Rien Rae is 2 Weeks Old

Last weekend we took Riker to the circus and he loved it. The horses were his favorite. We took Rien and she sleeped through the whole thing except for the few minutes she woke up to eat. We will have to go back next year when Rien can enjoy it too.

Our princess is two weeks old today. Today was supposed to be her due date. I am so glad she came early because the anxiety would have killed us. She is such a good baby. She sleeps through most of the night and pretty much never cries. Riker loves her and so far we have had no jealously issues. I hope it stays that way.

I have lost 20 pounds so far. I still have 10 more pounds of baby weight and then I want to loss 7 more after that. I would like to accomplish this by Sean and I's wedding anniversary, January 7th. I don't have a lot of time to work out so wish me luck!

I've loved being home with my family for two weeks straight but it's time. Rien Rae and I report back to work this Monday. She'll go with me for 2-4 weeks and then she'll come home with her daddy and brother.

Rien Rae Armstrong is here!!!

I had a doctor's appointment on Friday, August 14th. I was 2cm. While at the appointment my doctor stipped my membranes. He said if it was going to work that it would work in the next 48 hours. I wasn't too hopeful because he did this like 3 times with Riker and it had no effect. After my appointmentment I went to work. I was uncomfortable all day. I had dull lower back pain for the rest of the day. At 5pm I went home with my boys and had a normal evening. At around 10:30pm I decided it was time to go in and get checked. I had been experiencing discomfort for majority of the day. My mom gets to the house to sit with Riker and we were off. We go to the ER since it's after hours and I sign in just like anybody else. Once I hand my sheet to the lady she immediately ignores the lady she is dealing with and focuses on me. Sends me to finalize my registration and has a nurse come get me to Labor and Delivery. I didn't see the rush. I would have happily waited my turn. :) Once we get back there my nurse hooks me up the machines and starts asking me all the questions they ask. Then she looks at the monitor. After looking at the monitor she looks are me in confusion and asks if I am feeling contractions. I tell her no. She then informs me I am not only having them but I have been having them every 2 minutes since she hooked me up. She checks me says I am 3cm and 70% effaced, calls my doc, and says we wait and see what is going to happen over the next hour. She checks me again an hour later and there was no change. They said they would go ahead and keep me and let labor start when my body was ready. She said get some rest and we would check things again in the morning. Sean goes to walk his Dad out and tells my mom, "If her water breaks, get a mop." They couldn't have made it five steps out the door when my water breaks after 1am. My mom runs out in the hall and tells them to come back. My mom and Joe then went to the waiting room to wait. They called my doctor and he made it there at 2:45am. I then got my epidural...(waste of time). It kind of took the edge off but hardly. It was like they gave me a Tylenol. I had her less than 30 minutes later so it would have been better to just skip it. At 3:13am on August 15th, after 5 pushes, Rien Rae Armstrong was born. She weighed 6 lbs 14 oz and was 19 3/4 inches long. She has brown hair and blue eyes (for now). The blue eyes aren't as blue as Riker's were so I'm thinking they could still possibly change. She sleeps really good, hardly waking me up at night. When she does wake me up, she eats and goes right back to bed. Hopefully things will stay this way. :) Bottom line, she is a beautiful blessing and we are so excited to have our wonderful little boy and a beautiful princess. We couldn't ask for more.

18 Days Left

Our little Rien Rae is due in 18 days (August 29th) and it is killing us. It's pathetic how anxious we are to meet our daughter. We can't wait to see what she looks like. (She has never shown her face on an ultrasound.) We can't wait to see how Riker is going to take to her. I think some of the anxiety comes from this being our final child. We are 98% sure that two kiddos is perfect for us. We are going to revisit the idea of more in a year or so. But we are pretty sure this is it for us. My doctor offered us and induction date of August 24th but we turned it down. Inductions without medical reason just aren't for us. As crazy as it makes us we like not knowing when. We have had a few guesses of when she will be born; 8/13 (Sean), 8/15 (Haley), 8/17 (Riker), and 8/26 (Grandma Rosey). We will see if any of those people are right. We are 100% ready for her. Everything is good to go. With all of Riker's toys and Rien's stuff set up our apartment looks more like a daycare than an apartment but we don't mind.

I've been asked by a lot of people when I am going to quit working. The answer, when I give birth. I just don't see the point in sitting home to wait for her. I plan on taking off work for two weeks when she is born. Then bringing her to work with me for two weeks. After that, she will stay home with her daddy and brother. I love that Sean works nights because one of us is always with our kids. Speaking of work, my boss told me I am getting another raise next month. That makes my 3rd raise this year. Yay me! :)

Riker is such a goofball these days. He loves to dance. He likes to turn his back to the TV when The Hotdog Dance is on to show us he can do it the same as Mickey without looking at the screen. He also jams in the car. He prefers rock music to any of his cd's.

I get up every morning around 6:30am to get ready for work. Riker is either at my bedside handing me my glasses so I can put them on and get up, sitting next to my side of the bed patiently waiting for my alarm to go off, or up within minutes of when I get up. He loves just following me around while I get ready. It is our regular Monday - Friday routine. He is usually nice enough to sleep in a little on the weekends. About every other weekend Sean and Riker get up and clean the house while I sleep. I enjoy and appreciate those mornings from my wonderful boys. I am one lucky wife and mommy.