Mackayla Pictures!

Here are some pictures, finally, from Mackayla's 1st week. We are all doing well. Mackayla is a great eater, sleeper, and crier! We've gone in for one check-up. At the hospital, she had lost 10 ounces, down to 6.10, but as of Thursday, she's back up to 6.11. Mackenzie is loving being a big sister, and helps out with diaper changes and pacifier retrieval, and is an expert in baby location services. If I put Mackayla down and Mackenzie doesn't notice it right away, she'll look around and say,"Where'd the baby go? Where'd the baby go? Oh, there she is!"

At only 1 minute old!

The big weigh-in

Mackenzie and Mackayla meeting for the first time.

My dad, Papaw Steve

Jon's mom and dad, Papaw Bill & Nanny Janet

Jon's grandmother, Great-Grandma JoyceDr. Gregg
Dr. Pizza

My 3 favorites!
Mackenzie playing "doctor" to Mommy

Uncle Lee, Aunt Lisa, & Kristen

A quick snuggle with Mommy (she had run into a door and hurt her head--yes, she comes by her clutziness naturally!).

Pretty flowers and Mackenzie's picture decorated our room.

Mackenzie holding Mackayla for the 1st time!

Enjoying the swing!

Too cute--Mackenzie was on her (pretend) cell phone to our friends, Mr. David and Mrs. Dawn, to schedule an appointment for them to bring their daughters over to play!

Mackayla's 1st tummy time--later that night we did it again, and she rolled over from her belly to her back twice! She was very angry to be on her stomach, and she pushed herself over. Silly girl, she's not supposed to do that at 4 days old!Aunt Heather

Mackayla's first adjustment with Dr. Gregg at 6 days old.

Mackayla Grace

She's here! Born at 9:46 am, Saturday, May 23, 2009, Mackayla weighed in at 7 pounds, 4 ounces, and was 20 inches long. We are all doing great, and hope to see you all soon!

Friday night I had a lot of contractions, but they weren't too regular, although they did get pretty intense. After working Friday afternoon and going out to dinner, we went home and got some rest. The contractions stopped, and I went to bed around 3am (which is not unusual for me lately!). I woke up at 7:30am having more contractions, but I just timed them while I was getting ready for work. By 8am, they were every 3 minutes! I woke Jon and Mackenzie, he threw her into the tub for a quick shower while I finished getting ready. We left the house at 8:40. By this time, the contractions were every two minutes, and so intense. I am a wussy anyway, so I was starting to get worried that we wouldn't make it to the hospital in time for an epidural. About a mile away from Kennestone, we were on Polk Street, and I almost had a heart attack--the street was closed down for Marietta High's graduation!!! The same thing happened when I was in labor with Mackenzie--there was an apartment fire and we had to take a 3 mile detour. Luckily, the policeman blocking Polk Street was very understanding after having a pregnant woman yell out the window that she was in labor, and he let us go through! After running several red lights, one near accident (actually not Jon's fault, the guy made a crazy lane change), and 25 minutes later, we pulled into Kennestone. Jon's grandmother, Joyce, was already here and waiting, so she and Mackenzie went on to the playroom, and Jon and I headed upstairs. A few contractions later, they checked me, and I was 7 cm dilated! They started my IV, and took me to a room. By this time, I was so ready for my epidural. They checked me again, and lo and behold, they said I could start to push. Whoa, what about my epi? Guess what? No time! My very next contraction, which was about 1 minute later (and lots of me being in denial and freaking out), Dr. K told me to push, and out came Mackayla's head. One more immediate push, and out came her body. Her cord was wrapped around her neck 4 times, and had a knot in it. I heard that, and started to get worried, but she immediately started crying, and they said she was ok. They put her on my chest, and the rest, as they say, is history. I was so not prepared to have Mackayla sans epidural, and it hurt like nothing else I've ever done. Now that it's over, I'm glad I can say that I did it (even though it felt like I was being pulled in 5 different directions).

Mackenzie came to meet Mackayla about 30 minutes later, after we were both all cleaned up. She came in to the room, and I asked her who she wanted to see first, me or Mackayla. She picked Mackayla, and went right over to her. She absolutely loves watching her, and seeing her hands, feet, and commenting on the fact that she doesn't have teeth yet. The only thing that weirds Mackenzie out is that she doesn't like the crying! She took a few walks with Grandma Joyce, and then came back to our room just in time to introduce my parents to Mackayla. After that, she seemed to not be as anxious.

We've had a few visitors already, and as I type this, I realize I probably should be taking a nap. Jon and Mackayla are both asleep, and I'm sure I'll be needed soon. Mackenzie is very well taken care of--she's napping at Grandma's Joyce's house now, then she'll be spending the night with my parents, and tomorrow with Jon's parents who are on their way from Charlotte now. I will add more pictures next time!

39 Week Dr. Visit

After a long, long wait at the OB today because of all the other mommies going into labor, we finally got in to see Dr. B. After a quick measurement of my belly and the excitement of hearing Mackayla's heart beat again (I never get tired of hearing it!), we did the cervix check--I am now a whopping 3 cm dilated! But in really good news, I am now 50% effaced, up from about 10% last Friday. We set another appointment for next week, but Dr. B seems to think I won't go that long! Who knows, I've had 5 contractions in the last 90 minutes, so we'll see!!!

39 Weeks

Still holding on at 39 weeks! As of now, I still feel pretty good. I'm still putting in around 20 hours at the office, and a few more at home just to stay caught up. Once Mackayla gets here, I'll take a few weeks off, and then slowly work back up to my normal hours (and I can take Mackayla with me!). To compare this pregnancy to my first, I've gained the same amount of weight with both--29 pounds with Mackenzie (born at 41 weeks), and I'm up to 25 pounds with Mackayla (currently at 39 weeks). I don't feel like I'm as big with Mackayla, but I think that's because Mackenzie was born in August, and I got so swollen due to the heat, that I looked bigger:-).

As for Mackenzie, she is doing wonderfully. She and I enjoy our mornings sleeping in (thank God I have a kid who loves to sleep as much as I do!). She has a new obsession--Secret Agent Oso, a new cartoon on the Disney channel. She happened to see it one morning, and she has fallen in love. It's actually a pretty cute cartoon, and it has her breaking down chores into steps like Oso does. It's so funny to watch her brush her teeth: "Ok, Mommy, step one: wet the toothbrush. Step two: brush your teeth. Step three: Spit!" And it's all done in the sing-song voice like on the cartoon. She also is a master on the computer, and loves to play the Disney games online. I have to admit, I don't mind hearing it in the background--Sean Astin does the voiceover for Oso, and I still have a sweet spot for him from my adolescent days of watching The Goonies!

Jon is doing well, too. He has been so great during this pregnancy; whatever I've needed (or wanted), he's been awesome about helping me. I did get to pamper him some this week after he had some dental work done, so it's not all one-sided!
We have a doctor's appointment Friday, so I'll update again tomorrow.

38 Weeks and Counting!

We have hit 38 weeks, and no baby! We saw the dr. on Friday, May 15. I am only dilated to 2 cm, and not really effaced. We have thought about inducing (since she is measuring big like Mackenzie), but until my body is more ready (are you kidding me?!), or until she is late, we are just playing the waiting game.

Big Sister Training!

Saturday morning I took off work and we all went to the hospital for Mackenzie's Big Sister Training Class. There were 5 other kids, and she had a great time. She loved telling everyone about her new sister. I don't know that she learned anything more than we have already taught her, but she got to make a card for Mackayla, and we took a tour so she would know where we are when she's in the waiting room, and where she'll get to meet her sister for the first time.

Here she is with her certificate of completion.

The view was more exciting than the room!
Learning about what the baby will need and how they can help!

Changing the baby's diaper!
Swaddling-Step 1Swaddling-Step 2

Nursery Pictures

Mackayla's room is partially done. The paint is on the walls, the furniture is up, the bed is made, and the dresser is full of clothes. I am a very picky decorator, so I don't put anything on the walls unless I am VERY sure that I want it to stay there. But since Mackayla will be spending her first month downstairs in her cradle, everything essential is finished!

World Laughter Day

A couple of weekends ago, my boss was asked to speak at World Laughter Day. Here are just a few pics from the fun...

Mackenzie in the back of the van

At the park

Dr. Gregg

Our Anniversary

May 12, 2009 marks 8 years of marriage for us. We are so blessed to have each other, and to have such a strong relationship. Here's to 80 more years!

Bowling!

We moved two years ago, and live less than a mile from the bowling alley. We have said numerous times that we needed to take Mackenzie, and we finally went this weekend. She absolutely loved it, and alternated between rolling it on the floor and using the ramp. Two games, three strikes and several spares later, we had to pull her away. Maybe a bowling party is in order for Mackenzie's birthday this year?!

Pedicure Fun!

Mackenzie loves getting her nails painted at the salon. She had asked me several times if she could put her feet in the water, so we finally let her have a "pedicure". She loved it! (Sorry for the small pictures--I only had my cell phone!)