7 weeks of Mommy-hood

Well, Grayson will be 7 weeks tomorrow and the time is flying by.... I am really sad to go back to work but I will be glad for the return to having a normal life and adults to talk to. It's been stressful, exhausting, wonderful, fun - the whole gamut of emotions. He wears me out but I love playing with him and being here with him.

I am looking forward to going home for Christmas and spending Christmas with my sister and everyone. It's been 3 years since I have gotten to be with them for Christmas. Darn 2 week honeymoon ;) It'll be lots of fun with 2 new babies at the house and getting to spend time with Gavin and Hailee.

I don't really have a lot to report. Grayson is 10 lbs, I am certain and he is growing... It took 6 weeks for his umbilical cord to fall off, weird and annoying.

Anyway, he is waking up :) Time to go back to being a mommy.

Having a baby........

Well, having a baby sure does make life different! Let me start by saying that I am so thankful for my sister.... She hopped on a plane the next day after my c-section so she could come see the baby and help me out. I love her for that. She had a rough week because she didn't have much help with Karsyn. I tried, but I felt like I always had a kid stuck on my boob! But we had a nice visit and I was glad to get to meet Karsyn before Christmas.

Seth and I have been adjusting to life with a baby. It's hard, though, because I want to make sure we maintain our closeness and I try to make sure I hug and kiss him a lot too. Seth has been doing a wonderful job of taking care of the baby and letting me go to sleep. But I've been trying to stay up after Seth comes to bed because he has to go to work and I don't. And since he can't feed yet, I HAVE to get up and do that. Then Grayson and I usually fall asleep together on the couch.

We took Christy to the airport on Wednesday and about halfway back, Grayson started crying... I knew he needed to eat. So, we pull into McDonalds, I feed him in the truck and Seth goes in and gets us dinner. We eat in the truck while Grayson is eating. That was definitely a change! haha... But you do what you gotta do. We'll get it worked out!

I'm healing well, and I feel really good. But I'd venture to say that the adjustment period isn't over!

Grayson Alexander has arrived

Baby's Name: Grayson Alexander
Date of Birth: 10/26/10
Original Due Date: 11/03/10
Weeks Pregnant: 38 weeks 6 days
Weight/Length: 7lbs 8oz / 19 inches
Birth Story:

Monday while I was work I started having contractions. I didn't pay much attention because they didn't hurt, I assumed they were BH. When I got home from work I realized that they were pretty regular and that laying down and stuff didn't make them go away. So, I started timing them. They were 4.5 min apart. I waited 3 hours and still the same so I calle d L&D. They said, "You can come be checked if you want to." Well, who wants to spend hours in the hospital if you aren't sure you are in labor?! So, I went to bed. At 2 AM I woke up with some pains in my belly and started timing the contractions again... 3 min apart for 1.5 hours. Called L&D again. Got the same answer, so I went back to bed and then went to work on Tuesday morning. All day at work I felt pressure and the contractions were still coming, so I called my OB. She said she'd like for me to come to the hospital to be checked. So, after work I headed to the hospital.

We got the hospital and they hooked me up to the monitors and seemed like the contractions weren't registering as often as they had been. So, I was pretty upset thinking i was going to be sent home and I was not dilated any further than the 1.5cm that I had been for 3 weeks.

Then all of a sudden the baby's heart beat stopped registering and they had to roll me all over the bed to get it to show back up. It did, but it was enough to give me a panic attack.... This happened 2 times. Well, the nurse told me the doctor wanted to come talk to me and I was sure I was being sent home and told that if anything happened to come back. Well, the doc comes in and says since the baby's heart beat was doing that "freak out" thing (which could just mean it was laying on the cord wrong) and I was 39 weeks, that I wasn't leaving without my baby!!!!!!!!!

She said they were going to do an ultrasound to make sure the baby was healthy enough to be put through labor and if it looked good they'd give me cervadil and start pitocin in the morning. They did the ultrasound, the baby looked great, she said she would order the cervadil and see me in the morning.... As soon as they unhooked the ultrasound machine, the heart beat dropped again! So, that was when she said that we would be doing c-section within the next couple of hours because she was afraid that labor would put the baby in distress..... A c-section was my biggest fear!!

An hour later I was in the OR and Grayson Alexander was released from the womb at 8:33 PM! The doctor said she could see no reason for the heartbeat deceleration and that he looked perfectly healthy.

We've begun breastfeeding, he's doing great, and other than my abdomen hurting like hell.... all are well!

I can go home tomorrow!

38 weeks

Well, I have been dilated 1.5cm for like 3 weeks now! *SIGH* I just wish there was some progress. I hate the waiting game. I hate not knowing when it's going to happen. I can't plan or be prepared. And we all know how I hate that. But the baby's heart beat sounds good and everything seems to be okay, so I am very thankful for that. The Group B strep test came back negative so I don't have to worry about needing antibiotics during delivery.

Not a lot to report... Just wanted to update! Will have more to write when HE or SHE decides to make an appearance.

36 weeks....

Well, I am officially in my 9th month of pregnancy. I've reached 36 weeks. Today I went to the doctor and had my Group B test, hopefully that comes back normal. Baby's heart beat was good at 163. I am currently 1.5 cm dilated :) I know that doesn't mean much in the grand scheme of things, but it makes me excited. We are totally ready for the baby materials wise.

We are going to a WVU game this Saturday and Seth told me if I was dilated at all that I was not allowed to go! LOL... He's too funny.

Other than that there's not a whole lot going on. Trying to get things ready at school for my substitute and doing a few small things around the house :) It's crazy how soon our lives are about to change!

34 weeks!

Well, I started a post last week that was pretty long and the internet ate it. But anyway... After my baby shower I sat down and wrote out everything we still needed it. We never got any of the big stuff we needed. I was depressed! We still needed $1100 worth of stuff. But I wound up taking back $100 worth of stuff, we got $245 cash and almost $500 in gift cards. So, after looking around and finding the best deals I could, we wound up getting our travel system for $250 ($5 out of pocket)! I got my breast pump with the Target gift cards, and ordered the rest of the stuff from Walmart with gift cards. I think we got everything we needed and spent $300 out of pocket. That included the swing, the extra car seat base, a Bundle Me, and the baby book! The swing and baby book are on the way :) I can't wait. I think we're ready for baby!

Seth told me last night that he's starting to get excited. I am glad! I know we are both scared, but I am glad he's excited too! He also told me he thinks we have 2 weeks left till the baby is born! haha... I hope he's wrong about that! But I am starting to get bigger and bigger and I know the baby is growing.

My sister had her baby on Sept 1st! 3 weeks early... So, if I have babies like she does I could have mine in 3 or 4 weeks... Very nerve wracking! But I am also very excited to meet my kid and see what he/she will look like. I'm crossing my fingers for blue eyes, that's the only thing I want! hahaha... I can't wait to meet Karsyn, too. It's killing me that I can't just go jump in the car and go visit them. I'd be swollen so much that I'd be miserable. So, I just need to wait and go visit when I have the baby and have some time off!

Well, I took a half day off today so I could come home and pack and rest up. I have to go to the doctor then drive to Charleston with my friend Stacy for a conference. So, I didn't want to do that drive if i was already so swollen. So, I have packed and relax. Now, just waiting to go to the doc and then we'll head out :)

I think that's all I have to say for now!

Baby Shower weekend :)

Well, in just a day or two I shall be 31 weeks pregnant. That means about 9 weeks to go and the baby could come in 6 or 7 weeks.... though I continue to hope that it doesn't come early cause I want to be able to be off till January! haha. We shall see what happens and as long as everything and everyone ends up healthy, then I can't ask for more than that.

Saturday was our baby shower! We had about 40 people come to the shower and 30 at the BBQ. We got TONS and TONS of stuff that are going to come in handy. However, we didn't get any of the big things. No car seat/stroller, no baby monitor, no swing, no diaper bag.... When I added up the stuff we still need it came to over $1000. Which sucks because we already spent $1000 on furniture/bedding. But I guess that's life and I am more than happy that people came out to celebrate with us and bought us such wonderful things and we got some cash and gift cards that will cover just about half of that! It's all been sitting in my living room since Saturday because I still have company and I don't feel like I can sort through it or clean my house up cause we have to entertain. However, I am very glad and grateful that Kat and Joe have driven all the way down from NJ and are spending some time here :) We only get to see them about once a year.

Today,I am still completely worn out and exhausted... but soon I shall be working with the kids! I am still doing assessments and working on groupings to get everything going for the school year.

29 weeks pregnant/ End of summer

Well, my first summer off in 10 years is coming to a close. I have thoroughly enjoyed being off about as much as I've been bored. I know that I will no longer have a summer like I've had. Next summer I won't be able to go anywhere or do anything without thinking of my child :) Though I do plan to make sure that it becomes comfortable with water (we are going to the pool!) I will probably take it to Missouri to visit my sister or maybe she and I can meet somewhere with our children and have a weeks vacation! haha. But we shall see. I am looking forward to the changes in life as much as I am afraid of them. I know Seth and I can do this!

Our baby shower is coming up on the 28th of this month. I am very much looking forward to it. I really hope that we get a bunch of the stuff we will need for the baby. But I am also excited to have all my friends and family together :) Afterwards, Seth and I are having a BBQ so that he gets to celebrate too! I mean, the shower is all about the women folk and he's gonna be a dad, so he deserves to celebrate too.

Tomorrow makes 29 weeks for me :) Only 11 more weeks to go. I can't wait to meet the baby! At this point, it looks like an alien in my belly. I can sit and watch it wiggle and move. Seth has seen it a couple of times. Everytime I try to get him to look, the baby stops. Everything has been really good so far, I am still feeling great. Getting a little more tired in the 3rd trimester. But so far, that's about it. We'll see how things go as we continue to go along!

School starts for teachers tomorrow :)

25 Weeks Pregnant

Well.... We've now made it to 25 weeks. All is still going well. Seth was able to start feeling the baby move a few weeks ago. Since then he's seemed to have become more aware of my growing belly! haha.. I feel the baby move quite a bit and it still freaks me out from time to time! I'm also continuing to get more and more nervous about childbirth and actually having a baby to take care of, but I imagine that we can do it.

The nursery is pretty much finished! We've cleared out the office, I painted the spots on the wall and the closet... We assembled the crib and the changing table... We still need to assemble the glider! My baby shower is going to be on August 28th and I can't wait!!! I never had a bridal shower, because Seth and I had everything we needed for the house. So, I am excited for it! my sister and kevin already got me several gifts and I love them! The baby has it's first presents :)

Last Friday Mom and I drove to Missouri to visit Christy and Kevin. That was quite the experience hanging out with mom. You can read my sister's blog if you'd dlike to know all the details of my mother and her stupidity! But anyway, I brought Gavin home with me and we are having a blast. He's been a good kid and we have gone swimming and played t-ball! Tonight we are going to go to a Pirate's game. Then I am taking him to mom and dad's so they can spend a few days with him also. I will be taking him back to Louisville next Friday to meet his mom and dad...

Almost 20 weeks

I can't believe it, but I am 2 days shy of the halfway point in my pregnancy! It's so scary and exciting! I started feeling the baby move around 17 weeks and have felt it pretty regularly since. Usually it happens when I'm sitting hunched over, but recently I've been able to feel it even when I'm walking around. I still listen to the heart beat almost everyday. It still makes me feel better.

School's out and this is the first summer I haven't had to work since I was 18! I'm torn between not knowing what to do with myself and loving the fact that I can be a little lazy and rest! I started having problems with my feet swelling when we traveled to Knoebels, but being able to rest at home in the A/C has made that go away. It hasn't happened since a few days after that. I'll probably swell up on the trip to Boston... We fly out on Thursday to head to Boston for 4 days! I can't wait :)

The last few days I have started cleaning out the office to make it a nursery. It requires that I move things slowly and steadily into the spare bedroom... To make it sort of a bedroom/office. Which I think will be fine. The baby needs its own room... and my vision for the nursery is starting to come together. The crib is here and the changing table should be here today... YAY!

Well, on Wednesday I have to go to the cardiologist, the hospital for my ultrasound, and then to the OB. As of now we are not planning to find out the sex. Wednesday will make 20 weeks and then Thursday starts our first vacation of the summer :)

16 weeks today!

I tried to post a couple of weeks ago, but it didn't work for some reason! So, today I am bored and figured I would blog! I had my 16 week appointment yesterday and heard the heartbeat! Not overly exciting since I have my own doppler and I listen to the heartbeat everyday! But still it's kind of neat. All she said was in the "150's" but I think that was because I was very angry at my husband! haha...

I still have had no symptoms, which I am trying not to complain about! haha. But I did want a traditional "pregnancy"... I wanted to experience all of those things... But oh well!

Things are going well... Next week is Knoebels... I wanted to EAT EAT EAT but apparently I've gained 8 pounds in a month and I need to watch my weight. I know, I know, but I just don't want to gain like 80 pounds and have trouble losing it... I just want to gaint he healthy, normal amount and be done with it.

But anyway, there's not a whole lot new to report... Things are progressing well with the pregnancy, only 12 days of school left and I am so ready for summer :) Can't wait to get the nursery ready!

10 Weeks Pregnant

So, my sister reminded me that I should blog... Even though I really don't have anything great to say....

I haven't blogged since November, so I guess the big news around here is that Seth and I are going to have a baby. We began discussing the idea over the summer but I didn't want to go to Jamaica pregnant! haha. I wanted to be able to drink and have a good time. So, after we got back I went off the pill and then in February it happened :)

I am 10 weeks 3 days and the baby is due on November 3rd. I haven't been sick AT ALL! I told Seth that I wished I was sick a little bit, it'd help me feel like everything was progressing normally! We had our first ultrasound on March 24th and we got to see the baby and hear that heartbeat, a strong 162! Our next appointment is April 21st, that will be our 12 week and the end of the first trimester!

As of right now, Seth doesn't want to find out the sex. I sort of go back and forth. I always thought I would want to be surprised, but I figured Seth would want to know. Well, he doesn't and I'm not sure I can wait that long! lol... Plus, trying to pick out things for a baby registry really sucks if you don't know the sex. I've just begun to start browsing at things.

I sort of feel like I have to force myself to get interested. It's not that I'm not excited about the baby, I am, but I am also scared. I've never been a baby person so oohing and ahhing over baby things is really not for me. I'd almost rather someone else do our registry and then I'll ok everything! haha. But I'm sure the further along I get and the more real it seems, the more fun I'll have with baby things :)

But I haven't had any weird cravings or even really any aversions to foods or smells! So, so far (knock on wood) its been an easy pregnancy! I hope it stays that way.