A Very Merry Christmas Photo Shoot

Having a new baby at Christmas was really fun. On Christmas Eve, Jeremy, Autumn and I celebrated our little family Christmas at home where we exchanged our gifts. Autumn really raked it in! Here is a pic of her with all of the loot:
While we still have a couple of weeks before we can go out in to the world, we did get to go over to Aunt Kate and Uncle Ron's for a wonderful dinner of turkey and dressing on Christmas Day. I must say, having a sister that is a photographer is definitely a plus! Here are some of our favorites from our Christmas Day Photo Shoot.

Thank you Jennifer Montgomery for the Canadian baby hat!

Jeremy and I dressed up purty so we thought we'd get a picture of us as well.

Family Pictures

This past weekend, Auntie Elizabeth came to see little Autumn and to visit. On Friday night, she was gracious enough to offer her babysitting services so Jeremy and I could have our first night out since Autumn was born. I put on makeup for the first time in a while and decided that it would be best to take our first round of family portraits! Here are the results, and I think that they turned out pretty good :)

2 Week Pediatritian Appointment

Today was Autumn's 2 week checkup (even though she is technically only 1 week and 4 days old). I am very pleased to announce that Autumn has officially surpassed her birth weight! She is now 6lb 8 oz (5th percentile) and 19 1/2 inches long (40th percentile). While all this percentile business is completely confusing to me, I'm told that this basically means that she is tall and skinny. I told Autumn to enjoy this time when she is tall and skinny, because the odds in this department are seriously stacked against her, my poor little dear.

The doctor is so pleased with Autumn's growth that she told me that I no longer have to wake her up in the middle of the night to feed her every 4 hours! This is a huge relief to me. Last night, I named myself the worst mother in the world because the 1am alarm that attempted to wake me up to feed my daughter didn't wake me up! I woke up at 3:30am to Autumn's hunger cries and felt so horrible about it. While I'm certain she won't sleep through the night, a longer-than-4-hour stretch of sleep tonight will be welcome.

The final thing to note about our appointment this morning was the 2 week newborn screening that Autumn was subjected to. I have been warned what was going to happen and that it would more than likely be completely traumatizing for me, but I really thought I could handle it. While my little naked daughter was held down on the examining table, she was pricked in the heel with a needle and squeezed until 5 little circles of blood were filled. She was lying there very peacefully and sucking on her pacifier and minding her own business and when the needle stuck her, I saw her eyes widen and she let out the most pitiful scream. I could practically her her saying "What the hell did you just do to me??"! Well, it turns out that I am not as strong as I thought I was, because I started bawling and didn't stop until about 5 minutes after the test was complete.

OK, enough of the small talk... it's picture time! Here is Autumn on Tuesday with her now famous after-bath hair...

Autumn with her friend, Abby...

Yesterday, Autumn got a visit from my Godmother, Jan, her Aunt Kate, and her Granny Nell.

And finally, here is my sweet little girl after her traumatic doctor's appointment today. She loves her lamb swing and the new pants that her Auntie E got her!

Photo Shoot #2

Aunt Kate came over to visit today and below are some of the pictures from Autumn's second ever photo shoot. I'm pretty sure that 2 things are now confirmed:

1) I have the most beautiful baby in the world, and

2) My sister Kate is the most talented photographer in the world!

1 Week Old

Autumn Leigh, you are one week old today! You are the most amazing little girl and I have no idea what I did without you. We are both learning lots and I love every second of it. I love to watch you eat, sleep, and explore the world around you. I cannot believe that you are little pieces of your daddy and me and that you lived inside of my belly for 9 months! I am having so much fun being your mommy and I am so blessed to have you. Watching you grow is something that I am absolutely looking forward to, although I wish you could stay this little forever. Your Daddy and I love you with all of our hearts, our little precious!

Follow-Up Pediatritian Appointment

I am so proud of my little girl. We went to the Pediatritian today and were pleased to find that she has gained 4 ounces since yesterday. My mom made the comment that if she keeps up this trend, she will weigh about 50lbs when she's a year old! I'm sure it will all even out over time, but we're pleased to now see that she's a healthy eater, just like mommy and daddy.

Everything is going really well here at home. My mom is leaving today, and Jeremy's parents are coming to stay over the weekend to cuddle with their new grandbaby and help out around the house.

Ironically, with all of the clothes in her closet, not one thing fits. My mom and I went to Babies R Us to buy some clothes for her the other day. We bought a couple of preemie outfits, but unfortunately they're too short for her. Thankfully, we did pick up some newborn long-sleeved onesies and I do have one pair of pants from Gymboree (sized up to 7lbs) that I never in a million years imagined that she'd wear. It's so funny. I honestly imagined that with Jeremy's mom telling me for the last 9 months that Jeremy was a 10lb baby, that Autumn would be a big baby too. With a million things that she'll eventually be able to wear, all we have right now are 2 white long-sleeved onesies and a pair of reversible pants. Needless to say, there's a lot of laundry being done in this household right now. Hopefully Jeremy's mom and I will be able to get away and go to the store this weekend to pick up a couple more things for her to wear.

Autumn is such a laid back little baby. She is still eating really well and is really a pleasure to have around. She's not fussy and is starting to open her eyes a little more each day. It's so fun to see her checking out her surroundings. It is also so incredibly amazing to realize that this is the little person who was inside my belly for the last 9 months. I love her so much and absolutely cannot imagine my life without her.

First Doctor Appointment

I forgot to tell the story about leaving the hospital! On Monday morning, I was MORE than ready to go home. I got close to no sleep while there. There were constantly people in and out of the room, and just not being at my own home in my own bed did not help. We were waiting around to see the pediatritian before we could get released, and a woman came in the room. She explained to me that she was the Marketing Director for the hospital and explained to me that they had a film crew on site and were making a commercial for the hospital. They were looking for a new mom and baby to interview and I happened to be the lucky candidate. They were also willing to compensate me for my time. After I explained that I had not slept for 3 days and was really not in the mood for an on-camera interview, she told me that they had a hair and makeup artist on standby. I told her that I would think about it and she gave me her contact info. In all honesty, there was no way in hell that I would have given an interview after what I had just been through, but it was still nice to be asked. I wanted to go home so bad and the thought of staying at the hospital to have my hair and makeup done was not appealing. I kept the paper with her info and plan on putting it in Autumn's baby book to commemerate her first commercial. She is destined for stardom, it is a sign! As I was being wheeled out of the hospital, I did see the camera crew and in no way felt guilty for turning them down.

Autumn's very first doctor appointment was today! When she left the hospital on Monday, she was down to 6lb 1oz and today she was 5lb 11oz. We're going in the wrong direction!! The other number to note was that she measured 19 inches. It is important to remember that at birth, she was 20 1/2 inches long. After measuring her twice, the nurse decided that she shrunk because her head is no longer pointy :) Everything else looked good. She is perfectly healthy, but the doctor was just concerned about her weight. She has lost 11% of her body weight, so now it's time to start packing on the pounds. I was advised to see a lactation consultant, and made the appointment for the LC to come over to my house later that afternoon. I also was advised that we have to come back to the doctor's tomorrow and that Autumn has to gain one whole ounce. Autumn is also not allowed to go anywhere in public for the next 8 weeks because we're right in the middle of flu season.

The appointment with the LC was very helpful. She showed me what I was doing wrong, and gave me a couple of different feeding positions to try. I feel really confident after our appointment and am ready to go full force with the breast feeding. Our prescription is to feed every 2-3 hours and then to supplement with 1-2oz of pumped breast milk.

A funny side note is that while the LC was here, I explained to her that I requested to see one multiple times while I was still in the hospital. While the nurses were helpful, I did want someone with actual expertise. The nurses kept telling me that if she showed up, they would tell her that I wanted to see her. Well, as luck would have it, the staffed Lactation Consultant never showed up while I was there, and I just figured that it was because I was there over the weekend. She smiled after I told her the story, and then proceeded to tell me that she was the LC that is on staff at the hospital. While I was tempted to ask for a discount because I should have seen her for free at the hospital rather than for $120 at my house, I held back. Oh well, the appointment at the hospital would not have been as helpful as the one at my house in my own element. I realize this, I just feel a little jipped because I didn't get the benefit of a free LC that was one of the reasons that I chose our hospital.

Very First Photo Shoot

Aunt Kate came over yesterday to do Autumn's very first photo shoot. I think that she is an exceptional model!

Big Surprise :)

So I haven't posted in a while for a very good reason. We were surprised last Saturday with the arrival of our new little girl! My original intentions for last weekend was to update the blog with my 37 week doctor appointment and what had been going on that last week after Thanksgiving. I got up Saturday morning and was shocked when my plans changed after my doctor suggested I head up to the hospital because there was a possibility that I was in labor!

Autumn Leigh Wallace was born December 6, 2008 at 8:17pm. I was 37weeks and 4 days along. She weighed 6lb 7.5oz and was 20 1/2 inches long. We are truly blessed.

We are all home and doing well. While this is a learning time, it's the most fun I've ever had. I am so in love with this little girl and can't wait to see her grow up.

Thanksgiving: No baby (yet)!

I got to enjoy every last calorie at yesterday's Thanksgiving feast in Mansfield! Jeremy and I left Austin on Wednesday to face 4 1/2 hours of a normally 3 hour drive due to heavy traffic all the way up I-35. Yesterday consisted of eating, eating, and more eating. Autumn and I enjoyed every second of it. We're finally back home and I'm about to go work on the nursery some more. According to my d-day countdown calendar, Autumn's official due date is only 25 days away. And those days are going by at the speed of light :)

Here is a picture of the very full Wallace and Konchalski Families! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Dr Appt Update: 36 weeks

I went to my 36 week appointment today, which marks the first of my weekly appointments from here on out. I was nervous about this one for a couple of reasons...
1) My weight last time was a shock to me and I really haven't changed any eating habits. I feel bigger and clunkier by the day, so I wasn't ready to have that confirmed by seeing another 4 lbs on my ass.
2) When you Google what happens during your 36 week prenatal appointment, the main subject that is returned is the Group B Strep Test. That was not something that I was necessarily looking forward to!
3) I know that realistically I could go in to labor any day now. This week contains the most eating-focused holiday of the year, which I absolutely love! Jeremy and I have planned to go to Mansfield and I was so afraid that the doctor was going to tell me that I couldn't (or shouldn't) go!

As I mentioned earlier, my nerves were a little out of whack when I arrived! I got on the scale and was pleasantly surprised to find that I've only gained 1 lb in the last 2 weeks. The doctor said that all of the weight gain tends to balance itself out overall. And I've really been the only one concerned about it up to this point (well, me and my mother that is- haha). Overall I have gained 14 lbs since the start of my pregnancy!

The nurse then took my blood pressure, which caused some concern because it was really high this time (it was something like 148/86). This sent me into visions of rushing to the hospital for an emergency delivery (making my upcoming turkey dinner farther and farther away). The nurse left the room, and the doctor came in about a minute later to retest. The second time was completely normal (around 127/80-something), thank goodness!

We then discussed my Thanksgiving trip, and my nerves have been officially settled. While she agreed that it is definitely possible that I could go in to labor while I was away from home, it was not probable. She told me to make sure that we stopped the car every hour so I could get up and walk around, and just know where the closest hospitals are just in case! She also put me at ease by checking my cervix, and she told me that I am less than a finger dialated, which basically means that I'm not.

And finally, the GBS test that I was dreading took about 5 seconds and while it was not comfortable, it was not half as bad as I thought it was going to be!

Here is an update to the nursery that I promised! On Sunday, Sam and Jeremy moved in all of the furniture! I bought a rug from Target and then went in to start setting things up. While I did not get everything done, I did make a little progress. My favorite part was when I set up the noise-maker. I bought one that has a projector on the top with changeable picture disks. It plays the normal noise-maker sounds (ocean, rain and heartbeat), but also has a couple of lullabies as well. The projector puts the rotating pictures on the ceiling that theoretically give a baby something to look at while lying in bed. It is just about the cutest thing I have ever seen! I actually sat in the dark and watched it for a while and listened to the music because it is so precious! I hope Autumn loves it as much as I do! I still have a lot to do in the room, but we're officially off to a good start.

Since I just took at belly picture a couple of days ago, I'm going to save this post to only post nursery pics. Enjoy!

Here is the view from the hallway. Here is a better view of the left side of the room. Jeremy's mom had some letters painted to match the room (that spell Autumn) and I think they will look precious over the changing table.

This is the right side of the room. The quilt that matches the bedding will hang above the crib. Once I get all of the gift bags out of the crib, I'll focus on putting in my beautiful hand-made bedding! Finally, here is the back of the room where the closet is still a work-in-progress. I keep finding more clothes and unfortunately I'm out of hangers.

I can't wait to put a baby in this room!

Fashionista

Yesterday, Jeremy gave me the green light that Autumn's closet was mine! I have been collecting clothes for her this entire pregnancy. What can I say, I've always loved clothes and shopping and since it's no fun to shop for maternity clothes, I've redirected my efforts towards our new little girl. What's funny, though, is I really didn't know what I had bought up until this point because all of these clothes had to be stored in bags in my laundry room or in empty drawers where they were out of the way. Needless to say, when all was said and done, and the closet was finally put together, I was a little surprised! Have a look for yourself...

That's a lot of baby clothes!! Jeremy actually asked if we were just going to throw things away once they got poop or pee or spit-up on them... I am very proud because everything is sorted by size and type (short-sleeved onesies, long-sleeved onesies, jumpers, dresses, pants, etc). I also bought the little green baskets yesterday at World Market for a great price and have stuffed one with socks, one with hats, and one with cotton pants. The fourth larger one will be for the changing table to put all of the lotions and wipes and stuff in. This nesting bug has changed me. I have never been this organized in my life... thanks Pregnancy! I still have lots to do, but I am happy with my first day of moving in to the nursery. Today, Jeremy and Sam will be moving in the furniture so it's really going to start taking shape. I'll post more pics once we've got things in place.

I've been hesitant to keep up the weekly belly shots, as it gets bigger every single day! The books say she's gaining a half an ounce a day. I have a little over 4 weeks left of this pregnancy and I just don't see how it's possible for her to get any bigger! I did take a picture of it this morning in my pjs to share. Here is the belly at 35 weeks and 5 days. Enjoy!

Up, up, and away!

I have one very clear memory from when I was little. My cousins and I were out at my grandparent's house in "the country" (aka Kurten, TX), where a person could see every star in the sky. The night was perfect and there must have been a meteor shower, because my cousins and I laid in the back of my grandfather's truck and counted shooting stars. I remember that night being magical and I loved every second of it! When I got home, I told my mom that when I grew up, I wanted to be an astronomer. She promptly told me that I could not be an astronomer, as they didn't make any money! So much for nurturing your children's dreams! Needless to say, my life did not lead me on a course to become the next great astronomer. To this day, I still love looking at the stars. I am lucky to live in an area where, although the stars aren't the brightest, I can still get a pretty good view from my back yard.

So you can only imagine that on Monday morning when I heard on the local news that the space shuttle was going to be visible in the night sky, I decided that I had to see it! When Jeremy got home, we went scouting for a good location in our neighborhood to watch the shuttle. We found a local park, but decided that we wanted to share the moment with our 3 daughters. We went home to put leashes on the girls, who were extremely excited, even though they had no idea what was going on. We went back out to the park and stared at the southwest sky until we saw it! Honestly, it may not sound like a big deal, but this was truly an amazing sight. I had wondered how I was going to know what I was looking at, but as soon as we saw it, it was obvious. It looked like a really bright and really fast star traveling through the night sky. It was only visible for about 2 minutes, but it had to be the coolest thing ever. How amazing is it to know that there are actually people being rocketed through space in a relatively tiny little craft?

I think I would have made a great astronomer, mom. Although I know that where I am in life is exactly where I need to be!

The Best Husband in the World!

This past weekend, I drove to College Station for my friend Trelle's wedding reception and ended up staying Saturday night to hang out with Elizabeth and Felicia! Elizabeth has been very helpful in letting me know what I'm actually going to need once Autumn gets here, and the realization that she is going to be here sooner than later is really starting to set in. We ate a great steak dinner at Fish Daddy's (thanks Ryan!) and then went shopping at Toys R Us, Target, and TJ Maxx and I'm really starting to feel more comfortable with what I've actually got. When we got back to their house, I played with Felicia and kept her up past her bedtime, partly because I may not get to see her again before Autumn is born. Elizabeth also went through Felicia's things and I got some great hand-me downs that are really going to come in handy :)

I drove home early Sunday morning and when I got here, I was shocked to see what Jeremy had gotten done in the nursery! All of the baseboards are down, the paint has been touched up, and he had already started the closet. He worked so hard the rest of the day and now the closet is almost done! The whole room looks amazing and I can't wait until we are able to move furniture in. I also can't wait because all of my shower gifts and recent baby purchases are sitting on my office floor and my anti-clutter nesting bug doesn't like that all too much, haha.

Here is what you see when you first walk in to the room.

Here are my lovely baseboards!

Here is the closet in progress! There will be a clothes bar across the top and also one under the left shelf. I can't wait to hang up all of the little clothes I've accumulated over the last 8 months :) I am planning on putting some sort of basket on the bottom shelves to put Autumn's toys in. We put them low so when she's a little older she'll be able to get in to the baskets herself.

Tomorrow I will be 35 weeks along and there is a big knot in my stomach. I can't believe that the end of this pregnancy is nearing! While I will be gratetful not to be pregnant anymore, there is a lot of anxiousness that comes along with actually facing labor and then, on top of that, having a new baby. There's really no turning back now :)

Dr Appt Update: 34 weeks

What a wonderful weekend last weekend was! On Saturday, I rang in my 31st birthday in style with some beautiful roses from Jeremy, a visit from my friend, Char, and a fun evening at the Walburg Restaurant! We jammed to Loreli und Schatzi (who have been dubbed the female Smothers Brothers, haha) and ate everything in site! Here are pics of the Walburg gang:

On Sunday, my wonderful friends threw Autumn a baby shower and it shows once again how truly blessed I am! I received tons of baby items, and all will be extremely useful once she gets here. The highlight of the shower, though, was that I was given my nursery bedding that was made especially for Autumn. My mother in-law made a beautiful quilt that will hang on the wall and my friend Elizabeth's sister, Gretchen, made the bumper pads. I teared up when I saw them both, as they are so incredibly perfect! I can't wait until I'm able to actually set up the nursery!!I forgot to take my camera to the shower and I am so bummed. There are some that were snapping shots, but I wasn't really paying attention who that was. So whoever you are, share the pictures, please! I did take some pictures of the aftermath once I got home and have shared a couple of them here.

Yesterday, I went to my 34 week doctor appointment! It all started out normally with them asking me to get on the scale. I was absolutely shocked to learn that I have gained 4 pounds in 2 weeks!!!! Then they took my bp, which was a little high, but I told them that it was purely because I was not yet over the shock of my weight :) And then they asked me to pee in the cup, which unfortunately I am all too used to. Side note: my doctor's doesn't have her own office right now because she is getting a brand new one at the Cedar Park Hospital. She currently operates out of a local Urgent Care Clinic. I don't want to complain, but I really hate the hand soap in the bathroom!!! I'm sure it is some generic anti-bac concoction, but it just smells awful! That is the main reason I can't wait for her office construction to be done, haha. Anyways, back to the original subject. I think that they need to change the way that they do things. When a pregnant woman first comes in to the office, she needs to pee in the cup. Then, she can have her BP taken, and finally, she needs to have her weight recorded. Doesn't that make sense?


When my doctor came in the office, we talked about the normal stuff... She asked about aches and pains and the Braxton-Hicks contractions that I've been having, all of which are completely normal at this point. She measured by belly (which is still on track) and we heard her heartbeat. The highlight was when she rolled out the ultrasound machine! Unfortunately, at 34 weeks, it's harder to see details of the baby due to the cramped quarters, but I at least got to take a peek at my little precious. Her arms were in front of her face, so I didn't see anything there, but we did see an ear! I also saw a knee, a couple of bones, lots of ribs, and her strong beating heart. The best part, though, was that I now know what parts of her body have been poking me! At this point, she is in the head-down position with her back facing my left side. Her little butt is what has been up in my ribs under my left boob, and her little legs and arms are pointed to the right side of my body.

And finally, here's the belly (and my work-gear pjs) at 34 weeks and 3 days! Enjoy :)

Big Ol' Belly Shots - 33 weeks

Well my day has started out to be a good one so far! I just checked the blogs I follow and found out that I am the lucky winner of the Mommy2Be Austin Blog October giveaway! Check out my score: http://www.mypreciousarrival.com/Cupcakes.html

As most of you know, I am very blessed to have a photographer in the family! My sister Kate is the most talented photographer I know, and luckily, I get to use her for free :) She has really chronicled my adult life... She took our engagement pics, my bridal pics, our wedding pics, and most recently, by maternity pics. Here are a couple of pictures from last night!

I think that Kate did a wonderful job and I'm really pleased with the way things turned out. It's really hard for me to look at these pictures and realize that it's actually me in them :) That is one big ol' belly!

This week, the tiredness has really started to set in. I have been going to bed earlier these days and still, by the middle of the afternoon, I'm already ready for a nap. I know that Autumn is doing a lot of growing these days, so I guess she's just sucking the energy right out of me!

This weekend, I have a couple of fun things to look forward to... On Saturday, I turn 31 (YIKES) and my friend Char is coming in from CA to visit. We are planning a little trip out to the Walburg German Restaurant for some good food and some fun in the biergarten (my friends are lucky they have a designated driver in the group). If you're ever in the area, I highly recommend this little hole in the wall. It's kind of a hike to get there, but so worth it once you do! On Sunday, my wonderful friends are hosting a baby shower for me! The whole weekend is going to be a blast and I can't wait for it all to start :)