David's First Outing

This afternoon, David, David Jr, and I loaded up into the car and headed for the pediatricians office for our one week visit (a few days early).  The hospital pediatricians really wanted David Jr checked out today due to his 7% weight loss in the first 36 hours and his jaundice, so off we went... and nervous.  All weekend, David and I would look at him and question if he was getting more yellow or less yellow and were getting concerned because he was having to be woken up for EVERY single feeding.  Well, our worries were squashed today while at the doctor (can I say how much I love this office).  David Jr. weighed in at 7 lbs, 12 oz (up 5 ounces from Saturday morning at 4am) and the doctor's comment about the jaundice - "yeah, he has some jaundice but nothing I would have worried about."  David Jr. also measured 20.5 inches long, showing a 1.5 inch increase since Thursday - NOT POSSIBLE.  We are now assuming, that David was born 7 lbs, 14 oz and 20.5 inches long - Carly's exact measurements too.

We were also cleared during this visit to not return next week, but to wait until our 1 month appointment!!

David Jr's First Weekend

The first weekend of David Jr's life was quite exciting.  He arrived into the world on Thursday, April 26, 2012 at 5:14pm.  As he prepared to make his debut my mom was in route to North Carolina to meet him, and Julia was already settled in at our house and helping out with Carly.  During his first hours of life (and our weekend), he met his parents, Big Sister, Grammie, and Aunt Julia.  Only a few hours later, he met his "Yay-Yay" and "Dye" (otherwise known as Jason and Kelly - two really good friends of ours).

Friday was just as exciting with visits and snuggles from Mrs. Amy and Mrs. Emily (both local moms with children Carly and David Jr's ages).  Then before he could officially turn 1 day old, his Grandma and Papa arrived in North Carolina to hold and love on him for the entire weekend.

On Saturday, David Jr. and I were discharged from the hospital and he was able to go home for the first time.  The three of us arrived home to Carly and David Jr's Papa, Grandma, and Aunt Boo-Boo.  This was quite different than when we brought Carly home - that afternoon we came home to an empty house determined to figure it all out on our own.  While that worked well back then, we knew it would not work with our second child.

Our in house excitement continued on Sunday.  Carly, her grandparents, and aunt went off to church while David and I had a lazy morning at home with David Jr.  Then my parents and brother arrived for a large family lunch - all four grandparents and 2 of the 4 aunts & uncles.

While this type of excitement isn't going to be the norm for our new family of four - it was a great first weekend as a family of 4!

Heading Home

All buckled up and ready to GO!!

In Love!!

David and I are both absolutely in LOVE with David Charles Orr Jr!  However, Carly's love for him was truly able to be captured today in this photograph.

Carly was over the moon excited when she arrived at the hospital last night to meet her brother.  She enjoyed holding him, walking up and down the hall pushing his basinet, giving him his Sophie giraffe  present that she got for him, and telling EVERYONE that she was there to see her baby brother.  When she returned to the hospital this morning, she was just as eager to hold and see him.  Today while holding him she even went in for the kiss!

David Charles Orr Jr.

David Charles arrive this afternoon at 5:14pm.  He is 7 pounds, 14 ounces and 19 inches long.

We had been scheduled for a 7:00am induction, but received a call at 6:20am to say we needed to hold off due to there being a full house (it turns out 3 moms came in shortly after 1:00am with broken waters). At 9:00am we were told to come on in, so away we went.

Things were smooth going until I hit 4cm and they broke my water. It then took me over an hour to get to 5cm, which. I was upset and then was told he was so low that they couldn't externally monitor his heart rate any longer. They placed an internal monitor, told me I was 5 cm dilated then 45 minutes later I was 9 cm and calling the nurse to push. After about 20 minutes of pushing, David arrived sunny side up smiling right at his daddy.

A Little Runner?

David and I really feel that the idea of "leading by example" with exercising is important for Carly to see.  This is why we started running and eventually ran our furthest distances on March 20, 2011.  This desire has also led David to training for triathlons this spring.  (His goal is to compete in 2 or 3 this summer.)  Carly mimicked me after my Turkey Trot 5K with Julia last Thanksgiving by running up and down the hallway area in Seabrook.  She also regularly wants to put on her "running" shoes so she can run at the playground.  Today she found David's iPod shuffle from his run yesterday and began playing with it.  She was able to get it started up, held the ear buds near her ears (she wasn't quite sure how to make them stay), then proceeded to run around the kitchen singing "me running, me running."  She may not be a speedster, but she is excited about running - so thankfully our goal of modeling healthy exercise habits is paying off. Carly thinks running (with music now) is a lot of fun!  Hopefully we can keep her thinking this until she is old enough to try various recreational sports in our area or join a local Girls on the Run Program.

39.5 Weeks (and Counting)

Carly and I made our way Friday morning to my 39 week check-up.  Surprisingly enough I spent more time waiting to check in then I did waiting at any other point.  The nurse was waiting for me when I stepped out of the restroom and the doctor was knocking on my door before I had a chance to even get settled on the table.  All of these things made me absolutely thrilled.

My weight and growth checked out fine, my blood pressure was 120/80 (which is the highest I've been this pregnancy - I'm normally 100/60), and my only question was about what an "eviction notice" would look like since Carly came early and we did not have to worry about it.  She began to tell me about this during my exam, but then stopped.  Her tone changed and she stated that she was not too sure an eviction notice would be needed.  She had a feeling he may start his exit strategy within the next 48 hours.  (This was around 9:30 on Friday morning.)  She then later said that she was around 50% Dave and I would be making our way to the hospital sometime this weekend.  Well, it is now 10:30 on Sunday night and Dave and I are still sitting at home waiting.  

Our family has tried to "help" this process along.  Friday night we went out to dinner at Brixx, the same restaurant we ate at the night before Carly came.  We have also been on many, many family walks.  Thursday we walked our neighborhood loop (0.8 mile) twice, put Carly to bed, and then I went back out alone for two more loops.  We repeated this on Friday night after dinner as well.  Saturday I walked 2 loops during Carly's nap, then 2 loops with Dave and Carly after dinner, and then 3 more loops after Carly was in bed.  For a total of 15 loops since Thursday evening (weather prohibited me from being able to walk today).   The joke around the neighborhood is that the neighbors will know when we've checked into the hospital because I won't be walking around the neighborhood, and they are right... back to walking I'll go tomorrow since the rain seems to have moved out.