We MOVED!!!!

i can't believe it and it's really weird to say it. But we moved back to Tomahawk. it's really weird for me to say it and i think i've been in a little bit of denial about it cause it feels really weird moving back to my hometown but we did and here we are. We are staying with my parents for two weeks, then we go to England for Christmas ( we are meeting up with mike's dad , his wife, her two daughters, mike's sister and her new husband) in Cornwall, England for a week, another city in southern England for another week, then we end up back here and move into our new rental house in January. the place we are going to be renting looks great!!! i'll keep ya'll updated.

here's just the pics we took at the hotel before the wedding..
andy and jen's wedding was beautiful!!!!

off to the wedding

We are leaving early tomorrow morning for my brother's wedding!!! Hope the boys travel well and do well in the wedding. kael will be walking down the aisle with a 5 yr old girl ( hopefully she'll take his hand and lead him down the aisle)
I'm looking forward to it once we get there . I get to see lots of my family and see my baby brother get married!!! how great!

look what i did.

This is what i did!!! i made a baby blanket. My friend Katie is teaching me to sew. So she helped me figure out the sewing machine i have right now ( my mom's ) and we picked out fabric the other day and this was my first project. This little owl baby blanket. I'm very proud of myself. and she's going to help me make a little baby quilt. So i'll let you know how that is coming later ( this week i'm not doing much sewing because there are things to do to get ready for andy's wedding this weekend) So just wanted to share what i did. i'm very happy about it.
actually i have lots to share but will wait for the next post..i'll just do a few more pics of the boys. can't believe owen is already over a month old. it goes soooo fast. even faster the second time.

the simple things.....

today i enjoyed a nap, (actually the whole family napped) and i got up a little earlier than everyone and snuck downstairs made myself a yummy grilled cheese sandwhich (brie and aged cheddar) and a delicious brownie. and enjoyed the moment to myself....and then they all woke up.

hhmm......

So today was a little more 'real'. i felt a little more stressed and frustrated that i couldn't get much done with two boys. Everytime i put down Owen this morning he seemed to only last about 5-10 minutes before waking up and crying, and every time i tried to feed owen, Kael seemed to want to climb right up next to me in the rocking chair ( which isn't big enough for 3 )one time spilling a whole bag of trail mix all over the floor. And when i got Kael to go upstairs with me so Owen could sleep a little, Kael was brushing his teeth and so i thought i'd try to change the sheets on my bed and all the sudden i hear 'splashing' and run to the bathroom and kael is playing with his toothbrush in the toilet!!! lovely!!!
but once again i'm grateful that my husband works from home...so i got a shower and made us breakfast on his 'lunch' (which is around 8-9am since he starts work at 4am) and my good friend Katie came over and made the boys (Georgie and Kael) and me lunch and did some dishes for me. And because mike gets done with work at noon, i went out this afternoon and did some more errands, which is sooo easy when you only have a baby. Although i had to get Owen's passport photo taken (because we are going to England for Christmas) and he cried the whole time and it took a long time to open his eyes...but me and the girl at walgreen's finally pulled it off.
it's funny when i had Kael i wouldn't have thought to go out with him when he was only 3 weeks old on my OWN, but today was no problem. Owen is soo much easier to take out than Kael at this point.
And i even got to fold the 4 + loads of laundry that we hadn't touched yet. And we already had more dirty sheets (thanks to owen spitting up most of his milk last night all over the sheets around 5am) and a few more loads to do.
but hey, we're doing well.

the boys n me.

well....today is my first morning with both boys on my own. (mike has to work occasional saturday's and today is it) So my parents had Kael last week and so he came home last night. And i was soooo glad to see him. It's amazing how quiet the house was without him. It was good for me so i didn't have to lift him but i missed him sooo much.
So, this morning is going well so far. (it's not been long ) But Owen is still asleep upstairs and me n Kael are downstairs and we've already had coffee and breakfast. I even got to clean the kitchen a little. :) so it's a good start for me.
We'll see how the rest of the day goes. i can't believe i have two boys...:)
i'm feeling a little more pain since lifting kael yesterday so i'll have to take it easy today. i dont want to be in pain anymore.....
i love my boys sooo much.

Owen Thomas Oates

Hi devoted readers of Jessi's blog. Mike here writing a post dictated by Jessi...currently in a hospital bed feeding our wonderful new son, Owen Thomas Oates.

Labor started on friday around 12:30pm. After 2 hrs the contractions went from 5mins apart to 1.5 mins apart. When I arrived at the hospital I was 7cm dilated. Contractions became more intense, my water broke and then the doctors expressed concern about the babies heart rate and wouldn't let me move around. I had to stay laying on my right side. After 2 hours of very intense contractions. (mike's hand bare the marks to verify) (jessi talking now...) i got to 8cm, but the baby did not seem to be doing that great. So they suggested an emergency C-section, which i said was fine because i felt they weren't overreacting but were genuinely concerned. So, i was rushed into the operating room, where i was completely put under ( Mike was not allowed in the room either, as it was a rush/emergency c-section not just a routine one) i was out and woke up later in the recovery room pretty out of it, to find out that the umbilical cord was wrapped around Owen's neck three times and therefore if i had tried to push him out vaginally he probably wouldn't made it. so, in this case i am grateful for the C-section, although it is not what i would've chosen, in cases like these where they save little lives i was happy to have my healthy baby boy in my arms. So,
Owen Thomas Oates is the newest member of our family. Weighed 7lbs 6oz. Born on October 17th, 2008.
i'm in lots of pain, but in love with my little boy. And Owen is feeding and sleeping well.......and i think i'll take a nap now.

beautiful fall day

this week has been soo beautiful. sunny cool weather. well actually today was 75 and sunny, so we went to the park with kael and let him run around..:) here are a few pics of us. it's also me and mike's anniversary and it's been a good day, low key, but good. I got a wonderful card and a gorgeous bouquet from my wonderful husband. i love him more and more all the time.
and i love my beautiful son and am looking forward to meeting my other son. :) Me and mike had a big weekend away in september so i'm happy with today and just hope that i go into labor soon.
i love fall..it's perfect, the trees are changing colors, the air is crisp, i crave hot chocolate and yummy desserts.....a perfect season to have a birthday. ( and an anniversary)
i know some of the pics are a bit blurry but i think they are cute anyways.

a little prayer can't hurt

hey ya'll. i am soo ready to have this baby. so if you think of it, send out a little prayer for me that he comes soon.....my mom is here until he comes helping me out which is great and i'm getting some extra rest. aren't mom's the best??? i am enjoying my last few days with kael....he is such a treasure and i can't believe we are having another son any day now. i am very very uncomfortable though physically and really want this baby to come out. thanks for any prayers...also just pray tha ti can have the VBAC i truly desire.....

hhmm.......

i am ready. although i'm nervous as well..its weird that you have no idea when you will have your own baby. no idea at all. could be later today, could be the middle of the night, could be in 2 weeks..who knows....i'm finding everyday i think about it though and hope that i get sleep at night, 'just in case' i go into labor. last night i got less than 4 hrs of sleep, thanks to kael and also just being awake and uncomfortable. my mom is going to come down on friday though because i am having back issues, so from now on i am not suppossed to lift kael at all, or do any lifting. no moving furniture, no major cleaning projects. so my mom is going to come and stay until the baby is born. which is a very big blessing and i'm very grateful.
not sure what else to tell ya'll. not too much going on..just waiting for the little guy to join our family. excited to see his little face and meet him.

kael lately...

here's a few pics of our wee boy. he's so much fun and i love that he's in my life.

feeling the need

feeling very much like i need to get things done NOW!!!! like pack a bag for labor/hospital. Get some last minute things i want to have for when the baby is here, maybe make some more meals to freeze so i don't have to do it later. organize the baby's rom/clothes. you know..the usual......

tour the hospitals, register still at one of the hospitals.....i have dr's appointments almost everyday this week, one for kael today, two for me tomorrow..another one on thursday (which is also partly a birthing refresher course/appointment) feeling pretty stressed and overwhelmed, i wish i had someone to just help me with where to start.

changes ahead

k, peeps. 3 weeks. i'm due in 3 weeks. looks like birth at the birth center is not going to happen unless there is some sort of mini-miracle. So i'm going to tour the hospital on Sunday. i have heard that the hospital has waterproof and portable moniters so i don't have to be hooked up to some machines and be confined to some bed....so that's positive. And my midwives are going to Doula me in the hospital, and they are very respected here so I will not be forced into anything i do not want (epidural's, etc) I feel very positive still that I'm going to have a natural birth. I'll labor at home as long as possible and then head to the hospital when the time comes.....i still need to pack a bag.....
we also got a mini-van and are selling our car. Our car will probably be gone by monday and we just picked up our new (new to us) mini-van. A toyota. it's very nice and i'm looking forward to having a mini-van again. And it has two sliding doors..:) with two kids i think it'll be so much easier and we'll have lots more room in a van.....
AND.....big news i keep forgetting to share...my brother, my baby brother is getting MARRIED!!!!! in november. So very soon and our little family is going to be in the wedding...me, mike and Kael. (not the new one though, hopefully someone will want to hold him during the ceremony) I am a little worried how i'll look in the dress since i'll have given birth not too long before the wedding....but we'll worry about that later.

Weekend Away

I just had a weekend away with my husband and no kid (except the little one inside) My mom came down and watched Kael for us, and we took off Friday night and headed to Chicago. We stopped at Ikea, and then headed downtown. We got a great deal on the Hilton downtown Chicago. So we got to sleep in (together) all weekend, take naps when we wanted, Go out to eat. We found this great diner for breakfast...and for dinner we had the BEST food ever!!!! None of it was a disappointment at all. We enjoyed just hanging out together and getting to talk and do whatever we wanted. We walked all over the city (so much so that i was in pain and we had to take a cab back to our hotel) but it was worth it. And when i got home my mom had cleaned our bathroom, hemmed sheets for me, cleaned my kitchen and of course she had watched Kael for us, and he was happy and well taken care of. It was such a treat and it was something that i had wanted but wasn't sure that it was going to happen. so i feel very blessed, And then we got to stop at Ikea on the way home and picked up a few things that we were wanting and needing for baby etc. So, it was a great weekend!!!!! the only sad thing was that all our pics got accidentally erased, so we have no pictures of our weekend away.......

a little pre-anniversary/baby trip

Well, i'm due in 4 weeks. can't believe it's all coming so fast. i feel like there is still so much to do in the house.....like i still need to buy a dresser for the baby's clothes. I've washed them all but they are in a bin in our spare room at the moment.
but anyways...i'm excited because my mom is coming down today, she is going to help me get some stuff done, and then tomorrow, she is going to watch kael for two whole nights while me and mike go on a little trip. We are going to Chicago for the weekend, (it's not that far) just the two of us, staying at a hotel downtown and just going to enjoy the time away. Since the baby is due the weekend of our anniversary and who knows when we'll get to go away together(without baby) AND who knows when we'll get to sleep through the night again once this little one joins us,(especially me with breastfeeding) we thought we'd take our anniversary trip early and it's so nice of my mom to take care of kael here for us. I'm really really looking forward to it. I feel like it is a break i've been craving lately. we can do whatever we want, nap if and when we want, both get to sleep in together ( a very rare treat) and enjoy some couple time. it'll be great for us i know. We are both longing for the time together. so, that's us leaving tomorrow and getting back on sunday. (and i hope we get a little trip to ikea in there)

unknown

that's what this pregnancy is pretty much about ..and i guess if i wasn't so 'pregnant' i might not be so emotional about it. i had an appointment last week at the midwife's office where they told me that it is actually still unknown whether i can give birth there and they'll let me know.
it's just that i have less than 5 weeks left now and it's been unknown for pretty much the whole 35 weeks so far....i was pretty upset when they told me, but i'm trying to not let me prego emotions get out of control. i talked to my dad last week ad he had met a girl who is about to have her second child as well, but she has to go right back to work cause she can't afford to take more than 2 weeks off , and she has no husband to help her...so it helped put things into perspective a little bit. i will still hope and pray for a birth at the birth center...but even if i have to go to the hospital it'd still be nice to just be able to have a natural birth.....no matter where it is. and in the end i do just want a healthy baby...so tha'ts me for now...lots of unknowns....

Kael's Party!!!!

Kael's party was a success! A small party but it was perfect. Me, mike and my mom. then our friends Katie and George and their son (and kael's little friend) George. As soon as the party started we let the kids open gifts, so that they could play with the toys. And we had a cookout and just got to eat and enjoy watching the two of them play together. We had balloons out so that when he got up from his nap he could see the balloons and the wrapped presents.....i think we enjoyed watching him open his gifts as much as he enjoyed opening them. He would start to open them and then say ''ooohhh' it was cute!!!
I can't believe i have a 2 year old.
i love his little personlity.
He loves to play,
He loves to watch everyone around him.
i love When he hears a dog, he growls.....
his favorite words are No, yuck, cool, Dang!!!

6 weeks to go

so i've got about 6 weeks to go....crazy!!! So, i had a midwife appointment about a week ago and they baby was breech, so i was sent to a chiropractor as well as for another ultrasound to see exactly what position the baby was in. My back was adjusted twice before my ultrasound and the chiropacter i saw said my hips were very badly out of place and that's probably why the baby couldn't get his head down there. (Also why i've been in so much pain) And so then at the ultrasound Monday morning the baby had already moved his head down....so another answer to prayer!!! just one thing after another keeps going right. so i'll keep seeing the chiro until i give birth..
and i had my last day of work!! yeah....so so happy for that. i woked last weekend Saturday and Sunday and now i have no more scheduled days....and i'm not taking maternity leave (because they wanted me to work until the very end, and i don't want to do that) so i've just decided that that's it. I'm done with work. So i'll be a full time mom again.
so that's the news in my life right now.....also, Kael had a birthday on Sunday, 2 yrs old, but his party is actually this Sunday, so i haven't blogged about it yet.....