Being a wife, mom, and OT: Andrew Frederick de Sam Lazaro

Andrew is now 16 days old and what a 16 days it has been. I'm still trying to get used to timing everything with 2, but I think part of that is the lack of routine that we have had due to holidays and family visits, etc. I am really hoping that with the start of next week (holidays done and daddy back to work) and Andrew having been in the world for 3 weeks, Nathaniel, Andrew, and I will get into a rhythm together.

I went in for me 40 week check the day after my due date and got scheduled to be induced on Thursday 12/15/11 if nothing happened on its own. We spent the weekend walking at various stores and spending some time on the Wii Fit. My water broke on Sunday evening, 12/11/11. It may have broken earlier in the day, but I noticed it for sure that evening. I went in to make sure that it really was my water and was kept there. The doctor started pitocin to get the contractions going stronger at about 1:30 am on 12/12/11. Andrew arrived just over 12 hours later at 1:56 pm. It was very similar to what happened with the induction for Nathaniel - drugs/medical intervention started with him at 9:30 in the morning and he was born at 9:36 pm. A grueling 12 hours for both, but when the time came to push them out, they were both really easy on me. I pushed through 3 contractions (less than 10 minutes in the pushing phase) and Andrew was here. He was vocal from the beginning and certainly lets us know when he wants/needs something. I guess he learned in utero that if he wants to be heard he will have to be louder than his chatty older brother.

Anthony and I had both guessed we were having another boy, so we weren't too surprised when we saw we had another "he". My first words when seeing him were "you look just like your brother". He does resemble Nathaniel a lot, but is starting, even at just 2 weeks, to look more distinctive and like "himself".

Nathaniel has been doing well for the most part. He likes to look at Andrew and hold his hand and will sing to him as well. Andrew definitely recognizes Nathaniel's voice. We could tell that he recognized his voice from their first meeting. I really hope they grow to enjoy lots of things with each other. Nathaniel is for sure jealous of the time that Andrew has with mommy. He climbs up into the chair with us often and seizes the opportunity to sit on my lap when Andrew is napping or finished eating (and daddy takes him to get changed, etc). I am hoping that as the three of us establish a routine some of the jealousy will diminish. I have been trying my best to give Nathaniel play time with mommy as well as time with mommy to do dishes and laundry and take baths and all of his favorite things. It has been difficult however as Andrew is a hearty eater, especially during the day. He eats every 2 hours during the day, sometimes more frequently and then usually goes 4-5 hour stretches between feedings at night. I will take the extra night time sleep (even if it means engorgement, discomfort, and extra pumping at night) in exchange for "hungry days". He usually takes a good nap in the afternoon, which has coincided nicely with Nathaniel's nap (good for mommy to rest or get things done, but not the best for mommy/Nathaniel time). I know I can't expect him to do well with all of this change overnight, but I'm hoping once the holidays are fully over and we get into a routine things will be smoother.

Here are a few pictures of my boys.