Beware...

Just wondering if this is supposed to be like hanging the dead rattlesnakes on the fence to "warn the others..."

(found in the girls' room...)

Caleb's Gentle Cesarean Birth Story

Thank you to all who were praying for us!  We received your texts while we were in the hospital, and because we were a few minutes late heading into the OR, we saw most all of them before the surgery.

I'm not sure exactly how to tell this story, so I'll just try to catch everything I remember!  We arrived at the hospital and started in with all the monitors and IV's in preparation for surgery.  Even though everything was going smoothly, I still was struggling with the overpowering urge to get up and walk out.  I don't know why, but the mental and emotional strain of walking into an experience where I give up all control of my body is almost more than I can handle.  The nurses getting us ready were absolutely wonderful- very mothering and sugary sweet!  Sometimes that is sickening, but they pulled it off!  Dr. Pitts arranged for Dr Witham to be our anesthesiologist, and soon after he reviewed the surgery with me she came in to discuss the plan and my problems with morphine.  I requested morphine to be put on my allergies list so no one would be giving it to me with thoroughly discussing it with me first!  (Due to my last experience with Isaac, and being given an extra dose even though I had said no to it.)  I chose to go ahead with the morphine, but to also be extremely proactive in combating the nausea, which included two doses of different anti-nausea drugs and a patch behind my ear.  (I did still get sick, so I did my best to wait out the morphine before eating.  I was able to keep down ice chips, so something worked a little better than last time.)  We also discussed the process of my "special wish," as she put it.  Since I hadn't been able to read more than what is scantly available online about Gentle Cesareans, I didn't know what all I could request.  Basically I just asked that the Apgar scores and cleaning be done as much as possible on my chest instead of on the warming table.  (She asked later, after I was on the table, if I wanted to try to nurse him, but because I wasn't mentally prepared for that feat, I said no.)

We moved on in to the OR and went through the process of getting the spinal block and laying me all out.  Since this is all very much a blur in my mind, I'll just skip most of it.  As far as the surgery goes, I did well- didn't get sick at all that I remember.  When he was born, he gave a couple little cries, so I knew he was headed my way.  The assisting Dr passed him in a blanket to the nursery nurse, who then placed him on me. An amusing note (but hard-at-the-time) was that the blanket also ended up over my face, so I couldn't see, nor move the blanket because I was still strapped down.  She removed it quickly, and I could see an amazing little body laying on me. 

He had quieted right down, and was laying still on me, but breathing.  These are all specific memories, but I have no idea of the passage of time.  I know the nurse was patting his feet; I think she wanted him to cry more, but he wasn't.  His Apgar scores were 9-9, which I overheard the nurses in recovery saying that when it's a 9, that means his color wasn't completely pink unless another explanation is given.  I remember his feet were a little blue.  After a few minutes, she asked if she could remove him to the warming table for a minute because he was getting a little cold.  Of course I said yes- all along I have maintained that I understood the priorities and I promised I wouldn't interfere with any of their medical opinions about necessary care. (This may have not been necessary had I been bared skinned, but for some reason this part of the process didn't happen, so the warming from my body wasn't happening.)

 The moment she removed him from my chest, he burst into the crying newborn.  She weighed him while on the table, and then brought him back to me.  He immediately quieted back down.  I heard at some point a voice behind me commenting, "That's remarkable," in reference to his change in demeanor based on his location. I also remember not saying much~  I'm not sure why, or what I planned on saying to this beautiful little miracle on my chest, but I hummed and murmured most of the time.  Maybe that was an instinctual bonding sound from mother to child.  Whatever it is, he responds to it now as well.  

Part of why I wished for this experience was because with my other C-sections, they take the baby straight to the warming table, clean him (her) up, do all their stuff, then Gabe brings the baby to my side.  At that point, one arm is released, I can kind of pet them and kiss their head, and then pretty soon they go away to the nursery, leaving me with the Dr's who carry on all sorts of conversations while they finish the surgery.  Then they take me to the recovery room where I am left with the nurse.  I have felt so very lonely in these past experiences, without Gabe or the new baby.  They return after a while, but I'm alone for what seems such a long time.

This time, they left Caleb on me for nearly the entire stitching up process. Instead of listening to random conversations that I was not a part of, I was able to love on my child and bond with him in his earliest moments outside of my womb. 

Post C-section:  Now- you can think that all of this is pure coincidence, and it just happens to be his personality.  And that's fine- it may be.  But when we compare our first three children born via C-section to him, we feel that this experience impacted him in ways we probably don't even understand. For the first two weeks, he was amazingly content.  Since then, we think he's developed some kind of gas issue.  Other than that (not that trying to help him feel better is any small task...) he's been very cuddly, which is the big difference we see between him and his siblings. 


We adore our new blessing and thank God for the opportunity He allowed this time around. 

Yes, that's right.. No Booming.

This morning I told Isaac when he got up and asked what we were doing today that today is Kiera's Birthday! 

I said "we need to be nice to Kiera today, ok?" 

He says, "And not boom her?"

Yes Isaac, this means no shooting your sister on her birthday....

10 Days and Counting down...

Today is day 10 on our countdown, and boy, am I ever feeling the time crunch!  Kiera's birthday is this weekend, along with the Kiddie Parade.  We are trying to make a co-birthday happen with Isabel's birthday on Sunday (Izzy's is Tuesday).  I need to schedule a day for my painting helps to come and climb the ladder for me in the boys' room.  I'd really like to fit in a pedicure (a VERY rare treat, my third ever!), plus my massage and ob appt's next week, then Apple Blossom festivities... and the norms- CoOp, karate, Awana, schooling.... OI!  At least I don't have to work next week; that will really help!

And I haven't shared this here yet, but we are attempting to bring a new option to C-section moms here at CWH.  If everything goes smoothly (healthy mom- healthy baby) we will be the first "gentle" cesarean!  This would change the practice of taking the baby away to the warming table for the Apgar tests and cleaning process to placing baby on mom's chest and making available this option for a more "natural" experience (if so desired).  But for this to happen, Dr P had to get the right head nursery nurse and anesthesiologist to be on board... and that means baby boy may NOT come early!  So your prayers for a "planned" birth would be appreciated.  And that planned birth is Monday May 7th, 7:30am.

Whew- one day at a time, right?  One day at a time!

Does this mean...???

Today after CoOp I took the kids shopping at Target.  I was feeling the need to purchase a few baby necessities to have on hand just in case- that way, he surely won't come before his time, since I'm ready... right?

In the car I explained what we were shopping for to avoid the extra "Can we buy this?" questions.

Melia excitedly asked, "Does this mean we're nesting?"

:-)  Yes, I guess she could say that.  19 days and counting down... It's about time to get ready for this baby!

What is THAT!!!

This morning I told Isaac to go get his sandals so I could help him put them on.  He hem-hawed around, then told me to "go get them."

I looked at him and said, "Are you obeying Momma?"

He looked at me and smiled a sweet smile, "You go get them please Mom?"

(And yes, I did make him go get his own sandals...!)

Isaac's Clothing Pickiness

Normally, I let Isaac have some say in what clothes he wears for the day.  He is very opinionated about what he's going to wear, and while I will let him choose some things, Gabe doesn't let him at all :-)

Wednesday however, I was picking things out because we were headed to CoOp, and I like him to at least match.  I had his overalls, and picked out a short-sleeved red shirt to go under.  He starts right in with "Me no like that shirt. Me no want that shirt.  It too small." 

I said, "No it's not.  Here, put it on and see that it fits just fine," and proceeded to put it on him.  He immediately started pulling at the short sleeves, again telling me that it was too small.  Pretty soon, I clued in to the fact that he's saying he wants long sleeves instead of short sleeves.  So I picked out a red long sleeved shirt- it was a win-win!  :-)

Columbia Christian Homeschool Co-op

Our co-op has a new webpage!  I thought if any of you were curious as to what it is we participate in as homeschoolers or what a co-op schedule looks like, I'd share. 

Enjoy :-)

http://www.cchcwenatchee.org/home

An Isaac Lesson

If Isaac goes without a nap, he will sleep for 12 hours straight. 

However, if he crashes on his own at 5:45 pm, guess what time he'll be up in the morning? 

Yep.  Me too.  Ugh....

A Little Update from Our House

I thought I should get on here and do a little family update, if nothing else! 

We are doing great!  I am tired, worn-out, and extremely round, but like I told Gabe last night- if I start to sound unhappy, remind me of how happy I am!  Here's a few things we've got going on around here...

Baby is scheduled to arrive in 4 weeks and 3 days!  And by scheduled, I mean if he doesn't show up by then himself... But I haven't gone into labor yet, and I'm really not expecting to this time :-)  I have been having some pretty impressive contractions if I'm not careful, but it's probably just my body giving me a reminder not to over do it.

About the decluttering:  Annie came over last week and was extremely motivating!  She helped me rotate and clean out the girls' clothes.  Hopefully she'll come help with the boys' room!  I would still like to paint it, but I've got to do something about all the trucks and trains first!  I've failed completely at "cleaning one thing per day" idea, but I am trying to keep working at those problem areas :-) 

Gabe completed the TV area- and it's much more functional now!  We have a place for our new-to-us TV and all those black boxes that needed a better place to sit.  In addition, with the back half of that space, we have floor-to-ceiling shelves in the back room... Which aren't exactly organized *yet!*  But we've moved things around in that room to allow half of it to be for school, and that is helping a ton in the dining room because all our school was taking place out there.  As for school, Melia clued me in to a fascinating little fact about her... She does much better focusing when I leave the radio on (and it has to be Positive Life Radio :-).  Her reading is really picking up as well, which is SO fun to see!  Kiera's perfectionist mindset is slowly making room for her own creativity.  She's drawing a LOT now, and not being quite so frustrated when something doesn't look just right.  With numbers and letters though, she's still irritated that they don't look exactly like mine, which, ironically enough, often means her penmanship is better than Melia's :-)

I still have a ton of stuff to do before baby comes, but hopefully we'll get the main stuff accomplished.  If not, we'll figure it out when we bring him home!  If there's one thing I've learned, it's that I have to let go of my preconceived ideas and be flexible.  It'll all work out :-)

And no, he still doesn't have a name.  We stopped looking a while ago, just hoping he "looks" like something when he's born.  If not, we do have a small list of possible fits :-)