Katelyn is 2 weeks old!

It's hard to believe how fast time seems to fly by. I'm not sure if it's because all the days and nights run together and you become delirious, or that when you have a baby time seems to not hold the same importance that it used to. My Mom left yesterday after staying with us for the last 12 days. It was so amazing having her here. I wouldn't have traded that time for the world. She helped me adjust to life as a mom in the midst of my hives, and recovering from a c-section. It was really sad to see her go and I'm already grateful for the videocam on my Apple so that I can talk to her all the time. Katelyn woke up this afternoon and Mom was able to see her awake, which was great for her. My first night without my mom here went well. Katelyn was up from 11p.m. to 1a.m., but then she fell asleep till 4. This was great because she usually wakes up between 2 and 4 in the morning. Then Katelyn and I spent today hanging out and sleeping.

Yesterday was Kyle's Papa's 80th birthday, so we spend the afternoon and evening at the beach house for the celebration. It was nice to have a break as the great grandmas, grandma and grandpa and Auntie Leah fought over who got to cuddle with Katelyn. I know I probably should've used the time to sneak in a nap, but with all the people around I found my adrenaline kicked in and wasn't able to sleep. Of course, I was exhausted by the time we left. I still feel like when I overdo it and I'm out for too many hours I'm really tired the next day and tend to sleep every time that Katelyn sleeps.

My Dad and Siobhan arrive tomorrow and will be visiting till July 15. Then my brother comes in on July 3 and he's here till the 10th. I can't wait for them to meet Katelyn. They are going to fall head over heals in love with her and I know she will wrap them around her little finger. She is such a wonderful baby, and it's such a priviledge to know that God gave her to Kyle and I. I find it still difficult to put into words my love and devotion to her and how my love for Kyle has strengthened through all of this. My favorite time of the day is when Kyle comes out to the living room to hold Katelyn and spend time with both of his girls. Katelyn just watches Kyle! I can't wait till she can talk and she starts telling him all about her day. I think he will have met his match at that point.

After spending the day cuddling Katelyn went to sleep in her bassinet so that I could cook and eat dinner. While I love holding her, I do enjoy the time when I can sit and enjoy Kyle's company and have him all to myself. Selfishly, I feel that I'm not me without my time with Kyle. There's a part of me that seems missing or incomplete. 
When we first brought Katelyn home from the hospital, and she got off her belireuben lights, Katelyn wouldn't hang out in her Boppy bouncer. She would cry and fuss every time we'd put her in there. A couple days ago we tried putting her in there again so I could shower and get ready for the day.... and she loved it!! YEAH!
Katelyn is my little helper. Even when she's got her pacifier in, she has to be holding onto it, or trying to stick her finger in her mouth under the pacifier. So cute!

Well, this is not the most attractive of me but Kyle took these of Katelyn and I napping today. We fell asleep this afternoon and Kyle said we were so fast asleep that I didn't even notice the camera going off.

More Adorable Pictures of Katelyn

I've been trying to take as many pictures as possible of Katelyn so that I can share them with all of you. She has become such a little cuddler. This is fabulous during the day, but at night I'm struggling to find ways to keep her in her crib! She loves being near Kyle and I and when she notices she is not, she starts to cry. Any advice for helping me to help her transition?

Katelyn and I cuddling on the sofa after she had her breakfast. When I start kissing her, she takes her head, and puts it on my face. The connection that happens between a mother and her baby is absolutely amazing and surreal!
Often times when I'm getting ready for the day and Katelyn begins to get antsy sleeping on her own, I take her to Kyle. She loves to relax on or next to her daddy and listen to him talk on the phone. Maybe I need to tape him talking on the phone all day and play it for her in her nursery at night so that she'll sleep in her crib.

Pretty in pink!!! It's so beautiful out today that I took the co-sleeper and put it on the coffee table next to the window so she could sleep in the sun. 

My little cuddler

It was so cute, this morning, after feeding Katelyn, I laid her on the sofa on her tummy to help her move some of the gas that's been keeping her awake at night. After eating breakfast I decided to lay down near her and relax. All of a sudden she started whining a little and then began attempting to worm crawl. She would put her knees up to her chest then push them all the way out trying to scoot towards me. I leaned over to help her and once she had made it up to the crook of my arm, she sighed and fell back to sleep. It was the cutest thing my mom and I had ever seen. She didn't want to eat, she just wanted to come cuddle with her mommy. Katelyn has also started rubbing her head against my cheek when she wants kisses or to tell me how much she loves me. It's pretty amazing to watch her grow and change everyday and it's hard to believe she's already 11 days old. I feel that my love for her grows and grows each and every day.

My Daddy Loves Me!

Katelyn's first bath at home

Grandma (my mom) and I gave Katelyn a bath yesterday. It had been almost a week but we were trying to hold off because she's been on the bellirubin lights for her jaundice. The doctor said that we could take her off the lights so that we could give her a bath. Grandma and Grandpa Circle were coming for a visit so I wanted her to be nice and clean. Katelyn did so well in the bath and cried only a little during the whole ordeal. We noticed as we brushed her hair that she has some little curls coming in and highlights. She has light brown highlights in her hair!

On a positive note Katelyn's been doing well on the lights. She has trouble sleeping with them and so we've been experimenting with different ways to help her sleep comfortably with the lights on. So far she likes her side. The nurse came to our house this morning and took blood again and we're hoping she'll be able to come off the lights today. I'm not going to lie, I have major cabin fever from not having left the house since last Friday, except to run to the doctor's clinic because I had an allergic reaction to the MMR shot they gave me at the hospital and have a rash that covers my entire body practically.

I'm 1 Week Old!!

1st Days at home

Kyle and I have been home since Wednesday and it feels like all the days and nights are starting to blend together. I think I've had 8 hours of sleep in the last 3 days, but surprisingly I still have a lot of energy. I'm not sure if I'm running on adrenaline, or my maternal instinct is keeping me going. Between the feedings and now having Katelyn hooked up to lights to help her pass the jaundice out of her body, I don't sleep because I don't want to leave her. It's so hard on her that she has to be hooked up and spend most of her time in the bassinet of her stroller. Praise Jesus for the stroller because she loves to sleep in the bassinet. It has been our life saver as we can't spend the whole day holding her. For now she is sleeping for a good portion of the day and night but as her jaundice level drops, she becomes more alert and stays awake more often and for longer periods of time. I love to sit next to her and just stare at her an awe. She is so beautiful!! I know every parent thinks their child is beautiful, and I don't want to brag, but she is the most beautiful little girl I have ever seen!

The process of becoming a parent is such an amazing journey and one that Kyle and I wouldn't trade for the world. I can't even begin to describe in words how amazing Kyle is as a daddy. He is so great with Katelyn and make sure to spend time holding her and talking to her. She loves to open her eyes and stare up at him. He works from the living room so he can help me take care of her and I think the sound of his voice is soothing to her. Also, my mom came in on Wednesday and is staying with us for 12 days. I don't know how I would've handled these first few days without her. I'm not going to lie, having a baby is an emotional experience and between Katelyn having to be hooked up to lights, and then my having trouble nursing her on one side, my mom has been a real encouragement. Last night I hit a breaking point and had a "boo hoo" crying moment, but I'm feeling much better today. I can attribute this to the genius invention of the breast pump and the nipple shield. I know this may sound strange but I would like to tip my hat to the person who invented the nipple shield because it has made the nursing process SO much easier and enjoyable for both myself and Katelyn.

I've been trying to take lot's of pictures of Katelyn everyday. Here are some more...


Katelyn's favorite place to sleep

Katelyn is 4 days old!
Isn't she cute!!??
I was trying to feel Katelyn with a bottle after pumping and she decided she wanted to help her mommy and she's holding onto the nipple of the bottle.
We have all these pretty, girly pacifiers for Katelyn and she chose the ugly one to suck on. Thankfully, I've been able to get her to enjoy the pretty ones.
Isn't she so adorable!! She was all cuddled up while I was getting ready yesterday.
Katelyn and her proud daddy spending some quality time together.
Katelyn with her Grandma cuddling together.
Poor Katelyn, she has to be hooked up to these lights. One light going up the front of her onesie and the other goes up the back of the onesie. Both lights are connected to the boxes you see on the counter. Doesn't she look cute sleeping in her stroller?
This is Katelyn's "I'm pooping" face. It's so cute, she furrows her brow and pouts her lips. 

Coming home from the hospital

Here are some pictures of Kyle and I with Katelyn as we left the hospital. It was so good to go home and we definitely had the car packed to the max with all our stuff and mom's suitcase.

We're Home!!

Yesterday Katelyn and I got discharged from Hoag. They said that I was recovering better than most from my c-section and told me that if I was feeling up to it I could go home, and then we got the ok from our pediatrician to take Katelyn home. Kyle and I were so excited! It's nice being in the hospital with all the nurses there to help you, but other than them bringing me food and my percacet, I didn't really need any other help. Katelyn latched on and was a beautiful breast feeder from the moment she was born. She fed for 45 minutes right after I delivered her. I can't even begin to describe to you how amazing it was to look down and watch her feed and know that not only had I fed and nurtured her while she was in my womb, but here I was now that she was born able to feed and nurture her. It was one of the most natural, amazing feelings I think I've ever had. I think that I was meant to be a mother and can't imagine doing anything else. What an amazing gift from God Katelyn is, and Kyle and I feel so blessed and excited that she's finally arrived. Kyle said he feels like he was just meant to be a dad, how amazing is that!!??

BIRTH STORY
Katelyn Renee Circle was born at 11:44p.m on June 15, Father's Day. I had started having close contractions on Saturday, but we decided to wait until Sunday around 11:00 to head to the hospital. After showering and getting ready we packed the car and were on our way. When we got to Hoag they hooked me up to a bunch of different machines to monitor my contractions and the baby's heart beat. They said they would watch me for 2 hours and then let me know if they were going to admit me. At first my contractions slowed when I got there, but they they started speeding up. So around 2:00p.m, they admitted me. I know they say you're not supposed to be able to talk, but despite the fact that my contractions were 3-4 minutes apart, Kyle and I were laughing and joking around while I sat on the medicine ball to relax through the contractions. Finally at 6p.m the nurse came in and said that I wasn't having a "hard" enough time so they gave me Petocine to speed up the contractions. Just as they were starting to get really difficult to handle the lady comes in to give me the Epidural. The Epidural was not as scary as I thought it would be, and didn't really hurt, although, I'm not sure how much I like not being able to feel the lower half of my body.

By about 9:15p.m. I was still not dilated enough and so they told me I should start considering a c-section, then an hour and a half later, as they were having me turn over Katelyn's heart beat dropped rapidly. All I remember is them having me turn back over, the nurse shouting all these codes, 4 nurses rushing in and then rushing me down to the operating room. Needless to say I was completely panicked and was shaking and crying. This was not how I pictured Katelyn arriving and I really didn't want a c-section. The recovery is pretty intense as far as I had heard. By the time we reached the operating room her heart rate had increased but I was still not dilated enough and they said that it would be another 8-10 hours of labor and her heart rate ran the risk of dropping again. Not wanting to face the possibility of loosing her again, we opted for the c-section. Not my first choice, but I didn't want to risk the life of my baby girl.

The c-section went well and Katelyn arrived in the world healthy and ready to eat. I nursed her right away for an hour.... it had to be the most amazing thing I've ever done! I feel as though I'm recovering quickly from this major surgery. I think I've even surprised myself. While I am doing all I can to take it easy, and it helps that my mom arrived yesterday to help out, I find myself enjoying piddling around my house.

Here are some pictures of Katelyn Renee at the hospital.

Katelyn has arrived

Katelyn Renee Circle arrived at 11:44PM on Father's Day. She was 8lbs 1 oz 20 inches. She was born healthy but had to do a emergency c-setion due to Katelyn's heart rate dropping. We are both recovering in the hospital & hoping to be discharged on Thursday. More to come.