3.1 weeks

Nathan was 3 weeks old yesterday.  His reflux is *better and he seems to be getting the hang of burping.  He did have a major throw up last night right before going to bed.  It was EVERYWHERE.  He looked like a fountain, with milk coming from all parts of his face.  He did that twice, one right after the other.  But in good news, that was the first time he did that in like 2 or 3 days.  So that was good.  He hasn't had any spits up today except for a wet burp, which is normal for any baby.  He is trying to get more alert.  He actually stayed awake most of this morning.  He only took a cat nap while we were eating breakfast.  He did finally give it up around 11am and I held him long enough for his to doze off and then I put him in his cradle.  So far he is still there, amazingly!  AND as an added bonus, Jon Kent and Zoey both went down for a nap about 30 minutes ago as well.  So they are all 3 down at the same time.  Woohoo!!

****Updated an hour later****

In other news, May is coming up in a few short days.  It's only the greatest month in the year!  For some reason, May is the start of our busy months.  This month is proving to be no different.  Nathan has his one month check-up on the 5th, then Mother's Day is the 11th, my birthday is the 13th, Kent's consult for his vasectomy is the 14th and then his surgery is the 23rd.  I'm sure there will be other things thrown in there as well.  Then it will be the start of summer and that will sure to be a busy time for us all.  I'm looking forward to it though.. getting busy and all.  We'll be able to get out and play and not be stuck indoors. 

Well, I need to go.  Nathan has already woken up and ate and is now back asleep.  Zoey has woken up and we cuddled for a bit and now she is playing.  Jon Kent is still snoozing, so once hegets up we will eat lunch.  So, I need to get going.  I hope yall enjoyed the pictures!

OH, almost forgot to add.. Sunday was Nathan's first day at church.  As you can see in his first two pictures.. he was all dressed and ready to go.  He slept through most of it but he was ohh'd and ahh'd over and was a big hit!

Our Day with Pictures

So far we are having another good day.  Thankfully!  Nathan has been a great baby all day and only has cried when he was hungry.  The kids and I all went outside today and spent about 2 hours playing.  We all came in, had lunch and everyone went down for naps.. at the same time.  Woohoo!!  I got all the laundry done, most of the cleaning AND some solo computer time.  Double Woohoo!!  Then after everyone woke up from naps, we went back outside for some more playtime.  Now we are relaxing.  Kent's sister is here playing with the kids and I'm just waiting on Kent to get home from the track so that I can grab a shower and go to town to pick up a few things.  If he doesn't come home soon though I'm just going to have to grab a shower somehow and pile all the kids (yikes) up and head to town on our own.  <Please come home, Kent>.  These pictures are from today while we were out and about playing.

Made it- whew!

Well, the day went smoothly.  I got up around 6am to get a head start on everyone else.  That plan quickly fell through, because Nathan woke up as soon as I was getting in the shower.  Which woke both Jon Kent and Zoey up.  But I still managed to get showered and dressed before Nathan had a complete meltdown.  Jon Kent and myself had hair cuts today and I managed to get everyone ready for that.  Jon Kent and Zoey grabbed a ride with my mother-in-law (her appointment was for the same time, as we go to the same stylist) and Nathan and I were going to come later.  But she ended up calling from the salon and told me that they were behind schedule and to come at like 10:15am.  So she and Jon Kent got their hair cut and then came home and she kept all the kids for me while I went and got mine cut.  Once I got home we played outside for a little bit then came in and had lunch.  Then everyone, including me (BONUS) all got a nap in!  After everyone woke up we watched TV while I fed Nathan.  Before I got through though Kent came home from work.  So it wasn't a full day of having the kids all alone but it's a start.  And thankfully it went smoothly.  Nathan had a meltdown right about the time Kent got home from work  (good timing, huh? ;-)) but he soon settled down and has been swinging ever since.  Tonight we are going to my parents' for "family night".  I'm looking forward to it.  I look forward to anything to get me out of the house and to keep me distracted for a few hours.  So all in all the first day went well.  No major blow ups or meltdowns and I didn't lock myself in the bathroom.

Comparing

Here are pictures of the kids all around the same age.  It's funny to look and see how much they look like each other.  I think Nathan is a good mixture of his older brother and sister but for sure favors his older brother.

Nathan's 2 week check-up

It was actually yesterday that he had his appointment, but yesterday was just an all around bad day so I didn't have time to update.  Anyway, Nathan is now weighing in at 9lbs, 8oz and is 21 inches long.  That is up from his birth weight and height at 8lbs, 3oz and 20.5 inches long.  His reflux was bad yesterday, as he spit/threw up 80% of the time.  Which made for a stressful day since we were on the road for most of it.  His doctor said that we would have our good and bad days with the reflux and any day that is spent mostly crying (like yesterday) will probably be our cue for a bad day.  Since when he cries he takes in a lot of air.  She said that his chances of having the pyloric thing (don't remember how to spell the last part of that.. lol) were fairly low at this point since he has had several good days of keeping his food down.  So that's good.  We go back in 2ish weeks for his 1 month check-up.  Yesterday we also took the kids to Chuckie Cheese.  They ran around and played and had a good time.  I think we stayed for close to two hours.

Today we took the kids to the park for some play time and then had a lunch there as well.  They had a good time playing and Nathan must love the outdoors because he slept for most of it very contently (without being held.. woohoo).  He is sleeping as I type now on the couch.  Today was also Kent's last day home with us.  <Takes a deep breath>  Tomorrow I'm on my own.  Like I said earlier in a previous post I'm anxious about it and how we will all adjust and how things will get done, etc.  BUT also in the back of my mind... VERY back of my mind, I'm looking forward to it.  To just get it behind me and all.  To know that the first step is always the hardest so I just want to go ahead and get it out of the way.  If that makes any sense at all.. lol. 

I took some pictures yesterday of Nathan in the bath, so enjoy those.  I'll talk with yall later!

2 weeks old

Happy 2 weeks to my sweet, little Nathan.  It seems like the last 2 weeks have crawled by, but I know soon enough time will start flying again.  So, I'm trying to enjoy these moments of babyhood while I still have them.

Kent took the kids fishing this morning.  He said they wore him out.  Hehee! ;-)  But the kids seemed to have had fun.  Kent said both kids loved playing with the worms (gag) and Jon Kent liked holding, touching the fish.  They (Kent and his grandfather) caught 4 fish total.  The kids caught nothing, but enjoyed throwing all the worms in the water, throwing rocks and sticks in the water and slapping the water with their fishing rods.  LOL.  Meanwhile, Nathan and I stayed home and I washed clothes, cleaned up and feed/held Nathan all morning.

Thursday Kent goes back to work.  =(  I'm a bit anxious.  OK, so I'm a lot anxious.  I know I can do it but knowing and doing are two totally different things.  I'm hoping things go over smoothly and I'm able to get everything done and still give each child the attention s/he needs.  LOL, pray for me.  ;-)

Update on Nathan

Nathan is doing somewhat better.  He has only spit up twice all day.  And those weren't large amounts like he was doing.  So, we'll see if it continues to improve.  I'm hoping it does.  I forgot to add that yesterday when we went to the doctor they weighed Nathan he weighed 8lbs, 12ozs.  That is a 7oz weigh gain since last Friday, so 6 days.  So while he was throwing up, apparently he was still able to keep enough down to continue to gain weight.  Which was great to know.

Nathan is currently sleeping in his infant carrier (backpack kind).  We went outside and walked around and I hated to take him out once we got inside.  So here I sit with him still in his backpack snoozing away.  I told Kent he probably thinks he's back in the womb. 

I was worried a lot during my pregnancy that Nathan wouldn't fit into our family.  I mean we didn't really plan on having 3 kids when we started talking about having a family.  When Zoey was born I was pretty sure we were through, but after about a year or so I started rethinking that and then Nathan happened.  But now that he is here it's still weird to realize that we have 3 kids but he just seems to fit.  I know as he grows and gets more active that it will seem like even more a perfect fit.  I can't wait to see how all 3 of the kids interact together.  Jon Kent will have a little brother to teach things to and Zoey will have an older and younger brother to always be by her side.  Our family is complete.  Which is a good thing since Kent scheduled his vasectomy.. =X

*Sigh*

***Copied from an email to my parents***

 

 

OK, so over the last 72+ hours Nathan has been throwing up most of his feedings.  It started out with only one feeding or so a day that he would throw it ALL back up.  This wasn't spit up or a wet burp.  This was projectile out of the mouth AND nose.  Soooo.. after it happening all night last night I called the pedi this morning and got an appt.  We got right in and she looked him over and said that it was either one of two things..  Acid reflux (been there done that and got the spit up T-shirt) or pyloric stenosis (http://familysurvey.org/parent/medical/digestive/pyloric_stenosis.html).  So we go to get an ultrasound of his belly and all that.  Took forever.  Very stressful.  If the ultrasound came back that he did have it we would be taken immediately to the children's hospital to have surgery.  Thankfully it came back fine, for now.  The doctor said it could still develop into pyloric stenosis but we are going to treat it as acid reflux for now and see if it gets better or gets worse.  If it gets better than we will know what it is, if it gets worse we will have to get another ultrasound to see if the muscle at the base of his stomach has gotten closed up.  Sooo with that, we are on Zantac 3 times a day.  So far he has kept one feeding down and thrown one up.  Sooooo... only time will tell. =/

Worried

I don't remember when Jon Kent started throwing up all his feedings but Nathan has started doing the same.  I want to say it was around the 2 week mark, which Nathan is nearing.  Ugh, I'm so hoping it's not the same outcome.  Jon Kent ended up having acid reflux, which made it hard to stick to nursing.  We ended up having to put him on special formula that was a billion dollars a can.  Ridiculously high stuff.  I felt completely guilty for "letting him down" by stopping the nursing.  It was just a really bad time in my life that I hate to even relive through memories.  And now it looks like we *might (really hope not) be dealing with the same thing.  Ugh.  Ugh.  Ugh!!!!  Every time or every other time I feed Nathan he throws it back up.  Like a fountain out of his mouth AND nose.  It's so hard, because he is hungry so I feed him but then he throws it up.  We both get cleaned up and then he is fussy and mad because he is still hungry.  Vicious cycle.  I was really hoping we wouldn't have to deal with this again.. really hoping.  And I'm still hopeful that maybe.. just maybe that this is a phase that he will out grow quickly.  Nathan has an appointment to see the doctor on the 22nd for his 2 week check-up.  I'm going to ask her about it and see if she thinks it's really reflux.  If it is then we will cross that bridge when we come to it I guess.  But I'm pretty determined to stick to nursing.  Even though it is frustrating having to change clothes 50 times a day.  I really am sooo hoping we can through this and it's not a long term thing.  REALLY hoping..

FYI

I've started updating my weight loss journal again.  It's in my other journals section.  So go take a peek there from time to time.

Pictures over the last few days

Here are some random pictures of the kids and us (not me though.. blech) over the last few days since Nathan has come home.  Enjoy!

Nathan's Check-up

Nathan had a check-up today to check his bilirubin (jaundice) levels.  He was at 8.6 when we left the hospital Wednesday and the doctor just wanted to make sure it wasn't going too high.  She said at 4 days old it usually peaks and then will gradually go down.  Today it came back at 11.3.  The doctor said that it was a good level seeing how he was 4 days old today and it only went up a few points.  He also got his weight checked and he weighed 8lbs, 4oz.  When we left the hospital he was weighing 7lbs, 15oz so she was happy to see that he had gained all he lost back and then a little.  He checked out great today and we go back the 22nd for his 2 week visit.

Nathan Tyler's Birth Story

We get to the hospital at 5:30am on 4/7/08.  They get me set up to the monitors and get all my paper work done.  I'm actually having contractions every 3-5 minutes.  They were small ones but registering.  The doctor comes in and checks me and I'm 2cm dilated.  He goes ahead and breaks my water.  Which took him forever to do because he said it was a really tough bag and it didn't want to break.  No wonder my water never breaks on its own.  The nurse then starts the pitocin around 7am.  She asks if I want an epidural and I tell her no.. for now.  So the contractions start and I'm handling them pretty well.  Then the pressure starts and THAT of all things I couldn't handle.  I just didn't like that feeling.  At 9am she checks me and I'm at 3cm.  At that point I just couldn't take the pressure and told her to go ahead and call the doctor for an epidural.  He was able to immediately come in and do it.  Whew.  10am rolls around and I'm checked again and I'm 4cm dilated.  All was going well until Nathan's heart rate dropped and they couldn't find it.  So they do an internal heart monitor that goes on the top of his head.  It was showing that with each contraction his heart rate decreased greatly.  So they had me flip to my left side.  His heart rate then went back to normal for a little bit but still would dip some with contractions.  From 10:30-11:30am they had me flipping from my left, to my right, sitting up, etc.  Just trying to find a good position so that Nathan's heart rate wouldn't drop.  Nothing was working and even a few time they couldn't get his heart rate at all.  Scared the living mess out of me.  They put me on oxygen and were telling me over and over and over to take deep breaths, to just take deep breaths.  I was.  But Nathan's heart rate was still all over.  Finally at around 11:30am I told them that I was having a ton of painful pressure and felt like I needed to push (epidural wasn't very effective at this point because of all the flipping).  So she checks me.  I went from 5cm dilated at 11am to 10cm dilated by 11:30am.  She calls the doctor and tells him that I'm ready to push, but he was in a csection.  Again, at this point Nathan's heart rate was dropping and things were getting scary.  Nurses were running around getting things ready and a student nurse was repeatedly telling me to take deep breaths and to take in as much oxygen as I could.  The doctor calls back and tells us to go ahead and start pushing that he was on his way.  This was around 12:15pm or so.  So I pushed once just enough to move him down a bit and the pressure was so intense.  At about 12:30pm the doctor was in and dressed and the pushing began.  I pushed through 3 contractions and Nathan Tyler was born at 12:50pm sunny side up with the cord around his neck.  As soon as they put him on my chest I knew he had to be one of my biggest.  He weighed 8lbs, 3oz and was 20.5 inches longs.  His apgars were 9 and 9.  He had a slight breathing bump to get over.  But nothing that required any oxygen or other medical assistance.  He took right to nursing and he is still going strong with it.  So far he is a good baby.  He does like to be held, but what baby doesn't!?!?  He is wonderful in every way.  Jon Kent and Zoey love him.  Jon Kent will talk about him and give him a kiss but he has better things to do.  Now, Zoey she loves to kiss himover and over and over.  She has to sit right next to me the whole time I have Nathan and everything is about him.  We are still settling in and I'm sure we will continue to adjust for quite sometime.  But so far so good.  Enjoy the pictures!!

Nathan Tyler is Here!!!

Nathan Tyler was born at 12:50pm on 4.7.08.  He weighed in at a whopping (at least for my babies) 8lbs, 3oz.  He is 20.5 inches long.  He is a good baby and has taken to nursing like a pro.  He looks just like Jon Kent did when he was first born, only fatter.  =)  We should get to come home tomorrow.  His pediatrician said that so far all is looking well for a discharge tomorrow and as long as his bloods come back fine we will get to come home.  I'll give a full birthstory later and add some pictures.  I'm on the laptop and the hospital doesn't have good wireless reception.  It comes and goes.  Anyway, thanks for all the well wishes and prayers!

Last Update

Well, this will be my last post before becoming a mother of three.  YIKES!!!!  I'm soon off to pack my bags, get my things together and try, try, try to get some sleep tonight.  We will be leaving before even the birds are up tomorrow morning to make it to the hospital by 5:30 am.  If all goes well I should be on my way to having a baby by 7-8am (after being admitted and getting all the initial prep done).  I'm hoping for a quick and easy labor and a healthy birth.  So, by this time tomorrow Nathan will be here in all his late glory.  I'll update with pictures and his birth story as soon as I'm able.  So until then...

40 weeks, 4 days

I'm 40 weeks and 4 days pregnant.  Tomorrow is "eviction" day for Nathan.  I'm hoping all goes smoothly and we have a good labor and birth.  I'm anxious about it all because I've never gone into the hospital knowing that I was going to be giving birth.  Even though Jon Kent was induced, the night we went in was because my blood pressure was so high.  With Zoey I was having contractions but I didn't *know that they were actually going to keep me until after we got there.  But with this, I *know* that we are going in to have a baby and I'm not coming home still pregnant.  And to add to my anxiety, Zoey is running a fever.  The last time we took it, it was at 101.  We gave her some fever medicine and she has seemed fine this whole time.  Only time she acts sick is when the fever is at it's highest.  She had a long night of not being able to get comfortable.  She was up several times through out the night and finally got in the bed with us around 4am.  She then proceeded to talk and turn and just be unsettled until 6:30am.  Then she finally gave it up then and slept until 8am.  Jon Kent even slept until 8am.  Although he did try to get up at 5am.  So, please say a prayer for all us to get healthy and stay healthy.  I can't imagine trying to give birth and worrying about Zoey all at the same time.  The pediatricians office is in the same center at my hospital, so that's convenient but I still rather her just be healthy and not need a visit there to begin with.  So thanks for any and all prayers.

Sad News

Ethan (his link is in my favorite sites section) passed away this morning at 11:37 am.  He had a hard past 24 hours or so and his parents, I am sure, an even harder 24 hours.  He has been fighting leukemia for the past year and almost 2 months.  He is now free from that and while it may hurt us and especially those who were close to him, he is no longer hurting.  So thanks be to that.  Please pray for his family.  They are hurting so deeply right now, in ways that I know I can't comprehend.  So please pray for a washing of peace and comfort over them.  They truly need all the prayers right now.

40 weeks, 3 days

Still here... still pregnant.

40 weeks, 2 days

This is officially the longest I have ever been pregnant.  The spaghetti did nothing last night.  And I even went walking/hiking yesterday afternoon.  And that did more damage than good.  I felt great while I was walking.  Like I had a shot of energy.  I came in sat down for a little bit and then when I got up to go take a shower.. B-A-M!!!  Pain.  Oh my goodness, the pain.  It was horrible.  Like my pelvic bone was being crushed and my hips were being ripped a part.  My lower abs.. what is left of them were aching and crampy feeling.  It was just horrible.  Then last night while trying to sleep, every time I rolled over the pain was unbearable.  Jon Kent woke up, I think, twice wanting to go potty or get some water.  And just rolling out of the bed to go see what he needed was the worst.  And of course I had to potty myself more than I would have liked.  It just wasn't a fun night.  I'm still hurting today too and the soreness is setting in.  Ugh.  I rather have contractions than this pain.  Other than that, no signs of labor.  None.  Zero.  Nothing.  Zilch.  There are storms coming our way.. super cell thunderstorms and tornados.  I'm hoping if he does decide to come that we can make it to the hospital safely.  But he'll probably just curl up and stay put.  Kent's sister's prom is tonight as well.. Kent wants to be there to "send her off".  Meaning he wants to get a good look at this guy who is taking his sister out (her first "date".. officially anyway).  He told me this morning that he is taking his gun up there.  I'm already embarrassed for Kerith.  Anyway, that's all that is going on here.  I need to get off my overdue booty and fold clothes and clean up.  I'll keep yall updated as much as I can and if there is even anything to update on..

Coincidence or Wishful Thinking?

Let's take a trip down memory lane...

I'm 40 weeks and 1 day pregnant with Zoey.  It's a Thursday night and I'm eating spaghetti at Kent's grandmother's house.  I'm having contractions here and there.  We are surrounded by family and just enjoying ourselves.  That very night I go into full blown labor with Zoey.  I end up having her the next morning around 7am.  Now.. fast forward..  I'm currently 40 weeks and 1 day pregnant.  Today is Thursday and we always have family night with my parents, brother, sister-in-law and nephew.  Anyone want to guess what we are having for supper tonight?  SPAGHETTI!!!!!!  Oh yeah.  It may just be a coincidence in the end.. but wouldn't it be neat if I did go into labor tonight!?!?!?!

By the way, who knew I had such a mocking baby countdown ticker(to the left).. it just keeps on ticking....... 40 weeks and 1 day pregnant.

The never ending pregnancy

I'm STILL 1 cm dilated and that's it.  STILL!!!!  So, the doctor said that he could still induce me tomorrow but that it still wasn't considered a favorable induction.  Meaning that the hospital still looked at it as a risky induction.  So he said that he could also induce me Monday.  Which would make me 40 weeks and 5 days pregnant.  He said that with this being my third child that he didn't think I would have too much of a problem being induced tomorrow but that he couldn't guarantee it either.  So the doctor gave Kent and I some time to talk it over and I just didn't feel like it was worth the risk doing it tomorrow.  So Monday it is.  That is the last possible day that I will be pregnant.  We have to be at the hospital at 5:30am and they will start the induction then.  I'm still hoping to go on my own before then though, but right now it's just not looking like I will.  I've got one stubborn little boy in my belly.  Either that or he is too scared to come out and meet the youngins he has been hearing all these months.  Oh and I gained 4 pounds in a week.. lol.  I was enjoying what I thought was my last week of pregnancy.. and well.. it showed.  LOL

40 Weeks

Well the day has finally arrived.  I am 40 weeks pregnant today and "due".  We are about to leave for my appointment with the OB.  We will see if I've progressed any and then look over our options and next move.  I'll update yall when I get back or when I get another chance.  Here's hoping Nathan is soon on his way!!!!

April Fools!!

Well, I will be getting my "diamond baby" after all.  We have made it to April.  Nathan is due tomorrow and so far has shown no clear signs of wanting to come out.  He is snug as a bug I guess.  Who could blame him though really?  I mean he is warm and constantly being held.  He is naked and doesn't have to worry about scratchy clothes.  He gets fed whenever.  He gets to float around all day and listen to everything that is going on in the "other world" without being exposed to it.  He doesn't have to share his momma with anyone.. he constantly has her....  Yup, he's never coming out. 

Tomorrow is my due date and I also have an appointment to see my OB.  My "40th week" visit.  We'll see if I've made any progress.  I've actually considered just waiting this little guy out.  I mean, I've come this far.. why not just wait and let nature take it's course!?!?  But on the other hand... the convenience of knowing a final date.  A light at the end of the tunnel, an ending.. sounds nice.  Who knows.  I just honestly don't think today is the day for little man to come.. unless he just up and surprises me and I start contracting.. so far.. nothing.  Just still sore from the other day and a lot of pressure from where it seems he has dropped.  Besides that... nothing. 

I'm going to do some more cleaning today and see if that helps get anything going.  If not.. well there is always tomorrow.