Pictures

As requested, here are a few pictures. I will upload the rest on facebook, so I hope we are friends on facebook! :) 

First cry

As close as I could get on the operating table.

My first time holding her. 

I just love her so much!

Proud daddy!

Our little family

Sweet Caroline

Mommy and Caroline

So CUTE!

Daddy loves his little girl...

Finally home

Cutie pie

Welcome to the World Caroline

We're home, finally! We are doing great! It's amazing how fast I am healing this time...a baby really helps! They didn't want me to leave until Saturday, but I begged them to let me go so I could sleep in my comfy bed! 

I guess I will tell you how it all went. 

Tom and I showed up to the hospital at 10:30 to check in. I was scheduled for 12 noon. When I got to labor and delivery there was another lady whose uterus had ruptured so of course she got to go before me. They left me waiting watching Home Improvement on a stretcher while Tom was outside in the waiting room. It was probably the scariest and most nerve racking 4 1/2 hours of my life! Finally at about 3:30 they hooked me up to an iv and catheter, and wheeled me to the recovery room to wait for another 1/2 hour. All of the sudden they come and tell me it's my turn! Ahh! So scary. They wheeled me to the operating room where they gave me an epidural. Again, I was so scared wishing Tom could be there. Once it was clear the epidural was working they strapped me to the table, put oxygen on, a sheet to cover so I couldn't see...and they finally brought me Tom! 

I laid there just feeling a little tugging, but no pain at all...then all of the sudden at 4:14 pm I hear a little cry! It was so amazing! I will never forget that cry. After she was out, the hardest part was that I couldn't hold her. I watched for a while and then they brought her to me to take a couple pictures next to my head. All I could do was cry and kiss her. They whisked her away soon after and Tom followed. I went to recovery until I could feel my legs again and lift my body....about 2 hours later I finally got a room and got to hold my baby girl--so amazing! The past 3 days have been great! Breast feedings been hard, and loosing sleep, but it's all worth it for my sweet Caroline. : )

AHHHH!

Wow, I can't believe Caroline will be here tomorrow! I'm so excited, but so nervous too. I just can't wait to hold my baby girl! It seems like I have been waiting FOREVER for her! 

I finally got most everything done. I got my blood work done this morning, I successfully switched insurance companies (after the stupid lady made me cry because she was so RUDE!), found Caroline a pediatrician, finished up the laundry and cleaned the house. Now time to RELAX since I have less than 24 hrs. to do this! Ahhhh! 

Oh, and ya'll are going to have to wait until I am home from the hospital for pictures because my laptop that is less than 1 mo. old decided to get a virus! grrrr

July 28th!

Well, the big day will be July 28th. I'm scheduled for a c-section at 12 noon. I can't wait...just one more week. 

I haven't been doing too much lately. I get tired standing up or walking for a long time. I can't sleep very well.  My feet and hands get swollen from the heat and humidity...but, I'm doing good! I'm just trying to get everything organized before next week. 

Here are some pictures. Tom and I have been enjoying the beach and we caught the sunset the other night. :) 

The picture in my header was taken a year ago...in the same shorts, different shirt...wow, I've gotten big!




Tom got stuck taking the picture cause he has longer arms : )

External Version

So I went to have the external version done. It wasn't quite what I expected. 

I went to labor and delivery just like they told me to...but apparently I was supposed to get checked in at the ER first. I had to go all the way back downstairs. Tom and I went down and registered and then went back up to labor and delivery and they wouldn't let Tom in :( 

They did an ultrasound to make sure Caroline was still breech (she was), did NST, and gave me an IV. The IV I was not expecting and was not so happy about...especially since blood started squirting everywhere. They told me it happens all the time. Ya...I've had at least 10 IV's in the past few years and that's NEVER happened!

Finally after an hour they took me to another room to do the procedure. I also wasn't expecting to have to get a shot. They gave me a shot of terbutaline to relax my uterus. It made me really shaky and my heart beat fast. It was a weird feeling. They finally let Tom come in when they were about to start. Let me tell you...it hurt REALLY bad and I was glad to have him there to help me through it...even if it was hard for him to watch. I have an anterior placenta (the placenta is in front of the baby) so this made it a bit more difficult...well, so difficult that they couldn't do it! He tried for what seemed like forever (10 min.) and she just wouldn't budge. About half way through I was wishing I never did the procedure and had just opted for the c-section. It hurt me, but I also felt like it was hurting the baby. 

After the doctor gave up I was very relieved, but sad that I will have to have a c-section. I know it will probably be easier to have a c-section, but I just wanted to experience labor and birth the "normal" way. They did NST again to make sure Caroline was ok. She was fine. 

My doctor is leaving the country tomorrow and not coming back till August 5th so I am meeting with a new doctor on Monday. I've already met her when I had my ectopic pregnancy and she was very nice. The c-section will be scheduled sometime during the next 2 weeks...probably July 29th since my sister Kim is flying in on July 28th. 

I guess it's a relief to know when she will come...but I'm still a bit nervous and unsure of what this is going to be like. Any advice? 

Oh, and we decided we are going to save the cord blood. Has anyone else done this and know which company  is best? I need to call in the next couple days. 

37 Weeks...21 days to go!

I'm now 37 weeks! As far as I'm concerned she can come right now! Only 3 weeks till my official due date :) 

She is still breech. Stubborn little girl. Tomorrow morning, bright and early, my doctor is going to attempt to turn her. He doesn't seem like he thinks it will work because of the way my placenta is...but I still want to try. So, if it works, we will just wait for her to decide to come...if not, I will have a c-section somewhere towards the end of the month. I'm not supposed to eat anything after midnight just in case they have to do the c-section tomorrow. There is a possibility that my water could break when he is turning her or she could get upset. It's kinda scary going not knowing if I will have her tomorrow or not. I'll let you know how it goes. 

I've been watching A Baby Story on TLC every day. I feel like it's preparing me for what's about to happen...if it's possible to be prepared for something like this. I watch it and I'm always so scared and think..."I don't want to do this", but then when they baby cries and they hand him/her to mom and dad I cry and get so excited to hold my little girl. I  know I'm going to be a big cry baby when she comes because I cry when complete strangers have babies. 

This whole pregnancy has been great. I always hear pregnant women complaining...but other than throwing up every day for 7 weeks strait in the beginning it has been quite nice. I enjoy feeling her move and get the hiccups. This is definitely something I plan to do many times over. 

I'll keep you posted!

Baby Shower!

Thank you to everyone for the great gifts and especially to Maryann (Tom's mom) who threw the shower for me. I had a lot of fun and got lots of great stuff for my baby girl. She is going to be even more spoiled then her mother...never thought that was possible. 

Julie made this awesome cake! She's a pro!


My sister in-law Denise and I


Cathie & Dad!


My friends, Jenielle, Julie, and Rebecca


My friend Rebecca and her cute daughter Natalie


Opening gifts...


me and my cute husband


Carolines got everything a girl could need (and this isn't even everything) ... but yet I still always find something to buy at the store. :)

SURPRISE!!!

Dad and Cathie came all the way from New Mexico and surprised me for my baby shower. It was great seeing them and I am so happy they came! I was sitting on the couch at church when my dad walked up behind me and asked where Tom was. Surprise! It was great.

Sunday we had my shower and Monday we did some shopping and went to the beach. They brought the sunshine with them...it's been raining almost every day for the past month of more. When they came it went away and now that they are gone it's pouring again! Thanks for the little bit of sunshine Dad and Cathie! :) 

Dad and Cathie- I love this picture of them.