An update on Cara

Time is flying.  Cara is now 2 and a half months old.  She is getting so big.  We think she has crazy fussy times so we worried that she wasn't eating enough.  So we decided last week to take her in for a weight check and she was actually up to 10.1 lbs!  I look at her everyday so I don't notice the weight gain.  But, the scale doesn't lie.  Another sure sign is that I have just moved her up from newborn clothes to size 0-3 months.

She is smiling all the time and squealing when she is happy.  She tries to do a sit up when she is laying down and actually makes it like half-way up.  The swing has become a nap time must.  One day she just decided she likes it.  Thank goodness for the swing because that is the only way I am able to do anything during the day.  The bouncy seat is fun for her too.  Snuggling is one of her favorite things to do.  If I wear her in a carrier then I can do most anything around the house or even when we are out and about.  Things are getting better every day.  She is more and more willing to just sit and hang out while we are running around doing other stuff.

She is still up every 2-3 hours at night and during the day.  I hear that is normal with breastfed babies so I am not too worried about it.  We give her a formula bottle about 2 times per day.  It actually seems to make a difference in how she acts.  She is much more calm now and sleeps better each time she sleeps.

She just stares and smiles at Byron when he talks to her. She loves to be talked to.

We are all doing well and are excited for it to get even more fun as she gets older!

An update on Isabella

Well, they weren't joking when everyone told me that my time would be pretty sparse after Cara got here.  As you can tell from the RARE posts on here, my time is pretty filled with tasks every day.

We are all doing well.  Isabella is getting so big and so smart.  She picks up on everything we do.  We are amazed almost everyday at the things she does and imitates.  Now she can do the following:
wave
blow kisses
hug
high-five
show her teeth
point to her nose, tongue, fingers, toes, hair, head, ears, and bellybutton
say bye bye, mama, dada, nana, papap, sister, baby, bellybutton, nose, hi, ball, book, bite, please, down, and uh-oh (not all are recognizable to others but it is her consistent sound for each)
sign language for milk, eat, and more
If you ask her what a cat says she says "mow", and for a dog she makes a sort of yelping sound
climb on and off chairs and couches

She is great with Cara.  She wants to play with her all the time.  I have a floor toy that Cara lays under and there are hanging toys.  I lay Cara under those and Isabella will sit at her feet and play with those toys which entertains Cara too.  She loves to kiss her and even tries to help me burp her.  If Cara fusses, Isabella tries to give her the pacifier or blows her kisses as if trying to comfort her.  I cry like every other day at something she does sweet to Cara.

She is growing right on track and will recognize things like clapping just from hearing the noise.  She is also becoming a more independent baby.  She will play in the dining room/play room while we are in the living room.  She is so sweet!  Nap time and bedtime go so well.  She lays right down and goes to sleep almost every time.  We do two naps per day lasting about 1 1/2 hours each.  Then at night she goes to bed at around 8 and doesn't get up until about 8 in the morning.  We are blessed to have such a great sleeper.  She has been off of her pacifier for almost 3 weeks now.  Byron just laid her down for a nap without it one day and she never needed it again!  Isabella is a very passionate baby so when she is upset she is actually very upset and she gets her feelings hurt easily.  She is a great blessing and has such a sweet personality already!

Cara from her first week till 2 months

 Uncle JJ came to visit us.

 Her first smile!

Cara's first week

Isabella with her 1st birthday card!

At the Hospital with Cara

Cara Michelle Stocks is here!

On August 17th I woke up and throughout the day I realized I had been leaking fluid.  At 2pm my mom recommended that I call my doctor to see what I should do.  I was told to go to the hospital just to have them check for amniotic fluid leaking.  They did the test and sure enough, it was amniotic fluid.  The nurse then told us we would be staying at the hospital and would be having the baby soon.  That was at about 4 pm.  We were moved into a labor and delivery room and told to wait for the doctor.  When the doctor arrived around 5 pm he decided to break my water.  By 6 I was starting to have contractions and they were a consistent 7 minutes apart.  We only walked for like 15 minutes but quickly turned around and came back  due to the contractions being so intense.  We got back to the room at around 8.  From then on, the contractions kept getting more intense and closer together.  They kept checking me and I finally got to 8cm but my body could not help but push.  They called the doctor around 9:15 and they were worried that he would not make it in time.  While waiting for the doctor, I was trying to just breath through the contractions instead of pushing.  But for most contractions this was impossible.  Before the doctor could get there, I was crowning and the nurses began holding the baby back to wait for the doctor.  He walked in and she was born.  At 9:51pm, Cara Michelle Stocks was born.  She weighed 7lbs 11oz and was 19 1/2 inches long.  I got my wish and got to go completely natural again this time.  I had Byron right by my side assuring me that I could do it.  My mom was holding Isabella and they were able to be there for the birth.  It was truly amazing to have such support.  It was also amazing to have Cara and then look up and see Isabella right there too.

I am trying to breastfeed again this time.  We are having much more success this time.  Her first feeding was an hour long!  We are still going strong and haven't had to supplement with any formula.  Since everything was going so well, they actually let us leave the hospital the next night at 8.  We had a weight check up tuesday and she is starting to gain weight back.

Isabella seems to be adjusting well.  She wants more attention and is curious about Cara but she is just her normal self.  I am doing well too.  Cara is sleeping better at night, giving me at least one four hour chunk each night.  She is feeding well which makes it easier on me because I worry less and the better she feeds means less pain for me.  Byron has started back to school now.  He is working hard to catch up on what he missed and making sure he is right on track.  He has been helping with the girls too.  He has been changing diapers, taking Isabella up and down from naps, and entertaining Isabella when I can't.  My mom has been here since August 2nd.  She has been such a blessing to our family.  She helps feed, bathe, change, and entertain Isabella.  She is also there to let me nap while she watches Cara.  She has helped clean and cook too.  Byron and I agree, this would have been much harder if she weren't here.

We are a very blessed family!  God has provided so much to us.  We are healthy and happy!!

Just an update while I have a minute.  Well, I am seeing a doctor here for Cara now.  I am on weekly visits.  Today was my second visit with him and it went fine.  It's kind of weird because at the Naval hospital they told me the heart rate and how i was measuring.  Here he just does it and then says, "looks great, see you in a week."  I wanna know what everything is.  I want all the numbers and measurements.  You could say I am a little obsessed with the details.  Lucky for me my friend, Miranda, got me the book "Your Pregnancy Week By Week".  It literally gives you the details including pictures as to how the baby has changed from week to week.  It is awesome for someone like me who wants to know everything.

Yesterday Byron, Isabella and I went to the hospital where I will be delivering Cara.  It is very nice.  It is in the city of Caramel and made for the locals who are known for being wealthy.  That works out well for me.  I get to go to a fancy hospital but everything is covered by my insurance.  The lady who did our admission interview (all the paperwork you don't want to think about when you are in labor) called the maternity ward the "maternity spa".  She also said I HAVE to have a milkshake while I am there because they are amazing.  My regular doctor said all their food is amazing.  I am sadly probably most excited about the food.  Lol!  The rooms are private and you stay there in that same room through your whole labor and delivery.  That is exciting to me because you don't get wheeled down to a surgery looking room to have the baby and then moved again for your actual stay there.  It has a full couch that folds into a bed for Byron.  Isabella will be able to come visit us until 9pm each day.  We were originally told she would not be able to come at all.  That meant we were going to have to either get our friend to keep her a ton or Byron would go home after the actual labor and delivery to keep her.  We are not sure about final plans for Isabella but it is great to know she can come into the hospital with us if needed.

I will be 37 weeks along this sunday.  It has gone SO fast this time.  I am feeling well and am still able to chase Isabella around.  I am making sure to rest plenty too.

Isabella will be 11 months old tomorrow!  She is learning so many skills lately.  She has been walking for a month now.  She is very steady and able to step over things and keep her balance now.  She likes to try to run too.  That does not work out quite as well each time.  She knows how to put her arms up, clap her hands, wave and say "bye bye", stomp her feet, identify her hair, and tries to blow kisses on occasion.  She claps and stomps her feet to "If you're happy and you know it".  SO CUTE!  She also gives kisses when she feels like it and gives hugs.  We have taken her completely off bottles and she also sleeps from 9pm until 8:30 or 9 am every night!  God is really preparing the way for Cara's arrival.  I don't think Isabella knows that there is a baby coming but she rubs my belly and sometimes blows raspberries on it it i say "aww, baby".

I love my little family that God has given me.  We are so blessed.  We have been trying to make the most of Monterey.  Isabella and I even went to meet Byron at school for lunch.  We have been trying to do more as a family.  I think Isabella enjoys it.  She still says "DaDa" non stop and loves when he plays, sings, or dances around with her.

Thats all for now.  I will try to update again soon.

Isabella 9 months

Grandpa made her a pancake, the first one she ever had.

Second pancake experience, she is a fan.

Hanging with cousin Harlee.

Showin' off her cute bathing suit.

"Helping Gramma with the laundry."

She is acting like a teenager already.

So sunny out.

Had to put her diva sunglasses on.

Stretching so she can dance with the Wiggles.

Now tired after dancing so much!

Isabella 8 months

She crawled into her car seat like this on her own

She loves her Rubber Duckies!

She also loves bath time!

Daddy sent her a video of him reading a story to her.

She sat like this through the entire story!

This was her first time on stairs ever and she went all the way up without help.

Our family back together again!  Daddy is home!

Cara at 33 weeks

Isabella's 7 month pictures

Just learning how to sit up on her own.

First time pulling herself up in her crib.

Practicing pulling herself up and standing on her own.

First play date at the park.

Easter weekend.

Easter morning.  Her first easter basket.

Lovely thigh rolls.

Rocking the head bands to support cousin Tiff going on a missions trip to Africa.

LOVING bath time!