A Lovely Lark

Violet's Third Birthday Party

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:11:00 +0000

We had Violet's third birthday party this past weekend. She was old enough this year to decide what kind of party she wanted, and she requested a blue and red princess party :) I wanted to keep things pretty simple this year since I knew I'd have a one month old on my hands, so we went with some balloons and tissue paper poms, a homemade cake, and some pipe cleaner crowns:

I also snagged a cardboard play castle on Zulily with some credit a while back and the kids has a blast with it! At first the boys were more into hunting for slugs in the dirt than playing princesses (surprise surprise) but when I handed out some magic wands, they all started playing a game of bad guys and princesses and it was hilariously cute. Violet passed out from pure exhaustion immediately after the last guest left, so I'd call that a whopping success! xo, Lauren

Update: I've gotten a few requests for sources already so here you go:

"YAY" Plates: Amazon
Polka Dot Napkins: Amazon
Castle: Purchased on Zulily but you can also buy on Amazon (it's reversible - white on one side, cardboard on the other)
Tissue Balls: Poppies for Grace
Cake Stand: Shop Sweet Lulu
Wooden Star Wands: Etsy Shop PaperPolaroid
Gold No. 3 Balloon: Purchased at our local party store, but you can also find them on Amazon
Rock Candy: Purchased at our local party store, but you can also find them on Amazon

Hope that helps!

5 Great Gifts for New Moms

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

If I could go back to the time before I was a mother myself and redo all of the gifts I've given new mamas I so would. They really don't need one more tiny outfit, as adorable as it might be. Instead I'd go with one of these ideas:

1. New mom snack box - I can't tell you how many times I skipped a meal with Violet because I just didn't have the time (or free hands). This snack box would have been sooo appreciated.

2. Something sentimental - this bracelet or this necklace with the new babe's name or initial would be perfect.

3. A hot meal - these have been a Godsend since we had Lucy. So many of our friends and family have sent over delicious homemade and restaurant meals for us this past month - it's been nice to have Kevin's hands free in the evenings to play with Violet or hold Lucy instead of slaving over a hot grill.

4. Time - My mom took Violet overnight for the first time since I had Lucy and it's been nice to have a little quiet time with Kevin and extra bonding time with Lucy. Sometimes with two kids I don't feel like I get to totally focus in on either one. Most new moms won't want to let you watch their newborns, but if they have an older child offer to take him or her to the park for an hour or so - it'll be the best gift they got guaranteed.

5. Run an Errand - Call before you come to visit the baby and ask if there's anything you can pick up or do to help out - we ran out of toilet paper the one day and my sister was a lifesaver when she picked some up for me.

What was your favorite/most helpful gift that you received as a new mom? I'd love to hear about it! Happy Friday :) xo, Lauren

Yay

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Thu, 16 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Pretty excited about these ceramic letter plates I just snagged for Violet's birthday party this weekend. So cute! Now what to fill them with...

Handmade Love

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Wed, 15 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Swooning over these prints by Charm & Gumption on Etsy. I want one of each!

5 Favorites for Mama & Baby

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Wed, 15 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

For all of you mom's to be out there, I thought I'd share some of the things I can't live without these days:

1. Aden + Anais Swaddle Blankets - with Violet I kind of gave up on swaddling because all of the flannel blankets I had were almost immediately too small to swaddle her with. Plus she was a May baby, so I quickly felt that they were too warm for her. When I was pregnant with Lucy I hunted and hunted for swaddle blankets that we could actually use and fell in love with these gauzy dream blankets from Aden + Anais. The material is lightweight so it's perfect for a spring or summer baby, and they are the perfect size. I'm confident we'll be able to make use of these for quite some time. And the patterns are just gorgeous to boot.

2. Picci Moses Basket - Although we have the crib and co-sleeper upstairs, I like to have a cozy safe spot on our first floor to keep my sleeping babe close by during the day. With Violet we used a pack n play, but now that we have more furniture and kids' stuff around the house, we just don't have room for it. So this time I snatched up one of these Moses baskets by Picci with some Zulily credit, and I'm so happy that I did! She is super comfy in there, it doesn't take up too much space, and I can actually transport her from room to room while she's sleeping. A+

3. Cozy Comfort Pregnancy Pillow - When I was pregnant with Violet I suffered through without one of these ginormous pillows because a) they're kind of expensive and b) they take up a lot of space. But with this second pregnancy I reconsidered. Although this was another find I bought with credit on Zulily, I'd pay full price for it in a heartbeat today. So SO worth it. I can't tell you how much more sleep I was able to get while pregnant with this gem of a pillow, and it came in handy postpartum as well. After I came home from the hospital I was pretty sore and beat up and this helped me to be so much more comfortable. In fact I'm still using it because it keeps me super comfortable while I'm nursing at night. Kev has been a champ and hasn't complained about his reduction in bed space once. Love you honey!

4. Carter's Jumpsuits - It's so hard to find comfortable, affordable clothing for infants that doesn't have crazy animals or creepy sayings. After a lot of searching I'm so in love with these adorable jumpsuits from Carter's. I bought them in newborn size and liked them so much that I went ahead and purchased the next size up as well!

5. My Arm's Reach Co-sleeper - This is one thing on the list that I bought for Violet and am reusing with Lucy. I love having my babe right at my side at night - it makes night-time feedings a breeze and helped get me through that first week where you're constantly checking to see if your baby is still breathing! (Does anyone else do that?) I don't think they sell this particular model any more, but all of their co-sleepers are the same concept. It attaches to the bed (and detaches quite easily as well), one side drops down so that you can see right in to the baby, and it has storage underneath as well as little pockets on the side perfect for diapers, wipes, and a changing pad. I don't get out of bed at all at night and that's just the way I like it!

Stay tuned, I'll try to share a few of my favorite things each week. Hope this helps! xo, Lauren

A Perfect (to me) Mother's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Tue, 14 May 2013 12:46:00 +0000

It's funny how your perception of a perfect day can change from year to year. Before I had kids, I pictured the perfect Mother's Day being breakfast in bed, a gift and/or flowers of some sort, a meal at a nice restaurant, perhaps a little pampering. Now that I have a three-year-old and a newborn, my list was a bit, well, different.

First of all I was thrilled to start off the day by sleeping in until 8:30 (after being up multiple times feeding Lucy the night before and being woken by Violet at 7:30, at which time Kev got up with her) At 8:30 Lucy gave me my second wake up call, but like I said - thrilled to have gotten that extra hour. Then I got my second gift of the day when I came downstairs to find that my first born had been bathed (yes! clean toddler - I didn't have to sit on the bathroom floor and wrangle a squirmy wet slippery kid who just wants to play unhindered while simultaneously trying to de-grime her! Seriously, toddlers are really the stickiest people ever.)

I did end up getting flowers (thanks Mom and Kev!), so there's that, but to be honest, that was just gravy - it wasn't on my must-have list. The best thing was to see the look of delight on Violet's face when she showed them to me:

At that point Kev dressed Violet and whisked her off to see the alpacas who were visiting the local fairgrounds last weekend. I was in heaven and tweeted about how happy I was to be showering alone. Then I realized that a) I hadn't peed yet that morning and b) I now considered showering with my newborn in the carseat next to me and reaching out every five minutes to replace her pacifier as being "alone".

When they got back we all went to the local Mother's Day street fair together. It's nothing super special - just a lot of fair food, random crafty vendors, and some kids' stuff, but it's become a tradition for us for the past three years now. Actually three years ago I was hugely pregnant (a week overdue) and walking the streets of that same fair trying to encourage Violet to make her appearance so that I wouldn't have to be induced (and went into spontaneous labor that night!), so it felt pretty special to be there with Violet and our newest addition.

The highlight of the fair was getting Violet's face painted. We shelled out ten bucks for this swirly (red and blue) eye, and we weren't entirely convinced she was even going to stay still for it, but she was literally LIKE A STATUE. Didn't flinch. Didn't move a muscle. We were sooo proud and she was ecstatic when she saw herself. (She sat in the back of the car the whole way home gazing into my little makeup mirror and singing Snow White songs to herself. Oh, and she's still wearing her makeup...two days later. It pretty much looks like we punched her in the eye at this point.)

Lucy hung out in the Moby Wrap the whole time and slept like a champ. Seriously, that thing is magic. And more magic: Violet actually ate a pit pork sandwich and more importantly liked it and managed to hold her pee until Kev could run to a nearby restaurant to find out that it was closed, run to a police officer to ask where to take our kid to pee, and finally run waaaaay down the street to another restaurant that thankfully was actually open. All in all I'd say it was a successful outing even though it ended with me carrying her (with Lucy still in the Moby Wrap) back to the car crying and screaming because it was past nap time and she wanted to "do more games". (We hadn't played a single game other than getting her face painted and putting her in a bounce house for about two seconds before she came out crying that it was "too bouncy")

Luckily after aforementioned singing to herself in the mirror, she fell asleep in the car before we got home and Kev managed to transfer her to her bed without waking her, I nursed Lucy to sleep, and we all took a well-deserved evening nap. Well, except for Kev who ran out to get us blue nail polish for our first Mommy/daughter pedicure, chocolate chip cookie dough, and a hot, gooey pizza for dinner (thanks honey!)

That night Kev and I laid in bed whispering about our two beautiful girls and perhaps someday adding another beautiful babe to the family. The perfect ending to a perfect day. It might not sound perfect to some I know, but perfection is in the eye of the beholder, and even though I've traded in my list for clean kids and cookie dough, I wouldn't change any of it for the world. xo, Lauren

Candy Coated Summer

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Mon, 13 May 2013 19:10:00 +0000

My latest ideabook for Houzz.com is up! I'm currently obsessing over all of the delicious candy-colored hues that are out right now - yum. You can check out details and sources here. Hope everyone had a fabulous Mother's Day! xo, Lauren

P.S. Recipe for a Rustic Kitchen & A Fresh and Feminine Workspace

Friday Favorites

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Fri, 10 May 2013 16:42:00 +0000

I thought maybe I'd switch things up a bit and share some favorite moments rather than favorite links this Friday, so here goes:

1. Lucy snoozing on my chest post nursing. That's one of my absolute favorite times - newborn sleep chuckles and milky lips and perfect full-belly contentment.

2. Watching Violet bond with her little sister. It fills my heart with so much joy to see how much more she falls in love with "her baby Lucy" each and every day. She loves to give her kisses and hugs and snuggles constantly - literally so much that I have to ask her to back off a little bit from time to time!

3. Stealing precious moments with my first born. As much as she is in love with her sister, she has been a little bit more clingy and stressed out than usual. It's been an adjustment for sure - especially with me nursing. I'm not as available to her as she's used to and we've been slowly finding ways to get some more one on one time together. The other day Lucy was snoozing away in her crib and I seized the moment to have a backyard picnic with Violet in her teepee. Thank goodness for our video monitor! It gives me such peace of mind. We also managed to escape the house a couple of times and to go out to breakfast together and visit the library for story time.

4. Morning snuggles. Violet came over to our room in the morning, asked if she could snuggle in our bed, and promptly fell asleep. I tried to sleep as well (goodness knows I need it!), but I just kept opening my eyes to look at my beautiful girls and thought about how incredibly lucky I am. I can't remember when I've spent a happier morning.

Of course we've had our rough moments and days as well - nursing was crazy painful at first, Lucy can get pretty fussy in the evenings, and I've lost my patience on more than one occasion with Violet (mostly due to my lack of sleep), but we're loving being a family of four and I wouldn't change it for the world! Happy Friday everyone!

xo, Lauren

P.S. Follow along on Instagram @alovelylark

Something To: Meg of Oh Bother

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Thu, 09 May 2013 18:54:00 +0000

Our last Something to post is from my friend Meg, who I've known since high school! She just started blogging and I love what she's done so far. Her blog is called Oh bother and she writes about her sweet daughter Holden, life as a working (sort of single) mom (her husband works out of state five days of the week), and my favorite part - her hilarious Pinterest fails :) Without further ado, here are Meg's picks for today:

make: DIY stuffed dino
wear: upcycled little girl's dress (made from a men's dress shirt!)
live: Every Little Thing sign by Susie Harris
read: Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein
play: garden veggies

Baby Blanket Love

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Tue, 07 May 2013 12:55:00 +0000

Both of my girls are feeling super special after receiving beautiful handmade blankets from a couple of sweet and talented ladies. Lucy has been enjoying lounging on her new play mat from Jennifer of Baby J & Co.

I love that it's super soft and plush on one side and has a gorgeous pattern on the other. It also has a velcro closure that makes it really easy to roll up and take along to picnics and outings. Jennifer started making the blankets after having her own babe so that she always knew which side had been against the ground. Love when mamas run into a problem and instead of complaining about it they just roll up their sleeves and get something done! It's definitely going to be our favorite tummy time blanket for sure. Thanks Jennifer!

Violet also received her own special doll quilt and pillow a few months ago from Amy of My Little Loves and she loves it so much that I wanted to mention it as well. She uses it for nap time, diaper changes, tea parties - you name it!

Thank you so much ladies for taking care of my girls! xo, Lauren

Something To from Dani Hampton

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Mon, 06 May 2013 12:25:00 +0000

I'm excited to have Dani Hampton of Sometimes Sweet for today's Something To post! Dani has a beautiful lifestyle blog where she writes about her adorable little boy, Henry, and her baby to be. I'm so excited for her and her family to welcome their new addition (and to see what she comes up with for the new little guy's nursery!) Here's what Dani rounded up for us today:

make: lemon curd tart with raw coconut crust
wear: 'yay' sweater and wild things crown
live: orange stripe teepee
read: Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
play: make the connection toy set

Something to from Katie Stratton

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Fri, 03 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Today I have a lovely Something to post for you all, created by Katie Stratton of Katie's Pencil Box. Her blog is filled with the most gorgeous imagery, and I have to say I am just simply dying to see her daughter Phoebe's finished nursery. Thanks so much Katie for sharing your picks with us! xo, Lauren

make: diy mountain pillow
wear: ochre dress
live: spotted pouf
read: A Long Piece of String
play: toy banjo

Something to from Esther Garfield

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Thu, 02 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Today's Something to post is brought to you buy the lovely Esther Garfield of Buy Modern Baby. Esther is mama to two adorable little boys, so I was super surprised when I saw her adorable girly pink picks for us today! Take it away Esther:

I'm so excited that Violet is going to have a baby sister to play with! Inspired by lovely little girls and the upcoming spring, I've got something to...

make: diy lockers
wear: neon pink star dress / fringe suede mocassins
live: hot pink side chair
read: Spring is Here
play: fade out nesting dolls

Something To from Jess Craig

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Wed, 01 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

I'm happy to welcome the lovely Jess Craig of irocksowhat for today's guest post! Jess is a super-inspirational mama who tells it like it is. I think that sometimes blogs can be a little too sugarcoated, but Jess just feels, well, real. She's open and candid about motherhood, her weight loss journey, and how she manages to look completely gorgeous day in and day out - I mean, those eyebrows! But I digress. Here are Jess's fun and fresh picks, thanks so much for sharing them with us! xo, Lauren

make: lit campfire
wear: small skivvies
live: golden toadstool lamp
read: The Down and Dirty Guide to Camping with Kids
play: bearded folk man dolls

Something To from Bron Bates

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Our post today comes from the lovely Bron Bates of Baby Space. Bron lives in the land down under with her fifteen-year-old, five-year-old, and sweet baby girl. She was one of my maternity style inspirations and is currently rocking one of Sakura Bloom's slings for the Sling Diaries. I hope I look half as gorgeous when Violet is fifteen! Thanks so much to Bron for sharing your lovely picks with us today. xo, Lauren

make: papier mache unicorn bust
wear: poplin halter suit
live: Utzon crimson wave willow chair
read: Olivia and the Missing Toy
play: Omm nesting dolls

Something To from Shari Lott

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Today's Something To post is by the lovely Shari of Spearmint Baby. Her blog has been a long-time favorite of mine for nursery inspiration, and lately I've been eating up her idea boards! Shari's youngest, Rexford was born just days before Violet, so I've always felt a special connection following along with her and her family. Thanks so much for sharing your ST picks with us Shari! xo, Lauren

make: cardstock paper animal masks

wear: star sandal

live: half moon blanket

read: the dot by Peter Reynolds

play: giraffe plushie

Gratitude

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 21:58:00 +0000

Well, we've officially survived our first week at home as a family of four, thanks to a LOT of help from my mom, dad, sister, and brother-in-law, and a TON of generous friends and family who supplied us with home cooked meals and yummy takeout! I don't think we've had to fire up the stove, oven, or grill once since we've been home. Lucy is an angel and I am so so thankful for her sweet temperament and easy going personality. And thank you so much to all of you for your kind words and well wishes!

I wanted to also take a minute to thank the lovely people at PersonalCreations.com for being super thoughtful and sending a gift for Violet. It made her feel so special to receive something just for her amid all of this chaos of settling into our new normal. She is completely in love with the gorgeous personalized wooden name puzzle that PersonalCreations.com sent for her. She's crazy into puzzles and spelling her name at the moment, so this was a definite hit. And the really funny thing is that my mom randomly bought her the same gift in a different color palette without knowing that Violet had already received one - what are the odds!? Great minds I suppose? She loves and plays with both of them, so it ended up being a happy accident :)

And one more big thank you to our guest posters this week - Reichel Broussard of Copy Cat Chic, Kristen Krason of 6th Street Design School, and Bridget Hunt of Tales of Me and the Husband! So sweet of these ladies to help me hold down the fort during this big adjustment in our life. You can stay tuned to more guest posts next week from a new group of lovely ladies - namely Shari Lott of Spearmint Baby, Bron Bates of Baby Space, Jess Craig of IROCKSOWHAT, Esther Garfield of Buy Modern Baby, and Katie Stratton of Katie's Pencil Box. Hope you all have a happy weekend!

xo, Lauren

Something To from Bridget Hunt

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Today's guest blogger is the lovely Bridget Hunt of Tales of Me and the Husband. Bridget is the mama of adorable little Parker, and step mama to four others! She's also super chic and stylish and completely gorgeous to boot. Thanks to Bridget for sharing your finds with us today! xo, Lauren

make: eraser stamping
wear: Prefresh Lincoln tee
live: notebook stripe pouf
read: Big Red Barn
play: tool bench

Something To from Kirsten Krason

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Today I'm happy to welcome the lovely Kirsten Krason of 6th Street Design School as our guest blogger. Kirsten has two adorable kids - Jett and Jane, and I was just recently thrilled to feature her daughter's gorgeous nursery over on Apartment Therapy. (The rest of her home is pretty much perfect as well). Thanks so much Kirsten for sharing your Something to picks with us today! xo, Lauren

make: Charley Harper paint by number kit
wear: polka dot dress / bow sandals
live: giraffe bust
read: If I were a bunny...
play: Melissa & Doug grocery cart

Something To from Reichel Broussard

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Today's lovely guest blogger is Reichel Broussard of Copy Cat Chic. Her blog is a must read if you're into creating a beautiful home but are on a budget. She's got the best taste, and I'm so excited to follow along as she decorates her new home. Here are Reichel's picks:

make: Belted Shelves
wear: Ring
live: Vintage Stool
read: A Small Surprise by Louise Yates
play: Little Ozzie

Violet meets Lucy

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 20:33:00 +0000

I was so excited when I found out that we were having another little girl. I have a sister and we're very close, so I was thrilled to be able to give that gift to Violet. Having a sister for me is like having a built-in best friend for life who understands you better than anyone else and loves you no matter what.

As excited as I am for their relationship in the long-term, I worried a little bit about how things would go at first. Violet has always been a bit of a mama's girl. She loves to do everything "herself" but with mama standing by within arm's reach. Only recently has she started to even run off and play with her cousins at family gatherings.

I felt that their first time meeting would be very important and so wanted it to go well. Violet made it very clear to us that she wanted to hold her "baby sistuh" first and then Kevin and I could hold her. I wasn't sure how we were going to pull that one off, but it actually ended up working out on its own the way things sometimes do.

When Violet arrived at the hospital to visit, Lucy was back at the nursery getting bathed, so it was just me and a few family members when she entered the room. She was really concerned about me - why I had an IV in my arm, why I had "boo boo's", and why I couldn't get out of the bed. She was completely freaked out for about ten minutes, but eventually got distracted by other things and calmed down. My dinner arrived and she decided to feed me - always my big helper :)

Luckily we had the sweetest nurse - a mother of six and just back from maternity leave herself. When she wheeled Lucy in from the nursery in her bassinet she said, "Special delivery for Miss Violet!" Violet completely lit up - it was just perfect. I couldn't thank our nurse enough - she was sooo incredibly thoughtful.

I love this face:

Then came the all-important moment - Violet got to hold her baby. Check out this anticipation:

Violet was so gentle and so sweet and sooo in love. She now wants to hold her baby Lucy all of the time. She literally glows while she's holding her. The other day she was gazing down at her and she said, "Mommy, her SO bootiful!" (and then I died)

I also worried about if Violet would be jealous of her sister as I'm nursing and have to say no to Violet a lot, but so far she just seems to be more upset that I can't physically do everything I normally can - like carry her up to bed or sit and play on the floor for a long period of time. We've slowly been figuring things out, like reading books while I nurse the baby or snuggling in bed and watching cartoons on the iPad in the morning. I'm still looking for ways to make her feel like she's not being left out or neglected, so if anyone has any advice I'd love to hear it!

xo, Lauren

P.S. Tomorrow I'm going to start posting a series of guest posts from some of my favorite bloggers to give myself a little "maternity leave". I'll post here and there as well, but I hope you enjoy the lovely and talented group of ladies I have lined up for you!

Lucy's Birth Story

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

It's amazing how similar these photos look to the ones that were taken on the day of Violet's birth, and yet how incredibly different both experiences were. When I was pregnant with Violet, I was terrified to give birth. I had absolutely no idea how something the size of a watermelon was supposed to exit my body. I mean it all makes sense in middle school health class, but when it's a seven pound baby in your own body? Less convincing to say the least.

This time around, I was less nervous about the actual labor and delivery (having the knowledge that yes, it was physically possible and that yes, epidurals are truly like little miracles, and that, no you don't get a medal for giving birth without pain relief) and instead more horrified of going through the painful recovery again. With Violet I had a lot of internal and external tearing, ice packs and witch hazel were my best friends, I had to sit on a donut for weeks, and didn't feel completely free of pain and discomfort until literally a year after giving birth. I assumed this time around it would be more of the same, and to be honest some days I was rooting for a breech baby so that I could get a C-section.

I also thought that I would have a better idea this time of when to head to the hospital. Well, let's just say that the second time around things happen a little bit faster. I woke up on Sunday morning and it felt like any other day. Still massively pregnant, still no contractions - I figured this baby was going to be a week overdue like her big sister. I talked to my in-laws that morning on the phone about the fact that the baby's baptism may have to be rescheduled and snuggled on the couch with Violet while we watched some Sunday morning cartoons on the iPad. I was having some mild contractions, but nothing that felt real yet. That started to change around 10:30 AM. The contractions began to get more painful, and I found myself having to really focus and breathe through them. I started to time them and they were about fifteen minutes apart. After realizing that they were coming regularly and intensifying, I told Kevin that this might be it. Then I called my parents and let them know what was going on. My mom said she'd be right over, but I told her to take her time - I wasn't going anywhere any time soon. That was mistake number one.

When the contractions were about ten minutes apart, I called my doctor. She told me that I could continue to labor at home for a bit or come into the hospital - it was my call. I decided to stay home a bit longer (mistake number two), as I remember feeling more uncomfortable laboring in front of strangers at the hospital the last time around. I wanted to stay in the comfort and privacy of my own home with my own little family for as long as possible. Plus my parents weren't there yet to watch Violet. Violet seemed pretty oblivious to what was going on - I had put a movie on for her and she was pretty into it. At one point I sat down during a really painful contraction and got in trouble for sitting on her baby doll :) I apologetically hopped right up...it's amazing what you'll do for your kids - even in the middle of a contraction. I snuggled up with her and stroked her soft curls, and was hit by a wave of emotion. Our whole world was about to change. I couldn't fathom how I was going to split my time and my energy and my heart between two children. I found Kevin and cried in his arms for the life I was leaving behind and for the new life I was about to give birth to.

Before I knew it, the contractions were 2-3 minutes apart. I was floored by how quickly they were hitting me and called my mom to see where they were at. Apparently convinced by my "take your time" speech, they had stopped for food on the way to the house. When they finally got there, I was in a lot of pain and ready to get the show on the road, but suddenly Violet seemed to realize something was up and started clinging to my leg begging me not to go. She kept saying, "But I like you Mommy!" Heart breaking to say the least, especially with all of those hormones surging through your body, but the contractions won out and I tore myself away, walked out to the car, and threw all of my things to the ground as another contraction hit me full force. I managed to drag myself into the car, and we were off. I was pretty against anyone talking in the car, but Kev and my mom quietly worked out a plan to drop him and me off while she parked the car. I'm really glad she was along to do that - I don't know if I would have been able to make the walk from the parking lot and I definitely wouldn't have wanted to head up to labor and delivery without Kevin. I also remember telling Kevin to remind me to leave the house earlier "next time" - laboring in a car sitting upright with a seatbelt on is just awful.

When we got to labor and delivery I suddenly remembered the "holding room" from the last time around. They check you to see if you're dilated/progressing and it's pretty much hell on Earth. You have to get changed into a gown, have a bunch of monitoring equipment strapped to your belly, and lie down on the bed while they do an internal. Plus there was another pregnant woman and her entourage in the room and they were watching TV and chatting - sounding so relaxed and sooo not where I was at at that point, and like I said - laboring in front of strangers is completely uncomfortable for me. But I knew it had to be done, so I gritted my teeth and did what I had to do. I made sure to inform the nurse that I wanted an epidural ASAP and pretty much wanted to punch her in the face when she giggled at me. My doctor was busy with another patient, so the nurse did my internal and I was five centimeters dilated. They admitted me and walked me over to the delivery room. I again begged for the epidural and got another giggle and was reminded that they needed to get an IV in me and get blood work before they could administer one. This did not make me happy at all - the contractions were right on top of each other at this point and I was terrified that I wouldn't get the epidural in time.

Luckily they hurried things along. I got the privilege of having my IV inserted by some sort of trainee and being informed that my veins were "valvy" which apparently isn't a good thing - the expression on my face at that point made Kevin think I was really going to start throwing punches. Luckily the (terrified looking) girl with the needle got it in on the first try, valvy veins and all, so her face was spared. I got also got a shot of Stadol, which took the edge off of the pain and made me feel more relaxed and a little loopy - kinda like I had one too many glasses of wine.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the doctor arrived to administer the epidural. At this point I couldn't stop my body from pushing during the contractions and it took every ounce of my focus and strength to keep my body still while he inserted the needle. I was pretty much crushing Kevin's hands with each contraction - I'm surprised they didn't end up broken or at least bruised. Thankfully the epidural started working pretty quickly and a beautiful feeling of relief washed over my body. My sister and mom came in and my sister began to take some photos at my request. I felt so lucky to be able to have her here to share this experience with me, all the way from Australia.

My doctor finally arrived to check me right after the epidural took effect, and it turns out I was fully dilated and effaced! I'm very proud of the fact that I made it so far without pain medication, and managed to do so without punching any walls, or cursing, or flinging myself on Kevin like I did during my labor with Violet. I think since I knew what kind of pain to expect, I was able to stay more calm this time around and breathe through the contractions. With Violet's birth I panicked because I was completely unprepared for the intensity of the pain. It felt like I was drowning and couldn't get my head above water. This time I was able to rest during the short periods of relief that I was able to get in between the contractions, and I knew that each painful wave would have a peak and, thankfully, an end. That and the knowledge of the relief that the epidural would bring helped me through it all.

The doctor broke my water at this point and told me to let her know whenever I was ready to push. It was surreal to me that everything had happened so fast. I was going to meet my daughter.

At first the epidural was quite strong, so I really couldn't feel much of anything, but gradually I started to feel pressure and decided to call the doctor back in to get this show on the road and meet my little girl! The room got quiet and I was given an oxygen mask. I found it all very calming - the steady whoosh of the air through my mask, the gentle stroking of my mother's hand through my hair, and Kevin's strong solid hand holding onto my own. I took a deep breath and bore down until I felt like my face was going to explode. I got words of encouragement from my nurse and doctor, and pushed again with all of my might. After only a few short minutes I couldn't believe it when they said that Lucy would be out with the next push. It had taken me a little over an hour to push with Violet, but this little girl made her appearance in only about fifteen minutes. I laughed with overwhelming joy as little Lucy was lifted into the air and placed on my chest.

Our Lucy Vivan was born at 4:49 PM and was absolutely perfect in every way. Six pounds, ten ounces, and nineteen inches of sweetness. I can't tell you how amazing it was to be able to keep her after giving birth. I felt my heart swell in those first precious moments with my second born, her skin touching mine, and I recalled a beautiful thought of one of my favorite writers, Melissa, written after the birth of her second child, "the greatness of our love is not divided among our children, but rather multiplied, indefinitely between them". How very right she was. xo, Lauren

Introducing Lucy Vivian

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 12:17:00 +0000

Sorry for the silence this week, but there's been a good reason! Our little Lucy Vivian was born on Sunday, April 14th at 4:49PM. She weighed in at 6 lbs, 10 oz. and is 19.5 inches long. She's our little angel, and we've all been enjoying resting and getting to know each other.

I've got some fun guest posts lined up for you next week and I'm working on the birth story in between feedings, diaper changes, and chasing Violet :) Hope you have a lovely weekend! xo, Lauren

Then and Now

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 12:36:00 +0000

1. April 2010 - 36 weeks, 2 days pregnant with Violet
2. April 2011 - Violet is 11 months old
3. March 2012 - Violet is 1 year, 10 months old.
4. April 2013 - Violet is 2 years, 11 months old. I am 39 weeks, 6 days pregnant with baby number 2!

Happy Friday all! And happy due date to me :) Nope, still no baby. xo, Lauren

Still Pregnant.

noreply@blogger.com (Lauren) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 11:42:00 +0000

So I'm still pregnant and still sick. I think maybe my body is waiting to get well before it decides to bring a new life into the world? I have been sleeping better thanks to my amazing midwife who prescribed me some Robitussin with CODEINE. Oh how I wanted to kiss her! It's definitely not as powerful as the cough medicine I've had when I'm not pregnant, but it's just enough to take the edge off and allow me to get a little shut eye.

So far my maternity leave has been going pretty well. I've gotten a lot done around the house and have been enjoying some one-on-one time with Violet. Plus my sister and her family are here from Australia and we are all sooo thrilled to see them! This is the first time she's seen me pregnant in person - with Violet she didn't arrive until after I'd given birth, so it's kind of fun to have her feeling for kicks and such!

I've been trying to love on my adorable nephew as much as I can with this big belly and cough - he is the happiest, sweetest little man and I am so so in love with him!

Tomorrow is my due date, and if I haven't had this little girl yet I'm having an ultrasound and non-stress test, and they'll schedule an induction date for me. I've heard some horror stories about inductions so I'm a little nervous about that...wish me luck!

xo, Lauren