which I guess you see more than hear. His favorite is the puppy and dog. And any time he gets a hold of any electronics he just wants to see pictures of puppies. In truth the only words someone other than his parents might catch are mom and yes. Those two are quite clear. Even though he can't speak a ton it is so fun to see him understanding more and more of what we say. Just today I asked him to go wipe his hands on the towel by dad, and he did, even though that is not something I regularly say to him. And of course he is constantly jabbering as if he has plenty to say and everyone knows what he is saying. I love it!
Despite his many food allergies I do my best to try and feed him whatever we are eating. Obviously it doesn't always work out as we still love our wheat and dairy, and the fact that he is still a toddler and there are just certain foods he doesn't like. I am always glad when he tries them though. I figure that is all I can ask of someone his age. He hates beans (even though he use to love them) and he doesn't really like meat unless it is beef jerky. He loves breakfast! When he get downstairs for the day he goes straight for the fridge, and while I don't doubt that he is hungry, he just loves breakfast foods. I make a special wheat free, dairy free and egg free waffle for him that he likes. He also loves oatmeal and cereal. The kid can easily out eat me at breakfast too. He gets a green smoothie twice a day with his cod liver oil and probiotic and helps me feel like he is eating healthy food! He has already outgrown two minor allergens (coconut and peppers) so I keep praying he will eventually out grow the rest (or at least the dairy and egg ones).
He gets so excited when we leave the house. He is so excited that sometimes I feel bad when I know that all we are going to do is drive. He may also be a little deprived of outings at this point. I am pregnant (if anyone is still reading this I guess you can consider that your announcement haha) and was sick pretty much all of January and I pretty much never left my house. So the poor kid really is desperate to get out. Luckily I am feeling starting to feel normal again and we have been leaving the house more and more. He is so easy to pleased though, a trip to the grocery store is more than enough to satisfy him.
And the randoms: We've always read books to him and he has just started to pull books out and read to himself. So cute. He loves buses and big trucks and gets so excited to look outside to see them. He loves to honk noses and will often pull that trick out when rocking to sleep. He is sometimes still slow to warm up to others. But at the same time...not too slow. By the end of any outing with new friends he will almost always be talking with them and give them a hug goodbye. He loves saying goodbye and doesn't know how to say hello. He loves babies, especially if they are girls. He has never really gotten clingy to me when I am holding another baby, but if Marshall is around he wants to be held by him. He is really isn't a clingy baby. The other day I left him in nursery to go to our stake religion class and he did great. Hopefully he responds the same when with nursery during church in a few weeks. He loves glasses and hats. He loves spinning tops. He loves pots and pans and the tupperware draw. He loves lids and putting lids on. He loves when someone will sit next to him on something that he can sit on all by himself (like the stairs). He loves real tools. He loves Facetime! We facetime Dad and Grandma Paxson most and he always has a lot to say. And he loves D'mar, like a lot!
And I am going to post this now...and hopefully add pictures sometime! haha This is so not my forte.
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