One Week {New} Old

Last week (which now that I think about it, seems like forever ago!) at my 40 week appointment the doctor scheduled an induction for Friday, September 21st at 7:30 in the morning.  On Thursday I was feeling a little crampy but considering I felt that way for almost 2 weeks I didn't really think much of it.  Around 10 p.m. I decided I'd better get to bed so I could have a good nights rest for my induction the next day.  Well I was laying in bed and thinking that these "cramps" were pretty intense.  Again, I just brushed them off and kept telling myself, no big deal, I'm getting induced in the morning so maybe this will just help things along.  Around 10:30 I decided to time my contractions just out of curiosity.  They were coming about 4 -6 minutes apart, so by this time Andrew convinced me to call the doctor's office.  I talked to the midwife on call and she said we'd better come on down to the hospital.  We got to the hospital right about midnight and were in our room by 12:15 a.m. (September 21st).  The nurse was really insistent about getting all of her paperwork done.  I had pre-registered, so it seems like that would have taken care of a lot of it, but I guess not.  I asked her when the midwife or doctor would be in to check me and she just said oh, don't worry, we'll definitely admit you since you had a scheduled induction in the morning anyway.  I think she thought we were trying to jumpstart our induction or something.  Meanwhile, my contractions were REALLY picking up and I was shaking, which I'm sure was transition.  I bet I was at a 6 or 7 when we got to the hospital.  Next time I need to remember to have Andrew tell the nurses that even though I'm smiling and being polite, it's still possible I'm in a lot of pain!! Our nurse did not seem worried about my pain level at all and close to 1 a.m. she finally got  my IV placed and started with fluids so I'd be able to get an epidural.  A little after 1 a.m. the midwife came in and checked me and was surprised to see that I was already 9cm dilated!  That is like my worst nightmare - getting to the hospital and being so far along I can't get an epidural!! They tried to "rush" my epidural but I knew there was no way I'd be able to stay still long enough to get one plus I was starting to feel like I needed to push anyway.  Nurses kept coming in and out of the room "congratulating" me on being at 9 cm and finally after one lady said something I replied, "I really don't want to talk about it anymore!" haha.  I guess I do have a point where I stop being polite :)  Anyway, around 1:30 a.m. I was ready to push so we got all set up and after about 10 minutes of pushing our sweet baby girl arrived at 1:51 a.m.  It was so painful!!! I don't know how women do that, or even want to do it natural, but more power to them!  I just remember thinking the whole time I can't do this anymore! But there's really not a choice, you just have to keep going.  I even thought several times I never wanted to do it again!  But isn't it crazy how holding your little miracle and loving them instantly and feeling absolute joy about the chance you have to be a mother makes you forget all the pain? Obviously I'd prefer an epidural, but I'd do it all over again for our sweet little girl.  Introducing Molly Elizabeth....

9 pounds 3 ounces, 18 3/4 inches.  She is our smallest baby so far - an ounce less than both of her sisters, two inches shorter than Eleanor and three inches shorter than Penelope. 

Unfortunately Molly didn't arrive in time for my brother Freddie to meet her, so instead she was born on his birthday!  It was fun to have Freddie here while we were waiting for the baby to come and the girls had a blast with him.  When he left my mom insisted that my sister Laura should come to make sure I have help when I had the baby.  She was here to help out a few days before and after Molly arrived.  It was so nice to have her help, she was so good with the girls and they were both so sad to see her go.  She left on Tuesday, so we've been on our own for a few days now and we are slowly adjusting to being a family of five.  Andrew has class on Wednesday and Thursday nights (his last two MBA classes, wooooo!!!) so those days were pretty tough.  Eleanor has turned into an awesome little helper and is such a good big sister.  Penelope is excited about having a baby around, but she hasn't quite figured out how to be gentle.  Molly seems to think that nighttime is from about 1 p.m. until 11 p.m. because that is when she has her best sleep.  She'll just wake every few hours to eat and go back to sleep.  She doesn't really get in a deep sleep from about 11 p.m. until 2 a.m. and from about 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.  But she's only one week old so I'm sure we'll get it figured out soon enough. As for me, I'm just pretty exhausted, but luckily recovery seemed to be easier this time around. 

Now for some picture overload...

Day 1 {September 21st} - Meeting Molly for the first time

{a little bit nervous}

{but very excited!}

 

 

 

 

Super Muffy (my sister Laura)

Day 2 - Checking out of the hospital

Eleanor made herself right at home with the nurse's whiteboard and markers.

Each room at our hospital has its own private patio, which was awesome to have when the girls came to visit.  They could eat snacks out on the patio table and have more room to run around and be loud.

Home sweet home!

Trying out her swing for the first time...

 Penelope found some of Molly's hospital parting gifts...

Eleanor, the storyteller...

A little piece of Heaven: Baby asleep in the swing, Eleanor and Penelope coloring/playing together quietly while I clean up after dinner...

A receding hairline...

Lots of baby cuteness... 

 

 Playtime...

Penelope,  the hair dresser - they learned this from Laura :)

A whole lot of this...

and some of this...

Celebrate!

We've had a lot to celebrate the past few weeks.  First we celebrated Penelope's 2nd birthday.  We went to Chuck E. Cheese with a birthday coupon I got in my email.  They send a coupon for 20 tokens on your kids birthdays and half birthdays.  We just split the tokens between both girls and they both get to play some games and pick out some prizes.  Usually all we can get with their tickets is a couple packs of Smarties and some stickers.  But they think it's a blast and we sit at a little booth and eat our Smarties and watch Chuck E. Cheese put on a show :) Afterwards we went home for some cake and presents.  

I can't believe she is already two.  She is so much fun to have around!  She is also so sensitive and so cuddly.  She definitely loves her mama.  She loves babies and I'm so excited to see her become a big sister.  I know she will love her little baby sister!  She talks a lot, she loves to color, she loves to dress up and is almost always wearing accessories.  She LOVES music and dancing and singing.  She and Eleanor are becoming really great friends and I love it.  We love Penelope so much and we're so glad she is in our family!

 Here are some pictures from her doctor's appointment.  Eleanor loved "helping" the doctor and reassuring Penelope everything was ok. 

Penelope also loves books.  These girls could sit and read books all day.  

Here are some pictures from our most recent visit to Barnes and Noble.

  

Both girls really like doing puzzles, too.  Here they are at the library doing some puzzles.

               

Next we celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary.  And of course I don't have any pictures of us on our anniversary.  Andrew had orientation at school so I stayed home and ate freezie pops and watched some TV :)  But the next day we celebrated with a family fun day.  Our wedding day is the day we were sealed to our kids, so what better way to celebrate then with our two sweet girls! We went to the library, then went to IKEA, ate lunch at their little cafe (I know, pretty fancy, right!) and then the best part of all, we found a snoball stand!! Not just any snow-cone place, but an authentic New Orleans style snoball stand!  It was awesome, and the girls were big fans!  Since our first visit we've tried to limit our visits to just once a week! 

   




Since I have no pictures of me and Andrew together on this post I figure a walk down memory lane of our wedding day might be fitting :)  After we were first married I would look through our wedding pictures and my favorites were the ones that I thought I looked pretty in - haha so young and superficial :) But now when I look at them, my favorites are the ones that evoke memories and feelings and thoughts of eternity.  Here are just a few I grabbed off of facebook that are my newest favorites (they aren't the originals, so they obviously aren't the best quality, but you get the idea)

I love this one because I remember sitting up in that little cove and laughing with Andrew.  From the first time I met Andrew I've always been really comfortable around him and able to be myself.  And what comes along with being myself is saying what I'm really thinking and Andrew usually finds those things pretty humorous.

I love this one because my nails look really pretty.  Haha, just kidding.  This one reminds me of how much I like holding Andrew's hand.  I am not a PDA person at all.  And holding hands often makes me feel claustrophobic.  But whenever I hold Andrew's hand I feel secure and loved and just calm, like nothing in the world could go wrong.  Like I said before, I just feel really comfortable around him and I have no insecurities when I'm with him.

I love this one because of the reminder WHERE we were married.  The temple, the house of the Lord.  I wouldn't have it any other way.  This is the right place to be married and because we made this choice we can be together forever and have our children sealed to us.  I'm so grateful for temples!  And so grateful that that is the place where I was married to Andrew!

Speaking of Andrew, next we celebrated his last first day of school EVER!  Wooohoo!  So he's done with law school, but this is his last semester of business school!  He just has two classes so he's only gone two nights a week.  I think I can handle that knowing this is our last semester.  I don't have a picture of this particular day, but here's another flashback to his first day of graduate school.

First day of Law School - August 2008

Next we celebrated me being "full term".  Here I am at 37 weeks.  At the doctor's office I've been measuring a week behind most of the pregnancy but at my 37 week appointment I had gained 3 pounds in one week (which was a lot since I usually only gain 1/2 - 1 pound a week) and now I'm measuring a week ahead.  Little sis must have had some kind of growth spurt!  I'm anxious to see how big she'll be and if she'll pass up Eleanor and Penelope's 9 pounds 4 ounces.  I'm now 38 1/2 weeks pregnant (but who's counting).  My brother Freddie comes in town on Saturday for about a week to help with the girls while I'm having this baby.  So hopefully she'll make her appearance while he is here.  Fingers crossed!

Next we celebrated Labor Day.  Andrew's parents came in town and Andrew did some yard work with his dad and his mom watched the girls so I could run some errands.  Then we went to lunch at Chick-Fil-A and of course it wouldn't be a celebration without more snoballs!

And lastly we celebrated Andrew's work from home week.  He was able to work from home this week because the DNC is in Charlotte and apparently important people are staying at the fancy hotel across from Andrew's office so a bunch of roads are closed and there will be lots of traffic in the area.  Also both of his classes were cancelled this week because his school is downtown near all the festivities.  It's been nice to have him at home.  But he's probably secretly ready to get back to the office :)

It's crazy to think our next celebration will be our new baby! I've finished everything on my to-do/get-ready list, so now we are just counting down the days until we get to meet her!