We did it!

     September 22, 2012 has come and gone. It’s hard to imagine that we are the parents of a one year old already! I’m not sure if I’m more shocked that she’s already one, or that we have managed to, somehow, someway, keep Mady alive and healthy for a whole year. There were times that I was certain child protective services was going to show up on our doorstep at any given moment to remove/save Mady from our parenting “techniques.”  But, I’m proud to say. "WE DID IT!"  We have officially made it a full year. Mady is in one piece AND she still lives with us! 

It’s amazing all of the things she has mastered over the past year…

Sitting up all by herself

Crawling

Rolling over

Climbing/descending stairs

Feeding herself

Walking at 10.5 months

Pulling eyelashes

Knowing where her/mommy’s/daddy’s eyes, nose, and hair are

Dancing (not sure where she got those moves from…most likely daddy) J

Her small vocabulary

Facial Expressions

Learning to spin

…and the list could go on and on.

      But by far, the most amazing and greatest characteristic has been the appearance of her personality. I seriously can’t believe how quick and soon it developed. On most days she is so darn cute and funny that I wish I could have a video camera in her face 24/7. I'd be able to capture those goofy facial expressions she comes up with, or those moments when she, out of nowhere, begins to "spin" in a circle, or giggle when she passes gas, (which she gets that from daddy as well) or when she realizes she has a nose...and when she pinches her nose she can "snort" through her mouth ...which results in giggles and a nice pink nose because the more she does it, the more mommy and daddy laugh.  We couldn’t be more blessed with such an (overall) easy going, fun, and cuddly little lady. Her “go-with-the-flow” personality has definitely been a blessing!  

      We celebrated her 1^st birthday at Rocky Gap State Park on her actual birthday...September 22nd, 2012. Here are a few shots from her special day...

Balloons courtesy of Daddy...(Mommy only managed 4) :)

 

New kitchen!

Opening presents!

Checking out the new toys!

Tissue Paper Pom Poms...Mommy had no problem making these. :)

Pretty flowers from the downtown Farmers Market
(Highly recommend their little flower booth)

Baby food jar flower center pieces...from Pinterest, of course! ; )

Cake - courtesy of Grandma

This is the closest she got to putting her fingers in it...on her own.

Pretty Birthday girl!

Opening presents!

"Ummm...someone...please get this off of me since I was FORCED to put my hand in this mess."

Mady's new wheels

Us!



Whooooped...

Despite the blustery wind that made us rearrange the table decorations and Mady's poor skun up nose (she had a doozy of a face plant walking up the cement sidewalk) the day couldn’t have turned out any better! The sun was shining, the weather was decently warm, the food was delicious, her cakes were adorable, and most importantly our close friends and family were able to celebrate with us!

 

Till another time,

~Renee~

 

 



 

What to REALLY Expect When You’re Expecting

  **First and foremost, if you lack a sense of humor or feel the need to call child protective services and report Matt and I, PLEASE click the little “x” in the upper right hand corner and do not read any further. Despite what is about to be read, we actually kinda like Mady. : )**

           There are numerous things that baby books fail to mention when it comes to the care and well being of your baby. Perhaps I missed that chapter, or maybe they forgot to print that section in my edition of “What to Expect When You’re Expecting.” Whatever the case, it’s only fair to pass on the tips that Matt and I have stumbled upon over the past 9 months.

            Not too long ago, Matt and I were at a party…having a conversation with individuals (whom I will leave nameless to ensure that their children will not be taken from them) about things baby books don’t teach you about. Like for instance...

·   Blowing in your infant’s face while they are crying for HOURS on end, allows you to have a few moments of silence…while you’re baby tries to catch their breath. (Trust me, Matt has been yelled at plenty of times for this. I don’t even have to be in the same room to know that he has “silenced” her. If she’s crying hard and suddenly stops, I know.)

· Placing your infant’s face in direct sunlight forces them to close their eyes…which makes falling asleep A LOT easier on both parent and baby. 

· Poking/brushing party favors on your infant’s eyes may also have a similar effect as placing your infant’s face in direct sunlight. 

· You won’t clean and sterilize your 2^ndchild’s binky. Save your precious time and energy and don’t bother with the first child. (Could you imagine what the 13^th child in a family would have growing on their binky?)  

· Threatening to sell your infant or give them to an orphanage, or put them up for adoption after a LONG night of crying and being up every 2 hours, makes your infant sleep better the following night. (Sounds like it might work, but in reality it really doesn’t. But it was worth a try.) 

· Promising to throw out your infants belongings (toys, stuffed animals, blankets, etc) on the street so the neighborhood kids can enjoy them doesn’t make your infant stop crying. So just save your breath.

 ·   Making comments such as, “Oh, I just can’t imagine how my life was prior to my baby,” could possibly help you earn brownie points for becoming the next “Mother/Father of the Year.” If you’ve already blew getting that award, be honest. How can you NOT forget your life before your baby…sleeping in when you want, going to bed later than 9:00pm, overnight stays didn’t involve packing up the whole house…

· Allowing your infant to sleep with you in your bed is harmless. But there may be minor side effects that occur during the nights that your infant is in his/her crib. Such side effects may include, but are not limited to things like:  Digging frantically through the covers to find your crying baby, or grabbing your spouse’s knee and panicking because you’ve found your infant's head but can’t locate the rest of their body.

· Bathing your infant once a week is sufficient. Sometimes your life becomes so busy with work, taking care of the house, errands, etc, that it’s ok if you make it to the end of the week and realize that you’ve only given your baby a bath once that week. Look on the bright side, it prevents his/her skin from drying out AND it saves a little on your water bill. 

·   Lathering your infant up with "Johnson's Bedtime Bath and Bedtime Lotion" or “Aveeno Baby Calming Lotion”(which is supposedly "clinically proven to help baby sleep better”) isn’t necessary. You are better off squirting it out in the garbage disposal to lessen that garbage smell. Yes, those lotions and bath washes smell SO good, but does it actually calm your infant and help them sleep better? I beg to differ.

·   Jokingly, telling “strangers” at a Maple Queen Pageant (when complimented on how great your 6 month old was throughout the entire pageant) that you drugged them before you arrived, probably isn’t such a good idea…well, I mean, unless you want them to slowly walk away, speechless,  pretending they just didn’t hear that come out of a parent’s mouth.

 

·   The tiny spray bottles that come in an infant grooming kit quenches your 7 months old thirst just as good (if not better) than a bottle or sippy cup. They can even be conveniently placed right in your pocket without that added bulkiness that bottles and sippy cups have.

 Finally,  

·   Toys are a waste of money. Plastic bags, chapstick, diapers, containers, (in other words, everyday items that adults use) are excellent toys to keep your 8 month old occupied for extended periods of time. (Don’t worry about the warning labels found on plastic bags. They are completely harmless…as long as the infant is “supervised”…while playing in the pantry…with the door slightly propped open with just enough space for your infant to crawl out of. 

Surprised Mady has made it through the past 9 months?? Don’t worry. We’re kind of surprised too. Matt and I often say, “Can you believe that SHE relies on and trusts US??” It’s a little scary knowing that both Matt and I are responsible for that little individual. Whether it’s from all the lovin’s, hugs, kisses, plastic bags, tiny shots of water from her grooming spray bottle, or blueberry puffs, apparently we have done SOMETHING right. Besides, I wouldn’t trade her for ANYTHING…well ...almost anything. Just kidding. : )

Her Mommy & Daddy love her SO very much!
<3

...and Delivery

            "You’re ready to start pushing.” Wait, what, are you serious? I didn’t get to “rest” yet! Ready or not, I was about to have a baby. The moment that I had dreaded the most throughout my entire pregnancy had arrived.  Not even a moment after the nurse said, “when you feel pressure like you need to push, let me know and you can push,” did I feel that pressure…and so it began.

            Not only had my epidural begun to wear off, but for the past hour or so, I could feel EVERYTHING on my left side. Talk about being miserable. Fast forward to 41 minutes later. I’ll spare everyone and leave out the details of those 41 minutes.

            Meeting Mady for the first time is something that I will never forget. She entered the world on September 22, 2011 at 4:41pm, crying! (I probably would have been screaming if I would have had a cord wrapped around my arms and my legs and my chest and my neck.) But darn it if it wasn’t the cutest cry I had ever heard. The nurse placed her on my chest and my heart melted when we made eye contact. It was the most incredible feeling!



Daddy's chin!



            Within a matter of minutes, we had already decided that she had Matt’s chin and that she had beautiful, bright eyes! I was amazed at the amount of love that I quickly had for her in such a short second…already I could feel myself being wrapped around her little pinkie.  : )

Madalyn SuzAnn Gibson
7lbs 8.4 oz 19in.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
4:41pm

            Every woman that I had talked to, who had experienced delivery, always said that “once that baby arrives, you’ll forget about the pain.” I wish that would have been my case. I tried SO hard to focus on Mady while the nurses were examining her, cleaning her, etc. Nothing took that pain away. While the Doctor “repaired” me, I could hear the conversation he and the nurse were having and it didn’t sound good. After things had calmed down, and the nurse had taken Mady over to the nursery to get her weight and all that good stuff, Dr. E told me that I had had a pretty traumatic delivery. I could definitely tell that something “traumatic” had happened…and I felt that pain everyday for the next 3+ months.

            The first night in the hospital was a little rough. Not only had I just had a baby and my body felt like it was in shock, but I was so excited to have her here, that I couldn’t sleep…plus the nurses coming in every hour, feeling the need to have a conversation about what their daughter did three years ago, and sleeping in that hospital bed didn’t make matters any better. I felt like such a terrible mother when I asked the nurse to take Madalyn to the nursery so I could try to get some sleep. I hadn’t slept in over 24 hours (minus a little power nap) and I thought that maybe I could get some sleep. I asked for them to bring her back if she started crying/got hungry. No sooner had I fallen asleep, I heard a baby coming down the hall, crying. “Here comes Mady,” I thought. It was strange to be able to know that it was her, just from her cry. : )

            The next day, which was Friday, Matt and I enjoyed some quality bonding time with Miss Madalyn…not sure she enjoyed being fought over though. It was only fair to time Matt to make sure he didn’t get more time than I did. : ) We had a few visitors, but it was nice to relax (as much relaxing as you can do in a hospital) and enjoy the quiet, sleeping baby. Matt had gone home to get a shower and grab a few things and I tried to nap while he was gone. Before he came back, he did call to see if he needed to bring Mady any toys to play with. (I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt…he wasn’t around babies an awful lot so he didn’t know that Mady didn't need toys to occupy her time.) I thought it was cute and had to laugh at him. : )

  

            Nothing too excited happened while we were at the hospital. Saturday morning my Doctor came in to tell us that we could be discharged that day if we wanted. I was hesitant. Walking was extremely difficult; I needed help taking a shower, getting to and from the bathroom…I wasn’t quite sure if we…meaning Matt… could handle me AND Mady. I was overwhelmed. It wasn’t until the nurse told me that if I had any questions or concerns to call them, that I felt a little reassured.  Plus living 2 minutes from the hospital helped a little too. It was scary to think about going home…where was the call button when you had a silly question to ask, or that extra hand to help me to the bathroom. But somehow we managed…and we have been able to keep Mady alive, fed, and diapered since. : )

            I would like to take this opportunity to give a BIG “thank you” to Matt. Not only did he have Mady to help take care of, but for several weeks her had me to care for as well. I had never been so embarrassed and so dependent in my life and he was ALWAYS right there helping me with ANYTHING I needed…and when I say ANYTHING, I mean ANYTHING. ; ) So thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Labor...

Part I                    

                Everyone needs a “last hoorah…” or in this case, to at least plan one.  Since I was being induced on Friday, September 23^rd, Matt and I decided to go out to eat one last time, baby free. I was really looking forward to a nice tasty dinner (especially since I knew I would be eating that wonderful tasteless hospital food) at Fratelli’s. But little did I know that our “going out to dinner one last time baby free” had already happened.

40 weeks and 3 days.
2 days before Miss Madalyn actually arrived.
(If only I felt like I looked like this.)
: )

              

                Wednesday, September 21^st, was just like every other night. Matt pushed me up the stairs, I got ready for bed, and tried my best to get as comfortable.  Around  12am, I woke up and had to use the bathroom. At this point in my pregnancy, getting up at least 4 times throughout the night was nothing new. Ok, so I manage to get up, go to the bathroom, come back, get semi comfortable, and just drift off to sleep. Then out of nowhere, I start getting a slight cramp. Thinking that it was just like the cramps that I had been having, I didn’t feel the need to wake Matt up. The first cramp didn’t last long so I eventually drifted off to sleep…for maybe 15 minutes before another one came. Only this time it was a little stronger… then a little more… and a little more. Getting a little nervous, I grabbed my cell phone and started watching the clock a little bit closer.  7 minutes passed…then 8…then 7…then 6. Each time, the cramps were getting a little stronger. I sat up on the edge of the bed thinking, “Ok, is this the real thing? Should I wake up Matt?”

               

                Matt is known to talk and do hilarious things in his sleep…but he’s not the only one that talks. I have had my fair share of “words” with him. I seriously wonder if we have conversations...while we are asleep. Anyhow, we had always joked that when I went into labor I would tell him and he would mumble something, roll over, and go back to sleep. So I wasn’t quite sure if I should even bother waking him up. But I did. And I got the reaction that I thought I would.  Matt: “You ok?” Me: “Yeah, I think so, they just really hurt.” Matt: “Did your water break?” Me: “No.” Matt: “Ok, well let me know if you need anything.” He rolled over and went back to sleep. Nice. Called that one.

                With this being my first pregnancy I honestly didn’t know when to call the Doctor or when to go to the ER. We had asked my OB doctor at one of our previous appointments and she said, “When your water breaks.” Ok, easy enough…or so I thought. I got out of bed around 1:00am and started pacing back and forth from our bedroom to Mady’s bedroom. They weren’t letting up. I paced and I paced. I’d sit down in the glider and play “Words with Friends,” check my email, play other miscellaneous games, anything to take my mind off of the pain and the contractions that I was having. Around 4:00am, my contractions were around 2-4 minutes apart and the pain was starting to be unbearable.

               

                Unfortunately, we had missed the birthing classes the hospital offered. We decided to wing it. I really had no idea what to do to ease the pain. Finally, at 4:30, enough was enough. I woke Matt and up and told him that I hadn’t slept since 12, my contractions were 2-4 minutes apart, and I hurt!! He asks if my water breaks and says that the Doctor said to come in if it breaks. So I call labor and delivery and talk to one of the nurses. “Umm, you may want to mosey on in here,” was the reaction that I got. The nurse said that she would be looking for us. Matt hops in the shower quick, I finish packing his stuff while he gets ready, then I throw on a t-shirt, pants, and sandals, and out the door we go. (Thank goodness we only live 2 minutes from the hospital!)

                Walking through the ER doors, they immediately know why we are there.  I am placed in a wheelchair and off we go. Once in our room, the nurse has me change so they can hook me up, check me out, and see what’s going on…contraction wise. They hook me up, and right away the nurse says, “Wow, you really are having some contractions.” No kidding, honey.  They checked me to see how much I had dilated and I was only 3cm. Great. This is going to last forever!

                At this point, my sense of humor was GONE. I had never felt so terrible. Matt, on the other hand, decided that that moment would be the perfect time to practice his comedian skills. Needless to say, he was NOT funny. All I wanted him to do was shut his face and fill out those stupid papers that “Ms. Empathetic Nurse” (or lack thereof) kept coming in and asking for every 2 seconds. I mean seriously, could she not see that I was in terrible pain and the last thing on my mind was getting those forms filled out? I seriously couldn’t think straight. I was in so much pain. All I wanted to do was lie down…which didn’t help…or stand up…which didn’t help either. Nothing I did eased the pain.

               If I offend any nurses, I’m sorry…and you can correct me if I’m wrong, but don’t you think being a little empathetic, (especially working with people who are in terrible pain and going through something new) should be, well, umm, kind of important? Well this particular nurse apparently left hers at home (if she had any) that morning. At one point, I told her that I was really starting to get a pounding headache.” She looks at me and says, “Gee! I wonder why.” What I wanted to say, but didn’t was, “Thank you. When did you say your shift ended?” Later, I started to get super nauseous. I mention it to the nurse and she gives me this “really?” look, then leisurely walks around my bed to get that pretty pink tray. Too bad I didn’t throw up then because I may have “accidentally” saved it for her pretty little scrubs.

                After being at the hospital for around 2 hours, the hot Doctor walks in to check my progress. : ) He tells me that the baby probably won’t be here for another 10 hours or so and that I had 2 options.

I could stay there, get an epidural, and rest, OR go home and rest. Did he even need to ask? Of course I wanted to stay to get an epidural.  Several moments later, (but it felt like years later) they come in to give me an epidural. The pain that I previously felt wasn’t anything compared to the pain I had during this procedure. I was hunched over, firmly held down, and having the worst possible contractions, while they tried to get my epidural started. I had never been so uncomfortable and in so much pain. I seriously don’t recall feeling the needle go in at all. The only thing I remember is having what felt like blood running down my lower back and thinking, exactly how big and round WAS that needle!? (Here it was just the epidural working its way to where it needed to go.)  Matt’s poor hand was probably a nice shade of purple until they were done. Sorry, Matt.

               

                Once that epidural started working, it was a COMPLETELY different story. I had never felt so relieved! (Big ups to those women who make it the whole way through labor without any drugs.) Now that I was ready for Matt’s comedy acts, he was ready to go to work. I was surprised that he even asked me if it would be ok if he went to work since it would be a while before Mady arrived.  My answer: “Umm, no.” I did, however, give him permission to leave for a little to go grab a bite to eat since I wasn’t allowed anything but ice chips and popsicles.  : )

                Back to “Ms. Empathetic Nurse.” If Matt wouldn't have asked, she more than likely wouldn't have told us that she broke my water while she was checking me.  Being that it was my first time ever having my water broken, I kind of wanted to know. Apparently it wasn't a big deal to her and that it was "just another water that broke." 3:00pm FINALLY rolled around which meant shift change. Thank goodness she was leaving and wasn't scheduled to work a double. But, before she left, she had to get her final words in, “I hope you got your rest, because you are going to be pushing for at LEAST 3 hours.”  Thank you, you most encouraging, empathetic nurse that I have ever met.  

                Being a light sleeper stinks. Over the next several hours I was supposed to “get my rest.” Even as tired as I was, that was still next to impossible. I had tried to rest. No sooner would I shut my eyes, a nurse would come in to adjust my belly bands, check my IV bag, see if I needed anything… or something that prevented me from resting. Around 4:00pm they checked me again. 10 cm. “You’re ready to start pushing.” Wait, what, are you serious? I didn’t get to “rest” yet!

Coming soon: “…and Delivery.”

~Renee

Are We There Yet? (The 3rd and FINAL Trimester)

                Entering the 3^rd trimester brought a mix of emotions…like having hormonal emotions weren’t enough.  At the beginning of July, Matt and I had said a bitter sweet farewell to our current jobs. I couldn’t have asked for a better job to work at while I was pregnant…I was more than WELL taken care of by everyone! For example, like the day I had a personal RN, Becky…who didn’t even charge me. ; ) That previous weekend, I had decided to go to my nephew’s soccer game without sunscreen. (You would think that I would’ve learned my lesson about lathering up on the SPF 500 when I landed myself in the ER in Pittsburgh one summer.) Needless to say, I ended up with a nice sunburn on my legs…which resulted in some swelling.  Luckily, Becky was there to “monitor” me throughout the day; checking my blood pressure, checking my legs for fluid, and making sure I had enough to drink.

                On the days I didn’t feel too great, or I had little energy, I spent most of my time in the center taking it easy. Sometimes my feet may have been propped up in a recliner chatting with the participants, or we were sitting around the table playing dominos. No matter what kind of day I was having (whether it was a good day, a tired day, or sometimes even a teary day) it was nice to know that people were there, regardless what my emotional state was. I hope they all know exactly how much I appreciated their friendships…especially Gina, who I complained to, cried to, and who answered my embarrassing questions. Not once did she judge me or think I was completely nuts! I know she would have told me to my face if I was a little nuts…that’s the type of friend she was and I loved that about her!

                Before we left Huntington, we were “showered with love” not only once, but three times. The participants at the Adult Day Center (along with my coworkers and boss) had a nice little baby shower full of games, cake, ice-cream, and of course, presents.  We played the “guess how big the belly is” by cutting off a strand of yarn that (they thought) would fit around my stomach. Some were nice enough to cut off a small piece, while others, not so much. : ) But it was all in fun and it added some laughs to the party.  The next shower was thrown by Matt’s coworkers.  Matt didn’t know about this one. : ) It was a fun time and we received a lot of nice things for Madalyn which included our favorite gift ever, a penguin lawn chair. (We wanted to do her room in penguins but couldn’t find much of anything…so we decided to just fill her room with miscellaneous penguin items.) The final shower was on my last day at SarahCare. My boss, Kelly, along with my coworkers and their spouses, and daughters, had a nice dinner together at The Olive Garden. It was an enjoyable evening and once again, Mady received some more great presents!

                On the 5^th of July, we packed up our townhouse and loaded the moving truck, with the help of our parents. (Well, I pretty much just sat around and gave orders while everyone else packed. : ) Not really…I did try to help as much as possible but it was rather difficult with a huge belly in the way.) The next day, with the help of our parents, my sister and nephew, we (I mean everyone but me) moved all of our belongings into our new townhouse.  

                August came along and to avoid going into labor I spent some quality time on the couch. Here’s why. Matt’s previous employer allowed us to remain covered under their insurance for the month of July. It was considered “out of network” but it still was better than nothing.  So in August we were flying solo…or we had the option of COBRA, which was a complete joke. It would have been a little over $2,000.00 JUST for the month of August. The Case Manager at my OB/GYN was aware of our situation and tried to help us as much as possible. But of course, we were over qualified for any programs or assistance. We had decided that since COBRA allowed up to 45 days from the day you are no longer covered, to apply for that ridiculous COBRA, if I went into labor that’s what we’d do. Thankfully, we didn’t have to go that route.

                FINALLY!! September was here. At my 37 week appointment I was about 1.5 cm dilated. I had my fingers crossed going to my 38 week appointment because I was SO ready for her to be OUT! Considering we had 2 flights of stairs in our house, it was either walk half way up (sit down for an hour and take a break then finish the other half) or have Matt push me up. Laugh all you want, but at the time it was not funny and I am so glad no one saw us. I seriously had to have Matt help me get out of bed in the morning before he went to work. “Miserable” didn’t even touch how I was feeling. Ok, so back to 38 week appointment. I was at a maybe 2cm. Really? All that cramping and I was only a half cm more?? 39 week appointment – still at 2cm. At this point I was bound and determined that she was NEVER going to work her way out. At my 40 week appointment, I was still at 2cm. The doctor discussed our options and decided that she wasn’t going to let me go over 41 weeks. We decided to be induced on Friday, September 23.

                Going home from our appointment that day, it had finally hit me. Mady would be in our arms in THREE DAYS whether we liked it or not. That in and of itself, spooked me out a little. I had never been so excited and nervous all at the same time. For our one last baby free “date,” we decided to go out for dinner that Thursday. Apparently, Mady had other plans…

Up next: Labor and Delivery (the Edited version of course) : )

~Renee

Cravings, It's a Girl!, We Need a House, OH MY! (2nd Trimester)

Part II  - Snippets of the second trimester

·   What a relief it FINALLY was to be able to wake up and not immediately need to pop a ginger cut in my mouth or grab my stash of Fruit Loops beside my bed!  (Although, I’m sure Matt missed the sound of me crunching away on Fruit Loops as he drifted off to sleep many, many, many nights.) I felt like a completely new person! My energy was back, naps weren’t AS important, and my appetite was in full swing! Once that 24 hour nausea let up, the cravings started to kick in. Luckily, I didn’t have any off the wall “pickle and ice cream” cravings. At first they were healthy cravings like salads, pineapples, strawberries, grapes. Then, there came the beloved ice-cream cravings…and it was not pretty. I devoured A LOT of ice cream. And by a lot, I mean sometimes I’d have at least 3 giant bowls a day...plus a Reese Sonic Blast after work. Looking back, the amount of ice cream that I ate was absolutely ridiculous!

   It really didn’t help that I worked in an adult day center where lots and lots of sweets were kept. Plus, my boss’s boyfriend made sure that Giblet was well fed with cinnamon rolls, cookies, doughnuts, brownie sundaes, bon bon’s and cakes from the bakery out-front...and I can’t forget those AMAZING milkshakes Gina made! I didn’t miss the participants snack time…and I was always in the kitchen looking for leftovers. So, when I take this opportunity to brag about how I can fit into most of my pre-pregnancy clothes and that I am almost back to my pre-pregnancy weight, please, don’t judge me! I have more than earned these bragging rights. Now, just to get back to my “pre SarahCare Weight.” : )

·   April 14^th, 2011 was a very big day! The day we looked at Giblet’s “business.” Matt and I were SO excited to find out what Giblet was. We were driving to Chicago the very next day for our Annual Baseball Stadium trip and we knew for sure that it was either A.) going to be a happy trip (if it was a girl) or B.) going to be an extremely long trip searching for a boy’s name. We really wouldn’t have minded if it was a boy. Matt and I joked around that, “we just wouldn’t love him as much as if it were a girl.” Haha! In all seriousness though, we just wanted Giblet to be healthy and only have 10 fingers and 10 toes. (Matt actually counted them during the anatomy ultrasound.)  Needless to say, it turned out to be an enjoyable trip!

·   Every night after work (well not every night – but close enough) Matt and I would venture over to Macy’s and scan the baby section. Of course they always had the cutest little outfits so we never left the store empty handed. (Another reason we wanted a girl…cuter clothes.) You know you’ve been to a particular department one too many times when the sales associate recognizes you. Oops. : )

·   Growing up, Grandparents were always an important aspect in my life. I have so many fond memories of doing special things with both sets of grandparents. It was important to Matt and I for Mady to have a similar relationship with her grandparents. Living 4.5 hours away would have made that a little difficult. But in June, plans changed. A position became available at the new Hospital in Cumberland, Md, and before we knew it, Matt was offered the job. Then, the fun began. Well, not quite. While Matt traveled back to Huntington one weekend, I stayed with my parents in Grantsville to began the house and apartment and eventually the “just give me anything to live in” search. Knowing that things would eventually work out in the end, it was still very stressful and irritating trying to find a place. I made call after call, searched the Internet and newspaper, and looked at several places…all of which sounded much better on paper. We seriously had less than a month to find a place to live. I was thankful when my dad took off work to drive me all over the place (and stop at 500 gas stations so I could pee) to see if there was anything, anywhere.

        

         To make an extremely long story short, we really had no intentions of buying a house. The more and more I searched, the more that started to be our only option. (Yes, I may have been a little picky about where we lived and what we lived in.) I found a townhouse that looked perfect. I contacted the realtor and toured the house. I loved it! The following weekend Matt and I traveled back to Cumberland to look at it. After some debating and “putting our heads together,” we decided to put in an offer. Thankfully, the realtor understood our situation and our need to move in as quickly as possible, so she went to bat for us with the sellers. Our first offer was rejected. We went back for round two. The sellers accepted our offer AND understood our need to move in before we closed…which they were extremely nice enough to allow us to. Finally, the house hunt was over…

…and so was the 2^nd trimester. : )

~Renee

No Fetal Tones? Oh, No Biggie. (2nd Trimester)

          Part I 

            I had barely stepped into the 2^nd trimester. Matt was always able to take time away from work to go to our baby appointments. I was very thankful for that and really appreciated that he always wanted to go…that was until this particular appointment. I probably would have been better off if he would’ve stayed at work and I had gone solo.

           

            My appointment that morning was your typical monthly checkup…urine test, weight check, blood pressure, ask a few questions, and then listen to the baby’s heartbeat. I hopped up on the table and patiently waited as Dr. Price searched for the heartbeat…we waited a little longer and a little longer. She pushed a little harder and moved all over my stomach. Where was the heartbeat? She asked me to hold my breath, so I did. Nothing. I started to panic. I glanced over at Matt (hoping to get a little reassurance) but he was busy checking his watch to make sure he wasn’t gone too terribly long from work. After what seemed like an eternity, Dr. Price tells us she can’t find the heartbeat so she’s going to send us to the Perinatal Center for an ultrasound. She hands me a paper and asks us to wait in the waiting room while they call the Perinatal Center to see if I could come over right away.

            As we sat in the waiting room, I had nothing to say. I was nervous. I looked at the paper and those 3 words stared back at me, “No Fetal Tones.” Matt on the other hand was “hoping they’d hurry up so he could get back to work.” At one point he leans over and says, “I hope they don’t schedule it until after I get off work or maybe you’ll just have to go by yourself so I can get back.” Really, Matthew? I just glare at him thinking, “he really has the nerve to say that?”  At that point, it was very tempting to pop him in the face…but I didn’t want to cause a scene, so I didn’t. The nurse comes out and says it’s ok for us to head over. Matt said he was walking down to the department to let his boss know that they were sending us over for an ultrasound and that he’d meet me there. (My OB Dr was in the same hospital that he worked at.) I walked out to my car, in tears, worried about what was about to happen. Pulling into the Perinatal parking lot, through my tears I see Matt...waving like a lunatic, with a goofy smile on his face, pointing to a front row parking spot. (Here would’ve been punch #2.)

            We walk in, hand the receptionist my paper, and take a seat. I kept telling Matt how nervous I was, that I was scared, and so worried. He nonchalantly says, “Why?” Finally I was like, “You aren’t nervous or worried at all?? How can you not be?” It wasn’t until I mentioned that Dr. Price had written on the paper “No Fetal Tones” that his demeanor changed. Now we were on the same page. We’re called back. I sit down; pull my shirt up, and the ultrasound tech starts. It didn’t take long at all to find Giblet...who by the way, actually looked like a real baby now! : ) Those tiny, tiny arms were “fist pumping” in the air, legs were all over the place, and Giblet was literally bouncing all over the place. (No wonder she couldn’t pick up a heartbeat.) It wasn’t until that moment that I was able to breathe a huge sigh of relief!

            So, Matt’s take on the whole situation and why he was so “la-dee-da” about it…the Doppler reminded him of a kid’s karaoke machine. Not only that, but he figured it was just “a crappy piece of equipment.”  “Besides,” he said, “One of us had to hold it together.”  : )

More 2nd trimester stories to come! : )

~Renee

Happy Birthday to Me! (The 1st Trimester)

           When a group of females work together, for some strange reason, they always end up on the same “cycle.” That was the case when I worked at SarahCare. Gina, Anna, and I would start that wonderful thing within a day or two of each other…well, until January of 2011. Everyone did but me. Immediately, Gina said, “You’re pregnant.” I'd tell her, “No…i think you’re wrong. I can definitely tell it will be here soon.” I’m pretty sure this battling back and forth went on for a good 3 weeks before I finally decided that she may be right. 

            Matt and I had just finished watching a Steelers vs Ravens playoff game on a Saturday night. I had been delaying “going to the bathroom” the entire game by using excuses like, “When the game is over I’ll go,” or “I really don’t have to go.” When the game ended, so did my excuses. I went. “Is that really a second line or are my eyes making a second line? “But that line is really faint.” Not being 100% sure, I nervously yelled for Matt. After he checked it out, he also saw the second faint line. The next morning, we went to Wal-Mart to pick up another test…you know, just to make sure. Sure enough, it confirmed what the first one had, that I was “pregnant.”

            Matt and I decided that we would wait until I went to the doctor before we told anyone. The earliest appointment I could get was a week and a half away! Anyone who knows Matt and I really well, knows exactly how hard it is for us to keep a secret. (Especially something really exciting…like...umm...waiting to open Christmas presents ON Christmas day.) We did somehow manage to get through Monday. I seriously sat in my office, keeping myself extremely busy, to avoid Gina, Anna, and my boss, Kelly. I knew at any given moment I would blurt it out. (The RN, Becky, that had just recently started, asked me that morning if my husband and I ever wanted kids…I simply stated, “One day.” : ) ) A whole day of holding it in likewas enough! We wanted our parents to be the first to know. That evening we caved in. We called our parents and our siblings, and told them the “unofficial” news. Thankfully, on Tuesday, I didn't have to sit in my office all day, avoiding everyone. : )

            A week and a half later, I had my first OB appointment. Typically, at your first visit they take a pregnancy test, right? Well, apparently not. They simply took my word for it, I guess. Basically, the nurse took a ton of information, gave us some nice pamphlets, books, and magazines, and then sent us on our way over to the lab for blood work. “Ok, so they’ll tell me from the blood work then?” With this being my first time, I didn’t know what to expect or how they did things. It wasn’t until a week later at our following appointment that it became “official.” (And then it was only because I asked the nurse if I needed to take a pregnancy test.) : )

            Soon after we found out I was pregnant (I would have been about 8 weeks along)I could definitely tell I was pregnant. That wonderful morning/afternoon/evening sickness started to set in; I had thrown up (just once, thankfully!); I’d be out like a light by 6:30pm; and taking naps on the weekends (sometimes all day Saturday and Sunday) started to be the greatest thing ever…especially when a typical weekend consisted of me driving Matt crazy by trying to get him out of the house to go do something fun. (I’m pretty sure he was secretly happy that I was sick to my stomach from sun up to sun down; at least I left him alone. : ) )

            On February 7^th, we had our first Ultrasound appointment. The Ultrasound tech picked up that little heartbeat in no time! Right before our eyes a little “peanut,” aka GIBLET, appeared on the screen! It was by far, the greatest birthday present that I had ever received! : )

Stay tuned for the 2^nd trimester adventures!

~Renee