My Sweet, Sweet Girl...

Quinn Luree

December 26th  at 7:42 pm

9 pounds 5 ounces

21 1/4 inches

The last couple weeks of pregnancy were so emotional for so many reasons.  I was so worried about how Kellen would adjust and just feeling a little mommy guilt about how it was going to change his life!  At the same time I was so excited to be adding to our little family.  AND those that know me I have been praying for a little girl for a long time.  People laugh at me when I say this, but everyone ask if we "tried" for a girl...well in my mind we did...I prayed every night for a little girl to find her way to me.  When we found out it was a girl I was over the moon and so excited!

The other craziness was all from my Dr deciding to close their doors at 37 weeks and I had to find a new Dr.  So even though it was a repeat c-section there was still some element of surprise because I did not know until 5 days before hand what day we were doing it and I didn't know till the day of as to what time to even go to the hospital.  I ended up really liking my new Dr and in the end all the craziness was well worth it.

We had such a great Christmas and on the 26th we woke up and I started laundry and made Monkey bread as my "last meal" before the deadline to stop eating.  At around 9:30-10 I called the Dr to see if I could drink Water and to see if there was any news as to when I needed to head to the hospital.  The verdict...I could not eat or drink anything and I needed to be at the hospital at 3:30 and the c-section was set for 5:30ish.

So I kept myself busy for the rest of the day so I couldn't worry about the big change that was about to happen in my life and all the little things that I had been worrying about since I got pregnant!  So I got laundry done, picked up and put everything away from Christmas and packed up all my bags.  Leaving Kellen was the hardest thing and I had to fight back tears all the way to the hospital...I was so overwhelmed.  Once we got to the hospital everything kind of settled and and the wait began.  I checked in at the admissions desk and we waited and waited and waited...

There was a lot of talking about who was hungrier going on between my mom and Matt.  Nobody wanted to eat in front of me or even drink some water!  The admission ladies were so sweet and kept telling me that it was almost my turn, they were just trying to figure out where to put me.  There were A LOT of scheduled c-sections & people getting educed going on, plus the ladies coming in that were actually in labor.

Once we got back to the pre-op room my nerves started to pick up a little.  It was all a whirlwind even though there was a lot of waiting.  Finally it was my turn to go back...they did the epidural and then things started to move quickly...I was wheeled into the operating room.  I think I prayed all the way there for a safe delivery and for everything to be ok with me and Quinn.  I had a small panic attack with Kellen during the c-section, but this time I just knew it would be better.  Boy was I wrong.  After this c-section I don't think I can do it again!  I soon began to feel like an elephant was sitting on my chest and I so badly wanted to get off the operating table and walk out.  But at that point I couldn't feel anything!  It seemed like it took forever for them to bring Matt in and once he got there I was hoping it would calm me down, but I hit a point of no return.  I was slowly going crazy in my mind and going to a very bad place in my head.  I wanted to scream for everyone to stop and I wanted so badly to move my legs.  At one point I told the anesthesiologist that I need to move my leg...she told me it was fine and straight...I looked at her and told her "NO I need my leg moved"  so she got a nurse to move my leg and that helped, but did not stop the craziness in my head.  I kept telling her that I couldn't breath, but she said it was just the epidural and I was breathing fine.  I wanted to call her crazy and I swore she was going to let me suffocate.  My blood pressure kept bottoming out and she kept having to give me meds to help with it and then the nausea started.  She kept telling me I was fine, but I kept saying no I am going to puke...so as they are cutting my daughter out of me I am dry heaving into a pan that my husband so kindly held by my face.  It was awful.  I really wanted it to be all over and then it was.  She was here!  I heard her cry and then I lost it!  The joy, nerves, and craziness all hit a peak and I couldn't believe it!  She was here and she was loud!!!  She was so mad to have been taken from her nice warm spot!  All I could hear was the nurses talking about her hair!  Then she was next to me and I was actually touching and kissing on her...She was here!

After that it went pretty fast.  Matt and Quinn left and I was left again to go crazy in my head.  No one really talked to me...I could hear the nurses counting and I could smell so many things and I could hear the Drs talking as they closed me up.  I tried to close my eyes and just drown everything out, but I couldn't!  All I wanted was to go to recovery and see my daughter again.  The shaking was not nearly as bad as when I had Kellen.  I was hoping that I would get to hold Quinn sooner this time.  Then I was on my way to recovery.  I got there just in time to see Quinn get her first bath.  She hated it...until they got to her hair.  She loved her hair being washed.  Daddy said that she was going to cost him a lot of money at the salon!  He could tell already!

As soon as her bath was done...I got to hold her!  Everything went quiet and I knew it was all going to be ok.  All my worries went away and were gone./  She was here and she was safe and I was safe.  AND I just knew that Kellen would fall in love with her when he saw her.  My heart was full and over joyed!  She was here...finally!

The hospital stay was hard for me...I wanted out and to go home and just be with family!  It was never quiet and I slept so little while I was there.  So when they gave us the option to go home Saturday or Sunday...we jumped at the chance to go home Saturday and go home as early as possible!  All the nurses were nice and the Drs were great, but I wanted out!  I felt like a caged animal!  We had a few visitors and that helped a little.  When Kellen came I was so nervous, he really didn't want anything to do with her and wanted to leave after a few minutes.  I was a little heart broken, but I knew that in time he would love her.  On the day we were leaving the hospital, Kellen asked my mom if he was still special.  It broke my heart that he was feeling this way.  He is such a sensitive boy and has such a BIG heart!  I really had to fight back the tears.

I was so glad to be home.  Quinn is doing great and really is such a good baby, except the couple of hours she decides to scream at night!  She is in a great routine of about every 3-4 hours (at night she will sometimes go 5).  Matt and I split the night shift so that each of us gets a fair amount of sleep.  So I don't feel so much like a zombie and I am still able to function.  Kellen is coming around and such a big helper.  It was a rough couple of weeks the first weeks, because Kellen really was struggling with finding his place.  But I think he knows now exactly where his place is.  He is constantly telling people that he is a BIG brother and that Quinn is so cute, but she cries a lot!  :o) I love it!  Speaking of that it is time for her to eat again...

December Fun!

I have to say that this was one of my favorite Holidays!  Kellen was SO much fun and SO into everything that had to do with Christmas!  I also knew that this was the last Christmas for Kellen as a "only child", so I wanted to make sure that it was a pretty special one.  Over the last few years we have started some traditions and it is so much fun to continue them each year and also add to them each year!  Since we were adding to our family this year and last year Kellen actually got board opening gifts we decided to slim it down this year.  At first I felt guilty because he didn't have a whole lot under the tree, but when you add gifts from all the grandparents & Aunts & Uncles he was super spoiled, umm, I mean blessed with all the fun things he got!  So here we go with what our Christmas Month looked like...

November 29th ~ A few years ago we started the tradition to go Christmas Tree Hunting (well shopping at Home Depot, but "hunting" sounds more fun) with Uncle Andy & Cousin Ansley!  We meet at Home Depot and will pick out the best trees we can.  :o) It was so hard this year because last year we had the most beautiful tree and it was hard to find something that was just as perfect!  After some debate on size we loaded up the two trees on my Explorer and headed to Uncle Andy's to drop their tree off!  Then it was back home to get our tree in just the right spot!  Here are a few pictures...

 November 30th ~ Pictures with Santa!  Last year we were blessed to be able to go take pictures with Jason Pendley.  The experience was amazing.  No lines, the Santa was amazing, and Kellen loved it.  So this year I emailed Jason to see if he was doing it again.  At first he was not sure, but after a couple emails he finally said he was going to do it!  :o) I was not the only one asking!  Another reason I love doing this is Jason donates all the money to a needy family or this year he donated it to some needy children at his Son's school.  Anyways here are a few pictures of Kellen & Santa....

This year Kellen asked for a "REAL" car & a car wash!  Ha!  Thank goodness he changed his mind a little and just asked for some cars!  :o)   So Santa brought a Hot Wheels car track that goes on the wall!

December 1st ~ Decorating the Tree & The Woodstock Christmas Parade! This was so much fun and a new tradition that we hope to continue each year!  All the floats had lights on them (It was a night time parade).  Kellen enjoyed it, but did get a little tired since it went on for so long!  But we ordered a pizza from the Italian place on the square and ate it while the parade went by.  It really was a lot of fun!  Here are a few pictures from decorating our tree...

Love this sweet Boy!!!

December 19th ~ Kellen's Christmas Party at School!  I am an awful parent and did not take my camera and so all the pictures I did take are on my phone.  I will try to get Matt to help me get the video and the pictures off my phone and put them on here!  :o) It was so cute.  They sang 3 songs and it was so fun to watch the kiddos!  Then we went back to his classroom and they (the kids) exchanged gifts (books) and ate lunch.  they aslo gave the parents the cutest gift of a Christmas tree made out of hand prints.  It was so cute.  Kellen is still loving school and I love that he loves it!  He is learning SO much and is such a smartie pants!  

December 23rd ~ Lights of Life at Life College.  Kellen loves the lights and we will drive through it several times.  Before we went he asked if he could go see the dragon in the pond that waves his tail.  He remembered it from last year!  I could not believe it!  He loves looking at all the lights.  We noticed this year that they had a petting zoo and pony rides, but none of us were dressed and I was wearing slippers!  Ha!  Next year!  

December 24th ~ Christmas Eve...Our tradition is to spend Christmas Eve together as a family.  We started out the evening making cookies for Santa (we used the break can bake & added sprinkles). Then we enjoyed a yummy dinner of  Loaded Bake Potato Soup & Cornbread!  While we ate dinner we watched Santa on the computer to see where he was!  Kellen loved this part...he still asks if he can watch Santa on the computer...we have told him Santa is on vacation and in Hawaii!  Ha!  After we finished up we opened up our gifts!  This year we tried really hard to keep it under control!  Kellen's favorite gifts this year were books!  Here are a few pictures...

Daddy's Falcon's Apron

 

A red tractor just like Grandpa Steve!  Thanks Nana! 

Cookies For Santa!  Yummy!

December 25th ~ Such a fun day!  We woke up and Santa had come!  He ate all the cookies and only left crumbs!  And he left presents in our stockings!  Kellen was so excited!  And Santa left a Hotwheels Wall track and that was WAY cool!  of course Kellen and Matt had to set it up before we left!  We ate a small breakfast and then got ready to head of to Meme & Papa's for a Christmas Brunch!  Uncle Kevin and Aunt Amanda make some yummy French Toast Bake & and Egg Casserole that were so yummy!  Then let the spoiling begin...Kellen got so many fun things!  Aunt Amanda got him BOB books and I have to say that this is probably one of Kellen's favorites!  I can't believe he is actually reading them and loves to read them to us!  He is so proud of himself!  :o)  After we finished up there the boys headed to the airport to pick up Grandma Keeta!  After everyone was home we went for round 4 of gifts with Grandma Keeta!  Kellen got a scooter and LOVES it!  He is on it everyday!  Here are some pictures...

After all the Christmas celebrations were over and Kellen was tucked into bed, Grandma Keeta & Nana helped us take down Christmas!  Knowing that Miss Quinn was joining us the next day I knew that the house needed to go back to normal and I wanted to make sure that we could spend the entire next day with Kellen and hanging out!  It was such a fun holiday season and I hated to see it end, but I knew that the next day life was changing as we knew it and I was flooded with all types of emotions.  But all in all I could not wait to meet my little girl!  So next post...Quinn's Birth Story!