Being a Mom!

Well being a mom is great but it is time consuming. It seems like as soon as I have fed and changed Ruby, I have a second to breath and then I get to do it all again. I love being a mom but I am definitely adjusting to our new schedule and way of life.
Well to keep everyone updated, we came home from the hospital last Saturday. We were glad that we were all able to come home together because Ruby had to spend her first night in the NICU. Her oxygen levels kept dropping and she couldn't keep them up by herself, so they took her down to NICU to keep an eye on her. Well as soon as they took her down there, she was able to breath on her own (of course). They kept her in NICU until the morning to make sure that she would be okay. When our pediatrician came to check on her Friday he explained to us that normally they would not consider this a reason to bring a baby to NICU but it was IHC's policy. Most babies take about 4 hours to breath on their own but it took Ruby about 7 hours, so that is why they took her down.

Ready to go home!!!

The day that we were released from the hospital, they checked her jaundice level and she was at a 12. I guess that when they get into the mid twenties they really start to worry because it means that their liver is not working properly (I think). So on Sunday our pediatrician had us bring her back to the hospital to have her tested again to make sure that it didn't jump to much. Well it had jumped up to 19, so he wanted her on the lights. Let's just say that she hated to lay on the bed because she had to just lay there with her diaper on and she likes to be bundled up tight. So on Sunday night, Aubree stayed over to help. It was a very long night of crying and no sleep. On Monday we went back to the doctor and she had only dropped to 14 so we got to have another night with the lights. On Tuesday I took her back to the doctor and this time she had dropped to 12.5, so he gave us clearance to not use the lights for a few days. Then on Thursday I took her back for one last check and the doctor told us that she looked great so we were officially done with the whole jaundice thing. Thank Goodness!

The light bed to help with her jaundice.

It was really fun to see how Abe responded to Ruby. He has gotten used to having the house to himself. He was really curious and he loves to smell her. He came up and got right next to her while she was in her bouncer. Ruby doesn't mind him but he is now acting jealous and picked on. I guess it might take a little bit for him to realize that now someone has taken his place as #1.

Ruby's 1st encounter with Abe! Nose to Nose!!!

It has also been fun to see the way that Will has taken to being a dad. He is so cute with her and he loves to hold and cuddle her. Her favorite place to sleep is on his chest while he lying down. This morning he woke up to feed her at six and brought her out to the living room. Well I fell back asleep until 10:30 and he just hung out with her and let me catch up on my sleep. He is a great dad and I am lucky to have him!

She HATES the bath!
Sweet Girl!

She's here!

I am just going to do a quick post to let you all know that Ruby is here! She came yesterday at 2:43 pm. She weighed 6 lbs 14 oz and she was 18 1/2 inches long. She had to be in nicu last night because she couldn't keep her oxygen level up. The pediatrician came and checked her this morning and said that she looked great. She was able to come and stay with us in our room after she was released. She is so adorable!!! We are all coming home tomorrow and we are excited she's here!

She's coming tomorrow!

I went to my doctor's again today and I have great news! I am being induced tomorrow!!! I am 39 weeks today so I went in for my weekly check up. On Thursday, of last week, I started to have a really itchy stomach so I thought that it was just dry. I put on lotion every few hours to help it. Wrong thing to do! It just irritated something and I broke out with a huge rash all over my stomach. So on Friday I called the nurse and she told me to take some Benadryl and call if it got worst. They thought it was just a heat rash. So, since then I have been rubbing a Benadryl cream on my stomach about 4 times a day and trying not to itch it. Then yesterday, I started to notice that the bumps were spreading to my legs and closer to my back. I tried not to panic and I made sure that I mentioned it to my doctor today.
So when I went in today I mentioned the rash and how it was spreading and not getting better. He took a look and informed me that it wasn't a heat rash like they thought, it was something called PUPPS. PUPPS is something that some pregnant women develop during the 3rd trimester of their pregnancy. It is not harmful to the baby but it itches like crazy. It looks like hives but they never go away! The only thing to get rid of it, is to deliver your baby. Dr. Merrill said that he could give me stuff to help the itch, but it would not go away and it will get worse as it gets warmer. His suggestion was to induce me tomorrow because this can be considered a medical reason to be induced and it won't go away. Well, there was no argument from me!!! So he called the hospital to schedule it and I am 4th on the list. He said that I should be fine to be induced because I am dilated to a 3 and 85 % effaced, so my body should handle it okay. I am glad that I am effacing because he said that he wouldn't have induced me if my cervix wasn't softening.
So to sum it up, I am being induced tomorrow and I am so happy! I will be glad to finally have Ruby here! I will post pictures soon and let you all know how we are doing.

Still the same!

I went to the Dr.'s today and I am pretty much still the same. I am 80% effaced and dilated to a 2 maybe a 3. He said that I could go any day or I could be pregnant for a few more weeks. The good news is that he said that he can induce me right at 41 weeks, if we need to. So that is only 3 weeks from tomorrow, on June 24th (let's hope I come before then). There really is an end in sight!!! By all of my symptoms he doesn't think I'll make it to my due date, but who really knows. I'll keep everyone updated.
School is now out and it is wonderful! It was over on Friday. I am teaching summer school this week, just so I don't go crazy! It is really easy cause the students only come from 9-11:30 and there is only about 15 that come. It's easy money and it's helping to keep me sane!!!