Three Months

3 Months

• Well this last month has been great for you, but a bit of a challenge for me. We are still going dairy free. You are not fussy (though you never were) and you are sleeping amazing, but you still have bloody diapers. Your dad keeps telling me to wait longer, but he is the one the doesn't have to read every label and skip 99% of desserts. I have known a lot of substitutes, but still it is not the same. 
• Let's talk about this amazing sleeping. The week I stopped dairy, you started going to bed around 7:30-8:00pm, sleeping until 5-6 am, feed for 20 minutes, and then sleep until 9am. It is so lovely. I can get all ready for the day before you even wake up so that way when you wake up, we are ready to play.
• Your smiling has come out a lot more. I love seeing your dimples. You are just so beautiful when you smile, I have to tell you that at least 30 times a day. Your laugh is even coming through a bit, just a little, "hee-hee". Your dad can get you to laugh by saying, "P.U. sticky feet."
• The bottle is not your favorite. I don't get it, we give you a bottle once a day and you still are not loving it. If I sing you "A Child's Prayer" and have pumped milk in there, then you do okay. But heaven help us with formula. I have tired three times giving you the dairy free formula and you scream bloody murder. What is worse is that you remember that bad experience with the bottle so it takes you a couple of days to warm back up to using the bottle. My supply is doing great now, but I always worry about the future.
• If I leave you alone on your back, you have figured out how to push off your feet and scout along on your back. You are our first child that seems to want to move-though you despise tummy time as much as the others.
• Your all time favorite thing is your bouncer. You are so good at grabbing the hanging toys already. Pretty much anything that you can grab, you will grab it and hold on for dear life. I will lay you on the grass, and it is the same story. I took off the car seat cover so you can play with the hanging toys, and you are so content in the car-though you end up staying up when you should be sleeping.
• I just love you so much, and I am so happy that you are part of our family. 

Baby Blessing

We blessed you on Sunday, May 21, 2017. You were blessed by your father. Those in the circle were Chris Shippen, Joe Pavia, Tommy Matthews, Matt Ware, Mark Matthews, and Joey Price. Here are the words of your blessing

Our Father in Heaven. We’re grateful for the chance we have today to bring this infant in our arms to give her a name and a blessing.The name that we give her in Millie Avon Matthews. Millie, at this time we give you a blessing, this is a special thing in your life, a day that give you a glimpse into what your future roles will be in this world. We bless you with strength. We bless you with the Spirit. We bless you with a firm testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the power of the atonement, of the goodness of the world. We bless you with the light of Christ and to be a light in the increasingly darkening world, to those around you to be an example. Your strength will allow others to see the goodness in the world, to come unto Christ, and inspire people to be their best. We bless you with the testimony and the knowledge that some of the greatest works that you will do in this life with be being a mother and raising a righteous family. We bless you with kindness and charity so that those around you will feel the love of Christ. These things we bless you Millie Today, we do so in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

We had everyone over afterwards for a luncheon of a sandwich bar with chips, salads, fruit, pop, and cookies and brownies. I worked so hard getting the yard perfect, only for it to be a cold, rainy morning. Everyone was good sports about being inside. About 30 minutes before everyone left, the sun came out.

The dress that you were blessed in is very special. The lace flowers on the dress and the lace on the bonnet came from your Grandma Matthews's wedding dress. She took that extra, fancy lace off right after she was married so the dress could be her temple dress. All the flowers that are on the dress were hand embroidered by your Grandma Price. I showed her the lace, and she made all those flowers to make the daisy feel of the lace. I was the one to make the dress for you. The funny part about it though is that since we had to bless you later due to schedules and you being the fatty that you are, I couldn't button the dress up all the way. I am grateful that we had Great Grandma Schwabadissen's blanket to cover it up.

I took pictures of just you a few days before, knowing the day of would be crazy. The day of, I had one of the aunts take pictures of the whole family. But either of us noticed that there was no card in the camera. I didn't know if I should cry or laugh. Cry because we missed them (we are trying to redo them) or laugh because actually your dad forgot to say "by the power of the Melchizedek Priesthood" so we tecchnically have to rebless you in a few weeks. I think our dad just has to do the first part and it will be in the bishop's office. So although is was your blessing day, it really wasn't. We really do love you and are so happy that you chose our family.

Two Months

Two Months

• We just got back from your doctor's appointment. You are 23 inches long (71%) and 13lbs 12 oz  (92%). Let's just say that you are big. We also talked about how there has been some blood in your diaper so I am going to have to cut out milk from my diet. It wouldn't be so bad except for three things: I have a ton of pumped milk that I can't use until maybe you are 6-9 months old-maybe, most of the meals in the freezer that I prepped has cheese in it, and CHOCOLATE!!!! Once I realized that chocolate has milk in it, I almost cried. I am asking around to other milks to see how strict they had to be with it. Other than that, you are super healthy.
• Speaking of my cute fatty, you might not fit into your blessing dress. The sleeves barely slip on and your neckroll goes over the dress. And we still have two weeks to go. You need to go on a diet or something. 
• You started this month super stone face. It took so much energy to get you to smile. I was seriously concern there for a while. Now, I wouldn't call you a smiley baby but it is easier to get a little grin out of you. And those few times that you really pop a big one, your dimples come out and it is so cute. 
• You have cooed a few times which is adorable,
• You are starting to really like your bouncer. You kick a ton in it and try to grab the toys. I will also lay you on a blanket in the grass and you love reaching out and grabbing the long pieces of grass. 
• You dropped down to one feeding at night!!!! I love it. I feel like I don't have to nap myself anymore. You go down for the night around 8-9pm, wake up around 4 to eat, then you wake up anytime between 6:30-7:30. If it is earlier, I can feed you and you will be down for another hour or two. But if it is closer to 7:30, than you are up for the morning. I survived!!!!
• The kids really love you. Sam will ask me to see what you are wearing, then say, "Oh, she looks so cute." Maggie takes it upon herself to make you happy anytime you are crying while laying down. She is pretty good too. She will sing to you and play toys with you.

One Month

1 Month

• This month has gone by fast. I would say that I can't remember what life was like before you, but my body completely remembers a solid night sleep. However, you are worth waking up twice for. You have been such a sweet, mellow, "easy" baby. You sleep a ton during the day and a ton at night, so I can't complain. When you are awake, you are very calm and rarely cry.
• You have been a great eater, which shows. You are getting quite chubby. Your double chin is coming in lovely. I just hope you don't outgrow your summer clothes before summer has even started. 
• You tend to be a wake for two hours during the day and then crash for six hours. I will have to wake you up to eat and then you pass out again. At night, you fall asleep for the night around 8:30-9pm. I will feed you a bottle around 10:30. You wake up around 1-2am, then again around 4am and then you will be up for the day around 6:30-7am. Each time you wake up, it takes me about 25 minutes to feed you, change you, and get you back to bed. In the morning, your dad will bring you into bed, where I will feed you and we snuggle for a while before the crew wakes up.
• The kids have taken to you so well. Maggie loves to pick out your outfit, sing you songs, and read you books. She also likes to tell me what you are saying, interpreting your babbling. Sam is in charge of throwing away dirty diapers and he keeps wanting to pick out your eye boogers even though I try to stop him. I was expecting Sam to act out when you were born, but he hasn't yet. He really loves you.

Birth Story

Birth Story

Well, you didn't want to come on your own, so on Monday March 6, we went in for an induction. We were scheduled for 8 am, which I liked because I was able to take a shower, do my hair and make up, and eat a light breakfast with the kids. When we got there, I was starting at 4 cm. By noon, I was 5 cm, and by 1pm I was at 5 1/2 cm. They had the pitocin all the way up and I still wasn't really feeling the contractions. Since it was taking a long time, your dad checked on one of his OB patients and went to lunch meeting to sign up for assignments. My water did break on its own which was the first for me. I thought it would gush out, but it was not as exciting as I thought it would be. Around 2 pm, The contractions were starting to kick in. I was having to breathe through them. I turned towards our dad and said that I don't want to have to put in the work to do this contractions, so we called the anesthesiologist. The contractions were really picking up. It helped knowing that there was going to be an end to them. By the time the epidural kicked in, it was 2:45 and I was ready to push. So pretty much I did all the dilation on my own. Your dad was a great coach and was so supportive during it. I was able to get in the "zone" during that time. We did one push and rested for a while. Dr. Beverly came in. I did two more pushes and you were out. Easy. Your dad caught you. It was a bit strange for him to be on that side of me with scrubs on. He enjoyed it, but it wasn't this amazing experience the other doctors had talked it up to be. He enjoyed being just the dad a bit more. They gave you to me but you were so "cheesy". I didn't even realized this, but I guess I said, "gross, gross, clean her up!" They cleaned you up and brought you back to me. I am always surprise to see you guys the first time. You were a good mix of Maggie and Sam, and boy did you have a lot of long dark hair.

It took us a long time to figure out a name for you. I wanted Eleanor and your dad wanted Charlotte. When he left to go home to sleep, he mentioned Millie again. I told him I would have a serious talk with you that night. I looked at you, and I knew. It was as if you told me your name was Millie. I wonder if you played with Grandma Schwabadissen while you waited to come here. If you have half of her spunk, you are going to be one pretty cool girl.

Sam and Maggie came up to visit you. Since Sam was still sick, he had to wear a mask. You "brought" gifts for them. Maggie got a princess sticker book and Sam got a mini train launcher. Maggie was smitten by you and wanted to give you lots of kisses. Sam thought you were cool, but then got distracted by all the buttons on the bed. It was a little much having them there.

That night was great for you, but rough for me. I bled a lot and they couldn't get in under control. They had to give my several shots and other medicines. One medicine had horrible side effects where I couldn't stop shaking and got really nauseous. I called your dad in the middle of the night to come back over. I was crying. All I wanted was for him to hold me. Dr. Beverly came in after midnight and had to scrap some massive clots out. After that, it all settled down. Between all of that, I only got three hours of sleep that night. I was so tired.

The next day was pretty chilled. You had to do all the newborn screening and blood work. We watched Food Network together and called some of my siblings. Your dad had the morning off, so he held you while I was able to nap for a bit. When 24 hours came around, they asked if I wanted to stay another night. I said no, I just wanted to sleep in my own bed. I loved spending that time cuddling with you and loving you. We are so happy that you joined our family. You have been so sweet and calm. You didn't even cry when they took your blood for testing. We are excited to see you grow up and show us a bit more of who you are. We love you Millie.

39 Weeks

39 Weeks

Well, I am still 3 cm dilated and 80% efface. I am having contractions at night, but nothing that is going to pop a baby out. Your dad is on nights this week so every night he texts me asking, "any rumbling?" He is so giddy for you to come. The kids got sick this week so part of me wants you to come just so we can meet you and I can be done with pregnancy, but then again I don't want to bring you home to sick kids, you I am okay waiting. Grandma comes in on Saturday, so that will be nice to have her here. We have an induction day for Monday. I asked Dr. Beverly if I was being too controlling, and he assured be that we are very favorable for an induction and it makes complete sense with having a husband in residency. I guess will have to wait and see what comes.

38 Weeks

38 Weeks

I went to the doctors this week. We are starting to go every week, which makes it feel real. But then again, when you only have 2 weeks, I sure hope that it is really real. At my appointment, Dr. Beverly asked how far along I think I am. I guessed, maybe  1 cm. Well, I am at 3 cm and 70% efface. I am not getting my hopes up too high, because I was like this for three weeks with Maggie. I am completely ready for you to come. Your baby blessing dress is finished (I am wanting to do the bonnet when you are born so I can measure it on you), I got white noise and a space heater. The freezer is pretty full. I guess I could add a few more things in the freezer and keep deep cleaning the house. So here's to a fast few weeks.