1 Week Old

Sweet Joanna Grace, what a great first week we've had.  You are such the little cuddler and so darn kissable!  You are my olive skin, brown hair, dark-eyed beauty. I can't help but stare at you all day long.

Your days have been nothing but nursing, sleeping and pooping.  Never seen a kid poop so much!  You also pass a lot of gas as well :)  As of your Drs appointment this past Thursday, you are back to your birth weight.  I pray you continue to gain and that mommy is providing enough for you.  

You give little smiles while you sleep

You eat about every 1.5-3 hrs and going about 4 hrs at night.  Our first night home was a little rough because you woke up constantly.  I don't think you cared for the flatness of your pack n' play.  The second night I set the bassinet up and you have enjoyed sleeping that way.  You have a harder time going back to sleep when you wake between 12-2 am.  It can take over an hour, but that's okay.  I rock and sing to you while we look at one another eye-to-eye.  When you do wake around 4-6 am, you nurse and I bring you in the bed with us to get some extra sleep.  You really like being in the bed close to mommy, but we aren't co-sleeping little lady.

     
Your Nana and Papaw came for a visit on Thursday.  They thought you were beautiful!

You went on your first outing to Target on Saturday with me, Vivian, Memom and Papa.  You slept the entire time.

    
Your not a fan of the car seat until mommy gives you her pinky finger for you to suck on.  I tried giving you a paci, but you spit that right out.  Just like sissy.

Car ride home from the hospital

You enjoy being outside like Vivian.  If you become too fussy we'll take you outside to calm down.  You like listening to the birds and wind blowing through the trees.  If you hear a sound you'll turn towards the direction it's coming from.  

Gosh, can you get any sweeter!  I'm looking forward to spending a lifetime with you sweet girl.  I know you are going to shine in this world just like Vivian will.  Mommy and Daddy are so incredibly blessed that God chose us to be your parents.  We have two of the most beautiful girls in the whole entire world!!!

Joanna's Birth Story

I thought Vivian's birth story was interesting since I dilated so quickly, but Joanna's was insane.

At 40 weeks, my due date 5/24/15, I thought for sure I would go another week.  I was 2 cm dilated on Monday the 18th, but haven't had any contractions other than the occasional Braxton Hicks and the sometimes menstrual cramping.

With it being Memorial Day weekend and my Mom being here, we've been on the go.  Friday night, her and I walked the loop at Wrightsville Beach.  FYI, that was the most uncomfortable walk being almost 40 weeks.  I wanted things to progress. Then Saturday we took Vivian to the beach.

On Sunday, d-day, we took Vivian to the playground, walked around downtown and went to Mayfaire for ice cream.  We decided to grill out low country shrimp boil kabobs for dinner.  Very good by the way.  We finished up dinner and I put Vivian to bed at 6:30pm because she didn't nap much that day.  Afterwards, we sat outside talking and Joanna was moving like crazy.  My lower back started hurting on and off.  I figured it was how she was positioned...didn't think too much of it. After about 30 or so minutes we went inside into the living room hanging out, with B on the internet looking up largest vaginal births.  Great thing to discuss while I was 40 weeks. 

My back was still bothering me and figured I would take a shower to see if it would help.  It did, some, until I got out of the shower. All I could do was stand motionless over the sink because of the pain in my back. That pain started coming closer together.  Brian took a shower "just in case" I needed to go to the hospital.  I went ahead and started getting my things together all the while stopping in between excruciating back pain.  I also started having the "I have to use the bathroom feeling."  My Mom was rubbing my back telling me we should go to the hospital.  I could barely talk at this point.  Between the quick second of pain relief I went to the bathroom and started spotting.  I slowly made my way outside to the car while Brian was still getting his things together. We left the house around 9:10pm.

It hurt so bad to sit in the car.  I gripped onto the handle above the door as hard as I could breathing the best way I could, meaning fast.  Brian kept telling me to calm down and slow my breathing.  I really wish a man could feel and understand the intense of labor pain.  Once we got onto MLK heading to the airport exit, I felt the need to push and started to feel her crown.  We still had several miles to the hospital at this point along with several traffic lights to drive thru.  Brian started freaking out telling me not to push, there was no way I was having a baby in the car!  We were back and forth at one another.  I think both of us were terrified.  I kept telling him to turn the emergency lights on, but wouldn't.  He said that would do no good, he wasn't an ambulance. 

Once we pulled into the hospital parking lot, he was asking me were to go frantically.  I told him to just park in front of the door and get a wheelchair.   

Got up to triage and I told the nurse I have the urge to poop.  If you've gone through labor, you know the feeling.  She got me into a room and I told her I feel the baby crowning.  She took my shirt off and Brian my bottoms.  She checked me and sure enough, I was crowning.  All I wanted to do was push.  Of course she kept telling me not to push.  Impossible.  They wheeled me in the delivery room, got my legs up, got the resident doctor.  Told me to push and Joanna shot out along with my water.  I was incomplete shock!  

Joanna was born at 9:56 pm weighing 7 lbs 3 oz and 18-1/2 inches long. I called my Mom and told her she was born within 10 minutes arriving at the hospital.  Insane!  The on call Dr arrived not long after Joanna was born and she said this was her first birth in 5 years she's missed.    She stitched me up, which I only had a 1 degree tear and cuddled with Joanna.  

What a wild delivery!  I told Brian I was done with kids. I'm happy with having two beautiful girls.

                

40 Weeks Pregnant

How Far along are you: 40 weeks!!  My official due date :)

Weight Gain:  Still around 30 lbs...maybe 32 

Maternity Clothes: I'm squeezing into the few that I have.  I'm more comfortable wearing gym shorts and B's t-shirts.

Food Craving:  Nope

Food Aversion:  Obviously not!

How Are You Feeling:  Pregnant, lol!!!  No swelling.  Back is a little sore and walking longer distance has become uncomfortable. 

How Are You Sleeping: Sleeping well until around 4 am, then I'm awake not going bacj to sleep. I think that main reason is because of Vivian.  She's been waking up super early.  I have my alarm set for 5:30 am so I can check the monitor to see if she's awake, which she is.  I don't look at it before 5am.  

Miss Anything:  Honestly, I'm ready for a beer or glass of wine. 

Any Discomforts:  Ribs still hurt.  Back pain and pelvic discomfort. 

Any Movement: Movements have slowed down a lot since she's running out of room.

Symptoms:  Been having menstrual type cramping which can last for a while causing a mild headache.  I thought I was having my 'bloody show' after my Drs appointment this past Monday because it lasted all afternoon until the next morning.  Might have irritated it when he checked to see if I was dilated, which I was at 2 cm.    

Labor Signs:  See above.

Gender:  Girl

Excited for anything:  Just for Joanna's debut!  If she doesn't arrive by Tuesday, I have another Drs appointment.  Hoping I'm dilated enough to strip my membrane to get things moving and possibly schedule an induction.     

23 Months Old

Happy 23 months to this little hanging monkey!!!

Little girl, you are weighing around 23 pounds I guess and no change in clothes size as last month.  You have moved uo to a size 4 and sometimes a size 5 shoe, depending on brand. 

Bedtime is still 7 pm, but lately we've gone earlier because the past couple of weeks you've decided to wake before 5 am.  Mommy had to turn the monitor off so we don't hear you before 5 am.  You even woke up at 3:16 am one morning never going back to sleep!  You stood in your crib crying the majority of the time.  Mommy still didn't come after you until after 5.  You were exhausted.  I guess you know Joanna can arrive at any time now.  

We have moved to naps in our bed which is a huge step from driving in the car and then moving to the couch.  

You are one smart cookie.  You have picked up learning more of your colors...brown, black, white, grey.  Of course you know blue, purple, pink, orange, yellow, green, red.  You can also match your colors with your flash cards.  You also can count to 10.  For some reason you have trouble with number 1, but from 2 -10 you can say them.  You love saying, "thank you."  Such a sweet girl!

Two of my favorite things you say are:  when you don't want anyone following you, you put your arm and hand straight out and say, "keep back," dragging ot the word 'keep.' Then you take off running doing what ever and then run back to where we are and you do it again.  You also come up to one of us and say, "need hug" or "need kiss."  Melt mommies heart why don't you kid :)

You are afraid of the ocean, but love playing in the sand.  Mommy has to fill your sand buckets up with water so you can play.  I think you are more afraid of the waves than anything.  You do love playing in your little pool. You say, "I splish splash!"  You still love to swing at home and at the park.  You've also turned into the the little climber.  Amazing how you can pull yourself up on the bed.

You have become a better eater which makes mommy happy.  You still have days where you are picky, and other days you aren't.  You love fish and french fries.  You've gotten better about eating chicken and you love meatloaf.  For veggies you like cucumber, asparagus, roasted carrots.  You are also a carb and dessert girl like mommy.  Pasta, crackers, fig bars, chips and ice cream.  Your favorite fruit is apple and mandarins oranges.  You will officially drink plain cows milk.

You now have Memom here for the summer which makes you a very happy little girl.  Mommy has moved down from being your favorite person.  That's okay, because once Joanna is here, she will need more of mommies attention.

    

    We love you so much our popsicle eating, swinging monkey, cuddle bug little girl.  Hard to believe you'll turn 2 in a month!!!  Hug, hug, kiss, kiss sweet darling!

  

Counting Down The Days

While pregnant with Vivian the day before turning 39 weeks, I was already at the hospital, Cervidil in place, monitors hooked up and knew she was going to born the next day thanks to Pitocin. Not so much with this pregnancy.  We are just waiting for Joanna's arrival on her own time.  Honestly, I hate waiting and not knowing. I have a feeling I will go past due.  Past due and getting bigger.  Oh, boy!

I feel this labor and delivery will be completely different than Vivian's since this entire pregnancy has been different.  From not having gestational diabetes this time, Joanna had a choriod plexus cyst which is now gone, Joanna constantly moving and I rarely felt Vivian, I've gained more weight this time, I have not worked out with this pregnancy like I did with Vivian's, haven't slept as well, no swelling this time, tested positive for Strep B with Joanna.  So true that not every pregnancy you have is the same.

I have been soaking up these final moments with Vivian being the only child.  Enjoying our one-on-one time together and enjoying only getting one kid out of the car. Ha!  I think she's knows something is about to happen because she's been waking up between 4:30-5:30 am for a week now.  I think she wants as much mommy time as she can get. I can't wait to see how she reacts to her baby sister.  She loves kissing my belly and saying, "Jo,Jo."  I had to take her with me to a couple of ultrasounds and when she saw her on the monitor she screamed out her name.  So adorable.  I know they will be inseparable.  

I still cannot believe I'll be a mommy to two little girls.  Never in my wildest dreams thought this would happen.  More so happen so quickly.

Until Joanna decides to arrive in the next week or so, we are going to have a lot of fun going to the park and beach, blowing bubbles, coloring, eating ice cream, shopping and anything else our heart desires.  We are looking forward to meeting you Miss Joanna Grace!!!     

Day 2 of waking up at 4:40 am