Big Sister NK

Norah Kate has been a wonderful big sister.  She really is helpful and already amazes me with what she knows about Grant.

At the hospital she had to check him over good.  It was so sweet.  She asked a million questions about him.  It also amazed me that once he was here she never looked or talked to my belly.  She immediately made the connection that he was here now and not in my belly anymore.

She was very curious about him nursing.  We told her from the beginning that he could only have "mommy's milk."  Since then she is still curious when I feed him or when I have to pump.  She wants to watch and I let her... hopefully I am setting a good example and she will want to breastfeed her babies (way later down the road).

When he is crying she comes running to me- "mama!  him hungry!"  She don't like for him to cry either.  If I am getting a shower, or cooking and he starts to fuss she will yell to me that he is crying.  The other day he started crying in his carseat and she was trying to unbuckle her carseat to get to him.

She will turn his music on his bouncy seat for him and talk to him in the sweetest voice.

"Heeeeey brudder/buddy/big man/baby Grant!"
"Ahhh boo"

She gives him lots of kisses.

Several times I have caught her trying to "get" him.  She will say "I get you." when he is crying.  Poor Grant.  I have to rescue him.

She loves to help me.  She has put a chair in every room so that she can help me bathe him, change him, feed him, etc.

She can be helpful about going to get things for me (socks, burp cloth, diaper, wipe).  She also likes to take the liberty of changing his socks, wiping his face, putting his hats on his head (all these things are within her reach so she will go get them).  She forces him to take a paci.  She has tried to share her food several times but we just keep reinforcing "only mommy's milk."

She is still very protective over him and don't like to share him too much with other people.  She also gets a little jealous if people don't address her first. When people came those first few days at home and asked how they could help I would get them to take her outside or spend special time with her OR watch Grant so that I could go play outside with her for a few minutes.  It seemed to really help her feelings that first little bit.  We had a tough time the first day or two because my body wasn't quite ready to pick her up or hold her...and she just didn't understand that... but fortunately I healed quick!

I usually am nursing him or rocking him with them both in my lap.  Morning times are a little rough because she wants my direct attention.  No sharing.  Good thing Grant goes right back to sleep after nursing because then me and NK get to watch cartoons and drink our coffee together.

Other new/interesting things with NK:
-She is suddenly "scared" of things (the dark, the wreath on the front door, monsters).
-She is cutting her bottom two 2 year molars (bless her and my heart!)
-She will tell stories "The other day... ummm... so, but," it is quiet hilarious.
-She can still be very defiant and will act out for attention.  Time out has been re-introduced.
-She thinks she can sleep in the basinet or the baby swing.  She also likes Grant's bouncy seat and car seat.
-She likes to be told stories.  This has started this week.  We had gone to Valdosta and she was extremely ill on the way home (seriously her and Grant both were SCREAMING) so I said very dramatically, "Norah Kate, let me tell you a story!" and she was instantly distracted... now I have to tell stories a lot :)
-She likes to give kisses and hugs.  She will tell us she loves us and misses us.
-She will sometimes tell me thank you for sweet/random things.  "Mommy!  Thank you SO MUCH for washing my blanket!"  Haha!  Never a dull moment.
-We went a few weeks of me being "Mom" and Matt being "Matt/Dad" (this was before Grant was born).
-She wants to "save" stuff.  "Norah Kate, that is enough candy."  "Okay, mama, I save it!!"  So then she goes an puts it in her kitchen where she has access to it when she wants it.  Which is usually a few minutes later.
-Everything is "my do it" "norah kate's turn" "norah kate's toy" "that's norah kates" (hence the chairs and stools in every part of the house, so that she can "do" stuff)
-Potty training is a disaster.  I may have to do a separate blog about this.  She is just stubborn and sometimes will be dry all day and then there will be days where I am carrying her kicking and screaming to the potty.  It is still a work in progress.  This week is a good week to potty train per the Almanac so wish me luck!
-She loves to exercise.  I did Insanity yesterday only because all day she kept saying "Exercise Mama!  Exercise!"  Talk about motivation!  She even ran and put her tennis shoes on and exercised with me.  She was super pumped up about it. 
-She enjoys putting puzzles together (or rather watching someone else put her Minnie Mouse puzzle together).

Norah Kate,
You are being a wonderful big sister!  Mama is so proud of you and loves you SO much.  You are such a great helper.  Thank  you for being so sweet to mommy and patient with mommy while I have to take care of baby brother.  I know this time has been hard for you too.  Things will get smoother around here I promise!

I love you Baby Girl!
Mama



Grant Samuel Thompson

.

Grant Samuel Thompson
1:32pm
7lb 1oz
19.5 inches long
Proud Parents: Matt & Katie
Proud Big Sister: Norah Kate



Once again I was blessed with a wonderful labor and delivery.  I was much more anxious leading up to this delivery, I guess because I knew how bad the pain could be and of course their was the nagging worry of the things that could go wrong.  I actually almost backed out of my induction I was that nervous!  I prayed for God to let me make the right choice about being induced and to not let me be hasty.  The strange thing though, when we were on the way to the hospital I felt so much peace and by the time they got the process started I was so EXCITED.

 

I went to the doctor on Tuesday March 18 for a check and an ultrasound.  I was 1cm and 50% effaced.  Grant looked great on the ultrasound and they estimated his weight at 7lbs and 4oz.  I was a little shocked by this because Norah Kate had always measured so big, so I still was expecting an 8lb baby.

 

I was to be admitted to the hospital Wednesday night at midnight for the Cytotec.  My progress was VERY similar to Norah Kate's.  I actually labored for almost exactly the same time.  With Norah Kate I got the first dose of Cytotec at 11pm and delivered at 10:40 am and with Grant I got the first dose at 1am and delivered at 13:22pm. 

 

Anyways...

 

When they hooked me up to the monitor and started my IV I was already 2cm (progress from even the day before) and already contracting regularly (every 3-4 minutes).  I knew I had been contracting for a while!!  They weren't painful contractions though, I could barely feel them.  I got my first dose of Cytotec at 1am.  The first dose of Cytotec didn't make me hurt, but continued making me have regular contractions.  Grant's heart rate looked great :)

 

At 3:25am I started having back labor, but it wasn't unbearable.  I was just hoping it meant I was dilating more.  Needless to say though, I got ZERO sleep!  Between the excitement and the contractions and being hooked up to everything and having to pee every 30 minutes... I just watched the second hand tick on by.  Matt slept though!

 

I got the second dose of Cytotec at 5:10 and just like with NK, I started feeling the contractions almost immediately!  This time though I had lots of back labor.  Let me just tell you something about back labor, that mess hurts!  It wasn't unbearable though and I wanted to wait on my epidural until I was more dilated.  I also decided against any IV pain medicine this time because the Demerol I received with Norah Kate made me terribly sick... and drunk... and miserable.  I was only 3cm, but at least I was progressing.  Since I was starting to hurt and really feeling the contractions, and because of my history of fast progression, we went ahead and called our mamas and sisters in at about 6:30 (we told everyone to just stay home until we called, there was no sense in nobody getting sleep that night).

 

Around 8:00 I stood up at bedside and started to rock back and forth, trying to move him on down the birth canal.  It also helped tremendously with my back labor.  For a while I couldn't feel the contractions as much when I was standing up.... but the story changed shortly.  Because I was contracting so frequently (2 minutes apart now) they decided to hold off on the Cytotec.  I started considering the epidural around 9:30 because I was getting pretty uncomfortable and I didn't want to get in unbearable pain before the epidural...but I kinda wanted to be dilated a little more.

 



 

Dr. Asbury broke my water at 9:40 and I was still 3cm.  I was getting nervous then because I was hurting but not progressing a lot.  I went ahead and asked for my epidural.  My mistake- I should have gotten the epidural BEFORE they broke my water.  The actual "breaking the water" doesn't hurt... no.. it's those contractions AFTER.  I didn't realize how much all the fluid helped cushion the pain.  Oh. my. goodness.  The next hour and twenty minutes was torture.

 

I do not tolerate pain and I am a wimp.  There.  I said it.  I am not even going to pretend I am tough.  There was no pictures taken during my intense labor pain.  I think my family was afraid to even talk around me.  I also became angry towards my husband during this time... he was catching cat naps during my discomfort.  I may or may not have threatened him bodily harm through gritted teeth ;)

 

I was hurting very bad.  I wanted to get up and walk or do something, but I could barely move for the pain.  I just kept breathing while my fluid boluses were going in.  I kept watching that bag of LR wishing they could have pressure bagged it in!  When it finished, then I had to wait on my anesthesiologist to get out of a surgery so he could come in.  I have never been so glad to see someone walk in my room!!  Man, oh, man.

 

I got my epidural at 11 and was dilated 4-5 cm.  At 11:15 I started feeling very nauseated and I couldn't feel my face.  My blood pressure had bottomed out despite the boluses and Grant's heart rate started dropping.  I wasn't worried too much about my blood pressure, because as an ICU nurse I have seen patient's bounce back from extremely low blood pressures, but seeing his heart rate drop was VERY scary and I started panicking a little.  They gave me ephedrine and reglan for my blood pressure and nausea and I felt better within minutes.  They checked me again at 11:25 and I was 5-6 cm.  After all the excitement and now that I was finally relaxed, I had the best 30 minute nap a girl could ask for!  I fell asleep before the nurses could even walk out of the room.

 

Woo hoo for Epidurals!!

 



 

I woke up at 11:50 and was feeling a LOT of pressure.  8cm!  By 12:15 I was 9cm.  My poor nurses were in a delivery next door and the pressure was getting intense.  I felt like he was coming out whether I wanted him to or not!

 

I was complete at 1:22 pm and Dr. Asbury came in and told me to show her if it was gonna be quick or take a while.  I gave a good push and she laughed and went ahead and put on her gown.  It was gonna be quick. 

 

I pushed for a total of 10 minutes and my sweet baby boy was here! 

 

I hate the movies, when they show three pushes and the baby is here... because its hard work.  Much harder than three pushes.  Even though I only pushed for 10 minutes, it was still harder than 3 pushes!

 



 

When Grant got here the cord was wrapped around his neck and it seemed like an eternity before he had that first good cry and pinked up. But he did. 

(This is when it sucks being a nurse... I saw the cord around his neck, I panicked when he didn't pink up right away... I remember that gut sinking feeling when Dr Asbury asked for some oxygen -which he ended up not needing- I remember frantically looking at the nursery nurse saying "he is still blue, he is still blue, what's wrong?". I remember wanting to get up and run to the warmer to check on my baby.  Wanting him to be okay.  Wanting to help but feeling helpless.  Hearing that "tone" in the doctors in nurses voice... the one I am familiar with because we use it in the Unit.  The tone where you appear calm as to not worry the family, but there is a sense of urgency under your tone.  Feeling like it lasted an eternity when it was only seconds.)

Thank you Jesus.  Thank you Lord for a healthy baby boy!  Thank you Lord for allowing me to get him out quickly before something happened.  Thank you Lord for telling me to go a head and get induced.  And Thank you Lord for letting him only be 7lbs so that I could push him out in 10 minutes instead of an hour.

 

Grant nursed IMMEDIATELY after he was born.  They tried to put him on my chest right from the start but because he was a little blue still I was panicking and they took him to the warmer for just a second.  He pinked right up and they brought him to me.  He was sucking his hand and latched to me right away.  He was perfect.  One of the most beautiful things I had ever seen (comparable only to Norah Kate).

 

Norah Kate had to really check out Baby Brother and Mama.  She was curious about my IV, name bracelet, Grant's umbilical cord, and all the machines in the room.  She wanted to look at his ears, his hands, feet, and belly.  It was precious.  She also kept looking at my belly.  She learned her first lesson about Mommy's Milk too, and how Grant drank only Mommy's Milk.



 

I am forever grateful that I got a second blessing from God and got to witness this miracle of life and be a part of it.  Thank  you Jesus for my sweet family!

 



Third Trimester

Since I am a little behind on my blogging, I will just compile my third trimester in one blog post.

Overall, I had a wonderful pregnancy.  I felt great and pretty well kept my energy levels and health all the way through.  It was challenging sometimes though caring for a 2 year old (carrying, bathing, dressing, hauling) with my big ole pregnant belly :) 

The only "complication" so to say was when I was 33 weeks.  I had laid down for a nap while NK was napping and when I woke up my back hurt. I figured it was the way I slept and that maybe a walk would kinda "work the kinks out."  I started walking with my friend Amanda at her house.  About half way through the walk I started cramping and would feel sharp pangs of pressure "down there."  My cramps were not intense like contractions at all, very mild with no rhythm or pattern at all.  However, I called my OB just to be safe and they wanted me to come on in.

They hooked me up to the monitor and luckily I was not having contractions.  I also hadn't dilated or thinned any but his head was already "engaged" and my cervix was posterior so they put me on bedrest for a week just to be safe.

Let me just say that bedrest with a two year old was IMPOSSIBLE.  I tried to do as little as possible though and rest (or at least stay off my feet as much as I could).  I still continued to hurt some in my back and feel lots of pressure, sometimes it felt like I could just sneeze and he would pop out (not that easy mind you!) and it remained that way until the end!  My cervix never changed though, not until the last couple weeks then it only changed slightly.

I started back walking after they released me from bed rest and started back working 2 days a week.  I probably could have worked 3 days, but I didn't want to push it and by this point tending to Norah Kate was getting harder.

When I turned 37 weeks, I began exercising again... mainly just doing 30 minutes on the elliptical.  I was still feeling lots of pressure and started having frequent Braxton Hicks that would often get regular.  I was only 1 cm dilated and not making much progress.

I had an ultrasound at 36 weeks and Little Man was measuring perfectly!  They guessed his weight at 6lbs 1oz then.  I had another ultrasound at 38 weeks and 5 days, the Tuesday before going to the hospital and they guessed his weight 7lbs 4 oz.  Again, measuring perfectly, but smaller than Miss Norah Kate :)

34 Weeks

 

36 weeks


37 weeks!

I may or may not have laid out just a few days before being induced!



 

38 weeks!

 

 A couple weeks before being induced and right up to being admitted to the hospital I was having a lot of anxiety.  It wasn't that I was having doubts or regrets, mainly I was just very nervous about delivery and having another newborn in the house.  I started worrying about my capability to be a mother to TWO precious blessings.  I worried about Norah Kate and ensuring that she was still a priority and that she didn't feel left out.  Needless to say, up until the day I was induced I was pretty well a nervous wreck those last few days!

39 weeks!  On the way to the hospital to meet Baby Grant!

I went in to be induced Wednesday March 19 (really March 20 @ midnight) and they started the induction process!

Priceless Mommy Moment: Nursie

NK has been very inquisitive about everything to do with Mommy and Baby Brother. She has checked him and I over since right after I delivered him and she was looking at my belly and peeking at his fingers and toes while we were doing skin to skin.

Well, all parents have those priceless moments where their kids say the darnedest things. Mine occurred today after I fed Grant and put him down for a nap in his bassinet. NK was looking at my belly and belly button them she pulled my shirt up to look at my boobies. She was really inspecting them and pulling my bra back and everything.

NK: That's Grant's nursie?

Me: Yeah baby. That's where he gets his milk from.

NK: Ohhh. (And she was pulling my bra back)

Me: Ow. Don't do that baby. They hurt.

NK: They hurt? Grant chews on them?

Me and my mama: Laughing hysterically until we are crying.

Oh man, I love that little girl and her responses and questions. I sure am blessed to be her mommy and experience such moments. That was definitely one I never want to forget!

Norah Kate's 2nd Birthday

This year I decided to do a very laid back birthday party for Norah Kate.  Don't get me wrong, her first birthday was super special.  However, I was so stressed and so caught up in having a "Pinterest Party" that I didn't get to enjoy her special day.  I was too busy cleaning, cooking, making homemade decorations and party favors... so this year was different.



We had it on NK's actual birthday, December 29, a Sunday afternoon.  We invited immediately family, I bought pizza and a birthday cake from Walmart.  It was perfect.  NK had fun playing with her cousins and I got to enjoy her on her special day!

My sweet Norah Kate,
Mommy can not believe you are two!  I love you so very much and am so blessed to be your mommy.  You amaze me each day with your learning and growth.  You are so smart and so special.  You are very strong-willed already, but I know that means you are just going to grow up to be strong and independent.  I could not ask for any more special blessing than you and your daddy!  I never knew one little individual would make my heart smile so big!  I hope that I am the best I can be for you!

You are my whole heart!
Love,
Mama

Christmas 2013

Christmas has always been one of my favorite holidays.  I just LOVE the spirit and the meaning behind it, along with all the decorations, hot chocolate and Christmas movies.  Let me just say though, Christmas is AWESOME when you have your own kids!  There is just something so magical about watching their innocent eyes light up over the lights, presents, music, and spirit of Christmas.

I told myself I was going to be DONE shopping for Christmas to actually enjoy the holiday (because shopping and crowd fighting is my least favorite part).  Surprisingly, I was actually done a couple weeks before Christmas. 





We woke up Christmas morning and saw all the pretty things that NK got from  Santa.  She was super sweet!  She was picked up every individual toy and exclaimed what it was.  My favorite part was when she picked up her book bag from Pottery Barn and said, "A bag!  From mallmart (walmart)!"  Haha!  It tickled me.

She immediately set up a tea party for her new babies at her new table and chair set!

Then we went to Nana's house where she got even more neat stuff!

Finally, we went to my mama's house (Granna-Mimi) and NK got a Barbie Jeep and more baby dolls!

This year was exceptionally special because our family from Florida came up to my parent's house, rather than us driving down there.  It was so much fun!  And also very nice not to have a 4 hour round trip to try to fit in the day.

We were super blessed!

 

Thank you Lord for this special holiday.  Thank you for sending your son Jesus to die for us and our sins.  Please help us always keep him the center of this holiday and remember the true reason for the season.  Thank you for my beautiful family and all my many blessings, that is the best Christmas gift I could ever think of receiving!

Little Miss Priss- The Big 2 Year Old!

Catching up on blogging while I can...

Norah Kate has changed so much in the last couple months.  It's crazy to think that just a couple months ago we were hitting the terrible twos head on.  With temper tantrums, fits, and outburst.  Now, don't get me wrong, we still have rough moments and days... but they are MUCH better.

I don't really know what worked though to be honest.  I think it was just a mixture of consistency, firmness, and a constant prayer of patience and strength.  I had to pray constantly to be patient with her and remember she is learning and changing.  I tried to spend more time showing her positive, loving attention, rather than waiting on the outburst or tantrums which required negative attention.

We bought a time-out chair which actually worked better than spankings.  I could pop her and it not phase her but instead tick her off worse.  Two minutes in time out was the perfect attitude adjustment.

Her personality is as strong as ever... She has discovered tattling ("Mama! Daddy/Hoss/Papa/Tyler do 'dat!"  What did they do?  "Hurt me!/Took my baby!/etc.").  Sometimes no one even touches her but she decides to tell on them.  She has started putting her hands on her hips when telling me things.  When giving her candy for going on the big girl potty, she asks in the sweetest, most innocent little voice "I hold it?" talking about the bag of candy.



Potty training is a slow progress.  We have good days and not so good days.  She actually does a lot better at day care.  Sometimes at home, we only go when she wants to go, then other days she will let me put her on the potty more frequently... I am not too stressed because even if I got her potty trained now she will regress when the baby comes.

She loves tending to her baby dolls, swinging and sliding on her swing set, playing hide & seek, cooking in her kitchen or helping me cook in my kitchen, watching Bubble Guppies, Dora, Paw Patrol and Mickey Mouse.

She is also at a little bit of a picky eating stage.  Some days I might be doing good to get her to eat a piece of cheese, yogurt, and some fruit, then other days she is eating everything in site.

Norah Kate is counting to ten, knows some colors and can help put her clothes on (and take them off, she runs naked a lot).

She currently sleeps in our bed (most nights).  She can sing a good portion of her ABCs, Jesus Love Me, Twinkle Twinkle, and Jingle Bells.

She is growing and learning and testing her boundaries and limits (and my patience) on a daily basis.  I know she will be a great big sister!

Note: I found this post and realized I never published it, but I must have wrote it right after she turned two!  So it is a little out of order.