Sweet Miracle

My Dear Sweet Kayla Girl,

Today I started packing up your newborn clothes.  How can it be that you, my tiny little Easter Baby, has outgrown your newborn clothes that were once a little big?  And how could it be that it has happened so soon?

You are growing so healthy and strong. 

The other day as you lay asleep on my chest I rested my cheek in front of your face and felt your hot breath  blowing against my cheek.  Your sweet rhythmic breathing reminded me how God breathed the very breath of life into you.  In that moment I sat and marveled at the little miracle that you are. 

In another moment as I studied your face I was fixated on your little eyeballs.  It reminded how every single detail of your being was created and planned by the Lord and you were truly “knit together in my womb.” (Psalm 139:13)  Amazing!

You have richly blessed our lives in your short 3.5 weeks of life. 

Your Mama loves you more than words could ever express! 

 

Sharing with Kayla

I guess all the talking and book reading about sharing is paying off...

 

Screwdrivers inside her swaddle blanket.

 

 

He was giving her his balloon.  Let me tell you, sharing his balloon is a huge deal!  He is obsessed with balloons.

Sharing his spoons. 

 

And last but not least (drum roll please)....

 

POOR DOG!!!  Though is it called sharing when he gives it to her and then 2 seconds later takes it back?  Considering how much he loves that dog, I think it definitely counts.  ;) 



 

We will see how the sharing goes once she is old enough to play with his toys ;)

Life with a Baby Sister

Joshua has adjusted wonderfully to his new sister!  We prepped him as much as we could throughout my entire pregnancy.  We talked and talked a lot about his baby sister, what she would be like, and we did a lot of role playing with a doll.  I think the fact that he has adapted so well is partly because of the prepping we did but also his easy going personality. Not to mention his natural love of babies. 

When he came to see her in the hospital the first thing he said when he saw her was , "hold her." 

When we came home from the hospital he was waiting at the house for us and was eager to help carry her in. 

He loves to hold her!  Of course we are really holding her and he is just "helping."  When he is done holding her he pulls his arms out from underneath her and says, "all done." 
 
He absolutely does not like her hat on.  He always wants to take it off.  He is rough when he does it too so we have told him countless times that he has to ask mommy or daddy first so now he says, "ask mommy" as he walks over to here and I know exactly what he wants to do. 

One of my favorite things that he does is when he comes down stairs in the morning and Kayla is still sleeping he asks, "Baby Kayla is?" as he holds out his arms and shrugs his shoulders. 

I also like when he is in the middle of playing and Kayla makes a noise he stops what he's doing and looks at me surprised. 
 
Once he notices that she isn't in the same room as he is he stops what he is doing to go find her. 

 

He tells me "love baby Kayla."  Or he will lay his head on her and say, "love her."  Oh my sweet, sweet boy!

 

 

 

 

He loves when she does tummy time.  Sometimes he runs over to the blanket when she isn't on it, lays on it and says "tummy time."

 

 

For some reason he loves to hold her head whenever we change her diaper. It cracks me up.  When he sees she is getting her diaper changed he runs over to hold her head.  I guess because we always stress how gentle you have to be with her head and when she is getting her diaper changed no one is looking after it. 

 

 

 

 Of course he has had a few moments where he has acted out in jealousy but overall he is handling all the changes very well.  

Kayla is very lucky to have a big brother like Joshua.  He already adores her so much.  I can't wait to watch their relationship develop as she gets older.  She is going to look up to him so much!

Kayla's Birth Story

Kayla Grace entered the world on Thursday, March 28th at 6:48pm (39W and 3D) and she couldn't be any more perfect.

The day before I went into labor I had two people tell me that there was going to be a full moon that night and maybe it would send me into labor.  I also noticed that night that my horrible heartburn had not showed up lik it had been doing every night so I was wondering if something was up.  Sure enough at about midnight I woke up with mild contractions coming about 15-20 minutes and it lasted until about 5 am.  They were nothing major just more annoying because they were keeping me up.  We got up in the morning and finished packing last minute items thinking we'd be going to the hospital that morning.  Well, the contractions stopped and we went on with our day. 

We took Joshua to story time.

We picked carrots from my garden.  Yes he used his snow shovel.

We watched Joshua play in the backyard and then went to lunch. 

I had a few sporadic contractions but nothing consistent.  I was having some light bleeding so I called the nurse and she said I was fine but to call back if the bleeding picked up. 

Around 12:30 contractions started coming every 10 minutes.  They were intense and I had to breathe through them but still  not strong enough to make me think it was true labor.  The bleeding had picked up and things I was reading on Google (of course) made me nervous so I called the nurse and again she reassured me that everything was okay but told me I could come in for a check if I wanted.  I decided to go in to get some peace of mind.  So after J's nap we all three headed to the doctor.  I saw the doctor at 4pm who checked me and told I was dilated to 5 cm and 90% effaced and sent me straight to labor and delivery.  She kept telling me that I was lucky to have reached 5cm with contractions coming every 10 minutes. 

We were both shocked.  What a good surprise to find out that I was half way there and not in a whole lot of pain. 

Since we had Joshua and no overnight bags Daniel had to drive him home where his parents met him to take him for the next two days, grabbed our bags and then boogied back to the hospital.  Meanwhile, I had to walk to labor and delivery by myself.  I still wasn't in a whole of pain and didn't mind being by myself.  I must have looked pitiful though.  One nurse asked, "do you have someone coming to be with you?" 

Around 5pm the contractions went from coming every 10 minutes to every 4.  After driving 95MPH Daniel finally made it to my labor and delivery room at 5:30.  I got in the tub to labor.  Around 6 my doctor came in and offered to break my water to speed dilation.  She gave us some time to think about it as I am hesitant of doing any unnecessary interventions.  After a few more contractions I decided that if we could make this happen faster then lets do it!  She came back at 6:15 to see what we decided.  She broke my water and about 2 contractions later I was pushing.  I pushed for about 10 minutes and then sweet baby girl Kayla was born at 6:48pm.

 

Daddy's little Princess

 

 Kayla's first guest were Aunt Anna and Uncle Andrew followed shortly by Papa.  Omah couldn't come that night because she had to stay home with Joshua who was sleeping. 

Kayla's Uncle Lulu 

Meeting Aunt Lala

 

Joshua came to meet his little sister the next morning.  We were so excited to see our little guy! 

 

The first thing he said when he saw her was "hold her."

 

Looking for the gift Kayla brought for him.  She gave him a football, car, a couple books and some other balls.  She spoke right to his heart. Omah told me that the next morning he was playing with the toys Kayla gave him singing "yea yea yea Kayla."

Kayla holding the gifts Joshua brought her. 

 

 Later in the afternoon Kayla's Omah, Papa, and Great Grandpa came to see her.  Unfortunately, no one remembered to take any pictures.  :(

 

Kayla's Mimi.  3 generations of girls! 

Bright eyed 

 

Going home!

 

Feels great to be home and not have the nurses coming in at all hours of the day and night waking my baby and making her cry, checking our vitals and such.  We are more in love with this little girl than we could have ever imagined.  Her little brother is quite thrilled with her too. 

 



Easter 2013

Kayla came just in time for Easter.  This year we went over to Dan's parent's house where a lot of the extended family was able to meet our sweet girl. 

Here are some pictures from our day.

The egg hunt...

 

 

 

Enjoying his finds.  Hard boiled eggs anyone?

 

 Sweet cousins!

 

These pictures make me squeal!

Check out the paparazzi following these cuties have!   

 

Hanging out with Grandpa and Uncle Lulu.  Joshua sure does look up to his Uncle Lulu. 

 

And this is how our little Easter Baby spent her first Easter.