Today was the day....

Well it happened. Today was my first day back at work and I would really like to say I am back in the "swing of things" but I am not. I mean really how can you leave a cute little guy like this for work of all things? I am going to take this first week back for what it really is and try to make nothing more of it. Once this first week is past me I believe I will somehow have a revelation that this going back to work is a good thing. Good thing I like the people I work with and I have a very accommodating office environment, that is one perk.

Anyways, dropping Eli off at daycare made me sad as expected. At least he was in a good mood when I left and I didn't have to leave him crying or anything like that. Before we got to daycare the morning ran pretty well with exception of the time change. Eli didn't wake up at the 3:30am hour like he has done for a good week & a half now. He woke up at 2am instead and I was able to go back to sleep by 3am so waking up at 5:45am wasn't that bad. I didn't feel nearly as comatose as I am when I try to go back to bed after the 3:30am routine...who knows Eli's sleep could return back to what it was or it could stay this way. One thing is for sure - the time change is not helping me trying to get a schedule going on here!

No other real important things to post other than getting out the door for work (looking presentable) while still breast feeding a baby is not simple. I hope to become a pro at this morning routine soon so it doesn't feel like the chore it is right now. So far pumping at work seems to be going ok, I have to really be careful and actually remind myself to pump. It is very easy to get wrapped up into work and I don't want my milk supply to diminish this soon. I keep reminding myself "I finished a marathon, I can do it"....I find myself doing that allot when I need to get through a difficult time, it seems to work.

On a more fun note, I have some pictures of Elias from Halloween that I wanted to share with you all. Adam and I went up to my sister's house in MA to celebrate Halloween with her family. My mom came too and she was dressed up as a gypsy and it was awesome! I have to say her costume was great, my niece Melina was a witch and so was my sister. My nephew Bennett was the cutest dragon I have ever seen & Eli was a pea :) We got Eli's costume from a friend last minute and it worked out very nicely!

Enjoy the pics!




Here is my mom dressed up as a gypsy. She looked a little crazy but aren't all gypsy's?

And the last pic...kind of random but I just learned how to use my baby carrier so I decided to post it.

Hands down Elias is the most fun accessory I own!

4 more days

Yes, you read it right. Only 4 more days until I have to return to work and time is slipping through my hands. I wish I didn't have to go back but that's just life. I can honestly say I have enjoyed every minute at home with Eli even those first few nights that were totally sleep deprived! I often think how lucky Adam and I are to have Eli in our lives.

This past week has been a little busy & fun all at once. Eli and I have had some fun lunch dates with my girlfriends (who all have babies and are home right now) plus I am trying to stock up the freezer with meals so we can just heat up dinner quickly. Adam is still in school on Tuesday & Wednesday and those days are going to be especially busy so I want to be prepared. The other tricky part of my new schedule is trying to get out of the house in the morning flying solo. Adam leaves for work so early that I will not have an extra set of hands, on top of continuing to breast feed this can get tricky. But I am determined to get Eli breastfed until he is 4 months old.

My only worry right now is that Eli has dropped the 1 am feeding in the middle of the night which is fabulous but now he wakes at 3:30am to be changed & fed. Once that process is over it is 4:15am. Going back to sleep at that hour is rough because I feel like I am in a coma when I do wake up to Eli on the monitor at 7:15 am. Come Monday I need to be nursing Eli by 6am so that after I have enough time to get myself showered & ready then out the door by 8am.

The dilemma here is (I know this sounds CRAZY) should I just stay up after that 4:15am process is over? Sometimes I think I would feel better than falling back into that really deep sleep. I really don't know what to do. If I did stay up then I could have a cup of coffee & get a workout in on our treadmill in our basement as well as a quick strength training DVD. Maybe this isn't such a bad idea....I have never been a person that require 8hrs of sleep in the past so I might be able to handle it.

The other hope is that maybe Eli will drop this 3:30am wake up period very soon & just get up a little later so that it all works out nicely. That would be fantastic if it happened by Monday. LOL....I know I can't plan on it though!

Another thought is if I did get my morning workout in then I could shower & be all ready by the time Eli woke up. That would be at 7am, then I could feed him/ get him ready and out the door earlier which would mean I am home earlier from work. I just wonder if this is too much for me to tackle on top of all my emotions. Or will the execising help me create a healthy balance?

Let's be honest here, I have been crying for a few days now just knowing I won't be with Eli all day....UGH!

Mommy Monday

I couldn't wait for Elias to fit this onesie !! Notice his full belly ? He just finished eating that little piggy!!

Working out the kinks....

Here I am ....2 months old today with Pappa!

Hi Guys!

Today is Elias's official 2 month mark & I still can't get over how 2 months went by that fast! At his 2 month appointment yesterday, the doctors examined him and told me he is totally healthy. He weighed in at 11 lbs. 8 oz. (50th percentile) & he is 24 inches long (90th percentile). He is gaining weight like a champ and the doctors think the nasal congestion is nothing excessive and is completely normal. That made me feel better. What can I say I am a new mommy... steep learning curve over here!

Overall, I am happy to say I think we figured out our little problem. After having Elias on a day & a half of hypoallergenic formula I felt like there was no difference in him. Deep down inside I really felt that it wasn't a milk protein allergy. I researched further about the mucus in his stool which lead me to a lactation consultant from the La Leche League - http://www.llli.org/. Since I had to pump my breast milk while Elias was exclusively on formula for a day & a half, I quickly started to see that each time I pumped it was WAY more than Elias has ever taken in one bottle at a feeding .

What I learned from speaking with a lactation consultant is that overproduction can cause an imbalance in the formilk/hindmilk and those two things can effect the stool. The lactation consultant & pediatrician both suggested I begin to breast feed again but be certain to let the baby eat off from 1 side & completely drain the breast by letting him unlatch when he is satisfied. Overtime my production will adjust back to what the baby needs.

Before I was trying to make my breast "even" so after Eli ate for 10 minutes on one side I would move him to the other side. I also noticed he was gulping allot when eating and taking in air that contributed to his problem in the gas department. Once you put that with the nasal congestion he was getting to be really fussy and didn't want to latch on and eat. Basically, I was "watching the clock" & not the baby. On top of it all I would pump the other side many times in order to stash some in the freezer.

So to sum it all up Eli was never truly getting to the hindmilk which is very important for healthy digestion and is rich in nutrients. When the baby doesn't get the hindmilk a variety of issues can occur that I learned about through the Le Leche League. In just the past 2 days of working on this we have noticed improvements so I am crossing my fingers the kinks are all worked out now!

On another note, I ran my first race yesterday morning since giving birth to Elias. It was a 5K (3.2 miles) and I did surprisingly well. It was freezing cold & raining, seems to be a common occurrence when I have "really" important races for me. Like when I ran the Hartford Marathon it was the same exact conditions, for the full 5 hours it took me. Ugh...

My time yesterday was 28 minutes flat. It was not my best time but I felt really good out there and it was great to be back racing. I placed 38 out of 132 entrants and 11th place for my age group (20-29 yrs old). I hope to do another run on Thanksgiving day. I am going to firm up those plans soon. Something about running makes me feel so content. I am not quite sure what it is, it doesn't come naturally to me so it is hard work but when I am done I feel great. I have my days where it really feels like a "labor of love" but since I started running towards the end of my freshman year of college I have never stopped and don't plan on any time soon :)


Here I am just before the race, wish I took a picture of how soaking wet I looked when I walked back in the door after the race!

Also, here is a picture of my new haircut & and of course Elias :)
I chopped quite a bit off & it felt so nice to get back to my short hair. It has been years since I have had it short and I was afraid to cut it while preggers because I feared I would blow up and look all crazy! LOL...

Acid Reflux or Allergies?

Hi Everyone,

*warning* long entry!!

I wish this entry would be more upbeat & happy but this past week has been a challenge for all of us on this end. On Sunday, Elias started to scream & cry when being breastfeed. It started at the mid morning feeding and continued ALL day. He would unlatch, arch his back and cry uncontrollably. I felt like I was force feeding him and could tell he was uncomfortable anyway I tried to nurse him. It got to the point where I pumped my breast milk and bottle fed him just to make sure he would put food down but that too seemed to be a struggle.


I figured it could be acid reflux & I called the doctor on Monday morning. The doctor suggested it sounded more like an allergy right away but since I haven't changed my diet at all I kept with my first thought that it was acid reflux. He prescribed medicine for the reflux and told me to try it out for a few days. We did just that and really no improvement. During this time, some breast feeding sessions went ok but not great. I eventually pumped bottles just to make sure he was getting some food down again but I felt like I was force feeding. I soon began connecting the dots with his symptoms.

• mucus in his stool for weeks now


• nasal congestion that has never gone away but is clear- even with constant saline drops & suctioning


• excessive frustration with gas and digestion so bad we could here the bubbles & gurgling his tummy since we brought him home


• jumping off the breast and arching his back in pain & frustration while trying to feed


• Sleeping much more during the day for the past week & much longer stretches at night


• sneezing from time to time

The hardest thing with this situation is that there were always a few feedings a day that went well. So, I always thought some of his other symptoms were just "normal" for him. I felt that the mucus in his stool would eventually disappear when his nasal congestion finally left him. The sneezing was never excessive so I figured that was just normal too. Then onto his tummy trouble- we have been giving Mylicon drops consistently & it has seemed to help the problem but we never have seen him comfortable with his digestion after eating. Sometimes his discomfort was immediate after feedings and sometimes it was an hour or two following.

After spending the majority of my day yesterday researching what Eli was experiencing & no improvement from the acid reflux medicine, I called the doctor back last night. He said it really sounds like an allergy to milk protein which means I need to remove all milk proteins from my diet (all dairy/whey & caisein). My other option was to put Eli on the Similac Alimentun Based formula. That would be more of an immediate improvement and after seeing him suffer so much I decided that was what I would do. I left the conversation with the doctor that I would continue to pump my breast milk during this trial period so that I don't loose my supply. Eli's 2 month appointment is Friday so I figured by then we will see how this all shakes out.

I have to say I was hoping the doctor was thinking it was my caffeine consumption (I only have 1 cup a day, on occasion 2 but I make sure the 2nd is 1/2 decaff....). But the doctor said that would not cause this issue. I can't believe I almost thought I could figure out a way to give up caffeine but dairy is just too hard for me. Needless to say I am struggling with this situation because I finally have a huge supply of breast milk pumped in my freezer in preparation for returning back to work on November 2nd.

So this is where we stand - Elias is on this new very expensive formula since last night and to be honest I think it is working. I could be too soon to tell but he has had 3 bottles and I haven't seem him screaming/arching his back yet and not nearly the amount of bubbling/gurgling noises coming from his belly. I just have to let this run it's course for a few more days to know for sure. Also, Eli's congestion/mucus in his stool will take some time to clear up but the first immediate improvements we are seeing are promising so far.

Pumping breast milk during this process is not easy either. I have to feed Eli with a bottle of formula & then pump my milk right after to keep my supply going as he would demand it normally. Yes that means even in the middle of the night. Ugh....

Breast feeding is all supply & demand so once the demand goes your milk eventually goes. The other complex I am dealing with is that the milk I am pumping now & have stored in the freezer could be all a waste. I can't begin to tell you all how frustrating that is for me. I not only have a very expensive breast pump that will be useless but "liquid gold" in the freezer pumped that I will have to toss out, not to mention the effort & time I have put into it all.

Right now the only thing that is making this situation ok is the hope that Eli gets better fast. If this is what is going to take to see him more comfortable and is our solution to the problem I have to find a way to deal with it. A happy & healthy baby is the number one priority right now but this mommy guilt of not being able to breast feed or at least use my pumped milk is killing me.

Elias's 7 week old re-cap

Here I am having fun in my baby rocker!

Hi Everyone,

Everything over here is going great with the exception of it being hard for me to get on here and update every few days like I would ideally want to. Weekly updates are pretty much my speed these days....

This week was full of socialization for Elias and I. On Wednesday, we took a trip to visit my work and it went really well. I figured I should bring in the baby before I begin juggling my new schedule in a few weeks. Although Elias was pretty calm the whole time, he did get a little gas and slightly fussy but then it passed. I expected him to do more of his "tricks" he has been up to lately but after the gas passed he pretty much slept the whole time. Hopefully the next visit he shows off his fun personality more!

Last weekend my grandparents came to CT from Brooklyn, NY to meet Elias and visit with the family. It was so nice to see them. We spent the full day at my mom's on Saturday with the family and then Sunday we went to Mohegan Sun Casino with them. No one hit it big on the slots but it was still fun to go to the casino. My sister Tammy, Ed and the kids came from MA as well for the weekend so it was extra special for Elias to finally meet his cousins. Melina & Bennett were so sweet with Elias, I can tell they are going to be good playmates together when Eli gets bigger.

Another fun thing that happened this week is that Elias got a baby swing from my sister and boy are we all happy she gave it to us! Hahaha... Once he gets in the swing he is happy as a clam! He really likes the music & the toys that are attached. I seem to get a good half hour out of him in the swing (sometimes more) which is heavenly! As a thank you to my sister here is a video of Elias in the baby swing.

(I am not sure why I can't get the video to be the right side up...sorry!)


Some other happenings this week included lunch with my friends Sylvia & Margaret on Thursday and a lunch/work visit with my mom & Aunt Lydia on Friday. Elias and I are really getting around these days it seems, I wish I could be home with him all the time!

Switching gears, I also officially signed up for my 5K race on the 24th, I say "race" but I am really going for just "surviving it". It may not be my most stellar performance but I got to get out there and do it. Once it is passed me I will be happy I got out there. Coincidentally the race is the exact day Elias turns 2 months!

Also, Elias fits into his hunting camouflage that Uncle Tommy gave to him!! Adam is super excited that Eli has his own hunting camo so we had to take a a picture of him in it, tis the season!
Hi Uncle Tommy, Thanks for my Camo!!

Daycare visit & this weeks happenings

Well Hello Everyone!

Sorry I have been so distant from the blog! I have been wanting to put up an entry for 3 days now but you know how it goes with those newborn babies...they totally let you know who the boss is real quick! hahaha...

Anyways, things are going great over here, Elias is growing so fast it seems. He gets heavier everyday! The car seat carrier is getting to be a workout to lug in an out of places! Elias is smiling allot more these days it is so much fun to see him be more interactive every day.

So the big day for me to return to work is November 2nd and I am not looking forward to it. I truly enjoy being home with the little guy & never thought I would say this but being a stay at home mom would be awesome. That isn't in the cards for us so I have to get over that real fast! But we did find a great daycare up the road from our house that is super convenient and it is in a home which we liked.

Anna & Sarah (they are mother & daughter) will be Elias's daycare providers and we instantly connected with them/felt really comfortable at their home. I am so happy our friend Nicole put us in contact with them because in our search we found some doozies out there, a few places were truly just terrible, it was scary. Also, Adam's parents are going to watch Elias one day a week on Wednesdays. I am sure Eli will love to be spoiled for a full day with his grandparents one day a week!

This Wednesday Elias and I visited Anna's house so he could get acquainted with daycare & meet them both. He was a saint while we were there, no crying just taking it all in and being really chill...I told them to watch out! hahaha..that is not how it is all the time! The other kids loved him except for the 3yr olds, they could care less about him they were totally just playing with their toys! The 11 month old & 2 year old were all about Eli, they were staring at him and were mesmerized by another baby it seemed. There is another boy that will be going to the daycare too that I didn't meet that day and he is close in age to Eli, only older by a month and a half.

Here is a picture of Elias with Anna & Sarah from our visit

This past Sunday Adam dressed Eli after he was bathed...can't you tell?? hahaha...

Well got to run for now, I am going to meet up with a girlfriend for a walk with Eli and then when Adam comes home today I want to make it to the gym....only 4 more pounds to loose of the baby weight!! Woohooo!!

Plus my running is getting back to a level where I plan on doing my first timed run on the 24th, it is a 5K. I plan on signing up next week for it , once I officially sign up for it there is no turning back so that is added motivation to push myself just a little harder :)

1 month check up, first fair & family party

Our first time at the fair as a family

Mom enjoying some quality time with Eli at the fair

Hi Everyone,

These past few days have been busy for us - we had Elias's 1 month appointment, went to the Durham Fair & a family gathering on Sunday. Eli's 1 month appointment was Thursday the 24th and he tipped the scale at 9lbs. 4 oz., he is gaining weight just fine and on target. Eli also got his first vaccination in front of me which was not fun to watch have done. He took it like a champ though, only about 30 seconds of non stop crying and almost turning purple in rage but then he calmed down. After the shot was done, I quickly headed over to CVS to get Infant Tylenol and gave him a small amount the doctor said was safe to give. Luckily the night went pretty well, I expected him to be extra fussy but he did just fine.

Then this Saturday was a fun day for all of us, we met Grandma Neyda (my mom) at the Durham Fair and the weather was absolutely perfect for it! Elias was so chill at the fair, he slept in the stroller just fine, he woke up 2 times to eat and get changed and let mommy, daddy, and grandma enjoy the yummy treats at the fair! On the list of goodness we ate that day was - Hot dogs/Steamed Hamburger/Lobster Bisque/Fried Dough with EXTRA sugar (yum!)/and Giant Smores! Oh yeah, I had to buy a candy apple too, that was a treat I ate later on. Needless to say I scrubbed the crap out of my teeth that night !

Elias at the fair in front of the cows sleeping

On Sunday we went over to Uncle Phil & Aunt Lori's house for Kayla's birthday celebration. Kayla & Chelsea held the baby and he just melted in their arms. Eli decided for Kayla's birthday gift he would rip out a few strands of her pretty blond hair while she held him....Needless to say Chelsea pulled her hair back before holding him! I have learned my lesson not to have my hair within his reach, the little man has quite a grip!

Kayla & Elias

Chelsea & Elias

Professional Pictures Done!

These are our pictures we took but the professional ones in the link below are much better!


Hey Guys!

Elias turned one month old on Monday the 21st and he goes for his one month appointment tomorrow where he will get a vaccination. I know it won't be fun to watch him go through this but you got to do what you got to do! Eli has been doing really great overall, he is sleeping well and he is very active. He still hates tummy time but is getting slightly better with it. He loves to try to swat at his toys that hang above his head in his baby rocker seat & his mobile. It is really cute to watch :)


While Elias is still really small we figured it would be nice to get professional pictures done. Only one problem existed - we didn't want to take him to a germ infested studio at the mall. He doesn't even have all his vaccinations yet so that really worried us. Then we got to thinking about the photographer that did our kitchen pictures (you can check those out in one of my older blog entries) and that she would be perfect for this! I quickly got in contact with her and she said she would come to our house and do Elias's pictures for us. Let me tell you, what a huge convenience that was for us and we have pictures that are so much more personalized.

If Elias was bigger and could smile "on demand" I would have totally taken him somewhere but at this stage you have to capture those moments as they come. I think our photographer Alexis did such an awesome job and we are thrilled with the pictures. When you have a minute you all can check them out :)


Password is "newborn", if you click on slide show you will hear the music with the pictures too.

http://www.eventpix.com/guest/events/event.php?_function=detail&key=2900b74ea5f011deb2030023329d91d7

Updates & "The Mommy Club"

Hi Everyone!

I feel like it has been so long since I posted an entry! Since I am up enjoying quite time before Elias wakes I figured I would get in an entry about what has been going on this past week and a half in our lives. But first here are some pictures :)


I love these froggy PJ's on Elias he will only get about 1 more wearing out of them because they are New Born sized, he is growing so long!!

Sarah holding Elias for the first time! What a natural she is.... :)

Now for the updates...

Elias -

Elias is doing great, he sleeps very well in the evening only waking up 1 time in the middle of the night and 1 time early morning to feed. He basically sleeps 3hr intervals which is working out fine. The only thing is he seems to be boycotting the nap during the day. He wants to be held all the time, it is hard to do! Just when he falls asleep in my arms I put him in the pack n' play to nap with the hopes of squeezing in a meal, cup of coffee, sorting through mail/paying bills, chores,etc. and it just doesn't work! He wakes up within minutes and wants to be held. I know you can't spoil a baby when they are this young but I am paying close attention to this.

Sometimes it is because he has gas & he needs to be walked around the house to help move the gas. Other times we put him in his baby rocker and it works for a quick 5-10mins then cries to be picked up. I try to soothe him with a pacifier and that worked only for so long, he rarely wants that unless I hold it for him! Training a 3 week old to hold a pacifier is tough work!

Also, Elias was cluster feeding for about 3 days & now is back on the 2 hr -2 1/2 hr feeding schedule during the day. Cluster feeding is tough because he finishes nursing then in less than an hour he is getting cranky and wants to eat again. You don't get a break because in that time frame he usually gets some gas so I am trying to burp him, get the gas to pass, and that results in a change of diaper and before you know it he is ready to eat again!

I think the cluster feeding has passed for now (babies do this typically at 3 weeks & 6 weeks). Cluster feeding occurs to increase the mothers milk production & I have noticed in the past 2 days that when I pump my breast milk (trying to get a stock pile in the freezer for when I go back to work) I am getting a bit more it seems.

Exercise -

My friend Sylvia is home on maternity leave with her son Jackson and we started meeting up to walk on the bike trail in Farmington on nice days. We call it "The Mommy Club". It is such a great break in the day, the babies pretty much sleep the whole way, and we get to chat & exercise at the same time. When I think about how Sylvia and I met at Uconn and all the partying we have done since the day we met and now have "the mommy club" it is pretty funny! It is nice to have friends to go through life changes with, our friend Margaret is due this October too and we were all college roommates so it is fun time for us.

Back to the exercise - I feel so good that going back to the gym this week seems like a good idea. I will take it easy but it would be nice to get back, I realized today I have been out of the gym for just under 4 weeks and it is starting to get to me. If I only make it half the time I used to go while adjusting to life with a baby & going back to work FT at the end of October, I will be fine with that. I know it is unrealistic to think I will have as much time as I had in the past for the gym, but I do need to find a balance.

Our Schedule-

Adam started his classes last night and that makes for a long day to say the least. Not only for him but for me. Right now Adam leaves the house at 5:15 am for work then he gets home at 4:15pm to get ready & leave the house by 5:30pm for class. He is not home until 9:30pm so I am home all day with Elias. Adam is taking 2 classes so Tues. & Thurs. this will be the schedule, I don't even want to think about when I go back to work how we are going to juggle this! I know it will be done and I have people I can call on for help (Thank you Debbie for last night!) but it is a little rough.

And today I leave you with a cute bath time picture of Elias!

Elias meets Uncle Tommy!!

Adam's brother Tommy has been away for work since Elias was born and finally got to meet his nephew this past Sunday! We had a nice family dinner at Adam's parents house in celebration of Debbie's birthday, Tommy coming home, and my birthday.

Today I turned 29 years old, and as I sit on the couch watching "The View" holding our little guy in my arms I realize how far I have come. If you asked me years ago where I would be at 29 years old & what I would be doing, I would have probably said exactly what I am doing today. I always wanted to live my 20's by traveling places and enjoying a carefree life & being married without children for a few years. I also accomplished running a marathon and 3 triathlons, and of course graduating college enjoying ever minute of it.

We also wanted to have 1 child by the time I turned 30 so we are right on track with that too. Another goal that Adam and I were able to achieve was to finish all our major house projects prior to having children. We successfully did that and I have to say it was a fun process although it was allot of hard work. I can't see us having that time to do those types of projects right now.

So turning 29 today isn't so bad...I know the big 30 will be fast approaching as I watch our little guy grow up but the year to come will be full of exciting new adventures for both Adam and I to look forward to!

And here is a picture of our little skinny guy that I love so much!

Some updates & pictures

First Sponge Bath & Eli relaxing in the boppy pillow :)

Hi Everyone!

The first week being home with Elias has gone really well so far. Daytime T.V. is terrible but on a more important note - we had a doctor's appt. on Monday to re-check Eli's weight and it was a success because he has gained back all the weight he lost in the hospital. I don't anticipate going forward that gaining weight is going to be an issue for Eli, he has quite the internal alarm clock and knows exactly when 2 hrs has passed for his next feeding!

Another development is that we are getting some sleep! Adam moved Eli into his crib on Sunday night and it worked like a charm. We thought it might help because we have a crib wedge which elevates his upper back a bit and since he seemed to be struggling with passing gas the prior nights we felt it was worth a shot. The doctor also suggested we try gas drops called Mylicon and they have helped tremendously. We only use it at his night time feedings and the improvement was immediate so that means his gas moves, he gets back down to sleep sooner & so do we! Since this new routine started on Sunday night Elias sleeps for 3 hr clips and it is LOVELY! I can totally handle this sleep schedule and hope it last!

I know it is much too early to say we have a "real routine" because he will go through growth spurts and cluster feed soon but I do have to say I am one happy mommy lately.

In addition, we have had lots of visitors lately and I wanted to post some pictures. There are two very precious pictures below of Elias's proud grandparents that I especially wanted to share as well.

Meme' & Poppi (Adam's parent's) & Grandma (my mother)



My girlfriends from Uconn came to visit today, Elias looks like his is melting in Caralyn's arms! And Sylvia brought Jack over for Elias's first play date!

First few days

Since we have been home on Wed. afternoon, the first few days have been going by pretty well so far :) . A few rough nights but one really good night so we are hoping for a repeat performance very soon! Overall, Elias is doing very well with breast feeding and on Monday we go back to the pediatrician to check that he is gaining weight appropriately. I think this appointment should go well since he is eating very regularly and seems to be passing enough dirty/wet diapers which means he is in good health.

We have learned lots of things he doesn't like so far and things he does like. He loves to be swaddled but can't stand his arms in the swaddle anymore. He HATES to have his diaper changed because that means he is cold! The other thing is that he really likes to be quite during the day and at night he has a period of time where he is a bit out of control, it doesn't last too long but you have to try just about everything to get him to stop fussing...my sister used to call this the "witching hour" with her first little one so we are hoping that this goes away in time.

I can't help but look at out little man, it is amazing to have him here and we just love him so much! Adam is a really great Dad too, he helps out everywhere possible with exception to the breast feeding of course! But if I need him to change the baby in the middle of the night or soothe the baby when I have done all I can he jumps right in.

Things should get a bit easier with feeding Elias around the 2-3 week mark I plan on introducing the bottle because I am going to start pumping my breast milk. I think it will be nice to have the option to have Adam feed the baby especially in the middle of the night.

So there you have it, that is our 4 day wrap up so far, we are learning allot with this process of being new parents and every day should get better as we learn what works and doesn't work.

Hope you all enjoyed the pictures !

We are home!

Hi Everyone,

I feel like I have so much to catch up since my last update. First things first....Elias John is here! He is a healthy little boy, he weighed in at 7lbs. 12.3 ounces & is 21.5 inches long. We couldn't be more happier with our little guy and he was worth all the work to get out!

After my last post on Friday about being induced mother nature took over on its own it seems...Saturday I woke up not feeling well at all, I attributed my feeling strange to the extreme humidity we were experiencing here in CT. About 12:30 in the afternoon I started to have some back pain on top of feeling crampy and by 3pm Adam and I figured going for a swim in his parents pool might make me feel better. We then decided to go to dinner & the movies. On the way to dinner at 6pm I started to feel my back pain intensify & while eating dinner I decided to time what was going on. I thought I would have contractions I could feel in my belly so I wasn't sure what was going on.

After calling my sister who has been through back labor she verified what I was feeling was labor. I was so upset because back labor was not what I wanted at all. We skipped the movies obviously & went home right away. I called my doctor when we got home and told her how I had been feeling all day & she advised me to come into the hospital and get checked out.

We got to the hospital by 9pm on Saturday night and they decided to keep me because I was inf fact having contractions & my cervix had soften almost completely on its own. I was only 1cm dilated at this time & the hope was that staying overnight controlling my pain would give me some quality sleep so that they could start the induction process a day earlier.

On Sunday morning the Pitocin drip started at 7am & my doctor came in to check me at 9am but I was only 2 cm dilated by that point. My pain started to increase dramatically by this time with every contraction and by 12noon I was buckled over shaking in pain looking for my epidural. My dilation was moving slower than molasses, but I was making some progress so they gave me my epidural and THANK GOD for that. I was able to manage my pain and I got some rest while the dilation process was still going on. By 3pm I was only @ 5cm dilated and feeling really discouraged. My contractions started to get too close and the baby's heart rate was doing ok but not great. They slowed the Pitocin drip to get things under control & it took until 7pm for them to safely start increasing the Pitocin drip again.

It was a rough day, when I was finally fully dilated & able to start pushing it was 10:30pm! UGH..... Honestly, this was the longest and hardest thing I have every been through and I still had all my work ahead of me. The doctor had determined I was having not only having a crappy back labor experience but Elias was "sunny side up" - meaning face up. She quickly told me that was not the best way to try to deliver a baby on top of back labor. She explained my options after an hour & half of pushing with little progress (forceps/vacuum/possible c-section if the baby's heart rate kept dropping). I was convinced I could do it if I could get my epidural topped off more. After I got topped at midnight I was in fact moving along and making some progress.

Thank god my doctor was patient with me, I had to have oxygen on in between contractions to help the baby's heart rate but I avoided having a c-section and other means of intervention. I ended up pushing out our "sunny side up" baby after 3.5 LONG HOURS.

To be honest I felt cheated a bit, all the work I had done trying to keep fit during this pregnancy just didn't hold up when I needed it. All the nurses & doctor told me the exact opposite but I still felt like why couldn't I have pushed Elias out sooner? The doctor reassured me if I wasn't as fit as I was I would have ended up in a c-section and she said I really impressed her and the nurses. It was a very involved labor with lots of things against me but I did it.

Looking at Elias for the first time was the best feeling for Adam and I. I could have run 2 marathons in a row and not felt as drained as this process but it was something I had to get through and I did it. Elias is such a joy to have and honestly we can't stop looking at our little man, he is just the best. We have lots of new experiences to go through and learn but we are excited to do it together as a family :)

Updates...

Today and yesterday I had doctor's appointments to make sure everything is going ok with me and the baby and I am happy to report they are :) The only thing is there are no signs of dilation still or that a natural delivery is happening anytime soon.

*BUT *I did get some good news which at the time was a huge sigh of relief for me. I really, really, really did not want to have to go to work on Monday and my wish was granted.

The doctor told me today they will start the induction process this Sunday. From the start of being pregnant, being induced was not what I originally wanted to happen but right now it sounds like a decent plan. I know there are many things that can happen being induced and I should not expect a perfect situation but I feel well informed and think this is the way to go at this stage in the game.

The plan is that on Sunday I go to the hospital at 5pm & the process is started to try to soften my cervix, by Monday morning they will start the Pitocin. From there we hope my body responds nicely and Baby Elias makes his arrival safe & sound within the day.

So what's a pregnant girl to do with this news on a Friday night? Well - for starters she is going to eat whatever she wants this weekend, see a movie and get one last manicure & pedicure. Oh yeah - maybe a little cleaning up around the house but I have been doing lots of that lately so really just tidying up!

What's annoying me lately....

I think I have been a very happy pregnant girl so far if I might say so myself. I have been able to do all the things I would normally do (with exception of drinking really) and Adam has it good because I don't pull the "I can't do anything physical around the house nonsense". Since I am "officially overdue" by 4 days now, I have noticed this increasing feeling of being annoyed by just about everything. And because it is easier for me to vent this way instead of tearing into people I figured I would take a minute out of my day here at work to do so....

1. The foot in my right rib that has been there for almost 2 straight months now is literally killing me - if anyone wants to know how this feels let me know.
2. Walking into work for the past 2 weeks every day and being asked (no more like yelled at) "You're still here" is more than annoying, it gives me the right at any given time to punch someone. Like I really want to be coming to work right now? SERIOUSLY people.
3. Being stared at while at the gym by strangers who are thinking 1 of 2 things - "Why is she still here working out" and "When is she going to have that baby already"
4. People who tell me to "Sleep now, because when the baby gets here you're not going to get any sleep". Well guess what - since January, no make that December (when I was sick with bronchitis) I have slept like absolute crap. I get 5 hrs a night but broken up, on a good day I get 6 hours. Here is a typical night for me - Go to sleep at 10:30pm up at 12:30am to pee, then back to sleep which usually doesn't happen until by 1:15-1:30am or so, and up again at 3:30am to pee, then back to sleep only to hear Adam's alarm go off at 5:00am over an over again until 5:30am when I LITERALLY kick him to get up out of bed. And I haven't even mentioned how looking over at Adam sleeping so soft & sound for another day is going to make me puke.
5. Being told have you tried walking, washing/scrubbing the floors, eating pineapple/eggplant parmesan/or spicy foods yet to get labor started? UM YES I have - more than once & none of it has worked.

Ok so I am going to stop my rant now. I can go on for a few more but you all get the point. When Baby Elias wants to come he will come, and if not he will be out by force next week. Let's just hope between now and when they want to induce me I can get my mind off from having this baby and enjoy my last few days being pregnant. I think the movies are in order for this weekend for Adam and I, and another manicure & pedicure for me...other than that not sure what else is in store for the next few days!

Due date has come & gone....

Well today was supposed to be the day and little Elias has decided to continue his camping out in my belly instead! Is this an indication of what is to come for Adam and I ?!? haha....


I checked out fine at my doctors appt. today, I gained 2 lbs, my blood pressure was 115/68 and the baby's heartbeat was nice & strong as usual. My measurement is exactly 40 weeks spot on so they truly don't think I am having a GIANT baby like I feel like I am having!


I do have some updates - I have to go back several times within this next week:

• Thursday for an ultrasound to check the level of amniotic fluid in the womb


• Friday for a Non-Stress Test which is a 30 minute monitoring test


• Monday for another Non-Stress Test
  

AND the good thing is that on Friday I will know which day next week they are going to induce me on. It is looking like next Wed. or Thurs. as of now (8/26 or 8/27). I will have to go in the night before for a small procedure to try to "soften the cervix" then I would go in that very next morning to start the inducing process @ the hospital.

So that's it for now.....hopefully some day this week I spontaneously go into labor naturally!

Finished Bathroom!

Just in time before the baby arrives the 2nd floor bathroom is finally complete! Thank you Adam - my dear husband who does all the labor for these house projects when I have my "visions"...haha...
Here are the before & after pictures I promised, they pretty much speak for themselves. The old bathroom was just slightly 70's in style & run down so it really needed a complete overhaul. What we can't seem to figure out is if we miss the old light fixture above the vanity or the wallpaper more??? LOL


AFTER