More Pictures of Tenley

It's hard to believe that my little Tenley Hope is already 10 days old. Wow! It's going so fast... except at 2 am. We are all surviving though maybe not thriving! :) Going from one to two kids is definitely an adjustment but it's gone much better than I thought for all of us so far. Ella is doing really well, a little more naughty sometimes and MUCH louder. I'm not sure why she thinks that we all went deaf after Tenley was born... just has to make sure we are paying attention to her I guess. Tenley is a sweet baby and very good during the day, the nights... well, the nights are long and often sleepless but we'll get there. She had to be on a bili light for 3 days and we are thankful that we are done with that and done with daily trips to the doctor for blood draws to check her bili levels. I am so thankful for all the fantastic help I have right now. Both of our moms have been very helpful with Ella, laundry, house and yard work, and chauffering all three of us girls to the doctor for 3 days. Of course, Kirk has been a terrific help too, always is but I didn't want to leave him out! Enough about our mundane life, on to the star of the show.....

All About Tenley Hope

Well, I've had a few requests for how it all went down. I actually wanted to write it all down right away so I don't forget the details. Here's Tenley's birth story:

On Tuesday afternoon I had an OB appointment where I found out I was 3cm dilated and 80% effaced. She told me that she'd be very surprised if I lasted another week. She also told me to expect a fast labor as Ella's was fast.



So, on my merry way I went home, excited that the end was near but not really expecting to have a baby too soon as I had 3 whole weeks until my due date. I got home did just a few things around the house, packed a few things for the hospital but not much as I desprately needed to do laundry, made my to do list for the next day and the next, then decided to put my hugely swollen feet up for the evening (per doc's orders) as I figured, "I have much to do tomorrow so I better rest up!"



A quick side story here before I continue.... on Monday night I had woken up in the middle of the night and had a random thought before falling back asleep. "What if my water broke while I was sleeping and I woke up and didn't know if I'd wet the bed or if my water had broken!" I sorta chuckled at that scenario, thinking to myself how silly, that wouldn't happen. After all, my water never broke on it's own with Ella, so why would I even think about that.





Back to Tuesday night.... I woke up at 4:15 am to turn over (it's quite a process you know!) and would you believe it! My water breaks at the exact moment I wake up. Definitely NOT pee! I said to Kirk, "Kirk! Wake up! My water just broke!" He jumps up and races to my side of the bed and askes what should he do? How should he help? My answer... I laughed and said "I don't know! I can't believe this! I have stuff I needed to do yet before she was born." I was a bit afraid to move as I was making a large mess so I just laid there for a few minutes in shock!



We threw some stuff in a bag, called Kirk's mom to come stay with Ella and headed to the hospital. We got there about 5:30 am. All the while still having gushes of fluid and still no contractions. Around 6 I was finally feeling a few mild contractions that were very sparatic and not painful, in fact they were hardly uncomfortable.



At 8:00am they started me on Pitocin to get my contractions going good. At 9:30 I got an epidural. Then my blood pressure dropped too low and caused the baby's heart rate to drop too low so they stopped the Pitocin for at least an hour to let the baby's heart rate stabilize and gave me some medicine to get my pressure up. Then started me back up again on the Pitocin. At noon I was dilated 7cm and to 10 about 15 minutes later and by 12:31pm..... (drum roll) Tenley Hope was born!! Still a fast delivery, although the doctor thought it'd be quicker, but if you don't count the 4 hours I didn't have any contractions then it's plenty fast for me!! It was really an easy delivery.



We were so thankful everything was ok, apparently only 10-15% of women's water breaks with out any contractions and it's even less common to go that long with no contractions at all. Of course they told us this after it was all said and done so we weren't freaking out at all. I was especially relieved to know she was ok because Tenley was VERY lazy in the womb and didn't move much at all so in the back of my mind I was always a bit concerned that something maybe wrong even though the doctor and ultrasounds always said she looked great.

SHE'S HERE!!!

Guess who decided to come 3 weeks early!?!?

Tenley Hope, that's who!

10/20/10 12:31 pm 7 lbs. 7 oz. 19 inches long

perfectly beautiful in everyway!

It's ok, we were pretty excited to meet our newest little sweetheart anyway!

Don't you love her cheeks!

My favorite girlies! They look so much alike! I am so thirlled that they have each other. I can't wait to see what this sister thing is all about.

Thank you, Father, for another sweet blessing!

Ella-isms

Oh my sweet Ella Baby! Not so much a baby really. This girl is such a chatterbox! Seriously, I can't make this stuff up, folks! Here are a few recent things that have made me laugh.




During lunch I say a little prayer with Ella and usually end it with something like "and please bring Daddy home safe today" then Ella usually adds her "God bless...." usually it's for her cousins, aunts, uncles, and sometimes names a few friends. Well, on this particular day Ella chimes with much sincerity.....

"Please help with Daddy's boogers."

(Now, maybe I should add that Kirk doesn't have a problem with this but maybe Ella's prayer is preventative.)

Oh how I love the heart of a child! The Lord does ask us to bring every care to His feet doesn't He?

Tonight, Ella was a little gassy and her commet sure made us giggle....

"I tootin right and left!"

She also lifted up her shirt tonight to tell me that she has a baby in her tummy just like mommy does.

Faith Like a Child

Ella said to me in the car today....

"Mommy, I wanna see Jesus."

Me too, Sweet Baby, me too and it's my fervent prayer and heart's desire that you will.

"But Jesus called them to him, and said, suffer little children to come to me, and forbid them not for of such is the kingdom of God."

Luke 18:16

Big Girl Room

We've been making a fuss over Ella's new room for weeks and she's loved playing in her new room and on her bed......

But then Monday came and with it sleeping in her big girl bed. I thought she'd be excited but she just looked concerned and very uncertain. "I sleep in big girl room?" she'd say to us. All in all it's gone ok. Lots of tears the first few nights and waking up once during the night. Tonight was the first time with no tears. She's adjusting to it but is still uncertain but hasn't asked to go back to her crib. Her new room is much bigger than the nursery and has vaulted ceilings so I can see how it feels a bit scary to a 2 year old.


I still have yet to decorate her room and move some toys in so I might post pics of her room when it's done. A huge thanks to my sweet dad for painting all the furniture for me.

Here's my sleeping beauty!

Can you find Ella? I promise she's in there... somewhere surrounded by pillows and stuffed animals. She looks so tiny in a double bed. (Someday the girls will share this bed)

Reading her favorite book with Daddy

Saying her prayers. I'm not sure who looks cuter... Ella or Kirk! :)

Too Two Cute!!!

HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY ELLA NAOMI!!

I can't believe how fast the last 2 years have gone. My mind keeps going back 2 years ago to the first moment I had all alone with Ella. Family hadn't arrived yet and Kirk was off finding something to eat. So there I sat, a new mommy, holding a tiny little black-haired girl. The only thing my exhausted self could think was "now what." Now, I sit here and think how did we survive with out her? Ella has been God's sweetest gift to us. The joy she's brought to our home is indescribable. It's so humbling that God sees us as worthy parents to raise her. But oh how blessed we feel. Two years ago, when we brought Ella home from the hospital my song for that moment was Chris Rice's version of It Is Well With My Soul. The 3 of us must have listened to that song a hundred times in our first few weeks as a family. The peace and closeness of God was overwhelming at that time in my life and all came wrapped tight in a tiny 6lb. 10 oz. package. Today, I look at my 2 year old amazed at how far she's come and wondering what all I'll see her do in my life time. Thank you Father, for this blessing called motherhood.




Ok, enough of my sentimental stuff.... on to the party!! And what a party it was!

Ella absolutely loved being sung to and blowing out her candles.

We had a beach themed party.

Ella would grab a gift and say Happy Birthday and tear into it.

A turtle sandbox and some new jammies

Every little girl needs a pony, although I am still waiting for mine!

A motorcycle of her very own. She loves motorcycles.

Of course she got much much more from all our families. This is just a sample of the things she got. She really got spoiled rotten this birthday but I can't think of a little girl more deserving! ;) Ella got a bit overwhelmed about 1/3 of the way thru all the gifts. It's hard for a 2 year old to understand the whole here's a toy now don't play with it and open another gift thing.