2 weeks old already

Feeling a little more normal.

It's so hard to believe that it's been almost two weeks since Emma was born.  I can say that just in the last day or two I have really started feeling like myself again.  The fog is slowly starting to lift and I can see light at the end of the tunnel.  The broken sleep at night is starting to become routine and I'm learning how to run on much less energy.  Funny how our bodies just learn to adjust to changes in our lives.  I am also starting to heal, YIPPEE! The pain is slowly subsiding and I can actually walk without being uncomfortable now.  My body is making its way back to what it was before baby.  In two weeks I've lost a total of 25 pounds.  I'm 8 pounds away to being back to my pre-pregnancy weight.  That's with doing NOTHING.  Just drinking water like someone lost in the desert and breastfeeding.  I'm hoping it just keeps falling off because my weight was not where I wanted it before I got pregnant.  Once back to pre-baby weight I would like to lose about 20 more pounds.  With breastfeeding and getting back in Jazzercise I really think I can do it.  To any expecting moms out there, my best advice to you is to nurse your baby.  I was so scared in the beginning but it's the most amazing experience in the world.  If you can tough it out for the first week you will be just fine.  Don't give up as soon as it gets a bit uncomfortable or painful because as soon as that uncomfortable feeling come it soon subsides.  Also, I know it's tiring and you are exhausted but remember that it's all worth it for your baby, plus you have to be awake to feed them with formula anyway so why not just breastfeed.  I'm two weeks in and am able to pump lots of extra milk so that my hubby gets a feeding or two a day now and it helps a lot.  I also can't tell you how much we are enjoying saving money on not having to buy formula.  You can do it!

Over the weekend we went over to my parents house on Saturday for my niece's 8th birthday party, and stayed for three hours! I was so afraid of getting out of the house but I realized it's ok.  We are a family of three now and I will eventually get used to getting out in public with her.

Today was Emma's two-week check up.  Her doc says she is just perfect and that "she's a keeper".  I have to agree.  At her one week weight check she was 7.3 and today she weighed in at 7.10! A whole 7 ounces in weight gain.  I really wanted to pat myself on the back because let me tell you, breastfeeding is definitely a commitment and I've been really afraid I couldn't do it or that I wasn't doing a good job.  She is spitting up a lot at night so I was worried about her weight.  The doctor says it's normal and to give her gas drops at night and that should solve our fussy night-time baby problem.  She also gained in length.  She went from 19 1/2 inches long to 20 inches.  She is in the 50th percentile and right on track.  I'm so thankful for a baby who is so calm, sleeps well, a good eater and never cries.  After her doctor's appointment we decided to go into a restaurant and have lunch.  It seemed so surreal sitting there eating in public as a family of three.  Surreal and wonderful.

I'm just really thankful that the Lord blessed us with our sweet baby.  God is so good.

How about a before and after shot of baby belly vs after baby belly...

[caption id="attachment_243" align="alignleft" width="512" caption="This was taken a week or two before baby Emma arrived!"][/caption]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[caption id="attachment_244" align="alignleft" width="512" caption="There's no baby in there anymore...almost makes me sad at times. I miss her precious little kicks. It's nice seeing a flat belly though!"][/caption]

 

 

 

In LOVE with our Girl.

She amazes me more everyday.

Is it possible to love someone so much?

I love her more every time I look at her.

Birth Story

I have been wanting to write this post for days now but having a new baby at home is quite an adjustment.  I haven't had the brain cells to write this post until now.  I am slowly getting into the swing of things and we couldn't be happier with our sweet baby girl.

At 6:00 o'clock Monday, January 10th we walked into Labor and Delivery, excited and anxious for what the next 24 hours would hold.  We got checked in and they put me in a room.  I was not looking forward to the IV at all.  How is it I was mentally prepared for labor but not an IV? Crazy right? The nurse tried on my right arm and just my luck the vein burst.  The second attempt on my left hand was much smoother, but still painful.  She also put it where the needle was right in the crick of my wrist so every time I moved my hand it was quite uncomfortable, but I wasn't about to ask them to stick me again!

Excited that we are finally going to meet her!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The induction wasn't supposed to start until 6 the next morning which meant a whole night of anxious waiting.  They said to sleep but that wasn't happening!  I dozed off and on but never got any solid sleep.  At 4:00 am I started having some pretty strong contractions.  I was really surprised seeing as though they hadn't started pitocin or broke my water yet.  They were bareable but uncomfortable and got stronger over the next few hours.  At 7:30 am my doctor came in and checked me.  I had dilated to a three.  He started the pitoci and broke my water.  I can't even explain what it's like for your water to break.  The pain is pretty much immediate.  I could not believe the intensity of the contractions.  I immediately asked for my epidural of course but it would end up taking around an hour to actually get it.  They gave me some pain medication in my IV to hold me over and boy did it make me loopy.  It mainly made me sleepy but I couldn't sleep through the pain so I was pretty out of it for a while.  Right before the anesthesiologist got to the room my contractions really picked up.  When he walked in I told him he was just the person I wanted to see.  The epidural wasn't bad at all.  I would have a thousand of them before having to feel another contraction.  My younger sister asked me in my loopy medicated state before my epidural what contractions felt like and I told her it was like I was hollow inside and someone was trying to rip that hollowness out of me.  It's the best way I could explain it.  Whoever originally said that contractions and labor feel like severe period cramps is a liar because there is nothing period like about it.  I was the happiest girl in the world after my epidural kicked in.  I also think I had the best anesthesiologist in the world.  I was able to sleep and rest up until time to push and it really helped with the energy to push.  I was checked for dilation every hour after my epi.  I was dilating SUPER fast.  I went from a three at 7:30 that morning to a ten at 12:30.  With only 30 short minutes of pushing Emma Marie arrived at 1:14pm on 1-11-2011 weighing in at 7 lbs 7 3/4 oz and 19 1/2 inches long.  It was the easiest, smoothest, most beautiful amazing labor experience.  My doctor was amazing, as was my labor and delivery nurse.  I don't know what I would have done without Dustin or her! Labor was easy peasy but I must say nobody talks about what comes after labor.  I really don't think I was prepared for the toll it takes on your body.  The recooperating involved is pretty rough.  The stitches, the pain, the tiredness the emotions... Now that its ten days after delivery I'm feeling much better but still not 100%.  I'm just thankful to have our beautiful daughter here safe and sound.  I'm so thankful for a smooth labor and healthy baby.  The hospital stay was almost a blur because it went by so fast.  We were going home before we knew it and so excited to take our baby home.  It has definitely been a whirlwind but we are adjusting well.  We may have sleepy eyes and our brains may not be functioning on all cylinders but we are head over heals in love with our girl.  She is changing so fast already.  I am excited to see how she grows and changes but it makes me sad that it happens so fast.  I love my family of THREE so much.

My sweet husband.  He was amazing.

Getting anxious!

It is January and I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of a sweet baby girl named Emma.  It's so hard to believe that almost ten months ago we were blessed by the grace of the Lord with this pregnancy.  I am still in amazement of how God is all-knowing.  After five years of marriage and some pretty rocky times through our relationship we were finally able to truly find each other and connect on the deepest level possible and through that we were blessed with a growing baby in my belly.  It's so exciting to see how anxious even Dustin is.  He's been excited but quiet through this whole pregnancy but here towards the end he's almost giddy.  He asks me everyday is she's coming and my same answer is "in her own time".  I think he's as "ready" as I am.  We have been trying our best to keep busy until the big day.  We aren't home much because we can't stand just sitting here waiting and wishing she was home already.  We have been spending a lot of time at my parents house, playing games, dinner, visiting with family, staying up late, sleeping late and cuddling.  We know that all those things will be a distant memory for quite a while once she arrives.  Everything has been marked off our TO DO LIST.  We met with a pediatrician today and just loved him.  We are so thankful that we found somebody that we like.  I bought a bookshelf today for the nursery (the last item for her room!).  Now we just need to assemble it and put all her books, picture frames and toys on it.  I finished packing the hospital bag this afternoon.  I can't wait to be putting the bag, diaper bag and pillow in the car and head to the hospital! I also bought my breast pump.  I set it all up and I really like it.  Seems comfortable and easy to use.  I went with the Avent Breast Pump.  We are using Avent bottles so this just seemed like the perfect fit.  Has anyone used this pump before and do you have any good or bad comments about it?

I have truly enjoyed this pregnancy even though it is an absolute emotional roller coaster.  I've been blessed with a healthy pregnancy and I am praying for a healthy baby to arrive.  I will probably post once more before Emma arrives.  Tomorrow we have a doctor's appointment where hopefully we will get lots of information on potential induction, progress in dilation (crossing my fingers!) and he's also supposed to strip my membranes to get things a moving.  Who knows, after that maybe I will just go on into labor! I can only hope right? After that post, I may be MIA for a while until I can get home with baby and get settled.  I just can't believe we are at the end....or should I say the beginning now.  The beginning of a new life as a family of three! Soon soon soon! :)