Abbey's 1 Month Old!

HAPPY ONE MONTH BIRTHDAY ABBEY!

Some things Abbey is doing at one month:

Eating and sleeping great!!! She caught on to breastfeeding right away and is a great little eater, very fast and efficient! Eating about every 3 hrs during the day and 4-5 at night. She sleeps great, though she's starting to require being rocked to sleep more. She sleeps for long stretches and often. She is an incredibly noisy sleeper, making all sorts of sounds and facial expressions. She started smiling at me about a week ago (especially to the ticklish spot I found on her neck)! She loves staring at my face or anyone's really. She holds her neck up incredibly well! It amazes me, and she seems to really enjoy doing it, which means she also likes tummy time. We've offered the paci to her and she takes it occasionally but doesn't seem to really want it. Big brother seems to really enjoy having her around and loves to help with burping and diaper changes. Every time he kisses her it melts my heart. He constantly wants to hold her and thinks it's so silly when she grabs his finger tight. She doesn't really care to be swaddled and is very squirmy, constantly moving and kicking her legs! She never really cries, just "barks" at you if she wants something (that's what I like to call the noise). We couldn't have asked for a better baby and are cherishing every moment with her as we know she will grow into a toddler all too fast!

Abbey's 2 week apt.!

She's doing great! She currently weighs 7 lbs 15 ozs and is gaining weight well! Her weight is in the 70%, her height in the 80% and head circumference 50% (her brother was a mere 10%, though it was hard to tell with all his hair). She is sleeping and eating well. She seems to becoming more aware of the noises around her which means big brother is startling her often! She definitely has designated awake times and she is very alert. She also has very vivid dreams while sleeping, she is constantly making noises and faces while she is asleep. Her big brother is doing well and seems to really enjoy her. He always wants to hold her and knows his special spot on the couch where he gets to. When she cries it kind of freaks him out but all in all he seems to be adjusting well so far!

Abbey's First Week at Home

Wow, has this week flown by! I can't believe it! It feels like we've been home with her longer though. She is fitting right into our little family and is a great little baby. We couldn't ask for a newborn to eat and sleep better. *wink, since really that's all newborns do! Well and really compared to Dylan the wild toddler, she's a piece of cake!!

My dad has been staying with us this week to help look after Dylan and the two of them couldn't be having more fun together. He is just spoiling him rotten. Taking him to the park everyday, the zoo, the pool, the store, etc. It's really neat watching Dylan soak up so much more information and experiences through my Dad. It's also a joy to see my dad loving on his two little grandbabies since he lives so far away and doesn't get to often.
Anyways, this week has been busy! We got home from the hospital Monday, had a pediatrician apt. on Wed. for Abbey (and they said she looked perfect), Thur. Dylan's cousins Max & Miles came over with my sister in law to play in the morning and our friends Tami & Jason came over in the evening, as well as we had to go to the OB/GYN for me. Friday we took the kids to the country club since the pools opened this weekend and I thought Dylan was going to drown himself from all the excitement! Abbey and I hung out in the shade. And then Saturday morning, my stepmom came into town and our good friend Elicia took Abbey's newborn photos, and then we went to Max's 3 year birthday party in the afternoon! We had a few other friends/family visit throughout the week as well. So, as you can tell, Abbey's been busy! Sleeping through all this mostly!
I'll be honest and say this week has gone better than I thought, well I mean I didn't think it would go bad, but I had no idea how Dylan would take the change, and what kind of baby Abbey would be. I'd say we've lucked out so far!! Dylan seems to REALLY like his little sister. Our only problem is him wanting to hold her. There doesn't seem to be much jealousy so far (but that could be because he's getting extra attention right now and we are making sure to also really keep him involved yet not focus completely on her.) However, it's incredible how smart he is. One night, Luke was holding Abbey and Dylan dragged my dad over to the two of them, told my dad to "hold" Abbey and pointed to her. So my dad took her, and then Dylan climbed up into Luke's lap. It was pretty funny. He really is a smart kid.
It really is AMAZING how much calmer and more relaxed we are with Abbey! I only wish we were like this with Dylan. Looking back now we were pretty stressed overly paranoid first time parents! It seems so silly now.
I LOVE having a little baby again! It is so sweet and so much fun. And it really is fun to have all the cute little girl colors around our house, just putting a pink blanket on her makes me so happy! I think we have the best of two worlds right now, an incredibly entertaining boy toddler that never has a dull moment and a super sweet cuddly baby girl.
Anyways, I could keep on typing, but instead I'll post some photos! Enjoy!
(click on them to make larger)

Abbey's Birthday! 05/21/11

She's here, she's here! and I couldn't be happier to not be pregnant anymore! This pregnancy has been a thousand times harder than Dylan's. Mostly just because of how immobile I was with Dylan. Not being able to pick him up, rock him and chasing him was really hard on me. Plus I was just much more uncomfortable with reflux, heartburn, nausea, etc. this time around! However, I really shouldn't complain because it was a perfect pregnancy as far as not having any complications, etc. and in the end resulted in a beautifully healthy baby, we couldn't be more blessed.
So my OB/GYN induced Dylan about 5 days after his due date and told me with second pregnancies she would induce the week before if we wanted her too, so I said "sign me up!" So we originally scheduled the induction for Tuesday the 17th, but since it was elective and not medical, if labor and delivery was full we would be postponed, and that's exactly what happened. So we ended up having to wait until Friday night when my doctor was on call again. So we went in Friday night for cervidil, however when we got there they told me I was already in early labor and really didn't need the cervidil. I was having some sporadic contractions the day before but nothing time-able. It was so weird, literally, after being there for an hr, the contractions were coming every 3-5 minutes consistently. Nothing too painful though. I was about 3 cm dilated and 50% effaced. So since we were already there, we just stayed the night, which sucked. I had a HORRIBLE nurse that did not know what she was doing. She couldn't get an IV in my hand, she couldn't "find" my cervix and was just an idiot. I had 7 cervix checks throughout the night because each time she tried for 5 minutes (can you say UNCOMFORTABLE) and couldn't get it, she ended up having to go get another nurse. So frustrating.
Anyways, finally the morning came and I knew the nurses would all change shifts so we would get a new one. Thank god, the one we got was amazing and had been a nurse for years. They always say when you deliver a baby the one thing you want is good nurses, because really the doctor just catches the baby but the nurse is the one doing all the work and spending the time with you. It's so true.
So at 7:00 am they started the pitocin. My contractions had actually kind of died down, so the pitocin really kicked them into gear again. At this point I was about 4 cm dilated and 90% effaced. The doctor came in and saw me and broke my water. This is when the real fun begins. It's amazing how fast your contractions get super painful once your water breaks AND you have pitocin going. It was about an hr later I was asking for the epidural and even then could barely sit still from the pain. Thank the lord for epis, I was in heaven after that!
Luke and my mom were both at the hospital with me and my mother in law, Cathy was staying at our house with Dylan. So pretty much for the next few hours I just laid in bed and labored. I was actually pretty darn comfortable and had no pain. Around 11:30am the nurse decided to check me. I knew I was getting close because I could feel pressure in my bottom, however, I didn't say anything because I didn't want the nurse to suggest pushing too soon (that's what happened with Dylan). I just wanted this baby to slide out! =)
So she checked and I was a 10 and ready to push. She let me labor a little longer while she got the baby warmer ready and called the doctor. When my doctor walked in her first comment was "whaT? you're ready to push a baby out, you look way to relaxed and comfortable." I told her it was the "calm before the storm" referring to the crazy life we were getting ourselves into with having two kids!
So once everything was set up and I was prep'd, I started pushing. It literally probably only took 10 minutes and about 6 pushes. The doctor and nurses made fun of me for smiling while pushing, they said that wasn't allowed. I told them I couldn't help it, I was so happy to finally not being pregnant anymore!
Abigail Ann Halliday entered the world at 11:50AM and weighed 7 lbs 12 ozs. When I first saw her I was amazed at how much littler she was than Dylan. Dylan weighed 8 lbs 14 ozs, but was much meatier. She was a little skinny petite thing! I was instantly in love and boy could I tell Luke was too. One thing that was different than when Dylan was born was that they let me hold her a lot more before taking her to the nursery. Right after delivering, they put her on my chest for a few minutes and then took her to the warmer to clean her off and check her out. Luke stayed by her the whole time and I could literally see the sparkle in his eyes. He could not take his eyes off her. As soon as they finished they gave her to me and I was able the hold her and nurse her for over an hr before they moved us to our postpartum room and her to the nursery for the rest of her checks.
I am so incredibly grateful and blessed to have a baby girl and a little boy. I could not love my husband anymore for being such a wonderful husband and daddy. I can't wait to go on this wild adventure with him and truly hope we survive having two under two! I think Dylan is going to be a great big brother and I can't wait to watch the two of them grow up together and to shower them with love. I always knew I wanted to be a mommy but I never it would be this rewarding (and it's only the beginning!)









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Our little Rockers...

Can't wait to dress the kiddos in their matching attire:

39 Weeks Pregnant Today!

I must be too good to our babies in utero, because they seem to like to hang out till they get an eviction notice! With Dylan I was induced about 5 days after my due date because he was not coming on his own and growing rapidly in my belly (almost 9 lbs when he was born!) I was really nervous about being induced beforehand, but actually really liked it that way because I felt more in control of the situation.

It looks as though I will be induced again this time. Luckily, my OB/GYN will do an induction with your second baby the week before your due date. As much as I enjoy being pregnant, this pregnancy has been MUCH harder than Dylan's and I am eager to hold baby girl in my arms and not my belly anymore. SO....we are scheduled to be induced Tuesday, May 17th. It's not a guarantee because it's not for medical reasons, so if Labor and Delivery is full, I'll be bumped. Latest I will deliver will be Sat. the 21st. Let's hope it doesn't come to that!

Picture of me at 37 weeks pregnant:

Dylan's going to be a BIG BROTHER!

And we can't wait! He is the most social little kid I have met and I think he's really going to love having a sibling to grow up with. It is definitely going to be an adjustment for sure, but a great one! Dylan will be about 20 months old when Abbey is born so we'll be a household of two under two for a few months! I was raised as an only child and can honestly say I always wished I had siblings. Luke and his brother are about 18 months apart and are close as can be, and I love that! I hope our kids are the same way. One thing I am most excited to for (besides getting a princess to dress!), is experiencing the differences with raising a boy vs. a girl. As our due date gets closer, the more we talk about Abbey's arrival to Dylan and it is so cute! I really hope he adjusts well. To help in the preparation I did buy him a baby doll which he is so sweet too. (Luke thought I was crazy for doing this!) Here are some pictures for your entertainment: