Sunday, October 31, 2010

Happy Halloween!

Leila's first Halloween was a success and we took about a million pictures to prove it:)
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Sugar high!
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Leila and Courtney bonding over cupcakes
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Aunt Val and Leila with the Haley pumpkins
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Private photo shoot pics
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Monday, October 25, 2010

Weekend with Aunt Kimmy

Leila finally got to meet her other aunt this weekend! Kimmy flew from the Chi to hang with the girls. We have spent a lot of time at my apartment just chillin'. I think Kim has taken over 200 pictures in 3 1/2 days (with more days to go)! Leila is doing a good job pooping all over her clothes so that Aunt Kimmy can see her in lots of outfits;)

On Friday, Aunt Val, Aunt Kimmy, and Poppy came over. Leila was very lucky...no one put her down the entire day. We ended the night with pizza (it was Friday) and a bath for Leila.

Leila was one month old on Friday:)
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Hanging with the girls...
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Play time with Aunt Kimmy
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Thursday, October 21, 2010

On our own

We have spent the last few days on our own with Leila. Those of you who know me know that I am a planner. My plans may never work...I'm okay with that, but making a plan nonetheless is in my blood. I have started a routine for us since beginning to read "Secrets of the Baby Whisperer" by Tracy Hogg and Melinda Blau to help our days become more predictable. Leila just goes with the flow...it is me that needs a routine:) I have read many books that bash any kind of routine or schedule for a baby. This is not a "slave to the clock" schedule, just a predictable order of doing things around our house. The "baby whisperer" writes about an E.A.S.Y. routine. E = eating, A = activity or play, S = sleep, and Y = your time (yes!!!). This, in my opinion, (and maybe the authors' too...haven't gotten very far in the book yet) is a great way to get Leila to tell the difference between day and night. During the day we follow the E.A.S.Y. routine and at night Leila gets swaddled and goes back to sleep after nursing. Our activities over the past few days have included diaper changes (yes, this counts!), tummy time, playing on the play mat, taking a walk, getting a bath, walking around in the baby carrier (she is not a huge fan of this yet), singing, swinging, and reading. I'm loving it so far and hopefully she is too:)

Our trip to the beach. I love San Diego in the fall...the beach is empty!
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Monday, October 18, 2010

Good clean fun with Grandma

Leila is 3 1/2 weeks old and I have never given her a bath...sounds like I have one dirty baby! Not the case. Grandma 911 has given her plenty of baths:) Since her umbilical cord fell off she has been able to take a dip in her baby bath tub. Leila seems to enjoy bath time as long as she is kept warm. Jeff and I are excited to give it a try on our own as a part of our new soon-to-be nighttime routine.

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Thursday, October 14, 2010

Day with Grandpa

Tuesday was the first day that my dad, Leila's Grandpa, was left alone with Leila. Of course he has plenty of experience with children, having three girls of his own, but before we left, Grandma had a little refresher course for him. I was also reminded of the first time (well, maybe not first time) my dad was left alone with me. And so the story goes like this... I was in my high chair eating "banana cookies" (a banana sliced like cookies) when I started choking. My dad panicked and tried to lift me out of the high chair. Forgetting I was strapped in he lifted the entire high chair with too! Finally when I was free, but the banana slice was not, he flipped me upside down, held me by the ankles, rushed outside (trying to get help from the neighbor?!?!), and shook that "banana cookie" out of me.

His first day of babysitting Leila went off without a hitch (or diaper change). They watched some golf, read some golf blogs, and he even showed her is most recent golf score card. Luckily for all of us Leila is too young for solid foods!

Tummy time with Grandpa... she wiggled out from under the blanket and right out of her pants! Jeff says she will crawl at one month;)
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Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Two weeks with Leila

Leila's first week was a busy one. She was born, met Grandma, Grandpa, Poppy, Grammy, Aunt Valerie, Aunt Betsy, many friends, and most importantly her Mommy and Daddy. She went for a walk along the bay, saw her first Chicago Bears win, and enjoyed a party in her honor. Her second week was equally eventful. Leila met Super-Aunt Joan, saw the Padres lose and Jay Cutler get a concussion, visited Target and the doctor's office, and chilled out in her rocker and swing.

Jeff and I have laughed our way through nasty diaper changes, her fussy crying, and funny baby grimaces. We have managed to get enough sleep (and wine) to stay sane. (Luckily Grandma 911 is just four doors down the street!) We are smart enough to know that what works today may not work tomorrow and are willing to dance and sing or do whatever to comfort her at any hour...any day...forever:)

Four days old
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Enjoying her rocker
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Two weeks old
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Monday, October 4, 2010

Leila's Arrival

At my routine 40 week appointment(September 21st) I again had high blood pressure. (The previous week I was sent to the hospital to have my blood pressure monitored and was sent home after a couple hours.) This time the good Dr. checked me out and told me I was ready to go to the hospital to be induced, I was READY!

We went directly to the fourth floor of the hospital and raced to check-in after being told that two other women were also just sent there to be induced. When we arrived, the lady told us to go eat (it would be a loooong time until I got to eat again) and come back in an hour when our room was ready. I decided that my last meal should be filling and healthy so we hit up Jamba Juice and a bagel shop. Surprisingly we were not really nervous. We knew it was time to meet our baby girl!

The labor and delivery room seemed cozy and comfortable. Nurses came in and began the routine questions, IV, and blood work. After about two hours I was given a pitocin drip to start contractions. Now I had heard horror stories about this labor inducing drug (close and painful contractions, stress to the baby, and increased risk for a c-section), but was keeping a positive attitude.

Forty five minutes later, and some real contractions, Leila's heart rate took a dive, twice! Doctors were called. They rushed in flipping my body from side to side to see if they could get her heart rate up. I really had no idea what was going on (not sure what Jeff was even doing)...total shock. They broke my water, attached a heart rate monitor to her head, and took me off the drug for the time being. Also during that time the Dr. told me that if Leila's heart rate dipped again they were not taking any risks...she would be delivered by cesarean section. This was not what I wanted, but the goal of the day was a happy and healthy baby and mom. I, of course, would agree to anything that would help make this goal a reality.

I was put back on pitocin two hours later and within the hour (alright so I no longer had a sense of time, just go with it) Leila's heart rate dropped for the third and final time. I was checked again by the Dr. and since I was dilated to 6, they took me off to labor on my own...no c-section!!! Sometime in the next five hours I had more pain than I could imagine, got the epidural, rested, more super painful contractions, used up all my pain pump meds, and asked for more drugs. Well...too late...no more epidural for me...it was time to push. I pushed for an hour and a half before the doctor came in to deliver my baby. To his surprise, Jeff worked his butt off too;)

Finally, Leila was placed on my chest, eyes wide open taking her first look at her new world. The three of us (I forgot the nurses were in the room at the time) sat together for over an hour before it was time to go to our recovery room.

Once we were in our room, we met the nurse on duty and Leila got her first bath. She slept on my chest for the next three hours (there was NOOOOOO way I was putting her in her hospital bassinet). When the sun came up our life as a family began:)

Hello world!
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Smiling at Aunt Valerie
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We were one of the few lucky couples that did not have to share a recovery room. Jeff had his own bed!
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