Nolan Craig Lisk is born!

As many of you know, I was scheduled to be induced the day I turned 39 weeks pregnant. Now, when I was pregnant with Braxton and I went in for my 39 week check (I was 39 weeks, 2 days), the doctor and midwife decided to induce me that day (at like noon or so) because I lived an hour away and was already 4 cm dilated and they didn't want me to have a "too big" of a baby. This time, with Nolan, I had scheduled and planned and the anticipation was awful! I had to be at the hospital by 6 AM on the 11th, which meant I did not sleep at all the night before. We had to leave by 5 AM to make sure we made it there on time, so I was up all night and finally decided to just get up and shower at about 3:30 AM so that Heath could shower before we left. He wanted to be up at about 4 AM so that he could shower and make sure we had everything we wanted and needed. We left (surprisingly) on time and made it to the hospital at about 6:04 AM. I don't know if I looked all that tired because my body was and still is so used to not sleeping much but I was finally tired by the time we got there.

After we were all registered into the hospital, back to Labor and Delivery we went! It took a little while for them to get everything into the computer and get everything hooked up but eventually, they did. And is it just me or is the hand/wrist IV the worst? :/ It hurts so bad! I had it in the hand with Braxton and in the wrist with Nolan..and I think the wrist hurts worse. They started by pumping fluids first and I think they finally started the Pitocin by 7:25ish. They started me low because it was my second baby and generally, it doesn't take as much Pitocin to get things going. I was already 4 cm dilated so I was hoping it wouldn't take too long, either! Angela, my midwife, came in at around 8:45 to break my water. She did and it was tinged with a green color which means it was meconium stained. Baby Nolan had ended up pooping while in the womb and she said that if we had waited until Friday to be induced, he probably would have come out green because he would have been sitting in it for a couple days. (Gross!) That also meant that Heath wouldn't be able to deliver, though, so that was disappointing. I was worried after she told me all of this because I know that infections can happen if a baby gets it in their lungs and everything but she assured me that everything was going to be OK and that sometimes babies do that. We would have a neonatal nurse in the room when he was born so that they could assess him and make sure they suctioned everything out. Once she broke my water, she said I could get the epidural and once I was ready to push, she'd be back. She had other patients to see in the office. (Thank goodness it's right next to the hospital..I knew she wouldn't be far away and would make it in time for her to birth my baby!!)

 

I was having some decent contractions after she broke my water and I'm a baby, so I was ready for that epidural! It took a while for the esthetician to come in so I sat there with Heath for a while with the lovely contractions. Heath seemed to be worried that I wouldn't be able to get the epidural in time. I told him I better get it or this is not going to be very fun for anyone! My mom and sister made it to the hospital right before I was about to get my epidural..so probably about 9 AM or so. The esthetician was so nice and funny..he was great! I finally got my epidural and I told him about how last time, it didn't really take right away and I had to get it 3 different times before I was finally numb. He didn't want me to have another experience like last time because I was numb for so long so he gave me the epidural and said he'd check back and see how it was going. Well, it wasn't going very well at all. He and the nurse would keep checking to see how I was doing and how the epidural was working..and every time, it was the same story- I still felt everything. Sure, my legs and feet were tingly but that was it. It wasn't going around to "numb" my contractions at all. Michael, the esthetician, came in about 3 times and gave me another "bolus" of drugs to try and see if the epidural would work and every time, it didn't. He ended up giving me what he called "voodoo" which was some combination of drugs to help numb me and thankfully, it worked! I was in heaven, then! I was probably 8ish cm when it finally worked. I ended up taking a little nap (about 45 minutes or so) while I was in "labor" which was amazing because I needed a little sleep..I was exhausted before I even got there!

 

My little sister was there to do birth photography so I had her do my make up while I was in labor. She tried to do it in between contractions but it's hard to do when you're having contractions every 2 minutes. She got it done and got a couple of shots that I was wanting and I at least knew I'd look decent for some of the "after" pictures! :) I couldn't wait to meet my little man, as soon as the epidural kicked in!

The nurse came in and checked me and said I was at 10 cm and she was going to go get Angela and I'd start pushing soon so be ready! And boy, was I ever ready!! Everyone started to get in their places and we were ready to meet little baby Lisk. Angela came in, gave me a cupcake and made sure the Neonatal nurses and doctor were there and I began to push with the next contraction. Heath and Mom were holding my legs as Becki was documenting the whole experience. I pushed and they counted to 10, rest, pushed for 10, rest, pushed for 10 and rested. They told me to rest and wait for the next contraction but I asked if I could just keep pushing and they looked at me with such surprise and said "yeah, go for it!" so I did! I started pushing again and Heath says "Honey, he has hair..I see hair!" and then Angela told me to stop pushing. I looked at her because I was scared something was wrong because I was convinced that I just couldn't have a normal birth. Thankfully, it was nothing bad, his hand and arm was just up by his face and she didn't want me to tear if she could help it. So, once she kind-of maneuvered him correctly, I finally pushed him out and he started crying instantly! He came out with hair on his head and crying like crazy! He was quickly assessed and suctioned and things were OK with him and I got to hold my little man for some skin-to-skin time. He was precious and he was perfect! He was beautiful. Heath and I hadn't agreed on a name prior to birth (except he says he told me what it was before he came but I must not have heard him because I don't remember that at all). I looked at Heath when he was born and asked him what his name was and he said "Nolan Craig"! Nolan was 7 lbs, 1 oz and 20 inches long. I tried nursing him after he was born but he wasn't having it..he was a little too traumatized and tired.

Heath had been texting his mom, who was keeping Braxton for us, about what was going on so they were actually close when Nolan was born. I couldn't wait for Braxton to meet Nolan but he wasn't as thrilled as I thought he would be. Nolan was crying the whole time and Braxton hates when babies cry because it makes him weepy. I guess he just feels bad and wants to fix it but doesn't know how. Plus, I think it was a lot for him to take in. I was so happy to see my little man because I knew our lives were changed forever. He didn't really want anything to do with Nolan at first but he eventually ended up holding him towards the end of their stay. I was in the delivery room for about 2 hours or so after birth before I was moved to my recovery room.

They packed up the room, our bags and whatever else we had in there, and they wheeled me to the nursery to watch little Nolan. He looked so little in there and I couldn't wait to get him back to try nursing again. I wanted to see if nursing would be easier this time around. He was measured and got his first bath in the nursery before they brought him back to me and he was just snoozing when they brought him back. He seemed to nurse pretty well, though, so I was pretty happy about that. We enjoyed some quality time as a "family of three" during our 2 day stay at the hospital. We definitely missed our monster of a toddler, though! We had plenty of visitors during our stay and everyone loved baby Nolan. :)

 

My recovery was/is amazing! I'm assuming that it's because Nolan's birth wasn't as traumatic as Braxton's or something because I was so happy with how well I was recovering. I was up and walking by the night that I had delivered..I wasn't that lucky with Braxton. I felt better, too! I felt less exhausted, more alert, more "there". I even told Heath that I could have another baby if delivery went as smoothly as it did then! I did end up taking some Motrin because of the awesome cramps but other than that- I was good to go! By the time our 2 day stay was up, I think Heath and I were both ready to get home and try to get back to our new "normal" life.

39 Weeks

Baby Lisk is all set to be born (lucky for him because he's coming now!!). His old fetal skin is falling off and his beautiful, soft baby skin is growing beneath. Baby is fully grown, between 19-21 inches long and 7-8 lbs..about the size of a pumpkin. 

How far along: 39 weeks

Total weight gain: 37 lbs

Maternity clothes: all day, everydy.  

Stretch marks: unfortunately. :( 

Sleep: same..extremely hard and non-existent. 

Best moment this week: Baby Lisk's birthday!! and being induced to meet him. :)
Symptoms: contractions (a couple every hour), stretch marks, pelvic soreness, backache, fatigue/exhaustion, insomnia, and swelling.

Miss anything: sleep and energy, of course! Sleeping on my belly, being comfortable, and being able to get up or tie shoes. 

Movement: yes..he loves moving in the wee hours of the morning.   
Labor signs: Braxton-Hicks contractions, pelvic discomfort, back & hip soreness. 

Food cravings: nothing, really but I have noticed that I've craved Orange Hi-C this pregnancy. 

Started showing: yuh. I'm as big as a house. 

Belly in/out: it's like half in, half out..hasn't changed too much the last couple of months.
Mood: tired and uncomfortable. So ready for little man to make his appearance! 

Looking forward to: Baby Lisk arriving!

38 Weeks

Baby is now 7 lbs and over 19.5 inches tall, about the size of a pumpkin. Boys are generally born larger than girls, though girls will catch up in height and weight early in childhood. Although he has an eye color by now, it might not be his final one. His irises could continue to gain pigment during his infancy, causing his eyes to turn a bit darker. He keeps producing more and more surfactant, the substance that causes the air sacs in his lungs to inflate once she is breathing in oxygen. He also keeps accumulating waste in his intestines, just waiting for that first poop. 

Dr. Update: Had my appointment today and not much has changed. I'm still 3 cm dilated and scheduled my induction date for next week. I cannot wait! I asked her to strip my membranes but she couldn't because Baby Lisk's head was just "floating" and she didn't want to disrupt my cervix and cause issues. I think I've lost my mucous plug (all or almost all, now). She also said that if I have my bloody show, water breaks, or my contractions become intense- I'll have to head to the hospital! So, now it's just up to him if he's ready to come before I'm induced. I hope he is but I don't think he'll come before then. He has the stubborn 'Lisk' gene. ;) I can't wait to meet this little boy!

How far along: 38 weeks

Total weight gain: 36 lbs (I didn't gain any this week! sweet!)

Maternity clothes: all the time!  

Stretch marks: unfortunately. :( 

Sleep: it's pretty difficult and for some reason I sleep better during the day than at night. I don't know but I hate it! 

Best moment this week: doctor's appointment, celebrating Braxton's 3rd birthday (I still can't believe he's 3!!!) and getting my hair cut. 
Symptoms: contractions (a couple every hour), stretch marks, pelvic soreness, backache, fatigue/exhaustion, insomnia, and swelling.

Miss anything: sleep and energy, of course! Sleeping on my belly, being comfortable, and being able to get up or tie shoes. 

Movement: yeah..not AS much but I definitely still feel his little limbs everywhere. Also, sometimes when he moves- it hurts!  
Labor signs: Braxton-Hicks contractions, pelvic discomfort, back & hip soreness. 

Food cravings: I don't think I'm really craving much..I just like food. Some days, I do have to force myself to eat. 

Started showing: I'm still huge..as a whale. Or elephant. 

Belly in/out: it's like half in, half out..hasn't changed too much the last couple of months.
Mood: tired and uncomfortable. So ready for little man to make his appearance! 

Looking forward to: Baby Lisk arriving! ;), Induction next week!! 

Lessons learned from my toddler..so far

I became a mommy at the young age of 21 and to say it was a surprise would be an understatement. I always knew I wanted to be a mommy but I didn't think it would happen so quickly when my then boyfriend (now husband) and I were dating. We have had our own struggles to deal with before even welcoming our son into the world and a bunch more after he arrived. Although, I think relationships and marriages are hard especially after adding a little baby. My baby (now toddler) has taught me many lessons. Here are some of my favorites:

1. NEVER, EVER leave lotions, Vicks, or Vaseline within arm's reach of the toddler while in the shower because he will find it and rub it all.over.himeself. Lotion is a pain to get out of hair and Vicks and Vaseline is a pain in the butt, all the same. 

2. He will repeat everything you say..even when you don't think he can hear you, he can. You will also learn some of the things that you didn't think were "bad words" sound bad coming out of your child's mouth. 

3. Your privacy is gone. There is no more going to the bathroom alone or taking a bath/shower without an audience. You'll learn to get used to it but they will ask you "what is that?" and you'll have to be quick with your response so be ready for it! 

4. You will be peed on, pooped on, and puked on at least a couple of time. Whether it's in the beginning when they're wee little babies or when they're older and they get sick and you're getting puked on. It will happen.

37 Weeks

Yay! Baby Lisk is considered FULL TERM!! His systems are developed enough to sustain himeself outside of the womb, it's simply a waiting game, now. He is over 6 lbs and about 19 inches tall, the size of a honeydew melon. His lungs keep getting ready to breathe and his reflexes are kicking in. He keeps inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid as his lungs prepare to make their grand entrance into the world. His reflexes are quite strong, if I put my finger in the middle of his palm, he would grasp it. :) 

Baby is getting too big for pictures!

Dr. Update: Well, I was supposed to go to the doctor on Thursday but they rescheduled because of the weather so I ended up going on Friday. Ever since I was 35 weeks, I've been getting checked every week and this week there was no big change in dilation or anything. :( Bummer! Although I don't mind keeping baby in there for a couple more weeks, I still wanted to hear there was more progress but oh well! She also did an ultrasound to see how big baby is and he's measuring about 6 lbs, 10 ozs right now so he'll probably be about 7 1/2 lbs by the time he's born. It was a quick visit but we go next week again, so that's ok. I hope I can be a little more dilated then. I may set up an induction date next week because I can't have big babies and I want to avoid a c-section as much as possible. So, hurry and get your guesses in here, you don't have much longer! 

How far along: 37 weeks

Total weight gain: 36 lbs

Maternity clothes: all the time!  

Stretch marks: you better believe it. 

Sleep: it all depends..some nights I sleep better than others. I still take my naps during the day, though, so that I feel like I'm getting enough sleep. I'm still tired most of the time. 

Best moment this week: doctor's appointment, SNOW!, (finally) getting to meet my nephew, Gerrit, and seeing my sister and brother-in-law. 
Symptoms: contractions (a couple every hour), stretch marks (awesome -_-), pelvic soreness, backache, fatigue/exhaustion, insomnia, and ankle pain. 

Miss anything: sleep and energy, of course! I do still miss sleeping on my belly and being able to get out of bed/couch without a struggle or getting out of the car. But thankfully when Heath is home, he'll help me up. :) 

Movement: oh yeah! I feel it all..he's running out of womb! ;)  
Labor signs: Braxton-Hicks contractions, pelvic discomfort, back & hip soreness. 

Food cravings: I guess I would say Applebee's this time..thank goodness Becki went with me. 

Started showing: I am huge. I've never been this big. I had one lady even walk passed me and say "oh wow"..and I was just standing there like 'yeah, just housing a human, here, no big deal!'

Belly in/out: sticking out more and more..
Mood: tired and uncomfortable. I'd say my mood is ok, though. I'm seriously ready for Baby Lisk to arrive but I know that I need to keep him in for a little while longer because of his lungs..so I'm sticking it out. 

Looking forward to: Baby Lisk arriving! ;), Doctor's appointment next week! 

Gerrit sitting on his cousin! 

36 Weeks

Baby Lisk is growing like a weed! He is closer to 19 inches and about 6 lbs right now, which is about the size of a papaya. Baby is producing meconium, that lovely tarry substance that will make up his first poop, and all of his organ systems are basically developed, besides his digestive system. He won't start full digestion until he starts breastfeeding. After this week, he will be officially carried to term-the rest is just fat. He is consuming his lanugo and the vernix caseosa, both of which make up the meconium. Baby probably has an adorable little head full of peach fuzz. :) 

Baby Lisk hasn't arrived yet so you still have time to guess on when he'll make his arrival, here. I love to see all the guesses! There will be a prize for the winner so make sure to get your guesses in! :) 

Dr. Update: We had our doctor's appointment on Wednesday and all is still well with baby. My belly is still measuring right on track and he's nice and low..getting ready to come! She said my cervix is still a funnel but I'm dilated at 1-2 where baby's head is and 3-4 at the opening..so I'm progressing! Yay! She also said that my cervix is really thin and pliable. So, baby can pretty much come any day now! :) I don't he'll actually come anytime soon, though..just my personal feeling. She mentioned she was on call all weekend so if we needed her, she'd be there. So, if my water breaks or have some consistent contractions- to the hospital we will go! Our next appointment is next Thursday so we'll see if I've dilated anymore, then. :)

How far along: 36 weeks

Total weight gain: 32 lbs

Maternity clothes: all the time!  

Stretch marks: you better believe it. 

Sleep: not good at night but I've been taking naps during the day because otherwise I would be a zombie. It's the only time I actually get some sleep. 

Best moment this week: doctor's appointment, SNOW!
Symptoms: Braxton-Hicks contractions, insomnia, fatigue/exhaustion, hemorrhoids, and stretch marks. 

Miss anything: sleeping regularly (my cycle is all sorts of messed up) and energy. Getting up without a struggle, and sleeping on my belly (especially now that my back/hip pain). 

Movement: oh, of course. There are a lot of times where I'm feeling his little knees, feet, hands, and elbows.   
Labor signs: Braxton-Hicks contractions, pelvic discomfort, back & hip soreness. 

Food cravings: nothing significant, I don't think. Still some BBQ pulled pork and Mexican. 

Started showing: Um..I'm a whale. 

Belly in/out: sticking out more and more..
Mood: irritable, lately..which I'm sure is because I'm worn out and tired. But I try..I try to be in a good mood. 

Looking forward to: Baby Lisk arriving! ;) and getting some more pictures done on Saturday. :)

35 Weeks

Baby Lisk is starting to move from his breeched position in my uterus, down into my pelvis as he's getting ready to be born. Most of his organ and skeleton development is complete, although they are getting further strengthened and refined as the day draws near. As he enters the homestretch, he's mainly still piling on that baby fat. He's between 18-19 inches and 5-6 lbs, the size of a bunch of carrots, he's getting close to the size he's going to be at birth! Yay! I can't wait to see his cute, sweet face already! :)

I've been battling a cold this past week which isn't the most enjoyable thing in the world..but I guess I should be kind-of used to it by now. It might just be a cold but I swear, these colds are getting worse and worse. I feel like I'm developing a sinus infection or something! :/ I just really hope I start to feel better before I get to head to the hospital because I just can't imagine giving birth while feeling like crap would be very fun. 

If you would like to guess as to when Baby Lisk is going to make his arrival, you can do that here! :) 

Doctor Update: Had our doctor appointment today and everything is still looking good! Baby Lisk is still measuring right on track. She did end up doing the Strep B test today and then checked to see if I was dilated at all. I have a tilted uterus/cervix, so it's kind-of hard to check in the beginning. But she said my cervix is like a cone right now..I'm dilated to 1 where Baby's head is at and 2 at the opening. My cervix is still closed so I don't think baby is going to be coming anytime soon. She said I can get checked next week again (I start going weekly, now..the end is near!) if I want to or I can wait until my 37 week check. I'll probably get checked to see if I've progressed at all, though. :) 

How far along: 35 weeks

Total weight gain: 31 lbs

Maternity clothes: all the time..it's the only things that fit!   

Stretch marks: yes :( still using belly butter, which smells amazing!

Sleep: non-existent now-a-days! 

Best moment this week: getting our taxes filed, going to our doctor's appointment, 
Symptoms: Braxton-Hicks contractions, stretch marks :(, shortness of breath, insomnia, hemorrhoids, 

Miss anything: sleep and energy! (which is also non-existent now a days because I'm sick. :()

Movement: a lot more recently! 
Labor signs: Braxton-Hicks contractions & my hips have been more sore lately, especially when I lay on them for a while. I'm not sure if it's the mattresses or if it's because Baby is starting to move down! 

Food cravings: nothing too significant..just sweets, Mexican, and BBQ. 

Started showing: Yeah, I'm still a whale.

Belly in/out: sticking out more and more.
Mood: pretty good lately..just being sick doesn't help with my crabbiness and frustration. 

Looking forward to: I have no idea..not a whole lot going on this week. I guess my next doctor's appointment? I'll start to be checked which is a yay and nay for me! I like knowing if I've dilated and everything but I do not enjoy the process of it all. I'd say Valentine's Day but I feel like it's such a dumb holiday. It's just another day to me. Heath and I might do something but we definitely don't go overboard or anything.