Introducing Violet

So I am obviously not 50 weeks pregnant,and I am obviously horrible at blogging. I have so little free time that when I finally get on my computer, I completely forget about trying to keep up with this. In fact, my mind completely blanks out on all the things that I kept thinking that I needed to do when I finally got on my computer.

Quick Birth Story. My due date came and went, much to my (and my mother's) frustration. Two days after my due date, I was laying in bed when my water broke. When my water broke with Scarlett, it was a trickle. This was a waterfall. We called around and made arrangements for the kids while we finished packing.

We got to the hospital where they checked me and I was at 5cm. I was having contractions but my nurse and doctor thought it was so odd that I was this far along but not in pain. After getting settled in, Ben and I started doing laps around the floor. I started having more contractions and eventually they started coming one on top of the other and majorly hurting. I went much longer without my epidural this time but I was only at 6cm. I eventually got my epidural but they started suggested pitocin to move things along since I was not progressing a ton. They checked me and I was still at 7cm. 15 minutes later my doctor brought in the pitocin but decided to check me again and I was at 9cm so she wanted me to start pushing.

I pushed once and my doctor looked at Ben and asked if he wanted to help. He got all decked out in gloves and a gown and he sat on the stool between my legs. The doctor stood next to him but Ben delivered the baby. He coached me, helped her come out, caught her and then gave her to me. (I did not put  those pictures on here for good reasons). It was such a neat experience for him. It took just a few pushes and I got to watch part of it all in a mirror (which I never wanted to do with the other kids).

Violet was born at 9:45 pm on November 15th. She weighed 7lbs 11oz (same as I did). They said that she was 21.5 inches long but they were wrong because she was only 20.5 inches at her one month appointment. Her head does not look it but is 14.5 inches. The doctor was shocked and said it was one of the biggest she had seen. Yeah, Miller was 15 inches.

She has the sweetest little face!

The kids absolutely love her! Scarlett freaked out the first time she saw me nurse her but then the next time, she tried to help her and hold her head. They are always kissing on her and asking to hold her. Scarlett's new catch phrase is, "Hi baby ViiiiIIIII". The ending gets longer and more high pitched every time she says it. Miller is such a good helper and does anything he can to help her. As soon as she cries, Scarlett searches for her paci and starts shushing to her.

People always terrified me about having 3 kids and it is different, but not terrifying. I had a little anxiety at the beginning, like "what did I get myself in to" but that has passed. I just find it feels weird to have this two older kids that are very independent and then this little person who is so needy. I have a relationship with Miller and Scarlett because we interact with each other but poor Violet just does not have a full personality yet. The contrast between them feels so weird and I know it will pass as she gets older and interacts more but right now, it bugs me.

Besides that, we are doing great. She is a good sleeper and eater. We have a routine that we are getting into which makes me feel better. She is not great about being put down but sorry kid, you are the third kid and it has to happen. Sometimes she is a little difficult to get to sleep but nothing too bad. She is so happy when she is talked to. It is Miller's favorite thing to get her to make "a laughing face" aka, smile. We are just trying to enjoy every moment with this new tiny person.

I would like to say that I will blog more but the only reason that this one is happening is because Violet let me put her down earlier than she normally allows. I will try, but I doubt much will happen.

Pregnancy Update: 3rd Trimester

(I love this one because it was Halloween weekend and Miller looks like he is scared of my belly). 

I just wanted to post a pregnancy update for this baby girl because I have done so few. Everything has been going fine. I have been so sore and it just keeps getting worse but that is normal. The only thing different this time around was that I barely failed the 1hour glucose test so I had to do the 3hour test and passed it with flying colors. I am still annoyed by the whole thing but oh well.

Here is my normal survey from 36 weeks.

How far along: 36 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: I did not gain any weight from my last appointment so my total is 25 lbs.   

Maternity clothes: It is now cool enough to wear my fall clothes which I am excited about, but I am finding that everything is so snug. My bump is outgrowing my maternity clothes. I have my sprinkle tonight and I am wearing the same dress that I wore to my last sprinkle and my shower for Miller. I am just wearing it differently.

Stretch marks: Just all the old ones.  

Sleep: I had some great nights of sleep this week. I still want more sleep but at least it was good quality sleep.   

Best moment this week: Miller’s party was a success and now it is just Halloween stuff and a few odds and ends to complete. I managed to get some all my crafts done this week so I am feeling mostly successful.

Movement: This darn child apparently has too much room in there. She has been head down for months and at my appointment this week she was transverse. I am so freaked out now and doing everything I can to get her to go down. I think she tends to go back to being head down but I still feel some spinning. I have been doing some exercises that are supposed to help get her in the right position but now I feel like so much is up in the air. I want her to move so that I know she is okay but not too much.  

Food cravings:  I have hit a mental wall with meal planning. Either, it doesn’t sound good to me, we cant get the kids to eat it, we already made it and have it in the freezer downstairs, or Ben is allergic to something in it. This is so painful! I just wish it were affordable to get take out every night.

Food aversions: Anything that I have to cook.  

Gender: Girly!

Labor Signs: BH come and go. At my doctors appointment this week, my cervix is closed but really soft.

Belly Button in or out: I wonder what it would feel like for it to poke out. I will never know.  

What I miss: I miss feeling that we are not on a deadline. I love Halloween and really want to enjoy it but I feel like I am so stressed out about the baby coming that I am rushing through and not enjoying it.

What  I am looking forward to: While I will miss being pregnant, I am looking forward to getting through delivery. I am so worried about her position and I wish I could just know that everything will work out with that.      

Weekly Wisdom: I remember this feeling before but I feel like I have an expiration date of November 13^th and I am just sitting around anxiously waiting for it. In reality, it is great after baby comes and I am no longer stuck in this pregnant body but I can not get over the anxiety of the unexpected and nostalgia about missing being pregnant. However, with issues about her position this week, it makes me more anxious to get to the delivery and know  that I can have another smooth vaginal delivery.

Milestones: I reached a month away from our due date. It is so weird to think that she will be here in a matter of weeks now. 

Update from my appointment: She flipped head down again the next week but some point in the following week, she flipped again and was breech. Last week was really stressful because we had to discuss doing a version to flip her and inducing. I started redoing my exercises and this week she was head down again. My doctor is pretty sure that she has dropped and can not move again so we are just letting nature take its course. I am still pretty anxious but just trying to stay calm and will her to stay put and come out soon.  

Pregnancy #3 Update

So I am awful about blogging now, aren't I?!?!? In my defense, it has been the busiest year.

It all started with our trip to Disney last year, then our grandmothers getting sick and passing away around the holidays. This year, Ben has had a project back home in TN so we have gone up once a month for his meetings and this is on top of our other trips up there. In June we had back to back trips, one to the beach with my dad's side of the family and then a 14 hour car ride to Michigan with my mom's side of the family. Throw in a pregnancy and you have got one exhausted family.

This pregnancy has put me in major nesting mode. I think it mostly comes from the fact that we just bought our first house last year and I want to feel really settled here. Don't get me wrong, we have done some things over the past year but knowing that this baby is coming and my energy will be spent elsewhere, I want to get some things done now while I have the time. I have hung lots of pictures on the wall (which after years of renting is such a relief). We rearranged the basement so that I have a more functional craft space, and a guest room/nook and fixed up the bathroom. We painted and added molding to the kids bathroom (I love it!!!!). Of course I made the baby a nursery and finished up a few things in the kids rooms. I promise I will post about all of these, I just have a few last touches to finish up.

Obviously pregnancy posts have been missing. I have still been taking weekly pictures and keeping a journal but I have blanked on blogging. Here are some of the weekly pics. (I do not have a good starting picture because I did not find out until later this time then we kept forgetting to take a weekly picture).

The journal entries are more or less the same as before. The only difference with this pregnancy and the other two is that it is so much harder. I remember when I was pregnant with Scarlett, my doctor told me that the third, and subsequent pregnancies are harder than the first two. I figured that she had to be wrong because why the third but not the second? Well she was right. My muscles and joints are so much looser and sore. I can sit in the most comfortable position and I am still sore when I get up. I get cramps from the slightest movements.

I was in love with being pregnant with Miller. With Scarlett, I was so grateful to get to experience it again. This time, I am so distracted by the kids, trips and nesting, on top of being sore, achy and tired, that the miracle and magic that I once found in pregnancy, is mostly lost on me this time. A few weeks ago, for the first time ever, I was sick and tired of being pregnant. Now I am starting to feel sad that I am entering my last trimester. I just want to feel that enjoyment again, at least for the next 3 months.

I am going to try to enjoy the next couple of months, even though they are busy too. We have a two more trips but after that we have a few months at home. Miller is starting at a mothers day out program and soccer. Then October is busy with lots of Halloween events and Miller's birthday. I will try to be better about posting updates and about projects that we have been doing. I am not making any promises though.

It's a .....(Gender Reveal)

With Miller and Scarlett, I was so anxious to find out the gender that we did not really do anything special to celebrate it. We found out at the anatomy scan and then started calling family.

This time around, I really wanted to find out with the kids. I wanted to do something special since we had not before and because this is our third baby and I want them to know that we did something special for them that we did not do for the other two.

With the first two, we both knew what the babies were before our anatomy scan. We just had a really strong feeling. This time around was no exception. We both thought it was a girl and it did not help that Miller swore that it was too. We tried to tell him that it might be a boy and he would not budge that it was a girl. 

I was really nervous because I really wanted it to be a girl. It was not that a boy would not be great, I just wanted to be right.

This is my genuine surprise that it was pink to come out of the box. I was so excited that I started to tear up.

I was trying to get the kids to understand. I had been practicing with Miller for days what it meant when we would see pink or blue balloons.

It looks like Scarlett is upset to get a baby sister but really she just wanted to run down the driveway and was mad about us putting her in the box. They were really more excited about the balloons than anything.

Something else new this time is that they have a blood test out now that can tell the gender of the baby as early as 10 weeks with a 99% certainty. We decided to do it and actually found out when I was about 15 weeks along (this is when the pictures were taken). We had our anatomy scan and even though the blood test is pretty certain, I was still relieved to see her little girl parts at the ultrasound.

We already have a name picked out (actually we have had it picked out for years) but are still working on a middle name. This is so unlike us to not have a middle name but I have two names that I am just sitting on and seeing how I feel about each one.

Here we go again

This is pretty self explanatory and if we are friends on facebook, you already saw this news.

Getting pregnant for us does not feel as easy and as much of a sure thing as it is for some people. (Warning, mention of girly things) I have really irregular cycles that can just make things so unpredictable. With Miller, we tried for about a year with no cycle and finally two days before an appointment with a fertility specialist, my body decided to work and I got pregnant with our monkey boy. With Scarlett, once my cycle returned, which was a while because of breastfeeding, it took 3 cycles in 4 months to get pregnant with her. This time around, I got my cycle back around the same time as before,and we got pregnant in the first cycle within a month and a half.

While we were trying, I was still shocked that it happened that quickly. Honestly, after that year we had of trying to get pregnant with Miller, I am just sooooo grateful to able to have all of these babies. Sometimes I slip back in my memories from that year and I can not believe where I am now.

Kind of funny how we found out. With Miller and Scarlett, I thought I was pregnant so I was chomping at the bit to take a pregnancy test. This time, I also thought I was pregnant but I was nervous to get my hopes up. I had my annual GYN appointment and told my doctor this. She convinced me to take a test there and I was so bummed when it came back negative. I said I would not be upset but I totally was. I decided to just not think about getting pregnant and focus on other things. A week later, I started having some nausea one day but I knew better than to get into that mindset. However, it persisted. I could see Ben giving me the side eye like "are you going to say it on am I". Finally after a week and a half of nausea, I could not deny it and I had to test. With Miller, I found out I was pregnant when I was 11dpo (days past ovulation), Scarlett was 13dpo and this baby was 33dpo. 

Scarlett has seen my ultrasounds pictures and points to my belly when we ask where the baby is. Miller totally gets it this time around. He has watched his and Scarlett's birth videos and keeps telling me that I will "squeeze out the baby". He is so excited about another baby and from the beginning, he has sworn that it is a girl. He refuses to believe anything else. Full disclosure here, we had the Harmony blood test done and actually already know the gender but are waiting to share it until after we tell some family in person.

Wish us luck as we prepare to be outnumbered!

Scarlett's Birth Story

So I have been noticeably absent from the blog for a few weeks now. I am sure you can guess why.

Miss Scarlett June made her arrival on December 13th at 3:29AM. 

It has been a crazy few weeks. Scarlett had jaundice that had us spending some extra time in the hospital. After that, we were only home for 5 days before we left for Christmas in TN. Then when we got to TN, every day was spent getting ready for the holidays, holiday activities, getting ready for her baptism, having her baptism and party, and visiting with family. Not to mention that everything that has happened since going into labor was somehow complicated and took about 10 times more time and energy than it should (lots of long stories that you do not want to hear). 

Anyways, I wanted to share her birth story. It is the abbreviated version since the one that I wrote out was 8 pages long, but it is still pretty long.

On Thursday, December 12th, my due date, I woke up at 9:00AM to Miller talking over  the monitor. I rolled out of bed and went in his room to get him. As I was walking out, I felt something on my leg and looked down. There was a trickle of water and I realized that I was soaked. It was not a gush so I was not convinced it was my water. Mom and I started to get ready and pack up for the hospital. I called my doctor and they wanted me to go to the hospital to get checked out. We dropped Miller off at my friend Lindsey's house and met Ben at the hospital at 12:30. 

We waited for an hour and 45 minutes and we were so confused as to why they could not just triage me quickly. We just wanted  to see if my water had in fact broken. They finally took me back to a room, hooked me up to the monitors and it was like they were admitting me. I finally asked and they said they do not really have a triage and this is how they do things. We thought it was strange. They did two tests that said that my water did not break but that still left the question, what was that leaking. I was still only dilated 2cm, which I had been for weeks. I felt like after everything we had been through to get there, I was being pushed to just go ahead and be induced and I really did not want to be.

Hooked up to the monitors and IV.

They called my doctor and she recommended that I walk the hallways to see if that might help things along. Ben and I walked for 45 minutes and all the nurses said they were surprised how speedy we were. They hooked me back up to the monitors and my contractions started coming every 5-7 minutes, which was the most regular they had ever been between either of the kids. We went back walking again and they started coming every 3.5-4 minutes. They hooked me back up to the monitors and my contractions practically stopped. I was so frustrated and kept crying because I did not know what to do. I really just wanted a sign that I was in labor and needed to stay there. 

Around 6, my doctor came in and checked me. I was shocked when she told me that I was dilated 4cm. She also said that my water was bulging. She was afraid to send us home in rush hour because she was pretty sure that I would be back soon. That was what I needed to hear. I had gone from 2 to 4cm in just a couple of hours. As for the leaking, she confirmed what mom tried  to tell me and that I had a high leak.  My water broke but then the membrane had covered my cervix back up. I needed to stay and have this baby. Especially since I test GBS positive and needed two rounds of antibiotics.

Things continued to move slowly. At 8PM, she broke my water. At 9:30PM we started pitocin. At some point we facetimed with Miller who was staying with Heather, Steve, Isla and Ruby. That was our first night apart and it broke my heart but I knew he was in great hands. My contractions started coming 1-2 minutes apart and I was having trouble breathing through them. I was about 6cm and got my epidural at 11PM. At the same time, my dad and stepmom got there. I tried to sleep at that point but just could not. I started being able to feel the contractions again but not the pain, just pressure. Then the pressure got to be so intense, it was hard to breath through again. I told the nurse and she checked me at 2:30AM and I was 9cm. 

 Everyone waiting on the baby. 

 Trying to sleep.

At 3AM, it was even more intense and hurting so much so the nurse came in to check me. Her face went blank and she said, "Don't push". They called my doctor and she was there within 15 minutes. I started pushing at 3:20AM. Ben was on my left, mom was on my right, Bobbie was taking pictures and dad was up in the corner on my right. With the first push, Ben and mom said they saw her head. With the second push her head was partially out so I sat up to feel it. The third push her head was almost out so I felt again. It was all squishy which was not what I expected. The fourth push, her head was out and I was trying to get out her shoulders. The doctor had to rotate her a bit but with the fifth push she came out. Not that it can be helped but my goal was under 10 minutes of pushing and this was 5 pushes in 9 minutes. She was born at 3:29AM. 

This was while I was pushing (I am sparing you all those pictures).

 Her first appearance.

 

Finally crying. Daddy is cutting the cord.

 

First time holding my baby girl.

 

Daddy keeping a close watch on his little girl

 

So relieved to be done. Now I could eat! 

 Scarlett with Dr. Sun

 

Getting her first bath. 

 

Ben caught me asleep while she was getting her bath. I literally could not keep my eyes open. 

I love my baby girl!

I sat up and watched as they suctioned her because she did not cry right away and Ben cut the cord. Then I got to hold her while they wiped her down. I was exhausted but I was so happy that she was here. I will admit, I had some major anxiety about having her here with us and was so scared of her and everything that was going to change, but she is not scary at all and she is such a good baby. I am so happy with my two babies that even with all the frustrating things that happened the past few weeks, they make me sooooo happy.

Miller is absolutely in love with her. I know that most moms of two say that but I am serious, this boy is in love with his sister. When he wakes up in the morning or from nap, she is the first thing he asks for. If she is crying, he runs to make sure she is okay. He is always covering her up to make sure she stays warm or trying to give her her paci. When I am nursing her, he comes to supervise. He rubs her head and says, "soft". I could not have asked for a better transition.

I am going to post more pictures and the stories from our hospital stay and first few days.