Sleep!

     I hope me writing this doesn't jinx anything, but Zella slept 6.5 hours last night before waking to feed! I feel like a whole new person.

Who doesn't like to lounge around?

     So far we have gotten pretty lucky, because Zella enjoys her beauty rest and relaxing with Mom and Dad. We are hoping this continues.

Loves to sleep in.

Afternoon snuggles

Gotta watch my favorite show, Scandal. ;)

Goodnight.

Must LOVE Dogs...and babies

   Lee and I adore our pups, and when we found out we were expecting, there was definitely some nervous feelings about how they would do around a little delicate person. Both dogs have not enjoyed toddlers in the past, so we were really hoping they would feel differently about Zella. Both Penny and Lumen were curious from day one. Since then, Penny hasn't shown much interest unless she is getting a treat for following a direction or getting some old milk spit up. Gross! Lumen has really taken on the protector role. If she hears a whimper, she will check in on Z. They are just adorable together!

One Month Young

    Zella is officially one month old. Time sure does fly by! She is such a sweet and funny little girl who loves to eat. As of Monday, she was 8 lbs and 8 oz. We can't wait to see how she changes and grows during month two!

Because I can...

   We love taking pictures of our baby and thought you might like to see them too.

Visitors!

    Zella is so loved. Before we even made it home, we had visitors at the hospital. Grandpa Bob and Nana Jill stopped by with treats and an eagerness to meet their newest grandbaby. So great to see them!  Once we were home, we had several friends stop by with meals and baby gifts. We are so appreciative of everyone's love and generosity.

     Both grandmas and Aunt Lolo came to visit soon after. Mimi was here for over a week. She was very helpful and productive with some projects we have been putting off. We also loved spending time with Nanny and Lolo over Easter weekend.

     Visitors are gone for now and we are figuring out our own new normal. This little blessing sure has us tuckered out.

Introducing Zella Jae!

    It all started on March 5th. Though my due date wasn't for another week and a half, I was hoping to get things started early. Therefore, I was determined to do a lot of walking over the weekend. After some walking, Lee and I decided to get Asian foot massages. It was amazing! I hardly slept at all that night and felt miserable in the morning. We went ahead and walked to brunch and ran some errands. Lee was kind enough to tackle the grocery store while I tried to nap. He got home and unpacked as I laid on the couch. We chatted for a few and when I stood up, there was an instant flow of water running down my leg. I briskly walked to the restroom when Lee asked if we should go to the hospital. I told him I would call the doctor first. The doctor assured me that I had some time, so don't head in until 7 or 8pm. Therefore,  I took a shower and shaved my legs! We had reservations at a nice restaurant, but cancelled that and grabbed curry from Biju's across the street. Van and Katie came over to pick up the pups, and then we were on our way to the hospital.

     When we arrived, everything was very anticlimactic. The nurses showed us to our room and began hooking me up to machines and checking my progress. I was 2 cm dilated and 80% effaced. Things were not progressing very quickly, so I opted for pitocin. Ahhh! Things got intense very quickly with super strong contractions. When I started shaking uncontrollably, Lee was pretty scared. Shortly after that, I received an epidural and was much happier. This allowed me to sleep overnight with the exception of the nurses coming in every so often to help me move positions.

     In the morning, I was dilated 9 cm and 100% effaced. The doctor said she would be here by 9 am. 9 am came and went with little progress. By noon, the nurses and doctor checked me again, and said I would be ready to start pushing soon. Our nurse and Lee got in to position, then I began pushing around 12:30 pm. After some time, the nurses had me get creative with some new pushing positions. Lee was impressed. It was definitely a work out. After 3 and 1/2 hours of pushing, the doctor came in and said we should try something else. He suggested we use a vacuum to move her head in the correct position as they pull her out. I was a little nervous,  but was also very over pushing. A few minutes later, with help from the vacuum, Zella was safely delivered at 4 pm on March 7th. We couldn't believe how much dark hair she had. She is perfect!