WTFrench - I'm a Mother of 2!

Zane is almost 4 weeks old now and I have yet to write anything about his arrival.  I know, what a slacker.  My only excuse, it got real up in here and boy people were not kidding when they said going from 1 to 2 (with a c-section) is a whole different ball game.  Yes #1 was no cake walk but this is...EXHAUSTING!  Physically, emotionally, and mentally (I ain't got much of that left - I have to keep making to-do-lists of the most mundane stuff, i.e. Item #3: Take shower) exhausting.  I shouldn't complain.  I'm one lucky gal with the support of some really awesome people.  I'll get to them in a second but first...

Happy Birthday - How was the delivery?

So when you have a scheduled c-section you wake up and say, "Hey, let's go have a baby today" and stroll right on in to a hospital like it aint no big whoop.  "Hi, I'm here for a removal."  I loved the look on people's faces when I said that.  

In triage they prepped me with an IV which took them 3 tries (rooting around with a needle in your vein is NO BUENO)!  I was hooked up to a monitor to see how we were doin and guess what?  Apparently I was having contractions!  Nope, I didn't feel a thing.  The nurse said that Zane was the poster boy of happy babies.  In other words it was all good under the hood and now we just had to wait our turn to be wheeled off to the OR. 

In tow was my ever-loving husband and my MIL.  How awesome are my in-laws?  They drove out here from WI to spend 3 weeks of quality time with Kaz before the big day and Oma (Grandma in German) will be here for more than a month to help us all transition from 1 to 2.  I KNOW!  This will probably be her last grandchild (it will be from me at least - the factory is officially closed for business) and I really felt she should be there to see it ALL and by all I mean more than she bargained for.  Yes we had a screen put up but according to my MIL she had a front row seat to my uterus, liver, and colon.  Lucky gal!  

I had people sitting in the waiting room too!  Two of the greatest people I know made the trip from Livermore CA to be there for the arrival of our little guy.  I've sat in a waiting room or two in my day and I had no idea how special that may make somebody feel till now.  I indeed felt special and loved.

With the help of one of my best gal pals Dzia Dzia (Grandpa in Polish) bravely took the reins with the #1 skin baby and sat at home till it was time to bring the big brother to meet his new little world changer.  More on that later.    

Within minutes of being given a spinal block a tiny human (who looked HUGE seeing how he was twice the size of his brother at birth) came screaming and peeing into the world.  He literally came out of my body crying and instantly pee'd on my OBGYN.  There he was.  7 lbs. 5.5 oz, 19.5 inches, and a 9/9 Apagar score.  There I was, shivering uncontrollably (a combo of adrenaline and anesthesia), drained (I know, I didn't have to "do" anything but damn it's an emotional butt kicker), and fighting not to fall asleep till the last stitch/staple.  It couldn't come fast enough.  I couldn't exhale and count my blessings till I knew they were absolutely done.  "Why all the drama?"

See, don'chu know I'm loco?  I couldn't just lie there and enjoy the ride because I was too busy worrying and waiting for that other shoe to drop.  "What were you worrying about?" Dying. There, I said it. I had the same fear with Kaz but this time it was magnified!  Irrational to the average Joe, yes.  Normal? Why didn't anyone tell me sooner that this brand of crazy IS normal - thank you JK for letting me be vulnerable and thank you for revealing I am not alone.  Is it irrational though?  Yes, the outcome of pregnancy is birth but think about it.  When you have a c-section you walk into an OR with 3 doctors and willingly let someone take a knife, cut your body open and put your insides on the outside while you talked to them!  Now THAT'S crazy. 

Well it all turned out alright and that's what's important now isn't it?

Introducing Zane Pawel

How is Zane?  Perfect!  It's only been 3 1/2 weeks but he hasn't been much of a crier, yet.  He even slept during his circumcision!  Though he is a fussing snorting grunter.  Poor little guy seems to have come into the world with a congested nose.  The occasional spewing of milk through it can't be helping either.  No he isn't lactose intolerant nor does he have reflux like his brother did but he does like to pretend he's a milk fountain once or twice a day. Maybe a change of formula might help but we're gonna just wait and see.  "Did you say FORMULA?"  Oh the shock!  The horror!  Yeah get over it.  If you can't, click here and read this and realize my decision hasn't changed nor has my position on the topic which this entry (click here) pretty much sums it up nicely.  Moving on.  He's a great eater doing a good job at packin on the lbs.  He's eating 3-4 oz. every 3-4 hours.

Who does he look like?  Well, he doesn't look like he's adopted!  He's got dark hair and darker skin than his big brother (to be fair he was see-through when he was born) and the jury is out on his eye color.  At first I saw myself looking back at me, the shape of his eyes, his soft features, but as the days roll along he is looking more and more like his father.  Just ask his grandparents about his fathers big inquisitive bug eyes when he was born.  He is what you would call VERY alert and his neck control is astounding.  All the nurses and the pediatrician marveled at the strength and control in that neck.  Other than eating, sleeping, and pooping there's not much more to tell.  What do you expect, he's only 3 weeks old.

Kaz's New Reality

How is Kaz adjusting?  When Oma and Dzia Dzia arrived I thought we were in trouble.  Kaz really showed us his terrible 2's (T2).  Fit throwing, non napping, temper tantrum bed rituals, emotionally draining T2's.  Oh where did my mild mannered little boy go!  So we did what we could to prepare him and hoped for the best.  We set up the bassinet and talked about baby Zane sleeping there.  We read the book, "I'm a Big Brother Now".  Oma helped him make a "Help" kit filled with diapers, wipes, and toys to help Momma and Daddy with his new little brother.

"So, how did it go?"  On top of bringing a new baby home it was also the first time Momma was away.  Yeah yeah I know, that is not a good thing but it is what it is.  There were circumstances OKAY!  Anyhoo, there we were in my hospital room holding our breath.  Kaz came in (I think "show down" music was playing - well at least in my head).  He looked at his new little baby brother in his bassinet and said in a very quiet voice, "baby Zaaaane".  Whew, it was going to be alright, at least till we brought him home (Insert scary suspenseful music here).
 
Just kidding, it was fine.  For the most part.  Once Momma came home and there was no more build up to the "little brother" the T2's kind of melted down to the everyday normal.  The thing about Kaz is he is pretty much an observer.  So much so that if you ask Kaz if he wants to hold his little brother.  He will quickly and emphatically tell you, "NO".  On the other hand when we brought Zane home Kaz wanted to see what would happen if he poked his brothers belly.  Momma didn't react too well to that but we've moved on and things are going along swimmingly.

For now we've got a man on man defense going at all times but once Oma goes home I may be singing a different tune.  Am I nervous?  Damn strait!  I will say there was a shining moment of hope.  Kaz heard Zane crying and he ran into the other room and came back with a bink (nooch - pacifier).  He said, "Oh baby Zane crying" and lovingly put the bink in his little brothers mouth.  I cried.  Yes, it was going to be alright after all.

Our Fur-Baby

How is Harley reacting to his new rank in life? - Dog gone last.  At first he wasn't very interested in the new little guy - Momma was gone for 3.5 days - he couldn't concentrate on anything else but seeing the Momma.  He does poke his head into the bassinet and try to smell him but I keep the ever watchful eye and I don't let him get to close.  Keep in mind our dog thinks he's a lap dog, all 75 lbs. of him so keeping a safe distance between him and that cuddly baby is best.  He's a good dog but he's a little extra annoying these days with all the excitement.  He's just trying to find his place in the new regime.  I feel sorry for him because all he keeps hearing is "Harley GO!"  Don't worry boy, he'll be pulling your tail before you know it.

The Empty Vessel

How does it feel being a parent of 2?  We seem to be doing just fine.  Dad has done a terrific job engaging Kaz.  They go to the Story Time at the library on Monday's, on Saturday morning they go to a Multi-sports class, and Kaz is happiest in his Daddy's arms when he says, "Me up!"  In other words we are doing our best to make sure Kaz knows he is still the number one Kaz in our house.  We came to a rather shocking realization these last few weeks.  Kaz is a BIG boy now. Bringing home Zane has really put things into perspective.  He has come so much further than we realized and it's as if we are seeing him through a whole new set of eyes.  It's super exciting!
  
I on the other hand have been selfishly recovering while mothering.  HA!  Remember this is new territory for me.  I got to recover for 50 days before Kaz came home.  This time I've got a toddler, a newborn, and an 8 inch incision to contend with.  Oh at first I fought the recovery.  Nine days after surgery I tried to be super-mom and make dinner.  Yeah, that was a bad idea.  UNCLE!  Thank goodness for my MIL.  I have no idea how I could have recovered without her.  She has been better than any pill the doctor could have prescribed.

How's that emotional sabotage treating you?  Remember the whole wacky hormone driven fears I wrote about in past entries - how are we gonna bring a baby home without any monitors to tell us he's breathing and his heart is still beating - yadda yadda.  The car ride home was the first sign of trouble.  There we were.  A block away from the hospital, sitting in the front seat with our new little guy all snug as a bug in the back seat.  "Wow, he's quite."  "I can't see him."  "I can't hear him."  "He's a little too quiet."  "Hey you, make some noise!"  "Should I pull over?"  Long story short; when we arrived home I was sitting in the back seat holding my stitches laughing at our foolish selves.  From there on out I haven't missed the monitor or O2.  In fact I'm more grateful than ever that they are not here and we can have a "normal" parenting experience.  Well as normal as we get.

The million dollar question - "Wasn't it incredible how you were consumed with love the first time you saw Zane; washing away all those silly little fears you wrote about having enough love for 2?"  I was consumed with joy and relief when I heard his little cry for the first time.  I was overcome with emotions when I saw the look on my husbands face the first time he saw him.  I welled with tears when I saw his little face.  Everyday my "love" for him grows stronger; the moment he cried with hunger or pain; the first sideways smile; the first time he reacted to my voice; the feel of his cheek against mine; BUT it's not that all consuming insta-love everyone told me about.  And as hard as it is for me to admit this I'm not gonna feel guilty about it because it's perfectly normal.  Thank goodness for the weekly updates I get from http://www.babycenter.com/ Check out Your Life: Bonding and please don't read too much into this, no I'm not suffering from postpartum depression!  Our relationship and my emotions are coming along nicely.

Visitors:

We've had some wonderful people stop on by to meet our new little addition but alas I wasn't the best at capturing the moment, oopsies.  I'm sorry.  Thank you Oma and Dzia Dzia, Waren and Leslie, Jenn K. (and thanks for the yummy din din you and your family shared with us our first night home), Karen, Jenn R, Marty, Yvonne, The Krajewski ladies, Jasmin, Alicia, Denardo, Cabot, George, and Soofia and Ehsen.  Ya'll come back now, ya hear! 

Just for Fun

Zane's Firsts

Birthday Horoscope

LIBRA (September 24-October 23)
IF TODAY IS YOUR BIRTHDAY: This year you have more impact than you have had in years. You also will feel the weight of additional responsibility. Understand that you cannot bypass this phase without experiencing a defeat or a problem. You could feel the demands of responsibility more than ever, but this, too, will pass by next year. You will acclimate to your new role. If you are single, someone you meet this year could be significant to your life. If you choose to hook up with this person, you will have difficulty getting out of this bond, should you so choose. If you are attached, the two of you could be unusually hard on each other. Try to lighten up. Make no major decisions this year on the relationship front, if possible. TAURUS understands you well.

BORN TODAY: Singer, musician Paul Simon (1941), entertainer Marie Osmond (1959), figure skater Nancy Kerrigan (1969).

ARIES (March 21-April 20)
Fatigue easily could be the result of an active dream life. You are processing many ideas. As situations arise that demand your resourcefulness, trust in your ability to see what others don’t. How you make your suggestions is what counts. Tonight: Don’t avoid a serious conversation.

TAURUS (April 21-May 20)
You bounce out of the right side of bed, ready for what life delivers. With this attitude, you’ll move through any situation that presents itself. Someone special acknowledges your innate talents. If you’re bored, move on. Tonight: All smiles.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21)
Stay even and mellow as you follow through on what needs to happen. You might have difficulty convincing others of the correctness of your ways. Maintain an even pace despite this situation. Tonight: Choose something mellow, but do squeeze in some exercise.

4 Weeks To Go!

Make a snack, grab a drink, and please accept my apology for this very LONG entry.  I guess with a little less than a month to go I've got a lot to say and maybe even work through.

Loving 2?

I remember when my dear friend Michelle was having her second child and she couldn't imagine being able to love the second as much as the first. The worry in her voice was heart wrenching. Then she told me how amazing it was when she saw her second daughter for the first time and she was instantly flooded with all this love she never knew she had. This rings true with many mothers I've spoken with. I know this is a natural worry yet I am defenseless against it and I sit here today asking the very same question.

See, I have a secret about my love for Kaz. No mother would ever admit this so why the hell am I? Sometimes you've got to look at the ugly before you can embrace the beauty? How do I even put it into words? Simply put, I tried to protect myself from loving him. What? It sounds ridiculous but I compartmentalized my emotions and only allowed logic to rule my world for a while.

For the first 10 days of his life I couldn't hold him. I could see through his skin. His face obscured by tubes, tapes, and sensors. His chest struggling to rise and fall. When I finally got to hold him he turned blue just lying in my arms. Why didn't my arms keep him safe? I was afraid I was going to loose him. How could I allow myself to love him, I didn't even know him but for a few hours a day. I felt like we were living on borrowed time. How could I allow myself to LOVE him and open myself up to such pain? As time went on there came a day and I remember it well, I looked down at this little guy and realized with tears streaming down my face, "I would die for you". I was never the same again.

Two years later I find myself just staring at him, watching him through fits and giggles, quiet times and power struggles and I am in complete awe. Beyond just sitting there and "being" he does stuff like the following to further my adoration.

• He calls me Angela and he's smart about when and how he does it. With a sideways smile he does it to get my goat.  Or to get my attention - he calls me Momma first and if I don't answer he will resort to pushing the button he knows he controls and coyly and melodically says, "An-ge-la". STINKER!
• When he doesn't want to do something he will throw himself on the floor and say, "Ni Night". Yes as if to say, "Oh no I'm so tired I couldn't possibly do what you're asking me to do. I must sleep right now!" I love it when we are out at a store and he does it and you do what everyone suggests, "just walk away and he'll follow you." Yeah, that doesn't work. In a crowded mall, there he was - baby down! So I walked away and left him there (of course I could see him through a window but he couldn't see me. He could care less. So instead I give him a choice, "You can either walk or I can drag you, it's up to you." It's funny how that wakes him right up. Ah yes the terrible 2's are in full effect but alas it comes with the territory and I do my best to accept that this will someday pass, right?
• He closes his eyes so you can't see him. This comes in handy when he meets a stranger.
• He's got a touch of his Momma's OCD - poor thing. He aligns his trucks. He eats one thing at a time. I don't see anything wrong with this?
• We may have to seek out an interventionist.  Hi my name is Kaz and I'm addicted to lip balm. 
• Mash-ups: We've started to notice that he takes songs and instead of singing the words he makes nonsensical sounds instead. He finds this rather amusing and chuckles at himself. I do think he's somewhat of a musical genius (I'm his mother I'm suppose to think the world of every little toot, I digress). He has begun to mash songs up and to my amazement they work. For instance the other day he started off with his ABCs, transitioned into Twinkle Twinkle, and then finished it up with Baa Baa Black Sheep. I'll give you a minute to sing it in your head....I KNOW, he totally rocks!
• Along the same lines of music it's a little creepy how in tune (pun intended) he is with pushing buttons on musical toys to find the song he is looking for. "Huh, and what's the big whoop?" Let me explain.  He will sit there and in quick succession push a button on a toy (the song plays for a millisecond - it's inaudible to me) and he stops exactly on the song he wants to hear. When it's done playing he will do it again and again stopping on the exact same song. Is it just me or is that weird? 

Look what I can do! Warning, I'm about to brag about my son. Avert your eyes! Now as I have mentioned in the past Kaz is not the most agile child. Just look at his forehead. By no means has he mastered the English language either. I'm amazed at how verbal other children are in comparison to him (yeah yeah yeah, I know you're not suppose to compare. Hence why I said to avert your eyes!) He is definitely getting better but I feel so bad that he gets so frustrated when he tries to tell us what he wants and all he can muster is a word or two. Reading books and singing songs has really helped but it was brought to my attention that I should brag about what he CAN do (it's a mothers right) and the rest will come and we are just gonna have to be patient, persistent, and joyous every step of the way.

So what can Kaz do? He can...

• Read his ABCs - both upper and almost all lower case (he struggles with q,l, and m)
• Count to 20 (although he needs help with 15, 16, and 17)
• Read numbers 1-12
• Read the following words - Kaz, cat, dog, cow, car, fish, frog, sun, sock, duck, bus, bird, milk, yes, go, Harley, pig, canon, and love
• Spell his first name, fish, and milk
• Say his last name better than any stranger - that in and of itself should be applauded!
• Tell you what the following shapes are - heart, crescent, semi-circle, octagon, pentagon, triangle, circle, square, oval, star, and rectangle (this one is sometimes hard to distinguish from a square)
• Tell you what the following colors are - red, green, yellow, orange, blue, purple, pink, black, brown, and white

He is our smart little boy and I L-O-V-E him. I know in a couple of years I will be sappily telling you all the wonderful things Zane does and rolling my eyes at how silly I was about the worries and woes of a hormonal pregnant woman.  I can't wait to feel that love for Zane wash over me with complete abandon!

The Vessle

How does the vessle feel physically/emotionally? 

8 Months

I got the PUPPP (of course I have it, only 1% of women do!) and it's no bueno but by no means is it as bad as it could be.   Jeesh some of the pics I've seen are just painful to look at (click on the pic of my belly and you'll be able to see it a little better). So don't be alarmed if I hug you and say, "Oh yeah, right there...a little to left please...oh oh yeahhhhhhhhh that's the stuff."

Ummm yeah, my pelvic bone is spreading to make way for a human being.  Just imagine what that might feel like.  Soothing, uh no.  It's natures way of preparing your body for the delivery.  Can someone tell nature I'm having a C-section.  Soooo sorry I missed out on this the last time.

"So, you've got a month to go before there is a new tiny human living in your house makin all sorts of demands.  How you feeling about that?"  This is a common question I've been getting as of late and I am a little..."whoa" about it.  "Come on you've walked through the fire before and that wasn't under the best circumstances.  This one should be a piece of cake."  They say some people experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after having a child in the NICU.  Do I have PTSD?  Let's examine this a little further. 

• After a couple of months of being home with Kaz we said goodbye to the heart monitor and for a long while after the beep of our coffee maker (which sounded exactly like the heart monitor alarm) sent me sailing through the house to check on Kaz.  Thankfully a few months ago it finally broke and had to be replaced so after 2 years my heart no longer jumped at the sound of it.  
• I still go into his room every night (at least twice) to see if he is still breathing.  Granted he has been off the O2 for only 5 months now so I'll cut myself some slack but will I still be creeping in there when he's a senior in high school?
• Months ago I sat in a maternity ward holding the new babe of one of my friends and as I looked at his precious little face out of my mouth shot, "Is he breathing?"  I knew right then and there I was in trouble.  How the hell are we gonna handle a baby with no beeps, bells, or whistles. 

This is the ugly truth.  It sounds a little insane.  Is this PTSD or is this just what it means to be a Mom now?  A little of both?  Either way it's gonna be a little bonkers around here for a while and my poor husband is going to need to have the patience and understanding of a saint.  So that's how I'm feeling.  Are you sorry you asked?

Pictures
Alright this entry is gettin too deep.  Let's lighten the mood with some pics from the last month.

31 Weeks 6 Days and Still Kicking, LITERALY

Today I am 31 weeks and 6 days along in this pregnancy and I am amazed, emotional, and in complete awe.

For the first time I can admit I am amazed by the strength my husband and I had 2 years ago at 31 weeks and 6 days into our 1st pregnancy when our bouncing baby boy decided he couldn't swim in his shallow pool any longer.  People have said to us, "I don't know how you handled it all, I couldn't have done it."  We have always said, "You can handle a lot more than you think you can.  You could if you had to."  Today I sit here thinking back on it all.  The constant monitoring.  My hospital stay.  The sterile delivery (there is nothing sweet and romantic about a c-section but damn if we didn't try). The NICU with all its beeps, bells, whistles, abound and the tiniest baby you've ever held turning blue and all you want to do is love the color back into him.   Yes I sit here today amazed at what we could handle.  We are amazing and I am so proud of us.  

31 Weeks & 6 Days

Can you tell I'm a little emotional (some might say dramatic) today.  To commemorate this milestone in my pregnancy I wanted to do something special so we took this picture today of our 31 week 6 day big boy loving on his 31 week 6 day brother wrapped safe and secure in his Momma's belly.  No you can't see Kaz's face but can't you feel the love? 

7 Months

Lastly I am awe filled with how different this little guy feels.  Kaz was a mover and a shaker.  Zane can cut a rug too but I don't know if it's because there's fluid in there this time but for the first time I can feel body parts.  I don't know what they are but boy are they poking out everywhere.  A-MA-ZING.  

Oh and I'm HAPPY (sense sarcasm) to report that apparently I have been caught waddling. Yeah that's right, I'm a waddler - WHAT?!

Uncharted Territory!

29 Weeks 4 Days


29 Weeks 3 Days in 2009



Today marks the start of a brand new journey into the unknown.  I'm officially 29 weeks and 4 days into this pregnancy.  With Kaz, at 29 weeks and 3 days I was snug as a bug in a highly monitored hospital rug.  Okay it's not that riveting but it's a little odd to think that from here on out I may experience the following.

• Braxton Hicks
• False labor
• Contractions I can feel
• Waddling
• Seeing a body part jut out under my skin and being able to discern what it is!
• The inability to breath because there's a human being scrunching my lungs
• Peeing on my own
• Showering/Smooth legs
• Taking a baby home when I get discharged from the hospital
• Having to recover from a c-section with a brand new baby in tow

It's really hard to describe what I'm feeling.  There are soooooooooo many emotions running rampant.  Joyful, anxious, excited, nervous, left field hormonal emotions.  I try to let those wash over me rather than drown in them and take it one DEEP breath at a time.  Ahhhhhh.

Momma & Son Day o' Doctor Visits

Kaz and I spent the day at the ol' docs office - his and mine, and here's how it all shook out.

The Vessel



28 Week Check-up:

6 Months 2009

6 Months 2011

Two of my main gal pals and I have a saying, "Make a goal, achieve a goal" (this isn't always complimentary - but I digress) and boy did I.  I gained SEVEN lbs. in one month!  I'm up to 16.5 lbs to which the doc said, "Ummm, are you walking or exercising?"  My prompt and defensive response, "Nope, but there's a reason".  I was so fearful that I would have the Gestational Diabetes (GD) that I did my best to pack on some lbs. because I knew that if I did have GD there would be a very limited diet and exercise required which for me = no weight gain.

BTW, just in case you don't know weight gain is very important during pregnancy.  Not for the host but for the little bambino inside you.  Otherwise I wouldn't be eating that 3rd snack after dinner.  Yup, apparently a bowl of cereal every night will do the trick!  This convo is dejavu for me. I had the same one while pregnant with Kaz but unlike this pregnancy I wound up having GD.  Yes this time I'm GD FREEEEEEE.  Ahh 3rd snack how I will miss thee.

So basically what we got here is a very "normal" pregnancy (quietly screaming yipee - don't want to tempt the fates) but gosh darn it the doc isn't doing her best to make me nervous with statements like.

• "Yeah, considering you were hospitalized at 29 weeks last time, even though we assume it was because of the botched CVS, I don't want you to travel from here on out."  Scratch that quick jaunt to WI.
• "Although we attribute your GD to the steroids you were on during your last pregnancy (for those of you not in the know - no, I was not going for a muscle-bound baby.  The steroids were to help with Kaz's lung development in utero.  Little or no fluid really does a number on lung development) we may want to start monitoring you for diabetes on a yearly basis.  People who had GD can get the "real" thing later in life."
• "Just to be safe, I'm gonna wanna start seeing you every 2 weeks."  Ugh, really?  I can weigh and measure myself and phone it in can't I?  Heck, we'll Skype and you can say, "Yup, you're still preggers!  "Shoosh!  Doesn't she know that from here on out I'm going for an event free situation that is scheduled for Oct 13 @ noon.  That's right folks, fingers crossed we have a birth date!

How's Kaz?

Kaz had the oogie boogies these last couple of weeks and after nine days of goop comin' out of his face off to the docs we went.  The diagnosis: ear infection.  The frustrating part; no fever, no complaining, he wasn't lethargic, no pulling at his ears, and he was teething at the same time (1 1/2 molars to go!).  The only indication was the green river streaming down his face and a lack of appetite.  Bring on the Azithromycin (he's allergic to Amoxicillin)!  Ten days later were back to make sure the infection has all cleared up, and yay it has.  

On the other hand, something else has cropped up and we're not surprised considering his history.  Kaz is not what you would call a cooperative patient.  In fact as soon as we leave the waiting room it's on like Donkey Kong, the flailing, the tears, the sad plea "no, go", yet they love him.  Or at least they act like they do.  In fact he's a little rock star there.  All the ladies screaming, "Kaz, it's been so long!"

So with all these histrionics the boy gets himself into a tizzy and as the doc listens to his chest he says, "Is he still seeing the Pulmonologist?"  Ugh, I know what's coming.  "No, but I have noticed that when he runs around a lot he does cough quite a bit."  The short story, the doc heard some wheezing in his left lung and now we got a new med to keep in the house and travel with, Xopenex, just in case.  Let's hope we have to use it infrequently and he grows out of it.

Tidbits o' Kaz

• Kaz now acknowledges that baby Zane is in Mommas belly but I'm sure he doesn't quite know how that's gonna rock his world in 11 weeks. He's so good with names that from time to time he calls his Daddy Aaron. So cute at 2, not so much at 12 I'm sure.
• He's a real chip off the ol' block. Yes, now that he's taking a multivitamin his nails are finally growing (seriously it's been a year since I had to cut his nails). So like his Dzia Dzia, Uncle, and Daddy, he's begun biting his nails. To soon to be using No Bite?
• Yeah, you all think he's sooooo cute. How about when you ask him to do something and he puts his fingers in his ears? Still cute? Okay I have to admit I still laugh about it but there will come a day... How the heck did he learn to do that anyways?
• If that's not cute how about when he says "Douchebag". Where did he learn this, his Father. Is this what you call father son bonding?

Photos for Fun!

Introducing Baby Abigale: She's made the rounds at all my friends houses and now it was our turn.  Baby Abigale was designed to create an opportunity to introduce the concept of a new baby coming home.  There's peaks and valleys with his affection for Baby Abigale.  This photo definitely captures a peak.

Privacy PLEASE! We introduced the pot (potty). He picked it out himself. He's no where near ready but we thought we might peak his interest. On the upside he tells us, "Poop on the pot" but it's always after he's done it in his diaper. Baby steps!

1st Swim of the Summer with his lady friend Taylor





1st Painting - I spot genius, don't you?



He finally met the whole Krajewski clan from CO! Bonding with Michelle. We had to keep a close eye on her, she had an empty duffel bag.




In prep for the baby we pulled
out the Glow Worm.  This is a pic of Kaz
with it apx a month after he was born.







Glow Worm & Kaz @ 2



Yup, you sure are (read the shirt).







Vessel Status - 24-25 Weeks

I had my 24 week check-up with both the OBGYN and the Paleontologist and the long and short of it is....drum roll please,  it's all good under the hood and this is turning out to be a "NORMAL" pregnancy (minus the 1st 11 weeks - wasn't that a gas!?)  Sorry no pics of the little guy.  Apparently he's like his Momma, he didn't want his picture taken.

Overall Stats

• Vessels total weight gain: 9 lbs.  I only gained 2.5 lbs this past month but if I keep going at this rate I will gain a healthy 25 lbs by the time I deliver.  Optimal for my starting weight is 25 - 35 lbs.  So not to worry, again it's all good under the hood - See: Nugget Weight - and pass the french fries. 
• Belly Measurement:  Apparently I'm measuring a couple of centimeters big but it's nothing to worry about (click the hyperlink to check out this article on stomach-growth to learn why I'm not worried...I mean only if you're really curious).  I do feel way bigger than last time.  Maybe I'm just more conscious of it now but pictures don't lie, I'm about the same size I was with Kaz.  



5 Months 2009



5 Months 2011



• Nugget Weight:  Our boy is weighing in at a very healthy 1 lb 12 oz (healthy at this gestational age is 1 lb 8 oz)!  To which I said to the doc, "Oh good, despite the fact his Momma is strugglin' packin' on the L-b's he's developing nicely."  Then the doc made me feel much better by saying, "You shouldn't gain weight just to gain weight - as long as the baby is growing and developing nicely that's what's important."  And this little boy is just fine!  So this got me to thinking, where does all this weight gain go?  Here is a breakdown of where you can expect the extra pounds to go:
• Baby - 7-8 pounds
• Placenta - 1-2 pounds
• Amniotic fluid - 2 pounds
• Uterus - 2 pounds
• Maternal breast tissue - 2 pounds
• Maternal blood - 4 pounds
• Fluids in maternal tissue - 4 pounds
• Maternal fat and nutrient stores - 7 pounds 

I don't know about you but isn't it nice to know it doesn't all go to your ass?

• Cervix chat:  I know I know, why did I wait to almost the end to talk about my cervix?  Well as I mentioned before it's all good under the hood.  In fact at first the Paleontologist said based on my history I should come back in a month to which I said, "Well, if everything is good and if my history was affected by the botched CVS and probably not my body, do I really need to come back?  You know, since my my cervix is so awesome and all"  To which he replied, "NO".  You mean, I could feel normal for once?  No "special" doctor?  He went on to say that he would leave it up to my OBGYN and me and baring no complications that today just might be my final visit with him.  Insert Happy Happy Joy Joy dance here. 

What's Next?

So the nesting has begun.  Right now I'm just gathering twigs and planning it all out.  Okay so it doesn't help that there was a Hoarders marathon on to fuel my hormonal neurosis but none the less it's time to take stock of the hand-me-downs.  With that I must decide to double stroller or not to double stroller.  As it is we rarely put Kaz in a stroller but let's be realistic.  Newborn in one hand and curious toddler in the other; how does one go to doctor visits, the grocery store, the bathroom... Calling all moms and who have "been-there-done-that" and non-moms who "know-a-thing-or-two-about-a-thing-or-two", what do you think?

1. A tradtional double stroller
2. A Sit-n-Stand double stroller
3. A baby carrier

Pending Glucose Test Results: Well I did the test and I won't lie, I'm worried. Of course I am. I can't possibly be just blissfully happy, NOOOOOOO of course not. ARGH! Well won't it be nice if/when it comes back negative for gestational diabetes, yup it sure will. Maybe I can will it if I keep saying it, yeah that's it.  I'll keep ya'll posted and in the meantime I'm gonna go gorge myself on ice cream.  Don't judge me, it's all for the sake of the babies development!

He's Becoming a Real Little Boy

Kaz loves...

Trucks.  His fascination with trucks started the day the city was doing some work on our street.  Now when Kaz wakes up the first word out of his mouth is usually "trucks" and he runs to the front window, pulls up a chair and all day looks for trucks driving down our street.  The sad thing is we live on a culdesac but he never gives up hope.  He's obsessed!

Choo Chooooooo (insert sniffle sound)!

Along with trucks, trains rank right up there for Kaz.  Thomas the Train is one of his favorite shows (technically he only watches 3 - Thomas, Sesame Street, and Baby Crack...ummm I mean Yo Gabba Gabba).  He can tell you the names of all the trains, what color they are and he's starting to memorize their numbers.   One day there was a train sitting on the tracks here in the town that we live and Kaz was in complete awe.  If that wasn't enough the conductor waved to him and tooted his horn and this sent Kaz over the moon.  When I told him we had to go I heard his little heart breaking (see pic) so what's a parent to do, take him to Travel Town.  Click the Smilebox to see Kaz's trip to Travel Town.

He's Got Personality
Just a smattering of Kaz's emerging personality.

Food is Fun: At this age all toddlers experiment with their food.  Kaz likes to create letters out of his food.  I'll hear him call from his chair, "J!"  The first time I was so confused but sure enough as he proudly held up his sandwich he had turned it into the letter J.  So I've gotten used to the occasional peanut butter sandwich becoming the letter C or tortillas being M's and W's but the day he called out "elephant" and "dog" while eating pretzels...imagine my shock when I looked down at his little hands and saw a pretzel bitten into the shape of an elephant then a dog!  Clearly I didn't realize how fun food could really be when seen through the eyes of a child.

Funny Face: He's got his Momma's face, not that he looks like me but his goofy faces are ALL Momma.  I know, it's hard to believe but I was a goofy drama kid who mugged for the camera which is funny because I'd rather take pics than be in pics today.  Ok, enough about me.  Pictures say it all.  Click on the Smilebox to see his goofy face up close and I dare you not to laugh.

Punky II: I hoped we would be spared but maybe he's got a little punky in him after all courtesy of his Father.  Those of you whom have never met Punky I, just know Kaz's grandparents are saints and they forever gave him the nickname!  Case in point: Kaz can now say "thank you" rather than "maw maw".  In fact Kaz's language skills seem to finally be blossoming.  All of the sudden he's starting to string more words together and his words are getting clearer.  Like the phrase "thank you".  Ahhh but he will say, "thank you" and then 2 beats later with a glint in his eye, a crooked smile, and a giggle in his voice he will say, "maw maw".  Oh and he reserves this little joke just for ME! Oh course he does.  Much like his father reserved his punkiness for his mother.  Let's hope it's a slight case of punkiness and not a full blown infection.

Firsts


The Morning After

In preparation for Kaz's brother, Zane Pawel, we wanted to transition Kaz to his official BIG boy bed.  We wanted to give Kaz plenty of time to adjust and he took to it like a kid in a candy shop.  We bought the bed, set it up (without the linens), and for a couple of days talked about how it was a bed for big boys and soon he would be sleeping in the big boy bed.  Then he watched me make the bed while his Daddy talked about sleeping in it like a big boy.  Before we put him to bed I took the linens off the crib/toddler bed and removed the mattress.  I thought for sure we'd have a little melt-down but he got right in his new bed and didn't even want to snuggle!  We kissed him good night, told him how proud we were of him and he went fast off to sleep.  Now we talk about how his old bed is for babies and we hope that it will all click for him when his baby brother gets here.  Here's to hoping!

First Day of Summer Fun:  Yes it's not his first summer but this is the year when it starts to get fun.  Insert popsicles and Slip-n-slide, a perfect combo!  The King girls came over to show Kaz how it's done but we quickly found out that Kaz is a chuckling (literally chuckled while he watched the girls bravely slip and slide) cautious observer and he'll do it when he's good and ready.  See the fun by clicking the Smilebox.

That's all folks!  Till next time when I will be reporting on how our little nugget and it's host did at their 24 week check-ups.