Handsome Sugar Man

Happy Birthday to this Handsome Sugar Man! He has proven over the last week, month and year that I made an excellent decision to choose him to be my lifelong partner, father to my children, leader of my family, and friend. We love you Da-da!

Happy 1 month Sweet Baby Luke

Whoa mama this has been a busy month. It has also been a fairly unusual month in that I have hardly gotten out of the house. What makes it all worth wild though is my sweet snuggly baby boy of mine.

Last week I got the stomach virus early Tuesday morning (yep, for a girl that never leaves the house what are the odds!?!). It was pure misery. All I could think about Tuesday morning as I lay lifeless in the bed was if the stomach virus would ruin my chances of nursing Luke until he was 12 months old like I did his older sister. Yep, that was my main concern. Unfortunately Kate got the stomach virus 2 days later, then D late Thursday night/early Friday morning. We are still not sure if Luke got it or not. I am thinking so but he has been spitting up/throwing up alot after feedings and lots of poop diapers are fairly normal. I sure hope he didn't get it sure was a crazy contagious variety. Anyway, so that was my baby's first Christmas. All of us, recovering from a ruthless stomach virus and no extended family visitation. Yes sad but in times like those, I think you realize how much the people around love you (just the way you are..."for better/for worse...in sickness and in health").

So anyway, Luke's first 2 weeks were fairly easy. Then he hit a downward turn where he would want to nurse all the time, scream all the time and just flat wear me out. It has been better in the last week but I occasionally still see those marathon feedings before bed that flat wear me out. Luke still has not been back to the doctor for his 2 week checkup. Yep, you read that right. He is 4 weeks old and hasn't been to his 2 week checkup. That is because I thought I scheduled his checkup the week before Christmas on a Wednesday but after calling to cancel because of bad weather I was informed I had actually scheduled for the week before Christmas. Okay, so last week we were heading to appointment when Kate starting throwing up. Had to cancel, which brings me to this Friday at 8:30a.m. Lets hope we make this one.

Luke is a good baby but we are noticing he is a little harder right now then his sister was. We think he is just a gassy baby. I am going to talk to doc about that and hopefully straighten it out. Kate would eat and fall back to sleep. EASY! Luke will have a bad diaper, change it, nurse a little, fall asleep, throw-up on me, change his clothes, change another diaper, nurse a little more, scream, wear himself out, maybe fall asleep. Ahhh, I am exhausted thinking about it. :) Still love him! We are a blessed family. I look forward to the coming months and all the precious memories. By the way, the "BIG" sister loves him to death and wants to help mama change his diaper, get his passie, help with baths, and lots of loving. She really loves him. Thank goodness! :)

Hush Little Baby

Hush, little baby, don't say a word,

Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird.

If that mockingbird don't sing,

Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring.

If that diamond ring turns brass,

Mama's gonna buy you a looking glass.

If that looking glass gets broke,

Mama's gonna buy you a billy goat.

If that billy goat won't pull,

Mama's gonna buy you a cart and bull.

If that cart and bull turn over,

Mama's gonna buy you a dog named Rover.

If that dog named Rover won't bark.

Mama's gonna buy you a horse and cart.

If that horse and cart fall down,

You'll still be the sweetest little baby in town.

So hush little baby don't you cry,

'Cause Daddy loves you and so do I.

Merry Christmas!

It's About Survival

So now, I have officially been home a week by myself. It's been crazy busy. Before my feet even hit the floor in the morning, I have a little munchkin with a fro bossing me from the floor. Yep, Kate wakes up around 7 every morning and makes her way into our room where she pulls everything out of the pack-n-play then makes her way onto our bed. Saturday morning the whole gang was on the bed...Petey included. Thankfully we have a King bed!

Can I just say that my little Kate is so entertaining these days. It's like she grew up in the few days she was at my parents. She now is having conversations with us. This is generally how they go...Me: "Kate, lets get ready to go?" Kate: "Mommy go?" Me: "Yes, mommy is going" Kate: "Daddy go?" Me: "Yes, daddy is going" Kate: "Baby go?" Me: "Yes, Baby is going" Kate: "Me go?" Me: "Yes you are going" Kate: "Petey go?" Me: "No, Petey can't go". Mostly these conversations revolve around going to church so then I explain to her that dogs are not allowed in church. :) She says other things like "Mommy, I want Milk." Yeah, she is kinda a late talker but I figure she is going to be a BIG talker SO she is saving up. And for those that have the volume up on their computer, this Justin Beiber tribute or "Beeper" (like I like to call him) is for Kate. She loves this song and likes to run around the house and dance to it. Don was impressed with one of her dance moves the other day and asked me if I taught it to her. I couldn't take credit for it. It was kinda a "roll em' up" move from Patty Cake Patty Cake but done while dancing and to the beat. :) Kate is all about daddy these days. Those two make my heart melt. She just runs into his arms ALL.THE.TIME for ABSOLUTE.NO.REASON. Love it! Then you hear lots of giggling from both parties. As I type this, Kate just put her hand around my back as she sips her milk and watches Shrek 2. Love that girl! (Update she did it again and proceeded to push me back against the couch on her hand and then lay her hand on my side and say "My Mommy", :))

Lets talk about Luke. I am in absolute LOVE with him! He is so funny to me even as a newborn. Seriously, he gets so frustrated while eating and pushes off and slings his head around and just gives out a loud bellow of a scream. I know that is so mean of me to think that is funny but I just like his little attitude...for now. :) He is starting to look a whole lot like his sister. Yep, Don appears to have won out, AGAIN! I was changing his diaper yesterday and I was perusing the Pampers size 1, turquoise green bag with the baby laid against his mother's chest on it. I studied each of the baby's features and NO LIE, that baby looked just like Luke. I told Don I will have to get a picture of him asleep on me and then do a side by side comparison for you. See what you think! I remember with Kate we thought she looked just like the Gerber baby around 9 months, now we think Luke looks like the Pampers baby. ha!

Okay, that is all I have for now. But I will leave you with a picture of my sweet ums...

I do realize this picture is HORRIBLE of me but this is very typical of my life...wherever I am, the rest are (no matter how small of space!).

I Should be Sleeping

Well, we survived the week after the birth week with 2 kiddos. I want to jot down a brief summary of Luke's birth story.

I scheduled a C-section with my doctor at my 39 week appointment. We knew that my doctor would be out of town the whole week of Thanksgiving and that my due date was Thursday, Thanksgiving Day. I had decided around 32 weeks or so that I would try to have the baby the normal way and not C-section. I had a C-section with Kate but my doctor told me I was an ideal candidate to "V-back" due to how quickly I dilated with Kate and this being my second child. Well long story short, I didn't dilate past 2 (that I know of) with Luke so I scheduled a c-section for the Monday that my doctor would return to work, November 29th, 2010. My doctor had told me that he would not induce me unless I was 3 centimeters. The day before Thanksgiving I was at 2.

So I was scheduled to go in by 10a.m. on the 29th and the my c-section was to be performed at 12pm. I stayed up until midnight the night before so that I could eat and drink up to the last minute. You are not allowed to eat or drink with a C-section within 12 hours of surgery.

That morning, we hustled around and made it to the hospital by 10am. Mom met us up there at 10:30 to get Kate. I was given the robe, hooked up to an I.V., and informed of all that would take place. By 11:45 I was wheeled back to the operating room. Don had to wait outside while they gave me the spinal block and catheter. My doctor arrived close to 12pm and by 12:16pm my sweet baby boy was screaming. Nothing like that sound. They showed him to me and I immediately thought he looked different than Kate which equals more like me. As you can tell, this mama was excited about that. Don't get me wrong, my little girl is adorable but as a mama, you want at least one child to look like you. Time will tell if I was right on my early assessment. So thankful for everything being EXTREMELY normal. Yay for normal!

I was wheeled back to my room where Kate, my parents and Don's parents were waiting. They all were able to see Luke for a few minutes then they were asked to leave while they got me settled. Thirty minutes later they were all back to see baby again. Noone was allowed to hold him though because they had to wait until his temperature had reached a certain degree. Around 3pm, Don's mom got to hold him for a minute before they left to head back home. My mom had already left with Kate and dad had gone back to work. Mamey and big sister came back everyday to see him and hold him.

I am still amazed at how easy the whole C-section process was for me this time. I attribute that to me staying ahead of the pain and knowing what to expect. The only downside is not being allowed to pick Kate up for 6 weeks. That is rough! We are counting down the days until January 10th. :)

Oh BOY! Head over Hills...

Lots of pictures...

Only had to supplement with formula for a day...
My OB Doctor, Dr. John Foster, a great doctor...
Dr. Patrick Farr, Kate and Luke's Pediatrician, also very good...

Welcome Sweet Baby Boy

Luke Donovan Farmer entered the world at 12:16pm Monday, November 29th, 2010. He was shown to me but instead of getting whisked away like Kate did last time, he stayed with us and went straight to our room with us. Mine and Don's family met him shortly thereafter. What a blessing he has been to us. He is the warmest, cuddliest little thing I have ever seen. Kate hasn't shown him a ton of attention yet but she does know who he is. She is currently staying with Mamey and Pop and to be honest she showed Don and I very little attention today when she was up at the hospital. I do miss her but know she is getting excellent care from my parents. We go home Thursday. I will update everyone with more pictures then. Thanks for all the prayers on Luke and my behalf.

Looks like "Tiff" won the baby guessing game pool (SEE HERE). Luke weighed 8lbs 10 ounces, was 21 inches long, and entered the world at 12:16p.m. via C-section. She gave an estimated date of arrival of 11/27 at 2:12 p.m. "Tiff" I am going to try to come up with you a pumpkin gift due to your obsession. Give me a little time. Nichole, you were a close second. :) I would like to point out that this here mama was almost perfect on his weight and length. I got the length right at 21 and was 2 ounces off the weight. I however was 12 days off delivery date however I would have been spot on IF I didn't try to V-Back. :)

Thanksgiving Week & Wade & Gretchen Visit

Uncle Wade and Aunt Gretchen arrived on Monday. We love when they come to visit. Tuesday we drove up to the lake and showed them the progress on the lake house. When we were up there we noticed our cousin Joe and his family were next door visiting my aunt and uncle so we were happy to catch up with them. Before arriving at the lake we stopped by AllSteak in Cullman and had their wonderful vegetables with Famous Orange Rolls. Wade was a fan of those orange rolls as we all are. It was funny because on the way up Kate was a little scared of Wade and all of his loud, get-in-your face kinda ways. On the way home, she was obsessed with him. Gretchen and I took a picture of the difference in our bellies when we got to mom and dads. I think you can tell a few months difference in our due dates...

Wednesday I had my last doctor's visit. Afterwards we we to eat at OCarrs in Homewood. Gretchen and I took off after that and got pedicures at the Venetian at the Summit. We really enjoyed that as I don't think either one of us ever splurge on ourselves. I did mess up my 2 big toes before I ever left the salon. :( Afterwards we met up with Mamey, Pop, and Kate at the galleria and all watched as dad lassoed Kate onto the reindeer. We also had to all wave every time she went by. She loved all the attention.

And then there is Thanksgiving Day at Mom and Dad's. What a crazy group! :) So long due date, it was nice knowing you. :)

2

My title equals my progress. Another doctor in the group saw me today. He gave me the run down on the doctors on call from now through Monday. Not sure if that meant he thought I would go into labor myself or not. Anyway, here's to progress! If baby does not come by halftime of the Iron Bowl, we are pulling out all the stops! :)

We're Still Having Fun...and You're Still the One

Still here. Just wanted to post some pics of recent happenings.

2 Fridays ago, Kate, Petey and I drove up to my parents because my dad had just had knee surgery and I knew my parents would be staying at home. We stayed about 4 hours and Kate and Petey had a blast. While I was backing out of the driveway, I saw this...

It was too sweet not to post. Thank you for still being there for each other, good and bad (and no they didn't mean to match). Also the title of this post is their song. :)

The next pictures were taken last Wednesday after my 39 week checkup. Mom and I took Kate to the galleria. We built a Build-a-Bear for Baby Boy (B.B.) from Kate and one from B.B. to Kate. :) B.B. got a teddy bear with sewn on eyes (less choking hazard) and it is washable. Because of him getting an Alabama football shirt and red shorts, we named him Paul Bear. :) We did a puppy dog for Kate because it was the only other animal that was washable. She was dressed in a pink Hello Kitty shirt (yes ironic for a dog) and pink Hello Kitty panties. We did panties due to us starting potty training REAL soon. Puppy dog was named Repete after our real life dog Petey. But since Repete is a girl dog, we decided we probably should pronouce as Repeta. :) Mamey took those home with her and will bring them to hospital for an exhange on B.B.'s birthday. After Build-a-Bear, Kate and Mamey rode the Christmas carousel, then we bought coke icees and sugar cookies. Not a bad shopping trip for little Kate.

Update on Baby Boy

NO PROGRESS! :)

So, we scheduled a C-section for Monday, November 29th at 12pm if he doesn't come by my due date (Turkey Day, November 25th). I have been pregnant for an eternity now. :) Oh, I have officially lost my own "guess baby's birthday" (see here) game because I said November 17th weighing 8lbs 12ounce. That would be today! The doctor did say he felt like an 8lber now. :)

Maternity Pics - 32.5 weeks

Okay, this might be a little picture overload but wanted to share a few pictures from our Maternity Shoot at the beginning of October.

Patience

This baby boy is probably going to act like his father. Never get in a hurry for anything Okay, I might be premature saying that BUT I MIGHT just be right. I went to doctor on Wednesday, no progression. So we sit and wait. His due date isn't until November 25th, Thanksgiving Day. So I will give him until then. I don't really want to go much past my due date. My doctor is out the WHOLE week of Thanksgiving. He didn't deliver Kate either. Next appointment is this coming Wednesday at 10am so I will try to update my blog, that is unless I am in the hospital. :)

Putting Things in Perspective

I am up at 5am on a Sunday. This is however the "Fall Back" Sunday so I guess my body thinks it is 6am (but really I was up an hour ago). Last night 2/3 of my family was trying to be in a bad mood about something that really doesn't matter. It's so funny how something that is suppose to be fun can mess with your emotions so much. Anyway, my mind and body has a way of fighting off negativity when I am confronted. SO thankful for this. But really what helped was looking at my little Kate...Smiley, not a care in the world, just wanting to have fun doing whatever that might be. Aren't children just the MOST precious thing ever!?! They are so innocent and so loving and SO genuine. You know exactly how they are feeling and why they are feeling it. If something hurts their feelings they are OVER it in a second. I have loved my life but I will have to say there are many times I am a tad bit jealous of Kate's youth and all she has to look forward to in this life. Wow, the future is bright! It is bright for D and I too. We get to go on this journey with her and her little brother. What a blessing! I look forward to trips to the ballpark and snacks from the concession stands, girl sleepover parties, school plays and pageants, Friday night football games, Senior Proms, Freshman year of college, marrying them off one day, and meeting our new grandbabies. It all just seems like so much fun. While I am so excited about the future, I have to remember to live for today and the joys of it. Life seems to be in fast forward now and I can't slow it down. I am thankful for my life and the people in it.

Halloween & Such

Wow, it has been a while since a blog post. Life has been pretty tiring lately. We are busy getting things ready for little man while at the same time keeping Kate active and busy. I am 37 weeks now which equals FULL TERM. Thank you so much for your prayers! Please keep praying specifically for a healthy boy and easy delivery. Oh, that is another thing. I am trying to not have a C-section this time. I did last time. Time will tell whether I will be able to do this. My doctor said last week that "we will talk" this coming week. I schedule my appointments on Wednesday so I will know something then.

Last weekend we celebrated Halloween with a Halloween Party Saturday night and some treat-or-treating Sunday night. There is a handful of houses in our neighborhood that REALLY get into Halloween so that is where we went. Kate was suppose to be a smaller version of my costume...a PENGUIN...but she would not even allow us near her with it. I thought it was appropriate for both of us since I feel like I am waddling now and for her since she walks on her tip toes and can be a little unstable. So Sunday night we had to let her wear her Alabama cheerleader uniform so that she would earn the right for candy. As you can tell in one of my pictures below, Kate got a little spooked at one house and her dada had to assure her it was okay. He also was responsible for inspecting the goods and taking his share of 2/3 off the top.

This week was also busy where we met Jessica and her little boy Wallace at the park. Wallace has just starting walking so it has real opened up his world to the possibilities. I wish I had gotten more face pictures of them but hard when they are on the move!

My sister-in-law, Gretchen, had her 20 week ultrasound on Wednesday. She is using a midwife so this was her first ultrasound to have with the baby. They are not finding out the sex but they did get to see the chambers of the heart, spine, kidneys and lots of other stuff. Everything looks healthy!

Home Stretch & Growth

Up at 4:45 - 5 a.m. this morning. This pregnancy has been interesting but I guess compared to Kate's, very normal. Thank you for all the prayers. I am thinking that after the first trimester was over, I have pretty much been getting up once a night if not twice to go to the bathroom. I don't recall that with Kate. I have been a real emotional roller coaster (which at least at the beginning). I have experienced a few other not so pleasant pregnancy effects this time too. I went to the doctor for my 33 week checkup and the belly measured in at 34 weeks. At 31 week, the belly was at 31. Interesting to see what this week's measurement is. The good news is, we are on the home stretch! Bad news is that I have a cold/sinus infection for about the 3rd or 4th time in a 1.5 months. Yeah, its ridiculous but what do you do. Here is a 32 week picture. This was taken right before Don and I left to head to T-town for the Bama/Florida game. We won that game by alot. We have since lost a game. :( Good news though, if we keep winning, it shouldn't be a problem. Just keep winning BOYS!

Countdown to Baby Boy Farmer - 38 days or less!

Countdown to Halloween - 13 days (12 for the activities)

Countdown to Thanksgiving - 38 days :)

Countdown to see Wade and Gret and baby bump - 37 days!

One more note of significance. My sweet Kate measured 35 inches at her 2 year check-up (October 13th). If you double that, that means she will be 5'10" full grown. We'll see about that! Don and I measured her at her birthday party and we measured 33.5 inches. That equates to 5'7". I would think she might be somewhere in between there. Also, she was 30 pounds! Both of these measurements were the 75-90th percentile!

Kate is "CHEW"

Today I am 33 weeks and 2 days pregnant. Rewind two years ago, I was having my first child at 33 weeks and 2 days. Pretty scary for a first time mother but I was so excited about her that it was hard for me to dwell on what could go wrong. Thankfully she is doing amazing and I thank God for that. We celebrated Kate's birth today with her Mamey and Pop, Mawmaw and Pawpaw, Aunt Tabitha, Uncle Rob, and Cousins Ryan and Reid. She loved having all of them down. I have never seen her this hyper. It kinda reminded me of my older brother when mom would let one of his friends come over, he would get so hyper. We missed you Wade and Gretchen! Here are a few pictures from her actual birthday yesterday and some from today.