I became that mom

Just a little story....

Olivia woke up extra early, at 6 am, today and so we got up as Matt helped to get her some breakfast and headed to work. I made myself a half caf latte today instead of my usual decaf, very aware that my 28 hr day just turned into a 29 hour day. We get into breakfast and I spot some cookie cutters that I purchased randomly years ago. Like 10 years ago. I remember when I bought them that hoped I would make cookies with them with some kids from the hall since I never made cookies myself with them. As the childless work and life filled busy years passed, , I remember thinking as I would occasionally see these heart and star shaped cookie cutters in my utensil drawer, that "if" I ever had kids I would be the mom that made sandwiches into fun shapes. If not for their enjoyment but mine too.

It is a real surprise to not only have kept those unopened cookie cutters all these years, but also a surprise to find myself with 2 babies! Well here I am and today was the day I used those cookie cutters. I made myself my daily dose of Ezekiel cinnamon raisin english muffins and spotted those cookie cutters, opened the package and stamped those little stars from my muffins. I was so proud to deliver Olivia her glorious little star toasts. Though she picked all the raisins out and left the stars out cold, that didn't matter. Today was the day.

I became "that" mom.

Olivia 20 months

Olivia is now 20 months and is one busy girl!

She wants to be in on all the action and makes sure she is. She likes to keep busy with anything and everything that's at her reach.

She can now reach up onto the kitchen counters well so we have to be very careful about what we leave there. She often can be found on her tiptoes reaching up saying "snack , snack!". The girl loves to snack.

Yesterday she pulled herself up onto a bar stool, stood up, and was about to climb onto the counter. She is figuring out how to reach new heights and it is scary!!

She also likes to dig in plants. She takes her tea cups, plates and utensils and sets them up by our plant and digs in for some dirt pie making. What a mess! Sounds like we'd better get her that easy bake oven soon instead.

She thoroughly enjoys pulling her clothes out of drawers, Noah's clean diapers out of baskets and getting her hands on anything else can be revealed or opened. In fact now she daily spots and calls out "ma-man, ma-man!", as the mail man drives by, hoping for a box to open. With all the online ordering we do, she gets lots of enjoyment these days opening the boxes.

A busy bee for sure, Olivia is full of energy, curiosity and unending enthusiasm for do-ing.

One of my favorite things she says right now is when Matt whistles she says " daddy woohoo" in a high pitched voice. With the same pitch in her voice she says " bock bock!" when she sees or is eating chicken. It is the funniest thing and cracks us up. She even says "yacka" like her daddy, when he does.

She will imitate everyone and anyone. This is such a fun stage and we can't get enough of her constant entertainment.



Like we all are, Olivia is obsessed with her baby brother. She calls us "mama-Noah".

Regression?? Just funnin around.

Sunny side up.
Olivia breaks in her new shades over breakfast.

Big sister

Ready for our "walk" to look for "meow's, doggy's and tweet tweet's".

Due Date

8 weeks and almost 20 months old

Matt is back to work and just finished his tour of 3 24 hr shifts. My hands were full without dad around but it felt good to continue toward a typical routine. And fortunately friends and family were available to lend a hand to make my first week
without Matt a bit less daunting. I am so appreciative of that and will continue to recruit help as I can in the next few weeks. Once I am not pumping 7-9 times a day on top of feeding Noah my hands will be a bit freer to manage the kids easier. All in all, we are in a nice groove and schedule of sorts and things feel good. Not easy, but good.

Olivia is continuing to adjust well to Noah being around. She says his name all day long, looks for him first thing when she wakes up, and makes sure to give him a kiss goodnight. I have a feeling they will be great buddy's.

Olivia loves to talk up a storm, stringing sentences together and adding more words to her vocabulary daily. She has quite a sense of humor and creativity that I am sure will continue to bloom in the months ahead. While she is expressing her desires more and more which brings it's challenges, she also grows more and more affectionate, cooperative and entertaining. It is never a dull moment with her and a lot of fun.



Here she is goofing around pretending she is Noah in his bed. She is such a kick!

Noah's due date was just a few days ago on the 2nd of February. He is now almost 2 month old and weighs in at about 6 3/4 lbs. He is so adorable and I love having him wear all the adorable hats he has received from friends and "dressing him up" in cool boy clothes. He is a hat guy, like his daddy. He feels like my little doll, and I am having so much fun. He is starting to act more like a newborn. A little more verbal with his needs with a bit more of a commanding cry. I suppose, that is a good sign that he is making great progress developmentally.

He is taking 6 bottles of breast milk and 2 breast feeding sessions a day. Our goal is to transition to fully breastfeeding over the next month ahead. We will be dropping 1 bottle and adding in a breastfeed once a week til we reach a 7/1 ratio. The 1 bottle will be so I can get a stretch of sleep at night. Genius!! We didn't get much sleep at all Olivia's newborn days and we suffered. What do they say?: Hindsight is 20/20.

My milk supply is holding to just keep up with Noah's needs. I am thankful for that, but as his volume of milk has increased as he grows, I want to increase my volume. So I will be increasing my pumping from every 3 hours to every 2 hours in hopes to see an increase. I will also see a lactation specialist in 2 weeks for more assistance with the transition from bottle to breast. Pumping and his feeding has been more of a challenge than I could have imagined. A huge hill that I feel we are right in the middle of. Although this process is constantly worry inducing, I am determined and confident that we will see the horizon and enjoy many months of less effort filled breast feeding ahead. In the mean time, I need to keep my chin up and nose to the grind at the same time to make that happen. Pump, pump, pump!

Although challenging at times for a part-time socialite like me, we are managing well with the isolation. We have had family and a service group of friends stop by, and i have been popping out for a quick hello to the neighbors. Other than that it is pretty much just Dr's appointments for Noah and I. We are also limiting Olivia and Matt's exposure to germs also for the next few weeks still and hope to all return to meetings in a few weeks. What a reunion that will be for me. Ah, I can't wait!!

Things to look forward to ahead in February:

A hair appointment!!
A visit from friends from Sacramento.
Olivia's run bike arriving so we can try it out.
Noah turning 7lbs. 007 to be exact.
More visits from Grandma this month.
Getting walks in at Seacliff.
Breast feeding

MWM2K

Married working mom of 2 kids.
Let the fun begin!

We now enjoy the life with 2 kids. A WHOLE different story. Especially one being a preemie. The first week home with all under the same roof, we got sick. Horribly sick with the stomach bug. I don't think there is anything worse for a parent that for both parents to be sick at the same time, with a sick child, and a preemie. It was Olivia's first official time being sick. Congratulations Olivia! You made it to 19 months! Impressive, indeed.

Moving on. We are in a pretty great groove. Or at least I am feeling a bit more in a groove with a newborn and a toddler at home. Each day has some flexibility and some routine. Just the way I like it.

Noah is on a 3 hour feeding schedule since being home. The same schedule he was on in the NICU. He is like clockwork which is nice and predictable and helps set the day's structure. He is talking 6 bottles of 2 oz each a day of pumped milk and 2 breastfeeding sessions a day. We are weighing weekly to make sure he is gaining weight appropriately. Last weeks weigh in he weighed 6.3 lbs. I look forward longingly to the time I can exclusively breastfeed him. Except for the occasional bottle to allow for sleep and a pedicure or lunch date or.. He is doing great and I know we will reach that goal soon. The estimation is approximately 4 weeks from his "due" date. For now: "pump, pump pump!" says the lactation specialist. ugg

Noah is a mellow baby so far. Just eating, sleeping, burping, poop and pee-ing. A few cries here and there but only when he is hungry or has gas or a burp. We are so much more relaxed this time around I am sure that has something to do with it too. And that he was in the NICU and is used to noise, lights, self soothing. We will see if that lasts as he reaches his gestational due date.

Olivia is a star. Ok well a toddler star. She is becoming very personalized. Expressing her desire for independence and a mind and voice of her own. Hmm. It is challenging but oh so fun and entertaining to boot. This is no easy stage for parents. Between Matt and I's different upbringing experience with discipline we seem to have a nice balance happening. She is responding well so far and knows limits. She tests them, but she knows them.

She is a little mother at times and a big sister the other. She wants to share with Noah her milk, her books, her sausage. Pretty much everything. She helps burp him, diaper him and kisses and hugs him constantly. She touches his toes and cracks up thinking they are so funny. She picks flowers for him and now when she is supposed to kiss and tell me good night, she says: "ni-ni Noah" and reaches over to kiss Noah, totally bypassing me. What?! Yup. Ah well, At least she loves him. Alot.

Olivia, now 19 months, says pretty much anything. She cant articulate everything, but says well over 100 words. She says "applesauce" as her first 3 syllable word and is putting together 2 and 3 word sentences very well. She can also read about 15 words or so since we have been showing her the My Baby Can Read series since she was about 13 months or so. She is incredible. The doctor recently noted her particularly large (like off the charts) head and we are attributing it to her extra large brains. Of course we are. Oh, and those Arnold skulls.


For now we are keeping the family in isolation since it is RSV and flu season. We will keep Noah home for another month, then return to meetings and careful exposure. It is socially and mentally challenging at times to be isolated, but it is well worth it to keep him healthy and out of the hospital. Soon, it will all be a distant memory..

I have been able to return to walking with Olivia, which was one of the greatest things I missed being on bed rest. Ahh the ocean air, Jehovah's scenery, and endorphines. Who can beat that! I love getting our walks in as we can and Olivia enjoys it too.

Matt is doing great. Being the father of all fathers. Managing his household so well. We are all so happy and he greatly contributes to that.

Matt goes back to work next week so the story will change! Eeek! I am trying not to over worry about that, but change AGAIN. My goal is to do nothing but get through the 24 hrs. Not getting out of my pj's, taking care of the kids and nothing else til Matt returns the next day, then straight off to a long nap. I know it will go well, especially since I have recruited my sister and niece to come help! HA! Hey everybody needs a little help. Especially this mom of 2.

My "do-it-myself" days are over. Thank you very much. I have 2 kids.




Noah first week home. 37 weeks adjusted. 5 weeks old.

Back at the beach!!

Happy big sister.

Noah 6 weeks old.

After some rainy days Olivia gets outside for some play time in her "sand pots". She writes in chalk as she says her friends names.

Noah and I during a bottle feeding. 7 weeks old.