6 weeks

Sorry I've kind of been slacking. Mia is a tad bit colicky so it is hard to find time to update with a crying baby...but all is well. She is such an amazing baby! She has started making some cooing noises and has started to smile!

Mia 6 weeks old

She was not too happy getting her picture taken.
When all else fails, put the crabby baby on the dryer...she was out in 5 seconds
Comiskey loves her "baby sister"
Her she is smiling at her daddy! Too precious!

Post Partum Check up!

So I had my Post Partum check up yesterday. After giving birth to the most amazing little girl ever I am down 32 pounds, which means I am within 6 pounds of my pre-pregnancy weight. However, I would like to lose at least another 10. My check up went great, I am healing "beautifully" as the Dr. says and all is well, but...
Here is the funny story...a little graphic maybe for some of you.



So Josh, Mia and I go to the Dr. They tell you to get completely undressed and sit on the table covered by the little sheet. Great! So we are sitting there waiting and Mia decides to wake up. well since she wakes up and is in her carseat she is not very happy. She immediately starts screaming...Josh gets her out and soothes her, finally settling down, while I sit there on the table. All of a sudden I feel really wet and cold...I look down and to my horror I have leaked all the way down the front of the sheet. Josh throws me a burp cloth and I try to wipe up, but it is no use...the Dr. comes in and I apologize for the milk all over the sheet...he laughs and says "The baby must have started crying". Oh my, how embarrassing!



Just thought I would give you all a chuckle and an insight into the joys of motherhood, however, I wouldn't change it for the world!

Just a reminder what I looked like at 37 weeks pregnant...5 days before delivering Mia

And what I look like at 5 weeks Post Partum

5 weeks old!

So my baby girl is already 5 weeks old. Can you believe it? Sometimes I can't believe how fast time is going. Sorry this is a little late...I spend so much time with Mia, sometimes I forget to update!

5 weeks old with her teddy bear! Just Mia!

4 weeks old today!

So Mia is 4 weeks old today! Can you believe it? She is growing fast and actually starting to sleep more at night. She usually (knock on wood) goes to bed around 9pm and then wakes up about 2 or 3 to eat, goes back to bed around 4, sleeps for another 3 hours, eats and sleeps another 3 to 4 hours...the funny thing is...getting all this sleep is almost making us MORE tired!! haha!!
Well here are some new pictures.
Here is Mia in her new bathtub...she wasn't too sure what to think...but she didn't HATE it. I covered her up as to not embarrass her to much later in life.

Here is our little chunky monkey all dressed up in her pretty pink dress

And here she is 4 weeks old
Another picture closeup.I think she was done getting her picture taken!

Official America's Worst Mom!

So tonight I am sure I won America's Worst Mom!! Here is why:
Mia had a really bad belly ache last night and therefore did not sleep at all...neither did mommy or daddy...then today she didn't really sleep either, I think she was overtired. So I took her to the mall, because she always falls asleep in the car and figured then she would take a "nap". Got to the mall...she was still awake...so I walked around the mall and after about 30 minutes she finally fell asleep. So I finished walking the mall and since she was still sleeping I decided to go to Borders to get a book. So I drive to Borders, open the passenger front door, where the diaper bag is, and the passenger back door where Mia is and get ready to put her in her new sling. I lock the doors and throw the keys in the diaper bag. Well, right as I go to get her out of the car seat a car wants to pull into the spot next to me. So being considerate I shut both doors and wait for them to pull in. After they pulled in, I reach for the door handle and to my horror...it is locked...I HAD LOCKED THE DOORS. I start to panic. The old couple gets out of the car and I say "I just locked my keys and my newborn baby in the car". The woman rushes over and hands me her cell phone, all the while they are apologizing profusely. I call Josh...of course tonight he is working off duty, and he doesn't answer his cell. So I call my mom and tell her she needs to go to my house and get the extra key. She tells me to call 911. I didn't realize I could call them, since they normally don't unlock doors, but it is different when there is a CHILD in the car. So I call 911 and tell the dispatcher...who knows me...that I have locked my baby in the car. She tells me they will send the fire department. So about 3 minutes later, lights and sirens, the fire truck shows up. They unlock my door very quickly, all the while I have drawn a large crowd at Borders. Once they opened the door, the came over to see Mia who was still sleeping soundly.
So therefore, I do believe I have officially won America's Worst Mom and my baby girl is only 3 weeks old. Oh my....I have a long road ahead of me!

3 weeks old today!

Wow, how time flies! I can't believe our little girl is 3 weeks old already. I can tell you this: being a parent is an amazing, yet overwhelming endeavor. I wish I could put into words how much I love this little girl, but I can't...it wouldn't even come close to the emotions I feel.

She is such an amazing baby and (knock on wood) has been sleeping really well. She has been sleeping in her crib for about a week now! YAY!! That's exciting and I have finally made it back to sleeping in bed with my husband! What a relief! :)

We are just so blessed to have her here!! :)

Here she is at 3 weeks! She is growing and changing everyday!

And here she is about to tip over! oops!
And a close up of Mia at 3 weeks old!
On Mother's Day, it was a bittersweet day for me. It was an amazing day because I was
finally blessed to be a mom on mother's day...something I had dreamed of for far to long. However, it reminded me of all those who are still struggling to become mothers. Infertility doesn't stop on certain days of the year, and for me, Mother's Day was always one of the hardest holidays to deal with.
This Mother's Day was also extra special because we had Mia dedicated at church. Infant dedication basically states in front of the church that we plan to raise her in a Christian household, loving and knowing the God that created her. It was a very special and very emotional time for Josh and I...once again realizing the creation we have been blessed to call our daughter.
Here she is in her dedication dress.

And here is Pastor Rich dedicating our little girl!

And here we are as a family on Mother's Day

Well, lastly on May 8th (Mia's due date) she had her first doctor's appointment...the 2 week check-up. She passed everything with flying colors, including her weight. She is 8lbs, 12oz and 21 inches long...that means that she has gained almost a pound since her birth weight! YAY!! She is obviously eating well.
Here she is at her first Dr. Appointment

Mia's first professional photo shoot!

So I had my friend Shannon come over yesterday and take some professional pictures of Mia so we can remember how small she was...I know they grow so fast and want to savor the memories. So here is the link to Shannon's blog again so you can check out our precious baby girl!

Great work Shannon!

Mia is 2 weeks old!

So our baby girl is 2 weeks old today...I can't belive how fast the time goes...So I will probably if I can keep up try to update on Tuesdays now. It has been super busy having her here, but so rewarding at the same time...It's just so amazing how much a tiny little baby can change your life. She has her first Dr. appt on Thursday, which would have been her due date...so hopefully I will update after that with how big she is and all that good stuff!
So here are the newest pictures...I'm sure you enjoy these way more than my enormous belly anyways!!haha! Enjoy!
This is Mia yesterday before her photo shoot with Shannon.

The Stocking Family!

Mia 2 weeks old! You can tell she is growing already

Mia and her bear from grandma
Baby girl is so tired!! (Shannon I caught a picture of the yawn just for you!!)

One week old!

Well yesterday Amelia was 1 week old...wow...time really does fly. She is such an amazing baby and has been such a blessing on our lives already. I just can't believe how much you can love someone. We are doing well as a family...she is eating well, and sleeping pretty decent for the most part, about 2-3 hours although last night she slept almost 5 (which is not good for a breastfeeding mom, talk about some pain!!)I wanted to update with some new picturesI took of her yesterday...her 1 week pictures! My good friend, Shannon is coming to take her pictures tomorrow...I can't wait! Shannon does such amazing work and I can't wait to have some great pictures of our little Mia!

This is Amelia in the chair in her room with the bear my mom got her...

And a closeup...1 week old!

New Pictures of Amelia...

Here are some more pictures of Amelia...I can't seem to take enough pictures of her!! haha! Enjoy! These are some of my favorites.

This is Amelia with my Grandma...this picture brings tears to my eyes...this is the 1st
great-granchild and my grandma NEVER wants her picture taken, but the joy on her face when she saw Mia was priceless...this is a picture I will always treasure!

Here is Mia and I going to her baby shower...yes, she attended her own baby shower since she was early!

Look how tiny she is!

Now you can really see how little she is.

Here she is in her bouncer

Put your hands in the air!

Here is Comiskey and her baby sister!

Here she is in her boppy and cute little outfit.

Just chillin' and maybe flexing a muscle...man she really takes after her daddy!

Didn't quite make it to 38 weeks!

So, our little one has made her arrival in the world at 37weeks 5days. Here is the story... Sunday night the dog tripped me on accident and I fell hard on my side. I didn't think anything of it but Monday everyone said I should call the Dr. just to tell them. So I did and they had me come in for a non stress test (NST). All looked good except at the very end her heartrate dropped. They figured it probably wasn't a big deal but decided to send me to Labor and Delivery just to be sure. So I went to the hospital and had another NST done and all was well, so they sent me home. Tuesday I went to work, got a prenatal massage, a pedicure and decided to run some errands. I thought I had started "leaking" so I called the midwife and she said again just to be safe I should go to L&D for a NST. So at 8:44pm on Tuesday I checked into triage to make sure my water didn't break. They were pretty sure it wasn't my water, but while waiting for the lab test decided just to monitor us. Well her heartrate dipped to 78 and was taking her awhile to recover. So in comes the doctor and says we are doing a C-section now...well Josh was at work, so I called him and told him it was go time. He got to the hospital, they handed him his scrubs, whisked me off to the OR and at 10:51pm we heard the cries of our baby girl, Amelia Rae. She was 7lbs, 15oz and 20 inches long. She is perfect!! We are so in love. Josh is an amazing dad already and she loves her daddy for sure. We are just so blessed that she is here and healthy. They are not sure what caused her heartrate to drop but they are thankful that the dog tripped me causing me to be monitored for 2 days and therefore delivering a healthy baby girl.
The C-Section wasn't too bad...they gave me a spinal block which numbs you but you can still feel...it's very weird. So I did feel lots of pulling and pressure. The recovery has been pretty easy. I am feeling better with each passing day. You never realize how much you use your stomach muscles until you can't. Breastfeeding was a challenge at first, I reminded myself not to get frustrated and Josh was super supportive through it all, now she is feeding like a champ...and let me tell you...She's got a grip!! haha!! Well, I fully understand now the type of love people talk about after having a child. You can't explain the love that fills your heart. I didn't know I could love someone as much as I love her. I also didn't realize how much more I would love my husband. Every time I look at her I fall more and more in love with him. He is such an amazing father and he has been an amazing husband as well. I thank God everyday for blessing me with such miracles!
Here are some pictures from the ordeal!
Here is Josh and I before they took me into surgery.

And here is our first family picture...look at those proud parents
Here she is...Amelia Rae
Daddy and his little girl, taking a nap
Amelia in her coming home outfit, the same one I wore home from the hospital 27 years ago. This is the day we left the hospital.
Thank you to all of you who have been praying for us over the past couple of years and especially these last 9 months. It has been a journey to say the least. We battled infertility, a rough pregnancy, an unplanned delivery and yet it all seems so miniscule when I hold this little girl in my arms, a little girl that was created out of love between my husband and I, and a little girl that was truly a "MIRACLE" from God!

37 weeks...we're almost there!

So here we are, only 21 days to go until baby Amelia's due date!! I am starting to get more excited and yet more anxious every day! However, Josh and I are as ready as we can be for this little girl's arrival. My bags are packed, our birthing class is completed, the swing is assembled and in the living room, the car seat is installed, so now all we need is our sweet baby to arrive.
I went to see my midwife yesterday because I started having Braxton Hicks pretty regularly. While this is normal, especially this late in pregnancy, they were coming about every 5 minutes the other night and lasting almost a minute. So yesterday I went and had my group B strep test done and then she decided to do a "gentle exam". Well, she said the baby is at +1 station. At -3 they are still floating around, 0 is engaged in the pelvis and +3 is crowning...so she is VERY low...this would explain all the pressure I have been having lately (the feeling that she is going to fall out) haha! I am also dialated to 2 cm on the outside and then funneling closed on the inside. She thinks this could be do to my previous cervical surgeries. They are not too worried, but think they may have to "snap" the inside to open. My cervix is soft and she doesn't think it will be TOO long before Mia arrives. However, it could be 2 weeks or more...so we will wait and see. I have another appointment next Thursday.

I have been retaining water, my feet have been swelling and it is evident by the 4lb. weight gain this week! Oh well...the end is near...that's all that matters.

Here is the belly this week.
From the side.

From the side, covered.
And here I am before work!

Less than 1 month to go!

I can't believe that as I sit here typing this I only have 28 days to go until Amelia's due date...hopefully she will arrive a little early, but either way I have under a month to go. It is amazing how fast this journey has gone, and how soon I will be holding our daughter in my arms. What a feeling.
Well, I have been sick for about a week now, with a stupid viral infection. Runny nose, coughing, backache, the whole works...it's a good time...let me tell you. I am finally starting to feel a little better...slow but sure.
People have started making comments about how I've dropped...and after I looked at pictures I realized I really have dropped. I don't know if that really means anything, but hey, it's got to me that I am getting closer and closer, right?!?!?!
Well, here are the pictures from this week.

I actually lost a pound this week...so that was exciting!

Here I am from the side at 35 weeks for reference to see what you think!
And now you can compare it to this weeks picture at 36 weeks to see how if you think I've dropped. What do you think, does it look like I've dropped? Covered belly
Ane me, headed to work

5 weeks left!

Sorry for the late post. I am actually post from home today because I stayed home sick. I taught 6 classes a day at the high school this week and think it finally took a toll on me. My feet have been swelling horribly and now I have a sore throat and runny nose. So let me tell you how fun it is to be swollen, making it hard to walk, then feeling so sick and still not be able to get in and out of bed! OH MY...yes, I am throwing myself a pity party at the moment!!

I did go to the Dr. this week. I am actually measuring a week ahead, which is not really a big deal. My blood pressure was just a touch on the high side, but they are not concerned with that at the moment either. They think Amelia may be almost head down but at my next appointment in 2 weeks if they aren't sure, we are going to do an ultrasound to check her position. I only gained 1 pound this week, so they were also happy with that. I have been having a lot of cramping and pain, but the midwife says all is well and it's just my body preparing for birth. At my 37 week appointment they are also going to do a gentle exam to see if I am progressing at all...I think this was the most shocking thing, because that means there is a baby coming!! WOW!!

So all in all, I'm doing alright, not great, but I just keep thinking I am on the downhill slope and soon our little girl will be here and I will be able to look back and realize how amazing this journey has been.

So here are this weeks pictures...the belly is continuing to grow at rapid rates!! Haha...
Here I am from the side, up 1 pound from last week.

Here is the covered belly!
And here I am from the front...that poor belly button is halfway out!