for the second time in my life...I had a baby. A beautiful. Happy. Healthy baby. We could not be happier or feel more lucky than we do to have such a happy and healthy family.
today...9 days later...I'm not entirely convinced it ever happened. We didn't just wake up one morning and she was here...in our arms?!
below is our story in photos...I'm almost too tired to give you all the juicy details because the last few nights have been...trying. What's nice about the 2nd time around is that you know this is coming. The no sleep thing. The spitting up. And why must we always turn against each other in the wee hours of the morning while the baby screams?! No one will win the "I've gotten LESS sleep argument." NO ONE;) But we've had 2 really good days. Omg. I have this baby that I love and I have this little boy who I love...who has been such a terror...kinda;) But the last 2 days...they've given me a break. Homer's taken a nap for the first time in a week. Thrown a few less fits. Let me enjoy an entire Target experience...
it truly doesn't get any better than this - and I hope to eat my words when number 3 arrives;)
the photo above is one of about 5 photos Jacob got before Theo arrived. Yeah...shit went down pretty fast. I thought things went down quickly with Homer...but we were able to cut that time in 1/2 this time around! Jacob and I figured out that from the time my contractions started with Homer, till he arrived, was about 24 hours. Only 6.5 of those hours being IN the hospital and 3 pushes in about 10 minutes to bring him here:)
with Theo it was about 12 hours from the time contractions started until she arrived. Only 3.5 hours IN the hospital and 1 push in about 30 seconds to bring her here.
boom;)
that's basically it. That's the story:) I was dilated to a 7/8 when I arrived at the hospital and 100% effaced (even with, what the nurses deemed, SEVERE contractions...I smiled when they told me I was a 7/8. YAY!!!:) Epidural again this time and again...it was perfection! So thankful for that!
my only regret was that we didn't stay at the hospital longer:( I have SO enjoyed our hospital stays. I've even found myself accidentally calling it a "hotel stay".!!!;) But this time around we had Theo at 528AM. We had been at the hospital since about 2AM. So we felt like an additional night would be too long...but we definitely should have taken advantage. I had quite a bit of back pain the first few days at home and I was beyond exhausted. I think that extra night at the hospital would have given me more down time. I will not make the same mistake again next time. And yes, Jacob...there will be a next time;)
PS. the doc that delivered was amazing. So lucky to have had such great physicians each time!
one of the first things I said when Theo arrived was "she's HUGE!!!". I knew immediately after seeing her that she was bigger than Homer (he was 7lbs4oz)! I was seriously shocked to hear she was 8lbs12oz!!:) I got a chubby baby!
looking at the photo above still gets to me. I cry every time I look at it:') I've just been so so incredibly lucky to have such amazing birth experiences. They've been just...it sounds silly...but beautiful and intense and happy...and just...emotional. And that pain...I could do it over and over again. It's the best thing I've ever done. Ever. Besides loving Jacob...nothing has ever felt more right to me:')
PS. all the photos in the delivery room, following that first photo, were taken by a nurse who just happened to see our camera in all the commotion and started snapping away. I'll be forever grateful:)
so far, so good with the nursing:) She seemed to come out knowing exactlyyyyy what to do!!!! We've discovered that she's a bit spitty, just like her bro was. But we're dealing and as of a few days after her birth, she was gaining weight. We've got another weigh-in tomorrow and we're hoping that even with all the spitting up, she's still on the right track:)
homer has really been amazing with Theo. I'm so proud of him for loving her so much immediately! We all laugh cause Homer got a weird little habit from me...skin to skin contact. He likes to touch our faces or his own when he's tired and rub our arms. I love it:) So now he likes to point out Theo's eyes. And her ears. And her nose. And her "cheekers". It's THE most adorable thing ever. And so he likes to "touch her cheekers" whenever he can;)
first diaper change involving a vagina for the new dad;)
a little view of Theo's room:) We co-sleep, so she may not be enjoying her room for another 6 months or so. But I'm so happy to have a few beautiful, hand-made pieces, already up on the walls. Just a few more things needed: area rug, rocking chair...and it'll feel much more cozy:)
and as always...thank you ALL so very much for all the Congrats and Well Wishes and Gifts and Visits and Help and Hugs and Cuddles for Theo and LOVE:) We are so lucky to have so many people in our lives that love us and our kiddos so damn much!
and in case you forgot - Homer's story:):)
No comments:
Post a Comment