Family of Four

This first month has FLOWN by! We've had our moments but the majority of our time is spent blissfully snuggled up with Ella or laughing at Jack. He is such a ham at this age! We had a few visitors this weekend. Aunt Katie stopped by on Friday and that was such a huge help! Jack picked up the curd at daycare this week and was in a sour mood, Ella was up the entire night on Thursday so I was too exhausted to stand upright so Katie was a hero!

Unfortunately, Ella wound up getting Jack's cold too! Poor angel as had a stuffy nose and gassy tummy. She's not sleeping much at all through the night because of not being able to breath. I'm sure that's really scary and a horrible feeling. I hope they are both on the mend soon!

Ella is putting on a ton of weight! At her last visit (we went for diaper rash--they treated it as yeast but really weren't sure) she weighed an ounce more than Jack did when he was born, 8 pounds and 5 ounces. So she put on 22 ounces since her first check up. Dr. Shawinsky was pleased with our hungry girl. Her face is filling out and she is noticeably heavier. And her umbilical stump finally fell off. Jack's fell off in 10 days, it took Ella's three weeks. She's such a big girl!

Jack is doing lots of fun things right now. He started this "hey" where he puts his chin to his shoulder and turns his head when is says it very sheepishly and coy. He does the "hey" "hi" "hey" several times in a row, turning his head from side to side. It's hilarious.

He also pretends to jump. He doesn't of course. He squats really low and we count, one, two, THREE! and on three he jumps up, straightening his legs, and sometimes getting on his tippy-toes. That's about it, but he squeals with excitement and runs off.

Jack is also in love with his Vtech scooter, we want to hide it because he makes us push him around in it, throughout the house, faster and faster, several times a day. We break a sweat but he could ride for hours! He also loves Thomas the train. We watch two or three short little episodes every night after bath and before bedtime to let him wind down. He is signing a few words (more, help, and all done) so when he sees a train helping another train, he signs help. It's really cute!

 I have had such a blast on maternity leave with these two little angels! Some days are tough when I'm living on no sleep. Sleep definitely makes me a better mommy but even the sleepless nights, I wouldn't trade them for the world!

Jack has gotten so good about sleeping. He's transitioning from napping with mommy to napping in his own bed. He could have a while ago, but napping with these sweeties is my guilty pleasure. He usually falls asleep holding my hand or touching my cheeks all snuggled up. More recently, he rolls and tumbles as he resists napping, it's getting a little dangerous to nap with him :)

You've never seen a boy adore his little sister so much!

 Every morning he wants to see her first thing, he gets upset when she cries, and always asks to hold her. She's staying awake more and more!

Holy molars batman! Drool galore! And a little cranky but, look at this face! Who could blame him?

 Below is the infamous Vtech scooter. No shirt, no shoes, no problem! Let's ride Mama!

 I haven't reused much of Jack's clothes, with the exception of a nighty or two, and for good reason, Ella looks like a boy in the picture below! Look how long that hair is though.

And we had to document our first skinned knee. He fell on the back porch and scratched himself. No blood, just a few tears. :(

More later! Lots of love from the Archies!

Ella Rose

It took me about a week to write this blog. I had lots of "help" from Jack :) It was written in installments and it's amazing how much you can forget about a birth story in two weeks!

Our little princess arrived a few days ahead of schedule. She wasn't due until 3/20 but made her debut on 3/11 at 12:49am. We are in love! I wanted to steal a second to share the story. I have a moment of quiet while Jack is taking his afternoon nap and with baby girl in my lap.

The week before Ella came, I wasn't feeling well. Not sick, just not well. A little crummy, nauseated, weak, yucky. I shared this with my OB and she said that's often a prodrome to delivery. I got excited. Until she checked me and I had no progress. Bummer...I was only 1 cm and 60% effaced. "I am going to be induced," I thought.

Then, on Saturday, 3/8/14, we took Jack to the zoo. It would our "big brother" gift to him. It was so much fun. I bought him a zoo book around a month ago and we'd been practicing identifying animals in preparation for the trip. Jack has done so well learning his animals and doing his best to mimic the sounds. He knows everything from elephants and monkeys to snakes, iguanas, and a urial. What the heck is that? A ram :) Anywho, the trip was a blast, Aunt Katie, Kristi and her group, and Granna and Papa all came! I hope zoo trips become a several-times-a-year-tradition. 

Well, that started the party so to speak. We got back and I was having contractions. Not regular, not super uncomfortable, but definitely contractions. I told Justin and he went into full cleaning and laundry and packing for the hospital mode. I joked that I should have faked labor weeks ago. By midnight, the house was spotless and I decided to take a bath and go to bed. Through the night, the contractions subsided and that was it. On Sunday, much the same, didn't feel well, was hormonal, tired, and had occasional contractions. This could go on for weeks...

Then...Monday. I'm heading into work and feel what I recall to be the feeling of menstral cramps. It has been years since my last experience with those ;) Only, they can't be cramps, there's only one thing that could be. I call my mom, as I do every morning, and mention it to her as we're chatting. She said, "you could be in labor." And I think just having someone validate my suspicions made me think, "you're right, I think I am." I got to work and decided to do clinic that morning and maybe visit my doctor that afternoon. By 8:30 or 9:00, there was no doubt in my mind. I called my doctor, they got me in for a check at 10. I was really excited. Dr. Savage said I was still 1 cm. Bummer. But, she said, "you're almost 100% effaced, so that tells me this is something." She sent me home to walk and get busy with errands and hopefully kickstart me into active labor. If I wasn't sure if I was in active labor by 2pm, I was to come back. I call Justin, who was very excited and rushed home to help get ready. 

Around 3pm, I was still contracting, still not very consistent, ranging from 6-20 minutes...still latent labor. So back we went for a check. Only 2 cm. Dang. The one thing that had changed, was Ella's heart beat. It had gone down. Dr. Savage said that was part of the baby getting ready to transition to a neonatal heart rate. She was convinced Ella was on her way. Dr. Savage told me she was on call that night and to come in if anything progressed. Well progress it did! By the time we pulled into the driveway, contractions were 5 minutes apart and difficult to talk through. I think that last check really got things moving. Justin wanted to go to the hospital immediately, but I'm stubborn, and wanted to give it at least an hour. By 5:30pm, we were headed to the hospital with our "go bags." It was time!

Dr. Savage smiled when she saw us coming down the hallway. A brief check, baby had dropped, I was 100% effaced and I forget how dilated, but not much more than before. Either way, I wasn't going home. She decided to admit me, break my water, and let things happen. Around 9pm, I got my epidural. By 10 or so, I was only 5 cm so they gave me a "whiff" of Pitocin, which was killer and started contractions about every minute! It was intense so the nurse stopped that. Within two hours, I was going through transition, a little nauseated, and 45 minutes after midnight it was go time! After four pushes, literally four, she was here. My dad said he had gone to the waiting room and found a show to watch and they called him before he could get interested in it :)

My mom and Justin were in the room for the delivery.

Dad and Justin's parents came to visit shortly after...

Poor Granna and Papa didn't get to come to the hospital until 4am! They were taking care of Jack until Mom and Dad could relieve them. Thank goodness for Granna and Papa! They were exhausted :)

A few more pictures of Daddy and his girl!

 The first night in the hospital was exhausting! Visitors left around 5am and the day shift came on around 6, we had someone in the room checking on us or the baby every hour! That's good MUSC care ;) Below, Ella is getting her first bath.

She didn't much care for it...

The only outfits we had for this tiny girl were newborn and they still swallowed her up! Mommy made sure to order a few premie outfits when we got home!

Big brother Jack came to visit the next day too. As soon as he heard my voice, he ran around the curtain and into the room. He was very excited to meet his baby sister. Ella was so thoughtful she bought him balloons, a toy truck, more balloons and a stuffed puppy dog (thanks Aunt Susan!).

We were officially a family of four! Life is good!

Jack is learning body parts right now and was incredibly interested in Ella's nose.

It was good to snuggle my boy. He was too excited to nap though :)

Then, we finally got to go home. Jack didn't feel like having his picture made that day...

His first day back to daycare, Jack wore his big brother shirt and brought pink cupcakes for everyone in his class.

Of course, he only went to daycare once thought. We enjoyed having him around too much to send him. And Granna wanted to take him to the Children's Museum!

Ella was and still is an absolute doll! We love our girl so much. I can't keep the blog updated with all the pictures we've taken of her and Jack since her arrival. She is a great eater (which is SO much easier this time around) and a pretty good sleeper. We usually get a four to four and a half hour stretch at night from 10 or 11 to 2:30 or 3:00. Then she's up an hour! Daddy says that's because she was born at 1 am so her internal clock is set that way. :)

 Jack was interested in giving Ella her paci...nope! Justin kidding! He wanted it instead :) Ella's not much of a paci girl. I'm pretty pleased with that. I may wish she were later when she gets fussy and won't take it but for now, it's been good and we've been able to transition Jack away from his a good bit.

Well, I hope to post more very soon! Jack is off at daycare today, his first day back since the one day we took him with cupcakes! That's probably the only way I've been able to finish this post :) It only took three weeks and five attempts. That's the life of this happy mommy of two! I truly think this is the best time of our lives and I'm loving every sleepless second! Hope everyone can meet our precious angel and visit with proud big brother soon!