Emmaline Update

It is hard to believe that Emmaline was born just over 3 weeks ago! We are enjoying all of our moments with her, even the dirty diapers. (If she has a dirty diaper, it means she's eating and if she is eating, then she is growing-all things that make us very happy!)

We are all getting used to a new normal together. Moxie & Bela are doing well. Doug did a lot of training with them this summer so they are doing awesome on and off leash, making walks much easier to do as well as transitioning from the car to the house. Bela was immediately smitten with Emmaline and has continued to be very loving and gentle. Moxie was cool at first but definitely stays close and wants to make sure Emmaline is okay, especially when she makes any noise. Doug and I are balancing getting a few hours of sleep at a time and trying to make the most of our waking hours.

When we first got home, it felt amazing! I did well for the first few days and then got really anxious about taking Emmaline out of the house or leaving her alone. I started to worry about all kinds of things that I really didn't need to worry about. It felt like I was at the deep end of a swimming pool and getting ready to jump in, not completely sure if I could make it to the other side. I pushed myself to ride upfront instead of in the back next to Emmaline when we drove to her first doctor's appointment. I continued to remind myself that it is totally "normal" to get a bite to eat out or do an errand with a newborn. ("Normal" is relative...)

This past weekend, Emmaline and I did several errands together (picking up pictures at Sam's, stopping by ReBlossom, Hobby Lobby, Target, &  A Child's Closet-we won a door prize :-P). And everything went okay. We did have to stop and change a diaper and do a feeding in Target, but all in all everything went okay. I am definitely breathing easier, but I still remind myself to think positively and enjoy each of these moments with our daughter.

Recap of the past few weeks:
-Emmaline had her first check up at the pediatrician. "She looks great! We will see you in a month." Doug and I couldn't believe it. A month?! This is definitely different.
-Learning how to change little girl diapers and care for the umbilical stump. Emmaline now has a beautiful belly button, if I do say so myself. :-)
-After losing the umbilical stump, Emmaline had her first bath.
-When she sneezes, she tends to do it in 3s.
-Going to the Lake for the first time & seeing all the cousins.
-Walking the full circle with Aunt Andi & cousins Dellaina, Wyatt, & Samuel. It felt wonderful for me to walk too!
-Visiting Mema twice.
-Meeting Nana & going on lots of walks, even at the Botanical Garden.
-Skyping for the first time & then becoming a veteran Skyper.
-Meeting Aunt Autumn & Uncle Myles-we love you!
-Reading books
-sleeping, eating, more eating, did we mention eating :-) It makes us so happy to see her eating well. Way to go little girl!
-Smiling right after eating. Doug has tried numerous times to capture it. We can't wait to see her real smile.
-Focusing on faces! She definitely recognizes Doug & I.
-Making duck lips & other funny faces.
-Watching baseball & football. And trying to manage all of our Fantasy teams. :-)

Recap of Beach Fun

Get together with friends down at the Lake.

Rachel, Scott, Terry, Erin

Morgan

Rachel & Scott

Terry kayaking on Lake Sinclair

Erin with all the pups

Trip to Orange Beach, Alabama

Thank you, Grumps & Grandmother (Daniel's grandparents)!

Noah & Doug

Garris & Ida

Ida, Doug, & Samuel enjoying the Ipad

Trip to Edisto, South Carolina

Morgan, Brody, Claire, Greg

Wyatt & Morgan's tummy

Enjoying the waves

Wyatt, Andi, & Greg

Doug & the rope swing

Beach Mansion

On the dock at Beach Mansion

Evelyn

Emily

Daniel

Claire & Doug

Harris & Emily

David of the Jungle!

Owen

Donald

Owen, Jude, Harris, & David

Keith

Welcome Home

It's been an exhausting, but incredible first few days with Emmaline at Home.  Morgan and Emmaline have been recovering well so we were able to get out of the hospital on Monday afternoon, just a little over a day after the birth.   She started nursing right after birth and has continued every 2-3 hours since, just like she should :)

She had her first checkup at the pediatrician's office yesterday and everything checked out fine.   According to the pediatrician's scale, she's gained three ounces since leaving the hospital on Monday.

Here are some pictures and video we've uploaded to a Picasa web album.   The video's are kind of dark, but the sound comes through just fine.

Emmaline's First 3 Days

It's a girl!!

Emmaline Zwicker Jones came into the world at 8:24am Sunday morning, Aug. 19th, 2012.   Morgan's labor covered a span of 6 hours and 60 odd miles as we journeyed from breaking water at Mom & Dad's house to laboring briefly at our house to delivering at the hospital.   We had a great sendoff from all the family that had gathered at the lake for my cousin Evelyn's baby shower.   Thanks guys!   It's not every baby shower that produces a baby!

Morgan had the foresight to go to sleep relatively early Saturday night, while I'd stayed up late to learn a new game with the 23 siblings, cousins, nephews and nieces who were spending the night.   Having stayed up late Friday night as well and gotten up early around 8 to visit more and help Morgan prepare for Evelyn's shower, I was incredibly ready for some sweet, sweet sleep.   Just as my tired head hit the pillow, Morgan woke up and said:

"I think my water just broke(!)"

I sat up and said:

"Are you kidding?!  No, this isn't the kind of thing you kid about, is it..."

She immediately started having contractions and I immediately shot out of bed and went to find Emily, our resident Labor & Delivery Nurse.   Knowing her baby, Noah, was sleeping in the room, I quietly leaned over and shook Emily saying:

"I think Morgan's water just broke(!)"

to which she sat up and whispered excitedly:

"Are you kidding?!!"

Daniel responded from the other side of the bed:

"That's not the kind of thing you kid about." ..hehe :)

Emily sprang out of bed, kicked over a glass of water in the dark and adroitly whispered, "I think my water just broke(!)" rendering Daniel and I nearly to tears as we tried to stop laughing around the sleeping children.   I guess it was the kind of tension reliever you can only learn through years of hard time in a delivery ward ;)

After confirming with Morgan that her water had broken, Emily went to wake Andi who had also been an invaluable presence during Morgan's 14 hour labor with Martin.   Daniel quickly dislodged our car from the driveway traffic jam and prepared it for take-off while I hastily packed our bags with Morgan.   I was anxious to get closer to the hospital so we didn't end up delivering in a cow pasture by the side of the road, but was trying my best not to alarm Morgan by rushing.   Morgan, meanwhile, maintained her composure so incredibly well that we actually ended up standing around the kitchen table for several minutes sharing the excitement and nervousness with everyone who was still awake.   Finally, in a moment of clarity, Garris announced, "Well, you guys should get the heck out of here!"   And so we did! :)

Andi and Emily bravely caravanned with us through scattered wind and lightning storms in the dark hours of Sunday morning dodging raccoon, deer and what might have been a fox.   They both provided immeasurable support, assistance and expertise throughout the birthing process.

Emmaline arrived almost 2 weeks before her due date, but laid 19.5 inches long and weighed in at nearly 7 lbs.   Soon after, she got to meet her cousins, aunts and uncles that had driven up from the lake to see her.   Congratulations mom, you're amazing.   Happy birthday Emmaline!