Thursday, March 14, 2013

One Month Old

     Matt is one month old!!!  I feel like he should be older than that because it seems forever ago that he made his arrival.  It's funny how I cannot remember life without either of my children really-- it seems they were a part of me from the very start.  Matt is such a GOOD baby still, which I am so thankful for because having two children has kept me very busy.  Stephen has been traveling some, and I am so happy that I have my parents nearby to help me out when he is gone.  We went for his 1 month visit today and he weighed in at 9lb 12oz and was 21 inches long!  That is 50% for weight and height!  He is eating good still and will hopefully learn to sleep for longer periods of time in the VERY near future...  He doesn't have a "favorite" brand of pacifier yet and has found his thumb twice, he is happiest when he is in someone's arms, and he smiles all the time.   Emily adores him but we have had to keep them separated a good bit since she can't seem to stay healthy!  I guess that is going to be our new normal for awhile but I would appreciate him NOT catching anything until he is at least 2 months old...  Here are some pictures from over the past month, not in chronological order...

First time he found his thumb!
SMILING!
Staring at his new carseat toys...
Watching Matt get a sponge bath-- She cried because he cried!
Meeting his GG!
Swinging and sleeping...
One Month Old!
Sister Love
Tiny Smile
In awe of each other
This was the day of his first doctor's appointment when he was only 5 days old
About a week old... 
All wrapped up and awake!  He is NOT a fan of being swaddled and  sleeps better when his arms are out. 
Playing on Emily's old giraffe mat.
Have to have some crying pictures!  :)

Monday, February 25, 2013

Happy Birthday Matt!

February 13th, 2013 ~ 10:02pm
8 lbs and 20 inches   

     After contracting on and off regularly and irregularly for a week and a half, I was more than ready to have Matt any day.  Stephen and I arrived at the hospital as scheduled for my 39 week checkup.  I had previously spoken with my doctor about an induction around my 2/18 due date, and we had decided to talk about it at my appointment that day and schedule an induction when he was on call.  Knowing we had talked about doing an induction, our bags were packed in the car (just in case) which was a good thing since...  he sent us over to Labor & Delivery to have a baby!!!  I was checked into my room around 10:30am and was started on Pitocin by noon.  I responded well to pitocin with Emily so I had high hopes to respond well with Matt.   My progression was slow though and I started to think that Matt was actually going to be born on Valentine's day.  My awesome nurse had some tricks to help me progress faster and after she left her shift at 7pm, I was checked and had progressed quite fast from 5cm to 8cm in about 2 hours!  Another hour later and I was pushing!  Not only did my epidural work this time (Thank you!), but I only pushed for 40 minutes!
     Stephen Matthews Poole, III, arrived into this world at 10:02pm, sunny side up and crying.  He is the spitting image of his Daddy and I remember saying so the second I saw his beautiful face.  He is already following in his sister's footsteps and weighed in exactly at 8lbs and 20 inches.  It is hard to believe that both of my babies were the exact same size!  When does that EVER happen??  My recovery was so much easier this time around probably for multiple reasons (i.e. working epidural, shorter delivery, running after a 2 year old, etc), and as for the baby--  he is pretty much the complete opposite of his little sister.  He eats SO good, his bilirubin (jaundice) levels stayed low enough that he didn't need lights, he already sleeps 4 to 5 hour stretches at night, he only cries when he's hungry/needs changing/gets in his carseat, and he seems to just be a very laid back baby overall.   Maybe this is just the newborn stage still, but unless my memory fails me, Emily was sassy from day one!  It's a good thing he is easy going since he has Miss Sassy Pants as his big sister!   Here are some pictures below from the hospital.  Please keep us in your prayers as we continue to figure out how to balance our lives as a family of four!

All checked in and ready to have a baby!

Waiting for Matt...

Stephen Matthews Poole 1, 2, and 3
Stephen, Matt, and Steve

Tired and Worth it

One of his few awake moments at the hospital

Meeting Big Sister for the first time!

One of my favorites, and he has his new "bobby" (paci) that his big sister gave him.

Showing off her buttons

Matt and Emi

Going HOME!

Mommy and Matt

Precious baby boy

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Waiting on Baby

     I thought he was going to be here on Monday after contracting regularly starting around 3am, but my contractions stopped that evening never really progressing... same thing in the middle of the night on Wednesday, but they stopped again!  Now we are just playing the waiting game!  His room is finished (minus my glider chair which will not arrive until after he is here),  my bags are packed, the car seat base installed, I'm sleep deprived, and we are anxiously awaiting his appearance.  This will be my last posting before his arrival... :)  We spent the day today walking hills with my mom and celebrating my Dad's birthday with some home cooking!  Who knows, maybe that will do the trick and he can be born on his Grandpa's birthday tomorrow!  ;)  Pictures of the nursery below...  Please say a prayer for an easy, uncomplicated delivery and healthy mom and baby!

Awesome paintings above his crib from his Nini!
All of the animals and the Dog rocker are from Emily...
Emily went through her books and gave MANY of them to  "baby Matt".  It's a good things because her bookshelf is still FULL...  And the picture above the bookshelf is one I painted for Stephen in college!
Changing table with pin board and his letters I painted!
This is where the glider will go...
A FULL closet!  Clothes up to 12months (mainly thanks to my sweet nephew), and diapers for at LEAST 4 months!  Antique club hanging over the closet was from my Grandpa's collection.
Close up of his sports letters!

Sunday, January 27, 2013

My Baby Shower!

Part of my gift from my wonderful hosts
and made by my friend at the Pink Door Designs!

     My sweet co-workers hosted an awesome baby shower for me a few weeks ago.  I received everything under the sun for our little boy who may now arrive any day since I've hit the 37 week mark!!!  His room is still not QUITE complete, but it will get there eventually...  When I was pregnant with Emily, her room was done around 28 weeks I think!  I am feeling okay, just battling a lot of sleeplessness due to reflux and just plain being uncomfortable.  But only 3 weeks left to go at the most!  Here are some pictures from my baby shower-- Thank you Emily, Stephanie, and Leann for hosting!  I love my NICU family!

My sweet girl was also a guest of honor
YUMMY cupcake tower!
Emily opening up a big sister gift- so sweet of the hosts!
Helping me open up the gifts!
Another big sister present!
It was her favorite...

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

New Years and My 30th!

       Stephen, Emily, and I rang in the new year (between my work days) with fried turkey, mac-n-cheese, COLLARDS, and BLACK EYED PEAS!  My parents came over and we had a great new year's day lunch!  I made sure that all of my Christmas decorations were out of the house seeing as I have a superstitious husband who had in turn, made me superstitious as well.  I can't believe 2013 is here and that the baby will be here soon!!!  I am maybe a "rarity" in that I do not enjoy being pregnant necessarily but I am very excited about having  our second (and last) baby!
     Four days after New Years.... I turned T-H-I-R-T-Y years old!  It is such a nice, round number isn't it??  I can't believe still that I am 30.  I had a fun time celebrating with my family and enjoyed my many facebook messages from friends.  I don't have any pictures really from my birthday since I forgot my camera card, but here are two pictures of my princess....  Trying to soak up as much time with her before the baby arrives!

Sidewalk Chalk on a WARM January Day

Princess Emily
(her beautiful hair is under her necklace... I have not cut it!)

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Christmas 2012



Dear Santa,
I would like a pink tricycle,
 a pink and purple camera,
 and clothes for Christmas.
Love Emily

     Emily was so excited about Santa Claus this year and then woke up with a fever Christmas morning...poor baby!  Thankfully she was still able to enjoy MOST of the day despite not feeling very well.  Stephen was also sick with a fever and sinus infection and then to top it all off, I was blessed with a little GI bug that night!  Needless to say, I hope to not experience another Christmas day that like in the future!  Santa did bring Emily everything on her list plus a mop, broom, a train, and a necklace that he hung on the tree!  LOTS of pictures below of our Christmas festivities!

Lights before Christmas at Riverbanks Zoo!
Making Christmas Cookies!
She loved adding quite A LOT of sprinkles to each cookie...
The best part of cookie making!

Opening presents at Nini and Bop's House!

Daddy got a new "Hat" :)

Tacky Christmas Sweater Poole Family Christmas!
Stephen dressed up as Cousin Eddie...
Licking the beaters after frosting a cake for Jesus's birthday!
Happy Birthday Jesus!
Thumbprint Cookies for Santa and Carrots for the Reindeer! 
Finally a smile on Christmas morning!
Tricycle!!!
Mommy on Christmas Day!  32 Weeks Pregnant.
Aunt Rie helped Emily open up her presents at Grandma and Grandpa's!
Trying to peek into the top of her present...
Was occupied the rest of the evening... LOVES her new dollhouse.


Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!  
Looking forward to 2013 and a little baby boy... :)