Sunday, September 11, 2011
Friday, September 2, 2011
my big boy
7weeks
he is getting so big (at least to me anyway) and he's such a cutie
he likes to wake me up between 5 and 6 and coo and giggle and smile at me, it takes so much energy to keep my eyes open to watch him. but i have to because i can't resist that cute smile...
i mean seriously
and there's a giggle
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
photoshop actions
original image
seventies
pw black & white
soft & faded
sunshine
warmer
cooler
i got all these actions from The Pioneer Woman
download these actions for free HERE
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
the girls are in love
Sweetest thing i've ever seen!!
these girls are in love!
they have a new man in their lives... Will
they love to kiss him and hug him and hold him!!
they pick pick pick
they simply can't leave him alone and as sweet as it is it drives me crazy LOL
Madison is my big help and Will's second mother.. and emma thinks he's a baby doll and wants to pick him up and carry him around. We already have lots of nicknames for him and they love using them.
"baby man" - Daddy and Emma
"little buddy" - Mommy and Madison
and here's a few things you'd hear around our house
"awe he's so tiny" - Emma
"hey baby Will, this is your big sister Madison"
"i just love him so much" -Madison
"mommy he's smiling at me" - Madison
"emma don't pull his leg" - Mommy
"emma don't pinch his cheek" - Mommy
"emma don't put your finger in his mouth" - Mommy
"he likes my finger" - Emma
"leave him alone" - Mommy talking to madison, emma and vic
the second i put him on the floor they came running
see she won't stop picking at him
and she's mothering him... so cute
first 6 weeks with will.i.am
What a crazy 6 weeks... its gone by so fast.
Week 4
after a CRAZY 4 weeks of visiting the lactation nurses at women's and trying all kinds of things. we finally got my milk supply up and determined that b/c he was so small he was also having a difficult time with his latch. (now at 6 wks he is thriving and his latch is so much better) i have never had this much problems breastfeeding the girls. I was visiting women's twice a week to get him weighed and he was progressing... gaining just under an ounce a day.
we have made lots of progress. he will now sleep in his swing or the seat thing that we have for about an hour a day. still doesn't allow me to get much done but that's ok we are getting there. he still really just wants to sleep close to me so that's what we do. nurse and he sleeps which i watch and attempt to play with the girls. and yes we watch a lot of movies together. but they girls are great! so glad they have each other to play with. the last couple of days have been nicer outside so we got to go for a ride in the new double stroller that was giving to us (grateful). and we were able to play in the backyard and swim in the pool. it's just been too hot since Will was born to go outside.
my favorite thing right now is when he's in a good mood and will lay on the changing table (without screaming) he will just look around and smile and coo at me. he melts my heart. they melt my heart. i never knew i could have this much love for them all. God is great and he has blessed Vic and I with an amazing family.
i've been sitting here writing this all while Will sleeps in my lap on the boppy, nursing! and as frustrating as it can be sometimes i know that one day, very soon, he will be sleeping on his on and in his own bed. so for now i will cherish this moment. my last baby.
and it really is makes me sad knowing that this part of my life (the having babies part) is over. i am entering a new stage. there certainly is a bit of morning. But... I'm so excited for the future, although scary at times... How in the world are we going to support all these kids, send them to college, pay for two weddings... really i could go on but i won't. I'm leaving it in God's hands. He will prepare the way and i am confident that he will provide for us.
Happy Birthday Will
July 12, 2011
What a crazy day that was. We dropped the girls off at my aunts house and headed to our drs. appointment at 11:30am for my ultrasound. We were so excited to see our little man again. At this point I was so ready to be done with the pregnancy and have Will in my arms. But i had NO IDEA what was about to happen. The ultrasound didn't go so well. My amniotic fluid was low and Will wasn't moving. They sent us straight to women's hospital. After getting settled in the triage room, they hooked me up to the fetal monitor and the blood pressure machine and started me on fluids. They came and took my blood and then after after the results came in the Dr and Midwife came to talk to us... NOT a good sign. I was so scared. They said that although my blood work came back good, they felt as though the baby might not be progressing well. (they never once told, after the ultrasounds we'd had over the past two weeks, how much they were projecting him to weigh.) Since i was 38 weeks they suggested that they go ahead and induce me and i was showing signs of contractions. So vic and i decided we were ready!!
It took them awhile to get me in a room, they had had a very busy day delivering babies. i think i got in a room some where around 4:30pm. they got me started on pitocin and what seemed soon after they broke my water. honestly i have no idea what time it was or how long things lasted so when i talk about time who knows if i know what i'm talking about. :)
once the pitocin started doing it's job and i was having horrible contractions i decided to have an epidural. i really didn't want this but i was total expecting to be in labor for awhile and the contractions were strong, if i remember correctly i was only dilated 3cm. (maybe this was around 9pm) so i got the epidural and felt some good relief. the Dr came in and checked me (4cm) all i could think was this is going to take FOREVER!!! so he said to get some rest. and i tried. the nurse had told me to tell her if i felt any pressure b/c sometimes with an epidural you might not feel the pressure (considering a woman next door to me had had her baby right before me with no one in the room!! CRAZY. i can't even imagine that.) So not long after i got the epidural i felt "the pressure" my nurse didn't believe me.... check me "5cm" I knew he was coming. I have had 2 other babies you know!! come on people. (all this while there was a change in nurses) oh did i mention the epidural wore off... yep sure did. OUCH but i had had both madison and emma without and epidural. so here i am telling the "new nurse" i was feeling the "pressure" and in walked the dr... Good timing. b/c a baby was about to be delivered by the nurse. the dr didn't even get finished getting dressed. haha... same thing happened when we had Emma.
there he was so little... and perfect
11:19pm
first thing he did... peed on the dr. that's my boy
after letting him lay with me for a few minutes they took him he was so tiny weighing 5lbs 6oz and long, 20inches and i thought emma was little at 6lbs 15oz. they brought him back to me and i got to start breastfeeding him... it still amazes me that they now how to do that the moment they are born.
Week 1
Will was born on tuesday and we got to go home on thursday (with a little begging). but we promised Will's dr that we would take him to the office the next day and get him weighted and check his jaundice. which we did and he weighed 4lbs 15oz (2 lbs smaller then when emma was born) and he was jaundice. so we had to come back the next day and do it again. so saturday he weighed 5lbs 1oz and the jaundice #'s were going down... yeah
he didn't fit into anything we had for him so we went and bought a few onesies and our neighbors and friends brought us a few things for him to wear. which was all still really big on him. my little peanut.
at one week old i ended up back at women's hospital...
i had started getting headaches and so i went to the drs again so they could check my bp which was still really high. they send me over to women's to run some tests to see if i was developing preeclampsia, (which apparently you can develop up to 6weeks postpartum) in the end everything was fine. all the water i gained was putting a strain on my blood vessels which was causing the high blood pressure. so they upped my bp meds (for the 3rd time) and put me on a water pill to get all the water off. (i lost 15lbs in 4 days WOW)
Will was born on tuesday and we got to go home on thursday (with a little begging). but we promised Will's dr that we would take him to the office the next day and get him weighted and check his jaundice. which we did and he weighed 4lbs 15oz (2 lbs smaller then when emma was born) and he was jaundice. so we had to come back the next day and do it again. so saturday he weighed 5lbs 1oz and the jaundice #'s were going down... yeah
he didn't fit into anything we had for him so we went and bought a few onesies and our neighbors and friends brought us a few things for him to wear. which was all still really big on him. my little peanut.
at one week old i ended up back at women's hospital...
i had started getting headaches and so i went to the drs again so they could check my bp which was still really high. they send me over to women's to run some tests to see if i was developing preeclampsia, (which apparently you can develop up to 6weeks postpartum) in the end everything was fine. all the water i gained was putting a strain on my blood vessels which was causing the high blood pressure. so they upped my bp meds (for the 3rd time) and put me on a water pill to get all the water off. (i lost 15lbs in 4 days WOW)
Week 2
Well taking that water pill also depleted my milk supply and at Will's second week check up he only weighted 5lbs 2oz. they wanted him to be back to his birth weight. so i had to start working with the lactation nurses at womens to figure out what i need to do b/c i was determined to make this right. we did have to supplement.
Week 3
i got a phone call from his pediatrician that his thyroid test that they did in the hospital came back borderline and they wanted to re-test him. are you serious? here i go worrying again...
so we had to take him and get his blood drawn only this time instead of pricking his foot they used a needle in his teeny tiny arm... all i was thinking as i saw them drawing this large vial of blood out of his arm was "stop you're going to take it all" silly i know but he was just so little.
in the end everything turned out fine. no thyroid problem to worry about!
after a CRAZY 4 weeks of visiting the lactation nurses at women's and trying all kinds of things. we finally got my milk supply up and determined that b/c he was so small he was also having a difficult time with his latch. (now at 6 wks he is thriving and his latch is so much better) i have never had this much problems breastfeeding the girls. I was visiting women's twice a week to get him weighed and he was progressing... gaining just under an ounce a day.
Week 5
at his 4 week check up (which he was really 5 weeks old) he weighed 6lbs 5oz. we were so excited. As you can see he's bald. no hair on the top of his head. the past couple of weeks had been really difficult b/c i have been unable to get him to sleep, for any amount of time, on his own. if i put him down he would wake up and start screaming until i picked him up again. and this is so difficult since i still have to take care of the girls. but we have been managing. plus he was nursing round the clock for about a week. i'm talking like every 1.5 or less hours. oh and did i mention that he HATES the carseat, yup screams any time he gets in that thing. (he's doing better with this now)
at his 4 week check up (which he was really 5 weeks old) he weighed 6lbs 5oz. we were so excited. As you can see he's bald. no hair on the top of his head. the past couple of weeks had been really difficult b/c i have been unable to get him to sleep, for any amount of time, on his own. if i put him down he would wake up and start screaming until i picked him up again. and this is so difficult since i still have to take care of the girls. but we have been managing. plus he was nursing round the clock for about a week. i'm talking like every 1.5 or less hours. oh and did i mention that he HATES the carseat, yup screams any time he gets in that thing. (he's doing better with this now)
Week 6
we have made lots of progress. he will now sleep in his swing or the seat thing that we have for about an hour a day. still doesn't allow me to get much done but that's ok we are getting there. he still really just wants to sleep close to me so that's what we do. nurse and he sleeps which i watch and attempt to play with the girls. and yes we watch a lot of movies together. but they girls are great! so glad they have each other to play with. the last couple of days have been nicer outside so we got to go for a ride in the new double stroller that was giving to us (grateful). and we were able to play in the backyard and swim in the pool. it's just been too hot since Will was born to go outside.
my favorite thing right now is when he's in a good mood and will lay on the changing table (without screaming) he will just look around and smile and coo at me. he melts my heart. they melt my heart. i never knew i could have this much love for them all. God is great and he has blessed Vic and I with an amazing family.
i've been sitting here writing this all while Will sleeps in my lap on the boppy, nursing! and as frustrating as it can be sometimes i know that one day, very soon, he will be sleeping on his on and in his own bed. so for now i will cherish this moment. my last baby.
and it really is makes me sad knowing that this part of my life (the having babies part) is over. i am entering a new stage. there certainly is a bit of morning. But... I'm so excited for the future, although scary at times... How in the world are we going to support all these kids, send them to college, pay for two weddings... really i could go on but i won't. I'm leaving it in God's hands. He will prepare the way and i am confident that he will provide for us.
Monday, August 8, 2011
our newest addition
William Chase Yancey
July 12, 2011
11:19pm
5lbs 6oz
20in
Baby Will or Baby Man
We have a beautiful family designed by God!
What an amazing gift!
Will's sisters sure do love him!
Thursday, July 7, 2011
37 weeks : watermelon
the best part about this week is two words FULL TERM!! yeah for baby Will...
so interesting comparing these two photos.
at this point in my pregnancy with emma she came 8 days from now... 10 days early! We will have to wait and see when Will wants to make his grand entrance.
this wks check up i was dilated 2cm and starting to thin out. Dr said "his head is in the birth canal." great so that's why i feel like there is a bowling ball down there LOL
this week also gave us an glance as to what Will is going to look like. although he is starting to get a little cramped i am totally in love with him already. we had to have a biophysical done to check on how he was growing. they wanted to do this b/c they know that the preeclampsia could rear it's ugly head at any point and they want to be prepared. they wanted to make sure that my placenta was providing him with enough oxygen.
A biophysical (BPP) is
a test that measures the health of your baby during pregnancy. A BPP test may include a nonstress test with electronic fetal heart monitoring and a fetal ultrasound. The BPP measure your baby's heart rate, muscle tone, movement, breathing and the amount of amniotic fluid around your baby.
A BPP is commonly done in the last trimester of pregnancy. If there is a chance that your baby may have problems during your pregnancy (high-risk pregnancy). Some women with high-risk pregnancies may have a BPP test every week or twice a week in the third trimester.
info provided by www.webmd.com
The Results
A biophysical profile (BPP) test measures the health of your baby (fetus) during pregnancy. The results are scores on five measurements in a 30-minute observation period.
A score of 8 to 10 points means that your baby is healthy. A score of 6 to 8 points means that you may need to be retested in 12 to 24 hours. A score of 4 or less may mean the baby is having problems. Further testing will be recommended.
| Measurement | Normal (2 points) | Abnormal (0 points) |
|---|---|---|
| Nonstress test |
2 or more heart rate increases of 15 beats per minute or more are seen with movement.
|
Only 1 heart rate increase is seen, or the heart rate does not increase by more than 15 beats with movement.
|
| Breathing movement |
1 or more breathing movements last at least 30 seconds.
|
Breathing movement lasts less than 30 seconds, or no breathing is seen.
|
| Body movement |
3 or more movements of the arms, legs, or body
|
Less than 3 movements of the arms, legs, or body
|
| Muscle tone |
Arms and legs are usually flexed and the head rests on the chest. 1 or more extensions and return to flexion are seen, such as the opening and closing of a hand.
|
The fetus extends slowly and only returns partway to a normal position.
The fetus extends but does not return to a normal position.
The arms, legs, or spine are extended, or a hand is open.
|
| Amniotic fluid volume (amniotic fluid index) |
At least one pocket of amniotic fluid of at least 2 cm (0.8 in.) is seen in the uterine cavity.
|
Not enough amniotic fluid is seen in the uterine cavity.
|
Our results : We started with just the ultrasound and Will got 4 out of the 6 possible points. He did not have the 2 breathing moments in the 30 mins that he was given. So then we moved on to the fetal monitoring (non-stress test) and they said that he did exactly what he was suppose to do. He was very active during this time. it was funny b/c he kept kicking the fetal monitor. :)
So now i'll have my second BPP next tuesday morning. that is of course if Will doesn't make his appearance first.
And as much as i was hoping this week that they would want to induce me, i am grateful that he is thriving and getting bigger and stronger everyday. If he choses to stay in there for two more weeks (and my heath is not in jeopardy) i will be praising God for that too.
i was completely miserable a few weeks ago and completely ready to be induced or have a C-Section but after thinking about it i really do want to have another natural birth. esp since this will be my last pregnancy! i know that sounds crazy and everyone has always thought i was crazy giving birth without any medication.. but knowing that i've done it twice i know i can do it again. of course i am more open this time b/c i understand that it may not go that way and that he may need to come quickly due to my health or his. so for now i pray and wait....
Thursday, June 30, 2011
36 weeks : honeydew
It's been CRAZY!!!
Drs check up Tuesday = blood pressure 157/98 (my normal = 120/70 or lower). they immediately send me to women's hospital and hooked me up to the blood pressure machine (checking my bp every 15 mins) as well as the fetal monitor to listen to Will's heart beat and make sure he was getting enough oxygen. Everything turned out good when i left 2hrs later. My bp dropped within the normal range and Will was doing great! but they still felt like the best option was to put me on bp medication. if i was further along they may have just gone ahead and induced me but they really want to try and get me to 39 weeks. unless of course my health become in jeopardy or he decides to come early. They did check me to see if i had progressed any and NO i had no signs of the approaching D day, except that he is head down and at a -2 in my pelvis.
as you can see he has clearly not "dropped" yet!! He seems to be very comfortable moving lots.
so the finally news is that they will continue to monitor me very closely esp. now that i've entered the "high risk" category. they are concerned that i could develop preeclampsia very quickly and preeclampsia can be life threating... NOOO don't make a worrier worry!! that can't help my bp.
Preeclampsia (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001900/)
Drs check up Tuesday = blood pressure 157/98 (my normal = 120/70 or lower). they immediately send me to women's hospital and hooked me up to the blood pressure machine (checking my bp every 15 mins) as well as the fetal monitor to listen to Will's heart beat and make sure he was getting enough oxygen. Everything turned out good when i left 2hrs later. My bp dropped within the normal range and Will was doing great! but they still felt like the best option was to put me on bp medication. if i was further along they may have just gone ahead and induced me but they really want to try and get me to 39 weeks. unless of course my health become in jeopardy or he decides to come early. They did check me to see if i had progressed any and NO i had no signs of the approaching D day, except that he is head down and at a -2 in my pelvis.
so the finally news is that they will continue to monitor me very closely esp. now that i've entered the "high risk" category. they are concerned that i could develop preeclampsia very quickly and preeclampsia can be life threating... NOOO don't make a worrier worry!! that can't help my bp.
Preeclampsia (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001900/)
Preeclampsia is a pregnancy condition in which high blood pressure and protein in the urine develop after the 20th week (late 2nd or 3rd trimester) of pregnancy.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
The exact cause of preeclampsia is not known. Possible causes include:
- Blood vessel problems
- Diet
- Genes
Preeclampsia occurs in a small percentage of pregnancies. Risk factors include:
- First pregnancy NO
- Multiple pregnancy (twins or more) NO
- Obesity YES I'M OVER WEIGHT
- Older than age 35 NO
Symptoms
Often, women who are diagnosed with preeclampsia do not feel sick.
Symptoms of preeclampsia can include:
- Swelling of the hands and face/eyes (edema) YES
- Weight gain YES (5lbs just this last week)
- More than 2 pounds per week
- Sudden weight gain over 1 - 2 days
Note: Some swelling of the feet and ankles is considered normal with pregnancy.
Symptoms of more severe preeclampsia:
- Headaches that are dull or throbbing and will not go away NO
- Abdominal pain, mostly felt on the right side, underneath the ribs. Pain may also be felt in the right shoulder, and can be confused with heartburn, gallbladder pain, a stomach virus, or the baby kicking NO
- Agitation NO
- Decreased urine output, not urinating very often NO
- Nausea and vomiting (worrisome sign) NO
- Vision changes -- temporary loss of vision, sensations of flashing lights, auras, light sensitivity, spots, and blurry vision NO
Signs and tests
The doctor will perform a physical exam and order laboratory tests. Signs of preclampsia include:
- High blood pressure, usually higher than 140/90 mm/Hg YES
- Protein in the urine (proteinuria) YES
The physical exam may also reveal:
- Swelling in the hands and face YES
- Weight gain YES
Blood and urine tests will be done. Abnormal results include:
- Protein in the urine (proteinuria) NO
- Higher-than-normal liver enzymes NO
- Platelet count less than 100,000 (thrombocytopenia) NO
Your doctor will also order tests to see how well your blood clots, and to monitor the health of the baby. Tests to monitor the baby's well-being include pregnancy ultrasound, non-stress test, and a biophysical profile. The results of these tests will help your doctor decide whether your baby needs to be delivered immediately. Had the non-stress test at the hospital.
Women who began their pregnancy with very low blood pressure, but had a significant rise in blood pressure need to be watched closely for other signs of preeclampsia.
Treatment
The only way to cure preeclampsia is to deliver the baby.
If your baby is developed enough (usually 37 weeks or later), your doctor may want your baby to be delivered so the preeclampsia does not get worse. You may receive different treatments to help trigger labor, or you may need a c-section.
If your baby is not fully developed and you have mild preeclampsia, the disease can often be managed at home until your baby has a good chance of surviving after delivery. The doctor will probably recommend the following:
- Getting bed rest at home, lying on your left side most or all of the time DR knew this would be difficult considering i have 2 young kids.
- Drinking extra glasses of water a day and eating less salt CHECK
- Following-up with your doctor more often to make sure you and your baby are doing well CHECK
- Taking medicines to lower your blood pressure (in some cases) YUP
Immediately call your doctor if you gain more weight or have new symptoms.
In some cases, a pregnant woman with preeclampsia is admitted to the hospital so the health care team can more closely watch the baby and mother.
Treatment may involve:
- Medicines given into a vein to control blood pressure, as well as to prevent seizures and other complications
- Steroid injections (after 24 weeks) to help speed up the development of the baby's lungs
You and your doctor will continue to discuss the safest time to deliver your baby, considering:
- How close you are to your due date. The further along you are in the pregnancy before you deliver, the better it is for your baby.
- The severity of the preeclampsia. Preeclampsia has many severe complications that can harm the mother.
- How well the baby is doing in the womb.
The baby must be delivered if you have signs of severe preeclampsia, which include:
- Tests (ultrasound, biophysical profile) that show your baby is not growing well or is not getting enough blood and oxygen
- The bottom number of the mother's blood pressure is confirmed to be over 110 mmHg or is greater than 100 mmHg consistently over a 24-hour period MARTY THIS IS WHY THEY HAD TO GET JOSHUA EARLY
- Abnormal liver function tests
- Severe headaches
- Pain in the belly area (abdomen)
- Fluid in the mother's lungs (pulmonary edema)
- Low platelet count (thrombocytopenia)
- Decline in kidney function (low amount of urine, large amount of protein in the urine, increase in the level of creatinine in the blood)
Now aren't you glad i filled you in on all this information? :)
Drs visit today bp was 120/80 : can't get much better than that. they are just going to continue monitoring me weekly, possibly 2x a week. i was seeing a midwife but now that's i'm "high risk" i have to switch over to the Dr care. which isn't really want i want but i know it will still be great care. and hopefully i will still be able to have the type of delivery that i want to have. but i am trying not to set myself up for any disappointments... just going to go with the flow and get Will here safely. Just going to focus on me and the baby and hopefully he'll stay in there as long as he needs (but i am ready to meet him). i'll be back to the drs on tuesday!!
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