Cailin is 15 months and Wesley is 1 month

The past month has been a whirlwind!! Cailin turned 15 months old on the 18th and Wesley just turned 1 month today.

Here is how things have been going...

Cailin is a very busy toddler. She is totally into everything and we have entered the world of tantrums. She likes to get her way! She isnt saying much just yet, but she understands a lot! She is such a good girl and we just love her so much.

Cailin's favorite thing to do is grab cd's, dvd's, and vhs's off the shelf and put them inside Wesley's swing. She also loves opening her drawers and taking her clothes out. At least she puts them back!

Wesley is generally a really quiet baby. He has been having some digestive issues and was diagnosed with reflux. He doesn't spit up but he hiccups, has terrible gas, and pain in the evening. I have even looked over at him and saw him making a choking face because if the acid. We are seeing what the next two weeks bring and then will decide on a course of action. If he stays the same or gets better nothing will be done, and if it gets any worse or if the choking episodes continue we will start by thickening his formula. He isn't the best sleeper but does get two 3-4 hour stretches. He goes to bed around 9/10 and wakes around 12:30 then again around 2:30-4:30 then sometime during the 6 o'clock hour he is up. I can live with the 3-4 hour sleeps but anyhting less is unbearable if I need to be productive. During the day I try to make sure he eats every 2.5-3 hours.


The pair of them had doctors appointments Friday and I was very lucky to have Dan come and help! (Cailin was a disaster to put it nicely).

Wesley got his official diagnosis of acid reflux and we will watch that. He weighs 11lbs 12 oz and is now 22.8 inches long. He is doing well despite his laziness. I need to make certain that he is receiving more tummy time than usual and that I rotate his head. He is developing a flat spot but his head was a little misshapen from birth since he was in the same position for literally 10 weeks.

Cailin's appointment was a little more in depth. She weighs 23.5 lbs and is 31.5 inches tall. Dr. Mahony recommended starting a firm punishment system especially for her incessant food throwing. Every time she throws food or her zippy her meal is over. Period. I had to do it tonight but I doubt it meant anything because she was almost done with dinner anyways. We will be starting her on a multivitamin and need to find a dentist for her. One other thing we need to keep an eye on is her language development. She is very receptive and even understands complicated commands but her speech is behind. She has 1 word plus 3-5 other words that aren't as distinguishable. She says hi well and sometimes mama or dada. She also says mmmmm when something tastes good and uh oh when an accident happens. She needs to have 5 clear words by her 18 month appointment or she will need early intervention and speech therapy.

Wesley goes back next month and Cailin returns in 3 months for their next appointments.

We have received so many cards and gifts it is very humbling. We are so lucky to have caring friends and family here to support us. My former college professor, Dr. Kreiling was even nice enough to send a personal card along with hand-knit booties for Wesley. She even sent a nice email as well. She was always ran a class that was impossible to slack in, and if you didn't do the work you were not getting a good grade. I earned decent marks in her class and really admired her expertise. Not only that but she was overall a great teacher and human being, always helping students and treating everyone the same, even the complete idiots in the class. She really supported a good work ethic and good musicianship. I always valued her feedback from recitals and classwork more than others because it truly meant more.

Welcome to Wesley Jameson Moriarty

This post is quite late but in my own defense I now have a newborn and a toddler.... :)

Here is the story of how Wesley Jameson came into the world...

I woke up on 8/21 for my scheduled c-section at 6am. I needed to get myself ready and pack my hospital bag and make sure the house was somewhat clean, not to mention I also wanted to spend a little time with Cailin before leaving for the hospital. Everything went very smoothly that morning, I got up, showered, packed my bag, put on makeup and did my hair, and was done in under an hour. Apparently I can get ready quickly when I'm excited. Dan got up around 6:30 and did the dishes that were around and also got ready. Around 7 I woke Cailin up and sat her on my lap and cuddled her while she drank her morning sippy of milk. Dan's mom soon arrived and played with Cailin while we tied up the loose ends around the house. We were ready to go at 7:50. I had to be at the hospital at 8:30 for my 10:30 scheduled c section and we had to drop my car off at the dealership to get serviced on the way. It sounds crazy but I thought it would be a good time since I wouldnt be needing my car for a couple weeks. Luckily everything went smoothly at the dealer and we were on our way.

We got to the hospital a few minutes early so Dan and I stopped in the cafe so he could have a coffee. I was super jealous because I desperately wanted a coffee but wasn't allow to eat or drink since midnight. When it was time we nervously walked up to Labor and Delivery where we were greeted with smiles and a very nice nurse, Stacy, showed us to our room. She had me test my sugar and drew some blood and started an IV in my right hand. Right when we arrived they said they were very behind schedule because their OR for c-sections was under construction and they were given one OR on the main floor, but they usually had 2. She also said they had several c-sections ahead of me and they had a few emergencies as well.

Soon after Dr. MacDonald came in and talked to me for a while. It was reassuring since I was starting to get butterflies in my stomach. She asked me to start testing my blood sugar hourly and report it to Stacy so she could monitor it. They hooked up some fluids to my IV and then we waited.

I think Dan was more nervous than me at that point. We both hate waiting but he is especially bad at it. Sorry Dan, but you are... He evntually entertained me by playing some really annoying 90's music.

Dr. MacDonald eventually came back in and explained all the risks and had me sign some paperwork. Other doctors and nurses were in and out including the anesthesiologist. He explained that right when I got there they would do a spinal and would only give me the numbing medication. I couldn't receive anything for nausea or anxiety until after Wes was born because they didn't want him to com into contact with any medications.

We waited until around 12 then Stacy rushed in and said we were next and the OR was ready and that they were just waiting for the go ahead. Dan changed into his scrubs (hot) and they gave me a steroid and an antibiotic. I walked out into the hallway and got on a stretcher and they took me downstairs. Dan came with us for the ride in the elevator and they had him wait outside while I went in. Let the drama begin.

I walked into the OR and sat on the table and they immediately came over and prepped my back for the spinal. Thanks for the warning. The anesthesiologist was a little annoying but Stacy reassured me that everything was fine. I started crying because it was super uncomfortable and I was getting nervous. Dr. MacDonald came over and rubbed my shoulders and stayed with me while they did the spinal. Immediately I felt it take affect and my legs were going numb. Not only that but they also became paralyzed. Normal.

Once I laid down everyone was asking me questions and I started crying again because my legs were really uncomfortable and there was a lot of hustle and bustle in the room. Dan still was outside and they were getting ready to start. At this point once they were setting up I was beyond nervous. It was full blown panic attack time and there was no calming me down. My breathing started getting weird and my blood pressure was getting high. The anesthesiologist had to give me something because it was getting hard to breathe. She injected my IV with a few drugs to calm me down, which halfway worked. Dan came in and they gave me more meds. I had a clear mind but was drunk as hell. I couldn't string together a sentence even though everything made sense in my mind. My legs were so numb and felt like I didnt have any circulation and not being able to wiggle my legs or toes was really bothering me. I kept thinking of my Uncle John and got really sad about how he was paralyzed. If this was the sensation he has in his legs 24/7 I couldnt even imagine. I was beyond uncomfortable.

Once Dan came in maybe two minutes passed and suddenly I heard a loud cry. Wesley Jameson was born at 1:12pm. Dr.MacDonald must have held him over the curtain but I was still hysterical and missed it. I heard him cry for maybe a minute and kept asking for him and if he was ok. I wasn't making sense because of the drugs and eventually Dr. MacDonald understood that I was asking to see him. I was so nervous something was wrong since they didn't show him to me. He was perfect. Dr.MacDonald had the nurse pick him up and bring him over for a quick second and Dan got to go over and cut his cord. They swaddled him in a blanket and brought him over to me. Dan got to sit with me and hold him next to me for a while. A nurse came and held him on me so I could hold him too.

After 15 minutes or so Dan went with a nurse and took Wesley upstairs to labor and delivery to be weighed and get his first shots. They would meet me in recovery. It took another half hour to stitch me up and move me downstairs. I was so drugged up! They gave me several injections of anti anxiety meds plus some Zofran for nausea.

The ride in the elevator seemed like forever. When I got into recovery Dan came in with the baby in tow. He weighed 9lbs 9.2oz and was 21.5 inches long. He was a little chunk! A nurse came in and gave my some percocet, advil, tylenol, and oxycontin; all in pills. My spinal was wearing off and I started getting the feeling back in my lower body. I was having some pretty bad cramps but they were normal. Eventually I got this sharp constant pain that was beginning to be unbearable so I asked for something strong to help the pain until the pills started. Dr. MacDonald gave me Dilauded and that worked instantly. I felt warm all over and really drugged but I wasn't in any pain. I stayed in recovery for an hour or so and they moved me over to our room. I was really sore but was ok if I just laid still. My nurse came in and I immediately recognized her from when Cailin was born. She was my favorite nurse so I was super happy she was there. Andrea was so nice and reassuring when I had concerns when Cailin was born, it was nice to have her again. As soon as I told her Cailins name she remembered her, and asked if she had tons of hair. Cailin was famous in the postpartum wing. Even the nurse assistant remembered her and so did the other nurses later on.

Roberta brought Cailin over to meet Wes. Cailin hugged him and gave him kisses but she was really nervous around me. I still had and IV and a catheter and looked like a disaster and she was scared. They stayed for a little while then went home.

Everything I heard from my friends nd online said that walking was good and I should start asap. Andrea came in and I didn't think I could walk but I wanted to just stand. It was painful. She helped me back into bed and I decided that I would keep the catheter until tomorrow morning but would try walking to the bathroom later in the evening. My dad came a little later and stayed for a couple hours. Wes was so good. He hardly cried and ate really well. Once my dad left Andrea came back in and helped me walk to the bathroom and back. It was maybe 10 feet from my bed but it felt like a marathon. Getting out of bed and standing hurt but walking was ok once I was upright. Dan stayed with me in the hospital until around 10 then went home to check on Cailin and feed the cats.

10:15 rolled around and I started feeling lots of pain. I had just had meds less than an hour ago so I decided to wait a little bit and see if they kicked in. They didn't. 11pm came and I was in so much pain my teeth were chattering and I could barely see. I called in my nurse and she said they couldnt give me anything. Five minutes later I buzzed for her again and she couldsee that I was in extreme pain. I was crying hysterically and shaking. She checked my incision and felt my belly because she thought I might have something wrong. She called in a doctor immediately and they examined me. Nothing was wrong but the pain meds were not working. They gave me a ton of Dilauded again and some benedryl to calm me down and help me sleep. Since getting all the pain meds at once wasn't working they changed my drug schedule so I would be getting somthing every 3 hours. Since I was in terrible pain I sent Wesley to the nursery so I could rest an asked that they bring him back only to be fed. Come morning I felt a lot better. I was sore but the terrible pain was gone and the drugs I was supposed to be getting all along were working well. Wes only woke up at 2 and 5 that night and stayed with me from that time.

Dan came back first thing in the am. I was walking to the bathroom with the assistance of a nurse, so I got my catheter removed. Luckily halfway through the day I was able to slowly get up on my own and walk around. Later that night I felt great and started cutting down on the pain meds.


To be continued....

tomorrow is the big day.

So the title sums it up... baby M will be here tomorrow. Gulp.

I had a great appointment with my OB today. Baby M performed well on his NST and we are both in great health. My GD has all but gone away. I very rarely get high numbers and they are always in check when I eat normal food. I left my insulin at home today, accidentally, and my post breakfast number was only off by 5 points.

I am starting to get nervous about tomorrow. Again, not so much the surgery itself, but the pain afterwards and the recovery. The nurse at the dr's office assured me that they make you comfortable. I know when it comes down to it I will be a nervous disaster tomorrow. Can they give you Valium? Can I ask for that and not sound like a drug seeker? Really though. I got two, yup two, stitches in my finger after cutting it on a bread knife two years ago and almost passed out while they were being put in, AND being taken out. I can handle seeing anything terrible like that done to someone else, but when it comes to medical stuff happening to me, I am a wreck. My dentist even suggested he medicate me before ever getting a filling again. No, not novocaine, but like sedated haha. yea.

My OB reassured me that everything will be fine. She gets there at 8, and said I could come at 8/8:30. She is assisting another doctor on a c section first then its my turn. She will come in to see me first before we even leave labor and delivery. I will check in at the front desk of l&d, get set up in a room with fluids, an anesthesiologist will come in to talk to me, then I will be taken downstairs to the OR. They are getting new c-section rooms on the l&d floor and they aren't done yet so I will be having mine done on the general surgery floor. All it means is that I will have a little elevator ride. After the surgery, we will go back up to labor and delivery where I will recover then will be given my own room. I still have so many questions for her tomorrow though.

My bad is mostly packed but I will double check it tomorrow. I need to just put in toiletries and things I use daily and double check all of baby M's gear. We are also dropping my car off to get fixed before we go to the hospital since I wont be using it for a while. It is on the way and I already made an appointment anyways.

Putting Cailin to bed tonight was a little sad since I won't get to be with her for a few days and its the last time I get to put her to bed as an only child, and its the last time I get to put her to bed for a while since my incision will be healing and listing her into her crib and leaning will be difficult. I know she will be a great big sister but it will be a big adjustment for everyone. We can only hope that baby M is halfway as good a baby as Cailin was. She was perfect!

Well I have lots to do for tomorrow so I suppose I should get going on all that so I can get to bed at a decent hour.

Cailin turns 14 months, 39 weeks prego, and a baby in 2 days!

Cailin turned 14 months old yesterday! Ummmmm where is the time going? Cailin is a walking machine now. It is her only mode of transportation, she is exclusively walking. She started walking a few steps at a time around 13 months then one day she just took off! She walks at daycare and plays with the bigger kids. It is so great seeing her be so social. She loves it there and the kids are super nice to her.

Cailin is turning into such a big girl! She also dropped her morning nap, and now only takes nap from 12:30/1- 3/3:30. She also goes to bed later and sleeps a little later (thankfully). Since she has started walking she eats way more than she used to. Her taste for food has also gotten a little better and we have moved away from bread and hummus. She loves burgers, spaghetti, corn, cantaloupe, raisins, and watermelon. She also tried pork marsala and loved that too.

I took her to the New England Aquarium earlier today as a little mommy/daughter date. She LOVED it. Her favorite part was looking at the seals and the fish in the big tank. Since Cailin is under 3, she got in for free. I got in for free as well with my AFT card and a pay stub which was nice because the ticket was almost $25! After walking through the whole aquarium, we visited the gift shop. I let Cailin pick out a toy and she chose a book about baby penguins. Yup. A book. I tried to get her to like a stuffed animal but she didnt want anything to do with them.

Yesterday, Cailin had her first gross toddler moment. She somehow got a major wedgie with her diaper and when she pooped, it wound up on the floor. I didnt see it happen, but this is what the evidence supports.... After it fell on the floor, she grabbed one, and put it in her mouth. YUP. GAG ME! I immediately picked up the droppings and washed her hand and mouth. I then called her pediatrician to ask if she could get sick from it. Luckily it wasnt her doctor on call (embarrassing!) and the doctor said she should be fine since it was her own poop. UGH. Why me?

In addition to Cailin turning 14 months old yesterday, I turned 39 weeks pregnant! I was bale to get away for a couple hours on Saturday and get a prenatal massage. Oh my god was it good! I feel so much better since getting it, I regret not getting one sooner! My back feels better and the swelling in my feet totally went away.

We have 2 days until baby M arrives and I am getting the last minute things ready. I need to make sure all of his things have new batteries as well as changing them in a couple of Cailin's toys. I also need to take a few things out of his room and vacuum. I am going to wait to pack my hospital bag (just the last minute things) until the morning we leave. So far the only thing I ma nervous about is the pain afterwards. I didnt get enough for pain relief after Cailin was born so I hope it isnt the same this time. My c section is scheduled for 10:30 so we need to be at the hospital around 8:30/9.

I have my last prenatal appointment with Dr. MacDonald tomorrow and will also have my last NST. She has been great throughout both pregnancies I am almost going to miss going to the office weekly. Everyone has been great there I don't have a single complaint about my care. Every time I go, I am always greeted with a smile and treated well. All of the staff take my questions and concerns seriously, no matter how foolish or serious they are. I also feel really lucky that my own doctor is going to be doing the surgery. (Unless I go into labor in the next 46 hours. Fingers crossed that DOES NOT happen!)

I am so excited to meet baby M and see what he is like. Will he look like Cailin? Will he have tons of hair? How much will he weigh and how long will he be? Is he a cryer or quiet? Will he be good with bottles? Even though I am very excited to welcome him into our family, I will also miss being pregnant and feeling him move inside me all the time.

Roberta is coming over the morning of the c section and will be watching Cailin for a few days while I am in the hospital. That way once I am in my own room she can bring Cailin for a short visit. I don't think we will be having any visitors other than our parents and Cailin the day of the c section since I will be in pain. The next day we will play it by ear and see what happens. I really want visitors but I don't want to be in extreme pain while trying to entertain people.

I cant believe that in 2 days our family will be complete! The FOUR of us will be together!

7 days left and counting!

We have exactly one week left until little baby boy M arrives! I cannot wait!

Cailin's godmother took Cailin for 4 whole nights (thanks Val and Roberta!) which was really nice so me and Dan could celebrate our anniversary and I could rest. The rest was very much needed.

So we had another little labor and delivery scare on Sunday. Me and Dan hung out all day and all day I had a terrible headache. I didnt think anything of it but it suddenly got really bad and since I needed to go to cvs anyways I thought I would check my blood pressure. It was way high! I called the doctor on call and she told me to come in and she would run some tests to check for pre-eclampsia. I had been having minor non-painful contractions all day (really for the past couple weeks) but once I was hooked up to the monitor they got worse and very painful. My doctor wasn't there so I was seen by Dr. Hotchkiss who was very nice. All of my labs came back normal and I did not have pre-e so they monitored me for a while. She thought I was dehydrated so they pumped two bags of fluid into me and laid me on my side and the contractions started to get less painful and eventually went away. They gave me some pain meds for the headache and that got better as well. So basically I was dehydrated. I was sent home after a few hours and was told to rest and take it easy.

My contractions continued into Sunday night/monday but eventually went away as well as the headache. I still get a tiny headache once in a while but after my regular OB appointment showed my blood pressure was good I am not worried. I have been trying to drink more than usual and while it has helped my headache isnt totally gone. It just looks like this last week will be a bit uncomfortable and long but in just 7 days we will be meeting baby M!

I am so excited to meet our baby boy that I know all of the pain and suffering I had to go through during pregnancy will all be worth it. Not to mention the minute after baby comes out you feel instantly better from all of the aches and pains you had while pregnant.

I am picking Cailin up this afternoon and I cannot wait to see her. While it was great having a little break to rest and get ready for baby M, I still miss her tons! Oh, did I tell you Cailin got injure last Sat?! UGH! Cailin and I were playing in her room and she was walking around. She stepped on her boppy pillow to get over it and fell hitting her mouth on the metal part of her jumperoo. Her teeth cut her lip open and there was blood all over. She got a terrible cut on the inside of her mouth and a minor one on the outside. It was scary. She screamed a lot and cried really hard all while blood was gushing out of her mouth. I thought we were looking at an er visit for sure. I called Dan to come home and he was here in 5 minutes. I took off her shirt and held her mouth for a little while and it was just stopping as he came home. She also cheered up when she saw him too. After that she was in a sad mood for a while until we left and she fell asleep in the car. Her mouth was swollen for a while. (P.S. why is it that bleeding always happens on white shirts?)

In other news she finally got in her other top molar and her bottom tooth. Now she has 10 teeth total.

I have my last ultrasound on Friday then another OB appointment on Tuesday then we meet baby boy!

37 weeks and an ob scare

We have just about 2 weeks until our scheduled c section date. I can't wait to meet baby M and see what he is like. Will he look like me? or Dan? Both? Will he and Cailin look alike? Will he be quiet? Fussy? Be a good sleeper?

I had my 37 week appointment today and that was an adventure. First, my group B strep was negative. good. Then I went for my NST which was eventful. Baby M was showing off and was being super active. His heart rate was all over. The Dr. said this is usually normal but sent me to the hospital after one deceleration that went lower than it should have. Long story short, I am having tiny contractions and baby M is fine. I was monitored for about an hour and everything checked out fine. His heart rate stayed consistent and the contractions went away. (Not that I could feel them anyways). Basically the hospital has a way better NST machine than the dr's office and she wanted to be sure everything was ok. I need to go back on Friday for my BPP ultrasound and they will also get a weight estimate on baby M.

His nursery is just about all set. I need to clear out a few last minute items and we will be ready. I also packed my hospital bag with my and baby M's things. I put in the monogrammed onesie, blanket and hat I got him along with some pajamas with my essentials. I packed a pair of yoga pants and a tshirt since I will probably be sore when I leave. I am not realy nervous for the procedure itself but more so for the recovery time. Dan will be staying home for as long as I need but I still worry that Cailin will be upset that I wont be with her the whole time like I have been. I won't be able to bathe her or put her in bed or pick her up for a little while. I think it will be an adjustment for her to get used to baby M but I think that will be fine. I hope I recover fairly quickly and Im not in terrible pain when I go home. I mean, I know I will have some level of pain but I don't want to be bed ridden for a month.

Any guesses on baby M's weight for this friday?

fun fun fun and a c section date!

We have been super busy for the past few days and over the weekend.

Dan's mom took Cailin for a few days when Val first arrived. Me and Dan were baby free for a couple of days which was great. We got the change to really get some cleaning done and we also got rid of a bunch of crap around the house. I have a load of electronic recyclables to go and a ton of Cailin's clothes to be consigned. We already took a bunch to the consignment store in Belmont and they took some things but I also go to the Billerica one because they take a lot too.

We got to go to one of our favorite restaurants, The Talk. It has great food and drinks (which I have never experienced) and a nice atmosphere. It was really nice to get to spend some time together, just the two of us, especially since pretty soon it will be the FOUR of us! (we got our c section date! read on)

Saturday we did some serious cleaning and went to East Sandwich to stay with Val for the rest of the weekend. Cailin and Roberta met us there. Val had a little dinner for us and we had lobster, steamers, and a bunch f food. We all know that I am a huge lobster and steamers fan, it is my favorite meal EVER. We spent the night talking and gabbing with Mike, Val and Roberta. Cailin did a great job sleeping in a new place. She also slept in her pack and play which I was nervous about since she doesn't usually sleep in it. She has her own crib at Robertas and hasnt slept in it overnight for months. It took her a bit longer than usual to fall asleep but she did and she slept all night with one minor wake up to find a lost binky.

Sunday we woke up around 7 and started our day. Val took Cailin for a walk and Dan cooked everyone breakfast. Later we went to the beach (which Cailin hated) and then to a little river where Cailin waded and played in the water. She was pretty exhasusted after lunch which was when we decide to take off to avoid the heavy cape traffic. It was good that we left then because it was pretty busy on the roads. After we got home we went to the spray park and played with Cailin for the rest of the day.

So I got a call from my OB's office a little while ago and our c-section is scheduled for August 21 at 10:30 am! AAAAHHHHH! I can't believe than in 22 days we will be a family of 4! I am so excited they were able to book it on August 21 because that means Dr. MacDonald will be doing the delivery! I think I am even more excited for that haha! Baby M can always decide that he wants to come earlier but judging on how Cailin was born right before her due date, I think we will be set for the 21st. I have my weekly appointment with Dr. MacDonald tomorrow and my BPP on Friday. Cailin will be going to daycare on both days. I also have to finalize my plans for the substitute. oops.