Past 8 Pounds!!

We went to the doctor again today and Hannah weighed 8 lb. & 2 oz.!! We are very excited. You can tell now when Hannah is sitting in her bouncy seat that her belly is hanging out and getting round! I have been pumping my breast milk more and can now get 2 oz at each pumping. It is double what I was able to get a few days ago! I think for the "stimulation" my milk ducts need (that my pump gives me), and also to really KNOW how much she is getting I will pump more often and then feed her that milk. Thank you for all your prayers. I am so excited watching Hannah grow. I pray that God will help me to guide her right and to be the mother He would have me to be. Also, thanks to Jane for the books she sent to me, Hannah has slept the past two nights in her crib with a stretch of 4 to 4 1/2 hours in between feedings. This has helped Mommy and Daddy sleep more too!!

Sweet Baby Girl

Here are a few pictures for your enjoyment! =) This first one is of Hannah sleeping in her favorite bouncy seat. She is wearing her "Daddy does my hair" outfit.
Here is Hannah sleeping on the couch just after her Grandma soothed her to sleep.

Her is a picture of Hannah's first bath she had this past Friday. Amazingly enough in this picture she is not crying!!

Getting Bigger!

I went to the nursing store today and weighed Hannah. She is now up to 7lb. 14oz! Yeah little girl! Josh and I are pleased that she has gained some more weight and look forward to giving the good report at her next doctor visit this coming Thursday. Please continue to pray for my milk production that I would be able to make enough that we can discontinue the formula supplement... And don't worry we will have more pictures of Hannah in the next few days.

Meeting...

Grandpa Keith...

and Uncle Wade...

and Uncle Jonathan!

Dr Visit

Hannah and I (and Daddy) went to the doctor's office yesterday. I was encouraged that she had gained 3 oz since the last time we had weighed her on Saturday. The doctor was still concerned that she had not made up her birth weight. She watched me breast feed and then we tried to give Hannah a bottle of formula to see how much she would eat. In the end she ate about 1 oz which means she got about 2-3 oz from me. The doctor told us that I was to feed her ever 2-3 hours and then afterwards offer her 1-2 oz to see if she would eat it. She really wants her bulk up and gain at least 1 oz a day by next Thursday. We will also go back to the nursing store on Monday to get her weighed again!!

A little more Weight

After being concerned that Hannah was still no putting on weight I went to this nursing store/place that has a place you can weigh your baby for free. We went on Saturday and Hannah was still only weighing 7lb 3oz. (What she was one week ago.) I called the doctor's office and they asked lots of questions. They think that Hannah is probably getting enough milk, but he did instruct me that if she still seemed hungry after a feeding I could give her 1 oz of formula. So far I have done this once or twice and she has gobbled up the extra food very quickly. Hannah and I head back to the doctor on Thursday so please pray that she would have begun to gain a little weight. I want my baby girl to be growing strong and healthy! Please pray for me that I would make wise healthy eating choices so that my milk would have enough fat and vitamins that she needs to help her gain.
Other news: Grandma Keith arrived yesterday morning and we have enjoyed having him visit with us. He will go back home on Wednesday. Hannah also met her Uncle Wade for the first time today too!

Two Weeks Old (tomorrow)

Our New Family

I can't believe it has been almost a week since my last update! Hannah is doing great and from the look of the clothes on her she is getting bigger. I guess we'll have to wait until next week and the doctor's appointment to see how much weight she has gained. We still haven't gotten any better at sleeping at night-time. It seems Hannah is a night person and a morning person. This means she wants to stay up late past midnight and keep Mommy and Daddy up, and is also eager and ready to begin her day at 6am and not go back to sleep, thus keeping Mommy and/or Daddy awake. My Grandma has been here helping with household duties and with caring for Hannah. Usually Grandma takes Hannah around 6am-7am and tries to get her back to sleep so Mommy and Daddy can rest. It is a nice little break from the mostly sleepless nights. But, Grandma will go home tomorrow and the three of us will be on our own for several days until we get our next batch of visitors! We can do it ourselves, but it will be new and different for me and Hannah to be on our own during the day. This ends the update but here are several pictures for your enjoyment.Hannah went to church for the first time on Sunday. She did great and slept the whole time through the service. This was her little church dress that I had bought her. She is also wearing the shoes that her Grandma bought her for Christmas.

Josh and I had this idea to do the black and white pictures of a cute naked baby, you know like the ones you see professionally done?!? Well, Hannah didn't really like it very much and just kept crying - so in went the paci! I thought it was a cute picture anyway. =)

That's all for now!

One Week Old!

Sweet Hannah is now one week old. I can't believe just last week we were still at the hospital still trying to figure out how to adjust to a family of three. It seems like a whirlwind! I LOVE being a mom and Hannah brings up such a joy inside me. She has started doing short quick smiles in her sleep. It is so cute. Josh and I just giggle as we watch her facial expressions. I wonder what she is dreaming about. =)

We went to the doctor today and Hannah was down on her weight to 7lb. 3 1/2oz. The doctor said she has a week to get back up to her birth weight before he would be concerned. We will try extra hard at the eating this week!

Thoughts from a new Mom

We just adore our baby girl SO much! She is such a good baby and hardly ever just fusses and cries. (except when Daddy is up with her on shift at 3am) She is the most perfect baby and I feel so blessed to get to be her Mommy. I am just overwhelmed with the love I have in my heart for her.

When I am kissing her soft cheeks and saying over and over again, "Mommy loves you, Hannah!" She looks up at me with her big blue eyes, cute chubby cheecks, and perfect little lips. Her hair is so dark and soft with just a hint of wave. I just can't believe she is mine!

Showing off God's Blessing of our Baby Girl

Hannah and I came home from the hospital today. We are happy to be home!! "GG" or Great Grandma Lesta is here helping us, Josh, a very proud Daddy is very helpful to us too. He has even helped change a few diapers already!

Here are some pictures from the past few days...





Here I am in labor. At 12:45am I woke up with painful contractions. By 1:30 I had figured out what was going on and started to do make-up and get dressed. Josh and I left for the hospital at 2:45am and here I am in the bed waiting for all the craziness to begin. When the nurse first checked me I was already 4-5cm dialated. By 11:30am I was 10cm dialated but my water didn't break until 1:15pm.

After pushing for about 2 hours the doctor came in to help finish up the labor process. My Grandma arrived from the airport at 3:30pm. Hannah was born at 3:44pm!!

Here is Hannah all cleaned up. The nurses in the baby room had fun styling her hair. =)

Here is Hannah with her proud Daddy, Josh. (In his Florida Gator t-shirt.)

Here is Hannah with Mommy! She loves her cake scented paci.

Today we were allowed to come home, "Yeah Hannah!"

Please join us in praising God that our sweet baby girl came into this world healthy and PERFECT! (Although she has already outgrown her newborn diapers and graduated to #1!!)

Don't worry, there will be more pictures and stories to come. ~ Joanna