Saturday, February 13, 2010

Three Weeks

How has it already been three weeks since our baby was born? Time goes way too quickly during the newborn stage! Katie is growing like crazy, taking after her oldest sister and becoming a "chubalub." She left the hospital weighing 7lbs 12oz. At her two week check up, the little chunker weighed in at 9lbs 6oz! That's a decent weight gain in two weeks. Maggie didn't even regain her birthweight until three and a half weeks, still weighing only 7lbs 3oz at two weeks. Oh, my peanut. Katie was in the 90th percentile for her weight and 75th for height and head.

I remember another baby that had those kinds of numbers.

Katie's resemblance to Allie is unmistakable. Same nose, eye shape, round face, hairline. Same belly shape, chin, same sweet and easy disposition. They could be twins. It has been both wonderful and scary at the same time to look at this new baby and see her sister. It's made me tear up more than once, but it's had me stare at her with more love than I ever thought possible.
How did I get so lucky to have three such beautiful girls as my daughters?

I'm loving being with Katie and Maggie. I love curling up as the three of us in my bed or all together on the couch. Watching Maggie look at her sister then go in for a hug and a kiss brings me so much joy. Maggie is the sweetest big sister, always wanting to be with Katie. She picks out her outfit with me each day, helps with diaper changes, and constantly hugs and kisses the baby. There is no jealousy whatsoever.

Katie is my last baby. I know this. I've known it since I was early on in my pregnancy. Since she was an unexpected C-section (little stinker flipped last minute and had her head in my rib cage!), we were given the choice of having my tubes tied. Of course, since I've been pressuring him for months to schedule an appointment for a vasectomy, he immediately perked up when the nursed asked me if I was interested in having my tubes tied. "Well, that would certainly make MY life easier," he responded. Can I tell you there is a part of me that still wants him to do it just so he could go through something with HIS body having to do with the reproduction of our children? I know, a bit mean. Knowing this is my last baby (yeah, I got the tubes tied, he dodged a bullet. Translation--he owes me!), it's made this experience different. I hold her more, smell her longer (omg I love newborn smells!), coo louder, and generally try to soak up everything about this. I teared up when she got out of the size N diapers and into the size 1. This is the last baby I will put a tiny little diaper on.

I'm just trying to enjoy every minute.

Here are a few pictures of my sweet Katie from yesterday and the sisters together from the other day. LOVE.MY.GIRLS.









22 comments:

melissa said...

Just the last baby of your own - some day you'll likely be putting teeny tiny diapers on a grandbaby and then it's the teeny tiny baby WITHOUT the sleepless nights. :-) Love the pictures and your sweet girls. Enjoy this...my second is 8 months and it has flown by. Now she is pulling down her brothers toys, biting on electrical cords and attempting to squeeze in to toddlerhood! It FLIES!!!

Jackie said...

Last babies are bittersweet, aren't they? Your girls are just gorgeous!!!

Ness said...

Coming out of the woodwork...I've been following you since Allie was ill.

OMG---Allie certainly put her stamp on Katie before she sent her down to you. They DO look like twins! I can't believe how Katie has grown! I'm so happy Maggie is getting into the role of big sister, picking out her daily outfits, etc. I can't remember...did Maggie get her Big Girl room or did Katie get the new room? Don't ask me why that popped into my head when I woke up this morning.

You can't hold a baby too much. Enjoy your time with your little sweethearts. BTW, the picture taken with Katie holding Allie's picture was the sweetest, most heartfelt picture I've ever witnessed. Sugar does phenomenal photography!

Ness
www.dachshundstrong.blogspot.com

Donna said...

Glad you are getting to enjoy those early weeks! My husband escaped the V as well thanks to my c-section. Somehow I don't think that one week of diaper changing at the beginning of recovery was payback enough for sparing his nether regions! :0)

Our Beautiful Life said...

I am a long time lurker and I just wanted to say congrats on your beautiful girl. I know all too well the feeling of wanting to soak everything in since she is your last baby. My baby is almost 4 months old, and he is our last. I don't even like to put him to bed at night because I don't want to miss a minute of his life because it flies by so fast.

Congrats again! I'd tell you to enjoy, but you already know that. :)

Karma said...

Oh, such gorgeous girls! Congratulations!

Krista said...

Katie's resemblence to Allie is breathtaking. Doesn't seem fair that all your girls are so pretty:) Almost makes me want another!

Stephanie said...

she is a beautiful girl! she definitely looks alot like her big sister. i love all that chub a lub! my little guy is 16 weeks and he is a chubby himself! i love it! he is supposed to be my last but we just aren't sure yet. but, i do hold him more, coo more and actually kinda look forward to nite feedings just so i can see him again.

all your girls are beautiful! you are blessed and i am so happy for you and andrew!

congrats to you and thank you for sharing all your girls with the rest of us!

Karen said...

So sweet.

Me said...

There is something really, really special about the "last" baby. Unlike the older ones when you knew there would be more, you don't worry so much about meeting milestones but instead enjoy every little second of them, and then you realize a milestone has gone by and grieve it a little. I ate Miss Maddy up for breakfast lunch and dinner and I still do. It's such a great lesson for living in the moment to have a "last".

Love you and that baby
D

Kelly said...

She is beautiful!!

Anonymous said...

SO beautiful! All three of your girls. And you, too. What a great post!

And yeah... I kwym about the whole tubes/vasectomy thing, too. But we get the joy of giving birth to these kids, and that's pretty good compensation for it all.

Newborns are fabulous and I hope you enjoy every minute of it! It can be bittersweet to have the "last" baby... but my "baby" is now 6, and the other day, when I was outside shoveling snow for an hour and the 6 and 9 yos were inside doing whatever, I realized how hard it is to have smaller children. You can't leave infants and toddlers alone to their own devices, not for a second... but once the kids are in school, it's a world of difference. An hour of Spongebob or Wii and you get to ... ok, well, I got to shovel snow. There's an endless cycle of loss and compensation as the kids get older. I know you've experienced such an acute, painful loss with Allie that all of this must be heightened for you. I'm glad you are enjoying every second with your girls right now, and that Katie is growing so fast and so well! It's great that Maggie is so charmed by her, too.

Amy said...

Jenny, I just love reading about your pure joy with your girls. I remember reading you post when Allie was sick and they were heartbreaking. You and Andrew deserve to have these three little angels. I'm just so happy for you guys!!

Shannon said...

Jenny, I too had my tubes tied after my last c-section. I still fill as if John owes me for the bullet he dodged, but I'm pretty sure he doesn't look at it that way!

Katie is beautiful and Maggie is the amazing big sister I expected.

Laura said...

I love the pictures! You should post a picture of that last picture of Katie and the Valentine picture of Allie (you know, the one where she had a certain finger up?) side by side. As soon as I saw that picture of Katie, it reminded me of the same sweet face of Allie.

timi68 said...

Jenny, I've been a faithful follower of you story since Allie's 1st day in the hospital! I can remember when you posted her baby pics and YES, I agree, Katie is a twin of her beautiful sister. This last pic of Katie is her sister to a "T" You should post the pics side by side so others can see the similarities! Congratulations again, and God bless your family!

Adrianne said...

This post was great! Isn't it amazing how much your heart just opens up to let in another little human? Katie such a beautiful little girl and Maggie is such a great big sister!! We told you being a mommy to 2 would be awesome!

snekcip said...

Oh.my.goodness. She is the spitting image of Allie!!!! You and Andrew sure make BEAUTIFUL girls!!!

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Erin Laughpaintcreate said...

Hi Jenny!

Happy to see some new pics! Love the updated pic of you and Andrew too! :) She is sweet as a button. I hope he understands that escaping the big V means jewelry for Mama! :) I am happy to hear you all are doing so well. You are incredible as always!

Erin O.

Tracy said...

I'm also another faithful follower since Allie, and all I can say is OMG. She looks sooo much like Allie, especially the last photo of Katie and this photo of Allie:

http://www.scotthousehold.com/DSC00462.JPG

Jax said...

The V takes 5 minutes & 2 days of frozen peas...He should do it!! =)Katie is beautiful!! Congrats!!