Mean Girls

I've been wanting to write this post for some time now, but just haven't quite known exactly what I wanted to say..but since I just want to say it, I'm not going to bother with eloquence, and just get it out there!

Girls/Women have a bad rap: catty, gossipy, back-stabbing. And let's face it, sometimes we come by that reputation quite fairly..it's probably safe to say that at one point or another we've all done something to land us in the 'Mean Girl' category. In high school I used to say that I preferred to play soccer with the boys, 'cause they'd knock you on your butt once or twice & be done with it. Girls, though, they scratched, & pinched, & whispered nasty things about your hair the whole game through. I once had my jersey quite literally ripped off & scratch marks clawed down my back by a girl! And you better believe I tried my hardest to make life hell for that girl the rest of the game! See what I mean? Totally vengeful. Even if I do think I was justified that time!

Now, as a mom, I've noticed that there's a whole new category of 'mean-ness' when it comes to motherhood. Oh yeah. Massive judging goes on about what other moms let their kids eat, how they dress them, school them, sleep training, breastfed vs formula....Oh. My. Gosh. It's ridiculous! Here we are, doing what I think is the most difficult thing I've ever done in my life, & instead of playing nice with the other 'team members' we spend a butt load of time tearing each other down!

EXCEPT, here's where I want to set the record straight! Mom's can be wonderful to each other. And I have been especially lucky in this department. So, this is the part where I say a HUUUUUUGE THANK YOU to the women who have helped me more than words can say, with the transition into mommyhood! You guys really don't have to read the rest of this..feel free to skip to the end, but I just want to say thanks to these girls!

My sister-in-law, Heather, is an amazing mother to her two little kiddos..& she started helping me out while I was still pregnant..did my baby shower invites (they were so cute!), gave me advice, has lent me baby clothes galore, & the bassinet that's saved my life..& I'm sure some other stuff, too! Then, when everything got a little crazy, she & her husband took our dog while I was in the hospital, made us dinners, offered to clean our house..I really can't say thanks enough to her!

My friend, Cheryl, is so great..a Supermom, if I ever knew one! Went through & finished nursing school with two little boys & a husband in Afghanastan..WOW! The advice, the sanity, the phone calls..the offers to take Aiden when I'm ready to pull my hair out! The pedicures & chocolate..& lending me her glider, 'cause dang those things are pricey! My brain is intact today because of her :)

Aaaaand, my friend, Shan. We go back to when we were newly married neighbors, living next door in our townhouses..helping each other out then, too, with dogs & house sitting. She had her little boy a few months before me, so it was all fresh in her mind. And man did she go the extra mile for me! Lent me her swing, her BellaBand (highly recommend those things!)..plenty of other things, I know, but just can't remember right now (I have a list, don't worry, you'll get it all back!) She, too, has had a hand in my sanity, fielding one or two crazed phone calls about how my little boy just won't fall asleep!

I can't forget Jill..awesome mommy numero 4! Lunch & walks with her are so relaxing..something which is essential when my days feel like whirlwinds of puke & diapers! Not to mention good, sound, breastfeeding advice & all her extra diapers that don't fit her little guy anymore (that's a money saver right there!).

Last, but not least, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Amber, for her advice on reflux, & Holly, for her advice on how to navigate & survive those first couple weeks at home. Both of their advice has been absolutely priceless!

So THANK YOU girls! From the bottom of my heart! I swear I'll be returning the favor to you guys with your next kids, or your present kids, & to other new mommy's, even complete strangers at the store! Because, quite frankly, I just don't want to be a mommy- critic! It's hard enough as it is to figure this craziness out without someone telling us we're doing it wrong! So There!

Saturday Mornin' Photo Shoot for the Grandparents!

I'm actually surprised our little guy was in such a good mood this morning..he's had reflux pretty bad & it's made him miserable! We tried all the non-medicinal treatments (change mommy's diet, elevate the head of his bed, keep him upright for 30 minutes after nursing (that is super time consuming, btw, since he'd scream if I set him down!)) None of it seemed to help. So we went in to the pediatrician & got him on some Zantac. I know it'll take a few weeks to really be effective..but he already seems a bit happier! Thank goodness..'cause it sucks when your baby hurts & nothing you do helps :(



Laughin' at mom & dad :)



I love this face! I can't quite figure out what he's thinkingwhen he makes it!

The stare down w/ Daddy!

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!

Happy Mom's Day to all the mommies out there..this time around I actually realize all that my mother went through to be my mom..what an amazing woman she is! I hope I can be half the mom she is. And the pics I promised...feast your eyes on the cutest little boy I know !

Long Time Comin'

So it's been an eventful 6 or 7 weeks since I've posted...This mom thing? I love it! But it's an adjustment! People talked about the crazy sleep schedules, the gallons of bodily fluids, the erratic hormonal roller coaster...Well it's all talk 'till it becomes reality! And oh, what a reality it is!

For starters..that 'drama' I mentioned at the end of my last post? Well, no one mentioned to me that toxemia doesn't just go away when you deliver. In fact, they all made it sound like having your baby would instantly cure the problem. Not so, my friends, not so! It can stick around for a couple MONTHS after delivery! Yup. Well, I didn't know this (a couple people have said 'you're a nurse..how did you not know?' Well, I'm an ONCOLOGY nurse..not an OB nurse (I hated the subject in nursing school, actually!) and...AND...I'm a new mother! My head is not in the nursing mindset, thanks very much! Treat me like I'm any other patient, please!

Right.

So back to the drama: a few days after having Aiden, I realized I was having POUNDING headaches. My OB had told me to check my blood pressure at home, but let's face it, I had other things on my mind. I finally did check it..and it was still just as high as when my Dr freaked out & induced me. We wound up in the ER that night..& I went home on blood pressure meds, which I just barely got the OK to stop taking. Hmmm...woulda been nice to know all that before I dropped $150 on an ER copay!

Aiden is growing SO fast! But no chunking out for our little dude..his growth is all length-wise! The kid is a freakin' piece of spaghetti, I tell you! I don't think he'll ever be a roly-poly baby..friends babies who were born after him already weigh more than he does! Not that he's malnourished..he just has the Newman/Thornley metabolism..so he's pretty much destined to be a lurp :) I was kinda worried at first..but after some research learned that exclusively breastfed babies tend towards the leaner side..& I'm a-ok with that!

ANYWHO, it's the most incredible thing to watch his little personality grow :) He is a very stubborn & super strong little boy..already holding his head up completely on his own so he can look around (he is a very curious little man, & gets really mad if he can't see things) & pushing up to stand on his twiggy little legs! He's started 'talking' back to us & giving us those cute little smiles..yeah, I'm in love!

I won't bore you, cause I know that a lot of this is only interesting if it's your child..but I will post pics tonight..'cause I don't care who ya' are..they're freakin' cute!

Once Again...

My friend, Wendy, has done a fabulous job photographing my little family..& this time Aiden's more than a belly bump :)

Jeff&Meg+1

Thanks, Wendy!

Prepare to be inundated!

What is about to ensue are a lot of words & a lot of pictures (in no specific order, might I add..I have yet to really figure out how to properly download photos to my blog!) In fact, I can't get them to line up the way I want, so they'll be randomly distributed throughout this post.

So, as y'all can tell..our little boy is here! YAY! A tad bit earlier than expected..& now that the dust has settled, we're ok with that!

On Friday, March 12th, I went in for my usual appointment..pee in a cup, check my vitals..blah, blah, blah.
Medical assistant pumping the cuff on my arm: "Huh. Your blood pressure's kinda high..that's weird..you run low."

Me: Well, I was a little rushed this morning..we can recheck it..what was it?

Medical Assistant: 150/90

Me: That's not too bad.

Got in, saw my Dr..she said re-check the blood pressure after I'd chilled in the waiting room a bit & asked if I had any headaches..not really, that I can think of..So, we rechecked the BP..it was still a tad high...

Dr: Why don't you come back in on Monday & we'll recheck it

Me: OK..my husband & I have a trip to Moab this weekend..are you still ok if I go?

Dr: Sure, just take it easy & come back in next week.

So we traipsed off to Moab..Jeff was riding in a fundraiser for Huntsman Cancer Institute..that's a whole 'nother blog...it was fun & I took it easy & just walked the doggy & chilled at local coffee shops.

Came home on Sunday. Went in to my Dr (saw a different guy, though) on Monday..pressure was still high so that Dr sent me home w/ a 24-hr pee collection (don't ask!). I asked that Dr if I could go into work that night..I really didn't want to use vacation time until I had our little guy.

He said: It's a night shift, right? Should be a little slower (hahaha..all my co-workers are laughing now..yes?)..sure, you can go in.

So, I went in to work Monday night. Notice I'm kiiiindaaa having a headache.."hmmm, wonder what my BP is" I think. So I check it. 175/110. Oh. OK. Higher than I though it'd be. Not awesome. So I kept rechecking it. And it stayed high. And I was getting a little nervous. So, just to be safe, I called my Dr on my way home from work & left a message w/ her nurse. Juuuust as I'm snuggling down in to bed my phone rings. It's my OB's nurse.

Nurse: We would like you to come in today.

Me: Oh. OK. Sure..what time?

Nurse: Now.

Grrrreeeeaaaaat.

I will now abbreviate: I went in. They put me on 'strict' bedrest but told me they'd be surprised if I made it 2-3 more days before inducing me. I laughed at them. Work was wonderful about helping me get 'called off' my Tuesday night shift (so I didn't have to use vacation time), & friends brought me books & chocolate (thanks Cheryl, Kelly & Heather!). I kept checking my BP at home. It stayed sky high even while I was flat on my back.

Here comes 3AM Wednesday morning..Are those contractions? Seriously? Well..they're not strong, just regular..every 5 minutes for 3 hours. And my BP? 190/120. Jeff was 'mildly' concerned..& I'll be honest, knowing what I do, I was a little nervous about stroking out at this point. So at 6AM I called the OB on call. She heard my BP's & told me to come in to be checked. I fully expected to be sent home to chill some more, but packed a bag anyways. Good thing I did. 'Cause they decided to induce me. HOLY. CRAP. I was SOO not ready for that!

So. Anyone here ever been on high dose magnesium sulfate? Raise your hand (hi, Amber!). Anyone ever had your guts torn out, eyeballs removed, legs turned to jell-o, all while being told 'PUUUUUUSSSSHHHHH'!!!! I really don't have adequate words for how freakin' AWFUL that stuff makes you feel! Magnesium sulfate, in high doses, is used in toxemia to relax muscles, which in turn, prevents seizures & strokes in someone w/ high blood pressure. Which, for me, equated to 3 different catheters (how much easier would it have been if they just left the first one IN?), cause I wasn't going to be walking on those jell-o legs, being unable to hold my head up at times & puking while pushing through my contractions. I opted for an epidural..which, I was extremely grateful for while I dilated from a 4 to a 10 in the space of about an hour..but when it came time for the pushing, I felt so out of control because of the Mag Sulfate, that I let the epi wear off pretty much all the way so I could feel when I needed to push. I'll be honest, it hurt like hell..I have a whole new measuring stick for pain. But I felt in control. Jeff had to basically fold me in half towards the end of the 2+ hours of pushing, & I felt so exhausted I was 'sleeping' in between contractions..haha! Side note: My husband is amazing. There is absolutely no way I could've done this without him..He physically & emotionally kept me going when I absolutely felt like I couldn't. And the second that I got to touch our little boy's head..it was all worth it, & I just couldn't stop crying. From that moment on, love has a new definition for me.

So at 11:04 PM we had Mr. Aiden. 6lbs 3 oz & 19 inches long & for that reason i'm glad i had him a month early or he'd of been huge! However, I was NOT glad he came early at the time, because after a few short minutes of getting to hold him, they whisked him away for further respiratory evaluation. Jeff went w/ him, & I'm so glad he did..our little guy had 2 episodes where his oxygen levels dropped dangerously low, leaving him unresponsive & gray..Jeff said he's never had a worse moment in his life. It bought the dude an instant pass to 24/7 monitoring & oxygen. My nurses were awesome & rolled my huge bed into the nursery after I was all straightened out & let me touch his foot..I went right back to feeling so helpless..I couldn't move out of my bed because of the magnesium & my little boy couldn't be taken out of his bassinet or unhooked from the wires & IV's he was now connected to..saying that the situation sucked is an understatement. All those wires & IV's hooked up to my little guy just broke my heart.

But, long story short, I believe in miracles & prayer (thank you everyone) because Aiden turned around pretty quickly, & only had to stay a couple extra nights in the hospital. The hospital social worker was great & worked it out so that even though I was discharged the day before Aiden was, we got to 'board' for free in our room so we didn't have to leave him. And now we have our little baby dinosaur (you should here him growl:) home. There's more drama following this whole story, but I'll save it for another post!

You still reading this? Wow! :)

To make a long a story short...

He looks just like his daddy & we think he's the best thing since sliced bread! More to follow soon..