1-25-11, 3 Weeks Old Today!

I cannot believe Ashley is 3 weeks old today! I wish I could hit a pause button, and just freeze this time for a little while. I am loving every moment of it!

Some people have said how the first few weeks are a blur, and can be really rough...but I have been blessed to feel really good from the very start--I recuperated very well from delivery, Ashley is a good sleeper so I'm not sleep deprived, and she is just such a sweet baby. So I have been able to take in every moment and savor each one. I know how precious these moments are. There are times when I am feeding her, or when she is resting on my shoulder that I will just sit and stare at her.

People had also shared experiences and warned me about different emotions that may come up in the beginning. I did have some overwhelming feelings, but they were of such intense love. I remember the day we brought her home from the hospital. She and I were alone in her room, and I was rocking her in her glider and listening to lullabies as I fed her. Here I was staring at her sweet face and into her eyes, and the song was singing: "I love your wiggles and I love your giggles, I love your sweet little sighs. I love your nose and your feet and your toes, I love your bright little eyes. When you will leave me, how it will grieve me, I know how the years will fly by...." and on that note I just teared right up. It just hit me at that moment how immensely I loved this little girl. That same day, Matt and I were laying in bed, and I started crying to him, just telling him how I just love her so much already, it was overwhelming. I also told him how it made me love him so much more too--for giving me the best gift that anyone could ever give me, and also from seeing him with Ashley. He is such a great dad already, so loving and caring. He never had experience with newborns, and he just picked right up on it. I just feel so happy and blessed to have such a great husband and such a good dad for my little girl. He has exceeded my hopes and expectations, as I wanted nothing more than to give my child a loving dad.

Here are some pictures from the past 3 weeks...

Welcome Ashley Grace Shohen

Tuesday, January 4, 2011 at 12:43 a.m.

6 pounds, 9 ounces and 20 1/2 inches

"I loved you the minute I heard your heartbeat. I loved you the minute you were born. Then I saw your face and fell in love some more. You were only a minute old but I knew I would die for you and to this day I still would. When you choose to have a child, you make a conscious decision to allow your heart to walk around outside of your body".

Sunday Jan 2, 2011

Well, we are sitting here in the hospital, which means Ashley did not make her own entrance beforehand. We tried everything to safely get things started for her on her own so she wouldn't need to be medically induced, but she is apparently quite comfy in there and wanted to come out in her own time.

It was almost comical. One night we got spicy mexican food, had chocolate cake that a doctor recommended we try, drank raspberry tea, took a brisk walk, got a massage with the pressure points, and Matt even tried taking me on a car ride over speed bumps. Tried everything short of the nasty castor oil..No luck...although Matt sure was determined. Haha. So we can testify that the wives tales are just that.

Last night I couldn't fall asleep because the excitement, anticipation and nervousness was already kicking in. Today was the same--Matt and I both had overwhelming feelings--excitement, anticipation, fear, anxiousness, etc...Partially due to being excited to meet our daughter, partially to the fact that our lives are forever changing, and for me, partially due to the fear of labor/being induced...but I only broke down crying twice--haha. Although now that we are in the hospital and all settled down it's been exciting and fun/light hearted.

We picked up mom from the airport, stopped home, picked up dinner, and came to hospital. We skyped with Lisa and Bruce, or grandmom and grandpop, and talked to Ashley's aunts and uncles. Then we hung out and talked. It was fun.

Our nurse tonight was really fun and perky and had a good sense of humor, so that made things good. They started the cervadil medication about an hour ago...hopefully it will take effect and things will be ready to go by morning. I'm hoping we'll be able to sleep tonight!!! It's a big day tomorrow.

I can't believe tomorrow at this time we may have Ashley here with us. Crazy!