We went to the doctor last Friday for Hayden's 18 month checkup--all of us went, so it was an event. Drew carried Hayden in, and I carried Hadley in her carrier. There is only one step to get into the office, and of course I missed it and fell face first onto the concrete. Luckily Hadley's carrier protected her from the fall, but my knees and legs took the brunt of both of our weight. My knees were a bloody mess, so they let us into an exam room quickly and Drew held Hadley while I tried to clean up my knees with Kleenex. Of course Hadley chose that moment to poop all over Drew's work clothes. Dr. De Wette came in in the middle of everything and immediately took pity upon us...she is wonderful! She even went ahead and examined Hadley for her 2 week appointment so we didn't have to go back there this week. Both kids got good reports, and Hayden behaved beautifully throughout the appointment. Dr. De Wette seemed impressed with his dexterity; he is good at throwing and catching a ball, etc.
We went on to have a great weekend after an eventful Friday at the doctor! Drew and Hayden got in our pool both late afternoons, and they had a blast. Hayden LOVES the pool and also running through the sprinkler. We have convinced him that big boys wear hats, so he will wear his little baseball cap when he is outside in the pool. Hadley is more and more alert during the day. She had her first "real" bath last week after we were certain that her belly button had healed, and she really didn't fuss much about the bath. One of Hayden's newest tricks is taking his "pills". He watches Drew and I take our vitamins in the mornings, and he likes to imitate us by taking a big drink of water and then throwing his head back over and over. We can't help but laugh, so he does it over and over and laughs along with us.
Drew starts his classes at UT next Monday, so this is our last week of summer before Drew has to get studying. Nana is coming to visit from North Carolina next week, and we are excited about that. Nannie's (from Houston) birthday is next Monday, so we will be celebrating that next week as well!
Things are going very well at our house, and it is only week two! Hadley is a great sleeper compared to how Hayden was when he was a newborn, and she really isn't very fussy at all. We are rid of the bili-blanket, which is a relief for everyone! Saturday night in the middle of the night I woke up with what I later learned was mastitis...not a fun affliction, but antibiotics have me on the mend already.
Last Thursday Hadley got to meet Aunt Ashley, who just got accepted to OU medical school and will start in August--hooray!! Grand-daddy came also, although he met Hadley in the hospital the day after she was born. Saturday we had family visitors--my Aunt Paula, Uncle Forrest, and Great-Grrrrand Maw Maw, as she likes to be called. They were in town for my cousin Jennifer's wedding, which Drew and I unfortunately were unable to attend, but we heard it was beautiful. Sunday, we had a visit from Aunt Ebes!! She was so nice to fly down from Dallas for a few hours to see us all. Hayden got a big kick out of Ebes of course--she is FUN!
This Friday is Hayden's 18 month doctor appointment..my baby is almost 18 months old, I cannot believe it. On Monday I was changing Hadley's diaper (I went through about 6 in 2 minutes flat..she likes to "use" them while I am in the middle of changing her) and then I went and changed Hayden's diaper, and I honestly couldn't believe that Hayden was ever so tiny that he could wear those little newborn diapers that look like they belong on a toy doll. His favorite song these days is "Little Bunny Foo Foo"...he dances around and does the hand motions, which is very entertaining. We went to the after hours clinic on Saturday for Hadley's last bloodtest for the jaundice, and Hayden stood outside in the parking lot with Drew waving the cars in and out of the clinic and yelling "bye bye!" to every single one. He has quite a personality! We'll see how we all do at the doctor on Friday for his appointment..it is kind of a circus with all of us in those little exam rooms!
What a week it has been at our house...
Last Friday morning, Drew and I had a feeling that that might be "the" day for Hadley's arrival, so we both went ahead and went into work and took Hayden to school with the intent of not working the whole day and having Nannie come to town to get Hayden that afternoon. We weren't sure but wanted to be prepared. I came home from work at 10, had lunch with Erin and Katie Basden, then came home to clean the house. Drew arrived around 1:00 and began cutting the grass. At 2:00, I thought my water had broken but really wasn't sure, so I called the nurse and she said we had to get there by 3--that was at 2:15. I thought with Friday traffic we'd never make it by 3, but somehow we got there at 2:45. By 3:00 the doctor had confirmed that my water had broken and rushed us across the street to Seton--by that point I was in a ton of pain and could barely get back to the car, but we were admitted at 3:15 and in the labor/delivery room by 3:30. At 4:00 the blessed anesthesiologist came and put in my epidural between contractions and I was very relieved to have gotten it in time--15 minutes later and we would have missed our window, which I didn't know at the time. Apparently I went from 4cm to 10 cm in about a half hour. After getting the epidural I asked the nurse if she thought we'd have the baby "today", as in, by midnight. She looked at me like I was crazy and said she figured we'd have the baby by 6PM. Incidentally, we had her by 5PM! We had the most wonderful doctors and our Nurse Shannon. Thankfully Nannie made it to Austin in time and got Hayden from school and took him home!
We had a great short stay in the hospital, and I felt really good, which was another blessing. Hadley swallowed alot of fluid while she was being born, which is very normal when labor is just a few hours. She scared us a bit with coughing up the fluid, but she has been a great eater and in good shape. We got to go home on Sunday and introduced her to Hayden and Abby! The jury is still out on what those two think of Hadley, but they both basically carry on with their lives as before :) Hayden does say "baby" and smile and point his finger at her head, and he has been great about playing....business as usual for Hayden.
Hadley had her checkup on Tuesday and they confirmed that she does have a bit of jaundice (like Hayden), so we have had to go to the doctor every day this week for blood tests and weigh ins. She also has to use the bili-blanket, which is an adventure for us all. She did great with it yesterday and last night which amazed me. Hopefully we can move on from all of that really soon.
Drew is super-dad and is our rock through everything as always. He and Hayden are so funny together, and Drew has done an incredible job of managing him while I am taking care of the baby--especially since I am not supposed to carry Hayden around much just yet. Nannie is also wonderful and helps with both kids--Hayden adores her and she is always there to hold Hadley when I need a break or need to tend to something for a bit. I am so lucky to have them both!!
Hadley is JUST like her big brother, both in looks and mannerisms, apart from her brown hair. We adore her and Hayden and couldn't feel more blessed to have such sweet babies. Hayden seems like such a giant next to her, which is funny since he really isn't so big at all--just alot bigger than a newborn!
What a blessing our family is to me. They are all happy and healthy, they are all mine.
We are now 4 days past my duedate and still waiting on Hadley's arrival! The nurse had me on the schedule for an "elective induction" this morning, but I turned her down, as I would like to avoid an induction if at all possible. They will let me go until next Wednesday the 21st, and then it will be considered a "necessary induction" at 42 weeks. I'm hoping Hadley will make her appearance before then so we don't have to do that!
I think the end is the hardest, as any mom who has gone a week or more past her duedate can attest to. Hayden was 8 days late, and I was going crazy with anticipation in upstate New York in the winter. I think the hardest part now is working full time and chasing Hayden around when I'm not working--exhausting! At night I tell Drew--if I had 18 hours of labor starting right now, I would barely make it!
Hadley is going to come when she is good and ready, just like her big brother did. We can hardly wait to meet our baby girl.
We had such a fun weekend outside, Hayden just loves being outdoors. Nannie came on Saturday, and, lucky for Hayden, Nannie loves to pull weeds. So Nannie pulled weeds and Hayden played with rocks, dirt and grass. Daddy also spent alot of time with him outside playing with balls--basketballs, kickballs, beachballs. Hayden has an absolute fit when it is time to come in though, he just isn't ready to come in when we make him! Drew and I took him to the park on Sunday, and he loved that as well. This summer he will probably really enjoy the pool in our backyard--right now he mostly likes trying to throw rocks through the fence into the pool.
Today is Abby's 3rd birthday, Cinco de Mayo! Hayden and I sang Happy Birthday to her this morning while he was having his waffles, but she just stared at us.
Hayden has so much more hair these days, but it is so fair and light blond that we still have to spray alot of sunscreen on his skull and make sure to get alot on his face and arms when we are outside. He always smells like Coppertone, even after his baths--it doesn't seem to go away no matter how much we scrub! They spray him at school everyday before playground, so he may be in for smelling like sunscreen and having sticky hair for a long while.
We are excitedly awaiting Hadley's arrival, but I really don't think it is going to be this week. It would be fun to have her on Mother's Day, but I really don't think she will be here by then either! I am cynical I suppose, but after waiting so long for Hayden...you just can't get your hopes up or you go crazy. Hayden behaves so well for Nannie, which comforts me when I get stressed about how he will do after Hadley is born. He seems to do best when there is alot of action going on, so maybe another baby will be fun for him. I am not sure how jealous he will be since he is so little, but I am not naive enough to discount that possibility yet!
