:: Stew, Beck & Soph ::: October 2010

Happy Halloween! For Halloween this year we decided to go as a pumpkin patch. We all dressed up in black pants, and orange shirts with a pumpkin hat. It was fun to have Sophie join our pumpkin patchthis year. We think she is the cutest pumpkin ever.

It is hard to believe that Sophie is one month old tomorrow. She is growing so much! It she seems to be getting taller, and has already grown out of some of the clothes. Stewart will come home from school and say she has grown so much during the day… I guess me being with her all the time I don’t get that same visual. Anyway, we are adjusting well to having Sophie in our family. Honestly it feels like we have always been a family, and there was never a time we did not have Sophie in our home. It’s just a natural feeling. So far she is slowly getting into a routine where she is sleeping through the nights better only waking up one or two times for feedings. She is a noisy baby when she sleeps; it has taken me a while to learn to weed out the important sounds she makes vs. all the background noise she makes. I am just now getting to the point I can sleep thru all her squeals or grunts without waking all the time.

Other news besides Sophie, Stewart and a classmate of his went goose hunting this past week before school. Stewart had fun, although he did not get anything, his friend did and he gave us the goose since he goes hunting all the time… oh joy! I actually unintentionally burnt the goose when I was fixing it for dinner. You thought goose was a tough meat to start with; it was really tough when I was done with it.

Stewart had a big test about two weeks ago, we were pleased he got an excellent grade back on it. We were worried his grades may slip some since Sophie is here now, but he seems to be doing well with the adjustment to Sophie. He works hard to stay on top of his studies and still have time for his family. Sophie and I are grateful for that. Well I need to go, motherhood is calling… I have much to do and no time to get it all done. Loves!

Well it is Sophie’s one week birthday today, and it is about time I post something on this blog so why not dedicate this post to our lovely daughter Sophie Lucille North. We love our little Sophie Lou lots and lots.

Sophie was born on October 1, 2010 at 8:14am, weighing 6lbs and 7.6 ounces. Several weeks before Sophie was born we learned that she was breech. So with the help and advice of friends, family, and professionals we tried almost everything we could think of to turn our little Sophie around. Nothing worked, so the doctor Stewart and I met with two weeks before Sophie’s birth discussed the fact that we would have to have a c-section and between him and us we determined to wait until I was in labor before we did the c-section. Well at our next appointment I met with a different doctor since the doctor I met with before was out of town. This doctor decided that the decision we made before was not going to work for her and that we needed to have a c-section immediately. Long story short I was scheduled for a c-section the very next day and was told to be there at 5:30am. Needless to say this change of plans had both Stewart and I shook up.

October 1st came and the so thought rushed/ frantic car ride to the hospital was nothing more than a planned calm trip there. It was strange to think that Stewart and I walked out of our house with just the two of us and would be coming home with three of us in tow.

When we got to the hospital I was checked into the OB ward, I spent about 2 hours there being monitored and waiting for the OR to call up and request my presence. Around 7:00am or shortly thereafter I was taken down to the OR where they inserted an IV and did a spinal tap. Since Stewart is a medical student they let him come in and be with me while they did the spinal tap, normally they don’t allow the fathers in since most pass out at this point. They hospital staff were extra friendly, sensing I was nervous they made sure to explain what was happening. I really appreciated that, but I had to ask them to stop telling me what they were doing when the c-section was about to start… I did not want to know what they were doing at that point. Stewart sat on a stool up by my head, although he was invited to watch from the other side of the curtain if he wanted. I am glad he chose to hold my hand, and not be all consumed in the medical side of Sophie’s birth.

From the time they rolled me into the OR it did not take long for the medical professionals to deliver Sophie. As soon as she was out they held her up over the curtain so I we could see her, and then the nurses took her off to the side to clean her up. I loved hearing her small whimpers, I say whimpers because she really was not (and is not) a big crier. Before they took Sophie up to the OB ward they let Stewart and I have a minute to look at her and hold her. My first words to Stewart were “she is so tiny” and “oh she has my nose… good” we are still laughing about this today, and I am sure he won’t let me live it down for a while.

Stewart was asked to go with the nurses to the OB ward and wait for me up there while I stayed behind to recover. I stayed in the OR recovery room for about 1 ½ hours after Stewart and Sophie left. It was hard to be apart from them, but I was glad Stewart was with Sophie. He told me later that while I was in recovery he was watching the nurse’s bath, weigh, and footprint Sophie. He told me that it was a neat experience for him to be there with Sophie (the nursery was empty) he really bonded with her at that time. By the time I was wheeled up to the OB ward, Sophie and Stewart were waiting for me to join them. As they wheeled me by the Nursery window the nurse held up Sophie for me to see, she was so tiny and perfect. Stewart met me in the room and then shortly thereafter Sophie joined us. After that we were left alone for a while. Those first few moments with just the three of us in the room, as a family, are really special to us. We could feel the presence of a loving Heavenly Father near us, the Spirit was strong.

Because I had a C-section I had to stay in the hospital a minimum of 48 hours, it was not too bad. Stewart and I really appreciated the nurses who helped us. All of them were amazing and went above and beyond their job descriptions to help us figure things out… you know things like how to properly feed your baby, and all those sort of questions new parents have.

Anyway, we were discharged from the hospital on Sunday, October 3rd around 1:30pm. It was nice to come home, although it was strange to have a new little baby riding in the back seat. We are getting accustomed to the new reality, but that first drive home from the hospital was surreal.

So far things at home are going well; Sophie and I have had to learn to work as a team with the whole feeding thing. We are learning lots about each other and our personalities. My mom has been here since last week, she has been a huge help to us, we appreciate her willingness to come and help out. I know that this post has gone on long enough and that really everyone wants to see pictures of Sophie so I won’t prolong the inevitable. But before I close, I want to mention how blessed we are as a family. I am grateful to Stewart who is an amazing father; I love to see him interacting with Sophie they have a special father/daughter bond already. And this blog would not be complete without stating that we are grateful to a loving Heavenly Father who has in-trusted with our little Sophie, to care for here on earth. LOVES!

Me at 39 (almost 40) weeks pregnant, right before we walked out the door to go to the hospital

Stewart and Sophie, soon after I joined them in the OB ward

Sophie L. North, 3 hours old

First family Picture

Stewart and Sophie again... bonding

Becky and Sophie

Sophie

Stewart and Sophie, at home playing games. Stewart believes Sophie is his good luck charm, she must be because he has won every game we've played since we got home.