Billies first days home

 One of our favorite family pictures taken on a walk by James and Summers' house

 Stella loved to do this with her arms as well, so precious

Roses from my dear mother, she was so amazing to come spend a week pampering our whole family.  Thanks again mom for being so wonderful, I am really missing her today! (currently I am trying to sleep train Billie and I am listening to her cry, it is really not fun)

 Our first outing to Thanksgiving Point, Stella needed to get out....

 Proud Mama

 Proud Sister

 Proud Daddy

Sisters!

I had anticipated the first moments when Stella was able to meet her little sister.  On Billie's second day, Megan brought Stella with her girls and the camera to the hospital.  Stella was so very sweet and excited to finally meet this baby who had been occupying my belly for so long.

Proud Sister

Proud sis and cousin:)

First family pic

Billies first day

 These photos taken while the girls waited for Billie's arrival at Megans house...Stella didn't actually meet her until day 2.  Later this sign decorated my hospital door:)

 So happy I am crying!! Nothing better than that little crying newborn...

 I got to give her the first bath, she didnt really like it...

labor and delivery #2!!

So here it is 2 months later....and I'm finally finding a little time to write...with Billie in my lap:)  So going into labor is the most exciting event for me....here is how it went down....

At 4 am Tuesday morning (August 13th) which was 8 days shy of my due date....I sat up in bed to get up for the bathroom....and I felt a little gush, and noticed a wet spot about 3 inches wide in bed....  I thought it felt like my water break, but then nothing continued.... I thought it might have just been pee, so I laid back in bed.  I started having mild contractions in my back, but no more water gushing... I told Brent to go to work, unsure if I was in labor.

I canceled my morning appointment and then decided to go for a walk with Stella....I didnt even take a towel in case my water broke more.  I called the hospital and told them what happened and they told me to come in for a swab.  So after walking 4 miles , Stella and I drove to the hospital, with a little bag of clothes for Billie (nothing for me, I didn't really believe I would be staying).  I walked in with Stella on my hip and explained that I thought my water may have broke.  The nurses just smiled at me, totally not believing my story.

They gowned me, swabbed me, and monitored my contractions (which were real come to find out). After an hour and a half of watching t.v. with Stella at the hospital, they confirmed I had indeed ruptured my membranes.  I was so excited to stay at the hospital and have a baby...even though I didn't even feel like I was in labor yet (I wasn't even dilated).  We walked past the nurse station and they laughed because they didn't think I would be staying.  I let Brent know I was in labor....but told him not to rush in yet because nothing was happening.  Stella and I hung out in my hospital room until 1 pm when Megan came and picked her up.  Just after Stella left they started me on pitocin and they broke my water again.... Brent finally arrived around 1:30, nice to have my husband there:) Labor went really slow at first, dilation barely happening....then it hit really hard around 3:30, I asked for an epidural, and then had to wait for over an hour....pretty awful hour actually.  I was barfing and shaking and crying.  Finally I got the PERFECT epidural, I could feel my legs, and I felt relief!  30 minutes after my epidural I felt a lot of pressure, then the nurse checked me, and well I was ready to push!! ahahaha. I didn't even get to enjoy my epidural!

I asked for the mirror, because I forgot with Stella, and then thought I was in for at least 30 minutes of pushing....nope, ONE push and Billie emerged.  It was so amazing to watch her come out of my body....so crazy!!  Dr. Barton (who we loved) had to unwrap the cord 3x from her neck!!  He said he hadn't even seen that before.... Brent cut her cord, then she cried.... and I cried.... the BEST thing ever.  She was born at 5:30 pm, 6 lbs. 6 oz.  and she was and is perfect.

I stayed 2 nights in the hospital, and was so ready to come home (althought I really did enjoy my stay at St. Marks, food wasn't bad, and I like to get pampered by the nurses).   Brent went back to work on Thursday, so I decided not to bother anybody and checked myself out of the hospital and drove us home.... It was really kind of weird and surreal, because I had driven there all pregnant and with Stella, and then I drove home not pregnant, with this new baby.  I walked into James' house to pick up Stella and just started bawling.  I was pretty emotional for a little while.... I experienced a little bit of post-pregnancy remorse.  I actually miss being pregnant.... it was a little worse with Billie because Brent and I had agreed to be done with 2 kids.  So it kind of depressed me to think that this part of my life was over....(I'm still not convinced it is:))

My mom and sister arrived that night and got my house ready for the baby.  I had a lot of things that I had not finished up.  It was so wonderful to spend that time with them.  My mom as always was a HUGE help.  My recovery was super fast, the day I came home from the hospital, I took Stella for her "nap" walk in the 95 degree weather.  I started running a week later.... It was crazy how fast I felt good.   So looking back on Billie's birth, I have the best memories.  I loved every minute (aside from puking and shaking in delivery).  Welcome to our lives my sweet Billie Marie.  I love you with all my heart.

38.5 weeks

2 days before I gave birth....she became a rocket!!  She was always contorting my belly, but this particular time I looked down and it looked really weird...then Brent was able to get these photos...my belly became a freak show...

I loved being pregnant...for the first couple of weeks after giving birth, I was a little emotional when looking at these pictures:)  Now I am okay...  I only gained 15 lbs. with this pregnancy... Stella a little more, but I carried her a week longer too...

cousin fun

 We took the girls to the Freedom Festival Parade, and were lucky to find this couch for them to sit on....they were dancing and grooving, so cute!!

 Stella wanted to buy the girls popsicles, so we stopped at the gas station after the parade and they ate them on the back porch.... Stella loves popsicles!

 Pool time in Grandpas back yard

 Splash Pad at Riverwoods

When I was in my last month of pregnancy with Billie, I pushed Stella and Julianna in the double stroller over to Riverwoods to play in the water.  We rode the carousel and ate ice-cream, such a fun time with those little girls.

 Cora's Birthday Party,

 Stella loved decorating her own cupcake, and of course eating only the frosting...

A princesss is born...

Brent started downloading Disney Films for Stella, her inner princess was discovered.  She will only wear dresses, and particularly the ones that twirl.  I bought a very cute summer wardrobe for her that has mainly remained untouched...At the beginning of her princess phase she was sleeping in princess dresses as well.  She assigned different princess' to different dresses and shoes.... so funny

I took her to Princess Festival at Thanksgiving Point...She got to meet many princesses..Sara came along as well, we had a great time!

We made our first trip to the Disney Store, she was in heaven....We found this beautiful Belle dress there, it leaves a trail of glitter everywhere we go...she loves it!

Check out her shoes!

Oh the things she says!.....

Stella is so funny, she always has the best things to say.....It's fun because she is like a little pal that you can carry on a conversation with

*after putting on my sweater and shoes, she says, "I'm a lady!"

*she is very aware of the days of the week, as well as where things have come from.... she will ask, "What day is it?"  "What store did this come from?" (she really likes Target and Walmart...)  "Who gave this to me?"

*after touching my belly she will say, "Billie wants to come out?"

* I asked her while she was sitting on the couch what she was doing, she replied "Just hanging out"

* She always wants to see her #2 diaper, this is what she says, "It looks like a giant meatball"  Or sometimes she will just ask to see her meatball....  funny thing is, she loves to eat meatballs too

*We were walking home from church and she said, "Everybody turns into big kids"

*After watching about half of the movie Elf, she said, "Santa Claus was really boring"  Needless to say she did not finish the show....

*She is very polite, one of her signature sayings is, "Thank you very much"

*After putting her arms around me while sitting on the couch, she said, "We belong together, we are sisters."  Pretty awesome to have your little girl say that to you.... even if it might be some version of a Disney Film...

*Randomly and very loudly she puts cups her hands around her mouth and screams, "jailbreak!!"

April and May highlights....

 my birthday....Summer made me the best strawberry cake!

 Carousel at Southtowne Mall, our entertainment when it's cold outside

 Tulip Festival with Julianna (Jana and Winona came too, we had a great time)

 Just blowing bubbles with her cute little tattoo

 Dressing up as cows at the Discovery Museum

 24 weeks prego!

Stella loves playing the drums in our living room

Stella is very affectionate, we get hugs and kisses over and over

30 weeks pregnant!!

She is pretending to be sad.... so cute