2 months old!

My oh my where has time gone!?

I am sure this is a statement parents everywhere make as they see their children grow. I'm sure my own parents are making that statement watching Emma grow and watching me be a new Mom. I'm not sure the reality of being a Mom will really hit me truly until Emma starts to call me Mom. Yes, I know I am her Mom and I love her but when she really starts identifying me as such - it still doesn't seem quite real yet.

Emma is two months old tomorrow!

She is doing really well. She had a month check up and has a two month check up coming up. At her on month check up she weight 11 pounds 10 ounces and 22.5 inches long. She is a big girl. Her feet are gigantic. She's beginning to outgrow her 0-3 month clothing particularly the footed things. She's slowly starting to wear 3-6 month clothes - she's long and lean it seems. My Great Grandmother was 6'1 so I am beginning to wonder if she might take after her. We'll see!

She started smiling at about 4.5 weeks. I was shocked to see her smiling so quickly. She loves to smile, and she has the sweetest smile. Her eye gets all scrunched when she smiles. It's adorable but hey I'm Mom I can say that. :o)

She has begun to stare at things instead of just people. She also is beginning to look at book when we read to her which is so cute. She has also begun to 'talk' and coo more - she's very chatty!

She has become quite the little traveler. At 6 weeks old she went up to upstate New York to visit her Great-Grandpa. For the most part she did great on the trip. Naturally she's a baby so there was plenty of crying and fussing to be had but all in all I couldn't of asked for a better trip. By the end of the trip, the last two hours, she was very ready to be out of the car seat. She made sure we knew that too.

She is quite the little sleeper. Although Trevor would love to see her sleep for 10 - 12 hours (so would I!) she is sleeping really well for her age. She sleeps about 6 hour stretches at a time at night sometimes more sometimes much less. She takes naps fairly well - it's different day to day of course. We are probably going to try to transition her to her crib at Thanksgiving when we have some time and energy to do it. Hopefully it goes okay! *fingers crossed*

Trevor has been traveling quite a bit for work the last month. His company is really busy this time of year which is great for business and job security. However not so much for him. He's been gone for 3 weeks in a row. I'm so thankful for his hard work when he's gone and when he comes home on the weekends to help me with Emma. It hasn't been easy the last few weeks but I'm very thankful for my parents who now live nearby. I envisioned having children and having to be alone while Trevor traveled. I never expected my parents to live in Pittsburgh. It is definitely a blessing and an answer to prayer. We have been staying with my parents while Trevor has been gone. It helps so much!

Every time Trevor comes home he says Emma looks different in some way and has grown. Thankfully next week he is home and things will begin to slow down a little bit. We are looking forward to Thanksgiving when he will take some time off of work and spend time with us and extended family.

As I write this Emma has been asleep in her swing for 3 hours. She didn't sleep very well last night. She fell asleep around 11 (which wasn't without a lot of fussing and crying) and woke up at about 3:30 and didn't fall back asleep until 6:30/7. She thankfully slept until 9 after that. So I was able to get some sleep too. Some days she naps really well and other days she will hardly sleep for a 1/2 hour to an hour at a time. Every day is different.

Motherhood has brought so many changes - most of them are welcomed but a few have been exhausting. All of them have helped me grow. I am very thankful for this sweet little girl and all the changes she has brought into my life. The only constant in our lives at the moment is change. I have a feeling that it is going to be the way for awhile - it definitely keeps things exciting!

Emma's Birth Story

"Lord, please allow my weaknesses to be a stage for your strength!" 

This quote is exactly what my heart has desired from even our 1st miscarriage.

I  had to rely on God alone for my strength. He is why I have this little miracle in my life. 

What a crazy wild ride the last year & half have been & an even crazier ride the last 7 weeks has been! 

Birth Story: 

Before labor I was nervous about many things but three specific things were that I wouldn't go into labor naturally, that my asthma would effect Emma or the birth & if she was breeched. 

I was told during the pregnancy I'd feel different types of contractions - I never really felt any. I was about 2 cm dialted for a week & 70% efaced but nothing else was moving along. 

I REALLY didn't want to be induced but by the time I had her I was 9 days overdue. Overall the whole pregnancy I felt great - I got an epic cold/flu (plus morning/all day sickness) my 1st trimester & was sick for quite some time & struggled with my asthma but seriously the pregancy was good overall. 

All except the last week or so - specifically the last few days. Holy cow I was so achy & sore - now I know why - she was so big!! 

My induction was set for Thursday, September 4th. Or so we thought.. I was basically "on call" for when they had a bed free. I was waiting all day for the call to come in on Thursday. The longest day of my life! They checked in every few hours & were just too busy. 

We finally got the call Friday September 5th at 7:30 am to come in. We had been so prepared the last 24 hours but we had let our guard down thinking we'd never get called in & I thought I was going to be pregnant FOREVER! 

So we basically ran out the door & got to the hospital at 9 am. They gave me piotocin at 11:30 & the fun began! They started out at the lowest dose hoping that my body would get the clue evenually it did. Around 8:30 pm they broke my water & then the party really got started! I would say "labor" began then before that I was uncomfortable but manageable. My Dad was still in the room with Trevor, my Mom & I until that point - we were joking & talking until my water was broken. 

I went in open to getting an epidural but I REALLY didn't want one. My Mom & Trevor took turns helping me manage the pain & I imagine a happy place which helped more than I thought it would. They also gave oxygen towards the end (which was a life saver!) I was told later that I was in the minority (which I know plenty of you Mamas out there didn't have one either)  in not getting the epiderial. There's nothing wrong with either choice it was just my personal choice. However I was surprised to hear from a nurse that about 80% of patients get the epiderial & the other 20% were usually too late or unable to for some other reason. That's crazy! 

My doctor said at the end of the birth that she thought I was going to cave during birth - thanks a lot! However By God's grace I was able to have an all natural birth.

"I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me!"

Phillipians 3:5

Thankfully Emma had been head down since about 30/32 weeks - in fact she was so low the last 6 weeks her head was behind my pubic bone! What an answer to prayer! Every doctor who checked me couldn't believe how low she was. 

Having her low made my chances of a easier delvery at least in my mind even if I had to he induced. At least that's what I told myself ;)  I didn't want a c-section either for obvious reasons. I was pretty determined to have Emma all natural (as I could) & not have a cathitier - for some reason that was my motivation! ha! 

So labor had begun at 8:30 & we had a two scares. Because of my asthma I couldn't lay on my back very well. I kept coughing, getting heart burn, and just not being able to breath (hence the oxygen • sooo relaxing). So I wanted to labor on my side - well actually I wanted to labor squatting but they wouldn't let me. boo. As I was on my side Emma's heart beat dropped and a team of nurses and doctors came running in my room demanding I turn. Truthfully the first time it happened I had no clue what was going on no one told me but poor Trevor stood there scared. Because I didn't know what was going on I was in the middle of a contraction and couldn't move. So they flopped me over and her heart rate went back to normal. This happened again while I was on my other side and the same scenerio happened again except I was a bit more aware. Apparently it's really common as the baby is dropping they often pinch the umbical cord. Thankfully she moved and all was well. 

At some point I felt like if labor had not progressed past 7 cm the next time the doctor checked me I wanted an epiderial. However she came in to check me about 5:30 or so and to my surprise I was 10 cm! 

Labor was about 11 hours (including pushing) and I pushed for about a hour and half. I'm told that is a pretty quick labor for a first time Mom & someone who was induced. Yay God! 

No one told me when she came flying out into the world. I had my eyes closed.  Everyone just got quiet. Then she cried! What an answer to prayer! Then to our surprise she was huge & I was not while I was pregnant. The first thing the doctor said was, "Where were you hiding her!?" 

Funny thing is few weeks ago I was in the office getting checked out & I asked the midwife if she could tell what size Emma might be she said sure within a pound or so. We joked she was 10 pounds & the midwife said, "No way you have that big of a baby in there!" Boy was she wrong! 

Emma Grace Block joined us here on earth on Saturday, September 6th 2014 at 6:57 am. She weighed 9lbs & 10 ounces and was 20.5 inches long.  She has ten fingers & ten toes and is healthy! 

Thank you so much for all your prayers, love & support you have all shown us the love of God through your words & actions. We are deeply moved by it. 

Please pray for us as we are first time parents to this little miriacle & that we would never forget that either. 

"This is the child we have prayer for..." 1 Samuel 1:27