Just BE Plus Three: Round Two

After our second little lady, Maya, was born (hence the "Round Two"), we spent two days at the hospital. She was born in the wee hours on Wednesday morning, so we stayed until Friday. Brian and I have nothing but positive things to say about Riverside's Labor and Delivery. (Aside from the triage nurse but I'm not even going to go there.)

This time around, we BOTH could order meals from the room service option. When we were in the hospital nearly three years ago with Kate only I was able to. The nurses and assistants that worked with us on the labor and delivery floor were all so nice. It really was a joy to be there.

I'm going to keep this relatively short and load you up with a bunch of photos but there are three distinct things that I wanted to note from our stay and labor that I noted while we were there:

1. Not having an epidural was AMAZING. I was up and at'em the very day I had given birth to Maya. I was able to walk around, to shower, to get things on my own, to check out my sleeping baby in the nursery while she was being checked on. I felt great! Trust me, I didn't mind being waited on hand and foot but knowing I was close to fully capable too made all the difference in the world. The spinal headaches that I had with Kate were so debilitating that I was crying the day we left the hospital because I was so fearful that I couldn't manage at home. #iwasright #kindof

2. I had two distinct feelings/thoughts when we were in the hospital. The first was in the wee hours of the morning. The sun was stirring to rise, but it was early. I laid with Maya, and, for a moment, wanted time to freeze. I thought to myself that these moments in the hospital, where it is just her and I and Brian, with no other responsibility, are very lucky ones. For when we get home, the plate piles full with - Kate, Jack, household chores, duties, work, cooking, playing, keeping sane, etc. I was so peaceful in that moment, with her in my arms, while Brian slept on the sleep-couch, and the sun was barely awake. It was a wonderful feeling. But, just two seconds after that moment, I felt a deep sense of guilt for enjoying a moment without Kate and with her new sister. That was my second feeling. So I told myself to get it together, gave myself a little slap on the face for being an imbecile, and tried to get back to my moment. Of course there are going to be moments, individually and together, that I'm going to enjoy immensely. Of course Maya, Kate, and Brian will all experience these. Of course I love Kate to no end. And Maya too. And Jack...while we're at it. Get back to the moment, Erin. There's not much time before you are back home and in the full swing of raising a toddler and a newborn.

3. About a month before I had Maya, I spoke to a friend of Brian's that recently became a doula. She had said to me, "The first child gains from your attention. The second gains from you experience.". This hit a serious chord with me. I am so thankful to have heard this little bit of knowledge because I had been worried my entire pregnancy just how I was going to do it with two kiddos - how I was going to love another, how I was going to manage, how I was going to explain things to both. But all of that worrying was for nothing. It all works out in the end, and Maya is certainly gaining from my experience, Brian's, and big sister, Kate's, without a doubt! She is one lucky lady!

(Ok, maybe I won't keep it short...)

All in all, our hospital stay this go around was fabulous. It was such a pleasure to stay at Riverside. It was a pleasure to have Kate and a lot of our other family and friends come and visit us while we were there. It was a pleasure to be waited on hand and foot. And it was a pleasure to be able to share in some lovely moments together. So, without further ado, please enjoy our hospital stay in photos!

Wednesday, July 22, 2015 - Maya's Birthday!