Wow...I am not a good blogger....

At the Apple Orchard 9/6/10

With Dad at the Zoo 9/5/10

Watching his first ND game, 9/4/10

Getting Ready to go watch Dad coach football 9/3/10

14 weeks old

So....it has been months since my last post, I am sorry...I wanted to do good at keeping up with the blogging.......but I spend every moment Quinn is awake with him and when hes asleep I do housework or things around the house......but I am going to get better about it......

Quinn is 15 weeks today....I cant believe it. He has changed so much....he is so strong and holding his head up so well.....he has rolled over 4 times now, found his hands and chews on them all the time, smiles a hundred times a day, laughs out loud....loves to snuggle and be rocked. He is sleeping from about 9-10 pm till about 5 am, which I will not complain about, he will take a bottle and then doze till about 7am.

He is a perfect baby! He has some fits at night, where he just screams...and Im the only one that can do anything with him and if all else fails we go for a little drive to get him calmed down, not sure what causes it but Im not a fan, because I cant do anything for him.....

He likes his swing to nap in and we just started the exersauser and he loves it. He still loves it outside and would sit out there all day. We took him to one of Cecils football games and he LOVED it.

My sister flew in from Flordia for Labor Day weekend and surprised us. We had a great weekend, Quinn first trip to the Zoo and Apple Orchard. He really liked the apple orchard.

He is becoming quite the momma boy, which I totally fine with :) We play and read and talk all day long. He LOVES TV, but I dont let him watch it...he wishes I did! He loves music and just hanging out.

He is weighing in at about 14.5 lbs and is eating constantly. He has a little bit of acid reflex but seems to be doing much better now.

He got to watch his first Notre Dame game with daddy this weekend, well I let him watch about 10 mins and then he just listened, but it was cute to see them bond and I know Cecil was excited to share his love of Notre Dame with him.

8 Weeks

I will proably say this everytime, but I cannot believe we have an 8 week old. He is changing every day and Im loving every single second of it. He went to the pool for the first time, for about 10 mins, he LOVE it! He had his first holiday, The 4th of July, we went to a family cookout. He is smiling everyday, big ol baby grins, all day long...I cant get enough of those. He also follows people and objects with his eyes, his laughs when you play peek a boo, and he smiles when you kiss him on his cheek. He def knows his mom and dad. He loves to sleep on our chests and us holding him. He is starting to like his swing and bouncy seat. He LOVES to be outside, to bad its been way to hot to take him out, when its cool I just sit outside with him and he looks around at the trees. He is rolling, not rolling over yet, but rolling up on both sides. He is a very mellow baby unless he gets hungry or his belly hurts, and then he will get fired up. He loves to listen to music, his faves are Jack Johnson and Notre Dame Band CD, he gets his feet kicking and just smiles....his dad thinks its pretty cool, secretly I know its just to music, he wouldnt care if was elevator music.....

Hes not much for sleeping, during the say he only takes cat naps for 20-30 mins at a time, and he likes to be up bright and early anywhere from 4am- 6am, ready to smile, talk, and play. He is eating us out of the house....sometimes it seems like he cant get enough food. I know its because hes growing, hes growing before our eyes, he looks bigger to me everyday. He weighs about 11 lbs and is pretty long, all his 3 month sleeps fit him everywhere but length, and Im not having no baby wearing high waters....haha, I know all to well about that problem.....His eyes are changing color, just not sure to what yet.

We started cloth diapering this week, and I love it, he doesnt seem to mind ethier. Its so much easier then I thought and so good for him, the environment and our bank account, so its a win-win-win.

8 weeks later and I honestly still hold him sometimes and cant believe hes mine and that I have an 8 week old. Just yesterday he was sleeping on my chest and breathing on my neck and I had tears running down my face because there was a time when I never thought I would have this life and I love it more then I even though possible.

xoxo-Kari

I have a 5 week old......

I cant believe I have a 5 week old...its crazy. Im loving every minute of it. I think every day I fall more and more in love with him, if thats even possible! I love being home with him everyday and look forward to each and everyday. He is staying awake a lot more during the day and smiling at me all the time. Each one melts my heart. He has outgrown his newborn clothes and newborn diapers, which makes me sad. Hes getting so big so fast. He loves music and listens to Jack Johnson in his crib. We still havent done overnight sleep in the crib, we are just not ready for that yet, but he does nap in there. His favorite place to sleep is on our chests. Hes getting up 2-3 times a night and sleeping 3-4 hours....which I cant complain about. But around 5am he is awake and ready to talk and play, and its a struggle for mom! He loves the outside, loves to watch the leaves on the trees and go for walks in his stroller, he also loves car rides, but watch out if the stroller or car stops, hes not happy! He also likes when I "wear" him in a carrier on my chest, I get so much housework done this way and he enjoys it. We have started tummy time and he is holding his head up so good. He eats like a horse and weighs a little over 9 lbs. He has his 6 week check up on Monday...I think he has to get one shot which I am not looking forward to. All and all, he is happy, healthy, and growing........I cant explain my love for him, its the most intense feeling ever, I cant get enough of him. Cecil always wants him when he gets home from work and even after being up with him all night and with him all day, I dont want to give him up! Who needs a shower, really? Hes the only one I see during the day...LOL okay Ill admit my 30 mins in the hot shower alone everyday is pretty nice......I will try and update more.......but for now Im gonna go enjoy my little boy and my grays dinner!

xoxo-Kari

WOW how my life has changed.....

So tomorrow our baby boy will be 3 weeks old...I cant believe it.....Going back 3 weeks ago today...the day before I had a disappointing doctors appt, I found out I had not progressed in 2 weeks, that my doctor would be out of the town when I hit 40 weeks and that I wouldnt be induced until a week after I thought....so I thought for sure I had 3 more weeks of being pregnant, well the next day (Tuesday the 25th) I just didnt feel like myself, I slept all afternoon and got up to get ready to catch a bus to track regional meet. About 20 mins before I was supposed to get on the bus, I was standing at the back door and my water broke, at the time I thought I just peed myself.....so Cecil called and I told him man I just peed all over myself...he said do you think maybe your water broke? LOL and it did, so he rushed home and I took a shower and packed our bags...we got to the hospital about 2 hours later and they confirmed my water had broke but I hadnt had any contractions and was still dilated at 2. So we walked the halls for a few hours and still nothing so in the middle of the night I started pitocin and the contractions started picking up and I dilated to about 4cm and then stayed there for what seemed like FOREVER, so they just kept uping my dose of pitocin...about 5 cm I asked for my epi and when I got it my blood pressure dropped and I felt like I was going to pass out...so I got another shot...then my legs went numb but I could still feel contractions, so I got another epi and same thing......but by this time I was at 8 cm and it was around 12 noon the next day so I had been in labor about 20 hours.......I then went from 8 to 1o pretty fast but when I got checked, Quinn had decided he wasnt ready and was moving up instead of down....then my doctor said the dreaded word...C-section, this is what I did not want to happen...I had been in labor for 21 hours and now I thought I was going to have to have a c-section.......but she gave me a change to push, she told me I was going to have to push like I had never done anything before because the baby was way up high.....so I took the challenge, they gave me a 3rd epidural and same thing happened legs went numb but could still feel contractions.....by this time babys heart rate was up, mine was down, blood pressure wasnt great, I had a fever.......but at 1:30 I started pushing and pushed till 3:12 when he was born, it was just me, my doctor, a nurse, and Cecil...it was the hardest, most challenging, most wonderful thing I have ever done. It was a life changing experience. Cecil was the best labor coach ever, I didnt do any classes or read any books, I just wanted to go into and do what the docs told me and what I felt was right, and it was the best experience. Cecil cut the cord and Quinn was placed on my chest...it took my a moment to gather my thoughts...this is the moment we had been waiting for for 6 years and I couldnt believe it was happening.....the entire thing is truly a miracle and our baby boy is a miracle and hes perfect and I thank God for him mulitple times a day........after gathering my thoughts, I found out that Quinn wasnt crying like he was supposed to, so he got taken to the NICU, I HATED it......thankfully he was only down there about 40 mins and everything was fine. The wonderful thing about my epidural not working is I didnt have to wear any monitors (expect babys heart) when I was pushing because I could feel my contractions and I was up walking about 15 mins after I was stiched up (I had a 2nd degree tear) I got to watch his first bath and it was great. We stayed at the hospital for 2 nights and then came home on that friday......I have been loving every moment so far...I cant get enough of him! We never gave up on our dreams of being parents and God never gave up on us. I will never ever complain again about the money, the shots, the medicines, the surgeries, the ultrasounds, the tests that it took to get him here, I would do it over a million times for him! Thank you everyone for your prayers, we could have never made it this far without everyones support and prayers......

36 weeks!

Well Cecil and I went to my 36th week appt yesterday. He doesnt usually go to my weekly appts with me but on Monday morning I woke him up about 4:30 am with some pretty intense contractions, I just waited it out because I already had a docs appt at 9:00, so he went with me incase it turned out to be something. Well by the time we got to docs office, they had died down a bit and were not as intense. She still wanted to check things out and when she did my exam, she told me his head is WAY WAY down. (she didnt have to tell me, I have been feeling it all week!) And my cervix is soft and I was dilated at 2.5! Also just by looking at my you can tell I dropped or should I say baby dropped. She said by how fast things are moving, I was dilated at 1 last week and had been for a few weeks before that, she wouldnt be surprised if I had him this week....WHAT? I mean I knew I had to do this, I know I cant keep him in forever, and I really want to meet him...but I was prepared for a few more weeks to get used to the idea! But she said with his size (she guesses him around 7.5 lbs right now and the fact I got the steroid shot for his lungs already, that he will be prefect.) In her words, "Bring him on." So we will see when he wants to make his self known....

In other pregnancy news...I have gained 25 lbs, yes I have been putting it on lately. Its proably because my 2 cravings are donuts and cereal...why cant I crave fruit or veggies?

I am offically waking up every 1-2 hours through-out the night, I guess its just practice for newborn schedule........

Well I got my first Mothers Day gift ever. I had flowers delievered and the card read "Happy First Mothers Day! Love Quinn" My husband and mother in law are great, I was no expecting anything. And usually I find things out because I am the one that does the banking so I see what Cecils spends money on and where, my his mom ordered them, so I had no clue. It was very sweet, I got a little teary eyed!

Well Quinns room is DONE! Now we are just waiting on him. It turned out pretty good for being an office a few months ago, its not even a real bedroom but his bedroom will be upstairs and master is down stairs on opposite ends of the house, and thats just to far away from me for right now. So eventually his bedroom will be upstairs, but for now its our "office."

I will update in a few days......but I just wanted everyone to keep him and I in your thoughts and prayers....I know your prayers have got us through so much to this point, just please ask to keep both of us safe and healthy through labor and delivery. Its such a beautiful thing but I am a nervous wreck.......

xoxo-Kari

34 Weeks!

Well I am 34.5 weeks today! I cant believe he will be here in 5-6 weeks. (found out today she will not let me go past my due date because he is pretty large already) Went to the doctor today, everything seems great.....his heartrate was 140 and he was happily kicking her as she felt my belly. She is guessing him to be about 6-6.5 pounds right now. My contractions have slowed way down. Since I havent updated in awhile, we had a really nervous weekend 2 weekends ago, I ended up staying in L & D for the night. I was having some bleeding and conractions. I got woke up at one point in the middle of the night with her telling me my conractions were 3 mins apart, they got them slowed way down, and I have just been having them off and on since. I got the steroid shot for his lungs, just incase he decides to come early. I was also dilated at 1cm, but have stayed the same since. I was told today, labor will not be stopped from here on out. I am hoping to get a few more weeks out of him though and I think I will. I am up about 18 pounds and feel like I will gain 18 more in the next few weeks, I seriously cannot get unhungry...its bad. Cecil just laughs...I think I had about 6 full meals on Saturday.

We had our baby shower this past weekend. I say "we" because we had a coed shower and I am so glad we did, it was so much fun. My sister did an awesome job with it. I wanted more a celebration of our little miracle and to thank everyone who has supported us in our journey. It turned out better then expected, we had about 100 people come through and I couldnt believe the generosity (not sure if that is spelled right!) of people, we got everything we need for this guy and then some! Everything is washed and put away, and ready for him. Just have to get the car seat inspected and finish packing hospital bags......I cant believe I am at this point. I mean I have been pregnant since Sept 11th of last year, seems like it would have time to sink in, but its getting more and more unreal to me the closer we get, I think because I didnt know if I would ever be here, I didnt know if I would ever feel baby kicks in my belly, I didnt know if I would ever see our baby on an ultrasound, I didnt know if my husband would ever beable to rub my belly...I honestly can not Thank God enough because I have got to experience all of those things, he is making my dreams of being a Mom come true, I never doubted him but sometimes questioned his plan for me. Now I know, it was all in preperation for my little boy, this is my boy, this is the baby I was supposed to feel kick and to see on an ultrasound.......this is the little boy God promised me and told me was coming, I just had to be patience. The greater the fight, the greater the victory...that is our story in a sentence.....the fight sometimes was almost more then ethier of us could take.......but the victory has been more then I every thought possible. Thank You God for our miracle...he is our greatest victory!

30 weeks!

SO there are my 30 week baby bellies...Im up about 12-13 pounds. This week I feel like I cant get enought to eat, so Im surely putting on pounds. I dont really have many cravings, but I love me some cereal, I eat a few bowls a day. And its so bad but if I eat another Reese Cup Easter Egg....Thankfully Easter is this Sunday, so all the Easter candy will be going away. I have started seeing the doctor every 2 weeks now. Everything is going really, really well right now. I cant believe in under 10 weeks we will meet out little guy!

His nursery is coming together, not quite done yet. These sock monkeys were fine when I was little. And his first Notre Dame Football. We still need to get the mattress. The dresser was in my nursery when I was born.

So we have started training our 4 dogs. They have been our babies for the past 4 years and we are trying to make this as smooth as transition as possible for everyone. We have set up many of Quinns things just so they are used to them by the time he is here. I also have been training them with a baby sounds CD, I randomly play in through out the day, it makes crying sounds, and just normal baby sounds.....We also are using a baby doll to train them, as you can see from the picture below our bulldog Irish already loves "the baby", not sure if he will be as keen on a real baby that crys and moves, but its a start!

Coming up is our baby shower, which I am really excited about. I am meeting with a peditrician tomorrow, hopefully I like him and its as easy as that to pick one. Other then that, not much is going on. I am offically in the nesting stage working on stuff around the house and getting everything orgainzed. I am loving the weather, Finally! This winter felt like it took 2 years, proably because I was so sick...but Im glad both sickness and winter are over. I am also taking a newborn basics class in April, I literally have almost no experience with newborns, which scared me a bit. I am really hoping that motherly instints kick in like everyone is telling me they will. I know I love him so much and will do anything to make him happy and keep him safe, so I think thats a good start, and hopefully I learn a lot from the class. Cecil and I also took an infant CPR and first aid class, I am gald we did, we learned a lot. We also did our hospital tour, and it seemed very nice (not much to compare it to), we went past the nursery and there were 3 brand new newborn baby boys in there, they were so cute, made me cant wait to meet our little one! Well at least not for 7 more weeks, when he is considered full term, but anytime after that is fine with me! Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers, to have a safe and healthy next weeks and delievery.

xoxo-Kari