Tyler's birth story...

Tyler made his big arrival on September 5, 2013 at 9:30 am.  He weighed 8 pounds even and was 20 inches long.  At midnight (the night of Sept. 4) I checked into the hospital to start the process of being induced. My doctor decided it was finally time and the fact that Tyler was only getting bigger that if he didn't induce me then,  he would probably end up having to to do a C-section if we waited another week because of the weight he was gaining. Well, the morning of September 5, my doctor came in to check on me and to break my water.  I had so much fluid that I honestly felt like I lost 2 lbs from it all coming out! He checked me and could not feel his head and realized that he must have moved around a lot to where he was breach. He needed to do a C-section very soon and that left Sean in a bind at the house because his parents weren't supposed to come to the house until around 10 or 11 am and my doctor told me that he was going to do the surgery at 9:15 am.  We decided that taking him to day care was best and the quickest sitter for us.  Sean literally walked into the surgery room right before they were going to cut me.  I was very scared and told my doctor that he was to not cut me open until he arrived (haha,  he was waiting on him anyway but Sean really did cut it close though). I was really not a fan of having a C-section and knew that this was the only way for him to come out and plus I was already 6  cm dilated at this point and really starting to feel the contractions and was just ready for him to be here.  After it was all said and done, it wasn't so bad =)  Tyler came out perfect and I was able to see pretty much everything happening to him when he came out. I could see the table that they put him on to clean him up and check all of his vitals.  The hospital where I delivered him stressed the importance of bonding right away with your baby so they verified with me that they do not take him away from me until I recover. Sean actually took him back to my room until they stitched me up but that was a whole 15-20 minutes and then I would be able to have him for the rest of my stay. That was my biggest concern that they would take him away and I would be able to bond/breastfeed with him right away but they assured me. 

Tyler Michael Hapgood

 

 

 

Look at all my blonde hair!

 

 

I was in pain pretty bad for the first 2 days but then on the 3rd day I was walking around and feeling much better (I was in the hospital for 4 days).  Today I hardly take any medication at all and I'm moving around quite a bit.  They take my staples out this Friday and hoping that is painless. 

In the hospital when Hunter came to visit, Tyler gave him some new Cars (from the Cars movie) that went into a Cars case.  He loved it.  Hunter also surprised us and climbed up in the bed with me and held out his arms asking to hold him.  It was so cute and Sean and I felt relieved.  We didn't want to pressure him about meeting his brother but we  introduced them and waited for his reaction because at 2 years old we weren't quite sure up to that point how much he really understood.  Hunter has been so wonderful with him.  He gets excited when I ask him to help me give him a bath or change his clothes.  Even in the mornings when we get up he wants to give him a kiss and give him his blanky and paci. I'm so relieved! Also, I don't want to speak to soon, but Tyler is an amazing baby.  He hardly cries and is an awesome sleeper!  Since we've been home I've been sleeping 7 hours and waking up a couple of times just to feed him and he goes right back to sleep.  He's the complete opposite of how Hunter when he was a baby.  Hopefully, this lasts!

Here's Tylers gift to Hunter of his Cars set.

 

Tyler's first kiss from his big brother.

 

 

Hunter turned 2 years old on the day we brought Tyler home so we just did a little birthday with him.  Sean's stepmom, Lynda (Nana) is here helping so we had her to celebrate with.  Later on this month we are having a birthday party/welcoming Tyler party for them so he will have a formal birthday.  Plus why not start now with the sharing of birthdays for them!?  They have to start getting used to it anyway =)

 



I love my boys!

 

Update...

Well, I guess I should update all of you on the progress of Tyler getting here since he is taking his sweet time like a lot of our babies do as they enter the world or at least in my world they do.  As of this past Thursday, I have dilated to 3 cm and my OB is telling me that over the weekend (ahem, right now!) that this baby could very well possibly be here.  If he is not here by this coming Wednesday, September 4 that he is planning on me coming into his office and checking me one more time (I have no idea why because I guess 3 cm isn't enough for him?) and then sending me to the hospital to be induced! I'm just so relieved to have more of a time frame because I was getting frustrated with them moving up my due date several times so a part of me has really been thinking am I really due or not due at this time. September 4 just so happens to be my dad's birthday and have already mentioned to him that he may very well have a grandson that will be stealing his thunder for next 100 years or so and that he is perfectly fine with that =).

 

I haven't been sleeping well at all. I've been having more contractions during the day rather than during the night so I always think that maybe I'll go into labor more in the afternoon than in the early morning here in the next few days.  Since I have stopped working and am now home with Hunter all during the day (which I love!), I have gotten more emotional about him not being our only child and have appreciated these days I've been able to be with him one on one.  Don't get me wrong it has been tough and I have definitely been putting my foot down with him more and have had to scrape up my disciplining skills into action.  Not that I didn't before but I guess now that Hunter isn't in daycare where I know that there is only a certain level they can discipline at (or any at all), I've been seeing more of his misbehaviors frequently and I'm glad that I'm the one doing it.  I need to nip this in the bud now before my life really gets bananas.  LOL. 

 

My mom came down to visit over this long weekend and has a crazy feeling that I may go into labor and thought well, I can come down for a little bit.  She is coming down again on September 19.  My mother in law in California will be here this Saturday so she will be here just in time to help out =)

 

I will assure you that my next post will be pictures of our new addition, Tyler and Hunter as a big brother!  Can't wait! Wish me luck!

 

P.S. Just for the record, I haven't gain any weight this month. Actually I lost a pound!  So total weight gain is 32 pounds! Go me!

 

Me at 40 weeks!

 

The countdown til Tyler is here...

Currently, I am 37  weeks preggo.  My due date has been moved up multiple times.  It went from Sept. 12 to Sept. 8 to Sept. 1.  For the past week and a half I have been getting up anytime between the hours of 2 and 4 am with contractions thinking that this is the day!  Yeah right.  Then before I leave work and drop of Hunter at school, I get some more contractions so I can't leave my house until they stop because why would I do that to myself.  At my last doctor's appointment this week, I was 2 cm dilated and he confirmed that there would be no way that I would make it to 40 weeks. Sooooo, any guesses to when this baby is going to be here? Haha.  I know every pregnant woman at this stage is literally on edge and is wondering the same. Almost 2 years ago, I was going through this same drill. I have to admit I do like the anticipation because I keep doing a few more things in the house in preparation for his arrival.  Such as, last night, I made a casserole but decided to double the ingredients (I just so happened to have them) to make an extra one to freeze.  Also, I'm making a list for Sean to go to BJ's and stock us up on some things so that we don't have to worry about them 2 months from now.  This time around, I am definitely more relaxed with things.  I know that my house will not be impecably clean at all times because that is just impossible with a toddler.  Don't get me wrong, I have been cleaning and washing stuff but if things aren't super clean, oh well.  It won't be the end of the world.  I have to admit I was a little nervous about Tyler's room being finished in time but at the same time, I was thinking in my head, even if he were to be here before we finish, we have everything we need just unorganized.   All he really needs is diapers, my boob, his Rock n Play and some clean clothes.  Check.  I had that done already. So I wasn't super worried.  Here is a picture of what we finished over this past week. There are a few things that I still need to organize in there but like I said, it will eventually happen.

We were first going for a woodsy theme with bears and rabbits but then Sean got a little carried away and wanted to add monkeys and giraffes so we basically have an animal theme.  Either way, it ties together and I love the green! Also, the leaf that is over his crib is screwed into the wall quite well but we may switch it over the glider for when he starts to sleep in his crib.  I don't want to have nightmares thinking that that leaf may fall on him while he's sleeping..haha. It looks cute there now though.  Most of this stuff we bought from Ikea and I got a lot of the extras from my favorite consignment stores.   By the way, I am a big fan of the breathable bumpers and don't really care for the big crib ones, plus they are a suffocation hazard. I also just wanted to do something simple with colors and tailor around it.  When I bought Hunter's breathable bumper (it was blue) from Amazon.com, it was around $15.  Now those things are around $30-35!  Luckily, I managed to get one from the consignment store for $10.  Geez.  The price you pay for safety these days.  Those things should be free! 

We still have some pictures to hang and some curtains.

The doggie sitting on the little dresser was Sean's when he was a little boy (over 30 years old!). 

The dresser we switched from Hunter's room and Sean re-painted it again so that it looks super new. Sean's mom had found us a dresser that just needed some fixing up so Sean sanded and fixed this one up for Hunter and I think its so cute!

We got his chair from a garage sale and cleaned it up but I think I am going to get a cute slip cover to put on it but just haven't found a site to order one yet.

Hunter is proud his big boy bed.  I asked him to go stand next to his bed and let me take a photo of him but would not turn around! LOL.  He loves looking at it.  So funny.

I am a little emotional about the whole juggling 2 boys because Hunter does love his mommy a lot and I don't want to break his little heart.  I know every mom goes through this with their second so I know its normal.  I know Hunter is going to have a bit of a rough time. We were planning on keeping him in daycare part time for part for the first part when Tyler is here but I just decided that he needs to be home with us because we all need to adjust together.  I feel like the more he is included with helping me with Tyler to sooner and easier it will be for him to adjust.  He is very aware that Tyler has his room and its "Tyler's room" and knows that he will sleep in the crib but I think everything will all click with him when he's actually here.  He knows Tyler is in my big belly but at times calls my belly a ball.  Hahaha.  So, I can't really make it any more clear to him until Tyler is actually here.  Hunter is a wonderful helper and helps me pick up things off the floor since I can't bend over and does really good picking up his toys.  I am very anxious for them to meet as well and see Hunter being a big brother. So, until then, I'm just enjoying every moment hanging out with my 1st born, Hunty. 

Also, I was going to make this past Friday my last day because I've been having contractions very often but decided to try and make it a few days into work early next week.  Either way, I'm just taking it day by day. 

Here's the latest photo taken of me at 37 weeks.  Everyone at work through me a little baby shower this past Friday and this was taken then.

 

A new beginning....

I am happy to say that I will be leaving my job that I've worked as a Legal Assistant of 5 years to be able to stay at home with my boys!  I am not saying that I will be a full time SAHM (stay at home mom) starting next year but I will have more flexibility and will not have that pressure of returning back to work after 4 months.  I will have more months to be at home with the boys but we're not exactly sure quite how many.  We have a few things that are in the works that will help us out financially where I will be able to stay at home full time but they haven't completely come through, yet.  So when that happens I will let you guys know. I don't want to jinx it =) 

My job is well aware of me leaving and appreciates the honesty of letting them know that I will not return after my "maternity leave".  They are working on finding a replacement for me where I will train them before I leave.  A big part of me is sad that I'm leaving because I will miss all of my friends at work that are like family to me but I'm not sad about leaving the work and the craziness that came with the job and most of all my paycheck!  I huge part of me is relieved because I really can't imagine not being close to home (commuting to downtown Miami) and if Sean is working and Hunter or Tyler have some sort of issue at day care, I would need to leave which hectic in itself.  It's time for me to move on anyway just because of always having some anxiety or some sort of issue with work.   If it doesn't work out with our "master plan" then I'll go back and work at job that is closer to home.  Which will make it easier on me anyway because I will be about 15 minutes from home compared to an hour- hour and a half and that in itself just makes me feel better. 

Lately, I've been feeling like Tyler could come any day now.  It is getting pretty hard.  My feet are swelling a lot and I have major pain in my right foot. It almost feels like I broke it or I did something to it to cause so much pain but my doctor says its normal to feel it in my right foot.  Something about the placenta and blood flowing on that side creates more pressure and with all the weight I'm carrying.  Update: I've reached 30 lbs.  I am currently just about 36 weeks (they upped my due date) and means that I usually gain about a pound a week so I'm hoping to be at 35 lbs. when Tyler is born. We'll see.

Right now, we are still finishing up on Tyler's room.  Progress had been made, I promise!   The walls are painted and  Hunter has switched to his big boy bed and the crib is already in Tyler's room.  We just need to switch the dresser from Hunter's room and Sean finished working on Hunter's new dresser.  Which I'm so excited about. He did a great job. I'll give you guys a peek.  We also go a new chair for his room so that I can put the glider in Tyler's room.  Its big enough for both of us to sit and it rocks! It was a garage sale find and I'm so happy with it because we didn't spend hardly anything on it.

Isn't it cute?

Also, Hunter has been doing so well in his big boy bed. We're so proud of him! We have had zero issues with him. He is aware that he can get out of it but he knows that he is not allowed to get out until mommy or daddy come and get him. We'll see how long that works but right now it's going well.   Here's a photo of his little bed. I tried to mimic how his crib was to him so this is what we have right now.

Also, I have been cleaning (aka nesting) like a maniac! Its so funny because lately on the weekends and at least once a week where I hardly sleep because of the pregnancy and I end up cleaning that next morning (or evening) when I should relax but it doesn't last very long because Hunter helps too!  I do have some mixed emotions about how Hunter is going to be with his new brother because Hunter is a needy little boy and is very attached to me but at the same time he is my little helper and can see how I can get him to not be too jealous by helping me with Tyler.  Either way, I know he is going to go through the jealousy stage (hopefully not for long) but I know that eventually they will be buddies and things will be alright. Just keeping my fingers crossed.