Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Ruby's First Video

Written by Shannon Leigh

In honor of Ruby's 3 week birthday I thought I'd post a little video about her first 10 days.

It's funny how much she has changed since then!
I can't believe how red and squishy she was those first few days.
Everything was captured with the Mark II (we have lots more video taken with the video camera but I couldn't figure out how to download them with one hand).
Hope you enjoy!

Monday, March 29, 2010

Isn't she spoiling me?

Written by Shannon Leigh

Can't get enough of my baby's sweet little expressions.
She is almost 3 weeks old (I can't believe it) and she is awesome.
We are seriously enjoying every moment with her .

My days pretty much revolve around meal time (for her, NOT me).
She LOVES the fan and smiles at it from time to time.
She is sleeping less and less during the day, which makes it hard to get things done.
She generally sleeps 2 4 hour stretches at night.
We have made the transition to cloth diapers (so far so good).
She definitely smiles when you talk to her (if you're lucky).
She loves sleeping on Daddy's chest.

I told Matt that he was spoiling her by letting her sleep on his chest so much. He said

"isn't she spoiling me?"

She has been licked countless times by Izzy.
She loves to lay on the changing table looking around after a bath.

We couldn't love her more.

IMG_9967IMG_9972IMG_9978IMG_9979IMG_9983IMG_9992-2IMG_9989IMG_9990IMG_9982IMG_9984
IMG_0038IMG_0037IMG_0016

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Ruby's Newborn Shoot

Written by Shannon Leigh


4 days old and already photographed like a champ.
Poor thing is going to be so sick of photo shoots.

IMG_9948IMG_9992IMG_9958IMG_9975IMG_9977-2IMG_0035IMG_0027IMG_0039-2IMG_9618IMG_0039IMG_9616

Monday, March 15, 2010

The Best Thing I've Ever Done

Written by Shannon Leigh


Monday, March 8th I was 11 days overdue.
Looking back, our little bundle was well worth the wait but at the time I was pitiful & huge.

I had a slew of emotions those last few weeks ranging from anger, exhaustion, frustration and finally contentment. On Monday I was feeling pretty content (by the grace of God). I knew my doctors wouldn't let me go past 42 weeks so the day was near and I decided to enjoy the last few days with Matt since everything we knew as a married couple was about to change.

I needed to get out of the house so I decided to meet Matt for lunch. After lunch I headed to Wal-mart to do the FINAL shopping trip before the baby came. I walked around the store for over an hour and made sure every thing on my list was in my cart. After Wal-mart I headed home and decided to clean the rest of my house, specifically the kitchen (Matt has very high expectations, especially for the stove top). For the rest of the afternoon I cleaned the kitchen- spotless. At about the time I started to wash the floor I started feeling kinda funny. I was thinking I was having contractions since they were pretty painful and they were coming about 5 minutes apart. Matt decided to work late that night to wrap things up before the baby came so I called him to tell him I thought I was having contractions but to not rush home. About an hour later, I was finished with the kitchen and the contractions were still coming so I decided to take Izzy for a walk. I REALLY didn't want the contractions to stop and I figured being active was the best way to keep them coming. By the time I was walking Izzy I wasn't able to walk or talk while having a contraction so I called Matt to tell him that this was IT. Luckily he was on his way home.

When Matt got home we packed the rest of our bags and headed to the hospital. We figured that even if this wasn't "real" labor they wouldn't send me home since I was 41 weeks and 5 days pregnant (at least we were hoping). We made a pit stop at Dairy Queen to get Matt something to eat (I'm pretty sure I ate more than half of whatever we got and I'm glad I did, I needed my energy). We made sure to get to the hospital by 8:00 p.m. because the front doors lock at that time and we would have had to go through the ER. Matt was concerned that we'd get charged for an E.R. visit (go figure) so we walked up to labor and delivery.

We checked in and they started monitoring me right away. I was definitely having contractions but only dilated to a 2. The nurse said she'd come back in about an hour and see if I had made any progress. She came back 45 minutes later and I was dilated to a 3! Halleluiah, I was making progress and we were officially admitted! Around that time little Ruby's heart rate was really high (like in the 180's). The nurse and my midwife suspected the high heart rate was because of dehydration so they started an IV to pump me full of fluids. That seemed to do the trick because within the hour her heart rate was much more reasonable.

Around 11 pm my midwife came in and I was dilated to a 4 and unbeknownst to me she stripped my membranes to "get things going" (OUCH). After that the contractions really started picking up and it was the perfect time to use all of those "breathing" techniques I learned in my birthing classes. Too bad I couldn't remember any of them. At around 12:30 a.m. I was definitely ready for an epidural and requested one from the nurse. The nurse told me that there were two c-sections in line before me and the anesthesiologist was busy. I would have to wait. THAT was not the news I was hoping for. The very sweet nurse went ahead and set up all of the equipment in my room and told me it could be another hour or two before the anesthesiologist would be available. My midwife came in around 1:15 and said she was headed in for c-section #2 and that it would be at least another hour before I could get my epidural. I was pretty bummed, not to mention in excruciating pain at this point. Luckily for me, about a half an hour later the anesthesiologist came in to brief me before he went into the c-section and since the equipment was already set up he very quickly gave me the epidural! I was so grateful for that sweet little nurse that had everything already set up. Matt said that the anesthesiologist wasn't very nice but I didn't notice a thing...

At around 2:oo a.m. the midwife came in and broke my water, or what was left of it, I should say. Apparently she had punctured it while stripping my membranes. We were instructed after that to get as much sleep as we could. They wheeled in a sleeping chair for Matt (which he struggled with for quite some time) and both of us tried to get some zzz's. We didn't have too much luck sleeping especially when I had a stupid blood pressure cuff that would automatically go off every 15 minutes. I'd say the entire night we MAYBE got an hour and a half of sleep.
Around 6 a.m., my other midwife who just came on call, Cathy (who happens to be English and awesome), told me I was dilated to a 9!! I was ecstatic. I couldn't believe we'd be having this baby so soon! She also informed us that the baby definitely had hair, which I was also very excited about. Around that time I started to REALLY have the urge to push. I kept telling the nurse "I'm pushing and I'm not meaning to." I didn't know this at the TIME but my epidural was pretty much gone. Around 7:30 the midwife came back and said it was time to push! My mom had come to the hospital and was expecting to stand outside while the baby was delivered but she was in the room when it was time and the nurse asked her to come and hold a leg. Again, not knowing that my epidural had run out, I really didn't care WHO was in the room and I was actually really glad she was there. I was pretty nervous/excited and in quite a lot of pain. So there I was doing the hardest thing I have EVER done in my life. They had to give me oxygen because apparently I was holding my breath for too long because I just wanted to keep pushing!
I remember asking how long I was going to have to push and they said probably about an hour. I was determined to get this child out of me sooner and gave every single push the most strength I have EVER given anything in all my life. Not having much pain medication probably helped with that too. The cheering on of my husband and mom was also really encouraging and I was SOO glad they were there. Within 30 minutes our sweet little baby was out and I was so happy!

Matt got to cut the cord and Cathy asked him "ok Daddy what is it?" and Matt in a panicky voice said "I think it's a girl..." It was hilarious!
She had had a bowel movement before she was born so they weren't able to give her to me right away. They had to suck some junk out of her lungs first (Matt did this when he was born too). After a few minutes I got to hold her for the first time and I was in HEAVEN. She was just perfect and well worth the wait!
She had super long and skinny legs and a head full of long dark hair. Her skin was super dry which apparently is common in post due babies and her hair was super long in the back. Her fingernails we crazy long too. The first time she looked at me I absolutely melted. I loved looking into her eyes and knowing that she was mine forever.
I'm so grateful to the Lord for making the labor and delivery so smooth and bringing baby Ruby into the world perfect and healthy. Our lives will never be the same and we are so in love with our beautiful baby girl.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Our Little Gem


Written by Shannon Leigh

Meet Miss Ruby Evangeline.

Born Tuesday, March 9th at 8:01 a.m.
7 lbs 7 oz
20 1/2 inches long
Birth story to come when the dust settles.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

A Few Numbers

Written by Shannon Leigh

10 full days that I have gone over my due date
0 number of real contractions I've had
3 times per night I get up to pee
1260 times Peanut's foot gets caught in my ribs per day
9 (actually 10) LONG months of being pregnant
24 hours a day I'm reminded that I'm STILL pregnant
5 -percentage of women who go LONGER than 2 weeks after their due dates
80 -percentage the doctor gave me that I would go into labor on my own before my next appointment
2 days until my next appointment
6 weeks since the nursery has been finished and sitting empty
4 1/2 weeks since I've been considered "full term"
1,000,000 things on my mind
3 packed bags ready for the hospital
75 times I've RE-PACKED the bags for the hospital
1 very anxious mom-to-be
1 perfect baby
1 God, totally in control
INFINITE grace that is sufficient

I'm really thankful for the last three.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Extra Time

Written by Shannon Leigh

This is what my day looked like.
I was working on photo orders in the office and Izzy was snoring on the bed.
IMG_9731IMG_9740IMG_9743IMG_9752IMG_9753
With all of this extra time, I have been working on all kinds of projects.
I have been working on our "First Year Scrapbook" for a LONG TIME (note: Matt and I are working on year 3 now). I finally had some extra time to finish up the details and get it printed. I think it turned out pretty decent.
I even finished a wedding album for Matt and I since we never got one. I'm super excited to get that one in the mail soon.
Here are a few of my favorite pages from The First Year: A Scrapbook.
IMG_9755 IMG_9760IMG_9759IMG_9762

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Pregnant Forever?

Written by Shannon Leigh

At this point, that is definitely how I feel. Here I am sitting at 6 days overdue with no end in sight. Ok, that's a lie. They won't let me go past 42 weeks but that seems like an eternity away (for an overdue pregnant lady it IS an eternity away, trust me). All I want to do is to meet our little girl outside the womb is that so much to ask?
At my 40 week appointment on Monday, I cried. I didn't mean to but it just kind of happened. It was enough for the midwife to hand me a fistful of tissues and rub my leg. This was after she checked me and I hadn't progressed at all since my last appointment. They even had to redo my Strep B test because it had expired. I mean does that really happen?
We were hoping I would be able to be induced this week but my midwife explained that I must have a Bishop score of 8 in order to be induced. The Bishop score has something to do with the risk of C-section in accordance with dilation, effacement, and station of the baby. I, apparently am NOT an 8. Depressing? To say the least.
She explained that if they induce before the patient is ready then it puts both the mom and baby at risk. After hearing that, I am feeling pretty good about it and feeling much more content with STILL BEING PREGNANT. I read in a pregnancy book that the average date a first time mom gives birth is 8 days after her due date. AND that is average. That means that lots of women go even longer than that. I wish they wouldn't even give you a due date, they should just give you a due-month. At least then I wouldn't be so depressed.
They are still suspecting she will be small (somewhere in the 7's) so my mind was put to ease about that. Let's pray (hard) that I get to meet this little bug SOON.

Since I'm no longer working I've had some time to work on a few projects. I found a cute baby shoe tutorial and decided to give it a try. They turned out pretty cute but I need to get some different supplies in order to make them a little sturdier.
I have also been embellishing some onsies.
My mom made this adorable rug for Peanut's room. It's the perfect compliment to the room (thanks mom).