Christmas as Three

Christmas is my absolute favorite time of year but this year it was extra special as our first holiday as a family of three (4 really...Paisley our dog). While Molly is too young to have any idea what is going on it was still so fun having her first Christmas. And we got to introduce her to lots of family and friends.

We headed to Oklahoma City for a full week before Christmas so we could get settled in and enjoy the help of a few extra hands as grandparents soaked up some good Molly time. It was so nice and we enjoyed the help. Our time back home came to an end before we knew it and we already miss being in OKC with everybody, but time to resume real life and get ready to ring in 2012.

In the meantime a few photos to share...


Bath time at the grandparents house


Big Smiles!


Chill time with Daddy


Reading The Night Before Christmas on Christmas Eve


Playing with new toys from Santa


Opening presents on Christmas morning


I hope everybody had a wonderful holiday!!

Molly: One Month

Molly hit her first big milestone...one month old! It's hard to believe a month has already passed, it seems like just yesterday I was going into labor. While each individual day seems to move a little slow at times this one month mark snuck up on me. Realizing how much we need to cherish this time with her, she will only be this small and precious once. While I still miss being pregnant sometimes (should have relished that more) I am starting to feel more comfortable in my Mom role and that is my milestone.

 So, one month notes on miss Molly.

Stats:
7lbs 9oz
19" long

Likes:
Soothie pacifier
Bouncing (especially on the ball)
Cuddling close
Erin bear beanie baby

Dislikes:
Tummy time
The car seat
Paisley barking
Not being held

Looking Back

It's hard to believe that a month has passed since giving birth to our little miracle. Hard to get used to the fact that I am not pregnant anymore. I get emotional when I think back to my time carrying her because it was so special, such a miraculous thing to experience. And I smile thinking back to her birth and what I, we, accomplished together as a family. And now here I sit, a month later, holding my beautiful baby girl after a difficult day and thinking "wow" - she is the greatest thing I have done in my life so far. I wish I could go back to the day I read that pregnancy test and tell myself to take it all in, really soak it up, because it flies by and it's a time to be cherished. And now I am going to go cuddle with my little girl.

this is hard

When you are pregnant and day dreaming about your baby-to-be you conveniently jump ahead to 6 months of age, not thinking about those first few months and what they will really be like.

You imagine picnics in the park, walks with your new family through the neighborhood, giggles and laughs while you read bed time stories. You don't, even for a second, consider the reality of very little sleep, lots of crying, constant feeding, being stuck at home on the couch in front of the same dull daytime TV shows. BUT...that is the reality of mothering a newborn. And its hard.

As a first time Mom these things didn't register with me. I leaped ahead to post "newborn" phase in all my baby fantasies. And now, its slapping me in the face.

I am doing my best to take it day-by-day but all sorts of challenges I wasn't expecting have hit our new family. I have constant feelings of "I wasn't ready for this" and "I am a failure as a Mom." Because seriously, this is the hardest thing I have ever done...by a longshot.

In between all those frustrations and hardships there are wonderful moments, and its those moments you must hold onto as long as you possibly can and let yourself continue to day dream about the walks and the picnics because eventually those days will come.

And the love you have, you just let it wash over you.

I had a baby

Sorry for the long hiatus and lack of posts...but ya'll I HAD A BABY!

It has kind of taken over my life so not a lot of time to author blog posts right now. But I do realize the need to share this huge happening in my life and of course show off our adorable daughter.

I went into labor at 3am on November 10th. I woke up to a huge kick from our lil one followed by an intense contraction a minute later. After having some mild contractions the night before I knew this one was the real deal. And man was it ever!

Contractions quickly escalated from 10 min apart to 2 min apart within an hour! And did they ever intensify and hurt like woh! My plan was to labor at home as long as possible since we were having an unmedicated birth. This plan included showering, putting on make-up and over all just enjoying what was happening and taking it all in. Well, that plan was squashed because my body was ready to labor the baby right out.

We decided after contractions were coming at about 1 1/2 minute apart that we might need to go to the hospital. I didn't even get to dry my hair! Chase had to help me put mascara on in between moaning on the ball during my contractions.

By the time we made it to the hospital (10 min away but the longest car ride ever!) my contractions were coming on hard and it felt like I could barely take a breathe in between before I felt the next one coming.

I was 5cm dilated when I got checked at the hospital and within an hour I was 10cm, fully effaced and crowning! My doctor barely made it to the delivery.

With two good pushes our baby girl made her entrance into this world. The moment of hellacious pain to utter bliss was something I will never forget. To have my daughter put on my chest in all her screaming and wailing glory was incredible. The feeling of having delivered a human being and understanding what your body was just able to do is nothing short of a miracle.

Molly Jean Vincent was born at 6:28am on November 10th 2011. She was 6 lbs 5oz and 18.75" long. All 10 fingers and all 10 toes. A touch of red hair. In short, perfect.

I HAD A BABY!







It doesn't get much better than that. More to come...