Scrapbooking

Reflections

Wow I can not believe Conner will be 2 months on Tuesday.  He has changed so much since he was born.  Today I was looking though pictures from the hospital, working on a Shutterfly book, wow has he gotten big.  He is starting to hold his head up really well.  Loves to lay on his play mat and kick his feet, looking at the mirrored octopus.  Conner is smiling more and cooing more often.

He made his first big trip at the beginning of the month.  We went to Minnesota for Easter and he was baptized on Easter Sunday, in the same baptism gown his Grandma, Great-uncle, Mom, Uncle Callen, and my cousin Jamie were all baptized in.  He was awed over by all of his grandmas, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandpas, and many friends.  He did very well on the car ride both there and back, but it helped that we stopped 1/2 way overnight.  Grandma and Grandpa even babysat one night while we went out to dinner with friends.          

I am thanking my lucky stars that Breast Feeding has been going great.  I have been pumping once a day to start a freezer stash of breast milk for when I have to go back to work.  Currently I have almost 90 oz frozen!! Cloth Diapering has also been going great.  We used some home made diapers the first month, until Conner got to big for them.  Now we are almost exclusively using BumGenius 4.0 Diapers (http://www.bumgenius.com/).  We have 24 Diapers and do a load of diaper laundry every other day.  BumGenius Diapers according to there website fit baby's from 7-35 pounds.  We have found we like the snap closures better because they stay on more securely.  I will write more later about the savings of Cloth Diapers not only on the environment but also the wallet.   

I LOVE being home with Conner.  He keeps me laughing and busy.  I am dreading going back to work on the 9th of May.  He will go to daycare starting the 16th.  I love our daycare lady, Elizabeth, so I know he will be in good hands, but I am still nervous about going without him for 10 hours.  I am trying not to focus on that yet and trying to enjoy my time at home with Conner. 

The last few weeks

1 month old

Conner in Mikes Sweater from when he was a baby... Not to Happy

Conner with Quilt from Grandma and Bear from Uncle Callen 

Conner is One Month old.  I cannot believe how fast this month has gone.  He is growing every day and staying more alert.  He follows some noises and toys with his eyes.  He loves music and the sound of a crinkled plastic bag.  To calm him down we put him in the car seat and stroller and take him for a walk with Cora.  Conner likes being in the Ergo and Moby carriers, they make it easy for us to get things done around the house when he wants to be held.  Conner has been sleeping in his crib 95% of the time at night, on his side with a receiving blanket rolled up behind him.  During the day he naps in the Baby Papasan, the swing or being held.  

He is now 100% breast fed and 100% of the time Cloth Diapered.  (Yep I am a Crunchy Mama.) We have decided to go with BumGenious 4.0 Diapers (http://www.bumgenius.com/one-size.php) as our primary Diaper.  So far we have 9 and will slowly add to our stash until we have between 24 and 36.  We do diaper laundry every over day so it is not that big of a hindrance.  

Conner has had lots of visitors this month. Grandma and Grandpa stayed here for 10 days.  Samantha, Hans and Jacob visited for 5 days.  And Great Grandma and Great Grandpa B. came for 3 days.  He also has had lots of Home Town Friends come to visit.

I can't wait to see how he will grow and change this coming month.  I love staying home with him.

4 weeks (and 1 day)

3 weeks

Snuggling on Blanket from Great-Aunt Pam 

Conner's Grin

Cora is interested

Tummy Time

Apparently tummy time is boring

Turned him on his back and he almost rolled over!

The Birth: Plan vs Reality

Labor

-          We intend to have a Natural Birth

o   I went Natural until we went in for the C-section

-          We know pain medication and epidural is available, please do not offer them.  We will ask if we want them.

o   The nurses were very good about this until C-section

-          Please help us by suggesting natural pain relief options.  And numerous positions while pushing.

o   The nurses helped with different positions and breathing techniques until C-section

-          Help us to keep the birthing room calm, quiet and as peaceful as possible.

o   Most the time it was just Mike and I in the room, until issues came up

-          Intermittent fetal monitoring and a heparin lock are preferred.  Megan will naturally hydrate with water.

o   Again this was done until issues came up

-          We would like to be allowed to progress free of stringent time limits and have my labor augmented only if necessary

o   Because of the heart decals we had to have C-section

-          When pushing I’d like to do it instinctively and be allowed to progress without a time constraint as long as the baby and I are doing ok.

o   Never got to this point

-          I would prefer not to have an episiotomy.

o   Never got to this point

If a C-section becomes necessary we would like

-          Mike to present at all times during the operation

o   It took him a really long time to get into the operating room

-          the screen lowered a bit so I can see my baby being delivered

o   Nope

-          the baby to be given to my partner as soon as s/he's dried, if appropriate

o   Nope

-          to breastfeed my baby in the recovery room

o   Nope

After birth

-          Mike would like to cut the cord, if baby is healthy please wait until after the cord as stopped pulsing

o   Nope

-          We do not know the sex of Blueberry, DH would like to announce the sex.

o   Nope

-           If a medical emergency shall arise with the baby Mike will accompany the baby at all times

o   Mike got to go with him after the C-section, only came to recovery to help calm me down

-          Immediate skin to skin contact with mom is planned

o   Nope… 5 hours later

-          We plan to breastfeed and would like to within the first hour.  Please hold all testing, weighing and bath until we have had a chance to try and bond.

o   Haha Nope

-          We plan to breastfeed.  Please do not offer Blueberry a bottle or a pacifier

o   He was not given a bottle until it was required because of his blood sugar and Mike gave it to him.  His had only had a pacifier during his circumcision.    

-          All tests on baby shall be done in our presence, preferably in our room.

o   Most were.

Conner's Birth Story

2/29/12

2230 Contractions Start

3/1/12

0130 Water broke, with meconium   

0150 Leave for Hospital, grab a banana to eat on the way because I know when I get there I will not be able to eat

0200 Enter Hospital, get checked and I was 3cm

0200-1000 Contractions increase in intensity and frequency

I mostly labor on a birthing ball with Mike applying pressure on my lower back during contractions.

 

At some time I puked up the banana I had eaten on the way to the hospital

Labored on hands and knees for an hour when I was not progressing fast, assuming baby is sunny side up.

I had no drugs and only a saline lock on my hand.

1000 While working through contractions on a birthing ball, nurse rushes into room tells me to get on bed and turn on my side NOW!

She starts moving the heart rate monitor around and we hear nothing.  Mike and I are FREAKING OUT.  After what seems like FOREVER she gets the heart beat.  Tells us Blueberry’s heart rate was down into the 60’s for 2 minutes.  She starts fluid in my IV line and checks me again.  I was at 6 cm and the baby’s head is still very high.  Nurse says she is going to call doctor to come see me.  I really have to pee but she makes me wait until Blueberry’s heart rate stabilized.  She finally lets me up but I have to get right back in bed and lay on my left side.  Working through contractions while laying in bed SUCKS, Mike could not get to my back easily.  I am in major pain and considering, in my mind, getting drugs. 

1045 Dr. Shuwarger comes in and checks me, still at 6 cm.  Contractions still horrid, laying in bed.  He tells me that the baby’s head is still really high.  The baby is not tolerating the contractions well, could be because of the meconium in my water.  He said I was not dilating very fast.  He said we had to go in for a C-section.  I freak out.  This is the last thing I wanted.  Mike stayed calm said it would be ok and texts our parents asking for prayers.

 

From here on times are a little sketchy.

1050 they get Mike the gear to go into the OR.  A nurse has me drink this nasty shot of something to help my stomach.  The anesthesiologist comes in and talks to us.  Tells us they plan to use a spinal.  I have to sign 3 sheets to say I am ok with the c-section, the spinal and something else; not easy to do while lying on your back, crying, and in labor.  The nurse has to put in a catheter.  And we head to the OR.  I am freaking out and crying, scared and feeling like I had failed.  We get to the OR doors and Mikes has to leave.

1100ish there are at least 7 people in the OR.  They move me from my bed to the operating table.  Turn on my left side and start to work on the spinal.  A contraction hit.  OMG talk about pain and I had to stay perfectly still.  They had to nurses holding me still and I felt an electrical type shock in my left leg then they rolled me to my back and my lower body started feeling asleep, like when your foot falls asleep.  I keep freaking out, asking where Mike is, why is he not in there yet and saying I needed Mike. 

1115ish Mike gets into the OR finally I am cry, and scared worried about Blueberry.   And they start the surgery

1132 IT’S A BOY!  I get to see Blueberry for 1.5 seconds and they whisk him away, Mike goes with him.  I am really disappointment we have no picture of me with Blueberry in the OR.  I do not remember really seeing him in the OR.  I had tears in my eyes, my arms were strapped down and I was given a sedative since I was freaking out.

I wake up in recovery begging to see my baby.  They nurse there says that I need to wait until the anesthesiologist clears me.  He  eventually comes says I am good to go.  Recovery nurse gets a helper to wheel me to Labor and Delivery, then says I have to wait longer because Labor and Delivery is not ready for me.

1245 Mike comes to recovery.  I am freaking out wanting to see my baby NOW.  Recovery says again I can go back to Labor and Delivery, but there are no nurses in Labor and Delivery to take care of me… Mike says it is because they are all working on Blueberry. (yeah that did not make me feel any better) 

1330 I finally get to go back to the Labor and Delivery.  I got to see Blueberry through the window to the nursery but I did not get to touch of hold him.  Nurses and Doctor Small continue to work on Blueberry.

1615 The nurses say Blueberry will be in to see me with the next 15-20 minute.   I get excited watching the clock. 

1700 The nurse comes and says again he will be in to see me in the next 15-20 minutes.     

Finally 1730 I am demanding to see Blueberry, Crying hysterically and they wheel by baby boy into my room to see me.  He was crying in the basinet but once I held him and he heard me talk he settled down.  Mike and I decided, after I got to see him, to name him Conner Michael.

That is the birth Story of Conner Michael.

After the fact I found out the reason I took so long for me to see Conner was because he had very low blood sugars at birth.  They tried to get an IV started in his hands and feet but could not find a good vein.  They then tried to put one in his umbilical cord and had to call another doctor to help get it in.  Conner was on IV Sugar water for the first 24 hours of his life.

At my 2 week post operation appointment I asked my doctor why the C-section was required.  He said that I have a very small pelvic.  He also said that the sacrum, which is normally concave in a woman, is convex; making it impossible for Conner’s head to make it to my pelvic.  The doctor said the only thing I will give birth to naturally is a Lizard!  How rude.  The doctor also said once they opened me up that Conner had the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck twice.  My doctor said for our next baby that I will have a scheduled C-section. 

I am not going to lie this is not the way that I imagined I would be giving birth.  And I am a bit depressed that I will never get to give birth naturally.  But at least both Conner and I are now happy and healthy.  And next time hopefully I can be a bit calmer and have a gentle C-section with an opportunity to hold the baby before they are whisked away for 5 hours.     

        

     

Happy St. Patty's Day

One Week

One week old

First Cloth Diaper... Conner does not like being cold

Conner Smirk

First Hoody

Snuggles with Dad

First Friend - Walker 3 weeks

All clean after his bath

Bright Eyes

1st doctors appointment- again he does not like the cold

It's a Boy

Conner Michael

Born via C-section on March 1st, 2012 at 11:32 AM

Weight 9 pounds 6 oz.

Length 21 inches

Still here



39 weeks 6 days



Yep here I am, chipmunk cheeks, double chin and all, one day before my due date.  Yes, I am still working and plan to untill I go to the hospital.  Well at least getting up, dressed and to work.  There is not much left for me to do.  Today I made some copies and them have started to study for my PE exam that is in October. 

 As of tomorrow Blueberry will be the size of a "jackfruit" (google that one!) The average baby is between 6.2 and 9.2 pounds and measures 18.9 to 20.2 inches long!  Blueberry continues to grow hair and nails.  He or she is practice breathing. 

I am guessing Blueberry will be making his or her apperance on the 5th of March, really doubting it will be a February Baby.  However, I do think it would be kinda cool if the baby came on March 2nd, which is Dr. Seuss' Birthday.  Baby watch has offically started.      

39 Weeks

Well here we are at 39 weeks.  Feeling HUGE and getting more uncomfortable.  But at the same time feeling blessed that Blueberry and I are both healthy.  I love feeling Baby kick move and stretch inside me and watch the belly move.  I had my weekly appointment this morning.  My weight, blood pressure, Blueberry's heart rate (143), and belly height (38 cm) were all looking good.  I had not made any progress since my last appointment but I Blueberry's head went from "way high up" last week to "pressing down" according to the Doctor, which mean I should start to progress more. 

And hopefully I do go into labor in the next week naturally.  I have an appointment scheduled for March 2nd, 2 days after my due date.  If I make it to the 2nd, I will have bio-physical profile ultra-sound done, a Non-stress Test and an appointment with my doctor.  At the appointment with my doctor we will talk about an induction date for Blueberry most likely between the 5 and 9th of March.  I am really hoping for a natural birth and limit the number of "interventions" required. So I am hoping, praying, walking, bouncing on my exercise ball, eating pineapple, and more to try to get Blueberry to come on his or her own. so we can skip the induction talk.     

38 weeks

38 weeks, a view from the top!

Boy or Girl?

With only 2 weeks, yes TWO WEEKS, unitl my Due Date I decided to look up Old Wife's Tales to find out if Blueberry is a Boy or Girl.  Here is what I found.

It's a boy if:
You didn't experience morning sickness in early pregnancy.
Your baby's heart rate is less than 140 beats per minute.
You are carrying the extra weight out front.
Your belly looks like a basketball.
Your areolas have darkened considerably.
You are carrying low.
You are craving salty or sour foods.
You are craving protein -- meats and cheese.
Your feet are colder than they were before pregnancy.
The hair on your legs has grown faster during pregnancy.
Your hands are very dry.
Your pillow faces north when you sleep.
Dad-to-be is gaining weight right along with you.
Pregnancy has you looking better than ever.
Your urine is bright yellow in color.
Your nose is spreading.
You hang your wedding ring over your belly and it moves in circles.
You are having headaches.
You add your age at the time of conception and the number for the month you conceived and the sum is an even number.
Total 7


It's a girl if:
You had morning sickness early in pregnancy.
Your baby's heart rate is at least 140 beats per minute.
You are carrying the weight in your hips and rear.
Your left breast is larger than your right breast.
Your hair develops red highlights.
You are carrying high.
Your belly looks like a watermelon.
You are craving sweets.
You are craving fruit.
You crave orange juice.
You don't look quite as good as normal during pregnancy.
You are moodier than usual during pregnancy.
Your face breaks out more than usual.
You refuse to eat the heel of a loaf of bread.
Your breasts have really blossomed!
Your pillow faces south when you sleep.
Your urine is a dull yellow color.
You hang your wedding ring over your belly and it moves from side to side
You add your age at the time of conception and the number for the month you conceived and the sum is an odd number.
Total 8

As for the wedding ring I tried it earlier in Pregnacy and it went in circle -which mean boy but I just did it again now and it went forwards and backwards.  Which is not circles and not side to side: so inconclusive??

Boy 7 Girl 8, so pretty much it is a tie.  I guess we will find out soon enough.  I have not had any indication that I will be going into labor soon but things can change quickly.    My guess is the Blueberry will come March 5th.  Mike is sticking to his guess of February 22nd.    Next doctors appointment is tomorrow, so we will find out if we have made any progress.

2 years: Callentines Day

Two years ago this morning my brother Callen lost his live doing what he loved, snowboarding and hanging out with friends.  I cannot believe it has been two years.  Some days it feels like yesterday and I am drawn back into the grief.  Other days if feels like ages ago it happened and since I have seem or talked to Callen. 

I remember laying in bed Sunday February 14th, 2010 in our Anchorage Condo.  Snuggling with Mike.  I had decided to play hooky from church and stay with Mike since he had worked the night before, getting home at 6 am.  Around 8:30 my dad called me.  He and mom typically forget that Alaska is a 3 hour time difference on Sunday mornings so I ignored his call.  He called again, then my mom called. Again I ignored them.  Then the associate pastor at our Alaska church called around 9:30 or 10:00, again I did not pick up the phone, but decided it was a sign that the world wanted me to get out of bed for the day.

While still laying in bed I listened to the voice mail that my dad had left me.  It said to call him as soon as I could because Callen had been in a snowboarding accident.  I woke Mike up to tell him Callen had been in an accident.  I had this pit in the bottom of my stomach that something was seriously wrong.  Mike said, "I am sure everything is fine, call them back."  I called my dad and he did not pick up.  So I frantically called my mom who answered but I could tell by her voice it was not good.  

Then she asked me if I was sitting down and where Mike was.  I told her that he was laying in bed next to me sleeping.  She told me to wake him up.  Then told me that Callen had been snowboarding, got in an accident, and DIED!!  I am pretty sure I started sobbing and yelling no here and my mom told me to give Mike the phone.  I remember saying over and over I need to get back home, I need to go to Minnesota NOW.  I need to be with my family. 

Mike got off the phone and held me a long while.  He then sprung into action. First he called work to tell them he would not be coming in that night.  Brought me water and Kleenex.  Made a few other calls.  I remember laying in bed and receiving a call from Brad, who I call my 2nd Dad.  He is also a pilot.  He said not to worry about making travel arrangement that him and his wife Carla would let us know what flights we were on ASAP.  I remember being in the bathroom just staring in the mirror when Mike called up stairs to tell me that Jay and Robbie, who were the youth director and a Mom from our church, were coming over.  And then I remember my good friend Samantha coming in with her son Jacob, telling me that the associate pastor at church told her about Callen and she came right over.           

To say I was a mess would be an understatement.  I was trying to pull out our suitcases.  Clean up my scrap booking stuff from the night before that was all around the living room so my house did not look so messy with people coming over.  Robbie got here and told me to sit down relax, put a prayer shawl over my shoulders and prayed with me. 

 After a while Samantha, Jay and Robbie left and it was just Mike and I.  I called my mom to make sure Callen's girlfriend Rachel knew before I posted anything on Facebook.  Then the news really spread.  Callen's friend Jamison with in hours posted a video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yb6cxOpQ2Ko&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PLE46BB18B0F0A87E0) .  Profile pictures changed to Callen.  Another one of his friends started a "In Loving Memory of Callen Fuchs" Group on Facebook.  Mike talked back and forth with Brad and got our reservation numbers for flights out of Anchorage that night, stopping in Seattle and getting into Minneapolis on the 15th.  

I went back up to just lay in bed and my dad called me back.  He wanted to know if they should keep Callen on life support so I could say good bye or not.  I decided I that I had a picture of Callen in my head and I did not want to see him hooked up to a ton of tubes.  Plus we donated what organs of Callen's we could and the sooner they were removed and transplanted the better. 

The rest of the day I really do not remember.  I have a memory of calling my parents from the airport before the plane took off.  I remember trying to sleep and read in the Seattle Airport.  And I remember crying a lot, wondering what everyone else in the airport was flying to.  

The morning of the 15th Brad and Carla picked us up at the airport, with Brad being a pilot they were able to meet us right at the gates.  We collected our bags and headed to my parents house.  Mom and dad were still driving back from Michigan but there were a bunch of people at the house.  From there on it was all about being together with family and friends.  I was so out of it for the first few days.  Being around big groups of people totally put me off and I often retreated into my bedroom to sleep, cry and question why.  

Today 2-14-2012 I can't help but miss Callen.  I wish he were here with me and Mike to celebrate the upcoming birth of Blueberry.  I know he would be an amazing uncle.  Losing Callen has made me be thankful for what I have and to try to live each day to it's fullest.  He taught me so much with how he lived his life.  I wish I had spent more time telling him how much I loved him when he was here.

So call you sibling today and tell them that you love them and how lucky you are that they are in your life.  

Happy Callentines Day.   

PUPPPS

Well 37 weeks and 4 days into my pregnancy I get my first what I would call truly negative side effect. I have PUPPS which is described by Baby Center as:

"Up to 1 percent of pregnant women develop a condition characterized by itchy, red bumps and larger patches of a hive-like rash on their bellies. This is called pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP) or polymorphic eruption of pregnancy.

PUPPP usually begins in the third trimester and is more common among women carrying twins and those having their first baby. The eruptions usually show up first on the abdomen around or in stretch marks (if you have any) and may spread to your thighs, buttocks, and arms. PUPPP is harmless for you and your baby, but it can itch like crazy!"

Well I can testify that they itch like crazy!!  My Belly had been itching for a while but last night before bible study al of the sudden I had a painful itchy rash! Mike being the lovely husband that is he confirmed that I had bumps on my belly. I called the doctor’s office this morning and described it to them, they said yep that’s what you have. The doctor recommended Hydrocortisone cream and Benadryl at night. And they will re-evaluate it at my appointment on Friday.

Until then let’s hope I can resist the urge to itch.

Maternity Photos

Mike and I had Maternity Photos Taken today!  We went to Sears in Minot and had them done.  I think that they turned out great!  Only 20 days until our Due Date.