Christmas 2012

Lydia was a good little girl, came well before Christmas and was delivered in the regular, faster-healing way. So we were able to spend a week with our families up north. We had my family's Christmas on Christmas Eve with Grandpa, Grandma and Aunt Leslie.

Grandpa read the Christmas Story from Luke 2.

Tyson looking festive in his (slightly bedraggled) Christmas collar.

Abram passing out stockings.

Abram got some matchbox cars and a ramp! He was pretty thrilled:) He also got some more Schleich aminals, a Hermie movie, a phone, a book, underwear, clothes, etc.

I've wanted cowboy boots for a LONG time and was very surprised! I also got a loaf pan, a sweater, candy, scissors, gift cards, etc. Lydia got pretty clothes, diapers and a Christmas ornament.

Grandpa got a belt from Leslie and a hat from me. Abram was modeling them.

Tyson, in a very rare moment, sharing his new bed with Chip. He usually moves when another dog or cat tries to lay with him. 

Christmas morning we unwrapped presents for our immediate family. Abram got bubble bath and a new shark bath towel. I got a DVD player for the car...for Abram's entertainment and my sanity on long  trips.

Curtis got a stand mixer. I was very excited to get this for him. Mom and I bought it at the KitchenAid store in Greenville, OH. They had refurbished models that were so much less money than the new ones and then I got an extra discount with our AAA membership! SO he got a really nice one for less than $200! Thanks for helping with this one Mom and Dad, he was thrilled. :)

Our family of FOUR with our Christmas "haul".

We always have Christmas with Curtis' family on Christmas Day, but we had to split it up into two "acts" this year, because his brother's family was all sick! So Grandpa, Grandma, Mammaw, Tim, Krista and Kimberly were there and we just ate our Concannon donuts, did some stocking stuff and a few gifts for Abram and Lydia and hung out for a while.  Jill and Krista braved the crowds that afternoon and went to see Les Mis. I took a nap.

Lydia and Grandma Cunningham

Abram got a big dog! He got an electronic board game thing that he's likes playing with in the car. 

This toy was a hit as well...I just wish the batteries lasted longer!

We had  a good 4 inches of snow Christmas  night and the day after and then got another 5 or so later in the week. It was so pretty! Abram was bundled up for the snow but not really sure about going out there!

Daddy having fun on Grandpa's tractor plow.

 Grandpa got him out there.

And then fell over (on purpose) in a drift.

He couldn't get back up so Daddy had to come to the rescue.

 

 Hardacre Christmas (Dad's side), good to see everyone and very good food. Abram played well (thank you to Kyndyl and Aiden for playing with him so nicely!) and ate well! 

I love the room where we have this event. It's at a Christian Camp right outside of Converse, IN and it's called "the cave" because it's built into a hill. It's such a nice space because there is a large kitchen with island for our "spread" and enough room to eat and then have the gift exchange, plus there are game tables to entertain the kids. This year I was VERY aware of how hard the pool balls were and how the kids were rolling (ahem, throwing) them so hard. I thought that Abram would surely be knocked out at some point in the afternoon! He survived.

 We had a good turnout this year with 50 or so and my cousin Angel managed to get a picture of everybody that was there. I look forward to spending more time with ALL of my family this year.

Abram got a toy from Keagan and Lydia got a food chewy thing from Tegan. Wesley seemed to appreciate his Korean "Love" trucker hat "from" Abram. We left before the adult gift exchange this year so that we could do "act two" of the Cunningham/Wagner Christmas.

 We finished up with presents at Chris and Emily's house now that everybody (except Tim, who was admitted to the hospital after he was having issues with being weak/dizzy. He was ok after running tests) was healthy again.

  It was funny when we first got there because Paige was SOOO excited about Lydia. She just kept shrieking and smiling and pointing. It was pretty funny. 

Krista on paparazzi duty. I rarely take pictures because she has it COVERED! haha I got some fun, fun socks, Curtis got a phone charger, Abram got undies, clothes, books and puzzles, Lydia got some ornaments and lots of pretty clothes!

Merry Christmas!!

Loving on Lydia

Little Lydia is just so sweet and cute, we can't help all snuggling with her! Here are a few shots of her getting "luvin".

Grandpa with his boy and girl.

Mommy with her boy and girl.

Aunt Leslie with her girl....I have a whole lot more sleeping pictures of Leslie, but I'll refrain:-)

Abram and Lydia

Daddy's cooking breakfast!

Sponge bath time! She didn't really cry at all.

"Daddy, help!"

Mommy with both of her "baby girls".

23 months

I stopped doing Bear-y pictures of Abram at 18 months because he was getting so squirmy, but he wanted in on the action when I took Lydia's picture at One Week and One Day. He's a little stinker and wouldn't sit still at all...can't believe he'll be two in a month!

 "Hey, Bear-y!"

 "We haven't done this in a while!"

"Ok, I'm done...I've found a new way to get off this chair."

One Week and One Day

The "Bear-y" pics begin again! We took a picture of Abram at a week and a day old, so I thought I'd do the same for Lydia. She also had pictures taken by Donna this same evening and I'll post some of those once she's done editing and posts them to facebook. 

So far, Lydia has been a VERY pleasant baby. She's only had a few nights where she's cried and not wanted to fall back asleep after a feeding. She has long periods of wake time during the day too...sometimes I wonder if they're too long! When she does cry, its usually REALLY loud but only for a short amount of time. We did finally pop in a paci, a bit sooner than planned, but it does help her settle down. She's eating (usually just one side) every 3 hours, and filling her diapers regularly. She'd gained 2 oz by her first appointment, so she's doing well!

Here's the link to Abram's "Week and a Day" post, that also has pictures of Curtis and I when we were newborns. It's so fun to compare! There are definitely similarities between Lydia and Abram and certain facial expressions she makes really remind us of him. Abram had more hair and she has more cheek! haha

It's a Girl!!

On Saturday, December 8th, I went to bed around midnight. Curtis, Abram and I had made a long trip to Home Depot/Lowe's that morning and then had been cleaning like crazy all afternoon and I was so tired. I had been cramping some, but nothing with any regularity. I woke up at 2:00 AM with regular contractions and by 2:40 I had some "show" and I could tell the contractions were close enough that I woke Curtis up to start getting ready to go. I took a shower and ate some "breakfast", preparing myself for another long labor. We called our neighbor to come stay with Abram and we left for the hospital. 

We got there close to 4:00 AM and got checked in. When they checked me, I was 2-3 cm. They didn't have portable monitors (broken), so I was confined to bed...which ended up being the place I wanted to be. This labor was WAY different. It came on hard and really fast! I don't remember how many centimeters I was at different times, but I do remember my water breaking somewhere around 6:00 and then I was 9 centimeters (last time I stalled at 7 and went no further) and still no epidural! I had wanted to get an epidural this time in case of an emergency c-section. We were waiting on labs to come back and Dr. Borden (who was on-call) didn't think I was going to be able to get the epidural, but the anesthesiologist went ahead and came in and did it before I started pushing. Thank goodness! I was really struggling with dealing with the pain, which is weird since it lasted so much longer last time, but I think it just caught me off guard!

I pushed for about an hour to an hour and half (again, time was irrelevant). They got me a mirror to see everything, once the baby was staying down low. I remember feeling when the head came through and then they were laying a baby on my belly and saying "It's a girl!" Curtis and I were so surprised! We had assumed we'd have another boy, so this was great! Now we have one of each! They let me hold Lydia for a little while, but since there had been some meconium present when my water broke, they took her to do some really good suctioning and get her crying. Dr. Borden had to do an episiotomy and then I tore really badly (4th degree) so she took a while stitching me up, then they gave Lydia back to me and we had about an hour or so to bond and nurse before they took her to the nursery to scrub her up and me and Curtis to a regular room. 

Lydia Rose Cunningham

December 9, 2012

7:50 AM

8 lbs 4 oz

20" long

After a few hours, family started arriving (this time they couldn't get her fast enough!) and my parents brought Abram to meet his sister! My sister got there at about the same time and so did Curtis' parents. Curtis' Aunt Krista and sister Kimberly (and boyfriend Erick) arrived later that night and visited for a little bit. Mom and Dad and Leslie stayed at the house and took care of Abram during the rest of our stay at the hospital and came and visited each day. The 3 days there at the hospital are now just a blur of visitors, pain meds, icepacks, sitz baths, meals, and feedings! 

We came home with Lydia on Tuesday after lunch. Mom stayed with us the rest of the week and was such a big help with Abram and dishes/laundry/meals. Curtis' work let him take off this second week too (SO thankful for that!) and then he's off over the holidays, so I get to ease into taking care of two at a time. Recovery from this VBAC (with a tear) is painful but SOOOO much faster and easier than from the C-section. I'm so thankful I'm able to be up and around, I can pick up Abram, I can drive, I can climb stairs, I can SIT UP on my own...the list goes on and on! I prayed that I'd be able to have a VBAC and that the baby would come early enough for us to go home for Christmas...and God answered those prayers a hundred times over!

  Welcome to the world, Lydia Rose! 

38 weeks

38 weeks and feeling it! I really do feel like I have a bowling ball strapped to the front of me. I wake up about every 2-3 hours to use the bathroom at night and the baby's head is low, which is good, but very uncomfortable. There was no change between my 37 and 38 week Dr. appointments. I remain a "fingertip" dilated and 50% effaced. Abram came at 38 weeks 6 days, so roughly a week early. I've been having mild contractions every once in a while, but usually not painful (just feels tight) and nothing regular. 

We didn't do any "belly shots" with Donna this time....partly because she's a busy lady now, working full time at the hospital and doing photo shoots on the weekend....but MOSTLY because my belly's not so pretty this time. The stretch marks that popped up in the last few weeks of my pregnancy with Abram have blazed forth in full glory for most of this pregnancy. I had Curtis take one "artsy" shot and I'm kind of hoping this is the last set of pictures for this pregnancy! I'm ready to see the baby instead!