We're growing by 2 feet! ...9 weeks...

     This post won't be public for a few more weeks, but yes!, we are expecting Baby #2!! We found out the morning I left for VA, wasn't even 4 weeks yet. I went to the doctor around 8 weeks, and everything looked great! Saw our sweet baby and the tiny heart beating away. I am still keeping it a secret until we go back to the Doctor Nov. 16th, and then I will publicly announce it. I went to this OB way back in June to discuss my issues I had when I was at the end of my pregnancy with Connor. I needed to be re-assured that what happened to me didn't NEED to happen. My OB was completely shocked at the way the hospital and my previous OB handled everything. He assured me that there was no reason that the same problem should occur, and that he and the new hospital I will deliver at will take care of me. I'm not sure if I'm considered "high risk" yet, but I am going to see a specialist Dec. 3 to go over everything, and to take pre-cautions. I feel great about this pregnancy, and we knew we wanted more than one baby. I prayed about it, and I am letting God take this one. We are very excited, although, I do have to say I am also very exhausted. :) It's hard chasing a toddler, being tired, and feeling like you are going to throw up all day. BUT, it's worth it, and you just kind of do it! I am almost out of the first trimester in a few weeks, so I just have to hang on until then. My nausea has gotten a tad better, but some days it's worse than others. For a few weeks, I constantly felt like I was going to hurl every 5 minutes. I don't want to eat anything with nutritional value, and I already look 15 weeks pregnant. Thanks to the second baby belly that apparently appears a lot faster. (It does, at least for me)! I've gained 1 lb. Not excited about it, but I'm not surprised, considering I have more aversions to the healthy food. I have been eating tomatoes like apples though! haha Yummm! I was going to wear a ball gown to the USMC ball that my bf let me borrow, but it doesn't zip, so I ended up ordering one from ASOS maternity, and I LOVE it! It isn't super fancy,but it is perfect for me! Anyway, there really isn't too much to say, considering nobody is going to see this for a few more weeks, so I will post a pic of my already baby belly.

How far along?: 9 weeks 3 days.
Total weight gain/loss: +1
Sleep: I am having a hard time sleeping on my side.
Best moment this week: The weekend with my boys!
Movement: of course not.
Symptoms: soooo nauseous!
Food cravings: Not really.
Food aversions: Everything.
Gender: Don't know yet.
Labor Signs: Oh no, no.
Belly Button in or out?: IN.
What I miss: a glass of wine :)
What I am looking forward to: Getting out of the 1st trimester.
Weekly Wisdom: I always wondered how I could possibly be pregnant with #2 with a toddler, but you just do it. Don't worry about that because your motherly instincts kick in :) I don't have time to think about it. However, the nausea doesn't let up!
Milestones: Your new resident is nearly an inch long — about the size of a grape — and weighs just a fraction of an ounce. She's starting to look more and more human. Her essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. Other changes abound: Your baby's heart finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form — as do her tiny teeth. The embryonic "tail" is completely gone. Your baby's organs, muscles, and nerves are kicking into gear. The external sex organs are there but won't be distinguishable as male or female for another few weeks. Her eyes are fully formed, but her eyelids are fused shut and won't open until 27 weeks. She has tiny earlobes, and her mouth, nose, and nostrils are more distinct. The placenta is developed enough now to take over most of the critical job of producing hormones. Now that your baby's basic physiology is in place, she's poised for rapid weight gain.

18 Months!!

     Wow, I've been really bad about updating, but in my defense, we've been without a computer charger for weeks. We finally got the computer charger, so I figured I would update since so much has changed. Connor is ginormous. 18 months Oct. 26th. and something about that just feels so weird. He is getting so smart, and he is pretty freaking hilarious. A few of my favorite developments are that I'll say "Hey, Con, where's paci? (something we're working to completely rid of)," and he'll say, "uhoh, where did it go?" Where did it go is all high pitched, like this is a serious problem, mom. He also does this with just about anything. We were watching the movie 'Monster House' tonight, and in the movie the boy says, "Where is my ball?," and Con said, "where is his ball?" and then he got up.. Adam and I just kind of looked at each other like, "okay..." and in walks Connor with his ball. It's kind of amazing how much kids pick up just by every day interaction. Not that I'm super proud of this, but Connor is actually interested in movies/t.v. He watches movies and laughs when something is funny to him. I think this is pretty huge b/c it means that he is understanding more and more. He LOVES the movie, 'Hop,' and I think I have seen it about 5789 times. He doesn't sit down and watch the whole thing, but he likes to watch bits and pieces. It's so hard to read to him though. He can't sit still, and he doesn't really enjoy being read to, so we'll sit and point out animals, people, and objects. Also, Connor counts with me. We can count to 10. I obviously count more than he does, but he will say two, three, five, seven, and so forth.  A big deal, is that Connor has pooped on the potty about 8 times. He hasn't done it in a while. He has refused since I bought the kid toilet seat, of course! I'm not really pushing the issue. I'm sure he will get interested soon, but for now, he's still pretty young. We went for his 18 month check up in the beginning of October. Not sure why they scheduled it so early, but he was on target for an 18 month old at 17 months, so they were fine with it. He is 27 lbs and 33 inches. Such a big boy. I am absolutely loving his age, and I'm so excited for the Holidays! He is a pirate for Halloween this year, and I know he's going to love seeing all of the kids and getting attention! haha Adam is super pumped for Christmas, as am I. We have started Christmas shopping for Con, and it's going to be so fun! Anywho.. I'll leave with some pics!! (:

Time doesn't wait.

     The days keep going by, and time doesn't slow down. Connor is getting so big and so smart, and I am trying to take in every minute that I can. We visited Adam's family in New York August 4-11, and have just been non-stop busy. We had a great time, but it's always nice to get back into the swing of things at home. We got home on a Saturday night at about 10 p.m, Sunday we rested, and then Monday I just went at the house in full force. Catching up on laundry and cleaning. I even steamed cleaned the carpets that week. This week I've been a little more lazy with the house work, but have fit in a work out every day. My neighbor and I have been getting up at 6 am and walking 4 miles, and the 2 days we couldn't do that, I was in the gym. I'm not trying to lose weight, I just want to get healthier and start better habits. Also, while we were in NY, I noticed how hard of a time Connor was having if Adam or I were not in sight. One of the disadvantages of living so far away from family, is that Connor doesn't really know anyone. He hears them on the phone and sees them every few months, but it takes time to warm up to people every time we visit. So, I am starting to take him to the kid zone in the gym. This way, I can work out and he can learn to be without me for a while and be around other people. He loves other kids and plays so well with them, but he just loves his mommy and daddy. Not that it bothers me ;), but I know it is good for him to see fresh faces as often as he can! He does better on his own turf, when family comes to visit us, but it's harder to travel and then be expected to be outgoing. I know it is a phase, so I'm not dwelling on it. Also, there is a terrible outbreak of the West Nile Virus, and I am freaking out. We don't leave the house without being sprayed down in deet, which just grosses me out. Connor HATES it, and it's frustrating because we finally got his skin looking SO much better and here we go having to spray him down with chemicals to prevent West Nile Virus. Terrifying! A week from today, a great friend of mine from Camp Lejeune is coming out to visit!! She is actually in Georgia right now, and is flying to TX to meet Connor and see me... or just for the mimosas ;) haha Love you Steph! I can't wait to see her. The military has a funny way of making you dread moving and then introducing you to amazing people you would have never met had it not been for the military. My best friend is in VA with her husband and is about to move to Hawaii where they will be stationed for THREE years with my god daughter. It is dreadful to think about, but when I really sit and think, I am so thankful that God brought me to her through the military. When Adam and I first moved to Texas, it was really hard for us. We literally knew noone, except for our friends Kelly and Eric who were stationed in Camp Lejeune with us, but they still live over an hour away here. Luckily, we are both SAHMs and we work it out so we visit each other a couple times a month :) Our boys are so close in age, and they play really well together. It's adorable. About 6 months after we moved to TX, a couple moved into the house that was up for rent. Morgan has been my saving grace. Blane, her husband, recently got a job in Louisville (Yes, Kentucky), and she is alone... with her 2 cats. hahaha, sorry Morgan. She comes over every day, and it is SO nice to have adult interaction. Connor calls her MoMo, and I love it. She's an amazing friend, and I know for a fact that there is no way we would have ever met had it not been for the Marine Corps. Adam's co-workers also have awesome wives. I love these girls, and it's great to have that connection that nobody can understand until they've walked in our shoes. We've been in TX for a year and a half, and have about a year and a half left before embarking on a new adventure. I'm sure the year and half will fly by, as time doesn't seem to wait for anyone. Here are a few pics of the end of our Summer 2012 in Texas....

(Jeans to protect his skin from mosquitos and such..)

15 MONTHS!

    Today, my sweet little angel is 15 months! We had his DR appt. with a new doctor, and I love the nurse practitioner. We didn't even meet the doctor. I liked his old ped. too, but the office closed down. Anyway, Connor is 32 inches long and 26 lbs :) They were very impressed with his development/verbal skills. I'm really not joking when I say he wakes up talking and doesn't stop until he falls asleep for naps and bedtime. I had a few questions about his skin, how much he poops, and a few other things. Connor poops 4-6 times A DAY! She wasn't concerned. She said that he is obviously gaining weight. We are getting a referral to a dermatologist for his confirmed keratosis pilaris AND eczema. He has 3 hemangiomas too that she measured but wasn't concerned about. Other than those little things, he is great! He did have to get 4 shots though because when he went for his one year appt, they failed to give him all of the shots. Really frustrating. He slept all afternoon and went to bed at 6:30. Poor baby, but he hasn't had a fever.  Well, here is my sweet baby at 15 months!! We took a quick trip to Galveston, TX Sunday-Monday. It was a BLAST! Connor LOVES the beach!

Sleeping like a Baby.

     I've had a few momma's ask me about Connor's sleep schedule, so I'm going to go through our daily routine, including nap schedules. It's really tough when you have a baby/toddler who doesn't sleep, and I've been there. Connor was a fussy newborn/infant, and I am grateful for the friend, Sarah Fahed:), who recommended that I read a book called "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child." I never wanted to listen to Connor "cry it out," and frankly, I'm not sure that he could self-soothe himself at all. When he was 8 months, I was at my wits end, so I bought that book, and it changed everything. Who knew sleep could change a baby's entire mood? I honestly did not know the importance of a schedule, and I wish that I had known sooner how well Connor thrives on one. This is what works for US. You may need to tweak things to fit your baby's habits and schedule. Connor sleeps at night from 7 am - 7 pm. (Sometimes, he even goes to bed before 7 pm.)
     Connor wakes up in the morning at 7 a.m., almost on the dot. Some days it is a little earlier, and some days it is a little later, but we still form our days around him waking up at 7 a.m. When he wakes up, we eat breakfast, he gets milk, and he plays. He is now on a 1 nap/day schedule, so he doesn't go down for a nap until 11 or 11:30. So, we run any errands or do anything that we need to do that morning. Most mornings he just plays until nap time. I feed him lunch before I lay him down, so that he doesn't wake up hungry an hour after he falls asleep. He will usually sleep from 11 - 12:30 or 1:00. Some days, he goes down for a nap around 11:30 and will sleep until 1 or 1:30. I'm not super anal about the time, whether it is 11 or 11:30, but I don't like to wait much longer than that. If I wait too long, Connor gets over-tired and then that is a nightmare. After he wakes up from his nap, he gets a snack, then we usually do something fun. We'll go to the park, pool, or anything that will help him burn off some of that energy! He gets dinner between 4:30 and 5:30, and then he gets a bath. Lately, I've been doing a bath every other night because of his skin, but he at least gets a wipe down and is changed into his pajamas. By the time, we are done with everything, it is usually close to 6. Around 6:30 he will get some milk, and then at 7 I lay him down for bedtime. Some days, he goes down at 6:30. It honestly depends on how tired he is acting. Since he is down to 1 nap a day, he is usually awake 6 hours before bedtime, so he's pretty tired. I discovered he was ready for 1 nap a day when he started protesting his 2nd nap, and when he wouldn't go to sleep at night.
    When he was on a 2 nap/day schedule, he would wake up at 7, nap from 9-10 and nap from 1-2. He woke up around 2 in the afternoon, and he was awake for 5 hours before bedtime. If Connor is acting really tired and fussy, I won't hesitate to put him to bed at 5:30. It sounds crazy, but sometimes babies just get tired. Some nights you go to bed earlier than normal, right? Same idea applies for your baby. Babies need a lot of sleep, and even if they aren't acting really tired, it's important to put them to bed anyway.
     It took a few weeks to get Connor on a great schedule, but my persistence paid off. He is much happier, he sleeps well, and I also get that time from 7 until I go to bed to myself and with my husband. You have to get used to the idea of your world revolving around theirs. If Connor's nap time is at 11, I make sure I get to the grocery store early in the morning, so we are back before his nap. (Same applied when he napped at 9, I got to the grocery store before 8am on many different occasions).

    When it comes to getting Connor to sleep, he will usually just roll over and go to sleep. Sometimes he protests, and he goes through phases from time to time where he really doesn't want to go to bed. I give him 5 minutes, go in his room and make sure he has his paci, lay him down, and walk out. I do it a few times before he just falls asleep. Before he turned 1, I rocked him. I never let him cry it out. I would let him cry for about 5 minutes, and then I would go get him and rock him until he fell asleep. I didn't let him "cry it out" and the week he turned 1, he wouldn't let me rock him anymore.

Traveling with a baby.

     It's travel season for the Hill folk, ya'll. In a few short weeks, my little family will be flying to upstate NY to visit my husband's family for a week. This includes my 14 month old son. Since Connor was born, I have flown with him over FIVE times ALONE, and that is only one way. So including trips back, we have suffered through security at least TEN times. We are quite the little professional flyers. I traveled with him for the first time when he was 2 months old, and the last time we flew, he was almost 1 year old and walking. So, I've experienced all stages of baby through toddler on a plane. Not something I recommend people trying out for fun :) Let me take a moment, however, to praise my sweet boy for his great flying efforts. He really does a magnificent job for the most part... he has let out a few squeals that  led to some deathly stares, but what can you do?! I thought, since I am obviously a professional at traveling with a baby, I would share a few tips that could save people from the stress, embarrassment, and emotional breakdowns that I wish someone could have saved me from!

     -When you travel with an infant, be sure that your flight itinerary shows that you are, in fact, traveling with an infant. If you have already purchased a ticket and forgot to add your baby, simply call the airline and they will add your baby for you. Simple. It takes about 5 minutes, and it saves you stress at the airport. (I've actually never forgotten to add him before arriving to the airport, but I have had to call the airline to have him added as a lap infant).
     - Car seats. I've had to check Connor's car seat twice, and the airline ticket counter provided the plastic bag to keep your car seat clean and checking the car seat is free. Now, both times I checked Connor's car seat, it got lost. IF and when your car seat gets lost, don't panic too much. It sucks, but the airline will provide you with a safe car seat for your child. They give you the car seat, take down your information, and they bring you the car seat to your home when it is found and you swap out the car seat that you borrowed. It's annoying, but you won't have to drive down the road with your baby in your lap (not that ANYONE would do that..)
    - Wrap or stroller. I have done both. When Connor was 2 months old and still in his travel system, I pushed him in that right up to the gate. It was also great to do that because I didn't have to check the car seat since it was attached to the stroller :) The travel system also held all my bags. When Connor got older, I used the moby wrap, and it was great for the non-stop flights. If you have a non-stop flight or a longer layover, the wrap will be great. One time I had a very quick layover, and I literally had to run from gate A to E. For those flights, I recommend the umbrella stroller (when your child is big enough). The umbrella strollers are quick to fold and unfold and they're very lightweight. Just make sure, whatever method you use to carry around your child, that you are comfortable. If you are uncomfortable, you are going to be absolutely miserable.
     - Formula, BM, food, etc. You can take however much formula, BM, food, etc. that you need for your baby through security. If your baby is on formula, I HIGHLY recommend that you buy the 6 pack of 8 oz ready to feed formula. It will make your life MUCH easier. I did carry empty dr. brown bottles because Connor had bad gas as a baby, but if your baby doesn't have those problems, you can screw a nipple right onto the ready to feed bottle. It's awesome. The first time I traveled, I took powder formula and water in his bottles. Disaster. The water spilled in my carry on, and I kept spilling the powder formula. If you breastfeed, you can take your breastmilk in the bottles through security. If it were me, I would just use a cover up and feed your baby on the plane (definitely during take off and landing)! For take off and landing, make sure you are either giving your baby a bottle or a pacifier. It helps keep their ears from popping.
    - TSA. When you get to the front of the line, just let them know you have formula, water, or BM in bottles. They have to "check" it but it isn't a big deal. (They will not open sealed ready to eat formula). Also, everything you have to take off of yourself, you also have to take off of baby. Save yourself the trouble and don't put shoes on your baby before you go through security. TSA will take your stroller and help you through. Take your time and don't stress about the people behind you. Especially if you are traveling alone.
    - Toys. I take a few toys, but Connor is never very interested in toys on the plane. But, do you know what he IS interested in? Everything else that nasty germ-y people touch. So, have PLENTY of anti-bacterial hand gel! If your baby does take a pacifier, use a shirt clip, so if your baby spits out their pacifier, it won't land on that nasty plane floor. I won't even tell you how I learned that one...
    - Diapers. I use cloth diapers, and I have used cloth diapers when I have traveled on an airplane. Honestly, it is do-able, but I have only done it once. When you are rushed to change your baby ON the airplane, right before you board, or on the floor of the airport because some lady let her CAT pee on the changing table, you will switch to disposables while traveling. :) I've changed Connor on the toilet lid of an airplane when he was 1 year old and obviously too big to be on the lid of that toilet seat... but you do what you have to do. Don't stress about it because it is beyond your control. When you gotta go, you gotta go, right?!
      - Don't forget a blanket. When Connor was really small, I even took his boppy to lay him on in my lap. It was great! :) I always, always take a blanket. Planes get cold, and it is more cozy for him.

Most of all, try not to stress. If your baby is cranky, that is just the way life goes. If you have any questions just leave a comment :) Happy travels!

Thoughts??

I have a few blog posts in mind, and before I go and type a freakin novel, I want to know what you think, and if ANYONE is actually even reading my blog. haha.

- I have had a few momma's ask me questions about flying/traveling with a baby. Lord knows, I've done it TOO many times, so I am considering a post giving tips to an easy (as easy as can be, anyway) trip with a baby?

-  I've also been battling Connor's keratosis pilaris lately. It is driving me bonkers trying to find something that works. I've tried a few different things, and found a routine that seems to work best, but doesn't get rid of it completely.

- Sleeping. A lot of mommas have asked me about Connor's sleep schedule. He sleeps 12+ hours at night, and I may type out our entire day to give some people an idea of how our schedule/routine works.

Thoughts?