4th Trimester and Beyond

Baby Girl is 3 Weeks Old

noreply@blogger.com (Kyla) — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 02:30:00 +0000

With Frazer flying out of town for a conference it was wonderful to have Nana come stay with us! I'm so grateful for the extra helping hands especially when it comes to helping get the boys settled down for the night. With three kiddos there's never a dull moment around here.

Monday, Rebecca ate at 11:00 pm, 12:30 am and again at 1:30 am but then it took forever to get her back down and even then I was only successful by putting her beside me. I love laying with her and clearly she was happy since she didn't wake until 7 am! However, when she's in my bed I don't sleep but I was happy to have her comfortable and resting. It's so hard to believe she's 3 weeks old already!!

It's Not a Banana

noreply@blogger.com (Kyla) — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 02:42:00 +0000

As my journey of motherhood continues to unfold I'm learning to go with the flow as much as possible. I'm also learning that I'm lacking in super powers to keep my littles secluded in their own little bubbles protected from the outer world. While I was in our bedroom with Rebecca, Isaac joined me and was talking away. Out of the blue however I found myself having an unexpected conversation. I immediately flashed back to the movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kindergarten Cop as soon as the words out of Isaac's mouth hit my ears; "boys have a penis, girls have a banana".

I couldn't help but laugh out loud and then with all the restraint I could muster with a straight face and calm voice I clarified his statement using the appropriate terms. Yes, dear, you and your brother are boys and have a penis. Your sister is a girl and it's called a vagina.

Heaven help me! I'm gonna need it!

On The Right Track

noreply@blogger.com (Kyla) — Sat, 11 Oct 2014 02:30:00 +0000

Rebecca had another weight check on the 8th of October and I was so happy to hear the doctor say she was back to her birth weight of 8 pounds and 6 ounces! This little girl's appetite is kicking in and we're moving in the right direction. It's such a relief to know we're on the right track now.

Since Isaac was in school and Julian was with a sitter for Rebecca's appointment I took advantage of the time to get some groceries with baby girl. It was so nice to get out and Publix is amazing with all the coupons they send as part of their baby club. I became "that person" who held up the line with all my coupons and was super excited to have saved over $25! The one thing about having a family and little kiddos is the lowering of expectations. Who would have thought there would be a time in my life when a trip to the store would feel like a vacation or saving $25 in coupons would feel like winning the lottery!? Ha!

Even though our evenings have still been a little rough this little girl has stolen my heart. She's a little angel during the day and little fussy at night. She's been very gassy and hard to burp which is making it hard for her to go back down to bed. However, I'm managing to get some naps during the kiddos morning naps while Isaac is at school. The irregular sleep results in a fair amount of headaches which is no picnic and our weather hasn't been helping with the storms and tornado warnings.

This little girl loves to soak up all the cuddles! Frazer discovered a fun fact today too. He's been doing some genealogy research on his side of the family and learned he had a Great-Grand Aunt called Rebecca who was born in 1872!

While Julian is adjusting to no longer being the baby he made sure to get the focus back on him for a bit resulting in the need for a basement door solution. This little guy managed to open the door and he feel down the steps. It's a good thing he's a tough little guy. He busted his mouth up a bit and got a bruise on his head but seemed fine otherwise and it certainly didn't slow him down!

Rebecca - 2 Weeks Old

noreply@blogger.com (Kyla) — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 02:30:00 +0000

My sweet baby girl is 2 weeks old!

While the boys are continuing to adjust to their little sister they have loved spending time with nana while she's visiting and helping out. I certainly don't know what I would do without nana! Two little boys and a two week old baby equals one sleep deprived mama. I was able to sleep until noon after our 8 am feeding but I still feel like I've been hit by a truck. It's going to take some time before our days and nights are worked out and until that happens the night shifts will continue to be rough. Despite the exhaustion it's so much better than being pregnant. :)

Rebecca has been doing well even though she hasn't gained any weight as of last Friday. I've been monitoring her intake and look forward to her weight check tomorrow. This little girl needs to get back to her birth weight soon!

Time for Baby Girl to Gain Weight

noreply@blogger.com (Kyla) — Tue, 07 Oct 2014 02:00:00 +0000

Despite being a walking zombie from sleep deprivation I actually managed to leave the house Friday. Balancing the needs of all my babies is proving to be a challenge. It's been hard to spend time with the boys in-between Rebecca's feeding schedule. Rebecca had another check up and she still hasn't gained any weight since she left the hospital in Atlanta. I've stopped breast feeding and switched to pumping along with bottles of formula. She's now getting 16-20 oz per day so hopefully she'll start gaining soon!

Mama's Outnumbered

noreply@blogger.com (Kyla) — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 02:00:00 +0000

Julian has discovered a new game and I'm sure he's very amused with himself. As soon as it's time to feed Rebecca he waits patiently until I'm all settled and then he attacks. He runs off on a mission to explore everything he knows that is supposed to be off limits and stays just out of my reach. It's like watching the Tasmanian devil spin out of control while he's in the nursery with me. I will say he's very curious about his little sister and can be very loving. It's quite the challenge to juggle the needs of both little ones!

Rebecca had a weight check on the 3rd of October and she's at 7.14 pounds. She hasn't gained anything since her last check up. The doctor says she's okay and there are no real issues unless she continues to not gain any weight. I'm going to have to focus more supplementing her with formula so I can measure her intake. I'll bring her back next week for another check up.

As much as I wish Rebecca was gaining more weight mama on the other hand has already lost 20 lbs which is very encouraging! I think my rapid weight lost can be attributed to chasing the boys. This mama is outnumbered and the kiddos know it. I'm going to have to come up with a new game plan to stay ahead of them.

Please Don't Sit On Your Sister

noreply@blogger.com (Kyla) — Thu, 02 Oct 2014 02:30:00 +0000

The boys are still adjusting to our smallest family member. Julian has been very challenging since he won't leave Rebecca alone. I left the room for a split second and heard a strange noise that quickly caught my attention. I immediately ran back in the room and had a moment of panic!. Julian had climbed in the rock-and-play and was sitting on his baby sister! I'm not sure if he was trying to reclaim the rock-and-play which used to be his or if he was being creative in his attempt to snuggle with Rebecca. Let's just say subtle and gentle is not his strong suit!

It's a good thing she's fairly laid back but she didn't hesitate to let me know she needed some help. She's also learning quickly how to tune the boys out when they're being a bit rambunctious.

Rebecca 1 Week Old

noreply@blogger.com (Kyla) — Wed, 01 Oct 2014 03:00:00 +0000

How is she a week old already?!

She's my little angel. A true gift and I'm so very blessed to have her as my daughter and to be her mama.

Rebecca's First Bath

noreply@blogger.com (Kyla) — Wed, 01 Oct 2014 02:30:00 +0000

All things considered Rebecca handled her first bath like a champ!

Prepping for Rebecca's First Bath

noreply@blogger.com (Kyla) — Wed, 01 Oct 2014 02:30:00 +0000

Well the first day of having all three kids was.....let's just be honest.....it was hard. Trying to feed Rebecca with Julian's assistance is next to impossible. Isaac has been going to school everyday which has been a huge help.

I'm riding the postpartum hormone train full of migraines and night sweats. I've felt fairly awful but I have lost four pounds of water weight which is good. Another bonus to our new family dynamic is Isaac has managed to sleep ins room for two consecutive nights!! That's a huge win in my book.

Once papa was home from work it was time to get Rebecca ready for her first bath! And I love that Frazer took such a precious picture of all of our hospital bracelets together.

She's so precious! I'm absolutely in love!

I can't get enough of her tiny hand wrapped around my finger!

My laid back little babe tossed up the peace sign!

Love. Love. Love

Mama's First Day with All 3 Kiddos

noreply@blogger.com (Kyla) — Mon, 29 Sep 2014 02:30:00 +0000

Today has been interesting. This is my first morning having all three kiddos to myself without any assistance. Julian isn't sure what to think of Rebecca and Isaac has been acting up since all the attention isn't falling to him.

Rebecca has been awesome with the exception of breast feeding. In the beginning her latch was poor and caused a bit of damage. This is the part of motherhood that no one bothers to share so for the sake of posterity I feel as thought I need to be candid. My nipples were cracked, bleeding and hurt like hell. Each time I look at the clock and notice Rebecca's feeding time is approaching I cringe at the thought of the sharp shooting pains down my spine as a result of her latching. The thought makes my spine wiggle.

However, I was able to find a lactation consultant who surprisingly lives in our neighborhood and was kind enough to stop by on such short notice last night. I optimistic the new game plan will be successful!

Rebecca spent a good part of the day napping and I tried to nap along with her when I could. Once papa came home from work we ventured out for our first time as a family of five!

Thank goodness for minivans!! We made a successful trip to Target for some essentials and each of the boys got to pick out a new toy. I think it's safe to say we were all worn out by the time we made it home!

The Boys Meet Baby Sister

noreply@blogger.com (Kyla) — Sun, 28 Sep 2014 02:30:00 +0000

The boys came home today!! I was so excited to see my boys and give them big hugs. I was also very excited for them to meet their new baby sister.

Isaac did a great job holding his baby sister and Julian was very curious.

Isaac kept a close eye and kept peeking at Rebecca. It was so cute.

Missing my Boys

noreply@blogger.com (Kyla) — Sat, 27 Sep 2014 02:30:00 +0000

As much as I've loved spending time with Rebecca I've certainly missed my boys! I know they've been having a great time with Nana and Grandpa.

I also can't believe how much bigger they seem to be now that Rebecca is here! My goodness it's as if they've grown several feet in comparison to their baby sister. I'm certainly curious to see how Julian interacts with his baby sister.

Rebecca's First Checkup

noreply@blogger.com (Kyla) — Sat, 27 Sep 2014 02:00:00 +0000

Frazer and I started our day taking baby girl to her first check up.

Baby girl is healthy in all regards however she's still losing weight. She's down to 7 lbs 15 ounces compared to her birth weight of 8 lbs 6 oz. I'm having the same problem with Rebecca as I did with the boys. Even though I've been attempting to breast feed Rebecca my supply is limited. I was surprised her weight was down since I've been supplementing her with formula too.

After her appointment Rebecca and I went home to enjoy some bonding time while papa was busy running errands to rent a breast pump for me. While he was gone I got to enjoy one of my favorite moments of motherhood. Skin contact with my baby girl. There's just nothing better!

First Outing with Rebecca

noreply@blogger.com (Kyla) — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 03:30:00 +0000

Rebecca was all bundled up and ready for his first car ride.

Before heading back to Tennessee we made a quick stop for a late lunch and a quick visit with a few friends who couldn't make it the hospital to meet our sweet bundle. Michele, Lori and Lucy came by to meet Rebecca. Eliza was not happy about hanging out with Ms. Michele while her mama held Rebecca.

Once we were finished at Cue in Alpharetta it was time to head home and we were Tennessee bound.

Getting Ready to Go Home

noreply@blogger.com (Kyla) — Fri, 26 Sep 2014 02:30:00 +0000

It's a bitter sweet day. I'm so excited to be going home but at the same time I know this is my last baby so I'm savoring every last moment of this process. I feel like I've blinked and it's already time to go home. I've truly cherished the alone time with Rebecca.

The pediatrician came and gave Rebecca a clean bill of health. We were scheduled to be discharged early afternoon so it was time to get packed up and get little Rebecca ready for the outside world.

Evening Cuddles with Rebecca

noreply@blogger.com (Kyla) — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 03:45:00 +0000

After visiting with all of our friends during the day it was time for baby girl and I to snuggle up and get some rest. I simply can't get enough of this precious girl.

Rebecca took 5 ml of formula and it made her very happy and very sleepy!

Each time I would try to burp Rebecca she couldn't be bothered and wanted to sleep. So far she's a laid back baby with the exception of burping. In that department she's a bit stubborn.

By 10:00 pm Rebecca had finished 15 ml of formula which was great considering she was down in her over all weight. She had lost just a touch over 5%. When it came time to get her bundled up for the night I made a switch from the swaddle blankets, which she constantly kept kicking out of, to a sleep slack with a zipper. She wasn't too sure about the new contraption.

It wasn't long before she adjusted and she was to dream land.

Visitors for Baby Girl!

noreply@blogger.com (Kyla) — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 02:35:00 +0000

The greatest part of delivering Rebecca in Atlanta is being able to visit with friends that I've missed so much since moving to Tennessee.

Ellen was our first visitor and she brought wine!! It was so wonderful to visit and catch up. Maura was our next visitor of the day and I loved the big monkey balloon and pink champagne from her and Aime.

Catherine stopped by too and brought the happiest flowers from her and the girls that were just perfect for a little girl!

I think Rebecca loved all of the attention too!

Our next visitor to wrap up the day was Jennifer who brought the most nourishing dinner for mama.

In keeping with tradition Jennifer also brought Rebecca her first cupcake to celebrate her "birth" day. :)

Morning Snuggles with Rebecca

noreply@blogger.com (Kyla) — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 02:30:00 +0000

Papa's are the best for snuggles! Nothing warms my heart like watching Frazer snuggle with his daughter.

Despite having just given birth I actually felt really good! It was so nice to bend over and see my toes and bend at my waist again. More than anything I just enjoyed spending time with Rebecca. It's one thing to experience a baby moving in my belly but holding her is an entirely different experience. So much love!

This little girl loves to be snuggled too!

No words. Just love. Lots of love.

Farmer Isaac

noreply@blogger.com (Kyla) — Wed, 24 Sep 2014 03:00:00 +0000

While mama was in labor with Rebecca the boys were having lots of fun with Nana and Grandpa. Isaac was Grandpa's helper for the day and from the looks of it he had a great time playing in the dirt.

Welcome Baby Rebecca!

noreply@blogger.com (Kyla) — Wed, 24 Sep 2014 02:45:00 +0000

I'm one happy mama and very proud to announce the arrival of our precious daughter, Rebecca Elise Middleton. She arrived at 12:40 pm today weighing in at 8 lbs 6 oz measuring 20 inches. She's absolutely perfect!

I'm so happy this little girl was ready to arrive instead of waiting another week. She's so sweet and precious my heart has busted wide open with love once again!!

Delivery was very smooth and it was another successful VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarian). From the time I started leaking to delivery was a total of 11 hours but only about three to four hours of active labor. Labor was still painful but Rebecca was much easier to push out this time. After a couple of pushes she was out and I only needed two stitches!! It took a fraction of the time compared to Julian's birth.

Once Rebecca was in my arms we snuggled until my legs woke up. She stayed in the room with me the entire time and never had to go to the nursery.

Once we were transferred to our recovery room and were all settled Frazer went out for his traditional dinner to the Varsity. It's the first meal he had after both of the boys were born so it was only fitting to do the same thing for his daughter's birth. :)

Labor of Love

noreply@blogger.com (Kyla) — Wed, 24 Sep 2014 02:30:00 +0000

Despite my exhaustion as the clock ticked by the contractions continued and the intensity increased. By 6:00 am I was dilated to 6 cm and was moved to a labor room. I was still leaking fluid but the sac hadn't ruptured. I got in a zone and handled the contractions fairly well until around 9:00 am. At this point Dr. Tate wasn't sure how quick or slow I would progress and he didn't want to leave the hospital for the office and have to turn around. After some debate he cleared his schedule and stayed. Shortly thereafter he decided it was best to start a round of pitocin to induce. I was 100% on board and ready for baby girl to get out!

Given my last experience with being induced before getting an epidural I knew for sure I wanted an epidural first this time. Dr. Tate preferred I wait and do the epidural after the pitocin had been started. My nurse, however, was fantastic, and made sure the epidural was administered before hand. The contractions were getting rough by the time the epidural was being put in. It felt like the team took forever to get it in too. Each time it seamed like they were close and then I felt excruciating pain in my back. By the 3rd time the epidural was in and relief set in! Finally I could rest.

I have no idea how much time lapsed after the epidural was administered but it was so nice to be able to rest. Then an intense pressure started building on my left side. I got Frazer to get one of the nurses. They came in and checked the monitors and said it was time!!

At that point a team of resources started arriving in my room getting everything set up. When it was time to start pushing Frazer was on one side and a nurse was on the other. The epidural was fantastic and they actually had to tell me when to push. All I could feel was pressure. Before the first push though Dr. Tate said there was a chance I would deliver baby girl intact. He could clearly see the water sac was still intact which apparently is an omen of good luck. However after a couple of pushes the water sack broke and out she came!

Hearing her cry and having her placed on my chest was the best feeling in the world! She was here. Finally. In my arms. It's such an overwhelming experience. There really aren't enough words to adequately describe it.

Our little love bundle was here!!

Welcome to the world little girl!

False Alarm or Baby Time?!

noreply@blogger.com (Kyla) — Wed, 24 Sep 2014 02:00:00 +0000

It's so surreal to to climb in the car with a friend, seats layered with beach towels just in case, and drive down the interstate and basically be one of only a handful of cars on the road at 2:30 in the morning. With no traffic it was no time at all before we arrived at Emory Midtown.

Once we were at the hospital and checked in we had to wait a few minutes before someone came to bring me back. Once I was taken back it was the usual pre-check list of questions, getting changed etcetera. By 3:10 am I received a text from hubby that he was already inside 285 and he was parking at the hospital by 3:20 am.

By the time Frazer arrived to the maternity area Dr. Tate had been into see me but they wouldn't let Frazer back until the exams were finished. All I know is by this point I was frustrated. I explained what happened this morning to Dr. Tate and they did a swab to verify if it was amniotic fluid but the test came back negative. Since I wasn't gushing with fluid my doctor was skeptical that it was actually my water that broke.

So the waiting game officially started. Ugh! Basically it was time to wait and see if more leaking started again. By this time Frazer was finally able to come back with me and I was so discouraged. I did not want this be another false alarm. If it was I was going to be so pissed and embarrassed for having everyone up in the middle of the night.

Around 4:30 am I got up to use the bathroom and I started leaking again. I froze right where I was standing and refused to move. I had Frazer run out and get Dr. Tate who came in and swabbed my leaking fluid tinged with blood right off my leg. At this point another exam was conducted and I was 4 1/2 -5 cm dilated. Clearly my body was preparing for labor. However, Dr. Tate was a little perplexed. He was convinced it wasn't my water that broke but he agreed something was going on so he had me admitted. At least that was a relief! I wasn't going home until there was a baby this time!!

Now it was a matter of waiting until a labor and delivery room was available. So....again we waited.

A Restless Night

noreply@blogger.com (Kyla) — Wed, 24 Sep 2014 01:30:00 +0000

Not long after midnight I did my best to fall asleep. Baby girl was moving up a storm and keeping me up. Somehow I managed to fall asleep but I was incredibly restless. It was really hard to get comfortable and overtime I would move from one side to the other and it was incredibly painful. I was very uncomfortable and around 1:30 am I switched sides again when I felt the familiar pop of a wet and warm sensation and I jumped out of bed.

I was fully prepared this time and had beach towels by the bed with one already on the floor as a precaution. I stood there for a couple of seconds and I felt another warm rush. It wasn't a trickle but it wasn't gushing like Niagara Falls either. At this point I called Frazer and it was 1:48 am and told him what was going on so he got up to head to Atlanta.

Meanwhile I laid back down as a precaution to see if anything else happened and sure enough I started leaking again. The next call was to my doctor. Once I had the green light to head to the hospital I called Lori who was kind enough to take me to the hospital.

By 2:11 am I was packed and waiting in the hotel lobby for Lori to arrive and then we were off!

7 More Days to Go

noreply@blogger.com (Kyla) — Tue, 23 Sep 2014 03:30:00 +0000

Despite early contractions over labor day my plan of coming to Atlanta the week before my due date all worked out! I spent the night at Lori's last night so I could watch Eliza this morning. Lori and Patrick went out of town and would't be getting back until this morning. Of course, my ability to lend a hand all hinged on baby girls cooperativeness.

Little Eliza took it easy on me this morning which was a good thing. She was so laid back. Eliza snuggled up for some cuddles and took a nice nap. Once Lori made it back we went out to lunch, picked Norah up from school then I was off to get checked into the Town Suites hotel.

I had a cozy little room right next to the elevator which was great.

Once I was settled I ventured out for a leisurely dinner at Panera Bread. Afterwards I went to Target and it was a luxury to walk around by myself so I decided to pick up a few snacks for the hotel. While watching the Tonight Show I made a list of all the things I wanted to do this week while I was in Atlanta. It felt great to be local. With so many things to do I'd better head to bed and get some rest.