Bella crawled!! :)

Yes yes yes...I know it has been forever since I have updated this. Facebook is so much easier!!! But for those of you without a facebook account, here is Bella crawling for the first time today!!!

Update on Bella

Hello! Sorry it has been a while since I have updated, but things have been hectic since Miss Isabella arrived! First, we went home the morning after Bella was born instead of 2 days later hoping to get more sleep there...1st mistake! No sleep was to be had at home either and then we didn't have the nursery stocked with RN's to care for her while we could sleep for an hour or two! Then on Sunday Bella was looking pretty yellow. I called the MD on call ( I know her well as I did my clinicals at their office) and she told me to have a bili level drawn the next morning after our lactation visit. Bella was doing well...was the same weight as when we left the hospital (7# 12.9 oz) and was nursing relatively well. The MD didn't think Bella looked too jaundiced, but decided to still have the blood drawn. Her level was elevated (17.3) and we had to start a bili light bed for her at home for the next 48 hours. The next several days were a blur of no sleep, trips to the lab for multiple blood draws, and a fussy newborn who didn't want to lay on the bili bed. Thankfully, her levels decreased and we did not have to continue the lights for more than 2 days.

Bella has still been fussy...I don't remember Nathan being this fussy, but Justin said he was. I think it is that phenomenon of blocking out the not so pleasant memories that would make you hesitate having a 2nd child! I cannot get her to sleep unless I am nursing her in a quiet room. And then if I put her down, she wakes up. I am sleeping in the rocker/recliner with her just to be able to close my eyes for a little while! She has reflux and was started on Prevacid Monday and now has a cold that the rest of us have had since she was born. So, she is having a hard time breathing through her little nose too! Nursing is going okay...she still isn't the best because she has a small mouth, but we are working on it. No matter what, she is growing at a ridiculous pace!! She was 21.5 inches long and 8 pounds 15 ounces at our visit on Monday. And then on Wednesday when we saw lactation, she had already gained another 5 ounces in 48 hours putting her up to 9 pounds 4 ounces!! She's going to be chunky like brother! :) Her eyes have changed to a beautiful deep blue and her hair has already lightened...not quite to Nathan's blonde, but lighter than birth!

Nathan LOVES his baby sister! He loves to hug and kiss her and hold her!!! He runs to say "Hi baby baby" when he gets home. He says "Bless you baby" when she sneezes and asks lots of questions about her diapers when we change her! One thing I find fascinating is how quickly Bella calms when he talks to her...she can be very fussy and if he gets right up next to her and talks to her in his sweet voice, she instantly quiets. It makes my heart melt!!

Well, that was my 15 minutes I could steal away to try to do something besides feed Bella, laundry, or dishes! I will try to update again soon...depending on how things are going here!! Nathan has Bronchitis and beginnings of an ear infection, so pray he gets better soon!!

Love to you all!

The Smith's

Welcome to the World Isabella Grace!!!

Announcing the newest arrival to our family: Miss Isabella Grace Smith!!!!! Isabella came in to the world Thursday, August 27th, 2009 at 3:42 am. She weighed a whopping 8 pounds, 2 ounces and measured 21 inches long. She has lots of dark hair and dark eyes. She was lovingly welcomed in to our family by big brother Nathan with lots of hugs and kisses! Mommy and Bella are doing well. We plan to go home sometime Saturday, but until then are recovering at North Kansas City Hospital.

We will post pictures later of our gorgeous girl.

Love,
Justin, Amber, Nathaniel and Isabella

Update

No progress at our visit yesterday :( But the good news was that Bella is measuring at the 58th percentile per the ultrasound...now this isn't too reliable but definitely gave us and my OB reassurance that we hopefully aren't looking at a baby as big as Nathan was!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was very relieved!! So, we will go back next Monday for another check. If any progress is made at that time, then we can arrange to induce sometime next week for Miss Bella to make her appearance in our world! I don't know if the reality has truly set in for Justin and I that we could have another little one in the house by the end of next week!! Yikes!!! I look at all the cute pink clothes and dresses and headbands and can't wait to dress her in everything....and then we have a rough night like last night with Nathan and I think, what have we gotten ourselves in to? How will we manage 2 of them?? But, God doesn't give us more than we can handle, right? So many other people have such huge problems in their lives, it makes my anxieties and worries seem so mundane...but these are things that I worry about.

Speaking of Nathan, he has had a rough week or so. We aren't sure exactly what is going on with him, but he is just "off". I often wonder if he senses his world is getting ready to be turned upside down and just doesn't know how to express things he is feeling. Our son has shown us time and time again that he is smarter than we ever thought, so it wouldn't surprise me if he knows something big is getting ready to happen. He has been fussy in the night, napping a lot some days, very minimal others, eating a lot one day, very little the next. And now he has a low grade fever and runny nose. And throughout all this he is very emotional and clingy. Ah, parenthood. :) The worries never stop! :)

I have pictures to post from last night with Uncle "TyTy's" farewell party. I will attempt to post them tonight if possible. We wish you all the luck, Tyler! We know you will do awesome and have soooo much fun!! Enjoy the next few years...I have so many fun memories from college and know you are going to have a blast!

Hope you are all doing well out there!

Justin, Amber & Nathaniel :)

Getting closer!

Hello everyone! Well, we are getting closer to little miss Bella's arrival!! We are due 2 weeks from tomorrow and I think Justin and I are both very anxious. I am doing well and so is Bella from what I can tell! We will see the doctor tomorrow and find out if I am making any progress yet...not that it would mean anything substantial as Bella will come when she is ready!! We had/have a very busy weekend/week. Justin's family threw a baby shower yesterday where we were overcome by the generosity of everyone!! Bella has sooo many cute outfits now!! It was nice to spend the day surrounded by family...including my mom and sister who attended. Nathan has had the blessing of getting to spend lots of time with my mom last weekend, this weekend, and she will be here Tuesday to watch him while our sitter is off. He loves his grandma's (both of whom he affectionately calls "Motts"....we aren't sure where this came from!!) and has enjoyed having more time to spend with my mom. He is definitely a little ham!

Hope you are all doing well out there! I will try to update this week sometime, but with Tyler leaving for college (Good Luck Uncle TyTy) and Justin and I hectic at work, it may have to wait until next weekend. And if we are blessed with Bella's arrival before then, we will make sure and post pictures!!

Love to you all!

The Smith's

Playing with Uncle TyTy (his favorite person at the moment)!

These subsequently were broken later that day...he is a little rough trying to put sunglasses on!!

Playing blocks with cousin Lily and Amanda.



Lifting weights with Uncle TyTy.

This is the messiest he has ever been with spaghetti!!!! He looked like he had makeup on! We couldn't resist a photo!!

Prayers Please

Please pray for my friend Jenn and her family as they grieve the loss of their son, Ryan. This morning he lost his battle with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) at the age of 6 months, 1 day. As a mother, my heart bleeds for my friend. I cannot imagine the pain she is feeling at this moment knowing she can never look into her son's eyes again, never feel his breath on her cheek, never hear another coo, never give another bath, never hold him in her arms and feel the warmth of his skin. I ache for her and her husband. When I found out this morning, I scooped Nathan up in my arms and cherished the fact that I still had my baby boy here on Earth to enjoy. With tears streaming down my face all he could do was look me in the eyes and say "Mommy, down". I smiled at his sweet voice and thanked God for my blessings.

Please, please take a moment and pray for God to keep my friend and her family close while they must adjust to life without their precious angel. If you wish, you may visit her website and leave a comment for Jenn. http://thehawnfamilyweekly.blogspot.com

Amber

Pictures

Things are going well here for all of us. Mommy & Daddy have a summer cold, but luckily Nathan hasn't gotten it! :) Things are going well with Bella...we have 5 weeks until we meet her and I must admit I am getting nervous! It is scary knowing what is about to happen...I think with Nathan the ignorance of labor/delivery/postpartum was bliss! This time around, I know what to expect...the sleepless nights, feeling like a zombie, and the pain of labor of course. We are going to treasure these next few weeks with just the three of us before she arrives. :)

Here are some pictures that I'm sure you're more interested in!!

Justin, Amber & Nathaniel

Nathan, Abbey & Lily playing in the froggy

Nathan playing ball with Tweak.

Nathan's favorite part of the Zoo...splashing in the puddle!!

Mommy & Nathan at the Zoo on the 4th of July...can you tell how humid it was from my frizzy hair?!?!?!?!?!

Nathan & Daddy at the Zoo.

Nathan, Uncle "TyTy" and Daddy playing with poppers on the 4th of July.


Loving the bubbles in the bath!

Trying to get dressed to go outside (he's putting his shirt on his leg!) :)

Yea for Bubbles!!!


Banging on the pots and pans while Mommy & Daddy make dinner!


He loved to walk by the table and feel the lace at Aunt Val's reception.

Having a conversation with cousin Andrew.


Getting tickled by Great Aunt Gin.

Bad Mommy feeding Nathan a doughnut for breakfast. He wasn't sure what to do with it...


...but he had fun with the chocolate icing!!! :)