Right now.

I think the best thing I learned was to cherish the late night / early morning feedings. The house was quiet and rather than feeling the burden of being awaken, i took the time to pray for Sami, to hold her just a minute longer, to talk to her and to embrace the miracle of motherhood. A is one lucky little girl. J.

one of the best pieces of advice I got was to eat well during those first few days. It is so common to pick and eat junky things that people bring by, ie, cookies, cakes, etc. you will do awesome and know that you have raised Simon so well and look how well he is doing, your baby girl is blessed to be born into such a loving and warm home. God bless@!

Good luck Ali! I totally miss those "when is it all going to start" feelings! My Ethan will be 2 years old on the 17th. yay! =)

Don't let anyone tell you that "The Family Bed" is bad for the baby, or you. If it is something that works for you then, by all means, let her sleep with you. Our family bed started in Japan when our futons were all on the floor together, and we continued the tradition through three of four kids. Our youngest never had a crib, and transitioned easily to her own single bed later. If you nurse the baby, it works great - at least it did for us. Also, you will be amazed at how big and capable Simon suddenly seems. Remember to baby him some, too, after your new one arrives. He's still just a little guy, after all. Best of luck, Ali. Enjoy every minute.

My little guy turned one last Saturday and his big sister will be 8 in a couple weeks. So I totally understand how it is to feel a bit sad about going from 3 to 4.
As far as a tip...I kept hearing from everyone how different the 2nd child would be from the first. I didn't really listen though and I was thrown for a loop when the little guy cried all the time at first. So that's something to think about. I'm a huge planner and all through his birth I kept saying, "this isn't what I planned." And I haven't stopped saying it since!
Good Luck with everything! I wish you a peaceful birth and an even more peaceful little girl!

Hi Ali, thinking of you everyday at this special time, there is much magic ahead of you. You have inspired me with a title for my next layout - Savour & Celebrate - love that, Tiff :o)

Just so I don't look like an illiterate, we spell it with a u here in oz xx.

Hi Ali
the one thing that made my life a little easier in the first few weeks was, stock the frezer with prepared meals. I found a company that made home cooked meals that deliveried to your door. It was so great not to have to worry about what i was going to cook. All the best and ENJOY your new buddle of joy.

Oh Ali, goodluck. I keep checking your blog, waiting for a "She's Here" post. It's such a precious time and hopefully even more fulfilling than the last as you will have a proud Simon doting over the little one too.

Best wishes Ali! You're a fabulous mother already and your baby girl is so lucky that YOU will be her mom. Only tip is to SAVOR EACH MOMENT. They go by so quickly. But I think you already know that. So excited for you and your family!
Linda B

as a mom of three.... my favorite mantra has always been this.....
When your baby is taking a nap.. and you are trying to decide what to do with this down time ask yourself " can I do this while she is awake?" Usually you can fold laundry, do dishes ect. while she is awake, you usually cannot create, read a book take time to sit and relax.. So when ever I would start doing a task I would ALWAYS ask myself this.... Good Luck!

Ali,
So happy for your family. :)
As best I can remember, here are my most helpful tips for you:
1. Abdominal Binder - after my c-section this was a life saver. You can get them at medical supply stores. It's a very wide elastic velcro'ed band that goes around your abdomen and "holds you in" much like a girdle would. It's so comfortable and helpful in times that you need to cough or unexpectedly laugh or use your abdominal muscles.
2. Snacks - If you are nursing, put a small basket or tupperware container of crackers, dried fruit, (something non-perishable) and a bottle of water near where you'll sit to nurse. I always needed nourishment while sitting to nurse and it was handy to have it right there, in case someone else wasn't available to get it for me.
3. Phone Headset - My best friend had one of these when her baby was small and it was so helpful to her not to have to strain to hold the phone with her chin.
4. Take Out Menus - You can go online and print takeout menus from all of the nearby restaurants that you like. Keep them in one place and when you need a last minute meal, you'll have a stash of menus to browse. (easier than having to go online for each one)
5. Slow-Cooker Meals - there are a bunch here. http://www.slowandsimple.com
6. Noise machine or small fan - Some babies sleep better with "white noise" so we had a small fan in Noah's room that we'd turn on when he slept. You can keep it under the crib so the breeze doesn't affect baby, just the noise will be heard.
God's blessings on your new little life! :)
Love,
Jennifer

ali, good luck! my baby is going to be 1 this friday(13th) and i don't know where the time has gone! i've done my best to reflect and love and cherish...but those little moments go so fast! she was my 2nd c-section...it all went great....good luck ith all of that!! having my mom with me is always such a blessing!! i'm all for turning off the ringer, sleeping while she sleeps, holding her and just rocking for hours....and falling asleep with her on my chest...heavenly. nothing could be better! i'm excited to hear the news!! good luck again!!

Ali,
Good luck to you and your family , with this new bundle of joy. You have such a wonderful outlook on life and family that this little girl will be very lucky to have you all.

I don't have any sage advice. Except to enjoy every moment which you are so good at doing. You inspire us all to appreciate the everyday moments. I wish you the best as this new little one enters the lives of three who'll love her so much. Enjoy!

Ali-
Something that was helpful to my two boys when our youngest was born...I tried not to expect too much from them. I let them lead in how soon they approached the baby. I didn't expect them to hold him or kiss him. I asked them questions, like what do you think of him? Not telling them, "Isn't he cute?" It was surprising some of the thoughts they had and when I looked at things from their perspective, I could see thier point of view. When they visited at the hospital, I reached for them and made sure I wasn't holding the baby. Giving my full attention to them and then taking time to further introduce the baby. They were curious, intrigued, and loving. We also had a little birthday party in the room, the hospital did that for the boys. It was so sweet, a few balloons and a little cake. it went a long way to making them comfortable. They were 5 and 7. My five year old seems to be very much like Simon and he took to the new addition the best! Enjoy and do what you do best cherish these times!
Looking forward to pictures!

Best wishes!

My blessings and prayers are all on your side. Congratulations dear Ali. You are in for delightful moments. God Bless!
Kind regards, Olga, MIA, FL

Best wishes to you and all your family. Bet you can't wait to meet her..... xxx

Ali, Maybe Simon is too old for this, but when I had my little one and a toddler, to ward of jealously during all those long daytime breastfeeding sessions... I had a basket of cool toys/books that I only brought out while breastfeeding.

I agree with some of the 2nd time moms.. I just had my 2nd and he is an easy baby compared to my 1st, but waking every 3 hours all through the night is hard. So, sleep is priority, but i also need to get out everyday even if it's to go for a walk or go to the store. It helps my mood immensely.
My 4 year old loves the baby , but also has difficulties with transitions so I am trying to work through that. I find I'm very protective of my new baby and try to find my patience for his behavior when he is trying to gain my attention. I love the comment about making a weekly date with your son... that is a great idea! I am going to do that too. GOod Luck and I can't wait to see your new baby girl! I'm sure there will be lots of new scrap material in the future!

Best of luck! Enjoy it!

I totally admire you doing a repeat c-section. My first four babies were born naturally, and then #5 was a c-section. It was a tough recovery and I wouldn't choose to do it again. But you know what to expect since you have done it before and it sounds like you will have help from your mom. I loved the quiet time I had with the baby while recovering--just watching him and really being able to take in all the moments that I would have missed if I was up and about. Have your journal nearby to record your thoughts (I know you will) and let everyone else do the household stuff. When I nursed the baby I'd read to the older kids so they were getting some mommy time as well. Blessings to you all--can't wait to hear about her arrival!

My best advice came straight from the best baby on the block book....even though your first child now will have to share you...giving them a sibling is one of the best things you can do! Can't wait to see all your pages about the love between Simon and his baby sister. Best wishes!

Just relax & enjoy everything about the experience. It will all be fine. I have 4 children & forgot everything between each one of them, but it just all comes back to you & each child is different anyway. So excited for you! ;-)