This week Paisley will turn ONE month old! We are very excited because she weighed in yesterday at 6 lbs. 9 oz. and we're hoping in the next couple of days she reaches 7 lbs. (She's gained 2 lbs since leaving the hospital.) It's amazing the things that "preemie moms" get excited about. I have so many other friends who's babies were even smaller than Paisley, so I'm sure they loved hitting weight milestones just like us!! Every baby is different and right now we are dealing with our little peanut being constipated, and having a hard time going to the bathroom. Poor thing, breaks my heart hearing her cry because I know it must be painful, it's what happened to me while I was in the hospital! Anyway, this post is really geared towards random facts that I myself have come up with when thinking about being a new mom. Maybe some of you can relate to them!
1. Mom's worry. They worry about everything. Eating, sleeping, pooping, crying, spitting up, swaddling correctly, the list just goes on and on.
2. Dad's response to Mom's worrying: "It's gonna be fine." - Drives me crazy, but then again I'm pretty sure that's how God made us. Mom worries, Dad is calm. That's why we balance each other out.
3. 9 months of no "period cramping" makes you really forget how BAD the cramps really are! Hence, woke up at 3 a.m. this morning in horrible pain, having to take Midol and use a heating pad for them to subside. I have NOT missed this cramping...and now have to look forward to it on a monthly basis. UGH!
4. Naps are probably the best thing everrr!! Even if the naps are 30 minutes long, preferably I would like them to be 2 hours, but I'll take what I can get.
5. After waking up from a nap as a Mom, I'm a lot more exhausted and cranky. I feel like I'm a kid being woken up on the wrong side of the bed!
6. Mom's are the planners, the organizers, and "lay everything out" people! I tend to be the one that prepares the bottles and formula containers, have the diaper bag restocked daily, lay out diapers and wipes when we need them, do Paisley's laundry, and organize our days and plan things on the calendar.
7. The best thing my husband does for me...Lets me sleep!! I will plan, organize, and lay stuff out as long as he continues to let me get my sleep. We really do make a good team!! My husband calls me "super-mom" so that makes me feel like I'm doing something right!
8. Parenting should really come with a manual! Some days I have no idea if I'm doing it "right!" I ask all my friends with babies/children questions and I'm sure they get sick of me, but thankfully they help me out a lot!
9. Every baby is different and reading Google won't help much since that information is "general statements." Some parents on the baby centers come across as their child is just the best thing ever and sleeps through the night at 3 weeks and does this and that and gains all this weight, etc. etc. Again, I can't compare Paisley to those kids...because again, every baby is different!
10. Being a new parent can take a small toll on the husband and wife relationship. As much as Jaris and I try and continue having a strong marriage (which I think we still do), being a new parent is exhausting. If anyone says it's not...there lying! And the exhaustion and tiredness and worry take it's toll on the two of us. We continue to try and stay strong together and our open communication is what is key to what keeps us strong.
11. If anyone offers you help...take it!! In the beginning I felt bad for asking or taking for that matter, but now I know people want to help, and they do enjoy it...so take it!
12. It's amazing that before I had Paisley, I totally envisioned having 2 kids. Now...I'm ok with just her! Lol!! Everyone says your feelings will change when the time comes in about 2 years, so we will see...but for now, I am happy with just having her and only her! I can't imagine those Mom's out there with 4, 5, even 8 kids!! More power to you ladies!!
13. I'm in for a RUDE awakening when school starts. I need to get myself on a schedule of going to bed early and preparing myself to "back to school mode." It's going to be difficult to say the least.
14. I miss working out. Thinking about all the work that goes into being a Mom, I can see how "working out" takes a back seat. I haven't gotten the ok from doctor yet to really start getting back to working out, but when I do I hope I find the motivation I need to get back in the swing of things.
15. Now that I'm not pregnant, I really need to stop eating like I am! LOL! It's really easy to just eat crappy fast food because there isn't much time from being so tired or taking care of babes...so to help myself, I need to get to eating better! Watermelon not ice cream. Carrots not chips. :)
Again, these are just a few random facts/thoughts that I've come up with from being a mom for the last 4 weeks. I can't believe 4 weeks has passed, but I really look forward to Paisley getting on a routine and gaining weight and getting big!! I love her to pieces, and when she lays on my chest and falls asleep it just reassures the love and care I have for her. Jaris and I couldn't be happier, and we will continue to love on our little peanut as she grows!! Xoxo
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Saturday, July 12, 2014
Day by day
It's been over a week since I last blogged, main reason being now I'm not having to be "cooped" up in the house and can actually get out of the house and be mobile.
Whats happened in the last week you ask...well several things. First we celebrated my brother's birthday at Benihanna on the 3rd and we took Miss P with us and she did amazing. That was the night of the first haboob and thankfully we were inside and not out driving in it. I'm sure I would have been a hot mess if we were driving in it and we had Pais inside the car. I keep telling myself, baby steps...I will get over these things little by little. The next day we celebrated 4th of July over at my other brother's house. It was a lot of fun, and Pais did great. I dressed her up in a cute Fourth of July outfit and she looked adorable. She was sound asleep the whole time the fireworks were going off, and that made the night so much easier!
Two days later I celebrated my 30th birthday!! Can you believe...30 years old?! So many people asked how I felt about it, and to be honest a part of me was a little sad and depressed! Lol. I mean I can't say that I'm in my 20's anymore, and now I'm 30! Everyone says that 30's really are great and I shouldn't look at it as it being a bad time in my life, but as a new chapter! The night of my birthday we went to Shula's Steakhouse and it was delicious. We took P with us there as well and she did great. I have to admit, taking her out places and to dinners right now is so easy! All she does is sleep and eat! Some people think we are crazy to take her out, or that we are taking her out when she's too little, but honestly, she does great and it doesn't bother her in the slightest, so I say we keep doing what we're doing. :) As for celebrating my birthday, we did just that last night. My parents came over and watched P so that Jaris and I could go out with some family and friends. It was nice to get out and act like an adult again and have a good time.
Jaris and I really vowed to do a good job in not allowing "baby talk" to take over our conversations. We have an amazing guest pastor that comes to our church - Ted Cunningham - who talks about the importance of not having a "kid centered home." Jaris and I take his messages very seriously, and have decided we must put God first, then spouse, then kids. We love our little peanut so much but know that our relationship as a married couple is very important to continue to stay strong. Working together as a team as parents is so important (as many of you probably already know this) but I can see the communication with one another is so vital to a healthy marriage. Then again, I've only had a child for 3+ weeks and have only been married less than 2 years...but this is what I've come to terms with so far. I'm sure we'll have many ups and downs along the way, but I truly believe if you keep God first, then your spouse, and then your children, it makes for a great combination of Love!
As for our little peanut, she is growing by the days!! It's so comforting to hear when people come to visit that she has gotten bigger and is starting to get some meat on her bones! :) We go next week for another weight check and I really think she'll be close to 6 lbs! I know for some of you that is still so tiny to think about, but to us, it will be such a huge milestone! It's hard for me to see babies being born at 7, 8, even 9 lbs. when I know that Paisley still has another few weeks before she even gets there. We are still so thankful that she came out a healthy baby girl! It's hard for me though because things happen and I get concerned like "Is this normal?" For example...she spits up! I know babies spit up, but when it's your own, you get worried. Another one, she has a red rash on her head, sometimes it's there, sometimes it's not. Again, I get worried. She has a widow's peak! Everyone says once her hair grows in she'll be fine, but I'm worried because I don't want anyone making fun of my little girl. All these things are just more reasons to make me realize that I'm a Mom now and that it's normal to worry. Everyone says I will worry for the next 30+ years of her life. Probably true. She just barely started fitting into newborn clothes, and those are still a little baggy on her. She was wearing preemie outfits this entire time, so again, big milestones for her to move up to newborn onesies!
As for Jaris and I...we are starting to get the hang of this parenting thing. I'm sure we have SOOOO much more to learn, but we're trying. We love having our little girl (I couldn't imagine having a boy now, even though that's what I wanted first) and she makes us smile each and every day! It breaks our heart when she cries, but we are trying to stay strong and know that sometimes it's good for her to get a good cry out. All she does really is sleep, eat, and potty. Jaris and I have a good schedule with her sleeping and feedings throughout the night, and it really works for us! Again, I love having him for a husband and father because he really wants what's best for P and for me. He wants me to get as much sleep as possible, because he can function better on shorter hours of sleep, where it's a little more difficult for me! But again, we're a good team, and I'm thankful for that!!
We will continue going through the summer until I go back to work August 1st. I'm scared to go back, but know it may be good for me to get back in the swing of things. I could never be a stay at home Mom, I think I would go bananas! I love being home and getting things done around the house and spending time with P, but I need routine and I need to be social with others...it's just my personality. World Cup is also coming to an end, and I thank the Lord that it was on this entire summer, because it truly was my saving grace!! I watched it all the time in the hospital, and at home, so it was so nice to have it playing constantly. I have no idea what I'll watch once this is over, besides the Bachelorette of course. :) We will continue loving on our little Peanut, and we can't believe that next week she will be ONE MONTH old!! Where in the world has time gone, I can't believe a month has already passed. There are some days that I think the days are dragging on, and then there are other days that fly by. I just can't wait to see her get bigger, and older, and see her hit all the different milestones of a newborn! Thank you again to everyone that continues to love on our family and show their support. We are truly blessed with such amazing family and friends! Xoxo.
Whats happened in the last week you ask...well several things. First we celebrated my brother's birthday at Benihanna on the 3rd and we took Miss P with us and she did amazing. That was the night of the first haboob and thankfully we were inside and not out driving in it. I'm sure I would have been a hot mess if we were driving in it and we had Pais inside the car. I keep telling myself, baby steps...I will get over these things little by little. The next day we celebrated 4th of July over at my other brother's house. It was a lot of fun, and Pais did great. I dressed her up in a cute Fourth of July outfit and she looked adorable. She was sound asleep the whole time the fireworks were going off, and that made the night so much easier!
Two days later I celebrated my 30th birthday!! Can you believe...30 years old?! So many people asked how I felt about it, and to be honest a part of me was a little sad and depressed! Lol. I mean I can't say that I'm in my 20's anymore, and now I'm 30! Everyone says that 30's really are great and I shouldn't look at it as it being a bad time in my life, but as a new chapter! The night of my birthday we went to Shula's Steakhouse and it was delicious. We took P with us there as well and she did great. I have to admit, taking her out places and to dinners right now is so easy! All she does is sleep and eat! Some people think we are crazy to take her out, or that we are taking her out when she's too little, but honestly, she does great and it doesn't bother her in the slightest, so I say we keep doing what we're doing. :) As for celebrating my birthday, we did just that last night. My parents came over and watched P so that Jaris and I could go out with some family and friends. It was nice to get out and act like an adult again and have a good time.
Jaris and I really vowed to do a good job in not allowing "baby talk" to take over our conversations. We have an amazing guest pastor that comes to our church - Ted Cunningham - who talks about the importance of not having a "kid centered home." Jaris and I take his messages very seriously, and have decided we must put God first, then spouse, then kids. We love our little peanut so much but know that our relationship as a married couple is very important to continue to stay strong. Working together as a team as parents is so important (as many of you probably already know this) but I can see the communication with one another is so vital to a healthy marriage. Then again, I've only had a child for 3+ weeks and have only been married less than 2 years...but this is what I've come to terms with so far. I'm sure we'll have many ups and downs along the way, but I truly believe if you keep God first, then your spouse, and then your children, it makes for a great combination of Love!
As for our little peanut, she is growing by the days!! It's so comforting to hear when people come to visit that she has gotten bigger and is starting to get some meat on her bones! :) We go next week for another weight check and I really think she'll be close to 6 lbs! I know for some of you that is still so tiny to think about, but to us, it will be such a huge milestone! It's hard for me to see babies being born at 7, 8, even 9 lbs. when I know that Paisley still has another few weeks before she even gets there. We are still so thankful that she came out a healthy baby girl! It's hard for me though because things happen and I get concerned like "Is this normal?" For example...she spits up! I know babies spit up, but when it's your own, you get worried. Another one, she has a red rash on her head, sometimes it's there, sometimes it's not. Again, I get worried. She has a widow's peak! Everyone says once her hair grows in she'll be fine, but I'm worried because I don't want anyone making fun of my little girl. All these things are just more reasons to make me realize that I'm a Mom now and that it's normal to worry. Everyone says I will worry for the next 30+ years of her life. Probably true. She just barely started fitting into newborn clothes, and those are still a little baggy on her. She was wearing preemie outfits this entire time, so again, big milestones for her to move up to newborn onesies!
As for Jaris and I...we are starting to get the hang of this parenting thing. I'm sure we have SOOOO much more to learn, but we're trying. We love having our little girl (I couldn't imagine having a boy now, even though that's what I wanted first) and she makes us smile each and every day! It breaks our heart when she cries, but we are trying to stay strong and know that sometimes it's good for her to get a good cry out. All she does really is sleep, eat, and potty. Jaris and I have a good schedule with her sleeping and feedings throughout the night, and it really works for us! Again, I love having him for a husband and father because he really wants what's best for P and for me. He wants me to get as much sleep as possible, because he can function better on shorter hours of sleep, where it's a little more difficult for me! But again, we're a good team, and I'm thankful for that!!
We will continue going through the summer until I go back to work August 1st. I'm scared to go back, but know it may be good for me to get back in the swing of things. I could never be a stay at home Mom, I think I would go bananas! I love being home and getting things done around the house and spending time with P, but I need routine and I need to be social with others...it's just my personality. World Cup is also coming to an end, and I thank the Lord that it was on this entire summer, because it truly was my saving grace!! I watched it all the time in the hospital, and at home, so it was so nice to have it playing constantly. I have no idea what I'll watch once this is over, besides the Bachelorette of course. :) We will continue loving on our little Peanut, and we can't believe that next week she will be ONE MONTH old!! Where in the world has time gone, I can't believe a month has already passed. There are some days that I think the days are dragging on, and then there are other days that fly by. I just can't wait to see her get bigger, and older, and see her hit all the different milestones of a newborn! Thank you again to everyone that continues to love on our family and show their support. We are truly blessed with such amazing family and friends! Xoxo.
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
Sleep? What's that...
Today marks 2 weeks since Baby P has been born. I can't believe 2 weeks have passed. I mean I can, but I can't. There are some days that seem to last forever, and there are other days that seem to go by so fast. Jaris went back to work last week, so therefore that has left me home to take care of Pais. (I could never be a stay at home Mom, just not my cup of tea!) My parents have been quite amazing through it all. They have come over several times to just hang out with me, bring me dinner, take me to Costco, and help with P. It has been a lifesaver. I never realized how much I should be appreciating my parents until they have helped me out with being a new Mom.
As for the title...pretty much sums up the last 2 weeks. Sleep!? What's that? It's so hard because everyone tells us, NAP when she naps! Easier said than done! I try to nap when she naps, but it is very minimal. There are so many things to get done around the house and then of course World Cup is on so I decide to stay up and watch that. (So bummed about the USA Team losing today, such a heart-breaker) As for how the nights are going, we have to feed P every 3 hours, which means sometimes we have to wake her up, while other times she is up ready to eat. She definitely has her days and nights mixed up I think because she is a fussy pants from about 2 am-5 am in which Jaris and I take turns getting up, feeding her, swaddling her again, or just rubbing her back. After Jaris feeds her at about 7 am, that's when we tend to get the most sleep! :) We try to sleep until 9 or 10 which seems crazy but never feels better. The positive about all this waking up and feeding though...we took her to the doctor today and in one week she gained 9 ounces! Mommy and Daddy were thrilled to say the least! Out of the hospital she weighed 4 lbs 9 oz, and now two weeks later she is 5 lbs. 5 oz. I prayed that when she was born she would be over 5 lbs, and unfortunately she was ONE ounce shy of it. But now, I just see her growing day by day and that truly makes me happy knowing we're doing what's best for her.
Today also marks two weeks since I had my c-section which means that I was able to start driving today! Still very nervous to drive, especially with her in the backseat. I am looking for a mirror to place in the back so that I can feel a little more at ease with having her back there by herself. My incision is healing very nicely, except when I do too much it seems to be a little more swollen, but nothing too bad. I'm trying to stay busy at home by doing stuff for school and preparing posters and letters for Meet the Teacher. It really does help pass the time while she sleeps and I think it will make me feel more at ease transitioning back to school. Jaris is back at work like I said but he struggles every day to go to work because he just wants to be with his cute little family. :) I know it will be easier for him when I go back to work, but for now he'll just have to work through it.
We again are sooo thankful for all the meals that were brought to us from our small group and friends. The Hughes provided us a delicious casserole, the Vigils sent over pizza which totally hit the spot, and tonight the Mercado's brought over BBQ Chicken and some yummy cinnamon rolls. We feel so blessed to have such amazing people in our life and all this help and support has made becoming a new Mom and Dad a much easier transition then one could imagine. Of course, it's still a difficult roller coaster of ups and downs. I wish at times that parenting came with a manual! Wouldn't that be so much easier?! But no, no manual! We are learning as we go, and we are asking lots of questions and people for their advice and suggestions. We will continue praying daily for the fear and anxiety to subside and know that God has us as a family under his wing. Here's to another week of less sleep, more feedings/changings, and learning how to fight through exhaustion as new parents. We love little P with all our heart and couldn't imagine life without her! :)
As for the title...pretty much sums up the last 2 weeks. Sleep!? What's that? It's so hard because everyone tells us, NAP when she naps! Easier said than done! I try to nap when she naps, but it is very minimal. There are so many things to get done around the house and then of course World Cup is on so I decide to stay up and watch that. (So bummed about the USA Team losing today, such a heart-breaker) As for how the nights are going, we have to feed P every 3 hours, which means sometimes we have to wake her up, while other times she is up ready to eat. She definitely has her days and nights mixed up I think because she is a fussy pants from about 2 am-5 am in which Jaris and I take turns getting up, feeding her, swaddling her again, or just rubbing her back. After Jaris feeds her at about 7 am, that's when we tend to get the most sleep! :) We try to sleep until 9 or 10 which seems crazy but never feels better. The positive about all this waking up and feeding though...we took her to the doctor today and in one week she gained 9 ounces! Mommy and Daddy were thrilled to say the least! Out of the hospital she weighed 4 lbs 9 oz, and now two weeks later she is 5 lbs. 5 oz. I prayed that when she was born she would be over 5 lbs, and unfortunately she was ONE ounce shy of it. But now, I just see her growing day by day and that truly makes me happy knowing we're doing what's best for her.
Today also marks two weeks since I had my c-section which means that I was able to start driving today! Still very nervous to drive, especially with her in the backseat. I am looking for a mirror to place in the back so that I can feel a little more at ease with having her back there by herself. My incision is healing very nicely, except when I do too much it seems to be a little more swollen, but nothing too bad. I'm trying to stay busy at home by doing stuff for school and preparing posters and letters for Meet the Teacher. It really does help pass the time while she sleeps and I think it will make me feel more at ease transitioning back to school. Jaris is back at work like I said but he struggles every day to go to work because he just wants to be with his cute little family. :) I know it will be easier for him when I go back to work, but for now he'll just have to work through it.
We again are sooo thankful for all the meals that were brought to us from our small group and friends. The Hughes provided us a delicious casserole, the Vigils sent over pizza which totally hit the spot, and tonight the Mercado's brought over BBQ Chicken and some yummy cinnamon rolls. We feel so blessed to have such amazing people in our life and all this help and support has made becoming a new Mom and Dad a much easier transition then one could imagine. Of course, it's still a difficult roller coaster of ups and downs. I wish at times that parenting came with a manual! Wouldn't that be so much easier?! But no, no manual! We are learning as we go, and we are asking lots of questions and people for their advice and suggestions. We will continue praying daily for the fear and anxiety to subside and know that God has us as a family under his wing. Here's to another week of less sleep, more feedings/changings, and learning how to fight through exhaustion as new parents. We love little P with all our heart and couldn't imagine life without her! :)
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Things I now can enjoy
Now that the "9 months" of pregnancy are over (close enough) there are definitely things I can enjoy again!
*Sleeping on my stomach
*Hugging Jaris without my belly getting in the way
*Less frequent bathroom trips in the middle of the night
*The taste of beer
*Heartburn is very minimal
*Sitting cross-legged
*Being able to get up and down off the floor easier
*Cleaning without running out of breath
*No more bleeding gums
*Best of all, no more hospital bed rest!
As much as that is all positive and things I can enjoy, I now do miss:
*My naps
*More sleep
*Having that "time of the month" again
*Getting up and going at my leisure
*My husband since he had to return to work
*Being less worried...I worry constantly now!
*Working out (for the time being with healing)
*Vacations - it'll be a while
Being a Mom is definitely new and hard work, but as each passing day goes by I literally fall more in love with our little girl. I know it will have it's ups and downs but when I hold her, feed her, love her, etc...I just can't wait to see her grow up and become her own person. Jaris is still such an amazing dad! We have become even closer now having gone through what we did, and my love for him continues to grow. He truly loves his girls! We can't wait to see where this first year of being parents will take us!
*Sleeping on my stomach
*Hugging Jaris without my belly getting in the way
*Less frequent bathroom trips in the middle of the night
*The taste of beer
*Heartburn is very minimal
*Sitting cross-legged
*Being able to get up and down off the floor easier
*Cleaning without running out of breath
*No more bleeding gums
*Best of all, no more hospital bed rest!
As much as that is all positive and things I can enjoy, I now do miss:
*My naps
*More sleep
*Having that "time of the month" again
*Getting up and going at my leisure
*My husband since he had to return to work
*Being less worried...I worry constantly now!
*Working out (for the time being with healing)
*Vacations - it'll be a while
Being a Mom is definitely new and hard work, but as each passing day goes by I literally fall more in love with our little girl. I know it will have it's ups and downs but when I hold her, feed her, love her, etc...I just can't wait to see her grow up and become her own person. Jaris is still such an amazing dad! We have become even closer now having gone through what we did, and my love for him continues to grow. He truly loves his girls! We can't wait to see where this first year of being parents will take us!
This quote fits perfectly for Jaris! :)
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
One week old
One week has passed since Pais was born, and wow what a week it has been. We were discharged from the hospital Saturday and my last question to the Pediatrician was "Are you sure we're allowed to take her home?" After the doctor checked her over and said that she literally was like a "full term baby" just in a little package, she said we were ready to be released from the hospital. We were discharged around 11 am, and in a blink of an eye we were strapping her in to her carseat and headed home.
The car ride home I was a nervous wreck. I told Jaris to drive safe probably about 5 times. We also needed to buy a new head insert for the carseat for Preemie's. Very thankful my mom and dad bought us the head insert the very next day. As for the first night home...Holy emotional roller coaster! It's really true when they say there is a such thing called "the FOURTH trimester." And I was feeling it. There were so many emotions going on because it was reality, we now had a newborn and I still wasn't sure how to be a Mom!
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The car ride home I was a nervous wreck. I told Jaris to drive safe probably about 5 times. We also needed to buy a new head insert for the carseat for Preemie's. Very thankful my mom and dad bought us the head insert the very next day. As for the first night home...Holy emotional roller coaster! It's really true when they say there is a such thing called "the FOURTH trimester." And I was feeling it. There were so many emotions going on because it was reality, we now had a newborn and I still wasn't sure how to be a Mom!
Car ride home!
Once we got home, my parents met us here at our house and helped us unload everything from the car and start organizing. For those of you who know me, my house is pretty spotless and to say that I was overwhelmed with all the "new stuff" coming in was an understatement. I felt like I didn't know what to do with it all. I was so grateful for all the things we got, but having to unpack and organize all the stuff was a bit much. Thankfully my Mom was there and to be completely honest, no matter how old I am or what stage of "adulthood" I'm in, a Mother's comfort is something you just can't replace. She made me feel like everything was going to be ok, and she started packing our diaper bag with Jaris and help tidy everything up. Our first meal out of the hospital was Ned's Krazy Sub courtesy of my parents! It was delicious!!
As for the first night...it was rough on me! I am a worrier, so I had a difficult time falling asleep. I just kept looking at her to make sure she was ok and breathing, and constantly worrying over every little thing. Pretty sure that's every new Mom, right?! Jaris and I set alarms for every 3 hours throughout the night to feed her, and she was pretty spot on to most of them, but for some we actually had to wake her up. The doctor said that she should not go more then 3 hours for feeding since being a preemie, they want her gaining weight. First night was down, and on to day two of being home. The emotional roller coaster continued and I won't lie I was a hot mess! Poor Jaris would just see me crying out of no where and he would be so supportive, but what I was crying over...who knows!? It would be that I missed our New Zealand nurse, P had the hiccups, I missed my Mom & Dad, worried she wouldn't sleep well, worried I wouldn't sleep well, how would I feed her, what if she didn't burp...etc, etc. I looked up the term for all these feelings and they are legit...Called "Baby Blues." Happens to most all new mommies, and it made me feel a little better!
Day 3 (Monday) came around and I was getting a little better hour by hour. I even would text some of my "mom friends" and ask "Is this normal, this hot mess roller coaster?" Sure enough, all of them said yes, due to the crazy hormones and chemical imbalance trying to purge the body. Jaris was super supportive and helpful through the whole thing, again...my rock! Day 4 of being home (today) I feel back to my normal self...for the most part. I know it will be a roller coaster being a new mom, but getting back to my routine of things, I feel so much better! No tears = Success! We've gone out a couple times: to my parents, the pediatrician, QuikTrip, brother and sister-in-laws, and tonight we went Bahama Bucks! We have also been so grateful and blessed by all the wonderful people bringing over dinners to us! The Nevin's provided dinner on Sunday, the Philpot's brought dinner tonight, our neighbors the McNeil's brought over homemade brownies and ice cream, my parents have brought us dinner and lunch several times. We have many more dinners coming from so many amazing families that we really are thankful!!
As for Jaris and I...well we live the life of feed, change, sleep, watch World Cup soccer...repeat! We are definitely getting use to being parents but sometimes it doesn't feel real. I am recovering pretty well from my csection but wow, it hurts to cough, sneeze, and laugh! Oh and cheer for USA soccer. I've done good weening myself off of any pain meds because I didn't like how they made me feel, always gave myself an upset stomach. I'm slowly getting my appetite back (it took me 4 days) but it's nice to eat an actual full meal rather then peanut butter toast. We couldn't be happier to have Paisley in our lives, and we will continue learning something new everyday being parents. Several people mentioned already, so when will you be ready for the second one? My response "I'm sorry, what!?!?" Not even a thought in my mind. Lol! We love all the prayers, support, and love that we have gotten these last two weeks, and we can't believe Miss P is already one week old! She lost 5 oz. in the hospital but is already back up 2 oz. so that's a positive. She's still a little peanut, but we are so happy that she is ours. Here's to another night of restless sleep but falling in love with our little girl more and more.
Hilarious! My dad enjoys using his Memes app!
One Week Old!
Beautiful flowers from Bill and Jenny in Las Vegas!
Friday, June 20, 2014
3 days old :)
Miss Paisley is now 3 days old, and each day it is getting a little easier, but each day I fall more and more in love. Let's just say the first day (Wednesday) I was an emotional, raging, just out of recovery pregnant woman. Jaris probably had NO IDEA what to do for me, or what to say. But he was amazing, and just encouraged me and loved me even though he probably thought I was crazy.
Like any NEW mom, I'm sure you can relate to me when I say the first day your child is born, you have NO CLUE how to be a Mom. Yep, that was me! Of course I waited 9 months...ok just a little shy of 9 months to meet baby girl and we were both so excited, but when the day finally arrived, I thought to myself how in the world do I be a mom?! I was an emotional basket case! No lies! I kept telling Jaris I had no idea what I was doing and that I never wanted him to leave my side. Yep...crazy lady right here!! Thursday was a MUCH better day and even Jaris said I was like a completely new person, thank goodness...but the hormones of after pregnancy are just as crazy as the ones while you are pregnant. :)
What did I determine from these last 3 days: It's so crazy to think that you truly do learn something new almost every hour, even minute of being a new mom. And the first day, I learned a heck of a lot. We had so many visitors the first 2 days and of course Jaris and I were grateful for everyone to share in our excitement, but by the end of the day, we were exhausted! Not from feeding or caring for P, but from all the visitors that we had in and out. Today was a much more chill day with just 3 people coming to see us and it was nice to have some alone time with Paisley. We can't wait for more people to come see us once we get home. (Which by the way, we go home tomorrow!) Our small group has been absolutely amazing and set up a meal plan for the next couple weeks for us. That will help out so much, and we are so grateful for them!
About Miss Paisley Grace...she is absolutely the most adorable thing I've ever laid eyes on. I know every parent says that about their child, but it's true. I've never been the "baby" type until I got pregnant. Every time one cried, I always gave it back to the mommy or daddy (truth). But this is different. She's mine! I get to love on her, care for her, feed her, change her, kiss her, stare at her...all of the above. Jaris has been an amazing dad throughout and I can just see how much he melts at the sight of her. She does look a lot like Jaris which makes me a little sad because I wanted her to look like me! :) But she's still so dang cute, and hopefully she gets both of our features as she grows up. At time of birth she weighed 4 lbs 15 oz., and is now down to 4 lbs. 10 oz. I get sad hearing that she lost weight, but all the nurses say that's normal. She never had to go to the NICU, and passed all her screenings and tests. We couldn't believe it, she was so dang strong and such a healthy baby, we thank God for that! As of right now, she eats, sleeps, and goes to the bathroom. I know she will gain weight as the days go by, but she is just a little peanut!
As for me, I'm recovering pretty well. After the c-section, I was able to get up within the first few hours to take my walk around the unit. The next day I took off the bandages and was able to get my IV out. The staples and scar are pretty crazy and a bit bruised, but I know it will heal and it was all worth the pain to have my little girl. I am still on pain meds right now because if I lay for a longer period of time, I get very sore!! We are scheduled to be released tomorrow (You betcha I took all 4 days in the hospital to heal) and we are excited to go home. We are also VERY nervous as well, because that's basically when reality sets in. I am so thankful that I am on summer break and have at least 6 weeks of uninterrupted time with Jaris and baby. I will celebrate my 30th birthday in 2 weeks and I can't wait!
Life is now about my family. They mean the world to me, and it's amazing to see how you transition as a person once you bring a baby into this world. I have even surprised myself these last few days, but I wouldn't have it any other way. We are so blessed for all the love and support we have gotten from family and friends. I'm sure we'll be calling many of them for help, advice, suggestions, or even to watch her for a couple hours while we catch up on sleep! Please continue to pray for P to gain weight and continue to show how healthy and strong she really is. We love her to the moon and back!
Here's a few pics from the last couple days...
Like any NEW mom, I'm sure you can relate to me when I say the first day your child is born, you have NO CLUE how to be a Mom. Yep, that was me! Of course I waited 9 months...ok just a little shy of 9 months to meet baby girl and we were both so excited, but when the day finally arrived, I thought to myself how in the world do I be a mom?! I was an emotional basket case! No lies! I kept telling Jaris I had no idea what I was doing and that I never wanted him to leave my side. Yep...crazy lady right here!! Thursday was a MUCH better day and even Jaris said I was like a completely new person, thank goodness...but the hormones of after pregnancy are just as crazy as the ones while you are pregnant. :)
What did I determine from these last 3 days: It's so crazy to think that you truly do learn something new almost every hour, even minute of being a new mom. And the first day, I learned a heck of a lot. We had so many visitors the first 2 days and of course Jaris and I were grateful for everyone to share in our excitement, but by the end of the day, we were exhausted! Not from feeding or caring for P, but from all the visitors that we had in and out. Today was a much more chill day with just 3 people coming to see us and it was nice to have some alone time with Paisley. We can't wait for more people to come see us once we get home. (Which by the way, we go home tomorrow!) Our small group has been absolutely amazing and set up a meal plan for the next couple weeks for us. That will help out so much, and we are so grateful for them!
About Miss Paisley Grace...she is absolutely the most adorable thing I've ever laid eyes on. I know every parent says that about their child, but it's true. I've never been the "baby" type until I got pregnant. Every time one cried, I always gave it back to the mommy or daddy (truth). But this is different. She's mine! I get to love on her, care for her, feed her, change her, kiss her, stare at her...all of the above. Jaris has been an amazing dad throughout and I can just see how much he melts at the sight of her. She does look a lot like Jaris which makes me a little sad because I wanted her to look like me! :) But she's still so dang cute, and hopefully she gets both of our features as she grows up. At time of birth she weighed 4 lbs 15 oz., and is now down to 4 lbs. 10 oz. I get sad hearing that she lost weight, but all the nurses say that's normal. She never had to go to the NICU, and passed all her screenings and tests. We couldn't believe it, she was so dang strong and such a healthy baby, we thank God for that! As of right now, she eats, sleeps, and goes to the bathroom. I know she will gain weight as the days go by, but she is just a little peanut!
As for me, I'm recovering pretty well. After the c-section, I was able to get up within the first few hours to take my walk around the unit. The next day I took off the bandages and was able to get my IV out. The staples and scar are pretty crazy and a bit bruised, but I know it will heal and it was all worth the pain to have my little girl. I am still on pain meds right now because if I lay for a longer period of time, I get very sore!! We are scheduled to be released tomorrow (You betcha I took all 4 days in the hospital to heal) and we are excited to go home. We are also VERY nervous as well, because that's basically when reality sets in. I am so thankful that I am on summer break and have at least 6 weeks of uninterrupted time with Jaris and baby. I will celebrate my 30th birthday in 2 weeks and I can't wait!
Life is now about my family. They mean the world to me, and it's amazing to see how you transition as a person once you bring a baby into this world. I have even surprised myself these last few days, but I wouldn't have it any other way. We are so blessed for all the love and support we have gotten from family and friends. I'm sure we'll be calling many of them for help, advice, suggestions, or even to watch her for a couple hours while we catch up on sleep! Please continue to pray for P to gain weight and continue to show how healthy and strong she really is. We love her to the moon and back!
Here's a few pics from the last couple days...
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
The day she arrived!
June 17th, 2014...The day that Paisley Grace arrived.
The morning started off pretty good, had some mild cramps and had been on the monitor all throughout the night. 8:30 rolled around and in walked Dr. Elliot and my nurse. I knew this must have been important, because you don't just see Dr. Elliot for no reason. The first thing my favorite nurse Christine said was, "We're not gonna eat or drink anything right about now." And she started taking my water cup, any crackers I had on my tray table and even my Skittles. :) Dr. Elliot proceeded to say I had three pretty big contractions in the middle of the night with P's heart rate decelerating and slowly coming back up. He said after looking through the monitor strips, there was no reason to wait any further. He wanted what was safe for baby and since I was 35 weeks, waiting another couple days wasn't going to change the outcome of Paisley. If it was 2 weeks we were waiting, then yes it would have, but a couple days he felt wouldn't make the difference and he wanted to keep her safety number one.
After he gave us the news, he said we had the option to have the scheduled c-section at 5:00 p.m. or 7 a.m. the next morning. He said he would leave us be, so that we could make the decision. Jaris and I talked about the positives of having her that night, but of course the little small bit in the back of my mind was telling me that "today wasn't an even number." LOL! I know, I know...I'm silly, but that's just me. After discussing what time we would do it, just for fun, we flipped a coin to determine if it was the best option. Sure enough "heads" came up twice in a row and that was the sign we needed to know tonight was the night. So, all day went by...I couldn't eat or drink anything and I was starving!! Jaris even went and ate lunch in the cafeteria by himself so he wouldn't eat in front of me, what a sweet guy he is! I took a small nap around 2:30 so that I could get some rest and make the time go by faster.
4:30 p.m. rolled around and in came my nurse getting me prepped ready to go. She gave Jaris his scrubs and me my awesome hair net. Christine was able to be our nurse in the OR, and we were so grateful we had her.
I was rolled to the OR, and Jaris couldn't go in the room with me at first. I had to get the spinal block in my back and I must say I was so stinkin brave and strong getting those. I thought for sure I would go into panic attack without having Jaris there, but nope! Christine was there the entire time, and I was holding her hand. It only took a few minutes, and I was unable to feel my legs or toes. Craziest feeling in the world, it actually made me giggle a lot while lying on the table. In came my OB Doctor, and the whole process went so fast. Jaris came in ready to go with camera in hand, and they started cutting me open. Jaris watched the entire thing. He was rubbing my head, but was so intrigued with what the doctors were doing that he wasn't really paying attention to his wife! :) I felt the pulling and tugging, but no pain at all, and then all of sudden I hear Jaris say "Oh my goodness, there's Paisley" and he started crying. It was the most precious thing I had ever seen and then I started crying. He kept repeating, she's here, she's here. After the surgery and being sewed back up, Dr. Gottfried showed me my placenta and the Vasa Previa that was the condition that I had. Not only did I have one big blood vessel in the way, but I had 3 other tiny blood vessels in the placenta as well, and Dr. Gottfried was very shocked to see that. So it seemed that my condition was even more serious then what we thought! That's why after all was said and done, I'm glad she was delivered c-section on the day that she was!
Paisley was taken to the little crib next to us and was monitored and checked over by the team of NICU nurses. She didn't come out crying right away because she had swallowed some fluid and it needed to be sucked out. As soon as they did that and we heard her crying, Jaris and I started crying again! She weighed and measured: 4 lbs. 15 oz. 17 3/4 in. long. I laughed and joked with Jaris and said of course she would stubborn and not gain that extra ounce to be 5 lbs., just like her Mama :) They proceeded to tell us that she was breathing well, her pink color was gorgeous, and that they were going to take her to the nursery, not the NICU. That was the best news to get!! I thought for sure her being such a peanut, she would have to go to the NICU, but she totally proved us wrong. All the prayers really were answered!! We felt so blessed.
After I came out of recovery and we got to our room, all of it happened so fast. We had family and friends that came to visit and Paisley came in from the nursery. Everything went so good, and Paisley was eating enough and showing that her blood sugars were right where they needed to be. Jaris and I still can't believe that we are parents, it is still so surreal to us. We are so blessed and thankful for all the prayers, love, and support and we couldn't be happier. If all goes well with me and baby P, it looks like we'll be discharged Friday or Saturday. It is amazing to see Jaris become a Dad, he is just a natural. He has been my rock through this entire thing and has been such a huge help minute by minute.
We now will embark in the journey of parenthood. I'm sure it will be a roller coaster of fun, but emotional times. We look forward to it, and we look forward to seeing her grow! Happy Birthday to Miss Paisley Grace on June 17th, 2014!!
The morning started off pretty good, had some mild cramps and had been on the monitor all throughout the night. 8:30 rolled around and in walked Dr. Elliot and my nurse. I knew this must have been important, because you don't just see Dr. Elliot for no reason. The first thing my favorite nurse Christine said was, "We're not gonna eat or drink anything right about now." And she started taking my water cup, any crackers I had on my tray table and even my Skittles. :) Dr. Elliot proceeded to say I had three pretty big contractions in the middle of the night with P's heart rate decelerating and slowly coming back up. He said after looking through the monitor strips, there was no reason to wait any further. He wanted what was safe for baby and since I was 35 weeks, waiting another couple days wasn't going to change the outcome of Paisley. If it was 2 weeks we were waiting, then yes it would have, but a couple days he felt wouldn't make the difference and he wanted to keep her safety number one.
After he gave us the news, he said we had the option to have the scheduled c-section at 5:00 p.m. or 7 a.m. the next morning. He said he would leave us be, so that we could make the decision. Jaris and I talked about the positives of having her that night, but of course the little small bit in the back of my mind was telling me that "today wasn't an even number." LOL! I know, I know...I'm silly, but that's just me. After discussing what time we would do it, just for fun, we flipped a coin to determine if it was the best option. Sure enough "heads" came up twice in a row and that was the sign we needed to know tonight was the night. So, all day went by...I couldn't eat or drink anything and I was starving!! Jaris even went and ate lunch in the cafeteria by himself so he wouldn't eat in front of me, what a sweet guy he is! I took a small nap around 2:30 so that I could get some rest and make the time go by faster.
4:30 p.m. rolled around and in came my nurse getting me prepped ready to go. She gave Jaris his scrubs and me my awesome hair net. Christine was able to be our nurse in the OR, and we were so grateful we had her.
Prepped and ready to go!!
I was rolled to the OR, and Jaris couldn't go in the room with me at first. I had to get the spinal block in my back and I must say I was so stinkin brave and strong getting those. I thought for sure I would go into panic attack without having Jaris there, but nope! Christine was there the entire time, and I was holding her hand. It only took a few minutes, and I was unable to feel my legs or toes. Craziest feeling in the world, it actually made me giggle a lot while lying on the table. In came my OB Doctor, and the whole process went so fast. Jaris came in ready to go with camera in hand, and they started cutting me open. Jaris watched the entire thing. He was rubbing my head, but was so intrigued with what the doctors were doing that he wasn't really paying attention to his wife! :) I felt the pulling and tugging, but no pain at all, and then all of sudden I hear Jaris say "Oh my goodness, there's Paisley" and he started crying. It was the most precious thing I had ever seen and then I started crying. He kept repeating, she's here, she's here. After the surgery and being sewed back up, Dr. Gottfried showed me my placenta and the Vasa Previa that was the condition that I had. Not only did I have one big blood vessel in the way, but I had 3 other tiny blood vessels in the placenta as well, and Dr. Gottfried was very shocked to see that. So it seemed that my condition was even more serious then what we thought! That's why after all was said and done, I'm glad she was delivered c-section on the day that she was!
Paisley was taken to the little crib next to us and was monitored and checked over by the team of NICU nurses. She didn't come out crying right away because she had swallowed some fluid and it needed to be sucked out. As soon as they did that and we heard her crying, Jaris and I started crying again! She weighed and measured: 4 lbs. 15 oz. 17 3/4 in. long. I laughed and joked with Jaris and said of course she would stubborn and not gain that extra ounce to be 5 lbs., just like her Mama :) They proceeded to tell us that she was breathing well, her pink color was gorgeous, and that they were going to take her to the nursery, not the NICU. That was the best news to get!! I thought for sure her being such a peanut, she would have to go to the NICU, but she totally proved us wrong. All the prayers really were answered!! We felt so blessed.
After I came out of recovery and we got to our room, all of it happened so fast. We had family and friends that came to visit and Paisley came in from the nursery. Everything went so good, and Paisley was eating enough and showing that her blood sugars were right where they needed to be. Jaris and I still can't believe that we are parents, it is still so surreal to us. We are so blessed and thankful for all the prayers, love, and support and we couldn't be happier. If all goes well with me and baby P, it looks like we'll be discharged Friday or Saturday. It is amazing to see Jaris become a Dad, he is just a natural. He has been my rock through this entire thing and has been such a huge help minute by minute.
We now will embark in the journey of parenthood. I'm sure it will be a roller coaster of fun, but emotional times. We look forward to it, and we look forward to seeing her grow! Happy Birthday to Miss Paisley Grace on June 17th, 2014!!
Mommy and Paisley Selfie!
Little Peanut!
Proud Mommy and Daddy!
Love this little girl so much already!
Daddy feeding baby girl.
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
One week down...
Well, one week has gone by in the hospital and again the only thing I can say what a roller coaster it has been. Yesterday started out a little groggy since I was still waking up from the Ambien. I must say, that worked like a charm! I guess I was having a pretty decent size contraction at 3 a.m. and the nurse came in to give me medicine to stop them and I don't recall her even coming in. Then throughout the morning, I had a couple more small ones with deceleration that the nurses/doctors were watching. My friend Mary came and visited yesterday morning and we enjoyed laughs and watching some soccer highlights.
Thank goodness we had our favorite nurse Christine, and she let me get up and take a shower. That was the only time yesterday that I really was able to get out of bed. (besides bathroom breaks). After I showered, did my hair, and was able to look presentable, I had to get back in bed and get back on the monitor. Jaris then had to leave for work, and I tried, key word tried, to take a little nap. That didn't happen, because nurses and doctors continue coming in and checking and doing vitals etc. Dr. Elliot came in around 12:45 to discuss what he's been seeing on the monitor. He says that every time I have a bigger size contraction, P's heart rate decelerates and they don't want that. Especially when I go to the restroom, they see a dip in her heart rate and then slowly comes back up. This is something they have been watching at a constant and want to avoid any dangers to that's why I feel that I may have her earlier then Sunday, we'll see.
Later throughout the afternoon, I had more visitors come to see me. Wendy brought me adorable baby gifts and delicious candy! After she left, my nephew Jordan was here watching the USA Soccer game with me. T.J. and Jami came later to finish off the game and let's just say I got a WEE bit too excited once they scored that second goal, and was put on oxygen. Lol. Whoops. My heart rate and baby's heart rate went up and they had to pump me with fluids and give me more oxygen. Glad to know little P loves soccer as much as her mom now!! :)
With Mary, before my shower, I look like a hot mess!
Later throughout the afternoon, I had more visitors come to see me. Wendy brought me adorable baby gifts and delicious candy! After she left, my nephew Jordan was here watching the USA Soccer game with me. T.J. and Jami came later to finish off the game and let's just say I got a WEE bit too excited once they scored that second goal, and was put on oxygen. Lol. Whoops. My heart rate and baby's heart rate went up and they had to pump me with fluids and give me more oxygen. Glad to know little P loves soccer as much as her mom now!! :)
Wendy and I :)
Jo-Jo and I USA Game
Rickey, Courtney, and Brynny Brynn.
On oxygen to calm the heart rate. Thanks USA Soccer.
Later last night, I asked to take a wheelchair ride, and they didn't allow it. I was able to sit up in a chair for 30 minutes, and that was all the excitement I had for the night. The contractions keep coming, and doctors are saying it's closer to time. We'll keep everyone updated. Lots of prayers!
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Keeping positive
Today was a good day :) although I had second majority of the day on the monitor again, I felt that I had a different attitude and outlook on it all, which helped a lot. I slept a little better through the night but tonight I finally asked for a sleep aid to help. I can not wait to see if it will help me sleep better! After a night/morning of being on the monitor I was able to get off to take a shower. I use every minute I can to stay in the shower and relax.
After that my Brother and sister in law and nefs and niece all came and brought us breakfast. Yum! My doctor came in a little after that and I had some questions/concerns to talk to her about so my fam left. My doctor has been wonderful this whole time, and I mentioned my concerns with how many times I keep hearing from nurses the seriousness of my condition. I totally get it's not something to mess around with, but when you continue hearing it time after time it becomes very emotionally stressful and anxiety level goes up. My doctor completely understood and told the nurse to out in their note that I'm a smart, intelligent girl that I don't need to be reminded of the concerns, that's why I'm here at the hospital in the first place. That made me feel a lot better. Doctor reiterated that our goal is to get to 35 weeks for sure, and to continue on to Sunday, June 22nd. Today I am 34 wks 4 days! Big milestones for sure :) anyone with this condition delivers csection anywhere between 34-36 weeks. So we'll just keep truckin' along!
I watched all the soccer games today with World Cup and had a few visitors as well. Soccer has been my savior here in the hospital. As well as all the amazing visitors.
After that my Brother and sister in law and nefs and niece all came and brought us breakfast. Yum! My doctor came in a little after that and I had some questions/concerns to talk to her about so my fam left. My doctor has been wonderful this whole time, and I mentioned my concerns with how many times I keep hearing from nurses the seriousness of my condition. I totally get it's not something to mess around with, but when you continue hearing it time after time it becomes very emotionally stressful and anxiety level goes up. My doctor completely understood and told the nurse to out in their note that I'm a smart, intelligent girl that I don't need to be reminded of the concerns, that's why I'm here at the hospital in the first place. That made me feel a lot better. Doctor reiterated that our goal is to get to 35 weeks for sure, and to continue on to Sunday, June 22nd. Today I am 34 wks 4 days! Big milestones for sure :) anyone with this condition delivers csection anywhere between 34-36 weeks. So we'll just keep truckin' along!
I watched all the soccer games today with World Cup and had a few visitors as well. Soccer has been my savior here in the hospital. As well as all the amazing visitors.
Jeff, Shanna, and Amanda came to visit me!
Dennis and Wendy also stopped by!
Jaris and I took our 30 minute wheelchair ride. Yay!!
I was on the monitor from 12:30-6:30 tonight. It's a pain in the butt having to go to the bathroom being on the monitor and having IVs hooked up to you. At 6:30 my parents came and brought me dinner. Delicious KFC! We ate in the cafeteria in which I had another wheelchair ride! Thank you Mom and a Dad for bringing me dinner and hanging out with me.
KFC was fantastic!
Sister-in-law brought her famous cookies. So YUM!!
Once my parents left, Jami came and hung out with me for a bit! It was nice sitting and chatting and eating delicious cookies. She kept me company until Jaris gets off work. That's what I'm ending my night doing, waiting for him to get "home." I just was given the Ambien and the nurse says it will work within 30 minutes, but pretty sure it's working now! Lol. So blessed and thankful for all the love and support, and I am continuing to count down the days til we meet our precious little girl.
Saturday, June 14, 2014
It's no fun when you can't poop - Tom Hagen
Well...my dad was right. Being on stool softeners, pepcid pills, IV fluids, and contraction stoppers...it has been quite a ride today. I thought after many, many hours (20+) on the monitor watching baby's heart beat and contractions, that I would be released to get off. Nope...not the case. I was only able to be off the monitor today for two things. Taking a shower and doing my hair (which only took a total of 30 minutes) and my wheel chair ride tonight (total of 30 minutes). After the episode that I had last night with the many contractions and the deceleration, my doctor came in tonight and told me that she wants me on the monitor as much as possible. She needs to be seeing how baby is reacting and if any contractions are occurring. I keep getting told by nurses and doctors of how serious this condition is and that is why I am under watchful eye.
I have so many mixed emotions about this, and have had a total of 3 breakdowns today. (I'm embarrassed to admit it, but want to be truthful). This is difficult. I know it's all worth it, but leading up to it all, is very difficult. Can't sleep, uncomfortable, stressed out, emotional, scared of the unknown etc. Being hooked up and on bedrest for hours upon hours is not fun, and it's harder that Jaris is at work and half the day I spend doing it alone. I'm thankful for my visitors today, and for very thankful for my mom and dad for coming tonight to take me on my wheelchair ride and spend time with me. I was granted 30 minutes out with them, and we took full advantage of it. Here's some pictures from today!
I have so many mixed emotions about this, and have had a total of 3 breakdowns today. (I'm embarrassed to admit it, but want to be truthful). This is difficult. I know it's all worth it, but leading up to it all, is very difficult. Can't sleep, uncomfortable, stressed out, emotional, scared of the unknown etc. Being hooked up and on bedrest for hours upon hours is not fun, and it's harder that Jaris is at work and half the day I spend doing it alone. I'm thankful for my visitors today, and for very thankful for my mom and dad for coming tonight to take me on my wheelchair ride and spend time with me. I was granted 30 minutes out with them, and we took full advantage of it. Here's some pictures from today!
Laura and Amy brought me Jamba Juice!
New IV, love that it's not in the hand!
Jter, Ams, and Baby Cadence came to visit!
They brought me candy, which was/is delicious!
Dad enjoying the recliner while on Facebook
Wheelchair ride after my breakdown. Hanging with the cows.
Mom and Me - Selfie in the cafeteria
Day 5 in the hospital is down. Per the doctor, I have 8 days til the scheduled c-section. The inner strength I have to find in this next week will help me become a stronger person later on. I plan on looking back at this and saying it was all worth the crying, frustration, restless and uncomfortable nights. Let go, Let God.
Full Moon and Me don't mix!
Last night was hard! Not only on me, but I'm sure Jaris, the nurses, and also my OB Doctor. After all the visitors left for the night, I was cramping up pretty bad. I tried to ignore it, but decided to let my nurse know. It almost felt like a "gas pocket" in my stomach if that makes sense. Anyway, the nurse hooked me up to the monitor, and right away could see I was contracting. Now, as much as this may seem normal to most pregnant women (which it is), with my condition of vasa previa, they don't want me contracting because when I do baby puts pressure on the blood vessel and her heart rate decelerates a little and we want to steer clear of that. So after getting hooked up to the monitor, my nurse contacted my OB Doctor and they prescribed me to be pumped with fluids (I'm on my third bag) and take Nifedopine (sp) to help stop/slow any contractions.
Around 11 p.m., after being on the monitor for 3 hours, I thought for sure I would be able to be taken off and get a good night's rest. Boy, was I wrong. The nurse came in and said she spoke to my doctor and that they wanted me on the monitor all night. All Night??!! How in the world was I going to sleep with having things stuck to my stomach, and nurses coming in every hour of the night. Well sure enough, I barely slept. I was so uncomfortable, and couldn't toss and turn like I normally do, so in a matter of 9 hours, I probably slept 3. It was really hard. Not to mention, try going to the bathroom with an IV bag stuck in you, and monitors on your belly, not easy whatsoever! After hours passed, nurse shift change happened and we got back our favorite: Christine from New Zealand! She came in and the first thing I asked her, when can I get off this thing, she said not til my OB Dr. came in and discussed things with me. (Remind you I had been on it now for 12 hours). So of course what did any pregnant emotional girl do...Broke down and started crying. Thankfully Jaris was here to calm me down, because I was pretty upset. I get that this is all for the best and for little P's health, it's just tough! I wanted to get up, move around, take a shower, stretch...do something...And here I was, just stuck in bed.
Finally, 11 a.m. rolled around and in walked my OB Dr. Gottfried. I'm not even kidding it was like an angel sent from heaven when I saw her, because I had been waiting to hear from her/talk to her all morning. So here's the verdict that she told us:
1. I had some pretty monster contractions last night/early morning and every time I had one, Paisley's heart rate decelerated a couple seconds and went back up.
2. Every time I got a contraction, and her heart rate went down, that means that she's not a fan of the feeling it's doing and may be pushing down on the blood vessel in which we don't want.
3. If I have one good size contraction every hour with her heart rate decelerating, they will schedule the delivery for pretty much that day. She said she will call OR, get everything prepared and be ready to take her via csection. They do not want her heart rate decreasing due to any contractions that I'm having.
4. IF I can hold out this next week and slow the contractions and keep her quiet and at peace in there, she has scheduled the csection for Sunday, June 22nd. My Dr. doesn't want to push it anymore then she has.
5. After all the news she gave us, she did say that I can get up off the monitor to take a shower, stretch, go to the bathroom in peace, etc. She also said later this afternoon I can do a 30 minute wheelchair ride or head over to the garden to get out. But basically any time I'm in my room I need to be on the monitor.
PS: Took a shower, did my hair, put on make-up, and never have I felt so refreshed!!
All the news last night and today has really been a roller coaster for me. I want what's best of course, but just scared of what's to come. I continue praying every day that I can get through this and will just become stronger from it all. Thank you everyone for the prayers and support you have given us. It truly means so much to us all. I will continue updating as much as possible, but with being on the monitor now at a constant, it's more difficult.
Around 11 p.m., after being on the monitor for 3 hours, I thought for sure I would be able to be taken off and get a good night's rest. Boy, was I wrong. The nurse came in and said she spoke to my doctor and that they wanted me on the monitor all night. All Night??!! How in the world was I going to sleep with having things stuck to my stomach, and nurses coming in every hour of the night. Well sure enough, I barely slept. I was so uncomfortable, and couldn't toss and turn like I normally do, so in a matter of 9 hours, I probably slept 3. It was really hard. Not to mention, try going to the bathroom with an IV bag stuck in you, and monitors on your belly, not easy whatsoever! After hours passed, nurse shift change happened and we got back our favorite: Christine from New Zealand! She came in and the first thing I asked her, when can I get off this thing, she said not til my OB Dr. came in and discussed things with me. (Remind you I had been on it now for 12 hours). So of course what did any pregnant emotional girl do...Broke down and started crying. Thankfully Jaris was here to calm me down, because I was pretty upset. I get that this is all for the best and for little P's health, it's just tough! I wanted to get up, move around, take a shower, stretch...do something...And here I was, just stuck in bed.
Finally, 11 a.m. rolled around and in walked my OB Dr. Gottfried. I'm not even kidding it was like an angel sent from heaven when I saw her, because I had been waiting to hear from her/talk to her all morning. So here's the verdict that she told us:
1. I had some pretty monster contractions last night/early morning and every time I had one, Paisley's heart rate decelerated a couple seconds and went back up.
2. Every time I got a contraction, and her heart rate went down, that means that she's not a fan of the feeling it's doing and may be pushing down on the blood vessel in which we don't want.
3. If I have one good size contraction every hour with her heart rate decelerating, they will schedule the delivery for pretty much that day. She said she will call OR, get everything prepared and be ready to take her via csection. They do not want her heart rate decreasing due to any contractions that I'm having.
4. IF I can hold out this next week and slow the contractions and keep her quiet and at peace in there, she has scheduled the csection for Sunday, June 22nd. My Dr. doesn't want to push it anymore then she has.
5. After all the news she gave us, she did say that I can get up off the monitor to take a shower, stretch, go to the bathroom in peace, etc. She also said later this afternoon I can do a 30 minute wheelchair ride or head over to the garden to get out. But basically any time I'm in my room I need to be on the monitor.
PS: Took a shower, did my hair, put on make-up, and never have I felt so refreshed!!
All the news last night and today has really been a roller coaster for me. I want what's best of course, but just scared of what's to come. I continue praying every day that I can get through this and will just become stronger from it all. Thank you everyone for the prayers and support you have given us. It truly means so much to us all. I will continue updating as much as possible, but with being on the monitor now at a constant, it's more difficult.
Holy Visitor Palooza!!
Thank you to all the visitors that came and saw me yesterday. I am truly blessed by all the love and support!
Isaac and Michelle came and brought us Blizzards!!
Loving the Butterfinger Blizzard!
Andrew and Sabrina came too!!
Jaris' sister and boyfriend - Jen and James!
One of my 4th grade students - Payton! :)
Another student came! Brianna and her G'Ma Joyce :)
Melissa brought me delicious Watermelon Bahama Bucks!
Amy brought little Oliver Finn with to visit!
So happy I got to see everyone yesterday. Probably overdid it myself though because at the end of the night, everything turned and contractions were happening!! Post will be above about the night/early morning.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Rooster Kalamazoo
Today was a MUCH better day, praise Jesus!! I was able to sleep really well and my night nurse Ashley let me sleep 6 hours before taking any vitals again. That was heavenly. Granted I have to get up every 2 hours to go to the bathroom, but I was able to fall right back asleep. Jaris had to go to work this morning at 5:30 so that was a bummer seeing him leave. He loves that his QT is literally 5 minutes away from the hospital, so it really works out perfect for him. At shift change we got our favorite nurse back, Christine! She is from New Zealand is a dang hoot! She loves that I watch World Cup and stopped by my room several times to check the score and tell me stories about how her daughters played growing up. Her sense of humor is fantastic and makes our stay here that much easier.
At 9:00, my friend Mandy from church/small group came to visit and brought games to entertain us. We decided to play Outburst and what a fun game that was. That's where I got my title for this post. Guess it's more of an inside joke, but it fits! :) Mandy was here for an hour hanging out, and after she left I was put back on the monitor for the next hour. No contractions, no cramps, and P is sounding good and healthy. After that I ordered lunch, and I must say the grilled cheese was delish! I'm sure I'll be ordering that again sometime on my stay. Pics from this morning with Mandy and my lunch.
At 9:00, my friend Mandy from church/small group came to visit and brought games to entertain us. We decided to play Outburst and what a fun game that was. That's where I got my title for this post. Guess it's more of an inside joke, but it fits! :) Mandy was here for an hour hanging out, and after she left I was put back on the monitor for the next hour. No contractions, no cramps, and P is sounding good and healthy. After that I ordered lunch, and I must say the grilled cheese was delish! I'm sure I'll be ordering that again sometime on my stay. Pics from this morning with Mandy and my lunch.
Mandy and I :)
Lunch time - me, myself, and I
After lunch, World Cup came on and I watched Brazil take on Croatia. What a start to the game with an own goal! And I'm sorry but that PK call was absolute bull honkey. I was really pulling for Croatia to upset, but of course I didn't think that was possible. I was bummed there was only one game on today, so I look forward to the next few weeks being able to watch as much World Cup Soccer as possible. After the game, Jaris got off work and came back to our home away from home. It was so great seeing him, I know that sounds silly, but I love spending time with the hubs. We then headed over to the cafeteria for some frozen yogurt and went and sat in the meditation garden. We love hanging out in there, because of the peace and quiet.
Around 4 p.m. we had an appt. to tour the NICU. As much as we hope and pray that little P doesn't go into the NICU, the nurses thought it would be a good idea to get familiar with the area just in case. The nurse that took us on the tour was so sweet and helpful. I walked into the ICU area of the NICU and felt a bit overwhelmed and tears started forming. I think it was more along the lines of "Wow, this is getting real!" The nurse really believes and is hopeful she won't be seeing us in there, so keeping our fingers crossed our little peanut is golden when delivery comes!
To finish off the night, we ordered dinner, watched the Spurs/Heat game, and my parents came to visit us. My parents swear there going to be here every night visiting, yet I tell them they don't have to. I guess that's what parents do though right? :) Makes me happy to see them, and my dad always has something to say to crack me up! I'll be finishing up on the monitor tonight, P is looking good and still no contractions. The nurses here say there job is to keep her inside as long as possible, and that when I go to Labor and Delivery, they have no idea what to do over there. LOL! There job is to keep them in, when they come out, that's a different nurse. :) Here's to hoping for 12 more days! As much as it is tough staying in here, I know it's the best place for me to be. It's hard because each day I've gotten different things being said to me by the nurses and doctors. My OB Doctor said I can get up and move around and walk about the Antepartum unit, and then other nurses say no, I'm on bedrest and no more than 30 minute wheelchair rides away from the unit. Ugh, getting a little frustrated because the different news I keep getting is a bit overwhelming. We'll see if the status changes again tomorrow. I'm a rule follower, so I just need to do what I'm told I suppose!
Things I look forward to here:
Sleeping
Taking a shower
Blow drying/straightening my hair
Putting on Make-up
Putting on new clothes each day
Getting out of my room
Going to the Harmony Garden
Getting Visitors
Ordering "room service"
Spending time with my husband
Looking out the window
Feeling the outside heat
Blogging at night
By the numbers:
2 - Flushes of IV
3 - Number of visitors
6 - Total hours slept
1 - World Cup games watched
4 - Big cups of water drank
105 - Degrees I enjoyed out front
12 - links left on the Paisley chain
9 - Number of nurses we have seen
2 - Doctors that have come into our room
200 - pages read in my Nook Book
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