Emilyn - 3 months

I can't believe three months have passed of course, and at the same time it seems like ages ago that it was the day she was born.

She is smiling, talking, laughing; she's happiest to be held and have a chat, as long as she's well fed, rested and diapered.  She also likes sitting on our ottoman or in her little portable bed that we have on the changing table (which has wheels), which has toys in it that she can bat at, grab, pull, etc.  She also likes sitting in her little pink boppy pillow in the bathroom, where she kicks at a toy hanging on the wall.  She is majorly strong!  She kicks hard, and when you try to put her arms up over her head you might as well lift her whole body.

She takes long naps either in her swing or lying next to Mommy.  She has slept occasionally in her actual crib.  She screams and cries like we're torturing her usually before she falls asleep (unless she's being fed) so sometimes like Daddy doesn't like that so then she's kept up longer and gets even grumpier.:)  But she has a pretty good schedule, she'll take good naps in the morning, afternoon and evening, or a combination of one or more.  At night she'll wake up anywhere from 2-5 times but she almost always goes pretty much right back to sleep.

Steven thinks she's the most beautiful girl he's ever seen.  Louis loves to snuggle and sit next to her.  It's starting to get easier, where I'll lie her down next to him in his bed as he's waking up in the morning, or on the couch when he's watching TV.  He starts to talk to her on the phone when he goes to Peter's, and she'll talk back.  He reads her stories sometimes.:)

She druels incessantly and we think she's teething already.  She is consoled by a little teething ring sometimes.  She'll suck on her whole hand or a couple fingers.

At her 2 month appointment she was 23 1/2 inches (87th percentile) and 11 pounds 2 ounces (58th percentile), and 40cm on her head (80th percentile).  So evidently she's going to be tall and smart.:)

We are not going anywhere this summer except up to my mom's one weekend in Peoria.  I'm not really looking forward to the ride up there, it's about 4 1/2 hours.  She does OK in the car but once she starts crying she won't stop until you stop and get her out of the car.  So we shall see!  We have been swimming several times, she loves the water - as long as it's not too cold!

She's a mommy's girl I think everyone would agree.:)  She'll usually cry if anyone else has her besides me, or maybe Delores (Emily's Grama, who watches Emilyn every day while I go to work), or Steven.  Well I guess that's normal?!:)  Lou wasn't that way, but I don't think I did much differently.  Anyway I'm going to soak it up as long as I can!

A pleasurable experience

Have I mentioned my satisfaction with the overall experience with the doctor, the surgery, and the hospital?  I think this has played a big role in my quick recovery.

My doctor was Dr. Amanda Mulch at Southern Illinois Ob-Gyn.  Their practice includes several excellent doctors who all saw me prior to the baby being born so they could all be familiar with my case just in case Amanda was not available the day of the birth (which is exactly what happened in Lou's birth).  I felt like I was in good hands throughout the pregnancy.  Dr. Mulch had been up most of the night before my surgery I believe, and she was always chipper, positive and confident.

We got to the Memorial Hospital of Carbondale at about 10 minutes after our scheduled arrival of 5:30am. Lou was safe at home with Grama Jean, and they were both scheduled to meet us at the hospital around 9am.  The only problem with the preliminary part of getting checked in, dressed in hospital gown, etc., was the attachment of the IV, which took 5 tries despite the two nurses extolling the virtues of my beautiful veins.  The bruises are currently fading, but I'm not yet wearing any short sleeves out in public.:)

Steven was there with me of course, giving the nurses a hard time, taking a smoke break and making me nervous that he would 'get lost,' and getting dressed up in his scrubs, looking very cute.  He had to carry all the paraphernalia I brought with, at that time it was just my clothes, purse and camera and phone, but he was threatened horrible things if he forgot the camera and my phone.:)  He was in a great mood.

The c-section was scheduled for 7:30am, and that's when they sent me in to get the epidural.  That was the scariest part for me, that and the thought of the painful recovery, and both went splendidly... With Lou I ended up having to get two shots for the epidural, and I was dreading it.  So now I had to lean over a pillow and I was freaking out, but this time I barely felt anything thanks to the local anasthetic, and I barely had time to get my legs up on the table while the feeling set in.  That was weird and a little scary but then I felt no pain or anything at all and that was good after all the pains I had during the pregnancy.  Then the sheet went up in front of me so I could only hear the doctor and nurses conversing, always in a tone that was calm and conversational while down to business, and very reassuring.  Enter Steven, they don't let the dads in until after the epidural because too many of them pass out.

Steven held my hand and looked me in the eyes and said silly sweet things to keep me calm.  All I could see of him was his eyes, which were on me mostly and looking around a little of course, always staking out his surroundings.  I wish could remember now exactly what he said, but all I know is that it made me smile at the time, and was sweet enough to make me cry now to remember it.  I may undergo hypnosis eventually to get those memories back.:)

It went so fast once Steven was in there, and the next thing I knew, I started to hear from the behind the curtain 'oh she's beautiful' and then I heard the first baby sounds, the gasp, cough, wimper...that was so amazing!  She was there with us, she was beautiful, she was breathing!  I burst into joyful tears, and they took her to the table where they weighed her (7 pounds, 13 ounces, 20 inches long) and wrapped her up, then they showed her to me, then Steven got to hold her and we looked upon her beautiful face for the first time together. 

When you carry the baby in your belly for so long and wonder and worry about her, and then you see her in all her perfect glory like that the first time, it's such a relief and a wonder and a happy moment.  That's what's been in your belly all these months, how could that be??  She was a glowing little pink perfection.  I was videoing Steven while he held her and they sewed me up and that's exactly what he said: o my goodness, so tiny and perfectly pink!  Aunt Molly and I were texting, and so were her and Steven, here's my sequence, where we started off with a simultaneous text to each other:

Molly, 7:03am: I'm sending good vibes!!!! xoxoxo
Amy, 7:04am: IV is in they said half an hour for epi[dural]
Molly, 7:13: Ahhhhhh tell Steven to text me if he thinks of it.  So soon til you see her!
Molly, 7:44: Is she here??
Amy, 8:07: YEs! [official time of birth, 7:59am]
Molly, 8:08: How is she!!!!???? Congratulations!!!
Molly, 8:08: How are you???
Amy, 8:11: Good sewing up, baby cryin:)
Molly, 8:12: Is Steven taking pictures?? What was his reaction?? I'm so happy for you!!!
Molly, 8:12: Too many questions, just enjoy your baby girl:)

Amy, 8:14am:

Molly, 8:17: She's so perfect!!!

Molly, 8:22: I'm staring at her pic:)

Molly, 8:29: I'm sending godmother vibes now:)

Amy, 8:42: I'm in recovery.  She is SO beautiful:):) she was so happy in daddy's arms.  daddy like rocking her and cooing

Molly, 8:43: Oh my gosh I'm going to cry...

And on and on it went.  I thought I would not like the recovery room since I had to wait to see the baby, but I was feeling no pain, had leg massagers running, and a heated blanket blowing hot air on me.  Ahhhh....I was so relaxed they kept having to tell me to breathe a little to get my heart rate up high enough so they could release me from the recovery room.  All day that heart rate monitor kept waking me up because I was so ultra-relaxed....This is not a bad thing!  I left the recovery room about 9:01am.

9:12am, they brought Emilyn to the hospital room, and at the time it was me, Steven and Lou and both grandmothers in attendance.  The lactation consulatant was the one who gave her to me, then everyone in the room held her, except Lou who took his time.  And we tried latching on right away, and the first time she latched was 1:48pm, according to text to aunt Molly. 

Molly's text to me at 1:51pm: Is it as wonderful as I hear it is?

Amy, 1:55pm: It's pretty wild:) I don't know if she's getting anything but she is sure happy now!:) they finally gave me med for nausea

Molly, 1:56: that all sounds so great!

Molly, 1:58: does she look like what you though she would?

Amy: She has her own look!  A lot like me as a baby but fatter, but also lots like Steven:)

Then I sent a picture of Lou's first hold, and of course Molly can't wait to hold her, and she tells me David wants to put her picture up on Facebook.:)

Poor Steven's dad who showed up later...I was nauseous from the drugs all day that Friday, and I kept barfing up nothing at all but Steven's dad about barfed himself when he saw me heave, ha!:)  Other visitors that day were Steven's sister Christina and my friend Andi.  It was a busy day despite the fact that I was completely out of commission for the most part, happy but sleepy, looking a mess of course and sporadically vomiting.

Little did I know, but Molly had been dismissed from work early.  She was on her way and we were talking on the phone and I lost her, then I texted her and said I was going to try and take a nap (which I couldn't because my heartrate monitor kept beeping when it went too low).  I texted her at 5:11pm to be careful because we had a tornado warning, and she must have walked in right about that time (about three hours ahead of schedule) because we have video of aunt Molly holding the baby during the tornado warning.  It was such an excellent surprise when she walked in, we hugged and cried, Mom was at the time dropping Lou off with his papa and averting the storm herself.

The nurses at the hospital took wonderful care of me.  The first day was Dorothy, poor lady who had to measure my excretions, then I can't remember but I know there was a Melody and the last day was Kathy.  That first night, it was late, probably something like 11:30pm, I got out of bed the first time and sat on a chair by the bed, no more sickie,and they took Emilyn out of the room to weigh her which I forgot about the next day.  Baby slept on me all night, not much sleep for me but who cares, I had my baby sleeping on me all night, heaven.:)  Steven had stayed over night both nights and of course didn't sleep too great either, but he survived.  Probably didn't lie down to sleep that first night until about 1:30am.  Saturday morning I ate breakfast, and got up and showered, make-up, hair, decent clothes, it was like a 180 degree turn from the previous day. 

Aunt Debbie, Dorothy visited on Saturday, of course Molly and Mom were there, Molly brought some pastries for me, I had some coffee after my bowl of raisin bran and I believe some fruit, hospital meat loaf, mashed potatotes and gravy and yellow cake with chocolate frosting for lunch, it was tasty and quite different from what I remember at the Brussels hospital, which was like typical salad with no good dressing, bread and main course, not satisfying in the least (but don't get me wrong, overall my six day stay in the Brussels hospital with Louis was equally as ethereal).  Dinner that night was fried chicken breast but I didn't eat it because Debbie brought stuff.  Grama Delores was there with Alex after they went to the circus (Steven included), and later Lou.  That evening (Great)Aunt Debbie brought 17th street for everyone and we had a little feast there, even some fine wine (none for me of course:).:)

We got to bed earlier on Saturday night.  They came in and said they had to take Emilyn to weigh her pretty late again but earlier than the night before, I was already falling asleep with the baby on me again and I was kind of peeved. So at that point I got up to see where they had taken her, walked out to the nursery, I was like why did they take her to the nurse who had been bringing around the percocet I believe, I think I was kind of in a stupor, I felt bad later for giving them a hard time but Molly says the nurses like it when moms are concerned like that and want their babies always in the room with them, so I didn't worry.  It was funny I remember once during the night when the nurse came in and Steven was snoring, and I was like baby, can you roll over, ha.:)

Sunday first thing Dr. Schneider came in my room to our pleasant surprise.  We were looking forward to going home but had not known when the doctors would be showing up.  We knew we had to wait to get checked out by both my doc and the baby's doc (Dr. Korte, who has always been Lou's doctor).  Dr. Korte had been there the day before to meet with Emilyn, then she also came in very early on Sunday.  So we seemed all set to go.  We got ready, Steven packed everything up, as Mom, Molly and Lou waited for us at home.  Steven gently packed the baby in the car seat, they wheeled me out and that was it!

Overall, an A+ experience.

Lou and Emilyn

Lou is thrilled to the core about his baby sister, but he won't tell you that.  Everyone asks Lou about his new baby sister and what he thinks, is he excited, etc., and what's a kid to say?  Some people have said he seems kind of not sure about her, but it's quite the opposite, where he's just brimming but, as Lou is, he just kind of doesn't know how to express it I guess.

Emilyn has one of her biggest fans in her big brother.  She seems to know his voice, she follows his face when he's talking nearby.  He came home after school the other day and was holding her, then lay down next to her, then they both fell asleep...

 

 

 

 

I swear I didn't stage any of that, and my heart kept melting...

In the meantime Louis remembered that he had a camera and he started taking picture after picture of the two of them together.

 

Baby symphony

I sit drinking my coffee listening to the little symphony of baby sounds.  Coos, hiccups, sneezes, lips smacking on sucked hands, grunts, farts, baby breaths, eventually plaintive cries of 'hey mommy I'm sitting here waiting for you you know!!"...so sweet.

Emilyn's fourth day already!

I just watched the video I've got of the first time Steven holds Emilyn in the surgery room, it was only four days ago but it feels like four years ago. That was the moment where our lives were forever changed, when the baby we had been dreaming about for all those months came to life before our very eyes.

Friday was a hard day for me, just nauseous from the meds, but other than than that the whole experience with the surgery and the hospital has been wonderful. I felt pretty much 90% on Saturday morning, when the pain meds from the epidural were still working so I was feeling at my best then probably. Since then those have worn off and I'm moving very slowly but still, so much better than last time, when I was in hospital for six days. We came home first thing yesterday, I know Steven was very happy to get out of there, although he was so great and stayed both nights.  He's been changing diapers and getting the hang of changing her clothes, and he gets the sweetest twinkle in his eyes whenever he looks at her.:)

Emilyn seems to be taking everyone and everything in stride, getting passed around to and fro, so loved and adored already, soaking it all up. She seems to know my voice really well since she starts looking and rooting whenever she hears me, as well as Steven's and Lou's. She sleeps a ton and is doing all the normal stuff as far as bodily functions.  I can tell you she has a very solid latch, ouch.:)  She will feed and feed and then when she's done she'll pop her head off and lay it right back down and then she doesn't want to be moved.  Her refelexes are like explosions, whenver you touch her or make a sound she's launching her arms and legs in all different directions.

Louis took things at his own pace and kind of just looked at her at first, but once he held her it became difficult to get her away from him.:) We have been explaining to him that she already feels comfortable around him, since she has been hearing his voice and already knows him. When we got home yesterday Louis was sitting next to her, wouldn't leave her side, and every time she opened her eyes he would say: I'm Louis and I'm your brother, and just talking away at her.

Today is Molly's last day here, after she gave me the most excellent surprise and got here three hours early on Friday. It's been great because she not only has gotten to spend tons of time with me and the baby, but also with Louis.  She'll be leaving with the boys probably, the boys meaning the crew coming through from Talladega which will include my brothers and dad and uncle and nephews, one of the biggest baby-loving crews you could ever meet. Mom has been here since Thursday night and has been doing everything from cooking dinner to changing diapers to shuttling Lou around, thank goodness for her.

I have so many pictures to upload, I'll be working on that, mainly hoping the baby's milk's gonna come in soon!

She is here!

Arrived 7:59
7 pounds 13 oz
20 inches
Beautiful!

About 15 hours to go

Just got home from my last day of work/classes, enjoying the excellent weather, waiting for Mom/Grama to get here, which should be in a couple of hours!

I'm pretty much over the nervousness, and the sadness of being done with the pregnancy (that didn't last too long:), now just excited.  I thought I would be crying all day, because, well as some people know I have had a tendency to spontaneously break into tears during this pregnancy.:)  But it's gratefully not turned out that way.

Emilyn is just sitting there quietly, kicking it every now and then.  I hope she doesn't mind we're going to come in there and get her tomorrow morning, ready or not!

Getting a lot of good energy from family and friends, that is much appreciated and makes me feel great.  Yesterday Louis was saying he wanted to go to school tomorrow but now he's saying he wants to go to the hospital with Grama in the morning to see the baby.  He has marked off all the days on the calendar, no more to go!  Steven is as usual working and I'm nagging him to come home, he is of course very excited also.

The outlook for the weather for tomorrow, the hour of Emilyn's arrival: 55 degrees and thunderstorms!  I hope the thunder won't scare her while she's recovering, but her daddy will be right there to save her.:)

Castle Park

Mommy's blogging from Castle Park while Lou runs around. Can't wait to have baby here with us in the baby Bjorn.

One week to go

Mommy and Daddy had the pre-op appointment on Friday, April 8, so we've got all the details of what's going to happen next Friday. Dr. Godmother Molly says no more cleaning for Mommy so that's what I'm going to do. Last night, out with Steven, steaks at a local joint, tonight ribs and tomorrow lobster tails I'd wager. Every day to the fullest.:) I was telling Emilyn how she's just gonna be having milk here all the time before too long so she might as well enjoy it.

Mommy's had the most lazy Saturday today but I've still gotten lots done, including getting the material for the first mobile in the baby's room.

It was such a lovely surprise to see Mom (Grama) and Dave on Thursday. She's gonna be back soon!