Firsts...

Today is Emma's first stuffy nose.  You would think that is is my first little one because I have been up since at least 4am watching her breath and made a visit to the Pediatrican first thing this morning.  A premature baby is whole new ball game.  Thankfully, it is just a stuffy nose and nothing more complicated!!!  

Today was also Emma's first baseball game.  She cheered Isaac on as well as a three week old can.

First bath

Yesterday we gave Emma her first, "real water bath," as Elliott called it.  Up until now we had just been spot cleaning her. She seemed to be content or maybe just so over whelmed she was speechless.  

Another milestone in Emma's life, three weeks.  Today, May 28 was the day of my planned c section.  We were lucky enough to get three bonus weeks with our little Emma!!!

Emma's Story

I love this blog for the history it holds.  It makes me sad to see the gaps in our families story that have not been recorded here.  But life gets crazy and these post get put on the back burner, some times for years.  Before the details fade, here is Emma's birth story...

April 14 was the first of many scary days in this sweet girl's gestation.  I had know for awhile that I had a marginal placenta previa, but on this day I found out what that really could mean.  Late one night while Adam was working, I started to have some bleeding.  The first time in four pregnancies...scared was an understatement.  After Adam got home and we spoke with my doctor, it was decided that I would go to the hospital.  The bleeding stopped while I was there, but I was admitted to be monitored, have some blood work, an ultrasound and the first of two steroid injections.  

I was released the next day and given instructions to take it easy and not to do any heavy lifting.  Fast forward four weeks, two more hospital stays and complete bedrest...now it is the morning of May 7th.  I woke up on the couch with the all too familiar feeling that the bleeding had started again.  I called my doctor one more time, assuming she would either say relax and stay laying down or come to the office for an exam.  Instead, she said, "today is the day."  She told us to meet her at the hospital as soon as we could and she would deliver Emma via c section.  While I was ready to not be pregnant anymore, I was only 35 weeks.  What did that mean? Would my baby have any health issues, would I be able to hold her and nurse her, would she be able to come home with me...so many questions!  Thankfully, several hours later we had all those questions answered.  At 1:50pm, Emma Soule Zima was born, 6lbs 9oz.  Adam went with her to the NICU to be checked out while I was in recovery.  

She checked out healthy and happy, such a relief! We spent the next several days recovering from surgery and falling in love with this sweet little addition to our family.  Emma is now two and half weeks old and I can't imagine her not being here!

Emma Soule!!!

Just over two weeks ago the fourth bundle of joy joined our family.  Emma Soule Zima joined our family on her own schedule, paying no regard to my very long pre-baby to do list.  Mama was a little bit scared of the unknown, but thanks to modern medicine she was healthy and was able to come home to be with her brothers and sister!