There's a lot to do to prepare for a baby's arrival. Normally, by the second child of the same gender you have some of the many items you'll need. Brenden and Kyleigh both slept in the pack n play when they first came home from the hospital for the first few months until they transitioned into the crib. However, the pack n play was too wide to fit on either side of the bed or at the foot of the bed in our bedroom, so I had to find a "skinny" bassinet. I was lucky to find this gender neutral one.
This crib is sturdy, beautifully built and can transition into a toddler and full size bed.
Just as when Kyleigh was born we had to prepare Brenden, we also had to prep Kyleigh for the lack of attention she was about to experience. So far, to give her credit, she has handled it fairly well---except, she's the one giving Kent all the attention, and sometimes it's too much attention for him!
Not a whole lot of "prep" for this guy. He's a fantastic father and takes on the added child/responsibility like a champ. There was no question in this department and he has not disappointed.
My body sure did alot of prep work...of which I'm still trying to un-do some of...
(caught these two asking questions and talking about what Trent was reading. She is curious and soaks up all that you tell her).
Great Grandma Jackie sent Kent his first present. Since Kent wasn't around yet to open his present, I let the kids do the honors. It was a really handsome jacket, cute socks that look like shoes and a sharp lookin' shirt.
There are two hospitals that I could choose between to deliver my baby. We toured Akron General Hospital upon several recommendations, even though the facilities haven't been renovated and updated like they have at Summa hospital. Now that I've delivered my baby at General, I can say that this was the right choice for me. We loved the staff here and had a great experience. Kyleigh and Brenden came with Trent and I as we took a tour to see the hospital---(I ended up getting the room that had the soaker tub in it!! It was the only room left and the only one with a tub, and since I delivered naturally, it was so very helpful to relax and soothe me).
Unfortunately, one of the 'preparations' that my body did in getting ready for this baby, was to develop two tumors. I noticed them when showering one day, but thought nothing of it since my body is changing and figured it was something to do with milk production. But after awhile, I thought I should ask my OB. I forgot on two separate visits, and finally remembered on the 3rd try...which was about 8 months pregnant at this time. The Doctor said it felt suspect and wrote me an order for an ultrasound at the General Hospital Breast Health in 2 days. I showed up, gown-ed up and got scanned. Those are some loooooooong moments when the ultrasound technician takes the pictures and leaves to go get the Specialist Doctor to go over the results. The Doctor came in and told me I had two masses and she believed they were Fibroadenoma. But to be sure it was benign and not malignant, we would have to talk to the breast surgeon and do a biopsy. So she scheduled me within the week. Trent was able to go to that appointment with me. Kyleigh went home from preschool with a friend and Brenden was on a field trip to an apple orchard that I had told him I would meet him at...(because my breast surgeon appointment was at 9am and the orchard was scheduled at 12, so I thought I had plenty of time). However, when we met with the surgeon, she suggested that I do a biopsy as soon as possible. At the time I wasn't sure if I wanted to do the biopsy since I was unsure how it would affect that breast and its milk production (ie if it would lower production or cause damage to the ducts). Trent had to go back to work, and I decided to go ahead and schedule a biopsy. Well, the surgeon wanted to know results since the baby could come any day (I think I was at least at 37 weeks) and if it did come back as malignant, she wanted time to do something about it either before baby came or right after. She said she was going to do some footwork and for me to wait in the room. After another while, she said she was able to get me in now for a biopsy. I really wanted Trent to be there with me, but that would have pushed things back, so I said sure and went into the procedure room. It was very large with a metal bed and a large machine and a fridge and desk at the other end. A nice lady greeted me, told me to undress that side and lay down. I had to lay on my side because I'm not supposed to lay on my back when this far into the pregnancy. The Specialist and Surgeon both came in and started small talk to calm me down a bit. The specialist doctor who had first looked at the ultrasound pictures was the one handling the biopsy needle and took 4 samples. The nurse lady was holding the ultrasound wand to guide the biopsy needle and take a picture of the spot on the tumor where the biopsy needle went. And the Surgeon was supervising everything. I had been given a shot of lidocaine to numb the area of the biopsy and I was ok to drive out to Kent, OH to the apple orchard to meet Brenden as long as I kept my left arm above my heart. Results came back indicating I had a benign lactating adenoma. So, hopefully it goes away on its own, but if not, I can have it removed...at least it's benign.
Saw this shirt at the store and almost got it for Kent. ;)
This was taken the day before I went into labor-Oct 18th.
Pumpkin patches are all over here in Northeast Ohio...and every one of them has become a mini-carnival. No longer do you just go pick a pumpkin. There are hay bale rides, slides into corn kernels, games and food. It's something for which you schedule out a good portion of your afternoon. Pumpkins are now the side show and by means to gather people to your particular farm/orchard.
Over 4 feet now.
They make friends easily.
Somebody at this 'pumpkin patch' has a sense of humor. They made a "pencil farm" and had labels of what a pencil looks like at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, etc.
Kyleigh was enthused.
There were signs all over this place that if you break the stem, you have to buy the pumpkin. Stems are a big deal here. Somehow the pumpkin's main value stems from the stem. If it's broke, it's useless.
B found a great attraction at the pumpkin patch.
But ya had to fill 'er up first.
Their side job...
If Mom is going to bring out the camera, B is going to make good use of it...
Then, since we weren't going to buy any pumpkins today and I didn't want to pay almost $10/person to do all the activities for an hour, this was our next option....
And it worked for a looooong time. And I didn't mind. Was fun to watch.
They must have a different meaning of 1, 2, 3....
They took turns counting, but somehow B was dragging a little on 3
Practice makes perfect.
Looks like their '3' was timed correctly this go 'round...
I chose the one in the middle...
Right after this picture, B knocked down the pumpkin behind him with his butt. It would have been find cause the pumpkin went unscathed...but, the stem broke. The pumpkin was now useless. Some cranky lady at the checkout table at the top of the hill to our left must have been watching and waiting for this to happen cause she said in a crackly voice, "Now you're gonna have to buy it!" I was pretty sad cause I didn't want to spend any money at this place and especially not $8 alone on a pumpkin. But I squatted down and lifted the pumpkin up aside my 9 month pregnant belly (I ended up delivering Kent the following day), and carried the pumpkin up the hill to give the lady her money and leave this place. When I get to the table and start to open my wallet, she says, "The guy in front of you paid for your pumpkin". I was still a little occupied with the way she had yelled down the hill at me so I didn't think I heard her right. I asked her if she had said the guy in front of me had already paid, and she said yes. So we loaded up the pumpkin, and was able to tell the guy thank you as he was leaving the parking lot. He and his wife had a new little baby in the car and probably have no idea the impact that little gesture made on my emotional heart that day. I hope to pay it forward. Sure makes the world feel like a better place and that someone is looking out for you.
Kids were still wanting to play and I kinda wanted some time to reflect, so we made a turn on the country road that we've never tried before on the way home and found this little lake tucked away after a half mile walk down a foot path. Colors were beautiful. Fall was present in both color and feel...it started to get cold real fast and I felt bad that the kids didn't have a jacket.
(Kyleigh was reaching into her pocket for rocks that we had collected on the path to throw into the lake. B found a stick that had a cool natural pitchfork look to it and was trailing something imaginary behind him).
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