Finally.. extra TIME!!

Thanks to my wonderful hubby for taking over baby duty today so I could squeeze in a nice, overdue nap which ultimately lead me to staying up extra late(r than normal) so I could finally update this blog with a new background. Yay!! Ok.. I'll be back (hopefully tomorrow) with a new update! :) This momma needs her rest...

6 week update!

I totally had every intention on changing the background to a Christmas/winter theme but here it is already December 13th and I'm still sporting the Thanksgiving background. Then I started realizing how many big plans I had pre-Lucy. I kept thinking "Oh, 8 weeks off of work.. what in the world am I going to do with myself?!" The to-do list I constantly daydreamed about was insane. For example, I was going to have all of my Christmas shopping done super early this year, I was finally going to get a chance to try out my new baking recipes, update the blog religiously, I would get a lot of work done from home on my own time, stay up to date with all my shows, and not to mention I would take tons and tons of pictures of Lucy. So, yea, as you can tell I had big dreams. It's as if I totally forgot why I would be home for those 8 weeks and totally under-estimated how much work a newborn really is! Now here we are coming up on 6 weeks this Thursday and I'm starting to freak out a little bit wondering where the time has gone. I sooo don't feel ready to go back to work yet! I think I could totally use 8 more weeks.

As for a Lucy update.. all is well and she's doing very well, minus the reflux/colic issue. Some days are worse than others but we're taking it one day at a time. The only thing that keeps me going is continuously reminding myself that she will outgrow it and only time will make it better. Other than her few hours a day of fussiness, she really is a great, happy baby. She is really getting a routine down good. She sleeps from approx. 8pm-8am waking up at midnight, 3am, and 6am for quick feedings and then takes two long naps during the day. We really are lucky that she's such a good sleeper. I think if she wasn't, I would have lost my mind by now! Other than that, all if well here and we are busy preparing for Christmas!

Here is a picture of Lucy today, smiling in her bouncy seat at the bird mobile she tries to talk to on a daily basis. :)

By the way, as soon as I get time (ha!), I will attempt to change up the blog a bit!

1 month!!!

On Saturday was Lucy's 1 month birthday! I feel like we're finally getting on a schedule now and the days are getting easier. I think I'm finally getting the hang of this mommy thing. Lucy's 1 month doctor's appointment was yesterday and she now weighs 9 lbs, 10 oz. and is 20 1/2 in. long. She's definitely a growing girl! She's been doing pretty good other than her reflux/colic issues. Yep, you heard me right.. our girl has colic! She's a wonderful, happy baby during the days but between the hours of 5-9pm, she is not a happy camper. However, I do feel like every night gets a tad bit better. But maybe that's just because I'm getting used to it? She has reflux issues so I know her tummy/throat hurts so I do my best to try to soothe her as much as I can in the evenings. As soon as she goes to bed for good for the night, she is a wonderful sleeper and will sleep through the entire night only waking up about every 3 to 3.5 hours to eat.

Here are some pics I took of her for her 1-month "photo shoot". :)

Sorry such a quick post! Have tons to do before Lucy wakes up from her nap. :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is always one of my favorite holidays. I love having one day where you can truly reflect on everything you're thankful for in life. It's always so easy to complain about this and that in your daily life but it's always important to take a step back and appreciate all of your blessings in life.

I know this year Mark and I both have so much to be thankful for. I say this all the time, but I truly feel so blessed in every aspect of my life. I have a wonderful husband, now a beautiful daughter, amazing family, supportive friends, a home, jobs to keep a roof over our heads, and a God that loves us.

Happy thanksgiving to you all! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. Now let's get that Christmas shopping started!!!

My first 2 (1/2) weeks as being a mom!

So it's been 19 days since I've become a mom! It's so crazy how all I wanted was time to just fly by when I was pregnant and now that she's here, I just want it slow down a bit. Funny how that happens! As I was rushing around the house this morning trying to get as much things done possible as I can in the hour or so Lucy will nap, I was thinking how much my life has changed being a mom. I'm sure all other mommy's out there can relate to these:

• I've always been one to be on time for everything. Now, I've turned into the girl that's always late. How the heck do you judge enough time to get yourself and a newborn out the door?!
• There are days that I don't even get a chance to take a shower, let alone brush my teeth. Gross, I know. And when I do get a chance, it's the quickest shower known to man because it never fails Lucy wakes up as soon as I step foot in the shower.
• My clothes, and even my hair, consist of baby spit-up at all times.
• I spend at least 75% of my day with a baby attached to my boob!
• The highlight of my week was renting a movie with my hubby (while Lucy sleeping on my chest the entire time).
• Suddenly taking time out for a meal is a huge task. Who has time to eat anymore?!
• I haven't slept longer than a 2.5 hour stretch since she's been born.
• I'm in bed by 8pm every night.
• I've become a professional one-hand-typer these days (even doing it now while I'm holding Lucy in my other arm!).

But you know what? It's all worth it! There's nothing I love more than being a mommy. Especially Lucy's mommy. It can be trying at times but the minute I look at her, I think to myself this is exactly what I'm meant to do. I just love her to pieces!

Here are some pics from the last 2 weeks. (I've been slacking with pics.. who has time to take pictures?! lol)

Lucy's first outing. We went to Maw-Mee's house to visit her, Great Gram, and Aunt Fallon. She also went out to her first stores - Michael's and JoAnn Fabrics.

This is when we went to dinner at my aunt Pam's.

At Maw-Mee's

Just loungin' in her bouncy seat..

Here she was watching daddy iron his work clothes.

I love watching her sleep! This was the first time she slept in her crib. (For a very short nap!)

Cute pic I shot from my cell phone (in the dark) of Lucy sleeping with Daddy..

This was at her first doctor's appointment at only 5 days old! As you can tell, she wasn't a fan..

Overall, my baby girl is doing really well and is very healthy! At her 2-week doctors appt. this past Tuesday she had gained 9 oz. in one week and grew 1/2 an inch so she's doing very well! I think she's been going through a growth spurt as all she wants to do these days is eat, eat, eat. Talk about tiring!!

I promise I'll try to post more updates more often. I'm starting to get more adjusted so hopefully I'll start finding more time! Until then.. I'll be back soon. :) Gotta run!

P.S. another you-know-your-a-mommy-when moment is that it takes you literally 8 hours to get this post finished! I started this around noon and now it's 8:15pm and I am just now able to sit down and finish!! Phew.. busy day in the Lagana household. :)

She's here!!!!

So sorry it's taken me a week to get this posted! They aren't lying when they say how much busier your life will become with a little one! I barely have time to even brush my teeth these days, let alone update a blog! But better late than never, huh?

So before I introduce you to my baby girl.. here is her birth story!

On Thursday morning, November 3, 2011, (40 weeks, 4 days pregnant) we were scheduled to be at the hospital at 7am to start the induction. We literally were walking out of the door at 6:40am when I noticed a voicemail message on our house phone so I checked it real quick only to find that the hospital called and said they had to put us on hold due to the L&D floor being so busy. They said to call us back at 9am and they'll let us know what to do from there. Talk about BUMMED! I wanted to cry because I thought my baby girl was never going to come! Thankfully we took advantage of those 2 hours and went right back to sleep (I definitely needed that) and when we called back at 9am they said for us to come at 10. Whoo-hoo!! We were going to have a baby that day afterall!

So we arrive to the hospital at 10 and after getting checked in, hooked up, etc. etc. we finally were able to start the Pitocin around 11. I definitely started feeling the contractions pretty much right away but they weren't unbearable by then at all. Here's me patiently waiting to get that baby out!

At around 1pm, my doctor came in to check on me and I was about 4cm dilated. Yay for progression! She then broke my water and for the next hour & and a half, Mark and I just sat in silence as the contractions REALLY started to hit me. I went back and forth about when to get the epidural. My nurse came in at 2:15pm to check on me and asked if I was ready for one yet. I told her they were really coming on hard but still manageable but I would make a decision at 2:30pm on what to do. That only lasted 5 minutes because at 2:20pm I sent Mark out to let her know that I was ready for one! Haha.. they were definitely getting VERY uncomfortable so I took my doc's advice on getting one before the contractions got too bad because the more relaxed I was, the quicker she would come.

So at 2:45pm I got the epidural. Now let me start off by saying I was absolutely terrified to get it. I read way too many horror stories online and I have seen that needle on t.v. before so it scared the bageezie's out of me. My nurse told me it would feel like a bee sting - "A BIG hornet big sting". Um, ouch!! But guess what? It was by far the easiest/best part of labor! It didn't hurt a bit. I think it felt like a tiny little pinch in my back for a second.. hurt less than a bee sting! Thank God that was out of the way..

So from 2:45pm until about 5pm I was sooo relaxed and just felt so good. I saw the contractions coming and going on the screen and in the beginning I didn't feel a thing. However, around 5pm I don't know if it wore off by then or not but I was in so.much.pain. The contractions hit me HARD. I could barely speak. Around 5:30pm I was in tears and started feeling sooo much pressure down there. My nurse came in and checked me and I was 9cm and the baby's head was starting to crown! So at 5:30pm I started to push. I pushed with all my might for about 45 minutes and at 6:17pm my baby girl was born!!!

Introducing Lucy Brielle Lagana, born 11/3/11 at 6:17pm weighing 8lbs 1oz and 19 1/4 inches long...

I was so overwhelmed with emotion. How can you all of a sudden love something this much instantly? She was perfect in every way possible. I just couldn't get over her! After she was born Mark and I were given a little time to bond with her as a new family of 3. Then all of our immediate family was able to come back and at one point I believe we had at least 12 people in the delivery room! She's one lucky little girl to have so many people love her so much!

We were able to go home Saturday afternoon. Look how itty bitty she was in her carseat..

So far she's been the absolute best baby. She's a great sleeper and although we got off to a really bad start breastfeeding, I stuck it out and so glad I did because I love nursing her! There's no better bond between mommy and baby.

Here is a picture of her I took when she was 4 days old.. (one of many photo shoots to come!)

And here are a few pictures of her from her very first real photo shoot with my cousin. (Thanks Melissa for these AWESOME pics!!)



Thank you all so very much for keeping up with my blog and following my pregnancy journey. I will continue to update often so please follow me into the next chapter of motherhood! I will continue to post pics of Lucy and the Lagana family. Before I go I have to say that I can't even begin to explain how blessed I feel with everything given to me in life. I have the most wonderful life - an amazing husband, our little home, a wonderful dog, a supporting and loving family, and now the most precious daughter anyone could ask for. God is good. :)

Happy (belated) Halloween!

Even though I was so hoping Lucy would be here for Halloween, it still was a good one! I wanted to share a few pics of the cutest little trick-or-treaters around...

Ashlyn the owl

(don't you just loove those baby blues!?)

Brody the scarecrow

And of course.. Silas the frog :)

So I went to the doc today and finally there was progress! She said I was a little more dilated (about 2 1/2cm) and about 70% effaced. Whoo-hoo. Glad my body finally decided to budge. I'm still hoping I go into labor on my own but doesn't look like that's gonna happen. Either way, she'll be here in 2 days! Ahh, so excited and nervous at the same time. I'll definitely try my hardest to make a blog post this weekend to finally introduce our baby girl to the blog. :) Everyone wish me luck!!!

Well hello due date! 40 weeks

If you would have told me I would still be posting a belly shot at 4o weeks, I would have told you that you were crazy! Only because the entire pregnancy I thought for sure she was going to come early. I guess she has other plans though! I don't think she wants to be an October baby. Or maybe she's just holding out for Halloween? Either way.. I am beyond ready and over being pregnant! I think she's still content in there as I haven't really had any signs that she's ready to come on her own. At least we know she will be here in 4 days if she isn't out on her own!

Here's 2 belly shots from today. I feel like I'm stretched to the max at this point!

Nothing too new to report this week! Just keeping our fingers crossed she comes very soon. (Preferably on Tuesday - 11/1/11 would be quite the cool birthday!). I'll be back to post updates! At least by the end of the week. :)

39w appt. update!

Eh, still 2cm and 50% effaced. I thought for sure some progress was made since I've been having contractions here and there. Guess she's just pretty snug in there!

My doctor did mention she won't let me go past 40w4d so I'm scheduled for an induction next Thursday (11/3) so if she isn't here by then then she will be here one way or another!

Come on Lucy... please don't make me have to be pregnant for 9 more days! There's a lot of people anxious to meet you!

39 weeks! Lots of new updates...

39 weeks today! I have lots of new updates to fill you in on since I posted last week. When I went and saw my doc for my 38 week check-up, I was 2cm and 50% effaced. Pretty good for 38 weeks but something I could definitely still walk around at for awhile if the baby just wasn't ready. At least I know my body was progressing and doing something though! So Mark was with me and started to explain to her his fears that Lucy will decide to come the ONE day that she absolutely can't (this Thursday, the 27th) due to his *big* test. She sympathized with him because she said her ex-husband actually sat for his professional engineering license when she was pregnant with her daughter so she totally understood. She told me she would accommodate us and would go ahead and induce on Friday (10/21). At first I was thinking "heck yea!" but then instantly started worrying and something just didn't feel right about it, especially with me still only being 39 weeks. But then I figured I obviously know my doctor wouldn't put us in a horrible situation if she didn't feel like she, or me, was ready and in all honesty, it would be perfect timing with Mark's test and all.

So fast forward to this past Friday... we get up bright and early, dog is at the kennel, bags are completely packed and we head to the hospital at 7am. They finally started me on Pitocin at 8:30 and after 5 hours of Pitocin and upping it every 30 min. and with normal 2-3 min. apart contractions, I was STILL at 2cm and 50% effaced. Talk about a stubborn baby! My doctor was willing to break my water for me but I had to make that decision whether I wanted her to or not because if she went ahead and broke my water then I was there to stay and definitely having this baby that day one way or another. The selfish part of me was telling myself to just go ahead and break my water and let's have her but my head and gut were telling me to leave and give it some time. If she isn't ready, she just isn't ready! I was so scared that if she broke my water that I still wouldn't progress past 2cm and would have to end up with a c-section. As much as I don't want a c-section, I've come to terms that if I go into labor on my own and something happens were it's necessary or demanded, then so be it, but if I end up with a c-section because of me being anxious and trying to force this baby out, I would always kick myself.

Anyway, so we ended up leaving the hospital around 2pm. My doctor suggested I could come back on Sunday (today) and get some gel that will help "ripen me up" and then we could try again for an induction on Monday morning. Mark and I thought long and hard about it and decided to still go in on Sunday and talk to my doctor about it. So after a long talk with my doctor this morning, we decided to pass on the gel and the induction. As much as we are both ready for her, we want her to come when she's ready and let nature take it's course. I just feel like it would be bad karma if I forced it and something happened. I would always blame myself! So basically my baby girl is just not ready to meet everyone yet.. which is fine! I'll let her pick her own birthday and let her decide when she is ready. :) (Side note: This morning I was STILL 2cm, 50% effaced!)

So basically that's everything going on with us. Her due date is exactly one week from today so it's getting closer. We're hoping something will happen soon (well at any time except Thursday!) because we sure are ready. This week will just include lots of long walks! I'm having little contractions here and there but mainly I'm just getting the pelvic pain and the tailbone pain (this is a new one but supposedly a sign of early labor).

So that's it! We're just anxiously waiting for something to happen and killing time in the meantime. Sorry I don't have a pic this week. My camera is still packed up in the car from the hospital and I'm way too lazy to get it and post pics, haha. If anything does happen before next Sunday I will definitely get my last belly shot before having her! Well if anything else changes in the meantime I'll be back. Keep your fingers crossed for us!!!

38 weeks... come on Lucy!

I'm officially 38 weeks. Come on Lucy.. you can ANY time now!! Mommy & daddy are all ready for you! So now it's just a waiting game! We are really hoping for an October baby so we're ready to take her any day now. :)

Here's a belly shot from today. (Sidenote: I swear, I don't live in sweats and pj's. I just so happen to always take my weekly pics when I first wake up on the weekends!)

Overall I'm feeling ok. I wouldn't say "good" since I'm more uncomfortable than anything. I'm definitely feeling quite a bit of pelvic pressure still and I get contractions quite a bit as well. I would be quite surprised if there wasn't any progress from last week.

Mark and I had our last dinner date as a family of 2 last night. (Ok, 3.. sorry Silas!) We went to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner and had such a nice night. It's been quite some time since we've had a date like that. Mark's schedule has been awfully crazy lately with work, going to the library every night to study, spending the weekends getting last-minute projects tied up, etc. that it's so hard to ever spend quality time together. Our world's about to change so I thought it was important to have one last date before our baby girl arrives. :) Not to mention, I was craving some pumpkin cheesecake!

Yesterday afternoon I did a fall photo shoot for our good friend's baby, Brody. Lainie wanted to get a few good one's of him before his baby sister is due to arrive in just a couple of weeks! Here are a few of my favorite one's from the shoot. Isn't he just the handsomest?!

Doing this shoot made me realize how much I love taking pictures! I cannot wait to practice even more on Lucy. That girl is going to have a LOT of photo shoots in her near future!

So today, October 16th, is a very important date for our family as it was Mark's grandma Eunice's birthday. We miss her everyday that she isn't with us but we both know she is always looking down at us and has a lot to do with our wonderful blessings. She will always be our guardian angel and I know she will always look after Lucy for us too! We are going to dinner tonight with the family in her honor at one of her favorite restaurants, Carraba's. Mark and I were absolutely hoping Lucy would grace us with her presence on this special day but in reality I think Grandma deserves to have her own special day every year!

Us with Grandma on our wedding day

Ok so I've been on this computer for far too long this morning so I'm going to actually go and be productive for the rest of the day. I'll be back Tuesday with a doc appt. check-up status! Have a great rest of the weekend!