3 months

Sorry for taking my little blogging break. I didn't know how busy I would be taking care of my little one and enjoying my maternity leave. I am however back at work and missing my little girl everyday. I thought that I would update you on Miss Lily. Here she is at 6 weeks old. My little newborn. Looking back I can't believe she was that tiny. Here she is on her 8 week birthday. I made her that little skirt that Andy said was too short. Ha!

Here is my sweet baby girl at 12 weeks! I can't believe that I had this little angel 3 months ago. In some ways it seems like just yesterday and then in other ways I don't really remember her not being in our lives.

Lily is doing wonderful. She is growing so much and is finally looking more like a baby and less like a newborn. She is getting chunky and adding some rolls. She smiles all the time except when you put a camera in her face. She is not sleeping though the night yet and still has some rough nights which is particularly hard on Mom and Dad. She loves her swing and still sleeps there most of the time. She just started reaching and grabbing on to things and now loves to cuddle her lovey that Gigi and Granddaddy gave to her. She is almost out of her 0-3 months clothes but she is kind of short so she can still get away with wearing a few of them. She is getting more alert and loves to have someone sing to her. Usually I just make up songs with her name in them and she smiles when you sing her name. She loves to hang out and play with her dad. She loves to talk and will chat up a storm if you ask her questions.
Lily has been such a blessing to our family. We love her so much and just think that she is the cutest baby in the world.

love always,

Lily's Birth Day!

So Andy and I went to bed the night before Lily was born with our heads swimming. We were so excited to meet her and a little scared about becomeing parents.

We woke up at 5:30 since we had to be at the hospital by 6:30. We both took showers and finished getting a few things together before we headed out the door one last time knowing that when we returned that we would be parents.

We arrived at the hospital and Andy dropped me off at the door and he went to park the car. I walked through the hospital towards labor and delivery and rang the bell to get into the L & D wing. I spoke to a nurse and she showed me to my room. Words cannot describe how surreal it was walking into the room where we were going to become parents. Andy found his way to the room and we just sat there for a little while not really knowing what to do.

The nurse came back in and told me to change into my hospital gown and started my IV and the medicine that would induce my labor. We got started at about 7:30 with the IV and meds. I was still only 2 cm dialated (and had been for 2 weeks) so we called our parents and told them that it would be sometime and that they could come on over once they got ready.

Around 9:30 my doctor arrived and checked me. I was at 3-4 cm and she decided to break my water. Once they did that they put a few monitors on me to check the baby's heartrate and monitor the strength of my contractions. My doctor told me that she would be back later to check on me. She asked one more time if I was going to get an epidural and I told her that Andy and I had discussed it and that since I was induced and I knew that my contractions would come fast and very strong that I would probably end up getting one. She was totally supportive.

Once everyone left the room Andy and I just hung out. As the contractions came they were much stronger since my water had been broken and they were coming pretty quickly. By about 10:00 am my contractions were about a minute and a half apart and they were strong. Since I was hooked up to all sorts of monitors around my stomach I was having a difficult time doing my breathing and I could not really change positions to get more comfortable. Andy just looked at me and said, "you know, they are only going to get worse." I agreed and we talked for a minute and then I called the nurse's station and requested an epidural.

The woman who came to administer the epidural was wonderful. She listened to all of my concerns and questions and told me that she was going to make a few adjustments to make sure that the epidural was succesful. Let me just tell you that getting and epidural is one of the most difficult things to sit still for. Not only do you need to stay perfectly still but you are still having contractions. It was not fun but I was so glad that I got it.

We were finished with the epidural and our parents came back into the room by about 11:00 am. We all hung out for about an hour and since it did not look like anything was going to happen anytime soon so everyone except my mom decided to head to lunch about 11:45. My epidural was amazing. I could still move my legs and feel all of my contractions they just didn't hurt. Andy was so funny. He kept poking my legs and asking if i could feel it, which I could.

Dr. Evitt arrived back to my room at about 12:30. She checked me and to my surprise I was at 9-9.5 cm. I was so shocked and texted Andy immediately and said, "I am at 9. You may want to come back to the hospital." He was with his mom at lunch and said we need to get back to the hospital, Cameron is at 9. His mom was like, no way, you are kidding right. Nope we were not kidding. Dr. Evitt said that she was going to come back in about a half and hour and check me again.

Andy was pretty close to the hospital so he arrived quickly and by that time Dr. Evitt was back to check on me. I was at 10 and ready to go but she said that she was going to let me labor a little longer because her other patient was also ready to go in the room next door. The nurses that came in were joking about who was going to have their baby first. Well the other woman won. Apparently in 4 pushes she had a baby. I later found out that it was her second baby and not a fair fight.

Dr. Evitt came back in about 1:30 and we were ready to go. We got my mom, Andy's mom and Emily in the room and I started to push. Andy was great. He has always said that he wanted to be up by my head, so he sandwiched himself between my bed and a cabnet to keep himself from passing out. He was so reassuring and sweet through all of it. I felt like I pushed for hours but it was really only about an hour. I had my mom holding one leg and Emily holding the other. I was so glad though when they started to break down my bed because I knew that she was going to arrive soon. A few more pushes later Lillian Hayes Broome was here. She was placed on my chest and started screaming immedately. It was the sweetest cry I have ever heard. It was so amazing and just like that Andy and I became parents to the sweetest little girl. She is the cutest baby I have ever seen.

I cannot say enough about my doctor, Dr. Evitt. Andy says that she is my favorite person in the world. I agree that I am in awe of her. She was amazing thoughout my entire pregnancy and so supportive. I felt so comfortable and at ease in the delivery room. She was so positive and encouraging throughout the delivery. I still feel so lucky and blessed to have had her as my doctor. It is amazing to me that I basically picked her out of the phone book and had never met her or known anyone that was a patient of hers. I now know a ton of people that go to her and they all speak just as highly of her as I do.

I delivered Lillian Hayes Broome at 2:34pm. She weighed 8lbs and was 19 3/4 in long. She was perfect in every way and Andy and I feel so lucky to be her parents.

love always,

Lillian Hayes Broome

I wanted to sit down and write Lillian's birth story while it is still fresh in my mind. She is an amazing baby and I fall more in love with her each day. I know that people have said it before but my heart just explodes with love for her. She is the most amazing person on the planet. Here is the story on how she arrived.

My birth plan had always been that I wanted to go into labor on my own and that I wanted to have a natural birth, meaning I didn't want to have any pain medication. I had a couple of reasons, one I knew that it was safer for the baby and two because I had back surgery 9 years ago and was concerned with how the epidural would work. I discussed all of my concerns with my doctor and she was great. She told me that I should not worry about the epidural but was completely supportive of me wanting a natural childbirth.

About 2 weeks before my due date Lily was still sitting really high and had not dropped yet. This was a little concerning so Andy and I decided that we (well me really) were going to try walking every night to see if we could get her to drop. When we went back to the doctor the following week not only had she dropped I had started to dilate. It was such a dramatic change that my doctor thought that I might not make it to my due date or my next doctor's visit.

Andy and I left the appointment and started to get everything ready. We made sure that our bags were packed and started to time contractions every time that I felt them. The contractions would come and go. They were anything from 7 - 30 min apart. I about drove myself crazy. I was tired of being pregnant and the unknown factor of when she was going to come was so exciting and scary at the same time. My doctor's prediction was not correct and we made it to the next doctor's appointment that was the day before my due date. We had a very frank conversation about how she didn't really want me to go longer than 41 weeks. That would be the day after Thanksgiving. I really wanted to make sure that she was going to make it to my delivery and with the holiday the following week I was concerned that she would not be able to make it. After talking about what our options were we decided that if she did not come by the following Monday that we would be induced on that day.

I left the appointment praying that Lily would come over the weekend so that we would not have to worry about being induced. We also decided to go about our weekend like we normally would and even went to the last football game of the season! Yes at 40+ weeks pregnant I went to the UT vs. Vandy football game. Lucky for us my office gave us a parking pass just outside of the stadium so I didn't have to walk far and if I did go into labor we could get out pretty quickly. I made it through the whole game and even the overtime. It was so much fun and I am really glad that Andy and I got to go to the game together. Our last game as non-parents!!! On Sunday it did not look like the little one was going to make her appearance so we took the day to rest and get ready for our induction the following day. We were so sad that we missed our family Thanksgiving in the mountains but we wanted to be close to home just in case as well as get some rest before our lives were going to completely change the following day.

We ate our "last meal" because I was not going to be allowed to eat after 12pm and we had no idea what time she would arrive the following day. We were nervous, excited and a little scared about what was going to happen the following day.

I will finish the birth story in the next post since this one has been a novel!!!

love always,

being pregnant

Today I am going to be thankful for being pregnant. I have had it pretty easy once we go past the terrible morning sickness (6 weeks to 14 weeks) that was pure misery. I have tried my best to stay active and all that jazz and have really had fun being pregnant. I think about a week or so ago I finally "felt pregnant" and for those of you that have been pregnant you know what I am talking about. It is the time where the baby squishes everything and you cannot get comfortable no matter how hard you try. Sleeping is pretty non-existant (I hear that is just prep for after the baby arrives!) and all you really want to do IS sleep. Luckily for me it has not lasted that long and before we know it our little one is going to be here and I will get to snuggle and kiss all over her face. I am so excited to see what she looks like. It is like the worlds greatest Christmas present and in less than a few days we will get to see her!! I wonder who she will look like, who she will act like and I cannot wait to see her with Andy for the fist time. It is going to be awesome! I will make sure to let you know as soon as she gets here!!!

love always,

Emerson Jane

Today I am thankful for Emerson! Emerson made me an Aunt on September 28, 2011. She is so sweet, so snugglely (sp?) and I love her so much. She is really a doll baby. The day she was born I was not able to go and see her at the hospital and I cried. So sad I know. I wanted to be there, but I was trapped at work and then I had a soccer game. I got to go and visit her the next day it was wonderful. I walked into the room and Danielle handed her to me. When I looked down at her she smiled and I melted right there. This kid is amazing and I love her so, so much. I can't wait for Baby Lily to get her so she can hang out with such a cool kid.

love always,

ugh

It is so hard when you don't feel well to feel thankful. I wish that I could have a better attitude today but I just feel yucky. I think I came down with a cold and I feel so pregnant and the two just don't go together. So for today, I am thankful that I get to go home tonight and rest. I can't wait to sit down on the couch and rest. I guess I am really thankful that I have a warm house to go home to with a couch that I can rest on and a coffee table that I can put my feet on. That is what I am thankful for today.

love always,

Fall

photo found here

Today I am thankful for Fall. Normally I dread this time of year. I know that it is getting colder and I just think about how I am not sure I am going to make it through another winter. I am a summer girl through and through. I am trying to like Fall and today I am going to be thankful that I live in an area that has all 4 seasons. I love football time and going to tailgates and UT football games. I love that I get to see my best friend from college on TV because basketball season has started. I love the smells and the beautiful trees. I am going to focus on the great things about this season and not wish that we could just get through it and on to Spring.

love always,