Name Update

So it's been brought to my attention that I need to change the name of our blog (originally T&A...& Owen too) now that Miss Brynnleigh is here. Any suggestions?? It's almost 9pm and well, my brain is gone...it's what happens when you've been around a 3.5 & 2 wk old all day!!

So I realize that our family of initials...is well kinda funny...T & A...and now the kids are O B...I guess that's better than BO right?

So I will rack my brain this evening...in my sleep...and may even let my creative husband have some say as well!! But please...if you have a suggestion, I'd love to hear it!

Happy 30th B-day Troy!!

So yesterday was the big 3-0 for Troy!! Poor thing had to go back to work on his birthday...totally poor planning on mine & Brynnleigh's part! O & I were supposed to make Daddy some special birthday cupcakes....but Mommy started feeling feverish and decided it was best not to be baking. We have plans to make them today...just waiting for Little Miss to wake up & eat!

So...Troy I'm sorry we celebrated your b-day a month early at the surprise party and that yesterday wasn't the best birthday in the world. Just know that you are the best husband and father out there and I brag about you every second I get. I may not be the best wife/mom in the world, but I sure do have the best of the best to make up for my flaws.

Thanks for always wiping my tears (even when I'm in crazy preggo hormone mode) and making me laugh. I look foward to seeing your next 30 years.....

Big Bro Owen!

Owen is a great big brother to Miss Brynnleigh. I was a little worried at first that he would get jealous or resent his little sister. Boy was I wrong!! He has soo much love for his little sister!! Everytime she cries, he asks "what's wrong w/my baby sister?" He LOVES to hold her, give her the pacifier, and even feed her. He actually likes diaper changes too..maybe I can put him to work!! : )

Owen, Brynnleigh is lucky to have you for a big brother. I love to see your eyes light up everytime you see her!! I know that you will always protect her and keep her away from those mean boys!! I love that you always want her around, and when you wake up, you want her up as well. I'm sure you will have your moments as you both grow, but you will be the best of friends as well!!

I'm sure you will also take advantage of your 3.5 years age gap...as did my brother. I'm sure I will find you "teaching" her how to play poker w/her money, talking her into "wrestling" just so you can't get in trouble for beating her up, and locking your door while you play video games w/your friends just so she can't watch!! But all in all, I know that deep down, you will want your sister around, if for nothing else, so you can look at her cute friends!! : )Congrats on being a big brother baby boy....you are the best!!

Happy 1 Week Brynnleigh!!

I can't believe it's been a whole week since Miss Brynnleigh made her arrival!! She is such an easy baby (Yes I'm knocking on wood). I've been able to get a total of at least 6 hrs of sleep each night so I can't complain. She is super content and is happy or asleep as long as she gets fed & changed!!

On her 1 wk birthday she was 6 lbs 3 oz (she dropped to 6lbs 1 oz when we left the hospital).

So Happy One Week Birthday Brynnleigh!!

The Milk Truck...

This would be my new name...at least at this point. I decided to attempt to breastfeed Brynnleigh, fully anticipating a failure. Well I was run....she nurses like a champ, and I have milk. This is so different than my experience w/Owen. I nursed him exclusively while in the hospital, and by the time we got home, I was in so much pain and he was soo hungry that we went to formula. I tried to go back and do both, but he would never latch on. I pumped for 6-8 wks, but not enough to make it worth it. So this time, I thought for my conscience I would try...and when my milk didn't come in, I'd be okay to do formula. Boy was I wrong!!

First off, my milk has been in for at least 24 hours....and Brynnleigh can go from boob to bottle with no problem what so ever. So...what's the problem? I feel trapped, and I feel like I'm neglecting Owen as much as I'm helping Brynnleigh. I'm constantly nursing, or putting something on my nipples, and Owen has to wait or I have him running around picking things up for me while I'm nursing. Troy wants to help, especially now while he's home for 2 weeks, and he really can't.

I want to breastfeed for the following reasons:

1 - Benefits to Brynnleigh
2- Benefits to me (can we say weight loss!!)
3 - Easy on the go & cost effective

Reasons I don't want to breasfeed:
1 - it hurts like hell
2- I feel like I'm neglecting Owen
3 - Troy can't help/bond w/Brynnleigh
4 - Not much of a money saver when we are going through multple diapers a feeding
5 - I'm a slave to the clock
6 - I really don't want to pull my boobs out in public
7 - I'm not sure it's a good decision for Owen to constantly see my boobs, especially since he was talking to my boobs instead of me tonight....that shouldn't start until he's 16 right?

So what am I going to do?? I don't know. I want to try and stick it out and see if I can make it through the pain.....but as I'm saying that...I'm sitting in the family room w/my boobs hanging out because it hurts for anything to touch them. I guess I'll take it one feeding at a time. I've already decided that we will give her formula at her next feeding (normally we do the midnight/early morning feeding w/formula) and if she needs to eat during O's soccer game tomorrow I will probably do formula as well. But beyond that, I don't know. I feel like it's a no win situation, and once I make the decision to stop, I can't go back. I don't want to regret my decision.

I know formula fed babies are fine, healthy, etc. I mean, Owen is one of those!! I could pump, but how would I know how much expressed breast milk to give her....and I still run the issue of my boobs always being out in front of Owen.

Why can't things be easier??

Announcing Brynnleigh Allen Lacks!!

She's here....and is perfect!! We were scheduled to be induced Monday morning at 6:45 am, but Brynnleigh had other plans!! At 2:13 am I felt a little kick, and then a small gush of water. I jumped from the bed and ran to the bathroom....Troy followed me asking me what was wrong. I told him that I thought my water had just broken. For some strange reason, we were both calm...and luckily, we had already taken Owen to my parents in preparation for the induction.

So I ran to the toilet (cuz that's what you do when your water breaks I guess!) and sat there...looked at my pajama pants...which were wet...and yes, I smelt them to make sure I hadn't just wet myself! ; ) Then, I looked into the toilet, and saw the famous mucus plug....I had never seen one before...but trust me, when you see one, you'll know you saw it!!

Troy asked me what I wanted to do, and I told him I was fine since I wasn't having contractions at that time. I jumped in the shower (because again...that's what people do when they are in labor....take a shower) and Troy laid back down. 8 minutes later as I'm exiting the shower, Troy runs in again in exasperation "what's wrong??? Why didn't you take your normal 30 minute shower....I was trying to lay back down" Yes, this is the man I married!! Of course he was joking, and I thought it was funny. I simply explained to him that I didn't think it would be smart for me to sit down and stand back up just to shave my legs while in labor with a second baby. He agreed, and proceeded to get himself ready.

While he shaved and showered and my nonexistant contractions were now 5 minutes apart....I made up the bed (no water leakage there thank goodness), dried my hair, and thought about jumping on facebook to of course update my status!

Troy & I gathered all our bags which were already packed, loaded up the car, grabbed the bills and mail because, once again, we decided that it would be smart to stop by the post office on the way to the hospital. We also took a few "in labor" pictures because well...what else would we do??

We arrived to the hospital around 3:30-4 am and I sat down in the waiting room to read a magazine while Troy parked the car (at this point, we my be crazy). Once Troy walked in, the receptionist finally noticed me, and said "Mrs. Lacks?". Poor lady was rushing trying to get all of the registration/check in process taken care of (I had pre-registered). I told her not to rush, that I was fine....her response..."You are in labor aren't you Mrs. Lacks?" "I guess so, water has broken, and my contractions are 5 minutes apart, but I'm fine, no biggie"

We walked up to the 3rd floor where labor & delivery was, checked in, met our nurse, and went to our room. I undressed...sat in bed to answer all the fun nurse questions...and then the rest of my water broke. Obviously before, was just a slow leak....because my bed was soaked! Even my socks were wet (gross I know). I told the nurse "Umm....the bed is like soaked"....she lifts up the sheets...."Wow...that is a lot of water" Thank goodness, we didn't plan another stop along our way to the hospital...that would have been bad to have happened at home or in the car!

So when the nurse checked me around 4ish I was 5 cm and 70% effaced. Contractions were 2-3 minutes apart...steady. She told me, you'll have her this morning...no problems! At this point, I probably should have listened....but I didn't. No one even knew we were in the hospital already!

I got the epidural about 6-6:30 ish and from then on I was golden. It was stronger/heavier than what I had w/Owen...I had absolutely no feeling in my legs....it was weird. At 9 am when my doctor checked me I was 8 cm (not sure on effacement) and at a 0 station. He told them to call when I was ready. My nurse decided to check me at 10 since I was having absolutely no feeling from my waist down and didn't have any pressure or urge to push. When she did, I was 10 cm, fully effaced, and ready to push. She called the doctor and at 10:15 I was set to start pushing.

14 minutes of pushing, 11 total pushes (actually 10.5) Brynnleigh was here!! It was 100 times easier than Owen...I guess the difference of 1st versus 2nd babies, and regular labor versus induction.

I never had pitocin to speed it up or anything...thank goodness...if they had given me pitocin, she would have been here at 6 am!

Luckily we started calling our parents around 6:45 am and they were all there just in time for her birth.

Brynnleigh Allen Lacks

6lbs 7 oz 19 3/4 inches tall

Owen is sooo excited to finally be a big brother....he's been on cloud 9 since Monday!!

Tomorrow is the big day!!

I had my 38 wk check up at 38 wks 4 days and well, I wasn't expecting the outcome!! The past three apointments the Doctor wouldn't even discuss inducement...just said I wasn't ready yet. Well this time I went in only wanting him to give me an end date...the latest point he would let me go.

Well...it's tomorrow 10/4/10!! I was between 1-2 centimeters and 50% effaced and he said that my body was ready for inducement. I was shocked!! I've been here before...but I'm still nervous. I just hope the Little Miss is ready to come into this world, and Mr. O is ready to be a big brother!!

To my O-Man~
I know you will be the best big brother in the world. You constantly tell me how you are going to share things with your sister, and teach her everything you know. I know it will be a tough adjustment going from an only child to a big brother, but I know you can do it. You're heart is filled w/love and I know you will truly love being a big brother. Your little sister will look up and admire you, and will drive you crazy trying to be just like you (trust me....I've been there done that). I also know that you will protect your little sister, and will not let anything bad happen to her. You will always be the little boy of my dreams and my baby!!

To the Little Miss~
I can't wait to finally meet you!! I wonder every day if you will have big bright blue eyes like your brother & cousin, and if you will be a blonde, or a brunette. I hope you are as even tempered as your brother, and adjust well to our crazy lives!! I am blessed to be given a chance to be a mother of both a boy and a girl. I may even let you think about dance and cheerleading!! : ) I've anticipated this day for a long time now, and tomorrow cannot come soon enough. I look forward to many years of shopping bonding experiences, joint mani & pedis..and once you turn 3...I'm sure all this will end as I will not be the cool mom anymore!! : )

To Troy~
You are the best father, husband, and friend. I know you are nervous about a little girl, but I think deep down you are just as excited. She will be wrapped around your finger in a matter of hours....and we will learn how to text, scare the boys away, etc.! I look forward to this journey with you and can't wait to discuss all the great movies that play at 3am that we have missed the past 3 years. Here's to sleepless nights and discussions about poop!! I love you!!

In a matter of hours....we will be a family of 4....and I couldn't be any happier. We are very blessed!