The First Week

Merry Christmas to the new family of three...well four if you include our little Lancey!

Here is our little peanut all dressed up in her Christmas outfit ready to celebrate the holiday with the Henjums!

Well a week ago today Chris and I packed up the car with our hospital suitcases and left the house around 7 to have a baby! By 11am my contractions started and by 3pm I had made it to 7cm and the pain was absolutely unbearable so I decided to get the epidural which helped soooo much! I was able to relax for 5 hours on the bed and Chris was able to watch the Vikings game! they didn't win but I think Chris still had a pretty good day because by 8pm I was pushing and at 11:08 we had Linnea April Meyers! What an experience! We had wonderful help and support from all of the doctors and nurses. They had to keep a close watch on this lil one since she was laying on her umbilical cord so her heart rate kept going down when I would lay on my back. So we just moved me from side to side every few minutes! So enough about the labor...

We cannot believe Linnea is already a week old...and what an eventful week it has been. We are loving it but definitely had a scare the first day home...Linnea and I have been struggling with breastfeeding and it turns out the little peanut wasn't getting enough and had not peed three days after birth which just happened to be Christmas Eve so no clinic were open and we had to head to the ER. It was a very hard thing to do but definitely the right thing to do because they figured out she was indeed dehydrated. They put an IV in her and took some blood to see if anything else was going on. The blood tests came out a little off so the doctors wanted to keep her in NICU overnight. So this new family spent their first Christmas Eve in the NICU. Not ideal, but we were so happy to know she was getting cared for and would be okay. Everyone in the NICU was so nice and we made out pretty well on gifts too. They have a way of making a not so good situation much better. We came home with three stockings for her...two full of toys and receiving blankets. We also got a gingerbread house and a build a bear. Thank you Children's Hospital in St. Paul!

Whew...now onto happier things...Linnea has regular poops and pees now in her diaper so we are ecstatic about that! We keep a feeding and diaper diary so we know we are on track. I have been breast pumping to make sure she gets enough. We still practice on the breast before every bottle in hopes that she latches one of these days. We are still waiting for my milk and I am confident that when that comes she will get it. But if not...I will gladly keep pumping because we really want her to drink/eat my milk.

She is a very sweet good baby so far. She has met so many people already too! We had many great aunts and uncles and aunts and uncles visit in the hospital which was so nice. We have had a few friends over to meet her briefly as well. The Henjums came over for Christmas on Christmas Day and we had our Christmas chicken meal, opened gifts and even played some rock band. I think Linnea really enjoyed my singing! HAHA! Yesterday she went to her first bridal shower where she also got gifts! Today we have been taking it easy...we are only 1 week old after all! She put on her little Viking cheerleader outfit and watched the game with daddy. Mommy slept through an hour of it but then enjoyed the last part of the game with her family.

Linnea already makes so many cute facial expressions and is really exploring the house slowly with her eyes. She also moves those long fingers all around...Chris says she is casting spells. Overall she sleeps through the night...we usually have to wake her for her feedings. Once she is up at 11 though she likes to stay awake until around 1. Then when her 5am feeding comes around she likes to stay up until 7. We are definitely okay with this schedule. We know it may not last forever but we will take it for now! She usually starts out in her crib, but ends up in a bassinet in our room. We just feel more comfortable with her in our room and she is just so small in the hue crib!

As for Lancey adapting the new addition...we don't think she hasn't quite figured who or what Linnea is yet. She just kind of sniffs and sniffs around her when and if she comes into the room. Lancey usually steers clear of us these days and hangs out in "her" poppason chair in the office.

I am so happy Chris is able to be home for 2 weeks. He is such a good daddy and I don't know what I would do without him! He says I was amazing during labor but I have to say he was too! He was very active and in the room the whole time! We are very lucky ladies to have him!

Well I think that about sums up the week! We are looking forward to some more stay at home days this coming week but a few outings in there as well. We will be celebrating New Years Eve at an old friends house in Minneapolis. She is visiting from Germany and I am so happy she is home to meet baby! New Years Day will be at the Henjums to celebrate Christmas with Erik, Lisa and Dylan. It will be fun to have the cousins together! Chris' family will come and visit after New Year's Day. Lots of fun days ahead!

Thank you to everyone for all your good wishes and thoughts throughout the pregnancy! Now you can send good parenting wishes our way!

Chris has posted all of our pictures on picasa and facebook. So if you are on facebook check out either of our pages.

Here is the link for picasa. We hope it works...if not, try to cut and paste. If that still doesnt work let us know and we will gladly email you an invite!

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=c.w.meyers&target=ALBUM&id=5282715358853656865&authkey=TN87kIWh7Zg&feat=email

Linnea April Meyers

Well she has arrived. I am writing a quick update and note with the great news that Amy and I have had a beautiful little girl.

Linnea April Meyers, born 12/21/2008 at St. Joes Hospital.

6lbs and 10 oz, length 19 and 3/4 inches.

We will have many more stories, and pictures to share in the near future. Thanks to everyone for your wishes, and thoughts, and we can't wait to introduce you to our new little Angel :))

sorry this pic wouldn't flip for me,

they don't put babies on scales like this :)-

We'll post more, we promise.

Happy Holidays Everyone. I can't wait to meet you all!- Linnea

Inducing

Well unless baby decides to make her move sometime during the night, Chris and I will be calling St. Joe's at 6:30am to say we are coming in for induction. If there is a bed available we will be on our way to begin the labor process and have our baby girl! YAY! We are excited and nervous all at the same time. More excited though!

We will post something as soon as we can and you will get phone calls from us or our family and friends sharing the news about the new Meyers family member.

Thank you for all your support, prayers and thoughts!

YAY for baby!

41 weeks...

Wow! Wow! Wow! Will you look at that bump of 41 weeks! After this somewhat stressful and emotional week of waiting, deciding whether or not to go to work due to minor contractions and the weather and to top it off getting a flat tire we are really really ready to meet our baby! I know she will cheer us both up!

After our doctors appointments yesterday and today we have set a date of this Sunday the 21st as the day to begin inducing unless she starts something on her own before that. We are truly hoping she does! It sure seemed like it last night...I woke up to several uncomfortable contractions and a huge urge to pee and aches in my hips similar to those I get after running a marathon!

We had some good news from the doctors and some sort of bad news. Last night we had an ultrasound which overrall baby passed with flying colors...her breathing and movements are great...however my fluid is getting a little on the low side for our bundle of joy, that is one reason inducing is looking safer than waiting. Our doctor, along with us is more for natural births, but when baby is at risk we will do what needs to be done. The good news is I had some gel put onto my cervix which has helped it soften and dilate. Today the doctor could stretch me to 4cm and said I was 85% effaced. All good things! We do need her to move her hand away from her face though...

So for now we will continue waiting and I am going to bake some cookies. We have our first family Christmas celebration tomorrow with my dad's side provided the weather/roads cooperate. We were planning on bringing baby in our arms...but it looks like if we are able to go she will still be in my tummy...or perhaps she will be in our arms but at the hospital!

No baby yet but a flat tire!

So we are now on day 6 past our due date which I guess after the first 4 LONG days, I am okay with because I have accepted that this is just something I don't have much control over. She is on her own schedule!

Apparently I don't have much control over my tires on my car either! I was on my way to work and 3 blocks away I felt a LOT of bumpiness so I pulled over and sure enough...drivers side tire was super flat! I called AAA and the good news is they are able to come, but the bad news is it will be anywhere from when I called at 7:15am to 12:06 pm...looks like I have another day off at home. My work day ends at 2 so unless I can get to work by 11 or noon I may not go. I know I need to relax but it is easier for me to relax at work with the kiddoes where I have less time to wonder about baby. I have been having contractions since due date but none so severe I have to stop what I am doing or consistent enough to head to the hospital.

Chris and I did do some major relaxing last night...we crawled into bed around 7pm, lit a sugar cookie candle, turned the Christmas lights on and watched 3 cute Christmas specials...Mickey's Christmas Carol, Winnie the Pooh's Christmas and Charlie Brown's Christmas. (well, maybe I watched more than Chris, he was mostly reading!) I proceeded to watch the end of The Polar Express as well. See...I do know how to relax!

We go for our Dr.'s appt and ultrasound tomorrow night so we will see what they say then! Have a good day everyone...I am going to do some crafts now I think!

Hmmmm...when will she come??

Well, its Saturday night. Almost 3 days after due date and still no baby! I think I am feeling the beginning signs of contractions though so we are hoping for a trip to the hospital by morning. We have tried everything we have heard to move labor along...I've walked, I've sat on the birthing ball, moved back and forth on the ball, had the dr strip my membranes to 3cm dilated (still just 1cm at resting though), I've eaten all the spicy food I want to, cooked food that involved lots of thought, drank red raspberry tea, I've taken baths and I have rested when my body has told me to rest. I've done many things to keep my mind off of wondering when everything will begin such as scrapbooking, wrapping all our gifts, doing the dishes, reading and watching favorite Christmas movies. We drove around town on Friday doing Christmas shopping which involved getting in and out of the car, going over some bumps and walking around the stores, but still no baby! Come out, come out, come out! Please send some good birthing vibes our way or any suggestions on how to get things moving! I know in the long run, it is up to my body and the baby as to her arrival but we are so ready now!

The doctor didn't think we would make it much past this weekend but just in case we did make an appt to have another ultrasound on Thursday to see how baby and I are doing. And set a tentative induction date of December 20th, that way we will more than likely be out of the hospital with baby by the 24th. I really don't want to be induced though!

Thank you everyone who has helped with this wonderful pregnancy! Hopefully the next blog will be us with our baby girl in our arms! YAY!

Here is our cute Christmas tree we went to cut down at Hampton Hills tree farm this past weekend with my dad, brother and Chris. We also found baby's first stocking at Target! YAY!

Here I am waiting at 40 weeks...doctor thought something may happen tonight since the water bag is quite full and felt ready to pop, but no one but baby knows when she will come so we will just keep waiting. Time for a carbloading dinner and the Office!

Well as grandma has been calling it...here is my watermelon! We are 39 weeks along in this picture and doctor says we are still right on track for a December 11th baby as far as she can tell. I am softening up and my body is getting ready to have this little girl! YAY!!! We are so excited. The time has gone by so quickly and I have really lucked out and had a comfortable pregnancy. But nonetheless we cannot wait to have the baby in our arms and it seems kind of unreal that it could happen by the end of this week. By the end of this week we could be holding our daughter!! YAY! We know our lives will change but we are as ready as we can be.

In the meantime we are keeping ourselves busy doing other things and just letting nature take its course. My parents came over Wednesday and we made some Christmas cookies. I worked my last shift at Caribou on Friday ( I will probably go back to work there in 6 weeks but I can have 6 weeks totally off). Saturday morning Brian, Dad, Chris and I went to cut our Christmas tree down. We got a good one and picked it out quickly since it was FREEZING! I will post pictures later when it is done being decorated. After getting a good start of decorating throughout the day on Saturday we decided to go pick up some last minute things at Target Saturday night, followed by dinner at home while watching Iron Man.

As you may have read on my husbands blog, we are having a viewing party of the Dark Knight on Tuesday provided I am not in labor! Today we will watch the Vikes, do some baking, gift wrapping and have some spicy Buffalo Wild Wings to see if we can't get things with baby started. We are definitely letting nature take its course like I said above, but we don't see anything wrong with attempting to move it along with some spice!