2 weeks old already!

it's hard to believe that Lexi is already 2 weeks old! it certainly doesn't seem like that long since we were in the hospital... it CERTAINLY doesn't seem like that long since i was lying on the operating table, being cut open... crazy.
i think she's about 7 lbs now- maybe a little over... i only get a rough estimate since i just weigh myself before holding her and then again while i'm holding her. it only shows that i'm 7 lbs heavier when she's in my arms, so we'll stick with that.
Lincoln continues to be a huge help with Lexi. he simply cannot kiss her enough- i think he would probably kiss her every minute of every day if i would let him. the rules for kissing are: do not kiss Lexi when she has just fallen asleep... and, do not kiss Lexi when she is unhappy. pretty simple- but Lincoln struggles with the rules :) -he just loves her.
she is still sleeping really well and being pretty dang easy when she's awake. she gives us smiles when she's sleeping, but we are sooo ready to start getting real smiles. it's about to drive scott crazy.
Lincoln's 4th birthday is rapidly approaching. we're planning a super fun birthday party. i can't believe i don't have all the details worked out and most of the stuff purchased yet... every other year i was set by this point. of course, every other year didn't include a newborn baby. plus i still have plenty of time to get everything done for the big day, so i'm not stressing out yet.
just a short update today, since i had a free moment.

catching up

hey there. i know i haven't updated since right after lexi was born, but hey- i have a newborn- so i have a very legitimate excuse.

so, miss lexi suzanne was born on july 16... i had to have a c-section after attempts to turn her into a head-down position were unsuccessful. when my dr. pulled her out, he discovered that the reason he was unable to turn her was because her umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck and had kind of a leash effect on her, not allowing her to move very far... she came out perfect and healthy and TINY. (she was 6 lbs 6.8 oz at birth and only 6 lbs even when we left the hospital! she is now up to almost 7 lbs.) we both made it through surgery very well and are both doing great.

i tell you what- having a c-section is no walk in the park- the first few days afterward are NOT fun (but hey- neither are the first few days after giving birth naturally, although they're a bit more tolerable- minus the need for a hemorrhoid pillow) but it sure was a piece of cake not having to have even one contraction, not having to push, heck- not having to put forth any effort at all... i'd say the overall recovery period (pain wise, at least) is only about 3 or 4 days longer than having a baby the other way- but it's a pretty even trade-off when you consider all that i DIDN'T have to go through. i DID have to be careful about using my arms more (getting up from sitting, lying down, using scott as support to step into the shower, etc) so i wouldn't be using my ab muscles.

i am doing really well. stopped having to take my pain meds about 4 days ago (which was right at a week after giving birth), but today have started taking them again because of some soreness in my belly... my incision doesn't hurt at all, but my lower abs are just sooore. my incision looks awesome- you can hardly tell it's there unless you know what you're looking for.

lexi is doing awesome. she eats well, she sleeps well, she doesn't cry unless she's hungry, uncomfortable, or reeeally reeeally sleepy... she only wakes up once a night to eat. i'm serious. she's great. when she's awake (which is a rareity), she just stares and soaks everything in.

i can't believe she's almost 2 weeks old. it seems like so much less time than that. at the same time, it's hard to believe that our lives have been changed so much by someone in so little time. she has a daddy who is completely wrapped around each of her fingers. she has a brother who adores her and kisses her each and every time the thought pops into his head (which is quite often, btw). she has a mommy who can't believe how something so tiny could be such a huge blessing to everyone's lives. she has extended family who can't get enough of her.

i am so blessed to have such amazing children. my boy is going through quite an interesting stage where sometimes he's barely even tolerable... but there are moments that shine through in which he is the most amazing boy on the planet. he is loving and gentle and funny and smart. he is also difficult and stubborn and rough and whiney, but i'd go through every bad part just for the little moments of greatness. my girl is beautiful and snuggly and perfect. i do miss getting to sleep through the night- and i certainly hadn't missed changing so many diapers, but it is all worth it.

God has blessed out family so much. i feel blessed to have a husband and kids who love me the way they do- and for me to love.

thanks to all of you who have kept us in your thoughts and prayers. i will post pictures on kodakgallery eventually- i promise! for now, continue to check http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=48305&l=4f88e&id=500533383 for lots of pics. they're not all of them, but they're my favorites. i hate to spend time uploading pics to kodakgallery when i know i'll be taking so many more in the days to come.

well, my free time is up. i will blog the next time i have a peaceful moment- so don't hold your breath! :)

Lexi is here!

Lexi Suzanne arrived at 8:37am on Wednesday, July 16 via c-section. she was 6 lbs 7 oz and 19.5 inches long.
will have more details soon. don't have many pics uploaded (been kind of busy, y'know) but here is the link to the few that have made their way online:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=48305&l=4f88e&id=500533383
thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers! Lexi and i both made it through surgery perfectly and we're both doing great.
<3

good news and bad news.

so, the good news is that Lexi will be here TOMORROW!!!! yes, ladies and gentlemen- i will officially NOT be pregnant as of tomorrow. praise the Lord!
now for the bad news. little miss difficult (i think she has definitely earned that title after the placenta previa scare, the being much too little scare, and the latest fun fiasco...) is now BREECH. yes, it's true. last week she was head down. heck- 2 days ago she was head down! i had noticed that within the past 2 days, i have felt most of her movements really low, like down in my hips- and not up high (right under my ribs) like usual... i told scott yesterday that i really thought she was breech, and he reassured me that i was just being paranoid and we decided that since it's so rare for a baby to switch positions this late that she was just fine. today at the dr, i was LESS effaced than i have been. i told my dr. that i thought Lexi was breech, so he decided to do an ultrasound on the spot. sure enough, head up, in my ribs (which, btw, i NEVER want to hear anyone complain about having feet in their ribs- try having a HEAD in your ribs. it's 10 times worse!). she is completely folded in half. her toes are touching her nose. apparently she's going to be a cheerleader or a diver. but thankfully, she's not completely straight up-and-down and is pretty much diagonal in my belly.
my dr. thinks there's a decent chance of being able to turn her by doing what is called an External Cephalic Version (from here on, we'll just call it a "version"). a version is where my dr. will try to turn her by putting pressure on the outside of my belly. there is about a 50-60% chance that it will be successful in turning her head down. the procedure has to be done in the OR at the hospital because of the possible risks. it could cause distress to the baby, it could tangle her umbilical cord around her neck, and worse, it could result in a platena abruption... in those cases, i would have to have an emergency c-section. if the version (which begins at 7am tomorrow) is successful, i will be immediately induced and could deliver naturally. if it is NOT successful, well, i am scheduled for a c-section at 8am. either way, there will be a baby tomorrow! (if somehow i go into labor before then, i will be given a c-section on the spot.)
i am so mad that this has not turned out the way i planned. as you should know, i planned on waiting as long as possible (NO induction) and going without pain meds (except possibly some demerol) like i did with Lincoln... i am so upset that things are happening in a much more difficult manner than we would like. but, the most important thing is that Lexi and i are both healthy and a c-section might very well be the way to do that.
i am praying that we will get to the hopital in the morning (at 5:30am- yuk!) and that she will have turned on her own... then i would just be induced and could have her naturally. i am also praying that if i have to have the version, that it will be successful. we all know that with God, all things are possible- so He ultimately has control over whether the version works out or not. i also know that things are going to work out either way, and that we often can't see His plan in the grand scheme of things... it sure would be nice if His way was also the way i'm hoping it will be :)
Please add Lexi and me to your prayers today and tomorrow and know that the next time i blog, i will have TWO children!
Love to you all!

still pregnant

YES, i'm STILL pregnant! 6 days to go! i have been having lots of contractions, but none that will get any stronger or any closer together. i wish they would just go away since they're causing me pain but not seeming to be doing much good. either go away or be painful enough for me to have to go to the hospital!
apparently people think Lexi's going to be born on the 15th. i'm just praying that she's not late like her brother!!!
more soon, hopefully it will be news that something has actually happened...

8 days to go!

it's CRAZY to think that there are only 8 days to go until Lexi's due date. on one hand, i feel like this pregnancy has absolutely flown by... on the other hand, i feel like i've been pregnant for-ev-er! i am definitely ready to NOT be pregnant anymore! i have lost several hours of sleep over the past couple of nights because of miserable indigestion. i slept about 3 hours in our bed last night, was awake (in pain) for over an hour, then slept almost 3 hours in the LA-Z-BOY. seriously- earlier today i had part of a cherry coke and got indigestion. ridiculous!!! i think pregnancy is as tired of me as i am of it. i had to go get a pedicure yesterday because i can't bend down and reach my toes. hahaha, pathetic, but true. (i was, however, hopeful that the pedicure would help induce labor- my sister-in-law has a theory that pedicures will do that... it worked for her!)
i went to the dr. today and was glad to find out that there was SOME change, but disappointed that it wasn't much. he said we would "call me a 2" as in dilated to 2... i asked if we were going to call me a 2 or if i was actually a 2... he said i'm indeed a 2. so i was glad to hear that i'm no longer stuck at 1 like i have been for a month. i'm only 30-40% effaced, so Lexi seems to be in no hurry whatsoever. my dr. did offer to induce me this week since i did a nice amount of complaining about still being pregnant, but i said "no thanks" since i'm planning on going through labor sans-epidural like i did with Lincoln. i am very ANTI- being induced! i am praying that Lexi will come on her own, but not as late as her brother did. i REALLY don't want to be pregnant till July 27!!!
so, my prayers have offically started that God will help my cervix get moving. it would be really convenient for her to be born within the next 8 days because my sister and her fiance will be passing through town twice before the 20th... and it would be nice for this dang indigestion to go away. it is making me miserable.
if you all feel like joining in on prayers to hurry Lexi along, please feel free. i'm hoping this will be the last entry i have to post until she is born, but i'm doubting that will happen.
hopefully i will have more good news soon!