Just One of Those Days...

I've been a bit down lately. The stress of work, balancing home life, and taking care of the kids is taking a toll on me. I don't really know how to handle it, so as usual my own needs are being put aside. Adit was traveling for work recently leaving me to manage the kids at night. Claire slept the first night, but didn't the two other nights. She fell asleep early around 7, but woke up at 9 the first night and 8:30 the second. This was so early and left no "me" time. I bet you're thinking I had almost 2 hours of me time, but you would be wrong because during most of that time I was preparing James for bed. I need that time to do baby dishes, tidy up, watch mindless tv, do some work, etc and if I don't have it I feel out of whack.

At first I didn't think that Claire waking up at 8:30 or 9:00 was an issue because I could nurse and put her back to sleep. Boy was I wrong. Both nights I tried that. After nursing she was still awake. So then I changed her diaper and tried rocking her to sleep. That didn't work either. Then I began walking around the room with her. It took 3 hours each night and she still wouldn't sleep. She kept crying, I tried burping, patting her, comforting her by gently rocking and singing. Nothing seemed to work. Eventually I took her to bed with me and we both slept while she nursed. Claire has been sleeping in bed with us every night since I started working. I just can't manage waking up at night so this option works. It's not a comfy way to sleep, but it keeps me sane. 

The reason I've been feeling down is because I'm feeling the pressure of balancing all of this when Adit is away. Luckily he is home now but there was a time when he was gone every week for 3-4 days at a time. It wears on you. It was ok when I was on maternity leave but now it's not ideal. I understand that he needs to travel at times, but it makes my job twice as hard. 

Part of me feels guilty for even writing this because I'm "complaining" about my children. I'm just stretched a little thin right now, but that's ok because it's temporary. I had a terrible week, but the good news is that it's over. I'm looking forward to the coming weeks as well as celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

I needed to vent and I shared my feelings with Adit and now to you all. I think it's important to recognize that we can't do it all and that there are going to be moments of vulnerability. What's important is to keep it in perspective and remember that the baby is growing everyday and things will get better. 

Have you ever felt like no matter what you do things aren't going your way? That's how I've been feeling, but things are getting better. (I write this as Claire woke up every 2 hours last night, lol) 

Happy reading!

Rachel 

PS: Thanks to those of you who gave me encouragement on my last post where I wrote about nursing. My goal is to solely nurse Claire until she's drinking cows' milk, so at least a year. It didn't feel like it would be possible the other day, but now things are looking up again. It's strange how we feel mommy guilt and think that we are failing our children by offering them formula. I think that we need to do what's best for the child, but also ourselves. Formula is sometimes seen as the new F-word in society, but it shouldn't be. As long as the child and you are happy, that's all that matters. 

Nursing - My Love/Hate Relationship!

I remembered my doctor saying that the body remembers so you'll "show" faster, heal faster, make milk faster, but how come I was still cracked and bleeding after Claire's first nursing session? Shouldn't my body have remembered that James nursed for over two years, so why was the pain worse than I had remembered the first time? I'd sit there gripping the chair, back straight, toes curled, eyes shut, and holding my breath. All I kept thinking was when is this going to be over, when will my body adjust. Thankfully it did, but it took some time. During that time I pumped a lot to give myself some time to recover. 

After getting back into the grove, nursing became a pleasure. I loved not having to carry formula around, wash bottles, heat up milk, or having to wait to feed my baby to name a few. I love the way that she looks up at me and smiles while nursing. That content and happy look made me so happy too. I tend to forget that she's woken me up only 30 minutes after putting her down and didn't I mention it's 3am! 

Although us nursing moms have the convenience of having milk ready 24/7, we have no way of measuring how much milk our little one is getting. With a bottle you can say she had 6oz and slept. All that we can say is that she nursed on both sides, or one side. If you can do it, I suggest pumping and having your little one drink from a bottle before bed to ensure that she's full. Claire is a terrible sleeper and it could be because she's not full, or it could be a plethora of other things like she is teething, she has a cold, she has gas, she is lonely, who knows. I would love to give her a bottle at night but I already pump 2-3 times a day and need a break. Plus there is usually no time to pump as I'm busy looking after the kids too. 

A perk I love about nursing is that if you are doing it full time you can delay the start of your menstrual cycle. That is something no one is looking forward to getting again. 

It's also nice knowing that you can instantly comfort your baby when they need it. This comes in handy when you are at the doctor getting vaccinations for your infant. I would nurse immediately after the shots and Claire would instantly feel better. I remember that I used to nurse while James was getting the shots! There was just a big mouth open cry and he'd go back to nursing as usual. 

Since I'm back at work I need consistent sleep and having Claire sleep in bed with me, nursing her all night is the only way I get that. I lay there like a robot, my arm under her head, sleeping on my side with my body shifted so she can reach me to nurse. It's not a comfortable sleep, but it beats getting up, nursing, rocking her and going back to bed. I tried that a few times but couldn't function well the next day. Yes my arm would go numb most days, but I've gotten used to it. 

What I'm describing is a sacrifice and this is a huge one. I'm debating introducing some formula to supplement her milk, but all I keep thinking is "breast is best". What about the toll it's taking in me? I've been ignoring it, but I'm getting tired of pumping. If I was home for a year like I was with James I think it would have been easier to solely nurse, but now that I'm working I'm not so confident that I can keep this up for at least another 7months. I feel like my supply is down and I'm trying my best to give her my milk, but why do I feel so guilty when thinking about supplementing? If breast truly is best, then why is it so difficult to do/maintain? 

Has anyone else felt like this? Can you offer any advice? I am eager to listen! 

Happy reading! 

Rachel

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

I hope everyone was ready for this big day! I used to love Halloween as a child and fondly remember trick-or-treating with my friends and brother each year. My favorite costume was when I dressed as a flapper girl from the 1920's. Too bad I don't have any pics. Anyway I am happy to continue the tradition with my two kids.

This year Adit and I didn't dress up because we normally don't. James was a little fussy about wearing his costume and when he asked me where my costume was I didn't have a good answer. I always assumed that kids liked getting dressed up and that as parents it didn't matter if we did or not. However the more I thought about it, I realized that it is important to partake too. I know it'll make James happy so that's a good enough reason for me. We have traditions for most holidays and special events, so why not make dressing up a family a tradition too! 

Now here are the kids all dressed up! Don't judge me that Claire has 3 costumes, I couldn't resist.:) Which one do you like the best?

How did you celebrate Halloween? What did you or your little ones dress up as for Halloween? Please share with us by posting a pic!

Happy reading! 

Rachel

PS: Don't forget to enter to win the nursing pillow! Click here for details.

Yay! A Giveaway! - Winner Announced!

Hi everyone,

I am very excited to share this giveaway with you all. The giveaway is one of the products I wrote about on my last blog post titled "3 Products I Can't Live Without". Can you guess what it is? Well I won't keep you in suspense because it is the My Breast Friend Nursing Pillow! They read my post and were so pleased that I was so happy with their product that they decided to give one away to a lucky reader. How generous is that! :)

Please note that My Brest Friend can only ship to an address in the contiguous US, so sorry my Canadian friends.

Here's what you need to do to enter:

1) "Like" SillyBaba, SillyMama on Facebook. 

2) "Like" My Brest Friend on Facebook.

Then just drop a line to let me know that you've entered.

Bonus Entries:
1) Earn 1 additional entry by Sharing this giveaway on Facebook.
2) Earn 2 additional entries by becoming a "Follower" on my blog.

So you could have 4 chances of winning!

Best of luck to all who enter, I will be selecting the winner using a random number generator.
Drawing will be done after 6pm on Friday, Nov 7th.

I will post who he luck winner is!

Happy ready and entering!

Rachel

Winner Update:

Thanks to everyone who entered and to My Brest Friend for the pillow. To make it fair I wrote down all the entrants and used a random number generator to pick the winner. The winner is Shanna! I will contact you on how to get your prize. :) 

3 Products I Can't Live Without!

Balancing work and being a mommy is a difficult task. Thankfully the job is a little easier with these fabulous products.

1) My Brest Friend Nursing Pillow: If you are in the market for a nursing pillow, look no further! This one makes nursing a breeze. It's unique because there is a clip that attaches the pillow around your waist. Therefore you know that it is secure and you can adjust it to you changing body. It has a flat, firm surface with two tiny bumps, one on each side, to elevate your babies head and there is a little pouch at the front for storage. It's large enough to hold your phone and a snack. The cover is machine washable and it lasts the test of time. I still use the same one that I used for James over 3 years ago! Word of advice for any nursing pillow: buy an extra cover, you will need it for a quick change when the current one is soiled. The cushion itself is $44.00 but if you like them on Facebook you get $30% off. That sounds like a deal to me!

  

2) Baby Brezza Sterilizer: I never used a sterilizer before because I was home with James for a year and predominately breastfed. If I needed to sterilize, I used the old fashioned method of boiling and air drying on a rack. Today I'm back at work and pumping 3 times a day, so that requires using so many parts, bottles, etc. This is convenient because it has a large capacity to accommodate my nursing parts and bottles, nipples, etc. My absolute favorite feature is that there is a dryer. It has a few settings: dry only, sterilize only, and both. I use the both option for 60 minutes. With It's clear, plastic cover you can see that it's working, as the steam rises out of the top. This way I have peace of mind knowing that the bottles are clean and the drier dries everything so all I have to do is open it up and take the parts I need for work. This is amazing because I no longer need a bottle drying rack to take up space on my counter. The parts go straight from the sterilizer to my cabinet or bag! It's pricey for $99.99 at Buy Buy Baby but you can always use their 20% off coupons or better yet register for it! Trust me, you won't be disappointed! My last tip is to use filtered or distilled water and if any water remains on the base to dry it off to improve the longevity of the machine.

3) PumpEase Pumping Bra: Before I got this bra, I used to manually hold the pump in place which is both awkward and uncomfortable. My sister-in-law recommended it so I ordered it. Once I got it, the construction was good and it fit well. I could see how the bottles wouldn't fall out but I wondered if the cups would detach due to the weight of the milk filling the bottles. I'm happy to say that didn't happen and it works like it's supposed to. Now I can easily pump at my desk when I'm working from home. I just assemble the parts, slip it through the bra, turn the machine on and continue with my work. I can barely feel it working and I'm done pumping in no time. This is such a great invention that makes the tedious task of pumping so much easier. I bought the organic one off of Amazon, it was about $40 and well worth it.

So what are a few products that you absolutely can't live without? Please share with us! 

Happy reading!

Rachel 

Welcome Baby Claire!

I'm a little late in introducing her since Claire is already four months old, but I'm doing to anyway.:) Claire was born at the end of May and I can't remember life without her being in it. All I can remember was how much I wanted a girl when I was pregnant and lucky for me my wish came true. :) I am in love with her just as much as James. 

Life was hectic during my pregnancy with the pregnancy associated illnesses, juggling work, and balancing home life with a pre-schooler that I didn't have enough time to revel in the pregnancy. For lack of a better word, I was kind of in denial about it. It's not like I wasn't eating well, resting, etc to take care of the baby. I was in denial because I didn't know how to add a new baby to our already busy life. Plus how could I adjust to sleepless nights again and what would I do when I had to return to work after 18 weeks? I thought it was best not to worry about these things and just manage when she arrives. 

Thankfully when Claire came we had a lot of support from family which was amazing. Adjusting to the sleepless nights were the worst. It really threw me for a loop this time, I only adapted to it after 3 weeks. Everything else was about the same as I was used to caring for a baby, knew how to nurse, etc. In that respect it wasn't too difficult looking after Claire because I knew what to do and was confident in trusting my instincts. 

Big brother James was so excited that she was finally here. He kept waiting for her as my belly grew bigger and bigger. Now he could see why it wasn't a good idea to jump on my belly. :)  When we told him Claire was here, he asked if the doctor scooped her out if my belly so we said yes. He said that he used a big spoon. Lol! James was instantly in love with his sister and became a very good helper. Now that Claire can hold her head steady and play a little he enjoys interacting with her. 

Since I live in the US there is no maternity leave, I am allowed baby bonding time for an additional 12 weeks after my 6 weeks of delivery time, so a combined 18 weeks. This time really flew by and I have been back to work for almost two weeks. Being back at work is good, I love my baby but I am definitely a working mom and can't see myself staying home with the kids. I do miss the year off that Canada gives, but I am managing. Everything is going well with Claire excepts her sleeping at night. Once she's sleep trained I'll have my life back. Lol. However as much as I am in a rush to get to that point I find myself saddened to think that she's growing up so quickly and that I won't have this little baby for long. Instead I'm trying to enjoy every minute with my kids because soon they won't be little anymore. 

Here are a couple pictures from her newborn photo shoot and now. She is the sweetest baby! 

Happy reading!

Rachel 

Our Baby Moon!

Since we are expecting we decided to take our family vacation a little earlier this year and went to our favorite place, Maui for about 10 days in Feb. It's a great destination and worth the 14 hour journey from the east coast.

Our trip consisted of relaxing on the beach, eating some good local food, playing with James, whale watching, and sleeping. It was the trip I've dreamed about. Adit was great and played with James most of the time allowing me to nap almost daily. Plus he arranged a prenatal massage for me that was amazing. 

My favorite part of the trip was playing with James on the beach. Everyday we'd head to the beach and Adit would make James a big hole to play in. He even made a retaining wall to keep the water out, but when the big waves came it quickly filled and became a pool he enjoyed splashing in. When the water went away he'd keep asking where it went. Lol.

We stayed at Black Rock which is an excellent place to snorkel with countless fish and several turtles living there. The turtles were so close that they'd be just 2 feet from shore. James was so excited that he could see them from the beach. Adit did some snorkeling this time and I didn't bother because I didn't want to get anymore leg cramps, especially when vulnerable in the ocean. Oh the joys of pregnancy!

Another fun part of our trip was the whale watching tour. The fun started just getting on the catamaran. The waves were about 8-10 ft high so we couldn't easily board from the shore. Instead the boat parked closeby and we had to run to the ladder between breaks. Adit was carrying James and our stuff, I went solo and when we were told to run we did. Adit made it on without getting too wet, I on the other hand got hit with a huge wave and got soaked, I held onto the assisting staff and hand rails then safely made it up the stairs. That was a little scary and I was not looking forward to getting off the boat later. After settling on the boat I went to the top deck to search for some whales, we were so eager to see a full breach and the humpbacks did not disappoint. I even managed to get a shot of some of the breach and lots of whale tails.  

Maui is a quiet destination without much of a night life so we spent most of our evenings walking on Front St. where we'd have dinner and stroll around the local shops. While walking we saw a street vendor who would let you take pics of his birds, I am normally not one for taking these pics, but I couldn't help it after James saw a white cockatoo and called him Nigel. For those of you who don't know, that's the sinister bird from the movie Rio. After chatting with the owner he said that he'd be back the next day with a Blue macaw too so we had to take a pic with Blu and Nigel. James was happy even though he didn't look like that in the pics. Lol.

It was so nice having a vacation with no agenda. Since we've been to Maui many times we didn't feel obligated to see any sites or do anything touristy. Our only agenda was on where to have meals as we wanted to eat as much fresh fish as possible. If you are visiting Maui, I suggest you try the local food at Aloha Mixed Plate, visit Fred's Mexican Cafe for Taco Tuesday specials, and Sansei for sushi. I also recommend that you take some professional family pics, we did it and I love the way the pics came out!

The trip was a success since we came home really relaxed and recharged. I love this destination and am looking forward to returning with 2 kids next time. :)

Did you go on a baby moon? if yes where did you go and would you recommend it? Please share with us as I'm always looking for kid friendly destinations! 

Happy reading!

Rachel 

Homeless for a Night!

Hi everyone,

This post has been a long time coming and since we are coming up on the one year anniversary of my Sleep Out I thought it's now it never that I post it. Covenant House is doing another Sleep Out, but I won't be participating this time around. 

On Friday, March 22, 2013 I was homeless in support of an amazing charity called Covenant House (CH)! Many of you supported me and I thank you again because together we raised $2,275! My goal was $1,500 and you guys blew me away with your generosity! I also wanted to thank those of you who read my page because now you are aware of the charity which is also great. Here's a link to my donation page if you want to know more about my motivation for participating.

When I signed up I researched  the organization whose purpose seemed pretty simple: their goal is to keep kids off the streets. So I thought my raising money would go toward providing basic necessities like food and shelter. However I learned that was the tip of the iceberg because besides providing the necessities, they offer support, time, love, and dedication to help the kids succeed.

I arrived a little after 7:30, I took the bus in from NJ and made a pit stop at my mom's place for a good meal before heading over. They had plenty of sandwiches and food there, but nothing beats mom's home cooked meals so it was worth the extra trek. When I arrived I was greeted by my two other friends who were participating along with the CEO of our company. He was the one who got us involved as he works closely with CH and participated in the Executive Edition Sleep Out last Nov.

At around 8:30 we sat down and listed to the chairman and other staff talk about the charity, then we watched a short video staring some kids who lived at CH and learned about their struggles and successes. This video was so heartfelt and surprising that it moved most of us to tears. There were two kids stories that had a major impact on me. One was a pregnant girl that was thrown out of her parents home and after couch surfing at friend's and neighbor's homes wound up on the street. She was over 9 months pregnant and due any minute so she slept on the sidewalk outside of the hospital so she could get help when it was time. Another was a boy that used to sleep in abandoned buildings. In the video he showed us one of the buildings he slept it. He walked us through where he broke in through the basement and crawled into a crawl space where he struggled to stay warm on cold nights. I couldn't believe that this was happening in the United States. At the end of the video they highlighted each kid with a description of what they were doing now. The young girl had her baby and they both still lived at CH, as for the young boy he chose not to stay at CH, meaning he went back to the streets. Then we were told that he died shortly after this video was filmed. That was so shocking and heartbreaking to all of us, why wouldn't he have just stayed at CH, what happened? There were so many unanswered questions. 

The chairman went on to explain that for every happy ending there are more sad endings. Unfortunately they attend many funerals every month. I couldn't understand why the kids wouldn't go to CH and seek refuge. However I started gaining perspective after participating in the group session where we heard from kids who lived at CH. I was in a group of about 12 people, the 3 kids shared their stories with us and explained what life was like there from day 1. I learned that CH is more of a stepping stone than a permanent shelter. If there is a bed available, they will give it on a first come, first serve basis to any youth under 21. They work with you to help you get back in school or find a job. This isn't as simple as it sounds. Many of these kids don't have IDs, a birth cert, social security card, etc so the staff at CH help them get these crucial documents. They also have staff that help train them to work in certain jobs that have an affiliation with the organization, like fast food and seasonal operations. Otherwise a kid could choose to go back to school where they could study a trade through CH's programs, then seek permanent work. All the while living at CH the kids need to do chores, obey the house rules, be drug free, and respect the house. This is the structure that I overlooked, but it is crucial for the kids since they need to learn responsibility in order to integrate into society. Once they have a stable job and can support themselves, CH helps them find affordable housing. It's amazing how much the staff and volunteers do.

The breakout session ended around 11:00 and it was time to go outside to sleep. This is the part none of us were looking forward to. I say this because it was an unusually cold March with temperatures well below freezing, plus there was wind chill! I asked the kids some advice on where to sleep and they said as close to a wall as possible. So I eyed a spot and went straight for it. I secured a spot near a wall for myself and 2 other friends. We were supplied with a sleeping bag and cardboard box each. The sleeping bag we knew what to do with it, but the cardboard box, hmm. It was too small to sleep inside of so we opted to use it as "support" under the sleeping bag. I put the word support in quotes because what support can a box do when set on top of concrete! Although it was cold I was warm. This is what I wore: a tank top, long sleeve shirt, wool sweater, fleece vest, knee high socks, gym pants, ski pants, an ankle length long down coat, and warm knee high boots. Plus I had a hat, the hood from my coat, and gloves. It was a lot to wear, however it was necessary as I think the temperature was in the 20's that evening. All that was peeking out of my sleeping bag was my mouth so I could breathe and I remember feel the chill in the wee hours of the night from the wind penetrating my sleeping bag. Now you must be thinking about my safety sleeping outside, however that didn't cross my mind once. There were police officers present and it was an organized event of 166 people so I didn't anticipate any danger. Besides, we didn't sleep in the street, but on the CH property which was a driveway and courtyard albeit still very much outside.

At around midnight we decided to tuck ourselves in and sleep. I remember closing my eyes and all I could think about was the video I just watched and I couldn't sleep. My heart was feeling sad for the kids that were sleeping outside like I was, but without a sleeping bag or multiple layers. I knew that I would go home in the morning and go back to my life, but what was it like knowing this was your day to day life? With these thoughts racing I slept on and off maybe 10-20 minutes at a time. Plus it was extremely uncomfortable, slept on my back at first and could feel every bone on my body laying on the concrete. My feet hurt because I was sleeping with boots on and the gravity on the boots was pulling my feet into the concrete. So I alternated from side to side and lying on my back until about 6 am. That was when we got up and went inside to return our gear and head home. I spoke with the girls about their sleep and they slept the same way too, meaning that they didn't sleep either.

It was an emotional experience and way different than any other charity event I've ever done. I would encourage everyone who is able to try it. I'd do it again and Adit even wants to try it. So if you are interested check out their website and sign up early! For my Canadian friends, they do the sleep out in Toronto too, so get involved and support Covenant House!

Happy reading!

Rachel

Knitting Again :)

Before James was born I made a baby blanket for him and since I'm expecting again I decided to make one for my girl. I'm by no means a knitter, James' blanket was my first and only project and that was over 3 years ago so I've had the pleasure of reteaching myself. 

The first time around my friend Elena helped me learn the basic stitches and was a great resource. She knits for her little girl as well as herself and others. She did teach me an important rule that I haven't seen online which is to start the row and end the row with the same stitch so that the edging will be uniform. 

She had a lot of patience with me because I was confused for a long time, but with her instruction and practice I was able to learn the basics. Another important resource that I used was YouTube. I watched beginner videos and practiced new stitches. Between Elena and YouTube I was able to create this beautiful blanket that James still uses to this day. 

For the new blanket I didn't want to use the same pattern I used for James so I canvassed numerous knitting websites for a pattern but didn't find anything that spoke to me. So I decided to make my own pattern. I pulled out a pencil and paper and decided to draw it out. In hindsight excel would have been a better medium to make the pattern, but it can be done either way. I thought of a box within a box within a box and so on pattern. I wanted the blanket to be larger than James so I ambitiously cast on 230 stitches. I'm sorta regretting that decision now as I realize that I'm less than 3 months away and might not be able to finish it. Anyway here is what it looks like so far and I'll post the finished product when it's complete. I'm using a combination if the seed stitch and the knit and purl stitch. It looks beautiful and I can't wait to see it wrapped around my little girl. 

So now I turn to you, did any of you moms or dads make something special for your little one before they were born? If so pease share some ideas with us, we'd love to hear them! 

Also if you want to know more about the videos I used for learning to knit just let me know and I'll look them up for you. 

Happy reading! 

Rachel 

Results are in - Boy or Girl?

The moment has finally arrived. I am 20 weeks and had my corresponding ultrasound appointment. Days before the appointment I was getting really anxious. I know it's silly but the first time I didn't feel any pressure since I knew I would have a couple kids, but now that we have James I really hoped for a little girl. 

Most people said that it's a girl since this pregnancy has been so different from my experience carrying James. I think that hyped up my expectation, however at the appointment I had no gut feeling and neither did Adit. 

Once I got on the table we knew the moment had come. The technican did a few routine checks then I told her that I was dying to find out. She showed us a clear shot and said she can tell with 99% certainty what it is. I thought ok another boy and said that. Adit disagreed and said it was a girl and the technician confirmed it was a girl. Adit had done some internet research beforehand so he knew what to look for. 

I was so excited and happy! I wanted a little girl and now we will have one. I can't wait to dress her up in frilly dresses and bows! It's going to be so much fun. We told James when we were home that night and he said that he will take care of the baby. He said he'll dress the baby in pajamas and put her to sleep in his firetruck bed and he will sleep in my bed! Lol! Well at least someone's got it figured out! 

I am already stressed about the short maternity time we get here. I get about 4.5 months off, mind you mostly unpaid, then I have to find suitable childcare. If prefer a nanny with such a small baby, but finding one where I live might be a challenge. Keep your fingers crossed for me. 

Anyway I'll keep you updated with my progress and anything else that peaks my interest. As always I'm still taking suggestions so if you have a topic you'd like to hear about feel free to email me! 

Happy reading! 

Rachel

Here I am at 20 weeks, wearing pink since I'm having a girl! 

It's Been Awhile...

Wow, I can't believe how long it's been since I've written my last post. I do have some in draft that I haven't finished, but decided to start fresh. 

So much has happened, we've been in NJ for over a year, bought a new house, and have a baby on the way. This move was clearly the right decision for us as we are now closer to our family. I used to miss birthday parties, weddings, etc but now we can be a part of them. Plus my kids will have the childhood I had of growing up with their cousins! 

I'm just over 19 weeks pregnant and am feeling better. When I was pregnant with James I hardly had any issues with morning sickness, however this time around I had most of the symptoms. So everyone seems to think that it's a girl. I hope they are right as I'd like more pink around the house and would prefer not to be outnumbered. Lol. I have such a great relationship with my mom that I'd love to have that someday with my daughter. However the gender is not my decision so I leave it in God's hands to give me a healthy baby, boy or girl. 

James is doing really well. He's completely adjusted to his new daycare and has friends that he looks forward to seeing. He had a great Christmas, getting spoiled with lots of toys. Thank you all for the gifts. He talks a mile a minute, loves cars and trucks, and is still a picky eater! When will he just start eating everything? James is excited for the baby, he says it's girl and her name is 'Cars'! Lol! He tries to see the baby through my belly button because he thinks it's like a telescope. Lol. 

Well I'm off to bed but I'll try to update this more often with Registry tips and other baby info! Hope you guys tag along with me!

Happy reading,

Rachel