Being a Mommy is Great!!!!

This past week has been going good. It's getting easier to get up with her in the middle of the night, but don't get me wrong, I'm still tired! She's eating every 3 hours during the day and about every 4 hours during the night. It's weird, but it gives me a little more time to sleep. Willie is getting up with me, sometimes, and helping me out with the diaper changing. He's pretty good at it! She's eating great and sleeping great, too!
Today she got her third bath at home. I'm doing my best to keep her warm and to make it a "fast bath", but it's hard. Her belly button scab is almost off. Since she had the IVs through her belly button, the nurses said that it would probably take a couple extra days for it to fall off.She already holds her sucker in her mouth when we put it up to her mouth. Not all the time, but most of the time. She is growing so much, even in the past couple of days. I'm so blessed to have such a beautiful baby girl! She has brown hair, dark blue eyes, and makes the cutiest little faces and sounds in the world!

And I can't forget my favorite nephew...Kylar. He was such a big boy through all of this. What a trooper!

Our Little Surprise!!!

Monday, June 8, 2009

It all started Monday morning around midnight. I was in Denver City staying with my parents and helping out with Kylar. I started having contractions that were lasting 10-15 seconds and were about 10 minutes apart. I didn't think anything of it because they weren't lasting long enough as the nurse said they would if I were going into labor! But I wanted to be sure, so I called up to Labor & Delivery to check and they told me if my contractions were to get closer together, that I needed to come in and get checked!

My contractions started getting further apart around 5:00 a.m., man, was I relieved! But of course, I was exhausted because I didn't get any sleep that night! Mom told me that she would take me home that evening after her board meeting, so I just hung out with my dad and Kylar all day long. We headed to Lamesa around 10:00 and got there at about 11:00. Willie was already in bed when I got home. He had to work the next day and was going up for Sergeant, so he was out when I got home!

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

At around 2:45 a.m., I woke Willie up crying because I was having contractions and they were lasting about 45 seconds and about 6-7 minutes apart! I was in pain. We starting timing them and finally around 4:30 a.m., I told him that I wanted to go to the hospital. I really thought that they would check me and send me home. Nothing was happening. My body was just getting me ready for labor! We left Lamesa at 4:50 a.m. and got to the hospial at 5:30 a.m.

The doctor came in about 5:45 a.m. and checked me. I had already dilated to a 3-4. I was scared! I really didn't think that I would be having this baby already. I was admitted at about 6:30 a.m. and by 8:00 a.m. I received my epidural. I had already dilated to about a 5-6 and felt nothing! Epidurals are great! About 11:00 a.m. the nurse came in a told me that when I feel the urge to push, I needed to call her to come in. It wasn't 5 minutes and I was ready to push. Willie and Mom were in there and were great supports! The nurse who was in there was great and wouldn't have asked for any other nurse. She was great! The doctor finally came in and....

Annie Nicole Kelso was born on June 9, 2009 at 11:51 a.m.

weighing in at 6 pounds 7.9 ounces

19 inches long.

She has brown hair, more than her daddy, and 10 fingers, 10 toes. I only got to hold her for about a mintue after she was born because neonatal nurses needed to check on her. Come to find out, Annie ingested her first bowel movement before she was born, meconium. They immediately took her to NICU where she started receiving antibiotics and oxygen because she was grunting for air instead of breathing. Nothing too serious! I didn't get to really see her until about 4:00 p.m. She was in Level 3 of NICU for at least the first 12-15 hours. It killed me and Willie! All we wanted to do was hold our little girl.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

This is the day we got to hold her for the first time! This was a miracle in itself. It is amazing how the first time you hold your child, you get chill bumps...I did! I walked into NICU and couldn't find my baby. I asked a nurse where she was and they took her to me. We had been upgraded to Level 1. I gave her her first bath. Me and Willie stayed at her side all day long and held her at every hands on. We also got to feed her when it was time for her to eat. We just couldn't get enough!

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Headed back to NICU at 8:00 a.m. and stayed with her pretty much all day long. I was discharged that day and we were going to be staying at my Aunt Norma's house. I was extremely tired. Today was also the day that I got to breastfeed for the first time. I was excited and scared at the same time. She did great!!!! When the doctor came to make his rounds, we were hoping that he would say she could go home tomorrow since she was doing so good, but instead he said, seven days of antibiotics. I couldn't stand it. The doctor said that he would rather make a mistake by protecting the baby than by discharging her too soon. Made me feel a little better, but not much!

Friday, June 12, 2009 and Saturday, June 13, 2009

Headed back to NICU at 8:00 a.m. and stayed with her pretty much all day long!!! The breast feeding is going great and I'm loving being a mom!

Sunday, June 14, 2009

I walked into NICU to scrub in and they told me we had been upgraded again! We are now in Special Care and it's the last step to going home. We were excited to hear that news. We were also told that Monday night we would be rooming in with her. We would get to have her all night long and then on Tuesday we would get to go home! How exciting, but now the sleepless nights begin. Or so I'm told!

Monday, June 15, 2009

So here we are on Monday. Waiting for the time when the nurse comes in and tells us that we have a room. I will let everyone know when we get one and give the update on her.

She has gained a little over an ounce since she's been born. The nurses say that's great!

School's Out for Summer

Ok, so I know it's been a LONG time since I've posted last, but I've been busy. You know, school and everything. Now that school is out, I'm free to blog.

Officially, I now have a year of teaching under my belt. Kellie, you better watch out, I'm going to pass you! I had a great first year, not too much that I couldn't handle. I had a great class and hope that I get a class like that every year.

Tomorrow I will be 37 weeks and due any day. I've gained 27 pounds and have dilated to a 1. We're on our way! But then again, I could stay here for 2 more weeks. We have done the child birthing classes and pretty sure that I'm prepared to have this baby. That is, until we are driving down the highway on our way to the hospital. That's when I'll be freaking out!

Yesterday was our 1 year anniversary. We didn't do a lot. We lounged around the house and Willie cooked steak, baked potato, and sausage on the grill. And of course, our cake. It was great! It was exactly the way that I wanted to spend the day. Now, today, I have to get busy and get things cleaned and washed. We are trying to get ready for a garage sale and hopefully we'll have it sometime in July. This house needs to be cleaned!!!

Well, for how long it's been since I've posted, I don't have much to say. All I can say is that I'm now ahead of you, Sister!

Well, until next time…