The Same Ol' Question

It never fails.. that dreaded question comes up, "When are you going to have another one?" Glenn and I tend to laugh the question off, but sometimes it makes me want to scream. Cooper is JUST 13 weeks old. 13 weeks that have been the quickest yet slowest weeks of my life. It took us 3 years and many attempts to finally get our little miracle baby. I had three years of wishing and waiting for dirty diapers, smiles and coos, little clothes, and having someone so little depend on ME to keep them alive! Three years of silently crying inside as I watched all my friends with their babies, wondering when it would be my turn.

I spent 9 months excitedly awaiting the arrival of Miss Cooper. We planned her nursery, bought lots of clothes, enjoyed baby showers, worried about being good parents, etc. Over 12 hours of labor later (and a week and a half early), our lives changed. So much planning, yet you are still never prepared for your new job as a parent.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it took us so long to get to this point. We just want to enjoy every minute of it. We want to concentrate on the present and not necessarily the future just yet. Like I said, these past 13 weeks have gone by so quickly, and Cooper is changing so much each day. Why can't we just focus our attention on her for this moment in our lives? In the blink of an eye, she'll be older and I won't be able to cuddle her or carry her around. God gave us this tiny miracle and I want to enjoy every single moment with JUST her.

Maybe one day we will be ready for another. Who knows what our future does hold, but I know at this moment, I've got a cutie napping upstairs who has my heart. She means more to me than she will ever know.

Photo by: Melissa Haas

3 Months Old

Cooper Booper, you are 3 months old!

We took several 3 months pictures and this was the best one. You weren't in a very photogenic mood that day! :)  We are starting to see so much of your personality these days. You are the happiest in the mornings and I love when I'm the one that gets to wake you up. You are still fighting those naps during the day, but we typically get one solid 2-3 hour nap in at some point (most days). If you aren't having a good napping day, we put you to bed earlier and that seems to help. Usually we start our bedtime routine anywhere between 7 and 7:30. You're sleeping about 11 hours at night which makes Mommy and Daddy happy!! Those early days we didn't think we'd ever get a solid night's sleep again. Luckily Mommy takes after HER Mommy and is a morning person so waking up at 7 or 7:30 (on the weekends) is not something I will NOT complain about!

Yesterday you surprised us all by drinking a total of 33oz in one day! Usually you take about 27 or 28. I'm thinking you just went through a growth spurt because I feel pretty certain you grew while at Mrs. Pam's one afternoon. You seemed way bigger when I saw you later that day.

You seem to enjoy playing on your mat a lot more. You are cooing so much more now and love when Mommy and Daddy sing to you. It's so weird to watch you during tummy time because I am constantly amazed by how much MORE you are able to do. You are quickly becoming a pro at holding that head up and we can't wait to try out some of the toys we have for you! We did get you a new swing because of one particular movement you like. Daddy was able to do it, but with you getting bigger, it hurts his arm.

You went on your first real restaurant visit earlier this week with Mommy, Aunt Kelly, Uncle Brian, and your cousins. Mommy was REAL worried, but you did pretty good. You only got cranky towards the end and I think that's because it was getting close to bedtime. You do love going on walks though. We go with Miss Lauren and her furry baby Winston when we can. Hopefully with the weather getting warmer, we can make that a nightly ritual. Fefe and I took you to Furman last week and we walked for about an hour and a half and then people watched. You loved watching the ducks splashing in the water.

I can't believe you are not a newborn anymore. You're in size 2 diapers and can wear some 3-6 month clothes. I can't wait to see how much you change this month. Mommy and Daddy just love you to pieces. Daddy is taking vacation soon and gets to spend a whole week with you! I'm quite jealous, but I did get 11 weeks... Plus this summer!!

2 Months Old

** This is a week late! **

Cooper, you are 2 months old! We are amazed at how much you have changed in just a couple months. At your 2 month appointment, you were measuring 23in long and 10lbs 15oz. You are still in the upper percentile for height and slowly going up in weight, although, I would have to say that in just the past few days, I'm sure you've put on a few ounces. You are eating anywhere from 4 to 6oz (lately closer to 6oz!). You've also started making this higher pitched squealing cry when we stop to burp you. It's like you are scared we aren't going to let you finish. We just think it's funny.

 

 

About a week ago, you turned into Miss Grumpy and I'm sure it's because you refuse to take naps during the day. You will catnap for about 30 minutes in your room after playtime, but then you're up. I've learned you will fall asleep in your swing downstairs if I put you in there when I start seeing those yawns so I've given up forcing you to nap in your crib. I really think you've associated the crib with nighttime and that's okay. You like being where everyone else is, even if you're asleep. You've started sleeping WAY longer spurts at night and this makes me AND Daddy extremely happy! We've pretty much eliminated that middle of the night feeding, however, I'm still not quite convinced this will last. I always wake up on edge at around 2:30-3am, knowing you are bound to wake up at some point. You did a few nights ago and ended up "talking" yourself back to sleep. Sweetest sounds to wake up to!

 

 

You love sticking your tongue out and you drool A LOT. You smile when you see either me or Daddy. When we sing, you try to sing too. You are still not a fan of tummy time. You do better holding your head up when we're holding you, but we are working on the tummy time. We can usually get a little bit in before a meltdown occurs. You are starting to really love your baths which makes getting ready for bed so much more enjoyable for all! You even gave me a few smiles the other night.

 

 

I was supposed to go back to work today, but it snowed! And I won't be going back tomorrow either which means I've got a few more days of snuggles. :)  I'm scared you will forget me during the day when I'm at work. MY mom keeps telling me that will never happen. You will still be with Daddy on his days off and then with Mama Debbie or Mrs. Pam on days he does work. We went to visit Mrs. Pam the other day and she is VERY excited to have you! I'm sure you will be spoiled rotten. Knowing you will be with people who love you very much makes going back to work a little easier... AND knowing we will have the WHOLE summer together!

 

We love you very much Miss Coop! Even when you are grumpy, I could still just pinch your little chubby cheeks! We can't wait to see how much you change in the upcoming months!

Some Things I've Learned About Motherhood So Far

1) My house will never be clean again. Clean while she's sleeping? Or while she's with Daddy? Psh, I use that time to shower, catch up on Facebook, or just sit. 

2) The washing machine has become my new best friend. There was really no need to buy a hamper because the majority of her dirty clothes have to be washed ASAP before the stains set in. 

3) Glenn and I eat in shifts. Never fails that as soon as we sit down to eat, Cooper is awake. And screaming because she wants to eat when we do. 

4) Accept help AND don't be afraid to ask for it. Need a nap? Call your mom-in-law. Need to go grocery shopping? Call your mom. Yogurt Mountain date with your hubby? Call your sister-in-law. They all will jump at the chance to babysit. 

5) I've cut my "get ready" time down to about 15 minutes. And even when I know I have more time to get ready, I still feel the need to rush. Maybe saving money by shortening my showers will even out with the increase in laundry?

6) Find what works best for me, Glenn, and Cooper. It may not necessarily be what the books say or what worked for a friend and her baby, but that's okay.

7) Make sure doctor appointments are not during feeding time. Makes for a very unhappy baby AND annoyed waiting room. 

8) Clothes that look too difficult to put on... Don't need to be in Cooper's closet. Whoever thought that elastic band at the bottom of those cute newborn gowns was a good idea never tried getting that thing on a crying/wiggling baby.

9) Record every TV show I want to watch at night... Even if I think it will be safe to watch, more than likely I'm too tired to watch OR I want to take advantage of Cooper being awake and we play. Plus it gives me something to watch the next morning while Cooper is snoring away.

10) There's nothing sweeter than seeing that first smile. It's gas you say?? Nah, not in my mind. 

11) Sometimes you just gotta laugh. Up to your elbows in poop? Spit up on your shirt? On the 4th outfit of the day because she peed as soon as the diaper came off? Just laugh. And remember it all so that you can embarrass her when she gets older. ;) 

Having a baby has been a blessing yet one of the biggest challenges I have started. Not a day goes by that I thank God for Cooper yet ask for His continual guidance so that we can be good parents to her. Each day gets a little easier. Thankfully Cooper seems pretty patient and doesn't mind that her parents are learning as they go. 

1 month

Cooper, you are officially 1 month old today! It's hard to believe a month has already passed us by. You have grown and changed so much since you entered this world! We took you to the doctor this past week and the doctor says you are doing great! You  weight 8lbs 11.5oz (you have turned into a little chunk-a-munk). You are in the 81th percentile for length, but only 36th percentile for weight. You are going to be tall like your daddy! Your head is in the 92nd percentile!! I keep telling daddy it's because you are so smart. Unfortunately, this means mommy has had to put away a lot of the headbands she bought because they are too small for you! You are out of newborn diapers and clothes... Sometimes the 3 month clothes seem a little big, but you are slowly starting to fill them out. Good thing because we sure have a lot of clothes for you to wear.

We haven't been to too many places. The doctor, both grandparents' houses, your aunt and uncle's house. We did make a quick trip to Target. Too many people are sick and mommy is terrified of germs. It's also been very cold so we've been staying close to home. Mommy is going a little stir crazy, but it's definitely better than you getting sick!

Right now we put you to bed around 9:30ish. You usually make it to about 12:30. You were making it a little longer so we're thinking maybe we need to start giving you a little more to eat at your last feeding for the night. You then go back to sleep pretty easily and wake up again between 4:30-5am. Again, you go back to sleep pretty easily. You've been in your crib since New Year's Eve and don't seem to mind. You may be a little fussy at first, but you usually wear yourself out and go to sleep.

We're working on tummy time. It doesn't seem to be your favorite thing to do.. You last maybe 5-10 minutes and then either a) start crying or b) fall asleep. But you're getting better!

We love you so much! You definitely keep mommy and daddy on our toes. I can't imagine our lives without you, but like I said before, being a mommy is tough! Who would think a grown woman who teaches 26 2nd graders would be so scared of a tiny 8lb baby?! Slowly mommy is learning that we have to do what works best for us and not worry what others say we *should* do. No matter what challenges the days may bring, my absolute favorite part of the day is when I am rocking you to sleep and you just curl up on my shoulder and fall asleep. Those are the moments that I absolutely cherish. I have to enjoy them while I can because I know you won't be little forever!

Just a few pictures from our first month with you!

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve, we always go over to Glenn's parents' house. It was extra special this year since we had Miss Cooper with us! I think it's pretty safe to say everyone is just smitten with her. This girl is going to be spoiled rotten.

Sitting with Uncle Brian... she's obviously deep in thought.

 

I love these pictures with her cousins. They are so precious.

Love my sweet girl!

 



 

Uncle Brian and Aunt Kelly

 

 

So incredibly blessed to have our little munchkin with us! AND to have family that has been so willing to help us!

 

PS - We went to my parents' house on Christmas Day.. I don't take pictures when we go there because my Dad takes care of that! :) I need to "steal" some of his pictures to upload.

Almost 2 weeks old!

Welp, we've been at it almost 2 weeks and we're still here. Although I don't really have much experience, I would say Miss Cooper is a pretty easy baby. We are very blessed for that! She's perfectly happy and content as long as she is fed. Girl likes to eat. What's funny is that I was so scared she wasn't getting ENOUGH food in the beginning, but she eats plenty now. I tried the nursing thing.. she wouldn't latch so I'm pumping what I can (which isn't enough for her hungry self) so we are also supplementing with formula. We go back to the doctor for our 2 week check up this Wednesday and I'm anxious to see how much she weighs.

Being a mommy is tough! Partly because I'm so worried about everything! It's also more difficult when you can't get around like you want to. I can't drive or lift anything heavier than 10lbs (which includes the car seat) for 2 weeks (although my follow-up appointment isn't until next Monday so I'm not sure if I should wait till then). BUT, I also managed to fall down coming into the house last weekend. We were coming back from Cooper's doctor's appointment and CRASH. My legs were already so swollen from everything else, and they just turned into jello. Somehow I've managed to do something to my knees or legs which makes it incredibly difficult to go up and down stairs without grasping to the side for support. There is no way I'm trusting myself to carry Cooper up and down so we pretty much stay upstairs. I can go down by myself, which I do quickly while she's sleeping to wash bottles, get a snack, or drink. Thankfully we have a video monitor so I can keep tabs while I'm away! I went last week and they did X-rays.. nothing's broken. But it's not getting better.. so we shall try again tonight! My sister is taking me to an after-hours (which means you don't need an appointment) place that specializes in sports injuries so maybe they will be a little more detailed in what they do. Glenn will be here alone with Miss Cooper and has already put his Mom on watch in case he needs help. This will be my first time away from my baby! I just want to be at 100%. My little girl needs me to be!

Here are just a few pictures of what we've been up to these past few days:

 Photo taken by my Dad
 

 Photo taken by my Dad
 

 

 

 

She's here!

We are so happy so announce our little girl is here! She was born on December 4, 2013 around noon. We came home last Friday and haven't stopped since! Mommy and Daddy are learning new things everyday. :)

It's so hard to believe how much has changed in such a short period of time. This time last week I was at work, moving slower than normal, but super excited about my doctor's appointment later on. I was praying there would be some progress from the previous week. Little did I know I would leave that place in labor! My back started bothering me at the end of the school day. I didn't really think anything of it since this had happened a lot within the past few weeks. By the time I go to the doctor, I told Glenn I just feel icky. I mentioned it to the doctor when I got there, and she did her thing, and left us with, "That means the time is getting closer! Go ahead and make your appointment for next week, but if your water breaks, go straight to the hospital."

By the time I got home, my back was really bothering me. It would come and go. We went to Chick-fil-A to pick up dinner and in the short time in the car (maybe 15 minutes) I had 2 back "spasms." When I finally got home, I told Glenn I thought I was maybe having back contractions. We started timing them and they were about 10 minutes apart. We timed them for a couple hours before I called the nurse at my doctor's office. She said it sounded like I was in labor, but to wait till they were 5 minutes apart. This all happened between 5pm and about 8pm. After I called the nurse, I would get a really strong contraction and then about 5 minutes later a smaller one that wasn't quite as strong. At this point Glenn is ready to go to the hospital. I'm freaking out because there were several things I needed to pack but hadn't gotten around to it yet so I'm grabbing whatever I think I may need in between contractions. Fox was beside himself because he could sense how anxious both Glenn and I are so he followed us around everywhere.

We finally left for the hospital around 9:30. We checked in and waited for the doctor to come in and see. He said not much had changed since my appointment earlier in the day, but they would hook me up to the machine and see what my contractions looked like. He asked who I saw today at my appointment and when I told him, he started laughing. Apparently this particular doctor is known for "working her magic" to speed things along. We waited about 2 hours... in the smallest room ever and poor Glenn had the teeniest chair to sit in. The nurse came in around midnight to check on us and said she saw some progress, but wanted us to wait about another hour to see if more was happening. I called my mom to tell her and 3 minutes later the nurse came back in and said, "Change of plans. The doctor wants to go ahead and admit you. Get you started on meds to induce so your contractions are a little more regular and get your epidural." Heck yeah... by this point, I was ready for those drugs!

They moved us into Labor and Delivery and the next few hours were a whirlwind. They had to pump IVs through me in order to get the epidural. When the guys came to give me the epidural, I was a little worried. I never saw anything, but Glenn assured me afterwards the needle was "huge." We FINALLY were able to try to sleep by about 2am. Of course neither one of us did much sleeping. The nurses came in to check every so often and around 4, they said my water was probably going to break soon. When it did, it should speed things along. Sure enough, 20 minutes later...

At about 7ish that next morning, the doctor came in and check to see how things were going. I had gone from 3-4 cm dilated to 9cm. At 9:30ish, I started pushing. I pushed for about 45 minutes and remember telling them that I felt like my brains were going to explode because I was pushing so hard. Miss Cooper just did not want to come out! They had me stop for about 30 minutes and then came back (with more people too!)

Apparently they were worried about how big Cooper was going to be because she wasn't budging from where she was. The doctor kept going back and forth, trying to decide if they should do a C-section or have me continue to push. Also, every time I pushed, Cooper's heart rate would drop and then come back up. They told me that the cord was probably wrapped around something and every time I had a contraction, it was tightening around her. There was one time I remember her heart rate dropped drastically and it was then that the doctor called in the high risk OB for his opinion.

They decided to go ahead and have me push. It was like all of a sudden, everyone started hurrying around getting things ready for a baby. I pushed for about 10 minutes and finally at 12:04pm, Miss Cooper made her appearance! She was absolutely gorgeous. The cord had been wrapped around her neck. She was having a difficult time coming out because of the position she was in.

I can't even begin to explain the rush of emotions when the one thing you have prayed about over and over again is finally given to you. Glenn and I could not take our eyes off of our precious girl. Of course he started snapping pictures to send to everyone as soon as possible. We stayed in Labor and Delivery for awhile, but we were able to move into a real room around 2 that afternoon.

Things haven't stopped since then. We've totally lost track of time. The only places I have been since we got home are the doctor. Poor Cooper has jaundice and has had to wear a UV light. Luckily her levels are starting to go down... we go back again on Wednesday and we are hoping our days with the light are finished!

We just cannot thank God enough for this wonderful miracle He has given us. We also want to thank all our friends and family that have sent messages, called, come to visit, and have helped us. We are so, so blessed to have such a strong support system that has make this transition as smooth as possible. Of course, our days pretty much revolve around Cooper, but that's okay. Glenn has been an amazing husband and father. I haven't been in much pain, but the swelling has been awful. The swelling makes it difficult to get around so I've been mainly upstairs. He's been cleaning, helping to take care of Cooper, laundry... you name it. Today was his first day back at work and I think all 3 of us cried. Luckily my mom is here to help today.

I just can't get enough of this little girl...

 

Any day now..

I'm sorry I haven't blogged in forever. By the time I get home from work, I don't feel like doing much except propping up my feet and watching a little Real Housewives. Or a Lifetime Christmas movie. I can't believe we are nearing the end of November!

So, after 9 months of carrying this little bundle of joy in my belly, we are officially in the waiting period. We went to the doctor on Tuesday and she seemed a little surprised at how far along I seem to be at 37+4 days. After hearing what she said, Glenn and I disagree on her next words ... Glenn swears she said, "Probably not this week," however, I heard, "Probably not next week." She seems to believe I will make it around 39 weeks, which happens to be next Saturday. Either way, I honestly feel like it could be any day now with some of the other fun symptoms I've been experiencing! Of course, I say that and watch me end up making it PAST my due date (please, no). I'm terrified to go anywhere alone for fear I go into labor and have no one with me to think clearly. I like to think I'm relatively good in an emergency situation, but when you become the emergency... it's a little different. Luckily my sister took me to the mall yesterday (before Black Friday) to finish up the final bit of my Christmas shopping. DONE. Check that off the list.

I've spent this whole pregnancy daydreaming of what life will be like once Cooper gets here, but now that it's almost here, I'm a little nervous! Glenn and I were talking today and he goes, "It's one thing when she's in your belly. If we take care of you, we take care of her, but once she's out, we are responsible for her." I've spent so much time praying that we will make good parents for this little miracle of ours. We cannot thank God enough for her and even though we are both scared/nervous/anxious, we can't wait to meet her. I hope she knows how much we love her already! As I write this, I can see and feel her just a squirming around! I like to think she knows I'm talking, err.. typing about her!

We did finally put the finishing touches on her room yesterday. It is by far my favorite room ever. I like to go in there and just look around and touch all her stuff. I took some pictures with my phone, but they aren't the best. I will post some once I get some better ones. It's just such a sense of calm when I go in there.. I love it.

I hope everyone has had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Glenn and I enjoyed a lazy day of just being together. We figure our days are numbered (for a good reason!), so we took full advantage of that today. Our lives are about to change in a big way and I can't imagine sharing this with anyone except him. We both have so much to be thankful for this year. We are very blessed and not a day goes by that I don't thank God for the many, many blessings he has given us.

Now.. I shall go eat another piece of pumpkin pie (hey, Cooper likes it) and catch a little TV. The waiting game continues...

First Baby Shower and Pictures

This past Sunday we had our first baby shower! I was so excited to celebrate little Miss Cooper. Glenn's mom and my sister in law, Kelly, hosted the shower. They definitely went above and beyond!! It was a wonderful shower and a great chance to spend time with friends and family.

The theme was pink and animal print! Definitely my style!!

The food was delicious! We had 2 types of cupcakes and of course, I had to try both of them. One for me and one for Cooper. They were yummy!!

 



More of the decorations...

 



This was Glenn's contribution to the shower. We got there early and they had streamers to put up. Since Glenn is a giant, we put him in charge. Oh Glenn...

 



We are so thankful for all the gifts we got! Lots of pink which sweet baby girl will love. We also got some gift cards which will definitely come in handy. We plan on putting those towards some of the bigger items we still need!

 



I was really bad about taking pictures once everyone got there. It wasn't until the end, after people started leaving, that I started taking pictures. Annie, my friend from college and a sorority sister, came! She is also preggers! She is exactly 4 weeks behind me and she's having a girl too! We've already decided that they are going to be BFFs. Lots of baby play dates in our future! :)

 



 

And my sweet sister! She got Cooper this awesome little step stool with her name on it. I've got one just like it from when I was younger. It hasn't come yet, but I will make sure I post pictures when it does!

 

 

This is when it finally starts getting real that we are having a baby... in 10 short weeks!! I hit the 30 week mark on Saturday and I'm starting to stress out! Just about making sure everything is perfect for our little one. We've waited so long for this sweet miracle and it's hard to believe that soon we will get to meet her. We went to have a 4D ultrasound done a couple weeks ago and the pictures were amazing. Cooper would not move her hands away from her face. We tried everything, but she's pretty stubborn. She must take after her dad.

 

I love how she's giving a thumbs up in this picture.

 



 

Ahh... melts my heart!! God is so so good. I just continue to pray that the rest of this pregnancy goes smoothly and Cooper is as healthy as can be. We are waiting patiently for you baby girl. As much as we can't wait to meet you, we want you to wait till December to get here. :) We've still got a lot to do!!

 

I've got a couple more showers coming up and I can't wait! We are also in the midst of rearranging our living room. I woke up Saturday morning and decided we needed to get rid of furniture. So we did. Both sofas. And got a new one. We have more empty space and I'm on the lookout for a chair, but no rush. I want to make sure we've got plenty of room for baby stuff because it's slowly taking over. I guess the nesting has set in because I'm tired of all the clutter. If we don't need it or haven't used it, I'm tossing it.

 

I'm looking forward to these last 10 weeks and plan on enjoying this last stretch of being pregnant! We love y'all!

My hubby

So, those of you who know me, know I am not a sappy person. I am not really into romantic stuff.. It makes me uncomfortable. I don't know how to handle it. I can't even watch it on TV without cringing a little. As much as I love The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, when they are singing songs to each other and declaring their undying love with tattoos, I can't help but let out a little awkward chuckle.

BUT... with that said, I do have to say I've got the best husband ever and I'm so lucky to have him. Our relationship got stronger as we struggled through our fertility issues. He was the strong one when I was the one falling apart. I wish I could have taken a picture of his face when we got the call that we were pregnant. From that moment on, Cooper became the center of our lives. Laying in bed and just daydreaming about how our lives will change as parents and all the things we want to do with Cooper has become a daily occurrence.

Over the past few months, I've come to appreciate him a million times more. He has been an awesome "pregnant husband." He helps me clean, he cooks dinner on the nights he's home, he puts the water on the higher shelf in the fridge so I don't have to bend down so far to get it. I feel our relationship has grown again, but in a different way. I can't imagine sharing this journey with anyone else.

I love listening to Glenn talk about Cooper. Even though it stinks he may not have many weekends off, he will get 2 days off a week for HIS time with Cooper. On his days off, she will not go to childcare, but will stay home with him, and he's already got his days planned out with her. He keeps saying he will just hold her all day (spoiled much?) and they will watch sports. He said he's going to dress her in little basketball shorts, but promises to put a bow or headband on to make me happy. The mental image of them together melts my heart.

I have no doubt Glenn will be an awesome father. He learned everything he knows from an amazing dad who I know is watching down on us everyday from Heaven. I know Glenn is sad his dad cannot be here with us and meet Cooper, but I have no doubt he will know all about her. I keep telling him Cooper is really lucky because she's got 3 guardian angels watching over her -- both my grandparents and Glenn's dad.

I just cannot wait to be a family of 4 (can't leave out Fox). Cooper has no idea how much joy she has already brought to our lives and I know it will only get better once she's here! I'm trying not to wish away the days, BUT, I can't believe but hope December gets here a little sooner. :)

26 Weeks!

26 weeks as of yesterday! I can't believe we're already that far. The weeks seemed to pass by so slowly in the beginning (probably because we found out way sooner than most that we were pregnant), and now it's speeding by! Being back at work has helped the time go by faster too. Luckily, so far, things have been relatively easy (knock on wood) except for a few minor "normal" pregnancy things.

I did have a slight scare this past week. Up to this point, Miss Cooper has been pretty active. I don't feel her too much during the work day since I'm up and moving around constantly, but I've noticed she likes to start her squirming at night. I usually go upstairs around 9 or so to lay down and watch TV. About 15-20 minutes later, I can feel and see her just a kickin' away! However, last Sunday, I didn't feel anything. It continued till Wednesday night (I felt 3 small kicks) and I started getting worried. I called the nurse first thing the next morning and after finally returning my call, she said to come in and get things checked out. Okay -- major freak out. I left work in a panic and luckily Glenn was able to meet me at the doctor. They were able to find a heartbeat quick with the Doppler, but still had me get an ultrasound to check everything else. THANKFULLY, everything looked perfect! The US Tech said she probably changed positions. Plus, I have an anterior placenta that muffles a good bit of movement. She said most of the things I will feel will be down low. We did get a few good looking pictures of our sweet girl though. (As I'm writing this, my belly keeps wiggling!)

 

 

We made an appointment for the 4D/3D ultrasound place in Greenville for the end of September. I'm REALLY looking forward to that! I am NOT looking forward to my next regular doctor's appointment since I'll be doing my glucose test. I just hope I pass and that's it! After that appointment, we'll start going every 2 weeks.

 

Glenn and I are slowly trying to get some things done around the house to prepare for Cooper. Actually, his brother and him have actually done most of the work. I help when I can. :)  We really just need to go through everything and get rid of stuff we don't need/want. Cooper's stuff is slowly taking over (and I wouldn't have it ANY other way!), and I just want to make sure we've got plenty of room for everything! I did a cleanout at the end of last school year, but I think we need to have another one. It's just difficult during the week because by the time I get home, my brain is fried! I've got 2 showers planned in October so I need to make some progress by then!

 

Her nursery is almost complete. I'm looking for some decorative pillows to go on the bed in there. I think I may have found some on Etsy (I'm obsessed with Etsy). I need to just convince Glenn how much we need them. I will definitely post pictures as soon as everything is in place!

 



Summer's Over :(

Technically summer was over for me last Monday, but tomorrow the kids return.. so it seems more official. I'm ready for a new school year, but I'm hoping it'll help the time pass quickly till Cooper gets here! We've been busy working on getting things ready in her nursery and MOST of it is finished. Our crib came last week and that was the one thing I was nervous about. We've had bad furniture experiences and I kept having nightmares that they gave the crib to someone else! Yikes! But it came and it looks beautiful. I will post pictures of the finished room soon. We still have some little things to get ready, but it's definitely my favorite room in the house. I love going in there when I wake up or before I go to bed and just looking around or rearranging her clothes (which she has a TON of). I can't wait till Cooper's finally here although I'm sure we still have a bazillion things to take care of before she gets here. I keep telling her I can't wait, but she needs to wait till December.

We've been so overwhelmed by the love and support we've gotten from everyone! Another reason Cooper is spoiled rotten, but that's totally okay. :) We thank everyone for the kind words and sweet gifts.

We have 2 more monthly appointments (one this week) and then we go to every other week. I'm betting my glucose test will be next month and I'm a little worried about that. I've been TRYING to eat healthy, but sometimes, I just gotta have that extra cookie. And it seems lately I've been even hungrier. I am assuming Cooper's getting ready to hit another growth spurt. The nurse in one of the classes I took said usually around 24 weeks that's what happens. I was 23 weeks exactly yesterday. 

The highlight of my week is that I FINALLY found a pair of maternity jeans that I like. It only took like ten different pairs. They are a little long, but I can take care of that. I tell you what, I don't know what I'm going to do when I have to give up the stretchy stomach. It makes clothing so much more comfortable!

I'm starting to feel her kick a little. It's not very strong yet.. They told me at the doctor's office that because of where the placenta is (smack dab in the front), it might take me a little longer to feel movement. If I lay still in the mornings or at night, sometimes she will go crazy. I just like to sit there and enjoy. I'll enjoy even more when I can feel them on a more regular basis. Glenn keeps trying to feel them too, but she stops whenever someone puts their hand on my belly. Stubborn little one!

17 more weeks to go and I'm loving every single minute of it. I told Glenn I'm pumped because Cooper gets to come to school with me for a bit. He just thought I was weird, but I love watching my belly grow and experiencing all of pregnancy (good and bad). I continue to thank God for this wonderful miracle!

Letters for Cooper

My grandma on my Dad's side is always encouraging me to keep a journal of experiences I've had, like funny stories from my kids at school. She gave me a blank journal when we first started our IVF journey and told me to write down everything that happened and what we went through. I kind of do that with this blog, so I put the journal aside. I'm slowly starting to get some energy back (however, it's totally zapped by about 2pm) and have been trying to get some cleaning and organizing done. I came across the journal earlier this week and decided I could use it for Cooper. Glenn and I are going to write letters to her throughout the pregnancy and childhood. At some point (when she graduates or gets married.. haven't decided yet) we will give her the journal of letters. I wrote my first letter to her. It's so fun to think about the future and my heart keeps bursting with joy and love each time I think about sweet Cooper (which is approximately 97% of my day).

Glenn spent most of his first day of vacay painting her room. It's almost finished and the color looks fantastic!! We are going this week to get the crib. Glenn told me yesterday, "Cooper makes me so excited to get things done. Before, I was just blah, but now I want everything to be perfect for her." Sweet, huh? I am pretty sure Cooper already has Daddy wrapped around her finger. I will definitely post pictures once things are somewhat in order. We still have some things we need to clear out of the room. Fox doesn't quite know what to think. He's used to sleeping on the bed in there and looking out the window. He knows something is changing, but I'm not sure if the King of the House knows what he has in store. His lazy days of quiet will soon be over. But I think he'll be okay. :)

Also, one of my good friends from college found out she's pregnant too! She's about a month behind me. It's been fun exchanging symptoms and talking baby stuff. We've been shopping a few times and have already decided our little ones will be friends. Play dates are already being planned. It's nice having someone to talk to that is going through the same thing at the same time. It makes me feel a little less crazy than I already feel, haha. I got my hair done yesterday and my wonderful stylist told me I've got double the hormones flowing right now -- mine and Cooper's! But I wouldn't change anything ONE BIT.

* * *

Cooper's First Letter

6/28/13

 

Dear Cooper,

     Two days ago we found out we were having a sweet, precious little girl -- you! We knew we were pregnant back in April and we've been anxiously waiting to see if we need to buy blue or pink. Your Daddy and I have been waiting a long time for you. It hasn't always been easy, but I knew God would give us a sweet miracle. It took me a long time to realize everything happens according to His timing. The day we found out we were having you was bittersweet. My grandpa had passed away and his funeral was that day. In fact, we were late because we had to make a stop at the doctor. You brought a lot of happiness to us all on such a sad day. Every night as I say my prayers, I thank God for you. You have been the best gift I've ever gotten and you're not even here yet! Daddy wanted to get your room started right away so he has been busy painting. I've been stocking up on the super cute clothes. You will be in here in December, right before Christmas. You have a lot of people who love you already! Your Daddy and I love you more and more everyday. I can't wait till you start moving, and I can actually feel it! I don't know if you can hear us yet, but we love talking to you. I want to enjoy every moment of you being in my belly, but I can't help thinking about the future. How different our lives will be! My wish is that you continue to grow strong and healthy in my belly! We love you sweet Baby Cooper Starr!

 

Love, Mommy

 



Cooper

So, I'd love to tell you that I've spent the first month of my summer vacation traveling, being productive, getting organized for the new school year, etc. Unfortunately, that has not been the case! Sadly most of my days consist of watching Beverly Hills 90210 and Grey's Anatomy reruns. I've also been spending a lot of quality time with this guy!

Glenn and I have been ready to start decorating the nursery for Cooper, but we had to wait until this week to find out if we were having a boy or girl.. and it's a GIRL. We would have been THRILLED either way! Glenn called it as soon as we found out we were pregnant, but I was convinced I was having a boy. Strike 1 against my maternal instinct, huh?



 Cooper Starr will be her name! Cooper is my mother-in-law's maiden name and Starr is a family name on my Dad's side. It was my great grandparents last name, and it also happens to be my Dad and sister's middle name. So let the bows, zebra print, and girly girl stuff begin! As soon as we found out it was a girl, we went to pick out a few things, including a paint color to match the bedding we liked. We had already picked out what we wanted if it was a boy or girl. We decided to go with a lavender color. It's hard to tell from this paint can, but it's the best I can do for now! We have a bookshelf and a trunk my grandparents gave me that we will do in a mint green color.

Glenn's taking a week off of work, starting tomorrow! We are hoping to get a good bit of stuff done in Cooper's room. I'd like to try to get most of it ready before school starts in August. Those first couple months of school are SO busy that I know I won't have time for much else. THEN, after those initial first few months, it won't be long till Cooper's here. We have a lot to do... But at least we have some time!

We (or I should say Glenn), finished painting the bathroom. We went with a blue color and fish theme. We're still waiting on a few things -- I ordered a seahorse towel hook from Etsy and we haven't put the rugs down yet. I might also get some fish wall clings to add a little more to the room too.

We are beyond excited to get everything ready for Baby Cooper. It's so exciting to think about how different our lives will be this time next year. I thank God every night for the tiny miracle growing in my belly. We are just so happy!! And already so in love!



Stop Worrying Kellett

Okay, so, those who know me really well... know that I am a worrier. My mom says I get this trait from my grandpa. I worry way too much and I can recognize that. The first 2 weeks I found out I was pregnant, I took a pregnancy test everyday. My excuse for Glenn was I had taken so many negative tests that whenever I saw that positive sign pop up, I got excited all over again. After 2 weeks and lots of money spent, Glenn told me I had to stop buying them. I still did, but I just started taking them every other day.

A good friend told me something she had heard at church one day while we were in the car. God wants us to put our complete trust in him. When we worry, it's almost like we are doubting His Plan for us. I remind myself of this everyday.

The whole reason I started this post was because today is our first official day, medicine free. I was told to stop taking my hormone supplements at 10 weeks. I've been so used to taking SOME kind of medicine since the beginning of March. It's scary to be medicine free. I worry that my body won't do what it's supposed to (although my fertility doctor AND OB assured me I'm good to go). I'm already so in love with my little Cooper. I've been praying for God to grant me peace of mind and of course to watch over all of us. I don't go back to the doctor till next Wednesday. My goal is to stop obsessing over something I can't control and put my trust and faith in God. :)

We did have our first official OB appointment this past week. Glenn and I were so excited although it did feel weird not having to go upstairs to visit my usual "friends." We did get to meet a lot of new people at the doctor. I felt like we went from one person to the next, all of them giving us a heads up of what to expect these next nine months. Our doctor was REALLY nice. I've been to this office before, but I requested a different doctor to see the first time. 

We did get to see our sweet baby Cooper on an ultrasound. The picture was absolutely perfect. The ultrasound lady was so excited because he/she was in just the right position for this lovely picture. We even got to see him/her move his/her hands! Almost like Cooper was waving at us! We got to hear the heart beat again too.. sweet, sweet sound!!




Glenn has been off this weekend and we haven't really done much. I've started picking one thing to clean out/organize a day. We got rid of a lot of extra furniture we won't need from our extra bedroom. I had to go out today and get at least one pair of pants that would fit. Most of my dresses are all fine, but I wanted something different. We also went to Buy Buy Baby just to look. I can't wait till we get to actually purchase things (although I am guilty of buying a few outfits that can go either way). We can go at 16 weeks for an elective ultrasound to tell us if we're having a boy or girl. 16 weeks would be about the first week in July which works out great. I'd like to get the room mostly ready before I have to go back to work. I know how the beginning of a new school year is and I know for the first few months, you spend more time at school than work. I'm a worrier, but I am also a planner. ;)

Our Little Miracle

Okay, I know it's been forever since I last updated. I kinda dropped off the face of the earth for awhile simply because it's really hard to keep a secret... especially one that is so huge. I apologize for all of those people I never responded to who kept asking me things these past 2 months. Glenn was ready to go public as soon as we found out -- me? Not so much! BUT, We ARE pregnant! We made it "Facebook Official" a couple weeks ago so now the whole world knows! :) I have NOT told my students yet, and I probably will not tell them until the very end of the year.

There is SO much I want to fill you guys in on... and I will. It may take a couple posts, but I am dying to share with you a story... a story that proves God always has a plan and he DOES work miracles.

Most of you know how difficult our journey has been to grow our family. It has been full of so many ups and downs. After our first attempt at IVF got cancelled, I hate to say that I began to really question God and what his plan was for us. It seemed like we had been dealt with so many disappointments and sometimes you have a hard time seeing beyond that. I have a wonderful support system of family and friends that really helped me get through those difficult weeks. For them, I am forever grateful.

My grandpa was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in early March. He was diagnosed the same day we began our new cycle. It came as a major shock to all of us, especially my Mom. After sitting down and talking with her, we decided to continue on with our plan of starting IVF. Mom said Grandpa would NOT want us to put our lives on hold just because he was sick. So Glenn and I started with the shots, appointments every other day, bruised arms from taking so much blood. As we got more into our treatment, Grandpa continued to get sicker and sicker. By the time he came home, he was put into hospice care. Luckily he was able to be at his home, but it was very difficult to watch Grandpa go downhill so quickly. This was the same 90+ year old man who still drove to Cracker Barrel for lunch, mowed his grass, took my Nana to ALL her doctor's appointments... and now he slept most of the time and hardly ate.

Nana was unable to care for Grandpa so Mom decided to move in and do what she needed to. We would go visit every night. Most nights, after dinner, Grandpa would wake up and we'd be able to chat for a little bit. I remember going over the night before our egg retrieval. Mom had explained to both grandparents that Glenn and I were having troubles getting pregnant and we were seeing a doctor. She didn't get into too many details because it would be hard for them to comprehend. We were all in the back room -- Mom, me, and Glenn -- saying goodnight to Grandpa. I tried to explain to him that I was going in early the next morning for a small surgery to hopefully help us. Mom looked at him and said, "This is so I can become a grandma. Just like you and Nana." Talk about SOB moment. I kissed him goodnight and we left.

Early that next morning, Glenn and I went to the hospital for the first MAJOR part of our IVF. 3 days later, on a Tuesday, we went back for them to put in 2 beautiful looking embryos. I didn't get a chance to go visit my grandparents again until the next day. At this point, Mom told me it was only a matter of days before Grandpa passed away. Nights were spent consoling Nana, reminding Grandpa how much we loved him, and giving Mom some time to get out for a bit.

Fast forward a few days to that Saturday. I woke feeling weird. Honestly, I felt like I had been hit by a bus. I was meeting a friend for breakfast and I remember telling Glenn I felt so strange. He was half asleep, but mumbled, "Take some Tylenol." MMM, thanks Glenn. As the morning went by, and after I had some food in me, I started to feel a bit better. I was leaving the restaurant when I texted my mom that something just felt "off." She responded with 2 messages. The first one said something along of the lines of "That sounds promising." And the second message was, "Grandpa passed away this morning."

The next week was full of funeral preparations, making sure Nana was okay, and getting ready for family to come down. Looking back now, I feel certain that "weird" feeling was my little peanut implanting. I'm positive of it. And when Mom and I talked about it later, she said, "God has to take a life before he can give new life."

The funeral was set for that Friday mid-morningish. All along our IVF process, I was told I was at a high risk of overstimulating. Basically, that means your ovaries get really swollen and you start retaining water like crazy. There's not much they can do except monitor to you. If it gets REALLY bad, they can drain your tummy. I thought I was doing GREAT -- limiting my sodium and drinking TONS of water -- to avoid it.

Who wakes up Friday morning and suddenly has gained 5lbs (literally, overnight) and can barely roll over in bed because her tummy hurts so much? This girl. Of course I freak out... and call the doctor ASAP. They told me to come in right away. They did an ultrasound and sure enough, I've got fluid everywhere. My doctor AND the doctor who did our egg retrieval talked to us and both said, "Well, 99% of the time, this means your pregnant." The rise in HGC causes the overstim to worsen. I wasn't scheduled to come in for my first pregnancy test till that next week, but they went ahead and did it and told us they'd call later that morning. It took longer than we all expected, and we were an hour late for my grandpa's funeral.

10 minutes after the funeral ends, my doctor calls. We. Are. Pregnant. Now, let me tell you... Hearing those words you have longed to hear for the past 3 years is the most amazing feeling ever. Mom's crying, Jessie's crying, Glenn's crying, I'm crying... Then Mom decides to tell everyone else still around. Seeing Nana's face was absolutely priceless. It didn't lessen the fact that she had just lost her husband of 65 years, but it took her mind off the sadness for awhile.

I understand that not everyone believes in miracles, but I truly believe this miracle growing inside me is because of my sweet Grandpa and God working together. God's timing is perfect. After so much sadness, we have a new life to look forward to. And each doctor's appointment we have, and each milestone we meet, I leave, saying a quick prayer thanking God (and Grandpa). My Nana passed away a month after my Grandpa did. We knew it wouldn't be long. My faith in God has grown so much stronger these past few months and I find extreme comfort that I've got 2 guardian angels watching over us up in Heaven.

We want to thank all of you for your kind words, prayers, and encouragement. We had our first "OFFICIAL" OB appointment today. I was released from the Fertility Center 2 weeks ago. Everything looks beautiful. I am already completely, head over heels, in love. Christmas is going to come early for the Kellett and Sahms family this year. :)