Carson's One Month Birthday!

I can't believe Carson is already a month old! The time has flown by but at the same time it feels like he's been in our family forever.

Here's a few of my favorite pictures from his first month.

 

And here's a few things I'd like to remember about this last month. Sorry for the super long list!

-Carson is a great baby! He hardly ever cries.  If he gets super hungry or sometimes when we change his diaper he'll get fussy.

-However, he does grunt, push, and moan a TON. He has gas problems and we are always trying to figure out how to help him out.  I have even given up dairy and a bunch of other foods in hopes that his little tummy won't hurt anymore.

-He was blessed at 3 weeks old because that's when all of his grandparents could be in town.

-He is a pretty good sleeper at night. I feed him at eleven and put him down.  He goes right to sleep and wakes up around 3. He eats and goes back down until around 6 or 630 and after that sleeps until about 9 or 930.

-We are starting to think that Carson loves baths!! He seems to love the warm water and just lays in his tub.

-Carson went to his own baby shower because we had to cancel the one a few months ago when I went on bed rest.

-He loves being held but hates having his head pushed down.  He is already lifting his head up and wants to see what's going on.

 -The first few weeks home from the hospital he would only sleep in our arms or in his bouncer.  He now does a great job of sleeping in his bassinet at night.
-When he was born, he weighed 7lb 10oz and was 19 in long.  When we left the hospital 4 days later, he was 7 lb.  At his 2 week checkup he was 8lb 3oz and 20 and three-quarters inches long.  At 4 weeks he weighed in at a whopping 9lb 10oz.  
-He will be going on his first plane ride in a week and a half when we move to Minnesota!

Thinking about the past month and all of the fun memories, I am so happy and grateful to be Carson's mom.  I feel so lucky to have such a healthy, happy baby.  I just hope the next couple of months don't go by as fast as this one did!

Carson's Arrival

Wow!  It has already been a week and a day since Carson joined our family.

It has been a rollercoaster of events and emotions, but we wouldn't change any of it.

So I had a c-section scheduled for 39 weeks--July 11--because this little stinker was breech.

I surprisingly made it that far considering I was 4 cm for 2 weeks prior.

So we woke up around 5, got ready and headed to the hospital that morning.

Everything is now a little fuzzy about the experience, but we got checked in and I got my epidural soon after.

My doctor came in shortly and attempted to manually turn the baby with his hands to see if we could do a regular birth, but this little boy wouldn't have it.

The doctors pushed so hard on my stomach attempting to turn him that I had popped blood vessels all over for days after.

They eventually gave up after his heartbeat started decreasing and got me prepped for surgery.

It was the strangest thing.  I couldn't see or really feel anything that was going on.

Just as little tugging as they pulled him out.

I was DYING to see him.  Steve went right over to the nurses to see him and take pictures.

He actually had to come show me a picture of Carson on our digital camera before I saw him in real life!

After a quick glance and family photo, Steve and Carson rushed off with the nurses for testing and a bath while I was sent to a recovery room.

After what felt like eternity, Steve finally brought him to my room and I was able to hold him for the first time.

A few highlights from my stay in the hospital include:

Steve changing a diaper for the VERY FIRST TIME in his entire life

 

Having our family visit

 

 Celebrating my birthday with a delicious Nothing Bundt Cake

 Getting him dressed for the very first time

And going home!!!

 All 3 of us are doing well.  My wonderful mom is here to help for another week and loves spoiling her first grandson rotten.  Steve and I are loving our new addition and trying to find a balance in our lives.  More to come on baby Carson later!

I Can Walk!!!

I am now officially 36 weeks and off of bed rest!!...and my medicine!

I have been convinced that the baby will come as soon as I hit 36 weeks (and still kinda am)

But I kind of have a feeling that the baby is playing one big trick on me and will arrive on his scheduled c-section date at 39 weeks. 

 But that is the least of my worries after all of this! 

 So after 4 weeks of strict bed rest I have: 

-watched lots of Friday Night Lights and 24 with Steve 

-watched tons of Greys Anatomy by myself...so much so that I think it would be safe for me to operate on someone 

-missed my last week and a half of school 

-had my mom go in on the last day to say goodbye to my students for me 

-missed 2 baby showers 

-spent tons of time staring at the wall 

-read some books 

-played way too much of the "Piperoll" app

-canceled my maternity pictures 

-spent more time with my mom than I have in a few years 

-been outside a total of 5 times--2 trips to the hospital and 3 doctors appointments 

-gotten extremely excited to have a new baby boy 

 In the next few weeks I will: 

-finally move out of my classroom for the poor girl moving in behind me 

-do my maternity pictures

 -get everything ready for baby boy

 -keep trying to convince baby to flip so I don't have to have a c-section 

-finally meet baby boy!!!

We Made It!!!

...to 34 weeks!!!

Today I am officially 34 weeks along.

I can't believe we have made it this far.

Looking back to 2 weeks ago...and the doctors saying that the goal was to just make it through 24 hours before the baby came, it is really hard to believe that the baby is still inside of me!
Our first night in the hospital a NICU doctor came into my room to tell us all about the risks associated with delivering a 32 week preemie and what kind of complications they typically have.
It is so nice to now be at the next premature baby "milestone"!!

I had a doctor's appointment yesterday.
I was convinced that I would be even more dilated because of all the contractions I have had this past week.
I have had them as close as 3 minutes apart, but they usually spread back out to about 10 minutes apart.
I have started to ignore them because I can tell I am not truly in labor.
The doctors have told me that they will not stop the labor so I might as well only go to the hospital if I am convinced I am truly in labor.
Well, surprise, surprise, I am still 3 cm!  Which is great news.  I guess taking medicine every 4 hours and being on bed rest really is helping this little guy.
After checking me the doctor told me that the baby had flipped around and is now head down (he is breech)!
I told him that every doctor so far has thought that the baby is head down, but the ultrasound 2 weeks ago proved them wrong.
Well, we went in for a quick ultrasound, and the baby is still bum down!!!
The doctor said the baby must just have a really bony butt!
At this point I am planning on having a C-section and if I make it to 39 weeks they may try to flip the baby.

Bed rest gets harder and harder every day!
My mom just left today after waiting on me hand and foot for 2 weeks.
I don't know what I'll do without her!
Steve is planning on coming home every day for lunch to make me something to eat and get anything I need.
The doctors want me to stay on the medicine and bed rest until 36 weeks.  I already have a huge list of things planned to do as soon as I can get up!!

All in all, I am so grateful for everyone's thoughts and prayers and more than anything I am grateful for this healthy little baby that just can't seem to wait any longer to come out!

Biggest Scare of Our Lives

This post is mostly for me to remember and document what has happened this last week.  It may be too much information and way too long for some of you, so don't feel like you have to read it!

So last Monday, the 21st, I was having Braxton Hicks contractions about every 5-10 minutes at school all day.  This is actually pretty normal for me but something felt wrong.  I was supposed to have my 32 week appt with the doctor on Thursday (I would be 32 weeks on Wednesday) but thought I should move it up to that afternoon just to make sure everything was ok.  Well I just felt like something was wrong and had no idea what it was.  I called Steve crying and told him something felt weird and I felt like he should go to my appt that afternoon with me (he usually can never take off work for any of my appointments).  He quickly got out of work and we headed over the the doctor's office around 3:30.

My doctor was nice enough to stay later to accommodate me and I found out that the contractions were actual labor contractions and I was almost 2 cm dilated and 70% effaced.  We were shocked (I had been checked previously and they always said my cervix was closed).  He also did a Fetal Fibronectin test on me to see if my body was releasing a hormone that indicates if I would go into labor.  The test takes a couple of hours to get the results.  He told us that we needed to go to the hospital immediately so they could monitor me and give me a steroid shot for the baby.

We headed over the American Fork hospital and got all hooked up.  I got the first steroid shot to help the baby's lungs and they told me to come back the next day to get the second.  This shot helps the baby's lungs do better if they are born prematurely.  We got the results of the Fetal Fibronectin test--it was negative!  Which supposedly means there is less than a 1% chance you will go into labor in the next 2 weeks.  Well my doctor was absolutely shocked that it was negative.  He basically told us to ignore it and that I needed to go on bed rest ASAP.  I was still having regular contractions, but they were able to stop them with 3 Terbutaline shots and sent me home.

When we got home, I called my principal to tell her I couldn't finish out the school year and found a great sub for my students.  I headed over the the school (much to my mom and Steve's dismay) to get everything ready for the sub.  Then, I went to bed.

I couldn't sleep because I was SO worried and kept waking up with horrible cramps and contractions that seemed to never go away.  Eventually, around 5 I called my mom and we started timing them.  They were about 3 minutes apart and she told me to go back to the hospital.  So, Steve and I grabbed a few things and rushed over.  My doctor was still at the hospital and checked my cervix again.  I was now almost 3 cm and 90% effaced.  I burst into tears because the nurse and doctor basically had to treat me like I was going to have the baby that day.  They quickly did my next steroid shot and told me the goal was to get me through the next 24 hours so that the shot would go into effect.  I got hooked to an IV and put on Magnesium to stop my contractions.

An ambulance and team of 6 EMTs came into my room and put me on a gurney.  They rushed me over to Utah Valley Regional in Provo because that hospital is much better equipped to handle such an early preemie.  My contractions were now about 5 minutes apart and the medicine was starting to work.  At about 5 that night my contractions were pretty much gone.  My mom took the soonest flight that day and was there by the nighttime.  What a great mom!

I think that may have been the worst day and night of my life.  With all of the anxiety from the situation and feeling awful from the Magnesium, I couldn't have felt worse.  A nurse had to come into my room every hour throughout the night to do different tests on me to make sure my body could handle the medicine.

Around 8:00 the next morning (Wednesday), they took me off of Magnesium and started me on Nifedipine.  Nifedipine is a pill that is supposed to slow contractions as well.  Luckily, my body did well with the pill and my contractions were pretty much gone (only one every half hour or so).  They monitored me in the hospital until Sunday and then released me.  I am now at home on strict bedrest.  I am only allowed to shower and use the bathroom.  I'm also on medicine every 4 hours to slow my contractions.  So far it has been working!  I have been feeling great and have to keep reminding myself not to do anything extra.

This Wednesday I will be 33 weeks, and the doctor's biggest goal is to get me to 34 weeks.  They say that at 34 weeks the baby will likely have no problems with breathing and would probably have little to no NICU stay.  If I go into labor again before 34 weeks, they will attempt to stop it and I will need to go to the hospital in Provo.  Once I am 34 weeks, I will be able to deliver at American Fork and they will not stop the delivery.  We are hopeful to make it to 34 weeks, but we honestly have no idea when this baby will come!

Spring Break!

I am starting to notice a trend...I usually on post on school holidays:)

Well...only 7 weeks left of school and then I will be able to post as much as I want!

Because Steve and I won't be able to attend his family reunion this year, his parents offered to take us on a little spring break excursion of our own.

We packed our bags and headed for Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon.

I had never been to any national parks in Utah, so it was such a neat experience!

We rented a minivan and drove down on Saturday along with Steve's brother Greg, his wife Tiffany, and baby Lucy. It was one jam-packed minivan, but it was fun to all be together.

We stayed in Springdale, right outside of Zions, and it was the cutest little town. We checked out all of the top restaurants on Trip Advisor and were not disappointed!

On Sunday, we headed to St. George and walked around the temple.

On Monday, we headed into the park and did a few hikes. We did the lower and upper emerald pool hikes and the weeping rock.

On Tuesday morning, we headed over to Bryce Canyon. It was sooo beautiful. I loved Zions, but Bryce had such a unique look. We were able to do a hike down into the canyon to see all of the different hoodoos.

Wednesday morning we headed back home. I was surprised I was able to hold up through all of the hiking, I haven't been the best about getting exercise since I've been pregnant. But, it was a really neat experience. Thanks so much mom and dad Winder!!!

20 Weeks!!!

It is hard to believe we are already halfway through this adventure!

Luckily I have have had a relatively easy pregnancy so far.

The worst part about it is probably my moods (sorry Steve!).

I think I cry every single day about dumb little things (example--today I cried during bus duty because it was freezing outside).

But I'm used to mood swings, because I'm a girl. So it's not toooo bad.

Here's me at 19 weeks:

Yesterday we were able to get our anatomy ultrasound.

I had my students do an activity beforehand to guess what gender they thought it would be (and of course, to review collecting data).

It turns out they were right! Actually, almost every single person that guessed, guessed BOY. Even Steve and I were pretty sure it was a boy.

Anyway, the ultrasound was amazing. They had us in a small room with a GIANT flat screen TV right in front of the bed.

The doctor went through every single part of its body to make sure everything was healthy.

We were able to see the chambers of his heart, parts of his brain, 5 fingers on each hand, etc.

It was really neat but also really scary. But everything checked out ok.

I just knew it was a boy before the doctor showed us because he kept referring to the baby as "he".

Apparently the baby was flashing himself during the whole thing.

Our little baby was pretty crazy during the ultrasound.

He completely turned back and forth all over my belly the whole time.

I think we might have a little soccer player because I can already feel his kicks so strongly!!!

As soon as the ultrasound was over, I had Steve drive us over to Babies R Us so I could get some cute boy clothes. Not being able to dress our little one in ruffles and bows has been my only worry about having a boy...besides having 5 boys in a row like the Winder family...

And I just wanted to include a picture of the other cute boy in my life and his acceptance letter to UMN.