Laney Ann's Arrival

I had to write this post as soon as possible so that I wouldn't forget any of the important details.

This was such a special day to me, and I can't stop reliving it in my head.

Some background information, I had a scheduled c-section with Carson at 39 weeks because he was breech.  I didn't have to labor at all, just went in the morning and had a baby a few hours later.

I chose to try for a VBAC with this baby, because why not?   I didn't want to have any regrets with how she was born.  My main reason was because I have a crazy toddler to take care of, and I didn't want to keep getting hit in my incision.

My doctor was totally pro VBAC (which is hard to come by these days) and completely supported my decision.  He said my odds of having her vaginally were less than 50%, and I was ok with that.  I knew I might have to have a c-section, but it didn't scare me because I had done it before.

{last bump picture, about a week before she came}

So fast forward to my due date, Wednesday, July 15.  Baby girl was still not here and I was getting very frustrated.  I had contractions my entire pregnancy ALL THE TIME, and I was only dilated to a 2 or 3 at my appointment that day.  I had a scheduled c-section for the next Tuesday in case she didn't come by then because you can't be induced for a VBAC.

Anyway, Saturday morning rolls around and I get a really painful contraction around 6:40 that wakes me up.  I go back to sleep and wake up again at 6:50 and know this could be it because I couldn't breathe through them!  I had another at 7:00 and woke Steve up and said it could be the time but who knows?  I was really starting to doubt myself because I had contractions start and stop all the time.  At that point they started to get closer, about 5 minutes apart and progressively more and more intense.  The doctor said to come in at 5 minutes apart so we called him and packed our bags.  We left for the hospital around 7:30.  Meanwhile I am just praying that my contractions don't stop and that this isn't false labor.  It took us about an hour from the time we got to the hospital to get checked into a room and answer all of their questions.  (why do they do that bytheway?)  She FINALLY checked me and I was at a 6 or 7!  I was seriously dying.  I just remember during each contraction saying to the nurse and Steve, "Help me!  I seriously don't know what to do.  I didn't look into this at home."  But seriously, I had no idea what to do.  I didn't have any idea how to breathe through a contraction or push or anything.  I didn't want to get my hopes up for a VBAC so I didn't prepare AT ALL.  I kept telling the nurse over and over that I wanted an epidural ASAP but she kept blowing my veins trying to put the IV in and then we had to wait for all the fluid to go in.

FINALLY around 10:30 the guy came with the epidural, and it was painless.  Then my doctor comes in and checks me and I'm already an 8!  I couldn't believe it.  This is exactly how I didn't want my labor to go, but I was happy to finally have an epidural.

My doctor came back an hour later (11:30), and I was a 10.  It was time to push!  Since I had no idea how, it took a few tries to get the hang of it.  We tried pushing laying on my back but she started having heart decels and they thought she might have a cord wrapped around her somewhere.  So I pushed laying halfway on my side and she did much better from that angle.

My doctor and nurse helped me the entire time.  I seriously could not have done it without them.  At 12:49 pm (6 hours from the start!), our little Laney Ann came into this world.  It was one of the most beautiful and emotional things I have ever experienced.  Having that moment in time was definitely worth waiting for my VBAC and not just having a scheduled c-section earlier.

She was 9 lb. 1 oz and 21 inches long.

Her stats from her 5 day old appointment with percentages were:

8 lb 13 oz (89%), 21 inches (97%), and head circumference 14 inches (86%)

Where did this huge baby come from?!  When I see how big she was (especially her head), I am amazed that she came out of me.  I think if my doctor had any idea how big she really was, he wouldn't have let me even try for a VBAC.

So I am truly grateful that it all worked out.  Babies are little miracles.  We are loving our little piece of heaven so much.

Carson is 3!

 

We are so lucky to call this little boy ours.

Carson cracks us up all day long with the hilarious things he says and does.

Three is a very, very difficult age, but it's also a very funny one.

Carson is finally going through an independent streak and will throw full on tantrums any time we try to do certain things for him, like put him in his car seat.  He always says "I do it."

Overall, he is a very sweet boy though.  I think once he gets past the "terrible twos/threes", life will get a little bit easier.

He has a huge vocabulary--a big change from his second birthday.  He asks "why?" all day long and is never satisfied with our answers, so he just keeps asking "why?".

He also loves to sing.  Mostly about Thomas the Train.  He sings pretty much the entire time he is playing with his toys.

Carson has a wonderful imagination.  He loves to have his trains talk back and forth to each other.  One of them is usually disciplining the other and using phrases I always use on him.

He also loves to pretend to be a lion with his dad, and loves to get out his plastic toy animals and act out different scenarios with them.  The toy animals usually end up pretending to go to the zoo or rodeo. 

He still takes a good hour and a half nap most days and sleeps around 11 hours at night.

He is very hesitant in public and loves to people watch.  He takes a very long time to warm up to new places and adults especially.  He would be happy to just watch kids play at the park or splash pad most of the time.

Favorites:

Toys:  trains, planes, diggers, plastic animals

Food: milk, applesauce pouches

Things to do:  swim at the pool or beach, go to the zoo, nursery, preschool, or anywhere really.  This boy loves to get ready and get out of the house

He is 39 inches tall (80%) and weighs 32 lb 6 oz (56%).

Happy birthday, big 3 year old!  We love you so much!

Carson's Birthday!

I really wanted to throw Carson a fun birthday party this year, but having a baby due a few days after his birthday kind of threw a wrench in my plans.

We decided to just do something small with our little family and Steve's mom, who was in town.

We went and saw the "minions" movie and ate dinner at Little Matts to celebrate.  Then, we came home and opened presents!  This little boy got enough Thomas the Train stuff to last him another year.

 

 

Carson was so happy to have a Thomas cake

but got so sad when we lit the candles and sang happy birthday (just being a 3 year old)

I would say overall though, it was a great day!

Baby Watch

Steve's mom, Arliss, came into town for a few days right before my due date.

My mom couldn't be here that weekend, so Arliss came to take care of us just in case the baby came early!

It was so nice to have her in town.  We showed her around Houston and where Steve works.  She cooked for us every night and was here to celebrate Carson's and my birthday.  It was such a fun time.  Unfortunately, the baby had other plans and Arliss left town before she showed up!

After Carson's soccer class

Friday night zoo trip

Before what we thought would be our last date night before baby (but we were able to squeeze one in the night before she came too)

Seeing "minions" for Carson's birthday

 Little Matt's for Carson's birthday dinner

And a picture of the four of us before Arliss left!

Thanks so much for all of your help, Arliss!  My 40 week pregnant body really appreciated it!