Welcome Home, Ava

Today we brought home a precious baby girl with the longest eye lashes you've ever seen. Ava came home, to a loving home and two sisters who were very eager to meet her. Today was grand central station in our hospital room. At one point I looked over at Jeremy and said we'd have more rest if we were at home!  It seems a lot of people want your attention when you're leaving the hospital. The hospital photographer, the hospital pastoral staff, the nurses with all the discharge instructions, the pediatrician, my nurses,  the lactation consultant and our church's visitation committee all visited with us. It was a happy day, bringing home daughter number three, healthy and beautiful. It was the day we officially began our life as a family of five, all home together for the first time.

For the last two years, I've written about this day, February 9. In 2009 this was the day we found out I'd had a miscarriage. Up until today, this day brought a little anxiety, and a little sadness when I'd think about it.  This year my mind was too preoccupied with taking care of little Ava, to really, even put together that the date was the 9th. Today, instead of leaving the hospital in tears, we left overjoyed with sweet Ava.

We are so grateful for all three of our girls who fill our home with love, giggles, a little bit of drama and lots of shoes! :)

We've been so blessed.

Welcome home, Ava.

Sarah

Picking a Name

For awhile, it was like throwing darts. We had a lot of options, none of which we were thrilled about. We agreed on Ava Grace seconds before the call went through to my parents from the delivery room. It was Ava Grace or Ava Caroline. I'm happy we chose Ava Grace.

For the first time  our daughter was labeled "baby girl" on armbands and hospital papers because an hour before she was born, and an hour after she was born we were still debating between Ava and Adalyn. or Adelyn. or Adeline. or Addelyn. and/or Addalyn. This in the end, the multiple spelling dilemma, is why Adelyn didn't make the cut.

Our top picks we've tossed around since the beginning: (written before Miss Ava was born)

1. Ava--Although incredibly popular, she more than likely won't go to college with a thousand other Avas. It's an older name, which fits well with Audrey and Allie. It took me awhile to get Jeremy on board due to an association he had with the name having to do with WWII. If you know anything about WWII you'll get this right away. If you don't, don't ask. Ava Kate. Ava Grace. Ava Claire. Ava Lee, Ava Renee and as of late, Ava Caroline.

2. Aerin/Erin--Jeremy has always liked the name Erin for a girl.  I like how it sounds with Audrey and Allie. But I wanted to spell it with an A. He hates weird spellings. So, that one got axed early on, despite my persistence throughout the pregnancy.

3. Anna--We both loved this name, especially with Audrey and Allie. This one would have been perfect, except I knew a baby named Anna from my childhood who passed away. 

4. Adelyn--I liked  this name with Allie, but we chose to name her after family instead, so we chose Allison over Adelyn. I will most likely call her Ade (Addy) and that is also very popular. Plus everything rhymes with it. Still in the running. Adelyn Grace was the chosen name, so thought my husband, a week or so ago. And then there's the delimma on how to spell it. Spelled differently, it's pronounced differently. Adelyn, Adeline, Addalyn (which looks like Aladdin to me).

5. Piper--When I decided we didn't have to have all A names, this became our first choice. Piper Paige Piper Claire, Piper June,  were our top choices. But the more I said it out loud, the more I didn't love it. 

6. Quinn--A last minute consideration thanks to my friends on FB. We both really liked the name, but again, Audrey, Allie and Quinn.....and then there's that whole, "it's a boy's name" argument. So I teamed it with a really girly name: Quinn Aurelia. Kinda sounded like Queen Aurelia. Nope.

7. Aurelia--An A name indeed, I was on an Aurelia kick for a few days until I started to really pronounce it with the other two girls. It sounded more like a first born name to me. Too prissy and girly, which I didn't think was possible for us. We're pretty fussy around here. I think it could work as a first borns name, but not a third.






Sarah

Meeting Miss Ava

At 3:45 p.m. on February 7th, we met our new little girl. Weighing 8 lbs even and measuring 21 inches she entered this world within two minutes of the doctor making it into my room. Modern medicine failed  the last forty five minutes of labor and my "wish" to experience labor and delivery without an epidural was granted.

Ava Grace. A head full of black/brown hair, eyelashes models dream about, Audrey's nose, and the perfect lips. She's beautiful and we couldn't be happier.


The journey to meet Ava:

We arrived at the hospital at 7 am for an induction. My doctor broke my water at 8:30 am.  Ava's head was so far down it was acting like a plug, causing only a little water to come out. Lucky for me, that helped my contractions not hurt as bad for a few hours. When she moved and the last of the water came out, it began to hurt, BAD. I was in active labor from the time she broke my water.

I resisted the epidural for five hours.

At the end of those five hours, the contractions were INTENSE. They had been every 2 1/2 minutes for the last four hours, getting more intense with time. Not that regualar contractions don't hurt but I still believe that pitocin makes them stronger.  I could no longer walk or stand during them. After five hours of contractions and the last hour being almost unbearable to me the nurse checked me. I had not progressed any further that what I'd been the day before  in my doctors office (4 cm, 80%) I was disappointed, frustrated and plain mad that my body wasn't progressing faster. At that point I wished I'd either gotten a doula or had a woman in the delivery room with me. I gave up and asked for the epidural. Within minutes the anesthesiologist was in there and I was explaining to him why I was anxious. During my last labor, the Dr. hit a nerve trying to administer the drugs sending sharp pains down my legs.

I survived the epidural, with minimal nerve pain this time and began to relax a little, unable to ever get comfortable. I could still tell when I was having a contraction.

I got the "shakes" again with this labor. I hate the uncontrollable shaking that happens when your hormones and body changes--probably that transitional period of labor. 

An hour later the nurse came in and told me to roll over--they'd lost the baby's heartbeat AGAIN on the monitor. All the cords and IV's and gowns make it so inconvenient to move while in labor.

Not long after being on that side I began to feel pressure. Upon repeating that fact a few times and acting uncomfortable, the nurse checked me. A 7! Woo hoo. I was finally making progress. She then said, at approx, 3:00 p.m. that we'd have a baby by 7 p.m. which meant, I would not have a 12 hour labor this time. A goal for sure. Check! I continued to feel pressure and tried to work through it.  I did not ever remember this pain/pressure with the other girls.  I don't remember the exact time as I was busy breathing like a mad woman but not long afterward the nurse could tell I was feeling more than I should and we realized the epidural had worn off, despite my efforts to push the button and give myself another dose. I was quickly an 8, and then within 5 minutes, a 10. Upon hearing the word "complete" the whole parade of nurses began to flood my room with tables and instruments, etc. A call goes out to my Dr., who is across town. I know it will take her 8-10 minutes with good traffic to get there, and I'm not sure I can wait that long. My main delivery nurse wasn't either, as we hear her call into the hallway for another doctor.  I begged and pleaded with the nurse to let me push and did a few times anyway. The nurse was holding Ava's head in by the time the doctor got there.  I interrupted my doctors pep talk and said while gasping, "Can I do this now?" 

I was so exhausted after this labor. I'm not sure if the last hour just wore me out so bad but I literally felt like I'd run a marathon. I didn't want to do anything but lay there and hold my baby. I couldn't see straight, I couldn't think--and I was in some pain. And my  uterine contractions afterward this time--oh baby!

Because of the said above, it took us awhile to finalize a name for her. So long the Grandmas were starting to get pretty anxious as it had been over an hour since they got the text that it was time to push.

My parents came up to meet Ava that night, and we opted to FaceTime with the girls while at the hospital instead of having them come visit. They stayed with Jeremy's parents. This worked well most of the time. We sent pictures via email and Grandma would print them for Audrey. Audrey carried around a little photo album of Ava and would later show her friends at preschool. She loved looking at pictures of Ava. Audrey was much more interested in talking with us than Allie.  In the end, I was glad I didn't have the girls visit in the hospital.





Sarah

Introducing Miss Ava

Ava Grace 

Tuesday, February 7th 

3:45 p.m. 

8 lbs, 21 inches long 

Sarah

My little singer

Audrey is really into singing, making up her own songs and singing her versions of songs she's heard.

Tonight I followed her voice down the hallway to her pink room where I found her standing on her bed, with a play microphone in hand, singing to the wall as she rocked back and forth and be-bopped to her tune in her nightgown. It was a tune I did not recognize, so she undoubtedly was making it up as she went.

I hated to have to tell her to keep it down, but her sister was trying to go to sleep across the hall. She has no problem belting out songs in the comfort of her home. I can't wait until she's old enough for the kids choir at church.

She's always loved music, from playing the piano, to Kindermusik classes, to any entertainment that has to do with music or dancing. At preschool, her teachers comment that singing songs is one of, if not her favorite activity.

I love my little singer.

Sarah

Walking with Winnie the Pooh

Allie's favorite stuffed animal is Winnie the Pooh. Audrey and Allie's latest thing is taking Pooh Bear for a walk around the kitchen/dining room area, each holding one of his hands. I have no idea who or how this started but they did it again today and I just had to get a picture.

Sarah

Umbrellas

Today it rained. The girls were so excited to use their new Rapunzel and Dora umbrellas when we ran errands.

Sarah

I 'wuv' you, Mom

Allie melted my heart this morning during Sesame Street. Out of practically no where, she climbs on my lap, gives me a great big hug and says, "I wuv (love) you Mom". Everything pronounced clear as day, except for the "love." In fact, at first I wasn't sure what she said, so I asked her to repeat it. So glad I did. I'd been telling her that everyday since she was born, and just today, out of the blue did she tell me on her own. So for today, that made it worth not being in the hospital delivering her little sister.

She has recently began talking up a storm. She repeats EVERYTHING, and forms sentences like she's been talking for years. So I've had to watch what I say. Like the other day, I told Jeremy in a playful tone to "shut up". And she right then said, "Shut-up, Dad." Oops.

Her pronunciation is great. She takes after her mom there. Perhaps a career in radio or television??

For today, I'm thrilled with her over zealous hugs--she throws her arms around my neck and squeezes as hard as she can and just stays there and lets me hold her for awhile.  She gets right up in my face and gives me kisses. She is indeed my cuddly child. And I love it.


Sarah