2 weeks

We went to the doctor today and Macie was 9 lbs 10 oz and 21 3/4" long putting her in the 98th percentile. She is so content and alert. I think her size might play into that. :) 

Everyone is so in love with her!

Who does she look like?



Macie





Brinley (I don't have her hospital pics on my computer)




Matthew




Addison



More pictures of our new little Princess!

Soooo Cute! I love it when she holds my finer like this.

A little stretch...she has been so alert and attentive.

I am sooooo excited to have another little princess in my life!

Her first bath...she was not too excited!

Alright, are we done now?!

Finally, the bath is over and I can rest!

Not quite like my bed at home, but after a long, emotionally intense day, I slept pretty good. I brought my favorite blankie which I have had as long as I can remember. I am sure that helped.

Beautiful Mommy! Jami did so great. She has such a great attitude and is so unselfish. I am sooooo grateful we have each other and that I married such an amazing woman.

Macie actually looks pretty small when she is bundled up tight. 

Oldest sister Brinley used to do this as a baby and Jami still does it all the time.

More pictures...

Baby Macie is here!

After 10 minutes or so of pushing, we got a little (well not so little) 9 lb 4 oz baby that is 21 inches long. She has little fuzzy light brown hair (that will likely go blonde).  She is healthy, well and has a dainty little cry. Jami is doing great and is amazed how smooth and pain free the delivery was.

Wow...and Jami's dinner is here already....time to eat...

Wow, that was quick...

Alright, stepped out for a call and came back and Jami is dilated to a 9.5 and 100% effaced. We could have a baby soon!

Slow but steady progress...

So Jami is dilated to a 4 and about 80% effaced and at a -1 station (I understand the first 2 numbers, and will work on the 3rd).  Given that it's almost 3:30 PM, Jami says she is going to change her projected delivery time (her original guess was 3:30) to 7:30 PM. I guessed 6:33 PM.

The important, never ending job of keeping family and friends updated and acting as a scribe for the record. Jami loves details and likes to track and compare her previous deliveries.  Must be the nurse in her. 

Other big news...Addi finished off her potty chart, so it looks like we will be heading to Scales and Tales this weekend to look at snakes and spiders (and tigers if they have any). Addi is the best little helper and cleaner.  This past weekend was a huge cleaning weekend for us as we prepared for the baby.

Brian Blogging on the Baby's Progress (and Brian's soap box speech)

Alright, since Jami is laying in a hospital bed I will take the lead here and update our friends and family on the progress of our baby.  This is partly an update for you all and partly a journal of events, details etc. for Jami and I. If you get bored with the details, well - skip them. :)

Last night I painted Jami's nails and was very pleased with the finished product. My first time ever.

Jami got up at 5:30 AM to be at the Hospital at 6:30 AM (Well, closer to 7 since she had to shower, do her hair etc. before hand.)

I stayed home with the kids and got Brin off to school and Matt and Addi ready. Thankfully we had a sane, calm morning (not always the case) and the kids were little angels. After we got all packed up, I brought Addi and Matt to the hospital to see Jami. Matt was soooo excited!  He kept saying "I can't believe it, I can't believe we are going to have a baby!"  Since we found out it was a girl, he has been disappointed and really wanted a brother, but I think he's excited regardless.

After a few minutes of seeing Jami, Addi was done and said "go out, Mommy's room" a few times. She did think it was cool that she got to go "pee-pee on Mommy's potty."  Three more stickers on her potty chart and we are going to the pet store to see the "Tigers and snakes and spiders." She (and I) are both excited!

They started the induction with the gel at about 8 AM and Jami was in a ton of pain by about 9:45-10 AM so I ran the kids back to the baby sitters (thank you our dear Colorado friends - you are life savers). On the way there, Matt asked if the baby was here yet, and I said no, she was still in Mommy's tummy and Mommy had to push the baby down and out of a tube. He said "You mean her vagina?"  I said, yes, the baby comes out of her vagina. We are pretty open with our kids and started at a young age using the proper names of ALL body parts (including those that our society and church has unintentionally created shame around. The other day we were in the back yard finishing up a new roof on our shed and Addi, who is two, said pointing to Matt and I "Two boy, have penis's. Me, Mommy, Brin have gina's."

Quick disclosure here: Jami wouldn't normally write publicly about this stuff (using the proper names of our body parts) and is probably embarrassed that I am. I just think we (our families, church, society etc.) have been so hush, hush about certain things, particularly as they relate to our bodies (including using the proper terms), sexuality and other sacred, sensitive topics. As a result they go un-talked about with children and shame is created around these topics. Children and teenagers want to learn and will learn about these things, the question is - who will they learn it from?

If parents aren't comfortable taking about these things and don't take a proactive role, their friends, the media, the world etc. will most definitely teach our children.  Who do you want to teach your children about some of the most sacred, sensitive and important things in life? For our family, Jami and I have decided we will create an open, safe, place in our home where our children can ask questions and we can talk about anything and everything.  I believe this all starts with open communication at a young age. So when you hear our two year old using words like vagina and penis, you'll know why. 

So if you can't tell - there isn't much progress here. Jami got her epidural at 11 AM is currently dilated to a two so it looks like we will be a little while. I just ordered a nice, big lunch and am excited about the relatively low prices.  I eat out daily at nice restaurants and am used to overpriced food.  I was excited to see my salmon I ordered cost less than the bowl of mixed berries I usually get at the Palm in downtown Denver.

Jami is a little depressed that she is only dilated to a 2. The Dr. just broke her water (12:29 PM) so we'll see what happens over the next few hours. They will likely start the pitocin at 1 PM since her contractions are "wimpy."