.Welcome Alice Amber Gusa (birth story)

Our whole world changed on Tuesday when our beautiful little girl was born.

Introducing: Alice Amber Gusa

A perfectly soft and warm little angel. She squeaks and squirms, has all her parts properly in place, head covered in pretty dark brown hair. Her eyes look like her Momma’s and her nose looks like her Dada’s. She weighed 7lbs 11oz, 21 inches long.

We are all so desperately in love with this babe.

All along during my pregnancy I was thinking this one would come early. Probably because my ultrasound tech gave me an earlier date (Oct 22nd). It gave me hope, but the doctors still said my date was Oct 26th. And so it came to pass, she followed exactly in her brother’s footsteps and came two days after her due date on Oct 28th.

On Tuesday morning at 7am my contractions finally started… they hurt, but I was elated! They were coming 30 minutes apart until around 9:30am after I took a shower. I kept telling Aaron that we would still have a long time before we’d need to go to the hospital, but luckily he called his sister Tam and she came right over to tend Ames. (Thank you so much Tam and baby Jake!) Contractions had started coming on really strong and constant and all over the place and I said we needed to go!

We left to the hospital at about 10:15am, and after walking through miles of hallways, I got assessed and was already dilated between 8 and 9 cm… They took us upstairs and it wasn’t long after that before I was pushing. Turns out I have the worst little short contractions that don’t allow me to push for as long as I need to. And then every other contraction gives me no force to push at all?

They started threatening me with the forceps and I really didn’t like that idea, so I started pushing harder than anything has ever been pushed in the history of the world. I did pretty good so they only had to pull out the Dyson vacuum to help me a little bit in the end… (you can see the big round suctioned spot on her head in some of these pictures. So sad! (same thing happened with Ames))

 

Alice finally showed herself at 12:22pm. I was so happy that this time Dr Kuc (best doctor ever) asked Aaron if he’d like to cut the cord… he was pretty exhausted (remember how Aaron is extremely sick?) but I urged him to do it. When Ames was born we were both a little bummed that they didn’t even offer! Also, when Ames was born, they didn’t let me hold him until after he was checked and weighed. ?? This time they put Alice straight into my shaking arms… while they gave me a few stitches.

Another reason we should have been at the hospital a little sooner is because I tested positive for Strep B, so they didn’t have time to give me enough doses of antibiotics before baby came. This meant that we’d have to stay at the hospital for 36 hours instead of the normal 24. I sent Aaron home with his Mom and Ames after they all came to visit us that evening… he really needed a good rest, and there was no bed for him at the hospital.

 

Alice and I were stuck in that room for two days and nights. I seriously couldn’t wait to go home and get a break from all of the constant nurse checks. I missed Air and Ames so much too… but yeah, I was in a lot of pain so it was nice to have a bed that could sit me up, and nurses who could help me get Alice to nurse.

 

The best part of my time at the hospital with Alice was when the sun went down and the lights were dim. She would open her dark eyes wide open and sloooooowly scan the room back and forth. In those moments I was really hit with astonishment and awe at the beauty of this little creation. She is amazing. Her spirit is unique. She brings a lot of love and purity with her. I am truly so thankful to Heavenly Father for giving us another tender-hearted, healthy baby.

Aaron came to pick us up on Thursday morning and I was so anxious to get home I forgot to take a photo of tiny Alice in her car seat for the first time. We obviously don’t have enough photos.
Air's sweet Mother and sisters had decorated our whole house with pink pompoms and banners... AND they filled our fridge with food. Can you even believe how incredibly thoughtful these guys are? I cannot.
Air is adorable and had a song playing on the speakers for me to hear when we walked in the door. (City and Colour - The Girl) I love this man so much.
I finally slept for a few hours before Grandma came over to drop off our Ames (Yes. A few hours is the most sleep I get these days).

It’s magic to see these two babies together. And my post partum hormones are definitely working overtime these days, because these moments bring on so many tears. As do many many other moments lately. Unfortunately they are often tears of pain or frustration from this nursing Momma… wasn’t this supposed to be easy this time?

  

Ames and I missed each other so much this week… funny thing is we are still missing each other even though we’re under the same roof all day. He keeps telling me, “I miss you so much Mommy”. 

He misses my constant attention and I miss giving it to him.

Guess that’s what this is like, being a parent of two.