Finley Mae's Arrival...welcome to crazy town!

We were blessed with a beautiful baby girl on 1/14/15. My c-section was scheduled for 1/15/15. I woke up early on the morning of the 14th with hard contractions and went to the hospital at 5:00 am. When I got to the hospital I was in early labor. They sent me home and told me to come back at 3:00 pm for the c-section. I had been monitor the week before for low fluid and less movement, so they said lets just do this today. The c-section went great! We did not know what we were having, and we were so excited it was another girl. We had come up with the name Finley only a few weeks before her arrival. I had heard the name at the children's museum and thought it was perfect. Finley Mae was born around 5:25 pm. She weighed 6.1 pounds and was 20 inches long. She has very long fingers and feet. She came out crying and poor Austin had to hold her in the operating room while she was wailing the entire time. When we got back to the recovery room we realized she was very hungry!! The first night went great.

The next day Annabel and Susan came to meet Finley. Poor Bryton had a slight fever and could not come. Annabel was very excited to meet Finley.

 Annabel meeting Finley.

 Grandma holding Finley for the first time.

That night poor Austin and Annabel woke up with the stomach bug. Austin had to leave the hospital and could not come back for over an entire day. It was pretty hard on both of us. My friends really stepped up and came and visited. John was also able to sneak away to meet Finley too. The next night Finley was up ALL NIGHT!! The next day I woke up with a terrible migraine and thought it was from lack of sleep. I was discharged the next day and Austin was able to come and take us home. We came home and Bryton was able to meet Finley. He was great with her and very concerned every time she cried. Bryton is a little bit out of control these days...yelling, hitting, biting....basically a little boy whose world has been rocked and 2 years old!

The next day or two went great, except for nursing and this horrible headache I had. We came home on Saturday and on Monday we had Finley's check-up and then Austin and I headed to the lactation consultant at my OB's practice. In the middle of the appointment I told Barbara about my headaches and she immediately stopped our appointment and took me to get my blood pressure checked. They checked it a few times and sent me straight to the hospital to get admitted. My blood pressure was very high for me. When I got to a room, they explained I had postpartum preeclampsia....which is pretty rare. They were going to put me on magnesium to flush all the excess fluid out of my body. I desperately wanted Finley to stay. Susan was an angel and canceled her flight home to stay with Annabel and Bryton, so Austin could stay with Finley at the hospital. The only way Finley could stay was if another adult was with her. The magnesium was pretty terrible and by the end I was seeing double of everything...pretty strange. My blood pressure soon came down and I was put on blood pressure meds. I was released a few days later and was able to come home on Bryton's second birthday. That afternoon my parents arrived to relieve Susan. It was so nice to be home. I had to take it easy for a while and my vision was still a little funky. Everything was going well and Austin went back to work that following Monday.

 Trying to do laundry.

That morning my mom woke up with the stomach bug, a terrible bug. It took her a good 48 hours to recoup. While she was out of commission my dad really stepped up and helped out. We took the kids to school, he went to the grocery, and we took all three to the gym to get away from the germs at home. That was a terrible idea!!! Annabel had the breakdown of her life and had to be dragged out of the gym. I will not be taking all three anywhere public anytime soon! That night Annabel woke up with the stomach bug. It hit her so hard. She was sick for about five days. I have never seen anything like it. The biggest problem was that I could not hold her or comfort here, in fear that I or Finley would get it. The bug passed to Austin and Bryton as well, but not nearly as bad as poor Annabel. I thought we were going to have to take her to the hospital.

The stomach bug of 2015

Finally by the next Monday we were on the mend and things were FINALLY looking up. My parents left that day and we were on our OWN! We will be forever grateful to both sets of grandparents for all of their help! I do not know what we would've done without you!! It has now been a week of being on our own and everyone is still alive :) I am grateful it is the weekend. Finley is doing great. She really is a great baby (knock on wood). She wakes up 1-3 times per night. Annabel and Bryton love her and we are truly blessed. Sorry this is so long, but wanted to be able to recall the details of the chaotic birth.

 Papa and Annabel working on her letters.

 Bryton falls asleep every night on the floor...all around his room.

 Peek-A-Boo!

 Not going to lie...a little more tv has been on recently!!

 GO PATS!

 Bryton just randomly patted her head :)

 My sweet husband sent these to me on my first day home....ALONE....with the kids :) 

 Not a very productive tummy time.

 My girls!

 Special outing to My Favorite Muffin

 Bryton is not too happy about having to share.

A little funny conversation with Annabel:
Me Annabel why don't you nap?
A: because I don't like to. Sometimes Finley scares me in the middle of the night when she snores. so thats whats going on!