Birth Story Part Three

Once I was in my hospital room I wanted to get up and walk around.  However, it took a little longer for my spinal to wear off than with TB.  I was in my room for about an hour and then I got up and walked around our room.  It was rough but it wasn't impossible and I did fine!  We were super surprised that two of The Hubs closest friends from Montgomery drove all the way up just to see EK and check on us.  It was awesome to have them there and meant so much too us!!!  (They got there right after I was put in my room so I don't have a picture of them :( but we are heading to see them next weekend and we will be sure to take lots of pictures!!!)  As soon as EK could hold her body temperature they brought her to my room so I could nurse her.  I was a little questionable about the whole breast feeding thing - since I didn't breast feed TB - but I absolutely loved it and she was a champ!  She latched right on and fed a good 15 mins on both sides.  I absolutely loved it!!!  After I fed her she had to get a bath and of course her temperature dropped and it took another hour for it to come back up.

Mommy's first time to hold Ellison Kathryn!!!

TB's first time to hold EK... She is an amazing BIG sister!

Mommy & Daddy with EK - I can not believe we did not get a picture with TB :(  

Showing me how well she can hold her sissy!  She really doesn't even need that Boppy thing! lol

My BFF now lives in Cali and couldn't make it home for the birth :( but sent flowers!  I absolutely LOVED the card that came with the flowers.  Made me smile even though I missed her!

EK rocking the "Bow Hawk" Had to steal the term from my friend Meredith!  

Daddy resting with EK.  Melts my heart!

Since I was breast feeding I was feeding EK every three hours.  I was exhausted but I loved every second of it.  We had tons of visitors the first day and even more the second.  We loved every second of it but I will admit that first night around 10pm T looked over at me feeding EK and we both loved that moment without anyone talking to us or quizzing us about the delivery.  We tried to soak it in.

I had EK on Friday at 8:30am and by lunch time I was up walking the halls.  They wouldn't let me shower until Saturday morning and I was extremely grossed out by that!!!  In case you forgot, my water broke and I was nasty!!!  So I was up and ready to shower by 6:30am!  My mom came up to help me shower and I loved every second of that nice hot shower.  After I finished getting ready I rested and then took another walk around L&D.  Dr D made rounds that morning and told me I needed to get up and walk around the halls some.  I told Dr D I did that yesterday.  She then told me three other things I needed to do the day after the section and happily I had already done all three!  She gave me a A+ for the day!  By Saturday afternoon I was over being in the hospital and ready to go HOME!!!  I asked my nurse her thoughts of them letting me go home on Sunday instead of Monday and she said very "unlikely" but it is also very "unlikely" for someone to get up a couple hours after surgery.  I saw Dr D in the halls Sunday morning and let her know I was READY to go home!!!  She laughed and said "We'll see" which I took to mean NO.  She came in my room and sat down and we had a nice long talk.  She told me as long as EK's pediatrician signed off on her going home AND I promised not to over-do it (because I tend to over-do it a lot:)) she would sign off on us leaving.  I agreed and EK's pediatrician gave us a clean bill of health!  We were home by late lunch Sunday!  Ahhh...  It was so nice to be home!!!  Leaving the hospital I overheard a nurse whispering to another nurse, That's the 48 hour section leaving!  Guess that's not normal.

Once we were home we had a few more visitors and soaked up being at home.  I will upload more pictures soon.

Birth Story Part Two

When we arrived at the hospital Dr H had already told Labor & Delivery I was on my way and he wanted to get the section started by 7:30.  Mind you that was less than an hour from the time we pulled in to the hospital parking lot and we still had to be admitted, get blood work done, start iv, etc...  Luckily, when we got to L&D they said there was no way that was possible and the surgery would probably start around 8am.  This was awesome because my mom was on her way from Montgomery (about a two hour drive!) and T's parents were coming in from Akron which is about 30 mins but they also had to shower and get ready.  So that meant, it was T, TB and myself at the hospital without anyone to watch TB!  My friend Melissa and T's parents got there about 10 mins before they came to get me for surgery and my mom got there about 5 mins after they took me back.  Everything went so fast!  Seriously, I thought my emergency section with TB was fast but this was super fast or I just forgot about the delivering time with TB.

Once in the OR I was freezing!  I swear they had it set to 10 below zero.  My nurse set me up so I could get the spinal and I was praying the Dr wouldn't miss like they did with TB.  (With TB the Dr missed on the first try and had to try again.  When he missed he hit a nerve and my leg shot up and I might have said an ugly word.)  Well apparently I should have kept quiet because not only did he miss... He missed three times!  To be exact the Dr didn't miss three times - there was a student from UAB there and he was doing my spinal while the Dr watched and coached.  After he missed the second time the Dr gave me a numbing shot but unfortunately that only numbs the outer skin and I needed my spinal cord numb!  He tried one more time and then the Dr took over.  The Dr got it on the first try and I was ready to sing his praises!  As soon as the spinal was placed they laid me back and then it started...  The spinal started coming up instead of going down.  I felt like there was an elephant sitting on my chest.  The nurse gave me some meds to fix that and I was good to go!


Dr H came in, said hello and got started!  I was a nervous wreck!!!  As soon as Dr H started they let The Hubs come in and he stood to my left watching every single thing Dr H did to me.  Every few seconds he would look down, brush my face and make sure I was okay.  After about 20 mins Dr H said those magical words we had been waiting to hear...  She's almost here!!!  A second later we heard her cry and it was amazing!!!

I had previously instructed The Hubs that as soon as EK was born he could not leave her side until she was brought to our room.  (Sidenote: TB never made it to my room.  She was sent to Well Baby and then after being there for an hour she had problems breathing and was rushed to the NICU.  Once in there they started all kinds of procedures on her and I was not even made aware of any of it until it was all done.)  The Hubs then took EK to the Nursery and made a pit stop to let TB meet her sissy!  We wanted TB to meet her first because she wanted to be in the OR and couldn't understand why she wasn't "old enough".

I absolutely LOVE this picture!!!

She is so proud! :)

The section took about an hour and then I was sent to the Recovery Room.  Once in Recovery they let my mom and TB come back there.  TB wanted to make sure I was okay and she also wanted to make sure my tummy was little since sissy wasn't in there.  She was a little disappointed that my tummy was still big.  The Hubs stayed with EK and my mom stayed with me.  I was only in Recovery for about 20 mins and then they sent me to my room.

Part Three will finish out the hospital stay and include lots more pictures :)

Ellison Kathryn Payne - Birth Story Part One

I know I should probably do a long drawn out post so I don't forget every detail of the day but let's face it between feeding, pumping, burping, changing, eating, sleeping and trying to also play with TB and The Hubs I simply don't have time :)  But I wouldn't change it for anything in the world!  So here goes for the "short" version... which may include a little too much information so if you don't want to know the good, bad and gross end here!

Around 5:15 Friday morning I woke up to go pee for the forty-eleventh (that's TB terminology for a bazillion times!) time and T got up to go to work at the station.  I went back to bed and within 20 seconds I had "leaked".  (Sidenote: I "leak" a lot lately.  I call discharge leaking.  I know that sounds silly but its easier and cleaner to explain to your four year than exactly what discharge is and why your body does that.)  No big deal that I had leaked because like I just said these days I do that 24/7 other than this time it was a bit more and I did not put a panty liner on because I wasn't thinking I was going to leak while sleeping.  So I very nonchalantly got up to go back to the bathroom.  When I stood up I leaked a little bit more.  With every step I took I leaked a little more.  By the time I made it to the bathroom I had leaked a lot.  This is the first moment I realized my water might have broken.  Once in the bathroom I told The Hubs I think my water had broken.   His response, "You think? Wouldn't you know?".  My smarty pants response... Well I know I am NOT peeing and this is a lot to just be leaking...So Yes, I think.  In case he forgot my water never broke with TB so this experience was new for me too.  I called my mom (who lives 2 hours away and I knew would be sleeping) and explained to her that I thought my water had broken and I wanted her opinion.  My mom is the best!!!  She is also a nurse so she knows more about this stuff than I do.  My mom said my water had indeed broken and that I needed to call my dr and get ready to go to the hospital.  She was getting her stuff together and leaving asap.

When I called the hospital (because it wasn't "working" hours - around 5:30am) the dr on call told me I needed to come straight in.  I asked if I could take a shower because I was all gross and I knew I would only get even more gross after the section but I was denied :(  I was scheduled to have a section April 23 and since I am a repeat section my doctor has told me that if I were to go into labor or my water break I needed to head to the hospital asap because I had already started dilating and EK was already in the birth canal.  The Hubs showered and packed a couple of his things.  I washed my face, brushed my teeth, brushed and fixed my hair and finished getting my stuff together.  Then I got to wake TB up!!!  (This was one of the BEST moments of my life!  I am not even kidding.  Waking her up is a moment I will never forget!  I could write a whole post just about this, maybe I will do that soon.)  I went to get TB out of her bed and she was sooooo sleepy.  I told her she would get to meet her "sissy" today and she wasn't understanding.  She wanted to know why because I just told her the night before it was going to be a week and a half!  Once she finally grasped the idea of today being EK's birthday she was ecstatic!!!  There was no hiding this sister's excitement!!!

We left our house around 6:20am heading for the hospital.  It was such a fun and exciting time for me, TB and The Hubs to get to experience together.  Another "small" memory that I will cherish!

That's all for Part One, I will try my hardest to get Part Two up later this week!

So In Love

She's Here...

Introducing... Ellison Kathryn Payne born on Friday April 13, 2012 at 8:30am weighing 7 pounds and 19.5 inches long.

I will post the whole "birthday" ordeal as soon as I have time and feel better.

She's absolutely perfect!

37 Weeks... I know I skipped 36

Easter 2012 before Church

Size of Baby: Per Baby Center 6.5 lbs however three weeks ago she weighed albs so I am guessing 7 lbs.  Her next weigh in is Monday!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: A lot!  I was actually rather proud of myself until these past few weeks. I have just ballooned out! 

Maternity Clothes: Yes but even they are getting small.  I can still wear my medium jeans but the panel is only covering half of my tummy.  I absolutely LOVE sleeping in T's t-shirts!

Gender: GIRL :)  Ellison Kathryn 

Movement: EK has been complete opposite of her big sister and moving like a wild woman until recently when she decided to start going an hour or two without any movement at all.  Freaks my freak!!!  And apparently everyone thinks I'm the one that needs to take a chill pill because she will move.  People, this is my body and my baby!  I knew something was wrong with TB and I was right!  I will NOT risk anything happening to my other baby girl either!

Belly Button: Almost flat.  I have lost the whole "hood-up" that T called my button and now its just flat.  Especially flat when she pokes her bootay towards me.  

Interesting Facts: There have been a few times I swear I could see EK breathing through my tummy.  I realize that probably wasn't the case but I swear it looked like it!

Sleep: Well I sleep great from about 10pm to 1am-2am.  Then I am up for the duration of the night.  The Hubs is slightly over my not sleeping but he's about to have lots of sleepless nights with me :)

What I miss: Honestly, this week I don't miss anything.  I am just READY to meet the newest love of my life!!!

What I am looking forward to: My dr apt Monday!  I get to see sweet baby girl and get another weight check.  I also get to see the "other" love of my life, Dr. P!  :)  Praying I have made more progress and they have to take EK next week!

Cravings/Aversions: Summer Snow. 

Symptoms: Indigestion, restlessness, fatigue, moody, palpitations and carpal tunnel!

Best Moment This Week: I started maternity leave.  Therefore I am resting more but honestly the best moment was going with TB on a field trip.  It was just to the park down the street but she had a blast and thought she was the coolest kid ever because her Mommy was there.  I ate it up!

Weekly Wisdom: Cherish every moment with the elder sibling(s) because not too much longer and she will share her time with you!

Easter 2012 - Picture Overload

Our Easter was very laid back this year and we loved it.  T was off and we savored every second.  We went to church where T grew up and then had our parents and T's grandparents over for lunch and an egg hunt.  It was very nice and laid back.

TB apparently forgot about the Easter Bunny and when I told her she needed to go to bed she asked why.  I then explained because the Easter Bunny won't come if you are awake.  She quickly reminded me that the Easter Bunny isn't Santa Clause!!!  Honestly, I am glad that she seemed clueless to the Easter Bunny!  I really want us to focus on the real reason we celebrate Easter and this was a perfect opportunity!

The sun was in baby girl's eyes!  She wore the same dress I wore for Easter at her age!!!  So special :)

Hunting Easter eggs while sporting her new Easter hat from MeMaw!

I know I am probably partial but she is the most beautiful baby girl ever!!!

Slacker, That's Me

Well I will post about my 36 week update soon. I promise. This is from my iPhone and my set questions are on my laptop.

I went to my 37 week appointment yesterday and everything went great. Elli Kate is growing and apparently perfectly continent in my tumm! Dr P did suggest I start maternity leave so today is day 1. I'm not on bedrest but I'm "resting". He decided to suggest that since the beta blockers they put me on lowered Elli Kate's fetal movement and stressed me out. Remember TB, she all of a sudden quit moving so I'm a fetal kick monitor. I asked Dr P about moving up DDay and he very politely reminded me that at the beginning of my pregnancy I asked to go the full 39 weeks. This is true but at the time I never thought I'd make it to 37 weeks. But, as long as she is healthy and doesn't have to spend two weeks in the nicu I'm fine waiting.

Two weeks from yesterday and we will meet our little girl! That's 13 days, 2 hours and 6 mins to be exact :)