Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Hello? Is anybody home?

Hello blogosphere... remember me? I was up late last night, trying to fall asleep and reading blogs.
 I thought to myself, "I should check back in on my blog!" So here I am.

Here is a quick update on my life this last year or so....

We welcomed a sweet, precious son in April 2012. He is name is Aaron...isn't he adorable?

He was 8# 13 oz and 22" long. Big boy!

Here he is now... over 20# and 9 months old.


 
 
And here is Miss Felicity... 2.5 years old, smart, silly and sassy!
 
 
 
I love life with these two. They keep me on my toes, and keep me laughing.
 
Right now I am working about 20 hours/month as a pediatric nurse. That will probably be coming to an end soon since we are....wait for it....selling our townhouse!
 
We bought our townhouse in May 2009. I haaated it at first, but now it is so hard to leave it. It is the house where we brought our two brand new little babies home, where I had my first all night nursing sessions, where Felicity learned to walk (and Aaron is trying to), where our kids first gave us kisses. So many wonderful memories fill that house. Leaving it is hard, but it is also a good time to see what is store for us.
 
We don't know where we are moving yet. Our search is spanning a large area in Virginia. We won't search seriously until our house is on the market (in just a little over a week! Eek!). We are just going out on faith, trusting that God will lead us to the right house, in the right location.  
 

 
 So there is a quick summary. I'm sure I will get more into details another day. If you happen to read this post, and would like to say HI or have a question for me, just leave a comment :)
 
xoxo,
 
mrs.messi


Friday, October 28, 2011

14 weeks

Wow, it's been so long since I updated. Life has been crazy!

We had our NT at 12 weeks. The doctor thinks that the baby's left foot is clubbed. As far as he can tell the right foot is normal. That combined with a thick nuchal fold measurement and elevated bloodwork, give the baby 3 markers for Down syndrome. We are going for another ultrasound to take a second look at the foot and more bloodwork on Nov 5.

M and I both firmly believe that God has a wonderful life planned for this baby, and that He won't give us, as parents, anything we can't handle. Thoughts and prayers appreciated!
How far along? 14w5d

Total weight gain: Grand total so far is +2. It is hard to believe because my bump is definitely forming. I've even had several strangers comment.

How big is baby? The size of a lemon

Maternity clothes: 95% of what I wear is maternity. This weekend I have to pull regular clothes out of the closet to make more room for maternity clothes.

Stretch Marks: Nothing new

Sleep: So-so. Some nights I sleep like a rock, some night I have trouble falling asleep then wake up a lot.

Movement: YES! I've been feeling flutters on and off since 11w6d! It only last for a minute or two, and it isn't everyday, but I certain now that it is the baby saying HI!

Food cravings: Not really. I am finally getting to eat a little more normally.

Food aversions: Meats

Symptoms: M/s is easing up. Still having a lot of nausea, but only vomiting every other day or so. I've also been having bad headaches, which stinks because Tylenol is worthless.

Belly button: In

What I most looking forward to: We go for our genetic scan and squential screening on Nov 5. I just want to hear that my baby is ok!

Weekly wisdom: God's plan is the best plan!

Weekly joy: Cuddle time with Felicity. She really only cuddles if the TV is on, so sometimes I let her watch Dora or a little bit of a Disney movie, so I can trick her into sitting on my lap.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

9 weeks





How far along? 9w4d


Total weight gain: I'm still just up one lb.



How big is baby? The size of a grape

She's starting to look more and more human. Her essential body parts are accounted for, though they'll go through plenty of fine-tuning in the coming months. Other changes abound: Your baby's heart finishes dividing into four chambers, and the valves start to form — as do her tiny teeth. The embryonic "tail" is completely gone. Your baby's organs, muscles, and nerves are kicking into gear.

Maternity clothes: I mostly wear maternity now. It makes life easier and me more comfortable.

Stretch Marks: Nothing new

Sleep: Felicity is teething, so I've been getting up with her a couple of times a night. I need more sleep!

Movement: No

Food cravings: None

Food aversions: Food is still my enemy

Symptoms: This weekend was epic as far as morning sickness goes. At one point, M had to pull the car over so I could throw up, and I peed myself so bad that my jeans were soaked. We were on our way to a meeting a couple hours away, so we went to Target to buy new undies and pants. Target didn't have a single pair of matnerity pants in my size! So then we had to stop at Kohls. I threw up so many times during the car ride, that M finally just turned around, since we were going to be so late.

GAH!

DH just kept reminding me that it was this way with Felicity, too. I know it will all be worth it in the end! I told DH that this kid better be freakin' cute


Belly button: In

What I most looking forward to: Tomorrow is my first appt with the MD! I am crossing my fingers that she can find the heart beat!

Weekly wisdom: If you have older children, make sure you give them special Mommy time.

Weekly joy: SIL found out she is having a boy. I can't wait to find out with this LO is!

Monday, September 12, 2011

8 weeks = 2 months

I'm sorry I haven't been updating the blog. Things have been crazy here. Felicity and I went out of town for Labor Day weekend, and I have been so nauseous and tired. I feel like I can barely get through each day, much less tell people on the internet about it! LOL



How far along? 8w1d. Thankfully the last month went pretty quickly!


Total weight gain: I think I am up 1 lb. It flucuates by a pound or two.



How big is baby? The size of a kidney bean





The baby's hands and feet are starting to poke out

Maternity clothes: Yesterday I wore maternity pants and they were much more comfortable. I think I will be making the switch in the next couple of weeks.

Stretch Marks: Nothing new

Sleep: I love sleep...I just wish I could sleep more than 6-8 hours a day

Movement: No

Food cravings: Definitely not...I am still trying to find foods that don't make my stomach churn

Food aversions: Still pretty much everything :( :( :(

Symptom: My biggest sx is still m/s. Even with the highest dose of Zofran, I am very nauseous and vomiting pretty frequently. I hate it! I am tired, too, and lazy! LOL

Belly button: In

What I most looking forward to: Hearing the heartbeat at my appt on Sept 22, wearing maternity clothes without shame :)

Weekly wisdom: keep trying to find the foods that keep you from throwing up

Weekly joy: We had our first u/s on Thursday. The baby looks perfect and is measuring right on track! We told our families that night - F wore a Big Sis shirt that I made for her. On Saturday, we took a picture of her in it to a wedding to tell the in-laws. Everyone was SO SURPRISED! I really thought at least our mom's suspected, but both claimed that they had no idea.

I am just so amazed that F is going to be a big sister! She seems so much older already!






Friday, August 26, 2011

5 weeks




Hi everyone! I promise to do a catch-up post on the last year of our life very very soon. I just haven't had the time to even think of where I would start with such a thing. I don't want to get behind on my weekly pg posts, though. So here you gooooo....

How far along? 5w5d

Total weight gain/loss: Not really checking. I would assume I'm the same though.

How Big is Baby?: The size of a sesame seed

The brain and heart are starting to develop!

Maternity clothes: I confess, I wore maternity pants yesterday. I had to take Felicity to her kidney specialist, so I knew I would be much more comfortable in them. Once we got our in public, I felt a little foolish, because they make my bloat look much more like a bump. I had this fear that someone would ask me if I was pregnant, and when I told them 5 weeks, they would start laughing! Thank goodness that didn't happen! LOL

Stretch marks? Nothing new

Sleep: Still having trouble falling asleep. By mid afternoon, I am very tired.

Movement: No

Food cravings: No

Food aversions: Food wasn't as gross this week, but I still don't have much of an appetite

Symptoms: I've felt a little better in week 5 then I did in 4. The bloat is down some (but still annoyingly there, making my pants feel tight!), but the nausea hasn't affected me as much. I did gag and throw-up once.

Belly Button in or out? In.

What I am looking forward to: First appt next Thursday!

Weekly Wisdom: Nap any chance you get.

Weekly Joy: I shared the secret with a few select friends so far (MC, TH, MM, EJ). Everyone seems very excited, which makes me more excited!

Friday, August 19, 2011

4 weeks and C25k



How far along? 4w5d
Total weight gain/loss: I don't think any so far
How Big is Baby?: The size of a poppy seed

Maternity clothes? No, but the bloat is out of control! I'm hoping it goes down so I can stop sucking it!
Stretch marks? Nothing new
Sleep: Some trouble falling asleep, but I feel very tired during the day. Yesterday I got an hour long nap which was wonderful!
Movement: No
Food cravings: No
Food aversions: Most food is very unappealing :(
Symptoms: I've been nauseous on and off, and have had a few headaches. So far the worst sx is just feeling blah and tired.
Belly Button in or out? In. It never popped with Felicity, so I wonder if it will this time
What I am looking forward to: Having my first sonogram! That is still a few weeks away though
Weekly Wisdom: Feel grateful for the blessings in your life!
Weekly Joy: Getting my BFP! Since we weren't trying, it really feels like God wants us to have this baby now :)

I started the Couch-2-5k program 8/8/11. So far I've been able to get my running sessions in. I really haven't exercised since I tried to follow the C25k program before I got pregnant with Felicity. I really hope I will be able to complete it this time...but I'll be listening to my body. We'll see!

Another sweet blessing is on the way!

Wow, I can't believe I haven't updated my blog since last August! A whole year has flown by! It has been a wonderful year...Felicity is such a joy!

I'm back to blogging :) Can you guess why? Another BFP! Here's the story...

M and I agreed a while back to start TTC August '11. I felt at the beginning of this cycle, that I wanted to wait a little bit longer, so we decided to take it cycle by cycle to make sure we were both on board. I went to the beach and had all the ovulation signs while I was there. Got home, DTD, then had more ovulation signs. I freaked out, M just laughed, and said, "Well, it's up to God now."

Thursday, August 11, 2012, there was a gorgeous butterfly on our front porch. I have never seen one up close before, so I felt like it was something special. I told M about it, and he said that maybe Celia (our angel baby) sent it to me.

That afternoon, I was looking at Felicity's baby pictures. I told M that I couldn't believe how much she had grown, and that I can't wait to have another tiny baby in my arms. (Again, I'm thinking that is a little down the road)

Then in the evening, M, Felicity and I were playing on the floor. She was going back and forth between us giving kisses. Then she started kissing my belly over and over. Then M kissed it and taught Felicity to say "Hi Baby." You have to understand that M was rubbing my belly long before I was ever pregnant with Felicity to tease me. He would do it in public to see if he could get our friends and family to ask if I was pregnant. It drove me nuts.

While Felicity was in the tub, I decided on a whim to take a pg test. I left it on the counter, finished F's bath, nursed her, put her down. I went upstairs to get ready for my run and glanced at the test. Then I did a double take. You guessed it... BFP! WHAT?!?! I ran down stairs to show M. He was taking a nap (he was also on the couch taking a nap when I told him I was pg with Felicity, oddly enough). He was so happy, and I was bouncing off the walls.

Based on LMP I am due 4/22/12, and Felicity will be 22 months old. BFP was at 3w4d. Crazy, huh?

I am in shock and excited!





Friday, August 13, 2010

Felicity's Birth Story

I am finally sitting down to write Felicity's birth story. I will do my best to remember details, but many parts of that day are a little hazy. The thing I remember most is the relief and joy I felt when I finally held her in my arms!

We got up early - I think the alarm went off at 5:30. I took a shower (and shaved my legs, of course!), then called the hospital to make sure they had a bed available. We stopped to take some pictures on the front porch and headed to Prince William. It was a good thing we arrived when we did, because a few hours later almost every L&D room was full and the nurses were running around like crazy.

The nurse hooked me up the monitors and IV. The baby's heartbeat was strong and clear, and I was still contracting about every 2 minutes. She said the doctor wasn't in the building yet, but would come to check me as soon as she was so we could get things moving. Since it was the 8th day of constant contractions, I was so sure I would have dilated some more. Dr. N came in around 8:00 and gave me the disappointing news - still 2 cm, but at least I was 100% effaced. She said that she would break my water and start Pitocin. Since I was hoping for a more natural birth (ie no epidural), I asked that they hold the Pit at least a little longer, in hopes that I would progress once my water was broken. Breaking the water was not the most comfortable feeling, but I was so excited that the baby was definitely coming. Once that water is broken, there is no going back!

The contractions were getting stronger, so I figured my cervix should have played along. No such luck. Dr. N checked again at 9:00- still 2 cm! The nurse hooked up the Pit and we waited. My mom arrived around that time. She knew I was disappointed that I was being induced, but we were all staying positive. At that point, I just wanted the baby out. Within the hour, the contractions started to get very painful. I couldn't believe how much they hurt. The nurses kept offering the epi, stating that my contractions would be much more painful with the Pitocin than if I had progressed on my own. I definitely wanted to keep trying to go natural. I sat on the birthing ball and my mom and M both rubbed by back. Over the next hour or so, I was doing everything I could to breathe and stay comfortable. The contractions were very close together, so much so that I was not getting enough time in between even reposition myself.

Then Dr. N came back again. I was 3 cm. So began the next part of our journey - the epidural. Since I was only 3 cm, the contractions were right on top of each other, and it seemed like I would be in labor forever, I asked for the epidural. My nurse came in and told me that the nurse anesthetist had a couple of rooms to go in before she could come to me. It felt like hours before she came. Finally, around 12:30 it was time. It was so hard to hold myself still for the epidural. They were trying to insert it between contractions, but that was only about a 15 second window. As soon as it was done, the nurse anesthetist told me that I had a "Wet Tap." Basically the epidural needle went in to far, poking a hole in the dura. Therefore, spinal fluid was able to leak out of the spinal column, leaving the brain without its normal cushion. She explained that I would probably have a spinal headache and that I needed to lay flat. When they were cleaning up the epidural equipment, the nurse anesthetist said, "That hasn't happened to me in 6 years, and now it just happened two patients in a row. I guess I need to slow down a bit." I was like are you kidding me? Maybe she should have slowed down a bit BEFORE she put the needle into my spine. I was frustrated, but thankful that the pain eased up.

I did feel relief from the epidural almost immediately. They did have to give me more medication than normal, since some of the medicine was also able to leak out and I would frequently start to feel sensations and pain. The nurses kept asking me if I had a headache, but as long as I was laying flat, I could really only feel a dull pressure in my head. My mom and M were watching HGTV, and I dozed in and out. The nurse checked me again around 2 - I was 5 cm and I finally felt like things were moving. I had to keep adjusting, since my head and back were hurting. At 2:30 I told M to go get some food at the cafe, since he hadn't eaten lunch yet.

A few minutes later, I started to feel an achy sensation in my hips. I told my mom and she helped me readjust in the bed again. When that didn't help, I asked her to go get the nurse so I could be checked again. I was stinking 9.5 cm! The nurse asked me to push, and I did, which got me to 10. It was time to call the doctor! I tried to call M, but of course, he wasn't answering his phone, so my mom went to get him. As I watched the nurses setting up the room for delivery, I had butterflies in my stomach (amazing that you can still feel that, even with the epidural!). I just kept praying that everything would be ok.

Our nurse came in and said that Dr. N was in surgery, but that I was ready to push, so they were going to call an OB Hospitalist in. Matthew and my mom came back and everyone was in a flurry. Next thing I knew I was pushing away. I was surprised when Dr S came in. She is a doctor from my regular OB practice, but I hadn't gotten to meet her while pregnant. She was so positive and happy. She actually left the office to come deliver for me!

As soon as I sat up to push, my head started pounding. It was a dull but thick, throbbing pain. I decided to just ignore the pain as much as possible, and just focus on my baby. I couldn't really feel that I was pushing, but I could feel the urge. I could only tell how effective my pushes were based on what the nurses and Dr. S were telling me. It wasn't too long until they could all see the baby's hair! Matthew told me later that the hair would show during pushes, but then would go back in between. Dr. S called for a mirror. Honestly, being able to watching during the pushes was so strange, but it really helped me focus. The mirror gave me great motivation; I had two great pushes and her head was delivered. Since I was watching in the mirror, I could see that her face was blue and the cord was wrapped around her neck. Dr. S moved so quickly to unwind the cord and start suction. She told me to push with all my might. I beared down and grunted and out the baby slipped. It was so amazing to see her be delivered!

The baby was still blue, and Dr S was rubbing her back with a towel and it seemed like the nurses were all running around. After about 45 seconds, she started crying and her arms flew out. That cry was the most amazing sound! I was so excited! I think that M cut the cord next, then they laid the baby on my chest. She was screaming so loudly, and I couldn't believe that I was finally looking at her face! Her cheeks were so chubby, which I didn't expect, and she had so much hair! She was born at 3:39pm, after 45 minutes of pushing and was 7#4oz and 20" long.

When they took her to weigh her and wash her off, I noticed that Dr S was very busy working on me. I actually saw her hands moving inside my stomach! I asked her what she was doing, and she told me not to worry. I really wanted to know, so she told me that my placenta had torn, so she was scooping out my uterus...so strange. I also had postpartum hemorrhaging. I remember noticing that Dr S was covered in blood, and they she kept pulling out completely drenched pieces of gauze. I also had a 2nd degree tear, that required 4 stitches.

The nurse brought me some Diet Coke, and said that caffeine would help my headache. As soon as she said that, I again became conscious of the pounding in my head. She told me to lay as flat as possible, and to keep drinking the caffeine. At that point, I was able to nurse for a little bit and the room settled down.

The nurse came to take the baby to the nursery from her tests, first bath and medications. An hour or so later they were ready to move me to a postpartum room. Since I had to lay flat, the nurse decided to bring my bed down to L&D so I could just be wheeled down. After they took out my cath, I really needed to go to the bathroom. Matthew and the nurse helped me to the toilet. A few seconds after I sat down, I felt totally woozy and passed out, probably since I had very little fluid around my brain. The nursed pulled the call bell, and all the sudden I was smelling ammonia. I looked up and there were 4 nurses looking at me anxiously. They helped clean me up and moved me back to the bed. M told me after that he thought I had passed out from seeing all the blood, since seeing it made him feel funny, haha. Honestly, the sight of my own blood didn't bother me a bit.

After we settled into our room, they brought the baby back to me to nurse again. It was so strange to have to lay on my side to nurse, since I wasn't able to sit up to nurse her. Nursing was so strange and amazing. She looked so sweet and I felt to incredibly close to her. I don't remember too much about the rest of that night. I know that M's parents and sister and my dad visited. I thought I would care how I looked, but I felt so bad, that I was totally fine just laying there in a daze while they held the baby.

The next morning my headache had not improved. They sent an anesthesiologist in to do a consult. He recommended a blood patch. That is a procedur
e by which approximately 15-20 mls of blood is taken and injected into the epidural space at the site of the spinal fluid leak. The blood clots and seals the hole in the dura which stops fluid from leaking out. The procedure was done about 24 hours after Felicity was born. I didn't feel the immediate relief I was hoping for, but the headache did ease some. The anesthesiologist said that I might have the pain for up to 6 weeks. Luckily, the headache eased up by the time she was a week old.

Felicity went down to the nursery for a little bit that night so Matthew and I could sleep. It was so hard for me to rest for the couple of hours she was there, so I had the nurse bring her back. I was finally to the point that I could walk myself to the bathroom, as long as I was clinging to my IV pole.

We were supposed to be released on Saturday morning (she was born on Friday). We saw the pediatrician, and my doctor and they both said we were clear to head home. As we were getting ready to leave, I slipped in the hallway and twisted my ankle. Honestly, I really wasn't ready to be walking on my own yet, since whenever I was upright I felt dizzy. So, we had to stay another couple of hours to make sure my ankle was ok. I declined the xray, since the pain wasn't too bad (how could it be when I was hopped up on Percocet) and I had minimal swelling. It was one last burst of excitement.

It felt so good to be at home. I mostly stayed on the couch, while M took care of me and Felicity. Recovery was an uphill battle, but it was worth every minute. The next couple of weeks were rough, but we managed. Felicity is the sweetest little girl, and I thank God for her everyday!

I hope that I didn't miss anything major, though it is possible that I left some stuff out :)

Friday, June 25, 2010

Felicity Diane is here!

Felicity Diane
June 17, 2010
7 lb 4 oz, 20"
Cute as can be!

Birth story coming soon!






Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Last day pregnant!




How far along? 39 weeks! I'm being induced tomorrow - more on that below

Total weight gain: I've lost a few lbs over the last week or two. Total weight gain for pregnancy is 40 lb. I'm hoping to lose about 15-20 lbs over the next few days!

Appointments: So my 38 week appt was pretty uneventful. Was 1-2/80%/-1. Then had a trip to L&D (check until "Symptoms" below), where I was told I was only 1 cm. At my 39 week appt was I was "very big" 2/80%/-1. I'm very curious to be checked again in the morning. I feel like I should have made more progress, but you never can tell how stubborn your cervix is!

How big is baby? Baby's waiting to greet the world! She continues to build a layer of fat to help control her body temperature after birth, but it's likely he already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of her skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.




Maternity clothes: Yes - I've started dreaming of wearing regular clothes :)

Stretch marks: My "stretch dots" of my hips are now little jagged lines. Bummer

Sleep: I was walking up at night because of contractions. The doc gave me Ambien, and the last week or so have gotten 6 interrupted hours a night

Movement: Definitely has decreased, but I still love feeling her move. I feel so bad when she gets the hiccups!

Food cravings: Not anything that I could call a real "craving." When I have freezy pops, I tend to eat like 6 at a time, though!

Food aversions: My nausea and vomiting has returned some, but it hasn't really caused aversions. More like I will eat something, then regret it.

Belly button: An innie! The edges pop up more when I have contractions, but the middle stays in. I'm glad, since the inside of my belly button is very brown! LOL

Symptoms: So at 38 weeks exactly (last wednesday), I started having contractions at work. By 3 pm they were 5-6 minutes apart. I called the nurse, and she said I could go in or wait it out a little and see if they got worse. I went home early, and Matthew and I went for a walk. By the end of the walk (maybe 5:30 or 6), they were every 2-3 minutes. We put everything in the car and headed to the hospital. They hooked me and the baby up - contractions were still every 2-3 minutes, and her HB was 140-160. They checked me and I was still 1-2 cm. An hour later I was again 1-2 cm and the nurse said I could go home. I was shocked. I asked how would I know when to come back, since the contractions were already so close and causing a far amount of pain. She said I would just know. I asked for more specific answers from the doc (who I never actually saw). The nurse came back and said the doc wanted to keep me overnight and check me again the morning. They gave me nubain and phenergan to help me sleep. I felt loopy right away, but was able to sleep a little bit, even though I could still feel the contractions and had to keep repositioning.

In the morning, I was still 1-2 cm. I was so disappointed! They sent me home. M and I spent the next day walking at the mall for about 3 hours. I threw up in the food court after just a few bites of a sandwich - totally embarrassing, but we kept going. I also found this adorable all-white dress for Felicity's baptism party at Carters. Then M took me to get a pedicure. The nail polish I chose was called "Hurts so good." At the time I thought it was fitting, now it feels like a mockery!

I have had very consistent contractions since then - usually about 5 minutes apart. Some definitely hurt more than others. My doc went ahead and scheduled an induction for tomorrow morning (June 17). She explained that after experiencing the contractions for more than 7-8 days, the likelihood of fetal distress increases. I was really hoping for a natural labor - but a healthy baby is way more important!

Let me tell you, 7 days of contractions isn't fun.

What I'm looking forward to: Meeting Felicity tomorrow! I will definitely post a birth story and pics once things settle down!


Weekly Wisdom: Try not to analyze every pain...it will drive your crazy!

Weekly joy: M took me a one last date as "just us" tonight and bought me roses. He is such a sweet husband. I can't wait to see him with our daughter!