It's A....

I took off a week of blogging to truly taken in all this baby stuff.

This will be my last baby...at least that is my plan, maybe not God's plan though.

So, since this will be my last pregnancy I really wanted to take everything in.

Including staring at the sonogram pics and reading all the books and bump updates.

What exactly is that little babe doing in my belly this week?

This past Monday we found out the sex of Baby E #2 and I could not be more happy!

Since I can't possibly hold in the news any longer....here it is....

and....

I have always felt like I would be a boy mom.

I don't know why I can say that, I just felt like I would be a good boy mom. 

And now, well, I am going to be an all boy mom.

Yes, if God had given me a sweet girl then I would have been happy with her as well, 

but to me, a house full of boys just makes me smile.

I am saying that now but not sure what I will be saying when they are teenagers

eating five meals a day and being all hormonal on me.

Ill get back to you on my take on boys in about 10 years ok.

Come October we will be welcoming sweet baby E into our lives

so be on the look out for lots of boy talk around these parts.

Arsenal

I have an arsenal.

I keep it tucked away so the Tot can't get into it.

These secret weapons are dangerous and I don't want them getting into the wrong hands.

Do you want to know where I keep them?

If I told you, I would have to kill you.

But I can let you in on a little secret.

They arsenal is kept in the kitchen somewhere at the highest possible point.

It is tucked way back so the weapons aren't easily triggered.

Now, one might think that I am actually taking about real weapons,

like guns, knives, and whatever else there is.

But I'm not.

Im talking about secret weapons to use when my Tot is bored, or acting up and I need a quick fix.

My arsenal consists of 

Lollipops (a.k.a. suck-a's), M&M's, Fruit Snacks, 

Pez of all characters, 

and really any type of candy you can think of.

I am not ashamed.

I do what human nature calls for.

It's called Survival Of The Fittest.

Ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

Sometimes I pull out the arsenal for good behavior,

bribery, and quite time.

The Tot sure doesn't mind and wonders where where all these goodies come from.

They just appear out of thin air but he doesn't ask questions he just snatches the suck-a right from my hand and says "Thank You Mommy".

At least the kid has manners when he is being bribed.

So, tell me Mama's,

do you have an arsenal?

What is in yours?

I'm linking up with Mandy from A Sorta Fairy Tale for The Mama Memoirs.

I Didn't Even Know...I Have Hypothyroidism

This second go around of pregnancy is just different.

When I was pregnant with C it was so easy.

For the first 30 weeks I did not have any symptoms, no morning sickness, no nausea, no tenderness,

no heartburn, no anything really.

But come 30 weeks I was huge.

I was a big sweaty pregnant girl.

I was miserable.

And hot.

You see my torso is very, very small so there isn't much space for my babies to grow.

So my belly just grows outwards.

It looks like an alien took over my body.

Oh and I can't forget my random wake up calls at 4 AM.

I couldn't sleep past 4 AM.

It sucked.

So after having my sweet face the largeness or my torso of course went away,

I no longer had nasty heartburn, and I had a sleeping pattern of a newborn.

After the newborn stage was over and things started to level off,

I became overly exhausted.

Every time there was an option to take a nap I would.

When I was home with C during the weekends I would take a nap every time he did.

Now, I love sleep, like a college kid ok.

So I really didn't think much of it.

But by 8:00 PM on a day I took a nap I am complaining to my husband how tired I am.

And if I didn't get a nap on the weekend, forget it.

I was terrible cranky.

Not only was I so tired feeling all of the time but my hair was falling out like crazy.

So of course I hop on the Google to find out that post partum hair loss is normal.

And now I have a little kiddo to take care of so of course I am extra tired.

It was not until the 10th time, that my hair girl told me I needed to go get my blood levels checked

because my hair loss a year later is just not normal.

I was losing too much of it.

As much as I love pain, I kept putting it off and putting it off until one day I had really bad stomach pains (doesn't relate to my exhaustion or hair loss) that it made me go to the doctor.

Since I was there I figured I might as well get my blood levels checked.

I told him I was beyond tired all the time and my hair was falling out like I was using Nair as my shampoo.

They did my blood work and I told them to call me if anything looked suspicious.

I never got a call back.

It wasn't until my 6 week check up this pregnancy that they caught something in my blood work.

They said I have hypothyroidism.

Of course I had no clue what that was and jumped back onto the Google only to get freaked out.

My poor itty bitty baby is in jeopardy and I didn't even know it.

I felt helpless.

I felt tired.

But after they diagnosed me with hypothroidism it all made sense.

I did a lot of research and asked a lot of questions and my excessive sleeping, hair loss, and weight gain all made sense now.

My OB said they only check the thyroid levels on patients 30 years and older.

Great so not only am I pregnant, I'm OLD, and have hypothyroidism.

So, I could have had it when I was PG with C but I highly doubt it.

I just didn't feel like this when I was PG with him.

It wasn't until post partum that all the fun symptoms started to kick in.

So, now back to the original doctor that I went and got my blood work done because of my hair loss.

I was curious to see if I had it back then, which would be almost a year from now.

I called and of course it took them a MONTH to get the labs back to me.

I kept calling and calling and got the run around.

I hate that.

There is nothing more annoying to me than someone not doing their job properly and now I'm having to suffer because of your.

Not cool.

Anyways, I finally got the labs and my thyroid levels were QUADRUPLE of what they are supposed to be.

I never got a call or anything.

I was walking around with hypothyroidism being untreated for almost a year!

My blood was boiling when I found this out.

Just pure negligence on their part.

I have learned my lesson about doctors.

They are people too and they are "practicing" medicine.

They are not perfect and they will make mistakes.

Hopefully its not a life threatening mistake, but they do make mistakes.

So, after you get any sort of lab work done, call and get the reports yourself.

Follow up and be the crazy lady who is relentless.

Its your health.

Who cares what they think.

You should get your labs back every single time.

Someone may miss something and its at your expense not theirs.

I am now on medicine to keep my thyroid in check and the baby healthy.

I am starting to feel less tired.

I think.

Some days are worse than others and I just hit a wall.

My body will get super cold and then it will just hurt.

To the point where it hurts to move.

The OB doctor said everything should be ok for me and even better news, the baby will be ok.

I have always been a healthy person so this was quite the scare for me.

Remember to get your blood checked and get your labs back.

 

Bump Updated:: 18 Weeks::

How far along?  18 weeks.

Baby Size: A Bell Pepper.

Total weight gain/loss: I think I am right on track.

Im not going to think any differently until they tell me. 

Maternity clothes? Yep!

Stretch marks?  No.

Sleep: Like a rockstar!

Best moment this week: When our AC went out.

Yep, 18 weeks PG and our AC went out in Florida.

It has been out for about a week now.

Ugh.

Oh and since it was so hot out I did indulge in a refreshing 

ice cream cone about every night.

Have you told family and friends:  Yes.

Miss Anything?  Not this week.

Movement:  I felt the baby for the first time as I was up doing chores. 

I usually only feel it when I am sitting.

Food cravings:  Nope.

Anything making you queasy or sick:  Nope.

Have you started to show yet:  Yes and boy is this belly getting big.

Gender prediction: Let the countdown begin!!

A week from today we find out!!

Labor Signs: No.

Belly Button in or out? In.

But getting weird looking. 

Wedding rings on or off? On.

But not for much longer. 

Happy or Moody most of the time: Great!

Looking forward to: Getting our AC fixed. 

Bump Update::17 Weeks::

How far along?  17 weeks.

Baby Size: A Turnip.

Total weight gain/loss: Well I had a doctor's appointment this week and lets just say I am on track.

Woohoo!

Maternity clothes? Yep!

Stretch marks?  No.

I just heard about a lotion from Bert's Bee's that I am dying to try.

I heard that once you apply it you wont need any more moisturizer from 24 hours.

Now that is my kinda lotion!

Sleep: I slept like a champ this week.

Best moment this week: Going to the doctor to hear sweet ones heart beat. 

Have you told family and friends:  Yes.

Miss Anything?  I would love a good Caesar salad.

 

Movement:  Much more this week!

 I can't wait for C and the husband to start to feel sweet ones little kicks.

Food cravings:  Nope.

Anything making you queasy or sick:  Nope.

Have you started to show yet:  Yes.

Gender prediction: We officially find out May 20th! 

But I think I know what it is!!

Labor Signs: No.

Belly Button in or out? In.

 

Wedding rings on or off? On.

 

Happy or Moody most of the time: Even with it being my first week back to work 

I was in a pretty good mood.

Looking forward to: May 20!!!

Up Until Nap Time...

This is my take on what life with two kids will be like....

up until nap time at least...

Yes, that is you.

You now have given birth to two children,

you are officially, officially a responsible adult.

Not sure what you were thinking, but it's here and you did it.

Remember they are the best things that have ever happened to you.

And yes, you mean that.

There is no crying in this parenting game.

You get up, you parade around the house singing the Wiggles "Fruit Salad" to the toddler so he eats his breakfast and most importantly his...fruit, and then you go to the nursery and sing "You Are My Sunshine" to your sweet little newborn while it is eating breakfast.

Don't forget to check on the Tot because who knows what he is getting into these days.

After the sing songs are all out, breakfast is all eaten, 

it is time to stare the day straight in the face.

Get your booty showered, or not, get dressed, throw on some makeup,

diaper the kids, change their clothes and then do something productive.

It is not acceptable to keep your kiddos in the jammies all day everyday.

And although yoga pants and your pre-pregnancy (the 1st go around) beer crawl shirt is very comfortable, totally not ok to go out of the house in.

You have two kids now for crying out loud. 

You need to learn to get your ish together. 

Now, after everyone is all dressed, some tantrums thrown, cereal spilled, baby just had an explosion (new outfit), Tot threw his matchbox car in the toilet (because fishing in the toilet is exactly what you wanted to do today),

and dog barking his head off for no reason, you may just want to call it a day and stay home.

No, no Ma'am. 

Grab your coffee and get charged up lady because its going to be a long day.

Pack up their whole house.

Snacks and juice for the Tot,

a million toys plus the coveted iPad to prevent any and all unnecessary meltdowns,

and hit the road.

Oh wait,

the baby.

Pack their bottles, blankets, bibs, binks, diapers, wipes, creams, and every just in case item and throw it into that expensive and nonsensical diaper bag you just had to have.

Now, now, you are ready to hit the road.

Where are you even going to do?

You don't know?

You just needed to get out of the house.

And yes it was worth it.

You can now breathe fresh air and think they may even be silent at the same time so you can think.

Think about what's for dinner.

Great.

At this point you really don't care if everyone just starves because you are now into survival mode after the morning kicking your butt.

I am a parent and I need to enrich these children of mines lives.

Off to do something educational.

The park!!!

The Tot will run like the wind and tire himself out and then later you will get to nap with your sweet newborn.

And the park can be educational....right?

I mean colors, shapes, blah blah blah.

To the park we all go.

The park is now a success, we are back home to all in unison take NAPS!!!

What you have been waiting for since your feet his the floor this morning.

The Tot goes right to sleep because he chugged around the playground all morning acting like he was Thomas The Tank Engine and just lost all his steam.

Sweet!

I am so winning this nap time thing!

But now the itty bitty baby is wide awake and wants to play.

Sh** Moth* E****,

all I wand to do is SLEEP.

Is that too much to ask.

T-minus one hour and the Tot will be up making his demands at me

and yelling telling me "MOMMMMYYYY ICCCCE CREAM",

"MOMMMYYY JUICE"  I NEED POPSICLES"

(and keep in mind that you dont give in to these crazy demands because he normally doesn't even get these things, dont' give in)

Finally, the baby goes to sleep on your after you have sung it every song you know, 

your face hurts from smiling so much and you have ran out of breast milk.

Now you are stuck and have no reason but to fall asleep because he the babe is now on top of you.

This isn't so bad.

Until you swear you clothes your eye and hear the Tot whispering from his room

"Mommy? Mommy, where are you?"

Insert profanities here....

But you are up and make "the transfer" from you to the crib.

Successful.

Happy Mommy Dance!

The Tot is now up and you can at least spend some one on one time with him.

You think to yourself.

Wow this was so much easier with just one and you miss that time dearly with just one.

You reflect back on all the memories of just the two of you and then start to cry.

He really is the apple of your eye.

He makes your most tired and cranky days all that much better when he laughs.

You made him with your loving husband and then look up and say "Thank You God".

Now for that sweet little babe in the other room,

it will soon be your little love.

Your last baby that you wont want to let go.

There is no crying in this parenting game,

but their are tears of joy and thankfulness.

These kids really are the purpose to your life.

After all the craziness to your day is done and naps or no naps,

they are amazing and you love them unconditionally.

I am linking up with Mandy from A Sorta Fairy Tale for The Mama Memoirs.