SO...it's been awhile...

WARNING....This will be a LONG post. If you do not wish to read it I totally understand!:)

Well, the last time I posted I was still enormously pregnant on bed rest and anxiously awaiting Miss K's arrival. Oh how things have changed!!! As many of you know we had her in October. I wanted to chronicle the experience on this blog so that I could look back later and remember.

Here's the story...

The problems with my blood pressure being elevated had me going to the Dr. every few days. This was fun!:) They kept checking everything and I was not progressing to begin any stage of labor. The Dr. said a few times "This baby is getting big!" Well, I didn't think much about it because they are supposed to be big the week of your due date!:) Finally, the Monday before I was due (due date was the 23rd) the Dr. ordered an ultrasound. Low and behold the child was measuring OFF THE CHARTS big and she was breech which explained everything, as well as shot my dream of having a natural childbirth (assisted with an epidural of course). I was severely disappointed about this but at that point I was very ready for her to be here.

We scheduled the c-section for the 20th which was that Wed. Tuesday, Stewart and I finished getting everything ready for her arrival, he squared things away at work, and we ate a big fatty dinner at Cracker Barrel because I couldn't eat/drink anything past midnight. The hardest part about not eating/drinking was the fact that I was ADDICTED to ice water. Like craved it beyond anything and literally drank gallons a day. I WAS DYING by 1 a.m in the morning. Needless to say we both didn't sleep well.

Wednesday morning we got ready, took a few last pics, packed up the car, and headed to the hospital in Tulsa. At the hospital my mama was waiting on us and my sister got there a little after. My poor Daddy couldn't come because he was on call for work. So, so sad. Stew's mom was on her way as well.

They got me ready, started an i.v., listened to baby, and did all of the paperwork and such that one must do to have a baby...it was alot!:) By this time, the thought of ice water literally made me want to cry! My sis got me 2 cups and I swished with water from one and spit it out in the other. I WAS DESPERATE!

Finally, they brought me back into the c-section room and began the process. For everyone who knows me knows that this was a little surreal for me since I used to work in surgery everyday as a Certified Surgical Tech. Because of this I knew exactly what was going on and it made me even more nervous. To make a long story short I received a spinal (OUCH), they got me ready for surgery, my Dr. came in and started the surgery, and Stew was then able to join me. In mins flat after almost literally pulling me off the table to get her out (the Dr. even made the incision longer to more efficiently pull her out) I heard her cry for the first time. She was whisked away with the nurses with her Daddy by her side. 9lbs. 7oz. and 21 inches long! He brought her to me a few mins later and I was able to give her a kiss while the Dr. was still cleaning and sewing me up. I remember her little chubby cheekies peeking out from the swaddle blanket. Precious! Then, my sweet hubby and baby girl left for the nursery. I was alone with the crew until they took me to recovery where my sister was there and my mom not long after. I was really loopy at this point with pain meds and such but I vividly remember the nurse allowing my sister to feed me ice chips. I ate THREE cups in a VERY short amount of time. My sister even put a little water in it and I drank it. I was in heaven!!!!

The plan was for them to clean Sassy Pants up and do vitals and such and bring her back to me with her Daddy. Well, that didn't happen. Stew came back in briefly to tell me that Kinsleigh's blood sugar was low and they were trying to bring it up. She was born a little before ten in the morning and I didn't get to see her, hold her or touch her again until late that afternoon. Tore me apart! My mom, sister, and mother-in-law took turns sitting with my doped up self in recovery and then when they moved me to my room. I got to see her through the window of the nursery as they wheeled me by in my bed. This aspect of the whole day was so disappointing and sad. Im actually tearing up as I write this. I missed a lot that first day, but luckily Kinsleigh had her sweet Daddy with her the whole time.

I FINALLY got to hold her I think around 4ish that afternoon. Her sweet chubby cheeks were absolutely adorable and I was in love!:) Unfortunately, the next 12 hours or so were filled with worry as we still tried to get her blood sugar up. They let her stay with us in our room but we had to feed her every 2 hours with a supplementary nursing system of formula used while simultaneously breast feeding. They would then prick her tiny heal AGAIN and check her blood sugar. It was a hard, very long night. But it finally came back up!!!

We only stayed two nights (three nights are the usual for a c-section) and went home on Friday afternoon. Poor Stew was more than ready and was happy the Dr. gave us the option. He was about to crawl the walls. Those first nights, days, weeks, at home were stressful to say the least!:) Recovering from a c-section is for the birds!! I really wish I had not had to have one. I feel like I missed out on so much and it truly is MAJOR surgery. But, I guess the important thing is she was delivered safe and sound and was a healthy baby other than the brief blood sugar problem. Im thankful that the Lord has given us the knowledge to do surgeries like that or I don't know where we would be.

Life with Miss Kinsleigh is exhausting, rewarding, and the most amazing blessing Stewart and I could have ever been given. The fact that God blessed us with her after the fertility issues we endured is truly a miracle we do not take lightly. She is a true gift from God and I try and cherish every second with her. It goes by way to fast. I can't believe she is already 11 weeks old as I write this post. Time flies when your changing diapers!!!:)

The responsibility of a child is truly a big one. I pray that Stewart and I will train her up in the way of the Lord in a Christ centered home, and that she sees and understands the love of her heavenly Father. I love her more than words could ever express and look forward to the amazing future God has planned for our little family. God is truly amazing!

That has caught you up on my life in a nutshell. Im going to be better at this blog thing again because I truly enjoy it! I love all you fellow blogsters! Have a blessed day!

LOVE,

ASH

And....Im still pregnant!!!!:)

Well, here I am a day shy of 39 weeks and I'm still pregnant. Little Miss Sassy Pants seems to be a bit on the stubborn side!:) She apparently really likes her current residence and does NOT want to come out. All well...all in God's perfect timing!

I'm still on bed rest so that has really gotten old, but this to shall pass and I know it won't last forever. My wonderful sister came to see me this week and brought my little rays of sunshine, Sydni and Luke. They all three stayed a night with us and my precious sister cleaned my house for me. She is such an amazing sister! I don't know what I would do without her. She really does too much!

Stewart does so much for me as well. I am a truly blessed woman. He is such an amazing and caring hubby and has made this mini bump in the road seem not so bad!:) Im truly blessed to have such a wonderful family who loves and cares for me. We are all just anxiously waiting this little diva's arrival!

I will try my hand at posting a pic or two that my sis took of me in all of my glory while she was here. Yes my belly is HUGE! It's getting quite uncomfortable to carry around but Kinsleigh is so worth the effort!:) Hopefully, when I add a new post I will have more news or maybe even pics of our sweet baby girl!!!! I hope everyone has a wonderful and fun filled weekend!! Happy, Happy Fall!

Sittin on my derrière and blog design...

Hello bloggy world....

For those followers I do have (which I love and really appreciate you taking the time to read about my life!:) you may have noticed a background change in my blog. I LOVED the original background, however I noticed the text color was really hard to read and when I tried to change it well that didn't work so well because it is a pre-fabbed thing. So, here is my next fav. Not as beautiful and festive as the first but a little easier to read.

So, I sit here "being a couch potato" and trying really hard to be good. This is REALLY for the birds but I realize how important it is. Thank the Lord I am not on STRICT bed rest and can still get up to do a few simple tasks like a load of laundry and such. I will be 37 weeks tomorrow which apparently is considered "full term" so we will see what happens!! Im getting really excited and a little anxious to meet this little princess.

Other than that not a whole lot is going on. I watch the hours tick by as I sit, and sit, and sit, and maybe lay down, and then sit some more!:) I really need to figure out how to post pics on this thing. That is on my to do list for today.

On a different note, the weather is absolutely fabulous and Im thinking a chiminea night is in the works for this weekend. That will be a good change of scenery for me!:) I hope everyone has a fabulous weekend and enjoy this beautiful weather. I LOVE Fall! It's truly the best time of the year. It's like God saves some of the deepest and richest colors in the color palette and paints the outdoor world the glimmering, crisp landscape that we think of as Autumn. L.O.V.E. it! Thank you God for the beauty that you give us to see, taste, smell and experience. Breathtaking!

Happy Fall my fellow blogsters!

Anniversary...

So yesterday was Stewart and I's 7 year anniversary. I can't even believe it has been that long. I love that man more and more every single day. I am truly blessed to have a husband like him.

Nobody tells you how hard the first couple years of marriage can be. For us they were a huge time of growing, getting to know each other in a more personal way, and learning to live with the things about each other that just seriously got on our nerves. It was tough...Im not going to lie. I think most couples go through something like that when they are first married and just don't talk about it. Some of course don't, but we sure did. Praise the Lord we worked through our differences and idiosyncrasies and are now closer than ever before. Marriage is truly an amazing work in progress.

For our 7 year anniversary I had envisioned going out to a romantic dinner together and then doing whatever else we thought would be fun afterward. Well, with being on this precautionary bed rest thing I didn't know what the evening would entail. I had already had a blood pressure check in the morning and was told that the resting thing was working and to keep it up. So, that didn't leave much that we could do.

Well, Stew decided that it would be okay if we went out to eat locally in Owasso, instead of going to T-town. We checked my blood pressure before we left and it was normal, so we went to Olive Garden and had dinner. It was delish and I even got a piece of Pumpkin Cheesecake to take home. FALL in your mouth!!!!! We went back home and I assumed my potato position on the couch and we commenced to watching our Monday night shows. We LOVE Castle!!

Overall, we had a wonderful anniversary. Different than I may have imagined it would be and definitely different from our normal anniversary routine, but full of love for one another and our sweet unborn baby girl. We absolutely can't wait until she is here! I can't wait to spend many, many more anniversaries together and next year with our baby girl!

36 weeks and counting...

So, this last week has been a bit more eventful then I had planned for. After going to my routine appointment on Thurs. the Dr. gave me orders to become a couch potato. With a slight rise in blood pressure and a bad family history of pre-eclampsia I was given the dreaded bed rest order. It's been a little depressing sitting/laying down almost constantly, but Kinsleigh is so worth it!

My sister came to spend some time with me and do some grocery shopping, cleaning, etc. that I had not been able to get to. She gets my insane OCD tendencies. What a blessing she is!!! She has battled this twice before with both of her pregnancies so she totally GETS it!

She brought me her blood pressure machine and I have been taking it every couple of hours. It seems to have gone done and only moderately spiked a few times. So...I guess this resting thing is working.

On a different note...the weather is absolutely fabulous. It's definitely wonderfully crisp outside making me want to sit with a hot cup of coffee or tea in front of my chiminea. FALL is finally HERE!!!! I love it and I also love that I will be having our baby in my favorite season. Love, love, love it!

Kinsleigh...your mommy can't wait to see and snuggle you!!!!!!!

October where are you????

So, today I've been really uncomfortable. Little sassy pants has "dropped" making it hard to sit up straight, walk, etc.!:) Then you mix the swelling feet and hands and it makes for a fabulous day! But, I can honestly say that it is totally worth it! I never thought I would even get to experience these amazing (yes I said amazing) "symptoms". I can't wait to hold my precious baby girl and every ache and pain I experience brings me one step closer to that wonderful moment.

Here's to five more weeks (give or take) of aches and pains. Kinsleigh, your mommy and daddy can't wait to hold you and kiss your sweet cheeks!

Welcome to the Bloggy World...

So, I decided to jump on the band wagon and start a blog. With the upcoming arrival of our little miracle I thought what better time!! Hopefully, I can use it to update friends and family with pictures, info, etc. of our sweet baby girl!

I am probably going to be VERY slow at learning this process so bear with me (those followers if any who choose to read about my life!:)

On another note...Fall is in the air and I couldn't be happier!!! The decor is up around the house and all I have left to do is hang the wreath, put my scarecrow up, and purchase pumpkins for the outside. I LOVE FALL!!! It seriously makes me ridiculously giddy!

Later, I will post pics of the beautifulness ( I don't even think if that is a real word) of my house that now exudes FALL! Love it!!!

I hope everyone has a fabulous rest of their day!