So I have been trying to figure out this whole be-a-good-mom thing and get things done around the house, stay on top of my homework, find time to eat right and exercise and not go crazy. It seems to be working!
Today Cade and I went for an early morning walk, took a nap together, made thank you notes and sent them out, filled in his baby book, showered, dressed and even put make-up on, made a dentist appointment for me, a hair cut appointment for Chris, finished my work for my online class (two hours early I might add) and everyone is happy and fed.
Everyday gets easier and Cade will now take a nap in his swing after he falls asleep nursing so it helps me get things done! Life is going well :)
As a side note: Cade is still growing and now wears 6 months clothes! He has almost rolled from his back to his belly twice now and eats his hands daily. He is still working on holding onto and getting a toy to his mouth, but almost there. He smiles and laughs at almost everything and is generally a happy baby. He and Papa spend four nights a week together while I work now and have established their own routine that works well for them. They play guitar, watch football and go for a walk every night. Cade goes to sleep right at bedtime for him and they are both happy....therefore, I am happy.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
A Big Day for a Big Boy!
I was in the basement yesterday afternoon and came across Cade's little seat for the table and also a kneeler to use when I ever gave him a bath in the real bathtub. Up until yesterday he sat in his swing when we ate dinner, but is never really happy about it. He has also been coming in the shower with me because it is so much easier, but I don't know how clean his cracks actually get. I brought both things upstairs and set them up and Cade loved both! He sat in his chair at dinner and LOVED it and LOVED his bath in the big tub :) Here is video proof
Monday, August 23, 2010
"What are these?"
So Cade has discovered his hands. It is the cutest thing ever! He always has them in his mouth now and started noticing them this week. He looks at them with awe and curiosity and has gained much more control over them. I just recently started putting the little bar with hanging toys on his bouncy chair when he is in it. This week, he not only took great interest in it, but has really been working on batting at the toys. It is so fun to watch him develop those skills.
Also new this week, he is so much more aware of what is going on around him. He watches our every move and gets upset when he loses sight of us. He is aware of loud noises now too and gets a fat lip and starts to cry if a motorcycle or other loud noise goes by. It is so neat to take him out for a walk because you can literally SEE the connections being made in his little brain. He watch everything closely and turns his head at each new sounds.
Earlier this week, he received his first vaccination. I had gone back and forth about whether or not we would do them at all and decided on a few. We will be using our own schedule though, which means he will receive only one specific shot at a time. He got his first TdaP on Thursday last week and survived! He barely even cried and had no adverse reactions that we were aware of. I was more upset than he was! He will get one a month for the next few months.
He is amazing.
Also new this week, he is so much more aware of what is going on around him. He watches our every move and gets upset when he loses sight of us. He is aware of loud noises now too and gets a fat lip and starts to cry if a motorcycle or other loud noise goes by. It is so neat to take him out for a walk because you can literally SEE the connections being made in his little brain. He watch everything closely and turns his head at each new sounds.
Earlier this week, he received his first vaccination. I had gone back and forth about whether or not we would do them at all and decided on a few. We will be using our own schedule though, which means he will receive only one specific shot at a time. He got his first TdaP on Thursday last week and survived! He barely even cried and had no adverse reactions that we were aware of. I was more upset than he was! He will get one a month for the next few months.
He is amazing.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
3 Month Update
So Mr. Cade is now 3 1/2 months old and growing rapidly. To begin with we went to his check-up this morning and he now weighs 10 pounds, 11 ounces and is 22 inches long! That is a weight gain of 7 pounds 4 ounces since birth and he has grown 4 inches since then! He is still only in the 3rd% in height and weight, but his doctor said because Chris was small as a child, he probably would be too.
Cade is amazing and is changing so much everyday. I love being his mama! He is getting so strong and almost completely holds his head up now. He smiles all the time and started to coo and almost giggle. If we lay next to him on a blanket he will talk for 10 minutes. He finds his Papa to be hilarious. He still has to wear mittens on his hands because every time we take them off, he destroys his face. I am waiting for the day that he has more control of his hands so he can see them! He has just begun to get his hands to his mouth and the poor little guy has no idea what they really taste like!
We just got home from our first family vacation. We went down to San Diego to see family and friends for 2 weeks. Cade met soooo many people, who all doted on him and wanted us to leave him there. It was neat to see how many people love and care about him. It was the first time Chris and I had been home together since we moved to Chico 2 years ago and man was it nice! We spent so much time together and most of it was stress free and fun. Cade went to his first soccer game (though he slept through most of it) and despite loads of sunscreen and shade, got his first sunburn. His mama felt horrible :( Other than that it was uneventful in a good way. We relaxed, hung out with family and friends and Mama and Papa got some much needed time alone going out to dinner and a baseball game. Thanks to Grandma Rawson and Auntie Lizbeth for that :) He did pretty well in the car ride there and back with only a few meltdowns. I don't blame him though since it took 10 hours and it was all spent in his tight car seat. Hopefully next time we can just fly down there.
So after 4 months of being out of work and time spent undivided with Cade, I had to return to work last night. I was excited to be back at work because I love my job so much and missed the girls, but I was not entirely happy to be away from Cade. He and Chris have a special relationship already and it helped ease my nervousness, but I still worried that he might wonder where I was or why I was gone. Silly, I know, but I can't help it. We all survived though and Chris did an awesome job having never been alone with him for that long before. Cade only had a few moments and was happily alspee on the bed when I got home. Back to work again tonight with fingers crossed that it goes just as well.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Full of Smiles
So I know I already said he smiled last week, but now he does it quite often and yesterday he even giggled with excitement when he was about to nurse :) For those of you without Facebook, I had to share the cuteness!
As a side note: Went to the doctor yesterday and he weighed in at 9 pounds 4 ounces. He has also been on an iron supplement since he left the hospital, but his hemoglobin levels were great yesterday so they might take him off of it next appointment.
As a side note: Went to the doctor yesterday and he weighed in at 9 pounds 4 ounces. He has also been on an iron supplement since he left the hospital, but his hemoglobin levels were great yesterday so they might take him off of it next appointment.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Temper, Temper!
Cade found his voice today :) Lately (the past week or so) he has become very fussy when he is not asleep and I think it is just because he is getting older, but not old enough to really stay entertained by anything for long. In between sleeping and eating he wants to be held, but also wants you to be walking around. Sitting while holding him does not cut it. Though it may sound like this would get old (which it does) I simply put him in the Moby wrap and he is happy.
Anyway, the point of this blog is about his voice. Instead of fussing or whining, or even crying...he now screams. The first time he did it today I thought maybe something was hurting...it was that loud. He was fed, changed, clothed, wrapped in a blanket (but not too hot) and the only problem apparently, was that I had put him down! It was so loud and angry that Chris and I couldn't help but laugh. He was literally yelling at me for putting him down! Sooo funny! In addition, he has also figured out when I am going to put him down and starts to scream as I am in the motion of leaning over. As soon as I get my new camera (with video) I will post a recording of his lovely sound.
Bedtime for us both...
Anyway, the point of this blog is about his voice. Instead of fussing or whining, or even crying...he now screams. The first time he did it today I thought maybe something was hurting...it was that loud. He was fed, changed, clothed, wrapped in a blanket (but not too hot) and the only problem apparently, was that I had put him down! It was so loud and angry that Chris and I couldn't help but laugh. He was literally yelling at me for putting him down! Sooo funny! In addition, he has also figured out when I am going to put him down and starts to scream as I am in the motion of leaning over. As soon as I get my new camera (with video) I will post a recording of his lovely sound.
Bedtime for us both...
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Almost Three Months Already!
One Month Old
Two Months Old
It has been so long since I have updated the blog! Things have finally settled down around here, at least for now. For the last 2 months we have had family here for all but a week. It was so nice to see everyone and for them all to spend time with Cade, but we are glad to have our house back.
Cade is growing and changing everyday. It is so fun to watch, but I wish it would happen more slowly than it is. To begin with, he is huge! At our last doctors appointment he weighed 7 pounds, 13 ounces and had grown an inch! We go again on Wednesday and I am sure he will be close to 9 pounds by now. He is much more alert and stays awake for longer periods of time now. He LOVES to be outside and will stare up at the sky and trees for almost an hour. Sometimes in the morning before it gets too hot, we sit together out back under the trees. On the nights that it is not too hot, we go for a walk together and he really seems to enjoy it. He stares at the sky and stays quiet the whole walk. Most of the time, he falls asleep.
He also smiled for the first time this week! He has always smiled in his sleep, but this was the first time it was intentional and in reaction to something. He had been really fussy all day and Chris came home and took him from me. As soon as he did, Cade calmed down and when Chris started talking to him, he literally almost laughed out loud! It was so sweet (even though Mama was a little jealous). Since then he has been starting to smile and even coo a little once in a while. Today I put him in his bouncy chair and attached the bar above him with the toys hanging down. It was the first time he really noticed them and started moving his arms in excitement and actually batted at the zebra. He stayed entertained for about 10 minutes, which is pretty good for him. He holds his head up all the time now and really strains to see everything. He is getting stronger everyday.
Sleeping is going great lately because I have now mastered the skill of feeding him laying down and don't even get out of bed at night. He wakes up about every 3 hours to eat, but I just feed him and sleep while he eats and he goes right back to sleep. I bought bigger diapers too, which helps because I don't have to change him every time he eats now since they hold a little more. I am getting plenty of sleep and feel very rested most mornings. During the day he still sleeps most of the time, but stays awake between feedings for about 30 minutes to an hour. He cat-naps all day and won't stay asleep for long unless he is being held. He seems to get really fussy between 6:00 and 8:00pm so I have started trying to establish some sort of bedtime routine. Most nights he has his bottle (with vitamins) around 7:00, he and I take a shower and put PJ's on and then he nurses to sleep around 8:00. Usually by this time of day, he is so tired from cat-napping all day that he passes out. I can usually put him down on the bed and he sleeps for about 3 hours until he gets hungry again. The only problem with this is that by 4:00 or 5:00 the next morning, he has had so much deep sleep that he is awake and ready to go for the day! This makes for a tired Mama with nothing to do so early in the morning, but I am really just trying to savor every moment no matter what is going on. Last night he fell asleep around 9:15, slept until 12:30am, didn't wake up but ate and went back to sleep and slept until 4:30. I can already see him starting to change and get older.
I have been staying in the house for the most part. When we had family here, we went out occasionally, but we are still trying to keep Cade home as much as possible for now. Most days we lounge in the morning and eventually get dressed and have breakfast. It is nice not to have work or school to rush off to and I am enjoying every moment of being home with him. Chris has been really helpful and let's me get out to Target or the grocery store to get out of the house for a while. Cade is really great at eating from a bottle so as long as I plan ahead and thaw out some milk, I can be gone for a while and all is well. I usually end up missing him though so I come home :)
I guess that is all for now. I will try to update this more often as I am sure he will start doing things rapidly now :) Doctor's appointment on Wednesday....weight update to come!
Check out how much he has grown already!
Two Months Old
It has been so long since I have updated the blog! Things have finally settled down around here, at least for now. For the last 2 months we have had family here for all but a week. It was so nice to see everyone and for them all to spend time with Cade, but we are glad to have our house back.
Cade is growing and changing everyday. It is so fun to watch, but I wish it would happen more slowly than it is. To begin with, he is huge! At our last doctors appointment he weighed 7 pounds, 13 ounces and had grown an inch! We go again on Wednesday and I am sure he will be close to 9 pounds by now. He is much more alert and stays awake for longer periods of time now. He LOVES to be outside and will stare up at the sky and trees for almost an hour. Sometimes in the morning before it gets too hot, we sit together out back under the trees. On the nights that it is not too hot, we go for a walk together and he really seems to enjoy it. He stares at the sky and stays quiet the whole walk. Most of the time, he falls asleep.
He also smiled for the first time this week! He has always smiled in his sleep, but this was the first time it was intentional and in reaction to something. He had been really fussy all day and Chris came home and took him from me. As soon as he did, Cade calmed down and when Chris started talking to him, he literally almost laughed out loud! It was so sweet (even though Mama was a little jealous). Since then he has been starting to smile and even coo a little once in a while. Today I put him in his bouncy chair and attached the bar above him with the toys hanging down. It was the first time he really noticed them and started moving his arms in excitement and actually batted at the zebra. He stayed entertained for about 10 minutes, which is pretty good for him. He holds his head up all the time now and really strains to see everything. He is getting stronger everyday.
Sleeping is going great lately because I have now mastered the skill of feeding him laying down and don't even get out of bed at night. He wakes up about every 3 hours to eat, but I just feed him and sleep while he eats and he goes right back to sleep. I bought bigger diapers too, which helps because I don't have to change him every time he eats now since they hold a little more. I am getting plenty of sleep and feel very rested most mornings. During the day he still sleeps most of the time, but stays awake between feedings for about 30 minutes to an hour. He cat-naps all day and won't stay asleep for long unless he is being held. He seems to get really fussy between 6:00 and 8:00pm so I have started trying to establish some sort of bedtime routine. Most nights he has his bottle (with vitamins) around 7:00, he and I take a shower and put PJ's on and then he nurses to sleep around 8:00. Usually by this time of day, he is so tired from cat-napping all day that he passes out. I can usually put him down on the bed and he sleeps for about 3 hours until he gets hungry again. The only problem with this is that by 4:00 or 5:00 the next morning, he has had so much deep sleep that he is awake and ready to go for the day! This makes for a tired Mama with nothing to do so early in the morning, but I am really just trying to savor every moment no matter what is going on. Last night he fell asleep around 9:15, slept until 12:30am, didn't wake up but ate and went back to sleep and slept until 4:30. I can already see him starting to change and get older.
I have been staying in the house for the most part. When we had family here, we went out occasionally, but we are still trying to keep Cade home as much as possible for now. Most days we lounge in the morning and eventually get dressed and have breakfast. It is nice not to have work or school to rush off to and I am enjoying every moment of being home with him. Chris has been really helpful and let's me get out to Target or the grocery store to get out of the house for a while. Cade is really great at eating from a bottle so as long as I plan ahead and thaw out some milk, I can be gone for a while and all is well. I usually end up missing him though so I come home :)
I guess that is all for now. I will try to update this more often as I am sure he will start doing things rapidly now :) Doctor's appointment on Wednesday....weight update to come!
Check out how much he has grown already!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Happy Father's Day!
Happy Father's Day to all the daddy's! I happen to have one of the best fathers living in my house and would like to acknowledge and thank him for everything he does and for being such a great father and husband. We love him!
Saturday, June 5, 2010
One Month Old...Already!
Cade is already a month old! Well, six weeks old to be exact! I cannot believe how time flies and how much he has changed and grown already. Last Monday we went in for a check-up and he weighed 6 pounds 5 ounces and was 19 inches long. He is gaining about an ounce a day and is now the size of a full term baby! Dr. Tedford is very happy with his health and growth and had us take him off the formula completely because he is gaining so much weight. I was happy to hear that, because I have perfectly good milk for him and hated giving him that yucky-smelling formula. He also said that normally with a preemie, he would be concerned about his blood count but since he looks so pink he is not worried at all. We will go back again for a check-up in a week and will hopefully have gained even more!
In addition to his growing like a weed, he is also changing every day. I love it sometimes and other times I feel a little sad that it is happening so fast because I know he will never be that age or size again. It is this reasoning that keeps me sane in the middle of the night when he is wide awake and fussy. I just keep telling myself to enjoy even these moments because I will want them back someday. Right now he gets up about every 3 hours to eat, but sometimes stays asleep longer. He will only sleep if he is right near me so he sleeps tucked up against me and I sleep on my side. We both wake up in the exact same position so I know we are getting enough sleep! I am in no rush for him to sleep in his own bed because it is so wonderful to snuggle with him and to feel the comfort it brings him to be near us. He does make quite a bit of noise when he wakes up though, so he and I go out to the couch to eat so Chris can get some sleep. Cade eats and I catch up on my recorded shows. I have even been watching the world cup games that are on at all hours of the night. No complaints in the sleep department.
He is no longer a little alien baby either! His face has started to fill in and he even has a little double chin now. His soft brown baby hair is slowly falling out and his hair underneath is so blond :) Chris and I were both very blond as young children so it is no surprise to me that he will be too. He is my little protester these days and does not like to have his diaper or clothes changed and does not like to be moved when he is comfortable. He screams bloody murder while being changed and when he is moved, he grunts at you. It is so cute and like nothing I have ever heard a baby do before. He has been much more aware and stays awake for longer periods of time, although he still sleeps most of the time. It is rare that we are able to put him down while he sleeps.....or while he is awake. He will only sleep while being held and knows within seconds if you have put him down...more reason to protest. Sometimes I can get him to sleep in his bouncy chair for a little while, but usually not. If I need to get things done, I can put him in the Moby Wrap and he will sleep for hours. No complaints here either.
Chris and I are loving being parents and are working out all the kinks pretty quickly. He is wonderful with Cade and is feeling more and more comfortable everyday. Cade really responds to his voice and lays really still when Chris sings to him. He is however, already a momma's boy and I love it! He will sleep with Chris or anyone who is holding him, but when he is fussy he only wants me. It is such a nice feeling to be able to provide a little person with such comfort and happiness by just being you!
I have taken hundreds of pictures and lots of video already so I will try to post some to share once in a while. His latest feat? Rolling over. Yup , that's right, rolling over. He actually did it a couple weeks ago when he was barely a month old! I thought it was a fluke, but he did it again 3 times last night so go figure!
In addition to his growing like a weed, he is also changing every day. I love it sometimes and other times I feel a little sad that it is happening so fast because I know he will never be that age or size again. It is this reasoning that keeps me sane in the middle of the night when he is wide awake and fussy. I just keep telling myself to enjoy even these moments because I will want them back someday. Right now he gets up about every 3 hours to eat, but sometimes stays asleep longer. He will only sleep if he is right near me so he sleeps tucked up against me and I sleep on my side. We both wake up in the exact same position so I know we are getting enough sleep! I am in no rush for him to sleep in his own bed because it is so wonderful to snuggle with him and to feel the comfort it brings him to be near us. He does make quite a bit of noise when he wakes up though, so he and I go out to the couch to eat so Chris can get some sleep. Cade eats and I catch up on my recorded shows. I have even been watching the world cup games that are on at all hours of the night. No complaints in the sleep department.
He is no longer a little alien baby either! His face has started to fill in and he even has a little double chin now. His soft brown baby hair is slowly falling out and his hair underneath is so blond :) Chris and I were both very blond as young children so it is no surprise to me that he will be too. He is my little protester these days and does not like to have his diaper or clothes changed and does not like to be moved when he is comfortable. He screams bloody murder while being changed and when he is moved, he grunts at you. It is so cute and like nothing I have ever heard a baby do before. He has been much more aware and stays awake for longer periods of time, although he still sleeps most of the time. It is rare that we are able to put him down while he sleeps.....or while he is awake. He will only sleep while being held and knows within seconds if you have put him down...more reason to protest. Sometimes I can get him to sleep in his bouncy chair for a little while, but usually not. If I need to get things done, I can put him in the Moby Wrap and he will sleep for hours. No complaints here either.
Chris and I are loving being parents and are working out all the kinks pretty quickly. He is wonderful with Cade and is feeling more and more comfortable everyday. Cade really responds to his voice and lays really still when Chris sings to him. He is however, already a momma's boy and I love it! He will sleep with Chris or anyone who is holding him, but when he is fussy he only wants me. It is such a nice feeling to be able to provide a little person with such comfort and happiness by just being you!
I have taken hundreds of pictures and lots of video already so I will try to post some to share once in a while. His latest feat? Rolling over. Yup , that's right, rolling over. He actually did it a couple weeks ago when he was barely a month old! I thought it was a fluke, but he did it again 3 times last night so go figure!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Back to "New" Reality
Chris went back to work today. After 7 weeks of being right by my side, we are without him today. I missed him before he was even gone this morning and cannot wait for him to get home tonight. Cade and I are fine without him in a functioning way, but it is just so much nicer and much more fun when he is here. Mostly I feel sad for him. I feel that he is missing out on being able to spend time with his son and form a strong bond. I know it is irrational in a way, but I almost feel guilty that I am here with him all day and Chris has to go to work. Honestly, if I could, I would go back and let him stay home. Despite my feelings about the whole situation, he likes to work. He works so hard to support us and make us proud and he does it so well! We love him so much!
Saturday, May 29, 2010
So Strong!
We had our first try at tummy time today and it went really well! I expected him to get really frustrated and only last a few seconds, but instead he laid comfortably for almost 5 minutes. I was so surprised at how strong he is too! He lifted his head and turned it to the other side and laid it back down....pretty impressive I think, considering he is not even supposed to be born yet!
In other Cade news:
In addition to nursing regularly, we are also giving him a bottle of fortified breast milk twice a day for added calories. I have been giving him 38mL like they were in the hospital, but today I thought I would offer him more in case he wanted it...I made the bottle with 70mL and he devoured it! Not only does he eat soooo much now, but he will nurse or take a bottle, take the bottle from Chris or I, drink breast milk or formula and doesn't even notice when we add his vitamins! What a champion eater! Just like his daddy :)
Friday, May 28, 2010
Settling In
So we have now been home from the hospital for a week. Life is sort of getting back to normal, at least our new normal anyway. We spent the first few days after we got home doing laundry, unpacking suitcases, organizing important papers, making phone calls, paying bills, etc. I guess I should say that Chris has done most of this while I sit on the couch with a sleeping ball of love in my arms :)
Cade is doing wonderfully despite his somewhat worried and anxious parents. He is eating on demand, which tends to be about every 2 or 3 hours and sleeps when he is not eating. I did notice though that in the last day or so, he has been awake and aware for much longer periods of time. It is so fun to see his eyes open and watch him explore his new world. We took him to meet our new pediatrician on Monday and he had already gained 8 ounces since Thursday night, making him a whopping 4 pounds 12 ounces! Dr. Tedford was great and put us at ease regarding Cade's susceptibility to illnesses and also in regards to immunizations. We feel that he respects us and truly has Cade's best interest at heart. We have another follow-up appointment on Tuesday to make sure Cade is still gaining weight and doing well at home.
Sleeping arrangements are not yet perfect, but could be a lot worse if you ask me. So when Cade was in the NICU, he slept in a little bed and was always swaddled tightly. He never had a problem falling or staying asleep that way. When we were getting ready to take him home, they informed and really stressed how important it was to put him on his back in his own bed without any blankets or toys at all. SIDS has become a huge problem and it is thought that babies suffocate on these things and therefore we should not use them in bed. However....how is he supposed to go from being tightly swaddled to flat on his back in a cold bed, flailing around and sleep comfortably? Yeah. Not so much. As a result, he will only sleep when up against one of us. He loves to sleep laying on my or Chris' chest or laying right up against me when I lay in bed. I know many of my fellow parents/blog followers will tell me to put an end to this right away, but i love it! There is nothing better than sleeping with a baby, especially your own. Not to mention that we will likely not have anymore children or at least no more infants and I want to soak it in while I can and enjoy every moment of his sweet little being while he still wants to sleep with me.
On the other side of it is my poor husband. Because the NICU nurses freaked us out about our baby dying in their sleep if they are in our bed or with any blankets on, Chris has been hesitant to sleep in bed with us for fear of rolling on Cade in his sleep. He has been sleeping on the couch and then coming back to bed in the early morning when I get up with Cade. Between this and Cade waking me up every 3 or so hours to eat, we are not sleeping as much as we would like to be. However, I would like to say that there is no crying or screaming baby or having to get up and go to another room to change his diaper or walk to the kitchen to make a bottle so I guess it could be worse. Plus, the lack of sleep is so worth it!
Chris' mom Judy arrived on Tuesday. She has been a huge help in making meals for us, keeping the laundry going and it has been nice for Chris to be able to spend time with her before he has to go back to work. She will be here until a week from Sunday and then my mom and Elizabeth will arrive. We love having family here and are so glad they are able to come and get to know Cade!
I just realized today that Cade will already be 1 month old on Monday and it made me sad. I am frantically trying to soak in every little moment I have with him because I know how fast it will go and before I know it he will be grown up. I know people always say it is amazing that you could love someone so much, but I really never thought it would be this amazing.
Me and Grandma Precious
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Our Days in the NICU
Cade arrived in the world when he was 34 weeks and 3 days old. Because he was born prematurely, he was taken right from me to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit or NICU. Babies born this early often have respiratory problems, trouble eating because their sucking reflexes have yet to develop and a variety of other problems. When Cade arrived in the NICU and was assessed for these problems, the nurses found that he had none of these! He took a breath on his own right after birth, was able to drink from a bottle AND latched on to the breast the day after he was born! He had no infections or other issues and they told us that his only downfall was his size. He needed to gain weight and maintain that weight.
Cade was admitted to the NICU on May 3rd shortly after he was born and remained there for the first 2 weeks and 4 days of his life. It was the longest, most exhausting 2 weeks and 4 days of our lives. That place became our home during that period of time and the wonderful nurses and doctors who cared for him became our second family. Though this was a trying time for us, they made it seem less scary and relieved the stress we felt when we were unable to be there with Cade every second of the day. Leaving him was the hardest thing either of us has ever had to do and if it weren't for those people it would have been so much harder.
During our time in the NICU, we were lucky enough to have an amazing family who put us up in a local hotel for almost the entire time so that we could be near Cade and not have to drive back and forth from Chico. You know who you are and Thank You from the bottom of our hearts! Our days consisted of the following schedule:
7:00am - Wake up, shower, eat breakfast from the hotel lobby (yum!) collect the bottles of pumped milk, pack the diaper bag and snacks for the day
8:30am - Leave for the hospital, arrive, park the car, walk all the way to the entrance, down the long hallway, take the elevator or climb the stairs up a floor, ring the bell at the front door of the NICU, wait to be let in, complete the 2 minute hand washing process and FINALLY make it to see our baby
8:45 am - Meet or greet Cade's nurse for that shift, say hello to him, take his temperature, change his diaper (through the holes in the isolette), feed him, hold him and talk to him for about an hour, talk to the doctor about how he is doing that day and find out what he weighed, wrap him up and put him back in bed for a nap, Stephanie would pump, give the milk to the nurse and walk all the way back to the car. This whole process took about an hour and a half. Cade ate every 3 hours so you do the math for the amount of time to do anything else...including eat!
10:30am - Leave the hospital and either get something to eat or go back to the hotel to rest for a few minutes.
11:30am - Leave for the hospital and do the whole thing over again. We repeated this process to be there to feed him everyday at 9:00am, 12:00pm, 3:00pm, 6:00pm & 9:00pm. Because we both needed to get some sleep, we let the nurses feed him during the overnight feedings.
In addition to this routine, Stephanie got up every 3 hours all night long to pump to make sure Cade had enough milk to eat when we were not there.
Needless to say, it was a full time job and a tiring one at that. It was so worth every tear and tired moment though because we got to bring our beautiful boy home after less than 3 weeks. We feel so fortunate because many of the babies in the NICU have many, many health problems and most have been there for months. I really believe that Cade is so healthy and was able to come home so soon because we were lucky enough to be able to be there with him so much unlike other parents.
I just want to say a huge thank you to a few of our favorite and most wonderful nurses who cared for our son with such love and warmth. Thank you to Jessica, Bella, Jennifer, Maria, Beth, Tracy and anyone else I may be forgetting. We love you and could not have done it without you!
Cade came home with us on Friday May 21, 2010.
Cade was admitted to the NICU on May 3rd shortly after he was born and remained there for the first 2 weeks and 4 days of his life. It was the longest, most exhausting 2 weeks and 4 days of our lives. That place became our home during that period of time and the wonderful nurses and doctors who cared for him became our second family. Though this was a trying time for us, they made it seem less scary and relieved the stress we felt when we were unable to be there with Cade every second of the day. Leaving him was the hardest thing either of us has ever had to do and if it weren't for those people it would have been so much harder.
During our time in the NICU, we were lucky enough to have an amazing family who put us up in a local hotel for almost the entire time so that we could be near Cade and not have to drive back and forth from Chico. You know who you are and Thank You from the bottom of our hearts! Our days consisted of the following schedule:
7:00am - Wake up, shower, eat breakfast from the hotel lobby (yum!) collect the bottles of pumped milk, pack the diaper bag and snacks for the day
8:30am - Leave for the hospital, arrive, park the car, walk all the way to the entrance, down the long hallway, take the elevator or climb the stairs up a floor, ring the bell at the front door of the NICU, wait to be let in, complete the 2 minute hand washing process and FINALLY make it to see our baby
8:45 am - Meet or greet Cade's nurse for that shift, say hello to him, take his temperature, change his diaper (through the holes in the isolette), feed him, hold him and talk to him for about an hour, talk to the doctor about how he is doing that day and find out what he weighed, wrap him up and put him back in bed for a nap, Stephanie would pump, give the milk to the nurse and walk all the way back to the car. This whole process took about an hour and a half. Cade ate every 3 hours so you do the math for the amount of time to do anything else...including eat!
10:30am - Leave the hospital and either get something to eat or go back to the hotel to rest for a few minutes.
11:30am - Leave for the hospital and do the whole thing over again. We repeated this process to be there to feed him everyday at 9:00am, 12:00pm, 3:00pm, 6:00pm & 9:00pm. Because we both needed to get some sleep, we let the nurses feed him during the overnight feedings.
In addition to this routine, Stephanie got up every 3 hours all night long to pump to make sure Cade had enough milk to eat when we were not there.
Needless to say, it was a full time job and a tiring one at that. It was so worth every tear and tired moment though because we got to bring our beautiful boy home after less than 3 weeks. We feel so fortunate because many of the babies in the NICU have many, many health problems and most have been there for months. I really believe that Cade is so healthy and was able to come home so soon because we were lucky enough to be able to be there with him so much unlike other parents.
I just want to say a huge thank you to a few of our favorite and most wonderful nurses who cared for our son with such love and warmth. Thank you to Jessica, Bella, Jennifer, Maria, Beth, Tracy and anyone else I may be forgetting. We love you and could not have done it without you!
Cade came home with us on Friday May 21, 2010.
Cade's name tag on his bed....made with love by one of the nurses
His "big boy" open-air isolette
Under the jaundice lights. Nice mask!
Snuggling with mom after dinner
Me and my tired daddy
Sunday, May 16, 2010
The Best Day of Our Lives
Monday May 3, 2010 has officially become the best day of our lives. It is the day our beautiful baby boy was born. After a rough and horrible 2 weeks in the hospital, Cade finally entered the world. He came out so fast that he earned the nickname "Rocket". Cade came into the world about 5 weeks early and although we were hoping he would be healthy, we knew there was a possibility that he could have a variety of problems. He proved us wrong the minute he came out. He took a breath right away, began to cry and even peed on the nurse :) Chris and I kissed him and then they took him to the NICU to make sure he was OK. He was under observation for about an hour and then we were allowed to go see him. I was under so many drugs that I was unable to sit up and keep my eyes open, but Chris went right in to see him. They told Chris that he was breathing on his own and seemed to be healthy and strong, but tiny.
I had been living on ice chips and chicken broth for 4 days and as soon as he came out, I begged for food. Chris and Elizabeth picked up Mexican food and I very much enjoyed my bean & cheese burrito and horchata! I was unable to see him that night while I was still recovering, but I began to pump right away. I got up every 3 hours that night and when I got a few drops of colostrum, Chris walked it over to the NICU to make sure Cade was getting breast milk at his feedings. What a great dad!
I met my little man the next morning and fell in love. He was perfect. Sound asleep in his little incubator sucking on his pacifier. Here are some of the pictures from that wonderful day. We love him so much already and cannot wait until he can come home with us to start our lives together as a family. We love you Cade! You will always be our "Rocket Man"!
I had been living on ice chips and chicken broth for 4 days and as soon as he came out, I begged for food. Chris and Elizabeth picked up Mexican food and I very much enjoyed my bean & cheese burrito and horchata! I was unable to see him that night while I was still recovering, but I began to pump right away. I got up every 3 hours that night and when I got a few drops of colostrum, Chris walked it over to the NICU to make sure Cade was getting breast milk at his feedings. What a great dad!
I met my little man the next morning and fell in love. He was perfect. Sound asleep in his little incubator sucking on his pacifier. Here are some of the pictures from that wonderful day. We love him so much already and cannot wait until he can come home with us to start our lives together as a family. We love you Cade! You will always be our "Rocket Man"!
Welcome to the World Sweet Boy
Cade Christopher Rocket Plummer
Born May 3, 2010
at 3:20pm
weighing 3lbs 7oz
18 inches long
Preeclampsia Nightmare
On Monday April 19, 2010 I was admitted to Feather River hospital in Paradise, CA for severe Preeclampsia. I had extremely high blood pressure, large amounts of protein in my urine and severe edema (swelling). These are the worst, but only a few symptoms that can be caused by this horrid disease. That night we were told all about Preeclampsia and were also told that the only way to cure it was to deliver the baby and placenta. Basically the placenta was killing me by releasing toxins and causing all these problems.
Because they thought they were going to have to deliver Cade that night, they gave me the steroids to develop his lungs quicker. At this point he was about 32 weeks old and though this was early to be born, it was better than being in the 20 weeks. We were at Feather River under observation for 2 days and on April 21, the doctor decided that I was getting worse and because they didn't have the facilities to treat a baby under 35 weeks, they needed to transfer us to a different hospital. We were told we were going to Mercy San Juan in Sacramento and I was taken by ambulance that afternoon. The ride was uneventful and I was accompanied by an EMT and a nurse from Feather River. The ride was about 2 hours and they took by BP and listened to Cade the whole way there. Chris drove the truck right behind us the whole time.
We arrived at Mercy early afternoon and settled in to our new home with no idea how long we would be there. At this point I still felt OK despite my high BP. Our first nurse (who I remember) was named Priscilla and was so nice. She made us feel right at home and our room was not too small.
We arrived at Mercy early afternoon and settled in to our new home with no idea how long we would be there. At this point I still felt OK despite my high BP. Our first nurse (who I remember) was named Priscilla and was so nice. She made us feel right at home and our room was not too small.
From this point on for the next 2 weeks, I do not remember much of what happened. I began to get sicker and sicker everyday. I was on so many different drugs and painkillers that the whole things is groggy. We had many many nurses, but I barely remember them. Chris has to fill in the details for me when I cannot remember how or why something happened.
I didn't realize how sick I really was. Talking to Chris and my mom and sister now, I learned that they were all afraid for my life. It was by far the worst, most horrible time in our lives. I never wish for anyone to go through what I did. Everyday I begged the doctor to "take him out" because I knew that was the only way I would feel better.
When we reached 34 weeks, they decided to induce me. That was the worst process ever and took 4 days of placing a pill on my cervix every 4 hours and giving me pitocin (to start contractions) and Magnesium (to prevent seizures, but stops contractions) It was a nightmare. When the doctor FINALLY broke my water, Cade came within 3 hours. I elected to have an epidural due to the fact that I felt dead and had no energy to deal with the contractions. This was the best thing that could have happened to me after all my body had been through.
The second he was out of my body and more importantly, the god-awful placenta was out, I felt instantly better. It was amazing. He is amazing. I was able to kiss him and then they took him to the NICU. He was breathing and that was all that mattered.
I began my recovery that night and it is still in progress today. I had severe swelling and it took over a week for all of the fluid to leave my body. I entered the hospital with not a stretch mark and now have enormous purple ones all over my stomach and inner thighs from the swelling. I broke out in a itchy red rash all over my body and in my mouth from the toxins leaving my body. I still have really shaky hands from the Magnesium they had me on. My eyes were totally blood shot from pushing so hard for him to get out fast because his heart rate was dropping. I sometimes have a little trouble getting words out which is a result of the swelling around my brain. I have stitches from having to be cut to get him out faster and the worst part is that I have developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from the whole thing.
I am dealing with it pretty well, but I am definitely traumatized by this time in my life and after I post this, would like to avoid talking about it for a long time. The few little snippets I can remember make me cry and I start shaking and panic. When Cade comes home and we get settled, I plan to find someone to talk to about it and hopefully deal with it in a healthy way.
Though I hate the pictures of me from that time, I will share them because I love you all. I am so grateful that I made it through this and that I and Cade are healthy. I am eternally grateful to Chris and my mom and Elizabeth for being there for me and for being so strong even though they were so worried about me. I am also so grateful for the wonderful nurses at Mercy hospital. Without them all, I may not have survived. And now, I close this chapter of my life and focus on our baby and my family.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Unexpected Turn of Events
After school today Chris and I went to our appointment to meet with the midwives due to the swelling and pain in my legs I had been having. Every time I go, the first thing they have me do right away is called "check and weigh". I go pee in a cup, use a stick thingy to measure the protein and glucose in my urine, weigh myself and report back to them. Usually the protein and glucose come up negative and there is no problem. Today my heart kinda dropped because though the glucose was fine, my protein levels were off the stick high. I knew this was a concern and I was dreading what they were going to say. When we went into the room they took my blood pressure and instead of the normal 140/70 it was somewhere around 185/94! Just a week and a half prior everything was great and now this?! My legs were completely swollen up to my thighs and the combination of these things was a problem.
They had my lay on my left side for 5 minutes and then came to recheck my BP. Nothing changed. They did this 2 more times and when it was still high, the midwife came in and said she was taking me out of work until he was born. I got pretty happy because being on my feet at work has become so painful and uncomfortable that I knew it was the right thing to do. Well, as she was writing me a note, she was looking over my chart and then at my legs and decided to change her mind and that she wanted us to go right away to labor and delivery at the hospital to have an ultrasound and non-stress test for Cade and to monitor my BP for a while. OH yay.
We got to the hospital around 4 or 4:30pm and they hooked Cade and I up right away. His non-stress tests looked fine and his heart rate was great. I however, was still dealing with sky high BP and could not get it to go down. My urine sample was still high for protein which means that my kidneys were not working like they needed to. They monitored my BP every 15 minutes for over an hour and when it wouldn't go down, they said I needed to stay. They told us that I had pretty bad Pre-eclampsia and that though they still do not know what causes it, it is related to having the baby inside and that they ONLY way to cure it was to deliver him. Uh....I'm sorry but what!?
Since Feather River Hospital (where I was planing to deliver) does not have the facilities that a premature baby would need, if this were to happen, I would need to be sent by ambulance an hour and a half away to Sutter in Sacramento. They decided to keep me at Feather River overnight and take a 24 hour urine collection to really determine what was going on with my kidneys. By 9:15pm the next night we should have some answers.
Oh! I forgot to say that we got to see him again and though it still kinda looks like a skeleton, we were so happy to see how happy he looked. He is perfectly fine in there and is not affected by this at all (at least right now) and he was just sucking away on his fingers like he always is :) Knowing he is ok put my mind at ease a lot and gave me the focus I needed to worry about my body. Also, they are still saying that he is measuring about 2 Weeks younger than my dates, but it is nothing major and that they estimate he is about 3.5lbs right now. This sounded god to me at first because should he need to come out now, he would not be so tiny. The reality is though that it doesn't matter how fat he is, he needs to have developed lungs and kidneys and be able to eat before he would come home.
After the ultrasound, Chris ran home and collected things as fast as he could and made some phone calls to let everyone know what was going on. Again, I do not know how I would make it without him. He is my rock and always pulls it together when I (the control freak) am out of control. He is the best man I know. I was moved to a private room that has 2 beds in it and a bathroom which made it so much more comfortable for him to stay with me. In addition, they gave me a Betamethazone shot which is steroids to boost his lung development within 48 hours in case he were to come out in the next couple of days. I was to get another 24 hours later.
Though I am glad they gave that to me for him, man did it make me suffer! I was so tired but could not sleep. I literally slept for maybe 10 minutes all night and just laid here staring at the clock, hoping it would be morning soon because I was so bored. It sucked majorly. To add to that, I started having some pretty uncomfortable contractions around 3:30am which made it even harder to try to sleep. They monitored them and the doctor checked my cervix, but said it was tightly closed so for now they would let them happen. Oh joy :) He said that it just may be another sign of my body trying to get Cade out so it can recover. Who knows really. They said that if I was to be transported, they would give me something to stop them for the ride.
To be continued.....
They had my lay on my left side for 5 minutes and then came to recheck my BP. Nothing changed. They did this 2 more times and when it was still high, the midwife came in and said she was taking me out of work until he was born. I got pretty happy because being on my feet at work has become so painful and uncomfortable that I knew it was the right thing to do. Well, as she was writing me a note, she was looking over my chart and then at my legs and decided to change her mind and that she wanted us to go right away to labor and delivery at the hospital to have an ultrasound and non-stress test for Cade and to monitor my BP for a while. OH yay.
We got to the hospital around 4 or 4:30pm and they hooked Cade and I up right away. His non-stress tests looked fine and his heart rate was great. I however, was still dealing with sky high BP and could not get it to go down. My urine sample was still high for protein which means that my kidneys were not working like they needed to. They monitored my BP every 15 minutes for over an hour and when it wouldn't go down, they said I needed to stay. They told us that I had pretty bad Pre-eclampsia and that though they still do not know what causes it, it is related to having the baby inside and that they ONLY way to cure it was to deliver him. Uh....I'm sorry but what!?
Since Feather River Hospital (where I was planing to deliver) does not have the facilities that a premature baby would need, if this were to happen, I would need to be sent by ambulance an hour and a half away to Sutter in Sacramento. They decided to keep me at Feather River overnight and take a 24 hour urine collection to really determine what was going on with my kidneys. By 9:15pm the next night we should have some answers.
Oh! I forgot to say that we got to see him again and though it still kinda looks like a skeleton, we were so happy to see how happy he looked. He is perfectly fine in there and is not affected by this at all (at least right now) and he was just sucking away on his fingers like he always is :) Knowing he is ok put my mind at ease a lot and gave me the focus I needed to worry about my body. Also, they are still saying that he is measuring about 2 Weeks younger than my dates, but it is nothing major and that they estimate he is about 3.5lbs right now. This sounded god to me at first because should he need to come out now, he would not be so tiny. The reality is though that it doesn't matter how fat he is, he needs to have developed lungs and kidneys and be able to eat before he would come home.
After the ultrasound, Chris ran home and collected things as fast as he could and made some phone calls to let everyone know what was going on. Again, I do not know how I would make it without him. He is my rock and always pulls it together when I (the control freak) am out of control. He is the best man I know. I was moved to a private room that has 2 beds in it and a bathroom which made it so much more comfortable for him to stay with me. In addition, they gave me a Betamethazone shot which is steroids to boost his lung development within 48 hours in case he were to come out in the next couple of days. I was to get another 24 hours later.
Though I am glad they gave that to me for him, man did it make me suffer! I was so tired but could not sleep. I literally slept for maybe 10 minutes all night and just laid here staring at the clock, hoping it would be morning soon because I was so bored. It sucked majorly. To add to that, I started having some pretty uncomfortable contractions around 3:30am which made it even harder to try to sleep. They monitored them and the doctor checked my cervix, but said it was tightly closed so for now they would let them happen. Oh joy :) He said that it just may be another sign of my body trying to get Cade out so it can recover. Who knows really. They said that if I was to be transported, they would give me something to stop them for the ride.
To be continued.....
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Swollen To the Max
This last week or so has been the roughest so far for me. For starters I have still been dealing with what I can only conclude are allergies. I am constantly stuffed up, have a very red and sore throat, I cough constantly and my eyes sometimes feel like they are swelling shut. I have tried Benadryl, Clairitin, antibiotics, Neti pot, sleeping sitting up...you name it. I am just learning to live with it and hopefully it will eventually go away.
More importantly, my feet, ankles and legs are huge. The first time they swelled at all was March 18 and they have really not gone down since then. At first it was only my feet. Then my ankles got a little swollen and this week it has moved up my legs to above my knees. At all of my past appointments, my blood pressure has been great and there has been no protein in my urine which are the two concerns for Preeclampsia. They tell me it is just a uncomfortable side effect of being pregnant and to put them up when I can. This week though I couldn't take it anymore. With everything I am still trying to do in my life, it is nearly impossible for me to stay completely off my feet and therefore they swell. While I was at work on Thursday, it began to feel like I had tight rubber bands around my knees, causing my legs to be so swollen that they were hard and ached terribly. I could not feel my feet and they were cold and sweaty to the touch. I figured this was not a good sign. I went home and cried (very normal these days) and when I got up in the morning, I called my midwife. She called back and said to stay off my feet all weekend, drink lots of water, stay away from salt and protein and come in Monday to check my blood pressure again. So that is the plan.
My appointment is at 3:15 and I am both looking forward to it and dreading it. I think it is just part of the emotional roller coaster I am on right now. I have a feeling they will take me out of work until he is born. On the one hand that would be the greatest thing ever because I really can't handle it anymore and am starting to snap at the kids when it is not their fault. On the other hand it stresses me out because it means disability instead of a normal paycheck for WAY longer than we planned and it means laying on the couch with my feet above my heart for possibly 8 weeks. This is not easy for me. I have so much I need and want to be doing and the thought of laying on the couch is torture. Obviously, I want to do the best thing I can for both Cade and I, but it sucks! Not to mention, having to tell my boss she has to rearrange the already tight schedule 8 weeks sooner than she was planning....ugh.
My other fear is actually having preeclampsia. If I do there is always the possibility of having to have a C-section which honestly would be my nightmare. I just so pictured a happy, healthy, fun pregnancy and right now that is not how I feel. I am trying so hard to stay positive and think good thoughts, but it is really hard to do. I just cannot wait until he is out and we can start getting to know him and enjoying him and I can get back to feeling better physically.
Tomorrow Chris and I are going to have professional photos taken together and of the belly. Of course this week is the week that I feel swollen and white. Oh well. I'll post some when I get them. Tomorrow must be a better day.....
More importantly, my feet, ankles and legs are huge. The first time they swelled at all was March 18 and they have really not gone down since then. At first it was only my feet. Then my ankles got a little swollen and this week it has moved up my legs to above my knees. At all of my past appointments, my blood pressure has been great and there has been no protein in my urine which are the two concerns for Preeclampsia. They tell me it is just a uncomfortable side effect of being pregnant and to put them up when I can. This week though I couldn't take it anymore. With everything I am still trying to do in my life, it is nearly impossible for me to stay completely off my feet and therefore they swell. While I was at work on Thursday, it began to feel like I had tight rubber bands around my knees, causing my legs to be so swollen that they were hard and ached terribly. I could not feel my feet and they were cold and sweaty to the touch. I figured this was not a good sign. I went home and cried (very normal these days) and when I got up in the morning, I called my midwife. She called back and said to stay off my feet all weekend, drink lots of water, stay away from salt and protein and come in Monday to check my blood pressure again. So that is the plan.
My appointment is at 3:15 and I am both looking forward to it and dreading it. I think it is just part of the emotional roller coaster I am on right now. I have a feeling they will take me out of work until he is born. On the one hand that would be the greatest thing ever because I really can't handle it anymore and am starting to snap at the kids when it is not their fault. On the other hand it stresses me out because it means disability instead of a normal paycheck for WAY longer than we planned and it means laying on the couch with my feet above my heart for possibly 8 weeks. This is not easy for me. I have so much I need and want to be doing and the thought of laying on the couch is torture. Obviously, I want to do the best thing I can for both Cade and I, but it sucks! Not to mention, having to tell my boss she has to rearrange the already tight schedule 8 weeks sooner than she was planning....ugh.
My other fear is actually having preeclampsia. If I do there is always the possibility of having to have a C-section which honestly would be my nightmare. I just so pictured a happy, healthy, fun pregnancy and right now that is not how I feel. I am trying so hard to stay positive and think good thoughts, but it is really hard to do. I just cannot wait until he is out and we can start getting to know him and enjoying him and I can get back to feeling better physically.
Tomorrow Chris and I are going to have professional photos taken together and of the belly. Of course this week is the week that I feel swollen and white. Oh well. I'll post some when I get them. Tomorrow must be a better day.....
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Check-up....again
Had another appointment today which went very well as usual and here are the stats:
- Gained a few more pounds putting me at 32lbs total so far (I swear it is in my ankles!)
- Fundal height 31cm and exactly where it should be
- He is supposedly head down already and as a special treat for his mom, has one foot in each of my ribs!
- Heart sounded great still
- Met another new midwife named Lisa who I LOVED and hope she is there when I deliver. We talked about my birth plans and preferences and she was so helpful and even told me about a hypnobirthing class offered here in Chico! I am so happy because it will really help
- She told me I could take Claritin and Benadryl for my allergies (yay!) so maybe now I will get some relief
- Wasn't worried about my swollen ankles and feet because my blood pressure is still really nicely low
- Picked up the information about my maternity leave and disability pay....man this is happening fast!
So that was the appointment this week. I go back again in 2 weeks for I think maybe 3 more and then start going every week!
I am going home to San Diego this weekend for my second baby shower and I can't wait! I haven't seen my family since November and it will be really nice to spend time with them. Sara is throwing the shower and will not tell me anything about it, so I will share the details when I get home :)
As far as physically? I am really uncomfortable at this point. Everything hurts and I had a mini meltdown last night. He is growing very quickly and getting really heavy. It takes a long time for me to get up and down and do what I need to do these days. Chris is really helping, but he can't go everywhere with me! Just walking from the car into the store is exhausting....man I will not miss that part. I have just been trying to stretch as much as I can and I really need to start doing the yoga video because I think it will help with flexibility and reduce some of the pain.
Cade is great and very active still. It is no longer kicking that I feel, but now more of a rolling and thumping sensation. Like a tsunami! He really enjoys and spends most of his time with his butt (I think) up under my right rib. You can almost always find him there. The other morning it was so cute because I had my ipod in bed with me and when I woke up I put some music on and the headphones on my tummy and he started moving around. Chris was thrilled when I told him that Cade loves Beyonce! Anyway, he is good and I can't wait to meet him.
Lastly, Chris and I now sleep in separate beds. I was kinda sad about it at first, but before we made that choice, neither one of us was sleeping. So now he gets sleep and I get sleep and we are much happier. I just hope it isn't permanent because I miss him at night!
I think that is all for now. I'll write again after I get home and have photos and fun from the shower!
Sunday, April 4, 2010
30 Weeks and Birth Preparation
Well, I have now been pregnant for 30 weeks. I know I have been saying all along that time is flying, but now that we are in the 10 week countdown, it has become really real! I have been thinking about this time in my life and preparing mentally for it for years and now that it is so close to happening, I am getting so excited.
Things around here are moving along nicely I guess you could say. I have 400 books I had planned on reading throughout this pregnancy and of course have not. I have started reading a few though. Most importantly my Hypnobirthing book.
Having a natural, intervention-free birth has always been important to me since the time I even thought of having kids. I think this partly comes from the experiences with my mom. All of my siblings except myself were born either at home or at a birthing center and my mom's labors and deliveries were drug-free and midwife led. I guess this has always just seemed normal to me. In addition, as I started getting older and thinking for myself, I began reading about birthing and have often thought about becoming a midwife or doula as a profession. I find the process of birth very special and an amazing process that should be left to happen on it's own.
Soooo....needless to say, this is my plan for Cade's birth. I know I know, "things happen" and I am aware of this and of course if something went wrong, I would protect him first and myself, BUT assuming everything is healthy, I will not be taking any pain medications. I have also wanted to have a home birth as it is where I feel the most comfortable, not to mention, I despise everything about hospitals, but for Chris I compromised. I am using a midwife instead of doctor like I wanted and Cade will be born in a hospital instead of at home like he wanted. Guess it's fair. The hospital he will be born in is supposedly really great and they have a whole birthing center which is completely separate from the rest of the hospital. I have also heard that they are very good at respecting your wishes for the most part as long as you let them know.
I don't plan on going in willy-nilly expecting Cade to walk out without any pain or discomfort. Instead, I have chosen to use a method of pain management called Hypnobirthing. It is a breathing, visualization and relaxation method using many techniques which serve as a sort of self-hypnosis. It doesn't mean that I will be completely out of it and this type of hypnosis is very unlike anything you have seen at the fair or on TV. I will still be very much aware of what is going on and completely conscious, but will work with the contractions to reduce pain and help labor progress. I have been reading about these methods and have now begun practicing daily and plan to include both Chris and my mom in this as well. They will serve as my birth companions and remind me of my breathing and visualizations. I am really excited about this decision and see it as a challenge I will train for and complete!
As far as getting ready for his arrival? We now have a car seat for him! This has been my only little cause of stress for the last month or so because we couldn't bring him home without it, but thanks to Chris' mom and Dad, we now have a car seat! A very safe one at that! We have not put it in the car yet because I have this weird thing about driving around with important things in the car in case the car got hit and it ruined the contents of the car. I know it is weird, but it could happen! We will put it in in a few weeks probably. I also finally ordered the co sleeper he will be sleeping in. It has shipped and should be here next weeks! Another stress relieved. As far as our diapers go, we have 10 of the 20 we need for him. The girls at work threw me a wonderful baby shower last weekend (which I will be posting pictures of when I get them) and all pitched in and bought us 10 diapers. Thanks girls! We also got all kinds of cute clothes, blankets, washcloths and bathrobes. It was so much fun and as soon as I get the photos I will post them.
Things around here are moving along nicely I guess you could say. I have 400 books I had planned on reading throughout this pregnancy and of course have not. I have started reading a few though. Most importantly my Hypnobirthing book.
Having a natural, intervention-free birth has always been important to me since the time I even thought of having kids. I think this partly comes from the experiences with my mom. All of my siblings except myself were born either at home or at a birthing center and my mom's labors and deliveries were drug-free and midwife led. I guess this has always just seemed normal to me. In addition, as I started getting older and thinking for myself, I began reading about birthing and have often thought about becoming a midwife or doula as a profession. I find the process of birth very special and an amazing process that should be left to happen on it's own.
Soooo....needless to say, this is my plan for Cade's birth. I know I know, "things happen" and I am aware of this and of course if something went wrong, I would protect him first and myself, BUT assuming everything is healthy, I will not be taking any pain medications. I have also wanted to have a home birth as it is where I feel the most comfortable, not to mention, I despise everything about hospitals, but for Chris I compromised. I am using a midwife instead of doctor like I wanted and Cade will be born in a hospital instead of at home like he wanted. Guess it's fair. The hospital he will be born in is supposedly really great and they have a whole birthing center which is completely separate from the rest of the hospital. I have also heard that they are very good at respecting your wishes for the most part as long as you let them know.
I don't plan on going in willy-nilly expecting Cade to walk out without any pain or discomfort. Instead, I have chosen to use a method of pain management called Hypnobirthing. It is a breathing, visualization and relaxation method using many techniques which serve as a sort of self-hypnosis. It doesn't mean that I will be completely out of it and this type of hypnosis is very unlike anything you have seen at the fair or on TV. I will still be very much aware of what is going on and completely conscious, but will work with the contractions to reduce pain and help labor progress. I have been reading about these methods and have now begun practicing daily and plan to include both Chris and my mom in this as well. They will serve as my birth companions and remind me of my breathing and visualizations. I am really excited about this decision and see it as a challenge I will train for and complete!
As far as getting ready for his arrival? We now have a car seat for him! This has been my only little cause of stress for the last month or so because we couldn't bring him home without it, but thanks to Chris' mom and Dad, we now have a car seat! A very safe one at that! We have not put it in the car yet because I have this weird thing about driving around with important things in the car in case the car got hit and it ruined the contents of the car. I know it is weird, but it could happen! We will put it in in a few weeks probably. I also finally ordered the co sleeper he will be sleeping in. It has shipped and should be here next weeks! Another stress relieved. As far as our diapers go, we have 10 of the 20 we need for him. The girls at work threw me a wonderful baby shower last weekend (which I will be posting pictures of when I get them) and all pitched in and bought us 10 diapers. Thanks girls! We also got all kinds of cute clothes, blankets, washcloths and bathrobes. It was so much fun and as soon as I get the photos I will post them.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Another Check-up Come and Gone
Now that I am going every other week, I feel like there is nothing to report and also that it is going so much faster.
So I gained ANOTHER 5 pounds in the last 2 weeks. I am kinda in shock again and even my midwife said "OK what are we eating that we shouldn't be?" Uhhhhh......food? Hahaha. Anyway, though I really don't think I am eating that horribly or that much, I left the office with a new attitude about food. Cade and I will be eating only food that is nourishing and full of goodness. I went straight to the store and bought tons of fruits and veggies, spinach to make salads, yogurt, cottage cheese, whole grain tortillas, black beans, beets, and even bought eggs (which I really don't like) to hard boil for salads. When Chris gets home from his little trip tomorrow we are going to start barbecuing chicken breasts and veggies every night.
These are the foods that I used to eat anyway before I was pregnant, but being sick in the beginning, I got in the habit of eating anything that sounded good because it was all I could keep down. Now, I need to change it up again and have a little will power and grow a healthy baby.
The second issue this week is the Iron deficiency thing. I went and bought the iron supplement I was told to about 5 days ago. It was $20.00 for a supply that will only last me about a month! Yeah OK whatever, I can handle that. Then I go to this appointment and the midwife asks me which one I bought and then gives me a sample of a different kind of Iron that is liquid and has additional vitamins in it too. She told me that this one is gentler and will be less likely to cause constipation. I talked to my mom on the way home and she said she used the liquid one when she was pregnant with me and that it would be absorbed better anyway. So I go to the specialty store to get it and what do you know? Another $25.00 for a one month supply! Jeez! This stuff better work I tell ya!
In addition to the iron problem, I have had congestion for about the last 8 weeks, and developed a wonderful chest cough that has now lasted about 2 weeks. I told my midwife about this because I was starting to get concerned (and annoyed at coughing every morning and night) and she called in some antibiotics for me to take to try to get rid of any sinus infection or such that I may have. I was soooo happy she did this because otherwise I would have had to go to urgent care and sit with the sickies for hours. Anyway, I am now taking antibiotics 4 times a day, and 2 different kinds of iron 4 times a day. Needless to say, I'm tired.
My feet and ankles swell to the size of balloons anytime I work because I am on my feet so long, my lower back hurts from coughing so much and I think I have begun to experience Braxton Hicks contractions which are not painful, but just uncomfortable and always seem to happen while I am at work. I know I sound like such a complainer, but I am just plain uncomfortable. I always thought I would love being pregnant, but nope. I'm done. I want to get back to running and working out and feeling good again. I need to get more exercise, but my feet hurt so much and my belly is so heavy that it makes it seem like the last thing I want to do. I am ready. Only 11 weeks left and maybe less if I have anything to say about it :)
I signed us up for an all day Saturday birthing class in the end of April. I also need to schedule a tour of the hospital because it would make me feel better to know where I am going to be. Annnnddddd, I get to go home to San Diego in less than 2 weeks! Yay! Can't wait.
Okay, next appointment in 2 weeks. Chris' birthday on Monday. Perception test on Tuesday. Bring on next week.
So I gained ANOTHER 5 pounds in the last 2 weeks. I am kinda in shock again and even my midwife said "OK what are we eating that we shouldn't be?" Uhhhhh......food? Hahaha. Anyway, though I really don't think I am eating that horribly or that much, I left the office with a new attitude about food. Cade and I will be eating only food that is nourishing and full of goodness. I went straight to the store and bought tons of fruits and veggies, spinach to make salads, yogurt, cottage cheese, whole grain tortillas, black beans, beets, and even bought eggs (which I really don't like) to hard boil for salads. When Chris gets home from his little trip tomorrow we are going to start barbecuing chicken breasts and veggies every night.
These are the foods that I used to eat anyway before I was pregnant, but being sick in the beginning, I got in the habit of eating anything that sounded good because it was all I could keep down. Now, I need to change it up again and have a little will power and grow a healthy baby.
The second issue this week is the Iron deficiency thing. I went and bought the iron supplement I was told to about 5 days ago. It was $20.00 for a supply that will only last me about a month! Yeah OK whatever, I can handle that. Then I go to this appointment and the midwife asks me which one I bought and then gives me a sample of a different kind of Iron that is liquid and has additional vitamins in it too. She told me that this one is gentler and will be less likely to cause constipation. I talked to my mom on the way home and she said she used the liquid one when she was pregnant with me and that it would be absorbed better anyway. So I go to the specialty store to get it and what do you know? Another $25.00 for a one month supply! Jeez! This stuff better work I tell ya!
In addition to the iron problem, I have had congestion for about the last 8 weeks, and developed a wonderful chest cough that has now lasted about 2 weeks. I told my midwife about this because I was starting to get concerned (and annoyed at coughing every morning and night) and she called in some antibiotics for me to take to try to get rid of any sinus infection or such that I may have. I was soooo happy she did this because otherwise I would have had to go to urgent care and sit with the sickies for hours. Anyway, I am now taking antibiotics 4 times a day, and 2 different kinds of iron 4 times a day. Needless to say, I'm tired.
My feet and ankles swell to the size of balloons anytime I work because I am on my feet so long, my lower back hurts from coughing so much and I think I have begun to experience Braxton Hicks contractions which are not painful, but just uncomfortable and always seem to happen while I am at work. I know I sound like such a complainer, but I am just plain uncomfortable. I always thought I would love being pregnant, but nope. I'm done. I want to get back to running and working out and feeling good again. I need to get more exercise, but my feet hurt so much and my belly is so heavy that it makes it seem like the last thing I want to do. I am ready. Only 11 weeks left and maybe less if I have anything to say about it :)
I signed us up for an all day Saturday birthing class in the end of April. I also need to schedule a tour of the hospital because it would make me feel better to know where I am going to be. Annnnddddd, I get to go home to San Diego in less than 2 weeks! Yay! Can't wait.
Okay, next appointment in 2 weeks. Chris' birthday on Monday. Perception test on Tuesday. Bring on next week.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Spring Is In The Air!
Today is the first day of Spring! Happy Spring! I am so excited for Spring and Summer to be here and for school to be over and for Cade to arrive and the whole Summer I get to spend home with him :)
Today was soooo beautiful, as it has been all week. I had some studying to do and decided to do it outside. Though I am not sure the neighbors enjoyed it, I put on my bathing suit top (which BARELY fits anymore) and some shorts and sat in the sun. It was so nice and not too hot yet.
We have been working on our backyard and garden to get ready for Summer. We will have many visitors this Summer and we wanted to make a place outside that is enjoyable to be in. Also, we have always wanted to have a garden and now we can!
We started with the Barbeque (which is perfect and makes great chicken). This week while Chris' parents were here, they purchased a lovely set of patio furniture for us as a birthday and housewarming gift for Chris. Thank you Judy and Dan, we love them! Now we have a place to eat dinner outside all Summer. In addition, I had been lugging around a huge porch umbrella and stand from house to house, but never had a place to put them. Now it is on our back patio and is perfect for providing the shade we need.
The next project was to cover the fence. We have a chain link fence around the parameter of our backyard and last Summer it was fine because we had a wonderfully thick vine growing along it and it made it so that you had complete privacy. Our landlords decided to butcher it though and as a result, our yard was open for all to see. We did not like it and so we found (well Chris did) reed covers. Chris and his Dad covered most of the fence with them this week and it looks great! Now we again have privacy and are making progress. We only need to buy one more cover to finish one side of the fence. Yay!
Next we tackled the garden situation. We have in our yard, a pre-made garden box and we were planning to plant everything in there. Chris has been digging to remove the grass and was planning on going to a worm farm next week to fill it up with soil. We decided today, that perhaps we should just plant our veggies in pots since we already had some. Tonight we went to Lowe's and got tomatoes, cucumbers, thyme, oregano, basil, sage, 4 different kinds of hot peppers and watermelon. In the next couple of weeks we plan to also plant bell peppers and squash. I really enjoyed planting them tonight even though it hurt my back to bend over. We are now planning to plant the watermelon in the garden ox to see how it works. Maybe it will grow, maybe not. Who knows!
Eventually, I want to get a porch swing to put out there and next week I am going to plant some flowers. I wish I had all the time in the world to just be outside, get tan and enjoy the weather. But no. Alas, I must go back to school tomorrow and be able to identify, describe and list functions of almost all parts of the brain. Chris is flying to Palm Springs this Thursday for a friend's bachelor weekend, I have 2 tests and a short paper to write. I also have my next appointment on Friday. We have a busy week this week. Here are some photos of our yard so far. I took them at dusk so they may be dark. I will take some more when it is completed!
Happy Spring!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Glucose Results
First of all I must say how funny the comment is on the counter-thingy at the top of the blog. "Now I have more brain cells than Paris and Nicky Hilton combined"....hahahahahahaha!
Okay, I'm done now. So I had my glucose test done yesterday morning and my midwife already received the results and called to tell me that they were fine. Good news since adding managing diabetes to my growing list of things to do would not have been fun. She did say however, that I am anemic. Not surprising to me because I have been anemic off and on all of my adult life. I just have to take a certain Iron supplement twice a day and everything should be fine.
I was actually pretty surprised that I showed up as anemic at this point in time though because I have eaten more red meat in the last month than I have my ENTIRE life. Guess I must be really low to begin with. I am also hoping that maybe being anemic is a contributing factor to my lack of energy and that I may start to feel better soon. Yay!
The swelling in my ankles and feet has not gone away so I plan to talk to the midwives about it on Friday. Also, my all day heartburn has now induced a very lovely-sounding cough from my irritated esophagus and throat. We will be discussing that too. I need to get some Pepcid today and see if that helps at all. If not, I am begging for something stronger.
Well, I am off to get ready for work now. The parsleys just left and Chris and I are kinda sad. We had such a fun time with them and we love when people come to visit. Back to reality now for a few more weeks. Comin' home to SD for my baby shower in 3 weeks though and I can't wait to see my family :)
Okay, I'm done now. So I had my glucose test done yesterday morning and my midwife already received the results and called to tell me that they were fine. Good news since adding managing diabetes to my growing list of things to do would not have been fun. She did say however, that I am anemic. Not surprising to me because I have been anemic off and on all of my adult life. I just have to take a certain Iron supplement twice a day and everything should be fine.
I was actually pretty surprised that I showed up as anemic at this point in time though because I have eaten more red meat in the last month than I have my ENTIRE life. Guess I must be really low to begin with. I am also hoping that maybe being anemic is a contributing factor to my lack of energy and that I may start to feel better soon. Yay!
The swelling in my ankles and feet has not gone away so I plan to talk to the midwives about it on Friday. Also, my all day heartburn has now induced a very lovely-sounding cough from my irritated esophagus and throat. We will be discussing that too. I need to get some Pepcid today and see if that helps at all. If not, I am begging for something stronger.
Well, I am off to get ready for work now. The parsleys just left and Chris and I are kinda sad. We had such a fun time with them and we love when people come to visit. Back to reality now for a few more weeks. Comin' home to SD for my baby shower in 3 weeks though and I can't wait to see my family :)
Thursday, March 18, 2010
We Made it Seven Whole Months!
Today marks the 7 month mark of this pregnancy. I feel as if I just found out and yet more than half a year has passed by in the blink of an eye. Crazy. Here is the ever growing belly. Notice how the outfits I am photographed in have become increasingly less attractive as time goes on! Hahahaha.....oh well.
This week was Spring Break from school and it has been so nice to get out of bed all week without having anywhere to go. Chris' parents arrived for a visit on Tuesday and are leaving on Saturday. We have had a nice visit and have spent most of the time eating.....of course. Yesterday for St. Patrick's Day, Judy made corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, bread with Irish butter and I made green beer for the guys. Chris' cousin Amy and our friends Joel and Steve came for dinner and it was so fun to have everyone. There was lots of beer consumed, food eaten and I even found some Irish music on Pandora to play. Got a few good pictures, none of me of course :)
Today we went to walk around downtown Chico and went into a couple of baby boutiques (BIG mistake). They have so many cute things, but are soooooo outrageously priced of course. We did however find what we have been looking for the whole time..... The outfit Cade will wear home from the hospital. By request from his daddy, he will be sporting the following onesie:
Now I just need to find a very tiny maroon beanie and it will be complete :)
Grandma Parsley also bought him a little snuggle bunny. It is so soft and even I love rubbing it on my face :) It is very cute and he will love it I am sure.
Today I have no ankles. I am not sure if it was the salt in the corned beef last night or just being 7 months pregnant, but my ankles and feet are soooo swollen today that they are just big stumps at the bottom of my legs. I hope the swelling goes down soon.
I am going to the lab tomorrow to have my 28 weeks Glucose test done to check for diabetes. I have to drink some liquid and then not pee for an hour and that should be interesting. Hopefully my blood sugar is fine, but it honestly wouldn't surprise me if it wasn't because I have had issues with it before I was pregnant. Results next weeks so we shall see I guess.
That's pretty much it here for today. I found out I can try Pepcid ac for my heartburn since the Tums do nothing. I will be getting some tomorrow.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Monthly Check-Up - 7 month
Went to my appointment with the midwives on Friday and met a new one. Well she isn't new, but new to me. I was not a huge fan of her and hopefully she will be busy the day Cade is born. She is very much a "hospital" kind of person and sort of argued with me about having a natural birth. Look out lady and DO NOT mess with me. Watch, she will be the only one available that day....oh well.
Here are the 27 week stats:
Here are the 27 week stats:
- Have now entered the 3rd trimester and will be going to appointments every 2 weeks!
- Fundal height (size of uterus): 28 cm - Which is perfect she says
- Cade's heartbeat sounds great and she says it sounds "very boy"
- He is supposedly laying sideways with his head on one side and feet on the other (doesn't sound comfy to me, but whatever!)
- I gained......8 Pounds!! What in the world? 4 weeks, 8 pounds. No wonder I am so tired lately! Yeah, yeah I know it's normal, but 8 pounds!? Wow.
- Signed up for birthing class. Mostly for Chris, but maybe I will learn something too.
- Need to drink more water (Working on it)
- Have to go next week to have my blood glucose tested for gestational diabetes
- Cade is moving around so very much and I love feeling him. I just wish I could see him.
So that is pretty much it here. I have had a little bit of a rough couple of weeks physically. Heartburn, sinus congestion, cramping legs, and insanely sore feet every night, all in combination do not make for a very good night's sleep. I love having him with me and knowing that I am responsible for his growth, but I am ready to be done with pregnancy and feel good everyday again. Oh well, few weeks left :)
I have been living on Tums and Chris is a wonderful foot massager and I so appreciate him. He has been reading his favorite book to Cade at night sometimes. I always fall asleep which is kind of neat because it is literally like their time together. So cute. I am feeling the urge to get things together and be ready for his arrival, but need to be patient and wait until after my baby showers. Man, I am so impatient!!
That is all for now. I am going to bed because I think I am fighting a cold and do not want to get it. More to come soon!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Wonderful Women
So I attended my first La Leche League meeting this morning....something I have been meaning to do since I found out I was pregnant. La Leche League helps mothers worldwide to breastfeed through mother-to-mother support, encouragement, information, and education, and to promote a better understanding of breastfeeding as an important element in the healthy development of the baby and mother. Many cities have their own local branch and hold monthly meetings and get-togethers to discuss issues and concerns, as well as, get to know and form friendships with other mothers.
My mom attended these meetings when we were young and found that it provided her not only with breastfeeding support, but also a group of women who lived a similar lifestyle as her. I found this today in the women of Chico LLL. These women seemed wonderful. They all co-sleep with their babies, many use reusable diapers, all breastfeed and not only that but believe in letting the baby breastfeed for as long as they want to! I am so happy. I have finally found a place in Chico where I feel comfortable with my beliefs and don't have to explain everything I plan to do and why I think it is best for myself and my baby. They get it. They do it too! No one judges, questions or disagrees. In fact the opposite! They are so supportive and being that they all have babies already, they have so much wisdom and advice to offer from their experiences. I feel at ease about something, finally.
The meetings are held once a month and I will be attending each and every month (well maybe not June). I feel very confident about breastfeeding when he arrives, but I know I will soon have many questions and concerns and I am so comforted to know I have people to turn to who will actually help and believe in me and my abilities.
I saw these articles and though I was already aware of these amazing facts about breast milk, thought I would share them because it is soooo amazing! Be amazed people :)
http://news.discovery.com/animals/breast-milk-changes-throughout-the-day.html
http://www.sciencealert.com.au/news/20081102-16879.html
My mom attended these meetings when we were young and found that it provided her not only with breastfeeding support, but also a group of women who lived a similar lifestyle as her. I found this today in the women of Chico LLL. These women seemed wonderful. They all co-sleep with their babies, many use reusable diapers, all breastfeed and not only that but believe in letting the baby breastfeed for as long as they want to! I am so happy. I have finally found a place in Chico where I feel comfortable with my beliefs and don't have to explain everything I plan to do and why I think it is best for myself and my baby. They get it. They do it too! No one judges, questions or disagrees. In fact the opposite! They are so supportive and being that they all have babies already, they have so much wisdom and advice to offer from their experiences. I feel at ease about something, finally.
The meetings are held once a month and I will be attending each and every month (well maybe not June). I feel very confident about breastfeeding when he arrives, but I know I will soon have many questions and concerns and I am so comforted to know I have people to turn to who will actually help and believe in me and my abilities.
I saw these articles and though I was already aware of these amazing facts about breast milk, thought I would share them because it is soooo amazing! Be amazed people :)
http://news.discovery.com/animals/breast-milk-changes-throughout-the-day.html
http://www.sciencealert.com.au/news/20081102-16879.html
Monday, March 1, 2010
Feeling Overwhelmed
I am feeling a little overwhelmed and run down this week. I think it is all just happening so fast and between getting ready for his arrival and keeping up with school and doing all the other things I want to be doing, it has built up to a mountain. Here is my current list of things I need to do:
1) Study for test tomorrow (clearly avoiding that one)
2) Research article for personal reading due in 3 weeks
3) Study for practicum (must know all parts of brain, what they do and what happens if they are injured)
4) Find and purchase Co-Sleeper
5) Figure out what we are doing for a dresser for his clothes
6) Finish Sita's scrapbook (was supposed to be done in September!)
7) Make Jenifer's scrapbook
8) Research and make birth plan
9) Read immunization book and formulate schedule
10) Find a pediatrician and make sure he/she agrees with our immunization schedule
11) Finish all three birthing and breastfeeding books I started
12) Plant Morning Glory vines out back
13) Plan and plant garden
14) Tour hospital
15) Find and buy gown for delivery
16) Find birthing classes
17) Attend La Leche League meetings
18) Sooooo many more things....
Anyway, I know that it will all come together and all will be well, but right now I am having a moment. Hope tomorrow is better.
Oh and I swear the belly has grown overnight. See what you think.....
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