Something wonderful is happening to us. Baby number seven is on the way. The last of a large rambunctious group of children. Join us as we travel through the months of this journey.

Monday, October 4, 2010

The Wound Vac


As much as I love technology and I am grateful that my wound healed extreemely fast, i am gratful I only had to have this machine on for four weeks. You see as it sucked out and stored tissue, blood and fluids and stored them, it began to smell.

While we could change cartridges we couldn't change the filter and even with a clean new cartridge it still smelled.

Whoever thought of and invented this machine I could kiss you! It saved my sanity even if I had to tie it in a bag by the end.

The next few weeks.

Monday I called my Dr. in Orem and ended up going to the local Dr here to see if he could do anything. He wanted to teach my hubby to clean the wound and pack it twice a day. When I got a hold of my regular Dr he made an appt. to go to the wound clinic in Provo and we made our way there on Tuesday.

Tuesday Vince drove me to the Dr's in Orem and we discussed our options. Then went to the wound clinic at UVRMC. they recomended the same thing the Wound Vac. We contacted a home health company to administer the vac and check on me. I wasn't going to drive down to Provo three times a week. Too impossible.

Wednesday, I had the nurse come in and clean the wound and pack it waiting for the Vac people to send my machine. Thursday I got the machine and they intalled it. I got the dressing changed three times a week.

Complications

So while in the hospital Elias ended up under the bili lights. At least it was portable and he could be in our room. I also ended up in alot of pain my gut didnt want to start back up and I ended up being given Raglan and endured alot of pain. Not fun.

Saturday after I could eat again we went home. The nurse took out the staples and while we didnt think of it then we realize now what a mistake that was.

Sunday, everything was wonderful Monday morning I found that my incision had come open and as I was bleeding all over my floor decided I was in trouble.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Wednesday August 4th.

We left Emery county at about one knowing we needed to check in at three for the 5:00 surgery. Again that morning was spent in liesurely persuits and I finally got my belly cast made, something I had gone in on Monday regretting not getting done. Laurel and I spent some time late Sunday night taking some pictures that I wanted done before I had the baby. Sitting in a specific room at Castle view hospital doing non stress tests with these pictures on the wall made me want to get some taken before I had Eli because I'd never have that baby bump again. I am so glad I got them done and also that Laurel has a knack for taking pictures.

We arrived at the hospital at about three and I walked back to labor and delivery and was shown to a room. Vincent parked the car and arrived a little later. they monitored the baby and prepped me and by five I was walking into the operating room. The Anestesiologist came in and gave me the spinal and then I was laid down and the room filed with everyone.

At 5:27 Elias was born and they wisked him over to the little isolette and weighed him and did those other things. He looked tiny and perfect.

By seven or eight I was in my room with Vincent and Eli.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

The begining of the end

August 2nd we slept in a little and then headed for Provo. After an hour at the cellphone place putting minutes on our old phone we headed to the hospital. After a fast ultrasound I had the amniocentecis. It was not bad or painful like people said it would be. Thst was a relief. After that they sent me to the other room for a non stress test to monitor the baby. While I was there they informed me that the baby was not ready. He needed to have a score of 50 and was only at a 47, so we were going to be sent home. Needless to say I was seriously disapointed. I was through being pregnant and wanted Elias out. We went to the Dr.s office after and decided on a planned c-section date of Wednesday evening.

We went home and prepared to travel to Provo again on Wednesday.

Friday, August 13, 2010

He's here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

His name is Elias Teancum Porter Jefferies. He was born on Wednesday August 4, at 5:27 pm. Baby is perfect. I am recovering.








Sunday, July 25, 2010

where we stand.

Tomorrow I go to my Dr appt for both MFM and the reg doc. I will be 37 weeks this friday. The MFM Dr's want to do an amnio at 37 weeks and if Elias' lungs are mature take him by c-section.

Theres some concern about blood clot problems in the placenta as it ages. I dont blame them I am worried too although I am more worried about having another baby with Craniosystnosis than anothe clot. I'm probably way off base.

Either way I hope to come home tomorrow knowing what I am doing in regards to having this baby.

The heat has hit where we live and there are days that me feet resemble either a water baloon or a sausage depending on whether you are hungry or thirsty. I've also had a hard time breathing as this baby likes to be in my lungs. I have had some anxiety I think its becauseof Nobles birth and the whole c section thing again but I am trying to remain calm and stay on top of the emotions.

I am ready to have this baby. As much as I have loved this LAST pregnancy I am ready to be holding my baby. I would like to be back to where I can drive my car again. or wearing clothes that fit.

I'll try to remember to update this blog tomorrow.

Cravings

I thought it'd be fun to give you a what for about whatI have craved this time around.

First trimester: chocolate, lemons and fish sticks

Second: Still chocolate lemons and fish but add to it egg rolls and pot stickers and anything with onion in it. Not onions alone but the cooked flavor.

Third: Bread dip, chocolate lemon and Chinese but the fish has faded a little. However I have added some mexican foods.

Third trimester

We've been great. I am feeling great and extremely blessed and healthy. I know that taking Karate is part of the health benifits. Although the energy has been waning I have been able to do and finish almost everything on that long list of things to get done. There's only a few things left.

Of course things like heartburn are going to show up and bother me even if I am feeling great. Leg cramps are one of those unavoidable things too but both are treatable and I am not complaining too loud.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Sorry about the drought of information.

Sometimes the urge to blog just isnt there. But I have finished the nursery and have pictures. :)

This is the shelf right next to the changing table. the half moon basket holds diapers and wipes.

this is the top of the amoire wit the finished frames and lamp shade.

this is his blessing outfit. Isn't it adorable? The little white blanket I knit on a loom my first try too.

This is my nursing chair.

My books and nursing supplies.

The changing table with supplies.

this is inside the amoire.

Inside the closet.

the carseat and baby's bag for the hospital.

The basket of blankets.

The crib and the green polkadot blanket I made for Elais.

Monday, May 17, 2010

27 weeks, last week of second trimester. . .

I am almost there and for something that I wanted to go slowly it had ruched past mein a blur. This is the last baby and I wanted to savor it for all it is worth.

the baby is aproximentally 14 inches long and weighs two pounds. I can see him kick now and he dislikes it when I set a book on my belly to read. I have to put up with jumping books.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

More pictures. . .

The nursery is getting done. YAY! For mothers day I got the sheer curtains and brown curtain pannel for the closet. There is no door for the closet. The little white blanket is my first attempt to knit on a "loom". It's tiny but SO soft. I love it. The little dragonfly box is where we'll store his little things like his hospital bracelet and things like that. I have been working on blankets for Eli but they are not done yet. I'll post pics when I am finished, I also painted the little blue shelf green but havn't taken a picture yet.









Thursday, May 13, 2010

Just a laugh.


The other night I had a dream that when Elias was born he had this head of bright orange hair and no one could look at him without mentioning the hair. Whatever he looks like, I know he'll be loved to death in this family.

Bright orange hair, I can't stop laughing about it!

Saturday, May 1, 2010

The "nursery" mid-point

This is the nursery mid-point, I am working on it when I have time and supplies. It's been alot of fun to do. Below you'll see the green and brown diaper bag. And the "ugly" box of fabric that I am slowly working on. I will post more mid-point pics later.













The "nursery" before. . .

The baby's nursery was my little boy Noble's room. When we told him he would eventually move into the big boys room with his brother he was wanting to move that day so we put the toddler bed together and moved his stuff into the other room. This left me with an empty room to work with. This is what I had to work with. i'll post the midle of the process pics in another blog post.







Friday, April 30, 2010

We have a name, I think. . . . .

In August we will welcome little, or not so little,

Elias Porter Jefferies into the family.

We're looking forward to seing what Eli looks like. :)

That is the longest we have ever debated about names, EVER.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

April 26th appt.


I raced back to Provo after spending the weekend there for a writers conference. We heard the heartbeat w/o using the US and the baby looks great. the perinatal Dr. wants some more tests and my Dr and I talked about it. I will do some but not others.

The best news is that the triple screen came back clean. No problems. Whoot!

Four months left. :)

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Time for thinking. . . . . .


As I sat in the baby's room after the ultrasound, I had some time to "kiss my dreams of having that girl goodbye". I won't lie it's not been easy. I've had a hard time with this. And, to be honest, I knew that this was not going to be an easy transition. Uping my concern for myself and how I would bond with this baby, and I knew that I needed to.

So, as I sat in the comfy nursing chair I knew that throwing myself into decorating the nursery for him would be a good way to bond with him. Choosing a name would also help me. So for the first time I looked at the room in a boy's perspective, wondering what would look good and what I would like.

Believe me after five boys I am tired of BLUE . . . flat out tired. Tired of trains, baseball, cars, trucks, and all of those typical boy things. I want something diferent, something that when I walk into the nursery I don't automatically gag and hate it.

As I sat there I had this image flashed through my head of a pretty quilt with blue and green dragonflies. I wish I could sew like the image in my head. I was excited, dragonflies are cool and can be quite boyish. Still, I was not liking the blue aspect of what I was seeing in my head, so I began to ponder colors.

I remembered a diaper bag I saw at the local Wal Mart that was chocolate brown and cellery green. I've allways liked the color combination and got really excited.

Dragonflies in green and brown.

It's only been a couple of weeks since I made the decision. I am slowly working on it, and it's coming together nicely. I have been taking pictures of the whole process and I will post them sometime. It will be cool, I think, to show you the whole process from begining to finished. I'm excited and for me and the baby, it's a good thing.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Wow, time passes quickly.

I had my Level 2 Ultrasound last week and found out that everything is just great. The baby is healthy and nothing looks wrong. I am relieved. The DR wants to follow me closely because I have had an abruption and premature birthin the past and I will admit that it is a concern for me too but I have had 3 healthy babies since that PG.

The other thing is that I am having a BOY! While I was initally a little sad, I am overjoyed at having this little one come into our allready insane house and join in on the fun.

Welcome little one!

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Do you need it?


I am often surprised at the size of lists that perents to be are given in regards to what the baby needs once it gets home.

(Don't even get me started on the list we women are expected to cram into that tiny little delivery room for childbirth. A Crockpot to keep wet washcloths warm? Are you kidding me?)

I once saw a printable list on the Internet that was four pages long. Who on earth needs four pages of stuff? Besides where would you put it? My baby's room is not that big. Granted, that list may have had the word Ultimate in the title but it doesn't excuse these lists as a way of pilfering new parents out of a huge ammount of money and into alot of stress.

What did mommy and daddy need for a new baby 2oo years ago? Mom, dad, clothes and a place to sleep. Simple, easy, and not alot of stress or money.

Now I know there are things that are just amazing and convienent and plain needed. But do we need everything new and amazing? Not really. For example, if you are looking into saving money and space breastfeeding is the way to go by breastfeeding you have eliminated the need for formula bottles binkis sterilizers drying racks etc etc etc. Of course you will need a few nursing bras and some nursing pads and maybe a shirt or two that make it easy to nurse in public. But that is a relatevely small expense in exchange for the other.

Now this is just my opinuion and you are all welcome to your's. But I believe that the necessary things are actually a small handful compared to a four page list. They are as follows. Not necessarily in order of importance.

1) A crib for the baby to sleep in. Cribs are safe, they are tested and made to specifications, and babies roll--alot. Now, if you have room in your bedroom for a crib or don't mind getting up and going to the babies room in the middle of the night then you don't need the next item.
2) A bassinette or playard. If your babies are like mine and wake at least three to four times a night to feed, you want the little one right next to you in your room besides I panic if I can't hear every move or breath they take for the first few months anyway.
3) Diapers, whether cloth or disposable (your choice). This is a no brainer. Wipes are necessary and changng pads for messy problems are nice but not necessary. I have changed hundreds of diapers on everything from the floor bed and couch to the top of a washing machine and the tailgate of a truck. I am biased in saying that for me a changing table is necessary. It saves my back, my carpet, and room in the nursery because all changing related items are stored below the tables surface.
4) Clothes. It is important that baby stays warm in the winter and cool in the summer. You definately want some nice clothes for when grandma comes over or you go visiting or to the store. However babies aren't picky and you can find alot of cute clothes for pennies on the dollar at thrift or second hand stores. The little terry cloth sleepers are your best friend the first few months when they spit or poop all over everything. A dresser is nice for thier clothes, but there are other ways to store thier stuff.
5) Car seat. Most hospitals will not release the baby to you if you don't have an approved carseat. Nuff said.
6) Food. Whether you breastfeed or formula feed, the baby needs to eat at least 8-12 times a day at first. Like I said earlier, breastfeeding is cheaper but if that isn't your choice you will need at least bottles and formula.
7) Stroller. If you go out you will want an easy way to transport the baby. A Stroller is a great thing for walks or a emergency bed if you are away from home.
8) Diaper bag. A place to hold all that stuff you need when going somewhere with that new baby.

There, in less than a handful of items, you have everything you need. Now if there's money and room, what do you want? :)