Lady Violet's Newborn Photos

Lovely Lady Violet

Your newborn photos are breathtaking.

They were taken the day you turned two weeks old. 

You smile every day, normally multiple times a day during your sleep or when you are nursing.

Melts our hearts.

 Your sister already adores you.

She is very protective of her "Bi-dette" when other children take a peek at you.

She loves to tell you "Hello!" and to rock you in church when you are asleep in your car seat. It's the cutest.

 We love having you in our forever family.

 You are getting more beautiful every day.

With a crown of Violet flowers on your pretty little head...

 I admit, I am loving you in purple these days.

 And a little Aunt Jemima headband never hurt anybody! 

 Motherhood is exhausting for sure, but hands down becoming a mother is the best thing that has ever happened to me.

At five weeks, you are struggling at night time. Particularly from 10:30 to 2:30 AM which is pretty rough on your mama! I think you might have tummy troubles right during those hours, I am going to try and solve this problem to help you be more comfortable. 

We call you our little Bug, because you are so cuddly like a cuddle bug!

Your cheeks are so squishy and delicious and kissable.

You love to be held upright and rest on my shoulder and I admit, I love it too. 

You are the loudest baby grunter I have ever heard! And you are rather restless, just like you were in Mommy's tummy. I still imagine you becoming a very Vivacious little Violet, one of the reasons your name fits you so well!

At your 2 week appointment you weighed 8 lbs 3 oz! You are an expert little nurser. 

At exactly one week, the stump from your umbilical cord fell off! I was surprised it fell off so soon but your belly button looks nice and healthy!

You LOVE bath time. It soothes you like a charm. 

Your eyes are still blue, we shall see if they change to brown! I admit it would be pretty fun to have a blue-eyed child. 

Like I said, she truly adores you.

I love when your eyes are open. You cannot tell that they are dark blue in this photo; I promise they are!

Bonding time with  Daddy. See what I mean about those kissable cheeks!

We love you Lady Vi. We are so grateful you joined our family. You are such a sweetie and I know my life will feel normal again when you start sleeping through the night!

Love, Your Mama

Lady Violet Aurora

On the morning of Wednesday November 4th, a contraction woke me from my sleep, slightly more intense than my regular Braxton Hicks that I get early on in my pregnancies. I took note that it was a stronger contraction, but what I really took note of was the fact that they kept coming every few minutes. Sometimes they returned every five minutes, but some were much longer intervals maybe around fifteen minutes. Jon was a little nervous to take the Frontrunner clear up to Ogden for work, as it's an hour and a half train ride. However I felt so calm that if this baby was coming, he had some time. Jon had one more assignment he was hoping to complete for one of his judges, so I encouraged him to go to work but keep his phone close. ;) 

By 10:15 or so, the contractions were still coming frequently. Sometimes during the longer breaks, I was this close to jumping on the elliptical and getting some exercise in. Then a contraction would come as a reminder that maybe today was not a good day for working out. So just in case it was the real deal, I began organizing everything for my hospital leave. In between contractions, I gave myself and Amberly a bath, got us both ready for the day, finished packing my hospital bag, reminded my Mom where all of Amberly's jammies and clothes were, put the monitor in my parents' room, and tidied up the house. It was awesome and I felt so calm this time around! 

By 11:45 I had a couple contractions that took some concentrating to get through, and while talking with Jon on the phone, I had another more powerful one. We were deciding whether or not he should catch the 12:07 train to come home but that contraction was his deciding factor! He told me to please take it easy so he could get to me before anything too crazy happened. After all, he had an hour and a half train ride ahead of him!

Amberly and I ate a little lunch, and then my Mom and I decided to watch The Young Victoria. I did have to breathe through some of the more intense contractions but who doesn't feel calm watching The Young Victoria? I kept asking my mom if she thought this was real labor and she kept saying yes because this was how all her labors went. We both thought the baby would come late that night. 

By the time Jonathan arrived home I had been timing the contractions on my phone and only then did I realize how quickly we should probably get to the hospital! They were going on for over an hour, anywhere from 2 to 5 minutes apart and getting closer and stronger. So Jon and my dad gave me a blessing, Jon ate a quick lunch (I had to remind him to choke something down so he didn't starve like last time), we finished packing any last minute items, and even got Amberly all situated for my Dad to give her a nap. It really was very calm. 

We called Mama Ditto on the way and told her this was probably the real deal. In between contractions, I really was so happy and just fine. Being 38 plus weeks, I felt more than ready for this baby to come this time. I had to remind myself over and over I WAS NOT late going past 37 weeks which is really funny. I was just so uncomfortable the last few weeks, her head dropped low like Amberly's did and I was getting very little sleep.

They checked me in the triage room about 3:15 (the room that determines whether or not you stay) and holy smokes I was a 3, almost a 4 dilated! (wonderful news) and because it was my second baby, I'd been having contractions all day, and lost my mucous plug right before we left for the hospital (very gross term ha ha) they admitted me! That made us pretty happy! I had to take a few breaks on our way to the actual labor and delivery room because of the stronger contractions. Jon would rub my lower back and just let me work through them. I really was fine, I kind of wanted to go a little longer without the epidural but they said my doctor was on his way to break my water, which would really intensify the contractions. And this was my window because the anesthesiologist had a C-section scheduled in the next little while. It's still not a totally obvious decision for me whether or not to get that epidural...but it was so pleasant and so wonderful with Amberly. Furthermore, I'm totally afraid of what contractions would feel like unmedicated, with your water broken, at a 7 or 8 dilated. So we said a quick prayer and told our nurse to bring in the druggies. ;) 

When we first walked into the labor and delivery room and saw the little baby bed and the scale to weigh her, I just cried. That's when it hit me we were about to meet this little family member, this little person with such a strong spirit who has been so anxious to come since last January when I felt her prompting me. 

Doctor Terry broke my water after I got the epidural (a bit more pressure this time getting those meds in my back...yikes! But so worth it I'm sure) and gave me a tiny dose of pitocin which I think is why this labor FLEW by. A few minutes later, Baby's heart rate started dropping just a bit so my doc came to check me. I asked him if I should be worried and he said it could very well mean that I had progressed quite a bit. Low and Behold...I was an 8. An 8! It felt like I'd been in that room for 30 minutes (I don't know how long we were there, getting the epidural etc.) I went from a 3 to an 8?? My doctor was pretty surprised, so he just stayed in the room to chat and joke with us. He checked me maybe five minutes after, and I was a 9! Then they got everything ready for "Show Time" as Jon and I call it and started going over instructions for pushing. Soon enough I was a 10 and ready to go. I never pushed my button for more epidural, so I felt the pushing significantly more than I did with Amberly. A bit painful, but enough adrenaline can get you through anything! I have never wanted to be too numb to not feel in control at that point so I was grateful for that. I definitely felt her head, her shoulder, and her little body. Both times I have used the mirror, and both times I have had my baby out within fifteen minutes. After four contractions, we had a sweet little girl in our arms and I was in tears. 

It was so fast and so smooth. My mom didn't even have time to chill with me in Labor and Delivery. She took Amberly to my sister-in-law, and thought she had a few hours still before the baby would be born. In fact my mom assumed they took her to the wrong door in Labor and Delivery because she was told to wait outside with the nurse exclaiming "We're having a baby in here!" As my mom puts it, she heard laughter and then suddenly a baby was crying. :)

Have you ever seen "What to Expect When You're Expecting"? Jon and my little sis joke with me that I'm like the lady who sneezes and then her baby comes out. 

Jon figures we were at the hospital only 2 and a half hours or so before Baby Violet was born. We were surprised, as was my doctor who has advised me to come in much sooner for our third baby! 

 Violet Aurora Ditto

7 lbs 1 oz

21.5 inches

5:49 PM

Proud Daddy. He sure takes good care of his three gals. 

Morning snuggles the next day. 

Jon and I love the hospital stay. I know not everyone feels this way, but I am able to relax so much more at the hospital than at home! No chores, no tidying up to do. My only job is to snuggle and bond with my newborn and my husband. We call it the "Babymoon" and it's just the best.

Baby Violet looks like her big sister, only the lighter version with less hair. Her skin tone is much lighter, her eyes have potential to be hazel or blue rather than brown, we'll see. She is a cherub and we adore all her baby snuggles. She weighed 7 lbs 1 oz and was 21.5 inches long. She has chunkier cheeks than Amberly did and came packed with a squishy double chin. Those extra few days in Mama's body made a big difference! 

 Coming home!

We all know it was no coincidence that we brought Violet home to my family on November 6th, exactly one year from the day my brother Seth passed away. It seems this baby is a gift from heaven, and a very specific reminder that God is aware of us always, during both times of sorrow and of joy. My brother's girlfriend, Britney, held Violet for over an hour that day, a special healing balm for her soul during a difficult time. 

Amberly has done overall well with the big change, as long as she gets her personal Mommy and Daddy time each day. As Jon says, Amberly loves her new baby "85% of the time." :) It is a big change and we know she's feeling it. We're certainly in transition mode in our home and there have been extra tantrums thrown by this little toddler.

Behind the Name: I feel like this little Violet's spirit has been with me for a long time. It seems she was even around when I first brought Amberly home, because out of nowhere during the first few weeks of Amberly's life I almost accidentally called her Violet numerous times. I asked Jon if he liked the name and we never forgot it. Then when I felt a little girl telling me she was ready to come last January, I reminded Jon about Violet. We really discussed SO many names for the past nine months, and nothing else seemed right. She's just our Lady Violet. We love it. And Aurora means dawn, light or sunrise. We considered that as a first name for awhile but thought it would be better as a middle name. It's so rich and let's be honest, she is another little princess. "Hail to the princess Aurora!!!"

I kind of just look at both of these girls in awe. I will never cease to be amazed that my body can produce these little people, and I am so grateful. We adore our girls!

Baby Vivacious at 36 weeks

My Dear Baby Girl,

You are such a little wiggle worm! Seriously, your Daddy has the opportunity to feel your cartwheels every day and it is so much fun. Sometimes I just watch my belly move in awe as you dance and flip and jump around in there. Are you ultra enthusiastic about life? Are you going to keep me on my toes? Maybe the calmer temperament of your older sister can rub off on you...;)

We are over 36 weeks now and your Daddy and I cannot wait to meet you and see your little face! Everything is pretty much ready for your arrival. The extra crib is set up, your car seat and clothes and diapers are just waiting, and our arms are anxious to hold you and snuggle you!

36 weeks pic

 Flashback to 31 weeks

Your sister loves you so much already! We are really looking forward to the first moment you meet each other. 

We are so curious to see when you decide to come, and what this labor will be like. Amberly came right when I hit 37 weeks, but I'll be 37 weeks this Saturday and you don't seem quite ready yet. 

A few funny quirks about this pregnancy: I crave chocolate! So bad. I finally have succumbed to the temptation - just a half a cup of chocolate chips satisfy the craving. Yesterday and today, I even put a handful in my green smoothie to grind up! I just laugh at myself and tell myself I'll be more disciplined post baby.

I can only sleep with the assistance of three extra pillows. One for my back, one between my legs, and one for this ever growing baby bump. I wake up every two to three hours and my goodness is this body tired but it is what it is.

Today was the first day I really struggled to get through one of my kickboxing DVDs. I must have looked hilarious. Well, I made it to 36.5 weeks! I think my body only wants lower impact exercise from here on out. 

Baby Girl,

You are so loved by so many. Your Daddy says he can "feel the veil thinning" and I love that; I cannot stop thinking about it. I have been busy and stressed and rather anxious at times but your father is so soothing and so good at remembering the eternal picture. We are such lucky girls to have him in our lives!