Shh ... Lullabies & Fireflies

Let's Talk Babies ...

fat cheeks, tubby tummies, chubby thighs, dimpled wrists and chunky little toes... -bd

Is there a baby explosion going on? I'm beginning to see it! While out returning things after the holidays, I had to stop in one of our local department stores real quick. I wasn't in the store more than 5 minutes when it was brought to my attention that every single store employee within our sight was pregnant. But I don't have to go far from home to witness the baby explosion.

My daughter is pregnant!
My daughter-in-law is pregnant!
My niece is pregnant with twins!

So, I suppose our family is doing it's fair share in contributing to this newest baby boom. -bd

... "and so it was that the handsome prince and the fair, young maiden brought forth a child whom they named "Aya" (meaning; miracle) and they all lived happily ever after". -bd

BABY EXPLOSION UPDATE: (as of 7/27/09) My son, Nick & his wife MaryAnn delivered our beautiful new granddaughter, Naliviyah on May 19,2009. My niece Melissa & her husband Darin are expecting twins and are due to have their boy and girl any day now! (We are so happy for all of you, all of us!) -bd

Put your vibrant red lipstick on mommies and let's celebrate!

Congratulations to Jasmin & Scotty on their baby boy delivery!, Congratulations to Nick & MaryAnn on their baby girl delivery!, Congratulations to Melissa & Darin on their pregnancy (with twins!) ... due in August 2009!!!

TIME FOR A FAMILY REUNION!

-bd

Pregnancy

Pamper yourself. Take time to relax. Bask in the wonderment of pregnancy. De-stress and put your feet up. This is a wonderful time to be in tune with your body. Allow others to pamper you too.

The miracle of birth will soon occur.

Revel in every bit of it, pregnancy, birth & parenthood.

-bd

I have loved you before you were ever conceived

I adored you before you'd ever believe

You wrapped your tiny self around my heart so tight

Forever will I love you with all my strength & might

-bd

Lullabies, Fireflies and Poems for little ears to hear ...-bd

Listen, little darlin, and you will hear a tale of love as nana whispers in your ear ... -bd

inspire me my little one, come help mommy to believe
in fairy princes and princesses in the forest of darkest green
oh let it be that i could see the happiness they achieve
when fireflies fly in the light of the moon unaware that they've been seen
you tell me of your make-believe friend (Ms. Mary Mind Be Good)
I want to talk to her, would love to have tea with her ... hey ... do you think we could?
we could sit beneath the big oak tree - the one you claim is magic
perhaps the leaflets would talk to us there ... if not that would be tragic
or better yet, we could climb that tree and sit in its branches old
and tell our friend Ms. Mary of fairy fantasies untold
when night time falls and the lazy moon bids us say "goodnight"
I'll wrap you up cozy in my arms and hold you safe & tight
then you'll unfold your tiny pink hand and bid me there to see
your collection of dreams ... the glittery ones and one there is just for me - bd

when you tiptoed into my life
so quietly (no one told me they were planning a little you)
i realized almost instantaneously
i was in love
again.
grandchildren;
they light up our lives and challenge us with their innocent beliefs.
they forge ahead from the time they are born with a stubborn strength to LIVE.
they force us to take a closer look at ourselves
lest we disappoint them or fail them in some way.
we realize how very important it is to provide them with the vital things that will shape the person they become:
love
understanding
compassion
commitment
accountability.
we pray their parents nurture them and instruct them
while we support them, love them, direct them.
grandchildren; the future incarnate. -bd

Staying healthy during pregnancy ...
how do you achieve it
when illness threatens?

Babies; bottles or breastfeeding?
What's your opinion?
Sound off ... write to brenda@agoodneighboronline.com

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
there you flutter from afar
find your way here ... come to me
your twinkling light I wish to see

then take me with you when you go
so many twinkles I would suppose
that I will see along the way
while you and I, in secret, play

see all the things you're used to seeing
all new to me I sure love being
here with you to twinkle with
I see you're real - no longer myth -bd

NEW FEATURE!: Jasmin's Pregnancy Blog look for new entries coming soon!

-SCROLL DOWN FOR PICTURES OF OUR NEW BABY!!!-

January 23, 2009

Okay so I know many of you coming to this site have heard about me and my brothers through the loving, although biased opinions of my mother...lol. Anyway, she has asked me to contribute what I guess will be called "Jasmin's Pregnancy Diary" so here is my first entry. I do have to warn you I am not used to sharing my feelings with the world so please bear with me.

As of yesterday I have reached 30 weeks. YEAH!!! I will tell you that this pregnancy has been bittersweet. Let me give you a little background information. I have had a couple mishaps in the past when it has come down to having babies. My oldest was born in May of 1996. He and God decided that he was to come early. I suffered a placental abruption at 31 weeks. I don't remember much due to all the medications they had me on. I do remember them telling me and my mother about a "Crash and Burn" if they couldn't get me stabilized. That is a procedure in which they would perform an emergency C-section and it would all happen within 5 minutes. I was in labor for 27 hours before they finally got the bleeding and contractions under control I stayed in the hospital for a week and was sent home to be monitored through a machine that somehow worked through the telephone line. At 35 weeks I broke out in a rash from the medication and was told to stop taking it. The next morning my son, Jason, was born weighing in at 5 lbs. 1 oz. Now let me tell you he was so little that when they put him on my chest my first thought was "What am I supposed to do with that?" LOL. I was expecting a "bigger" baby. His initial APGAR score was low so they called my mother over to talk to him and he responded to her voice. His score went up immediately. My mom saved my son's life and kept him from having a lot of tests done. Anyway, there were more complications that arose with me, but I was too drugged up to remember much. Needless, to say he was fine and he is now a healthy 12 year old.

With my daughter there where no complications. Easy pregnancy despite the horrible morning sickness. LOL. The only thing was I didn't realize I was in labor until it was almost too late. I woke up that morning, in February 1999, thinking I had to use the washroom. Yea, not so much. I went to ask my dad's wife what it felt like to be in labor and she said she didn't know, that she always had scheduled C-Section. So I decided to call my doctor...who a week earlier had told me I had dilated to 2, but for me not to worry because I was not due for a few weeks. Well, in being on the phone with him we went through a period of counting and timing contractions. (What I thought were Braxton-Hicks) He told me to get to the hospital. When I got there it was too late for an epidural and too late for my mom to make the 1 hour trip to get there in time. But I did have her on the phone the WHOLE time. So I hunkered down and gave birth to a beautiful baby girl named Jada. She weighed in at 7 lbs. 7 oz. She is now 9 yrs old.

So in between then and now I have raised my beautiful babies, fell in love with a man who was my best friend for 2 yrs and married him. We have been married for going on 4 years this May. Which brings me to the story of my new miracle.
Scott and I decided to try for a baby a little over a year ago. I had an IUD (intra-uterine device; a form of birth control that can last for 10 years)for 8 years. So, when I got it removed we were told to wait for 1 monthly cycle to start trying. Well, that month soon came to a close and we began to try. We got lucky. I was pregnant. I told Scott the great news on his 30th birthday. We were elated. I immediately called my mom to tell her the great news. At 7 weeks I was given an ultrasound. Baby was just a speck, but there he/she was. I was shown the heartbeat doppler, I was given pictures, and was told everything looked good.

In March, at 10 weeks I was sitting at work and something told me to go to the bathroom. I was spotting brown. So I called the doctor and he said not to worry brown blood was old blood and to not worry about it. Well, I couldn't get it off my mind. I left work and went to the hospital 2 minutes away. I sat in the waiting room, waiting for Scott to get there, crying, and on the phone with my mom. When I was finally seen they took vials and vials of blood and I was sent to get an ultrasound. The technician told me that she was going to take a look around and then turn the monitor around so I could see. That never happened. But I didn't think anything of it at the time. So about 45 minutes later the ER doctor comes in and tells me the worst news I have ever heard in my life (besides when I was told my grandpa had passed away). The baby was the right size for being 10 weeks along, but there was no fetal heartbeat detected. I bravely sat there nodding my head as he explained that I would need to follow up with my doctor and let nature take its course.As soon as he walked out of the room my world came crashing down. Scott grabbed me and held me as I sobbed uncontrollably. I finally was able to get dressed and leave. That was the worst 45 minute drive I have ever had to endure. I had to drive myself home, because we had driven separate cars. The whole way home I was on the phone with my mother. We cried and prayed and cried some more. The next day I went to my doctor's office and saw the head of the OB department there. He gave me an ultrasound and confirmed my worst fear. My baby that was thriving just 3 weeks before was now what they call a blighted ovum. I don't know if that is what really happened. What I have read about blighted ovums is that the baby never is actually there. A fetal pole never becomes anything more than that. No heartbeat, nothing. But I had seen my baby and saw the heartbeat just a few weeks before. He then told me that I could go home and let nature take its course, I could take a pill, or he could schedule a DNC for me. I was in denial and said I would let nature take its course. Not a good idea. I didn't know at the time, but sometimes you actually go into labor. I won't go into details. And I am not trying to discourage anyone from doing what they think is right.

After all of this was done and over with I went back to my doctor and was given another ultrasound. I was given the all clear to try again in 2 monthly cycles. I decided to wait a little longer.
On July 28th, I stopped at the store to get a home pregnancy test. The result was positive. I was elated and scared out of my mind at the same time. I actually took the test to Scott and asked him if there was one line or two. He said two. I then turned and asked my children, they both said two. I was numb. I sent a picture message of the test to my mom and asked her if there was one or two. She then said two. I was freaking out by then. LOL.

Well, The next few weeks went by very slowly for me. I was waiting for it to all come crashing down. I woke up every morning fearing the worst. Every time I used the washroom I cringed in anticipation. When I neared the 10 week mark I was a nervous wreck. At my first ultrasound at 12 weeks Scott was there to experience the miracle of our baby. I cried when I heard the heartbeat and saw the profile of our beautiful miracle. It was soo cute to see him moving around and kicking his legs out and pulling them back in. A lot of the tension melted away at that moment.

Since then I have had a barrage of tests. I have sailed through them despite my fear of needles. LOL. I have reveled in every flutter, push, kick, and hiccup. At my 20 week ultrasound we found out we are having a boy, (to be named after his dad and grandpa) and that everything is going extremely well. I am at the stage now that I have been experiencing Braxton-Hicks contractions. I have to tell you I still freak out every once in a while. As it so happens 2 nights ago, I woke up with a weird feeling and as soon as I sat up in bed I threw up all over everything. I finally made it to the bathroom to finish. I cleaned up and a few minutes later was back in bed. Then I started to freak out! He wasn't moving. I tried laying on my back and on my side. Things that would normally get him to move and nothing worked. So I woke up Scotty and told him to take me to the hospital. I get there and they strap the heartbeat and contraction monitors on my belly and wouldn't you know, there he went!! Kicking and pushing and rolling around! I swear it was like he was saying, "HAHA, mommy!" I tell you he's got his dad's attitude already! LOL! Well, I think I have shared enough for one day. I hope you have enjoyed my rantings thus far. I will try to write at least once a week. If you would like to comment or ask questions or anything please don't hesitate. Contact my mom and she will get them to me. If you are expecting, Congratulations and Good Luck!!! Thank you again. God Bless!

February 4, 2009

I apologize for taking so long to write. I have had an eventful week. It all started on Wednesday last week (Jan 28). I was on my way into work and had a fall. I totally misjudged where the curb was under the snow and slipped and fell. Right on my stomach. It happened so fast I didn't even get the chance to put my arms out to catch myself or anything. And as I was laying there on the ground with my face inches away from concrete I thought, Oh My God, I fell. Second thought was, No way ... on my stomach! I assessed the damages and realized that I wasn't hurting anywhere and I should try to get up very slowly. I got up and still didn't feel hurt or bruised so I made my way to the door. As I put my badge up to the sensor to let me in I felt a pull in my lower pelvis region. I walked into the building, punched in, and walked to my desk. That was when the pain hit. My whole lower pelvis felt like all the muscles were being stretched. I immediately called my boss over told him what happened and left work. I called my husband to let him know that I was on my way to the hospital. I told him why and not to worry I was okay. Now, I had two options, I could go to the hospital 2 mins away. (This was the hospital that I went to when my miscarriage started and had to sit in the waiting room forever before a doctor called me.) Or I could drive 30-35 to my hospital. I decided I couldn't wait that long. So I drove down the street. Now, I can't explain all the things that were running through my head on that drive. I remember crying and praying and begging God not to let my baby die because of my stupidity. I got to the hospital and checked in. I was put in a wheelchair and was told someone from transport would be down to get me. I thought, "Great, here we go again." I decided to call my mom. (My saving Grace...more than she or even I knew at this point.) And she called my husband. I didn't want her to, because I just knew that if he were to leave work and come up there the end result was going to be bad because of what happened before. You see, when I miscarried I had called him to come stay with me. You know, it is so silly but for me anyway ... I always think "what if" ... I thought just the act of telling him to come or him actually coming would tempt fate and I would miscarry again. She told me not to worry and that everything would be fine. Finally, after what seemed to be forever someone came to get me to take me up to labor and delivery. Let me just tell you these labor and delivery rooms at this hospital are amazing!!! But anyway...lol...I get up to the room, change and get hooked up to the fetal monitors and I am immediately calmed somewhat by the sound of lil Scotty's heartbeat. They explain that they are going to do an ultrasound, take some blood, and make sure that he and I are both ok. So I call my mom back and we talk for a little while and Scott finally gets to the hospital. I get off the phone with mom and tell Scott what happened and that I am sorry. He looks at me with this look like I told you to go on maternity leave a long time ago.(Mind you I am only 31 weeks at this point.) So the ultrasound tech comes in the room. And it is a familiar face. Her name is Amy and she is the one that performed my ultrasound when I had my miscarriage! She even remembered me! She tells me that she is sooo happy to see that I am way farther along than last time. I am like, "Me too!" So she proceeds to do the ultrasound and finds some interesting things. One the baby is fine..."WHEW!!!" Two, I have two placentas...now this is not really abnormal. A lot of women can have two, the weird part about mine is that while most of the time there is a normal size placenta and a little one attached to it, mine are both the same size ... and are the size that they are supposed to be for as far along as I am. Just a little unusual. Then to top it off, the second one is very low lying. It is 2 cm away from my cervix. So it is not a placenta previa...thank God. But it may interfere with me having a natural birth like I intended. Also, this can cause other complications as well, if I start to dilate at all I could easily start to bleed, maybe even hemorrhage. Now, I have had 2 ultrasounds up to this point and no one had mentioned this to me at all. The ultrasound tech was even disturbed by that fact. I would have thought that in a situation that takes you from having a normal pregnancy to a high risk would warrant your doctor telling you this. That's a whole can of worms I will open in a minute or so. So besides all that I am okay the fall didn't do any damage. Now, let me tell you why I said earlier my mother was my saving grace. A few years ago, my mother and I were at a thrift shop and we were trying on different things and looking through endless racks of clothes when I ventured off a little and found myself looking at this coat rack. There was this camel colored suede coat that was lined with faux fur on the inside. I am a "bigger" girl so a lot of times when I go into thrift stores there is not a whole lot there that fits me and is cute. But I tried this coat on and it fit. I HAD to have it. I asked my mom if she could by it for me. She did. Now fast forward. I went to see my mom a few weeks ago and at the end of our visit she was looking at me with this camel colored coat and said I needed something bigger because my belly wasn't going to fit in it much longer. So we went through her coat closet and found a beautiful black swing coat that I am in love with. Fast forward again to the morning I fell. I was running a tad bit late getting out the door and instead of me opening my coat closet to get my black coat out I grabbed the suede one off the hook and ran out the door. Now this coat is tight around my belly so it takes a little maneuvering to zip it up over my belly, but it's warm and it would have to do. That coat is what kept my baby safe that morning. Because it was tight and lined with all that faux fur, when I fell my stomach was cushioned. So thank you mother for the coat once again. Now, while at the hospital I started having contractions. At first I could feel them, but they weren't being picked up by the monitor. I realized this after they had been going on for about an hour and a half. The nurse came in and adjusted the monitor and saw that yes indeed I was. So she came in and started an I.V. After about an hour, and two bags of fluid they couldn't get them to stop so the doctor came in to check to see if I was dilating. I wasn't...so that was a good thing. But I would have to get a shot to stop them. I was given the shot and told that they would monitor me for a while longer and let me go home...only because my doctor's appt was scheduled for the next day. So a while later I went home. At my doctor's office, the next day, I gave him the ultrasound report and told him what had happened. (I was still in pain going into his office that day...) He checks the baby's heartbeat and tells me to go to the hospital to get a non-stress test. I ask him if I should return to work the next day and he says it depends on the results of the test. (My doctor is really getting on my nerves...he only talks when you ask him a specific question and looks more at the paperwork than at you. Also, all of your medical information is on computer, which for some reason I don't think he checks before he comes in the room. So it's like going in there and telling him the same thing you told him last week. I want to change doctors, but with me being so far along...I don't know.) Anyway, I go to get this test. And I am watching my baby's heartbeat go from 145-150 to 125-127. Then he would move and it would go back up. Scary. But the nurse said everything was fine and I could go home. I get home and call the doctor's office. I leave a message with his receptionist and wait. She calls me back and says for me to take Friday off. Great does that mean the test was bad? She doesn't know...I can ask my doctor at my next appt. WOW! Really???!!! So the weekend passes and it's Monday morning, I go into work. I am still in a lot of pain. I call my doctor's office and talk to the nurse. She says to come in at noon. I leave work and pick up Scott. We get to the doctor's office and I am explaining to him the pain, and that I am still having contractions. He feels my stomach, checks the baby's heartbeat, checks to see if I have dilated (I haven't) and says I am to stay home for 3 weeks. As he starts to leave the room I look at Scott and he asks the doctor how the test went and the doctor looks at the paper that has nothing to do with the test (Cause the results are on the computer) and says that the test was fine even though the baby's heartbeat was going up and down and walks out. I look at Scott and we are both like, "What just happened?" So now I am at home, still not knowing fully what is going on with my body or my baby and I have to go see the good ole doc on Monday. If anything changes I promise to let you know. But for now I am going to sign off. God Bless you and your families and please continue to pray for me. Thank you again for taking the time to read my story.

March 18, 2009

Here I am once again to give an update. Let me first say that I am still pregnant. Lol I did get some really good news on the Dr.'s office front. I was just about to change doctors (I just couldn't take him any more and was going to go back to my original Dr.) Actually, she was a nurse practitioner from my previous pregnancy (the one I miscarried) but I couldn't get an appointment with her. So I figured I would go to see Dr. Boateng one more time. Low and behold when the "Dr" comes in it's not Dr Boateng, but Christine the nurse practitioner!! I started tearing up right there in the Dr's office. (Lovely hormones!) I was soooo happy to see her. And she remembered me! (Something Dr Boateng never could quite pull off.) So I have been scheduling my appointments with her the last few weeks. The only time I will need to see Dr. Boateng is when I actually give birth. Yea! HAHA!! But other than that miraculous event...not a whole lot changed until about 3 weeks ago on Feb. 27. I went into what they call "false labor" which is a total misnomer because it they said I was in active labor it was just UNPRODUCTIVE. The contractions started at about 6:30 p.m. and I started timing them because they were very strong. They started out 6 minutes apart, when they got to 3 minutes apart I called my doctor. When I didn't get a call back I freaked and went to the hospital. They sent me upstairs to labor and delivery and hooked me up to the monitors. The nurse checked to see if I was dilated and found that I was at 1 cm. She explained that because I was only at 1 cm that I was probably going to be sent home to labor at home for a while, but that she was going to call "the good ole" Dr. … well, a few minutes later she came in and told me that he said to go ahead and admit me. We were shocked, but grateful. The hospital admittance just made me feel much better and more confident. So I look at Scott and told him to call my mom and tell her she needed to get there! The nurse takes me to my room and I am a little disappointed. The birthing suites here are nothing like the other ones in the other hospital. They are still pretty for what they are I guess … they're just a bit dated and you can tell they've had their share of visitors! Lol So I get all hooked up to monitors and an I.V. and Daisy (the nurse) tells me that the doctor said I can have an epidural at anytime. Thank you, Jesus!!! I got here in time this time!!! I decline the epidural because I know that they can slow labor down and I don't want that to happen. She then tells me that I can get a shot called Staydol. That it is a narcotic pain reliever and I can get that every three hours if I want it. I told her I would wait a little while and let her know if I couldn't take the pain anymore. So the waiting game begins. Mom gets to the hospital and that comforts me so much. She will be here to witness the birth of her 2nd grandson. Well, time goes by and the contractions are getting more and more intense and finally I have to ask for the shot. Daisy comes in and checks to see if I have dilated anymore. I have I am at a "loose" 1cm. So I am making progress! Well, she brings the medicine in and puts some in my I.V. and gives me the 2nd part in my shoulder. Let me just tell you the burn of that medicine made me think maybe I should have just toughed out those contractions. Lol But not even 30 seconds later I was the happiest person in the world. As long as I stayed still...the medicine causes dizziness and nausea. But I was happy. The pain went from a 9 to a 4, and I have a pretty high tolerance for pain. Anyway, right before I got the shot Scott had left to go to get some snacks, needless to say when he came back he got a surprise! Lol He couldn't believe how my mood had changed so drastically! So a little later I am laying there trying to sleep, it's about 12 a.m., and Scott is keeping a steady vigil next to me. When the medicine starts to wear off and the contractions come back stronger he gives me his hand to hold as I breathe thru them. (I swear if I didn't love him before that moment, I would have fallen in love with him right then and there. We are not the most romantic couple in the world, but just that simple act of him holding my hand made my heart melt. Lol Just don't let him know that! Lol) So, the nurse comes in to check the tape and sees that the contractions are coming strong and they are about 3 minutes apart. So we continue to wait ... at about 5:30 in the morning I told her to give me another shot. This one hurt so much more than the first one! I wanted to pass out although, again, just a few seconds after she gives me the shot, I am in a medicinal bliss. At 7:30 a.m. Daisy's shift is over and she comes in to tell us goodbye and that she will see us that night, hopefully with the baby or at least in active labor. At about 9 a.m. the "good" doctor decides to make an appearance. He comes in and asks 1) if there have been any complications with this pregnancy? REALLY???? Did he just ask that (???) and as I am trying to answer he talks right over me. About what I can't really remember...but he puts on a glove to check me ... opens his mouth and says "no change" and asks how far I live from the hospital. I tell him not far and he tells me to go home. WHAT????? My new nurse even looks at him like he has lost his mind. As she is taking my I.V. out she whispers don't worry and to just come back later if I need to. I am to the point where I am like maybe I should just go to the other hospital later. So in disbelief we all get ready to disembark. I am extremely nauseous and don't feel good moving around at all. Thank God I didn't get the epidural!!!! So we all head to my house and mom and I decide to go to the mall and walk to see if we can get my labor to speed up. We walk around for a little while and I am sweating and hungry and trying not to be grumpy. So after walking for a little while we decide to get some lunch. We order and sit down. I am at this point so happy to be spending time with my mom that the nausea is in the far, far back of my mind ... until I am 2 bites into my sandwich. Needless, to say mom and I had to abandon our lunch plans, get the food to go and race (as fast as was physically possible for me) out to the truck. We finally make it home and I sit up for a while and we decided that mom should just go home, that it doesn't look like anymore is going to happen that day. After my mom left, I went to lie down next to my husband, who had fallen asleep upon our arrival at the house earlier that day. I slept ALL day. That medicine just took everything out of me. The next day I lost my mucus plug! I called the "good" doctor and I guess that didn't even warrant a return call from him. A couple of days later I had my next doctor appointment, I was soooo happy that I was going to be seeing Christine again. When I got there we talked about what had happened and that since I was only 35 weeks she wanted me on bed rest for 2 weeks. My reaction was "NNNOOOOO!!!!" Lol … but I reassured her that my main concern was to make it to 37 weeks when I would be considered "full-term". She didn't want to check for dilation because she didn't want to disturb anything and cause the contractions to start back up. I have been to see Christine on my weekly visits twice since then. Yesterday, when I went to see her we talked about how to try to get my labor started at home and that I am now 2cm dilated, 75% effaced, and at a +1. So labor could begin at anytime. She said that I may not make it another week, but if for some reason I do, that she will try some things on her end to get things started for me since I will be 2 days away from being 39 weeks. I am praying I go this week. As anxious as I am to have little Scotty in my arms, I have to remember that there will be so much more work to do once he gets here. I think my body is just tired of being a host to this little body growing inside me. Lol I had my baby shower this past Saturday. I got soooo much stuff! I don't have room for any of it. Lol I think that for the first 6 months of Scotty's life he probably won't wear the same outfit twice. Lol Now I am patiently waiting for the contractions to start and stay steady again. Please continue to pray for me and thank you for taking the time to read my blog. Hopefully, next one will be written with Lil Scotty laying in his bassinet right next to me. God Bless you all and thank you again. (Note from Brenda: as soon as little Scotty is here I will include a picture of him for all to admire! J)

APRIL 9, 2009

Hello again! I am pleased to announce that Scotty III was born on Saturday, March 28, 2009 @ 2:06 AM. After 11 1/2 hours of labor. He weighed 7 lbs. 8 oz. and was 20 inches long. Labor went ok. I did opt for an epidural. I got there on time!!!!! lol. The hardest part was when they were waiting for my Dr to get there and they kept telling me not to push. I don't think they realize that it's not you doing the pushing, it's your body! lol. I am sorry that I didn't share the news sooner, but we had a rough patch. When he was 5 days old he came down with a bad case of Jaundice. I noticed as we were going home on Monday that he was a little yellow, but they said that it was normal and would most likely go away on its own. Well, on Tuesday he had his 1st checkup. The doctor said to keep an eye on it and to let him know if it got worse. Well, by Thursday his color had turned from yellow to an orangey color. I called the doctor and we were seen right away. He said to take him to get a Billi test done to see what his levels were. An hour after the test we got a call to have him admitted at the hospital, his levels were a little high. So we spent 3 days in the hospital after only being home for 2 1/2 days. His levels when admitted to the hospital were at 21. Normal is 11 or 12 for how old he was. You get admitted at 17. So of course you can imagine how freaked out I was. The only thing I knew about Jaundice was what I had read on the internet. And it talks about Cerebral Palsey and deafness and all kinds of other bad things. So I kept imagining the worse. Well, we are at the hospital and they are taking blood from him and getting him set up on an i.v. and I am crying my eyes out. I couldn't believe my little one was having to endure this already. To give a little information on what Jaundice is...it is an inability for the baby's liver to break down the blood cells that are transferred to him via the umbilical cord from the mother. Usually, what happens is after birth the baby eats and the waste from the broken down cells are then flushed out through the waste of the baby. Well, in the case of Jaundice the baby's liver is not mature enough to break these cells down and they are reabsorbed through the intestines back into the body. Therefore, causing the skin to turn yellow. In the hospital the procedure is, 1) to put the baby on an i.v to try to flush out the cells by inducing wet and dirty diapers. These are then weighed to see how much fluid and waste are being disposed of by the body. 2) To put the baby under u.v. lights and to lay the baby down on a pad called a u.v. blanket. These work through the skin to try and break down the cells. 3) To keep to a rigorous feeding schedule every 3 hours. Whether by breastfeeding, formula, or a combination of both. I have heard that some Dr.s just want you to feed formula, but I am breastfeeding and wanted to give that a go first. So at 8 pm that night they got him hooked up to the i.v. and into the incubator with the lights on 2 sides. The back and the top. They said they would be in in the morning to check his levels again. The next morning at 6:45 AM they came in and took blood from him. At 7 AM the doctor came in. He told me right off the bat that we would be staying another night. And that they would be taking another sample the next morning and if everything looked good then they would take him off the i.v. and leave him under the lights for a while. Then they would take another sample to see if he could be taken off the lights for a 4 hour test to see if the levels would rise. If not then we could probably go home. This was all before we got the results of the initial test that had only been taken 15 mins before. So he checks Scotty and says he will see us in the morning. Well, about 45 mins later the nurse comes in and tells me that his levels had dropped to 15. Everyone was amazed! His levels were dropping faster than anyone had thought. So that changed the game plan. He was able to get off the i.v. right then. And they would be in later that day to check his levels. Well, he was off the i.v. from 7:30 AM until 6 PM when they came to check his levels. He was at a 12.7 then. We were all so happy!! He was doing great. They left him on the lights overnight and came to check his levels again in the morning. At 6:30 AM they came to take a sample and the results were 12.1. I was a little upset I was hoping that they would have gone down more than that. But they were going to take him off the lights and see how he would do in a four hours. I was then able to hold him as much as I wanted. I was going through what our family has dubbed "Separation anxiety". lol Up until that point I was only able to hold him to feed him. So we took a nap together and just had mommy/baby time. After the 4 hours were up they came in to take yet another sample. An hour later the nurse came in and told me his levels had dropped yet again, they were now at 10. And we could go home! That was Saturday. Yesterday, we went to the Dr.s and although he is still a little Jaundice he is much much better! I will continue to write and let you all know his progress. Thank you all so much for your prayers and support! God Bless!

We sat and thought and imagined and dreamed
the thought of a baby now unknown, now unseen
we pondered at our finances, our future, our lives
we worried and joked ... then came our surprise
that planning and pondering and thinking are okay
but now that you're in my tummy ... that all went astray
first you were a thought now you're alive and growing
all of our worries were snuffed out with this knowing
as weeks go by and my body changes we are amazed all the more
we anxiously look forward to what our new lives have in store
you've started to kick, it's like a slight thumping deep inside
I can't wait for daddy to feel you ... so wondrously alive
you're getting bigger now, moving and kicking so much more
when daddy puts his hand on my belly you stop as if you're bored
he can see my belly contorting ... wants to feel you as I do
now finally you let him and he begins to cry as you move
you are such a big part of us, we can't imagine life without you
in just a few more short days we'll be a family for real ... it's true
you will come forth into this world surrounded by people who love you already
we will all live happily ever after, me, daddy, you and (let's not forget) your first teddy.

-bd