Link's an Official Toddler and Mommy's Prego!

It's been far too long! I'm sitting here nostalgically reading my old blogs and Lincoln is 2, last time I blogged he was about 8 months! I'm now pregnant with our baby girl, Keelyn Jane - due September 17th! Lincoln is SUPER stoked (for now) to be having "Baby Sister Keewyn" as he likes to call her. Hubby's working literally 115 hours a week and Link and I are on our own navigating this big old city - that was until the doctor put me on modified bed rest at 6.5 months pregnant! Hearing the words come out of her mouth I just had to pinch myself. Modified bed rest is essentially house arrest, but I negotiated one park outing a day with my doctor so that poor Lincoln could get out of the house! Thank goodness this boy loves movies, TV and crafting - I don't know WHAT I would do without those three things. And for you no tv moms, don't hate! I felt guilty about it for all of two hours - then I quickly realized that two months of tons of TV is not the most tragic thing for a toddler, but it's actually VERY beneficial to my unborn baby's health. So there! =P Thankfully I have some very amazing people in my life that are coming out in shifts to keep Link and myself company for the next three months. Godsends! I promise to keep updating, especially since really what else do I have to do during Lincoln's three hour naps!! I can't wait to have Keelyn in my arms and blog about what life with two is like! But stay in there baby girl - mommy can wait! <3

Here's a recent pic of the family: (Belly is 6.5 months along)

Isn't It Funny How ...

Isn't it funny how sometimes nap time can't come soon enough. Then, when it finally rolls around, you start to miss them & can't wait until they wake up?! Missing this sweet little face right now:

It's Been Too Long ... We're Back!

Six whole months have passed since I've updated! Lincoln is doing AMAZING! So much has happened. He has gone from barely pushing up to cruising out of control! I started a youtube page with videos of his fun moments. Hubby got the job in LA we have been hoping for, so here we are back in California! We moved back two weeks before Christmas into the in-laws' gorgeous home. We love it here! Hoping to stay as long as they can stand us so we can save lots for a down payment on our first home! The carrot is dangling my friends.

Baby's first Christmas was adorable - he was sicky though! It shows in all of the pictures. We got him his first pair of Cowboy boots. Other favorite gifts were his horsey rocker from Gammy and his trike from Mimi!

Lincoln has reached by far Mommy's favorite milestone: Dancing! It is the cutest thing. He even has a favorite song, which, I'm kind of embarrassed to say, is Ke$ha's Tik Tok. I guess Link is a product of my "New Age Nursery Rhymes"!! Take a gander, he even raises the roof half way through!




Since the hubby has gone to work I have been practically a single mommy. It's accounting's "busy season" so he is gone from 7-9PM! Yikes its been crazy! I have a new found appreciation for parents who raise their children alone. I am however getting more help than ever with all our friends and family around! I love being back - I don't have to take my famous 3 minute showers any more! Wohoo.

Fun things Link and I have been doing together lately are: Playdates with friends, going to the gym & utilizing their awesome childcare, and he also has been loving his Baby Can Read DVDs! They taught him how to put his arms up, this happened about three weeks ago, he was eight months exactly. Check it out:

Experience: Revelation

Why does my little man always revel in the fact that he made a poo explosion in his diaper? Is Lincoln really taking after Daddy this early on?! This is such a male thing! Lincoln truly hates his bouncer - but today, he oddly liked it when I sat him in it. Looking over at my curiously joyful baby, I wondered why he was so happy. Then I spotted it, an explosion! That little stinker was reveling in the glory of his poop that was squished all over the bouncer. This is his content little face after his accomplishment:

New Age Nursery Rhyme:

This week's nursery rhyme combines two things sure to set your baby on the path to becoming a genius: Mathematics and Foreign Language! Enjoy.

I've Decided:

2 Month shots are sad!! Today my little Lincoln had his two month immunizations - and seriously, those nurses don't hold back with the needle stabbing!! They jabbed 3 different inch long needles into Linkman's thighs & they went straight in - not on an angle. I'm just glad he is blessed with those cute little meaty thighs or else the needle might have hit bone - I kid you not. Oh, and he cried that injured cry that makes every Mama's heart break! (There's a BIG difference between the hungry cry, which can be annoying, and the injured cry - it's heart wrenching!) Thank goodness we don't have to do this for another two months!!

Here's a cute little pic of him recently:

My Pilgrim's Progress: 8 Weeks 1 Day Old

Lincoln is all smiles now! He loves to smile at Mama. His FAVORITE smile spot is on his changing table - go figure right, he loves that darn changing table more than he loves his swing! I'm praying he changes his mind on the swing - then Mama can get some more hands free time. Here he is on his changing table - just a short clip because my camera's memory was full:

This is his adorable little "O" face that he greets me with after naps - TOO CUTE for words:

HOLY MOLY

Did anyone catch the explosive episode of The Real Housewives of New Jersey?!!! It was amazingly tragic and chalk-full of all the cliche jersey-girl moments. These Mama's definitely meant business last night! Here's my question: Bravo - why was the season SO SHORT!? These Jersey moms were solid gold - I say bring them back for 10 more encore episodes please! Props to this sassy biotch for her table flipping:

New Age Nursery Rhyme:

This is an oldy but goody - appropriate for a mother who is longing to hear "Mamamamama" before "Dadadadada"!

A Little Fun on a Night In:

This was our counter last night. Thought it was funny so I took a pic:

I've Decided:

Having a sick baby is the saddest thing ever!!!

BABArazzi: The Baby Next Door

Kendra Wilkinson and fiance Hank Basket are pregnant! Not too sure if having a wedding and a baby shower at the Playboy Mansion is really a great idea. Seems like they are setting Little Susy up for a birthday suit photo shoot one day!

Or maybe a swarovski rhinestone studded photo shoot?

It was made for us moms:

Just went on a morning walk to get some coffee. THE COFFEE SHOP WAS CLOSED AT 8AM! Sounds to me like they want to go out of business! Okay - sorry I'm caffeine deprived, I will stop complaining now.

Anyways, what I wanted to say was that - I truly believe that God made beautiful mornings for mothers. He knew that we'd need a pick-me-up when the day starts at 5:58 AM & the gorgeous morning really does the job!

Here's a cute lil' pic of Lincoln I took the other day. He's channeling his inner surfer dude:

A Funny Question For a New Mom:

Any big plans for today? - asks my favorite barista at my new favorite coffee shop. I was completely stumped, I had no answer for such a simple and common question. How does a new mom answer that question? Should I lie and say "YES, oh yes, tons of big plans for today - we are going to Six Flags Fiesta first, then it's off the the State Capitol to take a tour, and after that we are topping the day off with a new tattoo for Mommy at the local campus tattoo parlor!" (These kinds of plans are what non-mommies think of as "Big Plans" right?) Or should I lie and say "No, no big plans for today!?" That too would be a lie because all moms know that everyday is a big day - even if that means that our days are motherhood-specific. I CERTAINLY wouldn't consider what I do 'nothing big'. I mean 14 diaper changes, a walk to the coffee shop, 8 breastfeedings, 2 loads of laundry, Lindsay Brin's Postnatal Boot Camp DVD, and a long sleepytime bath to top it all of - I wouldn't consider that nothing. This isn't even counting the fact that my Little Pilgrim changes and grows up a little more every day - just witnessing this makes the day full of "Big Plans" in my eyes. But does Brandon my favorite barista really want to hear this? No, so I lie and tell him cheerfully, "Oh no, no big plans, you know- it's hard to have big plans as a mommy of a newborn" - but inside I knew my day of big plans was only beginning. I love you my Lincoln - now let's go take on the day! (As Dr. Laura likes to say)

My Pilgrim's Progress: 7 Weeks 2 Days Old

Mini Man wants to crawl so bad! How funny/sad is it when they get so frustrated that they can't quite get the hang of it?! All he needs to do is curl his little tootsies down to the floor & he will be a little crawlin' crab in no time!

BBB!

Breastfeeding, Blogging and Breakfasting simultaneously! Be Jealous!! Moms are the Master of Multitasking! Comment & tell me your best Mommy-Multitasking moment!

BABArazzi: Little Wayne Spawn x2

You've GOT to be kidding me!? "Lollipop" rapper Lil' Wayne is said to be expecting two children in the same month from two different women!! Really I would ask - who does that? - but if anyone would, it would be Lil' Wayne. I think the bigger and more important question here is who in their right mind would take the action needed to produce a child with this mug? Yikes ladies.

Experience: Explosion!

Notice the Leg & the Floor! Motherhood is SO Glam. Oh, and also, I didn't even have to clean this one up - that came compliments of my dog-turned-maid, Caliente! Thanks Girl, you get a bone for that one! Gross.

Effect: Of the New Age Nursery Rhyme

Jayden James and Sean Preston dance to Mommy's Toxic. So Cute:

How To: Master the 3 Minute Shower

Step 1: Undress completely with baby still in arms. (NO you weirdo, this is not in any way odd)

Step 2: Arrange bouncer/stroller/swing in front of shower with pacifier ready for emergencies. Open shower curtain slightly. (YES this may cause an unpleasant breeze, but sight of mommy may put off a meltdown!)

Step 3: Turn shower on - while baby is still in arms & get that sucker hot. Place babe in device of your choosing AFTER shower is hot - every second counts here folks!

Step 4: Shampoo first - leave in only 30 seconds. (Or, just skip shampoo altogether, it's damaging anyways)

Step 5: Condition & soap up. This combo is key - it allows your conditioner to remain on longer than if they were separate! (Time limit 1.5 mins)

Step 6: This is your last minute. Do as you choose - but choose wisely. Some may prefer to soak in a moment of hot water, whilst other may prefer to shave the legs for the hubby - it's really up to you. (Warning - last minute might be interrupted by screams!)

And there you have it: your 3 Minute Shower!

The New Age Nursery Rhyme

Ever catch yourself singing your little one an obscenely ridiculous song from the radio? Nothing like Flo Rida's "Low" to sooth a little one to sleep. It's time we own the New Age Nursery Rhyme. This week's Rhyme:

Experience: The Birth (dun dun dunnn!)

Okay, first off let me say, some of you readers might be envious of my birth experience if you've had a taxing one. I don't know if I'm the first woman ever to not have anything to complain about with the whole birth in general - but I just don't, I'm sorry. It was pure bliss - my laboring suite was filled with family and eco-friendly bamboo flooring, what more could a girl ask for?

Oh - it was also filled with an epidural =) After experiencing contractions around the 50-ish mark, my doctor delightfully informed me that I could have my epidural whenever I wanted. Here was my dilemma: Do I keep breathing through the 50's-ish contractions & become very serious, only focusing on the pain that are the contractions (like they do in the movies) OR do I "wimp out" and ask for the epi? Once the contractions reached 55, I had my answer: Nurse! I'd like my epidural now please. Then, five minutes later - out of nowhere the epidural God breezed into my birthing suite and delivered me what would make my birth more like a fun family gathering rather than the stressful, painful, and screamful births I had seen on TLC's Baby Story so many times before. Within five minutes I had the epidural in place, and it WAS NOT PAINFUL - I'm not sure why the epidural needle gets such a bad wrap - if you can't feel it going in, why hate on it?! Anyways, once it was in place, my perfectly pain-free birth experience was a go and I dilated from 4 to 10 cm in about two hours! My theory: the epidural helps to relax your tensed body (from the excruciating contractions) and allows your vagine (pronounced va*jean in my world) to do it's job! Here's a pic of me & the Hubster after the epi is in place:



Pure Bliss I'm telling you. So needless to say - I'm an epi advocate! Would I have allowed the Daddy & Grandpas to clown around in the birthing suite like this if I hadn't had my epi?



The answer if ABSOLUTELY NOT. Contractions are the Devil - and in my world they must be subdued, or else I become the Devil.

Once I was 10 cm & I could literally SEE the babies head in the mirror they provided (how lovely!) and everything was in place to pop my little Lincoln out into this world, there was only one thing missing: MY DOCTOR! Unfortunately the baby next door was halfway out with a broken collarbone - poor thing! So there I sat, locked and loaded for TWO HOURS with his head crowning. The nurse even took me off the pitocin because the contractions were making it almost impossible to hold my little man in.

Skip ahead two hours - Dr. arrives, and 6 exhausting pushes later (the nurse was counting so slowly to 10 - it was more like 20), I have my precious and healthy Lincoln in my arms! Daddy claims that Dr. almost had him cut Link's finger off in the umbilical severing because his little hand flailed into the line of the scissors right at go time. But thanks to Daddy and his "cat-like reflexes" he saw the mini appendage and ceased fire.

Hearing my baby's cry for the first time was the most incredible moment of my life. The crying was such a precious sound and gave me great relief in knowing that he could breath and send that tiny little whale throughout the L&D floor. Then, seeing the perfect creation that was Lincoln was without a doubt the most precious sight I had ever seen in my life. And here we sit today, blogging together happy as two little clams on a couch purchased on craigslist. I thank God for it everyday. (My Mini Man, not the craigslist couch)

First: Blog!

I want to start blogging because I want to share the good. the bad. the funny. the messy. ect. moments of motherhood with anyone who wants to listen. Eventually I want to start some sort of motherhood website & I figure a great way to practice and hone in on my creativity and writing skills is by blogging. And any mom knows that life with an infant is too hilarious not to document every interesting minute of it. SO HERE WE GO!

Introducting the star of my show:

Lincoln Riley Galligan

Born 4/21/2009

Weight: 8 lbs 3 ounces of wonderful chubbiness
Height: 20"