Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Birth Story

I figured I should write out my birth story before I forget, so while I know I should probably be getting myself and the kids ready for bed, I'm doing this instead. The girls don't have school tomorrow, so I don't need to get up at any certain time, anyway! yay!

Okay, I had mentioned in a previous post that my water broke around 12:30am on the morning of the 22nd. I went to the bathroom, got back into bed, and God answered my prayers. :)

We got to the hospital around 1:30 or so, and they put me in a triage room and hooked me up to the monitors. I was having contractions about every 6 or 7 minutes, but they weren't too terribly bad. The night before, from about 7-9pm, I was having them every 4-6 minutes. But right at about 9pm, they just completely stopped. That's when I went to bed and asked God to just let my water break! Thank you Jesus!!!

Anyway, in the triage room, they asked me the myriad of questions they typically ask. The nurse, Janet, asked me if I was still leaking fluid, and I told her that every once in a while some would gush out, but not all the time. She checked me to see how far I had dilated, and when she did that, a big gush of water came pouring out. poor lady.

At that time, Mike called my mom so she could be informed of everything happening, since she was at my house with the other kids. He called and called, and nobody answered. We figured that the phone cord had been pulled out of the wall when we were rushing around, trying to get everything ready to leave. So he decides to go home and plug the phone back in and let her know what was happening.

While Mike was gone, they moved me into a labor and delivery room, and started my IV, and started the penicillin for my positive group B strep. I asked her to dilute it as much as possible, because, holy moly, that stuff burns!! And she did just that. I felt no burning sensation at all!!! Yay for good nurses!! ;)

Mike got back and we started walking the halls at around 3 or so. She told me to be back in the room at 4 so she could check me. So we walked and walked the same boring circle around the labor and delivery unit. My iv pole was so loud rolling down the hallway, I was worried I was gonna wake the antipartum patients up. While we were walking, I heard the nurses talking about someone coming up for a labor check. We walked by the triage rooms, and I heard a woman moaning away in one of them. My first thoughts were, give it a rest lady. You're gonna seem too eager, and they're not gonna believe you. My contractions started coming about every 3-4 minutes after we walked for a while, but at 4, when I got back into bed, they spaced out more.

I had agreed with the nurse that they could start pitocin around 6 if I wasn't making a whole lot of progress.

When I got back into bed, my nurse came into check me, but right before she could, she got a phone call telling her that she needed to come help with a delivery. The triage lady was apparently not faking, after all. :) She was screaming at the top of her lungs and I just wanted to jump right out of my bed and go comfort her. All of the memories of my horribly painful deliveries came rushing back (just as they did when I was walking the halls with Isaac and heard a lady screaming at the top of her lungs), and I decided again, that I would be having the epidural.

Around 6am, they checked me, and I wasn't making much progress, so they started the pitocin. I am so not kidding when I say that the second that drug hit my system, I started having extremely painful contractions every 2 minutes. I had to breathe through them for about an hour, until the anesthesiologist could get to me. It finally kicked in around 7:30 or so, after trying twice to place it...the first time, he hit a vein (or something). Oh my goodness, having horrible contractions is one thing, but having horrible contractions while getting your epidural, and needing to be completely still is another. oy. My mom and 2 of my neices arrived just minutes after I got my epidural. I told them they missed the exciting part of me being in agony. ;) So, I labored for another hour, only feeling an insane amount of pressure, but no pain. My nurses asked me if my other labors went fast, and I told them that once I hit 5cm, things would take off. Sure enough, once I hit 5, it was no time until I was feeling the urge to push.

I was finally checked around 8:15, and she told me I had just a little anterior lip left, but I knew by the time she called the dr. in, it would be gone.

When he came in few minutes later, (it was Dr. Hall...the dr. I didn't want, but he ended up being super duper nice!!! :D Mike and I were pleasantly surprised!), I was complete and pushed a grand total of 2 times, and out came our sweet baby Jett!!!

Mike cut the cord and the minute Jett was placed on my chest, I was completely and totally in love with him!!!

He looks alot like Elijah did when he was first born. He has some hair, mostly in the back, and it's blonde. :) He's a little doll!

The nursing isn't going so great. It's so much more difficult for him than it was for the other kids. I know he'll get it eventually, but in the meantime, it's alot of tears shed, both from him and I!

He is very jaundiced (is that a word?), so he has to be on phototherapy. He's my 3rd child to need it...Chloe and Isaac also had to be on it. I really have a love-hate relationship with that thing. I know he needs it to get better, but gee whiz...it's annoying!

I'm sitting here looking at one of the five most beautiful faces I have ever seen in my life and thinking that it can't get better than this!

I love my little Jett more than I can explain. more than words can describe. He's absolutely PERFECT for me! He's exactly the one I wanted!! He completes our family!








Saturday, October 24, 2009

Jett Michael Hall





~Jett Michael Hall~

October 22, 2009

8:32 am

7lbs. 9oz. 19in.

HE'S PERFECT!!!!
We're so happy he's finally here with us and we're totally in love with him already!!!!

Thursday, October 22, 2009

My water broke!!!!!

My water broke!!!

Around 12:30 this morning, I got up to go pee and when I layed back down, I felt a gush of fluid. My uderwear were soaked, and I got up and more started to trickle out.
I am serious when I say that God answered my prayers. I honestly prayed right before I went to sleep that my water would just break so that I wouldn't have to play the "Could this be it?" game.
We're here at the hospital now, and I'm still dilated to a 3. The contractions picked up when we started walking the halls...about every 4 minutes, but they've slowed again now that I'm back in bed. I'm waiting for my nurse to come back in...she had to go help deliver a woman that just came in and is literally screaming at the top of her lungs as I type. I'm assuming she's about to have her baby :) Poor lady. I feel like puking for her. I will be getting an epidural now, thank you very much. So I guess I'll update when things happen, or when he's here...

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Trip to L&D and 39 week belly pic

Well, it happened. I swore it wouldn't happen and it happened.

I went to the hospital thinking I was in labor, and came home with my belly still full of baby!



I woke up last night around 1:45am with a horrible contraction and got up to use the restroom. I had been sleeping so great up until then (of course). I started to drift back to sleep and low and behold, here comes another one about ten minutes later. I thought to myself that this could possibly be it, since I'd been really crampy all afternoon and evening. Well, I laid there and waited for another one, and sure enough, about 10 minutes later, another one arrived. I got up and got a drink and timed them for the next 40 or or 50 minutes. They were coming constistantly about every 6-10 min.


I've mentioned before that I've never gone into labor on my own with my other kids, so I had no idea what going into labor felt like. I woke Mike up after they were staying regular, and he got into the shower, totally believing this was it!


I called my mom and she came over to stay with the kids, and off we went. Of course, they slowed once we got there...it's like going through the hospital doors is the antidote to contractions.


They hooked me up to the monitors and checked me...still 3cm and 75% effaced. Baby is at a -1 station.


They monitored me for about an hour, and the contractions were about 8-9 minutes apart. The nurse checked me after an hour, and I was still the same. When she checked me, she stripped my membranes again, and holy moly, it HURT that time!!!! Seriously, I was so crampy for about an hour afterwards, and was having alot more bloody show than when the dr. did it in the office on Monday. She told me she really tried to irritate it in there. yeah. it pretty much felt like she was pulling my insides out.


So, they let the dr. on call know what was going on and sent me on my way. The nurse told me that I was in the 1st stage of labor, the part that can last for a few days, and that hopefully after she stripped my membranes, it would speed things along a little bit. She also said that with this being my 5th baby, she thought I'd go in the next day or two.


I went home and went to bed...it was around 5am at this point. I woke up around 8, and in those 3 hours, I had a few really painful contractions that woke me up.


When I got up this morning, they were still coming pretty regularly 8-9 minutes apart, but since around noon, they've spaced out more. ughhh... I honestly can't take much more of this. I just wish my water would break so that I wouldn't have any questions of whether I should go in or not.


And of course, now that my whole family knows what is going on, my phone has been ringing off the hook. Like I'm gonna forget to call them if something happens. Hello? They are my babysitters! Trust me, I won't forget!!! =)


I'm gonna order some spicy Mexican food for Mike to pick up on his way home from work, and we're gonna walk and do some more other stuff tonight. ;) I'm quickly running out of patience now. It's not one of my best virtues to begin with...


Come on baby Jett!!! We're so anxious to meet you!






39 weeks...hopefully my last belly shot!


Tuesday, October 20, 2009

39 Weeks! aka: Come out now Jett!

How far along? 39 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: I think I gained a pound since last week, so 28lbs. now...

Maternity clothes? Yep

Stretch marks? Got 'em

Sleep: I'm not even gonna comment on this.

Best moment this week: We had a fun weekend with 2 of the 4 kids (Chloe and Elijah) at Crown Center and Kaliedoscope! Laney was with my sister and her daughter...they went to the movies to see Where the Wild Things Are, and Isaac stayed at my mom's house. It's very rare that we have just Chloe and Elijah with us. It was so much fun! We'll probably do a date night (or day) this weekend with Laney and Isaac! That is, if I'm not in the hospital! ;)

Movement: They're very slow...he's pretty squished in there, and now when I cough (which is all.the.time.) I feel like I'm squishing him even more. Poor kid. See Jett?...if you would come outta there, you wouldn't have to deal with Mommy's annoying cough!

Food cravings: Chocolate pudding

Gender: I'm assuming he's still a boy...should I just keep this answer every week? I'm pretty sure he won't morph into a girl! ;)

Labor Signs: I had a few strong contractions last night after she stripped my membranes, but they never really went anywhere. I've been kinda crampy all day, so I dunno...maybe something will happen tonight. Oh well if it doesn't though.

Belly button in or out? It's pretty much stretched out as much as it can get. Mine has never popped, so I'm not expecting it to do it this time either. It's basically just flat.

What I miss: Not coughing!

What I am looking forward to: Meeting him soon!! :)

Weekly wisdom: I'm really trying to enjoy the last few days of being pregnant...forever! Although it feels like he is never ever coming out, I know he will eventually! ;)

Milestones: I swear I can see him practicing his breathing from the outside. I will hold my breath, and I can see my belly move up and down in rhythm. I know it's not my heartbeat, because I'll feel it, and it's not in time with it at all (and it's more shallow and smooth), and it's nothing like hiccups...it's the weirdest thing. Is that a milestone? I don't know...who cares. :)


Your baby's waiting to greet the world! He continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth, but it's likely he already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of his skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Soon?

I'm feeling a tad bit better today. I just got home from my weekly dr. appointment. When the nurse took my blood pressure, it was a little high, so they had me lay on my left side and took it again and it came down a little, although it's still higher than normal. She said it was probably due to the medicine I've been taking. I saw a different dr. in the practice (who is just as great as my regular dr...who is out of town) and she was able to strip my membranes!!! Last week, I was at 2cm, and his head was way too high for her to do it, but this week, she said that I'm now at a 3 and his head has come way down and is pressing right against my cervix! YAY! Come towards the light baby Jett!!! I'm hoping that with my membranes stripped, I will start contracting soon! Over the weekend, I had a few really hard ones that came about every 7 or 8 minutes, but they would always stop after an hour or two. Now that's annoying! I'm gonna see if Mike will walk around with me a bunch tonight, and do, ya know, other stuff to get things going. ;)
Have any of you every had your membranes stripped? Did it work, and if so, how long did it take for you to go into labor?
I also talked to her about my cold. She doesn't think it's any type of flu since I'm not running a fever, so that's good. She gave me a few other options in medication, so I'm gonna try them tonight, and hopefully they'll work! I need some sleep before this baby arrives! If he wants to come tonight though, that's okay by me too! :D

Saturday, October 17, 2009

I could just scream!!!!

Excuse me while I complain for just one second.

Last Monday night, I started getting a really bad sore throat, which I took absolutely nothing for, thinking it would just go away. Well, of course, it developed into this horrible cold that I just can't shake. I mean, why wouldn't it? I'm 38 weeks pregnant, I can't breathe well, my body just aches constantly and I feel like my belly may pop at any moment. I am currently taking mucinex D, tylenol cold and drinking the heck out of red raspberry leaf tea (which, by the way, I'm totally in love with...if it has just the right amount of honey in it ;)). I have, honestly, gotten about 4 hours of sleep each night since Monday. On top of this stupid cold, I caught pink eye from Elijah, who caught it from a little boy at church (which is a whole other vent...people, don't bring your kids to church when they have an extremely contagious condition...seriously?) Anyway, I got pink eye on Thursday night, and was up all night wiping the gunk out of my eyes. I am so freaking tired, people. I know exactly who is on facebook at any given hour of the night. I shouldn't know things like this! I mean, here it is, at midnight, and I'm typing away, because I can't sleep. Who knows if my words are even making sense. I'm so delirious...
If I'm gonna be up all night, I would like it to be because I am in labor, or because my baby is here and I'm nursing him constantly...not because I'm sick! GRRRR!!!
I know this will eventually pass, but please pray for me and my sanity!
Seriously! Please? I need it!

I promise that my next post will be a little more cheerful.
Maybe it will be from the hospital?!?!
Hey, a girl can dream...

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Happy 2nd Birthday Isaac!!!

2 years ago today, I was sitting in a hospital bed anxiously waiting for this sweet baby to arrive, not knowing if we would have another little boy or another little girl.

It's a BOY!!!

So sweet and innocent!

In one year, our precious tiny baby went from this


To this!

And now, another year has gone by, and we have an amazing, wonderful, adorable, snuggly, squishy little 2 year old boy to show for it!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ISAAC!!!!
Mommy and Daddy love you so much, and you are just exactly what we wanted! You make us both so happy every day of our lives!!!

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

38 weeks! aka: Jett watch '09

How far along? 38 weeks...although I could actually be 39 weeks if we're going by my last period, and not the u/s measurements. Elijah was only 6lbs. 8oz. when he was born, and that was 2 days before his due date. Jett could just be small like he was...

Total weight gain/loss: It's still around 27 lbs., I'm thinking it's not gonna waver too much from here. It better not!

Maternity clothes? Yep

Stretch marks? Got 'em

Sleep: Still bad! I started getting a sore throat a couple days ago, so now that's added to the list of things that keep me awake. geez.

Best moment this week: Having Isaac's 2nd birthday party...Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, of course. :) His birthday isn't actually till Thursday, but Mike's parents were in town on Sunday, so we had it while they were here. He loved it!

Movement: This kid gets the hiccups constantly!

Food cravings: Nothing really...

Gender: I'm assuming he's still a boy...should I just keep this answer every week? I'm pretty sure he won't morph into a girl! ;)

Labor Signs: Not a whole lot of really hard contractions. My dr. checked me yesterday and I'm still at 2cm, and she said I was a little more effaced...75% now. I asked her if I could go at any time, and she said yes, but I don't really feel like he's coming any time soon. Mike and I are gonna go for a long walk tonight, and I'm thinking about taking some black/blue cohosh, but I want to do a little more research on it first. If any of you have taken it, let me know how it worked. I really wanna have him this week sometime, because my dr. is out of town all next week. :(

Belly button in or out? It's pretty much stretched out as much as it can get. Mine has never popped, so I'm not expecting it to do it this time either. It's basically just flat.

What I miss: Being able to take medicine that actually works!

What I am looking forward to: Going into labor!! :)

Weekly wisdom: ??

Milestones: I took my first trip to L&D...although not for a labor check. Last Thursday I woke up feeling pretty cruddy, and it just kept getting worse till I felt like I was gonna pass out. I was dizzy even laying down, so I called Mike and was crying to him because I was scared I was gonna pass out with just my boys here with me. I called the dr.'s office and spoke with the triage nurse, and she wanted me to come in for a blood pressure check. I didn't think it was my blood pressure cause I didn't have any swelling, I wasn't seeing spots or anything like that, but whatever. Anyway, the nurse that works with my Dr. called me back to ask me about what happened and asked me if the baby was moving properly. Well, I had completely forgotten about this when I called the 1st time, but the night before, I woke up with a contraction and layed there and waited for him to move around, and it took like 15 minutes for me to feel him. I told her that, and on top of everything else, she just told me to come in for a non-stress test. So that's why I was in L&D. They had a hard time getting his heartrate to fluxuate, so we were there for about 2 hours, but once he woke up and started moving around, we were able to go. My blood pressure is usually right around 120/80, and while we were there, it was staying around 106/70, so I'm guessing it was low blood pressure that was causing me to feel dizzy. Anyway, sorry that took entirely too long to explain, but I wanted to have it recorded.



Your baby has really plumped up. She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.

Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

When I'm trying to pass the time...

I take pictures of my kids.

playing outside.


with weird toys.


and rocks.


looking at me with beautiful blue eyes.


and sweet smiles.



and beautiful brown eyes.



eating ice cream.



while being silly.



like making faces in their ice cream.



and shoving the cones in their mouths.



and admiring their ice cream.



and laughing.


and looking just like their dad.

and being all mine. ;)

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

37 Weeks ~ FULL TERM!!!!

How far along? 37 weeks! He can come anytime now!

Total weight gain/loss: Around 27 lbs.

Maternity clothes? Yep

Stretch marks? Got 'em

Sleep: It's still pretty bad....I'm trying to focus on the fact that I'll be able to sleep on my stomach in a few weeks, and the horrible numbing sensation in my hands and arms will all go away. Of course, I'll also have a baby to feed every 2-3 hours, but at least it's time I get to snuggle with him instead of just laying there, willing myself back to sleep, like it is now. :)

Best moment this week: Getting to spend a lazy weekend with my husband...we both really needed it!

Movement: He's slowly but surely running out of room. His movements aren't as frequent as they used to be, although, when he does move, he's everywhere!!!

Food cravings: I actually haven't been wanting anything lately...I've been forcing myself to eat...nothing sounds good.

Gender: I'm assuming he's still a boy...should I just keep this answer every week? I'm pretty sure he won't morph into a girl! ;)

Labor Signs: Not a whole lot of contractions...just the bone separating and the sharp shooting pains...you know the kind. ;) I have a feeling he doesn't want out any time soon. My Dr. checked me yesterday and I'm only at a 2...she didn't even mention effacement...I'm assuming it's not a whole lot. His heartrate was in the 150's.

Belly button in or out? It's pretty much stretched out as much as it can get. Mine has never popped, so I'm not expecting it to do it this time either. It's basically just flat.

What I miss: SLEEEEEP...STILL!

What I am looking forward to: Getting his crocheted cocoon in sometime (hopefully this week) so we can take some cute pictures!! :)

Here's what I ordered:




Weekly wisdom: I'm too tired to think...

Milestones: I'm FULL TERM!!!! =)

This was taken a couple days before 37 weeks...






Congratulations — your baby is full term! This means that if your baby arrives now, his lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though your due date is still three weeks away.

Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Well hello there, October

I honestly cannot believe how fast this year has gone by!! Where has the time gone, really? It seems like every year goes faster and faster. Does that mean that by the time I'm like 80, a year is gonna be like 2 days long? ;) My grandma turned 88 years old yesterday, and I can remember when she was in her 60's! She has lived with my mom since I was born, so I'm pretty close to her, but lately she's just getting been getting really crabby and pessimistic about everything. Her mind is going pretty fast too. She will ask the same question, literally, like 7 times in a 15 minute period. I feel so sad knowing that every birthday she has could be her last, and every holiday we spend with her could be the last one. Of course, that's true for everyone, but ya know...

Anyway, this month marks 2 extremely special things for us. This will be Isaac's 2nd year of being here with us, and the month that our baby Jett will be born, ! (Lord willing!) While I've said that I'm content to keep him in there for as long as he pleases, it's getting harder and harder with each passing day to think that. I've been so exhausted lately, it's really all I can do to keep my eyes open. Mike has been working some crazy hours, and while I'm so thankful that he's working, let alone getting overtime, I'm just tired of doing everything alone. I don't have enough energy for it. I'm just spent. My mom really has been a great help, but what with Mike's overtime, and his band practice at church, and the girls' karate, and trips to Walmart and the grocery store, and my involvement in Teen MOPS, we haven't had one night at home this whole week. I don't think my kids have taken a bath in like 4 days. Is that horrible? That's just how it's been around here. I don't think he's working late tonight, and we don't have anything planned, and we're pretty stocked up on home essentials, so I'm hoping we get a relaxing evening here tonight! I'm insisting on it!

So while I'm excited for October to be here, I'm sad that everything is going by so fast!

By the way, I will be giving my kids a bath tonight (well, except for Laney...she takes showers). I'll probably have to do it one at a time, since their bath water will most likely look like a mud pit once they're done. ;)
Oh, and um....the video that I posted on youtube of Isaac's birth has reached 39,000 views! Seriously?!? What in the world? Just crazy.

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