Currently...

I am behind on life. I feel like I am in a cloudy fog and I'm hoping that it lifts very soon.

I don't mean a depressed type of fog, I mean a sleep deprived, don't know what day it is, haven't showered, can barely process a complete sentence, type of fog. And because of my current state I'm behind on so many things and feeling like the things I AM tending to are not getting done 100%.

I am behind on "thank you" notes, laundry, chores in general. I need a haircut like you wouldn't believe, a pedicure like whoa and I need to shave my legs before I inflict bodily harm if Hub's leg brushes by mine.

My mother-in-law came by today to watch Little C and P-Nut for an hour or two so we could "get out for a bit." I pumped a bottle so she was armed and Hubs and I set out for a romantic outing to... the grocery store. Yup, behind on groceries too.

In addition to mundane chores and household "stuff," I'm feeling the most behind on time with Little C. My patience with him has been very low and I feel beyond guilty for that. He has had to watch more TV than ever before and therefore, more guilt.

I'm behind on updates here on the blog and I'm hoping to get back into a normal groove again soon.

I try not to worry about most of this because I know it all comes with good reason... I have a newborn. However, not being able to take care of everything is driving me crazy!

The hardest part is for sure Little C. At the end of my pregnancy I was so uncomfortable and unable to play with him the way he was used to. Now I'm tied to P-Nut for breastfeeding and my play time with him is limited once again. I'm trying very hard to be there for him as much as possible but it never feels like enough and that makes me feel like a bad mom. I know I'm not, I just can't shake the guilt.

Things really are going well for the most part and I know the fog will lift very soon. P-Nut is progressing so very well and before long I hope things start smoothing out a bit and I am able to accomplish more.

As for now I'm riding this out. Enjoying the precious moments when they present themselves, getting through the tough moments as best I can, and I WILL shave my legs tomorrow or bust!!!!

Two weeks in the trenches

Today marks two weeks as a family of four! I am happy to report that all of us from P-Nut on up, are doing well. We are doing well but it has definitely been a tough two weeks. This two kids stuff is no joke!

Hubs and I are beyond exhausted but it's amazing what you can do on such little sleep. It is also amazing what you are NOT able to do on such little sleep. Things like, complete a sentence, remember why you walked into the room you are standing in, figure out what to have for dinner, etc.

Being so tired means our patience are thin and we find ourselves trying to not get short with Little C. After all, we can't fault him for being a toddler and adjusting to all of this himself. We have been experiencing a great deal of behavior challenges from our little guy. The evenings are hit or miss whether or not we will be having a peaceful or trying time. He's started screaming. All. The. Time. During play, during tantrums, if he doesn't get his way, at the dinner table... you get the idea. He starts to cry when P-Nut cries. Every time he takes a tumble or bumps his foot or hand on something he fake cries and wants extra attention. He's refusing naps, takes forever to finally fall asleep and then only sleeps for about 1 hour. He typically averages 2 1/2 - 3 hours.

We know this is all partly his age and partly his way of adjusting to his baby sister. I feel bad for him... He's doing the best he can.

P-Nut has been spending the past two weeks eating, sleeping and {a'hem} pooping. I do not remember Little C pooping as much as P-Nut!! At one point early on she would go every 20 minutes! Of course I immediately thought she had inherited Little C's tummy troubles and I called the Pediatrician to make sure the frequency was normal. Since this is our second baby I at least didn't panic and call the after hours doc. I waited until an appropriate time to call and I was assured that the frequency was normal and we had nothing to worry about. Whew!

I will dedicate a post to breastfeeding but I am happy to report that things are going very well in that department. I can't tell you how happy that makes me! I took P-Nut to a local lactation center to weigh her on Thursday and she was slightly over her birth weight! I'm so proud of her and myself.
:: dusts off shoulders ::

As for me, I'm feeling really good... physically. Mentally I've had my ups and downs. The "baby blues" have definitely made their presence known which is completely "normal" and happened with Little C as well. So far I feel safe to say it is NOT postpartum depression, which I was worried about after the issues I had while pregnant. I know it will pass and I'm starting to feel like it already has.

Yes, this is hard. I didn't want to hide the real stuff from you and there is even plenty that I have kept private for TMI purposes. But the best part is that as hard as it is, it is also amazing! I've always said, nothing worth having comes easy.

For every Little C tantrum or difficult behavior episode we also have plenty of laughs and great days with our son. As hard as it is to sleep in two hour increments and to have cracked, bleeding nipples, {oops, TMI snuck in there. Sorry!} it is amazing to see my newborn daughter change and grow before my eyes. The quiet moments in the middle of the night where it is just me and her are very precious indeed.

Hearing Little C say, "hi baby sheester, I love you." Melts our hearts! Sitting in bed with my husband and our two kids is surreal without a doubt, but so perfect.

Two weeks down... a lifetime to go. Ready as I'll ever be!

Preppy Letters

I mentioned on P-Nut's nursery tour that we had special letters made for her room. I wanted to share with you the adorable letters and the very talented "letter maker."

I found Anna with Preppy Letters on Etsy and was impressed with her work right off the bat. But once we connected and started the process I was even more impressed with her professionalism, creativity, and an incredible ability to read my mind and come up with EXACTLY what I had envisioned! Anna was a complete joy to work with, her prices were very reasonable and she even reimbursed us for the shipping because it came in a few dollars short of what she quoted us. Class act indeed!

Here are the letters in the nursery:

 

Here is a look at them a bit closer...

 

 

 

Anna captured our color scheme and theme perfectly. I only had to send her a link to the crib bedding we ordered and tell her we were going "beachy" with the decor and she nailed it! She sent over her ideas, we selected our favorites and the letters were on our door step in no time. AND, did I mentioned I contacted her in the midst of the Holidays, she has a 15 month old and she is a full-time working mother herself?!? 

 

These letters are my favorite part of the nursery. Maybe you are looking to decorate a nursery or toddler room yourself, or are looking for the perfect baby shower gift for a friend or loved one. Whatever the reason I highly recommend Preppy Letters!

 

To see better photos of Marlow's letters, check out the Preppy Letters Facebook page

 

*This was not a paid advertisement, I really loved Anna and her product so much and had to share!



P-Nut has arrived!!!

I would like to introduce you all to the lovely Little Miss P-Nut! AKA...

Marlow Jewell



 

 

 

 

She was born on Sunday, January 6, 2013 at 2:23am. Weighing in at 6lbs 15.7oz, and measuring 19 3/4" long.

 

The Hubs and I fell in love with her name many months ago, there's no elaborate story behind it. It already suits her just right! Her middle name is my Maiden name and I hope she is as proud to carry it as I was.

 

Labor and delivery went incredibly well and I will share her birth story with you as soon as I have the time to compile it.

 

 

For now, we are so in love with our baby girl and we are adjusting to life as a family of 4. I'm feeling really good, sleep deprived, but good overall. My arch nemesis, hormones, are still the bain of my existence but I do my best to take things in stride and I know it will get better.

 

Breastfeeding has been going so well! We are only 5 days in and things are far better than they were with Little C. He and I did not have the best go at breastfeeding so I am beyond thrilled that P-Nut and I are off to as good a start as we are.

 

Speaking of Little C...

 

 

 

 

He is so happy to have a "baby sheeshter!" He always talks about her, wants to hold her and since she sleeps so much he always says, "good morning, baby sheeshter," whenever he sees her. It is too cute!

 

So there you have it! P-Nut is finally here!!! We are up to our eyeballs in diapers, we're sleep deprived, I'm a human cow, and we are doing our best to keep things as "normal" as possible for Little C. Is it hard? I'd be lying if I said "no." But I wouldn't change a thing. My heart is overwhelmed with happiness and bursting with love. I remind myself of that as I'm crying from hormones, or from the pain of encouraged breasts!  

 

I can't wait to share more of our journey with you. Thank you for the support and kind words leading up to P-Nut's arrival. Now if you'll excuse me... I'm going to go soak in more of that happiness and love! :)





Hot Mess

Are you ready for this? The ultimate brain dump of all my brain dumps??? The truth is, I'm a mess right now. Yup, a genuine mess.

I can't keep a thought in my head.

I have dark circles under my eyes that are no match for any concealer known to man.

I'm uncomfortable at any given minute of the day or night.

I don't sleep well.

I have to pee every 5 minutes. (wish I was exaggerating)

My socks cut into my swollen calves by about 8:00am, I start cinching them down throughout the day and by the time I take them off I have a severe indentation around my ankles from the elastic. Therefore, I hate socks.

I hate pants.

I hate bras.

I'm ravenously hungry.

I have no patience.

I temporarily have lost my sense of humor.

My chair at work is broken so every time I sit down it "deflates" from the setting I have it at and falls all the way to the bottom. Suggesting that I'm "too heavy" for the setting I want it at. It's a very cruel and evil chair.

I ate a burrito last night with super spicy green chili in line with the "wives tale" that eating super spicy food can kick-start labor. I was left with heartburn and an upset stomach. Who are these "wives" anyway and where do they get off making up such lies!!!!

I'm sick of waiting. Period.

I'm aware I am being over dramatic and annoying but I don't care. I'm allowed. I've earned this right to complain. Yes, I'm lucky to be pregnant at all. I'm grateful for being full term. I'm blessed to have had two decent pregnancies. I am not taking any of this for granted and I hope you all know that about me by now.

It's just that I'm so very pregnant and so ready not to be. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to adjust my chair, my socks, my bra, my pants, eat my weight in cookies, choke back "no good reason" tears, and get back to being miserable.

Peace out.

P-Nut's Nursery

Hold on to your hats! Here comes the BIG REVEAL!!!

First off, I'm not a great photographer (as you can already tell) so the pics aren't the best. Second, I just got a new camera and I'm still learning how to get the images just right. Third, we are not interior design experts. This nursery was put together with just the right amount of do-it-yourself magic, consignment sale finds, hand-me-down furniture and trinkets and tiny touches a la craft stores. We are super pleased with the outcome and I hope you like it too.

We felt the white walls with the dark wood trim had an ocean, seaside, feel to it. So we went with that theme. We also wanted bright colorful decor since the walls and furniture are white.

We had extra special letters made of P-Nut's name. Those are not being shown right now but I will do a post highlighting the talented and amazing "letter designer" we found on Etsy after baby's arrival and sharing P-Nut's name with you.

So without further adieu... I proudly present, P-Nut's nursery!

Before...

After

(sneek peek at two of the letters)

Before...

After

Before...

After

The curtains and valances were made by my mother-in-law. The camera didn't really pick up the colors but they are nice and bright and match the bedding nicely.

All of the small shells were found around our house and in my old room at my parents. The big conch shells also came from my old room and I know one for sure was a gift from one of my uncles. The glass fish and star fishes came from craft stores and the picture on the left was painted by my Grandpa. It is an acrylic of docked sail boats. Of course I had to put a picture of P-Nut's big bro in her room. And that cute doll in the bottom right corner...

Raggedy Ann! My mother-in-law made this as well... 27 years ago! My sis-in-law's nursery was Raggedy Ann themed and at the time my MIL made an extra doll for her first future granddaughter. {Awwwww}

  

So there you have it! P-Nut's humble abode. We still have a few minor touches to add, including something to put on the wall above the changing table and the wall over the crib, but we decided to be done for now.

A HUGE "thank you" to our family for helping bring the room together. Having everyone help makes it very special to Hubs and I.

 Now, bring on baby P-Nut!!!!  

2013 Here I Come!

Happy New Year, everyone! I hope 2013 brings much happiness and prosperity to you all! If 2012 smacked you around a bit, I hope you get a fresh start. If 2013 brings exciting new prospects for you, I hope they are everything you expect and more.

As for my little family, we will be going from three to four in a matter of days. That seems like a perfect start to the year if you ask me! I know that we have many challenges ahead as we juggle a toddler, newborn, two full-time jobs, and our sanity. But we graciously accept these challenges knowing we can overcome any hurdles or stresses that come our way.

I'm hoping 2013 brings good things to my hard-working husband. That man deserves his time in the sun and needs to be rewarded for all he does. He is an asset to his company and I'm beyond proud of him!

I'm hoping 2013 brings adventure and fun to our Little C. He will turn 2, he will be inheriting a baby sister, and we will be introducing potty training. Those may bring with it some hardships but I know his resilience will shine through. The rest of the time I hope he continues having fun, learning new things, and being the precocious, wonderful little man we know and love.

My #1 hope for P-Nut right now is that she is healthy. After that I hope she develops and thrives as she should and that we have a positive experience with nursing. I also hope she is happy and a terrific sleeper. (wishful thinking)

As for me... I overcame some personal stuff in 2012 and I am really proud of where I sit today. This pregnancy changed me in a very positive way and with the help from my husband and my therapist, I was able to get through some difficult stretches. Yes I am grateful for the help and support but what I've learned above all in 2012 is that I possess everything I need to overcome my "demons" (for lack of a better word). I learned so much about myself from this pregnancy and what I need to be happy. I am so thankful for P-Nut's timing. This is all very personal and may not make a lick of sense but I feel compelled to share because it really was a huge part of 2012 for me and will shape 2013 as well.

In addition to continuing on with my personal growth and positive changes, I am also looking forward to growing in my motherhood role. It is a role I cherish and it is ever changing. 2013 will be interesting as I take on two!

Lastly, I am looking forward to what's in store for my marriage. I think it is safe to say that parenthood has challenged us more than anything we've ever experienced. But I will say that it has also strengthened us more than anything we've experienced. I'm blessed to have such an amazing partner by my side as we navigate through our lives and I look forward to what 2013 has in store for us.

As I head into this exciting new year I also want to say "thank you" to everyone that stops by to read My Full-Thyme Life. Writing here has proven to be a very positive experience of my 2012 and I look forward to what's yet to come. I will be growing the site, I will actually have a real giveaway soon (like real bloggers do), and I will be having more guest posts. I appreciate all of your comments and your interest. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Happy New Year!!! What are your hopes for 2013?