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Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Preschool Fieldtrip

A few weeks ago I was able to chaperone Eli's fieldtrip and it was so much fun. I love preschoolers and getting to see Eli in his "element" was great!




Monday, May 2, 2011

Eli's Fifth Birthday

First off, I must say that I can't believe that Eli is five years old.  Isn't it funny how it seems like just yesterday he was born, but it feels like I have known him forever?

As soon as he woke up I told him "Happy 5th Birthday" and he looked at me almost like he was in shock and said "Am I really five now?!?!?"  His party was at 3:30 in the afternoon and all I heard all day was, "Is it time for my party yet?"  I'm thinking next year a party at 8 in the morning will work! 

We got Eli a four wheeler for his birthday and decided it would be most practical to have the party at my parent's farm so that he could ride it right away. I mean, how fun would it be to get  a four wheeler and then have to wait to ride it?!?! 

It turned out to be a pretty nice day and it was great to share it with family.  Eli's favorite show right now is Curious George, so those were the invites and cake.  We did cake and ice cream first, because we were pretty sure that once he opened his presents that we wouldn't get him off the four wheeler!  He was such a good boy though and let all of his friends and cousins that wanted to ride it have a turn.

Happy 5th Birthday Eli!!!!

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Eli's Birth Story

Eli with Grandma Kathy (my mom) just after birth.
Several years ago I gave birth to the most amazing little boy in the world.  Today I was thinking about the events that led up to and included his birth and I realized that all of the things that once seemed like they would always and forever be with me like they had just happened were becoming a bit cloudy. I have decided to write down Eli's birth story, just five years late!

Scott and I were married July 2, 2005. We had planned to start trying to have a baby right away as I was going to be 31 and he 35.  My doctor and mother had both warned that it may take a while for us to conceive and I was hoping that I would be pregnant by Christmas.  I was in shock on August 27 when I took a pregnancy test and it was positive!  We decided to wait until after our first OB appointment to share the news with our family, but within an hour I just couldn't keep it to myself and ended up telling all of our family that day.  I was due May 7, 2006 and really had a great pregnancy. I had occasional nausea and was tired beyond belief, but I was able to rest often and really enjoyed my pregnancy. Just before I hit the 31 week mark, I went to an OB visit and my blood pressure what 195/106. I had to lay on my left side and rest for a while and have it rechecked.  It didn't go down, so I was sent to labor and delivery for monitoring. My blood pressure returned to normal and I was allowed to go home. Two weeks later I was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia and was put on bedrest.  I had to see my doctor weekly and went twice a week to labor and delivery for non-stress tests.  I quickly became very comfortable with all of the great nurses and was so thankful for all of the great care that I received.  We hadn't found out if we were having a boy or girl and all of the nurses loved that we were having a 'surprise" baby.  Frequently while I was having the NST's the baby had hiccups and it was so fun to hear them!  On my OB visit on April 28 there were concerns about my well being and since I was 38 weeks, it was decided that I would be induced the next morning. I was so excited to meet my baby, but hesitant about being induced at the same time.  I was barely dilated and wasn't favorable for induction, but it was no longer safe to continue the pregnancy.  We arrived at the hospital at 8 AM and began paperwork. The pitocin was started at 9:30.  By 11 I was having full on contractions every 3 - 4 minutes, but I hadn't progressed any.  I was told that I had to be dilated to at least a four before receiving an epidural.  At about 12:30 I was about a two and they decided to break my water.  By 4:00 I didn't know how I was ever going to be able to make it to being fully dilated and have any energy to push a baby out.  I wasn't even dilated to a three yet and finally accepted some oral pain medicine. It really just made me feel out of it and I could still feel the contractions, but the didn't hurt as much.  It was a very difficult labor as I could not do anything to help my labor progress and I was receiving magnesium sulfate to stop me from having a seizure. This same medicine is used in preterm labor to stop labor!  Nothing too exciting happened for several hours. At 7pm I was finally at four centimeters and they called anesthesia to place an epidural. They were very busy and I finally got my epidural placed at around 8:30pm. It worked wonderfully and I finally was able to rest.  At around 11pm my OB came in and checked, I was at a five.  We went to sleep and at 1 AM I was awoke by my OB who had come flying in to my room with a nurse. The baby's heart rate was decelerating. They tried repositioning me, but it didn't work. I was prepped for a c-section and as I was signing the paperwork the baby's heart rate stabilized. My OB gave me the option to continue with attempting a vaginal delivery or proceed with the c-section. I really wanted a "normal" delivery and my doctor told me that as long as the baby stayed safe, she was fine with that. However, if there wasn't enough progress by 4 AM, she said she would be very concerned and would encourage a c-section at that time.  My doctor was busy at 4 am, so she didn't make it to my room until around 4:30, at which time I was dilated to a 7!!!  She told me we could continue and see how I progressed. I was told that if I ever felt a strong pressure that I should call the nurse.  At about 5:20 I called the nurse and said that I was feeling different and she checked and I was at a 9! She told me she would let the doctor know. The doctor came in at 5:30 and checked me and I was complete.  She had me do a test push and then quickly prepped for delivery.  The doctor informed us that the baby was not in the correct position (it was facing sideways) and that it would be necessary to use forceps to turn the baby.  They performed and episiotimy and then turned the baby in to position.  Once the baby was in the correct position, the heart rate began to drop.  The doctor told us that to assist in a quick delivery, she needed to use the vacuum. Due to the heart rate, we had to deliver quickly.  The vacuum was placed and three pushes later at 5:48 AM, Eli Edward Arbogast was born. He weighed 7 lbs. 14 1/2 ozs.  and was 19 inches long.  He was placed on my stomach and my doctor handed a pair of forceps to Scott. He asked her what and she said "cut the cord". He followed her instructions and cut the cord. We had discussed it earlier and he had said he didn't want to do that, but she didn't give him the choice.  Shortly after delivery, I realized by the look on my doctor's face that something else was going on. I became quickly dizzy and nauseous and my doctor quickly informed me that I was bleeding excessively and they need to give me some injections to stop the bleeding. The medication worked, but I wasn't allowed to hold Eli due to being dizzy and lightheaded. I also had to continue the magnesium sulfate after delivery to insure my safety. I wasn't allowed to be up and walking until the next morning. After I finished with the magnesium sulfate, things went really well. Eli nursed easily and we seemed to be perfect together. On Tuesday, May 2, we were set to be released later that day, but first thing in the morning the pediatrician arrived and was concerned about jaundice and had ordered bloodwork.  We were told that his level had to be below 16 to go home, when we received his results, his level was 15.8. We were allowed to go home, but had to return to the hospital for billirubin level checks and then followed up with a home health nurse. The jaundice subsided at six days of age.  It was so amazing to feel such a sudden, amazingly strong and deep love and connection for another person. I thank God every day for the wonderful gift he gave me five years ago.  I love you Eli Edward!  You're my favorite punk in the whole wide world! Thanks for making me a Mommy.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

First "Real" Stitches


Mark that down....first "real" stitches at four years, eleven months and 18 days. Eli got four stitches on his chin last night. He and Ian were jumping on the couch cushions they had pulled off of the couch and Eli got too close to the coffee table and his chin hit hard. I was just walking in the living room and saw it all happen and as soon as I heard his scream I knew that it was bad. I grabbed him and could see his chin was gaping open. I told Scott to grab some paper towels and immediately he started freaking out because he was bleeding. As soon as I got a closer look, I told Scott I thought we needed to head to the ER. And the freaking out was cranked up a notch. Anyway, we got to the ER, they took a look and he did need stitches. They put on some lidocane cream and let that work it's magic. When they went to test the area he told them he could still feel it, so they decided to do an injection of lidocane, which he didn't even flinch for, so I think the cream worked just fine! He did great getting stitches and after we were all finished told me "That wasn't bad Mom. Next time I get stitches I won't be nervous at all!" I'm sure there will be a few more next times.....

Friday, March 25, 2011

Possibly the Cutest Picture Ever....and some randomness!

Ian after falling asleep the other night while reading!  Love, love, love this picture!

* I really need to start taking more pictures of the boys!  I have been in a photo slump lately and I really need to remember to get the camera out more.  I usually grab my phone and take pictures, but they just aren't as good as with my "real" camera!
*Eli loved Kindergarten Round Up! He did a great job and is ready to start kindergarten. I am proud to say that I did not shed one tear at Round Up! I however AM NOT ready for my baby to start Kindergarten!!!
*Ian has started telling me "I'm not your baby Mom" and it breaks my heart...he will climb up in my lap, give me a hug and look up at me and smile and tell me he's not a baby.  How did he get so big???
*Eli is doing great in swimming lessons.  He is very reserved and a bit timid, but this week he jumped off the side while sitting down and did the back float all by himself! This is huge for him because he has been very hesitant to do this even with assistance. I guess it finally clicked!
*Ian is a daredevil in all aspects of life and swimming is no different.  We are doing a Mom and Tot class now and he loves it! He jumps from standing on the side and launches himself about four feet from the side, giggling and laughing all the way. From the first lesson he tries to push himself away from me and just wants to go!  He scares the dickens out of me!
*We are getting bunkbeds tomorrow!  I am going to take some before and after pictures of their room and will post soon.  Eli is very excited about the bunkbeds and can't wait to sleep on the top bunk. When I asked Ian if he was ready for a big boy bed he said "No, I sleep in my crib".  So much for the daredevil, huh?

PS - Shannon....I need a link to your blog. I know you went private and I can't get to your blog!



Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Four and A Half Months!

So, I have been absent again for several months....not that anyone really misses my blogging or anything, but this is supposed to be my baby book/scrapbook/ memory keeper and at that I have been awful!  So, here are a few random things I want to get recorded! 
* Eli has kindergarten round-up this Friday!  How can it be that my baby is going to be going to kindergarten?!?!  He is SO excited! His best friend from preschool is going to the same session and then we are having a lunch/play date with him.  This year the school has decided to have the parents attend an informative meeting while the kiddos stay for round-up and I am glad that I will be there if Eli needs anything.....not that he will, but just in case!
*Ian is 2 1/2!!! He has recently taken to curling up in my lap, giving me a big hug and then proceeds to tell me that he is not my baby anymore.  BOO-HOO!  I literally almost cried the first time he said it!
*Eli is loving the spring weather, he has spent the past two afternoons outside exploring and getting dirty. He is so happy being outside and it has really helped adjust to daylight savings time.
*Ian has had a whole host of medical appointments lately and thankfully everything is turning out well. We had a scare with a heart murmur appearing and had to have a recheck on that. It was a pretty bad murmur while he was sick (which I was told was common), but when we went for a recheck it was much less severe.  Just something to keep an eye on. We had to have an upper GI series done due to some concerns with him choking and vomiting. Everything turned out normal, he just seems to have a severely sensitve gag reflex. We are continuing to have eye exams every three months and will continue this for a while. The glasses are helping to strengthen his weak eye, but he may need a stronger prescription. Each time we go he is getting more cooperative, so hopefully in the next six months we will be able to get a more accurate prescription, but for now we are continuing with the one we have. We may also be looking at patching his "good" eye in the future too. We had his first dental appointment and he has one tooth that is kind of a sideways underbite....strange, but just one more thing to keep an eye on!
*I am going to really, sincerely try to keep updating on a regular basis!!! 
Happy Spring everyone!