Babymoon Daybook

Outside my window...
You mean there's life outside my window? Huh. And here I thought the whole world was right here in me arms. :) Actually, there is snow out there, and there's going to be even more of it. No tulips or daffodils here, yet.

I am thankful for...

a beautiful birth experience. To say I was anxious about this birth would be massively understating things. My birth experiences have not always been very lovely. In fact, one was downright horrid. But God had something else in mind for me this time around, and that is something to be thankful for. 

I'm not really one to write (or even read) birth stories, but I will share a few highlights- for each of these things I am extraordinarily grateful:

•  For the priest who came into our room about 45 minutes before I pushed Posy out and distributed ashes to both Andy and me. That was incredibly powerful. Receiving ashes on Ash Wednesday will never be quite the same, I expect.
• For beautiful music that made all the difference during those rough contractions. I put together a CD of music by L'Angelus, Thomas Jones, John Michael Talbot, some Scipture Lullabies, and a wee bit of Celtic Woman and Dixie Chicks. It was perfect.
• For my Catholic OB/Gyn, who used the lyrics from that beautiful music to talk me through the rough spots of pushing. Isn't that something? He sat patiently at the end of my bed, helping to stretch me because he knew I was terrified of tearing. He talked me through the hard moments by speaking lyrics of our shared Faith, right there with the instrumental music. That was a gift I will not forget. You Are Near has taken on a whole new meaning for me; I will likely cry every time we sing it at church for the rest of my life.
• For the moment right there at the end, when the doctor said, "Sarah sit up a bit. See your baby girl? Now reach down, grasp her under the shoulders, and pull her up to you as you push her out." I didn't think I could do it. But I did. I delivered my own baby! That moment was perhaps the most beautiful I've ever experienced.
• For an epidural that worked so well I was able to savor every moment of Posy's delivery as well as her first hours with us. I panicked a bit at 9 cm, when the epidural starting wearing off. This has happened before, I thought, this is where it gets awful. But that kind doctor saw the panic in my eyes, and he made sure I had an epidural boost at the last minute. I was sort of worried that I wouldn't be able to feel well enough to push her out. He said I would be fine; that I would be able to push. And I was, and I did. Twenty minutes later I had my sweet babe in arms. Instead of being distracted by post-birth pain, I laid there and just relished in the sweetness of my brand new baby girl.
• For a baby who is breastfeeding beautifully. Breastfeeding does not usually come easily for me. This time? Just grace. That's all there is to it. I am showered in pure grace.

To say I am thankful doesn't really feel like enough. I am overflowing.

I am thinking about...
How amazing it is to hold a baby I long ached for but thought I would never hold. If, just over a year ago, you told me what I would be doing today, I wouldn't have believed you.

Miracle.

Learning all the time...
How to love on a baby, and the kids are soaking it all up. It's also field trip week with the kids' homeschool partnership, so Andy's schlepped them to both the courthouse and the fire station. Oh! And he's reading aloud to them every night from Hatchet. They are all riveted. It helps, of course, that Daddy sets up his own Gransfors Bruks to "set the mood" during storytime. :) My only beef with that book is that it constantly dwells on "the secret" and the awful divorce of the main character's parents. I really wish it didn't go there.

From the kitchen...
Andy's on duty this week. He's made Teriyaki Chicken Wings, scalloped potatoes, gourmet hot turkey sandwiches and more. There's a fresh homemade smoothie at almost every meal. The man is putting me to shame.

I am creating...

too. much. milk. But I have gentlemen readers here, so I'll refrain from saying any more about that. ;)

I am working on...
yeah, I'm really not. I'm just soaking up this babymoon, drinking in every moment.

I am going...
to contnue to wear pajamas all day every day for another week at least. This is the life, I tell you.

I am hoping...
to start on my Project Life scrapbook for the baby soon. I just ordered all the materials today- kind of bummed about that, actually, because they sold out of the set I really wanted. That's what I get for putting off my order, I guess. The girls are very excited about helping me put together Posy's "first year" book, and we plan to print out pictures and put together pages on a monthly basis. We'll see how that pans out.

I am reading...
I think I've read The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding about three times from start to finish. :) Maybe my breastfeeding success this time around has more to do with that book than anything else (but I suspect Posy is just a really good nurser). Anyway, thank you to Kort for encouraging me to get the new version of the book- it's made all the difference.

I've got The Baby Book by Dr. Sears by my nursing chair now. I've read it before, of course, but that was years ago.

I am praying for...
Your intentions.

I am hearing...
washer swirling, dryer rolling, sweet little baby breaths as Posy naps here on my lap.

Around the house...
Andy's on duty in this department, too. I'm spoiled.

One of my favorite things...
Listening to my family talk about our newest little addition. Andy commented that it seems crazy to think our family ever didn't have Posy in it. That would seem so incomplete to us now, somehow.

Snapdragon decided that Posy is cuter than he thought she would be. He's constantly peeking at her face and muttering about her extreme cuteness.

Tulip is forever asking to hold the baby. She has whole little conversations with her, and sometimes she reads books to her as well. Very precious.

Primrose (my baby magnet) said that although all babies are cute of course, doesn't Posy just seem a bit cuter than all the rest? (Yes. Yes, she does. No question about it.)

A few plans for the rest of the week...
Love on that sweet baby.

Here are some picture thoughts I am sharing with you...

 The girls' expressions as they first lay eyes upon their new sister:

 And we didn't get one of Snap (he was a bit overwhelmed I think), but here he is just a few days later, falling in love himself:

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