Ashlyn Elizabeth

Sorry its taken me so long to get to writing Ashlyn's birth story as well as posting pics. Its been hectic around this house taking care of 2 kiddos and recovering from my csection!

Brett & I woke up at 4:00 am Wed morning and started getting ready. I had already packed our bags, so I decided I would do my hair and get some make-up so Ashlyn could see me all pretty :) We woke Audree up @ 4:30 and told her today was the day she would meet her little sister. She wasn't too excited at first, but hey it was 4 in the morning! Once she woke up enough, she kept saying my sissy coming out of mommy's tummy? She then got really excited! We dropped her off at Brett's parents and off we went to the hospital..

Big Sister all ready to meet Ashlyn

We arrived at the hospital @ 5:30 AM and got checked in, hooked up to monitors, blood taken and were waiting for 7:30 to roll around. Around 7 all the family arrived and they brought Audree back so I could see her before surgery. I got really emotional at this point in time and started to cry. This was the last time we would be our little family of 3, and it was hitting my hard, not in a bad way, just really overwhelming. Dr K came in and said were ready and I became a nervous wreck!

In the hospital parking lot

Waiting to meet our little Ashlyn

Daddy all scrubbed up

I got wheeled into the OR and my mind started racing and my heart was beating really fast. They prepped me for the spinal and I had a really sweet anesthesiologist who helped me stay some what calm. I had STRICT orders that they were not to give me anything that would knock me out or make me loopy, so they promised me they wouldn't unless something occured where they needed to. I heard one of the anesthesiologist say I was "tachying" pretty bad, so I looked up at the monitor and my heart was beating at 191. I told him I'm okay, I'm okay don't give me anything! (yes just imagine me panicking on table haha). He told me I was fine and to just calm down and take deep breaths. Around that time Brett walked in and all my fears were gone.

I held Brett's hand as the surgery began. Dr K told him he could look over the sheet if he wanted so like any good husband he did, but he quickly sat back down haha He said that would too much and he thought he would pass out if he kept looking. I couldn't feel the cutting, but it was so weird! The tugging, pulling, and just had some really weird sensations. Next thing I knew Dr K said she's almost here, Brett stood up, and then whaaaaaaaaaaa there she was! She was so beautiful and I was in pure shock! They took her over to the table, weighed her, cleaned her up and then Brett got to bring her over to me.

I went to recovery until about 9:15 and then I got moved into a regular room. Once I got settled the bum rush of people quickly filled my room as we all waited for little Ashlyn to come in. Little did we know that moment wouldn't come. I called nursery around 10:30 and they told me she just had a bath so they were waiting a hr to make sure she would hold her body temp and everything was okay. I started going through her diaper bag and pick out her outfit and bow for the day. Received a call from the on call pedi and she told me everything looked great! About 20 minutes later I get a call from the on call pedi saying Ashlyn had been admitted to the NICU due to her oxygen levels being a little low.

As you can imagine my heart sunk and I burst into tears. This was not the way her birth was supposed to be, she was a full term baby, why was she being sent to the NICU. As much as I loved those nurses when Audree was in there, it was a place I didn't want to return to. I was devastated, hurt, and went numb very quickly. The NP came in and told me Ashlyn had a condition called PDA (for more information click here) and this is what was causing her to desat a little. This is very common in babies it just affected Ashlyn a little bit harder and caused her to have problems breathing. She was started on a 72 hour antibiotic just in case there was an infection and the NICU would be her new home for the next 3 days. I did manage to get out of bed that night and go and see my little angel. She was beautiful and the most precious thing I had laid my eyes on (besides her big sissy).

She was taken off the oxygen the next morning and was satting @ 100%, they did come in and do an echo cardiogram and the PDA had closed up and there was no murmur they oxygen she was placed on helped this close! We still had to wait on the antibiotics before she could go home though. Saturday night (April 17th) we spent the night in a room outside the NICU with Ashlyn and got to go home Sunday morning!

Ashlyn is doing great, had our 1st check up last Wed and our 2nd checkup tomorrow. Big sister Audree loves her little sister and just hovers over her waiting for her to do something. Its such a cute sight to see!

First time to see & hold little Ashlyn

Daddy giving his princess sugars

I love this little girl

A little pieces of heaven

Ready to go home

Meeting little sister for the first time

She ♥ Ashlyn

Introducing.....

Little Miss Ashlyn Elizabeth

Born @ 7:49 AM

Weight: 7 lbs 1.4 oz

Length: 20.25 inches

*I will be working on uploading pics and her birth story throughout the week*

Bluebonnets

Spring wouldn't be complete without pictures in the bluebonnets!! We took some yesterday and Audree just was being a goofball so we retook some today as well. We have bluebonnets in a field behind our house so it was soooooo convienant! Hopefully we can get some of Ashlyn and Audree together when she is born WHICH IS in 60 hours from right now!!

Our little cheeser

Posing

Picking the flowers

and smelling them


melts my ♥

Being such a big girl

So sweet

38 Weeks!!

Well 38 weeks is here and there is no turning back! This is the last week (well 5 days) I will ever be pregnant again in my life. Im soaking up every last minute of it! All the movements, the hiccups, and just rubbing my belly!

Ashlyn is moving around even though I dont know how because I feel like there is no room left in there. She likes to hang out on the right side of my tummy and loves my ribs, however my ribs do not love her haha

We can't wait to see our precious princess, hold her, love her, kiss her, and just let her be here with us! We will be arriving at the hospital Wednesday morning around 5:30 and C-Section is scheduled to start @ 7:30. Im very nervous about the c-section, even though Ive been through one before, Im still scared out of my mind. Audree's was so rushed and I didn't have time to think, this time I know what to feel, when its going to happen, etc. I know my Dr will take care of me, and Im so thankful I feel so comfortable with him. I trust him with my entire life and health!

How your baby's growing:

Your baby has really plumped up. She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek). She has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time! Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? You may not be able to tell right away. If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old. That's because a child's irises (the colored part of the eye) may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue. (Green, hazel, and brown eyes have more pigment than gray or blue eyes.)

How your life's changing:

For many women, the next couple of weeks are a waiting game. Use this time to prepare your baby's nursery or to take care of necessary tasks you may not get around to for a while after your baby's born. Take naps, catch up on your reading, and spend uninterrupted time with your partner while you can.Some swelling in your feet and ankles is normal during these last weeks, but call your practitioner without delay if you notice excessive or sudden swelling of your feet or ankles, more than slight swelling of your hands, any swelling in your face or puffiness around your eyes, or have a sudden weight gain. Also let her know immediately if have severe or persistent headaches; visual changes (such as double or blurred vision, seeing spots or flashing lights, light sensitivity, or a temporary loss of vision), intense upper abdominal pain or tenderness, or nausea and vomiting.

How Far Along? 38 weeks
Weight Gained/Loss? Do you really want to know haha Ive put on 9 lbs EEEEEK!
Maternity Clothes? Oh yes mam!!
Sleep? Ive actually been sleeping TONS better kind of odd
Best Moment of the Week: just knowing she is coming in 5 days!!
Movement- She's moving, some days she is a sloth, but she is running out of room
Morning sickness? Noway
Gender- GIRLY GIRL!!
Labor Signs-just Braxton Hicks
Belly Button-still an innie
What do I miss- rolling over at night without hurting, being able to get up out of chairs, off couches, out of the bed without struggling haha im a rollie pollie ollie

38 Week preggo belly!! AND YES BLACK IS SLIMMING HAHA

Easter Weekend

Saturday Brett's dad came over and helped Brett fix 2 sprinkler heads that were broken. Audree had to go outside with her "shovel" and help them fix it. She thought she was such a big girl helping them!!! We then installed Ashlyn's carseats in both cars, CRAZINESS!!! Audree thinks its so neat to have that back there with her, she touches and says thats my sisters!!

Audree digging in the grass

Taking her puppy to watch daddy work

After the guys did that, we headed over to my Nana's and spent the afternoon over there with family. My cousins were in from Pflugerville so we put on and Easter egg hunt for them. Brett was in charge of hiding the BIG kids eggs and hid them hard! We also just threw some out in the yard so it could be a free for all, and easier on little missy to find them. We walked outside and Audree started dancing and saying "My eggies, My eggies" She was super excited to start hunting those eggs!! She took off and didn't stop 'til her basket was full!!

Opening up her basket from her cousins

Ready to hunt eggs (with her kick ball haha)

Daddy & Audree getting ready to look for eggs

Showing me all of her eggies

Nana and her grandkids (minus the big ones)

Pro egg hunter

After the kids hunted eggs, they started in with the confetti eggs! Eggs were cracking everywhere and on everyone. Brett & I tried to have a confetti egg fight, I say tried because BRETT COULDN"T GET ME!! HAHA I used the whole Im pregnant you can't smash that on my head! Audree & I ganged up on him so his head was covered in confetti!

Getting daddy with an egg

She got daddy good

What daddy I didn't do it

Sunday morning Aud woke up, opened up her Easter basket from us, ate breakfast and we started getting ready for the day. We headed to my inlaws around noon and started the festivities there. Brett grilled out some DELICIOUS chicken, sausage & spare ribs. I even flipped the meat for him and was so proud of myself haha His dad made my favorite homemade mac n cheese & green beans for the sides.

Brett grilling us some yummy food

Opening her basket from the Easter Bunny

Hunting eggs

Brett getting Laura with a confetti egg

She wasn't happy, and Brett thought it was hilarious. Gotta love uncles

Aud kicked back reading the comics haha

After lunch the girls hunted eggs inside Grammy's house because it was too wet outside, but they still had a blast! We hung out at their house for most the afternoon and of course watched the UT spring game and then headed to my dad's house. Audree got another Easter basket at his house and so did Ashlyn! Aud played with Pop Pop for a while and then we headed home to call it a day!

Laura getting her mom with an egg

Cousins

Pretty Princess on Easter

Playing with Pop Pop

Egg Coloring

Its almost everyone's tradition to color Easter eggs for Easter, and its always been one of ours! Friday Brett & I were both off work so we thought it would be a perfect day to color eggs (or eggies as Audree calls them) to color eggs!

My dad came over, we boiled the eggs, got all of the water ready and dyed, and were ready to begin the coloring fun! Audree has been too little to really do it by herself the past 2 years, but this year she was ready and a PRO I might add!

She thought it was so funny to drop all the eggs in the water and make them a billion different colors! Needless to say we had dye EVERYWHERE, but she had fun and thats all that matters!

Getting ready to drop her "eggies" in

She loved the red

Playing in the colors

Making her egg all pretty

Being such a big girl

All of the eggs all pretty

Maternity Pics

Last weekend we headed to get our maternity pics taken! I was really nervous because, well I feel HUGE and I didn't know how the pics would turn out! We got them bck today and I have to see I was THRILLED to see how great they turned out! I had over 100 of them but I picked out the ones we liked the best! Of course we have Audree in them and then got some cute ones by herself too!!

ENJOY :)