Saturday, February 28, 2009

Looking Back: Cade meets his cousin

Cade & Brady's first "play date"... they didn't do much playing but they are definitely getting the hang of that now!

Cade meets Brady

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Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Not a Baby Anymore...

Cade slept for 14 hours last night, and I swear, he woke up a little boy! Look at this!
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Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Looking Back: First Trip to the Doctor

Cade all dressed up for his first trip to the doctor for his checkup... He was only 5 days old!
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Monday, February 23, 2009

A Loooong Nap & a BIG Milestone!

After a 3 HOUR NAP this afternoon, me & Cade were in the floor playing... he was standing so good, so sturdy, so I started telling him to come to momma... HE TOOK 2 STEPS!

I can't believe it, they were little steps, but isn't that how it starts? Baby steps? LOL I'm really proud of him though, I really think he'll be walking SOON. He wants to walk!

We might just have a walker by March 10th!

As far as the 3 hour nap goes... I'm not sure what's up with that! I think he's fighting off a cold, he's been kinda stuffy. This morning, he went back to sleep after breakfast and slept for 2 more hours, so evidently he needs his sleep! Must be growing ;)

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Looking Back: Cade's Birth Story

On Friday, March 7th 2008, I had a regular OB checkup. Doc decided to do an ultrasound to determine the position of the baby... it was then decided that I’d have to have a c-section. Cade was still breech, his head under my right rib cage and his butt to my cervix. The position and fact that he’d been in that position for practically the entire time (that we know of) led my doc to believe that there would be no turning - even with 4 weeks to go. So he told me to hold on, that his assistant would call the following week to schedule a c-section, and we’d shoot for a week before his due date.

I felt good about everything, even went through pre-admissions that day! Friday and Saturday, I was completely exhausted as usual, but we were snowed in, so I didn’t mind being lazy and doing nothing!

Sunday, I woke up and again, more snow!!! We decided to stay home from church and just relax – not sure we could have made it off the hill without a sled anyway! Later that afternoon, I sent Derek to the grocery store and I just kept feeling like I should be doing SOMETHING! So I finished a quilt that I’d been working on throughout my entire pregnancy and placed it on the diaper bag to eventually take with us to the hospital. I made a liner for my sister-in-law’s basket that contained her baby shower gift. I did about 5 loads of laundry, which usually takes me at least 2 days, if not 3. I made dinner and then I made a “cookie cake”. (my version of cookie bars… oatmeal/chocloate chip spread out in a pan) So much for a lazy Sunday!

When I talked to my mom that night (she’d just made it back to Louisville, for work), I told her all that I’d done and she kept saying, “Christa, you’re going into labor soon!” I kept brushing it off… sure I had stayed busy that day, but isn’t “nesting” all about scrubbing floors & washing windows?

I was worn out from my day of "nesting" so I did end up going to bed a little early that night, about 10:00 p.m., but laid and re-read the end of “Girlfriend’s Guide to Pregnancy”… wanted to have all the details fresh in my head, of the birthing process & c-sections. I turned the light off at 11:00 and slept until Derek came to bed, at around midnight. I kept feeling like I “should” get up, but I didn’t want to. Finally I talked myself into going to the bathroom... which I figured would be my first of MANY trips to the bathroom that night.

On the way to the bathroom, I felt like I was peeing on myself (not out of the relm of possibilities at that point!) And sure enough, my water had broke. At least I thought it had… wasn’t 100 percent certain since it wasn’t a gush, like you read about or see on TV. I called L&D (Labor & Delivery) and they said they’d feel better to check and make sure it wasn’t my water, but it sounded like it was.

So I called mom back, put her on “stand-by”… (which she didn’t stand by at all… she left Louisville immediately and I’m glad she did!) We decided if this was indeed the beginning of labor, we would need to feed the cats, pack a bag for Derek (yes, mine was packed & ready), let the car warm up for a few minutes… oh yeah, and he had to take a shower :) Yeah, we probably should have rushed to the hospital, but I wasn’t feeling any contractions, no pain, so I was in no hurry.

Finally got to the hospital and it took us 20 minutes just to find L&D! We’d never been up to that floor and the hospital is so confusing, especially that late, we were all over the place before someone finally led us to the doors. So I stood there, wet, but feeling just fine, still no contractions, nothing. They weighed me, sent me into a room and had me put on a lovely hospital gown. They did a test to make sure it was my water and sure enough, it was. Since Cade was breech, they needed to get him out asap – I just never imagined he’d be born within 3 hours of me arriving at the hospital!

My doctor came into the room and assured me that everything would be fine, Cade would be fine, and it would all be over soon. The nurses kept telling me not to worry if they had to rush him to NICU, but how could I NOT worry? He was coming 4 weeks early! So many things were going through my mind, all I could do was pray that my little man was developed enough to make a healthy entrance into the world.

Into surgery I go (after being poked & prodded & stuck with needles & IVs)… Derek couldn’t be in the operating room until I was ready for surgery so I had to get the spinal block without him… I was SCARED TO DEATH!!! It was a huge, cold, sterile room, people standing around watching as I crawl over onto the surgical board from my bed (not an easy task when you’re the size of a cow and gushing water!) and then they did the spinal block. All of the doctors and surgical team were awesome… One of the surgical staff helped hold me down, as they did the block and he walked me through everything. I finally get laid back, started going numb, and they let Derek come in. I was scared to death but felt so much better seeing him there… even if he did look as scared as I felt!

The surgery began. It seemed like forever but Doc had him out within 5 minutes. Derek stood up and watched as they pulled him out.
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He cried immediately and I balled! I knew he'd be okay when I heard that sound. I have never heard a more beautiful sound! I cry just thinking about it! He was born at 3:42 a.m. on March 10th. Weighed 6 pounds 4 ounces and was 17.5 inches long.

Derek went with Cade to get cleaned up – I just got to see him for a second. By the time Doc had finished closing me up, I was shaking to death – thankfully just a side effect from the spinal block meds, which eventually wore off. They wheeled me into recovery and I almost immediately got to see my baby boy. In walks Derek and the nurse with Cade. All wrapped up, swollen, beautiful!

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It was amazing and such a surreal moment! He was so tiny and helpless, but I could feel so much love for him already! It was so funny to see him still looking "breech"... his little legs were so used to that position, it was difficult to straighten him out. His little feet up by his head... everyone knew he was a breech baby the second they saw him!

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Within no time, all of our family arrived… I’m still not sure how fast mom drove, to make it from Louisville to Ashland within 3 hours! Everyone was so happy to see him, healthy and strong. He is such a little blessing!

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Looking Back: One Year Ago

A year ago, I was getting ready for my baby shower. It was on February 16th. I never thought that in less than a month from my shower, I'd be bringing home my little bundle! Thankfully we had everything we needed and everything was ready - well, except for a car seat... but thankfully the hospital provided a used, recalled seat (don't get me started on that!)... and we made it home.

I wanted to share some pictures from my baby shower. I don't think I've posted any of these on the blog before, since I started the blog a little while after Cade was born.

Bumping bellies with my sister-in-law 1 year ago! (hope she doesn't kill me for posting this pic, LOL)
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Getting excited for my BABY BOY!
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Taking a break!
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I didn't have a clue just how cute this would be on our little man!
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REALLY REALLY REALLY Cute!!!
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(Cade @ 7 months)

Stay tuned for a look back at the past year!

Happy (late) Valentine's Day!

Love, Cade

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Thursday, February 12, 2009

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

11 Months

Cade is 11 months today. I can not believe that he will be ONE YEAR OLD in a month! I could cry.

Here are some recent pics. I thought he looked like such a big boy!


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And here he is playing with Maggie through the window. I had the cutest vid but I can't upload it... I'll keep trying though.
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He actaully puckered up and cried when she ran off! LOL
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And I LOVE this pic... just look at those fat little legs!
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Thursday, February 5, 2009

Cade's New Lion

A few pics of Cade riding on his new lion :) He can push it too but he prefers that we push him while he rides. Lazy boy, haha.

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And here he is pushing... kinda... he'd rather stand there and pet the lion's head.
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Thank you Carly! Cade LOVES his new lion!!!

Monday, February 2, 2009

Looking Back: COMING SOON!

You may have noticed the BIG COUNTDOWN on the sidebar of the blog... counting down to Cade's 1st birthday. It's so bittersweet. A 1st birthday is such a big deal, but we are having a really hard time believing that he is getting ready to turn ONE! This year has flown by. Where did my tiny baby go?

Up until his 1st birthday, I will be looking back at the past year, month by month, so stay tuned for that!

Hope everyone has a safe & warm week!

And Happy Groundhog's Day!