Jenna's First Weeks

Well, Jenna is now three weeks old.  She has changed a lot in the last couple of weeks.  She is much less of a newborn and more of a baby who needs a pacifier and swing to make her happy!  Haha!  I kept holding off on putting her in the swing because I know it's just a crutch.  However, at 4:00 in the morning, that swing just looks so tempting.  We finally gave in, and now there's no turning back.  The first week home, my mom was here and was so helpful.  She was our taxi service, taking the kids everywhere they needed to be.  She was our maid and kept the house nice and clean.  She was our story reader, grocery shopper, errand runner, and interior designer.  We sure do love our Granny.  The kids all miss her terribly, as do I.  Now, we are on our own and actually surviving it all.  Everything is being taken at a much slower pace.  The house isn't as clean and all the errands have to wait until Josh is home.  We are super happy though and are loving spending time with little Jen Jen.  (Daniel shortens every thing and says it twice, hence, Jen Jen).  

 Our stay at the hospital seemed long this time, even though it was our quickest trip.  I usually LOVE my hospital stay.  What's not to love?  Someone brings you hot food that you don't have to prepare or clean up, you get medicine that makes the whole world feel happy, you get to relax in the bed all day.  I'm telling you, it's a beautiful thing.  However, we were less than impressed with our hospital this time around.  Perhaps St. Louis just spoiled us.  The service at our hospital was quite poor and the whole experience was less than desirable.  Since we didn't love it here, we wanted to go home as quickly as we could.  We had to wait for 36 hours after she was born and then we took off.  On our drive home, it was raining and we rear-ended the car in front of us.  Luckily, we just barely tapped the guy and he let us go.  Thankfully, it wasn't worse.  It was so nice to be back at home with all my little chicks.  They loved having their new little sister there with them.  The kids all took turns holding Jenna.  Daniel always wanted to most turns and freaked out when it was someone else's.

 We had to get Jenna checked several time for jaundice, but luckily, she never had to have the lights.  I am O-negative and she is O-positive.  I guess that makes her more susceptible for problems with jaundice so they were extra careful about it.

 Here is her going home outfit.  Jenna is such a great little baby.  She has just been amazing for us.

 Here we are leaving the hospital.  Yay!!

 Jenna and I just hung out while Daddy took care of the co-pay as we left.  We had to snap a few pictures.....of course!

 When we got home, Jenna needed a diaper change and EVERYONE had to help, or else.

 Jenna has really enjoyed her bouncer...and so have we!

 We have had so many wonderful people show us so much love.  We just feel ridiculously blessed.  We've had lots of meals, flowers, and kind words given to us.  Thank heaven for good friends.

 Here are just a few pictures we snapped of Jenna throughout the last few weeks.

 Her first bath at home.  It was a success.  She loved it and then slept amazingly afterwards.

 Say what??

 Jenna had two very concerned on lookers during her bath.  They almost never leave her side.  It's so cute!

 Andrew is completely OBSESSED with baseball.  He would play all day and all night if we let him.  Here are my boys taking a break and practicing Andrew's favorite thing in the world.

 LOVE that boy!

 Here is the happiest boy you'll ever meet!

 Perhaps you are confused.  Yes, we are playing baseball.  No, we are not using a baseball.  This little basketball is soft and big enough to hit for him.

 Here is Jenna after her first bath at home.  She looked so soft, I just had to capture it.

 I could hold her all day, and I do!

 I was so worried about how little Daniel would do.  He's been amazing with her.  His "soft" touches are getting stronger and stronger though.  I really have to watch him like a hawk.  I can't leave her alone for a second or she may just end up black and blue.

It's been a great transition to four kids so far.  Life is busy but we are all happy.  Thank heaven for little girls.

Introducing Jenna Marie Lee

Our family is happy to introduce to the world our little Jenna Marie Lee.  Jenna made her debut on Monday, September 15, 2014 at 8:23 AM.  She weighed 8 lbs and 1 ounce.  She measured 21.25 inches long.  Jenna is as healthy as can be and doing wonderfully.  She has made her parents and siblings very happy as she brings a sweet spirit to our home.  

I never thought that I would have a birth story quite like hers.  To say the least, it was intense...and I'm a wimp, so it felt even more intense!  The week before Jenna was born, I was feeling pretty good.  I would have off and on contractions that would get my hopes up and then down again.  We were all so excited for her to get here and tried waiting patiently until she arrived.  My due date was on Saturday, September 13th.  I kept telling Josh that I felt like my body was ready but I could also see her waiting for a few more days.  I predicted that we wouldn't make it past Tuesday or Wednesday because it just felt that close.  On Sunday, I was having more contractions but nothing painful and they weren't too consistent.  We went on a family walk that night to try and help speed things along.  After our walk, I felt nothing and was super bummed.  However, early on Monday morning I woke up to a pretty strong contraction.  It was about 5:00 in the morning and I knew that this contraction felt different than the ones I had had previously.  I sat there in my bed and had two more contractions like the first.  I decided I should probably take a shower because this could be it.  Once I got out of the shower, I woke Josh up and said, "I think we're having a baby today!"  His sweet face said it all.  He was so excited and began helping me immediately.  (**Seriously, he is the BEST husband in the world.**)  I called my mom about 5:30 and told her to come now.  I threw our sheets in the washer and kept getting ready.  We had to get the kids ready to be dropped off and Anna ready for school.  Josh wanted to make sure I had a good breakfast since I wouldn't be able to eat again until after the baby was born.  He graciously made me delicious waffles with buttermilk syrup with whipped cream.  I'm telling you, he's good.  By the time I sat down for breakfast, I couldn't talk through my contractions any more.  They were getting pretty painful.  Josh started getting really nervous and said that we should be at the hospital NOW!  I wasn't too worried because my water hadn't broken so I thought we were fine.  However, after a few more really painful contractions, I told Josh, "Okay, we should go NOW!" We quickly loaded up the kids to take to our friend's house.  I was so grateful that we were able to make Anna's lunch for school and get her all set to go.  I had this big fear that she would be at school and not have a lunch and be hungry.  I know that may sound dumb but it was stressing me out.  By the time we got to our friend, Melissa's, house, the contractions really hurt.  However, they were still 5-6 minutes apart.  I was starting to cry during them a bit and Josh just kept saying, "We should have left earlier!  I can't believe we're not at the hospital right now!!"  Luckily though, we got every light green.  It was right during traffic time, but that didn't seem to affect us.  Tender mercy right there folks.
We got to the hospital and started walking toward the wrong building.  Someone told us to go on the other side of the parking lot and we would find the Women's Pavilion.  It was as we walked across the parking lot that things began to change.  I was really panting hard with each contraction and not handling the pain well at all.  We walked up to the desk and told the lady I was in labor.  She asked how far apart the contractions were, and I told her about 5 minutes.  The truth was though, the contractions were about 1-2 minutes apart at that time.  She knew it too.  I've never signed papers so fast.
They quickly got me back to be monitored to see if they were going to admit me.  Ha!!  There was no if.  That just seems funny now.  I got my gown on and by this point, I was screaming with the contractions.  The nurse came in to see how dilated I was.  It took her a super long time to check me.  She told us that I was paper thin and then had another nurse come in to check me too.  That nurse told me I was at a NINE!!  I about rolled over and died right there on the table.  A nine!  I didn't make it to the hospital until I was at a nine!  You've got to be kidding me?  I also knew that meant there was no time for an epidural.  I started sobbing!!!!!!  And I mean, sobbing!!  I told the nurse I really wanted an epidural.  Josh said that when I said that, both nurses just looked at each other like, "there is no way but I'm not going to tell her!"
They quickly wheeled me back to the delivery room.  I was screaming down the hall and kept saying, "I can't do this.  I can't do this."  When I got into the room, I told the nurse, "You don't understand.  I am an epidural girl!!"  I felt just as much scared as I was in pain.  They asked me if I could move my body over to the delivery bed and I shouted, "No!"  After another contraction or two, I was able to scoot over to the other bed,....which was broken.  Awesome!
The nurses were trying frantically to find my doctor.  He was in surgery and couldn't come out.  The other doctor that was on call was also in surgery and couldn't come out.  Finally, they pulled in whatever doctor they could find to deliver sweet Jenna.  Turns out, he is a very well known doctor and is the person for whom the labor and delivery wing of the hospital is named after.  Sweet!  His name was Dr. Alexander Brickler and supposedly he's like a legend here.  We found out that he's had over 30,000 deliveries.  Um, are you kidding me?  That's insane.
I told them I was ready to push.  I was holding onto Josh's arms and my nurse's arms for support.  I pushed maybe once or twice and then it happened....  My water popped like a balloon and went all OVER the staff.  It was crazy!!!  I didn't even know that could happen.  I just remember the fluid covering my doctor, all over his head and shoulders and BEEPER!  It was just crazy.  Josh thought it was totally disgusting.  I was shocked but could have cared less because of all the pain I was in.
I pushed maybe once more and little Jenna was born.  It was a crazy feeling, not pleasant to say the least.  However, when she came out, the pain was gone and I had my little girl on my stomach.  I was so relieved to not feel any more pain and SO ridiculously happy that our daughter was finally here.  Pregnancy is LONG and exhausting.  In the end, God blesses you with the sweetest miracle anyone could ever have in this life.
When the doctor put her on my stomach, she was super purple and not crying at all.  They took her away after a minute and began helping her to pink up.  Luckily, she did pink up but she didn't cry.  They worked with her for a while and the whole time, she was just quiet.  I kept asking them if she was alright, and they told me she was.  I think Jenna only cried twice the whole time we were at the hospital.  She's been like that all week too.  Hardly a fuss at all.  She is super healthy though and doing wonderfully.

I became a mom again one week ago today.  That is my whole life.  That's all I've ever wanted, and I love it.  Being a mom to these sweet babies is such a privilege. Jenna has made Josh and me so happy this past week.  There has been a sweet, tender spirit in our home.  I feel like we've seen and felt a small taste of what heaven must feel like.  Jenna is a wonderful baby.  She is so calm and always seems so peaceful.  She has been a champion eater and sleeper.  We could not possibly be more in love with her than we already are.  She is our little miracle on earth.

There is positively nothing better in this world than holding your baby for the first time.  I could stay in that moment forever.

My parents made it just 30 minutes after she was born.  It was wonderful to have them there.

They are so wonderful!

Josh holding Jenna for the first time.  He couldn't WAIT to have his little girl.  There is something about daddies and their daughters.

Josh really likes this photo because it pretty much sums up how I felt about not getting my epidural. Um, please never again!

Getting weighed.  She was bigger than I thought she'd be.  Eight pounds, one ounce.

I love this photo.

One of the sweetest moments in our marriage happened on Jenna's birthday.  About an hour after she was born, my body temperature dropped and I got really, really cold.  I had lots and lots of blankets put on me but I just could not warm up.  I started feeling weird and was just shaking like crazy.  I usually get the shakes when I deliver but this was a bit different.  No matter what I did, I just couldn't seem to get warm.  I was totally FREEZING!  Josh came over to my bedside and laid his chest against mine and held me really strongly.  His body warmth was helpful but I think what made more of a difference was his closeness.  I think the whole experience was a bit overwhelming to me and I just calmed down when he held me.  I knew that he was there to help me and protect me.  I felt safe in his arms.  It was a moment I hope I never forget.  I fell more in love with Josh that day.

Even little Jenna is saying "cheese" in this one.

Here is a picture of Jenna getting her first bath.  She slept through most of it.

She looked so much better after she got all cleaned up.  We just kept looking at her.  Love was instant.

I was SO excited for the kids to come and meet their new baby sister.  They were all so cute.  I was shocked though that Daniel was the most intrigued by her.  He wanted it to constantly be HIS turn and no one else's.  He's just been mesmerized by her all week.  He is especially amazed by all of the body parts he can name on her.  Her nose, hair, cheeks, toes....  It's darling.

That face!!!!!

It's been a great week.  We have a lot more photos to post.  Right now though, we're just going to spend some time holding our new angel.  Thank you to everyone for the kind words and sweet service that have been given to our family.  We feel so blessed to know so many wonderful people.