HELLO

Mommy, Daddy and I in our backyard.
Mommy and I.
Great Grandma Brooks.
Daddy and I on my first walk.

June 20th - Hi, I'm Avery. My Mommy has been so busy and really wanted to update our blog..so...I thought I would help her out since she has been taking care of me. Since I came home I have spent time with Queen Mother Springs. She took some pictures of our new family and some of just me; well actually, she took a ton of just me. I think she is addicted to taking pictures. I also got to celebrate Daddy's first Father's Day. He really enjoyed his day and kept thanking Mommy for giving him a healthy baby girl. On Monday I went to my first pediatrician appointment and found out I lost 2 ounces and grow a half inch. I cried the whole visit and decided to show everyone whose boss by peeing on the weigh station - TWICE.

One day my Great Grandparents came to visit and brought Mommy and Daddy lunch and dinner. I had fun spending the day with them.

On Wednesday Grandma Diamond came to spend a week with us. I was so excited to meet her and get to spend some time with her. She is being a big help so Mommy can get some sleep. Mommy has been really tired. She hasn't been getting much sleep at night and during the day she has been trying to do too much. She is now trying to take everyone's advice and start sleeping while I am sleeping. She has been nursing me and that is hard on her and she is very emotional. I try to make her laugh daily by peeing on her when she changes my diaper.

Today was a big day for me, my umbilical stump fell off. Mommy was worried about my stump because I had some dried blood around it. She was so worried she called my doctor and asked about it, she thought the cord would fall off and my belly button would look like hers, not the case. A couple of hours later when she changed my diaper she found the stump stuck to my onesie.

GOING HOME!!

Welcome Home Avery!!
Daddy carries Avery to the house.
Daddy and his girl.
Daddy giving Avery a kiss.

June 11th - We have been cleared to go home. Avery passed her hearing test in both ears and I am doing well so we are able to go home. I have to say I can't wait to sleep in my bed but I am not ready to leave the wonderful nurses and the security of the hospital. My Mom is coming home with us and staying until Sunday so that will be a big help.

The nurse helped us load the car. We had some trouble getting Avery in her car seat just because we have never done it before but the nurse guided us through it and we got Avery in the car. David was so cute driving us all home. He was very careful and cautious. I can already tell he is going to be a great Dad.

LEARNING

Avery sleeping in her Granddaddy’s arms.
Daddy holding his less than 1 day old little girl.

June 10th - David and I are learning so much from Avery. We learned how to cope on hardly any sleep, how to hold her without upsetting her, how to nurse her and how to let her go so other people can hold her. She has already worried me. The nursery called today and said she her right ear did not pass the hearing test so they are going to retest her tomorrow. They said it may be fluid in her ear but I that does little to comfort a new Mom.

INTRODUCING....

We are waiting for the fun to begin.
Daddy and Avery's first picture together. I think it is love at first sight. What do you think.
Our first family picture!
Avery after her first bath. Daddy picked out her cute bow.

Avery Katherine Diamond. Monday (June 9th) started out as a normal day; little did we know that we would be holding our baby girl by that night. David and I went to work and met at the doctor for our normal Monday appointment. My doctor examined me and said I was progressing so there was no need to wait. We were going to have a baby today!! We immediately started calling our family and telling everyone the good news. We went home to drop off a car and get our things ready. I figured since our bags were packed and in the car I would take this moment to take a shower and shave my legs.

We arrived at the hospital about 3:00, my Mom arrived about 3:30 and Little Grandparents arrived around 3:45. I was feeling great, no labor pains at all. My doctor came and broke my water at 4:00. That is when the fun began. I started to feel some contractions in my back and lower tummy. I asked for an epidural around 5:30 and got it at exactly 6:08. Talk about strange. It felt like my legs were asleep. I remember looking at the monitor and seeing strong contractions but only feeling a slight pain in my back. My Dad arrived around 6:30. The contractions started to slow down so I was given pitocin every 15 minutes to speed up the contractions. Finally at 10:00 they told me to start pushing. Again another strange feeling. I knew I was pushing because my face told me so but I couldn't feel a thing except a bunch of pressure. I only pushed 29 minutes because at 10:29 we all heard the first cries of Avery. What a rush of emotion. I was so proud of David and me for making it through labor without a hitch and I was so proud of this small bundle.

Avery weighed 6 pounds and 13 3/4 ounces and was 19 inches long and had a head full of dark hair. I know I am biased but she has to be the prettiest baby I've ever seen.

They moved us to the 7th floor a couple of hours later. David and I got to watch them give Avery her first bath, which broke my heart because she started to cry because she was so cold. We decided to let her spend the night in the nursery so we could get some sleep and asked them to bring her in when she needed to be nursed. I think David and I got a total of 3 ½ hours of sleep that night.

This had to be one of the best days of my life. I dreaded labor for so long for nothing. It was not bad at all and as soon as I looked in her eyes I knew nothing but joy!!

RANDOM PICTURES

June 8th


Dad and Ann restored the bassinet he, I and Julie used. I love the purple colors. As requested it was placed on David's side of the bed so he could keep an eye on her.

Dad, I and Ann standing in front of their creation. I can't wait to bring her home and see her in it. I walk by it each morning and peak in, as if she is alrady here.

David putting together the stroller.

David installing the base of the car seat. It proved more difficult than either of us imagined but we got it in both cars!

WEEK 37

June 6th - Well the count down is on, we have now started counting days instead of weeks. We only have 15 more days (if she decides to grace us with her presence on time). I can't believe we only have 15 more days....that is exciting and scary. We are officially ready, the bags are packed and in the car and the Smyrna Police inspected car seat is in the car; now if only I could get emotionally prepared. I know this is a natural thing but I am still scared not knowing when this is going to happen and how it will feel, though I have a slight feeling it is going to hurt until I get the drugs.

We had another doctor’s appointment on Monday and things are the same. I have not changed, which is good, though I keep waiting for my water to break at any moment. The minute I let my guard down and stop waiting, it will happen. David and I are getting anxious; he told me last night he can't wait for her to get here so he can hold her. He is so excited and I can’t wait to hold her in my arms and meet this little person who keeps sticking me in the ribs with an elbow, knee or foot.

My plans are to work up until the birth. It is getting harder and harder to get up each morning and go to work. I am so tired and not motivated to do any work but I don’t want to start my maternity leave early because I want to spend all my time with our brand new baby girl, so I will make do until she arrives.

On the name front, David and I have picked out a name for baby Diamond but we are keeping it a secret. Why? Well we don’t really know but that is what we decided, so everyone will just have to wait a little longer.