Kylie's Birthday

Since my last post I had been becoming more and more uncomfortable every day. I developed insomnia and really wasn't sleeping at all anymore and still going to work every day. I was miserable. I called in sick to work on Monday and called my mom crying and told her that I was seriously considering starting my maternity leave early because it was just getting too hard to function. I really wanted too work up until my due date because if I went out early that means I would have to go back to work early. I took a nap and told myself I would take it day by day and just try to stick it out a little bit longer. Little did I know Kylie had other plans for me.

Wednesday I woke up around 2:00am with contractions. These felt different than the contractions I had been having so I immediately wondered if something could be starting. The contractions were coming about every 10 minutes, and were not really painful, but much more so than before. I could not go back to sleep, so I just kept monitoring them to see if they would get any closer together. Five minutes apart was what I was waiting for. Jason got up around 3:30 for work and I told him what was going on. The contractions were still coming every 10 minutes so I told him to just go to work and I'd call him if anything happened.

By around 5:00 I realized the contractions were getting a lot stronger. Some of them were pretty painful. I called Jason and told him I was going to really time them to make sure this was the real thing and I'd call him in an hour. During that hour or so the contractions were coming every 7-8 minutes and every once in a while I would get one that hurt so bad I would have to get out of bed and move around. I called Jason and told him I was ready to go to the hospital. I wasn't waiting for the whole five minute rule. So I got out of bed and, wait for it....packed my bag. Yea, i wasn't prepared AT ALL. Well, at least I bought the stuff I needed last week. By the time Jason got home the contractions were about 6-7 minutes apart so we were on our way!

We got to the hospital maybe around 7:30 and they took us up to labor check and hooked me up to the monitors. The contractions we still about 6 minutes apart but when they did an internal I was almost 5 centimeters dilated! They asked me what time my water broke and I was like "What? My water broke?" I knew I was leaking a little bit after the contractions, but I honestly thought that it was maybe urine or regular discharge since I always imagined a huge gush when the water broke. Apparently this happened at home around the time the contractions went from 10 minutes to 7 and got much more intense. The nurse started giving me all the paperwork to fill out to admit me and when Jason asked her if there was still a chance they could send me home she was like, "We aren't sending you home without a baby!"

They moved us into our labor and delivery room, drew my blood and we waited. The contractions were getting much more intense but I had to wait for my blood work to get back to get the epidural. I felt a really strong one and threw up afterwords. Luckily, the anesthesiologist walked in right after that. I sat as still as possible. I felt the prick of the local anesthesia, and then not much else. The epidural worked wonders and I felt no pain once it kicked in. They started me on a little bit of pitocin to speed up the process. My mom and Jason's mom were here by now so we all just waited, and waited, and waited. Maybe two or three hours later they came to check me and I was fully dilated! I couldn't believe it. They wanted me to labor a little bit more to let the baby come down a little further on her own, so we just waited some more. Maybe another two hours later they came and checked me and decided it was time to push. I didn't feel any pain at all up until about the last hour or less of labor when I starting feeling a lot of pressure and a little bit of pain.

We kicked every one out of the room and the doctor came in and got us all set up. I could feel the contractions and just pushed as hard as I could when I felt one. My doctor was the best. She kept everything lighthearted the whole time. Jason was interested in everything she was doing and she took the time to explain everything to him. After about 20 minutes of pushing, Kylie was born at 3:41pm. I was exhausted and overwhelmed and Jason had tears in his eyes I just couldn't believe how beautiful the moment was even though it is kind of a blur for me. Jason cut the cord and they took Kylie to clean her up. I just soaked up the moment, watching Jason fall instantly in love with his daughter, it still brings tears to my eyes. It's true when they say a single moment can change your life.

We Welcome With Love

Kylie Marie
Born March 24, 2010 at 3:41pm. She weighed 6 pounds 15 ounces and was 20 inches long. We are in love! Birth story and more pictures to come.

37 Weeks

We are FULL TERM! Kylie is now fully developed and could realistically be born any time now! She is in position and low and I am still having a lot of cramping and contractions. I have been monitoring them but so far nothing that is time able at all. I am slowly progressing though. At my appointment on Thursday I was 1 1/2 centimeters dilated so if I have to be uncomfortable, and least its working. And I am definitely uncomfortable. My hips hurt when I try to sleep, TRY being the key word since I really don't sleep anymore. My pelvis hurts like I took a week long spinning class. And the newest ailment is nerve pain that shoots down the right butt cheek through the leg, particularly when I sit down on the toilet. Nice. I went out and bought the rest of the things I needed for my hospital bag and for at home postpartum so now I just have to pack it all up and have it waiting. All of Kylie's clothes from newborn to 3 months are washed and now I'm working on the sheets, blankets towels, and everything else. Jason installed the car seat in his car and we put together the stroller. And I just need to make one more trip to Babies R Us to pick up a few things that we still need and then we will be all ready. I'm still working, somehow, and I wish I wasn't but there's nothing I can do about it. Just counting down the days till baby!

Weekly Update: Your baby is now considered "full term," even though your due date is three weeks away. If you go into labor now, her lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb. Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel. Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

And then there was one...

I'm the last standing prego! Carli and Gil welcomed their baby girl Sadie James into the world today! Since Carli and I really went through our entire pregnancies together, it's really starting to sink in that this baby is coming sooner rather than later. Sadie is beautiful and I can't wait to hear all about labor from Carli. I told her to lie and tell me it wasn't so bad :) Happy Birthday Sadie!!

36 Weeks

We are getting sooooo close! I really can't believe how fast this whole pregnancy has gone by and really any day now we could be meeting our baby girl. Sleeping is still terrible. I am really having a hard time functioning at work and find myself taking a power nap on almost every break I get. The other night I kept waking up not because I had to pee but because whichever hip I was laying on would start hurting really bad. I'd flip over to the other side and then that hip would hurt. This went on all night. My Braxton Hicks contractions are most definitely getting stronger and starting to last a little bit longer. I was checked this week at my appointment and really no progress yet, still pretty closed up but a fingertip dilated. I'm hoping for a little more next week. I think Kylie is a little bit lower. My ribs feel much better but I still get out of breath by really just doing normal things. My belly feels like it really can't get any bigger than it is. My once tiny 25 inch waist is now measuring 37 inches around. I think it is still a little small for how far along I am but all is good with the baby's growth and that's all that matters. Kylie totally sticks her feet out the side of my belly. When I press down I can actually feel her body parts which is really amazing and Jason got to feel her hiccuping the other day and he thought that was really cool. Oh and everyone is telling me lately that my belly is lopsided because she likes to hang out on the left side only. LOL Pretty much everything is ready now, we are just waiting on her!

Weekly Update: Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.

35 Weeks

This week we worked really hard on Kylie's nursery. The painting is finally done, all the furniture is back in its place, and most of the decorations are up. I would say it is about 75% complete now! Jason needs to hang up the curtains and then I have to get everything washed and organized and then it should be all ready for her. I will take pics soon I promise.

I'm feeling big and mostly uncomfortable still. I'm really starting to wonder how I am going to work all the way until I go into labor because I am already exhausted and having a hard time functioning. Nothing really new to talk about but I think she may have dropped just a little bit lower because she has been mostly sparing my ribs lately and I'm feeling more a more pressure on the pelvis. I've also starting having dreams about being in labor. Hopefully we are slowly making some progress!

Weekly Update: Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that she's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, she isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times she kicks should remain about the same. Her kidneys are fully developed now, and her liver can process some waste products. Most of her basic physical development is now complete — she'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

Dr Appt & Lots of Answers

I had an appt today and had a ton of questions that I wanted to ask and I got them all answered!

* I have been having a lot of Braxton Hicks and also some very mild period like cramping recently. Dr says this is GOOD! My body is preparing itself for labor. I have two more weeks to go before I am full term so he said if I'm getting more than 6 Braxton Hicks in an hour that don't stop with water and rest I should head over to labor and delivery. Also, if I'm having cramps that become increasingly more painful and are timeable, coming about every 3 minutes, or of course if my water breaks I'm probably in labor.

*If in fact I do go into labor early, at this point they will not try to stop it. He says that at this point babies will generally do better if they are just born rather than try to stop the labor and keep them inside.

*If I NEVER go into labor on my own, he will not let me go longer than 41 weeks. He is not a fan of inducing unless medically necessary (me either) and would rather give me the baby the chance to come when she's ready. They will not induce earlier than 39 weeks and not until there is some labor progress already. He said what would happen is if I make it to 40 weeks, at that appointment they will have me pick a day for the following week that is convenient and schedule the induction. Let's hope we don't have to worry about this.

*The baby can start dropping anytime now, but she is already low so I might not really notice it that much. I'm hoping this happens soon and I do notice the difference and my ribs get some relief.

*Baby is also in the proper position, and he says it is very unlikely that she will change positions at this point, although it could happen.

*We talked breastfeeding. He recommended waiting a few weeks to pump in order to get a good supply established, and said there is a lactation consultant in the office if I have any questions.

*We also talked birth control, since I'm not trying to have an "oops" baby right away after she is born. I'm probably going to try the Mirena IUD and see how that goes.

I think that was it! I'm so happy I got to have all my questions answered. From here on out I will be having weekly appointments and internal exams start at 37 weeks to check for labor progress. I'm really hoping Kylie takes after her Daddy. He believes being on time means showing up 15 minutes EARLY!!!! 35 weeks pregnant and 35 days left to go!

Happy Birthday!

I want to say a huge congrats to my friends Jackie and Brian who welcomed their twin boys into the world today! I can't wait to meet them and especially for all the future play dates we can have together. I'm so happy for you guys (and a little jealous you aren't pregnant anymore.) Happy Birthday Gabriel and Giovanni!!!

34 Weeks

What a great week this week! We got to see our baby girl and she appears to be doing great! She is also NOT small, estimated to weight 5lbs 5oz already with 6 weeks to go. I don't know where she is hiding but she is growing in there like she should be and we couldn't be happier. She is SQUISHED though and I can tell she keeps trying to stretch out and make more room for herself in there but there just isn't any. She is in the proper position with her head down, butt on my left side and legs on the right so hopefully she stays that way. She was awake during the ultrasound moving a little, opening and closing her mouth, and sucking her lips. So cute!

Saturday was my baby shower and I had an amazing time! My mom did so much to make it beautiful and Kylie got so many great gifts. Thank you so much to everyone who came for making the day so special!! I will post some pictures as soon as I get them.

I'm feeling exhausted. 8 months of not sleeping very well is finally catching up to me. I also get out of breath easily if I walk around too fast or climb stairs. I wish I had enough paid time off to start my maternity leave early because it is really getting hard for me to function lately and I really have a lot of stuff to do before Kylie arrives. But I only have enough for 3 months off and I want to be able to spend as much time with my new baby as I can so I'm going to have to tough it out for a few more weeks.

I'm also getting very uncomfortable. Kylie has her feet permanently lodged in my ribs and every time she moves it HURTS. Like I jump and lose my breath for a minute and my ribs feel like they are so sore. I'm really hoping she drops soon so that I can have some relief. I'm also having some very mild period like cramps, and a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions so I'm hoping this is my body's way of getting really to evict Kylie. She needs to cook for 3 more weeks though until she is considered full term and then I'm ready whenever she is. Wait, I really need to get stated on my long to do before baby list.

And I'll finish with a story that I know Michelle will especially appreciate. I was at Babies R Us last week gift wrapping for Carli's shower and the lady next to me asks me when I'm due. When I tell her she's like, "Wow! You look like you're due now!" Umm, thanks lady. Most people tell me I'm small so I guess I can handle someone telling me I'm big for once, but geeze talk about rude!

Weekly Update: Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

I think I look a lot bigger this week.



Sorry for the late update again Grandma!

33 Weeks

I had an appointment this week. I gained the amount of weight I was supposed to gain, BUT now the doctor says my belly is measuring 3 weeks too small. She didn't seem very concerned. She said it can depend on a lot of different things, but just to check and see how the baby is growing they have moved up my growth ultrasound from 36 weeks to next week. They are going to take all of her measurements and will be able to estimate how much she weighs. I am excited to see how much she has grown since my last real ultrasound was at 18 weeks! I'm pretty sure she is growing fine in there so I am not worried.

She is seriously running out of room more and more every day. My belly has been moving and shaking for a long time, but now there are random body parts that literally push my skin out and move back and forth across my belly. Jason thinks it feels like a massage chair, and I actually have to agree except for the kicks to the ribs. Those hurt. Although I can't tell which parts are which, I can definitely feel her in there when I press down on my belly with my hand. She is getting so big and strong. My hips are starting to hurt a little bit and so is my pelvis. Sometimes I feel out of breath and I'm pretty much always exhausted. I'm getting anxious to meet this little girl.

I had a great time at Carli's baby shower this week and can't believe mine is next week already. We are almost there!!

Weekly Update: This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds and has passed the 17-inch mark. She's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and her skeleton is hardening. The bones in her skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for her to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as her brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

32 Weeks

I'm still feeling really great. I like to complain, but I really can't. I'm not very big or uncomfortable, no real big aches or pains yet, and I'm sleeping ok. I think I have been slacking on my water intake lately as I am waking up very thirsty in the morning and feeling generally dehydrated. I was doing so good for a while making sure I got enough water, I guess I'm starting to get a little bit lazy so I'll have too be sure to make more of an effort. I think that is also the reason I'm getting those damn leg cramps in the middle of the night much more often lately. Kylie is still a very active baby. She does a great job of letting me know she's ok in there.

Speaking of Kylie, I'm starting to second guess her name a little bit. I like it but I guess now that she's getting closer and closer to arriving, I just can't help but wonder if that is the name she is supposed to have for the rest of her life. I don't know, maybe I'm just indecisive. Maybe I will have to pull out the old name lists one more time and just look them over again just in case.

So, I've finally decided that I want to paint her nursery. I'm thinking of doing it pink on the top and green on the bottom, with a chair rail or border separating the two colors. I think it will be much prettier for her than the plain beige it is now. The room is slowly coming together. I just need to get a few more accessories in there to complete it.

And finally, I want to congratulate my cousin Michelle and her husband Juan on the birth of their second baby boy, Jonathan Michael. He was born yesterday afternoon and mom and baby are doing wonderful. Uh oh, the babies are actually starting to arrive now. You mean I have to give birth to this child growing inside me soon?!?

Weekly Update: By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.

To My Husband, on Our Anniversary

As I sit here today and reflect on the past 8 years, I can't help but to be reminded of all the wonderful memories we have shared together. We were just kids when we met at only 20 years old and here we are today about to have a kid of our own. We have had a whirlwind of a relationship from the first kiss, to falling in love, breaking up and making up again, to realizing that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together, and now we have created the most beautiful gift that we could ever give each other. I think back to why I fell in love with you in the first place. You take care of me like no one else has. You cook for me and always make me try new and different foods. You almost always keep fresh roses in the house because you know they make me smile. For holidays I always get more than one card, because you can never choose one that fits perfectly. We balance each other out as you are the dreamer and I am the realist and always encourage me to try new things that I normally wouldn't do. You dropped everything to spend 2 1/2 months with me in Oklahoma City and it turned out to be one of the most memorable times of my life. We have created a life together, and it's far from perfect but its ours. We moved together at least 8 times before we found a house we could make our home. We have laughed together and cried together and made new friends while leaving others behind on our journey together. We have made mistakes, lots of them, but somehow our love always keeps us together. So today, on our second anniversary I just want you to know how much all this has meant to me. I know I probably don't tell you enough but I love you, I appreciate everything you do for me, and I am grateful for you and all the memories you have given me. Looking back, I wouldn't change anything about our story together. The tough times have made us stronger and the great times have really been fantastic and no matter what the future holds for us, I will always cherish every moment and memory. Exactly two years ago today, you made me the happiest woman in the world by making me your wife. In two short months I hope to give you that same feeling by making you a father. Happy Anniversary Baby.

31 weeks

And it seems like Kylie is seriously running out of room in there. Her movements have changed lately. Instead of big kicks and punches all the time, now it feels like she is squirming around in there and trying to stretch out. It is a very strange feeling. I'm starting to think that she has turned the wrong way though. I don't know, I could be wrong but I feel like she is laying horizontally across my belly because I feel the hiccupps on the right side of my body. I guess technically she could be head down with her body on the right and what I'm feeling is her body moving up and down when she hiccupps. I don't know, maybe I'm just paranoid, but I really hope she is facing the right way before she really runs out of room and is unable to turn at all. I'm feeling fine otherwise. Just trying to get the room all set up and decorated and get everything ready to bring our baby home.

Weekly Update: This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. She weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. She can turn her head from side to side, and her arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath her skin. She's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

Dr's Orders: Eat More Ice Cream!

I had an appointment today, and while everything seems to be going well, I didn't gain any weight since my last appointment 3 weeks ago. I weigh myself weekly so I was aware of this and was wondering what the doc would say. She says she sees no problems with it, and that she is not a believer in gaining a lot of weight during pregnancy anyways, but she would like to see me gain at least 1-2 pounds by my next appointment in two weeks so she has ordered me to eat more ice cream! DOCTOR'S ORDERS!! LOL

Kylie's heartbeat was strong, as usual, and starting now I will be going back to the doctor every 2 weeks until 36 weeks and then once a week until I go into labor. I will have an ultrasound at some point in the near future to measure Kylie's growth and position, and hopefully will get a 3D ultrasound soon too. That's all for now. Gotta run and make a milkshake. :)

30 Weeks

And its finally starting to sink in. Holy crap, I'm having a baby soon! LOL. I hate to say it in fear of jinxing myself, but this week I feel great. I'm sleeping much better so I finally have some energy and I'm not to the point where I am so big that I am uncomfortable all the time yet. Yes, sometimes I still get cramps in my legs, or my lower back will hurt, but more often than not my biggest pains lately come from a swift kick straight to the ribs. It's amazing how something that weighs less than 3 pounds can seriously kick so hard. I started working on my registry this week and there are just so many things I might need that it is a little bit overwhelming. I also attended my friend Jackie's baby shower and it was beautiful! She could be having her twin boys as early as next month! My cousin Michelle is due to have her baby boy any day now, Carli's shower is in 3 weeks, then my own shower, and before we know it all of us will be mommies. WOW!

Weekly Update: Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face.