It's a BOY!!! : Welcome Baby Theo!

We are thrilled to announce the arrival of Theodore 'Theo' Joseph on Wednesday, June 25th at 4:53pm. He was 5 days overdue and weighed a whopping 9lbs 0.5oz and was 21 inches long.

We are home and somewhat settled and are adjusting to life as a new family of 4.

More updates to come :) 

18 Month Sleep Regression: It Isn't Just A Myth

Seriously, the timing couldn't be any less perfect. Just as we are about to bring a newborn into the mix, Noah decides to regress in the sleeping department. And I'm not just talking he's stirring occasionally and cries out, and then falls back to sleep. I am talking full on screaming mad at 4am. 

All sleep regressions suck, but this one seems to be the worst. Why you ask? I wholeheartedly agree...the 4 month and the 12 month ones were pretty horrible too, but the 18 month regression doesn't involve a baby with a quick fix. It's a walking/talking/tantrum throwing toddler that is darn near impossible to reason with and defiant like no other.

So for what feels like the twentieth time in a matter of weeks, I clumsily stumble/waddle my 40 week pregnant self into Noah's room and wonder what the heck could be the matter on this particular evening. Normally he's standing in his crib, soother in his mouth and pup pup in hand. Tonight is no different. At first I thought it was the molars, but now I am not sure sure. Last night took the cake. After myself and hubs not getting to sleep until 11pm, Noah woke briefly at 1am and again at 4am. After 1.5 hours of rocking and placing him back in his crib only for him to scream and scream, I cave at 5:30am and let him up and we've been up for the day ever since. MY EYES ARE BURNING. You'd assume that would mean he would nap for AT LEAST 3 hours today. Nope...an hour and 15 mins is all I got. Did I mention my due date was yesterday and I am 40 weeks pregnant??

And bedtimes, don't get me started on those. Noah used to be the EASIEST child to get to sleep. He was practically begging at 6:30pm to go to bed, and would be out within minutes. Now its an hour or 1.5 hour affair that consists of bath, milk, books upon books, into crib, screaming in crib, back into the rocker, back into the crib, screaming, back into rocking chair....you get my drift. He used to put himself to sleep no problem, now he wants to be rocked until my arse and arms go numb and screams murder every time I lay him down. Occasionally I cave and try to bring him in bed with us. Epic fail. He just wants to play and roll around instead of sleep. If we let him cry it out, he screams and scream and screams for what feels like forever.

So I've been doing a bit of reading and turns out there is such a thing as the 18 month sleep regression. Characterized by babies who are 18 months that used to sleep 11-12 hours/night that suddenly stop. They say its a temporary change that could last anywhere from 2-6 weeks....great. They also say there is no way to fix it, but simply to figure out how to survive it. 

Please tell me we are not the only ones going through this! Any advice or tips mamas?

Noah: 19 Months

Stats {as of your 18 month check up last month}:

Height: 32 inches

Weight: 27 lbs

Shoe Size: 4W or 5

Clothing: 18-24 months with some 2T shirts. 

Teeth: 16 (i think)

Well my boy, you are now closer to 2 than you are to 1...I can't believe it! And in a mere days you will be a big brother...your world is about to be rocked. We've been spending lots of quality time together, lots of bed snuggles and family time whenever we can. This month you have been such a joy. For the most part, we have moved beyond the meltdown and tantrum phase. You are normally so happy and easy-going. You don't even meltdown when we leave the park, this makes me so very happy to be out of that toddler tornado phase.

We've had some rough bedtimes now that the weather is improving and the days are much longer. Trying to get you to sleep has been an hour or hour and a half affair some nights. I bought black-out curtains to go over your window blinds in an attempt to make things a little easier. Verdict is still out on that investment. You LOVE to read books before bedtime, you'd read and read and read all night if it meant avoiding going in your crib. You've been obsessed with your dada lately, and insist of having him put you to bed mosts nights. I can't say I mind. After 18 months of putting you to bed on my own, it is kind of nice to have a little break. Especially because my belly makes rocking and snuggling in the rocker a little difficult to say the least. Most nights we TRY to get you down for 7:30-8. Normally you will sleep until 6:30, occasionally 7:30, but never later than 8am. You still take one afternoon nap, from 12:30-2:30 normally. It is often shorter at home. The occasional night you will wake up over night and need a snuggle to get back to sleep. I don't mind :)

Your communication has come SO FAR in the past 2-3 weeks. You still get frustrated by times when you can't communicate exactly what you want, and often times you still frantically point at things. We are trying to encourage you to use words instead of yelling/shrieking when you can't communicate. You reply tank yooo when given something or when you give something away. Our babysitter is so polite and says thank-you all the time to the kids when she asks them to do something or to come to her, so I think this is entirely her doing. I love when you say it, it is the cutest. You went from saying 6-7 words a month ago to close to 20 words I would say. And you understand almost everything we say, it amazes me. You love to shake your head no, but haven't mastered shaking it for yes quite yet. Some new words this month include:

• Tractor
• Hot
• Boat
• Ball
• Airplane
• Where's the Pup Pup
• What's that?
• Moo
• Thank you
• All done

You have also started giving kisses...and go MUAHHH every time you give one. I am talking wet sloppy boy kisses. Melt my heart I love this boy. You really are just the sweetest. And you are OBSESSED with puppies and airplanes and tractors. You think every dog we see is your own, and you attempt to pet them all (makes me so nervous). You would watch hour upon hours of tractor videos on Youtube. This evening we were watching a video titled "Agriculture in Estonia" and you were mesmerized...such a boy!! Oh and every person you see mowing their lawn you assume is your Dada. It is quite humorous! You stand and point and yell DADA DADA!

You are still such a great eater. Everyone is always commenting on what a great eater you are. There are very few things you won't eat, eggs arent a real favourite and the odd day you decide you are going to be picky with other things. But for the most part, you clean everything off your plate. You'd eat pie and ice cream at every meal if we let you. And don't get me started on diary queen ice cream cones and popsicles! You are a huge fan of ketchup  although you haven't mastered the whole dipping thing quite yet. Veggies are still going pretty well, you loved avocado, peas, green beans and carrots. And I put spinach in your smoothie every morning (sneaky me!!).  You love to feed yourself and are quite good with the spoon for yogurt and apple sauce. It can get messy, but I let you do it all on your own. The fork still needs a bit of work. You still get 2 cups of milk/day. One glass in the morning, and another at bed. Your favourite foods are still: fruit smoothies, peanut butter, apple sauce, yogurt, bananas, muffins, grilled cheese. 

Healthwise, we are working on the 2 year molars. We had a few rough days/nights this month, but seem to be over the worst of it (I hope) but they are taking their time poking through. I catch you chomping on your little fingers frequently, and you use your soother to do this as well. Speaking of the soother, we are still using wubby at nap time and bedtime and I don't see that changing any time soon. You are pretty obsessive about it, and I try to hide it during the day otherwise you'd carry it around at all times. You are also VERY attached to your blanket and stuffed pup-pup. In the mornings you insist we carry them all out of your crib and take them to your high chair. We have to drape the blanket around your shoulders and have your puppy perched on your shoulder throughout breakfast. You then tuck his soother down inside your high-chair. A tad OCD perhaps?

Unfortunately you still hate to get your teeth brushed, and your diaper changed first thing in the morning. You also dont like being taken inside if we are outdoors playing, but you are getting so much better with this. New loves include "wheels on the bus", Old MacDonald, BINGO, and other nursery rhymes. You like to walk into daycare on your own now (holding dada's hand of course), and your enjoy pulling other kiddos in the wagon. You are as strong as an ox, it blows my mind! You can pull 3 year olds! You like to pretend to sit on the potty, but have yet to do any business in there yet.

Overall, this month has been one of my favourites. Lots of outdoor play, time at the park, and special cuddles with my boy. You make your Dad and I so proud, we love you so very much! xo

Bumpdate: 39 weeks

I

Well here we are in the home stretch, 39 weeks 4 days of what could be my second and final pregnancy! It's crazy to think that at age 29 this could be it for me. So I am trying to soak it all in and enjoy every last second. Truth be told, we are so not in a hurry for this babe to arrive. I am still feeling and sleeping well (except for getting stiff) and have had no heartburn or real swelling to note. The odd day here and there my feet have gotten a bit swollen but it's normally days I am on my feet too long and the weather is unusually warm. I wouldn't say I am full of energy, definitely needing the odd nap here and there. And by evening I am more than ready to hit the sack by 9pm. 

No real cravings but have been eating lots of sweets, ice cream and iced Capps. Might as well get them in now while I don't have to feel guilty!

I had my 39 week check today. Still no progress...AT ALL! I was expecting as much since this is how it went with Noah. This is the 3rd week I've been checked internally, and still the same report 'locked up tight'. As of now I have my 40 week apt next Tuesday (I'll be 40 weeks 4 days) and at that point we will discuss induction for later next week. The latest they will let me go is next Friday (a week overdue).

So as of today I am up 40 lbs, and BPwas 120/68. He could feel the head and everything was great. So I'll just carry on as usual!

Nursery wise we finally got around to painting it on the weekend. It's a little bluer than I envision (it's called nautical

Grey by BEHR) but I love it. The crib still hasn't arrived (back ordered from TRU) but the bassinet and car seat are ready to go, we have two boxes of newborn diapers, my hospital bag is packed, maxi pad stash is ready, and newborn laundry is done and waiting! 

I'm feeling big but not as big as my first pregnancy. I've had a bit of lower back pain this week, and I also got sick to y stomach on Sunday and was convulsing afterwards with the shakes. I thought for sure it was my body getting ready for labor but I went back to bed and fell asleep and woke up feeling ok. Hubs woke up with the flu, so maybe I had a touch of what he had.

This is my second full week off work and I am so glad I finished when I did. I had quite a to-do list and have been working on checking things off that but also making sure I take the time to nap and enjoy the beautiful sunshine we've been having. Noah has been still goig to daycare and I feel a little guilty that I'm not keeping him home with me, but I don't think I have the energy to keep up with him at this point! 

My wonderful MIL gave us money to pick out a rocker for baby's room, we weren't sure if we needed a second one but Noah still loves to be read and rocked at bedtime so I don't want to disrupt his routine. I think we will go with a chair we can convert down the road to an accent piece, so the search begins this week!

So basically just enjoying my last week or so of pregnancy and our time as a family of 3. Hopefully by next week I will have some more news to report :) 

Bumpdate: 37 Weeks

Oh wow, whether we are ready or not this little baby will be arriving any day now. I know what your thinking, you've had 9 months to prepare how could you not have things ready? Well it's entirely possible when your renovating your house, chasing a toddler, and your husband is in the middle of busy season at work. We've had a crazy spring around these parts!

Our sweet babysitter insisted on taking this photo of Noah and I!

Today is my last day of work. I am SO excited!! I get to take the next few weeks off as sick time until baby arrives, and then I begin my YEAR of glorious mat leave. I also will have about a months worth of vacation to take at the end of my mat leave, which means I will get half of next summer off as well. So incredibly lucky to live in Canada. I have lots of friends off on mat leave now too and can't wait to spend the year with them, and get back to mama/baby fitness classes. Mentally I feel like I am just getting back to work from my leave with Noah, and technically I am (that was only 7 months ago). I feel like I am just getting back into the swing of things at work and we finally have a good schedule down at home that is working so well. So to be going off again so soon feels so strange. On the other hand, physically, I am so ready to be done. Sitting all day is getting uncomfortable and I need some time around home to get things ready and rest up before things get crazy!


So what's new on the baby front. I am technically 38 weeks today. I had my most recent doctor appointment yesterday. BP was 128/76 and weight gain at 34 lbs...4 lbs since my last check-in at 35 weeks...eek!! Certainly making up for my slow gain at the beginning of this pregnancy. Baby is head down and low, but I am still locked up tight in there which I believe has me in the clear for at least another week....whew! Still feeling and sleeping great, so I am in no rush to deliver at this point. I am excited to meet babe and see if he/she looks like Noah, and to see how Noah reacts to his new sibling. However, I am savouring each and every sweet moment with my boy and our current family of 3. Trying to give him as much love and attention as I can, and soak up every snuggle I can get before his little world is completely rocked. His tantrums are getting so much better, and he is being so much fun. I'll save all the details for his 19 month post coming soon.

We still can not decide on a boy's name, if that is what baby is. We have it narrowed down to 4, with two front runners. Boys names are so hard!! Our girls name is set in stone.  The crib still hasn't arrived from Toys R Us and we ordered it weeks ago, however the dresser arrived early (so not helpful). We haven't painted the nursery yet but are hoping to next week if all goes well with progress in the basement.

I finally got around to packing my hospital bag, and other than a few last minute items I need to throw in, it is good to go. So much easier packing for a summer baby than a winter baby. I have a cute boy and girl take home outfit ready to go too. We need to get the car seat installed this weekend, and set up the pack n play in our room as well. I also need to do a big wash of baby items, and the swing. Bought a box of newborn diapers last week, so we have that covered. Still need to pick up a few baskets, a laundry hamper, a sound machine, a bouncy chair, a change pad, and possibly a second car seat base. I plan on moving the diaper genie and wipe warmer out of Noah's room as we really only do about 2 diaper changes/day at home since he is at daycare most days.

I still have not had ANY heartburn, like is this for real? I had so much heartburn and indigestion with Noah and its so crazy I have managed to avoid it so far. The weather has been so nice lately, and today I had a meeting that ran until past 6pm. When I arrived home, my feet were swollen. So having the occasional day or two of swelling...but nothing major. Craving baby carrots and cantaloupe, oh and ice cream of course now that the weather is improving! Feeling some pressure down there, especially when I walk any great distance.

Can I just say I can't wait until I no longer have to (a) wear maternity clothes, and (b) pee in a cup. It is so hard to pee in that tiny little cup when you can't see where to aim because your belly is so big! I end up peeing all over my hand every. single.time!! I also can't wait to RUN! I feel like such a blimp, and am craving a good workout! Not to mention even my mat clothes are getting tight these days...

Only a few bumpdates left to go!! xo

{One Year and Beyond} - Travelling with a Toddler (Roadtrip Edition)

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Hubs and I LOVE to travel. Before there was a house, or even a wedding, we were taking trips together. It's something both our families love to do, and it's kind of "in-our blood"...although likely more in mine than his, but he happy obliges and tags along on most of my adventures. We've done the Europe thing a few times, gone south (Caribbean, Cayman Islands) we've been to NYC, Toronto, Boston, Florida, and lots of ski trips. So when kids entered the picture, it was kind of just assumed we would travel with them as well. 

Well we have quite a few roadtrips under our belt with a baby/toddler. I am not going to lie, I DREAD each and every one of them. Noah's frist road trip was a 12 hour journey to Maine at 5 weeks old for a family ski trip. Looking back, I was a hormonal and stressed mess of a mother/wife. We had to bring SO.MUCH.STUFF. Babies are so unpredictable, would Noah scream the whole trip? What if he hates his car seat?

In retrospect, that was probably one of the easiest trips we've been on. He slept the entire time, except for waking every 3 hours on the dot to eat. We did that same roadtrip again last year with Noah at 13 months, and it was far worse. But again, he really surprised us and did quite well.

I do have a few tips and tricks to make roadtrippin' with a child easier, here they are:

1. Bring the Comforts of Home - Noah's first trip we brought our baby swing in the car. I kid you not. We loaded up the My Little Snuggabunny (there is nothing LITTLE about this swing let me tell you) and we took it apart in pieces and stuffed it in the backseat of my jetta. Hilarious I know, but at the time it was the only way Noah was getting any sleep...aka the only time we could get any sleep. So we brought the swing, along with half of our house. (baby  monitor, white noise machine, breast pump, pack and play). 

2. Have A Plan- There is nothing worse than running out of gas when the baby is asleep in the backseat...they WILL wake up. Time your gas stops with your food and  break stops, and plan those stops around when baby will be napping (if you can).  When travelling with Noah at a year., we knew he'd nap in the AM and PM in the car so we made sure we fueled up at lunch, and after his afternoon nap when we breaked to load up on groceries.

3. Pack Snacks, Lots and Lots of Snacks - Snacks are the easiest way to pass time for a toddler. Those  Muchkin snack cups that let them put their hand inside but keep the snacks from falling out...GENIUS. And don't place a limit on the amount of snacks they can have, if it is occupying them then let them go to town! Also have snacks on hand for restaurants (while you are waiting for your food), as sometimes the wait can seem like it takes for hours. I also always bring some favorite food from home  that is easily packable incase Noah does not want to eat from the restaurant menu . I'll bring an avocado I can quickly dice up, or an apple sauce, a banana, raisins, etc. 

4. Buy Some New Toys - Buy some new never-before seen toys especially for the trip.  This will keep their attention longer than normal.

5. Have an Overflow Box in the Car - I travel with a bin in the car at all times (not just roadtrips). It 's a blue bin that sits on the floor under Noah's car seat. I keep it stocked with extra snacks (goldfish), a sippy cup, spare diapers, wipes, a blanket, a few books, a ball,  the grocery cart cover, and a few other items.  This bin is SO handy, you never know when you might find yourself in need of a spare diaper (maybe you forgot your diaper bag at home) or need a cozy blankey or snack for the little one.  Or maybe the diaper bag isn't at arms reach...this bin is such a great idea.

6. Don't Forget the DVD Player/Ipad - At Noah's age (18 m0nths) this is a LIFESAVER. He can now work it all on his own, so we don't need to sit next to him to supervise and make sure he doesn't press the wrong buttons. He loves baby einstein and this will keep his attention for at lesast an hour. Don't forget to have it all charged up, and bring the charger with you!!

7. Plan Your Travel During Nap Time - Depending on the length of your roadtrip, plan it over nap time (if your child will sleep in the car). This way you are guaranteed some quiet/downtime, and your child will likely nap longer than if they were at home from the lull of the car. Or if you are really brave, travel at night. When we returned at xmas from our 12 hour roadtrip we decided to leave at noon time. Noah slept 3+ hours in the afternoon in the car for his nap, we then breaked for supper and he was awake for 2 hours after dinner just hanging out in his seat content as could be until he fell asleep around 8pm. We didn't arrive home until 1am and he slept those final 5 hours of the journey, it was amazing.

8. Try Not to Stress - Yes, it's easier said than done. Prepare for the worst, and be pleasnantly surprised when things go well. Roadtrips are supposed to be fun, so try to make them that way. Yes your baby/toddler is more than likely going to through a few fits, heck maybe even get car sick. But try not  to let any of that hold you back from going on an adventure. 

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Linking up with Sara from Running from the Law, Ashley from Words About Waverly, Courtney from From Here to Eternity and the other lovely co-hostesses of the One Year and Beyond series.