A quick little update!

I have some wonderful things in store for the blog in the upcoming weeks-- First my IF & IM wrote a birth story piece from their perspective, my doula is writing a story from her perspective and of course I am writing mine -- I have actually written most of mine but have not completed it as I am waiting on the photos from my photographer to put into the story as she told the story through her lens.  I hope to have those next week as she has had some weddings and other great things that she has had going on and I totally understand!  I promise, her photos will be worth waiting for.

But I also just wanted to update that today, Baby Aggy is 3 weeks old!  Last week on Thursday, E&L and baby A were able to fly home for her to meet all of her family that has been aching to meet her since before she was born!  It came on all of a sudden and we didn't even get a chance to say 'So Long' before they left but the attorney rocked all of the paperwork so that they could get home on New Years Day and the opportunity presented itself and they hopped on it!  They were able to get the paperwork done just 2 weeks after birth -- I have to share a hilarious part of an email from my IF about the passport process that I received this week:

"All good then - just - till we got to the Post Office, where, despite our appointment we had to queue, and, just as the Officer's lunch was delivered, A got camera shy, closed her eyes and started to shout. And shout. And shout. Her first meltdown. Very funny, unless you happened to be us. Eventually - after nearly an hour - and with lunch gone cold, we got a single photo of a very angry young lady with her eyes just about open. Good enough apparently. As the forms were then sealed and off we went again to Fedex.

Then all we could do was wait. Would Fedex deliver to the Agent on time? Were the forms in order? Would they reject the photo? Would Fedex get everything back to us in time? Just in case we tried to arrange back up appointments. Turned out that the Post Ofice had no more availability till the 4th Jan, and that would have meant an earliest travel date of the following Sunday. Which would have been fine, except that we had told the grandparents that we might be home for New Year and at least one of them was already plotting to travel halfway across the UK to "surprise" us off the plane.

Anyway, to cut what is clearly a very long, rambling and sleep deprived story short, everyone did what they said they would do, and we got on the plane. Only issue so far is that at the security check I realised I still had the rental car keys in my pocket.

That and that they don't seem to sell Huggies or Burt's Bee Balm in the UK. Two of our three essentials along with WaterWipes, which thankfully we can get."

I kind of love the style of the story and how hilarious it all is and how many of us face many of these same issues as first time parents -- maybe in a slightly different context -- maybe its the baby screaming the first time you go out for dinner or when you are trying to get baby's first photos taken, but we all jump these hurdles.  Seems like they are settling into parenthood just like the rest of us!  :)

Here is a photo of them heading home on New Year's Eve:

As for me, I am still pumping for a milk bank that processes and fortifies milk for premature babies.  I am pumping more than 50 ounces a day.  This is definitely taking some true dedication and peptalks to myself, especially when I set my alarm to sleep for just 2.5 hours or less at night before waking up again at night... I get 3 two hour periods of sleep at night and ... well that is it.  But I am hanging in there.  My body is feeling back to normal and I am ready to get out there and make myself healthy again. On delivery day, I had gotten up to 204 lbs -- of course some of that was water weight, but now I am down to 171.  I am watching what I eat, drinking a ton of water, and of course burning 1100 calories a day just making milk!  I plan to start training for a half marathon very soon.  I started classes again this week and was planning on graduating this June, but I have decided now to not rush the graduation as when I graduate, I will feel pressure for the 'What's next?' period and I should just take this time to enjoy my family before I decide to pursue more schooling or a career.  We head for Disney in February and my kids were very excited for this Christmas Present this year!  I think that is about it.... Talks of a sibling project is in the works, but first we have to pinpoint a timeline before that information can be revealed! 

Be looking out for our birth story... I promise, it is coming soon!