1 Month Down

Shelby has certainly changed our world in just one short month. We are getting much less sleep and having a crying baby once again sure does bring on some stress. But she is such a happy baby too. We went for her checkup and she weighs 9 pounds and has grown over an inch. She still fits into newborn clothes, but I am sure that is soon to change. She is smiling at me and lifting her head, which is great. She is also tracking us as we walk across the room. The pediatrician says she is behaving more like a two month old, because of her motor skills being a bit farther along. This is all good news. Jeremy and I take turns during the night getting up with her so we are both pretty worn out. But we know this stage won't last forever. This is our last week of meals being brought to us so we may be eating lots of Peanut Butter sandwiches (which I know Gabe won't mind) and our little house usually stays pretty messy. Our little man is adjusting remarkably well. He really loves Shelby and is always asking where she is and making sure I am taking care of her. He is listening less to us, but that is to be expected. We are putting him in a big boy bed very soon so when Shelby begins sleeping longer at night they will share a room. We'll see how all that works out.

Welcome Shelby

Make a slide show, scrapbook or ecard

These were taken a few hours after Shelby was born.

Pirate

Gabe did not want to have anything to do with a Halloween costume this year. And since we were in the hospital, we figured it wouldn't be the best idea for Jeremy to take him Trick-or-Treating and have a ton of candy for when we came home the next day. The child is truly obsessed with candy.
But Gabe did attend a birthday on Halloween that was Pirate themed. He loves pirates and got a great party favor. Here he is showing it off. He walks around the house saying, "Aargh, I a pirate". He even got Jeremy to put on the hat.

Baby Dolls Already

My Mom brought down some of my sister and I's old Lego's for Gabe to play with. In the container were a few Cabbage Patch figurines. Gabe saw them and immediately took them over to Shelby. He laid them right in a row beside her little hands. It was so adorable. Every time he gave her one he said, "Here baby Shelby". I think it's so interesting he gave her the dolls and not a Lego block or truck. I know that he doesn't understand the difference in the sexes yet, but it still surprises me that he would choose those to give to her.

Shelby's Entrance

Well, I never expected to be able to say that I gave birth the old natural way. But that is exactly what happened. We went in the night before to receive medication to soften my cervix. By 4:30 a.m I was having contractions but they were not registering on the monitor. At 6:20 I was dilated to 2 and began a low dose of pitocin. The contractions began coming 2 minutes apart and were extremely intense. The pitocin was turned off 20 minutes later due to Shelby's falling heart rate. At 7:20 I was allowed to stand and asked why the contractions were not showing up on the monitor still. I thought maybe I was being a baby about the pain. My nurse moved the monitor on my belly and immediately the contractions showed up and were spiking all the way to the top. At 7:35 I asked for my epidural, was checked and my water broke I was dilated to 5. About two minutes later I felt the need to push. At 7:50 the anthestesiolgist showed up and I was dilated to 9. So I could not have any medication. My doctor was performing an emergency c-section at another hospital and never made it. My nurse was prepared to deliver Shelby, but a mid-wife happened to be on the floor and came in to do the job. I pushed four times and Shelby was born at 8:14. She weighed 7 lbs. 1 oz. and was 20 and 1/2 inches long. It all happened so fast and was just incredible. The pain was so intense but I am truly glad that it happened this way. I was able to have Shelby on my chest when she came out and we were only apart for a little while afterward. I am amazed at the love I feel for her and the more love I feel for Gabe.
Jeremy was absolutely amazing. He was so calm during the whole process and really kept me in check. He told me afterward that he was so scared when they said I could not have any medicine. But I never saw his fears. It is so sweet to see him hold his baby girl. Since we have been home Gabe has been great. He loves on her, gives her the paci, rubs her feet and just watches her. I know that this won't last forever, but he is not behaving jealously at all.
Here is a little clip from earlier today. Enjoy our little brown haired girl.