Our song to Princess J

My dear Jaelynn,

I actually stumbled across this song but I agree with everything he says. I want only happiness for you, my little girl. I can give you that now but I know you will grow up some day and be exposed to this world. I hope that you can always find the good in things and know that you have a soft place to land with your daddy and I. We love you so much Jaelynn Nicole! You have made our lives complete in everyway!

Love you so so much!!
Mommy and Daddy

"Baby Girl" by Will Hoge

May the sunlight find your face
Even when the rain does fall
And get back on your feet again
Every time you slip and fall
Keep your heart wide open
And always taking in
And even when it's broken
Be strong enough to fix it up again

Oh little baby girl
Sweet little baby girl
I wish I could hold your hand in this great big world
Oh little baby girl

And I hope your hands are steady
And never need to make a fist
And I hope that when you're ready
You get one never ending kiss
And I hope that deep inside of you
There's a sweet eternal song
And I hope the words are pretty
And that you'll always sing along

And I hope your friends are many
And your laughter's always loud
To help you when you're lonely
And pick you up when you're down
I hope your eyes shine bright love
And learn to see the light
Take the time to listen
Decide yourself what's wrong or right

Oh little baby girl
Sweet little baby girl
Be strong in this great big world
Oh little baby girl

(search him on YouTube and listen to this song...it is really sweet.)

Sweetest Sounds

It has been forever since I have blogged!! I hope you all understand...life has been crazy!! So lets do a run down of the last couple months....

Jaelynn is 4 1/2 months old now!! We went to the doctor on the 13th and she weighed 12 pounds 12 ounces and was 23 3/4 inches long. She is in the 30th percentile for her height and weight. She also got another round of booster shots and was pretty crabby for a couple of days. We have had 3 colds and she is finally starting to feel better. My little princess is a jabber mouth! She loves to talk to you and when she really gets going you can't get a word in! She also loves to screech. She figured this out the other night and has been doing it ever since! Last night for the first time she giggled! It was the best sound in the world and I know Kevin and I will do anything just to hear that again. When she smiles at us all of our worries melt away.

She isn't crawling yet but she is starting to roll over. She also loves to stand! She has figured out that she has hands...and they can grab a hold of things...like mommy's hair and daddy's lips! Also, everything goes in the mouth. No teeth yet but I'm sure in the next month we will start seeing some!

All in all we are very happy and healthy! We will be giving thanks for many things this holiday season. Our little girl has given us a new outlook on life. I wish everyday that I could see the world through her eyes. I can't wait until the first snow fall so she can touch the snow, for the first flower to bloom this spring so I can run the petals over her fingers, crawling, laughing and first steps. I am ready to be there for all of it!

Princess J is 2 months old!

My little princess turned 2 months old yesterday! I feel that she has always been a part of our lives and sometimes have a hard time remembering life before her! She had her first shots yesterday and was such a little trooper. She cried a little but as soon as I picked her up she was fine. I couldn't believe it when they put her on the scale. She is 10 pounds even now and 21.5 inches long! Dr. Beebe is very happy with her growth and development.

She has started to smile now and coo like crazy! She talks to her mobile and bumper at night when she should be sleeping but it is so cute! I haven't been able to get a good picture of her smile yet because I can't tear myself away from her when she is so happy. She started daycare this week and things seem to be going well. She is such a wonderful baby and Kevin and I are looking forward to the rest of her life!

2 week update

We went to the doctor yesterday and everything is wonderful! Jaelynn is up to 6 pounds and 12 ounces and 19 1/4 inches! She is 100% healthy and even doing pretty good at night! I'll make this short and sweet cause it is time to feed the little one. Breast feeding is going great and we really couldn't ask for a better baby!

Birth Story

Birth Story

On Wednesday July 11 we went in for our 37 week check up. I hadn't been feeling well for a couple of days so I was a little anxious about the appointment. My swelling was getting worse and my disposition was getting pretty poor. I was really beginning to wonder how I was going to make it 3 more weeks.

At the appointment my blood pressure was up and I had protein in my urine. Dr. Roose decided to send us to the hospital to be monitored for a while to make sure that Jaelynn was doing okay. I was dilated at this point to a 2 almost 3. We arrived at the hospital and got all check in by 5. Then we waited….and waited and waited. Little did we know things were going from bad to worse pretty quickly.

Around 8 our nurse came in and said they were keeping me and inducing me that night. Then she dropped the big bomb. I had pre-eclampsia and would need to be put on magnesium sulfate to help the blood pressure. I would also have a catheter and be in bed until Jaelynn came. She was doing wonderful but my health was going down hill and we didn't want to put any more stress on her.

We were in our birthing room by midnight and I was beginning to come to terms with the fact that my birth plan was out the window. They started the pitocin and around 2 Kevin and I finally got some rest. The nurse came in again to check on me around 6am and decided to check for dilation. Nothing…. I was beginning to think it was going to be a long day!

Kevin went and had some breakfast….I still couldn't eat so I just rested some more and visited. Our families were present for the labor so we had plenty of company. Around noon the doctor came in to check me. I was still at 2-3 centimeters. She decided to break my water to see if that would get things going. This helped a little and I dilated to 4! I was maxed out on pitocin, hadn't eaten in 24 hours and fighting the effects of the mag. I was ready to have this baby!

Shortly after my water was broke my contractions picked up and I decided to have the epidural. My original plan was to have a natural childbirth but that was out the window. The epi wasn't that bad. I was contracting pretty good by that time and it was actually a relief. I wish I would have known how short lived it would be!

The epi helped my blood pressure to go down but it happened to fast. I started to throw up and got really uncomfortable but just as quickly fell asleep for a couple of hours. When I woke up I was feeling alright. I was still vomiting but not as much. Jaelynn started to have some decels and I was put on oxygen to make sure she was getting enough. Then things got bad.

I started to feel some pressure through the epi. I thought maybe I was finally in transition. The nurse checked me and I was still at a 4. I figured I could keep toughing it out for a bit but then the back labor started. Things start to get really foggy here. I know I was in a lot of pain and getting sick during the contractions. Kevin was amazing through all of this and so was the rest of the family. Some of our friends even got the privilege to see me in this wonderful state! I finally broke down around 8pm and told the doctor I couldn't do it anymore. I was ready for a c-section. I still hadn't dilated beyond 4 and I was out of energy.

I was prepped and whisked away for a c-section. I remember feeling relief. I was going to meet my baby girl. This is the exact opposite of what we wanted but I just couldn't keep going. Kevin was able to be in the room with me and I remember hearing her cry and then him telling me how beautiful she was. Then he brought her over to me and I finally got to see my angel baby. For those of you that don't believe in God all you have to do is look at a new baby. How else could something so perfect be brought into this world? Jaelynn was born at 10:09pm on Thursday July 12, 2007. She weighed in at 6 pounds and 4 ounces and was totally healthy.

We stayed in the hospital until Sunday afternoon and then were able to come home. I have fallen deeper in love with Kevin through all of this. Watching him with Jaelynn makes my heart melt. I look forward to watching my family grow every day! Well…little miss is crying so I better get to her! More updates to come!

Baby girl at 36 weeks

On Tuesday we had another doctors appointment and an ultrasound. They wanted to check and make sure Jaelynn's kidneys were normal and they were! Our baby girl is perfect!! She is weighing in at 6 pounds 1 ounce and you can tell that she has a lot of hair! She also has these really adorable chunky cheeks and she is just beautiful already. She stole our hearts even more Tuesday when she opened her eyes. You would have thought she was looking right at us. She is also practice breathing up a storm right now which is a very good sign!

This was also the appointment that I got checked for the first time. I'm a good 1 cm dialated and starting to thin. Jaelynn is head down and locked into position. She dropped last Tuesday and over the weekend engaged even more so it is pretty uncomfortable to do anything. My blood pressure is still elevated and I am still spilling protien but right now I am under the danger zone. They will continue to watch this each week.

Our bag is packed and Kevin is coming with me to the rest of my appointments...just in case. People are starting to put guesses in on how much longer it will be. I swear...if any of you say August....well...I'm going to be a mother so I can't finish that!

The end is near....

Okay...this is going to be pretty short and sweet. I had a doctors appointment yesterday and my blood pressure is still up and I still have protein in my urine. They also took more blood to compare to last weeks. I have been put on 4 hour days at work with instructions to go home and put my feet up in the afternoon. The order said...."due to extreme swelling in the lower extremidies". Those of you that have seen me lately will get a kick out of that!

I'll be honest....I told the doctor that when Jaelynn was done and healthy I'm ready. The swelling is so bad and I'm getting uncomfortable but I want my baby healthy...and me too! So...she said I need to stay pregnant for 3 more weeks. Then they will more then likely induce me. Kevin and I are so excited! Our baby girl is almost here. I told all of the family and friends to look for her in 3 weeks and I am so touched by how excited everyone is. Jaelynn has stole the heart of everyone and she isn't even here yet! I wonder if she will ever understand how much she is loved.....

34 week update

There are days when I still can't believe I'm pregnant...then there are days when I feel like this is going to go on forever! The heat is starting to get to me but I am thankfully finding relief in the swimming pool and in my nice cold house! I can't believe we only have 6 weeks to go...well...hopefully 6 weeks!

I had my check up on Tuesday and it wasn't the best doctors appointment. First of all, last Wednesday night Kevin and I were in Labor and Delivery for a few hours because my blood pressure was going up. They finally decided to let me go home but I had to do a 24 hour urine catch. That would be peeing in a jug for 24 hours...oh...and keeping it cold. So very gross....

Fast forward to Tuesday....Grandma Mary came with me and while sitting in the exam room we noticed that my feet were looking pretty bad. They came in and did the blood pressure which was high and check my urine. For the first time in 34 weeks I had protien in my urine. Pair this with the high bp and I was laying on my side for a few minutes to try to get things leveled out! So my bp came down and the doc was really unhappy with my swelling. She decided to take more blood and put me on bed rest until the results came back Wednesday. Thankfully I got a call Wednesday that everything was fine and I was to just take it easy until my appointment next week.

So here is the wonderful news...through all of this our little girl has been amazing. She is in perfect health and is very fiesty! The doctors and nurses actually laugh when they are trying to monitor her because she gets really irritated and kicks and moves away! I honestly can't wait to meet this little person that has so much personality already.

Continue to pray for both of us that we will just breeze through the next few weeks. I keep repeating God's promise...No weapons formed against me shall prosper!....and I am believing this with all my heart. We have a busy weekend ahead....clear coating the dresser, swimming and then bbq at the Johnston's, belly pictures with Tiff on Sunday, birthing class on Sunday and then after...long trip to Walmart to pick up some last minute stuff for the little one. I'm sure there will be another trip to Des Moines packed in there somewhere! Off to work! Love you all!

Wonderful Baby Shower!!!

So I had my baby shower yesterday and it was fantastic!! Tiffanie, Cheyenne, Angie, Mom, Mary and Donna were in charge of the shower and they all did so good! They decided to do a scrapbook theme instead of games. So while I was opening a mountian of gifts my guests were busy making scrapbook pages for me. They are so cute and I had a lot of people tell me it was way more fun then games. So basically...it was a social hour with yummy cake and punch...and as requested...cream cheese mints!

Kevin and I got a ton of stuff for Jaelynn! We have clothes and blankets and diapers and toys and....well you get the point. We only have a few more big things to buy and then just some little things. Eric (brother in law) is working at our house today on Jaelynn's room. Kevin I think is starting to get nervous about things getting done. I can't blame him. You can't walk through our dining room or living room without tripping over baby things!

So....again....thank you so much to all my girls that put all the hard work into my wonderful shower and to all of my guest that spoiled my daughter rotten yesterday! I love you all!

Baby girl at 32 weeks

Well we had another wonderful appointment yesterday! I really can't thank God enough for Jaelynn and I's health. This pregnancy has been fairly easy on me. Things are starting to get a little more difficult now with the heat but I still love every minute of it! Anyway...on to the appointment. Tiffanie came with me to this appointment. It was great to have her there so she could hear her "neice"! My weight gain was okay...not what I wanted to see but I am still in the normal range. My blood pressure was slightly elevated at 136/76. They didn't make to much of a fuss about it but I get the feeling I'm being watched again. Jaelynn's heartbeat was strong and wonderful holding steady in the 140's. She is also in the head down position so let's hope she stays that way! I'm measuring right on at 32 weeks and really...things are just peachy.

I am planning on stepping up the physical activity level. I'm going to start walking at least two times a week and then swimming two or three times a week. Yep...my pregnant butt is going to go to the public swimming pool. I am a brave soul! I want Jaelynn to stay in for at least another 5 weeks so that means I have to get this blood pressure back under control and take really good care of myself for the final stretch!

We have a busy weekend ahead. Saturday morning I'm getting a facial and a pedicure. Then off to Babies R Us to buy little miss's bedding. Saturday night we are doing our monthly girls night in. Lots of crazy stuff goes on in these few hours that we set aside for just us! There will be margaritas and chips and salsa and a good time will be had by all. Maybe they will make me a virgin margarita..... Then on Sunday we are having the baby shower! I'm so excited about this! All of my close friends and family will be there. I don't know what is going to happen cause I have been left out of the loop but I am sure it will be wonderful! Then Sunday night we have a birthing class and will probably collapse when we get home from that! Well...another appointment in a couple of weeks and I will try to post some pictures Monday from the shower! Love you all!

Baby girl at 30 weeks

I had wonderful doctors appointment yesterday! Jaelynn and I are doing wonderful, praise God! My blood pressure was down to 118/70 and my weight gain is still doing great. I'm measuring right on target for 30 weeks and the doc seemed really happy. Jaelynn is growing like a weed! Her heart rate was 152 and according to my book she should weigh about 3 pounds now and put on about 1/2 a pound a week.

Chey and Ryley came with me yesterday. Ryley thought the doctor was silly...and I had to agree. I didn't care for him much. But...they did get to hear Jaelynn's heartbeat. So...Ryley and Jaelynn are getting to know each other already. Maybe a match made in heaven...we shall see!!

I can't believe she is going to be here in 10 weeks! Things are getting bought. My shower is in the planning stage and thankfully...the room is getting close to being done. I feel rushed these days. I am going to concentrate on sitting down and enjoying Jaelynn for this final stretch. She is starting to make me feel more uncomfortable at times but I am going to miss feeling her inside of me so much! Mommy loves you baby girl and I will see you soon!

The verdict is....

We are having a girl!! In three months we will be welcoming Jaelynn into the world! She doesn't have a middle name yet but she stole our hearts yesterday at first glance. She is beautiful and perfect in every way! She was weighing in at a healthy 2 pounds 5 ounces and was every bit the princess we knew she would be! Kevin and I were both a little surprise but the quickly turned to awe as we saw our little girls face come up on the screen. We have already decided that she won't be dating....ever....and she will for sure be a daddy's girl! Can't wait to meet you baby girl!

On to other news.....my blood pressure is back down and I only gained 1 pound this time. I am measuring right on target and am just making the perfect home for Jaelynn for the next few months. My mind is so busy now with things to do before she comes...so much to buy....so much to pray about! I will be scanning pictures today so you can all see how beautiful my daughter is! Oh....*tear*....I'm going to have a little girl.....

Finally!

Sweet Baby! Daddy finally felt you kick last night. There was a look of awe and amazement as you kicked his hand, rolled and kicked again. I almost started crying....don't worry....Mommy doesn't really cry this much! Daddy was so excited and I think you are more real to him now. Thank you so much for finally sharing your kicks with Daddy! We get to see you on Tuesday and we are both so excited to see our healthy little boy or girl!!

Love-
Mommy

24 week update

Okay...sorry I didn't get this down right away I have just been kind of spacey this morning. So....baby Faux and I had another appointment yesterday. We are both very healthy and growing wonderfully! Baby's heart rate was 148 and my blood pressure was 148/80. I'm retaining a lot of water which is one of the reasons I have gained 18 pounds already. Good news is that the doctor isn't worried about either of us! However....I measured at 28 weeks...which is about 3 1/2 weeks bigger then I should be. The good news is we get an ultrasound on May 1st in the afternoon! Kevin and I are so excited to see our little one finally and hopefully settle the boy or girl debate! Also at the appointment I will be getting tested for gestational diabetes which is totally routine.

I love going to these appointments. Yesterday my stepmom Tammee came with me and got to hear her first grandchilds heartbeat. This is such a special time in our family and also for Kevin's because ours will be the first grandbaby on both sides. I love to listen to my dad (and the other grandparents to be!) talk about all of the things he is going to do with the baby because it just confirms what I already knew....he is going to be a wonderful grandpa and our child is going to be loved beyond anything it could ever imagine.

I can't believe in under 16 weeks we will meet this little person that kicks me and amazes me everyday. I can't wait to see all of the people I love hold my baby and shower it with love. Baby Faux.....when you grow up I hope you realize how much we love you and how wanted you really are!! Love you sweetie!

You are amazing!

I just had to write more about our amazing child. I can't believe how in love I am!!

Last night Kevin and I were watching t.v. Kevin is still trying every night to feel his baby move but our little one isn't quite strong enough yet. But....last night made the waiting worth it! Kevin was laying with his head on my lap facing the belly. He had his had on the belly and was waiting patiently. So....I started talking to the little one and felt a few little movements but nothing Daddy could feel. Then Kevin started talking and our little one went nuts! Kicking and moving all over the place. Unfortunatly the kicks weren't strong enough for Kevin to feel but he lit up when I told him the baby could hear him and that was what was making out little on move! So for like 30 min everytime Kevin said something baby Faux would take off.

I have been feeling our baby move for a few weeks now and it still amazes me. Everyday our little one gets stronger and bigger. It brought tears to my eyes last night watching Kevin and his child interact for the first time. I am so thankful for everything that God has given me and for the blessing in our lives. I'm sure I'm being a bit mushy but I fear that it may only get worse!

We have another appointment on April 12th and we will hopefully be finding out soon whether its a boy or girl! Have a great day!

20 week check-up

What a wonderful doctors appointment we had yesterday! My mom came with me and she loved hearing her grandbaby's heartbeat! My blood pressure is down to 122/62 and baby F's heartbeat is at 148. The dr. called baby F a little ornery because he/she kept moving around and kicking when we were trying to get the heartrate! My swelling is normal and will only get worse as the pregnancy progress. This means that I need to increase my fluid intake even more and keep my feet up as much as possible. We were a little disappointed that yet again we don't get an ultrasound, but how can I trade baby's health and my health for that!

Baby F is kicking like crazy! I feel movement several times a day and it still amazes me! Daddy has been trying to feel baby move this week but it doesn't seem to be working. Everytime Kevin touches me, baby F quits moving! Could he/she be a little stubborn like mommy? Kevin and I are still holding our ground on this being a boy! I hope we can find out soon but if not I guess we will just be surprised!!

Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we embark on the last half of this pregnancy. I will post a new picture soon!

Baby at 16 weeks!

Well for those of you that have been waiting for an update I'm sorry this is late. Sometimes I just don't have the energy to blog! Anyway.....Kevin and I had another ob appointment on Feb. 14th. We got to hear the baby's heartbeat again and it is nice and strong and holding steady in the 150's. If you haven't put your guess in yet on boy or girl, let me know what you think. Next time we are hoping to get scheduled for an ultrasound. Baby and I are growing perfectly and at this time the only concern is my blood pressure. I'm going to work really hard this month on cutting back on salt and walking to see if we can't bring it down.

The other awesome news is that I am finally starting to feel the baby move!! Sunday night I felt baby faux do a flip on the left side of my tummy and last night I felt a tiny kick right in the middle of my belly. It felt like a bubble popping. It was pretty cool! So my new nightly thing is the lay very still and see if I can feel our little one moving. I am enjoying this whole thing so much and can't wait to meet our little person!

Kevin and dad have been working hard on the nursery. Before long they will be ready for me to paint and help finish the floors. I looks really amazing and I will eventually post some before and after pictures. Kevin took a new picture last night at 17 weeks and I am getting so big! I will post it soon.

Well that is about all right now. I will keep you all updated and let me know what you are thinking for gender!

We heard you today....

You have now been growing inside me for 12 weeks! I'm starting to look a little less chunky and a little more pregnant. The morning sickness has gone away and now I pretty much eat everything in sight....so you can grow and be strong. In a few more weeks I will probably start to feel you move and then this whole thing will be even more real.

I had my 12 week check-up today and all is well. Daddy came with me because after 12 long weeks of waiting...we finally got to hear you. At first we couldn't hear anything and I started to get worried. Thankfully the doctor said that was normal and to just give it a few minutes. Then....there you were. Next to my right hip bone and you are already so strong. We heard your heart beat and it was hard at first but then we figured out what it sounded like and I swear that it was one of the most beautiful sounds in the world. 152 beats per minute!! You are right on track with your growth and the doctor said I was doing great taking care of you!

Your daddy and I just want you to know how much we love you already. We can't wait to feel you move and hear that heartbeat get stronger and stronger. We can't wait to hold you in our arms and watch you grow. You are already so loved little one and I'm sure you will continue to amaze Daddy and me everyday for the rest of our lives.

Love,
Mommy and Daddy