Sunday, June 19, 2011
Harvesting New Memories...
Today we celebrated Father's Day by taking a little drive to Avila Beach to pick olallieberries and walk the pier, after enjoying a breakfast of aebleskivers at home. G was a trouper and daddy had a good time as well. We are loving the simple joys that come from parenthood.
Monday, May 30, 2011
L.A. Outing
This weekend we took Gwyneth on a mini road trip to L.A. We were curious to see how she would react. To our pleasant surprise, she tolerated it all very well. She rode peacefully in the car seat, was a happy camper inside the Moby as we wondered around, and she wasn't disruptive at the hotel. Overall a successful venture with our little 6-week-old.
Here are a few photos from the trip. First we went to REI in Santa Monica, and then we walked down by the pier.
The next day we drove around the Hollywood area, making a pit stop at the Graystone Mansion.
Finally we walked along Hollywood Boulevard, stopping to pose by a famous actor's star.
It was a fun mini vacation. We look forward to many more family adventures in the future.
Here are a few photos from the trip. First we went to REI in Santa Monica, and then we walked down by the pier.
The next day we drove around the Hollywood area, making a pit stop at the Graystone Mansion.
Finally we walked along Hollywood Boulevard, stopping to pose by a famous actor's star.
It was a fun mini vacation. We look forward to many more family adventures in the future.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
First Few Weeks...
Gwyneth has been out in the "real world" for a little over three weeks now. Since her birth, she has gained a few pounds and grown a couple inches. She is getting more and more alert, though she still does sleep a lot. We are discovering that she likes to have at least one arm out of the blanket when she sleeps, and her thumbs tucked into her palms. To calm her we often bounce on the yoga ball or rock her gently around the room. Motion seems to soothe her. Each day we fall more and more in love with her. It is amazing.
Our most recent family photo.
Asleep in the Moby during one of our walks at the beach.
Spending time with Grandpa and Grandma K.
Our most recent family photo.
Asleep in the Moby during one of our walks at the beach.
Spending time with Grandpa and Grandma K.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
And then it happened...
After a week of anxious expectation, our overdue baby girl Gwyneth Aisling arrived on April 19th at 1:38 a.m. It was a series of bizarre, but ultimately timely events that lead up to her entry into the world.
The previous morning, April 18th, I had a routine appointment with my doctor. She had some concerns about the amniotic fluid levels and recommended that we schedule an induction that evening at 11:00 pm. I went home and began preparing myself for the hospital and impending childbirth. However, due to some developing complications seemingly unrelated to contractions, I ended up at the hospital around 7:30 p.m.
When we checked in, Alison, a Kiwi nurse riddled off a bunch of questions. During this time, my body began to go into labor on its own, though I wasn't fully aware of it at the moment. I noticed a few of the signs, though I was a bit doubtful of their significance, especially since Alison said that I was still just 1 cm dilated. The contractions, AKA cramps, that I had been feeling were perceived as being ineffective by the medical personnel. And so I was given an I.V. of saline solution and left to hydrate a bit more before the induction drugs were administered. Anticipating a long night, Kyle stepped out to get a quick bite to eat and I was left alone with my symptoms. For an hour or so, I sat on the bed in agony. The cramps seemed to intensify. I thought I was going to freak out because I was stuck in bed and the contractions were so painful. Since I didn't think I was in labor, I began to feel greatly discouraged.
When Kyle returned I told him that I didn't think I was going to make it naturally, since the non-labor pains were more than I thought I could bear. We tried to relax for a while, Kyle casually glancing at his watch as I began to breath through my contractions. He commented on their close proximity to each other, though we both still thought I wasn't in labor. The turning point occurred when my water broke. I looked at Kyle, and we kind of laughed nervously and then called the nurse. When she came in, she was shocked. She rechecked me and was even more surprised to see that I was now 5 cm dilated. Apparently, I had been in labor that whole time. Once I knew that the pains I felt were truly active labor, my attitude about the process switched dramatically. Suddenly, I knew that I could do it.
We called our doula, and the nurses busied themselves to get the room ready for delivery. Over the course of the next few hours, I labored, switching positions as much as I could. Rocking through the contractions was pretty effective, though the time I spent in the shower felt the best. The doula kept reassuring me that my body would know when it was time to push. I wasn't super confident of that, and yet I did arrive at a point when I knew the baby was ready to come out. Throughout this whole time, Kyle and the doula were breathing with me, calmly reassuring me with positive accolades, and massaging my back. I felt really supported and strangely energized by it all.
The adrenaline in my body caused my legs to shake violently periodically, though there were enough moments of rest to combat the intensity of that phenomenon. When I did start pushing, I was lying on my side in bed. Once I felt her traveling down the canal, which definitely burned, I decided that I was going to push for all I was worth. After a short time, she emerged, all purple and slimy. She screamed quickly and nuzzled to my chest instinctively. Kyle and I were both so amazed by her and the reality that we were finally seeing our little girl for the first time. The feeling of love that we felt for her was so instant and strong. Life is such a miracle!
For the past few days we have been trying to figure out how to best care for and meet the needs of our daughter and ourselves. The lack of sleep is rough, though we are making a good team. Gwyneth is delightful and well-worth every challenging moment we've experienced. We are honored by the gift of her and are loving our new role as parents. Though I know we still have a lot to learn and that we'll probably make a few mistakes along the way, I feel happy knowing that this little girl has two parents that love her more than we thought possible. Our new adventure of parenthood has officially begun.
The previous morning, April 18th, I had a routine appointment with my doctor. She had some concerns about the amniotic fluid levels and recommended that we schedule an induction that evening at 11:00 pm. I went home and began preparing myself for the hospital and impending childbirth. However, due to some developing complications seemingly unrelated to contractions, I ended up at the hospital around 7:30 p.m.
When we checked in, Alison, a Kiwi nurse riddled off a bunch of questions. During this time, my body began to go into labor on its own, though I wasn't fully aware of it at the moment. I noticed a few of the signs, though I was a bit doubtful of their significance, especially since Alison said that I was still just 1 cm dilated. The contractions, AKA cramps, that I had been feeling were perceived as being ineffective by the medical personnel. And so I was given an I.V. of saline solution and left to hydrate a bit more before the induction drugs were administered. Anticipating a long night, Kyle stepped out to get a quick bite to eat and I was left alone with my symptoms. For an hour or so, I sat on the bed in agony. The cramps seemed to intensify. I thought I was going to freak out because I was stuck in bed and the contractions were so painful. Since I didn't think I was in labor, I began to feel greatly discouraged.
When Kyle returned I told him that I didn't think I was going to make it naturally, since the non-labor pains were more than I thought I could bear. We tried to relax for a while, Kyle casually glancing at his watch as I began to breath through my contractions. He commented on their close proximity to each other, though we both still thought I wasn't in labor. The turning point occurred when my water broke. I looked at Kyle, and we kind of laughed nervously and then called the nurse. When she came in, she was shocked. She rechecked me and was even more surprised to see that I was now 5 cm dilated. Apparently, I had been in labor that whole time. Once I knew that the pains I felt were truly active labor, my attitude about the process switched dramatically. Suddenly, I knew that I could do it.
We called our doula, and the nurses busied themselves to get the room ready for delivery. Over the course of the next few hours, I labored, switching positions as much as I could. Rocking through the contractions was pretty effective, though the time I spent in the shower felt the best. The doula kept reassuring me that my body would know when it was time to push. I wasn't super confident of that, and yet I did arrive at a point when I knew the baby was ready to come out. Throughout this whole time, Kyle and the doula were breathing with me, calmly reassuring me with positive accolades, and massaging my back. I felt really supported and strangely energized by it all.
The adrenaline in my body caused my legs to shake violently periodically, though there were enough moments of rest to combat the intensity of that phenomenon. When I did start pushing, I was lying on my side in bed. Once I felt her traveling down the canal, which definitely burned, I decided that I was going to push for all I was worth. After a short time, she emerged, all purple and slimy. She screamed quickly and nuzzled to my chest instinctively. Kyle and I were both so amazed by her and the reality that we were finally seeing our little girl for the first time. The feeling of love that we felt for her was so instant and strong. Life is such a miracle!
For the past few days we have been trying to figure out how to best care for and meet the needs of our daughter and ourselves. The lack of sleep is rough, though we are making a good team. Gwyneth is delightful and well-worth every challenging moment we've experienced. We are honored by the gift of her and are loving our new role as parents. Though I know we still have a lot to learn and that we'll probably make a few mistakes along the way, I feel happy knowing that this little girl has two parents that love her more than we thought possible. Our new adventure of parenthood has officially begun.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Awaiting Labor...
Today is our due date, however, the baby remains safely snuggled up inside me. We are anxious to meet her, and yet at this moment I feel thankful for a quiet pause. Soon our lives will change. The adventure of parenthood will likely challenge and amaze us simultaneously. We feel blessed to have this opportunity and are so very grateful for the gift of our child. My prayer for her today is health and peace as she prepares to make her grand entrance into this world. When she arrives, we'll let you know.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
The Belly
We've gotten numerous requests from family members and friends from afar who want to see my ever expanding middle. So, without further ado, I present the belly update, week 33.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Middle Eastern Babymoon
Last month we went on our official "babymoon" to Egypt, Israel, and Jordan. Traveling pregnant was definitely a new adventure, though it didn't detract much from the overall experience. Our destinations were inspired by the desire to fulfill some lifelong dreams of seeing the famous pyramids, the Holy Lands, and going to "Africa", in addition to simply visiting family. Expectations were exceeded in most cases, though many of the sites were very different than what we had imagined. The cultural experiences were also more vibrant. We feel lucky to have had that opportunity, especially now as turmoil envelopes Cairo. May peace be their reality again soon.
The Great Pyramids, Cairo, Egypt
The Wailing Wall, Jerusalem, Israel
The Treasury, Petra, Jordan
The Great Pyramids, Cairo, Egypt
The Wailing Wall, Jerusalem, Israel
The Treasury, Petra, Jordan
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