7.13.2011

Four

Here is our first picture as a family of four...
We praise the Lord for His goodness to us in giving us our little Blythe. More details to come on her birth, how we decided on her name, etc...She is perfect. Our eyes are tired, but our hearts are full. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

7.11.2011

Just a few details

We welcomed a sweet, precious girl into our family today!

Blythe Hayward Dooley
7 lbs, 14.5 oz; 20 inches
Monday, July 11th at 3:10 pm

Perfectly beautiful in every way. More to come, soon!

7.06.2011

7.11.2011

I just returned from my weekly doctor's appointment....

The baby has dropped significantly. Doc said he/she is SUPER low, that I am about 2 cm dilated, and 75% effaced. He said with this being my second baby, he is sure I'll go into labor on my own in the next few days, but, just in case, we scheduled an induction for Monday, July 11th at 7:30 am.

We are so grateful and relieved to know there is an end in sight! I am shocked that this baby has not come by now with H having arrived 11 days early. I have no problem being induced as I was essentially induced with him. My water broke, but my body wasn't ready. Hopefully this baby will come on his/her own before Monday, but if not, please pray for a safe and healthy (and faster than 25 hours) delivery, and for a healthy baby. Please pray for the doctor on call that day (Dr. Roberts) and the nurses. And please pray for our little man to transition well into being big brother. He has been SO clingy lately, and rightly so after we whisk him off from country to country and then add a baby to our crazy family. Pray for my sister, my mom, and my mother-in-law who will all be tag-teaming taking care of him, and that he feels loved beyond measure.

We will be delivering at Piedmont Hospital and welcome visitors!!

Oh, and sweet baby, if you're reading this one day, we can't wait to meet you. I am so ready as well as scared out of my mind. Daddy and I both think you might be a girl now. We surely can't wait to find out. Either way, we have longed for you and waited on you, and cannot wait to see how perfectly you will fit into our family. See you soon, little one. I cannot wait to hold you.

6.28.2011

38 Weeks and a Question for the Reader

Today's update: 1.5 cm dilated (a little progress)! Heartrate: 150 bpm

Readers with 2 children at home,
When you delivered your 2nd child, when did you have big bro/sis come to the hospital to meet the little one? What did you do with Big bro/sis when it was time to go to the hospital? Did they come often or just one time?

Okay, so that was 3 questions, but I will quit while I'm ahead. Any advice on how to make this transition as seamless as possible on my Harrison would be welcome. I know his little only-child world is about to be rocked.

Rock on! Come on, Baby!

6.25.2011

A Guessing Game

My cyber-friend, Betsy, has a great blog, that you would love to read. She is funny, kind, and real. I knew her a long time ago and certainly wish we could be friends now! While she was pregnant, she did a fun guessing game for folks to take a gander at when her little bambino would come. I thought it would be fun to follow suit! So, please join in the fun and guess when little Bunny Dooley will make his/her appearance into our world!

Click here to make a guess! Thanks for playing!

PS: Game name is DooleyBabeBday

Another long post is below!

Almost 38 weeks and sideways pictures...

Should I even call myself a blogger?? You decide! Well, I must say that our time in the States has brought a busy-ness that I have not seen since August. I really do love it, although it was pretty overwhelming the first couple of weeks. Currently we have been on American soil for just over a month. Right now we are staying with my Dad, which has been great since he works half the week in South Carolina, so we have lots of space to ourselves. He set up 3 rooms for us....he even borrowed a crib from a client for the baby's room. What a sweet surprise, and all the rooms look perfect. It is right in the area I grew up so I am loving eating at all of my favorite hot spots, and being convenient to friends and my sister and mom, whom we have seen bunches. We have also been able to go to Dooleytown in Lawrenceville each week to spend a day with the in-laws. In the midst of running around town, we are spending time raising support for the new baby and life has just been crazy. But, even though it has been ca-razy, I don't want to forget some details of the end of this pregnancy since I actually documented it this time around. Sooooo, here goes....

Dear Baby,
Let me back up to around 32 weeks. I am pictured below during that week. During that appointment I mainly got a permission note to fly back to America. It stated that I was 'fit for flight', which gave me a giggle as did so many other times seeing dear old Dr. Yang.
We flew home just shy of 33 weeks and the flight was great. Your big brother slept 8.5 hours during the 12.5 hour flight from the capital city to Chicago. However, all 3 of our flights were delayed resulting in all of our bags getting lost. We got them the next day as we were happily resting at your Nana's house. At 33 weeks, I went to meet my doctor here in Atlanta. Her name is Dr. Dozier and I am so thankful for the rec from my sweet friend Amanda. Daddy and I were so impressed with how smoothly the office was run and how quickly we got through all the preliminary stuff, including bloodwork, ultrasound, etc. At that time you weighed 5 pounds and she bumped up my due date to July 7, and your heartbeat was 138.
Okay, I tried and tried to figure out how to rotate these pictures, but I am a hopeless case....they are rotated correctly on my computer, and I just cannot do it...I don't have the power! Above is a picture of you when I am 34 weeks and some change. I saw the doc again at 35 weeks, where I had gained 6 pounds in 2 weeks. Yes, you and I had been enjoying the yumminess of Chick-Fil-A (which your brother calls the 'Moo Moo Cow'), Jalisco's, Souper Jenny, Figo, Houston's, your Gran's cooking and the list goes on...At that appointment I was 1 cm dilated.
Above was Mommy at 36 weeks (still going by the original due date on July 12 in my head so that the 7th does not come and go and seriously disappoint me). That day I met with a different doctor who was just as great and your heartbeat was 155 bpm. That night our friends Mellie and Bethany came to visit and Mel spent the night with her daughter Annie. She is having a baby boy in August, and I think y'all will be great friends. Pictures to come.
And last but not least, this last picture was last Tuesday at 37 weeks. At my weekly appointment, I was still 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced, and you have started to drop. I never even dilated with your brother, I just got effaced (is that the right term?) and then my water broke, so pitocin had to be administered. I am encouraged that I am at least 1 cm, so hopefully it will cut off some labor time (H's was 25 hours from the time I woke up with broken water to the time he came out....so typical....he is slow as Christmas with everything he does...that cautious little monkey!)

In total, I have gained about 29-30 pounds, which is way less than I gained with your brother. 8 of those lbs have been this past month in the ATL....ha! Thankfully, I have had minimal swelling and have been really very comfortable. I think it's because I can handle the heat here since there is AC everywhere, and I am not walking as my mode of transport. Since last Sunday I have been in pain every couple of days, and last night I barely slept, so I am definitely slipping into the uncomfortable bitter end. Your brother came 11 days early, and I so would not mind if you did the same thing, but I am sure you like to march to the beat of your own drum, just please don't make me wait until mid-July! I am predicting you arrive over the holiday weekend, but I guess we will see. I'm on the edge of my seat and cannot wait to hold you! Until then I am trying to enjoy your big brother in spite of my fatigue and enjoy this sweet time in my hometown with family and friends.

Love you, Baby! Soon we will find out who you are and how you perfectly fit into our family! I cannot wait to know you.

LOVE,

Mommy

6.08.2011

Hello America!

We have been on the Motherland's soil for 2.5 weeks now....it has been such a whirlwind of a million doctor's appointments, the worst jet lag I have ever experienced, being out of town for a week and attempting to get settled....Life is so much busier here than in Asia. I welcome it, but am overwhelmed by it at the same time.

There is so much to catch up on, and I will try in the coming weeks....but for now, we are home for close to 3 months, and I am thrilled. I am already 1 cm dilated (yikes) and due in about a month.

America, it turns out you are more delicious than I remembered. I have gained 6 pounds since our return. Please take it easy on me, and do not give me a 10 pound baby!

Friends, I hope to see you soon. You will find me at a local eatery 8 out of 7 days a week....I am hopeful to be in touch with all you sweet Atlantans soon, in between meals of course.

Until then, we are so grateful, grateful, grateful to see blue skies and have our hearts filled by sweet fellowship with our family and friends.