Dear Michael,
Today you turned 18 months old. That means tomorrow you will be closer to 3 than you are to the day you were born. That blows my mind! It has all happened so fast. I love the toddler that you are. I am thrilled beyond belief with how smart you are! Each day, you attempt to say more words and you sign more words. Your cognitive vocabulary is astounding.
You are completely precious. Your smile is captivating, and I always get a good laugh by how funny you think you are.
You are learning to be a super sweet big brother. You love to put Noah's pacifier in his mouth for him when he cries. Of course, you attempt to pull it out of his mouth sometimes when he's content.
You love to take baths, which is fabulous since you love going outside and getting dirty. :)
You are a great eater, and if you had your own way, you'd eat Goldfish and peach fruit cups all day long. You feed yourself, and your are getting better at it every day. I am so proud of you and how far you've come!
You love to watch "Little Bear" (which you call 'bear'), and "Paw Patrol" and "Bubble Guppies" (which you call "bubble").
You absolutely love books, and that thrills my heart. Favorites this week include "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom," "100 Words," and "Humpty Dumpty."
I love you immensely. It is a joy to be your Mommy (even though you normally don't refer to me in any words, and when you do, you say 'ba-ba'). I am excited each day to go into your room and get you when you wake up. I am excited for all of the days we get to spend together. I love you forever, my dear one. Love, your Mommy
Friday, February 28, 2014
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Noah: One Month
Noah is officially 6 weeks old today! Time has flown by!
I'm taking advantage of a moment when Michael is napping, and Noah is chatting to himself in his crib as he settles down for a nap. I thought I'd take a quick moment and write a bit about Noah's stats at one and a half months old.
Clothing: Noah wears size 0-3 month onesies and pants. He is still skinny enough to fit into newborn clothes, but his length prohibits him from wearing newborn footie pajamas anymore. Those were the first articles of clothing that he outgrew-- and it took him 4 weeks to do so! That makes me a little sentimental since there is a very good chance that Noah is our last biological child, and he's already outgrowing clothes!
Diapers: Noah wears Kirkland signature (Costco brand) diapers in size 1-2. Kirkland signatures makes one diaper that accommodates babies all the way from size 1 into size 2. They don't make a separate size 1 and a separate size 2 diaper. Noah could still fit into newborn diapers, but I choose not to use them because it's nice to have a little extra room in the diaper in case of a potential blow-out.
Sleeping: Noah, like Michael at his age, LOVES to snuggle and nap in your arms! Noah naps very well in my arms, but sometimes I do have to set him down in order to hug & hold Michael, and to do some housework (housework? What's that?) :) This week, we have had a few nights where Noah has gone over 4 hours between feedings. That means that some nights, I've only had to get up once to feed him! FABULOUS! I'm hoping that this trend continues and by the time I return to work, he is sleeping for 5-6 hours at night. Or 7-8. That would be fine too. :)
Nursery: At Noah's one month appointment, the doctor said it was just fine if we moved him into his own room. She said he might start sleeping for longer stretches at night if he were in his own room and didn't constantly hear us as we moved about in our room. So, a few nights after Noah turned one month old, we transitioned him into his own room. Aaron set up the crib in his "man room" and he moved my swivel-rocking chair in there for me to be able to nurse Noah in his own room in the middle of the night. Noah does a fantastic job sleeping in his own room. I attribute part of his success to the swaddle blanket my sister-in-law bought for him. This blanket is fantastic and keeps Noah nice and securely wrapped up so his arms don't flail and startle him awake. Having Noah in his own room is a little different for us because we didn't move Michael into his own room until he was 4 months old. I'm hoping that this transition helps Noah sleep through the night earlier than Michael did. A good night's sleep is helpful for all involved. :)
Vocal: Noah is quite the vocal baby. Not by crying (although he can do that quite loudly when he's upset and hungry), but by just simply making baby sounds. When Noah yawns, there's a little squeaking sound he makes when he's done. When he sucks his pacifier, he makes a sound like "eh-eh-eh." He makes a little squeaky sound when he naps. He's just very vocal. Now, for a newborn in the hospital, this would cause alarm. However, Noah's breathing patterns are not irregular and he is not showing signs of distress. Because he's always made these noises, they are not cause for concern. I made sure to ask the pediatrician about it at Noah's first month appointment.
First month stats: Noah, at his first month appointment, weighed an even 10 pounds and was 22.5 inches long. So, he gained nearly 3 pounds, and grew an inch and a half! He now sports a cute double chin. :) He is in the 50th percentile for weight, and the 75th percentile for height.
Aaron and I are completely blessed with our little boys. We love parenting our little guys and are excited to see the personality of each boy develop.
God has truly blessed us.
Here's the first smile caught on camera!
Much love, Reba
I'm taking advantage of a moment when Michael is napping, and Noah is chatting to himself in his crib as he settles down for a nap. I thought I'd take a quick moment and write a bit about Noah's stats at one and a half months old.
Clothing: Noah wears size 0-3 month onesies and pants. He is still skinny enough to fit into newborn clothes, but his length prohibits him from wearing newborn footie pajamas anymore. Those were the first articles of clothing that he outgrew-- and it took him 4 weeks to do so! That makes me a little sentimental since there is a very good chance that Noah is our last biological child, and he's already outgrowing clothes!
Diapers: Noah wears Kirkland signature (Costco brand) diapers in size 1-2. Kirkland signatures makes one diaper that accommodates babies all the way from size 1 into size 2. They don't make a separate size 1 and a separate size 2 diaper. Noah could still fit into newborn diapers, but I choose not to use them because it's nice to have a little extra room in the diaper in case of a potential blow-out.
Sleeping: Noah, like Michael at his age, LOVES to snuggle and nap in your arms! Noah naps very well in my arms, but sometimes I do have to set him down in order to hug & hold Michael, and to do some housework (housework? What's that?) :) This week, we have had a few nights where Noah has gone over 4 hours between feedings. That means that some nights, I've only had to get up once to feed him! FABULOUS! I'm hoping that this trend continues and by the time I return to work, he is sleeping for 5-6 hours at night. Or 7-8. That would be fine too. :)
Nursery: At Noah's one month appointment, the doctor said it was just fine if we moved him into his own room. She said he might start sleeping for longer stretches at night if he were in his own room and didn't constantly hear us as we moved about in our room. So, a few nights after Noah turned one month old, we transitioned him into his own room. Aaron set up the crib in his "man room" and he moved my swivel-rocking chair in there for me to be able to nurse Noah in his own room in the middle of the night. Noah does a fantastic job sleeping in his own room. I attribute part of his success to the swaddle blanket my sister-in-law bought for him. This blanket is fantastic and keeps Noah nice and securely wrapped up so his arms don't flail and startle him awake. Having Noah in his own room is a little different for us because we didn't move Michael into his own room until he was 4 months old. I'm hoping that this transition helps Noah sleep through the night earlier than Michael did. A good night's sleep is helpful for all involved. :)
Vocal: Noah is quite the vocal baby. Not by crying (although he can do that quite loudly when he's upset and hungry), but by just simply making baby sounds. When Noah yawns, there's a little squeaking sound he makes when he's done. When he sucks his pacifier, he makes a sound like "eh-eh-eh." He makes a little squeaky sound when he naps. He's just very vocal. Now, for a newborn in the hospital, this would cause alarm. However, Noah's breathing patterns are not irregular and he is not showing signs of distress. Because he's always made these noises, they are not cause for concern. I made sure to ask the pediatrician about it at Noah's first month appointment.
First month stats: Noah, at his first month appointment, weighed an even 10 pounds and was 22.5 inches long. So, he gained nearly 3 pounds, and grew an inch and a half! He now sports a cute double chin. :) He is in the 50th percentile for weight, and the 75th percentile for height.
Aaron and I are completely blessed with our little boys. We love parenting our little guys and are excited to see the personality of each boy develop.
God has truly blessed us.
Here's the first smile caught on camera!
Much love, Reba
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Post-Partum One Month
It's been one month since Noah was born! Time sure does fly! I have really been enjoying being a mom of two. My maternity leave has been wonderful and I look forward to the remaining weeks of it. I never thought I could be a stay at home mom, but during this maternity leave I see how enjoyable it could be and I wish I was able to pursue that as a career.
This post is very personal to me. I'm not sure how many people actually read this blog and I try not to be consumed by numbers. This post is for me. It's a place to document my thoughts about this first month post-partum.
Over these weeks, I have noticed some things that just aren't quite the same as far as body image and body functions go. I can't attribute the changes in my body to the epidural, but I do wonder if that had something to do with the new things in experiencing.
Since Noah's birth, I have a sharp nerve pain in my left hip. This is especially evident if I sit on the floor to play with Michael. I have a very hard time getting up again. If I'm holding Noah and sitting on the floor, I have to have someone take Noah from me and hold him, or I have to put him in his swing which sits low to the ground, so that I can use both hands to push myself up off of the floor.
This may be TMI, but I've also had trouble making it to the bathroom on time to relieve myself. This happens mainly in the middle of the night when I'm nursing Noah and realize that I really need to use the bathroom, and have to sit there and keep nursing while I wait. I haven't had an accident on myself, but I've come close and that's totally abnormal.
So, those are things I semi-attribute to the epidural. Do I regret getting an epidural? No. Not in the least. I understood that there are risks associated with getting a shot in my spine. And now I might be living with the effects of that, and that's ok. I'll either get better, or I'll adjust. There's no use being upset over what it different-- I'm just putting pieces together and thinking that it might be due to the epidural. If I were to get pregnant again, I think I'd still get an epidural. If I didn't choose to get one, it would be because I have confidence in myself to do a natural birth-- it wouldn't be because I was afraid of the side effects.
This time, the Post-Partum hormones have been so much less than with my first experience Post-Partum. The first two weeks after Michaels birth were so so difficult for me. I experienced baby blues, and realize now that they didn't dissipate until Michael was about five and a half months old. It was at that time that I realized that I needed to relinquish control-- I couldn't handle everything alone and I shouldn't try to do so. Since that realization, my life has been way way better! Post-partum hormones this time around have been so minimal that figuratively, I'd need binoculars to really see them. This time, the things I've struggled with the most include the inability to sleep through the night, my tummy, and breastfeeding. Let's take each thing individually.
First of all, the inability to sleep through the night has surely taken its toll. Although during the last few weeks of pregnancy, I would get up in the middle of the night to use the restroom, it didn't require heavy thought. Get up, go to the bathroom, wash hands, get back in bed, sleep. However, now when I get up in the middle of the night, it's to feed my son. Get up, go to the baby, pick up the baby, go to the chair, sit down, make sure the baby latches on properly, switch sides when appropriate, change baby's diaper, swaddle baby, lay baby back in crib, go to bathroom, wash hands, get back in bed, try to sleep because the countdown is on and I've got less than 3 hours til I'll be up again doing the same routine. Its rough. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE breastfeeding my son and being his source of nutrients. It's just a lot of work, and I eagerly anticipate his ability to sleep through the night.
Secondly, this time I have been more consumed with my tummy jiggle. Immediately after giving birth, a woman still looks five to six months pregnant. That astounded me after Michael's birth and I wasn't prepared. This time, I was totally prepared for that. It didn't even phase me. My tummy regained it's shape pretty quickly during my maternity leave with Michael. The pounds kept coming off after I returned to work and pumped. This time, I feel like I haven't quite bounced back like I thought I would. I try to remind myself that I still have time, and that it's ok. It's a process to get back into shape, I know. I have to be more disciplined to do a good job at it. Eating half a dozen cookies for morning snack is not the way to do so-- and yes, I really did that today.
Thirdly, I've struggled a bit with breastfeeding this time. My mom has been super supportive and has encouraged me and given positive feedback regarding the amount that I've already pumped and stored this time. I've been nervous about making enough milk. I've made a batch of lactation cookies, two batches of lactation honey oat balls, I drink cups of milk with original ovaltine, I've taken fenugreek tablets and eaten oatmeal for breakfast almost daily. I think my supply is good. I try to manually pump a little each day to start building up a good supply for my return to work in a few weeks. I'll pump at work three times a day. I'm excited to provide nutrition for my littlest Petersen. I just need to remind myself that I'm doing a good job, and not to overthink it.
If you've made it to this point, I'd like to extend my thanks for taking time to read some of my recent thoughts. And now, I've got to go check on a little toddler who has woken up quite happy from his much needed morning nap that he put himself down for, believe it or not. Check back in a few days for a post about Noah at one month old!
Much love, Reba
This post is very personal to me. I'm not sure how many people actually read this blog and I try not to be consumed by numbers. This post is for me. It's a place to document my thoughts about this first month post-partum.
Over these weeks, I have noticed some things that just aren't quite the same as far as body image and body functions go. I can't attribute the changes in my body to the epidural, but I do wonder if that had something to do with the new things in experiencing.
Since Noah's birth, I have a sharp nerve pain in my left hip. This is especially evident if I sit on the floor to play with Michael. I have a very hard time getting up again. If I'm holding Noah and sitting on the floor, I have to have someone take Noah from me and hold him, or I have to put him in his swing which sits low to the ground, so that I can use both hands to push myself up off of the floor.
This may be TMI, but I've also had trouble making it to the bathroom on time to relieve myself. This happens mainly in the middle of the night when I'm nursing Noah and realize that I really need to use the bathroom, and have to sit there and keep nursing while I wait. I haven't had an accident on myself, but I've come close and that's totally abnormal.
So, those are things I semi-attribute to the epidural. Do I regret getting an epidural? No. Not in the least. I understood that there are risks associated with getting a shot in my spine. And now I might be living with the effects of that, and that's ok. I'll either get better, or I'll adjust. There's no use being upset over what it different-- I'm just putting pieces together and thinking that it might be due to the epidural. If I were to get pregnant again, I think I'd still get an epidural. If I didn't choose to get one, it would be because I have confidence in myself to do a natural birth-- it wouldn't be because I was afraid of the side effects.
This time, the Post-Partum hormones have been so much less than with my first experience Post-Partum. The first two weeks after Michaels birth were so so difficult for me. I experienced baby blues, and realize now that they didn't dissipate until Michael was about five and a half months old. It was at that time that I realized that I needed to relinquish control-- I couldn't handle everything alone and I shouldn't try to do so. Since that realization, my life has been way way better! Post-partum hormones this time around have been so minimal that figuratively, I'd need binoculars to really see them. This time, the things I've struggled with the most include the inability to sleep through the night, my tummy, and breastfeeding. Let's take each thing individually.
First of all, the inability to sleep through the night has surely taken its toll. Although during the last few weeks of pregnancy, I would get up in the middle of the night to use the restroom, it didn't require heavy thought. Get up, go to the bathroom, wash hands, get back in bed, sleep. However, now when I get up in the middle of the night, it's to feed my son. Get up, go to the baby, pick up the baby, go to the chair, sit down, make sure the baby latches on properly, switch sides when appropriate, change baby's diaper, swaddle baby, lay baby back in crib, go to bathroom, wash hands, get back in bed, try to sleep because the countdown is on and I've got less than 3 hours til I'll be up again doing the same routine. Its rough. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE breastfeeding my son and being his source of nutrients. It's just a lot of work, and I eagerly anticipate his ability to sleep through the night.
Secondly, this time I have been more consumed with my tummy jiggle. Immediately after giving birth, a woman still looks five to six months pregnant. That astounded me after Michael's birth and I wasn't prepared. This time, I was totally prepared for that. It didn't even phase me. My tummy regained it's shape pretty quickly during my maternity leave with Michael. The pounds kept coming off after I returned to work and pumped. This time, I feel like I haven't quite bounced back like I thought I would. I try to remind myself that I still have time, and that it's ok. It's a process to get back into shape, I know. I have to be more disciplined to do a good job at it. Eating half a dozen cookies for morning snack is not the way to do so-- and yes, I really did that today.
Thirdly, I've struggled a bit with breastfeeding this time. My mom has been super supportive and has encouraged me and given positive feedback regarding the amount that I've already pumped and stored this time. I've been nervous about making enough milk. I've made a batch of lactation cookies, two batches of lactation honey oat balls, I drink cups of milk with original ovaltine, I've taken fenugreek tablets and eaten oatmeal for breakfast almost daily. I think my supply is good. I try to manually pump a little each day to start building up a good supply for my return to work in a few weeks. I'll pump at work three times a day. I'm excited to provide nutrition for my littlest Petersen. I just need to remind myself that I'm doing a good job, and not to overthink it.
If you've made it to this point, I'd like to extend my thanks for taking time to read some of my recent thoughts. And now, I've got to go check on a little toddler who has woken up quite happy from his much needed morning nap that he put himself down for, believe it or not. Check back in a few days for a post about Noah at one month old!
Much love, Reba
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Michael: 17 Months
Michael is 17 months old! Time is going so fast but I love each and every day and I absolutely love being the mommy to 2 sweet little boys! Michael's personality shows through more and more each day and it is so fun to see the kind of person he is becoming!
He his very active and sometimes rambunctious-- just like his daddy was at that age. :)
Here's a little recap:
Age: 17 months
Clothes: Michael is wearing size 18 month and 2T clothes. His shirts are mostly 2T but his pants are mostly 18months. His waist is still small and the length of the 18 month pants are a better fit. He has a lot of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles clothing. He wears a size 6 shoe comfortably. He loves to put on shoes and socks and his knit hat because it means that he gets to go outside!
Favorite Foods: Michael loves to eat! He loves Goldfish crackers, Honeymaid Lil' Squares graham crackers (they are toddler sized-- Michael's cousin had them at his first birthday party, and we found them in our local stores and we love them!), cheese slices, and Cheerios. For breakfast, he usually has instant oatmeal (the fruit and cream variety pack), some dry Cheerios, a cheese slice, and a sippy of milk. For lunch some days this week he has had fish sticks and ketchup with a fruit cup and some type of cracker (goldfish or Lil squares), and a sippy of juice mixed with water. He gets snacks during the day which include crackers or Cheerios or applesauce or the occasional healthy cookie. He has a sippy of water and juice at all times throughout the day. At dinnertime, he is very adventurous and wants to eat whatever Aaron and I are eating-- he can handle spice better than I can. :)
Favorite Words: Michael loves to say "dada" and usually he says it to get something he wants-- like a bite of dada's dessert, or a sip of dada's juice. He refuses to say mama. He can say ball and bone and book. He says bye-bye and waves as he says it. He can run up to Noah and wave and scream "hiiiiii!" He says "oh oh oh" for "up" and he frequently says "go go go." His cognitive vocabulary is huge and he can follow complex directions such as "go get some blocks. They are by your car." "go get the 'Llama Llama book and bring it to mommy." He can sign "more" "please" and "thank you."
Favorite Activities: Michael LOVES books! He will bring books to me during the day and we will read them. He chooses a weekly favorite. Soon, we will have all of our books memorized-- which isn't a bad thing. :) Michael loves to throw -- we are working on teaching him which things are ok to throw (ie, Akuna's toys are ok to throw, whereas a book or a play Xbox controller is not ok to throw).
Favorite Things: Michael loves to "share" my food with me. We call him the baby bird. In the mornings when he wakes up, I sit with him on the couch and he has a sippy of milk while we watch "Little Bear." He says "bear? Bear?" when it's over.
Signature Moves: Michael loves to twirl around and throw his head back and laugh. This of course makes Aaron and I laugh. Michael also fake cries if he doesn't get what he wants. This is not to say that we give in to him-- we do not. We know what's a real cry and what's a fake cry.
Here's our little Seattle Seahawks fan:
He his very active and sometimes rambunctious-- just like his daddy was at that age. :)
Here's a little recap:
Age: 17 months
Clothes: Michael is wearing size 18 month and 2T clothes. His shirts are mostly 2T but his pants are mostly 18months. His waist is still small and the length of the 18 month pants are a better fit. He has a lot of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles clothing. He wears a size 6 shoe comfortably. He loves to put on shoes and socks and his knit hat because it means that he gets to go outside!
Favorite Foods: Michael loves to eat! He loves Goldfish crackers, Honeymaid Lil' Squares graham crackers (they are toddler sized-- Michael's cousin had them at his first birthday party, and we found them in our local stores and we love them!), cheese slices, and Cheerios. For breakfast, he usually has instant oatmeal (the fruit and cream variety pack), some dry Cheerios, a cheese slice, and a sippy of milk. For lunch some days this week he has had fish sticks and ketchup with a fruit cup and some type of cracker (goldfish or Lil squares), and a sippy of juice mixed with water. He gets snacks during the day which include crackers or Cheerios or applesauce or the occasional healthy cookie. He has a sippy of water and juice at all times throughout the day. At dinnertime, he is very adventurous and wants to eat whatever Aaron and I are eating-- he can handle spice better than I can. :)
Favorite Words: Michael loves to say "dada" and usually he says it to get something he wants-- like a bite of dada's dessert, or a sip of dada's juice. He refuses to say mama. He can say ball and bone and book. He says bye-bye and waves as he says it. He can run up to Noah and wave and scream "hiiiiii!" He says "oh oh oh" for "up" and he frequently says "go go go." His cognitive vocabulary is huge and he can follow complex directions such as "go get some blocks. They are by your car." "go get the 'Llama Llama book and bring it to mommy." He can sign "more" "please" and "thank you."
Favorite Activities: Michael LOVES books! He will bring books to me during the day and we will read them. He chooses a weekly favorite. Soon, we will have all of our books memorized-- which isn't a bad thing. :) Michael loves to throw -- we are working on teaching him which things are ok to throw (ie, Akuna's toys are ok to throw, whereas a book or a play Xbox controller is not ok to throw).
Favorite Things: Michael loves to "share" my food with me. We call him the baby bird. In the mornings when he wakes up, I sit with him on the couch and he has a sippy of milk while we watch "Little Bear." He says "bear? Bear?" when it's over.
Signature Moves: Michael loves to twirl around and throw his head back and laugh. This of course makes Aaron and I laugh. Michael also fake cries if he doesn't get what he wants. This is not to say that we give in to him-- we do not. We know what's a real cry and what's a fake cry.
Here's our little Seattle Seahawks fan:
Here's Michael during his very first haircut-- he was entertained by eating graham crackers and looking at my phone:
Here's a picture of Michael's hair cut from the side:
Here's our happy morning boy:
Here's our silly boy at suppertime:
Thanks for catching up with us! Much love, Reba
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Meet Noah Scott!
We've been adjusting to our life as a family of four. So far, it has been marvelous. I figured I'd take a moment while Michael naps and Aaron holds Noah, to write a bit about Noah's birthday.
On Monday January 6, I went to the doctor for my week 39 appointment. I had another NST, and Noah did great! I was slightly dilated, so the doctor told me I had a couple options. I could go to the hospital on Wednesday night and be induced on Thursday the 9, or I could go into the hospital on January 13 and be induced on Tuesday the 14th (my actual due date), or I could come back to the doctor's office on Monday January 13 and see if I was dilated any further. Aaron and I had talked earlier that morning about what we would choose if I was given any options. We decided that I would take the earliest opportunity to induce in order to give Noah a chance to control his own blood sugar levels and not rely on me for them. Aaron wasn't able to come with me to the appointment, so I had to make the decision based on our conversation. So I chose to go into the hospital on Wednesday January 8th and be induced on Thursday January 9th. The doctor agreed with our decision to go ahead and deliver Noah so we would be rid of the gestational diabetes. I realized that the delivery would be taking place at the hospital right across the parking lot from the doctor's office-- which is not the hospital we were intending to deliver at. The doctor said he already had 2 inductions scheduled for Thursday, and it would be too difficult to have me deliver at a hospital 7 miles away. I was a little nervous for the change. Fortunately, my mom knew of some nurses who worked at this different hospital, and she assured me that it was a good place. She spoke with a nursing friend who worked in the nursery there, and that friend volunteered to come be the nursery nurse in our room on Thursday!
Since I had only been in this hospital one time (8 years ago), I felt nervous about knowing where to go on Wednesday night. I had chosen to take off work on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of that week since we were experiencing icy weather, and I didn't want to risk getting in a car accident or slipping in the parking lot at work since I was so close to the end of the pregnancy. So, since I was going to be off, my mom suggested that she and I go to the hospital on Tuesday and ask for a tour. I was so impressed! The nursing staff at the post partum floor and on the labor and delivery floor were all so nice! I got to see what a post partum room looked like-- and they were twice as big as the post partum rooms at the hospital I had planned to go to. I also got to see the two kinds of labor and delivery rooms, and look in the window of the nursery. After the tour, I was pumped! I wished I had gone to this hospital for Michael's birth!
On Wednesday night, Aaron & I packed up Michael's suitcase and took him to Aaron's mom's house where he would stay until we got home from the hospital. Earlier that day, my mom came over and took our dog back to her house where he would stay until we had been home for a couple days. Aaron and I packed up our hospital bags, and made our way to the hospital for our 9:00pm appointment. We got to wait in a private waiting room on the labor and delivery floor. Within 15 minutes, a nurse came to get me. Aaron got to stay in the waiting room while I filled out paperwork, got weighed, went to our labor room, got my hospital gown on, got an IV (in my forearm rather than my hand-- which I was so excited about!), and gave our family medical history. I was hooked up to the monitors that measured Noah's heart rate and my contractions. The nurse checked my progression. I as dilated to 1cm. She said all of her other patients weren't dilated at all, so at least a 1 was something. Then, Aaron got to come to the room. There was a pull out couch for him to sleep on. We played half a game of "Phase 10" and then decided to go on to sleep. It was about 10:30.
I got to get out of bed to use the bathroom on my own--which I wasn't able to do at the other hospital. I didn't sleep too well, but that was to be expected. Around 5:45, I started feeling contractions. The nurse came in to give me my petocin. She checked my progression. I was dilated to a 2 or a 3, she said. She said I was having huge contractions on the monitor and she would probably be back to dial down my petocin level instead of raising it if it looked like I was progressing too fast. The doctor came in at 7:30 and broke my water. I told him I was feeling the contractions. He checked my progression and said I was dilated to a 3. He said he'd call around 9:30 and be back to check on me around noon.
The day shift nurse arrived and said I could have pain medicine if I needed it while I waited for the epidural. They told me I had to have another bag of fluid through the iv before I could get an epidural. I didn't understand why since I had a full bag of fluid overnight through the iv, but I didn't question them and I didn't complain. Around 8:00, I asked for the pain medicine. She gave it to me and informed me that I might feel drowsy. I instantly felt dizzy and had a hard time keeping both eyes open at the same time. I was still feeling the contractions and didn't feel any relied from the pain meds. Around 8:30, the anesthesiologist arrived. Aaron was able to take a shower at this time since I didn't want him to see the epidural needle. The contractions were very strong at the point, and the nurse had to help hold me steady so the anesthesiologist could properly insert the epidural. I wobbled when he initially inserted it, so he had to start over. By this point, the contractions were so intense that I was shaking. The nurse had to grab my shoulders and press her forehead against mine in order to hold me steady enough to have the epidural inserted. Once it was in, the anesthesiologist hung around. By this time, Aaron was out of the shower and my mom had arrived. The nurse checked my progression. I was 9 and a half centimeters dilated. I didn't understand at first what she meant by "nine and a half." When I realized that I had progressed from 3cm to 9.5cm in a little over an hour, I was scared. My mom assured me that Noah was doing great. The anesthesiologist was watching me endure the contractions, and he said he was going to administer lidocaine since it would start working in a few minutes whereas the epidural was still going to take 20 minutes to kick in. I kept waiting for the lidocaine to be administered so I would feel some relief. I never felt relief, and Aaron told me later that the anesthesiologist gave me the lidocaine right when he said he would. The anesthesiologist could tell that it wasn't working. He hung around in the room asking me if I felt pressure or pain during the contractions. I said pressure, but very intense pressure and it was painful. A call was made to the doctor. Mom called her friend who had offered to come be the nursery nurse in our room. Mom's friend said she would be there in 15 minutes. I said I didn't have 15 minutes. Her friend arrived in her normal clothes--- she didn't even have time to put on her scrubs. The doctor came right over from the office. He was shocked that I progressed so quickly. It was so difficult to push since the pain was so intense. During each contraction I yelled out where I felt pain "pressure in my back!" or "pressure in my hips!" The doctor was encouraging me to keep pushing and told me it wouldn't be long until the pain was over. He said the pressure I felt was the baby making his way out. I kept asking my mom and Aaron to tell me I could do it. They did so over and over. Finally, the doctor told me that he could see the head and I just needed to push once more. He told me to give a gentle push- and I totally couldn't figure out how to push gently since I was in so much pain. I remember raising my head to look at him and saying "gentle push?" I'm not sure how I did it, but the push must have been gentle enough for the doctor to assess Noah and then I heard the screams of my newborn. With that last push, my pain was gone. He was placed directly on me, and cried and cried and cried. So I did too. I was so happy to have him here and have him healthy and safe. the doctor said I could have breakfast and eat whatever I wanted. Gestational diabetes was over! I told him I brought Christmas cookies with me, and he laughed because during the pregnancy, I talked about bringing cookies with me.
My mom's friend took Noah to the area to warm him and measure him. His APGAR scores were 9 and 9! He weighed 7lbs 4oz and was 21 inches long. So, a pound and 10 ounces less than Michael, and the same length. He was placed back on me and Aaron and I got to have a great amount of time with him before he was taken to the nursery. He was called the pinkest baby in the nursery. After 6 hours of recovery time, we ere moved to our super large post partum room.
Michael got to come visit us the next day around lunchtime. He instantly liked his baby brother. It was wonderful for Aaron and I to see Michael because we surely missed him! On Saturday, we were able to come home. Since then, we've been happily figuring out our life as a family of four.
On Monday January 6, I went to the doctor for my week 39 appointment. I had another NST, and Noah did great! I was slightly dilated, so the doctor told me I had a couple options. I could go to the hospital on Wednesday night and be induced on Thursday the 9, or I could go into the hospital on January 13 and be induced on Tuesday the 14th (my actual due date), or I could come back to the doctor's office on Monday January 13 and see if I was dilated any further. Aaron and I had talked earlier that morning about what we would choose if I was given any options. We decided that I would take the earliest opportunity to induce in order to give Noah a chance to control his own blood sugar levels and not rely on me for them. Aaron wasn't able to come with me to the appointment, so I had to make the decision based on our conversation. So I chose to go into the hospital on Wednesday January 8th and be induced on Thursday January 9th. The doctor agreed with our decision to go ahead and deliver Noah so we would be rid of the gestational diabetes. I realized that the delivery would be taking place at the hospital right across the parking lot from the doctor's office-- which is not the hospital we were intending to deliver at. The doctor said he already had 2 inductions scheduled for Thursday, and it would be too difficult to have me deliver at a hospital 7 miles away. I was a little nervous for the change. Fortunately, my mom knew of some nurses who worked at this different hospital, and she assured me that it was a good place. She spoke with a nursing friend who worked in the nursery there, and that friend volunteered to come be the nursery nurse in our room on Thursday!
Since I had only been in this hospital one time (8 years ago), I felt nervous about knowing where to go on Wednesday night. I had chosen to take off work on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of that week since we were experiencing icy weather, and I didn't want to risk getting in a car accident or slipping in the parking lot at work since I was so close to the end of the pregnancy. So, since I was going to be off, my mom suggested that she and I go to the hospital on Tuesday and ask for a tour. I was so impressed! The nursing staff at the post partum floor and on the labor and delivery floor were all so nice! I got to see what a post partum room looked like-- and they were twice as big as the post partum rooms at the hospital I had planned to go to. I also got to see the two kinds of labor and delivery rooms, and look in the window of the nursery. After the tour, I was pumped! I wished I had gone to this hospital for Michael's birth!
On Wednesday night, Aaron & I packed up Michael's suitcase and took him to Aaron's mom's house where he would stay until we got home from the hospital. Earlier that day, my mom came over and took our dog back to her house where he would stay until we had been home for a couple days. Aaron and I packed up our hospital bags, and made our way to the hospital for our 9:00pm appointment. We got to wait in a private waiting room on the labor and delivery floor. Within 15 minutes, a nurse came to get me. Aaron got to stay in the waiting room while I filled out paperwork, got weighed, went to our labor room, got my hospital gown on, got an IV (in my forearm rather than my hand-- which I was so excited about!), and gave our family medical history. I was hooked up to the monitors that measured Noah's heart rate and my contractions. The nurse checked my progression. I as dilated to 1cm. She said all of her other patients weren't dilated at all, so at least a 1 was something. Then, Aaron got to come to the room. There was a pull out couch for him to sleep on. We played half a game of "Phase 10" and then decided to go on to sleep. It was about 10:30.
I got to get out of bed to use the bathroom on my own--which I wasn't able to do at the other hospital. I didn't sleep too well, but that was to be expected. Around 5:45, I started feeling contractions. The nurse came in to give me my petocin. She checked my progression. I was dilated to a 2 or a 3, she said. She said I was having huge contractions on the monitor and she would probably be back to dial down my petocin level instead of raising it if it looked like I was progressing too fast. The doctor came in at 7:30 and broke my water. I told him I was feeling the contractions. He checked my progression and said I was dilated to a 3. He said he'd call around 9:30 and be back to check on me around noon.
The day shift nurse arrived and said I could have pain medicine if I needed it while I waited for the epidural. They told me I had to have another bag of fluid through the iv before I could get an epidural. I didn't understand why since I had a full bag of fluid overnight through the iv, but I didn't question them and I didn't complain. Around 8:00, I asked for the pain medicine. She gave it to me and informed me that I might feel drowsy. I instantly felt dizzy and had a hard time keeping both eyes open at the same time. I was still feeling the contractions and didn't feel any relied from the pain meds. Around 8:30, the anesthesiologist arrived. Aaron was able to take a shower at this time since I didn't want him to see the epidural needle. The contractions were very strong at the point, and the nurse had to help hold me steady so the anesthesiologist could properly insert the epidural. I wobbled when he initially inserted it, so he had to start over. By this point, the contractions were so intense that I was shaking. The nurse had to grab my shoulders and press her forehead against mine in order to hold me steady enough to have the epidural inserted. Once it was in, the anesthesiologist hung around. By this time, Aaron was out of the shower and my mom had arrived. The nurse checked my progression. I was 9 and a half centimeters dilated. I didn't understand at first what she meant by "nine and a half." When I realized that I had progressed from 3cm to 9.5cm in a little over an hour, I was scared. My mom assured me that Noah was doing great. The anesthesiologist was watching me endure the contractions, and he said he was going to administer lidocaine since it would start working in a few minutes whereas the epidural was still going to take 20 minutes to kick in. I kept waiting for the lidocaine to be administered so I would feel some relief. I never felt relief, and Aaron told me later that the anesthesiologist gave me the lidocaine right when he said he would. The anesthesiologist could tell that it wasn't working. He hung around in the room asking me if I felt pressure or pain during the contractions. I said pressure, but very intense pressure and it was painful. A call was made to the doctor. Mom called her friend who had offered to come be the nursery nurse in our room. Mom's friend said she would be there in 15 minutes. I said I didn't have 15 minutes. Her friend arrived in her normal clothes--- she didn't even have time to put on her scrubs. The doctor came right over from the office. He was shocked that I progressed so quickly. It was so difficult to push since the pain was so intense. During each contraction I yelled out where I felt pain "pressure in my back!" or "pressure in my hips!" The doctor was encouraging me to keep pushing and told me it wouldn't be long until the pain was over. He said the pressure I felt was the baby making his way out. I kept asking my mom and Aaron to tell me I could do it. They did so over and over. Finally, the doctor told me that he could see the head and I just needed to push once more. He told me to give a gentle push- and I totally couldn't figure out how to push gently since I was in so much pain. I remember raising my head to look at him and saying "gentle push?" I'm not sure how I did it, but the push must have been gentle enough for the doctor to assess Noah and then I heard the screams of my newborn. With that last push, my pain was gone. He was placed directly on me, and cried and cried and cried. So I did too. I was so happy to have him here and have him healthy and safe. the doctor said I could have breakfast and eat whatever I wanted. Gestational diabetes was over! I told him I brought Christmas cookies with me, and he laughed because during the pregnancy, I talked about bringing cookies with me.
My mom's friend took Noah to the area to warm him and measure him. His APGAR scores were 9 and 9! He weighed 7lbs 4oz and was 21 inches long. So, a pound and 10 ounces less than Michael, and the same length. He was placed back on me and Aaron and I got to have a great amount of time with him before he was taken to the nursery. He was called the pinkest baby in the nursery. After 6 hours of recovery time, we ere moved to our super large post partum room.
Michael got to come visit us the next day around lunchtime. He instantly liked his baby brother. It was wonderful for Aaron and I to see Michael because we surely missed him! On Saturday, we were able to come home. Since then, we've been happily figuring out our life as a family of four.
I'll upload pictures later of Michael's first meeting with Noah.
Much love, Reba
Sunday, December 22, 2013
Nesting and Baking: Week 36 (and a half)
Oh boy. I'm not sure if nesting and baking can be intertwined, but I almost think they can. I've caught myself a couple times now cleaning something and pausing mid-way through because I think of something else that needs to be cleaned and I start cleaning that thing instead of finishing my first project. I'll call it CADD: Cleaning Attention Deficit Disorder. The cure? I haven't found it yet.
I can guarantee you that this past week, I have done WAY more baking than cleaning.
As a gestational diabetic, it has been very hard to avoid the sweets and treats that make up part of the holiday season. Aaron and I did find my favorite Christmas candy: Snicker's Nutcrackers. Oh my goodness- these are SO good! I looked at the carbs and knew I could enjoy one as my evening snack. Since these are a specialty item, and because we are living in a marketing world, the nutcrackers are very small. It was a bit of a reality check to see how many carbs are in such a small piece of chocolate. But I do retain self-control and limited myself to just one. And what a wonderful one it was!
Side note: I do urge you to buy holiday specific candy, if possible, because it is so much fresher than the original candy.
After the candy disappeared over the course of a week, (one a day for 7 days), I decided I could hold off on buying anymore candy until after Noah is born. I did request that any candy I receive for Christmas be the regular kind and not sugar-free. Sugar-free candy is still pretty carb-y because of the sugar alcohol in it. I plan to avoid eating candy until Noah arrives-- but I do plan on taking any candy I receive with me to the hospital to enjoy after Noah is here. :)
Due to my Pinterest addiction, I have come across many many wonderful dessert recipes. Combine the ample recipes with my LOVE of baking, and we end up with a semi-dangerous combination. Normally, I don't think I'd really have the energy to do the amount of baking that I've done this past week. However, my theory is that the energy I'm supposed to be using to clean my house (aka "nesting") somehow got crossed with the "baking" wire in my brain. So I have an enormous amount of energy when it comes to baking stuff this week!
I have been good and have packaged up most of the baked goods into single-serve portions that I have frozen so that I can have home-baked goods during my maternity leave when I probably really won't have the energy to do any baking since I'll be spending my time learning how to be a mommy to a toddler and a newborn.
I also know that we will be spending lots of time with family this week, and it's my plan to bring some desserts with me each time we go to a family get-together. That way, I can use up this energy I have to bake, and I can give away the treats to family!
This past week, I have made cake-mix cookie snickerdoodles, yellow cake mix cookies with peppermint Hershey kisses on top, Ghirardelli dark chocolate brownies (I don't normally make brownies from a box, but these were BOGO at Publix), tiny chocolate chip cookies, and Great Depression cupcakes.
I plan to make some brownie truffles, peanut butter fudge, and brownie cheesecake bites for family this week.
Okay, enough about baking. Let's talk about pregnancy!
On Christmas Eve, I'll reach 37 weeks (full-term). This week, I return to the doctor and get a pelvic exam to see if there's any effacing or dilation. I'm not expecting any, but I certainly won't be disappointed if there is any progression.
I put the baby monitor in place, and put the mattress pad and sheet on the cradle mattress. I'm in the process of washing all of the tiniest baby clothes that we have. I washed them before they were put away after Michael grew out of them, but that was over a year ago and I figured they could use another wash. This is my time to nest after all.
My hospital bag is essentially packed. Here is what I have included: new pajamas (thanks, Mom!), nursing sleep bras, a few nursing pads, a towel (for Aaron so he won't have to use the tiny hospital ones), an outfit for Noah to have his picture taken in, a coming-home outfit for Noah, and a receiving blanket. I will still need to pack my toiletries and make-up when I leaving the house on "labor day."
The car seat is installed. We are basically baby-ready! Aaron says he is ready anytime. I am ready, I think, although I do not mind at all if Noah stays in the womb for the remaining 3 weeks of the pregnancy-- he benefits from every day spent in the womb! It seems like this pregnancy flew by until week 30-- and then it slowed down until week 36. It is speeding up again to me and I can't believe that we're 3 weeks (or less) away from meeting little Noah! I am so excited for this moment to be approaching. Now that the car seat is installed, and the hospital bag is packed, and the baby cradle has sheets and the baby monitor is set up, I feel much more at ease.
Here is a photo of the cradle:
You can see the Angel Care monitor Nursery unit sitting in the cradle. This will, of course, be next to the cradle when Noah arrives. Also, you'll notice the "bear" cocoon and hat that my Aunt Mari made for Noah. I will be taking some newborn shots of him in this sweet baby outfit.
Here is a picture of my hospital bag and the contents:
From let to right you'll see:
I appreciate all of the prayers as we head into the final days of this pregnancy. Much love, Reba
I can guarantee you that this past week, I have done WAY more baking than cleaning.
As a gestational diabetic, it has been very hard to avoid the sweets and treats that make up part of the holiday season. Aaron and I did find my favorite Christmas candy: Snicker's Nutcrackers. Oh my goodness- these are SO good! I looked at the carbs and knew I could enjoy one as my evening snack. Since these are a specialty item, and because we are living in a marketing world, the nutcrackers are very small. It was a bit of a reality check to see how many carbs are in such a small piece of chocolate. But I do retain self-control and limited myself to just one. And what a wonderful one it was!
Side note: I do urge you to buy holiday specific candy, if possible, because it is so much fresher than the original candy.
After the candy disappeared over the course of a week, (one a day for 7 days), I decided I could hold off on buying anymore candy until after Noah is born. I did request that any candy I receive for Christmas be the regular kind and not sugar-free. Sugar-free candy is still pretty carb-y because of the sugar alcohol in it. I plan to avoid eating candy until Noah arrives-- but I do plan on taking any candy I receive with me to the hospital to enjoy after Noah is here. :)
Due to my Pinterest addiction, I have come across many many wonderful dessert recipes. Combine the ample recipes with my LOVE of baking, and we end up with a semi-dangerous combination. Normally, I don't think I'd really have the energy to do the amount of baking that I've done this past week. However, my theory is that the energy I'm supposed to be using to clean my house (aka "nesting") somehow got crossed with the "baking" wire in my brain. So I have an enormous amount of energy when it comes to baking stuff this week!
I have been good and have packaged up most of the baked goods into single-serve portions that I have frozen so that I can have home-baked goods during my maternity leave when I probably really won't have the energy to do any baking since I'll be spending my time learning how to be a mommy to a toddler and a newborn.
I also know that we will be spending lots of time with family this week, and it's my plan to bring some desserts with me each time we go to a family get-together. That way, I can use up this energy I have to bake, and I can give away the treats to family!
This past week, I have made cake-mix cookie snickerdoodles, yellow cake mix cookies with peppermint Hershey kisses on top, Ghirardelli dark chocolate brownies (I don't normally make brownies from a box, but these were BOGO at Publix), tiny chocolate chip cookies, and Great Depression cupcakes.
I plan to make some brownie truffles, peanut butter fudge, and brownie cheesecake bites for family this week.
Okay, enough about baking. Let's talk about pregnancy!
On Christmas Eve, I'll reach 37 weeks (full-term). This week, I return to the doctor and get a pelvic exam to see if there's any effacing or dilation. I'm not expecting any, but I certainly won't be disappointed if there is any progression.
I put the baby monitor in place, and put the mattress pad and sheet on the cradle mattress. I'm in the process of washing all of the tiniest baby clothes that we have. I washed them before they were put away after Michael grew out of them, but that was over a year ago and I figured they could use another wash. This is my time to nest after all.
My hospital bag is essentially packed. Here is what I have included: new pajamas (thanks, Mom!), nursing sleep bras, a few nursing pads, a towel (for Aaron so he won't have to use the tiny hospital ones), an outfit for Noah to have his picture taken in, a coming-home outfit for Noah, and a receiving blanket. I will still need to pack my toiletries and make-up when I leaving the house on "labor day."
The car seat is installed. We are basically baby-ready! Aaron says he is ready anytime. I am ready, I think, although I do not mind at all if Noah stays in the womb for the remaining 3 weeks of the pregnancy-- he benefits from every day spent in the womb! It seems like this pregnancy flew by until week 30-- and then it slowed down until week 36. It is speeding up again to me and I can't believe that we're 3 weeks (or less) away from meeting little Noah! I am so excited for this moment to be approaching. Now that the car seat is installed, and the hospital bag is packed, and the baby cradle has sheets and the baby monitor is set up, I feel much more at ease.
Here is a photo of the cradle:
You can see the Angel Care monitor Nursery unit sitting in the cradle. This will, of course, be next to the cradle when Noah arrives. Also, you'll notice the "bear" cocoon and hat that my Aunt Mari made for Noah. I will be taking some newborn shots of him in this sweet baby outfit.
Here is a picture of my hospital bag and the contents:
From let to right you'll see:
- Orange towel for Aaron
- New PJs for me
- Eye masks (one for Aaron and one for me, because there's always that one light that you can't turn off)
- Coming home outfit for Noah (a long sleeve sleeper with trucks on it)
- A couple different baby hats for him,
- Two receiving blankets (one has planes and stars on it, and the other has trucks and busses on it)
- White jacket if he needs it
- Outfit for hospital picture. (We missed out on this opportunity with Michael since he was in the Extended Care Nursery for his whole stay-- so I figured I'd bring the outfit Michael came home from the hospital in, and have Noah wear it for his pictures since it's too cold for it to be his coming home outfit)
I appreciate all of the prayers as we head into the final days of this pregnancy. Much love, Reba
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Holiday Favorites: Home Scents
It’s time for another round of Holiday Favorites. This time it’s all about making your home
smell festive and fun!
I have an array of candles, sprays, and gel air fresheners
that I alternate among to keep my home smelling pleasant. I’m anxious to try a simmering water
technique with fresh cranberries, orange and lemon slices, cloves, and cinnamon
sticks, but I haven’t gotten around to that quite yet. For now, here are my top choices for home
scents around the holidays. These scents
work well in both the autumn and winter seasons.
Candles:
I have a love/hate relationship with candles. I love to peruse the selection of candles in
various stores. However, I’m not a fan
of the price tags! The other day,
Michael and I were shopping in Target and I found a candle that smelled amazing.
However, it was way too pricy for the size of the candle itself. So, Michael and I went on the hunt to find a
cheaper candle. It doesn’t smell nearly
as good, but it was one-third the price. J The candles I am willing to splurge on are as
follows:
Yankee Candle— Kitchen Spice:
Yankee Candle— Apple Cider:
You can find these candles at a Yankee Candle store, or on
the Yankee Candle website. I have also
discovered that these candles are available on amazon.com (my favorite website). Sometimes, you can even find them at Cracker Barrel in the Old Country Store.
Air Fresheners:
Usually, I am not such a huge fan of air fresheners because
they can come across too strong and present a chemically smell. In addition, they can also be pricy. However, recently I found a “Fall Collection”
set at Costco for a fabulous price and I scooped it up. It included three Febreze air fresheners. I’m only discussing two here because I haven’t
tried out the third scent, and I don’t want to write about something I do not
know. The two scents I have tried out
are Apple Spice and Fluffy Vanilla.
The first time I ever smelled the Febreze Apple Spice scent
was in college. My friends had this
scent to spray in their dorm room. I
remember how wonderful it smelled and how it filled the space with its
scent. I really enjoy using this
one.
The Fluffy Vanilla is a good holiday scent. It leaves a nice light fragrance in the air—almost
a cross between freshly warmed towels from the dryer and cookies baking in the
oven. It’s a pleasant scent that I have used in my
kitchen and in my living room.
The smell of the Febreze air fresheners linger and they don’t
overpower the room with the chemically smell left by some other brands of air
fresheners.
Apple Spice Febreze:
Gel Air Fresheners:
I like to use the gel air fresheners on shelves throughout
my home to provide a light scent. These
scents don’t fill a whole room, but they are nice for areas that could use a
little perfume-y bounce. I am a fan of
the Renuzit brand of gel air fresheners.
I mainly stick a little canister on the backs of the toilets, or on
shelves in the living room, or on the kitchen counter near the garbage
can. I have tried several fragrances
including Lavender Vanilla, and Apple Cinnamon.
My most recent favorite is Amber Vanilla. At first, I wasn’t so sure I’d like it just
because I don’t gravitate towards amber-scented items. However, these smell fantastic! I got a three-pack at Target and have placed
them around the house. When I load and
unload my dishwasher, I smell the one sitting on the counter near the garbage
can. I’ve caught myself a few times
wondering what smelled like a baking cake.
This scent is very nice and very appealing in a variety of
settings. I have one on the shelf in the
guest bathroom, on a shelf in the living room, and on a counter in the
kitchen.
Renuzit Amber Vanilla:
I hope you’ve enjoyed my fragrance suggestions to get your
home smelling festive this holiday season!
Much love, Reba
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