Such a mess

Avett Murphy, I put you to bed two hours ago and I still hear you chattering away in your room with your sister about something.  You must be on Colorado time still.  

You are such a cute little punk! A couple of weeks ago you stuck gum in your hair. GUM! I suppose it's a rite of passage in childhood for some kids.  You are such a mess.  Luckily your Auntie Kayla was here to give you a nice haircut to remedy this situation, a much better job than your mom could do for sure, sorry buddy! 

I just love you so much, and you love me so much.  You are 'handsome like daddy' and you are so sweet. You say the best things these days and you know all the words and the tune to I am a child of God by heart. It melts me to hear you sing it. We will start potty training soon, wish me luck! Thanks for making me laugh with the funniest faces I've ever seen. 

our 2 year old boy

Yesterday our boy turned two! We had such a sweet day with him. We started out the day by going up to his room and throwing yellow balloons in his crib while he had his morning "cha-nuk".

He came downstairs and opened his presents: a truck, Halloween socks, spiky balls, a Nutella and breadsticks snack, new boots, and a pair of pants.  He played with the truck all day! 

We went to church and I made brownies to share with his little friends in nursery and they gave him a blue balloon with his name and age on it.

We we got home John's parents came over and we had lunch together and they gave him a gift and then we spent the rest of the day outside while Pops and John played disc golf in the yard. They were practicing throwing and sharing tips. Shelley and I ate persimmons and chased the kids around.  Avett must have run at least 3 miles pushing his $1 big red truck all over the yard.

Avett is such a sweet little boy. He loves me so much and never hesitates to show it.  He loves kissing me and giving me hugs at any opportunity.  He is a naturally very affectionate child.  He loves his momma.  He wants to be touching me, in my arms, or snuggling.  He is also very active.  He loves anything but with wheels on it.

Some of his favorite things to say right now are: I changed my mind, cool huh?, and I strong. 

First thing in the morning while drinking his chocolate milk he will put his arm around the back of my neck like he is my boyfriend trying to make a move on me. I love it.

His answer to almost anything we say to him is "What?" or "Why?" 

He loves to pray and will interrupt almost anyone because he wants to pray too, he's even tried to do that at church during sacrament. He says, "Anem." at the end of prayers.

We love him so much and can't imagine life without our boy. 

We love you Avett!!

avett now

I don't want to jinx it but I feel like I may be on the other side with this kid. He has been so much happier lately. He comes to me so often and wraps his little arms around my neck just hugs and hugs me.  

He has always been a mama's boy but more so lately his favorite spot to be while playing is just to come find his way into my lap. He'll just plop himself right in between my legs and he'd play on the floor right there forever if I never moved.  

He is such a boy with his obsession of anything that has wheels or is shaped like a ball.  Our days aren't complete without playing trains, lots and lots of trains.

At night or naps when I put him in his crib always complete with his "melmo" and an assortment of blankets he reaches up for one more looonnngggg hug while drinking his water cup straight upon the air between his teeth, 'no-hands'.  Then we have a conversation while I peek through the door, "i wuv yew mama." "I wuv you Avett" in our deepest funniest voices. And then about 20 "night-night"s before I finally shut the door and he jabbers on for about an hour by himself.

He thinks he owns the refrigerator, I can't open it without him climbing right in and making himself at home on the stoop and then unloading all of the yogurts from the bottom shelf in to my hands.

He follows Evie around everywhere. 

His love language is most definitely touch.  He needs to be touched and touch quite a bit.  If he is sitting next to me he will grab my hand and hug it to his chest. It's the absolute best.

He is getting more and more fun by the day with newly learned words and funny faces. We love our crazy boy.

why

Oh dear Avett.  What do I do with you and what would I do with out you? 

You are a mess. An absolute stinker. A conundrum of some sort.  Do you know what you want? Because I don't.  Nearly 20 months together and you keep me on my toes every. blessed. day.

You are entering what i like to call: the parrot stage. You are mimicking phrases and sounds all of the time.  This week Evaleigh said "daughter" and you followed right along and said the same.  Yesterday I was trying to teach Evaleigh how to say a clear "v" on veil instead of "bail" as it was coming out.  

"V...v...v...veil." I would say and you would trail right along behind like my little echo. 

Your all time favorite word right now other than obviously "no", is "whyyyyy".  I think you've been absorbing your sisters form of communication a little too much. 

If we ask you to come inside you say, "why?" If we tell you to sit down you say, "why?"   It's much too much sass for any 20 month old.  Either you have great timing or really you do understand what we are saying.

Tonight on our family trip to Target to buy diapers your dad and I just got right in your face and started saying "why" over and over to you.  You just grinned slyly and looked away to the side.  You know you are a mess and you get away with it.

You say "uh oh" as loud as you can and then throw whatever you can on the ground.  You got it all backwards.

You. Climb. On. Everything.

You want nothing more than to sit in the refrigerator and pull out yogurts to hand me.  

You enjoy hitting me and then when i tell you, "be gentle to your mommy." You run my face ever so softly.

You sleep with lavender diffused in your room every night and you love to sniff it before going to sleep. You scrunch up your nose and it's the cutest.

We love each other a lot. A lot.

5 months

Avett Murphy!  I just don't know where to start with you. I never knew I could be so in love.  I am sitting here in the bedroom in the old blue rocker holding you while you sleep.  I don't get to do this very often because I am so busy during the day with your sister that when you do take your naps I have to lay you down in your crib.  You are SO heavy.  You are just a really solid mass of a baby.  You are so strong and you always like to do things early and fast and much too ahead of your age.  

You smile all of the time.  You are just about the flirtiest baby I've ever seen.  I love it.  You and your sister started laughing at each other about a month ago.  You watch her every move.  When she notices you looking at her she will start dancing or making noises and then you guys just start giggling together.  She wanted to hold you today and so I let her.  You are so big that she wanted you back off about a minute later.  But she said, "I love brother.  Teeny ears. Cute baby." I hope you will always be close.

You love to play with the baby wipes.  I can never keep you on your back.  You must be on your tummy at all times.  You started sitting up last month.  You put yourself to sleep for almost every single nap.  You love to pull the blanket up over your face when you are falling asleep.  It makes me so nervous so I always come back in after you fall asleep and take it off.  You are so good and easy going.

Everytime I pick you up from a nap you nuzzle in my neck and make an 'mmmm' sound.  I swear it sounds like you are saying mama sometimes.

I'm sorry I'm 3 months behind on your videos.  You and your sister keep me so busy that when nightime comes and you two are finally asleep all I want to do is hang out with your dad and relax.  I'll try and get to them soon.  

I am finally getting used to your bald head.  It strangely makes you look more like a baby as well as more grown up.  

You are such an amazing addition to our family. I can't believe we ever lived without you.  We are all so crazy about you and we love you.

bye bye mangy

I was not ready for this. A couple of days ago we shaved Avetts head.  His hair was full, dark, and precious when he was born and it hung around for a little while. But once he started rolling and wiggling around he started loosing most of it and all that was left was a long awkward Mohawk on top and a mullet down his neck in the back.  I tried to hold on as long as I could but the greasy comb over that always managed to work its way down the center of his forehead just wasn't working any more. 

So, it was with a heavy heart that we razor-ed it all off.  He sat perfectly still almost the whole time and shocked us both.  He seemed to be memorized by the sound of the buzzer.

I'm still not used to it.  The awkward hair was just sort of his thing, and honestly I miss that mangy do.  

off the charts

I can't even believe that is my two month old sitting in that chair.  He is enormous. Like not even on the growth charts enormous.  Yesterday at his two month appointment he weighed 16 pounds 9.5 ounces and he is 24.25 inches long.  I guess that's what you get when you have a 6 foot 3 husband.

Let me put it this way....earlier this week I had to pack up all of the newborn and 3 month clothing.  He now wears 6 month clothes.  There are so many cute things I had for him that he never even got to wear.  

He is smiling so much and is so interactive.  He loves when Evie gets right in his face and starts making noises and faces at him. 

Evie is obsessed with taking his socks off.  I keep having to put on new pairs during the day and then I come across little piles of socks where she throws them.  It's so weird.

He started sleeping through the night last week.  This is a total fluke and not because of anything I did. Evie didn't sleep through the night til well after she was a year old.  There are still a couple of nights he will wake up once but I am loving our schedule.

He has made life so much richer and more fun.  We adore him and there are moments I think I may squeeze him too hard because he's just so cute!

one day i'll be a year

Yesterday Evaleigh and I passed part of the rainy day away by watching all of her monthly videos.  It made me so happy to see how much she enjoyed them.  She sat there through all 12 monthly videos laughed at them and announced every person who popped up on to the screen that she knew.

I knew I had to do the same for Avett.  So here it is.  The wonderful beginning to Avett Murphy's life.  I wish I had more videos of Avett with his Grammy who was with us for 3 weeks after he was born.  She was an absolute life saver and I couldn't imagine doing those 3 weeks without her.  We love you so much Grammy!

Looking back at these videos I already can't believe how much he has changed (and grown!) 

Avett, you are enormous.  And adorable.  And so very happy.

one down

I just really can't believe a month passed by as quickly as it did.  Avett is such a happy addition to our family.  He is quite the record setter for weight and size.  He never even had the chance to wear newborn diapers, he went straight in to size ones at the hospital.  When he was two weeks old those were already too tight on him and John had to go buy size twos.  He skipped all of the newborn clothes we had and he is in 3 month clothes.  Those are already snugging up on him as of this week!  The fact that he spits up major after every feeding and I go through about 4 shirts everyday doesn't seem to affect his weight at all.  At his one month appointment he was 13 pounds and 9 ounces, his daddy is so proud. The pediatrician says that his growth curve isn't a curve at all, it's a straight up line.  If I move him at all when I nurse him he will growl at me, I've learned not to mess with his food.  He takes meal time very seriously.

He is starting to make little noises and is quite smiley. He seems more vocal than Evie was at this age.  He has the saddest chin quiver when he cries and when he stretches he shakes his fist at you like a little Italian guy.  He tolerates Evaleigh's hugs and kisses and violent seat swinging.  He loves the Bjorn and baths. He has a bad case of the second child syndrome.  Everyday you will find him in a pink swing, pink bibs, and his sisters hot pink cloth diaper cover.  We are building his character.

avett's birth story- part two

(part one here)

Dr. Dott came in and sat down on the end on the bed and broke my water.  Maybe this is weird but I loved the way it felt.  The water was the most wonderful warm temperature and it felt comforting.  There was a sense of release of pressure and with every contraction more water flowed out.  Dr. Dott said he would monitor my contractions for the next 15-20 minutes to see if things would start moving along.  The contractions started coming immediately.  Cindy asked me if I had received the Northside gift yet.  At that point I thought it was some sort of baby goody bag...diapers, samples of formula and what not.  Nope.  It was an enema.  I did not want that gift, but lucky for me what ensued in the following 5 minutes made Cindy think Avett was about to walk out of me so...no gift.

Cindy suggested that I go empty my bladder so I did.  But first she hooked me up to the telemetry monitors so I could move around and labor however I needed.  As soon as I sat down on the toilet the contractions started coming very strong. So much so that I had to ooh and ahh pretty loudly to get through them.  For a moment the sensations of the contractions were so intense I thought, "Oh my gosh, my baby might be born on a toilet."  I couldn't let that be Avetts story so  I knew I wanted to get back to the bed as soon as possible.  As soon as I could muster the strength I walked back to the bed and got in to the position that I would stay in for most of the rest of my labor.  Sitting up in the bed with pillows behind my back and my legs in the butterfly position felt the best, this position was my sanctuary.  I came prepapred to labor on the ball, walking, on all fours, pretty much whatever it took but nothing felt as good as sitting right there in that bed and concentrating through each contraction.  At one point I even tried to do the 'labor dance' with my arms around John's neck.  I just about ripped his shirt.  I was most calm when I could sit and close my eyes and think about relaxing breaths.

I prepared for the birth by using essential oils and listening to hypno birthing tracks.  I had a friend send me Doterra's Whisper oil and it helped me through the first few hours of labor.  For the last two months of my pregnancy I would dab the oil behind my ears and right under my nose and I would listen to the tracks during Evaleighs nap time.  It was so helpful to relate that smell with the deep relaxation I was able to feel during that time.  So, during my labor I started with the oil under my nose and on my chest and it helped me breathe deeply down in to the contractions.  It helped me to get in to a zone and I was able to concentrate on the smell as I inhaled and that was what my mind focused on more than the pain from the contractions.  In the beginning of labor I would close my eyes and just be silent during the contractions, Cindy could read just what I needed and always respected the silence that I needed during those times.  Towards the end there were a couple of contractions that I could hear her praying me through them. She would always remind me to keep relaxing and to breathe slowly. 

Most of the time when a contraction would come I would either want to hold John and Cindy's hands and squeeze them.  A few hours in to labor I started tickling johns hand or massaging it through the contractions.  Those contractions weren't nearly as painful as when I would tense and squeeze the life out of johns hand.  As long as I focused on staying relaxed things were bearable.

Time was such a funny thing during labor.  Every once in a while I would open my eyes and glance at the clock but the minutes and hours felt the same.  John would come to my side, Cindy would feed me some ice chips, Dr. Dott would come in and check on me.  John was right by my side at the first sound of any little noise I made.  He was so patient with my requests.  For a few contractions he would look at the monitor and tell me as the contraction climbed and then descended.  At one point I said (probably very rudely) ,"Don't tell me when they are starting, I only want to know when they start coming down!"  There were times I would want to hold his hand and then as soon as we touched I couldn't stand it and I would tell him not to touch me.  Another time as I was in transition I grabbed a blanket from behind my head and threw it across the room.  He just looked in to my eyes and told me I could continue on and that I was doing a great job.  The truth is I didn't know what I wanted.  My body took over and it was like a train going down a hill with no breaks.  Everything was forging ahead powerfully and all I could do was take the ride.

Dr. Dott was such an empowering influence during the labor.  He would walk in and tell me, "I am so impressed by you, you are doing such great job." Or "You are going to make it, you can do this."  I felt so supported knowing that he believed in my ability to have a completely natural birth.  He would massage my clavicle and tell me to breath and his presence was so calming and encouraging.  At one point I was overcome with the emotion of the labor and I told him I loved him.  He just looked at me and said, "You are just another one of my daughters."

As my labor progressed I turned on my hypno birthing tracks I had practiced with and the difference between the contractions I had with the track on was so different than when I didn't have it playing.  I loved being reminded to enjoy the time in between contractions and use that time to rest.  I craved that moment.  I was so grateful to have those as I neared transition. 

I remembered being checked at one point and being at 8cm, I don't know what time it was.  Then all of the sudden the contractions started to get more intense than I had ever felt them.  I know I must have looked desperate. I stared in to John's eyes and told him I couldn't do it anymore and on the surface I really thought I couldn't.  But as I said that out loud in my mind and soul I knew I could.  Somewhere inside of me was a place I had never been before but I knew that I had more strength there.  

Dr. Dott came in and checked me and looked up and said, "Let's just try a few practice pushes."  I looked to John and wondered if this was it because only what felt like minutes before Dr. Dott said that I probably had another hour or two.  He had me hold my legs up and taught me to breath in blow out, breathe in blow out, breathe in...hold...and push.  As I did this he was telling John about a nerve that runs down my leg that he should rub.  He said it was connected to the uterus and would help make me feel better.  He also told me that the painful parts were over and that most of what I would feel now was a lot of pressure. The first time I pushed he looked at me and said with a smile, "You just moved your baby's head two inches down the birth canal!" I felt so empowered and pushing felt great! After a couple more pushes he got a phone call and took it outside.  I looked at John and Cindy and said, "I have to push right now!"  Cindy left and went to the hall to get Dr. Dott.  I looked to John and again told him I have to push right now! So I did a little. And a little bit more.  Cindy comes in to the room and Dr. Dott follows quickly behind and sure enough Avett is coming.  Then Cindy asks me, "Do you want the mirror?"  I politely decline and she gives me a stern look and says, "You WANT the mirror."  I had never planned on using it and quite frankly was a little scared of it but we were in it now.  It didn't get more real than that moment. So she rolled it over and there was everything.  I had a quick moment of, "whoa that's a whole lotta me staring back." But then it passed quickly because with the next push there was Avetts head!  It was the most encouraging thing to finally see him, I could see my little boy and I wanted to meet him and hold him so bad.  At that point nurses and the nursery team started rushing in and preparing everything for his arrival.  The energy in the room changed.  Dr. Dott turned around and said loudly but calmly,  "Stop talking, this is a place of peace and calmness."  He was protecting my birthing atmosphere and brought the peace back to the room.  He sat right on the bed with me and in the dim lights of that room and with my next couple of pushes at 3:23pm I brought Avett in to the world.  He cried and John cut the cord.  Dr. Dott look at John and said, "Present your son to the world." So John picked him up off of the bed laid him on my chest.  He was the most wonderful warm temperature and I couldn't stop saying how beautiful he was! A few tears brimmed my eyes and they took him over to clean him off.  I looked at Dr. Dott and kept saying, "I can't believe I just did that! That was amazing! The most incredible thing I've ever done!"  

He finished stitching me up because after all I did push a 10 pound 3 ounce baby out of my body (thank goodness for a little lidocaine shot!).  No major damage done.  I would do it a thousand more times.  Birthing Avett was one of the most sacred and incredible events of my life.  The births of my children are special to me in different ways and are the best days of my life along side the day I married John.   I'm so grateful that I listened to my heart that kept telling me to try for a VBAC.  I am so grateful that my body did what it was made to do and what I always knew it was capable of doing.  I love being a woman and having the opportunity to experience the miracle of birth.  We love our son so much.

avetts birth story- part one

Thursday October 17th I had my 41 week and 5 day doctors appointment.  We were going biweekly for non stress tests and biophysical exams to make sure that Avett and I were both still doing well.  The doctor determined that everything was perfect.  My placenta wasn't ageing, I still had plenty of amniotic fluid, and Avetts heartrate was fluctuating and responding perfectly to stimulus.  Dr. Dott checked me and said I was dilated 5cm and was 100% effaced and that my water bag was paper thin.  He said,  "I have no idea why you haven't gone in to labor, this baby is hanging on by a thread."  He then said "We have two options you can give up now and have a csection or we can trust your body and keep waiting."  I immediately said sternly that I was not going to give up.  I knew he wasn't pressuring me for the csection though. Dr. Dott is such a gem of a doctor.  To deliver NUVBAC at Northside is like the unicorn of births and I knew Dr. Dott was determined to help me do it and was such an advocate for VBAC's.  I had waited this long what was a few more days.  I mean clearly he couldn't stay in there forever.  So even though I was 12 days over my EDD and I was so anxious to meet my boy we went back to the waiting game.  

John was concerned to leave me alone that day considering that I was a walking ticking time bomb.  So my mother came over and we spent the day shopping and walking around with Evie.  That night John and I put Evie down for bed and after an episode of The Cosby's and some bouncing on the ball we went to sleep around 10.  I woke up to the sound of Evie crying at 1am. I went in to her room and calmed her down and stayed in the chair in the nursey until she fell asleep.  As soon as I sat down I started having contractions.  They weren't strong but I knew they were very different from the Braxton Hicks I had been feeling each day.  Since I had my phone with me I started timing them and they were coming about every 6 minutes.  I sat there for about 40 minutes feeling them come and go and then decided to take a shower.  When I got out they had slowed down but considering that just earlier that day the doctor said I was at a 5 and I would probably be one of those women who go in to labor and then give birth under a bridge on the way to the hospital, I decided it was go time.  I stood at the edge of the bed and called out John's name.  He woke immediately and I said, "I think it's time."  He popped up and started asking me all sorts of questions and running around wanting to make sure everything was ready.  About that time Evie cried again and he went in to sit with her.  We texted back and forth until she fell asleep again.  During that time I called my mom and let her know we decided to go in to the hospital and that we needed her to come be with Evie.  John showered and packed the car and we waited for mom.  She got there about 40 minutes later and we stood in the cold parking lot and said a prayer in the dark and quiet 3am night.

John and I headed out to the hospital and the roads were so clear and it was so peaceful.  My contractions were still irregular.  He dropped me off at the labor and delivery entrance and on my way in I had my first contraction where I had to stop walking and hold on to the railing.  We got checked in and they took us to our room.  By this time it was 3:30am and my contractions were ranging from 12 minutes to 6 minutes apart. They decided to admit us and let me labor through the night and Dr. Dott would come see me in the morning.  I was able to sleep some, only being awakend by nurses coming in for vitals and contractions.  

Around 7 the nursing shifts changed and one of the most incredible things happened, we met Cindy.  How do I even begin to describe Cindy, I couldn't have done it without her positive spirit and encouragement and ability to read exactly what my body needed.  She is a 74 year old black midwife from St. Martin in the Carribean islands.  She studied midwifery in Liverpool, England and then went on to practice in Ireland, Canada, New York, and has been here in Atlanta for 24 years.  She walked in to our room and said in her beautiful Carribean/English accent, "This room needs an aroma."  She took out a bottle of lavender oil and put it on some gauze and laid it on my pillow.  I told her I had brought some of my own oils for the birth as well and she said, "Well get them and let me rub them on your feet."  I looked at John wide eyed and we both knew that she was made for us.  That morning before we left for the hospital we prayed for the nurse who would be working with us. I knew that trying for a Natural Unmedicated Vaginal Birth After a C-section would require a supportive staff.  We asked that we would have someone who would be understanding and encouraging of our desire for a VBAC.  I told Cindy immediately that she was made for us and how grateful I was that it was her who was with us.  She held my hand with her old hands, they were so cold and felt so good on my hott skin, she said, "I want you to know that this morning when I woke up I prayed for the body that I would be helping and it was you."  I was in awe that this was who was there to help with Avetts delivery.  In that moment I felt that I understood a part of why Avett had to come when he did.  Everytime she would leave the room John and I would smile so big and look at each other in such disbelief that we were so lucky to receive such a nurse like her.  She was full of stories of past deliveries and I loved hearing every single one. Her voice was so soothing.  She ended up refusing to take on another patient that day and she was in the room with us the whole time.  She was like my own doula. She would hold my hand through the contractions and talk to me about my breathing. She had such a calming effect on me and I knew she was sent straight from God.

By 8:00 Dr. Dott came in and he said we could let me labor through the day and see what happens or he could break my water.  Well I had nearly been pregnant for 10 months, 41 weeks and 5 days let me remind you, and it was time.  I could feel that Avett was ready and the spirit confirmed it to my heart as I said out loud that I wanted him to break my water.  I looked to John for confirmation that he felt good about it too and we both knew it was the right thing.  So at 8:30am it all began!

Avett Mills Murphy

Born October 18th at 3:23pm at 41 weeks and 5 days

10 pounds 3 ounces

22 inches long

7 hours of labor

A beautiful NUVBAC

The experience of bringing him in to the world was beyond words and we are all so captivated by him, including his big sister!

yep, still pregnant...

Well, d-day has come and gone and.....no baby. I'm still very pregnant and even though it has been three days since d-day, it feels like an eternity. I know this is completely normal but when you've been looking forward to a baby every day for the past nine months, each passing extra day seems like forever.  Especially in the pelvis, knowwhatimsayin?

I'm very much in favor of letting this boy come on his own but with a deadline for going in to spontaneous labor because I am a VBAC, I'm getting a little nervous.  Of course he would already be doing things to make his mama nervous.  Say a little prayer for us please if you can!

There are some perks to being this  pregnant.  I can pretty much get anyone in my family to answer the phone when I call.  They always seem to answer nervously and immediately and suspiciously ask how I'm doing.  I also have my sweet husband on edge nonstop. If I just switch positions in the middle of the night he'll wake up sort of breathless and ask if I'm having contractions. I have intensely hard Braxton hicks about 20-30 times a day but nothing ever comes of them.  

Each night I go to sleep hoping to be surprise awakened by contractions in the middle of the night. When I wake up in the morning and nothing has happened, I have just resigned myself to another full pregnant day. For some reason I would be surprised to go in to labor during the day.  I was hoping this little boy would be my birthday present but I guess he didn't want to share his special day with me.

Hey Avett! We are ready to meet you, so come out soon, ok son?

Dear Avett...

We are down to mere days before your arrival.  I'm not really sure if it's even hit me yet.  Your sister has loved me carrying you around in my belly.  She hugs and kisses you all of the time and says, "baby!".  Every morning when your dad and I bring her in to bed with us I get a kiss, daddy gets a kiss, and you get at least two and a hug. 

I can't believe that you are almost here. I have prepared for your arrival more than anything else in my life.  I'm so excited for how you will come in to this world and I pray every day that my body will be able to bring you here safely and naturally.  We have our hospital go bag full and ready to go.  Anytime I make a face or stop in my tracks over a twinge of pain or Braxton Hicks your dad jumps right up and flips out just a little.  Keep it cool dad...

Despite the discomfort I have loved being pregnant with you.  It's been a little harder this time around because I've had your sister to chase around, but knowing what is on the other side of all of this makes it so incredibly worth it.  I can't wait to see you with your sister.  I've been feeling a little emotional about adding you to our little family of three but I know that there are so many sweet moments waiting for us when you get here.  I am excited to soak in all of your newbornness.  I probably won't want to put you down because I know how quickly all of that passes.  I am beyond thrilled to see you with your dad, you already have him wrapped around your finger.  He gets so giddy thinking about you getting here and calls you his little sidekick.

Take these last few days to do the rest of the growing that you need but please come out soon, we want to meet you. We love you!