Late in the morning on November 19th, 2018 we heard her first cry.  She came into this world quick and strong (just like her mama did).

Georgia Despina Argiropoulos, named after two extraordinary, strong and women…her grandmothers.

Everyone said your second would be different.  I was a little nervous as the delivery date approached.  With J I was in labour for almost a day and a half and they used every trick up their sleeves to get him out (I pushed for 2+ hours and then they had to use the vacuum).  As warned, with Georgia everything was different.

I had a feeling she would be early so I had everything packed and ready to go.  The night before my mom was over and we were trying to get Yianni to go sleep over at her house since she was going to watch him the next day.  He kept saying he wanted to stay home so we all dropped the subject and said no problem! It’s funny how things work because as Ko was reading him a bedtime story he suddenly got up on his own and said ‘Yiayia I come sleep at your house’ – my mom looked at me with a “is that okay?” look and I said sure no problem! *It’s moments like these when I truly believe in divine intervention because…

The following morning at 5:45am I started to feel pains – at first I didn’t think it was contractions but by 6am I looked at Ko and said start tracking now (we used this app) they are getting more intense. My labour with Yianni was SO long that I did not think things could move as fast as they did.

Just 30min after tracking my contractions the app told us to start getting ready.  We quickly grabbed all our things and headed to the hospital.  By this point the contractions were a minute apart and lasting for about a minute each.

When we got to the hospital Ko dropped me off at the front, I could barely make it up the stairs myself.  We got into the elevator and a contraction came on right at that moment  Ko ran out to get my a wheelchair; there was no walking for me.

We told the nurses it was my second, they wheeled me directly into a delivery room to check me.  I was 5cm dilated.  I couldn’t speak because the pain was so intense, again something I didn’t experience with J because it was so gradual.  I grabbed her arm and somehow mouthed epidural please, now.

Ko came into the room after filling out paper work, and when my nurse asked if I wanted to get the epidural I motioned that it was already coming.  Ko looked amused and I knew exactly why.  My first time around I was scared to get it after hearing so many awful stories.  He came twice and I kept sending him away but around the 16th hour of labour after having contractions 1 minute apart for 3 hours and STILL only 3cm dilated I tapped out and asked for it.  I remember feeling like I failed at something when I asked for it which looking back now is ridiculous  (not sure why we do this to ourselves because I know I’m not the only one who has felt this way).

Anyways, this time my contractions were coming super fast and strong, that I immediately felt calm when I got the epidural. It was at this point I realized that my epidural with J must have not worked because I never felt the relief I felt this time with J. I felt everythinggg the entire time especially during the giving birth part (and vacuum…ouch).

We thought this was going to delay the process but sure enough about 40 min later I was at 8cm and then an hour after that 10cm and we were ready to start pushing.  At this point Ko and I were in complete shock – this is happening?! already?! so fast?!  It was a blur we barely had a moment to think.

The nurse came and got me all set up and asked me to push.  I couldn’t feel much compared to J where I felt everything.  I gathered all my strength remembering exactly the feeling with Yianni and pushed – the nurse abruptly said stop stop stop! I thought for a second I did it wrong and thought here we go again two hours of pushing lol but she said I need to go get the doctor the baby is here – Ko could see her head.  We truthfully started laughing with disbelief and excitement – already? Okay lets do this! Come on out baby girl.

The OB came, I pushed three more times and out she came! I waited holding my own breath to hear her cry and as soon as I heard that sweet sound I relaxed – they placed her on me and here she was, my beautiful daughter.  Head full of hair! She was so wiggly and was practically lifting her own head.

She was perfect.

They then took her away to clean her up and run some tests to make sure everything looked okay. Once Ko and I were alone in the room with her we couldn’t wrap our heads around how quickly it all happened.  Watching him hold her for the first time was equally as incredible as when he held J for the first time.

I always new Ko would be a wonderful father but watching him with J over the last two years and now again with G he’s even more amazing than I could have ever imagined.  He always wakes up with me in the middle of the night (especially since I pump – he feeds). He never shy’s away from cleaning bottles, diaper changes, packing the bags up…he’s so hands on.  He also brings such a calmness to our family.  I tend to be the one who gets stressed quickly and though this delivery was faster it took me almost double the amount of time to heal.  I was in a lot of pain and couldn’t always calm down G, as soon as Ko would take her she’d often quite down right away. Daddy’s girl already 😉

Soon after she was born Ko and I were so excited to have J come meet his little sister! This next part was the happiest moment in my life.  When they met. I still tear up thinking about this moment and I’ve replayed it in my head a million times b/c I never want to forget a second (we got it on video)

He was with my parents so they brought him.  Ko went out to get him as he would be the one to bring him in. My mom took him to pick out a “toy” for sister.  He was so excited to meet her.

He came in and right away extended his arm with the stuffed toy and exclaimed ” HERE YOU GO!!” “HI!!!!” ” I’m Yianni!”

We all just about melted.

He continued to want to hug her, kiss her and kept leaning over saying “helloooo!”

[Fast forward 3 months]…actually its been 5 months (been writing this for a while lol)

Georgia had a bit of a rough start with awful reflux and intense colic. We bounced her day and night for over two months just trying to comfort her.  Nothing really seemed to help or made the crying stop except deep lunges. Thankfully this past month she’s started to turn a corner.  I did my best through the sleepless nights and long days to be as patent as possible reminding myself this is only a season and she won’t be a newborn forever.  I felt comforted with how many moms of reflux + colic babies reached out to send me some love knowing how physically and emotionally draining it can get while dealing with postpartum.  With every moment I kept it together and was patient there were moments where I cried along with her just as hard and felt completely out of sorts.  I’m very thankful for my family and best friends who really showed up for us and spoke life into us with constant calls and messages of encouragement (and surprise coffee’s and food).

There was one evening in particular where G was screaming for three hours straight, we tried every trick in the book nothing would calm her.  J was still awake and it was way past his bedtime – we had stuck him in our bed to watch some TV while we tried to tag team dealing with her.  He was so patient with her constant crying.  Finally she passed out in my arms while I was bouncing her and Ko was next to Yianni in bed.  I slowly got in on the other side and J passed out as well.  We were both exhausted, we looked hilariously disheveled and I remember looking at both our babies now asleep and then locking eyes with ko through the dark room, we smiled at each other.  He spoke or rather whispered and took the words out of my own mouth. One day we’re going to look back at this moment and miss it.  He was right.  I wouldn’t trade all the crazy times for the world.  All my family cozied up in bed together? All I could ever ask for.

G slowly started getting better.  We also borrowed a fisher price swing from my cousins which quite literally SAVED our sanity.  I wish I had it with J, he would have probably napped longer in it! Expecting parents, don’t always go for the “chic’ and “pretty” kids items.  Anywho…I’ll never forget the moment last month when she was in her swing and I came walking down the stairs and our eyes locked.  This was after a really long night but she gave me biggest smile and my heart melted.  That was the first time she smiled at me like that.  I teared up and thought we’re going to be okay baby girl.

I’ve heard people often say that with their second babies it feels almost like a missing puzzle piece you didn’t know was missing until you found it.  I also realized how fun it is to get to know her.  I’ve been so used to J for the last two years I forgot the fun moments where you start to see their personalities appear.

Spring is just around the corner and I cannot wait to watch her explore this world for the first time.  We love you always baby girl.