I just hate it when my babies are sick. Cooper woke up a snotty mess on Tuesday, has ran a fever, developed a cough, and has been extremely irritable. I wanted to give him some time before rushing him to the doctor. If it was just a cold I didn't want to waste a trip and a copay. Yesterday he was inconsolable so I knew we'd have to go, especially since we're going out of town this weekend. Isn't that how it always works?
Fast forward to Mr. Clark. He had a bad night last night, waking up crying every 30 minutes or so. This morning he was a snotty, sneezing mess. I called early this morning and got them both an appointment just to be on the safe side. Cooper had been kissing on him (we tried our best to keep them apart) but I really didn't think he'd get sick since he's a strictly breastfed baby.
Thankfully my mom went with us or I would've been up the creek. We had to wait almost an hour and Cooper wasn't very cooperative in the waiting room. When we finally got called back they were both weighed. Cooper weighed 23 pounds and Clark was 10 pounds! He had gained half a pound since Monday, crazy!
Clark was examined first. Everything looked good except all the snot so he's just got a cold. Hopefully it won't cause an infection in a few days. The wild child was examined next and he has an ear infection in his left ear. We were given a prescription for an antibiotic and for a decongestant. Hopefully that will get him back to normal soon! I want everyone to be healthy and happy on our little trip this weekend. I've got a feeling I'm going to be making several double doctor appointments in our future!
The Smithsons
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Monday, August 27, 2012
Happy 1 Month to Piggy Porker!
Clark is 1 month old today! It's amazing to me that he's been here so long! It's even more amazing that he's survived his brother for a month. We're slowly getting into a groove as a family of 4. It's been hard but absolutely worth every minute of it!
Clark also had his 1 month checkup today. It's so rare that it actually fell on his one month birthday. I was anxious to see how much weight he had gained because he's getting rather chunky. His last visit he was 7 pounds and 20 inches. Today he was a whopping 9.5 pounds and 21.5 inches long! I can't believe he's gained that much weight and length in a month! Despite the rapid weight gain he was only "average" in height and weight. Cooper wasn't that big when he was 2 months old. Everything else looked great! Dr. Meredith treated his bellybutton with silver nitrate to dry it up because it was still moist. He even gave him the go ahead to go swimming and wear sunscreen! How exciting! I'm so thankful for 2 healthy and beautiful baby boys! God has blessed Andy and me immensely!
Happy 1 month Clark! We love you more than you'll ever know!
Clark also had his 1 month checkup today. It's so rare that it actually fell on his one month birthday. I was anxious to see how much weight he had gained because he's getting rather chunky. His last visit he was 7 pounds and 20 inches. Today he was a whopping 9.5 pounds and 21.5 inches long! I can't believe he's gained that much weight and length in a month! Despite the rapid weight gain he was only "average" in height and weight. Cooper wasn't that big when he was 2 months old. Everything else looked great! Dr. Meredith treated his bellybutton with silver nitrate to dry it up because it was still moist. He even gave him the go ahead to go swimming and wear sunscreen! How exciting! I'm so thankful for 2 healthy and beautiful baby boys! God has blessed Andy and me immensely!
Happy 1 month Clark! We love you more than you'll ever know!
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Operation No Pacifier
Cooper has faithfully taken a pacifier since he was a few weeks old. We've tried to take it away from him before but he just wasn't ready. The last few weeks anytime we gave him a "sassy" he'd suck on it a minute and then throw it, especially in the car. It was becoming a game of find the pacifier and I was getting frustrated. I took all this as a sign he was ready to give it up. I told Andy I wanted to start only giving it to him when he was sleeping and he was all for it.
Our first day of Operation No Pacifier was last Monday. I let him have it at nap and bedtime and he did great! Once he wakes up I just take it (most of the time he's thrown it out of crib) and put it away. We continued doing this for the rest of the week without any major meltdowns. He cried for it a few times but mostly just when he was sleepy. I was also worried that he'd just start taking Clark's when he wanted one but that only happened a couple of times, too! We keep telling him he's such a big boy and great big brother for not taking a sassy anymore so I'm hoping it'll stick! I'm not about to throw them all out (we've got about 6 or so) but it's so nice to not have to worry if we've got one to use and a spare one all the time now (even though we still keep 2 in his bag). I'm also not ready to take it away when he's sleeping but I'm hoping in a few weeks we can try that. I've noticed since he's been cut off during the day he's keeping it in mouth a lot longer in his sleep. He used to let it fall out right after he fell asleep but now when we check on him a couple of hours after we put him down he's still got it in. I guess he's trying to savor every moment he can with his beloved sassy!
Our first day of Operation No Pacifier was last Monday. I let him have it at nap and bedtime and he did great! Once he wakes up I just take it (most of the time he's thrown it out of crib) and put it away. We continued doing this for the rest of the week without any major meltdowns. He cried for it a few times but mostly just when he was sleepy. I was also worried that he'd just start taking Clark's when he wanted one but that only happened a couple of times, too! We keep telling him he's such a big boy and great big brother for not taking a sassy anymore so I'm hoping it'll stick! I'm not about to throw them all out (we've got about 6 or so) but it's so nice to not have to worry if we've got one to use and a spare one all the time now (even though we still keep 2 in his bag). I'm also not ready to take it away when he's sleeping but I'm hoping in a few weeks we can try that. I've noticed since he's been cut off during the day he's keeping it in mouth a lot longer in his sleep. He used to let it fall out right after he fell asleep but now when we check on him a couple of hours after we put him down he's still got it in. I guess he's trying to savor every moment he can with his beloved sassy!
The 7 Hour Itch
Mr. Clark Michael Smithson went 7 hours between his feedings last night. I fed him at 10pm and he didn't get up to eat until 5am! Now I was wide awake at 4am checking on him. When you wake up and realize its been that long it about scares you to death. That's the longest he's ever gone so out of misery I had to get up and pump. In an 8 minute period I pumped 9.3 ounces- crazy! Of course, the minute I laid back down Clark woke up ready to eat. He's a slow bottle eater so I chose to breastfeed him, praying that there would be enough milk left for him to eat. He ate until he seemed satisfied and then didn't eat again until 8:30am so I'm assuming he got enough! He's gone 6 hours before but I just had to write a post about his big accomplishment! I don't foresee it becoming an every night event anytime soon though!
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
A Stroll in the Park
Last night we took the boys to the Chickamauga Battlefield for some family fun. The original plan was deer watching but it turned into an eventful evening.
Our first stop was the Battlefield Golf and Country Club. Anyone from this area knows that that subdivision is swarming with deer. You're almost always guaranteed a deer spotting if you drive around in there. Cooper loved our adventure there last week so we took Andy this time for the fun. He's now old enough to look where we point to and take notice of the deer. Anytime he sees one he growls at it! He also cries because he wants to get out of the car and go play with them.
Next we drove through the battlefield to look for more deer. We only saw two but we ended up at Wilder Tower. Andy and I have both been up it but Cooper never had been. Andy climbed it with him while Clark and I enjoyed the wonderful weather in the field surrounding the tower. Andy is scared of heights so they didn't stay up there long. Once they were down we let Cooper run off some energy in the open area around the tower. He had so much fun running from and chasing his daddy! He was worn out when we got home! We had a great time in the park. It was free entertainment and best of all we got to spend the evening together!
Our first stop was the Battlefield Golf and Country Club. Anyone from this area knows that that subdivision is swarming with deer. You're almost always guaranteed a deer spotting if you drive around in there. Cooper loved our adventure there last week so we took Andy this time for the fun. He's now old enough to look where we point to and take notice of the deer. Anytime he sees one he growls at it! He also cries because he wants to get out of the car and go play with them.
Next we drove through the battlefield to look for more deer. We only saw two but we ended up at Wilder Tower. Andy and I have both been up it but Cooper never had been. Andy climbed it with him while Clark and I enjoyed the wonderful weather in the field surrounding the tower. Andy is scared of heights so they didn't stay up there long. Once they were down we let Cooper run off some energy in the open area around the tower. He had so much fun running from and chasing his daddy! He was worn out when we got home! We had a great time in the park. It was free entertainment and best of all we got to spend the evening together!
Monday, August 20, 2012
Family Time
We Smithsons have become big on family time here lately. We've always made family time a priority but we seem to be putting a lot more effort into it recently and that makes my heart happy! I don't know if we're trying to over compensate for Cooper with the arrival of Clark or just taking advantage of the little time we get with Andy when he's not working. Whatever it is it's been really nice!
In our quest for more quality family time we've started some new traditions (or daily routines). We always try to eat dinner as a family but sometimes Cooper has to be fed before Andy gets home. The hungrier he gets the grumpier he gets! We've started going on nightly walks since Clark's arrived. Since the temperature hasn't been too unbearable here recently it's been so nice to get out and walk around the neighborhood in the evenings. We don't go too far since I'm still recovering from my c-section but Cooper loves it, Clark snuggles with his daddy, and I get some form of exercise (even though it isn't much) to help me rebound from my pregnancy. Another tradition we've started is nightly devotions. We've been doing this with Cooper for a few months now and he's becoming a pro at it. We always sing a song, read a bible story, and then say a prayer. Cooper's learning the routine so well that he's even began folding his hands on his own when we pray. It's so sweet and Cooper knows exactly which book to grab when we tell him to go and get his bible.
Once Cooper goes to bed we usually have some time to kill before Clark's bedtime feeding so Andy and I have started a tradition of our own - watching The Big Bang Theory. We discovered this wonderful show this summer (I had always heard of it and seen commercials but had never watched it). We started watching it before Clark was born but now we're up later at night so we're watching it a lot more. TBS airs it about 50 times a week so we're almost through season 3. We're trying to get caught up before the new season starts. We sit and laugh for hours! Andy keeps asking me how we've missed out on this show for so long, I'm just glad we've discovered it now and spend some quality time together watching it!
In our quest for more quality family time we've started some new traditions (or daily routines). We always try to eat dinner as a family but sometimes Cooper has to be fed before Andy gets home. The hungrier he gets the grumpier he gets! We've started going on nightly walks since Clark's arrived. Since the temperature hasn't been too unbearable here recently it's been so nice to get out and walk around the neighborhood in the evenings. We don't go too far since I'm still recovering from my c-section but Cooper loves it, Clark snuggles with his daddy, and I get some form of exercise (even though it isn't much) to help me rebound from my pregnancy. Another tradition we've started is nightly devotions. We've been doing this with Cooper for a few months now and he's becoming a pro at it. We always sing a song, read a bible story, and then say a prayer. Cooper's learning the routine so well that he's even began folding his hands on his own when we pray. It's so sweet and Cooper knows exactly which book to grab when we tell him to go and get his bible.
Once Cooper goes to bed we usually have some time to kill before Clark's bedtime feeding so Andy and I have started a tradition of our own - watching The Big Bang Theory. We discovered this wonderful show this summer (I had always heard of it and seen commercials but had never watched it). We started watching it before Clark was born but now we're up later at night so we're watching it a lot more. TBS airs it about 50 times a week so we're almost through season 3. We're trying to get caught up before the new season starts. We sit and laugh for hours! Andy keeps asking me how we've missed out on this show for so long, I'm just glad we've discovered it now and spend some quality time together watching it!
Friday, August 17, 2012
A Visit with Daddy
The life of a Fedex delivery man can get busy and hectic. The late nights usually don't start until November but this week was the exception. Andy had a 7:00pm pickup in Ft. Payne, Alabama which meant he didn't get home until 8:30pm or so. This made me extremely anxious since I now had 2 boys at home to take care of, one of which has become a little terror here in the last few weeks.
Andy had a lot of time to kill between deliveries and pickups so he suggested that we come spend some time with him on Tuesday. I was all for getting out of the house so I packed and loaded up the boys and we headed out. We had just purchased a car DVD player over the weekend so that kept Cooper entertained on our hour long drive. Luckily Clark was between feedings and slept the whole way.
Once we got there we took Cooper to a park (one that was dedicated to the band Alabama) and let him run around and play for about a an hour. He was thrilled to get some unexpected playtime with Andy. We then headed to eat dinner at Ruby Tuesdays. It was a bit of a challenge since I had to breastfeed Clark (my first time doing that in a public place) and Cooper has reached a bad age for restaurant going. We managed though and had a good time just being together.
After dinner Andy had to go do his pickup so we headed home. We only had a few hours with him but it was a lot better than the alternative. It's been a long week for us all due to his work schedule but I'm just thankful that I married a man who puts his family and family time first!
Andy had a lot of time to kill between deliveries and pickups so he suggested that we come spend some time with him on Tuesday. I was all for getting out of the house so I packed and loaded up the boys and we headed out. We had just purchased a car DVD player over the weekend so that kept Cooper entertained on our hour long drive. Luckily Clark was between feedings and slept the whole way.
Once we got there we took Cooper to a park (one that was dedicated to the band Alabama) and let him run around and play for about a an hour. He was thrilled to get some unexpected playtime with Andy. We then headed to eat dinner at Ruby Tuesdays. It was a bit of a challenge since I had to breastfeed Clark (my first time doing that in a public place) and Cooper has reached a bad age for restaurant going. We managed though and had a good time just being together.
After dinner Andy had to go do his pickup so we headed home. We only had a few hours with him but it was a lot better than the alternative. It's been a long week for us all due to his work schedule but I'm just thankful that I married a man who puts his family and family time first!
Monday, August 13, 2012
Mother - Son Date Knight
Tonight I took Cooper out for some Cooper/Mommy fun. We went to Chick-fil-A for Mother - Son Date Knight. I saw the sign for this last week when I went to the doctor and signed us up. I had intended on taking just him but with Andy's busy work schedule this week we took Clark and Granna along, too. Granna helped out with Clark and was a lifesaver!
It was set up very cute and formal. There were candles, waitresses, and Cooper even gave me a rose! He got to color as we waited for our food and there was a man making balloon animals but we somehow missed out on that. It was super crowded so we didn't get to do much but it was nice for me to be able to give him some undivided attention, especially since he hasn't been getting as much of that from me as we'd both like recently. I cherish these sweet times with both boys and hope we can have many more special nights like this in the future!
It was set up very cute and formal. There were candles, waitresses, and Cooper even gave me a rose! He got to color as we waited for our food and there was a man making balloon animals but we somehow missed out on that. It was super crowded so we didn't get to do much but it was nice for me to be able to give him some undivided attention, especially since he hasn't been getting as much of that from me as we'd both like recently. I cherish these sweet times with both boys and hope we can have many more special nights like this in the future!
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Our 1st Solo Outting
Since I had been cleared to drive yesterday I was bound and determined to get out, with both boys, today. We had a horrible day yesterday so Cooper and I both needed a break from the house. Clark went 4 hours between feedings last night so I felt like I had the energy to get them both out. I think I mostly just wanted to prove to myself that I could handle both of them outside of the house.
Our first stop was my work. I had to turn in my maternity leave paper work. Luckily, I ran into my assistant principal going in and she took it in for me so I didn't have to get both boys out of the car. That was the hardest part of whole day, loading and unloading both of them everywhere we went. Next we headed to the duck pond. I looked around when we pulled up to make sure there weren't any sketchy people around (as there often are in that area of town) and unloaded the boys. I wore Clark in a carrier and Cooper did exactly as I told him and held my hand. I had popped a bag of popcorn to feed the ducks and we had a ball throwing it to them. Everything was going great until a shady looking man walked up. At first he stayed on the other side of the pond so I let Cooper keep playing. After a minute or two he yelled at me that he needed to ask me a question and started walking our way. I, of course, panicked and grabbed Cooper and headed to the car. The man kept yelling at us that he just needed to ask me a question and once we reached the car I yelled back that I was leaving since I was by myself with my children. He acted extremely offended and headed back to his side of the pond. It took us so long to get loaded up that he could've easily harmed us if he wanted. I had already decided that if kept coming towards us that I was going to jump in the drivers seat with both boys in my lap and take off until we were safely away from him. I was probably overreacting but the momma bear came out in me and I wasn't about to let him anywhere near my boys. Something always has to ruin the fun! Next, we went to my sisters for a little while because some church friends were there playing. Cooper was an angel for me but we had to leave soon for Clark to eat. We were only gone for a little over 1.5 hours but all of us made it back in one piece so I count that as a success! I don't want to keep Cooper cooped up in the house all the time so I'm going to try and ease us back into the swing of things over the next few weeks... wish us luck!
Our first stop was my work. I had to turn in my maternity leave paper work. Luckily, I ran into my assistant principal going in and she took it in for me so I didn't have to get both boys out of the car. That was the hardest part of whole day, loading and unloading both of them everywhere we went. Next we headed to the duck pond. I looked around when we pulled up to make sure there weren't any sketchy people around (as there often are in that area of town) and unloaded the boys. I wore Clark in a carrier and Cooper did exactly as I told him and held my hand. I had popped a bag of popcorn to feed the ducks and we had a ball throwing it to them. Everything was going great until a shady looking man walked up. At first he stayed on the other side of the pond so I let Cooper keep playing. After a minute or two he yelled at me that he needed to ask me a question and started walking our way. I, of course, panicked and grabbed Cooper and headed to the car. The man kept yelling at us that he just needed to ask me a question and once we reached the car I yelled back that I was leaving since I was by myself with my children. He acted extremely offended and headed back to his side of the pond. It took us so long to get loaded up that he could've easily harmed us if he wanted. I had already decided that if kept coming towards us that I was going to jump in the drivers seat with both boys in my lap and take off until we were safely away from him. I was probably overreacting but the momma bear came out in me and I wasn't about to let him anywhere near my boys. Something always has to ruin the fun! Next, we went to my sisters for a little while because some church friends were there playing. Cooper was an angel for me but we had to leave soon for Clark to eat. We were only gone for a little over 1.5 hours but all of us made it back in one piece so I count that as a success! I don't want to keep Cooper cooped up in the house all the time so I'm going to try and ease us back into the swing of things over the next few weeks... wish us luck!
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
A Mommy Update
Today I went to the doctor for my first postpartum visit. It was quick and easy. My BP and protein looked good and Dr. Emberson said he was thrilled with how well I was doing considering we just held off another dangerous delivery. My incision is healing up nicely and he said I was moving around great. I'm only 4 pounds away from my pre-pregnancy weight (thanks to around the clock breastfeeding). I gained 24 pounds total with Clark and I'm down 20. I'm thrilled with that to be a week and a half out from delivery. Too bad nothing on my body looks like it did pre-pregnancy. Not that it was great before but now I just looked a bit deflated everywhere. Oh well, we can work on all that fun stuff in a few weeks. I'm free to drive now and I know Andy and my family are thrilled, having to be chauffeured around is inconvenient. I go back in a month, on my birthday, to have my 6 week checkup. Hopefully everything will continue to heal normally until then.
Monday, August 6, 2012
Survival Mode
We're in survival mode here at the Smithson household. With Andy now back at work I'm doing all I can to keep my head above water until he walks through the door. Don't get me wrong, it isn't that bad and I wouldn't trade it for the world, it's just going to take awhile to get used to. It seems every time Clark needs to eat Cooper wakes up from a nap or needs a meal and vice versa. Between meeting all of their sweet little needs I do well to find time to shower each day. I'm still recovering from my c-section so that makes things difficult, too. Clark still hasn't had a bottle so all the feedings are done by mommy. Every three hours or so, even through the wee hours of the night, he and I are having a feeding session. So I'm pretty tired, that's why my blog has slowed down a bit. Hopefully in the upcoming weeks when we establish a bit more of a schedule and get a little more sleep I'll be posting more often.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
Momma Cow
Clark is a great little eater, I like to call him Piglet. He's such a good eater I feel a bit like a milk cow. I breastfed Cooper but since he was a preemie breastfeeding was a bit of a disaster for the first several weeks. He didn't latch on until he was a week old & I still had to pump like crazy to make sure he was getting what he needed. Even when he did get the hang of it we had to use a breast shield the whole 7 months he breastfed. This time around it has been a bit different. Breastfeeding is supposed to be the most natural thing in the world but let me tell you, it doesn't come naturally at all - to me at least. Breastfeeding is one of the hardest things I've ever done. I can't tell you how many times, with both boys, that I've wanted to give up. The one thing I've learned breastfeeding is that the only constant thing is inconsistency.
We had some ups and downs in the hospital with latching at then Clark finally got it. Once we got home though we had more issues. Thr first couple of days it was him wanting to eat around the clock, every 30 to 45 minutes. The next day or so we had engorgement issues so badly Clark couldn't latch on. If I pumped that would encourage my breasts to make even more milk and therefore make the problem worse. The next day it was sleeping issues. I couldn't get him to wake up long enough to eat so I would have to pump or I was miserable. It seemed like a never ending cycle and I was getting frustrated. I was so sore that I wanted to cry each time he latched on. I didn't think that was ever going to go away. During all of this I never gave Clark a bottle so ever feeding was all me. I was determined to establish a good latch and for both of us to get the hang of it before I introduced a bottle. Everything I read said it could take several weeks before mom and baby both had the hang of breastfeeding. Andy offered to give him a bottle during the night so I could sleep but I would still have to get up and pump. Also, for some odd reason it hasn't been as hard waking up at all hours of the night this time around as it was with Cooper. Don't get me wrong, I'm exhausted every day but I think I knew what to expect this time. I know this is liable to change any night now since he's still so young but he's been going 4-5 hours in between feelings each night! I feel like a new person when he does that.
For the last two weeks we've been feeding every 3 to 4 hours, just Clark and me. The longer I went without giving him a bottle the more determined I was to keep putting it off. Last week Dr. Meredith told me that I needed to introduce one within a week or so so he wouldn't be too far gone to take one when I started back to work. I knew he was right but I wanted to be stubborn. I was also really proud of the fact that he hadn't had a bottle yet and that I had done every feeding, especially with all the trouble I had with Cooper. This past Friday Clark was 2 weeks old. I knew I needed to give him a bottle so I gave in on Saturday. He had a lazy eating session so I had to pump. I used that milk for his bottle. Andy had to work Saturday so I gave him the bottle when I was with my mom for moral support. Everyone kept telling me to not be surprised or get upset if he didn't take it well the first few times. I was prepared for the worst but he did great! He took the whole 2.5 ounces in about 15 minutes. We had some dribbling issues but he didn't fuss at all. He still acted hungry afterwards so I tried nursing him. He nursed for 5 minutes on each side after that so I was thrilled. I haven't given him another bottle since (I hate pumping) but plan on giving him one every so often so he can handle it when I return to work in 6 short weeks.
We had some ups and downs in the hospital with latching at then Clark finally got it. Once we got home though we had more issues. Thr first couple of days it was him wanting to eat around the clock, every 30 to 45 minutes. The next day or so we had engorgement issues so badly Clark couldn't latch on. If I pumped that would encourage my breasts to make even more milk and therefore make the problem worse. The next day it was sleeping issues. I couldn't get him to wake up long enough to eat so I would have to pump or I was miserable. It seemed like a never ending cycle and I was getting frustrated. I was so sore that I wanted to cry each time he latched on. I didn't think that was ever going to go away. During all of this I never gave Clark a bottle so ever feeding was all me. I was determined to establish a good latch and for both of us to get the hang of it before I introduced a bottle. Everything I read said it could take several weeks before mom and baby both had the hang of breastfeeding. Andy offered to give him a bottle during the night so I could sleep but I would still have to get up and pump. Also, for some odd reason it hasn't been as hard waking up at all hours of the night this time around as it was with Cooper. Don't get me wrong, I'm exhausted every day but I think I knew what to expect this time. I know this is liable to change any night now since he's still so young but he's been going 4-5 hours in between feelings each night! I feel like a new person when he does that.
For the last two weeks we've been feeding every 3 to 4 hours, just Clark and me. The longer I went without giving him a bottle the more determined I was to keep putting it off. Last week Dr. Meredith told me that I needed to introduce one within a week or so so he wouldn't be too far gone to take one when I started back to work. I knew he was right but I wanted to be stubborn. I was also really proud of the fact that he hadn't had a bottle yet and that I had done every feeding, especially with all the trouble I had with Cooper. This past Friday Clark was 2 weeks old. I knew I needed to give him a bottle so I gave in on Saturday. He had a lazy eating session so I had to pump. I used that milk for his bottle. Andy had to work Saturday so I gave him the bottle when I was with my mom for moral support. Everyone kept telling me to not be surprised or get upset if he didn't take it well the first few times. I was prepared for the worst but he did great! He took the whole 2.5 ounces in about 15 minutes. We had some dribbling issues but he didn't fuss at all. He still acted hungry afterwards so I tried nursing him. He nursed for 5 minutes on each side after that so I was thrilled. I haven't given him another bottle since (I hate pumping) but plan on giving him one every so often so he can handle it when I return to work in 6 short weeks.
Friday, August 3, 2012
Catching Up
I've been a bit busy since we came home on Monday. Most of my time is spent feeding Clark and making sure Cooper doesn't feel left out. Andy has had a few days off but is now back to the grind at work. I've been an emotional mess, thanks to my hormones, and I find myself cleaning and trying to catch up on my homemaker duties any time the boys are napping. I'm exhausted and feel myself being pulled in two different directions with two little boys. Cooper has been really good with Clark, surprisingly. Most of the time he is gentle and smothers him with kisses. Other times he pushes his limits and tries to be rough with him. We've had to be firm with him on his behavior around Clark and he often gets upset if we get on to him. We (and everyone else in my family) have caved in and bought him a ton of new toys to compensate for the guilt we feel now that he's not the only child anymore. Good parenting, right?
We took Clark for his 1st doctors appointment yesterday. He weighed 7lb 8oz when he was born, dropped to 6.14 before we left the hospital, and was back up to 7.00 yesterday at the doctor. When we left the hospital his jaundice was a 10 on the chart and Dr. Meredith said it was very minimal yesterday. He said everything looked great and we don't go back until he's a month old!
We took Clark for his 1st doctors appointment yesterday. He weighed 7lb 8oz when he was born, dropped to 6.14 before we left the hospital, and was back up to 7.00 yesterday at the doctor. When we left the hospital his jaundice was a 10 on the chart and Dr. Meredith said it was very minimal yesterday. He said everything looked great and we don't go back until he's a month old!
Clark's Arrival
I should have written this a few days ago but to be completely honest I've been exhausted. Sorry if it's lengthy!
This past Friday morning, July 27, 2012, I went to my OB/GYN for my weekly checkup. I had gone the Tuesday before (this was my 2nd visit that week) and we knew things were starting to creep up that were precursors for preeclampsia. Since my visit Tuesday I felt like Friday would be the day I had Clark but everyone told me to not get my hopes up. When I got there my BP was up and the protein in my urine had increased since Tuesday. The doctor said there was no point in playing around anymore because I was on the verge of getting very sick again so we scheduled my c-section for 5:45pm that night. I had to be at the hospital at 3:30 to get ready. I immediately called Andy and my family and told them the exciting news!
Once I got home I tried to spend as much time with Cooper as I could. I was a bit emotional knowing that he wouldn't be my only baby once 6pm rolled around. I also packed up last minute things and tried to relax... I was a nervous wreck! Andy got home around 2pm and we headed out about an hour later. Andy's mom met us to get Cooper so we could check in and relax a bit before the surgery.
I had a very sweet nurse get me prepped. My mom and dad got there shortly after us and it was nice having Andy and them back in the room with me while I was getting ready for the surgery. The only issue we ran into while getting ready was getting the IV in. The nurse put it on the inside of my left wrist originally and the pain from it was excruciating. It quickly began to swell and within an hour my wrist looked like it was broken. I think Andy was in more agony than I was knowing I was in pain. The nurse finally noticed it and took it out. I'm always a hard stick so she got the anesthesiologist to come in and set it this time. He did a much better job and I felt better immediately. Shortly after this Dr. Emberson came in, held my hand and said a prayer with my family, and then I was taken back.
I was a little more aware this time around and felt my spinal going in. It was a bit uncomfortable but kicked in soon. I felt like a ton of bricks once it hit. They made sure everything was good and numb and then went to get Andy and Mom. Once they got in at 6:20 Dr. Emberson started cutting. Andy got a bit woozy but stayed right beside me and looking over the curtain the whole time. My mom sat on a stool off to the side. I felt some pressure but no pain. I kept asking Andy if he could see Clark but he couldn't until they were about to pull him out. He was delivered at 6:28pm and was absolutely beautiful! He was chubby and had a head full of hair! And, he didn't look just like Andy which was amazing!
Dr. Emberson just knew he was over 8 pounds but he weighed in at 7lbs, 8oz. He had a wonderful cry and was able to stay in the OR with me while I was sewed up. He and Andy sat in a stool right beside my head. I was a bit groggy but it was wonderful having him right beside me. It took about 45 minutes for them to sew me back up and then I was taken to recovery. That's when I finally got to hold Clark! Andy had to help me because my arms were so heavy and weak from the anesthesia. I was even able to breastfeed him in recovery. It wasn't much of a success but I was determine to try before he was taken away from me. My dad and sister came back to see him and then he was taken to the nursery. All of our visitors got to see him through the nursery windows. I was so glad it they were able to see him that night unlike the night I had Cooper. They were also allowed to come see me in recovery. Andy brought Cooper back to see me before he left. He wasn't a happy camper but gave me a kiss before he left.
Once I was taken back to a normal room it was a long night. I got sick from the medicine I was on and had terrible itching from morphine. I was also waking up every 3 hours to feed Clark. He did pretty well breastfeeding that night, not so well Saturday, and then finally got the hang of it on Sunday. Over the weekend we had a ton of visitors and I was worn out. I was also very emotional from not having Cooper there with us. We were released Monday morning and were anxious to get home to Cooper. Our world has definitely changed over the last week but it's been an amazing journey so far and we are all 3 head over heels in love with Clark!
This past Friday morning, July 27, 2012, I went to my OB/GYN for my weekly checkup. I had gone the Tuesday before (this was my 2nd visit that week) and we knew things were starting to creep up that were precursors for preeclampsia. Since my visit Tuesday I felt like Friday would be the day I had Clark but everyone told me to not get my hopes up. When I got there my BP was up and the protein in my urine had increased since Tuesday. The doctor said there was no point in playing around anymore because I was on the verge of getting very sick again so we scheduled my c-section for 5:45pm that night. I had to be at the hospital at 3:30 to get ready. I immediately called Andy and my family and told them the exciting news!
Once I got home I tried to spend as much time with Cooper as I could. I was a bit emotional knowing that he wouldn't be my only baby once 6pm rolled around. I also packed up last minute things and tried to relax... I was a nervous wreck! Andy got home around 2pm and we headed out about an hour later. Andy's mom met us to get Cooper so we could check in and relax a bit before the surgery.
I had a very sweet nurse get me prepped. My mom and dad got there shortly after us and it was nice having Andy and them back in the room with me while I was getting ready for the surgery. The only issue we ran into while getting ready was getting the IV in. The nurse put it on the inside of my left wrist originally and the pain from it was excruciating. It quickly began to swell and within an hour my wrist looked like it was broken. I think Andy was in more agony than I was knowing I was in pain. The nurse finally noticed it and took it out. I'm always a hard stick so she got the anesthesiologist to come in and set it this time. He did a much better job and I felt better immediately. Shortly after this Dr. Emberson came in, held my hand and said a prayer with my family, and then I was taken back.
I was a little more aware this time around and felt my spinal going in. It was a bit uncomfortable but kicked in soon. I felt like a ton of bricks once it hit. They made sure everything was good and numb and then went to get Andy and Mom. Once they got in at 6:20 Dr. Emberson started cutting. Andy got a bit woozy but stayed right beside me and looking over the curtain the whole time. My mom sat on a stool off to the side. I felt some pressure but no pain. I kept asking Andy if he could see Clark but he couldn't until they were about to pull him out. He was delivered at 6:28pm and was absolutely beautiful! He was chubby and had a head full of hair! And, he didn't look just like Andy which was amazing!
Once I was taken back to a normal room it was a long night. I got sick from the medicine I was on and had terrible itching from morphine. I was also waking up every 3 hours to feed Clark. He did pretty well breastfeeding that night, not so well Saturday, and then finally got the hang of it on Sunday. Over the weekend we had a ton of visitors and I was worn out. I was also very emotional from not having Cooper there with us. We were released Monday morning and were anxious to get home to Cooper. Our world has definitely changed over the last week but it's been an amazing journey so far and we are all 3 head over heels in love with Clark!
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