Wordless Wednesday: Addie loves Christmas

Addison LOVES the "pretty" Christmas Tree

What a happy girl. I am by far the most excited I have ever been this year, and it is solely because I can't wait to see this baby girl come down the stairs on Christmas morning and see what Santa has left her.

Furniture for Baby Ta

I think we've picked the furniture for Baby Ta:

 This crib is so pretty, and I love the detail on the feet! It will look perfect as a crib and make a beautiful toddler and full size bed.

 I like this dresser. I don't love it. It matches the crib, but I don't like having only 3 drawers. Although Addison's dresser is older (it was my mother in law's when she was little), I love her dresser and the fact that it has 6 drawers. This is very nice though and will work well for a change table too.

 Assuming we can find room in the budget somewhere (where that will be I have no idea) I would love to have a nightstand in Baby Ta's room. We don't have one in Addison's room and I have REALLY missed having somewhere to put things close to the rocking chair. Bottles and books on the floor, and nowhere for a lamp is a real inconvenience. I love that this night stand has 3 drawers! Always looking for more storage!

I LOVE this little kid sized coat rack!! Anyone looking for a gift idea for me or Baby Ta, please get us this coat rack!! (It's from Pottery Barn Kids). I so love it, and it would be perfect in her room.

A Nursery for Baby Ta

Since we still haven't come up with a name (which we both feel awful about, we REALLY want to name this little princess soon), Baby Ta is still going by such.

Now that we know for sure we are expecting another princess, I am super excited about getting her room ready. So I've been busy come up with a design for Baby Ta's room.

Since I picked out everything for Addison's room, Ryan wanted some say in Baby Ta's room, and since I think it's super sweet that her Daddy wants to help set up her room, I am all for it. So, Ryan has decided Baby Ta will have light pink walls and white furniture. I had suggested the idea of getting Addison a big girl bed, and giving her crib to Baby Ta, but Ryan was insistent that each baby should have their own furniture, and we did buy a convertible crib for Addie so it would always be hers. So, new white furniture it is for Baby Ta, and when Addison is ready (which is not now, she LOVES being in her crib, and we love that she is contained at night) we will convert her bed to a toddler bed. We haven't picked a set yet, but will do something similar for Baby Ta that we did for Addison. A crib and dresser (with a change pad on top) instead of a separate change table, and I think instead of buying a traditional bookcase, like Addison has, I would like to do something different for Baby Ta. I REALLY like this idea:

I think I could make this, and could make it even girlier if I could find some scrolled dowel rods that look like the rungs on little wooden rocking chairs.

For bedding, I am completely in love with this Hayley bedding from Pottery Barn Kids. I had seen it when Addison was a baby (ugh, still can't believe she's not a baby anymore) and wanted it for her big girl bed, but realistically, her crib bedding will fit her toddler bed, and it will be a few years before she is ready for her bed to be converted to a full size, and at that point Addison will be big enough to choose her own room design and bedding. Sooo.... since I am madly in love with this bedding, this will be Baby Ta's bedding:

We really don't need a ton of stuff for Baby Ta other than things to set up her nursery, but there are a few things I need to get for her. We need new bottles, and we've been using the Born Free ones for Addison lately (yes she still loves her bottle and we haven't even tried to take it away from her yet) but she keeps throwing them and breaking the twist on parts, so we need new bottles anyway, and I really want to go with glass this time. Since we do love the Born Free, I am going to get a couple of these sets for Baby Ta:

 And a bottle holder/cooler/warmer since I never had one with Addison and really missed not having one

We also need some new swaddle blankets, and I am hooked on the Aiden and Anais swaddle blankets we had for Addison. They are so super soft, and big enough to swaddle for months. Addie was 9 months old and we still swaddled her in those blankets. I gifted some to my sister in law though, so we need more now. The bamboo ones are ridiculously soft, but the muslin ones are very close, and have adorable patterns. I am tossed between the super soft plain cream bamboo, or these adorable muslin ones:

I will probably go for the patterned ones, I think the bugs are super cute, and love the bright colours. Plus they arent super girly so I could use them again if we get a boy down the line.

I LOVED our cloth diapers with Addison, but didn't have enough to cloth diaper full time, so this time I need to add to my stash. I have quite a few BumGenius all in ones that I love, and recently added a few ittybitty diapers that are adorable, but I want to complete the stash with Fuzzibunz because they are super soft inside and fit very well. I would love to add some rumparoos too, but I can't find anyone that will ship them to Canada.

Other than that, Baby Ta is all set for blankies, receiving blankets, and especially clothes (which I am sooo anxious to get out again, Addison had gorgeous clothes that she only wore for 6 weeks at a time). I do need to add a few things to the clothing stash, but not much. I know I make tiny babies, and Addie was in newborn clothes for about 2 months. I kept thinking (everyone kept warning me) not to buy more newborn since *most* babies arent in newborn more than a couple weeks, but my girls are peanuts so I need to add some more newborn sleepers and a couple more outfits would be nice. We were a little skimpy on size 9 month as well, so I'll add to that when I find some good sales.

But, Mama needs a couple things for two babies!!
I need a new diaper bag. I currently have a Skip Hop Studio, and I have LOVED the bag, but it has been so well loved, that it is really showing and even after trying to re-sew (haha badly, I am NOT a sewer) my bag has seen better days and it is time for a new one. I need something big enough for two kids now, and that will have to be another post entirely since I have no idea what I want yet, just know I need something new.

I also need a double stroller. This I have done a TON of research on. I have been researching double strollers for months. Probably since Addison was like 6 months old. I know what I want, what I need and what I like, and I have it narrowed down to two. Both Baby Joggers:

City Mini Double:
This is the first double that I fell in love with. It has so many qualities that I love in a stroller. It has large canopies for sun shade (which is sooo important), a nice size basket underneath, babies sit side by side so they can both see everything, one piece so it's easy to use and clean, each seat fully reclines, you can add a carseat, easy to maneuver, folds soo easily, rides very smooth, and it looks awesome. Oh ya, and most importantly for a side by side, it fits through most standard doorways!! I LOVE this stroller. It is also reasonably priced for the features/quality of the stroller.

 Then, I found this one: The Baby Jogger City Select. Now this is a single stroller with an add on seat. This stroller as a single stroller is more expensive than the city mini double, which is a big deal. Once you add a couple hundred dollars for the extra seat plus another hundred for the carseat adapter, it is almost $1000 which I think is very expensive and honestly completely out of our budget. Plus, I am not sure I actually like it better than the city mini. Here's what I do love about it though. It can be used as a single or a double (but I already have an awesome single and a great umbrella stroller so I really don't need to convert it back, even after Addie is solely walking). It has all the same great features as the city mini but the added bonus of the kiddos riding single file, so it will definitely fit through heavy crowds and all doorways, and my favorite part.... the seats can be changed in multiple ways to allow you to use a carseat, plus the regular seat, a carseat with a bassinet, both seats facing forward, both seats rear facing, seats facing each other, and best of all, on different levels so even if the kids are both facing forward, they each have the same clear view ahead. Is that worth an extra $500??? I really don't think so. If I had seen this one first, and gotten the single for Addison, then ya, an extra seat would be all that was needed and make sense, but I think having to manuever a little more in heavy crowds (which we don't frequent anyways) is worth saving the money on this one.

Baby Ta will be getting one gift for Christmas. Addison LOVES her Fisherprice seahorse, and we thought Baby Ta would like one too. So Addie has the purple one, and Baby Ta will have the blue one.

I'm sure the list will grow once we really start shopping (after Christmas) but this is the list I've put together so far for the new addition.

It's A....

                                                                            And Baby Ta is a....

                                                                                    GIRL!!!!

I had my 19 week anatomy scan today, and Baby girl was sooo good! She stayed in all the right positions for the technician to get all her pictures and was very good about showing us that she is definitely a she.

The technician I had was amazing... she was so good, really took her time and let me see the little angel for a long time. She showed me exactly where the baby was lying, how her heart was beating, let me count all the little fingers, all the little toes, and took the time to show me every body part she could. Baby Ta is 100% perfect! I was THRILLED to see that she was so healthy. When it came time to do the sex, she asked what I was hoping for, and honestly, I really thought Baby Ta was another girl, and I was so excited when she told me she was.

I always wanted a sister growing up, and in a house with three brothers, always wondered what it would be like to have another girl in the house. I am so happy that Addison will have a sister, especially one close to her age to grow up with.

Baby Ta is in the exact same position Addison was in at her anatomy scan... completely breech! And because of the septum, it is unlikely that Baby Ta will be moving. I REALLY wanted to try for a vbac this time, and it is still a possibility, just a slim one. Looks like it's another c-section for this mama.

Now to find a name.... Ryan and I don't agree on anything. any suggestions are welcome!

Baby Belly #2 19 weeks

It's been awhile since I've had access to "our" laptop... seems Ryan has comandeered it for work lately. grrr. At least it's for a good cause. But I have some catching up to do.

Let's start with my belly shall we?

This is my 17 week belly with Addison

                                                     And this is my 17 week belly with Baby #2

Notice a difference? I sure do. I am a heck of a lot bigger this time!

Here's the stats so far:
Pregnancy week: 19 weeks tomorrow

Size of baby: 6.5 inches from head to bum. About the length of a cantalope plus arms and legs

Weight gain: 12lbs already!!

Sleep: Getting more and more uncomfortable. Thank God Addison finally decided to start sleeping through the night three weeks ago, and we've only had one night of setback, but I tend to sleep really restlessly one night and then the next night I am so exhausted from being up all night the night before I sleep really well. So every other night is a good sleep night.

Gender? Tomorrow is the big day to find out! My guess is girl though.

Names? We've got nothing.... every time we think we agree on something, one of us changes our minds. One thing we do agree on, is Baby Ta. Addison was looking at the baby name book one night and Ryan asked her if she was picking out a name for the baby. She looked at him very seriously and replied "Baby Ta" so we're going with it.

Mama's feeling: I am feeling really good lately. My back is really starting to hurt in the evening, especially if I do a lot of bending, which is much earlier than I had back pain with Addie, but hey, no morning sickness, and I have a healthy little baby growing so I am not complaining about a little back pain!

Movement: Baby Ta is very similar to Addison. Not so many kicks, but a lot of wiggling and flipping around. Much stronger than Addison was at this point too. There is no mistaking that it's baby movement.

Belly Button: Still an innie

Cravings: No real gotta have it cravings, but I can't stand anything fast food, all I want is fresh food and I eat grilled chicken pitas with tzatiki literally every work day. The guys at Extreme Pita all know me by name

Milestones: I am a week away from being halfway through the pregnancy already! I can hardly believe it! And I am super excited to have my anatomy scan tomorrow morning. I can't wait to count all the little fingers and toes, and to find out if Addie is getting a brother or a sister. To be honest, I will be thrilled no matter what.

Wordless Wednesday: Addisons fall photos

 

I really wish we could have gotten a professional photographer for this years fall pictures. Addison is so quick these days, it is really difficult to get her to sit still long enough to take pictures of her. Although we never did get a family picture like I had hoped, I think I got some good ones of Addison. Here's Addie's fall photos.

Y3W: Halloween Night Out!

Scooping seeds out

Putting seeds back in....

Making sure it's empty

Onto the next one

My little cow

First house with Daddy

Trick or treat!

Okay I got this guys, see you later!

I'd say she did pretty good for her first Halloween out!