Elliot: month one

I can't believe my baby is a month old already.

It seems like that time just few by, and yet it seems like so long ago that the little man popped into my world.

I guess that's how it is with a baby, slowly speeding by.

My goal is to do a weekly update, but this first month had this new momma a little distracted...I haven't been on my computer much, and for good reason ;)

please prepare yourself for picture overload

 The first week was a bit of a blur, yet I seem to remember it quite well.

You can read Elliot's birth story here.

 great grandma and grandpa {my mom's parents} hold Elliot for the first time.

 These two pics of my grandpa and Elliot melt my heart. I'm a grandpa's girl and man is it amazing seeing how he is with Elliot.

 Elliot and his grandmas

 The hospital was great {aside from the whole traumatic delivery}. The nurses and everyone at the hospital were beyond nice. I felt so at home there...It may have been partially because I was afraid to be home on our own. 

 leaving the hospital

Really I had nothing to worry about. Being at home was just as comforting and both our parents came over with food and to see how we were doing, the rest of the family and our friends left us be...without having to be asked to. We sort of lived in our own little bubble of a world that consisted of the living room and kitchen for that first week.

 we just happened to get home in time for Elliot's first Bears game!

You may be wondering about the binkie...well we had the absolute worst time with nursing.

I have been exclusively pumping since he has been two days old thanks to a horrid latch and breast issues on my end too.

The second day we were in the hospital I spent an hr and half with the lactation consultant and in the end I had blisters and was bleeding...we left and went straight to pick up a hospital grade pump and I've been attached to it since. 

About 2 weeks ago I discovered Elliot was tongue tied, proving what the issue was. We had an appointment with a specialist this morning and they will clip it on the 23rd...lets hope he will still go for breast feeding.
I'm terrified he it will be too late and he won't latch.

All in all the first week home was great, Andy took the week off and really I was sad to see him go back to work.

I set up for my mom to be with me two days and also had some friends over one day, but the two days I was alone were lonely.

I missed having someone else in the house...someone who answers back when you talk.

Don't get me wrong I loved the baby cuddles, but adult interaction is nice.

The second week I got out a bit more, I was feeling so good that I felt the need to just walk!
I think I may have overdid myself because every time I did anything I got so warn down....I just couldn't help myself.

Seriously I can't even handle that picture above, it's too perfect.

and this one gets me too. My mom was whispering "grandma loves you" in his ear and he kept smiling...and let's not even talk about how my grandpa has his hand on Elliot's head. This will forever be one of my favorite photos.

 

Elliot's favorite person has got to be my brother. The minuet uncle Jake picks him up he melts...my brother melts a bit too ;)

This is what I like to call "frogging"

He's defiantly a chest/shoulder baby, he would gladly spend all his time curled up under your chin.
I love it and we spend most of our mornings like this.

Elliot is a swing lovin baby, sometimes I feel bad that he spends such big chunks of time in there....but if he didn't I wouldn't have clean bottles to feed him with!

He's not that big of a bouncy seat fan, it'll last about 5min and that's only if I'm talking to him.

but seriously how cute is that big ol monkey head behind him!

We started going out with him more during his 3rd week.

Not to many big places, just dinner here and there. 

 He also got to experience {sleep through} his first corn fest. Our town has a street fair of sorts every August. There are food carts, craft booths, live blues music and most of all corn on the cob.

Elliot and Daddy's first Illini game!

We also went swimming!

 

We have friends who live in a complex with a pool so we decided to dip the dude in.

First of all the baby speedo kills me, second can we please talk about how the kid has a better skin tone than I do! I'm so white! {ps he looks like he's red, it's just the lighting...it was also very overcast and he was only in for about 5min)

he loved it once he got past the initial shock of the water and I'm sure he would have stayed in there till he turned into a little prune, but we all got hungry and the sun was going down.

This week hasn't been too much fun.

Elliot is Mr. Fussy Pants, and we have spent the past two days in Dr's offices.

First his one month check up

he's up to 9lbs and 22inches, that's 1.5lbs and 1.5 inches gain. 

Dr said he's right on target with growth and other than his tongue issue he's doing great.

Second was the specialist about clipping his tongue was today.

we opted to have it clipped in office...there is no way I want them to put my baby under anesthesia unless it's life threatening!

So there you have it, one month has flown by and it saddens my heart that my little baby is getting bigger, but at the same time I can't wait to see the type of little man he will become.

Elliot's Birth Announcement

wow I can't believe that it's already been 3 weeks.

My little man has changed so much in these short days, I want to keep him this little forever.

I have to say that he is just perfect and if I had my way he would forever be my little cuddle buddy.

I finally lugged my iMac downstairs and set it up at our dining room table. It's just way easier for me to hop on for an hour here and there and actually get some stuff done!

I finished his birth announcement yesterday and I plan on sticking them in the mail as soon as I can get them printed, but I figured I'd give you guys a preview!

somehow I managed to get a simile with the first photo I took!

I love how it turned out, simple yet adorable!

I've also been taking weekly pictures.

While pregnant I stumbled across the blog Young House Love and they had a simple, easy, practical and best by far...cheap way to take weekly photos!

So I'm copping them and putting Elliot on a different background each week while wearing a white onesie. Then I pull it into photshop and edit a bit and also place the "sticker" on his tummy!

After we hit the one year mark we plan to make a coffee table book of his photos and milestones for our parents {and ourselves too}

That's another task I'm taking on...

I feel like I didn't go to school for nothing! so I'm determined to design the book {page by page} by myself.

I may be crazy.

I think I'm going to save his first few week photos for the one month post, that way I don't do one now and then another in a week....

holy crap we are a week away from one month!

someone make it stop!

Elliot's Birth Story

So there I sat at 40 weeks 5days, over due and oh so over it.

I just wanted him out, after all I had waited 40 weeks...and 3years too meet him. I remember telling everyone I talked to that I just wish it was Wednesday already because Tuesday was starting to feel pointless.

When Andy got home we went to dinner, all the while thinking that I really wasn't wanting to be induced...but that if that's what it would take than so be it.

We spent the evening loving on the dog and just hanging out. It felt odd that it would be the last night of just us. We went to bed with the plan to load the car in the morning and take the dog to my in-laws before my 10:45 dr appointment...just in case she would decide to send us over from my appointment.

We never got that far though.

At sometime around 3am I started to feel a strong cramping. With the first one or two I didn't think much of it, they felt stronger than the cramps I had been feeling for the last few weeks, but still not much of anything.

And then they didn't stop. So I grabbed my phone and started to time them.

And low and behold they were averaging about 4-6 min apart...and getting stronger. Strong enough that I had to make myself breath through them.

I decided my best bet would be to head downstairs and bounce on the yoga ball.

So there I sat till 6 am, and then I was really wanting a shower so I went back up and woke up Andy.

"Wanna have a baby today?"

He looked at me like...well ya...

I told him I had been having contractions since 3 and that I was going to shower.

The shower felt great, and awesome with the water on my back during a contraction.

We slowly got ready, packing up the dog and hospital stuff into the car, and when 8am hit I called my Dr office to let them know what was going on and to see if we should keep the appointment we had at 10:45 or just see how things went.

They decided I should come in and moved my appointment up to 9:45.

We ran the dog to drop her off...which was sad, then headed to the office.

I was still only dilated to 2, but I had thinned out to 90%...way more than the 50% on Friday.

She stripped some more membranes and sent us on our way with instructions to eat a big breakfast/lunch and go to the hospital when I had contractions 4-5 min apart for at least an hour or two.

We ate at one of my favorite places and then headed home.

I wanted to try to rest or nap while I had the chance...

It didn't work. My contractions were still a bit sporadic, 7-8 min apart, but they were getting stronger each time.

I decided to try out the tub, it was good for a bit...I was in there for probably 30min when all the sudden my contractions went form 5-6min apart to 2-3min apart...

So I got out of the tub...no way I'm havin this kid at home in my tub, by myself (Andy was napping on the couch downstairs)

At that point my contractions were strong, and all I wanted to do was lay down. So I did.

I tossed on some undies and climbed in bed.

An hour or so later I was moaning so loud I woke Andy up downstairs...and trust me that's not an easy thing to do.

I could tell I must have looked bad by the look on Andy's face. 

The only thing I could say was "there's no way I can do this without an epidural" and he simply said "whatever you need we will do" and then I showed him my phone with the contraction stats on it. 

At that point it had been consistent enough to talk about going in, but I knew that I needed to go, so we went...and man did that car ride suck!

When we got to the hospital it was sometime around 2:30 and the min I got out of the car my water broke. 

Thus began the process of putting me in a room and asking me a billion questions...the entire time my contractions are getting so strong that I'm getting to the hysterical point. I remember crying an d begging Andy to make it stop and telling him that I couldn't do it.

Around 5pm the anesthesiologist walked in and I could have hugged him. 

Now I had planned to do this whole shabang natural...but there is no way I would have made it. I have emence respect for the women out there who can, I'm just not one of them and I didn't realize it until that point.

It turns out it was a blessing in descise...you'll read why in a few.

Once the epidural was in and my catheter was all set my parents came in.

I was so happy to see my mom, I had her finger brush my hair out of my face...like she did when I was little and within min I was out. It felt good to sleep.

My blood pressure was being a pain throughout all this and they had given me 3 doces of efedren to bring it back up to normal, the whole time my belly monitors were also being a butt. 

So they had me flipping from side to side to keep it under control...the whole time I'm shaking like a leaf uncontrollably and was so chilled that they had something like 4 warm blankets on me.

This continued for about 2 more hours.

They finally ended up putting in a probe to track my contractions because the belly one was just wasnt cutting it.

Like usuall they kept checking me for progress.

They checked me once and I was at a 5...and within an hour I was at a 9.5!

Then around 7pm things got hectic.

My blood pressure spiked and the baby's heart rate dropped.

The nurse inserted the internal heart monitor (the one that has the tiny wire that is inserted under the baby's scalp) and within 2min his heart rate had dropped so low that they were unplugging everything and taking me to OR for an emergency c-section.

I had no idea what was going on, it all happened so fast and all I know is I'm being rushed off for something I strongly didn't want. 

Andy ran to get my mom, and I got to at least see her and tell her to call my grandma before they were running me...and I mean RUNNING me down the hall. 

They get me in the OR and move me over to the table and are prepping me before I even knew why I was there.

The hospitals emergency on call OB finally came over and explained what was going on.

They had stopped my labor and gotten both the baby and I stable, but in his opinion there was no way that the baby was going to come out with out doing a c-section...

Then someone yells from the corner that my doctor is on her way and all I could do was pray she got there fast.

If I was going to have to be cut open I wanted it to be her. From the moment I meet her I just knew she was the one who was meant to pull him (and any future children) into this world. It's not something I can explain, it's just a sort of connection and trust she puts off. 

An then she runs in the room, and I'm not even sure I can explain the overwhelming relief I had when I saw her...I even told her "I'm so happy your here".

And then she's telling me that she knows I can do this and that she is positive I can push him out, but if his heart rate drops again she will have to do a c-section. 

I just nodded, I was still shaking so hard I could barely do anything but that.

They started my contractions back up and they were slow, but I pushed and pushed.

I pushed three to four times through 8-10 contractions and the whole time Andy is standing behind my head with his hands under my pillow...each time I pushed he pushed my head up. 

I COULD NOT HAVE PUSHED IF HE HADN'T DONE THAT.

In between pushes I was so focused on getting my body to calm down, I knew the more stressed my body was (shaking from the stupid effedrin)  that the more stressed the baby would get. I wanted to keep my blood pressure down and in turn keep his heart rate normal. 

I don't know where my energy came from, but I didn't care...this kid was coming out and I wasn't going to push for nothing!

She ended up using suction, and told me that she only wanted to use it through 3 contractions.

Again I have no idea where I mustered the energy, but I pushed harder than I have ever done anything in my life. Four pushes each contraction, four more contractions and he was out and on my chest at 8:33pm.

They checked him out and left him there for a bit.

We named him and they took him to clean him up.

I couldn't believe he was over 7lbs, I was sure he would be smaller.

But no, 7lbs 5oz, 20.5 in long with a 13inch head.

Perfect, and I was in love at firs sight.

Now I'm not a super religious person, but I would not have made it through without my husband and prayer...and of corse my doctor.

She walked up to me when she was all done, and asked if she could pray with me.

It was the most perfect thing, I needed that.

She wrapped one arm around my middle and held my left hand (which was out on the T part of the table) in hers, put her forehead on mine and prayed over me, my husband and my new child.

It was amazingly beautiful.

Before I knew it they were bringing us back to our room.

Elliot had to stay under the heat lamp (in our room) for a bit thanks to a low body temp, but my mom, dad, and brother finally got to come and meet him.

Around 10 they gave him back and I held him till midnight, the nurse came in and bathed him(again in our room) and we snuggled him all night...

And he had a slew of family that came the next day to kiss and love on him.

I didn't sleep until that next day. 

My mom and brother came to see him and my mom snuggled him for about an hour so Andy and I could get in a nap while my brother went to pick my dad up from work...I finally got a few solid hours the next night and all because I put him in bed with me...

Propped up on pillows and wedged between me and the bed rales and his cradle locked in place.

The next day was a whirl wind, I spent an hour and a half with the lactation consultant...but that's a story for another time.

Before we knew it we were heading home. Since then we have lived on the couch camped out in a bundle of blankets. It's been fantastic.

He's been an amazing baby so far, he's so calm and he loves his sleep!

We are so in love.

I can't imagine life without him. 

Just a quick hello

Just a quick hi to let everyone know all is good and the dude is here.

He decided that induction was not his style and sent his momma into labor at 3am Wednesday.

I haven't slept much and I'm in a lot of pain.

Needless to say I'm tired.

But he is perfect, and we couldn't love him more.

Elliot Andrew

7lbs 5oz

20.5 inches

8-7-13

8:33pm

Birth story and nursing post are on their way.

Probably after this week...and we get in some family bonding.

40 weeks 5 days...still pregnant

Yep still pregnant

With no sight of labor

Still just pressure and mild cramping.

No progress that I can tell.

So it looks like it will be an induced little dude.

We have our las appointment in the morning and are scheduled for a 7pm induction.

She will pit in the Cervidil for 12hrs and then Thursday morning break my water.

Hopefully I won't need any Pitocin, but if I do I would like to at least give my body a decent amount of time to work things out on its own.

I woke up today wishing it was tomorrow already.

I'm so ready for him to be here, and not because I'm sick of being pregnant.

Really I'm not feeling that bad, sure I'm uncomfortable, but really I'm just so anxious to see what this little guy looks like.

If you would have asked me a few weeks ago I would gladly tell you that I could be pregnant forever and not really mind.

I really had a great pregnancy.

I'm just ready to meet this kid!

39&40 week bumpdate

yep still pregnant

woo hoo
2days over due and counting.

I'm so ready to have this kid it's not even funny!

I'm uncomfortable...and oh so tired.

The last two weeks have been a vast difference from the one before, 

it's been cool and rainy

and I love it.

I went to the dr. Friday and she checked...

only at 2 {dilated} which is up from 1 last Friday.

but he's at +2 so that's something

I also lost my plug on Saturday...sorry TMI and she scraped my membranes this last Friday.
HOLY HELL that felt fantastic!
It was like she was reaching up there and patting him on the head!

I still have his feet in my ribs, so I have no hope of him dropping before I go into labor...

or have him evicted.

Which will be next Wednesday/Thursday if he isn't here by then.
I have an appointment Wednesday morning to be checked, if my cervix is still at 50% she will put me in over night {7pm-7am} with Cervidil and then Thursday morning she will break my water and see how it goes...I'm hoping I don't need Pitocin. 
Well if we are being honest I hope I go into labor before then.

Doc also said she thinks he's around 7lbs...I'm hoping she's guessing big ;)
I still haven't swelled, I'm still wearing my rings which is awesome.
and surprisingly I'm still in some non-maternity shirts...

39 weeks

40 weeks

apparently I like the color blue!

It's in the bag, baby!

so I totally wrote this last week...

came back today to add just a little bit 

hit a wrong key or something and everything just poofed away.

and since I love you, I re-type!

The Hospital Bags are packed!

Somehow I magically managed to pack everything

{mine, hubs, and baby}

in one small rolling suitcase!

I feel like some sort of a pro.

when really I'm just one of those people who is obsessed with packing and lists.

it's a sickness.

 {not pictured is a blanket for Andy and my "quick grab" bathroom bag}

look at all that stuff just crammed in there!

{the top expanding zipper isn't even unzipped!}

The top mesh part has an extra duffel bag

{for gifts if the dude gets any while in the hospital and for all the freebees/stuff from the hospital}

along with a smaller shopping bag, a plastic bag for wet/dirty stuff, and disposable boob pads&nip cream.

I also didn't list below, but my nursing cover is in there too.

The momma stuffs:

1. shower flip flops {because eww shower floors}
2. super comfy flip flops
3. old swim top in case I want to get in the birthing tub
4. granny panties
5. DIY nursing tanks
6. slippers
7. socks
8. super comfy pants, one capri one long pair
9. going home outfit{loose yoga capris and a comfy loose shirt}
10. nursing nightgown {gift from my momma} and robe
11. not pictured is my nursing bra {it just got here in the mail}

The bathroom stuffs:

 The smaller purple & white bag is my makeup 

{super basic, just so I feel human when people visit}

 Travel everything: 

body wash

shampoo/conditioner

toothpaste/toothbrushes

mothwash

ear plugs 

{I also have a sleep mask in case I can't sleep}

q-tips

deodorant

{I also packed one for Andy}

hair gel spray

{home made mix of gel and water, works best for me}

headband

hair-ties, bobby pins and clip

adult diapers!!!

{because I heard they are the BEST for the first day or so}

everything in that list fits inside the polkadot bag and in the suitcase

the blow-dryer, flat-iron, brushes, face wipes and makup bag all go in the brown owl bag 

It lives next to my bathroom sink since because I use the stuff daily

This is the "quick grab" bathroom bag

I figured it was easy enough for anyone to grab in a hurry, or if we are out and my water breaks and I need to send someone home to grab our bags.

The Dude's stuffs:

1.  socks
2. hats I made for him
3. mittens
4. sack onsies
5. going home outfit {has matching booties with bears on them!}
6. nail file, clippers, and petroleum jelly
7. aden + anais swaddle blankets
8. burp rags

I didn't take any pictures of Andy's stuff, I simply just tossed in 2 t-shirts, socks, boxers and some gym shorts. It's his usual evening attire and I just want him to be comfy too.

we will grab some flip flops for him to wear around on our way out the door.

There is also "tech" bag that includes

cameras and chargers

phone chargers

ipad and charger

also has the list of passwords for things like xfinity ;)

My purse {bag} is also what I like to call a "hobo bag of fun"

I swear I could live out of it for days if needed.

It has all my essentials:

chapstick

lotion

eyedrops

glasses

hairspray

brush

nail clippers

snacks!

 I guarantee if you need it, it's probably in my bag  

I feel like I packed way too much,

We will see how much we actually use!

Now we wait!

One week till due date!

38 week bumpdate

It's hot out people!

the heat index yesterday was 102!

the whole week has been like that...thankfully it's cooling off now

that is if you call mid to high 80's cooling off.

Somehow {by the grace of God} my mom and I managed to get everything done this week!

hospital bags are packed

rooms are clean

floors mopped

baby cloths all washed and put away

 there is nothing left to be done

I'm ready for this kid to be here...

which means he won't for a few more weeks

because that's how my luck goes.

I'm so ready, my back can't take much more.

I get to the point, about dinner time, where I can barely walk thanks to the lower back pain.

not to mention the shooting sciatic pain.

I really want this kid to bake for another 2 weeks, but I'm hoping they go fast!

I want him fully baked for the obvious reasons....and a selfish one too.

you see I want his birthstone to be the green of August and not the red of July.

why you aks?

well Andy's birthstone is September, which is blue. Mine is November, which is yellow...

and blue and yellow make green.

How cool would that be?

I know I'm a nerd {but I still think it's kinda awesome}

anyways on to bumpshots

side view

from the top

my brother told me, ever so nicely, on Thursday that I looked huge.

gee thanks

and a puppy bonus 

{she didn't realize that she was begging for tums and not real food}

The nesting bug

I think I've been bit by the nesting bug.

Sadly, though, I don't seem to have the energy to keep up! 

I mentioned yesterday how I have a list of stuff for the week...

Today was the kitchen.

We have this cupboard/pantry, and it just gets crap tossed in it all the time.

Along with a lazy Susan that gets to the over flowing stage rather quick.

And then the fridge & freezer....ugh.

I just finishes the panty, and managed to get a whole shelf free.

It's where I want to put all the baby stuff....bottles and bibs and stuff.

I'm thinking the reason it gets so clustered in there is because the shelves are so deep and we can't see the crap that ends up In the back.

I really want to get baskets.

Maybe (if I'm still pregnant) I can add that to next weeks list.

I'm wanting to get through the lazy Susan and fridge/freezer today...

I'm just hoping my energy can hold out! 

Tomorrow is organize baby room day! 

(I'm kinda excited about it)

37 week bumbpdate

I'm feeling much much better now...thanks to antibiotics!

Just the usual worn out one would expect form being 9 months pregnant.

That and I've had so back pains. I think the kid has been pressing on something because the last few days have been bad, I can't do much before I have to sit for a bit just to rest my back.

The yoga ball has been a God send.

I sit on it more than I sit on anything these days.

I've got one heck of a list of "to dos" for this week, but thankfully my mom has two days off and I plan on taking FULL advantage of her amazing ability to get crap done!

The husband is starting to freak a bit...

every other sentence out of his mouth is "we need to get it done, you could have that baby at any moment"

It's kinda funny, and maybe a bit true.

The fact is that I haven't dropped at all

I have had a tiny bit of verrrrrrry mild cramping.

I liken it to the pre-period feeling...you know the one that makes you think "well maybe I'll put something in my purse" kinda feeling. 

Nothing I would call labor or even pre labor.

I think the hub's problem is that this came in his fortune cookie at dinner Friday.

I on the other hand still think I'm going to have to evict this kid! 

I just have this overwhelming feeling he will be late.

I have, however, been getting things ready.

Like I posted last week, I started packing the hospital bags.

I'm 90% of the way done...

just need to toss a few more things in and put it all in the car.

I'm also going to put the car seat in this week too.

I made myself some nursing tanks yesterday!

4 for $20

can't beat that...considering how pricy some can be.

I took on making them mainly because with the size of my ta-tas it's almost impossible to find a nursing tank that fits now.

So I went to the store and picked up 4 tanks that have a straight back.

clipped the straps, looped and hand sewed.

now all I have to do is hook the loop around the clip on a nursing bra and I'm set!

And speaking of nursing bras...

HOLY COW

that was a fun shopping trip, I should reward the person who guesses at what size they lady at the bra shop wants me to order!

38 J

I almost cried.

No wonder I don't look "that pregnant", my boobs are taking over!

I also made some pee pee tee pees yesterday.

What's that you ask?

well it's a cone to cover the dudes junk so he doesn't pee all over us and the walls while changing his diaper!

I made 6, 3 for upstairs and 3 for down.

we plan on having a basket with changing stuff downstairs in the living room.

Same reason I have two nursing pillows...who wants to trek upstairs if you don't have to!

The tee-pees are so simple a quick to make, seriously took me about 15min to make all 6!

Up next is some newborn hats for the hospital...because I can and I kinda like the idea of him in something I made him right away.

That and I think the hospital hats (and blankets for that matter) are ugly.

now on to the bumpshots

37 side view

That is totally a beach cover up and not a shirt...

I wear it as a shirt all the time! 

so comfy.

Top View

I think he was a bit off to the side...looks like he's pointing at the 37 ;)

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

We spent it landscaping....well the hubs did.

I made food and cleaned the house...

you know, inside where the AC is!