TEEEEEEEEEEEEETH

Baby girl cut her FIRST TOOTH!!!

Poor girl has been a little fussy and has some nasty wet poo the last couple of days so it was a relief to know that there was a reason for her unusual self ...

She has teeth!

The bottom left tooth is officially through the gum and the right one is just about to break through. Thankfully, I bought some "teething biscuits" yesterday so now she'll have something to chew on! I also stalked up on benzocaine so she'll be nice and numb!

Since Deliana was early, she is "supposed" to be a month behind normal mile-stones and most babies get teeth around 6 months so this was a happy surprise for us! I definitely think she is catching up and will be out of the preemie catagory very soon!

Yay for Deli!

On another note:

Kaiden's brother was born this morning! (Dad's baby)

Chase Philip was 8 weeks early and weighed only 3 1/2 lbs but is otherwise healthy.

Kaiden and his step-sister wont be able to meet Chase for a few weeks until he's ready to go home but he is at Oregon Health and Science University so he will most definetley be in good hands!

<3

~ 5 Monthe & 1 Week ~

Your baby will soon master the art of sitting unsupported. Give your baby the opportunity to sit up in different places around the house -- sitting helps develop and maintain balance, a key part of physical development. What's more, the new perspective helps your baby's cognitive development.

Your baby can't express her emotions in the same complex way you can. Although she can clearly let you know when she's happy or unhappy, her ability to demonstrate her love and sense of humor is just developing.

As your baby gets older, she may start to cry when you leave the room and get excited when you come back in. She may also raise her arms when she wants to be picked up and give you pats on the back.

And you'll probably see her getting your jokes — she'll laugh at funny expressions and try to make you laugh too. Keep the laughter flowing with your silly faces!

*~* Bonita *~*

5 Month Baby ... (in 3 days)

I'm growing..............

~ 4 Months & 4 Weeks ~

Hearing your baby laugh is not only a joy — it's a sign that your baby is developing emotionally and socially. Have fun triggering a giggle by gently tickling those toes or thighs. Or develop a pint-size comedy routine by making exaggerated facial expressions and funny animal sounds, snorts, and whistles. Don't be surprised if your baby joins in with an ecstatic squeal that might catch your attention and make you laugh back.

................

Following a well-established nighttime routine, which might include a bath or a bedtime story, may help settle your baby to sleep. It's a good idea to consistently "sequence" your baby toward slumber, as in this example: Feed her, give her a bath, put her in pajamas, read her a book, sing a lullaby or play some music, and then put her down.

A beloved routine gives you and your baby plenty of time to connect and wind down. You may decide to alternate going-to-bed activities with your partner (you do the bath, he reads the story, and so on). Or, to give both of you a regular break, try taking turns, with one person responsible for putting your baby to bed each night.

... Deli-Bean ... 1/23/10 ...

~ 4 Months & 3 Weeks ~

So ... Bored ...

Cheesy Grin!

Grandpa and kiddos 1/21/10

Even though you can't understand your baby, he's beginning to be able to understand you. That's why it's important to talk to him as you move through the day. Narrate what you're doing: "Here's your bottle." "Ready for your bath?" In a few months he'll understand you perfectly when you say the word "bottle" or "bath." You don't have to be a nonstop chatterbox — babies appreciate quiet, too. All you need to do is converse with him like the little companion he is.

Even though crying is still your baby's strongest form of communication, he's also beginning to develop a sense of humor. He may start to laugh at pleasant surprises, such as your face appearing from underneath a blanket or a toy popping out of a box, provided it isn't too loud or startling.

Encourage your baby's laughs, giggles, and smiles with funny faces and lots of general silliness. Babies enjoy hearing a variety of sounds, and you don't need special toys or instruments to create them. Simply click your tongue, whistle, or make animal noises — your baby will love it!

~ 4 Months & 2 Weeks ~

A few little faces of Deliana Sol ...

A bigger, stronger baby is also likely to be a wigglier one at diaper-changing time. Be sure to keep one hand on your baby at all times during changes. Some parents like to place a musical mobile above a changing station so their baby will have a distraction. A basket filled with toys you rotate or make available only during diapering may also help your baby lie still long enough for you to get the job done.

By now, your baby may play with her hands and feet for a few minutes at a time. She's quite fond of doing one action over and over again until she's sure of the result. Then she'll switch things up a bit to see if the result is different.

Suddenly you'll realize it's strangely quiet in the bedroom and look in, only to discover that your baby, who until now has needed your attention for most of every waking moment, is amusing herself in her crib. You might be able to start reading the paper again — well, maybe just the headlines.

Pediatric Cardiology

4 Month Check-up!

Checking for murmurs ...

SHOTS!

Waiting for the echocardiogram at OHSU

Getting ready for the ultrasound!

ALL DONE!

Now off to cardiology ...

Today was a BIG day for Miss Deliana ... She had a 4 month well baby check

-including shots-, an echocardiogram (unltrasound of the heart) AND an appointment with the pediatric cardiologist at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU)

...

She did WONDERFULLY!

...

Of course the shots were annoying but she recovered quickly as our little trooper always does!

...

Then off to OHSU ...

The ultrasound was a little more difficult this time as she was not the little 3 week old sleeper that she was last time. She did really well though and the ultrasound tech was great at making sure she was comfortable through the exam!

First, they hook leads (wires with sticky pads) on her chest to do an EKG. Then, a little wand that views her heart is held by the technologist and scanned over her neck, chest and tummy to take 3d and 4d images of her heart.

Its so awesome to see the chambers of her heart, her blood flow, heart sounds and the whole aspect of her tiny little heart on the ultrasound machine!

The tech was teaching someone so there was a lot of talking and explanation during the exam which helped us understand what he was looking at on the screen.

We heard him say to the guy he was training: "If there was a PDA, we would see it right here" ... Last time we had an ultrasound there WAS a PDA so Greg and I lit up when we heard him say that!

After the ultrasound, we headed to cardiology to meet with our pediatric specialist ... Dr. Carlson is a fabulous specialist and was really helpful at answering any questions that we have had.

Its so weird to see a little blood pressure cuff as small as a band aid on my tiny little girls arm!

Again, she is a TROOPER so she did really well through her THIRD examination of the day!

The final word was that the HOLES ARE GONE! She still has a tiny murmur that is common and most importantly, benign, so we will just follow up on that throughout her childhood. The doctor said that murmurs are pretty common in children and will most likely go away on its own!

Its such a relief to know that Deli will not have to have any surgeries for the holes that she once had! I was really worried that she would have further cardiac issues that would require intervention so we are SO, SO, SO blessed and happy with this news!

After this loooong day of poking and proding, Deli is fast asleep in baby land!

Spending the day in a childrens hospital really humbles me as a Mother. There are so many ill children that have problems that we could never even imagaine. Im so thankful that my children are healthy and I really feel for the parents of lost and ill children. I cant even imagine how it would feel to lose someone so new to the world ...

Thank you EVERYONE for your thoughts and prayers ... It really helped us through this tough day!

Peace and Love

Re-Post on the heart condition ...

Deliana has her heart follow-up tomorrow so I wanted to re-post the cardiology information. Tomorrow is the echocardiogram as well as the follow up with the pediatric cardiologist at OHSU. Please pray for little Deliana's heart to be WHOLE!!!

ORIGINAL POST:

Greg and I originally decided that we weren't going to post information about Deliana's heart condition for the simple fact that information can be misconstrued and blown out of proportion. Because of that fact, I have decided to post factual information as to what is going on so our blog readers can have the full puzzle ...

Deliana was 4 weeks premature and weighed in at 5# at birth. She dropped about 1/2 pound within the first few days (which is normal) but then developed jaundice (which is a normal newborn condition but harder to tackle with a preemie) that required a bilirubin treatment light, extra feedings to push the extra bilirubin out of her little body and daily weight checks.

At one of her many weight checks, her pediatrician noticed an extra heartbeat that indicated a hole in her heart (murmur). That day, she had a chest xray (which was excruciating for me as I held her tiny little arms above her head while a plastic tube encompassed her 4 ½ pound naked body) that showed a normal sized heart and no fluid in her lungs (which would have indicate heart failure).

Our pediatrician referred us to Doernbecher Children's Hospital for a next day appointment.

http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/services/doernbecher/index.cfm

Deliana had an ECHOCARDIOGRAM

http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/health-information/topic-by-id.cfm?ContentTypeId=92&ContentId=P07969

and we met with a pediatric cardiologist. The cardiologist informed us after reading the echocardiogram that Deliana has 3 small holes in her heart.

1) ATRIAL SEPTAL DEFECT (ASD) :http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/health-information/topic-by-id.cfm?ContentTypeId=90&ContentId=P01766

2) VENTRICULAR SEPTAL DEFECT (VSD) :http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/health-information/topic-by-id.cfm?ContentTypeId=90&ContentId=P01829

3) PATENT DUCTUS ARTERIOSUS (PDA) :http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/health-information/topic-by-id.cfm?ContentTypeId=90&ContentId=P02395

HEART MURMURS : http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/health-information/topic-by-id.cfm?ContentTypeId=90&ContentId=P01806

All three of these holes are CHD: Congenital Heart Defects / Congenital Heart Disease.

Common side effects for these defects are trouble breathing, purple coloring, trouble eating, sweating and other signs fatigue. Deliana has not shown any symptoms besides low energy which is totally normal for a preemie so its hard to distinguish if the fatigue is from the heart.

We had a follow-up this afternoon and all went well. The cardiologist said that the sound has not changed which means that the holes have not worsened. We will be going back in 3 months for another echocardiogram to see if the holes have closed on their own. After that check, we will follow-up yearly until the holes either need repairing or close on their own. (We're hoping for the latter of the two).

Overall, Deliana is doing wonderfully! She is eating well, growing as expected and so, so, so beautiful! She has grown 2 inches in height and gained about a pound in a half! She has her Daddy's dark hair and her Mommy's blue eyes and eyelashes (keep your fingers crossed for the color to stay)! She even has some features similar to her big brother!

Although the future is uncertain, it is certain that Miss Deliana is loved dearly and continues to bless our lives daily. Thank you for your prayers and thank you for checking in!

With Love

*~Natalie and Greg~*

~ 4 Months & 1 Week ~

Babies love to check themselves out in a mirror. In fact, faces are your baby's favorite things to see right now. Hold your baby in front of a mirror and watch his delight. He won't understand that it's his own reflection until he's about 7 or 8 months old, but he'll enjoy the view. And the motion of his hands in the mirror will capture his attention.

Researchers believe that your baby can now understand all the basic sounds that make up his native language. Between this time and 6 months of age, he'll develop the ability to make some of these sounds, which means you may hear the words you've been dreaming about, namely "mama" and "dada." While child development experts say it's too early for your baby to connect those sounds with you, that won't make hearing them any less exciting.

You can encourage your baby's attempts at communication by mirroring or imitating his expressions and sounds. He may try to imitate you, too. Say "ba" and he may try to say it back.

Reacting when your baby makes noises or tries to say something will help him learn the importance of language and better understand cause and effect. It's great for his self-esteem, too: He'll begin to realize that what he says makes a difference.

Christmas Pictures ... And Some Others

Our ONE snow day (12/29/09)

Happy Christmas Baby!

Sushi with Aunt Mo ...

~ 3 Months & 4 Weeks ~

Your baby loves to reach out and touch anyone and anything she can get her hands on. With increasing coordination, she can reach for and pick up things that pique her interest. You can help her practice her grabbing skills by outfitting her crib and play yard with fascinating toys, especially ones that squeak and rattle. Spending time in an activity saucer or under a floor gym offers the same benefit.

When placed on her stomach, your baby will probably lift her head and shoulders high, using her arms for support. Thismini push-up helps strengthen her muscles and gives her a better view of what's going on. She may even amaze you (and herself!) by rolling from her back to her front, or vice versa.

You can encourage this rolling skill through play: Wiggle a toy next to the side she customarily rolls to in case she's interested enough to try again. Applaud her efforts and smile. She may need your reassurance, as this new skill can be a little frightening.

In Other News ....

Kaiden Silas is a PURPLE belt in taekwondo!!!

~ 3 Months & 3 Weeks ~

By now your baby has gone from being a passive observer of the world to being — or at least wanting to be — an active participant. Some babies this age even like trying to "stand."If your baby seems to want to stand up while being held securely on your lap, it means those little leg muscles are probably sturdy enough to explore this new sensation.

Your baby is starting to draw conclusions about the world around hwe. She's looking at everything with curiosity, even her own reflection.

Prop an unbreakable mirror next to her or set her in front of your mirror when you're getting ready in the morning. Your baby won't realize that it's actually her image in the mirror (which usually begins to happen well into the second year), but that doesn't matter. She'll love staring at her — or anyone else's — reflection, and she may show her delight with an all-out gummy grin.

~ 3 Months & 2 Weeks ~

Your baby's goos and gurgles are probably going strong, but now she's also making consonant sounds, sputtering Ps and Bs and Ms and Ls. That's where the first "ma-ma" and "da-da" will come from. At first, she won't associate these sounds with any particular meaning (although you certainly will) — they're just easiest for her to make. (Interesting fact: In any language, the equivalents of "Mama" and "Dada" are common first words.)

How your baby's growing:

Babies simply love to be touched. In fact, they thrive on it — touch is a critical part of growth and development. All that skin-to-skin contact not only helps you and your baby bond, but it's comforting when she's upset and soothing when she's irritable.

Nurture your baby's sense of touch with a variety of materials, such as fake fur, felt, and terry cloth. Your baby will probably try to eat everything, so choose carefully and don't leave her alone with anything that could come apart in her mouth. Look for books like Pat the Bunny that make reading a tactile experience.

... Some Cuties ...

... My Gorgeous, Gorgeous Christmas Babies ...

~ 3 Months & 1 Week ~

Chillin' in my sling, getting ready for Christmas pictures!

(Dont I look thrilled)

Brother is trying to feed me his apple!

Just taking a little nap ... Dreaming about flying ...

Your baby is probably able to sit upright when propped up by blankets or pillows. If she can do this for short periods without slumping forward or immediately toppling to the side, by all means let her enjoy the new views that come with sitting upright on the floor or next to you on the sofa. (Take care not to leave a propped-up infant unattended. Even a seemingly stable pre-sitter can topple over.)

Your baby has been able to recognize you since she was just a few days old, but now she may actually be able to show it. About half of babies this age begin to exhibit an obvious recognition of their parents.

Your baby will probably continue to smile at strangers, especially when they look her straight in the eye and coo or talk to her. But she's starting to sort out who's who in her life, and she definitely prefers you, your partner, and perhaps a few others.

Your baby may quiet down and make eye contact with you, or she may search for you in a room and move her arms in excitement or smile when she finds you. She may even find your scent calming and comforting.

ojos azules

!!! Its December !!!

SANTA ROCKS!

Deliana has some medicine that turns her mouth purple ... So here she is in her "Peace, Love and Cuteness" onesie ... And a screaming, purple mouth! :-)

~ 2 Months & 4 Weeks ~

Chunky Cheeks

(Notice how her hair is soaked with sweat ... Shes a very hot sleeper, especially when she falls asleep with a hat on)

This is called a Bumbo ... This picture was taken at my gym daycare ... Once I realized that she could sit (assisted) with it, I got one right away! She does really well in it. Yesterday she sat in it on the bathroom counter and watched me blow dry my hair and put make-up on ... Shes such a big girl!

Your baby is becoming very handy. Although she's already aware of her hands, she's now inspecting them like Sherlock Holmes. She turns them around, the better to look at her fingers from all sides. She opens and shuts her fists, watching each finger as it moves up and down. To help your baby develop her blossoming hand-eye coordination, try dangling a toy just out of reach so she has to grab for it.

How your baby's growing:

Reading to your baby, even at this young age, will pay off. Hearing you read helps your baby develop an ear for the cadence of spoken language. Varying the pitch of your voice, using accents, and singing will make the connection between you and your baby that much more interesting.

If your baby looks the other way or loses interest while you're reading, just try doing something else and give her time to rest. Take your cue from your baby's responses.

You'll find plenty of good books to read to your baby — such as Goodnight Moon, Good Night Gorilla, and The Big Red Barn. Choose board books that have large, bright pictures and simple text — or even wordless books with pictures for you to narrate. At this point you don't have to be slavish to age guidelines. Books designed for older children can captivate a baby if they have clear, crisp images and bright colors.

~ Happy Thanksgiving ~

Yesterday was Thanksgiving and Delianas first family holiday!

Deli and I went to my sister and brother-in-laws house and had dinner with them, my parents, nephew and Aunt Debbie.

I dressed Deli in her little Christmas outfit which came off right after arriving because everyone thought she looked uncomfortable ... She wore her new little tights and black shoes too ... SO adorable!

This morning I woke up at 5, took a shower and was hitting the stores (baby in tow) at 5:45 for BLACK FRIDAY. I pretty much finished the Christmas shopping besides Kaiden and my nephew. (who would have thought that 7 and 11 year old boys would be so hard to shop for)!?

I was even ambitious enough to come home and wrap it ALL! Deli couldnt have been more perfect. 4 stores and shopping all day and she didnt make a peep ...

I think she has the shopoholic gene in her already!

Its early but I have a great book to finish and Ive been on my feet all day so we're going to hit the hay! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday ...

~ All My Love ~

Natalie Reanee

Happy Thanksgiving ~

Happy Thanksgiving ~

~ 2 Months & 3 Weeks ~

Your baby is an excellent listener. She recognizes your voice, and she'll show you her pleasure by smiling at the sound of your greetings. She's also excitedly using all five senses to learn about the world. You can actually see how hard she's working to assimilate the new information she's exposed to every day. If something grabs her attention, notice how hard she focuses on it and stares. She's taking it in on many levels.

How your baby's growing:

He's no Fred Astaire yet, but your little one's movements are getting a bit more coordinated. You'll notice that the jerky arm and leg movements of his newborn days have given way to smoother, more circular motions, especially when he's watching people.

Give your baby enough space to stretch and move his arms and legs. Lay a blanket on the floor and let him move as he pleases. These movements can help your baby strengthen and tone his developing muscles. On his tummy, he'll start to push off with his legs — the first step in getting ready to crawl.

11-18-09

Happy Girl

I love this little thing more than life itself...

My Mom and I took her to Saturday Market yesterday and I got her sling readjusted by the lady that custom made it. It is sooooooooo much better now.

I had my Mom take a picture of Deli and I but I look horrible so I dont think I'll be posting it ;)

Deliana had this super cute, chubby cheek smile yesterday morning (the picture above) ... She is so stinking cute! She looks so chubby, its hard to tell by the picture that she is hardly 8 pounds ...

She is 10 WEEKS old now!

I cant wait to celebrate the holidays with her.

I looked at some Christmas dresses yesterday and they all seem to big!

Shes still in her newborn clothes so hopefully we can find a 0-3month dress in time for Christmas photos!

Im thinking blue is a good color for us this year. Its a nice, royal color for Christmas but I need to see how Kaiden looks in blue before getting a dress for Deli. He's always a stud so Im sure it will be fine ...

Thats about all for today's update. Deliana is taking a nap so I just finished power cleaning and Kaiden should be home soon to start the daily mess all over again!

~ Peace and Love ~

Natalie, Kaiden and Deliana

~ 2 Months & 2 Weeks ~

Your baby is growing stronger every day. She may now be able to lift her head, chest, and shoulders off the ground when she's on her tummy. Your Superbaby will look so proud and happy while she's "flying" this way. If she's especially strong, she may be able to push herself up using her arms while lying on her stomach. She won't crawl until at least 6 months, but these precrawling motions are her way of developing the necessary muscles.

If your baby is sleeping through the night (five or six hours at a stretch), you're one of the lucky few. Most 10-week-old babies still wake up in the wee hours. But even babies who aren't sleeping through the night at this stage should be sleeping and staying awake for longer intervals rather than cycling back and forth so much. Your baby will probably have two to four long sleep periods and as many as ten hours of awake time in 24 hours.

An interesting note: Whether your baby is a night owl or a morning lark, a long sleeper or short sleeper, that pattern will probably stay the same throughout childhood.

Kaiden, Deli and I took a little road trip to Tillamook Cheese Factory yesterday! Little did I know, the cheese factory pretty much shuts down on holidays.

Yesterday was Veterans Day.

The factory part wasn't up and running but we still toured the factory, sampled cheese, ate delicious grilled cheese sandwiches and ice cream, of course!

I took a few pictures. Kaiden took about 300 on the drive home and I think he has found a new hobby of photography! Woo Hoo!

Deliana is doing wonderfully. Shes growing like crazy and its so hard to imagine that 10 weeks has already passed. She is truly a gift and I thank God for her everyday. Kaiden and I talked a lot on the drive to and from Tillamook. I am in awe as to how lucky I am to have a healthy son and daughter.

They are wonderful little people and my heart runneth over with love. I laughed like a 2nd grader at some of the things Kaiden was saying and doing. He literally had me gasping for breath. Today he told me that He, Deliana and I were the funniest people he knows.

Hes a special little boy, he is.

Deliana is starting to smile a lot more. Still not on command so Im holding off on Christmas photos until I can make her smile for the camera! Its only November 12th but I like to get my Christmas cards out early December so hopefully she will get those cheek muscles working very soon! Since she was 5 weeks early, her milestones will always been a few weeks behind so right about now is when she should really start to be familiar with our faces and smile more!

Tomorrow is Friday!

I hope everyone has a safe and fun weekend!

~Natalie Reanee~

* Girly Girl Gets Pierced *

" Awww, what a cute baby ... How old is he? "

SERIOUSLY?! My baby girl is wrapped in a pink blanket with a pink headband and pink booties that say "PRINCESS" on them and youre asking how old he is?!

Well, now SHE has earrings to go with her GIRLY little outfits. :-)

Baby Deliana got her tiny little ears pierced today. I'm not known for my patience so it was sort of an ordeal but its done and she's cuter than ever!

(Though I will never get pierced at a mall again)

Here are some photos do document the torture I put her through ...

Mi Amor Fotos

Popsicle ... Shhh, don't tell anyone (she loved it)

Dr. Appointment Grin

Looking at Mama in the mirror

Besos for mi bebe

2 Months Old ... Getting A Little Big For The Sink Now :)

2 Month Old Stats

Deliana had her two month Dr. appointment yesterday ...

Even with shots and all she did wonderfully! The doctor said that she couldnt hear themumors (the holes in her heart) so that was awesome news!

Theres no telling what is going on in her little heart without seeing it so we are still scheduled for another echocardiogram and cardiologist appointment on January 5th ...

My birthday is January 6th so Im hoping that a perfectly perfect heart is going to be my birthday present this year!

Im posting some pictures from Deli's apointment. Shes such a trooper! She only cried for a minute when she got her 3 shots!

STATS: 8lbs. 12oz. / 20 inches long

~ Im TWO Months Old Today ~

Deliana doesnt like to look at the camera :-)

How your baby's growing:

Your baby can tell the difference between familiar voices and other sounds, and she's becoming a better listener. She can also show you that she's in tune with her environment. Notice how she looks to see where certain noises are coming from.

An ongoing conversation (although seemingly one-sided) can help your baby develop her sense of place. She may even watch your mouth as you talk, fascinated by how it all works. You'll be amazed by her ability to communicate with a growing repertory of coos (musical, vowel-like sounds), smiles, and unique cries to express her different needs.

Coos are your baby's way of expressing delight, as well as exercising her vocal cords. You can carry on a "conversation" with your baby now. When she gurgles or coos, say something brief or coo back at her. Then wait for her to "say" something back to you. This kind of conversational turn-taking may not sound like much to you now, but it's actually the beginning of learning how to talk.

Happy Halloween ~ 8 Weeks Old

Admiring My Mommy

October 29, 2009 ((Cell Pix))

Roloff Family Farm

We finally made it to the Pumpkin Patch!!!

If you have seen "Little People, Big World" you probably know that the Roloff family lives in Oregon. We decided to see what the hype was about and visited their pumpkin patch and farm today. We met Amy (the "Mom") and saw a couple of the other family members but everyone was pretty busy with filming the reality show.

Its amazing to see how people act when "one of them" walk by. Everyone sort of stops and stares at the "little people". It was an experience. Not too impressed by the farm but it was nice to get out and take some more photos today ...

Ironically we didnt buy any pumpkins but we had a scrumptious lunch and Deliana got to sleep her way through her first pumpkin patch visit!

Here are some photos:

Brrrr ...

Fall is definitely in the air here in Oregon ... Greg and I took some photos at a few local parks today and enjoyed the crisp, fall air and BEAUTIFUL fall colors! By 6ish it was getting super cold so we called it an early night and are now snuggled up in the heat watching old movies ... Im sure Greg would like to be in the -still- 90's weather of Phoenix right about now ...

We had a pretty busy day ... Kaiden's taekwondo school had a tournament in Aloha that started at NINE AM so we were up and out very early this morning. We watched forms and board breaking in a super tight, hot and sweaty gym with hundreds of students until noon ... We left to get some lunch before the sparring started and realized that we had already been there for 3 hours so we decided to leave early. Kaiden was started to wither and the H1N1 jokes started getting a little too real so it was a perfect time to leave the germ infested petri dish for a cleaner environment ... Kaiden had a wedding to go to with his Dad and Greg and I were going to watch a movie so away we went ......

After dropping Deli for her first official "daycare day" (with Grandma) We watched Saw VI

... Wow ...

Whoever created those movies has a really sick and twisted imagination. For some reason my senses are on super drive so I was freaking out the whole time we were in the theater. I guess the fact that there were only 2 other people in the theater sort of made me feel like we were going to be murdered with no one to help! I made sure we were sitting in the furthest seats in the back but I still had a feeling that someone was going to grab us from behind. Those movies make for some major paranoia!

Im going to upload a few of the photos that I took today. Greg downloaded the camcorder photos on his computer and I downloaded my camera on mine so I'll have to upload his photos later ... I hope everyone had a great weekend! We're thinking PUMPKIN patch for Deliana's first time tomorrow so more pictures to follow! I need to see if Kaiden wants to join which is doubtful as it will be raining and he hates being cold!

… We shall see ...

… Good night moon ...

Peace and Love, Natalie

Brrrr ... Photos

~ 7 Week Update ~

Reaching out

Your baby's hands should be mostly open now — ready to reach out to the world. In the early days of your baby's life, grabbing was mostly automatic and instinctual and she couldn't let go if she wanted to. Although she can't really grab objects just yet, she can hold things placed in her hands. And, once she wraps her hands around something, she might not let go so easily. She'll also begin to try and bat at objects, so keep potentially dangerous objects far from your little one's reach. This means not holding hot liquids or sharp objects while you're holding her.

Learning begins now

You may notice short periods of time when your newborn is quiet and alert. This is prime time for learning: Your baby's brain will grow about 5 centimeters during her first three months!

Use these calm intervals to get better acquainted with your baby — talk to her, sing to her, describe the pictures on the walls. She may not be able to add to your conversation just yet, but she's learning nonetheless.

New textures for her hands to feel and new sights and sounds (all in moderation) are all learning opportunities. Even bath time becomes a laboratory for understanding life.

Eyes can track objects

With both eyes now able to follow things consistently and well, your baby can track a moving object much better, something she may have been able to do for only brief periods since birth.

The stores are packed with developmental toys, but you'll do just as well with everyday objects. Pass a rattle or a bright plastic ladle horizontally in front of her. Then try moving it up and down. This should attract your baby's attention, though she probably won't be able to smoothly follow things vertically for another three months and diagonally for another six months.

You can also play eyes-to-eyes by moving very close to her face and slowly nodding your head from side to side. Often her eyes will lock onto yours.

M O T H E R

Mom, Mommy, Moms, and Mum redirect here. For other uses, see Mom (disambiguation), Mommy (disambiguation), Moms (disambiguation), and Mum (disambiguation)."Motherhood" redirects here. For the upcoming comedy film, see Motherhood (film)."Mothering" redirects here. For the bimonthly parenting magazine, see Mothering (magazine). For other uses, see Mother (disambiguation).

I am so blessed to call myself a MOTHER . I have two of the most beautiful children that I could ever lay my eyes on and they are mine. All Mine. (Well, not really, I guess I have to share with Daddy). Its so weird going from "my kid/child/son" to my KIDS or CHILDREN ... I found myself the other day saying "both of my kids ......." and it was the oddest feeling to have those words released from my mouth. I love this role. I want more of this feeling. (1 more baby, please)!

Deliana was weighed today and she has gained another POUND! She is now 7 pounds and 11 ounces! I nursed her at the doctors office and she gained another few ounces which was so encouraging for me as she has had some difficulties latching at times . Being preemie, Deliana is just now getting to the "newborn" stage where she has enough strength to latch and she is now turning into a growing machine! She is also starting to fit into most of her newborn clothes so bring on the laundry machines!

Kaiden had taekwondo tonight and has a tournament tomorrow morning. He's going to be a spectator since we found out too late about the competition but we're excited to cheer on the West Coast team! He also is getting so BIG! 2nd grade is already flying by and seeing the progress he is doing is awesome! Some of the homework he brings home makes me wonder if I did the same thing when I was only 7 ... The other day I asked him how he knew how to do the "greater than / less than" ( < & > ) and he said "Iv'e been doing that since first grade"! Too funny! I had no idea ...

Today I feel so at peace ... Of course life still has its stress but feeling unconditional love for another human(s) is the best, most rewarding feeling one could imagine ...

We're watching Super Nanny and goodness that lady knows her stuff!

Here are some photos from the last couple of days ...

... Fall Is In The Air ... 10/18/09

~ 6 Week Update ~ Watch For Smiles ~

Has your baby smiled at you yet? If not, she will soon. At 6 weeks, about half of all babies can recognize their parents, and many of those babies are so delighted that they welcome Mom or Dad with an excited, gurgly grin. This is one of the first signs that your baby is developing an ability to socialize. In fact, it's called a "social smile," and it's one of the more emotionally gratifying milestones you'll see your baby reach

Now that your baby's awake for longer periods during the day, you can use these times to support her sensory development. Try singing your favorite lullabies or playing music.

You don't have to limit yourself to children's songs. Fill the house with the sounds of music — from the Black Eyed Peas to Mozart — and watch as your baby expresses his pleasure through coos, lip smacks, and jerking arm and leg movements.

** Silly Girl **
( This is definitely a new facial expression for her,
I think she was grunting)

Deliana is getting really into watching the mobile in her crib! She sleeps with us because I am nursing so she doesnt have a lot of time in the crib ... I put her in her crib yesterday so I could clean up and she absolutely loved watching her mobile and listening to music! Click on the pictures to view them larger ( and see her beautiful blues ) ...

Fall Pictures Taken With Mommy 10/15/09

Baby's First Halloween Etc.

Baby's First Halloween

~ 5 Week Update ~

Your baby is learning that she has hands and fingers and feet and toes. She's also starting to talk more. Not with words, of course, but by cooing — with increasing goos, gurgles, and grunts. This marks the beginning of her language development. Talk to your baby often. You'll be able to keep her attention by shifting from a low to a high pitch — the singsong style that parents in every culture tend to use when speaking to a baby.

How your baby's growing:

Smiling is universal. A baby's first smile happens at about the same time in all cultures, so get ready for your baby to reward all your loving care with a beaming, toothless, just-for-you grin. This will probably make your heart melt, even if you've just had your worst night yet.

Precious Pretty Princess

Lovely Girl

Daddy's Precious Princess

Blessed

My Babies!

Bath time With Mommy

Clean Crazy Hair (Like Daddy's)!!!

~ 4 Week Update ~

Your baby may gurgle, coo, grunt, and hum to express his feelings. A few babies also begin squealing and laughing. Be sure to coo and gurgle back, and talk to your baby face to face. He'll enjoy holding your gaze now.

If you have things to do, your baby will still enjoy hearing your voice from across the room. And don't feel silly about using baby talk — babies are particularly attuned to this high-pitched, drawn-out way of communicating, which can actually teach your baby about the structure and function of language.

This is my little black dress

"Oooooh, I get it"!

"My Daddy gives the best hugs"!

"Hey... You look familiar"!

10_1_09 Pictures

Cardiology

Greg and I originally decided that we weren't going to post information about Deliana's heart condition for the simple fact that information can be misconstrued and blown out of proportion. Because of that fact, I have decided to post factual information as to what is going on so our blog readers can have the full puzzle ...

Deliana was 4 weeks premature and weighed in at 5# at birth. She dropped about 1/2 pound within the first few days (which is normal) but then developed jaundice (which is a normal newborn condition but harder to tackle with a preemie) that required a bilirubin treatment light, extra feedings to push the extra bilirubin out of her little body and daily weight checks.

At one of her many weight checks, her pediatrician noticed an extra heartbeat that indicated a hole in her heart (murmur). That day, she had a chest xray (which was excruciating for me as I held her tiny little arms above her head while a plastic tube encompassed her 4 ½ pound naked body) that showed a normal sized heart and no fluid in her lungs (which would have indicate heart failure).

Our pediatrician referred us to Doernbecher Children's Hospital for a next day appointment.

 http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/services/doernbecher/index.cfm 

 Deliana had an  ECHOCARDIOGRAM

http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/health-information/topic-by-id.cfm?ContentTypeId=92&ContentId=P07969

and we met with a pediatric cardiologist. The cardiologist informed us after reading the echocardiogram that Deliana has 3 small holes in her heart.

1) ATRIAL SEPTAL DEFECT (ASD) : http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/health-information/topic-by-id.cfm?ContentTypeId=90&ContentId=P01766

2) VENTRICULAR SEPTAL DEFECT (VSD) : http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/health-information/topic-by-id.cfm?ContentTypeId=90&ContentId=P01829

3) PATENT DUCTUS ARTERIOSUS (PDA) : http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/health-information/topic-by-id.cfm?ContentTypeId=90&ContentId=P02395

HEART MURMURS : http://www.ohsu.edu/xd/health/health-information/topic-by-id.cfm?ContentTypeId=90&ContentId=P01806

All three of these holes are CHD: Congenital Heart Defects / Congenital Heart Disease.

Common side effects for these defects are trouble breathing, purple coloring, trouble eating, sweating and other signs fatigue. Deliana has not shown any symptoms besides low energy which is totally normal for a preemie so its hard to distinguish if the fatigue is from the heart.

We had a follow-up this afternoon and all went well. The cardiologist said that the sound has not changed which means that the holes have not worsened. We will be going back in 3 months for another echocardiogram to see if the holes have closed on their own. After that check, we will follow-up yearly until the holes either need repairing or close on their own. (We're hoping for the latter of the two).

Overall, Deliana is doing wonderfully! She is eating well, growing as expected and so, so, so beautiful! She has grown 2 inches in height and gained about a pound in a half! She has her Daddy's dark hair and her Mommy's blue eyes and eyelashes (keep your fingers crossed for the color to stay)! She even has some features similar to her big brother!

Although the future is uncertain, it is certain that Miss Deliana is loved dearly and continues to bless our lives daily. Thank you for your prayers and thank you for checking in!

With Love

*~Natalie and Greg~*

Cousin Haily's Soccer Game 9/26/09

9/26/09 Photos

P H O T O S

~ 3 Week Update ~

3 Weeks

Every baby has a unique temperament. Some are placid and agreeable, while others are more sensitive. One thing all babies have in common is that they communicate with you by crying. Sometime in the first month, you'll begin to hear another kind of sound. That's when most babies find their voices. When your baby is calm and alert, you may notice she says a little "ooh" or "aah" when she sees you or hears you approaching.

Delialna is doing wonderfully! We had a weight check on Thursday and she gained ANOTHER 3 ounces! We're up to 5lbs 9ounces now! Her cheeks are definitely starting to look chubby and she looks more and more like Greg everyday! 


A friend of mine gave us some preemie diapers that are actaully too small! Well, they fit but as soon as she pees, they leak so I think we can officially say that shes in a newborn size diaper now. The preemie clothes are getting too small too! Of course it depends on the brand but most of them are too small in the length so we can open up closet and start wearing all those adorable newborn clothes that she has!


Greg has started reading to Deli in Spanish! He has been speaking Spanish to her since before she was born and I speak to her in what Spanish I know. We borrowed some Spanish library books so he is getting her mind prepared for a bilingual life! 
Shes very lucky to have that opportunity and ability.
(I always manage to get pictures of Greg right out of the shower when his hair is still wet)

Kaidens testing for his green belt in Taekwondo today! Go Kaiden! We have 1 hour and 4 minutes to get there and everything we do takes extra time so Im going to end this update now. 


~Natalie~

2 weeks down ...

We're at day 18 of life ... Deliana has to be the most beautiful person I know. 

I love staring at her and watching her breathe. I'm totally in love ... I love her and Kaiden with all of my heart and I feel absolutely complete these days ... I almost dont notice the sleep deprivation anymore :-)

Yesterday was Deliana's two week well child check. She weighed a WHOLE 5lbs and 6ounces! Shes latching pretty well now but we are still seeing a lactation specialist because of her preemie status ...

She also grew 2 inches since birth! I put her preemie outfit on yesterday and its actually a bit tight in the length ... Shes still in preemie-weight clothes so if the outfit doesn't have feet it fits, but jammies make her little legs bunch up.

We're so proud of her and her fighting ways and I cannot wait to share her life and progress with you! 

Keep checking in!

~Natalie Reanee~

... More Pictures ...

Daddy's Princess

Cousins

Mommy's Angel

Big brothers first day of second grade!!!

~ Two Week Update ~

Your 2-week-old

Your womb was a warm and cozy environment, and it takes time for your baby to adjust to the various sights, sounds, and sensations of life outside your body. You may not be able to detect much of a personality just yet as your baby spends his time moving in and out of several different states of sleepiness, quiet alertness, and active alertness.

The only way your baby knows to communicate is by crying, but you can communicate with her through your voice and your touch. 

(She can now recognize your voice and pick it out among others.)

Your baby probably loves to be held, caressed, kissed, stroked, massaged, and carried. She may even make an "ah" sound when he hears your voice or sees your face, and she'll be eager to find you in a crowd.

Smile Pretty Baby

Newborn Clothes Are Still Too Big

12 days ... Photos

We had photos taken at Babies 'R Us on day 10 of life ... 

Deliana is proving to be quite the booger when she is faced with a camera ... Especially when shes naked ... And hungry  :-)

So .... We did a photo shoot with a different company yesterday and got some better photos. I am posting all of them and some of them are quite silly. I chose 8 of the poses and had them re-sized, colored, framed etc. 

She is such a wonderful and beautiful baby and I just cant get enough of her! 

Kaiden went with us to the photo shoot and was such a big helper (when he wasn't sticking his head in the way of the camera) and we had a great time! 

I hope you enjoy the pictures of our princess as much as we are!!!

Peace and Love

~Natalie~

Day 9 ...

Today was day 9 for little Deliana. We had a weight and billirubin check over the weekend and she was still in the high range on the billi (16) and her weight was still hanging at 4lbs and 12 ounces ...

Her billirubin went down two points since Saturday and today she weighed a whopping 4 pounds and 14 ounces which is awesome in the world of preemies! 2 more ounces and she will be at 5lbs which was her birth weight. 

She is eating like a logger and Greg thinks that she is already getting more hair! She is definitely still in the preemie clothes ... I got her a super cute onesie today that says "the best hugs are from Daddy" and I pretty much lost her when I put in on. It was a newborn size. 

Having a child that is smaller and lighter than a piece of fruit can be somewhat of a challenge :o)

Im going to attempt newborn/baby announecemnet pictures tomorrow. Kaiden is officially in the second grade and can ride the bus to and from our house and Greg is working tomorrow so I should tentatively have the day with just my little girl ...

Im starting to get a better handle on nursing/pumping/changing etc. so we may be able to get going earlier than we have been these last few days ...

She is still very, very small but she is gaining coordination like an Einstein so hopefully within the next few days we can quit pumping and have dedicated breast feeding! 

Im posting some photos that Greg took of us at the doctors office today. We dont have to go back until her 2 week check-up (next week) so we get to spend some time alone and away from doctors and blood draws for now! 

Happy Monday!!!

~Natalie~

= Nina =

~ 1 week old today ~

Your 1-week-old

Your baby's eyesight is still pretty fuzzy. Babies are born nearsighted and can see things best when they're about 8 to 15 inches away, so she can see your face clearly only when you're holding her close.

Don't worry if your baby doesn't look you right in the eye from the start: Newborns tend to look at your eyebrows, your hairline, or your moving mouth. As she gets to know you in the first month, she'll become more interested in having eye-to-eye exchanges. Studies show that newborns prefer human faces to all other patterns or colors. (Objects that are bright, moving, high-contrast, or black-and-white are next in line.)

~ On our way home from the hospital ~

~ Loved from head to toe ~

~ Deli and big brother Kaiden ~

~ MUAH ~

Ah ... Jaundice ...

My poor little yellow baby ...

Deliana's mouth is so small that she is having a hard time latching on so I have been pumping and feeding her with a bottle / nursing thus far ...

She had a weight check yesterday and her 3rd billirubin level checked and she has Hyperbilirubinemia and Jaundice, a very common newborn condition that can be managed very well.

The billirubin is a blood level that is natural in the body but needs to be "pushed out" via poopy/wet diapers. Since she does have jaundice, she sleeps more and doesnt want to eat but if she doesnt eat she'll continue to have jaundice so its sort a a vicious cycle. Last night we were prescribed a bili-blanket:

fiberoptic blanket

Another form of phototherapy is a fiberoptic blanket placed under the baby. This may be used alone or in combination with regular phototherapy.

The blanket seemed to help tremendously! 

Deliana had another weight/blood check this morning and her bilirubin level DID go down but her weight is still 4lbs 12oz so we will go in again on Monday to have the weight and blood level tested again. Worse case scenario is that she will be admitted to the hospital for direct bili-lights vs. the blanket of lights but that is worse case and would hypothetically only happen if she didnt eat anything throughout the weekend.

Just the slight drop in her bili-level made her energy peek so Im sure she'll be an eating machine and be full of energy in time for her Monday appointment!

Im posting pictures of our little glow worm in her bili-blanket (click on them to see them bigger). She is getting more beautiful everyday......

~Natalie~

... Labor ...

~ Getting ready for the big escape ~

~ Welcome to oxygen ~

~ Right when she came into the world ~

~ Love ~

~ First Bath ~

~ Bonita ~

Deliana Sol Gomez !!!

Well, the last time I wrote, I was sitting in a hospital bed waiting for contractions ... She is now 6 days old and I need to update this blog!!! 

I received an IV of Pitocin around noon on Saturday because after my water broke, I did not start heavy contractions ... I had a feeling that I was going to bed sent to C-section if I didnt start contracting so once the Pitocin kicked in a couple hours later ... I was happy that she was coming naturally but painfully wishing for a C-section!!!

I started heavy contracting around 2pm and requested pain medication shortly after ... After 2 doses of Fentanyl pain medication, I realized that normal pain medication was not going to cut it. I got my epidural and things were then smooth sailing. Too smooth sailing actually. The right side of my body failed to get completely numb but my doctor said that it was time so away we went!

I pushed around 3 times and my beautiful baby girl was brought into this world! She had her umbilical cord wrapped around her arm but no worries near the neck. We finally saw what was in front of her face in those 4-D ultrasound pictures! 

After placing baby Deliana on my chest, we realized that she wasnt breathing or crying as deeply as she could so the nurses took her over and gave her some stimulation to try to wake her up. Poor thing had some of the IV pain medication in her so she was a bit lethargic. After a narcotic reversing medication and extra oxygen, she was happy as a clam!

Deliana Sol Gomez weighed 5lbs 0oz, 17 1/2 inches long and was born @ 2:34pm on 9/5/09

The pediatricians wanted to keep her for a couple of days but I somehow lucked out with them sending us home! Greg, Kaiden, Oakie and I are now trying to get used to this new living being in the home and all the changes that come with a new baby ... 

Because she is so small, her mouth is not big enough to latch on yet so I am pumping like a mad woman and bottle feeding her breast milk for the time being. We try to nurse as much as possible and she is gaining strength but it may be a few more days until she gets it down ...

We have had to weight checks and have another today. Deliana was 4lbs 12oz when we left the hospital, 4lbs 10oz at her first weight check and she was 4lbs 11oz yesterday. 

We couldnt be happier with life! Sadly, I miss my baby belly but I am so happy to have this PERFECT  little being to share my life with! 

Kaiden is doing wonderfully. He loves his little sister so, so much and cannot get enough of her. He likes to pet her, hold her, kiss her and love her. He still isnt into the feeding and doesnt like it too much when she cries but he loves this little girl with all of his heart.

Greg is doing fantastic as well. He is proving to be such a great Father. He wakes up with me with feedings, he changes her, holds her and loves her dearly. He has also been a great help to me and my mental well-being by helping with chores, letting me rest etc. 

Overall, it was the best experience ever and I would do it all over in a second. I would love to have another baby (though waiting a few years seems advisable) but we'll see ... I put my maternity clothes away this morning and it was sadly painful. I should be happy that I fit into my pre-pregnancy clothes already but its so odd that I have clothes that I didnt even wear yet because she was so early. My weight status was -5 lbs. and Deliana weighed exactly 5lbs. so I think we had a good trade off ;o)

Im going to post pictures from beginning to end of the labor and will continue to update with pictures as often as I can find time. Thank you all for checking in on us and I hope you have a great weekend! I know I will!!!

~Natalie, Greg, Kaiden and Deliana~

Here we go ...........

Here we are ... 36 weeks along and sitting in a "wonderful" hospital bed, just about to see our baby girl!

I laid down last night around 11pm but didn't really fall asleep ... When I got up to go to the bathroom at around midnight, I noticed something a little different ...

I decided to take Oakie for a walk around 12:30, -just in case it was my water that broke- to try to speed things up a bit. Lets just say that I definitely noticed that I broke my water when I was on the midnight walk ...

I called the labor and delivery department around 1:30am and was advised to come in ASAP to get monitored and to get antibiotics for my early baby.

Its now almost 8am and I'm not contracting! My OB is off for the weekend so the covering OB ordered Pitocin (a labor inducing medication) and left for the night ... I now have a new OB (A FEMALE)!!! and hard labor should be starting whenever they come back with the induction medication ...

Greg's asleep on the "hospital couch" and I've been watching TV for the past few hours. I tried to sleep but its very hard with an IV in and a heart beating in my ear with intermittent contractions.

Well, that's about all for now. Greg brought the laptop so I figured I would update a little and then post the rest of the story later ... Im guessing she weighs 5.5lbs and Greg's guess is 6.2 ...

I hope everyone is having a safe and pleasant weekend ... More to come soon ...

~Natalie~

Weekly Poll

- Weekly Poll - 33 Weeks -

... A fun little poll ...

How far along? 35 weeks, 8 3/4 months

Maternity clothes? Yes, and Im getting sick of them ...

Sleep: No

Best moment this week: Nursery is DONE! 

Movement: Shes slowing down a lot. Apparently shes getting snug in there so she moves throughout the day but not as much as she used to. She likes to hang out on my bladder and what feels like punching at my cervix.

Food cravings: Nope

Gender: Still a girl!

Labor Signs: Yes. But I cant be admitted until my contractions are closer or my water breaks.

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: Sleep ...

What I am looking forward to: Taking walks with her while Kaiden rides his bike! 

Weekly Wisdom: N/A

Milestones: Im too tired to pay attention .........

35 Weeks = 8 3/4 Months

How your baby's growing:

Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds. Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

... Contractions ...

What a strange few days ... I have been contracting like crazy and getting super anxious for something to happen ... My Mom and I took Kaiden and his cousin to Oaks Park yesterday and had lots of fun! Poor Kaiden wanted me to go on rides (and I probably would have) but being 8 1/2 months pregnant as well as seeing signs that forebode pregnancy, I did not go on any ... Kaidens cousin, Clayton went with us so he was at least able to go on everything over and over and over ...

During the Oaks Park visit, I lost my mucus plug: http://www.babycenter.com/0_signs-of-labor_181.bc so that was interesting ... I spoke to my OB yesterday and scheduled a sooner follow-up that originally planned. Apparently, the baby should be here between now and a week/two. My contractions are about every 15 min. but until they are more than 5 per hour and lasting 30-60 seconds, Im encouraged to stay home. As I mentioned in my last post, Im completely lost on the first signs of labor so I may go in to the hospital sooner than later.

Greg is doing surprisingly well. Hes totally calm and composed while Im starting to get really scared. He got my "go home from the hospital" outfit ready and has the baby bag in his truck so we're ready to go. If she comes out now, we'll be ready and if she waits a few weeks, we will be super ready then too!

My parents are camping so Im super sad that my Mom may not be around when I deliver but I know that everything happens for a reason so I will be OK. That, and I have Greg to support me so I know that I wont be alone.

Well, I will keep posting as time and progress goes on. I hope all is well in everyones lives. Thanks for checking in on mine!

~Natalie~

8 1/2 Months Today ...

I want to see my daughter already!
Shes expressing interest on wanting to see the real world so Im getting anxious ... Really anxious and really nervous.
..... ~ .....
Greg was out of town Friday - Sunday so of course I started contracting and feeling like I was going into labor! So much so that I even had to call my "real" doctor to ask if I could be "checked" since my live-in doctor was not home :o)
It was Sunday, so the on-call OB (The one that delivered Kaiden) called back and told me that at this point, they wouldn't "stop" the labor so to just monitor the contractions, drink water, rest etc. ... I had a contraction every 15 min. for TWO DAYS, how could I rest?! He also said that the contractions should be more than 5 per hour and stronger before a Dr. visit.

I do have an appointment tomorrow afternoon so we'll see if little Deliana is getting ready to show her sweet little face!
..... ~ .....
Kaidens labor was a whole 4 hours so I am so, so , so nervous for this one. With Kaiden, I woke up at 1am in excruciating pain, took a shower, sat on the bed and my water broke at about 2am. I got to the hospital around 3am and had him at 5:06am so there was never really the "is this labor?" feeling ...
By the time i got to the hospital, I was 7 or 8cm and I hardly got an epidural so Im thinking this one will either be super easy and really quick or the complete opposite and I'll be in labor for 3 days!
..... ~ .....
Because I missed the initial transition of labor with Kaiden, I feel like a first time Mom. I feel like Im not going to know when to go in. That, or I will sleep through the first 6-7cm again and hardly make it to the hospital. My contractions started at 1am on Saturday so it was deja vu of 7 years ago. Besides the fact that I was alone and had a 7 year old to wake up if I was indeed to go to the hospital.
..... ~ .....
Anyway it happens, I know I will be OK. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right?!
If I end up having her at home, at least I have a doctor handy.
(Dont worry, 911 is on speed dial ;o) ..................


~ Peace and Love ~
Natalie Reanee

~*~ 34 Week Update = 8 1/2 Months ~*~

Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

- Weekly Poll - 33 Weeks -

... A fun little poll ...

How far along? 33 weeks, 8 1/4 months

Maternity clothes? Yep. Though I put my favorite pre-prego jeans on last night and they fit! (below my belly of course, but it was still exciting)!

Sleep: ... Still sleeping on my stomach but waking up several times every night to re-position

Best moment this week: Hospital tour yesterday 8/16/09 ... Its becoming more real ...

Movement: She has developed a sleeping schedule .. She doesn't move very much at night (unless I am repositioning) and she doesn't start moving a lot until around 10am! If only she would keep that schedule when she arrives!

Food cravings: Nadda

Gender: Still a girl!

Labor Signs: Nope

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: Lots of things ...

What I am looking forward to: Developing a schedule with her

Weekly Wisdom: N/A

Milestones: Almost 5 Pounds!

... 33 Week Progress ...

This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a cone head-like appearance. These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

~*~*~ 42 Days ~*~*~

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Little Deliana is running out of room ... She needs to come out already!
We did the hospital tour today. We were 15 min. late so Im glad we went so we'll know how to get there when its actually time to have the baby !!!
My labor was hardly 4 hours with Kaiden so Im really nervous that Deliana is going to be born at home or on the freeway!
I had Kaiden at the same hospital but I totally forgot how to get in to the labor and delivery floor so we pretty much got a tour of the entire hospital as we walked around ...
We got a good work out though and then had some awesome hospital food just for kicks.
... * ...
I got a musical light-up thing for the crib yesterday. It even has a remote! When I explained to Greg that babies will cry when they see you and the remote is to turn the music on from the door he was quite confused as to why someone would want to "hide" from their child. Oh, he shall learn soon enough.
... * ...
Deliana is getting on a good sleeping schedule these days! She moved a bit at night when I re-position but for the most part doesn't move a lot while I sleep. She doesn't start moving a lot until about 10am so Im hoping that she has a good sleep schedule once shes in the real world! Too bad she has to eat and be changed or the sleep schedule would be perfect!
... * ...
I hope everyone had a great weekend!
~Natalie~

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

42 Days ~*~*~

" T E D D Y"

This is TEDDY. Greg's teddy bear from childhood. Raquel, Greg's Mom gave us the bear when we announced the pregnancy in Phoenix in February and Greg is so excited to see the little bear passed on to Deliana. Its the cutest thing ever; Greg sewed all the holes that produced throughout his childhood so it has little multi-colored yarn repairs :) So cute!

8 MONTHS

8 Months Dr. Appt. 8/11/09

We had the 32 week doctor appointment today ...
Deliana is growing like a weed and if you read my previous post, she weighs around 4-5 pounds.
My doctor said that she is "head down" and has been that way for quite a while. I feel her little butt under my ribs and she is constantly kicking like a little soccer player in there! Last night she go the hiccups and kicked for what seemed like an hour. Poor thing, I know how miserable hiccups are. I know she doesn't have air in her lungs yet, but they're still uncomfortable to have!

We were going to do another ultrasound because I haven't gained any weight (I'm actually 10 pounds less than when I started the pregnancy) but the doctor said that she is growing perfectly so there is nothing to worry about. Shes perfect size and weight so maybe I'll get lucky and end where I started ;) From here on out, I should be gaining 1/2 - 1 pound per week so we shall see ...

We're still working on a middle name. We pretty much have it nailed but there are a couple that we're still playing around with. We have to make sure the initials are OK, it flows with the first name and that its impossible to make fun of.

We are now counting down the days for baby Deliana ... I think today my ticker said 54 days! Woo Hoo!

I hope you are having a great week and thanks for checking in!

~Natalie Reanee~

32 weeks = 8 MONTHS!!!

By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.

~*~ Baby Shower 8_8_9 ~*~

Welcome Baby Deliana!!!

GAMES!!!

FAMILY!!!

GIFTS!!!

We had out baby shower today! It was co-ed so Greg got to do the "ooh's and ahh's" on a ton of PINK stuff! It turned out great (Thanks MOM) and we now have a room full of baby girl stuff, great memories and tons of photos!
Im posting some photos of the event and we hope you enjoy them!
~Natalie and Greg~

Psalm 30:5

For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning ... Psalm 30:5


I Love this verse. My friend told me about it yesterday and it makes so much sense and was exactly what I needed. Even when you are angry or feel like weeping, the next day, week, month, year with be wonderful
...
Its been a rough week. My hormones and emotions are on high drive and I feel like a nut. There are a lot of issues "up in the air" and I hate the instability that life throws our way. Life is about diversity and I know that I/we can handle anything, but its hard when I cry at the site of an injured bug!
...
I'm counting down the days until I can hold my baby girl and start my new life with her and the weeks seem to be getting longer ... The days feel like months. Its going to be so sweet to see Kaiden with his precious little sis and I just want it to be over already!
...
Our baby shower is this weekend! Ive been cheating and looking at target.com and babiesrus.com to see what the "want" and "got" list ... There are a few things that we need so Im trying to keep an eye on what we are going to need to get before she gets here! Everyone knows how "RSVP's" go (no one calls ;) so we'll see who shows up on Saturday! My Mom is putting on the show so hopefully I can sit back and relax with good friends and family for the day!
...
I have the crib set up in her room but the mattress is still in storage and I will be getting it this weekend. We have her dresser, changing table, clothes and a little wooden toy box ... We just need a baby! I think the main needs are only necessities ... Matress, carseat, stroller, DIAPERS!
...
Oh Baby


~Natalie~

31 Weeks ...

This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds and is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

Weekly Poll ... 30 Weeks

How your baby's growing:

Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds. A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

... A fun little poll ...

How far along? 30 weeks, 7 1/2months

Maternity clothes? Yeppers

Stretch marks? Nadda

Sleep: ... Still on my stomach but its SO hot that I dont think Im sleeping as well

Best moment this week: Lots of video of her moving in my belly!

Movement: She moves a ton!

Food cravings: Plaid Pantry Icee's

Gender: Still a girl!

Labor Signs: Nope

Belly Button in or out? In

What I miss: Ice cold beer

What I am looking forward to: Labor and delivery ...

Weekly Wisdom: N/A

Milestones: 3 Pounds!