Hailey Ann Rowan

On November 7th at 7:57 am, Hailey Ann made her entrance into the world!  God had his hand on the whole experience and everything went so well!  Matt and I had to be up at the hospital at 5 am to get checked in and everything. I wasn't nervous at all about anything until they wheeled me into the OR.  There is just something so scary about those rooms!  I know that have to be sterile, but sheesh, they just feel so cold and scary!  Of course when they took me in there for the spinal I had to be alone without Matt.  He had to wait outside while they put that in.  I was very, very nervous and was thinking maybe I should go... I'll just keep her inside... haha but I knew that wasn't an option either.  My last c section experience was very negative so I had good reason to be scared.  After Matt came in and my doctor I started to relax some.  I remember feeling cold and also feeling a sudden onset of nausea.  My anesthesiologist was absolutely fantastic and stayed on top of everything.  I told her about how I felt the entire c section last time so she was very good about checking on me.  She kept asking how I was doing, and I said I was doing fine just nervous.  I then turned to Matt and said, "I just really, really hope I don't feel the incision this time"!  To which his response was "Oh, babe don't worry they've already started".  Biggest relief ever! I didn't feel a thing this time and it was wonderful.  Matt even got to watch the whole procedure and get some really neat pictures of Hailey coming out.  As soon as they got her out everyone said "Whoa! That's a big baby!"  My doctor was super excited to see how big she was going to be.  He continually commented on how "huge" she was throughout my pregnancy.  He did say your belly is all baby a few times so that made it better... haha.  As soon as they cleared her airway she let out a nice healthy cry.  It was such a sweet sound.  After seeing her I just thanked God for a healthy sweet little girl!  What a blessing it is to have a healthy child!   It can be so easy to take that for granted but I try not to.  It seems that all to often I am reminded by a story of a friend or even a friend's friend that didn't experience that.  Miss Hailey was as pink as could be and the girl had some cheeks and a sizable double chin!  I love, love, love it! Another blessing with this delivery was that I was not separated from her for hours like last time!  They checked her out right there in the OR and did most everything right there.  About 10 minutes before my doctor was finished sewing me back up they took Hailey into my recovery room and promised they would wait to do the bath until I got there.  Wow!  What a different experience from last time.  I was only away from her for about 10 minutes and of course Matt was with her the whole time.  As soon as I got into recovery I was able to feed her for the first time and then after that they bathed her right there so I could see! I know I may sound super excited about this, but this was such a huge difference from Callie's birth.  The moral of the story here is that if you ever have to have a c section, tell the hospital how you want things to be done.  They absolutely can accommodate a more natural feeling c section where the Mom gets to be involved.  I just told the nurse when I got there that I wanted as little time away from her as possible and that I wanted to breastfeed her as soon as possible.  I was very pleased with my experience with this hospital!  Callie and Mimi came at 930 am to meet sweet Hailey.  They were both excited!  It was such an amazing moment to watch Callie with Hailey for the first time.  It's one of those memories that I will cherish and never forget.  She was so excited and sweet with her.  She was thrilled about getting to hold her, but soon after we got her all situated Callie said, "Ok, you can hold her now".  It was cute!  Callie has been a tremendous helper and big sister to Hailey! Oh and a shout out to my amazing Mom for taking care of Callie while we were at the hospital.  It was so nice not having to worry about her.  I knew she was in great hands!  Thanks Mom you're the best!  From start to finish Hailey's birth was a wonderful experience! My recovery has been wonderful.  Apparently not being in labor and pushing for hours before a c section really makes a difference!  I was sore for a week or two and ever since then I have just been telling myself to slow down and not do too much.  I feel so good, but I certainly don't want any setbacks!
We had such a great time visiting with all of our amazing family during this time!  My mom was here for a week and a half.  Then it was just us for a week.  Matt had that whole time off so it was wonderful!  Then  Matt's parents came the week of Thanksgiving and then my sister and Ryan came!  It was sooooo great having help with Callie.  She did get a little spoiled though!  I sure missed my Daddy this time around but I know that he is smiling down on his 2nd grandbaby.  I wish he was here.  I really, really miss him.  There are no words.
Well at Hailey's 1 month check up she was in the 75th percentile for weight and 90th for height.  Who knows, maybe both of my babies will escape the short genes! Haha! We sure are enjoying this sweet baby girl!!!  She's starting to look a little more like Callie did as the days go by.  She has been a pretty easy going baby so far. Her big sister Callie was not so easy at first!  Hailey is sleeping well at night and usually goes back to sleep right away after a feeding during the night.  That makes for one happy and fairly well rested mama!  Little Miss Hailey does like to be on the move though.  She is happiest when being walked around in the baby carrier.  So much for my back!  I will post some pictures soon of Christmas.  I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and a blessed 2014!
Much love!
Erin

35 weeks!!!!

Hailey will be here in 4 1/2 weeks! (Unless she decides to come sooner of course)!  Yikes! I still have so much left to do!  Callie is just super thrilled and cannot wait to "teach her to talk" haha.  She knows that it's October and that next is November and that's when baby Hailey comes!  I think she will be a wonderful big sister!  I know she just can't wait!  We can't wait either!  We are so blessed and can't wait to meet our new baby girl that God has blessed us with.  I know my back can't wait for me to loose about 30 pounds as well.. hahaha. Have a great week and enjoy some pictures from today.  I figured I should dust off the old camera and get ready for some major picture taking! 

-Erin

 The 35 week belly! And yes, I did get asked if I was having twins today... and no I am not.  Haha...

 My sweet big girl playing with Belle and her ponies!

Can she look any more grown up???!! 

 Happy girl!

 Callie and Daddy!

 Sweet kisses from Daddy's girl!

 What?! Mom is in the picture?!

Kisses from my love!

Hello!  I know its been a while... but I have just had a lot going lately!  Also, a certain little 3 year old has been keeping me running around nonstop :).  I have been really bad about using my camera.  I know I'll be using it like crazy soon when Miss Hailey joins us!  But I really have got to get better about using it so that I have enough pictures of this part of our life.  August was a pretty great month!  This summer has been a crazy one with the weather.  We have been enjoying the clouds and rain that usually stay far, far away!  On August 19th Matt and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary! WOW... 7 years has gone by in a flash!  Some of our good friends babysat Callie so that we could go out to dinner and just have a nice quiet date night.  We didn't really do anything too fancy, but we just enjoyed being out in public without the drama that comes along with three year olds.  Ha!  God has really blessed Matt and I over the last 7 years and we have both grown a lot.  He is such a great guy and I wouldn't trade him.  I am so thankful that God put us together.  It seems crazy that I was only 14 at the time, but hey, God had a plan!
Hailey is growing healthy and strong.  She likes to move around and kick like crazy!  I have also been having tons and tons of Braxton Hicks contractions.  Those aren't always fun, but they've been around since about week 15!  It's become part of my "normal"... but as she gets bigger and bigger they are starting to become more uncomfortable.  A couple of weeks ago I went in for one of my appointments and it was the one where they give you the glucose test to screen for gestational diabetes.  Well I failed the 1 hour test and my blood sugar was just barely above the normal cutoff.  So they had me come back for a more conclusive 3 hour test a few days later.  For the three hour test you have to fast for 12 hours and then they take your blood.  Then they provide a "wonderful" sugary drink that you must consume in less than five minutes.  We are talking KoolAid on steroids.  Nasty, nasty stuff.  Then they take blood samples every hour for three hours.  Not the most exciting thing in the world.   Well I was doing pretty good until right after the second of four blood draws.  I was in the waiting room and started to feel sweaty and light headed.  The receptionist asked if I needed a cold pack and I said I think so.  Next thing I knew I was waking up laying flat on the floor with about 5 frightened looking people standing over me.  I just fainted right out of my chair.  It was a weird experience.  But whats funny is that I felt much better after that!  It's like my body reset itself.  They immediately took me to the back and did an ultrasound to confirm that Hailey was doing just fine.  The only evidence of the fall were the bruises on my face.  They told me the test was over and that they would test what they had and let me know what the next move was.   After all of the commotion my doctor came to the conclusion that I don't have gestational diabetes and that the reason I fainted was because I was hypoglycemic.  So it's good to know that my body did make the insulin it needed... just a little too much!  Yay for not having to change my diet!!  So yea, I'm hoping that's the only drama that this pregnancy has!
I can't believe how big my sweet little baby Callie is getting.  She is a fun little girl!  A handful at times, but I just love her to pieces.  She is getting so smart.  She can read almost 10 sight words, knows all of her letters and sounds, can read most three letter at family words and ap words.  This girl loves to learn!  We have a designated learning time almost everyday and she just loves it!  We are working on using scissors and holding a pencil correctly.  Those seem to be tough, but it's getting better everyday!  She is also doing a great job with counting and adding.  I'm just so proud of her! :)  I can't believe she is getting close to Kindergarten! Yikes!!!  Callie can't wait for baby Hailey to get here!  She knows that she will be here in November and reminds just about everyone she sees! Can't wait for my sweetie to be a big sister! :)  I will leave you with a funny Callie quote.  We were at Target and she was a mess... I told her she was about to drive me bananas to which she quickly replied "Mommy, you're about to drive me grapes"!  How do you not laugh at that?!
 Well here are a few pictures from my phone!
God Bless!
Erin

Callie enjoying some fruit on a nice summer day!

 Callie at Starbucks... don't get too excited she just had water ha!

 Cheese!

 My sweetie!

Callie after church!  Nothin' like a Sunday nap!

Pretty!

 This is going in Callie's new big girl room!  It's princess themed!

Callie modeling her new nightgown that Mimi brought her back from her New York City trip!  She loves it!

 I took this picture to document that Callie tries to cheat at Candy Land just like her Daddy used to when he was a kid.  They both like the idea of spreading the cards out in the lid of the box... Matt actually had bent the good cards but Callie just has them face up.  Hahah!  She was playing Candy Land by herself for a while and when I went over there this is what I saw.

Callie pretending to be a puppy! Cutest puppy I've ever seen! (Besides Chile of course)

 27 weeks!

 28 weeks!  Getting BIG!!!

Callie swimming and eating a Popsicle!

30 weeks! 

This is the beginning of decorating Hailey's nursery.  It's going to be a Secret Garden theme.  

 Still have a lot to do! But hey, its a start!  This birdcage will be painted a cream color!