Two Weeks Old

It's hard to believe that Ian is two weeks old already!  He is getting so big already and has changed so much.  He is becoming more and more alert during the day and is sleeping better at night (most nights).

Gauge can't get enough of Ian!  He has to know where he is all the time and runs right over to him if he makes a noise.  Moose really couldn't care less about having a baby in the house.

Ian got a ton of great books at his baby shower.  I have been reading to him every day.  Mostly, he just kind of hangs out while I read to him, but in the last few days, he has started to look at the pictures.  He does very well focusing on pictures with high contrast.

Memorial Day was the only day that it didn't rain since being home with Ian.  We took advantage of the sun and took our first trip as a family.  Ian isn't quite ready for any big hikes, so we drove to Acadia and walked on Sand Beach and then some of the carriage trails around Jordan Pond.  It was a bit chilly and fairly crowded, but it was nice to get out.  Ian did really well on his first big outing!

Greg is back to work this week and we already miss him.  We are attempting to get back onto a regular schedule.  I am back to doing evening chores at the barn and have even started working out lightly.  Hopefully, I will be able to begin running and riding again soon.  I am dying to get back in the saddle!

Love watching Ian with his daddy!

Paternity Leave Projects

Greg was very fortunate to have two weeks off when Ian was born, and Ian arrived at just the right time, allowing Greg to have his full two weeks plus the additional Monday for Memorial Day.

The weather was nice for the few days following Ian's birth, but we were both pretty tired and mostly just hung out getting to know Ian.  The weather has not cooperated enough since then for Greg to work on all of the projects that he had planned.

He did get the garden ready to plant, but only minimal planting has taken place so far.

This rainy weekend, Greg has been working on installing a dishwasher.  It is completely hooked up and running for the first time as we type.  Now to put the kitchen back together.

Ian is growing so fast.  Overall, he is a really easy going baby!  He is beginning to get his days and nights figured out, but his nights remain a bit all over the place.  He is mostly sleeping from 12pm to 4:30am, then again for another hour or two.  However, he still has nights where he doesn't really sleep. Friday night, he didn't actually sleep until almost 4am.

He is so cute and alert when he is awake during the day.  It is hard to believe that he is almost 2 weeks old.  We are hoping for nicer weather on Monday so that we can do something as a family before Greg heads back to work.

Time

Ian - One week old

Time for cuddles, kisses and nursing.  Time for savoring this tiny baby stage.  Time to be thankful and early morning quiet time for thinking, reflecting and blogging.

So small in Daddy's arms

Never in my life have I spent so much time at home, so much time sitting in one place at a time, so much time thinking and so much time napping.

Big brother Gauge has to know what you're doing at all times!

Before becoming pregnant, and even just before Ian's arrival, I was kind of scared of infants and felt a little unprepared to be bringing home one of my own.  I had a few nightmares throughout my pregnancy and woke up panicked that I wouldn't know how to take care of him.  I am sure that to some extent, that is a normal feeling.  Now that Ian is here, I just love all of his gassy smiles, silly puckers and his little grimaces when the dogs smell or lick him.  I love his little grunts and squeaks and his tiny fingers and toes.  I find myself cuddling and kissing him and not wanting him to grow!

Big brother Moose, so gentle

They say, "Having a baby changes everything".  I knew that this would be true, but I didn't know exactly what that meant.  I find that I am much more thankful.  Thankful to have such perfect little person (and still totally amazed that we made and birthed him), thankful that his birth was uncomplicated, thankful for an amazing midwife and great nurses during our hospital stay, thankful for an amazing husband who is also proving to be a great daddy!  I am also very thankful that I can see the definition on my feet and ankles again and that Ian arrived when he did, allowing me the most time with him before returning to work, but also being able to work right up to his birth and having to only miss 5 weeks of school at the end of the year.  Really, the best possible scenario.

Ian waking after a nap with Mommy

It is hard to believe that Ian is one week old already.  He had his first doctor's appointment this afternoon.  He is in the 50th percentile for everything and is only 1 ounce under his birth weight.

Ian's Welcome

So many people were anxious to hear about Ian's arrival and were excited to meet him.  His grandma, auntie and cousin drove up from Berwick to see him.  It was nice to have them at home for the first night too, since both Ian and I are trying to figure out the whole nursing gig.  We can use any help we can get.  He still hasn't met his cousin Josiah or uncle Jason.  I guess we will have to visit soon and take lots of pictures!

Here is Ian with his big cousin Ella.  I love this picture.  She was so great with him and he seemed pretty content in her arms.

He was so alert when my mom held him.  It is not often that we see his eyes.

Proud Auntie holding Ian, less than 24 hours old,

We were fortunate to only be in the hospital for one night, so hospital visitors were limited.  Still, Ian was able to meet my 3 best friends before leaving for home.  Molly happened to be working on Tuesday and was Ian's first visitor.  She came up twice to visit!  Becky was also at the hospital fairly early and shared cuddles with Ian for quite a while.  Melanie was the last to meet our little guy, though she was the first one to arrive at the hospital - around 6 am and in labor herself.  Yep, Ian and miss Ellie are less than 24 hours apart!  Texting with Melanie and waiting for Ellie to arrive made our day go by fairly quickly.  We had a quick visit from Melanie's family after they welcomed Ellie to the world.

Ian 4 days old, Ellie 3 days old

Before leaving the hospital, I rolled Ian in his bassinet to meet Melanie, Andy and Ellie.  Yesterday afternoon, I took Ian to visit Ellie and to get a few pictures while they are still so little.  It will be so fun watching them grow together!

Belated Mother's Day Gift

Ian William Roy Kolvoord

Born at 3:56pm May 13, 2013

7lbs 2oz, 20 inches

Last week, I was getting pretty anxious for our little one to arrive, especially after I started to get swelling in my feet and ankles and being told to lay low for the next week.  At my last appointment on May 9th, I was only a fingertip dilated and really not effaced.  I was pretty discouraged by the news and really felt that Ian would be born past his due date.  Still, I was hopeful that I might have a Mother's Day baby.

The weekend was pretty dreary.  I spent all day Saturday at Pony Club.  Sunday, Greg and I cleaned up around the house, got groceries, finished some paperwork and dropped off a hanging basket in Verona Island.  It was a pretty lazy day overall.  I didn't feel any different.  I let the staff in my classroom know that I was planning on working Monday to tie up some loose ends and get some paperwork printed and filed.  I went to bed around 9.  By the time Greg came to bed at 9:30, I was feeling very crampy and could not get comfortable.  I moved to the couch around 10:30.  The cramps were dull and consistent and I could not sleep at all.  By 11:30, I was pretty sure that I was in labor.  I was still in consistent discomfort, but the pain intensified every half hour.  By 12:30, it was intensifying every 20 minutes, and by 1:30 about every 15.  I had planned on staying home as long as possible, so I let Greg sleep.  He came downstairs just before 3:30 because he planned on going to the gym before work.  I let him know that I was uncomfortable, but that it wasn't anything serious yet.  A few minutes later, when I got up to go to the bathroom, I felt a rush of fluid.  I must have looked shocked, because Greg immediately asked, "What's wrong".  I told him that my water just broke, but I still didn't want to hurry.  Shortly afterward, the pain intensified and I was incredibly nauseous.  We decided it was probably best to head to the hospital.  I had tested positive for group B strep and needed 2 doses of antibiotics before birth and I had no way of knowing how far along I was.  

Sunrise from delivery room

Flattering picture that Greg took during labor

minutes old

After gathering our things, we headed to the hospital.  I felt water gushing every time I moved.  It was disgusting.  I was embarrassed to check in, telling Greg that everyone would think I peed my pants.  We were taken to a room right away.  When the nurse did the initial check, water gushed so quickly that she had to jump out of the way.  I was only 2 cm dilated and 80% effaced.  The hooked me to the monitors, got the IV ready and administered the first dose of antibiotics.  My midwife, Debbie, checked in around 7am on her way to a meeting.  She advised me to walk the stairs to help get things moving.  She checked back in on her way to the office and then again at lunch time.  At lunch time, I was still only 4cm dilated, but 90% effaced.  I was discouraged and starting to feel more pain.  We continued to walk for 25 minutes, then rest for 25 minutes.  I was beginning to get really tired.  While walking the stairs, I was really nauseous and felt like I really had to concentrate to breathe and alternate feet.  Greg was so supportive!  At 1:00, the nurse called Debbie back to the hospital, telling her that I was really fatigued and questioning getting an epidural.  Debbie came right over and checked me.  I was 7-8cm dilated and 100% effaced.  I remember some of the conversation, but not all of it because I was so tired.  She tried to stall me and the anesthesiologist, hoping that I would quickly be able to push. I was crying, saying, "I don't know what I want to do, I am so tired!"  Debbie reminded me of our conversation in the office.  She had told me, "There is a time and a place for an epidural.  You will not be able to push effectively if you are that tired".  At 2:00, I got the epidural.  It was very mild.  I could still feel everything, just dulled.  I still grimaced and had to breathe through the contractions, but it was much easier.  Debbie was awesome with Greg and more or less forced him to go get lunch, telling him, "The dads that we lose, are the dads that haven't eaten.  I was able to rest from 2:00 to 3:00 when Debbie checked me again.  She got into her scrubs after checking me and I began pushing through contractions.  Greg was amazing!  He held one of my legs while the nurse held the other.  Debbie even had him look at Ian's head coming down at one point and he didn't pass out.  At around 2:45, she decided to do an episiotomy because I was not stretching and Ian was not moving.  She apologized, saying that she rarely does them, but he wasn't making any progress.  I really didn't care at that point.

I pushed through a few more contractions and Ian finally arrived at 3:56pm.  It was the most amazing feeling when his head emerged.  Ian began screaming and flailing right away.  Debbie set him on my stomach (his cord was quite short) and cut the cord after Greg declined.  We both held him right away, before they took him to do his weight and vitals.  He was quite feisty when they took him, screaming, flailing and grabbing the nurses stethoscope.  He received an 8 and 9 for APGAR scores.  The 8 was due to his coloring...he was a little purple.  He nursed right away and seemed very content.

He is just perfect and we are in love!

Daddy and Ian- minutes old
I LOVE this picture

Going home!

Getting Anxious

I am getting very anxious to meet little Ian.  Everything is set up and ready for him to arrive.
I thought that I might be a mother by mother's day, but it doesn't look like that is going to happen.  Maybe that was just wishful thinking since my last appointment didn't go as well as all of my others.

All of a sudden, I am retaining a lot of water.  My feet and ankles are quite swollen and my midwife mentioned that she could see some swelling in my face as well.  My blood pressure is fine.  It is high for me, but still relatively low.  She recommended that I stay off of my feet a lot more.  Specifically, stop taking the dogs on 3 mile walks in the evening and instead, lie on my side for 3 hours.  This is like torture to me.  I made it to 45 minutes the first night before wanting to poke my eyes out.

On the bright side, she said that I am starting to dilate on my own and that Ian is fully engaged.  She could touch his head when she checked me.  I am still measuring behind, further behind this week than last, because he has dropped.  She is guessing that he will be around 6.5 pounds.  I really think it is just how he is positioned and I will be surprised if he isn't 7.5 pounds or more at birth.  After poking around on my stomach for a while, she said that he is quite long, but narrow.  I guess he takes after Greg.  I'm just happy that I won't be delivering a little linebacker.


Maternity photos were taken
by my friend, Ann.
38.5 weeks.