First Days- Maclaren

Thurs- 11/7-Birthday

-Born at 5:08am- 7lbs 5 oz, 20 in long- brown hair and dark gray blue eyes

- We definitely didn't sleep the night before or any that day for the most part

- Mid morning we got moved to mom and baby recovery- a different room on the 4th floor

- Late morning the Porters (Grammy and Poppy) brought Kinsley and the Boones (Shuggy and Papa John) all came to visit Maclaren.
-Later that afternoon Sarah Hurst came to visit.

Fri 11/8 1 day old

- went home from hospital at 11:30am!

                      - Lauren and Ansley came to visit and brought Maclaren a sweet little rattle and organic                    onesie

- Shuggy brought Kinsley back home and Subway for Lunch

- we tried to all lay down for a nap, but only Maclaren and I got some sleep

- Mawmaw and Pawpaw Porter came during the nap and brought pink roses, fruit, and a chick-fil-a nugget tray!

                       - I think I got about 6 hours of sleep that night-- waking up just for feeding and diaper change

Sat 11/9 2 days old

- Kins and I took a lot of pics of her- her room is now a mess
- i took a long great shower
-Kinsley started having some tantrums probably due to Mom's focus on baby and inability to hold her
-Kins, Maclaren and I all took a nap 3-5
- Papa John and Shuggy brought dinner and watched Maclaren while we loved on Kins and ate at the table
-we switched night time routine to mom does books, dad holds her and sings songs
-Maclaren smiled for the first time

Sun 11/10 3 days old
- we watched dora's big sister movie with kins and spent more time giving her individual attention
- daddy took her on a special date to yogurt and starbucks-- mom got a treat too
- we cleaned and i got some grading done
- 3 girls took a nap 3-5
-mawmaw snider, aunt donna & uncle trip, grammy & poppy, and kenan all stopped by
- aunt donna & uncle trip brought dinner from panera--plus gifts (an ornament for kins and M, a candle, and bath & body works spray)

Monday 11/11 4 days old
- Gray flew out of town til Thursday

Tuesday 11/12 5 days old
-First Dr. appt and lactation appt. She was not only back to birth weight, but surpassed it! Now weighing 7.9lbs. She drank almost 3 oz.

-We went on our first outing to Target. Shug took Kins while I had Maclaren in the sling.

-Hard work!

Wednesday 11/13 6 days old
-Lauren brought dinner. Ansley and Kinsley had a blast playing with each other.

iphone pics:

Meet Maclaren Rose- Her Birthday

I was scheduled to go into the hospital to start the induction process 1 week over due on Nov. 7th. We went to dinner for a "last meal" pre-baby and pre-no food induction rule at Macaroni Grill. I had been having some contractions that day that weren't too painful but just uncomfortable. I didn't have any contractions that I couldn't bear with Kinsley, so I wasn't quite sure of what I was feeling. I just assumed I would know when the time came.

Well, the time came around 8pm. We had just gotten home from dropping off Kinsley at Grammy and Poppy's house. I started packing my hospital bag knowing that I didn't have too much time and I didn't think I could wait until the morning. I had no idea what to wait for or when to call. So I turned to google and started texting some friends about when I should call. I started timing my contractions and they were about 3-4 mins apart and getting stronger...sometimes hard to breathe. The phone call led to them telling me to come on in.

We had no idea where "come on in" meant. The doors to the part my OBGYN is connected to was closed and the only thing open with lights on was the ER. So we headed that way. My contractions came and went and I was pretty calm and still wanted to walk. This other lady came in behind me pretty much screaming. I think everyone thought I was going to be sent home.

As soon as I got set up in the room, the Dr. came in and wanted to break my water. I wanted the epidural first. That took FOREVER to wait on. My contractions got so painful I was in tears. I didn't think I could do it. I have NO IDEA how people go without it. Maybe if they have a quick labor? I was about 7cm by the time I got my water broke and the last 3cm seemed to take FOREVER. 

We arrived at 10pm to the ER and stayed up the whole night waiting for miss Maclaren to enter the world. Finally, at 5:08am, Maclaren Rose was born 7lbs 5oz, 20 in long, crying loud and already suckling. She has dark blue-gray eyes and brown hair. 

Last time, with Kins, I was excited they saw hair... this time I was excited that my stomach felt "SO much better" haha. 

I'm already obsessed with this little girl. 

Here are the i-phone pics:

 Welcome to the Porter family Maclaren!

Her newborn pics I did can be viewed HERE.

We are having family photos taken next weekend so we will be sure to post those as well!

40 weeks!

40 weeks
Size of a PUMPKIN (imagine that coincidence being halloween! ha!)
19in-22in, 6-9lbs (Dr. thinks on the smaller side)
weight gain 141lbs, +32lbs


So I'm 40 weeks today and still no baby... go figure. I had an appt this morning and I am still 2 cm (same as last week) and the baby is a little lower. We set an appt for next thursday for an induction. 1 week over due is the sweet spot for induction and minimal risks. I loved my experience last time, but I wish she would come on her own sooner than that :)

I don't want to be away from Kinsley that much either. I have her bag packed of things to keep her occupied if we are at the hospital when not much is happening.

Random Things I think about:
- Could my water break in the shower or on the potty and I potentially have no idea?
- What does a contraction really feel like?
- What all do I need for newborn pics? What if this is my last baby girl? I need to get everything in order
- How do I go out and about with 2? I really have to think out a plan of action for getting a toddler and an infant into a cart... I plan on wearing baby Maclaren in a sling or wrap but I carry Kinsley everywhere so I'm not quite sure how this will work out hah
- How will I go about losing this baby weight? So many moms I see recently look SO good-JEALOUS

40 weeks with Kinsley

40 weeks with Maclaren

Thankful

Today was a great day...

My mother-in-law watched Kinsley while I had my last photosession before maternity leave. I came home to a clean home, dishes put away, and a happy girl with painted nails and toes.

I wake up from a nap, and Aunt Donna has left Panera bagels (including cinnamon crunch-my fave!) with homemade pumpkin curd on my door step!!

I am thankful for my husband who works really hard for his family. I am thankful for the way he comes home and gives us hugs and kisses. He puts the garbage at the road and brings it up. I love hearing him pray before dinner every night and holding our hands and giving us kisses at then end. He cleans up after dinner. He plays chase with Kinsley and flies her up the stairs. He gives her baths and reads her books in her bed so mommy can get some work done or just lay down for a bit. I love the sound of them laughing together. I love watching him love on her even when sometimes all she wants is mom. I love that he wants to buy her the world. Not a lot of girls have a daddy like that-- in fact most don't. Most don't have husbands like him either. I'm SO lucky and I'm SO thankful to have him in my life.

I'm thankful that my first born is healthy. I'm thankful that so far the 2nd one is too. I take that for granted. I'm thankful for a good pregnancy and that I really don't have anything to complain about. It was hard with a toddler, but I love Kinsley SO much it is so ridiculous I am about to love twice as much!

I'm thankful for family that is ready for this baby to come and remind me to call them at the start of anything (as if I would forget.) I love that family is willing to come over and watch Kinsley here, clean, and make food. I am thankful for friends that are on standby for any needs even though they have a million other things going on. I'm thankful that my dad took a job based on their flexibility with letting him fly home at a moments notice to meet his 2nd grand baby. I'm thankful that #2 is just as important and exciting as #1 to everyone.

I'm thankful for jobs I love that give me the flexibility of taking maternity leave and spending much needed time with my family.

I am thankful for so many things and I thought I would share.

Interview #2 with Kinsley | 29m

Kins wanted me to ask her questions again today... so here it is... I think I will look for some new questions for the next go round to mix it up haha



1. What is something that mommy says to you?
"om...play with soup"

2. What makes you happy?
"kiss and tickles"

3. what makes you sad?
"om..poor water on me"

4. what makes you laugh?
"tickle meeee"

5. how old are you?
"two" (with show of fingers)

6. How old is mommy?
"om.. long pause...8"

7. How old is daddy?
"7"

8. What's your favorite thing to do?
"um.. play with baby dolls"

9. Who is your best friend?
"Mrs. Yates"

10. What are you really good at?
"om... baby dolls"

11. What did you do today?
"play with baby dolls"

12. What's your favorite food?
"ice cream and soup and caramel and sprinkles"

13. What is your favorite song?
"Halleighlujah"

14. What is your favorite color?
"red"

15. What's your favorite animal?
"om...moose"

16. What did you dream about?
"om...cupcake"

17. What's your favorite toy?
"my toys"

18. What's your favorite fruit?
"pear"


19. What's your favorite book?
"i read all of um"

20. What's your favorite thing to do outside?
"um play with balls"

Interview with Kinsley- 29 months old

1. What is something that mommy says to you?
"Kinsley Porter"

2. What makes you happy?
"paint my nails"

3. what makes you sad?
"water bottle spilled on my shirt"

4. what makes you laugh?
"tickling me makes my laugh!"

5. how old are you?
"two" (with show of fingers)

6. How old is mommy?
"2 just like me"

7. How old is daddy?
"2 too ha!"

8. What's your favorite thing to do?
"um.. play with baby dolls"

9. Who is your best friend?
"YOU"

10. What are you really good at?
"paint my nails"

11. What did you do today?
"play with baby dolls and wear mommy's boots"

12. What's your favorite food?
"eating marshmellows and candy"

13. What is your favorite song?
"Halleighlujah"

14. What is your favorite color?
"red"

15. What's your favorite animal?
"moose"

16. What did you dream about?
"cupcakes"

17. What's your favorite toy?
"my toys"

18. What's your favorite fruit?
"apple"


19. What's your favorite book?
"puppy" (picks a random book of the shelf)

20. What's your favorite thing to do outside?
"um play ball"

37 Weeks

Last weeks Dr. appt lead to an ultra sound to check on baby's growth. They thought I was measuring small but the ultrasound revealed our baby girl is right on track and a healthy 5lbs 9oz. I had 10cm of amniotic fluid (good amount), and I was a pinky finger dilated, and starting to thin.

Looking in the mirror I am still carrying high, but her head is down and in the right place. Today's appointment her heart beat was 152 and we talked about having another exam at 39 weeks to see if there was progress or if my cervix was looking good enough to talk about induction at 40-41 weeks.

I passed my group strep test. Only concern I have now is some pulled muscles in my abdomen and neck/ shoulder. Tylenol only helps so much. I can only take it every 6 hours, but it only lasts maybe an hour or 2 of less intense pain. I think muscle fatigue got the best of me yesterday. I felt like I had the flu. I got in bed at 6pm, couldn't eat, chills, body aches, and those pulled muscles. I am so thankful for Gray and that he was able to take care of me and kinsley and get her to go to bed. He also woke up with her at 5am this morning and let me sleep. I am SO lucky!

and I am SO ready to be back to normal!


Things to do:
- 6 more photo sessions
- project descriptions for Graphics class and web class
- progress reports
- time sheets
- pack hospital bags or make a list
- wash all the baby clothes
- re-organize dresser

Things we still "need" (some right away, some not):
- Pump Accessory Kit
- Plush Body Support for our car seat for the winter
- Paci Clips
- drawer organizer
- humidifier
- sound machine or music player

Our Big Items:
- Mamaroo
- City Select Stroller and 2nd seat

Things I want but don't need:
Newborn hat for after delivery- I have a couple but this monogrammed knit one on Etsy is really         adorable
Crew & Lu pink tassel moccs