Snapshots & My Thoughts by Ailee Petrovic
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Personal

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Personal

Week(s) in Review

It’s hard to believe that two weeks have flown by already since Georgie was born. Given that she’s most likely our last baby (that was 100% our last baby 2+ weeks ago, now I’m way more on the fence! Ha!), I’m truly soaking up every single second with her. I was rocking her the other night and just started crying because I couldn’t handle how much I love her – those postpartum hormones are for real, y’all.

The days might be flying by, but they’re not passing without a good number of photos being taken (did y’all except anything less?). As I was uploading these photos, I was laughing at the fact I have about 140 edited photos from the past 12 days (first two days photos are posted in her birth story post here).

The girls are still doing so well with her! It makes my mama heart so happy to see. They love on her any chance they can – and Emi is adjusting about ten zillion times better than I ever expected. She’s a big time mama’s girl, but has transitioned into a daddy’s girl and it makes my heart swell seeing her run to him, wake up and call, “DADDY! WHERE ARE YOU?”, and want him to tuck her in at night. They’re so lucky to have Sasha.

We celebrated my 31st birthday on Monday after a family birthday dinner on Sunday at my parent’s house. They kindly watched the two big girls on Sunday evening, since there was no school for President’s Day on Monday. Sasha and I had a productive but relaxing morning (he surprised me with my favorite drink during my first morning feed!), then we walked to Escalantes for lunch – my first margarita in almost a year! Thankfully we shared it because hello lower tolerance (ha).

And now, a bajillion photos from the past 12 days!

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Introducing Georgie Margot Petrovic

At 6:13pm on Tuesday, February 5th (my Granny Jill’s birthday!), Georgie Margot Petrovic was born at Memorial Hermann hospital, weighing 7 pounds, 6 ounces and measuring 20.5 inches long. We are so, so in love with her, as are her two big sisters, who are completely smitten (and smothering her in ‘big love’). We got home from the hospital last night around 8:30pm and have been soaking up the day at home.

I checked into the hospital around 7am on Tuesday morning at 2cm dilated with contractions about 2-3 minutes apart. They started me on pitocin after an hour, then the waiting game began. After a few hours, I was checked again and at 4cm dilated – then I spent the next probably 6 hours at a 4. I got an epidural after about 6 hours of being at the hospital, then finally was able to nap (which was really nice, given that I hadn’t slept well the night before). Around 5pm, things began to get tricky, as Georgie’s heart rate began dropping drastically when I had contractions. Cue multiple nurses and my doctor all coming in and talking in code while staring at the stats. I was checked again to see if they could tell which direction she was facing (nose down or up – known as ‘sunny side up’ which isn’t ideal for delivery). They used an ultrasound machine, but still weren’t sure – although the verdict was that she was likely on her side (my doctor could feel her ears). I began being turned from side-to-side to get her to a) get in the right position and b) have her heart rate stop dropping. It wasn’t working, but I did progress to 6cm, which is when things start moving quickly. The nurses suggested I get on all fours (legit planking with an epidural = my arms were getting quite a workout!), and when I would have a contraction, they would try to turn her into the right position. After about ten minutes of that, I was told to “Stop pushing! She’s coming!” And I was flipped around, the team of nurses entered the room, and after two pushes, Georgie came into this world, blue as can be with the cord wrapped around her neck. After the longest 45 seconds of my life, she finally made a sweet ‘ehh’ sound while laying on my chest. It was the best sound I’ve ever heard. Sasha was an emotional puddle (it’s a tear jerker for him!), and I was so happy to meet her (safe and sound!) and relieved that labor was over. She’s a perfect combination of her two sisters – with jet black hair like they had and blue, blue eyes.

We spent the next 26 hours at the hospital, seeing guests and soaking up quiet time with this angel babe. It took a whole day for her to cry (of course, happened during Sasha’s first diaper change – typical!), and she’s been so easy going thus far (only 40-ish hours in, so won’t jinx myself – there’s a long road ahead, ha!). She’s been most difficult the past two nights from 1-3am, but seems to find her sleepiness around that time and loves to nap during the day.

Sasha and I are so incredibly grateful for the love and prayers she’s received so far. Our little family is complete and I’ve truly never been happier in my life. The quote “If you think my hands are full, you should see my heart” truly brings me to tears because it’s the most accurate statement right now.

Below are some photos that my very talented friend Sydney took of us four girls this morning (Sasha was working during this!), as well as some captured in the hospital yesterday and on Tuesday. Feeling very emotional looking over all of them! I will cherish these photos for the rest of my life. What a whirlwind two days it has been. Now, time to go back to snuggling with my tiny babe.

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Mom Talk

Two Sweet & Simple Classroom Valentines from Minted

This post was written in collaboration with Minted! Thanks for supporting the brands we love.

For the past few years, Valentine’s Day has crept up on me, and I’ve always been running to the grocery store on February 13th to get classroom Valentine’s for the girls to hand out. Since I’ll have a newborn this year, I decided I would get ahead of the game and order something sweet, but simple, early and have them ready to go for the 14th. I found two designs that I thought matched the girls’ personalities at Minted, and ordered accompanying treats – heart lollipops for Isla’s class and Valentine’s rubber duckies for Emi’s. I stuck them in little clear bags, hole punched them and attached the cards with ribbon and voila, they were easy to assemble and inexpensive!

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Happy Second Birthday, Emilia Wilkie!

The first draft of this post had “Happy First Birthday, Emilia!” as the title. The photos all have file names “Emi First Birthday Photos XYZ.” I am clearly in denial that my baby (soon-to-be middle child!) is two years old. I want to freeze time to let her sing to me and tell me stories in her sweet little voice all day long.

Her favorite song is Happy Birthday to You! She also loves Twinkle Twinkle and the Finger Family (seriously…). She knows her ABCs, but her favorite part is “Now I know my ABCs, next time won’t you sing with me?” She gets to the end, yells, “YAY!” then claps for herself proudly. She can count to 20, but will most often get to about 13 then yell, “POOP!” because it makes her sister laugh, and therefore, she thinks it’s the best joke ever.

Emi is a mama’s girl through and through… exhaustingly so at times (or almost always these days!). It will be interesting to see how she adjusts to Georgie’s arrival because she adores babies (she has about 13 baby dolls, but still that’s not enough! Ha!) but is very demanding of my attention. She still wants me to hold her all day every day. By the time I get to the top of the stairs carrying her now, I feel like I’ve just run a marathon.

She loves matching her sister, which makes Isla’s hand-me-downs semi-irrelevant (but she wears them anyway!). She is not recognized around the house for her amazing ability to share (especially when the item is snatched from her from her big sis!), but if she retaliates at all, she is very quick to say, “SOWWY!”

Emi wakes up around 6:45 with a loud, “MAMA! EMI HUNGY! MAMA! EMI EAT WAFFLES!” or “MAMA! MAMEE! MAMO! WHERE ARE YOU!?” She must eat right away – and I can’t even toast the waffle because she’s that “hungy” that she needs it frozen. Strange but true!

She loves playing with baby dolls, coloring (on my furniture – it’s her specialty), riding her Strider bike, watching Umizoomi or Super Why, and playing hide and seek with her sister. She calls Isla “Iwa” unless she’s yelling for her, in which case she says, “SEESTER!”

Emi is strong-willed but gentle. She loves to snuggle more than anything. Isla was never a snuggly toddler, so it’s a big change for us. She lets me carry her like a baby, and when I do, she immediately says, “GOO GOO GA GA!” Pray for us with this next baby, y’all. Ha!

She is most often called Emi, but when she’s in trouble, it’s always Emilia. Her other nicknames are Emilia Bedilia, Emi Girl, and The Goose. When she’s on the run, it’s “THE GOOSE IS LOOSE!”

Emi loves picking out which shoes she is going to wear, which is basically why they never match her outfit. She loves all boots and tragically, these Paw Patrol Crocs that Sasha bought (and I need to hide).

I love her to pieces and kiss her cheeks all day long. Despite moments of extreme toddler-ness, she’s as sweet as they come, all huggy and kissy, and melts me every time she says, “I WUV YOU, MAMA.”

I took some photos of her this past weekend at Centennial Gardens. I love that I captured her playfulness, sense of wonder, and even her cheesy, cheesy smile. Happy second birthday to my baby!

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Week(s) in Review

How is already January 28th?! My resolution (or perhaps more of a goal) to keep up with weekly posting has clearly not gone so well, but I will blame that on being very productive in the last weeks of my pregnancy. I’m 38+ weeks now and have my appointment today to check on progression. I was 1cm dilated last week, which is normally not significant but I’ve always had issues dilating and never been dilated outside of L&D. So we’ll see how the next 12ish days go! Praying Georgie stays in until after Emi’s birthday (tomorrow), then it’s fair game!

I cannot believe that in just one day, our sweet (and also very toddler-esque) Emi Girl turns two. I cannot handle that. We threw her a small birthday party on Saturday, which was so much fun. We had immediate family there and both of the girls’ Godmothers (or “fairy Godmother” if you ask Isla!). There was a moonwalk, some party games, and some delicious desserts (vegan cupcakes from Crave are my weakness!). Lots of photos below!

The party would not have been quite as cute without the help from a few very talented and sweet ladies – Monica of Paper Flour Ink, who made the invitations and the cake, Sarah of Sarah Savory & Sweet who made the cookies, my mom, who made the meringues, Tiffany of Glamfetti, who made the balloon garland and my lifelong best friend, McKenzie, who spent Friday night setting everything up with me (and running to the grocery store on Saturday!).

Other highlights from the past month are our regular bike rides through the neighborhood (with Emi joining us on her Strider bike), a trip to the Houston Polo Club, ice cream runs (for the girls, of courseee) multiple visits to our new local park, Sunday family dinners, Destiny’s visit to Houston last week, McKenzie’s sleepover this weekend, and lots of time spent with our close friends. Trying to check off all boxes before Georgie arrives.

Below are some of my favorite photos taken over the past few weeks. I need to go and update my Artifact Uprising book now! Hope you have the best week. xo, Ailee

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