Emma: One Month!

Dear Emma Lemma,

I can't believe you are a month old already!  Where has the time gone???  You are no longer a newborn, but an infant now!  And you have outgrown your newborn clothes to prove it!  I already had to take all of your newborn clothes out of your drawers and put them in storage.  You didn't even have a chance to wear some of them!  You are such a big girl!

At your one month checkup:

Weight: 10 lbs, 3.5oz - 75th percentile
Length: 22 inches - 85th percentile
Head Circumference: 38 cm - 85th percentile

You still have that head full of dark hair and it is as wild as ever.  It sticks straight up on the top no matter what we do.  Aunt Tina says you need some product ;) 

You have beautiful blue eyes and Doctor Mike says he thinks they are going to stay blue!  I love the brown hair/blue eyes combo!

At this point you look nothing like your big sister, so we'll see if you end up like Aunt Tina and Mommy.  People are always surprised that we are sisters.

In general, you are a very good baby and you don't cry much at all.  This is surprising considering all that you have gone through in your first month of life.  Nothing major, but you've had it a little bit rough. 

It started off with clogged tear ducts.  Sometimes after your naps you could barely open your eyes because they were so crusty.  That is resolving, but last week your big sister so generously gave you her cold.  Yup, a month old and you have your first cold already.  That's what you get when you have a big sister I guess. 

And then to top it all off you somehow ended up with yeast in your mouth, belly, and diaper area.  So we have to give you oral nystatin four times a day, for ten days, and it makes you gag and often throw up :(  Also a nystatin cream to your diaper area three times a day.  Poor little lady!  No wonder you would get so fussy during and after your feedings.  Your mouth hurt, your belly hurt, and your diaper area hurt!  And considering all of that, I'm surprised you didn't cry more!  You are a tough cookie!

You are sleeping pretty normally for a newborn at this point.  But man, do you love the midnight hour!  It is your time to shine.  Wide awake and not at all interested in turning in for the night.  I often go to bed before that and Daddy stays up with you until I feed you again around 12-1AM.  But you are typically awake from 10PM-1AMish.  Not so bad right now because Daddy is still on paternity leave, so he doesn't mind staying up late with you.  Once he goes back to work it will be tougher on us, so let's get into a better routine OK?

I can't complain too much though, because you often give me a four hour stretch after your midnight rendezvous before you wake up again.  Sometimes even 5 hours!  Then I feed you and you usually fall back to sleep pretty quickly and sleep until 8-8:30.  That is the time that all four of us have been rising lately and it's been great! 

You are exclusively breastfeeding and doing well with it, despite the yeast ordeal.  Sometimes we have slight issues with proper latching because you have such a sensitive gag reflex.  But we're working on it, and all in all it's going well.  I hope to nurse you for a year, just as I did with Addy.  We'll see.

You have changed so much in your first month, and you are so much more alert and aware than you were a few short weeks ago.  You look right at us, and you have just started smiling at us too!  What a heart melting feeling for Mommy and Daddy!  Your little smiles are the sweetest!

I have not been able to blog as much as I'd like to (imagine that), so there were a lot of pictures to go through.  Believe it or not, this is the narrowed down version.  Here are some pictures from your first month of life:

Home from the hospital!

 

Snuggles with Grandma

 

 

 

Photo Shoot with Aunt Tina

Go PSU!!

Little lady :)

Story time with Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa

First tub bath at almost three weeks old.  Big sis is there to help!

Snuggled up in your towel

 

Sleepy smiles :)

Hanging out in Addy's crib

 

Front yard family picnic on a beautiful autumn day!

First trip to church!

 

You are asleep.  Daddy is asleep.  Addy?  Not a chance.
 

Hanging out with Grandpa and big sister

Pumpkin patch

 

 

On top of the haystacks with Grandma and Grandpa

Ready for another PSU game!

 

 

With Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa Hertzler

 

Grandma could've held you all day :)

 

As you can see, you have had lots of visitors come to see you!  Everyone loves you Emma Jane!

 

Here are the photos from your one month birthday:

 

 

 

We love you soooo much Emma Lemma!  You are the sweetest little thing and the perfect addition to our family :)  Happy One Month Birthday Little Lady!

Love,

Mommy

 

October Self Portrait

Here we are, back in the newborn stage, where my life is completely consumed with nursing my baby.  I am only holding onto my sanity by the knowledge that this too, will fly by.  I barely remember nursing Addy, and less than a year ago I was still doing it! 

 

So I shall persevere.... 

....through the sleepless nights.

....through the pain and discomfort.

....through the constant annoyance at the fact that I am the ONLY one who can do this for her.

 

I shall persevere...

....because I want to provide my baby with the very best nutrition that I am capable of providing.

....because I want to share with her all of my antibodies to help her fight sickness.

....because research has proven that breastfed babies are less likely to end up with allergies, asthma, multiple GI diseases, respiratory infections, ear infections, and a whole host of other illnesses.

....because breast milk is always readily available (hello ball and chain), and doesn't require preparation.

....because breastfeeding lowers my risk of getting breast cancer.

....because I will (hopefully) return to my pre-pregnancy weight quicker.

....because once we get through the pain and feeding frequency of the newborn period, it will get much better.

 ....because breastfeeding is free.

 

...not because I enjoy it.  This sounds so dismal I know.  It's just that I read all of these things about how nursing your baby is such a bonding, happy, peaceful experience.  Ummm, yeah.  Not so much.  Nursing my newborn babies has been uncomfortable at best, and excruciatingly painful at worst.  It has come with cracks and infections (yes, both are as painful as they sound), much frustration, and multiple trips to lactation consultants.  It has come with the feeling that I can't ever leave the house for more than ten seconds, for fear that my baby might be hungry.

 

I found myself daydreaming the other day that I could say to Mike, "I nursed Addy, so this time it's your turn."  Ha ha.  If only.  But, this too shall pass, and in no time at all I will barely remember this all consuming thing in my life.  And one thing I know for sure is that I will never look back and regret it. 

 

So I shall persevere.

 

 

 

 

This is my self portrait, but it makes me laugh because it's not really a realistic portrayal of what I typically look like while nursing.  I do not usually have on makeup or jewelry.  I am not usually covered in my own home (but that would be a little weird to post for the world to see).  And last but not least...see that hint of a smile?  It's not usually there ;)

 

Ah, the life of a nursing mother.  Welcome to my October ;)

3 Weeks In

Emma has officially been here for three weeks now, and already I can't imagine it any other way.  She just fits right into our family.  It's funny how much easier the transition is with the second child.  You know what to expect, so it's not such a shock to the system.  Now granted, getting up for those middle of the night feeds is always a shock to the system, but we are even adjusting to that pretty well.  Everything is just falling into place. 

I think a lot of it has to do with my attitude this time around.  I feel almost nostalgic already.  It wasn't all that long ago that Addy was a newborn, and now she seems like such a big girl.  I think about how time really does fly by.  I am reminded of that every day, and it makes me rejoice in the everyday moments a little bit more than I was able to the first time. 

With your first baby everything seems so all consuming.  You can't really look beyond the here and now.  Every stage seems like it's going to last forever.  But with your second baby, all you have to do is look at your first child and you are reminded of how quickly it all flies by.  Knowing this makes it much easier to take the trying times in stride.  The times when she wants to eat every 45 minutes.  The times when it's one o clock in the morning and she won't go back to sleep.  The times when she spits up and/or poops all over her third outfit of the day and it's only 10AM.  Even these everyday newborn annoyances just aren't quite as annoying this time around.

And then there are the sweet times with a newborn.  I feel like I am trying to hold on tightly to all of these moments because Emma will most likely be our last baby, and that makes me sad.  So I find myself videotaping her little noises or her peaceful sleeping face.  Things that would be very boring for anyone else to watch.  But not for me.  I want to remember all of these precious little newborn moments. 

Baby Squeaks :)

So here is a glimpse into our house over the past three wonderful weeks:

Emmy's welcoming committee :)

 

Just got home

 

One day old :)

 

Snoozing in Uncle Ken's cradle

 

First PSU game... pretty pumped ;)

 

Big sister is ready!

 

Addy's favorite phrase is, "It's OK Emmy."

 

Snuggles with Daddy

 

 

Emma's first bath at home

 

The dogs are standing by in case we need any help.

 

Yikes!  This is what a two day post pregnancy body looks like.

 

Bath time is over.

 

Snug as a bug :)

 

Flowers and balloon from Aunt Tina

 

Playing outside on a gorgeous fall day :)

 

 

Addy video

Family photo :)

 

 

It's been a great few weeks filled with family, friends, people bringing us meals and treats, and Mike being home with us the whole time.  It's kind of like a little fantasy world for now.  I love nothing more than these simple days spent with my husband and two little girls.  People ask me all of the time how I am handling having two children under the age of two.  I tell them that we are rockin' it right now..... but ask me again in a few weeks when Mike goes back to work!

September Self Portrait

Yes, yes I know that October is now half way over, so I am definitely a little bit late in posting this, but better late than never ;) 

We spent most of September anxiously awaiting our new little lady, and on September 25th she arrived! 

Here I am with Emma only a few days after she was born:

Thanks, as always, to my amazing sister for capturing some of my life's most precious moments :)

20 Months!

Dear Big Sister,

That's right, you became a big sister this past month!  When I was pregnant you would kiss, hug, and pet my belly saying, "Emmy, Emmy."  You were so gentle and loving towards your little sister before she was even born. 

We were worried that you wouldn't react very well once Emmy arrived, but you were amazing with her from the first time you met.  On your 20 month birthday you had only been a big sister for 2 days, but you were a great one already.  You love to touch her, kiss and hug her, and rock her.  Aunt Tina got some great pictures of you and Emmy meeting for the first time in the hospital.  You were enthralled with her and all smiles that day.  It was so wonderful for Daddy and I to witness the love that you have for your new sister.

This past month has been a busy one for us.  We went to Virginia Beach with Aunt T, Uncle Jay, Grandma, Jim, and Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa.  You loved being there with everyone, but weren't thrilled with the beach.  You much preferred the pool.  It was funny because we would be at the beach and you would turn around and say "Bye-Bye.  Pool.", and start walking away toward the pool.  You didn't care if you had to go alone, you were outta there!  Ha ha!  We all had a great time that week.  You also got your very first haircut while we were there!  Mommy botched it a little bit (or maybe a lot), but hopefully it'll grow back in a little bit fuller :)

You also started preschool this past month!  Your class is called the "Transitional Twos", which means that it is for 18-24 month olds.  Everyone in the class will turn two during the school year sometime.  You really love school, which is great!  The first morning we dropped you off you didn't even cry!  You did cry for a few seconds the next few days, but I would stand in the hallway for a minute or so, and you would stop crying right away with a little distraction from the teachers.  Both of your teachers, Miss Cherilyn and Miss Stacey, say that you are adapting wonderfully and that you are a joy to have in their class :)  There are 7 kids total in your class and with the two teachers, I feel like it's the perfect size.  It's great for you to have some time with kids and other adults.

Music class also started back up this month and you love, love, love music class!  You continue to rock out in the middle of the circle and it melts my heart to see how much joy you get out of music.  Whenever it's Wednesday night and it's time for class you get so excited and say, "Church!  Church!".  (Music class is at our church.)  Before music class we sometimes go to the church fellowship hour for dinner, and all of the older girls love playing with you there.  And since you are the center of attention, you love it too!  You get to run all  around and play and dance.  It's fun to watch you!  You also started going to Sunday school on Sunday mornings from 9:30-10:45.  Another thing that you love.  I'm telling you, all of these church related functions are your favorite. 

This past month you have started calling me "Mommy" instead of "Mama".  Don't know what prompted that, but one day you just stopped saying "Mama".  You still call Daddy "Dada", but I am "Mommy" now.  Our little baby is growing up!

Sometimes on rainy days we'll go to the mall so that you can play in the play area there.  It's awesome watching you, because you are so independent and you just take off running to play as soon as we get there.  I am always so proud of you when we go, because you are great about waiting your turn for the slide and you play so nicely with the other kids.  I love taking you there :)

"Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" remains your favorite song, and this past month you have started to try to sing along!  It's the cutest thing.  You still love your Dog book, Hooray for Fish, and the Wide Mouthed Frog.  Usually Daddy reads you all three of those before he puts you to bed.  Daddy is the bedtime guy, and he does your whole bedtime routine, which is so nice since it was really hard for me when I was pregnant.  He gives you a bath, brushes your teeth, gets on your jammies, reads you books, sings you lullabies and puts you to bed.  You have the best Daddy in the whole wide world and he loves you so, so much!  One of my greatest joys is sitting downstairs in the living room listening to him sing you a lullaby through the baby monitor.   I can't help but smile :)

Here are some pictures from your 20 Month Birthday:

"Emmy" got you this baby in a stroller as gift when she got home from the hospital.  You love it!  The pink balloon that is behind you in this picture was your gift to Emmy when we got home.  Seeing you standing in the driveway waiting for us with that pink balloon on a string in your hand was one of the sweetest things I have ever seen.  It is a precious memory that I will never forget.

Your first full day with your little sister!

 

Outside to play!

 

Love, love, love this picture!!!

 

Taking your job very seriously...love your little cupped hand behind Emma's head :)

 

Here you are saying, "Hi Emmy."

 

Kisses :)

 

Emma somehow managed to sleep through it all!

 

Honk! Honk!  Honking peoples noses is one of your new favorite things to do.  Can't leave little Emmy out of the fun!

 

High five for Daddy :)

 

Playing in your house....gotta love your expressions!  That's one of the first things that your teachers said about you.... Your expressions are hilarious!

 

Close up of my big girl at 20 months old :)

 

 

I can't believe how big you are getting!  Especially seeing you next to Emma.  You are such a joy in our lives Addy, and seeing your interactions with your little sister melts my heart every time.  You are such a little love bug, and you make us smile a million times a day :)

 

Happy 20 Months Big Sister!

 

Love,

 

Mommy

Hospital photos

Here are a few photos that I found on my camera from when we were in the hospital:


Shortly after Emma was born:

 

 

 

The next day:

 

 

Now these are just the pics that I got with my camera/I-phone.  We were lucky enough to have Tina there with us for Emma's birth, just like she was with Addy's and she got some amazing pictures!  Here is a link to the slide show:

 

http://www.tinajayphotography.com/blog/slideshows/emmabirth/

 

Tina also captured Addy and Emma's first meeting, and I'm so glad she did because it was the sweetest thing in the world!  Check it out:

 

http://www.tinajayphotography.com/blog/2012/10/sisters/

We are all adjusting well to our newest addition, and Addy especially is blowing us away with how much she loves Emmy already.  I adore my girls, and am so blessed to have been given the amazing family that I have!

Emma's Birth Story

Well, my kiddos seem very comfy in the womb and not at all eager to come out.  I went past my due date and needed to be induced with Emma, just like I did with Addy.  When I went to my last doctor's appointment the doctor let me pick my induction date.  I picked the soonest one that I could, which was the following Monday, September 24th (my dad's birthday!).  Tina made it down to NC to be there with me in the delivery room and document Emma's birth.  I am so, so thankful that I was able to have both my husband and my sister there with me again.

The induction was set for 6PM, so I knew we were in for a long night.  We got there at 6 and the room wasn't ready, so I got all checked in and we waited until about 6:30, when they took me back to my room.  Of course, being a nurse myself, I know that change of shift is at 7:00, so we sat there for a long time before anyone came in to start anything. 

At 7:45 I got my cervix checked and was 3cm dilated, 50% effaced, and at -2 station.  The Dr. Fetko said, "I'm gonna be mean for a minute", and then all of the sudden there was some serious discomfort and she said, "There.  Now you are 4cm dilated."  OK, thanks for that. 

At 8PM the nurse, Becky, started my IV and drew my labs.

8:30PM- Pitocin was started at 2mu/min.  Throughout my labor they never needed to increase it past 2mu/min.  With Addy I think I got all the way up to 24mu/min!  Addy was very stubborn and wanted no parts of the outside world ;)

So we hung out for a bit and the doctor came back at 9:10 and broke my water.  Definitely feeling the contractions after that.  The Pitocin/broken water combo brought those contractions on strong.  I held out for a little while, but the pain got intense fast, so I requested my epidural at 10:30PM.  It was night shift, labor and delivery was full, and there was only one anesthesiologist, so I didn't actually get my epidural until midnight!  Things were not fun for that hour and a half.  I had mostly back labor this time with Emma and it was my lower back that was in excruciating pain with every contraction.  Mike was my designated masseuse, and he religiously rubbed my back for 30 seconds every 2-3 minutes for what seemed like an eternity (to both of us I'm sure!).  Mike was so wonderful and supportive while I was in all of that pain.  He is such a calming presence, and having him there with me made me feel so much more relaxed and confident.

Once my epidural was finally in and the anesthesiologist was starting the meds, I hadn't been checked since 7:45, so he had no idea how much I had progressed since then.  Because of this, he gave me a "dense block" with 0.25% Bupivicaine.  Well, dense it was!!  I literally could not feel ANYTHING below my belly.  To the point where, the nurse came in around 2AM to put my catheter in and she had a hard time getting it in because Emma's head was "right there", and it was almost time to start pushing..... and I had no idea!  I couldn't feel that her head was there at all.  Not even a little bit.  Crazy, crazy feeling.

When the nurse left the room I started freaking out to Mike that I was going to need a C-Section because there was no way I was going to be able to push her out if I couldn't even tell that head was engaged.  I thought, "How am I going to be able to push if I can't feel anything at all???"  I voiced my concerns to both the doctor and the nurse and they assured me that I could do it anyway, even if it didn't feel like I was doing anything.  And they were right!

At 3:45AM I started pushing and at 3:55AM Emma was born!

It was the craziest, most amazing thing that I have ever experienced...ever!  I pushed a few times and they were very effective pushes somehow.  But before her head was even out, the doctor told me to stop pushing and the rest of her head just slid out on its own and the doctor helped maneuver her shoulders out, and there she was!  They had a mirror for me so that I could watch, and it was truly mind blowingly amazing to me.  (Sorry if this is a little graphic for you.  I just want to remember everything, and if I don't write it down, someday I will forget.)

So out Emma came, and she was so healthy and strong and beautiful!  Her Apgar scores were 9 and 9!  I said throughout this pregnancy that maybe Emma would look like me since Addy looks so much like Mike.  As I was delivering her and that head full of dark hair was making its appearance, Mike said to me, "I think you are getting your wish.  Look at that hair!"

They immediately gave Emma to me for some skin to skin contact.  I was so, so happy to be able to do that, because I wasn't able to with Addy since I lost so much blood and was completely out of it.  I wasn't even strong enough to hold Addy for more than a minute after she was born.  And her delivery is such a blur to me.  This time I still lost a fair amount of blood (about 500ml) and needed cytotec and methergine again (along with some Zofran for nausea), but I felt a million times better.  I had a clear head and was able to hold my baby and nurse her immediately, which I was so hoping that I would be able to do.  It was all so natural and peaceful.  I remember thinking, "This is what it's supposed to be like."

So after I held her skin to skin for a few minutes Mike cut the cord and then I nursed her.  She was such a champ from the beginning.  She nursed for a whole hour and latched on with no problem.  Probably didn't hurt that I was more comfortable this time since I have a year's worth of experience nursing Addy.  Emma and I were so comfy and so happy for that hour.  I never want to forget it.

Then it was the waiting game.  We waited.  And waited.... and waited for them to come back to bathe and weigh Emma.  It was about 6AM before they finally did, and that was with me calling out on the call bell and asking them to.  Poor Tina hung around to get pictures of the bath and weight. She was there with us and awake all night too, and we just wanted them to come in and bathe and measure her already so that Tina could go home and sleep.  Because she had to watch Addy all day after preschool was over.  Whew!  I'm lucky to have such a devoted sister!  

After what seemed like an eternity, the nursery nurse came in to bathe and measure Emma.  And guess what?  Emma weighed the exact same amount as Addy, down to the ounce!!  Both of my girls were born at 8lbs, 10oz!!  Emma was 21 inches long and her head circumference was 35.5cm.  Margie, the nursery nurse gave Emma her bath while Tina snapped some pics.  She put that head full of dark hair in a mohawk and it was the cutest thing :)

Once all of that was done, Tina packed up and went back to our house to catch a few hours of sleep and they moved me to my Mother/Baby Room.  We stayed there all day Tuesday and Tuesday night, and then were able to come home Wednesday around noon.  And we were chomping at the bit to come home.  Such a different experience from last time.  Last time I wanted to stay.  I was nervous and felt like I needed their help.  I was still feeling sick and weak.  This time I felt a million times better and knew that we would do just fine on our own at home.

So here, she is.  The newest addition to the Hetrick clan....  Emma Jane!

We love you so, so much little lady, and we can't wait for the adventure to begin!