A few pictures of our new family member...

We didn't get very many pictures and a lot of them ended up blurry. I forgot to adjust the camera settings, before handing it over to get pictures. But here are a few that turned out okay.
Here is where I FINALLY got her, two hours after she was born in the recovery room. I won't tell you how frustrating it was to be there, waiting for her and Alex... or just ANYONE to tell me what was going on!!!


The kids loved meeting her.








The four loves of my life:


She has to have both of her hands by her face at all times... even when we swaddle her, she will work her hands out so they are right by her face.




Here is my sweetie, asleep... and that is pretty much what she does ALL the time! She sleeps around 20-22 hours a day. She does wake up to eat every 2 to 3 hours, but is quickly back to sleep when satisfied.




This is her in the bath a few days ago. She hates the bath, but I love these pictures because you see Alex's hand next to her, and you can see how incredibly tiny she is.

Aja Lily

This post should be full of a million pictures, but let's face it, it's not easy to nurse a baby and sit on an office chair. So here's just one picture until I can share the rest.



I can, however, type her story on my tablet while cuddling her.

We were told to be at the hospital at 10:30, so we had to say goodbye to our kids at 10. That was really rough, even though I knew they would perfectly happy and more spoiled with their grandparents then with us... there's just something about leaving your children that makes one a little sad. Devin has never slept away from me before.

They hooked me up to my iv and then it was just a waiting game... which ended up being longer then expected, due to an emergency c-section. It was supposed to be at 12:30... by about 1:15, I was starting to freak out a little... not because they were late, but because I just didn't want to do it anymore. I guess it was too late to back out at that point though.....

They ended up taking me back around 1:30, and that is the part I hate the most. I think it's really mean that they take a terrified woman away from her husband into a FREEZING room and stick a foot long needle into her spine (just sayin'). It felt like forever, but it was probably only 10 minutes.

They finally put up that blue sheet and let Alex come in. I think I squeezed his hand too tight because he finally stopped letting me hold his hand and just rubbed my arm. Last time my c-section was fast, but this time was NOT fast. Aja was transverse (meaning laying side to side), and it took them a really long time to get out. Alex said they had to cut my incision bigger to get her out... I really didn't want to know that.

When they finally got her out, the room was completely silent, until I heard a nurse on the phone calling for a NICU team. Those are definitely not the words you want to hear laying on a table with your stomach cut open and not able to jump up and grab your baby.

It was probably only a minute, but it felt like years before she was laying on the table and started screaming, just as the NICU team walked in. It was the most beautiful sound in the world!

She was perfect... every tiny inch of her. She weighed 5 lbs 7 oz and was 18 inches long. They said she is SGA (which means Small for Gestational Age), and that included extra tests and extra observation... but she is PERFECT! She is just small.

We are so happy to have her in our family! All of us (even Devin) is madly in love with her. Just today as Devin was leaving for the gym with Alex he had to give Aja a kiss goodbye and tell her he loved her 3 times before he left. Alex and Ally sometimes battle over who gets to hold her.

And me? Well, she is the one perfect piece of the puzzle that I didn't know was missing. I love this quote and it completely describes how I feel; "No one will ever know how much I love you. You are the only one that knows how my heart beats from the inside." She is such innocense, beauty and perfection in one tiny, little bundle and I feel so blessed to have her in my life.

Tomorrow

our family changes forever... but in a good way.

It's exciting and in the last weeks of pregnancy you are usually analyzing every twinge, wondering if it is the start of labor... and pacing anxiously for the moment when you can say "this is it!" Then, rather then thinking, "oh my gosh, I am having a baby!" you are thinking of the pain, breathing through it, and in some cases wondering how soon you can get the epidural.

I think it is better that way, not being able to think how very soon your life will be forever altered. But I learned last week, that time was up and due to some health issues, she is coming... tomorrow. Only I am not busy breathing through contractions or timing them to decide when we should head to the hospital. I know she is coming in 1 day, and I know she is coming by c-section. I don't like it this way, not at all!

Only, I know that tomorrow I finally will know what this little girl looks like. I will see if she has dark hair like her sister or blonde hair like her brother. I will get to feel her sweet little fingers curl around mine and kiss her tiny little nose. I will get finally see the baby that was destined to be mine.

I can't wait to see my children see her for the first time. I can't wait to see her big sister hold her and her eyes light up at the miracle of someone so new. I can't wait to see Devin meet her for the first time. I don't think he will be too interested in her, but who knows, because his ability to love is infinite.

And I want to see my husband hold her, his big hands and arms wrapped around her tiny, little body. I want to see him kiss her smooshy little cheeks, and swaddle her in a pink, fluffy blanket. I want to see her weave her way into his heart, and know that she has him wrapped around that dainty, little finger.

So, rather then all the fears and unkowns, that is what I am focusing on... my baby. Because she will definitely be worth it. So say a quick prayer for all of us, and the journey that we are about to take together.

4th Grade Dance Performance

As an end of year chapter, the 4th graders learned about pioneers. So Ally's teacher taught the 4th graders dances to do around a "campfire" and then they performed for the parents today. It was so cute and so much fun! They started off dancing to Cotton Eye Joe.

Devin thought it looked like a lot of fun and started dancing too.

Then the different classes performed different dances. Ally's class did the polka.

Devin thought it was great that I was distracted taking pictures and snuck off into the class to dance with them... I was mortified to chase after him and bring him back. He was heartbroken.
Then all the 4th graders did the Boot Scootin' Boogey.

Then the kids grabbed someone from the audience to dance with them. Ally took Devin, which made his day and was adorable to see him try and dance with his sister.

It was so much fun to watch and Ally LOVED it!!!

Devin's Preschool "Graduation"

Devin has LOVED preschool this year! I wasn't so sure when he started out if he would ever be happy there, but after a few weeks he was so excited to go. This last time I went to get him he I had to drag him away crying and begging Miss Stephanie (his teacher) to let him stay. I love that he loves to go there!

His teacher has a graduation celebration for all the kids, not just for the ones ready to go into Kindergarten. It was so cute that next year I am going to make Alex take off work so he can see it too. She had each kids come up and she presented them with their certificate.

She talks about what they have learned and how proud she is of them. For Devin she said, "Devin has learned a lot in preschool this year. He has learned how to sit and listen and to be a good friend. Most impressively, he has learned to tell left from right. I am so proud of him!"

I have loved him going to preschool and I am excited that he goes back next year. His teacher is amazing!

Devin thinks she is pretty special too!

Mother's Day 2012

Mother's Day was great this year! I got woken up to breakfast in bed from my adoring hubby and my sweet, little kids. Ally made me a ton of presents, this one is my favorite:

Devin made me a coupon book in preschool, this coupon made me laugh so hard!

They are so sweet and I am so blessed to be their mom!

Ally's Spring Choir Performance

I mentioned before that her school choir is actually really good, and their Spring performance was excellent as well! It takes a lot of dedication to get to school 45 minutes early twice a week... not just from her, but from me too!

Mrs. Thibault was her choir director this year, she is also the second counselor in the young women's with me! She is retiring this year, so it was really sweet to see her final performance. I was sad because I wanted Devin to be in her kindergarten class, but luckily she will be teaching preschool so he will get to have her in 2 years anyway. I am am proud of my beautiful, dedicated singer!!!