More From Our First Week

I planned to blog last night after Elias went to sleep for the evening, but ended up catching up on some email and then going to bed. He is such a good sleeper. We have to wake him for most of his feedings. Here he is an hour or so before bed, wide-awake.

Below are a few pics we took yesterday morning, before Mom and Melissa drove back to Wisconsin. Elias is a little jaundice, so we have been spending some time in the sun to help eliminate it, per our pediatrician's instructions. He looks red in the pics, but I think he was just warm, though we hadn't been out there very long. We saw the pediatrician yesterday and his bilirubin number had gone down and we don't have to do the bili lights - yea!




Matthew is so cute with Elias. Today he got to feed him for the first time, as my milk came in and I pumped a bottle. How cute are they?



We have been adjusting quite well. Yes, I have been trying to sleep when he sleeps. Today, I successfully did this two times and feel kind of rested, which is a good feeling. :) I also went out for the first time since pre-delivery today, but that is another blog post... it will be worth the wait.

I did want to get a few things done around the house today, but that didn't happen. However, that's okay, right? (Many of you HAVE advised that, so I am trusting you!)

I'm going to try to get dinner started while Elias naps, as it is almost time for another feeding (they sure come up fast!)

Nana and Auntie Sissy

My mom and sister drove down from Wisconsin Sunday to meet Elias. I am exhausted right now (it's 5 am Monday and Elias just had a feeding), but wanted to at least post pics from when they first got here. So sweet.



And here's a pic to prove how tired I am...(look at my sleepy eyes... they aren't much better than Eli's). I can't wait to go home today. It will be nice to not have nurses constantly in and out taking my temperature, asking about my urine output, etc. lol. I have never stayed in the hospital before, so it has been quite the experience. :)

a family update

The Road to Meeting Elias

It is 12:10 am on July 13. I should be asleep. But I can't. My son is in his little hospital clear tub/bassinet (see below) making sweet little squeaky noises and grunts and I feel like I must chronicle something from this experience.


I hope many of you had the chance to watch the series of videos Matthew (and Angie) did during my 34 hour labor process. I just saw most of them for the first time and loved how he captured parts of the story. Thankfully, me screaming bloody murder half naked during my contractions did NOT make it on YouTube. This is my favorite video shot during the labor.

I won't bore you with all the details of my labor, but want to hit a couple highlights, if for no other reason than to make sure I remember them for the scrapbook someday.

• I found out that I needed to be induced late Thursday afternoon. I tied up a few loose ends at work and went home to quickly gather up our things for the hospital (I was packed, but you know how it is - you always need a few last things...)
• We got to the hospital at 7:20 - originally were shooting for 7, but I insisted on taking bare belly shots since this was the last few hours I would have the massive thing, so we had an impromptu photo shoot at 6:25. That made us a little late - as did a stop at Rosemary's and Walgreens.
  
• Vanderbilt had a sudden back up in L/D, so we didn't get into a room until after 10. This made me a bit cranky. Then it took three nurses to get my IV inserted (apparently I have a lot of valves in my veins) and three times to get the foley in (never has happened to my midwife before, but with the way the night was going...).
  
• I was up all night as the foley (I don't know how to spell this) and pitocin dialated my cervix to 5 cm - I was quite excited when this ended up only taking about 6 hours.
  
• Emma (my midwife) then broke my water and we took me off the pitocin, in hopes that by breaking my water I would continue to dialate on my own. We also called Angie, my dear friend and cheerleader, who thankfully wanted to be part of our birthing experience of our first child (thank you again, dear one)
  
• Moreover, that morning they (the Vandy docs, who consult with the Vandy midwives) decided that I had to have a magnesium drip because of my high protein levels (the reason why I was induced). I was NOT happy about this because mag works AGAINST pitocin, which was going to make the process very difficult for me. I also could eat nothing because I was on the mag. As I mentioned, we killed the pit that morning, but then had to start it again because nothing was happening, especially since adding in the mag. By this point, I had a full-blown migraine too.
  
• Friday night, I still was at 5 cm (even with the pit) and my migraine was out of control. So, I opted to take some drug (started with an s) that would help me sleep for a bit and hopefully kill the migraine. It did help me sleep, but didn't kill the migraine, so a while later, I had another dose, which helped for a while.
  
• Eventually the pit pushed me into CRAZY, 2 minute apart contractions. But after 2.5 hours of heavy, screaming, crying, awful, pitocin-driven contractions, I didn't even dilate 1 cm more. By this time it was after 11, and I was bawling. I simply couldn't do anymore. So, I decided to get an epidural, so I could sleep for a few hours and become more dilated, which is exactly what happened.
  
• At about 3, I woke up, feeling pain in my pelvis/vaginal area, and knew the time to push was near. My midwife said that I could increase my epidural so that I wouldn't feel any pain, or I could just go forward. I opted to go forward, thereby giving me the ability to fully experience the pushing/delivery of Elias.
  
• Elias was born at 5:04 weighing in at 8 lbs. 3.6 ounces and measuring 20.5 inches long.
  

So it ended up working out - just a little differently than planned. My birth didn't start at home, as I had hoped. It did involve some medications/interventions I would have liked to avoided. But I still had my son vaginally, with a midwife, at my own pace (well, 34 hours was excessive, but you know what I mean), etc.


It is 12:36 now, so I think I better get a little sleep before it is time to breastfeed again - a whole other adventure I am embarking on.

Thank you for all the love, thoughts, prayers and kind words you have left on here, on facebook and on Matthew and Angie's blogs. They mean a great deal. I will be printing them all out for Elias' baby book.

I promise to post more pictures soon...

elias jude... and his daddy

Back on the Pit

They broke my water a couple hours ago, started me on the magnesium and stopped the pit - in hopes that I would keep contracting. Instead, I napped for about an hour and my contractions basically stopped.

So, at about 12:30, they restarted the pit and I am starting to feel contractions again.

I am starving. Nothing but popsicles, ice chips and water for me... I also have a bad migraine, which I think is due to lack of sleep and food.

Please be praying that in the next few hours, I dilate and Elias makes his big debut, without any more interventions.

a video update: 10:10 am

video update...

jessica is sleeping...

This is Matthew again.

Jessica's blood pressure is great. And she's currently sleeping... look for an update in the morning!

Thank you so much for all of your prayers and good wishes...

Peace.

More Details

Well we are at Vanderbilt right now, and I stole the computer from Matthew, since who knows when I will next feel like/be able to update. We are sitting in the waiting room, as they are backed up and have no rooms. Let the fun begin...

Okay, so the details as to what we are doing here, as I am not experiencing contractions, my water hasn't broke, etc.

I had to do another 24-hour urine sample (totally gross) yesterday to test my urine to see if protein was showing up (a sign of preeclampsia). I had to do one of these a couple weeks ago and some protein was present, but not enough to be concerned. However, my lab results today showed A LOT of protein. A LOT. My blood pressure though is not very high, so I am "asymptomatic pre-eclamptic" and they want to induce delivery to be sure things don't get worse.

My midwife, Emma, says that we do not need to panic, everything else looked good, that inducing is to prevent things from getting worse. (So don't panic Mom and Dad!)

Emma is on tonight, which is great. Matthew and I love her. However, she said I likely won't deliver until tomorrow, so another midwife will probably deliver Elias.

Angie is on stand-by to come to the hospital at a moment's notice, which will be great to have her here. I think my family is going to drive down from Wisconsin tomorrow night, which I am also excited about.

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers!

leaving for the hospital!

OK, this is Matthew, Jessica's husband. I'm gonna try and update both Jess and my blogs, but it's likely that I might only get to update mine some of the time...

So if you're interested in knowing what's happening with Jess, me, and Elias... check out my blog.

Keep us in your prayers!

Matthew

Updating from Our Red Couch

It's Wednesday, so I am on bed rest. What this means is that I am supposed to lay on my left side all day and night. I can occasionally switch sides, or go to my back, but my left side is the ideal position (it has something to do with blood flow to the placenta). I hate bed rest. I rarely get a day off with no agenda, but that is exactly what bed rest days are supposed to be. And so, while on my red couch I sit and think about all the things I wish I were doing, but can't because I am on my left side.

Today I broke the rules a bit and I sat with my feet elevated and went through and cleaned out a large portion of our filing cabinet, which has needed to be done for a while... I had a fresh box of manilla folders and a new "bankers box" to put everything in. I love office supplies. I am quite satisfied with how much I got done... but my swelling didn't go down much since I was sitting up, so I stopped and napped on my left side for a while.

I woke up when my phone rang and it was a very good call! Nashville's best child care programs are all terribly difficult to get in to. Some, you seriously need to get on before you start trying to get pregnant. Though Matthew works from home, we still felt we needed to get at least part time child care so that he could get work done. Anyway, I applied to several highly recommended programs in February and got a call today that one had a spot for Elias! It is a wonderful, loving Christian environment and I know we will be so happy there. The best part is that it is literally down the street from my work, so if anything happens, I am 2 minutes away, and I can go there at lunch and breastfeed. Matthew and I are thrilled, as this is a big answer to prayer.

Matthew and I are READY for Elias to come. Well, at least, we are ready for me to not be pregnant anymore. :) Vanderbilt has wireless, so don't worry, we will update both of our blogs when I go into labor and when he is born. My friend, Angie, is also going to be there for the birth to support and encourage, as well as take pictures, so I will have lots to share.

Since it is after 2, I suppose I should shower, huh? I hear irregular showers become normal once you have a baby. Guess I am just practicing a little early.

A Quickie

Just wanted to post a quick update that I did not go into labor over the holiday weekend. I had an appointment this morning and my midwife said I could go within the next week. So, if Elias is ready, we are ready!

37 Weeks

I am 37 weeks today - officially full term! Here is a photo Matthew took of me yesterday. I haven't gained any weight in the past two weeks, but I have begun to drop, so the belly looks different. :)

A Tightly Wound Top

• 

What a week it has been. Monday night, just as I put my head on my pillow, I suddenly felt like I couldn't breathe, which quickly turned into nausea and then violent puking. I already had a bad headache, so this was not good (I have never puked from a migraine before.) I hadn't had anything weird to eat, so I called the midwife on call. She had me drink some water and go to sleep, with a promise to have my midwife call in the morning. Oh, and she said, take bed rest tomorrow. So Tuesday I was on bed rest, still nursing the migraine for much of the day. Wednesday I had an appointment and the good news is that I still do not have pre-eclampsia (thank you for the prayers!). The bad news is that my blood pressure still seems to be yo-yoing on the high side. And why is that?

Well... basically I am type A to the extreme - a too tightly wound top, if you will. So, with the pending arrival of Elias, I am a bit stressed, and that has my blood pressure going up and down. What has me stressed?

• Work - finishing up projects, getting award entries completed, having things ready in case I deliver every day, etc.
  
• Getting the house ready for Elias and a lot of company that is going to be coming through our door
  
• Writing thank yous
• Addressing envelopes for announcements
• Anything else that to others seems silly and not that important, probably has me a little stressed.
  

So, I am my own worst enemy. And I need to take a DEEP BREATH and calm the heck down. Bed rest is supposed to help my blood pressure, and it is. However, the problem is, I lie on my couch and think about things I COULD be doing. This does NOT help. lol.

What do you do to relax and stay calm?

Oh, and in other news, I am not going to be induced - at least not yet. But, my midwife says that I will likely go early - maybe in a week and a half or two weeks. Come on Elias! I think next Thursday, when I am 38 weeks, would be a great day for a birthday. :)

Nesting

I have been on bed rest since Friday. I find it really challenging to just lie around, as my mind whirs over things it could be doing. So, I have done a bit of nesting this weekend. Nothing too strenuous though!

1) I painted this cute little ELIAS door hanging using paint colors that are in his bedding.

2) I also painted these little shadow boxes for his room.


Both projects were really easy, but I like that something that I made is a part of his nursery.

3) My bag is packed for the hospital - well, at least mostly packed. The hardest part was selecting clothes to bring for Elias, so I brought several options.

4) Phone tree - The phone tree is written, so it will be really easy for Matthew and Angie to let our family and friends know when Elias has arrived.

5) Thank yous - I continued working on the dozens of thanks yous that need to be written from my big family shower. My goal is to have them completed and mailed by this coming weekend.

We really think I am probably going to be induced early because of my blood pressure and me trending toward preeclampsia. I am being monitored very closely, so just keep the doctors and midwives in your prayers as they continue to care for Elias and me.

An Unexpected Picture

We have been monitoring my blood pressure regularly because my swelling is a sign of pregnancy induced hypertension. Well, last night my bp was a little higher than it should be, so this morning I had to go in for a bunch of tests. Nothing too alarming, but I do have to be under a close watch in the days ahead. One of the tests I had to have was to go have an ultrasound done to make sure all of Elias' vitals were good, blood flow was good, etc. Everything was great! He was moving a lot, I have a lot of amniotic fluid, blood flow to the placenta and cord was good, etc. They estimate his weight to be about 7 lbs. 7 oz right now - give or take a pound.

I was most excited to get to see him again and get some new pictures. He wouldn't move his arm from his face, so below is the best one we got of his little face. In another image, we could also see that his little head has hair on it. He is one cute baby. Can't wait to kiss those chipmunk cheeks!

My Evolution

I wanted to take some time this morning to discuss my scrapbooking/crafting hobby. My philosophy has really evolved in the past year, and I think a further evolution will happen once Elias arrives.

Let's start at the beginning. I started scrapbooking in 2003. Scrapbooking was really becoming popular in Wisconsin, and for Christmas, my Mom bought my sister and I each a box of supplies to get us started. I met Matthew a month later, and my hobby was quickly fueled. You can literally see my skills develop as Matthew's and my relationship grew (I wish I could show you the dating scrapbook, the engagement scrapbook, the post-engagement/pre-wedding scrapbook, etc.) By 2006 I was submitting layouts and entering contests, which really pushed my creativity (but, I really wasn't good enough to win anything- lol!).

By 2007, I became consumed with this hobby - I only wanted to use "name brand" products (I bet some of you didn't know there were name brands in scrapbooking - lol), I scrapbooked almost every day, I was taking more pictures thanks to Matthew getting me a Rebel XT, I was active in online forums like CK and Scrap in Style TV, I was entering a lot of contests and applying for design teams, etc. I also think that 2007 was the year that my creativity and skill-set improved to a higher-level. After reading Stacy Julian's book, The Big Picture, I stopped scrapbooking chronologically and found such freedom!

Since getting pregnant at the end of 2007, I haven't scrapbooked very much - mostly due to being sick in the first trimester, then being really busy and then being really tired and uncomfortable. In not scrapbooking, I realized:

• I really love this hobby. I love it because it makes me look at the world differently. It makes me appreciate the little, seemingly insignificant moments. As a mom, I want to capture those thoughts and moments.
  
• Scrapbooking is not getting out all my supplies every day. It is also about journaling/blogging, taking pictures, reflecting and capturing life.
  
• If I only make 50 pages this year, that is OKAY. No one is judging how much I do or don't do.
  
• I don't want to be the next big thing, but I do want to influence others. There was a time where I was applying for a lot of design teams and wanted to become a name people knew in scrapbooking. In taking this break during my pregnancy, I realized that is NOT what I want. I scrapbook for me and for my family and loved ones. If some name recognition happens because of that, awesome. If not, that is okay too. I do hope that the people who come across my work will be inspired in some way.
  

One of the things we had to do in preparing for Elias was turn our guest bedroom/my scrapbook room into a nursery. I was really bummed about losing "my space" at first. That has all changed. I go in there and can't imagine it any other way - I want that room to be all about him. I can't wait to rock him in the glider that sits where my paper racks used to sit. People keep telling me, my whole world is about to change, and I know they are right. I am ready for that change. I know Matthew and I are about to make a whole lot of memories. And I will scrapbook some of them, but not all of them. And that is okay.

My question for you today: how has being a mom (or dad) changed your life?

36 Week Update

Yesterday was my mid-week bed rest day and my weekly appointment with my midwife, Emma. Everything looked good. My belly is measuring dead-on (35.5 cm) and Elias is head-down, as he has been for several months. The likelihood that he will change position (and become breech) is slim to none.

My cervix is also 50% effaced, which Emma said is a bit early for a first time mom. Normally, they do not see that change at this point, but since we are hoping for an early arrival, it is a good sign! :)

Please be praying that my blood pressure stays down and that I don't have to go on full-time bed rest. I am hoping that Elias will be born soon - but not sooner than he is ready. Also please pray that when the time comes, my labor goes well, without complications and that I am able to have a natural birth.

Shelley Belle Craftiness

Drumroll please.. I scrapbooked this week! This spring I was asked to be a part of the Shelley Belle Studios kit club design team. I have been a long-time fan of kit club owner, Michelle Cochran-Wells, so immediately said yes! Here are my layouts from the most recent kit, which is chock full of the new KI Memories Bloom collection. The papers are so fresh and cheerful - I had so much fun using them. All the photos are from my friend Colleen's wedding.

Elias' Nursery

As promised, here are pictures of Elias' sweet nursery. Hope you like it as much as we do.

Mom and Dad's Visit

Mom and Dad arrived safely from Wisconsin Thursday night. They helped Matthew and I so much!! I was on bed rest Friday-Sunday, so I couldn't do much more than direct from the couch, but my goodness were they amazing. Elias' room is completely done and ready (I will post pictures tomorrow.)

Mom is an organizing queen and she got all my closets in order, which was quite the task. We were able to get rid of so much! I laid on the bed and Mom held up every article of clothing that I have and I said Goodwill or keep for each one. :) She also did a ton of cleaning and general help with getting everything ready for Elias.

My Dad put together Elias' crib, built shelving for a new craft closet (to replace my scrapbooking room space that is now Elias' room), hung two new ceiling fans and a lot of things on the walls and just did a lot of little home improvement tasks.

Matthew took control of our storage closet and purged and organized for hours. He also helped Mom and Dad as much as he could.

I was able to help a little (like folding baby clothes), but not a whole lot. I am thrilled with how much they helped get done and feel like if Elias came today, we would be in good shape.

Matthew and I are so thankful for my Mom and Dad. They are so excited about being grandparents and their love for little Eli, as well as us, is such a blessing. We love you Mom and Dad!

xoxo

35 Weeks=Fred Flintstone Feet

I am 35 weeks today - only five more weeks to go and probably less with the way things are going. Yesterday I had another check-up and my midwife has put me on partial bed rest. Essentially, I will be on bed rest every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday and every night until the baby comes. Since this decision was made on a Wednesday, this week I will be on bed rest Friday - Sunday. The bed rest is mostly because I am so swollen and we can't seem to get the swelling to go down. My feet look like Fred Flintstone's - yabba, dabba, do! They hope that by me lying down with my feet elevated as much as possible will help minimize the swelling.

My type A personality is not thrilled about this, but I am glad it is just partial and I can work four days a week. It was hard last night having Matthew get everything and do everything for me, but I did okay. He is so patient and sweet, but firm and determined to keep me from being on my feet and busy.

My parents are driving down to Nashville as I type, and I hate that I won't get to be very involved in everything that they will be doing while they are here. They don't care though. lol. They want Eli and I to be healthy - so I will probably have three people scolding me to elevate my feet, instead of just Matthew.

I've been trying to think of things I can do while on bed rest. Here is what I have come up with:

• finish my thank you cards from my last two showers
• write that darn birth plan
• read some of those parenting books I ordered
• update my pregnancy journal (I am behind)
  
• rest (that is the point, isn't it?)
  

Any other ideas?

Matthew and I also just set up a blog for Elias, which we will write from his perspective. I think it is so cute. Check it out. This will mostly be for our family and loved ones who are scattered across the country.

PS - Check out the sweet letter Matthew wrote to Elias.

Dad's 50th Birthday Party

Saturday night, after the shower, we celebrated my Dad's 50th birthday with a big bash at his gun club. So many people were there - family, old family friends from Target (where Dad worked for 25 years and Mom still works), new friends from the club, etc. It was a really special party.

I made a slideshow of about 100 photos from Dad's 50 years. It was really fun to have everyone watch and enjoy it - especially Dad.

Here is a picture of the fam, right before we left. You can tell how exhausted I was by this point. When Matthew and I got home to my parents' house, I took a long soak in the tub. :)

Family Shower in Wisconsin

This weekend was my baby shower in Wisconsin, which was thrown by my sweet family. It was lovely. So many family and friends came to celebrate the pending arrival of Elias. It was very special. People's love and generosity was overwhelming. Here are a few pictures from the day.

Aunt Gail, my Mom, Melissa (sister), Grandma and Aunt Sandy

Sweet little outfits hanging on the mant

Melissa and me

Matthew and me

My friend Sarah and me

My friend Rachel and me (remember her wedding a month ago?)

My Guy

Matthew had a photo shoot yesterday and the above is one of our favorite shots.

In honor of him being my guy, here are a few of the many reasons why I love him this very minute:

• He's real. This past month we have had a lot of heart to heart, bold, honest conversations. Though they have sometimes been hard, our love has grown stronger. Thank you, Matthew for sharing yourself and listening.
• He's cute. You must admit, with those big eyes and strong arms, I got a looker.
• He makes me laugh. While I don't laugh at all his jokes in his writing, he makes me laugh every day. Lately, our laughs usually revolve around my strange sleep habits thanks to pregnancy. (I apparently breathe like a monster - at least, that is his impression of me.)
• He loves me. He loves Elias. And really, that's enough.
  

Why do you love your special someone?

Pray for the Flood Victims in the Midwest

My family's business, Boxhorn Gun Club, located in southeast Wisconsin has been hit by the flooding. The club, which offers trap shooting and sporting clays, is on a lake. The lake has flooded into the parking lot (ducks are swimming in it) and all the traps (which shoot the targets) are all flooded entirely, as is part of the clubhouse.

Please pray that the water recedes today and that it has not caused as much damage as is anticipated. Also pray for relief for all the others affected by the water.