3 weeks old!

Time is FLYING! Little Molly is already 3 1/2 weeks old! I can't even believe it! We are keeping busy toting her around to meet all of her friends and family. In the past week, she has gone to Cousin Amber's graduation party, made her first road trip to Iowa, went to St. Charles for a birthday party to meet Cousins John and Mary and made her first trip up to Lake Geneva. Hence, why I haven't had a chance to update the blog! BUT we have been having a great time and Miss Mol is such a trooper - she adapts to every situation. We couldn't be more blessed!

10 Days Old!

Ok... so it's hard to keep up with the blog with a newborn at home. I've been doing well with the Facebook postings, but understand not everyone has access there. Molly is the most amazing thing EVER! We love her so much!!!

The first week of her life flew by it seemed! After some initial challenges in our first couple of days (nights actually), we settled into a pretty good routine that seems to be working for the most part. She cooperates for the most part and Mommy and Daddy are able to get the rest that is much needed.

Grandma was amazing helping us out for the first few days with not only staying up with Molly, but also helping out Mommy with household chores like cleaning and laundry while Mommy recovers from the c-section. On that note, Mom feels great and of course has some soreness (and numbness) but overall has no complaints. Molly and I went for our first walk yesterday. It was short, but still at least we got out. Mom will have to get used to how to exercise gently for the next few weeks. I miss my prenatal water aerobics though!! (And my friends from class!)

Unfortunately, Grandma went home yesterday to go work for a few days. :( We are sad, but she will be back soon! I was nervous about life without her, however, almost 24 hours later, we have been having a great day/night! Molly has the best demeanor is just such a sweetie! I think we are on a roll!

People not on FB were asking about more photos. Here is the link to my album there. You should be able to view them there. Let me know if not. We'll figure something out!

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150256077497037.377178.505907036&l=973897d7a1




Until then... here's a little tease. :)

Introducing Molly Ann Crowley

Ms. Molly decided to make her debut fashionably early! Although we were scheduled to have a c-section this coming Thursday, May 26th, she decided she didn't want to share her birthday with Mommy, but rather have her own (well and share with a couple of my friends as well)!

My water broke at about 1:30 this afternoon. I called Bryon to get him home and headed to the hospital. I was skeptical that it was really my water breaking but sure enough they admitted me and got everything rolling. They did an ultrasound right away to make sure she was still in a breech presentation. Of course...she was. I was prepped for surgery and they commented as they were getting her out that she was tangled in her cord. I wonder if that is why she couldn't turn in the first place. Anyway, she was officially brought into the world at 4:50 pm and weighed in less than expected at 7 lbs. 5 oz and was 19 inches long. Of course, she is absolutely perfect in everyway from her health to her beautiful face. We are extremely blessed.

We got settled and even had some guests. She is taking to nursing pretty well and she is a good sleeper so far! Too bad mommy is not~ Thanks to the morphine they gave me, I itch ALL over, making it very hard to catch some zzzzs. Oh well... I'm likely too excited to sleep anyway!

Isn't she lovely??

Weeks 37-38

Baby's now the size of a watermelon!
Your full-term (yay!) baby is gaining about 1/2 ounce a day and getting his first sticky poop (called meconium) ready. He's also brushing up on skills for the outside world: blinking, sucking, inhaling, exhaling, and gripping (it's getting strong!).

Only two more weeks (or plus two more, max) before your baby makes his or her appearance. And what an adorable appearance that will be! Your little one isn't so little anymore — weighing in at close to seven pounds and hitting the height charts at the 21-inch mark (or less).

As you prepare (best you can) for baby's ETA, he or she is also getting ready, big time. Vernix and lanugo continue to shed from your baby's body into the amniotic fluid. Your baby swallows that amniotic fluid (yum yum?) and some of it winds up in his or her intestines where it — along with other shed cells, bile, and other waste products (triple yum) — will turn into your baby's first bowel movement (meconium) and perhaps your first diaper change.

Your baby's lungs continue to mature as more and more surfactant is secreted (remember — it helps prevent the lungs from sticking to each other when your baby begins to breathe…definitely a good thing). At 38 weeks pregnant, all systems, almost go!

Holy moly!!! I'm carrying around a watermelon and it is damn obvious!!! Course we have 9 more days until little miss Molly's arrival! C-section is scheduled for May 26 (also my birthday) so as long as she stays breech which is likely due to her size... we will be meeting her very soon!!! YAY!

Week 36 - Almost to 37

Although I'm almost 37 weeks (full term --- EEK) I'm going to back up to Week 36! Tomorrow we have another ultrasound to determine whether or not Ms. Molly has turned her little booty around and is no longer breech. Last doctor appointment, he said she still was breech, but I have been working with my chiropractor trying to make conditions better for her to turn around. So we will see (fingers crossed). We also have our last Lamaze class tomorrow night. Could it be??? I think we are actually ready! (Or as ready as we can possibly be I suppose!) Thank goodness it is almost time. Momma is finally feeling uncomfortable and swollen... hey one month out of 9 (well 10) isn't too bad!!!

Your baby's skull isn't the only soft structure in his or her little body. Most of your baby's bones and cartilage are quite soft as well (they'll harden over the first few years of life) — allowing for an easier journey as your baby squeezes through the birth canal at delivery (and less prodding and poking for Mom along the way). At 36 weeks pregnant, the skull bones are also not fused together yet so that the head can easily (well, relatively easily) maneuver through the birth canal.

So your little bruiser (who you've now learned won't be bruising you all that much with those soft bones) is now about six pounds in weight and measures slightly more than 20 inches in length. Growth will experience a slowdown now, both so your baby will be able to fit the narrow passageway to the outside and also so he or she can store up all the energy needed for delivery.

By now, many of your baby's systems are pretty mature, at least in baby terms — and just about ready for life on the outside. Blood circulation, for instance, has been perfected and your baby's immune system has matured enough to protect him or her from infections outside the womb. Other systems, however, still need a few finishing touches. Once such notable example: digestion — which actually won't be fully mature until sometime after birth. Why's that? Inside his or her little gestational cocoon, your baby has relied on the umbilical cord for nutrition, meaning that the digestive system — though developed — hasn't been operational. So your baby will take the first year or two to bring that system up to speed.

Happy Mother's Day!

A baby asked God, "They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow, but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?"

"Your angel will be waiting for you and will take care of you."

The child further inquired, "But tell me, here in heaven I don't have to do anything but sing and smile to be happy."

God said, "Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you. And you will feel your angel's love and be very happy."

Again the child asked, "And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me if I don't know the language?"

God said, "Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak."

"And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?"

God said, "Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray."

"Who will protect me?"

God said, "Your angel will defend you even if it means risking it's life."

"But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore."

God said, "Your angel will always talk to you about Me and will teach you the way to come back to Me, even though I will always be next to you."

At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from Earth could be heard and the child hurriedly asked, "God, if I am to leave now, please tell me my angel's name."

"You will simply call her, 'Mom.'"

34 Weeks and even MORE Blessings!

Your baby could be as tall as 20 inches right now and about five pounds. Need a visual? Hold a five-pound bag of flour in your arms and imagine it's your soon-to-be-born baby (cradle it, and you'll only get strange looks in the baking aisle). Then stack three such bags one on top of the other (and get ready for some more strange looks, maybe from the same clerks who saw you grinning and holding that one-pound box of sugar a few weeks ago). That's how tall your baby is at 34 weeks pregnant. (Now go bake some oatmeal raisin cookies with all that flour!)
Your baby's fingernails now reach the end of the fingertips and may even curl over the tip, making a manicure one of the first things you'll need to do for your little bundle.

You are one hot mama -- literally. A 20 percent metabolic rate increase throughout pregnancy can leave you begging for a cool breeze no matter what the weather is like. Distract yourself with an exercise in blind identification. Try to distinguish between baby's feet, fists, knees, and elbows -- all doing some major pushing and nudging inside of you.

I'm not sure what parts are pushing me around in there - it seems to be ALL of them these days! I think little Miss has been kicking me in the ribs for sure, but my belly seems to be all her these days and sore all over! I experienced my first Braxton Hicks contractions today in the middle of the workday. (I think anyway...) It's pretty exciting though to think that these are gearing up for the real thing! 6 weeks give or take and she is going to be in our arms! Doesn't get much more exciting that that!

Lately we have been very busy getting ready for her debut! We had our first Childbirth Prep/Lamaze class this week! Only 3 more to go and we will be pros right? Call me ignorant, but women have been doing this since the beginning of time and I'm thinking we'll be okay. :) We have toured our amazing hospital. The mother/baby wing is brand new and gorgeous! I am stoked about all the medical technology and Bryon is super stoked about the flat panel, DVD and IPod docking station in labor and delivery!

This past weekend we had our final baby shower here in Chicago, hosted by Bryon's family: his mom, sister Teri, sister Suzi (remotely from CO) and sister-in-law Bernadette. They did an unbelievable job! It was AMAZING and so much fun! We had it at Teri's husband's bowling alley and we had nearly all of our friends and family members there with us to celebrate! It was SO fun! People visited, ate great food and cake, some had a blast bowling and of course we were blessed once again with people's ridiculous generosity! We are so taken back by this and so very grateful. I can't believe we pretty much have everything that I think we need for Molly's arrival!!! For all of our family and friends that have shown us so much love and support and are excited to meet our blessing, we can't thank you enough. You are amazing and are what life is all about! We love you so much!

More photos here: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.10150222595882037.357234.505907036&l=c9213cecd0

Proud and Excited Grandmas

Wonderful Hostesses - Teri & Bernadette

Work pals