Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Updated Little D's Wish List (As of 10/09/06)
Emily Anne
Playdough tools (i.e. rolling pin, scissors, etc)
DVD - Boz the Bear: Bananas, Bubbles, etc (at Christian retailers)
DVD - Boz the Bear: Shapes and Colors
Once Upon a Family Christmas Ornament Box (www.onceuponafamily.com/MegD)
Subscription to "Your Big Backyard" magazine (www.nwf.org)
Logan
Subscription to "Wild Baby Animals" magazine (board books) (www.nwf.org)
Once Upon a Family Christmas Ornament Box (www.onceuponafamily.com/MegD)
Emily Anne
Playdough tools (i.e. rolling pin, scissors, etc)
DVD - Boz the Bear: Bananas, Bubbles, etc (at Christian retailers)
DVD - Boz the Bear: Shapes and Colors
Once Upon a Family Christmas Ornament Box (www.onceuponafamily.com/MegD)
Subscription to "Your Big Backyard" magazine (www.nwf.org)
Logan
Subscription to "Wild Baby Animals" magazine (board books) (www.nwf.org)
Once Upon a Family Christmas Ornament Box (www.onceuponafamily.com/MegD)
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Logan’s Delivery (Extended Version)
They say that each child is different. Well, that holds true for deliveries as well. I woke up Sunday morning, April 9th around 2:00am with a little bit of spotting. I decided to stay up for a little while to see if it was anything to be concerned about. I didn’t wake up anyone else, figuring that if it was a false alarm, I wouldn’t want them to lose sleep. I stayed up until around 4:30am with mild contractions that were sporadic – ranging from 5 min. to 8 min. I thought it best to try and get some sleep, just in case. Of course, I laid in bed until 5:30 am staring at the clock. By that time, contractions were about every 4/5 min. apart. I figured it was time to call the OB and get Bert up. As we got our things together, they continued to be every 4/5 min.
There were so many times that I laughed at how different things were the second time around. As we were getting ready, I would scurry around to get things together, counting down the minutes until the next contraction and then pausing to breath through it. On the way to the hospital, we stopped by McDonald’s for breakfast. My, how much more relaxed we were this time! I was actually a bit concerned that they might send us home from the hospital because by the time we got there, the contractions had started coming at all sorts of random intervals. “No,” our delivery nurse Trish said, “You’re having a baby today!”
We arrived at the hospital just before 7:00am. By about 9:30am, I decided that it was time for an epidural. I wasn’t in excruciating pain, but I knew that it was going to get worse before it got better, and it was such a blessing with Emily. With Em, it allowed me some much needed sleep for a few hours before she arrived and made her delivery, though not a cake walk, relatively easy. This is what I was expecting the second time around.
After they starting providing the drugs, I noticed a sharp pain in the back of my skull and in my left jaw. Within a few minutes, I started getting sick to my stomach and losing consciousness. It was the strangest feeling in the world. I couldn’t open my eyes. I couldn’t even hold my head up, let alone control anything else in my body. All the while, though, I could clearly hear everything that was going on around me. I heard the OB say that some of the drugs must have gotten into my spinal fluid and traveled to my brain. They said that this was rare, but not unheard of. They were giving me a reversing drug, but that it would take about an hour for it to have its full effect.
As time went on, I could manage to whisper single words to Bert, who was right beside me. My greatest fear was losing consciousness and having to get a C-section. I think it was about 10:30/11:00am that I heard my OB tell Bert that Logan was going to come with or without my help. At this point, I was still a ball of mush. I heard the dr. ask me to push if I could (which all I can say is that I thought “pushing thoughts” but I’m sure that it did little good). Logan arrived safely at 11:51am – all of his own volition.
By his arrival, I was starting to come out of my haze and could see him. My first thought was, “Praise God! This child looks like an Albertson!” When Emily Anne came out, she looked 100% Dreifuss. Logan was not so much Albertson, per se, as less Dreifuss. He had beautiful misty grey/blue eyes and light brown hair (almost blond in the sunlight).
So, I have a quandary when people ask me, “How long did you have to push?” or “How was your delivery?” I am choosing to focus on the positive – I didn’t have to push at all. Logan came out all on his own. Yes, it was scary at times – probably much more so for Bert than for myself. The doctors and nurses were completely calm and never once gave us cause for concern. They were absolutely wonderful!
Thankfully, I didn’t suffer one of the major complications of this spinal fluid problem – an excruciating headache. With the help of a lot of caffeine and pain medication, my body was able to flush all of the drugs out without a follow-up procedure.
That’s the very long version of the story.
From day one, Logan has been a super nurser. After struggling for a few weeks to get Emily Anne to nurse, it’s been such a relief to have a little guy that got it from the very beginning.
At this point, 3 weeks into it, Logan is still eating almost every 3 hours, on the dot. I told Bert that I think he got his punctuality and hunger. Good thing he’s cute! Emily Anne was very laid back while Logan is either fine or furious. There is rarely an in between. If he’s hungry, he wants food. Now.
Family Visiting
It’s been a tremendous help to have family visiting these past three weeks. My Mom arrived the Monday before Logan arrived and stayed for a week and a half after he was born. What a gift to have someone who chipped in on laundry, keeping Em happy, rocking Logan, and managing the kitchen. She even ran to the store for us! You’ll notice some pictures from our first major outing with Logan, to the Museum of Life and Science in Durham the Saturday after he was born. They just opened a new wild animals exhibit and since we are members, we got in to the preview. We thought that it would be fun for Emily to do something special with all of the fuss being taken over Logan.
While Bert’s Mom and brother were here, this past week, we made a trip to the NC Zoo down in Asheboro (about 2 hours away). We have some great pictures from that trip. Mom D and Ben also got the chance for some quality time with Emily Anne and Logan. They thoroughly enjoy being around both of them!
Easter
We managed to make it to Easter service, though it wasn’t without event. It seemed like everything possible that could happen did. Logan managed to spray Bert while changing his diaper, requiring Bert to change clothes. (That’s one thing that we are still getting used to – watching for his little geyser). In the afternoon, we did some special things with Emily Anne. We hid a few small presents around the house with ribbons that stuck out. Em came down from her nap to find ribbons sticking out from the most peculiar places (underneath the couch cushion, out from the stereo, in the recycling basket, etc). She loved tracking them all down. Then, we did an Easter egg hunt out in the front yard. She did a super job, but was especially partial to the yellow eggs (her favorite color).
Adjusting to new Life
And so this week we start life “for real” – we have no visitors and Bert will be at work the whole week. So far, it’s Tuesday and things are going pretty well. I’m getting up in the middle of the night to feed Logan – which means usually at 11pm, 2/3am and then a 6/7am feeding. I dream of getting more than 4 hours of sleep at a time. I usually end up trying to sneak a nap in the afternoon. Bert is tremendously helpful – he will wash kids, change diapers, get dinner ready, etc. Whatever is needed. I’m very blessed! We’re hoping that Logan will follow Em’s pattern of sleeping through the night by 8/9 weeks of age – that would be around Memorial Day. I will be grateful for some much needed rest.
We have also been getting lots of meals from friends and that has been the best gift of all. Cooking and grocery shopping have definitely been lost in the shuffle and it has been such a God-send to have dinner arrive at our doorstep so many nights.
Em seems to be adjusting pretty well. She is very helpful in taking things to the trash, getting pacifiers, etc. and she loves to give Logan his paci. She’s not the gentlest yet, but she’s learning. She is always clamoring for a playmate and for a Baby Einstein video. In many ways, things haven’t changed much. I’m tied up quite a bit more, though, with nursing Logan.
All in all, life is very good. Even before Logan came, we were talking about when we would start trying for no.3. It’s not easy having a newborn and a toddler, but did we ever think that it would be? No.
They say that each child is different. Well, that holds true for deliveries as well. I woke up Sunday morning, April 9th around 2:00am with a little bit of spotting. I decided to stay up for a little while to see if it was anything to be concerned about. I didn’t wake up anyone else, figuring that if it was a false alarm, I wouldn’t want them to lose sleep. I stayed up until around 4:30am with mild contractions that were sporadic – ranging from 5 min. to 8 min. I thought it best to try and get some sleep, just in case. Of course, I laid in bed until 5:30 am staring at the clock. By that time, contractions were about every 4/5 min. apart. I figured it was time to call the OB and get Bert up. As we got our things together, they continued to be every 4/5 min.
There were so many times that I laughed at how different things were the second time around. As we were getting ready, I would scurry around to get things together, counting down the minutes until the next contraction and then pausing to breath through it. On the way to the hospital, we stopped by McDonald’s for breakfast. My, how much more relaxed we were this time! I was actually a bit concerned that they might send us home from the hospital because by the time we got there, the contractions had started coming at all sorts of random intervals. “No,” our delivery nurse Trish said, “You’re having a baby today!”
We arrived at the hospital just before 7:00am. By about 9:30am, I decided that it was time for an epidural. I wasn’t in excruciating pain, but I knew that it was going to get worse before it got better, and it was such a blessing with Emily. With Em, it allowed me some much needed sleep for a few hours before she arrived and made her delivery, though not a cake walk, relatively easy. This is what I was expecting the second time around.
After they starting providing the drugs, I noticed a sharp pain in the back of my skull and in my left jaw. Within a few minutes, I started getting sick to my stomach and losing consciousness. It was the strangest feeling in the world. I couldn’t open my eyes. I couldn’t even hold my head up, let alone control anything else in my body. All the while, though, I could clearly hear everything that was going on around me. I heard the OB say that some of the drugs must have gotten into my spinal fluid and traveled to my brain. They said that this was rare, but not unheard of. They were giving me a reversing drug, but that it would take about an hour for it to have its full effect.
As time went on, I could manage to whisper single words to Bert, who was right beside me. My greatest fear was losing consciousness and having to get a C-section. I think it was about 10:30/11:00am that I heard my OB tell Bert that Logan was going to come with or without my help. At this point, I was still a ball of mush. I heard the dr. ask me to push if I could (which all I can say is that I thought “pushing thoughts” but I’m sure that it did little good). Logan arrived safely at 11:51am – all of his own volition.
By his arrival, I was starting to come out of my haze and could see him. My first thought was, “Praise God! This child looks like an Albertson!” When Emily Anne came out, she looked 100% Dreifuss. Logan was not so much Albertson, per se, as less Dreifuss. He had beautiful misty grey/blue eyes and light brown hair (almost blond in the sunlight).
So, I have a quandary when people ask me, “How long did you have to push?” or “How was your delivery?” I am choosing to focus on the positive – I didn’t have to push at all. Logan came out all on his own. Yes, it was scary at times – probably much more so for Bert than for myself. The doctors and nurses were completely calm and never once gave us cause for concern. They were absolutely wonderful!
Thankfully, I didn’t suffer one of the major complications of this spinal fluid problem – an excruciating headache. With the help of a lot of caffeine and pain medication, my body was able to flush all of the drugs out without a follow-up procedure.
That’s the very long version of the story.
From day one, Logan has been a super nurser. After struggling for a few weeks to get Emily Anne to nurse, it’s been such a relief to have a little guy that got it from the very beginning.
At this point, 3 weeks into it, Logan is still eating almost every 3 hours, on the dot. I told Bert that I think he got his punctuality and hunger. Good thing he’s cute! Emily Anne was very laid back while Logan is either fine or furious. There is rarely an in between. If he’s hungry, he wants food. Now.
Family Visiting
It’s been a tremendous help to have family visiting these past three weeks. My Mom arrived the Monday before Logan arrived and stayed for a week and a half after he was born. What a gift to have someone who chipped in on laundry, keeping Em happy, rocking Logan, and managing the kitchen. She even ran to the store for us! You’ll notice some pictures from our first major outing with Logan, to the Museum of Life and Science in Durham the Saturday after he was born. They just opened a new wild animals exhibit and since we are members, we got in to the preview. We thought that it would be fun for Emily to do something special with all of the fuss being taken over Logan.
While Bert’s Mom and brother were here, this past week, we made a trip to the NC Zoo down in Asheboro (about 2 hours away). We have some great pictures from that trip. Mom D and Ben also got the chance for some quality time with Emily Anne and Logan. They thoroughly enjoy being around both of them!
Easter
We managed to make it to Easter service, though it wasn’t without event. It seemed like everything possible that could happen did. Logan managed to spray Bert while changing his diaper, requiring Bert to change clothes. (That’s one thing that we are still getting used to – watching for his little geyser). In the afternoon, we did some special things with Emily Anne. We hid a few small presents around the house with ribbons that stuck out. Em came down from her nap to find ribbons sticking out from the most peculiar places (underneath the couch cushion, out from the stereo, in the recycling basket, etc). She loved tracking them all down. Then, we did an Easter egg hunt out in the front yard. She did a super job, but was especially partial to the yellow eggs (her favorite color).
Adjusting to new Life
And so this week we start life “for real” – we have no visitors and Bert will be at work the whole week. So far, it’s Tuesday and things are going pretty well. I’m getting up in the middle of the night to feed Logan – which means usually at 11pm, 2/3am and then a 6/7am feeding. I dream of getting more than 4 hours of sleep at a time. I usually end up trying to sneak a nap in the afternoon. Bert is tremendously helpful – he will wash kids, change diapers, get dinner ready, etc. Whatever is needed. I’m very blessed! We’re hoping that Logan will follow Em’s pattern of sleeping through the night by 8/9 weeks of age – that would be around Memorial Day. I will be grateful for some much needed rest.
We have also been getting lots of meals from friends and that has been the best gift of all. Cooking and grocery shopping have definitely been lost in the shuffle and it has been such a God-send to have dinner arrive at our doorstep so many nights.
Em seems to be adjusting pretty well. She is very helpful in taking things to the trash, getting pacifiers, etc. and she loves to give Logan his paci. She’s not the gentlest yet, but she’s learning. She is always clamoring for a playmate and for a Baby Einstein video. In many ways, things haven’t changed much. I’m tied up quite a bit more, though, with nursing Logan.
All in all, life is very good. Even before Logan came, we were talking about when we would start trying for no.3. It’s not easy having a newborn and a toddler, but did we ever think that it would be? No.
