One Month Old!

It's so hard to believe that Drew is one month old already.  That time flew by so quickly.  Before I know it he'll be graduating high school!

We've had a great month.  Still getting adjusted to a few things, but I can proudly say that it almost seems like we know what we're doing now :)  We went to the doctor yesterday and Drew is 10 pounds 2 ounces--he's grown so much!  Unfortunately we were at the doctor because we suspected that he has thrush, and we were correct.  We have medicine drops to give him, which thankfully he loves.  Hopefully the infection will clear up soon.  It may be a reason for some of his fussiness, so we'll see what changes once he's better.

Nursing is going okay, not great but okay, and his sleep patterns are getting better. We've even had a couple of nights where Tom and I got to sleep at the same time!  We're starting to get him to sleep in his cradle upstairs and his crib when we're downstairs (where he's sleeping soundly at this very moment).  We check on him obsessively, and panic over every little squeak that he makes, but I'm sure that will get better in time. So far we've taken trips to Grand Rapids, Howell, and across the street to Target and Drew did great each time!

He's a very sweet baby, and we feel so lucky to have him. It feels like he's been a part of our lives forever, and I have a hard time remembering what life was like before him.  We enjoy our little family so much :)

Appointment Update

Drew's first doctor's appointment was today and he did great!  He is back up to his birth weight, which is not something they look for until the baby's second week.  That just means that he is eating well and we are having lots of success with nursing.  He's also grown  half an inch already!  I already feel like it's going by too fast :)  The doctor said Drew is "just perfect" and exactly where he needs to be.  It was a big relief to us to know that our first week as parents went well and we are thankful.

Looking forward to updating the blog with more milestones!

Drew's First Week

Since half of his first week of life was spent in the hospital, we are just now sort of getting a routine down with Drew.  Actually I shouldn't call it a routine, as that word isn't in the vocabulary of a newborn.  Every hour seems to be different, and just when we think we can anticipate how he'll behave or what will happen next, he throws something new at us.  Nursing is going well, at least now that I'm listening to my intuition  more and doing what's best for Drew and me.

Nights are hard, because he's more of a nocturnal being.  He sleeps great during the day and has a great nursing schedule.  Night comes around and he's a whole new baby--wanting to eat every hour and not sleeping much in between.  We are thankful when sleep comes for a hour or two at a time.  We are hoping this gets better and can eventually establish a predictable routine.  Hopefully...:)

Because we were in the hospital for so long and then got out on a holiday, we haven't been able to call the pediatrician yet to schedule his first appointment.  They asked me to call tomorrow morning to get something set up for Monday or Tuesday.  Will update again after that appointment!

Striking a pose!

Still has "baby navy" eyes--we're not quite sure what color they will be yet.

Andrew James Arrived!

Sunday, November 20th we woke up like any other morning.  Little did we know, that day was just the beginning of our little man's arrival and our 96 hour hospital stay :)

Sunday night I took a shower and when I got out, I noticed there seemed to be something wrong with my face.  It looked like I had a stroke, and one side of my face wasn't moving. I went into Labor and Delivery to get checked out and they told me it looked like I had developed Bell's Palsy.  This is something that happens more often to pregnant women than other groups, and they weren't very concerned initially.  High blood pressure can cause palsy-like symptoms so they decided to begin monitoring the baby and monitoring my pressure to see what was going on.  Thankfully, baby was perfect, and still thriving inside of me.  Unfortunately, my blood pressure was through the roof.  They let me know I would be staying overnight so they could continue to watch me.  Not much longer after that, and as my blood pressure continued to rise, I was told they were going to prep me for a c-section that could happen within the next hour once my blood work came back. And not too much longer after that, they came in and said there was no time to wait for my lab work to come back, we had to go in for emergency surgery right then.  Not because the baby was in distress, but because momma really wasn't doing well.

We arrived at Labor and Delivery around 10:00 p.m., and baby was born at 11:13 p.m.  It was a very fast process.  I woke up in a recovery room to Tom and the baby.  Who knew that actually having the baby would be the easy part...

My recovery was difficult and slow.  My blood pressure remained dangerously high throughout the night and the next day.  Coupled with my c-section recovery and my on-going Bell's Palsy, I had a lot going on :)  By late Monday evening they moved me to a normal post-partum recovery room, and by Tuesday afternoon they removed my IVs and catheter.  At least at that point I was able to eat something and could walk around my room.  Baby was still doing fantastically, and then had a name!  Andrew James Van Heest (we call him Drew).  7 pounds, 7 ounces, 20 inches. I stayed in the hospital on Tuesday and Wednesday night as well, and we were finally able to go home Thursday afternoon.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Tom was amazing throughout the whole process.  He didn't leave my side for more than 3 hours in the 96 hours we were in the hospital.  Needless to say, this wasn't my ideal Labor and Delivery, and I continue to struggle to cope with all that's happened and the circumstances.  But I'm so happy to have Drew home and we've started to settle in nicely.  He is a great baby, and pretty darn perfect and adorable.  We are very lucky, and thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers in this time.

Week One update to come soon!

We have a date!

My last doctors appointment was today, and they did their check to see what progress toward labor I've made. Unfortunately, I haven't made much.  Estimating when you'll give birth isn't really an exact science, and the doctor said I could go into labor tonight or it could be another three weeks from now.  We've set an induction date for next Tuesday, November 22nd. We're still hoping to go into labor on my own, but if I don't next Tuesday is my day!  It's crazy to think that we only have a week left at the most!  We had a lot of mixed emotions after the appointment today and we're still processing everything mentally.  But we can't deny that Baby Van Heest will be here before we know it!

Here's an updated picture.  Notice that my face is not included...it's too far gone for photos at this point :)

Random Ramblings Part 2

This post was such fun, I decided to give it a sequel...

• I officially have lost my ankles.  You don't realize how much skinnier your ankles make your legs look until they are gone.
• I have developed what Tom lovingly refers to as "the pregnant lady shuffle".  In general, moving around has become a very slow process for me.  When I need to do it quickly, I pump my arms really fast and scoot my feet across the ground.  Picture power walking, but slower, and much more waddle-y.  It's a ridiculous spectacle.
• The best part of pregnancy (besides the miracle of life): I could show up somewhere unshowered, with no make up on, in sweat pants, and be really grouchy, and no one will care because, hey, I'm pregnant.  Also, someone will inevitable tell me that I look great because, hey, I'm pregnant.
• The worst part of pregnancy:  The pain in my hips.  No, the back pain.  No, the inability to get off the couch/out of bed/out of the car.  No, the peeing, the constant peeing.  Yeah, definitely the peeing.
• The part we were most excited about that turned out to be not that exciting: Expectant mothers parking.  The only place we've really seen it is at Babies R Us, and most people who go there are pregnant so it didn't really count.
• Tom's favorite part of pregnancy: He'll get back to me on that one, after it's all over.  He doesn't like to form opinions without having all the facts first :)

That's enough randomness for now, though I'm sure there could be more to come.  My next appointment is Wednesday.  Only 6 more weeks to go!!!

Love, 

Ashley

Nursery Update

We still haven't completed the nursery, but it's getting so close!  It's coming together great, and in my humble opinion, is just too cute :)

It's hard to tell in the pictures, but the walls are a light mint green color.  We also got new blinds, and will soon be replacing the floor.  Tom did a great job painting, and we just have some touch-up work to complete.

Progress!!

Thanks to one great baby shower down and one more coming up soon, we've been forced to make progress on the nursery.  Still not 100% cleaned out, still not 100% painted, but Tom and I both are feeling better that we're getting a little bit of work done :)  We bought a crib and a changing table, have picked out a paint color, and the whole thing is going to look great!  I can't wait to get it finished so we can post pictures.

I haven't been feeling that great lately, but it's probably just a combo of being run down from work and, oh I don't know, being almost 34 weeks pregnant :)  I just hope I start to feel better soon--still so much to do before the little guy arrives.  Another point of progress---we are getting closer to picking out a name!  We're down to about 4 names on the list, which is a vast improvement from before.

All in all, things are well, and we can now say that we are having a baby NEXT MONTH!  Totally bananas!

Random Ramblings

My apologies for being so far behind in the blog, specifically to Aunt Chris, Heather D, and my mom :)

Everything has still be going great.  I'm thankful, but that's boring to post about on a blog.  So, for funsies, here are some random thoughts/comments/feelings/complaints from my pregnant world.

• Most of you know that I have quite the shoe collection.  You'll understand then why it is so sad that out of ALL of my shoes, currently only TWO pair fit me.  This is a great tragedy for me.
• Tom is fairly certain that our baby is a ninja.  We have been doing "kick counts" to make sure we feel at least 10 movements in an hour.  If you don't feel at least 10, there is a chance that your baby is under stress and they will run tests on you.  We feel at least 10 movements in 2.5 seconds.  Ninja baby.
• We are no closer to picking out a name than we were 30 weeks ago.
• We also are no closer to having a nursery set up than we were 30 weeks ago.

I'm too lazy to take pictures at the moment, and would be too lazy to post them even if I had them.  But, my first baby shower is this Sunday and I promise I will post some pics from that.  I'm very excited for the shower, and maybe getting gifts for the baby will motivate me into getting his room ready.  And to name him.

Love,
Ashley

Week 24

Everything the last couple of weeks has been going great.  I still feel pretty good, though I do find myself getting more tired.  I can tell that the third trimester is on its way.  Out with the honeymoon phase second trimester, and back in with all the exhaustion of the first trimester.  Plus I'm bigger.  Plus I'm hot and sweaty.  Plus my rings don't fit and I can't bend down and I can't sleep and I pee all.the.time.

We still haven't accomplished much to prepare for baby boy's arrival!  We get a little closer everyday, and have at least somewhat, started our registry.  There's so much to learn and so much to think about that it gets a little overwhelming.  I'm so excited for him to be here, I just want to have everything set and be ready!

I had a 24 week check-up appointment today and we're still progressing normally.  I've been blessed to have an easy, uncomplicated, low-risk pregnancy so far.  I go back in four weeks, and after that appointment I'll start to go every two weeks.  At my next appointment I have the glucose tolerance testing done, so hopefully I pass that and don't have gestational diabetes.  Here's an updated pic for ya'll!

Week 20...And It's a Boy!

My intuition was correct!  I've felt all along that we were having a boy and that was confirmed today!

The ultrasound went great. It was so fun to see him moving around, and it's still so surreal that there's a human being in there!  Everything looks perfect and I'm measuring right on track.  We got video of him moving and kicking--he's an active little guy!  The ultrasound technician estimated my due date to be November 30th, instead of November 20th like we've been going by.  But the midwife doesn't want to change it--they will only change a due date if there is more than a 2 week difference.  So right around Thanksgiving is when Baby Boy Van Heest will make his appearance.  We're excited to be able refer to the baby as "him" and "he".  We're working on our name list too!

Here are a few photos of he and I.  A couple profile shots of baby and a peek at my 20 week baby bump.  You'll notice that I'm not wearing a towel on my head this time around :)

Weeks 18-19

I'm a little behind on my posting!  I still can't believe how quickly the weeks go by--I finish a post and it's time to turn around a do another one!

In the last couple of weeks, I've grown quite a bit and feel like I officially look pregnant. I'm filling my maternity clothes out and there's not much I can do to hide my growing belly anymore.  Not that I would want to hide it :)  I feel great!  I'm finally over my "cold" that actually turned out to be a sinus infection.  A little more than 3 weeks later I think it's all out of my system, for now at least.

It's been fun because I've been feeling tiny little movements!  That has just started in the last week, and I'm grateful for it.  You know that feeling you get when you're on a roller coaster and you go down a big hill, and your stomach flips around for a second?  It's the same feeling you get when a 7-8 ounce baby is doing flips in your uterus.  It's awesome :)  Also, Mary sent me her doppler, and though I haven't found the baby's heartbeat with it yet, I sat tonight and listened to all the moving and sloshing around going on.  They should make that a radio station---101.7 Baby.FM!

One week today is our first ultrasound to see our little one for the first time.  I'll post pics and results after!  And I'll be on time with my post, I promise :)

Week 17

I am now 17 weeks along, and time is going by so quickly!  It's so hard to believe that we found out I was pregnant in March--seems like ages ago.  Baby Van Heest is now about 5 inches long and 5 ounces, about the size of a turnip.  Only 3 more weeks until we find out what we're having (at this point, Tom will look at me and say, "Well, we know what we're having. We're having a baby.").  I'm excited to start planning the nursery and narrowing down our list of names.  And no, we are not sharing our name choices with anyone :)  We plan to have a couple choices going into L&D, and then  make a final decision once we see the little one.  I anticipate it will drive my mother crazy to not know the name!

I have still been feeling great, although I'm not quite over my cold.  It's getting there though.  It's been crummy to be sick for this long, and not really be able to do much about it.  The month of June has been, and will continue to be, very busy for me at work, so I'm looking forward to July for a lot of reasons.  We found what we're having (a baby, I know, but boy or girl!), work will finally slow down and I'll be able to take vacation, and the Turners are coming up from Florida!  It will be great!

Week 16

Today was my 16 week check-up appointment.  Tom didn't go with me to this one (he was in training all day), so I was petrified that something bad would happen.  I'm happy to report that all is well in Baby Van Heest land!    She picked up the heartbeat right away, and it's now in the 150s.  Everything is going great, except for the killer cold I've picked up.  I'm just a little bit miserable :)  Fortunately, Tom, Dan, and Bruce installed a window air conditioner in our living room, so I have one less thing to be miserable about.  It's no fun to come home from work and it's 85 degrees in your house!

My next appointment is Wednesday, July 6th, and this is the big one!  We have an ultrasound done to found out if it's a boy or a girl in this Dutch oven!

Week 15

Today begins my 15th week of pregnancy.  I'm two weeks into my second trimester.  At this point, Baby Van Heest is about 4 inches long and the size of an apple.  I haven't really felt any movements yet, at least not anything I can identify as movement.  I should be really feeling things around 16-20 weeks, so I'm paying more attention to my belly to try and distinguish movements from other tummy rumblings. I feel gigantic because none of my clothes fit anymore!  But in reality I've only gained 3 pounds so far.  The second trimester is supposed to be the easiest one, and so far that has been the case.  I'm not nearly as tired as I was a few weeks ago, and don't really feel sick at all.  While I'm glad for the reprieve from all the pregnancy symptoms, it feels a little weird to not really "feel" pregnant anymore.  Besides the belly I seem to be growing.  Even if I don't feel pregnant, it's becoming more and more obvious to the outside world that I am!  My next doctor appointment is next Monday, June 6th, just a general 16 week check-up. 

Weeks 1-14 Review

Finding out I was pregnant was a surprise for us!  But that is the way we wanted--to just happen naturally, in its own time, without feeling like we planned the whole thing out.  I found out in late March, and I was about 5 weeks along. We're very excited...and nervous...and anxious...and scared...and happy...and every other emotion you could think of.  Tom has been amazing through the whole thing and he does a ton for me!  He will be a fantastic father.

Weeks 1-14 have been pretty smooth.  I felt "yucky" a lot, but wasn't very sick.  Really, really tired though! I quickly got used to taking naps every day after work.  We've been to the doctor twice, once at around 10 weeks, and again at 12 weeks.  At the 10 week appointment, we tried to get the heartbeat on the doppler, but weren't able to.  We did hear movement though, so that was a little reassuring!  They scheduled us to come back in a couple weeks, and at that appointment we were able to hear the heartbeat.  It was amazing!  Nice and strong at 160 beats per minute.  I go back every 4 weeks for a while, and the waiting is hard.  It feels like forever in between each appointment!  But the midwives have said that everything looks and sounds great, I'm measuring just how I should  be and all is well.  So we are very thankful for that.

That's been my first trimester in a nutshell!

My official baby blog!

Welcome!  I wanted to create this blog as a fun way to let family and friends know everything that is going on in the world of Baby Van Heest.  I'll try to update weekly with the happenings, changes, and my thoughts of that week.  I hope you enjoy!