Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Camping or better termed 'Glamping!'

We went Glamping in North Central Minnesota this past weekend.  We (and a bunch of our college friends and their kids!) rented a huge group lodge for the weekend in Emily, MN.   It was amazing!  Not only was the lodge the perfect size for a large group of people, kid/family friendly, and beautiful - you seriously couldn't beat the company we had :-)



This year it was our 6th Annual Campout.  Somewhere 6 years ago someone had the genius idea to have a yearly get together and it has stuck and it has been wonderful!  However, the atmosphere has definitely changed (and not for the worse - beautiful children have been added).  It use to be that we stayed up until 1-2am and slept in until 9ish.  Now we are in bed around 11-12 (at the latest) and up for sure by 7:30.   We use to play Tippy Cup....now we are searching for children's missing sippy cups.  We use to buy a keg every year...now we are lucky to get through a few cases of beer.  It use to be the joke of who was going to 'get some' that night, now it's whose kid didn't end up in bed with them.  It was Beer Pong, now it's PG Ping Pong.  But seriously, look at these cute children...we wouldn't change it for the world - except maybe to take 1-2 kid free vacations now and again :)

Photo

And the group - LOVE YOU GUYS!!  
Thanks for another memorable weekend, can't wait for next year!


Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Fall is my Favorite!

I'm done promising I'm going to be better at posting, because it just never happens.  Maybe without the promises I will do it?!  Basically, life is just busy.  My girls keep me hopping.

Miss P is 5 months old now!  She is smiley and LOUD with her expressive voice.  She loves her big sister and enjoys watching her run around and play.  It's the best when they interact with each other.


Little or 'Big' G is so fun,  She is almost 2, expressive as well, loud, rambunctious, so smart, and silly and funny.  She also loves her little sister and is actually a huge help.  She gets me diapers, wipes and basically any item I ask her for.  She also loves to play mommy to her own babies.  It's adorable. 


And now we are back into the full swing of Fall and I love it.  September proves to be a very busy month for us as Daddy is at an away rotation in Madison WI.  We visited for a week, but it was a little stressful being in an apartment with two little girls who are not use to having to use their inside voice all that often.  And it was full, full, full of glass!  Not super toddler/baby friendly, but it was beautiful!  And in a wonderful neighborhood.  We got to explore a bunch of things. We will go back at least once more while he is there.  

Otherwise, we started up our weekly bible study today.  I'm very excited to read the book we are studying together and learn about all the wonderful ladies in my group.  

This weekend we are going camping with our group of friends from college and all their kids.  I can't wait!  However, the task of packing up is a little daunting and I haven't made much progress.  I'm hoping for a good night's sleep and plenty of motivation for tomorrow.  

So, other than my adorable girls (Yes, I'm bias) I will leave you with a breathtaking picture representing one of the reasons I LOVE fall so much!

25 Photos of Nature That will not Leave you Indifferent - Middle Falls on the Genesee River, New York

Middle Falls of the Genesee River, New York

Look at those beautiful leaves!!!!!!!

And an inspirational quote for you, because I love those too:

Going to make this into a little card for when she gets nervous about school or when she FINALLY ask's for that promotion at work. :) glitter & all like a straight bad ass



Tuesday, April 15, 2014

And then there were 4

Miss Penellapi Jean Watson made her arrival on March 27th, 2014 at 12:10pm via c-section. She was 7lb 15oz, 21 inches long and basically perfect ;)




Except that she doesn't believe in sleeping at night :-P But we will get there, right?! Anyway, I want to share her birth story. I'm not normally a birth story sharer, but a dear friend of mine mentioned how she wished her mom would have written her story down and remembered more about it, so I figured I will write Miss Ella's here, if only to be able to go back and find it someday if she is interested, but at least it will be down in writing.

It started on Saturday the 22nd when I lost my mucus plug. I went to the bathroom and there it was and I was pretty sure that's what it was and was very excited because nothing of the sort ever happened with G. Then on Wednesday the 26th at 1:30AM, I was repositioning myself in bed and when I went to roll over I felt a slight gush of fluid. I would describe it more as wondering if a tiny bit of pee escaped or if it was more of my mucus plug ( I had been losing bits of it all week by this point ). I went to the bathroom and found I had about a baseball size circle of fluid on my underwear that also soaked through to my pajama pants. I peed and thought perhaps it was just more mucus. I changed, went back to bed and woke up the husband to ask him what I should do and to see what he thought it might be. I decided since the baby was in no danger that I would go back to bed and just call my nurse in the morning and see what they wanted me to do. I figured if I called them at this hour they would have me come in and probably just send me home because I was sure it was just my mucus plug and then it would be a pointless trip to the hospital in the middle of the night and I didn't want to be THAT pregnant woman.

So I went back to bed and in the morning I called my doctor's office. She told me that based on my story that she felt like it was just my mucus plug so I shouldn't worry and continue on with my day. About a half an hour or so later she called me back and said she had forwarded my message to my doc and that she would feel better if I came in and got checked out. So I packed a bag, but not a very complete bag because there was no way they were keeping me, right!?, and proceeded to the clinic. My doctor was of course at an outreach clinic and not inhouse so I had to see a male doc who was doing clinic that day. Anyway, he gave me a physical exam and confirmed that yes, my membranes had ruptured. He was a super nice guy but wasn't very clear. Both the hubby and I were present during this visit and we discussed all the options. The doc recommended starting pitocin and getting the show on the road, but I declined pitocin. I know the risk is very low, but because of my previous c-section I didn't want pitocin as it has a slight increased risk for uterine rupture following a C-section (which is something my doc told me and also why she said she didn't want to induce me at all). So, the doc agreed with me but then told me my options would be to wait to see if labor would start or just schedule a cesarean. He told us to walk to L&D and discuss it. So we walked there, but we didn't really understand why we were walking there. We didn't plan to have me check in or anything and didn't understand that that was the doc's intention for us to do. So we walked there and I decided that I was going to go home and finish packing my bag, clean my bathroom and hope something starts. So we walk back to the clinic to talk to that doc and tell him my plan. He laughed at me. He told me I was not allowed to leave the hospital and that I couldn't walk around with ruptured membranes. So we talked some more and by the end of the conversation I was convinced I was just going to go get a c-section scheduled for later that afternoon. I walked out to the lobby area and called my mom and proceeded to break down into tears because my family was suppose to be here and they were 10 hours away and it would be different if I were in labor but instead i was getting a c-section in like 2 hours or less and I was disappointed and sad. So now I needed my bag.....

I walk to my van and my contractions start!

PS - there's no good spots for new paragraphs but I hate one huge run-on one, so ignore all my grammatical errors and just roll with it because I'm going to break it up how I want to, lol.

Anyway, my contractions start - so we go to L&D and check in. The nurse starts to put me in the recovery room because that's where I would go after surgery but I stop her and tell her I want to do natural labor now since my contractions have started. She looked at me like I had two heads. So then i had to ask for the doc (who of course is a DIFFERENT doc than the clinic one - and still not mine ). She comes in and she tells me that I should start pitocin....so I have to tell her that I don't want it and explain a little. She keeps trying to talk me into it and the hubby interjects and tells her again how I don't want it. At this point she kind of gets up on her high horse and starts to explain how many vbacs she has done and lists off her credentials and how long she has been an OB -- yada, yada, yada...it's like, 'lady, no one is questioning your credentials or experience, i still don't want pitocin, no matter what you tell me. it's not about you, it's about me.' Anyway, we finally convinced her and they put me in a labor room and I started walking the halls. We probably checked me in around 4 and I walked and walked and walked and bounced on a birthing ball and continued to try all those until about 9:30/10 and then I climbed into the tub. That felt really good. My contractions had started piling up and getting stronger. They checked me at 11 and I was at 3cm. I was super pumped because I only got to a 3 with G ever and after I had received an epidural. So, now it's 11 and I have a lot of pain so I asked for some pain meds. They gave me nubain. I had nubain with G and I have to say, I really enjoy it. It makes me just loopy enough to relax and get a little bit of rest and takes off the edge of my contractions. So, I rested until about 1:30 and then I got up and walked the halls again. The doc checked me around 3:30 and I was at 3cm still. The contractions were still hard and felt like they were coming fast so I asked for an epidural around 4. I figured I dilated with G while I had my epidural on board and this way I could get some sleep. So the anesthesiologist came in and started the epidural process. With G (and I should not compare births, but it's hard not to), the doc got it in right away and the whole process was like 5 minutes (or it felt like it anyway). This guy started to have trouble and he poked around my back for 25 minutes before getting it in. And my back is still sore. I don't remember being this sore with G either. Anyway, during the curling over process to expose my back in an appropriate way, my water really breaks. It gushes EVERYWHERE. I had no idea you could have that much water in you. It was crazy. And then it gushed 3 more times. It got all over the hubby's shoes, the floor and of course the bed. I was half numb at this point so I felt the wetness but didn't feel if it was warm, cool, etc. I mean, it would be warm I would assume, body temp, but the whole process was just interesting. My water never broke when I was in labor with G. They broke it the next day before my c-section and the only thing I felt was a lot of pressure. But okay....new paragraph just for fun....

So I have my epidural....now I go to sleep. But my blood pressure kept dropping when I laid on my left side and so did E's heart rate. I like lying on my right side anyway so it was more comfortable when they would flip me back but for some reason they kept trying to go on the left as well. Around 6:30/7 the doc checked me and said I was at a solid 4, maybe even 4.5-5. I was super excited and thought for sure that we would keep progressing. She left around 8 and the doc that I saw in clinic actually came on. He checked me so he had a baseline and told me I was a solid 5. But then he said he had been reviewing my monitors and thought my contractions had started coupling and they weren't nearly as strong as before. So he wanted to put in an intra uterine monitor and come back and check on the charts in a half an hour. He also wanted to recheck me in 2 hours and if there was no change in dilation he recommended a c-section. So of course he came back and checked in a half an hour and confirmed they were not changing and then two hours later he checked my cervix, which revealed no change so it was decided we would have a c-section.

They prepped me and moved me into the OR - it happened pretty fast. P came out pretty fast and was doing great. I cried and it was so weird to see some dark hair emerge. I knew that was a possibility of course, but since G came out so blonde I for sure thought P would come out blonde, too. I think it's pretty fitting though because Penellapi is kind of a Spanish name and she was dark Anyway, after she came out I was having kind of a hard time. I mean, they tied down my arms and of course my lower half was numb and then there was the blue sheet that was preventing me from seeing what was going on and I'm super claustrophobic so I started to freak out a bit. That didn't happen with G either so I don't know what was going on. Anyway, I had the anesthesiologist telling me stories about wide open spaces, haha, and his daughters and basically anything that he could to try and distract me. I also felt like they were taking forever to sew me up. I could feel some pressure down there and wondered if maybe my uterus wasn't contracting or something?! Anyway, I started asking questions because I know just enough medical stuff to make me dangerous but not enough to know what the heck is going on....I asked the doc if I was bleeding too much or if my uterus wasn't contracting or why it was taking so long....he told me he just had his own method of doing things and he was old school so it was taking a little longer because of that (Um, BS, but whatever). Anyway, at that point the anesthesiologist said he was going to give me something to calm me down...so he gave me Versed....and I went unconscious. He attempted to wake me up but couldn't so the hubby slapped me across the face and then I woke up. I struggled to stay awake for a bit during that point and i'm sure they flushed me out with saline or something and then I was finally awake again (I don't remember a lot of this - versed I suppose) and then I was sewn up and got back to the recovery room.

In the recovery room I got to hold E and she nursed right away, so that was good. The L&D nurses kept checking my uterus, which sucked. I totally understand why and everything, but it hurt like heck. They assured me once I got to postpartum they would only check once a shift - they lied. I was checked 5 times before midnight - probably because I lost more blood than I was suppose to - not enough to get a transfusion, but my suspicions were correct and my uterus was not contracting appropriately and so now they were making sure it was firming up like it was suppose to and I was getting irritated. My pain was not well managed that first night and I was starving and they wouldn't advance my diet like I was hoping - all for good reason I know, but it was hard. E was thankfully really good that night. The next day I felt SOOOO much better. My pain was under better control overnight and I walked around the unit 3 times and I showered and got to eat and life was just a lot better. The doc that did my procedure came to visit me and that's when he told me I lost more blood than I was suppose to, but he assured me my scar tissue from my previous c-section was minimal so I should be able to have at least one more c-section safely. He gave me his blessing to leave the next day if it was good with the new doc that was coming on.

We were inundated with educators throughout that day and lots of visitors as well, but it was a good day. That night we were all very tired though and E struggled to be restful and relaxed. It was a long, frustrating night. By Saturday morning I was very ready to be discharged home. My doctor came and visited twice, which was really nice. I am still bummed she didn't get to deliver us, but what do ya do. The doc that discharged us was a really nice lady though that I had seen once in clinic and I really liked.

We got home without a hitch and being there was very nice. My mom and dad and youngest sister were here from Wednesday night until Sunday (taking care of G while we were in the hospital). Then Sunday my older younger sister came and my dad and other sister went home. My mom and sister were here then until that Thursday morning. I of course was under lifting restrictions for awhile so it was super nice to have the help with G. Then the hubby's HS teacher Dawn came to visit that Thursday and helped for the day. Friday we were on our own but it went okay. Like I said, I was very blessed with a nice recovery so far, so I was able to lift G out of her crib, etc. Then that weekend the hubby was home so he was able to help and we did family pics that Sunday.

So that's my story. And otherwise we've just been figuring this life out with two little ones. It's been fun for sure and frustrating and exhausting Gwendolyn loves Ella so that is super nice, but she is regressing in a couple other areas. She especially likes to act out while I'm stuck on the couch breastfeeding and not able to get up. She's smart like that Ella still has her days and nights mixed up. Sometimes we have great nights and others are very rough, which of course I expect, but it doesn't make it any easier. She eats super frequently still, which can be hard. Then there are times during the day where she goes 3+ hours and I'm like "kid, do this at night!" oh well. She will get there.

Here's one of my new favorite pictures of my girls <3

Sunday, March 9, 2014

My poor neglected blog...

I check other people's blogs for new posts...and I spend a good amount of time reading them, but for some reason I can't seem to update my own blog.

Well, here's a quick catch up and I will try really really really really hard to go into more depth on some of these in the next few days:

1) I am 38 weeks pregnant now.  I still feel pretty good, but I am a little sore and uncomfortable and just generally huge.  I'm thankful to be this far along and grateful for the experience of another healthy pregnancy, but I am ready to deliver this little bundle.

2) Except we aren't ready....the nursery (which I know she won't sleep in for a long time) is still not done and it would make me extremely happy to have that completed before her arrival but it's taking forever to get done...i'm just so tired....

3) The hubby turned 30....and is having a hard time with it...I don't get it.

4) Miss G has 11 teeth (that I can count anyway) and is running around like crazy and is anxious to get outside to play (and so am I!).  It's been way too cold/long of a winter and it shows.  She has had multiple colds and we just need to air out our house and get outside!  It was in the high 40's today, so hopefully we are on the right track!

5) I did prep some freezer meals for when baby comes - super excited to tell you more about it!

6) I hate daylight savings time.  I wish it didn't exist. It really screws everyone in our house up.  On that note, I'm off to bed...it's really only 9, but I'm wiped.

Saturday, January 4, 2014

New Year - New Title - New Goals

Happy 2014!

We had a wonderful 2013 and it was crazy busy.  This year will be no exception.  We will welcome our babygirl #2 and the hubby will continue with residency and we will continue to adjust to life in a new city with me home as a full time mommy.  I love, love, love my job!  It's the most challenging and rewarding thing I've ever done. I have lots of work to do still.   Not that will ever 'perfect' everything, but I need to budget and meal plan and figure out a working schedule so I don't go insane and the littles still get plenty of naptime, socialization and just at home time.  Oh, and we still have our dog :)  Reggie is a handful, but I'm hoping he will get the hang of all of this soon.

So you may have noticed that I changed the name of my blog.  Since the hubby is done with medical school I guess I'm not a "med school wife" anymore and I'm not entirely sure what I should call my blog and then it occurred to me that for the next 10+ years I will have 'little' children :) and since my blog posts will most likely revolve around them and our activities I thought a fitting title would be best.

So I will give a little pregnancy update.  I'm 29 weeks pregnant and I feel great!  I have a little hip and back pain but otherwise it's not too bad.  Oh and I have to go to the bathroom ALL the time, haha.    I guess it just goes with the territory.  She's moving around alot and I love that feeling so much :)  Apparently, she's the size of an acorn squash.  I have another OB appointment on Monday.  It's actually the diabetic check appointment so I get to sit there forever....oh well.  I will make sure to bring a book, but it also sounds like I may have to do some 3rd trimester education, which I'm not sure what that will entail, but it can't be too bad.
On another random note, we have Amazon TV through our Xbox and I have discovered "The Good Wife" and I'm pretty addicted.  If you haven't checked it out yet, you should.

And that's all she wrote for tonight ;-)

Thursday, December 12, 2013

'Tis the Season

Hello my long lost blog,  how are you lately?  We've been good - and busy.  That's what I always say, but it's true, and I'm enjoying it.  We've slowed our traveling down a bit but we keep pretty busy around this area.  Babygirl is so not a baby anymore but a toddler!  She's walking and she talks a lot and she is so fun!  We have made some new friends and we spend lots of time with them and I LOVE it!  I'm so sad they are leaving in 6 months because they will be done with residency.  The hubby is crazy busy at work and I don't feel like I get to see him very often but I was expecting that.  This weekend I'm hosting a cookie exchange at my house and I couldn't be more excited!  Tomorrow an old friend is coming to visit and I'm also super excited about that!  And then next week will be filled with last minute Christmas shopping and finishing projects before we celebrate Christmas at the Watson's and then we travel to Alexandria to spend the 28th with my family.  I made a trip to the mall yesterday and got Miss G's Christmas Dress and I'm so in love with her in it, but I may be a little biased :) Here are some pictures!!




Oh, and we got a puppy, named Reggie.  They love each other! They really do - she seems like she's apprehensive here, but she is giggling up a storm.  And in other pictures she has him in a headlock, lol.


Monday, September 9, 2013

Life Lately

We had a busy week leading up to Labor Day.  So busy that I can't really remember what we did.  Then came Labor Day Weekend, which was actually filled with labor, which kind of sucked.  Don't get me wrong, I love the family cabin, but Labor Day Weekend is all about dock take out and boat winterizing and basically a lot of work for my hubby and not a lot of rest - it sucks.  The baby and I got to hang with the family, which was nice and good food was served, but it would have been nicer if we could have just all relaxed - well, more so have Ryan relax. He works so hard and he deserves more breaks than he gets - and I feel like it's a little bit my fault because I encourage a lot of "extended" family time - meaning, his parents, my parents, his siblings, my siblings, grandparents, etc - and quite frankly, he doesn't have the time or the energy for that right now and it's sad.  He does a great job of doing it, but I get to hear a little complaining about it.  The main problem is that we live too far away.  I love La Crosse, but I want to transplant it closer to family.

The past two weeks have been good - Babygirl started swim lessons and loves them!  I got a bit of scrapbooking in :)  Grandma W got to see Gwen lots.  I wish my mom got to see her more too.

This weekend we head out to a camp out that we do every year with all of our college buddies.  I'm so excited!  It will be so fun to see them all again - together!!  We have a busy week leading up to it, so wish me luck.