Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Apologies for the radio silence, but after five days home, I had a little scare about my c-sect incision and was placed on strict bed-rest until yesterday.
I'm finally feeling good, able to move about ...just in time to celebrate Nate's birthday and upload some more pics.

My three weeks of bed-rest produced many visitors who came to help me take care of little Harper. After my parents left, Harper got to meet Marc & Charlotte, Ben K, Joanna, Ashlee, Heather, Carla and Shannon. Then Nate's parents came to town and spent the entire week looking after Harper and myself. I know they didn't mind getting lots of Harper-time. It was love at first sight. Big thanks to all of you lovely, sweet, patient people. I really appreciate the help and the love!

Life has been a little rough this past week. We're new to this game, so we're still trying to figure it all out. Our friend, Sally came over yesterday and suggested we re-visit the swaddle...it worked last night so we'll see how tonight goes...
Welcome to parenthood!

I'll try to keep updating every two weeks or so.
Love to all of you and thanks for checking in on our happy little family.
All the best,
Karen, Nate & Harper

Welcome Home, Harper!

Happy Valentine's Day!
(and Happy Birthday, Auntie Kristie!)
Our little Valentine is doing so well! She's feeding well, sleeping well and last night...started smiling! So we think she likes her new digs.

Thursday was a busy day. Harper's first car ride, first trip across the Brooklyn Bridge and first peek at her new home. She saw it all through closed eye-lids.

Yesterday she had her first pediatrician visit. She's in great health; long for her weight.

Grammie and Grandpa are going to be sad to say good-bye tomorrow morning. We'll be sad to see them go. They've been very patient awaiting her arrival and oh, such helpful & loving baby-watchers while mom sneaks in some zzz's.

Nate's a natural born daddy. He's doing all the diapers, heavy lifting and still managed to pull off a spectacular Valentine's brunch.
This morning I woke up feeling feeling human for the first time all week, so I promise to start re-connecting with the world soon.

We can't thank you enough for all the love being sent our way. We cherish every email, every text, every sweet thought.
We're looking forward to building Harper's social calendar and giving you all a chance to fall in love with our Valentine.
xo Karen & Nate

Update - Day 2

Thank you for all your kind words and warm greetings! Its been so much fun to have all of you here with us in spirit: cheering us on and welcoming our beautiful Harper.

The Miles family is doing well. Lots of sleeping last night for mom, dad and Grammy and Grandpa Wax as we were all up for basically 24hrs. And Harper has been sleeping all day long today, apparently yesterday wasn't too easy on her either.

She just did not want to come out. There was quite a bit of effort to get her here. I could hear the doctor huffing and puffing, of course I couldn't see anything, but it felt and heard like it was quite a struggle.

Eventually they told Nate to stand up and greet his daughter. Hearing her first cries were a huge relief. I wish I had a video of Nate's face, it was the most precious expression of joy I have ever seen.

Nate went with H to the nursery to get her bathed and measured. I headed off to recovery and two hours later we all reunited in our post-partum room. She was very alert all day. Checking out her new digs.

Harper is feeding well. I'm enjoying bonding with my baby girl. And watching my husband become a doting father. Having surgery has rewards, he's changing all the diapers!

We'll be coming home on Thursday, so please bear with us if we don't reply to all the sweet messages til then.

Thanks again for all the love you've all sent our way. We know we're blessed to have so many wonderful people in our lives.

Xo Karen, Nate & Harper

Harper makes her appearance!

Awaiting Baby Miles

It's A...

Beautiful little GIRL!

Harper Grace Miles was born this morning!

Stats:
8 lbs., 1 oz.
21.5 in. long

According to my inside source, she is a beautiful little thing, with great coloring and has a dusting of light brown hair.

Congratulations, Karen, Nate and Harper! We are so excited for you and can't wait to meet the little one! XOXO

All that hard work, and...

Just got a text from the mommy-to-be. Looks like she's going to have to go in for a C-section, after all. She didn't progress past 5cm, even though she managed the contractions for 13+ hours like a champ (the doctor even told her she'd only had 4 patients who had managed with contractions that strong, without pain relief).

Alas, the baby just doesn't want to come out... SO, we should know more very soon. Not sure when the surgery is scheduled for, but I'm guessing soon!

C'mon, Baby Miles!

Update from Karen & Nate

So after 13hrs of pitocin and contractions 2 to 3 mins apart and still 4 cm, our last option was to get an epidural to see if that relaxes my body enough to open up. We'll know by noon whether we're gonna start pushing or head into surgery. Baby is doing great. I'm much more relaxed and Nate and I are both looking forward to some shut eye.

Xo Karen & Nate

Progress Report...

Just a little progress report - not too much yet. Karen's doing great, baby's doing great. Progress is slow, but steady, so far. Should have another update around midnight EST.

Heading to the Hospital

I can finally say it!
Our appt slot got moved up, so Nate and I are heading to the hospital at 3pm to hopefully start the induction procedure by 5 or 6pm. I feel pretty guilty about evicting H since we're still both doing great, sleeping well, getting around and happy to co-exist, but my hope is that if we get this started while we're both doing great, all I'll need is a kick-start and we'll be home free. I'm already 4 cm dilated and have been slowly getting to this point in the past 4 weeks.

I have put my sister in charge of updates from this point on, so check back. Hopefully within the next 24-36hrs we'll have a 'It's a ..." heading!
We can't wait!

Thank you so much for all the love, thoughts, and prayers.
Make room in your hearts for one more beautiful soul!
xo Karen & Nate

Let the waiting continue...

The earliest I can go in for induction is Sunday at 10pm. So at least there is an endgame, which is great, since I don't think I could handle facing another weekend without it.
Good news is I have progressed in the last week. So there is still a chance I might start labor on my own. That said, I will not update the blog until there can be a 'Heading to the Hospital' headline. It's depressing to keep trying to make news out of no news.
Nate and I have just decided to forget the past week and live it up this weekend like it's our last weekend of freedom...'cause it is.
xo Karen & Nate

Back in Brooklyn

Just got back from the hospital. The good news is the baby is doing great.
The heart-rate is solid, 'e moves all the time (which is re-assuring to mommy) and we got to watch the baby on the sonogram for 20 mins. H is measuring approx. 8lbs 4oz. There's still lots of fluid in there, the umbilical cord is safely at the posterior end of the baby (which is re-assuring to mommy). Every technician and doctor who saw/heard the baby said the baby looks/sounds perfect and very happy. There 'e was just sucking away, moving fingers and we even got a wave when the baby's hand pressed against my belly... High 5!
It was thrilling to see how well the baby is doing... blissfully existing in ignorance of the trama which is about to unfold. Happy as could be.
The bad news is I only had one contraction the entire 20 mins we were there.
We head to the doctor tomorrow to see what she thinks.
Keep sending us happy thoughts of labor!
xo Karen & Nate

Groundhog's Day

You've seen it, we're living it...

More of the same...

This is the most boring blog in all of the interweb, but I keep updating so you all know you're not missing a thing.
I crocheted a blanket this weekend.
I sat and watched the entire Superbowl from my couch, after walking to Dumbo in the afternoon (the last part of the return trip is a huge uphill slope). I've been eating spiced food for four days now. I've tried everything said to help induce labor short of castor oil.
I'm going to yoga this morning. Nate's gone to work this morning. My parents are being wonderfully patient watching their ticking time-bomb of a daughter who seems to have lost her clock. They have been here since Wednesday night! Poor things may have to go back to CA before this kid even arrives.
I head to the hospital Wednesday for fetal evaluation tests... to make sure the baby is fine, has enough fluid and is not getting too big.
Thank you for all your sweet notes and well wishes.
xo Karen & Nate

Indeed, Still Pregnant...

Sorry to disappoint folks, but this baby is smart enough to want to stay where it's warm and cozy and not 25 degrees outside. We did have some contractions, some stronger aches and pains yesterday...I started to get hopeful. But they faded away by 5pm. There's just no way to know when this old car is gonna turn over enough times to get started.
I'm hoping sometime soon, 'cause though I'm still feeling great over all, the anticipation is starting to kill me and I'd really like to keep this kid under 9 lbs.
So while you're enjoying your beers and your wings this Superbowl Sunday, America, send your thoughts, your waves of pain, in my direction.
Thanks for checking in!
Karen