Happy birthday dad

Poor Matt's birthday was only 4 days after we brought Olivia home. I was still not allowed to drive and could barely walk at that point, so it wasn't the most festive occasion, but we tried to make it special. He actually had 3 celebrations.

Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of the first celebration with his parents. But they brought over Lupe Tortilla (his fave!) and got him a really nice polo from Vineyard Vines (also his fave)!

Then he had a celerbration with my parents. He got 2 polo shirts + a onesie for Olivia that says "I have daddy wrapped around my finger." At less than 1 week old, this is already very true! My mom made a delicious dinner and a smores cake for Matt. YUM!




Finally, this is his third and final celebration with Olivia and I on his actual birthday. I got him an iPad (and a baby).

Happy birthday Matt. Olivia and I love you SO much!

Sponge Bath

We gave Olivia her first sponge bath on September 25. Our night nanny, Linda, helped us with it and it was a good thing because 3 sets of hands were definitely necessary! She didn't seem to really like or dislike the bath, but she definitely did not like being cold and naked. I think Matt and I will have to work on our technique!

Three Things You May Not Know...

Dad here with some interesting tidbits about our little bundle of joy:

1) Joey Chestnut should be on alert - Olivia sucks down milk faster than any baby alive. Every time she nurses she acts as if it may be the last time. Sometimes I think she assumes Persis and I are terrorists holding her hostage in this mean new world outside the womb.

2) Her logic skills aren't quite up to snuff - Olivia, like many other babies I suspect, is not going to win any IQ contests in the near future. Her favorite thing to do is scream, cry, and work herself into a panic for no good reason. For instance, she will begin to cry because she is hungry but gets so worked up that she can't swallow properly when we try to feed her. This is also true when she has a wet diaper and is screaming bloody murder wanting us to change her. But, when I take off her diaper she violently swipes at my hands which causes her to actually get pee on her face.

3) Olivia has crazy eyes - I am concerned that she may grow up to become a serial killer. Seriously. Sometimes she gets the hiccups and her whole body jumps up and down. EXCEPT FOR HER EYES! They stay locked on you as if to say, "You did this to me and I will NEVER forget."

Despite these minor concerns I am loving having baby Olivia in our life. Every day brings new challenges but we love her so much. I'll continue to update you periodically about her crazy habits.

Hospital Days

Our stay at the hospital seems like somewhat of a blur now. Miss O and I both struggled a bit in the first few days. After our marathon delivery, I was tired, sore and on a wide variety of pain medicine. I was also confined to the bed. And sweet Olivia had to spend her first night alive in the NICU. Then she had to do phototherapy because the doctors were concerned about jaundice.


So, we did not get to see her much for the first few days in the hospital. But we loved soaking up all the precious time we did have with her!




By Wednesday, both of us were feeling much better and ready for some visitors. Aunt Casey & Uncle Ryan came to visit with delicious cupcakes and beautiful flowers:


My parents (MiMi + Granddad), Aunt Yasmin and Aunt Nazreen




Matt's parents (TuTu + Pop-O)


Aunt Katherine


We were both discharged from the hospital on Thursday evening. Mimi and Aunt Nazreen helped me get Olivia into her sweet "coming home" dress. (She seemed less than thrilled about it.)





And thankfully Pop-O helped take us home. Matt and I were SO glad he was there to help us settle into those first few scary hours alone with a newborn!


And here are a few random shots of our cute little button from our time at the hospital:


(This one of her sticking her tongue out is quite fitting of her stubborn personality. From refusing to breathe at the hospital, to pressing her lips together and refusing to eat, I think she's showing us early who's boss here!)

She's here!

Olivia Jane Dean is finally here! I am sure you are just here for the pictures, so I will give you the short version of her birth story:

She was due on Sunday, September 18th. I woke up that morning feeling a few contractions but nothing much. So the day passed with no news. However, I woke up at 4:00 am on Monday, September 19th with definite contractions about 10 minutes apart. By 6:30 am they were getting closer and stronger and by 9:00 that morning we had checked into the hospital in Labor & Delivery! The day went pretty slow. Finally at about 9:30 PM, I was 10 cm and ready to start pushing. (Funny story - Nazreen was in the room with us at this point. My parents had been there most of the day but had just left for a minute to walk around. Nazreen was apparently freaked out at the announcement that I was ready to begin pushing because I think she thought I was going to push the baby out right then. So she jumped up and said "Come on Matt, lets go!" and and out of the room. Matt went to find her just standing in the hall. He told her that he was going to stay with me (thank goodness!), but that she could come in and wait for our parents and promised I wouldn't push while she was there!)

So, my family left and it was time to start pushing. And, push I did! For nearly THREE hours!! At which point, the doctor told me that we could try for 10 more minutes and she would use forceps, but she was pretty sure I was going to have to get a c-section. So, we all got ready and moved to the Operating Room. Matt and I both thought the forceps were a long shot, but I had been pushing for so long that I figured it was worth a try.

So...the contraction came, the doctor said "push", I did....and all of a sudden a little baby was plopped on my chest! I was literally speechless. I just remember looking back and forth at Matt and then at her again and again. Finally, I was able to say "She's SO cute!"

But before I could get out anything else, the doctor cut her cord and she was whisked away. Our stubborn girl refused to actually take a breath and was turning purple! But after several very scary moments and some time with the NICU doctors, she was okay. The nurses later told me "Your daughter is quite the diva! She would look right at us, but refuse to take a breath!" Hopefully this is not a foreshadowing of difficult days to come with this little bundle.

A few pictures in the room during the day.

Matt and I....pretty scared/excited about what was going to happen..


With my parents


With Nazreen


I was loving the ice chips and made Matt refill that glass approximately 20 times while I was pushing.


Poor little Olivia's heart rate kept crashing, so I had to be on oxygen most of the afternoon and almost the entire time I was pushing.


Matt and I with our favorite nurse, Jamie. Once her shift was over (right when I started pushing), things got pretty crazy for us! We were very sad to see her go.



Here's our first family picture together before she went to the NICU for the night.

Olivia Jane Dean
September 20, 2011
12:42 am
6 pounds, 12 ounces
19 inches

Olivia went to meet the family on her way up to the NICU.


Matt got a print of her footprints on his scrubs



After a few hours in the recovery area, Matt came to get me and I was finally wheeled up to the NICU to see her. This is my first real chance to see her. Love!


I'll post more on our hospital stay later, but we are all doing great and having fun adjusting to this new world!