Pt. 2

After my IV set in the lady of the hour arrived to give me my epidural.  At our hospital the hubby is not allowed to be in the room, Nick went down to get our bags and they started my epidural.  My nurse was great, and I learned all about her in order to distract me from the epidural process.  She had 4 children NATURALLY ahhh, works 2 jobs, goes to school, and has her own craft business. Super woman!! Anyway, the epidural took a lot longer than it did with Caleb, and it took her a few tries to get the catheter placed correctly.  It was a little painful to say the least in the process. After it was in I started feeling really short of breath and everything started going dark.  I told them and they immediately shot me up with a medicine to fix the problem.  My blood pressure had dropped to 60/34 so, they fixed that very very fast.  I have to admit I was so scared in the process.  They kept assuring me it happened all the time, and that I would feel better in a few minutes.  They were right, I did.

Once the epidural was in, hubby came back in, and we both tried to get comfy.  My sister soon arrived, and hubby fell asleep while I talked to her.  After her my dad and step mom arrived, and soon after my grandmother.  I rested while I could but in between talking to family, and the nurses and doctors coming in every 30 minutes or so I did not get much rest. 

The doctor came in and checked me, and said that I was still a 5.  (I have to admit she was the one doctor in the practice that I did not want to deliver my baby. I had a bad experience with her with Caleb, and I was so upset that she was on call.  However, she did an amazing job come actual delivery).  They then emptied my bladder, and soon after the baby and I moved to a 7... and we stayed at 7 for a long long time. 

During this time I took a short nap on my right side, and after it was over I started to feel some cramping on my left side. This was not an option so they re dosed my epi, and afterward I was super super super numb.

My labor basically started to slow so they started me on some pitocin, and they broke my water. 16 1/2 hours after labor started the doctor came in, checked me, said I was fully dilated but still had a little cervix. She did something magical where she basically stuck her entire hand up me, told me to push, and then she informed me it was time to go.  I was so thankful because the babies heart rate had just started changing and they were concerned the cord was around her neck.

They hurried and got the room ready, emptied my bladder, pulled up my legs, and I began pushing.  I only pushed for 10-15 minutes this time. YAY!!! Unlike my 2 1/2 hours with Caleb.  The doctor decided the last couple of pushes to use a small suction cup to help the baby out.  I was watching the entire thing in the mirror and I was so amazed that the suction cup fit in me haha.  Anyway, two more sets of pushes and little miss was in my arms.  No cord around her neck, breathing, and healthy.  Once again I felt the unconditional, amazing love of a mother.  She was mine and I was hers.

We were so amazed at how much she looked like Caleb.  It was scary. It was literally like I had re-birthed him.  I remember just laying in bed crying, as they cleaned her up.  I was so in love and so happy.  The mirror was still set up so I unfortunately saw the placenta birthed and watched as the doctor stitched me up.  I didn't want to really, but I just kind of did.  After she was cleaned up they put her back in my arms, and she hubby and I began the bonding process.

Our nurse was great. She stayed with us to see Mckinlee be delivered even though it was well past time for her to leave. She helped me latch her on, answered all my questions, and was so helpful.  I was so happy that nursing was going to work this time.  After I nursed hubby and Mckinlee cuddled and I remember just staring at them. I was so thankful to God for the love of my family. I was so thankful for my amazing husband and my TWO children.  I was so exhausted at this point that I really could not function to well.  I had been awake for 32 hours when I pushed her out, but I was so happy.

Soon after we had all the family come in a visit, and Mckinlee got her first bath. 

We had visitors until late that night, but it was so great to share her with everyone. Caleb was not able to come up that night, but he was able to spend some time with daddy and my family in the lobby. I have to admit I was very jealous of the fact that he was there and  I could not see him, but we knew he would be able to come up the following day. I of course started the uncomfortable aspects of after delivery, but soon I was able to walk on my own again, and start feeling somewhat normal. The first night she slept like a champ, and so did daddy, and I. It was much much needed after our world wind of a day. Did I mention she was a super bowl baby? 

The Journey to Meet Miss Bundle Pt 1

Miss Mckinlee....let me begin by saying how much I love you.  You have literally stolen my heart a million times over in your short little life so far.  With every snuggle, every wimper, every nursing session, and every sleepless night I have fallen more and more in love with you.  I have to admit I had me nervous feelings before you arrived. How would I handle two children, would my love be able to grow, would I bond the same etc etc.  Oh, but little miss, let me just say that the moment I met you all those nervous feelings flew away.  You were mine and I was yours.  You were my daughter and I was your mother.  You were part me part your father, and I immediately felt undconditional love in the greatest of ways.  You and your brother are both my heart.  You both mean the world to me, and I am so thankful to God for allowing me to be your mother. 

Here is the story of your birth.. (I am going to break it into parts)

All along in this pregnacy I had a "feeling" about the weekend of Feb 5.  Call it mothers intuiton, wishful thinking etc.  I don't really know what it was, but this was the weekend that our lives changed forever.  Saturday night I was bound and determined to get this labor moving.  Afterall I was 3 centimeters, and the doctors were very adament in thinking that I would deliver in my 38th week.  I was having contractions, charlie horses in my legs, and pelvic pressure at all hours of the day. Not to mention I was chasing around, lifting, and mothering an 18-month-old in the process.  So, on Satruday night I tried almost every old wives tale in the book (aside from castor oil). I pumped, I did squats, jumping jacks, ate spicy food, loved on my hubby, and ate pineapple.  I was joking around about all of these things working, and quite honestly did not think they would.  At around midnight I got an incredible urge to give our yorkie Bella a bath. Hubby laughed and told me I was crazy, and he went on to sleep. However, I bathed her, trimmed her hair, and blow dryed her, and I then layed down to fall asleep. As soon as I went to bed I began feeling some pretty strong contractions.  I tried not to get my hopes up, but they just continued to come, and they came frequently.  I just sat in bed for the longest time feeling them, and debating whether or not to get out of bed to start timing them.  I soon decided to move to the living room, pull out my handy iphone contraction timer, and start timing them.  Well, they were automatically 5 minutes apart, and lasting anywhere from 30-80 seconds.  I timed them for over and hour, and finally felt a STRONG, LONG contraction and decided to wake hubby.  I woke him up, and said "babe you may want to pack your bag because I think this is the real thing".  I then sat debating with my what to expect book about whether or not to call the doctor.  The book said to call if they were 5 minutes apart, but I thought they may not be real because I was not doubling over in pain the way I expected to. I was still having normal conversation in between, and I was able to joke with hubby.  I kept asking him if he thought they were real, in which he could only reply "I have no idea". haha.  Finally, I called the doctor, she told us to come to labor and delivery, and we called my mother in law to come stay with Caleb.

On the way to the hospital I was pretty much convinced that they would send us home once we arrived for false labor.  I just thought I should be in more pain than I was.  We arrived at the hospital, went to L&D, and they took me back to a room to check me. They hooked me up to the contraction monitor, checked my cervix (I was a 4, but not as thinned as the doctor had said at my last appt.).  They had me walk around the hospital floor for an hour to make sure it was the real deal.  So, hubby and I walked, and walked and walked. All the while I was sporting a hospital gown and fake uggs, and leaning against the wall while having contractions.  With every contraction I would have a charlie horse in my right thigh so that was no fun.  While walking I felt like my contractions started to decrease, and that pissed me off.  At this point it was 5 am, I had been awake for 22 hours, and I was determined to have my baby that day. I began speed walking and squating in the hallway the last few laps. They took me in to check me again and I had progressed to a 5 so they decided to keep me.  HALLELUJAH!! At that point all I could think about was how relieved I was, how I wanted the epidural now, and how I wanted to sleep once I got it. 
They moved us to our birthing room, started my IV (ouch), and told me that as soon as I took in a bag of liquids they would get me my epidural.  At this point hubby and I were so exhausted.  I remember looking at him as he yawned and saying "babe I think I may turn into that evil pregnant lady, because it is making me mad that you are tired right now".  haha We both laughed about it, because both of us had been up for way to long at this point.  However, I was in pain, tired, and impatiently waiting for the glorious drugs. 

Here is  a hideous picture of me on that faithful morning...

Introducing

Introducing

Mckinlee Brooklyn

Born Feb 6, 2011

4:13 pm

6 lbs 9.8 ounces

20 inches

Go here to see the most perfect hospital pictures in the world (I'm not bias or anything). 

She is absolutely perfect, looks exactly like her big bro, and she has completely stolen our hearts. 

Here we go

At the hospital in labor. 5 centimeters

Caleb 18 Months

Sweet boy you turned 18 months yesterday.  The day that has been in my mind for the past 8 months.  You are now a whole year and 1/2 old, and you are the age you will be when you become a big brother.  Wow.  I can't believe we are here.  I am trying to take in every moment with you, and I am also reflecting on our year 1/2 or life together.  I know you will not remember the time when it was just the three of us, and this saddens me in a way.  I want you to realize how loved you are.  I want you to know how daddy and I will literally just sit and watch you play or sleep or breathe for hours, and will tell each other how amazing you are.  I want you to understand that you literally are our world.  This will not change once baby sister arrives, but I know that it will never be the same.  We will still love you just as much and our love will only grow with the arrival of your sister, but it will never again be just the three of us.  I am so thankful for this blog, and for the memories that I have recorded. I hope that one day you will look back on this time of our lives, and understand what an impact you have made on our hearts.  I wish beyond wish that you could remember our morning snuggles (you always roll to my side and basically push me off the bed, but I do not mind).  I wish you could remember how you run up to us and we lift you in our arms and hug you so tight. I wish you would be able to remember our play dates, our days around the house, how you snuggle so well when you do not feel good etc etc etc.  I am so thankful to God for this time that he has given us with just you, and I am so excited for the future days as well. I love you so much my little 18 month old boy.

At 18 months you are:

Sleeping: In your toddler bed. You have been sick a lot this month so you have spent a lot of time in our bed.  You occasionally try to get out of your toddler bed, but you just come to the door of your room, knock, whine a little, and then you go and lay back down.  You still go to bed around 9:30 and wake up around 8.  You come to our bed in the morning to snuggle and drink your milk. You are taking 1-2 naps a day. Depending on what we have going on that day.

Eating:  You are becoming more and more picky.  Things you used to love you now will not touch. I am having to sneak veggies in meals, and you are picky about what fruit you will eat now.  Oh toddler hood.

Size: You did weight 25 but you lost 1 lb when you were sick.  I know you have gotten a lot taller, but I am not sure how tall you are right now. You are still wearing 18-24 month clothing and size 4 shoes.  You are also still in a size 4 diaper.  You have thinned out a lot!

Speech:  New words you said this month S***, shut, juice.  You still do not really talk.

Exciting New Things:

• You pick up on signs so quickly now.  You learned please and thank you in a day.  You are good about signing "more" when you want to eat, and you also sign "all done" all the time.  You can sign diaper change and hurt as well, but you do not always do these. 
• You literally understand everything.  I am amazed daily by the words you understand.  Heater was one of the most surprising to me.  I asked you to come with me to start your heater for bed, and you ran to it, bent down, put your hands in front of it and blew.  :).  So cute.
• You blow on all your food now.
• You chase Bella all around the house.
• You run to the door when I say dada is home, and you watch the big truck drive away when he leaves in the morning.
• You love to stand on our bed and look out the window at the doggies.
• You are finally overcoming sickness. 
• You have 10 teeth now.  2 of your molars came in this month.
• You are still into separation anxiety but you are getting better.
• At play groups when you want me you will always come up to me and back up into my lap and sit down.
• You can put your own hat on.
• You like to walk into the house beside me now instead of being carried.
• You like to try to brush the pretty babies teeth in the mirror
• You love to help fold laundry, and sweep the floors.
• You walk in circles a lot now.
• You are in desperate need of your next haircut
• You sit at a big boy table to eat at home now
• You generally sit in a booster seat at a restaurant now

Love you sweet boy!!