I have a spiral bound journal that I bought shortly after Katie was born to jot down random things. It's one of those things that I might use regularly for a few weeks and then put it away for months without looking at it again.
In the past week or so, I discovered a list of goals that I wrote in April 2012. Of the 8 goals I listed, I felt really proud of myself for successfully completing 6 of them.
Goals 1-4 were the completion of certain amounts of credit hours at Wake Tech and completing my Associate in Arts with a 3.0 or better. All done! Goal 5 was to be readmitted to NC State. I've been accepted and will resume classes in the fall. Goal 6 was to have baby #3 by September 2015. Don't laugh. It may seem like a silly thing to list as a goal, but it was something that I really wanted. God must have found that particular goal pretty amusing considering how quickly Jeb followed Katie.
The two remaining goals aren't complete, but I'm getting there - complete a designation for work (think school for insurance professionals... I just need to save up the money for the exam that I'm reimbursed for when I pass the exam) and find a healthy weight.
I guess I need to make myself a new goal list, lose it and find it again in another year or so :-)
The Graduate
In June 1996, I graduated from high school. The most memorable part of graduation? They left my name off the list of graduates. That's right... I went to that school for 4 years and I participated in all sorts of things...it wasn't like I wasn't visible. Matter of fact, the teacher "in charge" of making the list actually had me in one of her classes! During practice, I went to sit in my assigned seat, only to discover I didn't have one. My parents were not very happy. I didn't want a big fuss to be made and I just wanted to get it over with.
Now, in May 2013, I've completed my Associates in Arts. For most people, that doesn't seem like a big deal. I decided last spring that I wanted to go back to NC State and finish my undergrad. The easiest way to do that was to complete a degree at Wake Tech. I had taken courses off and on in the past, but wasn't even half-way finished. With an infant at home (Katie wasn't even 6 months when I started taking courses again last summer), I took 18 credit hours last summer. I took another 14 in the fall and 13 this spring. Let me tell you, taking 13 credit hours while you are working and pregnant isn't fun. And, realizing that you're going to be having the baby right before final exams isn't ideal either.
The official graduation ceremony was this past Saturday. I had decided, over a month ago and before Jeb arrived, that I didn't want to participate in the ceremony less than two weeks after having a c-section (when he was going to arrive on April 22). Beyond that, Abby was attending a mother-daughter camp with her surrogate mom (my co-teacher at church and a fabulous friend). It would break her heart if I "graduated" and she couldn't be there. So, Saturday came and went.
To actually graduate and earn my degree, I only needed two courses this semester (but I took four because the other two will transfer back to NC State). The first course, Communications, was condensed into half the semester and I finished it back in March. The second, Statistics, has been a reminder of why I opted to take Mathematics of Finance when I was at NC State years ago - I might be good at math, but I don't enjoy learning things that aren't applicable to my daily life. If you've never experienced a statistics course, let me tell you... beyond the parts that are common sense (you have a 1 in 52 chance of choosing the queen of hearts from a deck of cards), nothing is applicable to daily life. Seriously. I missed the third test in the class due to Jeb's birth, so whatever I received on my final would be used to replace that zero. I took my final on Friday afternoon. To pass the class (with a D), I needed to score 34 on the final exam. That sounds silly, especially coming from the grade monger I typically am, but I just wanted to pass the class to graduate. And, I've had an awful time with the class concepts the past 6 weeks or so. In all honesty, I didn't even attempt about a third of the exam because I had no clue and couldn't even come up with a guess. Tonight, my grades were posted... I didn't get the 34. Instead, I received a 58 (I never thought I'd be so happy to get an F on a test!) and ended the class with a C. Best C I've ever seen in my life.
So, with that, I'm officially finished at Wake Tech and my degree is complete. I will start classes in the fall at NC State. I'm looking forward to this summer so I can read books FOR FUN! I'm incredibly thankful for the support my husband has given me as I've been in school for the past year. He's put up with a lot and I'm certain he's tired of hearing me complain about professors and group work. Without his encouragement and support, I don't think I would have gone back to school at all. And, I certainly wouldn't have committed to finishing at Wake Tech in a year.
Now, in May 2013, I've completed my Associates in Arts. For most people, that doesn't seem like a big deal. I decided last spring that I wanted to go back to NC State and finish my undergrad. The easiest way to do that was to complete a degree at Wake Tech. I had taken courses off and on in the past, but wasn't even half-way finished. With an infant at home (Katie wasn't even 6 months when I started taking courses again last summer), I took 18 credit hours last summer. I took another 14 in the fall and 13 this spring. Let me tell you, taking 13 credit hours while you are working and pregnant isn't fun. And, realizing that you're going to be having the baby right before final exams isn't ideal either.
The official graduation ceremony was this past Saturday. I had decided, over a month ago and before Jeb arrived, that I didn't want to participate in the ceremony less than two weeks after having a c-section (when he was going to arrive on April 22). Beyond that, Abby was attending a mother-daughter camp with her surrogate mom (my co-teacher at church and a fabulous friend). It would break her heart if I "graduated" and she couldn't be there. So, Saturday came and went.
To actually graduate and earn my degree, I only needed two courses this semester (but I took four because the other two will transfer back to NC State). The first course, Communications, was condensed into half the semester and I finished it back in March. The second, Statistics, has been a reminder of why I opted to take Mathematics of Finance when I was at NC State years ago - I might be good at math, but I don't enjoy learning things that aren't applicable to my daily life. If you've never experienced a statistics course, let me tell you... beyond the parts that are common sense (you have a 1 in 52 chance of choosing the queen of hearts from a deck of cards), nothing is applicable to daily life. Seriously. I missed the third test in the class due to Jeb's birth, so whatever I received on my final would be used to replace that zero. I took my final on Friday afternoon. To pass the class (with a D), I needed to score 34 on the final exam. That sounds silly, especially coming from the grade monger I typically am, but I just wanted to pass the class to graduate. And, I've had an awful time with the class concepts the past 6 weeks or so. In all honesty, I didn't even attempt about a third of the exam because I had no clue and couldn't even come up with a guess. Tonight, my grades were posted... I didn't get the 34. Instead, I received a 58 (I never thought I'd be so happy to get an F on a test!) and ended the class with a C. Best C I've ever seen in my life.
So, with that, I'm officially finished at Wake Tech and my degree is complete. I will start classes in the fall at NC State. I'm looking forward to this summer so I can read books FOR FUN! I'm incredibly thankful for the support my husband has given me as I've been in school for the past year. He's put up with a lot and I'm certain he's tired of hearing me complain about professors and group work. Without his encouragement and support, I don't think I would have gone back to school at all. And, I certainly wouldn't have committed to finishing at Wake Tech in a year.
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Pediatricians and 20 Days
Yesterday was Jeb's 2 week check-up. Technically, we should have gone earlier in the week, but we have certain docs we prefer in our practice (of like 25 doctors and 5 offices), so we held out to get a favorite. Katie would have had her 15 month appointment too, but she has a runny nose, so we decided it was best for her to stay home this time.
I realize that kids get sick and have things happen all the time, but I do think with 25 or so doctors, the pediatrician could have 1 doc at each office to handle the emergencies that come in each day. You know, someone who doesn't have any appointments scheduled and just handles unexpected things or helps out when appointments start backing up. At yesterday's visit, we arrived 10 minutes early. We sat in the waiting room over 30 minutes past the appointment time. When we were finally called back, we didn't even get an actual exam room. I was told it was a busy Friday (ha!). We went into a tiny room that was used for storage, but happened to have an exam table and a sink (for hand washing). Honestly, I didn't care as long as we got to see the doctor fairly soon. A friend has recently had lots of doctors visits with her son and she's constantly being forced to wait hours past her appointment time. This came to mind and I was thankful that I wasn't waiting for hours.
When the doctor finally came in, he did apologize for the room and the wait. It was nice that he acknowledged all of that. I know some docs that wouldn't even give it a second thought.
In the week after his birth, Jeb lost an entire pound (which wasn't alarming because he was so big to start with). In the 2 weeks since then, he's gained back the entire pound plus another half pound. Our boy seems to be a really, really healthy eater. He has a big head, just like his sister (Katie) but there isn't concern...he comes from a long line of big (Slawter) heads. He's super alert for his age already and seems to be doing great. Thankfully, there weren't shots at this appointment. (I hate watching my kids in pain or scared.)
Now, for something funny. Abby had her annual check-up this week. Mike took her and I stayed home with the little kiddos. The doctor Abby saw was one of the docs that saw Jeb in the hospital. She remembered me (and Jeb) because he was such a big boy. That made me chuckle. I guess if you're gonna be remembered for something, having an 11 pounder is as good a reason as any :-)
I realize that kids get sick and have things happen all the time, but I do think with 25 or so doctors, the pediatrician could have 1 doc at each office to handle the emergencies that come in each day. You know, someone who doesn't have any appointments scheduled and just handles unexpected things or helps out when appointments start backing up. At yesterday's visit, we arrived 10 minutes early. We sat in the waiting room over 30 minutes past the appointment time. When we were finally called back, we didn't even get an actual exam room. I was told it was a busy Friday (ha!). We went into a tiny room that was used for storage, but happened to have an exam table and a sink (for hand washing). Honestly, I didn't care as long as we got to see the doctor fairly soon. A friend has recently had lots of doctors visits with her son and she's constantly being forced to wait hours past her appointment time. This came to mind and I was thankful that I wasn't waiting for hours.
When the doctor finally came in, he did apologize for the room and the wait. It was nice that he acknowledged all of that. I know some docs that wouldn't even give it a second thought.
In the week after his birth, Jeb lost an entire pound (which wasn't alarming because he was so big to start with). In the 2 weeks since then, he's gained back the entire pound plus another half pound. Our boy seems to be a really, really healthy eater. He has a big head, just like his sister (Katie) but there isn't concern...he comes from a long line of big (Slawter) heads. He's super alert for his age already and seems to be doing great. Thankfully, there weren't shots at this appointment. (I hate watching my kids in pain or scared.)
Now, for something funny. Abby had her annual check-up this week. Mike took her and I stayed home with the little kiddos. The doctor Abby saw was one of the docs that saw Jeb in the hospital. She remembered me (and Jeb) because he was such a big boy. That made me chuckle. I guess if you're gonna be remembered for something, having an 11 pounder is as good a reason as any :-)
Siblings
Watching our children grow up, I'm reminded that I've never experienced life with a sibling. Admittedly, I used to ask my parents for a brother or sister. A lot. As a parent., I love watching the relationships develop, but I reserve the right to complain about the "she hit me," "he bit me," "she took my ___," in the years to come.
Abby is old enough to understand being a big sister and she truly loves her brother and sister. As a tween, she understandably has moments when she doesn't want to be bothered, but for the most part, she is awesome as a big sis. Katie absolutely adores her and is always ready to head out for afternoon carpool to pick Abby up at school. I'm pretty sure Jeb will be just as enamored with his biggest sis in the years to come.
Katie isn't old enough to fully understand the new family dynamics, but that hasn't stopped her from being a fabulous big sis. Upon waking each morning, her first concern is to find her brother. If she can't see him in our room, she asks where he is. If his blanket, burp cloth or pacifier aren't with him, she finds them and brings them to him. If he is crying, she shushes him and will try to pat him or his carseat when we're out. If he is crying in the middle of the night and she hears it, she wakes up very upset and wants to be with him. Finally, she loves to give him hugs and kisses. When he's being changed downstairs, she strokes his head while he's laying there. She also likes to carry his empty bottles into the kitchen to be washed and she's a fabulous diaper fetcher.
When Mike and I were first married, I knew I wanted to have three kids. But, once we had Abby, I couldn't imagine how we would ever be able to do that financially. Not to mention going through the waiting game again (it took us nearly 18 months to conceive Abby). During a family vacation, I remember commenting about that to my sister-in-law. In her genuine faithfulness, she told me that God would make His plan for a family clear to us in His time, whether that meant one child or more. I knew she was right. Looking back over the past 10 years or so, I can see how God's plan was slowly revealed (at least in parts). Had the timing been ours, things wouldn't have worked out nearly as well as they have. I'm so blessed to be where we are and thankful for where we have been.
Abby is old enough to understand being a big sister and she truly loves her brother and sister. As a tween, she understandably has moments when she doesn't want to be bothered, but for the most part, she is awesome as a big sis. Katie absolutely adores her and is always ready to head out for afternoon carpool to pick Abby up at school. I'm pretty sure Jeb will be just as enamored with his biggest sis in the years to come.
Katie isn't old enough to fully understand the new family dynamics, but that hasn't stopped her from being a fabulous big sis. Upon waking each morning, her first concern is to find her brother. If she can't see him in our room, she asks where he is. If his blanket, burp cloth or pacifier aren't with him, she finds them and brings them to him. If he is crying, she shushes him and will try to pat him or his carseat when we're out. If he is crying in the middle of the night and she hears it, she wakes up very upset and wants to be with him. Finally, she loves to give him hugs and kisses. When he's being changed downstairs, she strokes his head while he's laying there. She also likes to carry his empty bottles into the kitchen to be washed and she's a fabulous diaper fetcher.
When Mike and I were first married, I knew I wanted to have three kids. But, once we had Abby, I couldn't imagine how we would ever be able to do that financially. Not to mention going through the waiting game again (it took us nearly 18 months to conceive Abby). During a family vacation, I remember commenting about that to my sister-in-law. In her genuine faithfulness, she told me that God would make His plan for a family clear to us in His time, whether that meant one child or more. I knew she was right. Looking back over the past 10 years or so, I can see how God's plan was slowly revealed (at least in parts). Had the timing been ours, things wouldn't have worked out nearly as well as they have. I'm so blessed to be where we are and thankful for where we have been.
Wait, Baby Weight
I probably can't name a handful of friends who didn't want to lose "baby weight" after their pregnancy. No surprise that I feel the same way. By 36 weeks into Jeb's gestation, I had only gained six-tenths of a pound (personal woohoo!), and ended up only gaining a total of 7 pounds during the whole thing. For me, that is a huge thing because with Abby, I gained well over 50 pounds. At one point in the past 6 years, I had lost almost all of that pregnancy weight, but ended up gaining the majority back through poor choices and stress. With Katie, I only gained about 15 pounds and had lost about half when I got pregnant with Jeb.
I've made myself a promise this time around NOT to fall slave to the scale. I won't be checking my weight until I return to the doctor for my 6 week check-up. I have no clue how much I weigh right now and I'm ok with that. Instead of focusing on the number, I'd rather focus on trying to make healthy choices and not let stress affect when and what I eat.
I'm also trying commit to regular exercise and including my children whenever possible. I have a feeling there will be a lot of family walks with the double stroller in the coming weeks.
Of course, I do have an ultimate goal... a cute green dress that I bought years ago and would love to wear. It is more of spring or summer dress, but if I just happen to fit into it come winter, so be it. I'll happily rock a sleeveless dress with strappy shoes at Christmas if it comes to that!
I've made myself a promise this time around NOT to fall slave to the scale. I won't be checking my weight until I return to the doctor for my 6 week check-up. I have no clue how much I weigh right now and I'm ok with that. Instead of focusing on the number, I'd rather focus on trying to make healthy choices and not let stress affect when and what I eat.
I'm also trying commit to regular exercise and including my children whenever possible. I have a feeling there will be a lot of family walks with the double stroller in the coming weeks.
Of course, I do have an ultimate goal... a cute green dress that I bought years ago and would love to wear. It is more of spring or summer dress, but if I just happen to fit into it come winter, so be it. I'll happily rock a sleeveless dress with strappy shoes at Christmas if it comes to that!
The Name Game
For those close to me, Jeb's name was probably a huge surprise... because I've had this "7 letter rule" for Abby and Katie's names. Michael and Phyllis both have 7 letters. I thought it would be neat if our kids did too. So there you have Abby and Katie's names. Of course, their names are also family names too.
Abigail (my mother's middle name is Gail) Paige (Mike's sister's middle name)
Beverly (Mike's mother's first name) Kate (my great-aunt Katherine)
When we found out we were having a boy, I started off trying to adhere to my "rule," but found that I wasn't as thrilled with the name choices and it meant so much more to have family names. Much like the girls, we changed his name in the weeks leading up to his arrival... you'd think by the third time, I'd have learned not to bother coming up with a name until near the very end.
John Ernest (Mike's Paw Paw's name) Brooks (my grandfather's middle name)
Normally, I wouldn't have chosen 3 names, but in researching family names and history, Mike and I found some really interesting info on my dad's family, specifically my great-grandfather. He always went by his initials (C.E.D. Love) and I couldn't recall ever seeing his name spelled out. After reading so much interesting information about him and his family, that helped in choosing Jeb's name and deciding his nickname too!
Of course, for now, Katie just calls him "baby," but I guess that could be worse :-)
Abigail (my mother's middle name is Gail) Paige (Mike's sister's middle name)
Beverly (Mike's mother's first name) Kate (my great-aunt Katherine)
When we found out we were having a boy, I started off trying to adhere to my "rule," but found that I wasn't as thrilled with the name choices and it meant so much more to have family names. Much like the girls, we changed his name in the weeks leading up to his arrival... you'd think by the third time, I'd have learned not to bother coming up with a name until near the very end.
John Ernest (Mike's Paw Paw's name) Brooks (my grandfather's middle name)
Normally, I wouldn't have chosen 3 names, but in researching family names and history, Mike and I found some really interesting info on my dad's family, specifically my great-grandfather. He always went by his initials (C.E.D. Love) and I couldn't recall ever seeing his name spelled out. After reading so much interesting information about him and his family, that helped in choosing Jeb's name and deciding his nickname too!
Of course, for now, Katie just calls him "baby," but I guess that could be worse :-)
12 Days Postpartum
On 12th day postpartum, my true love gave to me...
12 dirty diapers
11 empty bottles
10 spit-up clothes
9 minutes of sleep
8 sips of coffee
7 late night feedings
6 real quick showers
5 packs of baby wipes
4 changes of clothes (I now know what little boys are made of...pee!)
3 alcohol swabs (wish that darned belly button would just fall off)
2 tubes of Vaseline (who knew all that went into healing circumcisions)
and 1 very beautiful baby boy!
Jeb, to date, had been a very easy going baby, although he makes lots of squeaky noises that his sisters never made. He loves being held and snuggled. I've finally mastered the art of diaper changes after many, many clothing changes for him in the first few days. He seems to have his days and nights mixed up, only because he will sleep during the day for 5-6 hours, but only 2-3 hours at a time at night. I'm not complaining though. Thankfully, my stress level is significantly lower than it was at this point with Katie because 1) we aren't dealing with jaundice (and daily heal pricks and biliblankets) and 2) I'm not beating myself up about nursing (while he did a great job and it was gonig well, it was causing him to have terrible reflux and gagging with every feeding... while formula wasn't giving him the same problems).
Katie has had a rather difficult adjustment so far. She was quite upset that I couldn't pick her up the first week or so because of the c-section. You just can't reason with a 16-month-old about mommy's boo-boo. And, as soon as we were all home, she started scaling her crib - 30 seconds or less. It scared me to death because her room was not ready for a roaming toddler. Mike lowered her crib and it didn't make any difference. We moved a twin mattress to the floor beside her crib and tried letting Abby sleep with her one night. That. Didn't. Work. No one got any sleep. The next night, she and I snuggled on the mattress before I put her to bed. That seemed to work a little better, partially because she was totally exhausted. In the meantime, all furniture has been removed from her room and all that remains is her crib (because it is such a chore to dismantle), a twin mattress and a handful of toys. I had to move the alarm clock (that makes ocean sounds for her to sleep to) into the closet so she doesn't push buttons and set alarms. Our own bedroom now hosts an additional bookshelf, crib, changing table and laundry hamper. Can you say tight fit? While it isn't ideal, I do feel better knowing that she is safe in her room at night (doorknob is tuned backward so we can lock from the hallway). I'm hoping she outgrows the climbing phase rather quickly (like climbing into her brother's crib, opening dresser drawers and climbing like steps) so that we can gradually start moving things back into the room. Aside from that, she seems to ok with having a baby brother. Anytime he cries, she cries with him (if he can't be consoled by shh-ing him). She "helps" when we are feeding him by bringing us blankies and burp clothes, even if it means taking them from where we put them :-) She gives him gentle touches and lots of kisses on the head. I'll take that.
Abby has been a huge help, keeping her sister occupied while we try to get things in order. Since Katie thinks Abby walks on water, it works out well for everyone. Since timing is sometimes tough with a newborn (he only seems to wake-up in the evenings just as we sit down to dinner, no matter what time we have dinner), Abby's help is wonderful. And, since Mike injured his back on my 2nd or 3rd day home from the hospital, Katie has loved her bathtime fun with her big sis.
So, for the first 12 days, I think we're doing remarkably well. There aren't loads of unwashed laundry blocking access to anything. We've had hot meals every night and they haven't been delivered or drive-thru. Everyone has gotten some sleep, even if it isn't 8-10 hours and it isn't uninterrupted.
12 dirty diapers
11 empty bottles
10 spit-up clothes
9 minutes of sleep
8 sips of coffee
7 late night feedings
6 real quick showers
5 packs of baby wipes
4 changes of clothes (I now know what little boys are made of...pee!)
3 alcohol swabs (wish that darned belly button would just fall off)
2 tubes of Vaseline (who knew all that went into healing circumcisions)
and 1 very beautiful baby boy!
Jeb, to date, had been a very easy going baby, although he makes lots of squeaky noises that his sisters never made. He loves being held and snuggled. I've finally mastered the art of diaper changes after many, many clothing changes for him in the first few days. He seems to have his days and nights mixed up, only because he will sleep during the day for 5-6 hours, but only 2-3 hours at a time at night. I'm not complaining though. Thankfully, my stress level is significantly lower than it was at this point with Katie because 1) we aren't dealing with jaundice (and daily heal pricks and biliblankets) and 2) I'm not beating myself up about nursing (while he did a great job and it was gonig well, it was causing him to have terrible reflux and gagging with every feeding... while formula wasn't giving him the same problems).
Katie has had a rather difficult adjustment so far. She was quite upset that I couldn't pick her up the first week or so because of the c-section. You just can't reason with a 16-month-old about mommy's boo-boo. And, as soon as we were all home, she started scaling her crib - 30 seconds or less. It scared me to death because her room was not ready for a roaming toddler. Mike lowered her crib and it didn't make any difference. We moved a twin mattress to the floor beside her crib and tried letting Abby sleep with her one night. That. Didn't. Work. No one got any sleep. The next night, she and I snuggled on the mattress before I put her to bed. That seemed to work a little better, partially because she was totally exhausted. In the meantime, all furniture has been removed from her room and all that remains is her crib (because it is such a chore to dismantle), a twin mattress and a handful of toys. I had to move the alarm clock (that makes ocean sounds for her to sleep to) into the closet so she doesn't push buttons and set alarms. Our own bedroom now hosts an additional bookshelf, crib, changing table and laundry hamper. Can you say tight fit? While it isn't ideal, I do feel better knowing that she is safe in her room at night (doorknob is tuned backward so we can lock from the hallway). I'm hoping she outgrows the climbing phase rather quickly (like climbing into her brother's crib, opening dresser drawers and climbing like steps) so that we can gradually start moving things back into the room. Aside from that, she seems to ok with having a baby brother. Anytime he cries, she cries with him (if he can't be consoled by shh-ing him). She "helps" when we are feeding him by bringing us blankies and burp clothes, even if it means taking them from where we put them :-) She gives him gentle touches and lots of kisses on the head. I'll take that.
Abby has been a huge help, keeping her sister occupied while we try to get things in order. Since Katie thinks Abby walks on water, it works out well for everyone. Since timing is sometimes tough with a newborn (he only seems to wake-up in the evenings just as we sit down to dinner, no matter what time we have dinner), Abby's help is wonderful. And, since Mike injured his back on my 2nd or 3rd day home from the hospital, Katie has loved her bathtime fun with her big sis.
So, for the first 12 days, I think we're doing remarkably well. There aren't loads of unwashed laundry blocking access to anything. We've had hot meals every night and they haven't been delivered or drive-thru. Everyone has gotten some sleep, even if it isn't 8-10 hours and it isn't uninterrupted.
And Baby Boy Makes 5
I've totally been MIA the last few months of my pregnancy when it comes to blogging. But, now that our "little" man has arrived, I plan on getting back in the habit.
Around 9 months ago, our doctors told us that our son was due to arrive on April 23, 2013. Since he would be a planned c-section, I could deliver anytime after April 16 (when he was 39 weeks). As we got closer, the c-section was scheduled for April 22 due to a lack of availability at the hospital. On April 7, I started having contractions in the middle of the night and the baby hadn't moved the majority of the day. I called the doc and she advised me to make my way to the hospital. We dropped the girls off at my parents' house around 2:30am and headed to Rex. After about 4 hours, IV fluids and crazy monitors, the doc was able to get my contractions to slow down and regulate. She did have my c-section moved up from April 22 to April 18 because she was concerned about pre-term labor. We headed home, with Mike commenting that he's be surprised if I made it another week :-)
I spent the entire week having contractions fairly regularly, but not often enough to be a concern. I had my pre-op appointment with my OB that Friday. Everything was a go for April 18. The next day, I started having awful contractions around 8:30 in the morning. I tried all kinds of things to get comfy, but it wasn't working. By mid-afternoon, they were getting worse and I decided to call the doc. Off to Rex we went again, but this time it was at least daylight outside. I was at the hospital, being monitored, for about an hour before the doc stopped by. At that point, I was having contractions every 2-3 minutes. He said, "looks like we're having a baby tonight." Within 2 hours, I received IV fluids, was prepped for the c-section, met with the anesthesiologist and delivered our "little" man.
John Ernest Brooks Slawter (Jeb) was born at 6:53pm on April 13, 2013, weighing in at 11 pounds, 1 ounce and 21.5 inches long. He was half a pound larger than his sister Katie and half an inch longer than both his sisters. I can't imagine how much bigger he would have been if we had been able to hold off until April 18 or 22.
Around 9 months ago, our doctors told us that our son was due to arrive on April 23, 2013. Since he would be a planned c-section, I could deliver anytime after April 16 (when he was 39 weeks). As we got closer, the c-section was scheduled for April 22 due to a lack of availability at the hospital. On April 7, I started having contractions in the middle of the night and the baby hadn't moved the majority of the day. I called the doc and she advised me to make my way to the hospital. We dropped the girls off at my parents' house around 2:30am and headed to Rex. After about 4 hours, IV fluids and crazy monitors, the doc was able to get my contractions to slow down and regulate. She did have my c-section moved up from April 22 to April 18 because she was concerned about pre-term labor. We headed home, with Mike commenting that he's be surprised if I made it another week :-)
I spent the entire week having contractions fairly regularly, but not often enough to be a concern. I had my pre-op appointment with my OB that Friday. Everything was a go for April 18. The next day, I started having awful contractions around 8:30 in the morning. I tried all kinds of things to get comfy, but it wasn't working. By mid-afternoon, they were getting worse and I decided to call the doc. Off to Rex we went again, but this time it was at least daylight outside. I was at the hospital, being monitored, for about an hour before the doc stopped by. At that point, I was having contractions every 2-3 minutes. He said, "looks like we're having a baby tonight." Within 2 hours, I received IV fluids, was prepped for the c-section, met with the anesthesiologist and delivered our "little" man.
John Ernest Brooks Slawter (Jeb) was born at 6:53pm on April 13, 2013, weighing in at 11 pounds, 1 ounce and 21.5 inches long. He was half a pound larger than his sister Katie and half an inch longer than both his sisters. I can't imagine how much bigger he would have been if we had been able to hold off until April 18 or 22.