Milo's Debut

Warning! This post is going to be long with lots of pictures and details.

A lot happened, and I don’t want to forget. So take what you want from it. If nothing else just enjoy the cute pictures of my new baby boy.

Pregnancy was great for me for the first 30 weeks. Sure I felt a little queasy at times, and smells sent me over the top, but all in all it was an exciting and enjoyable experience. However, the last 3 ½ weeks and delivery were a different story.

I was hospitalized on the 10th of September because I had high blood pressure, and the doctors were worried that the baby was being harmed. After 3 days of tests and pokes they decided that me and baby were okay. They sent me home and advised me to continue lying around and doing nothing. My blood pressure was still high, but everything else looked okay.

We were home for the 13th… Our anniversary.

I went in for a stress test on the 14th of September and I told the tech that was working that I was having a lot of upper stomach/chest pain. She told me that it was probably just heartburn or reflux and not to worry. Then after hooking me up to the machine we found out that I was contracting every 2-3 minutes. The weird thing is I did not feel a single contraction. She decided that even though it was probably just heartburn, that she would admit me to the hospital for further observation… I’m so glad that she did. She probably saved my life.

Chris and I sat in the same room that we were in 4 days earlier, both thinking, “ah man, here we go again.” All of the nurses agreed that I was probably just having heartburn, so they gave me some pepto and ran some blood work just to be on the safe side.

A few minutes later my doctor came in and said, “well, you’re not leaving here without a baby.” Everything started moving so fast. I was so scared because I knew that our son was only in the 4 lb. range and I so badly wanted him to be healthy. The doctors only told us the information that we needed to know at that moment, and that was that we needed to get that baby out of me… and fast. Later we would find out that I had developed a condition called HELP disorder. My high blood pressure was just the first sign. In one day since being released from the hospital, I had gone into liver failure, stopped making red blood cells, contracted pancreatitis, and stopped making platelets. All of this happened for some unknown reason, but they knew that the only cure would be delivery.

Within an hour I was in so much pain that I couldn’t even talk to Chris. Poor guy was sweating bullets.

Within three hours I was dilated to a 5. . . Without ever feeling a single contraction. . . weird! All of the pain that I was experiencing was in my chest because my liver and pancreas were swelling so much.

I kept asking the nurses about an epidural. We had originally planned to go natural on the birth, but I wanted the epidural to ease my chest pain. I knew that if I started actually feeling the labor pains I wouldn’t be able to handle them and my other pain at the same time.
That’s when the nurse told me that they ran more blood work and that my platelets had dropped so low that it was too risky to do an epidural because my blood wouldn’t clot.

In my stupidity I asked, “so you’re going to do a C-section?”

Of course the answer was no, that would have been even more dangerous. They just needed to get that baby out, and all natural was the only option.

Wow! With that news I thought that I was going to die.

7 hours later I was dilated to a 7 and a miracle happened.

Seriously it was a miracle.

My chest pain just stopped. I was able to sit up and actually breathe. I was able to gain my strength and take on the labor pains. The contractions started stacking up, but I was SO relieved that my chest pain was gone that I really didn’t mind. The birthing pain was manageable. I dilated from a 7 to 10 in about half an hour, and pushed him out in about 20 minutes.

He came out screeching like a bird. I was so happy. Big cries meant healthy lungs.

He weighed in at 4 lbs. 6 ounces. 17 ¾ inches long. Chris named him Milo Kalai. A name that very much suits him. I was so happy! It was also very weird to think that he had been living in me all that time!

Chris went down to the NICU with him while I went upstairs to the adult ICU. I felt 100 times better. Everyone kept acting like I was something super fragile, and I guess my stats said that I was, but I was so relieved and felt my body turning the corner. I wasn’t able to see Milo for the first day and a half because I was “too sick”. It was really hard not being able to be with my boy, but I felt so grateful that I had Chris. He was a wonderful dad and husband and went back and forth between my bed and our baby’s. I honestly can’t put into words how great Chris was through everything. I didn’t know that I could ever feel any closer to him than I already did, but this experience made me love him in a whole new way. It’s indescribable.

It’s weird because I know that this sounds like a traumatic story. I guess it was. . . especially for Chris, but the entire time I felt so incredibly blessed. It was like I could feel all of the prayers from our family and friends. I knew that I was never alone. I knew that this sweet baby boy was going to be so worth it, and I was actually grateful that we had this trial to strengthen our family. I know that all of this happened for a reason, and I can’t believe the tremendous blessing that it brought to us.

I was released from the hospital five days later.

It was crazy difficult to leave the hospital without Milo.

He finally got to come home with us 12 days after birth.

I love him with all of my heart, and I cannot believe that we get to be his parents forever. We need forever together. Anything less would be too little.

Yes, he has his days and nights confused and keeps us up and we’re insanely tired.

Yes, it’s a little bit scary bringing home such a tiny baby.
No, I wouldn’t trade this time for anything!

bed rest... hum...

Have you ever noticed that you always want what you can't have?

For example, everyone is always wishing that they were finished with school and complain that graduation is never going to come. I was guilty of whining about this trap for all three years before I graduated. On the flip side... I really miss trudging across frozen Weber State to listen to my poetry teacher lecture on how the 80's were the best becasue men could pull off wearing hooker boots. . . Still not sure what he was getting at, but the point is I miss being a student.

Girls are also natorious for this type of behavior.
Stick thin size 0 girls always complain about their flat chests and look at J-Lo's butt in envy.
Whereas nicely curvy girls always wish they could see the knobs of their hips.

Someone tells you to be quiet and suddenly you want to burst out with loud irritating noises.

Try it right now, tell yourself that you can't scratch an itch for the next five minutes. Garaunteed your lip starts to tickle or you notice that your hair is irritating your neck.

Why is it that we always want what we can't have?

The doctor told me I had to stop working and lay down more.
Every tired persons dream come true right?
Now all I want to do is go on walks, scrub the house, and plan parties.
She also said I had to stop eating salt.... ..... ..... .....
Ya, now I feel like a deer standing at a salt lick all the time.
Chips, cheese, soup... all loaded with salt. All ridiculously delicious!

Someone figure out this whole contentment thing quick and let me in on the secret!
P.S. Also any good suggestions of low salt foods are welcome. I feel like I'm starving to death... which let me assure you isn't the case, my maternity clothes are starting to get tight:)

I have decided, once again, that I am totally and completely in love with this guy!

I could write a long sappy post about how he does a million and one sweet things for me, and how proud I am of him for all of his hard work, but at the end of the day it's the corky little things that make me fall in love with him over and over again. So here is my list of weird reasons I love you.

1. Your weird fasination with margarita glasses, saki cups, and giant beer mugs. I swear you don't even mind that we're drinking O.J. and milk, it's all about holding a "cool" cup.

2. All of your cheap cons to get me to rub your neck or tickle your back.

3. Your obsession with dinosaurs, sharks, and dragons. You and our little boy are going to have so much fun because you'll finally have an excuse to bring toy reptiles to church:)

4. The countless times I've heard you sing Whitney Houston songs.

5. The face that you pull when you think that food is too hot, which is almost always, but it makes me laugh every time.

6. Your pink Hawaiian shirt, yellow old man boating shorts, and tight "european" spandex shorts that you think are swim trunks. Some how you pull it all off, but if someone was to look at your closet they would be a bit confused.

7. When you prepare for an extra strenuous day by putting deoderant on your chest as well as your armpits. Because as you say, "you never know, things just might get crazy."

8. The fact that you took three pages of notes in our first birthing class. Also that you asked lots of questions and then turned to me and said, "that was a good question huh?" And when I smiled back you said, "well everyone was wondering."

9. That you have named all of your ties, eukaleles, and favorite pillows saucy girl names. You know I can't compete with Genora.

10. Ever noticed that you are always the loudest spectator? I love it, but when you yell out "Desmond have my baby," people wonder who in the world is the girl standing next to you :)

Like I said before, there are millions of real and sincere reasons why I am so content with spending my forever with you, but these are the ones that have made me smile especially big lately.

The Pros and Cons of Pregnancy

26 weeks... Getting fatter!

The pros of being pregnant

-The first time you get to see baby, even if it is on a small sonogram screen.
~ No one gives you funny looks for having 2 scoops of icecream.
- Someone's brilliant idea to mash the top of your favorite sweat pants with the bottom of your favorite jeans... quite comfy, and socially acceptable!
~Feeling my little guy move, and my heart instantantly racing in response.
-Finding baby's first jeans, first hat, and first shoes.
~Watching Chris rub my tummy.
-Making floppy hats, booties, and mittens for baby to wear.
~Having people constantlly assuming that you would like to eat and sit... Which, most of the time, is actually spot on!
-Getting cards and things in the mail from friends and family wishing you well.
-Ordering "pregnant lady" servings at restaraunts.
~Knowing that every day he is getting bigger and healthier, and will come out to play!

The cons of being pregnant

~Acid reflux... completely disgusting experience.
-Try mopping the kitchen floor right after Thanksgiving dinner...
~Worrying about stretch marks and mutant belly buttons.
-Being HOT, and I don't mean this as a cute acronym like PHAT. I'm talking sauna inside my body all the time.
~Crying, no scratch that--SOBBING over cockroaches, Miley Cirus, and Olive Garden (or lack of Olive Garden).
-Being pregnancy dumb. I thought this was an old wive's tale... that was until I locked myself out of the house 9 times, forgot to push the start button on the washing machine, and stood outside the wrong appartment for 15 minutes. It's real, and it sucks!
~Growing "pregnancy" Ompa loompa cheeks and chin.
-Getting lodged in spaces that you used to be able to slip through.
~WAITING.... WAITING.....WAITING! Especially when we are so excited!

Facation

When people come to visit, we get to play tourguide to the island. It ends up being an awesome break for us, and even though we don't actually leave, it becomes a fake vacation--hense the title of this blog.

Our latest visitors were Jon and Susianne. A.K.A Chris's brother and his wife
Our facation had a lot of this

and a bit of this

dr. Mario + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + ~ + Drinking games... with lemon juice

and a bit of this for the boys

Swimming with the sharks!!! Both boys came back fully intact, although Chris did lose his lunch out there with the sharks.

We loved having our visitors! Facations are just as great as real vacations.

Also for an update on baby news: Here's me. 23 weeks

I am so so so happy my mom and sister sent out some maternity clothes. I may never wear regular jeans again:)

Also, last night after eating a yummy dinner Chris cooked, I breathed out, and my belly button turned into a mutant. It is definately threatening to turn into an outtie!!! EW.

A Day of Firsts

To start out, here's the progress of the bump. I can't believe that we are half way there! Only 18 more weeks and we'll actually get to hold our boy.

~And no one should say I still look small. I feel like a hippo-or at least a large penguin.


Yesterday was the first time away from family on Father's Day. Chris and I both missed our families, we love you guys! But we made the best of it. I made Chris breakfast... Which was the first time that I have made hashbrowns... it was a bit of a disaster because our pans stick like crazy! Then we watched the World Cup for a bit. Chris was holding me and got to feel our baby move for the first time! It was really exciting to see him light up. This was definately the best first for the day. Chris was so excited because our boy was practicing his soccer skills while watching FIFA.



After Church, Chris opened the Father's day package his mom sent, which contained several fun firsts for us: our first baby bottle, first binky, first bib, and first tube of butt cream. Thanks John and Vicky!
It was fun to spend all day together as our small, but growing, family. I am so excited that Chris is a soon to be dad. He is going to do a great job! I can't wait to see him with our son. I'm sure that there will be many many more firsts in our near future, and I'm excited for every one of them.

P.S. please vote or suggests names, we are still struggling!

FINALLY we know!!!

We had our big sonogram appointment on Thursday.

So exciting!!!

We had to drive an hour and ten minutes to get to the hospital, so we decided to make a day out of our trek downtown. We started with a trip to Wendy's, which was so yummy! I know it's weird to say that, but there are only 3 on the whole island and we never get to eat there, so it was a special treat. All I'm going to say is that we ordered 6 burgers, 2 fries, two frosties, and two drinks, and all of it was gone by the time we left..... I won't tell you who ate what.

Then we went to Ross and bought our first baby outfits. Since we didn't know the sex of our baby we picked out one boy and one girl outfit. Then we were off to the DR.










Chris had taken a Benodryl earlier that morning because he's had terrible allergies. So for the entire day he was trying to be a really good sport, but he was a bit of a Zombie because of the medicine. Well as soon as we were in that sonogram room, he was tense as could be. It was crazy cool to see our baby. It looked SO big compared to 12 weeks ago. Our baby is hanging out upside down in my belly, and weighs 11 oz.! Everything was healthy and happy, so we were thrilled.

Then the Dr. moved on to determining the gender. This is when Chris really came to life. He was on the edge of his seat. It was so cute. He's been really good to say that he would be happy either way, but the truth came out in that office. The doctor said, "well, looks like you're having a boy." As soon as she said that Chris jumped out of his chair cheering and got really close to the monitor and said, "Are you sure, how can you tell." The doctor showed us the "boy part," which Chris would later refer to as "the big Manning weiner." We were both thrilled that we are expecting a boy, and that everything is going so well! We're half way there! I can hardly wait to see him.