Well, one kids in bed and the other is currently being held by her Daddy which means Mommy finally has a free minute or two to tell you a little about Cadence's birth story. It's been almost a week and I still can't believe that she is here or that she came so quickly.

As you already know we went in Sunday night to begin the induction process and little did I know how different this induction was going to be compared to Addison's induction. I got my first dose of gel around 9 or so Sunday night and not much happened. I was dilated to a 2 and had been for the past two weeks or so. Shortly before getting my second dose of gel around one Monday morning contractions started. At first we thought it was the gel since it can cause irritability and contractions that don't last long but it wasn't long before I realized this was the real deal. They were coming every two minutes and were extremely uncomfortable. Even though this was my second pregnancy and delivery things were much different than what I experienced with Addison. With Addison my induction was a two day event and when contractions finally started they were in my lower back because Addison was sunny side up. By the time hard contractions started I had already received my epidural and my water wasn't broken until afterward.

With Cadence my contractions started almost immediately and they weren't pleasant. I don't think it helped that I hadn't slept Saturday night and obviously I wasn't going to be sleeping much Sunday night. I was given an ambien pill to help sleep and since my contractions were getting bad I requested my first round of nubain (sp?). The combination of the two knocked me out and I did manage to sleep for a few hours. Even though I was out cold my contractions did continue. They started my pitocin at six Monday morning and broke my water shortly after. If I remember correctly I was only dilated at a three at that point in the game. It wasn't long after this took place that things started moving very quickly. By 8:30 or so I was dilated to a four and my nurse had talked me into receiving my epidural. I was very hesitant to go ahead and get it because I thought for sure I would be stuck laying in the bed for the rest of the day since I wasn't dilating very quickly. I think my fear was it was going to be another two day induction experience and lord knows I didn't want to be confined to my bed that long. The nurse must have insisted while I was experiencing a contraction because I went ahead and decided now was the time. I got my epidural around 8:45 Monday morning and I am glad it's over and done with. It took two tries before they finally got it to work and I was less than impressed with my nurse. I had a mini breakdown before they started the second attempt and wished so badly they would have allowed Daniel in with me. Instead of holding me to keep me from moving like the nurse was supposed to do she kept walking away from me and doing stuff with the computer which meant I would move as hard as I tried not to. I blame her for the anesthesiologist having to do it twice. Anyway, at that time I was at a four and thought I would finally get some time to rest before I finally delivered...boy was I wrong. Next thing I know I was experiencing pain in my "lady region" like I had never experienced in my life. I was holding my cousin Heathers hand like it was the end of the world...lol. I actually became that woman I said I would never be. The one that you can hear screaming down at the end of the hallway. I wasn't screaming but I was definitely doing some moaning and groaning and Daniel said he could hear me in the hallway...I'm not proud of that but man was I hurting. They quickly called for the anesthesiologist to head back down to make sure nothing was wrong with my epidural and he topped me off with some more drugs. The pain finally went away after about ten minutes or so. They discovered that the pain was because Cadence had dropped and had dropped rapidly. I had gone from a four to a nine in about an hour and she was already crowning. I don't remember much with details at that point because everything happened so quickly but I do remember them rushing the residents in because my Doctor wasn't available. The two residents who assisted had me do two practice pushes and next thing I remember everyone was suiting up, the bed was being taken apart and nurses were flooding in. Since they try their hardest to wait for the actual Doctors to deliver they had me hold off on pushing...they did the same thing to me with Addison. I told them this time I didn't care if the Doctor was there or not and they told me it was important to her, seriously, whose in labor here and they think it's important to the Doctor...screw that. Turns out they didn't have a choice though because next thing I know the resident is saying "we gotta go" and next thing I know I have a baby laying on my belly. Turns out I didn't really need to push, my contractions were pushing her out without my assistance and when the resident looked down her head was pretty much out...lol. Delivering Cadence was so much easier than Addison. My pelvic bone caused problems with Addison and she would start to come out and then I would stop pushing and she would go back in. I much prefer having the baby come out on their own...lmao.

I think we were all in a little bit of shock regarding how quickly I delivered. Half the family, including my Mom who had Addison, missed the delivery because everyone was expecting it to be similar to what Addison's was like. I told Daniel today I am almost afraid to get pregnant again because we may not even make it to the hospital for that delivery. It's amazing that I am now the mother of two children. It's still sinking in that I get to say "girls" now. I am truly blessed...extremely tired, but very blessed.

I am still trying to learn how to be a Mother of two young children. Typically whenever I would use the restroom or do something in the kitchen or bedroom I would take Addison with me because I never know what she is going to get into. Just yesterday we were in the living room when Cadence decided she was going to drench both herself and me in puke. I had a brief moment of panic when I realized I was unable to take Addison back to the bedroom with me to change my clothes and get Cadence cleaned up. I finally decided to brave it and leave her out in the living room to fend for herself...you'll be happy to know she survived without incident. My Mom is helping out with laundry since the laundry room is in the basement and I haven't had a shower in three days but I'm adjusting. I know it will get easier as time progresses so right now I am just enjoying the ride.

She's here...

Cadence Leah Blankenship has arrived. She made her grand entrance at 10:31 a.m. on Valentines Day. This delivery was completely different from my delivery with Addison, in fact I am still in shock. Details will be forth coming as soon as we're sprung from the hospital. Keeping our fingers crossed that we will be released later this afternoon but she has developed jaundice and we all know how that went last year with Addison so who knows how long we will be here.

Just as stubborn as the last one!

Well, here we are and I am still pregnant. I really thought this pregnancy would be different since my body was progressing unlike with Addison's birth. I guess this just means I have another stubborn little girl on my hands. After a quick trip to the hospital last weekend for false labor I thought for sure that we would have had her by this weekend but nope. My Doctors have taken pity on my miserable self and the fact that I really don't want the girls to share the same birth date so we are headed in Sunday night for an induction. If all goes as planned I will have my little Valentines Day baby, how sweet!

On another note...my baby, the one that started this all last year, is going to be a year old this coming Thursday. I would really like to know where this past year has gone because I just can't swallow the fact that it's been an entire year that Addison has been in our life. I was telling Daniel just last night as he was wrestling on the floor with her that this time last year we didn't have her to play with and she was the one we were patiently awaiting.

With a new baby and the first of two birthday parties this week I think we're going to be a little bit busy don't you?

We're getting close!

Unlike her older sister, this little girl isn't beating around the bush trying to enter this world. Even though my due date isn't for another three weeks, Cadence should be here by next weekend whether she likes it or not. I think if she could have Addison would have stayed in my belly. When they finally induced me with her I was at my due date and my body was making almost no progress. With this little one my body is raring to go. As of yesterday I am 2 cm. dialated and 60% thinned out. That fact this is happening three weeks out is amazing compared to nothing happening at all with Addison.

I am hoping she comes very soon on her own but thanks to more gall bladder issues, the Doctors will induce after my appointment next Thursday if she isn't here yet. I was made to promise that I would keep my legs crossed when it came to more babies until my gall bladder is finally taken care of...lol.

A part of me is excited we have come to the end of this journey. I am miserable beyond belief. I wasn't chasing after an eleven month old during my last pregnancy! I am also excited to finally meet this little girl. The other part of me though is scared out of my mind. I am so worried about how I am going to juggle raising a one year old with a newborn. I am so afraid that I won't be able to give either one of the girls the attention that they both deserve and require. I know I won't get to sit around all day holding my precious newborn like I did with Addison because let's face it, Addison is still 100% dependent on me and there won't be time to snuggle with Cadence all day long. That leaves me with guilt for Cadence for not getting as much one on one time with me as her sister did and then I have guilt because during those moments that I am able, Addison will be lacking. What's a mother of two babies going to do?? I know this is one big learning experience for me and after a short while the girls and I will get into a lovely groove and all of these worries and guilty moments will be a thing of the past but until then I can't help but panic a little.

Here's hoping that my next post includes a picture of a lovely little girl who we will all have just met! Keep us all in your thoughts in prayers.

9 month checkup done a month late...oops!

Today I finally took Addison in for her nine month check up and for her latest round of shots. I don't claim to be mother of the year so better late than never in my book.

Who needs a milk mustache when you can have a yogurt mustache?

The Doctor is really impressed with her which makes this Mommy very happy. It assures me that I'm doing something right. She weighed in at a little over twenty pounds and she is almost thirty inches long...girlfriend is going to be tall just like her parents. I got a good laugh out of this appointment because they made me fill out a questionnaire for her regarding her skills and such. It kept asking me questions such as whether or not she's able to stand on her own or with assistance and whether she can walk along the couch or table. Not one question about whether or not at ten months she's actually walking all by herself. My ten month old can't possibly be the only ten month old whose walking all by herself and has been for the last month in a half!! No matter what the Doctor was excited to see her in action and Addison was more than happy to show off even though she got a stick in her toe to test her hemoglobin level. She kept on trucking even with a bloody toe...lol. She got even more praises when I whipped out her sippy cup and she drank out of it like a champ. I think the Doctor was impressed when I said she had been on one for months now. She gave me the go ahead to take the bottle away completely which I am hesitant about. Addison never took a pacifier so during the night she likes to chew on her bottle nipple, the only time in which she gets a bottle, as her comfort item. I don't know if I am willing to take that away just yet, especially since she's still not sleeping through the night and this tired Momma needs as much sleep as she can possibly get. We'll see if I get brave over the next few days!!

A little hurricane Addie destruction for your viewing pleasure! Can you imagine what it will look like with two babies?

My little Peanut...my motto is, "you can never have too much toilet paper!" It's the Crohn's patient in me talking...LOL. Looks like I have a chip off the old block!

Anyway, our little baby isn't so little anymore and I think it's safe to say she isn't our baby anymore...she's our big girl. I can't believe in about five weeks she's going to be a year old and that we more than likely will have another little baby on our hands. Where has the past year gone?

Cadence

Since I have been a bad Mommy when it comes to posting updates on Cadence during this pregnancy I thought since I had a wonderful appointment this morning that I would make a short post. I will be 34 weeks on Monday and as of today she is measuring at 33.5 weeks so we are right on schedule. Her heartbeat was 152 and she's an active little bugger. I am looking forward to having my tummy back to myself so that she'll stay off of my bladder as I have actually thought about putting a bucket in the playroom just so I won't have to trek to the bathroom every five minutes. It's hard having to go poddy all of the time when you have an active toddler who you have to chase down in order to go.

Anyway, the Doctor was impressed with not only my weight...he actually said it was phenomenal which I had to laugh at because believe me, it is not a phenomenal number. He's impressed because I am actually losing weight and I guess when you have a ton to lose, losing some during pregnancy is fine by them. My blood pressure was excellent and my urine was clean...to much information I know! Today's appointment also meant getting my shot in the butt/hip since I have a negative blood type. I have to have a shot before delivery and after delivery with each pregnancy to ensure a healthy baby/pregnancy. I would be lying if I said it didn't sting just a tad today, in fact I jumped when the nurse jabbed it in.

I have another appointment in two weeks and then we start the once every single week appointment game. I can't believe we are almost to the finish line with this little girl. You should have seen me trying to get both myself and Addison out the door in a timely fashion this morning and then have to make an awful amount of bathroom visits while we were waiting for the Doctor with her in tow. I seriously don't think I am going to be able to leave the house much after this baby arrives because dragging along a newborn and an active one year old all by myself is just asking for trouble.

Christmas

I can't believe the holidays have arrived and gone already. It seems like you spend so much time shopping, wrapping, baking, and planning get together's and then before you know it everything is done and over with. We had a really good Christmas this year with lots of family. Lots more that we could have spent time with but when your parents are divorced and then divorced again that leaves you with lots of stops but not enough time to get them in.

I'm still getting over a nasty stomach virus that I picked up on Christmas so this post is going to be mainly pictures but I thought I would share Addison's first Christmas with everyone so here we go.

Opening up her very first gift on Christmas Eve. It's a V-Tech phone that she adores thanks to the one that is at my Dad's.

She has no clue which toy to play with on Christmas morning.

Here she is with her Disney Princess tent with tunnel.

Going for her twin baby dolls which have become her favorite but also have warned Mommy and Daddy to never leave her alone with her baby sister...lol!

Taking a break, opening presents is hard work for such a little girl!

She started walking a good month or so ago but after a tumble down a flight of stairs...don't ask...she back pedaled a little and went back to crawling full time. It seems like a day or two before Christmas it was full speed ahead for walking and we are really enjoying ourselves as we sit back and watch her waddle around carrying all of her new toys. Where she finds some of her strength is beyond me but it's funny none the less. She's loving all of her new toys but we are seriously going to have to invest in some bigger toy boxes and I have given up trying to keep the area picked up during the day. Mommy picks everything up and then she pulls it right back out again.

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday, I know that we did and next year should be even better with our second addition to the family!