Gameday is finally here!!!

Just for Amanda!

Amanda, hopefully these will hold you over until we get some with her AU stuff on later. More to come!!

Getting into the swing of things

Well, I finally have a moment to myself where the baby is asleep and I am able to think! Then past week has been a whirlwind of crying, feeding, changing diapers, and sleeping when we can. Margaret Anne is the most precious little baby... so worth those uncomfortable months it took to get her here! She looks so much like Hays and it is so sweet to see him with his little "mini-me!" He has been so helpful. When we have to get up during the night he swaddles and changes diapers, and I feed her. I definitely wouldn't be able to do this without his support. He understands my frustrations and doesn't think I am crazy when I get overwhelmed at night. They weren't kidding when they say your hormones have to level out!
Today was my first day taking care of her by myself while Hays is at work. My mom left on Saturday, and I didn't think I would be able to handle it. Somehow I managed to shower and get ready before noon, and I even got her to take a pacifier (she wanted nothing to do with one before), which is taking a lot of pressure off me today. I was trying to get ready and I had just fed her, and she kept making these sad little whimpering sounds, so I thought I would try the paci just one more time, and she took it! It kept her happy as a lark until her 1:30 feeding!
No one really tells you how HARD these first few weeks are. Don't get me wrong, they are wonderful, but hard all the same. You see that you need to feed the baby 8-12 times in 24 hours, but you don't reallize how often that is until you start doing it. I guess there is no way to prepare for that level of exhaustion, you just push through it and know that it will eventually get easier. We are trying to get her on a schedule, and while I know it is a little early for that, it makes us feel like we are helping ourselves stay sane!

Nonna's Pictures

These are some pictures that Meredith's mom (AKA "Nonna") wanted us to post. Here are a few!

http://picasaweb.google.com/auhays/NonnaSCamera

Wow

Well, we are finally home! We got here a little before 12, and all is well! We are taking our first trip to the pediatrician tomorrow, and we are so much more comfortable here (at least I am).

Hays was a trooper. He never left my side for a second, and was completely calm when things went all crazy on me. I don't think I would have made it through without him.

For example... after they finished the section and got the baby out, they sent Hays down with her to see the family. I was able to look at her but not hold her. They finished up with me and brought me down about 5 minutes later. My family was all standing there when Hays arrived and many of them tried to hold her, but he wouldn't let her go until I was able to hold her. It was something I never thought about happening, but Hays made sure to take care of me. Here are some of the pictures that Mandy took.. just beautiful!

Tonnnnnnns of Pictures!

These pictures were taken By Mandy McPherson today, and she did a terrific job!!! Thanks Mandy, we love you, even Margaret Anne too! Click the following link to view the album...hopefully it will work

http://picasaweb.google.com/AEMcPhersonPhotography/MargaretAnneLatimer?authkey=-V-eCYAOOxY

Catching Flies

Meredith is feeling good, and Margaret Anne is already showing off her appetite! She konked out after being very active all day. Lots of people to see!

More Pictures

Meet our Little Girl!

Margaret Anne is finally here!!! Things were moving slowly, so the doc decided to go the route of C-Section, which we were fine with. We just wanted her here! He are a few pictures; more to come.

Progress Update...Hour Seven and a Half

The second epidural is working much better! They think the first one slipped out a bit, but everything is good now. Much less pain she says!!

Progress Update...Hour Seven

We have officially entered the 7th hour of hospital time, and progress has slowed a bit. Meredith has been feeling the contractions a bit more, so they checked out the epidural, and it looks like they will have to replace it. Anesthesiologist is on his way!!!

Progress Update...Hour 3

So we arrived at the hospital at 5:00 am this morning, and evidently I slept better than Meredith, but I am zapped right now! It is about 8:15, and everything has gone well so far. The on-call doc came in to break her water at 6:30, and Meredith just got her first dose of pain medication. Which I am being told is very good, warm & fuzzy! The epidural should be coming soon, and I will do my best to keep posting; pictures to come after the baby gets here!

Hurry up and Wait!

That's what I feel like I have been doing these past few weeks... just trying to hurry to get somewhere and then waiting on results or answers! For example - hurry up and get to your Dr appointment, wait in the waiting room for an hour. All I have been able to do lately (besides a few trips out of the house chauffered by Hays) is go to the doctor and watch lots and lots of daytime TV. Which stinks, people. You know you are hard up for something to watch when you WAIT for the hour that DR Phil will be on. YUCK.
Now in the next few days we are just waiting to check in to the hospital, and I am so excited that I can't put it into words. However, I am also terrified! All of those fears that you have that make you wait to get pregnant don't just automatically go away when you are pregnant. They are just much more real and in your face! I will say this... and Hays may not believe me, but I would not trade this experience for anything. I feel like in these next few days I need to hold onto what I know so tightly. Like the fact that Hays and I will never be "just us" again, and we will no longer EVER worry about just ourselves. The fact that Daisy's life will also never be the same, which may seem silly but that little dog has been with me through thick and thin and has never left my side! But we are also so full of anticipation that it is hard to hold onto those things because we can't wait to get to the next stage, of sleepless nights and endless feedings and diaper changes and crying, and being able to look at that little girl and hold her in our arms. We are fully aware of the blessings that God has in store for us and for her and it is all just so overwhelming. I know that the most important, wonderful day of my life so far is coming up, yet I still can't fully fathom how wonderful it will actually feel, nor will I be able to explain it after I finally do feel it.
So for now, I am just going to "hurry up and wait," and enjoy what time we have left as a couple and look forward to the time we will have as "just the three of us."

Tick Tock, Tick Tock

So, the official word from Doc Hudson is that we will report to St. Vincent's at 5:00 am sharp on Thursday morning! Time has officially slowed down to a crawwwwllllll...more updates later when I feel like writing

Do You Think She Knows Her Sister's Coming?

So this is Daisy's new favorite nesting spot...directly under Margaret Anne's crib! We find her there a few times a day, and she has all but abandoned her old spot under our bed. Meredith was so excited to finally get a picture, but for some reason she suggested that I blog about it. I think it is amazing how dogs/animals can sense changes even before they happen! Like the pets you hear about that wait by the door 10 minutes before their owner gets home, when they get home at different times every day. Daisy doesn't have those kinds of skills, but she knows something is up!

Another Day, Another Doctor Visit

Today we had a follow-up visit from Monday's appointment, and for some reason Meredith and I were kind of nervous. On a positive note, the waiting room was almost empty, which was a welcome change from the last few visits of a waiting room packed fuller than a Golden Corral on half-price steak night!! Not that I actually KNOW what a Golden Corral looks like from the inside. Of course, her first blood pressure reading was high, which we blamed on nervousness, so the nurse suggested that she lay down for a while and relax. 30 minutes laster, we had an acceptable blood pressure reading. After the first reading, I was sure we'd be off to admissions, but the doc said that we should be good until Meredith's regular doc (Dr. Bill Hudson) returned from his vacation on Monday. Monday seems like an eternity away, however that works better for our out-of-town family, so I guess that's good. If any men actually read this blog (which I highly doubt), and if these same men happen to be fathers, or either regularly attend childbirths, I would like your opinion on the most valuable accessory to take to the hospital. We will update soon if there are any changes!

Things may not go as planned...

Yes, I know you can not plan the birth of a child, but it seems like people do it much more often these days. I went to the doctor yesterday and while there has only been a little progress, my blood pressure was pretty high. I have been instructed "no work" ( I was at a workshop at school yesterday which was supposed to continue today, but not for me now) and to rest and elevate until tomorrow, when we will go over my labwork and check my BP again. If it is still high, the Dr said they would go ahead and induce. I am not really sure how I feel about that, but we know that God's plans are much more important than ours. I am SO ready to meet this little girl and we have complete faith that everything will happen exactly when it is supposed to. If anything is happening sooner than expected, we will let everyone know.

Nursery Pictures

As promised, here are some nursery pics! We are only waiting on one more item for the wall, so this is as close to complete as we'll get before Margaret Anne arrives. Our fancy camera (not) doesn't really do it justice, but maybe that's because I know the man/woman-hours that went into getting it this way!