Our first week

Its been such a fun week together as a family. Nate used vacation time and took the whole week off and its been wonderful. Aliyah still has her days and nights mixed up. During the day she sleeps so soundly in the pac-n-play and I have to wake her every 3 hours to eat and force her awake just to eat enough. At night she nurses every few hours and doesn't like to settle often into her bassinet and ends up sleeping on us a lot of the time but we'll get there eventually. It is fun when she's awake some so we can see her eyes. And it is helpful sometimes for her to be sleeping during the day when we're on such a eating/napping schedule with Max so we still get to eat some normal family meals and such. The best part for Max has been having daddy home. He has just had SO much fun with daddy this week we will really miss him when he goes to work on Monday. My mom will be over most of the week to help out but I told her she has her work cut out for her. Max has been awesome otherwise. Even the crying doesn't phase him and he likes showing baby Ally his cars and trucks (which the collection seems to grow every day between Grandma and daddy!). He likes to check on her in the pac-n-play and can say Ally pretty clearly.
Luckily for me, she's not a marathon nurser like Max was and we're usually done (even with multiple diaper changes) in a half an hour so that helps a lot! The only problem is keeping her awake sometimes so she can finish.
I really look forward now to the 2 week mark. That's when we can introduce the paci (which I think she'll like cause she's a sucker) and can introduce a bottle which eases my mind some. I just hope she takes both of them well.
Otherwise I'm still feeling good, so much better than after Max. Besides the normal loosing sleep at night we're pretty lucky with her so far.

I have some humorous instructions, like not lifting anything heavier than her and limiting stairs which with Max and the only bathroom being upstairs is obviously not a possibility but I'm trying to take it easy so I can heal up quickly.

We're just so blessed and so happy to complete our family!

Aliyah Grace

Aliyah Grace is here! Born on 6/5 at 9:16pm. She weighed 7lbs, 7oz and is 20 inches long. She's completely beautiful, even the nurses said so just like they did with Max (after they admitted again they don't say that to everyone:)). She doesn't look like Max, or either of us really but we think she's just precious!

Well, God was with us Saturday and another lesson was learned to put our trust in him and stop worrying!!!! I was so anxious and worried about another long labor but it all went so fast. I started having some random contractions Saturday around 1:30pm but had no other real signs so I wasn't thinking much of it, put Max down for his nap and laid down and they just kept getting closer. The Dr wanted a few hours of 5 mins apart but after one hour of 5 mins apart and another hour of 2-4 mins apart we headed in without even waiting for the Dr to call back. I'm glad we did too! I got checked in around 6:30pm and was 6cm. The contractions were RIGHT on top of each other, some with literally no break so I was happy to get the epidural (though I did hardly need it but was still nervous I could be pushing a while like I did with Max). After it was over it was nice because even though he told me I was 10cms already we all got to relax a few minutes before pushing (though with all the pressure I was feeling I'm glad I didn't have to wait too long). I probably only pushed around a dozen times, about 15 minutes and out she came. They said I was so close so I just kept going and wow! I couldn't believe she was here already. It was wonderful (and nice to be under the epidural while getting stitched back up too!). Both grandmothers got a chance to pop in too before we got moved to the maternity ward around 11pm. I had none of the post-labor complications like I did with Max so I was already feeling pretty good. I didn't really need pain medication so it wasn't a big deal that I couldn't take the motrin. The only complaint, which the nurse said is often worse with the 2nd, is contractions/cramping still coming, especially while nursing. Even now, 2 days later I still get them pretty bad but the nursing is going well. She nursed right away in the labor room and got the hang of it right away. She gets gassy sometimes afterwards but that's usually the only time she's fussy. We have to watch the diaper thing which is new to us because Max never cared if his diaper was a mess or wet so that was never one of the "why is baby crying" checks for us but its nice if that's what is causing it because that's easy to take care of. The hospital bed really hurts my back badly so we were VERY happy to come home yesterday, especially to be with the Max again. He did great for his grandmothers but I think he's happy to have mom and dad home. He has been good. At the hospital all the grandparents were there so he was more interested in putting on a show than seeing the baby. Now he checks her out often and likes to say her name (he calls her Ally). Its so fun to be all together as a family, we are truly blessed!

She is sleeping a lot which is nice, has her days and nights a little backwards yet but that's pretty normal so we'll work it out!

Pictures are coming....

Waiting.....

I know everyone wants an update but I have nothing to report. On Wednesday I had a few random contractions but it didn't lead to anything. I'm not very good at figuring this stuff out since with Max my water just broke and I was induced so its still kinda like the first time of not knowing exactly what I'm supposed to be feeling but I'm pretty sure when it gets close I'll know!

For now I'm just trying to keep up with laundry, grocery shopping and cleaning since you just never know! The grandmas are anxiously still on stand by! At least I know for sure its less than 2 weeks now since they won't let me go a week over my due date (which is June 9th).

I'm also getting very excited. Its odd that you put the whole labor part out of your mind but again, except for leaving Max for 2-3 days (which still makes me cry just thinking about it), I'm kind of excited to do this again. I'm hoping it goes a little smoother than the first time, without the pitocin and 2.5 hours of pushing. The contractions don't scare me (I had the epidural late the first time cause I didn't want it to slow anything down, but God knew I was going to need it for the hours of pushing!) The whole birth part is the only pain I'm afraid of. I would also love to wake up and go in to labor instead of skipping a nights sleep and then have to push and take care of a baby (who for the first 2 day choked on fluid still in his lungs so one of us had to stay awake the whole time...). The vivid part I do remember from Max is those few sleepy days afterwards cause I was a mess with swelling and bladder issues, so that I could do without. But I just can't wait till they put baby girl on my chest and we get to see her for the first time!

For now, we're just enjoying our time with Max. I know he won't remember but I do hope we do. I know things will only get better but its been such a fun year and a half with him, that with help from my rambling blog I do hope we never forget this time we've had just the 3 of us too.

It was nice to get a long weekend in last weekend. We played outside a lot (mom gained those last 5lbs she hadn't gained yet in swelling!) in his little pool cause of the heat. Monday we took him to a parade which he loved. Now we're just hanging out and playing.

He's been so good lately, despite 4 new teeth coming in. His top right molar is through and the left one is breaking through. He's also breaking through the 2 next to the middle two at the bottom (which according to the teeth chart in his baby book he was supposed to have gotten a year ago, lol!) so once they're all completely out that's 12!!!!!!! Tylenol seems to help his pain well. He's also speaking in phrases now which is cute, except he does a lot of possession words "daddy's car", etc which is fine but it appears that most things in general tend to be "Max's" and I'm not sure this is the time to get possessive about stuff with the new baby coming but I always talk about the baby stuff so he'll know. He is too young to understand there is a baby coming but he knows her stuff and gives me weird looks at my belly "kinda like geez mom, really letting yourself go huh" but its funny! Soon enough young one...

So anyway, here are some pictures

From the parade, he loves flags!

A few of the horns and sirens scared him a little bit so he got to sit with daddy.

Nate was trying to capture him using his fry as a utensil for eating his apple sauce but instead got some cheeeeesy photos! Look at all those teeth!

Last night we went over to Nate's mom's pool and it was SO nice to feel "weightless"!!! Max just loved it, he laughed and smiled till his lips turned blue!

Fun times

How nice to be able to eat a spaghetti dinner outside so mom doesn't have to clean it up!

Right from dinner to the pool....

Stand back if you don't want to get wet!

Max's friends came for dinner so their mom and dad could enjoy a quiet anniversary dinner out...Yum!

37 week Ellie Photo shoot

This past weekend Ellie and family came up to celebrate her mom's birthday. Luckily the weather held out and we had a picnic and Max got to play outside with his fun cousins! Of course Ellie got her photo shoot in!

3 weeks to go

Only 3 weeks to go tomorrow! I figured I'd give an update but there isn't much to report. I was told today that my visits are kind of boring, which Dr's take delight in apparently. I'm measuring right on and baby girl is still head down. She's also still moving and kicking quite a bit. I've gained about 35lbs which is still 5lbs less than I did with Max, despite the rapid weight gain at the beginning. Everything else is right on and normal so we just wait....

I'm feeling ok. Apparently I must look tired, as I'm told often, but I'm actually sleeping pretty well (came up with some new pillow techniques since the first time around!) and getting my naps in on the 4 days I don't work. Max is still taking 2 naps a day for the most part which is wonderful!!!

I'm just anxious at this point. I was so convinced that Max would be late and he was a week early so I'm trying not to get my hopes up for going early again but I'm more than ready. Bags are packed, nursery is ready, grandmas are on stand by and I can't wait to be allowed to eat hot dogs and lunch meat again!

In other news.... Nate's new job is going very well. He really enjoys it and we've all adjusted to his new schedule. Max has been quite good lately and really well at playing by himself which we hope continues.

I think that's about all there is for now so stay tuned....

Spring

We have been enjoying this nice weather and taking advantage of our ability to do things while we still can.

Last weekend we went to Zoo America. Nate's mom got him a year pass so its a great quick trip we can take between naps and such. It was a warm day but Max always likes getting out.

Then we came home and played in the water to cool off!

34 weeks, hanging LOW and out!

We try not to encourage playing with our food but Max is one of those slow eaters who will come back to stuff if you just leave him there long enough so it happens.... this was just impressive. 2 grape pieces, a mandarin orange with a grape on top. We were impressed, which pleased him of course!