Welcoming Baby Crew

A birth story has arrived! I swear things have flipped like a light switch since two days ago. Crew gave me an amazing gift last night...he slept 6 hours straight! He has been nursing more efficiently and his 'schedule' has been much the same these last two days. I know things can flip again just as quick, but it has been great. We really are loving this little guy. So with Em watching a show and Crew sleeping in the swing next to us, I thought now was the perfect time to post. Here goes...

Who would have thought that when I took this picture at 36 weeks exactly he would be born 5 days later. I had a feeling he was going to come early all along. He was head down at 32 weeks, I dropped at 32 weeks, I was dilated to a 3 and 50% effaced at my 36 week appointment. I swear every sign was there that signified labor was closely impending.

The day before he was born (Monday) I felt REALLY uncomfortable. I took Emery swimming at my moms that afternoon and I started having contractions. They were about an hour apart so I didn't think anything of it really except that they actually were kind of painful.

Skip to the night. I could not sleep. The contractions still were coming about 15 minutes apart and they were hurting my back. I packed my bag. I took a hot shower, they kept coming but they weren't coming closer than ten minutes apart at this point so I gave up and was finally able to get some sleep.

I woke up at 7 when Court's alarm went off for work. I was laying there and felt another contraction and then a little leak. I yelled to Court, "I think my water just broke!"
"No," he said, "really?"
"I don't know. No I am just over reacting probably" I said this on the way towards the bathroom.
Well as soon as I reached it...there was a nice splash onto our bathroom floor coming from me.
"Okay, it did," I said smiling.

A phone call to mom and a shower later we were off to the hospital and arrived at 8AM. I was dilated to a 4 and his head was at a -1 I believe.

I got to the delivery room and my mom got there about an hour after us. My contractions were coming closer together and were all in my back. Not comfortable! We had fun talking and I was feeling grateful that everything was progressing so smoothly. I was nervous since I was having a Vbac.

I had to lay on my side for awhile with the peanut ball between my knees to flip our Crew man because he was sunny side up and thats why I felt the contractions in my back so strong.

 I love the feeling I have before my babies get here. I loved it when I had Emery and I loved it this time. Knowing, waiting and just anticipating that little one coming. That in just a moment away you will have all this love for a new little person. You wonder what they'll look like and just can't wait for your life to change forever once they're out. 

4 Hours after we got to the hospital I was dilated to a 6. I got the epidural when I was dilated to a 7. Baby had turned the right way and I was pushing about 20 minutes after the epidural. Pushing was kind of hard just because I couldn't feel a thing any more. Towards the end of pushing I could feel the pressure from a contraction so it was easier to push. After 1 hour of pushing out he came! 

It was a surreal moment for me. I had wanted a regular birth with Emery so bad and was so sad when I had to get a c-section. I was so happy to have this experience and truly loved every part of my labor and delivery. I soaked it all up. It is really such an amazing thing to go through. And then when this happened...

 His perfect, little body placed on me. My favorite part by far . The love that just surges into you and in the room hits like a ton of bricks. 

 

 Everyone kept saying how handsome he was. I have to agree :)

 6lbs. 15oz. , 20 1/4 inches long. Not bad for an almost 37 week-er.

 This was another 'love surge' moment. Having my sunshine Em meet her baby brother. She just kept saying baby and then came and sat with her mommy and held brothers hand. 

 Best Daddy around. I sure do love these two guys.

 Leaving the hospital.

 At home.

 Life has been an adjustment since that wonderful day one month ago, but it is starting to get easier. Crew is a pretty good little babe. Nursing has been a little challenging for him but he is getting much better!  He likes to eat every 1.5-2hours.  I am getting so good at doing things one handed!  He usually only eats about 20 minutes, but he likes to eat a lot longer in the evenings. He tends to get fussier in the evenings too, but during the day is sweeter than can be. Poor little guy swallows and gulps and gets lots of air when he eats because my milk flows like Niagra Falls so he gets pretty gassy and that makes him fuss, but that seems to be improving as well.
He does not like being tired. He will cry until he is swaddled tight, or put on his tummy with a pacifier. Nights are getting better, with longer stretches between feedings (hallelujah!!!).
He is so cute when he is all awake. He just looks and looks around. He looks so curious about everything. I love his eyes all open and that he is awake a lot more during the day now. He has such cute, big eyes. I think he is nice and use to Em's loud-ness and not so gentle cuddles. I love when she wants to hold him.
He loves being in the baby bjorn, hates being in the car seat and loves his swing and being on moms chest.
We sure are glad our guy is here now and are enjoying the somehow calming spirit that always comes with the presence of a new babe that can be felt even among the more crazy times :)

Nesting

Em's big girl room got finished awhile ago and sleeping in that big bed of hers is going great. She can't get out of it by herself which is kind of nice haha. Her room is sweet and simple. (I apologize for the lighting)

Eventually she'll have a head board

 There is one wall left I have to get frames for but other than that we are good to go. She loves to put coins in that piggy bank on her dresser.

Now for the nursery....

 We love this little boy nursery, now we just need to fill it with our cute, adorable boy!

Court also worked on this project for a couple days. Since we had to use our office for the new baby room, he did a built in desk down stairs in the dining room/kitchen. He is amazing isn't he? I think it turned out great, and it has been really nice to have. 

Baby Boy Shower

Saturday was my shower for baby brother (yes, we still don't have a name hence the baby brother). My sisters threw it for me and it was so much fun.
I had a lot of fun at my shower for Emery but this one was a little more fun I think just because it was a little smaller and with just close friends. I told Lindsay that she did not have to go all out, just keep it simple but let me tell you she did A LOT and it was perfection. She kind of went with the theme of his nursery-blue and orange and a little bit nautical. I loved everything about it.

 This little girl and I have been taking advantage of our last few weeks of one on one time. I can't get enough of my Em. 

 My cute sisters. I don't know what face I'm doing here, but just go with it. 

 Don't worry the heart on the belly wasn't done in seriousness. I love those two girls! 

Thanks to them and my Mama for the best baby shower I could have asked for! 

Pretty much 35 weeks. Let the count down begin! 

I absolutely can't wait for my sweet baby boy to get here. 

32 Weeks, Mother's Day and Em

31 Weeks Pregnant

Things have continued to go well. About a week after I entered my third trimester I started feeling so so so tired. It has been hard for me to want to do anything but sleep and poor Emery probably wondered what was going on with mom. Well, I kid you not that this last Monday I woke up with boundless energy. Me and Emmy have played like there is no tomorrow and I have gotten huge projects done. Can you say nesting much??? That's the only thing I can think of. I am just starting to feel tired tonight, but I hope this energy having thing stays put for awhile. 

I do feel much more ready for baby boy to get here though. This pregnancy is now just starting to feel  long to me. I am ready for him to be here. 

He is quite the mover. I swear I feel more like there's an octopus in there than a baby. He moves so much more than Em did. 

I continue to be grateful that I've worked out through out my whole pregnancy. That has helped me feel a lot better and not be so uncomfortable. Really, I have felt totally normal until these past couple weeks. Hopefully, it will have helped me shed the pounds quicker after baby gets here too :) 

Anyway, we are getting more and more excited for our little man to get here. If you ask Em where her baby is she will point to her belly. It's pretty cute. I can't wait to see her be a big sister. Heres to 8 weeks (hoping for like 5 or 6 weeks) left of pregnancy! 

Mother's Day

 We celebrated Mother's Day the Thursday before since my mom and dad left to Italy Mother's Day weekend. We had a good time being together and had a delicious dinner. I sure love this Mom of mine. Really, I don't think you could ever meet a more selfless person. Love her so much. I continue to be grateful for the amazing women in my life...my grandmas, my mother in law, sisters...all are such good examples to me.
Court gave me a good mother's day, which included a sweet card and a date of my choice...and the matching curtains to the baby bedding :)

Speaking of Mothers...Here is a little mama in the making...

 Emery has really been playing with her baby dolls a lot more lately. I'll look over and see her putting one of her dollies in this certain cabinet in the kitchen with her blankie and she'll look at me and put her finger to her lips and say "sssss" (sshhhh).  I find them in her high chair with "nacks." She also loves looking at this book I have all about babies and how they develop. It's the cutest thing in the world. She has also been very insistent that they have "poopoo" and will make me change there diaper and wipe them haha. I'm hoping this means she will take to her new brother a lot easier rather than harder. She just cracks me up. She'll be all motherly to her babies one second and the next I look over and she is riding her vanity make up mirror like a motorcycle and saying "vrrroooom" 

 Em's room is totally done, I was going to put up pictures but I forgot I actually used my real camera and not my phone so I will post them when I post the nursery probably. We got this little table  for her room and she LOVES it! 

 Every one please be impressed that this girl actually has a diaper on. When we play outside she is usually stark naked (with sunscreen on of course :) ) This is a daily for us. Swimming, sand box, running around the yard. She would stay out there all day if I let her. 

 Court is building a little desk area for our computer in the dining room/kitchen area and the cabinet is Em's new favorite place to play. This is the same one where she puts her baby to bed. 

Haha, she loved when I put my shirt on her and shoved her pink ball up there. We all could not stop laughing. I don't know if she liked it because it made her look like mommy or what but it was hilarious. She didn't want to take it off. 

I know I just did a post on Em, but I had to put up some more pictures. I have been feeling extra grateful for this peanut. She has been more challenging and I have had less patience from being tired and sometimes I honestly think 'how can I do another day of this?' Being a mom is really tough sometimes, but man it still is the best thing in the world. I don't know how it is hard and easy, and the best and the most difficult, and the most fun and the mundane all at the same time, but it is. Actually, it's all the good parts more. Nothing makes me happier than this girl. I can't wait to have another one running around!