Bailey's new record!

Well, I'm not exactly sure how much a 7-week old baby is supposed to sleep during the night, but our Bailey set her new record the other night. We had a good 9-hours stretch!!! And it was wonderful - Thanks Bay!

Bailey was finally able to meet all of her American cousins last week when we traveled to Southern Indiana to celebrate Christmas with Jeremy's family (and my parents). It was great to see everyone and lots of fun watching the kids around Bailey. I really enjoyed when Calvin was reading one of his favorite books to Bailey while she was laying near the fireplace listening to him.

Here are the recent baby stats:

• Weight at the last doctor check-up = 11lb 7oz (that was two weeks ago, I'm guessing she's right around 12lb now)
• Height at the last doctor check-up = 23 1/4 inches (she will soon outgrow her bassinet)
• Feedings = 7-9 times a day
• Diapers = she already wears size 2 (I think we go thru about 12-15/day)
• Tummy time is one of her favorites pastimes! 
• Development - she holds her head very well; recognizes faces & voices; has big toothless smiles; loves to talk/coo (like her daddy).
• She's simply a perfect child :)

A present for mama at 5 weeks!

Bailey decided to give her mama an awesome present this week - stretch her night sleeping for 6 hours! Whoo-hoo!!! Lately it's been anywhere between 4.5-5 hours, but now she's going even longer. I'm SO thankful that Bailey knows the difference between night and day.

During the day she still eats every 2-3 hours. In the evening Jeremy gets to feed her out of a bottle (our doctor recommended to give a bottle once a day so she's used to it). Between some feedings she sleeps, but more and more she is wide awake. Bailey loves music and when you dance with her, she loves to stare right into your eyes or bright objects, and of course she loves playing with grandma and grandpa - who never want to put her down :) Bailey also loves to talk already, in the mornings and late evenings when we change diapers especially.

My favorite time of the day is when Jeremy comes home in the evening, takes Bailey into his arms, and she starts staring at him. You can see in her eyes she's trying to say "Oh dad, finally, you're home! I missed you today!" It is the sweetest scene because Jeremy has the same look for her.

I started going to work last week, showing a few properties now and then. I feel very strange being out without Bay, almost like I'm missing something for my showing. But I know she's home and well taken care of by my parents - I'm very grateful for them being here and helping us out.

3+ weeks old & 1st Thanksgiving celebration

I've always heard people say that once you have kids the time will fly by faster than it normally does. And now I couldn't agree more. It seems that just yesterday Bailey was born, but now she is already three+ weeks old!

Bailey has been absolutely wonderful - very easy to take care of, good eater, good sleeper, and in general a very happy baby. She cries for two reasons - when a diaper needs to be changed and when she's hungry. It seems she's already figured out day/night time. During the day she eats every 2-3 hours (some days it's every hour); during the night we're on every 4 (sometimes a little longer) hour schedule. We went to the doctor for her 2-week check up, and the doc said she's doing great. Bailey has gained a pound over her birth weight and grew an inch - by now I'm certain she's over 10 pounds!

Bailey's first Thanksgiving didn't go as we planned. Her cousin Ben got a little sick two days before Thanksgiving, and his doctor put him on antibiotics. As first-time parents we (I) got a little nervous about having him around Bailey, so Josh, Christi, Calvin and Ben did not get to come and meet Bailey (sorry Calvin). Grandma Judy, uncle Jed, and Russian grandparents were our Thanksgiving party. Jeremy was the chef of the day, making tons of delicious food - and because we were short on people to eat it, we still are enjoying the leftovers.

We've had two photo sessions for Bailey already, and should have all of the pictures soon. These are just some previews.

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Today is Jeremy's birthday, and for the first time we're celebrating it as a new family. We are also celebrating 1-week-old Bailey, and oh what a week has it been!
Bailey was born on November 2 at 7:16pm. Her birth weight was 9 pounds, and she was 22 inches long. She came exactly a week after my original due date - the day Jeremy predicted. I was induced on November 1st around 11am, and it took over 30 hours for Bailey to finally come into this world. During labor and delivery Jeremy was the greatest support person - he kept me occupied and not letting me go insane (since I couldn't get up after I got my epidural), and later "helping" the doctor to deliver Bailey.
We've been home for five days (hard to believe it's already been that long) adjusting to our new lives. Bailey eats usually every 2-3 hours during the day, and for the last two nights every 4-4.5 hours - for which I'm very grateful. She already had the first doctor's appointment. The doc said she's doing well, already almost back at her birth weight.

This is our favorite facial expression - she smiles day and night.

Halloween baby?

5 days over due and still no baby...
This is the first year in the last five that Jeremy and I are not having a Halloween party. We both really enjoy this holiday as we get to dress up, be silly, and have a great time with lots of our friends. If baby B decides to show up today we will always have halloween/birthday party. But of course she needs to come first before we start planning her birthday party.
Tomorrow morning we have another doctor's appointment...I'm hoping for some progress

Reverse countdown...+3 days

Due date + 3 additional days = more and more anxious me!
I had my doctor's appointment yesterday. And like the last time he said that she can come any time...He scheduled me to come back on Tuesday to discuss my induction, if of course nothing happens until then. On Wednesday it will be a week after the due date, and the doc prefers not to let me go past that.
I've tried pretty much all of the tips on how to naturally induce my labor, but nothing has helped yet.
I'm learning how to be patient...

Reverse countdown...+1 day

Still no contractions and no baby...it's getting more and more difficult to concentrate on anything at work, but trying to work is helping me to take my mind off of other things...
My doctor's appointment is tomorrow at 4, so if nothing happens until then, I will update on how it goes.

Due date...today

Well, it is officially here - my due date! It's hard to believe that my "prego journey" is coming to an end. I still vividly remember the moment when I saw the plus sign and couldn't believe my eyes.
The last 9 months brought us many changes - I quit my corporate job at Zimmer, got real estate license, have been selling homes like crazy, my sister got pregnant again, my brother finally got his permanent residency in Canada, etc, etc, etc...and now the biggest change is about to happen (hopefully today).
However, I have a feeling baby B will not be joining us today. I still have not had any contractions and I feel like she's too high. Our next doctor's appointment is this Friday, which is 2 days overdue. I guess at that time we start discussing possibilities of inducing the labor...I'll try to keep everyone posted.

I'm open to any suggestions on how to naturally induce my labor!

10 days to go...

Diapers - check!
Wipes - check!
Clothes - check!
Blankets, burp-cloths, washcloths, etc - check! check! check!
I hope we're not forgetting anything since we only have (+/-) 10 days left before the big arrival. It's amazing to me how something as little as a newborn can change somebody's life in such a huge way, even before she's born. We've been preparing for this day for the last 9 months, and I think we're as prepared as one can possibly be, but at the same time I feel so utterly not ready for baby B to show up!

Last Friday my doctor said that most likely I will go into labor right around my due date or even later. Bailey is still up way too high, way too active, and I'm not miserable enough - I still have not had one contraction. Jeremy keeps saying she'll come on November 2, which would be exactly a week after my due date and a week before his birthday, in which case I think it should count as my early birthday gift for him :o)

Baby Bo

Both Jeremy and Bo have been absolutely awesome in our preparation. Bo has already sniffed everything in the nursery, tried to chew on a few toys, and found a good sleeping spot for himself - right in front of the crib. He also likes to hang out in there because we have a large bay window that he can look out and watch the neighbor kids play, dogs bark, and people walk - it's like his own movie screen. He's been patiently awaiting his demotion from the "baby" status...

I am still very busy at work with showings, writing offers, and closings - it's been absolutely wonderful! But by the end of the day I don't have much energy left to do anything, so Jeremy has been doing most of the things around the house! One of his latest "projects" was building a book shelf in the nursery. It turned out great and fits perfectly in the room. Now the nursery is completely ready!

New book shelf

Judy made these Pooh characters for Bailey

Pooh Crib

Well, our bags are packed and ready to go...We'll try to keep everyone posted on the activities.

10/12/2011

 

35 week update - aka 30 days left!

It's hard to believe that we only have 30 days left until the due date. It seems like yesterday that I came out of the bathroom not believing my eyes and seeing a little "+" on the pee-stick...and now we're this close...
Last week we received good news from our doctor. First, he confirmed we're having a girl! Hooray! We don't have to repaint our nursery. Most importantly, he confirmed Bailey is no longer breached. I guess at this point the chances of her turning again are pretty slim, so we should be OK for regular delivery...
During the last month Jeremy and I took prenatal classes, offered at our local hospital, in hopes that they will prepare us for what to do with baby B when we bring her home. Unfortunately the nurse-teacher mostly talked about the delivery process and what to expect while at the hospital. We got to tour the OB department, see different types of rooms, and meet a few nurses. After our 6-week class we still don't know what to do once we get home...I guess we'll figure it out when the time comes

8/22/2011

9/22/2011

 We've been blessed with great friends and family. We've had two baby showers - one in Southern Indiana, and one here at home, and received lots of presents for Bailey, some for me, and even one for Jeremy. We appreciate everyone's generosity! With all of the gifts we are as ready as we possibly can be, now we just have to wait. And try to sleep while we still can :)

In loving memory...

Bailey's memorial video

Many-many moons ago Bailey and Taylor Moore were my "summer job". I spent every day babysitting those girls, doing all kinds of fun things; we did hair, nails, played with make-up, crafts, cooking, drawings, playing tennis, watched movies and swam at the country club pool. It was probably the funnest job I've ever had in my life!

In July of last year Bailey was diagnosed with A.L.L. Leukemia. She fought cancer for 8 long months with many types of treatments, chemo, drugs, spinal tap, bone marrow transplant, and much more. However, after all that Bailey lost the battle and passed away on March 3, 2010 at the age of 13. 

It was that day that Jeremy and I found out I was pregnant. Independently from each other we thought that if we're going to have a girl we should name her after Bailey. 

So in a few more weeks we will welcome Bailey Lucille Mullins into this world. 

24-week update

It's a...baby! At this point that's the only thing we know for certain. Twice already we've tried to determine the sex, but both times little Mullins wasn't cooperating and had her/his knees bent hiding the gender parts. Both times doctors said they "think" it's a girl...but not 100% sure. If we have to re-paint our pink nursery I only hope we do it before the baby arrives...
I'm doing much better these days! I feel nearly like my normal-self, except for being hungry all the time and having a belly that does not allow most of my pants to buckle up. I switched  to wearing almost exclusively skirts and dresses as they don't put any pressure on my belly. I still don't have any cravings and my "leftover-phobia" is finally over, so I'm back to eating and cooking normal stuff.
As always, Jeremy and Bo are doing awesome! If I'm busy with showings in the evening they take care of supper; if I'm home at night we try to do some preparing/studying/talking/reading/etc. about babies. The more I read, however, the more I realize we have absolutely NO idea what to do with our little one - how to wash them, how to feed them, how to do their nails, how to...and...and...and...I love it when experienced parents tell me that what I actually need to know is not in any of the books, and we'll just have to figure it out as we go...I suppose it's a good thing that babies don't remember their first few years of life.
Below are the updates on my belly

6/8/11

6/25/11

7/7/11

 Here's what our little princess looks like these days

Garage Sales 'R Us

Garage sales were never of too much interest for either Jeremy or me until we decided to look for baby things. Every Spring in Warsaw certain neighborhoods host their neighborhood garage sales, and that's where we spent our last two Saturday mornings with unbelievable success!
Since we've never done this before, we first had to do some research on what baby items are ok or not ok to buy used. With our lists & research in minds off we went...Between both weekends we ended up with the following items: convertible crib, pack n'play, swing, bouncer, bath tub, toys, some clothes, and other smaller items. Total cash spent - less than $100. Jeremy did price comparison last night, and we realized that we've saved over $700!
We had our 18-week check up on Wednesday. The doctor said that everything looks and measures good, we heard the heartbeat and now Jeremy thinks it's going to be a girl - 155-160 beats/minute. Next month we will find out for sure!
I'm doing much better these days, I can stay up for a little longer and the afternoons don't seem to drag as they used to. The only thing I still struggle with are the leftovers and food in general. Every meal and snack are so much work! I never know what I want to eat, so it takes a lot of my energy trying to figure out what will be my next meal.
Well, I should start getting ready - I'm hosting an Open House at one of our lakefront properties this afternoon. Wishing for lots of traffic & potential clients!

14 week update

Last week we had our monthly check up for the baby & mommy. The doctor didn't do the ultrasound, so we don't have an updated picture of the little one this time. But we heard the heart beat for the first time, and it was quite amazing. The baby sounded like he/she was racing somewhere, with the heartbeat going 140 beats/minute!

Being in the second trimester has not done much change for me at this point - I still struggle with leftovers & smells, only certain foods sound good at a certain time during the day, and I can eat all day long! I have to spend my energy in the mornings thinking about what may sound good to me to eat during the day, so I can prepare the “right” snacks. My regular bedtime is still 8pm-7am, with a possible nap in the afternoon. Even though I sleep so much, I still don’t have much energy during the day. I find it very difficult to do any basic day-to-day activities without feeling exhausted, even sitting up at the piano for longer than 45 minutes at a time. But I keep hoping and waiting that the “2^nd trimester feeling” is going to kick in any day, and all of a sudden I’m going to start feeling great.

Jeremy and Bo have been very patient with this pregnant lady. Cooking, cleaning, doing laundry and all that good stuff are their projects these days. I have to admit, I’m really liking it :)

Thank you, my friends!

Last night my good friends from Zimmer had a good-bye party for me at Spikes. It was so great to catch up with everyone, hear about the latest rumors, and reminisce about the good ol’ times. It felt like we were still a team, and nothing had changed! 

Those who didn’t know found out yesterday that Jeremy and I (and Bo) are expecting a little one. It was fun to talk about another Russian awesomeness joining this world – Porter, don’t be scared of another spy, we’re harmless!

I enjoyed working with each and every one of you and already miss you at my new job. I appreciate the wonderful opportunity that I had to work with and learn from you. Thank you all (Michelle, a special thanks goes out for the tasty chocolates). My best wishes to the entire team!

My old desk...Jared, I hope you're taking a good care of it :)

And this is Easley when he gets overworked by Matt...oh, the good ol' times

Baby Time!

October 26th is the official due date that little baby Mullins is going to join us in this world! Jeremy and I (and of course Bo) are extremely thrilled about this new adventure ahead of us.

Today I’m about 13 weeks along, and so far it’s been quite challenging for me. I don’t feel like myself anymore. I never had the official “morning sickness” as the nausea comes later in the day – usually after lunch some time. At about the same time the fatigue starts to take over, and at about 2.30 in the afternoon I become absolutely worthless for the rest of the day as I don’t have any energy left. Most days I feel like I’ve been sick for weeks, and it’s taking me extremely long to recover.

Jeremy has been utterly the best husband! He comes home and takes care of everything: cooking, cleaning, laundry, Bo, & my helplessness. I think what annoys him the most is the fact that I can’t eat leftovers (and I used to love them). Now I have to eat something new every time, once I eat a meal it doesn’t smell good to me anymore, so Jeremy has been having to cook all kinds of things. Potatoes are my favorites! I can probably eat them every day in any form…This week Jeremy had a dinner meeting at work, so my creative & no-time-consuming-to-make dinner was 2 microwaved potatoes – delicious!

I hear everyone saying: your body needs a lot of rest right now. So what do I do with this information? I live it! I sleep for 10-11 hours a day, and probably could sleep for even longer. I don’t know how or why but I fall asleep around 8-9pm and usually sleep all the way through the night (and I still feel exhausted by 2.30-3pm in the afternoon). My doctor says that I should have some of the energy coming back to me any day, and I can’t wait until that day…but for now it’s time for a nap on Sunday afternoon…