Baby Nash is 2 Weeks Old

Nash you are two weeks old today. Two Weeks! It feels like yesterday you arrived in this world. I cannot imagine life without you and thank God every morning that he gave you to us. Two weeks ago your Dad and I were praying that you would be healthy and now you are gracing this world with your presence.

Sleep: You hate to be swaddled with your hands in the swaddle. Right now you sleep 3-4 hours however you have kept your Dad and I up this week. You have had fussy periods from 1-4 am and we feel so helpless that we are not sure what to do to help you get back to sleep. A selfish thing is that I will bundle you up and have you sleep right next to me, face to face and then we will snuggle up to your Dad. I have been told not to let you sleep with us but I truly love the time and I am reassured that you are breathing all night long. you have a love hate relationship with your paci during your sleep. Sometimes you want it and sometimes you want nothing to do with it.

Feed: You are still great at breast feeding and taking a bottle. We go through this little routine every time you try to eat you arch your back and grunt like you cannot find the food. However, you know exactly where it is and you just act like you have been starved for the last two weeks. I love the time that we get to have when I am breast feeding and I know your Dad loves his time that he gets when he feeds you. Currently you are eating about 2 oz of milk and feed for about 10-15 minutes when i am breast feeding

Weight: We have not been back to the doctor yet, we go back on Friday. But I sure hope you have gained weight.

Length:We have not been back to the doctor yet, we go back on Friday. But I sure hope you have grown because your little torso almost does not fit the preemie/newborn clothes.

Funniest Moment this Week: You have started to make sounds. The best sound from this week is a billy goat sound. I was able to capture it on video so I will need to post it. Your Dad keeps telling you every time that you make that sound that you are not a Billy Goat.....but I love my little goat boy.

Milestone: Sounds you have been making lots of sounds. You have also been awake for longer periods of time between feedings. When I burp you, you have been holding your head up, your little neck is getting so strong. The more your Dad and I talk to you the more you recognize our voices. You turn your head to find us if we are in the room. We had to cut your fingernails this week also. I hate doing this because I am nervous that I will hurt you.

Your favorite toy: We have started to put you under the activity mat and your mobile and you love to stare at them. Your Daddy will lay next to you on your activity mat and play and stare with you.

Mommy Moments: The lack of sleep is getting to me and I find it hard to concentrate on anything for long periods of time. I find it hard to share you with anyone other than your Daddy because I want to snuggle with you all the time. However, I know it is good for you to have snuggle time with others too. I had started to eat less in order to get this extra baby weight, however that in turn made me produce less milk for you, so I am back to eating small meals all day. I need to make sure you are string and healthy! My desire to workout is so strong but I am still healing from giving birth. I have tons of support from all the friends and family and I know that if I ever needed anything that there would be plenty of people to come rescue us. Life with you is amazing and your Daddy and I love you bunches.

Nash's Story - Part 4 NICU and Nurses

After my 11 hour labor and 1 hour and 18 minutes of pushing, Nash had finally arrived. He was whisked away to the NICU and Chris went with him. I stayed back so that the doc could fix me

up and my pain meds (which were pushed in me just as Nash was being pushed out) wore off. My Dad and my little sisters were able to see Nash in the hallway as Chris and the nurses pushed him to the NICU.

Once I was all cleaned up, Family and friends stopped by the delivery room to visit with me. Not that I was truly there. My mind was running a million miles a second. I wanted to know how my Baby was doing, if Chris was OK being there with him, what the doctors were saying. Chris said when they arrived at the NICU the doctors warned him that his lungs might not be working or he might have some heart problems but to be warned that he could be in the NICU for a week to three weeks.

All the tests were run and Nash had nothing major wrong. He was a healthy little boy that was ready to see the world. Nash was not put on oxygen nor did he need a feeding tube. He was put on heart monitors and blood pressure monitors and two other ones but I am not sure what they monitoring.

About an hour later, a nurse wheeled me into the NICU so that I could hold baby Nash. Our NICU nurse was so nice and and as a bonus she was a lactation specialist also. So the first thing she had me do was feed Nash. She had no problem reaching in and pushing my boob around and showing me how to feed my baby. Honestly, I am very grateful for her because if she did not do that for me I might have never gotten the hang of breast feeding and would have given up. After I had fed Nash, Chris also had to give Nash formula to make sure he was getting enough to eat. This was also a blessing since Chris and I decided we were going to try to breast feed and bottle feed Nash.

Once Nash was finished eating, Chris and I just looked at each other. Was this real? Did this just happen? Are we really sitting in the NICU? As we looked around, there were so many tiny babies that were just holding on to life. How could our little guy be categorized with these tiny babies?

The nurse came and talked with us. She said that Nash was being called the big boy of the unit and they had been telling all the other babies to take example from him (how cute are these nurses). Let me give you the run down of the NICU:

• To enter into the NICU you have to ring a bell outside the door. A nurse answers and asks who you are and who you are there to see. Once they confirm, that you are allowed in they will buzz you in.
• Only parents and grandparents are allowed in the NICU (and siblings of the child for a short amount of time)
• Once you are in, you have to scrub your arms from finger tips to elbows for three minutes. They have a clock to watch and make sure you do three minutes.
• Only two people are allowed in at a time
• Soft voices
• There are windows to the outside, but no direct sunlight is allowed in the room
• The room is freezing and filled with sounds from all the machines that the babies are on
• There is a little old woman who sits in the NICU and crochets hats and blankets for every baby
• Next to the plastic cribs (which I would really call baskets) there are rocking chairs for the mothers to sit on
• No cameras allowed (we snuck ours in at the 2 am feeding but made sure not to use a flash)

During Nash's stay in the NICU, we had two sets of Nurses. Day shift nurses and Night shift nurses. They switch off everyday at 7am and 7pm. The NICU closes everyday from 6:30 - 8 am and pm and then 9:30 - 10:30 am. We loved the daytime nurses at the NICU and were not fond of the night time nurses.

Our one horror story we have from the nighttime nurses is when we came in for the 5 am feeding one morning, I could hear Nash screaming as we walked through the door. The stupid scrubbing seemed like it took forever. When the three minutes were up, I quickly dried up and walked swiftly to Nash. He was laying there in his own spit up and the nurse just looked at me and said "Oh I was just going to call you." I stood there looking at her and wondering why she was not cleaning up my baby. That was the first time I realized that I had control of what

happened to my baby in the NICU. When we came back after the nurses switched at 8 am, Chris and I went into the NICU and explained to the daytime nurses what had happened. Our daytime nurse made a sign at that moment that stated "If I start to fuss or cry for any reason, please call my Mommy and Daddy Love Nash" and she taped it to his crib. It made me feel much better.

The second day Nash was in the NICU the nurses and Nash's pediatrician and my OB all said that Nash should get out of the NICU because he had passed all his tests. But we needed to wait until the doctor did his round at 9. So Chris and I went back to the room and waited for the news. One of the NICU nurses came into our room around 9:30 and said that the NICU doctor wanted to keep him for one more night to watch him sleep and make sure he did not have sleep apnea. My OB and Nash's pediatrician were in the room at the time and went crazy. It was so funny. They started this campaign to Free Nash and the nurses joined. The support that we had was amazing.

Needless to say, Nash was freed on Friday morning when I was released. We were able to go home as a family.

So what did Chris and I do while Nash was in the NICU. We had our own little room, with two beds each with its own TV. Chris and I felt like we were on some odd vacation, being waited on hand and foot. My recovery nurses were amazing and explained everything that my body was going through and kept us up to date with what was going on with Nash in the NICU.

Nash's Story - Part 3 Delivery

From the beginning, Chris and I have discussed who we would have in the room when I delivered. We agreed it would be Chris and my Mom in the room. Now with this being said, I had been nervous about Chris and my Mom being able to handle the delivery aspect.

My whole life my Mom has not been good with me and medical stuff. When I was three and fell out of bed and needed stitches in my eyebrow, my Mom passed out in the ER. Anytime, she sees blood she immediately gets my Dad to help us out. During any xray or surgery, it is my Dad that takes us. So as you can tell, I was really nervous that she would pass out.

For Chris, he has a hard time seeing me in pain or upset. Which I knew I would be in during delivery. So I was worried that he would not be able to see past the pain and try to fix it instead of being there for support and getting me through this.

Well.....the nurse said it was time to start pushing, so my Mom n Law left the room and it was time to see how my two support team would work out. As the nurse is getting the room ready, she says "Lets do a trial pushes" at this point I was in tremendous pain that I truly do not remember a lot. For the rest of the story, I am reciting what happened from Chris and my Mom.

I did a couple of trial pushes and during the last trial push, Nash's heartbeat dropped and did not come back up. The nurse got on the phone with the Doc and said "the baby's heartbeat dropped and did not come back up, the cord might be around his neck". This news turned my support team to ghosts. My Mom looked at Chris and said "I need to go get your mother". Apparently, my Mom thought she might pass out and did not want Chris to do the delivery by himself. My Mom asked me if it was OK that Bev come and help.......at that point all privacy went out the window and I did not care who was in the room. I just wanted the baby to come out and the pain to stop. I also believe the nurse knew it was important because only two people were allowed in the room and she allowed all three stay.

My Mom went to the waiting room and got Bev. They came back and I was just in my own

world. I looked up at Chris and told him....I am so hot. My Mom and Bev started getting wash clothes wet with cold water and putting them on my forehead and neck. However, they did not stay cold, within five minutes they were boiling hot.

In the mean time my nurse is making me change positions and push at the same time. I was on my side legs closed, on my back, in the stirrups and then one leg up. I swear she knew I was a gymnast and just wanted to test to make sure I was still flexible. Pushing lasted about an hour.

Then she said I need to breathe through the contracts for about ten minutes. What?!?!?!?!?! I was truly ready to kill her at this point. The only way I did not feel pain was through pushing and she just wanted me to sit there and breathe. This woman was crazy. Has she ever had a kid? I do not think so.

Finally, the Doc arrived. It was time! Chris got behind me and held up my entire back and shoulders. I dug my head into his shoulders. The doctor and Chris would count to 10 and then I would take a breath. Nash finally crowned, however his little head got stuck in the canal. I did four big pushes and then the doctor told me to hold on because he did not want me to rip. So I waited for a few seconds. Then did one more big push and out came Nash. He had a big cone head (from being stuck in the canal) and was perfect!

The doctor put Nash on my stomach and let me hold him and then the nurses took him right away to make sure everything was OK. He weighed in at 6 lb 4 oz. The nurses then let us take some pictures with him and then whisked him away to the NICU and Chris followed.

Stayed tuned for the last part....NICU and Nurses

Nash's Story - Part 2 Labor

Once we had established that I was in labor, I climbed into the bed and the Nurse asked me if I wanted an epidural at that moment. My answer "Yes please" if I do not have to feel any pain then the better off.

The Nurse left to find the anesthesiologist. My Mom in Law arrived and not 10 minutes later my Dad arrived. Both just could not believe we were in labor. The Nurse came in with anesthesiologist and I received my epidural. I was surprised at how much it did not hurt. The worst part was when he pulled the tape off. Nothing mattered at that point, I had the happy juice and was so ecstatic.

Chris, Mom n Law and I discussed that it would be best that Chris and Mom n Law went back to our apartment to grab items that we would need. The list included: Stuff for Nash, toiletries, pillows, computer, camera, extra clothes, and Christmas Movies. When Chris and Mom n Law left to get the stuff, it was just my Dad and I and he pulled a chair up next to my bed and prayed for me, Chris and baby Nash. At this moment, I could not have been more happy. The only person that could get us through this moment was God and my Dad knew exactly what to do and where to go.

My Mom and sisters arrived while Chris was gone. My Mom and Maddie were full of energy, Micah looked like a walking zombie. We were all talking and excited and delirious from no sleep. Chris and Mom n Law came back with arm fulls. It was 3:30 in the morning and my Dad decided to head back to the hotel with the girls. Maddie really wanted to stay, but my parents felt it was the best thing for everyone that she go back and sleep.

Everyone started to settle down. I knew I needed to sleep before the big pushing came around. Now Chris and I had not taken any classes, we were signed up for them and they started on Dec. 1. Well having a baby before Thanksgiving really does not do good things when you have everything planned for Dec 1 or after. So not having any classes, the only things I knew about labor and delivery was from what my friends told me. The one thing I remember them telling me about the epidural was that I would not be able to feel my legs. So when the contractions started getting stronger and I could feel them and could lift my legs up.....I knew something was wrong.

I called the Nurse in and told her. She paged the juice doctor who was this little old foreign man. He came back and asked "Can you feel your legs?" I lift my legs straight up. "You amaze me...I give you all this medicine and nothing." He pumps in the topper and says "If you still feel your legs in 20 minutes call me." 20 minutes go by and nothing. I buzz him. "I just do not understand. I have never seen a woman like this" In my mind I am thinking oh great.....I am broken and I am just pumping myself with medicine. He fills the bag with extra topper. Finally, I could not feel my legs or the contractions. So this would go on the rest of my labor. I would have two hours where I did not feel a thing and then it would wear off and I would have to ask for more. I became very swollen and the pressure from all the extra water was extremely painful. Hence why I look so puffy in all the pictures.

Around 6 am the doc came in and checked where I was. I was at a 5-6. So he said it would be around 2 that afternoon. What?!?!?!?!?!? So we all tried to sleep, but I was so uncomfortable that I never got any sleep. The doc came back around 9 and checked me again. I was an 8-9!

Yea! So the nurse started getting us ready to start pushing. However, I asked for my epidural because I was able to feel everything. The juice doctor (who was a different person now because they went through a rotation shift) came in to give me a topper. But he did not know that I needed the extra strong dosage. So when it came time to push all medicine had left my body. Oh how I would like to forget the pushing and delivery.

Nash Christopher Born Today - 5 weeks early

Yes you read that correctly....my water broke at 11:15 Tuesday night, 5 weeks early

Nash Christopher was born this morning Nov. 17th at 10:18 AM

He weighed 6 lbs 4 oz and 19 inches long

With a head full of black hair

I will write the entire story of events tomorrow

*special note: if Nash would have gone full term I would have had a baby over 10lbs

Baby Update: 34 Weeks

How Far Along: 34 weeks
Size of Baby: About 18.5 inches long and 5lbs.
Total Weight Gain: 31 lbs
Maternity Clothes: lots of leggings and shirts and fall cardigans, sweats

Gender: Boy - Nash Christopher
Movement: He is not kicking as hard but more rolling and pushing
Food Cravings: Cereal - Honey Bunches of Oats Strawberries

What I Miss: Just feeling comfortable......not feeling a little baby in my ribs

Symptoms: Braxton Hicks, more difficult breathing, not being able to see my feet, snoring, swelling of feet and hands, forgetfulness

Sleep: Starting to wake up every few hours - no comfortable position
Best Moment This Week: Taking our maternity pictures.....it was so fun. The photographer also took my sister n laws pictures and she is going to take my family's pictures next week. Go here to see her website J Lynne Photo. She was amazing and made us feel so comfortable especially since I have not been the most comfortable. Thanks Jessica! When she finishes with the rest of the pictures I will do a whole post on the session.

What I Am Looking Forward To: Decorating for Christmas and all the Christmas music and movies that go along with decorating!

Baby Shower - Decor

The Baby Shower was amazing. I had so many people that helped provide a wonderful setting and great Baby Shower. Thank you Lindz, Bev, Mom, Holly, Divo and Linda!!!!

Below is a mini tour of the decor and food from the shower.

Letters for Baby Nash that Lindsay made.

Breads from my Mom

Coffee Cups and the gorgeous diaper cake from Lindz

Mimosas

Ice Tea

Bagels and Lox

Beautiful Tables by Bev, Linda and Holly

Cookie Party Favors

Flowers

And you cannot forget the cake!

Baby Update: 32 Weeks

Chris wanted a picture next to his truck

How Far Along: 32 weeks

Size of Baby: About 17 inches long and 4lbs.

Total Weight Gain: 27 lbs

Maternity Clothes: lots of leggings and shirts and fall cardigans
Gender: Boy - Nash Christopher

Movement: He is not kicking as hard but more rolling and pushing

Food Cravings: Mexican Food

What I Miss: Bending over and being able to breathe
Symptoms: Braxton Hicks, more difficult breathing, not being able to see my feet, snoring, and the swelling of my feet and hands is back

Sleep: Starting to wake up every few hours:)

Best Moment This Week: Seeing my Mom and family and their reaction to my pregnant belly.....(they were shocked) but my Mom told me I looked great

What I Am Looking Forward To: My baby shower next weekend

Mom and I

Chris and I