Wow, Sorry I am so behind!
I started writing this one day so I have no idea when he said these things:
Luc said "Mathilde's a princess!"
Luc said "Mathilde did it." Placing blame already ;)
Luc really likes Mathilde. She LOVES Luc. Face lights up with a big grin and she starts waving her arms and legs when she sees him.
Luc is potty trained, knock on wood.... Well, we haven't had an accident since October? what? he must be potty trained.... I'm a little worried about our upcoming trip to France because he currently gets up in the night to go to the potty and if he is super jetlagged? I don't know, probably worried for nothing....
Luc is going to be 3! "i mean, it's a few months still but I need to prepare myself." Apparently, I wrote this draft a couple months ago because Luc's birthday is in ONE month! holy cow!
I wrote this also: "Mathilde is growing so fast. Well, it seems fast.
Her legs don't fit on the baby scale. She can almost support herself sitting with her arms."
Of course, now she is sitting up on her own, rolling over on occasion, and eating some purees...
She has had her 2 month, 4 month and 6 month checkups since I wrote last! Right, we even had an emergency room trip for a fever around 7 weeks old (simple baby fever/rash thing). She has been doing well. Her length has stayed around 75%, head circumference between 85% and 93% (big head!). Her weight has gone down to 35%. I work really hard to eat enough calories to support making breastmilk for her. This especially hard as I am still wheat/gluten and dairy FREE! yup, we are coming up on one year of this attempt to eat this way. It's starting to be easier.... cravings for wheat based food are mostly gone, i just miss the convenience of the drive through window. However, to be healthy and not sickly is worth it!!!
Mathilde has one tooth popping through on the bottom!
Mathilde may have a pretty bad dairy allergy. She had green poop after I cheated and ate some dairy (which I have been doing a little of all along) but this time was different. Bad poop for several days. The doctor tested and found traces of blood in the poop which *usually* indicates food allergy and usually it is dairy, so absolutely no dairy for me. Her poop is clearing up and I am so thankful for that.
I'm not sure if I wrote of Luc's naps but he mostly dropped them a month before Mathilde was born. Sometimes he still takes one but it's only if he happens to fall asleep in the car....
Luc went through a rough time after Mathilde was born. He had a lot of changes over the summer and Daddy was working a lot and traveling a lot. Combined with his 2 and a half year old brain we had lots of meltdowns and craziness. I therefore had many meltdowns also. I'm happy to say Luc is way better. He doesn't throw crazy irrational tantrums. He is however starting to explore and test his limits in different ways, for example playing with scissors, dumping things out, etc.
I'm really tired but I just thought I should write something so there it is!
I used to not feel quite like a mom or be in disbelief or something (you know, similar to that feeling "I can't possibly be an ADULT" ) Today I heard myself and said, wow, I am 100% mom. Luc was dancing around while I was making dinner and I realized it was the subtle movements of the peepee dance. I told him, go potty! and he went... because he had to pee and didn't really want to take time to go.... and I knew this because I am his mom. I'm there to pay attention to the things he might not want to yet.... I see the differences in my kiddos faces when they are overly tired, very happy, or sad when strangers wouldn't have a clue. and ok, now I'm really tired, time to go to bed and see how long I can sleep at one time!
Lilypie Fifth Birthday tickers
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Monday, August 26, 2013
Mathilde is one month old!
I can't believe it. It's already been one month since the birth of our baby girl. We are all adjusting, not just to having a newborn in the house but also to uncle Kyle leaving and then Genevieve going home last Tuesday. I'm very tired, luc is not always taking a nap, so it's harder for me to get mine.... Otherwise, everything is going ok.
Mathilde had her one month check up today. She has gained over 2 pounds in the last 4 weeks! She weighs 10 pounds and half an ounce. That is 4.55 kg. she is 22 inches long (55.88 cm). And her head circumference is 15.5 inches. I can't remember the percentages but the weight was slightly above average and the length and head were way above. I think the length was 85% and the head was 95%, maybe weight was 75%.
Breastfeeding
Hmmm, it's never simple. This time around has gone so much better. Less pain, less crying.... Really awesome. However, I'm dealing with some plugged ducts right now. I definitely don't want it to turn into mastitis so I'm trying to work out the clog every time I nurse. I'm using a heating pad (thank you, Sheila). I'm massaging, which is quite painful sometimes and pumping when Mathilde doesn't nurse enough. I'm taking lecithin which supposedly helps. Trying to drink lots of water. Nursing in some odd positions. Taking probiotics just in case that can help keep the bacterial infection away...
Luc
Luc is only wearing diapers to bed at night and sometimes at naps. He usually tells us when he has to go. In fact he has been asking to go potty all the time, sometimes every 20 minutes..... We think just to get attention.... He asks much less if he is distracted but still no accidents.
He starts French preschool next week, 2 mornings a week. We are very excited for that. Luc, Mathilde and I went to the park today. A little stressful at times trying to pay attention to 2 kids, but overall he is a very good boy and listens pretty well.
Mathilde had her one month check up today. She has gained over 2 pounds in the last 4 weeks! She weighs 10 pounds and half an ounce. That is 4.55 kg. she is 22 inches long (55.88 cm). And her head circumference is 15.5 inches. I can't remember the percentages but the weight was slightly above average and the length and head were way above. I think the length was 85% and the head was 95%, maybe weight was 75%.
Breastfeeding
Hmmm, it's never simple. This time around has gone so much better. Less pain, less crying.... Really awesome. However, I'm dealing with some plugged ducts right now. I definitely don't want it to turn into mastitis so I'm trying to work out the clog every time I nurse. I'm using a heating pad (thank you, Sheila). I'm massaging, which is quite painful sometimes and pumping when Mathilde doesn't nurse enough. I'm taking lecithin which supposedly helps. Trying to drink lots of water. Nursing in some odd positions. Taking probiotics just in case that can help keep the bacterial infection away...
Luc
Luc is only wearing diapers to bed at night and sometimes at naps. He usually tells us when he has to go. In fact he has been asking to go potty all the time, sometimes every 20 minutes..... We think just to get attention.... He asks much less if he is distracted but still no accidents.
He starts French preschool next week, 2 mornings a week. We are very excited for that. Luc, Mathilde and I went to the park today. A little stressful at times trying to pay attention to 2 kids, but overall he is a very good boy and listens pretty well.
Saturday, August 17, 2013
Hospital stay and coming home and after....
I was Gbs positive but didn't receive the required antibiotics during labor (since we didn't make it to the hospital before birth) so Mathilde had to have a blood draw so the hospital could do a culture to make sure she wasn't getting a GBS infection. Both the 24 hour and 48 hour tests were good, so that was a relief.
My recovery was easier overall than with Luc. Less stitches, moving around sooner.
Luc met Mathilde in the hospital. Still not sure what he thinks of Mathilde. He seems to like her but sometimes he gets too excited and is a little rough with her.
Mathilde was 7pounds 6 ounces on our checkout day, Sunday. By the next morning at her doctor's visit she was back to her birth weight! 7pounds 12 ounces
Breast feeding is painful this time around but not nearly as awful as with Luc. It helps that my milk came in faster and she is not feeding as much. My milk was coming in before we left the hospital. I still think I have this vasospasm thing which causes a lot of pain but it is manageable. The lactation consultant said her latch looked great. I am not crying every time I feed her (and now 3 weeks later as I write this, I rarely have pain, yay!!)
Mathilde makes a lot of noise, she squawks like a bird, maybe cries more than luc did. She grunts a lot especially when pooping.
She looks very much like Luc but sometimes she looks distinctly different. I think she looks like a little marine because of her hair, looks like a buzz cut.
Luc is potty training or should I say he has graduated to daytime underwear and nap and night time diapers. He rarely has a wet or dirty accident and only a few nights a week does he actually pee in his night time diaper. He actually wakes up at all hours (0, 1, or 2 times a night) and asks to go pee, so Nicolas runs up to help him on the potty.
Genevieve has been a huge help. We will have a big adjustment when she goes.
My recovery was easier overall than with Luc. Less stitches, moving around sooner.
Luc met Mathilde in the hospital. Still not sure what he thinks of Mathilde. He seems to like her but sometimes he gets too excited and is a little rough with her.
Mathilde was 7pounds 6 ounces on our checkout day, Sunday. By the next morning at her doctor's visit she was back to her birth weight! 7pounds 12 ounces
Breast feeding is painful this time around but not nearly as awful as with Luc. It helps that my milk came in faster and she is not feeding as much. My milk was coming in before we left the hospital. I still think I have this vasospasm thing which causes a lot of pain but it is manageable. The lactation consultant said her latch looked great. I am not crying every time I feed her (and now 3 weeks later as I write this, I rarely have pain, yay!!)
Mathilde makes a lot of noise, she squawks like a bird, maybe cries more than luc did. She grunts a lot especially when pooping.
She looks very much like Luc but sometimes she looks distinctly different. I think she looks like a little marine because of her hair, looks like a buzz cut.
Luc is potty training or should I say he has graduated to daytime underwear and nap and night time diapers. He rarely has a wet or dirty accident and only a few nights a week does he actually pee in his night time diaper. He actually wakes up at all hours (0, 1, or 2 times a night) and asks to go pee, so Nicolas runs up to help him on the potty.
Genevieve has been a huge help. We will have a big adjustment when she goes.
Friday, July 26, 2013
Our accidental home birth of Mathilde Jolene
So, I guess since my water didn't break and I had been having contractions on and off for weeks, I wasn't sure when I was in labor and by the time I realized we needed to get to the hospital fast, it was just too late.
Around 9pm ish, I had some spotting. Sometimes called bloody show. Labor usually starts within 72 hours of that. I was having some contractions just like the past several days. Maybe they were a bit more uncomfortable, but still not regular or close together.
From 11 pm to midnight I timed the contractions at 11 minutes apart. I was laying in bed, resting/trying to go to sleep. Shortly after midnight they started getting unbearable in bed. I got up and the contractions got worse and went from 11 minutes apart to 8 to 5 to 2 minutes very quickly. I called the doctor's office and the answering service told me the midwife would call me back immediately.
I told Nico to get moving and felt very urgently that we had to leave right then! He had been asleep maybe 20 minutes and didn't really understand that he had to jump out of bed. So I told him again, LET's go!
The midwife called me back and I kept telling her we were on our way (I planned to leave the house immediately). She could tell I was having contractions and that they were very close together.
Nicolas gets dressed, puts our hospital bag in the car, etc. he tells his mom we are leaving for the hospital.
By this time the contractions were so intense that I would try to leave the bathroom (I was laboring on the toilet) and every time I left I got as far as the bathroom counter and turned back around to go labor through the next intense contraction on the toilet. I knew I had to put pants on and get in the car but it just wasn't happening. I'm pretty sure I was going through transition at this point. I guess my instinct was to stay where I was since I was so close to giving birth.
Nicolas comes back to get me and sees that I am actually pushing already. I had the thought that the feeling I was having was close to the 'ring of fire' and that the baby might be coming out but it didn't make it to my thinking brain yet. Nicolas asked me if we needed to call 911. I reached down and I felt her head and said yes, call. It was then that I realized I was not going to make it to the hospital.
Nicolas called 911 and the lady told him to get me off the toilet, you don't want to deliver a baby on the toilet. Nico goes to unlock door/ tell his mom except the 911 person says, don't leave her! so Nicolas told him mom to unlock the door, but he wasn't specific and so she opened the garage door and then between hearing me pushing and hearing sirens and seeing the lights come down the street she went to open the front door.
Meanwhile, I managed to get a break in contractions long enough to get off the toilet and into the tub. Let me clarify here, there was no time for a tub water birth, there was no water in the tub. This was not planned and everything happened way too fast for any of that. So I got in the tub and within a couple pushes she was born. Nicolas caught her head and guided her into my hands as she came out. Oh, and my water finally broke as her head came out....
I'm focused on if she is breathing, Nicolas can only see cord around her neck, he tells me it's wrapped, fortunately it was only wrapped around the back of her neck. I look down in relief and tell him it's fine. I unwrap the cord from her body and pick her up in my arms. The EMTs start to arrive, they see baby out, probably they heard her cry before coming in the room. Everything is suddenly a lot less urgent. The baby and mom seem to be ok and everything slows down. The EMTs start checking on how we are, someone suctioned her nose and mouth. An EMT cut the cord. We wrap her in towels. They help me out of the tub and onto a stretcher. I'm wheeled out and see Kyle taking a picture of me.
Kyle took a video, I had no idea there were so many fireman in our house.
Kyle and Genevieve heard me pushing (um, not sure how to describe that grunting/yelling) and then heard the baby cry.
Luc was crying from his room. Daddy, Daddy... He probably heard the firemen and EMTs trooping through the house. Nicolas went to talk to him and he went right back to sleep.
They loaded me and Mathilde into the ambulance and Nicolas followed us to hospital where we were admitted and checked again. I got some stitches and they weighed and checked Mathilde. Sometime around 3 am they moved us to the postpartum room where we spent the rest of the stay.
Some things we thought about after the experience:
Total time from when Nico got out of bed to when Mathilde was born was 24 minutes. The 911 call was probably 10 minutes long or so.
I could feel her head and could tell how much farther she had progressed out. I felt a ridge which I thought was bag of waters but realized later was probably a ridge of her skull bones squished together. I labored on the toilet and then pushed squatting and then on hands and knees. I'm not sure they would have let that happen at the hospital... There were no monitors hooked up to my belly, I had no IV, there were no nurses poking me or asking me 10 thousand questions. It was a pretty cool, joyful experience.
So, for anyone out there with a history of FAST labors, ignore the general 5 minutes apart for an hour rule and pay attention to bloody show and any 'uncomfortable' to slightly painful contractions. If we had gone in after bloody show we would have made it. I have to estimate labor as about 2 hours 20 minutes starting from when I decided I should time the contractions.
You have to click the link to see the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dQs_8bVx2M&feature=c4-overview&list=UUoZA1QCv7u1QJRqEfaS-RqQ
Mathilde Jolene born at home at 1:24 am July 26, 2013. 20 inches long and 7 pounds 12 ounces. We had two different weights but 12 ounces is the official.
Around 9pm ish, I had some spotting. Sometimes called bloody show. Labor usually starts within 72 hours of that. I was having some contractions just like the past several days. Maybe they were a bit more uncomfortable, but still not regular or close together.
From 11 pm to midnight I timed the contractions at 11 minutes apart. I was laying in bed, resting/trying to go to sleep. Shortly after midnight they started getting unbearable in bed. I got up and the contractions got worse and went from 11 minutes apart to 8 to 5 to 2 minutes very quickly. I called the doctor's office and the answering service told me the midwife would call me back immediately.
I told Nico to get moving and felt very urgently that we had to leave right then! He had been asleep maybe 20 minutes and didn't really understand that he had to jump out of bed. So I told him again, LET's go!
The midwife called me back and I kept telling her we were on our way (I planned to leave the house immediately). She could tell I was having contractions and that they were very close together.
Nicolas gets dressed, puts our hospital bag in the car, etc. he tells his mom we are leaving for the hospital.
By this time the contractions were so intense that I would try to leave the bathroom (I was laboring on the toilet) and every time I left I got as far as the bathroom counter and turned back around to go labor through the next intense contraction on the toilet. I knew I had to put pants on and get in the car but it just wasn't happening. I'm pretty sure I was going through transition at this point. I guess my instinct was to stay where I was since I was so close to giving birth.
Nicolas comes back to get me and sees that I am actually pushing already. I had the thought that the feeling I was having was close to the 'ring of fire' and that the baby might be coming out but it didn't make it to my thinking brain yet. Nicolas asked me if we needed to call 911. I reached down and I felt her head and said yes, call. It was then that I realized I was not going to make it to the hospital.
Nicolas called 911 and the lady told him to get me off the toilet, you don't want to deliver a baby on the toilet. Nico goes to unlock door/ tell his mom except the 911 person says, don't leave her! so Nicolas told him mom to unlock the door, but he wasn't specific and so she opened the garage door and then between hearing me pushing and hearing sirens and seeing the lights come down the street she went to open the front door.
Meanwhile, I managed to get a break in contractions long enough to get off the toilet and into the tub. Let me clarify here, there was no time for a tub water birth, there was no water in the tub. This was not planned and everything happened way too fast for any of that. So I got in the tub and within a couple pushes she was born. Nicolas caught her head and guided her into my hands as she came out. Oh, and my water finally broke as her head came out....
I'm focused on if she is breathing, Nicolas can only see cord around her neck, he tells me it's wrapped, fortunately it was only wrapped around the back of her neck. I look down in relief and tell him it's fine. I unwrap the cord from her body and pick her up in my arms. The EMTs start to arrive, they see baby out, probably they heard her cry before coming in the room. Everything is suddenly a lot less urgent. The baby and mom seem to be ok and everything slows down. The EMTs start checking on how we are, someone suctioned her nose and mouth. An EMT cut the cord. We wrap her in towels. They help me out of the tub and onto a stretcher. I'm wheeled out and see Kyle taking a picture of me.
Kyle took a video, I had no idea there were so many fireman in our house.
Kyle and Genevieve heard me pushing (um, not sure how to describe that grunting/yelling) and then heard the baby cry.
Luc was crying from his room. Daddy, Daddy... He probably heard the firemen and EMTs trooping through the house. Nicolas went to talk to him and he went right back to sleep.
They loaded me and Mathilde into the ambulance and Nicolas followed us to hospital where we were admitted and checked again. I got some stitches and they weighed and checked Mathilde. Sometime around 3 am they moved us to the postpartum room where we spent the rest of the stay.
Some things we thought about after the experience:
Total time from when Nico got out of bed to when Mathilde was born was 24 minutes. The 911 call was probably 10 minutes long or so.
I could feel her head and could tell how much farther she had progressed out. I felt a ridge which I thought was bag of waters but realized later was probably a ridge of her skull bones squished together. I labored on the toilet and then pushed squatting and then on hands and knees. I'm not sure they would have let that happen at the hospital... There were no monitors hooked up to my belly, I had no IV, there were no nurses poking me or asking me 10 thousand questions. It was a pretty cool, joyful experience.
So, for anyone out there with a history of FAST labors, ignore the general 5 minutes apart for an hour rule and pay attention to bloody show and any 'uncomfortable' to slightly painful contractions. If we had gone in after bloody show we would have made it. I have to estimate labor as about 2 hours 20 minutes starting from when I decided I should time the contractions.
You have to click the link to see the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dQs_8bVx2M&feature=c4-overview&list=UUoZA1QCv7u1QJRqEfaS-RqQ
Mathilde Jolene born at home at 1:24 am July 26, 2013. 20 inches long and 7 pounds 12 ounces. We had two different weights but 12 ounces is the official.
Thursday, July 25, 2013
40 weeks plus 5 days -quick update
We went to the doctor this afternoon. I am 3 cm dilated and 80% effaced. They have scheduled an induction on aug 3rd as the hospital induction schedule is very booked up next week. Of course still hoping she comes before then.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Two days till due date... almost 40 weeks
We had a checkup this morning and everything is fine. I declined the cervical check again since it is not a predictor of when labor will happen. I will do it next week with a membrane sweep if baby girl still has not come out. I feel very pregnant and she is running out of room. Heartburn is kicking up since there is no more space for my tummy. Hope Mexican food tonight is not a horrible idea :).
I'm getting some rest since Genevieve is here. It's been a little difficult for me to relax because I feel guilty she is doing so much and I'm not doing much. She is taking care of Luc and making lunch and dinner and doing grocery shopping. Hmm, yes, makes me feel very lazy. I am putting Luc down for his nap most days and then taking my own nap, sounds like I have a luxurious day but I guess it is just hard to move around and get anything done when so close to the due date. I do feel better since getting more rest but I can't cut out the naps, I'm just too tired.
I'm still having Braxton Hicks contractions but they are sometimes very uncomfortable so hopefully my body is preparing and getting ready to go soon!
Luc is doing well. It's hard to tell if he understands about the new baby. I guess we'll find out soon enough :)
some promised pictures:
34/35? weeks:
36 ish weeks:
Not a belly shot but a nice one of Kyle's new family!
7/7/2013 Kyle's party:
Belly shots from dr's office:
7/3
7/12
TODAY!
7/18 dr's office visit:
I'm getting some rest since Genevieve is here. It's been a little difficult for me to relax because I feel guilty she is doing so much and I'm not doing much. She is taking care of Luc and making lunch and dinner and doing grocery shopping. Hmm, yes, makes me feel very lazy. I am putting Luc down for his nap most days and then taking my own nap, sounds like I have a luxurious day but I guess it is just hard to move around and get anything done when so close to the due date. I do feel better since getting more rest but I can't cut out the naps, I'm just too tired.
I'm still having Braxton Hicks contractions but they are sometimes very uncomfortable so hopefully my body is preparing and getting ready to go soon!
Luc is doing well. It's hard to tell if he understands about the new baby. I guess we'll find out soon enough :)
some promised pictures:
34/35? weeks:
36 ish weeks:
Not a belly shot but a nice one of Kyle's new family!
7/7/2013 Kyle's party:
Belly shots from dr's office:
7/3
7/12
TODAY!
7/18 dr's office visit:
Monday, July 8, 2013
38 weeks
Well, I'm still pregnant. It's hard to believe 5 weeks ago we spent an evening at the hospital trying to figure out why I was having regular contractions. I have not had them like that since and even in the last week they seem to be less often or I am getting used to them. And now it seems as if she is never coming out.... Being 8 months pregnant is not a fun state. My body is just tired and awkward. I decided today is the last time I remove clothes from the dryer by myself until after the baby comes. However the last couple days I haven't taken a nap! Amazing! So I have 2-4 weeks left.... After that if I'm still pregnant I'm sure they will induce or something. I think she is running out of room there though... I'm having some serious mood swings, especially when I'm hungry so trying to eat all the time ;)
I do have some belly shots and other pics to upload when I get them off the camera....
Anyway, we are staying busy. We have company right now and luc is loving it. We have Genevieve here. My brother Kyle is staying with us and his wife and step daughter have come to visit. Luc gets along well with his new cousin, Danni. Things have been very busy but I'm happy.
I do have some belly shots and other pics to upload when I get them off the camera....
Anyway, we are staying busy. We have company right now and luc is loving it. We have Genevieve here. My brother Kyle is staying with us and his wife and step daughter have come to visit. Luc gets along well with his new cousin, Danni. Things have been very busy but I'm happy.
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