Two weeks

I can't believe she's two weeks old already! We've really enjoyed our time getting settled at home as a family.

A. was able to take all of last week off from work, and take half-days this week. He has been absolutely amazing as a father and a husband. I couldn't ask for a more supportive, patient, loving man to share my life with. He's been a true partner, changing diapers, making dinner, grocery shopping (including nursing and maxi pads!), cleaning the house, singing to Helen, and constantly encouraging me and supporting me as I figure out this mommy thing.

My mom also came to spend a few nights with us, and was absolutely wonderful. It was nice to have someone here who knows how to take care of a baby! The first thing I asked her to do when she got here was make chocolate chip cookies. :) I was craving them, and it just seemed like a comforting thing to do. She also helped with laundry, cooking, cleaning, and holding Helen while mommy and daddy took naps! Most importantly, she was able to come with us to the Emergency Room on Helen's second night home. She hasn't peed in 24 hours, and that paired with the concerns about her kidneys, led our pedi to recommend that we go to the ER. I was pretty much a mess, and was so glad to have my mom their with us. I just feel safer when she's around. :) She also helped document important firsts - like Helen meeting Ruby for the first time (on video!), and Helen's first bath! Thanks Mom!

We've had a few visitors, but not so many that we've been overwhelmed. Helen has had 2 pedi appointments, and one appointment at Texas Children's hospital for follow up testing on her kidneys (ultrasound and VCUG). Her kidneys are still a little dilated, but nothing to be concerned about according to her pedi. We'll do a follow up ultrasound at 6-7 weeks. Whew! I was so worried about her. It was SUCH a relief to her the pedi say that she looks great at her second appointment! She was 9 lbs 7 oz at 1 week and 5 days! My big girl! 

We went for a walk today - just down the street to get the mail. She loves the Moby wrap! It's hard to see in this pic, because the wrap is black and so is my shirt. She's snug as a bug!

The light of my life

8 lbs 11 oz, 21 inches long, with a full head of black hair :)

Thursday morning I woke up with what I thought was gas pain. And then I realized that I don't usually have to cuss through gas pains, and gas pains aren't usually 4 minutes apart. :)  I took a quick shower and continued to time the pains. After an hour, it became apparent that they were indeed contractions! Andres had already left for work, so I called him to tell him that I thought I was having contractions, and he should head home. We called my OB and she told us to go ahead in to the hospital. I finished getting dressed and picked up a few things around the house while Andres loaded the car. Every time I got a contraction I had to walk around the house in big circles and huff and puff and cuss. Going into labor in the morning really worked out. J I got to take a shower and take my time getting ready. There's no way I would have been able to drive myself home if I went into labor at work! 

We left for the hospital around 8:15. The contractions in the car were SO uncomfortable!  Having to sit through them was torture. Who knows what people who pulled up next to us were thinking!  When we got to the hospital, I intended to walk up to the L&D floor on my own, but one of the valet guys insisted that I sit in a wheelchair. He wheeled me up, and did this cute little ambulance noise as he drove. It was cute. J We went straight to our room and they checked my progress. I was 5 cm already! My OB came to check on me and broke my water. I progressed to 7cm really fast, and at that point, I begged for the epidural. The pain was insane and I was pretty much climbing the walls. HUGE kudos to anyone who has given birth without an epi. I tried, but oh my goodness there was just no way. After the epi, I was in heaven. Our parents were all in the waiting room, so we let them in to visit for a little while. I progressed to 10 cm pretty quickly and wanted to push, so the nurse kicked everyone out and call my OB. I could feel the pressure of the contractions, but no pain. The pressure was getting stronger and stronger, so the nurse told me to push the epi button again. Pushing was kind of hard because I couldn't feel what I was doing at first. As the baby got lower, the pressure was greater, so it got easier. When she was finally born, she took my breath away. It is the most incredible thing I’ve ever done. We are so, so in love. 

Here are a few pictures. There are TONS more here: https://picasaweb.google.com/laura.aya/BabyAya#