Our First Outing!

So this weekend was Decovin's first outing (and mine since he was born)! We went to Grandma and Grandpa Plummer's house. They live near the city so we figured if we forgot something or ran out of something they would be the closest to the a 24 hour shopping facility. Good thing we went there b/c we did end up running out of baby wipes!!! At least that was all we ran out of. I packed enough clothes for him for a week! Our car was full of all his stuff...babies require lots of things! I always knew this, but you never REALLY know until you have to pack it all! Geesh!

Anyway...we had a good time and Decovin got to meet a bunch of his relatives. He was all tuckered out by the end of the trip on Sunday. He slept and slept and slept! I was so thankful too b/c he had previously been really cranky and gassy so this was a relief for Bob and I. He slept so good through the night Sunday night that I couldn't have been any happier! :-)

Here is a 4 generation photo of Decovin, Bob, Bob's dad, and Bob's grandpa:

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Oh and I got a new haircut...Bob now says I look like a mom! haha!

2 weeks old!

I can't believe it has already been 2 weeks. He already looks different and is getting a personality all his own. He makes the funniest faces, which means he will be a lot like his dad!

He lost his umbilical cord on Saturday and he has the cutest little belly button! Now we just need his little parts to heal and he can have a real bath instead of a sponge one! He hates being cold and naked (I mean who does right?!) but it just seems worse to keep him exposed out of the water instead of submerged in it partially...We shall see...so far the boy hates being naked period!

Snip, Snip...

So yesterday was "D-Day" for Decovin. He was snipped and clipped below the waist! Poor guy...we didn't stay in the room for the procedure and surprisingly I only cried a little. When they brought him out to us he was calm but every once in awhile would wince and cry. Made me sad. She said we could give him Tylenol every 4-6 hours and to put gauze with vasoline on it for 5-7 days. So far it hasn't been TOO terrible, but it has caused for horrible diaper leaks since we can't put his pee-pee downward like we were doing. So needless to say we have been going through a lot of clothes and blankets! He goes back to his pediatrician on the 2nd to have it looked at and to make sure everything is A-OK. Anyway, thought I would give ya an update.

Here is a picture of my little Punky!

Breastfeeding Update...

Ok, so now we are doing MUCH better!! After getting some prescription ointment for the cracked skin (yes, it cracks and bleeds folks!!) they are healing up nicely and Decovin doesn't feel like he is ripping them off of my chest now! He still has some work to do on the initial "latch on" process but other than that, he and I are doing great! I am so thrilled I stuck it out because I wasn't looking forward to the thought of having to buy formula already and have to wash and clean bottles all the time! So this is a good thing! (I feel like Martha Stuart saying that...haha)

Anyway, if you are pregnant and are thinking about breastfeeding, know this, IT CAN BE HARD TO DO! No one tells you these things, and you think all will be hunky dorey! Just stick out the pain and you will succeed! I promise! :-)

Isn't he squishy! :-)

Exhaustion, Frustration, & Insurance...

So he is 1 week old today. Our growing little bundle of joy has been so much fun to learn yet has also brought on an emotional roller coaster for me that I can't describe other than tagging it as "the baby blues."

I was hoping not to be one of "those moms" that can't control her emotions after birth, but I have just been an emotional wreck and I think that there are things that aided in this that were out of anyone's hands...

1st: Breastfeeding is not easy, so whoever said it was, is wrong. It is a "learned" skill that baby has to learn, no one tells you this and you safely assume they will just latch on and boom, everything is hunky dory! Well, not for me. The beginning was good...he took a bit to latch on but when he did, he ate really really well. Then we were sent home and my milk came in the next day...can we say "ENGORGEMENT MUCH?!" OUCH! My boobs would make Pamela Anderson jealous! Seriously! With this came frustration of getting Decovin to latch on at all...I was so engorged that he couldn't get a good grip (if you will). So I struggled with then having to "prep" my breast for him to eat. This included a very painful use of a breast pump just to get the nipple supple for him. Yeah, not cool! On top of ALL of this, I have dry/cracked nipples which started to bleed even with the use of nipple ointment...it got so bad, I had to get a prescription for a special steroid ointment specifically for this. They are feeling better but still hurt when he first latches on. I am happy to report that we no longer need the breast pump to prepare the nipple and he is getting much better at latching on. This is where knowing that this is a "learned" process would have been useful. I wouldn't have gotten so frustrated with myself and him and tried to relax more. I was so tense that he sensed it and he then became frustrated and wouldn't latch on for his life! This too shall pass.

2nd: Insurance is a bitch! Excuse my french, but it is. The rules are just enough to make you want to punch someone. For example:

We were told that our insurance would not cover his circumcision on the day of our releasement from the hospital (which is when it was set up to be done). They tell us this AFTER the fact...so we have to pack up and leave w/o having the procedure done and they tell us to contact Whiteman Airforce Base and set it up with them to do it there. (I am thinking, ok whatever, they must have to tell military families this all the time so they know what they are talking about). We go home, and I call them the next day (Thursday) to set up the procedure only to find out that, no, they in fact DO NOT do the procedures on base and now that we have been released will need a referral to have someone else do it. So some doctor at the base in the Pediatrician department informs me that b/c it wasn't done in the hospital, now he will have to wait until he is 6 months old to do the procedure!!! So of course, I freak out and cry so much I make myself almost sick. Then the phone calls went back and forth between the Insurance company (of whom tell me that they would have in fact paid for the procedure on the day of our releasement and were apalled that we were told otherwise), the Pediatrician office, my Primary Care Physicians office on base, my pre-natal doctor's office, and the hospital. Until FINALLY on Friday afternoon at around 5pm, I speak with a nice nurse who was kind enough to help me through my hysterical phone call to her...she said that one of the doctor's in the office would do them up until they were 1 month old so we should be able to get this done next week no problem. Sooooo....

She called me back Monday morning and we have his appointment set up for this Thursday at 9am with my pre-natal doctor in her office. **sigh of relief** I am really dredding the trip though as I know he will be in a lot of pain and I am worried this will throw him off his awesome sleep schedule. He currently is eating every 2-3 hours and sleeps in between some and at night sleeps for 5-6 hours before waking up again! He is awesome and I hope this doesn't traumatize him. I know I will be traumatized for a few days and I am sure my emotions will overcome me for a few days after that as well. So be thinking of my son and me when this happens, I am sure I will cry the whole day.

Enough rambling for now. Enjoy this photo of me and my son:

He is FINALLY here!

Welcome Decovin Joseph Plummer, Born: January 16, 2006 at 1:13pm weighing in at 7lbs 9oz and 20 1/2 inches long!




It was an eventful day for all of us. After posting my last blog, I thought the day would never come, little did I know it would be a few hours away from "starting!" At 1:45am my water broke. I woke up to go to the bathroom, like I always do and when I got up from the toilet more fluid continued to come out...I was like..."What is going on?!" Then it started coming out a lot more rapidly and I knew it was on like Donkey Kong!

So I called the hospital and they confirmed that I should come in to be checked out. We arrived at the hospital about 2:15am and sure enough, I was already dialated to 3 cm and 50% efaced. So then we were admitted. We called the grandparents to be and then got settled into the hospital. I had solid contractions from the time I got there until he was born and they were consistently about 2-4 minutes apart. Around 5am I finally could not take the pain anymore and requested an epidural. I was at 6-7 cm dialated and 100% efaced at this poing. Epidurals are a beautiful thing! After that was in place I took a nap and felt much better.

I didn't start pushing until a little after 11:00am and so I pushed and pushed and around 1pm the nurse was finally ready to call the doctor, she said "After this next push, I am going to call the doctor in so we can deliver this baby!" Well I pushed and apparently with all my might b/c I couldn't even wait for the doctor to arrive...they tried to make me stop pushing but that lasted all of about 2-4 minutes and I couldn't take it anymore...one more small push and his head came out and then next thing I knew he was laying on my belly in all his glory! It was AWESOME!

He had a hard time breathing at first and had to take him back to the nursery to give him extra oxygen but within 5-10 minutes of being back there he was up to 100% and so they brought him back to us! It was so awesome and I can't describe it other than amazing! I got to watch the whole thing with the aid of a ceiling mirror! Bob didn't get grossed out either in case some of you were wondering and my mom got to be there also. It was truly helpful to have the extra support that I thought I wasn't wanting or going to need.

For those of you with a weak stomach, do not continue to read this blog...

The afterbirth was a bit painful but not as bad as I thought, the only time it really hurt was when the doctor kept pulling on the remaining umbilical cord to try to get it out. I was like...hey, if you want, I can still push ya know! But I am sure there was some reason she was doing it...anyway, it was cool to see. Bob said, ewww, it looks like a liver! HAHA! It did kinda look like one though!

I only tore a little but did require stitches. They said it was a 2nd degree tear and that that was no big deal...After the epidural wore off completely, you might say I disagreed with the "no big deal" statement! I was up and walking about 30 minutes after he arrived and that was painful in and of itself. But, I am doing much better now...still a bit sore, but what can ya do?!

Anyway, all and all, I have to say it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, but it wasn't the most pleasant thing either. But man, are they worth every pain you get!

39 weeks

So here I am at 39 weeks and due in 5 days. He has still showed NO sign of wanting to head out. I have had MINIMAL contractions if you want to call them that...I am not even sure if they were a contraction as I felt virtually no pain...a little cramping, but nothing to get worked up about. I have another doctor's appointment on Wednesday and I am hoping to find out more details as far as when they will induce if he decides to wait too long...I am hoping that doesn't happen as I hear that is much more painful than it just happening naturally. Anyway, I feel gargantuan
and awkward and I tend to waddle more than walk. Every time I stand up from a sitting position I instantly must pee and it is always a disappointing "tinkle" with no real relief. It is fun to feel him move around in there and kick and roll, I think it weirds out my husband when he sees my stomach actually move. All-in-all, I may sound like I am complaining a lot, but really it is just because at this point in the pregnancy I think most women in their right mind are just ready to be done. That's all, just to be done and meet this person that you have been carrying inside you for weeks! It is a marvel what are bodies can do to procreate. I just wish the men had to FEEL some of it. :-) They mostly just have to put up with our whining...which I am thankful for but just once I would love for my husband to know what it feels like to carry all this extra weight around for weeks and see how he feels. ;-) Gotta love 'em for trying empathy though! :-) Well, I will stop rambling for now. Hopefully my next post will be that of some progress happening. We shall see after Wednesday's doctor's appointment. Until then...ciao!

Fire Department and Hospital Tour

Last week I went to the Fire Department here in town and they installed our baby seat for us. It is a free service and I am so glad we did it because our particular baby seat wasn't high enough to create the 45 degree angle needed to position the seat due to our deep seats. So they actually cut up a nerf noodle that you use in a pool to prop it up. The firefighter that assisted me was extremely nice and even offered to show us how to properly strap in baby after he arrives. He gave me some pointers that I would have never thought of like until the baby starts getting more meaty in the bum area, we should roll up a receiving blanket and put it between him and the crotch belt b/c they tend to sit so far back in the seat...this makes them more secure. I thought it was a very helpful tip and was thankful for his assistance. I also got to pull right into the garage where the fire trucks were, it was really cool! I am so easy to entertain, I swear! :-)

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Last night Bob and I did a tour of the Obstetrics area at the hospital. We got to see the laboring/birthing rooms. They are quite nice and they come standard with a jacuzzi tub so I can labor in there if I wish. The nurse that gave us the tour was SUPER nice and I am hoping she is there when I go into labor...Anyway, we should be all prepared to make a dash to the hospital and know exactly where to go. I just hope it is soon! Keep your fingers crossed for us!

Here I sit, STILL!

Well, here I am at 39 weeks and still, NOTHING! I just went to the doctor again today and she measured me and listened to his heart rate, but no actual exam. I haven't lost my mucas plug or had my "bloody show" (sorry in advance if this grosses anyone out, but it is birth we are talking about)...he is still really active and he likes to push on nerves that stop me dead in my tracks. I am getting more and more anxious to meet him! I just hope he doesn't want to stay in there too much longer!

38 weeks

Here is my updated belly shot...ignore my "road map" on the lower portion of my belly...**sigh** I was not one of the "lucky ones."

Disappointed, Party of One

So I am 38 weeks this week and I had my weekly check up with the doctor. I was really excited b/c today was the day she was supposed to tell me I was progressing (well, hoped is a better word I guess). Well, NOTHING is happening. I am like a sitting duck that can't move. Needless-to-say, I was a bit disappointed. I was hoping she was going to say, you are 1 cm dialated or SOMETHING! Nope, nothing, nada! So here I sit, VERY pregnant and barely mobile these days. I keep wondering...how much longer?!

Strep B Test: Negative

I went to the doctor today and my test for Strep B came back negative. YEAH...but the highlight of my visit was when my doctor told me I could take Zantac for my heartburn instead of just TUMS! YEAH! That made me the most happy!

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I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, I know Bob and I did. We spent the weekend with his side of the family for the most part and finished up with my dad's side of the family for a light lunch before heading back to Warrensburg. We also stopped and visited with my cousin, Mandy, who was recently involved in the car wrecked (mentioned in previous blog). It was so good to see her and my aunt. She looks really good and I she seems to be recovering nicely. She still has a couple surgeries to go through, but she seemed in high spirits! Anyway, we visited and went out to eat at Applebee's, where we proceeded to wait for our food for over an hour b/c the waitress "forgot" to put in our order...SOOOO...we ate for free thank's to Mandy! All we had to pay for was the drinks and so it made for a very inexpensive meal with awesome company. Did I mention that it was also Bob and I's sixth anniversary? :-) Crazy huh?

Well, that is all I have for now. Keep in touch!

This is me and my cousin, Mandy:

Strep B test complete...

Yesterday, I went to the doctor to have a Strep B test done. Basically, it is performed in pregnant moms-to-be at or around 36 weeks to see if you carry this particular bacteria. It is safe in a non-pregnant state but if you are pregnant it can be harmful for baby during delivery and could cause infections, etc. So if you DO have it, they put you on antibiotics to kick it before delivery time! I won't know until next week if I have it or not. I will tell you this, the test is not that bad, but never-the-less, it is not something I would want done everyday mind you! :-)

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I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season and if you are traveling, take extra care! I am sorry it has been so long since I have posted...seems like time flys when the holidays arrive!

Oh Yeah!!!

Yesterday it snowed for the first time this season! It did it just for me on my birthday! It was a great gift, however, I forgot how much I dislike driving in it...:-( That was a tad bit stressful!

34 weeks

I am now 34 weeks and I have one more visit to the doctor in two weeks and then I will be seeing her weekly! My next appointment sounds fun...vaginal exam to test for a bacteria that can harm baby if not taken care of pre-birth...some women have it and some don't ...it is no big deal if you have it when you are not pregnant apparently but if you do have it while you are, they put you on an antibiotic to reduce the chances of spreading to baby. Fun, fun!
Overall, I think I am just ready to be done. My doctor informed me that as long as you reach 35 weeks and then start labor, they won't do anything to try and stop it...so after next week, I think I will start wishing for him to come EARLY! :-) (as long as he is healthy of course).

My cousin is due any second now...she has had contractions on and off but baby can't make up its mind...crossing my fingers for her that he comes soon!

My other cousin was in a car wreck and scared us all half to death. She was hit head on by an older man who swerved into her lane. She is doing ok, but has suffered two broken bones--one in her pinky finger and one in her big toe and also a dislocated hip, of which they had to knock her out just to put it back into place! OUCH! Needless-to-say she is in quite a bit of pain still and I am thinking about her constantly and hoping she has a speedy recovery. Worst is, she is in Chicago and none of her family can be there with her. She has a family friend that is with her but still...Missing her bunches right now!

Thanksgiving Success!

Well, Thanksgiving was a hit and I think everyone generally had a good time. It was fun but I paid for it the next day. Bob and I went to bed around 11:30 that night and I ended up having to get up at around 1:30 for bathroom trip #1 of the evening and I seriously thought I was going to have to wake up Bob to assist me there because I was in THAT much pain. So a couple Tylenol later and some more R&R and I felt better by Saturday. It was great to have everybody there though! Good to see all the family...well most of them anyway.

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We put up our tree on Saturday evening. It is a 9 foot pre-lit tree and it looks AWESOME! I LOVE IT! I just love Christmas decorations.
Here is our tree:



















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Here is my updated belly shot...I am currently 33 weeks:

Hiccups

So I went to the doctor yesterday for another check up and when she was checking his heart rate we noticed he had the hiccups! It was so cute! Thought I would share.

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Getting ready for Thanksgiving, doing a lot of last minute shopping for groceries, preparing the house for 16 guests (not including Bob or I) and trying not to doddle...speaking of, I gotta get to work...

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Thanksgiving is just around the corner...

So I have decided to have Thanksgiving at my house, as most of you already know, and I am starting to feel a TINY bit overwhelmed. Not b/c I can't handle it, but b/c I feel bad that I can't help Bob really clean the house and get it ready for everyone. I will be mostly concerned with having enough room in my fridge for everything and making sure I have everything I need to prepare a Turkey Dinner. My parents are coming up the night before and mom and I will start preparing some of the cuisine then. I am really looking forward to them coming. They haven't been here in a couple of months...so they haven't seen the nursery yet with all its furniture and decorations, etc.
Of course the family members that cannot come will be missed greatly and we are all bummed they can't be here to join us. I am worried about Stacy traveling so close to her due date...regardless if it is only a 2 hour drive or not! Sure we have a hospital here in Warrensburg, but I don't really want to have and "emergency" during the holidays! So be careful Ms. Stace...:-)

30 Weeks...

10 more weeks to go...
Went to the doctor's today and everything is good. My gestational diabetes test came back all clear! :-) I really had no worries about that though. Decovin is doing well, his head is down, but he hasn't dropped yet so he COULD potentially move all around still, which is what I think he does ALL day and night to drive me crazy! LOL! But I do enjoy it at the same time, kind of cool to know he is just sitting in there, chilling! :-)
This may be T.M.I. (Too Much Info) but I have been having pains in my pubic bone/groin region and the doctor tells me that this is very normal. She explained that the cartilage at the base of the pubic bone naturally gets thinner or something like that and that eventually my pelvic bone will adjust in some fashion when he drops that will cause the infamous "pregnancy waddle" in some women. Anyway, it hurts and I don't like it and I am not looking forward to the drop stage...
We almost have the nursery squared away, we just need the bedding and a glider and we are all set! ;-) His parents so graciously bought us a new crib and it is FABULOUS! I love it! We purchased the matching changing table also and it now looks like an actual nursery...I have already pre-washed a good chunk of his clothes and anticipate a few more loads after baby shower #2 and baby shower #3. :-)
For those of you who didn't see my progression shots already...this is what I currently look like:

We all fall down...

So I went in for my latest doctor's appointment last Thursday to do my scheduled test for Gestational Diabetes. This is standard procedure and they request that you eat or drink nothing with sugar in it before the blood draw...soooo, I got up in the morning, ate one piece of bacon, one piece of toast and one egg. I usually have my snack around 10am but I had to go in at 10am to drink this AWFUL sugar filled drink that has to sit in your system 1 hour before they draw your blood, and once you drink it you cannot eat anything until then...so when I came back an hour later, I was feeling shaky and ready to eat...but I had to have my blood drawn first. They sit me in the chair and begin the painstaking process of finding a vein (after two pokes usually they find one)...so normally I have NO problem AFTER they poke me looking at the blood coming out into the tube...except for this time! I looked at it and became VERY woozy and almost passed out...I thought I was going to throw up or something. The nurses got me some water and a cold wash cloth for my head and some animal crackers to snack on. After about 5 minutes, I was all better. I have never been that close to passing out in my life...it was kind of scary. The doctor said it was b/c I had all that sugar in my system from that drink...I was just glad it was over so I could go and eat something substantial! :-) I won't find out about the results for a bit, but I am sure I do not have it.

Oh and I also start going to the doctor every two weeks now...it's getting closer to Decovin time! :-)