new blog

I realized while making birth announcements that having people read about Maeve at elenagray wasn't going to fly! Check out our new blog at www.elenaandmaeve.blogspot.com! That's where we'll be posting about our girls from now on!

A few more details...

These were taken on Sunday and Monday, before we knew we were having a baby Tuesday!

Elena and Daddy trying out Daddy's new ergo carrier
Helping daddy with the laundry

Being silly with mama

Now on to Maeve...

While in Toys R Us Monday (looking for a black baby doll with a soft body and teeth), I felt a small gush of fluid. Then twice more that afternoon. I went to the doctor, and found out my water had broken. They give you (supposedly) 24 hours, which would be 12:30 Tuesday afternoon. He thought my contractions would start in the night Monday night. They didn't, so we went in to induce on Tuesday. I really wanted to go all natural, and did until 6:00 that night when I went to the OR for my c-section. One extreme or the other, I guess. I just couldn't get her out, and her heartrate kept dropping. God knew better than I, because the one big risk with VBAC is uterine rupturing, and it ended up I did have several tears that they found during the c-section that caused quite a bit of blood loss. I was conscious for this one, which is an improvement on Elena's birth. Anyway, they also managed to get approved to tie my tubes, so that is the end of Sprinkle-Tappan biological babies!

This one is lovely, though, and tiny. She looks so much like Elena did at this age. Same nose, same mouth, same face shape. Dark eyes and hair, though not shaped exactly the same. She weighed 5 and a half pounds, was 18 inches long, and did really well for such a small baby (9-9 on her apgar). Better than we could hope. The pediatrician this morning had already made rounds at several hospitals, and said she was the healthiest baby she'd seen all day, even at her small size. She is showing her independence already and only wants to nurse on one side and likes to be held all the time! Elena is doing better than we could ever hope so far. She adores the baby, calls her "sister" and "maize" and asks her "how are you?", which is too cute. She kisses her and has been very gentle with almost no prompting so far. She likes to show people her baby and make them hold her, and she asks often to hold her too. So, good so far. We'll see how she does tomorrow at home! She also went to Build a Bear and made her a bear that she named "sit". Maeve has been around less than 24 hours, but so far is very mellow and sleeps quite a lot. We've had lots of fun with our girls so far, and it has been wonderful to be so close to the house. Our parents and siblings all came to see her last night, and have been exceptionally helpful with Elena and not leaving me alone at the hospital while Chris is with Elena, which is particularly great since we weren't quite expecting her yet and hadn't gotten everything in order. (though, I'm a planner so we did have some random things in order, but not things like the bassinet)

Anyway, we are looking forward to going home tomorrow. My recovery from this c-section is going so much better than the last, so it's nice to think about going home early. I miss my big girl! And, regular internet connection. This one is terrible and goes in and out, which is why it's taken so long to get a post up. We started working on this one last night, and have worked on it probably 10 times today. It's mostly pictures of different famiy members with the baby. We'll try to get more close ups and more of Elena and Maeve in the next few days.

Here is my birthing tub. We thought it was hilarious. I spent lots of the day in it yesterday, and Chris was in it too for a little while. And, we get to take it home!

Right after being born!

Meeting her big sister

Pictures with everyone!

Aunt Avery

Elena and daddy

Nana

Mimi

Lots of girls!

A sort of close up

with mama

With Uncle Nathan-Avery took a full length since Maeve looked so tiny here

With Grandpa

With Uncle Cliff and Aunt Pam-they'll need the practice for next Spring!

With poppy

That's all for now-we'll get more posted soon and include some close ups! Thanks for your prayers for our sweet girl!

she's here

At 6:48pm today, Celia Maeve made her external world debut at 5lbs 8 oz and 18 inches. Mom and newbie are doing well, and big sis Elena seems to like her. More info, pics, etc, tomorrow. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers.

maeve

It looks like Maeve will be making her debut early. As in, tomorrow. Or tonight. My water broke today. Pray that my contractions will start on their own and I won't have to have anything to augment it, or a c-section. And for us mentally as we weren't expecting her quite yet. And for her, that she's healthy since she's four days shy of 37 weeks. And for Elena to adjust. Thanks. We'll update when there's something to let you know!

Thanksgiving pics

We just got back tonight from Thanksgiving/Christmas in Mt. Washington, and I thought I'd go ahead and load this week's pictures.

These are from Wednesday morning-she figured out that raspberries would go on her fingers like hats on her own. She was pretty proud of herself. After baby class Elena and I went to Fantasy of Trees. She liked looking at things, but was a little unsure. She did, however, LOVE listening to the kids sing and tried to do all their movements along with them.

Out of order-reading with Aunt Pam

Very happily eating a candy cane, which she's requested numerous times since.

Listening to kids sing. Other people took her picture too-she was so into it.

Riding the carousel before it started-after it started moving, she just wanted to pet the horse, but not sit on it.

Riding in the kids section

Opening her stocking with Nana

Aunt Pam and Uncle Cliff got her a box of kid sized sports balls. That's probably good practice, since we don't currently own any of them even in adult sizes.

Grandma trying on some of Elena's new dress up clothes

She's still into being the "baby" and being wrapped up.

We went to a children's museum. One child, 6 adults. She had a good time, though, and liked playing pretend, climbing steps, and painting.

Reading a book this morning with Grandma and Nana

Grandma gave her this rolling pin that her great grandfather had made (grandma is her great grandmother). Leni mostly enjoyed tasting it.

Teaching Uncle Cliff how to jump off the stool.

Painting at the children's museum

At the top of the fort with Uncle Cliff at the children's museum

That's all for now-I'm sure I"ll have more from other people soon! I didn't take pictures the whole time, but between us, there were lots more taken. We had a great time and it was nice to have time to visit. Next time we see them, we'll be a little busier with two!