Happy 5 weeks Konnor!

Happy 5 weeks Konnor!
Today we went to Arrowhead Mall for a stroll. (Mama, Papa, Cousin Julian, Konnor and I) Konnor enjoyed the mall so much he didn't want to be in his stroller. He enjoyed seeing the lights and seeing what was going on. We couldn't figure out what he was looking at...later we realized it was the brightness of the lights and the skylights the mall had. Thank goodness there were several of us so we can take turns carrying him. We also had Konnor's first picture with the Easter Bunny and his first studio picture done today. He didn't do too well on the studio picture cause he was a bit cranky and wanted to eat MORE.

Now that Konnor is 5 weeks he's really starting to be more alert. He can focus a bit more and follow voices and noises. Here are a few other new highlights for the month:
-He can hold his head up a lot better now
-Loves to hear music
-Loves being serenaded by Mommy
-Favorite Songs:
-You are the Sunshine of My Life - Stevie Wonder
-You are my Sunshine
-Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
-ABC's
-Is eating 3-4 oz now
-He can hold his own pacifier
-He has discovered his tongue..so he likes to stick his tongue out
-His eyesight is developing more. He can follow objects and voices better
-Took his first studio picture
-Took his first picture with the Easter Bunny
-Has his first trip planned to San Diego on 2.17.06
-Has his first Las Vegas trip planned for 2.28.06 staying at his Ninang and Ninong's house (Godparents) and attending their Baby Shower for lil' Kaedyn
-Has gained at least a pound. (Haven't exactly weighed him at the Dr yet)
-He burps after feedings!
-He now likes to be carried over your shoulder

Mama & Papa visit again! YAY!

Papa and Mama De Soto were in town again to stay awhile. Today was a relaxing Sunday. Got up, got Konnor dressed and ready. It was a nice day. Daddy was off and we all just hung out in the backyard and relaxed. The sun was out and the weather was perfect. Of course Mommy had to snap a few shots of us outside.

Auntie Samana, Uncle Ed and Cousin Julian also came over and we had dinner together. Konnor loves the attention he gets from EVERYONE when the family is here.

Happy Friday!

This picture made my day! I was just watching Konnor and he stuck out his tongue!

Just Konnor and Mommy

It's been so long since I've gone anywhere by myself, meaning without Kevin. Now going anywhere is much more of a job than before. Since Kevin has gone back to work, I had to learn to do things with just Konnor. In the last week I've been wanting to go out and do some shopping but have been hesitant on leaving the house, dealing with taking Konnor out w/o help. But today I attempted to do so. I had planned on going to Babies r Us, Target and Kohl's. Unfortunately we only made it to Babies r Us. It wasn't Konnor that was the problem...it was ME! I was tired after one store! LOL Konnor was so well behaved when we were in the store. He slept most of the time but woke up for a bit and just looked around. I bought Konnor his "My First Easter" outfit....and then some! After buying much more than we had planned...we went home and took a nap! This Mommy thing is definitely taking a toll on me. But I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world...

1st time grocery shopping

FINALLY we have groceries! It's almost been a month since we last went grocery shopping. With all the visitors we've had, they've always helped us with groceries. This time it was just Mommy, Daddy and Konnor. Konnor was fine during the whole ordeal. He slept soundly in his carseat while we cruised around Safeway.

Ahh..the JOYS and PAINS of Parenthood

It's been 4 weeks since Kevin and I have entered the world of "parenthood". It has been a joy to have created such a sweet baby. Konnor has been a blessing to us. When we found out we were expecting a lil' one we knew it would change our lives. We had mixed emotions, mostly excitement and nervousness. Being first time parents we weren't sure if we'd be able to make our baby happy. Of course as everyone said, "It call comes naturally." Sure enough things have come naturally for both Kevin and I. Konnor was born looking a lot like Daddy. His eyes, hair color, lips, chin and some of his facial expressions are all Daddy. His nose and skin color are the only things that aren't Daddy. He's even got curly hair like Mommy and Daddy!!

I've been very impressed with Kevin's attitude towards Konnor. As worried and nervous as he was before Konnor was born..he's done great! Sure sometimes he doesn't wipe Konnor's face after a feeding, or doesn't button all his buttons on his onesies or is already starting to teach him some bad habits...but he's been a great Daddy. He's even been able to take Konnor a bath without my help.

There are many JOYS and PAINS of having Konnor in our lives. Even with the things I've listed as pains, having Konnor is a blessing and is all worth it. Here are a few of the pros and cons of making the transition from pregnancy to parenthood....

JOYS:
-Watching Konnor's facial expressions while he's sleeping
-Giving Konnor kisses
-When he looks at Mommy and Daddy
-The way he follows us w/his eyes just by our voices
-How well Konnor is during car rides
-Seeing Konnor grow in the last 4 weeks
-Goodbye maternity clothes...hello (again) pre-pregnancy clothes!
-Being able to walk again
-Taking pictures and videos of Konnor
-Watching Kevin be a Daddy
-Bonding with Konnor
-Being a FAMILY
-Learning what makes Konnor happy
-Sitting in Konnor's room while holding him
-Crying tears of joy realizing "I'm a MOMMY", "We're PARENTS", "He is MINE/OURS"
-The realization that our lives will never be the same...it'll only get better
-Listening to all his moans and groans while he's asleep

Pains:
-Sleeepless nights
-Breatsfeeding/Feeding 24/7
-Forgetting to take care of myself
-Washing Konnor's laundry more often than washing our own laundry
-Fussiness during diaper changing
-Diaper changing 12 times or more a day
-Not being able to understand what is wrong when he cries (although most of the time he's just hungry or wet)
-Missing Konnor in my belly
- -SPIT UP
-Labor and Delivery recovery
-Poopie diapers
-Learning how to "go out" w/Konnor. Can't just get up and leave anymore.

Happy 1 Month Birthday Konnor

Can you believe it's one month already? Time is going by fast just as all my other Mommy friends have been telling me. In the past month we've been able to learn alot about Konnor, what he likes and dislikes. There are still somethings we haven't quite figured out...like his cries. But for sure we know he's like his Daddy. He loves to eat! He eats every hour pretty much.

As the past 4 weeks have gone by we've seen Konnor grow and develop a personality of his own. Aside from being a fussy baby during the day and a 2 hour sleeper at night, he's determined to hold his own head up by himself at an early age. He is starting to hold his pacifier himself. Next we need to work on holding the bottle! ha ha I enjoy just watching is facial expressions when he's asleep or awake just looking around the room. He smiles most during his sleep. It's just so cute when he does it. He's also discovered his tongue. He likes to stick his tongue out a lot. Daddy is already teaching him his ABC's, although Konnor can't quite repeat them yet. The bad habit Daddy is trying to teach him is to put his finger in his nose! TERRIBLE!

Daddy took Konnor a bath today (by himself). Konnor spent half the morning wide awake. He finally napped around 2pm. Once he woke up he threw a fit like usual. After eating and being changed we tried different things to calm his crying. We learned that not only does he loves his papasan swing, but he loves the vibration of his papasan bouncer too. With both he needs to have the music on with it. If the music is not on he will cry his head off. Since the music is on a timer, he will let us know when the time is up!!

Konnor sleeps 5 hours!

OH MY GOODNESS! Is it too good to be TRUE? Konnor finally slept 5 hours straight through the night. Unfortunately it didn't last any longer than that. Once he woke up to eat and be changed...it was back to the every 2 hour schedule. Darn!

He decided to wake up at 7am on this Sunday morning. Daddy was still asleep since he worked late lastnight. So Mommy decided to start her morning. Konnor and I sat in bed and did some singing and stretching, then went downstairs to sit in the swing while Mommy ate breakfast and did the dishes.

I was able to take a 4 hour nap with Konnor today. It was great. There are days when I just can't nap..but there are days when I start feeling delirious and my body tells me take a nap. After the nap, Konnor was up the rest of the night.
Daddy's second day back to work. It's been lonely without him home w/Mommy and me.
I found some other tricks that soothe Konnor. Today we did the following:
Sat in front of the computer while playing music, singing to him.
Tickled his feet when he cried. (He didn't completely stop right away, but it worked after awhile)

He liked the feel when I opened and closed the refridgerator while holding him.
We'll work on discovering more everyday! =)

Daddy Returns to work

Daddy's first day back to work after 5 weeks of vacation! It'll be an adjustment not to have him around as often as it has been in the past few weeks....but we'll have to manage!
Grandpa and Grandma McMaster, Uncle Jim and Aunt Harriet left this morning to head back to California. Today was the first time Grandpa held Konnor. =) We had to get a picture of it!
Being home without Daddy the rest of the night was challenging. Konnor was up from 4pm til 10pm, cranky and fussy off and on. Feeding, changing, rocking and talking to him doesn't always work. Sometimes tricking him and putting him into his carseat and stroller does the trick. Finally at 10pm he went to sleep...so did I!

Desperate measures

With the lack of sleep Konnor has been doing through the night and all the crying and fussing he does when he's awake, I decided to try everything I could to make things better. I've become desperate to find something that works. I read different things to try to do to comfort babies. I went out and bought the bear that makes the sound of the womb, a sling to hold him close by still letting my hands be free and special bottle nipples and pacifiers to reduce colic. So far, he hates the bear and the loves the sling. Don't quite know if the bottle nipples and pacifiers are working.

Lastnight at 3am we woke up. I fed him, then changed him. He then cried so much it was so sad to listen to him cry. I bounced him around, sang to him, walked around, cuddled him..nothing seemed to work. I carried him in my arms into the bathroom to get something and turned on the fan instead of the light by accident. Suddenly Konnor stopped crying. I found it odd so I turned off the fan and turned the light on and he started crying again. After testing him for a few minutes, I realized that he liked the fan in the bathroom! What the heck? Of all things? I laughed for a bit and then sat on the chair in our bathroom while he fell asleep. Luckily we have a large and roomy bathroom. I joked and told Kevin that we'll need to move Konnor's nursery into our bathroom.

So far, I think we've found one trick!
Today Grandpa and Grandma McMaster came into town along with Daddy's Godparents Aunt Harriet and Uncle Jim. The just came for a short visit to see Konnor. We went to dinner at Olive Garden and then hung out in our backyard til the sun went down.

What it's like to be a single Mom

No, No..don't worry, Kevin and I aren't getting divorced. No way! Kevin left for California today to check on the new house and for business. It was my first time being home alone with Konnor. I have to admit...it wasn't easy. He's already a handful. For 2 days I was able to get a taste of what it is to have a newborn and being a single mother. It made me appreciate being happily married and having a great Husband more so now than ever! I give all single mothers (and fathers too) all the props in the world on raising a baby by yourself. Parenthood is hard work with two....can't imagine being solo.

1st trip to the mall

We went to the mall today for the first time with Konnor. It was a bit odd walking around a mall now pushing a baby stroller along with all the other Mom's in the mall. Still getting used to all this! =)

We also had visitors Jason, Amanda and Evan. We thought it would be nice to walk around the mall since it was a bit rainy outside. The LaRoche's arrived lastnight. We all spent the day just catching up and enjoying "our kids". WOW..that sounded weird to say.

Konnor is 3 weeks old

WOW! 3 weeks old already! With his changing attitude and facial expressions, Konnor is definitely growing fast. Still eating A LOT and crying a lot. I have to admit it's sometimes tough dealing with a newborn. As much excitement and amazing it feels having a lil' one, it's tough. His cries make me feel so bad, but at the same time, I can't always give into him. Babies are smart and they know what to do in order to get parents to fall for their tricks! But I have to admit...through the sleepless nights and loud cries, Konnor has Kevin and I wrapped around his little fingers!

We went to Daddy's work today to meet all his co-workers and do some shopping. Of course by the time we got there, Konnor was sound asleep in his carseat. Through the whole time we were in the store he was sleeping. Everyone enjoyed meeting Konnor and were glad we brought him in. Daddy goes back to work this Saturday so everyone was glad to hear that too. Unfortunately Konnor and I will be missing him being at home with us all the time!

It's been 4 days now...Konnor has been sleeping in his crib by himself through half of the night. The rest of the night he sleeps in our room. He's a smart cookie! He knows when I leave his crib side. By the time I walk down the hall and back into my room, the baby monitor is sounding off.

A visit from The Fischer's and The Kotsyun's

Another rough night...Konnor was awake every 2 hours again.
Today we took a drive to Buckeye to check on the rental house. Konnor loves the car so it was a nice ride. Later in the evening Daddy's co-workers came to visit Konnor. Eric, Kimberly and the kids along with Peter and Jenny came over and met Konnor for the first time. Konnor was asleep most of the time they were here, but eventually woke up to eat and showed his smiley face and twinkling eyes to everyone. Daddy enjoyed the time w/Eric and Peter as well as they smoke cigars and had a few beers outside by the firepit and caught up on work stories.

Konnor's 1st St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!! With the name Konnor McMaster...you'd think I was IRISH!

"Sleep when Baby Sleeps"

Easier said than done!! Everyone gives the advice of sleeping when the baby sleeps....then why can't I do it? Konnor has his nights and days mixed up. He is up every two hours during the night, but sleeps at least 4 or 5 hours straight during the day. When Konnor finally sleeps I take the time to do the things I need to do or that I am used to doing before Konnor was born.
Luckily I'm not feeling sleep deprived. During my pregnancy I was able to go through a day without napping much. So thankful that I can make it through the day without napping. Losing the 4-6 hours through the night doesn't make me as grumpy as you would think.

1st night out to dinner

Konnor had a follow up appointment today. We went to his Dr's appointment, then went to register for Baby Yoga at the Surprise Recreation Center.
Since it was Mama & Papa's last night in town, we all went to dinner together. Konnor's first night out! We didn't go far...just a Chinese place close to home. He was so good. Just stared at the chandalier for awhile, then fell asleep. (Wish it was always like that.)

Konnor & Kiana

A relaxing Sunday spent with Mommy, Daddy, Mama, Papa, Cousin Julian, Uncle Ed and Auntie Samana.

Konnor stayed home with Daddy while Mommy went to the store with Mama and Papa. When I came home I noticed Konnor was messy with crusty milk all around his mouth. Poor Baby! Daddy didn't even clean his face after his feeding! LOL

Later in the evening we visited Kiana, Uncle Sombo and Auntie Jen at their house. Of course both Konnor and Kiana slept the whole time we were there.

Our first time out w/Konnor other than the Drs. office and already we're showing signs of "forgetful" parents. As we left The Calaustro's house we headed back home and as soon as we walked into our house I got a call from Jen. Right away I knew.."Oh man, we left the diaper bag at their house!" Thank goodness we didn't leave Konnor! We're definitely NEW at thsi! ha ha Luckily they only live 5 minutes or so away. Thanks Jen!

Konnor is 2 weeks old

Happy 2 week Birthday Konnor!

It's the first time I've driven a car in what almost feels like MONTHS!

Today was also Konnor's 2 week appointment AND circumcision day. =( We had the first appointment of the morning at the Pediatrician's office. Our morning started at 5:30am. Konnor was great in the car, as always. I was nervous for him to get circumcised. His 2 week check up went well. Dr. Cabalona said he had gained his weight back and is looking healthy. We had to go to the lab to get another jaundice test as well. When it came for the circumcision, I left the room and Mama stayed in the room to watch Konnor. I just couldn't bare to watch and see him go through such a horrifying procedure. After the procedure, the Dr came out to get me. She had said he was the best baby. He didn't cry, flinch, wiggle or anything during the whole procedure. I found that surprising since he's such a wiggle worm when changing his diaper. We had to wait around so they can check to make sure he wasn't bleeding and that everything went well. When the Nurse checked...I had to see it. They warned me that it would be "swollen" and explained to me how to care for the circumcision. When I saw how swollen he was I felt so bad. But again, he did so well and the worse part was over.

Once we got home, Konnor slept most of the day. Changing his diaper was a challenge, but Daddy and I got through it.

It's been 2 weeks today since we've had Konnor and it's definitely been life changing. We've had some rough, long nights but they're all always worth it when we look at the life we've created together. Konnor tends to sleep very well through the day and when he's awake he just likes to look around and listen. After 10pm...it's a whole different story! He wakes up every 2 hours on the dot. I'll change and feed him, then he'll stay up for another 2 hours staring around the room. By the time he's about to fall asleep..it's time to change and feed him again! Kevin and I have shared the responsibilities at night and it works out even though the nights are long. That's the joy of having a Baby right??

Our First Date

Today Mama and Papa babysat Konnor so that Kevin and I could run errands or go out and have a break. It was sweet. We didn't want to be away from Konnor for too long so we decided to have lunch and get manicures and pedicures. (Yes, Kevin enjoys getting pampered too!) We were gone for about 3 hours or so. As soon as we got home I carried Konnor and hugged him. Mama and Papa said that he was fussy and acting up. It seems he had been acting up lately knowing that there were so many people who would carry him and tend to him when he wanted it. So clearly Konnor is smart and taking advantage of everyone loving him so much and attending to him. Little booger!

Postpartum

"Postpartum", "After Birth", "Post pregnancy"...whatever you want to call it! People have always talked about how pregnancy is, how labor and delivery is, but no one ever tells you about postpartum and all that comes with RECOVERY! Warning: This may be TMI (too much information) for some people.

So far, recovery to me has been worse than actual active labor itself. Maybe it's because the epidural worked so well with me, I didn't feel anything and I only pushed for 30 minutes. But the worse part of it all has been the recovery from the labor, sutures and perineum healing. I can't imagine what a woman feels when they are recovering from a c-section, but to me...my experience with a vaginal delivery has been pretty rough. No pain killers or remedies have helped me thus far. Temporary relief or comfort is available...but I needed relief immediately!
Other postpartum issues....Can you say engorged breasts? OUCH! Breastfeeding was a challenge at first and now that things are going fairly smooth, the engorged breasts are painful! There are times when my body tells me to empty out the milk in my breasts. It feels like books or bricks on top of my chest. I always wondered what it was like to have huge boobs...and now I know! It's not so fun afterall. Breastfeeding has made me feel like a cow! Milking all the time...supply and demand for Konnor.

Weight loss has been fantastic so far. Right after delivery I noticed how much of my stomach was all BABY. And since leaving the hospital I've been able to drop a few more pounds. I've pretty much gone back to pre-pregnancy weight and then some! WHEW! Hopefully I can keep it off and tone it all up.

No depression here. You always here about postpartum depression. I have none of that here! I have all cheers, smiles and love for what I've been experiencing. The birth of our child has been all tears of joy for Kevin and I. It's the most amazing thing in the world. Konnor has more love from us than he will ever imagine. It's an everyday challeng being new parents, but a great blessing that nothing can replace or take away.

Mama & Papa Visit

Today Mama and Papa De Soto came into town around noon and are going to stay with us for a week. It was exciting for them to visit because we haven't seen them since November. I know how excited they've been about meeting Konnor for the first time as well. Their first reaction when they came in the door was..."Where is he?" At the time he was sound asleep in his swing. The first thing Mama and Papa said was, "Oh my gosh...he's so small." Small? Is he really? I guess he's not as chunky as most of the other grandkids and neices and nephews we have in the family are.

We spent the rest of the day gawking at Konnor, taking pictures, eating and just talking. Mama brought so much food and goodies for all of us. Later that night, Uncle Ed, Auntie Samana and Cousin Julian came to visit as well. It was nice to have everyone together. Being a new Mom has made me appreciate good, quality family time.

Mommy and Daddy's first outing. Although it was only to go to Target...it was still the first time Mommy has been OUT in whats almost 3 weeks. Since I was on bedrest for the later part of my pregnancy I didn't do much except go to my Dr. appointments and to the hospital. Going to the store for some shopping felt like a relief. Though Kevin and I missed Konnor while we were out for an hour and a half....Mama and Papa took good care of him. It's great having them here for awhile.....

Me ad my cousin Julian. He says I look like an owl and or Yoda when I turn my head.

How time flies!

Today Konnor is already 1 week old! Boy how time flies! I woke up today remembering exactly what I was going through a week ago....CONTRACTIONS! At 12:29pm today I kissed Konnor and said, "Happy 1 Week Birthday Baby!"

In just a week Kevin and I have gone through a lot with eachother and with Konnor. Konnor has grown with his personality in just a week. We notice all the funny facial expressions he has and what he likes and dislikes. We've been able to get somewhat of a routine for feeding and sleeping down as well. Strangely enough..parenting has been as bad as we thought it would be for the first week. Considering that we didn't have any help since we got out of the hospital on Sunday it's been pretty good. Kevin and I have shared all the responsibilities. Kevin and Konnor get to spend their quality time together as well so that gives me a break and time to relax.

Thankfully Konnor sleeps well at night. He wakes up twice, or sometimes I have to wake him up. He's already become a little "piglet"...meaning he eats SO MUCH! And since he already has Daddy wrapped around his finger...he always gets more than he should be. Thank goodness for breastpumps!

It's amazing to see how much our lives have changed in just a week. Konnor has brighten our days even more with that extra ray of sunlight. He has brought our family closer to one another and made us all stronger.

HOMEBOUND!

WHEW! Konnor made the normal bilirubin level and was able to be discharged! We were so happy to go home...and hopefully be able to STAY home.

We got home and got some rest. Konnor adjusted well to being at home.

Jaundice Progress

We’re still in the hospital today. Konnor’s skin color looks great after being under phototherapy for the past 36 + hours. Unfortunately the Bilirubin levels are not dropping as we need them to fast enough, though they are dropping. Another blood test was taken in the afternoon around 2pm. We were hoping we’d get the results back and we could be ready to be discharged. The results came back around 3:30pm and it was good and bad news. =(

Good news was the level went down to 13….but bad news…it wasn’t 12 so we would have to stay in the hospital AGAIN for another night. By now, Konnor and I were getting used to the routine. Kevin on the other hand was more frustrated with the whole situation. As parents…all we wanted to do was to be at home with our new baby enjoying eachother as a family. It’s so hard not to be able to hold your baby when you want. Through the phototherapy, we only get to hold Konnor when we feed or change his diaper.

We made the best of the rest of the night. We went to visit Jen, Sombo and Kiana upstairs in Postpartum. Kiana was born on March 2nd. 7lbs 7 oz. She was such a cutie…full of hair and full, plumpy cheeks! =) I think she totally looks like Jen. Unfortunately Konnor couldn’t come with us to visit Kiana, but they will meet eachother soon. Jen and I plan on doing “Baby and Mommy Yoga” together starting in April, so it’ll give Kiana and Konnor to know eachother and play.

I weighed myself today! I'm down 10lbs already. So my weight gain was definitely all Konnor. I've got 3 1/2 more pounds to lose to get to my pre-pregnancy weight. YAY!

Back in the hospital

We had to go back to the hospital last night around 10pm. It wasn’t Mommy who got admitted this time, it was Konnor. =( At Konnor’s Dr’s appt yesterday, his bilirubin levels came back high.
Normal is 12, his was 20.6. YIKES! So the Dr. suggested to take him straight to Pediatrics at the hospital and start the process with phototherapy. We did exactly that. Poor lil’ one has had such a rough first few days. He’s been a tough boy though through all the Drs and Nurses constantly checking his stats, getting poked for blood, taking his temperature and now sitting under 3 phototherapy lights….he’s been great!!
I couldn’t help but to cry my eyes seeing my newborn with an IV and under all the lights. What mom wouldn’t feel what I was feeling? All we can do now is wait….

Welcome HOME Baby Konnor!

We finally got discharged from the hospital today. It was such a nice feeling knowing we were finally taking our new bundle of joy HOME…where he should be. We got discharged and I went home to catch up on some sleep. Konnor’s first day in the house wasn’t too bad. He too caught up on some sleep. We introduced him to Meka (our cat) and then to his new room. He took a nap in his crib and I went to my bed. Boy…I had never enjoyed my own bed so much! Such appreciation after having slept in a hospital bed for 3 days!

Konnor’s first night home was wonderful. It was a joyous feeling to have him in the house. For the first night as parents, we were fairly surprised. He only woke up for 3 hours. Amazing for a newborn! We felt fortunate to have a pretty easy first night home as “parents”. Let’s hope for many more nights to follow….

Konnor had his 1st Dr. Appointment today. He had to have blood drawn again to check the status on his jaundice. We'll get a call later on from the Dr.

Still at the hospital

We were supposed to be discharged today but since Konnor had some moderate levels of jaundice, they wanted us to stay a day longer to see how he adjusts and to do some tests.
Kevin went home for a few hours to get some rest and shower while I stayed with Konnor. It was nice spending some quality time with my new baby. It’s a wonderful feeling just staring at him and watching him make sense of the new world. I’ve seen several different facial expressions already and it’s so cute.
Our visitors today were Auntie Jen and Uncle Sombo. Auntie Jen is getting ready to have her c-section on Thursday. Konnor was a bit fussy while Auntie Jen and Uncle Sombo visited.

Happy Birthday Konnor Elijah McMaster

5am
…”Give me the DRUGS!” I finally got my epidural at 4am. Let me just say that an epidural is THE BEST thing ever. I don’t know how I could’ve done labored without it. Once the epidural kicked in, I couldn’t feel a thing. I couldn’t even move my legs. The nurses had to assist me everytime I moved to adjusted in my bed. By the time I was fully dilated and ready to push, I had no feeling at all and I’m kind of glad. Active labor didn’t seem so bad with the epidural.
7am
...The Dr. broke my water bag
10am
I was dilated 8cm.
12pm
I was completely dilated!

Between 5am and Noon, the Dr and Nurses wanted me to get some rest before pushing. With the help of the epidural I got plenty of rest.

After 13 hours of being in labor I was fully dilated at noon. Funny thing, the Dr told me that was the time he thought I’d be ready to push. Sure enough at Noon I was told to start pushing. But before I started to push….we had quite a scare. Baby’s heartbeat disappeared from the monitor. For about 10 minutes or so, the Dr and Nurses rushed to get the heartbeat back and to calm me down and have things go back to normal. It was the scariest feeling.

When I finally started pushing I didn’t think I was really pushing enough to make progress since I was so numb from the epidural. But after 30 minutes and less than 3 pushes…the Dr. said, “Daddy….look what we’ve got!” Kevin looked at me and with joy and happiness said…"It’s a BOY!" Instantly I cried tears of excitement and joy and felt a sense of completeness knowing that after 9 months….Baby Konnor had finally joined our family.

"Our home has grown by two feet" 12:29 pm 7lbs 6oz 20inches

I didn't get to hold Konnor right away. They took him and cleaned him up, checked him, measured, weighed and did the agpar tests right away. It wasn't til at least 40 minutes or so did I get to hold him. Daddy got to hold him for a quick second. I remember as I was still laying on the bed getting "cleaned up", I asked.."Does he have a lot of hair?" The Dr right away said, "Oh yes..lots of hair." When I finally got to hold him I took off his beanie to see his head of hair....our Dr LIED TO US! He doesn't have a "full head of hair". You would think with all my hair and Daddy had lots of hair when he was younger too, that Konnor would've been born with a FULL head of hair. Oh well....he's still our adorable, handsome, precious, little one and we're in love!!!

After moving to the postpartum rooms Kevin and I got a chance to relax and take it all in that we're actually PARENTS! It was our first moment after the whole birth that we were able spend time w/o the Drs and Nurses.

Our first visitors were Grandma and Grandpa McMaster. Later that night Uncle Ed, Auntie Samana and Cousin Julian came to visit.

Oh man...my belly was "all baby" after delivery I noticed my belly had disappeared. I already started missing Konnor being in there. I wasn't ready to weigh myself yet...I'll do that in a few days.

Konnor shares his birthday with his "Auntie Maureen". February 27th!

"Let's get this started!"

Today was the “big day” for Baby McMaster. It was the day I was going to get induced. It was set….9pm check in at Banner Thunderbird. For the last few hours of Kevin and I being together before we become “parents” we decided to do some last minute things together, do some errands and spend quality time together before checking into the hospital.

9:00pm
– Got checked into our birthing room. Since I was already dilated to 1cm, they thought it would go quick for me to dilate more. They started me off with some “gel” to induce me. An hour later I was dilated to 2cm. By 10pm I was dilated to 4cm.
Spent the rest of the night going through contractions and just "waiting". Eventually I would dilate completely and the Dr would have to break my water bag.

Induction Date Set

We just got the call from our Dr. We'll be induced on Sunday, February 26th! Whew...what a relief to know that this day is finally coming!! Reality is really setting and emotions are going every which way. Hopefully Baby M won't take too long to come out....I'd hate to think of being in labor til Monday night...but it's possible!

Fortunately the Dr. doesn't forsee that happening since they won't let me go too long considering I have high blood pressure. So if a c-section is needed, I'm all for it! Wish us luck......
Stay tuned....

Our last prenatal appointment

Currently: 39 weeksWeight gain this week: None

Hooray! Our last prenatal appointment. Today we went in to see Dr. Phillips one last time. I went into the appointment with a headache. The Dr. did his regular exams, heartbeat, cervix check, uterus growth...etc. Everything was fine with the baby. My blood pressure was still elevated, which is the only concern right now. My cervix is still only dilated at 1cm. =( But good thing...it is now 80% effaced. Dr. Phillips has decided to induce me earlier...he said hopefully sometime within the week. He's supposed to call me by the end of day today to tell me what date. WOW...Kevin and I looked at eachother when he said that and it really hit us. We're really going to have a Baby!!

As we were leaving the office, Kevin rubbed my belly and said, "I'm going to miss your basketball!" I thought that was so cute.

Until then....I'm still to go to my next NST appt which is tomorrow and I need to stay on bedrest.....

Can you come out now Baby?

Not that I don't love Baby being in my tummy....but we're both going through a lot these past few weeks. Ultrasound confirms there's definitely no room in my belly anymore. Baby's head has been in position for the past 3 weeks or so, the cervix is already starting to dilate....we just need a sign from Baby that he or she is ready to completely come out!

On top of my venting and whining....my blood pressure has been elevated these past 2 weeks. Bedrest hasn't seemed to change anything. There's nothing more I can do except to continue my appointments with the Dr and continue my NST testing. Baby has always been very active during the tests which are good. It's almost as though as Mommy is the one who is stressed.

Our next appointment with Dr. Phillips is this Friday and we're hoping to get some good news about an earlier induction than March 5th.

Daddy's leave/vacation started today. He'll be off for a whole month and a week! YAY! It'll be a lot easier now having him around to help me out during the days since I'm not allowed to be up doing things. Especially since driving by myself has become a no-no it'll help me out a lot.

NST/Ultrasound: Had an NST appt go from the normal 20 minutes to 5 hours! Baby is doing well, but had to do more tests, blood work and urine test because my blood pressure has been elevated the past week in a half. Also had my ultrasound to check my amniotic fluid and everything is fine. I believe the range to be in is anywhere from 8-25, I was at an 11. (Whatever all that means!?) Baby M has been "engaged" in the pelvis for several weeks now, but Baby's position was anterior as of the ultrasound. So he/she is definitely ready to go....just wish he/she would come out! YAY! Only 2 more NST's to go.

Contractions: I had some intense contractions today while at my NST and once I got home. I think these contractions were the worse I've had in a few weeks. Though I didn't have them close enough to make s run for the hospital. Kevin hates to see me in such pain but has been very supportive. There's not much he can do to actually make me feel better or make the contractions go away, but I think he's done a great job taking care of me and being supportive of my bedrest!

Other than that, nothing has changed. It seems my weight gain has stopped...again. I haven't had any weight gain in the last 2 weeks. Total weight gain: 10 1/2 lbs. I was hoping to get a good 15 lbs total before the baby came out, but doesn't look like that'll happen anymore. So hopefully...less weight for me to lose post pregnancy!

"Sleepless in Surprise"

Another sleepless night!

I went to bed at 9pm and woke up at 11pm. I was so uncomfortable and feeling lathargic that I couldn't get comfortable to go back to bed. I was up watching TV for awhile. After an hour or two I decided to go downstairs and sit in the recliner. Before I knew it, it was 3:30am. The whole time I was awake, Baby M was kicking, tumbling and rolling around. I thought by now Baby M would have run out of room to move the way he/she has been moving. But apparently not. The movements are more sudden than before and actually hurt when it's so sudden! Occasionally I can feel parts of Baby's body. I'm not quite sure what part of its body, but I'm thinking it's the back, butt or knees.

I was finally able to sleep at 4am and didn't wake up til 11am! When I woke up, Kevin had cooked me waffles and sausage. YUM! It really hit the spot. Now I'm just relaxing on the couch just as the Dr. suggested.

Aside from all of the venting I've been doing, there are some good things I'm thankful for during my pregnancy. Here is a list of those good things:
-I didn't gain too much weight. Total weight so far, 10 1/2 lbs
-My belly button didn't pop out
-Didn't get the "linea negra"
-Being able to sit and relax when I wanted to
-Being able to watch all the Baby shows on tv
-The Baby websites and discussion boards on the internet
-Sharing stories with other friends who are pro-mommies or soon to be mommies
-Splurging on dessert when I craved ice cream
-The fact that I actually started to ENJOY drinkng water and water only

Valentines Day - Our 13th prenatal appointment

Happy Valentines Day!

Currently: 38wks 2 days No weight gain this week

Today we had our 13th prenatal appointment! WOW...so many huh? Well things were good. I didn't get to see Dr Phillips today, but we did see Deb a Nurse Practicioner. She's just as great. She told us I haven't dilated any more than the 1cm. I am 50% effaced though. That's a good sign. I've told her about all the aches and pains going on, but most of it just comes along with the end of pregnancy. Still having contractions although sporatically. It's getting harder and harder to walk. The baby is so far down into my pelvis it's almost unbearable. Deb has officially put me on bedrest for the remainder of the pregnancy as well. If the baby doesn't come anytime soon, Dr Phillips has decided to induce me on March 5th. Good thing is, they think they baby will come naturally before March 5th. So we'll see.

So here's a start of my "bedresting" days. Not so fun, but I can't walk or stand much anyways so I guess it won't be that bad.....

Should we go to the hospital NOW?

Thank goodness Kevin had a 3 day weekend this weekend. I had been having so much contractions I wasn't sure if it was actually time to head to the hospital or not.

Saturday we had our NST testing and again, it showed the contractions I was having..still no progress in dilating. Saturday night we just had dinner at home and relaxed watching movies and I had such strong contractions that I told Kevin, "I think it's time." A part of me was so nervous and wanted to wait it out. So I started walking around the house, drank some water and within 20 minutes or so, it all went away. Through the rest of the night I had contractions but they were intense, but still over 7 minutes apart. I was actually able to sleep through the night w/o waking up every few hours.

Today we did some grocery shopping and errands in case things progress and we don't have time to do it later in the week. Walking around has been more and more difficult to do. Kevin noticed that my stomach has looked like it has dropped even more than it did last week. I feel like it has too. I think since it's harder to walk and feels like I dropped more....it could really happen anyday. It's all becoming more and more real to us both that anyday now...we're going to be PARENTS! We're so excited and can't wait.

Our next Dr's appointment is on Tuesday (Valentines Day). We'll find out if we've progressed any.

Cravings

Throughout my pregnancy I didn't really have any constant cravings. Now towards the end of my pregnancy I've been craving for MILKSHAKES! I don't know why. It's weird because I had been pretty good not eating a lot of ice cream, which I loved before I got pregnant. But in this last month...I've wanted milkshakes all the time! Shame on me...especially that a milkshake is not part of my gestational diabetes diet! LOL

Nine Months

To all the my other "Prego" friends:

Nine Months
For nine months I cradle you within and wonder.
Nine months before I can hold my heart in my arms.
Nine months for you to arrive but I’ve known you forever.
Nine months creep along yet race by while I wait.
After nine months you are here and my life starts anew.
The world has changed immeasurably and it only took nine months.

My Friend Jen and I. We're due a day apart! And we're delivering at the same hospital.

My Cousin Marie and I. Marie is due June 2006.

Other expecting mommies this year:

Glory G. - March 2006

Jen M. - April 2006

Eve H.- June 2006

Liz H. - October 2006

More contractions...1cm dialated

YIKES! It's really getting closer. Lastnight I had to go into Triage to take my NST and the nurse noticed the contractions I've been having. I had to stay and get monitored. When she checked my cervix I was only dilated 1cm....so that could mean the start of early labor! OH MY GOODNESS!!! I had been having contractions all day long but didn't think of them as major contractions since they weren't less than 5 minutes apart. And since I got through the day...I figured they weren't true contractions.

So leaving Triage, I was told to really pay attention to my body, the baby and the contractions. Today wasn't as bad as yesterday as far as pains and contractions. So maybe Baby M isn't quite ready to come out......

37 weeks

OUR year in review

It's our 1 Year Anniversary!!!!

So here we are....1 year later. Boy how things have changed in just a year. All for the good of course!

This time last year I was up bright and early getting ready for my big day. I believe I started my day around 4:30am! Our wedding wasn't til the evening! With all the preparation that us girls have to go through...it's no wonder why we start so early. I guess a big part of it was that I just couldn't sleep. Our wedding day was unforgettable. Everything turned out the way we had planned and more. Right after our wedding we took a mini-honeymoon to Sedona, AZ for some relaxation.

In May we returned to San Diego for our dear friends Steve and Emmalyn's wedding which I was a sponsor in.

In June I attended eBay Live in San Jose for the company I was working for, Kevin went to San Diego to attend Chad and Debra's wedding in Torrey Pines.

July was our most memorable month! We found out we were pregnant! It was the most exciting news. A big surprise to us as well! I also celebrated my 30th Birthday in Laughlin. Kevin planned a surprise birthday for me with some of my closest friends and family in Laughlin. It was a great weekend spent with good people. Didn't expect to spend my 30th birthday..pregnant.

August was another spectacular month! Kevin surprised Baby and I with a new car. The car I had always wanted since it came out. An Acura TL! We also finally took our 2 week honeymoon to Vancouver, Canada and Alaska. It was tough being pregnant, but I made the best of it. Everything turned out wonderful!

In September we did more traveling. At the end of Septmber we took a weekend trip to Portland, Oregon to check out the scene. We also met up with friends, Alex and Kerri in Portland and had a wonderful time being tourists with them. This month was also our last trip to San Diego.

October we kept it low key since I was growing and having a harder time traveling a lot. I stopped working at Petsmart at the end of October. We also hit our 3 year anniversary of being together on October 5th.

In November we made a trip to the Bay Area to my parents house. We also had our Baby Shower there since we didn't know if we could still travel later. Between the pregnancy and Kevin's holiday schedule at work it would be tough to come out again for a shower. We also took a quick trip to Las Vegas to visit Jason, Amanda and Baby Evan. We also got a chance to hang out with my favorite cousin Joel and his wife Marie. They too are expecting! YAY! We celebrated Thanksgiving here in AZ. Mom and Dad McMaster came out for a few days to celebrate with us.

January came and went so fast. We went to Vegas (one last time) for Baby Evan's Baptism which Kevin and I were Godparents. We also got to spend time with Joel and Marie again. We enjoy having dinner with them! We also asked Joel and Marie to be Baby M's Godparents and they gladly accepted! We also made a decision to move back to California. We bought a home in Murrieta, CA (45 minutes North of San Diego) and plan on moving back in June/July of this year. We're in for another busy year....

And now here we are....February 5th! A year later and we're soon going to have a Baby! Unfortunately we weren't allowed to travel anywhere for our 1 year anniversary. And unfortunately our day landed on Superbowl Sunday! Just my luck! Fortunately we spent the day with good people! Kevin's co worker Eric had a superbowl party and we went there for the day. Eric and Kimberly are good people and we always enjoy spending time with them.
So here's to one year...and many more exciting things to come in our lives! The best is yet to come....the arrival of our new baby!

Beginning of NST

NST = Non Stress Testing
So yesterday was the first of many NST's I have to go to twice a week. Basically it's just a monitoring test they do to make sure the baby is doing fine. I can't believe I have to go twice a week until my delivery date. I swear I'll be living at the hospital for awhile. Between my regular Dr. visits and these tests...I'm at Banner Thunderbird 4x a week! I am scheduled to go every Wednesday and Saturday. At least I'll be able to hear the baby's heartbeat and movement on the monitor more often.

Belly Cast

We finally did the belly cast today. We don't have many pictures of it. Let me tell you...it was messy. It's not as clean and easy looking as it is on TV or in magazines! But we had fun doing it!! Obviously I haven't decorated it yet. I'm going to wait until Baby M arrives so I can personalize it and decorate according to his/her gender. Funny enough the cast makes you look bigger than you really are. I've had fun putting it back on after it dried and there's still some room. Maybe it molds to how big you're going to get???

Our 11th Prenatal Appointment

Currently: 36 weeks

WOW..11th appt already. I feel like we've been living at the Dr's office! Everything went well. My gestational diabetes is under control. Baby is still growing a tad bit ahead of schedule and my weight has been slowly creeping up. I gained another 1/2 lb. It seems like it's been about a half a pound a week! Baby M decided to kick and move while the Dr was checking its heartbeat. Going from side to side on my stomach. It's kinda funny and scary at the same time whenever he/she does that. Suddenly my stomach will be uneven.

Dr. Phillips was impressed at the fact that I've done so well. I think I've done ok, but believe me...I have many aches and pains that I felt I couldn't handle. He assured me the Braxton Hicks contractions would be coming more frequently. He's happy I didn't swell in the hands or feet. He says I'm still considered "high risk" because of my blood pressure...but I've been a good high risk pregnant lady cause my blood pressure has been under control. YAY!

He also told us that he suggested to Kevin to start his leave anywhere between Feb 21st and Feb 27th to be safe. He said if it happens sooner, then it happens sooner. Oh my gosh..that was a reality check huh? The baby's position hasn't completely dropped.....but is lower than before. So Dr. Phillips said the baby is on its way down. He also measured and said he feels like the baby is still growing a little bit ahead of schedule. Our last ultrasound on Feb. 7th will confirm everything. *WHEW*

I've become an Insomniac

So I think I've officially turned into an insomniac. The past week or so I haven't been able to sleep. I go to bed around 9pm or 10pm, then wake up at 2:30am as if I had slept all through the night. When I wake up I'm fairly well rested...even though it's early in the morning. I try to lay in bed and fall back asleep, but it never works. So I end up going downstairs so I don't wake Kevin. I clean house, do laundry, go on the computer, watch tv and scrapbook in the wee hours of the morning. What is wrong with me!? I know it has a lot to do with being sick right now, as well as an uncomfortable pregnant lady. Weirdest thing is no matter how tired I get through the day....I still don't end up taking a nap. I sure I can get a good night's sleep soon. Is my body preparing me for NO SLEEP? With only 5 more weeks to go..who knows when I'll ever get the sleep I need again!!!

The good thing is I've been able to update the website more often, finish the pregnancy journey scrapbook I started and start the baby scrapbook. The few things I know I won't have much time for after Baby M arrives.

Our bags are PACKED!

With all the contractions I've been having lately Kevin thought it would be good to get our bags packed. So we're all ready! I've got my bag packed as well as the baby's bag. I've also got our birth plan printed and ready! It's becoming more and more real!!!

35 weeks and counting....

Currently: 35 weeks Weight gained this week: 1/2 lb

We've reached 35 weeks today....and boy...I'm really starting to feel more pregnant everyday! The waddling is starting because of the aches in the hips, the Braxton Hick's contractions are more and more everyday and the baby movement is unbelieveable! Aside from being 35 weeks pregnant....I've been sick for the past week and a half w/strep throat and a bad cold. Between running a fever, coughing, sniffling and a stuffy nose....I have the pregnancy aches and pains right along with it. Gee whiz....I'm definitely and 35 weeks and counting!!!!
Kevin made a comment the other day and said, "Wow....5 weeks or less and we'll have a baby!" It's amazing just thinking about it!! We're scared, nervous and excited.

A busy day for baby....

....as well as Mommy and Daddy!

Grandma and Grandpa McMaster arrived yesterday to stay in Arizona for a few days.
We started off the morning with our monthly ultrasound. Bright and early, we went to the imaging center to get Baby's 32 week ultrasound. After 52 pictures and images of the Baby, we got to peek around at several closeup images of Baby M's face. Baby was bashful at times and decided to cover its face w/its feet and arms. The technician says I'm now measuring at 33 1/2 weeks rather than 32 weeks. And baby is weighing 4lbs 10oz. I'm predicting a February Baby!!!

Later in the afternoon, Vicki (a photographer)came to the house for our "maternity" photo shoot w/Kevin and I. It was so fun. Baby kept kicking and moving while we were taking pictures. The pictures came out great. I've never taken such initimate, "revealing" types of pictures before. Kevin and I took some fun ones as well. Here's a sneak peek of our favorite shots:

Then at night we had our 2nd night of our childbirth preparation class. Labor, contractions, pushing, things to look out for..etc was the topics of the night. 2 more weeks of these classes.

Our 10th Prenatal Appointment - 32 weeks

Currently: 32 weeks
Another Dr. appt with Dr. Phillips. I went for my routine check up. Measurements, weight, questions..etc. Everything was fine. I've gained another l lb and 1/2 an inch in my waist! YAY! Baby's heartbeat and measurements were great. With about 7 more weeks of the pregnancy to go I will have to start seeing my Dr every week. They will do stress tests on the baby and do some monitoring. Other than that, my blood pressure is great and the only concern is monitoring my blood sugar levels.
We're almost to the end!!!

Childbirth Preparation Class

Lastnight was our first night of our "childbirth preparation class". This is no longer called, "Lamaze class". It was an interesting 2 hours. There were at least 15 other couples all within 29 wks - 37 wks. We did everything from watching a birth movie, practiced breathing exercises, talked about what changes our bodies are going through...etc. Kevin (along with the other men in the class) didn't seem to take the childbirth movie too well. I agree it was pretty gruesome seeing it. I guess that's the good thing with women is they're doing it, not seeing it. 3 more weeks of this class...hopefully Kevin will be a bit more relaxed about labor and delivery by the time our baby comes!

31 weeks

Our New Years Celebration

We started off our New Years Eve morning driving from Phoenix to Temecula/Murrieta at 4am (our time). We arrived at The Alkassawat Home, hung out and relaxed. We all went to dinner at TGIF's for New Years eve and fell asleep by 8pm! I woke up at midnight and kissed Kevin, said "Happy New Year" to him and the baby and went back to bed. That's the New Year's Eve of a pregnant lady! LOL
Thanks to Nick and Noemi for putting up with us for the weekend!