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October 26, 2007

My chunky monkey

Two weeks out and I'm finally getting a post up, sad I know. But it has been nice not to have ANY obligations what so ever, and for those friends who write and call- I really love you and have missed being more social. But my head is in a fog of dirty diapers and late night feedings and its been nice to be a hermit for once.

Today we had our two week check up and she is back to her birth weight which I am so thrilled about. I almost cried in the dr office (which is a common occurance lately). If you knew us when our other girls were infants you know nursing does not go well for me and my kids tend to gain slowly and have to go in for lots of weigh ins. Julia was failure to thrive and we were doing formula and nursing and it was a nightmare. So to have Caroline gain 10 ounces in a week is SUCH a blessing and I am very relieved. I believe this is why God blessed me with a sumo wrestler baby! :) Starting out chunky has really helped her with feeding. Her weight at birth was a SHOCK to say the least. My other babies were each two pounds lighter than Caroline. When they show me the babies after they are out there are these little wirey arms and legs waving in the air and when she showed me Caroline it was this bundle of lovely rolls and a big belly. Quite the sight. She is a great baby and has been a joy to be with these first two weeks. I'm really trying to enjoy this stage instead of wishing for the next one.

This week is much better than last recovery wise. The section was rough on me for some reason, possibly pulling my back muscles a week before had something to do with it but I had a hard week after coming home.

My sister has been here this week and is leaving tomorrow and I don't know what I'll do without her. She has been an awesome help and encouragement. I don't think her homemade cookies, buttermilk pancakes, pumpkin scones and chicken and dumplins have helped with dropping baby weight but it has been great comfort food!! We'll miss her tons!

I'm still dealing with sore cracked nipples but if I don't have to deal with worrying about her weight then I can handle the pain. Hopefully I'm over the most difficult part of that healing process but we'll see. My biggest stress has been the girls. They are having a hard time adjusting and giving us a run for our money. Andy's mom comes in tomorrow for a week and I'm worried about how they will treat her. Julia took a swing at my sister and Lizzie yelled at her and my kids normally DO NOT act like that. This has been the one area that has been so unexpected. I knew we would need to adjust but didn't think they would act out like they are. At this time, we're letting a lot of stuff go. I am really trying to get nursing down and for me thats a lot of work so I am relying on my help to man the girls and they aren't getting a lot of attention from me. It's difficult on us all, but only temporary. I hope to get the nursing thing down really good while Andy's mom is here and then we'll try to slowly get the house back in order. It's hard to tell what of Julia's behavior is just being two or is her response to all the changes. I am struggling with feeling a little guilty for not meeting their needs as well as when I am completely healthy.

Duty calls, the baby is crying. Not surprising it has taken me most the afternoon to write this post. LOL! Hopefully the next time I post it won't be so long in between.

Posted by JennR at 2:22 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack

October 12, 2007

She's Here!

(It's nice to finally be home, I'll post more about how we're adjusting later. Head on over to flickr to see our first few days with Caroline.)

Caroline Louise was born 10/11 at 8:29am. She weighs 9lbs and 15ozs and is 21 3/4 inches long. Jennifer will get more info and some pictures up when she gets home but everything went well. Thanks for all of your prayers!

The Dad

Posted by JennR at 5:10 PM | Comments (10) | TrackBack

October 8, 2007

anxious, nervous, excitement

Down to 3 more days. I woke up this morning at 6am feeling anxious about Thursday am and my 3rd c-section. Even though I know whats coming its still a bit nerve racking having major abdominal surgery.
Today was my first day with the girls on my own since I hurt my back and it was a difficult one. I sort of feel like I don't have much more to give. This weekend I struggled a bit with feeling depressed, being stuck in my chair watching my husband juggle everything. I totally feel like in some ways I have already had surgery and am helpless, I just don't have the joy of a baby. I worry I've already worn Andy out and how he'll do being on his own to care for me and the girls the first week we're home before my sister flies in. I feel so useless. I was looking forward to a few projects this week around the house and us enjoying ourselves as a family and instead I'm pretty uncomfortable and sometimes in pain. (yeah it looks like I'm allowing myself a little pity party)
I did declare tomorrow movie day for the girls and we're all going to stay in our pajamas, that should be more fun than today when I decided it might be a good idea for them to finger paint. (so stupid) So instead of trying to entertain them, I am going to have them be on "moderate activity" like I am. :)
We'll probably start the day with Mary Poppins, that's a good long one!

I'm not sure if I mentioned this yet, but we lost our camera two weeks ago which is such a bummer, Andy went out and bought another one this weekend. So I finally took a shot of the semi finished basement. It is usable and believe me they love it down there and so do we! It's missing a few details and organizing but as that got knocked off my list this weekend I'll post the picture anyway. :) I'm glad to be able to offer my family who will come to stay after the baby their own space.

Posted by JennR at 8:34 PM | Comments (7) | TrackBack

October 5, 2007

6 days left!

We're coming down to the wire, my c-section is scheduled for Thursday the 11th at 7:45am. So about now I would frantically be cleaning, you know taking all the shelves out of the frig and obsessively wiping stuff down that never gets cleaned. But instead I'm on restricted activity which has been a super good time. Here's the short version: on Tuesday morning I was bending down to pick something up on the floor to throw into the trash in the bathroom and I felt a sharp pain in my back that radiated into my hips. I yelled out and was leaning over the vanity while my sweet 4 yr old tore across the house to see what was wrong. I asked her to get the phone and I called Andy and asked him to come home. I couldn't put weight on my legs and was afraid to try to go anywhere because I might get stuck or hurt it worse. It felt like a bulging disc (which I had in college) or pinched nerve. And of course what dramatic story would be complete without some sort of potty accident happening right in the middle of it. I asked Lizzie to go check on her sister and she came back to tell me that she had a poopy diaper (only it wasn't a diaper it was panties). I thought I was going to cry- although I am laughing now. So I call to Julia and I hear Lizzie talking to her and she says, is it on the carpet Julia?!?! "WHAT! WHAT! Julia Ann Ross come here right now!" Poor thing I think I scared her with my frantic yelling but she did come into the bathroom and she undressed herself standing on a towel and put on a pullup that Lizzie brought her. So we survived that drama. Andy came home to find me in the bathroom still hunched over the vanity and he somehow helped me to the couch. That's pretty much where I stayed the whole day, not really moving and when I did he had to help me walk while I went on about why we never had handicap hand rails added to our hallway! On the recommendation of our Dr we ended up going to the hospital that evening to the labor delivery floor- this felt stupid but we went. A nurse was helping a new mom with her baby into a car so I scored her wheelchair and continually had to tell people that when I grimiced no I was not in labor I had pinched a nerve. LOL It was good to get on the baby monitor and realize that my stress and pain wasn't affecting her and we were also ordered to have an x-ray. This became a drama on its own. My Dr ordered it but when I was wheeled down to have it done the tech freaked out about how pregnant I was and acted like a complete idiot. I'll spare the details but it ended with me crying right in front of the x-ray machine not knowing what to do. He kept saying, we're going to shoot straight through your baby, why can't they wait till you deliver. UGH! It was drama. I compromised by taking a picture on my side with the metal jacket covering my stomach. I didn't want to take the risk but also wanted the x-ray because I was concerned that if I did something it would get in the way of or affect the spinal I get with the c-section. When we got back upstairs my Dr was ticked that they had done that to me and was going to go talk to them- oops.
Five hours later we left the hospital and were told that I strained my lower back muscles. As much as it put out my friends who rose to the occasion to take care of my kids I am relieved we went and that there wasn't a bulging disc or compression in my spine.
So now my kids have been with my mom or friends for the entire week and I have been trying to take it easy. To be on restricted activity I think I've done really well considering there are still newborn clothes on my bedroom floor that need to be washed and folded. I feel like I at least owe it to myself to try to heal before the c-section and I owe it to my friends who have stepped up to take my kids. If I hurt myself again because I can't stand the breakfast crumbs under the table then I'm not doing anyone any favors. (that's what I'm currently looking at, AHHH!)
I'm hoping by monday I'll be shuffling around the house with less pain and stiffness and that I get to enjoy some down time with the girls (still no lifting or nesting).
So now I'm catching up on my soaps, LOL! Nicky and Victor Newman are still married on Young and the Restless- SHOCKING! That was going on 15 yrs ago. I actually can't take the soaps and have watched lots of Law and Order and Crossing Jordan. It's party time over here. :)
Thanks to those of you who have called to check in on us, made us dinner and taken our kids. We didn't want Andy to miss work so early, so we appreciate your help!

Posted by JennR at 2:04 PM | Comments (2) | TrackBack