More pictures.

The garden at the Art Museum is in bloom again, just in time to welcome Nandini home!  We took her out for a few minutes on the 19th for some quick pictures.  She slept through the whole thing, but Avinash had tons of fun running around and playing tag with Bapi.

2 weeks old

...and already trying to out-do her big brother.

At one week she had already gained back her birth weight and the doctor told me that I didn't need to worry about waking her up for feeds.  She had also miraculously grown a full inch since she was born.  6 pounds 4 ounces and 19.5 inches long.  Not sure I believe that she really grew that fast, especially since her legs were so scrunched and unstretchable when she was born.  When she was a few days old, she finally stretched her legs out fully. 

{She looks just like Avinash in this photo}

We had to take Nandini back to the pediatrician on Friday, just a few days later. She threw up once in the middle of the night and then again in the morning (all over me, in the middle of a feeding no less).  And, we are not talking about a little throw up here.  We are talking about like 3 ounces or more here, which is a lot of baby spit up to have all over you.  Its not pretty.  

Needless to say, I called the doctor and brought her in later that day so they could check her weight.  Turned out that she had gained weight since Monday!  She went from 6,4 to 6,14!!  I was totally shocked, how did she gain almost a pound in less than five days?  Clearly she is trying to catch up with Avinash as fast as possible.  How else is she supposed to defend herself from all the bear hugs?  

According to the pediatrician she has been getting too much milk and her little stomach can't accomodate it all.  It is apparently abnormal to be able to pump 6 to 7 ounces at a time in between feedings?  I never thought I would be overproducing milk! Or that a baby could over-drink?  Especially when she goes 4 or 5 hours in between feeds.  Apparently all the Indian dietary 'suggestions' are really working this time! 

Of course, we all immediately start noticing how chubby her cheeks are getting now, etc.  But, really she still has pretty skinny legs and arms (like her nana).  And, it doesn't stop me from being incredibly worried every time she spits up now.  Even though she is totally nonplussed by it (non-nonplussed?).  Hopefully she is just a 'happy spitter' as the book says.

Always looking for milk..

Are you my milk machine? 

Her Nana was wondering if she had started looking at us with fire in her eyes yet or not.  Definitely, definitely she does.  For the few minutes a day when she is awake.  Of course, Avinash never fails to announce these times to us.  'Baby wake!  Baby eyes! Eyes ope this!' 

She is a quiet baby generally, but when she's awake she looks at you like she has something to say.  And she sometimes shares a few coos with us too.

Four days old in these photos, I just love the way she looks..

Playing Holi

We went to the annual Holi festival here in Houston this year.  Supposedly thousands of people were there.  But, we had even more fun the day before on our own patio.  Avinash loved loved loved playing colors.  It did not take long for him to understand the concept of throwing paint on people.

We kept Nandini inside for the most part, but Avinash made sure that she did not stay too clean. The pink dot he put on her head did not fully wash off for days. 

Avinash and Nandini

I suppose I should rename this blog now that our new baby is here! 

Avinash is so sweet with Nandini and loves holding her or giving her kisses.

He just needs to learn to be a little more careful around her.  Gentle was not really in his vocabulary before.  Nandini does seem to love watching all of her brother's monkey business though.

He loves it when she licks his face or grabs his fingers.


He does get jealous every once in a while, especially when Ryan holds Nandini in the evening. 

Avinash has never been great at sharing with other kids, especially with younger children.  But, he shares his toys with his new sister.  He puts her giraffe down next to her on her seat.  He brings her lego pieces and can't understand why she won't grab them. 
They are closer in age than either of our siblings are and I hope that they will grow closer and closer.

Project Life

This has definitely been an eventful week to say the least!!!  Nandini was born on Monday.  We stayed in the hospital on Tuesday and came home Wednesday.   Our friends Sonia and Ankur stopped by with their boy Dhilan, Avi was so excited to have "two babies!" in the house at once.  We all played holi on Saturday morning before my Dad and brother had to leave.  Watching Avinash play was probably the best part.  Our friends Maria and Nagesh also came over with their new baby Roshan and daughter Nisha.  She is two as well, and Avinash was in heaven when she came over.  I can't believe how much fun they have together.  They were jumping on the couch, then the bed; they were singing songs and dancing to ring around the rosie together.  So cute.  We also had our MckMama photoshoot on Sunday too. 

Here are some of the photo highlights of the week.

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

 

Introducing Nandini Kiran

Born on March 14, 2011 at 8:13 pm.  She weighed 6lbs and 4 ounces and was 19 inches long. 

I started pushing about an hour after this, but had to stop and wait for the doctor to get there!  Once she was ready it was only a matter of minutes.  I already got to feel her head, and the nurse could see hair sticking out from the top of her head even.  I had an amazing nurse how made the process of pushing so calm and relaxing.  She talked me through everything without any screaming or gross analogies.  I loved that.  (Much better than the day shift nurse who left a huge bruise on my arm from the IV that is still there a week later..)   I think the nurse did most of the work and I honestly don't really remember the doctor doing much at all.  She caught the baby and massaged my stomach for five seconds, that was about it. 

I was in such a daze by the time the doctor got there.  I could feel my contractions a little bit, but not much.  I knew my anesthesiologist, so he decided to give me the higher dose of medicine "because she's a tall girl" ha!  I totally could not feel any more sharp pain anymore.  I only felt a little pressure after that but even that went away quickly.   When the night shift nurse came on, she said I was ready to push right away.  I kept telling my mom and Ryan to call Dad and Anuj to make sure they were on their way to the hospital.  Before I had a chance to think about it we started doing 'practice pushes' with my mom on one side and Ryan on the other.  He was too freaked out to look at the head, but I really wanted to!  They didn't have a mirror though, oh well.  Probably for the best.  The nurse kept telling me I was doing a great job pushing, which I loved.  Then I had to slow down and wait for the doctor.  She got there, the head was out, the doctor checked for cord, and one second later Nandini was out.  She was crying and I just kept saying, 'Oh my god.'  They placed her on my chest for me to hold and I just tried to take it all in.   We got to do skin to skin contact. 

Outside it sounded like someone was trying to break down the door. They let Avinash inside and I tried to show him the baby. He couldn't really tell what was going on and ran back outside to be with Anuj. After a little while, they took the baby to be measured and the rest of my family came in.




Outside it sounded like someone was trying to break down the door.  They let Avinash inside and I tried to show him the baby.  He couldn't really tell what was going on and ran back outside to be with Anuj.  After a little while, they took the baby to be measured and the rest of my family came in.

 Dad of course wanted to hold the baby,

 Anuj was beaming from ear to ear and

Avinash first realized that the new baby was here.  He was incredibly fascinated with her, but got shy a little bit after. 

Everyone came back out to the big room and Avinash was still hanging around the anteroom, sitting under the scale and just generally looking all cute and vulnerable. He was really happy to sit in my lap and hold the new baby though.

He also wanted to take a cheese of the baby just like everyone else!

We stayed a total of two nights in the hospital.  The second day the hospital photographer came to take her picture.  She did a nice job and got pictures of Nandini in lots of different poses.



My family came back and forth from the apartment to the hospital with Avinash a lot.  He was so excited to hold her and loved giving her kisses.  My mom taught him how she would grab on to his finger and stick her tongue out to lick him!  He loved it!

We debated about her name the entire time we were in the hospital and only settled on one at the last minute.  We have loved the name Nandini for a long time and her middle name is in honor of my Dadi (dad's mother).