HOME A WEEK

Abuela & her girls
Sleeping beauty

Abuela makes me laugh

Ready to go to lunch with the girls in my pink bow

Look how strong I am (look at my chubby arms)

Watch, I'm gonna life my head

Look at that body

My first bath - not such a fan

Caroline enjoying a cookie

Caroline & Nonnie in the fountain

Well, we've been home a week as a family of 4 and are doing great. Gabriella still has her nights and days a little mixed up but I'm so in love with her that at this stage I don't mind being up with her a lot during the night - it gives me a chance to hold and snuggle her. Junior is not an advocate of having her in bed with us but it is hard for me - I like having her there for a few hours at least when I'm not in a deep sleep. I try to sneak her in when he is sleeping. He usually catches me!

Caroline is a GREAT big sister. She loves to help and gives Gabby hundreds of kisses each day. She also likes to copy mommy and pretend to breastfeed her babies - pretty cute. She sits next to me and pulls up her shirt. Doesn't take this one long to pick up on something - you can't do anything without her trying it out.

Junior has gotten a job at a swanky hotel here in Scottsdale - The Mondorian doing security at one of the clubs and the pool on weekends. It is a great hotel group so hopefully it will turn into more. For now he just feels good to finally be working. I miss having him around on the weekends but he has Sunday's off so that will be our family day plus he is home during the week which is great while I am on maternity leave. I have a potential job lead - I'm keeping my fingers crossed. This is a company where two of my girlfriends went to work when they left American Tower and I have been talking to them for several months hoping that they would have some positions available. They just posted 3 sales positions and I really hope to get one and start in June. I will feel very fortunate if this works out. I'm saying my prayers and being very hopeful.

Junior's mom is still her and is so much help. Considering that I can't pick up Caroline for at least another 4 weeks it is necessary that she be here. She plans to leave at the end of April sometime after Caroline's 2nd birthday on the 17th.

We are all happy and healthy and loving our new family member.

Hugs and kisses to everyone.

Gretchen, Junior, Caroline and Gabriella

INTRODUCING GABRIELLA CARMEN SILVERIO

Gabriella and Kansas (Kansas is so protective)
Mommy, daddy and Gabriella (sorry I look so tired)

Daddy & Gabriella snuggling

Sleeping beauty

Wide awake

Going home outfit

Welcomed home by her Grandma's

Mommy & Gabby while she was in the hospital nursery

Daddy feeding a formula supplement

Hugs from Nonnie

Nonnie and her favorite girls

Caroline loves her new baby sister "Babby" she calls her

Proud Papa

Recovering after the birth

Gabby & Abuela

Birthday

First time in mommy's arms

Kiss me I'm Irish (mommy is 1/4 Irish so I decided that St. Pats Day was the perfect day to be born)

Cleaned up after birth

Well, here she is. We are SO in love. She is the best baby - she only fusses when she is hungry and is the most loving little bundle of joy. The love we feel is overwhelming.

Caroline is a very proud big sister and loves Gabriella. She is a big help and loves to have tasks to help with the baby.

Here are the birth details:

Born at 1:58pm on Tuesday, March 17th (St Pat's Day baby) via c-section

8lbs 1oz

19.5 inches long

After 36 hours she was checked for jaundice which is standard for all newborns and her level was pretty high. She had to be put under the lights and supplemented with formula to get rid of the juandice. She was in the nursery at the hospital for 2 days which was very hard for mommy and daddy. We wanted her in our room. We went to be with her and give her her feedings and checked in on her multiple times each day. After 2 days she was clear of the jaundice and came home with us as planned on Saturday.

We had her first doctor's appointment with our peditrician yesterday and she is doing great - no signs of jaundice and she has already gained 10 oz, she is up to 8lbs 11oz. Junior has been so worried that she is not getting enough to eat since it is hard to tell how much she is getting from breastfeeding but the doctor assured us that she is getting enough to eat and there is no need to supplement. 10 oz weight gain the first week is pretty significant. Yes, she is a chunk!

We look at our girls and feel so truly blessed. In tough times like this for so many people, including us in the job market, we are thankful for all that we have and our family is most important. All else will come with patience and faith.

I'm still recovering from the c-section but doing well. I'm probably doing more around the house than I should but that is just me plus with a 2 year old it is hard to take it easy. The hardest part of the c-section is that I cannot life Caroline for a least 6 weeks and it is killing me. We are having lots of snuggle time on our bed and on the couch - I just can't pick her up. She doesn't quite understand but I have shown her the ouchy on my belly and she wants to kiss it and make it better.

Thanks to everyone for your love and support during the pregnancy. We can't wait for everyone to meet our Gabriella.

UPDATE - GABRIELLA'S ARRIVAL

We have a scheduled c-section for Tuesday, March 17th at 1:30pm (our little lucky charm will be born on St Pat's Day for sure). After my doctor's appointment yesterday we decided a c-section would be best for me with my diabetes and high blood pressure that I have been so blessed with at the end of this pregnancy (right). In addition I have not dialated at all in the last 2 weeks and she feels that I will have difficulty dialating which could cause for a very long and painful labor. No need to put anyone through that.

So think of us at 1:30pm Pacific time on Tuesday as our little Gabriella will enter this world.

More updates soon.

BABY GABRIELLA'S PENDING ARRIVAL

Well, the date has been moved up to this coming Monday. I was scheduled to be induced on Thursday the 19th but as of last night the date is moved to Monday the 16th. We will check into the hospital Monday night at 9pm and they will induce labor - or possibly have a c-section - still to be determined. Either way it looks like she will be a St Patrick's Day baby - this would make my grandmother very proud. My grandmother's maiden name was O'Malley which is where my 1/2 Irish heritage comes from. Looks like my little Irish/Norwegian/Puerta Rican/Dominican baby has decided that she is a fiesty little Irish girl and will enter this world on St Patrick's Day. Junior and I feel that she is our little lucky charm!

It is bittersweet to think of "what to do" these next 5 days before daughter number 2 arrives. Do we relax, go out and have some fun, spend every second with Caroline and she will no longer be an only child? My guess is that we will do all of the above.

Look for posts late next week once we get back home from the hospital with our new baby girl.

Thanks for all the love and support!

2 WEEKS AND COUNTING THE DAYS

The countdown is on. I will check into the hospital 2 weeks from today on March 19th for Gabriella's entry into the world. We are so excited to meet our new daughter. We had a doctor's appointment on Tuesday and I am not dialated at all which was a little frustrating. I was hoping that it was starting - it certainly feels like it is. I am having contractions every day and am VERY uncomfortable. We will go in again next Thursday to see if I am dialated and make a plan from there. Either way on the 19th I will either be induced or we will schedule a c-section. I will be 39 weeks at that time.

I have so many feelings right now, fear, excitment, happiness, and of course the feeling of the unknown. Having never given birth before I have to admit that I am very scared. Also, the unknown of a newborn which I did not experience with Caroline. Thank God for my wonderful husband who is so helpful and supportive and such a wonderful father. Of course I will also have the help of Caroline - she already is so motherly to her dolls and I know that she will be with her new baby sister.

We will keep you posted but know that the 19th/20th is the day if she isn't born sooner.

Hugs and kisses to all.
G, J & C