Elephant Juice

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Abe's first visitors

More pictures from Abe's first days and all the visitors he had at the hospital

Daddy and the first diaper change!

First family pic...

Holy swollen mommy!

Abe's first professional photo from the hospital photographer...

What a handsome boy in his tie :)

Gigi helped Barrett make these treats to take to school on Tuesday!
He was so excited to announce his baby brother was here!

Ready to go home on Wednesday morning, as a huge Winter storm was rolling in!

Abe wore the same outfit and hat home that Barrett did, five years earlier.

Wish I would have looked back at the pics of Barrett. I would have taken the same brown blanket, and taken off Abe's hat, so I could have had a better comparison pic :)

Barrett on left, Abe on right (Abe wasn't too excited about the carseat)

Abram's BIRTHday

Still just savoring every day with little Abe...

cuddling and napping with him any chance I get.

This week I get back to work, a few sessions at a time.

I love my job, and do miss taking pictures, but I'm not sure I'm ready.

Here are some pictures from Abram's BIRTHday, Monday, February 18, 2013

Sunday night we took Barrett to spend the night with Gigi & Papa.

He was excited for a sleepover, and it worked out great that Monday was President's Day, so there was no school.

Got up at 4am, to get ready.

We had to check-in at 5:30am, but they hadn't told us what time surgery would be.

One last shot of Abe in my belly...let's do this thing!

Hospital bound...

We got all checked in and signed all the paperwork. I got a chuckle from the one that Justin signed, stating if anything happened to him (i.e. passing out), they had his permission to tend to mom and baby before him. Thanks, Hon! I also got a chuckle from the nurse checking us in, when she realized who I was and said "oh, you're Elephant Juice"!! Too funny!

We watched the sunrise from our room, and found out I wouldn't go into surgery til 9:30 or 10.

Long wait. Justin was downstairs enjoying breakfast around 8-8:30, when two ladies came in and said they were ready to take me to surgery! I had to call Justin and tell him to high-tail it back up. One of the older nurses didn't act like she was going to wait! He got into the room as they were starting to wheel me out. Just in time to grab the camera and put down his coffee. Off we went.

Baby monitor strapped to my belly and People magazine...

(WHAT?!! Bethenny Frankel is getting divorced! Boo!)

I was a little nervous that we were doing the surgery downstairs in the main OR, since there was something wrong with the OR on the OB floor (where I'd had Barrett). I didn't like that I would be down there recovering, and they would go ahead and bring the baby up to the nursery.

We waited in OR for almost an hour. Talked to all three of my doctors, and a couple anesthesiologists (I felt loved). My parents got there with Barrett just before I was to go into surgery, so I got to kiss his head and tell him I loved him. That was the first time I broke into tears! He was so sweet and so excited, but I could see in his eyes he was worried seeing mommy in the bed with IV's. I tried not to cry until after he left the room :)

Justin got on his super HOT scrubs, then he stayed back in the OR waiting area while they took me in to start the epidural. I was most nervous about that. THEN to hear that a KU Med student would be doing it made me REAL nervous! She did great though, and was really sweet! It did take her a little longer than normal, so my back got really tired from having to stay bent over the bed. The thing I love about giving birth at my small town hospital is knowing so many of the doctors and nurses and staff. One sweet nurse sat and held my hand while I was bent over (probably 20 minutes) getting the epidural. Finally it was 'go time' and Justin came in. It wasn't long before I started feeling nauseous! Ugh!!

Just like during my C-section with Barrett, and got really nauseous from the epidural. I lost track of how many times I threw up during the surgery. It's not fun when you're laying on your back, half your body is numb, and your arms are strapped down. Turning your head to puke in a little pink dish is the pits. BUT as soon as I heard Abram's sweet little cry, I was so relived! The doctors said he was huge, but I didn't think he looked that big :) I was glad to have both my regular doctor there to do the surgery and the new doctor, who I'd seen twice just in the month before. They had both been very supportive of my wanting to try to do a VBAC, but it just wasn't happening. Turns out the C-section was the best choice. As they were closing me back up, Dr. M informed me that my uterine lining was paper-thin, and he was having a hard time stitching it back up...it kept wanting to tear on him. I most likely would have ruptured during a VBAC labor and delivery. God was certainly in control. One doctor told me "so if you ever have another baby, and you are somewhere else in the country, and they try to get you to do a VBAC because of Obama Care, tell them NO"! Then the other doctor said "No to Obama Care or no to VBAC"! We all laughed and said "BOTH"!

Abram Brandon

February 18, 2013 at 9:55am

8 pounds 8 ounces

20 1/4" long

perfect

First kisses from Mommy!

Abram went up to the OB floor with our baby nurse, so she could clean him up and do all the tests he needed. Justin stayed with me in recovery, for what seemed like forever! I puked the whole time we were in there too.

I was thankful Kim had her camera up in OB waiting, so she could capture the first time Barrett (and everyone else) saw Abe!