lydia: 19 months

I'm very behind in updating the blog but thought I'd try to redeem myself during nap time.

Lydia turned 19 months in June. She is still a sweet sweet girl but is having more and more trouble obeying.  I don't think it has to do with Kesid coming along... I think it's just her age. Age and teething...she's cutting her canines. 

I have no idea how much she weighs. Probably 25 lbs or more. She is a big girl!! 

Lydia is starting to talk so much. She'll pretty much attempt to say anything you ask her. Some of my favorites to hear her say are umbrella, watermelon, and bless you. 

Lydia is eating with a fork and spoon on her own. She still makes a mess but her skills are growing!

She used to be terrified of the fountains at our neighborhood park but now she is starting to enjoy them. She calls it the water and anytime we go to the park now we are required to stop at the water :) 

This weekend (4th of july weekend) we have spent a lot of time in the pool. She started off a little timid but by the end of a few days she was climbing up and down the stairs by herself and jumping off the sides of the pool to one of us catching her. I hope she learns to love the water. 

She still loves to read. She has recently starting really liking to "watch" anything on the computer. Anytime we open our computers she'll come up to us and say over and over "watchee, watchee" until we give in. We have started to watch a channel on youtube called kidstv123. It has some great educational videos. She has learned many animal sounds and has started to learn her alphabet sounds. She'll sing, "ah ah apple, ba ba ball, ca ca cat, da da dog." She also loves to sing twinkle twinkle little star and doe a deer. 

She is taking one nap still. Usually she'll go down after lunch and sleep for 2-3 hours. 

I am struggling with getting frustrated with Lydia's disobedience. I pray that I would be patient, slow to anger and abounding in much love toward Lydia (and Kesid) because I have received the same from the Lord. I also pray that the Lord would change my daughters rebel heart to love him and love to obey his commands (and those of her daddy and mommy)

We love our Lyds! She is a great big sister! Happy 19 months sweet girl!

video dump

Thought it was about time to update with some videos.

We live by a great little park that has a splash area with fountains. Lydia was really hesitant the first couple times we went. Now she is a little more brave. Here is a video of her first time.


Lydia's first time at the splash park (18 mo) from Hannah Schreiner on Vimeo.


Lydia likes to sing songs. She is starting to sing along with us to some of them. Here we are doing hand motions to one of them. Patrick had to hide the camera because when she sees it she doesn't want to do anything but say 'cheese.'


singing songs (18 mo) from Hannah Schreiner on Vimeo.


Lydia has also started throwing a ball and being able to catch it fairly well. Kesid is catching up real quick to her big sister...she's now able to stay awake for like an hour at a time :)


Lydia and Kesid (1 wk) from Hannah Schreiner on Vimeo.


I am very thankful for all the help from family and friends after having Kesid. One day when grandma was over helping we did some painting.


Lydia 18 mo Kesid (1 wk) about to paint from Hannah Schreiner on Vimeo.



Lydia (18 mo) painting with grandma from Hannah Schreiner on Vimeo.


And here the girls are yesterday.


Lydia (almost 19 mo) holding Kesid (2 1/2 wks) from Hannah Schreiner on Vimeo.

baby #2: finally here!!

Our sweet Kesid joined the outside world on May 31st. We are so thankful for this girl!! 

I went in to the hospital to be induced Thursday morning. By 12:29 that afternoon she was in our arms. We are praising the Lord for a safe delivery. Everything went smoothly and she is healthy and thriving! 

Here's how the morning looked:

7:15 arrive at hospital

7:30 get checked in and sent back to labor and delivery

8:00 nurse comes in and puts in my IV to get fluids started checks my cervix (3/4 cm)

8:30 hook up pitocin and start me on a drip

10:30 dr came in to break my water...still only 3/4 cm. This was the funniest feeling ever. I soaked so many of those chucks and just couldn't quit laughing at how odd it felt. 

11:00 got my epidural (seriously I think that hospital has the best anesthesiologists ever) and it didn't hurt at all. I was thankful to get the epidural when I did because with my water broken the pitocin contractions were getting more intense. 

Nurse checked me after epidural and I was 6 cm. Moving along quite nicely!

During my contractions Kesid's heart rate started to drop some. I was in the room alone at this point. Patrick and my mom and sister had gone to get lunch. I started to get a little nervous and was praying the Lord would keep her safe. I could tell the nurses were concerned but they weren't freaking out so I knew it wasn't super bad. My nurse put me on oxygen and kept moving me from side to side to see if this would help. They called in my doctor to see about putting in some sort of monitor that could put fluid back into the uterus. Pretty much the cord didn't have any room to float around and was getting squished during the contractions. 

12:00 Everyone had gotten back from their lunches and my doctor arrived. She checked me and said there was no need to put in the monitor because I was 10cm and ready to push!!! I was kind of in shock that it was happening so quickly. I had been so anxious to meet this little girl. For the last 3 weeks I had been trying to walk, squat, eat spicy food, pretty much do anything possible to get her out and now it was finally happening. EEEKK! 

I pushed through 3 contractions and out she came at 12:29. Beautiful as can be! Head full of dark hair. 

She was 6 lbs 15 oz (Lydia was 5 lbs 13 oz) and 20 in long (Lydia was 18 in). 

Our hearts were/are overwhelmingly full! The Lord has blessed us with another sweet gift of life. We love our baby girl so much. Right after the delivery and even now I am brought to tears as I think of the miracle she is. I have not done anything this whole pregnancy that could sustain her life. I couldn't make her healthy. It was all a gift from the Lord. I do not want to take this for granted. I praise the Lord that He has made her fearfully and wonderfully. He is a mighty God! 

Kesid has been a great eater and sleeper. She is eating every 2 1/2 hrs and going 4 hours during the night. We are on a pretty good routine already. 

Lydia loves her. She has started to say sister and is improving everyday with her ability to say Kesid. She holds out her arms and does the cutest little thing with her hands while saying "hold you hold you."  I am surprised with how gentle she has been with Kesid. I'm looking forward to watching their relationship grow!

It has been an adjustment going from 1 to 2 obviously! The first week my hormones were going strong so I didn't really feel the exhaustion but Patrick did. He was worn out. Now that we are in the 2nd week I am feeling it a little more. Although, with her sleeping and eating schedule I am getting lots of good sleep at night so I really have nothing to complain about. 

I have also had lots of help. Between Patrick and my mom and his mom, I haven't had to do much but rest and heal up. It has been hard not being able to pick up Lydia (dr said not to for at least 2 weeks). Because I can't lift her, Patrick has pretty much been on Lydia duty while I'm on Kesid duty... this may have added to his exhaustion :) 

We went to her pediatrician for her initial follow up and she is already up to 7 lbs 2 oz (she had dropped down to 6 lbs 9 oz in the hospital). I can't believe I already have a 7 pounder!! Lydia took forever to get to 7 lbs. 

Ok long enough post for now. I'll try to be better at updating the blog... but I do have 2 kids now so we'll see :)

baby #2: 39 weeks

Monday was 39 weeks. Because of the holiday and my doctor being out of the office yesterday I didn't go for my normal appointment until this morning.

I was 146 lbs (down 2 from last week...which confirms that my weigh in last week of +4 was a fluke). My blood pressure was also back down in my normal range of 108/72.

Belly measured 37 cm (last week was 36) and babies heartbeat was in the 140's.

She again stripped my membranes and said I was a very good 3 cm dilated...a close 4. She said she'd be happy to induce me tomorrow morning.

SOOOO If the stripping of membranes doesn't kick me into labor on my own, we'll go to the hospital tomorrow morning to be induced. :) This momma is happy to meet her little one!

So here is a picture of my big 39 (and 2 days) pregnant belly.

alicia and george: married

This was a very fun wedding for me to shoot. The bride was one of my childhood best friends. It was so special to be a part of her big day. I think the thing I loved the most was seeing the bride and groom smiling at each other throughout the entire ceremony. Seriously... they couldn't stop smiling and giggling. Very happy for these two!

baby #2: 38 weeks and a few

Went to the doctor on Monday for my 38 week appointment.

Gained 4 lbs in a week (I think this was a flawed reading because I had just ate a sandwich on the way over and drank a lot and hadn't gone to the bathroom yet). So even though I have my excuses the scale still read 4 lbs extra from last week. Making my total so far 148. 34 lbs from start. SHEESH. Come on out baby momma can't take too many more weeks of 4 lbs :).
My blood pressure was a little higher than normal for me. 120/78

Babies heart beat was in the 140's. I forgot to ask her how many cm I was measuring...guessing it was an okay measurement since she didn't say anything.

I was still 2 cm dilated but she added that there was a little give so maybe almost a 3??

Doctor stripped my membranes. This is pretty much an attempt to get the hormones going to kick me into labor. I was crampy some this week and have felt more pressure down there but no steady contractions.

I go back to the doctor on Wednesday if I haven't already delivered. We'll talk then about a possible induction around the due date. This momma can't do the whole 2 weeks over due thing :)

And here is my belly. Sorry the picture is dark. It was late and I realized I hadn't taken the picture so I just turned on photo booth.