Third Pregnancy Recap - First Half

Even though I haven't blogged in FOREVER, I want to at least get this info in writing before I forget it all.

I had a suspicion I *might* be pregnant towards the middle to end of February, but every test I took was negative.  I was crampy, nauseous, moody, and had twinges in my uterus I had only felt when I was pregnant before.  Finally on Monday, February 27th, I got the faintest of positive tests.  I then proceeded to take 3 more that day, and they all showed up as positive.

I told Joshua that Monday night after he got home from Lane's basketball practice and the kids were asleep.  We were both shocked, but excited.  I had always wanted a third child, but this came as quite the surprise!

Over the next few weeks I had multiple blood draws to check my HCG and progesterone levels, which took a while to increase.  I also started supplemental progesterone as a precaution.

At our first ultrasound, baby measured 6w1d and we saw a heartbeat, but it was slow (~95bpm).  We were then told to come back two weeks later to recheck, and when we did everything was progressing as it should.

I spent the first 10-12 weeks very nauseous and exhausted.  It was hard to keep the secret at work because I just felt so miserable all of the time, plus my belly always starts to pop right away.  We also held off on telling the kids until after the first trimester.

Because of my history of preterm labor/delivery with Owen at 32w6d, I started receiving the Makena injections at 16 weeks to hopefully reduce the risk of this baby being a preemie.  The first shot was given in the office, and every other one Josh has given me at home.  This will continue until the end of my 35th week or baby is born, whichever comes first.  Owen thinks its hilarious that Daddy gives me the shot "in the butt" (intramuscular injection in the back of my hip), and Lane is terrified whenever I have to get it and hides in the other room.

Also around 16 weeks I started having Braxton-Hicks contractions quite frequently, so I try to really keep my water intake up, lie down whenever I can, and just listen to my body.

I have an anterior placenta this time around, which has made feeling this baby much more difficult; its like all of the movements are muffled instead of stronger like with my last two pregnancies.

We found out during our 20 week anatomy scan that this baby is a little GIRL, which completely surprised me.  I was so sure we were having a third boy, and I even had his name picked out.  I cried when the tech told us her gender, because I was so surprised and excited.  It seemed so strange at first to be expecting a girl, but it now feels "right" and like she was always meant to join our family.

That's about it for the first half of this pregnancy!  I am trying to savor every moment, no matter how uncomfortable, because this is likely our very last baby.  Fingers crossed we make it well into the third trimester before we meet this little girl!

Owen: Three Months

03.01.15

Dear Owen,

You are now three months old!  It is so hard to believe you are a quarter of the way through your first year of life.

You are now 8 lbs!  You still fit into newborn clothes, but your long legs are getting squished in footy PJs.  Mommy tried 0-3mo clothes on you, and they are just too big still.

You have become quite the little sleeper at night!  Around 8-8:30pm you start to get very sleepy, and if we wait too long, you get CRANKY.  This is how you let us know you are ready for bed.  So, Mommy feeds you, and then you get changed and swaddled.  We can usually put you in your Rock’n’Play awake, and you will fall asleep all on your own.  You also tend to stay asleep until early morning, sometime between 3-5am, when you wake up hungry.  After you eat, its back to sleep for another 2 hours or so, and then it’s time to eat again.  Mommy and Daddy are LOVING this long stretch of sleep every night!  You also still nap a lot during the day, but you tend to only take one really long nap and then a few short cat naps.

You gave us your first smile this month!  It is such a sweet, gummy grin, and we will talk to you in as silly of a voice as necessary to see that smile.  You also are getting better at tracking things with your eyes, and you love to look for us when you hear a voice.  You happily play on your piano mat, and your little legs just kick and kick to play music!

You are still a great eater, and have stuck to your every-two-hours routine during the day.  Breastfeeding is starting to feel much easier, although I still get nervous about my supply, making sure you are getting enough, etc.  You are not a huge fan of bottles/formula, but with a little work we can convince you to drink it.  We are hoping to discontinue your preemie formula at your 6 month birthday!

We took you to Walla Walla this month on your first vacation, and you did great!  You slept a ton in the car, and were a great sleeper in the hotel too.  We even got to walk around town in the stroller and enjoy the sunshine with Nana and Great Grandma Kathi.

We are loving watching you grow and develop, and can’t wait to see what next month brings!

Love,

Mom and Dad

Owen: Two Months

01.30.15

Dear Owen,

You are now two months old!  It doesn't seem quite possible though, because we missed out on having you home for almost a whole month.

You are still waking up every 2 hours or so to eat at night, and sometimes even every hour.  While I would much rather you sleep, I know your tiny tummy just can't hold very much yet, so waking up often is necessary.  You prefer to be swaddled in your Halo, and sleep in the rock'n'play right next to our bed.  You have also taken a few naps in your swing and in your crib!

You still haven't shared any smiles with us (besides gassy ones while sleeping), but that doesn't keep us from trying!  You now "talk" to us, and love to be held up against our shoulder so you can look around.  Your tiny neck muscles aren't very strong yet, and your heavy head swings around and hits us in the face.  :)  You are not a fan of being on your belly, unless it involves lying on Mommy or Daddy.

Your big brother Lane just adores you, and is so proud to tell everyone that you are his brother.  He holds you every day, and is great at giving you back your pacifier!

Breastfeeding has continued to go so well for us.  You have a great latch, are a quick eater, and are able to take two bottles each day (of your special preemie formula) with relative ease. You definitely get impatient when its time to eat though!

At two months old, you now weigh 7 lbs 12 oz, and are 21.5 inches long.  You are still so tiny, but have grown so much from birth!  You are still in newborn clothes, and I anticipate you will stay in them for a lot longer.

We have battled an icky rash on your belly and face/neck, and Dr. Huang thinks it might be related to a dairy allergy.  So, Mommy is going dairy-free, and we shall see if that helps.

We do plenty of babywearing every day, especially with your brother at home!  You have already been lots of places too, including the Children's Museum!  You so far love all of our carriers- ring sling, Moby wrap, and Boba.

We can't wait to watch you continue to grow, and am hopeful for a smile soon!

Love,

Mom and Dad

I Had It All Planned Out

I am such a Type-A person, who likes plans, and schedules, and lists.  I applied all of these principles to Owen's pregnancy and birth, and obviously a great deal of my plans didn't work out.

Lane's pregnancy was a complete surprise to us- we were NOT expecting to become pregnant, but it was a welcome blessing that we absolutely would not change.

Owen's pregnancy was very much planned; we knew we wanted to add another baby to our family, we knew when we wanted that to happen, and happen it did, right on schedule.

I had plans to pack our hospital bags, Lane's suitcase, and install the infant car seat soon after my baby shower, right around 36 weeks.  I even spent the evening before I went into labor discussing all of my plans with my mom!  Little did I know, I would go into labor that night, and would be rushing home the next day to throw stuff in a bag to take to Tacoma.

Although I had a great experience with my epidural with  Lane, I REALLY wanted to have a natural childbirth this time around.  So, like with everything I do, I began researching.  I read blogs, I read books, I watched YouTube videos, I talked to people, I practiced labor techniques, etc.  I really felt like I could do this.  And guess what?  I got an epidural.  And I don't regret it.  I think the stress of the situation and just how quickly everything was progressing made me feel out of control.  At home, I was able to use natural childbirth laboring techniques to manage the pain.  But after arriving at the hospital, everything was so rushed that I was never able to calm myself, remember what I had practiced, or put it into practice.  Because of Owen's prematurity, there was no laboring in a tub or shower, no bouncing on a birth ball, no trying different labor positions.  I arrived at the hospital so dilated (7cm and bulging water) that we had to move quickly to get antibiotics in me, get an IV started, get a team assembled to care for Owen, etc.  The epidural gave us a few minutes to calm down, realize the severity of the situation, and talk about what would likely happen once he was born.  I think that if we decide to have more babies, I would be able to handle a normal, term delivery naturally, and that is something I hope I get to experience.

With Lane's birth, he had to go to the Special Care Nursery a few minutes after birth due to difficulty with breathing.  I was able to hold him when he was born, but didn't get to breastfeed him for several hours.  I also missed him being weighed and measured and bathed.  I was so excited to have that experience this time around- and again it didn't go as planned.  I even told Josh one weepy night "I just want to give birth to a baby and be able to keep him with me for once!".

I had planned to have Lane at the hospital when Owen was born, so that Lane could be the first person from our family to meet him.  I wanted Lane to come into our room, climb on the bed with me, and meet his brother (and learn his name, since that was a secret).  I wanted Josh to walk into the waiting room filled with our family, and announce that Owen Ellis Davis was born (since none of them knew his name either).  Instead, Lane was at Josh's mom's house, and while my family was in the waiting room, they only got to see Owen through his incubator walls on his way to Tacoma General.  When Lane saw Owen for the first time, he was in his incubator, attached to tubes and machines, and I wasn't there.  I missed the first interaction between my boys, and it breaks my heart.

So, if this labor and birth experience has taught me nothing else, it has taught me to "go with the flow" more.  I am (slowly) learning to let go of things, and just embrace what comes.  It doesn't mean I won't still try to plan things, but at least I can accept when things don't go as planned!

Owen: One Month

Dear Owen,

Today you are one month old!  It is hard to believe you have already been with us over 4 weeks, but only home for less than one week.

Now that you are home with us, we are getting to know your personality so much more.  You are calm and quiet, and happy to just look around and observe.  Your time in the NICU has made you independent in that you don't need to constantly be held to be happy, and you fall asleep on your own so easily.  I'm sure that will change as you get used to us holding you more often than we were able to at the hospital, but we will gladly hold you as much as you want.

You have always been so strong physically, and like to lift your head up off our shoulder.  You also try to push off with your legs, and even got your little butt in the air while on your stomach in your incubator.  Your name means "little warrior", and that is you to a "t".

Breastfeeding is going exceptionally well for us- you are eager to eat, have a great latch, are a fast eater, and I haven't had any supply issues like I had with your big brother.  We have a freezer full of breastmilk, and I will continue to add to our stockpile.  You do get two bottles each day of a special high calorie/high nutrient formula, but we hope to be able to discontinue that in the next few months.

You absolutely love your bathtime!  You cry when we undress you to get in, and cry when you get out of the bath, but while you are in there, you are so calm and relaxed.  Giving you a bath is one of Mom's favorite activities!

Your big brother loves you so much already, and is very concerned with taking care of you.  He is a great helper, and instantly gets our attention if you start to fuss even a little bit.  He is proud of having a baby brother, and loves to show you off.

Your newborn clothes are still a little big on you, but you don't fit into any preemie clothes, with the exception of onesies.  You have skinny, wrinkly legs, but an adorable round belly.  I'm sure in time you will chunk up quite a bit!  You are now 6 lbs 8 ounces, and 22 inches long.

We are so thankful you are a healthy, strong little boy, who was just too excited to meet us to wait until your due date.  We love you, Owen!

Lane: 5 Months

Dear Lane,

Wow! Five months already!! I know I say it every month, but I still can't believe how quickly you are growing up.

You have most definitely grown out of the "newborn" phase, and are full-blown little boy now.  You are becoming more opinionated and vocal, and are testing out all the different sounds your mouth makes now.  You often look us in the eye and "talk" back to us, with a look on your face that seems to say, "Can't you understand what I'm saying?!". 

You are becoming more attached to certain objects, like the bear in your monthly photos, and the small, soft security blanket we got you.  You chew on them both, and open and close your hands when you see them, as if you just can't wait to get them in your hands.

You still LOVE sleeping in our bed, and I still love having you in there.  Sleep hasn't been going great the past month or so, but we're just dealing with it.  You must be going through a growth spurt, as you wake up ravenously hungry at least once or twice each night.  You spend much less time swaddled now, and instead want a blanket to hold on to (and cover your face with- much to the dislike of Mom!). 

You have recently discovered your feet, and can now get them in your mouth.  When you're sitting in your Bumbo or bouncy chair, you're always leaning forward to grab at them.  You also really pay attention when Dad or Mom leave the room, and try to twist around in your seat to watch us.

We recently tried rice and oatmeal cereal, but you're not a fan of either of then.  You do love sitting in your highchair though! 

You learned how to roll from your back to your belly this month, and now will do so as soon as we put you on your back.  You also pull your knees up with your butt in the air, and I know it won't be long until you're trying to crawl. 

You are such an active and strong little boy, and everyone comments on that fact.  You just want to move.  You're chewing on EVERYTHING, and your shirts are always covered in drool.  You don't have any teeth yet, but I'm thinking we might see one (or two) soon.  For now though, we are loving your big gummy smile.

You are majorly ticklish, just like Mom and Dad.  Your main tickle spots are under your neck, and all around your ribs.  Tickling one of these spots leads to major cackling on your part, and great entertainment for Mom and Dad.

Your 6 month appointment is in just a few weeks, and we're anxious to see just how much you've grown since your last appointment.  You're still in 3-6 month clothes, and this is the longest you've ever stayed in one size. 

We are still cloth diapering you, and your little butt looks so cute in a brightly colored diaper.  Mom gave up pumping this month, and you've always done just fine with formula.  I didn't quite make it to my 6 month goal, but we were close!  I will always love those hours spent nursing you, and that special bond we formed.  You really gave me a love for breastfeeding.

Keep up the growing, little man, and know Mom and Dad love you beyond measure!

Love,

Mom and Dad

A Trip Down Memory Lane

While going through the videos on our video camera, I found this one from while I was in labor with Lane. Josh was bored and playing with the camera, and I was lying in bed after getting my epidural, just waiting until it was time to push. I can still feel that anxious excitement, knowing our son was just hours from being born.

Mr. Laughalot

This kid's laugh just melts my heart.

Sleeping Schedule: Interrupted

Up until about 2 weeks ago, we had a great sleeping routine.  I even blogged about how well it was going in Lane's 2 Month letter.  But then he got his first cold, and our entire routine went down the drain.

Because he was so congested, Lane and I spent much of the night sitting up, in the bathroom, with the hot shower running.  The steam/humidity helped up both breathe easier, and we often times fell asleep in there.  Or, we'd sleep together in our bed, both of us propped up more upright than usual.  This means Lane got very used to being held, snuggled, and upright rather than swaddled, horizontal, and in his bassinet.

Now that we're both over our illness, we're trying to transition back to our old ways.  And man oh man, is it tough.  Lane wants to be held, rocked, in our bed.  He wants to snuggle, and feel a warm body against him.  And while I LOVE snuggling him, I know he needs to learn to sleep on his own.

Last night was ROUGH.  Lane went down okay the first time, but then was awake again at 1 AM.  I fed him, changed his diaper, reswaddled him, and put him back in his bassinet.  Cue the SCREAMING.  So I got him out, rocked him, and tried to put him down when he was almost asleep.  Nope, not having it.  To make a long story short, we ended up being awake for 2 hours in the middle of the night, and Lane ended up in our bed.

Its really tough for me to stick it out in the middle of the night, especially when I have to work the next day.  It just always seems easier to put him in bed with me, and tell myself, "I'll work on it tomorrow night".

We've used Dr. Harvery Karp's book "The Happiest Baby on the Block" since Lane was born, and its amazing how well the techniques work.  Even Josh, who was hesitant to buy into the hype, now uses the 5 S's on a routine basis.  (I'm totally recommending this book to ALL new parents- SO worth reading!)  Lane is pretty dependent on 4 of the 5 S's, those being sucking, swinging/swaying, shushing (or white noise), and swaddling.  Sometimes when he's just upset and not really sleeping, the stomach/side positioning really helps.  I'm hoping that since Lane is now considered out of the "4th Trimester" (read the book to find out what that is!), we can slowly transition some of these S's out.  I would love for him to be able to sleep without being rocked/swayed to sleep, and I'm fine with him keeping the swaddling (he stays safely warm without blankets, sucking (self-soothing), and shushing (because we have a white noise machine). 

Josh wants to transition Lane into his own room soon, but I'm just not ready.  Its so much more convenient to feed him in our room, and to be able to just reach over into his bassinet to replace his pacifier or to check or eyeballs that may be awake. 

So, as with all other challenges, this shall pass soon.  I know in a few weeks or months when I'm looking back at this post, it'll be hard to remember Lane not being a good sleeper, and this phase won't seem all that bad. 

Lane: 3 Months

 

Dear Lane,

 

This has been a big month for you!  Your personality now shines so much, and its neat to see you becoming your own person.

The weekend after your 2 month checkup, you decided to roll over from your tummy to your back.  It was so exciting to watch you accomplish this milestone, and now you hardly stay on your tummy at all.

You are still sleeping well in your bassinett, with the exception of some late-night snuggling that Mom likes to sneak in.

You also LOVE the TV- anything that's on catches your attention.

We celebrated your first Christmas this month, and you were spoiled with lots of new toys and clothes.  One of your favorite toys in your new activty mat from Great Grandma Caroline.  It has toys that hang down that you can reach, and a "piano/keyboard" at the bottom for you to kick with your feet.  You'll spend up to an hour there if we let you, kicking your legs and grabbing at the toys.  It brings all of us lots of entertainment!

You are now mostly in 3-6 month clothes, due to your long legs.  We believe you're around 13-14 lbs, although we haven't weighed you recently.  We're getting better at staying happy when clothes are put over your head, and when its bathtime and time to get dressed.  You've taken a few showers now with Mom, and are slowly becoming used to the spray of the shower on your little body.

Dad is still staying home with you Monday-Friday, and he's really enjoying getting to spend one-on-one time with you.  He takes great care of you, acts goofy to make you smile, and loves to cuddle with you at naptime as much as Mom.

As you transition out of your newborn phase and into a more mature infant, its hard to believe you were once so small.  Packing away too-small clothes makes us miss that tiny, sleepy new baby, but we also love how fun you're becoming, and how much you interact now.

We love you, Baby Lane!

Love,

Mom and Dad

 

 

 

 

Lane: Two Months

So I wrote this post on Lane's two month birthday, and thought I hit "publish".  But evidently, I just saved it as a draft.  Which is why its so late!!

Dear Lane, 

Today, you are two months old.  Time is FLYING!  This past month has brought so much change for you.

You are now an awesome sleeper at night, most of the time.  You typically go down between 8-9 PM, and will sleep to between 2-4 AM, when its time to eat.  You then go back to bed for another stretch, anywhere from 2-4 hours more.  We swaddle you tightly, give you your pacifier for a few minutes, and put you in your bassinett half-asleep.  In this past month, you've decided sleeping on your back isn't all that bad.  You still end up in our bed sometimes, but that's just because Mama wants to snuggle you.  :)

Being on your changing table brings out the biggest grins. We still don't know quite why you like it so much, but we love changing your diaper because of those big goofy smiles.  And speaking of smiles, you gave us your first REAL smile this month, and its now easy to get you to grin in reaction to us.

You are so much more active now, and much more alert.  You love flinging your arms around, and are much better at getting your hands to your mouth.

You also love having us quickly lift you up into the air, as it tickles your tummy.  When you're upset, that is one of the easiest ways to get you to calm down.  You also love it when Dad "flies" you around the house; he puts you on your tummy in his arms, and then races around the house, taking you on an aerial "tour" of the couch, your bouncy chair, the bed, Molly, and whatever else crosses your path.  This is something special that you two do, and its so fun listening to Dad narrate for you. 

You are almost over the getting grumpy when you wake up phase, and instead just slowly wake up, stretch, and then look around to see where your food is.  You are still an impatient eater, though. 

We had your two month checkup today, and you weighed 12 lbs. 1 ounce, and are 24 1/4 inches long.  You are in the 90% percentile for weight, 75% for length, and 25% for head circumference.  You also got all of your required shots, which you were not a fan of.  However after just a few minutes, you stopped crying, and were sleepy for the rest of today.  You are a champ!

You are quickly outgrowing clothes, and your newborn clothes are already packed up.  I can tell you won't be in 0-3 month clothes very long either, as your long legs just won't fit. 

You love being in the Beco baby carrier, and almost instantly go to sleep in it.  Its so nice to be able to take you places in in, and this month we ventured out to watch your cousin Jack wrestle, to do some shopping at the mall, and to go to a Christmas bazaar.

You hold your head up so well now, even while on your tummy.  You can get your top half rolled onto your side, but your butt and legs are still stuck.  It won't be long now until you're rolling over!

Dad and I are loving all of your changes, and seeing you grow and develop is so neat for us.  I'm sure this next month will be even more exciting, as we get to experience your first Christmas.  We love you, baby Lane!

Love,

Mom and Dad

 

Sleep, Oh Glorious Sleep

A few weeks ago, I had a long conversation with my wonderful cousin Mandy, regarding babies and sleep.  She has two children of her own, and was (is) a valuable source of information on all things parenting.  Our situation was that Lane refused to sleep lying down, unless it was in bed with me, or lying on my.  He would sometimes sleep in his bouncy chair, and would nap in his swing, but bedtime was awful.  I found myself dreading going to bed.  I spent many nights sleeping napping on the couch, just praying for daylight to hurry up and arrive.  Lane refused to have anything to do with his bassinet, even when swaddled.

I was afraid of Lane become dependent on my for sleep; I was afraid I was "spoiling" him. 

Mandy assured me that I was not spoiling my son, and that things would get better in time.  After all, how many 18-year-olds do you see still sleeping in their bouncy chairs or lying on their mothers' chests?

So, we just waited it out.  And I kept putting Lane in his bassinet during the day, sometimes while awake, and sometimes after he had fallen asleep.  We had discovered Lane loves white noise, so we bought a white machine.  And kept swaddling. 

And wouldn't you know it- he started sleeping in there!  Nightime was still rough, and I kept perpetuating the problem by putting him in bed with me.  But finally, after a particularly rough night, Josh and I agreed something had to change.  So back in the bassinet he went.

And I'm proud to say, Lane now sleeps perfectly in his bassinet.  He'll sleep for 4-6 hours at night, wake up to eat, and then go back to sleep for another 2-4 hours.  He still sometimes needs some "help" getting to sleep, such as being rocked, but we always try to put him down before he's actually asleep.

Its amazing what just a difference a few shorts weeks can make.  We are all so much more happy during the day, and feel much more rested.  Plus, this will all help once we transition Lane into his own room.  And although I sometimes still sneak Lane into our bed for some snuggle time, I feel confident knowing he is on his way to becoming an independent sleeper.

Lane's First Halloween

 

Lane: One Month

 

 
Although I'm just getting around to posting it today, this was written to Lane on October 28, 2011, his one month birthday.

Dear Lane: 

Today, you are one month old.  This still amazes me- how is it possible you have been outside of me for a whole month already?

Although time is flying by, Dad and I are trying to soak up every second of time with you we can.  We don't want to miss one goofy face, one sleepy smile, or one snuggly naptime.  Your personality is really coming out, and we are truly getting to "know" you.

For instance, the 5-10 minutes after you start waking up, you are a big grump.  You fuss, moan, groan, and act like you're about to cry.  And then, as soon as it starts, its over, and you're a happy baby.  When you're awake, you love to look out the windows.  The bright light catches your attention, and you turn your head as far as you can to get a good look.  

You also recognize our voices now, and turn your head towards us when we talk to you.  You can follow things with your eyes, and have started becoming more coordinated when it comes to getting your fingers into your mouth.

You hate to sleep on your back (unless its in our bed), and so we still use your bouncy chair at nighttime.  You wake up every 2-3 hours to eat, and then often times want to stay awake and hang out with Mom instead of going back to sleep.

You used to hate having your diaper changed, but have since decided its not too terrible.  Your first bath was a horrible experience, as you screamed the entire time.  But every bath since then has been much better, with no more crying.  You just hate getting out of the bath now.  You also don't like shirts being put over your head.  

We took our first drive out to the ocean this month, so Dad could look at a few hunting spots.  Although you and I stayed in the car the entire time, it was fun to get out of the house.  

You are breastfeeding like a champ, and I'm so happy we decided to stick with it.  You make the funniest faces and noises when its time to eat, and you tend to be very impatient.  We've given you a few bottles, and your Dad absolutely loves feeding you; its  a real bonding time for you two.

As we head into your second month of life, I look forward to seeing you develop into more of a "baby" and less of a "newborn", although I will certainly miss this newborn phase.  We are still holding out for that real smile, and hopefully it comes in the next few weeks.

We love you Lane.

Love,

Mom and Dad