Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
6 weeks ago today...
Harloe Grayce Bruce blessed our lives on June 7th, 2011. 6 lbs and 14 oz and 19 inches long at 3:22 am
Rhowan was in love from the beginning...I stressed for so long about her reaction and couldn't be happier with her excitement for her baby sister! 
Daddy's P2 (princess #2)
Daddy with P1 and P2...who would of ever thought that he would be so happy and content with two girls?! Every man wants a boy but not this daddy! :)
Rhowan meeting Harloe for the first time...Are we a complete family yet??? ;) (for now at least!)
Ok, so I took long enough to post pics and updates, but our lives have taken an even busier turn and for the better of course. People tell you how crazy it's going to be for the first year with two so close in age, but you can't really prepare yourself for what you are about to experience. It's been a blessing for sure and we couldn't be happier. It has just been a very BIG adjustment for all of us. Terrible 2's seemed to have ironically (or not) hit the day baby came home, which at 20 months is expected. Daddy has been busier than ever with work, traveling, recruiting, working loooong hours, etc. and Mommy is trying to adjust to no sleep and taking care of two babies under two. Thank goodness for our families being so close and involved in our lives and willing to help at every minute they can. I don't know what I'd do...bed time routines with the new baby haven't been exactly established being Rhowan still loves for us to lay with her to get her to sleep and that's always the time Harloe is ready to nurse! I am trying to tell myself, to adjust and be on survival mode and after 2 months or so start establishing routines. Enjoy your babies Heather because you will never have this time back as stressful as some moments get!!!!My aunt and uncle/God parents came for a week to stay at my parents while they went on their yearly/tradition cruise to help me out with the kiddos and let me tell you, I was in Heaven. I love having them around, visiting, walking the beach, eating their delicious dinners they cook up every night, etc. I just love being with them and couldn't be happier that they came down to stay and keep me comapany and help me with the girls. Thank you Aunt Barbara and Uncle Fred. You guys mean more to me than you'll ever know! I had the best week ever and it was all just in fun and relaxation having you here! xoxoxox
So much to catch you all up on. Rhowan went camping with Grandma and Ampa for 3 nights and 4 days, longest she's been away from home...pictures to come. We spent lots of one on one time before baby came including a trip to Disneyland, trips to the park, etc. I have loved being a stay at home mommy again and pray every night for God to show me my direction next as for where I am meant to be and meant to do.
As for more babies, we are good for right now. This labor was much more intense than Rhowan's...both were induced but not at all what I expected the 2nd time around. I won't bore you with the details but my body doesn't take to an epidural and being induced it was much needed after about the 10th hour of labor. The pushing, well not pushing she pretty much fell out before the dr even got there, was much easier and so was the recovery, but I could've done with a much different labor process! TJ said in the middle of it, "we are done!" Um, are you in pain or labor right now?! LOL...it was a stressful week leading up to it because they were right in the middle of playoffs and we were anticipating him having to leave town on that Wed with our set date of induction being Monday. Anyway, with his career that is the way it is and I wouldn't have it any other way to have him doing what he loves! As tough and emotional as it was, I was so proud of him as a coach that I knew God would take care of it whatever the outcome was.
I am happy to say he is renewing his contract with UCLA for a 2nd year, so we are very happy and blessed for that! He sure as hell has worked for it! His parents understand that he can't be there and have done an amazing job making up for what he can't do right now not physically being available and God I am thankful for that. It has been really nice having so much help right now that if his mom ever goes back to work I am in for it, she has truly spoiled me with how much she does for us. We have been spending a lot of time at my parents too since my mom is off on summers and Rhowan, Lexi and Nate just love to play with each other non stop!
As you can see we have been non stop even with the arrival of Harloe, I think I was out and about just days after she was born...no time to sit around in my rob and relax all day in pjs like I did with Rhowan. It makes me sad, but I just take advantage of the moments nursing and when Rhowan is at daycare twice a week to get our bonding in.
I will post more pics and updates later...I am missing so much before the birth, between and since to catch you all up on. I have pictures, our computer is up and moving now in its new location and I am learning to function again so no excuses! I will do my best! :)
Miss and love you all and forgive me for that typical "2nd child procrastination" everyone speaks of. It is so sadly true but doesn't speak for the amount of love she has from us still! :)
xoxo,
Heather, TJ, Rhowan and Harloe
Monday, March 28, 2011
Baby Lulu Fall 2011
Rhowan and Lexi got asked again to do the Baby Lulu catalog. As you can see Rhowan was very excited to accept! LOL...that is actually the picture that made the back cover and then Rhowan and Lexi made the front cover, Rhowan is 2 for 2 with success on making the clothing lines catalog front and back cover, 2 years in a row. Ok, ok, I am tooting her horn for her, but I am just a proud mommy. I didn't get to take her to any of the photo shoots this time, grandma took over with Auntie and Lexi because I had to work, but I was so happy to see the results and get more cute outfits for Rhowan's hard work! :)They are also online on the catalog at www.babylulu.com. Her clothes are mostly sold in boutique stores, but I've seen them on other websites too! So exciting!!!
I am sure it was a crack up to be there and watch Auntie and Grandma put on a circus show to get the girls to smile, but whatever they did worked! :)
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Rhowan Update!
Our princess is almost 17 months already!!!! OMG, time flies by, but I do have to say with every day, month and time that goes by she is getting to be such a fun, loving, bright and entertaining princess! It is so fun to watch her grow and just how much they learn and pick up in these months.
She was very sick, most of February she was in and out of day care and the Dr's with one thing after another. Downfall of daycare! :( I am all about building their immune systems, but come on, after almost 5 straight weeks of being sick, getting better, being sick, etc. it gets very wearing and tiring! It finally got real bad with her having a double ear infection and what we think a viral infection of some sort. She was vomiting, not eating, diarrhea, sleeping a lot, not active at all, just NOT herself. It was awful and so sad to see. I finally took time off work to be with her because as much help as I get and appreciate I just felt I had to be with my baby. I've never seen her like this and it literally broke my heart. I finally became so emotional over it thinking every worse case scenario, you wouldn't even want to know, and just having a break down. She saw me crying hysterically and gave me her pluggie to soothe me! LOL...such a sweetheart. I then realized, she knows you are upset, stop it!!!!! Do what it takes to make her comfortable and better and just focus on her and pray to give her the strength back to feel better. I then kicked my butt into "mom" gear, the non worry and non preggo one with a rational mind and took her out of the house for a walk and just focused on her! It helped, not to mention my many phone calls to my sister, husband and of course nurse Jen, so thank you for dealing with me! LOL.
Anyway, she is back to herself, energy back, eating again and just her happy self. I cried when I finally saw this, and of course it was on the day daddy took off to go back to the Dr with me to ask all the what if questions so they wouldn't think I was nuts! He says she was just smiling cause he was finally home! LOL...which to be honest I am sure it was. We will be laying in bed to put her down and TJ will call to say he's on his way home, hoping she is still awake when he gets there, which most the time doesn't happen with his hours, but anyway, we will be laying there, she is calm, just had her baba and ready to knock out. She immediately knows it's daddy and starts talking to him and laughing and playing. It is so cute that how can you be mad at that!
She is loving to kiss and rub my belly and my "other baby," she is still my baby. She is a sponge repeating everything we do and say. Every morning as I am getting ready for work she pretends to be doing her hair as I am doing mine, she gets into my jewelry box to get "pretty" while mommy gets dressed and accessorized. She wants to do everything herself...put on her shoes, socks, jacket, go down the stairs, etc. She wants to drink out of our water bottles not her sippy cup and if you don't give it up, she will let you know exactly what she wants!!!! Overall she has a very good temperament, but she does have those moments poking through where I can see the little attitude coming through as she tests her boundaries!
She is still into books, wanting to go on walks in her car or stroller, throwing balls, yes, she actually throws them, daddy showed her and she says, "weddy (i.e. ready)" then chucks it at you!
Well I could go on for days. I will update you all as our chaotic and crazy lives continue!
She was very sick, most of February she was in and out of day care and the Dr's with one thing after another. Downfall of daycare! :( I am all about building their immune systems, but come on, after almost 5 straight weeks of being sick, getting better, being sick, etc. it gets very wearing and tiring! It finally got real bad with her having a double ear infection and what we think a viral infection of some sort. She was vomiting, not eating, diarrhea, sleeping a lot, not active at all, just NOT herself. It was awful and so sad to see. I finally took time off work to be with her because as much help as I get and appreciate I just felt I had to be with my baby. I've never seen her like this and it literally broke my heart. I finally became so emotional over it thinking every worse case scenario, you wouldn't even want to know, and just having a break down. She saw me crying hysterically and gave me her pluggie to soothe me! LOL...such a sweetheart. I then realized, she knows you are upset, stop it!!!!! Do what it takes to make her comfortable and better and just focus on her and pray to give her the strength back to feel better. I then kicked my butt into "mom" gear, the non worry and non preggo one with a rational mind and took her out of the house for a walk and just focused on her! It helped, not to mention my many phone calls to my sister, husband and of course nurse Jen, so thank you for dealing with me! LOL.
Anyway, she is back to herself, energy back, eating again and just her happy self. I cried when I finally saw this, and of course it was on the day daddy took off to go back to the Dr with me to ask all the what if questions so they wouldn't think I was nuts! He says she was just smiling cause he was finally home! LOL...which to be honest I am sure it was. We will be laying in bed to put her down and TJ will call to say he's on his way home, hoping she is still awake when he gets there, which most the time doesn't happen with his hours, but anyway, we will be laying there, she is calm, just had her baba and ready to knock out. She immediately knows it's daddy and starts talking to him and laughing and playing. It is so cute that how can you be mad at that!
She is loving to kiss and rub my belly and my "other baby," she is still my baby. She is a sponge repeating everything we do and say. Every morning as I am getting ready for work she pretends to be doing her hair as I am doing mine, she gets into my jewelry box to get "pretty" while mommy gets dressed and accessorized. She wants to do everything herself...put on her shoes, socks, jacket, go down the stairs, etc. She wants to drink out of our water bottles not her sippy cup and if you don't give it up, she will let you know exactly what she wants!!!! Overall she has a very good temperament, but she does have those moments poking through where I can see the little attitude coming through as she tests her boundaries!
She is still into books, wanting to go on walks in her car or stroller, throwing balls, yes, she actually throws them, daddy showed her and she says, "weddy (i.e. ready)" then chucks it at you!
Well I could go on for days. I will update you all as our chaotic and crazy lives continue!
Baby #2 Update...
This poor 2nd baby of mine is already being neglected....I blogged so much when I was pregnant with Rhowan and as she was growing each month. It is just so different your second time around. I keep finding myself saying that, but my friends and family have so nicely been reassuring that yes it is and it's not just me! I often find myself thinking, OMG, how am I going to do this with 2? Are we doing this too close together (Rhowan and the new baby will only be 20 months apart!), but you know what, I need to focus on what a huge blessing it was to get pregnant on our own without even trying and remember what joy being a mommy brought to my life and stop worrying about other stuff. Easier said than done, sometimes the anxieties overtake my excitement for this new blessing, but I know it will all be good. Rhowan will adjust and eventually be very happy to have a baby sister to play with. She is such a loving and playful little girl that she will be a great big sister!
Enough of my tangent and back to the update. I am almost 7 months along...I had a dr appt yesterday. My weight gain is going faster with this one than it did with Rhowan...I have already gained almost 20 lbs with this one, which is totally stressing me out and that is putting it lightly. I refuse to gain more than 30 so I started walking 45 minutes a night or day last week! I am still weighing in less than I was when I found out I was pregnant with Rhowan, but I am literally having nightmares that I will have a hard time fitting back into my clothes I just got back into after this baby! I had for the first time felt great about myself, my weight, shopping, etc. that I want to make sure I get to that again. So I will be purchasing that double jogging stroller sooner than later! :) Baby is moving more now, I was worried because she seems calmer than Rhowan was in my belly. She really likes to let me know she's awake when I'm laying down to go to bed! hmmmm, is that a hint for what's in store?! Everything looks and sounds great according to the dr, but next appt, in April, she wants to do another ultra sound to be sure it's a girl. Yep, just to be sure! She asked me if we knew the sex, I told her what the tech told us, but we got no pics this time, she got them all, so she said she wanted to do one next appt to take a look! Wouldn't that be funny if they were wrong?! Not really, but kind of. I guess better now than later when the room is officially done, etc.!
No, still no name...I know, people ask and its like we hardly talk about it, but then again we hardly see each other and I hardly have time to even feel or be preggo right now. Or maybe its because my mind is just hard set on what I want it to be?! :)
I can't believe how fast our lives will change in a matter of a few months. It is and will be baseball season still when the baby arrives, so I am stressed about that. I told my sister yesterday, as much as I'd love to give her the experience to be in the delivery room with both moms, assuming TJ won't be there, I really need her to be my caretaker for Rhowan the entire time I am in delivery and in the hospital. She loves my sister and the Baca Family and gets so excited to see them and is truly comfortable with her, so knowing she is in good hands is my #1 priority. I know what you are all thinking, why are you stressing about all this. Because PEOPLE, I worry, I plan and I hate not knowing if my husband will be there (hoping he's not career wise!) I need to know my baby will be ok! :)
Then there is the after part...She is due June 12th, TJ hopefully goes to College World Series shortly after, David goes with to support, MIL stays home to help me and Rhowan. Then my family goes on a nice and wonderful cruise without me for a week or so and TJ's parents go on a trip the same week!!!! AHHHHHHH, can you say I freaked, ok, cried when I realized this. Not that by any means I want anybody to put their lives or vacations on hold for me, I am just freaking out, how will I take care of 2 when Rhowan is still so dependent on me. Does it just come naturally to her and me that there is a new baby? Will we all adjust ok? Please don't mis read this that I am not happy or excited, I am just a worry wart!!!! LOL.
I know all will turn out ok, we have been so truly blessed and everything has worked out for us so wonderfully so I am sure I have nothing to worry about. We have so much love and support around us, that I am eternally grateful for. I am just venting and letting you all into my brain that goes 100 mph all hours of the night! :)
Well that is about it on our end. It is now time to start Spring Cleaning, preparing for baby #2, getting house ready, room ready, etc! The fun part! :)
Love to you all! Til next time...
xoxo,
The Bruce's
Enough of my tangent and back to the update. I am almost 7 months along...I had a dr appt yesterday. My weight gain is going faster with this one than it did with Rhowan...I have already gained almost 20 lbs with this one, which is totally stressing me out and that is putting it lightly. I refuse to gain more than 30 so I started walking 45 minutes a night or day last week! I am still weighing in less than I was when I found out I was pregnant with Rhowan, but I am literally having nightmares that I will have a hard time fitting back into my clothes I just got back into after this baby! I had for the first time felt great about myself, my weight, shopping, etc. that I want to make sure I get to that again. So I will be purchasing that double jogging stroller sooner than later! :) Baby is moving more now, I was worried because she seems calmer than Rhowan was in my belly. She really likes to let me know she's awake when I'm laying down to go to bed! hmmmm, is that a hint for what's in store?! Everything looks and sounds great according to the dr, but next appt, in April, she wants to do another ultra sound to be sure it's a girl. Yep, just to be sure! She asked me if we knew the sex, I told her what the tech told us, but we got no pics this time, she got them all, so she said she wanted to do one next appt to take a look! Wouldn't that be funny if they were wrong?! Not really, but kind of. I guess better now than later when the room is officially done, etc.!
No, still no name...I know, people ask and its like we hardly talk about it, but then again we hardly see each other and I hardly have time to even feel or be preggo right now. Or maybe its because my mind is just hard set on what I want it to be?! :)
I can't believe how fast our lives will change in a matter of a few months. It is and will be baseball season still when the baby arrives, so I am stressed about that. I told my sister yesterday, as much as I'd love to give her the experience to be in the delivery room with both moms, assuming TJ won't be there, I really need her to be my caretaker for Rhowan the entire time I am in delivery and in the hospital. She loves my sister and the Baca Family and gets so excited to see them and is truly comfortable with her, so knowing she is in good hands is my #1 priority. I know what you are all thinking, why are you stressing about all this. Because PEOPLE, I worry, I plan and I hate not knowing if my husband will be there (hoping he's not career wise!) I need to know my baby will be ok! :)
Then there is the after part...She is due June 12th, TJ hopefully goes to College World Series shortly after, David goes with to support, MIL stays home to help me and Rhowan. Then my family goes on a nice and wonderful cruise without me for a week or so and TJ's parents go on a trip the same week!!!! AHHHHHHH, can you say I freaked, ok, cried when I realized this. Not that by any means I want anybody to put their lives or vacations on hold for me, I am just freaking out, how will I take care of 2 when Rhowan is still so dependent on me. Does it just come naturally to her and me that there is a new baby? Will we all adjust ok? Please don't mis read this that I am not happy or excited, I am just a worry wart!!!! LOL.
I know all will turn out ok, we have been so truly blessed and everything has worked out for us so wonderfully so I am sure I have nothing to worry about. We have so much love and support around us, that I am eternally grateful for. I am just venting and letting you all into my brain that goes 100 mph all hours of the night! :)
Well that is about it on our end. It is now time to start Spring Cleaning, preparing for baby #2, getting house ready, room ready, etc! The fun part! :)
Love to you all! Til next time...
xoxo,
The Bruce's
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