Things here continue to go pretty well with our new addition. Keira's getting better at sleeping longer stretches at night (although last night was another story) and continues to be a content baby despite becoming a spitter-uper (bleh). I think it's starting to sink in with Ari that he's not the ony child anymore. We've had some trying days this week. I know it's also a combination of being out of his routine and having people in and out of his house a lot. We'll see how things go next week when we're on our own again.
Here are some pictures from the end of my parent's visit last week and with my sister from this week. It's been so great having help for so long!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
1 week old - already!
This week has just flown by! Of course, I'm totally sleep deprived and spent 2 of the days in the hospital. I suppose it's to be expected ;)
Keira is a wonderful baby. She mainly cries when it's time to eat or if she has a burp that needs to come out. Otherwise she sleeps quietly (no grunting/squeeking as I've heard some infants do) and looks around quietly if she's awake. The nights have been a little rough since she decides to cluster feed for 2 hours at a different time each night. It's definitely been getting better each day, though.
Ari is so sweet with her. He loves to give her "pat pats" on her head followed by a kiss. He gives her hugs and asks to hold her as well. He's very concerned when she cries. He's given Keenan and I some trouble here and there I'm sure out of jealousy and at first for us being gone for 2 days. Luckily we've had lots of family around to keep him distracted and occupied. I've been trying to spend as much "Mommy and Ari" time with him as I can when Keira's sleeping.
The day Keira was born, Keenan's parents, sister and neice drove down to help out. They stayed until Saturday morning. That afternoon my parents flew in to stay for a week. The day after they leave, my sister will be coming for a week. I'm a little nervous for that first day when it's just me and 2 kids, but I think by then we'll all be better adjusted to this new life.
Edit: I forgot to mention that I took her for a weight check yesterday. She was 7lb 2oz! Up 11 ounces in 5 days!
Here are some pictures from Keira's first week. Enjoy! :)
Keira is a wonderful baby. She mainly cries when it's time to eat or if she has a burp that needs to come out. Otherwise she sleeps quietly (no grunting/squeeking as I've heard some infants do) and looks around quietly if she's awake. The nights have been a little rough since she decides to cluster feed for 2 hours at a different time each night. It's definitely been getting better each day, though.
Ari is so sweet with her. He loves to give her "pat pats" on her head followed by a kiss. He gives her hugs and asks to hold her as well. He's very concerned when she cries. He's given Keenan and I some trouble here and there I'm sure out of jealousy and at first for us being gone for 2 days. Luckily we've had lots of family around to keep him distracted and occupied. I've been trying to spend as much "Mommy and Ari" time with him as I can when Keira's sleeping.
The day Keira was born, Keenan's parents, sister and neice drove down to help out. They stayed until Saturday morning. That afternoon my parents flew in to stay for a week. The day after they leave, my sister will be coming for a week. I'm a little nervous for that first day when it's just me and 2 kids, but I think by then we'll all be better adjusted to this new life.
Edit: I forgot to mention that I took her for a weight check yesterday. She was 7lb 2oz! Up 11 ounces in 5 days!
Here are some pictures from Keira's first week. Enjoy! :)
Sunday, July 20, 2008
The Story
Ok...now that I've had some sleep (little, but some) I want to write this down before I forget. I'm sure this will get long and I'll try to avoid anything too graphic. Keep in mind the bulk of the story happend over a 2.5 hour period. Here goes!
Monday evening around dinner time I began having some stronger contractions that stayed around 10 minutes apart. I'd been having contractions off and on for over a week. Nothing terrible and definitely manageable. I had a slight feeling these could progress into the real thing. I decided to pack up the last of my suitcase and get some things in order just in case. By the time we went to bed around 10 they were still happening, but I was able to fall asleep.
At 2am I awoke to even stronger contractions that had moved to my lower back. I knew this was the real thing and started timing them. Still 10 minutes apart and not getting stronger. Keenan woke up and we decided that once they moved to 5 minutes apart we'd get our things together and call our friends to come stay with Ari.
Around 3am I was getting antsy so I decided to get out of bed, wet and re-braid my hair and get everything ready to go. I asked Keenan if he wanted to get up with me or stay in bed and rest. (Keenan's note: I thought to myself "mmm...sleep. Oh wait. That's probably a bad idea.") He decided to get up. As I was braiding my hair, the contractions were getting closer and stronger and I know I felt her starting to make the decent. Between contractions I was perfectly fine.
At 3:30am Keenan tried to call our friends. No answer. Ok. Try again. No answer. Oh crap. What do we do? Contractions are getting stronger and closer. One more time...they answer! They say it'll be 10-15 minutes. Oh crap! I look up as I'm hunched over our living room chair breathing through a contraction to see our friend at the door. We give him brief instructions and head out the door around 4am.
As we're driving to the hospital, I'm really feeling the pain and the traffic lights were not cooperating - at 4am! About 2 miles from the hospital I realize I'm going through transition as I roll down the window to keep from getting sick in the car.
I have a contraction as we pull into the parking lot around 4:15am and I tell Keenan as soon as it's over, grab the suitcase and move quickly with me into the ER (the only open door this time of day). Once in the lobby Keenan gets me a wheel chair and I sit down. The ER nurses start giving me the 3rd degree. "Are you having a baby?" "Yes!" "Are you in labor or did your doctor tell you to come in?" "I'm in labor." "Did your water break?" "No." "Are you having contractions?" "Yes." "How close are they?" "2-3 minutes apart" "Ok...Just a minute." They pick up the phone I'm assuming to call the doctor to see if they should send me to labor and delivery. "Ok...my water just broke." "Ok. Nevermind. You're having a baby." (to myself "Really?!?") The orderly calmly comes over and starts wheeling me away asking the same (dumb) questions.
On the way up to Labor and Delivery (on the 2nd floor), I have a couple of contractions. Each time I clench onto the wheelchair the orderly asks "is that a contraction?" Ugh. We pull into the elevator and he presses the 2. Nothing happens and the door's still open. He presses it again. Still nothing. Presses the door close button. Nothing. He pulls on the door to get it to close. I think "I'm not having a baby in the elevator! That door better open back up!" It does. Phew!
We wheel up to a bed in L&D and the nurses start asking me all kinds of questions. I have a contraction. When it's over I get into the hospital gown and slump into the bed. They check me and I'm fully dialated and at a +1. They quickly wheel me to a room. I ask "is there time for an epidural?" "Uh, no. It's too late for that." I start panicing knowing I'm going to have to do this au natural. Before this day I had told myself and Keenan that I wanted to at least try it without drugs, but now that I had no choice I was scared to death.
Once in the room, the next couple of contractions were excruciating and I was in full panic mode. The nurses tried to calm me down and get me to breathe through the contractions. I settled down a little by the time I felt the pressure and urge to push. The doctor had barely made it through the door when I was ready to push. 3 or 4 contractions later, Keira was born - a mere 16 minutes after arriving at the ER! I have never felt so much physical relief in my life!
As they moved us up to the mom and baby floor, the nurse told Keenan "did you see that? Next time you'll be doing that at home!" She also told me that next time we should head to the hospital when I feel the first twinge :)
Hind sight being 20/20, and had we known how quickly it would go, we would have left sooner. Also, now that it's over, I realize that it really wasn't as bad as I was imagining. Yes, it was bad and painful, but I did it!
Monday evening around dinner time I began having some stronger contractions that stayed around 10 minutes apart. I'd been having contractions off and on for over a week. Nothing terrible and definitely manageable. I had a slight feeling these could progress into the real thing. I decided to pack up the last of my suitcase and get some things in order just in case. By the time we went to bed around 10 they were still happening, but I was able to fall asleep.
At 2am I awoke to even stronger contractions that had moved to my lower back. I knew this was the real thing and started timing them. Still 10 minutes apart and not getting stronger. Keenan woke up and we decided that once they moved to 5 minutes apart we'd get our things together and call our friends to come stay with Ari.
Around 3am I was getting antsy so I decided to get out of bed, wet and re-braid my hair and get everything ready to go. I asked Keenan if he wanted to get up with me or stay in bed and rest. (Keenan's note: I thought to myself "mmm...sleep. Oh wait. That's probably a bad idea.") He decided to get up. As I was braiding my hair, the contractions were getting closer and stronger and I know I felt her starting to make the decent. Between contractions I was perfectly fine.
At 3:30am Keenan tried to call our friends. No answer. Ok. Try again. No answer. Oh crap. What do we do? Contractions are getting stronger and closer. One more time...they answer! They say it'll be 10-15 minutes. Oh crap! I look up as I'm hunched over our living room chair breathing through a contraction to see our friend at the door. We give him brief instructions and head out the door around 4am.
As we're driving to the hospital, I'm really feeling the pain and the traffic lights were not cooperating - at 4am! About 2 miles from the hospital I realize I'm going through transition as I roll down the window to keep from getting sick in the car.
I have a contraction as we pull into the parking lot around 4:15am and I tell Keenan as soon as it's over, grab the suitcase and move quickly with me into the ER (the only open door this time of day). Once in the lobby Keenan gets me a wheel chair and I sit down. The ER nurses start giving me the 3rd degree. "Are you having a baby?" "Yes!" "Are you in labor or did your doctor tell you to come in?" "I'm in labor." "Did your water break?" "No." "Are you having contractions?" "Yes." "How close are they?" "2-3 minutes apart" "Ok...Just a minute." They pick up the phone I'm assuming to call the doctor to see if they should send me to labor and delivery. "Ok...my water just broke." "Ok. Nevermind. You're having a baby." (to myself "Really?!?") The orderly calmly comes over and starts wheeling me away asking the same (dumb) questions.
On the way up to Labor and Delivery (on the 2nd floor), I have a couple of contractions. Each time I clench onto the wheelchair the orderly asks "is that a contraction?" Ugh. We pull into the elevator and he presses the 2. Nothing happens and the door's still open. He presses it again. Still nothing. Presses the door close button. Nothing. He pulls on the door to get it to close. I think "I'm not having a baby in the elevator! That door better open back up!" It does. Phew!
We wheel up to a bed in L&D and the nurses start asking me all kinds of questions. I have a contraction. When it's over I get into the hospital gown and slump into the bed. They check me and I'm fully dialated and at a +1. They quickly wheel me to a room. I ask "is there time for an epidural?" "Uh, no. It's too late for that." I start panicing knowing I'm going to have to do this au natural. Before this day I had told myself and Keenan that I wanted to at least try it without drugs, but now that I had no choice I was scared to death.
Once in the room, the next couple of contractions were excruciating and I was in full panic mode. The nurses tried to calm me down and get me to breathe through the contractions. I settled down a little by the time I felt the pressure and urge to push. The doctor had barely made it through the door when I was ready to push. 3 or 4 contractions later, Keira was born - a mere 16 minutes after arriving at the ER! I have never felt so much physical relief in my life!
As they moved us up to the mom and baby floor, the nurse told Keenan "did you see that? Next time you'll be doing that at home!" She also told me that next time we should head to the hospital when I feel the first twinge :)
Hind sight being 20/20, and had we known how quickly it would go, we would have left sooner. Also, now that it's over, I realize that it really wasn't as bad as I was imagining. Yes, it was bad and painful, but I did it!
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
She's Here!
Keira Charlotte Roach was born this morning at 4:31am CST weighing in at 6lb 14oz and measuring 19 inches long! We are all resting comfortably (mostly) now and looking to go home tomorrow. It was a crazy adventure that I'll have to write about when I've had more sleep. All I'll say for now is we arrived at the hospital at 4:15am and she was born at 4:31!!
Here are some pic's. Enjoy! :)
Here are some pic's. Enjoy! :)
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Full Term!!!
Yesterday we hit the 37 week mark in this pregnancy meaning the baby is now considered full-term! Everything continues to go well health-wise and I get a feeling it may not be much longer! I've had a few requests for a picture so here you go..:)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)