March 27, 2009
Sleeping Quirks
Is it weird that Juliette will sleep all night in her bassinet swaddled and during the day she just cries and cries and cries? At night, I swaddle her up and lay her down (usually awake) and she just drifts off to sleep without so much as a peep. Throughout her night feedings, same story. Day time has proven to be a whole different ball game. She'll sleep if we're out and about the whole time in her car seat. But, if nap time rolls around and we're not out, she fusses and fusses and fusses. She falls asleep for nap time upright, on top of me. Once she's asleep, I can lay her on her tummy and she'll sleep great for a few hours. I've just never known a child that has different night and day sleeping habits as far as positions go! I would assume if she was happy in her bassinet at night, she would be happy in there during the day. Or, if she preferred sleeping on her tummy during the day, she would want to be like that at night. I don't get it. Soon, the novelty of rocking her to sleep for naptimes is going to wear off and she's going to need to learn to put herself to sleep :-) But, for now, I'll enjoy the snuggles of my babe.
March 24, 2009
First Outing
Today, was my first outing with both kids by myself. And, it was a success! At first, we were just going to run to Costco, but things were going so well, and I had an hour left before I needed to pick Kyle up, that I decided to hit the grocery store, too. Juliette slept the whole time and Maddox was an very cooperative and well-behaved.
Now, if only I could get this girl to nap somewhere other than on top of me, I'd have it made! Juliette is sleeping AWESOME at night in her bassinet, but as soon as I lay her down during the day, she wakes up. I don't get it. She's great if we're out, though, she'll sleep the whole time in her car seat. I guess she's going to be a napper that needs to be driven! Ha, like I have time for that! :-)
Now, if only I could get this girl to nap somewhere other than on top of me, I'd have it made! Juliette is sleeping AWESOME at night in her bassinet, but as soon as I lay her down during the day, she wakes up. I don't get it. She's great if we're out, though, she'll sleep the whole time in her car seat. I guess she's going to be a napper that needs to be driven! Ha, like I have time for that! :-)
March 20, 2009
Just One of Those Nights
Last night was one of those nights that I'm sure we're bound to have more of. I fed Juliette at 11pm and she didn't fall asleep until well past midnight. Kyle and I finally got to bed around 12:45pm when he remembered he was taking some friends to the airport and he needed to be at their house at 5:45am. Juliette woke up to eat at 2:45 and somehow we both fell asleep while I was feeding her and she woke up at 3:45 and of course she was still hungry because she hadn't finished eating. Again, we both fell asleep while she was eating and she woke up hungry again at 5:15. This time it took me until after 6am to finally get her to sleep after having fully eaten. I had just drifted off to sleep when I hear Maddox crying! He usually doesn't get up until after 8:30am. He was half asleep, and I couldnt' figure out what was wrong, so I just snuggled in with him and I fell asleep. I don't know if he slept or not. Must have had a bad dream or something. He wakes me up at 7:30am. "Oameal, Oameal, Oameal, Oameal". Translation, "Oatmeal, Oatmeal, Oatmeal, Oatmeal."
So, here I am, it's 7:56am and I want to go back to bed. What a night.
Moral of the story, wake up long enough to feed your baby completely so she doesn't wake you up 3 more times in the course of 2 hours :-)
So, here I am, it's 7:56am and I want to go back to bed. What a night.
Moral of the story, wake up long enough to feed your baby completely so she doesn't wake you up 3 more times in the course of 2 hours :-)
March 16, 2009
Pampers One Pack = One Vaccine
This Giveaway is now closed.
Pampers has teamed up with Unicef (an organization that helps children around the world) provide life-saving vaccines for mothers and babies in 3rd world countries. The way they are doing this is when you purchase packages of specially marked packages of Pampers, Pampers donates a vaccine to Unicef to administer to somebody in need.
"The Pampers “One Pack = One Vaccine” campaign is part of a global initiative with UNICEF to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT), a preventable disease that claims the lives of approximately 128,000 infants and 30,000 mothers in less industrialized nations each year – that’s approximately one death every four minutes.
Giveaway:
I have also been given 4, "Together We Can Help Save a Life", onesies to give away. They are all size 12mo.
Just leave a comment on this post along with an e-mail address. The giveaway will remain open until next Monday March 23rd at midnight PST.
Pampers has teamed up with Unicef (an organization that helps children around the world) provide life-saving vaccines for mothers and babies in 3rd world countries. The way they are doing this is when you purchase packages of specially marked packages of Pampers, Pampers donates a vaccine to Unicef to administer to somebody in need.
"The Pampers “One Pack = One Vaccine” campaign is part of a global initiative with UNICEF to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus (MNT), a preventable disease that claims the lives of approximately 128,000 infants and 30,000 mothers in less industrialized nations each year – that’s approximately one death every four minutes.
Tetanus can be contracted during childbirth in developing countries, where women often must give birth at home in unsanitary conditions without access to adequate health care. The disease rages through newborns within days of their exposure to the tetanus bacteria and almost always leads to a swift and painful death."
I have been asked to simply spread the word about this campaign in the hopes that you will purchase Pampers to help save lives. Another thing you can do is use your Gifts to Grow points (through Pampers.com) to donate vaccines, as well.Giveaway:
I have also been given 4, "Together We Can Help Save a Life", onesies to give away. They are all size 12mo.
Just leave a comment on this post along with an e-mail address. The giveaway will remain open until next Monday March 23rd at midnight PST.
March 15, 2009
My First 2.5 Hours
I've officially survived my first 2.5 hours alone with my 2 kids! Kyle went to youth group tonight as is our usual Sunday night routine. I stayed home with both kids and have so far survived :-) Good trial run. This week Kyle is working his way back to his normal work routine, so he'll be in and out throughout the week. It's been so nice having him home, but I know he can't stay home forever! Darn it.
March 14, 2009
The First Five Days
The past 5 days have really gone pretty smoothly. The first few nights with Miss Juliette were a little tough just because she's trying to figure out this whole eating and sleeping thing. She's getting the hang of it now, though and actually let me sleep for 5 hours straight last night! She did another 4 hour stint after that, but Maddox woke me up after about 2 of them. The adjustment of having 2 :-) I'm slowly working her into our "Baby Wise" routine and she's doing so well! She's such a content happy little baby! I've been blessed with 2 of them!
She's been eating like a champ! I haven't had a single problem nursing this time around. She's such a good little eater and quick at that! Which, of course is AWESOME being the second one I don't have to spend all day every day nursing and having a toddler to chase around!
Maddox is adjusting just beautifully. Yesterday morning was really the last "tough" time we've had. He's now randomly coming up and giving his little sister hugs and kisses and asking to hold her. Very sweet. I was able to take him to library story yesterday just the 2 of us and today Daddy took him out for a little bit. I think they're going to pick up some baseball cards and get some ice cream.
Well, I'm getting a Booby Call. Ta ta.
She's been eating like a champ! I haven't had a single problem nursing this time around. She's such a good little eater and quick at that! Which, of course is AWESOME being the second one I don't have to spend all day every day nursing and having a toddler to chase around!
Maddox is adjusting just beautifully. Yesterday morning was really the last "tough" time we've had. He's now randomly coming up and giving his little sister hugs and kisses and asking to hold her. Very sweet. I was able to take him to library story yesterday just the 2 of us and today Daddy took him out for a little bit. I think they're going to pick up some baseball cards and get some ice cream.
Well, I'm getting a Booby Call. Ta ta.
March 11, 2009
Childbirth = Empowering
I don't feel like I could say that after Maddox's delivery because I don't believe I let my body do what it knew it could do. I struggled to 7cm dilation before opting for an epidurl. Juliette's delivery was night and day different from his and I left with a very different outlook. And, I truly believe that 99% of why it was so different was the support that I had from the my awesome husband, my delivery nurse, my mid-wife and my doula. Probably all of 1% of it was my determination. I really didn't believe in myself going into the hospital on Monday. But, when I was surrounded by people who believed that I could do it and actually helped me cope, my labor breezed by and before I knew it, I was having my beautiful baby girl plopped on my chest!
We left the hospital yesterday less than 24 hours after giving birth and I feel almost 100% normal. I'm a little sore, but nothing NEAR what I was with Maddox. I've actually started laundry this morning and everything! We are resting and not over-doing it, but it's just nice that I actually feel like some-what of a norml human being!
I guess I'll go ahead and share my birth story from my perspective. Kyle it up on the other site and I think did a great job of describing everything. But, I want to share it here as a way to process and to remember from my side of the story.
Sunday night, I was really tired of being pregnant. REALLY REALLY tired. I was seriously considering scheduling an induction for Tuesday or Wednesday. I had pretty much tried everything to naturally induce labor, except for taking Castor Oil. So, I decided that $4 and diarhea was a far cheaper price to pay than paying for an induction (Yes, my thriftiness even comes into play in regards to childbirth as well). So, before bed, I took 2oz of castor oil (looking back, I probably should have taken 1/2 that). Any way, my body cleaned itself out from 3am-6am. Fun fun. I was able to go back to sleep from 6-7:30. Maddox woke up at 7:30 and I laid in bed with him for a few minutes and started noticing cramping across my lower belly that were coming 8-10 min. apart. Since they felt different than any contractions I had had up to this point I thought maybe it was intestinal cramping from the castor oil. Finally, around 8:30 I decided to let Kyle know what was going on because whether I was in labor or not, I was pretty miserable and should go to the Dr. to be checked out and make sure everything was okay with the baby because I couldn't tell whether she was moving or not.
My appointment was at 10:20. The midwife came in and checked my cervix and I was dialated to 4cm (Thursday, I was 2cm). She casually told me she thought I was in the early stages of labor and recommended I go and walk around for a bit and come back at 2pm. Since we had Maddox with us, we decided to drive back to our town and take Maddox to our friend's who were watching him. The weather was really icky and Kyle needed to send out a few e-mails for work, so we went over to the church to walk around the gym. By the time we actually started walking, it was about 12:45 and the contractions really seemed to have intensified quite a bit. We couldn't even make it 1/3 of the way around the gym in between contractions, so we timed a few and they were coming 2 1/2 minutes apart, so we decided the hospital might be a better place to be since it was 15-20 min. away from home.
We arrived back at the hospital at 1:15 and of all wonderful things, the contractions had begun to move into my back (like last time). Our wonderful labor/delivery nurse settled us in and set me up to be monitored for a bit until the mid-wife could come in and check me (she was in a c-section). She taught me a breathing technic to make room in my uterus for the contraction and then to force my body to fully relax out of the breath. Let me tell you, it was an incredible breathing technic. Let me know if you want details, kind of hard to explain in writing. The midwife came in at around 1:30/1:45 and checked me and was pretty startled when I was 6-7cm already!
At around 2pm, I climbed into the jacuzzi tub for a little bit of relaxing and that was a nice change. At 2:30 the midwife recommended breaking my water because Juliette's head was tipped down towards her chin and thought if she broke my water it would get her head in the correct position to progress things even quicker. The contraction I felt after she broke my water was probably the most intense one I felt, but with the help of all of my support, I was able to get my head back in the game and get back in control of the pain. I labored on my side with the midwife putting pressure on my back to relieve some of the pain there. Kyle was holding my hand and squeazing my hand (they wouldn't let me squeaze because they wanted me to relax). Everybody was talking about how stoic I was because I just laid there and didn't make a peep.
At 3:00 the midwife noticed one of the contractions made me move funny and asked me if I had gotten the urge to push. I was exactly sure so she checked me again and I was dilated to almost a 9 but the front of my cervix wasn't dilated yet. So, she asked me if it would be okay if I flipped over onto an almost hands and knees position with me on the bed leaning over the back. I said that was fine and they helped me move in between contractions. I had one contraction in this position before I was overwhelemed by the urge to push. I was fully dialated in one contraction! They just said to go with the natural urges of my body. 9 minutes later, she was out! My natural urge when I felt the amount of pain from pushing her out was pretty much to get her out as fast as I could, so that's what I did :-D
They plopped my beautiful girl onto my chest and I got to hold her for like 15 minutes before they even took her to be weighed. My first comment was "she's so tiny!" and the nurses and mid-wife looked at me like I was crazy and they said, "no, that's a big girl!" She weighed in at a whopping 9lbs. 3oz.! Talk about all that anxiety last week not being necessary! Oh, and the Dr. that did the ultrasound was wrong, too :-) He said on her due date maybe 8 1/2 lbs.
I have taken all of a couple of ibuprofen to help with some inflammation and that's it! I can't believe how different this recovery is than last time around. Hope I didn't gross anybody out!
We left the hospital yesterday less than 24 hours after giving birth and I feel almost 100% normal. I'm a little sore, but nothing NEAR what I was with Maddox. I've actually started laundry this morning and everything! We are resting and not over-doing it, but it's just nice that I actually feel like some-what of a norml human being!
I guess I'll go ahead and share my birth story from my perspective. Kyle it up on the other site and I think did a great job of describing everything. But, I want to share it here as a way to process and to remember from my side of the story.
Sunday night, I was really tired of being pregnant. REALLY REALLY tired. I was seriously considering scheduling an induction for Tuesday or Wednesday. I had pretty much tried everything to naturally induce labor, except for taking Castor Oil. So, I decided that $4 and diarhea was a far cheaper price to pay than paying for an induction (Yes, my thriftiness even comes into play in regards to childbirth as well). So, before bed, I took 2oz of castor oil (looking back, I probably should have taken 1/2 that). Any way, my body cleaned itself out from 3am-6am. Fun fun. I was able to go back to sleep from 6-7:30. Maddox woke up at 7:30 and I laid in bed with him for a few minutes and started noticing cramping across my lower belly that were coming 8-10 min. apart. Since they felt different than any contractions I had had up to this point I thought maybe it was intestinal cramping from the castor oil. Finally, around 8:30 I decided to let Kyle know what was going on because whether I was in labor or not, I was pretty miserable and should go to the Dr. to be checked out and make sure everything was okay with the baby because I couldn't tell whether she was moving or not.
My appointment was at 10:20. The midwife came in and checked my cervix and I was dialated to 4cm (Thursday, I was 2cm). She casually told me she thought I was in the early stages of labor and recommended I go and walk around for a bit and come back at 2pm. Since we had Maddox with us, we decided to drive back to our town and take Maddox to our friend's who were watching him. The weather was really icky and Kyle needed to send out a few e-mails for work, so we went over to the church to walk around the gym. By the time we actually started walking, it was about 12:45 and the contractions really seemed to have intensified quite a bit. We couldn't even make it 1/3 of the way around the gym in between contractions, so we timed a few and they were coming 2 1/2 minutes apart, so we decided the hospital might be a better place to be since it was 15-20 min. away from home.
We arrived back at the hospital at 1:15 and of all wonderful things, the contractions had begun to move into my back (like last time). Our wonderful labor/delivery nurse settled us in and set me up to be monitored for a bit until the mid-wife could come in and check me (she was in a c-section). She taught me a breathing technic to make room in my uterus for the contraction and then to force my body to fully relax out of the breath. Let me tell you, it was an incredible breathing technic. Let me know if you want details, kind of hard to explain in writing. The midwife came in at around 1:30/1:45 and checked me and was pretty startled when I was 6-7cm already!
At around 2pm, I climbed into the jacuzzi tub for a little bit of relaxing and that was a nice change. At 2:30 the midwife recommended breaking my water because Juliette's head was tipped down towards her chin and thought if she broke my water it would get her head in the correct position to progress things even quicker. The contraction I felt after she broke my water was probably the most intense one I felt, but with the help of all of my support, I was able to get my head back in the game and get back in control of the pain. I labored on my side with the midwife putting pressure on my back to relieve some of the pain there. Kyle was holding my hand and squeazing my hand (they wouldn't let me squeaze because they wanted me to relax). Everybody was talking about how stoic I was because I just laid there and didn't make a peep.
At 3:00 the midwife noticed one of the contractions made me move funny and asked me if I had gotten the urge to push. I was exactly sure so she checked me again and I was dilated to almost a 9 but the front of my cervix wasn't dilated yet. So, she asked me if it would be okay if I flipped over onto an almost hands and knees position with me on the bed leaning over the back. I said that was fine and they helped me move in between contractions. I had one contraction in this position before I was overwhelemed by the urge to push. I was fully dialated in one contraction! They just said to go with the natural urges of my body. 9 minutes later, she was out! My natural urge when I felt the amount of pain from pushing her out was pretty much to get her out as fast as I could, so that's what I did :-D
They plopped my beautiful girl onto my chest and I got to hold her for like 15 minutes before they even took her to be weighed. My first comment was "she's so tiny!" and the nurses and mid-wife looked at me like I was crazy and they said, "no, that's a big girl!" She weighed in at a whopping 9lbs. 3oz.! Talk about all that anxiety last week not being necessary! Oh, and the Dr. that did the ultrasound was wrong, too :-) He said on her due date maybe 8 1/2 lbs.
I have taken all of a couple of ibuprofen to help with some inflammation and that's it! I can't believe how different this recovery is than last time around. Hope I didn't gross anybody out!
March 9, 2009
March 7, 2009
I'm Doing Better, Really
I really am doing better. I've had a really good few days. I've been crocheting some hats and attempting to crochet some leg warmers for the little miss. Since I don't actually have little legs to try them on I really don't know how they'll fit, but they're pretty stinkin' cute if you ask me. I'll post pics soon.
I really thought I was in labor this morning. I woke up from contraction pain at 4:45, the contractions were wrapping around my back (fun fun). I had 3, 10 minutes apart, so I decided to get up and take a shower and see what happened and possibly get ready to head to the hospital. Alas, after my shower, they dwindled to nothing. Stink. I was able to go back to sleep for a few hours, though, so that's good.
I'm beginning to think that this little one might take after me in more ways than I'd like. Take for instance, her stubbornness. Something's keeping her in there and I swear it's just the fact that she knows we want her so badly, LOL!!! And, if she decides to come out 11 days late (like me), then I just need to be okay with that.
Ta Ta.
I really thought I was in labor this morning. I woke up from contraction pain at 4:45, the contractions were wrapping around my back (fun fun). I had 3, 10 minutes apart, so I decided to get up and take a shower and see what happened and possibly get ready to head to the hospital. Alas, after my shower, they dwindled to nothing. Stink. I was able to go back to sleep for a few hours, though, so that's good.
I'm beginning to think that this little one might take after me in more ways than I'd like. Take for instance, her stubbornness. Something's keeping her in there and I swear it's just the fact that she knows we want her so badly, LOL!!! And, if she decides to come out 11 days late (like me), then I just need to be okay with that.
Ta Ta.
March 5, 2009
I'm Not Doing Well
**Update: 4:15pm** Thank you for your sweet comments (and e-mail), I really appreciate it. I've had a MUCH better afternoon. Kyle took Maddox and me to lunch and then Maddox and I took a little road trip and he fell asleep and we snuggled in Starbucks for awhile together while he dozed. It's amazing what a chocolate chip cookie and sweet drink can do to brighten down spirits:-) And, of course just getting out of the house! I appreciate your prayers, they mean so much!
I'm struggling right now.
It's hard to put this in a blog post because I know I'll get flooded comments "trust God", "be patient", "God's timing is perfect", yada yada yada.
I know those things. I really do, and I'm trying really hard.
The last 2 days I've been overcome with depression and today I've lost it. I'm in sweats and I can't stop crying.
I know she has to come some time. I know that it's not even my due date. I know that God has already predestined the day she's going to be born.
But, my anxiety rises each day because I have horrible fears that I won't be able to deliver her on my own because she'll be too big. I know they're not rational. I know a few extra ounces each day aren't going to be the difference between me being able to deliver her or me not being able to deliver her. But, the anxieties are still there. I'm scared out of my mind. By this point with Maddox I had had him 2 days ago and he was big, I had a traumatic delivery, and a not-so-fun recovery. Those fears loom over me.
It doesn't help that I have painful contractions every day almost all day long. There's always that question, "is this it?" I don't have anything going on right now, we've been sitting at home and I'm feeling bored out of my mind. I know I should go somewhere today, but I can't stop crying long enough to be able to apply new eye make-up and not look like a freak.
I know this is all stupid. It's not even my due date yet!!! But something inside feels out of control and I don't know how to deal with it. I want to bury myself in a hole until it really IS time. I don't want to show up at church one more Sunday and be bombarded with questions, "she's not here yet?"
They will induce me tomorrow if I want. Believe me, it sounds wonderful from one side of the spectrum. Then, I get flooded with all the "what if's" of being induced and then that freaks me out and makes me want to cry even more.
I just want somebody to tell me what to do. I just want to know what day she'll be here. Everything is ready for her, we're just waiting and that's REALLY HARD.
I'm struggling right now.
It's hard to put this in a blog post because I know I'll get flooded comments "trust God", "be patient", "God's timing is perfect", yada yada yada.
I know those things. I really do, and I'm trying really hard.
The last 2 days I've been overcome with depression and today I've lost it. I'm in sweats and I can't stop crying.
I know she has to come some time. I know that it's not even my due date. I know that God has already predestined the day she's going to be born.
But, my anxiety rises each day because I have horrible fears that I won't be able to deliver her on my own because she'll be too big. I know they're not rational. I know a few extra ounces each day aren't going to be the difference between me being able to deliver her or me not being able to deliver her. But, the anxieties are still there. I'm scared out of my mind. By this point with Maddox I had had him 2 days ago and he was big, I had a traumatic delivery, and a not-so-fun recovery. Those fears loom over me.
It doesn't help that I have painful contractions every day almost all day long. There's always that question, "is this it?" I don't have anything going on right now, we've been sitting at home and I'm feeling bored out of my mind. I know I should go somewhere today, but I can't stop crying long enough to be able to apply new eye make-up and not look like a freak.
I know this is all stupid. It's not even my due date yet!!! But something inside feels out of control and I don't know how to deal with it. I want to bury myself in a hole until it really IS time. I don't want to show up at church one more Sunday and be bombarded with questions, "she's not here yet?"
They will induce me tomorrow if I want. Believe me, it sounds wonderful from one side of the spectrum. Then, I get flooded with all the "what if's" of being induced and then that freaks me out and makes me want to cry even more.
I just want somebody to tell me what to do. I just want to know what day she'll be here. Everything is ready for her, we're just waiting and that's REALLY HARD.
March 3, 2009
This is More Than We Bargained For
***Update***
It's bad.
$3,000 bad.
Good thing money isn't everything.
God is in control.
We have one car. Last night, it broke down. I am a 9 month pregnant woman who could go into spontaneous labor at any moment.
Great.
It's the one time in the last few weeks that I have begged God NOT to let her come tonight.
She didn't.
The car is being towed to the mechanic and we'll be getting a rental car in the mean-time.
Great timing.
It's bad.
$3,000 bad.
Good thing money isn't everything.
God is in control.
We have one car. Last night, it broke down. I am a 9 month pregnant woman who could go into spontaneous labor at any moment.
Great.
It's the one time in the last few weeks that I have begged God NOT to let her come tonight.
She didn't.
The car is being towed to the mechanic and we'll be getting a rental car in the mean-time.
Great timing.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
