Our Birth Story: Welcoming Riley to the World

Now that we are a few weeks in after Riley's birth it's probably time for the birth story before I forget all the details. We are all adjusting well to our new addition but I seem to be struggling with exhaustion and finding enough hours in the day. As it goes with a newborn...

The birth of our son was even easier than the birth of our daughter (which wasn't bad at all, minus being evacuated from the hospital due to a fire). I feel incredibly blessed and am very thankful for two fairly easy births so far. I know this isn't always the case for everyone.

The day Riley was born began at around 4:15am as I made my usual mid-sleep trip to the bathroom. It was during this bathroom trip that my water broke. I woke up my husband to tell him it was baby time before packing my bag (yes, I waited until the last minute again) for the hospital. I called my mom as well so she could start her 3 hour trip to us. She had planned to take care of our daughter while we were in labor.

At about 5:30am, I headed to the hospital where I was admitted after they confirmed I was in labor. My husband stayed behind since our daughter was still sleeping. He arrived later that morning with our daughter and my mother. They all stayed for about an hour before my mother and daughter departed to enjoy their day together.

Initially, I was progressing quickly, but after a few hours I slowed down on progressing. It was decided to use pitocin and that I get an epidural to help me relax and progress quickly. That did the trick! 1 hour and a quick nap later and I was fully dilated and very ready to push! We had to wait another half hour for the doctor to arrive but once he was ready Riley came into the world quickly.

I pushed through a few contractions and Riley was here! He stole our hearts instantly. At first glance, he looked exactly like his sister. It melted my heart to see a little replica of my first child. I'm hoping he keeps his dark hair and dark eyes since his sister did not. Maybe wishful thinking but only time will tell. Riley, I can't wait to see how your story unfolds...

Welcoming Baby #2

We are so excited to welcome baby #2 into our family. On Tuesday, July 14th, we  brought Riley into our lives with open arms. We are so in love with him already.

Payton has loved her baby since first laying eyes on him. She is already so helpful with him. Watching their bond begin deepens my love for both of them.

Labor and delivery went very well and I hope to share more about that soon. Learning to care for a child (who came way earlier than we expected) was quite the transition for me the first time around. I can say I am honestly much calmer and more flexible this time. This has definitely made the experience less stressful for all involved!

Riley, oh how we love you so much already! You are the perfect addition to our little family!

A Recap of Last Week

I have hit 37 weeks pregnant and I am really starting to feel like my time with just Payton is coming to an end. I'm not ready. I so enjoy my time with her and am nervous for how my time will be split when the new baby arrives in a few short weeks.

She will totally rock as a big sister but I struggle with wondering how I will do as a mother of 2. I pray that I will transition well during this new adventure. Ready or not, this baby will be coming soon!

I decided to start off our week with a trip to the park first thing last week. This was mostly aimed at shaking our week up, beating the heat, and giving me some extra memories with Payton as an only child. We spent several hours at the park, which is much longer than normal for us, and we had so much fun. We walked, played at the playground, watched ducks, and ended our trip at the splash pad. I love watching Payton interact with other children and develop her social skills. 

On Tuesday, we headed to our local library for story time. She loved reading before this class started. During story time, she sang and danced and then colored with the group. It's amazing how muc she has grown in the last few months.

This week I also surprised Payton with a lunch for just the two of us. We went to a local hamburger joint and enjoyed burgers, fries, and malts. You can't beat that as a midweek treat!

The rest of our week was pretty quiet. We kicked off the 4th of July with a BBq for a group of our friends on the 3rd. Payton had a blast with everyone. She was so worn out that we decided to stay around our home on the 4th and put her to bed early that night! 

I hope you all enjoyed Independence Day!

36 Weeks Pregnant

Tomorrow, I will be 37 weeks pregnant. I decided it's not too late to get my 36 weeks photo done (better late than never I guess)! We hurried and took this photo today and I am thinking this could easily be the last pregnancy picture I take before baby comes. Only time will tell!

Payton is so excited for her baby brother to come! She is constantly talking to me about baby, kissing my belly, and trying to feel her brother move!

So an update to this pregnancy:

Gender: Boy!

Maternity clothes: All maternity, all the time now! I am wearing mostly yoga pants with tank tops and t shirts. I did buy one maternity dress this time around and I wear that frequently as well. I'm about as comfy as I can get!

Sleep: Sleeping really well the last few weeks! Payton has transitioned from her crib to a twin bed and has done amazingly well. She has only had a few times in the last month that she has gotten up during the night. Unfortunately, when she wakes, she is up for at least 2 hours at a time. 

 

Best moment this month: It's been so much fun watching Payton show so much interest in her baby brother. She is so excited for him to come. She was a great help with getting his clothes ready.

Worst moment this month: I continue to struggle with back and hip pain. It has been manageable for the most part. I have had a lot of heartburn and I am hoping that the old wive's tail is right and this kiddo will be born with a full head of hair! :)

Miss anything: Especially with the 4th of July coming up, alcohol is hard to give up sometimes. I also miss not moving around as easily as I did before. 

 

Movement: Lots of movement although it's getting quite tight in there for baby! He continues to make small movements throughout the day though.

Cravings: I'm hungry constantly but not necessarily for anything in particular. I'm always down for a shake or malt!

Queasy or sick: Feeling good.

Looking forward to: I am really looking forward to meeting this little one. Our doctor is saying any day now despite not being full term. We are so nervous and feel completely not ready, but are so excited at the same time! I have a check-up tomorrow and will know more about where we stand with him coming. I can't wait!