[ almost wordless wednesday * my girls ]

i have to add a word or two or a few sentences.  "my girls".  how weird is that to say?  i'm loving every minute though.

[ serial no. 5291 ]

i made it to 37 weeks and 2 days!  thanks to my mom who came and made me walk a marathon friday afternoon.

mykah reese hill made her debut on saturday.  january 10.  at 12:59 pm.  that made her baby #5291 that dr. gayle has delivered.  he gave her a serial number.  seriously. 

back to baby.  here's a few pictures, then i'll tell you the story.

 

that's me.  in pain, but trying to smile.  luckily i had my very own pillow.  i go nowhere without it.

 

sweet mykah.  just seconds after she was born.

 

big sister giving mykah kisses for the first time.  she was so sweet and actually wanted to hold her immediately.  and everyone else had to have karsyn's permission first.

 

my favorite one of the two fo them so far.  can you imagine what's going on in karsyn's head?

 

 

mommy and baby.

 

sweet profile.  she has karsyn's chin and super chubby cheeks.

 

daddy and baby.

so, i ended up in the hospital friday night at 10pm with contractions.  again.  this time was different though.  not only did he tell me at my appointment that morning that he wouldn't send me home if i came in again, but i was also in even more pain than last time.  luckily, my parents had come friday afternoon to stay the weekend and help out with karsyn.  it worked out perfectly.  i didn't have to worry one second about where karsyn was and what she was doing.  and, since i didn't go into labor till the next morning, everyone was able to get a good night's sleep.

i had been having contractions every 3-4 minutes this time.  we drove to the hospital.  they checked me.  nothing.  nothing had changed since my appointment that morning.  "3 cm.  80%" the nurse said. 

so an iv and pain pills and yet another overnight visit.  dr. gayle would come in saturday morning at 8am though to break my water.  i was indeed contracting every 3 minutes all night long, so i was just slowing making my way to being in active labor. 

8 am saturday.  doc came in to break my water.  10am got the epidural.  12:59 she arrived. 

it all happened so fast and the epidural wasn't quite as effective this time as it was with karsyn.  i pretty much felt everything i didn't want to feel.  at the same time, it happened so fast, the pain came and went almost before i even realized.  of course, i knew i was in pain though. 

7 lbs.  13 oz.  19 1/2 inches.  and she has brown hair and (i think) brown eyes.  everyone has their opinion about that.  it does have a blue tint, but not enough to say she's "blue eyed".  and definitely not as blue as karsyn's. 

she's beautiful.  of course.  and i'm proud to call her mine.

we had to stay in the hospital until monday because of some jaundice issues, but we are both healthy and doing wonderful.  glad to be home and to enjoy the addition to our family. 

[ our little family ... ]

for now.  soon there will be 4.  as you can tell from my GINORMOUS belly.  holy cow.  i didn't realize how big i am.  my sweet friend, jasey, took these pictures for us while she was visiting.

 

 

 

[ no pics. no baby. no problem. we have friends. ]

what a whirlwind these past few weeks have been.  christmas came and went so fast.  it's almost surreal.  it doesn't seem like that time of year.  not only because of the weather either.  i guess it's because of my pregnancy.  i just didn't get into the season this time around. 

the day after christmas, our favorite friends from oklahoma came to visit.  they went with us to pick up our new-to-us car the day after they arrived and spent the whole next week with us as well.  all i can say is ...

so.  much.  fun.

they have a 15 month old son who is absolutely adorable.  him and karsyn played so well together.  like a brother and sister would.  almost.  they enjoyed throwing blocks at each other and playing with karsyn's kitchen.  it was so neat to see them interact. 

their visit went by too quickly and i kind of ruined the moment for us by going to the hospital.  after a busy, fun weekend, i spent monday, tuesday, and wednesday in the hospital with preterm labor.  really thought i was going to be not-pregnant after that.  didn't happen.  i ended up on bedrest for the remainder of their visit, only to be back in the hospital the day after they left.  not to have a baby again. 

other than the hospital stay, we had tons of fun.  visiting.  while i was in the recliner.  jasey is super organized and a go-getter, so my whole house was organized when she left.  she finished up what i hadn't got to in mykah's room.  rearranged and organized karsyn's room.  and tons more. 

james.  what a guy.  the first day i was in the hospital he stayed home with both kids.  amazing.  he did such a great job and was probably not thanked quite enough.  his brain was probably fried.  his body tired.  but he did it.  and didn't complain. 

so although i took no pictures that week.  had no baby that week.  we have friends that rock our world!

[ i resolve ... ]

to be 30 pounds lighter in the next few weeks.  if only mykah would cooperate.