Those first few days...

My first couple of days home from the hospital were rough. I had major sleeplesness and anxiety and loss of appetite. Not a great combination! Luckily Mike's Aunt Kelly was here to help us out and get through those first few rough days.

We got a Wii for Christmas and opened it a little bit early in hopes of a distraction for me. The girls really are enjoying it. Here they are playing baseball.

Reagan Nicole!

Sydney is a great big sister! Unfortunately, Kathryn & Sydney have both had colds since Reagan came home, so we're constantly telling them to not touch her hands or her face. They just want to hug her and love her and she's hard to resist!

Reagan's first bath! She didn't cry at all until I took her out of the water.

Going Home Day

We came home from the hospital on Wednesday, the 16th.

Sydney's Last Day of Preschool

Kathryn with her friends Emmy & Ellie.

On Sydney's last day of preschool, they sang Jingle Bells for the parents.

Here she is ringing her bells. Her friend Ethan is on the right.

Reagan Nicole!

When we found out we were having another girl, we started trying to come up with baby names, but without much luck. We just couldn't agree on anything. We usually go to the hospital with a list of names because we like to meet the little toot before we name her. Even after we meet her, I never like to make a final decision until I'm checking out of the hospital and we have to fill out the paperwork. So, we finally decided on Reagan Nicole!

Family of 5!

The girls meeting their sister for the first time! Our good friend Natalie was watching them and brought them up to the hospital around 8:30 pm.

All bundled up!

This is our good friend and baby deliverer, Karyn.

Getting cleaned up!

She looks just like Kathryn, only smaller.

Taking her temperature. She has a hairy little back!

6 lbs. and 1.2 oz., 19 1/4 inches long

An early special delivery!

Last week my OB, Dr. Fowler, sent me for an ultrasound on 10/9 to check the baby's growth and the amniotic fluid. Everything at that check was great, so I went in and had a checkup the next day and was dilated to a 2, and my blood pressure was still high. She told me to rest more, which I had already been doing, and she also wanted to consult with the doctor who had reviewed my ultrasound. She called me about 2 hours after that appointment and said she wanted me to go into the hospital for 24-hour observation. Ugh!

So, around 1pm on Thursday (10/10), I checked into the hospital. I had to do a 24-hour urine collection and stay in bed the rest of the time. I met with Dr. Yingling, an OB specialist, who was not pleased with my blood pressures, but he did another ultrasound and everything still looked good. They let me go home and rest, but I had to come back on Monday for another checkup.

The weekend went well and I went in for my check on Monday, and they didn't let me go home!!! I'm not one for spontaneity, especially when it comes to childbirth, but I knew that my best interest was being looked after, so we walked over to Labor and Delivery and checked in!

They started my Pitocin around 1pm, and that got my contractions going pretty good. I was so hungry because I had only eaten breakfast that morning at 7:30am. But, luckily, that was my main discomfort. I got my Epidural around 4pm, my water was broken around 5pm, and Karyn (Dr. Fowler) came to check on me around 6pm. I was at a 4 or 5 (cm dilated) then, so she ran home to see her family since she hadn't seen them all day. The nurses were supposed to come and check me around 7:30, but around 7:15, I felt the baby slide down all at once! I told them that they better check me right now and when they did, her head was already right there! They called Karyn and by the time she got back to the hospital I was ready to push! I pushed 2 or 3 times and then her head was out. Then something made me laugh and my laughing pushed her part of the way out! Then, one more push and out she came!

Family Christmas pictures

We like to take our family picture for our Christmas cards while we're in Louisiana because it's so pretty and we always have someone there to take the picture for us! Grandma Dean bought the girls their cute dresses and sweaters.

Kathryn wanted to have her picture taken making this face, and I think it's cute.

Don't they look like angels?

Sydney posing for the camera.

Day after Thanksgiving

No Black Friday shopping for me, sadly. It just wouldn't have been fun if I couldn't run and defend myself, if necessary.

Aunt Kelly reading to the kids about the Elf on the Shelf.

Decorating gingerbread houses. Serious business.

Cute Sydney face.

Baby Madeline with her hand in her pants, which her father and uncle thought was hilarious.

Thanksgiving Day!

We traveled to Louisiana for Thanksgiving again this year. We love going and were glad that my doctor (and friend) hesitantly told us, "Well, I'm not going to tell you not to go, but..." My blood pressure is high again (as in the past two pregnancies), so she just wants me to be close to home in case I started experiencing any other symptoms. We were careful on the ride down. I sat in the back of the van with my legs propped up (to discourage blood clots in my legs) and we stopped more than usual so that I could walk around. We had a nice visit and the girls really enjoyed seeing their extended family.

We picked up pecans, as per tradition.

Here are the little cousins.

Me & my big belly. She is seriously low. And it causes all kinds of uncomfortableness.

The kids hanging out with their big cousins (and a dog).