Sister Act

In the late afternoon on November 18th, Nonnie went and picked Emery up from school to come up to the hospital to meet her little sister.  The introduction was a moment that I'd been anticipating from the second I found out I was pregnant, and even more so when I found out that Bucket was a girl.  I've always been so grateful for the siblings my parents gifted me and I pray that my girls feel the same way.

Given her age and how well I know my little boog, I have to admit that I was slightly worried.  (Slightly might be an understatement.)  Sure, I had no doubt that she loooooved herself some baby as noted in her 18 month post, I just wasn't sure how she would feel about the screaming variety as opposed to the type you put in a bucket.  I figured any screaming she would have to endure would just be karma though. My main concern was how she would handle sharing "her people."  Emery had grown attached to "her" support system over her 20 month reign as queen of the Martin household.

Luckily from the second she walked into that hospital room door Emery has been VERY excited about "da bebe" (she has yet to adopt calling her sister or Brynn even as I sit here writing this a month later).  She loves looking at bebe and pointing her out to people.  She loves to show you, and bring you, the things that belong to bebe.  However, as I suspected, she does NOT like when one of "her people" picks bebe up.  The first few times that happened Emery launched into an Oscar-winning fit that was more than a little heart wrenching.  Over time, thankfully, this has subsided.  Are things perfect?  Definitely not but there are more aww-inducing moments than "omg-do-I-need-to-give-one-away" incidents.

I remember the first time I watched Ryan hold Emery, and then again with Brynn, thinking that my heart could not possibly feel any more full.  It turns out I was wrong.  Watching my girls together, even if one or both or screaming, truly takes the cake.  There is something so indescribably special about knowing that she has a built-in best friend.  I feel confident that one day these two will grow to love each other as much, and share the same type of bond, that I do with my own sister.  Hopefully they will look back on these pictures with as much pride and joy in their hearts as I do knowing that this is where it all began.

This was the first look Emery got at Brynn.  Please note the size of that beam.

This is a familiar sight around here - Emery pointing and saying "bebe!"

Just 2 mamas with their girl(s).

Emery is probably telling Aunt Googoo she better not dare touch that baby.

She reallllly wanted to hold baby.  Unfortunately her idea of holding is aggressively showing us Brynn's "mouth," "nowse," and "eeeyes."  It's a wonder Brynn still has both eyes at this point.

Not a great picture of any of us but man do I love it anyway.  (P.S. When Emery came home from school with that scratch on Monday I told Ryan that it was a sure sign I'd have the baby the next day so that it would be forever immortalized in pictures.  Turns out I was totally right.)

Brynn brought her big sister a present- a crawling Minnie and a book about sisters.

You know.  Just hanging out in bed with Minnie.

Popping a squat...

.... and subsequently making everyone else follow suit.  It may have been Brynn's day but Emery was the dictator.

That's a wrap.  Did I mention this was (tied for) the best day of my life?

My Favorite Birthday

You may have noticed that this post is titled "My Favorite Birthday."  This might lead you to worry that upon her arrival our newest edition ousted big sister from her thrown.  Do not fear, that is the title of Emery's birthday post as well.  Why not a sequel like my pregnancy posts?  Because they are both legitimately my favorite birthdays.  Neither is more special, sacred or important to me than the other.  That might sound like I'm trying to be diplomatic, but it's sincerely just the truth.  Before you have your second you wonder how on earth you can love another creature as much as you love your existing earth-dwelling child.  At 10:14 AM on November 18th when our newest pride and joy, Miss Brynn Marie, arrived - I suddenly understood.

As I mentioned before, I was stubbornly resisting a scheduled induction.  The last few weeks at my regular appointments Brynn was measuring large (7 lbs 9 oz at 36 weeks and 8 lbs and 9 oz at 38.5 weeks), I was making good progress (4 cm & 70% at 38 weeks) and my doctor reminded me regularly that she would be happy to schedule an induction if I wanted.  I felt very strongly that I wanted Brynn to pick her own birthday though.  Heaven knows I'll control enough other things in her life, whether I mean to or not.

November 17th, her due date, came and went with no baby arrival much to mine and Nonnie's chagrin.  I'd been having irritating contractions for weeks, so I didn't think too much of the contractions I felt that day during my lunch-time walk nor than evening before Ryan and I went to sleep.  When I term them "irritating", I believe it's warranted.  I kept having what I'd deem peek-a-boo contractions.  They would come very regularly for about an hour and then just... disappear.  I thought on the evening of November 17th that they were a little stronger but given my history I was pretty hesitant to tell anyone that.

At 4:30 am on Tuesday November 18th I woke up, as I'd done many times in the weeks leading up to it, and felt a contraction.  I opened my iPhone timing app and started timing.  The same way I had maaaaaany times in the 3 weeks before.  After 2 contractions I felt in my gut that this was probably the real deal.  I figured I should go ahead and take a shower to make sure they hung around before I got anyone worked up.  After a quick shower I told Ryan he needed to wake up because I thought we needed to go to the hospital.  Sleepy Papa Bear kindly responded, "why?"  Even he didn't trust my contractions at this point.  After he witnessed a yelp during a contraction he called his Dad to come stay with Emery and quickly got ready himself.

The wait for Ryan's dad to arrive around 6:15 felt like the longest 45 minutes of my life.  My contractions continued to get stronger and by the end I was hunching over and squeezing the crap out of Ryan's hand during them.  We got to the hospital around 6:30 and they wheeled me up to Labor & Delivery.  They sent me to triage where more waiting that felt like years ensued.  By the time they finally checked me the nurse said "Oh- we're going to have a baby.  Soon."  I was at 7 cm and I immediately burst into tears as I was sure that meant I wasn't going to get an epidural.

Around 7:30 they got me into a room and my Mom arrived.  By the time they checked me then I was at an 8 bordering on 9.  Thankfully they got the anesthesiologist in there stat and I got my epidural around 8:35.  My doctor also came by and broke my water.  Life got a lot better post epidural.  Puppy dogs and rainbows, people.

As you may recall from Emery's birth story, Ryan finds documentation of traffic conditions imperative.  Here are the roadways from Sir Hospital Sky Eye on Brynn's birthday.

Ryan talked me into "one last pregnant picture."  I blame that on how excited I was for the relief the epidural provided.

Around 9:25 or so the nurse came by and told me I was at a solid 9 but that Brynn's head wasn't positioned exactly correctly.  She rotated me into some very yoga-esque pose and told me she'd be back to check on me in 30 minutes but that I should call if I thought I needed her before.  About 5 minutes later I stopped my Mom mid-sentence and told her to call the nurse.  The nurse came and confirmed it was go time.  

Again- more waiting.  It felt like it took forevvvvver for my doctor to make it from the medical building next door.  Then, miraculously, at 10:14 am our darling lovebug joined us.  She had a head full of dark hair, the cutest chipmunk cheeks anyone has ever seen and dark eyes.  Love at first sight is equally as fulfilling the second time around as it is the first.  

Oh, and she tipped the scales at 9 lbs 4 oz and 21" long.  This is funny because at 36 weeks the two measured EXACTLY the same size.  With Emery, everyone was convinced she was going to be a big girl.  When she was born (8 lbs and 21.5") my doctor's direct quote was "Oh, you aren't as big as I thought you'd be."  So I assumed that Brynn would be roughly the same size.  This time around everyone was surprised at, and commented on, how big she was.  Not the last time that these two will surprise us, I'm sure.

Just getting her stretches in.  Emery warned her the real world is rough.

Pondering why she decided to ditch her previous abode for THIS.

Footprints.  Baby's first autograph.

Do you not just want to pinch those cheeks through your screen?  No?  Just me?

For about an hour, Miss Brynn hung out with just Mama, Daddy & Nonnie.  The bonus of the second time around is that you know how special those first few moments of soaking her in on your own are and I was so much better at actively doing it.  After our initial bonding sesh, Brynn's fan club started to arrive.  First Grandma came by to see her.  

Hi Grandma!

At some point, I don't even know what time because who can keep track of such things when there's a gorgeous baby to snuggle, we got transferred to our post partum room.  Then Aunt Julie came by, bearing Panera I might add, to meet the newest target of all her spoiling.  Bringing Panera might have made her my second favorite person that day (after Brynn- duh).  She knows that the way to all good Boarman women's hearts is through their tummy.

Ugh.  Guys.  Enough with these pictures.  Can't a girl just get some sleep?

Proud Grandma.

Proud Auntie.

Gah, I just love her.

Proud parents.  Not sure Brynn was so proud to call us her's with that hair I was rocking.

Later that evening, both Pawpaws, David, Jen and Brendan came by to dote on baby B as well.  Of COURSE, Brynn also got to meet her big sister that day but I'm saving that for it's own post just because being gifted a sister will hopefully be one of the most important moments in both of their lives.  Obviously that deserves it's own moment in the sun.  Plus... there are probably too many pictures.  Shocking?

Jen and Brendan.  I promise they didn't actually look like they were interviewing Julie about her new child in real life.

As with Emery, and I am sure any new parents' stay in the hospital, those first few days are a total whirlwind of sleeplessness, groggy discussions with doctors and much screaming... typically by baby.  Photographic documentation of this time:

Awake and just admiring her Daddy.

My precious baby.

We got to take our newest family member home on Thursday November 20th to start life as a family of four, which we were so, so ready to do.

Oh #*%#.  Do they know you guys think you're going to take me from here?  I hear there's a needy dog and a noisy kid where you live.  I'm not sure I'm on board.

Mom, does this giant flower make me look fat?

So you're my chauffeur for the past 9 months, huh?  Let's talk about that singing, shall we?

Sister told me genetically I'm supposed to hate this thing.

Once again, November 18th was the greatest day of my life.  I can't thank my team enough for all their love, support and encouragement.  From texts to phone calls to emails to flowers to bringing us food- you all helped immensely.  As if meeting the newest love of your life isn't smile-inducing enough, being reminded of how loved you are through others' thoughtfulness and actions truly makes your heart feel like it might burst.  Of course, very special thank yous to my amazing husband, who knows when to make me laugh and when to just let me squeeze the crap out of his hand, and to my mother, because there's no one who can soothe your soul the way your mama can.  I am not sure what I would have done without either of you.  We are just almost as blessed to have you in our lives as we are to have two healthy, gorgeous daughters to call our own.  In conclusion- happiest of birthdays to the piece of our family we didn't realize was missing.  We all love you to bits Brynn Marie!

The 40 (Week) Old... Pregnant Lady

Why HELLO there long-lost blog world.  Are you getting tired of hearing that phrase this year?  I'm getting tired of typing it, that's for shizzle.  Maybe more timely blogging will be my 2015 resolution?  We will see what my bosses (read: children) have to say about that.

For now, let's turn back the hands of time to the days of yore.  The days when sweet baby sister was still in my belly and I was desperate to change that, shall we?  It feels like so long ago now...  Did you notice that this post wasn't a sequel?  That's because I didn't make it to 40 weeks with Miss Emery.  I induced with her at 39 weeks and 3 days.  Because that wasn't the smoothest ride for me, I was bound and determined not to do that this time around.  I succeeded!

So, I hit 40 weeks on November 17th, my due date.  I honestly did not expect to hit 40 weeks.  Why, you ask?  Oh, because on Sunday October 26th (36 weeks & 6 days), Ryan, Baby Sister and I spent the night in the hospital because I was vomiting and having contractions 3 minutes apart.  I was pretttty nervous that her highness was about to pull an Amy and make her world debut far ahead of schedule.  I didn't even have my bag packed, guys.  Luckily we learned that I had an infection and that is what was causing my contractions.  I was put on antibiotics and that slowed them down.  So on October 27th we were sent on our way expecting that based on the progress the contractions had made that I would be back in a week or so.  Little Miss didn't get that memo though, apparently.  I guess she just felt pretty strongly that a warning shot needed to be fired to get me to tackle the last few things on my to-do list.  She knows me well because the message was received and heeded.

Thanks to the little practice run, the last 3 weeks and change were brutal for me because I expected that at any moment my water could break and it would be go time.  Had it not been for the little mishap above, I'd have gone about my business as normal expecting that this baby would come around her due date if not later because if I learned anything from Emery, it's that my tummy makes for a very comfy abode.  Not one that's easy to leave.  This elevated level of anticipation plus heightening discomfort made me fairly unpleasant to be around.

To save my co-workers from potentially having to rush me to the hospital, and/or dealing with my grouchiness, I worked from home starting on Monday November 9th.  If you know me, you know I'm not big on working from home.  I'm not that fun to be around and my only colleague (Lola) during that time did a lot of farting.  I was so ready guys.  So ready.

That's about all I can remember from the last 4 weeks or so.  At this point as I sit here watching my precious angel sleep I am too excited to remember all the nuances and/or want to document them.  I'm ready to skip ahead to the fun part... when she made her world debut.  Hopefully I get to that part soon.  In the meantime, enjoy a few pics from the farewell tour of the baby bump.

37 weeks - post evening in the hospital.  I really wasn't interested in dressing up for this photo op, clearly.

38 weeks.  Baby girl was pretttttty prominent.

39 weeks.  I apparently thought a scarf might distract from my large bump.  Wishful thinking.

40 Weeks & 1 day.  This was my last pregnant belly pic at 5:00 am before we hopped in the car to head to the hospital.

What was I doing during my last week of work from the Katy Office, you ask?  Well, working, but also this.  I thought maybe if I gave her a place to sit it might inspire her to get her booty out.

Also this.  A LOT of walking.  This is a true testament to how badly I wanted her here with us.  It was very cold the week before baby girl was born and I walked every day at lunch.  With earmuffs.  And fuzzy socks.  My girls will be embarrassed of me one day- why not start now?

Dewberry Farm with the Martins

Since when has one day of seasonal farm fun ever been sufficient for anyone?  I say never.  So on Saturday October 25th we headed out to Dewberry Farms with the Martin clan (Grandma, Pawpaw M, Aunt Tiff, Cousin Kylie & Joseph) to see what trouble we could get into.

This was the first time Ryan or I had been to Dewberry Farms and I have to say I was fairly impressed.  We got there right when it opened around 10 and it filled up faster than my shopping cart does at Target.  Apparently this place is no secret.  I think approximately 60% of the greater Houston area was there.  Luckily there was so much to see and do that the crowds really weren't an issue.

Unfortunately for documentation purposes, our little nugget was prettttttty worn out from the previous day's activity (hey, herding goats is exhausting guys) and thus wasn't so smiley.  The fact that we saved the main attraction- the pumpkin patch photos- for the end of our stint, which happened to coincide with her nap time, definitely didn't aid in us capturing any fabulous photos.  Ah well, such is life with a toddler, right?  Despite her lack of smile in most of the pictures below, trust me when I say that we all had a wonderful time and would do it again in a heartbeat.

Thanks to Aunt Tiff and Grandma for inviting us- we love you all!

Mom, do you think I can catch it?

Hey.  Quack, quack- over here!

What's up with this gate separating me from chasing this chicken?  I swear today I could catch it.

Pawpaw and Aunt Tiff taking the ladies on a little obstacle course.

Slide, slide slippety sliding with Aunt Tiffany.

Cousin Kylie and her Mama showing us how it's done.

I would say that this succinctly summarizes any and all efforts this day to capture a cute cousin picture.

What's that?  Pu-kins, you say?  Nah, I'm good right here with this lemonade that I stole from my Mama.

I'm obsessed with Kylie Pie's hair.  Perfect amount of natural curl.  So jealz.

This, my friends, is how you frolick.

My child watching the frolicking from a far- death grip on lemonade still firmly in place.  See what we mean by saying she's got the art of managing/supervising down?

Alright Pawpaw.  I'll take a few steps into this sea of pumpkins if it will make you happy.  The buck stops here though.

I'm sorry.  You want me to what now?  Take more pictures?  No.  Put the lemonade down?  Still no.

Different day.  Same lack of success with a family photo attempt.

Joseph, Aunt Tiffany and Kylie showing us up.

Okay Paw paw- take me away.   That's a wrap.