Life's A Beach....: February 2012

Wow, life sure is different....but it is awesome. Drew continues to be wonderful. He is a great sleeper and goes for stretches spanning 3-5 hours between feedings. He usually does the 5 hour stretches at night and usually 3-4 during the day. That is FINE by me as I appreciate the uninterrupted sleep at night at such a young age. This week, we've consistently gone to bed around 11pm and Drew wakes up around 3:30. I'm back asleep by 4:15 or so and we sleep until 7-7:30....sometimes a little later. It's an adjustment and I won't say it's easy, but I never thought any of this would be "easy". People have told me how lucky I am and although I do consider myself lucky, I also realize that it is my responsibility to put him on a good, healthy schedule and that does take work and commitment. So it isn't "easy" but it does work for us. Drew has put on weight since his first appointment and weighed in at 8lb 2oz at his 2 week appointment. The doctor was happy with all of his growing and says whatever I'm doing is great. His two weeks home have been fine....I probably mentioned the first night was horrible, but since then, it has gotten increasingly better. Or we are just getting used to our new schedule. We have had a lot of visitors in and out and Drew has been out and about a few times. Our first lunch outing was Casa Villa with Bop, July, Jen, Curry and the girls. So fitting that the first place we take him is probably the restaurant I've eaten at the most since living here. I also took Drew to Poo's for lunch, the gym for practice one night and yesterday, we went to Beach Break for the Level 8-10 session. He sleeps most of the time when we are out and about so it's relatively easy right now. Everyone at the gym loved looking at him but only a few have held him. The doctor said he was welcome to go out and be in public at such a young age, but she wasn't too keen on him being passed around from person to person (and thus, germ to germ). So, a lot of people haven't gotten their hands on him, but they will in time, I'm sure.

I enjoyed being back in the gym a couple times this week but don't plan on coming back right away. I am really enjoying getting to know my boy and need a little more time to adjust, hang with him and figure out this new chapter as best I can. I will be in and out of the gym and get a little fill of coaching while I'm being a full time mom, but I can't jump right back into 5-6 days a week right now.

Speaking of coaching, at Beach Break last night, I did coach a little bit and it felt great....it was nice to get to hug the girls as they finished their routines....whether they were good or not so good, it felt good to be there for them.

At any rate, here are pictures from his first two weeks at home:

Snuggling with Sassy

First pediatrician appointment

Jenna & Cleve with Drew

Tonya came over to meet Drew

Kenan, Leisha & Lyss snuck out of practice to see Drew

Grabbing Papa's thumb

Kelly & Whitney came over for dinner and to meet the little man

Brent & Mary with Drew

First outing at Casa Villa

Lunch at Poo's and Edyie finally meets Drew!

EB & Drew

Rachel & Lyss with Drew

Snuggling with Papa

Meeting Uncle Jimmy

Drew & Aunt Kerri

First Bath

Heading to our first meet....Beach Break

Hence, the flowered shirt

Mary & Mendi got their hands on Drew at Beach Break

Ben & Susan got to play with an awake Drew!

What a weekend! I know it's Wednesday (now Thursday) but I am still relishing in how fast life changed for us in a matter of minutes. I'm also still catching up on sleep....even though it is in 3 hour increments. I want to record our birth story so we always have it.....it was quite an experience! If you are not into the details, feel free to scroll straight to the pictures or close this window all together. Nothing overly gross occurred but I don't want to forget any moment of that day and the days that followed.

Of course Thursday was a hard day for me so I laid really low Thursday night in preparation for Friday. David and I actually got some sleep Thursday night (I really didn't think I would) and we got up and made it to the hospital right at 6am. I got called back to get prepped for surgery and David had to stay in the lobby. Once we got certain things done, David came back to sit with me while we waited. Once all the doctors came back to see me and talk to me about what would happen, plus getting my IV started, they wheeled me to the operating room. The surgical team consisted of my doctor, some techs, an anesthesiologist, his assistant, and a labor & delivery nurse. There might have been more people in there but I don't recall them. They were an energetic bunch...singing, dancing, etc. They really made the entire experience something I'll never forget. My doctor proved to be an amazing surgeon and got after the job while singing "This is How We Do It"......I do remember hearing that song being sung....then hearing some jamming music on a stereo after the baby was out. The surgery, in general, went well. I got my spinal and immediately started feeling tingling in my feet. It wasn't long before I couldn't feel my lower half at all. They tested me to see if the spinal actually worked and as soon as it had, they got to work. I remember thinking they were starting before David was there and told them they needed to get him. I can't imagine what was going through his mind when he walked in and saw me laying there, with a sheet up at my chest and all those folks around me. From the time David got there until Drew was with us was ohh.....3 minutes. Literally. I recall some seriously heavy pushing (sitting?) on my chest and upper abdomen and that was how they push the baby out. Doc stuck his head up over the sheet and told David the umbilical cord was wrapped twice around his neck and immediately went behind the sheet and got back to work. There wasn't any crying at first, then after what seemed like eternity, Drew's first cries. They put him on oxygen for just a second because of the cord, but he didn't need much at all. What originally started out as a necessary c-section because of placenta previa turned into some sort of divine intervention.....I'm not sure we would have Drew with us now if I had done a vaginal delivery. Scary stuff to think back on but oh so thankful for the skilled work of our doctor. All the while this was going on south of the sheet, the CRNA (nurse anesthetist) was up at my face keeping me posted and calm....she would gently rub my cheek or bend down and tell me what was going on so that I wouldn't worry. She was awesome. Her name was Cecilia and I'll likely never forget how she made me feel during that time. Once Drew was out, David went and took pictures while Brenda, the L&D nurse took care of him. She is another one we'll never forget. David and Drew went to the nursery on the maternity floor while I was moved to a rolling bed and whisked away to recovery. I stayed there two hours and got some rest while the feeling came back in my lower half. I remember asking the recovery nurse if there was something on my legs.....they'd been on my legs the whole time but I was just able to feel it. They were massaging wraps that prevent blood clots and they were so annoying after spending ALL day friday in them. I also had a catheter inserted in my bladder which was nice when I couldn't get up to go to the bathroom. It was really strange however, never having the sensation of having to pee or actually peeing. Crazy. After a couple hours and feeling back in my legs, they wheeled me up to the maternity floor and my room. I finally got to hold my little boy and it was amazing! He looked so little and so perfect. The nursery took him back periodically to keep a check on him so Friday he was in and out of the room. I had to try and nurse around lunch time and he did pretty good. I guess colostrum is so important for newborns and I'm glad he got what he needed because it didn't feel good. We had a lot of visitors on Friday and when I think back, it was such a blur. I was hooked up to an IV, a catheter, those go-go boot massage things, probably a little morphine and lord knows what else. Every once in a while, the nurses would come in and check my incision and push on my stomach. It was SO uncomfortable but ultimately helpful because they were pushing fluids out and helping my uterus drop back into place. By Friday night, the nurses decided that maybe I didn't need the go-go boots and could try to stand up to use the bathroom. My legs worked fine and eventually they unhooked the IV as well. It made sleeping that night a much better experience, however as pain meds wore off, I started to really feel the trauma that my mid section went through that morning. Sitting up to feed Drew was such a chore and getting out of bed to use the bathroom was a struggle. BUT, by Saturday, I felt much better and was able to take a shower and put on real clothes. We continued to have visitors....our parents, friends and a few kids from the gym. My parents were in and out all weekend because of my Granddaddy's funeral that I was really bummed I had to miss. Saturday went on without too many problems. Same old routine with feeding Drew, the nurses checking on me and people in and out. There was such a comfort knowing that Drew and I both were going to be very well taken care of in the hospital, but I was longing for the time we could go home and start "real life." Sunday came and by lunch time, we were cleared to go. It took a while to get discharged, but once we did, we stopped by Jen & Curry's house to let Liza & Margaret meet Drew for the first time. It was hysterical. Liza was enthralled with him and Margaret yelled, "He's my cousin?" and "Is he cute, Liza?" in her sweet, albeit loud, 2.5 year old voice. They both held him and loved on him and yes, they both used plenty of "magic soap" before doing so. Jen & Curry got their fill of holding a tiny little baby and we decided it was time to go home for real. I was pretty exhausted, in a little pain and we just couldn't avoid the inevitable any longer. David and I were on our own. Thankfully, my parents planned to stay with us until Wednesday which was a God-send. Having 2 extra set of hands when you are unsure of everything related to baby was really nice. It was a roller coaster weekend for us all, but especially for my mom and dad (& me) with the death of Granddaddy and the birth of Drew. I remember checking my watch Sunday afternoon as we drove home and it was 3:00pm on the dot.....the same time Granddaddy's funeral was starting.....it was a tough time to be sitting in my car and not in Clinton but I looked over at Baby Drew and realized that this is where I needed to be. The funeral was recorded and we have a DVD of it so I'll take some time to watch it and I can't wait for Drew to be old enough to hear stories about him. SO anyways.....We were officially home Sunday afternoon. Other than a very sleepless and restless first night, things have been relatively smooth. I was so anxious having a baby in a small crib beside the bed and didn't want to take my eyes off of him for fear that he would stop breathing or miraculously roll over and suffocate.....I also had weird dreams that I was ruining whatever I was doing and would wake up startled and check on him. It has gotten easier since then and last night was the best night thus far......I don't know if it's because I was able to get good sleep in 3+ hour increments AND still hear him cry when he needed me or if its because every time I changed him last night he DIDN'T pee or poop on me, but it was a better night. I feel sleep deprived but do not feel totally like a zombie and for that, i am thankful. Probably the hardest thing to adjust to at this point is his feeding. I am nursing him and although I think it is going well, I don't think it is perfect yet. It is painful and I am sore and I worry that he isn't getting what he needs. But after an email to a good friend (Thanks Em!), I realized that what I'm experiencing is totally normal and even on the good end of the breastfeeding stories. I also called a nurse in the nursery at the hospital this morning and she gave me some good ideas to try and assured me that Drew was not affected by my discomfort/bleeding/whatever. If it became way too painful for me to handle, I could always pump the one side and have him feed off the other. I'd rather him be able to use both, so I'm using that as a last resort. Hopefully they will heal and I can be more diligent in making sure Drew is latching correctly and I'm comfortable throughout nursing instead of just dealing with it and counting down the minutes.

All in all, this has been a wonderful experience and one that will never end for us. David and I constantly look at Drew and say things like, "You're so cool" or "You are just precious." As big of an adjustment as this is going to be as time goes on, I couldn't be happier knowing that we have a healthy, seemingly happy baby on our hands and (cross your fingers, toes, eyes, whatever) a decent sleeper on our hands. I know things change daily but I'm confident that we will know what to do and when to do it and Drew will be a great kid.

Drew's Stats:

Andrew Jennings Fort
2-3-12
7:38am
7lb 8oz birth weight
19.5 inches

2-5-12 - Discharged from hospital
7lb 1oz
5.1 on the "billi" scale for jaundice (under 10 is good)

2-7-12 - First pediatrician appointment
7lb 13oz (fatty!! Guess nursing is working!)
20 inches long

I plan to upload more pictures today of his first week home and blog about that tomorrow.....until then, these are the pictures from Friday - Sunday in the hospital and one from home.