Tuesday, September 27, 2011

First Walk/Run

This evening my mom, Juliet, and I went for a walk/run.  My mom pushed Juliet in the BOB stroller and I jogged.  Juliet made it about 2 minutes before getting upset so she and mom had a short walk.  I ran just over two miles and felt pretty good.  I ran faster than what I am use to and I was WINDED!!!...guess I'm not in that great of shape....but it was so great to be out on the road again!

Meeting Family

This weekend (Juliet was 5 days old) we headed to Virginia and then to Lenoir to introduce Juliet to her extended family members.  We did not tell the family in Virginia we were coming; we figured a surprise would be more fun...and indeed it was!!  My Aunt Anita and Zach surprised my grandparents in VA as well by showing up.  On the way home, we stopped by Lenoir and introduce Juliet to part of my dad's side of the family.  Juliet was loved by all, everyone was impressed by her amount of hair, and my grandmother in VA basically would not let anyone else hold Juliet the whole time...she must love her!  

Juliet met (pictured below): great-grandma Isla, great-granddad Robert, great-aunt Anita, uncle Zach, the four-generation Stowe side of the family photo, Great-grandmother Helen, great-aunt Becky, C.P., and great-uncle Tommy








Saturday, September 24, 2011

Dear Juliet,

You are here!  You are five days old now and changing everyday.  You really like to eat, poop, and sleep (probably in that order).  You like your paci and your swing, and love being held.  Yesterday you took two naps in your crib like a pro...first time being in a big-girl bed!  And you had your first at-home bath. You prefer to be awake at night and sleep ALL day.  I even have to wake you up to eat.  However, last night you sleep amazingly well in increments of 4 hours, I even had to wake you up to feed you.  Yesterday we went and visited the lactation consultants at Mission Hospital and they really helped us out!  After almost five days of me pumping colostrum and feeding you through a syringe and tiny tube while you sucked on my finger, I was fitted with nipple shields and, after a little/lot of coaxing, you began nursing!!!  I still has to pump to keep my milk supply up and to supplement what you are getting from the breast until at least Monday when we have your first pediatrician check-up to see if you are gaining enough weight.  Your weight dropped from 8 lb. 7 oz. at birth to 7 lb. 10 oz. just before we left the hospital Wednesday morning.  I think you are doing great and I'm sure we will be able to stop pumping (and sleep more!!!) soon!  I also think you slept better last night because you are nursing and you ate more since I was not limiting your intake through a bottle.  After the appointment with the lactation consultant we had your first official outing: to Wal-Mart!  You will come to find that is my favorite store ever!...even though I do feel bad they are taking over the world and killing small businesses :(  I think you liked it too.  You slept the whole time we were there!

Love, Mom




Thursday, September 22, 2011

First Few Days

Juliet and I are home now, and I really miss the hospital! haha :)  We had lots of visitors in the hospital and several more during our first day home.  Juliet currently sleeps great during the day and not so great at night (I'm sure this is true for many newborns!).  We never could get her to "latch on" and nurse well so until my appointment with the lactation consultant in the hospital tomorrow, I am having to pump every 3 hours and then feed Juliet with what I pump through a tube and syringe while she sucks my finger.  This way she is drinking my milk and also she is not getting use to a bottle so that she will eventually nurse regularly.  By the time I pump (about a 40 minute endeavor) and then feed her (about 30 minutes) I have about 45 minutes to sleep (assuming she lets me) before I have to start the whole process over again.  This scheduling with the extra feeding/pumping makes it hard to do anything besides baby.   She is as sweet as can be and can be so alert sometimes.  We love her and we definitely look forward to much more sleeping in the future!
 First bath shortly after she was born.  She had so much hair they had to wash it out in the sink...the sponge was not cutting it!

 Caroline took off a day of work to come and sit with Juliet in the hospital so I could sleep. And we LOVE LOVE her for it!
One day old "measurements"
 
First time home!
 
 Reading with grandma before bed
 Swing (aka: Lifesaver!) ...thank you Taylor Bell!
 Three-day old "measurement"
 

Monday, September 19, 2011

Juliet Isabel Sullivan

Welcome Juliet Isabel Sullivan
Born 1:21 a.m. September 19, 2011 
8 lbs. 7 oz.
21 inches
Mom and baby are both fine after 21 1/2 hours of labor!

BIRTH AND FIRST MOMENTS
 








THE REST OF THE FIRST DAY





Already sucking her thumb

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Asheville Citizen-Times 5K

This morning was the annual Asheville Citizen-Times Half Marathon and 5K.  This was my first ever half-marathon (and road race for that matter) two years ago.  Well, this year it was my friend Caroline's first ever half-marathon and I had planned to be there to cheer her on with BG in her cute jogging stroller.  Well.... we all know that was not possible (the stroller part), so since I was going to be at the race cheering anyway I decided to just do the 5K to set my new 41-week pregnant record (ha!).  I'm so glad I did!  It was a nice cool morning and I finished in just over 38 minutes and running the whole thing (only about 30 seconds slower than my 5K race in July!).  I have however been paying all day for the run, with a very sore body (mostly my pelvis...as in it takes me a minute to get walking once I'm up).  The extra weigh really bothers my body when I run on pavement, and therefore have mostly been running on parkway trails for the past month.  Oh well, it was worth it for one more good run!  My friends Hannah and Tracy registered last minute so that I didn't have to run by myself ...they were concerned for my safety. :)
Pre-Race and then Post-Race with Hannah and Tracy
Post-Race with half-marathoner Caroline!

Friday, September 16, 2011

Final OBGYN Baby Appointment

I had my 41 week appointment this afternoon to have all my "overdue"/pre-inducement tests done.  In the ultrasound BG weighed in at a whopping 8 lb 11oz.  This weight is give or take 1 lb...and I am guessing it is more "give", so it looks like I have having a 9lb baby.  I cried.  Seriously, I cried.  My amniotic fluid levels were great. 
 
Then I did a "stress test". This was to measure the stress (heart rate and movements) of BG.  The doctor said he knew I was already stressed so it was not to test me.  haha. VERY TRUE!  The test lasted 20 minutes and BG failed.  She was not moving and her heart-rate was too low.  So, the nurse called in the doctor and the doctor manually moved the baby around trying to get her to wake-up some (not a very comfortable thing!).  BG still didn't move.  The doctor asked me what I had eaten for lunch, and embarrassingly so, my reply was "a Swiss Cake Roll and a Nutrigrain Bar" (I didn't think it mattered what you ate in your 41st week of pregnancy).  So, they made me drink Coke and then monitor BG for a little while longer.  Still no good movements, so I went back to the sonographer to have another ultrasound.  In the second ultrasound BG finally moved enough to be deemed "fine".  So..... three and a half hours later I left the doctor's office with my papers to be induced on Monday morning at 7am.
 
Thus far, BG has NOT cooperated at all in this pregnancy!....and I am NOT looking forward to labor with her because of her stubbornness thus far.  However, she does have one very redeeming quality that makes me forgive her for the rest:  SHE HAS LOTS OF HAIR!!!  The sonographer even gave us a picture of her hair from the ultrasound to take home :)

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Abraham and Sarah

I went to the OBGYN yesterday for my 40 week (and 1 day) appointment.  :((((  I was not suppose to have to go to that appointment, but well, you know...   Anyway, no real change physically.  I'm 2 cm dilated and 80% effaced.  The doctor said I was "ripe" (haha) and could have the baby anytime, but if not the doctor scheduled me for an induction on Monday.  Assuming I don't have the baby naturally before Monday (when I will be 41 weeks) and assuming that everything goes well at my appointment on Friday (ultrasound to measure the baby's weight to make sure she is not too big, stress test to make sure the baby is not "stressing" because she is overdue, and fluid test to make sure I don't have too much amniotic fluid because I am overdue) then I will be induced on Monday, September 19th.  If some of the test have "negative" results they could induce me earlier.   After my appointment I cried and cried because I feel like having to be induced means my body can not handle being pregnant on it's own and I need medical help.  I still kind of feel that way and really don't want to be induced.

We still really want BG to come in the next 24 hours so that she can meet my dad before he has to travel to the West Coast for 2 weeks, leaving Friday morning.  I also, would like to have a natural labor and not be induced whether it is in the next 24 hours, or just by Monday.  So, tonight, my mom and I tried everything!  We went and ate spicy Mexican food for dinner, I walked with a friend, and then my mom and I went to Wal-Mart and bought Cod-Liver Oil to drink with Orange Juice, and then Raspberry tea to drink.  My mom said she felt like Abraham and Sarah in the Bible trying to take matters into our own hands with the baby situation.  :)  Now my stomach hurts from drinking so much stuff and eating so much salsa.  We'll know soon if anything worked!

Monday, September 12, 2011

Due Date

Well, here we are, on the official due date that is, and still no baby.  I can't believe it's September 12th....this day just came SO fast (yet, so slow)!

I was SOOOOO sure I would have a baby by now.  I had really convinced myself that I would have a baby this weekend.  After my doctor's appointment last Wednesday when the receptionist tried to make my appointment for this week I told her I didn't need it....I guess she was right by making me make it anyway :(   On Sunday I refused to wear maternity clothes to church because I was so sure that Saturday was going to be my last "pregnant" day.  I was so sure I would have this baby early or on time, that now I feel like I have failed somehow.  I had no idea I would care this much.  :(

Well, now that I'm past the weekend and almost past the due date, I've given up.  I pretty convinced now that I will be waiting another two weeks until they induce me and BG is not going to come out on her own.

My friend Caroline reminded me that BG is half Latina and that is probably why she is late...because she certainly did NOT get that from me!

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Handy Dad

Look at the cute flower box my dad just made one afternoon.  My mom and I had some roses from Aunt Becky from my Grandmother's birthday party and they needed a home where we could still enjoy them!


Waiting and waiting and waiting.....





Still no baby.  The waiting has worn everyone out!  Even Ellie the dog :)

Friday, September 9, 2011

39-Week Appointment and Waiting

I had my 39-Week Appointment on Tuesday and I am still 1.5 cm dilated, but I did progress to 80% effaced.  Basically, I'm "the same".  So, now we are just waiting....................

In more exciting news, I picked-up my BOB jogging stroller today that my dad bought me!!!!!!!  Yay!  It almost makes me want to take it with me (empty) when I go jogging later this evening.  :)


This morning I stopped by Asheville Pregnancy Support Services where I have been volunteering and they had a whole basket of gifts for me!  Baby clothes, knitted blankets, knitted booties and hats, bibs, and a few toys.  So sweet! 

Saturday, September 3, 2011

La Zoom (Purple Bus) Tour of Asheville

Tonight mom, dad, some of dad's tennis buddies, and I headed downtown for the La Zoom Tour of Asheville.  You ride around on a big purple bus while being entertained comically and historically.  It is quite the tour.  The tour guide is very entertaining (as in you are laughing most of the time), there are "special" characters that you see around town on your tour that randomly get on the bus (like a nun, a large cockroach, etc), and you can bring WHATEVER you would like to eat or drink with you (aka: alcohol).  Basically, you spend 90 minutes learning and laughing and driving around Asheville.  Some of the humor was "crude", and the tour is for ages 13 and up.  Overall, very fun!





 It's hard to see, but this yellow house is "used" on the tour and one of the special characters was acting on the porch.
 The cockroach and then the killing of the cockroach by our tour guide

 Dad getting something out of his car on the 10 minute break! haha

The nun following us on a super tall bicycle...with a squirt-gun none the less!