Madeline

I have not posted in a while, because I have been adjusting to life as a mommy of two. I had no idea how much a second child would change everything! Everything is a little more difficult, because I am chasing after Noah while holding my tiny girl! I also didn't know it was possible to have so much love. While I was pregnant, I always wondered how I would have enough love for two kids. I love Noah so much that I didn't know how I could have room for that much love times two! But I am reminded of what I have heard the Duggars say, love doesn't divide it multiplies. That is so true! I feel so blessed to have these two wonderful little people in my life.

Birth story:
It was the day after my birthday, and I wasn't feeling normal. I felt out of breath and like my heart was going to beat out of my chest. I called the on call dr, and he advised me to head down to the hospital for observation. I called my parents (b/c Toby cannot drive with the kids in the car), they came and picked us up and we headed down for the second time (I had already had one false alarm the week before with braxton hicks contractions). We got downtown and headed into the hospital. My blood pressure was elevated and the protein in my urine was higher than it was earlier in the week at my ob. The on call dr came to the hospital and said he was more than likely going to deliver me that evening. At that point my blood pressure went pretty high (I think b/c I realized that she was going to be born that night and this wasn't my dr). So after watching me for about a half hour, the dr said that we were going for a c section right away. I headed back at around 5pm. The last time, my c section was an awful experience (which is one reason I switched drs and hospitals). I was really nervous, b/c I love my new dr and I had never met this on call dr, but he was wonderful! The anesthesiologist got my epidural in on the first try (last time I was poked at least ten times). I had no idea that they had even started my c section until they told Toby and I that the baby was about to be pulled out. She came out screaming. They held her up over the curtain and she was beautiful! Toby went with them as they cleaned her up, weighed her, and got her APGAR scores (which were both 9). She was a perfect little peanut! She was smaller than we thought she was going to be at 6 lbs 5 oz. But she was perfect! They closed me up, and I got to hold her on the way back to l&d. The dr said at first that I would have to go on mag sulfate, which is awful. But he decided to just watch me and then make a decision. Luckily, he decided against it. I was able to have Madeline with me the entire time I was in the hospital. Such a change from Noah! We were able to go home after two days. We stayed with my parents until after Christmas. It was wonderful to be at their house and have the extra help while I recovered. Toby also took off from work for the first week back to stay at home and help (which is very nice, since I am not allowed to pick up Noah). We are starting to adjust to having two kiddos. Noah is so in love with his baby sister, but he is very clingy b/c he doesn't like that we are not completely focused on him. I am hoping that gets better soon!

Anyway, we had a great Christmas with our new bundle of joy and our wonderful 2 year old who is so smart that he constantly amazes us! We were very blessed this year. I would post some pictures, but we had an issue with someone taking pictures of Madeline from my mom's site over Christmas, and it has made me a little more cautious about putting their pictures out there. If you are not my friend on facebook, friend request me and you can see the pictures there. Well, I hear my little one crying in the next room, and we have to go to the store, so that is all for now. Hopefully, I will find some time to blog soon, but who knows with two kids! :)