First Week of School and a Special Visit

Will started his spring semester of classes this week. We are excited about getting back into the routine and studies of a new semester.


My very good friend, Dorina, has been here this week helping out as we adjust to the extra work and a new schedule. The two of us first met over 10 years ago in Alaska. We are now separated by almost 4,000 miles, but have remained the best of friends. It has been so good to visit with Dorina this week. The extra help has also been wonderful and was needed this week more than I had expected. Thanks for coming, Dorina.

Catching Up - How I've Been Doing

I haven't said much about how I have been doing for the past month. That's the boring stuff, and I'd rather just post pictures of my children. But, people have been asking how I have been doing, so I'm going to share.

These have been a rough several weeks. Caring for an infant takes a lot of energy, and the loss of sleep is difficult for me. However, I must say that I have been doing much better than we thought I would be postpartum, and for that we are very thankful.

For two weeks after Adelaide was born, I spent a lot of time each day just holding her and enjoying her. What a blessing and a privelege those times were.

After the first two weeks, the loss of sleep really started to catch up with me. Will helped with half or more of the night time feedings, and then he would take Adelaide in the morning while I slept until noon or later. Over the weeks, though, this system was no longer working. I was getting weaker and having difficulty holding Adelaide while in my recliner. My brain fog started getting bad again, and I couldn't think or communicate clearly. At that point Will said it was time for me to stop pushing myself. He took Adelaide and they slept in the living room for a few nights so that I could get good, solid sleep at night.

I am doing much better now. I'm not feeling back up to baseline (my "normal"), but I am at least at a functioning level again. Will continues to do all of the night time feedings, which is a huge help to me. I sleep all night and am able to sleep in until noon.

Life is definitely harder with a baby, but that doesn't change the way I feel about Adelaide. I love this little girl so much. She is definitely worth the sleepless nights, extra weakness and fatigue, and all the hard work.

Catching Up - Coming Home

William meets Adelaide for the first time.

William was so excited when Adelaide and I came home from the hospital. He loves babies (just ask any of my friends who have babies!), and he was absolutely thrilled that he now had a baby sister of his own. We let Adelaide sleep in her carseat for a few minutes, and just looking at her was exciting for William. Then when I took Adelaide out of her carseat I asked William if he would like to hold her. He eyes got big as he said, "yes," and he was so excited that he was shaking! He was very calm and careful, but very excited!

William holds Adelaide for the first time.

William loves his baby sister a lot.


Our Family of Four
Look at that proud big brother!


William checks out Adelaide's tiny fingers.

Before Adelaide was born, William asked me, "Mommy, when Adelaide comes, can we celebrate?"

I said, "Yes. What would you like to do to celebrate?"

"We can make a cake."

And so while Adelaide and I were in the hospital, William and my mom made cupcakes to celebrate. They were waiting for us when we came home. William had even iced six of them all by himself.

My mom (Nana), William, and Adelaide

My mom was a wonderful help to us. William stayed at home with his Nana while we were in the hospital. Mom also stayed for a week after we came home from the hospital to help out with cooking and taking care of our two little ones. Thanks, Mom. :) You made the first two weeks with Adelaide much easier than they would have been otherwise.

Catching Up - Adelaide's Birth

I have a lot of catching up to do now after taking a blogging break to sleep, rest, enjoy my daughter, and celebrate Christmas with my family. I will start by sharing about Adelaide's birth.

We were planning on inducing labor as I came close to 40 weeks. This would allow me to go into labor in the morning instead of the middle of the night, making it possible for me to get a full night of sleep before labor started. We also knew that Adelaide was growing quickly, and by inducing a week early I could hopefully avoid having to give birth to a 12 pound baby. We had a plan set with my OB, and I was scheduled for induction at the hospital.


But then....I had one last ultrasound and OB appointment. The weight estimate: 10lbs 14oz. Ultrasound weight estimates can be off by a pound. So maybe Adelaide was just 9lbs 14oz. Or maybe she was really 11lbs 14oz. She was either a big baby, or a very big baby!

As we talked over the options with my OB, we decided that it would be best to have a c-section. All along, this is what I really, really wanted to avoid. However, the risks were too great for both me and the baby.

We went ahead with the c-section, and I am so thankful that the Lord led us in this direction. While recovering from a c-section was, and still is, more painful than recovering from my previous labor and delivery, it has also been a much more restful process. I was so weak and tired after giving birth to William 4 years ago that it took me months to recover. Those first four months are mostly a blur. I don't remember much of my son as an infant because I was too out-of-it. This time around I have been able to enjoy my infant daughter, and it has been wonderful!

Our newborn 10 pounds of joy!

I spent my time in the hospital resting and holding my baby as much as possible. We were there for three days. I would have left the day after Adelaide was born if they had let me, but three days was the minimum stay required for a c-section. My doctor knows that I am stubborn and would want to leave earlier, so she warned me going into it that she wasn't going to let me out for three days.

Adelaide gazing up at her Daddy.

William had to wait until we could bring Adelaide home before he could meet her. Because of flu season, no one under the age of 18 was allowed on the floors with babies. My next catching up post will tell about bringing Adelaide home to meet her big brother.