This weekend Dawn, Mike and Mia came to visit. We went swimming, played in the yard and ate at Choo-Choo's. It was a great time. The girls love playing together and it's great to see.
Monday, May 31, 2010
1 Month Observation of Miss R
Dear Baby Girl,
Wow this month has flown by. I cannot believe you are here and part of our family. You make our family of 3 a family of 4 and I cannot imagine us any other way. You've definitely made your mark on our lives and the lives of everyone you meet. Thank you for that.
I wanted to tell you all that you have done this month because it's been an eventful month starting with your speedy arrival into the world. This month you've done the following...
- Taken a road trip to visit family in Louisville and met your Cousins Sam and Emie.
- You slept a lot.
- You also cried a lot.
- We've cuddled even more than that because you love to scrunch up in a little ball and snuggle.
- We tried breastfeeding and were pretty successful. Then Mommy pumped to allow Daddy to help feed you and we transitioned fully to formula.
- You spit up a lot and we figured out you had reflux so we got you on medicine to help with that.
- You hiccuped A LOT. Mommy remembers when she was pregnant with you and you hiccuped a lot...that hasn't changed.
- Aside from when you have gas, we have noticed that you are starting to smile a little bit. I attribute that to our getting to know each other better.
- You eat every 3 hours and are only waking up twice during the night...usually at 2:30 AM and 6:30 AM.
- Being swaddled is your favorite way to be and we bundled you up because you also love to be nice and warm. It's not uncommon for us to use a swaddler and a blanket to get the right effect.
- Initially you balked at our Baby Whisperer and Happiest Baby on the Block techniques and I thought we were going to have some trouble but now things are going perfectly.
- You've taken quite a few walks with Mommy, Daddy and Miss C both in the carrier and the stroller.
- You've also taken a few rounds in the swing.
- This weekend you got your first visit from Cousin Mia and loved that.
- We went to lunch with Mommy's work friends and you also had your first lunch at Choo-Choo's.
- Enjoyed shopping with Mommy and got new clothes even though we have lots of stuff from when your sister was a baby. Mommy wanted you to have some things that were just your own.
- You are also a highlight of your big sister's life. She asks about you as soon as she gets up and as soon as she walks in the door from school. You are her Baby Sista Ram-e and she loves you to death.
I think that is really the theme, that we love you to death. Even as we adjust to having you in the house and you adjust being here, that does not change. I snuggle up close to you daily and kiss your soft cheeks telling you softly how much we love you. I am savoring our one-one-one time together and don't look forward to going back to work when we don't have that. I am trying to make sure that I give you my undivided attention every moment I can.
I cannot believe you are already one month old. Time does fly and before we know it you will be big like your sister. But for now, I am clinging to your sweet baby smell and your soft baby cheeks.
Love,
Your Mommy
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Road Trip
This past weekend I got brave a decided to make the two hour trip home to Louisville. I think I must be nuts. Overall, it went well but it was exhausting.
Part of the exhaustion comes from just getting everything together to take a trip with a two year old and a newborn. I had forgotten how much stuff you have to haul with you when you have a newborn. My car looked like I was going on a trip for weeks but it was only days.
Of course, taking a trip like that in itself is an adventure, add to it the fact that C had hand, foot, mouth last week and it was a wild, wild ride. I wasn't really prepared to have a toddler at home along with a 3 week old. Thankfully SP works from home and was a huge help, but by the time I got on the road I was overwhelmed and worn out.
But we made it. We made it and got to spend time with Nana, Papa, Emie, Aunt Dawn, Granny and Aunt Ronie. I opted to not see anyone else while I was in town because I didn't know if C was still contagious and didn't want to risk it.
I have to say, it was nice to have some help. SP and I are pretty self-sufficient and really don't know what it's like to have free, willing help around to give us a break. We are always on for the most part and when I go home I get a taste of what it would be like to have that all the time. Makes me long for it and want to figure out ways to have that all the time. People who have that kind of help all the time don't always value it like those of us who don't.
Part of the exhaustion comes from just getting everything together to take a trip with a two year old and a newborn. I had forgotten how much stuff you have to haul with you when you have a newborn. My car looked like I was going on a trip for weeks but it was only days.
Of course, taking a trip like that in itself is an adventure, add to it the fact that C had hand, foot, mouth last week and it was a wild, wild ride. I wasn't really prepared to have a toddler at home along with a 3 week old. Thankfully SP works from home and was a huge help, but by the time I got on the road I was overwhelmed and worn out.
But we made it. We made it and got to spend time with Nana, Papa, Emie, Aunt Dawn, Granny and Aunt Ronie. I opted to not see anyone else while I was in town because I didn't know if C was still contagious and didn't want to risk it.
I have to say, it was nice to have some help. SP and I are pretty self-sufficient and really don't know what it's like to have free, willing help around to give us a break. We are always on for the most part and when I go home I get a taste of what it would be like to have that all the time. Makes me long for it and want to figure out ways to have that all the time. People who have that kind of help all the time don't always value it like those of us who don't.
Monday, May 24, 2010
My Girls
There are moments, like today, when I am in awe of my two girls. The love I feel for them is overwhelming and a truly amazing feeling.
I watch C going into a little girl with so much potential and I feel proud to have helped shape who she is. She has such a unique and lively personality that I hope never fades. And smart, wow! the girl is smart. I love listening to all the things she says and what she remembers. I just want to bottle up all her sweetness and keep it with me forever.
With R, we are still figuring each other out but I see the same potential in her that I do in her sister.
How truly blessed I am to have two amazing, healthy little girls. I can't wait to see the women they become.
I watch C going into a little girl with so much potential and I feel proud to have helped shape who she is. She has such a unique and lively personality that I hope never fades. And smart, wow! the girl is smart. I love listening to all the things she says and what she remembers. I just want to bottle up all her sweetness and keep it with me forever.
With R, we are still figuring each other out but I see the same potential in her that I do in her sister.
How truly blessed I am to have two amazing, healthy little girls. I can't wait to see the women they become.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Learning all over again
We've spent the last two weeks adjusting to a new little one in the house. I'm not gonna lie and say it's been an easy transition, but I think we are managing pretty well.
We knew Miss C would have her adjustment time and that she'd act out a bit as she worked through having a new sister and having to share our time. We knew we'd be tired. We knew a lot...or thought we did.
The thing is, Miss R is not her sister and the things we learned from Miss C don't always work for R. Some do, like getting her on reflux medicine and swaddling her. But it's clear we are going to have to adjust our bag of tricks to figure her out.
She is a much more vocal baby...meaning she seems to cry a lot and let us know when she is not happy with things. I am spending a lot of time figuring out her cries and what she likes and doesn't to adjust her routine a bit but we are still following the Baby Whisperer plan.
We've gotten the feeding thing figured out, I think. Now we are working on the sleeping. Sometimes she sleeps and other times she doesn't. Sometimes she wakes up crying in the middle of sleeping and it's difficult to calm her down. Other times, she sleeps for hours.
I know we'll figure it out. Wish us luck.
We knew Miss C would have her adjustment time and that she'd act out a bit as she worked through having a new sister and having to share our time. We knew we'd be tired. We knew a lot...or thought we did.
The thing is, Miss R is not her sister and the things we learned from Miss C don't always work for R. Some do, like getting her on reflux medicine and swaddling her. But it's clear we are going to have to adjust our bag of tricks to figure her out.
She is a much more vocal baby...meaning she seems to cry a lot and let us know when she is not happy with things. I am spending a lot of time figuring out her cries and what she likes and doesn't to adjust her routine a bit but we are still following the Baby Whisperer plan.
We've gotten the feeding thing figured out, I think. Now we are working on the sleeping. Sometimes she sleeps and other times she doesn't. Sometimes she wakes up crying in the middle of sleeping and it's difficult to calm her down. Other times, she sleeps for hours.
I know we'll figure it out. Wish us luck.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Bath Time for Miss R
When Miss R's cord fell off, we decided to give her a real bath. At first she hated it but then she calmed down and seemed to enjoy it. We have made this a family affair by pulling Miss C's stool up to the counter and including her in bath time. I like to talk to her about how everything we are doing with Miss R we did with her.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
1 Week Observations of Miss R
It hasn't been as easy to write with Miss R in the house. She likes to be held a lot and that has been the priority over anything else. Despite that, we have managed to do a lot this past week so now that she's napping I thought I'd try to get through a little post.
Here's what we've done this week Little Bit...
Here's what we've done this week Little Bit...
- Had your first doctor's appointment and lost only a few ounces. Otherwise all is well. In the 75% percentile.
- Went for a trip to Target, Babies R Us and the Mall.
- Lost your cord.
- Took a sponge bath with Miss C's help. You seemed to enjoy the bath so hopefully that will continue.
- Went from being breast fed to being breast and bottle fed. Mommy is now pumping due to low milk supply.
- Slept some, cried a lot.
- We are still trying to figure out your personality and likes and dislikes. Not that easy because all we know is your sister and what worked for her doesn't necessarily work for you.
- Spent time with Granny, Grampy, Nana, Papa, Aunt Dawn, Uncle Shane, Uncle Joe and Nana Farfsing.
- Got lots of kisses from Mommy and Daddy.
- Tried out a new swing...liked it for a little while.
- Went for a few walks around the block. Once was in the stroller and once was in the carrier. You seemed to like both.
- Stole our hearts and made Mommy cry just watching you be you.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Baby Sister
Over the last nine months we had done a lot to prepare Miss C for the arrival of her new sister. We talked about Miss R a lot. Called her by name. We tried to involve Miss C as much as possible in every part of this process and to prepare her for the upcoming changes. They even helped at the daycare talking to her a lot about her baby sister.
The reality is nothing can fully prepare a 2 year old for a life change that will rock her world. SP and I were both worried about how Miss C would react and wanted to make the change to being a big sister a positive one for her. We got gifts for them to give each other and let Miss C pick out what she gave to her baby sister and planned for the gift exchange to take place at the hospital.
On Tuesday, Miss C came to visit in the hospital and it was the most amazingly overwhelming experience. Our baby girl was now the big sister welcoming her baby sister into the world. Miss C did wonderful and was so in to her little sister. It brought me to tears...the deep sobbing kind because I was so proud of her and how well she handled the situation.
Labor and Delivery Part III
Once I got to the delivery room and my family had all been notified the Miss R would be making her arrival, things moved very quickly. There was no recovery time between the contractions. I could hardly breathe through each one and was unsure I'd be able to take another one.
I kept telling myself that it would be over soon and Miss R would be here but it was had to focus and not be overwhelmed by the pain. SP did everything he could to remind me to breathe because I just wanted to hold my breath until the pain went away and that seemed to make it worse. There was a lot of sweating, bed clenching and the random curse word uttered through gritted teeth.
After what seemed like HOURS, I finally got an epidural at 10:45. I started feeling somewhat human as the pain from the contractions disappeared.
The doctor checked me and I was 6 cm dilated. The nurse said a couple more contractions and I wouldn't have been able to get the epidural because I was so close to delivering.
Then...all hell broke lose.
Before I knew it there were 6 nurses rushing into the room, the doctor was being called to the room STAT and an oxygen mask was being placed on me. I remember saying, you all are freaking me out...but no one would talk to me because too many other things were going on. I started to get scared because I didn't know what was happening and everything got very medical very quickly. All I could do was hold SP's hand and do what they told me to do.
Turns out, Miss R's heart rate had dropped dramatically because I went from 6 cm to 10 in 2 minutes. The change to my cervix so quickly was hard on her. Then my heart rate dropped as well. All the activity was to make sure we were both ok and in the end we were.
All this seemed like it went on in slow motion and took forever, but it really didn't because soon I started pushing. Turns out Miss R was already coming out on her own. She wasn't messing around and made her way into the world by 11:41 AM.
From the time I got to the hospital until she was born, it was a total of 3 hours give or take a few minutes. All told from the time I first thought my water broke it was 8.5 hours. My girl was ready to come and wasn't waiting for anyone or anything.
I kept telling myself that it would be over soon and Miss R would be here but it was had to focus and not be overwhelmed by the pain. SP did everything he could to remind me to breathe because I just wanted to hold my breath until the pain went away and that seemed to make it worse. There was a lot of sweating, bed clenching and the random curse word uttered through gritted teeth.
After what seemed like HOURS, I finally got an epidural at 10:45. I started feeling somewhat human as the pain from the contractions disappeared.
The doctor checked me and I was 6 cm dilated. The nurse said a couple more contractions and I wouldn't have been able to get the epidural because I was so close to delivering.
Then...all hell broke lose.
Before I knew it there were 6 nurses rushing into the room, the doctor was being called to the room STAT and an oxygen mask was being placed on me. I remember saying, you all are freaking me out...but no one would talk to me because too many other things were going on. I started to get scared because I didn't know what was happening and everything got very medical very quickly. All I could do was hold SP's hand and do what they told me to do.
Turns out, Miss R's heart rate had dropped dramatically because I went from 6 cm to 10 in 2 minutes. The change to my cervix so quickly was hard on her. Then my heart rate dropped as well. All the activity was to make sure we were both ok and in the end we were.
All this seemed like it went on in slow motion and took forever, but it really didn't because soon I started pushing. Turns out Miss R was already coming out on her own. She wasn't messing around and made her way into the world by 11:41 AM.
From the time I got to the hospital until she was born, it was a total of 3 hours give or take a few minutes. All told from the time I first thought my water broke it was 8.5 hours. My girl was ready to come and wasn't waiting for anyone or anything.
Labor and Delivery Part II
At 3 AM on Monday morning I woke up wet. I couldn't figure out if I had peed or if my water had broke. I didn't want to go to the hospital and be told no change like I experienced with Miss C. I also didn't want to call Amy and have her waste a trip. So I changed my clothes and tried to figure out what to do.
Ended up going back to sleep and woke up around 5 AM wet again. At this point I thought the likelihood of my peeing my pants twice was slim but I still wasn't sure. Waited until 6ish and my third pair of pants to call the doctor. Changing my pants 3 times in as many hours seemed like a good sign I wasn't having bladder problems.
The doctor told me to come in to be checked so we started getting ready. I am not going to lie...we didn't move with a sense of urgency. We thought we had plenty of time. We showered. Got Miss C ready for school. Finished packing the bag. There was no frantic rush even though I had started having contractions.
The contractions started out harmless enough. They were nothing like what I had with Miss C so I figured I had some time. Of course, by the time we got to the daycare, about a 15 minute drive from home, the contractions were getting stronger but still weren't close together.
We arrived at the hospital at 8:30 and left the bag in the car thinking we'd have plenty of time to get it before I gave birth. By the time I made it to the exam room I was having more frequent contractions. The contractions were getting strong and closer together but there was still some recovery time in between.
My doctor was performing a C section and they had to send in a resident to check me. By the time she arrived I was having contractions every one to three minutes and could hardly stand it. I was 4 cm dilated when the resident did her check and Miss R's head shifted allowing a flood of fluid to wash out.
At this point I was in quite a bit of pain. I was having trouble breathing through the pain of the contractions and SP was doing his best to keep me focused. There was no recovery time between the contractions and I was ready for the epidural. Had to be moved from the triage room to the delivery room before they would do the epidural. This could not happen quickly enough.
Ended up going back to sleep and woke up around 5 AM wet again. At this point I thought the likelihood of my peeing my pants twice was slim but I still wasn't sure. Waited until 6ish and my third pair of pants to call the doctor. Changing my pants 3 times in as many hours seemed like a good sign I wasn't having bladder problems.
The doctor told me to come in to be checked so we started getting ready. I am not going to lie...we didn't move with a sense of urgency. We thought we had plenty of time. We showered. Got Miss C ready for school. Finished packing the bag. There was no frantic rush even though I had started having contractions.
The contractions started out harmless enough. They were nothing like what I had with Miss C so I figured I had some time. Of course, by the time we got to the daycare, about a 15 minute drive from home, the contractions were getting stronger but still weren't close together.
We arrived at the hospital at 8:30 and left the bag in the car thinking we'd have plenty of time to get it before I gave birth. By the time I made it to the exam room I was having more frequent contractions. The contractions were getting strong and closer together but there was still some recovery time in between.
My doctor was performing a C section and they had to send in a resident to check me. By the time she arrived I was having contractions every one to three minutes and could hardly stand it. I was 4 cm dilated when the resident did her check and Miss R's head shifted allowing a flood of fluid to wash out.
At this point I was in quite a bit of pain. I was having trouble breathing through the pain of the contractions and SP was doing his best to keep me focused. There was no recovery time between the contractions and I was ready for the epidural. Had to be moved from the triage room to the delivery room before they would do the epidural. This could not happen quickly enough.
Labor and Delivery Part I
Truly thought I would never give birth. It seemed like the last few weeks and days of my pregnancy went on forever. I felt huge, uncomfortable and just down and out. I was ready for Miss R's arrival but it seemed like she just wasn't ready to come.
Then things started happening like they did with Miss C. I lost my mucus plug on April 28(totally gross but a good sign something was happening) and thought for sure I'd go into labor within hours...but didn't.
I went to the doctor two days after that for sure that I'd be further along only to find out I was only 2 cm dilated. Nothing had changed in two weeks.
May 1, Derby Day, I started having contractions. They were irregular in timing and never really increased in intensity but all day long I kept hoping something would shift. But it didn't.
So there I was quickly approaching my due date and fully convinced I would go past just like I did with Miss C. I didn't want to go past but I also knew I really didn't have much say in the situation unless I opted to be induced. I wanted to give Miss R a chance to come on her own, but damn, she needed to speed it up.
I went to bed Sunday night ready to go to work the next day and trying to prepare myself to go through another 5 days pregnant.
Then things started happening like they did with Miss C. I lost my mucus plug on April 28(totally gross but a good sign something was happening) and thought for sure I'd go into labor within hours...but didn't.
I went to the doctor two days after that for sure that I'd be further along only to find out I was only 2 cm dilated. Nothing had changed in two weeks.
May 1, Derby Day, I started having contractions. They were irregular in timing and never really increased in intensity but all day long I kept hoping something would shift. But it didn't.
So there I was quickly approaching my due date and fully convinced I would go past just like I did with Miss C. I didn't want to go past but I also knew I really didn't have much say in the situation unless I opted to be induced. I wanted to give Miss R a chance to come on her own, but damn, she needed to speed it up.
I went to bed Sunday night ready to go to work the next day and trying to prepare myself to go through another 5 days pregnant.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
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