Well the baby isn't really shrinking but he isn't gaining any weight which is just as scary to me. I have never encountered this problem with my other children so it is alarming. I am feeding him every 2-3 hours and he doesn't act like he's still hungry so I am confused about his lack of weight gain. Well very little weight gain anyway he was 8.1lbs when he was born, he was 7.6lbs when we went home 4 days later and at 2 weeks he was 7.5lbs! Yesterday when we had him weighed again he was up to 7.7lbs so that is an improvement but the question is if he can keep it on...We'll keep trying and hopefully he'll start catching up and get hefty soon.
I am surprised at how different things are this time around, having two older children does make things a little easier. The kids are very helpful so far, we just have to figure out how to keep the 10 year old off the baby, she wants to hold him all the time and you can't convince her that he isn't a doll!
Friday, January 8, 2010
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Baby Josiah
I haven't wrote a blog in so long I have enough to write 4 or 5 blogs! Well the biggest thing that has happened since I last posted is Josiah's birth. On December 19th after much anxiety and anticipation Josiah Charles Reeves joined our family by way of emergency c-section. I'll start with the night he was born and work from there so it makes sense...
Friday,December 18th I got ready for work at the hospital, expecting my shift to be one of my last before the baby arrived, but not realizing it would be the last. I was scheduled to work a 7pm-7am shift and it started out like any other Friday night at work. I had 5 patients and after introducing myself to all of them I got my medications ready for my 9pm med pass and got to work...I had a busy set of patients and one new admission so I was pretty busy. Around 9pm I went to the nurses station to sit down and chart a little bit, and look at orders when I noticed some low back pain and nausea that had been plaguing me all day. I mentioned it to my charge nurse and all the nurses on the floor decided that I needed to go to OB and get checked to be sure I wasn't in labor. I didn't feel like I was in labor and insisted that it was nothing. My charge nurse pulled rank and called our supervisor who also insisted I go get checked. So feeling like an idiot and not expecting anything at all to be going on I clocked out and went to OB where my whole night took an unexpected turn...
I let the nurses know what was going on and that I expected nothing out of the ordinary to be going on. I was working and it is a hard job and I was just more tired being 38 weeks pregnant than I normally am. So they took my clothes and gave me a gown and hooked me up to the monitors. Well at first I didn't notice anything abnormal but then they kept checking the monitors and eventually they brought in an ultra sound machine and while they were looking at the baby I noticed for the first time that something wasn't right with his heart. It was beating really fast and then one of the nurses explained that the baby was in SVT-now I am not a cardiac nurse but I know that isn't a good thing, it means that his heart was beating too fast. Josiah's heart rate had been running around 140 at all of my OB appointments and now was up to 240, this is not good for an unborn baby. So they called the on call doc and I called my husband to tell him he should probably come to the hospital now. All the while I am trying to remain calm so he doesn't realize how scared I am...so from there I got a catheter, and IV and very nearly broken heart as I waited to find out what would happen next.
Well being a nurse and knowing that the baby's heart was involved I automatically assumed they would want to do a c-section so that he wasn't under any further stress. I didn't realize yet that I would have to go to another hospital to do this but it would of course make sense to be at a hospital with a NICU as opposed to flying the baby after he was born...so the nurse gave me a heads up and I let the doc know that if I was leaving I wanted to go to St. Louis so the baby could go to Children's Hospital. Well they were busy with their own emergency and couldn't talk to my doctor so my next option was Columbia, where my friend Candice had just had her baby 5 days before. So since it was snowing and they could not fly us in the helicopter (thank you God) we got to ride to Columbia in an ambulance on a hard as rock stretcher with the lights and sirens blaring! What a ride, all the way to Columbia with no monitors at all on the baby!! let's just say God and I had a nice long chat on the way, and I made it without the panic attack that never felt farther than a breathe away taking over.
I arrived shortly before my husband, mother and best friend that drove like maniacs after us. Four doctors introduced themselves and accompanied by their own ultrasound machine began to exam my, still in distress, unborn baby. I would just like to say that I have never been so scared in my life, and must have offered myself in his place a thousands times in those few short hours. God being the gracious God that He is spared us both and after an unexpected surgery and enough panic for a lifetime my third child was born and whisked away to the NICU before I ever got more than a glimpse of him.
Nine very long and drugged hours later I finally got to meet the little guy that couldn't make an ordinary entrance. The doctors were pleased with his health and were unable to detect any defect in his heart. So weighing in at 8 pounds 1 oz and 21 inches long, Josiah Charles Reeves was born at 0301 in Columbia Regional Hospital.
I had never had surgery before and this being unexpected I wasn't quite prepared for the next few days and all the discomfort that accompanies a c-section. I made it though and I have a new respect for my patients! After 4 days in the hospital and learning that Percocet is my friend I got to go home with our new baby!
It has been pins and needles really, I am constantly checking to see if he is breathing and I am scared to let him sleep on his own, so 17 days in he is still sleeping on my chest because I am afraid to let him go. I know this is irrational but for today I am going to be irrational and keep him close enough to feel every breathe he takes.
Friday,December 18th I got ready for work at the hospital, expecting my shift to be one of my last before the baby arrived, but not realizing it would be the last. I was scheduled to work a 7pm-7am shift and it started out like any other Friday night at work. I had 5 patients and after introducing myself to all of them I got my medications ready for my 9pm med pass and got to work...I had a busy set of patients and one new admission so I was pretty busy. Around 9pm I went to the nurses station to sit down and chart a little bit, and look at orders when I noticed some low back pain and nausea that had been plaguing me all day. I mentioned it to my charge nurse and all the nurses on the floor decided that I needed to go to OB and get checked to be sure I wasn't in labor. I didn't feel like I was in labor and insisted that it was nothing. My charge nurse pulled rank and called our supervisor who also insisted I go get checked. So feeling like an idiot and not expecting anything at all to be going on I clocked out and went to OB where my whole night took an unexpected turn...
I let the nurses know what was going on and that I expected nothing out of the ordinary to be going on. I was working and it is a hard job and I was just more tired being 38 weeks pregnant than I normally am. So they took my clothes and gave me a gown and hooked me up to the monitors. Well at first I didn't notice anything abnormal but then they kept checking the monitors and eventually they brought in an ultra sound machine and while they were looking at the baby I noticed for the first time that something wasn't right with his heart. It was beating really fast and then one of the nurses explained that the baby was in SVT-now I am not a cardiac nurse but I know that isn't a good thing, it means that his heart was beating too fast. Josiah's heart rate had been running around 140 at all of my OB appointments and now was up to 240, this is not good for an unborn baby. So they called the on call doc and I called my husband to tell him he should probably come to the hospital now. All the while I am trying to remain calm so he doesn't realize how scared I am...so from there I got a catheter, and IV and very nearly broken heart as I waited to find out what would happen next.
Well being a nurse and knowing that the baby's heart was involved I automatically assumed they would want to do a c-section so that he wasn't under any further stress. I didn't realize yet that I would have to go to another hospital to do this but it would of course make sense to be at a hospital with a NICU as opposed to flying the baby after he was born...so the nurse gave me a heads up and I let the doc know that if I was leaving I wanted to go to St. Louis so the baby could go to Children's Hospital. Well they were busy with their own emergency and couldn't talk to my doctor so my next option was Columbia, where my friend Candice had just had her baby 5 days before. So since it was snowing and they could not fly us in the helicopter (thank you God) we got to ride to Columbia in an ambulance on a hard as rock stretcher with the lights and sirens blaring! What a ride, all the way to Columbia with no monitors at all on the baby!! let's just say God and I had a nice long chat on the way, and I made it without the panic attack that never felt farther than a breathe away taking over.
I arrived shortly before my husband, mother and best friend that drove like maniacs after us. Four doctors introduced themselves and accompanied by their own ultrasound machine began to exam my, still in distress, unborn baby. I would just like to say that I have never been so scared in my life, and must have offered myself in his place a thousands times in those few short hours. God being the gracious God that He is spared us both and after an unexpected surgery and enough panic for a lifetime my third child was born and whisked away to the NICU before I ever got more than a glimpse of him.
Nine very long and drugged hours later I finally got to meet the little guy that couldn't make an ordinary entrance. The doctors were pleased with his health and were unable to detect any defect in his heart. So weighing in at 8 pounds 1 oz and 21 inches long, Josiah Charles Reeves was born at 0301 in Columbia Regional Hospital.
I had never had surgery before and this being unexpected I wasn't quite prepared for the next few days and all the discomfort that accompanies a c-section. I made it though and I have a new respect for my patients! After 4 days in the hospital and learning that Percocet is my friend I got to go home with our new baby!
It has been pins and needles really, I am constantly checking to see if he is breathing and I am scared to let him sleep on his own, so 17 days in he is still sleeping on my chest because I am afraid to let him go. I know this is irrational but for today I am going to be irrational and keep him close enough to feel every breathe he takes.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Week 29
Josiah is awake and kicking me as often as possible today. He must be running out of room because I can feel him move above my belly button and at the bottom of my uterus at the same time! Only 11 weeks to go until his due date and I am really hoping that we don’t go the full 40 weeks. I have started noticing some Braxton Hicks contractions and I have also noticed that the baby gets wedged up against my diaphragm and I can’t breathe unless I stand up for a while and he moves back down.
On a more personal note I have once again outgrown my new bras and will have to make another trip to the maternity store for more nursing bras…these things are huge already I don’t think I will be able to hold myself up once my milk comes in!! The kids are really enjoying being able to feel the baby move now and last night Benjamin was amazed that Josiah kicked his hand off my belly when he was trying to feel him. I have washed the clothes that I have gathered for him and they are hanging in my closet just waiting…I am getting anxious at this point and I would like the next couple of months to go by quickly. I am sure once it is time for delivery I will be taking that back but for now I am done and ready to see this little guy. Oh and I have heard a couple of women have had babies that were supposed to be girls and turned out to be boys I pray that he really is a boy b/c I can’t handle any more unexpected surprises this year!!
On a more personal note I have once again outgrown my new bras and will have to make another trip to the maternity store for more nursing bras…these things are huge already I don’t think I will be able to hold myself up once my milk comes in!! The kids are really enjoying being able to feel the baby move now and last night Benjamin was amazed that Josiah kicked his hand off my belly when he was trying to feel him. I have washed the clothes that I have gathered for him and they are hanging in my closet just waiting…I am getting anxious at this point and I would like the next couple of months to go by quickly. I am sure once it is time for delivery I will be taking that back but for now I am done and ready to see this little guy. Oh and I have heard a couple of women have had babies that were supposed to be girls and turned out to be boys I pray that he really is a boy b/c I can’t handle any more unexpected surprises this year!!
Monday, October 12, 2009
Babies
Counting down the weeks and days until our newest child arrives. Our due date of January 1st puts us at 11 weeks and 4 days to go...now here's to hoping he comes a couple of weeks early!
I realized last week that I have done an awful lot of complaining and not nearly enough rejoicing that we are adding another child to our family. I have had my doubts and fears but I haven't spent nearly enough time on the joys and happiness that a new baby will bring. It is so easy to get wrapped up in the negative side of things and I am sorry that I have spent so much time complaining about being pregnant and I am going to try to spend these last couple of months enjoying it.
I have a hard time handing things over and letting God be in control of my life, I am trying to make an effort to let go and trust. I know that this works best and it is a daily and sometimes hourly struggle for me to do this, but I am going to try harder.
"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not disaster, to give you a future and a hope...If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me."
Jeremiah 29:11-13
I know that there is a greater plan for my life than what I can imagine and I pray today that I can let that plan take root and allow God to lead me where He plans and not stop Him from blessing me and my family.
I realized last week that I have done an awful lot of complaining and not nearly enough rejoicing that we are adding another child to our family. I have had my doubts and fears but I haven't spent nearly enough time on the joys and happiness that a new baby will bring. It is so easy to get wrapped up in the negative side of things and I am sorry that I have spent so much time complaining about being pregnant and I am going to try to spend these last couple of months enjoying it.
I have a hard time handing things over and letting God be in control of my life, I am trying to make an effort to let go and trust. I know that this works best and it is a daily and sometimes hourly struggle for me to do this, but I am going to try harder.
"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not disaster, to give you a future and a hope...If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me."
Jeremiah 29:11-13
I know that there is a greater plan for my life than what I can imagine and I pray today that I can let that plan take root and allow God to lead me where He plans and not stop Him from blessing me and my family.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Week 27-almost done!
Well I thought I might post an update on the pregnancy and how the baby is doing. So far things are looking great, he is growing like a weed for those of you that don't see me much I am once again huge and look like I swallowed a whole basketball!
The puking is better although I did have to throw up again yesterday out of the blue, otherwise it has been 3 weeks since the constant vomiting has ended. This makes me very happy! He is moving a lot more now, and I am trying to learn his schedule and hoping it doesn't change much once he is here b/c for now he is sleeping most of the night! I am very uncomfortable most of the time but I knew this wasn't going to be easy and I really am having a tubal after him, I don't want to be pregnant again....I am thankful for the blessing he is but 3 children is my limit and I am not a happy pregnant girl! I am tired of feeling like I am about to break in two and yes I know I still have over 3 months to go!!
Tylar is still convinced that we should have one more baby after Josiah so she can have a sister. I keep telling her no way, and even if we did she gets no guarantee that she would get a sister, so we're better of not taking the chance for 3 brothers!
I am slowly gathering all the things needed for another baby and I the procrastinator actually have his bed put together and made ahead of the delivery! I know it is shocking!! Several people have been asking what I need for him and really the necessaties are most important, you know like bath stuff, soap, lotion, towels, diapers, I think I am going to use the playtex bottles again so liners for them and oh I don't know just the every day stuff you use. I am just happy for everyone's support and offers to babysit!
I am going to go in November for a 3-D ultrasound so that should be fun, and I will let you all know if anything else important comes up. Thank you all so much for your support and prayers, now God willing he comes early and I don't have another 9.5lb baby!!
The puking is better although I did have to throw up again yesterday out of the blue, otherwise it has been 3 weeks since the constant vomiting has ended. This makes me very happy! He is moving a lot more now, and I am trying to learn his schedule and hoping it doesn't change much once he is here b/c for now he is sleeping most of the night! I am very uncomfortable most of the time but I knew this wasn't going to be easy and I really am having a tubal after him, I don't want to be pregnant again....I am thankful for the blessing he is but 3 children is my limit and I am not a happy pregnant girl! I am tired of feeling like I am about to break in two and yes I know I still have over 3 months to go!!
Tylar is still convinced that we should have one more baby after Josiah so she can have a sister. I keep telling her no way, and even if we did she gets no guarantee that she would get a sister, so we're better of not taking the chance for 3 brothers!
I am slowly gathering all the things needed for another baby and I the procrastinator actually have his bed put together and made ahead of the delivery! I know it is shocking!! Several people have been asking what I need for him and really the necessaties are most important, you know like bath stuff, soap, lotion, towels, diapers, I think I am going to use the playtex bottles again so liners for them and oh I don't know just the every day stuff you use. I am just happy for everyone's support and offers to babysit!
I am going to go in November for a 3-D ultrasound so that should be fun, and I will let you all know if anything else important comes up. Thank you all so much for your support and prayers, now God willing he comes early and I don't have another 9.5lb baby!!
Friday, September 11, 2009
Single or Married-which is it?
Does anyone else ever wonder if you're really married?? I am telling you sometimes my husbands attention is so focused elsewhere that I am not sure he remembers that he's married! He has these spells when he is so busy with fishing, hunting, softball, horseshoes, or whatever else it may be that week, that I can go days without having a real conversation with him....I think to myself surely I can't be the only one dealing with this??Right?
Of course then he'll turn around and be really attentive for a few days and make me feel like I have been over reacting for the entire week before when I only seen him for two minutes while he brushed his teeth in the morning. Maybe I expect too much from him? Nah I don't really think so, I am pretty sure he just get caught up in himself and forgets everyone else. He would deny it of course but I think I am right. He just has selfish tendencies that leave me and the kids out to fend for ourselves! Thank you Lord for making me headstrong and independent, I need the independence a lot more than I ever realized!
Of course then he'll turn around and be really attentive for a few days and make me feel like I have been over reacting for the entire week before when I only seen him for two minutes while he brushed his teeth in the morning. Maybe I expect too much from him? Nah I don't really think so, I am pretty sure he just get caught up in himself and forgets everyone else. He would deny it of course but I think I am right. He just has selfish tendencies that leave me and the kids out to fend for ourselves! Thank you Lord for making me headstrong and independent, I need the independence a lot more than I ever realized!
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