Meet Baby Kinsley Rae

Well, I decided since my maternity leave is about over, I better at least get one post in to introduce our new addition.  It has been nice staying off of computers for over 5 weeks!  :)

To back up to February 15th......

We began at 6am with an induction.  I have come to the conclusion that my body will not fully go into labor without drugs to make it...or I just have very stubborn children that do not want to come out! 

We had decided to take Braylea because she was so excited that we didn't want to risk her not being there for the delivery.  She deserved to be the first to see her baby sister.  She was awesome all day..especially for being a 3 year old sitting in a hospital for 12+ hrs not understanding why her sister won't just come out..

The shirt so fits her!

My labor was relatively slow, but very smooth. The only complaint was that I waited too long to get my epidural, so was already in major pain when he came in to give it to me and then hit a nerve so had to re-do it which I wasn't happy about! I reached a 9 around 5, so we waited on the doc to finish her regular office visits to come check on me. She came in at 5:30..I pushed 5 times and Kinsley was here by 5:45pm. Doesn't get much easier than that!
She weighed exactly the same as Braylea at 7.5lbs. Crazy, right? She was almost an inch longer at 20inches. She also looked identical to Braylea..it was SO weird. It seriously felt like deja-vu! For the first few weeks I literally found myself calling her Braylea.

                                                                          So proud!!

Kinsley has been a great baby.  So much easier than Braylea because she can actually be layed down for naps and sleeps in her own bed!  (Yes, Braylea had to be held for the first 7 months..my fault, I know..but I wanted sleep!)  To note:  Kinsley did sleep 5.5 hours last night!!!!  Oh how refreshed I feel today! 
I am definitely ready for her personality to start coming out and the smiles to actually mean something.  She is focusing a lot better though and seems to get excited when you talk to her, so I know it will come soon. 
It's for sure a challenge adjusting to two kids from one.  Trying to balance the attention is rough when a baby requires so much attention, but having a 3 year old used to ALL the attention.  Braylea still loves her sister though and, for the most part, has adjusted well.  She has acted out some at home and at daycare that we feel it has to do from the lack of one on one attention but we are working on it. 

                                                                      One of my favs below...

At Kinsley's one month check up she was already up to 9.2lbs..gonna be a chunk, for sure!  Already has several rolls and eats ALL the time.

I have to go back to work next week and part of me looks forward to getting into a routine again, but hates the thought of not being with her throughout the day.  I wish I could work parttime!

New Baby Week!

It is hard to believe I am 39 weeks pregnant today.  It really has gone by so fast.  It has also been very different from the first since I already have a little one to run around and take care of.  My energy level fails quickly.  Overall it has been a very good pregnancy.  No complications - thank God.  I'm scheduled to be induce Wednesday, February 15th, so 'trying' to enjoy my last two days with little sister still in my belly.  We thought she was going to come early last week, but no such luck.  I went to work Monday and left around 2 with horrible back pains.  I was sent to the hospital for monitoring and my contractions began to increase.  They were consistent and where they needed to be but, unfortunately, I wouldn't dilate.  I've been stuck at a 3 for over two weeks now, which is an increase to what I did with Braylea on my own.  I never even dilated with her..so I am happy to know my body can do some of the first stages of labor on its own.  I also hope it makes my induction go a lot faster than with Braylea as well..we can only hope!
Braylea is SO excited to become a big sister.  She asks me everyday if the doctor has told me that her baby sister can come out now.  She talks to her...yells at her to come out, I should say..and gives her kisses on my belly.  She did ask the dreadful question a few weeks back of how she is going to come out of my belly.  She said, "If she comes out of your belly button, then your belly will break!"  I did panic a bit and just laughed.  I told her that the doctor would cut her out of my belly instead of telling her the reality of it all..that would just totally confuse her.  She is concerned that it will really hurt me, but I assured her I wouldn't feel anything.  Her wheels are constantly turning!

Below is our first 'family' picture of 4!

Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas!!

Wow - yes, I gave up on blogging for awhile and trying to catch up on just downloading pictures from my camera!  Pregnancy is definitely a challenge when you already have one - it has taken a toll on this Momma!

Braylea turned 3 on Thanksgiving day and had a great party to celebrate it.  We had a cowgirl theme party with lots of family and friends to help us celebrate.  She thinks she is totally grown now that she is 3 - watch out world!

 Braylea is fearless from anything....except of Santa.  She is still scared of him but gets so excited talking about him and states she wants to see him at all times.  We went to get pictures with him downtown and she would go talk to him, but touching was not even a question.  She ended up kicking Santa out of his chair to take the picture while he looked over her.  It actually turned out rather cute though!
Santa then came to visit daycare on Christmas Eve Eve and she was still scared but was able to go up with the whole gang to take a picture (just refused any lap time bonding with him).

We had a great Christmas as a family and it was so fun that Braylea was at the age to understand Santa and was so excited for the day to come.  We were blessed that it was such a beautiful day outside as well!  I'm definitely looking forward to a relaxing New Years weekend due to the hectic Christmas weekend - we didn't stop!  It is crazy to think this is the last holiday with a family of 3..baby Nutt #2 comes in less than two months now - man, how time flies.

It's A......

GIRL!!  The picture isn't great, but in motion it was very prominent that it was a girl. 

It was that awkward silence the moment we found out as we, mostly I, was just sure it was a boy.  We are both very excited to welcome another little girl into our family.  I always wanted a sister and am glad that I get to provide Braylea with one.  When we first told her that it was a girl, she just quickly said, "No, it's a boy!" like we were stupid.  She has adjusted now and does report that she is getting a little sister.
When I was taking her to daycare the morning of my sonogram, I told her that I was going to the doctor to get pictures taken of the baby in Mommy's belly.  She replied, "Your going to go lay down in a bed at the doctor and the baby is going to come out????"  I'm about died - how did she know how that works??  Beats me.  Anyways, I assured her the baby wasn't coming until after she was 3 and after Christmas time.  She cracks me up!

She was smiling at us!

Sucking her thumb.

I have a feeling this next half of pregnancy is going to fly by with the holidays coming up so quickly.  It is still crazy to think we will have a second child in the house to tend to.  It is definitely going to be an adjustment!

Boy...or...Girl - that's the question

Braylea gets to find out if she will be a big sister to a baby sister...or a baby brother in two weeks!  She is determined that it will be a baby brother though, so I hope I don't disappoint her.  She sticks out her belly and pulls up her shirt and tells me that I have a baby brother in my tummy and she has a baby sister in hers..oh the imagination of a two year old! 
This pregnancy is flying by compared to last time.  I do believe it is true that you 'blossom' a little quicker than the first pregnancy as well because it is definitely defined already that I'm pregnant..not easy to hide anymore.



To be continued in a couple weeks...

Summertime fun

We have definitely taken advantage of water this summer with the extreme heat.  Bray is my little waterbug, so it works great!  We have been to the Independence waterpark a few times and she has a blast.  She is a little daredevil, for sure, but it is nice that I can relax and watch her enjoy.

                                                             This one is my favorite. :)

And then there was two...

I've been so busy that blogging hasn't been an option, but I thought I would take time during lunch break to update our exciting news.  Braylea is going to be a big sister the end of February!  We are both nervous and thrilled all at the same time.  Having the first child, you have the unknown to be always excited about.  The second seems very different.  I am ready to have a baby again, but then again, I know what to expect and I question myself..am I ready for all of that again? :)  Braylea is so independent now in which gives us a lot more freedom as well.  It will be a big change to expand our family but overall we are happy and hoping for the opposite sex to be able to experience raising a different gender. 
I'm 10 weeks currently and actually feel pretty good.  I don't feel as sick as last time, so that is a plus.  Summer time isn't a great time to be early prego, I've decided, because we are always going and doing and then all I really want to do is sleep!  But I'm hanging in there!
I decided not to go back to my doctor in Chanute because of the drive - I loved her and the staff, but always dreaded that drive.  I had heard very good things about Dr.Horani here in Parsons and was very pleased with her on our first visit.  It will be nice to stay in Parsons in case of an emergency.

                                               Introducing Baby Nutter - our lil gummy bear..

Sis is very excited - when we told her that she was going to be a big sister, her eyes lit up and she said, "I'm going to have a little brother to feed and change??"  It was so cute - I hope I don't disappoint her and have another girl! haha.

She told her aunt the other day that her mommy's belly was going to get really big because her baby brother was going to grow inside of her and after her birthday, he was going to come.  Where does she get this??  She amazes me more and more everyday of what she takes in and understands!  She just recently got really into baby dolls, so I think she will be my little helper and a great big sister.