Harper Is Here

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Our beautiful Harper Paige arrived one week ago today.  Here we are settled at home and she is already 1 week old!  The pregnancy although slow some days especially towards the end as it became harder and harder to do things went by very quickly.  I really wasn’t nervous about delivery until the night before.  Once dinner was over and my food restrictions for the cesarean started, was when the idea of surgery and this baby being taken out of my belly really started to feel completely real.  The surgery and the recovery this time around was very different in a lot of aspects from two years ago when I had the girls.  Starting with the time I was actually in the operating room, I was completely out out it this time.  I kept falling asleep during the procedure and all day long I couldn’t keep my eyes open for the life of me.  The first delivery I knew exactly what was going on and was so into everything including wanting lots of pictures to document that first day.  This time not only could I not keep my eyes open for pictures, but also I was SO swollen and puffy that I didn’t want my picture taken.  The IV’s and the meds were not kind to me this time.  Regardless, I delivered a beautiful baby girl who weighed a whopping 9 lbs and measured 21 inches!  We were expecting big but closer to the 8.5 pound range and certainly not 21 inches.  She also had a full head of dark hair, which I shouldn’t have been surprised about considering I too was also born with a full head of dark hair; however, we were surprised because the girls didn’t have a ton and since no technician ever mentioned her hair in a sonogram as they did over and over again for Emerson, I think Justin and I were both expecting a bald baby.  Here are some of our favorites of our beautiful baby girl. 

This time around I think the recovery from the C-section in the hospital was a little easier.  I don’t know if it was I knew what to expect or if the pain really just wasn’t as bad this time.  I tend to think the latter but it was realistically probably a combination of both.  The nursing staff was better this time around than the first and I definitely got out of bed a little quicker this time and was using the bathroom on my own and walking the hospital hall ways much quicker on my own this time around as well.  We also only stayed at the hospital two nights this time versus three the last and even the last time we considered staying a fourth night.  
This time we were ready to go home and felt I would be more comfortable and get more rest at home since people are always coming and going in the hospital room.  This time around we also put Harper in the nursery twice each night we were there allowing us to get a little more sleep than the first time.  And doing so did not affect her feeding.  Harper took to the breast right away in the recovery room which I was very happy about because neither the girls did and part of me thought the chance for recurrence was high.  Either the staff brought Harper back when she was hungry or Justin would go pick her up in the nursery. 
 
The girls came to visit twice when while we were there.  My parents brought them the first afternoon and they each gave Harper a lovey.  In return Harper gave them each a big sister book.  Avery took to Harper right away; Emerson was a bit more hesitant….exactly as we all expected.  The girls came again Tuesday morning with my mom and again briefly in the afternoon with Justin and my dad.  Justin went home with the girls for a few hours while my mom stayed with me in the hospital for a few hours before Justin and the older girls returned to the hospital.  Once again Avery couldn’t stop loving on Harper and Emerson while still somewhat hesitant started to want to participate a little more.  Here are Avery and Emerson getting ready to take pictures with baby Harper.

Late Wednesday we brought Harper home!  

Where as I think I was pretty overwhelmed with bringing the girls home, I was super excited about bringing Harper home to join our family. The first night she slept decently and pretty much has most nights since.  I certainly get up to nurse her every few hours but she nurses very quickly and goes right back to sleep, something neither girl did.  I am strictly nursing her which is quite different than bottle feeding expressed milk to the girls.  Even though I did nurse the girls some later on I still pumped so I constantly knew how much my output was, how much the girls input was, and my breasts were always emptied regularly.  Often Harper only nurses on one side since she nurses so quickly.  I know she is getting enough because of how much she pees and poops but I can’t help but feeling like I want more to come out of my boobs partially for relief and partially because I am scared it will affect my supply.  That is something that I am going to have to mentally work out in my head.  

Believe it or not we are already feeling fairly settled in.  Justin had to go back to work today, which neither of us were looking forward to.  It certainly helps having my parent’s help, but it certainly also helps in the difficulty factor having one baby versus two. 
 
We’ve had a few photo sessions since we have been home.  Here are some of our favorites thus far. 
We are so happy to welcome Harper Paige and become a family of five!