Emily Rose Kissel!!

She’s here, and she’s perfect!!

Sit back, relax, and enjoy Emily’s birth story!

We were up bright and early last Friday morning. We left for the hospital at 5:45am ready to meet our new little girl. 

Anxiously awaiting the surgery!

The pre-op portion of the day actually went by really quickly. I got pretty nauseous and yucky feeling for about 5 minutes when they put in the IV, but other than that everything went smoothly. I was prepped and wheeled into the OR right on time. 

It’s really quite impossible to describe the feeling of spinal anesthesia, so I guess I won’t take the time trying. The nurses and docs got me all drugged up and ready to go while Matty waited in the hallway. He said it seemed like a long time to him, but it flew by for me. Everyone was moving around and moving me and going very fast. All I could do was lie there and watch and listen because I couldn’t move my body! 

They got started right away and before too long we heard the most precious little cry! She came out quite upset, but Emily was perfect. She weighed in at 8lbs exactly and was 20.5″ long. Matty was able to check her out and watch her get cleaned up while the docs finished my surgery. 

They finally brought her over to me and laid her on my chest. I kid you not, my first thought was “no diaper? What if she poops on me?!” haha #sentimentalmama

Skin to skin or “kangaroo care” wasn’t as big of a thing when we had Lucy, but they really encourage it now. They had Emily lay on my chest while they sewed me up and cleaned up the OR.  At this point I could move my arms around a little bit, but that was all. Em was at a weird angle, so I really just got to enjoy the top of her head for awhile. It was a sweet time for the three of us . . . and the dozen or so other people buzzing around!

They encouraged Matty to take Emily back to the post-op room and get in on the skin to skin action with her while they finished with me. I’m sure he probably felt a little awkward, but it totally melted my heart when they wheeled me in and I saw him sitting with her. Here we are with my doctor. 

Lucy wore this same hat but in purple after she was born, so I bought a pink one for Emily. 

After a few hours in the recovery room, they wheeled us over to the Mother/Baby Unit. The nurses filled out our little info board and were so sweet about talking to us about Lucy and asking about our family. 

Emily began accepting visitors early Friday afternoon, and Grandma Ri was ready and waiting!

Our favorite nurse, Vicki, gave Emily her first manicure. So glad I didn’t have to do it! Also, I think it’s worth noting that, until Saturday evening, both Matty and I managed to avoid changing any diapers! Thank you, nurses! 

The only time Emily cried at night was when I tried to put her in the bassinet. As long as we were snuggling, she was happy as a clam. 

This guy certainly didn’t cry when I put him to bed! 😉

On Saturday morning Matty woke up and went to get some donuts for us and the nurses. He went to a place called Dom’s Bakery in Ypsilanti, and it did not disappoint. We made ourselves a nice little sampler platter to share for breakfast!

Emmy spent a few hours snuggling with her daddy on Saturday morning. 

And then Matty went home to see Lucy and get her ready to meet Emily while Aunt Carla came for a visit! I think this is the first quiet, calm conversation that Carla and I have had in years!

Matty brought Lucy on Saturday afternoon, and both of us thought it was the sweetest thing ever to see her meet her baby sister. 

Apparently she missed me a lot while I was in the hospital, but from the minute she walked in the room, she was enamored with Emily. 

“Emmy brought the donuts!”  Because we knew this girl would appreciate a baby sister who brought her a sweet treat! 

So, like her big sister, Emily had a lot of difficulty latching on to nurse. One time she’d be fine, and the next three times she’d cry and fuss and couldn’t do it. Rather than experience the HUGE amounts of frustration that I had with Lucy, by Saturday afternoon Matty and I decided that I’d just do what I did with Lucy and exclusively pump my milk and feed Em with a bottle. Until my milk came in, though, we had to supplement with formula. I didn’t mind at all because it gave Lucy a chance to help feed her baby sister right away. 

There was a minor meltdown when it was time for Matty to take Lucy home because she didn’t want to leave her mama. I felt super sad when she left, but then Matty texted me this picture and said that she was out before he even got out of the hospital parking lot. It’s hard being a big sister! Oh, and she had an apple in one hand and a piece of donut in the other. And, like every other stuffy that people have purchased for Emily, Lucy took over the pink doggie that Aunt Carla brought to the hospital. 

And with Matty officially on Lucy duty, my mom FINALLY got to come and meet her fifth grandchild. She stayed at the hospital with me Saturday night so that Matty could be home with Lucy. 

Surprise evening visitors are the best! Lisa came to meet Emily Saturday night, and it was so much fun to get to chat and introduce her to Emily. She also brought some delicious chocolate cake, which complimented the donuts quite nicely. It was like one last hurrah for food before I start working on losing the baby weight!

Her first time wearing actual clothes instead of the hospital onesie. 

While Emily and I were waiting to be discharged, Matty spent the morning with Lucy. He’s never been in charge of her for an extended period of time, especially over night. I got a text on Sunday morning that said, “What do you and Lu talk about all day long?” haha

Oma hung out with us on Sunday morning. I’m fairly certain she was in heaven having so much uninterrupted time with Emily. Although, after two nights with Lucy and a night in the hospital with me, I’m also fairly certain she was ready for a nap!

Ready to head home!

Matty and Lu came to pick us up to go home. The nurses gave Lucy an “I’m the Big Sister” sticker, but I didn’t get a picture of it. 

Headed home as a family of four!

Overall, our hospital stay was a good one. As good as being in the hospital can be. We’ve been home and settling in for three days now, and things are going really well. Matty has been amazing and is really holding down the fort while I recover from the C-Section. We’ve gotten into a great little routine, and I don’t know who will cry harder when he goes back to work on Monday – Lucy or me! 

I have plenty of pictures from our first few days home, but that’s for another post. Turns out I have more time than I thought I would for blogging since I’m pumping milk seven times a day for fifteen minutes each time! 

I have a few ideas for a new blog name, but I have to figure out how to change the name and the web address without losing all of my old blogposts. Don’t worry, I’ll keep you updated!

Thank you to everyone for all of the calls, texts, and emails we’ve received over the past five days. We are so happy to finally have Emily here with us! 

XOXO