Felicity Anne

I took these photos last Sunday while everyone was at church-- she was just a few hours less than 3 days old.  Right before the blood patch failed and my CSF fluid started leaking again. 

THE NAME:

Felicity: I love this name. It was one of the names we (I) considered for Hannah. After I found out we were having a girl, it was the only name that really felt right for this little one the whole time. I just felt like it was her name already. It took Brian a while to come around, but eventually he decided to go with it (his #1 was Emma). I first fell in love with the name as a preteen reading the American Girl series-- Felicity was my favorite. Spirited, outdoorsy, loved animals, didn't like to be proper and made apple butter. Should I admit that? :) I also love that it is a classic/pioneer name without being too common or used. I love that it means 'intense happiness, joyful, cheerfulness.' 

other names we considered: Mary Kate, Adeline, Emma

Anne: We initially considered Felicity Joy, but decided it would be a little to much to live up to. I mean, she needed to feel like she could have a bad day after all! Haha. 

We decided on Anne. Also a good solid classic name. Felicity is a 4 syllable name and so we thought it appropriate for her middle to not be a mouthful. Ann is my sister Catherine's middle name-- she is closest to me in age and the third girl in my family. She's always been one of the most loyal friends in my life. We decided on Anne with an "E" at the end because Catherine has always lamented that her name didn't have one and also because that's what Brian preferred. 

The BABY:

8lbs 12oz. 

When I was in labor, Brian and I took guesses at her weight. I thought she would be right at 8 or a little under since she was born right on my due date. He thought the same. But she ended up being the biggest so far! That's all the nurses kept saying when she came out: "she's so big!" "I bet she's almost 9lbs!" 

She looks just like Liesel. Seriously, I think they might look like twins. She has my nail beds, hands, feet and ears (none of the other girls do), but other than that, she is all Brian. His white eyebrows, his mouth, his nose. Eyes are too hard to tell yet. 

Took her a second to cry since her lungs/mouth were full of meconium and fluid, but she started wailing as I was reaching for her a few seconds after birth. 

Brian and I both fell in love right away. He kept saying he had forgotten how special it was to have a new baby and held Felicity until 2am that first morning. 

AT ONE WEEK: 

Nursing great. She was back at her birth weight 4.5 days after birth. It was nice not to have to worry about her gaining weight since I couldn't sit up to nurse. She had her first long awake period yesterday and has started to sleep better at night. She woke up to nurse 4 times last night, but went back down each time. I've been putting her to bed at 6:30pm and she doesn't get up for an awake stretch after that. Hoping to keep that up.

I feel like she's a sweet, kind little girl. Insane to say at 10 days? Maybe. :)

THE GIRLS:

Whew! SOOOOO glad my mom was here! She saved us! She's taken them swimming twice, to parks, to the zoo to a movie, grocery shopping and all around town. She's entertained them up in their bedrooms and read to them in the mornings while I'm still in bed. 

Hannah has been having a hard time this week. She frequently starts yelling and saying, "I AM MAAAADDD!!" In a growling voice. Usually it is over something inconsequential or something I don't understand at all. Both have been waking up earlier than usual and sleeping less-- making them a little more cranky than normal. She kicked Felicity in the head the other day while they were both on my bed. On purpose. Twice. Luckily it wasn't too hard.

 I haven't been able to pick up Hannah at all this week, but she understands it's b/c my back and head might start hurting again. I've been trying to give her some one-on-one time for a few minutes a day. I put her to bed last night for the first time and she seemed very happy about that. Gave me about 40 kisses and said her cute little prayer next to me. I love looking at her chubby fingers interlocking while she kneels down and prays. I peek the whole time just so I can see it. 

Liesel was kind of grossed out by nursing at first ("put that away mom! That is weird! Why are you doing that? I don't like that!") and totally disgusted by the umbilical chord ("I don't like that! Cover it up!") -- in fact, one of the first things she asked when she came to the hospital was "Mom, was it weird when she came out right here?" Since, she has gotten used to the nursing and is sweet with Felicity. Her tantrums have been more intense than normal with a quicker onset, but overall she has been really great and helpful.