Connor is 6 weeks and Sean is 3.5!

I wanted to try and get this done 2 weeks ago 😱 Oh, how things have changed with two kids! 

Height/Weight: On Thursday he was 13lbs 3oz (!!!) and 22 inches long. We think the hospital must have had an incorrect length at birth, because he has definitely grown more than half an inch. 

Sean is 39lbs and 40 inches as of Thursday - such a big boy! I think we are close to a growth spurt again, since he's been eating/sleeping a lot.

Routine: It's not a set routine quite yet, but we are getting there.

He gets up with me when Sean wakes up, usually around 6:30am. I bring him to the living room and he will nap in his swing until 8:30am or so. 

He nurses every 2 hours during the day. If Sean doesn't have school or we don't have any appointments, I try to get us out of the house by 10am, at least for an errand. This usually means going to Sean's favorite place (Target) or the park. 

We get home around 1pm to let big brother nap. These days, Sean doesn't always nap, but he gets 'quiet time' for an hour or so. If it's nice out I'll take the double stroller and walk Freyja. 

In the afternoon, we will usually try get out of the house again, or just hang out depending on what the weather is doing. 

Connor takes naps on and off during the day right now. He's a really laid back baby and sleeps while we're out and about. 

While we're home, Connor naps in his swing. I bring him to bed with us when we go back around 10pm, and I'll do a dream feed/change his diaper.

He usually wakes to nurse around 3 or 4am, then again at 6 or 7. Much different than with Sean! 

Eating/Feeding: He's a champ when it comes to nursing. He does eat for a long time but I figure it's because he's a big boy. 

Sean is as picky as ever, but is much better about eating protein. We are trying to incorporate foods he used to eat into his meals, so hopefully he starts eating them again. 

Sizes: Connor is officially in size 3-6mo tops. He has a long torso but shorter legs, so he can still get away with 0-3mo pants. I started cloth diapers a few weeks ago, and he is in size 1 diapers. I would guess we upgrade to size 2 when we run out of size 1s. 

Sean is in size 4T everything, and is in size 6 diapers. We are unfortunately still not potty trained, but are actively working on it. 

Milestones: 

Connor had his first smile a couple of weeks ago! I was loading him into the car and he gave me a big, open mouth smile! I forgot how magical that first one is 😀

He is starting to grab/swat at things on his play mat, and loves to coo at his favorite things. So far his favorite item is the tall lamp in the living room 😅

How Young Living is making my life easier this month:

I have been diffusing Vetiver and Cedarwood as a mixture to improve mental clarity. This is really helpful for Sean during the day when he's having trouble focusing, and helps me with my 'mommy brain'. 

_________________________________________________________________________

A personal update for me:

I have opened an Etsy shop! www.etsy.com/shop/seekelseydo

I love making fun crochet beanies for babies to adults, and decided I'd start making them for others. If you know anyone expecting a baby, they make GREAT baby shower gifts. Or, if you have a little one at home, they are great ways to add some fun to daily outfits. I get so many compliments when Sean and Connor wear theirs when we're out and about. 

Check it out and favorite my shop! It will notify you when I add new items. I also have an Instagram page dedicated to the shop as well. Follow me - @seekelseydo :)

Xo, Kelsey 

Welcome to the World, Connor!

Welcome the newest member of the Stanton family, Connor Jack!

We are so lucky to have you, little boy. He had a dramatic entrance to this world, just like his brother  did😅.

I wanted to share his birth story, just like I did for Sean. This time was way different, but no less hectic and scary. I guess all births are that way on their own, but it seems I am doomed to have some gnarly ones.

On September 4, I began having what felt like a mixture of braxton hicks contractions and 'real' contractions all day. They weren't timeable until around 12pm. They began to get more intense and were coming every 5-7 minutes. Still inconsistent but getting stronger, I called Erin and told him he should probably come home and start getting ready for the hospital. As soon as Erin got home about 30 minutes later, the contractions completely stopped. He decided to rest up in case they started up again. By 7pm that evening, I hadn't had any more contractions at all. Our induction was scheduled for 7am the next morning, so I gave up and we went to bed around 9pm.

At 4am on September 5 (3 hours before my induction), I woke up to really strong contractions, happening pretty consistently. I decided to time them and they were every 3 minutes. They were becoming more intense as I decided if I should go back to sleep or not, and they then started to be every 2.5 minutes. I woke Erin and told him it was go time!

We rushed to the hospital, and got a call while on our way asking if we could reschedule our induction that morning. The nurse informed me there were a lot of women coming in, in labor that night,and they wouldn't be able to do my induction. I told her sorry, I'm in labor too - cancel the induction! 😂

We got checked into the hospital and settled into our room. I was still having contractions every 2.5 minutes, so they hooked me up to antibiotics due to my positive Group B Strep. Because I was sitting in the hospital bed while my antibiotics kicked in, my contractions started to slow to every 5 minutes or so. Once I was able to get back up and walking, they ramped up. The nurse checked me, and I was at 4.5cm. So I did a lot of walking and pacing to get things moving. Hours went by, and Dr. Beller came in at 12:30pm to break my water.  I had only gotten to 5cm, which was a little frustrating. After having my water broken, my contractions quickly became unmanageable and I asked for an epidural. I had been open to an epidural this time around, since I knew back labor was a possibility again, and I just didn't want to do that again.

After getting an epidural, it took about 15 minutes for the meds to fully kick in. I imagined immediate relief as portrayed in movies, but the anesthesiologist explained it does take a few minutes. She also explained that the epidural does not take away ALL pain, but does take away the 'stabbing' feeling. I'd say that was the best explanation and made my expectation much more realistic. Before the meds kicked in, I had some very gnarly contractions. I did not regret my decision! 30 minutes after breaking my water, Dr. checked me again, and I was at a 9. I was on my side and could feel the sensation to push, but it wasn't consistent enough to begin pushing yet. Another 5 minutes later, and they said I could push.

Dr. came in and I began pushing with all of my strength. It became apparent really quickly that something was wrong. Another push and they told me that baby is stuck, and called it Shoulder Dystocia. His shoulder was stuck in my pelvis and that I would need to try my hardest to get him out. One nurse laid on my stomach to add pressure to his bottom, and Dr. literally reached inside of me and pulled baby out. I will tell you that is the worst pain I've ever felt. WAY worse than the 'ring of fire' experienced with Sean's birth. I'm so damn happy I got that epidural. I probably would have passed out from the pain, had it been unmedicated.

Baby was taken away from me, and taken into the next room to help him wake up a bit. Erin went with him, and was able to tell me that he was okay. They described him as 'stunned'. In about a minute, I heard him start to wail. That noise never gets old, especially after such a traumatic experience!

The nurse came in carrying Connor, swaddled up tight. He was alert and very calm, thank goodness. She said 'He's a big boy, I would guess over 10lbs!'. I didn't believe her at first, but when he was in my arms, I was surprised by his size. He was beautiful and perfectly squishy. He began nursing almost immediately, which was so nice, since Sean didn't nurse for nearly a day. We enjoyed that moment for a while. I noticed his face and ears were quite bruised, which is apparently normal when they get stuck like that. Two days later the bruising would be much better!

An hour or so later, they weighed and measured Connor. The nurse said 'any guesses?' and Erin guessed 10lbs 2oz. To everyone's surprise, he weighed 10lbs 12oz.  Far from the 8.5lbs guess made based on my size. I didn't care, as long as he was healthy! He was a perfect 21.5", .5" shorter than his brother.

While in the hospital, we needed to have Connor's blood sugars checked before eating, to rule out diabetes. This is customary for babies over 10lbs. Unfortunately, that meant he had his tiny foot pricked every 2 hours for over 24 hours. They needed sugar readings over 45 for 3 blood draws in a row. Finally, the next day he would pass, and we were discharged to go home!

Sean got to come meet Connor in the hospital before we went home. He didn't quite get it, but he was excited and we got a cute picture 😀

I'll post another update in a few days about life at home!

Xo,

Kelsey

39 weeks...It's going DOWN.

Have you started to show yet? Yep 😅 I got my first encounter with a mom of two young boys the other day, and she said 'Oh man, I hope you get to have him soon!'. I agreed! 

Total weight gain/loss: I was at 39lbs on Wednesday. More weight than I wanted to gain, but still WAY less than the 60 I gained with Sean. I also don't feel as BIG as I did with Sean. My doctor isn't worried about it, so neither am I! 

Food cravings: CARBS. Anything starchy will do. Bread, muffins, crackers, etc. I also have been loving cottage cheese with tomatoes and cucumbers as a snack. Our garden has been going crazy with both so it's a fun way to incorporate them. 

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nothing, but I do have to make sure I don't eat too much or the heartburn is out of control. 

Miss Anything? Sleep! And I know I am about to get much less of it very soon 😑

Mood: Impatient. But I know I need to wait for my mom to get here on Tuesday, so I can wait a FEW more days. I know they will zoom by. In the meantime just enjoying all of the quality time with Sean 💗

Sleep: Not great. I have been waking up about once an hour, on top of having slight trouble falling asleep. My sciatica is really pinched and it wakes me up, in addition to needing to pee. The end of pregnancy can be pretty miserable. 

Best moment this week:  Yesterday I took Sean on a walk in the new stroller, and he fell asleep. It was a perfect 80 degrees out, so I parked him in the shade while I rocked on the hammock. It was pure bliss. And it was nice to actually just RELAX and not try to cram a bunch of projects into naptime. 

Annoyances: My pinched sciatica 😞. Heat and stretches help, but I never really find relief. I remember having this with Sean too, and it went away almost immediately after delivering. Fingers crossed that happens again!

Maternity clothes? Yes! I went and picked out some nursing clothes today. I got some nursing gowns for in the hospital and when I come home, some cute 'Tulip' tee shirts that are pretty cute/loose for the awkward postpartum phase, and some comfy nursing bras. 

Looking forward to:  Having this baby! If I don't go into labor naturally, we are inducing on the 1st. It's so crazy to have an official cut off date this time around. In the meantime I will be doing all of the old wives' induction methods to help things along. 

How Young Living is enriching my life this week:

I have been diffusing Stress Away and Lavender like crazy this week. Anything to help me feel calmer and more centered. I also plan on bringing both with me to the hospital to diffuse during labor. I have heard that diffusing oils during labor is so game-changing, and I can't wait to see how they help. 

I'll just be over here with my feet up trying to finish crocheting Connor's blanket. Encouraging texts and love are welcome 💗

Xo, Kelsey

37 weeks - I'm full term!

Have you started to show yet? For sure! Definitely feeling huge these days.  Trying to keep up with a toddler is getting to be interesting!

Total weight gain/loss: I was at 37lbs at my last appointment last week. The weight has been creeping up but I have been eating healthy so I'm not too worried about it. I feel like these last few weeks, you're just starving and trying to keep up with the hunger. 

Food cravings: Macaroni and cheese. I could eat the whole box in one sitting if I let myself. I've only had it a few times despite the constant craving for it 😅

Anything making you queasy or sick: Still nothing! 👍

Miss Anything? Walking for more than 10 minutes without my feet getting puffy. It's just a way of life now 😫

Mood: Great! Starting to get anxious and I've been nesting quite a bit. But I'm definitely ready for this baby. 

Sleep: If it's not too hot, I'm only waking about twice a night. If it's hot, then I'm up every hour. Pregnancy during the summer is the WORST. 

Best moment this week: We went to Florence for the weekend with the Stantons. It was so nice to get away from day to day life and get away from the heat. It was exactly what we needed as a last trip before baby comes.  Also, I just installed the infant carseat today! I think that means I'm officially inviting Connor to arrive 😆

Annoyances: Still getting Braxton Hicks, but the recommendation from my OB of taking Magnesium twice a day has really helped them during the day. There's not much I can do to stop them in the evenings anymore. Also the puffy feet have limited me to one pair of shoes. Luckily it's my favorite pair of sandals that are pretty darn comfy. 

Maternity clothes? Oh yeah. I actually invested in some maternity pajama pants a few weeks ago. It seemed like an indulgence at the time, but after weeks of wearing them, I've decided it was the best maternity purchase so far. 

Looking forward to:  I am planning on getting a pedicure tomorrow, since I can't really reach my feet anymore! I'm sure my toesies could really use the TLC. Then I have an OB appointment on Wednesday, and a really relaxing week at home otherwise. 

How Young Living is enriching my life this week:

We began using the Peace and Calming oil this week for bedtime. I diffuse 4 drops in the diffuser in Sean's room and he seems instantly relaxed and ready for bed. He usually tosses and turns for up to an hour to get himself fully asleep. This week it has not taken longer than a half hour. This is even while traveling and being in a new bed for two nights! If anyone knows Sean's sleep troubles, this is a huge improvement. The scent is a gentle, sweet blend of Ylang Ylang, Orange, Tangerine, Patchouli and Blue Tansy. I have known other Young Living moms who SWEAR by this oil. Check it out here: Peace and Calming. 

How would you feel about me doing weekly posts from now on? I know it's a tall order once the baby comes, but I feel like so much happens in a week that I'd like to try to do once a week. Let me know!

Xo, 

Kelsey

35 weeks - and an announcement!

Have you started to show yet? Oh yeah! I have entered the time in my pregnancy where EVERY stranger needs to have a question or comment about how pregnant I am 😒

Total weight gain/loss: I have an appointment on Wednesday, but I would guess I'm close to 30lbs gained now. 

Food cravings: Watermelon! It could be the heat or the fact that they're on every store front,  but I go through a whole watermelon over the course of a couple of days (with the help of Sean of course 😀

Anything making you queasy or sick: Luckily, no!

Miss Anything? Always wine 😅 I was just telling Erin that I miss being able to end my day with a cool glass of bubbles on the patio. 

Mood: Pretty good! I have been noticing I feel more laid back this time around. Obviously life still gets stressful and I can fly off the handle, but I think I've been pretty even-keeled. 

Sleep: not great. I wake up 4-5 times a night to adjust or get comfortable. It doesn't help that it's so hot in our room so getting comfortable is a challenge. 

Best moment this week: Setting up the baby swing and bassinet. It's starting to feel more 'real' and we realized how quickly time is passing this time around. 

Annoyances: Braxton Hicks contractions 😟 If you don't know what they are, they're basically 'practice' contractions, getting your body ready for labor. But in reality, they are super uncomfortable, tightening your whole tummy, and feel like you've just done 100 crunches. If I try to do too much in a day, my body tells me to slow down with a bunch of these contractions. Usually sitting and having some cold water has been helping. When they get really uncomfortable, I've resorted to a hot shower or bath. 

Maternity clothes? Yes! I've felt pretty limited to what I can wear with the heat, but I guess I don't have much longer to worry about it!

Looking forward to:  I have a dentist appointment this week (yes, I actually love going to the dentist!), an OB check, and a nice relaxing week otherwise!

Without further ado, the good news! I am officially a distributor for Young Living Essential Oils! 

I have been using essential oils for years, and they have been especially helpful since having Sean. We use them when we are sick, to ease stress, and to help Sean sleep. I've learned other ways that they can be beneficial, even to keep my skin clear while pregnant. Let me know if you have any questions about the business or about essential oils! They really are life changing 💗.  I'll update the blog with ways that I have been using EOs, and how they have improved our daily lives. Check out the products at www.youngliving.com! If you want to order anything, my member number is 12483649.

Xo, 

Kelsey 

29 weeks! Third Trimester :D

Have you started to show yet? Yep. I definitely look pregnant now 😅

Total weight gain/loss: Not sure. I have my OB appointment later today so I will know then. I would guess upward of 20lbs now.

Food cravings: Always carbs. I nearly failed my glucose test last week, so I am supposed to keep away from carbs and refined sugars as much as possible. Anyone who knows me, knows this is not a simple task. I've made a conscious effort to eat as many fruits as possible whenever I'm craving sweets or carbs.  I am struggling but it's worth having a healthy pregnancy for another 10.5 weeks. (!!!)

Anything making you queasy or sick: Nope! Luckily this isn't an issue for me this time around. 

Miss Anything? Being able to do as much as I usually do in a day, without getting really sore or burnt out. If I try to do my normal level of activity in a day, I feel it at 8pm and the next morning. Thank goodness for heating pads!

Mood: Good! We had a really nice Father's day with the Stanton parents, so I'm still feeling good about that. We got a new fence put up in the backyard and had absolutely perfect weather all weekend. 

Sleep: It's better. I'm still waking up around 4 to pee, and am still tired when I wake up around 6. I've been making an effort to fall asleep before 11 though, so I'm not SO exhausted. 

Best moment this week: Getting a new laptop! My old one  was starting to separate in the corners, and certain components stopped working. It was time, for sure. 

Annoyances: Still my allergies. But I found that Zyrtec works better than Claritin, so I've been getting some relief.

Maternity clothes? Definitely. I just picked up some new shorts from Target, because of the hot weather we've been having.  

Looking forward to:  Nothing really at the moment! We have a few weeks with nothing planned, which is kind of nice. We're always so busy, so a little downtime is good 😀

27-28 weeks!

Have you started to show yet? Definitely. Feeling like I am starting to get bigger by the day!

Total weight gain/loss: 18lbs at my doctor appointment last week. I'm hoping to keep the weight off this next trimester, but I know this is when bodies start to pack it on. So just going to try and be as healthy as I can. 

Food cravings: Nothing in particular. I am craving sweets like crazy, so I'm trying to have fruit instead of cookies 😅

Anything making you queasy or sick: My glucose test! I had it yesterday, and it really messes with your appetite and mood for the day. That much sugar at 8am does not feel great!

Miss Anything? Sleeping well. I have been waking at least 3 times a night to pee or shift myself or get comfortable. 

Mood: Annoyed! My allergies are absolutely KILLING me. I can't seem to find relief. I got the green light from my OB to take some Claritin, so we shall see how that helps. 

Sleep: I am falling asleep fine, I'm just waking up 2-3 times each night. I pulled out the pregnancy pillow, because I kept rolling onto my back when I'm supposed to sleep on my side. 

Best moment this week: Managed to take Freyja and Sean on a walk together! Freyja is getting SO much better at walking, and I just needed to try it with Sean in the stroller. She actually did pretty well!  

Annoyances: My allergies 😒

Maternity clothes? Yes! It's pretty much all I wear. I can still wear some pre-maternity tee shirts, as long as they are on the longer side.

Looking forward to: The in-laws are coming to visit this weekend, and are going to help us fix the fence falling down between our yard and our neighbor's. It is supposed to rain but hopefully it won't be too bad when we all need to be outside!