My How Time Flies

Little Baby D is almost 4 months old! (16 weeks tomorrow). He is about 13 lbs. and is starting to laugh and coo. He's working on rolling over and is getting really good at reaching out to grab toys. He has even figured out how to get some of them to his mouth to chew on. We suspect teething might be just around the corner as he's always chewing, gnawing, and slobbers so much it soaks through most of his outfit. 

Since Birth

We've had quite an adjustment since his birth. They weren't lying when they said 2 children is a whole new ballgame. My mom stayed with us for the first few days. She prepped several meals, kept everything clean, and helped take care of Mertoddler. She even made special coffee drinks for me each morning. Having her there was so helpful! 

5 days after Baby D was born, a hurricane came through the gulf. At 4 AM on October 29th, we were woken by extremely strong winds. Nervously, Merman and I decided to get the kids to the basement. We don't trust the pine trees behind our house and it truly sounded as if the house might blow over. So we huddled in the basement under a blanket. Mommy in a recliner with a 5-day-old baby on the boob, a Yorkie in my lap, and a 3-year-old cuddled up by my side. We waited out the storm with Netflix for about 2 hours before going back upstairs. Daycare was delayed so we had breakfast and played before dropping Mertoddler off. About an hour later, we got a call to come pick him up because they'd lost power and wouldn't be able to serve lunch. What an exciting and crazy week for a new big brother!

Baby D got to meet his Paw Paw (my dad) on his birthday at the beginning of November. We met him in the driveway and he wore a mask so that he could finally see and hold his new grandson. I really hate what this pandemic has done to our family-time but I was so happy to finally show him off to my dad. And I know he was excited to hold his newest grandson. 

He also got to meet his big cousin (my niece) and Poppy (my stepdad) in an outdoor gathering with my mom. We all met up at the neighborhood playground so Mertoddler could play and interact with the family. Everyone wore masks and got to hold Baby. It was so nice having that family time and I absolutely adored seeing my niece. I miss her so much! 

Holiday Fun

The holidays were quite interesting due to the pandemic. Throw a newborn in there and it really shook things up. It was a much different experience with a new born versus having a 6-month-old around the holidays (Mertoddler was almost 4-6 months old during the holidays). 

Halloween was exactly one week after Baby D was born. So we were out Trick-or-Treating in a Pandemic with a 1-week-old. Mertoddler dressed up as Gecko from the PJ Masks. Merman and I wore capes and masks to complete the trio as Owlet and Catboy. And Baby D wore the cutest little Pumpkin sweatpants and onesie. I cozied him up in the stroller and covered him to protect him from "the germs." Instead of having my dad come over to pass out candy, we put a table out in the driveway and decorated it with Halloween lights and decorations. The easel instructed children to take a couple of treats from the bowls and to have a Happy Halloween! Mertoddler was on Cloud Nine. He absolutely loved being in his costume and running around the neighborhood to "get more candy." But my body was still healing and after making it around the first cul-de-sac, I was worn out and hurting. So Baby D and I headed back to the house while Merman and Mertoddler went around the whole neighborhood. He came back with multiple bags of candy! I couldn't believe my eyes. We had fun pouring it out in the floor and sorting through it. Mertoddler is so sweet and kept offering candy to us. But we had a hard time convincing him that one piece a day was enough candy for a 3-year-old. 

For Thanksgiving, we decided to play it safe and stay home. We had a cozy little Thanksgiving celebration with just the 4 of us. That morning, we watched the parade and enjoyed the coziness of being home together. I made macaroni and cheese, green bean casserole, dressing, and pumpkin pie. We thought we ordered a ham but when Merman picked it up from the store, they gave him a pound of deli-sliced ham. haaa! We just laughed and ate it with our meal anyways. Mertoddler helped me make the pumpkin pie. He was so excited to try it after reading about it in several of our seasonal books. But after a few bites, he decided he didn't want anymore. He told me it was yummy but refused to eat it again even after Thanksgiving. We started a new tradition (or so I hope) of creating a Thankful Tree. Each day for a week, we wrote something we are thankful for on a leaf and added it to a big tree poster on the basement door. Mertoddler's favorite things included Paw Patrol and PJ Mask characters. Watching him write the words out on his own and hearing what makes his little brain happy was so much fun! I really hope to do this every year. 

The day after Thanksgiving, we loaded up and headed to Pike Nurseries to buy a tree. The selection was slim and prices high. But we found the perfect tree and brought it home. After some chaos with the ornaments and a threenager, our tree was decorated with only one ornament lost (shattered). Mertoddler spent that weekend with my parents to help them decorate and get ready for Christmas. This gave us a chance to clean the house and really prepare for Christmas.... and take a deep breath after the chaos of the past month.  

By Christmas, we were a little more into a routine. We'd moved Baby D to his crib and had a little more freedom at night as he seemed to fall asleep easier and stay asleep longer in his own room. Because of this, we were able to have some "late-night" movie dates with Mertoddler. We watched the Polar Express one night and he had his first taste of Hot Chocolate, which he LOVED! He spent a few days at my mom's house which allowed us to get all the presents wrapped and ready for Christmas Day. 

My parents (and us) all "quarantined" for 10ish days leading up to Christmas so that we could be together and not have to worry. So, on Christmas Eve, my dad came over. He actually came INSIDE the house without a mask and we had a totally normal celebration together. Cookies, coffee, presents, and chit-chat. It was such a good feeling. That night, we let Mertoddler stay up late to watch The Nutcracker and drink Egg Nog, which he also loved. After the movie, we set cookies and milk out for Santa and Mertoddler went straight to bed. Seriously, he feel asleep immediately. We were shocked.

I was the first one up on Christmas morning, as usual. After putting breakfast in the oven and taking care of the dog, I woke up Merman and we decided to wake Mertoddler up ourselves. This year, Santa brought him the Hot Wheels Ultimate Garage! He got a lot of cars to go with it and played with it for HOURS. We spent the day opening gifts, eating yummy food, and playing with all the new toys. It was a perfect, cozy Christmas as a family of four. 

The next day, my mom and stepdad came over and we did Christmas AGAIN. They stayed all day, because that's how long it took to open all the gifts for the kids. (Can we say spoiled)? For dinner, we ordered pizza and had a totally normal INDOOR gathering without masks. It was so nice!

This was right around the time that Baby D began sleeping through the night so we were actually getting good sleep. Which made functioning through COVID holidays much easier to manage. :) 

That weekend, we did Christmas with my sister and niece. We all met at Mom's house and did a backyard celebration in masks. Mertoddler kicked the soccer ball around and showed off for anyone who would watch. After awhile, Baby D got fussy and I had to disappear inside to nurse and calm him. My niece followed me in (mask on) and we had a long, heartfelt chat that made me love her even more than I thought was possible. I'm just so proud of the woman she's growing up to be. I HATE this pandemic and the fact that it has taken so much time away from us being together. All I want to do is have her over to the house for a sleepover and/or spend a day together at the zoo again. It really is such a hardship and living through a pandemic is starting to take its toll on me.

New Year's Eve looked quite different this year, as well. There were no parties or gatherings with friends. Merman and I simply hung out on the couch watching Netflix with wine and beer. At midnight, we toasted and kissed and then quickly went to bed. ha! But New Year's Day was pretty fun. Baby D slept for over 12 hours straight! After a failed hunt for our decorations, I hung some handmade decor up and pulled out the party hats for a family photo-op. Then, we had a black-eyed pea Mexican casserole for dinner. 

Post-Holiday Illnesses

A few weeks later, I got sick with a cold (not COVID) and my maternity leave ended. However, due to soaring COVID cases and the number of staff/teachers calling out sick, the schools went virtual for a week. So I was able to ease back into the swing of things by working from home. This also meant that I could ease myself into being away from Baby D everyday. 

During my last week of leave, the thought of him being in daycare really hit me hard. I couldn't stand the thought of sending him into a classroom with a teacher I've never met in person. The fact that I couldn't enter the building or room nor would I be able communicate with his teacher in person just really bothered me. The new daycare director has been awful with communication and I felt very uneasy. After finding out that the teacher has only been a nanny and never worked in a daycare, I cried. I cried A LOT. I just couldn't commit. So I called the in-home daycare that Mertoddler attended as a baby and she had an opening. We visited her house and left Baby D with her for a couple of hours to test it out. All was well and my heart was filled with relief. As much as I wanted the boys at the same daycare, it wasn't worth leaving Baby D in a room full of infants with an inexperienced teacher who I don't even know.

About a week later, Mertoddler became sick with a runny nose and cough and could not stay at daycare. And then Baby D began acting sick. After rushing him to the doctor, he was diagnosed with RSV and we spent the next week at home hoping it wouldn't get bad. We were very lucky because it was a mild case. We only had one scary night where it seemed as if he was struggling to catch his breath. Otherwise, he actually did really well. What a relief! I had to take FOUR days off of work to be home with him and Mertoddler. Then Merman became ill! It was pure chaos at our house. But the kids were finally able to return to daycare and I to work on Wednesday, Feb. 3...

Thursday evening, Feb. 4, I get a call from daycare that Mertoddler's class is closing for 2 weeks due to high risk exposure. 

And so, here we are. 2 days out from Valentine's Day. And Mertoddler is still in quarantine. This is my 4th week back at work (first full workweek because of the illnesses). Merman is working with a toddler at home. Next week is winter break so I'll be off again. I don't yet have words for teaching in a pandemic. It was quite a shock for me once I returned as we have been so very careful and sheltered. Maybe I'll write about that one day?

Overall

Baby D just makes me so happy and I really am struggling being away from him this week. I can't wait to just be home with him and Mertoddler next week for winter break. We've got some Valentine fun planned. And hopefully we can get to the zoo once quarantine is over. Keeping a three-year-old in the house for two weeks isn't exactly easy and he's beginning to get a little stir-crazy. 

Overall, Big Brother Mertoddler is absolutely in love with his baby brother. He tends to cling to me much more now, wanting every second of my attention that isn't on Baby D (understandably). But if D isn't in the room, he wants him there. I came home early from work to log into a meeting and Mertoddler couldn't believe that I didn't have Baby D with me. He kept asking where he was and insisting that we go pick him up. It makes my mommy heart so happy. 

I love doing this life with my two boys and am so looking forward to all the fun our future will bring. Hopefully this pandemic will "end" soon and we can resume our normal social outings and leave the masks in the trash. 

On the brightside, we have been able to spend so much quality time as a family. This is precious time that I will always cherish and for that, I will be forever grateful. :) 

He's Here! Baby D's Birth Story

As of October 24, 2020, I am officially the mom of TWO very sweet boys. 

So, here's the story. 

Baby D never spun his little body into laboring position. However, he did turn back to his original position (back against my right hip, facing my left hip), which was really good news! I could feel him move and knew he was turned back to the side so I tried doing some more spinning exercises but they were really starting to make me sore and wear me out. By Thursday, October 22, I gave up and decided I'd just wait until induction time. 

Friday, October 23- I went in for the NST and saw my midwife. She said I was having small contractions and confirmed that Baby had turned back to the side. We went over the plan for induction the next day (how we'll get baby into position) and I was pumped and ready to go! That afternoon, I picked Mertoddler up from daycare and went to a local farmer's market to shop for pumpkins. He chose a handpainted bulldog pumpkin and I couldn't say no to his sweet face so we came home with TWO massive pumpkins. That sweet little face of his convinced me to spend $20 on a prepainted pumpkin but we still needed a regular pumpkin to carve. Hence, spending too much money on pumpkins. Oi! The sweet owners gave us two baby pumpkins when they found out I was being induced the next day. It was a fun little outing before his little world was rocked. 

We were scheduled for induction at 5 AM the following morning. We were instructed to call in at 4 AM to make sure there was a bed for us. But that night, I got a call from Labor and Delivery telling me that there were 6-7 women scheduled ahead of me and not to come in the next morning. The charge nurse told me to wait until someone called me and if we didn't hear anything by 10:30 AM, to call for a status update. I immediately texted my midwife who said she'd get me in somehow and told me not to worry. So, I decided to remain positive and enjoy sleeping in. 

Saturday, October 24- Baby D's BIRTHDAY

We were up by 7 the next morning with no word from the hospital. My mom came over around 7:30 as Merman and I were getting ready. We had our bags packed and by the door. I cleaned the whole house because I knew my mom would be here and I wanted it to look nice for our return home. Then we played the waiting game. I was anxious but enjoying my time with Mertoddler. Mom and I were able to go over everything she needed to know to hold down the fort. By 10:30, I hadn't heard anything so I texted my midwife. She called back to tell me that she bumped me up on the list so I was next to be called! Whooooo!! (It really pays to know people). We were told to wait a couple of hours while they prepped the room. So Merman went out to grab lunch for all of us. As luck would have it, the hospital called while he was gone and wanted us to come immediately. 

As Mr. Merman walked in the door, I couldn't help but exclaim that we needed to go now! He was so excited that he started loading up the car with our stuff. Before we left, we gave Mertoddler a little gift bag from us. It was an assortment of toys, games, and activities for him to do while we were in the hospital. He was so excited and kissed us goodbye. I thought I'd be super emotional telling him goodbye for the last time as an only child but it was a fleeting feeling. My adrenaline kicked in and I was ready and excited to go! I couldn't wait to see him as a big brother. We climbed in our new car and stuffed our faces with Chick-Fil-A as we rushed to the hospital. 

12:30ish PM- Once there, we had to fill out all the paperwork and wait a little bit before they put us in our room. The very first thing they did once we were put in a room was swab my nose to test for COVID-19. ARGH! That was the longest 15 seconds of my life. I had no idea it would be so bad but it was torture. Everything in me was cringing and I had to force myself not to grab that nurse's hand and pull the swab out. AND, Mr. Merman didn't even have to get swabbed! LUCKY!! But he did have to keep his mask on the whole time we were there. I'll take a 15 minute swab over mask-wearing for 48 hours. 

2:10 PM- We started the pitocin! This time I was laid back in the bed, texting friends, turning on a movie and just hanging out and waiting. They started the pitocin at a 2. My midwife checked me and I had dilated a bit more. If I remember correctly, I was almost at a 4. They went on and did a catheter as I knew I'd be getting an epidural pretty soon. The midwife wanted me lying in some contorted positions while laboring. There was no way I was going to suffer through contractions in those conditions so I told the nurse I wanted the epidural pretty quickly after being induced. Because of this, she started the IV fluids that are required prior to getting the epidural. 

It wasn't long before I started feeling the contractions. They weren't horrible but were pretty uncomfortable. I was lying on my side with the peanut ball between my legs. With each contraction, I held onto the bed rail and breathed through them. As they intensified, we phoned the nurse and asked her to speed the epidural up. 

3 PM- Merman surprised me with the most beautiful push gift! A ring with three pink sapphires in it. Baby D's birth stone (and mine). It's absolutely beautiful!

4:30- I was given the epidural. What a different experience! With Merbaby I was having such terrible contractions that I could barely sit still for the epidural. I hardly remember having it done because I had escaped to "survival mode land." This time, I was fully aware of what was going on and able to sit still through contractions. Which made it much scarier. Merman held my hand and stood in front of me. I was feeling very anxious and doubting whether I really needed it. The anesthesiologist put the needle in my back and asked if it felt centered. It felt like it was off to the right a little, so he had to REDO the whole thing!!! I was so upset but held still while he inserted yet another massive needle into my back. But, within minutes, I felt that calming numbing feeling start to take over my lower body and relaxed. 

5:15- My midwife came in to check me again and I was 5 cm. dilated! Things were progressing quickly! She decided to break my water to get things moving along. I don't remember much after that. The epidural has a way of making me feel sleepy and calm so I rolled over and took a nap. 

6:30- My blood pressure was getting low so they gave me ephedrine. I don't remember much about this  either because I went back to sleep afterwards. 

8 PM- My memory is a little blurry for the next bit. But I know I was feeling the contractions through the epidural. It wasn't bad but it seemed like they were coming nonstop and getting increasingly more uncomfortable. I called the nurse and asked her when they wanted me to get in the contorted position to flip baby and also upped the dose of my epidural with the push of a button. The nurse wanted to check me before we got out the stirrups to flip baby. But when she looked down there, she exclaimed that it was go-time! I was 10 cm. dilated and Baby D was trying to come out. So she ran to get my midwife. 

The midwife said it didn't matter if he turned at this point cause he was coming out no matter what. Also, she said he would likely turn as he entered through the birth canal. 

8:20 PM- I started pushing! She instructed me to push slowly to get a few practice pushes in. She was afraid that a full-forced push would send the baby flying out. Once again, I had the mirror so I could see what all was going on. I saw how the tiny little pushes were actually pushing him forward. After 2 of those, she told me to push a little harder. 3 contractions later and with very little effort, Baby D came out! 

8:27 PM- Little Baby D was born into the world. My sweet baby boy!

They put him on me and started cleaning him up, sucking out fluid, etc. Mr. Merman cut the umbilical cord and by 8:30, we were doing skin-to-skin, I was able to do skin-to-skin for the full hour this time and it was GLORIOUS! I loved every second of it. However, it did feel like it was only a few minutes in the grand scheme. That sweet hour went by so quickly. 

This time, my placenta came out as it should. No digging or retention. Thankfully! Because of my history, the midwife prepped for that. We continued the pitocin at a higher dose to help my contractions continue. That was supposed to help get the placenta out but also help with the bleeding. However, my bleeding didn't stop as it should. Once again, I was having post-partum hemorrhaging. There was a lot of bleeding and clotting that wasn't stopping. I'm unsure of the medical details but the nurse kept pushing large clots out. Then they would measure and weigh them. My midwife wasn't happy with what she was seeing and made the comment, "It's a good thing you're not having anymore babies." She said that my body just doesn't like to stop bleeding after birth. This scared me. Merman and I immediately looked at each other wondering what she meant by that. I was given TXA through the IV. But that didn't stop or slow the bleeding, so they gave me a Methergen injection in the thigh at 9:41 PM. When that wasn't working, the midwife came in and gave me Cytotec. If I remember correctly, she put two pills in my butt and one in my vagina. At this point, she told that there was only one more medication to try. I asked what would happen if that last medication didn't work. She just gave me a look but never answered. She also had someone come in and start another IV on me "just in case" but didn't say what it was for. I was texting two nurse friends and one made the comment that I might need an emergency hysterectomy. Which explains the "not having anymore babies" comment from earlier. I tried not to freak out and focused on my new sweet baby. 

9:30 PM- After skin-to-skin, they took him to be weighed and evaluated. He was 7 lbs. 12 oz. and 20 1/4 inches long. He rated beautifully on the APGAR scale and by 10 PM, we were being moved to the recovery room. 

My bleeding had finally slowed down to a normal amount. They tested my iron levels and ironically, it came back higher than it had been prior to delivery. My midwife was shocked and said she didn't believe it. So another blood draw was scheduled for the next morning. She still wanted me to take an iron supplement because she felt that I'd lost too much blood. However, I refused to take it because I didn't want to become constipated. Because I was feeling okay, my color was good, and the test showed healthy iron levels, they were okay with me skipping a dose. I asked the nurse if we could wait until my next blood test and she agreed. Especially since my prenatal has iron in it. (PS: My iron levels dropped slightly the next morning but were still at a really good level so I never needed to take the iron supplement).

Once in the recovery room, we were as happy as can be. I wasn't allowed to shower or clean up until all the IVs were taken out. And that couldn't happen until my bleeding had slowed to a certain point and my levels had been tested again. So, I just snuggled that baby and squeezed out drops of colostrum for him. Everyone left us alone for the most part that night. It was very quiet and much different than our experience with Merbaby. I cuddled him all night and let him practice latching and sucking. We slept for a few hours and basked in the glory of a new little life. 

View from my bed on a rainy Sunday 

I've never been happier and am so in love with this little man. What a calm and pleasant birthing experience (aside from the hemorrhage scare). I wouldn't change a thing about it. Our little Baby D is just perfect. :) 

Happy Due Date

 Here we are. October 20, 2020. What a cool birthday date! But, I don't think this baby is coming today... 

I went to see the midwife yesterday at 39 weeks 6 days pregnant with high hopes. I knew it was very likely that this little guy had shifted and turned himself sunny side up in the recent days. I could feel his little hands going across the bottom of my belly and it didn't seem like his back and butt were on the right side anymore. I'd been doing a few spinning baby activities (as mentioned in the previous post) but it felt like he was turning the wrong way. Regardless, I was still hopeful that the 2 cm. dilaton and his head being "way down there" meant something would be happening soon. And, I must admit, I REALLY would love for him to come on his due date so that his birthday would always be 10.20.20. 

The midwife came in as I was having Braxton Hicks and said she'd like to check me. She offered to do a sweep of the membranes but I opposed. We did that with Mertoddler and it didn't do anything to help bring on labor. I remember it being incredibly uncomfortable and if this baby isn't in laboring position, then what's the point? So, she checked me and said I was about 2-3 cm. and she could feel his head. Next, she squeezed me in for an ultrasound so that we could get a good look and measurements on baby to make sure he's doing okay in there. 

While I was super excited to be seeing him again, I was also really nervous that they would tell me he's measuring small and encourage me to continue waiting for him to come on his own. But the opposite happened and his estimated weight was 7 lbs. 10 oz. The midwife was shocked! However, the ultrasound did confirm that he is now sunny side-up. All was well with his heartrate, measurements, and fluid levels. He was just hanging out in there, all smushed up and cute as can be. We got the sweetest little picture of his face so that's definitely an upside to him facing up. I DID get my 3D picture of this sweet baby after all. He finally cooperated. At 40 weeks! ha! Who would have guessed? He is freaking adorable and looks a lot like Mertoddler did in his 3D photos. I can't wait to see what this little guy is going to look like. 

After the ultrasound, I met with the midwife again. She asked if I wanted to schedule an induction and I said, "PLEASE!" I've had so many uncomfortable nights, Braxton Hicks, etc. I'm ready to meet this baby! Plus, I'd really like to be home and somewhat settled before Halloween so that I can enjoy that holiday with Mertoddler. He's so excited and I've ordered PJ Masks capes and masks for me and Daddy. If we were to wait this labor out like we did with Mertoddler, we'd end up having a November baby and Merman would have to return the push-gift to exchange the birthstone out AGAIN. Not to mention the fact that Mertoddler would be devastated if Merman and I missed Halloween. The midwife looked at me like I was silly when explaining this to her, but I just love having that special time with my first little love and don't want to miss out on it when he's at such a fun age. 

Anyways, she told me that they're being strict about elective inductions because of COVID but that my cervix makes me a good candidate and moves me up on the list. So, we agreed to induce labor over the weekend and she told me to come in Friday morning for an NST. I left the appointment feeling really bummed out. Not really sure why, I was fighting back tears all the way to the car. I loved seeing that sweet boy's face but I really wish I could just go into labor on my own. Maybe that's why I felt so down. Defeated by that fact that I'd been working to spin baby into position, I was disappointed that he spun the opposite way.

This is how Baby D looks in the womb right now.
Spin, Baby, Spin!

Once home, I texted my midwife friend (the one who delivered Mertoddler and is now a good friend of mine). I explained everything to her and mentioned that I would be pumping for nipple stimulation to hopefully bring on labor. This was her response: "If baby is sunny side up, you're going to trigger a bunch of false labor contractions with pumping. When the baby is in that position it causes slow labor. Hence you're 2-3 cm. and haven't already gone into full blown labor. If he was turned around, it would be happening. So you need to do the specific positions on spinning babies website for occipital posterior. Do that today and tomorrow. If you feel him flip and you can feel his hard back on the front of your belly then start pumping. You do 10 minutes on and 10 minutes off alternating for an hour. Also do deep side lunges going up the stairs. Let me know if you feel a big movement like you flipped him!"

She then called Labor and Delivery and schedule my induction herself! She's on call this Saturday so she schedule me for a 5 AM induction. However, we have to call at 4 AM to make sure they have a bed available. If it gets delayed, she said she'd rush them along to bring me in by 7:30AM when she arrives. I'm feeling confident that we'll be able to get in that morning and having her advocate for us will really help get things going. However, I'm really, really, really hoping that I can get this baby turned and begin laboring on my own. 

Merman and I have been working hard to do these spinning exercises. And while it hasn't worked yet, I'm trying to stay positive that it will. Even if it doesn't bring on labor, it'll make induction a lot easier if the baby is in the correct position. 

So here's what we've been up to!

1) Rebozo sifting

2) Side-Lying Release

3) Forward Leaning Inversion

4) Side lunges up the stairs

We started #1 and #2 last night. We did them twice. Once after Mertoddler went to sleep and again before I went to bed. Then we did them this morning. Randomly, I'll side lunges up the stairs and then stop by the bedroom to do the forward leaning inversion. So far, it hasn't worked but I did wake up to some major movements from baby last night so maybe another day of stretching will help.  

In the meantime, I'm going to try to soak up and enjoy the sleep-filled nights, naps during the day, one-on-one time with Mertoddler and the freedom of not having a baby on my boob 24-7. :) 

I knew this past weekend would be the last one at home with Mertoddler as an only child (as I'd planned to request a induction for next weekend) so I tried to make some quarantined memories. We took a family walk to the neighborhood playground one morning. I took him to Starbucks for a special treat and then to the playground for a date with just the two of us. We made brownies, watched a new movie while snuggling up on the couch. I broke rules and rocked him to sleep a couple of times. And on Sunday night, I laid in bed with him until he fell asleep. I've talked to him about how baby brother is coming this week and am trying to prepare him for Mommy being very busy with the baby. Yesterday, he came home from daycare with a picture of two teddy bears that he colored "for my baby brother" so we put it in the baby's crib last night and Mertoddler was so proud! He just melts my heart and makes me the happiest mommy. I know he'll be a good big brother but am so nervous about him feeling jealous or becoming super clingy.

Well, I guess I'll go enjoy my due date while still being pregnant! These boys just love being in their Momma. I guess I should take that as a compliment, right? :) Hopefully, the next time I come on to write, it'll be a birth story!