Happy 2 Months Sophie!

How quickly this last month has gone by! We are learning more about you every day. You started to sleep a little more, which makes mommy and daddy happy. You also slept through the night 3 times in a row....although we haven't seen that since. You still like sleeping on your belly, and also like to sleep on your side. You also go longer stretches to eat. You are at 3 hours. Sometimes you surprise us with a 4 hour stretch during the day.

We have new nicknames for you everyday it seems. You are "pea" to mommy and daddy and "pooper" to daddy. Sometimes mommy calls you "pea and carrots" too. You seem to like it. "Sophie kicks" is also another favorite from pregnancy when you used to kick me!

We don't think you look too much different from month one, but you have sure filled out in the belly. Sophie, your eyelashes are finally long enough to see. They are very long and gorgeous and definitely take after daddy's lashes. Can't wait to take photos of them!

Mommy was away from you for the first time this month. She missed you lots. Nana watched you while mommy and daddy had a wedding to go to. In the time we were away you discovered your hands! I still can't wait to see your new discovery. You watched your mobile on your lamb swing today very intently. I even documented it.

Your laughs and smirks are the most adorable thing. We hang on every moment you give us your toothless grin. We love taking pictures of you and filming your funny faces!

You are almost out of your newborn clothes. You're starting to wear 0-3 month clothes! Yay! You are still in size one diapers and last week you weighed about 9.5 lbs. Getting bigger! We are looking forward to your 2 month appointment next week when we get all of the stats.

Likes:
Daddy
Mommy
Nana
Menga
Seahorse rattle
Key rattle
Warmth
Pacifier
Car seat


Dislikes:
Loud noises
Pooping
Clipping/filing nails

(Mommy guesses it's good you have more likes than dislikes!)

Happy 2 month birthday Sophie! We love you!

Our Favorite Things: Newborn Edition

The Fisher Price Rock n Play Sleeper is a godsend. Sophie will not sleep on her back so sleeping on an incline has been great for her. Her favorite position is on her belly, but until she has better head control (it gets better every day!) we put her in here next to our bed. I like how light and easy it is to fold and move. Sometimes she will nap/lay in this while I am editing photos and she is content.
The Boppy pillow is a must have item. Great for breastfeeding and infant positioning, I usually have this on the couch when we're hanging out. Sometimes we even use it for naps when we're supervising her.

This is the Itzbeen timer. This is great for sleep-deprived moms and dads who don't want to write down/remember the last time their child: had a diaper change...ate...slept...etc. The first week we almost forgot we had the timer and let me tell you, life has been a lot easier since using it. It even has a nifty clip on the back of it. I carry it with me even in the diaper bag. It gave us a good sense of Sophie's habits.


Gereber's 12 pack Birdseye Diapers has come in handy for us more times than I can count. No, we aren't cloth diapering, but I use these for burp clothes, spit up rags, but most importantly emergency pee mishaps during changing times. It's super absorbent. Sophie sometimes likes to surprise us when we change her, so I always keep one by our changing areas.

Happy 1 Month Sophie!

Sophie, you are one month old.
Four weeks.
730.5 hours.
43,829 minutes.
2,629,744 seconds.

All equal to countless moments you take our breath away....

This has been a month of adjusting, learning and experiencing. Not only for you, Sophie, but for us, your parents. There have been many sleepless nights in our house - mommy is not used to this, since she loves her sleep - but you are so worth it. Right now you go about 2.5-3 hours between feedings and occasionally give us a 4 hour stretch at night. In the first week we tried to put you in the PNP and you did not like lying in there flat on your back. We brought your lamb swing upstairs for a couple nights and then stumbled upon the Fisher Price Rock and Play Sleeper and you seem to sleep pretty well in that. Your absolute favorite is sleeping on your belly with mommy and daddy. That makes us nervous so we reserve that for very early mornings when you are fussy and nothing else will console you. You still like to be swaddled and being held.

You rarely cry, but you grunt a whole lot which is comical! Daddy says you are his little gremlin! Haha! You like your car seat and taking rides and you will sleep in there for hours on end, but you know when we get home since you try to escape the confines.

You are a very expressive baby. You love to dream and in your REM cycle you raise your eyebrows, grimace, frown, laugh and of course smile. I have the cutest video of you laughing...it melts my heart. You have amazing blue eyes that I hope you keep. They are such a deep blue...so complex - just like you. I love when you are awake so I can stare into them. I see my reflection in them and wonder if you see me making silly faces and singing songs to you.

You are still in newborn clothes, but we did graduate to size 1 diapers. Your next appointment with the pediatrician is in June for your 2 month checkup.

We can't wait for next month's milestones. Living with you, Sophie, is a treasure and you are a joy to wake up to each and every morning!

Our favorite shots from month 1:

Our Most Dazzling Precious Treasure

Can I tell you a story
As we dance while the sun starts to bleed
Song of songs love is calling
Daughter wake up from your sleep

Refined I’ll become the most dazzling precious treasure
I’ll be treasured over all the earth

Bearing the gift of a new heart
Patience ablaze
I’m slowly burning

Refined I'll become the most dazzling precious treasure
I'll be treasured over all the earth
Refined I'll become the most dazzling precious treasure
I'll be treasured over all the earth

I am in awe and in shock
I’m in love and given away
I’m reserved with these words

Can I tell you a story
As we dance while the Son starts to bleed
Trees rejoice with the wind here
Hallelujah, Yeshua

Tonight I’ve become the most dazzling precious
I am treasured over all the earth
Just look at what he’s done
How he’s laying down his life
Take this life
oh most dazzling precious treasure

Tonight I’ve become the most dazzling precious treasure

I am treasured over all the earth

Flyleaf - "Treasure"

Welcome Sophie Victoria!

Sophie Victoria
Born April 9, 2010 @ 9:26 a.m.
7 lbs. 9 oz.
20" long


Can't believe she is 2 weeks old already!

Birth story to come!

Sophie Victoria's Birth Story!

Who would've thought just 2 days after my last post I would go into labor with Sophie!

I was scheduled for a non-stress test (NST) at the hospital on Thursday the 8th in the am. I was feeling fine during the day - no different than any other pregnancy day. The nurse commented that she was REALLY low and that I had measurable contractions on the chart. I went to work afterward and finished up the day. My stomach was extremely tight and staying that way. After work my husband and I went out to eat at Buffalo Wild Wings. (I was told to eat light so I had a salad) We went home and watch tv and went to bed around 10 pm.

I woke up at 11:50pm and felt the tail-end of what I thought was a contraction. I got up to go to the bathroom thinking it was just another pee break my body was waking me up for. As I walked to the bathroom, I started leaking liquid. It was my water breaking!!! I wasn't sure if it really was my water breaking or not, but knowing I couldn't stop the flow was a big hint. I started having regular contractions after that and woke up Spence to help me start timing them. They were 4 minutes apart right off the bat and started getting stronger and stronger. We timed them for an hour. My water was continuing to leak and then I knew it was my water breaking. (There was no way I had drank THAT much that night! Ha!) I called the after hours answering service and they told me to go to the hospital right away.

Spencer and I gathered up some of our last minute things for our hospital bag (we overpacked of course) and headed on out. I remember climbing in the car and being so thankful that I went into labor on my own. This is always how I pictured it - my water breaking and getting excited with my husband knowing we would have our daughter in our arms very soon. I called my mom and he called his mom waking them up to let them know we were on our way to the hospital and that this was it.

About halfway through the car ride to the hospital I could no longer talk through contractions and needed to squeeze/clutch something to get through the pain. We had to be admitted through the ER entrance since it was the middle of the night. The security guard took me right to the L&D floor while Spence parked the car. I couldn't walk too well, so I got to ride in a wheelchair - yay. I got into a room immediately.

They gave me a few things to sign which I immediately handed to my husband since I couldn't even read anything. He pointed where I needed to sign and they hooked me up to the monitors. They tried to start an IV and poked me 4 times before getting a good vein. I had to have a bag of fluid in me before I could get the epidural. It took about an hour and a half. During that time I was extremely agitated by smells and other annoyances. I was told I should go to the bathroom, but I didn't need to. They really wanted all liquid out so they did a straight catheter, which didn't hurt. About an hour after that my mother-in-law came and my mom shortly after. Soon the waiting room starting filling up with family members. I got my epidural, which was amazing and didn't even feel it. My lower extremities were very warm and I was relaxing. I couldn't really feel the contractions anymore.

I had almost 2 hours of no pain before I was told we would have to start practice pushing. Without knowing it they turned down the epidural so I could feel the contractions to push. At this time another mom-to-be was in the room next to me at the same level I was. Of course she saw the same doctor as me. The nurses told me I needed to be the one to go first and gave me great encouragement to push. I was actively pushing for an hour and a half and then Sophie was born. It was 9:26 a.m. She was 7 lbs. 9 oz. and 20" long. I remember the nurses and my mother say she has so much hair and constantly giving me encouragement. Soon she was placed on my chest and she crooked her head to look at me. And with that one look, I fell in love.

They say different moments can be a blur and believe me, some parts of labor were. I wish I remember watching my husband cut the cord, but I don't. Everything happens so fast, especially when the baby is out. The nurses took Sophie and cleaned her up. She was slow to cry, but she did let out a few wails. They had extra oxygen on hand immediately since she had labored breathing. I told my husband to go over to her and see what was going on. He came back and explained to me that she needed to go into the special care nursery to get extra attention. She needed to get more oxygen, but other than that she was fine. I didn't know she was going to be there for almost 48 hours.

The nurse explained to me what all was going on with her and I remember crying and missing her so much. My mother and husband comforted me. I remember being so sad for my husband because he didn't even get to hold her. I wanted that for him so much. He just held her little fingers before they took her to the special care nursery.

We had lots of visitors after Sophie's birth, but unfortunately couldn't share her with our family just yet. Only my husband and I could go to the nursery to see her. Soon after our lunchtime visitors left, we went to the nursery and I saw my poor baby with tubes and cords on her and an IV in her head. It was very sad for us, but we knew she was in the place she needed to be. It wasn't what we had expected, but my husband was my rock. He really kept me sane. Sophie needed to stay under oxygen until she could breathe room air comfortably. She was off oxygen in a day and was making great progress in the hospital. The last night in the hospital she was brought in our room about 3am. It was a relief knowing she was fully ours and we could take care of her and everything was great. We left on Sunday (two days after Sophie's birth) and took Sophie home with us that afternoon.

She has now been a part of our life for 3 weeks and 4 days. It has been amazing. We live for the little smiles and laughs she gives us. She is definitely a full-time job, but very worth it. She reminds me so much of my husband. It is just amazing to see our love in one person - our daughter who I am in awe of everyday.

10 days...

I can't believe after 9+ months of pregnancy, Sophie will be here very soon. We had a growth ultrasound done since she was measuring almost two weeks ahead by fundal height. We found out she isn't as big as originally thought, she is a little over 7 pounds, but has a good layer of fat on her. Take a look at this:

Those cheeks! Those lips! Oh my gosh I just want to kiss her whole face she is too adorable. She has my lips for sure and Spencer's chin. I can't wait to hold her in a few days!

We did also find out that I have polyhydramnios, which is an excess of amniotic fluid. I need to go twice weekly to the hospital to get a non-stress test. They strap 2 monitors on my belly - one for my contractions and one for the baby. It usually takes about an hour. Just a precaution for the excess fluid -- usually they start NST's (non-stress tests) if I go past my due date anyway.

In terms of progress, I am 1cm dilated and 70% effaced.

We are so looking forward to meeting her and feel very ready for her arrival. I have had things ready for over a week now, so time is of course crawling by. Tomorrow I will be in single digits. A lot of the family and friends have bet on this weekend and early next week for her arrival. We hope so. I say the 11th and Spencer says the 10th. I am getting more uncomfortable and more anxious each day. Spence is really cute to watch to see how excited he gets. Each day gets more and more real for us. Come on Sophie, we are super excited to meet you!!!