A Day in the Life of Kaden (and the rest of us)

People often ask me what my days consist of. Most of them don't ask in a condescending "what do you do all day?" kind of way, but in a more general "how does your life go?" sense (if that makes any sense). So, I decided to take pictures of most of our day. I didn't include every diaper change or nursing session because I don't always have my phone attached to my hand in those situations, but this is what happened today, for the most part. 

Shane leaves pretty early most mornings. Since we're moving soon, he actually left even earlier to go pick up some boxes from his old work. He left at 6:30, apparently. He no longer wakes me up when he leaves because he doesn't want to disturb us. He also informed me that neither Kaden nor I really wake up when he wants to eat at night. Apparently Kaden whimpers a bit, I pull out the boob, and we both go back to sleep as he nurses. I'm going to take his word on this because I don't remember getting up with him this morning. lol Anyways... Kaden is awesome and likes to sleep in. Today he woke up around noon, I think.

This beautiful smile is what I wake up to every morning <3 We usually spend 15-30 minutes just laying in bed playing. 

Then it's time for the first diaper change and getting Kaden changed into his first outfit of the day (he will inevitably either pee or puke on his outfit and need to be changed. He's a ninja at peeing out of his diaper without actually getting anything on it. It's a gift. -_-).

He gets all dressed for the day! :) Usually all he wears is a onesie and socks at home. Sometimes just a diaper and socks. His feet get cold pretty easily, but he's super cranky when he gets hot, so I try not to let him get over-heated. 

Little guy hangs out in his swing while Mommy makes breakfast. It's usually the time of day he's most content to sit still. Even so, I didn't finish eating before I had to go get him out. I did finish cooking, though, which is the important thing. :) 

Mommy's breakfast! I eat a lot of eggs because nursing makes me crave protein hard-core. 

Breakfast time for Kaden!

Eating is exhausting... He usually falls asleep nursing. If he's not super tired, it's only for a few minutes. Occasionally he'll stay awake, but those are usually the times that he's super distracted and not really cooperating with Mommy. lol

Playing with his feetsies is one of his new favorite things! That and being cute so I fill up my phone every 10 minutes. Haha. Thank you, 32G memory card!

Diaper laundry day equals back to basics :) This is the only type of diaper Shane can't do. Though, I'm sure he could figure it out if he wanted to. :) I must say, though, Boingos are WAY better than pins!

Hanging out in his play crib while Mommy gets dressed and watches him on the monitor. For the record, he doesn't sleep in that crib, so no one freak out about suffocation hazards. lol

I've been working on making all natural cleaning products. I was cutting up some old tees to make disinfectant wipes and Mr. Kaden decided to be sweet and sit in his chair to watch me. Most days are mommy-hold-me-all-the-time days. 

I forgot to do diaper laundry last night, so I had to wash today. 

The ingredients for my disinfectant wipes. I'll be blogging about that later. :) 

How Mommy had to clean the bathroom. He looks so unimpressed. Haha. He was not having it in his bouncer, though. This is the main reason I want to switch to all natural cleaners. The fumes from cleaning products give me a headache that lasts all day. I really don't want to know what they'd do to my precious little baby.  

Play time! He's totally going to be a piano prodigy. ;) 

Mommy's lunch! (I know that's an obscene amount of BBQ sauce. It poured faster than I anticipated lol)

Still playing piano, which is impressive for him. He's not a huge fan of Tummy Time (even though he rolls into that position himself constantly). His favorite game is making me flip him onto his back just so he can immediately go to his tummy and get mad. lol

Lunch time!

Annnnnd he's out. 

He thinks this is the greatest thing ever. He loves to bounce and flop around and give Mommy a heart attack. He thinks it's hilarious. -_-

Our first ever attempt at a back-carry so Mommy could vacuum. It didn't last long, but he calmly sat in his chair and watched me while his big brother cowered in the other room. Haha. It was cute because he never took his eyes off the vacuum and kept watching it move back and forth. I'm just so glad he doesn't mind the noise. :) 

His i'm-not-tired-I-don't-know-what-you're-talking-about-Mom-stop-ruining-my-life face. ;) [Sorry for the cleavage shot. This was the best I could do. I just wanted to show the less pleasant side of infant life.]

My diapers are getting a bit stained, so I decided to dry them outside and sun them. Did you know that the sun is a fantastic stain remover and antibacterial? 

We took a walk as a family when Daddy got home to get some sunshine and exercise! :) 

And apparently all that walking Mommy did just wore him out. Haha 

Daddy playing on the computer. He's pretty. :) 

Roscoe trying to cool off from acting like a maniac on said family walk. -_-

How Mommy eats dinner almost every night. Daddy usually takes him when he's done eating so I can use 2 hands. 

We started Season 6 of Dexter tonight!

Snuggle time!

They're both REALLY into this show... apparently. haha

Wardrobe change (for both of us) after a rather gnarly projectile vomiting incident. =/

Mommy had to make a quick run to Kroger while Kaden played with (aka freaked out on) Daddy, because tomorrow's dinner needs to be cooked in the crock pot and mine is cracked. These things are the best either way because they make clean-up SO much easier. I'm just glad there is a solution that allows me to still use my crockpot, because I would be lost without it!

Showing Daddy how to work a computer. He managed to delete a bunch of stuff. It was hilarious. 

Picking his own music. ;) 

"What Ma? It wasn't me!" THOSE EYES!!!!!

Playing with Mommy's face. His favorite!

Soaking beans for tomorrow night's dinner.

Daddy and Kaden reading a bedtime story. This is my whole world, right here. 

Shane generally goes to bed around midnight. Kaden will usually go down between 12 and 2 (I know that sounds crazy, but it correlates well with my sleep patterns, so I don't mind... He has started going to bed earlier as he gets older, I've noticed.). I go to bed whenever I get tired. He wakes up a few times a night to nurse, but as I said before, it doesn't bother me in the slightest. He rarely cries at night if he's not sick. 

So that's what I do all day. Though, I should mention that this isn't necessarily a typical day. Usually he naps on me a couple+ of hours a day and won't let me put him down. Lunch isn't always an attainable goal. I wouldn't trade it for the world, though. I feel so blessed to be able to stay home and care for my wonderful little guy. 

4 Months!

I've been intending to do this every month, but I always end up writing half of it and forgetting to publish. However, little guy is currently passed out on my chest and I can still reach the computer, so here goes!

Height: 27 inches
Weight: 18 pounds
Head Circumference: 18 inches
Clothing size: 6-9 months, leaning more towards (and starting to grow out of) 9 o_O
Milestones:
-Rolling back to front! After much hard work, he was finally able to get over his shoulder all the way. Mama was so proud! :)
-He got his first 2 teethies! He has been teething SO hard! Poor thing gnaws on everything he can get his little hands on, and when there's nothing available, he just gnaws his hands.
-Laughing! There is NOTHING more precious than his laugh. OMG.
Baby's Favorite Things: 
-Nursing! Little boy is a milk-o-holic!
-Smiling adorably at Mama so she gets nothing done.
-Pulling on Roscoe's face, or Daddy's, or Mommy's... he just loves faces. lol
-Sitting up and any other activity that proves he's a grown-up instead of a baby. -_-
-Playing in his Exersaucer. He loves that he can stand up and bounce. It's hilariously adorable. :)
Baby's Least Favorite Things:
-His carseat. It's literally his least favorite place to be. Hopefully once his new one comes in, he won't hate it so much.
-Tummy Time. He LOVES to roll over, but he hates that he ends up on his belly. He'll play there for a few minutes then he screams for me to flip him. Then he flips himself back. Repeat until he just gets so upset we have to switch games. Haha.
-Teething. Which is actually universally despised in my household. My poor baby. :(
-Hiccups. It's hilarious how angry he gets when they won't go away.
Ridiculous Nicknames Mommy Calls Him:
-Kaden Butt
-Angel Face
-Honey-Bunny-Boo-Boo-Kins (yeahhhh this actually happens a lot lol)
-Chunkamonk

Basically, he's the sweet, cutest, smartest, most amazing baby anyone could ever hope for. I couldn't possibly be more in love with him. I'm so proud of every single little thing he does. It's totally worth not being able to get anything done just to watch his pretty, smiling face. I'm such a blessed woman. <3

My Amazing Husband

        I just wanted to take a moment to brag about my amazing husband. He was a bit frustrated that no one had any faith in his ability to help me through labor. I made jokes about him passing out, but after the ordeal I went through in the hospital, I knew he would be great. His biggest issue was how much he hates to see me in pain, but he put on a brave face. Once my labor actually started, he was the one who did all the communicating with my midwife b/c I was in too much pain to deal with a phone call. He timed my contractions and let me squeeze his hand when it got really bad. He even had to get me dressed before we left b/c I didn't have enough time between contractions to focus on it. He was super comforting in the car even though I could tell he was really stressed out. He stayed by my side throughout my entire labor. I didn't even scream at him or break his fingers or anything, surprisingly. Haha. He just kept trying to refocus my attention to the fact that Kaden would be here soon. It was comforting just to have him sitting there. He was so excited that Kaden went straight to him after he left the tub. I've never seen him look so happy and proud. <3 When we got up the next morning, he changed his first poopy diaper. If meconium counts as poop, anyway. That stuff is gross! It was his first real diaper change and other than a few sleep-deprived mistakes, he did a great job. He changed every single diaper until he had to go back to work, because I was having a hard time standing when we first got home. He took such great care of him in general. For someone who has no real experience with babies, he's been spectacular. He got up with me and helped take care of him the first couple of nights home when he was having trouble sleeping through the night. Even now that he's back to work, he tells me every night before he goes to sleep to wake him up if I need help. I'm so blessed to have someone so helpful as a partner. <3
        He loves Kaden so much it completely melts my heart. I didn't think I could possibly love him more, but seeing him love and care for my son makes me love him more than I thought possible. He was super bummed he had to go back to work, but I send him pics while he's gone. The first thing he does when he gets home is grab the baby and snuggle with him. It's SO sweet. He's actually to the point where he gets jealous when people come to visit because they hog his baby time. He's a seriously incredible husband and father, and I just wanted to give credit where credit is due.
       This is all not to mention the fact that he has been working two jobs since June to take care of us. He's the most incredible, hard-working man I know. I'm so grateful that he finally got full time at the job he actually likes so he can quit the one he hates. Not having to get up at 1:45am will be a blessing for all of us. I'm so glad he found a job somewhere that really appreciates his worth.
       Now, please enjoy some adorable pictures ;)

Their first picture together <3

Our first family picture <3 <3 <3 (I look a hot mess, but in my defense, I just pushed out a human...)

Cuddling with both our boys :) 

My sleepy boys <3

Weeks 33-37!

Baby size: 38 weeks! Baby is the size of a leek. Literally all I ct is Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2 (which I've never seen) when someone screams "there's a leek in the boat!" I Love me some puns! ;)

How I feel about being pregnant: Exhausted. I can't wait to meet my little guy! Seriously, kid, you can come out annnny time you like. ;)

What I miss about pre-pregnancy life: Sleeping comfortably. And on my tummy. I can't wait to sleep on my stomach again! Or just sleep. Baby thinks 2-5 am is prime play time, no matter how often I tell him otherwise. Silly boy. 

Symptoms: Still heartburn and a lack of sleep. Oh and I finally had to take my wedding ring off. :( I'm REALLY going to miss it. I saw this picture the other day of someone who had to have hers cut off and it was so terrifying I decided to just give in. I'm pretty sure my finger isn't even swollen, but it was THAT disturbing. 

Food Cravings:  Hmmm I actually haven't been craving much lately. With cute little feet constantly pressed into my stomach, it makes it hard to WANT to eat anything. Though if you mention a cupcake and don't actually give me one, I will probably give you a really dirty look. Haha. I even told Makaelah the other day "You don't go around talking about cupcakes in front of a pregnant woman if you don't have one. That's dangerous." She just looked at me like I'm nuts. Which seems fair. LOL

What I'm most excited about: Getting to meet my sweet baby soon! He's going to be the cutest thing ever. :-D

Something I've done to prepare for baby: Baby Shower #2! Aunt MarMar and Aunt Krystin threw a "Little Man" themed shower for us, and it was AMAZING. We played lots of crazy games, and it was tons of fun. Thank you, beautiful ladies! 

We also ordered his bed (with attached changing table)! YAY somewhere to sleep and change diapers! ;) 

{Obviously I wrote this post WEEKS ago. I was all "oh I'll add some pics tomorrow, then post it. False. This is so not my strong suit.}

Special moment: Any time Shane talks about our baby and/or our family. He is so sweet, and he's going to make such a wonderful father! <3

Thanksgiving Week! 

Monday we had dinner with our friends that live locally (aka within a 1 mile radius). I did the majority of the cooking (though props to Travis on his delicious carrots and sweet potato casserole). Let me tell you, Thanksgiving dinner is EXHAUSTING when you're 8 months pregnant. OMG. The turkey turned out really awesome though, and I wanted to marry the mashed potatoes, so all in all I'd say it was a good day. ;) [I'll probably post on my other blog with the recipes I used]

Wednesday night we had a "bonfire" with s'mores, and hung out with some awesome people! :) 

Thursday we had lunch with my family, and I made ENTIRELY too much sweet potato casserole. :-P It was wonderful to see everyone and to be home and with family this year for Thanksgiving. 

We also went to hang out with the Thompsons, since my ability to participate in Christmas this year is rather questionable. We had lots of fun, and all got our butts kicked in Yahtzee by an 8 year old. :-P

Funny moment: The other day, Makaelah came over and Kaden was kicking up a storm, so I asked her to tell him to stop kicking me. She looks at me all slowly and says "He's KICKING you?!" with these super wide eyes. Then she came up and screamed "Stop kicking her, Kaden!!" a few times. It was SO freaking adorable and hilarious. 

How baby's growing (from BabyCenter): 

Trip to the ER/Labor & Delivery:

So, yesterday {which was like December 1st or 2nd -_-} I woke up a few times with back pain but it went away so I didn't worry too much. Then around 4 o'clock the pain concentrated in my left mid-back and just wouldn't stop. I was crying off and on and absolutely miserable. Nothing helped. Shane finally called my midwife and she said it was probably my ligaments stretching from him moving and shifting and told him to put a pack of frozen veggies on my back {He was SUPER proud of himself because he had actually suggested that about 30 minutes before}. After an hour or so it wasn't getting better, and if anything it was getting way worse. I was having horrible contractions from it, too. Shane got freaked out and decided to take me to the ER. I will say that the only good thing about being a pregnant woman in the ER is you don't have to wait. They took me immediately to L&D. They hooked up all the stupid monitors and stuff (which is one of the reasons I won't be doing actual labor in a hospital). Then she said I was super dehydrated so they hooked up an IV of fluids. I agreed to pain meds b/c my back pain was completely out of control. I was worried it would take a while to kick in, but it literally was half-way in and I couldn't talk. My test results came back positive for a UTI, so they added antibiotics to my IV. I was out most of the rest of the night. People kept waking me up to ask me questions and such, which I wasn't super great at answering. Then she came in and said I needed a shot to stop the contractions. "It might burn a little." PUH-LEASE! That thing felt like freaking lava being injected into my arm. OMG. Then she came back not too long after and put another one in the other arm. Ugh. Luckily it worked, though. He definitely needs to cook a little longer. I'm sure he'd be fine now, but I'd much rather he go as close to term as possible. Poor Shane stayed up with me until we got home at almost 2:30, then had to wake up for work at 4:45. He's such a sweet husband. Even though he was super freaked out seeing me in so much pain, he did a really good job staying calm and taking care of business. I'm proud! I'm also grateful for my parents coming to visit and for feeding him. I just have to take it easy and drink lots of water for now. Hopefully we don't have to deal with anything like this again until he's really ready to come out. For now, I'm just glad my little guy is safe. <3

        And as I waited to upload pictures until the next day, I can include the follow-up 5 day stay in hell, I mean, the hospital: 
The pain came back with a vengeance the next night. We went back to the ER, and this time people decided to listen to the fact that I said it was my kidney, not back labor. I thought before that kidney stones were the worst pain in the world. THEN I got to experience kidney stones  with massive contractions. Even the doctor felt bad for me. "Kidney stones hurt worse than childbirth and you're facing both right now..." Deeeelightful. I was in absolute agony and they withheld the drugs until I could get all the forms signed. Pretty sure my name was "Tiffany dkjfoawiflwkejf" on half of them. -_- 
        It was basically 4 days of the doctor saying way more was wrong than actually was and threatening to do horrible tests and deliver the baby. Blargh. None of which, thankfully, actually happened. 
        One night I had the world's WORST nurse. Seriously. We nicknamed her "Shuffles" b/c she literally never picked her feet up. Naturally I had her the night that my pain was the absolute worst and she took forever to get my medicine. I was starting to wonder if Shane or Lisa would snap first, and Marlen wasn't far behind. They sent Lisa for a walk so there was no blood-shed. She finally got my meds in, but they took forever to work b/c she had taken so long to get them to me. I finally passed out, only to wake up at 1:30 in the morning with my right hand 4x the size it should be. I was completely freaked out and she was just standing there. Finally, Shane was like "is it possible the fluids are going into her hand instead of the vein. Shouldn't you take it out?" So she did, and unfortunately he had to leave for work. She then tried to redo my IV in my left hand and blew 2 veins. I looked over and my hand was already swollen and a giant bruise. On top of all this, the pain was back and I couldn't get medicine b/c I had no IV. She went to get another woman who "never misses". False. She missed twice. They brought in a third nurse who thankfully knew what she was doing and got the IV. She probably thought I was losing it b/c I was sobbing by that point. Because what I really need when I'm facing horrific pain is people repeatedly poking me with needles. Ugh.

        There was a lot of other horrible stuff that made me super thankful I will be at a birthing center when I have Kaden and not a hospital. (Not that all my nurses were horrible. I had one SUPER sweet one and a couple that were nice enough.) There is absolutely no way I could have a baby in that environment. Not that I think there's anything wrong with a woman choosing a hospital birth. I just personally would hate it. My midwife was super sympathetic, as was her nurse when I looked completely horrified at the idea of getting my blood drawn b/c I was still covered in needle marks and bruises. 

       Also, after 4 days of being pumped full of fluids, I looked like an overstuffed sausage. Omg. I've never felt so gross in my life. I had also gained way to much weight despite not being able to eat the whole time I was in the hospital. After about a week it finally went away. 

       I'm feeling better now. At least as far as all this is concerned. Just getting everything ready and waiting for my little man to make his appearance. Soon, hopefully. I want to see him! And preferably not deliver an 11 lb baby. We shall see! 

Sorry this was so long. I saved way too much for this post.