WHAT A DIFFRENCE A WEEK MAKES!!!!

(our little girl on her 1 week birthday )

Its so hard to imagine that a week ago today we were preparing for the biggest day in our lives. I cant begin to explain the emotions we felt that day! The nerves, the excitement, the concern, the joy.... i could go on forever.

So how has our lives changed in one week:
~ we now have a 3 person household (makes our little family more official)
~ we no longer get to decide when we go to bed or wake up (she runs that show for now)
~ we now have someone who depends on us for everything in her life
~ we now refer to each other as mommy and daddy (or dada)
~ we have been given the best gift in the world
~ we have grown closer as a couple

How has Langston changed:
~ she is much more alert (she sleeps about 15 hours a day versus the 20 she used to sleep)
~ she laughs and smiles when we talk to her
~ she looks at you when you talk her
~ she gives everyone the "stink eye" when she laughs (Daddy now calls her Stink Eye)
~ she loves sun bathing in her swing

I know it has only been a week but it seems like a life time we have spent together already! she is truly the best thing i've ever done. Some how I feel the word is better with her in it! i know ours is for sure!

here is a little video of her swinging in the sun!

TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL

I'm not sure if any of you watched the show Touched By an Angel, but i remember watching it when i was little and wondering if angels really walked among us. This year, but mostly this week I learned that they do (note i've already started crying).

About 15 years ago i met a rather odd girl at the first day of Eaglette practice. Our "Big Sisters" sent us on a scavenger hunt to find out who they where. She found her final clue quickly, but my big sis chose take me on a wild goose chase (thank you kee kee. i still love you)! despite having to look forever, she never left my side, and even laid in the middle of Beltline with me!

Over the years we have been through our fare share of ups and downs. But some how we always seem to find our way back to each other. The last 10 months Umoh has been so helpful to me. giving me advice about pregnancy and delivery (although some of it scared the crap out of me), and answering all my questions. (Actually i ask her about a lot of medical stuff in general. I guess cause she is a nurse i assume she knows the answer to everything!!)

The past two weeks though she has really been supportive.
~Listening to my many gripes about pregnancy
~answering all of my delivery questions
~ helping me with my pumping (btw breastfeeding is a story in its self0
~and just being there

I cant begin to explain how thankful i am to have her. There is no way i would have made it through the past few days without her!


"Angels do exist but sometimes without wings.
We call them friends."

Bringing Home Baby!!!!

Any one who knows me, knows that i love reality television; especially the ones on tlc, discovery health, and we!!! (all the baby and medical shows)

One of my favorite shows is "BRINGING HOME BABY!!!" Secretly i want to audition for one of those shows one day !!!

now im not sure how much longer Lani will sleep, but i wanted to give a few updates!!!

~she is an eating machine so she is actually getting breast milk and formula (both via bottle as she gets frustrated that the milk doesnt start out at full force)

~ she weighs 5lbs 10 oz. i know you're probably thinking it should be higher,but this is awesome!!!! she had dropped down to 5lbs oz by friday!!!

~ she eats at least 30 oz (1o more than she is supposed too)

~ she sleeps for about 4 hours in between feedings

she is the most beautiful and wonderful thing i have ever seen! Every moment of every day i feel so blessed and honored to be her mother

here is a picture of my sweet baby as we were about to leave the hospital

LABOR & DELIVERY!!!!!!!!!!

so where do i begin?????? i guess i will start with the beginning.

I cant begin to tel you how anxious I was Wednesday morning... i literally woke up and checked the alarm clock every 30 minutes, as if I would ever actually over sleep. Secretly, i was also a bit bothered that Sean as able to sleep so peacefully. (ok, it wasn't really a secret)

finally at 5:30 i decided to call it quits on this whole sleep thing, and got up and took a shower. I also did my hair and make up. why should sean and Langston look great in pics, while i look like swamp thing????

After sean was up and ready we left for the hospital. We arrived at the front desk right at 7:30 am. they escorted us to the room, and that is where it all began.....

Things started off very well. i was already contracting when they hooked me up to the monitors. my mom and dad arrived shortly after followed by my sister cylinda, nikki, and finally dr. b!!!! Dr. B gave the ok to start the pitocin to make my contraction more steady and productive. After 3 hours of pitocin ( with steady dosage increases every 30 mins) i was ready for the epidural. Despite being super scared about receiving the epidural, the anesthesiologist was super gentle and nice, and had me feeling cozy in a matter if minutes. the nurse then checked me again (after the epidural had some time to kick in) and discovered that i was 4 1/2 cm and 100% effaced. now to the untrained mother (like myself), this all sound great!!!!! wooooo hooooo right! wrong. the nurse tells me that you should dilate and efface at the same rate. Therefore i should be dialated to a ten. the nurse went forth to tell me that she could feel scar tissue on my cervix (from a surgery a few years ago) and that she would need to break the scar. Sounds fine to me seeing as i cant feel a thing thanks to my wonderful friend epidural. she begins to "stretch" my cervix, and then the waiting is resumed. After another hour or so, Dr. B stops by and stretches my cervix some more. Dr. B warns me that it will now be a waiting game for my cervix to finish dilating, but we should be back in business soon. (12:30ish)

Fast forward to 4:30 (sean has run to popeyes to get food and take a break)... i am now dilated to 5 1/2 cms,and my blood pressure has gone up!!!the nurse has me roll on my right side to help lower my bp. while I'm laying on my side, my mom is standing behind me and talking to my nurse. It seems as if they are whispering, but i really wasn't listening to them, as i was more distracted by the number of nurses that have suddenly join the room. Suddenly it dawns on me that this is not social hour. I stat to roll over to see whats happening behind me, but no one will let me look. i try to listen more intently to their conversation and notice that everyone keeps asking "does dr b know yet?" or "where is dr b? who paged her?"

At this point i know that this is more than just my bp. I roll over and demand to be told what is going on. Just as i see that Langston's heart monitor is now in the 30's dr b walks in, and informs me that we are going to have a c section immediately. seconds later the anesthesiologist walks in with more meds, and starts to numb me from the shoulders down. sean walks in a few seconds later and is handed scrubs and told to get dressed!!!!

quite honestly everything else is a blur. i remember the anesthesiologist explaining the entire procedure, and that it would take 45 mins. the next thing i remember is some one holding lani upside down in the air, and a few secs later saying, "ok we are all done". They announced that she was 5lbs13 oz and 18 inches, which i found hard to believe. i dont remember much else until about an hour or two later in the recovery room.

All i know is that I am super blessed to have God watching over me and my fam, especially my beloved Langston!!! And despite the long "labor " God had definitely "delivered" us!

SO WITH OUT FURTHER A DUE.......







MISS LANGSTON NICOLE HARRIS
JAN 13TH, 2010
5:49 PM

Dear Langston~

My dear baby,

It is so hard to believe that tomorrow you will be here. While we both are scared, nervous, anxious, and about 100 other emotions, we both agree that tomorrow will be the most important, amazing, and life changing day of our lives. We have waited so long for you to get here and cant believe that God has trusted us with such a fragile, sweet and innocent little angel. As you grow, i know there will be times that we might not always agree, but know that we are always on your side and have your best in mind. I pray that you grow to be a beautiful and successful person, and that you always remember that your dreams are in reach. See you tomorrow my sweet angel!

love, mommy

A LIGHT AT THE END OF A VEY LONG TUNNEL

FINALLY!!!! pregnancy is coming to an end!!!! while i love feeling my little girl move inside me, this has definitely put a tole on my body.
lets see...
3 visits to the hospital...
feeling like an oven....
stretch marks..........
nausea...
motion sickness (literally any long car drives and planes)....
and now high blood pressure and bed rest....

the only upside to this last side effect is that i now have an induction date. Jan. 13th!!!! wooooot woooot!!! there is a light at the end of the tunnel!!!! i cant wait. sean and i are so excited to meet our little girl and hold her our my arms. It seems like our pregnancy has been a lifetime, and that everyone else has had their baby. it is so nice to know that we will have here here with us Wednesday and that the beginning of the rest of our lives will start.

Not a happy camper!!!!

so as I make it to the end of this pregnancy, I haven't been the happiest camper!
i've been sore and tired and all around crummy.

Luckily for me Sean has really stepped up his A-game.
For the past few days he has been there to take care of me and has thought of what i might want before i even realize it.

He has cleaned, made dinner, been a handy man, and just really been attentive.
I feel truly blessed to have him around through these last few miserable days....


needless to say, since i've been miserable every one has given us suggestions to induce labor.

1. eat eggplant
2. eat spicy food
3. walk
4. hot baths
5. sex

Now i wont go into details but i am a science teacher, so i decided to put these to the test. I have concluded that all of these but #1 are wives tales and not a proven method (i'm not a fan of eggplant so i cant vouch for that). All i did cause was more soreness, indigestion,or general discomfort. I've decided i'm going to call my dr tomorrow and try to convince her again that she needs to either induce me or put me on bed rest. I've been so cranky!!!! i feel horrible for my students.