News of the girls

Our little family of four.


Where have I been for 2 weeks? Well, those of you who have had babies know that answer. Feeding, sleeping, changing diapers, swaddling babies, feeding, eating, sleeping, more diapers, etc.

These two weeks have been a mixture of ups and downs. We are thrilled to have both our girls at home with us and doing what we've been longing to do for so long. I was talking with Jake the other day and it dawned on me that nearly everything I had prayed for during the pregnancy was given to me. I carried the girls to 38 weeks, neither of them had any problems that meant time in the NICU, and we got to take them home when we did just four days later. What a blessing!! We are so grateful!

Some things about the girls that I have found to be worth sharing:

Piper likes to pee when she has no diaper. She peed right when she was born (all over me and the Dr.), she has peed on our bed at least 4 times, she has peed and pooped on my mom, peed on the pediatrician, and peed on the changing table.

Lily, on the other hand, has yet to pee on anything but in her diaper. :)

Piper likes to do back bends when you pick her up. Lily is usually the one who wakes me up at night when it's time for them to eat. While they will both take a pacifier, Piper likes hers more than Lily does.

Lily is our sleeper. Piper is wide-eyed.

Lily has three birth marks: one in her left ear, one on her left thigh, and one on the back of her neck. The one on her neck is just like the one I have on the back of my neck. It comes from my mom's side of the family.

Piper has no birth marks. :)

I feed both girls at the same time and since we've been home, they've been sleeping for 5 hour stretches at night. Really amazing and really wonderful. I don't know what I'm doing right, but I'll keep doing it so long as they keep sleeping like that. :)

As far as the lows, I have been going through post partum depression. It isn't fun and it feels very much like an out of body experience. I don't feel like myself and I have lots of feelings of guilt. I feel guilty for not enjoying the girls more and not loving every minute of it. I do have moments when they are crying and I just smile because I am so thankful for crying babies in my house.

I know that what I'm going through is temporary and normal for a lot of moms. I know that I'm ok and that God is in control. I just need some time and space to get myself back to normal and back to me. I am taking lots of steps to work through what I am feeling and going through and have an incredible support system in my terrific husband and surrounding friends. It has been encouraging to see my Jake and my friends gather around me and love on me in various ways. I am so blessed.

While I will work on posting updates about the girls, I cannot promise that I will be writing much in the next several weeks. I appreciate the prayers of so many and am so grateful that Piper and Lily are here.

Here are some pictures to share:

One proud Daddy and his girls!

Piper Marah Mutz

Lily Mataya Mutz

Comments

Laura said…
Sweet Rebecca....we love you and your precious family. Praying for you...thinking of you often.

xoxo
L
Jessica said…
Beautiful pictures!! Love the middle names! I was wondering if you'd stick with the "m" theme.

I'm super impressed by the fact that you feed them at the same time! Random little fact: I have a friend with twins and one is larger than the other showing an obvious correlation to the side she nurses him on (one side always produces more).

I'm pretty sure my Piper has the exact dress the girls are wearing in your family picture. :-)
Molly Piper said…
Thanks for taking the time to update, Rebecca! I've been thinking about you a lot since you delivered and wondering how things were going.

They girls are just amazing. Praise God for all the wonderful gifts he has given you: 2 healthy babies, a loving & supportive husband, people to help out...

Love to you from MN.
Linds said…
oh they are SO beautiful! I think Lilly looks like Molly :) Praying for you and Jake....
Carrie said…
They are beautiful girls- I love the pictures.

I'll be praying for you- be gracious to yourself during this time. Pregnancy and childbirth are so hard under the best circumstances, and you had a lot to deal with on top of the usual things.

Hormones and exhaustion are such an insane combination- I have that near the top of my "to ask God what He was thinking" list. Hang in there. I'm praying for you.
Unknown said…
so glad to read that your girls are doing well and you have 5 hour stretches of sleep! so jealous! I will be praying for your ppd - I know you will overcome because you have the Overcomer in you!John 16:33
by the way, you have a beautiful family!
Bri said…
Rebecca~ It was so good to read and update and see pictures of your baby girls. They are beautiful. I'm sorry to hear about the "lows" in your life right now. I believe that it will not last long and will certainly keep this in my prayers. God bless your family of four! ;-)
I love the pictures! It is so good to hear that you are surviving and that you are getting a 5 hour stretch at night!! WooHOO!

Praying that you can let the guilt go and take each hour as it comes. I can tell you I didn't like Elijah until week 6. I loved him the whole time, but truly did not enjoy him for the first crazy weeks.

And how did you decide which daughter's middle name would be Marah and which would be Mataya? : )
Kristin Smith said…
Love the photo of your little family of four. I am sorry post partum depression is what you are experiencing. Your body has been through a lot in the last two years. I am glad you know that the feelings produced by the chemical changes are not you. We do not choose our feelings and emotions. We can choose what we do with them but we cannot choose how we feel anymore than I can choose to bleed or not bleed if I fall and skin my knee. Am praying your body's chemical balance is restored soon and that you find yourself feeling like your old self soon. Remember, feelings and emotions are not a sign of a lack of faith. Faith is exhibited when you make the choice to believe, as you are, that God is at work regardless of how you may feel at this moment. Will definitely be praying for physical restoration for you. Glad God has given you good friends, a loving mate and two precious little girls. Bless you Rebecca :)
Donna said…
Hi Rebecca,
Thanks so much for updating us on how everything is going! Your babies are adorable! I am sorry that you are having post partum depression, I know what that was like. It can cause feelings that make you feel bad! Give yourself some time and let people help you! They Love you!! Its hard taking one new baby home let alone two! I am praying for you!!
jessica said…
i just love your pictures! you and the girls are constantly on my mind.
Liz said…
Gorgeous, gorgeous! Hang in there, mama. PPD is very tough...but you're right, God is in control and you will feel like yourself again. I'll be praying for you and your gorgeous family of FOUR!

Liz ;)
Becca!! What beautiful babies! Seriously - they are two of the most precious babies I've ever seen! I so appreciate your honesty about the ups and downs -- will be praying for you to feel back to your old self soon!
Anonymous said…
Thank you so much Rebecca for the update, I join everyone else that I carry your family in my thoughts and prayers daily.

I understand you not having time to blog, you are kinda busy now :o) !!

Thank you so much for sharing an insight into the personality of the girls, it makes me feel like I know them too, and I have never even met you -- Go FIGURE!!

Prayers and continual blessings are yours from your worldwide Christian family.

TMW
Unknown said…
Dear Rebecca,
Congratulations on the newest additions to your family!
I am a midwife who's been checking in on your blog from time to time ever since I read your book about sweet Molly. What an impact her life is making in the world! Thank you so much for sharing such a poignant and personal experience. It SO blessed me to read it! When I finished the book and CD I passed them onto my colleagues, so when we heard of your "joys that came in the morning" (Psalm 30:5) we all rejoiced with you!
Maybe you already know about this, but in case it would be helpful to you I thought I would mention that Omega-3 fatty acids (fish oils) can help with depression. If you get the fish oil, be sure to get a good quality like Nordic Naturals or other without mercury. Morning sunlight is also supposed to be good. (Maybe enjoy your girls on the porch or for a morning stroll.) Evening Primrose Oil has been a help to a lot of my clients, because it helps to balance hormones. There are some other herbal/natural supplements that may also be of help, but you'd need to check it out with your care provider before you take it. I know of no contraindications for using the Omega-3s or Evening Primrose Oil, but you can always check those out with your care provider as well.
I'm sure the last thing new parents want is unsolicited advise, so I hope you don't think I'm being nosey! I pray you're already past needing help with that, but if not I hope this helps.
Many blessing to all of you!
Amy
Kori said…
Rebecca, your girls are beautiful, and I am so pleased that they are doing well.

I'm so sorry to hear about your post-partum depression. On my daughter's fourth birthday, last summer, I wrote a letter on my blog to the me that was in your position four years prior, letting her know that things would get better. It took prayer, therapy, supportive family and friends, and an unrelenting desire to figure out where the pain was coming from and address it, but there was a light at the end of the tunnel. Here is the link---I hope it will help: http://mommylu.blogspot.com/2009/07/four-years-old.html
The Hands said…
I will be remembering you in prayer. I've gone through some post-partum depression before and it's real. I've also had some pretty traumatic experiences after the birth of one of my babies. You have been through a lot with all of your babies. Even though you have the hope in Jesus Christ, you are still human and experience all those emotions. I'll be praying that your hormones will get back to normal quickly, that you'll be able to get some much needed sleep, that as you process all the memories you have had with your other children you will not experience the guilt, and that when you are exhausted you will turn to your Father in Heaven for the strength that you need. Many blessings to you. I'm so excited for you.
Angie
kanishk said…
They girls are just amazing. Praise God for all the wonderful gifts he has given you: 2 healthy babies, a loving & supportive husband, people to help out...
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Carrie said…
Just wanted to check in and let you know that I've been praying for you- I hope you and the girls are doing well!
Kristin Smith said…
Think of you everyday, pray for you everyday. Hope you are finding your PPD easing off day by day. Know you are busy with the two babies.
prashant said…
Beautiful pictures!! Love the middle names!
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