Transition

Today is the first day without Jess here at home with Canon and I. Canon and I have been so blessed to have Jess/Daddy home with us for the past 5 weeks. Jess's work gives 5 weeks of paternity leave (paid). It has been such a blessing to have him home, he has been such a great help and I honestly don't know what I would have done if hadn't been home. We don't have any family any where close to us, so we're on our own. This morning when Canon woke up for his first feeding for the day I got a little nervous, knowing that it's just the two of us, but it has gone well so far. I have managed to take a shower and eat breakfast and it is only 10:30 a.m. Canon is snoozing away, which is odd because he hates morning naps, but I am thrilled that he is sleeping!!

Canon is 5 weeks old today, gee time flies. Canon is really starting to be more interactive. He really focuses in on Jess and I and we just love all the cute faces he makes at us. He is smiling now and it just melts our heart every time. He is really grabbing on to us when we pick him up and hold him. He really likes to pull momma's hair (I was going to grow my hair out, but I am not so sure anymore). Canon is in size 1 diapers (has been for a week or so) and is wearing mostly 0-3 clothes. Canon really likes to be held now. When we first came home and for the first 3 weeks or so, he didn't like to be held too much. I think he was just really uncomfortable because his stomach was hurting (well come to think of it he really didn't like anything too much), but now he just wants to be where you are and wants to be in your arms. My bestfriend from back home got me a moby wrap as a gift, so we tried that out yesterday since he wants to be held all the time and you know when you are holding a baby you can not do too much but sit or stand. So anyway he loved it. I just put him in the wrap and off we went around the house and he just slept the whole time or just looked around. I was able to take out the trash, put laundry away, switch laundry out, put away the dishes, and finish dinner. So needless to say the moby is now my bestfriend. We also have a bjorn, but haven't tried it out yet. I am sure he will love that has well! So thats the update on Canon.

Here is a picture of Canon in the moby wrap!

Such a sweet smile!

We decided we are going to fly home for Christmas instead of drive. I am really nervous about flying with an infant, so if anyone has any advice on how to pack and what to take on the plane, ect. please let me know!

Love,

Rachel

Canon's Surprise Arrival

Canon's due date was October 13th and I was just sure I was going to deliver him late as I hear from most moms and my doctors that first time moms typically deliver late. Well on October 13th at 3:39 a.m. I woke up with a sharp pain in my back. I could not get comfortable to go back to sleep so I decided to go downstairs and try the couch. The couch didn't help any and then all of sudden I started cramping. I woke Jess up and told him I didn't feel well and that I was going to try and get in the bath tub to see if the pain would go away. I never was able to go back to sleep so I showered and got ready to go to our 40 week OB appt. I thought I was in labor, but just wasn't sure. I was kind of embarrassed to tell the dr. I thought I was in labor for some reason. She ended up telling me that I was possibly in early labor and that is could possibly be false labor. She said my stomach wasn't tight enough or the pain I was having wasn't patterned. She did an exam and said I was 80% effaced and 1 1/2 cm dilated and let me know my induction date was scheduled for the following Monday, but she didn't think I would make it til then. She made is seem that I would have the baby in a few days. So we left that appt and I was kind of disappointed because I "thought" I was in labor, but she made it seem like it could be a while. We called our family to just give them a heads up to be ready in case I really was in labor.

So Jess dropped me off at the house and he went on to work. About an hour after he dropped me off my pain started getting worse and I started timing the contractions. Jess came home at 3:00 p.m. to go to class and my contractions were about 7 minutes apart. He went on to class to take a test. At about 4 p.m. my contractions were 3 to 5 minutes apart. I kept calling my mom and she helped me time them. At about 4:30 I texted Jess to tell him he might want to think about coming home, I thought it was getting close. I got in the shower to get ready to go to the hospital (and plus the shower just felt good). Jess finally got home and didn't quite understand that I had been in labor all day ( by myself I might add :)) and that it really was time to think about going to the hospital. I think he thought I would be acting irrational or something if I was really that close to going to the hospital. So I convinced Jess to pack up the car and get ready to leave. I finally called the dr. at 6 p.m. and told her what was going on and her response was "well are you going to come on in" and my response was I was afraid she would turn me away because I was progressed enough. For some reason that day I had developed this fear that they wouldn't admit me because I was in false labor. She told me if I could tolerate the pain to stick it out and another hour and then call back. So that is what I did. Our friends Brandt and Jill brought us over dinner and then we took a walk. In the middle of the walk I told Jess I was done and ready to go to the hospital. I called the dr. back at 7 p.m. and she barely got a word in before I told her we were on our way. On the way to the hospital I was in great pain and just wanted to get to the hospital. We got there and I could barely walk, ha! When the nurse took me back to examine me to see where I was I looked at her dead in the eye and told her she could NOT send me home. She said, "well sweetie I can't control that". They hooked me up to monitors and the pain kept getting worse. The dr. came in and I told her the same thing," do NOT send me home". She checked me and let us know I was 100% effaced and 4 cm dilated and that I was getting admitted!! I was so relieved but could not believe I was that far along. I asked for the epidural at that point and they said once I got admitted they would call for it.

So we get admitted around 8:30/9:00 p.m. and I didn't get my epidural til 11 p.m. Boy was I glad to see the anesthesiologist. Right after I got the epidural the dr. came in and I was 7 cm. I was progressing fast. Jess and I were able to sleep about an hour before our nurse and the dr. came in (about 2 a.m.) to tell us it was time to push. Our labor and delivery nurse, Lindsey was amazing! I pushed for about an hour before she told me Canon was stuck and I had about an another 30 minutes before he would be here. Within 5 minutes of her saying this the dr. walked in to check me. Dr. Chawla wasn't gowned and only had one glove on when she came in. She sat at the end of the bed to check me. I was in the middle of pushing when she checked me and out came Canon. It was a surprise to everyone! Everyone just looked at each other and the dr. and nurse were stunned. No one was ready for him to make his appearance, but Canon was! Our perfect baby boy with all 10 fingers and 10 toes was here (3:33 a.m.)!!! He was absolutely beautiful!!! I didn't get to see or hold him much before he was taken off due to having a lot of fluid in his lungs, but the few seconds I had with him was precious and unforgettable! I didn't get to see Canon again until a few hours later, but Jess was able to be with him in the special nursery to see his first bath and to take pictures.

Around 9:30 a.m. my parents made it to the hospital (they had driven all night) and around 11 a.m. Jess's parents arrived (they had driven all night as well). We were so thankful they were there and God provided them with safety as they drove!

Thanks for letting me share our wonderful labor story with you! I have such great memories of that day. God truly blessed us with a perfect day and a perfect baby boy!

Love,

Rachel

So much to say...

As most of you know our baby boy, Canon John was born on Oct. 14th at 3:33 a.m. Canon weighed 7 lbs, 10 ounces and was 21 inches long. I can not believe he will be 4 weeks old tomorrow. Time has flown by. These past 4 weeks have been the most amazing, but very challenging. I have never been so sleep deprived and have never had a person solely depend on me to meet his every need. Canon is such a sweetheart and I just fall more in love with him everyday. He is really starting to focus on Jess and I and makes the cutest facial expressions. I really could look at him all day long. We think he is on the verge of smiling at us, so we are excited for that to happen soon. Canon was diagnosed with acid reflux a few weeks ago. The dr. put him on Zantac and let me tell you he is a different baby. Thankfully the medicine is making him feel better and he is able to relax. There are still times I know he doesn't feel well, but over all he is doing much better!! We have had a lot of family in since his birth and we have been blessed beyond belief of the support we have gotten from our family (and friends). My parents and Jess's parents got in a few hours after Canon's birth. The Rainers and my dad stayed a few days and then my mom stayed for a week. A week later my sister and my brother in law came in for the weekend. Then the next weekend Jess's brother Art and our sister in law Sarah came for a few days. It's been so fun introducing Canon to all of his family!

I have really been much more laid back as a mom than I thought I would be in some aspects, such as people holding him and going out in public with him. The weekend my sister was in town she really encouraged us to all go out. Jess and I had been to Target with him once, but it is like 2 miles from our home, so I was okay with it. When my sister was in town the first place we went was to a restaurant 20 minutes away, but Canon did great and I was pretty relaxed. The next day we went to Chapel Hill (a 45 minute drive) and we were gone for 7 hours. Ever since then I think we have taken Canon out somewhere every day. I know that there are so many germs out there, but I can not stay in the house all day long and plus Canon loves his car seat and falls asleep as soon as he gets in the car. Plus Jess has been home since his birth, so it's great to all go out together before Jess is back at work and can't go places with us during the week.

Jess has been the best daddy a kid and a wife could ask for. He is hands on and is so good with Canon. He jumps in to help with everything and is also the voice of reason when I can't get Canon to stop crying. He is also taking one feeding at night, so I am able to get a little extra sleep (I have been pumping 1 bottle a day). Jess has also let me get out of the house a couple of times, so I could go to the grocery store, dentist, and the seminary bake/craft fair. I love the way he loves Canon!

Gotta go feed Canon, but I am planning on writing about our birthing story, so stay tuned!

Love,

Rachel

A Little Progress

Jess and I had our 39 week check up yesterday and found out we are making a little progress, nothing to get too excited about, but hey it's progress. I am 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced. The doctor didn't seem too hopeful I would go into labor soon, but she said every woman is different. The doctor discussed with us what would happen if I didn't go into labor by my due date. Where we are delivering is a very busy place and to be induced before your due date or before 41 weeks you have to have priority and it is usually a medical priority. We are very thankful that we have had a healthy fairly easy pregnancy and we aren't classified as a "medical" priority. So with all that said on my due date we will be put on the list and scheduled to have an induction at 41 weeks or a few days after. That seems like so far away, but we are hoping we won't have to get to that point and this baby will come on his own and when he is ready. We are so excited and are very anxious to meet our son.

Today I realized I had some more laundry to do for Canon. I actually kind of got excited. I love looking through his clothes and I just imagine him in them. I can't wait to actually see Canon in them! I am so ready to be a mommy and Jess is so ready to be a dad!

We are praying we will go SOON! Jess and my mom both said they predicted 10/10, but that is only just a few short days away, so I rather doubt it (but I sure do hope so).

Love,

Rachel

Calls to the Doctor

This week I haven't been feeling the greatest, so this has resulted in calling the doctor a few times this week. I always feel bad for calling for some reason. On Sunday I woke up with a headache and throughout the day it seemed to get worse and worse. I was hoping when I woke up on Monday morning the headache would be gone, but it was actually worse and on top of that I was really dizzy and nauseous. So I got up the courage to call the OB office just to let them know what symptoms I was having. The front desk worker freaked me out and said I need to come in asap and I told her I just really wanted to talk to a nurse. She argued with me, but then agreed to have a nurse call me back. ha! The nurse called me back and said the doctor wanted to see me first thing in the morning. Ugh, I was not happy, but I showed up that morning all flustered because my head was hurting so badly. I knew it was nothing and thats exactly what the doctor got at. She came in and said I don't think you have a blood clot or an aneurysm (ha! I wasn't even thinking that), I think it is just pregnancy hormones and told me to rest and sleep for the next couple of days. She checked me and of course I haven't made any progress and he hasn't even dropped yet. I have this feeling he is going to be late, but I hoping my feeling is wrong.

So my other issue I had to call about has to do with awful upper leg pain. I have been having pain in my upper left leg for the last couple of weeks, but this past week the pain has gotten pretty intense. I am at the waddling stage and it is difficult to walk and get up after sitting down. I feel old. So anyway today the pain has even been worse, so I decided to get the courage up again to call the OB office. I was really nervous because I felt like it was stupid to call about leg pain. The nurse called me back and she was so sweet and proceeded to tell me that because I am petite and he is getting bigger and I am so close to delivery day that I am going to just have to endure it. So I guess I will continue to waddle and feel old.

I am glad I am getting closer and closer. I am very fortunate that this is really the first issue I have had. If this is the worst thing that happens I can totally handle it!

Love,

Rachel

Ready

Over the past few weeks I have been really freaked out about giving birth and caring for a newborn.. I would lay awake at night just wondering how I was going to react and deal with the unknowns of labor and all the changes when we brought baby home. One evening I was in the nursery trying to put the snap n go stroller together and I just couldn't figure it out. I was getting really frustrated and Jess could tell I was struggling, so he came in to see how he could help. I immediately started crying and stating that I couldn't do anything by myself like putting the stroller together, so how was I going to take care of a baby. I told Jess I didn't think I could be a mom and Jess politely told me I didn't have a choice. I then proceeded to go to our bedroom and lay on the bed and just sobbed until I was able to regain composure and go back in the nursery and Jess helped me finish the stroller.

Since that night I have prayed that the Lord would prepare me for the task of being a mom and giving me peace about giving birth and giving me the flexibility to deal with all the unknowns of the birthing process. I really have such a deep desire to be a "good" mom that I am terrified to make a mistake. I know making mistakes is reality, but it still freaks me out. haha!

With all this said the Lord has been preparing my heart the last week or so and I can truly say I am ready for Canon to make his debut. I really have a peace about everything and feel pretty relaxed.I have been reading a lot the last couple of weeks and feel like I kind of know what is going on and I have been a sponge asking all of my "mommy" friends lots and lots of questions over the last few months and it is all starting to make sense and come together. I get excited more and more everyday and can't wait to be a mommy! The most important thing Jess and I can do is show Christ's love, love one another, do lots of praying, and do our best!

We covet your prayers through this whole birthing process and becoming parents.

Love,

Rachel

Preparing for Canon

Jess putting the stroller together. I think he is starting to get tired of putting baby "stuff" together, but he never complains. He is such a good daddy already!

Bama Clothes. Jess is so proud!

35 weeks

36 Weeks. I look a little tired...

Love,

Rachel