Welcome to the World Mckenzie Isabel!





We are pleased to announce that our newest little girl came into our lives yesterday at 8:03am at Overlook Medical Center in Summit NJ.  She was 21.5 inches long and weighed 9lbs 6 oz. 

This time around the c-section experience was so different.  My anesthesiologist was AMAZING this time... Dr. Megan Rosenstein... her amazing bedside manner and ability to communicate made the whole thing just another world than what it was the last time!  She also had 2 different color eyes so it was neat to focus on that in the OR.  My OBGYN was also different this time around. Dr. Rubino has a scheduling conflict so Dr. Allan Kessel delivered Mckenzie.  He even let Brian watch as they pulled her out... Daddy cut the cord and off the the nursery he went with her to get weighed! 

All of the nurses in recovery and the post partum unit were great... except for 2.  I was up and walking that night instead of waiting the next day.  My milk also came in right away on Day 2 - which made things a bit easier!  Although Mckenzie ended up losing weight (down to 8lbs 1 oz) and she was really jaundiced... they almost released me without her... but luckily we kicked ass and got her bilirubin levels down prior to discharge!



False Alarm.... or the Beginning of a very long 2 wks!~

So this past Friday we thought our bouncing little baby was going to make an entrance... well at least I THOUGHT SO. Brian was so swamped at work (he has been due to year end close and audit stuff) so we had not really spoken often during the day. I was having contractions about every 30-45 minutes all day long with bad heartburn and my lower intestines were not cooperating... so I was in the bathroom ALOT. Once he got home and we ate dinner, I decided to take an early shower... when I got out, the contractions sped up to about 10-15 minutes and they were kicking my ASS! I called the Dr. and he said that we should head over to the hospital b/c they needed to see if I was dilating. We finally got here after someone showed up to stay with Kayla. They hooked up the machines and we started watching the contractions go off the charts! I think that is when I turned to Brian and said "do you finally believe that I have been having contractions all day?" It was a shock to him and for a little while we thought the baby was coming that night! They checked my dilation and it had not changed since my appt at the Dr. the week prior so they hooked up an IV and started pumping liquid into me! A few bags later and the contractions slowed down a bit... although everytime I had to get up to pee, they started again.... THey ended up discharging me to bed rest until my next appt. I spent most of the wkend on my butt - which for those who know me, is NOT easy...

Fast forward to Tuesday: Dr. Kessel told us the baby is approx. 8 lbs 5oz (give or take a half pound). The baby has amazing lung function and he is confident that if the baby comes early, then it will be fine! So bed rest is truly up to me... I can clean the house if I want to get this show on the road... or take it easy until the scheduled c section - when I know my cousin will be here to care for Kayla and we won't be inconvincing anyone else! I choose the later... You know me and my need to plan and have control :)

The Perfect Help...

Finding the "perfect help" to welcome into your home... someone to be a mother's helper or Nanny to your children is such a hard thing to find! Recently I visited a friend who just had her second child... she was new to the area and needed to find someone to help out with her two year once the new baby came. When I went for the visit, this "nanny" opened the door, took my coat and offered me a drink... she showed me to the living room and told me (as a matter of factly) to take a seat and get off my feet... I am guessing my overly bulging waistline had something to do with her demands. But during my visit, this nanny cooked the family dinner, took their 2 yr old daughter AS WELL AS MINE to the potty, reminded my friend that it was almost feeding time for the newborn and offered to get him changed... GREAT SCOTTS - is this woman the new Mr. Belvedere or Tony Macelli?

The idea of having someone there to help me think about the trivial things when this new baby comes home sounds like something I would LOVE to buy into! The only 2 problems are the fact that i have NO time to look and then there is the avenue by which I actually do this search. I want someone that fits well into our home and our family. Someone I trust and feel comfortable with and someone my kids can feel the same about. Someone that respects my wishes and follows my rules!

My search begins... wish me luck!

A new gig.... working from home mommy!

Some of you may already know (due to the flood of emails and requests)... that I have decided to start my own business selling Tupperware. It's a product that I have loved for so many years and have respect for the product and the company. After having my own "in-home-party" in January and meeting the most amazing woman (who would later become my director)... I decided it would be a good fit for me and our family! Kayla gets so excited when we get a box of products and loves helping me go thru the box to unpack it.

I have always tried to give credit to those moms who have to pack up their family each day and head into the office.... it can't be easy. This is one reason I thought that working from home would be a good fit. However it is seriously one of the most difficult things to do! Telling Kayla that I have to work and that she has to go play for a bit is quite difficult. She is here and sees me and wants my attention. On the cusp of adding a new distraction to my day (with the newest baby Wilson)... I truly wonder how things will work out and how often I will be able to get work done during the day. I know Kayla will be heading to an extra day of nursery school in Sept and will have camp throughout the summer... I just hope Baby Wilson naps during those times so I can get some work done :)

Neighborly love...

We really hit the jackpot when we chose to move into this house just about one year ago. There is definite updating to be done but those proects will keep us busy for years to come. I am referring to the amazing neighbors we have. I so often hear about people who have neighbors are just unruley... but we are so lucky to be surrounded by generous people. Whether it be helping with the kids or playing with them... bringing us yummy food... helping give advice on yard or house issues... or just keeping us up to speed on all things regarding our house (from years past). We are truly blessed to have moved into this house... even to the point that last week when the lottery was high and we bought extra tickets, we said that we would not move... that we would just renovate like crazy!

Am I really ready to be out numbered?

Over the past few days, the reality of being outnumbered on a daily basis is really becoming a harsh reality that has overwhelmed me with anxiety. We are the ones who chose to expand our family and we are the ones who need to bare the brunt of those responsibilities. My husband works long hours and his commue makes for an added 3 hrs each day... Leaving me alone to care for our children for about 12 hours each day... on average. He is amazing with our daughter on the wkends and I know he will continue to be a huge source of help on the wkends... But what about those 12 hours each day I am left to do it solo?

Although this is the second time around and second c-section... I should know what to expect. Last time I did not have a 2.5 yr old climbing on me, needing me to cuddle or change a pull-up or drive them to preschool. I am more than nervous about the 1st few weeks this time around mostly b/c of the needs my 2.5 yr old has... not the baby! That, on top of the fact that my OBGYN had a little chat with me at my 32 wks visit (mostly b/c he saw how active she is and how much she depends on my attention)... He advised me that until my "incision check" at my 2 wk followup visit, I need to secure childcare for my older child b/c the things I would need to do for her, would hinder my recouperation.

Here comes my major anxiety... Although my husband and local friends are great. They have responsibilities such as work or their own children to care for. I can't drop Kayla off for playdates, because I can't drive. I can't ask people to take off work to help me out... And the there is the fact that I have general issues asking people for help b/c in the past there are ALWAYS strings attached with certain people and seriously it ends up being NOT WORTH IT!...hence my dilemia!

This baby has not even made its debut and I am already stressed about caring for two children.

I have heard so many times over the years that "it takes a village to raise a child".... I wish I had that village!

The 2nd Baby... Shower Debate

After a conversation with a friend recently, I fel compelled to write about this... especially since its seems that some people have some very strong feelings about the topic.

It's funny, because I never chose one side or the other and felt that if someone was having a baby shower for their 2nd (3rd or 4th) child it was their perogotive. Or if you have someone really awesome in your life that wants to have such an event for you... so be it. You are very lucky!

Since having a child and throwing a few of these for friends, I think it's a fabulous idea. I mean, I don't think people need to go as "over board" as you do with the 1st child because after all you should have ALL the "gear" you need.... Unless you waited like 10 yrs to have another child. But having an event to get your friends / family together to just have a little fun before your life changes just a little more... and hopefully you will get some new towels, diapers, wipes and maybe even baby formula... why not?

I just heard a story about someone who has a friend who is VERY against showers of any type for anything but your 1st child. Funny thing is that she does not even have any children yet! So it makes you wonder, how will she feel when she is having her 2nd child and is in need of diapers or some adult time with her friends? She feels that her friend will get a sufficient amount of whatever she needs when the baby comes and people come to visit. Where it gets even funnier is that the gifts that this person gives her friends when they have kids are NOT practical, look used or are down right cheap... so where does her strong feeling against having 2nd showers come from? Makes you wonder.

Where do you stand on these events?

31 Week Update...

Below is a photo taken last wkend... comparable to the same size I was at this time with Kayla.

Sometimes this baby feels like it's gonna bust thru my belly button... always moving around. Loves chocolate - although its one of the items that gives me gall bladder pain :( Sleeping is far a thing of the past and my equilibrium has gone out the window at this point.

It's funny b/c I feel as though this time I am surrounded by pregnant women... mostly within my Mommy Group but nonetheless... its amazing how every pregnancy if truly different but what is NOT different is the guilt a women feels regarding either her 1st or 2nd child.

For me, most of the pregnancy I feel guilty that I was neglecting the baby in my belly b/c when someone asked me how far along I was, I had NO clue and had to check the calendar. I remember with Kayla, I tracked each week and looked and pics of what the baby was supposed to look like or where within its developement we fell. This time around, I was not so diligent. Taking belly pics since I stopped being nauseous has gotten better though.

Since the gall bladder pain has taken over my days... and now allergy season decided to make an early appearance, Kayla is the one being more neglected... Surely she knows little about this since she is just getting TONS of tv and movies. She gets pretty much whatever snakcs she asks for (within what is in the house so I try to only keep healthy ones available since my will power has diminshed). I know that once this little baby comes out in a few weeks, I will have even less focus than I do now.

Does anyone have any advice on how to manage time with your older child once the younger one comes? I am having a csection so cuddle time with Kayla will be very difficult - she does not understand that she can no longer climb on me. Once I begin to nurse and have to feed the baby, Kayla's obsession with those bumps under my shirt will grow even more.... Should I not nurse this time around and just right to the formula?

26 Wks & Going Strong!

Baby Wilson #2 inside the my belly at 26 wks!

Looking just like big sister Kayla (check out the picture below in the right side bar)

Unfriendly GallStones

So it looks like I have averted surgery while pregnant! It was a close call for a few days but I was committed enough to work thru the 1st few days of the gallstone diet and had little to no discomfort during those 5 days. When we met with the surgeon last night, I was able to convince him NOT to go in to try to remove my gall bladder... He said as long as I am not in pain or uncomfortable, then he was fine until waiting until AFTER the baby comes to remove the organ.

Backstory ... When I was pregnant with Kayla, I had gall bladder functional issues but never developed any stones... after the pregnancy the influx of the cholesterol medicine I was on ended up creating the stones - since I had to go off the med's to get pregnant again. I will go back ON them after I am done nursing with this baby though.

25 Week Update on Baby #2

Not that I wanted to do this but due to several requests... here it is... the belly at 25 wks! Feeling bigger than I did at this point than I did with Miss Kayla. All is good... lots of gall bladder pain... We will see what the Dr. has to say next time about that (tomorow)... Lost 4 lbs since last month's visit... mostly due to NOT eating due to the gall bladder crap!

Kayla-isms

This post is LONG overdue.... I wish I were able to get more of these on video b/c some are just precious and completely priceless! Kayla is the most outgoing 2 yr old I have ever known... She has little fear or apprehension over anything. She loves fully and completely, tells you exactly what she thinks (no matter how hard the truth hurts LOL). Her abilities astound me at times.... Although this age is frustrating more than it feels rewarding... those moments still exist where I can't imagine my life without her in it or not having the opportunity to spend so much time with her these past few years!

So here are some Kayla-isms.... Things she says or does that makes us crazy or make us smile!

1. She climbs up on anything as high as she can and says "look at me, I am king of the castle!"
2. She sings her ABC's but leaves out the Q R S T U V W X .... but picks up at Y & Z...
3. She loves being tickled and says "take a rest" then the minute you stop, she says "one more again" (meaning she wants you to tickle her again)
4. She has a slight obsession with BOOBS... she calls them Boppers and always wants you to show her your Boppers!
5. She lvoes being barefoot - even when its 13* outside... although she wears shoes outside... she takes her socks off to ensure there is NO fuzz hiding btwn her toes :)
6. She sings herself to sleep with a medley of "Twinkle Twinkle", "ABC's" "Ring Around the Rosie", "Jingle Bells" or "Amazing Grace"
7. Kayla LOVES to help out... doing Laundry, Cooking, Making the Bed, Folding the Laundry... But does not like to cleanup toys!
8. She insists on picking out her clothes everyday!
9. She has an amazing concept of reference points and knows where we are going by the turns we make
10. SHE LOVES christmas lights and even though most of our neighbors have taken down their lights, we drive around and she says "oh wow, look at all the pretty lights!"
11. She loves family hugs... where she puts one arm arould Brian and the other around me and says "BIG HUGS"
12. She will randomly come up to snuggle and say "I love you too"....
13. She loves to dance... so she will ask us to put music on just to to spin around and jump
14. She enjoys spending time with her Mamaw and Pop Pop and Aunts / Uncles... she asks to visit them all the time and has an amazing memory!
15. She actually loves playing and watching football with her Daddy... although attempting to shout some of the same obscenities at the tv as him at times... its adorable when we drive by the high school football field and she either says "Go Chiefs!" or "where is joey?"

Off to school she goes :)

On January 3rd, Kayla started pre-school for the first time... She was SO excited that morning that when we heard her stirring and went into her room, she was half undressed, trying to put on sneakers with no socks and no pants... When I asked what she was doing she told us as a matter of factly, "I get dressed for pee skool mommy!"... When we dropped her off, there were NO signs of separation anxiety at ALL! And pick up was just as great... She came running out with her new tote bag, smile as big as Texas and the biggest hug I ever got!

Patiently waiting to go...

When we got home... she was so proud of her bag and the big picture inside!

Her teacher sent this home... made my day!