Our sweet angel

Three weeks!

Well, everything has been going really well thus far.  Scarlet is such a fantastic baby.  She literally sleeps 70% of the day and feeds/poops/pees/looks adorable the other 30%.  I love her so much, even when she's screaming her head off.  

Things that I've learned in the last three weeks are that:

1.  Most newborns regardless of how they're fed (formula or breast) have 'fussy evenings'.  It's where the baby is obviously a touch (or a lot depending on baby) more high drama than usual.  Scarlet moves around and kicks her legs with the occasional squeal here and there from 9:00pm to 11:30.  Then I feed her and she's lights out.  The last two nights she's slept for 5 hours straight!  That's huge.

2. My 'let-down' in more like spray-across-the-room-for-three-minutes-and-try-not-to-drown-the-baby.  It's ridiculous.  I've learned I have to express a bit before Scarly latches on or she'll just choke and cry.  Not good.

3.  Babies poo is mustard yellow for a while, like FLORESCENT yellow.  If it goes green, it may mean that you're taking in too much dairy.  (I'll have a tall latte rather than a grande please made with lactaid - decaf...hmmmm, now I want one.)

4.  Babies nails are like RAZORBLADES!  Nate gives Scarlet a pedicure almost daily (it's so cute).  He files her nails right down to the skin, but if she wants to, she'll still scratch her face up.

5.  I have to have to have to get out of the house every single day.  Either S and I will go for a stroll or I'll take off for 45 minutes on my own for a drive or a walk around the mall.  It's for my own sanity or else I just feel caged up like an animal.  

6.  Sometimes I talk to Scarlet with an english accent.  It's cause I'm having fun and just goofing around and really want to make her smile.  Sometimes she does, but that's probably just from her gas. 

7.  Baby acne is actually kinda cute

8.   You have to keep your humour about you in these first weeks and try to give your partner lots of attention too.  Nate and I do back rubs, foot massages, spooning (TMI) and we often tell one another how well the other one is doing, even if we know they may have made a funny choice or a mistake. 

9.  People will hold your baby for hours - which is really REALLY nice if you need a break.  But, if you want to steal him/her away to feed them just say "Oops, I think I heard the baby pooping in your arms!  Let me take her off your hands".  They'll hand that little one over so fast...

10.  Parents are the best babysitters.  My Mom and Dad sat for us in week two while Nate and I did a visit at the Rockyview hospital.  It was nerve-racking, but we got home and Scarlet was passed out in my Mom's arms while my Dad cuddled the two of them.  Just precious.

April 25th

Pumped up Kicks

These gorgeous little booties were one of the gifts from my Mom Laurie when Scarlet was born.  They are in absolute pristine condition despite the fact that both she and I wore them as newborns!  Check out the beautiful vintage box too!  Hopefully one day, Scarlet has a little girl that she will be able to pass them onto.  

I love the little blue flowers right on the toes!

Weil have to be extra careful with these booties XOX

April 24th

Nobody really mentioned this part

I'm a junkie.

Even though I had a drug-free labour, I'm now on about a million different drugs, pills, creams, balms that I either swallow, apply, rub on or insert on a daily, make that hourly basis.  If you look closely, there's an orange bottle behind the iron pill box that I had to take 4 of daily without any other pill.  That was hard. Yah - nobody really mentioned this part.

ALSO - while I'm venting a little here...

Stuff that DIDN'T happen to me during my pregnancy that many said would:

1. OK, my hair didn't grow ridiculous lengths or get incredibly thick. It stayed exactly the same.  Boo.

2. I didn't ever have strangers smiling and touching my belly, in fact most people looked the other way or ignored me when they saw me walking towards them.  "Hi - I'm 9 months pregnant, could I trouble you to hold the door open while I take my groceries outside?  Thanks".

3.  I didn't ever have Braxton Kicks.  Yay.

4.  My belly button never popped out.  Boo.

5. I didn't get any stretch marks, but I got really itchy red bumps that came for a week and left for a week and then would come back and leave again.  All in the exact same spot.  

6.  I only started to crave alcoholic bevies during Christmas when everyone around me obviously enjoyed cocktails, egg nog and various blends of wine.  That sucked.

Stuff that DID happen to me during the pregnancy that nobody really mentioned

1.  I got offered Perrier more times than I can ever count.  I now hate Perrier.  Bubbly water?  Really?  sigh.  BUT, because of this, I will always and forever offer special non-alcoholic beverages to my pregnant girlfriends.  Garnish included.  GARNISH INCLUDED PEOPLE!

2. I had wicked, wicked, EVIL adrenaline shakes throughout my entire labour - all up in my legs.  Totally uncontrollable and worrisome for me.  It was like my legs were having seizures in between contractions and the nurses said; "Yup - totally normal and common".  Hmmm - nobody mentioned that.

3.  I craved orange juice, spicy anything and chocolate like a mother fu*#er. 

4. Sleep was non-existent in the third trimester.  Wide eyed, uncomfortable, anxious - yay, no fun.  Btw, doesn't help when people say "Get your sleep now before the baby comes cause you won't be getting any then"  BTW, I'm getting more sleep now than I was in the last trimester.  

5. I ate a lot of tuna and turkey deli meat and my baby is perfect.  

6. I secretly hated it when people said things like; "LOOK AT YOU!" and "You look like you've expanded", "You're glowing!"  All you ever need to say to a pregnant woman is: "You look amazing".  Period.

This is just the start - I'll be adding more as I think of them.

Scarlet's first bath - and she HATED it.

As amazing as the RockyView nurses were they couldn't get Scarlet to stop crying during her very first bath.  It wasn't just a little whimper or even a squeal - this cry was a full on banshee-ear-piercing-wail of a scream that lasted all 10 minutes of the bath.  I'm happy to report that all the tubbies that Nate and I have given her at home have been much more successful.  But I just had to post this hilarious pic. Her facial expression screams it all - HAHA!  SO TRAUMATIC!

Au Naturel

This post has a relatively full account of Scarlet's natural birth.  It was an amazing experience that was MUCH easier than I thought it would be, so read on if you wanna know ;)  

What a ride...

It all started out with a little cramp.  For three Monday's in a row, I had experienced crampy feelings all day.  This was the third Monday in a row, so I wasn't getting too excited.

In the afternoon, I lost my 'plug' but read on the internet that you may not necessarily go into labour for days.  It was so disgusting that I had to take a picture of it to show Nate.  Oh - the pleasures of marriage.  Let the romance begin!  

At around 5:30pm, Nate and I ate a hearty beef stew that Nate made in our crock pot and while we were eating the cramping increased.  I had two bowls of stew because it was so good and comforting and now we call it 'Labour Stew' cause I officially went into labour a few hours later.

I wanted to labour as long as possible at home so we rented "The Hobbit" from Shaw TV and started to watch it.  I began to cringe as the movie progressed but didn't really believe I was in early labour.  But, by the end of the movie, I sure did - contractions were getting more and more intense.  Nate wanted to go to the hospital but I was scared that once we got there I would be sent home for only being like 2 or 3 cm dilated.  NOT the case in the end.

We arrived at 12:30AM Monday morning (after a wicked bumpy car ride) and checked into triage.  Both the secretary and the triage nurse asked me: "What pregnancy is this for you?"  Full disclosure: This is technically my second pregnancy as we were devastated last year with a miscarriage, but it was just easier to say it was my first.  The nurses remained casual and really slow about getting me into a delivery room, apparently a lot of first time moms come in very early.  Then, the triage nurse checked how far I had dilated, and I was a full 6 cm!!!  Immediately, the triage nurse went out into the hallway and Nate and I heard her say: "Need to get her a room, she's 6 cm!"  This is when my adrenaline kicked in. 

Off we went!  Contractions were serious but manageable - what was worse were the adrenaline shakes that NOBODY had told me about or was in anything I had read.  Even in all of the prenatal classes that we attended.  My legs were shaking uncontrollably, and I was beyond hot.  The nurse in the room was so sweet and encouraging.  Nate was so supportive and just completely there for me.  He was such a fantastic spokesperson about what we wanted (natural, minimal interventions, etc).  He was the 'breathe boy' and said 'nice job baby, good work, you're doing incredible, YOU GOT THIS' about a thousand times.  So needed!

Literally, a few minutes later I heard them 'page' the doctor to get there asap as I was now 8 cm.  Dr Wiens arrived and she was so cool and laid back.  My body was dying to push and I told them so.  They said; "Wonderful!  You're moving so quickly Kate!  Go ahead and push!!!"  That's when my water broke naturally and the doc said "Oh boy, we're going to have a baby soon, I better get into my scrubs!"  

Pushing was harder to figure out than I had expected it would be because they pull your legs backwards and I felt like I needed to push them forwards.  But after 37 minutes, baby Scarlet Laurie Weiland was born weighing in a 6pds 11oz.  Her length was 191/2 inches and she came out screaming!!!  It was so rewarding  and thrilling and Nate and I just started bawling when the nurses put her on my stomach.  The cord clamping was delayed (to allow for the cord blood to pump the really good stuff into Scarlet) and Nate was the one to separate Scarlet and I.  Keeping it all in the family!

The experience was WAY better than I had imagined.  If I could say one thing to girls who are about to go into labour, it would be that you don't need to listen to anyone's horror story.  I heard so many 'Let me tell you about my experience' and there are so many that sound so traumatizing - talking about the worst pain ever.  I thought I wouldn't be able to do it without drugs.  SOOOO not the case.  My mom told me: "Kate, it's really not that bad", after she gave birth naturally to four children - one BREECH!  I didn't believe her until being in the same position.  It really isn't as bad as many movies make it out to be.  It was intense and very hard at times, but our bodies are made to birth babies.  It's a matter of believing it.  Your body knows what to do!!!

Our little Angel

Introducing Scarlet Laurie Weiland

Birthday: April 8th 2013

Weight at birth: 6pds 11oz

Length: 19 1/2 inches

General demeanor: Sweet, quiet, laid back

1 DAY TILL DUE DATE! April 5th 2013

I've been chugging this stuff like nobody's business.  Supposedly, Red Raspberry leaf tea helps with labour contractions and to help bring it on before a woman goes over her due date.  According to Wikipedia: 

Traditional lore suggests that pregnant women use raspberry leaf tea, especially as an aid in delivery.^[1][2] However, scientific research has found no evidence to support this claim.^[3][4] While there is no evidence that raspberry leaf tea can help bring on labor, its nutrients have been found to strengthen the uterine muscles which could make contractions more efficient.^[5] Every Woman's Herbal claims that raspberry leaf tea will enrich the mother's milk, especially during periods when the baby is going through a growth spurt.

Anywho, worth a shot in my opinion.

Two days left!

Oh yah, I have a blog.

Since I'm probably going to have a little bit of cabin fever over the next YEAR (whoot Mat leave), I'm going to keep this blog up and have some serious fun!

Today (April 4th) is just that much closer to delivery date!  I'm due April 6th...well wait, I WAS due March 30th but due to measuring 'small' (about 4 cm too small for fundal height measurements), I was pushed back to April 6th.  I cried about it cause I want to meet my baby so badly; however, now that we're almost here it's so thrilling!!!  Plus, I need to get over my cold before she arrives.  Yup - it's a girl!  I've been nesting like a crazy person washing things four times in a row, so it must be close.  :)  Nursery is pretty much done, name is chosen (and it's fabulous if I do say so myself) and we're just in the waiting period.  SO THRILLED!

I made these tasty tasty cupcake treats when we had our gender reveal party in November.  I cut a little scoop out of each cupcake and put pink icing into every single one.  It was time consuming but worth the reaction when everyone bit into them at the same time. 

This pic was July 25th 2012 in a dirty public washroom with my cell phone by my Mom in Napa Valley California on the day we arrived in wine country!!!  This came after an emotionally painful miscarriage and many many many MANY months of 'no luck'.  Finally, after giving up coffee and all caffeinated products, after giving up alcohol, intense exercise, perfume, hairspray, after paying a very wise and beautiful chinese women good money to stick needles in my head, arms, legs, abs and ovaries on a weekly basis, and after way too many doctor's appointments to count, Nate and I finally, FINALLY were able to share the thrilling news that we are expecting.

This pic was taken at 39 weeks...oh the difference, but I LOVE MY BABY BUMP!!!

And this pic is what I would kill to look like after giving birth.  HAHA!!!  That's the goal anyhow.

IT'S BEEN SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO LONG!!!

I can't believe I'm getting back into this after...what...two years?  Three?  I'm looking forward to some future fun postings!

WORD!