Well??????

Are you wondering how in the world things are going here with two littles??  To be completely honest with you, I was terrified of bringing baby #2 home.  My experience the first time was really difficult.  I was beyond emotional, in a lot of pain with a c-section incision infection and Sully was refusing to nurse making me stress out a lot about breast feeding.  I felt like I was so busy.  I don't think I ate the first week I was home and I honestly did not have an appetite anyway.  Between the brand new sleep deprivation which I was not used to and the bottle feeding and then pumping, I felt like my life had spiraled out of control and I would never catch up.  I would never have a string of moments to myself.  I was completely overwhelmed and wondering if I made the right decision in the first place to have a baby.  I felt totally inadequate to take care of this person and that this poor person deserved a mother who was competent to take care of him and not be crying hysterically multiple times per day over absolutely nothing.  I felt like I was drowning in this new life and I didn't like it at all.  

Obviously, as the weeks went on, I did gain confidence with experience and my hormones evened out.  We developed a routine and life evolved.  However, I was still nervous that I was going to feel like this after bringing home this baby and then have a 3 year old to take care of on top of that.  

Luckily, this experience has been a complete 180 from the first time.  

I had very minimal pain from the c-section.  There has been almost no random crying jags for no reason.  Breast feeding is going amazingly well, she is a star nurser.

She is a pretty easy baby.  There is still some sleep deprivation, but it is not so devastating like it was the first time.  Adding another little is not such a lifestyle change like it was the first time.

Big brother has shown no jealousy and is completely smitten with the new lady of the house.  He is eager to help with feeding, burping, bathing, changing and entertaining her.  

So we are doing pretty great here:)  I am soaking up this wonderful, but fleeting, time.  In fact, it is going so well, makes me want to do it again sometime...maybe.

Introducing...

 The Story of Sydney...

For weeks during this pregnancy, I have been having mild headaches with some floaters in my vision.  Then, at 32 or 33 weeks pregnant, I was at work one day and my entire lateral side of my right eye was blurry for about 6 hours.  I called my doc which prompted a slew of labs, ultrasounds and blood pressure checks.  My blood pressure, labs and u/s all seemed fairly normal.  I continued to get the floaters but basically ignored them because my bp was not high and I didn't have any other indications of pre-eclampsia.  Fast forward to my 36 week doctor appointment.  My urine showed I was spilling protein so all the labs were repeated.  On Monday evening while I was playing with Sully, areas of my vision disappeared and I developed a moderate headache.  I made sure to drink a lot of fluid and rested and called my doctor's office the next morning.  They had me come in and my bp was only mildly elevated for me but not in any danger zone or even high enough to meet any diagnostic criteria for pre-eclampsia.  However, I was put on bedrest for that day and the next day.

The next day, I got a call that one of my labs had jumped significantly, the one that showed that I was spilling protein in my urine.  It was now in the pre-eclampsia range.  I was asked to go to the clinic for a non-stress test, bp check and another urine dip.

Baby looked great but my bp was rising a bit (again, not dangerously so but nearing the 140/90 range) and now I had even more protein in my urine.  I was advised to go to the hospital for more monitoring and I was officially put on bed rest for the duration of the pregnancy.  I was in the hospital overnight on Wednesday and, interestingly, it seemed like I was in labor with contractions every 2-4 minutes and progression from where I was 9 days prior.  After a few hours though, it all died down and I didn't make anymore progress.  My doctor came in on Thursday and recommended moving up my c-section from 2/17/14 to that Saturday, 2/1/14, since I would be only a day shy of 37 weeks at that time.  I was excited to meet my girl but was hoping that she was ready.  Since I was stable, I was given the option to stay in the hospital until Saturday or go home.  I chose to go home since there were a few things I wanted to get done first.

 Nurse treats, of course.

Last pregnancy photo, 36 weeks 5 days.

 Last dinner as a threesome.

Finally, the big day was here!!  We got to the hospital at 6:30 am to prep for surgery.

And at 8:51 am on Saturday, February 1st, a 6 lbs 14 oz 20 in Sydney Marie was born!

She didn't cry right away which was a bit nerve wracking but she was perfectly healthy and scored an 8 and 9 on her Apgars.

A few short hours later, she got to meet her Grandma and Papa and Big Brother!

 Sydney and Papa!

Sydney and Gamma. 

And later that evening, more visitors arrived!

 Sydney and Cousin Ava!

 Sydney and Auntie Hilary!

Sydney and Grandma Subes and Dave. 

The next day, Big Brother was back!

 Semi-duck face.

On February 4th, we took our little gnome baby home:)

Life with our new family member begins!!