Shopping

Mike's mom and sisters have been very generous with clothing for both of Adam and Caitlin which we really appreciate. Whenever they come over, they usually have something new for them :) But we have so few boy clothes for Adam, we thought we'd make a trip to the mall to get some more. Looking back, I wish I'd invested in more neutral clothing - after searching through Caitlin's baby bins, all I found was pink, pink, pink. Admittedly, I was convinced we'd probably have another girl, so it really didn't cross my mind!

Today's trip was to Old Navy to seek out some blue. While Mike paid for the new clothes, Caitlin and I waited at the end of the cash in the men's section. I bent over to adjust Adam in his car seat, and I turned around to talk to Caitlin but she wasn't there. I freaked for a short moment until I heard a little voice say 'I'm hiding!'...

She made me laugh even when my heart pounded a mile-a-minute!

First Walk

I'm feeling 100% better. It truly has been a throw-the-canes-down miracle recovery. I honestly went from having to lay in bed with a spinal migraine one day, to back to normal the next. And every day keeps getting better and better.

Mike also got the added bonus of taking an extra week off work this week; when his HR department found out what happened the first two weeks, they suggested he stay home for a third. So we're finally enjoying the family time I'd hoped for - and earned!

The weather has been absolutely gorgeous, so we took Adam out for his very first walk today. I love our new double stroller; both kids get to sit comfortably :)

They each have their own seat with canopy. Missy seems to like to play with hers, opening and closing it with a big grin...

My dad came to stay over the lunch hour as mom had an appointment in town. He fed Adam....

While Caitlin ran around with a silly face and a bunch of purses as usual :)

I'd say grandpa has a special touch, but this little guy sleeps whenever/wherever!

When grandma got back, it was her turn to baby-hoard :)

Afterwards, I put Adam in the playpen in the living room; he seems to be able to sleep through noise which is good - I can keep an eye on him and his sister at the same time.

Dreaming away...

Chelsea Loaf

The evening before I was induced, my mom arrived at our house to watch Caitlin with her overnight bag and a whack of new books to keep our first born entertained. She also arrived with another treat, but this was for Mike and I... Barlochan Chelsea Loaf!

Mom knows this is our vice (along with anyone else that has tried it!), so she put an order in a few days before so she'd be guaranteed this delight. The chelsea loaves typically sell out so fast, that they're gone before they cool. With a gooey sweet nutty topping, who could resist?! But knowing this was on it's way to a mom-to-be, the owner set it aside with a big tag marked for my mom to make sure it was 'hands-off' to anyone else!

Even though she gave it to us the night before, there were strict rules... No touching until after baby arrives! I especially liked the love note attached :)

It was a yummy reward too; for us and for Caitlin and my mom who visited the next day!

One of my other favourite notes my mom left for us for a pre-made meal was: Lamb Stew for Ewe. So witty :)

Easy Peasy

Adam is such a chill baby!

When he's awake, he's super calm, takes his soother no problem, and is happy to be wrapped up in his swaddle. He's a face-scratcher so we have to make sure he has mitts on, or that his hands are well tucked in. His nails are super sharp and he seems to want to gouge his eyes out.

He just woke up from his nap and will be ready to eat shortly. This is him before a feed. Ravenous I tell you!

We're giving him 2oz's now at every feed and still no spit up. We could probably add more but are taking it slow like the nurses said. And we're still waking him to feed every 3 hours, but sometimes he wakes on his own.

Memorial

We spent the day at the cottage today, catching up with family and celebrating my grandma's life. My dad's mom recently passed away and although this party was originally planned for what would have been her 90th birthday, we kept the date as a family reunion/memorial. Even though she never got to meet her second great grandchild, I'm sure she would have loved his name :)

Caitlin had a ball today - she spent the entire day snacking on eye-level treats, singing songs, running all over the property in a pretty little dress, and reading stories. She was SUCH a good girl; everyone commented on how well-behaved she was :)

Not surprisingly, Adam slept. We brought up his bassinet which we set up in the living room. It was a perfect place for relatives to come by and check him out without having to wake him :)

He was such a good boy too! I'd say it was because of the cottage air, but this kid sleeps all the time!

The entire family came, making it a special day. All things considered, I feel lucky we were able to go to it. Mike did a great job of chasing after Caitlin as I hung out inside with Adam. This is it - tag teaming now!

Just before we left, grandpa snapped a picture of all that attended. Four generations, first and second cousins, and many more. And the funny thing is, most of these people gathered exactly 6 years ago to the day for our wedding!

We said our goodbyes, changed Caitlin into her jammies, and made our way home as she conked out in the backseat. It was nice to go up for the day, and even though it was a short visit and I sat most of the time, I was wiped. When we got home, we transferred Caitlin to her crib, and Mike and I relaxed.

Although it was our anniversary, Mike and I celebrated it with a pre-anniversary dinner before Adam was born. We weren't sure what the weeks following his birth would bring, so I'm glad we had our romantic dinner in advance. Now that I'm back on my feet, we can plan another nice outing, but for now, it's just enjoying each others' company, knowing we were both in good health finally :)

Halleluiah!

I woke up this morning and noticed quite evidently that my migraine is GONE! Everyday since the spinal puncture occurred, I've sat up and waited 10 seconds for a blinding punch to hit me in the head which it has every time, forcing me to lie back down. But today, it never came!

Instead of jumping for joy which I absolutely felt like doing, I moved extremely slow, testing out my body to make sure a certain motion wouldn't trigger it's return. I showered, got dressed, made my way downstairs to have some breakfast. Being on the main floor felt completely foreign! But so far, so good. No migraine; not even a headache.

I can't even describe how relieved, invigorated and liberated I feel. After 12 days, I have my life back. Mike has his wife back, and the kids have their mom :)

I moved around the main floor for a bit to make sure I was okay both standing and sitting. God knows I'm done with lying down! I'm a little weak, so I'll stick to sitting, but after a few hours, no change... all is good!

It might sound crazy, but after a while, I suggested we go for a car ride. I figured I'd be okay with sitting, plus I'd have the added bonus of getting fresh air. We had to pick up our dining room chandelier anyway; it had arrived and was waiting for us down at Yorkdale. That, and my grandmother's memorial is tomorrow at the cottage. Although I honestly didn't think I'd be able to go, I have hope now that I seem to be better... so a longer car ride would be a good test.

The trip down and back was a success! Adam was wonderful; we even did a parking lot feed with him and he went right back to sleep. Once we got back in our neighbourhood, we were starving so we headed to the mall at the end of our street to grab some lunch. Now that I'm writing this out, it sounds like I really pushed it today, but it didn't feel that way. I've been sitting for most of the morning and did a short walk to lunch. We chased lunch with a nice treat :)

Daddy bought this pretty little dress for his sweetheart, and I'm so happy to enjoy little moments like this again!

I pushed Adam along in the stroller; it was handy to have because it gave me something to hang onto as I walked. It also provided a sweet little view :)

When we got home, I laid down just to relax even though I didn't have a migraine/headache. I know my body is weak from nearly 2 weeks of bed rest, so I took it easy the rest of the afternoon.

But when bed time rolled around, I decided our little guy needed a bath. And I got to give it to him! Caitlin was SO excited I was feeling better, and I don't doubt Mike felt the same. The two of them had silly grins like this all day long!

Ready to help mom!

Our little guy LOVES the bath. He didn't even flinch while I washed his head and face.

Caitlin seemed to think I missed a spot so she asked for soap to help scrub :)

Sweet little eyes and happy as a clam!

You can tell he's got some Italian in him. Forgettabout it!

Aaahhh, a nice bath, warm clean jammies, rocking in mommy's arms.

Back to sleep!

Adam and daddy made a really special bond over the last while; more than a normal newborn/father relationship I think. Mike was his sole caregiver and as silly as it sounds, I think Adam knows it.

The two men in the house got to experience all the firsts together, and I don't think either will forget.

With everything that happened, I have absolute proof I picked an amazing mate. We are a team and when one of us falters, the other picks up.

Mike, thank you for being the most amazing husband, father, caregiver, best friend, confidante, chef, advocate and support system. I love you more than you'll ever know. What you've done for our kids and I will be forever etched onto my heart. I absolutely hope they grow to be the wonderful person that you are; you set the perfect example for our children. You are thoughtful, generous, warm-hearted, but most of all kind. Thank you my love.

Goofy Brother

After another night of looking after Adam's feeds and changes, Mike and Caitlin brought me breakfast in bed.

Adam was fast asleep on the bed, so the 3 of us crowded around to giggle at the funny poses he was making while he slept. He's such a goofy brother!

Fast asleep, no one's laughing at me yet...

Even he thinks picking his nose is funny!

Something is tickling my face!

Then he decided to suck his forearm...

Please, go away! I just want to sleep people!

Someone else had a very funny face to show...

I've come to the conclusion that I've really appreciated the time given to me to heal post-labour. As much as it's been difficult on both of us - my poor hubby has done absolutely everything for me and the kids, and all with a smile - I realize that not many moms get bed rest after having a baby and in this sense I'm very lucky. I know that when I am back to normal, I'll be rested and will be able to clock-on and relieve him. We're both waiting for that day :)

Wonderful Treat

So today was a marked day. I've just discovered that if I have a Tylenol codeine with caffeine alongside a large coffee, about an hour later, I'm able to move and be vertical for a very short stretch of time... a big improvement!! The stretch only lasts about 15 minutes at the very most, but it is SO wonderful to hobble over to the chair to sit (albeit woozy!).

After this morning's concoction, I was able to have a speed shower AND cuddle Adam afterwards; it was such an amazing treat.

Proud mama with her sweet son :)

Although this is only a short stretch and my migraine is usually blazing afterwards, I see some light at the end of the tunnel. Something is obviously healing! The nurses told me short moments like this will help but not to push it. Looking forward to the next little stretch :)

I have to admit, it was nice to have some independence back, but one of sweetest moments during this last while was when Mike and Caitlin gave me a bubble bath a few days after we got home from the hospital. It was during my very worst (at the time, my migraines were 10/10; now they're about a 6/10) and I wasn't able stand to have a shower, so Mike ran me a wonderfully warm bath with lots of bubbles in our master tub and helped me get out of bed and into it. Even though I was reclined as possible once I got in, it was excruciating. But at the same time I loved it... Caitlin knew I wasn't well, so she ran to gather all her bath toys to 'make me feel better'. Between her wanting me float with alphabet letters, and Mike looking after me, it was the best bath ever :)

Sleepy Head

Adam is 1 week old today! He is such a wonderful baby; he sleeps, we wake him to eat, he finishes what we give him, he burps just by sitting him up (actually belches more like it, he's a real boy!), and he goes right back to sleep. I truly believe we've been blessed with such a treat because of the situation. We couldn't have asked for a better sweetheart :)

And Adam loves being swaddled. The second he's wrapped up, he nods off in his cocoon. But he somehow manages to wriggle his arms out during the night, just like his sister did. Here's the little guy snoozing away...

The days for us though feel like they're creeping by, and that's because we are wishing everyday that the very next day I'll have an improvement. We joked with Holly & Chris last night that the improvement will come in a miracle form - like throw the canes down, I can walk again, miracle! At least, that's what I've read. One day laid up, the next day walking. Here's hoping that will be the case for me. Mike's taken on so much and I want to pull my weight with our children and the house.

In the meantime, I'm chugging water to help rebuild the spinal fluid, and enjoying many coffees and iced capps to help constrict the flow from the puncture site. Who'd have thought I'd NEED to drink iced capps?! I binged on them throughout my pregnancy and now I have a valid reason! But I have to admit, it's quite a feat drinking and eating lying down - I've spilled many things over me and the bed already!

AND, I have mastered being able to feed our little newborn lying down; I bring my knees up and he lies upwards on my legs facing me... but I still have to pass him off to burp. At least it's something I can do to help Mike, and relish in the meantime.

It's still really difficult for me to even prop my head up in the slightest, so Mike found me a tiny camping pillow which has been perfect; thin but some support. I desperately want pictures to show Adam when he's bigger on what the first few days/weeks were like after, so I just take a deep breath and sit up. These moments are so important to me:

Looked After

My mom, our friends, and even friends' parents really came through for us food-wise after having Adam.

While we were at the hospital, my mom made some pasta sauce with the ripened tomatoes and green peppers in our backyard. Since we've been home, a number of our friends and even their respective parents have come by with meals and snacks for us - and they've been absolutely delicious. From the bottom of our hearts, we can't thank them enough. Really and truly, thank you all. We are so overwhelmed by your generosity. Although Mike is a wonderful cook and more than capable of juggling the 3 of us plus cooking and cleaning, it's just one less thing to look after. From quiche, homemade mac & cheese, beef strogonoff, lasagna, broccoli salad, jams, and more, we've been looked after by our nearest and dearest.

Tonight's menu was salsa mac and cheese, garden salad and french bread. Guess who finagled the entire loaf...

Nice Caitlin, real classy.

When we proceeded to say 'Hey, what do you have??!', she did a trademark little Caitlin dance... (aka the wiggle bum dance).

And it wasn't the first time she helped herself over the past day or so. When Caitlin's godmother's mom dropped off a care package, Mike led her upstairs so she could visit with me and the baby. Downstairs, Caitlin silently dragged the insulated food bag into the family room, somehow opened the tupperware and while sitting on the floor in front of this delicious trough, started eating some of the meals like a ravenous dog! I swear we feed her! It was hilarious listening to Mike and Donna walk back downstairs only to discover what she was up to :)

When Mike came back up, he snapped a cute shot of the two of us :)

But I want to start sleep training early. No messing around this time... the baby's asleep, put him down! What a happy little kid :)

In the afternoon, Caitlin's godmother and husband dropped by for a visit. Auntie Holly was an absolute godsend when we had Caitlin; not only is she a labour + delivery nurse and doula, she's a baby-whisperer-extraordinaire. I was so hesitant on bathing Caitlin when she first came home from the hospital - so wee, slippery and hated the bath so much she would scream, I just avoided giving her a bath completely! But Auntie Holly showed me an easier way to bathe than the nurses did, amongst many many other baby tips. Ever since, Caitlin loved the bath; the problem was mommy! Although I obviously now have the hang of bathing an infant, I needed her help once again. So what better way to introduce Adam. Sort of a first-bath rite-of-passage now!

Getting ready for the bubbles...

And of course, Caitlin's on standby, ready to help!

First step, while the body is still bundled, wash the face and head. Our first born directed everyone on where they could stand while the bath took place. You can see she's telling daddy to back up because he's too close :)

Lathering up what little hair he has!

Then a nice soak. Ahhh, lovely warm water. He loves it!

Caitlin thought it would be brilliant to teach him how to splash. She's a pro of course...

He enjoyed it so much he fell asleep mid-bath! Here he is drying off, sound asleep again.

Back into mommy's arms :)

Tiny little hands are so sweet!

For the second time in a row, thank you Auntie Holly for giving our newborn their first bath!