Tuesday, February 28, 2006

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.

Monday, February 27, 2006

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!

Sunday, February 26, 2006

"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.

Friday, February 24, 2006

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.....

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

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!

Friday, February 17, 2006

"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

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

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.....

Sunday, February 12, 2006

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.

Saturday, February 11, 2006

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

Friday, February 10, 2006

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

Thursday, February 9, 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......


Wednesday, February 8, 2006

Sunday, February 5, 2006

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!

Thursday, February 2, 2006

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.