Water

"Wey tha wadhu?" ("Where's the water?")

Noah's first real sentence today! 

Yay!

Mother of two

This last week has been a blur. Each day syncing into the next. Day into night, night into day. 

I've mostly been stuck in the bedroom, nursing our new babe. Breast feeding her, changing her, cuddling, and napping with her. 

I've been trying to slow the pace down, which is not like my usual self. I'm always on the run, fixing, cleaning, always up and moving.  

I've been trying to split my time into many ways, to spend it with my other baby and husband but it's been near impossible. I know Noah feels something different. He feels my absense. He's been tougher to handle this week. "Momma, momma..." He always calls out from the bottom of the stairs and comes over to see me. He always has a huge smile on his face and his hugs and kisses are just to die for. I miss him. A lot. But I am so blessed that my husband has been able to take two weeks off and has been the one to take care of Noah. This has given me a new found love for my other half. Alhamdulillah. 

The baby is a week old already.

I really can't believe it. 

I have another child. 

Subhanallah. 

And my heart has never been happier. 

She's here!!

Perhaps I spoke too soon! 

Hana (حنا , হানা) Maryam Kalam arrived at 8:57 pm on 11/21, lol (refer to previous post). 

Alhamdulillah it was a successful VBAC!! Labor actually started Wednesday but I suppose I'm not counting it until my water broke Saturday morning, a little before 5. I had to push for 3 hours and 5 minutes (oh yes I was watching that clock religiously) until 8:57!!

She was taken to NICU because I had developed fever while pushing, 101.3 (without other symptoms) and I was given antibiotics so as precautionary, she was too. Alhamdulillah all her blood work came back negative and she was discharged today with us.

We've been home for 12 hours already. It's definitely an interesting experience. In so thankful Tahmeed has two weeks off and my in laws are temporarily living with us because they are all such a help with watching Noah. I missed my little cutie pie so much at the hospital.

I'll update more as days go on...

Alhamdulillah, I can't believe I am a mother of two!

Waiting Game

According to my LMP, today is my due date.

11/21/2015.

Guess where baby is? Still inside, all warm and toasty I'm sure!

COME ON BABY, MOMMA WANTS TO MEET YOU ALREADY!

Insha'Allah very very soon.

Ear infection

Noah has been sick every 2 - 3 weeks since the end of August #DAYCAREPROBLEMS.

Alhamdulillah he has not needed any antibiotics until last week.

His last illness started 11/1: runny nose, coughing, fever, congestion which again, turned into wheezing. We started him on nebs at home the day before we took him to the doc. At the visit, the doc gave him a neb treatment in the office and prescribed 1 week of neb (3 times a day) with prednisone for 5 days (third time on steroids in 2 months Subhanallah) and we decided it was finally time to pay a visit to a pulmonologist.

This episode has been the 5th Upper respiratory infection that resulted in him wheezing and needing nebulizer treatments. During the last episode, we took him to the ER (in October) because it was a weekend and it got pretty bad. He was having such difficulty breathing, he couldn't even sit still. The ER physician, suggested prophylactic use of pulmicort (steroid inhaled through nebulizer) every day with albuterol. We decided not to start it until an actual pulmonologist made a decision. 

So we finally met with Dr Deluca, last Wednesday, the lung guy, and a great guy at that! He basically said he's leaning towards Noah being an asthmatic without really giving a final diagnosis now, as Noah's under 2. He said if this pattern of Noah's cough-turn-wheezing continues until next May, he is definitely an asthmatic. He agreed with use of pulmicort and even suggested to use it twice a day until May...but we came to a compromise. My husbands suggestion was to use it for as long as Noah was still in daycare. Since we are taking Noah out of daycare this week (as I'm due in 1 week with baby #2), one: we will see if the occurence of him getting sick decreases... And two: if they do occur, does it lead to wheezing? If it does, we'll continue the nebulizer treatments until May.

Doc agreed.

Come Wednesday night into Thursday morning, Noah had a fever (but without other issues). I took off on Thursday to watch him. Gave him 3 doses of tylenol and fever came down. I thought he was teething because he was biting me (and nothing else, no runny nose, coughing, pulling ears, etc etc) but I didn't really see any new teeth. We decided we would take him to the doctor on Friday. Tahmeed was off that day anyway and coincidentally that day, my sister in law saw him pull his left ear...so she inspected and what do you know, REDNESS!!

Anyway, by the time I came home Friday, Noah had a fever of 102.3, my poor baby. I gave him tylenol and off we went to the doc...and of course...he had an ear infection!! His first one!!! He was given antibiotics to take 2 times a day for 10 days.

He doesn't like the antibiotic much so it's a scream fest each time with some spitting up. The neb treatments are also 2 times a day and are about 15-20 minutes each and the only way to get him to sit through that is...with screen time...and even then he'll randomly scream and try to remove the mask. Sigh. I guess you gotta do what you gotta do.

Alhamdulillah it could be worse and I am grateful for being able to get care when we need it and able to afford medication.

Insha'Allah he feels better soon. 

Blessings

I am working until I give birth, which can be any day from now until my due date (12 more days) to a maximum of 16 days.

Since the end of last week, I have been cutting back on my hours (I normally work 5 days a week, total of 40 hours). My supervising attending has been SO kind in letting me work as much as I physically can without demanding a pay cut. Some days I've worked 7-8 hours (8 hours is my usual), and other days I've worked 4. If that's not amazing, I really don't know what is. 

Alhamdulillah. Allah is the best of providers.

Baby wearing

For our firstborn, we received two baby carriers that we had put on our registry: Baby Bjorn (Miracle) and a Boba Wrap.

Using the baby bjorn was always an issue for me. No matter how I adjusted it, it would always put a strain on my shoulder and back. Not fun. Not fun at all. My husband, on the other hand, loved it! But for whatever reason, we weren't really able to use it much. It was a hassle to remember to grab it while we left the house. It was annoying for me to readjust it after Tahmeed's use. We always just opted to use the stroller instead. 

The boba wrap was used even less! I always felt like it was way too clingy to be used in the summer time, unless your baby was naked! And if I wanted to use it outside, I'd have to leave the house with it on! Cuz I wasn't gonna stand in a parking lot trying to adjust and wrap like 4' of fabric. It just felt kinda awkward. 

The Bjorn did come in very handy during tawaf when we went to umrah (poor baby was sick but asleep in the bjorn and Tahmeed was able to carry him!) but otherwise he wasn't really into them. I remember using them around the house to try to get him used to it and while I did housework (when he was only a few months old). I do recall him falling asleep a few times in them...And also drooling all over he fabric of the bjorn lol. Other times, I recall him being too fussy to wanna sit in the boba.

I'm not sure why we didn't do research but later on we found out that with long term use of Bjorns, baby's can get hip dysplagia! Carriers like Boba/moby wraps, ergo carriers and ring slings are better and place baby in a more natural position. 

Now with this baby I'm looking into slings. I was considering investing in one for Noah, but by the time I wanted to, I felt he was too big and just used to "being free" so I hesitated and never purchased one. 

There are a few sling brands I'm looking into: Sakura bloom, Desert Baby (by fellow Muslim blogger and fashionista Ascia!!) and Mamaway. Mamaway is the cheapest and is the only one I can return for free (through Amazon) in case it doesn't work out. I'm thinking of giving mamaway a test run and if it works out, returning it and investing in a Desert Baby ring sling (gotta support my fellow Muslim sista!).

I'm considering putting the boba and bjorn up for sale very soon and maybe even investing in an ergo carrier...as the husband refuses to wear a sling, lol. I think it would look so cute! Let's see if I can convince him. 

Inshallah some sort of carrier works out as I will definitely need it, working with 2 under 2 and living in a house with many stairs between ground level our apartment.

Hopefully baby girl will be more compliant than her brother. We shall see!

Getting Close

Just some quick updates:

About 2 more weeks until our baby girl is here! House has been cleaned and organized for the most part, alhamdulillah. We just have to wash her clothes (got her coming home outfit ready to go!) and get my hospital bag prepared.

I had two baby showers. One was thrown my family and friends which was super cute and got gifts from my coworkers, alhamdulillah.

Just requested our previous photographer again for a newborn / family shoot.

I'm still working 5 days a week but have cut back on my hours and will continue to do so until I am ready to deliver because it's been very difficult lately. I've been feeling a lot of pelvic pain, every time I get from bed or from any seated position.

I had my US today to check baby's weight. She is about 6 lbs 6 ounces right now, mashallah. Maybe she'll gain another pound by the time I deliver.

I also got a haircut! The last one I got was one year ago, lol. I'm just trying to get some pampering done before baby arrives because I can't even begin to imagine how crazy it will be with 2 under 2. Still need to color my hair (get rid of those grays!!!), get a facial, eyebrows, and a mani/pedi. Out of all of those, I will probably only get my eyebrows done, lol.

I can't think of anything else at the moment...except that it's 12 am and I am starving!