Love at First Sight (again)

Today Alexa met Ani for the first time, a very meaningful event for all of us.  The first meeting was a moment that highlighted our memories of Granty's all-to-short life, so the significance of today's meeting resonated for us.  Today also represented a huge step for our immediate family, as it was in many ways a rebirth for us and presented a sense of joy, relief and hope.  We are a family of five.

The similarities between Alexa's introduction to both Grant and Ani were undeniable; she immediately transitioned to 'big sister mode', cooing over her newest sibling.  I tried to hold back the tears in my eyes as I assisted Alexa holding Ani, and Damon did his best to play videographer and photographer as he also fought the urge to cry.  Thankfully Alexa was focused upon her new love and didn't notice the emotion she evoked in Damon and myself.

Alexa was smitten with her baby sister, gushing over her petite frame and tiny features.  She was disappointed that Ani didn't open her eyes during their brief visit (despite her repeated attempts to pry open her eyelids), but the baby's full head of hair more than compensated for this slight letdown.  Alexa continually pulled off Ani's crocheted cap, wanting to pat her head and play with her dark locks.  She also asked when the dark hair was going to fall out and turn blonde like hers; I guess I'm not the only one who notice the similarities in these siblings' appearances ;)

What a wonderful day for our family!  I felt like our little boy was watching over us, undoubtedly flashing his signature grin.

The two Hovey girls.....built-in BFF's.

Today was a great flashback to 2012 :)

Making Her Appearance

After a couple of days of waiting, the newest member of the Hovannisian family made her appearance.  Ani (pronounced Ah-ni) Elizabeth Hovannisian was born tonight around 10:30pm, weighing 5 lbs, 1.5 oz and 18.5 inches long.  She's a healthy - just tiny - baby, and she has been extremely alert since her birth.  Whew!

This has been an exhausting 48 hours, but needless to say, Damon and I are overjoyed.  I cannot tell you the sense of relief both of felt as soon as we saw her.  I wasn't too surprised to see that she looked nearly identical to a newborn Alexa :)

I'm looking forward to Alexa meeting her sister tomorrow morning...something tells me she will be very excited to see her newest sibling!

And the Wait Continues....

Well, things are definitely not going according to plan with this baby....

After a sleepless night of knowing I was 'on call' from the hospital, I received a call from my doctor's office around 9am, advising me that I would likely not be getting the call from the hospital until tonight.  I'm not quite sure how the scheduling/prioritization of these medical inductions works, but the nurse told me there was one induction ahead of me.  As a result, I did have an ultrasound at noon today (at my OB's office) to make sure everything still looks good with the baby, and fortunately it does - - not much changed in three days.  And so, as of 10pm tonight, I am continuing to await the call from the hospital.  Let's hope the cliche "Good things come to those who wait" comes true.

During this entire pregnancy, I have speculated that this baby is going to be a mini-Alexa, as the similarities between this pregnancy and Alexa's are undeniable.  The ultrasound tech comments on the baby's head of hair at each visit, and I have to smile because Alexa also popped out with a full head of dark hair (definitely didn't last too long...lol).  The similarities continue - with Alexa, I was originally planned to be induced on Tuesday but was bumped to Wednesday.  Hmm...the same situation is recurring here.  Pretty crazy.

Hopefully I will have good news to share tomorrow night.  I'm definitely getting a good lesson in patience today!

Waiting Game

And the wait begins....

Ever since my doctor's appointment on Friday morning, I have been rushing at breakneck speed to cram three weeks of activities into three days.  Tonight as the final load of laundry was done, and I logged off my work e-mail for the first time in weeks, the anxiousness finally kicked in.  It was the first time in days that I actually sat down and took a breath...this is really happening.

I was induced with Alexa as well (she was late and measured small), but the hospital in Newport Beach had a very different protocol than the one here in Scottsdale...  In Newport Beach, I had to call the hospital between 11am and noon to see if they had availability, whereas effective midnight tonight, the hospital in Scottsdale can call me to come in at any time.  So much for a restful night of sleep!  For someone like myself, this lucid schedule only adds to the anxiety of the situation; I would much rather have an exact time (or I'd even settle for a range).  I am hoping and praying for a healthy (albeit tiny) little peanut to add to our family.

When I was packing my suitcase today, the first thing I packed was Granty's giraffe blanket.  Something tells me that the blanket will provide a sense of comfort and reassurance on Tuesday.

He could sport a 'Big Brother' onesie very soon.....

Simple Tasks

With the sudden change of plans, the gradual process of organizing the baby's essentials that I envisioned has become a very rushed process.  Despite the sense of urgency, the sentiment has not diminished, as the reminders of Grant are embedded  in even the most commonplace items.  

Tonight I began to organize the baby bottles, so I began to dig through the cabinet in the kitchen island where we keep all of the bottles and formula.  This simple task was like opening a time capsule, as the contents of the cabinet reflected the period pre-brain tumor diagnosis.  Granty's weight and feedings were some of the first signs that something wasn't right, so we had worked tirelessly with our pediatrician to try different things.  The contents of the cabinet reiterated all of the efforts we had made - - six types of bottles, four kinds of formula, prescriptions for reflux medication, a host of over-the-counter natural remedies; we truly tried everything.  I couldn't bear to open the notebook where I documented every feeding and diaper change; it made me too sad.

We obviously have a lot of anxiety surrounding our baby girl, but a huge part of me thinks many of those worries will subside when we first lay eyes on our little girl.  I think that is when the reality of our newest member will finally resonate and we simply realize (and accept) the joy she will bring to our lives and family.  There will never be a replacement for Granty, but I'm expecting many of his characteristics to appear in his baby sister.  I'm not the only one expecting some similarities....I know Alexa cannot wait to make her sister laugh with the "Ga-ga-ga-ga" sound that always evoked laughter from Granty.

Yes, despite the rush and sudden change of plans, I think Tuesday (or Wednesday, depending on the time of admittance and duration of labor) will be a very good day for the Hovey family.....

June 3, 2012:  Love at first sight (can't wait for a repeat).

Not According to Plan

My Type-A personality and consummate planning were put to the test today, as I was reminded that things in life don't always go according to plan.

I had an anatomical ultrasound scheduled to morning to ensure the baby is growing like she should.  I've measured small during the entire pregnancy, so this was supposed to be a relatively routine monitoring visit to with a follow-up appointment scheduled with my doctor on Wednesday.  As the ultrasound technician took the measurements, I anxiously awaited the outcome, hoping Baby #3 improved (or at least maintained) upon her growth ranking within the tenth percentile.  After all of the data was compiled, the technician mentioned that she needed to talk to my OB - oh no.  Unfortunately her growth since the last ultrasound didn't quite measure up with her peers - she dropped from the tenth to the third percentile, with no obvious reason as to why.  So, the appointment that was supposed to be only an ultrasound quickly evolved into a full check-up.

After my doctor reviewed the results of the ultrasound, we sat down to discuss the options and next steps.  The baby is full-term (I was 37-weeks today), so my doctor recommended an induction to deliver asap.  This was definitely not my plan...I thought I had three more weeks to prepare!  My doctor initially mentioned inducing tomorrow (Saturday), but I was able to negotiate a few extra days so I can prepare for the baby's arrival - - the plan is to induce on Tuesday (1/7).

Needless to say, Damon and I have been trying to wrap our heads around this sudden change of plans; this was not what either of us expected today.  However, this will be best for the baby, as we'll be greeting our little peanut (expected to be very little...they're estimating around 4lbs 13 oz) two-and-a-half weeks early.  

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers over the coming days - everything is expected to go very well and the baby is expected to be perfectly healthy, but it's a nerve-racking experience nevertheless.  I'll be uttering lots of prayers to Granty (who would have been 19-months today) to watch over his baby sister. 

They'll be welcoming their baby sister a little sooner than expected....

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Our New Year's Eve was very uneventful, something I had purposely planned.  Damon, of course, worked last night and with my due date just three weeks away, I am not exactly looking for a raging party...lol.

In years past, I would usually head into the restaurant on New Year's Eve so that Damon and I could (sort of) spend the holiday together, but last night I was looking forward to having a relaxing evening.  Alexa had gone to school yesterday (not normal school, but rather full-day childcare), and I had worked the entire day, so both of us were pretty exhausted by the time I picked her up last night.  She fell asleep around 9:30, and I was very happy to silence my phone and climb into bed to watch a Law & Order episode on the dvr.  Not exactly the most rocking New Year's Eve, but it was perfect. :)

The past year was a pretty eventful year of many great moments, from finding out the news of my pregnancy to the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series.  However, there is always a sense of sadness and grief that underpins every moment, as Granty is never far from the forefront of our thoughts.  It was a definite learning process to cope with this grief, and most importantly, find ways to honor the memories of our little guy and preserve his legacy.  Looking back, I can proudly say we accomplished this balance through events (Run to Fight Cancer, Grant Hovannisian Memorial Golf Tournament, etc..), but most importantly in the mundane daily activities of our lives.  Alexa continues to mention Granty on a near-daily basis, something that means more to me than anything.

We're looking forward to a wonderful 2014!

Happy New Year....looking forward to a happy & healthy 2014!