What I have learned so far (ramblings of a new mom)

That it is possible to be peed on and pooped on simultaneously.


That anyone and everyone will give you advice on how to raise your child.


That all those fluids you build up during pregnancy have to come out.....(and yes, i might compare it like a fountain.)

You research all your options, and fill your head will so much knowledge about labor and delivery it might explode but when it comes down to it, flexibility is the most important piece you can carry with you.

That same flexibility will carry with you to raising that baby.

Even though things may not have gone the way you wanted, you are grateful for the experience.

That all those months freaking out about this and that and you instantly have this natural instinct on what to do.


the things you thought were easy, are harder than you thought.


your husband never looked sexier holding your child (even though he has not showered in a day or two, lol)


That you will have an immense love for someone else, and you would do anything to protect it.


That your life will NEVER be the same again (in the best way possible.)


As sick as you were, as uncomfortable as you were, and as much pain as you endured, you are so amazed that your body did what it did.


and at the same time wouldn't change a thing.

Thank you....we are HOME!

First, I wanted to say thank you all for the kind wishes and sweet words. It really helped that first day after the surgery when I couldn't see him.

He was able to leave the special care nursery on Thursday. Poor guy has been stuck with so many needles and what not. He did get a little jaundice but luckily it was at an ok level and we were able to go home Friday. The pediatrician today said that when little ones are not feeling well (the hole in his lungs) they can get jaundice easily. We took him to his first pediatrician appointment today and she didn't' seem too concerned. The hospital also referred us to a nurses program to come by and check on him for a few weeks.

Leaving was kind of emotional for me. I was in the car and I couldn't control the tears. I think I was/am so grateful to be able to take him home. Being in that nursery with some very tiny or sick babies is hard, and I am forever grateful that we were released with no issues. Trust me, I am counting my blessings right now as I look over at my sleeping baby.

I was also so grateful for the care I received there. I had one nurse come back to check up on me because she was assigned to someone else the next day. The first day after the surgery my fever got pretty high and she just wanted to see how I was doing. Top notch care for sure!

Having him home is a good feeling. No more needles, no more machines! Being a mom is indescribable. Knowing that he is ours, and the love I feel for him is more than i can put into words.

Blake described it well. When he was sitting there during the c-section, he watched them pull out Brady's head (which I have pics of, if anyone if interested in seeing :) Immediately, he said his world changed. After 9 months, and all the talk/anticipation of his birth, it never really hit him until he saw him. Then, when she pulled the rest of him out with the cord around his neck, and the breathing issues really freaked him out especially when I wasn't doing so well at the time either. It was scary but got through it. He is a keeper for sure!

The whole process is amazing, and I cannot believe that this little man was inside my belly! While my delivery was far from what I expected, and breastfeeding is way more difficult than I imagined, it is all so worth it. I am a bit bummed that I was so out of it that first night, and couldn't be with him, but then again, I look at him and thank god we are all okay.

The first few days home I did not want to put him down, or be away from him but we are slowly adjusting to our new life and my world has changed too!

Now, time to snuggle with Brady!

Bragging rights! :)

Brady is doing great! He is still in the special care nursery but is doing well. He latched right on and is starting to want to eat! What he has is called pnumothorax--it's a hole in his lung that should heal on its own. As long as it doesn't get bigger, then we are ok! His vitals are great, he is alert and nice and pink!

I talked to my aunt last night who actually had a very similar experience down the fever and pnumothorax. WEIRD.

I saw my doctor last night who told me again (guess she told me but again, i was out of it) that the cord was wrapped loosely around his neck! YIKES!

So, back to those bragging right....here are pics of the new man in my life!

Daddy's hand with his little footprint!

Brady is here! Updates on my little man!

(By the way, if you are going to deliver soon, be warned that what happened to me is not normal!!!)

The past few days have been crazy. I labored for 15 hours, and was making no progress, and hadn't slept all night. Got the epi, and dilated to 2 cm after what seemed like days. The Epi wore OFF around 5, and then I started to spike a fever.

After talking it over with Blake and my nurses, I was wheeled away to the OR for a C-section. My water broke at like 8 on Sunday night and was given antibiotics to prevent infection but something was going on. I was not making any progress, and he had been in there too long without fluid.

He was delivered by C-Section at 6:33 pm, weighing 7lbs and 8 ounces (i can't believe how tiny he is) The EPI wasn't working right, and I was feeling some of it during the C-section, and once the baby was out they gave me pain meds, and I got knocked out. I did get to see Blake see him for the first time, and that was the most amazing thing.

At the time, they thought he inhaled fluid but turns out there are air pockets in his lungs. His is in the special care nursery, and doing good so far. He is on an IV and antibiotics. I was so out of it after the c-section that I didn't really get to see him. I got to hold him around 9, and fell in love. he looks like his daddy, down to his nose! He had a head of dark hair and is the cutest thing I have ever seen!

(I have better pics but I can't reach my camera right now, lol!)

It's kind of hard to see him attached to all those wires, but he is wide eyed and alert! They haven't had to go to any other measures (breathing tube, etc) so that is good but he is not out of the woods yet. I talked to the nurse this morning, and she said he is snoozing away, but that he had a few episodes of the rapid breathing, but again no extreme measures had to be taken, so i guess that is good.

They are going to have me pump since i am bed ridden right now, and my nurse just told me she would take me to see him later. I hate that I can't do anything, and that I can't even move. I can't be there for my baby, and my heart is aching.

I made Blake go home and get a good nights rest since we had a long two days here and to take care of Piper and Lily but once he gets back, he is going to see Brady.


I will tell you that my experience at this hospital (Missouri Baptist) has been awesome down to the wonderful anesthesiologist. Last night, they wheeled my BED into the NICU to see him (well, they call it the Special Care Nursery.) I was shaking like a leaf during the c-section from the meds and they took great care of me.

Anyway, back to Brady! If you could please say a little prayer for him, I would appreciate it!

Yes, I am blogging from labor and delivery!

Last night after making a huge dinner, and two loaves of pumpkin bread (one was still cooking in the oven), I went to lay down to watch tv and relax around 8:00, and I felt a pop! My water broke! It was pouring down raining, and we were here by 9:00.

It is now 8:30......and here I am 12 hours later, and no freaking baby. I am having contractions every 1-5 minutes but there is no real pattern. They are starting to develop one, but hence this morning I was STILL at 1 cm. I looked at the nurse like, WTF? SERIOUSLY? It's going to be a looooong day!

I haven't slept....and I am bored out of my mind. So, I am sitting here bouncing on a ball, blogging!

I sent Blake home around 3:30 to let Lily out, and make sure our house didn't burn down (neither of us could remember if we turned off the oven..luckily, it's still in tact! but damn I was pumped about that damn pumpkin bread! Popsicles just won't cut it!)

I sure hoped to have a baby by now!

Hopefully soon!!!!

Oh, and since it's been over 12 hours since my water broke, I am a lucky recipient of antibiotics to prevent infections. COME ON BRADY---GET OUT!

Winners!

I used random.org to pick two winners for the Yopliat Prize Pack!

Cheryl and Katie, you both won! Congrats!

Please email me so I can get your prize shipped to you before this baby pops out! :)

Random musings of a pregnant woman: Part 2

Nine months is a long time. It's a long time to go without sushi, and wine but it truly is worth it.

You will get to a point where even your maternity clothes are snug on you. Walking around half neked might actually feel more comfortable but not really socially acceptable.

Here is my neked belly. It might be the only one I ever show :)

Here I am at 38 weeks!

You will realize that you are spending more and more on tp due to the fact that you pee 6,694 times in a day.

On that note, you might actually think about moving your office into the bathroom because you are spending so much time in there.

You will think that you lucked out on stretch marks because you made it to the ninth month with only one here or there but you wake up one day to a road map of them.

Your husband will want to take care of you which is sweet but then he will tell you that you are getting so big, that he actually worries about you falling over.

Your feet might swell so much that they resemble fat sausages and drumsticks more than toes and calves. Your wardrobe will have to go with flip flops because that is the only thing those sausages will fit in. You will have dreams of wearing those cute BCBG patent leather pumps once again.....

You will go to some great lengths to paint your toes, and shave you legs. You might even decide it isn't worth it.

You will miss your old wardrobe, and get tired of wearing the same 4 shirts over and over but then again, you might never wear normal pants again. Maternity pants are like dressy sweatpants!

You bring your lunch to work everyday but only end up eating it once or twice. Bread Co, or something like a grilled cheese and bacon sounds much much better!

The first (and if you are lucky like me, part of the 2nd) trimester is in the beginning for a reason. You are still so excited to be pregnant and the whole thing is so new you muster up the energy to go to work even though the thought of rolling out of bed makes you want to hurl. Then you get to the 3rd trimester, and you are so ready for it to be over, rolling out of bed exhausts you!


Your nose might swell so much that you don't even recognize yourself. You are to the point where you just don't care and are lucky you found enough energy to brush you teeth and throw you hair into a ponytail!


Pregnancy was a learning experience for the men too. Little did my husband know that he would learn so much about the female anatomy. I might have heard him tell someone that I was dilated, and that I was having contractions but that didn't mean anything because they were not close together. You might realize that your husband actually listens.....or that he actually might know what he is talking about!

People will tell you that it flies by and the first trimester feels like it will never end. Then, you get to see your little one wiggle on the big screen and fall madly in love. Then, time stops again before it immensely picks up and it's over before you know it! For those of your preggers, enjoy it while you can even though it can have its rough patches, it truly does fly by and before you know it, you will be sitting there wondering if today is the day you meet your baby!

Your body will amaze you. I think once I meet Brady, it will really put in perspective how amazing the whole process is!