Emma Grace Harper has arrived!

Emma Grace came into our lives at 8:07am on April 27th. She is a beautiful baby. She has the coloring of her mom and the facial structure of her brother. Big brother Ryan came to visit her twice already. He isn't all that interested in her yet. He likes getting up and down off the bed. He did get to hold her and wanted to take her to give her hugs.















You can read the entire birth story on our baby website, but we did make it to the hospital in time to have her here. Overall, it was a very quick labor. It really started at 2:30 am and she was born 5 1/2 hours later. And two of those hours were pushing! We got pulled over on the way to the hospital, but the cop let us go. My friend Shannon came over to stay with Ryan until my mom and sister made it down, which suprised and bothered Ryan when he woke up. Now he's happy with Nana.




Emma hasn't decided on a feeding schedule yet, for a while it was every hour and then sleep for 4. But then she went to feeding every 2 hours. She did sleep pretty well after 2:30 this morning. Now she's been up for a little bit since people have been in and out of our room. We probably won't leave the hospital until Tuesday morning because of the group B strep. Overall, we're doing great!

And 6 Days Later........

We're still waiting. I'm dialated a little further and they expect me to have this baby before the weekend is out, but it isn't yet! The waiting is painful. I'm so restless and every little pain or movement has me wondering. The baby is slowing down in there, probably from running out of room. My right lower rib has been her friend for the last few days.

So we've been trying to keep ourselves busy. Ryan has an evaluation at Children's Hospital for apraxia on Monday. Although they weren't willing to diagnose it, they said he should be having additional speech therapy. So now we just have to see what our insurance will pay for.

Kris and Ryan have been having a lot of fun together. Saturday, they went to Costco shopping and were fixing things around the house. These pictures are from that workday. Monday, they went to the Aquarium since Toyota was having a free night there. Wednesday, they spent the evening cutting the grass. And this coming Sunday, they are walking in WalkAmerica. Wonderfully, this gives me some great time to rest since the I get exhausted very quickly these days. Last night I was ready for bed around 7 (although I didn't go to bed until 10:30).

Besides, that we are just trying to keep busy and get anything and everything done before this baby makes her appearance into the world.

Hoping for Soon

We're sitting here at 2 weeks before my due date hoping for anytime now. I keep having awful pains between my hip and left leg, which Kris keeps saying is a contraction. Amazingly, he hasn't figured out that there isn't a baby down there. I did just have to go over my progression from last time with him, because he swore that I was at 3cm for 3 weeks, when in fact I never got to 3 cm before the day Ryan was born. So here's hoping that is progress. I have been having contractions, but they are very irregular. We'll keep you posted.

Kris ended up being in Akron for 2 nights this week, which gave Ryan and I some quality time - as if we don't usually get it!! It makes for a very tired Mom by the time I get him into bed. He hasn't gotten a sticker all week for staying in bed at night (but is doing great at naptime). Kris said he was up a few times with him last night, but I never heard it.

On Thursday, Kris took Ryan for a hike again, which Ryan just loves. He comes home covered in dirt. Friday, we had my doctors appointment and then Ryan's evaluation with the school district to see if he qualifies for preschool and/or speech therapy help (for after he turns 3). Of course, the doctors office was running behind so we were late, but we got everything done and had time to play outside before lunch. We were back out in the sunshine after nap time, with Ryan playing in the rocks in the lot next to us and picking dandelions. Today, we visited a friend of ours who gave us all their girl clothes, since they are having a boy, so we are well stocked. Then after naptime, we had our church pictures taken and then went to church (who knows - maybe we'll have the baby now that we've fulfilled that obligation). After church we attended the Boy Scout dinner at the elementary school Ryan will go to. Pretty busy times for us. So now, I'm up for sitting on the couch and reading a book - maybe watching part of a movie and doing some Sudoku.

Too big to do much....

I've gotten to the point, where I don't feel like doing much. Not that it changes how much I have to do or what Ryan expects me to do. I have also decided to try to keep busy because otherwise I feel like a watched pot waiting to boil. So last week we went to the mall, the library and the zoo, plus the gym a few times. We went out to Chuck E Cheese for dinner on Sunday and I went out with some girlfriends on Monday. We've been to the park, the library, and the gym all this week so far. Ryan and I have also been doing finishing touches on giving the house a good cleaning in anticipation of not being able to (or wanting) to do it for the next few weeks - you could call it nesting, but I call it necessary. I'm not washing the bathroom walls like last time!

Kris is (supposidly) not travelling until weeks after the baby is born. But amazingly was in Akron last night and has another night planned in a few weeks. He has been getting a lot of stuff done around here though. He put together the new stroller we bought and the new kitchen table - yes we finally moved on from our small 4 person table that was given to us by friends of my parents. I included a picture for all to see.

Besides that, we are just living each day as we can. We have a lot scheduled in the next few weeks - which I'm hoping means the baby will be early. Ryan has evaluations both at the school district (to qualify for speech therapy) and with Childrens Hospital (for apraxia). We have pictures at church and events at Kris's work. We're never sure what we will be able to attend, but I've been trying to be good and keep phone numbers with me in case I need to cancel something at the last minute.

It's a Girl

We found out today that we are expecting a girl!! We are both very excited, even though it is what we thought from the beginning. The suprise was that the baby is already measuring at 7lbs, 10 oz!! And I'm only at 36 1/2 weeks.

So go out and buy the cute pink outfits (Nana and Grammie)!

First Week of April

This week has actually been a fun week. Kris was home all week, so we went out to dinner twice and to the gym. Ryan and I kept busy doing lots of fun stuff. We did our first watercolor painting, which Ryan really enjoyed. Ryan had a doctor's appointment to make sure his ears were clear (they were). We also made sure to get a letter saying Ryan got his flu shot so he can visit me in the hospital if we have the baby soon and got a referral to get him evaluated at Children's hospital for apraxia (a speech development). We went to the book store to see Curious George. Ryan was too scared to have his picture taken with the person dressed up like George, but waited patiently with a stuffed George that he found, so I could take a picture.

We've been working on getting the house ready for the baby. Today, I rearranged the living room and put the pack & play and travel swing together. Ryan has been 'helping' himself to the stuff. He played in the pack & play and his doll has permanently found a home in the swing. H also thinks we should take his doll everywhere in the car seat!

I was doing all this while Kris and Ryan were spending some quality time together. Today, they took the lawn mower in for service (they took Ryan's too). Then they went to pick out a gift for the baby from Ryan and get Ryan a new book that he earned from sleeping in his bed instead of the floor. They also went to pick up our new kitchen table, which Kris still has to assemble (but due to some bruised or cracked ribs from go-carting, he's holding off on). After naptime, Ryan and I were going to go to the pool at the gym, but it took too long for him to settle down for a nap, that he didn't get up until 4:20. So he helped Kris plant some shrubs outside and thoroughly enjoyed getting dirty!