Happy Halloween!

Ward Trunk or Treat

Lauren, Sammie and Avery

Trick or Treating
Jahnavie, Sammie and RijunFrosting & Decorating Cookies

Carving Pumpkins with Dad

A few photos...

The Bili-Bed

On Monday, Alayna had her first appointment to see her pediatrician. When we checked out of the hospital, her bilirubin count was at 9.9. She is very sleepy and not a great eater, so that contributed to it going up to the danger level of 15.9. Yikes! The scary number for her weight class is 18, at which point she would be admitted to the hospital. In order to avoid that, the doctor ordered us a phototherpy unit...aka...the bili-bed. She has been resting comfortably on the lights, 24 hr/day for the past 2 days. The only time we can take her off is to eat...which we have been forcing her awake every 3 hours to nurse and supplement with 2 oz of formula...it's a battle to keep her awake that long.

After 2 days and 3 doctor/lab visits, the bilirubin count has gone from 15.9 to 14.7 to 9.5! Hooray! We are done and now need to get her nursing and off the bottle.

I seriously cannot get enough pictures of Sammie and Alayna. They can't seem to get enough of each other. Sam will hold her while she watches a show...sometimes close to an hour!

p.s.
Pregnancy hormones are NOTHING compared to postpartum hormones. I am starving all the time, can't get enough bananas to fill my craving and can cry and cry and cry. You can imagine what a wreck I turned into when this jaundice and feeding became a concern. Thanks to all those that have had to endure the tears. :)

She's Here!!

Alayna Elizabeth Holiday

October 14, 2010

8:19am
5 lbs 11 oz
19"Iddy-bitty, teeny-tiny, but healthy and strong! It was a very calm and relaxing environment, and she is perfect!
Details below...read if you want :)
Proud Big Sister SamanthaGrandma and her girlsFirst birthday cake and songWhat a great labor and delivery! I have never been one for inductions...I always assumed it was only for the convenience of doctors schedules...but I might be converted! Blake and I checked into the hospital at 10pm on Wednesday. I got hooked up to an IV, baby heart monitor and a contraction monitor. I was dilated 1cm and 50% effaced. At midnight they gave me a prostaglandin to help stimulate contractions. My water broke at 2am (at 3cm) and I had contractions until 4:30. Got an epidural and started pitocin at 5:30am. Blake and I continued sleeping until about 7:30am...that's when a bunch of nurses came in and started turning on lights and setting things up. We were kinda annoyed because we were expecting to sleep and wait things out. One of the nurses said I was at 10cm, my blood pressure had slightly dropped and the baby was ready to come....what?! Dr Cole was called and on her way, and the nurses said to go ahead and push. So, I did...or at least tried...epidurals are great, I couldn't feel a thing, including whether or not I was actually pushing. Apparently I was, so they had me stop and wait for the doctor. 3 pushes later, Alayna was born.

Ready or Not...

For those keeping up with this crazy pregnancy, we are going to be induced early! Our doctors have been closely monitoring the baby's growth (or lack thereof). She is growing, but dropping in percentile of growth...from the 30th, to the 17th and then fell to the 8th percentile. Once babies drop below the 10th, there is the question of whether they will survive better outside the womb than in. Our final week has been full of excitement and a little anxiety. We really were given no reason to worry, just get ready! We spent the day as a family at the Natural History Museum seeing the dinasurs...luckiily that didn;t remind Sammie of her favorite name for the baby...Dinah. We met up with Grandma, Pappa, Deesh and Melissa for dinner at Chuy's Mexican. Samantha got to spend the night at Grandma and Papas. Blake and I are checking into the hospital tonight at 10pm to begin the induction.

Here is the final beauty pose at 37 1/2 weeks.

To be continued...

Happy Birthday Samantha!

Sammie turned 4 this year. We had a fun day with friends at Inflatable Zone and Double Dave's Pizza. For dinner we had a family dinner at our house. We had a fish fry with all of Pappa's catch from his fishing trip. Sam got princess dress-up, shoes and a bracelet... a new bike... lots of clothes & shoes, a puzzle, baseball glove and dolls. Everyone got big hugs and kisses after she opened their present.

She sure loves being the center of attention!