January was so long and daunting for everybody around here I think. With more days at negative temps than I'd like to even think about, some bottoming out at -45. Yuck!!!! We celebrated Leah's 4th birthday at the beginning of the month too. I sometimes look at her and wonder where the last 4 years have gone. I love that little peanut so very much and it seems like only yesterday we were at the hospital having her. She's a crazy lady, with a crazy, feisty personality. I'm really not sure where she gets that from ;) Her birthday was laid back-we went to Grandma and Grandpa Siebert's house-and just enjoyed our girl!
February was also freezing cold and we were all beginning to wonder if Spring would EVER come our way. Ry and I celebrated our 5th anniversary by doing what we do every year-Ry watched while I coached JV basketball. How romantic:) Ry really is a trooper for all the boring he puts up with.
March was also freezing. Seriously we NEVER thought it would get warm out. I remember telling Leah that the baby would be here when it was warm out. But by the end of March as the due date got closer I started to doubt it would be warm even then. I was pretty sure this baby would be born in a middle of April snow blizzard. March was the cramming month where we washed clothes, finished the nursery, stocked up on diapers and made some final decisions regarding the birth and plans for Leah during that time. I felt like I got everything together during this time, and I was so ready for our baby to be here.
April. Ah April! My end was in sight! I'm one of those people who just has miserable pregnancy's so I couldn't wait for this one to be over too. I felt bad at times for complaining when I actually felt really good this time around. I don't know why, but this baby was being really sweet to me. I wasn't real sick, my body didn't hurt too bad and I was sleeping great. My only complain My Dr talked with me and we decided to set an induction date for a week past my due date (April 19) but I was so hoping I wouldn't make it that long. I just really didn't want to be induced.
By this point I had stopped working and Leah started her new schedule where she stayed home with me on Tuesday's and Thursday's and then went to school the other 3 days. Monday April 14 was spent cleaning the house, and Tuesday was spent as a Mommy and Leah day. We played. We made some art for the baby's room. We went grocery shopping. We ate lunch out at Noodles and then got some Starbucks just to top off the day. It was special to have a day that Leah and I could be together with no distractions.
Tuesday night, April 15th I began having contractions. Long story made short-I started contractions around 9, went to the hospital at 12:30 am, baby came at 6:47 am. My sweet, beautiful baby GIRL Abigail was finally with us! Her birth wasn't without complications-as my babies just like to come into this world in dramatic fashion (again, I have no idea where my girls get that from). She had inhaled some meconium, had the cord wrapped around her neck, and just like Leah, she had a shoulder distocia on the way out. After about half an hour with the NICU team they said she was just fine and we finally got to hold our second baby girl.
Leah was in love with the little lady from the minute they met. Well, sort of :) She was creeped out by Me being in the hospital bed, the strange hospital room, and this tiny little human who was now her little sister. Leah didn't hold her until the second day, but everyday after that she's wanted to hold Abigail, kiss her and play with her. She really has turned into the amazing sister I knew she could be.
Being a family of 4 hasn't been all that difficult so far. I say that as we are less than 2 weeks in. Leah seems to be doing just fine, she doesn't wake up when Abigail cries and she hasn't been regressing at all. Ry spends more time with Leah than I do because I'm trying to get in sync with Abigail as far as nursing goes, but we are all getting there. Nights are tough for me, as I'm the one to get up with her. Ry says he sleeps great and sometimes I want to punch him, as I haven't slept for more than 3 hours in a single stretch since Abigail's been born, but I know its all going to be short lived and eventually she won't be needing me at all hours of the night for long. It kinda makes me sad thinking about it. I love my time with her at night where its just Abigail and Mommy. It's our bonding time since Ry's still off work for another week and Leah's home 2 days a week.
This past weekend was a bit of a struggle for me both physically and emotionally. I don't feel like I even really got to this point with Leah, but I hit an emotional road block on Saturday and I hit it hard!
One of my best friends got married on Saturday April 26th-also my 28th birthday. I was a bridesmaid and Leah was a flower girl. It all started with hair at 7:00 am, then I got an hour to go home and see Abigail and pump, then we were at the church from 11-3 for the pictures and the ceremony. Then home for half hour to pump again and see Abigail, then we headed downtown for pictures and the reception. At about 9 pm Leah was tired and ready to leave, and my emotions came out in full force. I suddenly realized how tired I was, (after all, Abigail had been up 3 times the night before, and our day had started at 7 and had not slowed down). My big girl was exhausted and having a melt down, I was frustrated and full because there wasn't a place for me to pump and I couldn't get my dress unzipped and zipped easy enough to pump effectively, and, oh yeah, I missed my 10 day only baby. There's also that tiny feeling in your body when it tells you-hey slow down, you just had a baby 10 days ago. My body hurt like nobody's business by the end of the night. I was a mess and started crying and just wanted to go home.
When we got back home I sat with little Abigail in my arms for a few hours. I hadn't seen her all day long and that's really difficult with a newborn. I can't even begin to describe how much I missed that tiny peanut.
Sunday was a day where I did absolutely nothing. My body was still telling me it needed more recovery time and that I should just rest. So I did. And it was wonderful. My mom had been up the whole weekend to watch little Abigail while we were at the wedding, and while we were gone she also did laundry and cleaned the house. I found myself on Sunday night almost in tears again because I missed my Mom and how helpful she was. It was also nice that on Sunday morning when Abigail woke up at 5 for a feeding, my Mom got up with me and we talked for awhile. It was nice to have somebody else to talk with while feeding that baby girl.
It's been a super long 4 months of the year, and I'm hoping the next 8 months slow down because I really want to enjoy my little family being little for as long as I can!
Amy
