First Days Home

 

Going home from the hospital.  Her cheeks were so big!! 

 First picture as a family of four!

First bath! She liked it pretty well and managed to find her thumb to suck on.

 From the beginning she has loved playing on her tummy.  And of course Henry loves trying to entertain her.

 Our sweet girl!

Meeting Big Brother

 Henry was so sweet when he came to see us in the hospital.  He had been really excited about her coming so I was pretty sure he would be excited seeing her.  My mom brought him up the morning after she was born.  He walked right in and asked if he could hold her.  He kept saying "she is so cute".  He was really sweet to her.

  He is so big and so mature.  He has really been amazing during the transition.  I am so proud of him.  He is so sweet to her and loves to help me.  It is so cute watching him try to make her laugh and talk to her.  I am so proud of my big boy!

Mary Hannah's Birth Part 2: My journey to a medication free birth

Right after Mary Hannah was born Daniel and Jerri-Anne were telling how awesome I was and how proud they were of me.  And then my family and friends heard the birth story they said the same thing.  But I have to admit that it has taken me a while to say it that I feel awesome, empowered and proud of what I did.  First I know that it was the Lord that enabled me to do it.  There many times during contractions that all I could do was pray "Jesus help me. Jesus help me."  But I was also afraid to offend anyone.  Everyone has their own opinions and desires regarding birthing and I didn't want anyone to think I was looking down on those who had and epidural or C-section or would never want to have a birth without medication.  I have been so torn.  On one hard I wanted to jump up and down and say "I did it! It was awesome! You should try it too!", but on the other hand I wanted to down play it so that I didn't make anyone feel bad.  

As time has past I have become very proud and thankful for the birth experience I was able to have and come to see that I can still share my story proudly with out offending anyone.  Years ago I laughed at the idea of not getting an epidural.  That was something other people can do but not me!  I am not an athlete of any kind! I hate to work out and I hate doing things that are physically challenging.  So the idea of having to put in marathon effort verses virtually painless with an epidural was a no brainer!  But when I got pregnant with Henry I had to know more about birthing and started watching videos on Youtube and reading birth stories. Of course most of them were unmedicated births and I got curious.  It seemed really hard but so rewarding.  Like I said before it didn't happen with him and I am ok with that, but the second time around I was determined!

The more research I did them more doable it felt.  And having Jerri-Anne made all the difference.  To have someone who could tell me how to lessen the pain or just encourage me was essential!  And the more I learned the more could see the benefits to me and the baby.  But more than anything I felt like I was letting my body do what it was meant to do.  Birth has become very clinical and most women don't even consider not getting medication.  Most women don't have a clue what their body can do if left alone.  I sure didn't.  If you haven't seen the movie "The Business of Being Born" I would highly encourage it.  Although I don't agree with everything they say, I feel like they gave a pretty balanced view.  They are encouraging women to do their homework and consider going more naturally but encourage medical intervention when needed.  Now, the idea of a home birth is still pretty out there for me :) and even at the birth center feels to out there, but if I am ever pregnant again I will definitely plan for a unmedicated birth.  

So in the end I have come to a place where I will share my story with anyone who wants to know, would love for all women to have the experience I did and would hope they would at least research and consider it.  BUT I totally understand that it is not for everyone! And there are women who would have loved to have a birth with out meds or intervention but that was not Gods plan for them.  And there is NOTHING wrong with that! Ultimately a healthy baby and mama is the most important thing. So if you are expecting do some home work! You might say "That is not for me!" (and that's great) but you might surprise yourself and do something your never thought you could!

Mary Hannah Elizabeth Grady!

 Mary Hannah is here! We are so excited!  She is so sweet and such big girl!

Mary Hannah's Birth Story:
(Warning: I am going to give lost of details so if that makes you uncomfortable stop reading and just look at the pictures. :) But I had such a great experience and I want all you ladies to know you really can do it without meds!)

When I was pregnant with Henry I had really wanted to try to give birth naturally without any medication.  We took extra classes but really didn't do anything else to prepare.  So when I got to the hospital and started having really strong contractions I didn't know what to do, Daniel didn't know what to do, and didn't have anyone to help me so I just got the epidural.  The birth was fine and not too bad, but my recovery was terrible.  I was in so much pain and extremely swollen.  It took weeks before I could stand for a significant amount of time with out being in pain.  So this time around I wanted to do everything I could to have a more natural birth.  We got a doula from our church, Jerri-Anne, and she was amazing.  She met with us several times and was always on call if I ever needed anything.  I know I couldn't have done it with out her.  I know I would have given up.  Just having her there gave me confidence and peace.

So I had been laboring off and on for days before she was born.  We had several false alarms and if it hadn't been for our wonderful doula Jerri-Anne I'm sure we would have gone to the hospital and been sent home at least once!  On the 27th I was having contractions very close and strong.  I had been 3cm and 90%, but after seeing my Jerri-Anne there was no change in my progress.  I was really tired and disappointed, but she encouraged me that something was happening.  We decided she would come back in the morning and check me again and make a plan.  The next morning she came back and checked me again.  I was almost 5cm and almost 100%!! We couldn't believe it and I wasn't even having contractions at the time!  So she told us to go eat lunch and walk around the mall to get the contractions going.  When they got close together call the doctor and they would tell me to come in.  Once we got there they wouldn't send me home even if the contractions stopped.  She was right, that was exactly what happened.

We were checked into the hospital about 6:30pm and started walking after they broke my water.  We walked for about an hour and I found a good groove leaning on the bar on the wall and rocking back and forth during contractions.  After an hour I was ready to go back to the room because the contractions were getting stronger.  We went into the room and the nurse monitored me and they checked me.  I was 7cm and wanted to just stay in the room.  We tried a couple of different positions but the only thing I like was being on my hands and knees with Jerri-Anne pushing on my lower back during contractions.  There was a moment where I thought "I don't want to do this any more." But then I remembered I would have to get the epidural with the big needle during strong contractions and decided to keep going.

At around 8:30-9 Jerri-Anne suggested I get in the shower.  It was the best thing ever!! I wanted to stay in there forever and joked asking if I could just have her in there. :) In the shower my contractions got stronger and I started to feel the need to make "ahh" sounds during them.  It wasn't that I was in more pain it was just like this is what my body need to do.  Jerri-Anne knew that was a sign that I was starting transition and that she would be coming soon.  So they started getting me out of the shower.  As I was drying off I had a huge contraction and started baring down and pushing without even realizing it.  So we rushed to the bed.  This was the worst part.  They were breaking down the bed and I had to sit there and wait while having major contractions and needing to push.  This was the only point where I lost control.  I wasn't breathing through the contractions but just letting them take over my whole body and letting my whole body tense up.  The nurse looked at me and said very sweetly "get control, get control." After that the bed was ready and I was able to focus and push.  I couldn't even tell when the contractions were starting and stopping, I was just pushing with all I had.  Up till this point I had been silent during contraction, but not any more! :)  I was yelling every time I pushed! :) I thought later that I hoped there was not some women in the next room freaking out because of what she heard. :)  At least I didn't cuss! :) I didn't really feel the ring of fire that most people talk about, just strong constant contracting.  After pushing for 15 minutes she was born at 9:50pm she was born!  Before everyone was guessing how big she would be and everyone had said around 9lbs, even the doctor.  When she came out we were all shocked!  The doctor said "Oh my she is way more that 9 lbs!" She was right! She was 10lbs 13oz and 21in long!   

I couldn't believe how big she was and that she came out so easily!  It really was an amazing experience! I am so glad that I was able to have the birth that I wanted and not have any meds.  My recovery was awesome! I never had any pain from stitches and very little swelling.  I was up and around going to the mall with in a week!  It was great!  All the hard work was so worth it! And now we are enjoying precious girly girl!

Christmas 2012

 

This Christmas was really fun.  Henry helped us decorate the tree and did a great job.  It was a little different this year because I was so close to delivering we were waiting for Mary Hannah to come any day.  But she didn't make her apearence until later.  Which was good because Daniel and I were both sick on and around Christmas.  But we still had a good time.

 Funny reindeer glasses from Aunt Pattye!

 We went to the Wake Forest Christmas parade and it was fun.  Henry really liked the old firetruck and the classic cars.  And he got to have a chocolate covered oreo that Yia yia bought for him.  It was yummy!

 Henry and his dinoculars from Bud and Sassy

It was so great to have some good down time before things got crazy with the arrival of our new little one.  It was a great Christmas!

Happy Fall!

 

 Henry got to help carve his first jack-o-lantern this year.  We had fun going to pick his pumpkin then carve it.

 He was really proud of his pumpkin!

The school had a fun Fall Festival and a costume parade.  The kids were so cute! Henry decided he wanted to be a shark this year and he was the cutest shark I've ever seen!

 Henry sort of has a girl friend :) Shelby is in his class and they have become the best of friends!  It is so fun watching them together, they are pretty funny. 

 We had a fun time trick-or-treating this year.  We go with our friends the Ansley's each year and now Henry is not the only boy! They had baby Grant and he is so cute!

It was such a fun night that he knocked out on the way home! One tired shark!

Big news!

 We are having a baby girl!! Mary Hannah Elizabeth Grady will be arriving in December!  We are so excited! Henry had fun getting to show daddy his "Big Brothersaurus" t-shirt to tell him the news.  Then he go to share it with the grandparents too! This year will be so much fun because my sister is also expecting and will be having twin girls!

And we bought a house! After finding out our family was growing we knew we could use more room and were so lucky to find this brand new townhome in a great area.  We had a pretty big mix up with the closing date and after 14 days in a hotel we were finally able to move in.  It was crazy living in a hotel with a 3 year old and being pregnant but we toughed it out and made the best of it. But are so thankful for our new home and really enjoy it.