The first 15 days!

I can't believe it has been 15 days since we brought our little bundle of joy home.  We've been adjusting pretty well and Mia is an angel!  I've been having a lot of help, thank God... it's not easy taking care of 2 kids!!!  Even though I have help, I still miss some of the pampering I got when I was in the hospital...for exemple: since Mia was nursing well at the hospital, I asked the nursery to bring her to me during the night and not give her formula.  It was great having the nurses bring her to me and then take her from me when I was done so I could get some sleep.  :-)  Still, there's no place like home!

Lila went to visit us at the hospital and it was very interesting.  I missed her like crazy... I actually had to keep a picture of her next to me the entire time so I could look at it.  It was hard not to cry but knowing my mom was with her kept me at peace.  She didn't seem to understand that Mia was no longer in my belly or that there even could be a possibility of her being in there...LOL  The funny thing was that after a few minutes she was already calling that little swaddled peanut "Mia".  She even sang and danced for Mia...so adorable!  I was fearful that she would give me a hard time with Mia, maybe want more attention, or that she would be too physical with the baby but she has been SO SWEET and so easygoing.  Thank God for that!  Lila actually lets me know if Mia is crying, wants me to pick her up as soon as she starts to fuss and wants to kiss her head and hug her but always asks first.  There have been no tantrums!  Seriously!  At least not related to Mia... :-)  I'm really, really blessed to have such a good, sweet and kind little girl.  I knew she would be an awesome big sister...I'm so proud of her!

Mia is a really good baby.  Sometimes she manages to sleep relatively well...sometimes she'll go 3 hours from one feeding to the next.  Other nights (like last night...) she'll wake up every 1.5 hours to nurse.  She has been having colic and now I fear she may have reflux, too, which breaks my heart.  Seeing her in pain makes me feel pretty useless. 

Being alone with the two girls has been interesting.  Some days are okay, some days are harder.  I've been blessed with a lot of help this time.  When I had Lila, I didn't have a lot of help.  My sister-in-law has been bringing me food nearly every day which has made my life a lot easier.  My mother-in-law likes to come over to watch Mia so I can sleep when Lila naps.  My mother (my hero, really) works like crazy all day and sometimes she'll still make time to come to my house to take Lila outside or to keep me company.  I can't thank these people enough.  All I can do is pray that God will bless them SO MUCH. 

Yes, I am exhausted...but I've never been happier.  Between Lila's hugs and kisses and Mia's smiles I manage to forget how tired I am.  My husband and I look at each other and we're just speechless at how blessed we are.  God is amazing...and we're so greatful!!!

Here are some more pictures!

Mia Faith is here!

Meet Mia Faith!

Born on July 10, 2010 at 3:20 p.m.
6 lbs, 12 oz  - 19.5 inches

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It all happened so fast! 

I actually managed to sleep through the night and did not experience the false labor contractions I had been having for the past few days.  I got up at around 6 and everything was calm... even the contractions I had been having off and on were gone.  I was doing nothing out of the ordinary when the contractions slowly started coming back.  It was around 8:30 in the morning.  They were mild and coming every 15 minutes or so but I wasn't really paying attention to them since I had gone through this before.  Then they started coming every 12 minutes, then 10.  When I noticed this, I called my mother and asked her to come over.  I told JR that I was going to take a shower and that I thought I was in active labor.  Suddenly, the contractions went from mild to painful but manageable...it was around 10:45 a.m.  I called the doctor on call who said I was definitely supposed to go to the hospital.  By this time, the pain was getting pretty intense.  On the way to the hospital my contractions were already every 8 minutes and every bump on the road made me feel like Mia was going to come out in the car.  We live about 45 minutes from the hospital so, needless to say, it was pretty crazy.  Between contractions I was laughing with joy and excitement because I was getting my wish:  no need for induction this time.  JR helped by laughing (I think he was nervous...) and saying "see, this is what you wanted... you once said you wanted to have Mia the natural way without pain medication and you might get that wish too" which freaked me out because the pain was getting stronger and stronger.  This didn't stop him from trying to get a video of me in pain while we were driving to the hospital.  Why do men do that???  Luckily I was too happy to punch him in the face.

So we got the hospital and I was admitted at noon.  They left me at triage for about 45 minutes.  By then, my contractions were 3-5 minutes apart and I was 6 cm dilated.  At 1:40 p.m. the anesthesiologist gave me a spinal block instead of an epidural because things were moving too fast and the epidural takes 20 minutes to apply plus 20 minutes to start taking effect.  The spinal block takes effect in 2 minutes but only lasts 2 hours.  At 2:33 p.m. the doctor broke my water and exactly a half hour after that I was in more pain than before getting the anesthesia.  I called the nurse who called the anesthesiologist and she gave me what I call a "booster" shot in the spinal IV to help with the pain but it had not effect. Then she increased the medication on my spinal block but still, no difference. When the doctor checked me she said I had to start pushing because it was time. I was so afraid of the pain I was in but at 3:12 p.m. I started pushing and Mia came out 8 minutes after that. Amazingly, the pain was gone as soon as I saw her. I actually saw her come out of me. She looked so small but simply PERFECT. She was crying loudly which was a relief (given what had happened to Lila when she was born) and I got to hold her for a long time before they took her to be weighed and measured. At 3:44 p.m. I got to breastfeed her for the very first time. She knew exactly what to do and I was overwhelmed by the love I was feeling for this little baby that had just come out of me. I felt so blessed to be able to hold her and admire her as soon as she was born. There was no chaos in the delivery room. It was just the 3 of us and we were bonding instantly. This was all very new to me and JR. Mia nursed for almost one hour and we realized just how great it is to wait for God's plan to take place in our lives. Maybe, if I had been induced yesterday, I wouldn't have had the same experience. God's will truly is good and perfect and we're forever thankful that He allowed us to go through this wonderful experience.


Here are a few more pictures:

 

Pregnancy Journal: month #10

• Tenth month: 07/09/10 to only God knows when...

Yes...that's right...it's my due date and here I am!  We actually went to the doctor this morning with my bags all packed because they had told me my amniotic fluid was decreasing and, if it had slightly decreased again in today's exam, they would send me to the hospital to be induced.  My mother took the day off and we left her with Lila.  My heart was heavy because I already missed her as soon as I walked out the door.  After the exam, the nurse in charge said my fluid had increased (surprise, surprise...) and there was no need to send me to the hospital.  In the meantime, my doctor is on vacation and will only come back next week.  Knowing her, she'll have me wait at least a week past my due date until we talk "induction" again.  That's what she told me in our last exam - the same exam where she told me "I'm sure you won't make it to your due date, never mind go past it."  So we go back on Monday (that's when I'm 3 days late) to see my doctor who I pray will be refreshed from her vacation and will send me to the hospital.  That is, of course, unless I go into labor on my own this weekend.  Is that too much to ask?

Sigh...............