Is there anything sweeter than cuddling with a sleeping baby? I think not…
With three more weeks of maternity leave left, I am savoring each and every one of these snuggles! Am I tired? Yes. Is she sleeping “through the night”? No. Will this and all of her other stages pass far, far to quickly? Absolutely!
Have you explored your own hometown lately? Waring and I did just that last weekend. I have been wanting to explore the Starland District in downtown Savannah during the 1st Friday Arts March for a year or so now. For one reason or another things have not worked out until…. last Friday!
Waring and I took the littlest out on the town to meet Mer, Justin, and Baby Eli out for Tacos and a walk through the Starland District. We saw a pretty wild flower art exhibit, tasted olive oil and vinegar, ate tacos, and enjoyed some time catching up with friends. I love it when bucket list items are: 1). close to home 2). reasonably priced 3). pretty painless to accomplish 4). fun!!!
Waring had to go to school….and we came along for the ride. We had a great time in the small town that is now as the foothills of the Shenandoah Valley. We ate lots of good food, were mesmerized by fireflies and deer in the back yard each night, played at the children’s museum, hiked around the Natural Bridge, had traditional English tea, and even road an elephant. Yup….it was a pretty good week. Waring didn’t get to see much of the city, but he did well in his classes and is one step closer to graduation. That is what I call and win-win!
One week after Eleanor’s arrival marks nine years of marriage for us. When trying to adjust to life with a new baby (especially when you are nursing) it is difficult to be far from the house. Thanks to Waring’s family we were able to steal away for a couple of hours to go out to eat to celebrate the special occasion.
Nine years has truly been just a blink of an eye. I am so thankful for our marriage. It (like us) is flawed and messy at times, but absolutely perfect to me. I am one lucky girl!
June 19, 2018
Addie and I spent the day getting our nails and toes manicured with Meredith and Christine and ate pizza at Aunt Karen’s house for dinner. At this point I have literally TRIED everything that I could Pinterest in order to get this baby out….but she has been determined to stay put. As some have put it so kindly, I wasn’t the most fun to be around…to those of you affected, I am sorry! I had pretty much resigned myself to the fact that that I would be induced on the 21st. I was not particularly excited about artificially starting labor, but honestly I felt miserable and wanted to get Eleanor out. I wanted to meet her. I wanted to start the next chapter in life that didn’t involve my feet looking like two swollen sausages and having to pee every 2.5 minutes!
June 19th/ 20th, 2018
I laid down around 11:30 and Waring came home and went to sleep around 12:30. At 1am I woke up with a broken water. I woke Waring up and told him that I thought my water had broken. We called Waring’s parents to come watch Addie while he headed to the hospital.
At 2:30 AM I had checked into the hospital, and found out that I was already 4-5 centimeters dilated. Eleanor would arrive shortly! After an epidural (thank you, Jesus) I was able to relax a little bit, but not really sleep. By 5:30 AM I was dilated to 9 centimeters. My doctor was to report to work around 6:30 so I was told to relax and “labor down” until she came in to check in. Well….let’s just say that it was a good thing that my epidural worked really well because at 8:00 AM I still had not seen Dr. McIntosh.
The doctor finally arrived around 8:15 AM, sat her purse down, and asked if I was ready to push. After three sets of three pushes and two and a half minutes later Eleanor had made it into the work at 8:28 AM!
Eleanor weighed 7lbs 9 oz and was 21 inches long. She came out, and the doctor placed Eleanor on my chest for the “golden hour.” I am not sure what was supposed to be golden about it because she cried (read: screamed) pretty much the whole time. She wasn’t happy about her eviction from her cozy home, but her lungs were nice and healthy! That afternoon we were placed on the Mommy/Baby ward of the hospital and our family was able to visit. Eleanor was beautiful, healthy, and nursed like a champ. The experience has been altogether different than Addie’s arrival. I am thankful for a bit easier labor, delivery, and arrival.Waring and I are smitten with her, and Addie finally has a real-life baby doll. I love my little family of four and can’t wait for the adventures ahead!
The moment we met
I wrote down a list
Of all we would do
Of what not to miss.
We’d soar through the skies
On a super-fast plane
Speed past snowy hills
On a passenger train.
But on a trip to the park
You opened my eyes
Taught me life is a gift
Every day a surprise.
You spread your arms wide
Near a starling of blue
Leaping into the air
Head back, you flew.
You built mountains from sand
Played tag with a tree
Who would have guessed
You could teach me to see?
Squealing with joy
When you spotted a dog
Eyes smiling with wonder
At the croak of a frog.
You smelled every tulip
Gentle beauty so real
Who would have though
You could teach me to feel.
To slow down, take small steps
Make each moment last
The world is blue
If you’re spinning too fast.
The moment we met
I drew up a plan
To show you the world
To touch all you can.
Then you chased the wind
Whispered songs to the squirrels
Sitting still in the sun
Head bowed, soft curls.
Staring into the lake
You giggled with glee
Who could have known
You could teach me to be?
You danced in the puddles
When the rain pattered down
First we waltzed, then we sang
What a heavenly sound.
You counted the clouds
My heart pressed to your ear
Who would have known
You could teach me to hear?
To slow down, take small steps
Make each moment last
The would is a blue
If you’re spinning too fast.
The moment we met
I wrote down a list
Of all we would do
Of what not to miss.
But when you took my hand
My list fluttered away
For the world through your eyes
Shines brand-new every day.
This weekend marks Addie’s last weekend as an only child! We are so excited to meet Eleanor, but we are also trying to soak up as much one on one time with this little girl as possible! Here’s just a bit of what we have been able to accomplish this week from the Summer 2018 Bucket List…and a few more bonus fun activities.
On the Summer 2018 Bucket List:
2. Go to the Movies: We saw two movies in two days (Ferdinand with Granny Layne and Gigi and Incredibles with Daddy).
Bonus Items:
2. Spa Night #2 (just because we can…)
3. Saturday Family Day= Fun in the Sun Day at Home Day!
Now, come on Baby Eleanor so we can meet you and have twice the fun!
