Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Monday, March 16, 2009
365 project
Every day until Melanie is one year old (yes, I know that is 180 days, not 365) I will be taking a picture of her. In the morning when she's in her high chair I'll take it and then post it on the blog later. When she reaches one year, I hope to make a short video showing all the pictures. I can't promise I'll post them everyday, but I'll try.
To start this off, I took a picture today.
Happy 6 month-day to Melanie!!
To start this off, I took a picture today.
Happy 6 month-day to Melanie!!
Monday, March 09, 2009
Not much going on here. That's part of the reason I don't update so often. Melanie is much better. Her temp is back to normal. She still coughs occasionally and has quite a runny nose, but neither are that bad.
Since she got too heavy for her swing, I started putting her in her bassinet, which worked really well until I realized that she had passed the weight limit for that too. It wasn't that big of a deal, but I figured it's better to be safe than sorry. Now she sleep in her pack and play since we are STILL waiting for her crib. I'll be calling them tomorrow morning to get more info. I'd been calling them and was supposed to call back, but just hadn't gotten the chance. Hopefully I'll get some answers soon.
She is working on sitting up. She is a very excitable baby so always wants to straighten her legs, which makes her fall over. She is working on rolling from her back to stomach too. Still have a lot of work to do, but it won't be too much longer I'm sure.
The eating is going great. I'm just about ready to move her up to second foods. Probably just a few more weeks. I've been mixing it with milk, but I'll stop doing that soon.
Not much else going on. Danny is getting better. The doc said his tonsils were swollen so he got some more meds. He hasn't complained too much, so I have to assume he's feeling better.
I am sore because Danny gave me a "mommy day". So I went to the gym. I haven't done that in a year (since I started getting morning sickness) so my body was not prepared! The stairs in our house are a pain.
I've started teaching more. I am up to 4 students now and hopefully more soon. Melanie is usually pretty well behaved, but I hope it will get easier as she gets older.
That's all for now. I am trying to get Melanie to take a nap and she's crying so I have to calm her again. Hopefully it won't be too long before I update again.
Since she got too heavy for her swing, I started putting her in her bassinet, which worked really well until I realized that she had passed the weight limit for that too. It wasn't that big of a deal, but I figured it's better to be safe than sorry. Now she sleep in her pack and play since we are STILL waiting for her crib. I'll be calling them tomorrow morning to get more info. I'd been calling them and was supposed to call back, but just hadn't gotten the chance. Hopefully I'll get some answers soon.
She is working on sitting up. She is a very excitable baby so always wants to straighten her legs, which makes her fall over. She is working on rolling from her back to stomach too. Still have a lot of work to do, but it won't be too much longer I'm sure.
The eating is going great. I'm just about ready to move her up to second foods. Probably just a few more weeks. I've been mixing it with milk, but I'll stop doing that soon.
Not much else going on. Danny is getting better. The doc said his tonsils were swollen so he got some more meds. He hasn't complained too much, so I have to assume he's feeling better.
I am sore because Danny gave me a "mommy day". So I went to the gym. I haven't done that in a year (since I started getting morning sickness) so my body was not prepared! The stairs in our house are a pain.
I've started teaching more. I am up to 4 students now and hopefully more soon. Melanie is usually pretty well behaved, but I hope it will get easier as she gets older.
That's all for now. I am trying to get Melanie to take a nap and she's crying so I have to calm her again. Hopefully it won't be too long before I update again.
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Still sick
Melanie was getting better before it hit her again. She started coughing and last night she had a fever of 101. I've been giving her Tylenol and keeping up on her temp. I talked to a nurse in the ER last night and she said to bring her in if she showed signs of dehydration: no tears, less wet diapers and refusing to nurse. So far so good, but if her temp gets too high I'm taking her in regardless. This morning it was only 100. Either way, they won't give her meds so the cold just has to run it's course.
Danny is getting better slowly, but I've had a bit of a sore throat today. I hope I don't come down with it.
Danny is getting better slowly, but I've had a bit of a sore throat today. I hope I don't come down with it.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Yay!
Snow!!
It's actually been switching between rain and snow all morning. At this rate, it would take a LONG time to start sticking. TGIF!
Update at 1130am: Rain. Poo. It had just started to stick.
It's actually been switching between rain and snow all morning. At this rate, it would take a LONG time to start sticking. TGIF!
Update at 1130am: Rain. Poo. It had just started to stick.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
house of sicklings
Danny is slowly getting over his nasty cold. He's had it nearly 2 weeks now. Melanie have managed to escape the worst of it. She got a small cough after being with the "big kids" all day. Now I think she has a bacterial infection in her eye. I didn't run to the doctor right away, but I figured it's better for her to see him considering her age. We have an appointment for 9 tomorrow. I'm guessing that she'll probably get antibiotic eye drops. We're taking good care of them for today though.
UPDATE: The doctor says she doesn't have pink eye. Her nose is stuffy way up inside and he says the gunk in her eye is likely the stuff from her nose working it's way out. Ew! She has saline drops for her nose to help clear her up. She'll be getting a little Tylenol too.
UPDATE: The doctor says she doesn't have pink eye. Her nose is stuffy way up inside and he says the gunk in her eye is likely the stuff from her nose working it's way out. Ew! She has saline drops for her nose to help clear her up. She'll be getting a little Tylenol too.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Flickr
FYI- I have created a flickr account and am contemplating moving everything from Photobucket over there. It is just about usability for me. I'll keep you updated on changes.
UPDATE: I added about 15 pictures from iPhoto and exceeded my bandwidth limit for the month. Luckily Feb is short so it will be reset in a few days.
UPDATE: I added about 15 pictures from iPhoto and exceeded my bandwidth limit for the month. Luckily Feb is short so it will be reset in a few days.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Big Favor
Can someone please buy Melanie some long-sleeve onesies and send them to us? I keep looking in the Exchange, but they never have her size.
She needs 3-6 month size, white, and preferably Carter's brand, but any will do. She only needs one pack (5).
Thank you!
She needs 3-6 month size, white, and preferably Carter's brand, but any will do. She only needs one pack (5).
Thank you!
Friday, February 13, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Happy Baby
So many people have said this before, but Melanie is such a happy baby. She even smiles in her sleep. It is cute!
Monday, February 02, 2009
Mt Asama erupts
I didn't know about this until a friend of Danny told us. I noticed "dust" on the car today, but didn't realize it was ash.
TOKYO, Feb 2 (Reuters) - A volcano in central Japan erupted on Monday, spewing hot rocks and ash, but there was no major damage in the sparsely populated vicinity, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
NHK public TV showed white smoke coming out of the 2,568 metre (8,425 foot), snow-capped peak, with some grey dust near the top.
Smoke shot up as high as 2 km (1 mile) from the crater of Mount Asama, which erupted at 1:51 a.m. (1651 GMT Sunday), but no lava could be seen from the side of the volcano, said Kazuya Kokubo, an official at the agency.
The agency had raised its warning level on Sunday after signs of increased seismic activity, telling people not to approach the volcano and agency official Osamu Inaba said traffic in the area was being restricted.
Ash drifted as far as Tokyo, about 140 km (90 miles) to the southeast, but visibility in the capital was not affected.
The agency is keeping its warning level at three out of five, which warns people not to approach the volcano.
Residents in cities and villages nearby have also been warned against flying rocks and ash, Inaba said.
No one lives within a 4 km area around the volcano, but people working in the vicinity were told on Sunday to evacuate, Kokubo said.
Mount Asama, one of Japan's more active volcanoes, had its biggest eruption in 21 years on Sept. 1 2004, spewing hot rock and raining ash as far as 200 km away. That eruption, however, did not cause any major damage.
The volcano is known for a huge eruption in 1783 that caused widespread damage and killed around 1,500 people. (Reporting by Yoko Kubota; Editing by Brent Kininmont)
TOKYO, Feb 2 (Reuters) - A volcano in central Japan erupted on Monday, spewing hot rocks and ash, but there was no major damage in the sparsely populated vicinity, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
NHK public TV showed white smoke coming out of the 2,568 metre (8,425 foot), snow-capped peak, with some grey dust near the top.
Smoke shot up as high as 2 km (1 mile) from the crater of Mount Asama, which erupted at 1:51 a.m. (1651 GMT Sunday), but no lava could be seen from the side of the volcano, said Kazuya Kokubo, an official at the agency.
The agency had raised its warning level on Sunday after signs of increased seismic activity, telling people not to approach the volcano and agency official Osamu Inaba said traffic in the area was being restricted.
Ash drifted as far as Tokyo, about 140 km (90 miles) to the southeast, but visibility in the capital was not affected.
The agency is keeping its warning level at three out of five, which warns people not to approach the volcano.
Residents in cities and villages nearby have also been warned against flying rocks and ash, Inaba said.
No one lives within a 4 km area around the volcano, but people working in the vicinity were told on Sunday to evacuate, Kokubo said.
Mount Asama, one of Japan's more active volcanoes, had its biggest eruption in 21 years on Sept. 1 2004, spewing hot rock and raining ash as far as 200 km away. That eruption, however, did not cause any major damage.
The volcano is known for a huge eruption in 1783 that caused widespread damage and killed around 1,500 people. (Reporting by Yoko Kubota; Editing by Brent Kininmont)
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Midwives in Navy
Here is an article that was printed in the Stars & Stripes. Hiles was my midwife during my pregnancy and Shaughnessy was my midwife at the end. Oh and Mindy Adorador is a friend of mine. Her husband works on the Mustin too.
Midwives in the military offer extra level of care
Midwives in the military offer extra level of care
Friday, January 23, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
海の公園
That's Umi no koen (Seaside Park). Yes, it's cold out, but I wanted to go to the park so we did. Actually we were down in that area because Danny needed to order a new rearview mirror from AutoBacs and it wasn't raining. I really thought it was going to with some of the dark clouds I was seeing all day.
Anyway, we took pictures. They weren't edited before posting online, but considering my recent problems with the RAW format, you should be happy. :) There are many more that need to make it online. I don't want to compromise the great image quality (which I did for these photos).
Anyway, I hope you enjoy them.
Uminokoen
Anyway, we took pictures. They weren't edited before posting online, but considering my recent problems with the RAW format, you should be happy. :) There are many more that need to make it online. I don't want to compromise the great image quality (which I did for these photos).
Anyway, I hope you enjoy them.
Uminokoen
Friday, January 16, 2009
Melly's 4-month appointment.
Had her appointment at 940 this morning. Which means I had to leave before 830. I got up early and took care of stuff then got her up last minute and got her ready to go.
We were still a little late.
So she is now 11.96 lbs, 23.43 in and her head is 16.45 in. 25th percentile. Small is fine with me. Doc was a bit surprised when I told him she eats every 1.5 hrs.
She got two shots today and has been a cranky bug. Also, because we were gone most of the day she didn't really get to nap. Just as she would fall asleep I'd have to take her out of the car. Should have not been cheap and just put out the money for the infant car seat...
Anyway, she's been on tylenol all day and will hopefully feel better tomorrow.
Oh oh, and the Doc said I can mush up whatever I'm eating and let her taste it. If she likes it, give her more. Obviously I'm staying away from honey and dairy. I bought her a little jar of banana baby food today and I'm excited to give it to her tomorrow. She's already tasted banana though. Thought it was a safe bet. :)
We were still a little late.
So she is now 11.96 lbs, 23.43 in and her head is 16.45 in. 25th percentile. Small is fine with me. Doc was a bit surprised when I told him she eats every 1.5 hrs.
She got two shots today and has been a cranky bug. Also, because we were gone most of the day she didn't really get to nap. Just as she would fall asleep I'd have to take her out of the car. Should have not been cheap and just put out the money for the infant car seat...
Anyway, she's been on tylenol all day and will hopefully feel better tomorrow.
Oh oh, and the Doc said I can mush up whatever I'm eating and let her taste it. If she likes it, give her more. Obviously I'm staying away from honey and dairy. I bought her a little jar of banana baby food today and I'm excited to give it to her tomorrow. She's already tasted banana though. Thought it was a safe bet. :)
Thursday, January 15, 2009
picture formatting
I am still taking lots of pictures (although not as many as I used to) but am not able to import them to photobucket. I wasn't completely happy with the resolution of the pictures, so I changed it to RAW which doesn't save them a jpegs. Photobucket doesn't allow me to import RAW images, so for now you'll just have to wait until I decide what to do.
Until then, I did add a few more to the 3 month album and I'll be adding a 4 month soon.
Her 4 month appointment is tomorrow morning. More shots. Yippee. I'll update later to let you know how she is growing. I know she's at least 12.5 lbs.
Until then, I did add a few more to the 3 month album and I'll be adding a 4 month soon.
Her 4 month appointment is tomorrow morning. More shots. Yippee. I'll update later to let you know how she is growing. I know she's at least 12.5 lbs.
Monday, January 05, 2009
sleep issues
I guess I'm in denial about Melanie growing up. I know lots of things need to change as she gets older. I can't keep treating her like a newborn. As I said before, we've been having bed time problems. She is still waking up shortly after I put her down. Last night she slept so well in her swing. She was out from 9 to 8. Didn't wake up once. I really want her to sleep in her bassinet. Just put her in there about 20 minutes ago for her nap and she just woke up. I guess I'll take what I can get, but I know she mostly wakes up because she is mad that she is alone and doesn't like the bassinet.
There are so many people out there that have advice about how to do this and what to avoid and how you should parent. I can't even read that stuff 'cause it is just too overwhelming to think about doing all they want me to do. Let your baby cry, don't let them cry, put them to bed awake, put them to bed asleep, check on them every few minutes, leave them alone... all these things your supposed to do to get it right. It's too complicated and too much work. I am frustrated. Can't someone just make it easy?
There are so many people out there that have advice about how to do this and what to avoid and how you should parent. I can't even read that stuff 'cause it is just too overwhelming to think about doing all they want me to do. Let your baby cry, don't let them cry, put them to bed awake, put them to bed asleep, check on them every few minutes, leave them alone... all these things your supposed to do to get it right. It's too complicated and too much work. I am frustrated. Can't someone just make it easy?
Friday, January 02, 2009
The last few days
Sorry it's been so quiet. Yesterday I was busy cleaning the house and on New Year's Eve we went to Tokyo to apply for Melanie's birth abroad and her passport. Soon I'll apply for her no-fee passport and her SSN. We want to get that before tax season.
Happy New Year to everyone. We didn't do anything this year. We were in bed before midnight.
The last few nights have been rough because Melanie decided she didn't want to sleep in her bassinet anymore. I put her in the swing on Wednesday morning and she slept from 230 to 8. I had to get up at 6 and go to Yokosuka though. At least Danny had it a little easy. She's been sleeping in the swing for a few days. Her new thing is waking up crying just a few minutes after I put her down. Also, she likes to wake up every 30 min after her first feeding of the night (somewhere between 3 and 5). This morning I kept her up for two hours and she slept for 2 hours instead of 30 min.
She also likes to cry when I leave the room. The only distraction she'll accept is the television. We've watched lots of Baby Einstein and Disney movies. Amy gave her "Lilo and Stitch" for Christmas and we have Finding Nemo and The Little Mermaid. I don't like the idea of babysitter television, but I really have no other choice.
Danny has duty today, the weekend off, and then back to work regularly. The last two weeks have been interesting. We were planning on going to Hakone by Shinkansen, but there is a race from Tokyo and back today and tomorrow so I think we're gonna cancel. We were supposed to go with Brian, Amy & the twins. They leave for the states soon and Amy wanted to take the Shinkansen before they left. Hopefully she'll get another chance.
Happy New Year to everyone. We didn't do anything this year. We were in bed before midnight.
The last few nights have been rough because Melanie decided she didn't want to sleep in her bassinet anymore. I put her in the swing on Wednesday morning and she slept from 230 to 8. I had to get up at 6 and go to Yokosuka though. At least Danny had it a little easy. She's been sleeping in the swing for a few days. Her new thing is waking up crying just a few minutes after I put her down. Also, she likes to wake up every 30 min after her first feeding of the night (somewhere between 3 and 5). This morning I kept her up for two hours and she slept for 2 hours instead of 30 min.
She also likes to cry when I leave the room. The only distraction she'll accept is the television. We've watched lots of Baby Einstein and Disney movies. Amy gave her "Lilo and Stitch" for Christmas and we have Finding Nemo and The Little Mermaid. I don't like the idea of babysitter television, but I really have no other choice.
Danny has duty today, the weekend off, and then back to work regularly. The last two weeks have been interesting. We were planning on going to Hakone by Shinkansen, but there is a race from Tokyo and back today and tomorrow so I think we're gonna cancel. We were supposed to go with Brian, Amy & the twins. They leave for the states soon and Amy wanted to take the Shinkansen before they left. Hopefully she'll get another chance.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Long needed update
I know there hasn't been an update in a while. Sorry. Never realized how demanding motherhood is- physically and mentally.
Melanie is 3 months and one week now so we're (I'm) trying to establish important routines. For the last three nights she has been sleeping in the bassinet in the pack and play. I want to make the transition easier when her crib arrives. She had been sleeping in the seat of the sweetpeace swing. The nice thing about the bassinet is that I can rock it forward and back. She awoke about 20 minutes ago and I gave her the paci and rocked her until she fell asleep. It was nice that I didn't even have to wake her up.
She has been rolling over consistently. I did get the very first on video, but I have to wait until Danny gets it onto his computer. It is going to be quite while until she can roll from back to stomach, but she is really good at getting on her side.
Her favorite new thing is crying when I leave the room. Sometimes I lay her on the floor and go into the kitchen to get something to eat and she gets quite fussy. It seems so early for her to develop this, but I am hoping it doesn't last too long. I think as long as she has someone paying attention to her she is okay. Doesn't HAVE to be me.
Lastly, we went to Kamakura on Sunday because Danny hadn't seen the big Buddha there. I posted pictures in photobucket. It is public.
Kamakura Dec 2008
Melanie is 3 months and one week now so we're (I'm) trying to establish important routines. For the last three nights she has been sleeping in the bassinet in the pack and play. I want to make the transition easier when her crib arrives. She had been sleeping in the seat of the sweetpeace swing. The nice thing about the bassinet is that I can rock it forward and back. She awoke about 20 minutes ago and I gave her the paci and rocked her until she fell asleep. It was nice that I didn't even have to wake her up.
She has been rolling over consistently. I did get the very first on video, but I have to wait until Danny gets it onto his computer. It is going to be quite while until she can roll from back to stomach, but she is really good at getting on her side.
Her favorite new thing is crying when I leave the room. Sometimes I lay her on the floor and go into the kitchen to get something to eat and she gets quite fussy. It seems so early for her to develop this, but I am hoping it doesn't last too long. I think as long as she has someone paying attention to her she is okay. Doesn't HAVE to be me.
Lastly, we went to Kamakura on Sunday because Danny hadn't seen the big Buddha there. I posted pictures in photobucket. It is public.
Kamakura Dec 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
Google Street View
Here is the closest you can get to our house in Japan. Feel free to explore the rest of the area!
Google Maps Japan
Google Maps Japan
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Monday, December 08, 2008
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Saturday, December 06, 2008
Baby giggles
Today was her very first and I caught it on video. Sorry for my obnoxious laugh and bad camera work. I hope you're able to hear her over my own giggling.
Friday, December 05, 2008
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
Can't be a mom AND watch tv
I was just watching the Today Show and they had a segment about fire safety in your home. The fire chief is walking the reporter through what to do. He went into the nursery and showed him how to get the baby out of the crib without standing up. I had to change the channel fast because I thought I was going to cry. It was just a doll. I think I have to go check on my baby now. Then go to bed before I freak out. :)
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
New Pictures of cutie-pie
I uploaded pictures to her two month album. You can comment on individual pictures now too.
Link: 2 Months
Link: 2 Months
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Melanie's 2-month appointment
Sorry it took so long to post this. Melanie had her two month appointment on Thursday. She got three immunizations. I almost cried when they stuck the needles in her legs. She screamed. She is now at 9lbs 7oz and 22in. She is still at the low end for other girls her age, but I don't have a problem with that.
I didn't like the pediatrician so much, but thats what you get with military health care!
I had my appointment the same day, so I'm taken care of now to avoid having another little Melanie too soon!
Hope everyone has a good weekend.
I didn't like the pediatrician so much, but thats what you get with military health care!
I had my appointment the same day, so I'm taken care of now to avoid having another little Melanie too soon!
Hope everyone has a good weekend.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Marni's eulogy
For anyone interested: http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2008/nov/19/marnie-lougheed-67/
If I was in the states I would be going to her memorial.
If I was in the states I would be going to her memorial.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Mrs. Lougheed
I'm not sure that many people who read my blog know Marni Lougheed. She was my third grade teacher from Silverdale Elementary. Recently she attended my wedding and I sent her Melanie's birth announcement just a few weeks ago. I received an email from my grandmother this morning telling me that she lost her battle with cancer. She was diagnosed 20 years ago. My prayers go to her family.
Thank you for being such a great teacher and person Marni. You will be missed.
Thank you for being such a great teacher and person Marni. You will be missed.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Sankeien Pictures
Melanie and I went to Sankeien Garden today with Amy & the twins. Here are the pics: http://s132.photobucket.com/albums/q19/rainsongs/Sankeien%20Nov%2008/
Here are pics Amy took. There are some beautiful ones of Melanie and I. http://flickr.com/photos/amy_spurgeon/sets/72157609263186869/
Here are pics Amy took. There are some beautiful ones of Melanie and I. http://flickr.com/photos/amy_spurgeon/sets/72157609263186869/
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Story Time
Another Video!
Yes, I forgot to add that this is the cutest thing I've ever heard and I could listen to her talk to me all day long.
Yes, I forgot to add that this is the cutest thing I've ever heard and I could listen to her talk to me all day long.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
It's nearly that time of year
Some people have already started to talk about Christmas, so I wanted to get this out there.
First, I wanted to say that Danny and I are not buying Melanie gifts. We are going to put money into a savings account. I know other people wanted to buy her things, so I wanted to give ideas. We don't need any clothes. We have enough and it is something I enjoy shopping for anyway.
Obviously she isn't too interested in toys right now, but she really likes anything with lights and music. Oh, and mirrors. Typical baby thing, but I have a really hard time finding stuff. We are collecting books, but I don't want to get something we already have. If all else fails, there are still things on the amazon registry.
hope that helps.
First, I wanted to say that Danny and I are not buying Melanie gifts. We are going to put money into a savings account. I know other people wanted to buy her things, so I wanted to give ideas. We don't need any clothes. We have enough and it is something I enjoy shopping for anyway.
Obviously she isn't too interested in toys right now, but she really likes anything with lights and music. Oh, and mirrors. Typical baby thing, but I have a really hard time finding stuff. We are collecting books, but I don't want to get something we already have. If all else fails, there are still things on the amazon registry.
hope that helps.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Letter from the President & First Lady
Melanie got her first letter in the mail today!!
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q19/rainsongs/Melanie/P1040266.jpg
The Bush Family isn't stalking us. I requested it. Pretty cool in my opinion. Now I just need to find a frame for it.
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q19/rainsongs/Melanie/P1040266.jpg
The Bush Family isn't stalking us. I requested it. Pretty cool in my opinion. Now I just need to find a frame for it.
Friday, November 07, 2008
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
That beautiful smile
I caught a little video of her smile. She was a little smiled out, but still terribly cute.
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Melanie's First Bath
Here's another one of Melanie's first bath! And for the inquiring minds, both videos were done on a Macbook Pro...
Friday, October 31, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Compare
I've been meaning to do this for a long time, but I finally got Danny's pic scanned into my computer. I'm posting here for comparison. It's hard to say who she looks like. To some extent, all babies look the same.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Smiles
I hope to get a picture of this soon. It makes it impossible not to love her... Melanie has a new habit. When I take her out of the bassinet in the morning, she gives me a big 'old grin. So adorable!! It's totally gonna melt Danny's heart.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Nope
A few people have asked if Danny is home because I've been quiet. No, but I'll let you know when he is. I've just been busy with Melanie. Sometimes we go out at her nap time so I don't get much "alone time".
I take pictures nearly everyday so Photobucket gets updated every few days. I just posted a few videos too. Here is one for you to check out.
I take pictures nearly everyday so Photobucket gets updated every few days. I just posted a few videos too. Here is one for you to check out.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Sleep and Eat
I just fed Melanie and am waiting for her to go back to sleep, so this is a good time to post an update.
Things are going well here. The last two nights she has slept in her own room! After Danny left I got her to sleep in her bassinet again (she's been sleeping in her papasan chair). I got a sleep positioner that I ordered which works much better than rolled up blankets. Yesterday I put it in the bassinet section of the pack'n'play and put here there for her nap. She cries a little, but we're working on a system that seems to be successful. Last night and at 3am I put her back in there and she fell asleep without one little peep. Right now she has the hiccups and may not fall asleep, but it'll be fine. Anyway, I think both her and I are sleeping better at night. She was so tired yesterday she zonked out at about 730 last night.
Breastfeeding is going really well. It's still frustrating that she wants to eat every 1.5hr or so, but I'm getting used to it. At night I am pumping and bottle feeding her. It also seems to work well for both of us. The only downside is that nursing helps her fall asleep, but she has a pacifier that she loves.
Well, she is crying and awake now so I gotta calm her down, but another update will come soon.
Things are going well here. The last two nights she has slept in her own room! After Danny left I got her to sleep in her bassinet again (she's been sleeping in her papasan chair). I got a sleep positioner that I ordered which works much better than rolled up blankets. Yesterday I put it in the bassinet section of the pack'n'play and put here there for her nap. She cries a little, but we're working on a system that seems to be successful. Last night and at 3am I put her back in there and she fell asleep without one little peep. Right now she has the hiccups and may not fall asleep, but it'll be fine. Anyway, I think both her and I are sleeping better at night. She was so tired yesterday she zonked out at about 730 last night.
Breastfeeding is going really well. It's still frustrating that she wants to eat every 1.5hr or so, but I'm getting used to it. At night I am pumping and bottle feeding her. It also seems to work well for both of us. The only downside is that nursing helps her fall asleep, but she has a pacifier that she loves.
Well, she is crying and awake now so I gotta calm her down, but another update will come soon.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
So tired
I'm guessing that even the smallest amount of caffeine does not agree with Melanie. I had half an iced mocha yesterday and she was awake until 1230am. She then woke up at 500 and was awake until 7. Then woke up again at 930. She is acting like she is continually hungry, but spits a lot of it back up.
THEN, Mocha pukes on the floor. I obviously cleaned it up, but my house is still a disgusting mess. Plus I have a huge pile of icky baby clothes.
I'm tired...
THEN, Mocha pukes on the floor. I obviously cleaned it up, but my house is still a disgusting mess. Plus I have a huge pile of icky baby clothes.
I'm tired...
Monday, October 13, 2008
Sunday, October 12, 2008
We went to Yokosuka yesterday to work with the lactation consultant. There was some good work and it was pretty successful. I'm still working on getting her to latch correctly, but we've made progress. No more bottles, at least for now.
The nurse wanted to weigh Melanie before we left. She is now 2.16kg which is essentially 7lbs. Finally she's too long for preemie clothes. I had to go to the Exchange yesterday and buy her some newborn clothes though. When we go through 3-4 outfits today there isn't much left for her to wear!
Well, that is about as much time for an update as I have for now.
The nurse wanted to weigh Melanie before we left. She is now 2.16kg which is essentially 7lbs. Finally she's too long for preemie clothes. I had to go to the Exchange yesterday and buy her some newborn clothes though. When we go through 3-4 outfits today there isn't much left for her to wear!
Well, that is about as much time for an update as I have for now.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Holey Moley!
I woke up at about 530 this morning and just about jumped out of my skin. Melanie was still asleep! I freaked out a little before I remembered that she didn't go to sleep until nearly 11pm. I eventually went back to bed and went back to sleep. She was tossing and turning and making baby noises, but stayed asleep. She ended up sleeping until just after 8pm. She was asleep for 9 hours!! The growth spurt is starting to wind down and it is common for babies to sleep more after them, so this is probably a fluke. It will be a long time before I can sleep longer than 6 hours at a time.
Thursday, October 09, 2008
So many ups and downs
We're doing a little better today. It is amazing what adequate sleep can do.
I called 3AOB last night and talked to the lactation consultant on duty. He gave me some tips and pointers. They particularly want to see me and help me, but that is difficult living in Negishi. For now I am trying to pump every two hours and get my supply back up. He gave me lots of information, but it was hard to get it all 'cause I was distracted. Melanie was being just a bit fussy, then Amy brought me dinner (banana pancakes - THANK YOU!!) and cleaned my kitchen floor. I had a cricket jumping around and drowned it in bug spray. That stuff is slippery and gross. So hard to get off the floor.
Anyway, today is starting out as one of those good days. Hopefully I can keep her full and happy today.
Thanks to everyone for the breastfeeding advice. I feel like I'm depriving her by bottle feeding rather than breast, even if it is still my milk. She enjoys breastfeeding a lot although she likes to pacify. I understand babies do that for comfort. We'll keep working on it. Hopefully I can get sleep and am more willing to do what I need to do to help her learn.
I called 3AOB last night and talked to the lactation consultant on duty. He gave me some tips and pointers. They particularly want to see me and help me, but that is difficult living in Negishi. For now I am trying to pump every two hours and get my supply back up. He gave me lots of information, but it was hard to get it all 'cause I was distracted. Melanie was being just a bit fussy, then Amy brought me dinner (banana pancakes - THANK YOU!!) and cleaned my kitchen floor. I had a cricket jumping around and drowned it in bug spray. That stuff is slippery and gross. So hard to get off the floor.
Anyway, today is starting out as one of those good days. Hopefully I can keep her full and happy today.
Thanks to everyone for the breastfeeding advice. I feel like I'm depriving her by bottle feeding rather than breast, even if it is still my milk. She enjoys breastfeeding a lot although she likes to pacify. I understand babies do that for comfort. We'll keep working on it. Hopefully I can get sleep and am more willing to do what I need to do to help her learn.
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Breastfeeding is so hard!
Like I said, Melanie is going through a growth spurt right now. She CONSTANTLY wants to eat. Getting her to latch on has been difficult and she is a slow eater, except on the bottle where she inhales her milk. To make things worse, the nipple guard decreased my supply and I am finding it difficult to supply her desire to constantly eat.
I have tried to get help from my forum and the visiting nurse, but have got none. Esp the people on my forum talk to me like I'm dumb. No one seems to understand the struggle I'm going through and don't seem to accept there is more than one way to feed your baby. I've been trying to pump, but still am not getting enough and neither is she. It seems like people believe traditional breastfeeding is the only way and if you can't do that you're a failure.
I'd like to find someone who cared about me, listened to my problems, and would talk to me about all my options. I've resulted to mixing formula and milk to ensure she has enough. I'm doing the best I can and am afraid its just not enough. Melanie seems she would much rather nurse on me, but just doesn't work most the time. She wants to pacify and I just don't like it.
Honestly I feel like a huge failure. I made a mistake and am having a really hard time recovering from it. I am just really, really tired.
I have tried to get help from my forum and the visiting nurse, but have got none. Esp the people on my forum talk to me like I'm dumb. No one seems to understand the struggle I'm going through and don't seem to accept there is more than one way to feed your baby. I've been trying to pump, but still am not getting enough and neither is she. It seems like people believe traditional breastfeeding is the only way and if you can't do that you're a failure.
I'd like to find someone who cared about me, listened to my problems, and would talk to me about all my options. I've resulted to mixing formula and milk to ensure she has enough. I'm doing the best I can and am afraid its just not enough. Melanie seems she would much rather nurse on me, but just doesn't work most the time. She wants to pacify and I just don't like it.
Honestly I feel like a huge failure. I made a mistake and am having a really hard time recovering from it. I am just really, really tired.
More pictures
I've added more pictures to the photobucket album. I try to take some every few days.
http://s132.photobucket.com/albums/q19/rainsongs/Melanie/
http://s132.photobucket.com/albums/q19/rainsongs/Melanie/
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
She's growing
Little bug is going through a growth spurt. Yesterday she wanted to eat constantly! I'm (we're) still having problems so I've gone back to pumping again. I'm tired of her using me as a human pacifier.
Despite her crankiness yesterday, we are doing really well. I don't know if it's the meds, sleep, or leveling out of hormones, I am a lot less cranky and more even tempered. Hope it stays this way.
Well, after the last post, I thought you'd all like to hear some good news.
Despite her crankiness yesterday, we are doing really well. I don't know if it's the meds, sleep, or leveling out of hormones, I am a lot less cranky and more even tempered. Hope it stays this way.
Well, after the last post, I thought you'd all like to hear some good news.
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Friday, October 03, 2008
Very frustrated
Some of you may laugh at me, but I never imagined how difficult being a mother would be. It's even worse when you feel completely alone. Her cries are so frustrating, she eats constantly and I am so totally exhausted even when I get a full nights sleep. I dread her waking up 'cause that means I actually have to take care of her. There are so many theories about what I should and shouldn't be doing, but all I know is that anything is insanely difficult to do by yourself. She bathes every other night, I change her diaper and feed her, but I can't do much more than that. Keeping her entertained, giving her tummy time, working on what is a good sleep time, getting her to stop crying... all things that drive me crazy. I'm so exhausted that I just wish there was a time I didn't have to worry about her. Danny's only been gone a few days and wish he wouldn't have had to leave at all.
Well, I was hoping to get a quick nap, but I think she is waking up. Ugh. It never ends.
BTW, update on the appointment I had Tuesday... The doctor gave me a prescription for Zoloft, but I don't want to take it. I am still trying to decide and have a follow up appointment next Friday. I have a lot of conflicting feelings and different opinions from everyone. The hardest thing for me is Danny thinking I don't need it as I value his opinion the most. Of course he isn't here and not able to see how I handle things day to day.
I gotta go. Melanie is waking up and will want to eat.
Well, I was hoping to get a quick nap, but I think she is waking up. Ugh. It never ends.
BTW, update on the appointment I had Tuesday... The doctor gave me a prescription for Zoloft, but I don't want to take it. I am still trying to decide and have a follow up appointment next Friday. I have a lot of conflicting feelings and different opinions from everyone. The hardest thing for me is Danny thinking I don't need it as I value his opinion the most. Of course he isn't here and not able to see how I handle things day to day.
I gotta go. Melanie is waking up and will want to eat.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
2 week well-baby check
Melanie had her 2 week appointment today. I'll make this quick as she is sleeping and I should probably be doing something (or sleeping).
She weights 2.813kg (6lbs 2 oz) now. Her measurements put her in a low percentile, but that doesn't concern me. I have some special diaper cream for her diaper rash. I had a lot of issues with the hospital getting it and spent a lot of time there waiting.
The clinic gave me a questionnaire about my mental health and the pediatrician was a little concerned. Yesterday was really hard for me with Danny being gone, but I don't have time to wait and see if I adjust or things get better. I have an appointment with the family practice doctor here in Negishi tomorrow morning.
She has been really good today. There was a lot of waiting and sitting in her stroller, but she didn't fuss much.
I'll keep everyone updated after my appointment tomorrow.
She weights 2.813kg (6lbs 2 oz) now. Her measurements put her in a low percentile, but that doesn't concern me. I have some special diaper cream for her diaper rash. I had a lot of issues with the hospital getting it and spent a lot of time there waiting.
The clinic gave me a questionnaire about my mental health and the pediatrician was a little concerned. Yesterday was really hard for me with Danny being gone, but I don't have time to wait and see if I adjust or things get better. I have an appointment with the family practice doctor here in Negishi tomorrow morning.
She has been really good today. There was a lot of waiting and sitting in her stroller, but she didn't fuss much.
I'll keep everyone updated after my appointment tomorrow.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Flowers
I did check with the Exchange last week. Sorry it took so long to post this. Anyway, they said that you can go to any flower shop in the states and they can send the flower order to the Exchange in Yokosuka. Just make sure they have our house address (551-A Racetrack Road Negishi Heights). If you have any problems, please let me know. I'll talk to the flower shop again.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Pictures
We have already taken 100s of pictures of baby girl, so I am just posting the link to my photobucket album. You can go there and check them out.
http://s132.photobucket.com/albums/q19/rainsongs/Melanie/
http://s132.photobucket.com/albums/q19/rainsongs/Melanie/
Friday, September 26, 2008
Family Photos
Tracy took a few pics of us the other day and I wanted to post a few for your viewing pleasure. :)
Monday, September 22, 2008
The First Appointment
Melanie had her first appointment with the pediatrician today. The little stinker exploded her diaper just before we removed her clothes to weigh her. She got it all over her outfit. Luckily Mommy was prepared with a onesie in the diaper bag!
Her weight has gone up a bit and her jaundice is all but gone. When we left the hospital the level was just below borderline (for being over 72 hours old) at 14 and today it was only 4! She is doing really well.
I wanted to wait until she was at least 3 weeks old before giving her a pacifier. Last night she cried from midnight to 3 and zonked out the minute we gave it to her. Hardly even woke up at 7 so I could feed her. She was in bed until 10 when Danny got her up and took her downstairs. We also started her on a bottle today. I'm gonna keep trying to breastfeed, but she just isn't getting enough to eat that way. I am pumping though. We bought formula today for emergency backup.
The pediatrician was great 'cause he told me that she is our baby and we can do it anyway we want. Whatever works for her and for us. We had a good day out with minimal crying. No luck finding preemie diapers though. They are all gone. Ugh. Hopefully we can make the newborn ones work until we make it into town to find Japanese ones.
Anyway, I'll add more info as I remember. :) We're doing well for tonight. It was a long but good day.
Her weight has gone up a bit and her jaundice is all but gone. When we left the hospital the level was just below borderline (for being over 72 hours old) at 14 and today it was only 4! She is doing really well.
I wanted to wait until she was at least 3 weeks old before giving her a pacifier. Last night she cried from midnight to 3 and zonked out the minute we gave it to her. Hardly even woke up at 7 so I could feed her. She was in bed until 10 when Danny got her up and took her downstairs. We also started her on a bottle today. I'm gonna keep trying to breastfeed, but she just isn't getting enough to eat that way. I am pumping though. We bought formula today for emergency backup.
The pediatrician was great 'cause he told me that she is our baby and we can do it anyway we want. Whatever works for her and for us. We had a good day out with minimal crying. No luck finding preemie diapers though. They are all gone. Ugh. Hopefully we can make the newborn ones work until we make it into town to find Japanese ones.
Anyway, I'll add more info as I remember. :) We're doing well for tonight. It was a long but good day.
Melanie's Dedication
Sunday at church we had a dedication ceremony. Today I got the pictures from the pastor. They turned out really great!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
The last few days
I know its been a few days since I posted anything and everyone is dying to hear more news.
Things are going well. Right now we are working on getting her to sleep during the night, but she is still on a day schedule. I am pretty tired, but mostly able to move past it.
Breastfeeding is still a challenge. She can get milk out (there is plenty of it!) but not enough. Even with the nipple guard, which really hurts, she would have to feed for 20-30 minutes on each to get enough. Most of the time we are feeding her with the syringe. Can't do that forever though! I am considering exclusively pumping and feeding her with the bottle. It is a hard decision to make as breastfeeding time is good for bonding and cuddling.
Her dedication at church was today. I was afraid the dress I picked out for her would be too big. It was a little, but not too much. It was very cute. A gal at church took pictures, so I'll post them as soon as I get them.
I am tired and my mind is drawing a blank on what else I wanted to say. As always, if you have any questions, please post them and I'll try to answer.
Things are going well. Right now we are working on getting her to sleep during the night, but she is still on a day schedule. I am pretty tired, but mostly able to move past it.
Breastfeeding is still a challenge. She can get milk out (there is plenty of it!) but not enough. Even with the nipple guard, which really hurts, she would have to feed for 20-30 minutes on each to get enough. Most of the time we are feeding her with the syringe. Can't do that forever though! I am considering exclusively pumping and feeding her with the bottle. It is a hard decision to make as breastfeeding time is good for bonding and cuddling.
Her dedication at church was today. I was afraid the dress I picked out for her would be too big. It was a little, but not too much. It was very cute. A gal at church took pictures, so I'll post them as soon as I get them.
I am tired and my mind is drawing a blank on what else I wanted to say. As always, if you have any questions, please post them and I'll try to answer.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Thursday Update
I've been released from the hospital, but Melanie hasn't. They tested this morning and discovered they had borderline jaundice and had lost 13% of her body weight. She hasn't been latching on, so her diet is formula via syringe. We have a third test in a hour to check her jaundice levels. They may put her under the lamps.
I'm doing okay. Trying to catch up on rest. Percoset is a lifesaver. So is Danny as he's been feeding her. I hope to take a shower as soon as her returns. The last 24 hours have been difficult, but its slowly getting better. Danny is helping me keep an eye on my emotional well-being too. We are slowly adjusting to being a new little family. I'll update as soon as we have another significant update.
I'm doing okay. Trying to catch up on rest. Percoset is a lifesaver. So is Danny as he's been feeding her. I hope to take a shower as soon as her returns. The last 24 hours have been difficult, but its slowly getting better. Danny is helping me keep an eye on my emotional well-being too. We are slowly adjusting to being a new little family. I'll update as soon as we have another significant update.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
She finally made it
Yes, it is true. Melanie Rose was finally born at 2:46 this morning weighing 6lbs 3oz and 18" long. The certidel was given to me at 9am and contractions started. I was progressing okay and they decided to put me on the pitocin to get me the rest of the way. I was still progressing, but on the pitocin her heart rate would drop quite drastically after a contraction. They spent the rest of the night taking me off and putting me back on it. I was creating strong regular contractions on my own, but not progressing quite fast enough. I got an epidural which was the greatest thing ever and was finally able to rest. After baby monitoring for a while, they broke my water and inserted the baby heart rate and contraction monitor directly into me.
Eventually they decided to call Dr. Chang who was in charge of c-sections. After watching me for maybe an hour after that, it was decided that since I was only 7-8 cm and Melanie was having problems that it was best for her to be born via c-section. Not much to say besides that. I got my catheter out this afternoon and have been able to spend a lot of the day moving around. Its been nice.
Melanie is having a few problems latching on, but we are making progress. Looks like we'll be feeding again after this post and FINALLY going to bed. I am very tired and haven't gotten much sleep today. Too much excitement.
It was asked about flowers and I was told that anyone should be able to call the NEX ordering line. They send the order to the NEX here, who would know where the hospital is. Specifing Yoksuka is the important part. If you want to call us directly, our number is 011-81-46-816-8550. Just be careful about what hours you call us and don't be surprised if there is no answer. If you don't have that number, calling the one I gave you in the last post is good. At the Labor and Delivery desk, ask for us by name or room number (3).
We gotta go feed now. Here are some pictures.
Eventually they decided to call Dr. Chang who was in charge of c-sections. After watching me for maybe an hour after that, it was decided that since I was only 7-8 cm and Melanie was having problems that it was best for her to be born via c-section. Not much to say besides that. I got my catheter out this afternoon and have been able to spend a lot of the day moving around. Its been nice.
Melanie is having a few problems latching on, but we are making progress. Looks like we'll be feeding again after this post and FINALLY going to bed. I am very tired and haven't gotten much sleep today. Too much excitement.
It was asked about flowers and I was told that anyone should be able to call the NEX ordering line. They send the order to the NEX here, who would know where the hospital is. Specifing Yoksuka is the important part. If you want to call us directly, our number is 011-81-46-816-8550. Just be careful about what hours you call us and don't be surprised if there is no answer. If you don't have that number, calling the one I gave you in the last post is good. At the Labor and Delivery desk, ask for us by name or room number (3).
We gotta go feed now. Here are some pictures.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
Tomorrow morning
For all those awaiting phone calls, don't be surprised if you don't get one right away. There hasn't been any progress so I'm going into the hospital at 6 am. Danny will likely be the one making the calls. Since you know I'll be induced, we probably won't call when I start having contractions. The new grandparents will get a call as soon as possible after she is born. There are a few other calls we'll make slightly later. Don't be surprised if you get a call from Tracy though.
If you can't stand not having information, feel free to call Labor & Delivery at the hospital. Just call 011-81-46-816-7144 (Naval Hospital Quarterdeck) and ask to be transferred to Labor & Delivery or 3AOB. Sorry I don't have the exact number on me right now.
Well, I gotta get back to the room and ready for tomorrow. Its gonna be a big day.
If you can't stand not having information, feel free to call Labor & Delivery at the hospital. Just call 011-81-46-816-7144 (Naval Hospital Quarterdeck) and ask to be transferred to Labor & Delivery or 3AOB. Sorry I don't have the exact number on me right now.
Well, I gotta get back to the room and ready for tomorrow. Its gonna be a big day.
Friday, September 12, 2008
After the sweep
Not feeling much different... The whole procedure was very quick and not as painful as everyone made it sound. The doctor was gentle to me and it felt a lot like an internal exam. I've been on my feet the rest of the afternoon/early evening but it hasn't made a difference. I am hoping as the night goes on something may happen. The doctor said I am 1-2 cm dilated now, but that still leaves 8 more to go.
Well, I can't do a whole lot now. The nurse said "have lots of sex"! Danny seemed pretty amused by that. :)
If there is any change tomorrow I'll try to update. Otherwise it may end up just like today.
Well, I can't do a whole lot now. The nurse said "have lots of sex"! Danny seemed pretty amused by that. :)
If there is any change tomorrow I'll try to update. Otherwise it may end up just like today.
Going in again today
Amy finally made it down to the base yesterday and I hung out with her while Danny went to the airport. We didn't do much, just walk around the Exchange and Commissary. I've been down there a lot recently just 'cause its one of the few things to do on base, but it was great to get out of the room and not spend the day alone.
Since Grandma asked what I do all day long, I promise it isn't very exciting. Because he doesn't have to work, Danny spends a lot of time doing things that have no interest to me. He doesn't seem to want to get out of bed as early as I do, so I just stay. Nothing for me to do on my own. Our entertainment consists of television and Danny's playstation. He always seems to be playing something. I brought down a few books and my knitting, but just haven't had the desire to pick them up. Recently I've spent a lot of time on my computer. Although we don't have internet in the room, I just discovered today that I can go straight outside and pick up an MWR wi-fi network. It's not a very comfortable place to sit, but I'll manage.
So, the purpose of this post was to give you the most recent update I have. I called L&D last night to see if they had any induction openings for today. They said that there were two scheduled, so no luck for me. I had already decided this would be our daughter's birthday (sept 12th) but she's given me no sign this morning that its a good day. Haven't even really had pre-labor contractions today. She is one stubborn little bugger. Anyway, I called again this morning to ask about a membrane sweep. (click here for more info) My midwife said she wouldn't do it, but the doctor I spoke to this morning looked at my chart and said there was no reason someone couldn't. I think Lt Commander Hiles just doesn't believe in doing it. She didn't explain, but that was the impression I got. Amy convinced me that I should get it done. It may decrease my chances of needing the pitocin on Monday. So, the doctor told me to come in anytime this afternoon and they would do it. It may kick start labor, so I am hopeful. (Frustrated, but still manage to have some hope left...)She has to be born eventually!!
Well, thats the latest. We'll update as soon as possible after the sweep. I don't expect results to be instantaneous. Somehow I'll try to update on wether it works or not.
Since Grandma asked what I do all day long, I promise it isn't very exciting. Because he doesn't have to work, Danny spends a lot of time doing things that have no interest to me. He doesn't seem to want to get out of bed as early as I do, so I just stay. Nothing for me to do on my own. Our entertainment consists of television and Danny's playstation. He always seems to be playing something. I brought down a few books and my knitting, but just haven't had the desire to pick them up. Recently I've spent a lot of time on my computer. Although we don't have internet in the room, I just discovered today that I can go straight outside and pick up an MWR wi-fi network. It's not a very comfortable place to sit, but I'll manage.
So, the purpose of this post was to give you the most recent update I have. I called L&D last night to see if they had any induction openings for today. They said that there were two scheduled, so no luck for me. I had already decided this would be our daughter's birthday (sept 12th) but she's given me no sign this morning that its a good day. Haven't even really had pre-labor contractions today. She is one stubborn little bugger. Anyway, I called again this morning to ask about a membrane sweep. (click here for more info) My midwife said she wouldn't do it, but the doctor I spoke to this morning looked at my chart and said there was no reason someone couldn't. I think Lt Commander Hiles just doesn't believe in doing it. She didn't explain, but that was the impression I got. Amy convinced me that I should get it done. It may decrease my chances of needing the pitocin on Monday. So, the doctor told me to come in anytime this afternoon and they would do it. It may kick start labor, so I am hopeful. (Frustrated, but still manage to have some hope left...)She has to be born eventually!!
Well, thats the latest. We'll update as soon as possible after the sweep. I don't expect results to be instantaneous. Somehow I'll try to update on wether it works or not.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Blah!
I was feeling hopeful yesterday. Starting getting some stronger contractions before going to bed and had more in the morning. I got up to move around some and get breakfast. As soon as I layed down on my side, they stopped. We walked for nearly 3 hours straight in Yokosuka yesterday, but all I'm having are those teeny little ones that are very inconsistent. It's pretty frustration. I decided months ago that my due date should have been tomorrow, so there is still hope. I would have been induced tomorrow, but there was already another gal on the schedule. I'm debating if I should call and see if it is open.
Danny left a few hours ago and is driving to the airport today to pick up his parents. Kinda sucks being alone down here, but Amy called and said she would be heading down today so it looks like I'll have something to do. I've been sitting here on the internet for about an hour just checking up on stuff. Apperently the reason I can't get internet in the stork's nest is because the router software is too old for Mac security. :P I can walk down to the park and have access to a few different wi-fi areas.
Well, no other information to give than that. I promise that when I do go to the hospital, I'm calling no matter the time so be prepared for the phone to ring anytime of day.
Danny left a few hours ago and is driving to the airport today to pick up his parents. Kinda sucks being alone down here, but Amy called and said she would be heading down today so it looks like I'll have something to do. I've been sitting here on the internet for about an hour just checking up on stuff. Apperently the reason I can't get internet in the stork's nest is because the router software is too old for Mac security. :P I can walk down to the park and have access to a few different wi-fi areas.
Well, no other information to give than that. I promise that when I do go to the hospital, I'm calling no matter the time so be prepared for the phone to ring anytime of day.
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Last appointment
The last appointment this morning went great. Had a few minor contractions during the non-stress test and baby's heart rate was doing well. My uterus was measuring at 37 and the amniotic fluid was sufficient (10-11 cm, 8 is low). Danny hadn't seen her on ultrasound since my 19 week appointment so the midwife did some looking around before we were done. I know it made him happy.
If I don't go into labor by the 15th, we are supposed to call the hospital at 5:30 am and go in by 6. She could possibly be born by the end of the day. Labor by drugs, as I've said, doesn't sound like a lot of fun but I really want Danny to have sufficient time with her and I'm not gonna argue with the midwife.
Thanks for the prayers.
Here is what I hope is the final belly picture. I know I haven't posted any in a long time. I took ones previous, but this is the one that matters.
If I don't go into labor by the 15th, we are supposed to call the hospital at 5:30 am and go in by 6. She could possibly be born by the end of the day. Labor by drugs, as I've said, doesn't sound like a lot of fun but I really want Danny to have sufficient time with her and I'm not gonna argue with the midwife.
Thanks for the prayers.
Here is what I hope is the final belly picture. I know I haven't posted any in a long time. I took ones previous, but this is the one that matters.
Monday, September 08, 2008
Only have a second to update, but I just wanted to let everyone know we're still waiting. I don't want to be induced next week, but I feel like I have a timeline with Danny leaving at the end of the month. It is very annoying and I am trying everything I can, but I guess it's just a waiting game.
I have an appointment at 10 tomorrow morning. I'll try to update as soon as I can.
I have an appointment at 10 tomorrow morning. I'll try to update as soon as I can.
Friday, September 05, 2008
Yokosuka & Appointment
I have to type quick 'cause I have lots to do and not much time. We came back up to the house tonight for a short time and I want to get things together to go back to Yokosuka.
Had my ultrasound this morning. Everything looks good and I got to see her practicing her breathing without hiccups. Very cute. She is still growing and fell into the range for her size in all catagories even if she is the size of an average baby 2 or 3 weeks younger. I don't want to push out a watermelon!
The midwife was busy this afternoon so I was hooked up to the NST machine for nearly 1.5 hours. Luckily Danny showed up to save me. I was tired of being stuck laying there. Happy when they took me off. I had a few minor contractions while I was there, but they weren't strong or regular. The midwife didn't measure me or check my cervix today. At this point it doesn't matter much anyway.
I have another appointment on Tuesday morning and have been scheduled for an induction if she doesn't come. September 15th!! I need her to come naturally though...
So, I will hopefully get the internet in the Stork's Nest figured out soon. Until then, we'll find another way to contact you if needed.
Love you all.
Had my ultrasound this morning. Everything looks good and I got to see her practicing her breathing without hiccups. Very cute. She is still growing and fell into the range for her size in all catagories even if she is the size of an average baby 2 or 3 weeks younger. I don't want to push out a watermelon!
The midwife was busy this afternoon so I was hooked up to the NST machine for nearly 1.5 hours. Luckily Danny showed up to save me. I was tired of being stuck laying there. Happy when they took me off. I had a few minor contractions while I was there, but they weren't strong or regular. The midwife didn't measure me or check my cervix today. At this point it doesn't matter much anyway.
I have another appointment on Tuesday morning and have been scheduled for an induction if she doesn't come. September 15th!! I need her to come naturally though...
So, I will hopefully get the internet in the Stork's Nest figured out soon. Until then, we'll find another way to contact you if needed.
Love you all.
Thursday, September 04, 2008
We're going today
Yup, finally moving down to Yokosuka. I'm waiting for Danny to come home from work and we're taking my car down. I have to sneak my bags out to the car without Mocha noticing. You know how she gets. :)
I've been having false labor contractions (braxton hicks) since last night. Had a heck of a time sleeping. I have another appointment tomorrow afternoon so we'll see if I'm making any progress.
I've been having false labor contractions (braxton hicks) since last night. Had a heck of a time sleeping. I have another appointment tomorrow afternoon so we'll see if I'm making any progress.
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Update on Yokosuka
We are scheduled to move into the Stork's Nest today, but I decided I didn't want to go until tomorrow. I've talked to someone down there and she assured me that we wouldn't lose the room if we didn't go today. I have too many things to do and am just not ready to go. In fact, while lying in bed last night I nearly freaked out realizing that it would be the last night I'd sleep there in peace. Not that one more night is going to make a lot of difference, but since she is showing no interest in coming anytime soon I'm not gonna rush out of the house. I'd rather be somewhere I'm comfortable.
I'm also still in the process of finishing things up. I got most of upstairs clean, so I just need to pack my bag and work on downstairs. I have a few more meals to make before we leave. So far, I've stocked the freezer with taco rice, macaroni & cheese, cheesy potatoes & kielbasa, and waffles (made this morning) so I don't have to cook much later. Needless to say, I've never seen our freezer so packed full. I still have to make the calzones, lasagna and I was thinking about making a batch of french toast.
Where am I gonna find the energy to do this...? Eh, somewhere.
Anyway, that's the latest update. We will have wireless internet access in the Stork's Nest so I'll continue to update. Dan & Tracy will be here on the 11th (a week from tomorrow!) and I'm really hoping the baby will be here by then. Either way, Danny will have to go to the airport on his own since we won't have a passport for her yet and they won't let us through security without one. I think it would be better that I don't force her to make a long car trip like that just yet.
Does any body want to try to convince her to be born? I've tried everything I'm comfortable with.
I'm also still in the process of finishing things up. I got most of upstairs clean, so I just need to pack my bag and work on downstairs. I have a few more meals to make before we leave. So far, I've stocked the freezer with taco rice, macaroni & cheese, cheesy potatoes & kielbasa, and waffles (made this morning) so I don't have to cook much later. Needless to say, I've never seen our freezer so packed full. I still have to make the calzones, lasagna and I was thinking about making a batch of french toast.
Where am I gonna find the energy to do this...? Eh, somewhere.
Anyway, that's the latest update. We will have wireless internet access in the Stork's Nest so I'll continue to update. Dan & Tracy will be here on the 11th (a week from tomorrow!) and I'm really hoping the baby will be here by then. Either way, Danny will have to go to the airport on his own since we won't have a passport for her yet and they won't let us through security without one. I think it would be better that I don't force her to make a long car trip like that just yet.
Does any body want to try to convince her to be born? I've tried everything I'm comfortable with.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Friday 29th appointment
Everything is fine.
The baby was playing hide and seek with the heartrate monitor. My the time we got it set up, she would move away. The heart beat line was inconsistent, but we got a good enough sample. Again, I didn't have any contractions, but she was moving around a lot.
The midwife did another internal exam. She said I was open on the outside, but not on the inside. Apparently that is normal for a first baby, but I have no idea what it means. She didn't explain and I didn't ask. Either way there doesn't seem to be any progression toward labor. I am feeling a little uncomfortable after that exam, but I know it will go away quickly.
I got another ultrasound today and the midwife was measuring the fluid space, which still looks good. She kept trying to take stills of the space to measure it and the baby would move her hand or foot into the middle of it. Made things a little difficult. I got really tired of laying there.
Got another measurement of my fundal height. I was 34 this week. It is still 4-5cm behind, but still two more than last Wednesday so we know she is still growing. Next Friday during my in-depth ultrasound we'll find out exactly how much.
Anyway, that's pretty much it. I am moving into the Stork's Nest next Wednesday. My next appointment in Labor & Delivery is in the afternoon on the 5th.
The baby was playing hide and seek with the heartrate monitor. My the time we got it set up, she would move away. The heart beat line was inconsistent, but we got a good enough sample. Again, I didn't have any contractions, but she was moving around a lot.
The midwife did another internal exam. She said I was open on the outside, but not on the inside. Apparently that is normal for a first baby, but I have no idea what it means. She didn't explain and I didn't ask. Either way there doesn't seem to be any progression toward labor. I am feeling a little uncomfortable after that exam, but I know it will go away quickly.
I got another ultrasound today and the midwife was measuring the fluid space, which still looks good. She kept trying to take stills of the space to measure it and the baby would move her hand or foot into the middle of it. Made things a little difficult. I got really tired of laying there.
Got another measurement of my fundal height. I was 34 this week. It is still 4-5cm behind, but still two more than last Wednesday so we know she is still growing. Next Friday during my in-depth ultrasound we'll find out exactly how much.
Anyway, that's pretty much it. I am moving into the Stork's Nest next Wednesday. My next appointment in Labor & Delivery is in the afternoon on the 5th.
Another Friday
I'm still here.
Weather still sucks. We had thunderstorms all night long.
It's finally Friday, but Danny has duty tomorrow. Poo! Well, at least Monday is a holiday.
I have an appointment later today (10am). I'll update as soon as I get home. Hoping for good news. If I'm even the slightest bit dilated I'll be happy. Some progress is better than none.
Weather still sucks. We had thunderstorms all night long.
It's finally Friday, but Danny has duty tomorrow. Poo! Well, at least Monday is a holiday.
I have an appointment later today (10am). I'll update as soon as I get home. Hoping for good news. If I'm even the slightest bit dilated I'll be happy. Some progress is better than none.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Okay, fess up!
Alright, who sent us the Washington weather?
It has rained nearly non-stop since Sunday night and it doesn't look like it's gonna let up anytime soon!
It has rained nearly non-stop since Sunday night and it doesn't look like it's gonna let up anytime soon!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
He's finally coming home!
Yes, for those of you who haven't heard Danny finally got a flight home!
Here is the itinerary info:
United 5408 San Diego(10:18 8/23) - LA(11:08)
United 891 LA (13:04) - Narita (16:30 8/24)
Hurray! I'm super excited. I won't be going to the airport to meet him. Pretty sure the midwife wouldn't be happy about me traveling that far from the hospital. I'll be going to Yokohama tomorrow night to pick him up.
Here is the itinerary info:
United 5408 San Diego(10:18 8/23) - LA(11:08)
United 891 LA (13:04) - Narita (16:30 8/24)
Hurray! I'm super excited. I won't be going to the airport to meet him. Pretty sure the midwife wouldn't be happy about me traveling that far from the hospital. I'll be going to Yokohama tomorrow night to pick him up.
Friday, August 22, 2008
NST update
Everything looks good. Babies heart rate was good, although the nurse noted how active she was. It ranged from 120-180 depending on her activity. I found watching the monitor to be very fascinating. No contractions during the 40 min they had me hooked up. (I think they forgot about me...)
The midwife came in when I was finished. Said everything looked good. She did an ultrasound measuring the fluid space. Also, she asked me what gender I was told the baby was. I said "well, they say I'm having a girl". She froze the screen and said "yup, there is her labia". Phew, I'm relieved. Now I can finally wash ALL her clothes. That will give me something to do over the next two weeks!
I am scheduled for another NST August 29th and another full ultrasound in Radiology, like I received Wednesday, on September 5th. They canceled my appointment at the Ob/GYN's office and said I don't need to do those anymore. I'll just go straight to Labor & Delivery (AKA 3AOB) from now on. I kinda miss my old midwife, but this one is great too.
Oh, and I took all my bags with me when I left the house this morning. Pretty sure Mocha thought I was leaving again 'cause she puked in my shoe shortly after I left. I was so mad!
The midwife came in when I was finished. Said everything looked good. She did an ultrasound measuring the fluid space. Also, she asked me what gender I was told the baby was. I said "well, they say I'm having a girl". She froze the screen and said "yup, there is her labia". Phew, I'm relieved. Now I can finally wash ALL her clothes. That will give me something to do over the next two weeks!
I am scheduled for another NST August 29th and another full ultrasound in Radiology, like I received Wednesday, on September 5th. They canceled my appointment at the Ob/GYN's office and said I don't need to do those anymore. I'll just go straight to Labor & Delivery (AKA 3AOB) from now on. I kinda miss my old midwife, but this one is great too.
Oh, and I took all my bags with me when I left the house this morning. Pretty sure Mocha thought I was leaving again 'cause she puked in my shoe shortly after I left. I was so mad!
Thursday, August 21, 2008
NST scheduled
Just got off the phone with the OBGYN office and I'm scheduled for my NST at 1040 tomorrow morning in labor and delivery. I'm bringing a book 'cause I'll be there for a good 20-30 minutes.
I'll be sure to update as soon as I get home. Probably about this time (late night pacific time) tomorrow.
I'll be sure to update as soon as I get home. Probably about this time (late night pacific time) tomorrow.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
My 37 week appointment
Had my 37 week appointment at 1020 this morning. I didn't want to believe Danny, but he has some crazy instinct; the midwife was running behind. I don't think I actually saw her until 10 to 11. Well first, my heart rate was a little high so they checked it again manually. It and my blood pressure came back normal. So much for technology!
Baby's heart rate was in the 150's. The problem was that my fundal height was only 32. She did the internal and they baby has dropped a little, but not enough to count for the low fundal height. Cervix was about as closed as it could get, so no progress in that department.
So the midwife was a little concerned. She left to make some phone calls and got me into radiology at 3 for an ultrasound. The concern was about her size and possibly the amount of amniotic fluid. If she was in the 10th percentile or less they would have to decide if I even got to come home today, and if I did they may start two appointments a week. Obviously I was a little freaked out. I hadn't brought my hospital bag with me and Danny is still in the states...
(I was a little upset this morning because Danny told me he is not able to change his flight plans and only the XO can do that if he decides it necessary. Otherwise, he has to stay in Seattle until Sept 2nd. I'll keep you updated as I hear more.)
I had a breastfeeding class at 2 I had to leave early. They did all the measurements in the ultrasound and compared to the "average 37 week fetus" she is in the 13th percentile. They said she was more like a 35 week fetus with a due date of Sept 20th. Her weight is currently at 5lbs 14oz. I assume the amount of amniotic fluid was okay. The midwife told me that everything looked okay for now and I was allowed to go home. Tomorrow morning someone will call me and schedule an NST (non-stress test) for Friday or Monday. For those who don't know, during an NST they hook me up to machines that monitor the baby's heartbeat, movement, and any contractions I may have. That should take 20-30 minutes.
I am not ready for this baby to be born - not like this. Like I said, I was terrified today and the thought of being induced, and without Danny here, scares me even more. Now I feel like I need to keep an extra eye out for any changes. I am nervous and want to hold out until Danny is home. Guess I'll never feel ready, even if I have my bags with me!
Over time, I am relaxing a bit more though. Since there doesn't seem to be any major issues, I think it is possible that she is just meant to be a small baby. Nothing wrong with that in my opinion. There was a sale in the exchange today, so I bought some preemie outfits in case she doesn't fit into newborn or 0-3 month cloths at birth. Plus, I was trying to plan in case I got admitted today. From now on, my hospital bag will be in the car. (Oh, and speaking of car: I ran into a metal construction barrier and dented/scratched the car. Let's make the day better!)
My next "regular" appointment will be on Friday the 29th with yet another different doctor.
Well, here is pics from the ultrasound. They aren't so great. I can explain/decipher later.
Baby's heart rate was in the 150's. The problem was that my fundal height was only 32. She did the internal and they baby has dropped a little, but not enough to count for the low fundal height. Cervix was about as closed as it could get, so no progress in that department.
So the midwife was a little concerned. She left to make some phone calls and got me into radiology at 3 for an ultrasound. The concern was about her size and possibly the amount of amniotic fluid. If she was in the 10th percentile or less they would have to decide if I even got to come home today, and if I did they may start two appointments a week. Obviously I was a little freaked out. I hadn't brought my hospital bag with me and Danny is still in the states...
(I was a little upset this morning because Danny told me he is not able to change his flight plans and only the XO can do that if he decides it necessary. Otherwise, he has to stay in Seattle until Sept 2nd. I'll keep you updated as I hear more.)
I had a breastfeeding class at 2 I had to leave early. They did all the measurements in the ultrasound and compared to the "average 37 week fetus" she is in the 13th percentile. They said she was more like a 35 week fetus with a due date of Sept 20th. Her weight is currently at 5lbs 14oz. I assume the amount of amniotic fluid was okay. The midwife told me that everything looked okay for now and I was allowed to go home. Tomorrow morning someone will call me and schedule an NST (non-stress test) for Friday or Monday. For those who don't know, during an NST they hook me up to machines that monitor the baby's heartbeat, movement, and any contractions I may have. That should take 20-30 minutes.
I am not ready for this baby to be born - not like this. Like I said, I was terrified today and the thought of being induced, and without Danny here, scares me even more. Now I feel like I need to keep an extra eye out for any changes. I am nervous and want to hold out until Danny is home. Guess I'll never feel ready, even if I have my bags with me!
Over time, I am relaxing a bit more though. Since there doesn't seem to be any major issues, I think it is possible that she is just meant to be a small baby. Nothing wrong with that in my opinion. There was a sale in the exchange today, so I bought some preemie outfits in case she doesn't fit into newborn or 0-3 month cloths at birth. Plus, I was trying to plan in case I got admitted today. From now on, my hospital bag will be in the car. (Oh, and speaking of car: I ran into a metal construction barrier and dented/scratched the car. Let's make the day better!)
My next "regular" appointment will be on Friday the 29th with yet another different doctor.
Well, here is pics from the ultrasound. They aren't so great. I can explain/decipher later.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
I'm still here
I realized this morning that I probably shouldn't be quiet too long 'cause everyone will wonder where I am and whats going on. If you don't hear from me, you'll really have to assume no news is good news though. There is nothing new going on here. No more contractions or any other sign she'll be coming anytime soon. My next appointment is on Wednesday morning and I'll be staying in Yokosuka until later because I have my breastfeeding class at two. Of course I'll try to update as soon as I get home. Sure there won't be much to say. They'll be checking for dilation and other fun pregnancy things. My appointment is with a midwife I've never met before. The one thing I hope to get out of her is a realistic answer of what my due date really is. I know they can't say for sure, but if I'm measuring 2 weeks behind I'd like to know if I can expect her that much later than they keep telling me. I am kinda tired of dealing with them "not worrying about it". Sometimes you just want a straight answer....
Well, that is all there really is to say. Not much besides pregnancy happening. Our neighbors just officially left this morning, but Amy told me last night that if I need anything I shouldn't hesitate to call her. She'd find someone to watch the kids if she needed to. Hopefully Danny will be home and that won't be an issue, even if he'll be going to work during the day.
Oh, and we went to the Bon Odori festival last night. Everything was pretty much the same as last year, but I'll see if I have any good and different pictures. I can guarantee they aren't as good as last year.
Oh, and I forgot to mention that I reached 37 weeks today so whenever she is born she will not be considered preemie, but full term. Guess thats quite a milestone.
Well, that is all there really is to say. Not much besides pregnancy happening. Our neighbors just officially left this morning, but Amy told me last night that if I need anything I shouldn't hesitate to call her. She'd find someone to watch the kids if she needed to. Hopefully Danny will be home and that won't be an issue, even if he'll be going to work during the day.
Oh, and we went to the Bon Odori festival last night. Everything was pretty much the same as last year, but I'll see if I have any good and different pictures. I can guarantee they aren't as good as last year.
Oh, and I forgot to mention that I reached 37 weeks today so whenever she is born she will not be considered preemie, but full term. Guess thats quite a milestone.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Stork's Nest
I finally have a tentative date for my check-in to the Stork's Nest (the "hotel" for expecting moms). The coordinator called me and said they're flexible on the date. Right now I'm scheduled for the third. I told her that although everyone says they try to get people in two weeks early that they didn't need to get me in that early. Really, we don't live that far away and I am sure she won't be born that early anyway. If anything changes I'm sure I can adjust the date. They keep the room available for up to two weeks after my due date so I'm not concerned about that at all.
Anyway, thats the latest update. Glad I don't have to pack that bag for a few weeks. At least I know Danny will be here by the time I'm ready to stay in Yokosuka. I think he'll be starting leave at the beginning of that week.
Anyway, thats the latest update. Glad I don't have to pack that bag for a few weeks. At least I know Danny will be here by the time I'm ready to stay in Yokosuka. I think he'll be starting leave at the beginning of that week.
36 week appointment
Okay, didn't write yesterday when I go t home, but I am now.
Nothing to eventful at the appointment which I suppose is good. My blood pressure is still good and I haven't really gained any weight since my last appointment. My fundal height was 34cm, which is still two behind my due date, but the midwife still isn't concerned. I also had the GBS test. They are checking for certain bacteria that could be passed to the baby during birth. If it comes back positive, they'll give me antibiotics in labor. She is still head down and my midwife wasn't surprised to hear about my contractions.
The "fun" part was that there was a male Japanese medical student shadowing my midwife. He was the one who measured me and checked the baby's heartbeat, but was also watching during my GBS test. Awkward...
I managed to schedule for next Wednesday so I won't have to drive down twice next week. I am going to he breastfeeding class that same day at 2. Luckily I'll only have a few hours to kill.
Nothing to eventful at the appointment which I suppose is good. My blood pressure is still good and I haven't really gained any weight since my last appointment. My fundal height was 34cm, which is still two behind my due date, but the midwife still isn't concerned. I also had the GBS test. They are checking for certain bacteria that could be passed to the baby during birth. If it comes back positive, they'll give me antibiotics in labor. She is still head down and my midwife wasn't surprised to hear about my contractions.
The "fun" part was that there was a male Japanese medical student shadowing my midwife. He was the one who measured me and checked the baby's heartbeat, but was also watching during my GBS test. Awkward...
I managed to schedule for next Wednesday so I won't have to drive down twice next week. I am going to he breastfeeding class that same day at 2. Luckily I'll only have a few hours to kill.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Mocha's appointment
Mocha was still acting odd with her eyes, so I decided to finally make an appointment for her. So today at noon she saw the vet. He looked at her eyes and said that her eyes were dilating properly and her cornea wasn't scratched. He inner eyelid was a little swollen so he gave me an antibiotic ointment to put in her eyes. It may be difficult to do it myself, but I'll try at least once. If she tries to rip all my skin off then I'll get my neighbor's help. :) I'm already formulated how I'll hold her down.
They told me when I checked in that she would be due for her rabies and another shot in September. They gave me the option to do it later, but as I will have a baby then and they don't allow anyone under 10 inside the office I knew it was best to do it now. She acted amazingly well through the whole thing. I was impressed. Now if only I can hope for that much from the baby!
She was very happy to get home and out of the carrier. I can see her beautiful eyes now and she isn't mad at me! Its comforting to know things are better.
I go in for my appointment tomorrow. Another trip to Yokosuka. Yippee. I was having some minor contractions last night, but they finally stopped. A bath has never been so great. Don't worry, I'm taking care of myself. It will be much nicer when Danny is here. I am counting down the days until I hope he can come home.
They told me when I checked in that she would be due for her rabies and another shot in September. They gave me the option to do it later, but as I will have a baby then and they don't allow anyone under 10 inside the office I knew it was best to do it now. She acted amazingly well through the whole thing. I was impressed. Now if only I can hope for that much from the baby!
She was very happy to get home and out of the carrier. I can see her beautiful eyes now and she isn't mad at me! Its comforting to know things are better.
I go in for my appointment tomorrow. Another trip to Yokosuka. Yippee. I was having some minor contractions last night, but they finally stopped. A bath has never been so great. Don't worry, I'm taking care of myself. It will be much nicer when Danny is here. I am counting down the days until I hope he can come home.
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Budgeting Class
I took the Budget for Baby class offered by the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society tonight. It was alright. I got some good resources, but the class itself wasn't so beneficial. I actually feel guilty about the bag of free stuff I got, most of which I already have.
When I went to the post office before I left, I had about 6 boxes waiting for me. Some of it is Danny's, but I got some things I have ordered. I got the two baby wraps/carriers I wanted and the diaper bag I got on sale. Tracy also sent me a box that had some baby clothes in it from the shower. That means I have more laundry to do. :)
I took the day off to get things done, but I didn't get anything done. Big shocker. It was a hard day, just feeling a little down. Hopefully tomorrow will be better. Honestly I am just tired of being pregnant. It's a little too early yet for her to be born, but I can say there is nothing fun about being pregnant anymore. I am becoming aware again of how much it's messing with my hormones. This last month is gonna be tough. It doesn't help that Danny is gone and I am SO over that too. I told him this morning that sometimes I really hate the Navy. It is time for him to come home 'cause I am tired of dealing with it. I think I handle it pretty well most the time, but when I'm done I'm done. Hopefully it is just two more weeks. I hope Sato can get a clue and give Danny a decent flight back instead of making him wait until September. I may have to kick someone's bum.
When I went to the post office before I left, I had about 6 boxes waiting for me. Some of it is Danny's, but I got some things I have ordered. I got the two baby wraps/carriers I wanted and the diaper bag I got on sale. Tracy also sent me a box that had some baby clothes in it from the shower. That means I have more laundry to do. :)
I took the day off to get things done, but I didn't get anything done. Big shocker. It was a hard day, just feeling a little down. Hopefully tomorrow will be better. Honestly I am just tired of being pregnant. It's a little too early yet for her to be born, but I can say there is nothing fun about being pregnant anymore. I am becoming aware again of how much it's messing with my hormones. This last month is gonna be tough. It doesn't help that Danny is gone and I am SO over that too. I told him this morning that sometimes I really hate the Navy. It is time for him to come home 'cause I am tired of dealing with it. I think I handle it pretty well most the time, but when I'm done I'm done. Hopefully it is just two more weeks. I hope Sato can get a clue and give Danny a decent flight back instead of making him wait until September. I may have to kick someone's bum.
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Placing my bet
Welcome to a new week!
So far this one has been quite exhausting for me. I haven't been super busy, but do get tired quite easily. Naps are my best friend. Mocha likes them too 'cause she really likes to cuddle with me. Last night I didn't sleep so well (hot & uncomfortable) so I was dragging all morning.
Yesterday afternoon I went down to Yokosuka for the "Labor & You" class. We got a lot of information on basically what to expect during labor. I knew a lot of things in the class already, but did learn some new and useful things. I don't think any amount of classes could prepare me for the big day.
Besides the class, I've just been trying to straighten the house out. I cleaned out the living room closet yesterday and moved a bunch of stuff to our storage shed. I am also trying to clear out general crap. We collect a lot of useless stuff. (Especially Danny!) Right now the guest bedroom is collecting all the extra stuff. Dan and Tracy, I promise it'll be cleaned out before you get here! I have a lot of stuff I just don't know what to do with, like my old computer. I think it'll have to be donated. Not sure that anyone will want to buy it, but I should try one last time. Just gotta post fliers.
Weather here has been a little crazy today. It was overcast and hot this morning. Just after 11 it started to rain and it has on and off nearly the whole day. We had a thundercloud move right over the house. Had to plug my ears a few times. Every now and then I still hear rumbling off in the distance. Don't think I'll be taking my walk tonight.
Oh, I promise to take a belly picture soon. Not exactly wearing my fine clothing today. Got too sweaty earlier.
Thursday night is my Budget 4 Baby class. I get to come home with $100 worth of free stuff. Woohoo.
Oh, and I ALMOST forgot the main reason I started to post. I have been looking back at my first ultrasound and other information and decided to make my own guess on when she'll be born. I am placing my bets on September 12th. In just a few weeks we'll know for sure.
So far this one has been quite exhausting for me. I haven't been super busy, but do get tired quite easily. Naps are my best friend. Mocha likes them too 'cause she really likes to cuddle with me. Last night I didn't sleep so well (hot & uncomfortable) so I was dragging all morning.
Yesterday afternoon I went down to Yokosuka for the "Labor & You" class. We got a lot of information on basically what to expect during labor. I knew a lot of things in the class already, but did learn some new and useful things. I don't think any amount of classes could prepare me for the big day.
Besides the class, I've just been trying to straighten the house out. I cleaned out the living room closet yesterday and moved a bunch of stuff to our storage shed. I am also trying to clear out general crap. We collect a lot of useless stuff. (Especially Danny!) Right now the guest bedroom is collecting all the extra stuff. Dan and Tracy, I promise it'll be cleaned out before you get here! I have a lot of stuff I just don't know what to do with, like my old computer. I think it'll have to be donated. Not sure that anyone will want to buy it, but I should try one last time. Just gotta post fliers.
Weather here has been a little crazy today. It was overcast and hot this morning. Just after 11 it started to rain and it has on and off nearly the whole day. We had a thundercloud move right over the house. Had to plug my ears a few times. Every now and then I still hear rumbling off in the distance. Don't think I'll be taking my walk tonight.
Oh, I promise to take a belly picture soon. Not exactly wearing my fine clothing today. Got too sweaty earlier.
Thursday night is my Budget 4 Baby class. I get to come home with $100 worth of free stuff. Woohoo.
Oh, and I ALMOST forgot the main reason I started to post. I have been looking back at my first ultrasound and other information and decided to make my own guess on when she'll be born. I am placing my bets on September 12th. In just a few weeks we'll know for sure.
Friday, August 01, 2008
Vet advice
So, I have to make a shameless plug for a website.
No actually I am really happy and am making a recommendation. Mocha has been favoring her eye all week and I kept putting off calling the vet. Yes, an answer would have been free from them but I decided I didn't want to wait any longer and it is already after hours on Friday. So Lori waited too long, thats me. :)
I was trying to find online advice and I came across a website called just answers. I was able to ask a real person (veterinarian) a question and I got an answer in less than 5 minutes. She was really sweet and helpful too. I know sometimes people don't have the time or money to take their animal to the vet, so I just want to put this out there for anyone who has never heard about it. If you're interested you can follow this link (Ask Your Cat Question Now.) or go to the link I will keep in the right side bar.
BTW, she told me to apply a tea bag to the eye for 30 seconds 4 times a day and try to use saline eye drops like people who have contacts use. I'll be trying it out and I'll let you know how it works.
No actually I am really happy and am making a recommendation. Mocha has been favoring her eye all week and I kept putting off calling the vet. Yes, an answer would have been free from them but I decided I didn't want to wait any longer and it is already after hours on Friday. So Lori waited too long, thats me. :)
I was trying to find online advice and I came across a website called just answers. I was able to ask a real person (veterinarian) a question and I got an answer in less than 5 minutes. She was really sweet and helpful too. I know sometimes people don't have the time or money to take their animal to the vet, so I just want to put this out there for anyone who has never heard about it. If you're interested you can follow this link (Ask Your Cat Question Now.) or go to the link I will keep in the right side bar.
BTW, she told me to apply a tea bag to the eye for 30 seconds 4 times a day and try to use saline eye drops like people who have contacts use. I'll be trying it out and I'll let you know how it works.
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