Well, it is a sad morning in South Carolina as Deb, Jess and Darius have started the long trip back to St Louis. We had such a wonderful time and were so lucky to have this time with them. Lucy loved getting to meet everyone and Tess had a ton of fun getting reaquainted, especially her cousin! Halloween was so special and we had a blast going to the park and the zoo.
As much fun as we had we all missed Stan and we can't wait to have a visit with Grandpa too!
http://s144.photobucket.com/albums/r177/sunpeach1/October%202008/
http://s144.photobucket.com/albums/r177/sunpeach1/November%202008/
Now we have a couple of days to settle down before Gran and Papa get to town!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
Lucy Adele Sefton has Arrived!
Well, the LONG wait is finally over and we are at home enjoying life with our new baby girl!
Lucy was born on September 17, 2008 at 7:12 a.m. weighing 9 lbs 8 oz and 21 inches tall.
At 7:00 p.m on Tuesday the 16th of September we checked into the hospital to begin our induction. I was 42 weeks and 3 days and ready to meet Lucy, but not looking forward to another very long labor and the whole medical induction process. We talked to our MW at length about what we wanted from the process, he was already well aware of our desire for natural birth and so we laid out a plan and decided to start with Cytotec and move to Pitocin in the morning. The pill was inserted and Tess and Chris went home to sleep for the night. Our grand plan was to have Chris drop Tess off at school on Wednesday morning and join me at the hospital to welcome Lucy. Tess was to join us as close to delivery as possible. Lucy had other plans. Around 10:45 p.m. contractions became very regular and noticeable, every 3-5 minutes. They got progressively stronger and at 1:00 a.m. I paged the nurse to ask for something to help me sleep, as I had a feeling I would need it. I was checked for dilation when they brought in the medication and I was at 4cm, which was good progress from the 1 cm I was when we were admitted. I was then able to sleep in between contractions, which was enough to get me through the next few hours. At about 5:00 a.m. I was having a really hard time dealing with the contractions and asked to be checked and taken off of the monitors so that I could cope a little better. I was dilated to 6 cm and I went and got into the shower to try and relax. Much to my surprise I spent a full hour in the shower under very hot water which helped a lot. Around 6:00 I came out and called for someone to come and check on me. Tom, my Midwife, came in right away and told me that I was 8 cm dilated. We figured that as long as my water stayed intact Chris would be able to get Tess to school and still make it to the hospital on time as planned. At 6:30 I called Chris and told him he better be on his way. He was on his way out the door to take Tess to school when I called. About a minute later I called him back and told him he better skip dropping Tess off and just get to the hospital NOW. While all of this was going on the nurses called Rose, the Midwife who delivered Tess and told her that if she wanted to be here for the delivery of Lucy she had better be on her way. I found out later that they had woken her up and she had rushed to the hospital to make it! Somewhere around 6:45 the contractions changed and I started feeling the urge to bear down. I was so scared! Chris wasn't there and I started to get the feeling he might not make it. I tried not to push during the contractions, when suddenly my water broke. At that point I was screaming through contractions, still trying not to push and every time the door opened my heart would rise, and then fall when it was just another nurse and not Chris. Before I knew it Lucy was crowning. It was a very intense labor, I think made more so by the anxiety over Chris not being there. I have a feeling that the anesthesiologist was a busy person after the other moms in labor heard me! Both of my Midwives were sitting on the bed with me, coaching quietly but letting me take the lead. With another push I delivered Lucy's head and the Midwives asked me if I wanted to reach down and deliver her body. I wasn't sure I really believed that she was almost here so I reached down as the Midwife turned her and I grabbed her and pulled her to my chest at 7:12 a.m. It was an amazing moment. Everyone in the room was crying, Lucy was by far the loudest! I called Chris less than a minute after she was born and he was able to hear Lucy crying as he pulled into the town where the hospital is located. Lucy started nursing within a few minutes and Chris and Tess came through the door around 7:20. We had left the cord intact so that Chris was able to cut it as he met his new daughter! Tess kept scolding me for the mess in the room saying, "Mama, mess!" She got to join me on the bed and loved to be able to sit with us while Lucy nursed away. Lucy stayed with us for over an hour, just getting acquainted before they took her to the nursery to be weighed, measured and washed. 24 hours later we were released from the hospital and we have been home getting going ever since.
We are totally in love, recovering well, and can't wait for the whole family to meet Lucy. Tess is a loving (and a little jealous) big sister and I couldn't be more proud of our little family. Here ore the few photos we have so far!
http://s144.photobucket.com/albums/r177/sunpeach1/Lucy%20Adele/
Lucy was born on September 17, 2008 at 7:12 a.m. weighing 9 lbs 8 oz and 21 inches tall.
At 7:00 p.m on Tuesday the 16th of September we checked into the hospital to begin our induction. I was 42 weeks and 3 days and ready to meet Lucy, but not looking forward to another very long labor and the whole medical induction process. We talked to our MW at length about what we wanted from the process, he was already well aware of our desire for natural birth and so we laid out a plan and decided to start with Cytotec and move to Pitocin in the morning. The pill was inserted and Tess and Chris went home to sleep for the night. Our grand plan was to have Chris drop Tess off at school on Wednesday morning and join me at the hospital to welcome Lucy. Tess was to join us as close to delivery as possible. Lucy had other plans. Around 10:45 p.m. contractions became very regular and noticeable, every 3-5 minutes. They got progressively stronger and at 1:00 a.m. I paged the nurse to ask for something to help me sleep, as I had a feeling I would need it. I was checked for dilation when they brought in the medication and I was at 4cm, which was good progress from the 1 cm I was when we were admitted. I was then able to sleep in between contractions, which was enough to get me through the next few hours. At about 5:00 a.m. I was having a really hard time dealing with the contractions and asked to be checked and taken off of the monitors so that I could cope a little better. I was dilated to 6 cm and I went and got into the shower to try and relax. Much to my surprise I spent a full hour in the shower under very hot water which helped a lot. Around 6:00 I came out and called for someone to come and check on me. Tom, my Midwife, came in right away and told me that I was 8 cm dilated. We figured that as long as my water stayed intact Chris would be able to get Tess to school and still make it to the hospital on time as planned. At 6:30 I called Chris and told him he better be on his way. He was on his way out the door to take Tess to school when I called. About a minute later I called him back and told him he better skip dropping Tess off and just get to the hospital NOW. While all of this was going on the nurses called Rose, the Midwife who delivered Tess and told her that if she wanted to be here for the delivery of Lucy she had better be on her way. I found out later that they had woken her up and she had rushed to the hospital to make it! Somewhere around 6:45 the contractions changed and I started feeling the urge to bear down. I was so scared! Chris wasn't there and I started to get the feeling he might not make it. I tried not to push during the contractions, when suddenly my water broke. At that point I was screaming through contractions, still trying not to push and every time the door opened my heart would rise, and then fall when it was just another nurse and not Chris. Before I knew it Lucy was crowning. It was a very intense labor, I think made more so by the anxiety over Chris not being there. I have a feeling that the anesthesiologist was a busy person after the other moms in labor heard me! Both of my Midwives were sitting on the bed with me, coaching quietly but letting me take the lead. With another push I delivered Lucy's head and the Midwives asked me if I wanted to reach down and deliver her body. I wasn't sure I really believed that she was almost here so I reached down as the Midwife turned her and I grabbed her and pulled her to my chest at 7:12 a.m. It was an amazing moment. Everyone in the room was crying, Lucy was by far the loudest! I called Chris less than a minute after she was born and he was able to hear Lucy crying as he pulled into the town where the hospital is located. Lucy started nursing within a few minutes and Chris and Tess came through the door around 7:20. We had left the cord intact so that Chris was able to cut it as he met his new daughter! Tess kept scolding me for the mess in the room saying, "Mama, mess!" She got to join me on the bed and loved to be able to sit with us while Lucy nursed away. Lucy stayed with us for over an hour, just getting acquainted before they took her to the nursery to be weighed, measured and washed. 24 hours later we were released from the hospital and we have been home getting going ever since.
We are totally in love, recovering well, and can't wait for the whole family to meet Lucy. Tess is a loving (and a little jealous) big sister and I couldn't be more proud of our little family. Here ore the few photos we have so far!
http://s144.photobucket.com/albums/r177/sunpeach1/Lucy%20Adele/
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Lucy Soon?
We moved! Chris, Tess and I made the move into base housing and couldn't be happier. We are closer to work and Tess is taking full advantage of the fenced yard, mostly with naked water play time! She has also become quite infamous at school for removing her shoes, stripping off her shirt and streaking around the playground and classroom. I, of course, couldn't be more proud of our little free spirit nudist! She loves to talk on the phone to her grandparents and we can't wait to see them all as the new baby visit parade begins through Sumter!
Our due date is fast approaching and we are getting more excited by the day (or minute) for the arrival of Lucy! We are officially "due" on Sunday (August 31st) though if I learned anything from Tess it is that babies will come when they are good and ready! I don't think Tess is fully aware that she will soon be a big sister, I think we will have a definite period of adjustment around here as she learns about not being an only child. Even if the first weeks are hard I know from experience how wonderful it is to grow up with sisters and I can't wait to watch our girls grow together!
Tess is coming up on her last two weeks of daycare, as I will be staying home with the kids as soon as Lucy gets here. We will miss her school friends and the teachers that have taken such loving care of our baby, but there are several kids about her age in the neighborhood that she will get to spend time with as we both make new friends. I am just thrilled to be able to spend this time with our babies and watch them grow.
I have a few new Tess pictures to share and there are some pictures of the matching tutus I made for Tess and Lucy and a few of the new house.
We love you all and hopefully soon we will be sending out the big announcement!
Love,
The Family of Three... but not for long!
Our due date is fast approaching and we are getting more excited by the day (or minute) for the arrival of Lucy! We are officially "due" on Sunday (August 31st) though if I learned anything from Tess it is that babies will come when they are good and ready! I don't think Tess is fully aware that she will soon be a big sister, I think we will have a definite period of adjustment around here as she learns about not being an only child. Even if the first weeks are hard I know from experience how wonderful it is to grow up with sisters and I can't wait to watch our girls grow together!
Tess is coming up on her last two weeks of daycare, as I will be staying home with the kids as soon as Lucy gets here. We will miss her school friends and the teachers that have taken such loving care of our baby, but there are several kids about her age in the neighborhood that she will get to spend time with as we both make new friends. I am just thrilled to be able to spend this time with our babies and watch them grow.
I have a few new Tess pictures to share and there are some pictures of the matching tutus I made for Tess and Lucy and a few of the new house.
We love you all and hopefully soon we will be sending out the big announcement!
Love,
The Family of Three... but not for long!
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Long Overdue!
Wow, I didn't realize that the last time I updated we were waiting for Chris to come home! What a slacker!
Well, things are happily back to normal around the Sefton household and the South Carolina summer is upon us! We have been frequenting Swan Lake (a local park) and recently bought a membership to the Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, SC, so we can go and hang out with the animals anytime.
Tess is growing bigger everyday, pretending, talking and laughing away. She just started her transition into a "big girl" bed and she loves it. She also loves the freedom to come and visit her Mama and Daddy at all hours of the night, but less and less as time goes on. She has also become quite a social butterfly and has taken to greeting anyone who comes in or out of any room she is in (to include restaurants and the mall) with an enthusiastic, "Hi!" or "Bye-Bye!" depending on the situation. Her sense of humor, independence and dance skills amaze me everyday, she really is a remarkable person.
In new baby news, we found out that we are having another baby girl! We are thrilled that Tess will have a sister, especially so close in age. We have decided to name the new addition Lucy Adele Sefton. The middle name Adele is in honor of Chris' maternal great-grandmother. We have another ultrasound on June 10th, so I will try to post pictures after that appointment. Lucy is kicking and punching up a storm and seems to be especially fond of kicking Tess while she is trying to fall asleep in my lap. Ah, the sibling rivalry starts already!
Well, here is the good part, pictures! I will include two links, one for the April pictured and the other for May! We love you all and will talk to you soon!
http://s144.photobucket.com/albums/r177/sunpeach1/April%202008/
http://s144.photobucket.com/albums/r177/sunpeach1/May%202008/
Well, things are happily back to normal around the Sefton household and the South Carolina summer is upon us! We have been frequenting Swan Lake (a local park) and recently bought a membership to the Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, SC, so we can go and hang out with the animals anytime.
Tess is growing bigger everyday, pretending, talking and laughing away. She just started her transition into a "big girl" bed and she loves it. She also loves the freedom to come and visit her Mama and Daddy at all hours of the night, but less and less as time goes on. She has also become quite a social butterfly and has taken to greeting anyone who comes in or out of any room she is in (to include restaurants and the mall) with an enthusiastic, "Hi!" or "Bye-Bye!" depending on the situation. Her sense of humor, independence and dance skills amaze me everyday, she really is a remarkable person.
In new baby news, we found out that we are having another baby girl! We are thrilled that Tess will have a sister, especially so close in age. We have decided to name the new addition Lucy Adele Sefton. The middle name Adele is in honor of Chris' maternal great-grandmother. We have another ultrasound on June 10th, so I will try to post pictures after that appointment. Lucy is kicking and punching up a storm and seems to be especially fond of kicking Tess while she is trying to fall asleep in my lap. Ah, the sibling rivalry starts already!
Well, here is the good part, pictures! I will include two links, one for the April pictured and the other for May! We love you all and will talk to you soon!
http://s144.photobucket.com/albums/r177/sunpeach1/April%202008/
http://s144.photobucket.com/albums/r177/sunpeach1/May%202008/
Monday, March 24, 2008
Spring Has Sprung!
Good morning everyone! I have a rare quiet moment and thought I would update you all on what is going on in our little land!
Tess and I are greatly looking forward to Chris being home in just a couple of weeks. We are hanging in there but really can't wait to have Daddy back home, safe, and with his growing family again. I can't believe he's already been gone so long and we are so close to having him back at last. We just can't wait.
Spring is coming on beautifully here in South Carolina and despite a few cold snaps the trees are in bloom, Daffodils are popping up everywhere and the afternoons are best spent at the park! Tess and I enjoyed a wonderful afternoon at the park with several friends for an Easter egg hunt on Saturday, and Tess was the hit of the hunt! She was all decked out in her special Easter tutu complete with a feather boa trailing behind and people were gushing over how cute she is all day. Of course none of this was a surprise to me, but it was nice anyhow!
Here are the pictures for March so far- http://s144.photobucket.com/albums/r177/sunpeach1/March%202008/
This album will probably be updated again when the month is out and then we will start in April- featuring homecoming pictures and the all important ultrasound shots from our appointment on the 16th! Chris will be home just in time and we are all excited to find out "what" we are having! I hope all is well with all of you!
All our love-
The Sefton Clan
Tess and I are greatly looking forward to Chris being home in just a couple of weeks. We are hanging in there but really can't wait to have Daddy back home, safe, and with his growing family again. I can't believe he's already been gone so long and we are so close to having him back at last. We just can't wait.
Spring is coming on beautifully here in South Carolina and despite a few cold snaps the trees are in bloom, Daffodils are popping up everywhere and the afternoons are best spent at the park! Tess and I enjoyed a wonderful afternoon at the park with several friends for an Easter egg hunt on Saturday, and Tess was the hit of the hunt! She was all decked out in her special Easter tutu complete with a feather boa trailing behind and people were gushing over how cute she is all day. Of course none of this was a surprise to me, but it was nice anyhow!
Here are the pictures for March so far- http://s144.photobucket.com/albums/r177/sunpeach1/March%202008/
This album will probably be updated again when the month is out and then we will start in April- featuring homecoming pictures and the all important ultrasound shots from our appointment on the 16th! Chris will be home just in time and we are all excited to find out "what" we are having! I hope all is well with all of you!
All our love-
The Sefton Clan
Saturday, January 19, 2008
A New Addition
As I am sure most of you know Chris, Tess and I have found that we will be adding one more to our family in early September, or October if this little one is as stubborn as Tess was! We are so very thrilled and it is just one more reason we can't wait for Chris to get back home with his expanding family!
Chris has been doing so well "over there" and we couldn't be more proud of him. We talk nearly every day which has been really wonderful. Chris made a video of himself reading a book to Tess on his way out of the states at a USO. The amazing people from United Through Reading sponsor a program through which deploying parents can record a video reading a book and they send a DVD and the book the parent read to the family at home. They provide the camera, DVD, books to read and send, and pay all postage to send out the packages. To the right you will find a link to the website of the orginization that puts together all of these videos, I can't tell you how much they have meant to us. Every night Tess and I watch the video of Chris reading Tess a bedtime story and it is the best part of our day. As soon as he comes on the screen Tess points and says, "Daddy!" Then she settles in on my lap and we have story time. They have the same program at the USO in Iraq where Chris is and I think we will be getting another video and book soon. We can't wait!
Chris has been volunteering a few hours nearly every day at the clinic out on the helipad. He helps bring in stretchers from the helicopters carrying wounded people into the ER. It has been a totally rewarding and special experience for him and he really loves to be able to help people at such a critical time. I look forward to hearing about all of his experiences when he gets home.
Tess and I have been doing well here at home, too. We are busy, busy busy, and really looking forward to a visit from Gran and Thomas the first week and a half of February. Tess has learned to say, "No, no!" which she directs mostly at Daisy and Baxter. They know she is serious because she shakes her finger at them while she says it. Unfortunately she reserves her special disapproval for times when they are just sitting quietly in the living room with us, so no great dog training strides have been made as of yet.
That is about all of the news that I have for now, below are the links to some semi new photos, from post Christmas and Grandpa Ed's Memorial. I hope to have all the other Christmas photos soon (ahem, Mama and Papa) and I will post them as soon as I can! As always feel free to browse the old photos as well!
http://s144.photobucket.com/albums/r177/sunpeach1/Christmas%20Photos/
All of our love to all of you!
Sarah and Tess
Chris has been doing so well "over there" and we couldn't be more proud of him. We talk nearly every day which has been really wonderful. Chris made a video of himself reading a book to Tess on his way out of the states at a USO. The amazing people from United Through Reading sponsor a program through which deploying parents can record a video reading a book and they send a DVD and the book the parent read to the family at home. They provide the camera, DVD, books to read and send, and pay all postage to send out the packages. To the right you will find a link to the website of the orginization that puts together all of these videos, I can't tell you how much they have meant to us. Every night Tess and I watch the video of Chris reading Tess a bedtime story and it is the best part of our day. As soon as he comes on the screen Tess points and says, "Daddy!" Then she settles in on my lap and we have story time. They have the same program at the USO in Iraq where Chris is and I think we will be getting another video and book soon. We can't wait!
Chris has been volunteering a few hours nearly every day at the clinic out on the helipad. He helps bring in stretchers from the helicopters carrying wounded people into the ER. It has been a totally rewarding and special experience for him and he really loves to be able to help people at such a critical time. I look forward to hearing about all of his experiences when he gets home.
Tess and I have been doing well here at home, too. We are busy, busy busy, and really looking forward to a visit from Gran and Thomas the first week and a half of February. Tess has learned to say, "No, no!" which she directs mostly at Daisy and Baxter. They know she is serious because she shakes her finger at them while she says it. Unfortunately she reserves her special disapproval for times when they are just sitting quietly in the living room with us, so no great dog training strides have been made as of yet.
That is about all of the news that I have for now, below are the links to some semi new photos, from post Christmas and Grandpa Ed's Memorial. I hope to have all the other Christmas photos soon (ahem, Mama and Papa) and I will post them as soon as I can! As always feel free to browse the old photos as well!
http://s144.photobucket.com/albums/r177/sunpeach1/Christmas%20Photos/
All of our love to all of you!
Sarah and Tess
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