Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Two Years Later

It was two years ago to this date that we lost our first baby, pumpkin. S/he was due probably around 10/9 or so, but we never made it to the doc to get the official word on that. I was due in with my doc that following Monday, but the Friday before things began to fall apart. I began to have some strange symptoms that can be characterized as normal, however they gave me an awful feeling in the pit of my stomach. However, I had always felt ill-at-ease with this pregnancy for some reason. It was like I couldn't shake this awful feeling that *something* was off. *Something* wasn't right. Unfortunately, the feeling was correct.

After I ended up spending the weekend waiting for the other shoe to drop, it finally did, but it landed on the *other* side of the fence. Our dear pumpkin departed us late that night in the ER. Ultrasound confirmed my suspicions that it was all over for us. Bloodwork performed that night advised us that mom was OK.

The shell-shocked couple headed home that night and tried to not much avail to get some sleep.

Two years later mom is still saddened by the tragic events of that night, but thankful to now have a daughter to call her own (well, at least along with daddy, anyway) while looking to the future for the endless possibilities that lie ahead.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Two Weeks!?

Where did the time go!? My little girl had her first doctor's appointment last Friday on her two-week birthday, along with her repeat newborn screen, which she hated. She kicked and screamed through it (the poor nurse had to fill the little circles on the card completely while fighting snowflake's kicking and wiggling) but we survived it, even though mommy nearly started crying right along with her daughter.

She was born 8 lbs. 2 oz. and 20.5 in. long, left the hospital at 7 lbs. 10 oz. By the time of her doc visit, she was up to 8 lbs. 9 oz- she gained her birthweight back and then some! Go girl! She also grew 1/4 of an inch, to 20 3/4 in. long. Her next visit is in two more weeks. I can't wait to see how much more she will grow between now and then!

On the feeding front, this breastfeeding thing is alot of work! However, it is well worth it. I love the close, bonding feeling I get when she is looking at me while drinking away on the boob. We are still supplementing with formula, mostly at night now. I rented a pump from the hospital to #1- try to get my supply back up and #2- get ready for the dreaded return from work. I would like to pump milk for feeding her while I am gone off at work. Hopefully it all works out!

BTW, if y'all get a hold of the winning lottery numbers, please let me in on it! Pretty please?

And now, for your viewing pleasure, some pics of Her Snowiness!

This was taken on the ONE nice day we had last week. (Can you tell I'm so OVER winter??)


These last two were taken on my phone, hence the graininess. (bleh!)

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Oy.

I got the call yesterday reminding me of just how too-short my maternity leave is. I go back to work, as of now, four weeks from tomorrow. This means we need to hurrrrrry up and get our house market-ready ASAP!

Of course, as they say, when it rains it pours. Keith's car had issues again this morning that yielded an $865 repair bill. We just had the thing in the shop a couple of months ago. ARGH! And we do not need a car note right now, so a replacement car is out of the question.

In other news, our lovely red dog, Bernie, is now with the angels. My BIL had been keeping him while Keith and I adjusted to life with Jessica. However, his arthritis went downhill during the snowstorm. Apparently the poor thing couldn't even stand up, so off to the vet he went. RIP Bernie!

Monday, February 15, 2010

JessyNicole's Big Debut!

So...after much anticipation and hoping labor would begin on its own, nada. We checked into the hospital Thursday night (2/4) and got some cervidil to kick things off, along with Ambien for mama. I was 41w and 1day at this point.


After a restless night and a yummy breakfast, pit was started around 10am. At first the contractions weren't all that bad- they mainly felt like braxton-hicks all over again; no pain, just tightening. At that point I was thinking, "ahhh this ain't too bad!" Little did I know... We were upping the pit every 15 minutes at that point. However, several hours later (times are fuzzy to me on this) we had to back off the pit a little b/c the ctx were coming too fast. I wasn't meeting my minimum minute of rest between the ctx!


Soon after that, the real pain set in at around noon. Ironically, at this point the ctx were registering on the monitor as weaker than before we lowered the pit, but I was feeling the opposite. For the next couple of hours my breathing exercises and vocalizing along with changing positions helped me out.  Finally, at around 4 or 4:30 or so (again times are fuzzy on this one) I caved and took a shot of Nubain. While it didn't take away the pain completely it did take the edge off for a short time, along with making me feel like I was drunk, which made the pain a bit easier. The doc walked in at around 5 or so and stated he would be back to break my water.

Let me back up for a minute here... once that Nubain started to wear off I seriously considered playing the Epidural card. Up to that point I had been undecided about wanting my water broken artificially, but something in my mommy gut said to roll with it (as did with going for the induction as well). I asked to have the epidural first, per the advice of many BTDT friends. Best. Advice. Ever. At about 5:30 or so the anesthesiologist (well, ok- nurse anesthetist) came in and started my spinal tap. While I had several contractions while he was placing it and an awesome nurse to help me through them, the relief was almost instantaneous. I know my DH was in the room with us but at that point things were so fuzzy to me I'm not sure exactly where he was!

Right after we were settled and then chilling out, the doc walked in and broke my water. I was at 4cm at that point (bear in mind that morning I was at a 1- no change from my previous checkups in the office) and fully effaced. My best internal check ever- I didn't feel a thing (although I could still move my legs a little, to both my and my doc's surprise)! A catheter was placed since I couldn't get up to go the bathroom on my own anymore (not like that was an easy feat to begin with since I had clunky IV pole to drag around. Unplugging the monitors was nothing compared to that) and I didn't even feel that. For the most part it was easy street from here... I say for the most part for a reason... when my water was broken, meconium was found, which meant a couple of extra visitors in our room to check on snowflake and suction her out good when she did arrive.

A few minutes later, my blood pressure then dropped and the snowflake didn't care too much for that, so out came the O2 for mama. Fortunately, a few deep breaths and an adrenaline shot for mama later, snowflake was happy again, but not without a production. Silly girl decided to hold us in suspense and almost earned mama another shot, but fortunately they didn't need it. Several position changes later for mama to avoid/alleviate the infamous pooling of the epidural, I was checked again (once again painlessly!) and at a 9. It was estimated I had about an hour left to labor down.


An hour and a half later it was time for some practice pushes, at about 9:30 or so. This is where things started to move very quickly, sort of... A couple of pushes in, I asked for a mirror so I could see her snowy little head coming out. With every push I saw more and more of her sweet hair (lots of it!). After each push, however, she decided to dip back in, basically playing peekaboo with us for quite some time. Unfortunately, my body decided to throw me another surprise and sent me into pukesville not once, not twice, but three different times! As a result I ended up wasting a couple of contractions to puke instead of push. argh! Finally, before I knew it the nurses were breaking down the bed and the doc came in. Lights, camera, action! (okay, no camera, but surely you see where I'm going with this!)  A couple of pushes later and her head popped out. I could actually feel the vibration of her head popping out, but no pain, which was weird. At this point the doc instructed me to stop pushing and suctioned her out. A second later, no more pushes and Jessica Nicole entered the world at 11:19pm, after nearly 2 hours of pushing. Turned out the little stinker was OP (sunny side up) on top of the cord being wrapped around the neck not once, but twice- no wonder pushing her out was so much work!

She was placed on my chest for a second while daddy cut the cord and I loved on her for a second before she was whisked away to be checked out by the NICU team. The only thing going through my head at that point was, "WOW. She's beautiful!" and "Is she OK??" After what seemed like an eternity later, Jessica was given a clean bill of health and brought back to me. At that point I was so shaky (don't know if it was nerves, my extreme fatigue from all that pushing or the epidural or even all of the above) I could barely hold her but I was determined to do so! She provided mama a pleasant distraction while the doc stitched up her second-degree tear.




Between the meconium and the peeling skin I later discovered on her sweet hands and feet- and oh yeah, her size(!) it was definitely a good thing I listened to my gut and allowed the induction. Little turkey was slightly overcooked!
 
The snowy stats of our little snowflake: 8 lbs 2 oz, 20.5" long; 2/5/10 at 11:19pm at 41w 2d.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

The Day has arrived!

And I am a total basket case. We're going in tonight to start evicting Miss Jessica and I have been crying on and off like crazy. I feel her little feet squirming around and get teary-eyed, knowing that I won't be feeling that for much longer at all. I looked down at my gigantic belly in the shower today and lost it. I had to soap up with tears streaming down my face. I won't have my little "shelf" for much longer either!

I had spent the last week hoping that Her Snowiness would wave her white flag and come before today, but that's ok.. with how cruddy the weather has been over the past few days I can't blame her for wanting to stay baking. It's been all dreary, cold and rainy and that makes this mama want to do nothing more than curl up under a blanket! To make matter worse, PUNKsatoni Phil predicted 6 more weeks of this crud back on 2/2. ARGH! Kill Phil! (OK, just kidding about the last part y'all, I promise! They do say "Don't shoot the messenger, right?)

Once I arrive at the hospital we will drag our suitcases (and my own pillow, thank you!) up to L&D and get situated from there. Yikes! Hopefully they'll let me wear my own shirt at least for tonight. I know I'm going to have enough trouble sleeping due to anxiety and excitement brought on by upcoming events- I don't need wearing some foreign, oversized and uncomfy rag to add to the commotion. ;)

Keith just finished packing his suitcase and is now starting to load up the car. Wow, how time flies.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Still Pregnant!

at 40w, 5d! Keith said yesterday that he got a text message from Jessica saying she was comfy and cozy, with her cell phone, high-speed internet, satellite TV and cozy chair. Hmmmm... sounds like mommy needs to start taking stuff away!

I went for a walk on Saturday (less steps than last Saturday, for sure!) through BuyBuyBaby and Target and felt like a 90-year-old woman afterward. Mentally I was ok but physically, no way! She's definitely moved down more. Keith commented that she's dropped even more since the beginning of last week so I know it's not my imagination. But come on! How much lower can this kid get without just falling out?!?! LOL

With as much cleaning I've done around here (with Keith's help, of course) I'm surprised we're not at the hospital with Jessica trying to make her escape right now.

Car seat bases installed in both cars- Check.
De-cluttering done- Check.
All baby clothes, blankets and receiving blankets washed and put away- Check.
Hospital bags packed- Check.
Pantry re-stocked- Ummmm, well it was... we've pretty much depleted that while waiting for Her Snowiness to make her (now fashionably late) arrival!

We do have an induction/eviction scheduled- if she's not here by the end of the week, we're booting the little diva out. Hopefully, thought, we won't need it.

JessyNicole, come out! Mommy, Daddy, Grammy, Aunt Susan, Uncle Jeff and a TON of other people want to meet you and see your cute, snowy little face.
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