Adjusting To Life As A Mom

Things have been so crazy since the birth of Callie, that I don't have time to get on here and write! I haven't even finished the last book of the 50 Shades of Grey Trilogy that I started 2.5 weeks before she was born..And she is 5 weeks old!!! I can't believe it-5 weeks old. Oh how time is flying by!

I am quite impressed with myself and how easily I have adapted to doing things one handed. I can cook (I don't usually cook with her...usually just fix a sandwich or marinate something if needed-I try to wait to cook until Dad is home for safety reasons), eat, do laundry, take the dog out and even get on the computer if I need to. Dad hasn't quite mastered how to do things one handed-so he doesn't really help me much when he gets home other than to hold Callie while I do what I couldn't during the day. Sometimes she is very fussy and only wants to be held, which I don't mind, unless I have some things I need to do. But they can wait...she is only little once and I want to enjoy her, fussy or not :)

She sleeps fairly well-on average she sleeps in 3 hours stretches at night. Last night was actually the first night we tried to get her to sleep in her crib. (This was actually 3 nights ago now...shows you how long it takes me to actually complete something I start!) All alone in her own room..away from me. I was pretty nervous that I wouldn't hear her over the monitor if I fell asleep, so I woke up often to make sure I didn't miss her crying. Around 4am I was so tired that I brought her to bed with us for that feeding so we could just snuggle up together and go to sleep with Dad.

I am trying to adjust to it not just being Ben and I. I miss our relationship before Callie was born, however, I wouldn't trade it for a thing. I miss just being able to do what we want at any time-quick runs to the store, to see our friends, just snuggling up in bed together with no interruptions. It's a lot harder now to keep our relationship where it needs to be, talking to each other on a daily basis, and just enjoying each other with he everyday stresses of being new parents. But everyday we are getting better and better :)

Overall-being a Mom isn't as hard as I thought it would be at times, but I do get frustrated on rare occasion, and that's when it is hard. I just take a breathe and go from there. That's all I can do.

Time for A New Blog

Well, we have had an eventful past 2 weeks, to say the least. We are now a very happy family of 3, 4 counting our dog! Let me update you on everything to birth, then I plan to start a new blog, mostly to remind me of all the things Callie does, later in life.

The morning after I lost my mucus plus, I woke up to pee and noticed I was leaking fluid. I hadn't peed myself, because I had just went 2 hours before. I had bloody streaked discharge as well. So I called the on call Dr and he said since I wasn't having consistent contractions, to stay home and wait until they were closer. I decided to call my nurse once the office opened just to get a second opinion. They sent me to Triage since my water was leaking just to get monitored. They were worried that the baby could suffocate if I leaked too much fluid. So Cynthia, Ben's mother, got here about 11:30 and we headed to the hospital (I vacuumed and did some other last minute cleaning as well as got a long hot shower while she drove here) Ben met us there(he was working) and we got signed in. After the million and one questions they ask you, they check my cervix and I had dilated to 4 and 80% effaced. that was 2cm and 20%more than 2 days prior at my OB checkup!! But I wasn't super hopeful bc I still wasn't feeling any contractions.

At 4:30, I was between 4 & 5 cm dilated. Contractions were getting stronger, but nothing I couldn't handle, or still feel for the most part. So after the nurse spoke with the Dr, they said I could either stay or go home and wait. We decided to stay. After admitting me to labor and delivery and switching me to my room, I had to sit forever on IV fluids and having my Bp checked. The plan was to let me go natural as I wanted. If by midnight I hadn't progressed anymore, they would break my water and start Pitocin. At 9;30, I wasn't making any progress and the pain was to the point I was crying-So I went ahead and got the epidural and Dr Moran came in to break my water at 9:45pm. Ben had went to eat dinner with his Father and Brother, so he missed this process, which made me cry even more. I took an hour nap after he returned and they came to start Pitocin at 12:30am. I was dilate to 6 and 85-90% effaced. I took another nap around 2-not feeling the contractions let me relax much more and I'm glad I got it. At 6:15 am, it was time to push..I missed 3 contractions of pushing, I needed to get a good breath...But at 7:23am, Callie Rae Hocker made her first appearance into the world. She weighed 7lbs10oz, 19.5 inches long and had a head full of dark hair!! We couldn't be more excited!!

Here are some photos of her first few days, going home and meeting our furbaby, Millie. I look a hot mess...So just look at her :)

The epidural let me enjoy the majority of labor!

Last photo of us, as a family of 2

She is here!!!

So happy my baby girl is here!!

Family of 3...We are in LOVE!

Momma's very first kiss

First time Daddy held Callie

Trying to feed her...Nana was a great supporter

Proud Nana (Ben's mom)

Daddy was exhausted. He didn't sleep for 2 days straight!

Proud Papa (Ben's Dad)

Meeting Uncle Jonny (Ben's Brother)

Getting her vitals checked...She wasn't happy about it!

All cleaned up and fixing to snuggle with Momma

Ready to go home for the first time!!!

Welcome Home Callie Rae! We've been waiting!!

Millie meeting Callie....She wanted to lick her face a lot!

So excited to meet her baby sister!!

 

 

Meeting AnJerika for the first time (Her cousin)

First time meeting MiMi (My Mom)

Millie was so curious!

First sponge bath at home...loves getting her hair washed

But she HATES getting her body washed!

She loves her swing :)

Such a cutie!

She is perfect! I couldn't be more in love!

Daddy is already wrapped around her little finger!

First time in the stroller for a walk around the neighborhood

Talk About Nervous(Somewhat of a TMI post)

Callie is usually a fairly active baby anywhere from say, 11pm-2am. That's when daddy lays is hand on my belly and feels her crazy movement, what he calls at time, her drum rolls.Well, Sunday night, she just wasn't moving. The last movement we remember/felt was around 7:30 while we were eating dinner at BDubs. At first I thought she might just be tired, but after a bit, it started to worry us more. Ben got me a bottle of cold water-nothing. I swapped to my other side...nothing. So I started to shake my belly around...and we got nothing. That made us super nervous, especially after all the things we went through to get to where we are today. I remember feeling a few random "pushes" through the night but still to her usual movement. So Monday I called my nurse and was sent for an ultrasound. Callie looked fantastic. She is an estimated 7lbs12oz, heart rate of 170(this has been her highest by 2bmp). I was a bit low on amniotic fluid-7cm-but Dr Wingo said that is was the low side of still being ok. I gained 8lbs in 6 days, and also had more than just trace amounts of protein in my urine. No change in dilation or effacement, but a slightly higher BP than normal for me, so they ordered some blood work. I was told not to eat or drink for the next 2 hours, or until I got my results back. Thankfully all came back well. I was told to call at any sign of dizziness, headache, blurred vision or to go to triage if after hours.
Tuesday morning I woke up, did a small trip to the grocery, came home, did a load of laundry, had some cereal and watched tv, but I was feeling nauseous on and off. So after eating lunch, I called Beth to let her know and she said to head to triage to get checked out. So I called Ben, he picked me up, and we checked in. I was on the monitor for about 2 hours, we loved hearing Callie for so long! My BP went down some, still a tad high for me, but it was normal and no reason for us to worry. So they sent me home. At about 9:30 pm I went pee, to find that I had lost a huge chunk(or shall I say 3 chunks) of mucus plug. Of course that doesn't mean labor is in the next 24 hours, but it is soon at least. As of now, I go for another ultrasound Thursday at 1, the OB after. Monday I will go back to the OB to discuss induction if Callie doesn't make her appearance before then.
So here is to continued good luck and a healthy pregnancy...We can't wait to meet Callie...and everything we go through is totally worth it!!!

Update since I started this post last night...I woke up to pee around 6:30 and my panties were pretty wet. But not enough to wet the mattress...So my water is leaking! I wiped and there was pinkish discharge.I called the on call Dr since I wasn't having contractions and he said all is normal, but to wait to come in until my contractions were consistent. So I changed panties and not 5 minutes later, they were wet again, so I got a pad, went pee and wiped--more discharge but with tiny streaks of blood. Then in the toilet, there were 2 or 3 dark red clots, what I assume was just old bloody chunks of mucus plug. My nurse will be in the office at 9, so I will call to discuss it with her. But seems like she will be here by her due date. I am super nervous and excited. So to keep me busy, I'm going to vacuum downstairs, and maybe put up the clean dishes. If contractions get consistent and painful, I may hop in the hot shower. Update later :)

38 and 39 weeks

I didn't write a blog post last week about my checkup, so I hope I can remember everything! This pregnancy brain thing is no joke! 

Let's see...Instead of gaining weight...I LOST 5 lbs of fluid! That was great news!! I was so afraid of something being wrong and putting on 6+lbs again. Callie's heart rate was 150...She was down pretty low the Dr said. I was dilated almost to 2, but not quit, so we will say 1.5 lol. Thinned still at 60%(no change from the week before) I was told I had a lot of fluid around the baby, which is fine. He would rather me have more than not enough. 

At my 39 week checkup, I only gained 1 lb...There was a heart rate of 141, and I had no change in dilation or thinning. I asked if he could sweep my membranes...He couldn't reach, so Beth, my nurse, said she will try at next weeks appointment (Dr Wingo will be out of the office). The earliest I will be induced is August 21st(13 days away) if Callie doesn't decide to come on her own...I don't want to wait that much longer, so I hope she comes lol.

I haven't lost my mucus plug, that I have been aware of. I haven't really had any contractions...I have back pain, pains in my lower belly...but nothing that I think is major. Sleep has become impossible...but it's been like that for a while. Not much longer though...that is nice to know she will be here soon!

37 Weeks and Counting

Yesterday was my weekly checkup as well as an ultrasound...An unexpected ultrasound at that...We were told our previous would be the last, so this made me very excited! My youngest sister and her best friend were here for the week and excited to go with. Since Callie is stubborn and doesn't really show us her face, my sister thought she would be our good luck charm this time around. I told her I highly doubted that...and I was right!

Callie is still head down, but this time she was laying on her left side (she eventually turned back toward my back, so we didn't get a single good view of her!) Her estimate weight was 6lbs4oz and a heart rate of 156(later at the OB, it was 144). Amniotic fluid still looks good and she was in the 34th percentile for growth! So blessed for good news every visit! 

So after the ultrasound, I headed to my OB's office for my checkup. At my last appointment, I had only gained 1/2lb in a week. This time, I gained 6lbs...6lbs....in a week!?!?! What the crap! I haven't even any differently. Ben said he feels I have been drinking more water is all. My blood pressure was great-122/70. It has been fairly consistant with this number the entire time, so Dr Wingo believes my weight gain is just fluid retention, which he said was normal at this point. I was told to continue pushing fluids and to come back Tuesday instead of later in the week to see if I'm still gaining that fast. If I am, I'm not sure what he will want to do?!. 

I have thinned even more(what percent, I'm not sure-he doesn't really say), and I have dilated to 1cm....that is pretty exciting. I'm glad my body knows what it needs to be doing. I will say that the checkup this week was even more uncomfortable than the first. Maybe that's common?

Today is my 37th week...So I am officially FULL TERM!!!! I can't believe we have made it to this point! And I certainly cannot wait to meet our little girl! I made my last trip to Ky without a baby...next time we go, we will have a family of 3, plus our furbaby. So crazy to think about! I can't believe how blessed we really are. I can honestly say, though, that at this point, I am ready to not be pregnant anymore. The heat is crazy, the lack of sleep stinks(even though it's preparing us for down the road) and the hormones are CRAZY....crazy let me tell you. I think I've cried at least once a day for the last month, most of the time for no reason...Makes me laugh thinking about it now. But Ben knows I can't help it and he just tells me how much he loves me and gives me a kiss on the cheek, and it's all better :) But even though I am ready for this to all be over and for us to be holding Callie in our arms, I will miss every bit of what I complain about...I really will....But I can make a new post about that after she is born so I can see how I really feel.

Until my next appointment....

Am I dilated?

Of course that is the question every mom to be has once she hits 36 weeks and starts the pelvic exams! I know I wanted to know what was going on. But I was also nervous when I got to the Dr because what if my body wasn't doing what it was supposed to? I was also scared of how it was going to feel, but other than a lot of pressure due to Callie being so far down, it was no worse than a pap. I was happy about that!

Well, to answer my question, my body is doing what it should! Although I haven't dilated any, my cervix has started to thin out, which is great. Callie was on the move a lot today, so we didn't get an exact heart beat, but an estimate in the 160's. Dr Wingo even felt her head when he checked me!  (I text my mother and told her I was going to try and feel her head...she told me I couldn't lol!) They also did my Strep B test today, so I'm sure I will be told the results next week.

I get another ultrasound Thursday, which I didn't expect...I feel like I've gotten way more than he originally told me I would! I'm not complaining though :) Then we have our appointment right after. Hopefully my body is progressing even more by then! From what I've read over the last few months, I need to have lots of sex and walk a lot! I think the mall is calling my name this weekend ;)

 I still can't believe I will be considered FULL TERM next Friday!!!! Woohooo!!! The end is near :)

Birthing Class-We're Getting Close!

Here I am, 34w3d pregnant and enjoying every moment of it-that is, when my vagina doesn't feel like it's falling out due to round ligament pain and when I'm able to sleep a few hours in a row. Other than that, it is absolutely wonderful. Even during those times, I love being pregnant, I just wish it wasn't painful or so tiring! 

34w2d July 8th, 2012

This past Saturday and Sunday, we attended Birthing Class where we will be delivering. I would have to say that there weren't many things I learned, but the most important to me was how to properly breath and push. No hee-hee-huuuuu's here. I also have done tons of reading/researching, so that's why I knew a lot of what was talked about in class. But Ben on the other hand, said he learned a ton, including how to be the support I need. I am thankful for that and can't wait to see how he does during birth!

I was surprised that out of 16 couples, only 4 of us Mom's To Be raised our hand when asked if we had seen either a live birth or a live birth on tv/internet. Um hello?!?! You're about to give birth-shouldn't you know what to expect? What is really going on down there? I have watched many videos so that I am prepared! Scared, yes....but at least prepared! 

 What I was most excited about from class was that we were told breastfed babies poop doesnt stink...How awesome...That's how I plan to feed Callie...Well I shared that on Facebook and here are a few of the responses: 

*"Oh my audris were nasty and runny plus explosive lol .. She could never keep it in her diaper .. Poor daddy got pooped on"

*"Oh Molly's breast milk poop was super runny and nasty... Scott and I used to call it poop explosions lol"

*"All depends on what u eat. Haha. But they are a lot runnier than regular food poops and less stinky than formula poop"

*"That's a lie!! "

I was so sad to find that they still stink, but not as bad. But it's poop....can't expect it to not smell, right?!

My favorite part of the 2 day class was the tour-the rooms are fairly nice-there is an area dad can use as a bed, which is much better than the un-comfy chair my sister had in her room in Ky. It can also be a bench for visitors. We all have our own flat screen tv and can play music during, which will be a nice distraction. At least I hope it will be at times! We will be in the same room from labor to recovery then after 2 hours of recovery, we are taken to another floor where we spend the remainder of our time at the hospital. The food smelled great from the cafeteria, so I hope it is good. If not, we are close to many places--Daddy or someone visiting can grab something for us :)  

But taking the tour just reminds me how far we have come, and how close the end is. Our little girl will be here in about 5 weeks, give or take a little bit. Hopefully she doesn't try to stay in there too much longer than her due date! This Thursday is my last Bi-Weekly visit and ultrasound!!!! I pray for a cooperative little girl :) Then I'll be visiting weekly and getting those pelvic exams...yay me! I hope for some news of dilatation and effacement! Only time will tell.

Baby Shower and 31 Week Ultrasound

Friday June 15th, I was 31 weeks and had my "last" ultrasound. Callie Rae was completely uncooperative, like usual. She is head down/face down so the only picture we got was of her foot. We saw that and the back of her head. Nothing more.

Here is her sweet baby foot <3

She weighed approximately 3lbs and 12oz, right at the 50th percentile. Her heart rate was 150-We didn't even get this until later at my actual OB appointment because during the ultrasound she moved too much for us to get an accurate reading. Dr Wingo said she was the perfect baby at this point! So exciting to know that all is going well. I did ask for another ultrasound though since we didn't see her much, and he said yes. How exciting! Not sure when it will be though. I go again in 2 weeks for the next checkup. And that's also when I am finished with work to finish getting ready for Callie's arrival. 

To help get ready to meet our baby girl, we had our first baby shower this past Saturday. It was hosted by our hometown church. Just family and friends as well as church members. We got soooo much stuff! Blessed beyond measures!!!  Of course, we keep getting more items. And our 2nd (and last) baby shower is this Saturday, where we live now, with friends and coworkers. Here are just a few photos from the shower.(Ok I said a few and ended up with 18 ha) Ignore me...I'm looking like a big old whale these days. If you can't tell, Winnie The Pooh was our theme :)

Just some of the gifts that were there once we arrived. Many more came after.

My mom, niece and sister

2 of many outfits

Callie's first Bible, with her name engraved on it

Pooh walker for a little later

An amazing swing we got from my Gramma

Caught off guard

My niece helping me look at stuff, and my sister writing stuff down

Daddy was proud when we got her UK outfit and matching socks :)

Callie's Pack N Play

The swing all assembled

5 generations, Great Gramma in front center, Gramma behind her, my Mom on right, Me on left and Callie

Women on both sides. My side and inlaws

Ben, my Mom, and I

Meme, Ben, Me and Robert (father in Law)

My sisters and I-Kelsie(22), Shaina(14), Me(23) and Jonel (20)

Pretty sure this, with the matching hat, will be Callie's going home outfit :)