Monday, November 22, 2010

Things We Are Learning

We are slowly starting to figure Channing out...I think. Here are some things we have learned so far.

-She likes her passi but doesn't have to have it. She spits it out to go to sleep.
-She will only fill her diaper once we have put a clean one on for her to leave her mark in
-She HATES being naked
-She pees when you change her, no matter what. Good thing I can change a diaper fast
-She has the hiccups almost all day every day and does not like them
-She loves her brother. She puts herself to sleep while he's holding her
-She loves to be swaddled

Here are some more pics of her. Most of them are when she was first meeting family and friends.

Meeting Grandma Anderson
Meeting Aunt Amy


Meeting Aunt Sarah

Meeting Aunt "Bea"

Meeting Aunt Jen...and yes Jen, you look great so stop worrying!
Meeting my friend Jane


On our way home- our nurse said we had to have a picture despite how I looked
All bundled up for her trip home


Our first day home, so sleepy. She loves her Daddy
Still the first day home and now asleep with brother. She sure loves him too. Notice there are no pictures of me sleeping =)





Saturday, November 20, 2010

The Arrival Story

Well what can I say? This last week has been a bit of a blur, but it's been awesome at the same time. Channing is such a good baby and Makoy is great with her. Before my sleep deprivation takes over, I wanted to write out the story of her delivery. I never thought I would do this but I really want to remember it all. However, I'm not sure how I could forget with the way things happened! I'm sure this will bore people to tears, and possibly have a bit of TMI in it, but this blog is for me to remember things so I'll try to not worry about what people think. And yes, this is going to be long!

We were scheduled to go in at 5 AM on the 10th to be induced. I had to call at 4 AM to make sure they had a bed for us still, just in case they had several mid night deliveries. I called and they had a few people come in the middle of the night so we were bumped back to 7:30. I couldn't go back to sleep of course and 7:30 couldn't come soon enough. I was having a lot of pain by the time we went in but was only at a one and a half. They got the pit started at about 8:00 and little by little turned it up. By about 11:00 I was feeling contractions pretty darn good. I was only at a 3 around noon so I was hesitant to get the epidural that soon, although it was offered.

By about 2:30 the pain was so bad I couldn't handle it anymore. My nurse went to get the anesthesiologist and get the epidural started. He came in about 3:00 and by that point I was in complete agony. The pain was so intense and close together I was starting to get worried. I was only at a 3 right before the epidural so I figured I was just being a whimp. He did the whole epidural process and I waited for the relief. I waited...and waited..and waited...no relief. The epidural didn't take. I wanted to cry but tried to stay calm because I knew relief would come soon enough. The anesthesiologist had no reason for why it didn't work. He said it was put in text book and we'd try again. So we tried again and I started to feel relief. That was the best moment! I say moment because it didn't last. By that point I was at an 8. I went from a 3 to an 8 just while I got both epidurals put in. Part of me was relieved that I was not in total agony for no reason and that I wasn't a complete whimp! So I tried to relax for a bit and about 30 minutes later started to realize something. I could feel my legs and move them. I tried not to panic and then I could feel this intense pain in areas that I did not want to. I could feel the contractions so intense it took my breath away.

This is where I have to give credit to my dear hubby. He was AMAZING! He was so nervous and ended up being more help than anyone in the room. Things went from mellow to crazy in about two seconds. I started to tell Shane that I could feel EVERYTHING and that I could feel her coming. He had a nurse come in to try and figure out what was going on. Let me say that I had overall great care but this nurse....I think she went to clown school, not nursing school. She checked me out and said she wasn't sure why I was feeling pain. I was "only" at a 9 and I had my epidural and everything looked fine. She left and said she would go get my nurse. At that point I'm thinking " I must be insane." So in between that time things are getting more intense and I felt like I needed to push. I'm screaming at Shane that I can't control it and before I know it, I'm pushing. We had no one else in the room and I was FREAKING out. I realized what was happening. The baby was coming, I was having a natural birth, and I didn't even have my doctor there. He had gone back to the office to check in with patients there. Shane paged the nurse and thank goodness it was my nurse who I adored. Next thing I knew she was telling another nurse in the room"she's crowning, get the warmer and call her doctor."

Let me tell you, I am still so embarrassed by the way I was acting. I could not control the sounds I was making. I was screaming despite trying my hardest not to. I was gripping the bed and shouting "I'm going to die!" I laugh now because I survived, but at the time I really did not think I was going to live. Shane and my nurse were so great cheering me on and telling me I could do it. I had no choice at this point did I? I still didn't realize the doctor was not there even though I was pushing. At one point I remember seeing my doctor running in. I could feel every part of her coming out. I was so terrified that I would be pushing for an hour and feeling every second of it. By the time he was ready he said"push one more time." Then I heard the sweetest sound you can hear, my sweet baby I had carried for nine months crying. I heard Shane say "she's here, you did it!" I could not believe it!

Just typing this now I'm crying. Maybe it's my hormones since she was just born but I still get so emotional thinking about it. It was so crazy and scary and the worst pain I have ever felt in my entire life. I would do it all over again to get this sweet spirit here. It is so insane how you carry this little human being for nine months and then in a flash its over! Well, it didn't feel like a flash to me but compared to nine months. That moment they are born and you hear them cry is the most insane rush. It gives you such a natural high that is unlike anything else in this world. It's so amazing! I feel so incredibly blessed to have two sweet children. There was a point in my life I thought I would never be blessed with another child. Of course I was happy to have Makoy, but I longed to have another child and felt there was another spirit waiting.

She is such a sweet and good baby. She only cries when she is hungry or needs her diaper changed. She has the eating thing all figured out and wakes up once to twice a night to eat and then goes right back to bed. We are still adjusting and figuring things out but things are going well overall. I feel so much better afterward than I did with Makoy. I still don't feel 100 percent but can't complain. Shane is great with her and she loves her daddy. Makoy has been so sweet to her and hasn't acted out yet. I was worried where he's been an only child for so long but so far he's been an awesome big brother! Lets hope it stays that way. Enjoy these cute pics of our sweet baby! I'm going to post a ton of them so beware.

My last prego picture-all ready to get to the hospital.


Little did I know what would happen next. The thumbs up didn't last long.


So happy, the first time I saw and held my baby girl.


After she got all cleaned up and her hair done.


After hours of trying to convince Makoy that it was okay to hold his sister.


Makoy was so excited to get a picture with his mom and dad...he missed us while we were at the hospital.


Sweet baby girl.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

She's Here!!!

Today we welcomed Channing Lillie to our family. She was born at 4:47 pm, 6lbs 3oz and 19.75 inches long. There will be more details to come so stayed tuned.....


Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Last Day

I can't believe today is my last day of being pregnant. Tomorrow at 5 AM we are going to Mt. View for me to be induced. I'm feeling such a mixture of emotions. If anyone doesn't want to read mushy stuff from an emotional pregnant woman, don't read on. :) I knew the day would come eventually but at the same time I can't believe it's here. I'm so ready to hold this sweet baby I've been carrying for the last nine months. I'm also anxious about the whole process and the changes to come. With Makoy being almost five, I hope I will remember how to take care of a baby. I hope he will adjust well to not being an only child anymore. It's going to be weird to not just have him anymore but I'm excited for the change. I'm sure 90 percent of my emotions are just from being pregnant. I break out into tears for no good reason when I think about everything. We've waited a long time for her and I'm extremely grateful to have the opportunity to raise another child. I'm someone who truly enjoys being pregnant. In one way it's sad for me that it's my last day being pregnant, possibly ever. In another of course I don't want to be pregnant forever and look forward to the end result, having this precious baby. I've tried to enjoy every second of this pregnancy. I'm sure I haven't done the best at it (especially when I've gotten up literally ten times a night to pee) but I really have had a good pregnancy and I'm very grateful for that. I've craved everything from shrimp to grapefruit to asparagus to cheese to just about every fruit on the earth. I could not get enough hot chocolate, even though it was mid July and I was sweating while drinking it. At least my craving for that came in handy yesterday with the winter weather. I'm sure this is a boring post to anyone who may read it, but I just wanted to remember some of the feelings I had before having her. I am looking forward to this new journey in life and meeting our new addition. Tomorrow-I'm so ready for you! Here we go!