Break

I am SO sorry for the extra long break here, something happened with out laptop and I literally couldn't sign in to blog!

Granted, I have a 9 week old baby around too, but she does sleep occasionally. 

We just got back from our epic trip and I have to say, it wasn't horrible - the traveling that is.  Seeing our friends and family is always great.  The day before the trip I was starting to regret planning such a huge trip, flying from Cali to Ohio and being on the road for 9 days.  In retrospect, it probably was the best way to do it because now we're home and it's done.

Reese is getting bigger every day and starting to settle.  She still occasionally has some stomach issues but they seem to be less frequent so that's good.  She's a great sleeper, last night she slept 7 hours followed by 3!  Of course, that 3 hour stretch ended at 6:15 so I've been awake for a while now.  I guess it's good practice for going back to work, which I do next week! 

Going back to work is a good and a bad, mostly because it will be good to get back to work (and earn a paycheck) but I've really loved being home with C, Addy & Reese this summer.  I feel like we didn't take advantage of it like I wanted to but we have an infant, so what did I expect we'd get done?

This week being my last week home, and our daycare being closed, we decided to tackle potty training Addy.  She's almost 3 1/2 so I think its time for sure.  It's been an interesting week.  She does well at home, while running around naked but as soon as we put bottoms on her (shorts or pants, no undies or diapers) she seems to have issues.  Like she can't remember.  She can't run around naked at daycare so I hope she figures it out soon.

I'm attaching a couple pictures from our trip, enjoy!

A Day in the Life

It's funny because while I was pregnant with Reese I worried about how our life would change once we had 2 kids.  I worried about how Addy would adjust, if she would still feel loved and included and safe or if we would have some major problems.  I worried about if C & I would still find time to connect and talk or if we'd just be busy taking care of both kids. 

But I never worried about the day-to-day and how in the world we'd get things done like cooking dinner and laundry and cleaning and perhaps that's where I should have spent my energy.  Because if Addy weren't still going to daycare then I have absolutely NO idea how I would manage to get anything done like feeding and showering myself.

Now that C's summer vacation has started, our routine has changed drastically.  Addy still goes to daycare 3 days a week (to both hold her spot and to keep her social - she really likes her friends there) but he & I are both be home every day together.  That's a lot of together time.

This past 3 weeks have been about me just figuring out what Reese needs and recovering from having a baby.  We've been lucky that she's pretty good about sleeping at night.  She wakes up 3-4 times to eat and get a new diaper but most of the time goes right back to sleep.  We work hard on making sure that she gets plenty of awake time during the day.  In fact, today she's already logged 2 hours of awake time today and it's only 8am. 

Our first doctor's appointment last week was great.  Reese was back to birth weight and everything checked out well.  We got a Rx for eye drops since she seems to have a clogged tear duct and instructions to come back in a few weeks.  We have an appt. to get her in right before our big trip so she's got her shots.

Sleeping baby = breakfast time!

40 Weeks

Originally written 5/21:

Note: This is the last post of the series.  What's funny is that I wrote this approximately 2 hours before my water broke and Reese was born this same day!  How funny to look back and see how desperate I was to have her, and then I did! 

Reese is 2 weeks old today and couldn't be sweeter - except when she's screaming her head off.  We're off to the doctor today for our first check-up and I'll be anxious to see how much she's gained.

First things first, Happy Anniversary to C & Me!  One whole year since we stood up and made our vows!  And to think, I've never done wedding photo recaps.  But then again, it has been one crazy year.

So, in the interest of being completely honest (which I've tried to do with these posts), I am a little upset that I'm writing this 40 week post.  Because I convinced myself that I'd have a baby by now.  And yes, I realize that I have little control over it but I figured with it being my second and all that she would be early.

And, I'm just tired of being pregnant.  40 weeks is a long time.  I keep telling myself that things could be so much worse.  I know people who have been on bed rest or had all kinds of issues with pain and I'm very lucky to be healthy and able to still do (almost) everything that I want to do.

In baby news, basically everything is done.  The hospital bag is packed and actually in the car.  Addy's bag is packed except for the few things that she uses every day like her stuffed animal friend, Arnold.  I installed the car seat base last week and cleaned up the car. 

So now, we wait.

How far along?:  40 weeks - GAH!
Total weight gain/loss:  Last week's appointment had me up 32lbs.  I'll take it.
The Bump:  I'm getting Braxton Hicks that I actually recognize this time (If I had them with Addy, I didn't know.)  It's crazy how hard my stomach gets during them.
What I’m excited about/looking forward to: Just seeing her!
Maternity Clothes: What's funny is that at this exact moment, I'm not actually wearing anything maternity.  I don't have maternity pajamas because I never saw the point, but this bump doesn't allow much to fit anymore.
Symptoms: I am losing my mucus plug!  With Addy, it all came out at once but now its a little at a time.  It's a sign of progress!
Belly Button in or out?: In. I don't see this changing.
Food Cravings/Aversions: Nothing.  I still love cereal and have like 2 bowls every morning.
What I miss: Sleeping comfortably.  My hips hurt now, both sides so its impossible to get comfortable these days.
Milestones: Any time now - seriously baby ANY TIME.

One Year Ago

Ok, so I'm late with this, mostly because Reese decided that she couldn't wait for her own day and was delivered on our first wedding anniversary!  But I never did get around to blogging our wedding photos so I thought I would do a quick post with just a few of my favorite pictures while Reese is sleeping. 

So here are some photos to kind of walk you through the day:

Some day, I'll do a real post with details about the big day but for now, duty (or doody) calls! 

39 Weeks

Note: Reese was born 5/21 and is now one week old, but I couldn't resist finishing out the series!

Originally written 5/14:

To be honest, I never really thought I'd make it here.  I mean, I did in the beginning but the closer we got, the earlier I thought I would go.  I know that babies come when they want and she's got her reasons for being in there still, but I really hoped that I'd be able to say I had a baby by now!

Mother's Day was low key but C tried hard to make it a nice day for me.  He made me breakfast, and a really tasty dessert after dinner and wrote me a sweet card.  Other than that it was a pretty normal Sunday.

I'm a sucker and I'm still working but only for 2 more days.  I figured it was better than sitting around at home wondering when she'd decide to come out.  Of course, I have projects I could be working on.  I planned out my week so of course she'll come soon.  Addy did the same thing.  I thought I'd have all this time to do things so I spaced them out so I wouldn't over-do it and then I got 2 whole days.

I bought some wood to make growth charts (they'll look like this, but not nearly that good).  I bought paint for them and some decals to stick on and I'm hoping that it won't be too hard to do.

The hospital bag is packed and the car seat is all the way back together!  I think C is nervous that he'll be in class when it happens and he won't be able to get home right away but I think it will be ok.  I really hope its similar to Addy where it started at 3:30am and he stayed home with me for the day.

Hopfully this is the last one!

How far along?: 39 weeks
Total weight gain/loss:  Blargh, officially passed the 30lb mark but just barely!  I go on Wednesday and we'll see where I'm at then. 
The Bump:  It sure makes it hard to do normal things like putting lotion on my legs.  BUT, it has definitely dropped!
What I’m excited about/looking forward to: Just seeing her!
Maternity Clothes:  I actually wore a dress to work today (it's a big deal).  I also bought one pair of shorts & one pair of capris to wear this week, assuming I have time to wear them.
Symptoms: Even the heartburn hasn't been too bad!  Swollen for sure thoug.
Belly Button in or out?: In. I don't see this changing.
Food Cravings/Aversions: Nothing.  Seriously, there are things I like to eat but nothing that I simply HAVE TO HAVE.
What I miss: Sleeping comfortably still.  I got a new pillow and that helps but I wake up with a sore back and hips most of the time.
Milestones:  Any time now - LITERALLY!

Baby Reese

Well, I knew this would happen.  On Monday, May 21, I wrote my 40 week update lamenting all about how this baby was apparentely NEVER coming out and I was going to be pregnant forever.  I spoke to a friend that same morning and she tried to make me feel better.

I went to take a shower around 11am and figured I should shave my legs because "you never know" and maybe it would be the last time.  I had a contraction in the shower but didn't think much.  I got out of the shower and felt like something was coming out so I sat on the toilet, expecting my mucus plug which meant I had 1-3 days left to go.  Instead, I peed and then each time I shifted, more came out.  At first I figured I just hadn't emptied my bladder completely but then it kept going.  You guessed it, my water had broken!

At first, I wasn't sure what to do.  Everytime I moved more fluid came out.  I had no idea how to contain it.  I put a towel between my legs so I could grab some undies and then put in a pad, which I soaked through shortly.  Then I called C and told him to head home (he was surprisingly calm) and called my brother & SIL to tell them they'd have to pick up Addy from daycare.  Then I tried to figure out what to wear to the hospital that wouldn't be a problem to get ruined.  I also tried to figure out what to do with my wet hair since I knew it would be a while before I saw a shower again.

I also called my dr's office and told them then they called the hospital to make sure there was a bed available and told me that we were good to go!  I packed some extra things in our hospital bag and waited for C to get home.  I also laid down for a bit because I hadn't felt the baby move for a while (or maybe I didn't register it because I was panicking).

We got to the hospital around 1pm and they put me in a room and started checking me in.  I was GBS Positive so I knew I'd have an IV coming.  The doctor came in around 1:30 and checked me and I was only dialated to 2 1/2 and still not really having contractions (just random ones that weren't even uncomfortable).  She brought up pitocin, which I didn't really want, but said she'd let me go for a bit to see if my body kicked in.  Then it was IV time. 

C had left his wallet at school so he ran out to get it before things really started happening.  While he was gone they put in the IV.  The first needle hit something in my arm and bent (!) so they had to do it again.  I started to get faint and feel nauseated so they reclined the bed and got cool wash cloths and of course, that was when C walked in the room.  I yelled out immediately that I was ok.

After that we hung out for a bit.  At 4:30 they started pitocin.  I was worried because of all the stories I've heard but it wasn't so bad.  They started me on a very low drip, hoping that the chemical would "remind" my body that it had a job to do.  Contractions started slowly and C & I started doing laps around the maternity ward.

I started at 2 ml/something and they bumped me up to 4 after a while.  At 4, the contractions weren't totally painful, but I never came completely down from them.  I could handle the pain but I couldn't handle not having a break between them.  So they bumped it back down but my contractions kept coming, which was good.  It meant my body was taking over.  I made it through most of the contractions by leaning over the bed which was raised and swaying my hips while C rubbed my back. 

I had told them earlier that I would pretty much be demanding an epidural (I'm a wimp) so around 7:30 they told me that the doctor (I can't spell anesthesiologist) was up for another patient and did I want him to come see me?  I told them to put me on the list, scared that if I said no, he'd leave the hospital and it would be forever before I had another chance.  I still had to wait an hour before I saw him.

Once I got the epi, I laid in bed for the remainder.  Apparently, I'm one of those people that has a blocker in my spine that doesn't allow the epi to fully get to my right side.  I could still feel the contractions on the right, but they weren't as painful as they had been.  I had a clicker to up the doseage but I ended up only using it once.  The baby's heartrate also dropped after the epi so we had a scary 5 minutes while they rolled me from side to side and gave me oxygen.  It was fine after that.  Also, after the epi, I was dialated to a 7 but I had no idea how long it would take to get the rest of the way.

Around 10, the nurse checked me again and said that I was completely dialated but said she'd let me labor for a bit longer.  The epi had fully kicked in and I couldn't feel a single contraction.  I could just barely move my legs.  Finally, at 10:30 she said we'd start pushing.  She & C had to watch the monitor and tell me when to push because I literally couldn't tell if I was having contractions.

After about 35 minutes, she went to get the doctor because we were getting close.  The doctor came in a after a few pushes told me she was going to give me an episiomoty.  I had had one with Addy and she was worried about the degree of tearing since it was a "weak spot".  It was very quick and then she told me we were just going to do some light pushes so we didn't strain anything.  Then she looked down and said "never mind".  She told me that basically, my body was taking over (again) and the baby was coming out!

I actually sat up and watched as my baby girl came into the world.  I literally was not doing any pushing, it was amazing.  They got her out and put her right on my bare chest (I requested skin to skin right away) and she wailed.  We double-checked she was a girl and just reveled in our new daughter.  She was born at 11:17pm on 5/21 (our first wedding anniversary!) and weighed in at 8lbs even.  She was 20.5" long.

We're home now and doing pretty well.  Knock on wood, she had been good to us over the past few nights, sleeping in 3 hour stretches and waking only to eat.  We got some good awake time yesterday so I'm hoping that we won't have too many issues with the day & night confusion.

Theresa Lynn (both of our mothers' middle names) - but we are calling her Reese

Family picture

38 Weeks

Originally written 5/07:

How did we get to 38 weeks?  Seems so crazy.  I have one week of working left (give or take) and I ended up staying home today.  I caught a cold last week and we did too much this weekend and I am seriously worn out.  So even though the clock is ticking, for me its more important at this point to rest when I need it.

Having said that, I'm going to do some things today that I've been putting off.  Like, I need to buy a Big Sister present for Addy from Baby Sister that we'll take to the hospital with us.  I ordered a nursing gown/robe set today to take to the hospital.  I want to pack the hospital bag too since that needs to be done.

I have zero signs that we're close at all (no bloody show, no mucus plug, I don't even think she's dropped) but I'm still hopeful that she'll come early.  As of next week when work is done it's really just a waiting game.

How far along?: 38 weeks
Total weight gain/loss:  Last week's appointment was NO gain!  Yay!  However, after that I swelled up so bad and I don't know why.  Water retention is a serious issue now that we're in the end.  I have another appt. this week and I'll mention it because I was pre-ecclamptic last time and this could be a sign though my BP has been spot on this entire pregnancy.
The Bump:  Sometimes I forget just how big the bump is.  It's hard to do almost anything including just bending over.
What I’m excited about/looking forward to: Just seeing her!
Maternity Clothes:  Sorted through them since I won't be needing many work clothes after this week.  After this week I plan to live in t-shirts and capri pants.
Symptoms: Pretty much just heartburn.  It was horrible again yesterday.
Belly Button in or out?: In. I don't see this changing.
Food Cravings/Aversions: I don't seem to have either, in fact I would take a craving right now.  I'm having issues coming up with dinner ideas for the week.
What I miss: Sleeping comfortably.  I'm so tired but I don't feel like I'm actually getting that much rest.
Milestones:  Any time now!