February 2010

Its been a lovely month. Lincoln seems to be developing so much lately. (I feel like I've been saying that for months!)Here are some of our funny stories from this month:

One day while baking buns, I sat down in the living room to give my back a break while the dough rose. After a few minutes the dogs come into the living room and I notice Hercules had flour all over him. I was just about to yell at the dogs when I realized it was quiet and Linc was no where to be seen. A bad combination! So I go into the kitchen and sure enough, there is my mischievous little boy playing in the flour bag!


He also has been growing more and more interested in the dogs. He has enjoyed pretending he is a puppy by getting on all fours and drinking out of their water dish. He likes to crawl into their kennel, whether they are in there or not, and close the door. Somedays I notice the dogs seem very displaced, and sure enough lincoln has filled up their kennel with his toys! As well, he faithfully feeds the dogs. One. Kibble. At. A. Time. But when the dogs are hungry, they don't mind. We also have acquired my parents cat the last month. Lincoln loves Twister very much. Everyday he goes up on our bed and gives Twister many hugs and tries desperately to give the cat a kiss right on the lips! Twister has been great so far, but Lincoln can be rough and today received his first swipe from the cat!



Yesterday I set up the baby swing in our dining room in preparation for the baby. Lincoln was checking it out and pushing it back and forth. So I think to myself, "What an excellent opportunity to talk about the baby!" I grab one of Lincoln's stuffed animals and explain to him, "Lincoln, when the baby comes we have to hold it gently like this. And then we put it in the swing!" The whole time I'm thinking, "Man am I an awesome parent or what!" Lincoln walks up to the swing, exclaims, "NO!". Grabs the stuffed animal marches it over to the dog kennel and chucks it inside! It may be a bit of a rough road of transition for Linc!

Probably the best new 'trick' Lincoln does came about one day while we were watching Price is Right. It was the final show cases and the women, as usual, were covering their mouths in disbelief and followed be high pitch screams. I look over to my little toddler and sure enough he has his hands over his mouth, just like the ladies. And not to dissapoint he follows with a very girly high pitch scream! So now I say, "Lincoln what do the people on Prices is Right do?" I put my hands over my mouth, and he screams! Then he puts his hands over his mouth, and I scream! Its great!

A man with an opinion

This weekend we entered into a new phase of toddlerhood: The "actually, I don't want to wear that...I would rather wear THIS!"
It started this saturday when Stephen and I were desperately trying to get Lincoln into pants. Normally Lincoln is all about wearing his pants, or "pa!" as he calls them. He loves to try and put them on and we have never had a problem getting him dressed. But for some reason this Saturday he was fighting us tooth and nail. So we stopped and said, "Ok buddy, show us what you want." The little monkey walks around his room for a minute and then comes across his winter boots. "Shoes!" he exclaims. We look at each other, "alright bud. But we gotta put some socks on first" So he comes over happy as clam sits down on the itty bitty room that I have left on my lap, and we proceed to put socks and then winter boots on. Still without pants. And that is how he liked it, all day! Even at nap time he wouldn't let me take them off, he insisted on wearing them! He looked hilarious!
Later that day we needed to run some errands, so he let me take his boots of to put pants on. He was already wearing a t-shirt and a zip up. But he found his flannel button up shirt, and put it on top of his zip up. So that is how we went to do errands... I think this will continue for sometime. But that's ok, I love this stage. I love seeing him expressing creativity and independent thought and choice, even if its over silly things like wearing his winter boots with his diaper!

Home Birth here we go!

So we decided for baby #2 to do a home birth. I can't believe those words are even coming out of my mouth.
We have only been considering the home birth thing for about the last month, when our midwife brought it to our attention that we may not have a choice, since Linc came in under 5 hours. Having a first birth in 5 hours is considered fast, and when you take into consideration most second births come in at least half the time - we may not have time to get to the hospital. And as my midwife said, "Better to birth at home than in a car!"
It took a few weeks of really thinking it over, and switching my mind set from envisioning this baby being born in a similar hospital setting as Lincoln to what it would look like birthing this baby at home. But after a few weeks I decided, with Stephen saying he would back me up with whatever I thought was best, that yes, I wanted to try a home birth.
It just makes sense to me now. I have always believed that birthing is a natural process, not a medical procedure. I have read a lot about the history of birthing, and what happened to it when it moved into the Hospital and Dr's took over the delivery. Once you go into the hospital birthing is viewed as a medical procedure, when women have been doing this for thousands of years. And women around the world continue to birth, without hospitals, Dr's and modern techonology every single day. It is astounding how much your odds of having an epidural, major tearing, infant injury, c-section, ect increase when you birth in the Hospital.
I think I live in the best time to have a baby. I have to option of choosing a midwife and a natural home birth, but still have the miracle of medical technology and Dr's etc... available to me, in the small chance something doesn't go quite right.
I am suprisingly very excited to birth at home, now that we have made the decision to do so. To be able to just rest with my baby as much as I want. To not be interuppted in the middle of the night by nurses taking vitals etc... I think it will be an incredible experience.
Because of everything that I have read, learned, and experienced with my first pregnancy, and now my second, I have realized that I would love to be a midwife. If I could do anything right now, I would become a midwife. But I know its not the right season, especially since in Canada BC and ONT are the only places that offer training. Its a 4 year course, and would be quite intensive. But I am hoping, and trusting that at some point I will be able to take my training and do it. In the mean time, I might become a doula - just to see if I am really up for it!
So here's to you, my little baby, may birthing at home bring you into the world in the most peaceful and natural way possible!

Lil Bean

I'm 34 weeks prego - and it feels like the next 6 weeks couldn't come fast enough! I'm pretty sure I am not any bigger than I was with Lincoln, but I sure don't remember it being this uncomfortable. My braxton hicks (practise contractions) are strong, and regular. Hoisting my body out of bed in the middle of the night to see Lincoln or use the washroom is getting harder every day! My little body just isn't used to supporting this much weight, and I'm generally quite sore. Getting up the stairs while caring Lincoln is almost impossible - not sure how many more trips I can take before he will have to crawl up himself!
We are so curious as to whether we are having a boy or a girl. We didn't find out with Lincoln, but Stephen and I both knew that we were having a boy. We didn't even have a girls name picked out! So this time around, I thought I would have the mother's instict, but unfortunately have no idea! All I know is I will be over the moon with whatever gender the baby is!
It would be incredible to have another boy, a baby brother for Lincoln!! It would be amazing to see what type of personality and characteristics he would have that would be so different from Lincoln!
It would be incredible to have a girl! I want o experience having a daughter so badly! I want to see why type of daughter Stephen and I would cook up! I also think giving Stephen a daughter would be an incredible experience for him - I can't wait to see him melt as she wraps him around her little finger!
We haven't settled on any names for this little bean yet either - which was so different than Lincoln. With Lincoln, we were confidint we were having a boy, and we were certain we were going to name him Lincoln. This time, we have a few names for a boy and a girl - but nothing is certain. Even middle names we haven't settled on. But I'm not too stressed about, I'm sure once we hold our little bean we will know for certain which name is meant for them.
We are also considering a home birth this time around. We were just going to do the Hospital birth like last time, until our midwife pointed out it would be wise to plan for a homebirth, as we may not have enough time to make it to the Hospital even if we wanted too. Better to birth at home than in a car, as she would say. So we had the 'scary talk', as they call it, where she takes us through every possible scenario of what could go wrong, what action they take, when we would call an ambulance etc... We need to decide soon though. I am comfortable doing a homebirth, and the more I think about it, the more I would rather do it. But Stephen still has some hesitations, and we have agreed that we won't commit to a homebirth unless we are both 100% on board with the idea.
I just can't wait to have this little bean out of my belly and into my arms, sleeping beside me all swaddled up. Discovering his/hers big brother....seeing those first smiles. but at the same time, I am reminding myself to enjoy the now. To enjoy the pregnancy, becuase for some bizarre reason i sure miss being pregnant when I'm not!
So here's to you Lil' Bean. May you come on time and faster than your brother!

Lincoln's Latest Antics - 21 Months

The other night we were spending some time together as a family on the couch. Stephen had a glass of pop, as well as the can sitting on the coffee table. Linc was thrilled to be able to help himself to drinking out of the cup. He picked up the can, realized there was some in it and poured the remainder into the cup. He did surprisingly well, but still spilt a little bit. So I told LInc he had to clean up. So he runs off, returns a few minutes later with a clothe and cleans it up!! It was awesome - we were just laughing and laughing!

Linc has started a nightly routine when we put him to bed. We do our usual song (Jesus Loves me) and Stephens prays. Linc has started giving us kisse - but doesn't take his soother out. And then he waves and says "Buh-bee" (which is how he says bye!) so darling!

This morning, as we were getting ready for work, Stephen and I looked into the bathroom (which is in the middle of renovations) and saw our little boy trying to sand the mudded walls with Stephen's sanding paddle! About a week ago I found Lincoln in our room with 2 of Stephen's trouls trying to do the Venetian Plaster just like he saw his dad do the day before!

Linc knows 3 animal sounds! Monkey - ee, ee! Dinosaur or Tiger - ROAR! Puppy woof, woof!

Today I brought in Linc's clothes to get him dressed. He grabbed the pants and said, "PA!" He is getting so close to having some new words!

He also knows where the baby is, and always gives my tummy a hug and kiss whenever I ask him too.

GO!

I haven't posted anything in a while - we have been going through a difficult time as a family. Now that things are slowing down a bit I thought I would start blogging again.
Lincoln is incredible, as usual. His latest little game he likes to play is when we are driving in the car. It usually starts when we are stopped at a red light. I hear a little voice pipes up from the back seat, "Go!" I turn around quickly to be met with a twinkle in his eyes, this unexplainable grin on his face - an all over smirk. I say, " Hey Monkey - I can't! The light is red!!" To which he replies, "GO!" Again, "But I can't!!! The light is red! Once it turns green I can go!" To which again comes the enthuisastic "GO! GO! GO!" usually followed by some giggles. We do this back and forth, each time getting louder and more dramatic in our replies. And then the light turns green, and I say "There! Now I can go!" And then it is silent in the backseat.
Until the next red light, or the next time I slow down to take a corner, or until he decides I am simply not driving fast enough!
He's only 20 months and already a backseat driver!

Lincoln's Birth

This is a survery I did on Facebook that I wanted saved so I put it in my blog!

Here you go mommies - a different kind of survey for a change - it's all about your first born! Just copy and paste it in a new note for yourself!
Let's see how much you remember!

1. WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED? Yes, we had been trying for over a year!

2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME? Yuppers

3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS? thrilled beyond anything, and nervous - we missed carried our first baby 2 years prior.

5. HOW OLD WERE YOU? 23

6. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT? God told me in a dream. I had a dream one night and God said - as clear as day - "Cher, you are pregnant" That morning when I woke up I was quite sick, and I remembered the dream. After being sick for a few days, I took the test.

7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST? Stephen, we decided to go to the Dr. next and confirm. After that we told my family (funny story), his family, and my bffnae Ashley. Then we wanted to wait until the 12 week point to make it public. I was 9.5 weeks along when we found out I was prego's.

8. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX? Yes of course but the anticipation and guessing was far better, so we didn't, and actually you can't find out at most Winnipeg Hospitals.

9. DUE DATE? April 15, 2008

10. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS? Um yes, just a tad! For the first 17 weeks. But I figured out the cure for morning sickness, take a trip to cuba! :)u

11. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE? Mexican! And grapefruit! Nothing weird or weird combinations though. I just wanted to eat, pretty much anything!

12. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST? Probably Stephen! He was at the brunt of all my irrational emotional outburst

13. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD'S SEX? Boy

14. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING?During my whole pregnancy we both really wanted a boy, about a month before i gave birth, i started really loving the idea of having a girl. In the moment Lincoln was born, and his sex was announced, I have to admit my heart was the tiniest bit disappointed, I thought "oh a girl would have been nice", but it passed so quickly! Everyone who has kids will tell you, once that baby comes it really doesn't matter what it is , as long as they are healthy, and it is so trued. I definitely have a huge desire to have a girl, in fact we aren't stopping until we do, but i actually would like another boy next!

15. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY? This is embarrassing - 52lbs! It was ridiculous!

16. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER? Yes, my mom threw one after Lincoln was born, so everyone could buy gender appropriate gifts, and more importantly so everyone could meet the man of the hour! They also threw one for me at work, the day before my due date, which was a surprise!

17. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW? I knew, designed the invitations while I was pregnant.

18. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY? No, thankfully.

19. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH? Almost in my house, but we made it the hospital (barely) St. Boniface! (I was that girl you see in movies screaming in a wheel chair being pushed speedily to the delivery room. I remember saying, rather loudly, "I feel like i have to poop!" And my midwife was saying just don't! Hang on!) Amazing hospital and staff!

20. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR? 3 unexplainable hours

21. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL? My midwife drove the vehicle, I gave encouragement - such as when the light was yellow turning red I yelled from the back seat "GO! GO! GO!"

22. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH? Well no one watched - everyone was doing something! But the people present were: my amazing midwife Becky, some nurse, my amazing husband, and also my amazing mom!

23. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION? All natural baby!

24. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN? One breathe of the gas was all I got

25. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH? 7lbs 5oz
26. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN? April 15th 7:58am - on his due date, and he got here in time for work!

27. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER? Lincoln Michael John Dombowsky

28. HOW OLD IS YOUR FIRST? 9 months