Routine, Rest, & Halfway

Ava and Raina are asleep. Both of them. At the same time. That's still the goal in the new ROUTINE I am trying to establish and it is being achieved more often now. Therefore, I am taking this opportunity to enjoy some alone time, thoughtful time, adult time, peace, etc. I usually end up doing this at night after they've gone to bed but that means I don't get enough REST... so the new (always flexible) plan is to take chill time/get stuff done time/whatever I want time during their afternoon nap so I can go to bed when they do at night. Being a full-time Mom and Dad is pretty exhausting, and while I have help from Mom and Shane *when they're home,* they're still not the parents so it's a different role. I am SO looking forward to living as a family of 4 under one roof when Richard gets back! That being said, he has been gone exactly 6 months today, so we are about HALFWAY through this deployment. Hallelujah!!!

Raina is much more alert when she's awake now and has started smiling some. She's such a content little baby, thank the Lord. Ava is in such a constantly testing/changing/needing attention phase of life - I don't know how I could appropriately deal with her if I had a hard baby too. She pretty much only cries if she's really hungry, really tired, or too cold. The rest of the time she is pretty chill just looking around, waving her little arms. I need to give her more tummy time but that's hard to do sometimes with 3 dogs and Lil A on the loose.

Ava is a piece of work. For real. Wonderful, don't get me wrong, just challenging. She is SO smart, so keeping up with her mentally (explaining things, talking about things) is what is most draining for me. She remembers everything and has such a funny sense of humor. She still (over 3 months after Jaden was born) will say this whole thing: "Baby Jaden's in Stephanie's tummy! (knowing that's silly) No, Jaden's not in Stephanie's tummy anymore! She went to the hospital, the doctor helped her, and now Jaden's not in Stephanie's tummy anymore! We can hold him and see him! You're smart!" (This whole little explanation being what I used to tell her when he was first born. All the way down to the "you're smart" part that she now compliments herself with.) She also says things (or people) are "ridiculous to the max," which of course she got from me, and uses that phrase in context as well. She is still very good with Raina; I just keep an eye on her when Raina gets fussy. Usually she goes to her right away trying to put her paci in or put her blanket on her saying something sweet like "It's okay, Baby Ray!" But sometimes she turns into a mini-mom and says something like "No, Raina. Stop that fussing right now!" So we have the whole talk about how babies have to cry because they can't talk and that's how they tell us that they need something. So then it's "No fussing, Raina... sometimes babies have to fuss... it's okay, Baby Ray." I saw Ava "nursing" one of her baby dolls this morning. She was using the boppy around her waist and everything. Then she bounced the baby on her shoulder, patting her back and saying "shh-shh-shh-shh" JUST like I do with Raina. Monkey see, monkey do. Reminds me of my "Little Mirror" post from a few months ago.

I'm really going to try to get some good video of both the girls in the coming weeks. I know their daddy and our far-away family would like to see them in action. It's nice for me to be able to look back on later too; it's like an online journal of our/their lives. I was looking at some old posts about Ava from when she was about Raina's age so I could remember what I can be expecting in these coming weeks of her development. Pretty cool. Anyway... that's all for now.

One Month Check-Up

I took Raina for her one month check-up today and the doctor says she is doing great. She is 21 inches long and 10 pounds now. She is still nursing very well (every 3-4 hours in the day and longer at night) and has longer periods of awake and alert "play" time now too. I'm trying to get her long nap to coincide with Ava's so I can get a total break or nap myself. So far I'm getting some overlap but not a total match-up. Not a whole lot else to report right now, I guess. I go to the doctor for my own check-up on the 19th and am ready to be officially cleared for workouts, etc. (I have already been working out but am definitely not going all out yet.) Until next time........

Back to "Normal" & Potty News

We took Richard back to the airport on Tuesday. It was hard. It's always hard. But we're in a good place right now and I have a feeling time is about to fly by for all of us. So it's back to "normal" now, which means video chats, extended family, the girls and me, play dates, etc. I got an email from Richard today saying he is back at his post and settling in again. The girls and I went to a neighborhood play group yesterday, which was good for Ava and for me. Today I am trying to find space for all Raina's clothes, toys, baby gear, etc, AND replace my fall/winter clothes with my spring/summer clothes as it has been so nice here. It will feel good to get everything organized but it's kind of a slow process right now.

In other WONDERFUL news, Ava just went potty all by herself about five minutes ago! She has been potty trained for a long time now but she hasn't been coordinated/strong enough to pull her pants and panties up and down by herself. Well just now she went in the bathroom, put the toilet lid up, pulled her little step in front of the potty, got on the step, pulled her pants down, sat down and scooted back, peed, got some toilet paper, wiped, pulled her pants back up, put the step away, put the lid down, and flushed the potty... by herself!!! Her pants are a little crooked and her panties may or may not be pulled all the way up under those pants, but we are definitely getting somewhere!!!

Changes

Raina lost her cord today. It's funny because tomorrow is her due date and she's already ready for baths and such.

Ava is adjusting pretty well. She has no problem with me holding and doing things with/for Raina. However, she doesn't always like other people holding her or looking at her. This was surprising to me as I thought she would have more of a problem sharing time and attention from me. We were at the chiropractor the other day and the front desk lady was looking at Raina and asking questions about her, etc. Ava comes running up saying "No, Lady! No look at Raina!" What!? Really, Ava? So we're working on all that. :)

R&R and Birth Story

Sunday, March 6, 2011

8:00am(ish) - Ava woke up ready to go for the day (despite not needing to get up for another hour or so)

8:30am - On the way down the stairs for breakfast we took the final link off the countdown chain. "Ava, all the links of the chain are gone! What's going to happen today!?" "Daddy will be here!!!"

11:00am - Church started where Ava played in the toddler room and I sang in the choir.

1:30pm - I drove laps around the North and South Terminals of the airport waiting for Richard to call and tell me where to pick him up.

2:00pm(ish) - He's here! "Look, Ava, there's Daddy!" She ran to give him a hug, a little unsure but super excited at the same time. I cried just watching their reunion. It was so good to hug him and have him hold us all.

2:45pm(ish) - First stop: Waffle House. All Star Special and Cheese n Eggs. Snuggle time.

4:00pm(ish) - We got to Mom's house (she, Kev, and Shane were gone for the night) and Richard got reacquainted with BB and Pancake. EXTREME EXCITEMENT. Like major jumping, squeeking, barking excitement.

8:00pm - Our together-again family of three went out to eat. Mexican. Delicious.

10:30pm(ish) - We were all getting ready for bed... showers, reading books, more snuggle time, and I was having some contractions.

11:32pm - I wrote down the time of a contraction thinking "This might really be it...?"

Monday, March 7, 2011

1:00am(ish) - I called the doctor to tell her that I had been having definite contractions every 6-7 minutes for about an hour and a half. She told me to try walking, resting, drinking water (all the things that would make the timing of the contractions change if it wasn't real labor) and keep timing for another hour. I woke Richard up to tell him to get his stuff ready in case I woke him up again needing to go in a hurry. I got Ava's bag, my bag, etc ready to go. I drank a bunch of water. I walked around the house for a while.

2:30am(ish) - I decided to try sleeping for a while (at least between contractions) since they hadn't yet gotten any closer together than before.

4:02am - I decided I should get up and empty my bladder (as having a full one can slow labor) and when I got out of bed I felt like I was leaking (but was definitely not peeing). I hurried to the bathroom and leaked a lot more fluid and blood. (My water broke with Ava so I knew what that felt like and this was not the same.) I called the doctor again and she said to come on in. My contractions immediately became more intense and closer together especially while walking around getting ready to go. By the time we left they were every 2-3 minutes apart.

5:15am(ish) - We arrived at the hospital and got checked in at labor and delivery. (On the way to the hospital the contractions had slowed down and spaced back out to every 6-7 minutes again.) The nurse said I was about 4.5cm dilated. My contractions were spacing out even more; like not even worth timing anymore.

6:15am(ish) - The nurse started me on Pitocin to strengthen and regulate my contractions. They started coming pretty regular not long after. The doctor came to check me and said it seemed I had had a partial break of the amniotic sac so he finished breaking the waters and wanted to keep me on the Pitocin too. The contractions really became frequent and intense after the complete water breaking and in combination with the Pitocin.

10:00am - I told the nurse I was starting to have pushy kind of pressure with the contractions so she checked me and said I was 7.5cm dilated. The contractions were super strong and about every 2 minutes.

11:00am(ish) - I got an epidural but by the time the contraction pain subsided I had a much lower vaginal pain and pressure. The new feeling was much different from the contraction pain and I had to work through and breathe through the contractions even more than I had before I got the epidural. My nurse checked me again and I was 9+cm, like fully dilated on one side but with a rim left on the other side. She hurried to get the doctor in there and Richard ran out to tell everyone waiting that we were about to be pushing.

11:30am - Raina Renee Ezell was born after 2 (relieving!) pushes. She cried immediately, was very pink, and had a bit of almost strawberry blond hair. 20.5 inches long, 8 lbs 13 oz. The nurse gave Raina back to me after a quick check to make sure that all was well and she nursed right away, latching on easy (yes!).

Baby Time!

Long story short (with more details to come later)...

Richard flew in from Iraq for R&R on Sunday afternoon. Ava and I picked him up from the airport after church around 1:30pm. We enjoyed a great afternoon and evening together as a family of 3 before becoming a family of 4 Monday morning. Praise the Lord for His perfect timing!!!

Raina Renee Ezell was born safe and healthy Monday, 3-7-11, at 11:30am measuring 20.5in and weighing 8lbs 13oz.

38 Week Pic & Update

I have been feeling a little crampy, am starting to notice the Braxton Hicks contractions more again, and my back has been hurting the last couple days. But... so far I am still pregnant! I went to the chiropractor today and have been doing ice and heat, which should help with the back issue. I have found that activity -as in doing anything- leads to more contracting but that there's not much going on when I'm literally just lying down resting. So I am putting myself pretty much on bed rest until Richard gets here. Good thing it's the weekend and Mom and Kev are around to help with Lil A! And speaking of Richard, he is on his way here! It will probably still be a couple/few days before he gets here but the traveling process has started. Woohoo! Dear Lord, please grant him safe and quick travels and Baby Girl a few more days stay in my belly!