My baby is growing so fast!!

Sophi in her bouncer.

After Sophi eats, she looks so content. :)

Sophi's 2 week picture

Sophi's favorite position. Only Daddy knows best.

It's totally crazy how it seemed like FOREVER until Sophi arrived and now the time is flying! Sophi is changing everyday and her personality is quite amusing. Her grunting and squealing is very entertaining...even at 2am. (As I'm writing this she is sleeping in her bouncer grunting and squealing.) She gets very excited to eat (who doesn't?) and LOVES LOVES LOVES to be bounced by Daddy. I've tried to bounce her the way Deric does, but she doesn't like my way.
Today Deric went back to work. :( I'm glad it's only for 2 weeks, then he gets to be at home again. I was so worried about being at home alone. Sophi usually sleeps all morning, but then her afternoons are crazy. We've been having to take her daily on a car ride anywhere between 2pm-5pm. For some reason today she's been eating every 4hours and sleeping in-between. She had some brief awake moments and was very wide-eyed and happy. As I write this, its almost 3 o'clock, so granted all could change. But so far, I've made it alone!!
Sophi truly is the cutest thing ever! I could never picture the way she was going to look and now I can't imagine her anyother way!
Here are some things as a mom no one can be prepared for:
1. Breastfeeding is SO PAINFUL. Seriously!! I know this is the best nutrition for your baby, but does it have to hurt?? I know it's going to get better (that's what "people" say), but you just push out a baby and now you have to painfully feed your baby. CRAZY!! Most of the time I do not like it!
2. The paranoia of "Is she okay?" comes immediately after you give birth. Everything from sleeping to nasal conjestion. I can see where prayer is going to be a big part here.
3. Finally at almost 3 weeks, I'm finally starting to feel like my "old self" The healing of giving birth is no fun. You are tired, sore, and now the doctor wants you to squirt yourself clean?? I'm thankful that pain phase is coming to an end.
4. Does anyone know what day it is? I don't even know what day of the week it is or whether it's still March. All the days are a blur.

Nevertheless, I wouldn't trade all the things I've had to go through in exchange for Sophi. She's worth all the pain, even the zombie days.

Sophi is here Part 2

Sophi is almost 2 weeks old! I cannot believe how fast time flies. I always have my days confused and the nights seem to be twice as long as the days. Sophi looks so big now! On Wed. I'll try to post here 2 week pic just so you can see the difference. My baby is growing too fast!!

Speaking of growing fast, man, does Sophi like to eat!! She weighed 6lb 11oz at birth and at her Dr. apt. 5 days after her birth she had already gained 6oz! We were surprised because most babies lose weight. It's been hard because I feel like all I do is feed her!! But I know it will quiet down...maybe soon at night! (one can only hope!)
Here are some things about Sophi:
1. She loves her hands. Her ultra sound pics match her perfectly. Her hands always have to be near her face, or in her mouth. She thinks her hands are food most of the time.
2. She likes to be swaddled only with her hands out of the blanket.
3. Her cry sounds like a little lamb.
4. Sophi does not like to sleep by herself. She does her best sleep (and her longest) when being held. When we do put her down, she will only sleep in her bouncer seat WITH vibration on. In order for her to sleep longer than 10 min, she must be totally asleep. If not, she's wide awake.
5. She loves baths.
6. Sophi loves leg massages.
7. Sophi loves to be bounced up and down in Deric's hands.
8. She loves car rides. If you come to a red light though, she gets very mad.
9. She likes her pacifier only if I'm holding her and my pointer finger is in the hole. I've tried other fingers, she doesn't approve. :)
10. I'm convinced she is always smiling at us. You may say it's gas, but both Deric and I really believe it's a smile/smirk.
11. She's always sleeping when guests come over. Her cranky moments are saved for Mommy and Daddy. (Unless you arrive at feeding time).

It's totally amazing how you can love someone so much. Now I understand why people just stare at babies. God is good. :)

Sophi is here

Sorry it's taken me SO long to write. I know you'll forgive me. I'm a walking zombie. I wanted to write my birthing story down so all you readers can know all the details of my 16 1/2 hour labor. Happy reading!!

My dr. scheduled me to be induced at 4am Wed. March 11th. He was going out-of-town the next week, so if I wanted him there to deliver Sophi, I had to go w/ this date. My dr. said she was healthy, so I was okay with being induced. Since I was still at 0 cm on Monday, I knew this labor thing would be long and hard.

Deric and I got 4 hours of sleep that night. We both were excited and didn't know what to expect, except we knew Sophi would arrive. By time I got checked in, given my room, got into my really cool hospital gown, it was 5am. Here's the play-by-play of my day:

3:30- my last meal
4-5am: check-in, etc
5: given pill to start labor. Nurse told me I was having contractions, but I didn't feel them.
5am-1:30pm: I hung out in the room w/ Deric. I sat on the birthing ball, rocked in the chair, did laps around the room w/ my IV tree. My contractions were more intense, had to start breathing through them. My friend Jan arrived around 10am. Took a nap. Really, really hungry.
1:30pm: Dr. Sawyer arrived to break my water. VERY VERY painful. Seriously, VERY painful!
2:00pm: Received epideral. Not as bad as I thought. Getting the cathader, again, VERY painful!
2pm-7:30pm: Could not get out of bed. Was positoned on my side and the nurse came to flip me every 30 min. So uncomfortable. Could not feel contractions, but the pressure of dialation was very intense.
7:30pm: At 3 cm. Dr. Sawyer went home.
8:00pm: Wanted to call in the towel. The pressure was so strong it was difficult to think about anything else. I believe I told Deric and Jan, "Cut her out!"
8:00-9:00pm.: The nurse returns to check me. I tell her I'm done (remember I haven't gotten up since 2, haven't eaten since 3am!) I just kept telling Deric and Jan that I had to go to the bathroom (#2).The nurse tells me that Sophi is ready to come, I can start pushing. It's not me having to go to the bathroom.They call Dr. Sawyer.
9:00pm.: I start pushing. They tell me to stop pushing b/c I'm doing too well. Seriously, God gave me the strength to push. 30 min. before that I would have past out, but suddenly this strength came over me. Only God could have given that!! They page another dr. worried that Dr. Sawyer won't make it in time.
9:00-9:24pm.: Dr. Sawyer arrives. I give a couple pushes. Again, totally God given strength!
9:25pm.: Sophi Jean Miller arrives!! It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen watching my baby girl be lifted up and plopped on my belly. I was in totaly shock. Deric says my first words were, "She has a good nose!"

After that long day I enjoyed a WONDERFUL Frosty and chicken nuggets. Life was good. :)

Well Sophi is hungry, so I'll have to write more later.

Quick Sophi update

Here's the scoop on Sophi's arrival... NOTHING!! I'm still a "closed shop" as I like to say. My dr. bumped my next apt. up to Monday. He's quite bummed nothing is happening. (You are telling me!!)
This morning at 3 am while I was just laying in bed, uncomfortable, hot, and being entertained by Sophi moving all around, I was thinking how hard it is to wait. How many times in life do we want to control everything around us? I know I am guilty time and time again. I wish I knew on this date, this time, but I don't.
These two weeks I know the Lord is really going to grow me to just wait and NOT go crazy. In our woman's bible study at church, we are going through Esther. Each lesson has us fill in, "It's tough being a woman...."
This past week's lesson was, "It's tough being a woman balancing passion with patience." One thing Beth Moore said that I really was trying to focus on last night was based on the verse in Isaiah, "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength." Beth said that our strength is depleted everytime we worry on that "thing" in life. When we truly wait on the Lord we have strength and aren't tackled by worry,etc.
Labor is going to require mental and physical strength. I know if I drive myself crazy thinking and thinking of all my fears and worries, I am depleting my strength that the Lord will give me. I'm not saying this is easy. My mind still wonders and "freaks out." But hopefully this verse will remain in the back of my mind so when I do start to panic, the Spirit will quickly calm me. (Granted I'll probably freak out more times than not, but at least I'm trying!!)
It's tough being a woman.

The waiting game

I've officially completed all my projects, have a clean home, and now am waiting for Sophi to arrive. Last night I was telling Deric, "I'm going to be so bored!!" So this morning I tried to fill my week with things to do. I'm trying to do at least 1 activity of some-sort a day, that way the time will go by quicker! I'm also anxiously waiting for my best friend Jan to come. She arrives next Tuesday and we are super excited! The plan is to do a bunch of "girly" stuff until Sophi comes. (Nevertheless, the plan when she comes, may just be--give birth to Sophi. Who really knows when she'll make her apperance?)
Just to humor myself and to bore you, here is my schedule until Jan comes.-OR until Sophi arrives:
Monday- helped Deric w/ some Middle School stuff, finished gluing ribbon the letters for Sophi's room. Hung letters. Krystle is joining me to watch The Bachelor. (AHH! Anticipation!!)
Tuesday- Bible study, dr. apt., coffee w/ friends, laundry, go to post office
Wed.- coffee w/ friend
Thursday- Samantha is highlighting my hair (I've got to look good for Sophi!)
Friday- *have nothing*
Sat./Sun -they don't count, Deric is around. :) Deric and I do know we'll be taking some sort of prego picks together, when and where, not sure.
Mon.- *have nothing*
Tuesday- Bible study, dr.apt., pick up Jan from airport

As you can see, not much happening. I always watch The View at 10:00 and watch 1 show from DVR while I eat lunch. Otherthan that, I'm pretty much hanging around. If any of you are bored, or need help w/ anything, let me know!! I would love to help!

Well, this could be my last blog until Sophi comes, or one of many waiting for her to arrive. Only time will tell. :)