- Juliette meets her SISTAS! -

As elaborated on in the last post, I spent plenty of time during the third trimester boo-hoo'ing that Harper and Scarlett would not be able to come inside the hospital and meet the brand new baby while we were admitted there [thank youuuu, COVID, for shattering my dreams of a picture-perfect introduction].  Since they were the all-important big sisters, we definitely wanted them be the first to hear the news of the new baby's arrival AS WELL AS be the first ones to find out if they had a baby brother or a baby sister!  Should we wait the full 3 days until we're discharged home and tell them the gender in person?!  ...While that was Harper's vote for how this should all go down, Brian and I agreed that the rest of our families and friends would be going crazy with not knowing the gender/name/other deets for several days post-birth.  ...And/or if some of the news leaked onto social media from my co-workers who were clocked in and well aware of everything going on with our labor/delivery/BABY GIRL, we certainly did not want a slip up of our family seeing a comment or photo on Facebook before we had a chance to announce personally.  So!  I decided it would be best to wrap up these two newborn dolls that Harper and Scarlett used for the pregnancy announcement [one boy doll and one girl doll - HOW CONVENIENT!] and labeled them "BOX 1" and "BOX 2."  Then, after opening the boy or girl box, they would be able to call their grandmas and grandpas and share the news with anyone and everyone!

When Grammy Resa picked the girls up from school on Tuesday afternoon, they immediately called us to hear the good news!  They were so excited to hear that they FaceTimed while still en route to the house, so of course we had to wait until they walked inside where the wrapped boxes were.  Meanwhile, Juliette was chillin' in my arms like, "Come on, hurry up and get inside to the boxes so Mom can flip the FaceTime camera and show you my cute face and HUGE BOW!" :)

Upon opening BOX 2 and seeing their pink baby doll inside, both of them were jumping up and down and so excited to have a LITTLE SISSY!  We have some video footage of their reactions that Brian took of my phone screen [again, so weird!! But better than nothing!], and they enjoyed seeing Juliette many more times via FaceTime while we were admitted.

After hospital discharge on Thursday afternoon, we arranged to pick up the girls about an hour early from school as a surprise and special treat for them [but also partially out of convenience so we could collect all our offspring in one swoop and then be nestled in at home together as a family of 5 for the rest of the evening!].  I have the most adorable video of Brian walking them to the van and them laying eyes on Juliette in her car seat for the first time.  Ahhhhh, it was truly love at first sight...

...and the love did not die down after we made it home, either!  We had them wash their hands and change their school clothes before holding the baby, but they didn't complain because their BEST BIG SISTER shirts from Grammy were washed and waiting on a hanger!

Three beautiful girls to love...my heart was a puddle seeing them all together for the first time!

After dinner, we made some popcorn and turned on a movie so we could all relax and enjoy our newest addition!

The latter portion of the evening consisted of lots of arguing/whining about whose turn it was to hold "'da baby" and ended up with Scarlett crying herself to sleep in Brian's arms because she couldn't hold "Ju-wee-ette" while I was nursing her............... :s  It became immediately obvious that this little gal would never be hurting for love or attention!

The very next day, we had to take Juliette to the pediatrician for her newborn follow-up [what could really happen in the less-than-24-hour window when the hospital pediatrician saw her and our primary pediatrician needed to see her!? NO ONE KNOWS.].  Scarlett was the proudest big sis and made sure to stay close to the baby at all times during her assessment!

When we left, Scarlett wondered if "we should go get a tweat [treat] since Ju-wee-ette was so good for 'da docta'?" L to the O to the L.

As evidenced by all of the photos here, Juliette easily made her way into all of our hearts and never seemed to have trouble finding her way into someone's arms! 

 

Over the weekend, we gave her her first sponge bath and hair wash...

...which was huge entertainment for the older girls! :D

And then, right back to snuggles [all night annnnnd all day]!!!

Juliette, you fit in so perfectly to our family, and YOU ARE SO LOVED!!! <3

- Postpartum Paradise -

Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, it's onnnnn to postpartum we go!  

[You can find Juliette's Birth Story PART I and PART II here first!]

After Juliette's labor and delivery events went by in the blink of an eye [like literally a blink; it was wayyyy way way too fast!  Am I the only person in the history of humankind that wishes my labor would've lingered on a little longer?! PROBABLY.], my 2-hour recovery was over and it was time for Lori to load us up and wheel us over to postpartum!  With COVID-19 still surging, the visitor policy at the hospital remained just as strict as it was back in March 2020!  I was allowed to have one support person with me at all times [AKA Brian] and then a second visitor that may switch in and out between 7am-7pm.  Absolutely no kids under age 16 were allowed inside the hospital -- including BRAND NEW [very healthy] SIBLINGS -- which is the worst rule in the history of bad rules and of course totally broke my heart!  From the moment I found out I was pregnant in January, I hoped and prayed that the policy would loosen before I delivered...but nope, nope, nope.  I saw some TikTok video a few months back of a dad wheeling a brand new big sister inside the hospital in a zipped-up suitcase to meet their new baby, and I'd be lying if I didn't try to play through making that work for us, too!  Some of Harper's favorite memories of Baby Scarlett are meeting her moments after she was born and holding her on the couch in my postpartum room for the next few days before we all got discharged together as a family, and I sooooo wanted those experiences and memories for both of the older girls this time!  But!  COVID calls the shots these days and life is life and rules are rules.  I digress. 

As it turned out, postpartum was actually a rare sort of "vacation" for Juliette and me, which I suppose is not something I should complain about!  Unlike our postpartum experience with Harper, being void of [most] visitors wasn't such a bad deal after all.  [And to keep away all the unnecessary and most annoying door-knockers -- AKA Bella Baby photographers, "fancy birth certificate" makers/volunteers, and finance personnel who come in and request that you pay your delivery bill in full and/or get started on a payment plan before it's even been a full 24 hours OR you've even seen the bill printed on paper zomg -- I requested that my nurse put a sign on the door that read, "DO NOT DISTURB:  Call RN before entering," and low and behold, it worked!  Perhaps the only people the sign accidentally warded off was a pharmacy tech who was trying to deliver some ointment for my poor, raw breastfeeding nipples annnnd the chaplain who typically brings communion to Catholic patients, whoops.]  But long story short, our [mostly] uninterrupted time on postpartum was chill and full of skin-to-skin snuggles!

 

We sent Juliette off to the nursery a time or two each night, and my nurse would bring her back every 3 hours to nurse again.  By the time I fed her and changed her and sent her back, there was only a little window of time left for shut-eye...but why sleep anyway when I could stare at this beautiful face?!  4am never ever looked so good. :)

Brian stayed the first night at the hospital with us and then left around lunchtime the second day to shower at home and pick up Harper from school and Scarlett from Grandma Ann's.  I know it was good for him to be home with them that night and bring a little normalcy [and sleep!] back into their routines.  Between staying with grandmas for the prior two nights and being excited/nervous/anxious about the news of the new baby that mom and dad were suddenly M.I.A. with, I'm sure they were so happy to have him home!  ...And Juliette and me?! Well, we didn't mind the peace and quiet, either! ...In fact, WE LOVED IT! :) 

Somewhere in the mix of our stay, we got to spend a little time with Dr. Phillips, Grammy Resa, and Nurse Anna! Three of my favorite humans right there!  Thank you ladies for always loving us so well! <3

 By the time two nights had passed and the sun rose again, Juliette was over here like #MOOD...

...and I couldn't have agreed more!  Time to pack up and bust out?!  I'd say so!  Brian returned to the hospital late morning on Thursday after dropping Harper and Scarlett off at school...

...just in time to snap a few photos of Juliette, order a lunch tray, deliver a stack of thank you cards/gift cards to all our nurses, see the lactation consultant [FINALLY!], pack our bags, and get. the. boot!

Hasta la vista, babyyyyyy...we're outta here and on our way to pick up two very excited big sisters from school!!! :D

- Juliette's Birth Story {Part II} -

In good/traditional "birth story cliff-hanger" fashion, I left off with PART I at: 

1:14pm -- Dr. Phillips was gowning and gloving, my nurse friends had the baby warmer turned on and room all ready, and we juuuuuust had to wait for a contraction to come...

1:15pm -- ...and as soon as everyone was prepped and standing in place, that big 'ole contraction came!  I couldn't even tell if I was pushing or not [thank you heavy epidural!] -- but apparently I was, because one minute/a couple pushes later...

...Dr. Phillips told me to reach down and grab under the baby's armpits to pull him/her out [WHAT?!], and........

1:16pm -- ...IT'S A GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!  It's a stunning Juliette Thérèse!  :D

Hello, beautiful.  Another little lady to love; someone pinch me!!! 

 

 

 

 Ten tiny fingers and ten tiny toes...we are OBSESSED with you from head to toe!

After vital signs and footprints, Emily turned the scale on and weighed our pal in at 6 pounds, 6 ounces.  ...Are you kidding me?!  This little peanut is smaller than her big sisters by a LONG shot [Harper 8lb 4oz, Scarlett 8lb 13oz!].  Sooooo tiny, but so perfect, too [confirmed by Dr. Phillips, because I legit thought she had a growth restriction or some time of syndrome or something -- how could something so teeny come out of my uterus?!  But nope!  Turns out she's perfect, just petite!]!

After inspecting her from head to toe and then from toe to head again, we concluded that she is another [very much smaller] clone of newborn Harper!  Are genetics weird, or are they weird?! I cannot get over the way these newborn girls of ours all resemble each other so much.

And GOSH...seeing this photo right here makes my heart flutter all over again!  HOW LUCKY were we to have this birth team full of people that I've worked with for the last entire decade?!  I love you all soooo much; we've been through so many long shifts and life experiences together and bonded in ways most people could never imagine... It meant/still means the world to me that you were at my bedside for one of the best days of my life.  THANK YOU for everything!  It was the most perfect birthday party and birth story because of you all.

...And in her usual angelic fashion, Jamie stayed around even longer after the rest of the birth team dispersed to take special photos of Brian and I soaking in all those sweet first moments.  I will treasure these precious pics forever.  Thank you so much, Jame!!!

One proud Girl Dad! :)

During the 2-hour recovery period, we soaked up allllll the snuggles and even had a successful skin-to-skin + breastfeeding session before nursery came in to do Juliette's head-to-toe assessment.  She measured 19.25 inches and checked out perfect from nursery's standpoint.  All in all, recovery was a breeze [not in much pain at all! not bleeding too much! blood pressures were normal!] and we also had some other special visitors including Mrs. Ty!  [NOT PICTURED but definitely worth remembering:  Lori/Bridget pushing/riding the Sara Stedy to the bathroom.  Was this the moment Brian realized how crazy we L&D folk actually are?! I think so.]

And lastly but not least[ly]... Lori, where do I even begin with you?!  You were one one of the very first nurses to take me under your wing when I started as a new grad and someone who quickly became such a great friend while always remaining a mentor... You are such a wonderful nurse, and I am SO HAPPY you agreed to take care of my crazy @$$ during Harper's delivery and now Juliette's [especially since I finally got to redeem myself after Harper's horrible labor]!  Thank you for making this the very best day ever!  You are the world's greatest. [...And I owe you a burrito, so let's do Mexican + marg night soon!]  <3

Ahhhhh, we're over a month in to being at home with Juliette, and looking back through all these photos to make this post just made my heart so happy all over again!  My only regret of the entire day was that it all happened so fast and was over in the blink of an eye... Couldn't we have drug things out a littttttle longer to have twice the fun?!  ONE CAN ONLY WISH.  ;) :)

...But turns out the fun is just beginning, because on to postpartum we went with a brand new baby in stow!

Next post coming soon! 

__________

Postpartum Paradise posting/babbling continues!