Time flies when you're having fun!

The last week & a half has been busy! We've had appts, visiting Gramma, whatever you can think of, we've done it! :)

Bryleigh is staying awake for longer periods of time & is sooo adorable when she's awake. She looks around & makes all kinds of noises. She loves 'talking' to us.
The cats are driving us crazy b/c they chew on anything they can of hers. Her binky's, the bottle nipples...I'm seriously ready to kill them!

Saturday evening we headed over to Gramma's & visited w/her for awhile. When we left it was after 9 & it was dark & a little chilly. The crisp weather & smell of firewood burning got us psyched for camping in Oct!!!
We are looking for a small propane heater for the tent b/c let's be honest, as adults & even Cadence @ 4, we can handle the chilly evening weather - Bryleigh - well that might be a bit much!

Sunday was Community Day for Cadence's team & so they went around 3 different communities gathering food. It was sort of a scavenger hunt. Cadence's team won!! But really the food bank won b/c all the teams collected 1836 items of food/boxed items & toiletries! They even got a tv & $35!!

Our week ahead isn't too jam packed. We have Bryleigh's follow-up appt from her jaundice tomorrow. I'm visiting w/my friends at work before heading out to that..on the way home we'll hit up Baypark for my blood work.

Now, onto what you REALLY are here for...pictures!
Cadence playing w/Gramma

Bryleigh napping

Cadence getting a help w/swinging

Woohoo-the teeter totter is fun!

look how high she can go!

Giving Daddy a push down the slide

chilling in the golf cart on the way back to Grammas.

Gramma w/Bryleigh

Malachai, Gramma, Cadence, Bryleigh & Taevion

tiny feet!

Cadence cheesin it!

Little Ms. B hanging out in her swing

Trouble!


Let me think about that…

Cadence loves her coach!

what a great turnout to collect food for the local food pantry!

She loves her daddy!



look at all the food collected! And there was still more outside!!



What a great group!

Ready to go home after a long day!

Til next time...

2 wks old!!!

Seriously, I have no idea how time got away from me. I'm home most of the day, yet have no time or energy or desire to post. I'm such a slacker .

Getting pictures of Bryleigh is almost like getting pictures of Big Foot or the Lock Ness Monster - she's very elusive. My camera's flash is so bright, she always closes her eyes..so while pictures aren't actually hard to get (it's not like she can run away or something) but w/her eyes open - impossible!

So here I sit w/an amazing camera & the only good pictures I get is w/my cheap phone camera b/c there is no flash. I did turn the flash off on my camera but then everything is blurry. Whatever.

Sarah said they're offering a class at Owens, so she & I may take it b/c she doesn't know how to work her camera either (unless we're outside & it's sunny - ha!).

So, here's the rundown for the last 2 wks...

We got home from the hospital the Sat before last & just kind of adjusted the first few days. We started to get into a decent routine by Wed, which also happened to be Dennis' first nite back to work.

My mom came over & slept on the couch w/Cadence til Dennis got home around 4.

The next nite Lisa was going to come, but things happen & she wasn't able to make it. I survived my 1st nite alone w/both girls!

Last week, Bryleigh had jaundice & it wasn't actually going away - her billi-rubin count was rising, so she was on a blanket that helped get the billirubin out of her system. What a pain that thing was. It worked wonderfully, so I'm thankful for that, but it was hard to move her around & nursing was pretty impossible b/c that thing was so awkward.

Meanwhile, she wasn't gaining any weight, so her dr. said that it was fine if I didn't want to do formula, but I had to pump b/c she wasn't nursing well. So I started pumping & giving her a bottle of breastmilk.

The end result - she now wants the bottle. Grrr! I've been fortunate enough to work with some really wonderful lactation consultants & nursing is getting easier.

As of yesterday, Bryleigh weighs 6lb 4 oz. She's so freaking cute & cuddly, I love holding her. I could seriously hold her all day. When I lay her down, I'm constantly checking to see if she's awake so I can hold her again. :)

Cadence is doing well w/her. She's not doing anything jealous or acting out or anything out of control. She's still in daycare, though she just started back yesterday. She enjoys playing w/Bryleigh but only for a little bit at a time. Right now B is too fragile for Cadence to really be interested, but Cadence is so cute when she talks to her. It melts my heart :)

Here a few pics of Bryleigh & one of Cadence - like I said, either blurry or eyes are closed...enjoy..

Til next time...

To-Do Tuesday Wk 11

If you don't know what all the fuss is about - click on the picture below - it explains all!

Now, on to my list..


Clean under my bed
Visit Jaquie & baby Sormane!
Make an 8x10 of Cai's 2 1/2 yr pic
transfer pics from old computers
mail pckg that has been in my closet for 8 mos
38 wk dr appt 8/5
have Bryleigh!! 8/6

Bryleigh Noelle 8/6/09 - She's here!!

When Dr. B told me I was going to be induced on Thurs morning, I was so nervous. I was excited for her to get here, but not looking forward to the day of labor.
I had a hard time sleeping all nite & probably got about 6 hrs.
We woke up Thursday morning, dressed Cadence, showered & headed to drop Cadence off at daycare.
She was excited to have Andrea pick her up & even more excited to finally meet her little sister.
We arrived at the hospital for admitting & they couldn't find my induction info in the admitting. The l&d floor knew I was coming, admitting had spoke w/them, yet it wasn't anywhere else- but it was fine, I was checked in & taken up.

It took awhile to get things started. Dr. B came in to check me & said I was still at 3 & everything felt pretty good. They had already started the pitocin, so we were just kind of waiting around for it to start working.
Around 1:30 I asked if I could get up to go to the bathroom & the nurse came in to unhook me. When I was walking in blood started to run down my legs. I was like, umm..what's that from?
The nurse rushed me back into bed. I could see the panic on her face & I started to panic. I was trying not to cry but I knew that it wasn't normal.
The midwife came in to check me & said that my cervix wasn't even lined up w/the baby, but she couldn't see why I was bleeding. I was crying at this point.

Dr. B came down to check me & said that it was imperative that the baby's heartbeat was always tracked b/c they had no idea why I was bleeding & they didn't know if it was something to do w/her.
She also said that while I was laying on my side, my cervix moved to the right & B moved to the left, she needed me to switch sides.
A little while later, I had to go to the bathroom again - and there was more blood. I was getting really nervous - I can't even tell you the thoughts & worries running through my mind.
Around 4 when I went, there was less blood. I felt better but since I was still bleeding, I didn't feel that much better.
They moved me into a rocking chair & had me rock to help bring on the contractions & to line up my cervix & B.
Dr. B came in at 5 & said she was ready to break my water that everything had lined up.
Minutes after she broke my water the contractions started. Like, wow - omg those were serious contractions.
Dr. B had ordered the epidural. The anesthesiologist (Jr) came in & put in the epidural. After he got it in & started the meds, my heartrate went up. As they laid me back to even out the medicine, my heartrate went up to 150. Again, I could see the panic on my nurses face as she & Jr were discussing it. She says, heartrate is 150 - he said, baby's, right? She said, no moms. Are you sure?
Please don't discuss this over me. I'm pretty certain they made it worse. He left to get medicine to slow down my heartrate. Which again, probably made it go even faster!
He came back & it was dropping back to normal. Now it was down to 131. After I was allowed to sit up, it went back to normal. phew!
Dr. B came in to check on me & I wasn't really feeling much. My contractions had slowed down, but I was dialating still.
They started flipping me to my sides to help along the contractions. At this point Andrea got there w/Cadence. I sure she was thrilled to walk in to this scene - ha! I was covered but still - weird.
Nothing was really moving it along & I asked if I could sit straight up. It seemed like sitting in the rocking chair earlier really got me going. They put my bed up & I could finally feel some of the pressure of the contractions. I mean it wasn't strong at all & it wasn't w/ever contraction, but at least I felt it occasionally.
At 7:50 the nurse checked me & said, umm..you're complete. REALLY?! SWEET!! But B was still up there a little high.
When the dr came in, she checked me & said lets see if you can sit up a little longer to get her to drop. I'll be back after I sign some paperwork.
She came back in @ 8:15 & said, let's try to push.
I said, but I don't feel anything. She said it was ok, let's try.
They put me back & said, ok, here comes a contraction, push..
I wasn' sure I was doing it right b/c I could feel nothing, but she said just do it. I pushed once, then they told me to push again at the next one.
She said to Dennis - look..there was the head...
WHAT? That was 2 pushes - are you kidding me. She said, ok, hold on, I have to put on my goggles & gown.
At that point I could feel the pressure to push & it was sooo hard to hold it in.
She came back & said, ok push. I pushed, but she said, stop, her head was out & she was sucking her out. Dennis said something & I started laughing...Dr B said, stop laughing - you're laughing her out. Only the thought of laughing her out made me laugh more.. Dr. B was holding her in. Oops!
Then that was it, she was here. I couldn't believe it. I pushed for over an hour w/Cadence & was miserable. This time was amazing.
As I was laying there w/B on my chest amazed & admiring her BROWN hair (hehe) Dr B pulled out my placenta. She found the bleeding. My placenta ripping away from the wall. Had it torn, it could have been dangerous for both of us, but B could have died. I wanted to cry b/c it scared me to know I could have lost this precious baby, but also b/c I was so thankful it didn't rip all the way & she was ok & laying on me - yucky looking but so calm.
I told Dennis I didn't want everyone in the room yet - just Cadence. I wanted to be able to meet as a family before everyone else came in. Of course Lisa was pissed & texting me to hurry up.
Finally I had everyone come in. It was crazy & busy & fast. I was happy for them to leave so I could have her to myself.
I'm so thankful that she & I are both ok & that she's so perfect. I was so worried about how I was going to love another child as much as I love Cadence, but there is no question about the fact that I love her as much as Cadence. I really didn't think it was possible. I love watching Cai interact w/Bryleigh. It's the most amazing feeling in the world to me. They're so beautiful together.

::sigh::

So now we are working on the new dynamics of being a family of 4. We've already had a few bumps...but it's a lot more smooth then it was Sat nite - haha.