I started writing this before Madelyn was born, not knowing if it'll get posted before or after she came. My main goal was to get it up by Mother's Day. Obviously it's after, so excuse the jumpiness of the post...
Is everything packed? Do we have enough diapers and wipes? Is the car seat in? Is everything taken care of at work? Is her room ready? Is Nolan ready? Crap, are we ready?!?!
It has been a long 39 weeks and 5 days building up to when we would finally be able to meet little Maddie. Although that is better than the 10 days late that Nolan was. I can’t believe she’s here and we have survived pregnancy with an increasingly more active 3 year old. We can say goodbye to the discomfort, the heartburn, and the restless, sleepless nights. Ok, the sleepless nights will be around for a while…but still, we survived!
I can’t wait to see Nolan’s face when he meets her. I think he will be shy at first as he takes everything in, but I know that he will help us in as many ways as possible, take care of her, and of course “teach her baseball”. I know that it will be an exciting and emotional moment and happy/nervous/excited tears will flow, without a doubt. 95% chance I absolutely lose my composure...
It feels like it has been forever since we had an infant, and many things have come back to us in our preparations, both good and bad. I remember when Bob Marley was the only thing that would get him to sleep, when he finally slept 5 straight hours (even if we didn’t because SOMEONE had to keep checking if he was breathing), and doing anything just to get a baby giggle. We also remember listening to “Three Little Birds” at nauseum, having to check him every 30 minutes to make sure he was breathing (even if he was in the middle of a solid 5 hour slumber), and trying anything to make him smile, only to get a straight faced “I'm not impressed” look.
But I. can't. wait.
I can't wait to try out the different combinations for the 6,243 bows we already have. There are actual bows with other bows on top of them! Nolan even liked trying them on, and honestly looks a little pretty with them.
I can't wait to spend 20 minutes each morning picking out the perfect outfit…..only to have Madelyn destroy it 3 minutes later as if she wasn't even wearing a diaper.
I can't wait for the first time I'm left alone with both kids. I know it'll be chaotic, and terrifying to be out numbered, but how hard can pitching a baseball to a three year old be while holding an infant?
After roughly two years of waiting, I welcome everything. Every crying fit, sleepless night, and every blowout. I know she will make us happier than ever being a family of 4, an official Herd of Hurds. She will be amazing, Nolan will be amazing, and we will (continue to) be amazing parents.
5/5/16
7:45pm - successfully drop off Nols and head out to a date night at Cheesecake Factory. Both of us are too nervous/anxious to eat our dessert so we take it home.
9:30 - home and everything's packed! Try to watch modern family and eat cheesecake...one of those was a good decision, the other was not.
5/6/16
4:20 - alarm goes off, not that it was really necessary.
5:00 - phone call to head in to the hospital by 6:00. “We’re a little busy but everything should be ok”.
5:50 - for the first time (and probably last) in a while we’re early for something! Check in and told to wait 30 min before being prepped….
6:40 - head back for fun prepwork and pep talks.
7:10 - Aunt Lainy and Nolan call to say good morning and good luck. I'm instantly choked up at hearing his voice and glad he sounds like he's excited for school and to meet his sister this afternoon.
7:15 - I get myself together from talking to Nolan briefly. A picture pops up in a text of him and his “cowboy” outfit for school…..thanks Alaina!
7:59 - we’ve been prepped about everything. Countdown to 8:00…..5….4...3...2….1….
8:00 - no baby.
8:10 - nerves are setting in. Stomach hurts. I have to go to the bathroom. I've been nervously tapping/shaking for an hour. Maybe I'm just cold. Is it time to go back yet?!?!
8:12 - I forgot how good we both look in hair nets.
8:32 - showtime!! Let's do this!
8:33 - nevermind.
8:40 - nurse finally comes back to take me in to the operating room. Let's have a HEALTHY baby girl.
8:48 - official time of birth! Crying, healthy baby Madelyn at 7 lbs 12 ounces and 20 inches long. It looked like she was really comfy in there as the doctor said she probably would have been at least a week late.
9:15 - Dr. Esposito held you and says “no boys on motorcycles”. Sorry sir, you meant to say simply, “no boys”. Ever.
9:30 - off to recovery where everybody does great and we are sent to MCU around 11:30 to get ready for our visitors!
Grandma and Aunt Lainy come to get their newborn cuddles. Grandpa, Aunt Callie, and Uncle Dyl come to meet Maddie later on.
Of course the special visit was from big brother Nols (and Aunt Lainy and Pop Pop). He ate up all the “Awwww”s he got when he kissed her and asked to hold her. He held his little sister 4 different times and even threw in some unsolicited “I love you Madelyn”s. She fussed and Nolan sang “Twinkle Twinkle little star” to her and she calmed down. It was amazing until he (we) cried that he had to leave us.
We groggily survived the night and were greeted by Aunt Aunie, Uncle Anthony, and Aunt Jamie in the morning. They were sweet enough to spend time (and lunch) with us before their early Mother’s Day plans and it’s always fun seeing their excitement around ALL of the children in our little group. Good luck, Anthony…
Nolie came by again later too and did amazing with her once again. He asked to hold her and gave her tons of kisses. The unprompted “I love you Madelyn”’s and “Maddie you’re my best friend” absolutely melted our hearts.
Madelyn Ann joins us on Mother’s day weekend, and there couldn’t be a better way to celebrate. We even had a nurse named Cheryl for the delivery and the doctor said she has “Angel kisses” birthmarks on her eyes. No doubt that she is always with us. I am proud to give her Mama Grubb’s middle name as it was the easiest decision we had to make involving our little girl. Tessa (yes, I hijacked her blog, if you couldn't tell yet) is the most amazing mother to our children and she takes after her mother in every way. I know she would be so proud of the incredible job her daughter is doing as a mother.
As a father of two amazing children I sit here exhausted, but so excited for what lies ahead for our family. Nolan is showing that he will be an awesome brother, protecting and caring for his baby sister, and I've already learned new things from my baby girl. For example, Friday's word of the day wasvernix, and yes, girls are much more difficult to clean than boys. But I can't wait to get home with our family and begin this new chapter in our own home.
Now to teach Nolan to sing this...
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