Happy Baby

Emma has been smiling a lot lately.  I don't exactly know when her first real smile was but on October 2nd she smiled real big for her Grandpa Swensen.  I couldn't get a picture but a few days later I got this:

Something Sweet

Yesterday it was the cutest thing- Adam actually asked to hold Emma (normally he doesn't want to be THAT close to her) and after pointing to her nose, eyes, ears and head he put his forehead against hers and said, "I love you."  Awe!  It almost made me get teary eyed.  I wish I could have gotten a picture or gotten it on camera but I didn't.  I just hope the picture in my head never fades because it was priceless.  I guess this picture from a few weeks ago will have to do for blog purposes. It comes close to the real thing.

Baby Emma

I need to do some catching up.  Here's what I'll do: I'll tell the short story, and then insert the longer parts later as I have time to do so.

So the last half of my pregnancy was just as rough (ok, maybe slightly less as bad) as the first half but for different reasons.  I found out that I had an iron deficiency which required taking an iron supplement but it took a really long time to feel "normal" again.  I actually never really felt "normal."  I was always just so exhausted all the time, like all the energy I had was being sucked out of me.  I felt like the baby was taking all my nutrients.

...Fast forward to last Sunday...

I was scheduled to be induced Sunday morning.  I had mixed feelings about it, mostly because it was unknown to me and I was just nervous.  Been reading too many horror stories I guess.  Plus, I wanted to go all natural.  I guess that's just the independent person in me.  I wanted to do it all by myself.  However, I also didn't want to be pregnant any longer than I had do be and I was worried that the baby was getting bigger and bigger and I didn't want to have a 9 lb baby.  I had a feeling she might be bigger than Adam because my pregnancy weight gain had been pretty much the same for both pregnancies but this time, I think I was a pound heavier at my last appointment than I had been the same time with Adam.  So I figured I either gained a pound (probably from the box of doughnuts Brent bought) or she did, or maybe we shared the extra poundage.  Anyway, I didn't want a big baby and I also had a pinched nerve that was bothering me really bad, plus all the other uncomfortable perks of being pregnant, so I figured it wouldn't hurt too much to be induced.  At my last appointment, I discussed the options with my doctor and she told me it would probably be pretty easy since I was already so far along (2cm, 80% effaced) which made me feel a little better.  I had been having contractions for a few days prior to Sunday but they were irregular and not very strong.  I was hoping the baby would come before the induction date but that didn't happen, no matter how much I did or walked around. (Insert story about trip to hospital on Friday)

So in we went Sunday morning and they got me all hooked up to the IV and 3 1/2 hours later she was born. (fill in details later)  Check out her little triangle nose!  That was the first thing I noticed about her.  It kind of bothered me, but now I love it!  It's what makes her special and unique.

Emma Jean

Born 9/2/2012 at 11:52 am

8lbs 6.3oz, 18.5 in long*

* We think the length isn't quite accurate because when I took her to her appointment a few days later they measured her at 20.5 in.  They double checked it too.

(Add some post delivery details here.)  Shortly after she was born, my mom was able to come and bring Adam so he could see his new baby sister before they went to church.

I think he likes her!  He learned her name very quickly.  When he hears her crying, he says, "Emma!  Emma!" and runs to see if she's ok.  He likes to sit next to her when she's laying on the couch and he likes to point out all her features, such as her nose, eyes, head and chin.  She's been poked in the eye a few times but I'm sure there's more to come so I guess she should get used to it.

We are so happy to have her finally here.  She is such a precious little baby.

Oh Boy!

We had a sonogram about a month ago to determine the gender of our baby.  It was pretty in depth but one thing they couldn't get a good look at was just that.  The technician got a split second view in which she snapped a picture of what looked convincingly like a boy.  However, she couldn't get another good look to confirm it.  So, here are the pictures we got of our most likely little boy!

So they set up a follow up appointment for four weeks later to double check the gender and to double check a few other things they couldn't get.  However, we felt confident that we were having a boy.  I was really happy because that meant we wouldn't have to buy anything because we already have boy stuff.  We even kind of talked about names but I never really felt pressure because we still had time and I figured we would come up with something eventually.  This time around, I definitely am not stressed about being prepared for the baby's arrival.  I am already pretty prepared.  Whew!  Now I can just sit back and try to enjoy the rest of the summer.  

..........Fast forward four weeks..........

We had our follow up sonogram on Monday.  

Everything looked good except for one thing.

Surprise!

What looked convincingly like a boy four weeks ago now looks 

convincingly like a girl.  

We had a different technician this time and she seemed more convinced that it was a girl than the last one about the boy, so I think we are more safe saying we are having a girl, but I want another conformation before I go out and start buying anything girly!

Anyway, we are happy with whatever we are having.  Though secretly, deep down, I really wanted a boy.   I really felt it was important that Adam have a little brother to play with.  And we will have to get creative with our living space to accommodate a whole set of girl clothes and stuff.  I wanted the next one to be a boy so bad!  But that doesn't mean we will love a little girl any less.  It will just take some time to re adjust my mindset.  And it doesn't mean that she and Adam won't be best buds either.  Brent and Janny were close growing up.  So were Shaylin and Loren.  But I just remember how much fun me and Janelle had playing together growing up and I want the same for my kids.

One thing that we have noticed though, is maybe that was why we couldn't really come up with any boy names, and maybe that was why I didn't feel like I needed to worry about it.  Also, I have had more problems with this pregnancy, so maybe it really does hold true that you are more sick if you are having a girl.  Either way, as long as we have a healthy little baby, that's all that matters.

Someone's on the move...

A few nights ago I was trying to fall asleep (for some reason it's REALLY hard for me to fall asleep, even if I'm dead tired) and I was thinking about our new little baby, wondering what he/she will be like, and I felt a little kick for the first time.  Like a real kick, not one of those I-think-it-was-a-kick-but-maybe-it-was-just-gas feelings.  It was like he/she knew I was thinking about him/her.  Then I felt it again, and I put my hand on my stomach so see if I could feel it on the outside and sure enough, I could.  It was very gentle but very distinguishable.  It makes it seem more real when I can feel definite movements.  And makes me happy to know that all I've gone through is for a good cause.  It's hard when you feel so sick and gross for so long and you feel like you have nothing to show for it.  But when you feel that little kick for the first time, that's what makes me feel like it is worth it.  We will find out in 10 days if we are having a little boy or girl.  I can't wait!  I feel like it is a boy, but we will see.  We will be happy either way.  I'm just dying to get into the I-feel-much-better stage of my pregnancy, which, if it's anything like last time, should be mid May.  I am 19 weeks and technically, by the book, I should be feeling better already, but apparently my morning sickness hormones didn't get the memo.  I guess I should get some rest.  I feel better when I get a lot of rest.

Westwood Baby # 2

We got our first sonogram today.

There's the little baby.  They said I was 11 weeks and 1 day, so my due date, according to all the measurements and stuff was September 2.  Happy Birthday Tina!  You just might get a little niece or nephew for your birthday. The Dr.'s due date was September 6, so we will see if it is changed or not.  The same thing happened with Adam but we just kept the Dr.'s date.  Turned out that the sonogram date was more accurate because he was born 1 day early according to that, and 3 days early according to the Dr.'s date.

It looks like the baby has no legs but they are just tucked up under.  Anyway, I'm hoping to get feeling better soon, seeing as how the first trimester is almost over.

We took Adam with us so that he could see the baby.  He has no clue what's going on.  I'm sure that will change when the baby comes.

Update:  I went to the doctor a few days later and she said the "official" due date is September 4.