Emma Kate

Emma Kate is here!! She has graced our family and we all are in love!! :) Here's a photo gallery of our day- ONE week ago!!

The night before we went to the hospital my mom came to stay with us so she could watch Ruthie. We went to Outback to celebrate the new member of our family- which is becoming tradition since that's where we went before Ruthie was born!

We came home and still had to pack- all our laundry was done thanks to my great mother in law who did it ALL for me the day before!! And then we went to bed... not before having a snack at 11:56 (couldn't eat after midnight!) We woke up at 4:00 so we could get ready and pack the car as we had to be at the hospital at 5:30 am!!

This is me 39 weeks pregnant and the last preggo pic w/ Emma...


Tony and I before we left!


Once we got to the hospital they give you a cell phone- weird huh- and when it rings you go back to pre-op. I got my IV and answered all sorts of questions and waited a little. Once that was done they let Tony come back with me until the doctor was ready.

Once we left Pre-op, Tony went to the "dressing room" and put on the scrubs and I went to the operating room. The worst part of the whole experience was the darn spinal block. It hurts - really bad- and I'm not that much of a wimp with pain. I would do almost anything to avoid another one... although the end result is totally worth it! Once I was getting numb Tony was allowed back in the room and they started to scrub and prepare my belly...That's a lovely feeling everything hanging out for all to see... and there is like a million people in the room. We even had a student watching... It took quite a while for the doctors (Dr. Dill delivered Emma and Dr. Brown assisted) to get through the old scar tissue and get to Emma. Before they were even getting to Emma I started to feel tingly again. This meant that I was coming out of the spinal block. That was a little scary. Tony told the nurse and she gave me more meds. But, I was able to wiggle my toes during surgery... I kept thinking, HELLO!! THIS IS NOT GOOD!! But, the Lord was there and they worked fast and I felt NO PAIN!! Praise God! Soon we heard a little cry and then it got louder. That is such a big moment in life- from no children to being parents in one split second. From one child to two- in one split second. Soon we saw this:

Dr. Dill holding Emma Kate for us to see. Isn't she beautiful! It is immediate LOVE washing over my heart.


Here's a closer look w/ the baby nurse...


Emma getting weighed... she weighed 7 pounds and 1 ounce and was 20 inches long. She was born at 8:09 am on March 27, 2009.


Finally Mommy gets to hold and love her!!





After a while they took Tony and Emma to the recovery room- finished cleaning me up and stuff (whatever it is that they do...) and soon I was headed to Recovery myself. Meanwhile- Tony was holding a SCREAMING baby- I guess she wanted to eat.. and calling our parents, siblings, and pastor to tell them that we were doing well. Everyone said- Is that Emma? All Tony could do was chuckle and say- yep- she's here!!

Once I got to recovery the nurses asked if I could wiggle my toes... and I said yep- and proceded to BEND MY KNEES AND LIFT MY LEGS!! I think they were a little surprised by that!! I also remember telling Tony that I felt more pain at that moment than I did through out the entire labor and delivery of Ruthie. The nurse who was standing at my head kept telling the one at my feet... "We need to get her some more pain meds". I remember feeling like I was totally beat up- every muscle in my abdomen hurt- badly. But soon I was a happy camper with my meds and I started to nurse Emma. That is such a magical time too. She was quite- the first time since she was born!! I was only in recovery for about 30 minutes they wheeled me up to the room and I got to hold Emma the whole time. Once we got to the room the nurse took Emma to give her a bath...



When all that was done we finally got to rest... this is Emma so sweetly resting after a very traumatic morning (at least for her).

Ruthie's New Room

I don't know how she got to be this lucky... but Ruthie gets the NEW ROOM AGAIN!! It seems like we've been working more on things for Ruthie than for the new baby... just to get ready for the new baby. BUT, my little girl- soon to turn BIG girl LOVES her new room!

This is how it started out!! Actually, it started out as our junk storage room.... but then we cleaned it out and started working on the molding and trim... My brother came to help Tony get it all done in ONE WEEKEND!! Way to go, guys!!






Now it looks like this:
Ruthie's dress-up center and baby dolls...



We still have to work on that window. The other window in her room (not pictured) has the pink curtain made into more of a valence using some fun polk-a-dot ribbon. I ran out of ribbon and still haven't gotten to the store to buy more... so that is on my list this week!!



We still have more to put up on the walls... but the writing you see is from Uppercase Living. I created a custom expression and it says, "you are fearfully and wonderfully made Ps. 139" Above that we are going to put a couple pictures of Ruthie- but we haven't hung them yet!! :)





We're still waiting on the pink gliding chair (chenille) to go in the corner under the not pictured window next to the bed and the little white table/chairs to be finished that will go under the chandelier!! I am so glad she likes it as much as I do!!



I will post pics of the nursery when I get that set up... right now it's a mess. But hey- I have 6 whole days before I have the baby... why do today what I can put off until tomorrow!! :)

Baby Showered!

A Few weeks ago I was completely surrounded by love... during my baby shower for our newest little girl!! It was such a beautiful day and my friends worked SO hard and made it such a wonderful afternoon. They totally made the multi-purpose room look like a beautiful baby girl world (thank you Mardi!!)!! The theme was polk-a-dots!! Gotta love that!!

My friend, Tara, made stuffed shells- absolutely delish!! We also had a beautiful salad and yummy bread!! Then our pastor's wife and my friend led us in a devotional where she talked about being able to do "all things through Christ" and having JOY while doing them. She tied that into going from a one child house to a two children house- and the big adjustment that it usually is!

After that we opened presents!! And, boy were there a lot of presents!! And we ate cake!! It was so much fun to just be with my friends and family focusing on our new baby and Ruthie did GREAT!! She had fun playing w/ all the little girls that came and even had a few surprise presents to open herself!!

Here are some pics of our day:
My best friend Holly and me!


The beautiful and delish cake - thank you Lacie for all your hard work!! I loved it!!


Four Generations together... My grandma came into town for the special occasion!


Mommy and Ruthie


Posing w/ the cake!



The pile of loot!! I was totally BLESSED by everyone's generosity!! God provided for all our needs and ALL my WANTS!!! UNBELIEVABLE!!


The quilt Aunt Holly made!!


My sis-in-law Mardi, niece Bailey, and my mother-in-law!!


Ruthie is pooped!! She crashed right at the end!!


Just a note- The sweet friends who put this on were unavailable for a photo because they were so busy WORKING!! I didn't realize until just now that we didn't get a pic of them. They are the best group of sisters a girl can have!! I am truly blessed (and bummed I didn't get a pic)!

36 almost 37 weeks!!

Two weeks from tomorrow- BABY #2 will be in my arms!! :)

Ruthie's room is finally done (full blog about that coming). And, now we're working on the nursery... there is a lot less to do there since it was once occupied by a beautiful little girl!! :)

Here's what Baby Center says about 36 weeks:
Your baby is gaining about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy hair that covered her body, as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Next week, your baby will be considered full-term. Most likely she's in a head-down position, but if she isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an external cephalic version, where she'll try to turn your baby by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.

By the way- Our precious baby is HEADS UP!! She turned heads down for a couple of weeks and must like being heads up because she's back there!! :)

Baby #2- 34 weeks!

Five weeks to go... and we've done NOTHING!!! We started TODAY getting Ruthie's new room ready- so our nursery will be free for Baby #2!!! My brother came over to help us and they are working away!! Pictures to come!!

Baby #2 was breach until yesterday- when she turned the right way. It really doesn't matter because we will be having a c-section anyway. That is scheduled for March 27th!!! I can't believe that in about a month my little girl number 2 will be in my arms!! My baby shower is next weekend- and I can't wait- I think it will be a lot of fun! :)


This is what Baby Center says about 34 weeks!

Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which she'll need to regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

Meet Baby #2- Before She is Born!!

Thanks to the 4-D technology we have already seen what our sweet little girl looks like!!! And, we are smitten with her already!!

See for yourself:
In Color:



In black and white:

Week 30!!

Can you believe that we're already 30 weeks preggo w/ baby #2!! Only about 9 more weeks (we'll be having a c-section about a week early) to go!! BOY, do we have A LOT of work to do. What is it about baby #2 that makes you procrastinate until the last minute? Anyway, we're doing well... we have another sono this wed- to check her size- but other than that she is kicking up a bigger storm!

Here's what baby center says about week 30:
Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

25 weeks!

Well folks- we're on week 25!! They just keep flying by!! We had our level 2 ultra sound this week (actually a follow up) and we're very glad to report that our littlest baby's heart is a-ok!! PRAISE THE LORD!! Her heart is all normal!! She is growing and kicking- more than Ruthie ever did- and we can't wait to meet her. We have the cutest little foot print from the ultra sound... so stinking cute.

Here's what Baby Center says about week 25:
Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. Her weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but she's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she'll start to look more and more like a newborn. She's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.


This is what she's supposed to look like... except she's breech!! Her head is up and her feet (at the time of the sono) were up by her ears!! But, her position doesn't really matter because we will be having a scheduled c-section regardless!!

Week 21!!!

Our littlest addition is 21 weeks old!!! SHE is kicking and moving all around. SHE is getting much bigger (and so is mommy!). We've just had our 20 week ultrasound and our level 2 ultrasound (to make sure everything is ok w/ HER heart- due to my gestational diabetes). All that they saw was normal (Praise the Lord) but SHE was being difficult and did not cooperate. So, I have to go back next month for another one to finish. Hopefully, SHE will be in a better position so that they can get pictures of everything they need.

In case you haven't picked up on my hints.... we also found out we're having another little GIRL!! :) We are super happy! We'd have loved a boy, and hopefully God will bless us with one, but we're already in love with our littlest girl!!

Here's what Baby center has to say about 21 weeks:
Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now.

Baby #2- 14 weeks!

Baby #2 is growing well and heart beat continues to sound great!!! What a blessing it is to hear that little beat. I have to take insulin now at night before I go to bed for my gestational diabetes. It has really helped my sugars. Let me tell you, I've done all I humanly can to get my sugars to be good w/ out insulin. I never eat healthier than when I'm preggo. Continue praying for the baby and for my blood sugar issues, Since I am now considered "high risk".

Here's what baby center has to say about 14 weeks:
Welcome to the second trimester! This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb. Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb. In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces.

Baby #2- 12 Weeks! Our little Lime!

Last Thursday I had another check up and was pleased to hear the very strong heart beat of our little baby who is growing well in my tummy. I swear, I can feel the baby move every once and a while. It's the unmistakable flicker and thump of a baby who is wiggling inside of you. It's not strong enough to feel from the outside yet. I also found out that I have gestational diabetes AGAIN!!!! UGGG! I'm not looking forward to the finger pricking. Please pray that I don't have to use insulin as I did last time. Here is what Baby Center has to say about our little 12 week baby ...

The most dramatic development this week: Reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. His intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into his abdominal cavity about now, and his kidneys will begin excreting urine into his bladder. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over two inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce.

Here's a picture of a 12 week baby...