Mommy Brain

Most pregnant woman experience what people call "Pregnancy Brain". No one warned me about "Mommy Brain". Let me recap two stories that have happened to me last week. Last Monday Kaitlyn and I went to the doctor for a Jaundice check and than off to the grocery store. My shopping list consisted of 3 items for dinner that night. Well, since I was at the store I decided to pick up a few more things... well that turned into $100 worth of groceries. Just as I was bagging my groceries I realized I forgot to get 2 of 3 items I originally came to the store for. So, I parked my completely bagged shopping cart and ran back with Kaitlyn to get the 2 items. I quickly paid for the items and proceeded to my car. It was there I realized that I forgot to grab the 2 items I just purchased. Normally this wouldn't be such a big deal, but when you have a newborn to tote around too it just adds to the whole experience.

The sad part of mommy brain is that it happens more than once. My second mommy brain experience was on Friday. I needed to return some things at Target and Walmart and to pick up a few things before we left to Mora for the weekend. So, I decided to go to Hutchinson to do my shopping. (It takes 30 minutes in any direction to get to a Target or Walmart.) Once we got to Hutch I realized that I forgot the diaper bag. No big deal, right? Normally it wouldn't be, but that is where my wallet was... so here I am 30 minutes from home with a newborn and no money. (Plus I don't know anyone that lives in or near Hutch that I could call to borrow some money.) So, we returned the items and back home we went. The problem was that I needed to get some things before Nate got home. When we got home the diaper bag was right where I left it... on the garage floor. I grabbed the bag and double checked that my wallet was inside and went to Target in Chaska.

One Month Old

Today Kaitlyn is one month old. This past Sunday was my original due date. It feels good to not be pregnant anymore. The funny part is that I would do it all over again... even the labor without pain medicine. It is worth all the worry and pain. I can't believe that I have to go back to work in a week in a half.

Here is a picture of Kaitlyn today. She is laying on the beautiful quilt my cousin Michelle made for her.

We went to the doctor on Monday and she gained another 7 ounces, so she officially weighs 6lbs. and 13 ounces. She is still jaundice, but her numbers are slowly getting lower on her own. We don't have to go back until her 2 month wellness appointment.

This past weekend Kristin came over to visit Kaitlyn. Here is a picture of her visit.

Monday Auntie Anny came over and watched Kaitlyn while I went to get my hair done. They spent the afternoon taking pictures and hanging out.

Picture Perfect or Not?

Today Anne, Kaitlyn and I went on a little shopping trip. Our main goal was to get Kaitlyn's newborn pictures taken. We got to the mall around 11 and set up an appt. for 2. Since we had a few hours to spare we had lunch and did a little shopping. The whole time Kaitlyn slept peacefully in her car seat while we made our way around the mall.

At 2 we went back to get her pictures taken and Kaitlyn started waking up. So, we got her already and the put her down to start taking pictures... and she started screaming. I tried every technique to get her to calm down so we could continue... I mean start our photo session. (We were able to get one picture taken.) After about 15 minutes of trying to get her to stop crying... we decided to just try again another day. I guess she just wasn't ready to get her pictures taken. We are going to try again tomorrow!

Well, we had a successful picture session yesterday. Kaitlyn and I went back to JCPenny and tried to take her pictures again. She cried in the car on the way and right before, but stopped when we started taking pictures. Yeah!!! They are so cute! I can't wait to get them back.

Here are some updated pictures..

Here is Kaitlyn at 2 weeks old enjoying life at home. She has started being more awake now. She is usually awake in the morning around 9 am to 11 am. Than she fusses before she starts falling asleep again. She also wakes up around 2 or 3 and again fusses when she is waking up. Than she wakes up sometime in the evening for 2 hours before bed.

Here is Kaitlyn and Cody. Cody was a good boy and laid still for us to take a few pictures.

An Unexpected Arrival

What can I say? Our daughter made her appearance on August 19th, 2007 at 9:03 am. Yes, she was four weeks early, but that isn't the best part of her arrival. (Her actual arrival date should have been September 16th - meaning that I would still be PG right now.) Let me take you back to the Thursday before Kaitlyn was born.

It was my 36 week appointment and the doctor checked me. I was 2 centimeters and 70% effaced. (Whatever that means... but everyone informed me including my doctor that I would not deliver over the weekend.) (I have to add something I forgot to mention... I lied when I said everyone told me I would not deliver over the weekend. Diane had a dream the week before we left that my water would break this weekend and told me to stay home and hang out with her.) So, on Friday Nate and I were on our way to Alexandria with his parents, sisters, and niece and nephew. (Don't worry I made sure that I knew where the hospital was when we drove through Alexandria.)

Saturday night while trying to fall asleep and waiting for Nate to get back from the bar, my back started to hurt. I started praying to just let me fall asleep and that I couldn't be in labor. After a few hours of trying to ignore my back pain... my water broke. By this time Nate was in bed sleeping and so were his parents. Of course, I had to wake up everyone to let them know that I was pretty confident that my water broke. I called my doctor and they informed me that driving 2 hours home was not in our best interest. So, off to the Dakota County Hospital at about 2 in the morning. Of course, I was nervous as my contractions were five minutes apart.

The Labor...

Before I was afraid that I wouldn't know when I was in Labor... to be honest when my back started to hurt I was questioning what was going on... It wasn't until my water broke that I realized that I was definitely in labor. Once we got to the hospital my contractions started getting stronger and every 2-3 minutes. (No time to rest in-between - so frustrating.) The most disappointing part was that I was still only dilated to a 2. (What?) They did give me some sort of pain medicine to take the edge off... so I could rest... what do you mean rest? Plus, what is the deal with the number scale for pain... Um... my pain level... is off the chart. Oh, the pain medicine to take the edge off did not help during the most active part of my labor. I asked for a epidural, but I needed to be dilated to a 4 before they give you that. By 8 am I could tell that things were changing. They checked me again and I was dilated to 7... I guess I won't be getting an epidural. Than at 9:03 she was born. Here are some wonderful Nikki quotes during labor...

"Can't you just go in and get her?"

"Get the doctor now... I mean NOW... I need to push."

Doctor - "Do you want to feel her head?"

Nikki - "NO! I just want her out.... NOW!!!!!" - I don't even want to see this happening. I can feel it and that is enough for me.

FYI - Don't get a pedicure on vacation and close to your due date... unless you want to deliver that day.

Kaitlyn Jean McNeilly weighed 6 lbs. and was 18 1/2 inches long. I wonder what she would have been if she was full term... Some people tell me the last month of pregnancy is the worst, so I am happy I missed that.

About 24 hours after Kaitlyn was born she developed a mild case of Jaundice. We had to stay an extra day in the hospital so that her numbers were low enough to get home. On Wednesday night at 7pm Kaitlyn was discharged and we were on our way home. The next day we went into our clinic to have her Bilirubin checked and it had jumped from 11 points to 16.9. (Still not in the danger zone.) The doctor ordered us to keep her on a bili-bed. This special bed has UV lights that helped her process the bilirubin in her system. So, the past 3 weeks we have been taking Kaitlyn in to get blood drawn every other day. She is still Jaundice, but the doctor thinks she is starting to work through it. The doctor thinks the main reason she is Jaundice is because she was so early. This has really taught me patience.

Kaitlyn did not mind laying on the bed. I think it was harder for me to not be able to hold her unless she was eating. We did this for several days. For the past week we haven't had to use the bed. Plus, the doctor gave us a week break from the Lab. We don't go back until next Monday to check her levels. Oh, and she weigh 6 lbs. 6 oz. as of Friday.