Cole is Two Months Old!

Can't believe my baby is two months old already.....his smiles melt my heart. 

On the downside, that means I'm about to have to go back to work. Not looking forward to that at all.  I don't know how I'll be able to handle the housework, grocery shopping, cooking, getting up at 5 am to feed Cole, and getting both boys to daycare, while having a full day of work.  Guess we'll just have to figure everything out as it comes. 

Did a little photo editing to make a picture like I saw on Pinterest:

Wish my ring was a little more in focus, but I Love this idea! 

I've got a lot of crafting to do since I discovered Pinterest. Never know when I'll have time to do anything.  My first thing to make off the site was a pumpkin trifle for Thanksgiving.  It was just okay....a friend of mine had the idea to put cream cheese/sugar in a layer and it tasted like a pumpkin roll. 

I need to post about Christmas since it was two days before Cole was two months....but I guess I'll save that for another time.  Cole is about to wake up.....

6 Weeks

Cole is six weeks old today!....The time is going by fast, I'll be back at work way too soon.  I'm still sleep deprived so I don't know why I am writing right now instead of going to bed.  My husband is on his first night of the next five, and both boys are in their beds, finally. Yep, Cole is now in his crib.  He has done well in the bassinet, but it was time to move him to his room, so we could get better sleep.  It has gone way better than Chase's transition was.  Only about 3 minutes of crying with Cole vs. 3 1/2 hours with Chase.  Last night was Cole's first night.  He went to bed about 8:30pm and woke up at 1 and 5 and then woke for the morning at 8 am.  Not so bad, but wish that one of those early feedings would go away soon.  Two kids has definitely thrown me for a loop.  Chase and I watched Polar Express tonight while Cole ate then cried in my arms, then in the swing, and then back in my arms and then in his bed until he could get fed AGAIN! Man, I think he eats so much but I counted it up today.  He ate 8 times for about 25 oz.  The guidelines say 17-32 oz, so I guess he's right on track.  He seems to be getting so big.
We've decided to change daycares.  Chase's current daycare didn't have a full time slot for Cole, so I found Kid Stuff which could take both.  The change is bittersweet.  I think Chase truly likes Noah's Ark, but he continues to struggle with hitting and potty training.  Maybe a change is what he needs.  I still love the facility, but I have prayed about it and feel that is where God is leading us, having openings available for both kids right now.  They will both start January 3rd when I go back to work, and I know that will be a very hard day.
Chase is getting excited about Christmas.  Even though we try to teach him about Jesus and the true Reason for the Season; Christmas trees, presents, twinkling lights and Santa Claus are all around.  I always try to get a pic with Santa, and Chase has cried every year.  We tried to talk him up this year, and Chase even knew what he wanted for Christmas....Beyblades! Can't believe how he has learned how to use beyblades and how well they keep him busy for hours!  We went to the City Mall to meet Santa....I had the times confused so we were pretty early, but Santa arrived and guess what! Chase was scared again.  He finally got pushed onto Santa's lap but he didn't like it.  When we left, he wanted to go back and sit on Santa's lap.  I'm sure he would of been scared again if we had let him.  Oh well, Cole did great!
Other duties of the week: We got the tree up! Robert made some good gumbo and we had a couple
and their two girls over.  Their house was struck by lightning and caught fire so they are stuck in a hotel.  It was nice to meet another "nuclear plant" family.  The girls even liked the gumbo!  I'm almost done Christmas shopping! Thanks to Amazon.com!!

Mom, No More Pictures!! This is what Chase does now every time I try to take a pic

Another frightful day with Santa!

Camp Cutie!

At the RVT Christmas Party

RVT Family

6 weeks old and oh, so cute

What are you looking at?

Brothers!!

Cole is One Month Old!

 Cole turned one month old on Sunday! He's a big boy and growing fast.  I think he will be our football player.  He's sleeping anywhere from 4 hours at a time to 6 1/2 hours.  I like the latter, but getting up at 4 am is sure hard for me.  I am not a morning person!

Proud Big Brother, Loves his "Baby Cole"

Proud Big Brother

Cole is Here!

The Arrival

I had been having braxton hicks contractions for a few days, so when I started having more contractions in the wee hours of the morning of the 27th, I thought it was still just a fluke.  Cole couldn't arrive exactly on his due date, could he?  Contractions started about 3:30 am and I told Robert when he woke up at 4:30 to get ready for work.  After they still continued, he called in to work and called his mom to come watch Chase.  We headed to the hospital about 6am.  I was still unsure because I wasn't in that much pain......yet!
When we got to the hospital, I was dilated to a 5!! Woo,hoo!!  I was admitted and soon found out my doctor was off that day, so Dr. Josh Ward would be delivering Cole.  I was always a little modest, so I never would go to a guy OB/GYN, but at this point, I didn't care.  I just wanted to hold Cole as soon as I could.  Dr. Ward broke my water, and then came on the pain!  Contractions got much stronger and the anesthesiologist was called for my relief, an epidural.  I should have known what would happen next, but I thought it might be different this time.  He gave me a low dose, but I still got sick and lost my breakfast, and my blood pressure dropped.  They had to give me some oxygen and ephedrine, but soon I was feeling better.  I even tried to push the button once b/c I was feeling the contractions, and then got sick again. I guess epidurals and I just don't get along too well.  I progressed pretty quickly after that, but another scary thing kept happening.  Every time I had a contraction, Cole's heart rate would drop.  I later found out this was because the cord was around his neck and the contractions compressed it.  They gave me some sort of amnio-transfusion which lessened the pressure on the cord.  Around 11am, I knew I was pretty close.  I was having a lot of pain with the contractions and feeling that need to push.  They called the doctor in and prepped the room.  After about 3 contractions of pushing, Cole was out!!  All the pain was gone, and I had my little baby boy.  Robert cut the cord and let me see him.  They cleaned and weighed him and he came in at a whopping 9 lbs 1 oz!!  What! I just pushed a 9 lb baby out!  He beat Chase by over a pound and a half!
We then spent some time trying to get Cole to nurse and time to bond a little before the family came in.  Mimi, Maw-maw, Paw-paw, Great Uncle Bob and Chase were all there to meet him.

Still Waiting.....

Well, went to my last clinic appointment today.  Cole is still baking in the oven and we're anxiously waiting for any pains to start.  I am dilated to a 2-3 and 50% effaced, which is a lot farther than I was with Chase before I went into labor.  I hope he comes in the next couple of days, maybe he's just waiting for his due date which is Thursday, the 27th.  I'll be induced next Tuesday if he doesn't come out sooner.  The doc suggested Monday or Tuesday, but I just couldn't PLAN on having a Halloween baby, even though he may come then. 
We're praying for a healthy baby boy and so excited to see what Cole will look like.  I think he will have a lot of hair, and be a healthy size (hopefully not too big).  I'm also ready to go b/c I'm so tired of being prego.  I have not had fun this go round....extreme SI pain, insomnia, heartburn, fatigue.....I just really want some sleep, but I know I won't get much for a while.
I started my maternity leave on Monday.  I'm enjoying the extra rest and time to get things done.  Laundry is actually caught up and dishes are done!  Chase has continued to go to daycare.  I've been working on some projects for the nursery.  I sure have waited to the last minute, but trying to prepare for a new baby with a 2 1/2 year old at home, and working, is especially hard.  Hopefully I'll get it mostly together tomorrow.  It just needs some decor on the walls. 
Chase moved classes at school.  I think this will be much better for him.  I believe this teacher knows how two year olds are, and can adjust better than the other one he started having problems with.  He misses naps sometimes; his daddy quit taking naps at 10 months and he has a cousin that quit at 18 months.  That must be a Bradford thing; I still love naps!  He took one today, though, I just hope it continues to behave well in his new class. 
The girls from RVT and I went to the Race for the Cure on Saturday.  I left Friday while my mom, or Mimi, stayed with Chase.  He definitely has outgrown his separation anxiety when I leave now.  He just told me bye, and then he asked if I was going to go have Baby Cole now......it was so cute.  I'm pretty sure he knows what's coming.  When asked what his baby bro's name is, he hugs himself like he's cold and says "cold" shaking. 

The rest of the weekend went well, with food, games, cupcakes, no sleep, and enjoying the festivities at the race.  I didn't walk because I would have been in a lot of pain in my hips, but I stayed on the sidelines around Craig O'Neil cheering all the women on.  It's always fun to be part of such a great event for a cure to end breast cancer.

Well, off to bed and continued waiting......

We have a name.......

Cole Barrett Bradford!
I have always liked the name Cole.  Robert wasn't too sure at first, but he's come around.  Since my sister and I are the last Barrett's of our family, we don't have anyone else to carry on the name, so I wanted to use it for this baby.  I start going to the OB every week now.....it's getting closer. Four weeks from today is my actual due date but I'm hoping he decides to come early!  I've just been miserable in this pregnancy.  I can't sleep, I have heartburn and serious SI issues.  I just dread going to bed at night, b/c every time I get up I have stabbing pain and can't put weight through my right leg.  I've done some research and I'm managing my pain a little better.  The exercises have worked miracles during the day but nighttime is still trouble.  Just to go to the bathroom, which is becoming more frequent, is about a 30 minute process from the time I wake up to the time I can fall back asleep, so I lose a lot of sleep.  Without sleep and work being so crazy, I'm just exhausted.  This probably confirms that I won't get pregnant again on purpose!  I have also had the worst charlie horse cramps in my legs lately.  I just wake up screaming, but usually Robert is there to massage my legs.  He's been pretty patient with me during this pregnancy.