Wow…having a baby makes you lose your mind….and free time. 
I’m still here…hanging on. We moved to our new house almost 2 weeks ago, so we’ve been preoccupied with the move, among other things. I hope to be back to more regular blogging soon!
xoxo
My apologies all around to everyone who has checked in the past 2 weeks. I mean, how did 2 weeks even pass and I haven’t written a thing?! Colin seems to have a bit of colic. Not nearly as bad as Owen, but still enough to make me want to pull my hair out and cry right along with him. I now know I cannot eat 4 florets of broccoli or 7 Brussels sprouts. They WILL give Colin horrible gas pains, make him scream until his face is almost purple and cry non stop. Awesome. I’m pretty much down to chicken, bananas, potatoes, carrots and the occasional Diet Coke. (Okay, I obviously eat more than the items I listed, but that doesn’t make for a good story.)
I was having trouble getting poop stains out of our cloth diapers using our Eco Nuts soap, so I did a load of Colin’s laundry using my homemade detergent, followed by a wash with Eco Nuts. Mistake. I knew Colin’s skin was sensitive to the washing soda, but I didn’t think this much. He has a red rash on his stomach, back and arms from wearing a gown that he wore last night. Poor little one. I guess for now I’ll keep using the Eco Nuts and just sun the diapers to bleach the stains. Ugh.
Owen is still blowing us away with how much he loves his brother. He has shown no jealousy and only talks about Colin with love. Owen also started peeing in the potty last Monday. It was totally his decision and he’s only had 1 accident. I guess that’s the plus side to letting your 4 1/2 year old decide on his own.
Breastfeeding is going great the second time around. I’m not nearly as paranoid as I was with Owen, about weight gain and the number of dirty diapers. Colin would nurse all day if he could, but in exchange for using me as a buffet, he only nurses about 3 times during the night. Yeah for sleep!
Well, I am being summoned by a certain 4 week old so I must go. Look for Colin’s 1 month post later this week!
I’ve been meaning to write this down for like, 17 days now…pardon my tardiness. I finally have some time to do it now. Colin is asleep in Owen’s lap and the house is quiet. Perfect.
I had been having contractions for 2 weeks before Colin was even born. I finally just gave up on timing them because I knew they’d eventually fizzle out. I was beyond done being pregnant. Like, SO DONE. I had Owen at 38 weeks. I was pretty sure I’d have Colin at 38 weeks, too. I was wrong. Colin was born at 40 weeks and 2 days. Stinker.
The Sunday he was born (Jan 15) I started having my contractions around 10am. Nothing regular or consistent. 3 minutes apart, 14 minutes, 2 minutes, 20 minutes. Just silly. Owen told me that morning when we were eating breakfast that he was going to be a big brother tonight. Apparently, he was right this time. Some of my contractions were painful, but for the most part I could talk through them. Sean got home from work around 6 and they were getting pretty strong by then. At 7, I had to go to the bathroom and it took me 15 minutes to walk from our bathroom to the kitchen (in our tiny little apartment.) Sean thought he should call Sherry (my midwife) but I told him I was sure it was nothing. He finally called her around 7:30-ish, when I could no longer talk through my contractions and had to stop what I was doing.
I believe Sherry arrived around 8:00pm and when she checked me at 8:30, I was 4 cm dilated. At least I wasn’t zero! My other midwife, Tiffany, her daughter, Malea, and my doula, Rachel (and her baby Travis) all arrived shortly thereafter. We started inflating the birthing pool and boiling water. We went through the hot water in our water heater pretty quickly, so Sean went next door and asked our neighbor if he could drain her water heater, too. Thankfully, she’s really awesome and let us take all her hot water. I got in the birthing pool around 9:30-ish and it was fantastic. I kept having contractions and they were definitely getting stronger. I was so happy that this was finally happening. Malea and Owen went into our bedroom and watched a movie, played Angry Birds and read some books. It was so fantastic to have Malea there to play with Owen.
My hubby was beyond fantastic this entire time. I seriously could not have done this without him. He was getting cold wash cloths for me, ice and water, a waffle when I was hungry. Seriously. He’s my rock. Rachel had some great suggestions for helping me relax when the contractions got really intense at the end. I really think everyone should hire a doula. It made such a huge difference.
Around 11:00pm or so, I remember feeling like my contractions were just turning into one big contraction. I didn’t feel like I had any breaks in between them anymore. At 11:24pm, my water broke. Let me just preface this by saying, I am DEATHLY afraid of balloons. They can pop at anytime, so unpredictable, you know? So when my water broke, it was pretty much a huge water balloon popping. At this point, I tried to get out of the birthing pool. Insane, I know, but I was so done with this birth thing. In my mind, I was just going to walk out the front door. I’d give birth tomorrow. I told Sherry I just needed a break before I could push this baby out, and she told me I’d get a break after I had the baby. So not helpful at the time. haha
I started pushing at 11:28pm, and at 11:36pm, Colin Ezra Whitney joined our family. His umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck AND his body and Sherry had to get that off of him. He also had a hard time breathing at first, so they gave him some little puffs of air. My midwives were so prepared.
When Colin finally took a breath and cried, I was so relieved. What a beautiful sound!
After Colin was born and I delivered the placenta, I got to get in my own bed with Colin and we just bonded as a family of 4 for the first time. (Then, it was just a family of 3, as Owen and Malea fell asleep in the living room on the couch.) I am so lucky that Owen got to be present to witness the birth of his brother. He talks about it all the time and tells me that it was his favorite day.
Colin’s birth was so incredibly fast. I did freak out at the end and I’m pretty sure I asked for drugs, also….maybe more than once. I also told Sean I changed my mind about having a baby. Also pretty sure it was too late for that. Overall, best experience ever for me. My recovery time with Owen was so much longer than with Colin. I didn’t require any stitches after Colin’s birth, and I was up and walking around the next day. With Owen, I swear I was in a rocking chair for 2 weeks.
As of yesterday when Sherry weighed Colin, he was 8 lbs, 3 oz. That’s a 18 ounce weight gain since his birth. He’s obviously nursing like a champ. He’s a good night sleeper, and I don’t know what to do with that. Owen was a horrible sleeper and nursed all night long. Colin seriously nurses 2-3 times during the night, but would nurse all day long if he could.
We are so blessed to have these 2 sweet boys. Owen is a fantastic big brother and I seriously don’t know what I’d do without him. Hubby took a week off work and when he went back, it’s almost like Owen just took over.
I am so, so blessed.
Man, I swear that time is flying by. How do I already have a baby who is 15 days old? Colin is asleep on my chest and I’m typing this (painfully slow) with one hand. Owen is doing so fantastic and has shown no signs of jealousy. He calls Colin “my little sweet pea” and “baby acorn.” He really loves his brother and I love watching Owen interact with him.
I’m still trying to find the time to write my birth story. I want to do it while it’s still fresh. I want to do it while I’m smelling this sweet boy and looking at all the pictures we have.
Okay, time to nurse this little one…again. I promise to write more. I’m still trying to get the hang of having 2 kids.
Okay, so technically I should have posted this yesterday, but whatevs. I’m tired.
We took Colin to the pediatrician last Thursday (Day 4 postpartum…omg) for his “new patient” appointment. We found a pediatrician that I think we’ll really like. He was recommended to us by a lot of friends and our midwife. He’s laid back and we like that approach. The medical assistant measured him (19.5 inches….crazy that he shrunk 1.5 inches in 4 days! haha) and he weighed 6 lbs 10 oz. Not bad. The doctor looked him over, deemed him perfect (or something like that) and we were on our way. We take him back this Thursday for another appointment. Not really sure what it’s for? Maybe a weight check or something? I think it’s overkill, but Sean insists we go. I’m 99% wanting to cancel. Ugh.
My midwives came over on Saturday to check on Colin and I. My midwife did the second metabolic screening (aka heel prick aka Mom loses it) on Colin. My other midwife did some reiki on Colin and myself while he got his heel pricked. I surprisingly didn’t cry and felt calm. Gotta love the good stuff. They weighed Colin and he was 7 pounds! Only 1 ounce from his birth weight. He likes to nurse…obviously. 
We both checked out fine, and I’ll see them again at the end of the month.
Colin is still in the newborn disposable diapers because the newborn cloth diapers I bought are huge on him and he leaks out the sides and top. Even the newborn clothes are big on him and he likes to sag his pants. haha!
So far, he’s a good sleeper. Like…he usually sleeps about 3-4 hours in a row and I am the crazy mom that wakes him up so I can nurse him. And he’s so different than Owen. With Owen, I could NEVER put him down, even when he fell asleep. He’d wake back up. And right now, Colin is asleep in the cosleeper and I’m sitting on the couch. I mean, so insane that they are complete opposites!
For those of you interested, I’ll be posting my birth story later on this week, when I can finish writing it. Overall, my experience having a home birth was beyond fantastic. I never left my house. I took a shower in my own shower after Colin was born. And Colin never left my side (except for the shower.) He didn’t go to a nursery. He didn’t cry while my midwife was examining him. It was so peaceful.
My sweet Colin, 8 days old
They totally work. The labor pickles.
I’ll share the birth of Colin as soon as I’ve had more than a couple of hours of sleep. For now, we are so in love. He poops, he pees, he nurses. He’s perfect!
Colin Ezra Whitney was born on Sunday, January 15 at 11:36pm. 7 pounds, 1 ounce and 21 inches long.
My midwife checked me at 8:30pm when she arrived (I was 4cm.) 3 hours later, Colin was born. Insane.
So so blessed.
Colin at 12 hours old
So, I’m browsing on Pinterest (an addiction of mine) and I come across this recipe for fried pickles. YUM. These bad boys are cooked under your broiler and don’t call for tons of hot vegetable oil (scary) so I figured I’d give them a go. I did half this recipe, since hubby is at work and Owen wouldn’t eat as much as me. haha I must say, these are a new favorite of mine. So yum when you dip them in ranch and hot sauce.
Here’s what you’ll need to make these tasty little crunchy treats.
Fried Pickles
Pickles (I just used the dill slices we had in our fridge)
2 eggs
1/3 c flour
1 TB Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp hot sauce (if you are trying to induce labor, I suggest an extra shake, just for good measure)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Cajun seasoning (I just used some Lawry’s seasoning salt)
1 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 Panko bread crumbs
Ranch and hot sauce for dipping
1. Turn oven broiler on high.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and flour. Then add in the Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, garlic powder, Cajun seasoning and black pepper. Mix well.
3. Put Panko bread crumbs in a shallow dish. Dunk your pickle slices in the egg mixture, then into the bread crumbs. Press well to make sure the crumbs stick to the pickle.
4. Put pickles on a baking sheet with a wire rack. Broil on high for 3 minutes on each side.
5. Serve with Ranch and hot sauce. Eat entire plate and then curse yourself for not making more.
I’m so sad that I didn’t make more and that I’m almost out of pickles AND Panko. I think an emergency trip to the grocery store is totally justified. I may have gone a little crazy with the hot sauce though and now I have heartburn. On a positive note, seems like my contractions are now every 5-7 minutes and more painful than they’ve been. If these crunchy bits of heaven induced my labor, I’m totally calling them Labor Pickles from now on. We’ll see……
