British Bun in the Oven

[DiZZyLoX 114]

Helllloooooooo???? UPDATES?!?!?!

Roz is finally gaining weight again. She is back in the 2nd percentile. We just bought our tickets to go to the UK in the fall. For the 4 of us it is just under $3k with baby sitting on my lap. Not sure yet if I will regret that. We will see!!!

hiya! 7 weeks left for me and dude is head down and wreaking all kinds of havoc on my cervix. ugh. Good to hear little Roz is finally gaining weight! We'll be flying with our little dude in the fall for Xmas in UK. a 6 month old lap baby with Delta. Kinda worried about it but eh, what can you do??

I hope the newest little addition is doing ok (Rachel!).

[Jewel-8 21]

Who are you flying with? I'm on my 4th trip home since Georgie was born - decided to make this last trip before she turns 2 in June and she can still be a lap baby.

Last trip was BA and we had one of the bulkhead seats with the little bassinet they provide. This time was United and the plane was empty so we had a full row to ourselves which was a bonus.

Not looking forward to the huge price hike when she has to have a seat.

We decided to go with United. Salt Lake to Edinburgh is $990 for an adult in September and it seems her fare is only $114 including tax. Still seems like a lot for a 15 month old lap child. My 10 year old's ticket was still 90% of the adult fare. I guess I should be happy for the small discount!

How has it been flying with her?

[Jewel-8 21]

hiya! 7 weeks left for me and dude is head down and wreaking all kinds of havoc on my cervix. ugh. Good to hear little Roz is finally gaining weight! We'll be flying with our little dude in the fall for Xmas in UK. a 6 month old lap baby with Delta. Kinda worried about it but eh, what can you do??

I hope the newest little addition is doing ok (Rachel!).

Not much longer for you!! This is going to be so exciting. I can't wait to see his pictures, though I hope it's at least not for 3 more weeks for his(and your!) sake. Are you getting some naps in?

I still get woke up once or twice a night to a hungry baby. Before I come to bed at night I put formula in dry bottles and leave those with a jug of baby water in the master bathroom. Then when it's needed I just use the pour in the water, mix it, pop it in playpen next to the baby and go back to my own bed to pass out. I know I shouldn't, but at 9 months she is good about taking the bottle out of her own mouth before she goes back to sleep.

We're still sleep deprived, but it's working for us. I decided that since it looks like we won't have a solid nights sleep for years anyways we might as well have two babies close together. I feel I should anyways since my first two were 9 years apart and I always felt bad he never had a playmate. Husband is on board with that as well so we want to space them only 2 years apart. I hope we're not getting into something too crazy with this.

[Alex & Rachel 78]

Yay for Roz gaining weight! And good luck with #3! I'm thinking we'll be waiting at least three years before thinking of another (although we'd definitely like 2-3 eventually) but of course I may feel differently in a few months' time. Right now I can't even contemplate going through all that again.

I can't believe Anya (which is what we call her) is 3 weeks old already! My mother's been here since Monday and has been a huge help - bless her, she is SO technologically impaired (and we've had a few interesting moments with the vacuum cleaner, blender, laundry room and shower) but she has been cooking and cleaning and overall keeping me sane!

Alex has still yet to change a single diaper or to hold Anya for more than fifteen minutes, although he does dote on her. The first week there was an instance where he slept from 10 pm to 6 am, went to work, returned from work at 12 pm, told me 'I feel exhausted' and then slept again until 4 pm! He's lucky he's cute.

Dizzy - yay, 7 weeks! Or less! I definitely recommend packing your bags and installing the car seat *earlier* than the day your baby is born... Oh, and I just want to warn you about the swelling! I was so swollen the week I returned home from hospital that I was bigger than I had been before I delivered! My feet and ankles were enormous and SO painful! It all went within a week, but for a few days it was very painful. I thought I'd never be a normal size again. And breast-feeding is HARD! I really hated it the first couple of weeks. That, too, gets better, though.

I am also flying back to the UK at Christmas! Anya'll be 8 months then. All my grandparents are still alive but very elderly, so I'm hoping they'll all get to meet her at least this one time.

The cats have been really, really good with the baby, but last night my cat Shara did decide she'd had enough of Anya hogging me to herself, and wanted to share:

Oh, and I've been managing to get out every day with the baby, if only for a quick walk to Starbucks. She looks so ridiculously tiny in my carrier:

To think that I was told she was a 'big' baby at every ultrasound - she is definitely smaller than average! She still swims in newborn clothing; I can't see her fitting 0-3 months for another few weeks.

[DiZZyLoX 114]

Not much longer for you!! This is going to be so exciting. I can't wait to see his pictures, though I hope it's at least not for 3 more weeks for his(and your!) sake. Are you getting some naps in?

I still get woke up once or twice a night to a hungry baby. Before I come to bed at night I put formula in dry bottles and leave those with a jug of baby water in the master bathroom. Then when it's needed I just use the pour in the water, mix it, pop it in playpen next to the baby and go back to my own bed to pass out. I know I shouldn't, but at 9 months she is good about taking the bottle out of her own mouth before she goes back to sleep.

We're still sleep deprived, but it's working for us. I decided that since it looks like we won't have a solid nights sleep for years anyways we might as well have two babies close together. I feel I should anyways since my first two were 9 years apart and I always felt bad he never had a playmate. Husband is on board with that as well so we want to space them only 2 years apart. I hope we're not getting into something too crazy with this.

I missed you're going for #3! Hell yeah! Go girl!!! Hubby wants at least 2, but after this pregnancy and my experience in the first trimester I'm like...uggggggggggghhh. I'll wait for the amnesia to set in and see how I feel then. I do want to try for a girl, though! And YES! I will definitely show you guys pictures!!

[DiZZyLoX 114]

Yay for Roz gaining weight! And good luck with #3! I'm thinking we'll be waiting at least three years before thinking of another (although we'd definitely like 2-3 eventually) but of course I may feel differently in a few months' time. Right now I can't even contemplate going through all that again.

I can't believe Anya (which is what we call her) is 3 weeks old already! My mother's been here since Monday and has been a huge help - bless her, she is SO technologically impaired (and we've had a few interesting moments with the vacuum cleaner, blender, laundry room and shower) but she has been cooking and cleaning and overall keeping me sane!

Alex has still yet to change a single diaper or to hold Anya for more than fifteen minutes, although he does dote on her. The first week there was an instance where he slept from 10 pm to 6 am, went to work, returned from work at 12 pm, told me 'I feel exhausted' and then slept again until 4 pm! He's lucky he's cute.

Dizzy - yay, 7 weeks! Or less! I definitely recommend packing your bags and installing the car seat *earlier* than the day your baby is born... Oh, and I just want to warn you about the swelling! I was so swollen the week I returned home from hospital that I was bigger than I had been before I delivered! My feet and ankles were enormous and SO painful! It all went within a week, but for a few days it was very painful. I thought I'd never be a normal size again. And breast-feeding is HARD! I really hated it the first couple of weeks. That, too, gets better, though.

I am also flying back to the UK at Christmas! Anya'll be 8 months then. All my grandparents are still alive but very elderly, so I'm hoping they'll all get to meet her at least this one time.

The cats have been really, really good with the baby, but last night my cat Shara did decide she'd had enough of Anya hogging me to herself, and wanted to share:

Oh, and I've been managing to get out every day with the baby, if only for a quick walk to Starbucks. She looks so ridiculously tiny in my carrier:

To think that I was told she was a 'big' baby at every ultrasound - she is definitely smaller than average! She still swims in newborn clothing; I can't see her fitting 0-3 months for another few weeks.

Oh my goodness!! How cute is little Anya with the kitty!! I'm hoping that's the relationship that our boy will have with Mr. Wendall (our cat). He is going to be so curious of the baby. I'm anxious to see his reaction. She does look sooo tiny in her little carrier, bless her. How has she been sleeping?

The warnings...oh yes, I've heard all about the breastfeeding being hard and my mom has urged me to stick with it at least 3 weeks. If I can make it to the 3 weeks then I'll be used to it and over the painful hump. I'm going into it knowing that and hoping I don't get so frustrated I'm like screw it. I can't afford to say screw it! I need the money it will save us. haha.

Too funny about your hubby and the diapers! My husband swears he's going to be mr. awake at night and "nappy" changer. We shall see!!! We've installed the carseat base and the little mirror so we can see him from the front seat. I still have to pack a hospital bag but you're totally right. Some days I feel like he's just going to drop out I feel so much pressure. I have my husband driving me to work now since we just have the one car. I can't imagine driving while I'm in labor and I plan on working until my water breaks so I figured it'd be good to have somebody pick me up. I need to call and have a few people on stand-by in case I can't get a hold of my husband.

exciting times! exciting times indeed

[Alex & Rachel 78]

She has been sleeping very well! She usually sleeps 3-4 hours at night, often 2 am - 5 am and then around 6 am - 9 am. One night she slept NINE straight hours and I woke up in such a panic! However she made up for it by being up for nine straight hours the next night and driving us crazy! That was at two weeks, so I put it down to a growth spurt. I've had a couple of bad nights but overall I really can't complain.

It's good you've been pre-warned! I had been told breast-feeding could be painful, but I didn't really expect for her to pull away and have a trail of blood coming out of her mouth! She looked like a little vampire. Fortunately I healed quickly. Your mother is right - I am at the three week mark now and it doesn't really hurt at all, and I am beginning to enjoy it. The first week breast feeding actually made me rather nauseous and I dreaded it! But I have to say I looooove that it is SO cheap and convenient. It's also great for losing that baby weight - my belly is already back to normal and I am just 2 lbs above my pre-pregnancy weight.

Alex has found his parenting niche! He still hasn't changed a diaper, but he has discovered that he has a hypnotic reading voice. Last night he read to her for an hour and she stayed quiet the entire time! I had a whole hour to myself! It was magical.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

Your pictures are adorable Rachel

[DiZZyLoX 114]

It's good you've been pre-warned! I had been told breast-feeding could be painful, but I didn't really expect for her to pull away and have a trail of blood coming out of her mouth! She looked like a little vampire.

Holy sh!t! I can't imagine!!!!!! I'm particularly attached to my breasts and the idea of sharing them with my kid kinda freaks me out, I'm not gonna lie. I think of them more like pleasure pillows than I do the secret to life. lol but i've been assured that will change when little dude is born. I sure as hell hope so. Cause at the moment...weird. just weird.

oh man...here comes the reality check!!

[DiZZyLoX 114]

1cm dilated and 70%effaced!!! 21 days left and I am soooooooo ready!!!!!

[Jewel-8 21]

1cm dilated and 70%effaced!!! 21 days left and I am soooooooo ready!!!!!

I love the 37 week mark. Not much longer!!!

[Alex & Rachel 78]

Woo Dizzy! Hopefully not long now (or perhaps you've already had the baby! In which case congratulations!)

Also, has anyone seen/heard from Tracy? She's not been on in a while...

Time is flying by! Anya is nearly two months old. She had her first set of vaccinations (other than the Hep B at a day old) on Monday and took them like a champ. Well, she was screaming, but she was screaming the whoooole doctor's appointment because she hates being naked. As soon as I'd put her clothes back on after the shots she quietened down.

She's long and skinny - at just over 7 weeks she is 23 inches (90th percentile), 9lb 3oz (25th percentile) and has a teeny-tiny head (14 inches, 5th percentile!). Still in her newborn clothes, except for footed sleepers - she outgrew those ages ago!

Here she is at one month old exactly:

Her first good smile captured on camera:

With Alex the other day:

We've been to so many places with her! My family came to visit and loved spending time with her. Here she is amongst the redwoods with my dad:

I'm so glad to have the hang of wrapping; I would never get anything done otherwise! I do all my household chores while she's having a nap against my chest!

And who says babies aren't expressive?!

Sorry it's a picture intensive post - couldn't resist!

Edited June 14, 2012 by Alex & Rachel

[BrockUK 26]

OMG!!!

CUTENESS LEVEL OVER 9,000!!!!

[*julez* 124]

Rachel, your daughter is absolutely gorgeous! Beautiful pictures! And I am so impressed with your baby wrap! I could never do that.

[TracyTN 237]

Yes here I am, the delinquent one! LOL I had lost my VJ password - changed it to something crazy - and just kept forgetting to have it emailed to me. But alas.

Annaleah is A D O R A B L E!!!!!!!!!!! I could just eat her up from all those cute pictures. It sounds like you're transitioning into motherhood really well Rachel. Congratulations to both of you guys.

Now we just want to hear from Dizzy....

The 'elder stateswomen' of this thread, Emily, will be turning 2 on July 3rd. I still can hardly believe that! But here's a recent picture of her. She's really got a little personality now, but let me just say that the terrible twos are NOT a myth...! She enjoys Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and lives for her daddy (every other word out of her mouth is Daddy). Somehow, 'mommy' has recently become 'bobby' but she pats me and is quite pleased to tell you I'm her bobby. Whether or not she realizes she's calling me a British policeman is another matter entirely (I guess the letter m is a challenge for her yet...!)

I'll add another picture of her on her birthday. This is one from a few weeks back when she was playing outside.

Looking forward to reading more about your momma journey, Rachel - and hopefully Dizzy's soon!!