Tuesday, September 13, 2011

More from Anna Lindsey, Week1

We had some trepidation about Maya starting a new school right at Molly's due date. As it turns out it has been a wonderful week and great timing: with both of us home, we have had the time to help Maya adjust that would have been difficult to make otherwise. Maya seems to be thriving in her new school, engaged by the activities as soon as she walks in.

At home, Anna is sleeping away. She has zoomed past her birth weight so that we (I) can give her a bottle at night and provide overlapping 5-6 hour chunks of sleep for each Molly & me. Our doctor reminded us of the difficulties between 2-10 weeks of age, so we're bracing for them, but enjoying this time before I head back to work at the end of the week.

Maya is adjusting to life as a big sister, the fun & the limits. She loves seeing Anna when she wakes up, and when she gets home from school. She has started articulating to us some of the challenges (e.g. "Anna gets a lot of Mom attention, and that sometimes makes me a little sad"), and we've started making special Momma-Maya time available to her. At the same time, we've started putting a bit more structure elsewhere in her life (mostly the little routine things) which keep us 3 from having to negotiate the small things daily, & seem to give her comfort from clarity.

Aunt Sarah has been in town visiting, which has been great fun for Maya, and for us. We're sad to see her depart this coast, but it's been a great run. Tomorrow we get a reunion with Maya & Anna L's mimi in town, with Nuni to follow shortly!

Another installment of photos including some fun ones of the two girls are viewable by clicking the picture above.
xoxo

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

2011-09-06_AnnaLindsey


A big warm welcome to Anna Lindsey Gearen, born September 3, 2011 at 11:01pm, 7lbs2.5oz. She's a happy, healthy, sleeping, eating bundle. Maya seems to be taking to sisterhood like a champ. Anna Lindsey is named after both her grandmothers -- big shoes to fill, but ones that we're sure, with time, she'll grow to wear with great gusto.

The very quick labor story (and it was a very quick labor story) for those who're curious..

Molly started the very first signs of labor at 8:15pm while putting Maya to bed..
The contractions were getting stronger fast, and our good friend Rachael Baker arrived to kick off a sleepless sleepover with Maya so we could spring out to the hospital, arriving there around 9:15.

We were given forms to sign, bounced from room to room, attended by some great staff & some just-fine staff, all the while Molly's contractions getting stronger & stronger... to the point that by 10:45 they were monster waves that Molly was just hanging on to make it through, & felt the need to push coming on pronto.

Our nursing staff scrambled to get our midwife back into the room, & the midwife after 2 enormous pushes from Molly helped bring Anna Lindsey's head, shoulders, then body out into the world at 11:01. After a mostly sleepless night for me & entirely sleepless night for Molly in the hospital, we jailbroke by ~1pm, & got settled at home in time to welcome Maya back after a monster nap over at her buddy Terren's (thanks Lynn!), for a happy sisters reunion.

Since we've been home, it's been lots of sleeping & feeding, & some getting to know this new little person... We look forward to introducing her all around in the coming days, weeks, and months.

Love from Berkeley, John, Molly, Maya, & Anna Lindsey
(click here for a few photos from these 1st few days)