Mom Meets Baby

Pregnancy Picture: Week 36

yostkm — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:30:42 +0000

Being pregnant is finally starting to take it’s toll. Lately, I have less energy and I am starting to feel the stretch in my belly. In fact, I am starting to lose my “innie” belly button. Sad. With Eli it was always an innie but this one seems to be pushing it out. Soon I will have an outie belly button like Eli. The nice part is that I am still doing great with the weight gain. So far I am at about 18 lbs gained. My goal is to stay under the weight I gained with Eli. Looks like I am on track for that goal.

Here’s my 36 week picture:

2nd Pregnancy, 36 Weeks

2nd Pregnancy, Week 36

How does it compare to the last pregnancy?

1st Pregnancy, Week 34

1st Pregnancy, 34 Weeks

Wish List updated

yostkm — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 19:27:20 +0000

Having a baby is not the easiest thing to afford. Thankfully, with number two we have a few items already in storage and we have received some girly hand-me-downs from my brother and sister-in-law. Some people have asked us what we need, so I have updated my “What I’d Like” and “What I Have” pages.

Pregnancy Picture: Week 31

yostkm — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 05:48:42 +0000

I am getting further and further along. I can’t believe I only have two months left. I feel great right now. Today I went to another Zumba class and subbed for a class the week before. I think STAYING involved in exercise is really helping me this time around. So, without further adieu, here is my photo at 31 weeks (7 months). As a side note, my hair is really getting long. Should I cut it?

31 Weeks, 2nd Pregnancy

How does it compare to the first pregnancy?

29 Weeks Pregnant, 1st Pregnancy

Cloth Diapers… Am I Crazy?

yostkm — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 23:05:06 +0000

So every time I have to buy a new box of diapers I am appalled at how much diapers are costing me. So I have now decided to try something new… Cloth diapers. Haha. I never thought I would ever say those words, but here I am thinking it actually might be worth it.

When Eli was born, I remember thinking I would never do cloth diapers because of two reasons. One, I didn’t want to wash all those diapers so frequently. Two, I could never deal with the poopy diapers. Gross. Now, I am fully submerged into motherhood and neither one of those issues bother me. Now the annoying thing is paying for more diapers and throwing so much trash away. (Poor environment).

Luckily, today’s version of a cloth diaper are a lot more plush than the ones my mother grew up with. Now, I can purchase one-size diapers that will fit the newborn AND my two-year old. And to think, I could use these again with the NEXT kid (yes I plan to have more than two kids). After talking with a lady about all the different types of diapers, I opted to try a few. My favorite at the moment are the BumGenius 4.0 One-Size diapers and the Tiny Tush Elite diapers. Josh prefers the snaps because they last longer than the velcro ones. Others like the velcro because they are more adjustable and will ALWAYS fit around the waist, whereas the snaps only have so many options. We have a total of three so we are not using them 24/7 but it is enough to see that it’s something I want to do.

What are the downsides to cloth diapers, you ask? I will say there are a few. First of all, for the little babies they would seem a little bulky. They do have newborn sizes, but I am not sure those are really worth it. Secondly, you have to wash every two days (to have enough and to keep odors from staying). I would have to get into a routine, but I think I can do it as long as we have a washer and dryer. The third and most troubling downside is the amount of money you have to fork out up front. For a typical stash of diapers and all the accessories, you can spend around $400-$500. In the long run, it ends up being less than disposable diapers and you aren’t throwing GOBS of trash into our landfills, but it is still hard to spend that much at the beginning.

With this new discovery, I have updated my “What I Have” and “Wish List” pages to include cloth diaper items. Also, thanks to my brother and their baby girl who is exactly a year older, I have inherited a lot of baby girl items that I have put on the list as well. I have noticed a few people have been looking at those pages lately so I thought I would update it.

VBAC, Can I Do It?

yostkm — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 22:39:09 +0000

For the past several months I have been thinking a lot about the delivery of my second baby. With my first, I went in with semi determination to have an unmedicated birth and had a completely different experience. First of all I felt rushed to deliver the baby in a timely manner given that my water broke at 10pm on sunday night and I didn’t go to the hospital until 5pm monday night. I didn’t go in earlier because my contractions weren’t that bad (and I really didn’t know it was my water that broke). Well, at the hospital they liked having the baby within 24 hours of the water breaking so the clock started running down (in their minds). From there, I was given something to soften my cervix, put on pitocin (and then off, and then on again), and after the contractions were so overwhelming I couldn’t take it any more, I opted for an epidural. At 2 or 3am I was only 4 cm dilated and, according to the nurses, the baby’s heart rate was dropping. They came in and told me we could do a c-section now, or I could wait it out with the risk of having an emergency c-section later. Well, heavens, what mother wants to choose to put their baby at risk? Of course I opted to have the baby come out all healthy like without any complications.

What changed?

After my baby was born, I had a friend who kept saying she was sorry how things went and felt it was, in some respects, her fault for not providing me with some valuable information. At the time, I was slightly offended by her statement. We wanted a healthy baby. We didn’t want to put the baby at risk because of our own selfish desired. Or so we thought. I have now learned that there were a lot of things we could have done differently that would have created a completely different scenario and that our choices leading up to the cesarean may have actually led us to the final outcome.

What are we doing differently?

This time around I decided to get as much help as I possibly could. First, Josh and I enrolled in childbirth education classes. Not a one- or two-day information session, but an actual class. We chose to go with Brio Birth (very similar to the Bradley Method for those who know what that is) thanks to that friend (Kristina) who kept whispering in our ear that there are other options out there. It has been a big eye-opening experience for both of us (my husband and me). We are only four weeks into the 12 week course, and I already feel more empowered and informed about pregnancy and what to expect during labor. We have been practicing meditation methods and labor positions throughout the week, I have been focusing more on my eating habits, and we have discussed more fully decisions we need to make BEFORE the contractions start happening.

In addition to the education classes, I have opted to get a doula. At first, Josh didn’t understand why I would want to have a doula if he was going to be there to support me. A valid concern. But I feel that it is good to have someone who has experienced labor and delivery before, coached mothers through that intense time of their lives, and will help you get the birth you want (and not try to convince you to do something different). In order to find that person, we have been doing a lot of interviews trying to find someone I feel has the same birthing philosophies as we do and someone I would feel comfortable during that time of full exposure. More than anything I need to be comfortable with my surroundings if I am going to make this work.

As far as decisions go, we are completely opting out of the pitocin. My body doesn’t like it and there is nothing wrong with letting the body do it’s thing. Why intervene? In fact, we want to stay away from the drugs as much as possible enabling my body to do what it was designed to do. And we are looking into different options for delivery. Who says you must have the baby lying down on your back? Did you know that is the HARDEST way to have a baby?

Have we faced opposition and challenges?

YES. It is not easy to make these changes. For one, we have received a lot of concerned looks and conversations with family about the choices we are making. Most of the opposition is out of concern and a lack of understanding. I get that. Sometimes I wish they could take the birthing class with us. For now, I listen to their concerns, digest them, and try to stay true to what I want to do. But it is hard to smile and nod and then turn around and do something different from what is “expected” and “normal” according to society in the United States.

The other thing I am worried about is where I plan to do most of my laboring. Ideally I would love to do it in the comforts of my own home. The longer I can stay away from the hospital, the longer I can move about, eat and drink as I please, and avoid interventions that aren’t necessary. However, right now we are still looking for a job and are therefore living with the in-laws. The home is very welcoming and I love my in-laws, but you have to admit it’s a little awkward to think who’s in the next room and can they hear me. Since I am a people-pleaser, those are the types of things that would distract me from focusing on the labor at hand. (haha I made a funny). I considered renting a hotel room, but that won’t be very comfortable for me. I considered renting a hotel room for my in-laws (and my son that they would watch), but I would feel guilty asking them to leave their own home so that I can be comfortable and would continually wonder if Eli is sleeping okay in a pack ‘n play. So there’s my dilemma. How can I stay completely relaxed and focused when I have nowhere comfortable to labor? Any ideas on what I can do?

Best Birthday Song, EVER!

yostkm — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 02:46:46 +0000

Over the years I have heard a variety of birthday songs. There is the standard Happy Birthday To You song. Then you get into the LDS primary songs with “You’ve Had a Birthday” and “Happy, Happy Birthday“. My favorite birthday songs have evolved over the years. Here are my top 3:

#3: College Favorite (2006): HA-PPY BIRTHDAY! HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

This song was sung for many birthdays while surviving the college life in Idaho. I am not sure who introduced the song to me, but I love a good song that lets you scream as loud as you can.

Happy birthday, happy happy birthday, happy birthday, happy happy day.
Do we have a birthday here? Yes we have a birthday here
Birthday where? Birthday here
AAAHHHHH
Happy birthday, happy happy birthday, happy birthday, happy happy day HEY!!

#2: Josh’s Birthday Song (2007): FELIZ NAVIDAD

While we were dating, I spent Thanksgiving in Washington while Josh spent his with his family. That year, my birthday fell on Thanksgiving and I woke up to a WONDERFUL phone message from Josh wishing me happy birthday. I loved it so much I saved it on my phone for almost 3 years. Sadly, I accidentally deleted it and wasn’t able to recover it. It is still ingrained in my head though.

Feliz Navidad. Do-do-do, do-do.
Feliz Navidad. Do-do-do, do-do.
Feliz Navidad. No Spanish, I don’t really know the words. Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch
I want to wish you a happy birthday.
I want to wish you a happy birthday.
I want to wish you a happy birthday from the bottom of my heart (or in spanish, “corazon”).

#1: Eli’s Work of Art: HAPPY TO YOU

Yesterday, Eli decided to start SINGING for the first time. Granted he has specified interest in “popcorn popping” and “the itsy-bitsy spider” by saying a few of the lyrics, but the “Happy To You” song was something he created all on his own. Luckily we got a video of it (with a little extra at the end). Check it out:

Surprise Birthday Party!

yostkm — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 23:59:05 +0000

Poor Josh. I love surprise birthday parties and yet, because of my need to plan WAY in advance for things, I never give him a chance to actually surprise ME. And this year is my 30th, so wouldn’t that be cool? This year, I have a new friend in Murray (Natalie). She has a girl one month younger than Eli, we get along, and the guys have tons to talk about. It’s a great relationship really. Well, to my surprise (see there’s that word again), her birthday is the day before mine. What are the odds? And we both feel like previous birthdays have been less than extraordinary.

So what did we do? We planned our own birthday. Fondue. Friends and family. Natalie even offered to make the cake. There you go. It’s settled. We are celebrating with friends. YAY! Josh and Natalie’s husband, James, felt a little left out so they decided to make us dinner last night. It was very yummy (with a lot of help from “professionals”). The guys even sat next to the kids so we could actually enjoy the meal (something mother’s don’t get to do very often). Thank you guys for a wonderful meal. Then, since Natalie and James don’t really have a TV, we decided to go over to our house to watch a movie. Or so we thought. To my surprise (see, that word again) as soon as we walked through the door, we were greeted with an outrageously loud:

SURPRISE!!!!!

Oh my! What were all these people doing here, and who are they? The bursting noise was followed by loud noise makers that blow out and roll back in. I turned to Josh in confusion and realized, he had a horn too. How did he get one? As I looked around, studying the crowd, I finally made the connection that these were all the people we had invited to OUR party scheduled for the next day. Oh no, do they expect to come twice in one weekend? (Obviously the shock hadn’t worn off). It wasn’t until we walked into the kitchen and saw the fondue that this was Josh’s attempt to RESCHEDULE our party so that they could throw us a surprise party. So fun. Both Natalie and I had no idea what the guys were up to. And even though there were several opportunities to clue us in, we were so focused on planning our own party, that we didn’t think it would go any other way. Kudos to the guys again. You are awesome. Here are a few videos and pictures from last night. There were lots of kids to entertain each other which was nice. (Note the blow up shark that Josh had me jump over. Who says it’s all down hill from here? The kids sure loved it!) :

Pregnancy Picture: Week 27

yostkm — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 20:44:36 +0000

Living with someone else and trying to handle a child has led to some unintended delays in posts and pictures lately. But, finally, I have taken the time to stand in front of a camera to show the world what I look like at 27 weeks the second time around.

Second Pregnancy, 27 Weeks

How does it compare to last pregnancy?

First Pregnancy, 25 Weeks

Differences and Similarities Between My Pregnancies

yostkm — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 21:19:51 +0000

I have always heard that each pregnancy is different. It’s not until you are pregnant for the second time, though, that it begins to sink in. For me, I assumed I would acknowledge things a little earlier… you know, equating those little butterflies in your stomach to a small human or understanding that your sickness is really morning sickness and not the seasonal flu. Well, this time around, I realized that every individual baby prefers things differently and acts differently, even in the belly.

Morning Sickness – Similar AND Different
Really. Who loves morning sickness? With the first one I count my lucky stars that I never saw the resurrection of my meals, however, the first trimester was not easy. I travelled across the country in a car, breathing very intently, and didn’t eat much along the way. That helped me jump-start my weight gain with an impressive -10 lbs. What girl doesn’t love a few pound loss? With this baby (baby #2) I had a better appetite, but it was still limited to picky eating. I did, however, have the pleasure (or displeasure) of vomiting once while we were packing up my apartment. I blame it on the fact that I work myself too hard some times. Second trimester for both have been a breeze.

Weight Loss/Gain – Different
Since I wasn’t really as sick as I was with Eli, sadly I did not lose the total 10 lbs at the beginning of my pregnancy. I am crossing my fingers that my lack of weight loss doesn’t affect my overall weight gain. I definitely don’t want to be larger than I was with the last one. We will see. At least I started off a few pounds lighter than the first one.

Baby Movements – Different
At the 20 week ultrasound with Eli I have photos of him kicking me repeatedly, but I couldn’t feel a thing. With the second pregnancy I started feeling KICKS (not just butterfly feelings) at 14 weeks. This baby is far more active than Eli was… and I thought Eli was the kicker in the family.

Stomach Growth – Different
I had great stomach muscles during my first pregnancy. In fact, you can’t really tell I am pregnant until the 6th month (see images). With baby #2, I am only 4 1/2 months along and already I am wearing my maternity pants to give my growing belly some room.

Sex of the Baby …
Today we went to our 20 week ultrasound and were anxious to see what the sex of the baby was. Can you tell from the pictures?

Looking at the upper legs and buttocks. Can you tell if it's a boy or a girl?

Profile with mouth open. Sitting indian-style.

That’s right. The sex of the baby is DIFFERENT this time around. We are excited to announce that we are having a bouncing baby GIRL. Now we just have to figure out what to call her. It seems that with each baby we always have a name for the OPPOSITE sex and can’t agree on a name for the ACTUAL sex of the baby.

——-NOTE: ULTRASOUND VIDEO COMING SOON——–

Entertaining a Toddler in Salt Lake City

yostkm — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 20:52:34 +0000

My day is typically broken up into three parts; When Eli is awake, when Eli is asleep, and when Eli is awake again. And the schedule seems to be pretty consistent. Eli wakes up around 7 a.m. every morning, takes a nap between 12:30 and 3:30, and then goes to bed around 8:30 p.m. This schedule is very helpful when I have to plan out my day. For example, I know that every day from 7 a.m. to noon I have to feed Eli breakfast and find SOMETHING for HIM to do. Then from 12:30 to 3:30 I have to find SOMETHING for ME to do. Then from 3:30 to 5:00 I play with Eli at the house and sometimes cook dinner and then we eat at 6 p.m. The best part is from dinner time to bed time. That is when I have less responsibilities given that Dad AND the rest of the family are home, eagerly waiting to entertain Eli without my help. I love that time of day.

So for me, the hardest part of the day is the morning. When I first moved to Salt Lake, I was always asking myself, “What am I going to do with Eli today?” At first we tried to entertain ourselves at home; watching cars drive by, playing with toys, reading books… but when I realized these were great activities for the afternoon (before dinner) I realized I needed to find other things to do with Eli. At first it wasn’t easy, but in the past three months, I have found a pretty good list of things to do throughout the week, so I thought I would share them with you all today.

Discovery at Gateway
Thanks to the cheaper membership pass to the Sciencenter I got before I left Ithaca, NY, I am able to take two adults and two children at any time to the Discovery at Gateway (children’s museum) for free until my membership pass expires in March. I figure that works for me since I probably won’t be doing much in march any way. Eli LOVES playing there. It is more of a play center than a science center, but either way it keeps Eli entertained. Eli’s favorite section is the imagination area. In there they have a construction site, a home (complete with kitchen, vacuum and doll cribs), grocery store, farm (with chickens, crops, and a life-size horse), a water discovery area, and a birds playhouse (for smaller children).

Wheeler Farm
Talk about saluting the FREE activities. Once I found out that we could go look at a bunch of farm animals for free at Wheeler Farm, I was all over that! Every once in a while, I like to solidify my lessons of animal sounds by showing him the ACTUAL animals. Now Eli knows that cows really do go “moo” and that geese love to follow you around. Maybe we will go through the pumpkin patch and hay maze open in October.

The Little Gym
Thanks to a friend, I was able to attend a free class at The Little Gym where kids learn developmental and social skills on a weekly basis. I loved it so much, I was willing to fork out the money for this one. I figure it is an opportunity for Eli to see the same kids every week (building social skills) and he can learn things I wouldn’t think to teach him quite yet (like how to do a somersault). This is one activity I would recommend to most parents.

Liberty Park
One of the best parks I have been to so far. Liberty Park was made for everyone to enjoy. I mean, just look at all the amenities they have (see below). Eli loves to play in the park during school time because all the kids there are young (under 4) and don’t push him around. He also loves to walk/wade around in the Seven Canyons Fountain. Just the right size for him to enjoy the water without me worrying about holding his head above water.

Tracy Aviary	Swimming Pool	Chase Home
Youth City	Tennis Center	Rice Terrace Pavilion
Lake	Playgrounds	Seven Canyons Fountain
Restrooms	Duck Pond	Concessions & Rides
Horseshoe Pits	Bocce	Basketball Court
Greenhouse	Picnic Tables & Grills	Sand & Concrete Volleyball
Chip Path	Sidewalk Path	Rollerblade Path

Ride TRAX
For those who know Eli, or have read my updates on Facebook, Eli LOVES trains, planes, and trucks. On occasion, I will purchase a TRAX ticket for the day and we will just ride downtown, get off, and board another train. He always sits so still, staring out the window and looking at the other people. Sometimes I think he enjoys riding without the restraint of his car seat. Either way, it proves to be an inexpensive excursion for the day.

Library “Wiggle Worms”
As typically organized in all libraries, the Murray Library has a few activities planned throughout the week for little ones to enjoy. Eli enjoys attending the “Wiggle Worms” class; a thirty minute class filled with stories, songs, and musical instruments. From time to time, he will also sit in on the older class (2.5 – 4 year olds) to hear some fun, interactive story telling. I think, more than anything, he likes to be around the kids.

Walk The Mall / Ride the Escalators
Eli is definitely an observer. When he was really little, I loved taking him to the store to see all the colors and the people walking around. Today, he is just as enamored with the view, but prefers to see it from the ground instead of in a cart or in my arms. If the intent is to go to the mall to entertain Eli, I do not mind him wandering around at his own pace. It is fun to see what he finds interesting. AND, once he found the escalators, that was that. It is a MUST VISIT ride every time we go to the mall. I think he would spend a good hour on those steps if I let him.

Play Dates
In New York, it seemed easier to find people to play with throughout the week. Since I have been in Salt Lake, I have been able to find two stable friends I can count on for a play date. My sources? Well, the first is church, of course. Yay for parents attending nursery with their kids. Sometimes that is the only way you meet the parents of the kids in the room. The second avenue was through a play date site (www.SocialToddler.com). There are several sites online connecting parents and kids together. This particular site doesn’t have a lot of activity, but it was enough for me to find one friend. At first it seems like online dating, but since the kids like playing at parks anyway, it’s usually less intimidating.

Help the Old Lady
Three days a week I help an older lady cook her dinner and spend time chatting with her. If all else fails during the day to entertain Eli, I bring him with me. The lady loves seeing Eli and just raves about his developmental skills. I enjoy the compliments and the visit usually brings a smile to her face as well as to his. Sometimes I wonder if he is going to think this is his great-grandmother. He always leaves her with a hug and a kiss; something he doesn’t typically give grandma or grandpa at home.