Was today, about 3 weeks late…

In this corner, weighing in at a massive 20 lbs. 6 oz., and 28 3/4 inches long, we have Ayla “Dimples” Stehly!!!

Wow.  Big gal, this one is.  She has now surpassed what Autumn weighed at 12 months.  She is stretching some of her 12 month outfits to the max.  Hopefully she will slow down on her weight gain since she’s eating so many meals with us, and the doctor concurred with that…

 

Holy Cow! Or should I say, Holy Mom’s Milk!

Ayla went in this morning for a quick appointment for one vaccine (we spread them out liberally)… they weighed her in at 18 lbs 14 oz.  She has gained TWO POUNDS in one month!!!

Wowza… maybe her newfound interest in our food will slow her weight gain down a little – not that I need to, but WOW!  

Daddy took us to the Mongolian Barbeque today to help me get over my depression about the boys leaving… Ayla could NOT get enough crab.  So we have another little seafood eater here.  We’re thrilled, it’s so good for her to eat healthy seafood, and we love it so much as a family.  So she enjoyed lots and lots of crab, some salmon, and my rice with Thai Peanut sauce (I think?  Teryaki and Peanut sauce makes it Thai, I believe).  She’s such a happy eater!

Now… onto the boys’ room to find 4 month old bowls of cereal and 10 month old cans of soda, I’m sure…

Wowza.

Ayla had a two week appt yesterday – this is new, none of my others ever went in this early… but I digress…

Remember at birth she weighed 8 lbs 5.6 oz.  Beautiful, perfect baby.  As is normal, in 24 hours she lost a few ounces, only shy of three – so down to 8 lbs. 3 oz.

At her 15 day appt, she weighed… 9 lbs. 14 oz.!!!  Girlfriend gained an extraordinary and wonderful amount of weight… and she’s exclusively breastfed right now!  I haven’t begun supplementing formula on a regular basis yet!  90th percentile, for all that’s worth.  Both her big brothers followed this pattern too!  I guess Autumn will be my only “petite” widdle one…

Holy cow – literally!  Mama’s got some good milk a goin’, I guess! LOL!

Anyways, she got a completely clean bill of health – she’s perfect!  I must’ve done something right, for God to bless me with yet another great nurser, fantastic sleeper, peaceful and content little one…

 

She may only be 10 days old, but Ayla may by far be the most mellow of all of my babies… maybe I just breed ‘em that way!

I think I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve heard her cry (that’s if I’m not fast enough in grabbing her when she stirs), she nurses like a champ, sleeps phenomenally snuggled between me & Daddy (or me & Autumn & Daddy!), and is just so perfectly beautiful. 

I do truly thank God every day for four perfect little human beings, all healthy, happy, and loved so much it hurts.

Yes, I’m bragging.  I deserve to.  I’m old.  I have had my fourth baby at 40.  I am woman, hear me roar.

 

I promise I won’t update everyday… lol!

We took Ayla to our family doc (she’s our “pediatrician”) yesterday for her 24 hour check up – that’s done in the hospital for moms that stay, but since we left we had to sign a letter “promising” to take her within 48 hours to our own doctor… and of course Dr. S. got us in right away.  Everything checked out perfect, she’s only lost 3 oz. since her birthweight and the way she’s nursing I anticipate her gaining that back very very soon!

Dr. S. can’t do the initial hearing screening or the PKU, but we’re heading out today or tomorrow for it at a separate lab that does these for moms that don’t stay in the hospitals or go to birthing centers.  None of theses tests are rushes, so we’re taking our time.  The baby doc at the hospital was so cool – he was an “elderly” man, so I figured he would be very old school, but when he came in to sign Ayla out at about 10:00 a.m., he agreed that the plethera of tests given so soon are really not such a rush… he even agreed that we were right in declining the first HepB shot they like to give right away! 

I stopped in to talk to my OB (in the same office) and she said that she really wishes more moms took responsibility for themselves.  She really thinks a lot stay because they don’t ask, for one (duh!!!) and two, they lack the confidence to just get up and DO something.  She truly thinks they’re “programmed” to be incapacitated and believe they must be in bed for 48 hours.  Now don’t get me wrong – those that choose to stay are right in making that choice, and those that do have complications during labor have EVERY RIGHT to cater to themselves! Oh yeah!

Although – she did tell me she wanted me to adhere to the “no sweeping/laundry/lifting more than 10 lbs” for 2 weeks “rule” this time – because of my age!  Awww, twist my arm, I say, as hubby is right now sweeping the living room!

Anyways, I haven’t had a chance to personally thank everyone that’s emailed me – your wishes were all received and all truly appreciated.  Ayla is beautiful, just perfect, everything we imagined.  I had the childbirth I planned and prepared for, was home, showered and comfortable and Ayla was visiting with her grandparents in under 6 hours, what more can I ask for?  She’s sleeping in our family bed with Daddy and I, nursing virtually non-stop (which is wonderful!), and seems to be thriving… although it’s weird to realize she is just now slightly over 48 hours old!  I’m truly enjoying what very possibly will be my last baby (sniffle) but we shall see…

 

Hugs and love to all of you!

We’re home with Ayla!  She was the first baby born at our hospital for 2008 – we made out with da gifts!

My water broke at about 3:00 a.m. this morning, and I deliberated going to the hospital because I wasn’t having contractions… but we called the doc and based on my history of labor, she told us to head on in just for giggles…  Got there at 3:30 or so… contractions started at 5:00 a.m., Ayla joined us after three pushes at 5:50 a.m. – au natural, as planned! 

We were discharged at 10:30 a.m. and are at home cuddling our new one… I will post pics here as soon as Daddy is done taking them – he’s going a little nuts! LOL!

Here she is at 5.5 hours old, safe and sound at home:

Thanks for reading, not very exciting I know… lol… so Ayla Kendra joined us 01/01/08 at 5:50 a.m., weighing a wonderful 8 lbs. 5.6 oz. with a head circumference of 14.5″ and a length of 19.5″.

I’m so thrilled to be holding her – finally!!!!!!!

34 week appt… sigh.

 

Well, I have jinxed myself by saying how uneventful and wonderful this pregnancy has been… lol!

I have only gained about 13 lbs. this time – quite the change from the 60+ with the other three!  Yay!  I have “measured (fundal) right on track” for Ayla right every appointment.  My blood pressure is near-death, pregnant or not…

Today at my appointment my blood pressure was a little high.  All of the sudden I’ve jumped two weeks “ahead” on my measurements… and doc is concerned about my exhaustion and my leg.  Instead of two weeks, she wants me back next week.  She has given me permission to travel Thursday, but obviously if Ayla isn’t here by Christmas Day, I’m not traveling then.

Sigh.  We always figured Ayla would come a little early – December 4th is my “earliest” for maximum safety and the least amount of time spent in the hospital (I’ll ask to go home immediately again).  Guess I need to rest some, let the boys take care of me, and hope for a few more weeks!!!

Great 28 week appt today!!

 

The cysts found on Ayla’s brain at the 20 week u/s are gone.  She’s at about 3 lbs (for what that’s worth) and the university doesn’t want to see me back again… yay!  No more “AMA growth scans”… this is the latest I’ve ever had an U/S so seeing some of the detail was amazing.. we watched her “breathe” and “drink”…

 

 

It was neato…