What's in a name?

Dear Miléna,

Picking out your name was not an easy task.  We had no idea what to name you.  Your name is the first thing people will learn about you.  Giving and receiving a name is an event of major importance.  This will be part of your personal identity.  Your dad and I didn’t take this task lightly.  We took as many moments as we had to really come up with the perfect name for you.   We truly wanted to see you before we officially chose a name.  I had a short list in my cell phone of names and their meanings.  Occasionally, your dad and I would come across one that struck our interest. I would look the meaning up and add the name to the list.  We wanted something feminine.  We didn’t want to give you a name that every other little girl had, but we also didn’t want to give you a name that was so too unusual. Eventually, we had to choose a name from the list. One of our favorite names on the list was Miléna. Our families were all so anxious to know what your name would be, but we kept our list to ourselves.  Your dad and I wanted to see you and hold you before we decided 100% on your name.  When we saw you, we knew your name was Miléna Jean. Pronounced “Mil-Lay-nuh”, It was perfect: strong, feminine, unique.  And the meaning was perfect.  Miléna means love, warmth, grace… all of the things we do our best to live by, all of the things you have already taught us so much more about. You are our love. Jean is after Kiley's late mother's name, Jeanne as well as his grandmother's middle name.  It means "God is gracious" in Hebrew.  We chose your name because it’s strong, but it has such a sweetness about it at the same time.  We love your name, sweet MJ. I hope you come to love it as much as we do.

The first few weeks

All throughout the pregnancy, you hear people tell you to "Make sure you get your sleep now" and "Oh, parenting will be the hardest thing you will ever do".  It's almost as if people are trying to scare you.  Perhaps they have a flawed outlook on what it  means to be a parent. Parenting is not a chore. Since the very first breath Milena took, I have not been scared of parenting because I viewed it as a blessing and a gift.  I don't sigh with frustration in the middle of the night when I wake to feed her.  I look forward to seeing her bright wide eyes staring up at me.  I am excited to provide all of the nutrients she needs to survive.  I look forward to our mid-morning snuggles.  I like making sure she is taken care of and comfortable.  It's not like you have to wake up and run a marathon.   You get to sit quietly in the comfort of your home, snuggling your sweet bundle... watching them coo and be cute.  Then you get to go back to sleep. Although my sleep schedule has shifted a bit, I have gotten plenty of sleep from day one.  Milena is on a feeding/sleeping schedule that she has been pretty used to since the first week.  She eats every two hours throughout the day and has only one feeding a night.  She hardly ever makes a fuss... she cries a little bit but only momentarily when she is hungry or needs to be changed.  She is such a smiley baby and I think it has a lot to do with her schedule.  She is comfortable and knows what to expect and when to expect it.  She doesn't have to worry about her next meal or being too hot/cold.  She is comfortable. Having her on a schedule keeps me on a schedule and allows me to know what to expect or plan for throughout the day as well.  Don't get me wrong, we are far from perfect and veer from our schedule often.  But, it helps keep us all on track.  I have been told that I am blessed because she is such a great baby.  I couldn't agree more.  Milena is such a huge blessing.  She has brought so much joy and love to my life.  The first few weeks of motherhood have had its challenges with healing from the delivery/birth, seeing my mom leave and being away from my family and friends, nursing and balancing school with motherhood.  However, this has been the most amazing few weeks of my life.  The challenges I have faced don't even place a shadow on the immense joy I have found in parenting this little girl.  It is such a miracle that she is even here.  I am so blessed to have been chosen as her mom.  I can't compare the feelings I feel to anything in this world.  It is unlike anything I have ever experienced and I am elated to know that I am forever going to be this sweet little girl's mommy.  Parenthood is not hard and it is not a chore. Yes, there are challenges but they play a beautiful role in this journey. Being a mommy is an incredible joy and blessing. So if you are an expectant mother, anxiously awaiting your child's arrival, know that everything in your life is going to be so incredible. There's absolutely nothing to fear. Although people would love for you to believe that your life will take a downward spiral and will be increasingly more difficult and chaotic with a child, it wont be. Your life is going to be so enhanced, indescribably amazing, riddled with reward-bearing challenges and completely filled with JOY and LOVE.  You are about to experience one of the most incredible blessings in life. 

Welcome Sweet Baby

I suppose you could've guessed it due to my hiatus, but the baby has arrived!!!

Welcome Milena Jean Grant!

Born August 16, 2013 at 6:26pm
Weighing 7lbs 6oz and 20" long

Leaving for the hospital at about 10pm on August 15, 2013.

Snuggles with our daughter

Sleeping Beauty

Grabbing a hold of my mother's ring

Love

Daddy's girl

My MJ

I will write her birth story blog soon, but for now, visit the Three Nails Photography blog to see a post about the arrival of our sweet baby girl!






I have completely neglected my blog since the baby was born but I am working to stay on top of it.
Future posts are:
-1 week, 2 week, 3 week and 4 week updates
-Fitness and postpartum body
-Birth story with professional photos of the entire birthday
-Newborn/Family photos

39 Week Update

Date: August 11, 2013

Next Doctor’s Appointment:  August 14, 2013

 Baby’s size: Baby girl is the size of a watermelon! She weighs about 7 pounds!

How far along:  39 weeks. 

Total weight gain: +29 pounds.  Current weight: 139

Sleep:  Lately I have been getting up more often at night to empty my bladder.  I never thought I would make it to 39 weeks, but it really looks like I might even make it to 40 weeks.  I have felt more pelvic pressure lately.  I did have one day last week that I felt a little crampy, but nothing too uncomfortable or painful at all.  I thought I might have been in the early stages of labor.  I was wrong.  When you get this close to delivery, you become even more aware of your body than ever before.  It has made me really question each new feeling I experience.  This entire pregnancy has really been a dream.  I have been able to stay fit and active throughout the entire process.  Kiley and I have even started jogging around the neighborhood again (praying the entire time that it helps baby make her way out.  Yes, we're anxious to meet her).  I attribute this to how well and how comfortable I have felt throughout the whole process.  Even living in Louisiana during the hottest part of the year for the last stretch of my pregnancy has been surprisingly comfortable for me.  With all of that said, I am highly anticipating the day I get to meet my little girl.

Maternity Clothes:  nope

 Food cravings: No cravings, really.  Any cold fruit juice or carbonated water sounds good to me almost all of the time.

 Food aversions: No

Symptoms I have: Lots of Braxton hicks contractions lately.  I discovered that the sharp leg cramps I have been writing about are likely sciatica, due to the baby putting pressure on certain nerves.  No bueno, but very worth it.

 Movement: Baby is running out of room in there

Belly Button: outie

Gender:  sweet girl

 Best moment of the week: My mama came into town from Colorado this week! She will be staying until baby's arrival.  It has been so fun and exciting having her here! Just yesterday (at 39w2d) we made a belly cast of my belly! It will be an awesome keepsake to remember this time in my life.  We had a ton of fun placing the plaster strips all over my belly! We have just been hanging out, cleaning house, unpacking the last of my unpacked boxes & waiting for baby girl to arrive! I am so happy she has made herself available for this special time in my life.  I love her and appreciate her so much. I am extraordinarily blessed.

What I miss:  Nothing at all.  These are some amazing times in my life.  Each day is better than the last.

What I’m looking forward to:  everything.

 Additional Details:  I started school again last week! I am on track to graduate in early Feb. next year and I couldn’t be more ecstatic about it! I am proud to say that I have been able to achieve such great grades throughout this whole process and all of the moves and changes that have been made throughout the past year.  Having my degree will really help me provide for my daughter, too.  I always want her to value her education like I do.

37 Week Update

Date: July 27, 2013

Next Doctor’s Appointment:  August 6, 2013

 Baby’s size: Baby girl is the size of a watermelon! She weighs about 7 pounds!

How far along:  37 weeks. 

Total weight gain: +29 pounds.  Current weight: 139

Sleep:  I sleep pretty well.  I do get up to empty my bladder and I still get the occasional leg cramp in my calf.  I’m excited to be able to sleep on my back and on my belly again in a couple of weeks! 

Maternity Clothes:  No new maternity clothes.  I have been primarily wearing dresses.  I’m excited to wear my normal clothes again!

 Food cravings: still loving fruit… cold beverages always sound appetizing to me also!

 Food aversions: Nada

Symptoms I have: Hello swelling! Swollen feet, swollen ankles, swollen face... yay... Lots of Braxton Hicks contractions, too.  They are tight and frequent most days, but not painful. I also have sharp pains in my pelvis a few times a day.  Kiley has been hard at work renovating our new home.  We are both really active people so I am doing everything I can to keep up with him, but sometimes my body asks me to rest. I started dilating last week.  At my 36 week appointment, the doctor said I was 1cm dilated (progress!!!).  This week, I was still 1cm, but 30% effaced (more progress!!!).  My mama will be in town by Tuesday of next week (her birthday!) so the baby can come any time after that. I also should note that sometimes I feel a Charlie horse sensation in my hips.  It’s pretty startling and a little uncomfortable.  The hip pains last about 5-15 seconds and we all kind of get a kick out of it because it almost knocks me off my feet.  I had no idea that this was a symptom of pregnancy, but I guess it is the baby pressing on nerves, or maybe my hips are shifting in preparation for birth.
Movement: She is still pretty active in there! I hope she doesn’t get too comfortable!

Belly Button: outie

Gender:  my little sugar girl

 Best moment of the week:  Feeling like things are falling into place with our new home.  We are ready for the next chapter of our lives.  Every day, we talk about how blessed we are and how excited we are to have made it to another day.  We definitely bring out the best in each other.  We are beyond excited to be the parents to a sweet baby girl.  

What I miss:  I don’t miss a thing.  Each new moment is a moment to be excited about.  I’m so blessed to share this time with such an incredible man.  My daughter has the best daddy in the world.

What I’m looking forward to:  everything.

 Additional Details:   I have been restless lately! I have been in beat ode unpacking, cleaning and organizing while Kiley does the renovating stuff I can’t exactly help with.  I get a little frustrated from time to time because I just want to go, go, go! Kiley is always telling me to sit down lol The good news is, he has installed the floors in the living room & the nursery with very little help, we have painted the entire house (with the help of some friends and family), almost everything is moved in, clean & organized.  Everything is coming together! We are both getting so excited! Praying for a relaxing, calm, peaceful, beautiful natural delivery in the next couple of weeks! I am really looking forward to delivering her naturally and unmedicated.  Although it's highly unlikely, I think it would be awesome for her to be born inside her amniotic sac, too.  This is sometimes known as a "veiled birth" and it is when the sac is not ruptured until the baby is outside of the womb.  I know that if I don't deliver after a certain date, I will have to be induced with pitocin (which puts your body into labor and makes contractions more painful and more frequent).  This is not ideal, so I am really hoping she comes soon.  Kiley and I appreciate all of the love, great vibes and prayers for a calm and beautiful delivery!