New Journal Site on Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Thankful on Thursday, November 23, 2006
Me, Mama! on Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Personal hygiene tips from our 3-year old? on Sunday, November 19, 2006
Where has our month gone? on Thursday, November 16, 2006
Happy 14 months! on Thursday, November 9, 2006
Em & Addie's Halloween Pics on Monday, November 6, 2006
Where to begin... on Sunday, November 5, 2006
Whirlwind weekend... on Sunday, October 22, 2006
Miss Smarty-Pants on Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Ahhh.... on Friday, October 13, 2006
Weird sort of day. on Friday, October 13, 2006
We're back... on Sunday, October 8, 2006
Ah Jeez... on Friday, September 29, 2006
On...off...on again! on Friday, September 29, 2006
Back to the grind... on Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Five years ago...where were you? on Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Happy 1st Birthday, Sweet Baby... on Saturday, September 9, 2006
Home Sweet Home... on Friday, September 8, 2006
The End of the Pull-Ups Era... on Saturday, August 19, 2006
Conversations you might have heard... on Saturday, August 12, 2006
Mama's got a brand new bag... on Thursday, August 10, 2006
More missing going on here. on Wednesday, August 2, 2006
Missing In Action on Wednesday, July 19, 2006
10 months...the countdown is on. on Monday, July 10, 2006
And she's off... on Sunday, July 2, 2006
Update... on Friday, June 23, 2006
Hello from Sunny California... on Thursday, June 15, 2006
Last Chicago Entry... on Thursday, May 25, 2006
Aaack! Reality creeps in... on Monday, May 22, 2006
Addie turns 8 months old! on Tuesday, May 9, 2006
Successful trip! on Monday, May 8, 2006
Moving on... on Friday, April 28, 2006
It is done. on Thursday, April 20, 2006
And then she was three... on Sunday, April 9, 2006
Dear Addie, - Please, please stop! on Saturday, March 25, 2006
Happy 6 months to our little sweet potato! on Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Soooo big! on Monday, February 27, 2006
Happy 5 months, Addie! on Wednesday, February 8, 2006
Sleeping beauties... on Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Happy New Year! on Tuesday, January 3, 2006
Yeah! We made it to 3 months!! on Friday, December 16, 2005
Happy Thanksgiving on Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Quick update on Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Happy November on Wednesday, November 2, 2005
New milestones for the Girls on Monday, October 17, 2005
Happy 1 month, Addie! on Monday, October 10, 2005
On our own... on Wednesday, October 5, 2005
Week three...and still doing ok. on Monday, September 26, 2005

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She's here...and it is quiet?? on Thursday, September 15, 2005 @ 17:42 PM
I cannot believe that one week ago today I was complaining about being so pregnant and uncomfortable, yet little did I know we were going to have a baby the next morning!

So most of you know the story, but in case J. or I haven't been able to hook up with you, here is Addison's story of her journey into the world...

My contractions started(continued!) last Thursday evening until I woke Jam up around 12:30am Friday morning and told him he better start timing them. Of course since we had been through this drill for weeks, he sort of groggily did - and although they were still like 5, 4, 3, 6 mins apart - I knew that they were hard enough to be doing some good. So by 2:30am we were on our way to the hospital.

I had an incredibly hard contraction in the parking garage and 2 OB nurses rushed out with a wheelchair and demanded that I let them take me back to the labor and delivery floor. I thought I could walk, but they clearly knew something I didn't - they sped us off and took a shortcut and blew past registration - it was so crazy. And once we got into the room they started setting up tables and getting everything ready, I was a little freaked out and by the time the nurse checked me I really had my heart set on having a baby. I think I even told the nurse if she told me I was only dialated to 2 and going home, I was going to cry. Needless to say, she said, "You aren't going anywhere - you are dialated to 6!" That was a little after 3am. By 6am we were dialated to 9 and they broke my water and started getting ready to get her out. We started pushing at 6:45 or so and 4-5 pushes Miss Addison was born. It was very surreal and much harder than I remembered with Emma (love that mommy amnesia!) but she arrived at 6:58am. So that cut the labor time of your first born in half for your second delivery really was true for us (thankfully!).

It was a little scary when she was first born because she wasn't breathing and she was the darkest shade of purple that I have ever seen. And I swear it took forever to hear her little cry - the nurses had to intubate (sp?) her and get her going. But she has been going ever since, so I don't think there was any damage - at least not to her lungs!!

I have forgotten how amazing AND exhausting it is to have a newborn in the house. After a lot of crying the first few hours of life, she has been a relatively quiet little baby...during the day!! We have a little fussy period in the evening/early hours of the morning, but even that is getting better - as we are all getting used to the adjustment. But her little expressions and peeps and even the way she smacks her lips when she knows she is getting ready to eat - it is all just so beautiful to watch.

And Emma! She has been adjusting really, really well! We have had a few little meltdowns but I kind of attribute some of that to having so much excitement and just being a little overstimulated. She has been the biggest help today - it was our first day alone without parents or Jam. She has been (dare I say it) an absolute angel and very attentive and happy to help out. So hopefully this continues and she still loves her little sister this much in a few weeks.

Jam is actually doing some work in the city today - but I think he is adjusting pretty well to life with 2 little girls, too. I know he is exhausted and even though he was supposed to be on vacation - work has demanded a lot of his time this week. I feel badly for him, so hopefully I can help him catch up on his sleep this weekend and at least make that part of his life a little smoother.

I feel really great. Again, hate to say anything to jinx myself, but I have definitely rebounded a lot more quickly than I did with Emma. It is so, so wonderful to be able to sit on the floor and play with Emma and sleep...sleep is so nice again. Granted it is still in little spurts, but I feel so much more rested even when I only get one good hour of sleep compared to a few horrible "pregnant hours" of sleep. I'm sure once the adrenaline wears off and the exhaustion catches up, I'll be on here complaining that I can't see straight, but for now I feel really good.

And on top of all of this I just look at both of our sweet little girls and cannot believe they are ours. We have been truly blessed with two amazing little girls. I can't believe how much love one tiny little being can bring out in me - and if anything has made me love Emma even more (if that is possible). I am just very, very thankful that they are both here in our life.

And thankful too to all of our family and friends who have been sending good wishes, helping out with Emma, doing our laundry (THANKS, MOM & DAD!), dropping off yummy food and presents for the girls - it has just been a great week. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of all (four!) of our hearts!

Well, I am going to check on the kids - ack!! That is weird, we have "kids" now - not just a child...plural. Wow that is crazy. I'll catch up again when I have a free moment!

Love,
care

---

Still waiting... on Tuesday, September 6, 2005
A practice run on Friday, August 26, 2005
We are ready! on Friday, August 19, 2005
Another month slips by... on Tuesday, July 26, 2005
2nd half of June! on Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Happy June! on Tuesday, June 7, 2005
It's May Already?? on Tuesday, May 10, 2005
Birthday Postscript on Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Happy 2nd Birthday! on Tuesday, April 19, 2005
All grown up on Wednesday, March 9, 2005
The Big News... on Tuesday, March 1, 2005
The Mary Poppins' Kite on Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Your Mary Poppins' Kite on Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Worst month ever... on Thursday, February 3, 2005
Happy 2005! on Monday, January 10, 2005
Merry Christmas on Thursday, December 23, 2004
Santa's Nice List on Thursday, December 9, 2004
The mansion, an ER visit, Mickey, Mickey and more Mickey on Tuesday, November 23, 2004
My toddling toddler on Tuesday, November 16, 2004
Jeez...I'm slipping. on Wednesday, November 3, 2004
Happy October again! on Monday, October 4, 2004
From Emma... on Monday, September 20, 2004
Trying to catch up... on Wednesday, August 18, 2004
Happy August! on Wednesday, August 4, 2004
Rolling right along... on Tuesday, July 27, 2004
First Haircut on Monday, July 12, 2004
Happy July! on Wednesday, July 7, 2004
My little fishy on Wednesday, June 16, 2004
Crazy summer days... on Tuesday, June 8, 2004
She's up...and she's off. on Tuesday, May 25, 2004
Will it ever stop raining? on Friday, May 14, 2004
Happy May! on Tuesday, May 4, 2004
Back from vacation.... on Thursday, April 22, 2004
Doctor Visit on Monday, April 12, 2004
Happy 1st Birthday, Emma G! on Friday, April 9, 2004
Unsteady steps... on Tuesday, March 23, 2004
New album time and one month to go. on Tuesday, March 9, 2004
Happy March on Monday, March 1, 2004
Another week flies by... on Friday, February 20, 2004
10 months and another tooth... on Wednesday, February 11, 2004
No wonder.... on Thursday, February 5, 2004
Snowy week on Wednesday, January 28, 2004
We have a tooth! on Monday, January 19, 2004
9-month Birthday on Monday, January 12, 2004
Happy New Year! on Friday, January 2, 2004
Merry Christmas to All... on Wednesday, December 24, 2003
Almost Christmas... on Wednesday, December 17, 2003
Whew...8 months! on Wednesday, December 10, 2003
Happy Thanksgiving on Sunday, November 30, 2003
Fast and furious on Monday, November 17, 2003
Happy November on Sunday, November 2, 2003
Crawling and teeth... on Tuesday, October 21, 2003
Happy 1/2 Birthday! on Friday, October 10, 2003
Sitting up and eating new foods! on Tuesday, September 30, 2003
Baby emotions running rampant... on Wednesday, September 17, 2003
Our happy traveler is 5 months old today! on Tuesday, September 9, 2003
Another month down. on Tuesday, September 2, 2003
On to the growth chart! on Wednesday, August 20, 2003
Unpacked, but still no pictures. on Thursday, August 14, 2003
Homeownership and rice cereal. on Wednesday, August 6, 2003
New house on Monday, July 28, 2003
Last week here... on Sunday, July 13, 2003
We made it to 3 months... on Tuesday, July 8, 2003
Sleeping through the night? on Wednesday, June 25, 2003
2 month checkup on Friday, June 20, 2003
Happy Two Month Birthday! on Tuesday, June 10, 2003
Sleeping in the big bed! on Monday, June 2, 2003
Thanks to the cutest niece... on Friday, May 30, 2003
Getting back into a routine... on Tuesday, May 27, 2003
A little slow this week... on Thursday, May 22, 2003
One month checkup. on Tuesday, May 13, 2003
Growing so fast... on Wednesday, May 7, 2003
We have a new house! on Tuesday, April 29, 2003
Happy Two Week Birthday on Wednesday, April 23, 2003
Hooray for small victories! on Friday, April 18, 2003
Happy One Week Birthday to Miss Emma Grace on Wednesday, April 16, 2003
No, she isn't here yet. on Tuesday, April 8, 2003
Still no change. on Wednesday, April 2, 2003
Nope...not yet. on Monday, March 31, 2003
Growing up and out. on Monday, March 24, 2003
Still in there. on Wednesday, March 19, 2003
What's going on in the Fun Stuff album on Tuesday, March 18, 2003
Fun stuff! on Tuesday, March 11, 2003
We made it! on Friday, March 7, 2003
Almost out of the woods. on Friday, February 28, 2003
New polls! on Saturday, February 22, 2003
Another checkpoint, and Baby is fine! on Friday, February 21, 2003
Will we really make it 9 more weeks? on Thursday, February 13, 2003
Another week down. on Wednesday, February 5, 2003
The day has come... on Friday, January 31, 2003
Our Second Trip to the Hospital! on Tuesday, January 28, 2003
Our first trip to the hospital... on Thursday, January 23, 2003
Jet-setter baby... on Wednesday, January 15, 2003
Happy New Year! on Friday, January 3, 2003
One week and counting. on Wednesday, December 18, 2002
Week 21-22 on Monday, December 9, 2002
It's a ..... on Wednesday, December 4, 2002
We've made it halfway and Happy Thanksgiving! on Thursday, November 28, 2002