5 day check-up!

Caden had his 5 day old doctor's appointment today!

We gave him his first bath this morning, well sponge bath. He hated it! He slept so soundly last night and gave us tons of sleep. We got to the doctor, and he was so asleep but I knew he wanted to eat!

Weight & Height: 6lbs 12oz! 19 inches.

Sleeping: At night, he wakes up every 3 hours. I don't mind getting up with him at all, Tyler helps me a lot and lets me sleep for a few feeds/changes, so it works out well.

Eating: Every 3 hours, today his biggest feed was 3oz!

Clothes: Size newborn. Carter's fits him pretty well, but all other brands are still too big. Target brand is huge on him!

I adore him. He's so perfect! Being a mommy is the best thing in the entire world :)

Caden Lawrence's Birth Story!

I was leaking some fluid but had no pain all day. Around 1AM, we went to bed and at 2:30ish, I woke up feeling a pop. I was a tad wet, but nothing too bad. I went to the toilet and had a big gush, followed by a little gush after I stood up. I went and told Tyler I think my water had broken. He sat straight up and said, "REALLY?!" so I called the doctor and we made our way to the hospital!

We got to triage around 3AM, and I was 2CM dilated still. My cervix was very high, so checking me took a few minutes and was very painful. We were brought into L&D around 3:30 and I was set up with my IV of fluids and antibiotics. I was feeling no pain yet. I decided I wanted to get up and walk around then I got onto the birthing ball for about an hour. She checked me around 5AM and I was 4CMs. I started feeling things then, but the ball really helped. I stayed on the ball until she wanted to do my next round of antibiotics.

I was exhausted because I didn't sleep during the night, so I was going on being up 24 hours so the nurse recommended Nubain. It made me feel drunk! It gave me some good sleep, but of course - soon as I got the Nubain, all different doctors wanted to come chat and I couldn't tell you what we talked about.The nurse came and checked me again and said I was still 4CM so she wanted to start Pitocin. I did awful with it because Nubain made me so much more exhausted and with the pain I wasn't able to sleep. I got the epidural around 12, and it was the best choice! During pregnancy, I was nervous about the epidural, but I knew it was a great choice so I could get some sleep before we had to push. Tyler wasn't aloud in the room, so my nurse held me while they did what they needed to do. I felt a bit uncomfortable feeling the catheter go in, but it was heaven after that! Tyler came in to see how I was doing, and I fell right asleep.

The Pitocin did the trick, she checked me around 1:30 and I was 10CM! I was shocked. Tyler ran out to the waiting room to let everyone know. We got ready to push and they asked Tyler to hold my leg. Tyler was getting a little squeemish so my mom took over, which I think was all nerves, so he stood by my head wiping me with a wash cloth while we pushed. After pushing about an hour, his heart rate started to rise. Things started getting hectic because there was discuss or a vacuum birth or c-section if he didn't come out soon. I was falling asleep between pushes and they had me on oxygen to see if that would get his heart back to normal. I was stressed, exhausted, and nervous but that was all the motivation I needed to focus on getting him out. I got him down and he was crowning when they called in the doctor. The doctor was with another patient birthing her baby, and that was the worst thing you could have told me. I started to cry and because the pressure was awful and they were demanding me not to push...get real! They had me do little pushes while she was getting ready, and that really helped. Not a minute later did the doctor sit down that he started coming out. My mom held my leg, Tyler was by my head. I could feel him start to come out when I heard Tyler sobbing telling me that he was right there. One push later, and Caden came into this world at 2:43PM! They let me hold him for a minute, then took him to the warmer where he got all cleaned up and got a good heartbeat going!

Daddy stood by his side the entire time. My mom stayed with me, but would walk over to look at Caden every so often. She gets very sqeemish too, so she didn't want to see anything down there while I was giving the cord blood taken and stitched up. We all guessed he was in the high 7lb - low 8lb range but to our surprise Caden was 7lbs 1oz. They brought him over to me for skin-to-skin and that was the best moment of my entire life. No pain, stitches, or fear could have hindered how precious he was.

He is the best thing in this world. I love him to death. I knew I'd love him, but this love is unimaginable. He is so perfect, and tiny. I just stare at him and fall more in love. He's just 3 days old, and already I can't picture life without him. Tyler is doing amazing. I thought he would be great, but he's just amazing. I'm so happy!

I'm going to post pictures soon :)

Ok...it's hitting me!

It's officially hitting me that either tomorrow is my last pregnant day, or these are my last few days pregnant!

Physically: I'm sore. I'm 38 weeks pregnant, so that's expected. His head is very low, so my pelvis is killing me. My hips kill me when I wake up every few minutes. I don't remember how it feels to be size 0, and I don't remember how it feels to not be pregnant!

Emotionally: Mainly, anxious and excited! I can't wait to meet him, I can't wait to see what he looks like, and I'm most excited for our first night home when we can snuggle in bed as a family! I'm still nervous, I'm nervous about being induced, possibility of a c-section, and with my complications, I'm nervous for him and how he is doing in there.

Dad's emotions: He's anxious! He's very excited. At Target today, he picked out the cutest onsies and kept asking, "So, he can wear that when we visit my work." He bought a cute book and asked if that can be one of the first books we read to him. He won't admit he's nervous for me and Caden because he doesn't want to worry me, but he is. He's constantly texting while he's at work asking how I'm feeling, etc.

I can't believe I will be a mommy in the next few days. It's so amazing and surreal. I can't wait to see what he looks like and finally have him in my arms. I can't wait to see Tyler hold him for the first time. I'm so excited to put him in all his brand new little clothes. Mostly, I can't wait to have him safe in my arms!

38 weeks!

38 weeks and possibly my last day pregnant.

Tomorrow at 9:30AM, we have an OB appointment and if my BP is still high (as if it's ever been normal throughout pregnancy) - she may induce! Enjoying my last day of pregnancy because this could be my last day of pregnancy, or trying to at least. I feel super hot, sore, and anxious. I'm cleaning and organizing like crazy in case he does come tomorrow/Thursday.

Tyler's coming home in about an hour, we're going to Target and he's making me any kind of dinner and dessert I wish :) Enjoying this because after he's here - no more luxury of eating whatever I'd like!

Come out, come out....but I know where you are!

I've been having contractions all day, since about 5:30 this morning. They've progressively gotten worse, but still no even time gap. I know they're "real" because my Braxton Hicks always stopped with water. As of Friday, I was 2cm and 80%, and at the hospital the monitor showed constant contractions.

So, we're going to Wal-Mart to walk and grab some last minute things. I'm trying to get myself to go into labor before I have to see the doctor sometime this week, I call tomorrow to see when she wants me in...hopefully not tomorrow! I'm certain that if my BP is high, she will induce me.

C'mon out :)

Our hospital scare!

Yesterday at 3:45, I had an OB appointment. Things started normal, high BP (but the highest it's been) 1 lb. weight gain, baby's HR sounded good, and we were measuring good! Doctor came in and said my BP is bad, so we'll check again in a little bit (normal, as always) and she checked my cervix to discover I was 2cm and 80% effaced!

The nurse came in to check my BP after sitting for a few minutes, and the BP was still very high. I don't remember the top number, but it was ?/102. They tried a few more times, still high. The nurse went to go talk to the doctor, and I told Tyler that they were probably going to send us to labor and delivery.

Doctor came back in and said what I thought, go up to L&D and they're going to monitor the baby, me, my BP, and if the HR doesn't come down, we'll be delivering the baby. She said, "So...maybe I will see you next week, or maybe next time I see you, we'll be having a baby!". I was stunned!

So, we went to get our bags and I packed some snacks because I knew we'd be there for awhile. Called our parents, stopped at his work to let them know that he couldn't make it in tomorrow (well, now today) and that this could possibly be it!

We got to the hospital, they hooked the baby up to the monitor, a BP cuff, and a monitor to see if I was contracting. Our parents arrived a few minutes later. We watched TV, ate snacks, and just waited to see what was going to happen. They came in to tell me I was contracting frequently, and asked if I could feel them...but I couldn't. She also said baby looked perfect, so they took me off the monitors.

The tech came in to draw blood around 7:30. My arm was super sore after, and typically (out of the 30 times they've taken blood during this pregnancy!) never gets sore. I have a giant bruise! But, anyways they told me they probably could send me home after they talked to the doctor and that I'd have to collect my urine over 24 hours. We went home around 10:30, the blood work came back good, and my BP went down.

Now, just a waiting game to see when this guy is going to come!

37 Weeks Pregnant!

Technically, "full-term"! Wow, I can't believe it.

I feel pretty good, sleeping is much a challenge. I'm starting to get anxious and wondering everyday, is today going to be the day!? I woke up with 2 strong contractions last night, but I fell right back asleep so they were nothing.

But...my current obsession: ICE!

My "How To's" of Survivng Pregnancy!

My best friend, who I literally tell everything and more to, said to me, "I sometimes forget your pregnant because you're so damn calm about it!" and it made me wonder, how the hell did I get through these past 9 months?!

I'm not saying or assuming that I "know" everything there is to know about pregnancy, or the rights and wrongs of it, because I don't, nor does anyone else - but these are my "how to's" and how I got through it!

1. Having a trusted friend to talk to.
 Mine was my best friend, Monica. It was awesome to have someone completely removed from the situation to talk to about everything. Someone who it didn't matter to whether I breast of bottle fed, or someone who didn't care what type of diapers I use, just someone who was there to listen. Someone who was there to say, look - you're doing an awesome job. Sure, my boyfriend did and does that - but he is effected by all of this, and is an active role in all that I do in this pregnancy that it DID matter to him what choices I made, but having an amazing friend who was removed from it all, and saw it differently helped so much.

2. Having a trusted been-there-done-that Mom.
 Main thing is trusted. There are so many mom's out there who think they know the rights and wrongs of pregnancy, and think that their way is the best way because of all the research and all the parenting they did - but truth of it all, nobody knows what the hell their doing. But, having a trusted mom there to tell you that it IS manageable to be a good mother, good spouse, and take a shower all in one day...maybe not everyday, but it happens! It's nice to look up to a mom that has done it and say, wow they did an amazing job despite the fact that it's hard as hell...they did it! My mother (well, my father also but he didn't physical birth any children) has been such an amazing support in my life and through this pregnancy. She naturally birthed her children, raised us amazingly, and is still doing such a great job.

3. Unisom and B6!
 I don't know what I would have done those first 16 weeks without those two magical little pills. Morning...well, make that all day sickness was awful. I know I got lucky with those two things working because they don't work for everyone - but they sure as hell worked for me!

4. Sweatpants.
 Oh my large pile of sweatpants. My lifesavers. Sweatpants are giving, they don't care how big your belly is, they still come up over your ass and under your belly AND manage to make you feel pretty comfy too - what's better than that?

5. Someone to remind you that you still are beautiful.
 Stereotypically, there's nothing beautiful about a large belly, swollen ankles, and stretch marks but having someone assure you that they still think the sun shines out of your ass, is amazing. As much as it's hard to look in the mirror and say, "Wow, my overly huge boobs that won't stay in a shirt to save my life look GREAT today!" - having another person let you know that you look beautiful, is the best thing to hear. Daily changes that are uncontrollable can be so hard to accept, as much as the reward that comes out of it all is the best thing, they are hard to accept. But my butterflies still came every time Tyler let me know that I looked beautiful in my sweats, unshowered, with a pony tail!

6. Warm showers.
 We know...we know...hot showers BIG no-no, but warm ones do the trick! I hate baths, so warm showers are the best thing to me!

7. Satisfying your cravings.
 I haven't had anything too weird, just normal things like orange juice or ice cream but having that craving satisfied is pure heaven! You're creating a human for goodness sake, you deserve all the horrible fatty, high calorie food in the world.

8. Taking things as they come, and not a minute faster.
 Changes during pregnancy are almost constant. Whether that's physical, emotional, or accepting the change of lifestyle - they are constant. One problem at a time, one issue at a time. Tomorrow's problems are for tomorrow, and not any sooner.

9. Last but not least, enjoying your pregnancy.
 Oh yes, the morning sickness, aching back, sleepless nights, and constant hunger are all fun...right? Of course not. But, you're creating a human. You're doing something not every woman is lucky and blessed enough to do. Enjoy it. Enjoy feeling your baby move, because it's a reminder that he or she is thriving and doing well.

As my pregnancy is almost over, I don't know where time has gone. I don't know how I did it this easily, and I sure as hell don't know what's next, but for now what I do know, is that I am blessed to be having this baby, to have such a loving guy next to me, and to have such an amazing group of friends and family supporting and loving me all the way. All the rest, doesn't matter :)

And we have the perfect nursery!

His bedroom is finally complete! Well..almost. I just want to put either his name, or buy the matching animal picutres for above his changing table, and add a small light green rug in front of it also and we will be offically complete!

It's so perfect, and I can't believe that my SON is going to be in there in a few short weeks! I'm so thankful for my mom and Tyler for all the help perfecting it, thankfully since I'm not too mobile. It's so cozy and warm, and better than I pictured it.

OH baby!

You'll be here soon, I'm betting within a week to two weeks, obvious signs are pointing that way!

New clothes, woo!

Me and my mom went shopping today for some new clothes for after he's born! I wanted to get cute sweatpants, tops, hoodies, new bras, etc. so I could still be comfy, but not look scummy because of all the visitors. I got some super cute black pants, and a few colorful tops. I also got some new bras, woo! Slippers for the hospital that match the robe my Mom got me for the hospital - so exciting! My mom also bought me a really cute hospital bag!

Tomorrow Tyler's taking me shopping for some more clothes for after he's here - I want to get more cute sweats, hoodies, and sports bras. Tomorrow we also have our 36 week doctor appointment, and I'm very excited he's able to come with me. Then we're going to shop, lunch, and the Auto Show (I'm secretly excited to see all the new cars for 2011/2012, but I can't let him know that)!

Mmmm, enjoy the last few weeks not on a diet!

Soon as I have Caden, I'm starting Weight Watchers and soon as I get the "ok" from my OB, I'll be working out and/or doing a work out class. My mom is already asking when she can babysit, so Tyler are I will be taking her up on her offer and using her a few times a week for about an hour to go to the gym and get ourselves back in shape! I'm really excited, not only because I'll be back to normal size but because we're doing this together.

As for now, I'm enjoying eating what I want! I eat very well, but I do enjoy crappy foods from time to time and don't think twice!

OMG, it's March & I'm 36 weeks!

Where did time go?! Someone tell me! I just took a pregnancy test yesterday, I found out he was a boy an hour ago, what is going on here!?

I can't believe that I can say I'm having a baby this month! Last night, around 3AM I woke up to use the bathroom, and I walked into Caden's room, and just took it all in and it offically hit me - I'm having a son this month! I got super giddy and woke Tyler up to tell him how excited I am to have a baby! He rolled over and said "Me too, babe. It's going to be great"...I'm sure he doesn't remember that this morning, but hey!

I'm feeling great. Besides sleeping, of course. Tossing and turning, hips hurting, peeing every 2 hours, oh what is sleep? But that's ok, I won't be seeing much of this so called "sleep" much anymore, anyways!

I have a feeling that Caden will be here before March 29th, obvious signs are pointing toward that. Doctor appointment Thursday, hopefully she'll check me and let me know if anything is going on!

We have organization!

After the baby shower, I felt so overwhelmed with everything we got! We got SO much, and we already had tons from before the shower with all the gifts we received. I kept telling myself I would put it away, and it was driving me crazy not doing it since I'm already a clean freak, add nesting to it...sheesh!

But, we made progress :) Tyler put in a fancy new shower head, that a part of the shower head comes off where it will be easier to give Caden baths (and is working out where showering is much easier for me too!). On our diaper cake, there was adorable little crab, fishy, etc. bath toys on it so we found a matching bath toy holder and put it up in the shower - although it will be a bit before he'll care, it's still exciting!

We would have known folding tiny baby clothes would be such an art!? My mom helped me put it all away and organize yesterday, and we figured out the best and easiest way to put it all away. Now just to organize his changing table, pack my bag, and we're DONE!

(Crappy quality still, my camera is dead)