Yoga

pic via Google Image search.

Next week I go to the doctor in hopes of getting the invaluable "all clear".  That all clear encompasses many things; one of them being exercise and starting the task of toning these tummy muscles back up!  I am going to wait until January to start running again but in the mean time I will look to my always loyal Yoga. 
I started doing Yoga in college and fell in love with it. Honestly, I know nothing about the background and spirituality of it I just know I love the movements and the flow of the exercise itself.  I know that even if I have been lazy or unable to work out for weeks and can't touch my toes anymore that doing one session of Yoga has me back able to put both palms back on the floor.
I have taken classes and used videos and tried the Yoga card things but I found the best for me was either a class or a video.  Since I have zero time or money AND there are no classes I know of around our area I use a video. 
I've tried quite a few videos but always fall back to the one I started with. Now, don't laugh even though it is kind of funny.  I use the MTV Yoga dvd.  I first bought it as a VHS and then bought the dvd version last year.  It's a great workout.  It's a little fast paced for beginners so if you try it make sure you watch it first (I suggest you do that with all your workout dvds) and then try the movements. 
I cannot wait until next week! And of course not just for the exercise, give me a little credit.

Seborrheic dermatitis

The baby acne did not take over our sweet girl. Something called seborrheic dermatitis did.  The doctor explained it as "like cradle cap for the whole body".  Basically it's got to work it's way all the way to Kyra's feet and then it goes away.  How long it will take to works itself through the system varies so she couldn't help me there.  I was relieved when she told me it was nothing I had done or eaten that caused it.  We could use a cortisone cream to relieve some of the redness but there is basically nothing else we can do for it. 

Let me just tell you, this stuff moves fast! Hopefully it will continue to move quickly and get through her system (it definitely bothers me more then her, I want to "fix it").  We had assumed it was baby acne for about a week and then it started to over take her.  Yesterday within an HOUR it had moved all the way down to her neck so I called the doctor.  It was unlike anything I'd ever seen. 


On the poop report Kyra is just fine.  The doctor said Kyra's bowels were just changing but they were moving beautifully (she said as she had the stethoscope against Kyra's belly).  Thankfully though, they had taken her temperature so within 30 minutes of getting home Kyra's bowels moved. Thank you thermometer! haha! 

Constipation or growth spurt?

So, Kyra is going on day two of no poop.  Oddly enough she doesn't seem bothered by it. She is peeing regularly and eating regularly and even passing gas.  I wonder if she is in the middle of a growth spurt and she is burning it off?  If she doesn't poop by tomorrow I will be making a nurse call.

A huntin' we will go!

Hunting for our Christmas tree that is!

We started a tradition last year with our amazing friends the Heavner's.  Our families go together and pick out our Christmas trees and take pictures.  This year was so much fun! Teagan and Miles trumped all over the place picking out our Christmas trees.  But of course before we even headed down the road from the farmer's house to the Christmas trees Kyra had her first official blow out.  Let me just tell you, had that happened with Teagan at 1 month I would have freaked out.  This time I just dealt with it and we went on our way.  Mark that up to experience.    
We had a great time.  A few temper tantrums between the three of them (Addie was the only one who didn't have a temper tantrum) and that was it..  We definitely count that as successful! After we picked out our Christmas trees and took a few pictures we headed to a nice little spot on the side of the mountain to have lunch.   and then headed home from there.  Next year we'll probably do like we did last year and head on to Asheville to spend the rest of the day.  Kyra was a little young for that adventure right now and both Teagan and Miles were exhausted after running around after Christmas trees all morning. 

 

And here is the temper tantrum pic...haha.

Kyra is 1 month already!

I still can't quite wrap my head around Kyra being 1 month old.  Some days it seems like we just brought her home and other days it feels like she's been in our lives forever (in a good way).

Kyra is weighing in maybe around 9lbs.  She was doing so well at her one week check up that we won't have to go back until her two month so we're not sure about her weight right now.  I did measure her though and she is right at 22 inches already! She's grown an inch in a month! This makes clothing a little difficult.  She is right at too long for newborn clothes but far too skinny for most 0-3 clothes just yet. 

Kyra is a pretty good sleeper.  We've started her on a routine, of sorts, like we did with Teagan so her body starts adjusting to wanting to sleep around 8ish.  Most times this works out and I can get her down by 9-9:30 and other nights I'm up rocking her until 10-11.  Kyra is swaddled and honestly could take it or leave it but it helps her stay asleep through the jerky movements she makes while she is sleeping so we will continue to swaddle.  She usually sleeps a good 4-5 hours the first round at night and then another 3-4 after I get up and feed her at night.  She is definitely up by 8 every day and typically doesn't want to go back to sleep until around 11-12ish.  She isn't the best napper and sleeps during the day in 1-2 hr stretches but if that is how it's going to be to get those 5 hour stretches at night then so be it!

Kyra was a great "nurser" from day one.  I think this is partly because I was able to nurse her within 45 minutes of her birth and I knew what I was doing this go 'round.  She is very efficient in her nursing ability.  Kyra can "empty" one side in 10-15 minutes and be done.  Done as in doesn't want the other side, is completely satisfied, just burp her and she's done.  This has been good and bad in some ways.  It makes nursing time shorter but my "girls" are getting adjusted to that and so pumping has been a little off.  She also isn't a fan of being put down for long periods of time so pumping is kind of difficult.  Hopefully this will remedy itself soon seeing as I have to go back to work in January.

Kyra is still kind of fickle about the paci.  She is slowly taking it more and more but so far she isn't a huge fan of it.  She still won't really take it at night but we're working on it. 

Kyra is holding her head up well.  I credit her and Teagan for that.  Kyra loves to watch Teagan and is usually instantly alert when she senses her sister is near.  When Kyra is on her tummy she can move her head from one side to the other with ease.  When I have her on my chest trying to walk/bounce her to sleep at night she likes to move her head from side to side before she gets settled.

Just these last few days she has started "talking". I forgot how darn cute it is! We had our first conversation the other day after I changed her diaper.  We just talked and talked for about 5 minutes.  Be still my heart!  Kyra has also started smiling more.  Not the gas bubble smiles but genuine random but super sweet smiles.

I have been using the Moby Wrap (thanks Jeana!) with Kyra and I am in LOVE with it.  Kyra likes it too.  She likes to be right on me and the Moby Wrap is perfect.  There is nothing between us (other then clothing) and she can just snuggle right on to my chest. It's amazing. I only wish I'd had it with Teagan!

We are dealing with baby acne.  Well, not really dealing with it because there is nothing we can do for it but Kyra has it.  Poor baby is broken out worse then a middle school boy that just hit puberty.  Teagan never had baby acne so it's a little odd for me.  The hardest part for me has been not to mess with it!  Kyra is still amazingly beautiful though, there's no debating that!


Every day we are adjusting to our lives with a new baby.  I often catch myself just sitting back and looking at Josh and Teagan and Kyra in wonder.  These are mine. Josh and I were blessed to put our hearts and souls into two new beings.  The Lord blessed us more then we deserve and I hope that we are reminded of that every time we look into these two girl's sparkling blue eyes.  May we never forget how blessed we truly are.

Thankgsiving.

Thanksgiving this year was a total blur. I'm learning quickly that a lot of days are like that when you have a one month old and a 22 month old.  It was a happy blur at least.  I took no pictures but it was one of those days where it was okay.  I was just happy enjoying the company of family, some of whom we don't see that often. 
Josh and I are lucky enough to have parents that genuinely get along with each other.  So, Thanksgiving for our families is quite easy.  We rotate. Every year it's either at our house, my parent's house or Josh's parent's house.  This year it was at Josh's parents house.  His mom is the kinda lady who can do everything. Literally. The woman made my wedding dress. Enough said.  So, the food was amazing but it wasn't the best part.  The best part was seeing Teagan running around being loved on by everybody and having Kyra be passed from loving arm to loving arm.  There were times when my arms were empty but my heart was about to burst.  We are so blessed with two amazing little girls but even more so with a family who loves them more then they'll ever know. 

Our big helper!

Teagan has such a sweet disposition about her and is always willing to lend a hand.  Her most recent favorite thing is to help her daddy vacuum!

And yes, our house has officially re-exploded with baby stuff. Don't judge.

Sweet Pictures on this Sunny Monday

Here are some recent pictures of Kyra Mae.  We are so blessed to have two sweet girls. Our hearts are about to explode! 

Dearest Kyra

Dearest Kyra,
My sweet baby girl.  You have done it.  Something I wasn't sure I was going to be able to do one more time.  You've made me fall in love for a third time.  I honestly wasn't sure my heart was capable of breaking off into one more solid piece but you've proven me wrong.  I love you with as much intensity as I did your sister and as I do your daddy.  You have been such a blessing to our family.  You've made our family a whole now.  With you we are complete.
Your temperament is not unlike your sister's but it's quite a bit calmer then hers.  You take most things in stride and curiously watch her and the rest of the world with a look of intense interest.
Even though at this point your smiles are still mostly due to gas bubbles it still makes my heart squeal with joy when your lips curl up and you smile that sweet smile.  Sometimes I disregard what research is proven and know certain smiles are just for me and not caused by bubbles in your tummy.
You turned three weeks old yesterday and to be honest I could hardly believe it. I feel as if you have always been with us at this point.  Truthfully, I think Teagan thinks you've always been with us.  She adjusted to you much quicker then your daddy & I thought.  She loves you like we only hoped she would.  She thinks you are the best thing since yogurt or bananas and that is saying something for her.  I only pray that love continues to grow between the two of you and you can have a bond that surpasses even the best of friendships. 
We thank the Lord every day for bringing you into our lives and we can't wait to watch you grow up. We are prayerful that you will always know how much we love you and how blessed we feel. 

Forever & Always,
Mommy

Hard but worth it.

Has it really been three weeks already?  It actually seems like it's been longer then three weeks as Kyra has settled in quite nicely to make our family of three an even four. 
I do have to admit it seems like it's been a little harder this go-round.  Just readjusting to a newborn compared to a fully functioning-can tell me what she wants-toddler.  Sometimes I have to just breath through the frustration and remember that Kyra is really only 3 weeks old and crying is the only way she can tell me something is not right.  During the day it's not as bad but after the sun goes down my patience level sometimes goes with it.  Thankfully the older she gets the more adjusted I become.  Josh keeps a watchful eye on my feelings and actions as we want to make sure I don't slip into postpartum depression.  Since I've been diagnosed with clinical depression in the past we definitely don't want something like that sneaking up on us.  Thankfully I have a husband who knows what to look for in me.  Right now, I call what I'm feeling "night time baby blues" as it usually comes on when the sun goes down.  Prayerfully that is all it will be and prayerfully it will slowly but surely get better.   
Kyra is such a joyful addition to our family.  She really is quite calm and doesn't cry as often as I sometimes think she does.  She has a gentle spirit about her already.  She seems to love Teagan and tolerates all her kisses and sometimes not gentle enough hugs.  Teagan is purely smitten with Kyra and can't stop talking about her and "lovin'" on her.  Kyra gets more love then Josh & I combined!  Kyra has started staying awake for longer stretches which sometimes means play time and sometimes means crying.  All the walking I do around the house (she's a moving baby) is surely going to help me lose the dreaded baby weight! haha!
We have been so blessed with friends and family and their kindness.  We've barely had to cook since we got home from the hospital because friends from church and friends not from church have brought meals almost 3 nights a week! The kindness we have been shown during this time surpasses anything we could have imagined.

The birth story.

If the way our kiddos come into the world is any indication of their teenage years then we are in serious trouble...

We were scheduled for another c-section on October 27 at 9:30 am.  I dropped Teagan off after "school" on Wednesday, the night before, with Josh's parents so we could prepare and I could get some rest before the surgery the next day.  I'd had about 3 random contractions, real ones, later Wednesday afternoon but figured nothing would come of them and assumed I would be going in the next morning to see Dr. J and have this baby.  Dropping Teagan off was hard and of course I cried all the way home but I found comfort in knowing she was with her Grandma and in very capable hands. 
When I got home I walked in to a hubby that didn't feel good so neither of us wanted to cook.  We ran out and picked something up and settled in for the night.  Around 7:30pm I started having some mild contractions but again, thought nothing of them, and so Josh went to bed around 8ish.  I stayed up and breathed through the contractions until around 9 when I decided to go and take a shower, straighten my hair (yes, I wanted decent hair for delivery) and then go to bed.  Well, I got my shower done and the hair done but when it came time to go to bed my contractions weren't having it.  So, I went downstairs and bounced and watched TV (CSI) and breathed through my contractions.  They were getting so strong and so frequent that I started timing them.  I was texting with my friend Meghan (who at the time happened to be in labor too!) and working through the contractions when Josh came down to check on me.  By then it was around 11pm and I decided it was time to call the nurse on call because holy cow WE WERE IN LABOR!!  I was putting last minute things in the suitcase when the nurse called back.  By then the contractions were every 5-8 minutes apart and anywhere from 45 seconds to 1min and 30 seconds.  Yes people, when I labor I labor fast and furiously.  The nurse told us to come on in, especially when she found out I was a VBAC and so come on in we did! 
I was different with these contractions compared to with Teagan.  With Teagan I was a cave woman who would have scared off a ferocious predator but with Baby BearI was calmer and my breathing was a lot better.  We got to the hospital (laboring in the car SUCKS by the way) and of course came in the wrong entrance and got turned around a few times.  Finally we found the front and Josh dropped me off at the front desk (where I was supposed to be in 6 hrs) and then went to park.  Watching people's faces while I stood there at my wheelchair breathing through contractions was priceless.  The man at the desk kept asking if I was sure I wanted to wait on Josh because he could wheel me up right then.  I politely told him I was okay and just wanted to wait on my husband I wasn't having the baby right yet.  The woman at the desk told him to "Shut up, she's concentrating and doesn't need to hear you right now".  Let's just say when Josh got in the lady was the one who wheeled me upstairs, not the man.  It was a pleasant ride. She was a very sweet lady and we chatted all the way up to the 8th floor, in between contractions that is.
Finally, we got checked in, got a room and I put on that lovely hospital gown.  I was actually in a good mood for a woman in labor. I just knew we were going to have this baby the old fashion way! How could I not be in a good mood?!?  I had one nurse who actually told me I was one of the most pleasant pregnant women in labor she'd ever had.  When they checked me I was at 5 1/2-6cm dilated (that would be 5-6 in 4 hrs) which was crazy because I'd been at 0 at my last check up.  It was around 12ish when they checked me.  They hooked me up to the monitors and I had to stay on the dreaded bed which was the last thing I wanted to do.  I couldn't stand and rock and work through the contractions like I'd been able to do at home and they were coming a lot harder and a lot faster.  I could definitely see the appeal of a birthing center or home at that point.  Eventually the doc came in to check on me and I was at 8 1/2cm.  Let me just tell you, that "transition phase" was HELL but I was determined to rock it out.  It was harder laboring when I was confined to the bed.  But it was worth it knowing Baby Bear's heartbeat stayed steady and she was strong.  Dr. P said we needed the babies head to come down a little further or it was going to be around 2 hrs of hard pushing.  Unfortunately as soon as he left I felt the need to push which is something we didn't want just yet because Baby Bear needed to drop down more.  The pain and urge to push intensified by 20 and started getting the best of me.  I lost my train of concentration and couldn't come back to it.  I looked at Josh in the middle of a contraction with wide eyes.  Then it was over I told him I felt like I'd rocked it, we were still going to have a VBAC but I was going to concede and get the epidural if we could make it. He asked me if I was absolutely sure because he knew how bad I wanted to go completely natural and I told him I was sure.  There was slight chaos after that because I didn't know if we were going to make it waiting on the anesthesiologist because he was in the OR and it took him 5-10 minutes to get there.  Thankfully he got there in time.  After the epidural it did get easier, obviously because I was numb.  I watched the monitor in amazement because my contractions were above the top level and it wasn't painful anymore just slightly uncomfortable.  I don't regret getting the epidural and I am very proud I got as far as I did. 
My parents came in for a few minutes after that and stayed for a little while. It was great knowing they were there and just right down the hall.  Josh was able to get some much needed rest and I laid there watching the monitor and Man vs. Food.  I couldn't sleep more then 20 minutes at a time because I was numb and that was just weird to me.  When the nurse, Jody, and Dr. P came in around 6ish he checked me and decided Baby Bear's head was far enough down.   He broke my water and told me I'd be pushing in a few minutes and we'd have a baby within the hour! Oh mercy, did my adrenaline start pumping then!! Nurse Jody was an amazing coach.  She talked me through how to push and she really helped me focus.  They got out the mirror for me so I could see ( I do better when I can actually SEE what I'm doing) and I don't regret that at all! It was amazing seeing Baby Bear's head! I even got to touch Baby Bear's head! Finally at 7:11am on October 27th, Kyra Mae was born via a successful VBAC.  The doctor congratulated us on our sweet baby girl!  It was an amazing feeling.  God is so good.  It was everything I thought it would be an more.  They laid her on my chest as soon as she came out and then within 45 minutes I was able to nurse her for the first time.  I felt like wonder woman. 

Teagan meets Kyra

We were actually kind of anxious about Teagan meeting Kyra because she has a tendency to be very "that's MY mommy" whenever I pay attention to other babies. I was beyond amazed, and continue to be, at how she took to Kyra. She first met her on Saturday when we got home from the hospital. Teagan stayed with Josh's parents while we were in the hospital so Grandma brought her by to meet Kyra.  She was so excited to see her! She had to make sure she had hands and feet and diapers and that she stayed covered and didn't get cold. Then she was over it and started to play with all the "stuff".

 

 

Teagan has continued to adjust well to her new baby sister. Kyra's crying doesn't phase her and her temper tantrums don't phase Kyra. Teagan hugs and kisses Kyra more then she does anybody else and has to say "night-night" and "mornin'" to her every day. We are truly blessed with two amazingly sweet and beautiful girls.

Kyra Mae

So, this is basically 2 weeks late thanks to a killed over laptop & a sleep deprived mommy of 2 under 2.

Making her way into the world...
Kyra Mae

8lbs 2.3oz, 21inch
10/27/2011 at 7:11am via VBAC