Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Halloween 2013

This Halloween was a little different.  First, we had to carve pumpkins!





That was so much fun! Blaikley really got into it. I'm looking forward to doing it again next year!

Home with an almost week old baby didn't make me want to walk around in the cold too bad. Thankfully daddy was willing to take Blaikley out and about!  

Blaikley's amazing aunt Amy made her a shiny fairy costume! It was so wonderful to have one less thing to worry about. Thanks Amy!



She kept saying "I fly!" And running around! It was absolutely darling!


They only went down one street. Daddy kept talking and taking too long. Even though Blaikley was bundled up she told Jed " I'm cold daddy. 'Ets go home!" 

Kenzley hung out with grandma Lisa and Mama while daddy and B were out.

Blaikley just wanted to cuddle when she got back :)












Friday, November 15, 2013

More about Kenzley

One other difference between the Preston hospital and the Logan hospital that kind of bothered me was that they didn't put the baby in pj's or warmer blankets. I ended up having Jed bring some from home. I'm glad I did too since this one was an extra small sized newborn. She was only able to wear them once. Blaikley wore these just once too. They came from my aunt Carri who's daughter, Millie, wore them! 
It's not the best photo but it was our first night alone so I did my best :)

Also in Preston, they had big, comfy recliners where in Logan they had a chair and a couch. Some rooms had more room in them but our room was a little more cramped just because of the way it was set up. Jed stayed with me both nights in Preston because he could get pretty comfy in the chair but he went home both nights while I was in Logan.  It worked okay and Blaikley liked having daddy kiss her goodnight and wake her up, but I would be lying if I said I was glad to be by myself. :). I really had good nurses so it wasn't too bad and I'm not complaining! I just want to document our experience!! 

On Friday my parents took Blaikley back to our house for lunch, playing in the park, and just keeping her busy.  Jed's brother Flint and his oh-so wonderful wife Amy came by for a visit before going to young men/young women's.  Amy kept us in food for days before and after. I will be forever grateful for her kindness, generosity, and example. Love you Amy! 

Also that evening, Jed's mom and dad came by! Stetson and Makayla where with them but they weren't allowed into the room. Jed was able to take Kenzley to the window so they could get a good look at her. Those two sweet kids as well as grandma and grandpa Pugsley brought us some beautiful flowers!  It was a wonderful and exhausting day :). I didn't get much sleep that day and I paid for later but it was so wonderful to show off our sweet little red head! Much too excitement to get any rest :) 

Kenzley was officially named at two days old!!  Blaikely named herSaturdaymorning :) 

Jed, my dad, my brother Robert and Blaikley went to Salt Lake City for a snowmobile show on Saturday. My mom and I had a wonderful time chatting, watching tv and taking turns cuddling Kenzley. My brother Travis drove down from Rexburg to come visit and get some loving on Miss K.  He brought some his homework and ended up staying and visiting for most of the day. We video chatted my brother Scott and my brother Denton called and chatted for a while as well. It was a wonderful day that made me feel so loved! I'm incredibly moved that all of brothers contacted me in someway and showed their love and concern.  I am so grateful for my brothers! That day I also received flowers and a teddy from my Grandma Jerri and Grandpa Jim.  It was a great day!

Mom, dad and Robert headed home bright and early Sunday morning. Travis had a date in Logan Saturday night that ran later then expected. He ended up staying at our house that night and left early Sunday also.  I had one of my favorite nurses of the whole time Sunday. Jed and Blaikley left the house a little later. They made a few quick stops in Logan before coming to the hospital and surprised me with a new pair of socks and Kenzley with a new onesie!! Such thoughtful souls!!  

After a shower and general hanging out, we were told we could leave that day. Our nurse Sunday was so wonderful that she made us sad to leave. The whole process was kind of rushed.  I really wanted to try savoring the moment but there must of been someone needing our room or something. We didn't even get to tell our nurse thank you and goodbye.  But I pushed for Kenzley to get a bath and get in her outfit before we left. *side note: I don't know if it was because Blaikley was our first, but we got a big load of formula, diapers, binky's, preloaded bottles... All kinds of things sent home with us. Again, not complaining, just comparing. They also had to check that we had the carseat installed correctly and a bunch of hubbaloo where as Preston just needed to see you carseat. Funny Utah :). 

Blaikley wants to hold and get a picture with Kenzley as often as possible. 
 
Getting ready to get loaded up and head home!
All ready to go!
We are home!!
She's perfect!

Daddy is in heaven!

And so is Blaikley :)

So beautiful!

Blaikley is on the left, Kenzley on the right. They look so much alike!!

Love my girls!!



Thursday, November 14, 2013

Kenzley Beau Pugsley

We did it!! We welcomed our second baby girl into the world on Friday, October 25th, 2013 at 8:20a.m.  Here is her birth story...

Things went a little more smoothly with Kenzley's pregnancy then with Blaikley's. I was able to keep my weight down (171lbs vs 199lbs) as well as my blood pressure (151/90 at the highest vs 210/160).   I started my pregnancy with Dr. Todd Millar in Tremonton and switched about 12 weeks to Dr. Gary Fowers in Logan.  No particular reason, Dr. Millar was very nice, but I never felt 100% okay with him as my OB doctor. Many women have loved him, but I just never 'felt' it. With Blaikley's doctor, Dr. Jacob Curtis in Preston, Idaho, I loved him from day one. I was treated like a queen by the whole staff, he was also our family doctor, and the hospital treatment was next to none.  I was really sad he was no longer our doctor but I couldn't justify the drive.  I'm getting off track. Dr. Millar is a great doctor, just not right for me. When I ended up switching I felt right about it. I don't 'love' Dr. Fowers like I did Dr. Curtis, but it was fine. His staff was wonderful and the hospital was still great. 

Dr. Fowers allowed me to consider a v-bac (I had an emergency c-section with Blaikley) and I was so in love with the idea! But the more I prayed about it, I knew it wasn't going to happen.  And with my family being so far away, and dad's trucking company being so busy with the possibility he would have to drive to Alaska and be gone for a few weeks, it was easier and way less stressful to schedule a c-section. I know a lot of women do not agree with my decision, but that's just it, it's my decision that I did not take lightly. Jed and I both prayed about it and we both felt that it was the right decision.  I was slightly annoyed with Dr. Fowers too.  I felt like he kept trying to talk me into a v-bac because from now all of my babies have to come c-section, which also 'limits' how many babies I should have. However, hello, I have MS. I already am limited in regards to how much I can handle. I had to tell him that several time. It was annoying.  Enough ranting :). 

So we decided to go a headed with a planned c-section. I kept having Braxton hicks contractions, but, like with Blaikley's, my body never started anything. No dilation, no water breaking, no real contractions, nothing.  I am a little sad about that. The crazy hormones don't help. A part of me aches to have the labor pains, so go through the process of labor. A little bit of me feels like I'm not a 'real' woman. I know it's silly and more then anything I am SO grateful my babies have gotten here safe and sound. It's a selfish thing to feel bad about it, but again, it's my feelings and sometimes you can't help how you feel.  

We ended up deciding to schedule the c-section on Friday, Ocotber 25th.  The very same birthday as my dad, one of my best friend's, the one and only Mrs. Ashley Nicholason, and my brother Scott's very sweet and adorable girlfriend, Miss Heather Renfro. Big day!! The c-section was scheduled for 7:30a.m. And Jed and I to be there two hours early, which meant we had to leave our house at 5a.m.!! My wonder family (my mom, dad, and brother Robert.  Travis is going to school in Resburg, Centon is working like crazy and Scott is going to school in Lewiston, Idaho!) came down the night before so we would have help with Blaikley. 

Here I am, 39 weeks 5 days along with Kenzley at 5:35a.m. In Oct. 25th!

We got checked into the Logan Regional Hospital dark and early :). We were in a Labor and Delivery room even where I preceded to changed into a gown and go through all the fun paper work and blood process. In an emergency c-section, you usually already have some form of drug in you. With Blaikley I had the epidural in, so when the c-section came they just cranked it up. In a normal scheduled c-section, you walk to the OR and meet the anesthesiologist for a spinal block. I had two things going against me for that... My MS and my factor five.  The anesthesiologist, Dr. Mortenson, came in to chat and explain things.  Basically he told us that a spinal can exasperate the MS and cause a lot of problems, so he proffered to do an epidural. The epidural had the problem with the Factor five because I had been taking baby's aspirin per doctor instruction. The other option was to go completely under, but that has a whole of risks in and of itself.  After a little discussion we all decided the epidural sounded best. Dr. Mortenson got it started right there in the L&D room. My nurse, Brooke, was absolutely wonderful. The poor thing was pregnant and the needle made her queasy but she was a trooper. She was one of my favorite nurses! She was there through the section and recovery and saw me up to my room on the third floor. I wish I could've had her the whole time. 

Once in the OR we just had to wait for the epidural to get completely saturated. Once that happened they got to work. Jed was with me the whole time. He actually stood by left arm and peaked around the curtain so he could watch the whole procedure. The nurse was quite impressed he could watch his wife go through that and not get sick.  The staff was fun, played old country music and joked around. It was a wonderful environment.  Then my sweet baby came into the world at 8:20a.m.

She cried immediately. It is the most wonderful sound a parent will ever hear. 

The nurses let me see her for a few seconds right away. Then they weighed and measured her. She was a whopping 9lbs 02oz and 21 inches long! 
Boy she was a chunk! Blaikley was 22.5inces long and 7lbs 14oz, so she was a bit bigger :) no wonder my backed aches more!!

As they worked over Kenzley, they continued to work on me. Dr. Fowers discovered a few adhesions on my uterus that he left since they aren't causing any problems right now. But it's good to now they're there. after a bit they brought her over to me to hold, kiss and love on for a while. In the last 15 or so minutes they took her to the NICU for observation. They brought her to me in the recovery room. I love holding my newborns skin to skin, knowing I am keeping them warm and safe. 
Recovering and enjoying being together.  I also got to nurse for the first time here and she's a natural!!

From there we want to the third floor and to our room for the next three days. My parents brought Blaikley to the hospital at 8:30a.m. and we're able to see her pretty quickly.  After awhile they of visiting and loving baby girl they took Blaikley home and came back later. 
in our room. I was feeling pretty drugged up and sore but all I wanted was to cuddle my girls. Blaikley loved her from the very first second. 
All she wants to do is hold and kiss her. Baby didn't have a name until the next day. We let Blaikley decide between Tayley and Kenzley. Really, after seeing her red head I knew it would be Kenzley but I wanted her to feel like she had a real say in it :)

I've got a diaper to change and a toddler to put bed but I will post more pictures and stories as soon as possible. 

Much Loves!