Firsts

The past days have been days of firsts.

Abby's first trip out was to her pediatrician's office to do a weight check and to check her levels because she was a little jaundice.

Her second trip out was with me to my doctor and also for her to have an ultrasound to check her spine. She has a dimple at the bottom of her spine and they needed to check to make sure all was okay. It is :)

Her third trip was her FIRST shopping trip and she did wonderful. My Mom was still in town helping us out and we took her to the new Ikea. We bought a rug for under our dining room table and a ton of organization items and things for the kids rooms.

My first outing with her by myself (and with Emily) was to the mall in search of something to wear to my brother's wedding this weekend. I am THRILLED he is getting re-married and I just adore my new SIL. However, I would have better luck finding something 9 months pregnant than I did two weeks after giving birth. I settled on a shirt and I am hoping by Sunday I can fit into some pre-pregnancy capri's. It is a dressy casual beach wedding so at least I can get away with some dressy capri's.

Today was my first day with all three kids by myself all day. The hubby is about to be home and I consider today to have been a major success. All kids survived the day. We managed to all get dressed, eat breakfast AND lunch and Thomas napped (!!!). I even showered, put on makeup, and did a couple loads of laundry.

We are leaving tomorrow to head out of town for my brother's wedding and I really need to make a trip to Wal-mart but I decided that a trip to Wal-mart with a newborn, a 2 year old and an 8 year old was more than I wanted to tackle on day 1.

I might have to tackle that Wal-mart trip tomorrow though since the weather has turned very nasty with heavy rain, wind and hail making it very unlikely we will make it to the store tonight with hubby.

Abigail Isabella Grace

I really meant to post this days ago. However, the past 11 days have just gone by so FAST!

Abby was born June 5th at 3:33 in the afternoon.

She weighed 7lbs 1 ounce and was 20 inches long. She is such a little peanut.

She is beautiful and amazing. Her brother and sister are doing wonderful with her. Thomas still asks several times a day, "When Abby be born?" .... we just keep letting him know, she's already here buddy ! LOL!

You really forget what the first few weeks are like with a newborn in the house...until the moment you have a newborn in the house again and then you remember, Oh yes, sleep deprivation and a milk dispenser are what life is about right now. It will pass though.

By the third child I really thought I would have figured out more... but I haven't. She is her own little person - nothing like Emily and Thomas. She is sleeping more than I ever remember them sleeping (except all her sleeping seems to be occurring during daytime hours), she is nursing beautifully (even if it is every hour).

The recovery from the c-section has been completely different than after my first two. I can say with total certainty that I would choose 18 hours of labor over a c-section. That said, I would make the same decision because at the end of the day the outcome was a beautiful and healthy baby girl.

Thoughts

It is 4:30 in the morning and I can not sleep. I went to my last appointment of this pregnancy yesterday morning (Thursday the 4th). I went there expecting them to check me and see if any of these contractions have helped things along and perhaps to strip my membranes to encourage labor.

That is not how my appointment went.

I had my ultrasound first. The ultrasound tech took numerous measurements of Baby Girl's head and abdomen area. I also got to see her smooshed up sweet face (which so far looks like her big brother but in black and white). She didn't give me any pictures to keep though. BOO!

Then she took me down to the doctors room where I waited for a while despite the fact that the doctor was right there and not with any other patients.

Turns out she was looking at the ultrasound report and I believe she went and talked it over with someone else. She finally came in to the room.

I KNEW by her look she was not going to tell me anything I wanted to hear. The news wasn't the end of the world and I KNOW the ultimate goal is a healthy baby and a safe labor for me BUT I still didn't want to hear it.

Baby girl appears on the ultrasound that her abdomen area is much larger in comparison to her head. This presents a problem when the head is suppose to pave the way for the shoulders. After Thomas' birth she felt that the risk was far too great to chance a vaginal birth. With the vast size difference it was highly likely that her head would come out but the shoulders would be stuck and well that would be BAD.... really BAD.

So she called the hospital and Baby Girl will be born today via c-section.

I have had it in my mind for a while now that she would be born on the 5th. At least I was right about that.

I called the Hubby and let him know what was going on. I came home and we got some things done around the house and packed a bag for the kiddos. We then took them over to his Aunts and Uncles house. They will spend the next day or two swimming, playing, and having an all-around fab time!

Then hubby took me out to a wonderful dinner at Bonefish grill. OH. MY. WORD. there is no description for the ceviche appetizer we had. However, I am pretty sure it is currently to blame for my being awake and not feeling so great. I had the salmon for dinner and it was equally wonderful.

Once we got home after sitting in the parking lot that is better known as 275 north or south, we started putting our room together for a baby to arrive and to pack a hospital bag for me.

We are nothing if not perfected in our ability to wait until the last moment.

Baby Girl- From day one you have started your own story. It feels like I have known you forever and yet we haven't even met face to face. In a few hours though you will come dancing into this world. Into a family that has so much love for you. To a mother that is already in awe of you. To a father that is overjoyed to see you. To a big sister that can not wait to dress you up in bows. To a big brother that has already claimed you as his baby! Your big brother for weeks now has asked literally, every five minutes - When Abby be born? He has taken naps with you, eaten lunch with you, read books with you. He has practiced being gentle and can not wait to hold you.

Father God- despite this not being the labor I imagined, You have always known. I know that in you we are safe. I know that you are with us today, just as you are with us everyday. I can not wait to see and to hold and to touch this beautiful little girl you blessed us with. Truly an unexpected blessing.