Lucy proudly showed off her new cheeks.
Uncle Ryan (rivaled only by Uncle Preston as Zoe’s favorite Uncle) came out to visit and meet Lucy.
I’m constantly in awe by everyone else’s fantastic blogs. Especially all of my friends who have beautiful blogs and more children than I do. For some reason, I can’t manage the two. I have a ton of other things I have to do, and honestly, so many other things I’d rather do. And since everyone decides to email me about every post (which I do appreciate) instead of post comments, I end up emailing updates to people instead of blogging. So I’m going to simplify my life (or use that as a front). Instead of being bummed about how lame my blog is, I’m going to admit it and embrace it by just posting pictures weekly. Here are a some from this week (and Halloween:)…
Yes, it’s been four weeks since she was born - I’ve resurfaced and feel human again.
Let me start by saying that she’s beautiful!!! I was completely unprepared for the rush of emotions and the familiar ache that comes when a new helpless little person enters your heart and your life. I remember feeling overwhelmed by it when I had Zoe, and it was just as powerful this time. Having a baby is so incredible. Lucy and Zoe are absolutely worth everything I endured to get them here. But I’m so glad they are already here!
Lucy’s birth stats:
September 16, 2008 at 7:54 pm
5 lbs 13 oz, 19 inches
She’s so tiny, but she’s healthy! I feel so much better about having to boot her out three weeks early. In fact, she’s healthier than Zoe was. She only had one hiccup with breathing and that was when she choked on some amniotic fluid still stuck in her tummy the day after she was born. She turned blue and then purple, and scared me to death! The nurse helped us get her breathing again. I cried the rest of the night, but she was fine. We also had to take her to ER a few Saturdays ago to double check her bilirubin level, but it came back fine. As of last Monday she passed up her birth weight and was a whopping 6 lbs and 3 oz. In just the last week we’ve noticed her little skin rolls are filling out - she’s going to be chubby in no time! I love plump babies!
(During her first bath in the nursery at the hospital.)
Thank you for all of the emails, texts, phone calls and packages that still keep arriving in the mail. It means a lot to all of us to have so many great friends and family thinking of us. A big thank you to everyone who has prayed and fasted for us over the last 8 months. Babies are miracles, and me actually getting mine here is a miracle, too. I’m certain I’ve met my miracle quota.
Zoe and Lucy’s first meeting was a bit uneventful until after they both took their naps. Jed posted some video footage of it on Flickr and a follow-up to it on his blog.
…
For anyone who’s interested, here is my L&D story. I typed it up so that I could remember it, but thought I’d include it anyway….
Needless to say, the amnio results were positive and I was induced the next day! I had an epidural during my labor with Zoe and it was so strong that I sat around reading magazines while Jed ate sushi until it was time to push. This time it was completely different.
It took a nurse, a nurse anaesthetician and then the anaesthesiologist to get the IV started (which would make my homecare nurses feel better about their failed attempts). It actually wasn’t that bad because they gave me me a shot of litocaine before each stick so when the veins blew it wasn’t very painful, just ugly. Although it was a lot of shots. I was already having big contractions a few minutes apart when I got to the hospital and the pitocin made them more intense, so it got really painful pretty fast. Unfortunately, I had to wait forever during contractions that were peaking on the machine and two minutes apart to get my epidural because the anaesthesiologist was tied up in some insanely long c-section. Big thanks to the dead fly in the light on ceiling of the L&D room that helped me keep my focus during the contractions. It stopped me from screaming like a lunatic. I now understand why laboring women get loud.
After I got my epidural (I may have actually told the anaesthesiologist that I love him), I felt great until I got dizzy and started throwing up. I guess my heart rate went down and I wasn’t breathing very well so they stopped the epidural and gave me one of those fun little nose breathing tubes. That helped with the dizziness and nausea a little, but not with the pain. Finally they let me dispense little doses of the epidural to myself. It worked off and on through the rest of labor until I didn’t give myself any and went into transition. Big, big whoops. The pain was insane. I cannot even describe it. But after pounding on the epidural button for 35 minutes it kicked in just as my doctor showed up and I started to push. I felt the delivery, just not that much pain. And I actually liked it better than my delivery with Zoe because I felt the contractions and knew when to push, and I could walk right afterward. When I had Zoe, I couldn’t walk unassisted for a day.
I left the hospital feeling great less than 48 hours after I had her. The recovery has taken a few weeks, unlike the three months it took last time. Wooohoo!
here are some photos of Zoe. I think she’s marvelous!
She loves having tea parties. But should she offer you tea, politely decline - she sucks water out of her sippy cup and spits it into her tea cup. I learned the hard way.
Flying with Uncle Preston
The source of Zoe’s entertainment and our sanity on our road-trip to UT. As Jed would say, “Who needs a portable DVD player when you can just tie your laptop to the back of the driver seat?”
Sprinkler fun! (Doesn’t it look fun?!)
She falls asleep with different animals every night. The girl has a thing for reptiles.
An impromptu water party calls for impromptu fashion. My sister happened to have this extra green suit on hand. Zoe wears it well. I think the diaper helps.
After taking a header on the sidewalk, she insisted on having her lips bandaged.
Riding the Blue’s Clues ride at the Mall of America - the closest it gets to a real roller-coaster when you’re only 37 inches tall.
Jed after a day of keeping up with Zoe and taking care of me.
I’m not going to even bother with an update - this entire year has been insane. In fact, this year has been a nightmare for me and my family, and if I think back, I could throw up. I’m trying to avoid doing any more of that so I will likely have to review this last year somewhere down the road in a therapy session. I can sincerely say that if how I feel were terminal, I’d be suicidal.
Alas, there is a light at the of the tunnel. This coming Monday I’m scheduled to have an amnio to check the baby’s lung maturity. If it comes back positive the doctor will deliver her the next day. WOOHOO! I’ve been trying to hold out until at least 38 weeks, but I’ve reached the point where I am not capable of coping any longer. And neither is my sweet little family.
But 37 weeks is early (I was induced with Zoe at 39) and I’m concerned about the baby’s well-being. I’ve read all of the stats and discussed the potential problems with my doctor, Jed, etc. So here my need for advice and input comes: I’ve had very little luck finding people I know who have had an amnio or opted for a 37 week induction (then again, I rarely leave my house or communicate with people). If any of you have experience that you are willing to share, please comment or send me an email.
That being said, here are some photos taken this summer to sweeten the post…
Jed, Zoe and Turner having hobo dinners in Wyoming
Jed and Zoe chilling after Jed’s surgery
Fourth of July in Utah
Jed and Zoe with Grandma Geri
Jed and my brothers in Utah
Jed and Zoe visiting Mount Rushmore
Jed’s been out in Chicago since last Saturday and I was afraid this week would kill me. But…
Yesterday was beautiful. Zoe woke up two hours later than she normally does (she’s been waking up at 5:30)! I got to doze for another couple hours which was great since pregnancy insomnia has kicked in full force. We got up and I wasn’t so nauseated that I couldn’t move or eat so I actually cooked us breakfast. We had nice casual morning just playing and enjoying each other’s company. With no fits! Then I vacuumed and swept the floors and tidied the house until my visiting teacher came. She brought her three sons who Zoe happily playing with. So for an hour and half I had a normal conversation with an adult!
After my VT left, Zoe’s new signing videos arrived in the mail, so we watched an episode. And then, (I’m very proud of this part) we walked to the park! It’s only a 10 minute walk for a sick and out of shape preggie like myself, and I actually pushed Zoe in her stroller, but I walked! At the park Zoe had a great time swinging on the swings and playing in the sand, while I listened to a a lacrosse coach give his team a pep talk about time management. hehehe. He actually thrashed on kids for spending too much time on the Xbox.
So I sat there at the park, with the sun beaming down on me, and finally for the first time in months, remembering what it’s like to enjoy being outside, moving around, smelling outdoor smells and hearing outdoor sounds. I wasn’t sick (although anybody roughly the size of a baby orca just can’t be comfortable), I was just happy and content. So we went home, ran to the store and enjoyed a nice relaxing evening hanging out. And I didn’t throw up!
My day probably sounds boring and unexciting to you, but it wasn’t for me! I felt almost human again for a few hours! Doing normal mommy things almost like a normal mommy! I was so happy that I called Jed and gushed about how wonderful life is.
Today was the complete opposite of yesterday. The nausea, fatigue, pain, tantrums, etc. got in the way. But what a beautiful day yesterday was.
. . .
By the way, I would be posting pictures if I could. Jed has our photo library with him so it’s just words, again. Sorry.
isn’t all that bad. I’ll always love the city, but living in Lakeville, MN has it’s perks. 15 minutes away from the airport, St. Paul and Minneapolis, the biggest mall in America, a zillions Super Targets, no traffic, clean parks, nice people, sweet neighbor kids selling lemonade, ETC. And we have a garage! 
We don’t have most of our stuff here yet, but we’ve still settled into life. Zoe has started going to daycare (”play school”) a couple mornings a week so Jed can have some solid work time (he works at home now) and I have some extra time to rest. Play school really is like a school with a curriculum and a very structured schedule, which makes me feel a lot better about having to have her go there. Right now they are studying animals - one of Zoe’s current obsessions. She can sign and give the sound for almost any animal. She’ll wake me up in the morning by signing all the animals you see in the aquarium or on a farm. It’s really cute.
I’m still sick. (I almost threw up and passed out in Zoe’s play school classroom as I was talking to her teacher on her first day. I managed to land in a very small chair before I hit the floor. It was embarrassing.) But, I still feel like I’m making some progress. The biggest being that I’ve started exercising again. For the first time in eight years I’m back to swimming. Two or three times a week I go to the swimming school by my house and do laps for an hour. It feels so good! Amazingly, I’m never sick and never in pain when I’m swimming. I love it!
Another thing that I love about living here is that we see Jed a lot more. He’s not teaching early morning seminary and graduate classes anymore, going to a bunch of business meetings and working - he’s just working. He still gets up at 4:00am and works a ton of hours, but he’s around. And the last couple weeks have been great family bonding time. Jed is so caring. I’ve still spent most of my time in bed sick, and he always helps out around the house and with Zoe, even in spite of all of his business pressures. He’s such a great guy.
I love Mother’s Day. It’s the holiday my months of dying a slow and painful death (pregnancy) allow me to celebrate. And aside from that, I work dang hard for it! Seriously, no job, no schooling, nothing, takes more energy, discipline, effort and commitment than being a mother. And it’s painful. Loving the way being a mother makes you love, hurts - but it’s beautiful. So I love this holiday! Mothers everywhere deserve to be worshiped on this day.
Despite my current condition (that is slowly, slowly improving, by the way), I had a fabulous Mother’s Day. Jed surprised me by taking me to see Wicked (front row) last Wednesday. It really surprised me, and I didn’t think I was going to make it through the performance without throwing up on the orchestra and having to lay down in the aisle, but I did! Of course I spent the second act trying to stay awake while my anti-nausea meds tried to sedate me (which is normally the only reason why I take those drugs because anti-nausea medicines don’t take away the nausea). Anyhow, I really enjoyed the show and having a few hours out with Jed!
Mother’s Day was a pretty good day as well. As good as it gets for me these days. I got up and managed to keep my breakfast down. And then I showered. Doesn’t sound that impressive, but it really is. I haven’t showered first thing in the morning since the beginning of February. I’m usually in bed moaning or hovering over the toilet puking until about 10:00am! Progress!!! What’s even more impressive is that I managed to get dressed (something I don’t do unless I have to leave my house) and went to church! I went to church! Another first since February! And I stayed the entire time. After church we had lunch at some friends house and relaxed until the usual afternoon-evening sickness got too bad. But, I didn’t throw up all day!!!
sigh
Cheers to being a mother…to my amazing mothers…and to the loves of my life, Jed and Zoe, who made me a mother. Happy Mother’s Day!
- Zoe (emo style)
- The little tap-taps I’m starting to feel more regularly from the baby growing inside of me. Aside from getting a healthy, perfect little baby after delivery, this is the only part of pregnancy I enjoy. It’s so sweet!
- Last week Jed (I love you!) showed up from a weekend in Toronto with a bag of Lays dill pickle chips for me. A stop at Stanley’s for some watermelon and I’m in heaven!
- My travel magazine. Ahh…I’m dreaming of Belfast. Sydney, I’m coming!!!
Imagine me with my angry face…
Last week our apartment got broken into. The dirty thieves stole our flat screen TV, iMac, hard drive, iPod, digital video camera, a messenger bag, a cell phone and cut the wires on our Bose surround system (but didn’t take it - bright thieves). We have renters insurances and the items taken just equal money, so aside from our apartment being invaded by people we don’t know and don’t like, we can recover.
What I can’t recover from is that fact that on the hard drive and in the video camera they took were pictures and video footage. ALL of our pictures and video…more specifically, Zoe’s entire life on record is gone. I’m very upset about this! In fact, if I hadn’t specifically set a goal not to swear while I’m pregnant (something I hardly do except for when I’m pregnant), I could more adequately express my fury to you. ZOE’S ENTIRE LIFE ON RECORD IS GONE. Can you imagine! Ugh! I feel so bad! I was planning on burning CDs with her first two years on them and then I got sick/pregnant and I didn’t…
Serious regret.
So, I’m asking any of you who have received any emails or CDs with photos from us to please send them to me! Please!!!
And thank goodness Jed spend several months last fall backing up our iTunes library online!