Summer Fun 2012–its finally starting!!

So even though its not summer yet, it finally has been nice out.  It got up to the 70’s yesterday and we loved every minute of it.  I love that I’ve been able to open up all the doors in our house and just enjoy the fresh air.  Every morning Kiersten wakes up and opens the back slider so we can hear the birds in our back yard.    Today Kiersten got to enjoy her first popsicle of the season…. Can’t wait for more.  Looking forward to a summer full of fun in 2012.

While Kiersten enjoyed the outdoors….Katelyn enjoyed her swing…

Sisters

So its been a little over a month and Sisters are forever!! Kiersten already has a bond that will never be broken for Katelyn.  She LOVES having a sister and she is so helpful with everything!  Here are some pictures.

Welcome Baby Katelyn Laine Drake

As with Kiersten, my labor lasted for days before actually getting far enough to go into the hospital.  It was about 3 days that I had contractions, and every time it was getting worse and I thought this was going to be the time I head into the hospital… my contractions would stop.  February 11th, wasn’t really any different.  My day started out with contractions… they came for a few hours would get stronger, 5-8 min apart and just when I was about ready to go in they would stop.  My family, in laws and parents, kept telling me I should go in and get checked at the hospital…however if you know me I’m a little stubborn and didn’t want to go in to the hospital.  Finally at 2 in the afternoon my husband convinced me that we should go in.  I guess he was right cause my contractions were bringing me to my knees, however they were still only about 8 min apart.  I dreaded every 8 min!!! It was a great thing that he convinced me because we got in the car and about half way to Coeur d’Alene they hit, stronger and more than ever.  They were every 3 minutes by the time we got off the freeway and we still had to drop Kiersten off at Bryan and Erin’s house.  (Thank you so much Bryan and Erin, you guys are amazing friends and we couldn’t have done it without you guys).  Got to the hospital and up to the labor and delivery unit and I was sadly disappointed that I was only dilated to a 3.  These pains were MUCH worse than I ever felt with Kiersten and with Kiersten I was a 4 when I first arrived at the hospital and my contractions hadn’t even hit their high with her yet.  Anyhow even through the disappointment, the nurse knew I wasn’t going home.  My contractions still remained every 2-3 min and I was breathing through them but the nausea was kicking in.  Once I started getting sick the nurse said, “It’s time for you to get your epidural, your breathing to hard and that’s what was causing the nausea.”  So anesthesia came and got my epidural in.  Directly after my epidural the nurse checked me again and I was at a 7.  No wonder I was hurting and hyperventilating.   Once the epidural was on board, life was good again!  From this point it was just a matter of waiting.  By this time our families had gotten the news and were headed up to see us.  My parents were predicted to be here at 8pm and Den and Kate were to be here around 945-10pm.  I have to say, I saw Stephanie Harrison NP through out my whole pregnancy and really wanted her to deliver Katelyn.  However it was the weekend, and although Stephanie had said I could have the nurses call her anytime regardless if she was on-call and she would try to come in.  I knew I shouldn’t have them do that.  She had just worked the weekend before, I knew this because I worked also. So I felt we shouldn’t call her in on her weekend off.  And I was okay with that because Dr. Cutting was on-call and he had delivered Kiersten, So I knew what to expect with him.  So while we were waiting the nurse had kept Dr. Cutting in the loop and then… at 730pm he decided to tell us that he was going to a bowling tournament and he was turning his call over to Dr. Helal until the tournament was over.  REALLY… I was so disappointed!  Then the nurse came in and asked if I wanted to speed up the process and start pitocin.  I said, ‘NO, I’m holding this baby in until Dr. Cutting is back on.”  She agreed we could hold off and not do the pit.  And at 8:50 she checked me again… I was complete, and Dr Cutting hadn’t called to tell us he was back on yet!!   The nurse went out and called Dr. Helal but explained to him that I really wanted Cutting, so he said he would call him and see how much longer he was going to be. In the mean time… I was nauseated and throwing up again.  After heaving, the nurse checked me again, and informed me she wasn’t waiting for Dr. Cutting, that she was sorry but Dr Helal needed to get here because with every heave….the baby was getting lower and in her words, “I have never delivered a baby on my own, and don’t plan to tonight!”  Just when she went out to the desk… Dr. Cutting called and said he was on his way!!  AWWW THANKYOU.  He got there at 9:25pm and was dressed and ready for me to push a few minutes later.  I pushed three time and Katelyn Laine Drake was born at 9:37pm.  Dr. Cutting did and amazing job and our baby had no complications.  My parents had made it to the delivery… Grandma Kate and Grandpa Den… they were 10 minutes to late!  But they were there for all the great things like first bath and shots and such.  It was like a paparazzi photo session during the first couple hours of Katelyn’s life.

The Paparazzi:

 

 

Since Katelyn was born at 937pm, we decided it would be best to leave Kiersten at Bryan and Erin’s for the night and let her meet her sister in the morning.  She was really excited to meet her however was  bit nervous.  She absolutely did NOT want Katelyn to cry.  If anyone was doing anything to Katelyn she would quiz them and tell them that they needed to stop because she was going to cry.  She wouldn’t hold her for a very long time but she did love to look at her.  Here is The Sister Meeting:

Katelyn was born on Saturday February 11th at 937pm and at 730pm Sunday we got to go home.  Less than 24 hours in the hospital and our lives were changed forever!! Welcome home baby Katelyn!!!

Kiersten’s 4th Birthday

I was going to plan a big birthday party for Kiersten, however being pregnant and almost do I decided against it.  We had friends over and did a small party and she got her dora cake and that was all she cared about.  Happy Birthday Baby Girl!  Love you!

George made talapia while I finished the cake…

Our First Snow Day….

This winter has been a bit strange.  We have had very little accumulation of snow so today we got an accumulation we could actually play in!  Kiersten was loving it and she is only 4 but she gets to now go out and play in our little neighborhood with me staring out the window!  She feels so independent.  But when I tell her its time to come in or put her hat back on… she isn’t happy with me. You can see in these photos some of those moments!! 

36 week appt!

Appointment went well.  My doctor was running behind so I saw a different one.  Didn't get to see the little munchkin...was hoping cause Steph said she would get the US machine out but Penney didn't and I didn't ask!  Just listened to heart rate. Heart rate was 155, strong. Appears to be head down now... heart was heard on right side below my belly button so that is a good sign cause it was above my belly button before!  Didn't have them check me... no need not having any contraction pain.  He said if I was okay with it they would wait until 38 weeks to check me again unless i was having problems! So that is 2 weeks from now!  Blood pressure was good, didn't gain any weight this week! so up 6 pounds total! My group B strep swab came back negative, so that is a good, won't have to have antibiotics before we deliver this little one!  Next appointment is Jan 24th, Kiersten's Birthday!!

Decorating for Christmas

Getting our Tree - 2011

I always grew up with a real Christmas tree.  Unfortunately but wisely we made the decision the first year Kiersten was born to go to a fake tree,  It just was simpler with a small child.  However this year I really longed for a real tree again.  I wanted the smell of it in the house and I wanted the adventure for Kiersten to be able to get a real one!  We planned on trucking out in the actual woods and getting one however timing wasn’t good this year.  We were in HSB for thanksgiving, I worked the following weekend and then we realized Den and Kate were coming up this weekend to celebrate Christmas.  That left us a only a couple choices, put up the fake tree again, or… have Den and Kate go with us to get a tree at a local tree farm.  We didn’t want to waist the WHOLE day getting a tree when we didn’t have much time with Den and Kate to begin with.  So we opted to go to Carvers farms and cut down our tree.  It was a good family fun adventure that Kiersten loved.  We got there and got to have a hay ride down to the tree farm area and then Kiersten got to pick the tree (with Grandpa Den and Dad doing a little convincing).  I thought most of the trees looked the same, all perfect, just a little different sizes, however Kiersten didn’t think so.   So she got to pick her tree and go for a hay ride and she LOVED it.

Disney on Ice–Toy Story 3

This year I planned on taking Kiersten to Disney on Ice.  I was just as excited to take her as she was to go, I think.   These days I’m a little (just a little) emotional about everything we do over the holidays is the last time Kiersten gets to be an only child!  I’m super excited for her to have a sister and things will be that much more joyous when the new one arrives, however, I want her to enjoy the time she has without a sibling!  Sooo…. I was excited to take her for the last time by herself, and to make the trip even sweeter, I won the tickets online and didn’t have to pay for our seats!  She had the best time, didn’t take her eyes off the show the whole time.  She also didn’t want to leave when it was over!  She was sure it was going to start back up again!  Here are some great photos from the event!

29 weeks and 2 days (so they say)

We started our every 2 week appointments!  I still can’t believe that I’m far enough along to be seeing my OB doctor every two week, can’t say I’m not thankful though!  This pregnancy has been rough.  I’m still having nausea but I do have to say its much better than the first half of the pregnancy. I’m also not convinced this one is a girl!  I’m good with having a boy or girl but this pregnancy has been sooo different compared to my pregnancy with Kiersten, completely opposite really!  I have been really nauseated with this one, as most of you know.  I’ve had a lot more pains, super dry skin, crave Pepsi (which my mother in law craved with both of her boys, which I think is strange).  I have had dreams about this one that it’s a super fat baby boy with brown hair and brown eyes, and with Kiersten I had dreams of a blonde haired blue eyed girl!  So we will see for 100% when the baby arrives!  George and I will be excited no matter if it is a girl like they say, or we get the surprise of a baby boy!  However if they were wrong (which I doubt, what are the odds right??) and it’s a boy, we have lots of damage control to do with Kiersten.  She KNOWS it’s a girl and if you mention that it just could be a brother instead, she starts crying, and tells me that it’s a girl!  So damage control will be in order if they were wrong!

So back to our last appointment… it wasn’t as simple as my other appointments!  So went in and my blood pressure and heart rate and, weight were good!  I didn’t gain any weight over the last two weeks and over all I’ve gained only 2lbs.  Can blame the nausea on that one!  I saw Stephanie Harrison this week and she measured my tummy which she said is measuring right on with my due date of February 12th.  The babies heart rate was 148 this time, 154 two weeks ago!  She said the heart rate sounded good and strong, so that is great news!  However I explained to her that my shortness of breath has gotten much worse, and I have been feeling like my heart has been doing something strange.  Many times through out the day I noticed that I can feel my heart up in my throat and it feels like its beating funny (flipping almost) and very rapid rate.  She listened to my heart and informed me that I have a new mitral valve heart murmur, and that the weird feeling of my heart is probably heart palpitations. Being in the medical field I know what these are but I have never had them so I had no idea what they felt like!  With all my symptoms combined with my anemic state (low blood count) from my previous blood work, she wanted to repeat my blood work and refer to a heart doctor to have them evaluate my heart!  She said most likely all of this will resolve when the baby is born, but we need to watch it because there is a small chance that it won’t resolve!  So my heart doctor appointment isn’t until the 21st of December, so I have a ways to wait to find out what is going on with the heart!  I did go have lab work done in the mean time and my blood counts are rising (I’m now on iron supplement) and my thyroid levels were normal so that is great news!  My sodium level was just slightly low but not terrible.  So all in all the levels of my blood work were okay!  I haven’t talked to my OB about them yet but I did review them on my own!  So next appointment we will get the official confirmation that my labs look okay!

So now its just waiting time…. have to wait for next OB appointment and for my Heart appointment.  Then we will have more of an idea on what is going on and if I can do anything about it.  In the mean time, Caffeine is out of my diet, which is hard being so tired during this pregnancy and having a 3 year old with miles of energy!    But good news… we are getting closer to meeting this new baby, and all of this craziness is worth it!