Almost Done!

The patio project has been very slowly progressing. We had some setbacks with Easter weekend and some bad weather, but we are almost done!

We had some help last night with the installation of the flagstones. They finished laying them all out at about 9:30 pm. Now we just need to push dirt into the crevices and wash it all off and we will be done!

We are hoping to install a screen door before JD's birthday on Saturday also. We didn't get any patio furniture picked out, but I think the families will still enjoy it, using Jon's homemade table and folding chairs. We have some new toys to set up in the backyard too, so the kids should have a good time.

It is definitely a relief that the patio itself will be completed before Saturday!!

First Few Days

In honor of my son's upcoming first birthday, I'm going to reminisce a bit about the first few days with my new baby after he was born.

Since I had a c-section, I was pretty immobile that first night. New Daddy Jon was on his own with JD as far as diaper changes were concerned. I remember that first diaper change that was full of yucky black stuff (like an oil spill) and JD peed all over Jon. I was trying so hard not to laugh (because it hurts like crazy after a c-section), but it was so funny.

JD had a little bit of trouble with the whole nursing thing. Or maybe I had trouble getting him going. I'm not sure. The lactation specialist came in and helped us out (no problem, since all of my modesty had gone out the window at that point). From the very first feeding, JD LOVED to eat.

He stayed with us in the room and Jon toughed it out on the miserable fold out couch that pretended to be a bed. Jon brought JD over to me for feedings and I loved to hold him in my arms. Somebody very wise (my sister) gave me some good advice about c-sections and what to eat (or not to eat) while staying at the hospital. I stayed on a liquid diet during my stay at the hospital and although I was pretty hungry, I never regretted that decision.

We had so many visitors during those first few days - family and friends. As I was getting up and around again and learning how to stand up and walk around, it was nice to have some distractions with all the visitors. Jon was so patient with me and helpful, forcing me to take walks around the hospital while JD was getting tests and things done. This helped out a bunch. I never needed any major pain medication - just Motrin.

We ended up going home on Thursday afternoon. We were so ready to be in our own home with JD. By the way, I had to send my mom over to my house to get me different clothes because the ones I brought wouldn't have worked with my new incision scar. I was still pretty huge too. They say to bring clothes for when you were 4 months pregnant, but I think I looked like I was still 6 months pregnant. I was still carrying around a ton of fluid.

That first car ride home was nerve racking. I felt every bump on the road because of the c-section, but also because I was thinking about what JD must be feeling in his new car seat in his VERY first car ride EVER! We enjoyed having him home with us and set him up for his first photo shoot pretty quickly.

Easter Sunday was that weekend, so we went over to visit my family (one block away) and show off our little guy. I was still feeling pretty sore and huge. JD slept most of the time, but still managed to look like a sweetheart.

Jon was on paternity leave, so he helped out a ton on the night shifts during that first week. I think he and JD bonded over late night viewings of Bobby Flay and pre-recorded Stars games.

I developed mastitis in that first week, which you can Google if you don't know what it is. It gave me a 104 fever which lasted about 4 days and I was pretty miserable. Again Jon was SO helpful during this time and took over much of the babycare except the feedings.

JD lost some weight during this time because I was being so stubborn about not supplementing with formula. I really wanted to give my body the chance to feed him as much as he needed, but looking back, I should have supplemented with a few formula bottles until I got well. As soon as I got well, JD's weight took off and he hasn't stopped since!

The whole nursing thing at that point made me feel like a cow and not a mom because all I did was feed him over and over again. And I was extremely sore from all this feeding to the point that I could barely hold JD in my arms. If it makes any of you new moms out there feel any better, I was very frustrated about nursing and cried a lot in that first month. I put in lots of phone calls to experienced moms and lactation consultants. But after the first month, everything was much more smooth. JD took to nursing like a champ and I am so glad that I stuck it out for so many reasons.

We became such a great little family in those first few days. It feels wonderful to be starting a family and have a bond together like no other.

Birthday Story

JD's first birthday is rapidly approaching. I still can't believe it has almost been a year. I remember how scared I was to have a baby (actually delivering it) and then how nervous I was about taking care of a tiny little life.

At my last doctor appointment before JD's due date, he mentioned coming in to be induced. He reasoned that it would be better to have a more controlled environment for the birth since JD was getting large (by estimation of our last sonogram). He hoped that we would avoid a c-section this way.

I was pretty fearful of a "large baby" birth and I really wanted to make sure that JD would be not be in any danger during the process, so we agreed. I wanted to wait until at least JD's due date though, so we didn't go into the hospital until his actual due date - April 2.


They gave me the inducing drugs in the evening and we went to sleep. Or as much sleep as my constant bathroom trips allowed. Poor Jon had to help me in and out everytime because I was hooked up to an IV.

The next day was pretty interesting. Although I was in labor (having contractions), I made very little progress, so the doctor mentioned breaking my water to get things going. He also let me have an epidural early, which was the best thing that had happened all morning. After he broke my water, he found meconium in the fluid, which is a sign that the baby was getting a little past due and needed to be delivered prettty quickly. You don't want that stuff sitting in their lungs. Plus, there were other signs that JD was wearing out his welcome inside of me, so he needed to move along!

But unfortunately, the intensity of the induced contractions made little JD's heartrate go skyhigh, so we had to make a quick decision to go ahead with a c-section. Jon and I wanted to the best thing for the baby's health and for my health at this point.


They prepped us both for surgery and I started to get nervous again. Not about the surgery, but about how quickly I was going to have a baby in my arms after it would be over! We went in for the procedure and the doctor asked if we would be okay with music playing. Garth Brooks' The Thunder Rolls was playing, a song that Jon and I both liked to make fun of for the cheesiness factor.

They checked to make sure I couldn't feel anything (and I couldn't) and they started. The next thing I remember is the doctor saying 'He is huge!' Then he quickly said, 'Oh no. That was just his head.' Then we had our sweet little baby boy. They brought him over to the table beside us and cleaned him off. Jon took pictures and went with them for the first checkup. JD was the perfect size (in my opinion) - 7 pounds, 13.5 ounces and 20 inches long.



They finished all the procedures on me and wheeled me all over the place (it seemed like). I finally settled in to our room and got to hold JD for the first time. I was slightly drugged, but I knew I had the sweetest bundle of joy in my arms and I thanked God for such a wonderful baby boy.

I'm Not Imagining This, Am I?

I experienced a very strange sensation in my car the other day. Jon and I were driving back from a dinner in Fort Worth late on Saturday night. We had a couple of other passengers in the car with us and I was the designated driver for the evening.

I am not as familiar with the highways in Fort Worth, but I have driven on them a few times. It was around 9:30 in the evening, so some of the crazy drivers were starting to come out. I stuck to the speed limit - 60 mph for the most part. But drivers were whizzing around me left and right, several times nearly missing us.

I finally got onto good ole George Bush Freeway (ahh - the tollway) and felt a little more at ease. The wind had started picking up and was really gusting in some places. I glanced down at one point and noticed that I was only going about 45 mph, but since the wind was really strong, I figured I had not been compensating with the gas pedal.

So I revved up the gas and passed a couple of cars. I looked down as I was doing all of this and the speedometer never budged from 45. I thought, my goodness the wind must be really strong! But I felt like I was still going pretty fast. I asked Jon if he thought we were going fast too and he said yes. So I asked him was I imagining that the speedometer said we were going 35 miles per hour?!

Everyone in the car got interested then and we all watched the speedometer dropping from 35 to 30 to 25 and then eventually to 5 mph on the highway. All the while, I was staying on pace with the cars around me. By the time we pulled into the parking lot, we were actually driving under the 0 on the speedometer.

So I guess it would be safe to say that our speedometer was officially broken. Although I think our Yukon is suffering from amnesia because it started working again the next day. Our car probably doesn't want to get an operation to get a new dashboard so it is trying to fake being well. But we will be taking her to the hospital soon...

Happy Easter!

JD had a successful Easter weekend. I can't call it his first because technically last year was his first, even though he was only 4 days old. It was a very busy weekend, but it was nice to be able to spend some time with both families for Easter.

On Saturday, we went out to Jon's family's house for the day to enjoy the sunshine and visit with his grandparents who stopped in on their way back to Colorado. Jon fired up the barbecue and made some great food. The guys had a new toy to play with since his parents had just purchased a new lawn mower. They all took turns riding it around and mowing around the property. JD enjoyed walking around and playing with the dog.

But he really got in the spirit of things on Sunday, hunting for Easter eggs and eating yummy food. Jon spent most of the church service chasing JD around since he couldn't be quiet in the auditorium. After church, we went to an Easter egg hunt, where JD's favorite egg activity was banging them together. It was a little chilly, but the sun came out for the kiddos when the hunt began.

A Visit with the Easter Bunny

I took JD up to our local recreation center to take his picture with the Easter Bunny yesterday. I had no real expectations since I know that a lot of kids get pretty scared of large stuffed animals that can move and wave hello. He did pretty good with his Santa Claus visit back in December, but that was a whole three months ago and kids change leaps and bounds (sometimes not always for the better!) in that amount of time.

Our rec center was charging $5 to take a picture, get a frame and a cookie, so I figured it wouldn't be a huge loss of money if it didn't work out. When we got there, I let JD warm up to the Easter Bunny and he actually waved (while the other arm was wrapped tightly around my leg). While we were up there, we saw some Baby Boot Camp friends - Jennifer, Bri and Noah and Aunt Cara and Cousin Marin came too!

So we took his picture - no great smiles, but no big screaming either!

He was SOOO excited to see his cousin Marin come up too. We got the Easter Bunny to let us do a freebie shot with our cameras for the cousins.

A Dream Come True

Since we have been married, Jon and I have always hoped to someday have a pool in our backyard. I have such fond memories of the swimming pool in our house growing up, with pool parties and swimovers (instead of sleepovers). I spent most of the summer in the pool from morning until nighttime.

Jon and I decided that it would be so wonderful to be able to provide this same experience for our kids. In our last house, the backyard was tiny, so it was not an option. In our new house, we decided that the pool would have to be pretty small in order to make it fit, so it probably wouldn't work either. So we embarked on the journey of building a nice patio to enjoy, thinking that we would pursue a pool in our next house.

Until yesterday, that is. After the torrential rain pour, our soon-to-be wonderful patio had turned into a pool! So I guess our dream came true at last!!