2 Weeks Old

Happy Birthday Mom.

Family Photo.

 

Well, I have not had a chance to write about Madaelyn's 2nd week, and it's already the last day of her second week of life!  This week was a busy week because I was able to drive again after my c-section!  It also was my birthday on Sunday July 24th.  It was a beautiful day and my first birthday as a mother was a great feeling.

Although, Maddie did not get the memo and kept me up until 1am the night before.  She wanted to be the first to wish me a "happy birthday".

Maddie's become an excellent eater and has exceeded her birth weight.  She is 40th percentile in weight and 75th percentile in lenght.  We have a long and lean peanut.  On Monday July 25th she weighed 7lbs 13oz and is gaining about 2oz a day, =).

Maddie also got to spend some time with her Great Grandmom before her trips to Arizona and Hawaii.  We got to get a picture of 4 generations of girls in our family.

4 Generations.

 

 This week Maddie still has a very even temperament.  We have discovered that between 10pm and midnight is her "fussy" time where she fights sleeping and is a little cranky.  Otherwise she is very pleasant,  a great sleeper and very content when she is awake.  She likes to chat with us and coos.  We have story time at night where Dad reads us books.  Maddie will look at the books and is very relaxed.  She is very content to visit with friends and family, as long as she is fed!  She also makes lots of faces while sleeping. She is so cute I could eat her up!

Motherhood

So, the big event finally happened.  Madaelyn Rose was born on July 8, 2011. 

And do you know what?

I wouldn't change anything about my pregnancy or delivery.  

{okay, maybe the kidney stone}

Sure it was trying at times, but, the whole experience has been incredibly rewarding.  The relationship that I have built with my doctors, the quiet days of bed rest where my body could concentrate on making this beautiful baby girl,  and being able to see how much my husband, family, and friends care for me and supported me through this journey. And in the end I got the most beautiful baby girl in the world. I know slightly biased here.

No.  I would not change anything.

Waiting to go back to the OR.

   

Madaelyn was delivered by cesarean section bright and early on July 8th {7:59am}.  The surgery was scheduled to start at 7am so Rick and I had to be there at 5am (which means we were up at 3:45am to get ready.  Who was sleeping that night anyway?)  We got to the hospital and knew the drill well.  Sadly, the doctor who I have been seeing primarily was unable to perform the c-section, so another doctor in the practice did, and she was phenomenal.  In fact the entire OR team was great.  

But I am getting slightly ahead of myself.  Because as you know my darling baby girl loves to throw some curve balls. Before the surgery I had an ultrasound done to make sure it was needed, and do you know what, Ms. Madaelyn was head down!  After discussing my options with my doctor we decided that a c-section was still the best choice.  We did joke that my baby was either going to be swimmer or gymnast from the amount of flips she had done in the past few days and weeks.

The surgery went well, a textbook procedure was what the anesthesiologist had reported to me....finally! No surprises!  I must admit that having a c-section and spinal is the most bizarre feeling in the world.  You do not feel pain, but there sure is a lot of pressure.  It is also incredibly strange to know that someone is cutting your body and inside of your body while you are awake, but, it worked for me.

And then it happened, my baby girl was delivered and brought to my side of the blue drape, and I finally got to see who was living in my body for the past 9, {10}  months. 

Madaelyn Rose.

It was the most profound experience.  

There are not even words to describe the euphoria, pride and sense of relaxation {she was pink and crying so we knew everything was great, plus the nurses giving us the ok was a big help!} that was felt immediately upon laying eyes on her. It was in that moment that I became a mother.  It was a concept that I was having trouble grasping in pregnancy.  I am a daughter, woman, nurse, wife, but I was going to be a mother...and that was something I simply could not comprehend, until I saw Madaelyn.  My peanut. My daughter.  If we could bottle that feeling up and use it whenever we needed it, that would be amazing. 

I had my husband at my side and we both looked in awe at our daughter.  It was then that I started to cry.  Which came as a surprise to both Rick and myself as I am not a crier.  I cry when I am in pain, really upset or overwhelmed, but, I have never been a subscriber to what my Mom calls the "happy tears" and here I was crying the happy tears at the sight of my daughter.  She was perfect. My family was perfect.  And she even had a full head of hair like I had pictured!

Our First Family Photo in the OR.

 So, the delivery went smoothly and so did the rest of my hospital stay.  I cannot speak highly enough about the medical staff that took care of myself and Madaelyn.  It was a fantastic experience the whole way around.

Madaelyn and I in the recovery room.

 Becoming a mother is by far the best accomplishment of my life. Pregnancy and childbirth has been the most rewarding journey that I have ever been on.  It is amazing how quickly your feelings can change.  In the instant that Madaelyn was born, through our stay at hospital, and even now I cannot imagine life without her in it, or how it was before.  She has brought so much happiness to our family.  She is indeed perfect and a gift from God.  

I still find myself staring at her in awe as I contemplate how 11 days ago she was a part of me, in my stomach, and now she is here.  It still gets me.  I am overwhelmed with joy that she is here, but slightly saddened to not have her physically be a part of me anymore.  It is amazing how much you get used to a little one inside you when you are pregnant.

So for now, Madaelyn and I are enjoy these special moments, getting to know each other more.  I get to stare at her and contemplate how I can be so lucky to have such an amazing child. I remember being in the hospital thinking, "I have won the lottery. How could anyone be any happier than I am now."  Now eleven days later and some sleep deprivation mixed in I still feel like I have won the lottery.

I am truly blessed with an amazing husband and baby.

Madaelyn Rose

So, third times is a charm!  

We went in for our c-section and it was a text book procedure that ended with us having

the most beautiful baby girl.

Madaelyn Rose

Born: July 8, 2011

7lbs 4oz

20.5 inches long

   

I will post more about her in a bit.  Right now I am too love struck and am constantly starring at her in awe.

Induction Take 2...

So, July 5th into the 6th was supposed to be THE day.

39 Weeks.  Pre-induction.

We went in to be induced, for the 2nd time, and what we thought final time.  We felt more prepared.  We knew what was going to happen. After all we had a practice run two weeks ago. We went in armed with snacks for Rick, magazines and cards to play until the medication kicked in.  We were nervous, of course, but excited at the prospect of finally getting to meet our little girl.  I was 39 weeks and hoping for a successful and smooth delivery.

Sadly, Baby F had her own plans. 

The doctor came in to check me before placing the medication and that is when our night changed.  She could not feel the baby at all. (uh oh.)  She asked me when I had my last ultrasound.  (Which was 2.5 weeks prior, and Baby F was head down.  I was also in the doctors office on 4 days prior to that and Baby F was head down.)   So the doctor decided to get an ultrasound to see exactly how our little girl was lying. 

39 Weeks.  Pre-induction.

Sure enough our little girl had other plans and she was, and still is, breech (bottom down). Therefore, I was unable to be induced.  The next question that flew out of my mouth was:

"okay, so when are we doing the c-section....tomorrow?!?" 

Because, really, who comes in to be induced twice and is sent home twice!?

Unfortunately the doctor that was in that night was not from my practice (my doctor was coming in the next morning...which was supposed to be when I delivered) and was unable to schedule me for an elective c-section.

Poor. Rick.  The man has had to deal with me on bedrest for almost 2 months and has been sent home from the hospital twice without getting to hold his little girl.  I felt awful for him.  He took it a bit worse than I did.  For me, I was able to stay positive relatively easily.  At least we were sent home the same night (Rick did not loose a day of vacation and no hospital admission {read large} bill) I also did not have the medication so was not contracting and in pain this time.  For me this experience was much different than the last, and .  But how much can the poor guy take?

 No one {except for probably myself who should have felt Baby F completely turn around in my stomach...ouch!  However, I did not know, as I had not known the first time she turned at 36 weeks.  It is my best inclination that she turned at night as both times there was a night that I could not sleep and was up at least every hour if not more frequently.  I was uncomfortable but not in enough pain I could not go back to sleep.  However, I have heard it is a terrible pain from my mother, who experienced that first hand.  The doctor and nurses where also quite surprised that I had no idea she turned, there is not much room at 39 weeks for her to maneuver.  In fact it is tender sometimes when she moves now} had any way to tell that she had moved from the vertex (head down) position to a breech position.  In fact when I saw the perinatalogist at 36 weeks he said most babies do not turn after 36 weeks, especially if they are head down (their head is the biggest and heaviest part of their body) so it is not usual (but not impossible) for them to turn again being in such a tight space.

So, once again, I was sent home, waddling in as I waddled out.

July 5th...THE day.

So, today is THE day.

The day night that I will be induced again and hopefully meet my little girl on July 6th! Which happens to be my brother's and cousin's birthday as well!  So I am sitting here, waiting for what seems like forever, to call the hospital at 5pm so I can find out what time I can be admitted.  And you know what?

The anticipation is killing me!!!

I already know the drill as this is our "take 2" on being induced, however it is still a horrific waiting game, worse than Christmas morning and your wedding day rolled into one (probably because there is so much excitement, but also the knowledge of pain.)

So please send up prayers for a quick and smooth delivery and for me to have patience and calm!

Bump Photo Shoot

Some people nest by cleaning their homes.

I apparently nest by needing to have pictures taken.

Today.

At approximately 4 am this morning I woke up unable to fall asleep again and realized that I only have pictures of myself and Rick while I am visibly pregnant with a baby bump from our baby shower.  This greatly concerned me.

Thankfully one of my best friends was able to come to the rescue so I could have pregnancy pictures of me and Rick, as well as with her, whom I also only have pregnancy pictures with from my shower.  To my delight, my Mom was planning to visit me and agreed to come along too!

So I now have some beautiful pregnancy pictures with my husband, best friend, and Mom. 

I would like to think that if I was not on bedrest, which I totally broke today, for the past 1.5 months that I would have more pictures with family and friends.  So, I apologize to everyone who I did not get to take pictures with.   Hopefully my next not for a while pregnancy will allow for that!

In any event here are some highlights (read half of the album posted) of the pictures.  

To view the entire album, which is scaled down,  click here.

 

  

My favorite shot.

Pictures were taken while I was 38 weeks and 5 days preggo.
Nothing like waiting until last minute!