Ella's 1st Well Baby Check Up

First of all, I got up at 6 am to feed Ella and it took me all the way until 9 am to just get ready! I couldn't even finish my shower because I could hear her crying! It's so hard to get anything done when you have a newborn. She did sleep much better last night, only waking to eat every 3 hours. I fed Ella just before we left to go to the doctor. Her appointment was at 9 40. I arrived about 10 minutes early to fill out some new patient paper work. They didn't call us in until 10 20! I was so frustrated because by the time we got in to see the doctor, she was starving. She screamed through the whole appointment. I've never seen her cry like that and it just killed me. It wasn't like she was being bad; she was just so hungry and it was all their fault for running late! UGH I was mad!

On the bright side, she is perfect perfect perfect! She is in the 50th percentile in weight and is already back up to her birth weight. She is in the 20th percentile in length so we might have a shorty on our hands! I just feel so incredibly blessed that she is so healthy. There are a lot of sick babies out there that are in my prayers!

Ella is home!

Well Ella is giving her mommy a hard time! She is a very good baby. She still hardly cries...only when she's starving or has a dirty diaper. But she's definitely got her days and nights mixed up. She was awake from 2 am to 7 am last night. She wasn't bad, wasn't crying, she was just awake. It was a little frustrating for me because I was so tired but I stayed perfectly calm and just tried to soothe her. She wanted to eat about every hour and a half whereas during the day she will eat every 3 or 4 hours. My milk came in yesterday evening so I think she is just adjusting to that.

I gave her a sponge bath today and she HATED it! It was so hard for me to hear her scream like that. I felt like a mean mommy :(

Normally when she cries it's just one little wail, maybe 2 and as long as you give her what she needs, she's fine. But during her bath as well as when we put her in her carseat, she just cried and cried! Poor baby!

She loves to look at Tyler and I! Last night she would fuss and fuss until I turned the lamp on and peeked in at her. She would just stare at me, perfectly content. She was doing this with Tyler this evening. So cute!

She went to the doctor today for a little check up and she's at 7 pounds, 6 ounces, no signs of jaundice, very healthy little girl! Her daddy is so in love with her! He treats her like a little porcelain doll...it's precious. He doesn't want her to ever be even slightly uncomfortable.

We are so lucky to have her!

BIRTH STORY!

On Wednesday morning, October the 6th, we had a scheduled induction because I was due and we didn't want the baby to get too big before I went into labor on my own.

I was at a 4 when I checked in that morning. They started Pitocin at 7 25 am. I began having strong, painful contractions within a few minutes. I had contractions every 2-3 miutes for about 2 hours and then I got an epidural. I was really nervous about getting one but those contractions sure do make you want to get rid of the pain! And let me tell you...in my opinion, the epidural was sooo worth it! All of my anxiety about giving birth went away right along with the pain. I still had some feeling. When I had contractions it was more like strong pressure than pain. I dilated about 2 cm each hour and was at a 10 by 11 00 am . I pushed for about 15 minutes when my doctor told me he needed to use the vacuum to help her out because he had an emergency to get to next door. It worried me but I honestly felt like since my delivery was going so well, and someone else needed him more, that it would be fine. During one push, the vacuum popped off and the doctor almost fell backwards! It really freaked me out...blood splashing around and everything. It was crazy. The next push she came out and sadly, I tore. I was really hoping I wouldn't and I don't think I would have if we could've taken more time for me to gradually push her out.

As soon as I saw her, tears just streamed down my face. When she came out, they plopped her on my belly and I was just so overwhelmed! I wanted to just hug her and kiss her but I wasn't sure if I was 'allowed' since she was still bloody and everything. I didn't know what to do. I bet my face was looking pretty scared! My mom cut the cord and the nurses whisked my Ella away. She was so so pale and blue and didn't cry for what seemed like forever. I asked the nurses if she was ok but no one would answer me. Tyler hurried over and watched as they put the oxygen mask over her face. It was scary but that was all it took and she began to cry. It was the most beautiful sound I have ever heard!

We brought her home yesterday afternoon and introduced her to our 2 dogs, Max (border collie) and Waylon (rat terrier). Waylon definitely understands his place. He is interested in her but keeps a good distance. As soon as she leaves my lap, he jumps right in it. Max is obsessed with her! He won't stop staring at her, even when she's in her bassinet and he can't even see her! If I'm walking around with her, he is following. It's very sweet but we have to keep an eye on him so that he doesn't get too excited around her. They both slept right outside our bedroom door all night long. Our dogs will have to learn how to spend a little more time outside and less in.

Ella Beth is perfectly healthy. 7 pounds, 11 ounces, 19.5 inches long. She is nursing very well, about every 2 hours throughout the day and about every 3 at night. She hardly cries and is so sweet. I am so in love with her!

Last prenatal doctor's appointment!

I went to the doctor today and I only gained one more pound bringing my weight to 160 pounds...my total gain is 37 pounds. My bp was normal. Ella's heart rate was in the 140's so she's doing really well, as usual. We decided to set a date to induce...we are inducing first thing Wednesday morning. I really don't want to be induced but I don't want her to get too big and then have to have a c-section. I could still possibly go into labor before Wednesday. I am dilated to 4 cm as of today.

I am so excited to have a date set to meet my baby girl but I'm getting really nervous! I have never been in the hospital for anything. I've (obviously) never had a baby. I just don't know what to expect which is hard for me to handle since I'm a huge control freak! lol! But I am mostly excited and I know that everything will be fine and my baby will be in my arms so soon!