Welcome Baby Caitlin!

On June 30th we welcomed the newest member of our family into the world! Caitlin was born by planned cesarean section at around 9:43 in the morning. The entire experience was very different than with Victoria. We knew the date of arrival and "checked in" to the hospital, instead of rushing in after labour started. It was very peaceful and quite strange.

Caitlin was born healthy at 7.2 lb (same as her sister) and loved to nurse, right from the start. She lost about 10% of her weight to start with but at 5 weeks she is now gaining like crazy! I've been taking to the breastfeeding clinic weekly to weigh her and make sure she is getting enough milk. Because we bottle-fed Victoria I'm used to knowing exactly how much my baby is getting so it is a bit of an adjustment to just trust that nature has designed the breast-feeding system correctly and that it will just work.

We are always making comparisons between Victoria and Caitlin. There are definitely sisterly similarities, but also some differences. Caitlin doesn't need to be in constant motion the way Victoria did, but when she is mad she demands immediate satisfaction where as Victoria seemed a bit more mellow. Guess we'll have to wait and see who she turns out to be. Pretty hard to tell at 5-weeks!

Week 39 - Ready for Baby

So for the past week I've been off work and officially on Maternity Leave. The week has absolutely flown by, spent playing with Victoria and trying to get the house in order so that when "Baby" arrives we are some-what organized. My mom helped out a lot, cleaning the floors and watching Victoria for me while I got stuff done. We had the carpets cleaned and I think that most of the general clutter is cleared up (with the exception of the bookshelves, which are still a disaster). Maybe I'm nesting, but it feels so good to be clean and organized. I finally feel like I can relax and enjoy the next couple of days. Now, I plan to enjoy the next couple of days because Tuesday is D-Day and I know things are going to be crazy for a while afterward. I'm pretty excited about meeting this new little life and getting to know him/her. Just two more days......

Week 37 - A much overdue update

So now, here I am, at 37 weeks pregnant. So much for keeping everyone posted via the blog. Life is just busy with a full-time job and a two-year old.

I'm in my last week of work and then I have a week off before I get to meet the newest addition to the family. Provided everything goes as planned I have a c-section scheduled for June 30.

Generally, I'm feeling pretty good. I am hotter than I've ever been and have a new-found respect for women who are pregnant throughout the entire summer. I'm boiling all the time, and it is still June!

Scott installed a laundry sink downstairs, which I'm pretty excited about. With Victoria I always had the bathtub full of clothes that I was soaking, trying to get stains out. This time it will be so nice to have the tub free and to soak all those clothes right beside the washing mashine. Ah, the things that make me happy these days.....

Week 16 - Victoria's big-girl bed

Today Victoria napped in her big-girl bed for the first time. She loves her bed and new room, but this is the first time she's actually slept there. We are hoping to transition her slowly so that it isn't a shock once baby #2 arrives. Hopefully we can have her totally moved over in a few months and can then get busy making the nursery ready for a newborn (again).

We heard the baby's heartbeat for the first time at the doctor's appointment on January 9. 160 strong and solid beats per minute. Scott was with me and it was really nice to be able to share the experience. The heartbeat was lower than Victoria's was at 16, weeks, but still on the high side (but also still normal). According to the old wives tales, a higher heartbeat indicates a girl. I can't decide if it is a girl because it is still on the higher end or if it is a boy because it is much lower than Victoria's was. Speculating is part of the fun. It is like at Christmas when you know that there is a present for you under the tree, and you get to spend time guessing what it is. Half the fun is in the guessing, especially since, no matter what, I know I am getting a great present!