I'm Baaaaaack! March 24 - April 11

So it has been almost four months and that time has flown by so, so quickly.  In that time, I gave birth to a precious, beautiful, happy baby boy.  I am now a mother of two which is really crazy to think about!

I have LOADS of photos to share with you, but I've tried narrowing it down (a very hard thing to do).  This may take me a couple days to upload and write about since I'm going to start where I left off in my last blog entry...but here we go!

Thursday, March 24

The Extended Stay Hotel our property management put us in while our house was getting fumigated for termites was, hmm...drab and not that great.  The room felt dirty and had a weird smell, but it would do.

Leif playing dress up

Friday, March 25

Leif loved playing with the telephone that morning...

 Now, I have to say this was probably the WORST day of my maternity leave.  After dropping Leif off at daycare, we went to the hospital for a check-up on baby.  I thought we'd be quick so we could go up to Santa Clarita to get my car battery replaced and have a nice relaxing day....WRONG.  My blood pressure was a little elevated so my doctor wanted me to take a stress test where they monitor the baby's movements/kick count while monitoring your blood pressure for 20 minutes.  I didn't know Hubs could come back with me, so I was stressing out that he had to sit in the wait room while I sat closed off alone.  That didn't help with my blood pressure.  After 20 minutes and also checking the baby's fluids (which was fine), the nurse came back after talking to the doctor and they still wanted me to have blood tests done and more blood pressure monitoring but from the Labor & Delivery ward.  After I told the nurse there I was starving, they gave me a cold turkey sandwich...which is BAD FOR PREGNANT LADIES.  Seriously?!  Amidst all the chaos, they said worst-case scenario was they would induce me that day and I'd deliver that weekend.  We were so not ready for that-our stuff was in a cheap hotel, we had no one ready to watch Leif and Miles...which then sent me crying and more elevated blood pressure.  After a couple hours of being in the hospital, the doc said she called the higher-up doctor and they said even though everything looked fine except my elevated blood pressure, they wanted to induce me. NOOOO.  I then spoke to a mid-wife and I told them I wanted to opt out since they couldn't make me stay/induce me.  One of the nurses gave me a glare, but I didn't care-I knew baby wasn't ready to come out-I felt fine and even the mid-wife pointed out everything seemed fine.  They told me to get a home blood pressure monitor, sign a form and I was out of there.  UGH.

And looking back, I'm sooooo happy I made that decision.  Of course that left a bad taste in our mouths considering I'd have to come back and deliver there.  Not a happy camper.

That night we took Leif to the mall to get some dinner.

Leif being cute with daddy/feeding him a french fry.

Monday, March 28

Got a great photo of Miles.  I don't take many photos of him since he's kind of last in the chain of command (poor pup), but he's been a champ with all that's been going on!

Tuesday, March 29

The folks came into town!  Leif had a fun time showing all his books to them.

Wednesday, March 30

Grandparents bought Leif a large Batman figure...he really enjoyed it.

Friday, April 1

Another Stress Test at the hospital...Figured I'd take a photo of my super pregnant belly in the bathroom.  Stress test was fine, blood pressure fine.

Later that afternoon, more book reading with Grandpa.

Saturday, April 2

Let me set you up with the back story on the next photo.  Apparently there is this salad that women buy from a nice restaurant in the valley that makes women GO INTO LABOR after they eat it.  They say it's really the dressing...here is an article L.A. Weekly wrote about it.  So of course Hubs brings me back the salad and a bottle of dressing Friday night!  Haha.  I ate the whole salad (it was really delicious), and then Saturday-no baby that morning-so we went to get pizza and I brought the salad dressing with me!

Leif has been more affectionate with daddy which makes me really happy!

After lunch we stopped by the mall to walk the baby out (still no show) and Leif rode on the carousel.

Tuesday, April 5

My due date...but alas, no baby.  This was a rough day as I recall; my folks were going to leave that day and I felt bad they had stayed with no baby in sight.  Then Leif threw up and was really sick that afternoon with a fever.

A little cuddle time with Grandpa

After a few texts and phone calls that night, my pa pulled the trigger and ended up extending his flight to the 9th.

Wednesday, April 6

I liked this photo because it's Leif and his soon-to-be baby brother.  Leif still wasn't feeling well, thus passing out on me in our bed.

Friday, April 8

The day before I had an appointment that I almost didn't have (it was supposed to be for the 6th but the doctor called in sick...I made them make me an appointment the next day)-and since I was still really sick, the doctor set up an appointment for me to be induced on the 12th, a full week after his due date.  

Meanwhile, Leif still had a fever, so I called in for an appointment that morning.

Even though he had a fever, he was still in good spirits.  

Doctor said his sickness was just going to take time to get over...ugh.  Well, peace of mind I guess.

You know Leif's sick when he falls asleep in random positions/places.  

Saturday, April 9

Missy's turn to visit!  We went to our favorite breakfast place.

After breakfast, we hit up the Northridge Mall where they have a train that travels around half the bottom floor.  It's kind of useless in my opinion, but kids love it.  Leif really wanted to ride it, so Grandpa and I volunteered to go with him.

Happy boy

 Sunday, April 10

Missy and Leif worked on "Padsicles" for me; basically really nice, cooling pads for after baby...

I think Missy got messy so she had to change.  Leif had a really fun time getting messy!

Monday, April 11

This was my last known day of being pregnant/having only one kid, so Missy and I made the best of it.  After breakfast, we went to see "The Boss" starring Melissa McCarthy, then hit the mall to walk/do a little shopping.

I look terrible, but here we are at a nearly empty movie theater.

Then Missy and I met Hubs for a late lunch at Salsa and Beer.  Om nom nom...

Hubs had been in the transition of doing Leif's bedtime routine since I would soon be taking care of Baby #2 at night.  Leif had been struggling with mommy not reading books to him, but that night Leif was super cute and cuddly with daddy.

Alright, next post soon to come: Meet Baby #2!