Wow, my precious little girl is already a month old. Is that even possible that this first month of her life has so quickly passed us? It's so weird because it seems like she has always, always been a part of our family and I can't really even remember life before Adrienne.
Adrienne has made two very important milestones over these last 24 hours, seeing as how it is her one-month birthday and all! Last night she slept through the night for the first time! It was heavenly for me, let me just say! She ate around 11 last night and when I put her in her cradle, she was out until after 7 this morning. Unbelievable! I had to check the clock several times to make sure that I had read it correctly! Let's hope that this is a new trend that she's starting? A girl can dream, right?!?!? As for the other milestone, Adrienne smiled at me TWICE today. They weren't gassy, fake smiles either... They were the real deal and they made me feel all warm inside. I was so happy to see those precious smiles for the first time!!
Having Adrienne here has really amazed me in so many ways. For starters, I cannot believe how much I love her. I knew that I would love her, but it was always a bit hard for me to think about how I could ever love someone as much as I loved Brooke. From the moment I met Adrienne I suddenly knew that I would always have enough love for both of my girls and I have never looked back. I'm also amazed at how watching a new life grow just never gets old. I wondered if milestones like we had today would be as exciting as they were with Brooke, and they absolutely are! Watching these kids blossom before my very eyes could never get old or lose its sentiment.
I am anxious to get to know Adrienne better. Right now I'm not quite sure what some of her cries mean or what makes her "tick." Each evening she has a meltdown and screams hysterically for sometimes over an hour and I still haven't mastered how to bring her out of these fits. I can't wait for the day that I'll be able to read her better and become more aware of what her cues mean. These are all things you learn in time though!
I am so content with my life right now! I love my daughters so much and being their mommy is such a huge honor!
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
What A Morning!
We had quite the difficult morning this morning. I wasn't sure how I was going to spend my day today but I decided to go see my mom for lunch. She works about a half an hour from my house so I was trying to get out of the house so I could run some errands beforehand. After Adrienne had been fussing all morning, I eventually got her settled down for 10 minutes or so so I could do my hair and makeup. Finally, after much work, we were ready! I picked Adrienne up out of her bouncy seat to put her in her car seat and the next thing I know, she had thrown up ALL OVER ME... My hair was literally soaked in throw up, it was all down my shirt and my bra was even soaked, and of course my clothes were covered, as well. She was covered from her clothes to her hair, also. At that point, I had no idea what to do because there was no towel in close proximity and we were both absolutely filthy! I had Brooke get the baby wipes for me and I used them to wipe Adrienne up so I could change my shirt before giving her a bath. The vomit was dripping out of my hair so while I bathed Adrienne I put it in a ponytail. When I took my hair down to take a shower, I discovered that I had throw up all over my scalp. Wonderful! Lol! I had to cancel our plans because there was no way we would make it to my mom's work on time. I was a little bit disappointed, but I figured that this is what motherhood is all about.
When I called John and told him about my interesting morning, we decided that I would meet him for lunch. That idea excited me because I didn't think I would be leaving the house after the puking incident. I got both girls ready... again, and went out to the van. I started it up but then realized that I forgot a bag right inside the front door so I turned the van off to use my keys to get inside. Maybe 30 seconds later, I got back into the van and it REFUSED TO START. I wanted to scream because I was so frustrated! Adrienne was screaming at that point and Brooke was saying, "Start the van, Mommy. Start the van, Mommy." It was just not a good situation! Long story short, when my dad heard what had happened, he drove over to our house (without me even asking him!) and jumped the van for me so I could still go see John. After that, we all went to McDonald's to meet John for lunch and my dad stayed with me for about an hour after John left while Brookie played outside. It turned out to be a really enjoyable day!
So, after a morning of chaos, I'm going to try to relax for a brief moment while BOTH girls are finally napping. Hopefully the afternoon goes MUCH smoother!
When I called John and told him about my interesting morning, we decided that I would meet him for lunch. That idea excited me because I didn't think I would be leaving the house after the puking incident. I got both girls ready... again, and went out to the van. I started it up but then realized that I forgot a bag right inside the front door so I turned the van off to use my keys to get inside. Maybe 30 seconds later, I got back into the van and it REFUSED TO START. I wanted to scream because I was so frustrated! Adrienne was screaming at that point and Brooke was saying, "Start the van, Mommy. Start the van, Mommy." It was just not a good situation! Long story short, when my dad heard what had happened, he drove over to our house (without me even asking him!) and jumped the van for me so I could still go see John. After that, we all went to McDonald's to meet John for lunch and my dad stayed with me for about an hour after John left while Brookie played outside. It turned out to be a really enjoyable day!
So, after a morning of chaos, I'm going to try to relax for a brief moment while BOTH girls are finally napping. Hopefully the afternoon goes MUCH smoother!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Catch Up
Hello, blogging world! I'm still here and I'm still alive... We've just, of course, been insanely busy.
Our latest addiction lately has been McDonald's outdoor play area. My sister and I meet there with our 4 children between us and we have the best time! We usually try to eat before we go there and then we just get drinks, but the kids could care less. Nathan and Brooke run free while we sit and chat and it's the best time. I'm honestly not sure what we'll do with ourselves when it gets cold out again! We'll cross that bridge when we get there, I suppose.
Adrienne continues to perplex me with her throw up. She went two days without throwing up even once, so I assumed that the medicine was working, but today, she's thrown up in crazy amounts TWICE. She sleeps well at night, actually, and she's generally happy, which is wonderful, but this throw up is awful. The doctor calls it reflux, but I still think that it's abnormal. I guess I'm just a paranoid mother!
Yesterday was Adrienne's baby dedication at church. It was really special and it was nice to have it on Father's Day because the whole day was kind of tailored around families and everything anyways. I put pictures up on Facebook, for those of you who are my "friend." In honor of Father's Day and the dedication, my parents had an awesome meal at their house after church and they invited John's family. It was great to be able to celebrate with both families and to enjoy having them all together. It was an overall great day!
Does anyone watch Sid, The Science Kid? Unfortunately, I do. Lol! I hate that cartoon but Brooke thinks it's great so every morning we snuggle in bed and watch it. Anyways, there's a girl on there called "Gabriella" and Brooke said to me the other morning, "Mommy, I want to watch Gabri-vanilla." Lol! Isn't that adorable? Man, toddlers know how to come up with some crazy things!
Okay, I'm off to go tend to a very grumpy Adrienne. I can't seem to figure her out today...
Our latest addiction lately has been McDonald's outdoor play area. My sister and I meet there with our 4 children between us and we have the best time! We usually try to eat before we go there and then we just get drinks, but the kids could care less. Nathan and Brooke run free while we sit and chat and it's the best time. I'm honestly not sure what we'll do with ourselves when it gets cold out again! We'll cross that bridge when we get there, I suppose.
Adrienne continues to perplex me with her throw up. She went two days without throwing up even once, so I assumed that the medicine was working, but today, she's thrown up in crazy amounts TWICE. She sleeps well at night, actually, and she's generally happy, which is wonderful, but this throw up is awful. The doctor calls it reflux, but I still think that it's abnormal. I guess I'm just a paranoid mother!
Yesterday was Adrienne's baby dedication at church. It was really special and it was nice to have it on Father's Day because the whole day was kind of tailored around families and everything anyways. I put pictures up on Facebook, for those of you who are my "friend." In honor of Father's Day and the dedication, my parents had an awesome meal at their house after church and they invited John's family. It was great to be able to celebrate with both families and to enjoy having them all together. It was an overall great day!
Does anyone watch Sid, The Science Kid? Unfortunately, I do. Lol! I hate that cartoon but Brooke thinks it's great so every morning we snuggle in bed and watch it. Anyways, there's a girl on there called "Gabriella" and Brooke said to me the other morning, "Mommy, I want to watch Gabri-vanilla." Lol! Isn't that adorable? Man, toddlers know how to come up with some crazy things!
Okay, I'm off to go tend to a very grumpy Adrienne. I can't seem to figure her out today...
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Adrienne's Birth Story
I'll admit, I've been struggling with the events of Adrienne's birth a little bit. Obviously I'm thrilled about her arrival and I know that it's a miracle anytime a precious new life enters the world, but sometimes I feel like her birth wasn't as special as it should have been. Here's our story...
On Wednesday, May 27Th, John and I got up at 5:30 in the morning to make it to the hospital by 6:30 for our scheduled C-Section. My surgery was scheduled for 8 that morning but they had to get me hooked up to an IV and monitor the baby's heartbeat before I could go into the operating room. Upon arriving, the nurses got us all settled in our room, I talked with the anesthesiologist a bit about the spinal, my doctor ran over the procedure with me and reassured me that everything would be okay, and then we just waited. Two other women were delivering babies (vaginally, of course) so my doctor had to delay us about half hour so he could finish taking care of the other women. Man, tacking on those additional thirty minutes to my wait was NOT fun!
Despite many reservations about having another C-Section, I really managed to stay calm throughout that morning. John was an amazing friend and support and I think that the whole situation was just so surreal to me that it didn't hit me until we got into the operating room. John couldn't be in the operating room with me while they were administering my spinal so I walked in there with the anesthesiologist and was greeted by a few nurses. The room was stark white with bright lights and it was freezing. I remember thinking how freaky it was to be in that room... Especially without John. With Brooke's C-Section I had been in labor for so long that I didn't have time to observe my surroundings, but my awareness this time really worked towards my disadvantage. I became very, very afraid as soon as they sat me on the operating table and all of the emotions just hit me right there. It occurred to me that I WAS having a C-Section and there was no going back... I really was going to forgo my so-desired VBAC, even though I had never really wanted to. At that moment I was also petrified about so many things- Dying on the operating table, being a mother to two, recovering after the surgery, etc, etc.. That's when my tears started. I just sat there crying, like a fool, I'm sure, and I remember my doctor saying, "Jillian, you're going to make me cry!" That certainly helped lighten the mood a bit though and the nurses were very sensitive, which helped greatly.
After my slight emotional breakdown, the anesthesiologist gave me my spinal. I knew that my legs would go numb and all of that and with Brooke, it didn't faze me, but this time around, I seriously couldn't handle it. I tried to move my leg and realized that I couldn't control the lower half of my body and suddenly I became claustrophobic in my own body. I just can't describe it. I started to feel panicked because of how horrible I felt and then I started vomiting uncontrollably and I couldn't seem to stop for the entire surgery, regardless of what medicine they gave me to help me. I also lost all feelings in my arms and hands, the room was spinning out of control, and everything went blurry. Also, I had an allergic reaction to the spinal that made me itch everywhere. They strapped my arms to table so I couldn't even reach up to scratch my face and it was seriously driving me insane. I was begging to scratch my face and the anesthesiologist said that I couldn't have my hands released. She also told me that she was going to need to put me to sleep because I was hyperventilating and of course I begged for her not to. I looked over at the nurse and I said, "Listen, I can't do this. I'm trying but I don't want to have this surgery." She said, "Honey, it's okay. Just settle down." Finally, they brought John into see me and I started to regain a little bit of my composure at that point and thankfully avoided being put to sleep.
After about 10 minutes or so, Adrienne made her arrival into the world at 9:01... Except it really wasn't a joyful moment because it was filled with fear. She wasn't crying and I said, "What's wrong?? Can I see my baby? Why is she not crying?" I just sensed that there was a problem. One nurse yelled over, "I'm just clearing out her lungs so she can breathe. She'll be okay." I kept begging to see her and they couldn't let me at that point. Finally Adrienne started to gurgle and I said, "Why's she gurgling?" The doctor said, "Because she wants to have minty fresh breath." I guess the humor was helpful at that point, I don't know. I then got more concerned as the nurses were rushing around so I said, "She's not okay, is she?" One nurse said, "Honey, if she's not okay, I promise we'll tell you." I said, "No, I don't think you will." The room filled with laughter and the anesthesiologist said, "You're a true type A personality, aren't ya, Jillian?" More laughter resounded. After a long, long wait the nurse came over to my bed with Adrienne and said, "This is your baby but she has to go to the nursery." My eyesight was still blurry and I was kind of out of it from the narcotics and I said, "Please, can I touch her. Could you please let me be with her?" The nurse told me no and left quickly. I sent John to be by Adrienne's side, despite the fact that I wanted his support, and I was left the OR alone to be sewed up. That was a pretty a low point because I was a new mother, yet I couldn't even see or enjoy my baby at that point. My doctor said that she had ingested too much amniotic fluid which is "very common for C-Section babies." I remember thinking that I had caused her to be sick because I'm the one who HAD to have the stupid C-Section.
After the surgery was completed, I was wheeled into the recovery room. I was still without John and the nurses couldn't get my uterus to harden so they started rushing around and paging my doctor repeatedly. I just had this pit in my stomach and despite still being mostly numb from the spinal, every time they would massage my uterus, I was in horrible, horrible pain. I was scared about how much blood I was losing and I worried about Adrienne, all at once. Finally they gave me a shot and then some Pitocin in my IV and my uterus cooperated. When that whole issue was taken care of, I said, "Okay, I'm ready for my baby." The nurses said, "Oh, well you'll have her in a bit... Maybe when you go to your room." I was very upset because I was expecting to see her almost immediately.
After going into my room, John told me that Adrienne was still being looked over by the doctors and that she couldn't be with us. So, there was our entire family waiting to see our new baby and Brooke was there with her "I'm A Big Sister" shirt and a card for her sister... Yet, all they got to see was a very upset me. It was awful. I felt so empty and helpless at that point.
John had spent the rest of that afternoon going back and forth between the special care nursery and my room. He would come back by my side and I would beg him to be with Adrienne. He must have felt so torn. A bit later in the day, they informed us that 1) Adrienne would be needing an IV and that 2) she would not be allowed to leave the special care nursery with all of the monitors and machines until at least the next day. At that point I hadn't even met her for more than 2 seconds so needless to say, I was heartbroken.
After about 8 hours, the nurses let me get out of bed and go to the nursery to see Adrienne. Getting out of bed was one of the most painful experiences, especially since it was shortly after my C-Section, yet I was letting nothing stop me from meeting my baby. When I saw her in the nursery, I was alarmed by the machines and everything that she was hooked onto and it just broke my heart. I was able to hold her for a few minutes but they took her from me when an alarm that her oxygen levels were low kept sounding. I wasn't able to nurse her or anything for that entire day and it was just awful.
Finally, at about 10 AM the next morning, Adrienne was brought to me with NO STRINGS ATTACHED and she and I were able to finally bond. Those hours were priceless and I will never forget how extremely special they were to me.
So, there you have it... Adrienne's birth story. While it was rocky and nothing really went as I had planned, I need to remember that I have beautiful, healthy baby to show for all of that and she is no less special because her arrival wasn't picture perfect!
On Wednesday, May 27Th, John and I got up at 5:30 in the morning to make it to the hospital by 6:30 for our scheduled C-Section. My surgery was scheduled for 8 that morning but they had to get me hooked up to an IV and monitor the baby's heartbeat before I could go into the operating room. Upon arriving, the nurses got us all settled in our room, I talked with the anesthesiologist a bit about the spinal, my doctor ran over the procedure with me and reassured me that everything would be okay, and then we just waited. Two other women were delivering babies (vaginally, of course) so my doctor had to delay us about half hour so he could finish taking care of the other women. Man, tacking on those additional thirty minutes to my wait was NOT fun!
Despite many reservations about having another C-Section, I really managed to stay calm throughout that morning. John was an amazing friend and support and I think that the whole situation was just so surreal to me that it didn't hit me until we got into the operating room. John couldn't be in the operating room with me while they were administering my spinal so I walked in there with the anesthesiologist and was greeted by a few nurses. The room was stark white with bright lights and it was freezing. I remember thinking how freaky it was to be in that room... Especially without John. With Brooke's C-Section I had been in labor for so long that I didn't have time to observe my surroundings, but my awareness this time really worked towards my disadvantage. I became very, very afraid as soon as they sat me on the operating table and all of the emotions just hit me right there. It occurred to me that I WAS having a C-Section and there was no going back... I really was going to forgo my so-desired VBAC, even though I had never really wanted to. At that moment I was also petrified about so many things- Dying on the operating table, being a mother to two, recovering after the surgery, etc, etc.. That's when my tears started. I just sat there crying, like a fool, I'm sure, and I remember my doctor saying, "Jillian, you're going to make me cry!" That certainly helped lighten the mood a bit though and the nurses were very sensitive, which helped greatly.
After my slight emotional breakdown, the anesthesiologist gave me my spinal. I knew that my legs would go numb and all of that and with Brooke, it didn't faze me, but this time around, I seriously couldn't handle it. I tried to move my leg and realized that I couldn't control the lower half of my body and suddenly I became claustrophobic in my own body. I just can't describe it. I started to feel panicked because of how horrible I felt and then I started vomiting uncontrollably and I couldn't seem to stop for the entire surgery, regardless of what medicine they gave me to help me. I also lost all feelings in my arms and hands, the room was spinning out of control, and everything went blurry. Also, I had an allergic reaction to the spinal that made me itch everywhere. They strapped my arms to table so I couldn't even reach up to scratch my face and it was seriously driving me insane. I was begging to scratch my face and the anesthesiologist said that I couldn't have my hands released. She also told me that she was going to need to put me to sleep because I was hyperventilating and of course I begged for her not to. I looked over at the nurse and I said, "Listen, I can't do this. I'm trying but I don't want to have this surgery." She said, "Honey, it's okay. Just settle down." Finally, they brought John into see me and I started to regain a little bit of my composure at that point and thankfully avoided being put to sleep.
After about 10 minutes or so, Adrienne made her arrival into the world at 9:01... Except it really wasn't a joyful moment because it was filled with fear. She wasn't crying and I said, "What's wrong?? Can I see my baby? Why is she not crying?" I just sensed that there was a problem. One nurse yelled over, "I'm just clearing out her lungs so she can breathe. She'll be okay." I kept begging to see her and they couldn't let me at that point. Finally Adrienne started to gurgle and I said, "Why's she gurgling?" The doctor said, "Because she wants to have minty fresh breath." I guess the humor was helpful at that point, I don't know. I then got more concerned as the nurses were rushing around so I said, "She's not okay, is she?" One nurse said, "Honey, if she's not okay, I promise we'll tell you." I said, "No, I don't think you will." The room filled with laughter and the anesthesiologist said, "You're a true type A personality, aren't ya, Jillian?" More laughter resounded. After a long, long wait the nurse came over to my bed with Adrienne and said, "This is your baby but she has to go to the nursery." My eyesight was still blurry and I was kind of out of it from the narcotics and I said, "Please, can I touch her. Could you please let me be with her?" The nurse told me no and left quickly. I sent John to be by Adrienne's side, despite the fact that I wanted his support, and I was left the OR alone to be sewed up. That was a pretty a low point because I was a new mother, yet I couldn't even see or enjoy my baby at that point. My doctor said that she had ingested too much amniotic fluid which is "very common for C-Section babies." I remember thinking that I had caused her to be sick because I'm the one who HAD to have the stupid C-Section.
After the surgery was completed, I was wheeled into the recovery room. I was still without John and the nurses couldn't get my uterus to harden so they started rushing around and paging my doctor repeatedly. I just had this pit in my stomach and despite still being mostly numb from the spinal, every time they would massage my uterus, I was in horrible, horrible pain. I was scared about how much blood I was losing and I worried about Adrienne, all at once. Finally they gave me a shot and then some Pitocin in my IV and my uterus cooperated. When that whole issue was taken care of, I said, "Okay, I'm ready for my baby." The nurses said, "Oh, well you'll have her in a bit... Maybe when you go to your room." I was very upset because I was expecting to see her almost immediately.
After going into my room, John told me that Adrienne was still being looked over by the doctors and that she couldn't be with us. So, there was our entire family waiting to see our new baby and Brooke was there with her "I'm A Big Sister" shirt and a card for her sister... Yet, all they got to see was a very upset me. It was awful. I felt so empty and helpless at that point.
John had spent the rest of that afternoon going back and forth between the special care nursery and my room. He would come back by my side and I would beg him to be with Adrienne. He must have felt so torn. A bit later in the day, they informed us that 1) Adrienne would be needing an IV and that 2) she would not be allowed to leave the special care nursery with all of the monitors and machines until at least the next day. At that point I hadn't even met her for more than 2 seconds so needless to say, I was heartbroken.
After about 8 hours, the nurses let me get out of bed and go to the nursery to see Adrienne. Getting out of bed was one of the most painful experiences, especially since it was shortly after my C-Section, yet I was letting nothing stop me from meeting my baby. When I saw her in the nursery, I was alarmed by the machines and everything that she was hooked onto and it just broke my heart. I was able to hold her for a few minutes but they took her from me when an alarm that her oxygen levels were low kept sounding. I wasn't able to nurse her or anything for that entire day and it was just awful.
Finally, at about 10 AM the next morning, Adrienne was brought to me with NO STRINGS ATTACHED and she and I were able to finally bond. Those hours were priceless and I will never forget how extremely special they were to me.
So, there you have it... Adrienne's birth story. While it was rocky and nothing really went as I had planned, I need to remember that I have beautiful, healthy baby to show for all of that and she is no less special because her arrival wasn't picture perfect!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
And The Throw-Up Keeps Coming...
GAH... I'M SO FRUSTRATED. Adrienne is a continual fountain of vomit. She's spit-up many, many times today but on top of that, she has had 3 really, really horrible throw-up episodes that have drenched both of us. Let's just say that we're both going through lots of laundry these days.
I had been holding off calling the doctor because I didn't want to make a big deal of silly reflux, but after a rough morning of throw up this morning, I decided that I would take her in just to make sure she's doing okay. She weighed 9 pounds, 9 ounces, which was a 9 ounce increase from last week. That was SUPER encouraging news. The doctor then sent us for an ultrasound to rule out pyloric stenosis or any other type of intestinal blockage and thankfully, all of that came out fine. So... we're left with a baby that has horrible, nasty, disgusting, unrelenting reflux and it seems that we'll be dealing with this for many months to come, just as we did with Brooke.
The doctor now wants to put her on a medication called Prevacid that is supposedly one of the best medications for babies with reflux. The only catch is that she has to have it dissolved in breast milk because it comes in capsule form. I REALLY didn't want to introduce Adrienne to a bottle at this point because her latch isn't still quite 100 percent so I asked the doctor for an alternative. He told me that it really is the best medicine on the market and it will be well worth it, so I guess I'll be pumping one bottle a day for Miss Adrienne to take her medicine. That totally is NOT my first choice but I trust the doctor so much and I really feel that he knows what's best for her health.
I hate this for Adrienne. It has to be so unpleasant for her to have to vomit so frequently and I would give anything to be able to make her stop. I wish that I could wave a magic wand and make this go away but as we all know, I can't:-( Again, I'm so thankful for my healthy baby and I know that it could really be much, much worse, but this is just a bummer that we're messing around with reflux again.
I had been holding off calling the doctor because I didn't want to make a big deal of silly reflux, but after a rough morning of throw up this morning, I decided that I would take her in just to make sure she's doing okay. She weighed 9 pounds, 9 ounces, which was a 9 ounce increase from last week. That was SUPER encouraging news. The doctor then sent us for an ultrasound to rule out pyloric stenosis or any other type of intestinal blockage and thankfully, all of that came out fine. So... we're left with a baby that has horrible, nasty, disgusting, unrelenting reflux and it seems that we'll be dealing with this for many months to come, just as we did with Brooke.
The doctor now wants to put her on a medication called Prevacid that is supposedly one of the best medications for babies with reflux. The only catch is that she has to have it dissolved in breast milk because it comes in capsule form. I REALLY didn't want to introduce Adrienne to a bottle at this point because her latch isn't still quite 100 percent so I asked the doctor for an alternative. He told me that it really is the best medicine on the market and it will be well worth it, so I guess I'll be pumping one bottle a day for Miss Adrienne to take her medicine. That totally is NOT my first choice but I trust the doctor so much and I really feel that he knows what's best for her health.
I hate this for Adrienne. It has to be so unpleasant for her to have to vomit so frequently and I would give anything to be able to make her stop. I wish that I could wave a magic wand and make this go away but as we all know, I can't:-( Again, I'm so thankful for my healthy baby and I know that it could really be much, much worse, but this is just a bummer that we're messing around with reflux again.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Life Is A Juggling Act
Wow, I have NO TIME for the computer anymore. Heck, it seems like I have no time for ANYTHING but playing with Brooke, changing diapers and nursing the baby. I'm definitely not complaining but I never could have imagined how difficult it would be to keep the house as clean as I would prefer, put laundry away and make meals with two kids, let alone have time for ME things like my blog.
Despite being very busy, we've been doing pretty well! Because there are far too many tidbits to write a well-organized post, I'll allow my exhausted-new-mom-mind to write this post in bullets.
*Adrienne has continued to sleep much better on this medicine! Luckily she'll go to bed around 8 or 9 and stay sleeping in her cradle for up to 3 or 4 hours. It's funny because when I was pregnant, I was the most worried about John and I not ever being able to make time for one another but Adrienne's stretch during this that time period has really allowed us plenty of alone time. Yay! Hopefully she keeps it up!
*I'm very concerned about Adrienne because she continues to throw up like crazy. Like I said, with Brooke, she would spit up constantly, but Adrienne will throw up maybe 3 or 4 times a day and in massive quantities. Last night she threw up so much that my clothes and underwear were soaked. That's just NOT normal and I hate this for her. I want to take her to the doctor but what the heck are they going to do? With Brooke, we endured blood work, lots of test, and many doctor's visits just to hear that she has reflux. I'm torn now because I know that if I take Adrienne they'll put her through that but I keep asking if there's something more going on here than simply reflux. They tested Brooke for something called pyloric stenosis and I would have MUCH more peace if they out ruled it for Adrienne too. We'll see...
*Brooke continues to be her sweet and compliant self, despite the fact that she uses nap time for singing and talking rather than sleeping. Today Adrienne was screaming while Brooke was trying to settle down for a nap and she yelled down the hall, "It's okay, baby sister. I'm here!" Lol! Cute, yes... But also frustrating.
*Here's another cute Brooke story for ya... We were at a graduation party for someone in our church and Brooke had a juice box. Nathan picked it up and started to drink it and Brooke said, "Mommy, look! Nathan is sharing with me!!!!!" She was SO excited that HE was sharing with HER and she didn't quite get the fact that it was the other way around. So precious!
*I'm not sure I mentioned this or not, but John finally got the much coveted day shift! YAY! He's over at the human health service building until July 1St and we just assumed that he would put on nights after that but no! He'll work 7 AM to 3 PM and he'll be on the normal 4 days on, 2 days off schedule. I can't wait!! We've waited so long for him to be able to get days and we know for sure that he'll at least be on them until the end of September.
Anyways, I think that's all that's new with my little family. Now that I'm all caught up on my blog I feel MUCH better! Lol
Despite being very busy, we've been doing pretty well! Because there are far too many tidbits to write a well-organized post, I'll allow my exhausted-new-mom-mind to write this post in bullets.
*Adrienne has continued to sleep much better on this medicine! Luckily she'll go to bed around 8 or 9 and stay sleeping in her cradle for up to 3 or 4 hours. It's funny because when I was pregnant, I was the most worried about John and I not ever being able to make time for one another but Adrienne's stretch during this that time period has really allowed us plenty of alone time. Yay! Hopefully she keeps it up!
*I'm very concerned about Adrienne because she continues to throw up like crazy. Like I said, with Brooke, she would spit up constantly, but Adrienne will throw up maybe 3 or 4 times a day and in massive quantities. Last night she threw up so much that my clothes and underwear were soaked. That's just NOT normal and I hate this for her. I want to take her to the doctor but what the heck are they going to do? With Brooke, we endured blood work, lots of test, and many doctor's visits just to hear that she has reflux. I'm torn now because I know that if I take Adrienne they'll put her through that but I keep asking if there's something more going on here than simply reflux. They tested Brooke for something called pyloric stenosis and I would have MUCH more peace if they out ruled it for Adrienne too. We'll see...
*Brooke continues to be her sweet and compliant self, despite the fact that she uses nap time for singing and talking rather than sleeping. Today Adrienne was screaming while Brooke was trying to settle down for a nap and she yelled down the hall, "It's okay, baby sister. I'm here!" Lol! Cute, yes... But also frustrating.
*Here's another cute Brooke story for ya... We were at a graduation party for someone in our church and Brooke had a juice box. Nathan picked it up and started to drink it and Brooke said, "Mommy, look! Nathan is sharing with me!!!!!" She was SO excited that HE was sharing with HER and she didn't quite get the fact that it was the other way around. So precious!
*I'm not sure I mentioned this or not, but John finally got the much coveted day shift! YAY! He's over at the human health service building until July 1St and we just assumed that he would put on nights after that but no! He'll work 7 AM to 3 PM and he'll be on the normal 4 days on, 2 days off schedule. I can't wait!! We've waited so long for him to be able to get days and we know for sure that he'll at least be on them until the end of September.
Anyways, I think that's all that's new with my little family. Now that I'm all caught up on my blog I feel MUCH better! Lol
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Thank You, God, for Axid!
I was so opposed to putting Adrienne on that medication, but I have to admit, she is a different baby. She is no longer pulling off of the breast at feedings, which is WONDERFUL, she is much more content, and she slept great last night (She was only up once)! I am so thankful that we're seeing some improvement and I'm greatly encouraged.
While the medicine takes away the pain of acid reflux, it doesn't stop the fact that Adrienne spews everywhere. I don't think there's much the doctor can about that, unfortunately, but we'll happily settle for a baby that's not in pain. I seriously have never seen a baby throw up the quantity that Adrienne throws up. Last night before bed she completely soaked her onesie and today, after I put her in her adorable new outfit she drenched it. Ugh! It's so frustrating but I should just be thankful that I have an otherwise healthy baby. Many moms out there would kill to be in my shoes, I'm sure.
Adrienne lost her cord stump yesterday and I was so excited to give her her first bath this morning. It ended up being a very traumatic experience for Adrienne, as she screamed hysterically for the entire time. I sure hope that she likes them more as time goes on.
Brooke is doing so well! I can't even begin to express what a wonderful, helpful big sister she is. She loves her sister so much and is always wanting to interact with her. She never seems to get jealous or angry that she doesn't have my complete, undivided attention, and that really shocks me. I fall all over myself to spend one-on-one time with her and to include her in Adrienne's care, so hopefully that's helping her feel really involved and special. I'm just so thankful for how easy this transition has been for her!
So anyways, that's the news with us. Life is going great and after my night of wonderful sleep last night, I'm feeling ready to take on the world... One diaper at a time, of course. Lol
While the medicine takes away the pain of acid reflux, it doesn't stop the fact that Adrienne spews everywhere. I don't think there's much the doctor can about that, unfortunately, but we'll happily settle for a baby that's not in pain. I seriously have never seen a baby throw up the quantity that Adrienne throws up. Last night before bed she completely soaked her onesie and today, after I put her in her adorable new outfit she drenched it. Ugh! It's so frustrating but I should just be thankful that I have an otherwise healthy baby. Many moms out there would kill to be in my shoes, I'm sure.
Adrienne lost her cord stump yesterday and I was so excited to give her her first bath this morning. It ended up being a very traumatic experience for Adrienne, as she screamed hysterically for the entire time. I sure hope that she likes them more as time goes on.
Brooke is doing so well! I can't even begin to express what a wonderful, helpful big sister she is. She loves her sister so much and is always wanting to interact with her. She never seems to get jealous or angry that she doesn't have my complete, undivided attention, and that really shocks me. I fall all over myself to spend one-on-one time with her and to include her in Adrienne's care, so hopefully that's helping her feel really involved and special. I'm just so thankful for how easy this transition has been for her!
So anyways, that's the news with us. Life is going great and after my night of wonderful sleep last night, I'm feeling ready to take on the world... One diaper at a time, of course. Lol
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Reflux, Take 2
I am so frustrated right now that I could cry! When Brooke was a baby, she had reflux and it was horrible. We couldn't keep her clean because she would spew ALL THE TIME. The thing about Brooke, however, is that the reflux never really bothered her and it didn't seem to cause her too much pain. Adrienne, on the other hand is a different story. She doesn't spit up as much as Brooke did... Instead she throws up massive amounts fluids every so often. She also screams during and after feedings and is extremely irritable. She was up screaming and refusing to eat for almost 3 hours last night:-( I'm FRIED.
Thankfully Adrienne had her two week check-up today so the doctor could give me some guidance. He said that from her symptoms and behavior that is seems like she has heartburn, which is a painful component of reflux. We're going to try a medication called Axid, which will help relieve the burning. I'm hoping that this creates a more content baby. I hate medicating such a small baby but if it's going to help her eat better and not feel the burn of acid reflux, then I'm going to give it a shot. Anything is worth trying at this point.
The doctor told me that sometimes babies have a hard time digesting the proteins in their mother's milk. When we were having issues with Brooke, I was advised to eliminate dairy, beef, soy, nuts, etc.. from my diet, in hopes that my milk would be soften on her belly. I didn't find much of a difference in Brooke when I basically starved myself, so when the doctor suggested that I cut back a little on some of these foods, I was a tad bit frustrated. He said not to go overboard, but to try to eat natural foods as much as possible and to eliminate complex proteins when possible. It really bothers me that I make my babies throw up:-( If breast milk is the very best thing for them, why is it such a struggle? Ugh. I could cry...
Alrighty, I'm off to catch a quick nap when I can. It won't last long so I'll make sure I savor it!
Thankfully Adrienne had her two week check-up today so the doctor could give me some guidance. He said that from her symptoms and behavior that is seems like she has heartburn, which is a painful component of reflux. We're going to try a medication called Axid, which will help relieve the burning. I'm hoping that this creates a more content baby. I hate medicating such a small baby but if it's going to help her eat better and not feel the burn of acid reflux, then I'm going to give it a shot. Anything is worth trying at this point.
The doctor told me that sometimes babies have a hard time digesting the proteins in their mother's milk. When we were having issues with Brooke, I was advised to eliminate dairy, beef, soy, nuts, etc.. from my diet, in hopes that my milk would be soften on her belly. I didn't find much of a difference in Brooke when I basically starved myself, so when the doctor suggested that I cut back a little on some of these foods, I was a tad bit frustrated. He said not to go overboard, but to try to eat natural foods as much as possible and to eliminate complex proteins when possible. It really bothers me that I make my babies throw up:-( If breast milk is the very best thing for them, why is it such a struggle? Ugh. I could cry...
Alrighty, I'm off to catch a quick nap when I can. It won't last long so I'll make sure I savor it!
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Matching Princesses
Ever since I found out that I was having another little girl, I have been excited to match my two daughters. Today I had my first chance to do that and it was so much fun!! I loved bringing them both to church and showing them off. Here's a couple of pictures of my beauties. Enjoy!
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Saturday at the Park
(As I wrote the title to this entry, a familiar Chicago song played in my head!)
We had such a wonderful morning today. The girls got up around 8:30 and we we watched some cartoons in bed and relaxed until about 9. After we got breakfast and some work done around the house, we packed a picnic and headed to the park! Our picnic consisted of fluffer-nutter sandwiches, Doritos, bananas, juice boxes, and Oreo's and Brooke thought that was just perfect. She was also able to play until her heart's content and she and John had LOTS of fun while I nursed Adrienne on a shady bench. What a perfect way to spend a sunny Saturday!
Unfortunately, John is working overtime right now:-( He left at 3:30 this afternoon and he was supposed to be home around 11:15, but now he might be staying until after 1. UGH! Luckily John's mom was able to hang out and do some shopping and grab dinner with me, but it's only 9 now and I'm not sure what I'll do with the rest of my night. I've had a really good night but if John was off, it would have been perfect. Oh well!
In other news, Adrienne had a great night last night! She went in her cradle at 10 and slept in there until 3:30. I couldn't believe my eyes when I looked at the clock. I seriously feel like a million bucks now! After that, she only woke up at 7:30 to nurse. I sure hope that this is a new trend starting and that last night wasn't a fluke... BUT, I know that with a newborn that's wishful thinking!
Oh yes, I meant to write about this yesterday but I didn't have the chance.... We have some elderly neighbors that live diagonally from us. They're really sweet people and the lady, in particular, is always dropping by when we're outside and doing nice things for us. For example, a couple of weeks ago she dropped off a vase of flowers from her garden and told me that it was a "smile" because I looked so hot and uncomfortable. She also told me that the vase was her grandma's and she wanted me to keep it. That's just how she is. Anyways, yesterday she stopped by and gave me a puzzle for Brooke and a card for Adrienne. When I opened the card, I found a $30 gift card to Target along with the nicest note about what a wonderful blessing our family is to the neighborhood. Unbelievable! We seriously barely know her! As if that wasn't enough, our other neighbors dropped in yesterday afternoon, also. They gave us a small gift bag and in it was a package of onesies and a card. I thought that was very sweet because again, we barely know them, but when I was cleaning up the tissue paper, I found that a $25 Visa gift card was hiding in there. I couldn't believe it! We are virtually strangers to these people yet they are showering us with gifts. I'm touched!
Anyways, it's time to go fold some laundry while both girls are sleeping. Hopefully my man will be home sooner than later!
We had such a wonderful morning today. The girls got up around 8:30 and we we watched some cartoons in bed and relaxed until about 9. After we got breakfast and some work done around the house, we packed a picnic and headed to the park! Our picnic consisted of fluffer-nutter sandwiches, Doritos, bananas, juice boxes, and Oreo's and Brooke thought that was just perfect. She was also able to play until her heart's content and she and John had LOTS of fun while I nursed Adrienne on a shady bench. What a perfect way to spend a sunny Saturday!
Unfortunately, John is working overtime right now:-( He left at 3:30 this afternoon and he was supposed to be home around 11:15, but now he might be staying until after 1. UGH! Luckily John's mom was able to hang out and do some shopping and grab dinner with me, but it's only 9 now and I'm not sure what I'll do with the rest of my night. I've had a really good night but if John was off, it would have been perfect. Oh well!
In other news, Adrienne had a great night last night! She went in her cradle at 10 and slept in there until 3:30. I couldn't believe my eyes when I looked at the clock. I seriously feel like a million bucks now! After that, she only woke up at 7:30 to nurse. I sure hope that this is a new trend starting and that last night wasn't a fluke... BUT, I know that with a newborn that's wishful thinking!
Oh yes, I meant to write about this yesterday but I didn't have the chance.... We have some elderly neighbors that live diagonally from us. They're really sweet people and the lady, in particular, is always dropping by when we're outside and doing nice things for us. For example, a couple of weeks ago she dropped off a vase of flowers from her garden and told me that it was a "smile" because I looked so hot and uncomfortable. She also told me that the vase was her grandma's and she wanted me to keep it. That's just how she is. Anyways, yesterday she stopped by and gave me a puzzle for Brooke and a card for Adrienne. When I opened the card, I found a $30 gift card to Target along with the nicest note about what a wonderful blessing our family is to the neighborhood. Unbelievable! We seriously barely know her! As if that wasn't enough, our other neighbors dropped in yesterday afternoon, also. They gave us a small gift bag and in it was a package of onesies and a card. I thought that was very sweet because again, we barely know them, but when I was cleaning up the tissue paper, I found that a $25 Visa gift card was hiding in there. I couldn't believe it! We are virtually strangers to these people yet they are showering us with gifts. I'm touched!
Anyways, it's time to go fold some laundry while both girls are sleeping. Hopefully my man will be home sooner than later!
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Nursing Frustrations and NO Sleep DON'T Mix!
Last night was so very rough. I can't even begin to express how tired I am! John's first night back at work was last night, which didn't help, but what made it worse was that Brooke woke up at 4:30 screaming for her daddy. Just great, huh? She didn't even know he was going to work so I have no clue how that all worked out in her little head. Anyways, I was so exhausted and Adrienne had just woken up to nurse so I brought Brooke into our bed... Like an absolute fool. Brooke, of course, wanted to snuggle with me and she was furious that I was nursing Adrienne instead. She would scream, "Stop nursing Adrienne, Mommy. Put her in the cradle." I felt horrible that I couldn't be everything to everyone but what the heck was I supposed to do? An hour later, both girls and I finally fell back asleep. It was AWFUL.
In other news, Adrienne is still not nursing great. I don't really know what to do about her. She sits at my breast with her mouth open but she refuses to grab my nipple. She'll get really frustrated that she's not able to eat and start grunting and this sometimes goes on for 20 minutes before she'll successfully eat. When she finally latches on she has a good latch, which is a positive. She's also pooping and peeing enough, so I know she's eating well when she does eat, but it's still frustrating for us both and I know that breastfeeding should not be like that! I'm hoping that this is just her immaturity here and that the problem resolves itself soon. I'll give it a couple of more days and if it's still going on I think I'll schedule an appointment with the lactation consultant. Does anyone have any input?
Brooke was such an amazing sleeper as a baby... She slept through the night the first night she came home from the hospital. Her infancy was an absolute breeze and I never felt drunk from exhaustion. Adrienne has NOT followed suit and oddly enough, I wasn't prepared for that. She's up usually ever 2 hours and it's not like I can just latch her on and go back to sleep... I have to sit up and take sometimes up to half an hour to get her happily nursing. Now I know why mothers of newborns are usually so exhausted! This period in time is so brief though so I'm holding out for hope that she WILL sleep one day.
Wow, for someone who's tired out of her mind, I sure rambled a lot. Didn't I? Anyways, I'm off to bed. Hopefully tonight is a MUCH better night than last night. Wish me luck!
In other news, Adrienne is still not nursing great. I don't really know what to do about her. She sits at my breast with her mouth open but she refuses to grab my nipple. She'll get really frustrated that she's not able to eat and start grunting and this sometimes goes on for 20 minutes before she'll successfully eat. When she finally latches on she has a good latch, which is a positive. She's also pooping and peeing enough, so I know she's eating well when she does eat, but it's still frustrating for us both and I know that breastfeeding should not be like that! I'm hoping that this is just her immaturity here and that the problem resolves itself soon. I'll give it a couple of more days and if it's still going on I think I'll schedule an appointment with the lactation consultant. Does anyone have any input?
Brooke was such an amazing sleeper as a baby... She slept through the night the first night she came home from the hospital. Her infancy was an absolute breeze and I never felt drunk from exhaustion. Adrienne has NOT followed suit and oddly enough, I wasn't prepared for that. She's up usually ever 2 hours and it's not like I can just latch her on and go back to sleep... I have to sit up and take sometimes up to half an hour to get her happily nursing. Now I know why mothers of newborns are usually so exhausted! This period in time is so brief though so I'm holding out for hope that she WILL sleep one day.
Wow, for someone who's tired out of her mind, I sure rambled a lot. Didn't I? Anyways, I'm off to bed. Hopefully tonight is a MUCH better night than last night. Wish me luck!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Out and About
The last couple of days have been really refreshing because we have been able to get out of the house and carry on with life as normal. I SO needed that because I haven't been weepy or emotional ever since we started being more active. I love my home and my responsibilities here, but I thrive on being out and interacting with people and doing things!
Yesterday was our first outing as a family of 4 and it was amazing! Adrienne had her first doctor's visit so we all headed out for that. Everything checked out great there... She's still 8 pounds, her lungs are clear, and everything else looked wonderful! Such a relief! After that we went to Target to get a few items we needed for the house. I was so excited to be there that you would have thought I was at Disney World or something! Lol! Before heading home we went to Ground Round for lunch. It was pretty chaotic because the second my food got there Adrienne woke up and wanted to eat. That didn't bother me because I'm an old nursing pro and I can nurse a baby virtually anywhere.... BUT, she pulled one of her nursing strikes and refused to latch on, despite much effort. She just sat at my breast and fussed and wouldn't open her mouth or anything. By the time I was done figuring her out, my food was cold so I ended up only eating a few bites. Meanwhile, Brooke was sitting next to me patting Adrienne's head saying, "It's okay, baby sissy!" Though lunch was semi-stressful, we managed and I really grew confidence that I CAN be a mommy to two just fine!
Today we headed to Kohl's to find Adrienne some clothes that fit. She only had 4 newborn outfits and she swims in 0-3 month clothes so we needed to buy a few things to hold us over until she grows. Brooke was a bit of disaster in the store and Adrienne wanted to nurse. I was really proud because John and I managed just fine and we didn't get stressed or anxious over our fussing kids. Again, it was SUCH a confidence booster for me! We ran to Sam's for lunch afterwards (can't beat feeding all of us for $5!) and looked around for a bit and that was much calmer than Kohl's because Brooke was well behaved and Adrienne slept. Phew!
Things are going really well over here! I'm not overly emotional, I'm healing really well from my C-Section- better than I thought, even- and I'm absolutely in love with my daughters. Seeing Brooke as a big sister has really been special and getting to love on and enjoy my newest princess has been wonderful! Also, John has been AMAZING. Our house is spotless, the laundry is all done, and he is my biggest support and encourager. We have spent so much time laughing together this week and we really make a good team! Another thing that has helped lighten our load is that Adrienne sleeps soundly in her cradle from 9-11:30ish each night. I hope that this routine sticks because it is definitely our time to unwind and be still together!
John goes back to work tomorrow night, which I'm DREADING big time:-( I know that this is life though and I can't have him home forever. I'm excited because my mom will be "taking care" of me on Thursday and Friday, which should be lots of fun. Then, John has the weekend off because he starts working at the county's human health services building again on Monday. John does have to work on Saturday night from 4-11 though because he's doing extra security for a fair that's going on. Ugh.. Can't beat the money though.
Alrighty, that just about brings you up to speed on things around here. I'm really enjoying my life and being a mommy to two beautiful girls makes it all worth the while!
Yesterday was our first outing as a family of 4 and it was amazing! Adrienne had her first doctor's visit so we all headed out for that. Everything checked out great there... She's still 8 pounds, her lungs are clear, and everything else looked wonderful! Such a relief! After that we went to Target to get a few items we needed for the house. I was so excited to be there that you would have thought I was at Disney World or something! Lol! Before heading home we went to Ground Round for lunch. It was pretty chaotic because the second my food got there Adrienne woke up and wanted to eat. That didn't bother me because I'm an old nursing pro and I can nurse a baby virtually anywhere.... BUT, she pulled one of her nursing strikes and refused to latch on, despite much effort. She just sat at my breast and fussed and wouldn't open her mouth or anything. By the time I was done figuring her out, my food was cold so I ended up only eating a few bites. Meanwhile, Brooke was sitting next to me patting Adrienne's head saying, "It's okay, baby sissy!" Though lunch was semi-stressful, we managed and I really grew confidence that I CAN be a mommy to two just fine!
Today we headed to Kohl's to find Adrienne some clothes that fit. She only had 4 newborn outfits and she swims in 0-3 month clothes so we needed to buy a few things to hold us over until she grows. Brooke was a bit of disaster in the store and Adrienne wanted to nurse. I was really proud because John and I managed just fine and we didn't get stressed or anxious over our fussing kids. Again, it was SUCH a confidence booster for me! We ran to Sam's for lunch afterwards (can't beat feeding all of us for $5!) and looked around for a bit and that was much calmer than Kohl's because Brooke was well behaved and Adrienne slept. Phew!
Things are going really well over here! I'm not overly emotional, I'm healing really well from my C-Section- better than I thought, even- and I'm absolutely in love with my daughters. Seeing Brooke as a big sister has really been special and getting to love on and enjoy my newest princess has been wonderful! Also, John has been AMAZING. Our house is spotless, the laundry is all done, and he is my biggest support and encourager. We have spent so much time laughing together this week and we really make a good team! Another thing that has helped lighten our load is that Adrienne sleeps soundly in her cradle from 9-11:30ish each night. I hope that this routine sticks because it is definitely our time to unwind and be still together!
John goes back to work tomorrow night, which I'm DREADING big time:-( I know that this is life though and I can't have him home forever. I'm excited because my mom will be "taking care" of me on Thursday and Friday, which should be lots of fun. Then, John has the weekend off because he starts working at the county's human health services building again on Monday. John does have to work on Saturday night from 4-11 though because he's doing extra security for a fair that's going on. Ugh.. Can't beat the money though.
Alrighty, that just about brings you up to speed on things around here. I'm really enjoying my life and being a mommy to two beautiful girls makes it all worth the while!
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