We've survived - so far!
We have survived our first week as a family of four, thanks in major part to the village it takes to raise children!
Looking back at the last week's happenings, I have to say that having a birth scheduled is WORLDS less stressful than going into labor. Now that I've experienced both, I would much rather go the scheduled route. It was so much faster! I seriously felt like we got there (late, as usual) and then Penny was here in no time! I was nervous this time about nausea because I hadn't eaten anything since the night before (per instructions) and I was already getting a headache and feeling sick when we arrived. I was dropping major hints to all the nurses that I was so hungry and was on the brink of even becoming hangry (not a good thing as a preggo) but I knew there was not much anyone could do until Penny was out and we were past the recovery stage and into a room, which I figured would be late afternoon at the soonest. That realization made this mama super nervous and sad. I was impatiently awaiting the nausea medicine that I knew would be coming soon.
Other than that, I really couldn't have asked for a better experience again! One difference this time around was the clear drape! Other hospitals in the area have adopted this new fad in the OR and I was SUPER excited to see it when I was being prepped. Let me assure everyone that it wasn't see-through the whole time, only at the end when they pulled Penny out and they dropped the blue drape to allow me to see Penny as soon as she was out...talk about a once-in-a-lifetime moment! I, of course, teared up immediately because it was so amazing, and maybe a little bit because of hormones. I was nervous for Rory when I first saw the clear drape around the edges of the sheet (this is when I realized that they would probably drop the blue part to reveal everything at some point in the delivery) because he can't even be in the same room with me when they put an IV in. He did admit this time that he has no problem with IVs but it's just something about me getting poked that makes him sick. This was kind of sweet and romantic to me :) They did give him fair warning before they dropped the sheet to reveal a brand new Penny so he was able to stand up and turn away. They only had the drape down for a few seconds so he didn't have to hide his face for long.
I expected Penny to be bigger than Emma, but definitely not over a pound bigger! I was glad at that point that Dr. Favor had strongly encouraged us to go the repeat c-section route because, even though 7 pounds 2 oz isn't that big of a baby, for me, I doubt my tiny birth canal would have allowed her through. I had prepared for another tiny baby and packed a few premie outfits, but of course, as soon as they announced her weight, I had to laugh and think about those few adorable outfits that she would never fit into.
I've struggled with trying to figure out who she looks most like. There are moments when I see Emma clear as day, but then there are more moments where Penny just looks like her own little self. She doesn't have as much hair as Emma did but she definitely has a head full of hair, thankfully! She's much rounder than Emma was but I guess that's what you get when she's a whole pound bigger than Emma was :)
We had a nice relaxing time in the hospital and by the time we left, I realized that we never had the nurses take Penny to the nursery, and it didn't even phase me! I attribute that to the fact that this was our second time around so we were in a mindset of "been there, done that". Plus, Penny shocked and awed us our first night in the hospital by sleeping 5 hours! I was so excited that she was following in her sister's steps and hoped and prayed that it would stay that way! The good news continued when my doctor visited on Wednesday and said that Penny and I were recovering so well that she would let us go a day early if we wanted! That was a no brainer! Both Rory and I were excited to get to go home to our other baby girl and to get back to our own bed!
Our first few nights at home were a mixture of great and exhausting. My mom has been staying with us since the Sunday night before Penny was born so that she could keep Emma for us and then help with Penny when we got home. Penny has been a great sleeper, but Friday night, she threw us a curve ball when she woke up every hour and a half. She had been having a little bit of a gas issue in the hospital so we figured this was more of the same. Mom made a midnight run to Walmart for some gripe water (they should really call it miracle water) and that seemed to help immensely! Penny got settled and slept better in the wee hours of Saturday, but by that time, mom and I were already zombified. I was afraid that she was also getting her nights and days mixed up because she would sleep so well during the day, so we kept her awake more during the day Saturday, and wouldn't you know, it worked like a charm! The last two nights have included amazing five hour stretches, which, of course, freak me out at first, but then provide me the much-needed uninterrupted sleep that I need to function with an almost-3 year old and an infant! Please pray she continues this, for my sanity!
Emma has taken becoming a big sister like a champ! She loves to help out with anything she can and will love on Penny and say how cute she is constantly! She's done very good with occupying herself with her plethora of toys and a constant replay of either The Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast so that mom and I can take care of Penny and tag team taking naps. We do have to make sure that either a tutu or her Ana dress are clean at all times, because those are staples of this 2 year olds daily outfit! :) Oh to be a 2 year old girl again...
In other good news, if you can handle any more, Rory got a much deserved promotion at work! His supervisor took a position with another company and opened the door for Rory to move into his position. I am so proud of my husband for his hard work and I can't wait to see him succeed in this new position! I'm excited to see what else God has in store for our little family of four in the coming year!
So for now, we're all alive and well and surviving life with a toddler and a newborn. Check back in next week, as I know with the unpredictability of a newborn, there will more than likely be plenty to update on. Hope everyone has a great week!
God bless!
Looking back at the last week's happenings, I have to say that having a birth scheduled is WORLDS less stressful than going into labor. Now that I've experienced both, I would much rather go the scheduled route. It was so much faster! I seriously felt like we got there (late, as usual) and then Penny was here in no time! I was nervous this time about nausea because I hadn't eaten anything since the night before (per instructions) and I was already getting a headache and feeling sick when we arrived. I was dropping major hints to all the nurses that I was so hungry and was on the brink of even becoming hangry (not a good thing as a preggo) but I knew there was not much anyone could do until Penny was out and we were past the recovery stage and into a room, which I figured would be late afternoon at the soonest. That realization made this mama super nervous and sad. I was impatiently awaiting the nausea medicine that I knew would be coming soon.
Other than that, I really couldn't have asked for a better experience again! One difference this time around was the clear drape! Other hospitals in the area have adopted this new fad in the OR and I was SUPER excited to see it when I was being prepped. Let me assure everyone that it wasn't see-through the whole time, only at the end when they pulled Penny out and they dropped the blue drape to allow me to see Penny as soon as she was out...talk about a once-in-a-lifetime moment! I, of course, teared up immediately because it was so amazing, and maybe a little bit because of hormones. I was nervous for Rory when I first saw the clear drape around the edges of the sheet (this is when I realized that they would probably drop the blue part to reveal everything at some point in the delivery) because he can't even be in the same room with me when they put an IV in. He did admit this time that he has no problem with IVs but it's just something about me getting poked that makes him sick. This was kind of sweet and romantic to me :) They did give him fair warning before they dropped the sheet to reveal a brand new Penny so he was able to stand up and turn away. They only had the drape down for a few seconds so he didn't have to hide his face for long.
I expected Penny to be bigger than Emma, but definitely not over a pound bigger! I was glad at that point that Dr. Favor had strongly encouraged us to go the repeat c-section route because, even though 7 pounds 2 oz isn't that big of a baby, for me, I doubt my tiny birth canal would have allowed her through. I had prepared for another tiny baby and packed a few premie outfits, but of course, as soon as they announced her weight, I had to laugh and think about those few adorable outfits that she would never fit into.
I've struggled with trying to figure out who she looks most like. There are moments when I see Emma clear as day, but then there are more moments where Penny just looks like her own little self. She doesn't have as much hair as Emma did but she definitely has a head full of hair, thankfully! She's much rounder than Emma was but I guess that's what you get when she's a whole pound bigger than Emma was :)
We had a nice relaxing time in the hospital and by the time we left, I realized that we never had the nurses take Penny to the nursery, and it didn't even phase me! I attribute that to the fact that this was our second time around so we were in a mindset of "been there, done that". Plus, Penny shocked and awed us our first night in the hospital by sleeping 5 hours! I was so excited that she was following in her sister's steps and hoped and prayed that it would stay that way! The good news continued when my doctor visited on Wednesday and said that Penny and I were recovering so well that she would let us go a day early if we wanted! That was a no brainer! Both Rory and I were excited to get to go home to our other baby girl and to get back to our own bed!
Emma has taken becoming a big sister like a champ! She loves to help out with anything she can and will love on Penny and say how cute she is constantly! She's done very good with occupying herself with her plethora of toys and a constant replay of either The Little Mermaid or Beauty and the Beast so that mom and I can take care of Penny and tag team taking naps. We do have to make sure that either a tutu or her Ana dress are clean at all times, because those are staples of this 2 year olds daily outfit! :) Oh to be a 2 year old girl again...
So for now, we're all alive and well and surviving life with a toddler and a newborn. Check back in next week, as I know with the unpredictability of a newborn, there will more than likely be plenty to update on. Hope everyone has a great week!
God bless!
Good writing & a beautiful family! Thanks for keeping Us updated! ❤
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