Dear Lorelei,
In just a few short days, you will be one month old. Where did the time go? It seems like last week that we anxiously anticipating your arrival.
On Tues. Sept. 8, we went to the doctor for my last check up and Dr. Owen said we would go into the hospital that night to begin the induction! We hadn't planned on going in until Wednesday, so you can imagine our excitement to find out we would be starting this incredible journey sooner than expected! We spent Tuesday running last minute errands, cleaning the house, packing, and finding babysitters for our puppies. (You have two puppy friends named Maggie and Milo.) Tuesday night, we arrived at labor and delivery and got things started. The plan was that Daddy would come home to get a few hours of sleep and come back to the hospital early on Wednesday. So I sent him home from the hospital around 10pm, but a few short hours later, I called him back. The nurse called the on-call anesthesiologist so I could have the first epidural. Apparently, my spinal spaces are small and it was difficult to get the epidural! He had to poke me with the needle half a dozen times! Your daddy and I fell asleep and awoke Wednesday morning when my water broke on its' own. By that time, the first epidural had worn off and I told the nurses I needed another. The nurses and anesthesiologist (a different one) gave me the run around and told me lots of options, one of them being that they could try giving different pain medicines. The only option I saw was another epidural. I insisted and got the second epidural. (Pregnancy really made me much more direct!) Again, they poked me numerous times before getting the epidural in the right place, but it surprisingly wasn't painful. From that point on, labor moved VERY quickly and you were born at 11:25 am. You must have been very anxious to begin your life in the world, because you did not come out gracefully! You had lots of bruising on your face, but it has since healed. I just see it as you being really eager to start your wonderful life, which is a great quality to have! In the coming years, we hope you are just as excited about life! You were 22 inches long and 8 lbs, 5 oz. You had (and still have) dark hair. Everybody says you look just like your Daddy. You have a very cute Daddy, so this should be no problem at all :)
The nurses took you to the nursery and they wheeled me over to postpartum. On the way, we stopped at the nursery window to see you. You were the most beautiful baby in the nursery. I was so happy that you had finally arrived and couldn't wait to spend more time with you. I noticed that the nurses were talking and looking at something on you. I thought something must not be right. As we were getting into the postpartum room, the labor and delivery nurse told me that they suspected that you broke or fractured your collar bone. I was so sad! They said they were going to talk to your pediatrician and order some x-rays and they would let us know. In the meantime, the nurses kept your right arm tucked close to your body. It wasn't until much later in the hospital stay that they determined that your collar bone was fine. I was skeptical, but took the doctor's word! In your first week of life at home, I noticed you still were not moving your right arm very much and that you had a big bump on your collar bone. This is the first time I realized that Moms know best, and that my instinct was right. At your 2 week pediatrician visit, I showed the bump to your doctor and she agreed that it had been fractured and told me that at your 2 month appointment, we will do some more x-rays. Also in your first week of life, you spent lots of time with phototherapy, which is a mini-tanning bed looking thing. You were jaundice and the pediatrician felt that your levels were high enough that home health needed to come and set up your phototherapy bed and take your bili ruben levels each day. When they came to prick your heal every day, it was heart breaking. You looked so sad. But your levels dropped quickly, and within a few days we got to give the bed back!
In the past month, we have learned a lot about you! You are very strong and have wanted to hold your head up since you got home from the hospital. One night when Daddy was holding you, you practically jumped out of his arms! You also have a love-hate relationship with swaddling. We have a special swaddling blanket called the "Miracle Blanket" that I bought to swaddle you in. You usually only fall asleep when swaddled, but you like to break free of the swaddle. (See photo below!) You also don't entirely love your pacifier. Sometimes you like it and sometimes you want nothing to do with it. I quickly learned that you will need a bath everyday! I first thought that I would bathe you every other day, but you can get a little smelly! So, every morning after your first feeding, you take a bath in your pink tub. So far, you like bath time but you tend to get fussy after I spend too much time diapering you, putting on your lotion, and trying to find an outfit for you! Bath time is one of my favorite times of the day with you. You are usually very happy and awake in the mornings. In the first month of your life, we have taken many walks in your stroller. Sometimes you sleep through the walk and sometimes you are wide awake. You don't stay awake much for tummy time. I have tried to put you on your tummy for tummy time several times a week, but it usually doesn't last because you either spit up or fall asleep! When you do stay awake for tummy time, you are a superstar! You are doing so well at holding your head up. When we take you out with us, you are a little angel! Sometimes you stay asleep in your carrier when we are out, but other times you just sit quietly and look around.
You have had lots of visitors come to meet you! On the day you were born your Nana came from Chicago and Mimi and Gdaddy came from Dallas. The next week, your Grandpa came from Chicago to meet you! Then, your Aunt Brooke came from Dallas. Lots of our friends came to the hospital or our house to meet you! This weekend, your Nana is coming back to see you again! You will also meet Miss Amber and Miss Leslie this weekend! Your other two aunts (Natalie and Melanie) will meet you when we got to Chicago in November! They are just dying to see you in person!
You are a gift from God and a blessing to your Daddy and I. We are so excited to see your personality develop and to watch you grow. We loved you from the day we found out about you, and our love grows stronger with each passing day.
Love,
Momma
