Our West Coast Guests.

We had a wonderful visit last week with our dear friends from California, the Blaylocks. We are kindred spirits, and it was great having them in our home for a few days...I only wish we could see them all the time (hint, hint: MOVE. soooooon. pretty please?)

Crystal & I have been friends for longer than either of us care to admit (we can't start showing our age yet!) and this was the first chance for our girls to meet. They are both absolutely adorable, and I hope this will be the beginning of a lifelong friendship for them!

We went to the zoo (Delaney's first time there!), shopping (of course), out for a fun parents' night out, and the daddies even got to have a boys' day tailgating and cheering on the Titans. Too bad they couldn't win, but you can't have everything.

Next year we hope to make it out their way. We owe them several visits! Love these guys!

matching girls!

My BSBFF...love this girl!

our attempt at a group picture


emery digging the flamingos at the zoo

delaney all tuckered out at the zoo

Thoughts on Shopping.

Lately, I have been feeling a major urge to shop. New clothes, new accessories, new home furnishings. All of these things are calling my name. I'm not sure if its the season change, the fact that I am home and have time to go out shopping and browse online, or the end of pregnancy, but my shopping cravings could rival an eight-months pregnant lady on the hunt for Doritos and a pint of Ben & Jerry's.

But alas, I have been good. I have held off from most shopping (excluding, of course, adorable things I buy for the wee one, which do not count as said "shopping for myself"). What has helped me to abstain? This laundry list that I keep reciting in my head:

• 'Tis better to lose the pregnancy weight before buying new fabulous fall clothes.
• 'Tis smarter to buy accessories that match said new clothes instead of the semi-maternity ones I am now sporting.
• 'Tis wiser to save for the screen porch we want to build than buy yet another seasonal decoration.

Will these mantras win out? Only time will tell. I tried to break my own rules today and pick up a few choices fall items for the mantle at TJMaxx, only to be struck down in the midst of my joy by the harsh realization that le wallet was in le car. Oops.

The shopping gods are harsh, and fiercely serious. Oh well, I am really going to enjoy that screen porch, right?

Life with Baby.

The first month of Delaney's life was a myriad of emotions: fun, tiring, trying, amazing, stressful, beautiful, and most of all - blessed. Having this little girl has truly been wonderful, and I am in the daily habit now of thanking God for giving me this beautiful little creature as my very own.

We have all learned a lot this month. Delaney is busy learning about herself, her family, and the world around her, and we are constantly watching her and learning more about her personality as well. It is so fun to see her constantly grow and change! The first few days of constant sleeping and a still, quiet baby seem like a distant memory now. This little girl is changing, growing, and moving all the time. At first "learning the cries" seemed like a daunting task, but now attending to a specific need based on her sounds comes naturally. Maybe the most rewarding feeling is knowing how to comfort her - singing songs, holding her a special way, and bouncing her around the room to cheer her up when she's upset.

Sleep is a wonderful thing. Delaney has slept about 6 hours at night from about her second week home. She is starting to stretch this out a bit now, and I am hoping that continues well into the first year of her life! This makes her a happy baby during the day, and it makes for happy mommy and daddy as well.

During the day we do tummy time, read books, sometimes go run errands or out to lunch, swing, and of course spend some time napping too - not me, just Delaney! We did not have a bedtime routine the first month, but have just started one now. She seems to enjoy the relaxation and special time with us.

The only real trial of the first month was weight gain. Delaney was a big girl at birth (8 lbs. 15 oz.) but she lost a pound waiting for momma's milk to come in, and gained VERY slowly after that point. This meant taking her in every 4-5 days to check in with our pediatrician to make sure all was still well, and she wasn't actually losing any weight. I was fervently determined to nurse her, so we kept on keeping on, and although she was eating well, the weight just wasn't coming on. We finally began supplementing with my milk through pumping, which was very trying. After feeding, pumping, and then giving the pumped milk, it is time for the whole process to start again. It was exhausting, and I knew it would be impossible to keep up once I started back to work.

So, after much researching, praying, and talking with Andrew, we decided to supplement with formula. Delaney is currently getting two meals of formula a day, with the rest of her meals coming from momma's milk. This way, she still gets all of my immunities and all the wonderful things that nursing provides, but she puts some pounds on too.

As of her last check-up, the little one weights 9 lbs. 5 oz. (finally back over birth weight)! We are really pleased with our decision, and feel that Delaney is getting the best nutrition that we can provide her. That is the most important thing!

One thing motherhood has helped me with is making decisions! I am not a good decision maker, and I usually consult my hubby on ever.y.thing. But now that I am a mommy, I am making 24/7 decisions for another person. I talk to her daddy about all the important decisions for sure, but there are a lot that have to be made all day long, and since she doesn't usually provide too much guidance, mommy must come to the rescue! This is just one way of many that I have already changed and grown. I love getting parts of my pre-pregnancy life back, but also seeing the new ways that our family is growing and changing as a result of our precious baby girl.

One Month Old!

Two Weeks Old.

Holy smokes! Delaney is already two weeks old. As I told her this morning, that's half a month! (Hey, its never to early to learn important life skills like math). I can't believe how fast the time is flying already! She is a fantastic little girl, and watching her grow is amazing!

She is still sleeping a lot (both of her parents love to sleep, so this could be genetic), but while she is awake we have tummy time, read books, sing songs, and snuggle together. The best snuggle times are on the weekends, when we have Daddy home to snuggle with us too! Nighttime sleeping is going fairly well too. That makes for a happy Mommy!

The biggest change in the past week is probably with my mommy skills. Although I have been preparing to be a mommy for quite a while now, as the cliche goes, you have no idea what it will be like until its happening. That said, I feel so much more together this week, and have physically recouperated from the stress of childbirth as well.

Here's to another great week with my girl!

Delaney Kate Klahn

At long last, our baby girl was born Monday, August 2nd at 4:20 p.m. She is the light of both our lives, and we could not be happier with our new little family.

We went into the hospital at midnight Sunday, August 1st to begin induction, but after being checked by the nurses, we learned I was already too far dilated to be given the gel that starts the induction, so we waited {somewhat} patiently for 4 a.m. to roll around, until I could be given Pitocin. At that time, I was contracting on my own, but very mildly and irregularly, just as I had been for the past week or so.

At around 4:30 a.m., my Pitocin drip was started. At this time, I started having stronger contractions, but they were still not unbearable. I laid in bed, watched tv, and tried to rest. Thank goodness we brought our Friends DVDs so I had something to watch to pass the time.

My water broke on its own at 6:10 a.m. I was afraid I would not notice it breaking, but it was very obvious! I was glad that labor seemed to be progressing, and I was dilating more as well. Since I was not going to be able to leave the hospital bed due to the IV and the internal monitoring of the baby that comes with Pitocin, I opted to go ahead and get an epidural around 6:30 a.m.

My doctor came in shortly after to check on me, and I was still progressing well at that point. The rest of the day was for sleeping, watching TV, and general waiting around. I did not have much pain due to the epidural, so the contractions were easy to get through. Happily, I progressed fairly quickly, and by late afternoon I started to feel hot, tired, and a little sick, all good signs that I was ready to push. My labor nurse was fabulous, and got everything set up so we could start pushing while we waited on the doctor. If nothing else, I am very glad I took Lamaze, just for the pushing breathing. I was able to use that during pushing, and it helped me not to do the "purple-faced" pushing from holding a breath for 10 seconds.

I pushed for about 35 minutes, but according to my doctor and nurses did a pretty fabulous job, since Delaney was very high and turned face up when I started pushing. By her birth, she was face down. She was born with the cord around her neck, but it was unwound quickly and she was able to stay with us and not go into the NICU. Andrew was with me the entire time, and got to cut the cord and hold Delaney right away.

We spent the first hour of her life cuddling her close and working on nursing, and then Andrew went with Delaney down to the nursery to be bathed, tested, etc. while I was able to get cleaned up.

We were so blessed to have so many loved ones bring flowers, gifts, and visits to hold Delaney during our stay at the hospital. Delaney's birth was a very special experience for our family, one that we will never forget. She is an amazing little girl and nothing could be better than having her as our own.

Our Family

First Cuddle with Daddy

Our Beautiful Girl

40 weeks and counting...

Well, our due date came and went last Friday, and little Delaney is still hiding out in Mommy's belly. Although I have had an easy pregnancy, this last week has been a long one. Between aches and pains, little sleep, and the frustration of waiting, I am definitely ready to get this labor show on the road! I am still hopeful that the birth will go according to the experience we are hoping and praying for, but also resigning myself to the fact that it may not, and focusing on the fact that a healthy baby girl is the end result however things go.

On the bright side, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Although we are still planning a natural birth, if that does not happen by this Sunday night, we'll be going in for an induction at the suggestion of my doctor, and Delaney will be born Monday, August 2nd. I can't wait to meet our little girl. We are very thankful that she is still healthy and thriving, but anxiously awaiting her arrival as well.

This time next week I'll be a full-fledged mommy! Hurray!