The dogs

In case you all thought we would forget about the dogs, we haven't.  They do miss daily walks with me, but have gotten plenty of exercise playing with new toys in the yard.  They still engage in their nightly snug fests on the couch and get plenty of discipline, love, and affection! 

2 WEEKS OLD

Samantha is two weeks old, today!! She is doing great.  She had the privilege of meeting Jim and Anita Conrad, who stopped in, en route to Winston-Salem.  Samantha took a liking to Anita, as she fell asleep in Anita's arms for a very long time...  Very sweet.  Samantha has also received many visits from "aunt" Patti, next door.  Any time Patti is missing her family members know where to find her!!

As many of you know, I previously worked with NICU babies, many born prematurely.  As I reflect on my past experiences working with infants born at risk for developmental delays, I cannot help but be amazed at what a full term, healthy newborn baby can do.  In my assessment of Samantha, I've noticed she has perfect muscle tone, moves her extremities symmetrically, turns her head from side to side (on her belly and back), brings hands to midline, etc.  I am so happy for her and feel very fortunate to have a healthy baby, AND, I am grateful for the knowledge I have as a result of past work experiences.  I thought I would lose my "baby assessment/handling" skills, but they have all come right back and feel very natural.

Samantha's first Tour

Samantha just finished watching her first Tour De France.  Congratulations to Lance, who came in 3rd. Samantha is doing well.  I actually got 7 hours of sleep last night (not in one stretch). Her grandma and grandpa Goetz were in town for 5 days and helped out immensely.  We are grateful for their cooking, their trips to the grocery store, and for their excitement about Samantha.  Here are a few pictures I have taken since being home.

The New Pack Member

Our new addition is Samantha Carly McGowin, born, July 17, 2009, at 12:36 PM weighing 6.7 lbs and laying 18 1/2 inches long.  She was born by cesarean section due to her refusal to rotate from her breech position.  As you can see, she has lots of hair.  We don't know where the hair came from or how long it will stay.  She is perfect in every way :)

Starting Early

Here are some pictures of my nieces, Alexa and Taylor, pretending they are Aunt Ashley.... totally hilarious!

Update

I am now 38 1/2 weeks pregnant and weigh 20 pounds more than I did last October.  I am absolutely ready for Baby McGowin to be here.  "Baby M" is breech so I had an external cephalic version (ECV) done last week.  This is where the doctor tries to flip the baby around by pushing from the outside.  It is not comfortable.  Baby McGowin did not want to move so the procedure was unsuccessful.  I opted not to get an epidural, which was offered, and suffered through the 90 seconds of pain.  Since the baby is still breech I have been scheduled for a cesarean section.  This will prolong my return to running and daily exercise, which sucks, but at least the end of my pregnancy is insight.  I have had a relatively easy pregnancy, with the exception of one night of major abdominal pain, sciatica pain for many weeks, and rib pain.  I either tore cartilage or fractured my rib from coughing (while I had a lingering cold) and have been in pain ever since.  With a fully expanded ribcage it is difficult for any rib injury to heal.  However, the excruciating pain I've felt for 2+ weeks has dulled some and I am hopeful that most of the pain will be gone by the end of next week. Regarding my sciatica, this has gotten worse over time and it is hard to walk 10 steps without feeling any pain down my right leg.  I am not sure why some women LOVE being pregnant.  It has been an interesting experience, but I will be VERY glad when it is over.