Along Came Aubrey: March 2012

Has it really been one week since we became parents? It has all been a blur. Parenthood is such a blessing! I have a couple books that tell me what should be done and how, but it is definitely a learning process and it seems like we just did anything to keep Aubrey happy. This week we have just been surviving. I am so thankful that Jason took the whole week off to help and to get to know our little one. Yes, it is true that all newborns do is eat, poop and sleep (and of course cry), but I would say we spend almost every waking minute surrounding her and staring at her.

We arrived home on Tuesday afternoon (Aubrey cried from the instant she was put in her carseat at the hospital to the time we got her out after we got home) and were greeted by a huge sign on our door with some balloons. Such a great surprise!

We had to go to the pediatrician Wednesday for another bilirubin check and it turned out high, so Children's Hospital came out to our house at 10:30 that night and set up the bili lights for Aubrey to sleep under. She was under them until Saturday morning. I was really upset not being able to hold my baby except to feed and change her, but I had to remind myself that it was for the better.

This week was also Aubrey's 2-day wellness check. Her stats are:

Weight: 6 lbs, 3 oz (10th percentile)
Height: 19 in (28th percentile)
Head Circumference: 33.4 (16th percentile)

The week was full of visitors both in the hospital and at home. Thank you to everyone!! Aubrey loved meeting each and every one of you and cannot wait to see you all again.

A special thank you to Grandma and Grandpa Trost and Grandma and Papa Cave. I don't know if we could have survived the first week without your help!

Leaving the Hospital

Aubrey's Welcome Home Sign

Our Little Glow Worm

All Snuggled Up

Pretty in Pink

Aubrey with her Cave Cousins

Another Family Photo

Aubrey Ann Cave

March 18, 2012 @ 6:33am

6 lbs11 ozs | 19.5 in

Introducing....Aubrey Ann! It is so hard to believe that our baby is finally here! And to think she was almost 3 weeks early. Seems that Aubrey has a mind of her own and there's no telling her what to do and when to do it. I am just so thankful and happy that all went well with the delivery (except for a dislocated/fractured tail bone) and our precious daughter was healthy. I still cannot believe the eventful weekend we had. Here is our "baby story".

We scheduled Jason to have his wisdom teeth pulled Friday (the 16th), thinking we would have a couple weeks before our baby would get here. Jason was a bit worried that I might go early, but I hadn't been feeling any contractions so I figured we were safe. I was more concerned with getting it taken care of before the baby arrived so I wouldn't have to take care of two "babies". :) Thank goodness Aubrey decided not to make an appearance any earlier than she did, otherwise I might have been alone in the delivery room!

Saturday came around and it was a typical day of running errands and getting some more baby things taken care of. Jason was pretty much tied to the couch and bed nursing back to health, doped up on pain meds. 7:00 came around and I realized I hadn't eaten much that day, so was wanting some dinner and wasn't in the mood to cook. Jason was a trooper and rode along with me to go pick up a good ol' hamburger and fries from Goldberg’s. On the way I informed him that the baby was being a stinker and really pushing on my bladder as it wouldn't stop "leaking" (TMI???). We got back to the house, I ate my dinner and proceeded going potty multiple of times over the next hour hoping that the baby would move sometime soon so my bladder wouldn't feel so full all the time. Then in that same hour, pressure started and I little cramps began. I figured it was all Braxton Hicks contractions. They became pretty serious over the next couple hours and I told Jason that if they were Braxton Hicks contractions, then I was done for because labor was going to be HORRIBLE! I thought I was being a wimp and didn't want to go to the hospital for a few cramps, but then after 3 hours of them, I finally agreed with Jason that our baby was coming. I did not want to be sent home from the hospital, so I told Jason that I would wait it out as long as I could. My doctor had told me that a hot shower would help...boy was she wrong!!! That brought the contractions on even more. We watched a little bit of March Madness, but then I had had enough and I told Jason I would go to the hospital. I had such a flood of emotions - excitement, nervousness, scared, happiness, but I knew we were both so ready to meet our little one.

We got to the hospital a little before midnight and the nurses told me that I was 5 cm along. I was able to get my epidural right away and boy did that make me happy! It was good that I could still feel every contraction, but I was also happy they weren't as painful as they had been. I was told right away that my doctor (Dr. Burke) was out of town that weekend, so Dr. Hill would be my delivery doctor. I didn't care, as long as someone was there! :) I started pushing around 3:30am and Dr. Hill arrived shortly after. The nurses kept telling me that our baby would be here quickly since I progressed to 10cm so quickly, but they were wrong. Aubrey had a different idea! After a couple of hours of pushing, Aubrey's heart rate kept slowing down with every push so I had to wear an oxygen mask in between each push. Finally after a "threat" of having to use the forceps if our baby wasn't out soon, I gave one last push and out came our baby girl at 6:33 am.

So many moms tried explaining the feelings you have after the birth of a child, but no one could explain the extent of the feelings I felt and I'm sure Jason felt the same way. It is the most amazing feeling in the world to hold your child in your arms knowing that he/she was inside of you, growing for 9+ months and stemming from virtually nothing and becoming a human being. I cannot thank God enough for blessing us with such an amazing baby. The joy and happiness I felt holding our precious child that first time could not compare to anything in the world. Looking into Aubrey's eyes and seeing that frightened, scared look of not knowing what just happened made me just want to hold her tight and never stop kissing her....and that's exactly what we both did.

Aubrey is the most stunning, magical, perfect thing that I have ever seen. I am truly mesmerized by her and am madly in love in a way I never knew possible. Man, I'm tearing up writing this! Jason is sure happy that Aubrey has already given me a soft heart....uhoh!! :)