Raegan Hope Mason was born on Wednesday, July 6th at 8:37 a.m. She weighed 7 pounds, 3 ounces and was 19 3/4 inches long. Here's how things went down:
We checked in to the hospital at 6 a.m. and I was taken to my "holding" room where they prepped me for the c-section. I had a great (male) nurse, Jason, who made me laugh a lot. Until he tried to do an IV and I almost passed out because he collapsed my vein and then he didn't seem so funny anymore. He called a Paula Deen lookalike to try again on the other arm. She was not successful either. At this point, I'm thinking they better get it right or I'm going to go home. So they called anesthesia up and the nurse anesthesist got the IV in on the first try. Her name was Misty Dawn, she was teeny tiny and absolutely PERFECT for my anxiety ridden self.
After the IV was in, I got to drink alka seltzer and then they wheeled me into the OR. It was FREEZING in there. Misty and a student inserted my spinal block - didn't hurt at all - and pretty soon I was numb from the chest down. Dr. Andrews came in and got things going. Misty talked to me the whole time - just idle chit chat - and really kept my mind off of what was going on. Which I loved because during Kendall's birth I had a huge panic attack and was scared to death. I felt the oddest pulling and tugging (not pain) while he was getting Rae out - truly the weirdest feeling. And then she was here!!
She only let out a teeny cry and I was immediately nervous. The showed her to me real quick and then all of the sudden there were like 5 people working around her. Turns out that she wasn't breathing very well. Her Apgar score was a 6 at 1 minute and a 8 at 5 minutes...off to the special care nursery she went. I was taken back to recovery and James went with Raegan. They got me settled and I started freaking out a little because no one was telling me what was going on.
Finally the doctor came out and explained to me that Raegan was having trouble breathing due to some extra fluid, that she'd been sunctioned and been on oxygen and would have to stay in the special care nursery for a while. I tried not to freak out and sent James back with her while they got me settled in my room.
I ended up having a visit from the doctor a little later and they had decided Raegan needed to be started on IV antibiotics because her respirations were too fast, which is a sign of infection in a newborn. Rather than wait around for the blood culture (which takes a while to show anything), they opt to go ahead and start babies on the antibiotics. This means a mandatory 48 hours stay in the special care nursery. I lost it at this point. I still hadn't held her because I wasn't walking yet. Luckily a few hours later, I was able to get out of bed and go meet my sweet girl. It was pitiful - her little IV and other monitors. But she was being a trooper.
The next day, I was able to get up and walk around, so I spent lots of time back with Raegan - feeding her and spending time with her. Friday we got the news that her culture came back normal (praise the Lord), her respirations were fine and she was released to our room! We are so relieved! We ended up being discharged on Saturday morning and we got settled in at home quickly. Kendall is a champ with Raegan - very loving, asking to hold her and help with diapers and bottles. It's very sweet.
We go to the doctor on Thursday for a weight check. Hopefully she'll have gained some weight.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Monday, July 4, 2011
Kendall words
Kendall has a truly fabulous vocabulary, but she still mispronounces some words and I absolutely refuse to correct her because it's precious:
- Bathing Soup for bathing suit ("let's go put our bathing soups on")
- Assert for dessert ("can I have some assert")
- Recide for decide ("I haven't recided yet")
- Sunscream for sunscreen
- Extra duper pretty please - when she is trying to be persuasive
- Posquito for mosquito, which she thinks suncream protects you from ("you need to put on some sunscream so you don't get a posquito bite")
- Extra duper pretty please (when regular ole please won't get the job done)
- See-curt for secret ("mommy that was supposed to be a seecurrrtt")
- Pa corn for popcorn - which is her all time favorite snack...she eats at least one mini bag of microwave popcorn every single day
- Pocket purse for pocketbook
- Macaroni for pepperoni
- Bathing Soup for bathing suit ("let's go put our bathing soups on")
- Assert for dessert ("can I have some assert")
- Recide for decide ("I haven't recided yet")
- Sunscream for sunscreen
- Extra duper pretty please - when she is trying to be persuasive
- Posquito for mosquito, which she thinks suncream protects you from ("you need to put on some sunscream so you don't get a posquito bite")
- Extra duper pretty please (when regular ole please won't get the job done)
- See-curt for secret ("mommy that was supposed to be a seecurrrtt")
- Pa corn for popcorn - which is her all time favorite snack...she eats at least one mini bag of microwave popcorn every single day
- Pocket purse for pocketbook
- Macaroni for pepperoni
Monday, June 6, 2011
35 weeks - 1 month to go!!
•How Far Along: 35 Weeks
•Size of baby: Large canteloupe (19 to 22 inches, 5.5 lbs)
•Total Weight Gain/Loss: Around 5 pounds (since I lost some when I went on the restricted diet
•Maternity Clothes: Making it work...I'd prefer to walk around in an oversized t shirt and bedroom shoes 24-7, but alas that's not gonna happen.
•Gender: GIRL! Raegan Hope Mason
•Movement: She hasn't been kicking quite as hard lately, which I read is normal. She's still active, just not hurting me like she was a few weeks ago.
•Sleep: Sigh. I really don't want to complain, but I AM NOT sleeping very well. Potty breaks shouldn't come at 1am. And 2:30 am. And 3:45 am....
•What I miss: Sushi, sleeping on my belly, sugar
•Cravings: Fruit and ice
•Symptoms: I'm in the home stretch and not very comfortable. The heat ain't no joke.
•Best Moment this week: Having pregnancy pictures taken. Although if they didn't turn out very well, this may not be a good moment.
•Size of baby: Large canteloupe (19 to 22 inches, 5.5 lbs)
•Total Weight Gain/Loss: Around 5 pounds (since I lost some when I went on the restricted diet
•Maternity Clothes: Making it work...I'd prefer to walk around in an oversized t shirt and bedroom shoes 24-7, but alas that's not gonna happen.
•Gender: GIRL! Raegan Hope Mason
•Movement: She hasn't been kicking quite as hard lately, which I read is normal. She's still active, just not hurting me like she was a few weeks ago.
•Sleep: Sigh. I really don't want to complain, but I AM NOT sleeping very well. Potty breaks shouldn't come at 1am. And 2:30 am. And 3:45 am....
•What I miss: Sushi, sleeping on my belly, sugar
•Cravings: Fruit and ice
•Symptoms: I'm in the home stretch and not very comfortable. The heat ain't no joke.
•Best Moment this week: Having pregnancy pictures taken. Although if they didn't turn out very well, this may not be a good moment.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Too early to feel this done...
Two weeks ago, someone asked me "so are you ready to have the baby yet". As in have you gotten to that point where you are just DONE with being pregnant. Two weeks ago, I smiled sweetly, rubbed my belly and said - "No I feel great". Yeah - two weeks can make a big difference. It's 145 degrees outside, I pee CONSTANTLY, I'm puffy at the end of each day and I'm bored to tears at work because the person that I'm training to take over for me while I'm gone was brought in a month too early and now he does my job while I surf Ebay for nursery items. I'm DONE.
Unfortunately, I have a little over 4 weeks of work to go. I don't think I'd feel nearly as irritated with pregnancy if I was at home with Kendall, puttering around the house and visiting the pool every day. But somehow sitting here at work, doing NOTHING, makes me feel more pregnant than I am. Sigh.
Unfortunately, I have a little over 4 weeks of work to go. I don't think I'd feel nearly as irritated with pregnancy if I was at home with Kendall, puttering around the house and visiting the pool every day. But somehow sitting here at work, doing NOTHING, makes me feel more pregnant than I am. Sigh.
Monday, May 16, 2011
32 weeks
How Far Along: 32 weeks
Size of baby: Head of lettuce (where they get these veggie comparisons is beyond me) - 19 in, 3.9 pounds
Total Weight Gain/Loss: I'm at a 2 pound gain as of my last visit, thanks to the 8 pounds I've lost since I've been on the diabetic diet. This happened with Kendall too, so I'm not concerned.
Maternity Clothes: Was just blessed yesterday with a huge bag of summer maternity clothes! So happy!
Gender: GIRL! Raegan Hope Mason.
Movement: She's a mover and a shaker - get to start counting kicks this week.
Sleep: Boo - I'm using the bathroom several times a night and just getting to that uncomfortable stage.
What I miss: Sleeping on my belly.
Cravings: Doesn't matter if I crave it - I probably can't have it. LOL
Symptoms: Starting to slow down a little...definitely waddling when I walk.
Best Moment this week: Kendall talking to my belly every day...she's so excited! Oh, and Raegan's bedroom stuff came last week - it's Lollipop Jungle by Lambs & Ivy and it's PRECIOUS!
Size of baby: Head of lettuce (where they get these veggie comparisons is beyond me) - 19 in, 3.9 pounds
Total Weight Gain/Loss: I'm at a 2 pound gain as of my last visit, thanks to the 8 pounds I've lost since I've been on the diabetic diet. This happened with Kendall too, so I'm not concerned.
Maternity Clothes: Was just blessed yesterday with a huge bag of summer maternity clothes! So happy!
Gender: GIRL! Raegan Hope Mason.
Movement: She's a mover and a shaker - get to start counting kicks this week.
Sleep: Boo - I'm using the bathroom several times a night and just getting to that uncomfortable stage.
What I miss: Sleeping on my belly.
Cravings: Doesn't matter if I crave it - I probably can't have it. LOL
Symptoms: Starting to slow down a little...definitely waddling when I walk.
Best Moment this week: Kendall talking to my belly every day...she's so excited! Oh, and Raegan's bedroom stuff came last week - it's Lollipop Jungle by Lambs & Ivy and it's PRECIOUS!
Monday, May 2, 2011
Proportionate
That's the beautiful word that the doctor used to describe my sweet girl after our follow-up ultrasound last week...her head is now proportionate to her body. I was speechless. I was hoping for Raegan's head to have stayed on the same growth curve. I was hoping that they'd tell me that even though her head was still small, we still weren't in the microcephely range. But God blew me out of the water. Not only did her head grow, but it caught up...I am amazed. I am so grateful for God seeing fit to continue to grow Raegan and I just pray that James and I will be good parents to her and Kendall. That we'd guide her to know Him and praise Him and honor Him with their lives. And I pray that we will show our children how to trust in Him - even when times are tough or even when the doctor's news isn't positive or whatever life throws our way. I want them to see steadfast faith in us in all situations.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Kendall Catchup
I'm experiencing mommy guilt because I haven't written anything about my KBug in a while. She is truly the coolest kid on the planet, hands down. I love hanging with her - she keeps me laughing all the time. Some things she's got going on:
- She goes to preschool at Grove Park Chapel 2 mornings a week. Next year she'll go 3 mornings a week. She really seems to like it, even though Lilly put sand in her hair on the playground yesterday. This unfortunate event brought us to a family discussion about what to do when people put sand in your hair (because that happens often in life, I suppose). My grand advice was to say "Please stop putting sand in my hair" and then if she does it again to tell Mrs. Denise (to which Kendall exclaimed - "That's what I did!!") James' advice was "Don't push her or hit her". Um - thanks James - bringing up violence when that was the furthest thing from her mind. Nice.
Anyway - the school is great. My 3 year old can recite the fruit of the Spirit...unbelieveable.
- She goes to dance class one afternoon (well, one 30 minutes) a week. I was extremely proud to peek in yesterday (thereby ignoring the sign that asks parents not to stand in front of the door) and saw that my kid was the only one in 1st position. Of course visions of glitter, hair spray and a red and white cowgirl dance costume filled my head. Wait - the red and white cowgirl dance costume was mine when I was a kid...unfortunate choice, Mrs. Ann, unfortunate choice.
I say all that to say that she really likes it, but if she decides that she wants to try something besides dance, I'm all for it. I just want her active and involved in something - be that dancing (no pressure, Kendall - your mom just did it for 10 years and has spent the last 15 seriously regretting not keeping up with it) or T-Ball.
- She loves her baby sister. Right now, at least. She likes giving my belly a zerbert. She always says "Hi Raegan, it's me - Kendall" when she speaks to my belly. She says that she's not going to let Raegan to dangerous things like walk without holding our hand. Oh, and she said that if Raegan says "stupid" she'll give her a spanking. Niiice.
- Other things that Kendall likes right now in no particular order: chicken, Good Luck Charlie, the new version of the ABC song that Hooked on Phonics is teaching us, playing outside, bubbles, caterpillars, movies, Berenstein Bear books, baby/Barbie dolls, balloons, slushies, playing ball of any sort, her tricycle, rubbing lotion on Daddy's back (like how he taught her that one, huh?), snuggle bunny every night, finding the moon in the sky, the beach, bars of soap, paint (and tasting paint), Play-Doh, her friends (specifically Beccy, Charis, Jackson), her grandparents and aunts, swinging, our inside jokes (I'll ask her how much she loves me and she holds up her hands to show a teeny weeny bit or "put that away" when I hold out my hand to get a handshake - which we saw on the Tooth Fairy and she thought was hysterical), knowing what's next on the agenda ("what we do after this, Mommy?")
Things Kendall does not like right now: bedtime in her room, monsters, any bug besides a caterpillar or ladybug, mornings (although that is getting better since we've started a chart of things she's responsible for complete with stickers and a prize box), being forced to speak to people when she doesn't want to, cheeseburgers (she only likes hamburgers), milk, having her ears cleaned, Daddy brushing her hair ("he not gentle"), the vaccuum cleaner, skinned knees, ice packs on skinned knees, getting out of the bath ("I stay til water goes out"), discipline (who does?).
God, thank you for Kendall Anne Mason. She is the light of my life.
- She goes to preschool at Grove Park Chapel 2 mornings a week. Next year she'll go 3 mornings a week. She really seems to like it, even though Lilly put sand in her hair on the playground yesterday. This unfortunate event brought us to a family discussion about what to do when people put sand in your hair (because that happens often in life, I suppose). My grand advice was to say "Please stop putting sand in my hair" and then if she does it again to tell Mrs. Denise (to which Kendall exclaimed - "That's what I did!!") James' advice was "Don't push her or hit her". Um - thanks James - bringing up violence when that was the furthest thing from her mind. Nice.
Anyway - the school is great. My 3 year old can recite the fruit of the Spirit...unbelieveable.
- She goes to dance class one afternoon (well, one 30 minutes) a week. I was extremely proud to peek in yesterday (thereby ignoring the sign that asks parents not to stand in front of the door) and saw that my kid was the only one in 1st position. Of course visions of glitter, hair spray and a red and white cowgirl dance costume filled my head. Wait - the red and white cowgirl dance costume was mine when I was a kid...unfortunate choice, Mrs. Ann, unfortunate choice.
I say all that to say that she really likes it, but if she decides that she wants to try something besides dance, I'm all for it. I just want her active and involved in something - be that dancing (no pressure, Kendall - your mom just did it for 10 years and has spent the last 15 seriously regretting not keeping up with it) or T-Ball.
- She loves her baby sister. Right now, at least. She likes giving my belly a zerbert. She always says "Hi Raegan, it's me - Kendall" when she speaks to my belly. She says that she's not going to let Raegan to dangerous things like walk without holding our hand. Oh, and she said that if Raegan says "stupid" she'll give her a spanking. Niiice.
- Other things that Kendall likes right now in no particular order: chicken, Good Luck Charlie, the new version of the ABC song that Hooked on Phonics is teaching us, playing outside, bubbles, caterpillars, movies, Berenstein Bear books, baby/Barbie dolls, balloons, slushies, playing ball of any sort, her tricycle, rubbing lotion on Daddy's back (like how he taught her that one, huh?), snuggle bunny every night, finding the moon in the sky, the beach, bars of soap, paint (and tasting paint), Play-Doh, her friends (specifically Beccy, Charis, Jackson), her grandparents and aunts, swinging, our inside jokes (I'll ask her how much she loves me and she holds up her hands to show a teeny weeny bit or "put that away" when I hold out my hand to get a handshake - which we saw on the Tooth Fairy and she thought was hysterical), knowing what's next on the agenda ("what we do after this, Mommy?")
Things Kendall does not like right now: bedtime in her room, monsters, any bug besides a caterpillar or ladybug, mornings (although that is getting better since we've started a chart of things she's responsible for complete with stickers and a prize box), being forced to speak to people when she doesn't want to, cheeseburgers (she only likes hamburgers), milk, having her ears cleaned, Daddy brushing her hair ("he not gentle"), the vaccuum cleaner, skinned knees, ice packs on skinned knees, getting out of the bath ("I stay til water goes out"), discipline (who does?).
God, thank you for Kendall Anne Mason. She is the light of my life.
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