Pediatrician Update

Sophia Grace Taliaferro is a FREE WOMAN! She should be up to our room in the next couple of hours :) Here's hoping she continues to be stable!!!

Sophia Grace Taliaferro

As most of you know by now, our sweet Sophia officially joined the outside world on Tuesday, April 13, 2010 at 8:07 am. And even if I do say so myself, we think she is absolutely BEAUTIFUL! I cannot even begin to explain the amount of love that we have for this tiny 6 lbs 13 oz bundle of joy!

There are so many things I wish I could say ~ but be forewarned, I am on a drug that has twice the impact of Vicodin so if this post is a little scattered, just blame it on the meds!

First of all, Kevin and I want to let everyone know that we are so grateful for all the prayers we have received throughout this pregnancy and especially over the last couple of days. It is so very hard for Kevin and I not to be able to hold our precious daughter, to change her diapers, to feed her when she is hungry...just to be Mommy and Daddy the way we want to be. Please know your prayers are working and not only helping Sophie, but also providing us with peace and understanding when we need it most.

Sophie has developed respiratory complications from the c-section. While she is healthy in every other way (for which we are eternally grateful), our little Boo Bear can't regulate her own breathing due to the fluid that has accumulated in her lungs. The approved Compressions Per Minute (CPM) range is between 30-60. Sophie is a tiny bit stubborn ~and for some reason, people have been saying "just like her Momma" ~ what does that mean exactly :). Anyway, I digress. Sophie is determined (sounds better than stubborn!) to do things in her own timing and her own way. Right now her CPMs will be great for a few minutes and then she will spike somewhere way above 60 ~ we've seen her go from 35 to 70 in the blink of an eye or just stay in the 70s or 80s for a few seconds. Just that alone means she does not qualify to be admitted to the General Nursery and is therefore, in the Level 2 NICU. The NICU nurses have been super sweet and we are able to visit as often as we like. This morning we are anxiously awaiting an update from the pediatrician! Here's hoping for good news :)

On another note, I officially have the greatest husband in the entire world. Kevin has split his time between the NICU and my room like a pro. Despite being totally exhausted, he has been there every baby step of the way while I recover...and when I say baby steps ~ they are literally baby steps! Today I am officially IV and epidural free...though that whole epidural free part is sort of a downer at the same time. Thank the Lord for good drugs! Hopefully, my recovery will continue to progress each day as I hate being unable to take care of myself like a normal person. Which is why I am so very, very blessed to have a wonderful husband who loves me and his daughter more than anything in this world. He has truly given me the greatest gift anyone could have ever imagined.

He gave me this...

and for that gift, our lives are forever changed in the most amazing and beautiful way. We love you Sophie Grace.

Always and forever,

Mommy and Daddy

P.S. All the videos and pictures can be accessed through this link. In at attempt at full disclosure, there are operating pics too but nothing bloody! Hope you enjoy as much as we do!!!

http://gallery.me.com/heathertaliaferro#100332&bgcolor=black&view=grid

38 Weeks :)

This is the last pregnant belly post :) We welcomed our baby girl just hours after this photo was taken!

Sleep ~ Hmmm...

I am technically still supposed to be sleeping! Yeah, right!

Tell a person they are having a child the next morning and think they will sleep...I think not :) So we are up (well Kevin and the pups are still asleep) but Sophie and I are awake!

Today, I feel like I should have some major heart touching post and to be honest, I've got NOTHING! Well, nothing like I thought I would. But given the journey we are about to embark on, I guess being a little short of words makes all the sense in the world. So for now, this is all I've got ~ my randomness spit out...

Sophie,

Today is your birthday. For 38 weeks (well almost ~ you have to deduct for when we didn't know about you yet!) we have wished you a Happy Birthday every Tuesday. And today, today we are wishing you a Happy Birthday in a whole different way ~ in person. It is surreal, and scary, and perfect, and wonderful, and strange, and life-altering, and a million other words I wish I knew right now. But for now, Mommy has no words really. All I know is that in approximately FOUR hours, I will see your face for the very first time. And I will love you with a love that goes beyond words. For as much as Daddy and I love you now, I know it will not even come close to the love that will fill our hearts at seeing your precious face. So, for now baby, know that you are loved and covered in prayers by so many people. But most of all, always remember, Mommy and Daddy love you more than words can say ~ and we always will!

For now sweet girl, stay safe and warm and happy in there because you are about to meet the WORLD!

Always and forever,

Mommy (and Daddy but he's sleeping!)

Sophie's Birthday is Tomorrow!

Well, we did not get great results at the ultrasound and Sophie has lost 11% in the last two weeks. She is now only in the 24% which means...WE ARE HAVING A BABY TOMORROW!!!

So very, very surreal!

Relaxing Weekend :)

Did I actually just say that I had a relaxing weekend??? Oh, this weekend was for lack of a better word ~ blissful! It has been a while (a long while) since we haven't spent most of the weekend working on getting Sophie's stuff together be it showers, shopping or just around the house stuff.

But the Lord blessed us this weekend with a break from the madness and boy, am I grateful! Kevin and I had a wonderful date night on Friday...the typical dinner and a movie but it was definitely needed and perhaps our last chance before the anticipated arrival. Saturday was a wonderful day with some cherished friends celebrating yet another little one who is on his way! Babies are so fun and I am glad that Sophie and Julian will have each other to play with. Yesterday, was a "do what we want" day so we ran a few errands in the afternoon and then met up with our best friends for dinner (and dessert!).

And now, it's Monday but I for one am actually ok with that for once! I am not working today as we have an ultrasound in a couple hours and a doctor's appointment right afterwards. So today is the day! I could leave this appointment knowing I'm going to have a child a) in a couple days or b) next Wednesday! Ok, or c) anytime in between should she choose to pick her own birthday :)

So soon and yet it seems so far away! Updates to come soon :) Love you all and appreciate you sharing in this journey with us!!!

Finally Updating...

I am finally getting around to updating the belly pics. It's been INSANELY crazy around our house lately finishing up all the preparation for Sophie. It's been fun but I am so, so happy that we are done!

33 Weeks:

34 Weeks:

35 Weeks:

36 Weeks (9 MONTHS PREGNANT!!!)

37 Weeks (The final countdown has begun!!!)

At the absolute maximum, we will have only TWO, (did you get that, TWO) belly pictures left. Is that not absolutely crazy? I can't believe we are so close to meeting our precious girl! We are already so in love with her, I can't even imagine how holding her for the first time is going to feel...