Avery Jo! You Are Here!

Hi baby girl!

I now know exactly how your little fingers and toes look, your cute little faces you make, the great little baby smell that you have and exactly how incredible you are!  You are truly amazing....and amazing how much we all already love you!

I will write out your entire birth story - because it is quite a doozie!  But, in the meantime, I'll give you the basics of your birth.

After about 42 hours of labor - beginning of inducement to contractions starting, water breaking and a finale of pushing hard for four hours - we ended up getting you out by a c-section at 12:16am on Thursday, December 2, 2010.  You were 9 lbs 4 oz and 21.5 inches long!  Big girl!  All the surgery nurses and docs kept saying how big you were - and how much hair you had!  And wow, you had hair!

You Daddy and you were waiting for Mommy in recovery so I could get stitched (well, stapled) back up after you were born.  And, in recovery, you latched on right away and breast fed!  It's been fairly easy, although trying at times too, ever since....but you and I are learning together!

We stayed four days in the hospital with you - one more than planned - because you had a round of jaundice that freaked your Daddy and I out a bit because you started not eating as much and were just always too tired to eat.  But, we came out of that ordeal just fine (so far at least) and you are back to being hungry and alert, but still such a great sleeper.  I don't want to say this too early - but you are a really easy baby.  Even when I know you are hungry and we are trying to hold out a little longer, we just pop in a pacifier and you are fine for until we feed you.  You cry for certain stuff (change your diaper, food, etc.) and that's about it.

Your Pa and Mimi are here and loving you right up!  They have to go home on Saturday and I think you are making it really hard on them to think about going home already!  You are just the best - so easy, super cute and such a little lover.  All your cousins here in AZ have already all held you too.  And your Uncle Ray and Aunt Brenda - several times.  =)  I just can't wait until you meet all the other cousins, aunts, uncles - and of course your Grandma Frances too!  She comes in February to see you!

And your Sisters...oh your Sisters!  How they love you!  They can't get enough of you either.  They squeal and laugh at your faces and noises.  Kyndall is ALL ABOUT YOU and would love to hold your every minute of every hour she is home.  Megan is a little more afraid of breaking you (which I completely respect!)...but once she gets her paws on you, she doesn't want to give you up either!  Both of them are already so proud to be your "Big Sissy".

You already have so many little mannerisms - kooky smiles, faces, noises.  I can't imagine you having any more, but I know you will.  I look at you and at first, couldn't believe that you were the baby in my belly!  And now, I can't imagine anyone else in the world as my little baby cakes!  We love you so much, it's crazy!

There is so so so much more about you that I could go on about.  One of these days, I will write out your entire birth story.  Mainly because I want a record of it.

Your Mommy is doing super (as super as you can be five days post c-section!).  I still am sore and move around very cautiously.  My tummy is so much smaller, but squishy.  Can't wait til that goes down some more!  I'm sure someone would mistake me as pregnant right now, but really, I could care less - because I have you and all of this that I have is what was needed to produce a healthy YOU.

Your Daddy is amazing (I saved the best for last).  He has been the best helper since the start with all of this...and now with you here, he is IN LOVE on top of being the best helper.  I love seeing him with you, it's indescribable.  Sometimes, he will just stand over you and look at you and say, "You are so beautiful." We have been loving this "new life" with you.  Sometimes, one of us out of the blue will say, "We have a baby!".  We are a bit in disbelief, but in such a good way!  We can't imagine life without you and it's only been five days!

Here are a few pictures.  There will be plenty, PLENTY more.  So, for now...we'll just start with these.  =)