I remember when Caleb turned 3 months old…and I posted my very first update on him. I totally promised myself that this time around I would be more prompt…but amazingly enough I’m actually busier with 2 kids than I was with 1! Sooo here is an almost 3 month overdue update on our girl:
Emmalyn Dianne Lowe
BIRTH STORY;)
Following in her brothers tradition, Emma had to be
threatened with eviction to make her appearance. Because Caleb was a C-Section,
we had to schedule a c/s for Emma in case I didn’t go into labor on my own. If
I did go on my own, then I would be allowed to try a VBAC, but its dangerous to
induce after a C/S, so we didn’t want to risk that. However, starting at 38wks, I
did everything I could to try to go into spontaneous labor – loooong walks with
Bubs at least once a day, special teas, anything I found online that
‘supposedly’ promoted labor. Had TONS of Braxton hicks (which I didn’t with
Caleb), but I hung out at 1cm the whole time! Truly, having kids is all about
NOT being able to plan;)
The morning of the scheduled CS (after packing, and when my parents, who were going to watch Caleb, were 10 min away) I got a call from the charge nurse that the delivery unit was full, and they had to reschedule the c/s for the evening of the 25th. Already 3 days overdue, this was NOT news I wanted to hear at ALL. BUT, God is sovereignJ Just like Caleb (who came spontaneously the morning that my induction was scheduled), Emma decided to come on her own the morning of the 25th!
I went into labor about 5am, and, since it was a Sunday (Oh, Emma, of course you choose to come on the LEAST convenient day!), waited to call my mom until I was SURE this was “it”. Of course my Dad was preaching, so they had to come separately! We went to the hospital as soon as she got there – about 9:30am. Apparently there had been a rumor that I was having the C/S anyway, so we initially were checked into the wrong room (a preop room) and were visited by the preop nurse, and the anesthesiologist before we finally convinced them that no, we were going to try for the VBAC (which my Dr was all for, she just got misinformed)! We walked the unit for a few hours because I wanted to make sure I was progressing well before I got the Epidural. That happened at about 2pm (oh how I love those thingsJ ) and after that it went pretty fast! I was complete at about 530 and then Emma made her appearance at 8:49pm! She was meconium positive, like Caleb, although unlike him they didn’t know until after she was born. As the special care Dr caught her (they were in there because she had some heart rate issues during pushing) she said “Wow she’s big” and then “I need an ET tube stat”. Of course to PICU nurse me that meant umm she’s not breathing and I said “What?!?” They explained right away that they needed to get the meconium out BEFORE she took her first breath so that was the hurry, not that she was in any distress…and she cried as soon as they were doneJ
The morning of the scheduled CS (after packing, and when my parents, who were going to watch Caleb, were 10 min away) I got a call from the charge nurse that the delivery unit was full, and they had to reschedule the c/s for the evening of the 25th. Already 3 days overdue, this was NOT news I wanted to hear at ALL. BUT, God is sovereignJ Just like Caleb (who came spontaneously the morning that my induction was scheduled), Emma decided to come on her own the morning of the 25th!
I went into labor about 5am, and, since it was a Sunday (Oh, Emma, of course you choose to come on the LEAST convenient day!), waited to call my mom until I was SURE this was “it”. Of course my Dad was preaching, so they had to come separately! We went to the hospital as soon as she got there – about 9:30am. Apparently there had been a rumor that I was having the C/S anyway, so we initially were checked into the wrong room (a preop room) and were visited by the preop nurse, and the anesthesiologist before we finally convinced them that no, we were going to try for the VBAC (which my Dr was all for, she just got misinformed)! We walked the unit for a few hours because I wanted to make sure I was progressing well before I got the Epidural. That happened at about 2pm (oh how I love those thingsJ ) and after that it went pretty fast! I was complete at about 530 and then Emma made her appearance at 8:49pm! She was meconium positive, like Caleb, although unlike him they didn’t know until after she was born. As the special care Dr caught her (they were in there because she had some heart rate issues during pushing) she said “Wow she’s big” and then “I need an ET tube stat”. Of course to PICU nurse me that meant umm she’s not breathing and I said “What?!?” They explained right away that they needed to get the meconium out BEFORE she took her first breath so that was the hurry, not that she was in any distress…and she cried as soon as they were doneJ
And who does she look like? Well, once we got her all happy and swaddled, she reminded me a of a picture...
The left is my newborn picture and the right is Emmas! Its only fair, since Caleb is a mini Garrett ;)
My parents and the Biehl Great Grandparents came to the
hospital that night for a quick “meet n greet” but it was past Caleb’s bedtime,
so he didn’t get to meet his new sister until the next day:
“Gentle” has become the most often used word around our
house!
MEASUREMENTS:
Born 8/25 at 8:49pm, Emma weighed in at EXACTLY the same
weight as big brother: 8lbs 15oz (what are the odds?!) and measured 21 ¾
inches, which is just ¼ inch shorter than Caleb!
Now, as of her 2 month appointment: Emma weighs lbs
oz and she is in long. That’s
somewhere in the 90the percentile for both! She is just about to outgrow most
of her 3 month clothes (to compare, Caleb was still in some of his 3 month
clothes at almost 6 months!)
SLEEP:
LIKES AND DISLIKES:
Loves to be held…definitely more of a cuddler than Caleb,
which I don’t mind at allJ
Loves bathtime (so does Caleb – her bathtime I mean!).
Loves her swing, but
ONLY in the morning apparently. Hates the evening from about 530 til bedtime;
she must be held, and often walked to stay happy at this time. Hates her
pacifier…and I tried SO hard to get her to like it…oh well! 0 for 2!
MILESTONES:
she has the smiling thing DOWN, and she is a very smiley and chatty little girl:)
Emma rolled over on October 19, 3 times, and then randomly a
few times since, but she’s not consistent with it. She HATES tummy time after
about 5 minutes, and doesn’t want to learn to roll consistently apparently,
even after Caleb “shows” her how by rolling all over the living roomJ
SIBLING LOVE:
Oh how he loves her!
Caleb has been slightly obsessed with
his little sis from day oneJ
His favorite thing to do in the morning after Emmas morning nap is to “go say
morning Emma” – he wants to be the first one in her room and reaches through
the crib bars to pat her and say “Morning Emma!!”
In the beginning I was truly
concerned he might seriously hurt her. He HAD to be right next to her touching
her whenever she was awake (or sometimes not even then!), and he doesn’t really
understand the concept of gentle. Emma has been run over by a toy lawn mower, a
truck, sat on “like a horsey”, and even picked up once by her big brother. And
she is okJ
He has progressively gotten less fascinated by her, but still I don’t ever
leave them alone together – he’s just too aggressive with his love! However,
99% of the time, hes just trying to love her, or play with her hands
(translation: pull her tiny arms out of their sockets), or give kisses (ON her
eyes) , or pat her like he sees mommy do (hit her very hard on the head), or
touch (pull) her “hairs”…so its hard to be mad at him;) the one and only way
he’s “regressed” since Emma is that he REFUSES to go down the stairs by
himself, which he used to love to do. When we come down stairs he sits at the
top and says “mommy Emma down, then Caleb”, so I have to go put Emma downstairs
and then come get him and carry him…I don’t mindJ
Some favorites from the past couple months:
Since a C/S was the most likely scenario, Garrett’s parents planned to come in for a whole week just after Garrett went back to work – it was such a great time! They played spent a lot of time playing with Caleb (cookie parties with Grandpa were a huge highlight), and cooking and filling our freezer with yummy soups for after they left! What a blessing!!
Just shy of 3 weeks after Emmas birth, my brother Andrew got married! Caleb was honored to be the ring bearer and got his FIRST haircut for the occasion:
My fabulous in-laws flew in AGAIN just to help us out this weekend, as both Garrett and I were in the wedding too! Seriously could not have survived the weekend without them!
We’ve been able to see Uncle Googoo (Griffin) play football for Taylor a lot this season as he has been starting a lot! We are DEDICATED fans – even when its freezing out!
When Daddy and Caleb watch football on Sundays, he’s convinced he’s watching Googoo play!
Halloween was fun! Caleb didn’t dress up, but he got to hand out candy, which he thought was awesome! He kept watch at the window for “the peoples coming”, and apparently they weren’t coming fast enough, because finally he opened the door and started yelling “Peoples! Welcome!” and throwing the candy out the door…and for the next few days he randomly would run to the window and ask when the peoples were coming for their candyJ
Took the littles to the U-Pick orchard to pick some apples and pick out pumpkins!
WHAT WE’VE LEARNED:
We truly love being a family of 4J Its busier for sure, more of
a change than I ever thought it would be, and some days it feels extremely
tiring and stretching, but 2 kids is SO much more fun than 1. I LOVE seeing a
new side of Caleb that I’ve never seen as he interacts with his sister. I love
watching them together. Yesterday as I was changing Emma on her dresser, Caleb
was standing on a little side table at her head and talking to her. Suddenly he
grabbed her hands (I immediately got ready to stop him if he was too rough!)
and started playing patty cake with her “Emma: Pay cake, pay cake, baker man,
bake cake fast can! Wooooolll it, paaaaa it, marka C! toss for Tayeb and
meeee!!” The whole time she was smiling up at him hugely and adoringly. It.
Was. Precious.
And even though there are days where all 4 of us (Maya included)
are crowded around the window counting the moments til Daddy gets home, and
there are days where it seems like one or the other is crying at any given
time, and there are days when there is way too little sleep and way too many
tantrums, it is SO so worth itJ
I am so excited to see them grow up together, to get to know Emma’s
personality, and to see them play together. But for now, I’m trying to just
enjoy the baby/toddler stage, because I know from last time that it goes WAY
too fast.
No comments:
Post a Comment