Brief Update

Wow - it's been a long time since I've posted anything. Unfortunately, keeping up with my blog isn't high on the priority list. In the past few weeks I've had several topics I wanted to write about - but just couldn't make it happen.

So what's new with our family? Ummm...not much. Our routine, Mon-Thur, involves getting up, taking Emily to daycare, going to work, coming home, eating, sleeping and then starting all over. And I feel like there's not enough time to get all of that done. Our house is never really clean, I have a long list of stuff to do and I always feel like I'm not spending enough time with Emily or Brad (or Banjo).

Daycare has been interesting. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving Brad took Emily to the doctor and we learn she had RSV. It was just a mild case - but just gave me another reason not to like daycare. She is sleeping a little bit better during the day. After coming home a couple of days and only having slept a total of 1 hour - we told them it was fine to let her sleep in the swing. Poor thing needs to sleep during the day. I don't know - I'm just not thrilled with this daycare. But I'm not sure I'd be thrilled with any daycare. I just hate not knowing what she's doing all day. I'm just not a fan of the situation. On Friday Emily will have her 4-month checkup, next round of shots and follow-up for RSV. Hopefully she's get the all clear.

Thanksgiving was nice and quiet this year. Our plan was to participate in the Turkey Trot - but Brad was the only one that ended up going. We didn't think it was a good idea to take Emily out in the cold and wind with RSV. Later that afternoon a friend came over and joined us for a simple, easy Thanksgiving dinner. I ordered a fried turkey from Razoos and just made a few, easy dishes. We ate, sat around, watched football and played with Emily. Here's a picture of Emily at the table with all of the food. She sat at the table with us in the Bumbo chair and played with a couple of toys.

Now we are in the process of getting ready for Christmas and taking Emily on her first plane ride. I'm trying to figure out what we need to take and don't need. Any tips? I'm almost done with Christmas shopping and had hoped to finish it this weekend. Well, that's not going to happen.

Now - I think I'm going to take a nap.

Wordless Wednesday - Go TCU Horned Frogs!

3 Months!

Emily Kate is 3 months old today!
Happy Birthday, Emily.

It feels like this month went by so fast. I'm not sure how long she is or how much she weighs - but I know she's getting bigger! Pants are finally starting to fit around her waist!
This month Emily...

• Started grabbing at things
• Discovered some new toys
• Talks a lot more - she'll have a conversation with you
• She's rolled from her tummy to her back a few times
• She started "school" - aka daycare
• Is napping much better (for me at least)
• Got her first cold
• Met more of her family members

Happy 3 Month Birthday, Emily!

Adjusting to a New Normal...

The date I was dreading for a long time arrived - on Monday, Nov 9, I returned to work. The 12 weeks I spent with little Emily were not enough. I really don't know how moms who only have 6 weeks off do it. There is no way I would have been able to leave her that soon. I felt like we had just started adjusting and finally had a good routine down. But as soon as that happened, it was time to start all over.

Brad and I took her to "school" Monday at 6:30am. When we walked out the door I stompped my feet (seriously), looked at Brad with tears in my eyes and said, "I hate this." Yes, I know it was pathetic but I didn't care. I didn't cry much on my way to work - but it really sucked leaving my little girl with people who are basically strangers. I called to check on her once and while I was on the phone with her teacher she was playing on the floor, smiling at the other red-headed girl in her room. I made it through the day and so did she. I'm pretty sure it was a lot easier on her than me. But I will say my second day back sucked more than the first. I guess the newness and excitment wore off.

We are slowing adjusting to the new normal around our house. We are figuring trying to figure out how early we have to get up to get ready on time, but still get enough sleep. We are trying to figure how who does what in the morning. Here's what it's looked like so far:

5:15am - I get up, get ready, pump and grab the items I forgot to pack the night before
5:55am - Brad wakes up, he gets Emily changed and dressed
6:00am - I feed Emily
6:20am - Brad leaves
6:25am - Emily and I leave
6:30am - I drop off Emily at "school"
7:10am - I get to work
4:30pm(ish) - Brad picks up Emily and they have Daddy/Daughter time
6:00pm - I get home
6:30pm(ish) - Brad goes for a run, Emily and I clean her bottles, figure out dinner and pack all of the stuff for the next day
7:00pm - Emily eats
7:30pm(ish) - Brad and I eat
8:15pm - Emily gets her bath
9:00pm - We start putting her to bed...once she's alseep we head to bed and get ready to start all over again.

Poor little girl had a rough night on Tuesday. Tuesday night she started getting a runny nose and it kept her up all night. She woke up at midnight, 1:15am, 2:30am, 4:15am and finally at 6:00am. She had a runny nose all day Wednesday. And you can tell the poor thing is not enjoying it. We think she's teething (constant drooling, more poopy diapers, very little interest in eating - she would rather play with the bottle and this morning I think I felt a little tooth pooking through up top). Brad and I were prepared for a repeat sleepless night last night, but she slept great. She had no interest in getting up at 6am.

We are getting there - trying to figure everything out. And yes, I know that once we feel like we've figured this out everything will change again. I'm very much looking forward to my day off tomorrow. I miss spending everyday with my little girl.

Here's a picture of Emily in her purple. She's ready to cheer on the #4 ranked TCU Horned Frogs over Utah this Saturday.

Wordless Wednesday - Playtime with Daddy

Wordless Wendesday - I Don't Like the Pumpkin Patch!

Wordless Wednesday - Ready for Halloween

Wordless Wednesday - Sitting in the Bumbo Chair

2 Months Old!

Emily is 2 months old today!

The time really has gone by so fast and she's grown up so much. At her 2 month check-up she was 24.5" long and 10 lbs, 8oz. She's grown 4 inches since she was born (crazy). She was in the 97% for length and 50% for weight. No wonder clothes don't fit her right!

This month Emily.....

• Started smiling all of the time - she's a happy baby!
  
• Started "talking" and making lots of sounds
• Got her first "real" bath and loves it! I think bath time is her favorite time of day
  
• Started to sit in her Bumbo chair
• Took a couple naps in her crib (still a challenge)
• Went to the doctor two times
• Was diagnosed with reflux but is getting so much better with Zantac
• Started to outgrow her clothes
  
• Met more of her family members

Happy 2 Month Birthday, Emily Kate!

Show Us Your Life: Team/Tailgate Friday - Go Frogs and War Eagle!

This Friday's Show Us Your Life theme at Kelly's Korner is Team/Tailgate post. I went to TCU and Brad went to Auburn, and I feel the need to show off both schools.

TCU Horned Frogs

TCU doesn't even compare to Auburn when it comes to football fans - but I'm proud of my school. And they are ranked in the top 10! These are pictures from various seasons.

After every game, win or lose, the team comes to the student section and sings the Alma Mater and fight song. Here they are after winning the Liberty Bowl in 2002 (I think?).

This is after the homecoming game last year. The floating, paper head is of my friend Rebecca. She couldn't make the trip to Fort Worth but we made sure she was in all of the pictures.

This is my brother before a game several years ago. He was so proud of his sign - I think it got him on ESPN.

Auburn Tigers - War Eagle

If you've never been to an big time SEC game - it's a MUST. I've been to 4 Auburn football games, 2 in Auburn and 2 bowl games. The city of Auburn is just amazing on game day. It's so much fun. I'm sad that we won't be taking a trip out there this year :(

This is my first Auburn game. They played Wisconsin in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando.

Second Auburn game, first game in Auburn. Brad and I with Aubie before Tiger Walk.

Tiger Walk. Before each game Auburn fans line the streets and the team walks down the street handing out high fives.

I just love this van. It plays the Auburn fight song.

Game Day was at the Auburn/LSU game last year. Here's the bus behind us.

Second game in Auburn. Look at all of that orange behind us. This was last year at the LSU game. It was such a good game but had such a sad ending.

Don't worry - Emily has outfits for both schools. I even found a TCU cheerleader outfit for her at a consignment sale ($8). Last week she wore her Auburn gear, this week it's TCU.

Just a onesie?

I learned something new about myself this week: it bothers me to take Emily out only wearing a onesie. She either has to have a diaper cover or pants on with the onesie. If we are hanging out around the house - I'm fine with just the onesie. But once we go out I think she needs something else on. It doesn't matter how cute or plain the onesie is - pants are required.

Why? I have no freaking clue. But it just bothers me. I didn't realize how much it bothered me until this week. I pulled out a really cute onesie, got Emily all dressed and we started our day around the house. After a few hours it was time to go out and run errands. All of a sudden I found myself looking for something to put on her legs only to discover we didn't have anything that matched. I was really bothered by this. I looked through the closet and all of the drawers only to come up empty handed. GRRRRRRR.

Don't worry, I didn't make her change outfits. I took her out with naked legs but I didn't like it!

My strange requirment has proved to be a challenge for little Emily. This little girl is very long and skinny. Pants don't really fit her right. Anything that fits around the waist (newborn size) is way too short. Poor little girl looks like she's wearing highwaters all of the time. And diaper covers that come with dresses - there's not really a point in putting them on because they are just going to fall right off.

I'm starting to give into the idea of BabyLegs. They've always seemed a little strange to me but I'm beginning to understand why they are around (and there are some cute ones out there). Maybe I'll invest in a couple of pair.

Wordless Wednesday - Our First Picture Together (4+ Years Ago)

2 Appointments in 1 Week?!?!

It looks like little Emily has 2 doctor appointments this week. I don't think either one of them is going to be fun. Poor little thing has been screaming every night from about 7:30 - 10:30pm for the past month. Last week she started screaming after each feeding and spitting up almost to the point of throwing up (it was coming out of her nose) after each feeding. Her screams weren't the hungry, move me or put me down screams - they were the painful, shrieking screams.

Thursday I called to schedule an appointment with the doctor. But I called at 4:55 and I was told I had to call back Friday morning?!?! I called Friday morning and spoke to the nurse. She talked with the doctor and gave me a call back. The doctor's guess (without seeing Emily) is some reflux. I was given a few techniques to try over the weekend - hoping it would help her feel better - and told to call back Monday morning. I was to feed her every 2 hours (that's tough) for 10 ten minutes, burp her every couple of minutes and her keep upright for 30 minutes after.

So that's what we did all weekend. The spitting up/throwing up improved. She only had 1 big incident over the weekend - lots of little ones. But the screaming continues. The mornings are pretty good (lots of smiles) but as the day goes on it gets worse and worse. I called the nurse back this morning with an update. She scheduled an appointment for tomorrow morning. Hopefully we'll get some answers tomorrow and Emily will feel better soon.

Friday morning I have to take her back for her 2 month check up and shots. The nurse decided it was best to leave that appointment in place because if the doctor does have to put Emily on medication it will be a follow-up. So, poor little girl has to go to the doctor twice this week.

In good news - she napped in her crib for 30 mintues today and when she woke up she wasn't screaming. YAY!

War Eagle!

Emily is ready for the Auburn game tonight. The game will be on during prime screaming time but tonight she'll be screaming for Auburn to win. Her Daddy sings the Auburn first song to her often and expects her to sing it with him very soon.


I'm still trying to catch a good smile on camera. This is the best one so far.

Don't worry - she's cheering for TCU to beat SMU, too. Next week she'll be wearing her TCU shirt. We have to split up her cheering time between schools even though one is ranked in the top 10 and the other one isn't.

Show Us Your Life - Baby Gear

Each Friday one of the blogs that I read (Kelly's Korner) has a feature called "Show Us Your Life". Kelly selects a theme for the week, anything from wedding dresses to recipes, and her readers are encouraged to create a blog post sharing their life. I've been following Kelly's blog for awhile now and finally decided to participate.

This week's theme is Baby Gear!

In the 7 weeks that Emily has been around there are a few items that have been a life saver for us:

Kiddopotamus Swaddle
For us this is a lot easier than using a regular blanket. The swaddle calms her down and has helped her sleep at night. We only use it at bed time - not for naps. Last night was the first she broke out of the swaddle. I think she's starting to get annoyed with it - but it's been great for 7 weeks.



Swing
Emily was not in love with the swing for the first few weeks but that has all changed. Now she LOVES the swing. It's one of the only things that will calm her down during one of her nightly fits and she loves to sit and watch the mobile.


Baby Journal
I was given a Baby Journal as a shower gift. It's such a simple concept but it's come in so handy. There is a spot to write down the time you last fed and on what side, when baby had a wet and/or poopy diaper and a spot for notes. It's just a simple excel spreadsheet, one for each day, but it's been so helpful. I don't have a picture of this one.

Baby Instructions...

Every parent will tell you they wish their child came with instructions. I never really knew how true that was until Emily arrived. There are so many books out there that think they are the long lost instruction manual everyone is looking for. Funny thing is - they all say something totally different but promise you their method will work for your child.

One says feed your child any time she cries - no matter how long it's been, another says wait exactly 3 hours (no more, no less) before feeding and another says wait 2.5 - 3.5 hours and feed her only if she's showing signs of being hungry. One book says every 3 hour cycle should be eat, activity, sleep and baby should be awake for 1.5 hours and sleep 1.5 hours of the cycle. Another book says activity, eat and then sleep.

And don't even get me started on rocking vs letting her cry herself to sleep; letting her cry or comforting her when she cries. Is carrying her in a sling or letting her fall asleep in the swing okay? And what about swaddling - should you swaddle your baby at night? If so, when do you stop? Read 3 different books and you'll get 3 very different opinions.

Confused yet? I know I am.

So now what... what should I do? Well, we've tried a lot of different things and we still have a baby who loves to scream her little head off for about 2 hours every night. Emily eats every 2.5 - 3.5 hours, she's awake a good part of day, she gets good naps and is happy and alert during the day (unless we are in the car, then she screaming). So according to all of the books she should be happy all of the time.

I call B.S. on all of the books! As Brad said last night, "Not one of those authors has met Emily."

I've decided if I want to rock Emily to sleep, I will. If I want to swaddle her until she's 3, I will. I'm going to do what I should have done a long time ago - raise my child the way Brad and I want, not the way a book says to.

Now if you'll excuse me - my child is crying and I'm going to comfort her (and I'm not going to feel bad about picking her up when she's crying).

Wordless Wednesday - Emily's 1st Wedding

6 weeks left...

For the past year I've been measuring my life in weeks, and I don't see that changing any time soon. Unfortunatley, I'm now counting down the weeks to something I'm not looking forward to - returning to work. Only 6 weeks to go. November 9 sounds so far away - but it's only 6 weeks (insert big sad face).

I need to call the daycare and let them know what day Emily will be starting - but I keep putting it off. In my head if I don't call them, I don't ever have to take her. I'm not ready to let her go. I'm not ready to let some stranger spend the day hanging out with my little girl. I'm not ready to be away from her for almost 12 hours each day! I'm not ready to give up the smiles or even the cranky moments. I'm not ready to give someone else the possibility of seeing her sit up for the first time or any other "first." Nope, I'm not ready. And I'm not sure I will get ready in the 6 weeks I have left at home.

Why am I worrying and thinking some much about this now when I have 6 weeks left? Because I like to plan everything out ahead of time (way ahead of time if possibly) and I tend to freak myself out over things that I can't control. I like to think of it as one of my little quarks :)

For some reason a lot of people see me as easy going and pretty laid back. And I am in a lot of situations. But there are so many things that I freak out about on the inside. These usually are things that I have NO control over - I'm terrified everytime I put Emily to bed, I get nervous when Brad isn't home when he normally is, I'm constantly thinking about how to deal with other family issues ....see things that I have NO control over.

I'm ready for it to stop. I'm ready to stop freaking out about things that I can't control. I'm ready to really trust that God has a plan for me and our family, and that His plan really is what's best for us even if I don't like it.

All of this hit me today, driving home and I heard the song, "The Words I Would Say" by Sidewalk Prophets. It's an awesome song and the words really hit home. Below are the lyrics.

Three in the morning,

And I'm still awake,

So I picked up a pen and a page,

And I started writing,

Just what I'd say,

If we were face to face,

I'd tell you just what you mean to me,

I'd tell you these simple truths,

Be strong in the LORD and,

Never give up hope,

You're going to do great things,

I already know,

God's got His hand on you so,

Don't live life in fear,

Forgive and forget,

But don't forget why your here,

Take your time and pray,

These are the words I would say,

Last time we spoke,

You said you were hurting,

And I felt your pain in my heart,

I want to tell you,

That I keep on praying,

Love will find you where you are,

I know cause I've already been there,

So please hear these simple truths,

From one simple life to another,

I will say,

Come find peace in the Father,

Be strong in the LORD and,

Never give up hope,

You're going to do great things,

I already know,

God's got His hand on you so,

Don't live life in fear,

Forgive and forget,

But don't forget why your here,

Take your time and pray,

Thank God for each day,

His love will find a way,

These are the words I would say

My plan is to move forward each day but enjoy the moment. To trust that God does have His hand on me. To realize I still have 6 weeks left with little Emily and to enjoy each moment. To work on not freaking out about the things that I can't control.

And just because - here's a picture of us :)

Wordless Wednesday - First Real Bath and it was Fun!

Wordless Wednesday - Emily's Watch Dog

1Month!

It's Emily's 1 Month Birthday!
(her shirt says so)

Emily has her 1 month check-up on Tuesday. I'm really interested to see how much she's grown. I'm also looking forward to the appointment because I'll get to meet Emily's new doctor. After Emily's 2 week appointment I decided he wasn't the right fit for us and his office was a little out of the way. I'm not excited about the appointment because Emily has to get a shot. I do have several questions for the doctor because it looks like Emily is dealing with colic or some acid reflux. Poor little girl just cries and cries. You can tell she hurts and we don't know how to make it better. It's so hard to watch her cry and cry and cry. Hopefully the doctor will have some advice for us.

It's so hard for me to watch her scream and not be able to help. By the end of the day I'm so frusted, not with her, but my inability to help her. Then I start crying and that makes Brad crazy. Sounds like fun, huh?

Other than colic/reflux Emily has been wonderful! When she's not crying she's so sweet and just looks around with her big blue eyes. Nights are still going pretty well - she's sleeping anywhere from 3-5 hours between feedings and usually goes right back to sleep after she eats. There have been many nights that I've fallen asleep with her on my chest. I love it! She is picking her head up more and more, and she can move it from side to side. She loves to play on the floor and kick her toys. She like hanging out in the sling. Somedays she likes riding in the car. Other days the car is the worst thing in the world. She likes to be swaddled at night and her Sleeping Sheep (plays soothing sounds) helps her go back to sleep when she starts to get fussy.

Last night Brad and I went out to dinner to celebrate Brad's birthday. We left Emily with Brad's parents for a couple hours. It was a nice break, but strange. We didn't have to time our outting with her sleeping/eating schedule or worry about her screaming in the middle of dinner. But we also missed her. She was screaming when we got home (of course). Emily did wear a special onesie yesterday, just for her Daddy. I think it was really sweet of her. Emily is very much Daddy's Little Girl - it's so sweet to watch them together.

Wordless Wednesday - I Don't Wanna Play!

Life at Home

Our little girl is 3.5 weeks old. There are some moments that I feel like this time has just flown by and others that I'm just watching the seconds tick by (I think that's at 3am when she's having a fit). I do realize that in no time my 12 weeks at home will be up, I'll be back at work (something I'm NOT looking forward to) and the time I spend with Emily will be very limited!

Just an FYI before you continue - This post is not me complaining about motherhood or Emily. It's about me adjusting to life at home. It's about me adjusting to life without 10+ people around 10 hours of the day to talk to. It's about me learning how to care for a 3 week old, myself and our family in a new way. And as hard as it has been to adjust - I wouldn't trade any of it!

So what has it been like at home with our little one? Honestly, it's been wonderful but a hard adjustment. Last week was my first full week at home alone with Emily. And as much as I loved spending so much time with her - it was a long week. Don't get me wrong Emily isn't the reason the week was long, it was me. It was me adjusting to life at home, alone with a 3 week old. It was me realizing how easy I had it before she was around.

I suddenly appreciate a long shower, being able to get ready at a leisurely pace, being able to leave the house without worrying about a crying baby and the ability to wear what ever I want without thinking, "how easy will it be to feed Emily if I wear that?" And even though it took some adjusting I did take a shower, get ready and get out of the house everyday last week (aren't you proud of me?).

Besides figuring out a routine for Emily and me - the most difficult thing was being alone all day. Emily, Banjo, chores, DVR'd TV shows and running errands can only keep me entertained for so long. I'm still working on figuring out a good balance between staying busy but getting rest. Between getting Emily on a routine but not letting her routine take over our life. Between spending time with Brad, with Emily and still giving myself a few moments away from it all. I'm still working on figuring out a balance for a lot of things. And yes, I understand that finding this balance will always be the challenge.

And seriously, when this little girl gets in one of her crying fits - it breaks my heart! Last night she screamed for 2.5 hours. Why? I have no idea. I tried to calm her down without waking Brad up but she was screaming so loud that wasn't possible. Then Brad tried to calm her down and she wanted no part in that either. It's really hard to stay calm and patient at 3am. Finally, we changed her diaper (just to change it) and she stopped crying.I'm not sure why that worked - but I didn't really care at 4am.

The thing I struggle with during these crying fits in the middle of the night (besides calming her down) is trying to let Brad sleep. As much as I love the help in the middle of the night, I feel bad that he's not asleep. He still has to get up and go to work in the morning and I can (usually) take a nap if I want to. I know that he doesn't mind (most of the time) but I still feel bad.But I also appreciate the help and I know he likes helping.

I do know that this is just a passing phase and the adjusting will happen to our new life will happen. I also know that once we adjust to this phase it will be time to figure out a new one. I know that time is going to fly by and before we know it we'll be planning Emily's 1st birthday party.

And just because...here's a picture of Banjo giving Emily a kiss after her bath.

Wordless Wednesday - Nantucket

Picture Day!

I searched for quite sometime for a photographer that 1) I liked their style, 2) was affordable, and 3) gave a digital copy of the pictures. After asking around and searching on local message boards for recommendations I came across HauteShotPhotography. After looking over the pictures on her website I knew this was our photographer! I booked our session back in June and it's a good thing I did because she fills up quick (she's booked through December).

So Sunday morning we all got ready and drove to Wylie (about 1 hour away) for pictures. Emily was NOT a happy baby in the car and I was so worried that she wouldn't cooperate for the pictures. But once we arrived at Jennifer's home studio Emily was on her best behavior. She was wide awake for a while, cuddled with us, made cute faces and then let us put her in any position necessary while she slept.

This morning Jennifer posted some sneak preview pictures on her blog, http://hauteshotphotography.blogspot.com/2009/08/carrie-co.html.

Aren't they just adorable? I can't wait to get the rest of the pictures.

If anyone is looking for a photographer in the DFW area - I recommend HauteShot Photography. She was easy to work with, I love all of the pictures I've seen so far and very afforable!

Wordless Wednesday - Daddy Gave Me a Bath!

Week 1 At Home

Emily has now been home for a week and that week has been a blur. A good blur, but a blur.

Before Emily was born people loved to ask us, "are you ready?" My answer, "are you ever really ready?" We prepared as much as we could but I don't think anyone is ever really ready for everything that comes with having a baby. There are so many things that you can't prepare for and so many unknowns.

I knew there would be a lot of hormonal changes once I got home. But I was not prepared to cry for no reason. And when I say no reason - I mean no reason. The other night nothing was going on and I just started crying. Brad asked me what was wrong and all I could say was nothing. There was nothing wrong and there wasn't any reason I should be crying. After the tears went away all I could do was laugh at myself.

I knew that sleep would be hard to come by and we've actually been very lucky so far. One would think after 4 days in the hospital I would have come home rested - not so much! Forget about sleeping in the hospital, someone is coming into your room every 1-2 hours to check something. It only means you come home really, really worn out. I was so tired when we went to sleep last night that my legs feel asleep before I did. It was such a strange feeling.

I wasn't prepared for so many people to feel like they have free reign over my body. Seriously, by the time you leave the hospital there is no modesty left. It felt like anyone that walked into my room was there to poke, prod or squeeze on me for something. My boobs were touched by more people than I care to think about.

I also wasn't prepared for the number of people that love to talk about our feeding choices. I know that breast feeding is a very natural thing - but why does everyone and their mother care. And seriously, lactation consultants are annoying! And I'm not sure why it was necessary to compare a nursing mother to a dog that has just had puppies.

I wasn't prepared to feel so overwhelmed but determined to figure it out on our own and helpless at the same time. Due to the c-section I was confined to bed for the first 24 hours of Emily's life. That was hard. I wanted to be up and helping Brad change diapers and walking around holding her- but it just wasn't something I could do.

I wasn't prepared to look at my husband holding our baby girl and fall even more in love with him.

Emily Kate!

Emily Kate is here! She was born on Thursday, August 13 at 7:31pm via c-section. She was 8lbs, 3oz and 20.5" long. And she's just perfect.

Birth Story (the short version):

We check into the hospital about 8pm Wednesday night. I was hooked up the monitors, given something to start the induction process and a sleeping pill. I slept great Wednesday night. Thursday morning I learned I had contractions throughout the night (I never felt anything), the pitocin was started and the longest day of my life began. I had regular contractions all day long - but wasn't feeling anything. As they checked me throughout the day and continued to up the pitocin - nothing. Still not feeling the contractions and I wasn't making any progress. About 3pm I started to feel some contractions but still wasn't making much progress and Emily still hadn't dropped. About 5pm I was hurting (finally!) - time for the good drugs :) About 30 minutes later I couldn't feel anything and was much happier. Over the next hour I made very little progress and Emily was being stubborn - she wouldn't drop. The decision was made a little after 6pm to move forward with a c-section.

I got more drugs and was wheeled off to surgery. Brad put his "scrubs" on and was in the OR a few minutes later. From the time I was first cut open to the time Emily was born it was 5-7 minutes. And I was out of surgery about 15 minutes later. Emily and Brad went back to our labor and delivery room so she could be cleaned off and checked out. Everything looked great! Finally we were able to spend some time alone with our little girl.

I wasn't allowed out of bed until about 2pm on Friday. Getting out of bed for the first time was hard and hurt, A LOT! But everyday I'm feeling a little bit better. I'm still very sore but like I said, each day is a little bit better.

We stay in the hospital until Sunday afternoon. Let me just say - a hospital is no place to get rest! Someone is coming in every couple hours to do something. It's just annoying. We are so glad to be home.

Here are some pictures of our little girl!

A Letter From Brad

Friends:

We are about 24 hrs. from being introduced to baby Emily! A very exciting time for Carrie and me. As the time nears, there is a lot of planning and information that needs to be communicated. I thought an open letter to friends and acquaintances would be a good way to broadcast information.

For me it is hard to accept help and harder to ask for it. I know that many people have offered many things. Food, support, babysitting, etc. I also read that it is advisable to accept all help offered. I would like to organize the help. I will be taking the next week off of work and will be able to spend 24 hrs. with my wife and baby. Then, I go back to work. She is taking 12 weeks off from work. Quick math. There will be 11 weeks where I am at work and Carrie is home. These weeks would be a great time to come visit, especially during the day if possible as Carrie will be alone.

Hospital visits: Carrie will be induced on Thursday morning. I think it is reasonable to expect the baby to be delivered Thursday afternoon/evening. After delivery, Carrie and I are going to want some time to bond with Emily. We will take at least an hour with just us and the baby. After that, we will start letting folks in the room. I expect Thursday to be a full day. We would prefer friends, if they want, to visit on Friday, or just come to the house Saturday or Sunday.

Finally, not to be too rude, but let's all be sensitive to Carrie and Emily's rest time, feeding time, etc. I think I'd like to keep the visits fairly short or as a minimum be understanding with mom and baby, if they leave the room for a while and you are stuck with just me!

Stay tuned to Facebook or the blog for updates, we will attempt to get pictures up as soon as possible.

Thanks,
BW

Week 39 - The Final Days

This is the last Monday update before Emily Kate. Wednesday night/Thursday morning will be here so soon. Yes, I'm scared, nervous, excited and ready for Emily to be here. I know that Brad is too. I'm a little freaked out about the actual labor and delivery - but I'll get through it.

To answer your questions:
Yes, we are excited and ready for Emily to be here.
Are we prepared? Yes and No. We've prepared for everything that we can think of but I know there are plenty of things we've forgotten about.
Brad will be in the delivery room with me (he's the only one).
Brad is in charge of sending out updates - we have a call list and various people "in charge" of spreading the news.
I realize our life is about to change and sleep will be a luxury.
Banjo will be well taken care of while we are in the hospital.
Visitors are welcome at the hospital and at home.

Just two more nights in my bed - with the possibility of a full nights sleep! Let's hope I can get one tonight.

This weekend was spent putting in the new floor in the living room. The floor looks great! All that's left is to fix the steps (we have a sunken living room) and re-do the baseboards. Brad's plan is to finish it up on Wednesday before we head to the hospital. We both are really, really happy with the way it turned out. We have some awesome friends who volunteered to help and there's no way the floor could have been done without them. I'll post a picture once the baseboards are done.

The house is mess from all of the work - which doesn't mix well with my current desire for the house to be all clean when we come home from the hospital. Oh well, I'll have to get over that. I'm trying to keep it as clean as possible, but that's just not practical right now.

Tomorrow is my last day of work until sometime in November. Crazy. Wednesday I'm going to try and sleep in, chill out, run a few errands and just enjoy the last few hours of just the two of us before heading to the hospital.

Please keep us in your prayers these last few days. I'm sure the anxiety levels will rise between now and then :)

A Date Is Set!

Yesterday was our sonogram and last doctor's appointment! The sonogram showed that Emily gained about 1lb in the last 2 weeks - which is right on track. Her estimated weight is now 8.5 lbs. We saw the doctor and her recommendation is to go ahead with an induction.

So the plan is.... I'll go into the hospital Wednesday night, Aug 12 and they'll begin the induction Thursday morning, Aug 13. Little Emily will be here in less than 1 week! There is a chance that this date will be moved up if the hospital gets an opening between now and then (which Brad is really hoping for).

After the appointment we ordered the new floor for the living room. We'll pick it up tomorrow and plan to spend the weekend pulling up carpet and installing the new floor. It's going to be a crazy weekend but I'm excited the floors will be done!

Wordless Wednesday - Just Us

Week 38...Could it be the last?

Just a warning - this post might be all over the place (worse than normal).

This could be my last weekly update pre-Emily. Strange, huh? We go back to the doctor on Thursday afternoon for another sonogram and visit with the doctor. We'll know a lot more after that - all depending on how much Emily has grown and if I'm showing any signs of going into labor. We are preparing for an induction or c-section at the end of this week or early next until we know something different.

The updates from BabyCenter.com don't really say much besides, your baby is getting bigger. I still look forward to the random food item (this week she's the length of a leek). Here's the update directly from the website:
Your baby has really plumped up. She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.

Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)


It is sad that next to meeting Emily the thing I'm looking forward to the most is a break from work? I've already told myself that this will be last week for at least 12 weeks. If it's not, I'm going to be really disappointed. Last week was rough for a lot of reasons, reasons I don't want to go into. But I'm ready for some time off. Ever since I found out I was pregnant I've been stocking up my vacation, sick and comp time. I have enough time saved to cover my maternity leave and still have some time when I return (yay). But I think it's finally catching up with me. I need time away. I've taken a few random 1/2 days off here and there but most of those have been for an appointment. Sure, I have Fridays off but I still work 40+ hours each week. I know that the 12 weeks I'll spend at home with Emily won't be a vacation - but it will be different. Don't get me wrong - I like my job and I really like the people I work with. But just like with everything - sometimes I just need a break. That's what vacation time is for and I haven't used any in about 8 months.

Our house has returned to semi-normal. We have running water and our living room has kind of been put back together. We are waiting to hear from the insurance company about replacing the carpet. We'd like to put laminate in the living room instead of new carpet. We priced laminate this weekend and picked out some stuff that we liked. But once again, we play the waiting game. Hopefully we'll have it ordered by this weekend. Who wants to volunteer to replace our floors for us? ;)

So....what should we do with what might be, our last few days as just the two of us? Any ideas?

And Now For Something Random!

I know some of you have already seen this, but I just had to post it. I've watched the video several times this morning and could not stop laughing. This is one wedding no one will forget. I can only imagine how much fun they had at the reception.

You'll need to turn off the music at the bottom of my page before you play the video.

You can also visit their website, http://www.jkweddingdance.com/

Enjoy!

ps - as of about 10pm last night - we have water! YAY!

An Update....

Emily
I went to the doctor yesterday and it was probably the most interesting appointment I've had. I saw my doctor (last week I saw a different one) and she went over the sonogram results from last week. Her first words to me, "You have a big baby!" She's not sure about the weight but she is sure that Emily is long. Her head and belly are measuring big and she has long limbs. Looks like Emily is ready to be born. However, my body is not showing any progress - no change in 3 weeks. We talked about different options and came up with a plan - give it this week to see if I go into labor on my own. If not, next Thursday I'll have another sonogram and we'll talk about setting an induction or c-section date - depending on how much Emily has grown and if my body has made any progress. So, it looks like Emily is coming early.

House
Our house is still a mess. We have no water but we hope by the end of the day we'll be able to turn the water on. The plumbers are here right now with a jackhammer. Hopefully they'll be able to find the right spot the first time and only 1 hole in our foundation will be necessary. They told us they might be done today, they might not. Awesome. Brad has been using the "I have a pregnant wife who could go into labor any day now" excuse on anyone that will listen and can move this process move along a little bit quicker. Hopefully it worked some magic on these guys and they'll be done today - hopefully.

Wordless Wednesday - Our Little Flood

The Bad News and The Good News

There is some good news and there is some bad news.

The Bad News:
We have a slab leak.
We have a slab leak under our water heater.
We have no water in the house and won't for several more days.
We have fans running and a dehumidifier going in the living room.
We aren't sure when it's going to be fixed - we are at the mercy of several other people.
They are going to bring a jackhammer in our house and no one is sure how many holes they will have to make to repair the pipe.

The Good News:
Insurance will cover the cost.
We have good insurance.
We've decided to put hardwood floors in the living room.
We have a place to go if we can't stay in our house for a couple of days.
Brad is awesome. He's been dealing with the situation most of the day and I'm very thankful to him for that.
Emily Kate hasn't come! We'd really like to get the house back in 1 piece before she makes her entrance.

37 Weeks...and our mini flood

Monday night:
Emily is now full term and she's welcome to make her appearance in this world anytime now! Brad's prediction that she would be born on Sunday was wrong - but he's changed it that she will be born sometime this week. I think he was a little disappointed Sunday when she didn't come. You should read his blog to find out first hand (it's very entertaining).

Tuesday morning:
I wrote that first paragraph Monday night and after this morning's discovery I would like to edit my first statement. Emily is now full term and health wise would be fine to make her appearance in this world - but Brad and I would appreciate it if she waited a few days.

Why the change in heart? Because half of our living room floor is full of water! As I stepped down into the living room this morning I felt and heard squish, squish, squish. My feet were wet and you could see my footprints on the carpet. AWESOME. Brad pulled up the carpet and the carpet pad (both so wet they are dripping water) to discover about an inch of standing water on the floor. Awesome.

Poor Brad is trying to work from home today and deal with our mini-flood. At this point we have no idea where the water came from or how to fix it. Brad has managed to get the water off of the floor with a wet/dry vac. He's still working on getting it out of the carpet pad and carpet. But the carpet pad is going to have to be replaced - maybe even the carpet. Hopefully Brad will be able to figure something out this morning and it won't be anything too major.

Emily Kate - we'd appreciate it if you waited a little bit longer to make your appearance. Your new home will be in much better shape if you do (we might even have a new living room floor).

So to answer the never ending question - Are we ready for her to arrive? Ummm, I think I'm going to go with No for right now.

Last week we did check the last thing off of our to-do list. Emily's spot in daycare has been reserved. So besides the house being a wreck, everything is ready. I go back to the doctor on Thursday - we'll see if I've made any more progress and what her new estimated weight is.

Here's the update from BabyCenter this week:
Congratulations — your baby is full term! This means that if your baby arrives now, her lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though your due date is still three weeks away.Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard - according to TheBump.com she's the size of a watermelon). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

I'm going to try and get some work done and hopefully our living room won't be in horrible shape when I get home.

36 Week Appointment - Quick Update

I had a sonogram and saw the doctor today. Sonogram was fine - the tech estimated that Emily weighs 7lbs, 9oz. I think there was a moment of panic when I heard her say that. We got a picture of her but you can't really make anything out.

After the sonogram I saw the doctor (different than my normal doctor). Everything seems fine - didn't make any progress from last week. Blood pressure was and I'm measuring right at 36 weeks. She guessed Emily weighs 6 - 6 1/2 pounds. When I told her was the sonogram estimated she said, "Well, I wish this baby was going to be born today. I would love to know who is right." I was very happy when the doctor said she really didn't think Emily was nearly that big.

That's all I know for now. We go back in a week.

Wordless Wednesday - I Wanna Go Back!

Week 36....less than 1 month to go!

I've been asked quite a few times in the last few days if I'm ready for Emily to be here and after today the answer is YES! I'm ready for some selfish reasons - my back hurts, my feet swelled up like crazy this weekend (so much Brad just called me a Yeti), breathing gets a little bit harder everyday and I can't find any position I'm comfortable in. Yes, all very selfish reasons but I'm ready for her to be here. I know that I shouldn't wish away this last month - that I should enjoy these last few weeks (possibly days) and I'm trying really hard to enjoy it.

Mentally and emotionally am I ready? My answer - are you ever really ready? You can prepare all you want but I don't think you are ever really prepared. Yes, this is something we planned for and very much wanted but are we really ready? Probably not.

In a bold move Brad predicted that Emily will be here on Sunday. I guess we'll see how that goes. If you haven't voted - look to you left and vote in the newest poll! When do YOU think Emily Kate will arrive?

It's back to the doctor on Thursday. We'll have a sonogram to see how big this little one is getting and see if I've made any more progress.

Here's the 36 update from BabyCenter.Com
Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.

At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely she's in a head-down position. But if she isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.


Changing gears....
We had a busy weekend, once again. Our neighbors hosted my fourth and final baby shower, we took family pictures and went to a birthday party. The baby shower was fun, very sweet and simple - just the way I like 'em. Once again this little girl got some awesome gifts - toys, a lot more clothes, a diaper cake surrounded with goodies and more. After the shower Brad, Banjo and I headed over to a local park to take some family pictures. My brother's girlfriend was kind enough to take them for us and she did a great job! Once I get them from her (she's working a little photoshop magic) I'll post a couple. The last stop on the agenda for the day was little Ryan's birthday party. She turned 2 and couldn't have been happier all day. It was fun to watch her eat a cupcake with no hands.

This weekend....NOTHING and I'm very happy about this. I've got a few things I need to do around the house, but that's about it. YAY! :)

Now it's time for this Yeti to go to bed!

More Comments, Questions and a Poll!

Now that the end of the pregnancy is quickly approaching it's time to update the list of questions and comments I've received. Most of these comments are from strangers.

- You look so swollen!
*right after I got back from the doctor who was thrilled that I wasn't that swollen.
- You look like you could pop any day now.
- You look so small for how far along you are.
*I received these two comments within 5 minutes of each other. Both from complete strangers
- I should have know you were having a girl. You are carrying high and that means girl. After all, I am an expert on these things.
- You aren't taking a Labor and Delivery class?!?!
- Are you going to cry on your first day back at work?
- Don't you feel bad that you have to put her in daycare?
- Is she head down?
- She's going to come early.
- She's going to come late.
- When will the doctor induce you?
- How is Banjo going to react?
- Are you going to take time off before she comes?
- How are you handling the heat?
- Did you plan to have a baby in August? It's really, really hot that time of year.

New Poll!
I've added a poll on the side. Guess when you think Emily Kate will make her arrival into the world. Will she come early? Will she be stubborn and come late? Or will she come on time (within 1 day of her due date - Aug 17 - 19).


I'm off to enjoy my day off by doing a whole lot of nothing! :)

Wordless Wednesday - Puppy Banjo

Change in Plans

Apparently my last week of freedom from doctor's visits was just a tease. My next appointment was supposed to be Thursday, July 23. I was scheduled to have a sonogram and then see the doctor right after the sonogram. I just got a call from the doctor's office and my appointment has been moved to tomorrow, but the sonogram will still be on July 23.

I'm confused.

Week 35....5 weeks to go!

Is there something "magical" about the 35th week of pregnancy? All of a sudden my rings don't fit, I'm not sure why I bother trying to put on shoes and heartburn sucks a little bit more everyday. My fingers don't look swollen but my rings won't go on. I always have this problem during the summer but this year it's worse - maybe it's all of the 100+ degree days we are having and pregnancy combined. And I think my already huge feet (size 10) have managed to go up to a size 11. They aren't that swollen - just bigger! I really, really hope my feet decide to return to their normal size in a few weeks. For now work is just going to have to deal with flip-flops and tennis shoes.

Other than those 3 very minor complaints - I'm still feeling pretty good. And yes, it's hot but I'm staying inside as much as possible. I'm getting a little more uncomfortable each day and Brad told me I'm getting spoiled with all of the pillows I sleep with.

We stayed busy this weekend and that made it go by way too fast. We spent Saturday morning watching some friends 2 little girls (10 months and 2 years old), came home, got changed and went to a wedding. Sunday was church and lunch with Brad's family and then we had some people over to watch the UFC fights we missed on Saturday. Next thing we knew - it was dinner time on Sunday and the weekend was over. Crazyness.

This coming weekend is going to be another busy one - dog sitting, baby brunch/shower with the neighbors, pictures, 2 year old Ryan's birthday party, church and lunch with the family and 28 year old Ryan's birthday party.

Here's the update from BabyCenter this week:
Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that she's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (the size of a honeydew). Because it's so snug in your womb, she isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times she kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

Now it's time for me to go surround myself with pillows and go to sleep!

To-do list update:
List of things to get done before Emily Kate arrives:
- pick a daycare - Picked! I still need to go fill out the paperwork - I forgot to do this last Friday.
- have house deep cleaned - I think I've given up on this one. All of these people annoy me. I'll just be better about cleaning every week.
- pack my hospital bag - made progress but there are a few things I need to pick up this weekend. If something were to happen and we had to go to the hospital at this moment I would be ok.
- pack Brad's hospital bag - he has a change of clothes set out
- install car seats
- decorate nursery
- pack Emily's hospital bag
- make hospital phone list
- figure out insurance stuff
- finish thank you notes
- wash clothes
- pick up items from Babies R Us that we still need
- organize nursery

Wordless Wednesday - Brad & Bec Being Silly

Brad and Bec being silly