8.31.2009

Sleeping Through the Night

Today we had our third pedi appointment with Dr. Corp...still an amazing baby genius (and baby whisperer). Nolan got his 2nd Hep shot and turned a color of red that I had never seen on him before. I hated every moment of it. Before the big mean nurse gave my baby a big mean shot, Nolan was chekced to make sure he was doing okay. The last time we went (at 2wks old) Nolan had not gained a single ounce of weight and was still under his birth weight. At that point Dr. Corp said Nolan should be 8lbs...almost two pounds below. Well considering his low weight at the last appointment today he should atleast be 8lbs 12 oz. We got on that scale and measured a huge 8lb 15 oz!! *clap* The rest of the exam was good. Asked questions about Nolan's acne and gas and other normal new born questions. Nolan was very upset throughout the appointment because it was teetering on his feeding time....no one keeps him from eating!! Dr. Corp picked Nolan up and Nolan was immediately silent, amazing! Dr. Corp is the baby whisperer...not only that but he is calling us tonight to make sure Nolan didn't have any adverse reactions to the shot. Do normal peds do this?? If so I should feel really dumb for being overly excited about this added perk!

While Dr. Corp was calming Nolan like no other, he said some dreaded and VERY unexpected words...."in two weeks he will be sleeping through the night". Huh? What? My baby? Dr. Corp has a tendency to go very fast so this week I brought a pad and paper but once he said these words I was lost as to what to write, I guess the doctor noticed and slowed down accordingly. I have always heard of babies not really sleeping through the night for months, Nolan will be 6 weeks old. Scary! I wrote down the instructions and peered at Dennis to see that he was as perplexed as I was, phew!

Afterwards I got out the calender to write down the momentous event down and noticed this process will begin two days before Dennis' mom and stepdad come for a visit. I must buy them an, "I'm sorry card" for the terrible time and lack of sleep they will be getting. Dr. Corp said it should take about three days for the process to be complete so if all works out perfectly (and I have ear plugs in...and possibly have somewhere else to sleep those nights) they will only have to endure one night of pure baby screaming hell. Oma, if you read this...I am so sorry!

PS: Right now I'm writting this with Nolan in his rocker next to me. The puppy is circling Nolan like he is shark prey. The puppy is so very obsessed in a loving manner with Nolan it is more annoying than anything and my puppy has an addiction to licking feet (anyone's really). Sometimes it's cute, but Nolan is sleeping and if this puppy wakes Nolan up....I can't even write about what I will do.

[UPDATE] The puppy did not wake Nolan...the pacifier falling out of his mouth did. Luckily for me, my baby is the best baby ever and cried for a second and passed right back out. Thank you baby gods!

[UPDATE x2] While mommy was not looking (bad mommy!) the puppy washed Nolan's face with his tongue and baby did not like! Damn dog!

8.18.2009

The First "Trip"

I'm going to have to learn how to make my blogs, "short"...or shorter than they normally are because you have VERY little time to do anything for yourself when you have a newborn in your home. I'll have to wake Nolan soon for a feeding but hopefully I can get through this one blog...

We have been searching for a car for months and with Dennis it is trying because he is very concerned about making investments and will wait 20 years to get a car if I wasn't hounding him everyday about needing a car NOW! So finally we make our decision on the Rondo and we find one with tinted windows (they do not come tinted as they are just base, hence the price) and it just looked the nicest. Well it's in Clearwater. The dealership is going to ship it to Tampa for us for free and it will be there tomorrow for us to test drive.

Originally if we found a car near home we would have my boss watch Nolan for a couple of hours but since we are going to Tampa, that won't work. And taking him to my mother's for a few hours which is near Tampa is not exactly an option because...it just isn't right now. So we have come to the conclusion that we are going to have to take Nolan to Tampa with us to test drive a car.

Now this might not be a big deal but Dennis has to drive his car as it will be a trade in, me and Nolan do not fit in his car so I will have to drive my car with Nolan in it, ALONE! Okay that might be fine and dandy but I still have not driven since my c-section and well...I'm scared! The first time out really I will be driving over an hour alone in a car with a newborn (who often screams) on the HIGHWAY....oh and not to mention I have no idea where I'm going. It worries me that I am going to have to do this sort of the thing with Nolan for the next 16 or so years of his life...so I'm going to have to suck it up and get used to it. WAAAA!!!!!

Not only do I have to worry about all of that but now I'm worried about the diaper bag. We have not exactly "mastered" the art of the diaper bag (YES! It is an art!). What if we forget something necessary? I'm wondering if I can take two diaper bags and just put all of his things in them...crammed...yes....but may be necessary. Any tips? Please give me some pointers!!

I am trying to add any possible errand, that we can run today, to my list so that we can get a "test run" for some practice...although I will not be on a highway....hmm maybe I can think of an errand that would use a highway for today.

Lesson of the day. Erin and Dennis need lots and lots of prayers!



PS: Dennis just cleaned the dog cage with "Scrubbing Bubbles" (which is a BATHROOM cleaner)...Lord help me!
PPS: Dennis runs into things in the bedroom (and really all over the house) on a daily basis, several times a day. I guess I've never noticed this much because we haven't been cooped up in a house together 24/7 for weeks at a time but it drives me INSANE! Just now he is standing over my shoulder and managed to ram his foot into the dogs cage, while standing STILL!!
.....please say a prayer that we make it through these weeks together....ALIVE

8.04.2009

Newborn Jaundice : Newborn : Babies : pregnancy and parenting on JustMommies

Newborn Jaundice : Newborn : Babies : pregnancy and parenting on JustMommies

Shared via AddThis

Nolan's birthday

July 30, 2009

This morning Dennis and I went to my normal pre-natal appointment with Dr. Brown. When I got there I asked the dr if she got the results from the sonogram. Dr. Brown stated no so I told her that Nolan was breech. I was told we would do a c-section on August 24th. Dr. Brown continued with her regular exam (strep b culture, yuck!) and said 0 dialation and zero anything exciting. When it was all done I spoke to her about my continued concerns for a leaking feeling or a peeing myself feeling. I also explained that the sonogram tech did not appear too happy with something and even asked if the doctors had told me I was leaking any fluid. I have expressed this concern two weeks prior when I went to the ER and saw the dumbass doctor who put me on bedrest and said everything was okay, including "you're water is intact". The dr appeared to get worried and did another exam to see if I was leaking water, the test came back negative but the dr gave me an order to go to the hospital and have another sonogram.

I was pissed. I just had a sonogram on Monday which appeared concerning to the technician and that report was never given to my doctor, and why can my doctor not just look at it as they are in the same office working together?!

We go to the hospital, tell our works we will be late, and wait for a little while. We go back for the sonogram with the best tech ever (she did our 20 week sonogram which told us we were having a boy). She is always really talkative and tells you what's going on. She told us Nolan was still a boy and showed us his head and other features and measured the fluid. The tech quickly got up ended the exam and started walking out, I asked what would happen now and she said that I would "get with my doctor for a plan of action". Well I'm no scholar at pregnancy or anything but anytime someone says, "plan of action", it never means everything's fine and relax. Didn't think too much of it because at this point I just wanted to go home because I was tired of the hospital and was sure I was just being a hypochondriac. We get taken back to the waiting room to wait again for the doctor to look at the results. Within a few minutes (which is really quick for traige standards) we are called back by the nurse, Brenda. She tells me and Denny that there is only room for one and that Dennis needs to wait in the waiting room. Okay whatever. Get in the room and she's acting all quiet and weird and then says, "so your water broke?". Uhm what? I don't know, no one has talked to me yet. "Well it looks to be the case"..."how long would you say you've been leaking for?"....TWO WEEKS! Brenda asks me a million and two questions (none of which I remember now) while I'm crying and almost hyperventalating because I know without her saying it that I'm going to have a baby today. Then finally Brenda says, most likely...and I'm sure you know by now, you'll have a c-section today. I just started bawling and Brenda hugged me...it was a nice gesture and did make me feel better. I couldn't believe Dennis wasn't allowed to be in the room with me. We left the room to get prepped for surgery and stopped to get Dennis, when Dennis stood up I just continued to cry and grabbed his hand and pulled him into the back and told him what was going on.

We were shocked. Wow. A baby? Today! Parents? Now?! I had a great nurse in triage who got me ready for surgery, got my main IV in and tried to calm me down...told me we only had a few minutes and they were prepping the OR now. We called as many people as we could think of. About 20 minutes later I was wheeled to c-seciong pre and post op. We met with the doctor from my OB practice, dr. fu...who is MUCH better than Dr. Abrudescu. Dr. Fu came in the room and got right to the point, "I'm going to cut you, take the baby out, and put you back together again" in the most serious face...and he really was being serious. This was how great his bedside manner is. Really, he's a nice guy but too quick to the point and too blunt sometimes, talks really fast too. He also told us that I barely had any amniotic fluid left...wow! Scary!

I continued to get ready for surgery and then met my anesthesialogist...I can't remember her name but she was AMAZING. She helped calm me down A LOT and we talked about Big Brother and other hobbies we had in common. She did the best job on my epidural which did not hurt at all. I felt some electricity and pressure going through my body but really bareable.

Dr. Fu came back to say we would be going to surgery soon but we were waiting on Dr. Abrudescu to come to assist with the surgery. WHAT? WHO?! You have got to be kidding me! All I know is Dr. Abrudescu is lucky I was hooked up to an array of machines, wires, and already had numbing meds in me by the time he got there!

I finally got taken to the OR at 5pm and Dennis was allowed to come a few minutes later. Everything went fine and I kept hearing "he's coming he's coming" and then all I heard was crying! All I remember about that moment was his cries and how cute they sounded. Tears streamed down the sides of my eyes and I rushed Dennis to take pictures. Finally someone put Nolan on my chest and I was able to hold him there and all I could do was cry and talk to him about how amazing he was (here I go crying). Someone lifted Nolan's hat and I saw his jet black hair! He was so amazing! Dennis left the OR with Nolan and I was put back together again.

I stayed in the hospital for three days in a lot of pain but that was okay because I had my bean right there. We had some problems with breast feeding but on the last day Nolan was able to latch for about 15 minutes (still no milk though), it hurt but felt so amazing at the same time that I could do that for my child.

My parents came up for the weekend and stayed at the Hubbard House next door to the hospital, in the same room (they've been divorced for YEARS). It was really nice having them there. I was really worried about how my mom was going to react to Nolan because for years she always told me and Dennis how much she hates kids, would never babysit, etc etc. My mom got quite attached to Nolan and helped change him and feed him, WOW! My mom also calls several times a day to see if Nolan is doing okay and how much she misses him....YAY!

I have never experienced anything like this...there is nothing more rewarding and heaven sent as having your own child. I am so lucky to have such a healthy baby who had no serious issues at birth. I love you Nolan!!!!

5 Days Old


*Today is the first day you woke us up to tell us you were hungry, wet, poopy, and un-swaddled

*Speaking of poop, you are pooping about 10 times a day (not exagerating) and often poop while we are changing your poopy diaper (and of course pee on your face, on us, the wall, etc).

*Daddy went all over town to pick up more items we didn't have time to get before you arrived (Target, Baby's R us, Motherhood Maternity)
*You are finally eating so much better and getting more breast milk.

*We are all getting a little annoyed with the bili blanket (we just call it, "billie", now), it's hindering your ability to wear cute clothes that button or any pants.

*Mommy used the video monitor that grandpa bought us for the first time. I set it next to your face in the play yard and have a zoomed in look now at your face. I don't want to keep messing with it so for now I'll get to stare at one eye and half of your mouth. This thing is amazing during the day and at night and super portable. Now it's just distracting because I just want to watch and any sound you make I get worried, hmm...maybe video monitor is a bad idea for a worry wort like me!

*I finally feel like we are getting on somewhat of a schedule with sleeping and eating!
*Daddy picked up the dogs (Sadie and Yogi) from boarding today. Yogi seemed somewhat scared of you but somehow knew he had boundaries and needed to stay away from you, if he got too close we just picked up a magazine and Yogi went back to laying next to us. Sadie still needs a bath so you haven't officially met her until that happens, phew does she stink after a week at the vet!


love you little man...

4 days old




I am going to start writing in my blog every night (crosses fingers) and just putting bullet points of what baby Nolan did that day so that I will always have those memories. This is truly the best experience ever and I want to remember every moment of it.


*Arnald Palmer hospital for blood labs to check your bilirubin level. We forgot socks and got a "talk" from the nurse about that, whoops - still learning!

*First visit with Dr. Corp (pediatrician). Dr. Corp is amazing and said that you were perfect. Your labs came back and your level went up to 12.8, mommy was obviously upset about having to go back to the hospital daily for labs. Dr. Corp understood this and "made me a deal" and will not make us go back for the labs tomorrow, just Wednesday because most likely your levels won't go down in one day. Dr. Corp will call us daily from there on out with the results so we know when we can stop using your bili blanket, ugh!

*You gained .3 ounces and are now up to 6.13 ounces, hooray! - still 19.5 inches

*My milk is finally in and I can pump up to an ounce each 15 minutes, I'm trying to pump every hour to build up supply so we no longer have to supplement with formula (your formula smells like turkey, gah!)

*You started using your binkie today