August / September updates

August and September have been such a whirlwind! Brooklyn just turned TWO MONTHS; my baby is growing up too fast already! She is the sweetest little girl and melts my heart. She already has done some incredible things in her short time outside the womb. She has turned over belly to back, back to belly and even one time a full turn from back to belly to back again. She has unbelievable strength in her arms, legs, torso and especially neck. She has been supporting herself really well since about 2 weeks. Everything she does is just so cute! Recently she has become very smiley. She is able to track objects with her eyes, reach out to grab things, recognizes our voices and make eye contact. I love everything about her.

Baby push up in action 

swatting at her toys, 8 weeks 

Almost supporting herself, 5 weeks

I really wanted to record the whole process of her birth. While I was crazy from lack of sleep and the epidural I took notes on my phone to remember.  This is what I have: “Started getting cramps 12, water broke 1AM, epidural at hospital 4AM, can’t feel needle just numbing needle they give you first, feels like a bee sting- about the same as the IV going in the arm – sleep- Dilated 4.5cm & received Pitocin to speed up contractions 8AM, still dilated 5cm & received more Pitocin 9AM, Dilated 9.5, baby is 0 they want baby head +2 down canal, nurse said 30mins – 1 hour then we can start pushing! Dilated 10cm, baby only +1 down canal. They want baby +2 before we start pushing to eliminate time I need to push so I don’t get worn out. Also, doctor is delivering another baby right now. Started pushing at 1PM after a long time of waiting, delivered at 3:46PM. Doctor came in for last 30 minutes to help ease help out.” How precise huh? The craziest part I was scheduled to be induced THAT morning at 6AM. When the water broke Rob and I just looked at each other like its happening! The last month I had so much anticipation and excitement but in that moment I didn’t feel ready! We excitedly drove to the hospital then we arrived and nothing. I thought I would immediately start pushing and deliver her, nope! My contractions needed to speed up before I could get the epidural. This part was painful and scary. After the epidural I felt loopy and was just exhausted from not sleeping. We half slept/ rested until I was dilated enough. Everything was surreal I had waited for this day for 9 months and it was finally here! When it was time to push I was ready and just wanted to get on with it. (I am inpatient, even with delivering my child!) After 2.5 hours of pushing our angle was born.

After we brought Brooklyn home we had one week before we were scheduled to move. I had crazy nesting fever at the end and packed everything prior to her being born (so thankful for that!) We journeyed down to a rental home in Santa Clara so we could be close to the Plaza house during construction. It was really nice to have six weeks of maternity leave so I wasn’t working and was able to go over there just about every day. Brooklyn was always so good and would fall asleep so I could make decisions on wall color, texture, location of things, etc. Being able to remodel the house was stressful but also really fun and in the end totally worth it. I really feel like this is OUR home, we love it! I will need to add some pictures after we finish decorating.

Apartment is finally empty!

I am back at work (currently writing in the doctor’s lounge while waiting for a procedure to start). Travel schedule is crazy as ever, especially because I want to be home every night with Brooklyn AND I am breastfeeding. I get on a flight at 6:30 almost every morning. I am a madwomen sneaking into procedure rooms to pump and then going to get ice and finding a refrigerator, storing the milk, transporting the milk, repeat. I want her to have the best start so I think it’s worth it. Beacon has promised me another person for 2013 (lets see).

My goal is to blog a lot more often. I love the idea of a virtual journal and I know it will be fun to look back on in the future.