Welcoming Fall

After over a year, it's so nice to sit down and type out a blog post. I never meant to take a blogging hiatus, but as we all know, life gets busy and some things have to take a back burner for a while.  For now though, I'm back with lots to share (mostly cute kid pictures)!

We ushered in October with a trip to the pumpkin patch, a first for both boys and something that will definitely become a yearly tradition.  The boys loved it.  We went on a hay ride, swung on tractor swings (well, the boys did), saw some animals, raced rubber ducks down a water slide, and obviously chose some pumpkins to bring home.  Nixon ran around from one activity to the next with endless energy and enthusiasm, and Jack looked the part in his adorable overalls while trying to figure out what this place is and why pumpkins are so heavy.

Jack {Four Months}

+ 16 lbs (68%) and 25.3 inches (63%)
+ Wearing 6-month clothes
+ Is so close to rolling back to front.  He can get his legs and tummy over but can't quite pull his arm through to get his shoulders over.
+ He's hit the dreaded four-month sleep regression and is waking up two or three times a night
+ Likes smiling.  Smiling is his favorite.
+ Giggles require a little more effort than smiles, but we're getting more and more of them
+ Is very alert and loves watching everything going on around him
+ Drools an insane amount
+ Likes: playing in his baby gym, watching his brother play, "talking"
+ Dislikes: being alone when he's awake, not being able to fall asleep because his brother is being loud (this happens a lot)

Nixon {2.5 Years}

+ 30 lbs and an undetermined height, because he wouldn't stand still long enough to measure.
+ Talking up a storm.  He may have had a slow start verbally, but he's more than making up for it now.
+ Is the hugest staller when it comes to nap time and bedtime.
+ The love of trucks, cars, trains, etc. is still going strong.
+ His hair is turning into a big mess, but I can't bring myself to cut off his curls.
+ He's gotten used to Jack, dare I say perhaps even likes him?  He loves to squish him give him hugs and will sometimes lay next to him on the floor during playtime.
+ Doesn't stop moving all day long, but still prefers to snuggle with his mama all night.
+ His current favorite game is filling up his dump truck and garbage truck with blocks (or any small toys) and dumping them back out.  Over and over and over.
+ He has a really creepy fake laugh that he likes to break out pretty often.  Like all day long.  We think it's hilarious.
+ Knows all the colors and most shapes.
+ Can count to the teens, although he usually takes a few creative liberties as far as the correct order.

Nixon Says

Me: Nixon, do you want to go to the park this morning?
Nixon: Down slide, wheeee!  Up steps, down slide, wheeeeee!

After watching a video that sounded out letters:
Ah ah apple.  Ah ah bus. Ah ah Jack.  Good job.

Me: Can you please put all these toys back in the basket?
Nixon: *looks at the pretty large pile of toys* Yuck.

Jack {Three Months}

+ Already growing out of his 3 month clothes.  Slow down Jack!
+ Still a great sleeper, most nights he sleeps until about five, and then goes back to sleep for a couple more hours after some milk
+ He is super smiley and nothing makes him happier than someone talking to him
+ He has become quite the chatterbox, and as soon as he has someone's attention he starts cooing away
+ Would be thrilled if he was held all day long
+ Gets his cheeks kissed about a million times a day
+ Loves to watch his big brother.  I can only imagine what kind of shenanigans they'll get into together.
+ Likes: napping in his swing, baths, chatting with people, snuggling, being swaddled at night
+ Dislikes: not being picked up right away when he fusses, tummy time

Jack {Two Months}

+ 13.3 lbs (85%) and 23.6 in (77%)
+ His head is only in the 57th percentile, so we'll see if he follows in Nixon's 99th percentile footsteps
+ Wears 0-3 and 3 month clothes
+ He's consistently been sleeping for eight-hour stretches at night, waking up around 4 or 5 to eat, and then usually going back to sleep for another couple hours.
+ We're getting more and more smiles from him, and he's starting to attempt some cooing.  So basically we spend all day making faces at him and talking in weird voices to try and get a smile.
+ After his bath his hair is super fuzzy and it's pretty much the cutest thing ever.
+ Loves: naps on Mama, his pacifier, baths, being swaddled, his swing
+ Dislikes: tummy time, having a dirty diaper

Jack's Birth Story

I'm writing down Jack's birth story mostly so I can look back one day and remember every special moment.  If reading all the details of birth is your thing, then enjoy!  If not, there are some cute pictures at the end!

Jack's entrance into the world may have turned out differently than I had expected or planned on (because these things always go according to plan, right?), but meeting him was as beautiful and precious as I could have hoped for.  He reminded us that he's his own person by making us wait as long as possible, although he's making up for it by being the sweetest little baby.

Nixon showed up eight days before his due date, so I was really hoping this one wasn't going to make us wait around.  No such luck.  At my 40-week appointment, the midwife scheduled my induction for ten days past my due date, all the while saying she didn't think we would have to go that route.  I was also scheduled for a couple non-stress tests during those ten days, just to make sure the baby was still in good shape.

I really wanted to avoid an induction, but at the same time it was reassuring to have an end date set.  I was having a lot of braxton hicks, so I knew my body was getting ready, but they never turned into anything close to real labor.  So, at 41.5 weeks pregnant, it was time to encourage little Jack to come out and meet us.

We checked in to the hospital at 3 pm, and spent the next couple hours getting settled, meeting the team, and doing a lot of waiting.  My nurse finally started the pitocin around 5, and then...more waiting.  The contractions picked up in frequency, but were still only slightly uncomfortable.  I relaxed in bed, chatted with Donovan, and hoped that things would pick up and I wouldn't be in labor all night.  The nurse raised my dose of pitocin a couple times over the next two hours and kept remarking how well I was responding to it.  I took her word for it since I still wasn't anything more than mildly uncomfortable and didn't really feel like I was in labor.  Once my water broke around 7:20 though, things got real.

The contractions quickly became more and more painful and were coming closer together.  No more doubting whether or not I was in labor!  An hour or so after my water broke, the nurse came in to check on me.  My pain level was getting pretty serious by this point, but I was still managing the contractions.  As crazy as it sounds, the idea of getting an epidural is more scary to me than giving birth drug-free, so I really wanted to do this naturally if at all possible.  I was only dilated to a six, which was a little discouraging considering how intense the contractions were feeling, but I still refused the nurse's offer of an epidural and opted to tough it out just a little bit longer.  Fast forward about fifteen minutes, and I was yelling at Donovan that I couldn't take it anymore and needed something.  The nurse came in, took one quick look, and announced that we were having a baby.  The team rushed in, the midwife got in place, and I started pushing.  I honestly have no idea how long I pushed, it felt like hours but was probably around ten to fifteen minutes.  Finally, at 8:48 pm, sweet little Jack entered the world and was placed in my arms.

Best moment ever.

While I have to say that having two kids is a whole different ball game, we are so in love with this little guy.  I can't wait to watch Jack and Nixon's relationship grow and develop as they become best friends.  We're so happy you're here Jack!