1st month outtakes

Snippets of our first month together :-)

 

 

(your first visitors outside of your grandparents)

(your first blow out...lol)

(the day of newborn photos)

(mommy and daddy's 1st solo date night since you were born)

1st trip to restaurant for brunch

 

(newborn photo day)

 

 

Olivia June:1 month old

 I can't even begin to believe that our sweet baby girl is already one month old. How is that even possible?!?! We fall more in love with her every single day. Livi is such a good baby.....so so good!!!  The first month has been amazing and hard all rolled into one. We are absolutely crazy about her, but being a new parent comes with so many highs and lows. The lack of sleep has been very hard to get used to as well as the worrying over every single thing as a first time parent. We just want everything to be perfect for her and are learning together as we go.

 

Weight: Baby Girl, you weighed 7 pounds and 1 ounce upon delivery. At your recent 1 month appointment you weighed 8 pounds and 12 ounces (60th percentile). Momma is so happy you are growing.

Height: at birth you measured 19.5 inches long. At your one month appt you measured 21.25 inches long ( percentile)

Nicknames : Livi, Liv, Olive, Livy J, zarbles, zarbee, the littlest, my little 

Eating: you have been exclusively breastfed since day one. You did get one ounce of formula in the hospital cause mommy had a meltdown and couldn't get you to calm down. You weren't the best latcher or most efficient nurser in the early days. You would comfort suck mommy a lot and not empty her, causing her to be super engorged and constantly having to pump. Daddy would feed you bottles at night so mom could pump. At two weeks momma started exclusively breastfeeding and you are taking those bottles like a champ. You started eating 2 ounces at the beginning of the month 8-10 x per day. Now you eat 3-3.5 ounces 8 -9 x a day.  You tend to be hungry in the evening and will eat every 2 hours, but for the majority of the day you eat every three hours. 

Clothing: you wore newborn clothes all month. Mom and dad really love your newborn sleepers that zip...makes diaper changes so much easier. Momma is surprised that she doesn't change you ten thousand times a day as your parents and grandparents went a little over board in the clothing department. However, you hate having your clothes changes and momma hates taking things on and off your head. The last week of this month you were able to wear some of your 0/3 month clothes.

Diapers:mommy and daddy have tried pampers and huggies and we prefer pampers. You are still wearing Newborn size diapers.

Sleep: The first couple of nights were rough on Mommy. We got home and put you in the pack n play beside of our bed and mommy cried the first night and told your daddy that we should hire a night nurse. Your daddy immediately laughed in my face. I was just so worried about you. I woke up that first night and made sure you were breathing at least 10 times. I dreaded the nights every evening the first few week. You would sleep for 2-3 hour intervals the first week or two. At your one week follow up the doctor said we didn't have to wake you up to eat and to feed you on demand as you wanted it. Nana was so helpful with you during the nights. One night I woke up and she had you in your crib and was asleep next to you in the floor. she truly is super woman. Toward the end of the month you were sleeping for 3-4 hour intervals. You now sleep in your rock n play next to momma and daddy's bed on my side of the bed. You are much more content swaddled in your rock n play vs. flat in the pack n play.  

Health :Olivia you are such a healthy girl. You have had no major health concerns and it makes mommy and daddy so grateful. You tend to have some gas issues and are only fussy when your belly is bothering you. We started probiotic drops, gas drops and gripe water and it does seem to be helping. You also aren't the greatest burper, but the doc keeps telling us that is normal for some babies. You have some baby acne on your left cheek that flares up and a bit of a newborn rash on your cheeks, neck and chest. It doesn't seem to bother you and we are letting it run its course. 

Baby Gear Must Haves: Dr. Browns bottles and preemie nipples, Rock n play, Swing, Mamaroo, MAM pacifier - we tried soothies and they just didn't work for us, SwaddleMe blankets, Aiden and Anais swaddle blankets, anything with a mirror, Puj bathtub,

gerber cloth diapers ( we use these as burp cloths)

 

Likes: you love mirrors....you love playing in the mirror while being changed. you love laying on your belly on mommy and daddy's chest, you love your swing.....love it! you also like going for rides in your car seat or stroller. you also like your play mat and watching the mobile and lights. you like the shhhhhh noise and also you love bathtime.

Dislikes: waiting for a bottle to be warmed, stopping in the car....you love to ride, but you love riding when the car is moving, the first two weeks you hated when anybody changed you and you hated those cold wipes....now you don't mind those things at all. You don't like burping or being interrupted to burp while you take your bottle. You also don't love being held in a cradle position in someone's arms ....you prefer to be on your belly or on your back. 

 

Mommy: Mommy was super emotional when we first got home. She would look at you and cry. Cry because she loved your so much, cry because she worried about you, cry because she didn't always know what she was doing, cry because you cried. The last two weeks have been much better. Mommy gets a little crabby in the evenings as she becomes more tired, but other than that the hormones seem to be at bay for the most part.
Mommy had a hard time nursing you and constantly feeling "soaked and moist" as well as having you attached to the boobie all day. It was very hard for mommy as you and I weren't a great breastfeeding team....however, pumping has helped mommy's stress levels so much. I love that daddy or nana can feed you and I love that I can go out and run errands for our household and know that someone else can feed you and give you all the nutrients that momma is making for you.

Mommy gained a total of 33-34 pounds during pregnancy and at 4 weeks has 10-11 more pounds to lose. I am pretty happy about this considering I am eating like a horse and not working out. I will get there in time. Still trying to adjust to life with baby and finding the right routines and rhythms.

Daddy: Daddy has been amazing! Can I just also mention the fact he started a new job when you were two weeks old. It comes natural to Kev and he always keeps his cool and is so so patient with you. He changes your diaper like a pro and loves to give you your bottles. He loves tickling you with his beard and loves talking to you. Daddy gets upset when everyone gushes about how much you look like mommy. He insists you look like him. Daddy is a champ in the evenings when Mommy starts to get tired.

Pups: Bailey and Uggie Sue have had quite the adjustment. I still think Bailey is terrified of you....but he does great with you. He doesn't bother you and occasionally walks by and sniffs you. I can't believe he hasn't tried to lick you. He leaves the room when you cry or get really fussy. Uggie is a little too interested in you and gets a little too close. She gets super anxious when you cry and has been very protective of you. She loves licking your toes and loves to smell you. We have been super cautious with her, but she is adjusting better each day.

Social/Visitors: Your Nana stayed with us the first two weeks to help mommy and daddy adjust. Mommy doesn't know what she would have done without her. She kept us fed and kept the house running while Daddy and I focused on you. Your uncle Charlie and Aunt Britty also were frequent visitors as well as your poppy. Nana has been here at least once every week. Your Mamaw and Papaw came to see you after the hospital at home too. A lot of mommy's girlfriends also came to see you the first month including Megan & Justin, Dawn & Rick, Angie, Caitlin M, Denise, Melissa and Danielle. Mommy had a hard time with visitors in the beginning. She basically had a panic attack anytime someone would hold you other than Nana or Daddy. Mommy also had a hard time sharing you in general with the outside world and was uber over-protective the first few weeks and basically cancelled all visitors for the first week other than family.

Outings:  your first trip outside of the house other than doctor appointment were shoe shopping, multiple target trips, the grocery store and Taste of Belgium.
  

Life: Life has changed one thousand percent. all for the better! Sure the lack of sleep is hard, but you are worth it baby girl. Our whole world currently revolves around you. For mom it's mostly about pumping, feeding and changing you and getting you on some type of routine. Mommy and Daddy have had one date night. One to Newport on the Levee to eat dinner outside at the Fish Market. We spent the entire night looking at pictures of you and watching videos. We also spent one day running errands. It was the first time I had been away from you and Mommy made Daddy bring her home early. 

Milestones: you were rolling on to your side on day two and it freaked mommy out that you could already do that. toward the end of the month your little neck and head are getting stronger during tummy time, you are starting to stare at your mobile on your play yard, you love looking in the mirror, you love toys with lights, watched your first UK game, 1st dinner party at our house with the Nomadys, your first car ride, first brunch to taste of Belgium to celebrate daddy, poppy's and uncle Charlie's birthdays, 1st target trip, 1st trip to the grocery store, two MD appointments this month.

Dear Sweet Olivia,
  From the moment they laid you on my chest and you stuck your bottom lip out at mommy and daddy ....my heart exploded. I love you so much baby girl and the last four weeks you have taught  me so much. So much about love and about myself. I promise to always love you and protect you and be the best mommy I can be to you. Your dad and I are so so in love with you and you have changed our lives forever. I hope you know that we are still trying to figure this parenting thing out so please be patient with us. One thing is for sure - you are the most precious thing in this world to us. We thank God above everyday for you. You are the greatest blessing we have ever received. 

Love, mommy 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Olivia's Birth Story

Hey y'all....finally getting around to documenting Olivia's birth story. I am only four weeks late to the party, but let's just say I have been a tad bit on the busy side. I feel so blessed as I write this as I truly felt that I had a great pregnancy and an easy delivery with no surprises or complications. Kev and I thank the good Lord above for helping us welcome our daughter into this world the way he did.

So let me get to it....

  

Let's go back to week 39....that was one for the memory books.

That Monday (38w6d) I went to work as normal but as soon as I got out of my car in the hospital parking lot (where I work), I felt a small leak in my undies (TMI?!?). I thought it may have just been the normal stuff related to pregnancy and didn't think much about it. Well....it happened again. So I called my OB and they recommended I come in and have a peak to make sure it wasn't my water breaking. Up until this point I had no major contractions and didn't feel as though I was in labor.

 

I called Kev who was working from home and we had our first real "run" of practicing getting the hospital bags loaded just in case this was the real thing. He picked me up from work and we headed up the interstate to my doctor's office which is connected to the hospital we would be delivering at. We got there and they did an exam to determine I was basically just peeing my pants and having excessive discharge (again TMI? lol). I was checked again and my cervix was still closed.

False alarm numero uno .....I was slightly bummed. I decided to head back to work because going home would just entail me being stir crazy as ever.

 

So Wednesday(39w1d) came and I was already scheduled for my regular weekly checkup which they wanted me to keep after the false alarm on monday. I was praying there would be some action going on in my cervix, but nope I was still closed and not dilating. At that point, I was convinced I would definitely see my due date and we would be talking about induction at my next visit.

 

Well Friday rolled around and I woke up Friday morning with my undies soaked. I did the normal drill of calling the doc and they insisted I come in right away. Side note - can I just say that every time I talked to the nurse that asked me if "said" liquid in my undies had a scent or was odorless....I understand why they were asking...but nobody needs to be smelling their undies people. Ok back to the real story.....I went in friday and the doc did a thorough exam and said that my cervix was starting to open, but I was much, much more effaced. The doctor also said that she would be surprised if the baby didn't come in the next few days. Hallelujah!!!!

 

I left the MD appt and called Kev and continued my regularly scheduled events for the day. My gal pal, Caitlin, was in town from texas and we had planned on hanging out that afternoon and grabbing lunch. She is also preggo with her 1st child...a sweet baby boy due in December. We spent the afternoon in OTR catching up and talking all things baby.

 

Friday night I went to bed anxious as ever and fell asleep around 930pm and then at the stroke of midnight (Saturday) I officially had my first contraction. I woke up thinking "well that feels different" and they kept happening. By 3am I could no longer sleep and decided to start timing them. They were 10-15 mins apart and very consistent. And then.....the "bloody show" happened at 4am that morning and I freaked a little and called the MD on call. She explained I was probably in early labor and to call back when my contractions were less than 3-5 mins apart and stronger. The contractions continued like clock work all night long getting stronger and closer together. My parents had already made plans to come down on Saturday before the early stages of labor had started.

 

That morning my mom and dad got to our house around 9am and I was starting to get a little uncomfortable, but I could still manage. Contractions continued to be 10 min apart. My mom and I decided to go get our nails done to pass the time and to run some errands so I could walk, walk and walk. Kev joined us just in case. By 5pm that Saturday my contractions were 3-5 minutes apart and Kev and I felt like it was time to call the doctor again. She told me to come in just to be safe. Once we got to the hospital, I was having them every 2-3 minutes and they started to get painful. The nurse checked me and I was only 1 cm dilated.....1 freakin cm maybe 1.5 cm. The doctor told me there was no sense in me laboring at the hospital when I would be much more comfortable at home. I wanted to cry because they contractions were already so close together, but she told me to continue to monitor and call when they were more intense and were regularly 2-3 mins apart.


We headed home and I tried to get super comfortable on the couch. I had to walk around so much and move constantly and I didn't want to disturb Kev's sleep as I knew the next couple of days would be tough if this baby decided to show up. My bestie Dana drove up to NKY that evening and laid with me on the couch all night. She was such a godsend! I get teary eyed just thinking about her holding my hand through that night and sleeping on the couch with me. My brother's girlfriend snapped this sweet photo of us that means everything to me.

At around 500am early Sunday morning I knew I wasn't going to last much longer. I decided to take a warm bath. While I was taking a bath I became so uncomfortable I yelled for Kev. We called the doc and as I was getting ready I had a small trickle run down my leg....I think that I had a small leak and my water was breaking. We headed to the hospital by 6am and went straight to triage again. This time the resident checked me and when she did the rest of my water break in a huge gush all over her and the table. I was officially in labor and dilated to 2 cm. We called my parents and Dana led the charge in keeping them calm. We told Mom and Dana we would call when we got settled in our room.

After several missed IV's (and awful bruises to come to prove it) we got all settled in our labor and delivery suite around 830am. The room was HUGE! I was introduced to my saving grace....my nurse Terri who had been a L&D nurse for thirty some years. She was amazing and Kev and I could not have done it without her. We hit it off immediately when we started talking about our pets....the woman has 8 great pyrenees dogs.

We were all ready to go...popsicle in hand.




My mom and Dana met up with us in our labor and delivery room once we got settled. My Dad, brother and his girlfriend (who is like a sister to me) came around 1130 to keep me and Kev company.

I labored on my own till close to 5 cm and was progressing well, but by close to 5 cm I was begging for the epidural. That was the smartest decision I had made all day. If I had it to do over I would have asked a lot earlier. I did have a small panic attack after it took effect because I was so numb and hated not being able to move on my own in my bed. They turned my dose down a bit and then I was golden. They did administer a little bit of pitocin once I got the epi to speed things up a bit and boy did it. I was on track to start pushing around 8pm that evening based on the dilate 1cm per hour rule. However, the doc checked me around 330 pm and I was fully dilated at 10cm. She told me they would have me sit up in the hospital bed like a chair for an hour to let gravity assist with getting baby in the birth canal.

Dana broke out the makeup, chanel perfume, hair spray and teasing comb to get me all ready for Livi's debut while we waited for that hour to pass.

 

I sat up for an hour and was entertained by my amazing husband, family and bestie. I am so grateful they were all there throughout the process. I was so much more calm and collected because they were around me.

 

 

The nurse came back in at 430 and said it was almost time to start pushing. I started pushing at around 440/445 and Baby Olivia was here by 517pm. I pushed for barely over 30 mins ....thank the lord! I am not gonna lie, after that first push I truly thought I would be pushing for two hours. It was so so freaking hard. I may have had an easy labor and delivery, but pushing was the hardest thing I have ever done physically...hands down!

 

My mom, Kev and Dana were in the room with me with a slew of labor and delivery nurses. My mom was so involved with the delivery process. More than I ever thought she would. She held one of my legs alongside my nurse and everything while Kev and Dana coached me at bedside.

 

They immediately put Livi on my chest as soon as she came out. As soon as that precious babe was laid on my chest, I thought my heart would truly explode. I remember her immediately looking at me and sticking her lil bottom lip out....and then I remember looking at Kev...we were both so so emotional. Livi and I just stared at each other. That moment was the best....absolute best!

 

 

They cleaned her up on my chest and baby girl immediately started to root around for the breast. It's so crazy that they know to go ahead and do that.

They took her away for just a few minutes to weigh her and measure her. Kev stayed by her side the entire time.

Livi weighed 7 pounds and 1 ounce and measured at 19.5 inches long. She was perfect.

 

My amazing nurse....truly an angel sent to me that day.

 

We spent another few hours in the labor and delivery room recovering before heading up to our room. The moment Kev handed me a cup full of sprite was pure bliss lol. I was so thirsty and absolutely starving since I didn't eat anything at all that morning.

.

Olivia was immediately surrounded by so much love from the moment she came into this world.
She is my parent's first grandchild and Kev's parents first granddaughter....we don't stand a chance.

 

 

 

The next day Kevin's parents and sister came to meet her and visit. My mom also stayed at the hospital pretty much around visitor hours to help us and get us food or anything we needed.

Not gonna lie, being in the hospital was hard....constantly people in and out of our rooms (nurses, doctors, housekeeping, our bff from dietary services that always came at the most un-ideal times, hospital staff.....I was so ready to be home without all the interruptions). I was so over it, in fact, i canceled our hospital pictures with out photographer. I just wanted to get the hell out of there. I requested for the pediatrician to see Livi as early as possible on Tuesday so we could get home. By 3pm Tuesday afternoon we were on the interstate headed home.

 

 

 

I am so grateful for such an amazing labor and delivery with no surprises or complications. Blessed doesn't even begin to describe it. I am also so thankful for the amount of love and support we had on that day from my parents, brother, Brittany and Dana. We couldn't have done it without them. They were at our side meeting every need and took such good care of our sweet puppies.

 

Olivia June has forever changed our lives and we are so ecstatic to be her parents. She's the most precious thing in this world. I never knew this type of love till I laid my eyes on her. It's overwhelming.....overwhelmingly amazing!