A Little Bit About...: So Much to Catch Up On...So Little Time

So here I am, 7 weeks after Tessa Kate was born FINALLY getting around to a blog! I posted pictures on Facebook of the exciting day, but definitely wanted to put them here!
Tessa Kate's birth went pretty much best case scenario--checked in at 7am, was laboring by 8:30am thanks to Pitocin. Then they broke my water (which they waited to do until an anesthesiologist was close by thankfully! Epidural please!), Epidural happened (painlessly), and was feeling good soon after! I kind of stalled out at around 5 cm about 11:00am ish (or so I thought) so was just hanging out...they checked me again at 11:30 and still was a 5 so my sister and I suggested to Jon that he go down to the cafeteria and grab some lunch. He said he was fine so we all continued to just hang out--chatting, me munching on ice chips and a Popsicle...then around 12 Jon finally decided to go down and grab something to eat for himself. The nurse had told me at 11:30am that when I start feeling pressure, then let her know. Well around 12:30 I definitely felt pressure (Jon is still gone eating--cafeteria is on the opposite side of the hospital in the basement), but didn't really say anything. Finally at 1 the nurse came in to check me and I told her I definitely felt pressure. So she checked me and her exact words were, "Well hello baby!" Yep--she was there and ready! I started laughing and the nurse said "Don't laugh! Seriously! She is right there!" A 5 to a 10 in about an hour! So Kristi (my sis) quickly got on the phone to call Jon...and he didn't pick up...and didn't pick up....and didn't respond to texts...what seemed like forever (about 8 minutes to be exact) I finally called him and he picked up (he didnt hear the other calls) and I said "Um, yeah I'm a 10! So..the doctor is on her way..." He quickly replied--I" just got my food but I will be right there! I will throw it away!" I irrationally said (feeling bad) "Well, you can eat some..or bring it up here or something..." He had already hung up at this point, as he was currently shoving half a Philly Cheese steak down his throat and running back to the room. He was there by 1:15, and my Dr was there at 1:20. They set some things up, and 2 pushes later, at 1:32pm, Tessa Kate arrived! 6 pounds 13 ounces and 19 inches. She was perfect! It was so fun to "announce" her name to my sister who was there in the room, and to everyone there after.
Overall, the hospital experience was great--a contrast to our experience with Caden. (We love Hoag, but had some scares/drama with Caden with a heart issue and my nerve damage in my knee.) But this time it was all easy breezy and great!
My parents brought Caden as soon as we got down to our Post Pardum room, and he got to meet his little sis! He was definitely more excited and interested in the Big Brother gifts he received. One from Tessa (matchbox cars), and others from Aunt Sue and Grammie Kathy and Poppie. He was sort of ambivolent about Tessa over all, but had lots to be distracted with since we had a lot of visitors at the time.
We were ready to head home and checked out by 2pm on Wednesday (had a slight delay though we were ready and waiting to leave by 10am. The pediatrician insisted on an ultrasound on Tessa's spine cuz they were concerned about something...but everything came back clear and it ended up being nothing, Praise God! What's a hospital stay without a little scare, right?!)
It was so good to finally be home, and it was emotional for me to get there and see my two kids together. Reality set in and I had a mix of emotions--happiness and yet a little apprehension and sadness as I saw Caden and realized how much things have changed so quickly. But as soon as I heard my little man repeatedly say "Baby! Baby!" or ask where she was when she was out of the room, my heart warmed and realized that as everyone said, he wouldn't remember life without her. Sure, he occasionally tells me to put her down( "Baby chair? Baby night night?!") when we wants my attention. But their bond is already growing and I can't wait for it to strengthen as they both get older.
So there is the abridged version of Tessa Kate Epperson's entrance into the world. The weeks that followed were filled with many friends and family members visiting, bringing meals and gifts and adjustment to change. Tessa is thankfully an amazing sleeper at night--waking once, maybe twice (at most) a night. 11pm-4pm is her normal stretch and I LOVE it! (Trying not to get to used to it since everything changes so quickly with babies!) But that makes up for her frequent eating during the day and sometimes fussy evenings. She's an entirely different baby than Caden, as she should be. She's all girl. Dramatic, moody, and beautiful. (Caden was, but in a manly sort of way). She's dainty and pretty. And if you do something she doesn't like, she will let you know. Immediately.
I love having a little girl--I love dressing her, (I may or may not change her into many outfits each day), holding her, and getting to know her. I can't wait to see her little unique personality. My family joked that our baby would have some big shoes to fill since Caden has such a big, fun and hilarious personality. Now that she is here I have learned that she is going to have her OWN shoes--and they are going to be girly, sparkly and sassy. Cuz man, is she.
So here is the photo journey of Tessa Kate's birth--March 15th, 2010. One of the best days of my life!