Our First Week At Home

Our first week at home has been great!  Lauren and Colton LOVE Taylor and want to hold her 24/7!

Taylor has been sleeping from 9-1 then wake up to eat and go back to sleep from 2-5...eat again and go back to sleep.  She is used to all the noise so she just sleeps through the craziness that is now our home of 5!  :-)  During the day she is eating ever 2-3 hours and is doing great!  I will say I didn't watch her latch on the first few days as I took it for granted that I have done this two times before so when I started feeling more pain than I ever have the first week of nursing I started paying more attention.  It is getting better, however I know the first two weeks have always been the hardest for me...so come on day 14!  I will say, I would honestly rather go through labor without an epidural for 1 day in my lifetime than to have to feel the pain I'm feeling every 2-3 hours for 14 days straight!  But there is a light at the end of the tunnel and I know it helps me and her...so we are pushing through! 

 

Taylor's First Doctor Appointment

Monday we took Taylor to see Dr. Furlow at NW Pediatrics in Fayetteville for her first weight check at 4 days old.  Dr. Furlow said she looks great and now we just take her back at her 2 week birthday for another weight check but she didn't seem to think there would be a problem since she has only lost 1.5 ounces since birth and my milk just came in Sunday.

Stats:

Weight: 7 lbs 9.5 oz

Height: 19 1/4 inches (so either the measurement at the hospital or the Dr office was off)

Head: 14 inches around

Taylor is currently eating every 2-3 hours and has been such a great baby!

Taylor's Visitors

One of the first pics after baby Taylor was born

Hospital Visitors

Granny and Papa

Nana and Papaw

Nona and Poppa Louie

Aunt Tammy with cousins Katlyn and Austin

Uncle Ryan, Aunt Lisa and cousin Kieran

Aunt Bobye

Cousin Kaeleigh

Aunt Mary Ann

Great Cousin Morgan

 

My friend Raegon Barnes with twins in her belly!  Can't wait to meet them!

Melissa Emmett and Keisha, Ryan, Jackson and Ethan Stearle stopped by the hospital as well but we didn't get a picture :-(

Visitors at Home

Carrie, Lori, Jen and Melanie (not pictured)

Jessica

Aunt Kissy, Uncle Brian and Ava Bug

Chad and Julie

Thanks everyone for all the food, clothes, gifts, etc!  We really appreciate it!

Taylor Marie Williams Has Arrived!

Thursday morning we headed to the Dr for our 8:30 am appointment.  Dr came in and said "ok ready to have this baby"?  He checked me and I was 3 cm and 75% effaced so he stripped my membranes.  He asked if we wanted to go to the hospital or walk around some and go later.  I told him I wanted to walk some but he was worried that if we didn't go then we would end up in the ER first where they would monitor me before calling him where if we went now he would call Labor and Delivery and have them get us a room set up without having to go through the ER.  That way he would not miss the birth.  So we opted for that.  We went to the hospital, got checked in and went to the car to carry stuff in.  We got settled in our room (room 12)  around 9:15 and by 9:30 am I was having contractions.  They were about 15 minutes apart at first and from 9:30 to 12:30 moved to 6 minutes apart.  The Dr came in at 12:30 and checked me and said I was 4 cm and still 75% effaced so he broke my water.  I have never felt that before because with Lauren and Colton I already had the epidural when the water was broken so that was interesting!  I told the nurse when we went in that I didn't want an epidural but my husband and Dr wanted me to get one.  She said "why do you want to suffer?" and I just told her I wanted to feel like I was having a baby so I wanted to at least feel part of it.  She held off telling the anesthesiologist that I wanted an epidural for a while.  When Dr Reiter came in at 12:30 he thought I was already on one and had pitocin.  I told him that I had never had Pitocin so unless I needed it I really didn't want it so we held off since I was progressing on my own.  The nurse told him that my lab work was not back for the epidural yet (thanks Maria) so that's why I didn't have an epidural yet.  After he broke my water the nurse asked again if I was ready for one and I knew that once the water was broken things would pick up so I told her to go ahead and put the order in.  Boy was I right.  The contractions went from 6 minutes apart to 2 minutes apart to 0 minutes apart with NO break!  They were back to back and so much stronger than before so I was glad I said I wanted an epidural.  About an hour after my water was broken the anesthesiologist came in and gave me an epidural but it didn't take on my right side all the way so in a way I got what I wanted...I got to feel something and was still comfortable (after everything I'm so glad I got the epidural).  I was 6 cm but quickly went to 8 cm and then 10.  When I was 8 cm the baby's HR went down into the 70's so the Dr and nurse rushed in and told me to roll over to my back, then to my side, etc.  That fixed the problem and the Dr said "either the baby is laying on the cord or holding it...they do that sometimes" but once the HR was back up Kraig was back at ease.  They put me on oxygen to make sure the baby was getting enough but luckily the HR issue was quick and we were back to normal.  Around 2 pm or so the HR started going down again but not into the 70's and the nurse checked me and said "that's why...the baby is right there" and she paged Dr Reiter who was in another delivery.  He told her to tell me to not push until he got in the room (since Colton's delivery was 2 pushes and he was here Dr Reiter didn't want to miss it).  So we did just that..we waited (not long) and Dr Reiter came in the room...got suited up and when I had my next contraction he asked me to push.  I pushed 1 time and baby's head started crowning and Kraig said "do you see hair?" and Dr Reiter said "oh yea...lots of hair" and he started to make a mohawk with the hair.  Kraig told me to look so I looked down and said "oh my gosh! It's got to be a boy!" (because Lauren was bald and Colton had lots of black hair).  The next thing I knew baby's head was out and he asked me to push again so I did and here was baby...Dr Reiter held baby up and said "it's a girl" and I in total shock said "OH MY GOSH!" and started crying.  I was in total shock and so was Kraig!  What a WONDERFUL surprise!  I just knew Kraig knew it was a boy based on the comments he had made over the last 9 months and was trying to hide it from me but was not doing a great job so that's part of the reason I was convinced baby was a boy but after the delivery Kraig told me that he did NOT know that at 18 weeks Dr Reiter tried to show him on ultrasound but the cord was in the way so he had no clue.  He thought it was a boy but was not sure so we were in total shock.  Our baby girl arrived safe and sound with 10 tiny fingers and 10 tiny toes and is a pound bigger than her brother and sister were at birth!  We are so in love!

Introducing Taylor Marie Williams

7/5/12

2:24 pm

7 lbs 11 oz

20 inches long

Sibling Love

Kraig's mini me in the girl form :-)

Another successful delivery for Dr Reiter and our family

Getting ready to go home Friday afternoon

Thanks to Nana and Papaw we were able to have Friday night at home just the 3 of us.  They kept Lauren and Colton until Saturday morning and brought them home around 9:30.  They were super excited to see Taylor and so far all Lauren wants to do is help me with Taylor or hold her 24/7!  Colton wants to hold her some too but not as much as Lauren...it's his age and the fact that he is a boy.  He will hold her and then want to go play with his trucks/trains/etc.  We are so in love and I'm SO glad we waited to the very end to find out the sex!  What a neat surprise!  Friday night Kraig and I watched the ultrasound video for the first time and the Ultrasound Tech put "hoo hoo" on the video to tell us we were having a girl!  Funny!  :-)

39 Weeks - Baby #3

We went to the Dr Tuesday morning for our 39 week checkup.  First thing Dr said was “are you ready to have this baby today” and I said “let’s talk…I really don’t want to have the baby on purpose today or tomorrow because of the 4th“ and he said “well then lets not check you because I don’t want to stir anything up”.  I then said “if you were going to stir the pot, when would you want to do that?” and he said “Thursday because I’m off at 12 Friday and am on vacation next week” so Kraig and I both said “perfect!”  So we go back Thursday morning and Dr Reiter will strip my membranes in hopes that it brings on labor.  It’s not a guarantee but it did work with Colton so hopefully it will work with this baby also.  Per Dr’s orders I am to relax today and tomorrow so that I don’t bring on labor on my own…so I think I can handle that for 2 days and let daddy do the heavy lifting.  :-)  So it looks like Thursday is the day!!!!!  Kraig and I had actually talked about Thursday because the Dr I don’t like is on call this weekend (from 12 noon Friday until 7 or 8 am Monday) and I didn’t want to risk going into labor over the weekend with that dr delivering…so when Dr Reiter said Thursday without us even mentioning it, it was confirmation that Thursday was meant to be the day (of course unless baby comes on his or her own before then which is fine with me too since it would happen naturally but yes I would like for baby to stay until Thursday if possible). So that’s our update for the week.  Have a great 4th everyone!  We will keep you posted on babies arrival!

Here are pics from Thursday morning...baby's birthday!

39 weeks and 2 days

I don't have any belly pics to compare because this is the furthest I've ever carried a baby.

Stats
How Far Along: 39 weeks and 2 days

Dilation: 3 cm

Effacement: 75%

Baby's station: Dr said baby is lower but didn't give me a #

Size of baby: Watermelon (19 to 22 inches long and 6-9 lbs)

Baby's Heart Rate: 153

Measurement: I'm not sure because I was so excited to meet baby that day I didn't ask

Blood Pressure: 114/72 (mine is always low)

Weight Gain: -1 pounds so a total of 22 pounds

Maternity Clothes: Um Yes!

Gender: It's a Surprise!

Movement: All the time and in my ribs!  Ouch!

Sleep: Last night both Kraig and I actually slept great!  I did have contractions from 3-4 am but that could have just been nerves.

Symptoms: Braxton Hicks contractions, sore ribs and some nerve that feels like a charlie horse down the inside of my leg when baby hits it just right...but that's all to be expected and I try not to complain since this is what I wanted.  :-).  The heart burn and acid reflux has gotten better in the last week which is probably because baby is starting to drop!

What I miss: Being able to bend over or stand up normally...but this too shall pass!  Also being able to hold Lauren.  She has been wanting me to hold her for a while now but since she is 40 pounds I can't lift her so I'm looking forward to holding my baby girl!

Cravings: Anything sweet.

Best Moment this week: Soaking up the last few moments of feeling baby move in my belly.

What I am looking forward to: Seeing my baby for the first time!

Happy 4th of July 2012!

Per my doctor's orders the day before, I was supposed to relax and take it easy on the 3rd and 4th so I didn't go into labor.  Because of this I didn't feel like going to the lake on the 4th, so I stayed home and Kraig took the kids to Mark and Missy's lake house for a few hours.  We were going to watch fireworks that night but didn't think keeping the kids up late would be good for our big day Thursday.  So we cooked out at home as our last night as a family of four. 

Happy Fourth of July!