Meet Scarlett

Full Name: Scarlett Nicole Zoerb - it was only after she was born did I realize the word scarlet is a color.  A funny coincidence considering I've always wanted to name my kids after colors & stones.  Nicole is my only sister's name, with whom I have a very unique sisterly relationship.
 
AKA: Mouse (squeaks in her sleep), Baby Girl (pretty self-explanatory), Scowlet (cousin Layla wanted to take her 'sister' Scowlet home), & Charlotte (much easier to remember for our 5 year old neighbor, Cali).
 
Weight & Height at Birth: 7lbs 2 oz & 20" long (I forgot to ask how big her head was, which is more definitive when considering the path she took to enter this world). People say "that's a nice size" - sure didn't feel nice!  

Weight & Height at 2 Weeks: Scarlett now weighs a whopping 7lbs 10.5oz & is 20 & 1/4".  It's nice to know that we are doing something right.
 
Labour & Birthing Experience: When people ask me how the birthing experience went, I am not really sure how to answer it & find myself giving different answers depending on who I have talked to.  It's not really something you can describe to someone who has never experienced giving birth before.  I have definitely developed a new appreciation for my mother, who delivered 6 kids by the time she was my age, & all the other childbearing women in the world...especially those who don't have access to laughing gas, jacuzzi tubs & epidurals.  But here are the facts:
 
Total hours of labour = 14.  About 4 of those were quite bearable, 6 becoming more intense but bearable still, & 2 what felt extremely unbearable (but obviously bearable as I got through it) 1 hour of bliss (thanks to the epidural) with a twinge of pain here & there (left side was partially unfrozen) & the last hour consisted of pushing this child out, epidural turned down (someone once told me that the pushing wasn't the hard part...I would like to contend to that statement).  At 2:00 pm we went to the hospital at which point I was 3 centimeters dilated &  Scarlett was born at 6:37 (according to the 'medical experts' it all went pretty quickly...sure didn't feel like it!).  She was crying before she was completely delivered & scored a perfect 10 on the Agar.
 
Coming Home: After 2 nights in the hospital we were given an instruction manual to take home with the kid.  I have to say it didn't quite cover it.  This whole time I thought the hard part would be over with the pregnancy.  Oh how naive I was.  Since coming home we have had the luxury of dealing with stitches down under...bleeding cracked nipples (despite all efforts of help from many nurses)...yeast infection & a case of thrush (entering round 2 of meds)...blocked tear ducts....blocked milk ducts...& a few sleepless nights (though Scarlett has been pretty good to us in the sleep department for the most part).  On the bright side we have a new source of entertainment, as mom & dad we just sit & stare at her tiny little expressions & listen to her funny little sounds for hours on end.  In fact, dad is already grieving over the fact that she won't be like this forever.
 
In just 2 weeks this kid has changed already so much.  I finally understand what new mothers mean when they say it goes by so fast.  Scarlett's nose will never again be all squished & turned up like it was 10 days ago (well, let's hope).