MommyHood :)

I know I know it has been FOREVER since I've posted something...August of 2010 to be exact! I'm going to try to do better at posting.

So lets start with my latest role in life.....I'm a MOMMY :) It is the greatest joy I have ever felt.

Lets see....my water broke around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday, October 17, 2010! We had gone to bed around 11 the night before and I was woken up thinking that I waited to long to get and go to the bathroom, just to discover it was my water breaking. I finally stood in the bathtub, yes the bathtub and starting yelling for Eric but due to having the ceiling fan and the table fan blowing towards the bed (I was VERY hot natured!) he didn't hear me sooooo I banged on the bathroom wall and bless his heart he came running towards the bathroom eyes barely open and a look a fear in his eyes! Once he realized what was happening we called all the parents..or tried to call them all nobody answered when we called and of course my mother had her cell phone turned OFF! Eventually everyone was told and was shortly on there way to VA! It is about a 4-5 hour drive for everyone. So I'm still standing in the bathtub refusing to get out because I'm waiting for the big "waterfall" of my water breaking like you see in movies, but that never happened to me. But I'm still waiting for it so I probably stood in the bathtub for at least 30 minutes as Eric is running around trying to pack stuff..cause yes we did NOT have our hospital bag packed! I was not expecting to go 2 1/2 weeks early and I had just ordered stuff from Old Navy to put in our hospital bag and it was due to arrive that Monday! Anyway so Eric's trying to run around and pack stuff and trying to convince me to get out of the bathtub at the same time ha! He put like 2 towels on the front seat of my car so I could sit and not destroy my seat. We arrive to the hospital get checked in and then its basically sit and wait after that. They wanted to get movement from Emma but she was refusing to wake up that early the nurse even gave me a pepsi thinking that would wake her up, especially since I don't drink soda (mainly water) I thought it would definitely wake her up, but it didn't! She didn't wake up until around 6 or 7a.m. Oh well! :) Eric kept trying to fall back asleep on the couch in the room...oh and the room, we lucked out and got there in time to get the "big room" as they call it! Its the only maternity room that has the bathroom/shower in the actual room! I was excited for that because it would SUCK to have to walk down the hall every time I had to pee or wanted to shower! Anyway so by 8 or 9 a.m. all of our family had made it to the hospital. Not much going on just sitting and waiting for Emma to arrive. By this point my contractions were barely there and were very manageable. Then they wanted to give me pitocin (sp?) to induce contractions. So around 11-12 I started to notice the contractions were coming quicker and more painful. Of course everyone said I was doing really well with them...because all of our family was in our room while I was contracting. They said that every time I was having a contraction I would curl my toes! I don't remember that, but I do remember holding on to the bed and closing my eyes! After a few hours of this and the doctor/nurses coming in and checking on how far along I was by 5 p.m. I was only 4 centimeters!! Dr. Reason told me Emma was still sitting very high and that it seemed that the best thing right now was to get a c-section! I was VERY nervous because I had gone in with all intentions to do a natural birth. But after what 15 1/2 hours of contractions and very little sleep I decided if the doctor thinks its best than I can manage. So I was prepped and ready for surgery, it felt so weird to be sitting there holding Eric's hand and then hearing Emma's cry! I was soooo HAPPY!!!!!!!! They brought her to Eric and he put in my face so I could see her and kiss her! :) The greatest moment in my life!

Emma Faye Lawrence

Born: October 17, 2010

6:51 p.m.

7.7 pounds

20 inches

Shore Memorial Hospital, Nassawadox, VA

This picture below is her first trip to the doctor's office

Side Note: I only had "morning sickness" around week 12 through 16, which sucked! I didn't need to be sent to the hospital but I came close during one week the doctor almost wanted to send me for dehydration! But I forced myself to eat and drink. It was probably the HOTTEST summer EVER. Pre-Pregnancy I was already hot-natured--ask any of my friends and family, but last summer was just unbearable! Towards the end of the pregnancy it was really uncomfortable to sleep at night, never could find a good position, it seemed no matter which position I got in my throat and stomach would start burning-heart burn! Around the last month I had allergic reaction to something (not sure what) but caused a major rash and crazy itch that lasted like 2 weeks--it was HORRIBLE! But luckily it wasn't that pregnancy rash that some women get and the only cure is giving birth!! That's just ridiculous! Oh also another wonderful thing that happened to me in the last month....CANKLES! Oh that was attractive! After birth my legs and ankles were completely swollen and it was painful! I kept telling Eric that I could deal with the recovery of my surgery, but the stupid swelling was unnecessary! The doctor said that would go away anywhere between 2-4 weeks after surgery. Well it finally went away around I think the 3rd week! I was SOOOO thrilled to look down and see my actual ankles! It almost made me feel like my legs/ankles were skinnier than pre-pregnancy but it was just due to seeing them soooo big for so long ha! Well I gained a total of 30 pounds exactly during the pregnancy and by my first visit back to the ob for my check-up (3 weeks after Emma was born) I had lost ALL the baby weight! Yes be jealous! BUT don't get me wrong just because I lost the weight doesn't mean I lost the belly! That is just a little bit about what was happening with me during the pregnancy!

Picture is from January 2011

January 2011--visiting Eric at work :)

Now we are at present day! Emma is almost 5 months old...WOW the time has flown by! She is such a happy baby! She LOVES her daddy and everything he does makes her smile! I could do the exact same thing but for some reason its funnier when he does it :) Lets just say that Emma has her daddy wrapped around not just one but all his fingers!! We have also been very lucky to not have sleepless nights. Emma LOVES to sleep! She started sleeping through the night around a month in a half! She goes to bed by 11 p.m. and wakes up anywhere between 6-8 a.m.! Told you we are very lucky! Plus she likes to nap during the day! She has learned how to grab a hold of her ear and YANK! She has a little grip too! She loves watching tv and listening to music! I like to think that her favorite movie is Beauty and the Beast...its one of my favorite and she focuses on that one more than she does with the other movies I've put in. But I think she likes it when there is music in the movies. She has also been able to hold her head up for quite some time now. Even when she was just a month old or so you would hold her on your chest and she would lift her head up to look around...I called her a little nosey buddy :) She loves to stand--of course not on her own, but when she's standing her little legs stiffen right up! She is also a great traveler! After she was a month we took our first trip back to Carteret County and we only stopped once and we were only 30 minutes away from home! Even now at almost 5 months we either have to stop once or sometimes not at all and that's a 4 1/2 hour drive! Ohhhh and on a funny note you will almost always know when she's pooping..yes I said poop! Because she grunts and turns red in the face HAHA! So lady like! She's very gassy too :) She loves for us to make farting noises with our mouths..for some reason that will almost always make her smile :) Which is the best! When she smiles you can't help but smile!

Oh and I swear she's never going to go without love.....both of our families are totally wrapped!! They all love her SOOOOO very much and hate that we live as far away as we do. I hate it too!

Well I think for now this is going to be my post. I will leave you with one of my favorite lyrics in a song and a couple of pictures:

"Everyone that sees you always wants to know you,

And everyone that knows you always has a smile

You're a standing ovation after years of waiting

For a chance to fall and shine

Everyone calls you amazing, I just call you mine."

First Valentines Day :) It was also BEAUTIFUL outside so we sat outside :)

March 2011--she was helping me with laundry :)

Also have to give a shout out to a couple of my best friends: Kathryn and Lauren CONGRATULATIONS! Baby Rosado due at the beginning of September and Baby Hancock due at the end of September! :) :) :) :) I'm SOOOO THRILLED for both of them! Can't wait for you guys to enjoy all the wonderful moments. Even when they don't seem wonderful at the time you still will want to cherish every second! :) Time flies by! Love you both!