Hello World!

Reese was bright-eyed & bushy-tailed this morning so she spent some time on her Einstein's play mat. She's been hitting the little rattles that hang but I think she has no idea she's even doing that. Although maybe she's just really advanced for a two-week old?!





She also did some tummy time which she wasn't necessarily fond of but did a good job anyway.



And then after all that exercise & alert time it was time for her to settle into a long morning nap! Being a newborn sure is tiring!

Two Weeks Old!

Reese is two weeks old today! We're still doing really, really well & enjoying the heck out of our girl.



My mom will be staying with me again this week which is great. So far I've had zero issues with postpartum anxiety (unlike my experience with Cam) but I'm just making sure all is well before I turn away the extra help. I never want to experience that kind of anxiety ever again so I'm playing it safe this time around. I'm someone who is not at all good at accepting help but for the sake of my sanity & for the good of my kids, I'm putting a bit of pride aside & taking it. Cam is back at daycare this week which is also a good thing since he keeps so active & structured there & is able to burn off some energy. We've definitely had some issues with him listening (or, I should say not listening) this week which has been very frustrating. His favorite word has been NO! & I've found myself short on patience. I'll pick him up early from daycare as my mom stays with Reese, but it'll be good for us to miss each other a bit!



Reese is doing great! Eating & sleeping lots & being a very content, calm girl. She even slept through the night last night... unbelievable. I truly believe that a newborn either sleeps well or doesn't. We've done nothing different with her than we did with Cam & he was up a ton during the night. Here's to hoping she keeps that up!! I'm loving staying home with my girl & having time off of work. And what a perfect time of year to be off!

Thankful

I have so much to be thankful for this year! We had such a nice, low-key Thanksgiving & it was wonderful to spend the day with my family. Reese slept through much of her first Thanksgiving & she didn't even try the turkey! ;o)



This year I decided I was going to make the mashed potatoes & sweet potatoes the day before Thanksgiving so the day of would be a lot more relaxing. I wanted to try something new so I made the Pioneer Woman's recipes. They were really good! Click here for the sweet potatoes & here for the mashed potatoes if you're interested.



My mom was already staying with us this past week & my dad joined her Wednesday night which is our yearly tradition. We ordered Chinese food for dinner & just hung out which is also our yearly tradition.



We went lighter on the appetizers this year since most years we over-do it. I put out a simple cheese, meat & cracker platter. I rolled one log of goat cheese in dill & the other in paprika which I also stole from the Pioneer Woman. Click here to see how it's done.



My niece Maddy was so happy to hold Reese! When Reese was in my belly, Maddy loved to feel her kick & move so I knew she'd be excited to finally meet her.



Yesterday we took our yearly trip to the Christmas tree farm to pick a tree. Reese slept in the sling I wore most of the time we were there but Cam had a blast taking a walk through the "spooky forest" AKA, walking through all the Christmas trees that are actually grown here in Florida.





I had some snuggle time with my loves as we put our tree up last night. I am one lucky girl.



Reese supervised me & Cam as we decorated the tree. She didn't do a very good job of it if you ask me! Ha!

We had such a great Thanksgiving & we're very excited to be gearing up for Christmas. I considered skipping the outdoor lights this year, but we summoned the energy to get them strung as Reese napped this morning & I'm glad we did. Christmas & Thanksgiving is such a magical time of year! I am so thankful!

One Week Old

Yesterday Reese hit the one week mark! I meant to blog but time got away from me... imagine that. Mike went back to work yesterday & today but my mom is staying with us through Thanksgiving. Mike will be home with us tomorrow through Friday which I'm really looking forward to since we're taking our annual trip to pick our Christmas tree on Friday.



We've had a really smooth week with Reese & it truly feels like she's been in our lives forever. She has been such an amazingly easy baby, never crying unless it's time to eat. Basically all she's doing is eating, sleeping, dirtying diapers & sleeping some more. She's even doing awesome at night which is something we're so not used to since Cam had been up every two hours for the first couple of months at least. We'll see if she keeps up the good work!



Reese was able to meet her two best friends on Saturday. Baby Taylor is six months old & Samantha was born a day after Reese! Kelly came to the hospital to visit us on the day Reese was born & ended up going into labor that very night! It is SO cool that our girls are only a day apart!

I'm loving my time off from work & just soaking up every moment with Reese. My little Cam has been home from daycare the past two weeks so I've been making sure he's getting plenty of love and attention. Having my mom here helps tons with that since I was able to take him outside yesterday to play & ride bikes. He's been adjusting really well & absolutely adores his sister. We've had some meltdowns for sure & I'm just keeping my patience since I know we're all adjusting. But so far we're adjusting better than I ever imagined!

First Photo Shoot

Friday my friend KC came to do our newborn/family photo shoot. I now know that I could never have the patience to photograph babies or children!



Here's a sneak peak of one of the photos KC took... I cannot wait to see the rest! It's perfect timing since we'll send out a sort of combined birth announcement/Christmas card this year. If you're looking for a photographer in the Tampa/Orlando area, I highly recommend KC. Check out her website here.



I was sweating my butt off as KC took Reese's pictures since it needed to be warm in the house with her being naked. And with all that nakedness, she peed on me & Cam & pooped on Mike! What a stinker!







All in all, the photo shoot went very well but my three year-old stinker wasn't in a cooperating mood since the shoot extended into his nap time. Luckily we had a few moments of cooperation & KC assured me that she definitely got some good family pics. I'm so excited to send out our Christmas cards this year. We are so blessed!

Our Hospital Stay...

Well, we're settled at home with Reese now & everyone is doing great! I have to say that this overall experience has been night & day from the one I had with Cam. Sunday we checked into the hospital & rested until 4am when they started the induction process & the Pitocin. I slept maybe two broken hours, but all in all I felt pretty good Monday morning. I really wanted to get my epidural before things got too painful, but that really didn't end up happening. When the Pitocin was first started, the contractions were completely manageable. That all changed when the doctor came in at 6am & decided to break my water, just after the nurse increased the rate of my Pitocin. Things got pretty painful from there & the anesthesiologist seemed to be taking his sweet time!



After the epidural was in place at around 7:30am, it was a much more comfortable experience. We basically waited & tried to relax until I was 10cm which happened around 9am. I did a couple of practice pushes with the nurse & then when the doctor arrived, I pushed maybe twice & Reese was quickly born at 9:39am.



Seeing Reese for the first time was a very emotional experience for me as I heard her first cries, Mike cut the umbilical cord & they placed her on my chest. It was seriously love at first sight. I think with Cam, I was so overwhelmed with everything since it was my first time around, that I didn't feel nearly as bonded with him as quickly. Things just felt really right this time. Cam & I could not be closer now, but it did take time for me. I think that contributed to my postpartum anxiety since I felt like a bad mom who wasn't connecting to her child.



After Reese was born we moved rooms, she got her first bath from a group of nursing students & we settled into our very spacious room. She slept a lot of the day! It was awesome when Cam came with Grandma & met his baby sister for the first time!! He was wonderful with her immediately & just wanted to hold her. It was, however, very upsetting when he had to leave a couple of hours later. He just didn't want to go so my heart completely broke as I comforted him as he cried. The nurse brought me out into the hall to ask if I wanted to walk him out to the car & I completely lost it & cried hysterically. Luckily my friends were there to calm me down & Daddy walked a happier Cam to the car.



Since I came back Group B Strep positive, we had to stay for 48 hours after delivery. Tuesday was very low-key & relaxing & Mike & I spent a lot of the day just bonding with Reese. My co-workers visited (since I delivered at the hospital where I work) & Cam & Grandma came for a while too. We sent Reese to the nursery both nights so we could get some much needed sleep before heading home. We didn't do that with Cam & ended up getting VERY little sleep & coming home like walking zombies. I am so thankful we came home rested & ready to handle our three year old & newborn.



I'll post more about our first couple of days home, but thus far we are really doing great & it's been wonderful to be home as a family of four!! I am so blessed.

Happy Birthday, Reese Elizabeth!!

We welcomed Reese Elizabeth Pernecky this morning at 9:39, weighing in at 7#, 1oz & 19.5" long!



We couldn't be more thankful & overjoyed about our healthy, beautiful baby girl!

40 Week Update

Tomorrow I'll be considered 40 weeks pregnant but since we're checking into the hospital tonight in hopes of meeting our baby girl tomorrow, I'm posting a day early. I cannot believe the day is here & that Reese actually waited! What a good girl! I'm thankful that tonight we'll be calmly driving to the hospital while I know Cam is safe & sound, sleeping in his own bed with my mom staying at our house to take care of him. I've had a lot of anxiety leading to this day but I'm surprisingly calm today. I guess because I know the day is here & we're going in & everything is going to happen regardless of what I'm thinking or worrying about.



How am I feeling? All in all, I'm feeling really good. A lot of my hip/pelvic aches & pains have subsided & I really think it's because my hips are widening as Reese is dropping. I've been having insane charley-horse type cramps in my hips & butt lately. They literally stop me in my tracks & I feel like I'm going to just fall to the ground! I've been really, really tired lately which is weird because I've been sleeping great. I think it's just my brain knowing that the full nights of sleep are going to end as of tomorrow.

Any new changes this week? Just on & off contractions, some pretty strong. Today I've been feeling a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions too. Otherwise, no other changes going on. We have everything set for Reese & for our time away in the hospital for while my mom is staying with Cam. I'm not sure what to expect tonight, but I guess I'll find out when we get to the hospital at 10pm. I'm thinking they'll use that cervical gel tonight & then get things going tomorrow morning with Pitocin. Not sure if sleep is in the cards tonight?

Weight gain? 17.5 pounds total which is pretty much exactly what I gained with Cam. I lost some weight this week because of fluid imbalances. I was retaining some major fluid last week & since I've been home & more relaxed, my swelling has gone WAY down.



This has been the weekend of Cam. We've wanted to soak up our one-on-one time with him before his baby sister arrives. Check out his blog to see more pictures from our weekend together. I'm really going to miss my little guy while we're in the hospital! He's been an absolute joy lately & full of love & affection. I'm praying he reacts well to meeting his sister & I really think he will. I know we'll have an adjustment period with ups & downs but I do think he's going to be a fantastic big brother!

Well, my next blog post will be all about Reese so stay tuned!

Just Hanging Out!

As we approach the weekend, Reese is still just hanging out in my belly which I'm totally fine with! Mike is hoping she's born today so she has the birthday of 11/11/11... You never do know! With Cameron, I was scheduled to be induced on Thursday morning & ended up going into labor Wednesday afternoon & having him shortly after my labor began. I'm still working on just relaxing & rolling with the punches & not being anxious or worrying. I decided to take today off to just relax & get small things done around the house which has been great. Yesterday was my last day at work for the next couple of months & I was excited to be heading out the doors, getting a break. When it was time for me to have Cam, I felt a little sad to be away from work, but not so much this time around!! I'm getting some laundry done today but mostly just lounging around, enjoying the Today show & the much cooler weather this morning has brought. It's 65 degrees in my house as I relax in my recliner with my hot cup of coffee, feeling my little gal squirm around my belly.



If Reese does decide to wait till the induction Sunday night, we're going to have a low-key weekend with Cam & take him to see Puss In Boots tomorrow. It will be our last weekend as a family of three!! I still can't believe it. I also cannot believe that Thanksgiving is now less than two weeks away! We'll be hosting as usual and I'll be welcoming a day with just my immediate family. Lots going on in these upcoming days & months!! Lots to be thankful for too!

39 Week Update

Here I am at the end of my pregnancy & I really cannot believe it. It's really happening... Reese is almost here. This has been such a whirlwind year so my pregnancy is a blur & I just know soon after she's born, I won't even be able to truly remember being pregnant. So as uncomfortable as I continue to be, I'm savoring every kick & movement I feel.



How am I feeling? Very nervous, anxious, excited, ready, not at all ready... The emotions vary day to day & hour to hour. There are moments where I think, Oh yeah, I can do this! I'm ready for labor, I'm ready to have a new baby, I'm ready to be the mom of two kids! And other times I think, Oh my goodness, I can't even stand to think about getting through labor, how am I going to handle two kids when sometimes I feel so overwhelmed with my life already?! Don't get me wrong, I'm so thankful to be at the end of a healthy pregnancy & ready to meet my little girl, but it gets scary sometimes & I'm a worrier by nature anyway.

Any new changes this week? Oh yeah! I had my weekly OB check-up on Monday & I'm now 2 cm dilated (from basically nothing last week). My doctor decided that if I don't go into labor on my own this week, I'll be admitted to the hospital on Sunday night for induction. Wow, wow, wow! When he said that, my reply was, As in this Sunday?! With Cameron, I really didn't want to be induced but this time around I'm actually hoping for it since my labor with him so was fast & scary. But I guess none of it is up to me so we'll see if she hangs out in my belly until then. I'm still working this week & ready to be done with that too. It's not been easy, hauling my big pregnant self around for a full day of work & then heading home to take care of Cam & everything else that goes along with life. I'm trying to savor my sleep & soak up every single second of uninterrupted sleep while I can since that's coming to a screeching halt very soon. I'm also trying to enjoy the last bit of one on one time I have with Cam before his time is shared with his baby sister. I'm just very emotional this week & trying to deal with all the ups & downs I'm feeling. Tonight's been especially rough for some reason & I even had a big cry which sort of helped. I think I'm just overwhelmed with so many emotions right now.

Weight gain? 18.5 pounds



And here's my "push present!" I've had a necklace with Cam's name on it since he was born so I wanted to get one to include my little girl too!

Surprise!

One of my best friends, Kelly is only one week behind me in pregnancy & she'll be having her second girl in the next couple of weeks. I really wanted to do something to celebrate the arrival of Baby Samantha, so Lauren & I put our heads together & planned a bit of a surprise baby shower!



We invited Kelly over for a girls night in with "just the three of us" this past Wednesday & she didn't suspect a thing.



All the girls met Lauren at the front of my subdivision & waited for the go-ahead from me when Kelly arrived. Luckily as soon as she got here, she took Leah to the bathroom & that's when everyone ushered in to hide in our kitchen & surprise her when she came out! And boy was she surprised!!



I had made & froze Pioneer Woman's lasagna the Saturday before & it ended up being a real hit! Luckily I made 2 pans so we have one in the freezer waiting for us after Reese arrives. Click here for the recipe; it's super good & easy! I used the no-boil noodles which made it that much easier.



We had such a great time eating, opening presents, hanging out & enjoying a delicious cake for dessert. Kelly got a bunch of wonderful things for Samantha & was so thankful for the surprise!



While we did our girly thing, Woody, I mean Cameron & Leah hung out & played. Yep, Cam's new thing is just hanging out in his Halloween costume... what a goofball! And Mike was an awesome helper/host to our girl's night as he made sure everyone had what they needed! He's such a good guy!