I am engaged!!

Gotcha!  Suckers!!!  ;) 

Actually, after I wrote this post title it is possible to read it from 2 different perspectives....  1.  As it is ENGAGED.  2.  As ENGORGED (the new Moms and Moms to be out there may think I had a type-o with engaged) -which, sorry folks, I am NOT. 

Now that I have cleared that up- I am not engaged or engorged.  I am happily married for almost 6 years now.  But today was the first time in 8 months I was able to wear my engagement ring!  Hot damn, today is a good day!  My wedding band still does not fit, but that is ok, baby steps. 

So, this post will mainly be about me as so many of you have asked what is happening with  my body, emotions, etc. now that baby Owen is here.

Overall, I am feeling really good (so much better than when O was in my belluh).  The negative effects of this is I want to do way too much.  Taking it "easy" has never really been a gear I have though.  My body does tell me when I need to back off and I reluctantly listen.  I do have to say O does a great job at keeping me still when he is in my arms.  Seriously, the starring at this kid can go on for hours.

I have 3 more weeks to go before I can do anything more than short walks.  I cannot wait.  I have quite a long list of new and exciting things to try work out wise and of course I can't wait to get back into the yoga room. 

Emotionally I am feeling ok.  I have had one really big break down when O was 7 days old and the break down had nothing to do with him.  So, I feel really lucky nothing too crazy has happened- YET.  ha ha.  Oh, I should mention I still suffer from pregnancy brain.  I have also been told by some wise Mommies it doesn't go away!  Ruh roh! 

My incision is healing nicely as far as I am concerned.  As I have mentioned before I don't mind if I end up with scaring.  Such a small thing in the grand scheme of things.   My stomach does look pretty funny though.  With the c section incision and Linea Nigra (that is the line down the belly some women get when they are pregnant) it looks like I was really sliced and diced. 

From all the funny positions feeding and holding Owen my back and neck have been really out of whack.  Thank goodness for the incredible Dr. Michelle Clark!  She is not only my friend, but back & neck miracle worker!  No joke Denver peeps, go seek her out if you haven't already.  She is all kinds of glitter and amazeballs. 

This weekend I will head to see Christine at Elixir from a yummy postnatal massage.

That is all I can think of now.  If you have any other questions please never hesitate to send them my way. 

Last but not least - this sweet boy is 3 weeks old today.  This truly is the most scary and rewarding thing I have ever done in my life. 

Look at O's funny faces.  I don't expect anything less from our kid- he is going to be quite animated in his expressions!  ;)

 

Rub a dub dub and us....

 

 

On January 24th Owen's umbilical cord finally fell off- woohoo!  Rub a dub dub- full bath time in the Puj Tub.  Let me tell you, yet another really sweet product that we would highly recommend for newborns.  O loved being in the tub and water and of course he peed once on us.  Pretty funny. 

 

 

Overall, we are doing really well.  This little guy continues to amaze us and I couldn't do any of this without my husbands help.  Words cannot express how helpful he has been.  Watching the bond with him and O is especially sweet too. 

 

Now, this is NOT me saying anything about this is easy, because guess what?  "Good" baby, "Fussy" baby, etc.... this baby stuff is incredibly challenging.  We worry about what we are doing right or wrong.  When we should or should not try something new.  How long for this or that.  As my husband says, "they are like little rubrics cubes you are constantly trying to figure out and as soon as you figure one piece out there is something new to try and figure out". 

It is my goal most days to not be so hard on myself as a new Mom.  It is not easy, but I know the more relaxed I am the more relaxed O will be and that is what is best for him. 

Last but not least these sweet pictures of our little Ninja and his Daddies big hand (it is hard to believe some day he will probably have hands as big as - if not bigger).  Goosh! Love!

 

Even O thought this was funny ;)

 



Our first & second quick outings & O's 2 week appt!

January 18th

Well of course we went to Starbucks!  haha  Everyone who knows me is not surprised by this at all.  We are blessed to live by one of the coolest Starbucks in Denver because it is connected to REI, parks, the river and walking paths galore! 

 

The stroller we picked (BOB Revolution City) is bad ass!  So glad we went with it.  Super light, easy to maneuver and O seemed to love it (though he slept and squinted through most of it).

We were in and out of Starbucks pretty quickly - I didn't want any germy people trying touching him!

 

Every child needs a North Face jacket!


 January 26th

We headed to our local wine store to finally redeem wine from a benefit for the Children's Museum last summer. Kona went with and Joe tried on the Ergo carrier. The nice thing about the carrier is no one tries to look, touch or get too close. O was as snug as a bug in a rug! 

January 25th

O went back to see Dr. Bryan for his 2 week check up, this time at his new facility (http://www.hipediatrics.com/)- which by the way is really awesome!

I will remember to get some pictures next time, but I just get so nervous when it involves taking him out of the house and in the car. 

Everything went really well and our little Ninja is growing strong.  Everything checked out and he now weighs 7 pounds!  He protested getting weighed and decided to pee on Joe right after.  No bigs, his smart Daddy found a sink and just held him over it while he peed away.  haha 
He handled everything else like a champ including the 2nd round of blood draw from his heel.

We are in a tricky stage with him size wise right now as his legs are getting really long.  So, his newborn sizes fit except the legs are too short.  One size up the legs fit great but the rest of his long and lean body is swimming in it!   

I cannot begin to tell you how much we are enjoying watching him grow.  Watching how quickly he is changing.  It is true what they say, "it all goes by so fast".  What a gift we have in this precious little man. 




 

"They Call Me The Fireman- Ya Owen's My Name"

This story is delayed, but totally awesome nonetheless. 

Sit back, relax and enjoy.

It was night number 3 at home with Owen and I took the three-ish AM shift for Joe.  All went well -as usual.  Each day/night a new challenge and more learning, but nothing over the top.  Just taking time to get in the groove of things.  Notice the "taking time" part.  Sometimes taking your time does not pay off. 

I was changing Owen's diaper and at that time I was really bad at it with my hand still being all numb and messed up.  So things do go slower.  This did not work in my favor on said night.  All the sudden (just like in the movies) Owen started to pee....  EVERYWHERE. 

Instead of reacting like a normal person probably would (you know by covering his binker with something to stop the fire hose flow) I threw my hands in the air and screamed.  I was in shock.  This was the real deal.  I mean this is a little 6.5 pound dude and the pee stream was strong. 

So, upon throwing up my hands up (pacifier, wipes and whatever else was in my hands went flying behind me- it looked like a war zone) pee hit me in the eye, then my mouth- yep.  Oh it gets better. Then Owen shifted just a tad and then it hit the window, followed by his brand new chair and finally and last, but certainly not least- KONA! 

It was over almost as quickly as it had started, however, Kona and I were totally startled. And what did little Owen do after all of this? He smirked at me and then started kicking his legs up and down. I couldn't help but laugh my booty off, console Kona (he had no idea what had just happened and looked really confused) and then get to cleaning. I laughed to myself for at least the next couple hours. And I still laugh about it now wishing I had this on video!

Yep, it is funny peeing all over Mommy and my dog Kona!

From Kona-  "It is hard having a little brother.....but I really like him"





 

It's the little things....

Owen is 2 weeks old today.  Time most certainly does fly when you are having fun.  And truthfully, we are having fun.  He is such a good baby.  He is so laid back and chill.  We really hit the lottery with this sweet guy. 

I think I have sat down at least a dozen times since last week to try and blog, but I just go right back to hanging out with him (starring at him).  The mornings have been quite fun lately as he is staying awake longer and becoming much more animated with all his movements and facial expressions.  He has been holding his strong neck up since day 2 (I am not kidding) and just 3 nights ago he rolled over on his own when we were having tummy time.  Ninja what!?  :) 

I am healing well only random pain when I do too much- which is my own fault.  Today was my 2 week check up with Dr. D'A.  It was the first time I have been on the scales since Owen was born.  I have lost 20 pounds.  Blood pressure and all vitals are great.  My eye still looks gnarly from the broken blood vessle, but it is much better.  My right hand is STILL lame.  :(  The steri strips came off and my incision seems to being doing well despite how icky it does look.  She had me buy some Scargaurd to apply for the next few weeks to help with scarring.  She is being really hard on herself about the extra cut she had to make to get Owen out.  Which I do understand- she is a perfectionist, however, what was and is most important was getting Owen out safe and sound.  If I have a scar from this sweet dude it will be a constant reminder of how worth it all he was each time I see it! 

We continue to be blessed with visitors that love Owen so much.  Once again and not to sound like a broken record, but we are so thankful for each and every one of you. 

Molly and I were texting today about Owen and one of her texts said "DCT".  I typed back "what is DCT"?  She sent back, "Dream Come True"....  and that he is.  We couldn't ask for anything more.  He shows us each day it is the little things that matter.

More to come tomorrow or this weekend.  O has another appointment with his doc in the morning.

A Ninja birth story....

Owen
Origin: Celtic: Meaning- Young warrior

First we had each other, then we had YOU, now we
have everything. This is our happily ever after.

It seemed only fitting his name to be Owen.  He is nothing short of a warrior.  More importantly he is also named after a very special miracle triplet. 

As I sit here today it is hard to believe our Ninja Owen is already one week old. We have been soaking it all in and learning a lot during this time. I will post more later, but for now, here is Owen's birth story.



Owen was born at 13:33 on 1/10/13 via c section.  He was 6lbs 5oz and 20.75 inches long and very healthy.

I was in the great hands of Dr. D'A and her trusty staff.  This didn't make it any less scary.  I just wanted him to be perfect.  The procedure to get Owen out was quite quick, putting me back together was another story.  I will skip straight to the sweet spot. 

All the sudden we heard Dr. D'A start to say hi to Owen (yes, we did tell her his name) so we knew we were so close to meeting our sweet Ninja.  He had his legs wrapped into my rib cage so tightly Dr. D'A had to apply quite a bit of pressure to get him out.  This was painful.  Not in the sense of pain, but I felt pain in my chest and shoulders as she did 2 huge pushes to get his long legs out.  Right after the 2nd big push we heard his strong cry and of course we cried.  I honestly cannot put into words the feeling that rushed through my body.  We got to see our little Ninja for the first time screaming with his strong lungs.  Joe was able to go with the nurses and spend some bonding time with Owen while the good doc and her crew put me back together. 

At that point Dr. D'A informed me she had to make a bigger incision than she had expected to get Owen out because my uterus was still quite heart shaped and the larger side of my uterus was on the right where Owen was (smart kid, huh??).  I knew my uterus was not "totally" fixed after the surgeries, but I was surprised to hear it was still quite heart shaped.  With this extra cut I also lost quite a bit of blood due to the positioning.  She told me not to be alarmed that I was fine (but I would be weak and maybe need some iron) and I was ok with that.  Again, the comfort of knowing you are in the best hands.  All the while I could hear Joe talking to our sweet boy-  he was going back and forth being the best husband checking on me and then back to our son. 

Once I was in recovery it was tough (you know I don't sugar coat).  I was really out of it and started to get sick from the medications they had given me, this meant more anti nausea medication which causes extreme drowsiness.  I now understand why some women poo poo on this with c sections, but I have to tell you-  it was so comforting to see Joe with Owen, to see the bond they were developing as I recovered.  I would never want to take that opportunity from Joe.  It was the most darling thing pretty much ever!  ;) 

I was in and out of it most of the evening and very uncomfortable, but all that mattered was my little Ninja and husband. 

We were grateful to have my Dad, little brother, Joe's Mom and Dad and sister join us at the hospital once we got back to our room.  In the days that followed and as the days go on Owen is meeting all of his family and all of his friends. 

Rose Hospital was (per usual) amazing.  Best care ever.  If you want more details about Rose or more specifics of my c section (staples, bleeding, pads, stool softeners etc- oh the fun- haha) I am more than happy to share with you, just send me an email and I will let you know! 

We were released from the hospital Monday morning and brought our sweet boy home.  He is doing great.  I am healing and probably doing more than I should (it hurts to laugh, cry, move, etc), but I can't help myself.  This truly is a love you have never felt before and it is incredibly hard.  I still am baffled how some people are allowed to leave the hospitals with such a precious package.  Like I have said before- these little dudes don't come with a manual!! haha   

We continue to be incredibly grateful for all the love we have received from our family, friends and those we don't know through this journey of "the Ninja".  I truly cannot express my deep appreciation and love to each and everyone one of you.  I cannot wait to show Owen where we started and who has been here with us the entire way once he is old enough.  He is so loved and we are so blessed. 

Now, back to loving and starring at this sweet miracle Ninja. 









Tomorrow....

Ninja's big day is tomorrow. 

I am filled with tons of emotions and feelings. 
I am surrounded by incredible family and friends. 
I have one of the best doctors in Denver (this is the 7th year running for her). 
I am so grateful and blessed. 

Dr. D'A

 

 

 

Single digits....

Much to my surprise the Ninja is still quite cozy cooking in my belly.  I can't believe we are in the single digits to his arrival. 

Me right now in a nutshell:
-I am both excited & nervous (scared shitless a little). 
-My hormones are off the chain (sing it!  Roller coaster-  ohhh ohhh ohhh ohhh)
-It is really starting to set in that these little things do not come with instructions!!  (YIKES)

That is really all I have for now.  My brain is on overload, I am still not sleeping and my body is swelling like a whale.  This is just mentioning a few sweet morsels (try not to be too jealous of the deliciousness that is going on right now- I will save the stool softener & pad talk for a later post- HA!). 

Honestly, the only thing I will miss about being pregnant is knowing the little dude is safe and free from nasty people germs in my belly.  Everyone seems to be sick right now.  So note:  if you are sick don't bring your nasty germs around me or the Ninja.  Thank you. 

More to come later.....  until then:

 

Happy New Year!

Welcome 2013 and all you may have in store for each and every one of us! 

So far there are no new signs of the Ninja coming yet.  More brutal contractions, but not enough to get excited over.  Only 9 more days not counting today!  Crazy! 

I will keep this one short and sweet, but I did want to post about a gift we received.  Just when you think you have a collection of the coolest, most creative, fun gifts from amazing people - someone sweeps in with one that is just so stinking cute.  So, check this out-  after all, every Ninja needs his Nun chuks at all ages in life! 

No, this is not a weird carrot.  Nun chuks for baby Ninjas.  It is a soft
cuddly rattle!  Packaged just like Sushi.