HAPPY HOLIDAYS

So this past week was Leilani's first Hannukah and Christmas. Needless to say we were more excited about it than she was. We went to Christmas Eve services at 8pm and even though Leilani usually goes to bed around 7:30pm, she did well and we had a good time. On Christmas morning, I made the Ultimate Sticky Buns and they were yummy!! This will be a new family Christmas tradition...YAY! Chris got a great Mountain Bike for Christmas (from me) and I got a new 42" Plasma for our bedroom (from him). We love having his parents and brother here. They have made life easier and are, of course, totally in love with Leilani. Here are some pictures of her during the past week.

Dear Leilani - 4 months

Dearest Leilani,

You are 4 months old now and have been for a week! We took you to your 4 month check up and you weigh 14 lbs, and are 24 inches long! Basically, you have gained almost 3 pounds (3 ounces short) and grew an inch! You are in all the right "percentiles" and are just a happy loving baby! Your doctor, Dr. Nevius, doesnt think you need to start on any kind of solid food for a least another month, if not 2 months. we might try you on rice cereal at 5.5 months, but really there is no rush.

Your Grandma Irene has been staying with you ALL month (December) and loves you SO much. She even calls you "Grandma's Girl". Grandpa Russ and Uncle Matt come down this past Saturday to spend the holidays with us.

As this is both your first Hanukkah and Christmas, I am so overjoyed. I dont think you care much, but hey, next year you will.

You are seriously the easiest baby we (your daddy and I) are SO in love with you and know how lucky we are to be your parents. You have been rolling over more frequently, found your thumb, and LAUGH out loud...this is so cute!

You are truly the joy in my life. I have a motto that "everything happens for a reason", this is very true as you are My Reason, Our Reason. Everything we have done, every one we have met, every choice we have made has brought us to be your parents, your mommy and daddy. We love you so much.

Love,

Mommy, Daddy and of course, the Kitties, Nittany and Fat Baby Kitty

What a Difference a Year Makes...

So at this exact time last year I was at our Reproductive Endocrinologist's office getting blood work done to see if I was pregnant. At 12:15pm that afternoon a year ago I got the call that STILL brings tears to my eyes:
Phone: Ring
Me: Hello
Nurse: Hi Alana, I am calling from Dr. Toledo's office
Me: okay
Nurse: Well...YOU'RE PREGNANT!
Me: Are you kidding?
Nurse: No, I dont joke about things like this.
Me: Are you serious?
Nurse: Yes (laughing)
Me: OH MY GOD! So I am, what 4 weeks along
Nurse: Yes, 4 weeks and we'll have you come in every other day for more bloodwork and we have scheduled your first ultrasound for January due to holidays.
Me: Wow...okay. Thank you!
Nurse: have a good day. Good bye.
Me: Bye

I sat on the floor of my office, shocked, for a good 10 minutes before I could grasp what was actually happening. Then I had to think about how I was going to tell Chirs. I was going to make him a dinner full of baby veggies and the like or put a bun in the oven, or all kinds of things. So all I had to do was run out to the grocery store and target and get everything done, but I had a 2pm conference call with my boss. No worries, I would still have time. Wouldnt you know it, Chris came home early that day, so I had NO time to plan ANYTHING! Instead I ended up giving him a Penn State Onesie that said "Powers" on the back (which he thought meant we were only having 1 baby and it was a boy)...hahahaha I have it on video and it something I will cherish forever, even though he cursed ALOT!

The greatest part was this was the day after Chris' 28th birthday. I really wanted to take a pregnancy test on his birthday, because that would have been an awesome gift, but I also didnt want to ruin his day with a negative pregnancy test. In the end, I am happy I waited for the actual blood test so I wouldnt be 2nd guessing myself or the test. Now exactly a year later, we have our amazing little girl who will be 4 months old on the 16th of this month (wow 6 days from now)! She is truly our little miracle and our reason, our purpose for everything. We are truly blessed. What a difference a year makes!!

What Religion is Your Bra??

Too funny not to share:

A man walked into the ladies department of a Macy's and shyly walked up
to the woman behind the counter and said, 'I'd like to buy a bra for my wife.'
'What type of bra?' asked the clerk.
'Type?' inquires the man, 'There's more than one type?'

'Look around,' said the saleslady, as she showed a sea of bras in every
shape, size, color and material imaginable.

'Actually, even with all of this variety, there are really only four
types of bras to choose.'
Relieved, the man asked about the types.

The saleslady replied:
'There are the
Catholic, the Salvation Army, the Presbyterian, and the Baptist types.
Which one would you prefer?'

Now totally befuddled, the man asked about the differences between them.

The Saleslady responded, 'It is all really quite simple... '

The Catholic type supports the masses.
The Salvation Army type lifts the fallen, The Presbyterian type keeps them staunch and upright, and The Baptist makes mountains out of molehills.

Have you ever wondered why A, B, C, D, DD, E, F, G, and H are the letters used to define bra sizes? If you have wondered why, but couldn't figure out what the letters stood for, it is about time you became informed!

(A} Almost boobs...
{B} Barely there.
{C} Can't complain!
{D} Dang!
{DD} Double dang!
{E} Enormous!
{F} Fake.
{G} Get a reduction.
{H} Help me, I've fallen and I can't get up!

Oh! And don't forget the German bra....Holtzemfromfloppen

Our Birth Plan...

Well, with so many people I know trying to or becoming pregnant, I thought I would post the Birth Plan from Leilani's arrival. This was an integral part of having everything happen the way we wanted. Please feel free to use it, use part of it or use nothing of it:


Birth Plan for Alana and Chris Powers
To my Health Care Providers: Thank you for taking the time to work with us and our birth plan. We are planning a natural unmedicated water birth. These are our preferences; however we are open and flexible to any medical intervention that may become necessary in the case of a medical emergency.
Environment: I would like for people entering the room to speak softly and close the door behind them. I would like for people entering the room to quietly announce who they are so that I am aware of who is in the room. Please let me know before you touch me or start any procedure. Please make sure to approach me from the front only and not from behind. I may get startled if I can not see someone before they touch me. I would also like the light dimmed.
IV & Nutrition: I prefer to have no IV or heparin lock.
Induction: Natural methods first (nipple stimulation, walking, etc.) to try and avoid Pitocin and amniotomy.
Pain Relief: I am aware of my pain control options; please don't mention them to me.
Please do not ask me to rate my pain for you.
Monitoring: I prefer the baby to be monitored intermittently with the portable EFM.
Second Stage Labor: As long as the baby and I are healthy, I prefer to have no time limits on pushing. I would like to push in whatever position feels right, and prefer to push spontaneously, not directed. Please no counting while pushing I prefer to have the lights dimmed for delivery or, if it is daylight, to access only natural light. No episiotomy unless the baby is in distress and needs to be born quickly.
After The Baby Is Born: I would like my baby placed immediately on my abdomen following the birth, skin to skin with a warm blanket over it. Please do not separate me and my baby for routine procedures (weighing, measuring, newborn exam and bath) until after my baby has successfully breastfed on both breasts. Please do these procedures with me as much as possible. I would like my husband to give our baby her first bath in the nursery with me present.
Third Stage Labor: Please wait for the umbilical cord to stop pulsating before it is clamped. Please allow my husband to cut the umbilical cord. Natural delivery of the placenta with me pushing. I would like to delay routine Pitocin after the placenta.
Newborn Procedures: If the baby has any problems, I would like my husband to be present with the baby at all times, if possible. I would like to have routine newborn procedures delayed until bonding and breastfeeding have occurred. I would like all newborn routine procedures to be performed in my presence. I would like eye ointment, Vitamin K shot, PKU/Newborn Screening testing or immunizations delayed as long as possible for bonding. We would like to give our baby its first bath in the nursery. My baby is to be exclusively breastfed on demand, do not offer my baby formula, pacifier, and artificial nipple or sugar water without my consent. If my baby's health is in jeopardy, I would like: To be transported with my baby if possible. My husband to go with the baby. To breastfeed or express my milk for my baby.
My Hospital Stay: I prefer to have my husband stay with me.
Cesarean Delivery: If a C-Section is not an emergency, please give us time alone to think about it before asking for our written consent. My husband is to be present at all times during the c-section. Ideally, I would like to remain conscious during the procedure. I would like to have contact with the baby as soon as it is possible in the delivery room. I prefer to have a hand free to touch the baby. If possible, please discuss anesthesia options with me. I prefer a low transverse incision on my abdomen and uterus. Double layer sutures on the uterus.

Holy Trip from HELL!!!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays because it's one of the few times (and I mean FEW) where most of my family gets together. This year was particularly special because we had Ms. Leiani with us. This was a little nerve-wracking because it was also her first plane ride. All I can say is she did wonderfully and even slept from during take-off and landing.
Anyway, seeing family was great and we get ready to leave for our 12noon flight from Islip to Atlanta with a layover in Philly. We arrive to the airport at 1015am or so, check in and security is a breeze, so far so good. Blah, our flight is delayed an hour, no biggie, we'll still make our connection. We get to Philly and run to our gate (the Philly airport is spread out and we had to get to a different terminal from where we landed) only to find that our flight was delayed an hour...okay no big deal, we grab a bite and feed the Bean. Uh oh...out of Nowhere the flight is cancelled due to weather both out of Philly and into Atlanta. GREAT! Luckily a gate person, named Ruth, booked us on the next flight to Atlanta leaving at 415pm...yikes have to run, which gate...oh no F27..we just came from F (where in C). Oh no wait, we dont have to run, the 415pm flight was delayed until 615pm. Well we'll walk then and relax. We get there, sit, chill, feed the baby again and uh oh, flight delayed until 741pm. GREAT! Oh well...we'll make it work. Nope, wrong again. Flight cancelled...seriously? Seriously! We run to get onto line at customer service and after waiting another 30 minutes, are told we have two choices, take an 845pm to Charlotte, NC and flight to Atlanta the next day or stay in Philly until Tuesday and fly out then. No brainer, get the flight to NC, have no bags, get a comp hotel (you get what you pay for), total flea bag hotel, put the baby to bed and its lights out by 1am. Up again at 7am, finally get on a flight and are landed in ATL by 3pm. Get our bags, get Chris' mom, which is great, get the car and get OUT OF THERE!! Finally get home and am happy to get to relax! In the end I am just Thankful we are home.

Speaking of being thankful, this past November 25th marks the anniversary of Leilani's conception. I know because it was done in a dish in a lab...very sexy. I am just so Thankful for her. She made me a mom, made Chris and I a family and just did so many wonderful things for our lives. Needless to say everything prior to her arrival was just the "little stuff" and I cant believe I ever got so upset and worked up about nothing. She is our purpose. We work to provide for her, we live to be with her and watch her grow. She is our true meaning in life. I am so thankful and thankful for family.