Recovery

Having a c-section has me appreciating the human body more than I ever thought possible. The human body is amazing. In less than 2 weeks I feel like I have made a full recovery from a pretty major surgery. I haven't taken any pain medication in days and even then I was taking the anti-inflammatory that I was prescribed to help out the leaky boob situation. My incision is healing beautifully all on it's own, there is no need for bandages, staples or steristrips as of last Friday. Luckily I had no issues with blood clots and the swelling in my legs from all of the fluids I was given in the hospital is gone.

I am really grateful to be feeling this good so soon. I am able to care for my baby, tend to the household chores and even cook up a frozen pizza if necessary! ;) I am looking forward to tomorrow when I can officially drive again. I don't want to take the little one out anywhere, but at least I have the option!

The Birth Of Our Baby

On our way in to the hospital.  My last pregnancy picture-39 weeks.

 It was still dark outside when I woke on that anticipated Tuesday morning. I checked my phone for the time, it read 6:30 AM. I could hear the birds singing outside heralding in the first day of spring and my husband, who to my surprise, was sound asleep. I couldn't sleep anymore, I had to pee! Not at all shocking considering I had reached that point in pregnancy where I had to pee about every ten minutes. I remember thinking to myself that soon enough I would have my bladder back! I jumped in the shower and then did my makeup as quietly as I could as to not wake up the husband. I checked and rechecked the hospital bag and did any last minute tidying of the house before finally waking Hubby at 5 after 8. He got up and got in the shower while I blow dried and flat ironed my hair. I figured I wouldn't get to shower for a few days (I was wrong about that) so I wanted to look and feel good. After hubby was dressed we grabbed our bags and left for the hospital. It was a beautiful sunny day and I noticed backing down the drive that our azaleas had started to bloom.I had been fasting since midnight (doctors orders) but I wanted to make sure that Hubby got something to eat. We stopped at Bojangle's and got him some breakfast and gased up my car then it was a mad dash for the hospital. We checked in to labor and delivery at 9:30 where they had been expecting us. Barbara, our nurse, took us back into holding area number 5 where I changed into my hospital issued gown, gave my medical history, got my IV that I had been dreading, and made other necessary preparations prior to surgery. I was hooked up to all sorts of monitors and the nurse informed me that i was contracting every 3 minutes. That was news to me, I didn't feel a thing! I was dilated 3 centimeters and contracting every 3 minutes. The doctor the day before told me that baby girl was coming on the 20th one way or the other but she was relieved that the c-section was already scheduled. Hubby was given scrubs, a hat and booties to change into for the operating room.

All decked out in our hospital attire.

The anesthesiologist came by and made sure we didn't have any questions. The surgery was scheduled for 11:30 but the doctor the day before said it looked like I could be taken back earlier if all went well. Well, 11:30 came and went. At that point my sister was with Hubby and I in the holding area. Hubby had requested her there to keep him entertained and distracted while he was alone when I was getting prepped in the OR. Around noon Barbara told me that the doctor was finally on his way, he had an emergency that he got tied up with...a tubal pregnancy. I honestly had no concept of time at that point. I had no idea that it was a good bit past 11:30. The doctor came by and asked if I was ready and if we had any questions and then I was wheeled off to the operating room that was literally behind the wall I had been sitting beside for 2 and 1/2 hours. Barbara was there with me the whole time as my moral support...that woman is an angel. The anesthesiologist and his assistant (who stayed with me too and was a trip) had a hard time finding the spot for the spinal. I don't remember exactly how many times I was poked and stuck but it was A LOT. I sported a large bruise with lots of tiny scabs on my back for over a week afterwards. I was hunched over on the operating table scared out of my mind, holding Barbara's hand trying to remind myself to breathe through the intense pain that came from the spinal being inserted into the wrong place time after time. They finally found my "sweet spot" and I was feeling good and numb in no time. I remember feeling a weird warm and fuzzy feeling that went from my waist and down my legs to my toes. The room was bustling with activity as the doctor came in, 2 students, the neonatologist and nurses from the nursery, the operating assistant and, of course, Barbara and the anesthesiologists assistant. Once I was completely prepped and the sheet came up Hubby was let in. I kept asking him if he was okay and he would ask if I was okay. We were laughing and joking with the doctor and nurses. We all teased one of the students because she announced that she was a fainter and had never seen a surgery before. I assured her that I had seen a c-section on video before and it wasn't that bad. Because the students were there we got a play by play from the doctor about what he was doing at all times which was pretty cool. Hubby didn't find it as fascinating but I honestly think I would have been okay watching it if that had been offered to me. After a few minutes we heard him say that he was getting close. Then he commented about how crammed in the baby was and that she was coming out butt first. And the the most magical moment of any new parents life, the sweet sound of a crying baby. We both cried tears of joy and relief just knowing that she was healthy and finally here.

Our first time seeing our daughter.

The doctor announced to Hubby to have his camera ready and then we got a peek at our new baby girl over the curtain. Hubby said "she looks like my Dad" and I said "she doesn't look like anything I was expecting". Hubby had already told the nurses that he didn't want to see ANYTHING so one of the nurses came and got him and escorted him with his back to the operating table over to the baby. She got cleaned off and swaddled and a nurse brought her to me.

Our first family picture.

The anesthesia nurse took our camera and got our picture. They let me look at her and give her a kiss before she was whisked off with her Daddy to the nursery.

Getting printed.



I was in the OR for probably another 20 minutes getting put back  together. The 2 students came around when the doctor was almost done and told me congratulations and that they both cried when she came out because they had never seen a baby being born and how special it was. I was wheeled out into recovery area number 3 where Barbara got me settled. I was left alone for a few minutes and I just lay there trying to remember what my baby looked like. My sister came in because she didn't want me to be alone and I was so glad that she did. We talked about what everyone's reaction was. Gigi was concerned about my well being so the nurse said that she would allow her to come back for a minute. My sister left and sent Gigi in with my Dad for a short visit before Dad had to get back to work and Bab and Gigi had to go get the other kids from school. Hubby came in wheeling our little baby girl in her bassinett. We were able to have a moment together just looking at our beautiful daughter. Then more visitors- Grandma and Grandpa from Hubby's side, then my Mom and then our BFF Heather.Before I knew it, my hour and a half in recovery was over and I was loaded up with all of our bags and flowers and wheeled into my room.

My first time holding my daughter.





One proud Papa! 

 



Getting settled in to our room.



Date Night In Labor And Delivery

I had been feeling dizzy for a few days.  I didn't really think a whole lot of it until Saturday though, I couldn't shake it.  I was home alone and taking it easy all day but the dizziness was turning into occasional double vision.  I was supposed to meet up with my Hubby and some friends that evening for our last hurrah before Miss Lo makes her debut but things didn't go quite as planned.  As I started making my way down the interstate I couldn't focus on what was in front of me.  Everything was blurry and doubled, I kind of thought I was hallucinating!  I finally decided that it probably wasn't safe for me to be driving so I pulled off on the next exit and called my Honey to come and get me.  After that alarming phone call he encouraged me to call the doctor.  The doctor told me to go to labor and delivery for observation.

To make a long story short, everything checked out fine.  Blood pressure was perfect, blood sugar was a little low but that's because they wouldn't let me eat my dinner that I brought!  Baby was perfect, she is a "Category 1" baby which means that she is super active and I don't know what all else but she was fine.  After some google research we found that it is a common side effect with preeclampsia (which I don't have) or that it could be a visual migraine.  I was given no reason by the doctor since all of my vitals checked out fine they just let me go.  Here are some sexy photos of myself...you have been warned!

Workin' that hospital gown!

Where's my neck?!  That would be a Pepsi in my hand, my pregnancy craving as of late.

37 Weeks and Showered With Diapers

Well, here we are 37 weeks in.  At my appointment this week my doctor seemed alarmed at how big I was measuring.  Let's keep in mind that I have always measured 2 weeks small so this was quite a shock to hear.  I mean, my ribs have been feeling it but I'm a pretty small package to be carrying a baby anyhow.  The doctor sent me to ultrasound where we found out that our little lady is:

*Breech

*Big headed

*Weighing 7 lbs. 8 oz. according to the ultrasound tech, the doctor thinks she's at least 8 lbs.

*Stubborn, she refused to take her hands down from her face for a picture.

*Super Active- every technician has commented on how active this girl is.

So, it has been decided that a cesarean is the way to go and I can't say that I disagree.  I have felt like I would end up going the c-section route the entire pregnancy and was honestly relieved when the doctors suggested it.  I have a lot of factors working against me to go the other route.

 The new ward (church) that we are attending so generously offered to throw me a baby shower.  Since we have been so abundantly showered with gifts of every kind I asked that it be a diapers and wipes shower.  Up until the shower we had only been gifted one pack of diapers and one pack of wipes so we needed them.

 Here is a shot of the spread...well, some of it.  These ladies here really know how to throw a party.  Everything was beautiful.

 How precious are the napkins that were handmade for the shower?  I have never seen so much effort put in to a napkin before.

 We played some games, games that involved candy...you can't go wrong!

And at the end of the night this is some of the loot that I ended up with.  I am still overwhelmed by the generosity of so many people that barely know me.  We are loved!

Going Ons

Life lately has been mostly appointments (OB, chiropractic, etc.) for me and work for the Hubs.  In between those things, this is what we've been doing-

Making this house feel more like home.  It's amazing what a little tweaking here and there will do.  And, my ponytail palm that I purchased weeks ago and have yet to transplant into it's pot.

 Giving myself a pedicure, I'm not sure why this felt like such a success for me...but it did.  I guess after years of giving ladies their pre-labor pedis because they couldn't reach their own feet, it felt like a triumph.  For the record, Hubby offered to do it himself but I'm a bit of a perfectionist.

 Tweaking some rooms has left the guest bedroom in shambles.  It is the place for all rejects at this point.  My sis was taking a large piece of furniture from us to use in her boys room but couldn't fit it in her vehicle.  This is the explosion of stuff that came from that.  Then, don't miss the bed frame that is up for grabs...need one?  And, the bin of Christmas stuff that has been forgotten more times than I would like to admit.

 A friend of mine that was due around the same time as me had her baby last week which lit a fire under me for packing the hospital bag.  Said fire has since been extinguished because I didn't make it very far on my list of things to pack!  But, while taking this picture I realized that the strap on this old duffel bag looks like it's about to rip off so we'll need to do a little switcheroo.

 Completed this bulletin board for the nursery.  The frame was a matte brass color and used to house a mirror that has long been broken.  I spray painted this guy in a high gloss gray and hubs upholstered the board in some leftover fabric from the babies bedding.  This will be a prime place for all of the little drawings and cards that I anticipate from Lo's 4 girl cousins.

 Getting packages delivered, all for baby...of course!  We got her first hot rod the other day from Lo's favorite great Aunt and Uncle.  Hubby loves this thing, but that should go without saying.

 Hubby told me last night that I am a baby vessel, I guess that's pretty accurate to say these days.  This baby is growing like a weed and my ribs don't appreciate it!

 Enjoying Nana's camellias, and so are the bees.

Putting together baby paraphernalia.  Our house really does look like a Babies R Us for the time being.  

We are looking forward to a church social tonight, a laid back Saturday complete with a double date in the evening and a Sunday of churching and resting.

You So Crazy...I Think I Wanna Have Yo Baby

Well here's what I look like at 34 weeks.  There's no denying that I am pregnant at this point.  I don't mind the attention though, I find that I get preferential treatment wherever I go these days.  Trying to cross traffic?  No problems if you've got me in tow...everyone stops to let me through.  Hungry?  You will get your food in no time and lots of it!  Don't want to wait in line for the bathroom?  People always ask me if I want to cut in line so I can go before them.  I don't take them up on it but it's restored my faith in humanity.

So, six more weeks to go.  This little lady seems to be growing like a weed.  I go back to the doctor on Tuesday and I am anticipating that they will tell me that I finally gained weight...it sure feels like it anyway!  And, the stomach area isn't looking so hot these days.  Hubby asked me yesterday if my stomach skin hurt because this seems to have occurred overnight, so tonight he spent an embarrassing amount of dough buying me creams.  In the words of En Vogue "Whatta man, whatta man, whatta man, whatta mighty good man."  You've got that song stuck in your head now, right?  You're welcome!

The Shower

Well, the shower of the century was held a week ago.  It's been a whole week and I just got done washing clothes up to 6 months...we have clothes all the way up to 3T so I've got a ways to go.  The shower was awesome.  My family and friends truly outdid themselves and it showed.  The theme was "She's Ready To Pop" so there were lots of poppies, popcorn, and other pop related food items.  We had baby fruit pizzas, poppy seed salad, ham delights, caprese pops, fruit bouquets, mini chocolate brownie trifles, spinach dip and much more.

The day before the shower my sister and sister-in-law went and deep cleaned my parents house, rearranged furniture and got the kitchen cleared out and ready to go for food prep.  The evening before the shower my sister, BFF Heath, Hubby and I set out decorations and attempted brownie pops...epic fail!  Heath left after midnight and the rest of us had a big sleepover at my parents house.

Heath is ballin'!  The master of the tulle balls and photographer extraordinaire the night before the shower.

 The morning of the shower we woke up early to get ourselves showered and primped for the big day.  Everyone came early to eat breakfast together and to start getting all of the food items prepped and plated.

Making lemonade out of lemons, well...trifles out of failed brownie pops.

Meanwhile, the nieces tried their very best to help but there wasn't much that little girls could do.  They finally all decided to go outside to play and later came in to do a trial run of bringing me presents like it was a relay race.

Kiki showing off the shower outfit that all 4 of my nieces wore.

They also did a little quality control with the popcorn bar.  We had all kinds of gourmet popcorn that included peanut butter and chocolate, caramel, cheddar, butter and the crowd favorite "pinkalicious".  It was a fruity popcorn that was hot pink to go with the pink, yellow and orange color scheme.

Lou helping herself to the popcorn bar.


Then before we knew it, it was time to get the party started.  People started coming by about 30 minutes prior to the start of the shower to drop off gifts.  I think someone said that there was about 50 people in attendance.  All I know is, there were a ton of people!  I tried to speak with everyone, but with only 2 hours to do it in I'm sure I failed.  I was able to mingle for about 30 minutes before present opening, then I did the present thing for an hour and a half.

Munchie and I posing with the "baby prom dress" that she picked out especially for Miss Lo.

 All of the nieces and nephews picked out and wrapped present for our little lady.  Kiki and Lou gave her a precious lady bug ensemble from Gymboree, E and J Man gave her toys, Munch gave her the baby prom dress and Gigi gave her a faux fur blanket.


Hair bow jail!  An amazingly talented woman made all of these for my girl...love it!

 We got so many awesome gifts but this is one of my favorites...look at all of the hair accessories!  Aside from these I think we were gifted at least 30 headbands.  She will definitely be well dressed.

Custom nursery bedding made by my Mom.


My Mom is an amazingly talented seamstress. Not only does she sew but she also smocks.  She made all of the bedding for Lo's nursery.  This is the quilt and the bumper pads that she made.  I will post pictures of the nursery soon.

This picture cracks me up, it was taken after all of the guests had gone.  Check out my ankle socks!

Me, Babs and Nell.  I am exhausted just thinking about all of the hard work that these ladies put in to the shower.  Hubby and I feel so loved. We are continually amazed by the outpouring of love for our little girl.  She has so many people that are anxiously anticipating her arrival.  And when she gets here, we will change her clothes 10 times a day so we can get good use out of all of the outfits!

Model For A Day

Our fabulous BFF, Heath, took our maternity pictures a couple of weeks ago.  Actually, it was on my birthday to be exact!  The weather was horrendous, it was cold and rainy.  I don't know how on earth she was able to get so many amazing shots but she rocks.  I was 30 weeks along at this point.

Visit her photography site at H-Alexandra.com

Lady Street, because we're having a little lady.

My sweet, sweet hubby.

The bump.

Striking a pose in a parking garage while it poured rain outside.

Just me!

I love the texture that the brick adds to this picture.

How cool is that tiled wall behind us?!

One Lucky Girl

So, remember how I was on the prowl for the perfect Mom bag? I didn't like any diaper bags I saw except for ones that went above my price range...curse my practicality! I was really trying to find a big purse that had good pockets and some pizzazz but wasn't having much success. Fast forward to this Saturday. One of my girlfriends has a friend that had a baby girl last February. (Did you follow that?!) She was going through her baby stuff to get rid of what wasn't sentimental and my friend suggested that I go check it out. So, we went and picked out a few outfits and other baby gear that we couldn't live without. All of the stuff was in perfect condition, much of it with the tags still on. Before leaving the woman asked if we wanted to check out the stuff in the basement...but it was mostly boy stuff. We figured, why not! She opened an armoire that she had the clothes in and I heard a choir of angels sing as I saw the Kate Spade diaper bag that I had been lusting over but couldn't get over the $300+ price tag. I mean, I'm not crazy...I know what kind of stuff is going to go down in that bag! She had forgotten about the bag, she bought it and never used it. She asked me if I was interested in it and I tried to wipe the cheesy grin off my face as I told her I was. $50 later and I am the proud owner of the mom bag of my dreams. Thanks to my girl Mare for the hook up!

Christmas Round 2

We were finally able to celebrate with the Hubs side of the family...everyone was illness free so we enjoyed a nice afternoon together.  We chatted, went to lunch at a new restaurant, came back to our place and opened gifts and just enjoyed each others company.  We got some nice gifts but I was especially looking forward to the bag of good chocolate that my mother-in-law is notorious for.  Little lady got the baby bullet (that makes homemade baby food) and a fancy baby monitor that senses movement, tells the temperature in the nursery and acts as a night light among other things.

And...who's ready for another awkward maternity photo?!?  I am trying really hard to poke out my stomach.  I mean, there's no doubt that it's getting bigger but it really hasn't rounded out yet.  I still have my belly button for crying out loud!  I still have to tell people that I'm pregnant, not that I'm complaining.  I have 3 more month to go and she'll make up for lost time. Let's just cross our fingers that my belly is a little less awkward looking soon because the time for maternity photos is quickly approaching.

27 weeks- it should go without saying that these pants are pajamas and I would never leave the house in them...I was just too lazy to change into real clothes but thought a pic in front of the tree was necessary.

This picture also doubles as proof that I did breakdown and put up a tree.  I actually snagged my small tinsel tree out of boxes before the movers put them in the attic.  And, all of the ornaments were in a get rid of it bag that I made last year and never got to give away. It will definitely make for easy clean up!

Glucose

I passed the glucose test!  I was so nervous to take the test because I heard all sorts of terrible stories about people failing and how horrendous the liquid is that you have to drink.  I don't know, I didn't think it was bad at all.  My OB has the fruit punch flavor, I chugged it in a matter of seconds like taking a shot and I didn't eat or drink the day of the test because I was scared it would cause me to fail.  While I waited my hour out I was seen by my nurse and doctor.  Little Lady looks just fine, her heart rate was at 136 beats per minute this time.  She is measuring a little small but the doctor said it was nothing to be alarmed about, he seems to think that she'll make up for lost time once I hit 28 weeks.  It really isn't a surprise to me because both of our families are a little on the petite size...with the exception of our heads!  I did finally gain a little weight, I think I gained 3 pounds.  Anyway, everything looks great!

Sugar and Spice

Little Lady's closet 48 hours after confirming that she is a girl.

We found out Thursday that we are expecting a little girl...but the Hubs and I already knew that!  It was nice to finally have confirmation that our guesses and most everyone else's guesses were correct.  For the record, only 3 people thought it was a boy and 2 of those people are my nephews that are severely outnumbered by girls in the family.   We are beyond excited about our little lady.  We were able to get several good images from the ultrasound despite her stubbornness.   Luckily, at the beginning of the ultrasound she was sitting indian style so we were able to see her "lady parts" right away.  Hubby was also relieved to see her NOT sucking her thumb.  He had already given her a pep talk about how she would have to wear braces if she did.  The 2 technicians commented about how incredibly active she is and how very stubborn she is, she has been that way since the 7 week ultrasound.  She refused to take her arms down from her face so they could get a profile shot.  They poked and prodded and she wouldn't budge.  Her heart rate was 148 this visit.

This baby has accumulated quite the wardrobe in past few days.  In fact, I hung everything up in her closet when we got back home after a weekend in the Capital City and called the Hubs in for inspection.  He looked at the clothes and then looked at me and said "this is crazy".  She is loved.

In The Words Of Bon Jovi

Whoa, we're halfway there!

Want to know what I look like at 20 weeks?

Chunky.

The conversation that Hubby and I had while taking this picture went a little something like this-

Hubby: I think the other angle was more flattering.

Me: I don't think the point of this picture is to be flattering. I'm trying to showcase my chunkiness.

Hubby: Well, just try to look natural.

Me: There is nothing natural about me taking a picture in which I am spotlighting my belly.

Flutters

Last week I went to the doctor for my second trimester screening/check up.  We opted to do the genetic tests that are done with blood work during the first and second trimester and an ultrasound during the first trimester, all tests came back normal.  While at my appointment they listened to the baby's heart rate which was at 136.  My doctor informed me that I could come back November 1st to find out the sex of our baby but I couldn't get our schedules to allow it until November 10th much to my dismay.  I realize that it's only 9 more days...but dude, it's 9 MORE DAYS! 

Our baby is now the size of an avocado but we'll just stick with cupcake, it's much cuter!  Up until last week the sickness seemed to be worse but for the last 3 or 4 days I've felt pretty good.  I did start feeling congested last weekend and have been sneezing like crazy but that's par for the course with me.  I always have sinus issues when the seasons change.  I started feeling flutters last Tuesday so this baby is on the move.  I'm excited for the kicks to start so Hubby can feel them too.

Twelve

Well, we made it to 12 weeks!  I feel like we've really accomplished something!  I was reading my weekly pregnancy update this morning and it said that our baby is the size of a cupcake...finally baby is compared to something other than a fruit or vegetable! 

On a completely unrelated note, I lost my job.  The company I worked for has some interesting policies and so I was laid off I guess.  It's obviously not the end of the world, but I am bummed because I feel like time is going to stand still.  For now, I am enjoying the extra rest and relaxation and am planning all of the projects I want to accomplish before I blow up.  First up- clean out the nursery closet!

Our Baby: The Model

I'm quite certain that our baby wants to be a model.  The reason behind this thinking is due to the 2 times that he/she has scared us causing emergency doctors visits for ultrasounds.  He/she has built up quite the ultrasound picture portfolio.  I have experienced spotting twice so far.  Being pregnant on the heels of a miscarriage has made us overly cautious or super paranoid...you take your pick!  In my mind I know that spotting during pregnancy can be completely normal.  I know the signs to look for in a miscarriage, but when I see blood my hormonal self goes into a downward spiral.  All of this to say that our baby is perfectly healthy.  His/her heart was beating at 150 beats per minute at 7 1/2weeks and at 171 at 9 weeks.  Our 9 week ultrasound showed a very active baby...must take after it's dad.

At 7 1/2 weeks my Dad took me to the doctor.  I was told to come in to the office ASAP so I didn't have time to wait for Hubby to get off of work to take me.  I have kept my OBGYN that I know and love in the capital city which my Dad works about 2 blocks from and he seemed like the easiest option.  I was a complete basket case that day.  When we pulled into the parking lot my Dad asked me if I would like a blessing as to which I happily agreed.  I was told in that blessing that everything would be okay and I instantly felt at peace.  Dad and I walked into the office with teary eyes and everything was perfect.

At 9 weeks my Babs took me to the doctor.  Since I waited until late in the day to call I waited until the following day to be seen.  Feeling like everything was going to be alright Hubby stayed home and went to work and Bab took me to the appointment.  Again, another ultrasound that showed a healthy baby that was quite wiggly.  Since it was a vaginal ultrasound both times I didn't have Dad come in the room but I did have Bab come in so she could see the little guy/girl.

This coming week will bring yet another appointment complete with another ultrasound so that we can see our little raspberry as we lovingly call him/her.  We both insist that it's a girl, if it turns out to be a boy I guess we'll have to come up with a more masculine nickname.

An Ode To Drugs

Today I salute you,  Zofran.  Thanks to your goodness I am now able to make it to work most days and can get to all 3 hours of church on Sunday.  I am ashamed to say that I doubted your magical powers but boy did you prove me wrong. 

Lylas,
Medicated Me

This Morning

I woke up to the sensation of needing to throw up.  It's a feeling that I've gotten quite accustomed to this past little while.  Then I ate some saltine crackers to settle my stomach before attempting sleep again.  That coupled with not tolerating smells, nausea, heart burn, loss of appetite, loss of 10 pounds in the past 2 weeks, and not ever wanting to leave this spot ever again...

 Can only mean one thing...