Update and more pictures =)

Thank you so much for all your kind notes of congratulations!!!  Thought I would get an update out this evening while M and Kylie have some Daddy daughter time.  As of last night Kylie was at 6lb, so she had lost 8 oz and was a little shrimpy.  As of tonight she is up 1/2 an ounce from that so it appears she's turned the corner.  She has plenty of wet diapers and my milk appears to be coming in.  We got more sleep last night, probably about 8 hours all together in little pieces.  That's going to take some adjustment but is going well.  Kylie got her heal sticks this morning and doesn't show any sign of jaundice.  

As for my recovery from the c/s, it's getting a little easier to get in and out of bed but I'm still feeling a lot of tugging and pulling with the outside and inside incisions...plus the gas pains are horrible.  I did manage to take a shower both yesterday and today and go for a walk around the mom/baby unit.  Today's walk was more fun than yesterday so that has to be a good sign.  The OB said it's my choice to stay until tomorrow or Wednesday.  We'll see, it might be nice to have one more day of pampering in the hospital before heading home...but our bed is sounding pretty nice too!

All in all Kylie is doing great and I'm healing.  Now to what you probably have been waiting for, a picture from yesterday and another from today.  She's got M and I absolutely wrapped around her little finger =)

Welcome to the world Kylie!

Summary:

Details:

We checked in this morning about 6am and entered the OR around 8:30 after lots of questions, IV preparations, etc.  The nurse who started my IV had a bit of trouble and the puddle of blood sent me into a nausea induced period.  Luckily it passed quickly and the excitement of upcoming events still had my spirits up.  Once in the OR the spinal wasn't too painful and took effect just as it should but I did get some serious nausea and felt like I was going to pass out and throw up.  The anesthesiologist gave me two kinds of meds and 5-10 minutes later I was fine.  M was so wonderful and stroked my face and arm to keep me going.  After the c-section started Kylie arrived about 15 minutes later and cried right away.  They took her to the warmer for a quick cleaning and to let M trim the cord.  After she got wrapped up she got to come say hello to me for 2-3 minutes and then was taken to the recovery room and M went with her.  The sewing up took about 40 minutes and there was a lot of pressure and I was thankful to have our birth CD to keep my mind busy while it was going on.   After that I got to join Kylie and M in the recovery room and she was doing great with 9/9 apgar scores and she even breastfed right away with a "great latch" said the nurse.  She did have to go into the warmer for 5-10 minutes but since then has held her temp.  Around noon we were moved to our room and have had a wonderful day getting to know our little girl.  She is really laid back and has been able to meet all her grandparents. Nursing is going well, nips are getting a little sore but we're hanging in there.  I've already been up and had some dinner and we're all getting tired after our big day and we'll be turning in soon.  

Thank you girls for all the support, kind thoughts and good wishes!

Less than 24 hrs!!!

Well girls, it's down to the last day before Kylie arrives.  I've taken the day off work to nap, do laundry and generally just relax.  I'm also printing out last pictures for my belly book and the first pictures for Kylie's baby book.  DH took some maternity photos on Wednesday night and I'd love some opinions on what your top three favs are.

Surprisingly I find myself contemplating my whole TTC journey today....and being thankful.  I know many of you will read that and say WTF, thankful?!?!  For three years of IF hell!?!? And the short answer is YES!  I never thought I'd feel that way but what I now firmly believe is that the three years I struggled gave me a stronger marriage, more respect for the miracle I'm about to be given and patience for things I have no control over.  But then again, maybe it's just the preggo hormones =)

To all my board and blog friends who have supported me, I really have no way to thank you except to tell you that you've made an honest difference in my journey and in my life.  You have given me hope when I had none, talked me through some of the roughest time in my life and in general just been good friends.  Lara (noodle-girl) was kind enough to give me a huge shout out today and I can't thank her enough, she's been there every type A step {{{HUGS}}}  To all of my girlies, thank you so much for the good luck, support and love!  My goal will be to get some pictures and a birth story posted tomorrow or Sunday.  Talk to you girls soon!!!

Whew!

We got to see Kylie on u/s yesterday and everything is just fine!  She is estimated to be 6lb 3oz and there is enough amniotic fluid.  Everything is a GO for Saturday morning =)  I just can't believe it's only three days until I see her cute little face for real...here is a picture of her little face that we got yesterday at the u/s, it'll have to hold us until Saturday:

After our appointment we went to meet Leslie (lmielocl1) from TTCYF6+ for dinner.  It was so nice to meet her and chat about all of our TTC and preggo fun =)  We've been "talking" on the boards now for almost two years and it was so nice to sit across the table from each other.  Can't wait to hear about her big u/s coming up!  Makes me wish I could meet all you wonderful girls who have been so much support through this journey =)

Tick tock =)

Last I wrote I was headed out with my DH for his b-day.  We had a wonderful time with sushi for lunch (for him only of course!) and then a beautiful afternoon at the golf course.  Then this weekend I sent him off for a b-day massage Saturday morning and we had dinner on Sunday at my families with more b-day celebration. We also managed to get our entire veggie and flower gardens planted this weekend.  My last post was dedicated to my wonderful DH and it turns out he does read my blog...I found a comment from him that made me cry my eyes out to my last post.  I'm a very lucky girl!  Anyway, here's a picture he took of me with his new camera at his b-day gathering at my folks, that bump is starting to get large girls =)

Friday the OB measured me at 34cm, which was 1cm smaller than the two previous weeks and 3cm smaller than she wanted me to measure.  So this afternoon I'm headed in for an ultrasound to check amniotic fluid and growth.  It'll be my first since 20 weeks and I'm excited to see Kylie and make sure all is a-ok.  I've been telling myself since Friday that if the OB was really worried she would have done an u/s on Friday and not waited until today.  She's also still moving a lot so that has to be a good sign.  Also this afternoon is my pre-op appointment.  Four days from today is Kylie's b-day!  I'm nervous about surgery but very excited that we'll be meeting our little girl...finally =)  I'll let you know how the u/s goes...fingers crossed!

To my DH...

Not that he reads this blog often...at least I don't think he does =)  I wanted to dedicate a post to the man that is my rock, best friend and absolute love of my life.  Today is his birthday and it always makes me sentimental to think of the day he was born.  The pregnancy hormones probably don't hurt in that this year either *lol*

We met in the summer of 2003 playing ice hockey on a co-ed intramural team.  He was the quiet guy across the locker room that was just too cute to ignore.  Soon our after game beer sessions with the team turned into more of a 1:1 time for us to chat about everything under the sun.  That fall we started going out for beer 1:1 for real and on November 14th was our first official date.  A little over two years later we were married and for all those who told me married life would be hard, they were SO wrong.  It has been the easiest, most comforting, wonderful time in my life.  I owe this all to the man that chose me to be his.

He has been the ONLY person in my life to understand me inside and out...even better than I understand myself.  Through IF he has been the biggest support and the kindest shoulder to cry on, never loosing hope that we would one day end up where were wanted to.  During pregnancy he has catered to me in every way I could hope for and now that we're in the single day count down (9 days!) to meeting Kylie he has reassured me that I will always be his #1 girl. 

Today on your birthday M, I want you to know how very fortunate I feel to have found you in this world and I count myself as the absolute luckiest!  I love you and hope you have the happiest of birthdays =)

TWW?

Hey my blogging girlies!  Hope you are doing well and had a great week =) 

My week was filled with work trials and tribulations but no need blathering on about that!  This is the first week during pregnancy when I can say that I'm starting to get uncomfortable.  I've had a good run but now the fatigue and discomfort are starting to set in along with a decent amount of anxiety about time getting close.  I'm having more trouble sleeping, moving around and can't really seem to find a comfortable position sometimes.  Since I've now gained 28lbs I think it's probably a lot to do with the weight too.  The doc said my iron is still low so I'll be moving the THREE supplements a day...OMG!  Hopefully my intestines can deal with that.  Overall I still feel really lucky to be able to work, go to the gym 2-3 times a week and get 7-8 hrs of sleep a night.  Folks still say I'm not looking big but I feel it...here's a photo from yesterday at 37 weeks:

This next week is going to be a fun one!  I'm getting my hair cut on Tuesday after work and M's b-day is on Thursday.  I just love celebrating my DH's b-day!  I am taking the afternoon off to be his caddy, aka cart driver, at the golf course and since he reads this blog every now and then I won't say what presents I got him =)  He got a new DSLR camera from his Dad this last week and is having a great time figuring out how to use it.  The gnomes in our front garden and the local bunnies are getting shy of the paparazzi ;-)  We may try to do a maternity photo shoot next weekend to try the camera out some more and give him an actual live subject to shoot.  If you can believe it will be our LAST weekend until Kylie arrives.

I honestly can't believe I'm in the final 2WW of my journey to meet my little one.  It just amazes me that after years of thinking that I would probably be a woman who didn't get the chance to be a mom it's about to be here.  I am so thankful and humbled that we are here!

It's done!

Sorry I've missed updating my bloggy world friends in the last week or so...last weekend flew by!  The weather here was finally nice enough to get out and work in the yard and we had lots of friend get togethers.  But now we have rain and snow for most of the week so it's back inside.  I'm done with snow darn it!  What is this, it's mid May?!?!

As of today we have 18 days until our scheduled c-section *nervous grin*  My DH has finally allowed as how "the time is close".  I've been feeling that way for a few weeks and today with my shoes almost impossible to tie I feel even closer.  The good news is that we finally have everything we need!  The last few boxes from Amazon arrived today =)  Here are a couple pictures of the nursery all outfitted:

Our next OB appt is Friday but since I'm doing a c-section I won't be having any dilation checks.  In the home stretch now girls =)  Hope everyone is having a great week so far!

The weekend....

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend =) Mine was busy but fun. In my post last Thursday I mentioned that I'd have an OB appt on Thursday afternoon. Well, the OB got called out for an emergency c-section so my next appt will be this Wednesday. I hope to get lots of c-section questions answered (spinal vs. epidural, glue vs. staples, how long before I can b/f, etc.). Friday was my furlow day and I spent it getting ready for my MIL to come and visit. We picked her up that evening and she stayed through Sunday mid day.

Saturday was my 2nd and final shower. There were about 25 friends and family and we played a few games, ate good food and then opened gifties. People had SO much fun buying clothes and they were all so very cute! We got a lot of great stuff including our video monitor and the breathing monitor we'd registered for. My Dad went a little crazy in taking photos and they're posted at http://picasaweb.google.com/czweiser/LafayetteShower#. The dress I'm wearing does a lot for my bump and makes it look nice and big =) Here's a photo of me in more normal clothes:

and while my waist is growing for sure (1" over the last two weeks) I might not be quite as big as the dress makes me look. My puppy felt the need to be involved in the photo shoot too *lol* I noticed I didn't get a belly pic posted for last week with the memorial for my friend and all so here's one from last weekend:

Sunday we had our newborn class and while it wasn't super informative we got some hands on practice on swaddling, diapering, burping and such. Most of the info we had already read or knew but it's nice to hear it again. Tonight we have our breast feeding class which I'm looking forward to.

Hope everyone had a great weekend, I can't wait to go catch up on all the news...I haven't had a chance to read a blog or a board since Friday *OMG*