A Day of Firsts

10/30/10

Some exciting things happened around here today. Colleen experienced some "firsts". We tried her one a bottle for the first time today. She took right to it and did great. She sucked down 2 oz in no time! Joseph got to feed her for the first time and let AJ help. It was sweet. I also wore Colleen in a carrier for the first time today. She loved it and slept almost the entire time she was in it. I loved having her so close to me while we shopped.
Tomorrow will be Colleen's first Halloween. I'm so excited to take her Trick-or-treating with AJ. AJ loved going last year and had so much fun. She'll also be able to enjoy the festival at church more this year since she's a little older. All holidays are so much more fun when AJ can really participate in them. I can't wait for Christmas! It's going to be awesome this year! She's already started talking about Santa bringing her presents for being a good girl. Joseph and I are planning on starting our shopping this week. I'm really looking forward to it!

Well, I'll be back tomorrow or Monday to post all about Halloween!

Happy Birthday Joseph!

Joseph turned 26 yesterday! Happy Birthday, darlin'! We had a little family get-together today at our house. I spent the whole day cleaning and making his cake but the effort was worth it. We had a great time talking and playing the Wii. And the cake and ice cream wasn't bad either!
Now it's time to crack down and get AJ's Halloween costume ready for Sunday. Busy, busy, busy!

My big Little Lady

Colleen had her one month check up today. It's hard to believe she's a month old! She did great letting the doctor poke around and check her out. She's measuring great and growing like a weed. She now weighs 10 lbs 4 oz and is 22.5 inches long. She's breastfeeding like a champ and packing on the pounds to prove it! She's also showing her tired momma some mercy by sleeping 4-5 hours at a time at night. She's not a bit colic-y and doesn't really cry unless she's hungry. I would say she's just about as perfect as a baby can be! God has blessed us with two great little girls.

Little Lady is three weeks old today!

Happy three week birthday Colleen!

Time sure has flown by these last three weeks! Colleen has gotten noticeably bigger. She's breastfeeding really well. She's lost that newborn blotchy-ness and her skin is now clear and smooth. She's sleeping 4-5 hours at a time at night. AJ is getting used to having another child in the house. We've all adjusted really well and have become a nice little family of 4. We really are blessed!

Three Crazy Years!

Joseph and I have been married 3 years today. So much has happened in the last three years. The most amazing events being the births of our two beautiful daughters. Every day just keeps getting better. I love you, Joseph!

Colleen Marie's Birth Story

On Tuesday, September 21, I went to the doctor at 10 am. Since I had passed my due date I was put on the fetal monitor to check the baby's heart beat. She was moving so much that they couldn't get a good strip and sent me for an ultrasound. In that 5 minutes between the monitor and the ultrasound the baby fell asleep and failed the PPD test because she wouldn't move. So... Dr. Hilton sent me to PMC. She told me the Dr. on call would either break my water or set me up for a c-section for that evening. Because I was overdue and trying for a VBAC, she didn't want me to wait any longer.
As soon as I left the doctor's office, I called Joseph to come home from work, my mom to start traveling from VA, and my mother-in-law to let her know I was going to the hospital. I went home to get my bags and to wait for Joseph to get home.
By 12:30 I was on the monitor at the hospital. We got beautiful strips this time. The baby was just fine! The Dr gave me the option of going home and waiting to go in to labor spontaneously, or he could break my water. At 40w4d I was pretty well over being pregnant. I really wanted this baby to be born! So at 3:30 we decided to go ahead and break my water.
I started out at a tight 2 cm dilated and 60% effaced. When the Dr checked me again at 9 pm nothing had changed. I had contractions every 4-8 minutes all through the night, some being pretty strong. But by morning, they had tapered off.
The Dr came back to talk to us again Wednesday morning. He said we could wait a while longer or go for a section. We decided to wait until 3:30, the 24 hour mark. If I hadn't progressed to at least 3 cm, we would go ahead with a section. Unfortunately, after 24 hours, I hadn't changed a bit. Still a tight 2cm. We got the ball rolling on a c-section.
At 4:41 pm on Wednesday, September 22, 2010 Colleen Marie Sturgis was born weighing in at 8 lbs 8 oz. She was 21 inches long and had a beautiful head full of dark hair.

She's two weeks old today. AJ loves her and is learning to be gentle. Colleen is breastfeeding very well and sleeping for longer periods at a time at night. She's a very good baby and only cries when she's hungry.
We are so blessed to be given such amazing children. I adore the little family we have created for ourselves!