4th of July!

We spend the day swimming and having fun at Maw Maw and Pops for the 4th of July.  My babies looked soo cute in their little matching dresses!  Hannah got in the pool for the first time.  I think she liked it...she slept right through it!  Haylea is starting to love the water, we have to watch out or she will try to dive in without anything!  Haylea wasn't too sure about the fireworks.  She tends to be afraid of loud noises but she did ok sitting on BB's lap and watching.  Hannah slept through that part too!

One Month...

Hannah is one month old today!  I am pretty sure I have gotten my first smile to celebrate the occasion.  The month has flown by and I am having so much fun staying home with my girls.  I am not even halfway through my maternity leave but I am already dreading going back to work.  I will never get these days back and will never have another opportunity to be with them all day every day.  I am going to enjoy it while it lasts and be thankful that when I do go back to work that I only work 2 days a week.  Hannah is starting to really be awake for longer periods of time and actually engaging us when we talk to her and she is beginning to bat at her toys and really stare at things...trying to figure out this world!  She has already gained 1 lb since birth and is quickly getting close to outgrowing her newborn size clothes and diapers. 

Haylea is becoming such a big girl too.  We have started talking about potty training.  She voluntarily went potty for the first time last week and it totally shocked me!  She isn't quite ready to go full commando just yet because she doesn't always know when it is coming and can't really tell us.  We will work on it...on her time of course.  In other big girl news, we have put Haylea in her big girl bed!  She loves it and sleeps all night in it with no problems.  Right now one of Haylea's obsessions is books.  No matter how many times I pick them up and stack them away, she pulls them all out again.  She can sit and flip through them for hours or will constantly bring them to us to read to her.  We have started going to the library so that we don't get sick of reading the same books a million times!  Haylea is also an amazing big sister.  She will go try to comfort Hannah when she is crying and loves to hug and kiss her.  She has even been seen putting her pacifier in Hannah's mouth for her!  Such a sweet, caring nature.  We have also been continuing her physical therapy and she is about a 50% walker now!  She is getting steadier and more confident in walking.  She has improved so much in the past few weeks and I am encouraged that she will be caught up to where she should be by this fall/winter.  Her verbal communication is beginning to take off as well.  She isn't really gaining words (at least any that we understand!) but she is much more expressive and tries to tell us what she wants/needs.  We decided to discontinue the developmental therapy because it wasn't really appropriate for Haylea.  If anything we might begin speech therapy but have to discuss it with our first steps coordinator first. 

One month old...with big sister Haylea.

 Big girl in her bumbo!  4 weeks.

 I love my sissy!

 Tummy time...4 weeks old.

 Big girl bed...reading with daddy.

 Potty time!

Got mommy's keys and credit card!  Let's go shopping!

 On their way to their first daddy-daughter dance!

Lovestruck...

I finally have a quiet moment to reflect on the last week and a half of my life since Hannah is napping and Brian took Haylea out for a day at the zoo.  I should be napping as well but I don't want to miss an opportunity to document how I feel at this very moment.  It has been a whirlwind already.  Hannah is already changing so much.  I see a lot more of me in Hannah, however, she still looks like Haylea who looks nothing like me! Genetics are a funny but amazing thing. 

Haylea has changed so much in the last week as well and I don't know if it is because now I am comparing her to Hannah or if she has just taken off in development in the last week.  I think it is a little of both.  She started taking steps on her own over the weekend and not just a few...once she figured out she could do it she has really taken off.  She isn't a full-time walker yet but she is certainly getting the hang of it.  I think it is helping that mommy and daddy are both home full time right now to give her full time attention and interaction.  She is just amazing me every day.  I can't wait to spend all summer with my two girls watching them grow and learn.  I know it is going to go by incredibly fast though which makes me a little sad. 

Right now I just want to soak in every moment and be able to appreciate my two little blessings.

 

Hannah Grace Finch

Hannah Grace Finch was born at 1:17pm on Sunday May 22, 2011.  She was 7lb 4oz, 20 inches long and absolutely perfect! 

Looking back 3 days after her birth what seemed like a day that was so far away happened in a flash.  The last few weeks of my pregnancy seemed to drag on and I was beginning to be in so much pain.  I was scheduled to be induced on Monday May 23rd and I was counting down the days.  After my last OB appt the Thursday before I got a call from my OB wanting to reschedule my induction for a day earlier!  Ummm...YES please!  I was so excited to meet my baby girl and finally be pain free.  Then the anxiety hit.  Yes, it was only one day ahead of schedule but it became real.  It was really going to happen and soon!  Haylea and I spend the weekend with MawMaw and Pop while daddy stayed home and made sure the house was clean and ready for Hannah (with the help of Gram and Gramps of course).  Saturday night we all met for dinner at the Cheesecake Factory for mommy's last guilt-free pregnancy craving!  That night Haylea went to stay with Gram and Gramps while we were going to be in the hospital.  I cried when I had to let her go.  It would be the longest I would ever be away from my baby.  I knew she would come visit but I couldn't be there for her like I always had been.  When Brian and I got home to an empty house (even the dog went to stay with MawMaw and Pop) I thought we would have time to just relax for the last evening being parents of just one child.  I was wrong...Brian felt sick and wanted to get checked out so off he went for a strep test.  Positive.  Nice...here we were about to have a new baby and daddy was sick.  I was afraid of passing anything on to the baby but also wanted Brian to be able to enjoy the day and was worried he would be miserable.  He ended up wearing a mask in the hospital for 24 hours until he felt better just to be safe.  Looking back we may laugh but at the time it was pitiful!  Luckily, he didnt feel too bad...at least he didn't let on that he did.

Sunday morning we arrived at the hospital at 6am ready to go.  I had been up since about 3:30am but slept pretty well before that (with the help of ambien!).  Once we got settled in my OB came in and broke my water which almost immediately caused some contractions.  I was already 3cm dilated when we started the process.  Soon after that the nurse started pitocin and we were on our way!  Family started arriving and I was ready.  I got to see Haylea and I was ready to meet my new little girl!!  I remember with each contraction wishing they would get stronger.  When they started getting to where I couldn't talk during them I asked for an epidural.  Remembering how fast I dilated once I got going with Haylea, I wasn't about to risk missing my opportunity for the epidural!  Once the epi was in I think the contractions slowed down some.  Everyone left us to rest for a while and Brian and I both got a little nap in.  Once I woke up I remember feeling a little pressure with each contraction and I started getting excited!  I was 4cm around 10am.  Around noon the pressure was getting a little more intense so I had the nurse check me again.  7-8cm.  The nurse called my OB and we thought we had a little more time.  I turned to my other side and immediately the pressure intensified just like what happened with Haylea.  Just one or two contractions later and I felt the urge to push.  The next contraction I felt her head move down significantly and knew it was time.  I had the nurse check me again even though I had no doubt she was RIGHT there and her face said it all.  She just said "ok" and left to call my OB again!  When she called her she said "I am in the car what more do you want!" LOL  I had to wait ten minutes...not nearly as bad as the 30 I had to wait for her when I had Haylea!  I remember laughing between contractions and everyone getting so excited.  My sister, for one, was as giddy as a school girl and totally cracking me up.  I did have to tell them all to be quiet during contractions though and I think they all got a good laugh at my faces during them.  Once my OB came in the room the mood intensified.  I remember just feeling so at peace until I remembered what it felt like to push.  I got scared and for a moment thought I couldn't do it.  My epidural again only really worked on my left side.  My right was a little tingly but never got numb.  It was ok though...the worst was the pressure anyway not nessesarily the pain.  Although, the ring of fire is intense!  I remembered it with Haylea and I knew the better I pushed the quicker it would be over.  The first push contraction came and I asked for the mirror.  I knew that if I could see the progress it would motivate me.  With my first push I heard my OB say "oh she has lots of hair!"  OMG I was in shock...Haylea had NO hair!  The next push I saw her hair and was amazed.  The second contraction came and she moved down significantly.  With the third contraction the pressure was crazy and I was determined not to have to wait for another one to get her out.  I pushed one last time and this time remembered to keep my eyes open!  When she first came out I could only see her in the mirror and immediately said "she looks just like her sister!"  Brian cut the cord and they layed her on my chest.  She was perfect.  I was drying her off and turned her to face her daddy.  She didn't cry much just like her sister.  Here this whole time we thought she was going to come out like a ball of fire but she has proven to be as mellow as her sister...at least for now!  Time will tell.  When the nurse took her to the warmer Haylea was brought in to meet her sister.  I was immediately brought to tears seeing both of my girls together.  Haylea was interested but not quite sure what was going on.  Once I got to hold them both in my arms together she began to smile and even gave Hannah kisses.  Instant love.

Hannah's actual birth was a lot like Haylea's.  Fast and relatively easy.  The first few days with Haylea were difficult as we both had to learn how to breastfeed which wasn't easy when my milk didn't come in for 4 days.  Hannah on the other hand was immediately latched on within an hour of birth and nursed like a champ!  A combination of a mommy who knew what to do and milk coming in sooner has made for a much different nursing experience this time.

Today is day 3 and Hannah is still very mellow.  I have had to wake her up every 2-3 hours to nurse and she eats then usually goes right back to sleep!  I am completely in love.  Not only with my new baby girl but with my new family.  I feel like we are more complete of a family.  I love how Haylea is doing being a big sister.  She is very interested and hasn't shown any jealousy (yet!).  She will give Hannah kisses and hugs and loves to look at her and touch her little hands.  I look at them in amazement that they are mine and I get to watch them grow up together as sisters.  I am so in love with my new family.

 Last Belly Shot...on our way to the hospital!

 I was so glad to see Haylea before Hannah was born.  Once she was there I was ready to go!

 Oh the pressure!

 Hi baby girl!!

 7 Pounds 4 Ounces

 Daddy having the "talk".

 Haylea meeting her new sister!

 First family picture.

 Introducing my two girls.

 First skin to skin moment.

Haylea loves Hannah!

Day 2

 Haylea got a new bracelet from mommy and daddy for being such a good big sister!

 Going home!

 Big sister, Little sister.

Physical Therapy and Eviction...I mean Induction date!

Today was Haylea's first physical therapy appointment and it went really well!  Her therapist was super sweet and Haylea took to her right away.  She didn't do a whole lot this first session according to her but I think she did quite a bit!  First we sat down and talked about or goals and the things we want to work on while Haylea played.  While we talked the therapist (Nicole) was observing Haylea move around the room to get an idea of where she was physically.  After our talk (and after Haylea heard me talk about Baby Signing Time, her favorite video) we put the video in and Nicole sat Haylea on an exercise ball and basically bounced her for about 20 min.  Haylea loved it and had no idea she was actually doing toddler sit ups the whole time.  She just watched her show and giggled now and then.  By doing this we were working on improving her core body strength because a strong core will help support the rest of her body...and we will work our way down.  Nicole said she does think her muscles are a little low tone from not using them due to being unstable because of the flexibility.  I think when the orthopedist was adamant that it wasn't low tone, he meant her main problem wasn't low tone but was flexibility.  The low tone comes secondary to the flexibility.  I understand all of that and I am no longer worried about some sort of underlying condition causing her issues.  Basically once we get her walking and running and get those muscles stronger as well as tightening up her joints to feel more stable she will be on her way and never look back.  Nicole was very encouraging and thought Haylea was well on her way already because her desire is there, she participated in every exercise and because some of the things she had in mind to work on Haylea already does or tries to do.  Our homework for the week is more bouncing on the exercise ball (holding on to her thighs and not her upper body so that Haylea has to use her muscles to keep her balance), alternating steps walking up stairs, and work on a verbal cue to encourage her not to W sit.  Sitting like that is easy for her because of the flexibility but we want to tighten up her joints not keep them stretched so we want to discourage sitting like that.  Overall, I was impressed with our first session.  Nicole said sometimes it takes up to three sessions to get a kid to warm up to her and let her bounce them on a ball and Haylea did it right away and let her do it for quite some time.  I am very proud of my baby girl!

The next exciting thing is that we now have an eviction date...I mean an induction date for miss Hannah!  Unless she has other plans, Hannah will be in my arms on May 23rd!  Just 3 weeks away!  I am excited, nervous, anxious...but most of all READY!  I am ready to meet her and ready to not feel like a whale!  I do have my days where I am miserable but really I can't complain.  This pregnancy has been exhausting but that is to be expected.  I am uncomfortable, more when I am tired and cranky, but overall not too bad.  Ask me again after I work 12 hours tomorrow and I might tell you a different story though!  Even though I am not even through this pregnancy I think I am already forgetting all the bad stuff.  I remember thinking the first trimester would last forever but I am already forgetting exactly how awful I felt.  This pregnancy seemed to fly by faster than Haylea's did.  Probably because I didn't sit on the couch every day watching A Baby Story and obsessing about every little thing.  I didn't have time!  Now that we are so close and I can see light at the end of the tunnel it is very surreal but at the same time the anxiousness is starting to get the better of me and it is still seeming like 3 weeks is a long time away!  I am trying my best to relax, take one day at a time, and prepare myself for the unknown of what is to come.

Haylea and Hannah

In just 4 short weeks we will finally meet our new little girl!  It really is just a short amount of time left but at the same time I feel like it is still ages away!  I am getting really anxious to meet her and see who she looks like and if she looks anything like her sister.  I am anxious to see how Haylea interacts with her and how this whole parent of two little girls thing works!  I am also really getting excited about the whole labor and delivery thing.  I know that may sound weird because I know a lot of mother's dread that part, mainly because of the pain, but because of the uncertainty of how things will pan out.  I am actually excited that I have no idea what will happen.  Who knows if it will be another fairly easy labor and delivery and who knows if I will get to have another vaginal delivery or if something will happen to require a c/section.  Not that I am excited about anything going wrong, I am just excited and anxious to find out what WILL happen and HOW it will happen and make that memory.  It is going to be a day I will never forget, regardless of how it happens and that is so exciting to me.  I can't wait for that first moment when I hold her for the first time and that moment when Haylea comes in to meet her sister for the first time.  I can't wait for that first picture of us...a family of 4!  Wow...a family of 4.  There was a time I thought it would be just Brian and I forever.  The only part I am dreading is being away from Haylea for those 3-4 days.  I have never been away from her that long and even though she will come to visit, I can't help but feel guilty not being there for her.  I know she will be well taken care of so that isn't an issue, but I am her mommy so I think it is normal.  I have never had to share my attention between two before so this will be a new adventure for us all.

Haylea also had an appointment today with an orthopedist to look at her feet.  It actually went very well and I feel so much better about everything now.  We didn’t really have to see the orthopedist but I just felt like I needed someone following her and maybe someone who could give us an answer as to WHY she has this problem.  He was awesome and put my mind at ease so much.  When he first came in Haylea was surprisingly in a good mood for 1pm and he made her laugh right away so that helped.  He asked the normal “what brings you in today” so I told him that she was now 20 mo old and still not walking.  I told him about the first steps evaluation and how they said she pronates and has low tone in her lower body and how we just got her orthotics a little less than 2 weeks ago.  So he played with her feet and looked at her range of motion and had her stand, etc.  He then told us that he in fact doesn’t think she has low tone at all because tone refers to muscle strength and he thinks her muscle strength is just fine.  It is just that she is extremely flexible.  She can still have her foot bent back to where her toes touch her shin bone, which is normal for an infant but not for a 20 month old!  Same with her fingers and hips.  She does sit in the W sit position a lot and you can take a leg and pull it out to the side and then stretch it out in front of her with no problem.  So he thinks that the reason the orthotics weren’t a “magic” fix like I thought they would be is because her instability isn’t just in her feet but also her hips.  She has had to pretty much re-learn how to stand with better alignment and I think just now we are back to where we left off before we got the orthotics as far as how much she will stand, and re-learning how to lift her legs to walk, etc.  So now she feels stable when she is standing still but because her hips are also so flexible she is unstable lifting her legs to walk.  Makes sense to me now that I think about it because she has been pulling up since she was 10 mo old (almost a YEAR ago!) and she definitely has muscle strength…try changing her diaper in the middle of a temper tantrum!  He said he doesn’t see this being more than a temporary problem and once she does take off walking she should have no lasting effects of it, besides being very flexible.  I was a very flexible child, my mom used to make me show every one my back bend where I could but my head between my toes…and even a bit further.  I also roll my ankles all the time because they are so flexible.  He also said it is more common for girls so Hannah might also have similar issues.  But he stressed that he is confident it isn’t low tone.  I mentioned my fear of a degenerative muscle disease or mild CP and he assured me that those things were highly unlikely because she has hit all other milestones on time and does have great fine motor skills.  He also cleared up that while CP kids have a lot of flexibility until about the age of 2 when they actually start stiffening up, they are also very floppy (low tone).  Haylea definitely isn’t floppy so that put my mind to ease about the whole low tone thing.  He also said literally “Even if she does have a mild form of CP, the only thing that means for her since she has proven to hit all other milestones is that she doesn’t walk til she is 2.  Big deal!”  And he is right!  

So all in all I feel much better.  Much better knowing there is a reason she isn’t walking besides being stubborn like we originally thought but also knowing that most likely there is no underlying pathogenic cause other than just extreme flexibility and that she should have no lasting effects of this once she does learn to walk.  He said give it another 4 months (till age 2) and if she isn’t walking by then we would look into it again but otherwise he doesn’t need to see her again.  He thinks that once she learns to walk we will be able to wean her out of the orthotics and they are just a temporary need.

She will still do Physical Therapy because I figure even if we don't need to concentrate on muscle strengthening (although it won't hurt) we can still focus on balance and techniques to teach her how to walk and feel more stable.  She will also still be doing the developmental therapy a couple times a month just because I feel like she needs a little help learning how to communicate better.  Not so much that she NEEDS it because there is such a wide range of normal at this age as far as speech and communication but it won't hurt to boost things along right!?

It is going to be a challenge with a newborn and with a toddler who is just learning more independence but I think this summer is going to be so much fun and a learning experience for us all!

Long, overdue Update!

So we have a name for our new little girl, Hannah Grace Finch.  I really can't wait to meet her and the last few months have been so crazy but now we can finally concentrate on getting things ready for her.  I had quite a few photo shoots this month and I was working a lot of extra shifts at the hospital to help prepare for my time off after she is born.  Now it is almost April and I am 31 weeks along.  It is getting so close!  Brian is still working on furniture but we have the room painted and it looks amazing!  I have organized all the newborn clothes and have them ready to go!  I also hit the jackpot at the Indy Kids Consignment sale and stocked up on summer clothes.  I told myself I didn't need anything for Hannah since we had all Haylea's clothes still but who can resist those tiny little sundresses and shorts!?  I think Hannah got as much as Haylea did.  But to be fair, most of the things I already had for Hannah weren't very summery since Haylea was born at the end of August.  I have also gotten them a few matching outfits.  I can't wait to dress up my litte girls!
I also have to apologize to Hannah for not taking as many belly pics as I did with Haylea.  I know!  I need to remember to have daddy take my picture soon!!  I love having this little one in my belly and watching it grow.  Even though I have experienced it before, it still amazes me that a little person is growing in there.  Hannah definately moves around more than Haylea did but I think now she is beginning to run out of room because she has slowed down some.  I do get some big movements in the evening...it is my favorite time to just sit and watch my belly going crazy!  I am so excited to see how Hannah's personality is compared to Haylea.  Haylea was such an easygoing baby and I would love for Hannah to be as well but for some reason I have a feeling Hannah is going to be a little more demanding!  Haylea has hit an age where she is becoming pretty demanding as well so this should be interesting.  She turned 19 months and I think she thinks she turned 2!  The tantrums and meltdowns have begun.  Most of the time they are easily fixed but there are times we have NO idea what the problem is!  I can't blame her though.  I imagine it is very frustrating to KNOW what you want but have no idea how to get it or how to communicate it. 

As far as Haylea, we are still working on getting her to walk.  She is now 19 months old and still not walking.  At her 18 month check up her pediatrician recommended First Steps to evaluate why.  At her evaluation, her therapist noticed immediately that she has very weak feet that causes her to pronate (turn her feet and stand on the inside of her feet) pretty severely.  I felt like I should have noticed that a while ago but I didn't.  I noticed she was wobbly but I figured when she started walking more that would strengthen her feet.  I looked to see if she pointed her toes out to the side or walked on her toes but she didn't do any of that.  Her pediatrician at her 15 month appt. convinced me that she was just a very cautious child and she would be walking soon.  When the next 3 months went by with very little progress, I began to question that.  Looking back I wish I had trusted my instinct and called First Steps after her 15 month appt.  But I didn't...so you live and learn.  I will be more proactive from now on when it comes to my babies.  So the next step is an appointment with an orthopedist and a fitting for orthotics.  The orthotics will help to stabilize her feet so that she feels more secure and confident standing and walking.  I am excited for this.  I know she WANTS to walk and she WANTS to be doing more physically but her feet are inhibiting her.  With the orthotics she will be able to acheive all that and more.  I can't wait to see her blossom with these!  The therapist who evaluated her said she will most likely wear them long enough to go through two pair.  Not sure how long that will be, I am guessing 6 months??  We will see.  Whatever we have to do is fine with me.  We have been going to Gymboree classes as well and I think seeing kids her age is helping her desire to be more physical and mobile.  I also know that Hannah will be starting Gymboree classes much earlier in life.  I really wish I had thought of it sooner with Haylea because she is really not around kids her age and I think that is an important step in development.