Everyone Cheer, David is Here!

This post is long past due, but I must say that being a mommy to two is a whole new ball game!  That aside, welcome our beautiful boy, David Victor Weaver!  He was born on January 29th at 10:28 am, weighing 5 lbs. 8 oz. and was 18.3" long at 36.4 weeks gestation.  We chose his name loosely inspired by my idol, Dave Matthews and of course the amazing Biblical figure King David, and his middle name is the same as Cary's and his late great grandfather's 1st name.

During the last two weeks of my pregnancy, my blood pressure started to rise and there was also a minor issue with the umbilical cord.  In the final weeks, I was on bed rest and undergoing a battery of tests on a weekly basis to make sure David and I were fine.  I never entered into full preeclampsia and my OB's goal was to make sure that didn't happen, so as my blood pressure got higher and became less controlled with bed rest, we decided to go ahead and deliver.

I was nervous this time because I have read that boy's lungs are not as strong and I did not have a steroid injection like I did with Margo.  Hearing David's big, loud cry was music to my ears when he was born and I just knew he was fine!  The second time around I knew what to expect and the delivery was an easy process.  The OR nurses were outstanding and I found the delivery process, even with a cesarean, to be so great!

My delivery experience with David was so much easier than with Margo in the sense that he did not have to go to the NICU.  At first, they weighed him 2 oz. lighter and were going to send him for observation.  I was so disappointed.  After I got into recovery, I was so excited when they rolled him in and told me they had reweighed him in the nursery and he could come with me.  I got to do kangaroo time with him and started successfully breast feeding him in recovery.  It was so special!  I remember waiting six arduous hours to see Margo and was so glad I could immediately start bonding with David.

Margo came to visit David that first afternoon and really did not know what to think. 
She was pretty uninterested, concerned about me and looked at David, gave him a few pats and kissed him on command.  Otherwise, she was dancing and exploring the hospital room all in her own little world.  I did see one twinge of jealousy as she was leaving and my mom was holding David.  She kept repeatedly asking Grannie to hold her and clearly did not like that she was holding David.  The 2nd day she came, she came in the room and called my sister, "mommy" (who was keeping her), how bazaar, asking her to hold her.  Not sure where that came from, but she was definitely confused.

During the hospital stay, I found it so much easier to care for David and it is true how quickly things come back to you.  Unlike Margo, he was successfully breast feeding every 2-3 hours and I could already tell he was going to be a sweet and sensitive boy.  Those were the two words I used to describe him and I think hold true to his little budding personality even today.  He had great alert periods and seemed excited and eager to join the world! 

This time around, I was not as happy with Women's Hospital, but perhaps it is because I was not on the post partum floor.  By the time I actually delievered, my blood pressure was so high that I had to be administered a magnesium drip, which they did not do with Margo even though my preeclampsia was more severe.  Apparently, this requires closer monitoring, so I was placed on the ante partum floor where pregnant women with complications are placed.  The nurses were not near as good and did not seem near as knowledgable about life after delivery.  Some of the nurses were flat out terrible!  I also had the most horrendous swelling you have ever seen in your life.  Frankly, it scared me... I truly looked like the elephant man and my skin was so tight it was unbelievable.  Diuretics did not help and I actually had to battle high blood pressure and severe swelling for several weeks after my delivery. 

After three long days in the hospital and a third day from hell on the pain spectrum, I was so excited to bring David home.  Cary and I brought him home to a quiet house while Margo was at school, did our best to get settled and he picked her up and brought her home to a whole new world.  I must say, Margo has done great!  She is a sweet and loving big sister, showing very little jealousy and more patience than I expected, given I gave her my undivided attention for the past 2.5 years.

I, on the other hand, experienced the usual pains of adjusting to life with a new baby.  I do not handle sleep deprivation well at all, but can handle most other crises with stoicism and strength.  You could find me wailing and lamenting over the adjustment of my new life with two and longing for my old life with one almost every day.  I think it is important to be realistic about having a baby and while it brings you so much joy and excitement, it does not come without a considerable amount of stress, fear, exhaustion, hormonal adjustments, etc...  I wish someone would have told me the first and second time around, how tough it would be.  They are completely different experiences and I must say I found it easier to adjust and bond with David, but it did not come without a lot of anxiety and struggles as well.

Nonetheless, I am thrilled to have a healthy baby boy and an amazing big sister to complete our little family that means so much to me--it is truly my world, this little brood of mine.  I know Margo and David are going to benefit so much from one another and that Cary and I are so lucky to have two precious children with the sweetest little spirits.  I count my blessings everyday for the gift of this new amazing life in David which has been so generously bestowed upon us.  We have the perfect family of four, although really imperfect in all reality, but perfect in my eyes and I could not be happier.  Welcome, David, my beautiful boy, my sweet little buddy!  I cannot wait to get to know you!

In the meantime...

Being a new mom with a toddler has really been an adjustment for me.  I cannot seem to get a blog update done to welcome our sweet David.  I like to note all the details for my future memories.

So... In the meantime, here is a series of funny videos of Margo.  She has a new favorite activity.  Her babies and animals all have poop, she changes them, puts them to sleep and sometimes feeds them.  Her imagination is incredible to me!  I don't know where she comes up with this stuff, but I am guessing this is from observing me with David.

These are a bit lengthy, but so worth it in my opinion.  Enjoy our funny girl busy at play!

Pregnancy is a Chore in Week 34

A chore, yes, but hallelujah... week 34 is when I got put on bedrest and was experiencing full on preeclampsia with Margo.  This time around, my blood pressure is holding steady and there is no protein in my urine, which is fantastic news and is exactly what my doctor set out to acheive.

The day before my 34th week was my last day of work.  My how timing is impeccible!!  The next day my OB said it was time for me to quit when he saw the degree of my swelling.  He did not put me on bedrest, however, and just instructed me to take it really easy, nap when Margo naps, etc...

I am so thrilled that my body is holding steady and am truly hopeful I will make it to February 5th, David's scheduled delivery date at 37.5 weeks.  Wow, it snuck up on me fast!  So why a chore?? 

Uuuggghhh, this pregnancy has been hell from the get go with one crappy symptom after another.  17 weeks of all day sickness, never ending fatigue and intermittent insomnia, heart burn that would make a grown man cry and more.  Now, I have just settled on the fact that I probably will not sleep until this baby is born--I am averaging 3-4 hours of sleep a night.  My limbs fall asleep no matter which way I turn and I can't seem to turn off my mind.  Literally, every single muscle in my body aches, especially my hands, legs, hips and belly. To get off of the couch or out of bed in the middle of the night is pure torture because it hurts so bad.  The skin underneath my breast bone feels like it is on fire 24/7.  I have Fred Flinstone feet and cankles, as well as vienna sausage fingers, sexy!!  I am having lots of Braxton Hicks contractions which are annoying--sometimes 10 in an hour, but they go away if I rest, thank goodness.

Week 34 and I do not even look like myself!

Whah, whah, whah, I know... I am hoping all of these difficult symptoms are a trade-off for last pregnancy's preeclampsia.  I am just tired this time and feel that this go round has been extra hard.  In these last three weeks, I have to spend each Monday at Women's Hospital having two hours of tests run to make sure baby and mommy are ok.  My doctor is very nervous about the possible sudden onset of preeclampsia that can occur in the final weeks and is taking every precaution necessary. 

My daily injections are getting very difficult as my belly growns.  I have very large bruises and knots in some areas and last night I had to stick myself twice.  The second time it was like I hit a roadblock and the medicine would not come out.  I just threw the darn syringe in the sink and decided to forget it.  BUT... these shots have most definitely done the trick!  I feel almost certain that had I not had them, the preeclampsia would have returned, even earlier this time, and David would probably be here already, trying to survive in the NICU.  I would do this over and over again for a healthy baby and am so glad my doctor is so diligent and cautious.

So... three weeks left and we all need lots of prayer... that my body continues to cooperate, that David continues to grow in a healthy way, that mom, dad and Margo can enjoy our last weeks together and prepare for the changes upon us in a fun and healthy way.  We are all getting very excited and anxious at the same time! 

Update after I wrote this:  Had my first round of tests at Women's and everything is great except... My umbilical cord is showing some restriction that could affect the baby's ability to receive oxygen and nutrition.  Right now he is doing perfectly with a great heart rate, tons of movement, etc... But, back to the Maternal Fetal Medicine specialist I go (same as the one I saw with Margo) for a second opinion.  I will now be even more closely monitored and there is a chance my delivery will be bumped up to 36 or 37 weeks should things progress in an unhealthy way.  The thing I am most nervous about it watching closely for decreased fetal movement and staying on top of my kick counts.  Geez, my body is clearly not equipped for pregnancy.  If it's not one thing, it's another!

Ending the Year with Christmas Cheer‏

I was worried about being exhausted and pregnant over the holidays, but I think God blessed me with one last burst of energy which enabled me to get it all together and enjoy the beauty of the Christmas season. I managed to put out a few decorations and got the tree decorated thanks to Cary picking out yet another perfect tree this year and the Weavers putting the lights on. About 95% of my gifts were purchased and wrapped by the 1st week in December, we had two advent calendars to enjoy with Margo and she loved her little tree in her big girl room!

I was able to feel the magic of Christmas in anticipation of the birth of Christ and loved seeing the wonder and excitement in Margo this year! One of my favorite holiday moments was a simple walk that Cary and I took after dark with Margo to see the lights in our neighborhood. She thought it was so neat and held our hands the entire way, stopping to touch the blow up Santas in the yards and marvel at the pretty lights. It was one of those last significant moments for me to remember as a family of three, walking together hand-in-hand, in the quiet and cold of the night with so much to be grateful for and look forward to. We also had a fun night driving through River Oaks to look at Christmas lights after dinner at Chuy’s and a special trip to the Chocolate Bar which Margo thought was really special. All was going perfectly until…

…Margo decided to get one of her worst illnesses ever just two days before Christmas. We are talking 105.4 fever, non-stop coughing all night long and pure misery for our little angel. Really? Seriously? Margo was sick with a high fever the year prior over Christmas. Really? Are you kidding me? That is what I felt as exhaustion and sadness set in for my precious little one. I so wanted her to love Christmas this year and enjoy every moment. O’well, things don’t always go as planned, but fortunately we were able to get her into the doctor on Christmas Eve just before our celebration with my family. We were all tired and I was emotional, but we made the best out of a crummy situation and had a wonderful Christmas Eve with my sister and mom.

Caroline helping Margo open gifts.

Checking out her new doggie that sleeps with her now!

Margo was pretty out of it, but she still had fun opening presents and liked tearing off the paper more than the actual gifts. Blue being her favorite color, she wanted to open everyone’s blue packages. Her cousins helped her and the weather was warm, so we spent some time outside, listened to Christmas tunes and had an amazing meal. My brother-in-law, Alan, makes the BEST beef tenderloin you have ever had, seasoned and cooked perfectly, better than any steak in a restaurant, with all of the yummy fixings! By the time lunch was over, Margo could not last another minute, so Cary took her home and I treated myself to a small glass of wine, we sang “Happy Birthday” to Jesus and I had a little time to unwind and be with my family.

Happy Birthday, Jesus!  I made red velvet from scratch!

Margo's amazing cousins who are so good to her!

After one dose of antibiotics or perhaps the virus running its course, Margo was already improving by Christmas Day, although the night was pretty sleepless. I gave her a good dose of Advil Christmas morning and she enjoyed the day. She was groggy and puny for the big Santa reveal and just sat staring at everything in awe for a while. I don’t think she had any idea that Santa was really going to bring her all of that stuff. Once her meds kicked in, she got excited and looked at all of her toys and things. I swore we would do a small Christmas for her because I felt like her birthday was so over-the-top, but it is hard. I would be out and about and see something that reminded me of her and add it to the stash of Santa gifts or her stocking.

As usual, she received her nine books from Santa’s reindeer and a sleeping bag and lunch box for her new school. Plus, she got mega blocks which keep her occupied, a train and one of her favorites is the make-up kit which is like mommy’s. She has been getting into my make-up and wanting to play with it for a long time, plus she loves playing with my expensive make-up mirror, so I knew it would be a hit. Now, she sits at her little table and "gets ready" while I get ready-ha! It is so cute how they want to emulate us! The one thing she repeatedly asked Santa for was an umbrella and a kitty, so she got a kitty cat umbrella and rain boots. I can’t wait to let her play in the warm spring showers with her rain gear!

We hosted Christmas Day at our house, which will become the new tradition with Cary’s family because I want to keep the kids at home to stay in their routine and enjoy their Christmas loot. This year, we took a different route and did brunch which was so easy and everyone seemed to really like. The food was yummy and it was an easy laid-back day enjoyed by all. Margo opened tons of packages and had more stuff than she knew what to do with. We shared laughter and made memories and despite the exhausting illness, we ended the year on a great note with lots of Christmas cheer!

Loving her new guitar!

My beautiful one!

Happy girl!

Checking out Nemo!

Family!

GiGi opening her surprise!

Dream come true and big changes for our Margie Poo!

The next two months are going to be momentous for the Weavers and especially Margo, who will be facing a lot of changes.

On an incredibly exciting note, I have decided to make a big career move and leave the work force to start my new career as a stay-at-home mom. For those who know me well, they know this is all I have ever really wanted in life. It is something I even wrote about in college, expressing my thoughts on the importance of being a stay-at-home mom in a persuasive paper that was not well received by the liberals of Southwestern University! That aside, I am getting to see my one and only real dream in life come true and I could not be more grateful. Motherhood suits me, I think it is what God made me for and to be able to devote myself 100% to my family means more to me than anything. There will be sacrifices involved, but I think the trade-off will be worth so much more than the extra income or freedom could ever be. I actually cannot wait to clean my own house because my maids have gotten worse and worse by the week and I especially cannot wait to devote more time to providing healthy meals for our family. I am hoping I will have the energy to start going to church again and enjoy the weekend with the family instead of doing laundry or grocery shopping.

So… on January 10^th I will say goodbye to the working world and Margo will also say goodbye to her little peers and teachers at our beloved day school, Grace Episcopal. With this change, we cannot afford to keep her in a full day program as much as I hate to say goodbye to the place that I trust and she has finally grown to love (after a one year adjustment period). The following Monday, Margo will start her new two-day Mother’s Day Out program at the wonderful little Methodist church around the corner. It is a true miracle that we were able to get Margo into the one and only slot that opened in the whole school, for her age group in January (the only slot that opened in a whole school year), which I think is a sign it was meant to be. I can even walk with David to take or pick her up, which will be fantastic!

I have mommy fears though… Will it take another year to adjust? Will she be bored because the program is shorter? Will she be bored as the oldest in the class? Will she be bored because she is so verbally advanced? I am clearly worried she will be bored. The curriculum in MDO is not as strong as her current school and she is not eligible for pre-school until next September because of her 9/10 birthday falling after 9/1. However, they have a separate music class with separate teachers which I know she will LOVE… or will she be scared of the new teachers? I will be packing her lunch. Will she give up on trying things since she is already so picky and is forced to try the hot lunches and healthy snacks at her current school? Will she survive the day with only a 1 or 1.5 hour nap?

All of these are big changes for a two year old, and especially our sensitive little girl considering this will take place ONLY three weeks before David will be born. Yes, that one snuck up on me! The pregnancy is going well and I am crossing my fingers it continues this way. If so, my doctor will deliver at 37.5 weeks which is less than two months away—yikes! I am so ill-prepared and I am so worried about making sure Margo’s little world will feel safe and secure and nurturing for her. Don’t get me wrong, I am thrilled about David, but so sad at the same time that I will no longer be able to devote myself 100% to Margo. I have the mixed emotions of a pregnant mama. Margo is an exceptionally good and sweet, fun child… I am so worried this new baby is going to tarnish her special little spirit, but I know in my mind that is really silly. I know how important my siblings are to me and that the lifetime of benefit I am providing to both of them is immeasurable.  Not to mention that we are probably a bit off balance, doting obsessively a bit over our sweet girl. I know that David will eventually create a balance and harmony in both ours and Margo’s life that is needed to mature in a healthy way.

So… please keep all of us, and especially Margo, who has a hard time with change in your prayers in the coming months as we start a new journey as a family of four and the many changes that come along with that for her. More updates to come!!!  In the meantime, enjoy this precious video of her singing.  Maybe she will be the next Celine Dion--ha ha--and excuse the lull in the middle of the video, but watch to the end.

 

 

Margo's Big Girl Room in Full Bloom!

Margo’s big girl room was a lot of fun to put together and I really wanted to make it special for her, especially with a new little brother coming onto the scene soon. I was lucky enough to receive custom made twin beds with applique'd bows on the head and foot boards that were my nieces, as well as some beautiful custom made bedding that my sister literally never used on them. While I felt a bit challenged with colors that were not in the pink palette, I was so excited to have such beautiful and luxurious things to work with.

I wanted to find some art that would compliment the bedding and that would have a young, fun feel to it. “You are my Sunshine” being my signature song for Margo, I began my search within that theme and landed upon some precious pictures from my favorite, etsy.com, artist here. The artist customized them for me a bit and I think they look absolutely perfect, bright and fun with the bedding! Margo loves them too, especially the blue birdie.

Next on our project list was refinishing the dresser and mirror that goes back to my oldest sister’s childhood furniture. It is a great solid brand, Drexel Heritage, and I loved the curves and lines of it. I thought it would be a real shame to let it go to waste, but did not like the old finish with the painted on decorations, so the uncrafty and unhandy pair of us got to work. My mom had previously mentioned chalk paint to me and then I read about it on another blog. This is a product that claims to require no sanding, stripping, priming, etc… That is right down my alley and despite the extra cost of the paint, it was much more cost effective than paying a professional to refinish the furniture.

Before

 We started with the clean piece of furniture and worked for a few hours a night. It took about a week to complete. We did two coats of Annie Sloan’s chalk paint that we purchased in New Braunfels with a free little tutorial from the sweet store owners. After the first coat, I was a bit panicked. The brush strokes were very obvious and I was not getting the smooth look that I wanted. I switched from Annie Sloan’s pricey brush to a regular wide natural bristle brush from Home Depot for the second coat. This was easier to use and gave the look I wanted, plus the second coat just made a big difference. The next step was distressing a little on the edges and cleaning things up before we put on the signature clear wax coating which seals everything in. I painted and Cary waxed because the wax is more toxic and requires more muscle to apply. Here, we ran into a snafu… you are supposed to use a soft, clean cloth to buff the wax until it is no longer tacky feeling. The shirt I gave Cary to use had lint on it, which got stuck in the wax. He tried to buff it out with no success, I freaked out and we decided to add another coat of paint. Too bad, I think it looked better before the third coat of paint, but it worked to cover the lint and Cary finished the project the next night with a lint free t-shirt!

After

 I would say that being seven months pregnant and sleep deprived from insomnia, this was a tough yet easy project at the same time. For the amount we spent on paint ($100), it turned out incredibly beautiful and I am really pleased! My family said it looked like a piece you could buy at Doodles or Nest and Cot for over a $1000. We will see how it holds up. I hope Annie Sloan’s chalk paint lives up to its name. I would definitely recommend it and use it again after this experience and I am proud of us for trying something new and challenging!

I also had Margo go and pick out a little Christmas tree for her room and she knew exactly what she wanted… the metallic aqua blue tree. We had a little argument over the star because she wanted a clashing bright green, but she settled on the silver one once I pointed it out among many others. She picked the silver skirt and then I left it in the car for her to forget. Margo’s GiGi got it all decorated for her before the unveiling of her big girl room! Needless to say, she loved everything and was very excited when we brought her in. She was looking all around at everything grinning from ear to ear! The transition to her big girl bed has been so easy and she is so proud of her vintage Sesame Street sheets and her new stuffed animals to accompany her in bed. One room down… now the nursery to go and I have my work cut out!! I hope our little sweetheart will enjoy her pretty room for many years to come!

What did our Margo Faye just say?

I wish I could write down every single clever or funny thing that Margo says. She is talking up a storm and just amazes me. She is starting to understand opposites, such as Margo is little, mommy is big and is so into “liking” everything. She will say over and over, “I like mommy, daddy, GiGi, grandpa, maw maw, grannie, blue, pink (then say every color), milk, water, snap peas” etc… The list goes on and on! She likes LOTS of things! So in the past few days I tried to write down some of the funny things she said that I can look back and remember.

 

• In response to lots of things, such as all of the acorns outside or all of her animals strewn out on the floor, “Holy Mackeral!"  GiGi is responsible for this one—I about fell out of my chair the 1^st time I heard it!
• Margo will pull her little chair and her play computer up to a table and say, “Margo checking email."
• Cary rarely even drinks beer, but she keeps pointing it out in the fridge and we tell her it is daddy’s. She said, “Margo like water. Daddy like beer.” Now if we ask her what daddy likes, she always says “beer”.
• When Cary dropped her off at school, she had brought a favorite dog with her. Cary told her they had to leave it in the car. She responded, “Daddy take care of Margo doggie?”
• Another like… “I like Margo. Margo like Margo.” Sweet girl!
• In reference to a penguin waddling in a book, she said “penguin dancing”. Cute!
• I guess being pregnant it is pretty obvious, but in my blue tank top the other day, she said, “Mama has blue boobies.” LOL!
• “Elmo so cute!”
• Sitting at the table at dinner, I told Margo to look at daddy’s hair which needed a cut badly. She said, “It’s crazy!” and then I said what about mama’s hair? She responded, “I like mommy’s hair”. Good response!
• After a visit to Lowes the other day and passing through the Christmas aisle, she keeps asking, “Go see Christmas?” I keep telling her that very soon she will see Christmas everywhere.
• "Mama's eyes are blue.  Daddy's eyes are brown.  Margo's eyes are brown like daddy."  Wow!
• Often times when I say no, like no we can't go to the park or no you cannot have a treat or no you cannot watch Elmo, she responds by saying, "We go to park morrow (tomorrow), Margo have snack morrow, Margo watch LaLa morrow."  If this prevents her from having a fit, I am all for it.  I love that she can convince herself she will get to do it all tomorrow!
• At school she was napping, woke up, sat up, said "Mama be here" while patting her heart and then laid back down and went back to sleep.  Anytime we are leaving her she does this, so sweet!
• Not sure why she was saying this, but "Mama okay.  Margo okay.  Everybody ok."