Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Thankful.

I am thankful for:

1. Grace. Because I don't deserve any of the blessings I'm about to list. But God loves us and gives us things we are very undeserving of.

2. The husband I hear talking to our baby girl in the kitchen. I can't tell you enough how blessed I am to have him for a husband. There are no words. He's not perfect. I'm not perfect. But we love each other, and I absolutely believe God created us for each other. I am now listening to him sing Purple Rain. I may be forced to delete that last part...enjoy it for now.

3. Our baby girl who we think is the prettiest and sweetest baby we've ever laid eyes on. We love her more than we can express. She fills our hearts. Even at 4:30 a.m. when we're swaying in the bathroom with her in one arm and the hair dryer going in the other...not because I was drying my hair. But because we've discovered it can put her out like a light. We'll do anything to sleep a little while.

4. Our families who have come to the rescue more than a few times in the last 2 and a half weeks. We are more than blessed.

5. Our home that we love. It seems so much smaller with 100,000 baby things everywhere. But we still love it.

6. Our jobs at a great school with really good kids and co-workers.

Dear God, we are more thankful this year than ever. You are more than GOOD. We are more than BLESSED. Ella Kate and I have been singing the following as we rock in the wee hours of the morning. I thought it was fitting.

How GREAT is our God
Sing with me
How GREAT is our God
And all will see how GREAT
How GREAT
Is our God.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

You'll soon discover...


Here is the sweetest card ever...very true:


Things you'll soon discover with your new baby girl:


That raising your own princess beats any fairy tale.

That a lot of great big people can be wrapped around one tiny finger.

That a toothless smile can light up the world like instant sunshine.

That watching her sleep is (sometimes) more satisfying than finding sleep yourself.

And most of all...that there's no greater joy than having a little girl to love.
I LOVE this baby girl more than I ever thought possible. Thank you, God for blessing us with her.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

EKB: Week 2

LEARNING. That's what we're doing around here. It's getting better and better. Our baby girl is getting up only a couple of times during the night. However, at least one of those times, it takes me about an hour and a half (at least) to get her back down. By the time I doze off again, it's time to eat...AGAIN. She's gained back to her birth weight, and then some. She's already out of newborn clothes! Does anyone else think that's sad??? People told us "there's nothing like this". I never quite understood. Until now. There is absolutely NOTHING like the love I have for EKB and the love that grows more than I thought possible as I watch Bradley be the sweetest daddy. He didn't even get upset when I got up, turned his alarm off this morning, and went back to bed. Why? Sleep deprivation? I have no idea. He made it to work on time anyway, but it did make him a little rushed. One more story: Last week one morning I kept wondering why B had a string hanging out of the back of his pants. It took me a while but I figured it out. His pants were on backwards. He had no clue. The next morning I finally got back in bed and B told me he liked my shirt. I thought he was picking at me for wearing his shirt to bed. He then told me it would look even better if I didn't have it on backwards. We literally haven't known if we were coming or going. But things are improving.

We have a new stroller!!!! Yay! We're bundling up at lunchtime and going for a walk. I still cannot drive and I have GOT to get out of this house. I have been out a few times. My mom has been driving us around. Bradley and I take Ella Kate back to the doctor Friday. If all goes well, it will be nice for the 3 of us to get out.

EK is asleep for now and I need to sleep at least for a little while. Hope you're having an extra happy kind of week.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

The First Few Days


Ella Kate slept all night last night. I got up and went for a 3 mile jog. Then I came home and put on my pre-pregnancy jeans, cooked pancakes and sausage, and sat down to thumb through a magazine. Really. No, I figure those days are over. But I do hope to accomplish some of those things again. Probably never all in the same day/week/month.

Let me give you the "details" from our hospital stay. I was all good til they escorted us to our room Thursday night. I was unaware that it was to be my delivery room. But quickly became aware as I saw the spotlights aimed at my bed. It was then that I considered going back to the car and going home. We settled in and they started some medicine to prepare me for Friday. We didn't know it, but I was having contractions 2 minutes apart when we arrived. They weren't strong, but oh, they became stronger. I started an IV sometime around 1 Friday morning and kept it until lunch Saturday...hence the still swollen ankles/hands/etc. Friday progressed normally. I was at 3 cm around 10 when I decided I needed an epidural. (if you don't want these details, stop reading...I want a record of all this) I got to 5 that afternoon sometime and stayed...and stayed...and stayed. And around 8:30 that night our doctor decided it was time. I definitely didn't prefer a c-section. But when we heard her size, I'm glad it ended up that way. Also for memory's sake, I'd like to say that in honor of our Friday night traditions, we listened to a high school football game right up until time to go into surgery.


Bradley became locked out of the hospital at midnight because his drugged up wife was determined that we hang Ella Kate's sign on the door. I don't recall any of this, but being the good husband that he is, he braved the cold and went to the car. He returned to the door to see the sign that our entrance closed at 11 and he walked around Flowers Hospital to the ER entrance.

Monday night was ROUGH. I thought I was losing my mind. She was crying. I was crying. But it's gotten better each day. Feedings are rough, but we've come up with a plan that's working for now. Our baby girl has been quite content. She eats, then sits and looks around for a while, then she sleeps for a while. We had a great dirty diaper incident this morning. It was hilarious. Making memories..................this afternoon has been marvelous. Just some good down time for the 3 of us.

Our families have been more than generous with their time. We will never be able to repay them for all they've done for us. Our friends have been so good to us, checking on us, and offering encouragement. Our church family has provided 2 meals for us and it has been a huge help. We feel so loved and so blessed. We wanted our baby girl for a long time. And God outdid himself. I never thought I could love a child this much. (I'm tearing up again. It's not the first time today.) My husband is absolutely the best husband and daddy. I am amazed and my love for him grows each day. Thank you, God. My heart is filled to overflowing because of your blessings on us.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Ella Kate Bowers

Ella Kate is in the nursery for a little while, so I thought I'd blog before we head home tomorrow. Rumor has it there won't be much computer time at our house. It has been an eventful weekend for our little family. I won't post all the details, but I will say that things didn't go quite as I expected/planned. But it turned out fine. I will also leave you waiting for a post on the details by saying that I obviously don't do drugs well...Thursday night was eventful due to a few Ambien. Would you believe they moved the Peanut Festival to our room???? And Friday night/Saturday was eventful due to morphine...I woke up with my popsicle melted on my chest...I remember starting on it...and that was it. I also caused my husband to be locked out of the hospital at midnight Friday night. Or so he says. I don't remember that either.

Anyway...Ella Kate made her arrival at 9:04 Friday night weighing in at 8lbs 15oz, 21.5 inches long, via c-section. I cried. Then I threw up ; ) Really. But I'm good now. We're all good now. We're learning...definitely learning ALOT. We love her. And that makes me so emotional, more than normal I think. We both think she's the best. We just look at her. I told her today that she's the prettiest baby we ever had. I then told her we were going to work on "I need it, Daddy." She's my newest shopping partner.

Bradley has more than impressed me with his daddy skills. He's sooo good with her. It makes me love him in such a different way. (I'm crying. My emotions are CRAZY) He's also gotten lots of practice with his husband skills, as he's had to get me out of bed, in the bed, etc. I know he's exhausted. Possibly more than me (He looked all over for his watch this morning. He was wearing it. I laughed and it hurt.) But he hasn't complained, nor has he lost patience with me since we've been here (somehow). I love him so much. And I am thankful for him.

And together we are thankful for this gift that God has given us.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

D-Day

We spent our final night at home as a family of 2 + Molly. It was nice...we shared a meal of fishsticks, fries, and grape koolaid and looked lovingly at each other from across the living room. There was a time that we sat at the table or the bar for dinner. But I can no longer sit up straight and eat so the recliner is my spot at suppertime. As for breakfast, I made cinnamon rolls and coffee for B. I used the very last of the coffee that we brought home from Jamaica. I told him it was symbolic of "The Honeymoon's OVER."

I think I might be beyond excited about this baby girl. It's just come over me all of a sudden. I woke up every hour on the hour last night...thinking this time tomorrow...this time Saturday...this time next year...it overwhelms me a little. We do enjoy our little life at home just the 2 of us, but I have a feeling we won't be able to remember what it was like. My husband unpacked and repacked his bag last night. He said because the weather was cooler, but I found it really entertaining.

We'll be induced first thing tomorrow. I'm a little nervous about that part, but at this point, I'm big. She's big. And I've decided if given the option, she's probably not coming out on her own free will. I was a little leery of posting our day of induction online, but the word's out. So if you were planning on doing something illegal/cruel, you should know that a. We don't have anything you'd probably find valuable and b. Our neighbors are watching you. REALLY. They're good like that.

We'll let you know how things turn out when we find a minute to breathe. We would appreciate your prayers as we begin this new phase.