Reflecting

So as Bronner was swinging and sleeping today I started reading a blog that was linked on my sis in laws blog. Here is the link audreycaroline.blogspot.com. She is the wife of a christian artist and has recently lost a child to anomalies incompatible with life. As I was reading I found myself lost in her story, reflecting on people that I myself have labored and delivered in the same situation. Sometimes not even giving their story much thought. At work my friend Amy and I are always asked to give baths, get dressed, weigh and measure, and make memory boxes for still born and incompatible with life babies. We look at it as a way to help the mom grieve but never put ourselves in their shoes and always say leave it in the sat morgue and don't take it home with you. It is just our job. Although we try to do it well if I took each and every baby home with me I would never be able to go back. Some always stick with you and some you easily forget. About this time last year Jeremy and I found out we were expecting our first child. We were super excited. Amy went with my to the doctor for the first time and I was in lalala land as I heard the heartbeat. I was measuring a week small at the time but never thought anything about it as I ovulate late. About a week later, at work, I miscarried our child. Reading Angie's blog brought back some of those memories I have tried hard to forget. Not wanting to realize what could have been. But now, today as Bronner swings I am so thankful. Not thankful to have miscarried but thankful for what I have learned. We never would have met our sweet Bronner if I hadn't miscarried a year ago Dec 19th 2007. I will never look at a family the same way again that is coming into deliver a baby that has passed away or that is not compatible with life. I will always look forward to meeting my little angel when I meet my Savior, whether a boy or girl although I feel strongly it was a boy! So today I reflect on where we have come. A year ago so happy to be expecting only a few weeks later to be grieving the loss and now to be proud parents to a perfect little boy. What a joy! I learned a lot about myself by reading her blog and hope you will to if you have time. The most important thing I hope I remind myself as I get ready to go back to work in a few months is to remember the mom and family and not treat them as just another person. Sometimes we forget in the day to day repetition. So my L/D friends ... I encourage you to read her blog and take a step back and examine how we treat our patients ... especially the ones losing a child. Love yall!!

Thanksgiving, Professional Pics, and Family Time

Cousin Carter and Bronner

Bath Time with Dad

This past week was busy and exciting! We had our first official road trip. We went to my grandparents and Jeremy's parents to celebrate Thanksgiving. My whole family was in town as it is our year for Thanksgiving and Carter was super excited to meet baby Bronner. Pics of him holding Bronner to come soon (whenever we get the camera unpacked!). We also spent time with Jeremy's family on Thanksgiving day and Bronner got to meet Aunt Rhonda and Uncle Thomas, Jana, and Jarod for the first time. On Friday we went and had Bronner's first set of professional pictures taken. We should have the password at the end of the week to view the proofs online! I will post it as soon as I get it. We are anxious to see how they turned out. Bronner and Jeremy had a bonding moment as we were photographing him naked and he pooped in Jerms hand! It was quite entertaining to me but Jeremy didn't think it was too funny! Hopefully the pictures will be good! On Saturday we spent the day with Jeremy's family and watched the big game (Bama and Auburn). It was a little boring after the first half but we are glad that Alabama won! Our first road trip went very well and we are excited about more. I can't believe how fast he is growing up and is 3 weeks old today. It is flying bye!

thanksgiving family pic 2 weeks old

Uncle Jason and Aunt Dyana

Another Photo Shoot with Mom

Here are some updated pics of Bronner. He is changing every day! His last ped visit went well and his jaundice is about gone. We are suntanning in the window everyday just to make sure that it stays away! He is sleeping well most of the time. Usually about 3-3.5 hours from one feeding to the next. Of course we have our good nights and bad. Jeremy has given his first bath ... which I missed pics of so we will have to take some tonight and is changing diapers! YAY! I am so proud of him! We will be travelling to Jeremy's parents and my grandparents for thanksgiving and are looking forward to some time with family. We will also be having Bronner's first professional photo shoot! I can't wait to see how the pics turn out! So now on to the pics!

Suntanning in the window and loving being naked on my tummy!

Mommy trying to get a good Christmas card pic!

Our First Week

First of all I can't believe that Bronner is going to be a week old tomorrow! Oh how time flies! He is now off his bili lights and his level yesterday was 12. That is the highest it can be and still let them come off the lights so since they didn't come to pick it up last night I cheated and let him sleep on them again just to make sure that they are coming down. They are supposed to come and get the lights tomorrow. We have to go back to the ped tomorrow to check a rebound level just to make sure that without the use of the lights in 24 hours that the levels are remaining under control! Hopefully all will go well. We had a great weekend. My family came over on Sat along with Jeremy's parent. Mom made gumbo that was oh so good and we visited for most of the day. Many of them had not gotten to meet Bronner yet since they don't live in town. Sat night was Bronner's first Alabama game to watch with Jeremy. He slept or ate through most of it but we did have a good photo shoot prior in his AL jersey. Yes it is a little to big but it is the smallest that Jerms could find. Other than that we are just resting and feeding Bronner! He seems to want to eat all the time. On Fri when they weighed him with his bili level he was 7lbs 10oz, the same as the day before. On Sat when she came he was 7lbs 14oz. Now granted he did just finish eating but still! He is a growing boy! I hope yall are doing well and the pics are finally posted on facebook. Check them out!

Baby Bronner is here!

Bronner made his appearance into the world on Monday November 10, 2008 at 1647! He is perfect at 7lbs 15 oz and 21 inches long. I was induced for my cholestatis at 38 weeks and 2 days and labor went great. I labored to 6-7cm without an epidural and then my sweet anesthesia friend put in a great epidural! Almost a little too good. I had to have the rate turned down before starting to push because I was so numb. So I started labor at 0715 when my doctor broke my water and then Katie started pitocin. We labored along and finally I was starting to get uncomfortable. Then I got on the birthing ball for all of 10mins and was ready for my epidural. After that we waited for my doctor to come and recheck me but 2 hours later I was anxious to know what was happening so Katie rechecked me and we were ready to push! I was really nauseous and kept throwing up ... surprise surprise. So we waited about an hour before starting to push, also while waiting for the epidural to wear off some so I could feel. Well the nausea never went away and I threw up and pushed for about an hour. I still could not feel anything, I mean not even my toes were moving. But I had made great progress and he had a small crown so Amy and Katie asked if I was ready to ask my doctor to assess the progress. I readily agreed as I was so over throwing up. When she came into the room I was asking if she would put forceps on to get the nausea over with. She wanted to see the progress for herself and when she realized that he was crowing she gladly applied the forceps and little Bronner was born! The most amazing experience! The bath nurses were busy and I wanted to feed so we conveniently called them 30 mins after he was born! I was able to do skin to skin and breastfeed for the 1st hour of his life and then the bath nurses came to check him out. What a great plus to working where you have your baby, you get a little special treatment. The grandmothers and my grandmother came in the room to check him out then the rest of the family followed. They were all able to watch his bath and we have some great video! We were soon moved to our room to recover and family and friends visited for the next two days. Wednesday morning poor little man had his circumcision and then we were able to come home. His bilirubin level was on the high side of normal at 9.5 and we were advised to call and check with the pediatrician and see what they wanted to do since he had already been released prior to the lab work coming back. Well they said to watch the yellowing of his skin overnight and then call back if he was getting worse. Well this morning, Thursday, he was definitely yellow to his belly button. We called and he went in to see the ped this afternoon. His bili level had gone up to 17 so we decided to go on and start the bili lights instead of waiting another day. He is now sun tanning all the time unless eating. So no fun snuggling for mom and dad and mimi. Just a lot of looking. The home health RN will come by the house each day and recheck his bili levels so hopefully in the next 2-4 days he will be off the treatment. Other than this little set back we are all doing wonderfully. A special thanks to Katie for taking care of me on her day off and Amy for coming in early to photograph the experience. Pictures to come soon but my little man needs to eat!

Our Last Weekend!!

Well we are approaching our last weekend without little Bronner! We couldn't be more excited! Jeremy and I can't wait to meet him! This week has been great. I worked Mon and Tues night and then Mom can on Tues night. Thurs was packed full of doctors appt, last min errands, pedicures, Christmas village with friends from work and then a wonderful baby shower from my friends at work! We got lots of cute things and tons of monogrammed thing which I LOVE! My doctors appt went well, no new news to share except I am now 4cm! Yay for more progress. If he doesn't make his debut this weekend he will be here by Mon (hopefully around lunch time!). I am supposed to work tonight and then this weekend we are going to be getting last min things together. I have yet to pack a bag for me, him or jerms so I need to get on that and finishing up some of his laundry! Next update will be pics of our new baby boy! I can't wait to meet him!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween 2008! We are praying to make it past today and then we will be full term and 37 weeks! YAY! I mean who really wants to have a Halloween bday anyways. That would get old after awhile I think. Well it has been a great week around here. My labs came back yesterday after having to be redrawn on Monday due to some lazy courier that let them defrost but good news is they are NORMAL! What an answer to prayer and good medicine! So we will officially be meeting Bronner McKee Junkin on Monday November 10th! I had my appt on Wednesday and everything was great. My 2 monitoring sessions at work went well this week too! My cervix has changed again thanks to contracting all the time and now I am 3cm/80% effaced. What a great way to start an induction. We are praying for a short and sweet labor. Maybe even before the scheduled day would be nice!

We are going out tonight with Dyana and Jason to supper. The last time as just the 4 of us. It is starting to get a little weird thinking about that. I mean in 9 days we are going to meet our little man! So we will be celebrating Halloween out and about the mall and picking up the last few things before Bronner comes. Next week is my work baby shower and Christmas village which I really want to be able to go to. So hopefully he will hold out until then. My next appt is Thurs morning and then off the Christmas village with the girls from work and then my shower. I can't wait! I work Mon, Tues, and Fri next week ... only 3 days left and then off for 12 weeks! I can't wait. This is the perfect time to have a baby. Be home and recovered for Thanksgiving and then be off all the holidays! It's crazy that I really didn't think about it or plan it this way but I am really thankful it worked out. We will be thinking about that in the future! Well I guess that is all for now! Thanks for checking on us!