January 30, 2011
Growing Like a Weed
Look how much my baby has grown in just four short months! I am not sure how I feel about this! It's impressive, to say the least.
January 29, 2011
Week in Review
I feel like this past week just FLEW by! I finally got the BlogPress App for my iPhone so I am able to post on the go. However, it's still no fun to type a long post from your phone. I'm convinced I have Shrek hands. It's hard for me to type and not hit every adjacent key on the phone! Anywho...here are a few highlights from our week!
I have been working for the past month or so on a new Web site for the amazing Beautiful Dream Society. They are an organization based out of OKC who works to fight, and ultimately end, human-trafficking in the country of Lesotho, Africa. They were founded by our pastor's wife, Jennifer Crow, after having a very real dream about the country and the human trafficking industry. CLICK HERE to read the whole story and to view their amazing site!
I have also been busy working on two wedding invitations for two sweet gals! It's always so fun for me to see how different people's tastes are! Some brides are very, very traditional, and some very, very funky! I love getting to know each of them and creating something that is perfectly "them" for their most "perfect" day! Here is a sneak peak of the two, with names and details changed so the invites are still a surprise to those who will receive them!
One of the MOST exciting parts of our week was taking Everleigh to her GI Specialist appointment on Tuesday. We have been anticipating this appointment in hopes that they would start to back her off of her medicine and that we could possibly start eating some solids. She has been so much better with her tummy since the last time we went to see this specialist in November. We couldn't have asked for a better appointment. The doctor agreed that we should start pulling her off of a dose of medication per week, starting with the Prevacid for acid reflux, and see how she does. She also said we could start introducing green beans and squash, since those are the lowest carb, easiest to digest of the first foods. We gave Everleigh her first little taste of squash at lunch today, and she did GREAT with it! Watch and see!
However, I am sad to report that within an hour after eating her squash, she was screaming in pain, just like she used to before she was diagnosed with her dysmotility and put on medication. Needless to say, we are very discouraged by that. We just knew she was better and ready to move on. For now, we will put the solid foods on the shelf, stick with breast milk, and try them again in a couple months. :'( Poor Evie.
Another kind of discouraging event this week has been Everleigh's sleep. We aren't quite sure what is going on, but our girl who was doing so great with her morning and afternoon naps, and sleeping all night, has started to completely boycot all naps and has begun waking again for a nighttime feeding. I have read and read and researched everything pertaining to sleep training, naps, nighttime feedings, etc. and nothing seems to work in our situation. We can't let her cry it out because she is a tummy sleeper who is laying in a pool of drool in a matter of seconds if we let her cry. We can't put her on her back because all she knows of laying on her back is playing and having her diaper changed...totally confused. We can't go in and pat her without picking her up because that only makes matters worse. My girl is a FIGHTER, and I'm not sure how to remedy this one. It's hard on momma. Especially because I can't get ANYTHING done during the day. She is also letting up on eating, which is hard. She is not eating as often or as much, but is also not on a schedule so she eats at different times every day. Good thing she is cute enough to eat up, or I might spank her! ; )
I leave you with some cutie pics from the week. Hopefully next week will bring good sleeping, eating, and lots of laughs!
Everleigh fighting sleep, suited up for a walk
My little hippy girl
Someone is ready for the beach! That makes two of us!
She's the boss at home, and now she is the boss at Daddy's office
Our girl FINALLY pushed up during tummy time! All 19 pounds of her!
I cleaned out Ev's closet and drawers this week. The clothes on the right are what she has outgrown in four short months. The measily stack on the left is all that still fits her!
Cashy Kitty is enjoying the warm weather and glad to reclaim his place in the open window
I have been working for the past month or so on a new Web site for the amazing Beautiful Dream Society. They are an organization based out of OKC who works to fight, and ultimately end, human-trafficking in the country of Lesotho, Africa. They were founded by our pastor's wife, Jennifer Crow, after having a very real dream about the country and the human trafficking industry. CLICK HERE to read the whole story and to view their amazing site!
I have also been busy working on two wedding invitations for two sweet gals! It's always so fun for me to see how different people's tastes are! Some brides are very, very traditional, and some very, very funky! I love getting to know each of them and creating something that is perfectly "them" for their most "perfect" day! Here is a sneak peak of the two, with names and details changed so the invites are still a surprise to those who will receive them!
One of the MOST exciting parts of our week was taking Everleigh to her GI Specialist appointment on Tuesday. We have been anticipating this appointment in hopes that they would start to back her off of her medicine and that we could possibly start eating some solids. She has been so much better with her tummy since the last time we went to see this specialist in November. We couldn't have asked for a better appointment. The doctor agreed that we should start pulling her off of a dose of medication per week, starting with the Prevacid for acid reflux, and see how she does. She also said we could start introducing green beans and squash, since those are the lowest carb, easiest to digest of the first foods. We gave Everleigh her first little taste of squash at lunch today, and she did GREAT with it! Watch and see!
However, I am sad to report that within an hour after eating her squash, she was screaming in pain, just like she used to before she was diagnosed with her dysmotility and put on medication. Needless to say, we are very discouraged by that. We just knew she was better and ready to move on. For now, we will put the solid foods on the shelf, stick with breast milk, and try them again in a couple months. :'( Poor Evie.
Another kind of discouraging event this week has been Everleigh's sleep. We aren't quite sure what is going on, but our girl who was doing so great with her morning and afternoon naps, and sleeping all night, has started to completely boycot all naps and has begun waking again for a nighttime feeding. I have read and read and researched everything pertaining to sleep training, naps, nighttime feedings, etc. and nothing seems to work in our situation. We can't let her cry it out because she is a tummy sleeper who is laying in a pool of drool in a matter of seconds if we let her cry. We can't put her on her back because all she knows of laying on her back is playing and having her diaper changed...totally confused. We can't go in and pat her without picking her up because that only makes matters worse. My girl is a FIGHTER, and I'm not sure how to remedy this one. It's hard on momma. Especially because I can't get ANYTHING done during the day. She is also letting up on eating, which is hard. She is not eating as often or as much, but is also not on a schedule so she eats at different times every day. Good thing she is cute enough to eat up, or I might spank her! ; )
I leave you with some cutie pics from the week. Hopefully next week will bring good sleeping, eating, and lots of laughs!
Everleigh fighting sleep, suited up for a walk
My little hippy girl
Someone is ready for the beach! That makes two of us!
She's the boss at home, and now she is the boss at Daddy's office
Our girl FINALLY pushed up during tummy time! All 19 pounds of her!
I cleaned out Ev's closet and drawers this week. The clothes on the right are what she has outgrown in four short months. The measily stack on the left is all that still fits her!
Cashy Kitty is enjoying the warm weather and glad to reclaim his place in the open windowJanuary 27, 2011
January 26, 2011
The Things We Do...
It's amazing the things we will do to get a smile out of a baby. I have made more crazy faces, sounds, motions, etc. In the past four months just to see that big gummy, open mouthed grin!
Lately I have been trying desperately to get that baby chuckle out of her...you know, the one that comes from deep down in their little baby bellies? Well, the other night during bath time I got it. Granted she was deliriously tired and I haven't gotten it like that agin. She had the hiccups somethin' fierce and I was mimicking her. Who knew that would get it, but I will never, never forget it. Most precious sound I've ever heard! And thank goodness Mrs. Maggie was there to capture it!
- Posted from my iPhone
Lately I have been trying desperately to get that baby chuckle out of her...you know, the one that comes from deep down in their little baby bellies? Well, the other night during bath time I got it. Granted she was deliriously tired and I haven't gotten it like that agin. She had the hiccups somethin' fierce and I was mimicking her. Who knew that would get it, but I will never, never forget it. Most precious sound I've ever heard! And thank goodness Mrs. Maggie was there to capture it!
- Posted from my iPhone
January 17, 2011
Nicknames for Everleigh
The hubs and I are partial to nicknames. Dan says it's because he can't remember names half the time, and I just think they are endearing. Needless to say, I have a LONG, running, ever-growing list of nicknames for my most endeared, baby Everleigh. Here they are as of Monday, January 17th, 2011.
At this rate, we'll be lucky if this kid EVER knows her name! Amazingly, she seems to answer to all of them with a big, toothless, open-mouthed grin. : )
Ev
Evie (Ehh-vee) not (Ee-vee)
Elohlee (Eh-low-lee) thanks to my friend Sarah Henry's little girl, Ava, who couldn't quite pronounce Everleigh yet)
BooBoo Baby
Baby Bear
Little Bear
Lovey Bear
Lovey Dovey
Luhbee Duhbee (Mispronunciation of the above)
Angel Face
Monkey Bread
Doodle Bug
Tootle Bear
Tooter
Shooga Boo
Sugar Bear
Sooga Sooga Sooga Bear
Puddin' Pop
Momma Baby
Evie (Ehh-vee) not (Ee-vee)
Elohlee (Eh-low-lee) thanks to my friend Sarah Henry's little girl, Ava, who couldn't quite pronounce Everleigh yet)
BooBoo Baby
Baby Bear
Little Bear
Lovey Bear
Lovey Dovey
Luhbee Duhbee (Mispronunciation of the above)
Angel Face
Monkey Bread
Doodle Bug
Tootle Bear
Tooter
Shooga Boo
Sugar Bear
Sooga Sooga Sooga Bear
Puddin' Pop
Momma Baby
At this rate, we'll be lucky if this kid EVER knows her name! Amazingly, she seems to answer to all of them with a big, toothless, open-mouthed grin. : )
January 11, 2011
Four Months!
Everleigh had her four month well-care doctor's appointment this morning! I weighed her at home a week or so ago, and she weighed in at approximately 17.5lbs. Today, we are happy to report our little bear is a healthy 17 pounds 9 ounces (6lbs 15oz at birth) and 26in long (20in at birth)! For a little gal with a rough start because of her tummy, she sure is growing! She is in the 97th percentile for height and weight! Way to go, little sweetie pants! She got some shots, so she is sleeping in her crib right now.
Developmentally, she is doing great! She is following us with her eyes from across the room, and has done that since early on. She is grabbing for and holding her toys, pulling ALL things up and into her mouth. The only thing she is not really on track with is her mini push-up when she is on her tummy. Granted, I don't give her a ton of tummy time because she hates it...but her weight probably has something to do with it as well. It's a tough job to lift all that lovin'! So, we will be painfully working on that for the upcoming weeks, strengthening her neck muscles.
On a sadder note, our little buddy Ty McCullar got some sad news yesterday. The tumor they found in his tummy was diagnosed as stage 3-4 Nueroblastoma. Ty has had a rough go at life since day one. He is absolutely THE sweetest and MOST BEAUTIFUL little boy! My little sister, who is a nurse in the infant and toddler unit at Arkansas Children's Hospital, met Ty when she cared for him in her unit. She fell in love with him instantly, and became his in-home nurse one day a week when he was released. Since then, I have had the privilege of meeting him and getting to know his sweet mom. They are near and dear to our family's heart, so we are asking for HUGE AMOUNTS of prayer for COMPLETE healing in his little body. No child should suffer. I spent a sleepless night last night just thinking about him and crying out to the Lord to renew his little body, give him strength, and take away all of his pain. I watched my little girl in the monitor for a good portion of the night, just thanking God that she is healthy and praying over every little cell in her body. A healthy child is truly a miracle, and we are praying for a miracle for this little guy. Click here to read Ty's story and keep up with his progress
January 7, 2011
Climbing Out from Under This Rock
Well, it's safe to say there is NOOOOO way to recap the events of the past 17 weeks since my last post. Many of the experiences I just can't possibly craft words for, and it seems like the most viciously overwhelming task to even try. So, I will just hit some high points.
I am cautious to write anything of the first few months for fear of sounding ungrateful for the precious gift who is sleeping like an angel in her room across the house. So let me preface: Everleigh is the most loved, most wanted, most treasured gift I have. I now know a mother's love, and it is definitely THE most powerful, and sometimes overwhelming, feeling I have ever felt. I think that's what makes it such a journey for a first-time mom. It's like learning to drive, driving the fastest, most powerful car out there...just turned loose, unbridled, behind a force more powerful than anything you've ever felt.
We obviously had Everleigh later in life than most...we are both 32. I pretty much helped raise many a friend's babies, so I just knew I was going to be GOLDEN when I finally had kids...knowing exactly what to expect and what to do with even the most unexpected. I was a seasoned vet...right? WRONG! I can sit here and conjure up the exact fear that I felt walking into my house with Everleigh for the first time knowing that this was it...we are on our own now...left to raise this perfect little person and make sure she turns out right. YIKES! But, the first two weeks were a cake walk! She slept when she should, and hardly ever cried. Granted, she woke up to eat a lot at night, but that was to be expected.
Around the two week mark, we started seeing a different side of our little angel. She cried more often and was harder to get to sleep and REALLY hard to get her to stay asleep outside of your arms. Day by day the times of crying got longer and the sleeping got shorter. The next thing we knew, she was crying constantly. At her doctor's appointments, we were told she just probably had colic and we could look for her to grow out of it by about 12 weeks (which felt like a CENTURY away!). I wasn't buying it though. My girl wasn't just crying. She was SCREAMING out of pain, and did so from the time she was coherent enough to realize she wasnt' sleeping anymore...before she even opened her eyes, she would begin screaming. And scream until we could finally rock, bounce, sway, or pat her with all the force we had in us. Dan would come home from work every day and I know I had a crazed look in my eyes because I had been doing a vicious cycle of all of the actions above since he had left that morning...and she would NOT let you put her down. She was also eating every hour, and would scream and fight me during the feedings...and she wouldn't have anything to do with a bottle. There were many times that we were both in tears. I hardly left the house at all for those first weeks because she just screamed. I also had to quit my job since my maternity leave was up and she couldn't be put down.
Finally, at seven weeks, Everleigh was diagnosed with acid reflux and a condition called Dysmotility, which basically means her little digestive system wasn't fully cooked when she was born. Switching her to formula was out of the question because she wouldn't be able to digest it in her condition. I have had to cut everything out of my diet including any and all dairy, wheat, gluten, citrus, tomatoes, garlic, potatoes, caffeine, and carbonated beverages, in order to make my milk as easy as possible on her little tummy. Luckily, with the meds we were given, and my restricted diet, she is a different baby. She is now sleeping well, and eating on a normal schedule (before, she was eating so often because babies cannot differentiate between a stomach pain and a hunger pain...so she was eating to soothe her hurting tummy, which was only perpetuating the problem). She is laughing and talking A LOT! Sweet little thing!
**We ALSO took Everleigh to a Chiropractor and believe the treatment she received is a HUGE factor in her quick turnaround.
All that to say (and this is where I automatically feel like a bad mom), it's been hard. It has not been what I expected motherhood to be. There have been lots and lots of tears shed...some mourning the loss of the picture perfect idea I had built up in my head of life with a perfectly healthy, sleeping, newborn. I can't count the number of times I said OUTLOUD to myself, "God gave THIS baby to YOU becuase YOU are the most perfect mother on the face of the Earth for her. No one else can love her and care for her like you can." The power of our words is amazing. The power of our thoughts is too because there were many days I would think myself into a hole..."I can't do this. Is she going to sleep? How long will she sleep? What if she doesn't sleep? When will I sleep? What does that cry mean? How can I not know how to help her if I am her mother?"
It has been really hard being away from close friends and family during this season. I have struggled through some pretty "alone" feelings, but hear that is normal for a first-time mom...especially one who is uber-social and has had to quit her job to care for this little one.
I will tell you what though, that baby's smiles and coos heal me every day. Every time she looks at me and smiles out of sheer joy that I am in her presence absolutely makes everything worth it. No, it's not what I expected, but she is mine and she loves me regardless of any inadequacies as a mother I might have. Though my best may not be THE best, it's good enough for her, and she loves her momma. We are enjoying watching her discover her world. She is mesmorized by her little hands, and it's the cutest thing to watch. She loves for me to say, "MOMMA!" to her. She loves for us to make funny noises with our mouths using our tongues, and mimics us. She loves the Octopus (who we have appropriately named "Ocho") on her Baby Einstein playmat. And best of all, she LOVES her Praise Baby DVD's...I even think she is trying to sing along with the worship songs sometimes! She is the most beautiful angel in the world, and we are blessed to call her ours.
In 2011, I promise to keep up with my blog. I really do. Now that I am figuring out this new life balance, I should have no problem doing it. So, keep your eyes open for the lastest musings in our life with baby Ev! It should be getting fun VERY soon!!!
I am cautious to write anything of the first few months for fear of sounding ungrateful for the precious gift who is sleeping like an angel in her room across the house. So let me preface: Everleigh is the most loved, most wanted, most treasured gift I have. I now know a mother's love, and it is definitely THE most powerful, and sometimes overwhelming, feeling I have ever felt. I think that's what makes it such a journey for a first-time mom. It's like learning to drive, driving the fastest, most powerful car out there...just turned loose, unbridled, behind a force more powerful than anything you've ever felt.
We obviously had Everleigh later in life than most...we are both 32. I pretty much helped raise many a friend's babies, so I just knew I was going to be GOLDEN when I finally had kids...knowing exactly what to expect and what to do with even the most unexpected. I was a seasoned vet...right? WRONG! I can sit here and conjure up the exact fear that I felt walking into my house with Everleigh for the first time knowing that this was it...we are on our own now...left to raise this perfect little person and make sure she turns out right. YIKES! But, the first two weeks were a cake walk! She slept when she should, and hardly ever cried. Granted, she woke up to eat a lot at night, but that was to be expected.
Around the two week mark, we started seeing a different side of our little angel. She cried more often and was harder to get to sleep and REALLY hard to get her to stay asleep outside of your arms. Day by day the times of crying got longer and the sleeping got shorter. The next thing we knew, she was crying constantly. At her doctor's appointments, we were told she just probably had colic and we could look for her to grow out of it by about 12 weeks (which felt like a CENTURY away!). I wasn't buying it though. My girl wasn't just crying. She was SCREAMING out of pain, and did so from the time she was coherent enough to realize she wasnt' sleeping anymore...before she even opened her eyes, she would begin screaming. And scream until we could finally rock, bounce, sway, or pat her with all the force we had in us. Dan would come home from work every day and I know I had a crazed look in my eyes because I had been doing a vicious cycle of all of the actions above since he had left that morning...and she would NOT let you put her down. She was also eating every hour, and would scream and fight me during the feedings...and she wouldn't have anything to do with a bottle. There were many times that we were both in tears. I hardly left the house at all for those first weeks because she just screamed. I also had to quit my job since my maternity leave was up and she couldn't be put down.
Finally, at seven weeks, Everleigh was diagnosed with acid reflux and a condition called Dysmotility, which basically means her little digestive system wasn't fully cooked when she was born. Switching her to formula was out of the question because she wouldn't be able to digest it in her condition. I have had to cut everything out of my diet including any and all dairy, wheat, gluten, citrus, tomatoes, garlic, potatoes, caffeine, and carbonated beverages, in order to make my milk as easy as possible on her little tummy. Luckily, with the meds we were given, and my restricted diet, she is a different baby. She is now sleeping well, and eating on a normal schedule (before, she was eating so often because babies cannot differentiate between a stomach pain and a hunger pain...so she was eating to soothe her hurting tummy, which was only perpetuating the problem). She is laughing and talking A LOT! Sweet little thing!
**We ALSO took Everleigh to a Chiropractor and believe the treatment she received is a HUGE factor in her quick turnaround.
All that to say (and this is where I automatically feel like a bad mom), it's been hard. It has not been what I expected motherhood to be. There have been lots and lots of tears shed...some mourning the loss of the picture perfect idea I had built up in my head of life with a perfectly healthy, sleeping, newborn. I can't count the number of times I said OUTLOUD to myself, "God gave THIS baby to YOU becuase YOU are the most perfect mother on the face of the Earth for her. No one else can love her and care for her like you can." The power of our words is amazing. The power of our thoughts is too because there were many days I would think myself into a hole..."I can't do this. Is she going to sleep? How long will she sleep? What if she doesn't sleep? When will I sleep? What does that cry mean? How can I not know how to help her if I am her mother?"
It has been really hard being away from close friends and family during this season. I have struggled through some pretty "alone" feelings, but hear that is normal for a first-time mom...especially one who is uber-social and has had to quit her job to care for this little one.
I will tell you what though, that baby's smiles and coos heal me every day. Every time she looks at me and smiles out of sheer joy that I am in her presence absolutely makes everything worth it. No, it's not what I expected, but she is mine and she loves me regardless of any inadequacies as a mother I might have. Though my best may not be THE best, it's good enough for her, and she loves her momma. We are enjoying watching her discover her world. She is mesmorized by her little hands, and it's the cutest thing to watch. She loves for me to say, "MOMMA!" to her. She loves for us to make funny noises with our mouths using our tongues, and mimics us. She loves the Octopus (who we have appropriately named "Ocho") on her Baby Einstein playmat. And best of all, she LOVES her Praise Baby DVD's...I even think she is trying to sing along with the worship songs sometimes! She is the most beautiful angel in the world, and we are blessed to call her ours.
In 2011, I promise to keep up with my blog. I really do. Now that I am figuring out this new life balance, I should have no problem doing it. So, keep your eyes open for the lastest musings in our life with baby Ev! It should be getting fun VERY soon!!!
September 15, 2010
She's Here!
I'm so embarrassed that I haven't blogged since June 5th. Not that anyone was chomping at the bits for a new post, but I don't pride myself on starting things and not keeping up with them. However, there is news to share!
Our little Everleigh Hazel Maciuk made her debut one week ago today on September the 8th, and it has been THE best week of our lives! Since we have people all over the country...and world for that matter...who haven't heard the details, here they are!
**Scroll down to the bottom of this post to view pics!**
For the few weeks before Everleigh arrived, I was plagued with some serious heartburn and GERD (Gastro-esophogeal Reflux Disorder). I hadn't been sleeping much at night because of it and even though pregnancy was amazing for me, I had gotten to that proverbial place where I was "READY!" We had gone to our weekly doctor's appointments with much anticipation that SURELY I was dilated and efaced further, but were only told we were barely moving along. In fact, the day before she was born, we were told we were STILL parked at being dilated to a two and 75% efaced. Discouraging to say the least, however, her official due date wasn't until the 9/13, so we were just waiting! That afternoon, my heartburn/GERD was in FULL EFFECT! In fact, I ended up having to leave work at 4:00pm to go home and take medicine for it. I crashed on the couch in discomfort and couldn't get up for hours. I didn't know WHAT my deal was! I also reverted to the eating habits of my early pregnancy...all I wanted for dinner was veggies. Dan obliged and grilled me some K-Bobs.
Later that night when I was feeling a little better, I realized I had not felt Everleigh move all day like I had been. I knew she was running out of room, but I also knew that she should be moving the same amount, just differently with big movements vs. little kicks, etc. I just wasn't really feeling anything at all. I read up on ways to try to get her to move, and when to be concerned and notify the doctor. The next morning, after not feeling her move all night (and NO sleep), and I was trying to talk myself out of calling my doctor. I hate to be "that patient"...especially "that first-time mom patient" who is paranoid about EVERYTHING! I actually felt her move a little during my breakfast, and had all but talked myself out of calling. However, my motherly-instinct got the best of me on my drive to work and I called the nurse. She, surprisingly, told me to go to the Labor & Delivery Triage at the hospital and let them do a stress test. She said she thought everything would be fine because Everleigh's heart rate had been great at my appointment the day before.
I checked into Triage, and sure enough, her heart rate was perfect! And after drinking the cranberry/apple juice cocktail, our little angel was moving all around. They told me they HAD to monitor me for 30 minutes, but that I would be able to go after that. About 20 minutes into my 30 minute monitoring, the head Triage nurse came in and asked, "Do you want to have a birthday party today?" Now, if you know me, I am ALWAYS down for a birthday party...especially if it involves CAKE! : ) But I was confused. She then said, "She is not liking those contractions you are having, and her heart rate is dipping down every time you have one." I had NO idea I was having contractions, which was nice! She said they had called over to my doctor who said I was full-term, and because of the unknown reason her heart rate was dipping, they wanted to induce and let us meet Everleigh that day!
We were super excited! I was a little scared because this was not my *plan*. My plan was to go into labor on my own, and have the natural childbirth I had been mentally and physically preparing for my entire pregnancy. However, I had already made a deal with myself that if they had to induce for any reason, whether it be for concern or that Everleigh was just cooking too long, that I would forego the natural route because of the intensity of Pitocin contractions. I wasn't doing the natural route to be Superwoman, after all! So, that was a little disappointing, but quickly overshadowed by the joy that we were going to see her sweet face in just a little while!
After making all the appropriate phone calls to families in AR and TN, my Pitocin was started at around 11:00am. We were told it could be anywhere from 12 to 15 hours from there, so even though families and friends were jumping in cars and bustin' down I-40 and the turnpike from Fayetteville, we knew they had time. As had been the case with my progression until then, I was progressing slowly. Every time they would check, I had either not dilated anymore, or had dilated less than half a centimeter. I was checked at 3:00pm before the nurse shift change and was dilated to a five and 90% efaced. Finally! Some progress, but still a ways to go! The new nurse came in 30 minutes later and wanted to check me at the start of her shift and what a surprise we got! In that short time, I had gone from a five to a 10, and was 100% efaced! She sat me up and said we would "labor down" for 30 minutes, then start pushing! Dan got on the phone and notified all of the cars en route that they needed to put the pedal to the medal! My sister was to be in the delivery room with me, and she was an hour away at the time.
The 30 minutes flew by, and it was time to push. With Dan and our sweet friend Maggie by my side, I began to bring our little one into the world. With every push, I could feel the pressure of her getting closer and closer. It turns out that the reason her heart rate was dropping with contractions is that she had her little arm raised above her head with her umbilical cord squeezed between her arm and head. Every time I would have a contraction, it would squeeze a little harder. With my support team of doctors, nurses, Dan and Maggie, I was well coached and assured that I was doing a great job! After only 6 sets of pushes and 15 minutes, I heard a cry and the sweetest face I have ever seen was laid on my chest for the first time. Tears in my eyes just typing that sentence. She was and is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen...and the most perfect thing I have ever done in my life. My sister ran into the room just as they were laying Everleigh on my chest. Perfect timing!
Now, they had told me for months that Ev was going to be a "big baby" just based on measurements. They weren't sure about weight, but knew that our gal was measuring LOOOONG! So, in the weeks leading up to her arrival, I took all of her little newborn clothes back and traded them for the exact same items in the one size up for length. As soon as Dan cut the umbilical cord (after it quit pulsating...so about 3 minutes after birth), they took her over to measure and weigh her. They shouted out, "She is 6lbs 15oz and 20" long!" My doctor and I both said, "WHAT????" This presented a problem since I had taken all of her tiny clothes back! Oh well, it just meant more shopping! : )
After that, I nursed her for the first time, which was one of the aspects of motherhood I had been looking forward to the most! I had no clue how to do it, and had been prepped for the difficulty that it can be sometimes. Not for our little gal! She latched on correctly immediately and nursed for 15 minutes on both sides! The nurses were AMAZED! Our little over-achiever. : )
Since then, it has been nothing but joy! Some tears have been shed, but they are out of pure joy and overwhelming emotion. I never dreamed I could love something so quickly. It's emotional for me to look at her and think that I grew her inside of me for nine months, and now she is here and more perfect than I ever could have imagined. She is BEAUTIFUL!! I told Dan that I just never imagined she would be this beautiful. Not that I thought she would be ugly, but that I just couldn't imagine in my little mind anything THIS beautiful! Kind of like the Bible promises...what He has for us is good, and perfect, and pleasing, and more than we can ever ask, think, or imagine with our mere human minds.
We are so blessed, y'all. Pregnancy, delivery, and mommy-hood have been more than I ever could have dreamed. Before I married Dan, I really struggled with the overwhelming desire to be a wife and a mother and not knowing if it would EVER happen for me. At 4:00am when I am staring at my little gal while she is eating, I feel this fullness in my heart knowing this is exactly what I was created for...the reason that nothing else was completely satisfying. I was made to be Dan's wife and Everleigh's momma. Praise God for his love, mercy, and faithfulness in always bringing me back on course to His plan for me. It is so fulfilling.
We love you all, and can't wait for you to meet her! We are being pretty protective of her for the first however many weeks of her life, but will bring her out for show-and-tell when she is good and ready! For now, here are some pics that my sweet friend Brooke Robinson took at the hospital. She was one of the first phone calls we made when we found out Everleigh was coming, and she IMMEDIATELY took her kids out of school, loaded up her hubby, and headed to OKC from Fayetteville to meet our little one. Forever grateful for frienships like that. Brookie, you are precious to me.
Love you all! Thank you for sharing in our excitement and joy throughout this entire time.
Now, I present to you, Miss EVERLEIGH HAZEL MACIUK!
Our little Everleigh Hazel Maciuk made her debut one week ago today on September the 8th, and it has been THE best week of our lives! Since we have people all over the country...and world for that matter...who haven't heard the details, here they are!
**Scroll down to the bottom of this post to view pics!**
For the few weeks before Everleigh arrived, I was plagued with some serious heartburn and GERD (Gastro-esophogeal Reflux Disorder). I hadn't been sleeping much at night because of it and even though pregnancy was amazing for me, I had gotten to that proverbial place where I was "READY!" We had gone to our weekly doctor's appointments with much anticipation that SURELY I was dilated and efaced further, but were only told we were barely moving along. In fact, the day before she was born, we were told we were STILL parked at being dilated to a two and 75% efaced. Discouraging to say the least, however, her official due date wasn't until the 9/13, so we were just waiting! That afternoon, my heartburn/GERD was in FULL EFFECT! In fact, I ended up having to leave work at 4:00pm to go home and take medicine for it. I crashed on the couch in discomfort and couldn't get up for hours. I didn't know WHAT my deal was! I also reverted to the eating habits of my early pregnancy...all I wanted for dinner was veggies. Dan obliged and grilled me some K-Bobs.
Later that night when I was feeling a little better, I realized I had not felt Everleigh move all day like I had been. I knew she was running out of room, but I also knew that she should be moving the same amount, just differently with big movements vs. little kicks, etc. I just wasn't really feeling anything at all. I read up on ways to try to get her to move, and when to be concerned and notify the doctor. The next morning, after not feeling her move all night (and NO sleep), and I was trying to talk myself out of calling my doctor. I hate to be "that patient"...especially "that first-time mom patient" who is paranoid about EVERYTHING! I actually felt her move a little during my breakfast, and had all but talked myself out of calling. However, my motherly-instinct got the best of me on my drive to work and I called the nurse. She, surprisingly, told me to go to the Labor & Delivery Triage at the hospital and let them do a stress test. She said she thought everything would be fine because Everleigh's heart rate had been great at my appointment the day before.
I checked into Triage, and sure enough, her heart rate was perfect! And after drinking the cranberry/apple juice cocktail, our little angel was moving all around. They told me they HAD to monitor me for 30 minutes, but that I would be able to go after that. About 20 minutes into my 30 minute monitoring, the head Triage nurse came in and asked, "Do you want to have a birthday party today?" Now, if you know me, I am ALWAYS down for a birthday party...especially if it involves CAKE! : ) But I was confused. She then said, "She is not liking those contractions you are having, and her heart rate is dipping down every time you have one." I had NO idea I was having contractions, which was nice! She said they had called over to my doctor who said I was full-term, and because of the unknown reason her heart rate was dipping, they wanted to induce and let us meet Everleigh that day!
We were super excited! I was a little scared because this was not my *plan*. My plan was to go into labor on my own, and have the natural childbirth I had been mentally and physically preparing for my entire pregnancy. However, I had already made a deal with myself that if they had to induce for any reason, whether it be for concern or that Everleigh was just cooking too long, that I would forego the natural route because of the intensity of Pitocin contractions. I wasn't doing the natural route to be Superwoman, after all! So, that was a little disappointing, but quickly overshadowed by the joy that we were going to see her sweet face in just a little while!
After making all the appropriate phone calls to families in AR and TN, my Pitocin was started at around 11:00am. We were told it could be anywhere from 12 to 15 hours from there, so even though families and friends were jumping in cars and bustin' down I-40 and the turnpike from Fayetteville, we knew they had time. As had been the case with my progression until then, I was progressing slowly. Every time they would check, I had either not dilated anymore, or had dilated less than half a centimeter. I was checked at 3:00pm before the nurse shift change and was dilated to a five and 90% efaced. Finally! Some progress, but still a ways to go! The new nurse came in 30 minutes later and wanted to check me at the start of her shift and what a surprise we got! In that short time, I had gone from a five to a 10, and was 100% efaced! She sat me up and said we would "labor down" for 30 minutes, then start pushing! Dan got on the phone and notified all of the cars en route that they needed to put the pedal to the medal! My sister was to be in the delivery room with me, and she was an hour away at the time.
The 30 minutes flew by, and it was time to push. With Dan and our sweet friend Maggie by my side, I began to bring our little one into the world. With every push, I could feel the pressure of her getting closer and closer. It turns out that the reason her heart rate was dropping with contractions is that she had her little arm raised above her head with her umbilical cord squeezed between her arm and head. Every time I would have a contraction, it would squeeze a little harder. With my support team of doctors, nurses, Dan and Maggie, I was well coached and assured that I was doing a great job! After only 6 sets of pushes and 15 minutes, I heard a cry and the sweetest face I have ever seen was laid on my chest for the first time. Tears in my eyes just typing that sentence. She was and is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen...and the most perfect thing I have ever done in my life. My sister ran into the room just as they were laying Everleigh on my chest. Perfect timing!
Now, they had told me for months that Ev was going to be a "big baby" just based on measurements. They weren't sure about weight, but knew that our gal was measuring LOOOONG! So, in the weeks leading up to her arrival, I took all of her little newborn clothes back and traded them for the exact same items in the one size up for length. As soon as Dan cut the umbilical cord (after it quit pulsating...so about 3 minutes after birth), they took her over to measure and weigh her. They shouted out, "She is 6lbs 15oz and 20" long!" My doctor and I both said, "WHAT????" This presented a problem since I had taken all of her tiny clothes back! Oh well, it just meant more shopping! : )
After that, I nursed her for the first time, which was one of the aspects of motherhood I had been looking forward to the most! I had no clue how to do it, and had been prepped for the difficulty that it can be sometimes. Not for our little gal! She latched on correctly immediately and nursed for 15 minutes on both sides! The nurses were AMAZED! Our little over-achiever. : )
Since then, it has been nothing but joy! Some tears have been shed, but they are out of pure joy and overwhelming emotion. I never dreamed I could love something so quickly. It's emotional for me to look at her and think that I grew her inside of me for nine months, and now she is here and more perfect than I ever could have imagined. She is BEAUTIFUL!! I told Dan that I just never imagined she would be this beautiful. Not that I thought she would be ugly, but that I just couldn't imagine in my little mind anything THIS beautiful! Kind of like the Bible promises...what He has for us is good, and perfect, and pleasing, and more than we can ever ask, think, or imagine with our mere human minds.
We are so blessed, y'all. Pregnancy, delivery, and mommy-hood have been more than I ever could have dreamed. Before I married Dan, I really struggled with the overwhelming desire to be a wife and a mother and not knowing if it would EVER happen for me. At 4:00am when I am staring at my little gal while she is eating, I feel this fullness in my heart knowing this is exactly what I was created for...the reason that nothing else was completely satisfying. I was made to be Dan's wife and Everleigh's momma. Praise God for his love, mercy, and faithfulness in always bringing me back on course to His plan for me. It is so fulfilling.
We love you all, and can't wait for you to meet her! We are being pretty protective of her for the first however many weeks of her life, but will bring her out for show-and-tell when she is good and ready! For now, here are some pics that my sweet friend Brooke Robinson took at the hospital. She was one of the first phone calls we made when we found out Everleigh was coming, and she IMMEDIATELY took her kids out of school, loaded up her hubby, and headed to OKC from Fayetteville to meet our little one. Forever grateful for frienships like that. Brookie, you are precious to me.
Love you all! Thank you for sharing in our excitement and joy throughout this entire time.
Now, I present to you, Miss EVERLEIGH HAZEL MACIUK!
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