5.5 Weeks Old - Memories of our first week home

Dear Maya,

Before I begin with memories of our first week home, I want to show you one of your favourite positions right now.  This is how you like to sleep- holding on tight and with one eye on your property! Lol, Mummy did her best to take this in a G-rated way, but just had to capture the moment.

And now, on to your first week home.
I think it is fair to say that the reason it has taken this long to restart your blog is because we have immersed ourself in .. you.  We took sporadic pictures along the way, hoping they would remind us of these days which have just flown by.

In our first days home when food was precious, Auntie Nicole sent us a most delicious edible arrangement.  She came to visit us during week 2.

Here is Granny enjoying her time with you.

On this day, I let Daddy dress you.. hence the reason you're in your hospital outfit :)  We have this stored as a keepsake for you, as you've loooong outgrown it by now.

Day of life #5, at your first pediatrician appointment with Dr. Koush.  You were almost back to your birthweight that day, and already with 7-10 poops/day, so you were granted tummy time privileges and mummy no longer had to record your ins and outs
This was our first trip out of the house with you, and you were a patient teacher.

One of your favourite poses while asleep in the pack n play.
May everything good in the world embrace you.

Your first bath. It took all three of us and I don't think you cried.  Now you don't cry during the bath, but you cry when we dry you off after, no matter how much we snuggle you in your towel.

One of our favourite gifts, from Auntie Oneeka.  Daddy had gotten your first pictures developed that morning, and lo and behold the frame came that same evening.

Mummy and Daddy adjust to the sleepless nights.

Mummy trying to find a co-sleeping solution.  The velcro snuggle and sleepy sheep were priceless gifts from Auntie CC.
Of note, some people pay money for cleavage like Mummy has in this picture.

5.5 weeks After Birth - Memories of your birth

Dear MAYA GRACE!

It's funny to be back on the blog and see the last picture with mummy's big belly.

Well, you're a girl!.. and an amazing one at that.
Sometimes we call you Maya, and sometimes Gracie.
You were born at 2:23 am (or was it 2:33am?? I can't believe the memory is already fading) on your due date, October 20th, at exactly 8.0 lbs, and 50 cm long.
Your Daddy was the best labour coach.
Your Granny made it all the way from Barbados, took a taxi from the airport to the hospital, and spent the evening into morning of labour with us.

Here is how the whole thing went down:
Mummy's water broke at 3am on Friday the 19th, but it was a very slow leak, and so she didn't want to go in immediately.  Daddy stayed home from work the following day and hooked up the new sink which we got because we broke the old sink trying to install your new bath system.  This all seems so long ago.


Here is a pic with the missing sink and the bath system on the left

Here's Daddy working feverishly in the living room the night before to set up the sink stand.

But I digress.
Around noon on Friday, mummy finally talked to her OB who recommended coming into the hospital.
Mummy was having light contractions (back pain), and cried as they headed to the car because she knew this meant she was going to be induced (and for some reason this made her sad)

After admission the contractions gradually got stronger, but still only a trickle of amniotic fluid.
Granny arrived (yea!)
They placed an epidural around 7pm ish and then broke mummy's bag of water, and started Pitocin.
Over the next few hours, Mummy was half resting but also eating ice chips to try to keep you moving.
Around midnight mummy could feel that your little head was ready.  Sure enough when they checked, you were ready to begin your journey.

Maya, you and Mummy worked together over the next few hours and then there you were.. on my chest.. all 8 lbs of you.  I remember being more surprised that you had been living inside of me, than at you being a girl.

This is our first picture of you.. flushed, bloody, and just beautiful:

This is us at the elevators being taken from the labor and delivery floor to our home for the next 2 nights.

And here we are in our room:

Never getting tired of watching you:

Below are the pictures taken by the hospital photographer on the day after you were born.
I think they speak for themselves.

I had to include this one of you leaving the hospital.  This is what happens when they let new parents strap you in your carseat.

Our first picture of you at home: