One Week

Since I was giving daily updates after Blair was born, Leighton should at least have weekly ones, right? I think so!

This has been a great week. We came home on Monday from the hospital and were met at our house by Blair, Gigi, Aunt Lin, Faegan, Aunt Melissa, Joseph, and Jordan. Melissa had stayed at our house with Blair while we were in the hospital. I can’t even say how big of a help that was – and Blair had a blast. Then mom and Lin were taking over as the helping crew for me at home!

The most important helper!

I don’t know what made God bless us with two sweet babies, but he did. Leighton is the best baby. He sleeps and eats, and that’s about it. If he gets hungry, he might fuss a bit, but other than that he’s just as content as can be. (He ought to be; he eats constantly!)

He eats about every 2 – 3 hours, closer to 2 for the most part this week. And he came out showing ME how to latch, and we haven’t had a moment’s problem breast feeding. He’s so picky about latching; he works to get it just right, and I don’t have to do a thing! I’m enjoying not being attached to a pump every 3 hours too!

LOVE the Aiden and Anais blanket we got as a gift. We were missing out on these before!

He left the hospital with a little jaundice, so he was pretty sleepy for the first few days at home. When we checked it at the pediatrician’s office on Tuesday, it was not much higher than the day before, so he was good to go. Then on Friday at 7 days old, he woke up just enough to give the newborn photographer a hard time! Bless her heart he was not very cooperative!

Kim from Kimberly G Photography – she’s amazing! http://www.kimberlygphotography.com/

At his checkup at 4 days old, he was at 7 lb 7 ounces, just 1 ounce away from his birth weight. Everything looked fine, and we go back next week to check his weight. We also went to my doctor to get my staples out, and the doctor said Leighton was in the clear to get a bath every Saturday. Ha.

Leighton at the pool.

The only other place we’ve been this week is the pool! That’s right. We took Blair swimming one early evening, and Leighton and I sat under the porch and watched. I actually got to get some pictures of Blair swimming! It’s usually just the two of us, which makes pictures a bit difficult.

This week has been a breeze (minus the soreness – my goodness!). My mom and Lin played a major part in that. They stayed several days, then mom took Blair to her house for two days. Bless that sweet child’s heart; I don’t think we could have asked for a better reaction from her. She has been super sweet and extremely helpful. She loves her little brother to pieces already, but she’s not rough with him or trying to tote him around! She kisses him and hugs him and checks on him constantly. “Mama, I’m gon’ go check on Leighton… (off she goes)… He’s okay!” She can’t wait to teach him to talk! I say, whoa now, not too fast!

Our Boy’s Birth Day!

Leighton Noble entered our lives via c-section on July 20 at 9:48pm. He is healthy and more than we could have ever hoped for. I honestly had to ask our NP what to do with a normal newborn!

Right before we left for the hospital. 40w1d or 39w3d, depending on which due date you look at!

We went in for an induction that Friday morning. We got to L&D around 5am. They immediately started penicillin. Even though I tested negative for Group B Strep this time, my doctor still wanted to treat me since I had a GBS infected baby. (And I got allergy tested for penicillin because I had a reaction as an infant – not allergic anymore!) Shortly after, they started all of the necessary induction meds. Contractions came pretty hard and right fast right away, but I didn’t progress all that well. Dr. J broke my water around lunch, and I continued to NOT progress. I was not surprised. My whole pregnancy (and before) I had had a feeling that if I went to term I would end up with a c-section. Blair was not the easiest delivery in the world –- at 35 weeks and 6 pounds!

I got an epidural that afternoon, and I didn’t realize how much pain I was actually in until I didn’t feel it anymore! The nurses kept saying I was tough, but I thought they were just being nice. But I felt SO much better after the epidural. The only thing about the epidural was that it was “leaning” to the right, so I couldn’t move my right leg AT ALL! Totally weird.

Dr. J came about every four hours to check on me. I was 2 – 3 that morning, 3 at lunch, 4-5 at 5ish, and 5 at 8. At that last check, Leighton was having some heart decels after contractions, and we were having trouble getting them to stop. It had happened earlier in the day too, but with a few minor interventions, they were gone. This time though, we’d try something and the nurse would leave. Shortly after, I would hear the heart rate slow on the monitor, and I knew a nurse was going to walk in the door any moment… and she always did.

It was that, the fact that Leighton was not coming down, and that I wasn’t progressing that made Dr. J make the decision. Oh, and my mom mentioned that she had five c-sections. He was so disappointed in having to do the section, but I was so ready to get Leighton out. So. Ready. I was almost excited to be honest.

We took this picture to show Blair my oxygen!

The surgery wasn’t bad. I was a tad nauseous, but I think that was mostly from the bed ride to the c-section room! My anesthesiologist was awesome, and I just love love love my doctor. Now after the surgery, my incision was ON FIRE. I don’t know what it was, but I kept telling the nurse, “my incision is on fire.” That’s about all I remember from the first part of recovery. I kept telling them that it wasn’t like me to complain.

He’s here!

The anesthesiologist is holding my elbow because both of my arms were asleep and not working right. I remember telling Brad my arms weren’t working and not to give me the baby!

Feed me, people!

About an hour after Leighton was born, they brought him to me in recovery. It surely didn’t seem like that long. It’s all really a blur, but I do remember that he was showing ME how to latch and nursing like a pro! He nursed for a while, and I held him in the bed while they wheeled me to my room.

They left my epidural (right leg still non-existent), so I spent the whole night waking Brad up to give me the baby and put him back in the bassinet. I couldn’t do a THING! And I had planned on him going back home to spend the night with Blair! Thank goodness he didn’t! I begged them to take the epidural out the next morning so I could get up and get moving. And that moving wasn’t fast and certainly wasn’t painless, but I got up regardless!

Leighton is as sweet as his sister – hope it stays like that! And that’s our newest little one’s birth story!

Our whole time in the hospital was wonderful. ALL of the nurses were SO nice and SO helpful. We really enjoyed our “normal” birthing experience!

39 Weeks

How far along? 39 Weeks

Size of baby: Must be really big – he sure shakes my belly! Babycenter says he weighs about as much as a mini watermelon – imagine that! We call those peewees around here!

Maternity clothes? I still prefer my full panel shorts to the band ones that squeeze my lower belly. And my blue and white cotton skirt. Just whatever is comfortable is good!

Sleep: Yes! I still sleep. I think I drive my husband crazy because I actually sleep so well and he doesn’t. I finally started having issues with carpel tunnel last in the last couple of weeks. My right arm is the worst. I wake up with three fingers asleep and painful. But I still sleep well for most of the night. Well, except for this week. Blair has been sick, so I have to get up to check her temperature, fix her nasal cannula when the monitor goes off, and tend to her if she coughs and throws up. We had one night this week I think I was awake more than asleep!

Movement: I think he’s trying to break out himself! In the evenings I really notice him. And when I’m working – I had to stop on Monday because I got a cold, and Dr. J put me on bed rest. That lasted until Blair got sick on Tuesday.

Food cravings: I’m loving guacamole, tomatoes with mayo and BLTs minus the L, fruit, bread, and anything sweet (as usual!).

Symptoms: I’m still feeling good. I was uncomfortable last week, but this week has been pretty good. My pelvic pain is better this week than it has been for several weeks, so I am not in excruciating pain anymore when I turn over at night. I’ve had good energy, which I think took part in my getting sick – I think I worked myself to exhaustion trying to clean and get everything together!

What I miss: Bending down was good. And doing things myself. I have a little trouble waiting on things to get done for me sometimes.

What I’m loving: Spending time with Blair and her talking about the baby. She lifted my shirt yesterday and asked, “Leighton, you want to play hide and seek?” She gets the biggest eyes when we talk about his birthday, and she asks, “When is he gonna pop out?!”

What I am looking forward to: Getting him here – preferably when everyone is well! I was supposed to be induced today, but I’ve been sick, my doctor is sick, and Blair is still running fever. Since it was an elective thing (having to do with a more controlled situation to allow me to get plenty antibiotics that my labor didn’t allow ample time for last time – not that they would have made a difference since Blair was already sick), we’re postponing it! If I go into labor, now that’s a different story!

Milestones: Hopefully not reaching 9 pounds! None that I know of. He’s still high, moving good, being squeezed by braxton hicks regularly.

Best moment this week: It’s been a pretty tough week with everyone being sick. The weekend was good – we had a good time and went to Faegan’s birthday at Gigi’s. Oh, and I found out that I was GBS negative this time, but I’ll still be treated since Blair was sick.

Bathroom Art

What I found after Blair went “to potty” while I was fixing supper:

Me: Blair, you know you’re not supposed to write on the wall. What is that?

B: L and H’s

Me: What does it spell?

B: Aunt Linnie… and Uncle Hank. (Duh, mom. Don’t you know you taught me that?!)

And at the same time, we got a toilet seat cover so Gus doesn’t get the seat wet. Yes, Gus drinks out of the toilet.

Best Guacamole Ever

During this pregnancy I have eaten my share of avocados – in the form of the best guacamole ever. My roommate from college taught me how to make it, and now I use her recipe with a little tweaking to my taste. It’s so yummy… in fact, I could use some about now.

Start with a couple of avocados. They should be ripe (softish) but not mushy. Ripe avocados will have black skin instead of green. I have to buy mine ripe because if I buy green ones, I don’t want guacamole anymore by the time they’re ready to use, and they end up going bad!

Take a knife and cut lengthwise through the meat to the seed all the way around so that the avocado can be pulled apart. The seed will be on one side.

Take a knife and carefully (I’m not responsible for chopped fingers!) but swiftly put the blade into the seed. Then you can work the seed out of the meat with the knife.

Or if you don’t want to do the knife trick, you can just dig the seed out with a spoon.

Take a spoon and run it around the meat right next to the skin throughout each avocado half.

Then scoop the meat out in one piece!

My scooped out halves.

For two avocados, finely chop about half of a garlic clove.

Also chop half of a medium sized onion (I like the sweet ones – preferably Vidalia when in season!) and about half of a bunch of cilantro. (This is all to taste. I like my to be very fresh-cilantro-tasting.)

Squeeze in one half to one whole medium lime, depending on the juice.

Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt – I usually taste the final guacamole and add more lime or salt to make it taste like I like it.

With a fork, mash all the ingredients together until well blended.

Looking blended to me!

Serve immediately – and eat it all! Guacamole is not known for its ability to be stored well! (You can cover it in lime juice and plastic wrap, but some of it will still turn brown.)

Enjoy!

Daddy Love

Just a little sample of this girl’s love for her Daddy.

Naming the watermelon “Blackit”Checking it.And cleaning it.

Always all smiles for her Dada.