Playing Catch up!

I feel like all of my readers have missed out on so much since I just recently found my love of blogging!  So, my next few posts may be playing a little catch up.  I'd like to share some of our experiences of being new parents!

32 wks. by Whitney Hall

Leaving for the hospital

To start with, pregnancy was not easy!  I had looked forward to being pregnant for quite some time!  I would say, "I can't wait to be fat and be able to set a cup on my belly!!"  Yes, I actually said that.  A LOT!  However, from the very beginning I was very sick!  I lost 9lbs my first month (when I didn't even know I was pregnant yet!) and only gained about 6lbs as of my 5th month!  It was looking as if I wouldn't gain very much weight at all, and then all of a sudden, month 7 came along!  I craved Krispy Kreme Donuts, and conveniently (or inconveniently as it turned out) I passed by it every morning on my way to work!  I started off stopping and getting one chocolate donut and bottle of whole milk.  Then, after about a week, I started getting 2 chocolate donuts, 1 glazed donut (because they were hot!) and a glass of whole milk!  And yes, I ate all of this at one setting, 4 days a week!  So consequently, when I went to the doctor for my check up, he scolded me for gaining 11lbs that month!  Then told me since I hadn't gained much weight to date, that it wasn't that bad, but that I didn't need to let this happen again.  So I didn't have another 11lb month.  I proceeded to have a 12lb month!  Then the following month I went every weeks and gained about 6-7lbs at both of those visits.  Over all, I ended up gaining 46lbs!  The day before I delivered Olivia I weighed 194lbs!  

Olivia Grace 9lbs 4oz

Olivia was due on 9-7-10; And because of how big she measured on the ultrasounds I had had, my doctor wasn't to keen on the idea of me going much past my due date, which I was very thankful for!  However, a c-section was NOT in my birth plan!  I wanted to go into labor on my own, at home, let my water break, at HOME, and then go to the hospital, get my epidural, and push push push!  I had seen my sister give birth to my 2 nephews and I knew she survived so it really couldn't be THAT bad!  However, as we got closer and closer to my due date, I didn't dilate, ephase, nothin'!  Not even the slightest bit!  On 9-6-10 (Labor Day!) I started having contractions!  They were a little sporadic at first, but then started getting a little more closer together and lasting a little longer.  So, in my hopeful state, we went to the doctor on the 7th (my due date) in hopes that I had progressed!  Turns out, I still hadn't done anything and they sent me home.  At this point I was willing to let them induce me if I was "inducible" as my doctor called it, but without progressing at all, it wasn't looking like it was an option.  I continued to have contractions every 10-15 minutes for the next 3 days!  Yes, 3!  And when I went back to the doctor on the 9th, I still had not progressed at all!  Still no dilation, no thinning, nada!  So, we did an ultrasound and Olivia was measuring 9lbs 12oz!  So my doctor started talking c-section.  This was the ONE thing that I absolutely did not want!  He was worried about shoulder distosia (having to break her clavical to get her out) if he tried to induce me and told me that in my present state, an induction could leave me with at least 24 hours of labor.  The long labor part was scary, but I was willing to go through with it.  However, the idea of having to hurt my sweet little girl because of my selfishness of not wanting a c-section didn't sit well with me at all.  He proceeded to tell me if I was his daughter, a c-section would be the only option!  So, we scheduled the c-section for the following morning and the crying began!  I started crying there in the office, cried the whole time I was getting pre admitted, and continued to cry even after Olivia was born!

Although at that point they were happy tears!  The c-section was not at all as bad as I had expected, even though I did have a few complications.  And the end result was the same!  The worst part was not being able to get out of the bed to change her diapers and dress her, but it gave Aaron lots of practice!

Olivia has been the best baby in the world!  And I honestly believe that!  She immediately slept through the night, and by 5 weeks old was sleeping a solid 8 hours every night in her crib!  By about 9 weeks she was sleeping 10 hours in her crib, and since she was 12 weeks she has slept 12 hours every night!  It's amazing!  She never cries, unless she is hungry or if she has been held too much.  Every now and then she has a fussy day, but it's very rare.  My mother likes to joke that I don't deserve such a good baby!  I nursed her for 3 months, until I went back to work.  I tried to pump while at work, but just wasn't able to get enough milk.  Nursing was very easy for me, it was just very tiring.  It takes a lot out of you creating enough milk for a 10-12lb baby!  So we started supplementing one bottle a day when she was 6 weeks old and by 14 weeks she was solely on formula.  I feel like I gave her a very good start and coincidentally she has only been sick once!  And it only lasted about 8 hours :) 

I really don't feel Aaron and I got the "parents of a newborn" experience that everyone talks about.  However, trust me, I'm not complaining!  She has been such a joy and is the absolute love of my life!  She laughs and giggles non-stop and smiles every time I look at her!  I can't wait to see what a beautiful little girl she is going to grow up to be!  And being as perfect as she has been, it really makes Aaron and I question having a second one!  Although, because she has been so much fun, I kinda would like a whole house full!  Currently I'm thinking 4 :)  Although Aaron is thinking I have lost my mind!  I did hate being pregnant!  And I was very fat, hormonal, and extremely uncomfortable!  But the end result makes it totally worth it!  So, maybe in the next year or two we will consider growing our little family!

God has truly blessed my life with a wonderful husband and beautiful daughter and I don't think I thank him enough for his many blessings!  I'm so anxious to see where he takes us in the future, but am thoroughly enjoying where we are at now!