Labor & Delivery

She's finally here! I know everyone probably knew that already, sorry I've been a slacker and haven't posted since...Wednesday...I think? My days are so mixed up now, I don't know one day from another so let me try to get this right.

Last time I posted I think was Wednesday night, after we had gotten back from the hospital and were supposed to go back at ten for another dose of the Cytotec. Funny thing--I just looked back and it WAS Wednesday night, and my post was titled 'No News'. I posted at 8:24 pm, and said nothing was going on. I must have been eating my dinner at that point and watching American Idol. After I finished eating, I got up, busted a couple of dance moves like the nurse told me to do, and five minutes later got up to take a shower and felt a 'POP' and my water broke! This was at 8:45. True Story :o) After my water broke I noticed my bloody show and mucus plug, and knew that my water had broken FOR SURE, so I had Jason call the hospital and let them know and I took a shower. By the time I got out of the shower I had gone from not feeling my contractions to being in full blown labor. My contractions were about 3 minutes apart and were lasting 60 to 90 seconds. I tried to get ready, I really did. I wanted to put my makeup on and at least blow dry my hair so I would look decent for a couple of pictures when we got to the hospital--that didn't happen. I managed to get my hair up in a ponytail and my clothes on and at that point was ready to go. I remember having to stop every few minutes and call Jason in to hug me during my contractions while I tried to breath through them. By the time we were ready to go, Jason was asking if I wanted to bring the laptop and I screamed at him and told him I didn't care to just HURRY UP!!! :o) Sorry Jason :o)

So we drove to the hospital, got there and got back into my beautiful hospital gown and I started hounding them for drugs. I didn't want to throwup--I am terrified of throwup and they told me that I needed to pretty much get over that--evidently most women throwup when they are in labor. We had to wait for Dr. Todd to come in and check me, but I remember the nurse told me that by looking at my contractions I was probably dilated about 4-7 cm. I was excited to hear that but also scared because I knew that there was a point that would be too late for drugs, and I NEEDED drugs. ASAP. So finally the Dr. came in and checked and I was only 2.5 cm, so I told her I wanted medicine so I wouldn't throw up and I wanted something for the pain. She gave me Phenergan (sp?) for nausea, but wanted to wait on pain medicine until I was at least 4 cm, because it could slow things down. So we waited for maybe an hour (this is coming from Jason at this point, I can only remember a few details), and I was begging for pain medicine so they got the Dr. to come in and check again and she told them I could have some Demerol. Let me tell ya'll, that mess didn't do CRAP for me. Jason says he thinks that it toned my contractions down a little, but I don't think so. Those things HURT like the devil. People always told me that contractions feel like really bad menstrual cramps. I don't agree-they feel like the devil crawled in your stomach and is twisting your insides. Ugh. I'm in pain just thinking about them. That's what I dread the most about having another child--the contractions!

So from what I can calculate, I got the Demerol around midnight. I think I dosed on and off for a little while there, waking up for every contraction which was every few minutes. I know somewhere in there I wanted to take a bath, so I went in the bathroom and they put a chair in the shower and I just sat there spraying the hot water on my stomach, which seemed to make me feel a tiny bit better. At this point I was dilating about 1 cm per hour. Around 3 am the Dr. came in to check and said I could finally get my spinal tap, which is similar to an epidural except that it doesn't last as long, and doesn't numb you. She injected morphine into my spinal area--thats as detailed as that gets because I don't really understand much about that stuff. What I do know is that mess made me feel MUCH better. It seemed to have gotten rid of the contractions all together, but I could still feel the pressure. I was able to get a little sleep after this and so was Jason. The nurses kept coming in and checking on us, and told me to let her know when I started feeling like I needed to push.

I guess it was around 6am, I started feeling a TON of pressure--like I needed to take a poop. I told the nurse and she went and got the Dr., who came in and checked me. I was almost fully dilated so at this point everyone just stayed in the room and started getting things ready.  I remember I kept telling them that I really needed to take a crap, and they kept telling me that it was okay, they would just push it out of the way if I did. That didn't sound like a game plan to me. I tried to get over the idea of pooping all over the bed, in front of a bunch of strangers, and I just couldn't deal, so I finally asked them if I could just go try to poop. First, the nurse wanted to sit in there and watch me--that wasn't cool. Finally she let Jason come in to sit with me, so I sat there and tried and tried--but nothing. Jason said he kept looking down there to make sure I wasn't pooping out a baby, ha! So with no luck pooping, we went back to the bed. When I laid back down Dr. Todd finally told me that I could start pushing. I started pushing at 7am, pushing about 3-4 times every time I had a contraction. Everyone always told me you just push like you are taking the biggest crap ever, but I didn't really think I would be pushing like that, I thought I would push with my stomach. Nope. You literally push like you are pushing out a crap that will NOT come out. And you push and push and push. So I pushed and pushed and pushed, and finally they started saying they could see her head so I kept pushing and pushing. From here everything happened so quick I don't even really know what happened, I just know that Dr. Todd wanted to cut me and she gave me a shot to numb me, which hurt, but not any worse than pushing a baby out. Then I could feel her snipping away, UGH, but that didn't hurt. So I pushed out her head, that hurt but not as bad as the contractions and I remember there being a panic about her shoulders being a little wide so they got the suction and put it on her and had the nurses push my belly to help bring her on out. And there it was! My little 'crap' was out! Well, actually it wasn't. I STILL had the urge to take a big crap! Eventually, Dr. Todd told me to push one more time, and I pushed one little push and PLOP! Out came the placenta--thats what it felt like, another gush of relief, and THEN my 'crap' was out :o)

They whisked her away from me and cleaned her up, she wasn't crying at first so they didn't put her on my chest, and I was sad because I wanted to see her :o( I do remember asking if she had five fingers and five toes, they said no, but she has ten fingers and ten toes, ha! Yeah, I was a little out of it--the rest of the day was a blur...

Sorry if that is more detailed than ya'll would like, but people have been asking for details so there ya have em!

XOXO,

No News..

Well, we have been at the hospital almost all day, and I still don't have much news.

We got there at 8 this morning, and she checked my cervix--no change. She gave me another Cytotec, made us sit for 2 hours, and then let us go home until 2. We came home and took a short nap and went back to the hospital so she could check me again. This time we had a little progress, and my cervix is now ALMOST completely thinned out. She gave me another one, hoping for the same progress, but none this time. So she sent us home, told me to walk around, relax, eat and come back at 10. She will check when we go back and decide from there whether or not she wants to try one more, and let us spend the night so we can actually get some rest tonight, or if she wants to go ahead and start pitocin!

So that's all I really have for now--hopefully some exciting news to report in the morning :o) My mama will be here tomorrow afternoon, I can't wait to see her!!!!!

XOXO

Update!

It's 6:30am--10:30am EST--and I am about to take a shower and get ready to go BACK to the hospital. We went in last night at 10 for another dose of cytotec, which worked its magic and got things going pretty good (as far as I can FEEL, anyways). We stayed for a few hours to wait and make sure I didn't go into full blown labor, and eventually left around 2am. My contractions were about 3 minutes apart, but I still wasn't in a lot of pain so the nurse wanted us to come home and get some rest. We are supposed to be back around 8 for another dose of cytotec, unless I get there and they check my cervix and I am dilated and my contractions are what they want to see--then we will just continue on with labor!

I have been in a little pain since we got home. I say 'little' only because I don't know how bad it can really get, but from what I have heard it can get excruciating, and since my pain isn't close to excruciating yet, I will say little. But I'm very uncomfortable and have been all night, meaning about 1 hour of sleep for me-yay! Luckily Jason is getting his rest, because I need him to be rested up so he can support me :o)

So that's it for now! Hopefully we will see some progress and this will be the last dose of cytotec and we won't get sent home to 'wait it out' anymore :o) Paislee is almost ready to make her debut!
Prayers for a quick and safe delivery and a healthy baby GREATLY appreciated!!

XOXO,

Baby on the way...

Well folks, I hope I'm not jinxing myself by saying--I THINK THIS IS IT!

We went to the Dr. today, and my blood pressure was still up. Other than that everything looked okay, but she seemed to be really concerned about it and said that she didn't like it at all. So she sent me to the hospital for another non-stress test--for those who don't know what that is, they just hook you up to monitors for half an hour and monitor the baby's movement and heartbeat, and also any contractions that you may or may not be having. It places no stress on the baby, it just checks on her to make sure that SHE is okay. Anyways, she said the baby looked good, but wanted to try another dose of Cytotec to try and ripen my cervix. The last dose that I got on Thursday hadn't done anything, so she said we would try again, and then I could come in tomorrow morning for another dose. At this point with my blood pressure on the rise, she doesn't want to risk any complications or risk me having to be airlifted to Anchorage for an emergency. SO, she wants to induce, but doesn't want to start Pitocin which will bring on contractions, without my cervix being on the same level and ready to go.

Anyways, after lying in the hospital for 2 hours waiting for the Cytotec to dissolve, the nurse came in and said that I had been having contractions that were less than five minutes apart, but I hadn't been feeling anything. She called my doctor, who said to send me home and if I have any signs of labor to come back in--if not, come back tonight at 10 for another dose of Cytotec.

Sorry that's just a quick and probably confusing run through of what is going on, but I wanted to post this so if anyone has any questions about what has happened up to this point, I can send them here, since its a lot to try to explain through a text :o) The nurse said at this point they hope to see a baby within 48 hours! Fingers crossed and prayers greatly appreciated!

XOXO,

Thoughts for Thursday

Hello! I know, I've been slacking in the blogging department this week! Is it sad that I feel guilty when I go a day without blogging? I'm sure that finding something to blog about will get much easier when I have a screaming baby around--but then when will I find the time?? Oh man, my life is about to change in a big way.

--I went to the Doctor for my weekly checkup on Tuesday, and although there was no change in my cervix, the baby has finally DROPPED! I knew she had, this feeling that I have adopted this week CANNOT be a normal feeling. I thought I was waddling before--now its more like I'm pushing myself from one foot...to the other..back...and forth, side to side. I'm sure it's pretty entertaining to watch but dang it HURTS!
--I woke up this morning with a stuffy nose--which has become a normal thing for the past 9 months, did anyone else suffer from a stuffy nose throughout their WHOLE pregnancy? I've read that it's normal, but I hope it doesn't come back with my next pregnancy. Anyways, aside from a stuffy nose, I also have a runny nose. How does that happen? And I can't stop sneezing. I swear if I have to change my underwear one more time, I'm going to scream! Ha!
--Tonight Jason and I are going on what will probably be our last date for a very long time. We are going to the civic center here in Valdez for their weekly movie--Valentine's Day! I'm excited! :o)

--Last night for dinner we had Mexican--Jason made the comment that this would probably be the last time we had to have Mexican Night without Margaritas--whoo hoo!
--Might I add that last night was the first meal in 2 days that didn't consist of bacon, lettuce, tomatoes and miracle whip? We have been on a major BLT kick in this house--Jason suggested them the other night for dinner and I have been HOOKED ever since. We have been through a head of lettuce, a pack of bacon, about 10 tomatoes (Jason likes lots of tomatoes on his BLT) half of a huge jar of Miracle Whip and TWO loaves of bread this week. And I'm STILL excited for him to get home for lunch today so we can make BLT's for lunch :o)
--Did anyone ever get a steak dinner in the hospital after they had their children--especially you Valdez ladies. When Jason and I went to pre-register at the hospital, they said that after I have the baby we will get a nice steak dinner. My mom said she has heard of a lot of places that do that--but not me! I don't remember my sister ever telling me about that, and I think she would have told me about a steak dinner! My question is--will it be worth a crap? Come on, we all know how bad hospital food is--can they really pull off a good steak dinner or am I going to have to call for backup??
--Strawberries were buy 1 get 1 free at the grocery store yesterday. I know it seems like no big deal, but it's a big deal here and to me. First of all, usually when you see strawberries here in Valdez they are half green/white or half brown/rotten. Second, you know those little plastic containers they come in? $6.29. Yes, OUTRAGEOUS. So you can imagine how happy I was yesterday when we went to the store and I could get TWO of those plastic containers for just $6.29 AND those strawberries are as red and shiny as they get! See what Alaska will do to a person?
--Bags are packed, and ready to go! I have Paislee's outfits with her matching bows--which now I'm worried they will be too big for her sweet little head :o( I have all of my nursing gowns, which look like moo-moo's, and my non-slip socks, ha! I have my toiletries, pregnancy books, and 'after care' items, I'm sure you ladies know what I mean :o). Now we are just waiting for the big day. I haven't had ANY signs of labor really. I have had a few unidentified 'cramps' but I don't think they were contractions of any kind. I HAVE been extremely ill and moody this week--so maybe that's a sign? Doctor did say that we
'could' have a baby this week, but she didn't say that we WOULD. PLEASE oh PLEASE Paislee, don't be late. Both your Mama and Daddy are always on time, so you should be too! Oh, and if you don't come out soon--your daddy might leave me! :-O

Here are the guesses for this week--forgive me if I mess them up, so many people have guessed so many different days, it's all getting clustered in my brain!

Today--Me. ONLY because Grey's Anatomy is a re-run tonight and I am convinced they did that so I wouldn't have to miss it :o) Also, my friend Lauralee that took those pictures for us yesterday..well she is a baby whisperer. She took my friend Ann's pregnancy pictures and the next day Ann went into labor--we are praying for the same results :o)

-March 19--Monica & Jason
-March 20--Ann & Lindsay Jones
-March 21, 8lbs. 2 oz-Lauralee. Lauralee also guessed the day that Ann's little girl would be born. So today or Sunday--Lauralee, I am HOPING you are right! This is also my friend Alex's guess.
-March 22--Due date
-March 23--Stephanie from Marriage Tales
-March 25--Valerie's guess, Alex had guessed this day but changed her mind :o)
-March 26-My Mom's guess
-March 27-Jason's last guess
-March 28-Andrea
-March 30-Stephanie Larson
-April 1--my last guess (since I will be induced on this day if we don't have a baby yet!)

Whew! That's a lot to keep up with! Luckily I have this nifty pregnancy journal & organizer to keep it all in!

I have LOVED this thing for the past nine months. A friend bought it for me when I first found out I was pregnant, and I have been documenting EVERYTHING for the past nine months. It has pages you can fill out about first kicks, and other special moments, Dr.'s appointments, weight gain tracker, gifts received, checklists for what to bring to the hospital and what you need for baby, etc. It also has spaces for every day, like a journal, so you can write whatever you want. I have put anything from what I craved that day or ate that day, to how I was feeling, who made me mad, etc. I think its a really neat way to be able to remember everything, and one day I will pass it down to Paislee so she will know what to expect when SHE is expecting. The good, bad and UGLY :o) I recommend everyone get one when you get pregnant, you will be so happy that you did!

Okay, enough blabbing! I'm off for my mid-morning nap :o) Hope everyone has had a great week--it's almost the weekend!!!!

XOXO,

Don't be alarmed....

If you see a crazy lady on the side of the road in Valdez, Alaska doing something that looks similar to this...





....It's just me trying to get Paislee to come out! Ha! Unfortunately, there is too much snow for this--but you better believe if the ground wasn't covered, and I could wear something besides flip flops--everyone in town would be in for a real treat!


It's the 14th! That means today and tomorrow we are on 'labor watch' because these are my arrival day guesses!
If she isn't here after Monday is over, Jodi will be waiting up to see if her guess is right for Wednesday, although I'm
convinced that there is a reason why Grey's Anatomy is a re-run this week--so I won't miss it since I'll be in the hospital!
Am I pathetic or WHAT?


PRAYERS APPRECIATED!!!


Do you think if I quit feeding her, she would come out looking for food? ha! See the mind set that I am in now? Like I said,
Prayers appreciated! :o)


Hope everyone had a fabulous weekend--since Jason was at work all weekend, I spent 98% of mine in the bed :o)


XOXO,

38 Weeks

I saw this on another blog recently, and thought it would be fun to fill out for the last couple of weeks that we have left. I've been keeping a journal very similar to this throughout my pregnancy--which I plan to give to HER when she gets pregnant, many many years from now! Wish I would have thought to do a weekly update like this on the blog, but it's okay--better late than never!

How Far Along: 38 weeks and 1 day (13 days to go!)

Our Baby's Development: Your baby has really plumped up. She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.


Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)
Mama: (TMI ALERT!) You're at a milestone: 38 weeks marks full-term pregnancy status! The pain of backaches and leg cramps are swallowed up by excitement about your baby's impending arrival. You may experience false contractions off and on throughout the day. Inside your body, your cervix is readying for delivery. You may notice clear to white vaginal discharge, sometimes streaked with blood, as your cervix thins (or effaces).

Weekly Food Comparison: A mini watermelon


The Good: Heartburn is still nowhere to be found--whoo hoo!!!

The Bad: Lots of pelvic pain & pressure, swollen feet and ankles

The Weird: Seeing my belly 'bulge' more and more everyday, like there is a little alien in there! I love being able to press on her little feet or booty and she will push back :o)

Currently Craving/Avoiding:

Avoiding: not really avoiding anything--trying to stay away from anything 'too' spicy, just to be on the safe side with the heartburn!

Craving: Water, CHOCOLATE, and pretty much anything I can get my hands on--they say your appetite decreases right before you give birth--looks like it will be a while! ha!

Doctor Updates: We see the Doctor today at 3 p.m.--7p.m. EST--will update later!

Total weight gain/loss: 35 lbs.-Whoah!

Stretch marks? Sadly, yes. They have finally appeared--not that I was excited and waiting for them! None on my big belly, I heard they pop up AFTER you have the baby? I have just a couple on my hips and thighs--nothing dark, they are very light and nothing a bathing suit won't cover! Let's just say--if that's all I get, I will be HAPPY!

Sleep: waking up at least once an hour, more like twice an hour the past two nights--thinking the baby has dropped and is laying on my bladder! No problem going back to sleep though, and since I'm pretty used to waking up throughout the night, it really isn't bothering me since I can sleep as late as I want for now :o)


Movement: Little Miss is a wiggler! She is still moving a lot, and if she isn't I can press on my belly where she is laying and she will push back and reassure me that she's still okay in there!

Labor Signs: A few Braxton Hicks as of last night! I think maybe she has dropped just a 'tad' too!

Belly Button in or out? It's out!

What I miss: A good glass of wine and being able to shave my legs without feeling like I'm going to vomit or pass out.

What I am looking forward to: Seeing my sweet girl and holding her for the first time--and being able to tell Jason: " I TOLD YOU SO!" when she has him wrapped around her little fingers :o)

Just for you, Jess :0)

I'm about to pop!


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Life has been boring here in the Mozingo household lately, hence the reason I haven't posted anything--nothing to write about! I guess that means that things are slowing down, I'm getting lazier and more tired, and Jason is just hanging out with me and we're doing a whole lot of nothing!

I've been getting a lot of tips lately on how to make Paislee come on out--Walking, Sex, Castor Oil (ew, no.), Pineapple, etc.--and I started thinking--do I REALLY want to make her come sooner?? Up until last night, I was getting GOOD sleep, although it was more like zzzzz.....pee....zzzzz....pee...zzz...pee...I was still sleeping good :o) Although I am SO ready to meet her, and SO ready to be un-pregnant, I feel like I should be enjoying these last few weeks of sleeping as late as I want, and doing pretty much what I want, when I want. I also realized that after Paislee comes, it's no more just me and Jason for a LONG time! That kind of made me want to cry :o( I love our alone time! Don't get me wrong, I am very excited and can't wait to have my little girl and do everything for her--but for now, we are going to keep baby in a little bit longer and enjoy these last few weeks together :o) We will let HER decide when she wants to come out!

Jason and I DID go to the grocery store this weekend. I made him make a list of dinners he wanted me to make this week since it might be the last bit of cooking I get to do for a while. Maybe not--but as baby gets heavier, my legs get weaker and it gets harder to stand in the kitchen for a long time cooking!

So here are some dinners we are doing this week:
-Pot Roast
-Chicken Enchiladas
-Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
-Chicken Casserole
-Vegetable Soup
-Chili

I'll be 10 pounds heavier at my next appointment! Ha!

Happy Monday Everyone!

Today I am 37 weeks pregnant! Paislee weighs around 7 lbs. and is 19-22 inches long!

XOXO,

No News is Good News...I guess?

I had my weekly checkup yesterday, and I really don't have anything exciting to share :o(
I don't know why I thought my Dr. would check for dilation or effacement, seeing she hasn't done a single pelvic exam in the last eight months. She did say that Paislee is head down, which is good. I guess at this point no news is good news, and as long as me and baby are happy and healthy, that's all that matters. I hate to think that it could be another 6 weeks before I could see her, and I am HOPING that she will come AT LEAST by her due date--March 22nd--but at LEAST I am not suffering from heartburn anymore, and I'm not TOO miserable YET. But that could all change tomorrow ;o).

She did go over my options for pain management, which I found very shocking but I guess she wanted to be on the same page when the time comes. Guess what I found out? All this time I have been hearing that you CANNOT have an epidural if you give birth here in Valdez, because there is no one here that can do them. I have even heard stories about people having C-sections here in town and how they had to have an anesthesiologist FLOWN in to do their epidurals. Come to find out, Dr. Todd can do epidurals. Evidently, they do not LIKE to do epidurals here. She said people do really well here without them. Well that's just GRREAT. But I would like to have the OPTION for one if I decide that I want one. Still don't think it will happen, because they just don't like giving epidurals here. Anyways, don't mean to sound like a big baby, just wanted to share that little bit of information that has been withheld from me for the past 8 months. I have had a few friends give birth here in Valdez, and they have had nothing bad to say about their experiences, so I trust that mine will go just as smooth :o)

A little product promotion here on this lovely Wednesday afternoon for all of you tea drinkers. I have never been a tea drinker myself, and neither has my mom, so we never really made much tea in our house. When we DID, we just put a pot of water on the stove and threw the tea bags in and let it boil, yadda yadda ya--it was a pain in the butt. After I moved up here with Jason, one night he requested tea and pulled out this crazy 'tea making gadget' for me to use. I thought he was crazy for owning such a thing--why pay money for something like that, when making tea requires ONE POT?

Why? Because it is just so much easier, and not such a pain in the butt. You don't have to stand there and watch the pot to make sure it doesn't boil over, or the tea bag strings don't catch on fire. What you CAN do is fill the maker with water to the line, put the tea bags in and stick the pitcher in its place. Then you can go on and do what you were doing and come back to the tea when you get a chance--no watching it, it powers off when it's finished and it doesn't boil over. I even converted my mom to a 'user' while I was home over the summer :o) Give it a try if you have $20 to spare and make tea on a regular basis!

Okay, I think I've blabbed too much--maybe I should start doing "Wordless Wednesdays"??? haha...

XOXO,

We Love Grandmas!

Sesi is such a dog! As soon as you get up in the morning she is at your feet wanting attention :o)
It's been an exciting week of packages! Last Friday we received a big package from my mama, full of all sorts of things--bassinet sheets, baby spoons, bibs, clothes, baby wipes, maternity (fat) clothes, etc. She also sent another blanket she made for Paislee! This one is white with little sparkly things in it, with pink fuzz on the ends--isn't it precious?
Then yesterday we received a baby swing from Jason's Mama. Jason came home from work and put it together and I love love love it! The picture is a little blurry, but it's a cradle swing that can swing from side to side or front to back, and has a little canopy around it because you can turn on the projector and it shines stars on the canopy--so neat! It also has an adapter so you can plug it into the wall rather than use batteries, which can be such a pain! Thank you Mama T, we love it, and Paislee will too! Oh yeah, can you see someone hanging out underneath it??? Daddy has already had to set Sesi girl straight and let her know that she is NOT allowed in the swing--so she sits underneath it instead--such a good kitty!
Remember this little outfit I showed ya'll a while back? Well it wasn't THIS outfit, but it was pretty similar. This was also in the package my mama sent, a Christmas outfit from my sister that I just LOVE! I can't WAIT for Christmas so we can dress Paislee up--and by then she will probably be crawling around everywhere, wearing the knees out of these pants! Oh well, she will be such a little cutie :O)
Well I'm off for the day to work on homework--BLUGH. We have a doctor's appointment this afternoon-maybe she will check and see if we are progressing any towards having a BABY!!!



Happy Tuesday!

XOXO,

Pregnancy can be fun afterall...

If you have a sweet husband :0)
I woke up a few mornings ago to this above the kitchen sink:


Isn't he the sweetest? We did the belly cast tonight, pictures coming within the next few days!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend! We are enjoying some warm (40 degree) weather here in Valdez :0)

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Hallelujah!!!!!

I have been heartburn FREE since Tuesday night! Whoo HOO!!!! The doctor prescribed me Nexium and something else she described as "Maalox with glue", I'm not sure which one to give the credit to since she said the Nexium would take a few days to start working but either way--I'm a HAPPY girl! Tuesday night I slept for TWELVE hours! And it was the best sleep I have had in months! Last night was not as good as Tuesday, because the aches and pains of carrying around an extra 35 pounds or so is starting to take its toll on me, as expected, but as long as I don't have heartburn--I am HAPPY!

I told ya'll we were going to go to a childbirth class Tuesday night, and we did--but sadly it was the last of 6 classes :o( We still sat in and got a lot of information, and the instructor said we could meet with her and she would go over more if we want. This last class was designated to go over what to expect when you go into labor and the different stages of labor, how to breath through contractions, how to push, etc., so that was what we needed information on anyways! She was trying to sugar-coat everything since Jason was the only male in the class, finally I told her to tell it like it is--he is used to it--living with me he gets to see and hear everything with no censors, ha! Jason DID want to know if he was going to be able to "get down there and help with anything" while I was in labor and what do you know, MY doctor is 'all for letting dad help out as much as possible'! Looks like I'm going to need someone else in the room, since my husband will be (trying to) deliver the baby!!! Aggggh!

Last night, Jason and I went to the local high school pool for some "exercise"...if that's what you want to call it, ha! I got in the baby pool, which was SO warm and relaxing, and felt SO good since it felt like it took all of the extra weight off of me :o) Jason DID get in the big pool and swam a few laps, I'll give him the credit he deserves! After we left the pool, I started feeling TERRIBLE, like I had all of a sudden came down with the flu--my whole body, down to my fingers was SO ACHY! I think Jason was scared we were going to have a baby last night, ha! But I am feeling much better today. I did realize though that we could have this baby any day now, so with that being said--I'm going to start washing PAISLEE clothes today! Yay! Let's hope I don't shrink anything, since she's going to be a little porker :o)

Can ya'll believe it's already Thursday???? Where has the week gone?? I have a feeling now that Jason is home, the weeks will keep flying by and Paislee will be here before we know it! Are we ready for this parenthood thing?? Aggghhhh! Ready or not, it's COMING!

XOXO,

Still No Jason :o(

Last night when it came time to go pick up Jason from the airport he was still in Anchorage. His flight was delayed a couple of times and eventually cancelled due to weather conditions. So,we are hoping for good news and better weather this morning, and he will hopefully be arriving here in Valdez around 8:30--FINGERS CROSSED!

I've been wondering for the past couple of months, HOW am I going to go from sleeping 'till noon, to being up at 2 and 4 and 6 in the morning for feedings, diaper changes and a crying baby? I have since then learned that the good Lord has a way of preparing you for motherhood, and it's not pleasant at all. I hate to keep complaining...well actually I don't because I have been through this whole pregnancy with very few complaints. AND I have been refraining from complaining as much on Facebook, SO since this is MY blog--I can complain if I want!! THIS HEARTBURN IS DRIVING ME CRAZY!!!! Between the past 2 nights, I have had a total of MAYBE 5 hours of sleep. I am FED UP, and think that if it weren't for the heartburn, I would be able to get a good night's rest-which I need right now since in about a month that will be taken away from me. So today I am going to the doctor and DEMANDING that she prescribe me something that will work. I have been complaining for 2 months to her and I am tired of hearing 'Tums, Zantac, Maalox, Mylanta, Gavescon,etc.'. This over the counter crap isn't cutting it, and when it gets to the point when I can't eat OR sleep--I'm not a happy girl. So hopefully soon I will be more pleasant and you all can quit hearing me complain about heartburn every single day.

Jason and I have been looking into taking a childbirth class at the hospital here in Valdez, so we are also going to talk to the lady in charge of those today. I heard a little rumor that there is actually one tonight so...SURPRISE Jason--guess what we're doing tonight? I mean, I think I can make it through without a childbirth class, and I think we have the ability to take care of a child without taking a class, but what could it hurt? I think it will be fun and will serve as some good bonding time for Jason and I :o) I'll keep ya'll updated and who knows? Maybe I can teach ya'll something :o)

Hope everyone has a great Tuesday! Mine will be fabulous if my husband actually makes it HOME today, as planned! Is it just me, or are the weeks FLYING by?

XOXO,

Surprise, surprise!

3:30 in the morning and look what I'm doing...



Will the madness ever end???

Happy Valentine's Day--Valentine's schmalentines!
:0)

Goodnight!!!.....hopefully!



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Tutu's, chocolate and belly casts...

Another week down--Thank You Jesus!!!

It's been a rough one. This pregnancy thing is starting to take a toll on me...and I still have another month!!! Come on Paislee!!! Heartburn is miserable and keeping me up all night, everynight. As if I don't need all the sleep I can get at this point. I have tried everything from Tums and Zantac to apples, almonds and vinegar. The Zantac worked in the beginning, and the vinegar worked for a couple of nights, but now--NOTHING. I am convinced that no matter what I eat, this heartburn will be here until Paislee takes its place. Boo! Also, my belly is growing every day and my clothes are not. I'm down to about 2 shirts that completely cover my belly, and they are down to their last wear as well. It's pretty stressful not being able to just go to the store and by a new shirt--I'll have to start wrapping myself in a sheet when I go somewhere!

Did any one watch the 'Kendra' baby special on E! ? She bought this belly cast kit, and made a mold out of her big pregnant belly. After seeing that, Jason and I decided WE want to do that. It will be neat to be able to look back at how HUGE I got, and to one day show Paislee where she spent the first 9 months of her existance :o) So I ordered one,and it came yesterday. Now I can't wait to do it! Question is--when should we do it? I don't want to do it too soon, because I want to do it when I am humungo...but I don't want to put it off till the last minute and forget about it or even worse, have to do it AFTER I go in labor. We will probably wait until the first week of March, since Jason is convinced that she will be here the 2nd week of March--let's hope he is right, wouldn't that be nice??


I've spent my week doing schoolwork, sleeping, eating and making tutus! We bought lots and lots of tulle while we were in Anchorage,and I have managed to go through it all, with 8 tutus to show for it--I can't wait for her to get here so we can have lots of photoshoots!

Here are a few that I have made


I know everyone is excited about Valentine's Day coming up-everyone except us! I'm not a big fan of Valentine's Day, which comes from spending SO MANY Valentine's Days in the past being MISERABLE because I didn't have a date or I was dating a jerk that didn't know what he was supposed to do on that day, ha! So from the beginning, Jason and I decided that we would not do gifts on Valentine's Day because I would rather us show our love every day of the year, and not just one designated day. Aren't unexpected flowers SO much better than getting flowers on Valentine's Day? I think so! Also, Jason will not be here this Valentine's Day, so easy enough-we will not be celebrating it :o) I'm sure that will change next year when Paislee is here--as will all of our other holidays! I will probably cook a nice meal and maybe even attempt to bake a cake for Jason on Monday night when he gets home :o)

We DID get a box of chocolates and a teddy bear from Jason's Mama this week, and although I don't even need to look at the chocolates, I LOVE the box they came in!

Paislee!!!! Thank you Mama T!!!

Well, off to make Jodi's bean dip! The boat wives are getting together tonight for some good food and gossip ;o)

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

2 more days until Jason is HOME!

XOXO,

Just so I can say I blogged today....

Well Jodi, looks like we should be able to put the "Baby's 1st Easter" bib you sent Paislee to use!

I had a doctor's appointment today, everything looked pretty good. I tried to get an estimate out of the doctor or a round-a-bout time to maybe expect a baby--all she would say was "If she isn't here by April Fool's day, we will induce".... :o( Come sooner Paislee!!!!!

Not much to say today, not feeling too well--looking forward to American Idol and then early to bed to catch up on some SLEEP!

I noticed my pregnancy ticker at the top of the blog--it says something about how my pelvis is preventing me from dancing to Britney-ha! For those of you who don't know--I LOVE Britney Spears--and I'm still dancing too--mainly just in the shower though, so no one can see :o)

Happy Tuesday!!! Which means it's almost Wednesday which means we are halfway through the week, which means it's almost the weekend and almost time for Jason to be HOME!!! Hey, it gets me through the week to break it down that way :o)

XOXO,

Whoah!

Is it just me or am I getting HUGE????


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I just realized.....

the holidays will NEVER be the same for Jason & I, ever again! I hadn't even thought about it, but thanks to Jodi I realized that this Easter we will be playing Easter bunny for the first time! At least we are hoping she will be here by Easter since that's almost 2 weeks after my due date--heck, I'm hoping she will be here so I can pinch her little cheeks on St. Patricks day! Thank you Jodi for Paislee's "Baby's 1st Easter" bib, and her adorable socks!!

Is there anywhere to get an Easter basket in Valdez?
Not only will we be playing Easter bunny, we will also get to go trick or treating and play Santa Claus too! I remember when I was little my Daddy ALWAYS got me flowers for Valentine's Day, and I think my mom did too! I can't wait to start new traditions with my little family! I want to be the type of mom that goes all out for the holidays--changing bathroom and kitchen towels for each holiday, decorating the house, and making cookies and candy--the whole shebang! When we did our wedding registry, we registered for a huge set of 100 cookie cutters, just so I can use the different shapes for pancakes in the mornings and sandwiches for lunchboxes, and of course--cookies! I rarely took my lunch to school, but when I did my mom always snuck a note or surprise in there and I loved it! It's the little things that you will always remember, and I hope that Paislee remembers all of the little things that we do for her over the years, and I hope they mean as much to her as they will for us!

11 days down, 10 days to go until Jason is HOME! :o)

XOXO,

Paislee's Closet

Paislee's Aunt Sigma's are already spoiling her rotten!

Just last week we got a surprise in the mail from Aunt Jodi--Paislee's very first monogrammed blanket with her initials on it! We love it-a little girl can never have too many monogrammed items :o)If only I had a machine and could do it myself...

Then YESTERDAY, we received a package from Aunt Kati who lives in Korea with her husband Billy, who is in the Army. Who knew you could find such CUTE clothes in Korea! Paislee got 3 really cute outfits in her package--a Christmas outfit for next Christmas, a fall dress, and the best one--an OWL outfit. The funny thing about this is that owl's are the 'in thing' right now because I have seen them EVERYWHERE, but I have a secret fear of owls that not many people know about--guess I will be getting over my fear because this outfit is TOO cute!Above is the owl outfit and the Christmas outfit--the owl came with a onesie, a bib,a coat and some pants--and we know, the Christmas outfit is SCREAMING pink and green, but isn't it PRECIOUS?? I can't wait to get her all dolled up for her first Christmas! And surprise, surprise--she even has bows to match-see them? And here is her fall dress--or it may be a spring dress, depending on what season it is when Paislee can wear it! Thank you Aunt Kati--we love them!!!

Speaking of Christmas outfits,here is an outfit that is very similar to one that her Aunt Heather got for her--same colors and designs but the top is green and the bottom is red I think--we don't have it yet, but have seen it on the webcam and it is SUPER cute!
And just a few more of my favorites...some are just simple little sleepers or onesies but I just LOVE them! The navy & white dress is one her daddy picked out for her, he wanted her to be all decked out when she meets most of her family this summer! The outfit on the right is one of the million her Grandma Jan bought her while I was home in December and I think the top is too cute :o)
Aunt Valerie bought her the moose outfit-PERFECT for Alaska! It may look like something a little boy would wear, but it's nothing a bow can't fix! The one in the middle is one of my favorites, sadly you can't really see it in this picture,we will have to wait for her to get here and model it herself! Aunt Phyllis bought the sailboat outfit and she will rock it even though it's supposed to be for a boy--again, nothing a bow can't fix and it's too cute to wait for a boy!
These are some of the outfits my mama bought while I was home-the one on the left says "I'm a little Princess", and I LOVE the little "shoes" on it! The middle outfit is the very first outfit I bought her after I found out she was a 'she'. I had seen it while Jason & I were in Fairbanks, and as soon as we left the ultrasound place we went to Old Navy and got it for her.
My absolute FAVORITE outfit so far, and socks that match almost perfectly. The funny thing is, I bought this outfit while I was home and a few days later met Jodi & Lindsay for dinner. They had both brought gifts for Paislee, and Jodi had bought these socks that have the same exact flower on them! Makes me feel good because Jodi is a fashion queen, so now I know I have good taste ;o) I'm not sure if they match because they have black on them but I can always put a pair of black pants with it and VOILA--perfect! And last are these 2 sweet onesies--the purple one says "I'm Queen (when mom's not around)" and the black one is another gift from Jodi and says "This is my little black dress"--she's going to be a little diva! When I saw the "Queen" onesie, I had to buy it because right after we found out it was a girl I was still getting used to the fact that Jason was going to have another girl in his life, when my mom points out this frame that said "Daddy's Princess"--I refused to buy it claiming that she would NOT be daddy's princess, that's ME! Hmph! :o)

As most people already know, I really really really wanted a boy and was convinced that we were having one! But there is no way little boys could ever be this much fun! Jason and I were sitting here the other day and I said "What would we have done with a BOY?? Little girls are SO much more fun!"....he just gave me 'the look'....He has already promised me that she WOULD know how to throw a ball and shoot a gun....all while wearing wearing her hairbows and tutu's ;o)

**If ya'll have noticed, my blogs have been *extra* long this week--can you tell I don't talk to many people throughout the day now that Jason is gone? You will all need reading glasses by the time he gets back, ha!

XOXO from an excited mommy to be!