My Growing Boy: Month 1

Thursday, July 12, 2012

"I Will Survive"

This past month has been absolutely crazy, yet absolutely amazing same time. I was given the most beautiful gift of baby Luke from God and I could not be happier. I have always dreamed about having a family with a boy and a girl and God has fulfilled that dream. When we found out we were having a boy I said "I can now die happy because I will have one of each" and I still feel that way today. Of course, I don't plan on dying anytime soon but that was just a statement of contentment. However, there have been times this past month where I felt like I was going to die.

I knew raising two kids was going to be difficult but wow...this is hard! I also remember the first month of Natalie's life and how hard it was on not only me but Chris as well. I knew this first month was going to be difficult but when you add an infant to an already hyper and active toddler... things got a little hectic.

From the very beginning Natalie has been very helpful with baby Luke but she's also always been excited when around him. This means loud and more loud. Luckily baby Luke has adapted pretty well to her noise but I still get a little frustrated when she's constantly noisy around him. But during the last month she has gotten a lot better.

My life has been completely different this past month but it has been a joy. I'm working on 4-6 hours of sleep a night, late showers in the afternoon (if any), no make-up or hair fixed and no naps. I've made it to church three separate times and gone out to the grocery store with baby Luke a few times. These outings are really important to me because they make me feel like myself again.

I've been feeding him about every three hours during the day and every 4 to 5 hours at night. During the morning and early afternoon he is really good about taking a nap after a feeding but evening time is his fussy time. In fact right around dinner time is his most fussy time which makes me chow my food down in a hurry. I'm not sure if this is good or bad! I haven't taken any seconds from the table but it gets me a little anxious during the eating process. It also makes me snack a lot after dinner which is frustrating when you're trying to lose weight. I still have about 10 pounds of baby weight that I need to take off  PLUS an additional 30-40 that I want to take off just beacuse and I'm working on that by eating correctly. Hopefully in the near future I'll be able to exercise more frequently which will help with this process.

As far as sleeping g,oes Luke has done really well at nighttime sleeping in 4 to 5 hour shifts. During the day I try to stick to a strict three hour feeding schedule and so he is lucky to get an hour and a half at a time. I have tried to make the daytime naps happen in his crib however a lot of times he likes to be held or take naps in his bouncer chair and swing. I'm really trying to work on "Babywise" and getting him to fall asleep on his own in his crib but it has been an uphill battle. I knew the first month was really just more about surviving and this second month I will start to focus more on the "Babywise" practices.

Another thing I'm going to start the second month is the bottle. I've been trying to pump a lot so I will have a lot of milk stored up for him but it is time to try the bottle with him. When he was two weeks old and my mother was here, we tried to give him a bottle and he hated it. I'm hoping now that he's older and wiser he will like it more. We will see! I've been fortunate enough to not have to supplement with formula and I only hope and pray that the second month will be the same. With Natalie I was able to only breast-feed until she was six months old and I hope that I can reach that goal with Luke. But if you have seen my other blogs you know he is a growing boy so I'm not sure that will happen. Again, we will see.

Overall this month has been strictly survival but I made it! I'm adjusting to having two kids more and more each and every day and I know it'll only get better. I am very lucky that Chris is a teacher and is also off this entire summer and can help me adjust better to this change in my life. He has been phenomenal in taking care of both kids and there's no way I could've done any of this without him. Thank you honey and I LOVE YOU!  I am one lucky mama!!

Luke is only one month old and it has been the best month of my life. I cannot wait to see what the next month and even year bring to this family. Luke is a gift and a blessing to Chris and I and we are grateful to God every day for giving us this precious baby boy!!

Now more than ever

God is good… All the time!!!

"Meet the Browns"

While I was giving Natalie a bath a couple of weeks ago we were singing our washing song "This is the way we wash our..." and Natalie was washing her body. She had her washcloth out and was using her bodywash to scrub her arms, legs, knees and other body parts. We had sang and completed about 10 or so verses of this song and it was time to get out of the bathtub. Natalie, however, did not want to get out and was trying to extend bathtime by washing odd parts of her body. She starting singing "Wash my PINKY toe" or "Wash my nose" (Instead of the overall FACE). I was laughing at her genius-ness of creating seperate body parts to wash in order to lengthen bath time. She is very smart.

I had told her several times it was time to get out but again, she just kept creating new body parts to wash. She finally pointed down to her nipples and started singing "This is the way we wash our BROWNS". I could not help but BUST OUT LAUGHING! I dont know where she got that but she just kept singing it. Now everytime she helps me change Baby Luke, she will point to his nipples and say "Look mommy, those are his BROWNS!" I laugh EVERY TIME!

Kids really do say the darn-dest things!

God is Good... ALL THE TIME!

My Growing Boy: Week 4

Tuesday, June 10, 2012

Well during my boy's fourth week of life he continued to grow an enormous amount. In fact, once again I took him to Memorial Hermann Hospital to weigh him and he weighed 10 lbs. 8 oz. I'm still feeding him every three hours during the day and around every 4 to 5 hours at night so I knew he was going to grow this week. Last week he grew 13 ounces and this week it was down to 11. I'm curious what you away next Tuesday when I take him again. The average gain for a 0 to 2-month-old is 1 ounce per day so he still way above average.

This week I was able to take him into the grocery store and do other errands with me while he rode in the stroller. And we even went to Walmart with him and Natalie. This was a really big deal because it was just me and the two kids. I had ran out of baby laundry detergent and it was a real necessity so I had to go. Nonetheless me and the kids survived and I made it home with my Dreft.

It's hard to believe on Thursday he will be one month old. Where has the time gone? I am blessed!!!

God is good… All the time!

My Growing Boy: Week 3

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

This week marked a lot of firsts for baby Luke. It started off with his first visit to the swimming pool. Of course this is for Natalie's swim class so he didn't do any swimming. He sat in the stroller while mommy and him watched Natalie at her very first swim class. In fact despite the heat he slept through the whole thing.

It also marked his very first holiday. This was his very first Fourth of July and he loved it. In fact all four of us got dressed in our matching Old Navy shirt to take pictures. we went for a walk that day and even watched some fireworks.

God is Good... ALL the time!

I decided that I would start weighing him on a weekly basis to make sure he was growing the way he should be. So on Tuesday, July 3 we went to Memorial Hermann Hospital in the Woodlands to weigh him. This is a really neat lactation facility that offered a baby scale free to moms to wear their babies. Since our pediatrician had been weighing him naked I took off his dirty diaper and started the process. He weighed 9 lbs. 13 oz.! Wow...what a big boy! So in just one week he gained 13 ounces. That was nearly 2 ounces a day. Of course I've been feeling like a cow since I've been feeding him every two and half to three hours and it was nice to see all of my hard work paid off. I wasn't able to measure him lengthwise but he definitely looks taller this week.

We decided over the weekend that he was big enough and well enough to go to Sunday school so I'm sending morning we got up and headed towards Mims. This was really nice to get out and show him off a little bit. We didn't stay for the service that day because he was really awake and starting to get fussy towards the end of Sunday school. Of course as soon as we got in the car and drove 2 miles he was sound asleep. That figures!!

It was a great week and obviously a growing week for my baby Luke.

God is good... All the time!

My Growing Boy: Week 2

Tuesday, June 26, 2012Sleeping in the crib- CHECK!

Today went back to the pediatrician for a two-week checkup. It started off like a normal checkup but turned out to be terrible. We got there at 10:40 for our 10:45 appointment and was not able to see the doctor until nearly noon. In fact it wasn't even our regular pediatrician because she was on vacation which made matters worse. We finally got back to the room the nurse took his weight and Luke weighed 9 pounds even. She also measured him and he was 21 1/2 inches long. That means in just two short weeks he gained 2 1/2 inches in length. I think he is going to be a big boy!

During this visit the pediatrician also did his second state PKU screening. He did not like this at all. Of course I would not like it either if they poked and prodded at my heals. Poor little guy.

During this week my mom had come back to help me take care of Luke and Natalie. This was incredibly helpful this week because I had started to develop the "Baby Blues" postpartum depression and was crying at the drop of a hat. I just needed my mommy and thankfully she was able to come and be with me. Within a few days of her being here I felt much better. Thanks mom!

It was also during this week that we discovered that Luke really likes to ride in his car seat. We took several driving trips around the neighborhood and around the interstate to get him to be less fussy. And so far it has worked really well. We will see how long it lasts.

While my mom was here we were still rocking him and holding him all night in the rocking chair but by time she left I was ready to get him into the crib so I could have a good night sleep in my bed. I gave her the much desired Gigi time of rocking and holding him but when she left I decided it was time to try the crib again. Thanks to the advice from a Sunday School friend I was able to purchase several swaddling blankets and swaddle him at night and by Saturday, June 30 he was sleeping in his own crib!!! Thank you Amber Corley!!!

During the weekend I was able to take him to church with the help of my sister Allison. This is the big patriotic celebration at our church and I really wanted to go so I asked Allison to help me get both kids ready. With her help we were able to make it to the service and see the awesome patriotic celebration. Thanks Allison!!

It was a good week since we got him to sleep in his own crib BUT he is growing up REALLY fast!

God is good... All the time!

New Carpet... Right Now?

June 13, 2012

Day and Night #2 with "Mommy's NEW Man"

If you read my previous post about night #1 with Baby Luke you probably got a good laugh and you also know how physically and mentally tired we all were. This day started off alot different with visitors and flowers and even breakfast.

I was able to take a shower and get clean clothes and sheets put on as well as get up and walk around. This was nice since the previous 18 hours I had been strapped to a bed with little to no movement happening. It felt great to be able to get out of bed and use the restroom on my own and even take a shower.

This was the last day m sister was going to be in town so she practically spent the entire day at the hospital with Baby Luke and I. During the "Siesta Time" (Nap/ No visitors) my mom and Auntie Allie stayed at the hospital to give me a little break and nap myself. I remember waking up on and off and hearing Auntie Allie singing to Baby Luke and teaching him how to "Two-Step". It was a great site to wake up to!

Auntie Allie teaching Luke how to "Two-Step"!

By this time in my hospital stay I was on my 5th nurse and tech crew. This was fine by me and I understand having to change shifts but the amount of opinions coming from each of these nurses was not only getting on my nerves but it was also stressing me out. One nurse told me that it is best to have a combination of Breast AND Bottle and she went on to tell me to give Luke formula, which I was TOTALLY against at that young of an age. In fact, she told me that the reason Luke was so fussy was because "He is a BIG BOY!" and I am not feeding him enough. Then she told me that my colostrum had not come in and he was not getting anything. She came in with a syringe and gave Luke a small amount of formula without even asking me! I was a little upset about this and I asked for a new nurse.

Another nurse came in and said Luke was so BIG that they might have to check for Diabetes. I was thinking to myself "Natalie weighed 9.3 and she was fine". And then another nurse came in and thought Luke was breathing heavy and fast so she sent him to the NICU for a few hours where he was then sent back to me and labeled "Very Healthy". They all had their own ideas, opinions and agendas and that alone really made me nervous.

That night my mom decided to stay over night with me in the hospital. This was really helpful so Chris could go home and get some rest and so could I. My mom WANTED to stay up all night and hold Baby Luke. And trust me... SHE DID JUST THAT! I did not send him to the nursery (Haha) and instead I had Gigi Shirley swaddle and rock him all night. As the nurses came in to check my vitals and blood pressure, I would always wake up to her singing to him! That made me smile each and every time!

Around 11:00pm my mom and I noticed lots of noise coming from the hallway so we decided to open the door and check it out. Come to find out, they were installing new carpet, floor boards and rail boards in the hallway. I guess they had been doing it since around 5 but just got to my area at 11pm. Needlesstosay, it was not necessary to do that at 11pm on the Labor and Delivery Floor. Poor Luke slept through it but when there were loud sounds of hammering he would jerk around and start to get upset. I told the nurse I would appreciate them trying to do that during the day and she reminded me that Labor and Delivery is a 24/7 365 day a year hospital wing and it HAD to get done! That made me laugh a little and I appreciated her honesty! My mom, Luke and I made it through the hammering just fine and survived until Thursday morning. It was ANOTHER LONG NIGHT but we did it just fine!

Thursday would prove to be a very challenging and EMOTIONAL day for me but... MORE ON THAT LATER!

God is good... ALL THE TIME!

My Growing Boy: Week 1

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

The "ORIGINAL" Due Date

My baby is one week old today... I can't believe it. He's already growing up so fast. It has been a great but very long week. Thanks to the help of my mom and my mother-in-law I have survived without them I don't know. They both have really helped me get through this stressful weary week. They also have shared their 60+ years of mothering experience with me to help me with my new precious bundle of joy. Thank you both so very much.

When we left the hospital on Thursday, Luke was pretty jaundiced and we had to go to the pediatrician the very next day. Our pediatrician told us that although he looked very yellow he was not bad enough to go back to the hospital. She told us to do the usual of taking him out to the sun and having him get plenty of sunlight to help the jaundice go away.

When we left the hospital on Thursday Luke weighed 8 lbs. 3 oz. This was 9 ounces less than his birth weight of 8 lbs. 12 oz. On Friday, June 15 when we went to see the pediatrician Luke gained 3 ounces and was up to 8 lbs. 6 oz. I took this as a sign that he was growing well and continue to feed him every three hours.

During this week Luke was very fidgety and fussy and did not like to sleep in the cradle or the crib. In fact it during the nighttime we had to hold him in the rocking chair. Again it was a good thing that my mom was in town so we could take turns holding him. Of course, if you asked my mom she would've liked to have all of the shifts of holding him! Chris usually would take the first shift my mom would take shifts number two and four and I would take the middle shift between 2 AM and 5 AM. This at least allowed me some precious hours of sleep.

During the day he was usually sleepy and was not awake for very much. I too was very sleepy and took several naps during the day. He was putting out about 10 to 12 wet and poopy diapers each day. I guess it is a good thing I loaded up on all those diapers!

This is a beautiful week to me because I was able to hold and cuddle my boy all day long. It is exactly what I envisioned in my head all these years.

 

As always...

God is good... All the time!!!

What A LONG Day but... Welcome Home Baby Luke

Thursday, June 14, 2012

This was a really long day. It started off bright and early with the pediatrician coming in to check on Luke. This was really nice because I wanted his opinion on Luke's development. All night the nurses have been telling me I hadn't been feeding him enough and I wanted to pediatrician to verify this. Just as I suspected the pediatrician said Luke was fine and developing perfectly. Then the pediatrician told me that he was going to do the circumcision today. This whole ordeal made me very anxious and nervous but I knew it had to be done. The pediatrician wished me well and left to do his rounds but would be back to do the circumcision later this afternoon.

Shortly after that my doctor came in and it was my turn to be inspected. My doctor told me that I was doing just fine and that as long as Luke was okay I could go home today. This is a little surprising to me because I was expecting the typical three days in the hospital for a C-section but I wasn't at all unhappy about this. He told me he needed to see me in two weeks and I could drive in two weeks. This is really surprising because when Natalie was born I couldn't drive for six weeks. he prescribed me a couple of medications and went on his way. I really respect Dr. Markos and I am glad I chose him to be my OB/GYN. In fact if any of my friends living in the Conroe or The Woodlands area Need an OB/GYN I highly recommend him.

In the meantime Luke was still looking a little yellow from his jaundiced condition. The pediatrician said that they would do a Billy Rubin test. This would check for his actual jaundiced number. I knew all babies had to have this test but Luke looked particularly yellow to me and my family so I was a little nervous. The nurse came in and took Luke to the nursery to take his test. He was gone for about an hour and a half that was a good time for me to rest. When the nurse brought him back she said that the Billy Rubin test would take about three hours to get the results. Once again, it was "hurry up and wait" time. This is always my least favorite thing.

During our three hour stretch of waiting a new nurse came in and gave me her opinion about how Luke and I were doing. She was my seventh nurse in the hospital stay but she turned out to be one of my favorites. I shared with her my frustration of the opinions of all of the different nurses and she wrapped all of their opinions into one and helped me relax a little. God bless that woman because everybody knew my stress level was high and I was very upset about all of the craziness the nurses were telling me about me and my baby. Elsa told her I was nervous and anxious about the circumcision and she shared personal stories to help me relax.

The afternoon came and the pediatrician came back to take Luke for the circumcision. I swear I have never been more nervous and anxious in my entire life I mean they were taking my son to cut him and he was only two days old. When they took him out of the room I just cried and cried and cried. It's a good thing my mom was there. All these years I have wanted a boy but the thought of circumcision never crossed my mind. My dad went off to get us all some pizza for lunch and I just roamed the halls waiting for them to push that beautiful bassinet with my baby back into my room. Chris had some teacher friends come and visit him so that took his mind off the whole situation but not me. I was still a basket case. At last my baby Luke was back in my room and in my arms. I held him tighter than ever.

It was about 4 o'clock but we were still waiting on the results from Billy Rubin test. Once again another nurse came in and I had to ask her if the Billy Rubin test results were in and she said no. So there we all sat in the hospital waiting for these results.

The pediatrician had said we needed a result less than 12 in order to go home today. When the results came back at 8:10pm we had the score of 11.8. Mr. Luke barely made it through but he passed and the massive amount of check-out paper work began. A different nurse plus a technician came in to help me start the process of filling out the discharge paperwork. There were lots of questions and answers that Chris and I had to fill out but we had to done it all before with Natalie so we flew through it. Chris and my dad started to load up the cart with all of our luggage while the nurse checked out my incision. My incision looked great so they brought in a wheelchair to wheel me to the car. My mom and I put Luke in his "going home" outfit then Luke and I got into the wheelchair to go to the car. So after a 14 hour long day baby Luke and I were finally on our way home. Daddy and I were so ready to get home.

Luke is in "Going Home" outfit... He hates getting changed!

The time was 9:30pm and it was dark outside. Those glorious pictures I had hoped for would not turn out but being the "capture every moment" type of mom I am, we still took a few. After a few quick poses for the camera we shut the doors we were off to the house just a few miles away. Luke was sound asleep by the time we left the parking lot.

On our way to the car!

Strapping him in the car seat... He did NOT like this!

I am SO excited... I am on my way home with my SON!

We made it home to a very hyper and loud Natalie Grace. She was so excited and had been talking about her baby brother coming home all day. In fact she even told her teachers at Mother's Day Out. She ran and greeted us at the door and told baby Luke that she loved him. He did not hear her because he was asleep. Chris, my parents and I still had not ate dinner so we made a quick sandwich before turning in for the night. That was fine because Natalie wanted time to sing to her baby brother before she went to sleep.

Natalie and her baby Brother! She was SO excited... And hyper! AND LOUD!!

Finally at 11:30PM Chris and I were able to go to bed and go to sleep, but not before a quick feeding of baby Luke :)! It was a terribly long day but it felt really good to be home with baby Luke.

As always...

God is good... All the time!!!

The "Original" First Day of the Rest of My Life- A Recap

July 8, 2012

As I was blogging about the birth of our second child David Luke, I was reminded of how similar and how different it was from the birth of our 1st child, Natalie Grace! Luke isn't even a month old and they are so very different and alike in so many ways. Just yesterday Chris and I were comparing the two in categories such as crying, eating, gassiness and the most important SLEEPING! I know it will be a lifetime of comparing the two but I thought I would share Natalie's birth story. This was a complete blur to me but Chris wrote a "Facebook" note about the night she was born and here it is! Natalie Grace Davis' birth story- as told by Chris.

August 25, 2009 7:07pm

Well, this is a brief history of Natalie's birth. On Monday morning Kellie and I arrived for the start of her induction. They did not have the cervadil, so they had to send someone to Midwest City to pick some up. There were four mothers there giving birth when we arrived. They started the cervadil at 9:15am. By 5pm she had dilated to 1 cm, which is the only progress she had made to date. She had effaced to 60%.

We had told the doctor that since Kellie was 43 weeks pregnant, we wanted to have the baby, and not return a later date for another induction. The doctor then broke her water and started pitocin at 6:15pm. At 10:00pm she was at 2cm and 75% and minus 2. At 11:00pm she had progressed to 2 and a half cm and 80%. At midnight, Kellie was suffering from having no food and water for over 24 hours and intense contractions. Also, because of the cervadil, Kellie was not allowed to stand up all day, so her hips were starting to grow numb with pain. Since she had dilated 3cm they administered the first painkiller, stadal. This helped Kellie tremendously as she was able to get comfortable in the bed and get rid of some of the pain of the contractions.

I left to go sleep in the hospital room after Kellie fell asleep and I remained there until 1:40am getting about 1 hour of sleep. At three she had dilated to 3 and a half cm so the doctor allowed an epidural. She was able to get more sleep with the epidural and by 4:00am was at 4cm and 100%. She made very little progression for the next couple of hours. The contraction monitor struggled to stay on, so they administered a catheter to measure the contractions. I was able to sleep one hour in our room.

Eventually we noticed the contractions were coming every minute, but they were very week. At 7am, the doctor measured her at 5cm. However, her contractions were weakening and Natalie's heart rate was decreasing. The doctor was worried about her uterus being strong enough to stop the bleeding after the birth, so he ordered an immediate C section. They quickly started to prep Kellie and the operating room while Kellie, me and Kellie's parents all prayed together.

They rushed Kellie into the operating room, and I joined soon after. There were many nurses and doctors in there. Kellie's arms were spread out and tied down to the bed. They had a sheet hanging over her as a blind so she could not see what was going on with her surgery. I quickly took up my place next to her head where I could hold her hand and talk to her. She was breathing through an oxygen mask, so she was difficult to understand.

It did not take long for them to bring Natalie out. At one point the doctor asked me to stand up and I saw Natalie's head poking out of Kellie's stomach. They unwrapped the cord around her neck and took her to a table behind me. At this point, Kellie strained to turn her ahead around and see Natalie.

When Natalie first came out, she was blue in color, with a cone head. Before I left, they allowed Kellie to kiss Natalie on the head. I left the room with Natalie and emerged into the Nurses station were my family was waiting. They took numerous photos with cameras and phones. There were probably 500 pictures taken of Natalie in the first few hours of her life.

I accompanied Natalie to the Nursery where I assisted a nurse in doing numerous test on Natalie. Kellie went to a recovery room for one hour, and was unable to see Natalie for three hours. Kellie lost a lot of blood during the surgery, more than a usual c-section, however she made a quick recovery. Her and Natalie are now both very healthy and happy.

To be continued....

Right out of the operating room where family was waiting!

This was the Original "The First Day of the REST OF MY LIFE"! I am so incredibly grateful for my precious Natalie Grace and I thank God for her each and every day!

God is GOOD... ALL THE TIME!

The Cadillac of ALL Bassinets

June 12, 2012

Our first night with Baby Luke

This day was really special for our family because we gained a new member. On this day at 1:30pm, David Luke Davis entered the world weighing 8 pounds 12 ounces and 19 inches long. The morning and early afternoon of this day seems like a blur. It started with us arriving to the hospital for a planned C-Section at 11am. Shortly after noon, I was taken to the Operating Room to begin the surgery and at 1:30pm Baby Luke greeted us with a beautiful cry. It wasn't until after 2pm that we were able to go back to our room and get settled in for the 3 day hospital stay that awaited us.

The nurses wheeled me back to our room while Chris walked behind me holding Luke to show all the grandparents and my sister Allison. They all took a glance at him and each got to hold him for a short period of time as well. We then asked them to all step out for a little bit while I tried to breastfeed him. Gigi Jackie headed over to Mother's Day Out to pick up Natalie and my family went back to the house for a while.

Around 4pm, Natalie came and was able to meet Luke for the first time. This was a very special moment in our family and a moment I will never forget. She was a little hesitant to touch him and even look at him at first. Chris was holding her and having her lean over the bassinet Luke was laying in. We kept telling her, "This is Baby Luke... your BROTHER!" She would just look at us all dazed and confused and timid. Finally, after about 20 minutes or so, she walked over to the bassinet and said, "That is my brother! Hello Baby Luke!" These were beautiful words to my ears. I began to tear up a little bit thinking about my sweet little family of FOUR!

That night Chris decided he would stay at the hospital with me over night. The family all left around 9pm and Chris and I started watching The Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals... Baby Luke in hand! (We are training him right... from the BEGINNING!) I was under a very tight feeding schedule of 3 hours and I was constantly having to feed Baby Luke. He was SO TIRED and he would fall asleep during these feedings so what should have taken only 30-45 minutes would take well over an hour. I would feed Baby Luke and then Chris would hold him while I tried to get some sleep. Both Chris and I were SO EXHAUSTED.

Around 2:30am I had just finished a feeding and Luke seemed pretty fussy. I still could not get up out of bed so I had to give him to Chris to hold. Chris tried to hold him, rock him, bounce him, walk with him and he was still fussy so I reverted back to trying to feed him. This didn't work either so regretfully, we called the nurse to take Luke to the "nursery" area until the next feeding. This was a service provided by the hospital where there were designated pediatric nurses that would swaddle and hold your baby so you could get some much needed sleep (more or less, just babysitting). I SWORE I would not use it but I was working on less than 1 hour of sleep and recovering from surgery and I gave in and called the nurse. She told me she would be back at 5:30am for the next feeding. I gave Luke a kiss they whisked him away. I teared up a little bit but I knew I needed sleep for my own good.

Luke was in a "Plain Jane", or the Kia version, silver bassinet that was the standard hospital grade and quality. Of course he had a sticker with all of his statistics on it and a name plate but it was just a standard bassinet. He also had a bracelet on his hand that matched mine and a "fancy dancy" locator device, we called it the Baby GPS, on his right ankle which would locate him if ever taken off the Labor and Delivery Floor. He also had several marks on him from the birth and surgery that Chris and I could use to identify him if needed.

At 5:30am the kind nurse came in with Baby Luke and Chris and I both woke up from pretty deep sleeps. Before I could even get my powered bed to raise to the correct height Chris yells out "Is that our Baby". Umm... I just about had a major heart-attack. My bed finally raised and I see this fancy wooden Bassinet with a red-haired baby in it. It had a bigger basket it in it and even a handle! I immediately reach into the bassinet and pull out Luke and check his bracelets. They both said "David Luke Davis" and "Mother: Kellie Rhea Davis". Chris was already up and investigating as well but he noticed that the GPS ankle device was now on Luke's LEFT ankle! We both looked at each other in pure fear. The nurse was just reassuring us that it was all fine and this was our baby. I was beginning to cry out of fear and worry and Chris was getting his shoes on (I'm not sure why but he was getting ready for something). About that time the intercom comes on and says "Mrs. Davis, do you have your baby?" Ummm... I DON'T KNOW? I was a basket case at this point! Chris and I unclothed Baby Luke and saw a few birth marks on him and even a scar on his scalp so we knew it was David Luke Davis and we stopped worry but it is a GOOD THING THEY DIDN'T CHECK MY BLOOD PRESSURE right after that!

Its also a good thing we identified his special birth marks that afternoon and evening because they are pretty much all that reassured us it was in fact OUR BABY! I just kissed and kissed and kissed Baby Luke and then began to feed him. In the mean time, Chris took a ball-point pen and wrote his initials on his heels! I didn't get ANY MORE SLEEP THAT NIGHT! I just sat there and held my baby boy! Around 7am the head of the nursery and pediatric department came in and reassured me what had happened and all was well. Needlesstosay, we did not use the nursery services any more during our stay at the hospital. I had my mom stay with me on night #2 so Chris could get some sleep. The funny thing is that they called me over the intercom to check if I had my baby at least 10 more times in our 60 hour stay at the hospital. Sometimes the new fancy technology is cool but the good ol' fashion stuff will still do.

This is the standard "Kia" version Bassinet we started off with!

Natalie was meeting Luke for the first time in this photo!

You can kinda see in the background the wooden "Cadillac" version of the Bassinet! It TOTALLY freaked us out!

This is a story we can always look back on and laugh but at the time it was not funny! In the heat of this crazy and bizarre moment, I stopped and asked God to show me my son and he did! It was yet again, as my dad would call it, "A Trust Issue".

Baby Luke is home and doing well and again this is a story we will all never forget. All because they had to change his standard bassinet to the Cadillac version!

Still...

God is good... ALL THE TIME!

My Beautiful Natalie Grace... The only child!

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Today was a very special day for The Davis Family of THREE! It was one of the last days that Natalie Grace would be an ONLY Child! We knew that even though tomorrow was her official last day that all the preparations needed for Tuesday would take away from her day so we scheduled Sunday, June 10, 2012 to be HER DAY!

We started off by going to Shipley's Doughnuts, Natalie and MOMMY'S FAVORITE doughnut shop! When we got there we let her choose which doughnuts and juice she wanted. She chose a Pink Sprinkled Glazed doughnut and grape juice. She ended up licking off all of the icing and drinking her juice but then she saw mommy's doughnut holes and wanted them too. She loved eating the doughnuts and licking her fingers.

After this we decided to go to Orange Julius and get one of mommy's favorite drinks, AN ORANGE JULIUS! Natalie loves these too and she got to choose her own flavor. She chose Strawberry. We took these to go as we made our way back to the house. When we got home we played with the doggies and blew bubbles. This was very special to Natalie because she LOVES to blow bubbles. We spent about an hour and a half in the front yard just blowing bubbles and sitting together. This was so very special to Natalie because during the school year, it was hard for Daddy or I to do this because of our busy work schedules and of course the HOUSTON HEAT!

We ate some lunch and put Natalie down for her nap. Usually only one of us puts her down for nap or bedtime but today we BOTH DID! We read stories upon stories and talked alot about how she was about to be a BIG SISTER! She would tell us how much she loved Baby Luke and how she wanted to "Go get him". She really had NO IDEA what was coming!

After her nap we played with her toys and built towers. We spent the rest of the day just playing together upstairs. We tried to make it just the THREE of US ALL DAY! We focused on her and us together so when Baby Luke comes in a few days she wont feel as left out. Right before her bedtime we brought out her Bowling pins to try to teach her how to bowl. She liked it for a while and played bowling and even knocked down some of the pins. But before too long she turned it into a "Mission Impossible" style of an obstacle course. She would line the pins up close together and then try to walk in between pins and NOT KNOCK THEM DOWN! It was hilarious and we were all THREE laughing!

She loved bowling!

Granny throw!!!

At bedtime, BOTH Chris and I read her our favorite stories and then we talked to her about being a BIG SISTER! We told her about how we would need her help with diapers, clothes and other stuff for Baby Luke. We also showed her how she could hold him using one of her dolls! At prayer time, we each prayed for Natalie Grace and for her to be A GREAT BIG SISTER! I have to say, I cried alot this night! It was like, I was so excited for my baby Boy yet a little sad to be losing my ONLY CHILD!

I told Natalie Grace that night and the following night (her actual last night as an ONLY CHILD), that she would ALWAYS be my LITTLE ANGEL and I would always love her NO MATTER WHAT! I kissed her cheek goodnight and the rest is history!

Our FINAL night as the THREE of us!!!

Natalie Grace is a a true GIFT FROM GOD and I am ETERNALLY GRATEFUL FOR HER! I love you Natalie!

GOD IS GOOD... ALL THE TIME!

Out with a BANG

Friday, June 8, 2012

I went into school for our final day of the year, which was a professional day. Being new to Booker, I did not know what to expect but my team told me that it is pretty much used as a day to complete all required paperwork for the end of the year and pack up your room. I had already completed the necessary paperwork and my room was all ready to go so I was pretty much just sitting around for most of the day. My team and I got together to look at the schedule and calendar for next year as well as the summer but other than that I seriously just sat around waiting for the clear to leave. 

Around 11am an annoucement came over the intercom stating we could leave for a 30 minute lunch. I was helping our librarian complete the LPAC paperwork and at about 11:15 I got a TERRIBLE pain in my abdomen. It was a like a menstrual cramp and it made my lower back REALLY hurt. I got up from the office chair I was sitting in and walked a little bit and that helped a little but not alot. I told my team I was going to go to Sonic to get some lunch, hoping it was just a hunger pain. Besides, I AM 9 MONTHS PREGNANT! In fact, I will be having a C-Section on Tuesday, June 12 just 4 short days away!

After getting my Sonic lunch and eating it I felt a little bit better but the Menstrual cramp feeling was still there. Around 12pm I began to get a worse feeling in my abdomen and I began to think these were contractions. I texted Chris and told him of these pains and then went to the front office secretary to see when we would be able to leave. According to my team, we never stay until 3pm so I felt OK going to the Secretary to ask when we could leave. She was a little short with me and said it was "A full day" and don't expect to leave before 3pm. I was a little upset at this reply and I went back to a teacher on my team to tell her about the 3pm news and tell her I was having contractions. At this point they were about 10 minutes apart but were increasing in strength and pain level. My teammate told me that I should leave and that i needed to go and tell my principal that I was having contractions. I was a little hesitant since my team leader was not there to give me the go ahead but I was also in A LOT OF PAIN!

I finally decided at about 1:15 to go to my Principal, who just this year had a baby as well, that I was having contractions. At this point they were about 6 minutes apart and I was having to bend over they hurt so much! When I got to her she was VERY short with me and said "I told y'all yesterday that everyone would have to get their stuff done and some people did not so we will have to stay until it is all done. If I let you leave, I will have to let others and I just cant". I left her office with tears coming on and I was very upset. I cried all the way down the hall to my room where I just told myself I could stick it out. I was, however, timing my contractions on my iPhone. They were about 4-5 minutes apart and REALLY PAINFUL! Again, they felt like menstrual cramps and LOTS of lower back pain! 

Around 1:30pm my principal came on the intercom to announce yearly awards and at the end of that announcement she said, you are now free to leave. By the time I gathered my stuff and made it back down the hall, I was about 20 people back in line to get her signature for the final check-out. During the wait to get her signature I had another 2 contractions and I had a feeling this was FOR REAL! I finally got to her and she signed my form and I got out of there immediately.

I called Chris and told him I was on my way and about how close my contractions were. During the short 20 minute commute home I had another 3 contractions which made it VERY HARD to drive but I made it home. I immediately called Labor and Delivery and they told me "Come in for sure". I knew I could not go into natural labor since i was having a C-Section so as much as I did not want to have Baby Luke on that day, I went in to the hospital just to be sure.

We got there and they immediately hooked me up to the heart monitor and fetal movement machines. I got comfortable and they checked my blood pressure and other vitals, which were all high since I was a little anxious and nervous about it all! I was in fact having contractions and they were showing up about 4 minutes apart but I was still not dilated AT ALL! The nurse told me that Dr. Markos was in doing a C-Section so she would call and ask him what he thought. She told me "We might be having a baby tonight".

In the meantime I had called my parents and sister and told them what was going on. Of course, my mom ended up leaving work early and getting in the car and started to make the 3 hour trip this direction. I told her not to but she started anyway. My sister kept updated via Facebook and so did Chris' brother and sister!

We sat there in the Triage room of the Labor and Delivery for about 3 hours just waiting and checking on me and Baby Luke. We got so bored that we started downloading video clips of The Office. This made the time pass by alot faster and got my mind off the whole ordeal.

Chris pointing to his shirt that says "TOP DAD"... He says "IM READY!"

At about 5:30, they released me to go home since my contractions had stopped and I was still not dilated or effaced at all. I was sent home with direct orders to "Take it easy" and stay off my feet as much as possible. This was FINE with me since I had been working up until this point and I was DYING FOR A BREAK! In fact, that is why I was wishing and hoping Luke would stay in there until Tuesday... JUST SO I COULD HAVE A BREAK!

It is amazing how God works... I knew that if Luke came earlier than June 8 it would mean that according to Spring ISD he was born in the 2011-2012 school year and I would not have the 12 weeks off in the Fall of 2012. If he was born after June 8, he would be considered to be born in the 2012-2013 school year and I would be able to take off 12 whole weeks from the start of the 2012-2013 school year as the "Baby Bonding" part of FMLA! So there we sat worried that he would arrive on Friday, June 8 but God had other plans! We were sent home at 5:30pm with NO BABY! I hate that I had a false labor but it was a very unique way to end the school year! OUT WITH A BANG!

God is Good.. ALL THE TIME!

My Seventh Year of Doing What I LOVE!

I have known since my Sophomore year of High School that I wanted to teach Band and Music. I was an all-around student participating in many events and clubs in High School but it was during my sophomore year that I really chose a "lane" and put all of my time and energy into music. My band director really took time to help me achieve my personal goals and it was because of him and his commitment to me and my goals that I decided that I wanted to do the same for others. It was then that I decided I wanted to teach Band and Music. Ever since then I have been on the road of changing lives.

This year marked my 7th year of teaching overall and my 1st year of teaching in Texas. My previous six years of teaching had been in Oklahoma and I also was teaching both elementary music and band. This year was TOTALLY different for me as I was not teaching band any longer and I was in a completely new and different state. I had always dreamed of teaching in Texas but I always expected to be teaching band and NOT elementary music. God had something else in mind!

When Chris got the confirmation call that he had been offered the Math teaching position at Aldine ISD in late May of 2011, I was still teaching at Grove and in fact we got this confirmation phone call on my very last day of school at Grove. It was a very emotional day for me as I was finally going to be able to teach in Texas but I LOVED my job at Grove and its students, teachers and community! Shortly after that I started having multiple interviews a day for jobs containing both Band and Elementary Music teaching duties. In fact, because of these numerous interviews, I was only able to be in Oklahoma for 5 days to pack up our house and move. Looking back, it was a very emotional and RUSHED 5 days. I still cant find things in boxes to this day due to my rushed packing!

Around June 20th or so I decided that I really was more marketable in the Elementary Music field since I had not had any marching band experience in 5 years so I began to focus ALL MY ATTENTION to elementary music job postings! There were alot more of these postings available than that of Band director positions. On June 27th I got a call from Booker Elementary in Spring ISD to come in for an interview. A few days later I went in for that interview and felt really good about the interview and position afterwards. I came home on June 30th after that interview and went out to eat with my hubby and in-laws. While at lunch, I got a call from the PE teacher, Barbara Homer, who offered me the position just 2 hours after the completion of the interview. This was a GOD THING for sure.

Since then, I have been a part of the Booker Bengal Team and I have learned and grown a lot. Since the last 6 years of my teaching have included both Band and Elementary Music, I have naturally focused more on the band side of the job and less on the elementary. That was a mistake and I regret not putting more time and effort into the Elementary side of my job at Bowlegs and Grove. Nonetheless, I have grown and learned a lot this year teaching this young kiddos.

It was my goal this 1st year at Booker to just "Get my feet wet" so to speak with the overall curriculum and lesson planning of not only Elementary music in general but also having to be a part of a large district Curriculum and Scope and Sequence. There are lessons and ideas I have taught in the past that are not as important to the district overall curriculum and other things that I have never taught that are HIGHLY important to the district. I have been able to be a part of a TEAM of music teacher and share ideas and lesson plans. This has been something COMPLETELY new to me since during ALL of my 6 previous years I HAVE BEEN THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT! Of course, this has taken a little bit of getting used to. I am a little "set in my ways" on what I like and what I don't. But it never hurts anyone to learn something new!

At the beginning of the year I was anxious and nervous about teaching in such a large school/ district and teaching only elementary music but at the end of the year I am ready for ANOTHER year of just elementary. Of course, I still miss teaching Band but I now feel more capable of teaching elementary music and even less depressed that I don't have a band teaching job. I know God will provide and I am just going to enjoy the "EASINESS" of this position while i still have my kiddos at home.

Another major difference from August 2011 to June 2012 is ME and my physical condition. On August 20, 2011 I was fit and light and ready to tackle just about anything, including doing Car Duty in 100+ degree HEAT! But in June 2012, I have gained over 50 pounds and carrying a baby! In fact, in just 4 short days I will be giving birth to my Baby Boy David Luke! This was all part of Mine and Chris' plan to continue our family while I am teaching at a less time-consuming position. We just NEVER dreamed it would happen in the 1st year! Yet again, God had other plans!

I have learned alot this year while teaching at Booker and I am excited to go back in the Fall to teach these kiddos again. I hope I can instill a love for music into these kids that they cannot get at home. I also hope to be able to touch their lives in a way that no other parent, grandparent or family member can. I love kids and I love music and I hope to be able to combine the two!

August, 20, 2012
The First Day of School

June 7, 2012

The Last Day of School

Thank You, Lord, for the opportunity to teach at Booker and for giving me this job! Count your blessings, NAME THEM ONE BY ONE!

God is Good... ALL THE TIME!

Prenatal Visit #13

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

"He is going to make me work for it!"

Today I went in for my 38 week OB appointment. Since I will be having a C-Section on the 1st day of my 39th week, this was my last official OB appointment for this pregnancy. This was a very short appointment as they were just checking the typical stats and then checking for dilation and effacement.

Chris came along with me to this appointment since he was off work and it was nice to have him there. It started by me stepping on the scale and checking my weight. Oh my... This was AWFUL! I nearly broke down in tears. I have now passed the 40 pound mark and I still have 6 days to go!!!!  I remember at week 30 I had only gained about 17 and I felt great about it but it seems as if as soon as Dr. Markos told me I did NOT have Gestational Diabetes, I began to eat like a crazy woman. What a sad, sad day! I know I will have to be weighed the morning of the surgery so I am curious to see what the final mark will be.

My blood pressure was high again, for me, at 130/81. Typically my numbers have always been in the "Perfect" area of 120/80 (ish) but the past 2 check-ups I have had the top number be in the 130s. Dr. Markos told me to check it every night at home and watch it but he said unless it was "continuing to creep" there was nothing to worry about.

My nurse used the "Doppler" to check for Luke's heartbeat and he did not want to sit still. He moved around more this time than ever before. Eventually she found a steady beat and it was in the 160s. I think he was woke up from a nap because from that point on, he was movin' and shakin' throughout the rest of the appointment and even into the evening!

Dr. Markos came in and checked for dilation and effacement and just as I predicted, I was at 0 dilation, 0 effacement and Luke is still "Riding sky high" as Dr. Markos put it! Luke did, however, get into the typical head down position instead of horizontal like last week so that is good. I asked Dr. Markos if him being so high would make a difference and he said no. His response was "Well, he is just going to make me work for it!" Either way, high or dropped, I have to be cut open to get him out so that does not matter.

Dr. Markos gave me my "Orders" and told me to go down to the admissions level and make a "pre-op" appointment on Monday. Here they will check for my blood type and do ALOT of other stuff to prep for Tuesday. It felt really weird today going and making a "Pre-op" appointment. It is like it is actually happening! I have known this all along but ever since we hit that "Less than a week" mark on this past Tuesday, it has really hit home. I am going to have a SON! Wow... it is just a really weird and cool feeling at the same time.

Just 5 more days to go...

GOD IS GOOD... ALL THE TIME!

Natalie and Luke: Compare and Contrast

The Davis Pregnancies

Natalie vs. Luke

Monday, June 4, 2012

As my 2nd pregnancy begins to wrap up, I wanted to take time to reflect the similarities and differences I have seen in the 2. There have been some similarities along the way but the differences are what I seem to notice the most. Either way, they are both a blessing to me and I have so grateful for my 2 beautiful children!

1st Trimester

Natalie

While pregnant with Natalie as soon as week 9 arrived, I was SICK AS A DOG. I had morning sickness and nausea in the morning, midday, afternoon and evening. In fact, I could barely keep food or even water down. I would be really hungry and want to eat food but as soon as I tried to eat it, the smell, texture and overall taste of the food would send me to the toilet. Luckily this 21 day stretch happened to be while I was on Winter Vacation at school. The last 5 days of this 21 day sickness happened while I was teaching but since I knew these symptoms were coming I was prepared and had all means to take care of this around me at all times. Around week 12-13, this terrible morning sickness and nausea went away and I began to be able to eat real food and enjoy my pregnancy.

I was tired most of the time throughout the 1st trimester and I was constantly coming home from work or elsewhere and taking lots of naps. I could NOT get enough sleep and I felt weak 90% of the time.

Overall during the 1st trimester I LOST 9 pounds and felt miserable most of the time!

Luke

We learned I was pregnant around week 6-7 and I expected to be just as sick this time around as I was with Natalie. We had waited a few weeks to tell both sets of our parents but we knew eventually, Dan and Jackie would find out since I would be sick 24-7! That actually never happened. Every since seeing that PINK LINE, I have not really had any morning/ afternoon/ evening sickness of any kind. When I was about 12 weeks along, I got really nauseous one day but after drinking plenty of water and staying off my feet, I was able to feel much better and I had no vomiting or sickness of any kind. In fact, during most of the 6 weeks between finding out we were pregnant and the end of the 1st trimester, I was eating normally and even on the heavy side a little. Hahaha...I remember stopping at McDonald's on the way home for a "Happy Meal" snack after school!

For the greater part of the 1st trimester, I felt great and barely even knew I was pregnant. I felt energized and relaxed most of the time and I was able to come home and play with Natalie, go for walks and cook dinner almost every night.

During the 1st Trimester I gained 7 pounds and felt GREAT!

2nd Trimester

Natalie

It was around week 14 that I really began to feel like myself again and I was able to start eating like myself again and even start eating like a pregnant lady. I began to crave foods that I didn't usually like or eat on an every day occasion. I have never really been a red meat eater but Natalie Grace had different taste buds and she really wanted that meat. Almost every other night I was going down the street to get a SONIC cheeseburger and tots. I would call Chris and tell him to pick up Chili's "Big Mouth Bites" on his way home. I think after about 3 weeks, even Chris was tired of hamburgers. I also really, really craved Orange Juice. I think I drank about 2 gallons a week. I would take a tumbler full of Orange Juice with me to work everyday and then drink a glass or two once I got home at night. I also had various other cravings like fruit of all kinds, pizza and brownies. These seemed to be in our weekly rotation of menu options throughout the entire 2nd trimester.

At exactly week 20 we  had our 1/2 way ultrasound which told us it was A GIRL! We were excited (I was a little disappointed but after a minute I was thrilled) and couldn't wait to pamper and spoil our new little one. At about 22 weeks Dr. Trotter called and said there was an abnormality of the heart on the ultrasound and we would have to wait until week 24 to get a second look. This was awful and was the worst 2 weeks of my life, I swear! At the 24 week ultrasound, we learned all was fine with Natalie's heart and all 4 chambers were visible and working. What a relief!

My beautiful Natalie Grace at 20 weeks Gestation!

It was during the end of the 2nd trimester that we began to notice Natalie's kicks and movements in the womb. She was never really a "Mover and Shaker" but she would typically always kick between 6-8pm each night. We could almost set our clocks to her. She would usually kick 10-15 times and then take 20 minutes off and then go right back at it. By 8pm or so, she was all worn out and stopped. She always kicked the recommended 20 times a day but it was always at a set time. She liked having a routine.

The 2nd trimester with Natalie Grace was fantastic and I loved being pregnant during these weeks! Overall, I gained 11 pounds and felt GREAT!

Luke

During most of the 2nd trimester I felt fabulous and again, barely even knew I was carrying a child. I was eating like normal and even eating like a someone who was "Eating for 2"! I had just lost about 60 pounds before getting pregnant so while I was hungry and wanted to eat and satisfy my cravings, I also did not want to gain too much weight! I usually ate SmartOnes frozen meals for lunch with the occasional Chick-fil-a but really watched what I ate during the day. I craved fruits almost every day and usually these were rare or random fruits that I would not usually like, eat or even be able to find. I remember one week I was craving a fresh peach so bad I drove to a Farmer's Market south of my school to get one (And it was February so it wasn't even RIPE)! I also really craved salads. I remember wanting to go to Sweet Tomatoes frequently and even ordering entree salads and restaurants like Chili's and Outback! Meat was not a craving for me but I made sure I was eating plenty each and every day.

At 17 weeks, Chris and I opted to do an elective ultrasound to get a gender check on our new bundle of joy! This was very interesting because once we got in the ultrasound room, the entire process only lasted about 7 minutes. The technician gave us a short disclaimer about only checking for gender purposes and then she whipped out her wand and found that IT IS A BOY! She took several pictures of his "boyhood" and then we were through. It was so quick that it wasn't until I got back in the waiting room that I fully comprehended I was HAVING A BOY! I remember calling my parents and telling them and literally having to pull the phone away from my ear from their excitement. My dad was so thrilled, Chris and Dr. Markos heard him say "YESSSSSS" from the other end of the phone. This was a big deal for me and my family! Chris seemed a little upset that is was not another little girl but again, he came around within a minute or two.

"IT'S A BOY!" David Luke at 17 weeks Gestation!

We had another medically advised 1/2 way ultrasound at week 21 and this showed everything was in place and working properly. I remember specifically asking the technician to show me the four chambers of Luke's heart and they were all there and looked great!

It was sooner with Luke that I began to notice all of his movements. HE IS A "MOVER AND A SHAKER"! Wow... this kid really likes to move around. He could kick me hard several times a day and even in the middle of the night. I remember not being able to sleep frequently as he would just be moving and "swimming" around in there. He didn't really have a routine or set time he was active... pretty much ALL DAY! I will never forget the 1st time Natalie felt him kick when she was resting her head on my belly "Whoa... Mommy, what was that!" It was hilarious and I think that is when she actually realized Luke was IN THERE! From then on she said "I want to go get him!" From week 21-22 until right now (week 38) this kids is CONSTANTLY moving around and trying to get comfy!

Around week 25 or so I began to get really bad heartburn after most meals and sometimes even after all I had eaten or drank was WATER! This was a little annoying and even alarming since I have never really had heartburn like this and I didn't experience it with Natalie. I asked Dr. Markos and he said just keep TUMS on hand and ever since then, I have!

The 2nd trimester was Baby Luke was a joy and I didn't really feel pregnant most days. Overall, I gained 17 pounds and felt wonderful!

3rd Trimester

Natalie

I was continuing to crave red meat and beef alot and I was still drinking lots of juice everyday. It was during week 28 I took the mandatory Gestational Diabetes 1 hour glucose test and failed it by 1 point. I had to go back and do the 3 hour glucose test at week 31 and passed all 4 tests with flying colors.

During this trimester I was not really tired like most of the books said I would be but I did start to get headaches more frequently than usual. I also was hot most of the time. These weeks were in May, June and July in Oklahoma so that was just part of the gig I guess! My feet were swollen because of this and it was hard to wear summer clothes and still cover my feet from embarrassment!

At the 37 week ultrasound, Natalie weighed 7 pounds 5 ounces and was measuring at 37-39 weeks in all of the medical categories. Dr. Trotter predicted she would weigh 8+ pounds at birth! She ended up weighing 9 pounds 3 ounces but I carried her til 43 weeks so... it all measured out well

At 38 weeks I began to wake up every morning thinking "TODAY COULD BE THE DAY". I remember going to church and asking for prayer and having a quick and safe delivery EVERY SUNDAY for 5 Sundays. I was supposed to be induced on August 6th, just 2 days after my original due date but was sent home since I was not dilated or effaced. I then was told I would be checked again on August 11th (41 weeks). Again, I was 0 dilated and 0% effaced so they sent me home. Dr. Trotter went on vacation the following week but left me in good hands with another doctor on the rotation and I was sent to the hospital on August 20th to be induced. Still no progress so I was sent home again. Dr. Trotter called me that Friday, August 21 and told me would start the drugs to induce me on Monday morning, August 24th. I was pretty fed up at this point so I told him, "My family is coming in from out of town on this day and WE WILL LEAVE with a baby!" I was 43 weeks on that day and at 43 weeks and 1 day on August 25th my little angel, Natalie Grace, graced us with her presence. The birth story itself is just as insane as the last 3 weeks of this pregnancy but all in all it turned out well... I GOT MY BEAUTIFUL BABY GIRL NATALIE GRACE and my life changed FOREVER!

At week 40, exactly on my due date, I had gained the recommended 25 pounds but by the time Natalie came out, I had gained 36.

LukeDuring this time of the pregnancy, I was not really craving any ONE THING. Each day it would vary from fruits, to veggies, to Cookies and cakes, to Smoothies! Each day was like a new adventure for my taste buds. I wanted to bake and eat fancy cakes and desserts from Pinterest EVERY WEEKEND! At week 28 I took my 1 hour glucose test and failed miserably! I had to go back at week 30 for the 3 hour glucose test and was told I failed it too. I felt terrible and I began to cry thinking I had gestational diabetes. Dr. Markos came in and said the nurse had read the chart wrong I had passed 3 out of 4 tests and only failed the 1 by a few points. I then had to have my finger pricked to check my blood sugar levels at weeks 32, 33 and 34. All of those turned out fine so at week 34 I was cleared from Gestational Diabetes and I was thrilled and started eating those sweet again!

It was during this trimester that I felt the MOST TIRED of all! It seemed like everyday when I got home I was really tired and just wanted to crash and take a nap! Usually, I was by myself with Natalie until Chris got home around 5-6pm from work so Natalie and I usually played and put her babies to sleep so it was quiet.

Just like with Natalie, I felt hot most everyday but this time it was a little different. It was about 2 months earlier in the calendar than with Natalie but I am now living in Houston with 70-80% humidity EVERYDAY! The after school walker-duty was really beginning to eat at me and my poor feet were as swollen as anything. In fact, I told my principal that I would just have to wear flip-flops until the end of school since my feet wouldn't fit in any other pair of shoes!

At the 36 week ultrasound, Luke weighed in at 5 pounds 14 ounces and measured 34-36 weeks in most medical categories. His head circumference measured at 38 weeks so he obviously has a BIG HEAD! I guess it is a good thing I am having a C-Section... YIKES!

His birth story will not be known until this time next week but I cannot wait to see how it is the same or different from Natalie's. I cannot believe how fast the past 38 weeks have flown by and I cannot wait to meet my little man.

The same or different, Natalie and Luke are both gifts from God and I know Chris and I will love them and parent them in as Godly of a way as possible. I just hope and pray for a smooth surgery and a beautiful healthy BABY BOY!

David Luke Davis, I cannot wait to meet you! Just 8 more days!

As always...

GOD IS GOOD... ALL THE TIME!