Happy Spring!!!!!!!!

Well, it's been a while since I've updated our blog, so I have alot to write about today! I guess I'll start with where I left off last... cloth diapers. We've been using them on and off for the last 3 weeks or so. I like them alot, but I'm not a total cloth convert yet. We do cloth during the day and disposables at night and when we go out. Using cloth requires more frequent diaper changing, and if Elizabeth is actually sleeping at night, I'm NOT waking her before I go to bed to change her diaper! They have stay dry liners that I may look into for nighttime. Right now, we're just trying to adjust to this different way of diapering, and I just have the basics. Oh yes, Lizzie has a new nickname: Princess Fluffy Butt. LOL! Here are some pics of Lizzie in her new knickers.

Needless to say, I am glad Keith's two back to back weeks of traveling are over with. TGFS--thank goodness for sisters! Jenna came down the first week when Keith was in Vegas and stayed with us Tuesday-Friday; what a lifesaver she was! She helped out a ton with Bradyn, and on Tuesday/Thursday when Bradyn was in school, we went shopping. It was nice to spend some sister-time together! She's a wonderful sister and aunt. :-)  Keith got home late Friday night and on Saturday went to Academy to buy Bradyn a playscape, a purchase we have been considering for a few weeks now. The thing was a pain to put together, as none of the wood planks were labeled and none of the holes were pre-drilled; it took Keith about 15 hours total (and he had help from our neighbor and his friend Travis). Bradyn was so patient while Daddy worked and I think he thinks it was worth the wait.... he LOVES it! It's not completely finished yet. There are monkey bars, but I don't know if we're going to put those on just yet, Bradyn's still a little small for them.

 

The next week Keith had to go to California. He left on Tuesday morning and got home Friday afternoon. It was just the kids and me that week, but we did pretty good.... the evening gets hectic, but a couple of glasses of wine and I'm ok. ;-p

We had a wonderful Easter Sunday!!!!!!! It was so much fun dressing Elizabeth up and watching Bradyn hunt eggs in the backyard. We got up early that morning and went to church at Redeemer Lutheran in Austin. There was no Sunday school that morning, so Bradyn sat in big church with us and did exceptionally well for a 3 yr. old. I had to hold Elizabeth the whole time, but she did well too. The day started off rainey, but by the time we got out of church at 10:45, the sun had come out and it was a GORGEOUS day! We came home and took some pictures of the family and of the kids, had lunch, then Bradyn went out to hunt eggs. He was so much fun! Last year he didn't really know what was going on, but this year he was so excited and knew just what to do! Easter pics below:

We asked Keith's mom if she would mind watching Bradyn for the night, and she said yes, so Keith and I got to spend some much needed couple time together. Lizzie was there of course, but she can't talk yet, ha ha ha. She chilled on the porch with us in her bouncer while Keith and I talked and grilled steaks. It was a nice evening. Thank you Nana!

I am happy to announce that I actually got 6 1/2 hours of uninterrupted sleep last night! I put Lizzie in bed at 10:30 and she slept until 5:30 this morning. I got in bed at 11 and was SHOCKED when I woke up and saw 5:27 on the clock! YIPPEE!!!!!

Here are some more random pics of everyone:

 

Sweet kiddos!

 

Ok, so it's pretty obvious that Bradyn adores his little sister! He's a great helper when it comes to getting me burp rags, diapers, and washcloths, and he occasionally keeps Elizabeth entertained while I finish up the dishes, cooking, getting ready, etc. Things are going MUCH better with our sleep situation; we are finally in a routine and I'm feeling much better (alot more sane and not so sleep-deprived)! I bathe, nurse, and then put her down and she usually sleeps at least 3, if not 4 hours. She wakes up to nurse around 1 or 2am and then goes right back to sleep. She usually wakes every 1 1/2 - 2 hours after that, so I'm still getting up at least 2X a night (most nights 3X). That's fine though, it's so nice getting to bed at a decent time and being able to sleep 4 hours straight a few times per week.

Mr. Bradyn is doing well. We have exciting news!!! I think we are finally DONE with diapers AND pull-ups! Bradyn's been consistently peeing in the potty since before he was 2, but we've had the hardest time with him pooping in the potty. He (thankfully) would never go in his underwear, he'd just wait until we put a diaper or training pants on him at nighttime and go in those. He adamantly REFUSED to go in the toilet, with the exception of a handful of times. It's been so frustrating!!!!!! The last 2 weeks though, he's done a complete turnaround! This week, he slept in underwear and has stayed dry every night! That's the END of diapers and training pants for him! WOO-HOOOOO (I never thought this day would come!)!!!! I may be done for the most part buying Elizabeth disposable diapers also.... we are going to give cloth diapers a go. They've come a long way in recent years and have some really cute things out there! They are much better for baby's skin and obviously better for the Earth. I've had a tremendous guilt trip lately when changing diapers... every disposable diaper takes 500 years to decompose; I can't take it anymore! We are at home enough that I think cloth is a convenient option for us. I ordered a few prefolds and Bummis (pronounced Bum-ease) covers yesterday, so hopefully they'll hurry up and get here!

Keith is going to be in Vegas next week (all week), then has to go to California the next week for 3 days. I'm not looking forward to it. I do enjoy not having to cook :) but that's about it. It is hard juggling 2 cranky kids at the end of the day, when I'm tired and cranky also. I really miss Keith when he's gone; it gets lonely and overwhelming sometime. We are so blessed that Keith has his wonderful job though, so I won't complain too much.

I'm going to post a few more pictures--ENJOY!

Keith and Elizabeth, 7 weeks

Bradyn playing with Moon Sand

Bradyn and cousin Ephram playing puppet show

    

tummy time for Lizzie!

her first pair of jeans!

We LOVE our Moby wrap!

Mommy and kiddos!

SMILE!

found her thumb!

It won't be like this for long.....

 

I heard this song on the radio in the car the other day and started bawling!!! What sweet lyrics, and how true they are. When I'm up for hours on end in the middle of the night I think of this song and it helps put it all in perspective. 5 weeks has already flown by with Elizabeth, just like 3 1/2 years has flown with Bradyn.

Speaking of, at the ripe old age of 5 weeks, Elizabeth has already had (and still has) her first cold. I guess she got it from Bradyn, who probably got it at school. It's been pretty upsetting to me seeing her so stopped up and coughing. Her little voice is even hoarse when she cries. :-(  We went to the doctor 2X this week, once on Tuesday and again on Friday to make sure it hadn't moved into her chest. They were really impressed with her weight gain--she was 9lbs. 5 oz. on Tuesday and 9lbs. 7 oz. yesterday. What can I say???... she likes to eat (like mother, like daughter)!

Life with baby....

...has been so many things, but WONDERFUL and EXHAUSTING describe the last month the best. We are so blessed to have Elizabeth in our lives and in our family. I am in awe of God and His wonderful works and His impeccable timing. Keith and I love our babies so much!

Sorry I haven't kept up with the blog better...As you can imagine, sleep for Mommy is rare these days. Sometimes life seems overwhelming and I just want to cry. The laundry never ends, the housework never ends, my breasts are on call 24 hours a day, there are bills to pay, Bradyn wants me to play with him, I need to cook dinner, get groceries, Elizabeth's crying and I don't know why, Bradyn's screaming, I need to change another diaper, AHHHHHHHHHH! Some of this is hormonal, but most of it is pure exhaustion. I am much better (mentally and emotionally) when Elizabeth and I have a "good night" and I get decent sleep. Overall, baby care in general is soooo much easier the 2nd time around, but juggling 2 children and not being able to rest during the day after being up most of the night is difficult. Elizabeth slept good for about a week after we got home from the hospital. There were a couple of times she slept 3 or 4 hours at a time and I would have to wake her up to nurse. That quickly came to an end though as she stopped liking being swaddled in a receiving blanket. When I try to wrap her up, she gets upset and struggles to get out, but when I leave her unwrapped, her arms fly out and she startles herself. We got into a bad habit of putting her in our bed because she wouldn't sleep alone in her pack-n-play that is set up right by me. Keith slept on the couch for about a week just so I could get some sleep. Terrible, I know. Thus, we have already moved her into her own room and she is now sleeping (or not sleeping!) in her crib. She makes little baby noises all night long and jumps alot, but I am not nearly as aware of it hearing it on the baby monitor. Also, she cannot hear and is no longer disturbed by me getting back into bed, going to the restroom, or Keith occasionally snoring. In fact, we have a baby monitor that has a camera on it (thanks to my husband and his job at Supercircuits!!!) and I watch Elizabeth on it for a few minutes when I get into bed. I only get up when I hear her start to cry..... which is still about every 1 1/2 hours, give or take about 30 minutes.

We took Elizabeth downtown when she was a little over two weeks old to get her newborn portraits. Getting there was kinda crazy.... we got in the middle of a marathon they were having down by the Capitol, which detoured us because several streets were blocked off, and when we were about a mile away from our destination, we almost had a wreck! I suppose it was all worth it; we got some great pictures of Elizabeth.

Days and nights are tough right now, but I am trying to take it all in; these newborn moments go by so quickly. These are precious, precious days. :-)

 

Welcome Elizabeth!

Keith and I welcomed our beautiful baby girl, Elizabeth Reese Becker, on January 30, 2009. She was born at 2:50 am, weighed 7 lbs., 4 oz., and was 19 3/4 inches long. She is an angel and our whole family is so in love with her. Bradyn has been a terrific big brother so far, he pats Elizabeth's head so softly, and gives her gentle kisses on her cheeks and forehead. He is VERY concerned when she cries ("Mom! What's wrong with Elizabeth Reese?!"), which she actually doesn't do that often! I have been up and down around the clock nursing Elizabeth, which is tiring, but soooooooo worth it. I'm a huge advocate of breastfeeding, and I am happy that Elizabeth has taken to it so well. I can't wait to see what she weighs at her 2 week appointment this Friday.

Keith and I did get a natural labor and birth experience like we wanted. It was simply AMAZING. It's hard to describe the whole thing in just a sentence. Our doula, Amanda, came for a postpartum visit last week, and she presented Elizabeth with her birth story. I asked Amanda if I could share it with you in my blog and she said sure.

 

January 30, 2009

Dear Elizabeth,

Welcome to the world! It was such an honor to be present for your birth and I would like to tell you a little about it.

As the anticipated time of your birth approached your parents busily made your room ready for your arrival. They painted it pink, bought new linens, and put away all of the amazing gifts you had already received from family and friends. Your mother anticipated your birth with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. She and your father had prepared extensively for your birth by taking natural childbirth classes, changing to a new doctor and hospital, and hiring a doula to assist them along the way. They were both very committed to giving you a healthy, calm and peaceful entry to this world.

As the day got closer, your mother tried several things to encourage labor. She ate spicy food, pineapple, and eggplant but you had your own plan. On Thursday, January 29^th, your mother experienced mild contractions throughout most of the day but didn’t think much about them. After putting your brother Bradyn to bed, she ate a late dinner and stepped into a warm shower. Your father was in the family room relaxing and watching television when he heard loud knocking on the wall adjoining the bathroom. He quickly went to your mother to check on her and discovered that her water had broken. It was finally time for you to make your entry! Your mother called your Nona to tell her the good news and called me as well. Contractions had not started and she was going to wait until they were strong and regular before having people come to the house. She was going to call the doctor and let her know and would get back with me afterwards. Just ten minutes later your mother called me to say that she was going to get back in the shower and try to get some sleep afterwards. I next heard from your father around 11:15pm when he called to tell me that your mother was having contractions every 3-4 minutes and that she was handling them beautifully. She planned to stay at home and I made my way to your house.

When I arrived at your house, I found your mother having a contraction while leaning over the bed. Your Aunt Jenna was sitting on the bed timing the contractions with the help of a computer while your father got me up to date with what had been happening since we last spoke. Your mother’s contractions had never slowed down. In fact, they were now 2-3 minutes apart. Between each contraction, she would look up with a big smile on her face and cheerfully talk to us. I sat there for about 20 minutes in utter amazement at how this labor was progressing and how energetic your mother was despite what should have been pretty intense contractions. We made sure she drank plenty of water between contractions and your father rubbed her legs while she leaned over the bed. Between contractions she would talk to us as if it was just a regular day. Despite this, I still had a feeling that this might happen a little quicker than usual. While your mother was in the bathroom I suggested to your father that he go ahead and put everything in the car so that we may leave quickly when the time came.

About 30 minutes after I arrived, your mother had a contraction that really got her attention and she said, “This one is different!” Your mother wanted to wait for your Nona to arrive before heading to the hospital, so I asked your father to call her to get an idea of when she would be arriving. Things were indeed happening quickly. When Nona arrived, we quickly said our hellos and your father helped your mother into her shoes so we could leave. Contractions were every two minutes now and your mother would have to pause and drape herself over your father as he held her close. On the way out, your mother quietly slipped into your brother’s room to kiss him goodbye. Your Nona and I both were touched by that sweet moment.

Your father quickly got your mother in the car and Nona and I followed. About half way there I noticed that your father had sped up significantly and I knew something must be happening! When we arrived at the hospital and I saw your father help your mother out of the car, I knew we needed to hurry. Her contractions were very intense and coming very quickly. We got her up to the labor and delivery floor and the registration clerk started asking your mother lots of questions. Your mother answered a few questions and then said, “I can’t answer your questions right now! This baby is coming out right now!” I had to chuckle at this. The nurses eyes widened and we were miraculously whisked to the room where we quickly helped your mother to the bed. A nurse examined her and confirmed that she was definitely ready to give birth. About this time your Nana arrived and was guided to the room by one of the nurses.

While we waited for the midwife to arrive, it was very obvious that you were not going to wait. Your mother did an unbelievable job of staying calm and focused. She would take a deep breath as each contraction started and breathe rhythmically throughout. Your father kneeled on the floor beside her and held her hand. Your mother needed to look directly into his eyes to stay focused and your father was right there for her. The nurses were hurriedly getting everything ready for your birth and calling the hospitalist that was on call for these situations. We could already see your head starting to emerge when the doctor stepped into the room. No one needed to guide your mother and tell her what to do. She gently started to push and the room got very quiet and still as we watched. Lisa, the midwife, arrived just in time to support your head as you emerged. I was in awe of how gently your mother guided you into the world. As we could see more of your slippery pink body, I told your mother to look down at you. The look on her face was priceless. It was a combination of relief and amazement. Your grandmothers looked on crying happy tears and your father had a huge smile on his face. At 2:50am, January 30, 2009 you were born into this world. Just 4 ½ hours after active labor started for your mother.

As Lisa made sure your mother was doing well and was comfortable, your father followed you to the warmer for your assessment. He leaned over the warmer and spoke to you for the first time. You barely cried and instead seemed to be calmed by hearing your father’s voice. Your mother could see you a few feet away and commented on your cute feet that you were holding in the air. Finally, it was time for you to come back to your mother to have your first chance at nursing and cuddling. Your father carried you in his arms to your mother and lay you on her chest. A family was born. Your mother put you directly on her chest so you could get warm and smell her. You were so calm and peaceful. At first you were only interested in nuzzling and smelling your mother but just 20 minutes later you latched perfectly and started nursing for the first time. We all finally sat down and discussed what had just happened. Your father said that he had quite a story to tell at the reunion of parents who had taken Bradley classes together. Your parents were amazed at how quickly you had been born. Most of all, we were all in awe of your mother’s strength. She did a beautiful job birthing you and your father was an amazing support for her.

Elizabeth, your parents were committed to giving you a calm, peaceful and healthy birth and you experienced just that. Your birth was a beautiful event. The amazing bond that I saw between your parents will be your foundation for growing up in a family full of love and support. I hope your life is full of joy, wonder and love. You are blessed to have two loving parents who gave you a wonderful start to life. Welcome to the world.

Your doula,

Yes, I have to hand it to Keith.... He was an amazing support in all this. In fact, he didn't just support me, he was 100% completely in it till the end with me. He read the books, happily looked forward to going to our Bradley classes, and encouraged me all along the way. When I expressed doubt, he would look me in the eye and say, "You're going to be great. We're going to do this." When I first suggested hiring a doula, it him a couple of days to warm up to the thought. Once we met Amanda, she changed his mind! Amanda was (and still is!) our rock throughout the journey, I felt completely comfortable talking to her about pretty much anything. She was a wonderful source of knowledge throughout the pregnancy, and her ability to remain calm when I felt like I was about to lose it was praiseworthy. Thank you to my mother and father-in-law for keeping Bradyn for us for 9 or 10 Sunday nights so we could attend our Bradley classes. Thank you to my mother, my sister-in-law Hafida, my friend Sarah Benn, and Tammy for all your kind words and encouragement regarding natural childbirth. Yes, it was ALL totally worth it.