Not all rainbows and giggles...

Purpose of today's post...perhaps get some advice or encouragement from parents who have gone through similar things...PLEASE COMMENT IF YOU HAVE EITHER (without making me feel like a terrible parent, please and thank you!)

As if I wasn't already fully aware that there would be ups and downs to raising children...this was a week of clarity showing me the challenging/frustrating/pull out your hair side of parenting. And it really doesn't have anything to do with being home with both kids on my own for the first time...really...

Noah, who is approaching 21 months of age, has had his share of illnesses in his short little life. Starting at 4 months (ironically right after his first week at a full time daycare...hmmm...) he was on his first round of antibiotics for an upper respiratory infection. From there, there were the occasional run ins with ear infections of which we're up to four. I could blame daycare for that...however the last two ear infections were this year while I have been home with him. Constant congestion/runny nose ever since he was small combined with rosy red, dry cheeks that look like a rash are making us head down the "allergy testing" route...finally. I think I have wiped my share of noses for the Duggar family.

After another doctor's appointment this week to check on an antibiotic that didn't clear up his latest ear infection for Noah we finally decided enough is enough and he needs to see an ENT (ear, nose, throat) doctor to discuss tubes. From what I have heard and read, they make a world of difference for kids who have frequent ear infections. I was also provided an order for blood work done to find out what he's allergic too regarding the red cheeks and constant runny nose.

Yes you read that last sentence correctly...blood work...done...on my 20 month old as in tie his arm with the rubber band, stick a needle in his small little vein blood work. Eeek!

Well, being the seemingly "good" mother I am, after promising a trip to McDonald's, we headed to the lab yesterday to just "get it over with". In my mind, I was happy for him to get tested for allergies to hopefully find out what is causing all his congetion, runny nose, etc. My gut feeling is cats and/or milk...and finding out answers is what I am craving, not testing and waiting to see what changes. Well, not to digress and to make a long story short, getting blood work done yesterday was quite literally the second most painful thing I had to witness (after the 911 scare in November). I had to hold him down in my lap, watch them stick him not once...but twice in the arm only to get NO BLOOD samples. Yes, you heard me...no blood. We left, him in tears, me in tears that would make their way out on the car ride home...with only bandages on his arm and advice to "hydrate him" and"try another lab to see if they could have better luck".

Granted, I am sure drawing blood from a toddler is not their favorite thing to do nor is it easy...but I was so, so frustrated with how I was treated (I left pretty much feeling no sympathy from the two ladies and made to feel like it was my fault somehow that my kid cried...).

McDonald's was promised and given and soon my little peanut was back to himself eating a cheeseburger. His ENT appointment is coming up in a week and a half and I was told by them to wait on the blood test for now...which is fine by me! Hopefully, within a month, I can report happy changes and answers regarding Noah and his chronic congestion/red cheeks/ear infections, etc. etc.


red cheeks that look like a rash...from what, I wonder??? Still a cutie-pie!





Now onto Olivia...my perfect-sleeps-all-day-is-content-when-I'm-fed baby girl...Well, a severe diaper rash has reared it's ugly head going on over a week. Long story short...she may be allergic (I think...haven't taken her to the doctor yet) to the formula we used for Noah with no problems. I don't want to comment on the breast milk/formula debate in this long post...let's just say breastfeeding is difficult for me so after two weeks Olivia is on formula. However, now with a very red bottom that won't go away...I'm off trying another type starting tonight to see if that changes things. Don't even want to comment on all the formula I have stocked up on that may go unused if she requires a "special type"... (deep sigh inserted here)....

So, in summary:

If Google charged per minute of use, would I be broke? Yes.

Will I get through a seemingly rough week? Yes, because I have a wonderful husband, a supportive mom with great advice, and let's be honest...I have healthy kids. I am not in a situation where life or death is on the line for my children. I can't even begin to relate to those families out there who have children with serious diseases or disabilities that require amazing faith and trust in the Lord.

Will we get answers soon...? Yes with appointments and trial runs of formula and no-milk we will hopefully get aswers soon.

And finally...Will I require a glass of wine tonight? Most definitely...and let's be honest, perhaps two.

For now, this may be a long January/February for the Hagewood household. Again, any advice or encouragement would be appreciated on today's post...I'm in need of both!

Bedroom Makeovers

It's been a long time coming...Noah has technically been in his "big boy" room for almost 2 months, but it has truly taken me that long to really get his room in order. With the arrival of Olivia and the need (okay, the sheer excitement and want) to purchase new girl bedding for her combined with a week that was Noah-free (my parents have been watching him all this week so I could rest/heal up from my C-section) gave me no more excuses not to have both their bedrooms done.

It didn't take a lot really. Paint was already done...it was just all those last minute, fine-touch details. Here are the before/after pics...enjoy!

NOAH'S ROOM BEFORE

NOAH'S ROOM AFTER

My mom came up for a weekend in November to help paint it...I had the bedding chosen since the summer (from Target) and chose one of the brown tones to make his room more "masculine" :-) All the furniture was scored at the lovely Canton IKEA. Special thanks to my mom and Oma for adding the blue border to his bedspread, sewing the curtains, and extra bedding since I purchased "toddler" sized bedding...for a twin bed!  Oops! But it all worked out great.

Still need more photographs up in his room...this is the photo of Olivia's first day home. I framed it in a shadow box frame and used scrapbook paper to matte.

Little puzzle/book corner



Closet knobs from Pottery Barn :-)





This wall is a little plain still...my goal is to frame some of Noah's artwork to display :-)



Now for our little girl's room...it was Noah's baby room before, hence the neutral green color on the walls and the yellow/brown/green bedding before.

OLIVIA'S ROOM BEFORE

OLIVIA'S ROOM AFTER (Thanks, Babies R' Us!)



Letters already pre-painted from JoAnn Fabrics.



Lots of butterfly decals





Loved these colors right away when I saw it in the store! :-) Pink can be overdone with girls...purple is also my favorite color!

 Happy to report that Olivia has slept in her beautiful crib three nights in a row...such a good little sleeper and she looks so, so tiny in that huge crib!





Olivia!!!

The arrivial of our second child, Olivia Lucile Hagewood, was obviously one of the biggest highlights of 2011 for us.  She was born on December 28th by c-section at 8:03 a.m. 6 pounds, 6 ounces and 20 inches long.

We didn't want to know the gender...but deep down I always had an inkling it was a girl.  I think it was due to the fact that this pregnancy I felt so, so different from when I was pregnant with Noah. Different in a good way too...I didn't have as much morning sickness, my skin held up, and I gained less weight. We had the name picked out for a while too. Noah would have been "Olivia" had he been a girl.  The middle name "Lucile" is named after Nick's maternal grandmother, Lucile Kempf, who passed away over thirty-five years ago.  Nick was never able to meet her...

This being my second c-section, there were some differences as well as each birth and pregnancy is different from what I gather.  For one, this was delightful this time around NOT to be induced into labor and then go through a major surgery. With Noah, I went through 19 hours of labor before the doctor advised a c-section since I wasn't progressing.  In hindsight, it wasn't fun...but I didn't know any better either so it really went by pretty quickly. With Olivia, it was really nice to know the day and time I would have the surgery...and it went super quick! My surgery was scheduled for 7:30...I had her by 8:03. Hooray!

Healing is a little different with this one since scar tissue takes more time to heal up. Therefore the pain meds I was prescribed are especially welcome and taken on time :-) Sleeping-wise, I am not stressing about feeding Olivia like I was with Noah.  I'm going to save this for another post, but breastfeeding is NOT for everyone and I learned that the hard way with my first born.  I also feel it's something women don't talk a lot about (at least I never knew how hard it can be before having my own child).

Sleeping is Olivia's FAVORITE activity right now and I forgot how much a newborn does in fact sleep.  She is pretty quiet and content for the few hours she may be awake in a day and already seems very "easy" (knock on wood, right?). 

Noah is adjusting well for the most part. I think he's really enjoying having Nick home this week watching him and taking him places.  He likes to hold her and when he wakes up asks for the "baby". Being "gentle" around her is getting better and better every day.




First day home from the hospital




Olivia~ one week old