Right now.

What a special time! I hope that all goes well and according to plan.
Blessings to you and your little clan.

Scheduled c-sections are great -- all calm and relaxed. They played Enya when I went in for my second one.
I just recommend a few things: Stay in the hospital as long as you can. I know that you want to go home but you don't have that great adjustable bed at home. Make sure you know how to wrap up your little girl like a burrito before you go home. They sleep so much better that way. Have some little gift for Simon from the baby when he comes to the hospital. And make sure you are not holding her when he comes in!!
best wishes.

Ali, congrats and best wishes. Such a special time for your family.
I had two very close together, but I was very sensitive to the fact that my first baby would not have me all to herself anymore. I made sure that I found at least half an hour a day from the moment I came home from the hospital to spend with my eldest. Just her and I, all alone. No baby, no interruptions. Just being. It meant the world to both of us and since I had explained what I was doing with my husband and "helpers" they went out of their way to make it happen too.
The other thing I did differently with the second was to be much less afraid of getting her to sleep. I kept her awake after she ate (for the most part - because really, who can resist a newborn falling asleep in their arms?) Even if she was only awake 15 minutes after she ate she was plenty tired to close those peepers all on her own without any help from us. Made her such an easy baby.
Oh, and you can do everything in the world but almost every baby will be fussy at some point in the evening. A nice walk as a family or a ride in the car helped us a lot.
So happpy for you.
Lisa

wishing you all the best as baby #2 comes into your life and changes it forever- and for the better!!
once of the best things coming home from the hospital was having the house CLEAN when I came home...made the whole hectic chaotic process coming home seem less chaotic..that and having clean sheets on my bed...it made that first night being home a lot more calmer for some reason.
AND take advantage of everyone waiting on you hand and foot. enjoy those homecooked meals..from someone else...and always take up on peoples offer to help! Cuz after a while people stop offering :-}

Hi Ali,
In a way, I am sure you may be feeling a sense of sadness that your family unit of three is ending; I know I did. I was delighted about having twins and had thought our son may have very well been an only child. So, the twins were a blessing, but I also felt some sadness too to see that chapter end.

Newborn baby. wow. i had my babies 1 year & 9 months apart, so i felt i wasn't really very good with newborns. good for you to face this new change with such courage!
all the best!
a

Enjoy every momnet! One thing that my mom told me when I was expecting my 2nd, was that when my sister came into the world (I am 3 years older) I used to get "snitty" when she started to nurse her, so she would get me to pick a book and read to me while "we" fed baby. The "snities" stopped and became treasured time - I found it to be true when I had my second and also my 3rd. You will do great, just roll with it!

One small piece of advice: treat this child as if she is your one & only (the same as you did for Simon). So many times, the 2nd or 3rd child gets less - not less love, never that - but less pictures taken, less information put into the baby book, just less of the 'little things', that may not seem so little to you right now. But believe me (I am a 3rd child), it will seem huge to her when she has a child of her own and can share memories & photos of her own childhood with her (which is something I cannot do).
Just enjoy each new day with her & your family. I hope that you have a very safe & easy delivery (c-section).

Hi Ali, I will be praying for a safe delivery. Enjoy this time, it is so special and so fleeting.
My advice: When bathing the baby, put the baby cream in the bath water to warm, this way it is not so cold when applying to baby.
Good luck

i want to thank you for such open sharing...one of the many reasons i just adore your blog...and, of course you!
you are an amazing mom and that little girl is so very lucky to have you as her mommy...i love that you are taking the time to reflect and think and be...my daughter is 15 and i still remember bringing her home from the hospital, such pure joy...just to cuddle and hold her tiny hands! praying and thinking of you during this wonderful time!
chelle

I was surprised on bringing my daughter home after my son how little things changed for several weeks in some ways. The baby slept like 24X7, it seemed. The Lord had a way of helping us adjust slowly instead of pouring it all on at once...if the baby sleeps good like mine did!
My son loved the "helper" role, but training him when it WASN'T safe to help was the big thing: for example, NOT opening the tray so that baby could get out of the swing. We forgot to caution both kids about that and i wasn't as 100% as I should have been about the buckling in...figured the baby couldn't get out...
I began to learn that safety is to keep them safe FROM the other kids more often than not rather than the baby from itself!
I used to lock the door to the nursery and take the baby monitor with me to the shower so that the kids didn't crawl into the crib while I showered. Locking the baby's door helped me many times make sure no "helpers" harmed the baby". I guess that seems weird now, but you do what you have to!
I'm all into the philosophy that some crying strengthens the baby's lungs and is necessary in their development after all needs are met as much as humanly possible. It just seemed to save my sanity.

i agree you really need no advice.. i have been checking your blog everyday to see how you are doing.. My children are all 5 yrs apart and it is a challenge with the first one not being the only one. That is where grandparents really do step in and help. They need the attention and to know they are also included in this big change. My mother in law came over everyday to play cards or whatever my son wanted to do that day.. Made him feel special and helped me out a lot.. So take the help..
for a newborn.. i think a baby wipe warmer is the best thing to have for newborns.. they aren't used to the cold wipes.. and later one of those bimbo chairs, and a boppie., especially for Simon.. so he can hold her close to him...

All the best to you, Ali!

I really liked the book On Becoming Baby Wise and it's cycle of wake, eat, play, sleep repeat. This helped me keep my babies on a schedule that worked great for me. Of course you have to be flexible and some people have criticized this book much saying it is too strict, but I used this cycle in conjunction with my mommy instincts to keep as much routine in my life with each new life.
Also, some of my friends have done the Meal Makers or Social Suppers (there are many different companies that do the same thing) where you go and make many meals in 2 hours and freeze them so that after baby comes, dinner is easy to make.

All the best wishes to you and your growing family. Hug & Kiss Simon lots and lots now and sleep when baby is sleeping. You will need it!
I just had a baby girl 3 weeks ago and my son is 6.5 years old. This time I am a lot more tired than w my 1st pregnancy and it is only normal since my son requires so much attention from me, school, food, homework, etc... I just keep telling myself, "this too shall pass". lol ;)
May God bless your family ;)

Sending love you way! So exciting!

Just one tip, ENJOY the first weeks/months of your little baby.
And that c-section, I had one for my oldest, an I had a "normal" delivery with my daughter who is five now. But when I read all the comments here, I think everyone has a c-section in the US. Is that right?
Big hug, and good luck with everything.

LOVE your photo today. I got married in Febuary, and had pink tulips for my flowers. My son's birthday is also in Feb., a great month for a birthday - breaks up the winter a bit! You don't likely need any advice, I'm sure it will all come back to you so quickly.....maybe enist your hubby and Simon as your photographers as your arms will likely be full of babe :)

Ali,
I am so happy for yall. I just want to wish you luck & to tell you that you just make me happy:) Everytime I check your blog, I smile & I feel calmer. You truly are an inspiration. Best Wishes.
Melanie

You'll do great, amazingly as soon as she is born it will all come back to you. :)Good luck with your c-section. Glad to hear that you are happy with your choice. I've had three c-sections and the second time around was so much easier because I knew what to expect and so did my hubby so he was better able to help me out. Hugs, and best wishes to a safe delivery!

My number one piece of advice is learn how to properly swaddle your baby and when you do she will sleep "like a baby". A nurse taught my husband and I a technique using two swaddling blankets when we were in the hospital with our first and it was amazing how well she slept. She slept so well I would have to wake her up ever 2-3 hours to feed her. We used the same technique on our next two and it worked great for them too. I swaddled my last baby until he was 8 months old. That is unusual, about 4 months or when they start to turn over is normal. I taught many of friends how to swaddle their babies and when done correctly and consistently it works like a dream. The key is two blankets and good flannel. The hospital ones are perfect but they grow out of them fast. The ones I love the best are by Swaddle Designs. You can order them online through Babies R Us. I also use a little different wrap style and if you are really interested email me and I can email you pictures. If you try the swaddle and you don't do it right and tight enough she will "bust" out and you will start thinking she doesn't like it but that is just not the case. When done right they LOVE it!
I wish you the best. I can't wait to find out her name:)
Nicolle

Have you thought about baby sign language? We used it with our two kids and they really can communicate with their hands before they can talk. When your child signs that they want milk or more of something and they don´t talk yet it is truely amazing!

Everyone has such wonderful comments that it's hard to follow up with practical advice but that's me, practical.... with our second I learned to double up sheets/mattress protectors on the crib so that when the bed gets wet in the middle of the night you just take off one layer of sheet/liner. We keep another set already on the mattress so it's there! Made me happy in those no-sleep moments...
Enjoy it all!

just wanted to wish you well, hope you get everything done that you want right before she arrives and that everything goes smoothly for you transitioning from 3 to 4 ! oh and i totally get the hugging more tightly ;)

wishing you all the best. Having a second child will be different as the baby will not be your only responsibility. Do your best to have baby A's world(schedule) revolve around yours, rather than having your schedule revolve around hers. Glad your mom will be there to share and help during this special time. When my second one was born (c-section also), I brought a new special toy to give him when he came to meet his new brother. I wanted him to feel special, too, and have something to do while being at the hospital with us. Your going to do a great job; you seem so ready for this new chapter in your life! Just breathe and nurture.