Karson's Birth Story {2 years later}

I have sat down so many times and started writing Karson's birth story, but never finish.  Since I am anxiously awaiting Sister's birth, I figured I would try again. :)

Karson's pregnancy was difficult.  Those women that LOVE being pregnant...I was not one of them.  I was sick.  I was huge.  I was sick.  I couldn't sleep.  Did I mention I was sick?  I remember hitting a wall on the 28th of February.  I was exactly 3 weeks from my due date, and absolutely miserable.  I was in tears all morning.  I was exhausted, but I couldn't sleep.  I was hungry, but everything made me sick. ...and I was HUGE!  I spent the day running errands with my Mom, and had my last baby shower.  That night, I remember DJ telling me, "Well at least now we know we will have a March baby."

The next morning, I woke up at exactly 6am and got up to go to the bathroom.  I was more than annoyed to be up at 6, after not sleeping well that night.  Annoyed I had to get up to go to the bathroom, and even more annoyed when I thought I had completely lost control of my bladder on the way to the bathroom.  I was so over being pregnant at this point!  I remember thinking...maybe my water broke...   I called my Mom and told her I wasn't sure if my water broke or if I lost control of my bladder.  She laughed and told me to call my doctor.  The doctor on call was the same doctor that delivered me, almost 23 years earlier.  He laughed a little at me as well, and told me to come in.  I called DJ and told him to come home, but not to say a thing to anyone in case it was a false alarm.   I wasn't contracting, so I told him to take his time.  His 45 minute drive home took about 15 minutes.  He obviously didn't listen. :)

When he got home, I was cleaning & organizing like a mad woman.  I was determined to bring my baby home to a clean house.  DJ begged and begged for me to get in the car so we could  leave.  I finally got in the car, and we headed to the hospital. 

We got to the hospital around 8.  It was incredibly encouraging to hear that I was  maybe a 1.  :) We hung out in triage for a few hours waiting to see if I would start contracting.   I didn't, and at 10 they moved me to the labor and delivery room, and started pitocin.  Soon after my Mom arrived, and then Leesh and Katie.  I still wasn't feeling any contractions, and was enjoying visiting.  I took a nap, and Leesh and Katie headed to class.  Around noon, I asked about getting some pain meds.  I told them I didn't want to take any meds that could make me loopy.  I hate feeling out of it with meds!  Less than a half hour later the anesthesiologist was there to give me my epidural.  I don't remember how many cm I was, but I remember not making a whole lot of progress.

I labored away all day, oblivious to the pain thanks to the fabulous epidural.  Around dinner time they had me change positions a few times, because they thought Karson was face up, which was causing me to make slow progress!  That did the trick, and soon after I was around a 7.  I slept some more, and watched the finale of the Bachelor.  I kept telling the nurse I was feeling a lot of pressure, and around 10:00 they finally checked me and said I was 10 cm....and not to push. :)  Nurses were running in and out of the room, getting everything ready for delivery.

I started pushing at 10:15.  At 10:26, my sweet baby boy was placed on my chest.  He immediately stopped crying, and snuggled in.

 I remember asking the nurse to check his breathing, because he seemed to be breathing really hard to me.  I remember begging for someone to get me something to eat, and asking if it was ok for my Mom to come in to see him.  I nursed Karson, and around midnight, my brother, Leesh, Katie, got to meet him for the first time.  Karson got his first bath, and everyone but my Mom headed home.  Around 2:30am we moved to our recovery room, my Mom headed home.  DJ, Karson, and I went to sleep.  Kind of.  :)

I can not wait to see how Sister's birth story plays out!

Our Weekend

The weather in Michigan this week, was absolutely beautiful!  We spent the entire weekend outside playing.  Saturday, Karson got to see Bumpa's "Big Truck" for the first time.

Karson named my Dad "Bumpa" a few months ago.  My Dad drives semi trucks.  He drives cows from one farm to another, to visit their friends.  Yes, that is what we tell Karson. :)  Karson loves to point out semi trucks to us.  He always yells "BUMPA!" whenever he sees a semi truck.  When we are driving and he doesn't see any, he says over and over again "More Bumpa. More Bumpa!"  He can spot a semi truck a mile away!

Karson had never seen my Dad's semi before.  He got to sit on Bumpa's lap, and drive Bumpa's truck.

My Dad showed him how to use the radio...

Then my Dad honked the horn, and Karson got so excited!!

Thankfully, my Dad's semi is out in the country.  So only a few people heard the 2 year old honking the semi horn over and over again.

Karson & his Bumpa in front of Bumpa's Big Truck.

Sunday was even more beautiful than Saturday!  It was also my 25th Birthday.  DJ had to work, so before lunch DJ and I headed to Nana & Bumpa's house.  We played outside all day! 

We are usually really strict about nap time, but I just couldn't bring myself to take him inside, so he got a late nap.  It was absolutely beautiful outside!

He cheers for himself each time he makes a basket. :)

Picking up the pine cones, my Dad through in the yard for him.  He had so much fun!

It was, of course, necessary to dump them down the slide each time he filled up his bucket.

Aside from the fact that DJ had to work all day, it was the perfect birthday!  I loved getting to spend the day outside with my family, and Karson was so much fun!

he looks so old to me in this picture!!

The weather is supposed to be warm all week again.  I am praying we have a nice warm day when we get to bring Sister home.  Getting to sit outside snuggling a newborn, while Karson plays sounds like Heaven to me!

Karson's Cookies

I came down with a cold last week.  

A nasty, crummy, keep me from sleeping, make me feel awful, cold.

Combine that with being 31 weeks pregnant with an {almost} 2 year old...

I was one exhausted Mama.  

Who did nothing more than lay on the couch...all day Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

Karson was so good!

He slept in, took a 3-4 hour nap, and let me lay half asleep on the couch all day.  

...as long as I played 'choo-choos' with him & kept his sippy cup full, he was a happy kid!

By Friday I was starting to feel bad about not doing anything fun with him.

Especially since he had been so good!!

So after I laid him down for a nap, I took a few sticks of butter out of the fridge to get soft, and decided I would muster up the energy to make cookies with him when he woke up.

Karson loves to help me bake & cook!

After his 3 1/2 hour nap I asked him if he wanted to make cookies with him. 

He was so excited!

We went to the kitchen and started pulling out the ingredients from the cupboards.

...and then I realized I didn't have a white flour.

I only ever use wheat flour, but if I'm making sweets, like chocolate chip cookies, I like white flour. 

Or any chocolate chips.

I pulled out the wheat flour, found a bag of m&ms from the back of the cupboard, set Karson on the counter and decided these cookies were going to be about the process of making them...and not how they actually tasted.

After all it was supposed to be a fun activity for Karson.

Who was thrilled to have a bag of open m&ms with in his reach.

Every time I looked, he was sticking another m&m in his mouth!

And when I wasn't looking, an egg mysteriously landed on the kitchen floor....

 ...someone snuck a few more m&ms...

...and dumped an extra 1/4 cup of sugar into the bowl...

...and a few extra...tablespoons or so of vanilla.

Then he proudly stirred up his cookies.

He helped me put them on the pan, and signed 'cookie' over and over again until they were done.

And when they were done, we enjoyed our very sugar-y...very vanila-y Whole Wheat M&M cookies.

My Dream

A little back story: I got married young.  I was 21 and DJ was 25.  I may have been young, and we may have both still been in school, but we both had  full time jobs, and could support ourselves.  DJ has had his career job for years, he owned his own house.  The idea of waiting until I was older to get married, would have simply been for the sake of waiting until I was older.  A week after our 6th month anniversary we found out Karson was on his way.  Not exactly what we were planning, but we couldn't have been more excited.  


I have always been a rule follower.  I did well in High School.  College wasn't even a question.  Of course I would go. I went to a reputable college, for 4 years, studying to be an Elementary Special Ed. Teacher. I knew I wanted to stay home when I had kids, but, of course, I needed a back up.  I loved teaching, so getting my teaching degree made the most sense.  I could teach for a few years, stay home when my babies were little, and go back to teaching when they were in school. 

Except, I didn't finish college. 

I am a college drop out.

A few weeks ago, I was at the store with Karson & Aunt Katie, and ran into someone I had not seen in years & years.  He obviously didn't know I was a Mommy, and was a little lot taken back by it.  To be honest, our conversation infuriated me...which is difficult to do.  In front of my almost 2 year old, I was insulted about being a Mommy.  His daughter is single and has a career, and is seeing the world...and ...and ...and...she is living the dream.   In front of Karson...


I am thankful he is little.  I am thankful, it all went over his head.  I am thankful...and hopeful..he didn't understand the conversation, where it was implied kids are a burden.  


I dropped out of college...because being a teacher wasn't my dream.  Being a teacher was my back up.


My dream was to be a Stay at Home Mom.

I spend my days making pretend cheese sand witches, hearing about 'choo-choos,' and racing cars on the wood floor, and snuggling.  I pick up toys, change diapers, make meals, and fold the laundry.  I always have an almost 2 year old running up to me to give me a huge hug, or to tell me 'mowee' is on his 'b,' or asking me to put on the 'ho ho' song and dance with him. 

I got married young.
I became a Mommy young.
I may not have a college degree.
I may not travel the world.
I may not have a career.

But, I am living my dream.

please don't think that i am saying that you shouldn't get a degree, or travel the world, or be a working mama.  that is not at all what i am trying to say.

SNOW!

We live in Michigan.  Where there is supposed to be snow.  Except, there has not been any measurable snow this year.  Frustrating.  We were in a winter weather advisory over the weekend and were supposed to get a bunch of snow.  We got enough to just cover the ground.  Mother Nature needs to be reminded that this is Michigan.

Karson runs to the slider every morning and checks to see if we have any snow.  Finally, after his nap yesterday there was enough to get out his sled.  He had SO MUCH FUN!

I was so excited to take Karson out, and had everything ready when he woke up.  Getting an almost 2 year old ready to play in the snow, when your 6 months pregnant, is a task!!  I sent Karson out with Daddy, and gathered all of my snow gear on...another task when your 6 months pregnant!

After squeezing into my much too small snow pants,  Daddy took Karson and I on a sled ride.  Karson yelled '1, 2, 3, GO!' the whole time!

After our sled ride, we got out the shovels.  Karson helped Daddy clear the driveway...

 ...while Molly stopped running just long enough to catch her breath.  She loves the snow too!

 Karson still fits in his little sled from last winter.

I think DJ and I walked around the house with him 20 times each.  Every time we would stop, Karson would yell '1, 2, 3 GO!'

I am so glad we finally have a little bit of snow.

I love that Karson loves the snow!!  We are going to take advantage of the snow while it lasts!!  Hopefully we will get a blizzard soon!

Eek...

Ok, don't get used to this.
I very strongly dislike taking 'belly pictures!!'
I have 2 pictures when I was pregnant with Karson, and that is it.
So I am going to try for Baby Brother or Sister's sake to take a few more this time.
We'll see how that goes.


Baby Brother or Sister at 16 weeks...

btw...yes...that is a nursing pajama shirt.  And yes, I wore it to Costco this morning. My maternity clothes are too big, and my regular clothes are too small.  The nursing shirts I wore with Karson fit perfect! :)

Keep in mind that this was first thing this morning.  I swear it doubles in size by the time I go to bed!!

And while I was taking pictures, the Big Brother was getting himself into trouble.

He figured while I was taking a picture, it was the perfect time to sneak into the kitchen and steal my measuring cups.

Our Town Fair

Every year, the end of summer is marked by our Town Fair.

We live in a small town.

Which isn't really that small.

But we claim it to be.

We also pretend it to be a country town.

Which it really isn't anymore.

But regardless, the fair is a big deal around here.

Animal Barns

Karson absolutely loved the animals.

He spent the whole time in the Cow Barn trying to convince me they were 'goggies.'

Karson: "Goggies, Mom!"

Me: "Munchkin, those are cows."

Karson: "No, Mom.  No.  Goggies"

He saw chickens, bunnies, pigs, cows (aka: goggies), goats,  and horses.

The cows were his favorite.

I love this picture.

Because, Karson is his Mother's Son.

I hate, hate, hate crowds of people.

I always grabbed onto my Mom's purse or shopping cart whenever there were a lot of people around.

To this day, if I am in a crowd of people, especially in an airport, I grab onto her purse.

Karson did this on his own, when we were walking through a crowd of people...

Rides

Be impressed.

I let my germaphobic ness go for the evening, and let DJ take Karson on the Carousal.

I do not do rides that go in circles.

Roller coasters...up and down...fine.

Circles...absolutely NOT!

I thought Karson would love it.

He looked a bit nervous though.

We had to wait a while before the ride started, so we tried to entertain him.

how big is Karson?

SOOOO BIG

It started moving, and he grabbed on.

...see the sliver of a smile?

Oh wait, this thing goes up and down too???

And this is what I saw when he came back around...

My kid is not going to be a fan of amusement parks...

I know the picture is blurry, but it makes me laugh.

Elephant Ears

We went for elephant ears twice.

Once with Nana.

And once with Daddy.

He may not share my love of french fries...

But he agrees.

Fried dough, with cinnamon and sugar is to die for!