Baby Klein #2 Update

I never really did any kind of pregnancy updates with Milly, which I totally regret.

I absolutely LOVED being pregnant the first time around. 

I was lucky to have one of those pretty easy breezy pregnancy from beginning to end, with the luxury of having plenty of time to myself if I felt tired, and needed to take a break.

I also felt like I had a constant IV of Prozac floating through my veins because I was on such a happy high the entire nine months.

Here I am, three years later going through my second pregnancy, and let's just say that it is true when "they" say that no two pregnancies are the same.

Woof.

I am officially 29 weeks.  10 weeks to go with a c-section scheduled for June 17th.

I had intense morning sickness from 6 to 15 weeks, when I finally caved and started taking Phenergan.  It was not pretty, it was exhausting, and I had to take the meds until week 21.

I've had pretty bad lower back pain combined with a pelvic pain that feels like I have been kicked over and over again, and I have been waddling since week 22.

Oh and I have a 2.5yo...so all the whole luxury of coming home after a long day at work to take a nice little nap is pretty much non-existent.

Oh and for some reason, I am also dealing with mad pregnancy insomnia which has been the icing on the cake.

And the whole Prozac/happy high? Definitely not feeling it, and definitely missing it.

We've always talked about only having two kids...and I am pretty sure this pregnancy has sealed the deal.

I probably just jinxed myself.

But...of course, there is a BUT.

I am so excited about baby number 2, and having another girl.

I mean yes, it would have been great to have one of each, mostly for my husband.

But the thought of having two little girls close in age makes me so happy.  I always wanted a sister, so knowing that Milly will be able to experience that bond with her soon to be sister makes it all worth it.

Plus, we already know the girl thing, we have tons of stuff already for Baby #2, and I won't have to worry about incorporating Super Heroes in the girl wonderland that is Milly's playroom.

I can't wait to watch these two babes grow up together, and become the best of friends; give or take a few hundred fights along the way :)

And because this is sort of a pregnancy updates, I figured I would share some of my belly pics of both pregnancies.

First pregnancy with Milly.

Second pregnancy with Baby E. 

They were not lying when they said you show a lot sooner with your second. 

I don't mind though.  I secretly love the bump...even if it's kicked my butt this time around!

I don't have a clever title...I'm just trying to make it back.

I haven't updated my blog in ages - shocker.  There are so many excuses running through my head right now...like I'm a busy mom, I work full-time, I'm a wife, I have a house to keep organized...blah blah blah.  

So, when I'm in bed by 8pm scrolling through social media, playing Candy Crush or watching Gilmore Girls reruns...what is my excuse? 

If I'm going to be honest here, I would say that I just kind of lost interest in blogging, and since having a child, I think the exposure of it all kind of scared me.  For someone who loves mommy blogs, you would think that I would find it exciting to share my own experiences, but I think it it intimidates me even more.  

I still enjoy reading blogs though, I love Instagram, and I love getting tips from other moms. 

Being a mom is hard.  Being a stay at home mom is hard.  Being a working mom is hard. 

There are no in-between. 

I try my best to juggle it all: a great job I love, a new house that I've been having fun putting together, a pretty amazing husband, and a daughter who is the absolute icing on the cake that has been my life these past couple of years.  I constantly tell Michael that I am so happy, and feel so lucky that I am terrified something is going to happen; and he tells me I'm crazy. 

He also likes to remind me that we didn't get here overnight, that we worked hard to get to a point where we feel like we have it all (for the most part) together, and that it is time for me to appreciate it, and stop worrying.  But come on...he knows me. I'm one of the most ocd people I know, of course I worry. 

I guess he is right. It wasn't always easy, it wasn't always pretty roses, and we had our own kinds of struggle to get here.  So I SHOULD appreciate it all. 

Damn you anxiety. 

Is this why we decided to add another kid in the mix!? Ah...maybe not, but I couldn't be happier.  In just a couple of weeks, we will be welcoming a second baby girl to our little trio, and I can't wait. 

Our first time around with Milly was intense.  Those first couple of weeks were rough, and she was the opposite of an easy baby.  Feeding issues, reflux, colic, you name it, I think we probably dealt with some of it.  It was a challenge, it made us better people, and most importantly made me realize that being a parent takes a lot of work. 

So I'm ready for this!  Am I scared?! 

Of course. I mean, I worry that Baby E will have the same issues as Milly.  I worry I my emotions will get the best of me again, and I worry that I won't be the best mom to Milly while I am taking care of a new baby.  

I guess all I can do is wait and see?  Who am I kidding? 

I already have a game plan laid out in my head.  You know, us anxious people like to anticipate the worst, develop scenarios, and fix problems that haven't even occurred.  

Well hey, at least I'm prepared! 

So this is it friends...this is my life right now. 

I'm not going to try and catch up for the lost time, but mostly try to pick up where I left off, and see if I can make this blogging this happen again. 

In the meantime, I will at least leave you with some pictures of Milly because well, she's the best, even when she tells me I'm a brat, and give me one of those "I'm going to make your life hell when I'm in High School" looks.  

She is so fierce and I love her to pieces. 

Oh Hey, Friday!

I hope everyone had a great week, and is ready for the Holiday weekend! 

We've been pretty busy on our end, with a short trip to Hilton Head for my cousin's wedding, and getting ourselves ready for College Football. 

If you live in the South, you know that Fall, as well as college football is sacred.  

The majority of our plans revolve around watching college football with friends, and making the most out of our favorite time of the year. 

We kicked off the season with the GSU game on Wednesday.  It was nail biter until the end, but we won, and my husband was a happy man, so double score! 

We even got to tailgate with some of the basketball players!  

  

My girl friends and I got together for a college football inspired craft night.  

We're not the craftiest of ladies, but we were pretty happy with the results!  Most importantly, we had fun, and have to decided to make craft night at least a monthly occasion. 

Plus, it gives us another reason to spend time together, and drink champagne.

Our weekend will be filled with a fun day of college football with friends, some quality time with Milly, and hopefully some sleep! 

Oh and because Labor Day is the end of Summer in my book, I am officially starting to decorate our house for Fall.

we may or may not have planned to wear matching outfits

Oh Hey, Friday!

The weather in Atlanta is nowhere near Fall temps yet, but we've had a couple of cool mornings, which have been the biggest tease.  

This has me thinking about all things Fall. 

*ONE*

I need to figure out a way to convince my husband that I have to own a pair of Tory Burch riding boots. 

It's no surprise that I a huge TB fan, and he's come around to understand that, but at this price, I have some serious convincing to do. 

*TWO*

My girl friends and I are getting together next week for a "craft" night.  

In honor of College Football starting back, we have decided to make wreaths inspired by our favorite teams. 

This is an example of what I am going for - same colors, but mine will say "GSU" for Georgia State University.

Pinterest

*THREE* 

The Flair Exchange had a $6 off code yesterday in celebration of reaching 6K followers on Instagram.  I couldn't help myself and ordered two of their tassel garland kits.  

I got this Fall inspired garland, and customized my own in GSU colors (see above).  

Tassel Garland

*FOUR*

BabyGap has some of the cutest Fall clothes for babies/toddlers.  They recently had their friends and family event with  40% off your entire purchase, so I picked up a few things for Milly. 

iPhone pics are not the best

Of course no outfit is complete without our favorite felt bows from A Little Lady Shop. 

I'm pretty sure we will have every color by the end of the year.

My husband thinks it's silly, I think it's pretty awesome. 

*FIVE*

Have you heard about Bright Lab Lights? 

Jordan from the blog Oh Happy Day! has lunched a new shop, and sells these oh so pretty lights that looks like those felt ball garlands.  

I'm seriously thinking about getting one for Milly's room.  

Bright Lab

How awesome would these look in a kids room? 

I kind of think they would look awesome in our bedroom too...hmmm.

Linking up with Karli and Amy.

Happy Friday friends!

Anyone?

Hello? Hi? Anyone? 

I am even allowed here? 

This morning, one of my good friends Amber who blogs over at Amber Cooks kindly pointed out to me that I had not blogged since December.  Ouch.  

I have to admit that I totally dropped the ball on this one.  I would love to say that I've been so busy working full-time, and being a wife, a mom, a daughter, a friend; but we all know that would just be a cop out.  

The truth is, I got a little overwhelmed at the thought of trying to keep up with the blog, and sort of let myself fall off the train.  After a little while, the train was just too far away to catch up. 

However, I have realized that I can actually have a blog, and only post 2 maybe 3 times a week, and that is still OK.  

I don't know why I set these unrealistic expectations for myself sometimes, but I guess I just caught up in the whole "if I can't blog everyday, then I'm just not going to at all". 

Silly. 

There is so much to talk about, so much to catch up on.  

What's funny is that I have not fallen off the reading train, because I still keep up with all my favorite blogs. 

And if these mommies can do it, then so can I. 

(insert fist pump emoji for motivation)

So bear with me, while I make my way back into the blogging world. 

I'm excited, and nervous, because I don't want to drop the ball again. 

But I am trying...and that's the first step. 

For now, I'm leaving you with a little sneak peek of Milly's 1 year pictures.  

To say I'm in love is an understatement. 

<3 

Brooke Whitney Photography

Five on Friday

It is the week before Christmas, friends, and this Momma is getting into the spirit! 

We are planning on taking LOTS of pictures this weekend, as I am learning to use the manual mode on our Nikon.  It has been a lot of fun to play with, and I can't wait to see how our pics will turn out. 

Till then, here goes my Five on Friday. 

*ONE*

The Merlin Magic Sleep Suit. 

If you are a new mommy, and your baby is struggling with transitioning out of the swaddle, then this suit will be your new best friend. 

We started using it 3 weeks ago, and Milly has been sleeping from 7.30pm-6.45/7am EVERY NIGHT.  Without waking up once.  

When you are a new parent, getting a full night sleep is like winning the lottery, and these past 3 weeks have been nothing short of magic.  Oh yes, pun definitely intended! 

*TWO*

 Who doesn't love those adorable Freshly Picked Mocs?

I got a pair of Platinums for Milly, and Mimi couldn't resist getting these for Christmas.  

I can't wait for her to wear them! 

*THREE*

Being a new mommy, I am constantly looking at pictures from when Milly was first born.  I think this is because the first couple of weeks are such a blur, that you kind of forget some of those precious moments.  

I am thankful for my sister-in-law Betsy, and the precious pictures she took on the night Milly was born. 

this picture of M & M makes my heart ache in the best possible ways.

*FOUR*

Milly already has 3 cousins: Sara (7), and Jake (2.5) on my side, and Davis (2.5) on Michael's side.

She is getting another baby cousin due in June 2014!

Betsy & David are expecting a sweet baby girl, and I couldn't be more excited!

I come from a big family with many many cousins, and I've always hoped my children would grow up with lots of cousins too.

I LOVE the way they announced it to everyone!  Such a CUTE idea.

*FIVE*

I am saving details for an actual post, but I am loving playing with the manual setting on our Nikon.  I did a little photo shoot with Milly last weekend, and these were my favorite pics! 

I still have a lot to learn, and need tons of practice, but I am pretty excited about it.  I think Michael was worried that we had spent so much money on a camera, and I wouldn't take the time to use it properly.   Told him it was an investment!  ha! 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!

Dear Milly

My sweet Milly bug,

I can't believe you are already four and a half months.  I know it's so cliche to talk about how fast time is flying by, but it's the truth!  I want to make sure that I get caught up on your letters, because five months will be here before we know it.

Your first letter talked about your first nine weeks.  Now let's talk about the last 11 weeks.

You went from crying, and being so uncomfortable for weeks, to smiling, and simply enjoying your little life.  We have you on a great formula, and we started giving you a little bit of rice cereal when you turned 3 months, to help with your spit ups.
You LOVE it!

You are the toughest little baby I know, and take everything like a champ!

On the eve of turning two months, you spiked up a 100.4 fever so we took you to the ER.  They had to draw blood, and run some tests to make sure you didn't have any infection.  You had to wait FIVE hours between feedings, and you were so upset that you ended up falling asleep.  You were such a trooper my little bug.
All your tests came back negative, and we were told that it was just a virus that needed to pass.  You spent two weeks with a stuffy nose, but overall you were fine.

Until about three and a half months, when you got sick again.  This time, we were told to keep an eye on your fever, and make sure that it didn't get worse after a few days.  Five days later, you still had a runny nose, and I felt like you were coughing a little more so we took you to the doctor.  We were sent to the hospital for lab work, and you tested positive for RSV.

You had a really rough two weeks with little night sleep, and you just looked so miserable.  This is when I started thinking "why can't she just catch a break?!"

I hate that you have spent the first couple of months of your life dealing with tummy aches, reflux, and sicknesses.  You are so little, it's just not fair.

What makes me happy though is that you are growing well, and your doctor keeps telling us that you are perfect!  You just had your four months appointment, and you are a TALL bug!  You definitely take after your daddy.

Actually you totally take after your daddy!  You have light hair, light eyes, and long legs.  If you hadn't lived nine months in my belly, I would wonder if you were really mine!
 Ha..I'm just kidding.
You already have such a personality on you, that I know you are definitely my daughter!

You are doing so well these days, and your daddy and I are having the best time getting to know you, and seeing you do new things every day.

You are playing more and more with your toys, you love TV (even though we try to hide it from you), you like music, Jacques the Peacock, Henry the Elephant, Myrtle your pink turtle, and you are slowly starting to enjoy Sophie the giraffe.  You also love your Oball so much that we had get two so that you would have one for the car!

I've started sitting you up in your Bumbo, but you only like it for about ten minutes.  It does get longer each time, so I think you are getting used to the whole sitting up thing.  You are not rolling over yet, but I can tell we are not too far from you being a little rolling machine.  You love tummy time, and love taking naps.

Actually you just love sleep in general! We finally transitioned you out of the rock n play/swaddle, and into the Merlin Magic Sleep Suit.  It was a rough couple of nights, but they were so worth all the good sleep we are getting these days.

I can't wait for the day that I tell you about this Merlin suit, and you look at me like I am the craziest person for putting you in that thing. You love it though, and you are sleeping from 7/7.30am-6.30/7pm every night, in your crib.  I can't complain about that at all, and you wake up such a happy baby.  We put you down awake, and you love playing/sucking on your fingers for a few minutes before you fall asleep. You are such a rock star little bug!

Your daddy and I are just in awe with you, and each day is better than the last.  We are so thankful that you are finally feeling better, and are able to enjoy life.  You still challenge us in the best possible ways, and you make us the happiest we have ever been.  When you are asleep at night, we watch you on the monitor, and we keep talking about how lucky we are to have you.

You have come so far my sweet baby girl, and the best has yet to come.

I love you with all my heart.

Mom

Five on Friday

Friday links up are always fun, so I decided to join 'the good life blog' and start a new tradition! 

ONE

Michael and I are huge football fans.  We look forward to NFL and College Football all year long, and are pretty much devastated when it ends.  Needless to say, this year has been rough for us.  Georgia State did not win a game (to be fair their program is only 3 years old...but still), and the Falcons have won 3.  Whaaaat?  Didn't they almost make it to the superbowl last year? 

We call it the curse of Atlanta sports, and it is not fun at all.  It's painful.  

But this little Falcons fan has made our NFL Sundays a little brighter. 

TWO

This new mosturizer.  Every time I go into Sephora, I look at it, and was always iffy about its color.  It's black, and kinda weird when you put it on.  I took the plunge last night and decided to try it.  WHY did I wait so long?! 

I have really bad oily skin, and this totally does the trick.  

via

THREE

While we are on the beauty product topic, I also picked up this new powder foundation from Laura Mercier.  

I have been using Bare Minerals for the last 5 years, so this was big for me.  I'm such a creature of habits, and every time I make a change in my beauty routine, I seriously get anxious. 

So far, I'm a fan.  It is easy to apply, has great coverage, and lasts all day.  I top it off with a little bit of NARS Orgasm blush, and I am good to go! 

FOUR

One Direction's new song:  Story of my Life. 

 What?! 

But seriously, I heard this song on the radio and really liked it.  I had no idea it was One Direction, but oh well, I'll own it.  I like this song, I said it. 

 

FIVE

I saved the best for last.  Milly's first picture with Santa.  I couldn't have asked for a better picture.  It was perfect, and the look on her face is priceless! 

 

Dear Milly

My sweet Milly bug,

I have been wanting to write your first letter for a couple of months now.  I thought about doing a weekly/monthly post; however, I decided to start with your first nine weeks.

Our experience with you has been nothing short of an amazing and hectic roller coaster.  

The first few days at the hospital were pretty surreal.  You were born via c-section (I will save this story for another post), so we ended up staying in the hospital for a few days. 

You weighed 7lbs11ounces, and measured 21 inches.  You were born with a full head of hair, which was a funny surprise because I have the thinnest hair!  You had the sweetest face, and we immediately fell in love with you.  You also had jaundice,  but it only lasted 24 hours. 

After a few days, we were ready to take you home. 

Let me preface this by saying that your Daddy and I may have been a little more naive than we realized, and our first night home proved that to be shockingly true.

We fed you, changed you, swaddled you, and put you down in the newborn napper that came with your pack n play.  We sat on our bed just staring at you, when you started crying...SCREAMING.

What?!  Ok, babies cry.  Double check diaper, double check swaddle, feed again.  Still screaming.

You hated the newborn napper.  So we tried the pack n play, the swing, nothing worked. 

You slept on our bed, laying flat, with me staring all night to make sure you were still breathing.

This lasted for 3 nights until I sent Daddy to get the Rock N Play at the recommendation of many moms.
 LIFE SAVER.

You finally had a place to sleep - yay!  However, you still cried a lot, and we had a hard time getting you settled.  I quickly realized I was not going to be able to keep nursing you, so we decided to switch to formula.  The switch was tough on your belly, and you cried more and more each day.

I did not sleep for a week, did not get to rest and recover from the c-section, did not take my pain medication so that I could be fully aware with you, and cried more that first week than I had my entire life.

Long story short - I was a HOT mess.  I realized quickly how unprepared I was to be your mom, how little I actually knew about babies, and how terrified I was of you.  You challenged me in ways I had never experienced, and at the time, I had no idea how to be your mom.

We also found out that you had reflux, which was one of the main reasons you could not settle after your feedings.  We switched formulas again, and your pediatrician decided to give you some heartburn medicine.  It took a couple of weeks, one more medicine and formula change, to get you comfortable, and happy.  Seven weeks to be exact.

During those seven weeks, I experienced the highest of highs, and the lowest of lows.  I wondered if I was actually ready to be a mom, and if I was ever going to be able to make you happy.  I knew you liked to sleep, so I did my best to establish some sort of routine to get you to nap consistently, and sleep at night between your feedings.  You did great!

I think we finally started seeing the light when you turned nine weeks, and decided to drop one of your night feedings, and slept between six and seven hours.  It was pretty magical. 

Milly, those first nine weeks seem like a blur now, but I can promise you that I learned more about myself, about your Dad, and about our marriage, than I ever thought I would. 

Of course, I had times when I wished I had an "easier" baby.  When I wondered if we were ever going to be able to take you out without worrying about you crying, and I was ever going to be a good mom to you.  But never did I question my love for you. 

One evening before Daddy came home from work, we were playing on your activity mat, and you smiled.  Just like that, the sleepless nights, the doubts, the worries, and all my frustrations went away, because you had smiled at me...ME. 

You are, and will always be a part of me.  What we shared during those amazing nine months is something that I can't even put into words.  I loved being pregnant, and I love being your Mommy more than anything in this world.

You are my little miracle, and I love you to the moon, and back.

Mom.