2 Weeks Old

Emma is such a good baby!  She is two weeks old today.  Boy how time flies when you're having fun!  

Monday: I had to run to the store so Kale and Sophie took care of the baby.  I was only gone about an hour but it seemed like the longest hour of my life being away from home!  Kale said Sophie was a good helper though.

Tuesday: Emma stays in our room.  I had a pack n play all set up but she would NEVER sleep in it.  So we just have her in the bed with us.  I'm a light sleeper and she likes to be right by me, so I don't sleep great but it's worth it being close to her and being able to feed her easily.  This is a picture of her swaddled.  She likes to be swaddled.  She can self-soothe pretty good this way.  She also likes having her hands out too.  She's pretty easy-going.  

Wednesday:  I just spent the day hanging out with the babes.  Usually Emma doesn't like to lay on my chest (it just makes her hungry) but I think it's adorable when she does.  Today we went for a short walk in my wrap.  Emma seemed to like it.  She fell asleep once we were out and walking.  

Thursday:  Sophie is such a good big sister.  She has been really good with the baby.  She is a pretty good helper and will help bring stuff to me.  She likes to lay next to Emma on the bed or on the floor. It's pretty cute.  Sometimes I get worried she'll accidently bonk Emma or something because sometimes she gets a little rambunctious at times but so far she's very soft with her and hasn't tried to pick her up or anything like that.  Phew!  

Friday: We had two birthdays this week: Jeff's and My Dad's.  I made a Jello cake (or at least an attempt at it).  It was hard work!  The family came over to our house for a birthday celebration.  Sophie, of course, wants to hold the baby when someone else is around.  It doesn't last long and if Emma cries it makes her kind of nervous.  She loves to talk to Emma, hold her hand, and kiss her head.  

Saturday: Emma loves her baths!  She just lounges in there.  She's so slippery - she likes to try to slip down the sling in the little tub.  She has the funniest faces.  Oh my gosh they crack me up - that girl can give a dirty look :)

Sunday: We braved church again.  I wore Emma in a sling.  When we got home we took some pictures.  Sophie took this one:

I just love this baby so much!  I can't believe she is two weeks old!

She likes to sleep a lot.  I bet she sleeps about 18-20 hours a day!  She eats about every 3 hours in the day and sometimes every 2-3 hours at night.  Usually she goes down pretty good (although last night was one of the hardest nights and Emma was very restless).  She has been very gassy and seems to have an upset tummy.  I remember going through this with Sophie too, it seems like they have hard times in the evening/night.  Emma loves to nurse and I'm anxious to have her 2 week checkup and hoping with all this eating she is back to her birthweight.  She likes to have her arms swaddled but her legs out.  She stretches them out; they are so long and skinny.  She doesn't really like the pacifier but she is getting more used to it.  She gags on it and spits it out but sometimes when she is really uncomfortable the sucking helps soothe her.  I tried to put on some 3 month size pjs the other night and they were WAY too big, but the newborn size is getting tight!  She is kind of in-between sizes.  I love holding her and like that she is a cuddler.  She definitely sleeps best when someone is holding her or laying RIGHT next to her.  She refuses to sleep in her crib or the pack n play.  She could be dead asleep and you lay her down and she's awake in 10 minutes.  I've tried all the tricks and just accept it and try to cherish it because I know it won't be long she will be all over the place!  

I feel pretty good most days despite having a newborn sleep schedule.  I am thankful for neighbors and friends that help me with Sophie.  She loves being able to go play.  She gets really bored at home with me and Emma and sometimes because she is the most independent of the two babies, she has to entertain herself.  Some days she has a hard time and feels "upsad" about things.  She has been pretty emotional (she is sensitive anyway) but I know she's going through a lot too!  We just try to love and cuddle her and tell her what a great job she does.  She is a great helper.  We are lucky to have such sweet little girls that we both love so much!

1 Week Old

The week home has been eventful.  We got home and I was so glad to be in my own bed.  My mom has stayed the night and helped with the nighttime feedings.  The baby nurses great and my mom takes good care of her between feedings.  

Wednesday: I just love holding this sweet baby!  She eats and sleeps like a champ.  I can't get enough of some of the faces she pulls.  She definitely has a 'scowl' down.  We have enjoyed having Grandma stay, and Patty, my doula ;), visiting from California.  

Thursday: We had an appointment today with the pediatrician for a weight check.  She is down to alb 13 oz (52 percentile) and is still 21 inches long (92 percentile).  She has two weeks to get back up to her birth weight.  That shouldn't take long because my milk is coming in and she is a great nurser!  It's pretty rough gather up the family for trips in the car!  I took for granted how easy just having Sophie was.  This sweet baby Emma is such a sweet girl.  I love holding her and being with her.  

Friday: This was our second bath.  Our first attempt wasn't too coordinated.  She is a slippery little thing.  This time we had lots of help and she loved being in the water!  

Saturday: My Mom and Kale were working out in the yard (shocker, I know) and so we took the opportunity to go outside.  I had Sophie in October so it's weird being outside with a new baby!  I walked around the yard to see the things they were fixing and Emma was just happy as a clam.  I love her!

Sunday: I don't know what got into me, but I decided to brave Sacrament meeting.  It was quite the effort to get everyone ready, especially since Kale was extra tired because he had to be up with the baby for an hour last night.  She likes to eat around 3-330 then stays wide awake for a while.  I have yet to successfully get her to sleep anywhere but a) laying on someone b) in the bed spooning me.  She looks so cute in her Easter dress.  She was such a good girl too, and slept the entire time!  I got to just hold and love her.  Today commences our final day of meals and visitors.  We've had lots of visitors this week; I love all my family and friends that are doing such kind acts of service for us like meals and stopping by to celebrate this special girl!

Monday:  My first day "alone" since Kale is back to work.  Boy was last night rough...  She ate every hour from 3am-8am and I was exhausted.  Plus, Sophie got up super early (0650!).  Sophie has been a really good girl though and luckily was willing to watch like 3 movies in a row so I could doze off.  Emma had a HUGE blowout today.  It was the first (of many) and it went all the way up her stomach, her back, down her legs, and there was a puddle in the swing.  It bought her another bath though, which she loved.  

Happy 1 week old Baby!  I love just holding you and seeing your eyes open, which is rare.  You are so sweet and such a mellow girl.  You make us so happy and we are so glad you are here!

Cousins

Look at these cute cousins meeting baby Emma for the first time!  

Going Home

Night #2 was a bit of a challenge.  I tried to stay awake during the pink moon/lunar eclipse but just after midnight when I checked it hadn't changed.  The baby wanted to nurse like every hour and I had sent Kale and my Mom home so it was just me!  By 4am I was a little emotional and a little tired.  She ate and I sent her to the nursery just before 6 and was able to sleep for 2 straight hours, it was glorious!  I am so lucky and had such great nurses and CNAs.  I had so many thoughtful visitors and was just so blessed to have a great delivery and stay.  Tuesday afternoon we were ready to go.  Emma had her check-over from the pediatrician, her hearing test, and we did some pictures the hospital offered.  They turned out really cute!

Sophie was acting up quite a bit so our discharge was rushed.  We left just before 1 and I felt like my mom was sprinting for the door!  Emma is so sweet.  The car ride home was uneventful and we were glad to be here.  I am glad to sleep in my own bed tonight.  My mom has the week off to help me so I am very thankful for that.  She is such a good grandma!

Sister Sophie

We've had such great care and lots of nice visitors.  We are so grateful for our friends and family and this beautiful new baby!  Sophie was SO excited to come see her Monday Morning.  She was just so tender.  She was talking to her and smiling.  She couldn't wait to hold her.

By the end of the day Sophie was feeling a little "possessive" of her new sister.  She didn't want anyone to look at her or hold her haha!  It was cute... for a minute.  Then she had to be 'extracted' to home as my mom called it.

Emma is so sweet.  She is a very good baby.  She nurses really well and has the cutest grumpy faces.  We can't get enough of her cheeks!

Baby Emma

I was set up to have an induction on Sunday.  I was supposed to go in at 6pm but they called to tell me they were really busy and to wait at home and they would call me when they had availability.  I was feeling so anxious about it and the wait seemed like forever.  They called me at 7 though, and told me to come in at 9.  We got there and got started on everything.  I had a great nurse and was so excited to meet my baby Emma!  I did some admission stuff and they got my IV in.  Emma was extra sleepy so they had to "buzz" her to make sure she was responding before they started the medicine to get my labor going.  After getting everything ready, the nurse called my doc and they started the medicine just before 1030pm.  By 11 I was feeling the contractions and asked for an epidural.  Man those things are the best!  I was really lucky because they were having so many c-sections we thought it would be a while but the anesthesiologist snuck in between surgeries to give me my epi at around 1130.  By midnight I could still feel some pain but it was very tolerable.  I had a good epidural and could life and move my legs.  We just waited and let the medicine work and my contractions do their job.

The outer monitors were not picking up any contractions but I was definitely having them and my nurse could feel them.  They were going to do an internal monitor but my water hadn't broken yet so they couldn't.  They called the doc to let her know and she said just keep to the course.  At about 115am the contractions were pretty painful and I asked for more medication in my epidural.  I was dilated to 7 1/2 and was glad to get more relief.  Things really took off from there.  By 2am I suddenly had immense pressure and told my nurse, who said "DONT PUSH" and she started setting up and paged my midwife.  Luckily the midwife got there about 215am and got ready to go!  Two pushes later, Emma was born at 0224am!  Such an easy delivery.  I would do that a million times over.  The baby was taking a bit to pink up so they suctioned her out and gave her a little blow-by oxygen.  She weighed 8lb 6 oz and was 21 inches long.  She was born with a hand up by her face (just like in all her ultrasounds).  
  

My mom looked over at Kale and he was pale as a ghost and she told him to sit down and he felt like he was going to pass out.  Oh boy!

I was able to love and nurse Emma and about 0430 we moved to the other room on the postpartum unit.  Emma had her first bath there.

Then everyone but Kale left for home about 0515.  What an exciting day.  We are so glad Emma is here!  She doesn't look a think like Sophie.  She actually looks a lot like my brother, Jeff.