Baby No. 2

I suppose the throngs of Wayshetribe readers have been greatly anticipating my insight, opinions and dialogue on the transition from having one child to two. You poor souls.

Who has the most [unwanted] advice about child-rearing? Someone who has no children, of course! This is a common predicament. Who has the least amount of advice? Well, recently I have come to the conclusion that unwanted advice has a direct correlation with number of children. The more children people have, the less likely they are to smother other mom's in their this-way-or-the-highway advice. Or maybe they are just too sleep deprived to care. I've recently visited with a few fellow mom's that have five children. Other than a slightly glazed look and occasional greasy-hair, they appear to be normal functioning adults. Yet I have not heard one judgmental or even opinionated word come from them.

The first item I would like to discus is washing your hands. When you have a newborn, it is vital that you keep a completely germ-free, disinfected environment for that tiny little bean. New mom's are supposed to wash their hands: Before and after changing diapers. Before and after breastfeeding. Before and after pumping. Before and after eating. Before and after using the restroom. Any time you touch your baby's face. Upon returning home from the store/town/park etc. DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY TIMES A DAY THAT IS??? Do you know how many diapers 3 week old babies go through? Do you know how many times the post-partum body needs to pee? Plan on washing your hands any moment you aren't otherwise occupied with your infant, sleeping, or eating. (Never.)

Somewhere I read that you are not supposed to carry your coffee while holding your infant. *snicker* How about drinking your coffee, bathing your toddler, and cooking dinner while holding your infant?

I don't think I ever really pictured myself having girls. I thought I would just have a rambunctious family of boys. (Tomboy at heart I guess!) But I really like that we got two girls. They completely melt Wayne & my hearts. People keep asking if we will try again for a boy....and I keep thinking, "NO!!! But I'd try again for another little girl!!"

I do LOVE having two girls. I have told people several times over the past 8 months that having two children has been easier for me and way more fun than having one ever was. Brynn has been a good baby, but regardless of that I have really enjoyed being a family of four. Yes I am becoming a puddle of sappy goo, but it is true. I am a very happy puddle of goo.

Brynn's Hospital Pictures

The Karate Kid arrives! Getting checked out and cleaned up.

Big sister gets to come visit

Grandma Cassens gets a snuggle

Getting a thorough prodding from the doctor.

The next morning in the hospital Pippy wanted to hold baby sister.

Fellow New Parents

Our good friends, Brad & Cori Brooks, introduced their new daughter to the world this past week! Leah Evalynn was born early Wednesday morning: 7 pounds, 10 ounces, 21 inches. Leah and Penelope are about 12 weeks apart. As you can see from the picture, mommy & Leah are both doing great. Though getting little sleep, Cori is glowing and already doing an excellent job at being a mommy and recovering from childbirth. Leah is so tiny and precious, hard to believe Penelope was that small!

We look forward to making memories together as we both delve into the new and exciting world of parenting! Congrats Brad & Cori!

From Hospital to Home

The short story: We went to the hospital Friday night around 11. We had of course read lots of books and gone to childbirth classes, so it was nice to feel educated on the process. However, in my labor there were no 'stages' defined by the timing of contractions or how it felt. From 9 p.m. to 630 a.m. when she was born, the contractions were two and a half minutes apart. There were also no 'breaks' in between contractions. The nurse would keep saying things like "when this contraction is over" or "are you having a contraction" and I couldn't really tell when one started and ended. At around 6 a.m. the doctor strolled in to make an appearance, and a little bit later I was pushing and Penelope was born just shy of 6:30. The nurses were all very good to me, the doctor...well, let's just say he is worthy of his own blog post. To give you an idea...after a drug-free labor and just one shot of local anesthesia, he is doing stitches. He has yet to even look at my face, and I'm certain would not know me if we were to meet in the hall of the hospital, more less around town. He sighs loudly and says, "Well, I can't do this if you're going to flinch every time I stitch," stabs me with two more shots, and continues his job.

Little Penelope scored a 9 and 10 on her Apgar, despite coming into the world withe the cord wrapped around her neck AND body. Apparently I had produced a long baby and a very long cord.

Here are a few pictures.

Penelope after her bath

In Daddy's arms

Mom and Penelope

Leaving the hospital

At home

We came to to the hospital with an empty car seat and two of these bags.

We came home with all of this!

Sewing for Babygirl

Yes, today is my due date. I have been keeping myself somewhat occupied by doing some sewing. Here are some things I have been making this past while:

A taggie blanket (without the tags, apparently) and a bib.

A blanket. The taggie blanket, bib and this blanket will be a gift for someone else.

A cover for the Boppy pillow. The other side is green and very soft.

A set of burp rags, with frilly borders

Another Childless Saturday

Today we went to town to the farmer's market, sky fair, and a little shop where I got this cute pacifier for Babygirl:

We went to the sky fair last year, and it was fun to go again. Lots of airplanes to walk around and look at.

Several people asked when I was due. I told them Thursday. Here are some of the responses I got:

"You are carrying SO high!"

"Wow, you look great!"

*Blank stare* "Oh, this Thursday?"

"You are carrying SO low!"

And while eavesdropping...

"That girl over there is due this Thursday!"

Then I started to tell this friendly group of women a story that started out with something about my doctor and naming Babygirl....at that point I totally blanked out and said "I'm sorry, I have no idea what I was going to tell you!" How embarrassing! They were pretty understanding, but I still haven't a clue what interesting tidbit I was about to tell them.

"Babies are SOOO expensive" Part 2

OK, so we have the nursery and infant layette ready and the car seat safely installed in the car, for a premium of around $500. No big deal, right? OK, let's go to the hospital and bring the baby home!

So, you go to the hospital and somehow that huge bump on your lower abdomen turns into a tiny squealing baby. It happens every day. Actually, as a random fact, it will happen about 300,000 times today around the world. No, not many of them in a hospital, but you get the picture. But for most people in the US, you have to pay the hospital and the doctor that has made an appearance long enough to 'catch' your baby. During my swiftly diminishing pre-baby adulthood, I assumed that would be around $5000-$7000 for a normal delivery.

After one trip to see my doctor, I paid the remainder of what I owed for the "doctor's" fee. The total "doctor's" fee was $480 (my 15% out-of-pocket). I then decided to pre-register at the hospital, which is next door to my doctor's office. I pre-registered, and they asked me if I wanted to pre-pay also. They told me that I would get a 30% discount for pre-paying. Wow! Sounds like a bargain to me. So I went ahead and paid the $840 to the hospital. So for my part of the bill, I have paid $1320 plus a few lab tests here and there. That's fine, I'm OK with that. Besides, you can't put a price on a baby, right?

Let's add up how much the birth actually costs. We are lucky to have good insurance. It covers 100% of prenatal care and 85% of maternity care. I do not know how much my insurance has paid for the prenatal care, as they pay 100%, so we will leave that out of our calculations.

First we have the doctor's bill. $480 is 15%; so my insurance is paying $2,720. The hospital bill is $840, but they gave me a 30% discount. So that would have been $1,200 for my 15%. My insurance then, is paying $6,800. We now have a grand total of $11,200. If the baby is a boy and you want him circumcised, that is another $500. An ultrasound is $500. Banking your baby's cord blood? $60 per month indefinitely. What if there are complications? A cesarean section? A premature birth?

Anyway, I do not wish to discuss the 'current healthcare crisis' or the 'rise of healthcare costs' or any other such rants, just interesting that something so 'normal' as a human birth costs over 11 thousand dollars. And, in our situation, to thank an employer for providing decent health insurance!

"Babies are SOOO expensive"

Perhaps this post is a bit premature, because Babygirl hasn't even arrived yet, but I have some thoughts and opinions on this common phrase. So I will only speak on my experience spending money pre-baby, and if you think I have no clue and am in for a huge reality check, just roll your eyes and say "well....she is pregnant after all..."

First of all, My name is Sheena, and I am a frugal blog addict. Yes, I'll admit it, I spend a lot of time browsing frugal blogs, thrifty websites, do-it-yourself-and-save! - type websites. I may not save much because of it, or actually use any of the helpful tips, but I sure enjoy reading them. And I do NOT make and or use reusable toilet paper. (yes, some people do) I am however, a bit of a cheapskate, and a sucker for a good deal. So, I would like to brag about our pre-baby expenses.

New:

Car Seat: $150

Crib Sheets: $15

Hangars $5

Mattress Pad $20

Used:

Bumbo (cool little infant chair), Boppy(cool infant/nursing pillow), and Bouncer

$25

Swing $50

PackNPlay $75

Crib & Mattress (yes, I know the government says it's not 'safe' to use a used crib)

$50

Random garage sales & second hand clothing stores

$70

Free:

First of all, I apparently hit the mother-load when it comes to family and friends. Sorry to rub it in, but I have the nicest, most generous friends in the world! I have received so many great items as gifts from so many people. Here is a revised list:

Clothes (newborn up to 2T)

Lotions & Shampoos

Diapers & Wipes

First Aid stuff

Blankets

Stroller

Toys

Toddler Bed

Baby Carriers

If my math skills are correct, about $460. At normal retail prices, that would buy you a crib, carseat, and a baby swing. What's the last thing you spent $500 dollars on? A car payment, college textbooks for the semester, maybe a piece of furniture. $500 is a chunk of cash, don't get me wrong, but in other ways, it doesn't buy you much. So considering this, I am inclined to think this, "Babies CAN be SO expensive." So far, I feel our baby hasn't broke the bank. (YET...I wonder how much college textbooks will cost in 18 years?)

I did omit one splurge I made. I purchased a few cute books and stuffed animals for the baby, paying $30 for $55 worth of items using a coupon deal at a local business. One of which is the famous Goodnight Moon book, complete with the little stuffed bunny that is in the book!

So, I am quite pleased with myself for getting everything I have for around $500. But again, it is probably only thanks to getting so much stuff from awesome friends! And we shall see how much money we end up spending in the next few months once baby is here!

How will I manage...

One thing that has surprised me since being pregnant...well, since I have been 'showing'...is people are incredibly nice to me! I never knew so many people could smile (gasp! at a stranger!) and open doors for you without acting like it is a chore. Sometimes I actually feel like I brighten someones day!

I like to shop at this Mexican fruit market. (I'm not sure if that is politically correct, but that's what I call it.) Last week, el senor gave me free jicama. This week, he insisted on carrying my bags to the car for me (there were only 2). Thanks!

Most women will start up a conversation with you. It usually proceeds like this:

1) Either: "You must be so hot!" or "When are you due?"

2) "Do you know what you're having?"

3) Depending on the person, the next bit ranges from "Well congratulations" to the details of their own pregnancy (all I ate was ketchup!), birth (the baby was squeezing the umbilical cord with its' hand!), child rearing ("Look what you have to look forward to!" as said person's child imitates a disturbed monkey), and/or grandmother-hood (my grandchildren are perfect!).

This brings me to the real question in mind: How will I manage post-pregnancy? I will have to open doors for myself, carry my own belongings, get my own food, not get to choose what restaurant to go to, and not hearing "Ok, Sheena, whatever you want" from my little brother and brother-in-law. (followed by a stage whisper of "Don't upset the pregnant lady!") I suppose the solution to this is to never go anywhere without the baby, and hope it is cute enough to bring a smile to one's face. And hope I don't realize that it is no longer me they are smiling at.

How to name a baby

No, we have not decided on a name for Babygirl yet. Even though there has been no lack of suggestions and time spent online at babynames.com, it has been harder than we thought to pick out a name. The good names seem to be either overused or we can think of someone with the same name that we don't really want Babygirl to be named after! For instance, Wayne writes down a list of nice pretty girl names. Then we realize his list is nearly identical to the top 20 baby girl names of 2010. We can't have our Babygirl going to kindergarten with 5 other Olivia's! I have recently picked out two of the nicest, sweetest, best names. Feeling quite proud of myself I looked them up only to find out they have recently made huge jumps to the top 50 names predicted for 2011! So we move on to different names....maybe some French or Italian names. But what adults, never mind children, know how to pronounce "Roesia" or "Huguetta"?

Let's move on to the suggestions given. My cousin's preschool aged boys have been very helpful. They think Pinky, Thunder, Miss Sally, and Blue Bear are nice names. My dad has said there are plenty of good names out there...Ken, Jack & Ike would be nice. When I asked what names if it's a girl, he said those same names would be fine. My friend Cori is set on Serendipity, and Stephanie Kinney thinks She-Wayne is an excellent name. Another friend dreamed we had our baby, and named it Cameron.

We are hoping Babygirl will have a name by the time she leaves the hospital. One that is not too common, too weird, too old, too boy-ish, or the same name as our neighbor's dog! (should be safe here, our neighbor's dog is Gus) Hey, that gives me a few ideas....Gusele, Gussa, Gussy?

The WaySheTribe is expanding

Good Morning! This is the Official Blog of the Wayshetribe! Thanks to a certain Cody Vaughan, we found a somewhat-catchy name for this blog, as he dubs us the "Wayshetribe". We will be using this blog as a photo album and journal of our lives, including the new addition to our family, due September 15! That's right, the Wayshetribe is no longer Wayne and Sheena, but Daddy, Mommy, and Babygirl!

To fill you in on a few details....A year ago (June 2010) we moved from our happy apartment in Rapid City, SD, to Elko, NV. We bought a house here in Spring Creek (about 15 miles from Elko) and have been enjoying this new part of our lives. Wayne is working for a gold mine here. He normally leaves at 4:30 AM and gets home at 6 PM or so, but only has to work Monday-Thursday, and plans on being the baby-hog Friday-Sunday. We have now been married 7 1/2 years, and are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Babygirl!

Now, an update on the pregnancy for the women (the man-folk might want to skip this paragraph). Sheena has had a healthy pregnancy, however she didn't feel great for the first 6 months. The morning sickness bothered her a lot, but not having a job was nice so she could relax and take it easy at home. The doctor first told us the baby was a boy, but then switched it up and now say the baby is going to be a girl. All the tests, ultrasounds, measurements, and other random poking and prodding have all come back normal.

We are excited to help welcome several other babies that are making their debut this fall also! Sheena's sister-in-law Rachel is due with a girl on September first. Wayne's sister Connie is due around the end of September with a boy, so we are excited about little baby cousins! Our good friends here in Elko, Brad & Cori Brooks, are expecting a boy in early December. Katrina, another friend in Elko, is expecting a boy in December also, so looking forward to the doing the alleged 'play-date' with our Elko friends.