Malia's 1st Week!!

Hello everyone! I sure have been busy since I have been here! I had no idea how much fun it was going to be outside of my mom's tummy! Here's a look at what I have been up to this week!

Well, I got cuter- that's for sure! I no longer have that really puffy look that I had right when I came out. Everyone is still trying to figure out who I look like. Some say Dad, some say Mom, some say Uncle Travis or one of my aunties.. it's too early to tell I think. I personally think I look like Malia. A little mix of everyone!

I have started to make the funniest faces and the funniest noises! I love exploring these new things and moving around my arms, fingers and legs is so much fun! I don't have a clue what I am doing yet, but I can follow objects and stare at faces. I even smile a lot at people which I am not sure I mean to, but everyone seems to like it:)

I am really loved! There is no doubt about that!

Grandma Freda can't get enough of me! She has been over to our house every day to help out and I know my mom really appreciates that! When mom needs a break grandma is ready to help and hold me. She has the magic touch and can get me to settle down in no time!

My aunties came to visit me and that was a lot of fun! My Auntie Wendy, Auntie Marcia (I don't know where she is in this picture!) and my Auntie Jan came from far, far away to meet me. They are the best aunties and I can't wait to grow up a little so I can play with them! I love them!

This is me at 4 days old on my way to my first doctor's appointment. I decided to dress up a little since I have so many cute outfits that everyone has given me! The pediatrician said that I am a very healthy baby! Everything looks great! I only weigh 7lbs. 6ozs. now- down from my original 8lbs. 1oz., but they said I will probably lose a little weight for the first couple weeks. With how much I have been eating though I feel like I might start putting on weight sooner than that! I LOVE mom's milk! I want to eat all day long and she is so nice that sometimes she lets me. I'm so glad she has no clue what she's doing- she's spoiling me like crazy! teehee!!

Because my umbilical cord hasn't fallen off yet, I only get sponge baths which are not that fun. I hate being naked! Here I am with my first bath time!
And then there are so many other adventures I have been trying:

Like my new swing that plays music, white noise and nature sounds. Dad puts me here if he can't soothe me. I like it a lot.

I really like my 'Little Lamb' baby bouncer that vibrates and plays lullabies. I hang out on the table in it when everyone is eating. That's fun too.

Then there's the sling that helps me feel like I am still inside my mom's tummy. Here my dad just let me lay on his lap after our walk. I fall asleep in it all the time.
My dad LOVES me! I think he is going to be wrapped around my finger forever!

Because my mom gets to breastfeed me, dad needs some bonding time too. This is called "skin to skin" and it helps me remember my dad's touch and smell. I really do love him even though sometimes I fuss for him. Sorry.

We're managing to have a good time and have some humor in our house even though I know my parents are sometimes on the verge of an emotional break down. I make them tired. Really tired. My dad is funny though and helps to cheer my mom up who has probably only gotten a fraction of the sleep she needs to function.

Dad helps dress me and change me and while you see the bassinet in this picture I actually sleep with my mom and dad right now. It's the best way for all of us to get some rest right now. It won't last forever.

My mom's high school friends came to visit one day and that was nice to have the company. There have been other visitors too- mom just forgets to take pictures all the time.

I am a good burper and man does my digestive system work well! I poop and pee like crazy! It's funny when they change me and I make a poopy diaper right after and they change me and then sometimes I'll pee mid change and they have to change me and my outfit again- one time they went through 4 diapers in the course of 10 minutes. I'm such a little stinker!

Here's my family. We are together forever which really makes me happy. I am loved and happy. What a fun adventure I have in store!

Malia Joy Schilling is here!!!!!!!

MALIA JOY SCHILLING

8lbs, 1oz. 20 inches
Born at 11:18 pm July 16, 2010

I have been meaning to blog about this miraculous day, but lo and behold- we've been a bit busy with a newborn! I want to share my birth story and the whole experience of the best day of my life. Words cannot even begin to express what we are feeling as new parents. We are in love and we are in heaven. I wish I didn't have to sleep so I could just stare at Malia all day long!
Friday morning we checked into the hospital at around 8 am. It was a beautiful day and Kirk and I did our best to get enough sleep the night before. We ate breakfast, took showers, and got ready. My mom and Kirk were there when we checked in.

They hooked me up to the IV (which was maybe one of the worst parts of the whole day cuz I had to see that huge and fat tube in my skin!) and we settled in for a long day! Although I was 41 weeks along, I hadn't dilated at all and the nurses thought that we might not have Malia until Saturday. She was done cooking though and we were so incredibly anxious to meet our baby girl!

Kirk's parents were able to drive down for Malia's birth! It was awesome having them there to celebrate with us. This is #19 grandbaby for them but they still were excited to come meet her! We sure do love them! They are the greatest grandparents ever!

So, they started me on a suppository called "Miso" with the hopes that I would start to dilate. The waiting part was the hardest! They didn't start that until almost 10 and then said they would be back in 4 hours to check and see what progress I had made. Gosh, 4 hours might as well of been 4 days!
So we played cards, watched movies, snuck in some snacks (shh.. I was hungry!) and even took naps. It was a relaxing day and since I had my own nice private room it was quite pleasant!
After the 4 hours, they said I had dilated to a 1 1/2 and was ready for the Pitocin since I was contracting so much. At that point, the contractions had been bearable. Once they started the Pitocin all hell broke loose! I responded very well to the medication which made me have the world's worst contractions every 1-2 minutes! While I wanted to wait as long as possible for the epidural, I could only stand that amount of pain for an hour. My mom, dad and Kirk were awesome coaches through the contractions though by helping me count and giving me an arm to squeeze and practically draw blood from! Relief came as soon as the epidural was in and life was good again! They broke my water an hour or so later, which I didn't even feel. Gosh, how any woman does child birth without pain medication is beyond me. Not this girl. No way Jose!!

I dilated to a 6 in about 3 hours and by 7 hours I was a 10!! I couldn't believe it when they told me that! I was expecting to labor til Saturday. I started shaking and getting really nervous when they told me that I was going to have to start pushing soon. I mean, this is something you know you have to do, but I had never done it! You don't take classes on how to push out a baby! I was scared, but Kirk and my parents were awesome at soothing my nerves. And then our little angel came in. That would be Brittany Asay! She was a breath of fresh air! She was excited and there with her camera (who by the way took these amazing photos) and was there for the long haul! They got me prepped and in pushing position!

Here I am with perhaps the world's most excited Grandma- my mom. I sure do love her! I couldn't imagine becoming a mother without her help, love and support! This is grandbaby #1 on my side, so needless to say my mom had been waiting for this day for a long time!!

Cool shot Britt took of the baby's heartbeat and my contractions. It sure was nice not having to feel those things! I feel almost guilty because the rest of the story is just so ideal that I am sure some other moms are going to want to kill me!

This is the last moment with Malia still in my tummy before she entered the world. You can't tell how big that baby was from this picture!
Once everyone was ready, Cindy- the most awesome nurse and coach directed me on how to push. She was great! She counted for me, pumped me up and was just so wonderful to have there with us!

Kirk was a great coach too and was there all the way! He was so excited about the whole birth thing that I think he forgot that he told me he didn't want to watch. He was all about it! They set up a mirror for me to watch so I could see the whole thing happening. It was a great motivator to see Malia's head and knowing when and how hard to push.

After a half and hour of pushing, this little munchkin came out! I was so grateful that I didn't have to have an episiotomy or a C-section. Getting cut is my BIGGEST fear! I needed a couple of little stitches because Miss Malia came out with her fist to her face. The midwife, Debbie was AMAZING!! I loved her! She did such a fantastic job!

Daddy got to cut the cord which he said felt like cutting licorice:) I have never seen Kirk so happy and excited about anything! Not even the best surf sesh on a trip!

When they put Malia on my chest and tummy it was like a tidal wave of emotion. She was purple-ish, covered in goo and totally swollen, but I swear I had never seen anything in the world so beautiful. She opened her eyes and looked at me and I lost it! It felt like my heart was beating inside of her! Crazy and emotional, yeah I know. Sorry.

This was the first picture we took as a family of 3:) From this moment on life changed!

My baby. My love. My heart. My everything!

And of course Malia knew her Grandma Freda who had been talking and singing to her in utero. They bonded instantly and fell in love that night too.

But nothing compares to the love this daddy has for his baby girl. While I knew Kirk would be a great dad, I had no idea he was going to be as amazing as he has been. His love for Malia surpasses any love I have ever seen! He just wants to hold her all the time; it's really cute!

There is np doubt that she has her daddy's long and skinny feet!

A BIG thank you to all the love, encouragement and visitors that made this day so special!

Sunday morning we were able to check out of the hospital. Mommy and baby were looking good and they let us pack up our little bumdle. It's crazy that they let us leave with this perfect little angel! And she's ours forever!!!!

Packed up and ready to go!

Bye Hospital! Thanks for having us! Your staff is amazing, facility beautiful and we even enjoyed the food! :)

Just so so so so happy!

And then we got home. We were tired but also on cloud nine. We have been having lots of visitors and help from family. Thanks again everyone! We are thrilled. Here are some Malia shots of the last couple days. I am amazed at how she changes her look constantly. One minute we say she looks like me, then she'll look like Kirk.. who knows!

Our bundle of joy (Malia Joy that is!)

Hello world! My name is Malia and I am so excited to be here! I am a happy baby that loves to eat, sleep, make cute faces and sweet noises. I am the cutest baby in the world and have 2 parents that love me more than anything in the universe!

Overdue!!!!!

So I have my induction day (baby's eviction notice) in 3 days if Malia isn't here before then. I just think this face is funny because it sums up how I have been feeling lately. Can you tell how tired I am? Yeah, I look like a wreck. I just need to hold my baby already!

Memoirs from an Overdue Preggo

When your due date comes and goes, you can't help but feel a little (or a lot) anxious. I am really surprised Malia hasn't come yet! I have had contractions for over a month now and really felt like she was ready to make her entrance weeks ago!
In these final days, I have to remain calm and grateful for the opportunity I have had to be pregnant in the first place. While some girls get pregnant right away, that was not our case. It took Kirk and I almost 2 years to have this baby which is why I might be less of a complainer than a lot of girls (not saying anyone is!). We had to try a bunch of different methods (from acupuncture, clomid, IUIs to hollistic medicine) to figure out why it was taking so long. In the end, it happened on our own. Crazy how the world works. My advice for someone that is getting frustrated as they try to make a baby, is that I firmly believe there is someone that knows when you are supposed to have a baby more than you.
These are the last days that Kirk and I will only be a 2 person family and while we have had the time of our lives together thus far, I know we are in for some really fun and sometimes exhausting adventures ahead!

Things I'll miss:

• Feeling Malia move! She is a very active baby and she loves to work her muscles in my belly.
• Laying in bed with Kirk holding my belly and feeling her too.
  
• Having others feel my belly and talk or sing to Malia. She likes that:)
• The sweet smiles I get from others as they stare at my belly as I walk by.
• The kind compliments or words of advice from older and wiser people.
• My round belly! I love it actually, I don't care I have a waist size of 42". I think it's wonderful!
• Malia's funny hiccups.
• Fantasizing and dreaming about how she will look or what her personality will be like.
• The immense joy of creating this other little life.
• Having others ask me when I'm due and when I say "today" or "yesterday" watching their eyes widen and look like they just saw a UFO.
  

Things I'm looking forward to:

• Just meeting her already! Pregnancy last f-o-r-e-v-e-r. I don't care what anyone tells you, it's a 10 month process, not 9.
  
• SUSHI! SUSHI! SUSHI! SUSHI!
  
• Hot tubs!
• Roller Coasters and other seemingly dangerous activities!
  
• Finding out if she has dark hair or not (For some reason that is all I am really preoccupied with is whether or not she'll have hair)
• Kissing her and smelling that new baby smell
• Hearing her make noises.
  
• For her to use and wear all of the wonderful new things that sweet friends and family have gotten her!
• Getting to sleep on my tummy again. That will be so nice!
  
• I can't wait to go surfing with Kirk again.
  
• Working out to the point of exhaustion.
• Having that large number on the scale get back down to where it's supposed to be.
• Staring P90X with our group of friends.
• Calling Kirk Daddy.
• Being called Mom.
• Hobbs will have a new best friend and playmate.
• I'll always have a constant buddy and one day the best little helper.
  
• My chest size may expand even more, and that could be fun;)
• Taking some time off of work.
• Being more tired and feeling more unprepared, yet feeling more fulfilled than I ever have in my life.
• For these darn hormones to chill out- at least a little! I am always on the verge of tears!
  

40 Weeks!! Time's Up Little One!

So I wish I was posting pictures of our newest family member, but instead I am posting a picture of what my tummy looks like. Still very pregnant. So much for thinking I was going to have a baby early! This girl is comfortable right where she is! We had a lot of losers that lost the "Malia birthday Poll" since most people thought she was going to come around the 4th. So much for that. I have another appointment tomorrow where I think I will ask them if they can stir things up a bit. My girlfriend today told me I should schedule an induction just in case. Not a bad idea. Kirk is finishing up a couple of jobs right now and has a break for a couple weeks. And I have a house closing escrow at the end of this month that I'll need to be back in business for. So really, this baby needs to come this week or by the latest this next week. Doesn't she know we are busy people on schedules??! Haha, just kidding, I know she's going to just come when she wants and our bags are packed, the car seat is installed and we are ready to go!!
:)