7 weeks and counting

Kaylee is 7 weeks old. Man how time has flown by, yet stood so still. We spend our days rocking in the recliner, eating, going through diapers and now, playing with toys with noises. She's a relatively good baby, thankfully, although she has her moments of uncontrollable crying fits. Stupid gas. It is funny when she scares herself with her farts :p

She burps better than most frat boys, which is hilarious and disturbing at the same time. Her first smiles started happening about 2 weeks ago. Now, I can provoke her and get them (well, as long as she's in a good mood). Her head control is pretty decent and she loves to scoot around when I put her on her tummy - also disturbing..

Overall, things are really good. I'm trying to freelance while staying home with her. That is proving to be a challenge as she will not sleep much during the day. So, I end up working when *I* should be sleeping with her... like now.

I do have her on somewhat of a schedule. She eats just about at the same times every day and sleeps just about the same intervals... we try to play some in between all of that. I'm starting to just let her cry a little more instead of rocking her to sleep, which has worked at times with getting her to take a day time nap. Maybe she'll get the hint that she is tired and needs to sleep...

Sorry the posts are few and far between... I just don't have the energy to keep up with this thing atm.

Baby Kaylee is Here!

Kaylee was born at 1:06pm Central Standard Time on June 29th, 2010.

I was born at 2:07pm, so we are almost exactly 30 years apart. She sleeps very well, eats great, and is a champion pooper.

I am doing great mentally, which was something I was soooooo worried about. Hopefully, it will last. :)

Hubs has been amazing. He's done all of the diaper changes and is really taking every opportunity available to learn. This experience most definitely changed our marriage for the better.

I'll write up a birth story sometime in the near future, but while I'm sitting here patiently waiting for the breakfast hotline to open, I figured I could give a glimpse.

I went into early labor at 5:40am on 6/28. We had an appointment at 9:20am already, so we went ahead and had her check me. I was only dilated 1cm, but effaced 85%. She was convinced I'd be back that afternoon.

Well... I labored all day - it didn't get intense and consistent until about 1am 6/29. By 2am, we decided to go in. I was only dilated 2cm! I was so discouraged because I just KNEW they would send me home.

The contractions from 2am to 4:30am were intense so they figured a few more hours of me laboring there couldn't hurt.. so they kept me (whew!)

My doc came in at 8:30.. still only 2cm.. boo... and it is confirmed - I am the biggest wuss on the planet. I thought I was dying. Then this lovely nurse came in and offered statol (I could be butchering the spelling...) to "take the edge off"... I <3 that stuff... haha but it was only a short term.

They offered the epidural about when the statol was wearing off. And I took it. Yes early and I was worried that would slow things. I don't recall the exact time... about 2 hours later, they did have to give me pitocin because my contractions just wouldn't regulate and my water had already broken.

Doc came back at 12:30pm and said I should be about 6cm. LOL was she in for a hell of a surprise.. I was 10! I kind of figured I was because around 11:45, I told the nurse - dude, I could totally touch this kid if I wanted to... she didn't want to check me though since Doc would be back shortly (meaning 15 minutes, but she took her time with lunch... whatevs).

Anyway.. after she checked me, it was a mad panic to get everything ready... I wanted to laugh. This kid was literally falling out of me without any help.

I started pushing at 12:55ish.. she was here 4 pushes later at 1:06pm.

CRAZY!

If I could only remember...

As my due date quickly approaches, I have started thinking about things I have missed out on in the last 10 months... things that I may have even forgotten how to enjoy... I can't wait to get back into the swing of things. While I understand that can take several weeks, months or longer - I know that one day, I'll feel "normal" again.

I can't wait to be able to run if I want. Not that I ever really ran before (stupid knees), but just knowing that if I need to, I can. And I won't risk hurting myself (stupid tendon). Being able to walk a longer distance than to the mailbox would be nice too...

I wonder what it's like not to waddle when walking. I've been waddling since about 4.5 months because of my tendon. Then James fixed me a few weeks ago, but I still find that I waddle - probably more so cuz Kaylee is sitting a little lower because I'm really not that big. (pic is 39w5d)



I want a beer. More specifically, a DosXX with lime. I also want a glass of Reisling. And a mudslide. Basically, I want to be an alcoholic for the day and just get plastered on every drink I would have had in the last 10 months. I don't drink THAT much, so I should be able to handle it all in a day... :p

I miss being cold. Seriously... I have never been this hot in my life and I live in Central Texas for Christ sake. The AC is set at 74 and I'm still hot, but I'm more afraid of the electric bill than being hot, so that's as low as I'm going to set it. Normally, I would freeze to death... 79 or higher and thankfully, Brian likes it like that too.

I miss working. I haven't been unemployed this long since I was 10.. seriously. I was either babysitting, or working at the church, or had a "real" job. I miss my career and hope that once things regain a little normalcy that I can get back to it. Right now I just don't have the energy or the brain power to truly connect to my clients. It's not fair to them.

Spicy foods... how I crave thee... but how utterly mean you are to me within the first taste. I miss the jalapeno eating contests with my little brother. I miss hot salsa and chips. I miss jalapeno poppers. Rotel tomatoes... And fresh ground pepper on everything. I hope I can soon enjoy these tasty delights again.

Juice. Really? I can't even drink juice without it trying to kill me? While my water intake now is great.. I really miss a big glass of cranberry juice.

I miss my energy level. For someone who was always on the go, coming to a complete halt was THE hardest thing about this pregnancy. I know I complained about being sick and in pain and blah blah blah... but not being able to vacuum or stand long enough to do the dishes or laundry drives me NUTS. I am glad, however that the days of me being winded walking to the truck from the front door are over. I hate feeling like I'm being lazy. And for the last 10 months, that's exactly how I have felt.

I can't wait for "normal."

39 weeks, 2 days

I'm basically 5 days away from my due date (it's night time, so I'm pretending it's the 21st...). And at this point, there has been no progress, which has been frustrating. Our next appointment is Tuesday. My doctor has stirred up a bit of chaos, which Brian and I will not tolerate. She has scheduled her vacation for the weekend of July 4th and that following week. This is fine if Kaylee is here by then, but seeing how I asked her at week 20 if she was planning a vacation around the holiday and she said no, I'm a little irritated, as I could have changed doctors. I'm not as irritated that her plans changed though because in reality - she's just there to catch. The nurses do the majority of the work. I'm irritated that to convenience her, she wants to induce me on June 30th. A whole 4 days after my due date. She also tried to use scare tactics to get us to go ahead and make the appointment. a) the mortality rate goes up after 40 weeks... b) if you don't get an appointment booked, there won't be any left...

She must think we're real idiots. :)~ First of all, my original due date was June 30th! So, there's room for error right there alone. Secondly, the mortality rates go up a little after 41 weeks and double after 42. The reason? The placenta begins to break down. And guess what, folks! There's a simple way to find out how everything is doing in there... ultrasounds and stress tests. Lastly, she said during the week 33 ultrasound that Kaylee was a little small, but there's THREE WEEKS to play with there, so it's all good. C'mon, lady... who do you think you are fooling?

I do not want to be induced unless it's medically necessary. The complications and possible c-section aren't anything I want to deal or think about at this point. I know I have been miserable the entire pregnancy, but my selfishness for wanting this child to be born a little early will never override her coming on her own when she's done "baking."

A friend of mine whom I work with in the freelance world offered up her husband's services. He practices Chinese medicine and is an acupuncturist that works on a lot of pregnant ladies. I've been in for 3 treatments so far and here's the results:

* heartburn - GONE
* reflux - GONE
* tendon pain - GONE
* morning sickness - almost GONE (I've had 2 episodes in 7 days... that's the smallest number of times I've gotten sick in a weeks time since week 6!)

Basically... I should have done this a lot sooner... LOL My energy level, however does still suck. But, I'll take whatever relief I can get!!

My next treatment with him is Tuesday after my doctor's appointment, in which he plans to push a little harder with the intensity. Hopefully, I've shown some progress at the doctor's... I know she's moving A LOT right now, but I haven't noticed any "dropping" of my tummy or any more pressure than what has already been there, so I'm not holding my breath.

LTNS

It's been forever since I've been able to post an update. Sorry about that. Since the last post, I've had 2 more wonderful showers. I'll try to incorporate some pictures this afternoon if I can make myself sit down for a moment. Right now, my energy level is decent, so I've been taking advantage of that and trying desperately to get the house put together... Less stuff means less to clean.

Brian has decided to downsize his fish keeping hobby some, which will help a ton as far as noise, time to clean the tanks and the expense of upkeep. We're down to 3 tanks - 2 down stairs and 1 up in his man-cave. The difference is amazing!

I'm trying to finish some projects I started before I got pregnant. Unfortunately, being sick/miserable/in pain the entire time has not helped. I have 5 tiles I still need to lay in the master bath. It's driving me bonkers that I wasn't able to finish. I also have a little more of the vinyl planks to put down in the laundry area. I should be able to finish that this weekend.

Kaylee's room is pretty much put together. All I really need to do is wash her clothes and sheets. We have almost everything that we need, which is awesome.

I quit my job in April. It was a decision that I had been pondering over for over 2 years. The environment was toxic and I really think that's part of why I was so desperately ill. Stress and I have never gotten along very well. But, as most of ya'll know, it's hard to keep me still, much less in bed for any extended amount of time. I started poking around on some job sites and found a PT temp position at a wonderful company. There's even hopes of keeping me PT perm after the baby arrives. That will depend on a few things - one of the biggest is childcare. If I can't find childcare that would be worth the expense of me working, then it shouldn't be an issue. Otherwise, I'll be a SAHM.

In the last few weeks, I had 2 showers. My SIL threw one for me with the fam. It turned out great. We pretty much got stocked up on clothes and some diapers. Yay! Kaylee won't be naked all the time... :)~ The following week, Jenny threw me a scrapbooking shower. I was amazed at the turn out. I had friends from Houston, FT Hood and South Austin all come in for it. It was great to see everyone! Plus, the pages everyone created are awesome.. I can't wait to plug the pictures in and fill in the blanks.

Also in the last few weeks, we found out a good friend of ours is expecting her first kiddo! So, they'll be about 6 months apart. Babies EVERYWHERE! ;)

As for me... I'm doing better. My energy level isn't so hot in the mornings and evenings, but the afternoons are decent. I'm still occasionally getting sick, but I've nailed it down to when I'm overly stressed about whatever. I've gained 19lbs, but that doesn't count the weight I lost in the first 6 months, so I really have no idea how much I've gained... it's probably closer to like 10lbs. Woops. I am anemic, so I'm working on getting that under control. Apparently, that's a very common problem because the blood volume has increased so much.

Kaylee is estimated to be about 4lbs right now (33 weeks gestation). So, if she gains a 1lb every 2-3 weeks, we're looking at about 6-7lbs at birth.

After talking to a bunch of my friends who have 1-2 kiddos, I've decided that we are not going to invite people to the hospital for visiting... at least not the first day - we'll play the 2nd day by ear. Based on what the insurance company is telling me - if there are no complications, I won't be there but 2 days anyway. The stress of having visitors takes away from the focus of why we are there... and I really need Brian's full attention and help. The house will be a more comfortable place for everyone to meet little Kaylee. Plus - while ya'll are fawning over her - I can go to my bedroom and take a nap! :)~

Baby Stuff Galore... and now it really sets in...

Yesterday, Brian's side of the family threw me a baby shower. It was small and intimate which is just how I like parties. Grandma was on a roll.... throw in her daughters and a character we often call Chrissy, and O M G... I laughed the entire time. Free entertainment is the best entertainment.

The food was amazing... there was pico de gallo pizza, sweet and sour meatballs, little puff pastries, spinach-artichoke dip.... and the cake.

Poor Grandma... haha she had such a hard time with this, but it sounds like she took it in stride. It all worked out. She requested a lemon sheet cake. When she went to pick it up, the cake was round. And had fondant on it. Apparently, they thought she said lemon cheese cake. It was delish! So, it worked out in the end... I <3 anything lemon, so score for Grandma!

We did one game and it was the very traditional, yet disgusting "Guess the Poo" game. I suck at this game, but it's still really funny to watch everyone stick their faces into diapers trying to figure out what the mascaraed chocolate once was... Grandma CHEATED! And she wasn't ashamed of it at all... LOL... the funny thing is, I don't even think she won... :p We got some cute pictures of her channeling her best "Gene Simmons"... Scrapbooking this is going to be a lot of fun!





The gifts were amazing... we got the crib and mattress as well as the high chair. Lindsey got little Kaylee a number of really sweet outfits (the ruffles on the butt were the hit)... And the mobile from Deanne and Katelyn... O M G.. how perfect! I can't wait to get it all up and in it's place.

Chrissy and I are due within a few weeks of each other. I have been wanting some good baby bump pix with both of us.. We definitely got that opportunity.... She's pregnant with her second boy. I'm definitely smaller, but I'm also hoping for a 6-7 pounder.. she's hoping for under 10... hahaha

Continuing the freezing process...

So, tonight I managed to exhaust myself... I stood way too long without proper shoes on... I need one of those rubber mats in my kitchen :)

Tonight on the agenda: Cook 2 whole chickens. EEK!
This was a super intimidating experience. A) I truly despise chicken on the bone. One too many bites of grizzle... ick... B) I'm not a fan of dark meat.. But, I got over it and did it anyway. Thank goodness I had 2 big stock pots so I could do both chickens at the same time.

Here's how easy it was....
Put chicken in pot. Fill with water to cover chicken. Cover. Boil/simmer for 90 minutes. (I turned it to medium after the water started boiling so it wouldn't boil over).

I swear... it's that easy. The house smelled AWESOME. It seriously smelled like I just made homemade chicken n dumplings or something... haha So, once the chickens were done, I got my strainer and the biggest bowls I could find and poured the stock into them. I set the chicken aside to cool and then went and hung out for a little while. I was planning on bagging the stock, so I needed to let that cool as well - I added some ice after about 10 minutes to help speed up the process. This is a perfect time for a nice break... And, if your husband is hungry enough - he'll start picking at the chicken (clean hands of course) and may even debone it for you!

Welp, that's exactly what happened... Brian got hungry and so he deboned the first chicken for me while I filled baggies with 2 cups of stock a piece. By the time we were done with both chickens, I had a little over 12 cups of cooked chicken and 34 cups of chicken stock. I marked the bags with quantity and threw it all (but 2c chicken) in the freezer.

With the 2 cups of chicken that I left out, I made a big batch of King Ranch mix or, you could leave it as is and it would be spicy chicken n rice... whichever you prefer. Basically, I cooked 2 cups of rice, 2 cups of chicken, 2 cans of rotel tomatoes and 2 cans of cream of chicken soup. I mix it all together and voila! I'm ready to freeze 4 meals... now... when you are ready to cook this, just let it thaw...

For King Ranch, you'll need tortilla chips and Velveeta to finish the dish. I basically layer chips, mix, cheese until the mix is gone... the last layers are chips and cheese... I put it in the oven at 350 for 20 minutes to warm it up.

I'm almost positive that I pay around $2 for a thing of Swansons chicken broth (16 oz) and over $3 for a can of chicken (10 oz). Sam's Club was selling a pair of whole chickens for $8. I just saved over $60...

How dumb do I feel for not doing this before? Pretty dumb... but I had NO CLUE. The subject of "how to fix America" has come up quite often lately. (No, this isn't about to become political...)... I have been preaching (in a sense) that the fix is EDUCATION. This right here proves my point. My MIL gave me the information I never had before to save my family a lot of money. Is it as convenient as buying those cans? Not really, but it's so easy and so much healthier that in the long run, it will be more convenient. I'll make less trips to the store because I never bought more than a few cans of chicken at a time and maybe a pair of boxes of broth... Plus it gave the hubby and I time to just sit and talk while we pulled chicken apart. :)

Last night, I made 4 single servings of Beef Stroganoff to freeze for Brian's lunches. I'll post that recipe tomorrow. We also went ahead and browned 2 lbs of meat (we are using nalgi since Brian and his fam hunt for our meat... but there's nothing wrong with just plain ole hamburger). I'll be preparing the mix for the stuffed bell peppers soon. Time just got away from us tonight.