Bleh...

So, 3 of the 4 Maurices are sick. Guess which ones... me and the munchkins. No fun. We've all got a bit of the cruddies that are going around - runny nose, cough, etc. We'll be spending this cold, wet day at home in our jammies - all 3 of us. Pray for quick healing!

It works!

Breastfeeding that is. We had a visit with Dr. Raine today for Caroline's 2-week check and she's up to 9 pounds, 3 ounces and is 22 inches long! She's grown so much in just 2 weeks. Wow! I'm just amazed that I can actually nourish and grow a human being. God's design is amazing! Everything looks wonderful with little Caroline and we will go back to see Dr. Raine in a couple more weeks. Also, Caroline slept in her room in her crib last night for the first time and she slept for 4 1/2 hours in a row! It was wonderful.

Me, wearing Caroline... and NEW HAIR!

Pictures, pictures, pictures...

Hey! Yeah, I put water bottles on my slide... so?

Caroline's first tub bath... she loved it! Well, she didn't hate it.

Nice and cozy after the bath.

Mama and Jack, on the way to church!Sleeping in the bassinet. Yay!

Look at those tired eyes!Peek-a...-BOO!

Katherine Maurice, CD (DONA)

YAY!!!! I got word today from DONA (Doulas of North America, Int.) that I've met all criteria and am officially a certified birth doula! I can't tell you all how excited I am to be able to put those letters behind my name! Bring on the clients...

One week down...

Caroline is one week old today! We're actually adjusting to life as a family of four pretty well, thank God! We came home from the hospital on Wednesday and Jason had to go back to work on Friday (busy season, you know). Thankfully, Yaya and Gigi have been around to help out with chores and taking care of Jack some so I can focus on making sure I'm feeling well and on taking care of Caroline. And by the way, I'm feeling great! It's amazing how your body can bounce back after a wonderfully uncomplicated, mostly intervention-free birth (I'm still in awe of that whole experience).

Jack is adjusting to life as a big brother pretty well. He really likes to help by getting her blankets and is great at giving her hugs... we just have to remind him to be gentle and not LAY on top of her. Caroline sleeps a lot so that gives me and Jack some good one-on-one time together.

Today is my first day with the kiddos on my own and it's going pretty well. However, as soon as Caroline fell asleep for one of her many naps (after being awake for a couple of hours), Jack woke up early from his nap. SIGH. No nap for me today!

Please pray that everyone stays healthy and that things continue to go smoothly as we're getting used to our new little person in the house. Pray for peace, patience, and sleep! Also, since tax season's getting underway and Jason will be out of the house A LOT, pray that I will have endurance to handle both kiddos on my own 6 days a week.

Time for pics!

Snuggled up to Daddy in the slingStory time!Zzzzzzz...Caroline and DaddyMy sweet little Jack!Big Brother and Baby Sister

Introducing...

Caroline Parker MauriceCaroline arrived on Tuesday, January 8th at 1:02 pm, weighing 8 pounds, 3 ounces and 20 inches long. Here's how it all happened...

Caroline's Birthstory

I had an appointment with my midwife, Lindsay, on Monday afternoon at 2. I was 5 centimeters dialated and 50% effaced – not much change from what I’d been for weeks. After the appointment, around 3 pm, the contractions I’d been having for days and days began to get stronger and more uncomfortable.

I went to pick up Jack from a friend’s house and headed home after visiting for a while. I tried to play with Jack as much as possible once we got home but my contractions were about every 10-12 minutes and quite uncomfortable – not unbearable by any means but I certainly didn’t want my toddler bouncing off my tummy during them. Jason got home from work and we had dinner and put Jack to bed. I let Jason know what had been going on with me and that I really thought this was FINALLY the labor we’d been waiting on.

Around 8:30 I decided to try to relax and get some rest. I took a shower and got ready for bed, contractions were now anywhere from 6-10 minutes apart. Jason spoke with my mom, who happened to be in Fort Worth, and told her it’d be a good idea for her to come on over, that we thought this was “it”. I got in bed and watched TV instead of going to sleep. I was too excited to sleep. Finally, around 11:30, Jason and I went to sleep – he slept, I was up every 10 minutes with contractions.

Around 2am I couldn’t stay in bed any longer and told Jason it was time to get up and get ready to head to the hospital. We’d decided, since we were 40 minutes from the hospital, that we’d head in as soon as we were “sure” and labor there. Our hospital is very natural birth friendly so we weren’t concerned with having any unnecessary interventions pushed on us once we were “on the clock” at the hospital. Poor Jason, he was very concerned about my water breaking before we arrived since my labor progressed so quickly once my water broke with Jack. He kept telling me “after this contraction, we HAVE TO GO!” Mom stayed at home with Jack till our friend, Erin, could get there to be with him. Then she left for the hospital. Jason took full advantage of the “my wife is in labor” card and drove as fast as he could, only slowing at stoplights and stopping when he HAD to.

We arrived at the hospital at 3:16 am. Upon arrival, my midwife checked me and I was 6 centimeters dialated and 80% effaced. She walked the halls with me and allowed me to labor on my own for quite some time. My contractions were now coming every 5 minutes and stayed that way for several hours. At 10 am my contractions hadn’t changed much and my water hadn’t broken yet. I had my midwife check me and I was still 6 centimeters, now 90% effaced. I didn’t want my water artificially broken so I decided to labor for another hour or so and see if I made any more progress. At 11:30 am, Lindsay checked me again and I was still 6 centimeters and was now 100% effaced. Apparently my bag of waters was bulging and not allowing the baby’s head to press down to cause me to dialate effectively. Jason and I talked it over with the midwife and, since I was exhausted already, I decided to have my water broken. Once we did that, Caroline’s head moved down and I dialated another centimeter immediately. With my mom and Jason by my side, I continued to labor until I felt the urge to push.

I grunted through pain and pressure and Lindsay reassured me I was doing exactly what I was supposed to do. Mom and Jason stroked my hair and held my hands. Jason was wonderfully supportive and let me know what a great job I was doing. I pushed when I needed to and screamed a lot! I wasn’t screaming in pain though. My voice gave me power. With each push, my voice got louder and deeper. With a big roar, Caroline’s head was born, and with another roar, the rest of her body came out. Jason was supposed to catch her but she came so quickly he didn’t have time and was just able to help the midwife place her on my tummy. We were so amazed to see this beautiful creature God had given to us. We are so blessed and she is perfect!

Brand new!

Wrinkly little foot...

Daddy does the first diaper...

Big Brother's first visit. He missed mommy.

Reading the book Baby Caroline brought for Jack...

Pappaw and Caroline

Getting dressed to go home!


I know it's cute but I hate this hat!!

40 Weeks...

and still pregnant! Today's my due date. My midwife swore I'd be early with this baby but she, clearly, was wrong. I have an appointment tomorrow and then more waiting. Please pray for God to give me patience and to remember these days are the easy ones. I know Baby Girl will be in my arms in no time but the waiting is beginning to make me cranky! Also pray for a cheerful spirit as we wait and a smooth transition as we become a family of four. Finally, pray for a safe and uncomplicated labor and delivery and a wonderfully healthy baby girl.

Also, I came across this online this morning and it immediately made me cry. It really is right on the money with how I'm feeling about becoming a mom of two and about my baby boy not being the "baby" anymore. You'll need some tissues now...

Loving Two

I walk along holding your 2-year-old hand, basking in the glow of our magical relationship. Suddenly I feel a kick from within, as if to remind me that our time alone is limited. And I wonder: how could I ever love another child as I love you?

Then he is born, and I watch you. I watch the pain you feel at having to share me as you’ve never shared me before.

I hear you telling me in your own way, “Please love only me”. And I hear myself telling you in mine, “I can’t”, knowing, in fact, that I never can again.

You cry. I cry with you. I almost see our new baby as an intruder on the precious relationship we once shared. A relationship we can never quite have again.

But then, barely noticing, I find myself attached to that new being, and feeling almost guilty. I’m afraid to let you see me enjoying him—as though I am betraying you.

But then I notice your resentment change, first to curiosity, then to protectiveness, finally to genuine affection.

More days pass, and we are settling into a new routine. The memory of days with just the two of us is fading fast.

But something else is replacing those wonderful times we shared, just we two. There are new times – only now, we are three. I watch the love between you grow, the way you look at each other, touch each other.

I watch how he adores you — as I have for so long. I see how excited you are by each of his new accomplishments. And I begin to realize that I haven’t taken something from you, I’ve given something to you. I notice that I am no longer afraid to share my love openly with both of you.

I find that my love for each of you is as different as you are, but equally strong. And my question is finally answered, to my amazement. Yes, I can love another child as much as I love you—only differently.

And although I realize that you may have to share my time, I now know you’ll never share my love. There’s enough of that for both of you – you each have your own supply.

I love you—-both. And I thank you both for blessing my life. —Author Unknown