4 Months

This little one just keeps on growing..obviously.  But it seems like just yesterday I was complaining of pregnancy symptoms.  How can that be?  I've said it time and again, time just flies.
Our Hallie bug is so much fun these days.  She has brought so much joy into our home and a sweet calm spirit that is so refreshing.

Stats:
Weight: 12lbs. 11oz. - 50%
Length: 26in. - 95%
Head: 15 3/4in. - 15%

Sleeping:
Since our last post you have digressed into your newborn sleep patterns and it's killing me. Not really, but I miss my 7-8 hour stretches of sleep.  You typically wake up at 8, nap from 10-12 and 2-4, then you're in bed by 8 and up at 3 or 4 to eat.  It's not that bad, but it's not how you were sleeping :)

Eating:
You still LOVE your food.  And I still love feeding you.  I hated feeding your sister because she didn't like eating, but you, you are happiest when you're eating.  You eat 5-6oz every 4 hours and will only take it from a bottle now.  It makes me so sad that you no longer want to nurse but we definitely had our struggles and this seems to be what's best for you and me.  You're still drinking breast milk but have on occasion gotten formula and have been just fine drinking that too.  We've also tried giving you cereal on two occasions and you seem to really like eating that too.  The first time you really struggled eating from a spoon, but the second time you caught on great and ate the entire bowl :)

Talking:
You are constantly making noise these days.  You love giggling with your sister and are easy to get a big grin out of.  You love the sound of your spit gurgling in the back of your throat and make that noise more than any other.  You also love the sound, "Ah-goo" and usually giggle when I do it.  It's the cutest.  Sage can make you laugh more than any body else.  It's one of my favorite things about being a mom of sisters.  It is clear how much you two love each other because of the way you interact with each other.

Awesome Things You Do Right Now:
Roll Over
Play in the Exersaucer
Put yourself to sleep
Self Soothe
Giggle from your toes, I swear.
Eat from a spoon

A Few of Your Favorite Things
Your fingers and your toes and #1.  You're constantly eating them :)
Bathtime
Eating
Your Piano Mat
Your Sister :)



 Hallie bug, you've made me so happy these last 4 months! Here's to 4 more with a little more sleep :)

And just because this blog wouldn't be here without your big sister, here are a few recent pics of her.  She's constantly got me on my toes these days and is a little firecracker.  But we love her regardless :)

My all time favorite picture of Sagers.

This girl knows how to cheese :)

Nice Sage, nice.

And since I'm sure you won't hear from me until Christmas, Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas!

2 & 2

My girls are now two years and two months.  Heavens, I love them.

Sage

Stats:
At your two year check up, you weighed 24lbs. and were 35 1/2 inches tall.  You still continue to be in the 90% for your height and in the 10% for your weight.  I don't think things will ever change.  You wear 18-24m pants, even though they're too short, and 18-24m shirts fit you perfectly.  Your shoe size is a 5-6 but you still fit into a few of your size 4's.  There are a few 4's that I force you to wear because they are so cute I don't want you to outgrow them :)

Teeth:
You have all of your teeth in now!  This last month or so, all four of your 2 year molars came in and you had no problem with it (minus an excessive amount of drooling)!  We now brush your teeth two times a day, even though you hate it most of the time, but we get it done.  You'd much rather use my toothbrush than your own and sometimes sneak into the bathroom, turn on the water, and start brushing your own teeth with my toothbrush...little stinker.

Eating:
Eating is still a struggle for us.  You HATE to sit down for 2 minutes to have your diaper changed, let alone 10 minutes to eat a meal.  You are what we like to call a "grazer".  You'll pick a few bites here and there, go play, come wandering back and eat a few more bites until your plate is empty (which it usually never is).  You hate most fruits and most veggies.  You really despise meats of any kind.  The only foods we've found that you really like are cheese, bread, crackers, fruit snacks, chips, cereal, and most breakfast foods.  You absolutely love pancakes and wake up every morning asking for pankees.

Nap Time..

Talking:
All of a sudden you are talking full sentences and repeat every word you hear someone say, even those naughty ones..heaven forbid.
There are very few things you say that people can't understand.  You can tell anybody what you want and are doing such a great job at communicating!  It is so fun having little conversations with you every morning about your dreams and every night about how your day was.  I love this stage that you're in and find such joy in watching you grow and learn new things every day.

Awesome things you do right now:
Now that we have Hallie, you are such a huge helper.  If I'm too busy to get Hallie her binky, you will run over and give it to her.  You get me diapers and wipes, although it's usually 12 diapers and wipes, but you still get them.  You love helping me cook, you can get yourself your own snacks out of the pantry, and you can entertain yourself when I'm feeding Hallie.  You have had to grow up quickly these past few months but have handled it beautifully.  You have a sassy little attitude, something you got from me, but I love it.  I love that you stick up for yourself and don't settle for anything less than you want.  Even though it makes me want to pull my hair out half the time, I really do love your feisty little personality.

A few of your favorite things:
Balloons
Baths
Swimming
Jumping on ANYTHING.
Climbing
Pancakes
Cookies
Anything with dad
Squealing an ear piercing squeal when you're excited
Kitties
Playing outside any chance you get

Hallie

Stats:
At your two month check up, you had gained 2 pounds in 1 month and weighed in at a hefty 10lbs 7 oz.  You grew 2 inches and are now 24 3/4 inches long.  That puts you in the 50% for weight and the 95% for height.  I can't tell you the excitement I have over a chubby baby!  It's so nice to have a baby that likes to eat and finds enjoyment from food, something your sister never did.  You easily fit into 3m clothes and have outgrown all of your newborns already.  Your feet are long enough for shoes but they're so slender that none of them stay on your feet!

Sleeping:
For some reason, we've had a hard time getting you on a consistent schedule.  I have a general idea of when you'll need to take a nap, but none of it is a set schedule yet.  You typically want to nap an hour after you've woken up, sometimes an hour and a half.  Then you'll sleep for a good 2 hours, wake up and want to eat, play for an hour, and then the process starts all over again.  You are in bed by 8:30 every night (SO NICE!), dream feed at 11, wake up at 6:30 the next morning, eat, and go back to sleep until 9.  You are already a champion sleeper!

Eating:
You love your food.  You'll take your milk from a bottle or from your momma, you don't care as long as you get fed.  Breastfeeding started out working great, then we struggled, and now we're doing ok.  Half the time you're too anxious for my milk to come down so you get angry and refuse to nurse..so you get a bottle.  The other half of the time you love nursing.  It's been a hard thing to figure out, but we've finally got it down..I think.  I find such happiness in being able to provide you with the food you need, rather than going to the store and buying formula.  It has been so rewarding and something that I hope continues to last.  You typically eat every 3-3 1/2 hours, unless your going through a growth spurt and then it's every 2-2 1/2 hours.

Talking:
You've been cooing for over a month now and have the cutest social grin.  You love smiling at people and showing them just how happy you are!  Yesterday you giggled at me for the first time and it seriously melted my heart.  I can't believe how fast you're growing up already!

 
















Awesome things you do right now:
Sleeping through the night has got to be number one!  Although, the sleep deprivation didn't really bother me this time around, it is nice to be back to sleeping again.
You are content to just lie on the floor and watch everything going on around you.  It's so cute to watch you grinning at things and entertain yourself.

A few of your favorite things:
Bathtime
Running water
Eating
Hearing your sister talk..it's the cutest!
Kicking your feet
Your swaddle blanket
Your hammock sleeper
Talking to momma
Being outside
Going on walks


These past few months have been a whirlwind but I think we've finally got things under control and into a "loose" routine.  I absolutely love having two girls and seeing how life is with sisters.  It is a blessing I couldn't have ever imagined being so wonderful.   

Now if I could just figure out how to keep my house clean...

Birth Story

 After 39 weeks of being pregnant, I was physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted.  A week before I had Hallie, I had gone in for my weekly checkup and was told I could be induced.  After some thought I decided to stick it out and crossed my fingers that all the contractions I'd been having were a sign that I'd soon go into labor.
No such luck.
After a week of trying almost everything to induce labor naturally I still hadn't gone into labor.  At my 39 week checkup, an induction was brought up again.  This time I didn't turn him down.  I was shocked and giddy when he told me he'd see me the following morning at 7:30 and also warned me that I should plan on a long induction..10+ hours.
I. Did. Not. Care.
I quickly made phone calls to family and friends letting them know the good news and came home and cleaned like a crazy lady.
My mom showed up that night at 11:30 to watch Sage, and we stayed up talking until well past midnight.
That night I didn't sleep as anticipation, fear and excitement surged through my body.  At 6:30 I couldn't sleep any longer and decided to take a nice warm bath, make sure everything was packed and make sure everything was squared away for my mom to take care of Sage.
We arrived on time late, (thanks honey), and got to the hospital a little after 7:30.  I was quickly hooked up to monitors and had my IV in by 8:30.
Here we go.
Contractions started getting pretty intense by 10:30 and I could no longer talk through them.  I was dilated to a 5 and 90% effaced.  I quickly questioned my desire to have a natural drug free labor.  When I was informed that the anesthesiologist had just gone into surgery and wouldn't be back for another hour, I panicked and requested some form of pain medication.
This is when Dilaudid entered my body.  Oh Dilaudid, how I love you.  I instantly felt dizzy, light headed and sleepy.  For the next hour I dozed in and out of sleep, all while feeling every single contraction, but I just didn't care.  That drug makes everything seem euphoric and like nothing matters in the world.
It was pure bliss.
At noon I received my epidural and was told that the doctor would be in shortly to break my water.  At one he finally made his appearance and things got started. Fast.  I was dilated to a 6, fully effaced and she still hadn't dropped into my pelvis.  I was told that if she didn't drop, he would consider a c-section and that he'd be back in to check on my progress in 2 hours.
Fifteen minutes later my nurse paged him to run.  I had dilated from a 6 to a 10, she had dropped so low that she was almost crowning and I was feeling the urge to push.  Dr. Cannon suited up, I held my legs back, made sure Quinn was by my side and we started pushing.  After the first contraction I could see her head.  After the second contraction, her head was out.  By the third contraction, there she was.  My sweet, precious Hallie girl.
For nine months I had waited to see her face, hold her hand, smell her intoxicating baby scent.  And here that moment was.  I cried, I rubbed her tiny head, snuggled her close.  I counted 10 fingers, 10 toes.  I couldn't get enough of the light soft curl of her hair, her delicate petite features and her tiny newborn cry.
My baby was here.
After sacrificing food, sleep, terrible hip, back, nerve and bone pain.  She was here.
The love I felt for her was instant.  My heart was bursting at the seams for this tiny infant who I'd just barely met.  My love for her was indescribable, unconditional and I knew in that moment that I was meant to be her mother, and she my daughter.   
It's been a whirlwind of emotions these past two weeks, but I can't consider my life anything other than perfect.
Welcome home Hallie girl.

We Love You.

Timeline

Since I was terrible at documenting my growth with Sage, I decided to be a little more on top of things this time.  This is merely for my own recording, but feel free to look at (and poke fun of) the fat lady.

Three weeks and six days...but who's counting, really?

7 Weeks

17 Weeks

20 Weeks

24 Weeks

25 Weeks

28 Weeks

31 Weeks

34 Weeks

35 Weeks

36 Weeks

 

I'm so ready for Sage to be a big sister.

Speaking of Sage..she turned 2! TWO! Can you believe it?
She gets a post all to herself.
It's still in the works.
Be patient :)

I think..

..that it's about time I have this baby. 

Ok, not really.

Seriously though, I took a picture of myself today thinking I wasn't that big.  But the picture said otherwise.

Here I am, almost full term with Sage.

And here I am 31 weeks with this one..practically the same size.

And here I am today, at 34 weeks.  Large.  Much larger than I was even three weeks ago.

Heaven help me.  I feel like a stretched whale. 
My hips are killing me.
My pelvis feels broken right down the middle.
And my sciatic nerve makes me walk like an old person with a cane.

6 more weeks..
or maybe 4..
3 wouldn't hurt either..

Baby girl I can't wait to meet you, and hold you, and cuddle you, and kiss your face.

Please come soon :)

Love,
Your momma.

A lot can happen..

..in 6 months.

Today, while I was updating my iphone, I was also importing about a gazillion pictures to iphoto.  Some of these pictures dated back to last summer.  I'm a little behind I guess.  But holy cow.  Sage has changed so much since we moved into our house (can you believe we've already lived here for 6 months?)
Then I decided to go back to six months before that.
And six months before that.
About a few months after she was born.

Check it out. (Especially make note of her hair growth over time..she's got one thick head of hair.)

 At 3 months Sage was just barely starting to support and lift her own head.  Crazy!  She was 11 lbs. 2 oz. and 25 inches long.

 At 9 months Sage had been crawling for about 2 weeks and had callouses on her feet and knees from being on the move so much.  She could pull herself up, feed herself, and empty the garbage can.  Gross!  She weighed 16 lbs. 5 oz. and was 29 1/2 inches long.

 At 15 Months, Sage was not only walking, but running. And fast.  She just started talking (a little) and would sign please, thank you, and more.  She understood quite a bit of what we were saying but was still just catching on.  She weighed 19 lbs. 8 oz. and was 33 inches long.

Loved the escalators in Vegas.

At the aquarium in Vegas..she LOVED it there.

At 21 months, Sage says a lot!  Some of her most common words are: Kitty, Meow, Hot, Juice, Please, Thank You, Cookie, Mama, Dada, Bob (cat name), Clark (cat name), Ball, Book, Milk, Nana, Grandpa, Eat, Night-Night, Hi, Bye, etc.  Her phrases incluce:  Down there, In there, On there, What's that, I need it, and most recently..What's that down there :)
Don't ask me where she learned this. I have no idea.
She understands every request and instruction we give her, and will usually tell us when she is ready to go to bed.
She can unlock our iphones, scroll through the pages of apps, and find exactly what she wants to play with.  Her favorite thing to do is go into netflix and find "super why" to watch.  I'm not sure how in the world she figured out how to work that!  She's definitely technology savvy..something she must get from her dad.
She is starting to understand that she can make her own choices and that she is her own person.  I kind of love this..but I mostly hate it.  She is becoming SO independent and sassy.  She's definitely going to suffer through the terrible two's..(or maybe it's me who will be suffering.)  She throws many tantrums when she doesn't get what she wants, and thoroughly enjoys saying the word no. :)
She weighs in at just under 23 pounds and is 34 1/2 inches tall.

We're currently getting her ready for potty training (WHAT?!) and trying our hardest to get her to sit at the table during meals.

She's such a funny little thing.

And boy do I love her.

20

Last week Sage turned 20 months and next week I'll be 20 weeks pregnant. 

Where is the time going? Seriously?

Sage is turning into quite the drama queen and is quite frequently visiting time out.  She throws these awesome mini-tantrums and slams her head into whatever is nearby, in order to get her way of course.  This has resulted in bumps and bruises on her head, my head, and maybe a few dings in some chairs (just kidding.)  

We usually send her to time out when these tantrums occur..but..she LOVES it.  What?  Why would she love time out?  I don't know.  But she runs, or gallops, down the hall laughing and plants her nose in the corner.  Then she comes back just giggling.  It's the cutest and most irritating thing in the world.  

See what I mean?

Time out :)

She also really, and I mean really, loves to draw and color.  She's got amazing pencil/pen/crayon/marker holding skills for a 1 1/2 year old.  It surprises me every time she picks one up how good she holds it.  Awe, see how cute?

This next picture is somewhat of an embarrassment on my part.  Basically, I had to run to the store for something, Quinn was gone, and Sage was already in her pj's for the night.  So I just bundled her up, threw on some boots, a hat and coat and out we went.  I still can't believe I took her out like this.  At least she has no recollection of it..right?

Maybe I should have thrown in these sunglasses to make the outfit complete, eh?

And here is a belly shot.  I feel huge.  This was taken 2 weeks ago at 17 weeks..so you can imagine how much it has grown since.  Luckily we found out today that there's only one in there..heaven forbid I have two on top of the crazy one I already have...although twins would have been fun ;) 

Oh, and did I mention it's a girl? :) 

I'm thrilled!