IT Works Wrap Results!

Lost a total of 2 inches after ONE WRAP!  AMAZING!!  Not to mention my stretch marks looked so much better and they're hardly red at all.  Love these wraps so much -- they're magical!  I also love that I can do them at home when the boys are sleeping and don't have to pay a babysitter to go to a salon to get them at a marked up price.  I would pay probably $120 for the whole thing if I got them from a salon after I figure in babysitter etc!  Crazy!  If you're interested in getting a single wrap from me to try them out for yourself they are only $20  :) Seriously!  Only $20!  Or you can order a box of 4!  Send me a message on youtube, twitter, or email if you'd like to try them!  livelaughwrap@gmail.com    IT WORKS!

http://www.saramiroslaw.itworks.net/Cart/Detail.aspx?pid=v45JQ31111tW0rK45

Don't Worry....Be Happy

I'm sitting here pre-stressing about the drive to Florida already.  Mind you it isn't until OCTOBER.  Every day for the past week I've thought about how I'm going to manage overseeing our house being packed up.  Taking care of the boys.  Signing out of the house.  Making sure the movers come and go to the right place.  Changing our address with the Post Office.  Cleaning the house out and getting the security deposit back.  Then getting me and my 2 boys in the car and driving the 18 hours (that's without stops) to our new home in Florida that I've never even seen before.  That we won't even have until Rob gets to Florida.  All I can think about is feeding Ryan every 3 hours...stopping...doing it all by myself. 

Ugh.  Such is the life of an Army Wife.  Don't get me wrong...I'm truly blessed to be married to my husband and it's an honor.  And I'm excited about actually being in Florida.  It's not the destination that's the problem.  It's the trip there.  This summer is going to fly by.  Seems like we're just getting settled.  I can say that I think I've finally made a really good friend down here (Jennifer) and now we're getting yanked out already.  But I can't think about that... Whewwww.....Woosah....
  

 

PICTURES FROM OUR WATER-FIGHT WITH JENNIFER AND THE GIRLS TODAY!

Hangin' Out

Ryan and I are hangin' out tonight :)  Things have been moving at light-speed lately.  I absolutely cannot believe that he's been here for almost 5 weeks already.  5 weeks when I was pregnant seemed to last forever and now the days and nights are all meshed together and just flying by.  Attempted a workout tonight...but I got 15 min into it and Ryan started fussing and Rob came home.  No such luck! haha.  Maybe if I keep these workout clothes on I will wake up and be super motivated to just do it first thing...hmmm.... I could be on to something!

Things with Ryan have been going better.  I like that he can be awake and happy during the day now!  Christopher has been Mr. Mischeivous and wanting to take off out the backyard and into the road.  The other day he took off and fell in our driveway and smacked his head super hard -- now he's got road rash and a gigantic goose egg on his forehead.  I figured this would deter him from future sprints....NOPE!  Took off again tonight and mommy had to go chase him down with Ryan in the baby carrier.  That was a sight...I'm sure.  Neighbor kids knocked over our grill tonight.  Nice -- didn't even bother to tell us OR pick it up.  Good thing it didn't start a fire!  There were hot coals in there from Rob cooking us steaks!   HAHA!  Ryan just made a super high-pitched screech.  Scared the crap out of me!

I love being a mommy.  I've had a couple really stressful days (like yesterday!  Crying and tantrums from 7 am til midnight!) but thankfully hubby helps me out.  He offered to get up with Christopher today and he made breakfast, did the dishes, cleaned, made dinner, and potty-trained with Christopher!  So nice!  I dont' know what I'm going to do when he's gone...that's coming right up around the corner.  Just thinking about moving and finding new friends...not to mention the 20 hour drive with 2 boys is really giving me a migraine.  Feels like we just got adjusted and now we're leaving!  I am looking forward to it, though.  Florida.  No snow.  Grilling out all year.  Bring it on! 

MOMMY MOMENT OF THE NIGHT:
Changing Ryan's diaper.  Poop shoots out.  Literally. 8 inches and splatters all over my pants and the floor.  It was a totally disgusting, gag-worthy moment.  EW. 



Mommy and Ryan's beds in his nursery!



Oh the things I pick up with my toes...

Being a mom to an extremely picky baby who constantly wants to be toted around in a baby carrier means I have become very good at multitasking.  I can open doors with my toes and pick up toys so that I don't have to bend over which (would inevitably wake up Ryan).  This list includes a few things I've picked up with my toes over the past couple of weeks...The strangest of which being a radish.  And not just a radish...but a radish covered in slimy salad dressing.  After which I washed my foot in the sink....with Ryan still in the baby carrier, of course.

Mother's Day

Had a pretty good day today!  Got up and did my workout.  Had a little time to myself and then hung around the house for the entire day and pretty much stayed away from the computer and my phone. Didn't even put on make-up!  I just wanted to spend time with the boys and enjoy them.  I can't believe Ryan is already going to be 3 weeks old tomorrow.  That flew by!  I could almost cry because it's going by so fast... too fast.  I have to stop or I'm going to be a weepy mess!  Anyways...

Hubby and I had our R&R date last night and our awesome neighbor watched the boys for us!  She is so sweet.  Even though Ryan is as grumpy and colicky as he is she still did that for us.  Awesome Mother's Day present!  It was 90 degrees here today.  That would be nice if I wanted to go to the beach; but when I want to take my crying baby outside (because he loves it) it's bad because it's humid and way too hot for him to be out longer than 10 to 15 minutes. So as soon as we got back in he showed us his lung power!  Rob did a shrimp boil today and made homemade cocktail sauce with it -- mmm mm mmmm!!!  I even got fed the shrimp because I was holding little man.  Overall it was a pretty good day.  Now I'm sitting here relaxing and waiting for Ryan to wake up to eat so then I can go zonk out for a few hours!

Labor and Delivery of Ryan

A Journey Through Colic: 1

It's just a phase. That's what I have to keep telling myself. Some moments are far more difficult than others and I really have to tap into my inner zen to make it through the really hair-raising seconds that feel like they last an eternity; but, I know we'll get through it. I can't say my sanity will be intact but luckily it wasn't all there to begin with! I have high hopes that the Colic Calm that we ordered will do wonders for him. I guess we'll find out tomorrow!

When Ryan had his first long crying episode I just shook my head and attributed it to a little tummy ache or something that I ate that must've bothered him. The second episode I started to panic a little because I know how stressful it was dealing with this with Christopher. The third episode made me sad. The fourth made me determined. Determined to try anything that will help us get through this phase as smoothly as possible.

I'm glad we caught this early with Ryan. I really think he has a sensitive stomach and that's what's causing alot of his problems. I was breastfeeding...but am exclusively pumping and storing right now. (And we're probably going to run out of room in our deep freezer for all of this milk -- SERIOUSLY!) After he outgrows the colicky stage and his stomach develops a little more I think he will be able to tolerate breastmilk better without spitting up so much. I know...I KNOW! Breastmilk is the best milk...I KNOW! *Ideally* But that's also before you have food with preservatives and all of this other crap in or on it. In a perfect world I would be eating 100% organic and healthy all of the time and no dairy to agitate him etc...but I don't. When Christopher has mac -n-cheese -- heck yeah I'll have a little bit! If I'm walking around in a sleepless new-mom zombie daze and need a snack because my stomach is growling and it's the middle of the night? You bet. I grab a preservative packed fake fruit bar from the cabinet.

The first 24

Ryan arrived at 635 after 1 contraction and 2 pushes! But I will do labor and delivery once I get home...

I just cannot believe how great I feel physically and emotionally this time around.i am truly grateful to have such a wonderful husband. Seeing ryan and him melts my heart! Ryan and I are breastfeeding and once he latches on he is a champ! He are for 45 minutes last night and 40 minutes this morning. Rob and I had our hospital 'congratulations' dinners last night. Not too bad! Ryan seems pretty mellow; but very high maintenance about his diapers. Any wetspot or skid mark and he is one unhappy camper!

We are snuggling right now.i really have to pre and I have bad cramps but he's so peaceful I just can't move him! I'm in love!

39 weeks pregnant

Ummm...SERIOUSLY?!  STILL PREGNANT!!!  I can't believe I am still pregnant.  Ryan is one content little boy!  Christopher's overnight bag and food bag are packed and ready at the door, just waiting for the last-minute refrigerated and frozen items to be added.  Hospital bag and diaper bag are (re)packed and waiting by the door.  Yesterday I nested.  (Mind you I've been nesting since we got home from Christmas vacation in January...this was different.)  I *intensely* nested.  I thought I was uber prepared for Ryan until yesterday came around and I found that the sofa needed to be scrubbed as well as the pack n play.  The empty boxes for his baby gear needed to be organized and so did his diapers.  I set up a diaper changing station / shelf in our room, vacuumed the entire house, deodorized the trash can, and scrubbed our coffee pot down.  Hmmm...

Today I've been having pelvic charley horses and a ton of Braxton Hicks -- but no more mucus plug or cramping.  I'm assuming that I'm going to be pregnant until Wednesday.  And even if I'm not, I don't want to get my hopes up!  Overall it was a really fantastic day, though!  The sun was shining, hubby made breakfast and the 3 of us just hung out.  I obsessed over every little mess...but besides that =)  We went to Target and I got the diaper bag I've been drooling over (it's seriously awesome! So glad I got it!) since I had a 15% off coupon.  Rob got some motorcycling clothes and he also got us an air conditioner for our room!  THANK GOD!  Kansas is hot.  Very hot.  And the A/C seriously doesn't work in our room -- it's a friggin hotbox!  Last summer was pure torture with 115 degree heat.  And I figure with the hotflashes I'm anticipating, a nice frigid arctic tundra will be help me drift off nicely to la la land.

Jump jump jump around

Out enjoying the sunshine on our last weekend as a family of 3! They had a huge blowup jump house outside the Harley
place. Took a bit to get him in -- but then he didn't want to leave! Of course this is him sporting off for mommy  :) 

I Wuv You!

Christopher was full of the dickens last night when I was putting him to bed!  (Trying to give me spankings...when I told him to put his pajama shorts on he put them on -- HIS HEAD!, somersaulting around the room, whipping my butt with his towel, picking his nose...)  I was tired and uncomfortable and trying to get him to cooperate and help "clean up" --- which was actually pretty useless!  And just as I was getting really frustrated he came up to me and put both of his hands on the side of my face.  I have to admit this made me a little nervous at first, because I had no idea what he was doing!  Then he put his hands on my shoulders and looked at me and said,
 "I WUV YOU!"  Melted my heart!  And he wrapped his arms around my neck and gave me a huuuuge hug!!!  I said, "Oh Christopher!  I love you too!!!!"  He replied with a huge grin, "I KNOW!"  and then he gave me another hug and as he was hugging me he said,

 "Mommy?" 

-- "What hunny?"

"Bull-sit."     ....I couldn't help but to laugh hysterically; before telling him that that's not a nice word and we should say 'Bull-snap' instead!  I know it's not the first or last time he'll say a naughty word that he's picked up from us.  (Sadly, I know!  But we're definitely not perfect and you SWEAR they're a room away and can't hear you!)  But it was PERFECT timing.  That was the first time he'd ever said 'I love you' and it ended perfectly, too.  Classic Christopher.  Agh I love that little hellraiser angel boy so much!

Labor Day?!?

All I can say is "OH PLEASE oh please oh please oh please oh pllllllleeeeeeeaaaaase be 'Labor Day'!"  I was really disappointed yesterday because I wasn't cramping or anything after the sweep.  However -- I am spotting, cramping, losing parts of my plug, and having super bad inner thigh cramps today!  Not to mention I've been saying from the beginning that he was going to be born on the 15th (which is tomorrow) and it's also a full moon AND there's a storm on its way!  COME ON!  Please be the day.  I am trying to avoid that medical induction and I really think today would be ideal.  We had spicy mexican for lunch and I'm going to try inserting the evening primrose oil and taking a nice nap (after a nice hot cup of red raspberry leaf tea, of course!)  We'll see!  Hopefully this will be one of the last, if not THEE last pregnancy vlog I do! 

If I'm not in labor within 24 hours I'm going to be so severely disappointed that I'm going to wallow on the couch eating ice cream in my pajamas for a few days.  Seriously.

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Membrane Sweep+24 hours

38 weeks + 2 days

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Cheerios: the new ethanol

Christopher's dream to improve the environment. The first ever cheerio powered car!

Filling up the gas tank with cheerios  4.12.2011

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Labor Induction Method Trials

38 weeks + 1 day and ready to be UNpregnant.

So far here are the natural labor induction methods I've tried:

1.) Evening Primrose Oil (I think it's helping...I'm dilated to a little over a 1 and 50% effaced as of last Monday)
2.) The dirty tango...horizantal shuffle... whatever you want to call it!  Supposedly what put the baby in will get the baby out!  Right.  Well, it hasn't worked for me yet!
3.) Fresh pineapple.  The only thing I've gotten from this is acid burn on my tongue.
4.) Balsamic vinegar.  I dip french bread in it.  I don't know if I'm imagining it; but afterwards I do feel like I have an uptick in Braxton Hicks for at least 30 minutes.
5.) WALKING walking waaaalking.  Walking up hills.  Walking up stairs (2 at a time...). Walking around the house... I get a really uncomfortable pressure and urge like I have to pee constantly!  But as soon as I stop walking and sit down it goes away. Boo!
6.) Nesting.  I was already nesting as it was, but trying to kick it up a notch has done nothing.
7.) Pelvic tilts.  Um...lets just say I feel like a goon doing these even when I'm by myself!
8.) Prune juice.  Nada.
9.) Driving down a bumpy road
10.) Massaging my feet / accupressure

Tonight was DIY pedi spa night.  I definitely needed it!  I walked around Homer's Pond by our house here for over an hour and my feet were the size of cement blocks!  EW.  I also had a hormonal breakdown when I got home.  For no reason!  I was sitting at the dinner table and just felt an uncontrollable urge to start crying.  So I went upstairs and took a nice relaxing bath with candles, incense, bubbles...the whole works!  Then after the guys went to bed I got out my nail polish, soaked, and exfoliated my feet. 




1/4 C coffee, *hot* water, peppermint oil, and baby oil

 
Q: Now how do you paint your toes when you're 38 weeks? 
A: Let out all the air in your lungs and bend as far as you can and hurry up and paint 3 toes in a row.  It's reeally uncomfortable.  But worth it! 

I've been slowly losing parts of my mucus plug which started this morning -- nothing dramatic though.  I'm so bummed!  I still have cramps which are worse at night.  Ryan is just one stubborn little boy!  He's cozy where he's at. 

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First 'mobile' blog!

Got my new phone ....which I absolutely loooove! Samsung Vibrant. I can't wait to take pictures of Ryan with it and upload them right away! So much easier for family to stay in touch. Went to Cracker Barrel this morning! After little man wakes up we are going to the Milford Nature Center to enjoy the weather (85 degrees and sunny!) and look at the fish. Oh and drive down bumpy roads hoping it will throw me into labor! Haha   38 weeks today!!

Could this be early labor?!

I thought I lucked out for 9 months.....

Monday I had my doctor appointment right after NST.  At NST she measured a strong contraction that went into the lower 50's and I was dilated to a little over a 1cm and about 50% effaced.  (Much more progressed than what I was with Christopher at this stage of pregnancy!)  Up until the past couple of days if somebody were to ask me how I felt and how I was doing I would respond, "I feel great!".  I knew it was too good to last...

I think Ryan has definitely dropped or is sitting differently in my pelvis because I can feel it.  What used to be just a morning discomfort has now turned into an all-day, constant pressure that feels like my pelvis is going to snap in half every time I stand up.  I've also been extremely tired.  Falling asleep at the dinner table tired!  Yesterday I took another 3-hour nap!!!  And starting 2 nights ago I had menstrual-like cramps.  Yesterday they subsided during the day some and came back towards the evening.  They let up; but at 4 am I was rudely awakened by them AGAIN.  They honestly feel like the worst period cramps of my life and they're constant.  Not just "oh there's a tiny cramp" and it goes away.  NO....constant cramping.  I am still having some Braxton Hicks along with them.  I'm just starting to wonder whether I'm in the early stages of labor? 

At my appointment yesterday I was having contractions that were registering on the monitor (1 big one and 3 small ones) with relatively no pain.  She said that if she had to guess Ryan would be here mid next week... but  I don't know.  I didn't have anything like this with Christopher!  I had some Braxton Hicks and then one night BAM!  I started right out in active labor.  So I guess I'm unsure what early labor feels like.  But I reeeeeally hope this is it.  I can't take much more of the sleepless nights and bowling-ball-between-my-legs feeling.

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Ryan Moving Around 37 weeks+4 days

I finally caught him on camera!  He's a night owl so of course it's 11 pm and I am sitting on the couch watching netflix when he decides to start doing acrobat moves.  Can't wait to meet him! 

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Really tired...and really tired of being pregnant

Today I am 37 weeks and 4 days pregnant.  I had a really funky headache this morning at 4 am when I woke up and ended up randomly throwing up a little in our sink! GROSS!  But then I felt better and went back to bed.  Woke up with some energy and good intentions to run errands.  THAT didn't happen.  By 11 am, I felt like I'd eaten 3 Thanksgiving Dinners and was absolutely exhausted (something I call "Thanksgiving Tired").  While Christopher was eating lunch at the table I was falling asleep.  So I read him a couple of books and then put him down for his nap and within 15 minutes my rice sock and I were in my bed.  This was at 1 pm.  I woke up at 1:16 pm to my own SNORING and I heard Christopher in his room!  I cannot believe I fell asleep while he was still awake in his room.  That never happens!  Anyways -- I checked on him (he was reading books in bed) and then I went back to bed.  As soon as my head hit the pillow I think I was out.  I woke up at 2:30 and he was still sleeping so I went back to bed until 3:45!!!!!!!  Longest nap I've ever taken during the day.  I was so shocked so I ran into Christopher's room and he was sitting there in his chair reading books!

It's a beautiful day so after Rob got home he went fishing at Milford Lake and Christopher and I stayed up at the park.  I couldn't go down where he was because of the rocks and I definitely do not trust my balance at 9 months preggers.  I've been cramping on and off all day and came home, ate dinner (radishes, cucumbers, and yogurt.  I've only been wanting fruits and veggies all day!) and fell asleep on Christopher's bed while he read me stories.  I'm still exhausted!  I also feel really, really hormonal.  I'm ready to not be pregnant.  I'm having super bad cramps.  Yet I'm also trying to cherish every single moment I have with Christopher because I know I'm going to have to split my time soon!  I'm getting a little nervous about labor.  AGH.  Anywho.  That's me today.  I just want to sit her eiwth my feet up all night.  I think I might.  These cramps are terrible!  Like horrible period cramps!  From what I've read and from the Childbirth DVD apparently second pregnancies get cramping because of an "irritable uterus".  Well great!  haha.  Or maybe this is a good thing and it's an early sign of labor?  Probably just my wishful thinking.  But who knows!  I'm wondering if I can con hubby into painting my toenails tonight....hmmmmm :)