Alexis Joy

In the late night of August 18th, our lives were again changed forever. At 11:18 sweet baby girl, Alexis Joy, entered the world and instantly into our hearts. I have been wanting to write her birth story but that will have to come later. For now I just wanted to share the excitement we are still feeling that she is here at last! She is almost 5 days old and it feels hard to believe it's already been 5 days since we met her yet at the same time already feels like we have known her forever! She is an amazing, beautiful little girl. To say we are smitten with her isn't quite strong enough. She has such a gentle spirit. Coming into this world shook her up but she was happy to be comforted by mommy and daddy and has been ever since. She loves to feel our warmth. To hear our voices soothing her. She sleeps well and is happiest when snuggling up with one of us. It has been a challenge learning to feed together. She was born with a hoover vacuum suck but needs to learn to open wider. As a result mommy has quite the "owie" and feedings are taking most of the day. But when we are finished, is one of my favorite times. She is so content and lays passed out warmly on my chest. I could sit there forever in those moments. Smelling her. Staring at her. Just completely taking in her beauty. I am so unbelievably thankful for my sweet baby girl. I find myself getting overwhelmed that she's really here, that I really have a daughter. That my family is finally complete. That I know how quickly this time will pass and it makes my heart ache.

These days are so precious. I am trying to take in every minute even in my exhausted fog. My boys are loving on their sister every chance they get and we are all just in a wonderful period of time. I thank God for my family, He does great and mighty things!

38 Week Dr's Appointment

I have been getting a lot of questions about the Dr's appointment today so I thought I would pop on and write about it.

It was quite eventful. The ultrasound tech was great (one of the other ones we have frequently had, not so great) and was really attentive, thorough and caring. My fluid measured lower then last week and so now I am at the lowest end of normal. That brought tears as I have been so worried about that being a cause for an automatic c-section. Thankfully the baby measured well and seems to about 6 1/2 pounds or so which is right where she should be. She had a harder time measuring today because Alexis was so curled up. But there was fluid in her belly which is a sign she is still swallowing fluid. As in the past, the babies kidney's are fine, it just appears to be my placenta beginning to get old.

After that we headed over to see Dr. Gray. He was reassuring about the fluid and making sure we did everything to ensure the babies well being. He scheduled me to have a NST (Non-stress-test) for that day and I will schedule more for next week. The BIG HAPPY news was that when he checked me, I WAS DILATED!!!!!!!!!!!!! Do you know the meaning of that??? =0) Seriously, I was 1 1/2 centimeters...I had to ask him again if he was serious!! In the past, it has taken me literally a day and the second time about 15 hours..of labor...to get to about 2 centimeters!! So I was, and am, amazed!! He then swept my membranes which is pulling the sac away from the wall to try and stimulate labor. If it helps, it should work within 48 hours. If you are effaced, there is a higher chance of it working. And since I am, that is also in our favor. We will see what happens.

We then went to lunch and then back again for the NST. Everything with that went well. Right now my parent's are both here and I am just very crampy and sore. I'm also very edgy, nervous, sensitive and frustrated. I just want this to be over...but then I am so scared of what has to be done for that to happen! I'm thankful for your prayers and for all the love being sent! Thank you! I can't wait to introduce our little girl to the world...hopefully sooner then later! (And let me know you came by and read the update! Nice to know who reads these things once in awhile!)

The BIG day...but not THAT one!

Today was the Big Day ...the first day of school for both Tyler and Zachary! Tyler entered into Second grade and Zachary began Kindergarten. I can not say how absolutely relieved I am to have gotten through this morning!! I have been so worried I would miss seeing them off and staying with Zachary in his class. I had visions of him being the only child without a parent with him on his first day. But thank God all went well! The boys woke up super excited about the day! Tyler was elated that his brother would be going to school with him. Zachary was elated just to be going to school...so cute to see them so happy! We all went to drop them off together and then I stayed for Zachary's first morning. Mrs. James read a story, the kids went to play on the playground and she went through a packet of information and then the kids went around to 4 different centers to complete activities. And that was it. The day ended almost two hours early! Tomorrow he will go and start his normal routine without Mommy. I know he will be fine...and hopefully I will be too!

Before we left we saw Tyler outside for his snack time. It was fun to check in with him and see how his day was going. He was really excited, said he liked his teacher and was eager to get to the playground.

Looks like we are off to a good start with both boys!

Exhausted...

I'm not sure what to do with myself right now so I thought I would write. I am so tired all the things I know I could be doing or should be doing just don't sound appealing. The kids are napping/ resting so I probably should be too. Only problem with that is that Tyler is in my bed! So here I sit (on a birthing ball) so tired I can hardly hold my head up. Reason for that besides being 37 weeks pregnant? I keep waking up between 2 and 3 every morning and can't go back to sleep!!! I haven't had more then 4 hours of straight sleep in I don't know how long. It is really starting to take it's toll. And I wonder how I will manage when the baby is here.

I had another Dr appointment yesterday. I saw Dr. Lin for the first time. Another ultrasound was also performed. The whole experience was a bit disapointing for me this week and put me more on edge. My fluid count a few weeks ago was 16 which was really great. Yesterday it messured at 10, not so great. From my past history I know that above 8 is still "normal range" and getting near 5 is cause for alarm. Anything below usually requires immediate attention. With Tyler and Zachary the fluid hung around 10 a lot at this point which is the cause of my alarm. I was just so bummed to hear it had dropped so much. It was in week 39 that the fluid went to almost nothing in the past, which helped found my theory of why I didn't lose all my fluid with Jacob. He was born earlier in week 38. The baby was measuring about 5 1/2 to maybe 6 pounds according to the techs measurements and 6 1/2 is average for 37 weeks. I don't take a lot of stock in those measurements as they tend to be wrong but usually they over estimate the weight so I'm hoping she is still growing fine.

As for the Dr. appointment, not much new. She checked me and I am still all closed up. No full moon help for me! When my belly was measured last week, Dr. Gray measured right on at 36 at 36 weeks. This week Dr. Lin measured me at 35 (should be 37) so she thinks the baby dropped. I have had a lot of pelvic pressure and the ultrasound tech confirmed her head is very low but I felt that way at my appointment last week as well. I'm just trying not to worry that she has stopped growing! I will be relieved to see Dr. Gray again next week and once again get the fluid checked. That just seems so far away! I am definitely hoping to not even need that Friday appointment! New ideal time would be to start labor after Zachary is out of school Monday as Dr. Gray will be at the hospital that day! If only we could plan these things ourselves! And on a side note, the Group B test came back negative...yay for that!

So a ticking time bomb I remain until who knows when! I am getting so scared of what's to come! I just want it over with so we can move out of this "waiting phase" and into the next phase of adjustment. Hopefully not too much longer.....

Moons...

Interesting bit of trivia. I have heard that a New Moon (where the moon is not visible) and a full moon, can bring on labor when you are near your due date. I found a site that shows the moon cycles dating way back when so you can look to see if your birth fell around one of those dates. I was surprised to find that Zachary was literally born on the one day the moon was full and Jacob was born on the exact day it was a new moon!! Wow, what are the odds of that? And Tyler was induced so didn't come on his own timing.

Just a fun tid-bit! =0)

Losing Our Minds...Quote of the Week!

So the other night Craig and I were talking. Thinking how exciting that it was almost August, the big anticipated birth month, I said, "I can't believe there's only two days until September". To which Craig corrected, "You mean two days until June". Oh my gosh we are losing our minds!!! At least I had a really good laugh! =0)

Almost Full Term...Wow!

On Wednesday I will be 37 weeks pregnant and considered "full-term". At my appointment Friday, Dr. Gray did the group B swab test and I asked if he would check for progress. In my past pregnancies I never felt even a Braxton Hix contraction. I had NO progress whatsoever until actual labor had begun. But since I have had B.H., and other signs, I wanted to see if that had actually done anything. To my surprise, he said I was about 75% effaced!!! I couldn't believe it! Just to know that I won't have to do everything in one shot is wonderful! Maybe I will get to experience a labor that doesn't last over 24 hours!! As of now I am very crampy and am getting back pain off and on. It was pretty bad the other night and had me on alert. Dr. Gray said that this week would be fine for delivery...we'll see what happens! Wednesday is also a full moon. I have heard that labor and delivery gets crazy crowded during a full moon so there must be something to that gravitational pull!;0)

Something that makes me a bit more stressed about the whole labor-at-any-minute situation is that Tyler and Zachary start school Monday the 10th,(one week from today!!). Zachary will be starting his first day ever as he is going into Kindergarten. The school has it set up for a parent to spend the whole first day with their child, learn about what will happen during the year and just help transition the child into the school setting. I love that they are doing that...such a parental "hands on" school! But, my concern is missing that experience! I really want to be there. So I am hoping the baby comes enough before then so that I can see them off or waits until after. So many "ideal" times but we just don't know! Makes it hard and I am just needing to trust that God will work it out.

As of now I am crampy, and now the baby feels lower adding to the difficulty of walking (swollen feet, sciatic nerve....). The boys are super excited and keep saying they want Lexy to come out so they can hold her. And Craig is such an excited Daddy!! I love to see him so happy for this new little life! We are both such infant people and that's often rare in a male. He is excited to hold her, see what she looks like and just relish in those sweet, priceless first days of life!

And I am too!