Wichita Falls Shower... Round Two...

Ok... since I was HOSPITALIZED and missed my shower.. we are having a party to celebrate his arrival!

Spread the news!  Hope to see you there!

{Special thanks to Aunti's Nichole, Brittani, and Tiffany for all their planning and hard work... I hope to repay them one day for it all}

2 Weeks Old...

Can't believe that 2 weeks have passed already!

We had our first doctor's appt today... he did good.  Dr. Ayer is out on vacation, so we saw doctor Kadakol.  He weighs a whopping 7lbs 8oz and is 20 1/2" long.  He pooped THREE times while we were there.... he does NOT like diaper changes, so needless to say, he was screaming and crying alot.... and this was BEFORE he got his heel pricked for his blood tests!

This is what he is doing right now... as I type...  he has changed alot in his two weeks in the world.. i think his little face is even different!

Ok.. off to feeding, changing, and napping!

Pictures!

Ok, so I havn't been the best photographer.... blame it on no sleep and efforts to make tasks quick... 

Here are some pics. 

At the hospital, day 2 - he scratched his face all up.  I didn't want to wrap his hands up, cause he made himself happy by putting them in his mouth...

Day 1 at home.  Little band-aids on his hands from tests at the hosp. We like his red hat.

Silly face #1

Silly face #2

Hat from Aunti Brooke. Silly face #3. 

Sappy Sad Sack....

Still no pictures to post.... I KNOW... yell at me how ever much you want.... I am lucky to get MAYBE one or two things done a day other than feeding, pumping, diapering, soothing, napping (mama's naps)....

Just trust me that he IS super cute.  Maybe at the two week mark I'll start to have more things done.

So the title of today's post is in relation to mama... I'm now a sappy sad sack....  I just thought I was super independent and strong and organized... well, I'm still organized....  All of a sudden in crying all the time because I just want to eat dinner with my husband, maybe go to bed a the same time, or be awake at the same time perhaps... I feel guilty for wishing we could have our own routine back, I didn't realize how much I needed to spend time with him - I knew I was kinda clingy and I knew he balanced out my crazy, but I didn't know that I'd fall apart without that time with him.

I know as time goes {we are only entering week 2, geez} thing will be calmer.  Chaos just isn't part of my DNA, I can deal with spontaneity to some degree, but everyday being different is tough.  I try to look at the day before to see how the current will go... and he's never the same... this is difficult.

But...

He's so funny, so cute, and so sweet.  He makes the funniest faces!

Pictures will come... I promise... like I said before, check out Ryan's facebook, he has more time than me to do pictures.

We're Home..

We got home from the hospital yesterday evening.... Whew!!

I had to stay some extra time because my blood pressure just isn't where Dr W would like to see it.  I am back on the blood pressure meds.... but thats ok by me.

I'm sorry I haven't posted any pictures or stories yet....  I am just really a hot mess on the inside right now.

Labor and delivery was surprisingly fast and furious....  contractions are the worst pain I have ....ever..... felt.... in... my... life.....  Callen pushed a little hard on the 'ole cervix when I was getting my induction drugs through IV... and broke my water.... he was ready to come out....  the contraction came SO FAST and SO HARD... one more horrible than the last.... thank goodness the anesthesiologist was quick to get to me... I honestly don't think I would have come out alive {super dramatic.. I know... but this is how I felt}.... he was here in twenty min's of pushing... crazy....I KNOW.... minimals damage to mom... I already feel great {blood pressure and hormones aside}.....

Outside I'm looking all put together and all that... but on the inside... I am still a new first time new mom with the cutest, sweetest baby in the world... We'll make it, of this I am sure, but I still get all discombobulated a lot.....

This may be it for a while.. if any of you are friends with Ryan on facebook, there are pictures!

Having a Baby TODAY!.... WHOA.....

So.... its 4 {ish} am...... I'm awake.... crazy enough, that alone....

I'm being induced in... oh, say..... less than 2 hours.... I still have to feed, bathe, and pack the Jeep.... Ryan's sleeping nicely in our warm bed {he's a good sleeper - we'll see tonite if Callen inherited this}, as are my house guest - Aunt Lindsay, Uncle Matt, and Mimi.  

I havn't slept a full night in like 5 days... all kinds of reasons.... we'll talk about this evening in particular...

It all started.... {9 mths ago... no, just kidding}.....  with a day full of activity, doctor's appt's and incoming travelers.  Lindsay and Matt have been here since Friday, I havn't been doing my share of "bedrest" since then... don't know how I thought I would.  Today I had my last Sono with Jenny and my last appt with Dr.W then a "pre-admit" with the hospital {never heard of that until last week}.  Sono was great, Jenny estimated that Callen will be 6 lbs even... and she wants to know when he's born how close she got.  Dr. W says I'm a "good 3 cm" dilated  and 90-100% effaced.... {yeah, i'm headed downhill!}... then she does some gross things {i'll spare you}... then she says, "let's hope you make it to tomorrow morning."  Wow, great thing to tell a person like me.. whatev's....  Pre-Admit and the hops was pretty un-eventful, they take MORE tubes of blood.. like 7 MORE... whatev's.

Then... "huum... I'm feeling kinda crampy..." {this is my brain talking to me} "Whatev's... what's for dinner? wonder where Ryan and Matt are?  What else do I need to get packed? Man, AM I looking forward to an evening on the sofa watching tv!"

I guess the gross things she did started contractions, pretty good ones, pretty regular ones.  Needless to say, I was grumpy and uncomfortable all evening {although I ordered a chocolate shake from Chili's to make it better}.

Anyone knows Ryan, knows that 'grumpy' is not his favorite of my moods... I've been pretty upbeat this whole pregnancy with a good sense of humor.. but having a house full of people and crampy contractions ain't funny business...

No sofa and tv for me all night, just a little... I was too worried over getting everything packed and making sure Ryan knew, grumpy or not, this is IT.  I decided to stop paying attention to contractions and go to bed... I did get 2 +/- hrs of sleep, in between crampy-ness, but then.. here I am.... on the computer...

But it is nice to have some time to myself before all this chaos hits.

We'll keep you updated! Ryan's gonna facebook it!

Need a New Water Heater.....

So... we live in this old house... not so old that it's full of charm and has been updated... nope... like 70's old...

We need a new water heater.... not a Hot Water Heater... {you see, why would one HEAT hot water}, just a Water Heater... {I need to heat cold water}

The one I have is pretty old.... It's energy guide sticker is dated 1994... it still makes hot water... good hot water... and usually enough... no complaints there... BUT it's brown... yeah... brown hot water... yuck... it stains my clothes in the washing machine... it stains my grout... its gross...

Can you imagine me giving my new baby a bath in his cute little froggy bathtub... with brown water???

Anyway, I've been getting quotes today...  not too much a shock, I know when you enlist professional services {instead of your daddy - which sucks for me, that I cannot}... it can be expensive - I understand, I am a licensed professional now, I would want to get paid for my services to.  Right now, we are looking at anywhere between $700 - $850, depending on who I go with.  Ok... I'm a good financial planner I can make it work if I need too... who cares that I have hospital bills already and am about to give birth next week, right?!?

This is where my fear is....  this service requires the plumber to pull a permit and have it inspected.... did I mention that my house is 70's old?  The cost for parts to "bring the installation to code" are not included in a quote... understandably....  I work in an industry where you have to "C.Y.A" and always say that 'extras' are 'extra' or you get walked all over...

This could be scary... this could  be bad.... there could be lots of EXTRAS

I typically don't let professionals into my home to see how we "fix" things...  who I am kidding, I typically don't let many people in my house at all... I'm a Registered Interior Designer, and my house... lets just say, "needed updating".....

What if someone from the city comes in and sees other things.... oh like how my furnace is taped up with "silver tape" {we did not do this}... they are in the same room....

This could be embarrassing... I have a state license myself... I deal with Wichita Falls City Officials for work...

I guess I have to decide... Brown Water?  OR City Officials in my old house?

For the Travelers....

I've been making some calls, to those of you who asked to be notified when Callen is on the way, 'cause you might want to make a trip.... I haven't got a hold of everyone yet... but I keep forgetting to mention what the hospital's policy is on visitor's in the Labor & Delivery rooms.  This might be helpful to your plan making..

Anyway... while we are in Labor & Delivery I can only have three people in the room at a time, as support persons for delivery.  To tell the truth, this is going to be a gross and uncomfortable time for me, so I'd prefer not to have an audience.  I get these tags to give out to the three, two of the spots are taken by Ryan and Jane... If Lindsay can make it on time, she'll probably be the third - she may share her spot and let people float in and out, as long as there is nothing gross going on - if not, there will be a floater spot open.  Ryan is going to be the gateway for visitors and most likely the keeper of my phone.

Once we have him, a couple of hours later, we'll be moved over to Postpartum, where anyone can come and go from 9 am to 9 pm, with a break from 1 pm to 3 pm, and of course we'll be there for a day or two.

Moral of the story is, no one has to rush up to be here first thing on the 14th, cause you'll be stuck in the waiting area... and we all know how boring that can be...

As long as no one is sick, everyone is welcome to come see us whenever.  You know where I'll be!

Hospital Info:
United Regional
1617 11th St Wichita Falls, Texas
Bridwell Tower, 4th Floor

My Address:
4351 Boren Ave
Wichita Falls, Texas 76308

We are ON the Calendar!

Visit with the doctor went well yesterday... except for the wait... some days are just hectic around there.  But, hey, what the hell else do I have to do all day... these are my outings {except for when I snuck out to Target, shhh}.

My blood pressures have been great, was even within normal range when Rene {my nurse} took it... this was new... I felt like there should have been some balloons dropping... like I accomplished something... by doing NOTHING! What a novel concept...

Anyway.... Dr Winfrey was excited by all this and says...  "Welp, how does the 14th sound to you?  That's the day you turn 37 weeks, and there's not need to continue risk and continue blood pressure medication if he's term."  This is my ONE chance to choose what I want in my life {instead of being victim to it} and I freeze... "Uumm... Ok, I'm not doing anything any day anyway" I say, "Wait, what day of the week is that? What day of the week is TODAY? Should I check with the girls? Maybe I need to call Jane?"  Ryan says, "Is that a good day for Callen and is that a good day for YOU {to Dr W}?"  She says he's term and its a good day for him.

OK!  December 14th it is!

Now, whether he's born on THAT day or the NEXT remains to be seen.

Anyone feel free to call me if you want to know about the hospital's visitation policy or the DeWitt visitation policy {as if I had one}.

Luv you all!

Nursery!! We are READY for Callen!

We've been trying to get the nursery in order, to get ready for Callen Jax...  Here are the pics!

View from the entrance.  Daddy & Uncle Lance put up a new ceiling fan. I don't like overhead lights, so you'll notice it's not on, but the grapevine lamp right by the crib along with the lamp in the corner are great. There are also empty frames on the back wall, waiting for some custom artwork.

This is our busy, busy wall.  We painted the light blue and orange.  The rest are vinyl decals Mimi bought for us.  You can see the owls Aunti Brittani made on the shelves... they are hanging out together. 

Here's the crib.... I hope to be able to put wooden letters on this wall.  Now that the decals are up, I think I'll just do his name, instead of the whole alphabet.  

New closet doors and shelf above.  Breakables and softies go up there for now. 

This is proof that we are taking measures to keep the animals out of the room when we are not in the nursery.  We use one at the kitchen door for when we want to keep the dogs at bay... it works great.  The cats are even confused by them.  They just sit and stretch their paws through the bars like they are in jail!

I'm a labeling fool..... I told you when I got the Post-It label roll I WOULD USE IT!

This is where diapers, wipes, and heath items will be homed - when my stash of diapers isn't so large.  See below...

Inside the closet.... I've tried to organize and label to the best of my ability.. but I still find myself moving things around and shifting "categories."  I'm sure I will continue to do this for a while.  {See the diaper stash?  I've counted.... I have about 580 newborn diapers and about 200 size 1 or 2.  From what I understand and can calculate, this will get me through a couple months.}

Ok, this is my SassyAss Sateen - love her to pieces.  This is her chair.  She has yet to realize that it has been relocated from the living room to the nursery.  I acquired this from Amanda Prindle a few years back.  It's a tiny, made perfect for me, rocking chair.  It has about 5 layers of paint {lead paint no doubt} on it - so it will only be in the nursery until Callen starts to move around and play in there, don't want him getting paint in his mouth.  Ryan says that it can only stay in the nursery IF i make cushions for it, so the fabrics that you see draped over it, under Sateen, are what  I'm thinking about using.  And before you ask about how she made it through the gate at the door, don't worry, she was granted permission because I was in there playing.

I snuck out and went to Target shopping.  I felt kinda cheated out of being able to buy things for MY OWN baby!  All along in pregnancy I kept telling myself, as were others, to wait until after showers to buy things, 'cause you never know what you will get.  Well, then I got put on bedrest....  BOOOO!  So, I was having a good couple of says, blood pressure wise, so I told Ryan, "I'm going to Target, you are welcome to come with me."  This is just one of the few outfits I picked up for myself.  

35 Week Belly....Gettin There and Gettin Big...

Here I am... 35 Weeks...  See I'm wearing my rings again! Super excited...  bedrest has been great on the water retention... Have appointments tomorrow... Will keep you updated if something important comes up!