BF'ing and Returning to Work

Our little family had a wonderful Christmas, and I wanted to do a Christmas & New Year's post this morning; however, my camera is dead, so I have to charge it before I can get all of our photo's off to share with you all, so I'll work on a Holiday post for tomorrow!

Anyways, I've been off work for two weeks now, and I just returned to work today, so I have lots to catch up on at work and not much time to post; however, I've been asked by a couple of different people about my experience with breastfeeding and returning to work, so I wanted to share my experience and how I did it. Weston will be a year old on January 20th, and I'm still nursing him in the morning and night. I no longer nurse him or pump during the day, but I have been able to continue nursing and not supplement with formula for the full first year. I know that everyone is different and not everyone wants to breastfeed at all, but I really wanted to have that experience, and it was one of the things that I really looked forward to experiencing, so I really wanted to be successful even though I was returning to work full time.

Here are a couple of questions that I've been asked:

How you prepared to go back to work after maternity leave?
I didn't really prepare...I probably should have, but I was just so overwhelmed with a new baby that I didn't think much about it. Weston had his first bottle when he was about two weeks old. I was SO exhausted that my mom came over for the night to watch Weston, so I could sleep, and she gave him a bottle of breastmilk during the middle of the night. I was SO blessed that he didn't have a problem going back and forth between the bottle and me. I did pump quite a lot, so I would A.) keep my supply up and B.) have milk stored up for when I went back to work. I pumped after he nursed in the morning, then I pumped if he only nursed from one side and I pumped before I went to bed at night. By the time I went back to work, I had a LOT of milk stored. I also had a really great milk supply, so I was able to pump lots of extra when I pumped each day.

Did you have a frozen milk supply before you went back to work?
As I mentioned above, I did have a frozen milk supply before I went to work. I had at least 500 ounces of frozen milk stored before I went back to work. When I went back to work, I pumped about 16 ounces while I was at work, and I pumped another 6 ounces before I went to bed, so I had adequate milk for him to have a daycare the next day, as well as, extra to continue to freeze.

Was your daycare willing to give breastmilk?
Yes. We use an in-home daycare lady who keeps a few children in her home. She is awesome, and I would go ahead and make his bottles and send her the pre-made bottles each morning, and she would give them to Weston. She also kept some frozen milk in her freezer for emergencies. Now that he is not drinking from a bottle but drinking from a cup, I just send her either cups of milk or a cup of milk and an extra small bottle of milk for refills. Having a daycare that is supportive of your desire to breastfeed is very important, and it was key to my success.

How often do you pump at work?
I pumped anywhere from 2-3 times a day at work and sometimes only once. At first, I pumped two times a day while at work, but then I started having supply issues, so I started taking Fenugreek and began pumping three times per day at work, so I could have enough milk for W. Shortly afterward, I realized had so much stored, that I moved down to 1 pumping a day at work and now I don't pump at all during work.

What is your pumping/feeding schedule?
My typical pumping/feeding schedule during the first year of Weston's life looked like this (before solids were introduced)...
6:30 AM - Wake Up & Nurse
8:30-9:00 AM - AM Nap
10:30 AM - Nurse & Pump at Work
1:00 PM - Nap
2:30-3:00 PM - Nurse & Pump at Work
6:30 PM - Nurse & W in Bed
9:30-10:00 PM - Pump before I go to Bed

As Weston begin eating more solids, his schedule looked more like this...
6:30 AM - Wake Up & Nurse
8:30-9:00 AM - AM Nap
10:30 AM - Pump at Work
11:00-11:30 - Lunch at Daycare for W
1:00 PM - Nap
2:30 - Pump at Work
3:00-3:00 PM - Snack at Daycare for W
6:00 PM - Dinner
7:00 PM - Nurse & Bed for W
9:30-10:00 PM - Pump before I go to Bed

During Weston's first few months, he was eating every three hours, as well as, waking up during the night usually once, so his schedule was similar to the four hour feeding, but he ate more often. I only pumped twice per day on average once I went back to work.

Any other tips/advice for breastfeeding working moms
My biggest piece of advice is to relax...I honestly didn't worry about it too much. I knew that I wanted to do it and be successful, but I knew that I didn't want to stress out too much, and I didn't know what to expect, so I didn't know what to worry about or plan for. I pumped as much as possible before I went back to work, but sometimes, I didn't pump at all during the day. I just didn't feel like it, and I didn't want to burn myself out pumping and hate it so much that I quit, so I just didn't pump the whole day, and it was fine. I also recommend buying a good pump, as that is definitely key to your success!

Nursing Weston for the whole first year was one of the most amazing things that I've ever done, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity. The emotional bond that I have with my son is so awesome, and I enjoy it! It's the ONLY time that Weston is still right now, and he sits in my lap. If he's not nursing, he's on the go, so it's a nice time for us to relax together.

I did have some supply issues towards the end, and I did all kinds of things to increase my supply. Some worked, some didn't, but I figured it out, and I was able to make it through. If anyone has any questions about supply issues, feel free to email me or comment on this post, and I will email you back. I also recommend finding a place that you are comfortable at work to pump. I have an office with a door that shuts and locks and doesn't have windows looking in...I have photo's of Weston, and I'm comfortable in my office. I'm not nervous that someone will come knocking or looking for me when my door is shut, and I can lock it for that extra piece of mind. You have to be comfortable and relaxed when you are pumping or it will definitely have an effect on your supply.

I've pumped everywhere, so it can be done! I've pumped in my car while driving down the road, I've pumped in my car while someone else was driving, I've pumped in my office, I've pumped at home, I've pumped in the bathroom, I've pumped in the airport and I've pumped on an airplane. It was tough, and it sometimes had it's awkward moments, but I am VERY modest and discreet, and I never had any moments where I felt like people saw anything. I also never nursed in public in the entire first year. I'm SUPER modest, and I just can't do it. I don't want to see it when I'm in public, and I don't want to do it in public. So, I didn't...I planned our trips around his nursing schedule, and I would nurse him little early or late, as needed, so we could be out and about, and it wouldn't cause an issue. I would just nurse him in the car before we went in or at home before we left, and it was never a problem.

If anyone has any other questions, please let me know. I'm happy to help out anyone and answer any questions.

Disclaimer: These opinions are my own opinions, and it's how I did it and was successful and comfortable nursing my son through his first year. I know everyone is different, and we all do things differently or find different ways to be successful. I don't think that my way is better than any other way, it's just the way that worked for me, and I hope that some of my suggestions work for someone else. :)

Three Months

Weston,

It's been a busy month, and I'm writing this letter when you're almost four months old rather than three months old, but I promise I'll do better next month, and I'll write the letter before you are almost five months.

Again, I can't believe that so much time has already passed...it seems like just yesterday you were born, and we were in the hospital watching you in amazement. Now, you have your own little personality, and it's quite entertaining.

We love your smiles and the way that you now laugh out loud when something is funny. You regularly laugh at the dog, and it makes us smile that you enjoy him so much. You LOVE your Daddy now, and he is so happy and proud. In the prior months, you only wanted your mommy, and I was the only one of us who could calm you; however, now, you love hanging out with Daddy, and you are content to watch him and hang out with him. He's thrilled and can't wait to be your "best friend" as you grow older.

You are sleeping through the night, and it's been such a blessing. You usually go to sleep between 7:00 PM and 7:30 PM, and you've stopped crying when we put you in your crib at night. You typically sleep until I come to get you up in the morning, and Mommy and Daddy are much more rested. We love this phase, and we know that it will only continue to get better as time passes!

Here are your three month statistics and milestones:

• Not sure how much you weigh now, but at almost three months, you weighed 15 lbs. 7 oz. We are still exclusively BF'ing, and we haven't yet had to supplement with formula. You are a chubby, healthy little boy!
  
• Around 24-25 inches, but we aren't sure, because you move so much that we can't get a good measurement.
  
• Moved up from Size 2 to Size 3 diapers
  
• Wearing some 3-6 Month clothes, but the majority of your clothes are 6 months, and you are wearing some 6-9 or 9 month outfits, as well.
  
• You are playing with toys, and you LOVE your keys. We have one set of keys for the car and Miss Mary's, and we have one set to keep at home. You LOVE that they make noise. Anything that makes noise, you are crazy about!
  
• You no longer cry at bedtime. We can lay you down and you look around for a few minutes and then finally fall asleep. I also see you wake up in the video monitor, and you don't cry anymore. You just look around and then go back to sleep! When I get you in the mornings, you are sometimes awake and looking around, but not usually crying.
  
• You like to go to sleep on time...you don't like to stay up late! You cry and scream until we let you go to sleep. We sometimes have to leave if we are out late, because you get upset.
• You don't like to be held when you are falling asleep or tired. You want us to leave you alone and put you down, so you can fall asleep on your own. Needless to say, there is no rocking you to sleep. :)
• You put EVERYTHING in your mouth! You put your hands in your mouth, our hands in your mouth, your keys, burp cloth, etc. If it's nearby, you want to eat it.
  
• You watch Mommy & Daddy eat. We sit you in your highchair when we eat dinner every night and you just watch us as we eat our food. You'll definitely be ready to eat when it's time! :)
  

Love, Mom

Questions Answered - Part 3

I think that this will be the final post of Questions Answered. If anyone thinks of any additional questions to ask, please feel free to ask at anytime! :)

What is the hardest "thing" for you to handle since Weston joined your family?

The hands down toughest thing for me to handle is the crying...I want my baby to be happy all of the time, and I hate when he cries, and I can't make him feel better. I just don't know what's wrong, and it makes me so sad. It's the worst at night...Weston cries himself to sleep, and it's not just a whimper, it's a full on cry. If we go in his room to comfort him, it only makes it worse, so we leave him to put himself to sleep. But it completely breaks my heart! The other hard thing is making time for myself...I used to be able to run to the grocery store real quickly or run errands or shower, etc. Now, I have to more carefully plan those things based on his naps or his schedule. It's tough, but it's SO worth it!

What has been the easiest "thing" for you to handle since Weston joined your family?

The easiest "thing" for me to handle has just been being a mom...we've easily fallen into the routine of working and spending time together, and I feel like it's been so smooth for our family. I love being a mom...absolutely love it!

Talk about your diagnosis with PCOS and your positive pregnancy test / experience...

So, as most of you know, Grant and I will have only be married for a year this upcoming weekend, and we got pregnant with Weston on our honeymoon. I can't imagine life being any different, and it worked out perfectly. We love our little boy, but he was definitely a huge surprise.

Here is my story: I had been on birth control since I was in the 8th grade due to irregular cycles, so I was anxious to get off of BC to see what would happen. So, I talked to Grant about it, and we agreed that I would get off birth control in September just to see what would happen, but we would use other forms of birth control in the interim. I only ovulated once on my own and once with help from the doctor by taking some pills from September to January, so I went to the doctor, and she did an ultrasound and blood tests, and she diagnosed me with PCOS. She told me that when we were ready, that we would go the route of using Clomid. I had 14 cysts on one ovary and 10 on the other. I was devastated, and I cried and cried thinking that it would be difficult to get pregnant, and I might never have a child.

Since we weren't ready yet, the doctor told me that to avoid additional cysts that I should get back on BC until we were ready to start trying, so I agreed and got back on birth control in late February. I took it regularly, but I didn't always take it at the same time everyday, and I sometimes missed a pill and took two in one day, because I didn't think that it was possible to get pregnant or to ovulate without medical assistance based on my diagnosis. So, Grant and I moved forward with our plans, got married, went on our honeymoon and a week after returning from our honeymoon, I got a positive pregnancy test.

I couldn't believe it...I had been diagnosed with PCOS, so this wasn't possible! I was shocked, and I was confused. It was an emotional time, and I felt like God had given me a miracle, because I had been told that getting pregnant was going to be difficult. Even though it's not how we planned it, I feel like God knew what he was doing, and he knew that the time was right. So, I'm anxious just thinking about the diagnosis and wondering whether it will be so easy next time or if it will be difficult. I'm scared that though we want two children, we may only have one. If that's the case, that's okay. God blessed us with a beautiful, healthy, happy baby boy, and we are SO lucky!

What are your favorite - hair/skin products?

My favorite hair products are Bumble & Bumble. I love it!! Specific products that I use regularly are Spray de Mode, Brown Hair Powder, Tonic Lotion, Warm Brunette Shampoo & Conditioner. As far as skin products go, I use a variety of products. I use a moisturizer, under eye cream and anti-wrinkle cream in the evenings. I use a sunscreen and general moisturizer, as well as, anti-puff eye roller in the mornings before leaving the house.

What is one thing you can do to make you feel pretty?

Take time to myself...in the evenings after work, I spend time with Weston, get him ready for bed and do his bedtime routine, then I prepare everything for the next day. We wash bottles, eat dinner, prepare bottles for the next day, etc. It's very busy, and I often just have a quick rushed shower. I love the weekends when I just have time to take a LONG shower, fix my hair, put on make-up slowly and do any other things to feel good about myself. Just taking my time and getting ready and not being rushed makes me walk out of the house feeling pretty! :)

Favorite drink?

My favorite non-alcoholic drink is Diet Coke. My favorite alcoholic drink is Margarita's especially on the beach with friends.

Have you chosen not to drink at all while breastfeeding?

No. I haven't chosen not to drink while breastfeeding. I try to avoid drinking large amounts, because I just don't know that it's good for him, though I don't think that it'll necessarily hurt him. There are so many mixed opinions and thoughts on the subject. I didn't drink a whole lot before I was pregnant. I drink socially...at parties, tailgates, etc. I also have the occasional glass or two (or three) of wine in the evenings, but never an abundance. I do not drink within two hours of the next feeding, so if I'm going to do it, it has to be after he goes to bed when I won't be feeding him for awhile, when I'm gone for a few hours, and he'll be getting a bottle or at the beginning of awake time after he has just eaten.

How many more kids do you want to have?

Now that I've had Weston, and I've had such a great experience from the time I got the positive pregnancy test to the present that I told Grant the other day that I would be happy having four kids total, but in all reality, we are planning on having two. We don't want Weston to be an only child, because we want him to have that experience of having a sibling, but we also want to be able to provide for them financially as best as possible without having financial worries or stress. So, we've agreed to stop at two babies. :)

What is the best thing about being a mommy?!

I don't know if there is one best thing, because I feel like everything right now is just awesome! I really love when I go to get Weston from his crib in the morning, and he just looks up at me and grins this huge wide smile! I love it, and it makes the job SO easy. I also love cuddling with him and just holding him close. I love knowing that he relies on me, and I take care of him and would do anything for me. I don't have a "best" thing, because it's all so rewarding, and I'm SO lucky to be the mom to such an awesome little boy!

Weston with Aunt Amanda (my sister)

My Heart

I can't believe how crazy in love I am with this little guy...he's my heart and everything that I do is for him!

Today was the craziest day, and he was an angel through it all! My car battery died, and I had to get jumped three times. Once I finally made it home, it wouldn't start at all. We had to buy and install a new battery this evening, so I could get to work tomorrow. Also, Grant is sick, so I'm parenting all alone until he gets back to normal. We don't want him anywhere near us, because he is sick to his stomach, and I don't think I could be a good mom and breastfeed if I was nauseous and throwing up, but I'm not sure that I'd get a break. He is sleeping on the couch tonight, in hopes that we don't get sick! :( I definitely am grateful that I have his help most of the time!

The Family

I honestly don't believe that our little family of four could be any more perfect...I am SO blessed, and I love all three of my boys! I'm having such a great day, and I'm feeling so happy and excited. Weston slept from 7:30 PM to 6:30 AM last night, and we got a full night of rested sleep! I hope he keeps it up! I better *knock on wood* that I didn't jinx us.

On another note, I am down 30 lbs since giving birth. Only 2 more lbs until my pre-pregnancy weight and only 5 or so more until I meet the new goal that I've set for myself. And I fit back into my normal jeans this morning for the first time. Life is great! :)

And...I think it'll be a REALLY long time before we can get both Weston & Banks to look at the camera or even in the same direction!

Two Months

Weston,

I can't believe that you are two months old...these past eight and a half weeks have flown by, and you have changed drastically since you were born. I don't even recognize you as the baby that you were on your birthday! You have grown out of much of your crying phase, and we no longer have periods during the day where you scream at the top of your lungs. Mommy & Daddy can make you happy now, and you smile and grin at us to let us know.
You have started cooing and talking to us all the time, and we just love it. It's so much fun, and we love all the funny expressions that you make. You are such a serious baby, and it can be difficult to get a grin out of you sometimes.

You rolled over from your stomach to your back during this month, and you have done it a few times since then. You are SO strong, and you like to stand up on Mommy & Daddy's legs. You will also sit up against something, if you are propped up. We just are enjoying these phases so much! We can't wait to see your progress and are looking forward to the next few months and all the changes that you will go through.
Here are your two month statistics and milestones:

• 12 lb. 13.5oz. We are still exclusively BF'ing, and we haven't yet had to supplement with formula. It's been a very rewarding experience and SO convenient, because I don't have to carry bottles and formula with me everywhere! :)
  
• 23.5 inches long...
• Moved up from Size 1 to Size 2 diapers
  
• Still in most of his 0-3 Month clothes, but he can also now wear the 3-6 month or 6 month outfits. They are still a little big, but I'm sure they won't be that way for long!
  
• Watches Mom & Dad constantly
  
• So alert and independent...you like to sit quietly by yourself and watch everyone and everything around you!
  
• You cry at bedtime...we can't figure it out! During our bedtime routine after you get out of the bathtub, you start screaming at the top of your lungs. We think you are overtired, but we aren't sure. It's tough, and it's difficult to soothe you when you get like that! We hope you'll grow out of it soon...
  
• You have big hands and big feet...everyone says that you look just like your daddy!
  
• You fight sleep...you hate taking naps and hate going to bed at night...your are definitely your father's son. He hates sleeping, because he feels like he might miss out on something.
  
• You have the sweetest smiles, and I just can't get enough of them! :)
  

Love, Mom

One Month

On Saturday, Weston had been part of my life outside of my belly for one month, and I can't believe that the time has passed so quickly. It really feels like it was just yesterday that I was scheduled to go into the hospital for an induction, and we were anxiously awaiting his arrival.

Our little guy is not so small anymore, and he's definitely a little piggy! :) He tells me constantly that he's hungry, and it's just unreal how quickly he is growing and changing. Our life as a family is so happy, and we are so grateful for our little guy! He is just too precious! He is a semi-fussy baby, and he spends a lot of his evenings crying, and we try our best to soothe him though it doesn't always work. It breaks my heart to see him so upset! He does sleep though, and it makes me so happy. He usually sleeps a five hour stretch at night followed by another three hour stretch before we get up for the day.

Now onto Weston's Stats & Milestones for Month 1:

• 10 lb. 4 oz...Unbelievable! He started off his life at 7 lb. 2 oz, and he got down to 6 lb. 13 oz. after birth, and he's bulked back up to 10 lb. 4 oz. We are exclusively BFing.
  
• 23 inches long...Again, so crazy! He has grown three inches since birth!
• Moved up from Newborn Diapers to Size 1
  
• Outgrown most of his newborn clothes, especially in the length, and he has moved on to 0-3 Month clothes; however, many of these are still too big!
  
• Lifts his head and moves it from side to side
  
• Holds his head up briefly
• Holds focus on Mommy
• He has become so much more alert...he keeps his eyes open watching and looking around, as well as, moving his hands all around!
  
• He has such a serious face and people always comment that he looks so much like an old man! Ha-Ha!
  

And a few pictures...

My first bath!

My serious little boy! :)

Looking confused...

Newborn Photos

We had our photographer come over on Tuesday, January 26th when Weston was only six days old to take newborn photos of him...I wanted to get his newborn photos taken as early as possible, because I wanted to remember how small he was and how sweet and innocent he was, so I scheduled them as soon as I felt comfortable after he was home from the hospital.

We had such a great time, and he did so well until close to the end when he started to get fussy. I'll post some more photos of his session once I get the disk, and it's easier to post; however, here are two photos from this sweet day! I love our photographer...she is SO talented!


By the way, we had photos taken in this outfit, because this is the outfit that he came home from the hospital in, and it meant a lot to us, because one of my best friends made the outfit for us. We didn't get many photos of him or any family photos in the outfit, so I wanted to get some when the photographer came over.

"It Won't Be Like This For Long"

"It Won't Be Like This For Long"

Darius Rucker

He didn't have to wake up, He'd been up all night
Lying there and listening to his newborn baby cry
He makes a pot of coffee, splashes water on his face
His wife gives him a kiss and says it's gonna be okay

It won't be like this for long
One day will look back laughing at the week we brought him home
This phase is gonna fly by, so baby just hold on
It won't be like this for long...

I have caught myself thinking of this song and playing it over and over in my head the past few days, and I know that this phase of time with Weston as a newborn will fly by, and he will be a toddler running around before I know it. I am cherishing this time with my baby, and I love him more than I ever imagined. He is a good baby during the day, but he screams at the top of his lungs at night. We let him cry for hours, and he still doesn't stop. We don't hold him during the day, and he sleeps with no problem. It's been a tough few days, because we are so exhausted, but we will cherish this time with our little one, and we are looking to each other for support and encouragement.

It's funny, because at the end of my pregnancy, I felt so unattractive, and I didn't really want to be close to Grant. It wasn't that I didn't love him and want that physical attention, but I just felt like I was huge and uncomfortable, and I didn't desire that. Now that the baby is born, I don't look much better...my belly is still big, and I don't get a shower everyday, but I desire that attention from Grant. I love his kisses and hugs and want to be close to him. I love just laying in his arms in the evening and watching our baby! He is a great father, and I'm so amazed at how wonderful he is doing. I'm so in love with him and that love grows stronger everyday! I can't believe that the two of us made such a perfect little boy...

No matter what we'll get through these sleepless nights, and we'll move on to another and even better phase with our son. And what post is complete without more photos of our little one...

Just a few new photos...

So, I don't have a whole lot to post about right now...things are going great! My emotions are up and down right now, but I guess that's to be expected. I'm doing great though, and I'm so proud and happy with the new edition to our family. On another note, we are exhausted. Weston doesn't really like to sleep at night, so he cried for hours last night before finally falling asleep on my chest in the office. Grant and I had to take turns, and it really sucked! Keep your fingers crossed that he does better tonight. Any advice on sleeping and getting him to sleep in his bassinet would be great!

Anyways, on to the pictures, and I'll post again soon...

Weston's Birth Story

Here it is...I could go on and on about Weston's birth and how wonderful it was, and I can't wait to share my birth story with people who are preparing to have little ones, because I truly had the best experience that I could have asked for, and I'm so grateful for how everything went. For anyone who is in the Athens area, St. Mary's hospital and the nurses were amazing, and they were so helpful. We've had a great experience. Our pediatrician has been great, as well, and he has come by the past two mornings to check on him and to just talk to us, and I'm so grateful for that. He makes us feel so comfortable and answers all of our questions!

Right after he arrived with his full head of hair! :)

Anyways, on to the birth story...
Grant and I arrived at the hospital at 6:00 PM on Tuesday, January 19th, and we had to check in through the Emergency Room. The ER was completely full, so we had to wait in line behind four other people before we were able to check in. Thankfully I wasn't in labor, because I don't know that I would've been able to wait. We finally got checked in and upstairs around 6:30 PM, and they didn't have a room for us, because ALL the rooms were full. We had to wait in a holding room until they had discharged someone, so they got things started in that room. They got me hooked up to all the monitors, and they gave me the Cervidil. Around 11:30 PM, we were able to move into our new room. We stayed there overnight, and I didn't get much sleep. I was so ready to meet my son.

Our room at the hospital

Around 8:30 AM, my nurse came in and took out the cervidil and checked my cervix. At that point, I was 4 cm dilated, so they had my doctor come and break my water. I started contracting on my own, so they let me do that for about an hour. At about 9:30, they started the pitocin to speed things up. I got the pitocin, and I started feeling terrible contractions. Once your water breaks, you feel EVERYTHING, so the contractions were awful. I had tears in my eyes, and I couldn't talk, so I immediately asked for the epidural. The anesthesiologist came around 10:30 AM, and he gave me the most amazing epidural. I didn't feel a thing!! It was awesome, so I relaxed and hung out with our families while we waited for it to be time. At 2:00 PM, they came in and checked me and I had jumped up to 9 cm dilated, so they called the doctor, and they told her to head our way, because it wouldn't be long.

Grant & I waiting for the arrival of Weston

At 3:00 PM, they asked everyone to leave the room, and the doctor still hadn't arrived yet, but they got my room ready for me to push, and they got me ready. At 3:17 PM, I started pushing, and they were telling me that I was doing so great. I reached down and could feel his head. At that point, they told me to wait again, because the doctor wasn't in the room, and I was making such good progress. Around 3:35 PM, the doctor arrived, and I pushed two more times before Weston made his debut at 3:42 PM. He came out with a head full of beautiful blonde hair, and he was just beautiful.

My sister waiting with us for Weston

I was so lucky that I didn't have any tears, so no stitches, and they were able to get everything back together in the room quickly. I wasn't able to get out of bed until 11:00 PM, because the epidural was so awesome that I really couldn't feel my legs until then. But that's okay, because my family brought us food and gifts for Weston, I was able to breastfeed and everyone was able to hold him. He is doing great now! He is latching on and feeding like a champ...he is such a natural. We had to stay in the hospital overnight tonight, because he hasn't gotten circumcised yet. They are planning to do that this morning, and we'll get to go home this afternoon. We can't wait and are looking forward to reuniting with our puppy, Banks, and for him to meet Wes! :)

Right after his arrival...I'm looking rough, but so elated! He's beautiful!

I've got lots more photos from the past couple of days to share, but I don't want to overload and post all the pictures at once, so I'll post more over the weekend or early next week! Thanks everyone for your well wishes and congratulations!

He's Here!!

I'll post more photos, as well as, a the birth story once I get a chance. The birth was awesome, and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. Grant and I are both so proud, and we are SO in love with our little angel! :)

He's Not Here Yet, but SO Close!

So, I'm sure that since I've been so MIA since my last post some of you may have thought that the little one had arrived, unfortunately, no such luck, but we'll be at the hospital in 24 hours preparing to meet our little boy! We can't wait, and I'm SO excited. I've been on overdrive the past few days, thus, the reason for not posting.

I've been trying to get ahead in school, so I would have some downtime after Weston arrives. For those of you that don't know, I've been going back to school to get my MBA, and I am in my final semester. It's going to be a busy semester, but it'll be definitely worth it when it's over. I've been cleaning the house, doing the laundry, spending time with Grant and just running around town to get out of the house, since I won't be able to do so for awhile.

I'm so anxious, and I have a feeling that I won't be able to sleep tonight as I wait through the final hours before meeting our little one. This will likely be my last post before I meet my little one, so thanks to everyone for all your support and encouragement during this journey. I will post photos after our little one is born, as well as, the birth story. I may wait until this weekend when we get home from the hospital, but as soon as I'm feeling up to it, I'll definitely post! Can't wait for you all to meet our little one soon!!

My bags are packed, I'm ready to go...

...to the hospital, that is! I'm so ready that I can hardly stand it, and I can't wait until I see my son for the first time without the help of an ultrasound. I want to see him and hold him in my arms. It's hard to believe that it's been 38 weeks, and the time is so near. It's going to be an exciting year for us, and I'm really looking forward to all that God has in store for us. I'm really hoping that Weston decides to come on his own before next Tuesday, but if not, Grant and I will be headed to the hospital next Tuesday evening, and I'll be induced on Wednesday morning. We are so excited and anxious. I've decided to take next Tuesday off work, so I'll be able to relax, straighten up the house and do any last minute things, take a nice bath and take Banks to the kennel. I'm looking forward to relaxing before arriving at the hospital.

I've packed my bags, and they are in the car ready to go when it's time...here is a list of the items that I've packed. Is there anything else that anyone can think of that I'm forgetting?

For Me:
- Insurance Information (Grant is keeping this information, so he can provide when necessary at the hospital)
- Comfortable PJ's & Lounge Clothes
- Outfit to wear Home from Hospital
- Socks
- Bathrobe
- Pillow
- Camera
- Pen & Notebook
- Plastic Wal-Mart Bag for any Dirty Clothes
- Cell Phone & Wall Charger
- Chapstick
- Magazine
- Photo of Banks, so he can be there with us...I know, I'm a total nerd, but what can I say, I love my dog!
- Hair Ties / Headbands
- Breast Pads...since I'm already having to wear these on a daily basis since I'm leaking so bad! Ugh!
- Sanitary Pads - I know the hospital will provide me some, and I'll probably use those, but I packed a few of my own, just in case.
- Toiletries
- DVD for Tuesday night while we are waiting
- Hand Sanitizer
- Baby Book
- Nursing Bra & Lanolin
- Slippers for Hospital
- Flip Flops & Shoes for going Home

For Grant
- Cash for Parking / Change for Vending Machine
- Change of Clothes
- Toiletries
- Snacks

For Baby
- Car Seat - Already installed in Car!!
- Going Home Outfit
- Receiving Blanket
- Extra outfit for Baby, just in case. :)
- Boppy Pillow - In car, in case I want to use it while I'm in the hospital
- Diaper Bag - Packed and in the car, in case we need it at some point during the stay or anything

Last Minute Items to Grab before Leaving
- Hair Straightener
- Make-Up
- Laptop

So, what am I missing anything else anyone can think of?

Finally with my goals...

So, I'm finally back to finish posting about my goals. Even though I was supposed to be finished with everything at work, the past few days have been SO busy. The office threw us a Baby Shower on Friday, and we also had a Wedding Shower at a different time for another girl at the office. I also had to move offices, so that's been a challenge trying to get everything boxed up, then move it upstairs, then unpacking and being pregnant makes it that much more difficult.

Without further ado, here are my 2010 Goals:
1.) Run a minimum of two 5K's this year - I haven't been running much lately, because I hurt myself, then I got pregnant, so I haven't done much running. Get back into it and start running regularly.

2.) Get back to Wedding Day weight - I'm planning on joining Weight Watcher's as soon as I get the "go-ahead" from my doctor. I'm looking forward to it, and I'm also planning on working out at a minimum of 4-5 days per week. I know it might be a job around the neighborhood or walk with the baby, but anything is better than nothing.

3.) Become Debt Free - I want us to be debt-free aside from our house payment. I'd like to finish paying off my car and Grant's last student loan.

I think that's it...I can't think of any other goals to post, but those are the main things that I want to do this year. I know that there are other items, but these are the highlights for now. I might come back and update later when I think of more! My brain is fried right now with everything that's been going on.

It's All Wrapped Up!

So, I got everything wrapped up at work in the past two days that I'm responsible for since I'll definitely be out of the office in no more than two weeks! I'm so thrilled, and it's a huge relief to know that I'm working, and I'm getting things done, but I've transitioned everything off, and I'll have no worry or stress when our little one arrives.

To highlight my wrap-up items from this week:
- Complete transition of ALL project-related tasks to co-worker
- Complete documentation and Maternity Leave letter to highlight list of responsibilities
- Transition invoice approvals and information to co-worker

These are the items that I've had to work through in the past two days, but I've gotten it done, and I'm SO thankful! A little late, but I'm also going to try to post my 2010 Goals, not Resolutions later today! I've had them written down, but I just haven't gotten around to posting them yet.

Full Term - Yipee!!!

So, I've been gone again, but the holidays are over, so I should be back regularly until Weston decides to make his appearance. So, today marks Full Term! I can't believe it...I've been pregnant for 37 weeks!

How far along? 37 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss: 30 lbs...yikes!!
Maternity clothes? Yes...I'm not wearing anything that's not maternity except for Grant's t-shirts that are a Large and my regular pajama pants. I can still wear a small/medium pajama pants, because I can wear them down low.
Stretch marks? Nope...crossing fingers that I don't get any! :) Starting to put lotion on my stomach more regularly just to be sure!
Sleep: Having a tough time...waking up more and more often to go to the bathroom and just finding it more difficult to sleep! Woke up at 2:30 this morning and couldn't fall back to sleep until 4:00 AM. UGH!
Best moment this week: My doctor's appointment and scheduling an induction for January 20th! Yipee!! And being full term at 37 weeks! By the way, if you guessed "On Time" or "Late" in the poll, it looks like you are wrong! Those who guessed "Early" are right on!
Movement: Yes! He moves a lot, and I love it!
Food cravings: Nothing that I can think of...
Gender: Boy
Labor Signs: BH Contractions this week and weekend and lots of pressure. I'm 2 cm dilated and 80% effaced, so he may come before our scheduled induction! :)
Belly Button in or out? Finally poking out...I think he's done!
What I am looking forward to: Only having two more weeks of having an inside baby! :)
Weekly Wisdom: I don't have any this week...
Milestones: Everything is done and packed and car seat installed and inspected! Yay!

Oh, and my Step B test came back negative! Yay!! For those who are curious as to why they are inducing me early, due to my elevated blood pressure, my placenta is a Grade 3, so it's not really providing the nutrients to the baby that it should. It has become calcified, and it isn't looking great, so I guess it's not a favorable environment, and they want him to come early. I'm not real good with all the details. It has also made my fluid levels be on the low side. They are going to check them again via ultrasound next week, and if it's real low, then they'll go ahead and let him come out. But hopefully, it'll be normal, and they will wait until the following week.

Update & 36 Weeks

So, I've been totally MIA for over a week now, and I really appreciate everyone reaching out to me and checking on me since I wasn't feeling well last week. I was off work on Wednesday through Friday, so I was not on the computer, and I also came down with a cold on Wednesday which I'm still fighting. I think that I'm on the downhill slope, but it was not fun, especially since you can't take much.

In addition to having a cold and being busy with the holidays, my laptop broke. I went to check my email for work on Wednesday, and I turned on the computer, and the computer came on, but the monitor did not. I thought well, maybe it's just the monitor, so I took it to my office, and I plugged it into the docking station. Unfortunately, still no picture on my monitors. So, I've had no access to the computer this week.

It was my work computer, so I had to overnight it to Montana yesterday, and I'm using a training laptop until my new one comes in. We have a laptop and desktop at home, but I don't ever use them, so I just didn't use my computer over the holidays. I'm crossing my fingers that the computer comes back tomorrow from Montana! At least the computer still turns on, so I'm hoping that means they can still get my data off.

On another note, I'm 36 Weeks today! I have no picture, because we haven't taken one, but I went to my doctor's appointment today. The baby is measuring at 37 weeks, and my blood pressure has also gone down some, so they aren't as worried as previously, just want to keep monitoring it and want me to relax. I've gained 30 lbs., so I'm not doing too bad. The baby is probably almost 6.5 lbs by now...I'm hoping that he isn't any bigger! I got my Strep B Test today, and I'll find out the results at next week's appointment. Weston is head down and ready to go...he has dropped and my OB could feel his head when he did the internal exam. He said he is in my pelvis and ready to go! :) I am 50% effaced, but I haven't dilated at all! I'm hoping that changes by my appointment next week when I'll be full term!!

I'll try to update more regularly this week, but I likely won't be back regularly until after the New Year, because this is my last day of work this week, as well until after the holiday! Have a great week everyone!

Doctor's Appointment Update

So, the doctor's appointment went fairly well...I have gained 28 lbs., and the baby is measuring at 34 weeks, and his heartbeat was 138 bpm. He seems to be doing fairly well! I on the other hand, am not doing so well. My blood pressure has been creeping up each week this last trimester. It was up to 152/72 today, and it was 145/68 at my last appointment. At the beginning on my pregnancy, it was only 98/53, so it's definitely been gradually getting higher.

My mom was on bed rest with me during her pregnancy due to preeclampsia, and I have a history of high blood pressure in my family. My dad's side of the family has low blood pressure, and I typically have really low blood pressure, so he was shocked that it had gone up so much.

At the end of the appointment, he mentioned watching my blood pressure and inducing me early if it continues to get higher. He also mentioned that he'd like to be able to hold off until January 4th at the earliest, so he'd be full term at 37 weeks. So, he asked me to try to do as much sitting as possible and keep my legs elevated, etc., so my blood pressure stays low, as well as, try to drink as much water as possible. We ended up going ahead and scheduling another appointment for next week, because he wants to keep a closer eye on me.

I'll keep you all posted on the progress and how my blood pressure looks next week!

34 Weeks

So, since I didn't post last week, I wanted to make sure that I posted this week...I even allowed Grant to take my picture this morning before he walked out the door when I didn't have make-up on yet, because I wanted to be sure that I got a photo and could do my weekly post.

Here is my 34 week photo...

34 Weeks

Please ignore my face...I was looking pretty rough since I didn't have make-up on yet! I'm sticking more straight out then I was at 32 weeks when I took the last photo, and it looks as though my stomach is a little bit lower now. I'm not sure though! I can't tell! What do you guys think? :)

32 Weeks

How far along? 34 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss: Not sure...I got to the doctor this morning at 9:15 AM, so I'll find out then, but I'm SURE that I don't want to find out! :)
Maternity clothes? Yes...I'm not wearing anything that's not maternity except for Grant's t-shirts that are a Large and my regular pajama pants. I can still wear a small/medium pajama pants, because I can wear them down low.
Stretch marks? Nope...crossing fingers that I don't get any! :) Starting to put lotion on my stomach more regularly just to be sure!
Sleep: Having a tough time...waking up more and more often to go to the bathroom. I counted four times last night.
Best moment this week: Getting the finished / recovered glider back from my mom! It looks so good, and I love it in his room. Finishing up EVERYTHING in his nursery and bathroom!
Movement: Yes! All the time! I love it, especially in the morning.
Food cravings: Nothing that I can think of...
Gender: Boy
Labor Signs: Not too much this week!
Belly Button in or out? Pretty much flat straight across...interesting looking!
What I am looking forward to: Going to the doctor this morning...I love my visits!
Weekly Wisdom: I don't have any this week...
Milestones: Starting to pack my bag for the hospital and finishing Weston's nursery and bathroom