Family Living: Abbott Style

Owen's 1st Month Since day 1, Owen has been Mr. Chill.  During the first week, I actually had to wake him up for every feeding.  He would sleep, eat, go back to sleep.  Rarely cried.  And was rarely awake.  About week two, Owen started to spend more and more time awake--so I was prepared for more crying.  Still. he has remained Mr. Chill.  When he is awake, he looks around the room curiously.  He will begin to tell you when he is getting hungry--but it is rarely a full blown cry.    Now at 1 month, Owen feeds around 8 times a day.  Mostly 3 hours between feedings, but sometimes longer stretches overnight.  He does get restless around 5-7 pm like most babies do, but it is rarely a full blown cry session.  He is easily comforted, but just requires a bit more attention during that time.  Momma is happy to oblige.   Once during this month, I did catch a smile while he was awake.  Owen is not fully s...

Thanksgiving may possibly be one of my favorite Holidays. You would think it would be Christmas. I mean, in theory, Christmas is my favorite because it is celebrating the birth of Christ--but that whole significance aside.Thanksgiving is the official kickoff to Christmas. When I see and hear Christmas songs and decor, I no longer get annoyed like I do the day after Halloween. I am full of Christmas joy, and all the Fa-la-la-la-la.  I am ready to put of the tree and wrap presents. I am ready to watch Christmas movies, It's a Wonderful Life-- cuddle on the sofa with nowhere better to go. And then when Christmas comes, it feels so bittersweet. Of course, it is CHRISTMAS.  So there is that, but then it is all over. Gone....just as quickly as it came. And all that is left if months of bitter cold ahead.  But that is neither here nor there. Thanksgiving has come and gone, and in true tradition--I think it is good to think about, and reflect on what I am Thankful for. I wis...

Here we go, week three of momma of two.  Already, I can't remember what life was like without Owen.  He has turned our world upside down.  It is a constant readjustment--but in a good way.   Ian is so incredibly helpful.  He has had a few days away from the house for various reasons--and we manage without him, but it is just a change.  Things don't get done as quickly--yet life feels like I hit the fast-forward button.  Very little down time when you are taking care of two.  I lean on technology much more than I would like (to entertain Haley while I am feeding Owen or trying to get things accomplished ) but I am slowly learning better ways to balance.  Thinking ahead and trying to be two steps ahead of everyone's needs is super helpful.  Owen is still an incredible baby.  Nursing is going well.  He gained almost a pound in a week! He sleeps well, but is starting to stay awake more and more throughout the day. ...

Today reaffirmed all my reasons for blogging. I couldn't remember the details of Haley's first few weeks at home.  How breastfeeding was going.  How sleeping was going.  When I put her in her own room.  All those types of things.  Back then, I blogged several times a week.  Often, the emotions were raw and the excitement and frustrations were uncensored.  I spent some good time looking back at those few weeks.  Somewhat cringing, but I have to remember--I was doing the best I could at that time.  Period. But re-reading what I wrote helped me remember all my mistakes and wins during those weeks.  So now I can better take on the weeks ahead. Owen is now 10 days old.  We are honeymooning it up right now.  He is eating and sleeping like a champ.  I honestly have zero complaints and couldn't have asked for a better behaved baby.  In fact, it is unsettling almost.  Too good to be true almost.  Like, I am sit...

We are home and settled in.  We hit the ground running.  For one thing, having two kids is a whole new ball game.  I am not sure how someone who doesn't plan well could survive.  I find most of my day is plotting out the next hour and trying to stay proactive.  It is all about anticipating both your kids' needs while remembering to nourish yourself.  Oh ya, and don't forget to be a good wife too. I can't tell you how lucky I am to have Ian at home with me.  That makes all the difference in the world as well.  I have a long way to go in this balancing act before I am efficient without him.  But I am getting there. Oh yes and sleep.  The lack of sleep hasn't caught up with me yet.  I took a solid nap yesterday which helped.  Owen nurses a handful of times over night but generally goes back to sleep.  I have discovered that wet diapers bother him over night but not during the day which I find interesting.  I change h...

11/8/ 2013: Sitting in a quiet hospital room, I am high on endorphins and oxytocin.  It seems somewhat surreal. I want to get it down in writing while it is all fresh.  So here it is: Owen's Birth Story: Last evening, we dropped Haley off at my mom's, an only child for the last time.  I had a rush of emotions that I couldn't comprehend.  From there, Ian and I headed home to pack our things and head to the induction.  An induction I was not entirely happy for.  I wanted to know what it was like to go into labor on my own, a reality I may never be able to experience. We got to the hospital and took care of business.  Cervidil was inserted, and I spent the night tossing and turning.  Sleep completely evaded me and I experienced complete relief when the nurse arrived at 6 a.m. to say it was time to get rolling. After getting around, we started Pitocin around 7 ish,  I had contractions but couldn't feel any pain (just the way I like). ...

Today is Owen's due date.  Clearly, I am still pregnant.  I was not one of the lucky 50 percent of the population that has their babies by 40 weeks.  I had high hopes of going into labor on my own.  I am disappointed (I can't see myself going into labor in the next 48 hours), but in the end all I care about is a healthy baby Owen.  And since I was looking at a schedule C-section early in pregnancy, I am happy with the outcome.   At this point, it still feels so surreal .  I spent sometime looking at photos and videos of the past 2 and a half years with Haley.   Laughing at how clueless I was about parenting (and frankly still am).  She still turned out alright so far, if I may say so myself.  She has a personality all her own.  Strong willed. Happy.  Energetic.  It makes me curious what Owen will be like.  It is certainly going to be different this time around.  Going from one kid to two.  I anticipa...

There was once a time in our lives when "date night" was a homemade dinner from my mom, and a movie on my parents sofa.  Staying up way too late, and pushing "curfew"  to the limits.  As he drove home at night, we immediately called one another, because the evening was simply not enough.  Neither one of us would settle for less than the rest of our lives.   Official date nights are now far and few between. So it is the sweet moments (like pictured above) I hold dear to my heart.  This was not planned.  It just happened.  After putting Haley down for a nap, we both sought refuge from the hustle of life on our sofa.  Within minutes, we were both asleep.  I stirred awake before him--aware that time was of the essence;  in so many ways, other than the obvious. The most pressing of issues being that he needed to get ready for work, I needed to mop the floors.  And such is life.  But for a few minutes, I just took it all ...

Hmmmm......was that a contractions?  Maybe.  Na..... That was most definitely a contraction.....I think. Pshhhhttttt Babe.....BABE WAKEUP.  I think I am in labor.  Feel my belly, do you think that is a contraction?  I have a feeling that I am so clueless that I would be one of the women who end up giving birth in a car because I had no idea if I was in labor or not.   Even when I was induced, I don't remember 'noticing' contractions until after they broke my water.  Then I wanted to die. I have been begging and pleading to go into labor on my own before the eviction date.  And I thought for certain I would go into labor over night.  I walked for an hour yesterday, came home and cleaned the house--while dancing around like a Zumbaing maniac.  Why?  Because I had so much energy I couldn't contain myself (total sign of possible labor soon).  I insisted on walking through the baby section at Wal-Mart ONE MORE TIME, because ...

It appears there is a definite end in sight for this pregnancy.  Next Wednesday marks 40 weeks of pregnancy, and for me-the bus stops there.  The circumstances surrounding the "need" for an induction is pretty lame if you ask me--we politely protested and stated our concerns with a 40 week induction and we were met with a valid response. I am disappointed.  I want to know what it is like to have my body work like it was designed.  Of course an induction is convenient--especially with planning around our toddler and Ian's schedule--but I feel like I am missing out on something.  BUT.  BUT.  My perspective is this.  In the past year, I had a miscarriage.  Bleeding that made me think I was having a second miscarriage which was actually a growth that had to be removed.  To placenta previa.  It was stressful.  Extremely stressful.  It most certainly could have been worse--and the outcome was ideal.  No more placenta pre...

Walking into the church classroom to pick up my little one, I watched her "surf" across the room on a carpet sample that made the perfect sized magic carpet.  This was most certainly not the activity the group leader had in mind while trying to sing "Jesus Loves Me" to a room full of 2-year-olds. Quickly, I realized my child had hit a new level of hyperactivity that I had yet to witness.  I immediately felt my energy drain out through my toes.  I eventually broke down and had to bust out my "mom voice" right there in front of everyone.  Haley came to me running with her imaginary tale between her legs.  "Mom Voice" 1, Haley 0. It was home for a bath and bedtime.  After tucking Haley into her bed, I realized I was so drained I didn't want to get up off her bed.  So I laid there with her for what ended up being the better part of an hour.  I got so lost in our "conversations" that I hadn't realized how much time had elapsed. ...

2 weeks, 6 days.....That is the official--baby Owen arrival countdown. Spoiler alert.  I think we settled on Owen as his name.  Owen Something Abbott.  Big shock.  It was the original name we had wanted.  We tried on a few others but ultimately came back to Owen. So there is that. I can't believe we are over half way through the month and I haven't got a chance to blog again!  Where does the time go?  It is my favorite month of the year after all. Looking over my to-do list, I am feeling pretty accomplished.  I need to deal with my master closet and our drawers but it is so hard to organize clothing when you can't fit into most of them.  The transition to and from pregnancy is a tough one on the wardrobe.  The body changes for 10 months in one directions, and then it is the months of change into the other direction.  Such is life. Other than that, I scheduled my to-do list such that the last things were somewhat.....*ahem*...

Haley has been seeing a lot of productivity go down in our household.  I have been spending a lot of energy cleaning, organizing,and maintaining the house with the assistance of my dearly beloved.  And over the past few days, I can't help but notice and adore Haley's "can do" attitude.  Because toys and playing are so overrated.... I was cleaning house, so she got a baby wipe out and started wiping down her grocery cart saying "I clean too, momma." Don't mind the white blanket fort.  Ian was helping my out by running the vacuum.  Look who found a vacuum her size and followed Dad around the entire house "helping". This one is hard to see, but she is helping push the lawn mower. PS LOVE our new swing set.  Got for under $200 off Craigslist. --It could probably use some stain, but I haven't decided if we are that motivated or now. And this is just what I caught on camera.  She ALWAYS helps unload and load the dishwasher, t...

We had our regular check-up today.  We got a sneak peak at the babe via ultrasound and confirmed that he is now head down.  I could have guess that, as he has been moving around like a mad man recently--so I figured he was moving from the transverse to the optimal head down.  Everything looked good.  He even had a full bladder--which is...interesting to think about.  We still have about a month and a half or so to go--so I am starting to get that,so close yet so far away feeling.  I've been able to get a fair amount of 'exercise' in.  I end up walking or something for about 45 minutes, on average 5 days a week.  The change in the weather has been nice.  I much prefer taking walks outdoors.  Last night I took a cycle class, which is fine.  I gave up on push-ups for now, just because I am already uncomfortable, I don't want to risk injuring my back or something.  So mostly, just trying to stay moving for my sanity.   ...

Waking up to the sound of little bare feet on hardwood floors... Then the quiet whisper " Daddddyyy.  Daddddyyyy.  Wake up ." Sleepily we all sit around the breakfast table eating pancakes, fueling ourselves for the day.  I had checked the weather the day before and decided it would be a perfect day to hit the trails with my family for a little walk.  By 8 a.m. we were on the road ready to roll. Recently, Ian bought me a Garmin for my "push present" (a bit early--but I couldn't wait to use it) so I was eager to see how the GPS worked on the trails. The answer is, awesome!  We got a nice 2.5 mile walk in and then let Haley play on the playground.  There are so many awesome features on the watch that I can't wait to use when I am in the full swing of training again--more on that later. The weather was beautiful!  I couldn't have asked for a more comfortable temperature. Plus it was so nice to share the trails with my family. After we got our ex...

My mom and dad vowed to each other, the rest of their lives. Talk about pressure.  This was not just a marriage of two people.  This was an instant family.  A wife, two kids, and his and her cats.  Shit got real serious when they said 'I Do'.  Lesser people, would have failed. But my parents accomplished the almost unaccomplishable.   I was four at the time. My memories are vague.  But I could probably imagine that our little trio (my mom, brother, and myself) was a bit bruised and broken. Twenty years ago, not only did two people commit their lives together--they committed to rebuild something that was broken.  And they succeeded. So while this is my parents wedding anniversary, I do find some sentimental value in it for myself (goodness how narcissistic is that?)  But what I mean is, not only was their marriage significant for them--it was extremely significant for me as well. I learned about love.  Not the puppy dog stuff. ...

We are now TWO weeks from OCTOBER.  The most fantastic and wonderful month of the year.  Nicknamed, "my birthday month".  It is not so much my birthday that I get excited about as it is the weather and fall festivities.  Incidentally, not a fan of Halloween, however. Seeing 80 and 90's in the forecast, literally makes me moody.  Mother nature needs to get it together.  I am a high of 70--SEVENTY, kinda girl.  Not Seventy-something.  Seventy.  Period.  Sunny of course.  With a subtle but crisp breeze. Moving on.  Things have been pretty status quo around here.  Haley recently started AWANAs at church. So let us talk about this.  Once a week, this momma gets 1.5 hours to herself--no workout required.  Not trying to get greedy, I do get an hour break per day to workout-but it is nice to get an additional break with no heart rate increase required.  Last week, I opted for some shopping--this week, I think ...

I have no shame in the fact that we are bargain shoppers.  In fact, I would say it is a bit of a "shared passion" between Ian and myself. So it is no surprise that garage sales are sometimes a source of entertainment for us.  Haley has been a bit of a game changer.  The need and want to garage sale has increased, while the ease of garage sale shopping has decreased.  Simply getting her in and out of the car is a pain.  Not to mention, Haley wants to touch and look and play with EVERYTHING, but can't.  I do find it humorous that she looks around stating, "2 dollars, 2 dollars, 2 dollars".  Which I have NO idea where she got that. Anyways, we did some shopping today--with success.  Got some great clothing for the kids, an awesome floor puzzle, and some decor things.  But today got me thinking about Garage Sale Etiquette. Now, etiquette is something our society lacks in general.  I am truly becoming a cynical person who hates most peo...

There is nothing like the feeling of a freshly cleaned house.  Top to bottom.  Laundry done.  Dishes done.  Clean sheets. The whole sha-bang. As my major cleaning day, Sundays are bitter sweet around here.  I wake up grumbling, but by the end of the day--I feel re-energized and ready to take on the week. Sometimes I like trying out new products.  Because let's face it, we are all trying to get more done in less time with less effort.  And with cleaning, that can be all about using the right tools and supplies. Let me introduce you to my new favorite cleaner: Lysol Power and Free multi-purpose with Hydrogen Peroxide.  Basically, the bottle says you can use it on most surfaces (including painted walls) AND it kills germs.  Sometimes it is hard to find a multi-surface cleaner, without harsh chemicals, that ALSO kills germs.  AND that smells good.  Ya right. Forget about it. Well this my friends.  Smells good.  Work...

It's the final countdown.... Enter Europe: I hope that got your blood pumping, because I danced around my bedroom to this video. We are talking 9 weeks people.  Give or take what baby decides.  But we are on the final countdown.  The home stretch.  The grand finale. And I am ready to EMBRACE and not rush these last few weeks.  Whiny pregnant women are annoying.  And I have had a rough go at it.  I've been all....."waaaaaa progesterone", "waaaaa placenta previa", "waaaaa stress/anxiety".  And it is about time that I embrace my lovely lady bumps and breath.  Because this thing is happening.  And everything, will likely be just fine.  No more placenta issues.  I am on track for a typical, end of pregnancy.  Baby looks good. So.  In my journey in deciding to embrace these final weeks, I have created myself a "bucket list/ to do list" Before Baby:  Around the House Clean and organize storage Cle...

Ahh, where have I been? If I am being truthful, I would say that I have been in some crummy head space.  Now, please don't picture me moping around my house, crying and yelling at my daughter and hubby.  It isn't like that.  At all.  But I realized today, I have been in a funk for awhile.  There are a lot of contributing factors--but one thing that has come with maturity is despite my frame of mind, I know my responsibility as a wife and mother.  You wake up, you smile, and you go through the day being a good pleasant person--even when you don't feel like it. The thing is, I have never been the person that has been okay with crawling on the sofa and doing nothing in a pair of zumbaz pants....  I am active.  I like to be busy.  I like to play.  I like to enjoy life.  But this round of pregnancy has me wanting to lay on the sofa for days watching bad reruns on the SoapNet.  Doing nothing.  I make myself go t...

Well I am in the last week of my second trimester.  Almost to the home stretch. So kinda funny.....I wanted a photo I could compare pregnancies at 27ish weeks so I found a photo of myself pregnant with Haley:  And I have to be real honest, I am not a fan of orange and I think the only two articles of orange clothing I have ever owned are picture below--this was totally not planned, but after comparing the photos I realized both photos I am wearing orange while standing in the kitchen.  I just want to assure you that I did not put that much thought into it.  It was a last minute, "Oh hey, I actually have my hair down and I am not wearing spandex, let's take a pregnant picture." Side note, the above jeans were not maternity jeans.  At this point, with baby no 2, I couldn't even think of wearing my regular jeans.  My $12.99 dress.  Love a good deal. So there you have it.   Things have been going well.  I have gotten the gr...

I don't really want to talk about the big girl bed. I somewhat want to run out of the room in tears every night.  But then there is that pride.  Pride that I kept a human alive long enough to see a big girl bed.  And the joy of watching her grow up.  But it is bittersweet for sure.  And it's only just begun.... You see that bed there.  That way MY bed through high school and college.  My extra long twin bed.  We put down some plywood and omitted the box springs for a toddler friendly height.  Knock on wood, she has never fell out of bed, but if she does, I'll install a safety rail.  I have some Pinterest inspired wall decor that I would like to do to "Haley" it up a bit.  It now has stuffed animals EVERYWHERE and books and other misc items that make the room look like a toddler lives there.  But for the past two weeks now, she has slept through the night in her bed without issue.  Every now and then, before bed,...