Sunday, May 29, 2011

WELCOME SWEET BABY GIRL


We would like you all to meet
Danielle Grace Anderson
Born May 23, 2011
6:36 am
6 lbs 12 oz
19.5 inches
Here's how it all went down...

All weekend long I was having contractions at night, so every night I would go to bed timing my contractions only to have them taper off and then stop. But I had a lot of pressure too and I felt like I was going to have her any day because I just was in pain.

On Sunday, I was quite miserable, in fact a few ward members pulled Kory aside in concern because I just looked wiped out, and boy did I feel it. During sunday school while Axel napped across Kory's lap, I napped on his shoulder, because I was just exhausted. I am sure we were quite the sight. :)

That night after dinner, because I was soo wiped out, I opted to not load our dishes in the dish washer, and just left them in the sink. I said to myself, she's not coming tonight, so I can do these in the morning. ha ha

After Axel went to bed, Kory and I retired to our bedroom to play card games before bed. But even that made me exhausted, so we decided to just read our scriptures and talk for a bit. Kory also painted my toe nails for me.

We kinda joked how we were somewhat disappointed she didn't come this weekend because it would have been mighty convenient for us. We eventually decided to call it a night and literally the minute we turned out the lights, I got a very hard strong contraction (at about 12:20).

Kory then said to me "Let me know if they get closer together and I'll time you." He then fell asleep almost instantly, and I just laid there with my phone in my hand waiting for the next one, wondering if it would be an hour away or sooner, or nothing at all. But to my surprise and unlike the nights before the next one came on much much quicker, 12 minutes later at 12:32.

Then another at 12:45

So I texted my sister (who is a Labor and Delivery Nurse, and I knew she was working and would be up) and asked her what I should be watching for.

She told me 4-5 minutes apart and hard to talk or move through, then come to the hospital. I would text her everytime I got a contraction which I am sure she was annoyed by, but Kory was sound asleep until they started to get stronger, and I couldn't help but cry out in pain.

The contractions stayed at 12 minutes for about an hour, then started to increase to 8 minutes at 2 then they started coming at 4 minutes, and were quite painful, so we called Kory's mom to tell her we were going to the hospital, she was such a good sport and came right over to stay with Axel. When we left for the hospital it was about 2:30 and my contractions were 2-4 minutes apart and very strong.

My sister had a bed and room waiting for us when we got there. I got changed and she started monitoring my contractions. I was only to a 4 so she was worried that if we couldn't get my contractions close enough together my Dr would send me home.

After that they started to space back out to 8 minutes, but were really long, like 3 minutes long. My sister thought that was really weird and unusual, so they stripped my membranes to see if that would help them be more consistent. Then the Dr. came in and before my sister had to plead my case, he asked if I would like them to break my water, and advised my sister to give me Petocin if the contractions wouldn't regulate.

FEW! That was such a huge relief, because up to that point we weren't sure if I got to stay. I didn't want to get sent home, and I also was relieved to be getting pitocin again because I knew it would help make it go by quicker, and that would make it more like Axel's delivery so more doable to me.

They broke my water with what Kory tells me was a long stick like thing, I was in pain recovering from a contraction so I didn't notice how, nor did I want to know how it was done.

After they broke my water we kinda waited to see how quickly I would dilate and to see if my contractions would start to be more regular.

They were coming on faster after that but still like 3-5 minutes long, instead of like the minute that they should be and they were very very painful. So I asked for my epidural, I was in a lot of pain, and when they did my epidural I had a hard time understanding what the Dr. was saying because I was in so much pain.

After the epidural we decided the pitocin would be a good idea to help me dilate the rest of the way, I can't remember what I was at that point.

Once I couldn't feel the contractions anymore I was able to take a small nap, and I think just that relaxing time I got to just breath really helped, because up to that point I was a mess. I was crying and shaking, and my nerves were just shot. But it really helped. At about 6am my sister checked me again and I was fully dilated so she called the dr and had him come in.

I pushed through one contraction and they had me push once more, and then sorta half push, since my contractions were longer than most, we didn't have to wait for the next one, and out she came, my Dr. had me sit up to see her come out, and I got to watch as they pulled her shoulders and such out, I was soo amazed! She looked sooo much like Axel I just started to cry, and I wanted to hold her right away.

My sister cleaned her up and brought her over to me, and I was able to nurse her right there, and it was amazing. It was hard at first because she was upset, but then she latched on and was such a good nurser. When she was all done nursing she stuck her thumb right in her mouth. It was pretty cute.


My mom was there with us and was our designated camera man, so I got the whole thing on film :) Don't worry I wont post it here, but I am really glad I got to see it after, and it wasn't as traumatic as I thought it would be either, so glad I decided to do that this time, and that my nurse didn't talk me out of it. :)
Remember when I had the bleeding back at 6 weeks? My Dr actually was able to find where the tear was in the placenta. Which I thought was pretty cool. I didn't see it but thought it was cool they were able to find it again. I didn't require stitches, but my Dr. put two in just to be safe. Which has made my recovery awesome! I didn't think it would be easier than when I had Axel, which was part of my anxiety, but it was. But maybe this is true for everyone's 2nd, your body just knows what to do, and so it's not as stressful?Mother Baby Stay


My stay in Mother Baby was brief (upon my request) and not because we are cheap either, which we are, but that wasn't why. :) I just didn't want to be there longer than required. I knew being home would be much much more restful. The only thing I liked this time, and I can not believe these words are coming out of my mouth was the food. (This coming from a girl who use to make said hospital food) They have switched to a room service type deal and that was soo great. I got to order what I wanted and it was really nice, and none of it reminded me of the crappy days of working there (just fyi, worst job I EVER had) except maybe the cream cheese cookies, which are to die for.

My nurses were great too, but its just the whole coming in all night long that drives you nuts. And since Kory wasn't staying with us in the hospital I was left taking care of baby girl on my own, every time they woke her up, so needless to say I was so glad when they said we got go home a day early.

We have loved the new addition to our family, she is such a sweet little thing, she is sooo smiley already, and super strong. In some ways she reminds me of Axel, but in so many ways she is her own little person, and very different. She is still in the newborn sleep all the time stage, which is so great, but when she is awake she is busily looking about trying to figure noises out and opening up her teeny tiny eyes at us.

The transition of bringing her home has been so much easier than I anticipated it to be. I was soo nervous that it would be hard and stressful. But it has been so great. I think the hardest part is the other members of the family aka Axel, zoe and big dog, getting a little less attention. Axel seems to be adjusting ok, some days are really good, and some days are harder, but we're adjusting. Kory has been home all week so it has been great to have him here to help with all of Axel's issues.

Axel met her in the hospital shortly after we had her and said "Baby, shhh be quiet" in a soft voice. And that was pretty much all the attention he gave her for a couple days. He thought the food they gave me was more entertaining, and loved sitting on my bed eating ice and watching his shows. Each day he gets more and more into her, and is starting to be more interested. It took a little while. He has had a few meltdowns this week, which I think mostly is a result of his schedule being all messed up. He is such a routine kid, and even though we have tried to make it as routine and normal as possible it has been different for him. But all in all he is doing well and has even offered to give her hugs and loves.

Getting ready to bring her home...but we still had to wait 2 hours for them to do her hearing check...



Axel loved the hospital bed

Dad and baby girl
She can't decide if she loves her Binki or not, one thing is for sure, all of the sudden Axel wants one too, and whenever he finds one says "Kinki," pops it in his mouth...WHAT?! This from a kid who refused them since he was 6 months old.



All packed up ready to come home
This week we have been busy, already she has gone to two graduation lunches, a funeral, and a baby blessing. But mostly we have all been just hanging out together as a family making the most out of our time together. It has been so nice to have Kory home this week, this is the most I have seen of him since we had Axel.

What could be so interesting you ask?

I didn't see much of this donut after they gave it to me, it instantly became Axel's, and was used for a pirate hat (as seen here)
a Basketball hoop, a balloon, and the letter O.
Just some pictures of Dani
Getting ready for the funeral
Hanging out with Grandma
Nap time
yep Kory is sound asleep here.
Her old lady face
It was also our 5 year anniversary this week! We decided to keep it simple considering the circumstances and just took a trip to the park for a picnic and a little sun time. It was perfect, later that night a neighbor brought us dinner, and we watched a movie that night. But happy anniversary to us! Had we not had her Kory would have just been at work all day, instead we got to spend the whole week together as a family. Best Anniversary present ever, so thanks baby girl.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Boo Hoo Hoo

This book is one of my favorite books to read to Axel. (Ours isn't in Portuguese though, I kinda feel jipped) The book is all about a baby that cries and cries and the animals try to fix it by, feeding, playing, and bathing, but no matter what they try the baby still cries "BOO HOO HOO", until they figure out the baby just needs to be put to bed. Ah problem solved. It's full of animal sounds and Axel loves it.

We love reading this book to Axel, but also we love saying "BOO HOO HOO!" to him when he is throwing one of his toddler fits (which seem to be more frequent lately, and mostly over popsicles). Most of the time he will laugh at us and kinda snap out of it, or he will get even more angry and throw an even bigger tantrum. (Which I'll admit, I find pretty funny too, I know I am such a good mom.)

I often times think about my own fits and my own moments where I am acting like the "Boo Hoo Baby" and people around me want to say "BOO HOO HOO AMY, just suck it up". I feel like right now, I am going through one of those said moments

In hind sight when we had Axel 5 weeks early, I was pretty lucky, but I didn't really know or appreciate how lucky I was at the time. For me my pregnancy with Axel was wonderful, and if you asked me then I would have told that I LOVED BEING PREGNANT. I really did, yeah sure it had it's hard moments but for the most part that was my attitude. Obviously, I couldn't wait to get pregnant again.

Fast forward to this pregnancy,...

Now before I go onto my "Boo Hoo" rant, I first need to say, I do know how blessed I am to be able to even get pregnant, and I am grateful that I am having another baby, and that soon this baby will be mine all mine, and I will be full of so much love for said baby, and it will be wonderful, and I will look at all my grotesque stretchmarks and saggy boobies with pride because they will remind me of her and how much joy she brings me daily.

Now that being said, this pregnancy has been H. A. R. D. HARD. I don't know maybe I am being punished for not having enough sympathy for my pregnant friends that had hard pregnancies. But this pregnancy was hard for me, but there was some wonderful too. Each time I get to hear her heart beat, ah wonderful, or the day we found out she was still with us, and we saw her tiny lima bean body and little heart beat ...ah wonderful or when she moves my ENTIRE stomach late at night, and it scares her daddy, that is oh soo wonderful. I can not wait to meet her, I know it will be fantastic, but I am also quite scared too. Because I feel like we are now getting into unknown territory, that from this point on, it will just be harder, and harder, and I am having a hard time coping enough as it is.

But I am SOOOO done being pregnant! I get it, I get that people have to go 40 weeks and then some and then deal the whole recovery process to get their babies, and I got to skip all the miserable weeks with Axel, even my recovery was ok, I mean I had a couple moments but all in all, it was nothing a few motrin couldn't fix. So I should just consider myself lucky, and deal with it. Why should I be any luckier than the next person?

But, I just want to be done now, can I please please please have this baby already? Today, I feel like I can't even walk, I went to the grocery store because I don't want to be out of food when the baby comes (we had no food with Axel and had to go get bread on our way home from the hospital to make lunch, so see I had to do hard things too). I keep trying to prepare myself for her to come every single night and then I wake up and she hasn't and I am angry and frustrated. I have been in pain all day, and I feel like my tailbone is going to break. It hurts and I am ready to drive myself to the hospital to get her OUT. (Not that they would let me stay if I went, but I just want to be done.)

I hate not knowing what is going to happen or what to plan for, I am envious of my friends who had their first babies full term, because they know what to expect and how being in labor is going to feel and that they have the reassurance that they can do it, because they've done it before.

I feel like because Axel was early he was little, and easy to push out, I never really felt contractions long enough to know what they would feel like, and by then I was already at the hospital water broken on our way to deliver him anyway, I kinda could care less about contractions. But now, every time I get a Braxton hicks one I think is that the start, is this going to start labor?

I don't know what it will be like to be in REAL labor, or to push a good sized baby out. And then there is the whole attitude from the Anderson family of having large babies, and it scares me to death. I don't know if I can give birth to a large baby. I haven't done it before, I haven't done any breathing exercises or even done keagles at all for this pregnancy. (sorry if that is TMI). I hate the unknown. I am hoping she takes after my side of the family. My mom was only 5 lbs 5 oz, but her kids were all 7 - 8 lbs, but I am hoping she won't be even close to 8, that seems too big.

This is what keeps me up at night, and if you read this then you probably are thinking "Boo Hoo Hoo Amy"...

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

As promised...

First, last night I got to catch up on TWO of my episodes of Grey's Anatomy, and as relaxing as that sounds, the episodes were all centered around babies and giving birth and babies growing in intestines, yeah I am so glad for the realistic-ness of TV drama. Needless to say my night that was supposed to help forget about the watermelon growing in my tummy (which by the way is ALSO possible according to Grey's Anatomy) ended up making more anxious and nervous for the big day, whenever that day may decide to show itself...

So here is my post for today

A few weeks ago we had a visit from our old neighbors now friends in Georgia, Jessica and her son Shane. We went to the park one afternoon, and the boys had a blast playing on the playground and in the sand.

The boys made their way to the playground but couldn't resist stopping by this couple making out. Yeah they were making out when we pulled up.

Enjoying the slides
And creamies
Still kinda afraid of the holes in the playground, he feels safer when he crawls across it or holds onto the rail. Oh my cautious boy! Axel has mastered the art of using the big boy swings, notice his little pinkie still wrapped up.

This picture cracks me up. he looks like he HATES to swing but he really loves it
Digging in the dirt
Axel LOVE's "Shubels" and we love the way he says "Shubels" too.
Shane and his mommy
One minute I was taking a picture of these two boys being cute and digging in the sand and then...Wait for it...Bam! Shane smacks Axel across the face, how sad is that? But at the same time pretty awesome I got a picture of it, because usually I would miss it! But Axel was pretty tough about it, which is new for him. Since most of the time he acts pretty heart broken. He took this one like a tough kid.
We also started watching these two kids again
This is Baby Gauge, Story's little brother and he and I were working on his tummy time and Story and Axel came up and popped their little heads up and said "BOO" over and over followed by lots and lots of giggles. Axel thinks Gauge is pretty neat and the next day came in to our bedroom to see if the "Baby" was in the crib still. Then Story did what Story does best...couldn't contain her excitement so it was time for a HUG! And as you can tell Axel was... well he survived :)

And Gauge is so cute, and such a good baby, his personality reminds me so much of Axel's so it makes watching him pretty great for me, he actually liked tummy time, even tho he looks kinda bored, he was smiling periodically and liked the kids playing peek-a-boo with him.

Axel's finger is almost healed, at his last appointment the specialist told us it was healing GREAT and that to just let it be free from any sort of band-aid or bandage. All the dead skin has been replaced with new fresh skin. The stitches are still there, but will dissolve eventually we are told, right now some have dissolved, some have not, but it is looking much better, and the old nail fell off a couple days ago and a new nail is growing in. It will take about two full re-growths before we will know for sure how it weathered the accident.

I got checked for the first time last week, it was terrible. But the good news is, I was told by my Dr, I was 1 1/2 close 2 and 80% effaced. He also said, I am guessing you will have her by week 38. (Which at the time I was like man really, you mean it's not today?) Then at my last appointment earlier this week I was already to a 3! Which is kinda exciting because I was only to a 2 when my water broke with Axel. However, obviously I know that this baby/pregnancy is different than my pregnancy with Axel, so we're just playing the waiting game for now, and I am trying not to think about it.

The other night Kory and I were discussing about the possibility of being induced by week 39 if I haven't had her. Up to this point we have had differing view points on the matter. Kory wants me to let it happen when it happens, and I feel like lets just get her OUT! Our Dr said we can get induced anytime after the 28th, But the problem with that is that 1) its our anniversary weekend and 2) its memorial day weekend, so really it would have to be after that anyway, and Kory said if you wait you could go swimming in my parents pool on memorial day. That was all he had to say to me, and now we are on the same page. I mean there is always the chance that she will come earlier but I'm not getting my hopes up for that. ha ha