1 Month Old!

Mackenzie is 1 month old already! I can't believe it. I really can't.

Anytime I have her out and about, people can't believe she is only a month old. They think she is at least 3 months. Not because of her size...She is very tiny still. But because of the way she acts! She is SO alert and aware of things around her. She does things that I don't think a 1 month old should know how to do. She can lift her head up and hold it like a pro. She's been doing this since she was a few days old, but now she keeps it up for a long time. She recognizes my hair as something to grab, and pulls it all the time. She also will pull her pacifier out of her mouth if she doesn't want it in there.

She had a HORRIBLE diaper rash that actually started in the hospital. I had noticed her little bottom was really red and irritated and said something to the nurse. She assured me it was just "newborn rash" and would clear up in a few weeks. Well, it kept getting worse and worse. We were using EVERYTHING we could think of. Desitin, Mustela, baby powder, warm cloths etc...It wasn't getting any better and was SO bad, it would bleed everytime we wiped her bottom. The por thing would just scream out in pain. It was heartbreaking. Finally, I did the one thing I hadn't even thought of before. I switched from Pampers to Huggies. The thought never even occured me because I had always heard Pampers was the absolute best. And it's what they were using in the hospital. So it had to be good, right? Wrong. After just 2 diaper changes in the Huggies, her rash was GONE COMPLETELY. Not a single red mark on her bottom. I mean, within HOURS the rash was gone. Thank you Huggies!!! So now we are using the Huggies Sensitive diapers and wipes.

She is sleeping like a champ. She already pretty much has a routine. Bottle (4 oz) around 9:30. Asleep in her crib by 10. Then she wakes up for another feeding about 1:30 or 2. Another 3-4 oz. Then it's back to bed until sometime between 4:30 and 6:30. Some nights, after her 2 am feeding, she'll think it's playtime and not want to go down. So I'll stick her in her swing, put on some rock music (yes, she LOVES rock music...That is her daddy in her!) and usually within 20 minutes she is asleep again. Some nights she just is NOT tired, so I'll play with her a little while and then try the swing again.

Her favorite things:

-Bath time

- Car rides

- Going for walks in the stroller

- EATING!!!!

- Tummy time (although after a while she does start getting frustrated)

- Sleeping on her tummy ( before anyone freaks out and calls CPS on me, I only let her do it when she falls asleep during tummy time on her mat, and I am there watching her.)

Least Favorite Things:

- Being flat on her back

- Diaper changes

- Getting dressed/undressed

- Just being fussed and messed with in general

All in all she is a pretty happy and content little girl!!! I am so excited to watch her grow and see her little personality develop!!!!

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She's here! And she's amazing!!!

A little over a week ago I brought Miss Mackenzie Paige into the world! At 5:52 am on September 24th!! It was a looong and painful 27 hour labor. We are all doing well, and adjusting. Not much time to do much of anything these days, but it's so worth it!!

Mackenzie's Birth Story~

September 22nd 2011

At 9 pm I got the call from FMH Labor and Delivery to come on in to start my induction! Even though I thought I was totally prepared, I was still running around the house like a chicken with my head cut off.

We arrived at the hospital and I was taken to my room where I got changed, got my IV's (They blew the first vein they tried...OUCH!) and got checked out. Still 0 cm and 0% effaced. Baby was up high.

They put in the cervidil at 11 pm, and from then on it was just the waiting game!

2 am the painful contractions started. At first, they weren't too bad. Painful, but tolerable. They checked me again and sure enough....0 cm 0 % effaced. I somehow managed to make it through the next few hours with these contractions

Towards Friday afternoon the contractions were more then I could bare. I thought for sure I had to be at least 4 cm. I was contracting HARD every 1-3 minutes. They checked me and Nope.... 0 cm 0% effaced...WTH?!?!? At that point I was BEGGING for a C-section. They then gave me Cytotec and told me I needed to walk for an hour. But I was so nauseous despite several doses of Zofran, and dizzy that I couldn't even get out of the bed.

About an hour later, I was screaming in pain. The Dr. came in and checked me..............HALLELUJAH! 2 cm dilated and 50 % effaced!! Progress!!!! The Dr. decided because of the amount of pain I was in, it would be best to get the epidural now and then break my water. So around 5 pm I got the epidural...Did not feel it AT ALL. It actually felt kind of cool when he was threading the catheter down my back! Almost instant, the pain from the contractions was GONE. I was in such good spirits!

He broke my water and there was Meconium in it.....Mackenzie definitley takes after her father! Then they started Pitocin....And here is where the fun begins.

I tried to sleep for a little while, but the epidural again was making me VERY nauseous. I didn't throw up though! And then....The pain returned. Only it was a different pain. A pressure like I had to go to the bathroom really badly. It got worse and worse and worse. Around 4 am, I was THRASHING around in pain. It looked like a scene from The Exorcist. I was grabbing onto the rails of the bed and just shaking them and screaming. The nurse checked me.... 4 cm! WOOHOO!! More pain, more thrashing, more screaming. 15 minutes later the nurse checked me again.... 6cm!! Repeat with the pain and screaming, only 10 x more intense then before, only about 20 minutes had gone by and the nurse checked me again....8-9 cm!!!! At this point, I could NOT stop myself from pushing, the pressure was so intense. The nurse was literally BEGGING me not to push. BEGGING. I tired but I couldn't help it. 5 minutes later she checked me again, and I was 10 cm and ready to go! The Dr. was nowhere to be found though. So tried calling him on the phone, and the phone wouldn't work right. Meanwhile, My epidural stopped working, I can't stop myself from pushing and I can feel Mackenzie coming out. The nurse literally had to HOLD her in. Finally, the Dr walked in and within 4 or 5 giant pushes, I brought my amazing little girl into this world!!! 6 lbs 14 oz and 20 inches long! Perfect!

All together from the time the painful contractions began, I was in labor for 27 hours. I suffered a 3rd degree tear, and I felt EVERY MOMENT of the Dr stitching me up afterwards. OWEY. But it was all so worth it!!!!

It's baby time!!!!!

Tomorrow night I'll be checking in to L&D and won't be checking out until my daughter is in my arms!!!

Cervidil starts tomorrow night thanks to my oh so uncooperative cervix. And the pitocin will be started Friday morning!

This is it. Here we go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There is an end in sight!

As of today, I am 37 weeks and 1 day pregnant!! Officially full term by all standards! She could come tonight and I would be happier then a pig in shit! She doesn't seem to want to make things that easy for me though.

I've been having some contractions off and on. Nothing timeable or really even worth mentioning. Basically just very strong braxton hicks. As of my last appointment though, I am 1 cm dilated and my cervix is very soft and "favorable" so YAY for that! But no action thus far.

However...We do have a date!! I will be induced on the 23rd!! That's in 2 weeks! Because of the SPD, Gestational Diabetes, and the Hypertension, my OB feels it would be in everyone's best interest for her to come a little early. Hey, I don't mind at all!

I am a little scared about the Pitocin. I know it carries a higher risk of a C-Section, as well as contractions being more painful. But honestly, I'm not one of those women who is like "Ohhhh mah gawd!!! I didn't push a baby out of my vag! I'm a failure as a woman!! WAH!" As long as she gets here safely, and is healthy, I couldn't care less how she gets here.

I would like to go into labor on my own if it all possible. So I've busted out the big guns. Acupressure, Cinnamon tea, Evening Primrose Oil, Red Raspberry Leaf pills, etc...The only thing I haven't tried is the sitting over a steaming bowl of coffee grounds trick. But I'm willing to try it! Walking is difficult because of the SPD, and my doctor did tell me to rest up as much as possible. And ever since I told J that the doctor could feel Mackenzie's head at my last appointment, he is too terrified to have sex. I told him not to flatter himself ;)

So far these things have produced some mild contractions, but again, nothing really worth getting excited over. But I am not giving up!!!

So if anyone even still reads this...Which I highly doubt...Send some natural labor vibes!! Otherwise, I will update again once Little Miss is here!

33 Weeks....4-6 weeks to go!

Hello strangers!! (And Stalkers....You know who you are!)

I just really haven't had the desire to update this thing religiously like I was a year ago. Between the extreme heat wave that is just NOW letting up (it's been in the high 90's with a heat index in the 100's for the last month) and being pregnant and in pain, I just haven' spent much time on the computer.

I had the most AMAZING baby shower on the 16th of July. I was truly touched by everyone who came and their thoughtfulness. I even had people I had never even met before send gifts with my mother-in-law. Some of her very good clients sent us a whole slew of stuff. I don't think I could pick a single favorite item that I got because everything was just too amazing. The day was filled with laughter and trips down memory lane with friends from high school. It was an awesome day.

Then the not so awesome part came. Gestational Diabetes. I has it. BOOOO. I went in for my 3 hour GT test...Which was TORTURE. UG! The drink itself isn't bad at all, I actually kind of like it. But the waiting is the sucky part. The only part I passed was the fasting reading. I failed each hour by like 5 points. So it's not a very severe case, but GD nonetheless! So I then met with a Diabetic Nutritionist, got my monitor and my diet plan. So far, it's been going great! I actually really have no problems sticking to the diet. Every once in a while I'll sneak in some chocolate, or treat myself to an ice cream cone. Doc said that was fine as long as I didn't go overboard. The exciting part about having GD is that my doctor won't let me go past 39 weeks!!! So by September 24th, I should be holding my daughter in my arms!!!!!

We also had a 3d ultrasound session! It was so cool!! The pictures did come out somewhat cloudy because of my anterior placenta but we still got some awesome shots, which I will post. Mackenzie weighs a little over 4 lbs now. She has been head down since 30 weeks too. I also feel like she has dropped, but I am not sure.

The pelvic pain is awful. Agonizing. I cry just from turning over at night. It doesn't seem to ever let up either. It's this pain that has me in the "OMG GET HER OUT OF ME NOOOOOWWWW" moment. I am ready to be done being pregnant. 4-6 weeks feels like I might as well be back in the first trimester!

So yeah...That's it. Lord knows I probably won't update again until she's here! So here are some pictures!

Frown face! Don't cry!

Laughing about something!

I'm bad with the updates!

I've really slacked on this thing, huh? Life has been pretty darn hectic these last almost 3 weeks.

I am 26 weeks and 5 days pregnant! Oh so close to officially being in the 3rd trimester!

The last 2 weeks I've been battling an awful sinus/ear infection that I thought was going to kill me. Tylenol and Robitussin just weren't cutting it! So off to the ER I went where they gave me these wonderful pain relief eardrops and a prescription for Penicillin! A few days later I was feeling much better. I still have a bit of a cough, but I'm not hacking up a lung anymore!

Some huge milestones have occurred! J got to feel and see Mackenzie kick! She is a mover and a shaker for sure. She is rarely still. Definitely great for peace of mind....Not so great for trying to sleep! Better get used to that though, huh? I finally caught the little stinker on video! It took FOREVER!! I don't know how she knows, but as soon as the camera goes on, she is as still anything. But I got her good this time!

No Dr appointments to update on but I do have one on the 5th. After this appointment, I start going every 2 weeks!! Yippeee!!!

I think I'll end this post with some pictures!!

25 week belly!

Mackenzie's crib and bedding!

Holy long time, Batman!

Wow! it's been forever since I updated this thing!!! The last time I updated was a little after 20 weeks.

I am now 24 weeks and have officially reached viability! Yippeee!! Another milestone down. So much has happened in the last 4 weeks, I don't know if I can remember it all!

A little after 22 weeks I had a pretty scary visit to L&D. I was taking a nap, was startled by my phone ringing and tripped over the leg of my coffee table trying to answer it. I went right down on my belly on the hardwood floor. I tried not to panic and just lied on the couch. But then the cramping started, and I freaked. So without missing a beat I drove right to L&D. They took me back and hooked me up to the monitors. Mackenzie's heartbeat was fine, but I was having small contractions about every 10-15 minutes. Yikes! They ordered an U/S, did a cervical check and everything was A okay. The contractions stopped after a little while and they sent me home.

As I was leaving the nurse told me she didn't want to see me back for another 14-18 weeks...I was like HUH WHAT??! That's all I have left?! You're kidding!! So surreal.

I had my follow up U/S on the 8th to get her spine measurements that she was too stubborn to show before. And this time was no exception either. Again, she just did not want to show that little spine! So I go back on the 14th to try again, and for the Fetal Echo. But besides that everything else was measuring perfectly! I found out I have an anterior placenta...No big deal, just means J won't be able to feel her as easily or as soon as he would have if I had a posterior placenta. Doesn't affect her growth at all, just a little extra padding she has to kick through.

Speaking of kick.....Oh my lord this child.....She is NUTS! She loves my bladder. I keep telling her it is not a kickball, or a trampoline, but she doesn't seem to get the hint! She must be a very strong little girl because even with the anterior placenta, I feel her all the freaking time. And it's not like little flutters either. It's full on karate kicks!

Baby shower planning has commenced. My mom and my Grandmother are hosting the shower, but I am doing the planning! I just am too much of a manic planner. I love to plan. Shower will be on July 16th! Just around the corner! I still can't believe this. We ordered the bedding too! Slowly but surely the nursery is coming together.

My hip/pelvic pain has subsided, but it still gives me trouble. I am just not in excruciating pain anymore. It's tolerable now.

I think that pretty much covers all the main things. I'm sure I'm leaving out a heap of stuff, but it's 2 AM, I am tired, but Little Miss here is just jumping away on her in-womb trampoline AKA my bladder! I have a ton of pics to upload. I'll get around to it sometime! Thanks for sticking with me ya'll!!