Almost Two Weeks Old

Filed Under Daddy, Family, Newborn | 3 Comments

Late night with Daddy

I love those stretchy little arms

Our friends Sarah and Josh came to visit and brought us a really good meal

First time being held by Jon’s parents

So many grandmas to love me

Bailey seems to get easier and more alert every day. It’s hard to believe she’s almost two weeks old already. I love to watch her Daddy with her- he is just completely in love with her and already so caring and protective.

Jonathon’s parents are still in town. Not exactly sure when they are leaving… we are starting to feel more settled in now and I am looking forward to more friends coming to visit now. She is still sleeping very well during the night. We are not supposed to let her go more than four hours without eating so we are still setting the alarm clock- but I have been noticing that about five minutes before my alarm goes off she wakes up. She never wakes up screaming, I can just hear her scooting around a little bit in her bed and doing her dramatic breathing. She is such a doll baby.

Last night we had dinner at my parents, so that was our first official “outing” other than the doctor. And today I went by myself to a bridal shower (and yes, someone actually ASKED me if I left the baby ALONE at home! Mae has told me people ask this but it’s really true!)

Give me some hope!

Filed Under Newborn, Sleep, Thoughts | 9 Comments

Someone please tell me this gets easier each day. I thought it was getting easier, and then today Bailey cried and cried and ate and ate and that’s all we did all day long. Literally. She was awake for like five hours, then took a half hour catnap, and now is awake with Daddy while I take a break.

I love her. I really do. She is adorable and I am so thankful for her. But this newborn thing is SO hard! I feel like a zombie who sleeps and feeds the baby. I miss my life. That kind of sounds selfish- but tomorrow I am going out to buy a bridal shower gift and I am so looking forward to getting out of the house (alone) for the first time since the birth, other than pediatrician visits. And then on Sunday, I get to go out AGAIN to go to the shower.

Jonathon’s parents are only here until Sunday, and they aren’t staying with us, but it’s still stressful for me to have them around. They just feel like “company” and not family even though they are trying so hard to be helpful. And I can’t feed the baby in front of them even though they told me to. BUT the good news is that it’s the weekend, so I won’t feel guilty waking Jonathon up to keep me company at all hours. And my mom took next week and the week after off work to come help me and take me out to lunch and stuff like that. Try to start a more “normal” existence, if possible.

Just encourage me that it won’t always be this hard. SHe will adjust. We will adjust. And I won’t be in this weird haze forever. Please tell me that’s true.

One Week Old

Filed Under Breastfeeding, Grandparents, Newborn | 5 Comments

We are all still hanging in there. Feeding continues to improve- no formula at all during the day today but sometimes she needs it at night, just like a half ounce after feeding to help her get to sleep. I can deal with that. We had to get a prescription called in today for eye drops. She has a blocked tear duct and it had gotten really goopy today, but it already seems to be improving with two rounds of the drops. My mom has been over a lot to help us, so that has been a huge blessing. I didn’t realize how much help I would need. We are looking forward to Jonathon’s parents coming in town on Friday. They haven’t gotten to see Bailey yet.

Big smiles

Burping with Daddy (a.k.a. naptime)

Trying to figure out the sling- and I look pretty rough!

Sleeping on Gram

My life as a boob

Filed Under Breastfeeding | 4 Comments

Yeah, thats pretty much it lately

last night was rough she was up 2:30-7:45

days n nights mixed up? tonight better so far usually i have to set alarm to wake her up and feed

she is a slow eater

like 30-40 mins on a side and she will eat both sides

falls asleep a lot but at least she’s eating

still giving just like half ounce formula after breastfeeding, most times, and pumping to try n increase supply

hard work but so worth it

-typed at 4:15 am. with one hand while bailey sleeps i mean eats

Professional Pictures, Pediatrician, Wedding

Filed Under Friends, Grandparents, Newborn, Pediatrician | 7 Comments

Here is the link to see Bailey’s first “professional” photos, taken at the hospital, one day old.

http://www.growingfamily.com/webnursery/babypage.asp?UrlID=5162391010

Her visit to the pediatrician went well. Her jaundice is apparently under control and not a concern. Her weight was 7 lbs 1 oz, so she hasn’t lost any weight since leaving the hospital, which is good because my milk hadn’t come in yet when we left.

Speaking of which, the feeding is going much, much better. We are down to just supplementing with maybe a half ounce of formula at a time, at the end of feedings. She eats very, very slowly but it gives Mommy lots of time to hold her

Here are our most recent pictures, from our adventure to the pediatrician and a wedding Jonathon and I went to last night (just the ceremony, Bailey stayed at our house with Gram and Grampa, but I couldn’t miss it for anything!) The bride was absolutely beautiful and it was a lovely ceremony. Darn postpartum hormones, I started crying when the first song played and the grandmothers walked in!

And just a few pictures around the house. How many pictures of a sleeping baby can we take? I am ridiculously, completely, and totally in love with her.

First Day at Home

Filed Under Newborn | 9 Comments

Quick updates:

We have been home a full 24 hours now. The first night was very rough, but Bailey will NOT be sleeping in our room again so that we can get some sleep. Breastfeeding is going a little better. I have noticed a big improvement since about early afternoon today. We got some much-needed rest this afternoon when my mom came by. I have had a few freakouts but for the most part things have been good.

Almost 48 Hours Old

Filed Under Birth, Newborn | 4 Comments

Just a quick post to update on Bailey. We are going home from the hospital tonight. She is doing very well and is very healthy… a little trouble breastfeeding but we are working hard and we have a plan, thanks to the wonderful lactation consultants at the hospital.

She is right about 7 pounds now… also she had a little bruising on her head so they have been checking her billirubin levels to watch for jaundice- apparently her body will make more red blood cells to fight the bruise so they have to make sure they get processed correctly. We have a pediatrician appt on Friday and we love our pediatrician, so we are really happy with that whole situation.

I am feeling very good and in fact today I wore “real clothes” and put on some makeup. I am not in any pain at all- I have a few stitches but I don’t even notice them and I’m just trying to take it easy.

I am excited about being home with our baby- and of course we would love for people to come see her maybe within the next few days or so. We’ll have our cell phones off when we are sleeping so don’t worry about bothering us- but please let us tell you when it would be a good time for company

More pictures from Monday and Tuesday- don’t have the newest ones uploaded yet-
and in no particular order because apparently my brain isn’t that organized right now!

Bailey is HERE!

Filed Under Birth, Newborn, Pregnancy | 17 Comments

Born on Monday, April 16th at 9:38 pm
7 lbs 7 oz
19 inches long

We are all doing well- very busy and very tired! The labor and delivery went smoothly, for the most part. Bailey needs to figure out this eating thing a little better, but hopefully that will come with time.

We will update more later as we get a chance.

Induction Tomorrow Morning

Filed Under Birth, Pregnancy | 12 Comments

Just a quick note to let you all know that we still haven’t had the baby- so we are going in to be induced as planned tomorrow morning- 7:30- and we will call people and/or post an update once she is here and everything settles down.

Please pray that everything goes well. I’m a little nervous and we’re trying to stay distracted right now.

Updated (10:37 pm) I think the baby has FINALLY dropped today. I feel like I can’t empty my bladder all the time and it is uncomfortable to walk. And I am having trouble moving from sitting to standing. It just feels like a lot of pressure and a little bit of lower backache- but still no contractions!

Good baby- please help your mommy out and get as far down there as you can!

Happy Due Date to ME!

Filed Under Belly Pictures, Pregnancy, Week by Week | 3 Comments

Our baby is due today. What she is doing in there now is beyond me. Jonathon told me to enjoy my time with her now because once she comes out she’s going to want to be with her daddy all the time.

Here is my belly at 40 weeks. I honestly can’t believe we’ve made it this far! I decided to take this picture in the nursery- for the first time- in honor of Bailey coming out this week. She’s got two days left to enjoy her womb home, and then it’s eviction time

Last Date Night

Filed Under Daddy, Food | 2 Comments

Tonight is our official Last Date before we have a baby. In honor of my due date tomorrow (which will most likely come and go quite uneventfully) we decided to spend the evening together doing datey stuff.

We had dinner at this Mexican place close to our house- El Nopal- which isn’t really romantic but it really sounded good. Also I figured the spicy food wouldn’t hurt We stuffed ourselves silly and then went and got a chocolate turtle cake from Schnucks. I have been craving chocolate cake with chocolate icing for a while now.

Then we stopped by our new favorite movie rental place, the RedBox at McDonalds. It’s so easy- only a dollar for a movie- and we even have a code we’ve been using for free rentals! If you haven’t tried renting movies that way before, I would recommend it. You can keep them until 7 pm the next night for just $1- beats the crap out of stupid overpriced Blockbuster, if you ask me! Anyway we checked out Mission Impossible 3- I know it’s been out for a while but I figure it will be entertaining and will keep me awake. I have a problem falling asleep during movies at night. Now I’m just waiting for Jonathon to finish doing whatever he’s doing so we can go watch it.

Last Doctors Appt

Filed Under Pregnancy, Symptoms | 7 Comments

Wow, I can’t believe I actually made it to every single one of my OB appointments. I am still pregnant. 39 weeks and 5 days.

I think my blood pressure was high again today. The nurse took it and didn’t tell me what it was- which she usually does- and then the doctor came in and took it again. The doctor has never done my blood pressure herself. Then she asked me if I had been having any headaches or seeing spots. I told her no, and she said that I was “okay” but that if I had anything like that I needed to go in to the hospital. This seems to be the theme of my appointments lately.

She also checked my cervix and I am now at 4 cm. Not much change from last week, but the good news is that she said even if I went to the hospital before my contractions were five minutes apart (she said like 5-7 mins or not completely consistent) that they wouldn’t send me home at this point.

I asked her to guess the baby’s size- and she said it was really just a guess and probably not very accurate but she guessed around 7 1/2 pounds. Yikes I don’t want a big baby! I was only 6 lbs 4 oz and I was hoping for a little girl more about that size. But that could be way off anyway.

She said she is still hoping I will go into labor this weekend but if not, I’ll definitely have a baby on Monday! I am glad I am making such a good snuggly home for Bailey but I wish she didn’t like it in there QUITE so much!

Other than that, I am just having a little more back pain than usual, and trouble sleeping because of being uncomfortable. I wake up about every half hour until about 5 a.m. and then I manage to get about three hours straight where I can sleep. That’s been the pattern for the past few nights. The reason I wake up is because my back and hips are in pain and I have to turn over- but then of course I have to pee while I’m up too- but I always fall right back asleep.

Missing You Already

Filed Under Birth, Daddy, Pregnancy, Thoughts | 3 Comments

I just realized something- I keep thinking I am so anxious to be done being pregnant and just have Bailey here- but I will never have her THIS CLOSE to me again. From the minute she comes out, she will start growing up. That’s so fast. I shouldn’t be wishing this time away. I have decided I am going to try to enjoy every single little squirm and foot poke these last few days. I always assume I will have other pregnancy(ies) but who knows- this could be my only one- and I am just wishing it away.

This is my little baby girl who I have wanted for as long as I can remember. I know I would love a little boy too, but this is my dream baby. I know we are in for a rough road ahead and hopefully not too much spoiling, but she is already perfect in my eyes. I think that’s why I can’t wait to see her. But the next thing I know she will be walking and talking and not my little baby anymore…. so I need to enjoy EACH day with her. Plus, it’s been pointed out to me that it won’t ever be this easy again and I’ll wish I could put her back inside for an hour or two and catch a nap

The other realization I had last night was that Jonathon and I have a maximum of FIVE nights together as a “couple” before we become parents. I don’t really consider us a family right now. I mean, I know we technically are, but we still seem like Just Jonathon and Tara. We are going to become a whole Family of Three in less than a week. I cried because I am worried that I will miss just us.

He reminded me of a freakout I had the night before we left for our honeymoon. (Not our wedding night, the next night)… I actually called my mom in tears at bedtime and said, “I can’t believe I’m living with a boy! I don’t know if I’m going to like this!” I was completely scared- and apparently not too worried about hurting his feelings, either- but I was terrified of the unknown. But last night he reminded me of this, and was like, “Look, now you’re so scared for that to change. But it’s going to be the same way. Scary at first and then you won’t be able to imagine anything else.”

I guess I am just feeling a little overly emotional and apprehensive of so much changing. And of course worrying about the birth- I’m sure that’s contributing to my freaking out.

Anyway, Bailey, I am looking forward to seeing you whenever you are ready to come out. But I need to warn you: Monday is your deadline to decide to come out on your own

Overheard

Filed Under Daddy | 2 Comments

Jonathon is in the other room on the phone right now. He just called one of his guy friends who he hasn’t talked to in a while.

Here’s what I heard:

What’s up?
MMmm-hmm.
Not much man, just waiting for my kid to come out.

Yeah, me too sweetie.

38 (almost 39!) Week Pictures

Filed Under Belly Pictures, Daddy, Pregnancy | 3 Comments

Taken yesterday before my doctors appointment- I know I keep saying maybe this will be “the last belly picture” but I am really hopeful this time!

And apparently I am freezing Jonathon out of the house. I didn’t have the typical hot body temp pregnancy thing at all until about a week or two ago. Now I can’t stand to have the thermostat set above about 64. It has gotten a lot colder outside in the last few days but I hate to have the heat running because it just makes me feel sick- but then I realized how bundled up Jonathon was and looked at the temp and it was like 56 in our house. Here is my poor patient husband.