Hips, Baptism, Work, and 7 Weeks...

We talked with a specialist about her hip displasia in the Right leg.. he was not concerned about it just yet. We are set to go back to the Castle for another round of ultrasounds/x-rays in August, and from there they will determine what our course of action will be.

This past Sunday, March 9, Melanie was baptised at the Archer Reformed Church. She was SO pretty! When Paige was buried, we had her dress made from my wedding dress. We also had a memorial bear made out of the material from my dress. We decided to do this again for Melanies baptism gown... and it was PERFECT (although my wedding dress is now a pile of scrap pieces ;-). The dress fit her perfectly, and she looked like an angel in it! I loved it! Her baptsim went really well. We had so many friends and family show up to support us and to celebrate with us. She didn't make a PEEP through the entire service either... she didn't even wiggle when Pastor Jeremy put the water on her head! We had a luncheon following the service and Mel was passed around like a bag of potatoes... but she behaved so well!

Monday, March 10, I returned back to work full time. Today... I am exhausted. I am working 8-5 during the week days, and I go in for just the calf feedings (5 am and 3 pm) on the weekends. I get a break every 3-4 hours so that I can run to the house and pump because I'm breast feeding. My mom, mother in law, sisters, and sister in law are taking rotations on watching Mel for me, so I don't have a paid babysitter for the time being. I am perfectly ok with this though because I know she is in good hands with family!! It's nice to have her around too, sometimes they watch her at the house, because then I can run to the house when she is hungry and nurse her while I take my break. I've noticed a large change in her personality this past week-- she is definately becoming a mama's girl! When I get home from work we just like to hit the bed and cuddle. We both miss the days where we just laid around and did NOTHING but watched movies together. I still get every 4 days off (3 days work, 1 day off) so that is nice to have that one day a week where I can just catch up on mommy/Mel cuddles. Sometimes Brad joins us for some cuddles, but he usually heads downstairs to the 'man cave' and watches his 'stupid' shows ;-). Brad has been watching her this weekend while I have been at work... he's starting to get a hold of the 'mr mom' thing.

This past Thursday, March 13, Mel turned 7 weeks old.... 7 weeks! Where has time gone!?!? My little 7 lb baby is no longer little! She is growing like a weed! She is officially too big for her newborn sleepers, so we graduated her to the 0-3 month size... :-( When people told me babies didn't stay little for forever, I knew that was true, but I didn't know that she would grow up so fast!! :-( She now can hold her head up all by herself for extended periods of time, and she can hold herself up on her feet too! You have to balance her of course... but she is SO strong and smart for being such a little bundle! She also LOVES to smile at things! I love her smiles! They are adorable!

I hope to keep everyone updated on some of our current events more often. I know I have really failed at keeping the blog updated for the last few months. I have a feeling that motherhood and a full time job will keep me pretty busy now too though. Bare with me! I'm trying!

5 Weeks and ultrasounds...

This past week we hit the 5 week mark. Where the heck is time going?!?! This little 7 pound munchkin is getting soooo big and so strong! 

It's so crazy to think about how tiny and dependent this little being was just a few weeks ago, now she's holding her head up on her own, and she even stands her self up on your lap (you have to balance her of course). She's such a little munchkin. She has been starting to smile more and more, which is always a good thing! I like my happy baby! She's just too adorable when she's smiling and cooing away and kicking those legs! 

Last Sunday was her 1 month birthday! We celebrated by taking Sunday naps together :) we love naps. She is still up 2-3 times a night to eat, but has been figuring out days and nights pretty well. She stays awake a lot more during the days now. She eats like a pig during the day too. She is growing,

 that is for sure! She is almost too big for her newborn clothes. She is getting too long for them! When she stretches out they get pulled tight! 

This past week we graduated from the tiny little "bucket bath" in the kitchen to the big kid tub. We are using a friends little "whale tub" that you put inside a regular tub and fill it with warm water like normal. Melanie, to my suprise, LOVES bath time. I can't believe how good she does in the tub! The only problem.... Is that when you pull her out of the tub and start drying her off.... She SCREAMS!!! Once you get her dressed again, she is fine. Haha. 

This past Wednesday we had to make a trip up to the Sanford Castle (children's hospital) for her 1 month hip ultrasound. They ordered this the day she was born because of how she was positioned inside of me and because of my history with hip dysplasia. They did an ultrasound on both of her hips, which took a matter of 10 minutes (total wasted trip to Sioux Falls). Yesterday the doctor called me with the results to the ultrasound. The Left leg showed no signs of any issues, but the Right hip does have a mild subluxation... Which means she has a little bit if hip dysplasia. This means that the femur head and the hip socket aren't lined up how they should be. The hip joint is able to move around. Next week there is a specialist that will be calling me to discuss what we do from here. She could possibly grow out of this on her own, she could need a brace just like I had, or she could need surgery (which is usually only in severe cases). I'm really hoping she grows out of it and won't have to have a brace, but we will see what the specialist thinks. So far it doesn't hurt her because she's not sitting up or using the hip at all. I have noticed however that when you hold her standing up, she will favor the right leg. It might be me thinking things up, but that's what I have seen... The wierd thing is that my right hip was the one that I had issues with as a newborn too. I'm just hoping and praying that everything will turn out right! 

Next week we will be celebrating Mel's baptism! I also have my 6 week check up on Wednesday so I'm hoping to get the "all clear" from the doctor to go back to work. I'm hoping to be back at work on the 10th... I miss work, but I'm not sure how ready I am to leave my baby girl :(  My incision is still tender, but it healed up very well and I only really notice it when I wear jeans or twist wrong. Mel also will hit the 6 week mark this coming week. 

To finish up-- here's a few of my favorite candids for now! 

Well. I will update again soon. I promise! 

Ros

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4 Weeks... Almost

It's been quite the ride, these past 4 weeks. On Thursday, Melanie will be 4 weeks old. I can't believe how fast time is flying by. I find myself laying in bed just starting at her throughout the day as I lay next to her while she naps. I look back on oictures from the day she was born and can't believe how much she has changed already. I can't wait for her to grow up and become the woman she will be some day, but at the same time I just want to push pause and continue on with the life of cuddles and kisses.... Don't forget the dirty diapers. 

I can't believe the joy and happiness that has been brought to this home through something so little. It's like having a baby puppy all over again, but better. :) Melanie had been such a blessing to both myself and Brad already, I can't wait to see what's in store for our family in the future.

This morning I got a smile on camera for the first time. This isn't by any means her first smile... She does it all the time... But I was pretty excited to get a picture for the first time today. :) she's just too cute! I snap way too many photos of her, and I'm sure many people are getting sick of my Facebook uploads, but in obsessed with my adorable little girl! 

Melanie has a routine that Brad and I have both kind of figured out. She sleeps a majority of the night besides 2 feedings , and she is awake around 8am and 8pm for an hour or two-- otherwise she mainly sleeps all day besides during feedings, diaper changes, and baths. She is a lot more alert than she was the first couple of weeks, and she recognizes my voice and face now. :) 

Today the little shit got two baths. She peed while I was changing her diaper, so she was pee from head to buttox. I got her in the tub and sat her down in the warm water and she was loving it. I got her all cleaned up, bubbled her up, and rinsed her off. I was letting her sit there in the tub while I turned around to grab her towel that I was sitting on, and when I turned back around, she farted.... More like sharted... In the tub... The water immediately turned orange/brown. As I comprehended what was going on.... I couldn't help but chuckle... Little miss got pulled out of the little tub while I filled it back up with clean, warm water, and we did the bath all over again. After bath#2, she was not happy that it was time to get out. She LOVES bath time... And I got this adorable little temper tantrum outbid her. I'm pretty sure that I won't be calling her tantrums adorable for too much longer, but today it was too cute. Her face when she's chewing me out.... It cracks me up.

Shortly after bath time, and her tummy was full, the little stinker slipped quietly into a milk coma and is now sleeping very co gently on my lap here in bed. I can't explain the love and compassion that I feel for this tiny body, but I love it. 

Anyways, tatah for now. We will catch you again next week! 

 

One Week <3

Today marks 1 weeks since Melanie was born. I cannot believe how fast time is flying already. 

We had her 1 week check up today with a pediatrician in Orange City. The doc says that she looks great for being an early baby. There is no signs of jaundice and she is now up to 6 lbs 8 oz. When we left the hospital on Sunday she was weighing 6 lbs 6 oz, so she has gained 2 oz. we have to go back again next week just to check up on her weight. They measured her today too and she grew 1/2 and inch this last week!

I cannot believe how fast the time is flying with this little turkey. Today was the first day that we actually got any fuss out of her. She cried for about a half hour straight tonight, nothing we did was making her happy, and finally she just sacked out and has been sleeping perfectly fine ever sense. She has been such a super good baby from the beginning. She already sleeps through the night. Our schedule is feeding at 9pm, then she sleeps until 1 am, which is when we feed again, and then she sleeps until around 530. I am not going to complain about this routine! I enjoy my sleep at night! 

I have taken more then enough pictures for the baby book. It's hard to believe my phone has any storage room left on it... Haha. She's just TOO CUTE!! I have been pretty awful about posting way too many pictures on Facebook too... I apologize about that. I am one of those mothers than thinks she's gotta share every silly moment with everyone! 

But, baby and dad are both laying on either side of me, sacked out. My eyes are starting to get heavy also. I will be posting again soon about baby Melanie and any updates that occur! 

Operation Room and Delivery

Thursday afternoon I was prepped for surgery. I was admitted into the hospital at 2:30 and our c section was scheduled for 5.

Earlier in the morning the dr explained to us that my water must have ruptured and was slowly leaking, which was why we were doing a c section that day. When they hooked me up to the monitor around 3pm, the monitor actually was picking to slight contractions, which I couldn't feel at first. They informed the dr that I was in fact going into labor, and the dr rushed over a little bit earlier than 5 and we were actually in surgery by 445. 

Dr. Madison is the dr who preformed the surgery. It was a very humbling, easy, relaxed surgery from what I was expecting, and I was really happy that Dr. Madison would be delivering me since he had done my entire pre-natal care. Brad got to watch them delivery Mel, I laid back and "CHILLED" while they did all the word work. I have had 2 other major surgerys before, and both of them I was put under for. I neverrealized just how chilly the operating room really was. I was SO cold. Brad aat least got to wear his normal clothes, plus a plastic suit, into the operating room, so he stayed fairly comfortable. I, on the other hand, was sprawled out on a table with just a hospital gown on. My arms were tied to the table, and I couldn't move an inch, besides from my chin up.

Melanie was delivered fairly quickly, with some slight stubbornness on not wanting to come out since she was so far up in my ribs. One of the nurse actually said this was on of the highest carrying babies they have ever delivered, and they deliver a LOT of babies here. While they stitched me all back up, brad kept me informed on what was going on with Mel. Being "paralized" from the chest down was hard to deal with- all I wanted to do was stand up and go grab my baby girl... but  I was stuck, on the table, cut wide open. Brad, luckily, wasw able to stand by and watch everything that Mel did for the first few minutes of her life while I layed on the table and impatiently waited to hold her for myself.

Aftr the surger was over, they placed Mels naked, little red body on my chest and wheeled us out of the operating room into the recovery room. Here we had a few short visits from the Grandparents that were there at the time. My dad, Missy, Bill, Cathy, Catherine, and Cassie were all there and all got to meet Melanie right away. They then left to go get some supper and I recovered from surgery, and was wheeled up to our maternity room where we would stay for the weekend. As my spinal began to wear off, I started to feel some aches and pains from the surgery, but shortly after I was settled into our new room, the nurses got me on my pain med schedule and the pain slowly eased into nothing more than a slight "tenderness".

We had a lot of visitors while at the hospital, and it was nice to see how many people we have that prayed and wished us the best in our new lives together. Life is a lot different now than it was a year ago, when we came home from the hospital empty handed and burried Paige a few das later. It feels amazing to be the mama of the PERFECT baby. Brad and I were talking about how we wonder what Paige would have been like had she made it to term and was delivered like normal. I imagine Paige to have been a little bit of a spit fire baby because Mel is just SO easy. I alsmost wonder if Paige is looking over Mel telling her she needs to behave herself since mom and dad have been through so much. Who knows.

Anyways, I appologize to anyone who is friends with me on Facebook.... I have pretty much blown up your news feed the past 5 days, and I appologize if that continues. I just can't get over how gorgeous and perfect my baby girl is. I couldn't imagine her to be ANY other way. I gave my approval stamp a long time ago, when I accepted the fact that I was pregnant, again, with our rainbow baby. Well, she is the perfect rainbow baby, and I can't WAIT to experience mre of motherhood.

Our first night home (Sunday Night) went really well. She woke up 3x during the night to eat, and other than that, she slept the entire night. Last night was our 2nd night home. She got a sponge bath, filled her tummy, and went to bed around 9pm last night. She slept through the entire night besides waking up at midnight and 5:30 am to eat. I cannot believe she slept 5 1/2 hours straight in the middle of the night! My baby girl is amazing. She is doing so well, and I wouldn't trade anything about her for anything! Today is day 2 of being home. Right now Mel is sleeping nexzt to me in bed while I type this new post. I love watching her sleep and all the silly faces she pulls. I would love to know what she is dreaming about!

Anyways.

This mama is ready for a quick nap before baby is ready to eat again in a while. I'll try my best to keep up on blogging through the next few weeks to keep you updated on Mel and how she is doing.

Ta Ta For Now,

Roslyn

Melanie Rose Punt

Thursday, January 23rd at 5:04 pm, a 7lb, 19in, pink package was delivered to Brad and I.

What a blessing. 

Words absolutely cannot describe the love, joy, excitement, and hundreds of other emotions that filled the OR room the moment Melanie screamed for the first time. Everyone present knew about our past delivery of Paige, and they made Melanie's delivery that much more special for us. I cannot describe the emotion that overtook my paralyzed body the instant I saw that face for the first time. 

They always say that when you see your baby, it's love at first sight. Mine was love at first scream. I didn't get to see Mel right away as I was behind the blue tarp and she was being processes by the nursing staff-- but the moment that those lungs hailed out their first noises, my heart rate skyrocketed and my emotions overtook my tremoring body. 16 months of pregnancy, and my dream is here. Melanie Rose. My precious rainbow baby has arrived, and she has made her presence known. 

I cannot believe the amazing feeling that has overcome by body and the amazing feeling that motherhood has instilled upon my soul. There is this amazing peace that has become a very encouraging and comfortable feeling present among my life now. 

Thursday morning we went to the dr expecting to return home that evening, put a few more weeks of light duty work in, and prepare a little more each day as our due date crawled closer and closer. Brad and I joked about how we might get lucky and have a baby by the end of the day... Little did we know: that's exactly what God had planned. 

We had an ultrasound scheduled at 10:15 am. The ultrasound tec assured us that everything looked good with baby, but that the chord was in fact still around the neck and we probably would not be going through with the inversion that afternoon. Dr. McNamara wanted to visit with us and catch a few pictures himself before the official decision was made. He came in to the ultrasound room a while later and pointed out that the chord was around the neck and that my fluid was really low. The next words out of his mouth shook me to the core with excitement, fear, and stress.... The doc stated... "Today looks like a good day to have a baby!".... Gulp! Brad started grinning from ear to ear while I sat in awe, looking at the images on the screen of our little one and how, in a matter of hours, I would be holding her in my arms. 

We preceded to see dr. Madison shortly after that, and scheduled our c section for 5pm. 

The 2.5 hours between the end of our visit with Dr. Madison and when I was admitted into the hospital at 2:30 for preparation of the surgery took forever. I was absolutely famished from not eating that morning, and all I wanted was to eat. Even if I was allowed to, I probably wouldn't have eaten as I was that nervous about this c section. 

They prepped me for surgery, and we got in contact with a few family members so they could start spreading the word for us. Brad and I were so excited to know that our lives were about to change... A tiny little package, that would mean so much, was about to be delivered to us, and we were ecstatic! 

Well- it's late; mama is exhausted and Mel and daddy are both sleeping. I'll finish with the rest of our story tomorrow, after this mama gets some much needed sleep. 

Good night world, 

Love,

Brad, Roz, and baby Melanie 

36 Weeks and The "unknown"...

Today marks 36 weeks, 1 day. This leaves us 27 days until our due date.... FREAKY!!!

February 11 seems so far away, yet I can't believe that we have less than (+/- a few days) 4 weeks left! We are officially to the stage where we will be seeing Dr. Madison and Dr. Boyle (the specialist that we originally saw at the beginning of the pregnancy) every week.

We are still measuring according to where we should be at 36 weeks. The Dr. used the little pocket-ultrasound and confirmed that the baby is STILL breech, and the chord is STILL around the neck. NOT what I was wanting to hear today.... I was hoping to start some acupuncture next week with the Chiro to get baby girl to flip, but with the chord around the neck, it is suggested NOT to "force" her to flip, but to let nature take it's course.

This past week has been a total DRAG. I am SO exhausted, my feet are the size of footballs by 3pm, my hands, face, feet all swell like a sponge in warm water.... I can't get comfortable enough to sleep through the night, I PEE CONSTANTLY it seems like.... I am READY for this BABY to GET HERE! hahaha. I think just about every mama says that towards the end of their pregnancy. I know after delivery, I'll miss the pregnancy thing, but for right now, I'm pretty ready to meet this bundle of pink....

So: Whats the future looking like with delivery?..... can anyone answer that knowing the real truth?? Don't think so......

Next week Wednesday, at 37 weeks, we are scheduled for:
          1) Ultrasound to determine
                a) location of umbilical chord (around neck or un-wrapped and normal)
                b) if baby is still breech, or if she magically turned on her own
           2) Regular Dr. Visit to:
                a) discuss the ultrasound findings.....
                       i. if breech AND chord wrapped around neck: no inversion, scheduled c-section
                       ii. if breech and NO chord wrapped around neck: schedule inversion for 38 weeks with normal delivery an option as long as baby is stable during labor
                      iii. if NOT breech, but chord still around neck: scheduled c-section
                      iv. if NOT breech, and chord normal and NOT around neck: normal delivery an option as long as baby is stable during labor
              b) Discuss Scheduled C-Section: Would be scheduled sometime during the week of my due date
              c) Discuss Emergency C-Section: in case of labor onset before scheduled c-section IF normal
delivery is not an option
              d) Discuss Scheduling Inversion: what it consists of, what I need to do to prep, etc.
       3) Tour of the "Birth Place" which is where Brad and I will be staying during me and baby's hospital stay. The tour is so that we know where to go when we arrive at the hospital during labor/ when c-section is scheduled, to let us know where we will be staying, where baby girl will be held when at the "nursery", and other stuff like the cafeteria, etc.

The whole C-Section thing was a pretty big shock to me as I have been pretty skeptical to the idea since the beginning. C-Section is one of my biggest issues with delivery, and now that I'm looking at the big picture, I realize that this may be my only option. I'm pretty freaked out about the whole idea, but, am willing to do what is necessary to ensure baby girl is delivered safely. She is what matters right now, I was just hoping to have that normal delivery experience. Brad thinks C-section is the best route to go, but I am still scared to take on the physical limitations and pain of a surgery like this. I'm just worried about the "after effects" of a C-section more than a normal delivery. ... Maybe some moms out there who have experienced C-sections have words of advice for me to prevent this nervousness from overtaking me... but for now, I am still hoping that baby girl makes the decision to un-ravel herself from her chord, and to flip on her own so that normal delivery is still an option. I'll just keep hoping, and trusting this little one knows what she is doing... We will see next week Wednesday I guess...

Welp. It's bedtime here in the Punt household. Both dogs are already sacked at my feet, and I'm about 2 seconds away from passing out also. So, I'll post again next Wednesday after our 38 week appointment on our updated news about baby!
                 

1 Month.....!!! 31 days....

Alright ladies....

Baby Girl is just around the corner! The hospital bags are packed, the car seat is ready to go, newborn and 0-3 month clothes are all washed, hung up, and put away in the dresser.... The camera is charged and packed, birth plan filled out, I feel"prepared".... For now. 

So what's the point of this post...?? 

I'm curious.... And possibly looking for a few laughs. A lot of women feel like they don't want to overload a mom-to-be with advice and information.... Well, I'm asking for it. Below are a few subject ideas that I'm curious on, and am looking for "advice". So if you have any.... Feel free to leave a comment here, or on my shared Facebook post!! 

1) What's the best advice you can give me about taking home a newborn baby with dogs in the house. ... Or just general advice on taking home a newborn.... Lol 

2) what were your "signs and symptoms" of labor and how did you figure out it was "time" for the hospital? I'm kinda worried about the 1 hour drive to Sioux Falls!! Lol. 

3) Where and How did your water break? Lol. This is my biggest fear right now.... I don't wanna be stranded in the grocery store with a trail following me everywhere or something.... "Only at Wal-Mart" comes into mind.... 

4) Did anyone have "a Hunch" their little one was just around the corner? Like, had a gut feeling baby was closer than everyone else thought? 

Anyways. There are a few subjects that I feel "lost" on. So if there's any help out there... Share your secrets!! 

I return to the Dr on Wednesday, so we will see what he has to say about baby girl. I'm hoping baby girl waits another 10 days at least to arrive since daddy is currently on his way out to Denver for the 2014 National Stock Show... But.... WE WILL SEE!! :) 

35 Weeks

We had another check up last week with the doctor in Sioux Falls. Everything is well, for now. 

Baby girl is still in the breech position, which is keeping mom on her toes. I'm getting really annoyed with having a forehead in my bottom rib. Doctor Madison will check up on her position again next week Wednesday when I go in for our 36 week check up. If she is still in the breech position at 37 weeks, he will schedule me for an inversion on week 38. He said this is a painful and stressful procedure for me and the baby, and he really hopes that she decides to flip by herself before then. Well, she officially has 3 weeks to learn how to do a flip. If she doesn't, bad news for both of us. I would prefer to NOT have to endure an inversion!! 

I will not be able to deliver naturally if she doesn't stay in the correct position after she flips, wether that's via inversion or she decides to flip herself. If she returns to the breech position prior to labor, we will be undergoing a c-section. No thank you, baby girl!!! Let's quit acting like your father and get your stubborn butt in position!! Hehehe. 

I have been dealing with a huge lack of sleep lately, along with a lot of hip and back pain. I have been seeing the chiropractor religiously, every 2 weeks to keep my back aligned. Needless to say, it's not helping my hips. My job is very physical and I am on my feet all day, and I bed and twist a lot. I spend many nights in bed, aching. Warm showers help, but they don't erase the misery of laying in bed, throbbing. I have, however decreased from 12 hour days (all through the summer), and have weaned myself to a maximum of 6 hour days. I am getting better at realizing where my "done" point is am during the day, and relieve myself from work. 

It's really hard to believe that within the next 5ish weeks, our little girl will be here. It's hard to believe that we will be parents!!! I feel so unprepared, but excited and ready for the challenge at the same time. I know brad is pretty excited. He talks about it a lot. He is ready to be a daddy, and it's really cute to watch him talk about what he things the future holds. This past week I have been working on packing "hospital bags" for us all. It's really sinking in that, she's that close!! 

Anyways- I will update again next week about our doctor appointment that we have on Wednesday. I'm hoping baby flips by then, but who knows. If she's half as stubborn as her father, she will wait until last minute to do what mom asks!!