Healthy Baby Home Party

I had a great time hosting a Healthy Baby Home Party this week! I had a little display out for my friends to look at and while our kids played we got to chat about Seventh Generation and the products that are offered. My mission was to simple educate some of my friends and encourage them to make small changes. Those small changes add up! I've personally been trying to change one little thing at a time and it's been so easy to do. My friends enjoyed the free samples and we're excited about the coupons!

Norah, 12 Months

On November 10th we celebrated Norah's first birthday! I can't believe how fast this year has gone by. It has been so much fun to watch Norah grow and change each day. It is an honor to be her Mama! Here is an update on our girl!

Feedings: Norah is officially weened and is drinking whole milk 3 times a day with water/juice in the afternoon. She weened so well and seems to enjoy whole milk. Although I have noticed that she like breastmilk more and would drink it much faster. I was sad at first when I was no longer providing Norah with her milk but I am loving this new freedom. It is so much easier for us to pick up and go and not have to make sure I have the breastpump with me. She is a great eater and eats just about anything I put in front of her. The other day she ate an entire kids meal from Chick-Fil-A(4 grilled nuggets and a cup of fruit)! She weighed in at 18lbs 15.5ounces at her 12 month check up but then lost a few ounces when she got a yucky cold a week or so later. We go back for a checkup in the next few weeks so I am hoping that she regained that weight since she is eating like normal again.

Skills: We have a walker ya'll! Last Saturday she just took off. She has been taking tons of steps but it was like all of a sudden she got confidence and has taken off. Even if she falls she gets back up and walks again! She is also saying lots and lots of words! She can say: Mama, Dada, Baby, Ball, Go, Bye bye, Hello, Hi, Bubba, Pa, Pop Pop, Oh, Ya and I think she can say No too. We are in trouble on that one. She loves to play with her baby dolls and to read books. Today she sat in my lap and we read books for awhile. When I would finish reading one I would ask her if she wanted to read another one and she would say " Ya". It's fun to see how much she does on her own now. She is very independent and wants to do her own thing.

Naps/Nighttime: We have moved to two naps a day. Morning and afternoon. Both are normally about 1 and a half to 2 hours long. She will only take an evening cat nap if we are in the car. She sleeps about 12 hours at night and has even been sleeping in a little bit! I have really enjoyed that :)

Personality: Norah is so full of life! She is very expressive and gets really excited about things. She just started gasping when she sees something that she likes. Like our Christmas tree! She loves it and thankfully she has been obeying really well and has not touched it! She is a smart girl. Very curious and very social. It takes us forever to get through a store because she loves to chat with everyone she sees. She must get that from me :) She continues to look just like her daddy and act like me. Pretty funny how that works out.

We are so in love with our girl. She brings us so much joy!

Norah, 11 months

Norah Rose recently celebrated her 11 month birthday! These past 11 months have been the best 11 months of my life! I love being Norah's Mama. There have been many challenges and I know there will be many more but I am so thankful for Norah's life. 

Feedings: There have been lots of changes in this department. I have started weaning Norah. We introduced her to whole milk for the first time. I did this by mixing it with breastmilk. She is doing so well as we continue to wean her from breastmilk. I am down to pumping 3 times a day. It's bittersweet as this part of caring for Norah comes to an end but I am also very thankful that we made it one whole year with nursing/pumping. It hasn't been easy but I have loved it. Norah is eating all table foods now. It amazes me that for such a tiny little girl she eats so much! 

Skills: Norah took two steps all by herself! We were visiting our friends in Louisville and while Norah and Levi were playing she took two steps! Such an exciting moment! She hasn't done it again since but I know that she will begin to walk in time and I honestly don't feel any rush at this point. She is a chatty little girl! She can say "Hello", Byebye", "Mama", "Dada", and "Ball". She loves to push anything and everything around the house and she loves to read books. She doesn't still for long but every now and then she will snuggle for a minute or sit in my lap while I read to her.

Nap/Night time: Night time is the same. Naps are starting to change a little. Norah has started taking a longer morning and afternoon nap and her cat nap is starting to fade out. If we are home I will lay her down for the cat nap but if we are out and about she will just stay awake until bed time. She seems to do ok without it as long as we are not at home. I really don't mind the catnap so if she wants to take it thats fine with me.

Personality: Norah may look like her daddy but she acts like me. I'm not totally convinced that a good thing all the time :) She is so fun, sweet and happy but she is very strong willed. Ethan and I are working hard to be consistent with her are thankful for such a sweet little girl who keeps us on our toes! She is so smart and curious. We know that the Lord is going to use her to do great things for His Kingdom! 

Norah, 10 Months

Norah's 10 month update!

Feeding: Not much has changed here in the last month. Norah is eating well and loves drinking her milk and juice from her sippy cup.  I am still pumping all of her milk for her. She normally gets only table food but sometimes I do give her something from a jar. It just depends on what kind of a day we are having. She will eat pretty much anything!

Awake time/Skills: Norah is so much fun! She is talking up a storm and she is recently started to walk while holding both our hands or when pushing her princess car. She loves to sit and "read" to herself. She can say Mama, Dada, Hello and ByeBye. She says them at the right time so I know that she knows what they mean.

Naps/Night time: Norah continues to be a great sleeper! She still take three naps per day. Her morning and afternoon naps are about 2 hours long and then she will take a cat nap around dinner time. She is so easy to put to bed and she sleeps all through the night!

Personality: Norah is so strong willed....and busy. She constantly has to be on the move and she likes to get her way. So we are working on that. She is happy and sweet. She loves to play with and watch other children. She is Miss Social!

Norah, 9 months

I'm not sure what but 9 months seems like a big milstone to me. How in the world is it even possible that I have a 9 month old? How in the would is it possible that I have started to play Norah's 1st birthday party? I can't take it. Life with our girl is busy, exciting, and oh so fun! Here is an update for you.

Feeding: Norah currently weighs 16lbs 10oz and is 27 1/2 inches long! Our girl is getting so big. She loves to eat. If we are eating she expects to eat too.  She loves to eat! She continues to love to feed herself and has recently started drinking her milk for a sippy cup. I've been working with her on it for a few weeks and now that she can do it I'm really sad. She is so grown. In addition to milk she enjoys drinking water with a little bit of juice throughout the day. I am still pumping milk for Norah. A few weeks ago she started to no longer want nurse at bed time so I decided to pump that feeding for her too. I really wanted to end nursing her on a happy note and thankfully she nursed well for me one last time! It was really bittersweet. I have loved nursing and am very thankful that I was able to do it for so long and that I am still able to give her breast milk. My plan is to continue to pump breast milk for her until she turns one. 

Awake time/Skills: This girl is keeping us on our toes. She crawls and pulls up like a pro. She waves, claps, and gives mommy and daddy kisses. She plays so well on her own but also loves in when mommy or daddy play with her. She loves to crawl to wherever I am and pull up on me. My favorite is when I am playing with her and she crawls up into my lap! Just the other day she crawled up into my lap and then gave me a big kiss! She hasn't cut anymore teeth recently but I'm thinking that it will be soon. She constantly chews on everything. She loves to read books and sing songs.

Nap/Night time: I am very thankful that Norah sleeps so well. She still takes 3 naps each day. 2 longer naps and then a cat nap in the late afternoon/early evening. She sleeps for 11 or 12 hours each nap. Last week Norah had her first ear infection so she woke earlier than normal but would normally fall back to sleep.Thankfully her ears are back to normal!

Personality: Determined, silly, happy and strong willed are the words that come to mind when I think of my sweet girl!

Norah is such a blessing to us. The past 9 months have been the greatest!

Norah, 8 Months

Our sweet girl is growing and changing so fast! What a fun stage we are in right now. Norah is an absolute joy and I cannot image our lives without her!

Feeding: Norah continues to love her solids! She has solids 4 times a day and her favorite part is when she gets to feed herself! She has mastered this skill very well. The only food that she does not like thus far is pumpkin. I gave it to her the other day and she kept spiting it out of her mouth. It was pretty funny. She loves to feed herself so she gets lots of finger foods! About 3 weeks ago Norah started to refuse to nurse. Apparently it is not uncommon for babies to do that at this age. Since I'm not ready to give up nursing I have decided to pump her milk for her. This has proven to be exhausting. However, I have gotten into a pretty good routine so I am hoping to keep it up! Norah gets milk 5 times a day. She will still nurse at her bedtime feeding so I am really enjoying that these days. Its a special time for the two of us.

Awake time/Skills: Norah is a busy body! She is scooting all over the place. She gets more coordinated and faster everyday. I know its only a matter of time before she is into everything. She loves to play on her play mat in the living room where there is a bucket of toys. She pulls all of the toys out and throws them everywhere! She plays really well by herself and its so fun to watch her! Bath time is still a favorite too! She continues to say "Dada" and I think she can says "Hey" :) She has cut both bottom middle teeth and those bad boys are sharp! I think a top middle tooth will be coming through soon too. Thankfully she has been a pretty good teether!

Naps/Nighttime: Norah is napping great and sleeping so well at night!

Personality: She is silly and so full of joy! She really is such a happy baby! She laughs all the time and that is the absolute sweetest sound! She is determined and strong willed. I'm so thankful for this sweet girl!

I actually wrote this post on time but never posted it. Figured that I better get on that since she is now almost 9 months old :)

Norah, 7 Months

Norah is so full of sweetness! This past month has been so much fun. 

Feedings: I am still nursing Norah. She has become very distracted while nursing and that has been frustrating to deal with. However, we are pushing through it. My goal is to nurse her until she turns one. So we are going to do our best to work through this distracted stage. Over the past month she was eating solids 3 times a day and now I am adding in a 4th feeding. This girl loves food! She will eat anything. I'm hoping that she will keep that up. She gets really excited when I put her in her highchair to feed her. It's been fun to watch her try new foods. I put a lemon in her month the other day and she loved it! I recently dropped her dream feed so Norah now nurses 5 times a day. I am still pumping for the dream feed to stock up my freezer supply!

Awake time/Skills: We recently borrowed a Jumperoo from my cousin and Norah loves it! She can't reach the floor yet so we put a pillow under her feet. She jumps and jumps! This has made playtime even more fun. Norah is now sitting up all by herself! She loves to sit and play with her toys and she can even lean forward to grab the toy she wants and then sit back up. She loves to pat my shoulder and she loves to make funny noises with her tongue. Bath time is a favorite. She has started to say "Dada". Even though I don't think she knows what she is saying. It's still so cute! Norah also cut her first tooth this month! She cut a middle bottom tooth!

Nighttime/Naps: Norah is still doing great with her nighttime sleep! It's wonderful. Naps are going well. After alot of effort on my part we have gotten into a good routine with naps. I have learned that it is all about timing.

Personality: Sweet, happy, and silly are a few words I like to use to describe my girl. I love being her Mommy!

Norah, 6 Months Old!

How in the world has half a year gone by? I mean honestly.....time please slow down! I think that this past month has been my favorite. I love this age! Here is an update for you.

Feedings: There has been lots of change in this area! Norah is now eating solids twice a day as well as nursing 6 times. So far Norah has had oatmeal and carrots and she seems to enjoy both! In a few day we get to introduce her to avocado! I am making Norah's food and am using a book called 201 Organic Baby Purees as my guide. As well as the help of some of my mommy friends who also made their baby food. It is so much more cost effect for us and I really like know exactly what she is eating. It's not for everyone. I totally get that and there is nothing wrong with that. I am only at the very beginning of this new stage but I am looking forward to digging deeper into the world of baby food!

Awake time/Skills: Norah is doling so well with mastering all of her skills. Her new favorite thing to do is take her paci out of her month and look at it. She can put it back in her mouth but most of the times she drops it before it makes it there. We have gotten into a pretty good play routine. We are trying to enjoy the outdoors more. She loves being outside! Swinging is one of her favorite pass times right now. Someone gave us a little kiddie pool so I put her in that for the first time this week! She loved it. She loves playing with her feet and her hands. Norah has also started reaching for me. I love this. It so sweet. She laughs all the time now and she is also doing much better with sitting up. She has to use her hands but she is getting stronger and we are practicing every day!

Teeth: Norah has two Canine teeth coming through! They haven't broken the skin yet but they are close. She has decided to go against the grain and cut the canine teeth first :)

Naps/Nighttime: We habe made some major improvement in this area! I have been working hard on getting her to take longer naps. I have discovered that she can handle being awake for an hour and 45 minutes- 2 hours before she needs a nap. So I have been laying her down somewhere between those times. She will fall asleep pretty easily and sleep for 30-45 minutes. Then she wakes up...ugh. So I go in her nursery and give her paci to her and she will fall back asleep. She wants to sleep but struggles to transition into that deep sleep. I will have to go in once or twice. I'm ok with it right now. She is making progress and I am hoping that over time it will work itself out. Norah is no longer taking a middle of the night feeding! It's been over two weeks since I have nursed her during the night and she is adjusting pretty well. One night I just decided to offer her paci to her and she took it and went back to sleep! Right now she may make wake up a few times but I just give her paci to her and she goes back to sleep. My plan is that after a few more weeks of this I will stop going in to give her paci to her. She dropped the feeding with a little bit of encouragement from me :)

Personality: Norah is so happy. She loves people. She loves to sit and talk. She loves to laugh. She plays so well by herself. She brings so much joy to Ethan and I!

Norah, 5 Months Old

Side note:

I actually wrote this post a few weeks ago but I forgot to post it. So better late than never :)

Time is flying by! Norah is getting so big and she is changing so fast! Here is an update on our sweet girl!

Feedings: We are still exclusively breastfeeding and we are still having success with it! We are still waiting to start solids. Our plan is to start at 6 months. Our 4 hour schedule is going great as well!

Awake time/Skills: Norah is becoming a pro at many different skills. Her newest skill is rolling from her back to her belly! She did it for the first time during the night and I found her on her belly when I went to get her in the morning. Now, anytime she is laying on her back she rolls to her tummy. She loves it! She is also getting better at sitting up. We have to help her but she is getting stronger! She has also started to belly laugh! This is my favorite! She doesn't do it often but when she does it is the cutest thing ever!

Naps/Nighttime: Not a lot has changed here. Naps have gotten a little better. Normally she will take about a 45 minute morning nap. A longer afternoon nap.....1 hour to 2 hours. Then she will take a cat nap in the early evening. I nurse Norah at 8:00pm and then she goes to bed for the night. I still do a dream feed at 10:30pm. I recently tried to drop the dream feed but she just isn't ready for that and I'm ok with that. She still wakes up 1 time to nurse during the early morning hours. My plan is to see if she will drop it on her on over the next month and a half and if she doesn't I am going to start to ween her from that feeding. I'm praying that she will drop it on her own because I really don't want to have to work with her on dropping it. 

Personality: I know that I am partial but Norah is the happiest baby I have ever been around. She loves for people to talk with her and she loves to just sit and talk with her mama and daddy! She is sweet and fairly laid back. Her smile will light up any room. I am so thankful for my fun loving baby girl! She makes life more fun!

Norah-4 months old

4 months old...really? I can't even handle it! Norah and growing and changing so fast! Here is an update on our sweet girl!

Feedings: Breastfeeding is going well. We recently went to a 4 hour schedule during the day! Norah had started to not want to take a full feeding for 2 feedings a day and after talking to her doctor we decided that she was ready to stretch to 4 hours. She is doing so well with the change and I am enjoying a little more freedom :) We have decided to hold off on starting her on any solids for a little while longer. I am thinking we will start somewhere between 5-6 months old.

Awake time/Skills: Norah has learned all kinds of new skills this month! She has found her hands and her feet and she is rolling over from her belly to her back. She is close to rolling from her back to her belly! I love watching her play. She talks and plays so happily and does well playing by herself. 

Naps/Night time: Since last month we have struggled with naps. We met Mr.45 minute intruder and he has decided to stay for awhile. I feel like everyday we are trying something new when it comes to trying to fix the nap issues. I've been told that at her age it is normal for babies to struggle with naps so I am crossing my fingers that it is just a phase. She still wakes up one time at night to nurse. She has been doing great at night and this makes my heart happy!

Personality: Norah is so fun loving and happy! She loves to talk and smile. She is fairly laid back and goes with the flow. She likes to look people over and sometimes it takes her a little while to warm up to others but for the most part she will always share a smile with you. She is such a joy and I just love getting to watch her grow each day!

She weighed 12lbs 5oz at her 4 month check up and was 24 1/2 inches long. She is healthy and strong and got a great report from her doctor!

A few of my favorite baby things

These are a few of my favorite things!

1) Rock N Play

This was our life saver! Norah was not a fan or her crib. She wanted to be held close. We borrowed the Rock N Play a few days after arriving home from the hospital and it totally changed everything. Norah really liked it and she slept so well in it. I was pretty adamant about wanting her in her crib right from the start but I quickly learned that she had other plans. The Rock N Play was great because it could be moved from room to room easily. She slept in this until she was about 7 weeks old. I would highly recommend this to any new mama.

2) Tommee Tippee Bottles

I started pumping when Norah was about 3 weeks old and originally we tried using a different brand of bottles. Norah just wasn't a fan. I happened to have a Tommee Tippee bottle that was given to me when we registered at Target and I decided to try it. Norah took to it so well. I think these bottles are perfect for the breast feed baby.

3) Medela Breast Pump

This has been great! Thankfully our insurance company covered the cost of this bad boy. Check out www.inursemybaby.com . They did all the leg work in getting my pump. It was awesome! If you are pregnant and interested in a breast pump the wonderful team at www.inursemybaby.com will be happy to help you!

4)Swaddle Sleep Sack

These are great! However, I wouldn't use them for a newborn. The velcro is noisy. I started using these with Norah when she was about 2 month old and sleeping longer stretches at night. Norah is a master of getting out of her swaddle and these made it a little bit harder for her :)

5) Boppy Nursing Pillow

I love my nursing pillow. I would take it everywhere with me if I wouldn't get strange looks.

6) Aden and Anais Swaddles

These are perfect for a newborn baby. I loved them. They are soft and thin but they also keep baby warm.

7)Mam Pacifiers

In the hospital one of the nurses gave us some pacifiers. However, they were huge and Norah couldn't keep them in her month. Someone had given me a pack of newborn Mam pacifiers and these fit Norah's tiny month perfect. She has to be in the mood to take a pacifier but when she wants it this is the one she wants!

8)Newborn gowns

These are wonderful for those middle of the night feedings when its dark and you can hardly open your eyes. We had several of these and this is about all Norah wore the first several weeks of her life. 

This is not a complete list or final list but these are what come to mind when I think about the things that made life easier with a newborn! I hope that this blog post helps some of my new mommy-to-be friends out there! 

Norah-3 months old!

3 months feels like such a big milestone! Norah has grown and changed so much over this past 

month.  Here is a little update on our big girl.

Feeding: We continue to have success with nursing! We when through a stage where everything I ate seemed to bother her but I have made some adjustments to my diet and things are going well now!

Awake time/Skills: Norah loves play time. She kicks and wiggles. She has rolled over from her belly to her back once! I put her down on her play mat and walked away for a minute. When I walked back to her to check on her she was on her back. I couldn't believe that I missed it. I was so proud of her. She hasn't done it again but we are working on it! I normally rotate her from each activity throughout the day. That way she isn't always looking at the same thing. She does really well playing by herself and doesn't need to be held all the time. However, sometimes I just want to hold her :) She loves to stand up. She gets so proud of herself. It's so cute! She is normally awake for about an hour to an hour and a half.

Naps/Night time: Norah is not a morning person. So as a result of that she always takes a really good morning nap. I am very thankful for this! She generally goes down really easy for her naps and will sleep anywhere from an hour to 2 hours depending on the time of day. She wakes up one time during the night to nurse. As much as I would like to sleep through the night I am perfectly fine with her getting up once. My body as adjusted really well to running on a little less sleep and I am very thankful for that!

Personality: Norah seriously is the happiest baby! She smiles all the time and when she smiles she smiles with her whole face. Everytime she smiles I smile. I just can't help it! Yes, she cries too but it is normally because she is hungry or tired. She loves to talk and she loves to suck on her hands. I'm pretty sure she is going to be a thumb sucker.

She weighed in today at 11lbs 6oz and 23 1/2inches long! She is growing strong and is healthy! We are so thankful for her and the blessing that she is to us!

Norah-2 months old!

I cannot believe that our sweet girl is two month old! Time is flying by. She is growing and changing so quickly. I found her hospital hat the other day and it totally melted my heart. I had to pack away her newborn clothes and wash all of her 3 month clothes. Time please slow down. It is so much fun to watch her discover new things everyday. Here is an update on her!

Feedings: Nursing is going really well. Norah likes her milk :) She has since day one. She eats every 3 hours during the day and gives me longer stretches at night. She has doubled her birth weight already which makes me feel great! It helps me to know that I am doing something right.

Awake time/Play time: After Norah eats she is usually awake for another 30 minutes or so. Giving her total awake time around an hour. Sometimes longer. She loves her bouncer and is starting to really like her play map. She is noticing more every time I lay her on her mat and it is really fun to watch her discover things! She is starting to coo and she loves to stretch and kick her little legs!

Naps/Night time: Norah is good sleeper. She normally naps for about an hour and a half to two hours.  After her late night feeding she will give me a nice 5/6 hour stretch and then wakes for a feeding. After that feeding she will go another 4 hours!

Personality: She is such a happy baby! She has been smiling at us(on purpose)since she was a month old and that is my absolute favorite. She likes to know what is going on around her. She enjoys sitting up while in our laps and she is constantly kicking her legs. I'm not sure where she thinks she is going, but she sure is trying! She loves her daddy and we love it when daddy comes home from work.

I absolutely love being Norah's mama. She is such a joy!

Body after baby....

Oh yes...You read the title correctly. The body after baby blog post. Ive been thinking about this post for the past several days and I think it is important for women to be honest about our postpartum bodies. So here goes nothing.

I gained 60lbs while pregnant......Okay you can close your month now. I was equally as shocked. I did really well with my weight gain until just over half way through my pregnancy. Im not going to lie.... I ate what I wanted. I have a major sweet tooth and it went off the chain during my pregnancy. Not only did I have zero self control but other people always seemed to encourage me to eat what I wanted. And I would listen to them. My doctors were always bringing it up and rightly so. I walked a few days a week and tried not to snack. However, the number on the scale just kept going up. I hated that part of my doctors appointments. At my 37 week appointment the doctor told me she could tell I was bothered by the weight gain because I mentioned it to her several times. She was so encouraging when she told me that it would be ok. I obviously needed to be aware of what I was eating but I would be able to lose the weight.

By the time I went into labor I was extremely swollen. I honestly didn't realize how swollen I was. After giving birth I was even more swollen. I had already mentally prepared myself for the worse when it came to how I would feel about my new body. About a week after Norah was born I began to notice that my new shape was taking place. The swelling was going away and I was beginning to feel more like myself. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror one night and the first thing that came to mind was that I didn't look near as "fat" as I thought I would.

Two weeks post delivery I got on the scale. I had lost 40lbs. I was shocked. I couldn't believe how fast I dropped the bulk of the weight and it proved to me that I was carrying around a lot of water weight.  I still have 20lbs to lose to be at pre baby weight but honestly I'm not that worried about it.

Yes, I have some killer stretch marks and my tummy is squishy. But you know what....I'm ok with it. Every time I look at those stretch marks and my squishy tummy I am reminded of my sweet baby girl.

Every single pound was worth gaining for her.

Norah's first 3 weeks

My baby girl is 3 weeks old today. This blows my mind! Here is a little update on life in our house.

Feedings: She eats life a champ. She is currently weighing in at 6lbs 14oz. Baby girl likes her milk. I am so thankful that nursing has been successful for us.

Sleeping: She is on a 3 hour schedule and at night she goes right back to sleep after she eats. I am very thankful for this. During the day she has some good awake time and then back to sleep for our little princess. I swaddle her and the little stinker always gets her arms out. She wants her hands right by her face. I can't blame her. I sleep with my hands by my face too :)

Personality: Its been fun to watch her personality develop. And I know we will only see it more and more as she grows. She is so sweet and likes to cuddle. We love that!! She makes the funniest noises and faces. I could stare at her all day. I feel like each day she is more alert and aware. She will look right at us and listen to us talk to her. 

Daddy is totally smitten with her. It's so sweet to watch him with her. His favorite thing to do is kiss her face. Listening to him talk to her and sing to her does a mamas heart good. He is a wonderful father and seeing how in love he is with Norah makes me more in love with him.

I am also smitten with my baby girl. She constantly makes me smile.  Even though I feel slightly sleep deprived I am loving motherhood. It is the most rewarding thing I have ever done. Sure, wiping poop off the wall by her changing table at 5:30am after she had a blow out isn't anyones idea of fun. However, I wouldn't trade it for the world. I am so in love with Norah. 

I am thankful with how the Lord has blessed our little family. He has given us far more than we deserve.

Norah is here-Birth Story!

I cannot believe that my baby girl is a 1 week old! Time is already flying by. This sweet little girl has stollen our hearts!

Here is her birth story.

On Saturday November 9th I woke up around 8am. I got up and quickly noticed that something didn't feel normal. We were actually staying at Ethan's parents house because there was a family event happening there that morning. I went to the bathroom and was pretty sure that my water had broken. I got Ethan and we decided that I would call my doctor. With Norah being our first I wasn't really sure if my water had actually broken or not. I wasn't having any contractions. Plus I was 37 weeks and 1 day and I didn't think Norah would be early. I had been telling myself she was gonna be late so I wouldn't get my hopes up about an early arrival. After talking to my doctor and doing my hair and make up :) we headed to the hospital. We arrived at the hospital around 11:00am. They checked and told me that my water hadn't broken and that I wasn't dilated. They let me walk around for a while and then they checked again and still the test said that my water had not broken. This was totally discouraging. Leaving the hospital was like taking the walk of shame. 

Ethan and I were starving at this point so we went and got lunch. After lunch I started feeling like I was cramping on and off. I thought it was because they had checked me and didn't think much of it. We made it home and decided to just lay low and rest. The cramping continued throughout the afternoon and little by little began to bother me more. Around 7:30 we headed to the mall to walk around and get out of the house. At this point I was pretty uncomfortable but I wasn't sure if these cramps were contractions or not. I called my cousin who is a NICU nurse and she encouraged me to start timing the cramps because she thought they sounded like contractions. So I proceeded to time them for the next hour and a half. They were coming pretty strong and I had to stop and breath through them. They were coming every 4/5 mins and lasting for about 30 seconds. I decided to call my doctor again and after talking with him we decided that I should go ahead and head back to the hospital to be checked.

So Ethan and I made our way back to the hospital. The contractions were strong and I told Ethan that if this wasn't the real thing I would never survive actual labor :) We arrived at the hospital around 11:30pm and when the nurse checked she told us that my water had broken and I was almost 2 centimeters dilated. Ahh!! I'm pretty sure that my water was broken all along and that for whatever reason it just didn't show up when they tested me earlier that day. I am actually really thankful that they sent us home because this gave me the chance to spend those early laboring hours at home and not in a hospital bed. 

At 3:30am I had progressed to 5 centimeters and was able to get my epidural. At this point my contractions were coming every 2 mins and lasting for about a minute so there was no resting in between. I was so ready for the epidural. Labor is no joke. Once my epidural kicked in I was able to rest. Not sleep. There is no way that sleep can really happen in a hospital.

Around 7:30am I began to feel pressure so I asked my nurse to check me. When she did I was complete and ready to push! I had no idea that this moment would bring so much emotion. I was in tears. I was gonna meet my baby girl. My sweet nurse began to get everything in place and around 8:00am I began pushing. Honestly the hardest thing I have ever done. They told me I was a great pusher. However, they probably tell every women that. Ethan stood right by my side and was a fabulous coach. Could not have done it without his encouragement. He was my biggest fan and just what I needed in those moments.

At 8:59am on November 10th we welcomed Norah Rose into the world! I remember my doctor telling me to look after I had finished a seriously hard push and there she was! 

My doctor quickly handed her to me and tears filled both mine and Ethan's eyes. It was the sweetest moment I have ever experienced. We were in love from that second on! It is amazing how much love you can have for this tiny little life. So precious! 

Norah weighed in at 5lbs 9oz and 18 3/4 inches long. Our tiny little peanut. Before they put her on the scale I guessed 7lbs 1oz. I was way off. I still can't believe how tiny she is!

I am so thankful that I had such a smooth labor and delivery. I could not have asked it to go any better. I am very blessed.

Norah is healthy and strong. Even though she was a little early. She didn't have any problems. She was just ready to make her arrival and I am so glad that she did. Our lives are forever changed and they have changed for the good. Norah has our hearts and being her mommy is the most rewarding thing I have ever done!

We are madly in love! 

Welcome to the world Norah Rose! You have our hearts sweet girl!

35 weeks

Sorry for my lack of pregnancy updates. It has nothing to do with not having the time. I have just been slacking.

Today marks 35 weeks of pregnancy. I am excited that the end is near and that meeting our baby girl is in sight! I'm ready to hold her, kiss her, watch her daddy hold and kiss her! We are ready to begin our life as a family of 3. I know that I cannot fully prepare for the change that is about to take place in our life. I know that it will be one of the most rewarding yet challenging things we ever experience but I also know that God's grace is sufficient. As Ethan and I prepare to step into this role of parenthood we know that the mistakes will be many, but that the love will be even greater. As we pray for our baby girl we pray that she will come to know Christ at an early age and that she will commit her life to faithfully serving Him. As I think about the love that we already have for her I can't help put think about how much more Christ loves us. I pray is that as Norah's mommy I will point her to Jesus every day.

My pregnancy is still going smooth. We are so thankful for this! Here is a little update for you.

Norah:

1) Most active at night when I lay on my side

2) Head down as far as my doctor can tell...woo hoo!

3) Growing right on track

4) Heart rate in the 140's

5) Totally crammed in mommy's belly

6) Her hospital bag is packed and ready to go

Mommy:

1) Swollen feet-always

2) Gained far more weight than what my doctor would like

3) Major sweet tooth-maybe this is why my weight gain is high... :)

4) Sleeping fairly well

5) I can no longer see my feet when standing

6) My belly button has yet to pop out...I am pretty proud of this!

Here is a 34 week belly picture that I took last Friday

The weather has been so nice here the last few days! Perfect for this hormonal pregnant girl. Today Ethan and I enjoyed a lovely lunch date and walk downtown. It was fantastic. I love days like today where Ethan and I can enjoy time together with no interruptions. 

30 Weeks

Last Friday I hit the 30 week mark! Its hard to believe that we only have about 10 weeks till we hold our baby girl. I honestly cannot wait to get my hands on my sweet baby. 

Here is an update on both Norah and I

Norah: 

-Weighing in at around 3 pounds

-Moves throughout the day but is most active at night once I am still

-Can hear her daddy and I talking to her

Mommy:

-Waking up 2-3 times a night to use the bathroom

-Loves sweets

-Has swollen ankles if on my feet for too long or if I ride in the car for too long

-Over all feeling good

We just so happened to be in Disney with Ethan's family when I hit the 30 week mark! It was a fun way to celebrate!

We are slowly but surly making progress in Norah's nursery. Doing lots of DIY projects which are time consuming but also save lots of money!

Okay, lets back up.....

Alot has happend in the Crowder household over the last month so I feel it is only far to back up and give you a proper update!

Several months ago we begin the interview process with a church in Florida. The position was for a student paster and as we begin the process we felt a peace that the Lord was at work in this situation. During that time we prayed that the Lord would be very clear in what His plan for our family was.

In mid July, after several stages of interviews and lots and lots of prayer, Ethan was called as student pastor! We were simply blow away at how gracious and faithful the Lord was in providing such a great place for us to begin serving in full time ministry. Over the curse of the next 3 weeks we were officially voted on by the church and packed up and headed to Florida.

It was a bittersweet goodbye. We had made Louisville our home. Our best friends were there, school was there, our life was there. However, we had an overwhelming peace that our time in Louisville had come to a close and the Lord wanted us to take this next step in serving him. Ethan and I we reminded that the purpose of seminary was to train us for exactly what the Lord was calling us to. Basil Manly Jr wrote in his hymn Soldiers of Church, in Truth Arrayed "We meet to part and part to meet". I'm not sure it could be said any better than that.

Ethan will finish his remaining classes online and through the seminaries modular program. He has about 8 classes standing between him and his MDiv.

We have been in Florida for about two weeks now and have settled in nicely. Our new church family has welcomed us with open arms and has been more loving than we could have ever expected. Such a blessing. We are excited about the ministry that the Lord has for us here and we look forward to many years of service with this church body!

I have successfully found a new OB who is great. I had my 26 week checkup and all was well. Norah's heartbeat sounds great and she is measuring on track. She moves all the time and is constantly reminding me that she is inside my belly. As if the round bump sticking out isn't good enough :)

We are so thankful for how faithful the Lord has been to our family. His plan for our lives is far greater than we could have ever planned out ourselves. He continues to prove His love for us in ways we could never have imaged. His ways are higher than ours. For this we are grateful.

It's a girl!

Ethan and I are expecting a baby girl!! We are so excited and can't wait to hold our sweet baby girl! She is healthy and growing strong! I am feeling her kick multiple times a day.  I am 22 weeks today and feeling really good!

Here was our official "It's a girl" announcement!