My Royal Thoughts

Dear Diary,

Alright, Quick post and then I have to get back to work on my latest project before little miss and her sidekick decide to wake up!

How many of your conversations today have started with, “Did you watch the Royal Wedding?” I hardly leave my house and I’ve already had that conversation at least twice today. I admit, I have been incredibly annoyed at all the hype leading up to this giant affair. I was sick of the TV specials, the behind the scenes gossip that probably wasn’t even true and all the speculation on what “The Dress” was going to look like. I had no intentions of waking up early to see the wedding, nor was I even that anxious to catch the highlights today. Well, so I thought…

I have been soaking it all in ALL MORNING! I have no idea why it all of a sudden hit me, but I can’t get enough of it! Want to know what’s really pathetic? I was up at 2:45AM feeding Olivia and my first thought was, “Hm, I wonder what Kate is thinking right now.” I slightly considered venturing downstairs to watch it all live but then I remembered sleeping was a much better plan and went back to bed.

Don’t worry though, I was back up at 7:30 and instead of watching the usual PBS Kids cartoons, the girls and I settled on the couch and watched the wedding in replay. Well the good parts anyway. The dress was perfect. Half what I expected and half not, but regardless I think she’ll look back at that dress when she’s 80 years old and still be just as in love with it as she was today. I was incredibly impressed with how calm and collected she seemed. I honestly don’t think she could have handled herself any better than she did.

Picture yourself in her place. I can’t even imagine millions of people watching my every move on my wedding day, and then spending countless hours discussing every detail. I could hardly keep it together on my wedding day and that was a lousy 400 people watching me walk the aisle (It’s true, I was a shaky mess thinking about the hundreds of faces that were going to be staring at me). But Kate seemed to be fine. I was impressed to say the least.

So my favorite part? Well it had nothing to do with Kate at all. I absolutely LOVED, LOVED, LOVED when William and Harry were facing forward and Harry turns around the catch a glimpse of the bride-to-be and with a cute little smirk on his face, he turns to William and says, “Wait til you see her.” Or at least that’s what it appears he said. No matter what came out of his mouth, I just love how real that moment was. Just one brother, making conversation with the other to calm the nerves. So cute!

So there it is, my two cents on the biggest news of the day. Kate became a Princess and what have I done today… Well, I got a haircut. To me, that’s big time =)

Sincerely Yours,

It's One Of Those "Rainy, Snuggly, PJ" Kind Of Days!

Dear Diary,

Well it's one of those moments in the day where Addy is occupied by Elmo and Olivia is occupied by sleep, giving Mommy some time to be occupied by the computer! It's times like these where I wish someone was here to take our picture as we are all snuggled on the couch, laptop, dog and all! It is bound to be a Pajama day with the cold, rainy weather outside so I won't even attempt to fix my hair!

I don't really have a rhyme or reason for typing today, just thankful for a chance to type! So here are my random thoughts. Enjoy!

Today Olivia is 4 weeks old! Sometimes I look at her and all I see is Olivia - her own unique looks, her light brown hair, and her round little face. Other times I look at her and all I see is Addayln - the same perfect set of lips, the pudgy little nose and the exact same facial expressions every time she yawns, stretches or cries. It is amazing to me how much they can look alike and how much they can differ at the same time. Not that I am wanting her to grow up quickly, but I am anxious to see what Olivia looks like as she becomes a little person. I may be biased, but I know one thing for sure, I've got a couple of cuties on my hands. Daddy is going to have to beat the boys away when these girls are older =)

Olivia

Addalyn

Addy is a talking machine! This kid repeats EVERYTHING, or at least she tries. Dad has her saying "poop" as much as possible, which will only get us in trouble one of these days. She says "I wuv you" (my favorite) and "bless you" after anyone coughs, sneezes or even hiccups. We spend our day reading every book she owns and she is slowly figuring out what everything is. We've learned that "frog" sounds an awful lot like another "F" word we all know, so as you can imagine we get a good laugh every time a frog shows up somewhere! She takes note of everything and always wants to know what it is. I feel the need to educate her, so as I was feeding Olivia a few days ago, she pointed and said "What's that?" and I thought, "Well she asked..." so I told her what it was and now every time I feed Olivia she points and says, "Boot!" Haha close enough hunny =)

In my "spare time" I have taken up a new hobby, Custom Decor! I made a little something for my niece that I fell in love with and now the ideas are running wild! Who knows, maybe I'll start a little business! I don't have a lot of extra time these days but you'd be amazed at how much you can get done during nap time! Who needs a clean house when you have arts and crafts to do?

Project For My Niece's Nursery

I am working my way towards a better post-baby body. There is no better motivation than getting out of the shower and having your 1 year old look at you and say, "Eww." Haha. Two kids in under two years does a number on you. Well it does a number on me anyway. I am eating right and as soon as I hit that 6 week mark, I'll be able to work out. That's the bummer with C-Sections, too many rules! I am looking forward to getting in shape. I wish I had a little time before our beach vacation in June but I can only do what I can do before then! Good thing it's just family that has to witness this pale, chubby body in beach clothes =)

One of my favorite books is being turned into a movie and it comes out May 6th! I have already TOLD Garrett he is taking me, which he is just thrilled about, so I am putting the word out now that we'll need a babysitter! Maybe I can convince one of the grandparents to make a trip up for the occasion, wink wink ;) Speaking of books, as you can see, Lindsey's Book Club is rather pathetic at the moment. I haven't had much time to read and I am pretty sure the book I was in the middle of is somewhere behind the couch in the playroom after Addy accidentally knocked it off the back a few weeks ago. Someday I hope to get back on track!

Well, thanks for listening to me ramble. It was nice to write a little bit. Hopefully I'll have some time to come up with something a little more creative in my future posts!

Sincerely Yours,

P.S. I realize I need to update the pictures on here being that we have a new member of the family. Sometime soon I hope!

Hello Blog, It's Me, Lindsey

Dear Diary,

Well Hello blog! It has been awhile, and understandably so I suppose.

Life is BUSY! It was a blessing and curse to have the help that I did the couple of weeks after we brought Olivia home. I got used to only having to worry about one child while someone else was there to take care of the other. I am now on my own, and officially outnumbered.

I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed having Garrett home for a week with us, and I think Addy loved it even more. Those two went from best buds to the BESTEST buds. There is nothing sweeter than watching a Daddy with his Daughter. And I can't thank my Mom and Mother-In-Law enough for their help last week. Addalyn has never been more spoiled, and she LOVED it!

I decided today that being a Mother of two is quite the life change. You would think that going from no children to one child would be harder, but going from one to two has been much more of an adjustment for me. When Addy was a baby I clearly remember thinking, "Why does everyone say this is so hard?" She slept all day, had a good nighttime routine early on, and was never one of those babies who needed to be held much. I got tons of things done and got naps in whenever I needed them! The hardest part was the pumping and feedings.

Now...Oh my...Now I am trying to find a way to balance two different schedules, two different attitudes, and two different sets of demands. Thankfully Olivia is another good baby (so far) but that doesn't take away from all the time newborns take up in your day. I get to juggle feedings every 3 hours, diaper changes every time I turn around, and breakfast, lunch, snack and dinner times. I am expected to know what everyone needs and that it's needed NOW. Toys need turned on, movies need started and books need read. And somewhere in the mix I need to maybe eat a meal or two myself, take a shower, start some laundry or heaven forbid clean something around here! I'd be embarrassed for anyone to see my house right now.

Despite sounding like I am a bit overwhelmed and stressed out, I am actually not. Sure, when my phone is ringing and Addy is at the gate crying at me for something and the dog is dancing because he wants outside to go to the bathroom and I am sitting on the couch trying to feed the baby, I find myself having to take a breath or two. It's not easy, and I knew it wasn't going to be, but I can honestly say I am so happy this is my life right now. Better to do it while I am young right? =)

So, as I sit with a baby on my chest, typing away at the computer while Garrett is giving Addalyn a bath upstairs, I am thankful! Tomorrow is another day. Bring. It. On.

Sincerely Yours,

A Special Thanks To Nurses

Dear Diary,

I sent Garrett out to get the mail today and when I asked him what we got and his response was, "Something from Shawnee Mission Medical Center." My first thought was, "Really? We already got the bill?" Turns out, it was a Congratulations card from the Nursing staff who took care of Olivia and I in the hospital. It was a simple card, one they probably send to everyone, but each Nurse that took care of me had written a small note and signed it. Some just wrote a short Congrats to me or a Good Luck to life with Olivia, as I am sure they were reminded of my daughters name being that they see so many patients on a daily basis, BUT what really touched me were the Nurses who included something personal. They made me feel like I wasn't just another patient, but someone they enjoyed taking care of, or at least took the time to remember who I was.

I can't give Nurses enough credit. Of course Doctors are important. I love my Doctor and if it weren't for her, my daughters wouldn't have gotten the prenatal care they needed, nor would I have been able to deliver two healthy, beautiful girls. But with both of my hospital stays in the past 2 years, the Nurses have really stood out the most to me. I remember their names, the advice they gave me, the help they offered and their true understanding for what I was going through.

With Addalyn it was my Labor Nurse who stood by that monitor and realized that maybe we better get the Doctor over in a hurry and get Addy out safe and soundly. It was one of my Postpartum Nurses who walked me through everything I needed to know about taking care of a new baby and helped me recover the best I could from surgery before going home. With Olivia it was the Surgery Nurse who made me feel as comfortable as I could going through another C-Section. It was the Nurse Anesthetist who talked to me the entire time I was going throughh surgery, distracting me from what was going on behind that big blue curtain and even grabbing the camera to snap a couple photos of us meeting our daughter for the first time without being asked. And again, it was one of my Postpartum Nurses who helped me get another stubborn baby to finally figure out how to breastfeed.

These Nurses see patients like me every single day at their job. It would be easy for them to follow the routine, give me only the attention needed to get me through my stay and move on to the next patient on their list. But, these Nurses - Julie, Ramonda, Britney, Nick, Mary Kay, Lee and Jacque - are people who are meant to do what they are doing. I will always remember their names, the way they treated me and my babies and the impact they had on such an important part of my life.

So, Thank You Nurses! It takes a special person to do the jobs that you do. I certainly couldn't do it. And remember, those extra little things you do for your patients, the advice you give out for free and the kind words that you say when maybe you don't feel like it mean so much more to patients like me than you'll ever know!

"Constant attention by a good nurse may be just as important as a major operation by a surgeon"

Sincerely Yours,

Introducing Olivia Ryan Forsythe

Dear Diary,

Where in the world do I begin? Prepare for the longest post of all time because I have a feeling it will be near impossible to wrap my feelings in just a short, few paragraphs.

SHE'S HERE!!

Olivia Ryan Forsythe

March 22, 2011

7 lbs 3 oz 19 in.

Here I sit, with a napping toddler, a snuggly sleeping newborn and a relaxing husband. Tomorrow will mark Olivia's first full week of life, and I can hardly believe it has been a week already. This is probably signs for how ridiculously fast the second child grows up, as if the first didn't go fast enough!

Olivia's arrival went exactly as planned. I got some sleep, but not much, as I woke up at 3:45am to take my shower and get ready to head to the hospital. I think Addy knew something was up, and she definitely wanted to be part of it as she woke up around 4:00 and insisted on hanging out with Mommy and Daddy while we were getting ready to go. She couldn't have been cuter, sitting on our bed, all smiles, just watching us gather our things for the hospital. We gave her kisses goodbye as she snuggled with Aunt Chelsea and Granna to try and get some rest in before meeting her new baby sister in just a few hours.

We got to the hospital, got checked in, met the nurse who gave me my awesome hospital gown and support socks, hooked me up to my IV, and got baby girl on the monitor to make sure she was doing okay. Then it was the waiting game. A few people were in and out to ask questions and talk to me. I couldn't believe how familiar everything was. I had just been through all this with Addy 18 months ago, but I didn't think things would come back to me as much as they did. Everyone was ready to go, just waiting on Doctor to show up. As soon as she came in and said it was "go time" the nerves started. I walked myself into the cold, operating room and hopped onto the table (a little different than being wheeled in, and in a hurry, like last time). They got me prepped for surgery, put the blue curtain up, and let Garrett come in. IT WAS TIME!

Some tugging, pulling and a few minutes later I heard the best sound in the world, my little lady crying! They lifted her up and let me take a look and sure enough, I saw Addy all over again. They got her cleaned up and we couldn't believe how light her hair seemed. Her nose and mouth were identical to Addalyn's as a baby, but she had her own little look as well! We were in love, again! And just like before, her and Daddy were off to the nursery while Mommy got the pleasure of getting put back together!

Addalyn in the hospital

Olivia in the hospital

We spent the day just as I wanted it, with family. Everyone made a visit, including Big Sister Addalyn. It broke my heart that I couldn't pick her up and give her a gigantic hug, but all the little kisses and hugs she gave Little Sister made it all worth it. I think she was pretty impressed. With every trip she made to see us in the hospital, we asked her to give Olivia a hug and a kiss and baby sister got about 20 instead! Priceless!

I can't believe how much better my recovery has been this time around. The difference between this delivery and last is like night and day. With Addy, standing up for the first time on my own was unbearable, and with Olivia I hopped right up, got showered, and walked around my room for a few minutes without any one's help. I thought it would surely catch up to me and I'd be hurting but here we are, day 6, and I am doing great. The worst pain I had was while watching Conan one night in the hospital. Something made Garrett and I crack up and let's just say laughing that hard after a C-Section is not enjoyable. I had tears running down my face from laughter and pain and I had to make him turn the channel =)

And now we are home. adjusting to life with two! So far, so good. Garrett has this entire week off work and thank goodness. He has been on Addy duty and while she can been somewhat exhausting, I think they are loving all this time together. Olivia couldn't be a better baby. I was sure God wouldn't give me two good babies but so far, she's been perfect! I hope she keeps it up!

Once again, God has blessed our family. I have said it a million times - I have no idea why God has given me the life he has, but I cannot be more thankful.

A HUGE Thanks to the following: To Dr. Holmes and to the Shawnee Mission Medical Center nursing staff for taking such good care of me and Olivia. To everyone who said a prayer, a kind word, or wished us well. I cannot tell you all how much that means to us. To our family for being by our side and welcoming Baby Olivia with open arms. To my Mom and Sister for taking such great care of my first baby at home. I knew we would miss her the days we had to be in the hospital, but knowing she was with you made it much easier on us! And a special thanks to Mom for all the frozen dinners, delicious desserts, and a clean house to come home to! To Addalyn for being the best Big Sister in the world. To my awesome, amazing and perfect husband for being by my side and going through all of this again together. I couldn't imagine my life with anybody else and I am so excited to watch another perfect little girl fall in love with her Daddy! And finally, to Olivia, for letting this Mommy be a Mommy again. LOVE YOU ALL!

I hope I will be able to write often, but keep in mind I will soon be out numbered around here! Dad can't stay home from work forever =) Here's to hoping you see another blog post before 2012!

Sincerely Yours,

"P-Ewww"

Dear Diary,

Another blog post about pregnancy and my baby. Sorry folks, but when I am days away from meeting the little lady, it's all that is on my mind!

Well I am at that antsy phase. Had a dream last night that we had our baby girl and she was huge! Not like oddly huge, just more like a 4 month old instead of a newborn. And she had light hair, which I can't imagine she'll have. Someone (not sure who) named her a name we did not like so we had to change it AND for some reason my parents were taking care of her in the hospital so Garrett and I could get plenty of rest. Do you think that means they're planning on moving in and getting up all night long after we bring her home? =)

I usually enjoy dreams like these but this morning it just reminded me that it is still not time for our little lady to be here. It's definitely a good thing considering I still have plenty to do before she arrives, including packing my hospital bag (oops!), but it still doesn't stop me from wishing she was just here already. I am DYING to clean my house but want to wait until Saturday when Garrett can help and we are a little closer to Tuesday, you know, so I don't have to clean it AGAIN before we head to the hospital. I must be in that weird nesting phase because every little thing that is out of place, needs dusted or could use a good scrubbing is calling my name. Garrett would be mad at me if I did it all myself so I suppose I can wait a couple more days before I tackle the housework.

I had my last Doctors appointment yesterday, although I didn't even get to see my Doctor at all. She was very far behind, which has never happened throughout either of my pregnancies, so I was asked to see the Nurse Practitioner. I was a little disappointed as I would have liked to see my Doctor one last time before the big day, but I assume she must have felt okay enough about things to let me see the Nurse instead. I got to hear her heartbeat one last time from behind this comfortable home she's been dwelling in for the past 9 months and I got to leave the office knowing I wouldn't be back for any more checkups before the baby's arrival.

This little bundle of joy is moving like crazy, which probably means she's just as antsy to meet us as well. I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to bringing her home, getting settled in, and spending a few days snuggled with my little family in preparation for Phillies Opening Day. If ANYBODY wants things to run on schedule, it is my husband, because he will get to have Opening Day off work. I haven't quite decided which he is more excited about, the new addition or baseball season. =)

Alright, off to spend another day with just the lady and I. Speaking of, here's the Addy Moment of the Day:

 

She goes to the gate and points upstairs. I say, "What's the matter? Are you ready for a nap?" She looks at me like I am crazy and I ask again, "Addy, are you ready for a nap?" And she squints her eyes, plugs her nose with her thumb and finger and says, "P-U!" (More like "P-Eww"). Sure enough, she had a stinky. Garrett and I only teach her quality words and phrases, Ha ha! My kid is awesome =)

Oh yeah, Happy St. Pat's Day! Oddly enough I have overlooked this until I saw all the FB status updates.

Sincerely Yours,

A Day In The Life...

Dear Diary,

Well it’s one week until baby day and how am I feeling? Blah… This cold went from bad, to better, to worse. How is that possible? Who knows! Maybe the jump from better to worse means it’s on its way out? I can only hope. My tossing and turning in bed just got worse by tacking a constant runny nose onto things. I must feel better by the end of the week, whether this sickness wants to allow or not. The house needs cleaned and things need put in order before Baby Day on Tuesday. For now, snuggled on the couch with my girly, the dog and the laptop are the only things on my “to do” list.

Speaking of lists, I sat down a couple nights ago and started writing down everything anybody would ever need to know about a day in the life of Addy and I. Not that Mom hasn’t raised four kids of her own or spent plenty of time with the little lady to know how to take care of her while we are in the hospital, but I felt a list of notes might make things easier. And who am I kidding, I live for making lists like this.

As I was thinking of all the weird things that might be helpful for Mom to know, I was cracking up at all the specifics that make our days what they are. For instance:

“If Addy points to the television or hands you the remote and whines, this means she DOES NOT want to watch whatever is on TV, but wants you to go to the DVR list and scroll until you find the exact show she is in the mood for.”

OR

“Make sure you get EVERY bath time tub sticker out of the sack for her to stick on the tub, because if you don’t she will keep insisting until you do. It will be less trips for you.”

EVEN BETTER

“Pay close attention to not let her climb on the end tables, run across the couch, climb in the baby swing, stand on the green toy box, or open the glass door and get all the DVD’s out and scattered across the playroom. She’s sneaky, she’ll do it.”

AND MY FAVORITE

"If she says 'Uh Oh' but isn't doing anything wrong, then she's thinking about it. She's at least kind of enough to sometimes give you a warning first."

I am sure most households are like this when you are talking about one year olds. I don’t know how many times a day I have to say “Addalyn Paige, do you REALLY think you need to be doing that?” OR “What did I JUST tell you?”

My solution: Why not bring a newborn child into the mix? I have a feeling Addy climbing on the couch to turn the lights on and off OR chasing Philly around to try and pick him up or give him a hug 80 times a day will begin to fade into the background of my crying, hungry newborn. Will life get more hectic? I am putting a strong bet on YES. We’ll find out: ONE WEEK!

Sincerely Yours,