I am creating a sibling

When TK was a child, he had a happy little life with his hamster and his mother, and the new dad he had just met the year before. That was until his mother became pregnant with his younger brother. She went into the hospital to have his brother Steven and TK went to stay with a family member. When everyone returned to the home, the nursery was newly painted and TK's hamster was dead. TK would never forget the day he gained a brother and lost his beloved pet. He thought his new sibling killed his hamster, which we all know is not true, but it was such an issue that it made an appearance in Steven's best man speech 26 years later.



Steven and TK

I am praying that the transition for my little boy is a lot easier and a lot less traumatic than TK's experience. The fact is that Jackson is getting a sister. She will be almost three years younger than him and he knows that she is in my belly right now and that her name is Addison.

We are trying to be really smart about introducing her to him because we don't want his little perfect life to change. So, the first step is designing a full Cars bedroom for him. We have diamond plate wallpaper, Cars Fatheads, a Lightning McQueen bed and added Cars items. We still have the carpet on its way and the dresser that TK will be painting black and red. Today is my due date and his room is still not done, but Addison will be in my bedroom for a few weeks, so we still have a little bit of time to get it ready.

Next, we have a few Cars Radiator Springs race track sets to wrap up for Jackson from his new sister. He loves to open presents and if he receives one from her, it may soften the blow of a new person living in our house. We also bought him a few new cars to add to his collection of more than 100. He is always excited for new cars. Yep, he is spoiled, if you can't tell.

So, the final step will be the introduction of the two. I hope it is a very loving meeting and Jax does not smack her in the face or squeeze her too hard, but that's what a brother does, so if it happens, it happens. These two little beings will be the most important and most cherished people in my life and it is my job to keep them cared for and loved throughout their lives. I just hope that they find love for each other and realize that when they have no one else who understands them, at least they have their sibling.


Me and My Brother, Michael

So, I'm Preggers!

My 34th birthday was a more dramatic time than I had originally thought. Shortly after we learned that TK had a kidney stone, I took a pregnancy test and the lines were there. Our second child was on their way. We kind of planned it this way, but not to exactly happen at the same time as a kidney stone.

When I was only five weeks pregnant, we decided to announce the pregnancy to my parents. So, we picked up four pumpkins and wrote Daddy, Mommy, Jackson and Baby K. on them. Then, we placed them on their kitchen table and waited for them to come in. My brother saw it first and congratulated us, and then my parents walked in and hugged us. We were all very happy about these new developments. Jackson was going to have a little brother or sister. We also got Jackson a shirt to announce the pregnancy to my in-laws and it said, "I am getting promoted to BIG BROTHER." My in-laws were very happy to read the news.

At the end of September, I made an appointment with my OB and the nurse confirmed my pregnancy and told me that my due date is May 14, 2015. Then, the nausea started. I felt sick all day, but did not vomit. The only time I didn't feel sick was when I was eating, so I decided to try to eat through the sickness, and eat, and eat ... By the time my second trimester started, I was sick less and less, and by the time my 14th week came along, I was feeling MUCH better. This pregnancy was very different than my first. During my first trimester with Jackson, I was only nauseous at 4 p.m. every day when my stomach was empty. Most of my pregnancy was enjoyable until the end when I got swollen and itchy feet and hands. That was awful, but it ended as soon as I gave birth, thankfully.

At Nicole's Christmas party, I asked Colleen to take a baby bump picture of me to announce my pregnancy to my friends and family on Facebook. I really don't like pregnancy pics because they look awkward and make people uncomfortable. I decided that if I would have a bump pic taken that it would only be a silhouette so people could only see the outline of my body and not my actual body. It turned out pretty well and people could definitely tell that I was pregnant, which was the goal. My belly popped a lot earlier with my second pregnancy, which I hear is normal. I guess your body just remembers what it was like and goes right back to what it was like the last time. This time, I was noticeably pregnant by the time my eighth week came around. Last time, I was about 14 weeks before I had to stock up on maternity clothes.

For this year's Christmas card, I added another little announcement to the back of the card. The front of the card had a picture that I loved of Jackson from the summer at the Central Park Zoo and the back had an image of my 12 week sonogram that I added a Santa hat to. Some people had no idea what it was and needed someone else to fill them in. I just hoped people actually turned the card over.


In the beginning of December, TK and I also decided that would we do a gender reveal cake at my parents' annual Christmas Eve party to find out the sex of our second child. I went for my level II sonogram on December 15 and asked the technician to write down the sex on a piece of paper before placing it in an envelope. I took the envelope to Audrey's Bakery in West Sayville and had them make a cake for us. I asked that it look like a Christmas present with a huge bow on it. I also asked that they put "Bows or Bow Ties?" on the gift tag. I picked up the cake on the afternoon of Christmas Eve. By 9:30 p.m. and a few nudging text messages, we had the cake out on the table and ready to slice. My cousin and his girlfriend were set to video it. I cut into the cake and then told everyone not to look at the knife (which they did anyway) and found out we were having a GIRL! I cried like a little baby and hugged all of my family members. I also made a few of them cry as well, but it was worth it. We were all so excited to have a little perfect boy in Jackson and find out that a little lady was on her way.

I am currently five months pregnant, or halfway, depending on how you want to put it. I am trying my hardest not to buy every cute little thing that I see and there are A LOT of things. TK, Colleen and Catherine all think that I should have a girlie event like a Girls Brunch or something at someone's house, so I am considering it. I don't want a full-blown shower because I don't want to do that to people. Most of them were at my first shower and I don't feel comfortable forcing people to buy the baby gifts. If they want to buy something, that's fine and I will be thankful, but I don't want to force the issue. Also, I think we are registering this weekend for some girlie things because I can get 10 percent off everything on my registry at Babies R' Us. I need to save some dough because little girls are expensive. I'll let you know how it goes.

P.S. If you want to see the cake video, it is on my Youtube Channel, here.

Things I've Learned in One Year

On July 10, my son turned one and I realized how different my life has become since his birth; in good ways and in bad ways.

Here are a few things I have learned along the way:

1. Don't buy expensive clothes, they will just get stained or ruined in some way. Formula can stain a white shirt yellow, and veggies that have been spit out of a baby's mouth can land on your clothing. 
2. Poop is great. You want a baby that poops. A baby that does not poop is a VERY unhappy baby. 
3. A boy baby can pee at any minute, even if they just peed two seconds ago. 
4. Everything ends up in your child's mouth. This includes paper, toys, phones, remote controls, shoes, etc. 
5. Do not leave small items around the house. See #4. 
6. Do not get too drunk at a wedding or a party. A hangover with a screaming, tired baby is worse than any hangover you had in college. 
7. Don't wear bras that don't completely fit. Your son will pull your shirt down in public and instead of everyone seeing your bra, they will see your boob. 
8. Don't decorate your living room with fancy items because they won't match your Graco swing or your Baby Einstein Jumperoo.
9. You can never just run into a store again. Everything takes at least a half an hour. 
10. You may forget to eat because you will focus on making sure your baby is fed.
11. Little kid songs are very catchy. Everyday, there will be a new one stuck in your head.
12. Nothing is yours anymore. Everything belongs to your child. 
13. Take A LOT of pictures. You will end up showing them to everyone you know. 
14. Enjoy every minute. You will turn around and your kid will be a year old already.

So, I have learned plenty so far, but I am still learning, every single day.

Mommies and daddies, what did you learn during your first year as a parent? 

Getting Organized

My little guy is growing and growing, and I don't care what those percentiles mean that I hear at the pediatrician. He is eight and a half months old and in nine month clothing now. So, it seems like he is on par for his age.

Today, I decided to organize Jax's ever-growing clothing collection. I started with the bins in the garage and noticed that I already labeled one of them that contained all of his clothes from newborn to three months and his summer and fall outfits that he had grown out of. His old clothes were so small and cute, and I kind of miss those days, but we are having a ton of fun now so I prefer now to then. There were two other bins in the garage that needed organizing, so I took them out and took every piece of clothing out and made size piles. When my friends give me their kids' hand-me-downs, I take them and pack them away, but I don't really go through them until Jax jumps sizes. Well, this time, I went through every piece and made three bins: 12-18 months, 18-24 months and 24 months +. I had to make sure I wanted all the clothes that were in there and that none of them had stains. None of the clothes had been washed by me and that is fine because when the time comes, I will just do a couple loads of wash and Jax will have a whole new armoire of clothes to wear.

I also like to go to thrift shops and secondhand stores to buy Jax's clothes, even if the clothes can't be worn for a year or more. Baby and toddler clothes are always in pretty good shape in those stores because A. babies grow out of clothes fast, B. moms donate what they don't like or C. moms donate clothes because they cannot take them back to the store without the original tags. My kid grows fast too, so I don't understand spending a lot of money on an outfit that he may wear once or twice.

Jax may be all set for the next year or so with clothes, but his ensemble will probably double in size a few times over by the time he is three. My mom always comes home from a store with something for him, Joey Russo is growing out of his clothes and so is Grady Thompson. So, we're good for another year and a half ... unless there's a sale.

So, I had a baby ...

I fell asleep watching the home run derby. Before TK fell asleep, his last words were, "Feel free to wake me up at 2:30 when your water breaks. Good night!" It was 2:22 a.m. and I woke up and felt funny, so I figured it was time to visit the bathroom to empty the bladder. I wasn't even able to walk past TK's side of the bed before my water broke. It was like I spilled a Dixie cup full of warm water on my pants. Whoa! So, I yelled to TK that my water had broke and then I ran to the bathroom and told him to bring me the phone. I guess he planned it this way because he made me eat spicy General Tso's Chicken for dinner and then take three laps around our backyard, and we live on almost an acre of property.

So, as I sat on the toilet I made a call to the overnight service and they connected me with the doctor on call, who was not my doctor ... and a male. It is not that I am sexist or anything, I just didn't (past tense) know why a man would choose to be an OB/GYN. Seemed very odd to me. Anyway, I asked him if I should rush on in and he said to get to the hospital as soon as I could get myself together, but not to rush. An hour later (3:30 a.m.), we got to the hospital and I wanted to head to admitting. The security guard asked me if I was sure and TK told him that I was a trooper and that I was fine. So, after all the paperwork, I headed up to the maternity floor and waited in the lobby for them to call me in. My parents arrived and sat with us until they called my name. I went into the freezing delivery room that would be my new home for the next 14 hours and changed into my new outfit. The nurses asked me almost a million questions about tattoos and piercings, family history and contractions, and then they gave me a sonogram to see if I really broke my water ... and I did.

Then TK and my mom came in to stay with me and the doctor decided to induce me with Pitocin because I wasn't having contractions on my own and I was only two centimeters dilated. The IV didn't work in one wrist, so the nurse switched it to the other arm, and I was all set, until the contractions started. 

HOLY CRAP! Contractions are no joke. It feels like the worst period cramp that you have ever had because your stomach tightens and you have to remind yourself to breathe through the pain. TK thought he could talk to me during this time, but I politely reminded him that it was not a good idea and he would need to shush while I have a contraction. Instead, he watched my contractions on the machine to see how crazy they got every time. The nurse then asked if I wanted an epidural because there were six other preggos that came in with me, so if I did, I would have to get it right then and first. I said, "Most definitely!" And, they ushered TK and my mom out and invited the anesthesiologist in. I didn't really feel the needle go in because the contractions kind of distracted me, but as soon as the meds made their way in, my hips got tingly and my back felt like someone poured warm oil down it. It was sensational and I REALLY don't know why a woman would turn it down. Eventually my stomach and legs went numb, but my feet and ankles did not. Then, the waiting game began ...

Around 4:30 p.m. while under four blankets and with half of my body regaining feeling, I was finally 10 centimeters dilated and I was going to start pushing. That took everything, and an hour and a half. It was the hardest thing I had ever done, but then came the stitches and they were the worst part of it all. When he came out, I asked and waited for the cry, and it came. Phew!

He was out, after 16 hours, and now he is in the world. Jackson (Jax) Thomas, at 8 pounds 3 ounces and 21 inches long, is the best thing I have ever created, and I feel extremely lucky to now have him in my life. What a heartwarming feeling it is to be this little special person's mom and to share him with his father, his grandparents and his family and friends. I am amazed that I was able to make this perfect little guy and that he will eventually call me Mommy.

The Strangeness Has Begun

It wasn't strange that I got pregnant. It wasn't even strange that I saw two lines on the test because I always knew I would get pregnant some day. The oddest thing right now at five months along is that I can feel him or her moving.

Being the foodie that I am, I'm used to gas pains, bubbles and cramps, but now I have a little bit more going on in my belly and it's not the result of a big meal. Every night and sometimes during the day, I feel a little flutter here and there and I know there's a little guy or girl in there. Sometimes it surprises me and sometimes I just sit and wait for something to happen. It is really pretty cool and also it reassures me that the baby is OK and growing. Thank you God.

Now, this whole big belly thing, well, this is something I'll have to get used to, along with the interesting comments.

New Beginnings

Right after Halloween, I went to go see the Conan O'Brien show with my brother. We drove into the city together and went to a bar to kill time before the show started. I had a Hoegaarden and a sip of his Captain Lawrence Smoked Porter that disgustingly tasted like liquid sausage. That was the last sip of beer I had.

The next day I got to work and realized that it was time to take a pregnancy test because I was late and I had never been late in my life. So during lunch, I ran out to CVS and got myself a pack of three tests because you can never be too sure. That night when I returned home, my husband was waiting for me to take the test. I took one and it had one line and another faint line next to it. Pregnant. I took another test. Two lines again. Pregnant. We were amazed.

When we told my parents, it was great. We brought bagels over and I wrapped a book with "Grandma" in the title for my mother that I had purchased last year for just this moment, if it ever came. I gave her the book and she said thank you but wondered what it meant. I said, "I'm pregnant," through a few tears and then they started to cry. My dad jumped up out of his seat with tears in his eyes to hug me and my mother rushed over to hug Tom. Neither of them wanted to let go, it seemed. It was a priceless reaction.

A few days later, we went over to Tom's parents' house to tell them our news. It was a little less emotional of a reaction, but it was characteristic. Tom's mother was excited and his father's quote was, "Glad to see you still have lead in your pencil." He has a crude way of saying things that gets the point across and makes us laugh at the same time. Hysterical.

So, today I am 14 weeks pregnant. I have the sonograms to prove it and I have heard my baby's heartbeat. It is so strange to have a person growing inside you that is now the size of a lemon. I know the size because I am updated every week on the fruit or vegetable that my baby resembles. Just weeks ago he or she was the size of an olive and now, today - a lemon. But tomorrow, as I start my 15th week, the fruit will change and be something slightly bigger than a lemon.

No sickness, just a little nausea a few weeks ago, and no belly yet as I begin my second trimester. I can just feel a little protrusion in my lower abdomen and most of my pants don't fit anymore. We celebrated Christmas Eve and I had two of the seven fishes. We had a New Year's Eve party and I enjoyed sparkling grape juice. No cold cut sandwiches. No caffeinated beverages and definitely no alcohol, but it will all be worth it when I have a healthy baby in my arms ... and that day will make its way here in about 7 months. Oh man, what have I gotten myself into ...