Orla Michaela - Five Months

What a joy you are, my Orla girl! You barely cry - only when overtired. You still don't sleep, but you are super cute and I am really, really hoping that changes when you start eating food or get older. 

You are certainly getting more hair and I am getting more and more curious as to what color it is. It is definitely darker than Arwen's, but appears to have an orange tint to it! Time will tell. 

You are very close to rolling over from back to belly, but not quite there. You sit pretty well on your own and most likely if you are left sitting up long enough, you will start sucking on your toes. 

Everytime I see this picture, I giggle. 

When Arwen goes to preschool, you 'talk' to me a bit, but when she gets home, you are just so much happier. You two just make each other smile and laugh and I will try to soak this all in before the inevitable fighting starts. 

You love watching people eat and are getting very interested in eating yourself. Only one more month, Orla!

 I want to clarify that I have a happy picture of Arwen with Orla here too, but this is Orla's blog post.  😜

 

 It was your first Christmas!! We got to see all of our family and you slept for a lot of it. Next year, it will be even better. 

Some favorite pictures from the month:

 We saw Disney on Ice and you were very intrigued with all the dancing. You, again, fell asleep through most of it, but it was really a great show. 

Look at that head control (and not at the giant mess of our living room)!

Sister matching rainbow jammies!

 We went hiking and a random hail storm happened. My camera battery died, but I did get this adorable photo! 

 Orla in Mommy's wedding dress! 

Now comparison between Arwen (L) and Orla (R):

Orla's Birth Story

This story really starts Friday night. I went out with my previous coworkers for a pre-baby celebration. I asked them that night to please hope that I have this little girl before Arwen starts preschool. I get home and Andrew and I go to bed pretty late for us - around midnight. Turns out that was a terrible idea because Arwen wakes up EVERY HOUR until 6am. She has never in her life done that, not even as an infant. 

At the Melting Pot the night before

I wake up at 8am and I don't feel the best. I am having some pains, but I was 39 weeks pregnant. Pain is to be expected. Arwen wakes up shortly after me and we go downstairs for maybe 30 minutes before I suggest waking daddy up because I do not feel good. 

We go upstairs and I say I may be having some contractions. At this point, they are getting more regular and I notice that they are probably 10-12 minutes apart. I tell Andrew to call his parents and tell them to come here because I'm pretty sure we are going to be admitted to the hospital. He calls them and tells them to come over when they can. Soon after, I make him call them back and ask to get here ASAP because this really hurts and I really want to go get my epidural. My contractions are getting stronger now and I make him call the hospital because I can't talk and have started throwing up. We call and I basically say we are going in. See you soon. 

I did manage to snag this one photo while having contractions

Andrew's parents get to our house around 10am, I think. I am still upstairs and Andrew is packing my hospital bag because I NEVER DID THAT (I'm shaking my head right now). Arwen was downstairs watching TV because I didn't want her to see how much pain I was in. I walk down the stairs and I remember having a contraction in the kitchen with Andrew's mother and Arwen near me and I had to hold it together. I remember just wishing I could be at the hospital right now. 

Andrew and I leave for the hospital around 10:15am. Again, I didn't really pay attention to timing. I called my mom and let her know. I had several contractions in the car (of course) and I would clench my fist, yell, and hit the car door very hard. It was the worst pain and to this day, I get queasy thinking about it. As we were coming off the highway, there is a sign that points to the hospital and all I could think was we are almost there. I can almost have that epidural. I'm assuming you can see where this is going...

We get to the hospital. We have to sign something or fill something out? Not sure what happened but I remember having to pause and just clench before I could sign. They asked if I wanted a wheelchair, but I was in denial, so I said no. We get to the nurse's station and I have a contraction and I think they saw just how in labor I was because they got me a room and hooked up super duper fast. 

They checked me and said I was a 9.5/10. I asked about an epidural (😂 LOL) and they were so, so nice and polite about it; basically saying by the time he got there, it wouldn't be worth it. I was lying on the bed for maybe like 5 minutes before I told the nurse I needed to push. They got the doctor in while I was pushing. Did you know that you have to wait for contractions to push? That is hard, but waiting while the baby's head is just to be born is the worst. 

Orla was born roughly 20 minutes after the machines were hooked up to me. I don't know what would've happened if we had been any slower to the hospital and I don't really want to think about it! I didn't even have to worry about my eyes bursting blood vessels like with Arwen because there just wasn't time. Orla was born at 11:17am, August 18th. Her birthdate is actually a palindrome! How cool is that?!

My mantra for even before I knew I was pregnant was 'God's timing is perfect' and Orla really demonstrated that in my life. Getting pregnant with her, but especially her birth (day, time, hospital stay, etc.), was just perfect timing. Almost everything about her birth was opposite Arwen's and it gave me a sort of peace I didn't know I needed. Now, if she could sleep like her sister did...

Orla Michaela - Four Months

You are such a happy, happy baby Orla. The first time you really laughed was at your sister playing peekaboo with you. I had played with you earlier in the day and made you smile so I suggested Arwen play with you. We were eating dinner and we all just stopped and listened to that beautiful laugh. You also squeal and grunt often. You will whine if nobody is paying too much attention to you. 

Also, my mom brain didn't realize you wore this outfit for your 3 month pictures too... 

You moved into your own room and crib this month. It was an adjustment for you, but you are back to sleeping relatively well. Still haven't slept through the night ever though. I keep thinking about a light at the end of a tunnel. Eventually you will get there.

You also laugh whenever Arwen crys. It is really pretty funny and fortunately it makes Arwen calm down and laugh too. 

Can you tell where Arwen is? 

You had your first airplane ride to celebrate Thanksgiving with Uncle Jon and Auntie Kristi! You did very well and barely cried - mostly slept on the plane. 

You wore the same outfit Arwen did when she was small, but it was a bit big for you. Still cute! 

You are just gorgeous and I can't get over how beautiful your eyes are!! 

I think I had a similar dress when I was a baby, so when I found this at a consignment shop, I scooped it up! 

You got sick for the first time and had some breathing issues. We only had to use the nebulizer twice and you actually did pretty well with it! 

You also met your other uncles and aunties and Auntie Manda stole you the whole time. :)

Comparisons: 

Top left: 1 month

Top Right: 2 months

Bottom left: 3 months

Bottom right: 4 months

Arwen VS Orla

Orla Michaela - Three Months

This post is way late, so I don't remember too much. Sorry Orla girl, Mama has been tired! I do remember thinking you hadn't changed too much this month, but I also know that the next month, you will grow like crazy! Also, this may have been the month I was wondering if you were going to have red hair. 

These were technically taken over a week late because we were traveling on your 3 month birthday. Luckily (this is sarcasm), we were at the doctors SO often this month we have very up to date weights. Can I tell you how much I want summer back and healthy kids?? 

That head control! 

More smiling! 

Your first Halloween! You were an adorable pineapple and you slept in the carrier almost the whole time. Arwen made it through the whole side of our part of the neighborhood before saying "I'm too tired, Mommy. Let's go home." We ended up walking around a lot with Alyssa, our neighbor. 

 We went on vacation for the first time, too! Every late fall, we go to the White Mountains and this year was no exception. Well, except Mama booked the wrong place this year... 

 We went to the Children's Museum in Dover and it was just a lovely fall day. We also had some killer wraps before the museum and I still might dream of them...

First snow fall!! Not sure this really counts, but it was the first time it snowed. It pretty much melted right away and we didn't even get you in a sled or in your snowsuit. 

 You did wear your boots though <3

First time on a bus! This was also the first time you went on an airplane, but more about our thanksgiving in Indiana for next month :) 

Comparison photos:

Arwen                                                                  Orla

Orla 1 month, 2 months, and 3 months

Orla Michaela - Two Months

Oh my sweetheart, your smile is just so darn cute. You are especially happy and smile-y in the morning, so I fear I have another early bird. I mean, just look at that GIF below and tell me you didn't smile. Your sister can make you smile so big - in fact you are looking at her in the photo above.

We are still breastfeeding, though it was been a pretty rough month. I had mastitis essentially three times all while Arwen had an ear infection, so we were in the doctor's office at least once a week this whole month. Thankfully, we are feeling better! 

You wake up about once a night. If I feed you at 10pm/11pm, you generally wake up around 4am, then sister wakes you up as she wakes us alllll up. You still stay up for about an hour at 4am, so we have some nice bonding time ;) 

I had a wedding to photograph during this month so it was imperative to make sure you took a bottle. Arwen had been asking to give you a bottle since you were born, so when she finally got to, she was over the moon excited. The wedding went very well for both mommy and daddy with the two kids. 

We have been trying to make it out and do fun fall things. So far we have gone on many walks, including walking Moose in the rain, playgrounds, birthday parties, more biking with your sister, and Davis' Mega Maze. Breastfeeding makes getting out more difficult (at least for me), but we are making it work!

Orla, you are just the best fit for our family and we are all so glad you are here. I am so grateful I get to see all your firsts and be here. I try to never take that for granted. 

L to R, clockwise: Orla 2 months w/ pineapple, Orla 2 months w/ hedgehog,
Orla 1 month w/ pineapple, Arwen at 2 months