Introducing Lillian Harper, the birth story.

I've sorely neglected this blog and for good reason. I've been navigating how to be a mom to two little ladies. It's not an easy task. Getting a moment like this to type is rare. In fact I am attempting to nurse my second one as I type, not easy and right now it's not working. But I will press on and see what happens.


I'd love to introduce you to Lillian Harper Reed.

She was born August 1, 2013 at 1:01pm weighing in at 8lbs 4oz via c-section. 

Hello Jennavieve. This is mama. (Right now my first born just came in and asked me what I was doing. Apparently I have never typed in front of her in the traditional way. I have mainly used touch screens in front of her. What a different world we live in!) Anyways back to what I was doing....

I had tried to have Lily via VBAC but I got Gestational diabetes during pregnancy. This caused my ability to have Lily up to two weeks later than my due date shortened to my due date. So I had to schedule a repeat c-section. I was pretty bummed. When I came in to have the surgery I thought it would be some relaxed experience. I mean many a mom has told me how great it was to be scheduled and how different an experience it was. So I went in with these expectations, I was sorely mistaken, literally.

Eric and I got to the hospital and we checked in. Soon the nurse came back and took me to a little entrance room with a curtain. She told me we only have an hour to get done everything that needs to be done before the surgery and she seemed pretty rushed. Naturally I felt on edge and rushed as well. I got undressed and into the robe and sat on the bed. 

They hooked me up to the monitoring devices and soon saw that I was having regular contractions. The nurses kept asking me if I wanted to still try for the VBAC as they were prepping me for the c-section. It was rather stressful to have to make that decision while in labor and while being rushed. So I decided to go ahead and do that c-section. 

The nurse then attempted to put an IV in me. I kinda hate getting these put into my arms but you figure the nurses do this every day, they should get it right, right? Well the first nurse tried in my left arm to no avail. Then she called in another nurse who was prepping another patient to come and try to get my IV in. I told them that they could use my hand veins if they wanted, but they weren't listening to me until finally they said oh yeah ,you do have nice hand veins. (Um this is what I was trying to tell you!)

During this time the anesthesiologist came and wanted to talk with me. The nurse said she could, but then decided the person had to wait. It was odd. I was kinda in a daze at this moment because there were so many people coming to me asking questions and I was starting to get some pretty painful contractions. Of course they were monitoring me and kept asking me if I wanted to change my mind. 

Once I was hooked up we walked to the elevator to go to the OR. Eric got his scrubs on and I followed the nurse into the Operating Room. There were so many people in there. I think there was at least 10 people in there greeting me as I came in. The room was giant compared to the room I had Jennavieve in. I was getting even more nervous, scared and anxious. They told me it was time for me to sit on the edge of the bed so the anesthesiologist could give me my spinal. 

The lady told me that I should feel pressure, but not pain. If I felt pain something was wrong. So of course immediately when she started I felt pain. They had me hold Eric's hand and I squeezed it so tight. I told the lady I felt pain and the man took over. I felt pain again and again and finally things seemed to work out okay. Soon the team had me lay down on the operating table and they put the drape over my bottom section. 

I started to feel the numbness travel up my body. I also started to feel a burning pain in my chest and I was getting shaky. I began to tear up because I was scared/nervous. I also began to feel pretty nauseous. I told the anesthesiologist how I felt and they adjusted things to help with the nausea, not so much the chest pain. I did feel the sensation of being unable to breathe, but I fought through that mentally because I knew I could breathe and they told me this feeling would come. The surgery was starting.

I felt the typical pulling, pushing and tugging. I asked for the little window in the drape to be closed, but it was still cracked open so I could see the doc's head. That was okay. They told me when they opened up where Lily was and as soon as they did she was crying. The doc said, "She's crying before she's even out!" They brought her out and put her on my chest immediately after they cut the cord. She was able to lay on me while they stitched me up. I was feeling kinda weak, so I had Eric take her and let them weigh her and clean her off in the room. She pooped all over the scale and she pooped again in Eric's arms. I was attempting to take Eric's picture and the anesthesiologist asked if they could do it. Of course I let them. 

The doc and nurses inflated something beneath me to transfer me to the stretcher. We traveled down the hallway to the elevator to the room we'd be in for the next few days.  Once they got me on the bed they put Lily on me for some skin to skin time while I recovered. It was so nice! She even started nursing right away. After a while the nurse took Lily for her first bath. Eric took video of it. Lily seemed to love it and was completely relaxed. Definitely different than Jenna's experience. :)  Lily seemed to be a good eater and wanted to sleep next to me or while being held. 

I'll update more a little later.... but here's the basic experience. :) 

36 week appointment

I've been slacking in the update department mainly because I've been so tired.. Between taking care of my toddler and taking care of some extended family stuff, I've been exhausted. By the time I get to the computer to blog all I feel like doing is sleeping. Which I totally feel like doing now, but I thought I should update since I have more information.

Had my diabetes appointment this morning. For Gestational Diabetes, not normal diabetes, I don't have that. My fasting levels were up in the morning for the past two weeks due to a combination of stress and eating fatty proteins for my night snack. (Milk/Cheese) I thought for sure they'd put me on meds, but they decided to give me another week to get things in check.This means less stress somehow, exercising more after dinner and having more lean proteins at night. Hopefully this combo will be the winner for me. I'd hate to get this close and then have to go on meds right before the end.

After my diabetes appointment I rushed upstairs to get to my growth ultrasound appointment. Because I have gestational diabetes, there's a risk the baby could get bigger, misproportionate, the placenta aging faster and more fluid in there. I am pleased to say that Lily looks great. She is growing fine and measuring 2 days ahead of their projected due date. They estimate her to be 6lbs 11oz and healthy. So so far, me having the g diabetes but maintaining the strict diet they put me on has been helping Lily to be okay. Thank God.

When I was done with that appointment I went out and waited to be called for my OB appointment. The doc was late due to a surprise c-section. I got measured and checked and it seems I am right on track as well and just measuring a little ahead. She checked me and it seems I am 1-2cm dilated and 75% effaced. So who knows...maybe the little miss might come early. However I remember being this way with Jenna as well for a few weeks.

I talked with the doc briefly because last time she gave me a consent form to sign regarding VBAC. (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean) I am still scheduled for a c-section August 1st, but the issue was what to do if I go into labor earlier. We decided to go ahead and do a trial of labor as long as the baby and I look good and to try that. It may happen, it may not, but it's super hard for me to consent to elective surgery again when I have the option to potentially not have surgery. I mean why submit myself to that if I might not have to? Given what's happening with extended family, it would be much easier if I didn't also have to recovery from a major surgery. :)

So all in all I am happy about the appointment. I still think Lily will bloom earlier than the due date, but time will tell. OKay I am falling asleep..time to end this and get a nap! I'll try to post a photo of Lily later. :)

32 week appointment

Obviously, I've had many doctor appointments during this pregnancy, however I felt this one was particularly blog worthy. :)

I had to bring Jenna with me. Yes, my two and a half year old went to the doc appointment with me. She behaved fairly well except for when we got in the actual exam room, then she decided we should go. See she is a fan of doctors, but also not a fan of them. She gets weird whenever we are in hospitals and doctor offices because she knows something is up. But did I decide to write this blog post because Jenna was with me? Not really...

The doc went over my blood glucose numbers and agreed that I don't need to take any blood sugar meds right now. Things seem under control and I am working hard. My weight is down, but I am eating healthy and exercising so she said she wasn't worried about it.

We also went over my birth plan, and that is what I am most excited about. She pretty much agreed with everything that I put on my plan. We had the opportunity to talk about how she does things and no matter what birth I have, VBAC or RCS, barring something wrong with me or the baby, it should be able to happen just the way I wanted it. She said that they could do skin to skin in the OR and that if everything was looking good, I could do that. She also said that they could wait to take the baby's blood glucose until after the first feeding, they also could wait to weigh and bathe the baby until I wanted as well too. If I am having trouble nursing, she said they could use the SNS system and that was the standard at this hospital.

She was hopeful that the baby might come at 38 or 39 wks and that maybe we might not have to have a c-section. She agreed to everything I said I wanted for a natural birth in my birth plan and said they had the type of monitoring devices I wanted.

It's just so very nice to talk with a doctor and to have them listen to you! Also to have them be up on the research as well so they agree with what you're asking them to do, rather than be stuck in the dark ages and not agree to anything. I am getting excited! :)

Reflecting

Lately I've spent a lot of time reflecting, I think it has to do with the lack of sleep and pregnancy hormones making me nostalgic or something. But lately I've been reflecting on friends. Friendship is something you have to work hard to obtain and keep. You can't just have friends, you have to meet people, get to know them and trust them then let them into your life. Some people are easier to let in than others and some just aren't the right fit. The past few days I've been kinda mourning the "loss" of easy friendships that I had in other areas of Washington and in Oregon and elsewhere. I am still friends with all these dear people and will be forever, but it's just not the same was it was when we could just "hang out" together whenever we wanted.

Up here it's been work to make friends. Some friendships I feel I need to work at and are more work for me in return. I haven't met many people (only a couple) yet up here that I feel like myself with and feel like I can invite them into my home. Part of that is that we haven't quite found the right church fit for us yet. That is a process within itself that I won't get into yet. But once we figure that out, hopefully things will be easier to get settled into and meet people around our age at our stage in life.

Until then, I go to play dates, go to church and hope that there are some moms who are hoping to connect with me as much as I am with them. It can get tiring being the newcomer all the time, but at least I am learning how to do it right. :)

Week 26 of pregnancy with Lily

Here I am, in the thick of week 26 with Lily. I think with Jenna I blogged every day. I had often wondered why other moms with more than one kid didn't blog like I did, now I know, they are too tired/exhausted to blog. There's simply no time. The time you do get you desperately want to watch that one favorite show, or take a shower, or sleep. I'm going to do my best to blog some more, but even as I type this I am yawning. :)

Lately the heartburn stage has really set in this pregnancy. It seems I can't eat anything without feeling it, which is a bummer. I still feel tired a lot, which I wonder whether it's due to some other health issue or the fact that I am running around almost literally after my almost preschooler. At night I get pains in my hips, back and wake frequently to go to the bathroom. I tend to be a light sleeper, so getting up a lot and then trying to get back to sleep is hard. Plus if I get in that weird awake/asleep mode, it makes it even harder for me to sleep or think straight.

Overall this pregnancy with Lily hasn't been too bad. There was the morning sickness for a while there, and the tiredness that isn't seeming to go away, but overall it's been good. I've decided to go VBAC with Lily and so far barring any health issues, my doc is for it and has assisted on VBACs numerous times. This hospital I am going to is VBAC friendly and I am thinking about hiring a doula (have one in mind) to assist with the birth. Why not just have another c-section? That's the same as asking someone why not just have a major surgery instead of an outpatient surgery. Why should I go big or go home? I figure if I can, I might as well try. So far so good, so we'll see. I won't be heart broken if I have to get another c-section, but if I don't have to, I definitely don't want to.

I think this is as much blog as my brain can muster today..... ttyl. :)

Two?

I can't remember if I posted on here, but we found out that we're going to have another little girl. We're quite excited about it. Her name will be Lillian or "Lily" for short. Jenna is super excited to be having a little sister even though she can't quite comprehend why or how there's a baby in my tummy or when the baby will be here. She's wanted Lily's ultrasound photo with her at times and even wanted me to post it on the wall so she could sleep by Lily. I have a feeling when Lily comes Jenna will be excited.

It led me to think about when Lily does come. Two girls. Two GIRLS in the house. Most of you know I grew up with two younger brothers. I never had a sister to share all the girly stuff with and my mom is wonderful and lovely but doesn't do a lot of the girly stuff. So I never really grew up with figuring out hair, makeup and nails and all that jazz. Sure I dressed up, but ask me to put on makeup other than mascara and well it throws me for a loop. So I am trying really hard to learn and figure out this girly stuff so that my girls grow up knowing how to do it. Or at least when they get to that age we'll try things out on each other and figure it out.

But it's honestly really hard for me to grasp that there will be a baby here in August. I feel so unprepared. Yes, I know how labor might or might not go, yes I have a crib and a car seat so I guess on a very basic level we're set. But I was counting down the months and there's not a lot of time to get things done before Lily arrives, especially since we moved into a new house. I went online to register for some things and I realized that there are actually a lot of things out there that are more helpful than when Jenna was a baby.

I did realize that I haven't set a shower date or anything yet and I hear others have already figured that out. I don't really know who would host or what since it's the second baby and there's always a certain etiquette. I am one that loves to plan and get things figured out way ahead of time. I know it could be at my house since I finally have a place big enough, but I don't know much else. Things like this sort themselves out right? We'll see. My pregnant brain worries. :)

I am looking forward to having two girls around. My poor husband will be so outnumbered. But he's as excited as the rest of us. Until August it's time to plan and dream and figure things out! :)

Ultimate Blog Party 2013!!!

http://www.5minutesformom.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/UBP-2013_500px.jpg

It's time for the ULTIMATE BLOG PARTY from 5minutesformom.com. I can't believe I almost forgot about it. It's sometime I like to do every year because it's fun to check out other people's blogs and get to know them. Plus well...winning things is always nice.

Let me introduce myself for those that are new to this blog.
 My name is Kristine and I have a wonderful husband named Eric and a now two and a half year old named Jenna.
Currently I am pregnant with what will be my second born baby (fourth pregnancy). We don't know what gender it will be, but hope to find out soon! This blog is where I write about my life with my little one and my pregnancy stuff as well as hopes, dreams...you know.. that kinda stuff. Right now we live in Washington State. We just moved up here from Oregon almost a year ago for my husband's job. It's not easy moving and transitioning with a two year old and being pregnant, but it's sure interesting. I like to blog about my interesting days right here. :)


Most days in Washington seem dreary...

But when it's nice, it can be really pleasant to live here.

I've found fun groups of mom friends to hang out with and go on adventures with. There are also a lot of farms here to pick produce. Here's a pic of my little lady picking strawberries:

We've also picked blueberries, squash, potatoes and other fun fruits and veggies. This year we're hoping to grow our own as well. It's never too early to teach children where food comes from.  Once I am settled in our new place, I hope to start the many many many Pinterest projects I have waiting for me. Here are a few:
http://pinterest.com/pin/55450639134429268/


Felt Bandaids


Felt Book


Any many many more things. I also love to cook so I am getting back into making fun recipes I find on Pinterest too. Here are a few I've made recently:

http://arismenu.com/cranberry-apple-chicken-salad/


Crispy Potatoes
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/11/ultra-crispy-roast-potatoes-recipe.html

Chicken, Kale and Sweet Potato Enchiladas. YUM.
http://www.andwhatiate.com/2013/01/chicken-black-bean-kale-roasted.html

There are many many pins I have on Pinterest of projects and things I am interested. If you'd like to follow me, you can @ http://pinterest.com/live4adventure/

Aside from my cooking, baby making and sewing aspirations, my family is super interested in other cultures and helping out as we can. Right now we are sponsoring a little guy from Indonesia through Compassion International. http://www.compassion.com/  We feel it's a great way to help our daughter gain cultural awareness while in the States and to help out a very deserving little guy and his family. I would highly recommend it. We get letters from our little guy and send him letters in return as well as paying to allow him to get valuable enrichment activities and training as he gets older. If you have any questions about it, please feel free to contact me!

My husband and I also are very interested in mission aviation. What's that you ask? Well it's using airplanes to go into areas that have no roads or are virtually inaccessible by any other means to deliver: food, medicine, people and other aid as well as practically sharing with people what we believe as Christians Jesus has called us to do, which is love others and share with them the hope they can have in Jesus. No matter your background, no matter your religion, I think we can all agree that mission aviation is much needed in remote areas to help bring food and supplies in. An organization we're working on joining is called Mission Aviation Fellowship. http://maf.org/  They are in multiple countries are really are saving and changing lives through the use of aviation and technology. I'd highly suggest checking them out. :)

Well I shouldn't make this post too long, but I hope you decide to follow me via the options to the side of the page so we can keep in touch. Let me know that you've visited via the Ultimate Blog Party and I'll visit you too! I love getting to know new people and hearing more about their lives!

Love,
Kristine