...two months later...

 

Well, I blinked and two months have passed! Wowzer! I know Henley has only been with us for a short time, but it's hard to imagine life without him already. He's a perfect little addition to our family and we're just thrilled he's here to stay! Here's what's been happening in the last 2 months...

I took Henley to his 2 month checkup last week and he was 10.5 lbs (25%) and 22 in long (37%). This is actually about the same percentile Mollie was in as an infant...Henley's just a bit taller (if you call that tall! haha). His doctor was pleased with his growth, now that we've got his reflux under control. At a few weeks old, his growth rate declined a bit, along with the excessive spitting up and pain that goes along with reflux, so he was put on meds for it. It's stopped the pain, but unfortunately it does nothing for the spitting up. Hopefully he'll grow out of it sooner than Mollie did (she was over a year old). But in the meantime, we just do a whole lot of laundry :o).

Playing on his playmat! The burp rag underneath him is a must at all times!

Henley and Mollie both started school a few weeks ago! It was not fun sending Henley to school...for me, that is. He just snoozed away and was content as can be! Mollie was THRILLED to see her friends again, so it really made me happy to see her so enthused. I just missed my littles :o( However, it's been easier knowing that they are loved at their school and are very well taken care of. The ladies that love on Henley all day just adore him and he doesn't seem to mind! I'm currently sending breast milk with him each day, and pump at school. It's a bit of a pain, yet convenient, if that makes sense. I'd like to keep it up as long as I can because I just know that's why Mollie's been so healthy thus far. And I don't mind burning the extra calories for now :o) He does take formula on occasion, however, without any problem.

First day of school! Boy does Henley love to be squeezed by a 3 year old :o)

Due to his reflux, Henley sleeps best when he's elevated in his infant seat. That way, when he spits up in the middle of the night, he won't choke on it. It just oozes down his face and gets everything else wet and stinky :o). However, he has started sleeping all night long on a regular basis!!!!! I love this!!! I'm a very tired teacher/momma who needs her sleep, and he's a growing boy who needs his rest. It's amazing what a difference a well rested baby makes. He's a happy dude pretty much all day, and wakes up bright eyed and smiling. We followed the suggestions from Babywise (with Mollie too) and it worked like a charm.

sweet little sleeper

Henley has started doing lots of cooing and smiling! He seems to smile most at his daddy, especially when he sings to him. They had a "moment" the other day when Jason was singing "Georgia On My Mind" to him, he just cooed/ sang along and smiled! So sweet! Some of his other likes include: being swaddled for naps/bed, playing on his play mat, being outside, warm baths, and lots of snuggles!

Sporting some of his daddy's old running shoes and hat!

lots of love from big sis!

He's still sporting his red hair, his eyes are getting lighter and look like they'll stay blue, and he's getting chubbier little legs and a double chin. I think he's the cutest thing ever. I can't wait to see how he'll continue to grow and change. We're super blessed to have two super kids!!

Love this kid!

The Arrival of Henley Malone!

He's here! Our sweet boy is here! 

I need to get all the details written down before I forget, so here's how his big day unfolded. 

At my 37 week check-up (on a Thursday), I was told my body wasn't ready at all for delivery. No dilating or anything, although I had been having lots of contractions and was convinced something would be happening soon. I was really bummed because I was so uncomfortable and was just very ready to meet our sweet boy! Over the course of the next few days, we just tried to shift our focus on enjoying our time together before the baby came and went bowling with friends, saw "Brave" with Mollie, and went on lots of walks (or on adventures to Mermaid Island or the Seashell Bridge, if you ask Mollie!). Also, Henley's bedding finally arrived (ordered from Etsy...LOVE!) and I was able to complete his crib and a few other little things in his room. We had a great time and enjoyed the weekend as a family of 3!

The following Tuesday (June 26) I had my 38 week check up. I had prepared myself to hear the same thing (no baby yet), but was pleasantly surprised to hear the opposite! I had started dilating enough for my doctor to send me straight over to labor and delivery! I was soooo happy to hear that...I was just done being pregnant and felt like we'd all be better off if we could love Henley on the outside :o) I really had no idea I was that far along already...since my last appointment I was convinced all the contractions I had been having were just "practice",  so I kind of stopped paying attention and never realized when they switched over to the "real thing". 

Last pic of Henley on the inside!

So, we made it to the hospital, and Jason's mom met us up there to pick up Mollie. We got into a room at about 10:00am, got hooked up to everything, and began the waiting game. My contractions progressed on there own for a while, but then they decided to start petocin because they kind of tapered off. Once they did, things progressed very quickly! Before we knew it, it was time to push! Once that happened, I think it was only a few minutes before Henley made his debut. I'm not certain on the time frame, but it was really fast. Thankfully, my epidural worked well and the delivery was quick, so I was in great spirits when I was finally able to hold my sweet boy for the first time!

So happy that he's finally here!

He joined us at 3:21pm, with precious red hair! He was 6 pounds 15 ounces, and 19.5 inches long. He was a few ounces heavier than his big sis was at birth, but an inch shorter. Henley was able to start nursing almost immediately, and surprised us all with how "experienced" he was! haha! He latched on like an expert. Later that evening, it was evident he was spitting up a lot of mucus and stuff, so they had to take him to clean his stomach out. The nurse was surprised to see how much colostrum he already had in his belly! 3 times the normal amount! What a good eater! After that, the spitting up dissipated quite a bit.

Perfectly pink and squished :o)

Love that red hair!

Since we were both doing so well, we were able to go home the very next day. He's continued to do so well! On Friday, we went back for a weight check, and he had already made it back to his birth weight. Then at his 2 week check up, he was already 7 pounds 8 oz! With the exception of about 2 days (when the milk came in), he has been eating like a champ, sleeping like a champ (only wakes up once at night!!!!!) and is pretty much just happily pooping the rest of the time :o) 

My sweet family!

Mollie has handled this adjustment extremely well. She came up to the hospital to meet him, but was a bit overwhelmed by all the people there to see him. She reacted by acting VERY SILLY, but was obviously excited to meet him. Once we got home in her own element, she was much more herself and more focused on the baby. They had some very sweet moments those first few days! She's loved helping with diaper changes, giving him hugs, finding his paci, etc. Lots of hugs and kisses, too! I'm so proud of how she's handling things...I think her sweet spirit shines through when she's taking care of him and whispering kind things to him. What a great big sister she is!

Telling him all about everything :o)

Very proud sister!

This big sis got to help with the first bath!

Never-ending hugs

First time to meet his cousin Harper, born 3 days later!

She was being so sweet...gently patting him and quietly telling him sweet things!

I'm so in love with these two!

Overall, this experience has been wonderful. I feel much better than I did after Mollie's birth (I've always heard the second time is easier than the first!), we feel more confident as parents, and love having 2 sweet littles to love on all day! We are so blessed!

Henley Malone...

...is the chosen name for our sweet little guy who is VERY CLOSE to joining our family! I thought it was about time for a little pregnancy/blog update so what better topic to discuss than our growing boy!

trying to sleep, but we keep bothering him!

- We've had some weird looks/comments about the name, so I'll just explain. One day, I just saw the name Henley written as someone's first name. It totally jumped out at me, and I said it over and over again in my head. It just stuck with me for some reason. Also, Henley just happens to be the last name of Jason's favorite artist, Don Henley (lead singer of the Eagles for those of you who don't know). So, it just fits! He's not named after this famous singer, but that just happened to be a neat coincidence. It took Jason a little longer to be convinced, but the name grew on both of us and here we are! Also, Malone is the last name of Jason's mom's side of the family... family in which is very near and dear to us and we've wanted to incorporate that name into one of our children's names somehow! Henley Malone Fellers it is!!

making faces at us! haha

- Overall, Henley and I are in great health! I've had the complicating factor of having to deal with Gestational Diabetes again, which has been a bit more difficult to control this time. Thanks to an oral medication and a whole new world of recipes (thank you Pinterest!!!!), we're doing just fine. He's measuring a bit bigger than Mollie was, but still much smaller than average for most GD patients. Because of our bout with this irritating disease again, it's meant seeing my regular OB, an OB/Diabetes specialist,  two Non-Stress Tests each week, and a few extra sonograms. The scheduling of all these things have been interesting!!! Thank goodness school was over when it was or we were going to have to start taking class field trips to UMC :o) On the plus side, it's kept me from gaining unnecessary baby weight!

Just a few weeks ago...

Last week; me and one of the many pregnant friends I have at the moment! Sharing some baby bump love :o)

- Mollie is very excited about being a big sister. We've tried so hard to prepare her for his arrival, but I know there will still be some major adjusting to do, as with all of us. She's got big plans for what she wants to teach him, how she'll take care of him, what he's thinking or saying in my belly right now, and she's SO excited that he gets to go to her school with her in the fall! I think she thinks it'll be like show and tell...hahaha! She can suddenly "do things" that she couldn't do before because now she's a big sister...like big sisters eat all their dinner, big sisters are "brave of things", big sisters can put their shoes on all by themselves, etc. I'm absolutely thrilled about how helpful and sweet she is in general, and I think it's the perfect timing to have another one.

Who knew I was giving birth to a bowling ball!?

- As of today, I am 37 weeks, 2 days pregnant. This basically means he's done cooking and can come out of the oven at any time! I've been experiencing contractions every day and other signs that delivery is very near. In fact, I was certain last night was it...but the contractions stopped about the time I was about to call Labor & Delivery! So, I'm basically just waiting it out at this point. Overall, I've felt great the whole pregnancy! Lately, however, I'm very uncomfortable. He is "engaged" and in a good position for delivery, I've been told, which is great for delivery, but not for walking around and doing normal things! He's hitting some nerve that sends shooting pain down my leg and makes me want to fall over...not something that's discretely dealt with in the Target check out line :o) So, needless to say, I'm ready to get this show on the road. Ready to meet my sweet little guy. Ready to be settled. Ready to not have diabetes anymore (although we plan to continue the healthy eating!). Ready to not sweat like crazy all day (pregnant during summertime...lol). Ready to be a family of four!

If you look closely, his eyes are open and he's looking right at us! It's crazy what those 4D sonograms can show!

If Henley hasn't made his debut on his own, I will be induced the first week of July. I should find out an exact date this week. While I'm very curious to see what it's like to go into labor on my own (I was also induced with Mollie), they are doing this as a precaution for potential risks brought on by the diabetes. I'm ALL ABOUT doing what best for my baby, so if I can avoid some potentially scary things, then by golly I'm going to do it! Bring on the pitocin, and yes, the epidural :o)

 

 

 

 

 

My sweet friends from church threw us a shower, and the big sis got to help!

We're having a baby....

...and it's a BOY! That's right; it's time for long-overdue blog update about our newest addition to our little familiy. Baby Boy Fellers will be joining us in early July (the 8th is the official date) and we couldn't be more thrilled!! Since I'm well into this pregnancy, here's a little synopsis of our adventure so far...

Baby Boy Fellers

- We found out about our little bundle of joy in November, just in time to celebrate Thanksgiving!

Big Sister Mollie!

- Exhaustion was one of the first indicators I was pregnant...I had some very early nights (and still do sometimes!) there at first, but it seems to have dissipated a bit.
- I didn't really have morning sickness, but definitely felt MUCH better with food on my belly. I went from feeling fine to having to eat RIGHT NOW in a moments notice, so almonds and Greek yogurt became my best friend at school to get me through the day.

Our sweet little guy!

- Since I had Gestational Diabetes when I was pregnant with Mollie, they tested me pretty early this time around (about 17 weeks). And guess what?? I have it again!!!! I have been able to successfully manage it with diet and exercise, until this past week. My blood sugar levels started going a bit crazy and I had to be put on a medication that helps my pancreas produce the right amount of insulin. So, I'm currently in the process of adjusting my diet to balance out the meds...what a ride. I think it'll end up working perfectly if I can just figure out the right things to eat, and when to eat them, before my blood sugar drops and I pass out :o) Lets hope that doesn't happen!!
- Jason is THRILLED about having another male in the house...Mollie still needs a little bit of convincing. She said she wanted a "girl brother". We keep asking her for some name suggestions, and here's what she's shared with us so far: Jo, Cupcake, Chicken Fried Steak, Boy Tinkerbell, and Mollie. All great options, don't you think? :o)

Yes, that is the very clear evidence that this child is a boy :o)

- No, this little guy doesn't have an official name yet. We keep coming close, but haven't found "the one" quite yet. However, we are open for some suggestions...send all the good ones our way!

Sucking his thumb...we've been seeing him do this during the sonograms since 12 weeks! God's creation is amazing!

We are super duper excited about becoming a family of four! Mollie is going to be a great big sister and this little guy will fit right in to our family. Also, this little guy will be coming into the world just a couple of weeks before his baby cousin, Harper, makes her appearance!! We're super excited to be bringing cousins into the world so close together! I love watching our families grow!

Silly Goose!

Mollie is 3!!!!

We've had the blessing of being parents for 3 years now!! Our sweet Mollie Moo turned three on Friday, February 10. Even though she's officially only three, she acts more like 13 :o) This kid thinks she's SO big, is showing a little bit of attitude to go with it, and can even really do some big kid things! 

We got to celebrate on Saturday with some family and friends. This girl sure is blessed and has lots of people that love her! We had a "breakfast pajama party" (a few of Mollie's favorite things). Even though the party didn't happen till the afternoon, it was still fun! We had pancakes, a cereal bar, milk and juice, Gigi's famous cookies, and sausage/cheese balls. Then, Uncle Kyler made the day super fun with a huge bunch of balloons!

Learning from the best! Mollie loved her visit from Grandma Anna and G-Bob!

Some of the things Mollie Michelle is up to these days:

- being really excited about being a BIG SISTER, and has big plans for her little sibling. These plans include sharing her fruit snacks, teaching the baby to go potty, and pushing the baby in the kid-sized grocery cart at United and buying him/her Cheetos. ( I just realized I haven't posted about the new baby yet...so that will be coming soon!)

The birthday table! All Pinterest inspired :o)

- LOVING her new dance/tumbling class! She's taken tumbling since last summer, but is finally old enough to do the combo class. She is giddy when we arrive each week, and really participates (most of the time!) At other times, she's way too infatuated with her tap shoes and tutu to pay any attention to what's going on! She even has a RECITAL coming up in May! Can't believe she's old enough to have a recital...

Cereal bar, some cute printables that I'll hang in her big girl room, and the "pancake birthday cake"!

-  She recently moved up to the Pre-K class at her school! She enjoys this class so much and asks me every day if she can still be in the Pre-K class. She got to move up a little early, yet fits right in. Although she's younger than the rest, she's quite a smarty pants! 

Mollie quickly got into her dress-up clothes despite her being so excited about the "pajama party!" Who can argue with the birthday girl?!

- Still love to read! This girl will sit and read books all day. She got SO MANY new books for her birthday, and has had a blast looking through them, making up the words, having us read to her, etc. I must admit I'm getting a little weary of reading some of those stories to her (we have a little different interest level!!) but it makes me so happy she enjoys it that we persevere :o)  Although, one book we all enjoy reading is the "Jesus Storybook Bible"! If you don't have it, you must get it. The most well-written, best illustrated bible stories I've seen! 

Mollie and her friends Laney and Olivia! All friends since birth! And it's really hard to get a shot of 3 toddlers all smiling at the camera :o)

- Mollie has also taken an interest in knowing her letters and sounds. She can identify all the letters, name most of the sounds, and even pick them out in words. As a teacher of phonics, this makes me happy :o)

Making it official- blowing out the candles!

We are so proud of Mollie, blessed to be her parents, and are excited to see her grow! We love you Mollie Moo!

Some post-party fun with Uncle Kyler! What a fun day!