The Loftis Family

It’s so weird to say it, but we have girls…two of them!  Dustin has always hoped to have two little girls and while I always hoped and prayed that I would be blessed with one, I have to admit that having two is like the greatest ice cream sundae with lots of whipped cream and cherries on top.

My girls have a sister and that is an awesome thing.  Amelia just adores her little sister and I think Juliet already knows that Amelia is the best big sister in the world.  We spent lots of time letting Amelia feel Juliet kick and wiggle in my belly and flurberting (blowing raspberries) my tummy to wake her up and I think that time together forged a bond that will grow and grow in time.

I am so thankful and so very happy.  Here are a few pictures of our girls…

Juliet had her first bath today.  She had one in the hospital, but this was her first mommy/daddy given bath.  She fussed a little when she was cold, but for the most part she really enjoyed it. She especially liked being bundled at the end and getting a head massage while I dried her hair. We’re looking forward to her cord falling off so we can give her a nice long bath.

Do they look alike?  I think so!

Amelia

Just wanted to share some pictures of our hospital stay and bringing Juliet home.

First picture with Mommy and daddy,  It was taken right after she was born (even before meeting her big sister).

Juliet Eileen arrived Thursday, July 8 at 7:14pm. She was 6lbs 10oz and 19.5 inches. We are all over the moon and madly in love with her. I can’t believe how incredibly blessed I am to have another perfect little girl.

She’s perfectly healthy, sweet, snuggly and sleepy.  Amelia is the best big sister in the world; she loves helping change diapers and doing other things for her sister.

My goodness the last few days have been a whirlwind.  Things are wonderful, simply wonderful.  Life as a family of 4 is of course a little more challenging and exhausting, but worth every bit of it.  I’ll post her birth story soon, but here are a few pictures of our newest little princess and her first few visitors.  About an hour after she was born she was introduced to her big sister and then her grandparents and Aunt Winnie.  Uncle Keith and Aunt Zay came a bit later.

For so long I dreamed of introducing my children to each other and the reality was infintely better than I could have ever imagined in my dreams.

I’m going to do her newborn session this week (as soon as my body is a bit more rested) and I’ll post more pictures then.

Hello, Jellybean…

Kelley is hooked up to the monitors and all checked in. Can’t start the induction for a few hours, but will keep everyone updated.

Tonight I tucked Amelia in for the last time as an only child.  It’s so strange, surreal and scary that it’s really the last time.  Amelia and I are joined at the hip and while I am insanely excited to meet the Bean I am filled with conflicting emotions – trepidation and excitement for the days ahead.

I know things will be ok and I know that it might just take some getting used to.  It’s not the balancing of two kids that scares me (ok, not much) it’s the loss of that individual relationship with Amelia.  I am her’s and she is mine.  I am keeping her home from school tomorrow so I can spend the day with her.  I thought I’d want her to go to school these last few weeks, I thought I’d be overly exhausted and need the break.  Honestly I haven’t wanted her to go and I regret signing her up this week.  She went today and she’ll go on Thursday, but tomorrow she is mine and I am her’s for one last day.

Thankfully I feel great, even better than I ever imagined I’d feel at almost 39 weeks.  I feel better than I felt with Amelia at this stage and if I could I would stay pregnant for a while longer…if only it worked that way.  We’re choosing to induce to ensure that I make it to the hospital to deliver.  I was already about 1-2cm dilated last week and with all of the moving, cleaning and nesting I’ve been doing I’m surely farther along now.  We’re hoping and praying for a smooth induction and a happy and healthy mommy and baby on Thursday.

I simply cannot wait to introduce the Bean to Amelia.  As I tucked Amelia in tonight she wanted to lay on my tummy over and over to feel the Bean kick…almost as though she knew it was the last time she’d feel the Bean inside my tummy.  I think she knows what’s coming…probably better than I do.

The one thing that has kept me together emotionally this week is thinking about the moment that Amelia will meet the baby, when we become a family of four.  We are giving Amelia the greatest present we could possibly give her -  a playmate, a sibling and maybe a best friend.  I am so thrilled about having another child and I cannot wait to love the Bean the way I love Amelia.  I look forward to nursing, to snuggling and watching those I love love on the baby.  I cannot wait to see the Bean’s personality grow, to see how similar and different my children are.  I know that I am supremely blessed to have the opportunity to love another child as I love my Amelia.

I’ve been taking Amelia out a few times a week to do something fun, something that the two of us will enjoy.  Yes, I’m all sappy and stuff because my time as a mommy of one is coming to a close.  I’m thrilled for Amelia to have a sibling, but it’s bittersweet because we’re both so used to spending time alone.  I fear that the transition will be a bit tough…on both of us.

I had a doctor’s appointment in the Med Center yesterday so after our appointment we went to Discovery Green to play in the water and on the playground.  We shared an apple together (hence the funny face in the first picture), Amelia splashed in the water and played on the playground.  We had a blast!

I know I’m massively biased, but I think my Amelia is gorgeous.

We’re getting there though nobody has told my body that it’s almost done with this pregnancy gig.  I had my 37 week appointment early today since Dr. Bobo is going out of town for the remainder of the week.  She told me to lay low in case my body decided to go into labor…she wants to deliver this kiddo and would be bummed to hear that the Bean arrived without her.

I don’t think labor is going to happen this week.  I’m not dilated at all and the baby is still floating, but thankfully head down.  I think the baby flipped a time or two this past weekend.  I guess this is what happens when you have plenty of fluid and small babies that can flip around in there.  We’re hoping for progress by next Wednesday and then we’ll hope for more before my induction on July 8.  Dr. Bobo is hoping that I’ll be 3cm dilated before we start the induction…so come on body!

I am not “done” being pregnant and I certainly haven’t hit a wall where I want the Bean out.  I am a second time mom and I know that life is easier with the baby on the inside….and quieter too.  I’m actually surprisingly comfy and I’m still enjoying my pregnancy.

Dustin and I were marveling last night at how big the baby feels and how much the Bean can expand mommy’s belly with a leg/foot.  My we could feel the actual leg and foot protrude about 3″ from my side each time the bean pushed in that area.

The Bean still has the hiccups a LOT so much so that it’s made me nervous that we’ll have a spitter on our hands here in a few weeks.  I don’t know if there’s any correlation between hiccups in-utero and a newborn spitting up, but since we were blessed with a non-spitter the first time it makes me nervous that we’ll have one this time.  The hiccups aren’t as fun as they are when the baby is smaller since they make me nauseous now that there’s a nice big baby bum pushing on my stomach and other organs.

We’ve been trucking through our to-do list and I only have a few more business related things that need to be done before I go on maternity leave.  I’ve been nesting like a fool and if my ankles didn’t throb after cleaning/organizing for a little bit I would be cleaning and organizing all day.  It’s amazing how much stuff we’ve gotten rid of in the last few weeks.  My pantry has never been cleaner.  My refrigerator has never been as organized and left-over free.  Now if only my bathrooms would magically clean themselves then I would be set.

All in all we’re ready…but we’re not.  We’re looking forward to meeting the Bean, but we’re perfectly content to wait until my body and the bean are ready and the to-do list is done.  We’ll see what the coming weeks bring!