Our journey with three girls: January 2014

With Bailey, I was updating weekly or even daily on here. With Bailey AND Brooklyn, I am lucky if I can finish a cup of coffee in peace or even use the restroom more than once during the day! While Brooklyn is sleeping and Bailey is content watching a movie, I thought "Now I have my chance!". I wonder how long this post will sit in my blog as a "draft" before I can actually publish it.

Brooklyn is now a month old! That month FLEW by!! I went to my brother's house yesterday and the first thing my niece said (after the routine "Hi Aunt Hairy") was how big she has gotten. It made me go back into my pictures and she is right, Brooklyn is really growing. Makes me sad because these first weeks and months are so precious and special. I even have to go back to work in less than 4 weeks!! I am thankful that Brooklyn will be going to the same place as Bailey (our wallet will not be happy!), it will make leaving her a little bit easier.

Brooklyn and I have been doing better nursing than Bailey and I ever did. By this point with Bailey I was starting to just use the pump and only bottle feed Bailey. With Brooklyn, we are just now getting the hang of it and I don't have any intention of stopping any time soon! I am shocked I made it this far since I was having issues by the 2nd-3rd week. Thankful for my mommy friends who gave me the confidence to keep pushing through because it would get easier.

Brooklyn has been more alert lately and has started to check things out. She LOVES the black and white picture of Wes and I that we have on our wall (was also a favorite of Bailey's) and she loves reflections of light. She is sleeping a bit longer at night, which is nice! Her Newborn clothes are becoming a bit more snug, so it may be time to pull out the 3 month clothes *sniffle*.

Bailey loves her little sister and constantly wants to kiss her, poke her, give her toys, etc. Sometimes I have to remind her to be careful around her since she is still so little. The other day Bailey was getting upset and kept pushing toys at Brooklyn. I asked her what was going on and she said "I just want her to play with me!". She is so excited for her sister, that she doesn't understand that she needs to wait a bit before Brooklyn will be old enough to play with. By the time she is old enough, Bailey will probably be asking me to put her back into my belly.

She is a great helper!!

It has been so nice being home when Wes is home because we are able to do things as a family. This is a rare occasion since we have opposite schedules most of the year. Lately, we have been going on walks around the neighborhood in the afternoon. The other day we decided to go take a walk on a trail we went on years ago. It has been nice having such an easy recovery this time and able to be active! The weather has also been so warm, very Spring-like, so we have been able to get outside more. I got a new carrier to carry Brooklyn in and I LOVE it! So much more comfortable than other carriers I have used. It makes taking walks, so much more enjoyable.

Brooklyn is surrounded by some awesome family!

Brooklyn's first bath!

Some Brooklyn cuteness during her first month...

Here we are again, but with baby girl number TWO!

This has been a crazy month with trying to get ready for Christmas and the arrival of our second baby girl. I spent so much time getting ready for both, that I ended up feeling like Christmas got skipped with the amazing arrival of our daughter Brooklyn. It didn't get SKIPPED, but Christmas wasn't celebrated how I envisioned celebrating it.

Days before Christmas (Brooklyn's actual due date) I was having more frequent and painful contractions, leaving me to think "ok, this is it! This is the day!" and ending in disappointment when they stopped. Christmas morning I woke up at 3am, which had been a pretty normal routine for me while being pregnant, and couldn't go back to sleep. The contractions started but were about 7-8 minutes apart. I could have probably slept through them, but I couldn't sleep (thank you pregnancy insomnia). At about 5am they were STILL consistant and hurting more and different than previous days. I decided I needed to get moving at 5:30 and get ready to open presents early, just in case. I got out of bed and finished last minute Santa touches while enjoying a cup of hot chocolate. The contractions were now coming closer to 4-5 minutes apart and I rushed to wake up Wes to tell him we needed to get presents opened with Bailey so we didn't miss Christmas morning with her. I knew we would be headed to hospital soon, so I texted my brother and got dressed. We woke Bailey up around 6 and literally SPRINTED through presents, which made me a bit sad because I felt like I couldn't ENJOY the day with my first baby girl. I AM thankful I got to see her face and reactions to presents I know she has been really wanting. In between me taking pictures, checking out her presents, and opening my presents; I was having very painful contractions that were now 3 minutes apart. Every time I stood up, I felt like I couldn't walk due to the amount of pressure I was having. I was in slight panic mode at this point! I had my amazing oldest brother on alert to be ready, called the hospital once presents were ripped open to see what they thought I should do, and got the "You should probably come in now". I called my brother Pete and told him it was now time to come, we were going to the hospital.

We got to the hospital at about 8:00am and got checked by a nurse about 8:30 who said I was staying. I was 6cm and 100% effaced. I was shocked I was at 6cm and was able to pretty easily breathe through my contractions. With Bailey, I walked in at 4cm and needed an epidural soon after. I made a tree outside my window my focal point and got mad if anyone stood in its way...but that tree got me through a good portion of my laboring since I refused to have any pain medication. Wes and I watched TV and I got over emotional when we came across a kid channel that Bailey watches. I told Wes to change it, but the channels after that one were also ones she watches, so I continued to cry more. I missed my Bailey girl and was so upset that we weren't at home with her on Christmas morning. I wanted to be able to enjoy the WHOLE morning with her and Wes. Add those feelings to my crazy hormones while in labor, I was what I call a "hot mess".

At about 9:45 the doctor came in to check me. This was not my doctor that I have been going to and was pretty upset that he wasn't going to be coming in. The doctor that was on call looked younger than Wes and I and a bit uneasy about doing a VBAC (a vaginal birth after a c-section). Seeing this, I was feeling just as uneasy. I felt like she was judging me when I signed off that I was aware of all that could happen if I ruptured my uterus during the VBAC and putting my baby in harm, leaving me feeling a bit guilty. I stayed strong though, knowing that in my heart I was doing what was best for baby and I. When she checked me at 9:45 or so I hadn't made any progress. The doctor was talking like it wasn't looking good for a VBAC since Brooklyn's head was so high, my water had not broken yet, and my cervix had not dilated more. She asked if I wanted her to break my water and I said no, that I wanted to wait a bit to see if it broke on its own. She seemed a bit annoyed by this, oh well...not her body or her baby! My AWESOME nurse told me to get up, use the restroom, and walk around. At that moment though she was not awesome, I was annoyed and mad that she was making me leave my comfort zone. I got up, used the bathroom and walked around complaining to Wes, "I was so comfortable in bed, this hurts so bad, I can't even walk!" I had an extreme amount of pressure, but walked to the window to get my mind off it. I then felt my water break standing there. I IMMEDIATELY felt the urge to push (nobody warned me of this intense pressure), rushed to the bathroom and Wes got the nurse. I thought for sure they were going to have to carry me to bed, but I finally was able to get into bed on my own. The nurse checked me again and I was now at 10cm (the most you can dilate) and my water had in fact broken. I told her I felt like I needed to push, she told me to go for it then...this baby was ready. I was now regretting the choice to go med free, but it was a bit late at that point. I pushed once or so and she went to grab the doctor while the anesthesiologist came in to meet me (they seriously all thought I was going in for a c-section). I had another contraction while he standing there watching me go through it. When it was over he asked if it had passed and I snapped at him "What?! What do you need?!?". He just wanted to meet me in case I needed a c-section. I wanted to scream at him "Can't see I am in the process of pushing this baby out...I don't even have TIME for a c-section!", but I said my farewells through gritted teeth and hoped I would not be seeing HIM again.

I kept pushing with each contraction and I remember the nurse yelling out the door to get the doctor in there, this baby was coming! While going through this, Wes was helping me cool down with lots of wet clothes and feeding me ice chips. To be honest, it was the most uncomfortable feeling ever, but I was still able to handle the pain (didn't have the choice now, no time for meds). I was a bit scared and just wanted it to be over, I couldn't stand being hot and extremely shaky. I feel so sorry for those who go through that pain/discomfort for a lot longer than I had. She estimated the baby would be out in 10 min. Wes thought for sure that the nurse would be delivering the baby on her own since the doctor still was not in the room yet. I would have been fine with that though, since she clearly knew what she was doing. Once the doctor came in, I pushed maybe 5 or so times and she told me to look down, I could see her head! Wes said it looked like I passed out. I pushed once more and she came right out at 10:24am! Holy cow, I did it!!! I was so proud of myself for delivering EXACTLY how I had been planning. I also couldn't believe how fast the whole process went, we were only in the hospital for about 2 hours before Brooklyn was born.

Before delivering, the nurse asked if I wanted them to hand Brooklyn to me right after. Without hesitation, I said yes! When Brooklyn came out they quickly put her on my chest while I hugged her and wished her a Merry Christmas, Happy Birthday, and told her that I love her. My heart grew bigger with love in that moment. The nurses cleaned her up and put warm blankets on us while she was laying on me. I was so thankful that I was able to experience her on me right after birth, something I was unable to do with Bailey. I am so very thankful I was able to go through with the VBAC. I am still in awe that it all went according to my plan and COMPLETELY different than Bailey's stressful arrival. What an amazing Christmas present!!

Brooklyn Kay Williams

Born: 12-25-13 at 10:24am

8 pounds 2 oz 21.5 inches