Our growing angel

I can't believe how much Madyson has grown these past 4 months. She is beginning to sit up with a little assistance. Her legs are very strong. Before we know it, she'll be walking and talking. Where does the time go?! It seems just like yesterday I was timing my contractions while lying on the living room floor, excited because they day to give birth was really here. Twenty-four hours after that, our little angel was born and our lives were changed forever (for the better of course!). How far we have come from eating every 2 hours, waking up 2-3 times in a night. Now Madyson eats every four hours, takes 3 (usually) solid naps, and will beginning to eat solid foods in the next month or two.

Madyson is doing great! She is almost 3 months old. That is so hard to believe, where does time go? She is sleeping through the night, and has been for quite a while (9-10 hours). Each day we watch her get stronger and more alert. She can hold her head up when on her stomach. Her voice is the voice of an angel, so soft and delicate. Well, unless she is scolding us. The other night I was talking to Madyson and her little coos were so sweet, I almost cried. Then I laughed the next day as that precious voice turning into a scold as she yelled at her daddy who was trying to play with her (she was enjoying some alone time, though, and wanted to keep it that way.)

This past weekend Madyson enjoyed her first ride in the combine. She slept through the entire ride, but at least we got a picture. Hopefully these pictures that I want to download will work. I have had many problems with pictures and putting them on the blog. Sorry to all of you who keep checking, only to find no update. One day, I promise, I will get into this whole technology generation :)

P.S. I tried the pictures 3 times and they never worked. If you have any suggestions, please give me a buzz!

The Power of Prayer

(Written 9/11/06)

Now we all know that it is because of prayer that Madyson is here today. It is also because of prayer that Madyson was able to sleep all by herself last night. I have really been struggling because Madyson would not sleep on her own. I would try to get her down, only to become frustrated and being so tired, giving in and letting her fall asleep on my chest and thus sleeping with me. Then she had a cold ... can't break a bad habit then. Then Marc and I were both sick ... not enough energy to break the habit. Finally a light at the end of the tunnel!!

A friend of mine told me her son, who would not take a bottle, finally did after she began to pray about the situation. Duh!!! Why didn't I think about that? So two nights ago, after spending the first half of the night sleeping with Madyson, I put her in her crib, only to lay down in the nursery to pray for at least a half hour that she would be able to sooth herself to sleep. When she would cry hard, I would get up to pat her or put her pacifer back in her mouth. She was able to stay there until morning. Then I got sick.

Saturday night I broke down into tears. I could no longer take it. I wanted my own bed, without a child in between me a Marc (call me selfish, but I want to snuggle with Daddy!) So Sunday night, after her bedtime feeding, I laid Maddy down in her pack'n'play (she has been going to sleep in this for naptime, and since it worked we figured we'd use it before trying to break her into her crib again). She fussed a little, I put her pacifer back in. Fussed again, patted her. After I picked her up once and laid her back down, she was out!!! Prior to her falling asleep, I was in continuous prayer and it worked!!! I did the same routine after she woke up at 4:30 for her feeding. Not only did she sleep by herself, she went 7 hours without waking to eat.

When Madyson woke up this morning, she was so happy! The books say a baby who falls asleep on her own will wake up happy and they were right.

Madyson Faith

Madyson Faith arrived on Thursday, August 3, 2006 at 3:58 p.m. It all started on Wednesday. I woke up at 2:15 with contractions about every 8 minutes apart. I made myself fall back to sleep (not doing so until 4). At 6 I woke up again, contractions still 8 minutes apart. I decided to take a shower. If this was the real thing, I wanted to at least get a shower in. I showered and blow dried my hair and went back to bed. At 8:30 or 9 I called my coach to see when I should call the doctor. She said when I was uncomfortable, but later called back to have me come and get checked. I was starting to dialate so the doctor stripped my membranes.

Since I wanted a natural childbirth, we decided to try to deliver at home (under medical supervision). At around 3 or 4, my coach and doctor both arrived. My contractions began to get stronger and closer together. I went for walks and hung out. During contractions, I had my mom, my coach, and my sister-in-law helping me relax by rubbing my back, stroking my hair, and just talking me through the discomfort. I was checked regularly to make sure I was progressing. My water broke around 10:45 and after that, the contractions become super strong. I experienced labor both in my abdomen and back. However, I was no longer dialating. I decided at 4 a.m. that I was too frustrated and tired from all the work and nothing to show for it and went to the hospital for pitocin to help bring back my contractions that were now spacing out and for an epidural to block out the pain of the pitocin.

With family and friends waiting at the hospital, I began to make progress once again. While the epidural blocked the contractions for awhile, toward the end, I was able to feel them again. With just over 30 minutes of pushing (my least favorite part), Madyson was born. Dad was able to cut her cord and I was able to hold my little miracle.

Madyson was so alert right from birth. She found her fingers when she was being weighed and she nursed like an experienced baby. Everyone is adjusting to life with a new baby. Besides the first 2 night when Maddy decided to scream bloody murder at 3 a.m., night has been no problem. We wake up once, maybe twice for a feeding and then fall right back to sleep.

Dad is incredible. He walked around and cuddled Maddy those two nights when she screamed. He stays up with her until she is ready for bed sometime between 11 and 12 (hopefully that time changes soon). He does all of this so I can sleep and get my rest. Then, in the middle of the night, it is my turn (since dad can't feed). It is amazing how you fall in love with your husband all over again when you see him as a father. I never thought it would be possible to love my husband anymore than I did, but as soon as he became a dad and as soon as I saw the way he looks at his daughter and talks to her and comforts her, I am reminded of why I married this man. That is when I thank God for the blessings in my life.

False Alarm

Talk about excitement. I woke up yesterday feeling awful! My back hurt. My groin hurt. I did not want to get out of bed. The shower almost made me feel worse. But I was going for a pedicure, so everything would be alright. So I talk to a few people, who mention back labor. Could it really be?!!!! All day long I have lower back pain. I even start contracting rather regularly throughout the day. I take a bath before bed, and what do you know? I'm still pregnant today. Oh well, maybe next time. The day is getting nearer (and yesterday was just a reminder of that & a chance to get those few last things ready).

I was actually going to post pictures today. However, I discovered it is a lot easier to get the pictures off your camera when you know where the connecting cord is. Since I can find every other camera parafenalia but that cord, I will not be including pictures today.

I have reached the bored part of my pregnancy. I am now 31 weeks and 2 days. Being a substitute teacher, there is no work during the summer, so get to be home watching Judging Amy and Law and Order, counting down the days until I need to clean my house again.

I recently saw pictures of the miracle Paulsen baby-- born at 29 weeks. It is so weird to see a picture of a baby that is about the same size as my little one. It puts everything it perspective so much easier.

My belly continues to grow (or so I feel like it). As a matter of fact, at my 30 week appointment Monday, I almost measured 32 weeks. Talk about false hope!! As the days of delivery get nearer, bringing home this baby is all I think about. As I pack for going to Chicago this afternoon, I think "this is the last time it will be this easy to pack to leave". As I waited for my ride to pick me up on Saturday for a wedding, I sat on my couch thinking, "one day I will be sitting here on my daughter's wedding day." Talk about hormones!!!! Then I think how extremely blessed I am to have this miracle child inside my womb. The child I was told was an ectopic pregnancy. The child the doctor's almost cut into me to remove. Then I remember it was the grace of God that kept me from the operating room that day. That makes me long for her birth even more, so I can share with her just how special she is and how great our God is.

The girl with no name

I am officially 25 weeks along in my pregnancy (or 15 weeks to go as I prefer to look at it). And here is the big annoucement, so if you do not want to know, shut your eyes . . . IT'S A GIRL! I thought that all along, well, until the last 2-3 days before we found out. And yes, Marc is doing fine. I think he might actually be excited.

Here is the dilema: we don't have a name. I know we have over 3 months to find one, but I am open to suggestions. I looked in some baby books and could not find one that I really liked. Maybe that's because I am stuck on the name Johannah (Hannah for short). Marc likes Monica and Ashley. So please post any names that you think might fit our little girl.