One Month!!!

Seriously? I gave birth a month ago?!? It still feels like yesterday!

This month has flown by way too fast! Even faster than my first month with Sean! It makes me kinda sad. But I am just loving every moment with my two boys! Even if some days I'm still so tired I don't know how I am functioning!

Max

• He's finally started consistantly sleeping 5-6 hour stretches with about a 3-4 right after. Not to shabby
• He's eating like a little monster! YAY!
• Starting to actually fit some clothes and not just swim in them.
• is super long. I don't know how long but man he's just long
• weighs 9lbs 3oz. YAY! 
• not too chunky yet. still waiting for that.
• Size 1 diapers! I mean you can use NB if you want but then he just leaks out EVERYWHERE
• Better head control. tries so hard. You'll get it one day bud!

Oh I just love this kid to pieces!!! Man, Dan and I make some cute kids. Check it out!

Cute lil stink eye!

I LOVE this kid!

Sean at 1 Month!

Max at 1 Month!

Blood Pressure

Lots of people have been asking so here's an update on me! YAY!

My BP was fine all pregancy this time until the day I had Max. Then it was high 150/90's again. So they induced.
After Max was born it did start to go down. But they kept us an extra day due to not getting anti biotics and being positive for Group B strep. And thats when my BP started to climb. :) yay me.

So they started me on labetalol again and it did the trick. They kept us an extra night just in case but all held well so they sent us home on Saturday. Sunday I was feeling a little off so I kept an eye on my BP and it was high. Even being on the meds. I just kept an eye on it. Dan went to go pick up my parents from the airport around 11 and thats when I knew we would be heading back into the hospital once he got back. I couldn't sleep so I waited up with them and got to visit for a while. Got a blessing from Dan and my dad and then we went to the Vulcan "ER" and stayed there from 3AM till Noon. Then because my body just wasn't cooperating they sent us to Lethbridge. Where I got to stay in the Hospital Monday-Wednesday. Not to bad. They switched up my Meds. I'm on Adalat now.

The switch up with Meds has done the trick. I'm sitting in the normal range now! Still with medicated help though.

I had a DR appointment a week ago and she listed some symptoms and said if I get them to call in and they will start taking me off medications because those symptoms are  low BP. She's hopeful I'll be off in 6 weeks. and So am I! With how well it's been doing I really think I will! It also helps my child sleeps 6 hours now!!! :)

So that's me and the BP in a nutshell!

Max and his Cleft Palate

So four hours after Max was born the pediatrician came in to check him over, like they do with every baby. So she checked him over and all went well until she checked his mouth and suction and tongue and all that joy. That's when she discovered his was missing his soft palate. but here is how she told us.

"So everything is perfectly fine with your baby, however there is one concern. But don't worry he is perfectly healthy and it really isn't that big of a deal, he's a healthy guy. He has a cleft palate."

Seriously is that anyway to break the news to new parents? My thought was no he doesn't. He's perfect. Because me and my tired brain only remembered a cleft palate as being something that involved the splitting of the lip as well and Max's lips were attached beautifully!

But then she went on to explain he was missing the soft palate at the back of his mouth. She even showed it to us. Hence why breastfeeding was proving to be a challenge. He was having to work so hard to try and form a latch and keep the suction. She said to keep trying and he may eventually get it. The lactation consultant even came and worked with us for a while. He got so close so many times!

So they sent a referral up to the Alberta Children's Hospital in Calgary for us. When Max turned a week old we were on our way up there for his first appointment!

What news we got!

We got in at 1:00 and met with the plastic surgeon first. He's the one that will do the surgery on Max's cleft when he is 9-15 months old. It's pretty young yes but they want to get it done before he starts talking. Other wise that just starts a whole new problem for us with his speech. As it is when he starts the babbling phase and making sounds they did warn us that his will sound a little off. And that's all because of the roof of his mouth that is missing. That pesky little soft palate! He also explained the him getting a latch and maintaining it wouldn't ever happen. There is a small chance of it happening. With that news I dismissed the idea of BF and just took hold of the thought that I'll be pumping for a long time. (oh how i hate it! the perk is Dan gets to help do night feedings now. FANTASTIC! more sleep for me!). He also gave us the happy news that we will be coming up to Calgary at least once a month until his Palate is fixed and then some. And then basically we will still probably see them off and on until Max is 18! wow.

Then we met with a Pediatrician who checked him all over again and took a look at his mouth of course! She said he was doing wonderful and was quite a healthy guy. The only area they want to watch is his weight gain and eating, because it does take a little more work for him to eat. He has a special bottle called the Hauberman Bottle. It's got a longer nipple on it so to reach the back of his mouth and kind of "plug" the hole so that milk goes down his throat and not into his lungs. (though it still comes up outta his nose and it's kinda funny.. he doesn't like that too much.) This bottle also works by pressure not suction. So he just bites down on it and milk comes out. (Forget BFing now!!!)

Then a dietitian came in and took a look at how he was doing with the bottle and she was impressed. He's taken to it quite well and downs his food really well. (of course he does! my babies love food!)

Then we saw an Audiologist who took some tests on his ears to see the fluid build up. Because of the cleft his Eustachian tubes can't/won't drain properly so there is a little bit of fluid build up in his ears and he is more susceptible to ear infections. So after that news we met with an ENT.

The Ear Nose, Throat specialist met with us and said a lot of the same things everyone else did. But he did talk more about the ears and explained the whole Eustachian tube thing and how the soft palate is really what pulls your mouth together. It helps your ears to drain and your speech to not sound like its coming from your nose and all that. So from all his explaining we go in when Max is 3 months old and he will get tubes in his ears. And then after the palate surgery he will get another set of tubes in his ears and once those fall out he should be good to go and his Eustachian tubes should be able to work on their own.

After that the nurse came in and talked with us about feeding and if I wanted to borrow a pump from them. I was so brain dead because I myself had just gotten discharged from the hospital and lack of sleep I didn't fully understand what she was saying so Daniel had to tell her yes. Talk about brain dead! man. So we have one borrowed from them for free for as long as I need it!! SCORE! But it's pretty big and bulky so I've borrowed one that's more compact and use that when i'm out and about (thanks AMIE!) So I've still gotta get my own carry around one! The nurse also asked if we wanted to stay and meet with the Social Worker. But since she was running around, and we really have lots of family and friend support, and social workers are nuts, we said no and left. We got out of there at 4:00.

LONG LONG day.

So overall Max is a really healthy baby still. Might be a little slower on his weight gain but he's still perfect!

We go up in a week for a follow up and genetic testing lab work. Sounds like so much fun eh?
I'll update again soon!

MAX PICTURES!

2 kids!!!

Wow. Two kids keeps ya busy! I have a spare moment so I thought I would do a little blog update! 

Sean- still loves his little brother! So glad about that. Still wants to hold him lots. Gives him kisses before bed and even puts his soother in his mouth for him. A few days ago I was pumping and Max started to cry so Sean walked over to him and put his soother in his mouth and held it for a bit and Max fell asleep. What a helpful kid! 

My first night alone with both boys was pretty chill. I was a little stressed it would be chaotic but it went smooth. I got Sean in the tub and was letting him play well I kinda vegged in the bathroom. I heard Sean say "poop" and looked up in time to see Sean with a turd in his hand and launching it outta the tub! Luckily it hit the side of the toilet and not me or Max (even though it was aimed at us! Thank goodness for bad aim!). 

Sean is talking, and counting like crazy! He can count all the way to ten and is even recognizing numbers he sees. So smart. He knows some of his letters (E, F, S, D) and grandma even started teaching him the ABC song. A new favorite I think. Oh and he loves the hokey pokey , and if you're happy and ya know it songs. 

He is going to be quite a fun kid! Who am I kidding this kid is a hoot all the time! Love him!!! 

Max- 3 1/2 weeks old. Seriously!! This month is flying by!!! Sorta getting a sleeping schedule going. Hit and miss to when we get a six hour stretch! Oh well it'll come. 

So because of his cleft palate (more on that later) we get to go up to Calgary once a month for about the next year. I also have to call in his weights once a week. So I got him weighed at his circumsion at 2weeks old. He was 8lbs 3oz. Then at 3weeks I got him weighed and he was 8lbs 4oz. Horrible weight gain! Then I realized we had used two different scales! So when I got back to Magrath I had him weighed at the Dahl clinic again and he was 8lbs 7.4oz. Much better weight gain. I think the Vulcan scale is out just a little. Nerve wracking for this mom though!

We have another appointment up in Calgary on the 18th so I'll try to do another post about his cleft by then. Until then this will have to suffice! 

The new collage in the nursery! Love it! Just need more frames and a few more pictures!

Max Gerald Fyfe

It all started Tuesday. This little stinker wasn't moving and kicking as much as he typically had been. I mean if you had seen him move you would know. My whole stomach would contort. I went on a nice long walk with Dani, Phoenix and Sean and felt him pretty good after that. 

He was moving enough I knew he was fine so I just continued to shake the feeling, not wanting to be an overly paranoid pregnant woman. 

I went to bed around 11 and woke up to pee around 3. The feeling was back a little stronger than before. So I sat there feeling and trying to get him to move. I finally called Dan and told him and he helped convince me to go to the hospital. 

So I woke up Phoenix and made her come with me. As we drove in he started to move around pretty good. I almost wanted to go back home to bed but I kept on going. We got to the emergency room and checked in and then was sent upstairs to the Labor and Delivery unit. 

Probably not a good time to walk in as a woman in labor starts swearing. I was laughing at her but also thinking to myself that that might be me in a few hours. Something about being at the hospital made me start wrapping my head around the fact I might have this kid. 

We did a non stress test and everything with baby was fine. However they were not impressed with my BP. (150/90's). It was about 5:30AM by this point. 

The on call Dr came which was dr Davies. And he said to get ready to have a baby because it wasn't safe to keep him in much longer. 

I'd kinda already come to terms with that on the drive into Lethbridge. So off to another room we went. I called Dan and told him his sleep was over and we were going to have a baby. Phoenix continued to hang out with me. She probably woulda try to stay for the whole thing too. Silly girl. 

Dr Davies put a prostaglandin gel on my cervix to help ripen it and potentially get labor started. He said if nothing happened my doc would break my water in a few hours. I was even lucky because it was my docs on  call day!!! 

Phoenix and I chilled and I had a couple contractions. Mostly just lots of pressure. I felt like I had to pee/poo. It was so weird. Luckily after 45 mins I was allowed to get up and walk and use the bathroom! Best pee break ever! Nix and I walked the halls and found Dan. (7am ish).

We went back to my room where they checked my BP and baby too see how things were going. They were definately starting to move along at this point. My BP was good (still high but not too high to need drugs) so I didn't need meds or anything. And baby was doing fine as well. Around 8 Phoenix left to go watch Sean for the day so dani and sky could go to school. Shortly after she left they moved me over to Labor and Delivery. 

Pretty big room. Small bed. Nice shower!! Haha 

We kept the lights low and I just listened to some soft piano music in the background(thank you Jon Schmidt!). 

So weird because as soon as we got in that room my contractions picked up. I got to sit on the exercise ball (love it) and rock back and forth holding Dan's hand. :) and squeezing of course. Lucky for him I had cut my nails two days before. 

I sat there for a while. I think, time doesn't really exist when in Labor. Around 9:30 I wanna say I hopped in the shower. Oh Warm water!!! Heaven sent. I knelt on a pillow leaning over the ball and dan sprayed my back. So wonderful and so helpful with coping through the pain. 

I was doing pretty good staying in the zone and breathing and just forgetting everything when I felt a pop and gush during a contraction. It totally through me off my groove!! 

I told Dan that my water broke and he confirmed it seeing the mess beneath me. He paged the nurse and they came running in to get me on the bed. They checked me in the shower and I was a 6. Dan dried me off and I remember standing next to the bed hanging on to Dan while more pressure built and I peed on the floor/more water. :) haha for reals this time. There is some strange satisfaction in peeing on the hospital floor. 

They managed to get me on the bed I don't know how because I still had no control!!! One nurse started running getting all the IV stuff ready. I had tested positive for the Group B Strep during pregnancy so they needed to hook me up to some antibiotics. 

I was yelling at the nurse for something to take the edge off. I told them I didn't want an epidural but just something. I don't remember getting an answer from them. All I Remember was suddenly feeling the urge to PUSH! Holy crap. What a feeling. 

So a nurse checked me again and sure enough I was at a 10 and ready to push. That all literally happened in less than two mins. No joke. From shower to bed took a minute or less. Seemed longer but it wasn't. I

Meanwhile over in the corner my wonderful husband is still holding my hand but he's telling the nurses that he needs to get out because he's going to barf.  I remember yelling at him that he wasn't allowed to leave and death gripping his hand. A nurse got him a cold cloth and a bright yellow hazardous waste bucket. He kept gagging. He honestly looked like death. Super white. 

Back to me. Time guess (9:50). 

They had called dr topping and apparently all she heard was HURRY. I'm still yelling at the nurse to let me push and I remember her saying I couldn't yet because the doctor wasn't here. I hope I only thought this in my head but I was thinking , screw the doctor! I want this kid OUT!! Finally the kind nurse down below me who had her hand up me agreed with me and they started letting me push. At this point I yelled as I was pushing and a nurse was saying something about feeling a burning sensation (no kidding Sherlock) anyway, I'm yelling and there just happens to be a nurse by a loose hand of mine. .... So I grabbed onto her. Apparently it was her butt.... (Serves her right for telling me not to push.) Daniel says she said something about she knows it hurts and that she could lose some of it but she really needed her butt back. 

The rational part of me that still existed somewhere amid all this managed to loosen my grip. Then they were yelling at me to put my hands behind my thighs and pull on them while I pushed. I think I managed that for a while. But the nurses did it really. Suddenly my doc was at my feet telling me to keep pushing he was almost here. How she got there so fast I have no idea. 

(Dan is still gagging in the corner by the way) 

I gave 3 maybe 4 really good pushes and suddenly all the pain was gone and I was hearing the nurses and doctors say it was a boy and he was super cute! And he started crying. That's the best time to hear crying. 

7lbs 11oz. 10:01am. 21.5 inches. 

 

They lifted him up so I could see him and then rushed him to suck him out. He'd swallowed fluid on the way out. I remember hearing him cry and yell and just feel so wonderful it was all done. 

  

By this point I was coherent enough to realize there were 6 nurses in the room plus a student nurse and my doctor. Lots of people. Good thing the room was so big. 

One of the nurses asked if I would like skin to skin with the baby. I agreed fast. I was kinda amazed how well I felt and in control. With Sean Dan held him for the first hour or so because I was so shaky and still kinda doped up from drugs. 

He cuddled right in and snuggled. Best feeling ever!!! His perfect little body nestled right into mine. :) cloud 9 people cloud 9. 

I vaguely remember the doc stitching me up and saying something about a 2nd degree tear. It definitely didn't feel as bad as after Sean. That's for sure. 

They finished with me and I just kept cuddling little Max. He definitely is smaller than Sean ever was. So weird to hold such a small baby. But he's already super strong and trying to hold up his head. Silly kid. 

At some point I finally let Daniel have Max and I went and jumped in the shower. All I really did was hold the shower head you know where. Best part of after birth ever. Lame I know. 

They took us to our room and after a few hours my roommate got discharged so I had the room to myself. Which is probably why they didn't care when I had more than 2 visitors. I broke that rule a few times. 

Sean got to be the first one to see his little brother. And oh did he love him!!! First thing he said was sleeping? A baby. Haha I love how he just seemed to know right away it was his brother. After seeing all his Aunties hold his brother he decided he needed to "cach it" (carry him).

So we passed him his little brother and he held him for a good ten minutes and pointed out his eyes and ears and nose and mouth numerous times. Even counted his eyes and ears, (two two). Smart little guffer. 

Sean is going to be the best big brother ever! 

Just Pictures

I'm just laying here in bed looking at all the photos on my phone and decided I need to upload them here. They are just adorable! And I need to one day start printing this blog off so I have a copy always!!! 

This little boy loves to be just like Dad!

Hanging with Aunty!!

Meetin up and having a blast with the Bennett's!!

Guitaring with Aunty!!

A weekend with cousins/aunts&uncles/ papa and grandma!

Playing with "Emmy" and poppa!

Trying to hug wren!

Taking turns shooting the nerf guns!!! 

Such a nice day for January! It was Spring!!! Had to go play outside!

Took Dad along to one of our playgroups!

Reading his Scriptures

Waiting for Mom's doctor appointment

What a stud!! 

Seriously. This is January?!?! LOVING IT!!

(It's warmer than it looks)

Taking a nap in his closet!

Coloring in the tub!!! This kid :)