Our First Week

Holland's first week here flew by.  Monday we took her into the pediatrician to get her billi checked.  She was at an 11 when we went home from the hospital.  On Monday she had jumped to 16 so they sent us the billi lights and gave us orders to get lab work done.  On Monday Holland weighed 6lbs 9 oz (25%) height was 19.25in (45%) and her head circumference 33.5 cm (25%).  Tuesday her Billi levels had dropped down a little to 14.  Wednesday she was at 12 so they let us take her off the lights.  Thursday she was at 11.  Yay!!!! No more pokes on the foot.  Friday Holland weighed in at 6lbs 13oz.  

The kids absolutely love Holland.  They come up to her and give her kisses and call her a sweet girl or sweetheart and all sorts of cute little things.  Presleigh loves to hold her but gives her back to me as soon as Holland fusses.  Noah says that she is tiny and cute:)

This was Noah's first time holding Holland.  The first few days he wasn't too interested.  Then he held her and gave her big kisses almost immediately.  Now he loves her and likes to pat her little head.

As you can tell the kids have been getting themselves dressed or staying in their PJs. 

Noah has been having a little bit of a rough time listening.  He was spending quite a bit of time in the corner one night and ended up falling asleep.

Noah and Presleigh were playing nicely in their room and Noah came out looking like this.  I had to get a picture:)

Holland's first full on bath.  She loved it until she had to get out.  The kids enjoyed watching daddy give her a bath.

Holland's Birth

After much stress about when baby Holland was going to make her appearance and who was going to watch my other two kiddos while we spent the day in the hospital, we scheduled an induction date.  My mom and dad drove down the night before so that they could stay with Pres and Noah while we labored. 

Thursday morning we headed to the hospital.  We were there at 7:00 am.  They got me all registered and ready to go.  I was dilated to a 3 when I got there.  At 8:00 I had my IV in and was hooked up to the pitocin.  I didn't start feeling contractions until 9:00 though.  I was having issues with the monitors most of the day.  My contractions weren't showing up on the monitors so the nurse was adjusting them constantly and then finally decided to switch it out.  Wayne and I watched a lot of TV and I was starving the whole time and was only able to drink water and eat ice chips. I knew I should have had a better breakfast.

My OB came in at 12:00 to break my water and when she checked me I was still at a 3:(  I was so bummed out.  We knew it was going to be a long day.  At 2:00 I was dilate to a 5.  Finally a little progress. I was having a hard time with when to get the epidural.  Because my labor was slow I wanted to wait to get the epidural because I was afraid it would prolong the process but I was also getting sick of having contractions 1 minute apart.  At 3:30 I got my epidural.  This is when things went a little crazy.

 My blood pressure started dropping after I got the epidural.  I was starting to feel very sick and light headed and things were a little blurry.  Next thing I knew I heard the bell at the nurses station and I knew it was for me.  Nurses ran into the room and were all stressed out.  They gave me oxygen and then we saw that my blood pressure was 55/36.  I remember looking at Wayne and thinking I was for sure headed to the OR for a c-section or I was going to die.  The anesthetist came back in the room turned down my epidural and had me switch sides.  I started feeling better and my blood pressure went back up.  While this craziness was going on my IV infiltrated apparently because the vein wasn't a good one to begin with and they had pumped crazy fluids into me while my blood pressure was low. So I had a giant bump on my wrist and they had to take out the IV:(

3 different nurses and 4 IV attempts later the anethetist was able to put an IV into the crease of my arm.  It was not the most comfortable thing during labor but at least they didn't have to poke me anymore.  After I had recovered a little from this and was feeling better another bell rang at the nurses station and I knew it was for my sweet baby.  I had been watching her heart rate climb and when the nurses ran into the room I saw that it had dropped to 33 on the monitor.  My nurse hurried and had me turn completely on my side and checked me.  I was at an 8.  Holland had made a quick descend into the birth canal which caused her heart rate to drop dramatically.  I was trying really hard to be calm but once again I thought I was headed to the OR and I was stressing about Holland.  Her heart rate recovered and for the next couple hours things were pretty normal. 

At about 8:45 my doctor came in to check me and I was fully dilated.  YAY!!!! I was so relieved.  I was hoping that after all the chaos I would only have to push a few times and sure enough 4 contractions later baby Holland was born.

We are so grateful that after all the issues I was still able to have a vaginal delivery and that baby Holland made it here safe:) 

Introducing...

              Holland Rose Taylor

                 3/1/12 at 9:05 

               7lbs 4 oz 19.75 inches

Last weeks recap

Sunday:  Check out of hospital

Tuesday: Cancel preschool because i'm still extremely exhausted and recovering from lack of fluids

Wednesday:  Presleigh gets an ear infection

Friday:  Dad gets admitted to the hospital for double pneumonia and we almost drive 10 hours while i'm 37 weeks pregnant to be with him.

Saturday:  Go to urgent care because I have another yeasst infection only this time it's in my mouth:(  YUCK!!!!

Last week wasn't a very fun one.  This week is turning out to be better and we are getting closer and closer to having this baby!!!!!

Too Early

Friday night after Wayne and I finished watching a movie I started feeling really awful.  I had the chills so bad that I couldn't even lift up my blanket at all or I would start shivering so bad it would hurt my belly.  I have been on medication for a bacterial infection and it has been giving me some stomach problems.  We decided to go to bed but of course I couldn't sleep.  I was up all night either because I was hot or cold or needed to use the bathroom.  I thought I was having contractions but because of my stomach cramps it was hard to tell what was really going on.

At about 3 in the morning my stomach pains had stopped and I was finally able to start timing the contractions. They were 3 minutes apart but still pretty weak.  I honestly was super stressed because this was so different from any of my other labors and I couldn't believe that we were going to have a baby just before we hit 37 weeks.  I didn't even want to go to the hospital because I thought that the contractions would probably just go away.  But of course Wayne was up packing bags and getting us all ready to go to labor and delivery.  I called my sweet cousin at 4:30 in the morning and asked her if we could bring Presleigh and Noah over and she agreed (thank goodness)  and then we headed in.  

When we got there they told us that they would check me and then monitor us for an hour and then check me again to see if I had dialated.  If so then I was in labor.  Of course I didn't dialate barely at all and they detirmined that I was probably dehydrated.  I tried to drink as much as I could but I was so cold and out of it that it was difficult.  Then baby girls heart rate spiked and so the Doctor decided I needed an IV (My least favorite part)  Baby's heart rate stayed pretty high for a while so they wanted to keep me overnight.  I had Wayne and my cousin John give me a blessing which I am so grateful for.  I was able to relax and get a little bit of rest. By morning my contractions had stopped and Baby's heart rate was back to normal. 

As much as I would love to not be pregnant anymore and hold my sweet baby in my arms, I really am grateful that she will get to cook a little longer. And I am so grateful for worthy Priesthood holders who were able to give me a blessing without hesitation in my time of need.  And for the peace and comfort that I was able to receive through that blessing. 

5 Amazing Years

Last weekend we celebrated our 5th anniversary.  Wayne told me kind of last minute (after I had hinted at needing a road trip) that we were headed to Salt Lake to spend the weekend.  I was so excited to get to spend a little time away before this baby comes.  We have so much fun on our road trips.  I love going on road trips mostly because the long hours in the car gives Wayne and me time to have really great conversations.

 We left after Wayne got off of work on Thursday so the kids spent most of the time sleeping.  Friday was our anniversary and we really just wanted to hang out and relax. We got to stay with Wayne's family which was so nice.  Presleigh and Noah enjoyed spending time with their cousins and seeing Grandma (Presleigh called her My Dad's Mom) and Grandpa Taylor.  We spent our anniversary going to Costco, H&M, and Rodizio Grill. Thanks to G-ma and G-pa Taylor for watching our darlings while we went to dinner, which by the way was the worst dining experience ever.

Saturday we went and ordered my anniversary present which is a new diamond anniversary band:)  Yeah best husband ever.  Then we headed to Ikea.  Usually when we go to Utah I have a million places that I want to go but because I didn't want to spend our whole weekend running around town I tried to keep it to just H&M and Ikea.  Saturday evening Julie and Paul came to visit us.  Presleigh was so excited to see baby Laila and had been telling us for days how much she misses her.  It was so nice to be able to visit with them too.

I can't even express how grateful I am that I was able to marry such an amazing man.  Wayne is my very best friend and I love how special our marriage is.  The last five years have definitely been amazing and I am one lucky girl!!!

Presleigh's Prayer Tonight

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for this day.  Thank you for mommy, daddy, me, and noah. Thank you for the earth. Thank you for Jesus and Heavenly Father.  We can't see them but we can feel them. I hope I see the sun.  I hope I stay in my bed and get a pom pom in my little pom pom jar.  I love you.  Name of Jesus Christ.

Amen