October 2010

October 1st - I finally get my hair done!! I needed something to boost a little confidence back in me, so I got my hair highlighted and trimmed.  I definitely felt better after this, now I'm just waiting to work out and tan again.

October 2nd - Hadleigh's first cookout! Daniel & I headed over to Tori, Richard, and baby Addi's to hang out for a little bit.  It was nice getting to see them again.  Addi was born 9/14/10, so Hadleigh has few friends already and she's only a little over a month old! We had a nice time hanging out, eating, and having a drink with some friends.  Hadleigh and Addi were really good the whole time - they pretty much slept through everything.  It's nice to get together with Kristy and Tori since they do have little girls so close to Hadleigh's age.  We share all kinds of stories and questions with eachother.

October 4th - I went to the doctor for my 6-week check up.  Once again, my doctor acted like Hadleigh wasn't even in the room.  How does she not want to hold her or look at her and tell me how cute she is?! This amazes me to no end.  Once again, all she was worried about was looking at "her work" which she said was healing great by the way.  Whatever. As I was walking out of the room she goes, "See you in January for your annual!" I'm thinking in my head...."No you won't bia!"

October 9th - We've decided we need 2 cars instead of just one.  Having only one car has been a little difficult since Hadleigh was born.  Daniel started looking online, and found s 2002 BMW 330i that he really liked at a good price.  So we drove up to Northern VA to go take a look at it. Daniel test drove it and liked it even more after we saw it.  We didn't commit or buy - we just drove back home to think about it some more before making our decision. We got back around lunch time and just hung out around the house before we left to go out to celebrate our anniversary.  We dropped Hadleigh off with my parents (the were out to dinner at the time and then were just going to come back to our house until we got home) and then we headed to dinner ourselves.  We wanted to go to The Boathouse, but when I called there was 1 hour 45 minutes wait! No way! So we ended up going to Tobacco Company which was really good.  Then we met up with Tori and Richard at Sidewalk for a few drinks since it was their first night out as well.  We had a really good time, but we were back home by 11pm - we missed our babygirl!

October 10th - Our 1 year wedding anniversary!

October 16th - We headed back up to Northern VA to buy the BMW we test drove the week before.  Daniel and I both really liked it, and it was a good price, so we went for it.  We ended up leaving Hadleigh in Ashland with my parents because I knew I was going to have to drive back alone in the Murano and the traffic up there had me so anxiety riden the week prior, I didn't want to feel that again with her in the car. it worked out great - I felt sane driving!  Before we headed home, we had lunch with Chelsea & Jarrod.  we went to this cute little restaurant for lunch, which was delicious! Chelsea was a little upset (to say the least) that we didn't have Hadleigh with us.  It was a nice lunch! And they told us the big news that they bought a house up there! Woohoo Chels & Jarrod! I'm so excited to come back up there and see everything!! That evening we went to Tommy & Robin's 25th wedding anniversary party.  We love seeing them since they're such close friends of the family. Below is a picture of Hadleigh & I at the party.

October 28th - Hadleigh & I drove out to Beaverdam to Erin & Michael's house.  Michael had prepared a surprise birthday cook out/get together for Erin's birthday - which was great because she had no clue and was so angry thinking she wasn't going to do anything at all for her birthday! It was worth it, because she was really surprised! Their house is so cute out there!

October 29th - Hadleigh is 2 months!! Holy moly she's getting big so fast!  She's smiling up a storm now and we love when she talks to us. Here's her 2 month picture I took:

She has a red tint in her hair that comes out in certain light.  She's so pretty!! 

Here's a picture of her smiling.

That same night I planned a "surprise" cookout for Daniel's birthday.  It was supposed to be a surprise since I knew if I told him, he'd say no.  So I told his friends to come and didn't tell him.  Then I got a text from Frank telling me Sarah could make it and Daniel read the text before I got to it. Nosey! So he knew about it, but it was still fun! My mom and his mom both helped me out with the food - which was yummy! We had a good turn out, it was awesome to see everyone here.

 Cutest baby there!

This is our new photo collage in our hallway!

October 30th - Daniel's 26th birthday!

October 31st - HALLOWEEN! Hadleigh's 1st Halloween at that! She was the cutest ladybug ever! We went to Ashland to see Gran & Gramps and then over to see Nana, Papa, Uncle Steven, and Great Grandma.

September 2010

We're going to do this by month since I've been a slacker!

We came home September 1st - Hadleigh left the hospital and she was 5 pounds 15 ounces. She fed every 3 hours which she did great with! My routine ended up being: feed her on one side, change her diaper, then feed on the other side. I had to change her in the middle to wake her up.  Sometimes we would have to undress her as well to keep her awake.  Looking back I was so out of it the first couple of days I was at home.  Exhaustion and all that medication I was on!  It really seems blurry or like a dream that first weekend. Her first doctors appointment was on 9/2 and she weighed 6 pounds even! Woohoo - I was so happy to hear that! We gave Hadleigh her first bath on Friday 9/3 when my parents were over to cook us dinner.  I forgot to take pictures (I'm telling you I was OUT of it)!

Sunday 9/5 Linkowitz came over to do the newborn session.  We love love love him taking photos of our family, so we can't wait to have him for out next gig - whatever that may be.  He did our engagement, bridal session, wedding, maternity, and now the newborn session.  Here are a few of his pictures :)

Hadleigh and I both had doctors appointments on 9/10.  Hers was first and she weighed 6 pounds 10 ounces :) Everything looked great for her.  We then headed to my doctor (ugh).  They checked my blood pressure - which was still a little elevated from where it was in the beginning of my pregnancy, but it was lower than when I was on bed rest.  She told me I could stop taking the blood pressure medicine, but if I noticed my pressure elevated, then to start it again.  Hadleigh and Daniel both went with me - my doc didn;t even acknowledge Hadleigh at all!  I mean, if your an ob/gyn and you deliver babies all of the time, shouldn't you be ecstatic to see the cute baby you just delivered?! Nope not this doctor, all she was worried about was how her incision work was...really?! I'm changing doctors as soon as my 6 weeks are done!  I lost 20 pounds by this point.  My body image is horrible - it got bad the further along in the pregnancy I got, but now that I'm not pregnant anymore - it's worse!
My mom tlook the day off on 9/22 to hang out with Hadleigh and I.  We ran errands all day -Target, Martins, and then BabiesRUs.  We had a really good day! I was definitely tired by the end, but it was nice to get out of the house for the day.  I haven't been driving at this point, so I was stuck at home most of the time.
Hadleighs 1 month doctors appointment was on 9/24.  All went pretty well - she weighed 7 pouinds 12 ounces!  She still had jaundice, so I ended up having to take her to LabCorp to get her heel pricked to check her bilireuben(sp?). This was NOT fun at all. She did pretty well, she cried, and then as soon as the nurse stopped touching her foot she fell right asleep. That same night Daniel, Hadleigh, and I went out to dinner for the first time as our own little family.  We just went to Tripps and Hadleigh slept the whole time!! She was so good.  We enjoyed the dinner and IO enjoyed my first gladd of wine in forever! It was wonderful!
9/29 was Hadleigh's actual 1 month birthday - we couldn't beleive how time flies!  It was also my parents wedding anniversary, so we all went to mexican for dinner to celebrate everything. Here's Hadleigh's 1 month picture I took.

She's actually wearing the same outfit I came home from the hospital in <3 I wanted her to come home in it as well, but she was too small and it devoured her little body!

My last 3 days in the hospital

I had to stay in labor and delivery an extra night because the put me on magnesium after delivery.  They put you on it when you've had high blood pressure.  Hadleigh stayed in the room up until later in the night, when Daniel and I were going to try and get some rest.  I had them bring her back every 3 hours to feed.  Before they took her to the nursery, we had many visitors when she was born.  Nana & Papa (Daniel's parents), Gran & Gramps (my parents), Aunt KiKi & Uncle Chey & Cousin Erik, Uncle Steven, Great Aunt Lisa & Great Aunt Liz, and Kristy & Lily all came to see Hadleigh that first night. I was feeling pretty good, but I definitely was exhausted. We got as much sleep as we could have gotten with her coming in every 3 hours.
Monday August 30th, they transferred me to a post-partum room.  I felt awesome - a little groggy from being tired, but I couldn't wait to get out of bed and get a shower. So that's the first thing I did.  My pressure was still up but that was normal.  I spent all day admiring my beautiful babygirl and just cuddling with her.  We had a lot of visitors: Great Grandma, Nan & Papa, Gran & Gramps, Aunt KiKi, Uncle Steven, Jen & Kara, Ragan, Andrew, Ashley & Carter, Ashley T., Erin, Great Uncle Michael & Great Uncle Doug, Frank & Sarah, Jason, Cody & Leslie --- I think that's it. They tested Hadleigh for jaundice, and she ended up being a little high but it wasn't anything extremely concerning.  But they still put her under the light to make sure they knocked it out of her system before she went home.  I cried when they took her away to put her under the light, and then I cried again when Daniel and I walked out to go see her in the nursery.  Hormones were raging!
That night was rough.  I guess I was just super exhausted, I hadn't slept too much, and I just went through major surgery after being stressed out going crazy on bed rest. I woke up in a panic attack which was so horrible.  Daniel called the nurse into the room and my blood pressure was super duper high.  Of course it was going to be! I just had a panic attack! So from them on out, everytime a nurse came in there to take my blood pressure I would get super nervous.  I would've been able to go home Tuesday night, but they wanted me to stay an extra night because of my pressure and anxiety.  They put me on more meds and I was finally able to go home on Wednesday September 1st. WHEW! It was so nice leaving that hospital you don't even know!  I was so excited to be home with Hadleigh and so I could see my other babies Isis & Duke <3

Hadleigh Olivia - BIRTH STORY

Saturday August 28th, I woke up nervous.  I got in the shower, got ready, and did my makeup.  I needed to be a little cute going into labor! ha if only I had known I'd need several touch ups to look decent for pictures...live and learn.

The nurses wheeled me over to labor and delivery and they set me all up with monitoring.  They started me with cervidil, in hopes that it would soften and maybe even dilate me a little.  I believe they put that in around 11am.  Now we started waiting.....and waiting...and waiting.  The Cervidil had to stay inside of me for 12 hours.  So I passed the day like I normally did - word searches, internet, TV, and finishing up thank you cards.  The nurse finally told me I could take the cervidil out around midnight.  She would be starting the pitocin around 3am.  I remember my stomach tightening up a little, but nothing was painful yet.  Pitocin started at 3am - so I tried to just get some sleep while I could which wasn't very successful. I started feeling the contractions a couple hours into it.  I just breathed through them.  My awesome nurse Elizabeth came on that morning, so she was with me all through labor and delivery.  I think she checked me around 10am and I was only 2cm dilated.  I don't really remember timing that well, but by that point contractions were becoming pretty strong.  I remember sitting in bed and Elizabeth was in the room (turning up the pitocin I think) and I heard this "POP!".  It felt like a bone had cracked - it was pretty loud.  Elizabeth  goes " Did your water just break?"  I told her I didn't think so, because I didn't feel anything.  Ha....then I moved.  It came gushing out just like the ultrasound techs said it would.  I think this was the grossest part of the whole delivery - ew.  I hated the feeling of my water breaking.  So contractions were now stronger than before. Knowing that last time I got checked I was only 2cm, I knew I had a long way to go, so I went ahead and got the epidural (not sure how dilated I was at the exact time I got it).  I little bit into having the epidural, Elizabeth checked me again and I was 5cm.  Good progress!!!  I believe this was about 1:30pm.  Within 30 minutes I was in super pain.  Epidural was not touching the pain I was feeling - I was feeling every contraction and each one was all in my tail bone.  It was horrible.  They kept asking me "Do you feel like you need to push?"  I didn't really know...I just knew it was hurting bad!  So Elizabeth checked me around 2pm, and I was 9 1/2cm! WOAH! from 5 to 9 1/2 in 30 minutes! We made our calls to our parents to let them know it was happening pretty soon.  Elizabeth said that the 1/2cm went away when I pushed, so we stated pushing for a little.  Then my doctor came in (grrrr).  She checked me and told me that the 1/2cm wasn't going away when I pushed.  She gave me an hour - if I was progressing, then she was going to do a C-Section.  Hadleigh's heart rate was fine, but she was under a little stress when the contractions were coming.  So was I cause they hurt!!!  I still think it's crazy I felt every contraction s strong at that point, even though I had an epidural....

So we pushed through about 5 contractions (I got about 3 pushes with each contraction) and my doctor came back in.  She still didn't see the 1/2cm going away, so she wanted to go ahead and do a C-section.  Whatever.  At this point I guess I really didn't care.  I was super duper nervous about having this surgery.  I got a lot more epidural pumped into me to get me prepped.  Once that took effect I couldn't feel the contractions hurting anymore, which was a relief.  They wheeled me back to the OR...scary.

Laying there was weird.  The doctor came in and did a few things and then asked "Did you feel that?" No I didn't feel anything ... "Good, cause I just stuck you with something sharp about 15 times" Awesome - I'm glad that medicine is working! Daniel was brought in to sit next to me - the whirlwind of everything still makes it surreal looking back.  It felt like a long time before Hadleigh was born, but it probably was only a few minutes. Then we heard it.  The best sound in the world at that moment.  Crying! Hadleigh Olivia was born at 4:08pm - she was 6 pounds 7 ounces and 20 inches long.  I immediately started crying, and told Daniel to go over to her while they cleaned her up.  He took some pictures and held her while they were putting me all back together.  Then they wheeled me right back to my L&D room, where Hadleigh and Daniel already were. I felt great at this point.  I could move my toes the whole time they were delivering Hadleigh, so I could still move a little.  Then I finally got to hold my baby girl - she was the most beautiful baby I had ever seen.  Had lots of dark hair and looked like her daddy.  Within 15 minutes of being delivered, she latched and was feeding - I'm a lucky mom I know!

Just minutes after Hadleigh was born!

Daddy in love!

Beautiful baby <3 p="">

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Hadleigh and her bff Lily (Lily was born 7/28/10)

Weeks leading up to birth

My last update was August 15th - and now that I'm looking back, I'm so mad at myself for not keeping up with this! Grrr...so much has happened and now instead of writing out exactly how I was feeling during the moments, I have to remember and write about it.  Not the same, but I guess it will have to do.

So, August 17th, my blood pressure was up a lot.  I took it and it was 140/95 - I took it a coupe minutes later and it was 150/100 - a couple minutes later is was 155/106.  So, I called the doctor knowing that they were just going to tell me to come to the hospital :( I packed up my bag and Daniel drove me there.  Mom met us there since she was on her way home from work. They admitted me of course which meant bed rest in the hospital until delivery = NO FUN.  I literally was going insane being on bed rest and the hospital made it that much worse. I still got my ultrasounds every week - she looked great.  The only thing they told me was that my fluid was elevated a little, so when my water breaks I would definitely know!

Saturday August 21st was my last baby shower Daniel's side of the family was throwing for me.  I was stuck in the hospital, so several of them came up to the hospital.  It was really sweet - they brought me plates of food, all the gifts for me to open, and the yummy cake!  We all hung out and they all watched me open up all of my gifts - Hadleigh of course got a ton! She's a lucky little girl!

Tuesday August 24th I had some visitors.  Kristy & Lily came to visit and Jen also came.  It was nice for them to come and break up the same boring days in the hospital.  There's only so much TV and word searches you can do.  Oh and facebook was blocked for most of my stay! even better!  Daniel was still going to work, so I would only see him for a couple of hours every night.  He was still staying at the house every night because Isis & Duke were still at the house.  I remember being upset that the last couple of weeks that we should have been enjoying with eachother was hugely disrupted by me being in the hospital.

By this point I was really going insane being in that hospital bed. I could only get up to go to the bathroom - thank god they let me shower everyday.  I had wheel chair privileges (about 30 minutes a day), but I didn't start using them until the 24th.  I hated feeling so vulnerable in a wheel chair when I could physically walk just fine on my own.

On the 26th, Cara, Ragan, Jessica, and Michelle all visited me! It was great to see them all and catch up a little with them.  That night I remember being extremely frustrated.  My blood pressure would randomly go up and all the nurses would do was to tell me to lay on my left side.  I also had a constant headache going on 3 days by now.  My doctor would tell me she was coming by to see me, but then send the doctor on call.  Which really ticked me off - I already had questioned whether or not I wanted to stay with her throughout my pregnancy, and in hindsight I totally should have switched docs and listened to my gut. But anyways,  when the doctor on call came by hat evening I expressed my concerns.  At this point my induction was scheduled for September 4th.  With the headaches and visual disturbances, and my blood pressure - I didn't want things to get so bad to the point where they would immediately have to give me a C-section to get her out.  I wanted to try to have a regular birth.  The on call doctor, listened to me, and then stepped out to call my doctor.  She came back about 10 minutes later and said, "How does having the baby Sunday sound?" ummmm WHAT?!  yes!!! Relief!  I was finally going to meet my precious baby girl and I was finally going to get out of this hospital! It all seemed surreal and nerves started kicking in, but I was super excited (and of course impatient as always)