one week

Today, James Peter Norby, you are one week old. I can't believe how fast the time is already going. I remember my parents saying that once you were born time would fly by and it would seem like an instant and you would be grown. As I sit here and look in to your sweet little boy face I am so grateful for all that you bring to my life. You may keep me up until all hours of the night and refuse to quite crying for hours. You may blow out your diaper minutes after changing you or pee all over you and me. No matter what shenanigans you pull or mischief you get into, I will always love you. I will love the way that you gaze into my eyes as I hold you. They way you hold you hands up by your face at all times, no matter how tight I swaddle you. I love you tiny little hiccups that drive you crazy and the loud burps and farts that startle me :) I can't believe that you are one week old, but I look forward to every week that is to come in our lives together. All my love. Mommy.

I'm in love and it's a sunny day

So it has been a weeks since I went in to the hospital to be induced! My how time flies! James is already 6 days old and is starting to show more and more personality. He loves to eat...He eats and eats and eats! Mamma is working really hard to keep up with his hearty appetite :)

He likes to sleep, he just sometimes enjoys eating more than he enjoys sleeping. When he does sleep, he always seems to work his left hand up to his head and rests it on his face. It doesn't matter how tight I swaddle him, it always seems to find its way there.

I have been feeling pretty good since having my little guy. Not too much pain and I seem to have an average amount of energy. The swelling in my hands and feet seems to get better every day. Who knows, maybe soon I'll be able to squeeze my wedding ring on again :)

Well Jamey is due to eat again here shortly and I need to grab some food myself. I never thought my life could revolve around eating so much :)

James Peter Norby

James Peter Norby entered our hearts at 8:05am on July 23red 2010. He weighed a wopping 7lbs 5.2oz and was 19.5in long. He is a scrawny little boy with one big head :) (his head is 14in big compared to his 12.5in chest :)

Labor and delivery went really well. I came in for an induction on Thurs. the 22nd at 3. Betsey Horken was my labor nurse until 11pm and did a fabulous job. Pitocin was started at 4:30 and I started to feel contractions around 5:30 and at around 6pm they tried to break my water but baby was still too high. At 9:00pm they were able to successfully break my water and the contractions really started to get more uncomfortable. I got an epidural at around 9:30 by Curt and he did an absolutely amazing job. He was done before I even knew he had started. I rested on and off until around 5am when I really started to feel uncomfortable again. Judy was my labor and delivery nurse and did a fabulous job. Curt came in and tried to give me a couple of boluses in my epidural but I started to feel a lot of pressure in my bottom. I had just a little bit of cervix left, but they decided that I could push past it. I started pushing at 6:45am. Jamey didn't like pushing and had late variable decelerations with contractions. I was starting to get really uncomfortable and tired with pushing and so a little before 8am they decided to use a vacuum to help Jamey come out. He had a nuchal cord x1 and arrived into this world at 8:05am.

He had a little trouble transitioning and he went into the NICU for the first hour. He was having some retracting and nasal flaring but it seemed to resolve itself in a few hours.

Everything has been going fabulously since Jamey arrived. He is a fabulous eater and would eat all day and night if I let him. He is also a very content baby. He very rarely cries and is easily consoled when he does. He got his circumcision done today, but seems to have tolerated it well. My dad and his wife Julie has been up to visit us as well as my brother and a few co-workers and friends.

Motherhood has been absolutely wonderful so far. I feel so amazed and blessed. Nate has been a wonderful support to me and a fabulous father to Jamey. He has been so sweet and I can feel the love that flows between our little family. As I sit here in our hospital room our last night in the hospital I praise God for such a blessed life that we have been given.

Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow there'll be sun...

39 weeks today! Woot Woot!

Well tomorrow is the big day. INDUCTION DAY! I had my appointment this morning with the midwife at the clinic since Dr. Lays was out of town. my blood pressure was good at 125/85 but I did still have 2+ protein in my urine. I Still have a slight headache and am nauseated, but since taking it easy, I have ankles and knees again and have kept the 5lbs of fluid that I lost off. Here is a pictures of my legs before I went on bedrest....scary I know

I debated back and forth if I wanted to go ahead with the induction tomorrow morning, but after weighing all of the pro's and con's I decided that I wanted to go ahead with it. The only risks that I take with doing the induction tomorrow are 1) it doesn't work and I have to go home or 2) I stall out and end up with a cesarean section. Two things that I decided I can live with. I was 2cm today in the clinic and she said my cervix feels anterior and soft. However baby is still ballotable (which means his head hasn't engaged into my pelvis yet) so that does make me a little nervous.

So our nursery is completed, my bag is semi packed, my nails are painted, and the house is clean. Pretty much everything is ready for this little man's arrival. I am getting nervous, but trying not to think about it too much. It's strange thinking about tomorrow. Because I know so much of what goes on during labor, my mind is swimming with so many different scenarios of how tomorrow is going to go. I pray that I can just let my mind relax and enjoy the whole experience. Oh, and hopefully Nate won't freak out too much :)

So, until tomorrow. Plan for the day: Rest and enjoy my last day being pregnant (hopefully)

Thursday's the day.

So I worked Friday and Saturday night this weekend, and it went ok. Saturday night I really started to feel crummy, so I took my Blood Pressure and it was up at 145/95. I decided it would probably be best if I stayed home tonight (sunday night) and try and get some rest and make sure my Blood Pressures stay more normal.

So the plan for the week:

Monday and Tuesday--REST

Wednesday--Go to the clinic and get my BPs and Cervix checked

Thursday--INDUCTION!

OK, so if my cervix is still favorable and L&D is not too busy Dr. Lays plans to induce me on Thursday! I can't believe it! This little man will most likely be here this week! I am feeling so crazy just thinking about it. I am however quite excited. I continue to have swelling and a headache which just makes me feel miserable. My back feels like a thousand knives are stabbing it at any given time, and I continue to have annoying and uncomfortable braxton-hicks contractions. So, my body seems to pretty much want to be done being pregnant.

Things I want to accomplish this week:

1) paint my toes, shave my legs, and wax my eyebrows. I gotta look good for this little man :)

2) put up my uppercase living in the baby's room so it's all finished and ready to go

3) Finalize a name for this little bugger

4) Clean the house for all the company we will most likely be having this weekend

5) Relax and enjoy these last few days alone with Nate

Well Here's hoping that everything goes well and there aren't too many surprises along the way. Until next time...

K

It's Back to Work I go....

So my Dr. Appointment went well today. My BPs were down to 120s/70s. So much better than they were, and I only had +1 protein in my urine. I have also officially lost 5lbs since being on bedrest (all fluid from the swelling) So Dr. Lays gave me the OK to go back to work this weekend! I am excited. I miss my job so much. This last week has been one of the longest weeks ever! I will be glad to be back around my wonderful co-workers again tonight. Hopefully the night won't be too crazy :)

Other good news my cervix was also more dilated. Woot Woot. I am now one and a half cm dilated and 80% effaced. Glad to know these annoying contractions are actually doing something. The plan is to meet again with Dr. Lays next Friday, and talk about possible induction at that point since I will be over 39 weeks.

I cant believe how fast the time has gone. It feels like yesterday Nate and I found out we were going to be parents, and now we are less than 2 weeks away from this little man arriving! I have a feeling that the next 2 weeks are going to be a whirlwind of excitement and anticipation.

more rest for me

So I had my follow-up appointment with Dr. Howick today after being on bedrest for the last five days. My Blood Pressure was about the same as it was last time, but I only had a trace amount of protein in my urine, So that was much better. Oh, and my labs came back ok. My protein/creatine ratio was 0.2 last week. Anything higher than that and they would be concerned. So, for now it is still just kind of borderline. The ultrasound with baby came back great. His fluid levels were perfect and he is growing like a champ. They estimated his size at 38+ weeks and at about 7lbs 4oz (give or take a pound) So the plan is to keep resting until friday when I have my BP checked again, and if it's ok, I get to go back to work next weekend (yeah!)

Some of you may be wondering why I am excited to go back to work. Well I am for a couple of reasons. 1) we need the $$ 2) I miss my co-workers! I have seen nobody but my neighbors out in their lawn and Nate for the last 5 days and I am going a little crazy 3.) I know that it has been crazy busy at work and I hate leaving my co-workers in a tight spot.

So, I guess that time will tell. Not much else new to report. My cervix was still only fingertip but she said it is starting to soften and move more anterior (although it still feels like she is tickling my tonsils when I get checked) So hopefully my body can start kicking it into gear and dilate dilate dilate!

Bedrest...uggg

So my appointment today could have gone a little better :) My Blood Pressures were up (137/72) which is still within the normal range but quite a bit higher than my normal. I was also spilling +2 protein in my urine so that was a bummer. I got PIH labs drawn (to see if I am at risk for developing HELP syndrome) and they tested my urine for a more accurate protein reading. Dr. Howick is supposed to call me in the morning with the results.

Cervical exam was not a whole lot different. Fingertip, 40% effaced, and -2 station. Pretty much notta. Hopefully soon I'll start kicking it in gear. Come on contractions.

Well that is pretty much it. I have a follow up appointment on Monday, but until then is rest, rest, rest for me.

Bowling Ball between my legs??

So this last weekend the pressure has been on... literally. I have never felt so much pressure in my hips in my life. I feel like there is a 15lb bowling bowl nestled up in my pelvis. Lets just say it's a wonderful feeling.

So we are approaching the 37 week mark this week. WooHoo! I can not wait to meet this little guy and be done being pregnant. Well, actually it is kind of bitter sweet. I have really enjoyed being pregnant. It is such an amazing experience. Feeling another being moving and squirming inside of you. However, it is also an uncomfortable and unpleasant feeling at times as well :) I have an appointment tomorrow afternoon, so here's hoping I have progressed a little more.

Feet=still swollen....nothing new there.

Today I went to target because I decided that I should probably begin packing some sort of bag for when we eventually head to the hospital. I, however, did not want to pack all of my toiletries since I will be needing them between now and whenever D-Day is. So, I decided to purchase a few things that I figured I would need in the travel sized containers. Let me just say that they carry just about everything in travel size now. I also purchased some comfy pajama/lounge pants and a cheep pair of slippers for the hospital stay.

We got the guest room pretty much completed this weekend. Nate and his dad did a really good job putting in the floors. They look great! Much better than the nasty, bug infested blue carpet that previously occupied the space. The wall color turned out pretty good as well. When we were painting it I was a little nervous as it looked a little big seafoam green, but after it dried and we got the blue carpet out it looked like the grey/blue color I intended it to be. I just need to paint the baseboards so Nate can put them up and it should be good to go. Oh, and we need to hang a light in the room as the wobbly, black light fan didn't really seem to go in the room anymore.

Amy and Andrew came up to visit this weekend which was really nice of them. It was wonderful to see some familiar faces, have some good food, and catch up with them. They got us some adorable baby gifts that included an NDSU hat/socks, THUNDAR stuffed bison, and an adorable NDSU piggy bank. I will have to take some pics and post them. This little man is going to be quite stylin :)

11 Shifts left at work until I start my maternity leave! Wow, has time really flown by. Well I think I am going to go relax, take a bath and read my book. Until next time.

Fingertip, Thick, High....

Well I had my first cervical exam...I guess it could have gone a little better :) But I guess FT is better than closed right :) Definitely feel more contractions this week. My body is definitely getting ready for the big day. At least they aren't too terribly uncomfortable yet.

So I have been buying things left and right for baby this last week. It seems every time I think I have everything that I need, I think of something else that I need. I guess that's how it will be from now on. There will always be something else we need.

I am now at a 22lb weight gain, I am guessing that at least half of it is in my legs! I have so much water weight it's not even funny. After a night of work I have two large stumps coming out of my hips. I have no definition from my thighs down. Goodbye knees, goodbye ankles, goodbye feet. They no longer exist under the fluffy fluid-filled skin that surround them. Darn you hot and humid July!

So I think that Nate has been nesting this week. He decided that we HAVE to finish the basement guest bedroom before baby arrives. So that is what we are doing. I picked out what was supposed to be a gray-blue paint color for the walls, bought a bed in a bag from walmart, and he picked out some flooring from Lows. Pictures to come if it gets done before D-Day :)

Well the house needs cleaning and my stomach is growlin :) Must be lunch time.