Merry (Belated) Christmas and Happy (Belated) New Year

    WOW! I can not believe how fast December flew by. Many people keep telling me of how quickly your kids grow up and how it goes by like a blink of an eye, let me be the first to say "I Know!" When Chance had his 2 week check up at the pediatricians (which he passed inspection with flying colors) I could not believe he was already 2 weeks old. It felt like just a few days had gone by since I was in the hospital and not 2 weeks. Now, this Friday he will already be a month old. Time seriously does fly by.
    Our Christmas was wonderful, not to crazy and hectic. We celebrated with Al's family at his Aunt Cheryl and Uncle Frances house on Christmas Eve with TONS of food. Which of course during the time when we were all about to sit down to dinner, that is when Chance decided to wake up and participate in his own dinner time too. So I missed out on eating at the dinner table and having a second and third plate, but I would have walked out in a food coma so the timing was perfect. Chance received a Cowboys Christmas stocking from his Aunt and Uncle which Al fell in love with so it was the first thing that was put up over the fireplace when we got home that night.

Christmas was spent out at my sisters with her mom, step dad and sister. Al and I had a great time having Fondue and hilarious conversations at the dinner table. We laughed later on of how different present opening was between our families. Al's family has everyone open everything all at once while mine opens one gift at a time while everyone watches. Needless to say Chance was spoiled at both houses and went home with all kinds of good stuff from family and of course Santa. Speaking of Santa I was really sad that we missed out of taking a photo with Santa this Christmas. Timing just wasn't right this year. Here is a photo of the three of us though at my sisters house on Christmas.

   My time on maternity leave so far has been really great. It has been a big adjustment with Chance at home but aside from what everyone has said the transition with him has been really smooth. He is sleeping well, initially every 2 hours he was waking up to feed almost to the minute but now its a little more sporadic, sometimes he will wake up every 2 hours other times its 4 1/2. But of course when he sleeps for 4 1/2 hours its only during the day, never at night.  The past couple of nights though have been hard. I am really really hoping he is not colicy. But I'm currently running on 4 hours of sleep in the past 48. He has just been really fussy. Really keeping my fingers crossed on this one. It definitely has been challenging though since Al went back to work a week ago. Although, I'm learning pretty quickly when the best time is to do things around the house. I notice that if I don't get ready in the morning during Chance's last nap of the morning, then I won't get out of my PJ's and be able to brush my teeth until the afternoon.
   Chance and I were starting to get cabin fever really bad last week so we finally broke out the stroller and have been taking walks daily. Chance LOVES being outside and in that stroller, oh my goodness!!! We walked and walked and walked, it was so nice and beautiful out, one of the perks of living in Texas it can be 70 degrees out during Christmas time! It was so great to get out and get my behind moving and working out too. The doctor said not to diet or exercise too much until after 6 weeks, but I am so ready to get this weight off ASAP! Its driving me insane. And yes I do realize I just had a baby but I know it is going to take a while to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight so I am ready to start... NOW!

 Overall, I still feel so blessed to have Chance in my life! It has been an amazing adventure so far; and Al and I are really enjoying our time with him.. watching all of his funny faces (especially while pooping!!) and all the little noises he makes. Each day has been a new experience and I absolutely love being a mom!

He's here!!!

Our amazing and beautiful blessing has finally arrived! Well...arrived a week ago on Tuesday, December 6th at 10:29pm. Chance Tegan Tristan weighed 8.88lbs and was 21 inches long. Both Al and I are wondering whose child this is because he is just way to adorable to be ours.
    So as the story goes... I originally went into the hospital Sunday night to start inducing. My doctor started pitocin Monday morning and by 6pm that night I was no further dilated (1 cm) than what I was 3 weeks prior. So they sent us home. Al and I were both completely mentally drained, you think you are going to leave the hospital with a newborn in your arms and the complete opposite happens. The doctor did say that we will try inducing again on Friday and if it failed again they would do a C-section, that was if he did not come before.
    Sure enough that next morning, I woke up around 10am and felt a slight trickle. I ran to the bathroom and then felt a slight gush....HOLY CRAP! Did my water just break or did I just have an accident???? Al came in to check on me and I sat in silence for a second then told him what just happened and called the doctors office. They told me it sounds like my water did break and I needed to get into the car, lay in the back seat, make sure I was wheel chaired to Labor and Delivery but get to the hospital quickly. Well I felt great so I told Al I was going to get a cup of coffee, he asked if he had time to take a shower and I said, "Sure!". I made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich while he was doing that because I was craving one the day prior and while on pitocin you can not eat, so I made sure I did this time around before going back in. While headed to the hospital I told Al that he needed to get something to eat because it could be a while before he got another meal and we both knew that the hospital food wasn't the greatest. So Burger King it was! I believe it was noon by the time we actually got to the hospital and if you are wondering if I had been wheel chaired to Labor and Delivery...uh no!
    Pitocin was started right away, but of course nothing happened until about 2:30pm,  and finally started dilating and having contractions. Those lasted till about 5pm the pain was tolerable but I was just getting exhausted going through them. Epidural time!!! This was probably the worst time for me throughout my labor only for my fear that they would miss and I had a fear I was going to be paralyzed from the waist down. All went well and I FINALLY dilated to 10cm at 10pm. My doctor was so amazing since she knew I wanted no one but her to deliver Chance, she took a nap at the hospital and said she would wait until he came. I started pushing at 10pm and out he came at 10:29pm. The umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck 3 times, but thank God it was loose, so he did not have to go to NICU. He is absolutely perfect! Al was so amazing through all of it, he definitely kept calm, didn't pass out, did everything perfectly especially telling me when I needed to breathe.
    After spending two nights in the hospital we are now back home with Chance in tow this time. Adjusting to this new change has been great so far and running very smoothly. The first couple of nights were a little hard trying to get use to waking up every two hours to feed him, but after the 2nd night I quit setting my alarm to wake him up since he woke me up just fine without it. Every two hours almost to the minute, just like clockwork. Al and I have also been inducted into the Chance clan, by both officially being peed on while changing diapers, but that was after changing his first diaper in the hospital. Al and I were so caucious about being peed on that when Chance did pee he shot it right into his own little face and the screaming began... poor little traumatize guy. I though must admit have dodged being drenched more than Al has. We did newborn photos today and our last sitting was of the three of us. We were able to get a couple of shots in and when asked to change our position I handed a naked Chance to Al, who was immediately shot in the chest with pee, but took it like a complete champ and just sat there and took the full emptying of the bladder.
   I will definitely try to keep posting new blogs as I sink more and more into mommihood. I am so looking forward to this amazing new adventure in my life!

24 hours and counting

Well my doctor told me that we will be inducing Monday, December 5th if he is not here prior. Well, it's Sunday afternoon and Chance is still not here and Al is going to take me into Labor and Delivery in about 4 hours. I'll check in this evening to St. Paul and they will start the inducing process tomorrow morning. It is crazy that we will be holding our little baby boy tomorrow. I think that I am as prepared as I can be at this point. It has been so funny receiving so many phone calls from friends and family asking me if I have gone into labor yet, so I have just started answering the phone "I'm still pregnant." I have compiled all the photos that I took with my phone throughout my pregnancy and typically would never post pictures of myself but I figure why not. I never got around to taking maternity photos so these will just have to do. I just hope that I am able to take off this weight faster than I put it on.

15 Weeks

19 Weeks

22 Weeks

25 Weeks

30 Weeks

 

35 Weeks

40 Weeks

 So I apologize in advance for the scatter of my belly all over this blog (what a sight to see) but this blog would not allow me to post them right and make it look pretty. I am hoping that I can get one last photo tomorrow morning at 41 weeks and add that one soon.
I have been feeling pretty good  about everything as far as delivery until the other night, started having slight anxiety about it. Not about anything going wrong but just what all is going to happen with inducing. I have heard once the pitocin is injected everything goes by really quickly, but for my sister and nephew it was (if I remember correctly) an emergency c-section right after because Jack's heart rate dropped. Other the other end, my neighbor across the street said she delivered 15 hours later after receiving the pitocin. I guess all is up in the air from here. Regardless of it all I am so over the moon about finally meeting our son, he is truly already such a blessing in my heart! I am so thrilled and excited about being a mother, and I know Al feels and has said he is ready and excited to be a father.

Wish us luck!

I guess the Turkey is not done cooking?!

Everyone I know and plus some have told me that Chance is not going to make it to his due date, that he will be coming before Thanksgiving! Well, this little guy is proving everyone wrong so far, today is his estimated due date.. November 28th and he is still in his mommy's belly. I have a doctors appointment later today and am anxious to find out what she will say. Forty weeks and counting! So far this little turkey in me is showing everyone who is really running the show around here, and it isn't anyone on the outside world. I will say it has definitely helped me a little bit more to get packed for the hospital and get a few things done around the house, including Christmas decorating. Maybe Chance just knows how his mother is already, such a planner, if its in my appointment book that is the date I am going to go by. He would have really thrown me off if he came earlier than today... yes I do know that having a child there is never an expected moment. Always be as prepared as you can be for the unexpected...right?? Well the waiting game continues....until then!

To my little blessing

Dear Chance,
I can not believe that the time is almost here for you to come into this world. It's been 39 weeks today that you have been in my tummy. Time has certainly flown by. I have noticed that the closer you get to being in my arms the more I think about you, while I'm awake and while I am sleeping. I think about what you are going to look like, how big you are going to be (the doctor said you were 8.1 lbs last Friday), how much hair you are going to have on your head, and what color it will be. I wonder if you are going to sleep easily during the night or keep your dad and I up a lot :), what your first word is going to be, so many things run through my head.
I have also been thinking about what kind of mom I am going to be to you, how many things I can teach you, how I am going to act when you get sick, or fall on your knees. How overbearing I am going to be at times, and how I can wait to just give you the biggest hugs in the world.
I hope you grow up having equal parts of your dad and I, his strength, courage, honor, confidence and loyalty to friends and my compassion, love, patience and understanding. However you turn out you are going to be one extraordinary son who will be loved by so many people around you.
There are times that I feel like I am going to wake up from a dream because it is still hard for me to think that within the next week or so you are going to be coming into this world. You have given me so many blessings so far and you are not even here yet! Chance you have given me a warmth in my heart from a void that I thought would never be filled. You have given me strength to stand on my own feet and be more confident. You have shown me more patience in my life, more than what I have ever had in the past. You also have given me a smile back on my face every time I feel you wiggle in my tummy, knowing you are going to be here soon. You are such a true blessing to me and the wait is almost over until I get to meet you. I love you so much already and can not wait to hold you in my arms.
Love,
Mom

The time is drawing near

I can not believe it is almost D-Day! Where did these past 8 1/2 months go? Time sure has flown by, Al and I had our last baby shower last night that Katie, Jessica and Allison hosted here at our house. It was so nice and relaxed. The girls made sure that I did not do anything, which is easier said than done. But I think with enough yelling and hair pulling (kidding) they finally got me to sit down on the couch and relax while I watched them take over and clean the house and decorate for the shower. It was a lot smaller shower than the first two which was nice, I think the bigger my belly gets the less entertaining I become.  Chance's nursery is basically complete the only thing I would like to get is a baby monitor and a diaper stacker oh and of course I do need to still purchase a lovely breast pump...yay!!
   Al and I drove out to Arlington today to have lunch with my best friend Jessica, her fiance Jay and their daughter (my god daughter) Gwendolyn. There was a few times I looked over at Al and saw him just starring and Gwen. It was so sweet, I asked if he was studying her patterns and he just laughed and shook his head no, and said he was just watching her. He told me later in the car that he has a good feeling that we are going to have a great kid that is not going to cry much and just be really laid back and cool. I laughed and told him that I am recording this moment in my memory bank so when things are chaotic I can find humor in the moment of chaos.
   Overall I am feeling great, there have been moments here and there that my feet are super swollen, and times were I get winded easier but I honest can not complain. I feel really good and still have a lot of energy for the most part. I will say that it has been frustrating trying to find pants that fit, especially going into the colder season on the year, so yoga pants have been my best friend for the most part. Poor Al really does not see a very attractive Shauna anymore around the house. I am all about comfort these days, I have my moments of trying to dress up but even those times there is definitely not a 100% effort and they are few and far in between. Hopefully, soon enough I will get somewhat of a figure back after Chance is born. Just need to make sure I am laying off all the amazing chocolate chip cookies that I have been baking.

The Turkey is Cooking!

I feel as though time has flown by in the past couple of months and time is ticking away and there is still so much to do. To do a little updating the nursery is pretty much complete. I have had the hardest time getting the letters to his name up on the wall. They either don't stick or my new way of getting them up on the wall is using picture mounts... well when nailing the mounts on to the letters the wood snaps in half. So off to JoAnn's again to buy more letters for Chance's name. I am hoping that this last round will work and the final product will look like this one here, which was right before the A dropped and broken into pieces on the floor.
Earlier this month Albets' mom, aunt and cousin hosted a family baby shower for us. It was a wonderful shower with tons of his family and family friends. My sister and family were the only people that I invited to this shower, which was nice, since I was able to be introduced to new family members and friends that I had not met yet. Al is truly blessed with such an amazing large and warm family, they were all extremely open and wonderful towards me. Chance received tons of clothes, snuggle buddies and Al got the awesome diaper bag that he registered for!
A highlight since the last entry on my journey of pregnancy is I was diagnosed with PUPPP/PEPS aka the Rash of Pregnancy. Oh my goodness was it miserable!!! I thought it was heat rash initially but when it spread half way down my stomach overnight then started covering my entire belly and moving towards my back the following night I knew something was not right. I went in to my doctor and she told me I had PEPS. She said that it is common with women in the first pregnancy in the 3rd trimester and those women who are expecting a boy. Oh how I always love my chances of these things!! She also told me that the cure would be giving birth!!!!!! WHAT!!!!!!! EXCUSE ME!!!!! Oh and that the rash would just continue to spread until he was born....but don't worry, there is no harm to you or the baby. Well wasn't that just great... I almost started crying on the way back to work from my appointment, realizing that I had not taken my maternity photos yet, the rash was going to get worse and oh did I mention how horribly miserable I felt because my whole entire belly was one big itch! When I got home that night I was determined to find a cure because if there wasn't one I was ready to make a scheduled C-Section ASAP. I found to my surprise on babycenter.com (which by the way I love this website, it has helped me with so much stuff throughout my entire pregnancy...highly recommend it.) There was a mom forum about PEPS and all the women having the same symptoms and being just as miserable as I was. They said there was this great product called Grandpa's Pine Tar soap that helped a lot of them and took away the rash entirely for some. As I said I was determined and desperate. I picked up a bar for $3 at Whole Foods and guess what, my PEPS what gone in less than a week. Nothing..poof, disappeared!!!! I think I am going to become a spokes person for this product, I was so so happy!!! Also, loved the doctors appointment I had last week to tell my doctor all about it. Use Grandpa's Pine Tar Soap!! It's a miracle!
Al and I have one more shower next weekend that Katie, Jessica and Allison are throwing for us. It is suppose to be very laid back and they tell me that I am not to do anything but relax and enjoy myself. So much easier said than done, but I will try my hardest! But all of this is coming down to the end. Monday I will be 35 weeks and counting. Nine months seems like a long time but to me it has felt like it has flown by. So much to do still, find a pediatrician, which I have as a goal to do by the first week of November, assemble and install the car seat and buy the second base, wash all of Chances clothes before he arrives, set up a savings account. I know there is tons more, but as I keep telling myself, one day at a time.