Friday, June 30, 2006
My new baby boy
Well I just have a few minutes to update- I should be sleeping right now. As everyone knows, I gave birth to my special baby boy last Sunday night. The labour was SO long and intense. Actually, I cant believe people do that more than once!!! There is nothing more painful that I've experienced in my life- or probably ever will. I was induced Saturday morning, first thing, and slowly it started to kick in through out the day and by the evening they were getting pretty painful. At midnight, Margaret, the midwife came over to check me out. Not much going on at that point. She stayed all night, along with mom, and at around 5:30 we left for the hospital- I was three cm. Once at the hospital though, my contractions slowed down, got further and further apart, and werent as painful. We had to wait and wait for the obstetrician to come have a look at things and decide where to go from there. He decided to break my water. After that, things started slowly progressing. SLOWLY. To make a long story short- there was lots and lots of pain, a bit of throwing up, yada yada yada- the baby was born at 9:44 pm. I had FOUR stitches, and peeing is now my worst enemy. I hate it. I was a little surprised that it was a boy. I sort of thought it was going to be a girl, and I have always pictured me having a girl first-probably because most people in our family have started with girls. Im not disappointed at all though. He's perfect.
Anyway, as expected life has been pretty hectic since. We named him Adriel Christopher Stratton, a name we stumbled upon the day after he was born. He's soooo cute! Of course I think that he is. Hopefully I can post a picture or two on here soon. Im not really sure who he looks like- I think Kyle, but at the same time who knows, he'll probably change a lot. I have yet to see a dimple...although he hasnt really smiled yet. I love him so much. Ok nap time for me.
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Sarahstottle posted @ 1:28 PM
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Well seeing as Amy and I are the only ones feeling the need to update on a regular basis, I dont really know if I should even bother. Is the blog world falling apart? Do I not have anything to look forward to reading? I check religiously at least three times a day. I could tell you each what your most recent titles are, as they are embedded in my brain. Well, except for Amy's, because she updates regularly and her titles are always long and random. I know Im not the queen of updating a lot, but I've been better lately, and I miss you guys. I know I have a lot of time on my hands, and the rest of you dont blah blah blah, but come on!
Yesterday I saw the midwife again. My blood pressure was way too high. She sent me to the hospital for a non-stress test, some blood work, urine sample, and to take my blood pressure again. It was quite the mini adventure. I had to be admitted and get a bracelet and everything. Well oddly enough at the hospital everything was fine. My blood pressure was totally normal, the stress test was fine, they said I have a very happy baby and I went home. I was lying down when they took my blood pressure which apparently will make it lower, but it was significantly lower. I thought it was weird. Good though too. Good to know I have a happy baby. The midwives have told me that before too. Kyle got his hopes up that I would have to be induced and was disappointed. Now he's pushing me to get it done. I just dont think I want to though. I dont know. He's SO impatient!! Its rubbing off on me too. The midwife is coming by today to check my blood pressure again, and it its too high, I dont know what will be decided. I know one thing: I wont be able to have a home birth. Thats not the end of the world to me though. If I have to get induced its not the end of the world either, I just would rather have to than choose it on my own accord if that makes any sense.
That took up my whole afternoon. I came home and ate, and then Kyle went to soccer. I came later (after reading a good chunk of my book) and watch for a while. Then we all left to go to Kelsey's for Jordan's birthday and had a good wing-feast. Actually I shouldnt say good. We were a huge group, and our waiter was an incompetent young man who smelt like b.o. He got our order wrong (four different kinds of wings) and when they finally did come out (they were way later than most people's orders) they were cold!!! I was so NOT impressed. I mean, I know we were a huge group, and mostly all that was ordered was wings, and apparently the manager had sent most of the kitchen staff home because it was dead. But Jordan had made a reservation, and told them we were getting a lot of wings and asked if he should order some in advance and they said no. It shouldnt have been such a shock to them when we came. By the time our order came though, I felt bad because they were clearly stressed out, and we were so hungry that we just ate the wings cold anyway. But still I feel that we were unjustly dealt with, and I should have complained because it wasnt our problem or mistake that they were under-staffed. They shouldnt be able to just get away with a lousy job because of their own poor planning and we have to pay full price. Thats rediculous.
Today Im making pizza rolls for Kyle's lunches. What a good wife am I? (ill probably end up eating most of them myself.)
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Sarahstottle posted @ 10:56 AM
Monday, June 19, 2006
Still baking the bun...
Well I made it through church without having to answer too many questions about when the baby was going to come out, or endure too many "you're still pregnant?" questions. It was my first week not in primary. I was sad. I miss it already, mind you neither of the kids from my class were there anyway, so I would have been sent to the adult classes regardless.
I feel pretty normal, just heavy and uncomfortable. My belly is this hard ball. I dont think I can get any bigger! Im paranoid that if I go too long overdue its going to mean that the baby will be bigger than necessary. Oh no, not 9lbs, please no.
The twins did surprise me yesterday. I had been napping and I was trying to wake up. I heard someone in our house and I thought that it was Tracy for some reason, which didnt really make sense at all because it was three thirty and church didnt end until four and I knew she was doing sharing time, but I was sleepy and wasnt thinking logically. Then the door opened a crack and I saw a familiar hair creation of mine, with Amy's face underneath it. Yay! I was happy the twins came home!!! They were disappointed that I had no "yumblys." You know I used to have a huge stash of candy, some since Halloween (no one came trick or treating last year) and compounded from Christmas and Easter but Evan and Jordan know the cupboard where it's all kept well, and feel more than free helping themselves anytime they want, and for Evan, that's every time he's at our house. Since he's been around more lately working with Kyle, and I havent bothered to add to the stash in a long time (because why add to something you rarely take from?) and its diminished to nothing. Not that big a deal to me, because I dont need candy, Im chubby enough, but it would be nice to have for entertaining purposes. So the Addlebuns and Bipafug ended up leaving eventually due to hunger. I decided it was time to wake Kyle up.
He was really sleepy from staying up too late at the Lan party the night before. So I laid there with him, and we talked and cuddled while he woke up. It was nice. You see, Kyle always needs to be doing something. If Im tired and he's not, its like pulling teeth to get him to come and lie with me for a while before I sleep. All I want is to talk to him for a little while. When he does come the whole time he's impatient and thinking about what he's going to do while Im sleeping which is usually computer games. Its annoying. Sometimes I feel as though his impatience wears off on me. But this time, because he was still so tired, it took him a really long time to wake up fully, so I got to lie and talk to him and it was nice. I love him so much and he's been gone all the time, working really long hours and on the weekend too. I didnt see him all of Saturday. Sometimes its necessary to take the time to catch up, even with your own husband. I think communication is so important, and we arent very good at it sometimes.
Today he left for work early. I decided to make him and Evan lunch and bring it to them. So I read all morning got showered and dressed and made lunch and drove it out to them. Then I came home, ate my own lunch, read some more and more and fell asleep. Im really enjoying the book Im reading so far. Yesterday the twins helped me pick out some books to read to keep me occupied. Im reading Thy kingdom come. Its a little corny-ish at times, and slightly unrealistic but that doesnt bother me too much. After I woke up I made some chocolate chip cookies, and then went grocery shopping for some more lunch stuff for Kyle. It's hard to think of lunches for him, when there's no microwave availible. Otherwise, I'd just give him leftovers.
I found freezies!!!As Katie knows I have been on a freezie kick lately, and I havent been able to find them anywhere. Not even in gas stations! Today when I walked into superstore, there were a whole bunch of different ones right at the front of the store. So I bought me a box and they're sitting in the freezer freezing as I write. I wish they could be frozen already! I think Im going to go read some more, then make dinner. Just thought you'd like to know...
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Sarahstottle posted @ 6:48 PM
Friday, June 16, 2006
Happy Birthday to Tracy- who at the moment is just having a little "lie down"
My sleep has been all messed up. I take a nap, and then Im too awake to sleep at night and it takes me forever to fall asleep and then I wake up too early, thus feeling tired and ready for a nap in the afternoon, only to be too awake at night again. Today Im determined to break the cycle. No nap today. With my luck I'll end up being in labor all night or something and be exhausted. ha ha.
I went to the mall this morning all alone. There was no one to really go with me. Everyone is busy with their own lives- no one else is just sitting around with tons of free time. Im not complaining, I like free time, it would just be nice to share it with someone sometimes. I picked out a present for Tracy, and went upstairs to give it to her, only to discover her having a "lie down." I suppose Ill wait. People kept asking me when Im due, and I realized that its TOMORROW!!! I know that doesnt really mean anything, few babies actually come on their due date, but its still weird. Then when people ask me when Im due, I'll have to say yesterday, or a few days ago. That'll get some wide eyes. I havent heard from my midwife, so Im assuming everything went fine with my tests, and I feel fine which is what matters right?
Sorry that all I write about right now is being pregnant or having a baby. I dont mean to. It's just all thats going on right now with me, and Im excited about it too. Tonight we are going on a date with Steve and Leah. We havent been out with them in a while, so that should be fun. Father's day coming up, and I never know what to do for Dad. Dads are hard. Kyle has been really busy with his tiling business. He's gotten a lot of jobs from United Carpet. Who woulda thought? Its good, but it means I dont see much of him, and when he's home, he's either working on this house, or he's exhausted.
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Sarahstottle posted @ 12:05 PM
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
I keep having dreams that I have my baby. Last night's baby was a girl and she had a little bit of dark hair and green-blue eyes. I also remember that I was estatic that I could bend over and put my socks on. Woke up and sure enough, the baby was still snug in the womb. If only the labour part could be over that easily.
I went to the midwive's today with Tracy. My blood pressure has gone up quite a bit, and there was a "trace" of protien in my urin which isnt a good thing. I could be getting preclampsia, or toxemia whatever you want to call it, and that interferes with my liver and kidney functions. Thats about all I know about it at this point. I'll have to read up on it. So the midwife sent me to get some blood work (yuck) and a urine sample just to be safe. She said the baby need to hurry up and come out. There are no signs of it coming at all. nothing. No cramps, no braxton hick's contractions, nothing. So I wait. And wait.
Nothing much going on today other than that. Esther was supposed to have her appointment right after ours, and then we were going to all go out and do something, but she misunderstood me on the phone about getting a ride, and she was confused about her appointment time and didnt show up. Silly girl. They're having billets stay with them for the utah children's choir that's happening tonight so she's getting ready for that I guess.
Im just supposed to be taking it easy and lying around, but thats so boring. There's nothing to do! I need some good movies to watch or something.
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Sarahstottle posted @ 12:45 PM
Monday, June 12, 2006
Time
Well so far, I've managed to do not much today. Kyle's at work with the car, so it's not like I can really go anywhere, not that I really have anywhere to go either.
Yesterday we went to the Qualicum Branch to visit Ann. She really wanted us to come up before the baby was born, for some reason. I was sort of dreading it, because it can be somewhat dull, and there are tons of old people who I dont know- thats just not fun for me, especially to be alone in Relief Society. However, it was ward conference yesterday, so there were many familiar faces, and I got to hear the stake presidency speak. Relief Society was my favourite though. Sister Salway spoke- whom I always find is a good speaker, and Stephanie Williams, President Van Horne and a brief something something from Sister Dykes- whom I've never heard say anything before yesterday. It was really uplifting and spiritual. I realized that going to Relief Society may be a good thing for me, despite my love for primary. Sister Salway was talking to me inbetween classes, and she put both hands on my cheeks and said "Your face is getting round! It's cute!" and gave a few soft pats and went on her way. Its true, it is round, and I dont find it cute at all. My feet have been so so swollen the last few days. Worse than they ever have been. Nothing seems to help, I put them up, I've iced them (although not as religiously as the twins did because Kyle doesnt help me, and I have to struggle to get the ice on and off) It also seems as though you could find me the longest, largest t-shirt and it STILL wouldnt fit over my belly! Its just bound to hang out. I have five days until my due date. I wonder if it will come this week or not. Strange to think that this time next week, I could have a baby.
It's been fun going through all my memory stuff that Mom gave me. I found a journal, and in the front she copied entries from her own journal, about my when I was borne and what I was like as a baby and a toddler. I was so happy to find it because I thought in my stupidity I had thrown it away when I was a teenager. I also found stories that I wrote- I might write one down on here later- and letters from Laura and Katie. I forgot I was such a mouthy confident adolescent! I found a report card from highschool and it had a note on the back from my math teacher who was very annoyed at how much I socialize in class. Memory Lane=good times. Like Laura said, there's so many things you forget about. I was thinking about that too- how there are so many moments in our lives lost and forgotten. I mean, I dont remember writing those things to Laura at ALL, I hardly even remember being like that, and it wasnt that long ago-1o years.
Ashfish is back, and she's going to come up to Nanaimo to visit me. Yay! She was in Russia for the last 6 months teaching English, and i havent seen her since the summer before that so it's been too long.
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Sarahstottle posted @ 10:52 AM
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Fish n' Chips!
There's a fish and chips place around the corner from Laura's future apartment, and all who visit should take advantage of that.
So Im over in Vancouver right now, and Im waiting at Laura's work for the mall to open, and I have some time to kill, so get ready for a long detailed post of the last day.
Yesterday. Ok, so for those of you who dont know, my reason for coming here was to pick up a stroller/car seat travel system from the Walmart in Bellingham. It all started a few weeks ago when Kyle and I were looking for a "travel system" for our baby. We werent really finding a whole lot that we liked for a price that we liked. Either things just seemed like they were priced cheaply for a reason, or they were nice but around 400$. No thanks. So we were looking on the internet and on ebay and stuff, and we thought "hey maybe we can find a whinnie the pooh one" So Kyle looked. We are doing the baby's room in a whinnie the pooh theme. I like pooh, he's cute and Kyle had been a pooh fan for years. Anyway, Kyle found a graco whinnnie the pooh travel system on the walmart website for a price that we could afford. So we went to walmart to see if they could order it in for us (we noticed it wasnt there when we were looking) But we were disappointed find out that the stuff on the walmart website is only for the States. Well, Kyle inparticular really liked the stroller so, we figured it was worth coming over and getting it. Bellingham isnt far from the border, and the exchange rate isnt bad right now, so what the heck. Im on maternity leave and have time. May as well come get it.
I caught the Duke Point ferry, and Laura and Karey picked me up after work. The ferry ride was as predicted: so long and boring. I hate taking the ferry by myself. I had music and a book, but it didnt entertain long enough. I was sitting next to a window, and at one point was falling asleep but then the ferry turned and the sun was beating down on me and taking advantage of my black pants and my prone-to-burning-foot-syndrome-feet. I had to move and that wrecked the sleepiness. We drove in Karey's car, and Karey let me have the front. They picked me up McDonalds on their way to the ferry. I like the fries. What can I say? When we got to the Walmart, and were parking Karey pointed out that we could park in one of those spots that have a picture of a mom pushing a stroller because Im pregnant. We drove around and couldnt find any-just handicapped ones. A little disappointing. I havent been able to take advantage of one of those spots yet. We went in and sure enough they had the stroller. It was on this shelf and attached to it by a piece of plastice rope stuff. I wanted to try it out though, so we had a few people try with their dull exacto knives to get it free. It seemed nice to me, as I tested it out, and the sales associate showed me how to collapse it and how the car seat hooked into the stroller and stuff. I could also see why it was priced cheaper than a lot of the other graco ones we looked at. It wasnt as heavy duty in a few ways. I wondered if that mattered a lot. You see, Im easily tricked that if something is more expensive than another, it must be because its better quality and worth the price. I know in some cases, that's true, and I know that in the stroller case there were reasons for the pricing that were legit, but I thought it was a cute stoller set, and I dont need something really excessively heavy duty or expertly made, just something to keep my baby safe and comfortable and that was easy to use. So with that reasoning (that Im sure you all needed to know) I bought it. Now I just need to figure out how to get it on the ferry... Laura bought some treatsies, among which was a candy that goes by the name of Zours. It has pictures of funny looking candies making sour faces on it. Its fun to eat sour things sometimes so we looked forward to the event- especially because there were flavours such as sour blue raspberry, sour green apple, sour watermelon and sour tangerine. These candies are in the same form as mike and ikes and are chewy. Well we were disappointed. There's a bit of a sour buzz at fist taste and then its gone and its just a regular candy. Oh well. Many a cute items of clothing for babys at that walmart.
We stopped at the Coldstone Creamery on the way back. Its similar to the place I went to in Vic with the fubs. You pick an ice cream base (so creamy and yummy) and the stuff you want in it and they mix it on this stone thing all creamy and yummy and then you eat it. I got "strawberry blonde" which I felt was a fitting title for me. It had cheesecake ice cream, strawberries, graham cracker crumbs, caramel sauce and whipped cream. YUMZORS DELUXORS!!!! It was soooo good! Its a good thing there isnt one of those near my home, or I would've gained even more weight than I have already in this pregnancy. Im a marshmellow right now. ha ha.
On the way home, we sang to Shaniah as Laura and I are apt to do. We had to pick up her car from work and then she swung me by her new apartment. Fish n chips around the corner. We had fun saying fish n chips over and over and tying it into different sentences that were totally unrelated. The plan was to hurry home and colour Karey's hair, but by the time I could have started it would be about 9:45 and she had to work early and she didnt want to go to bed so late. So I ended up just cutting it, and hopefully we can fit the coloring part in today.
Today Im waiting at Laura's work for the mall to open- maybe I can find a father's day gift or something. Then Im venturing out to white rock to pay Grandma Bee a visit with Mudsy. Im glad mudsy's going to be there. Im afraid I wont know how to act. I havent seen her for almost two and a half years, and I havent been good at replying to her letters or anything. I feel guilty about that, but Im glad that I get to see her today. It's not like I had anything else to do with my time today while Laura's at work, and usually my visits to the mainland are rushed and Grandma Bee isnt made a priority. Bad granddaughter.
Thats it for now folks.
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Sarahstottle posted @ 8:56 AM
Monday, June 05, 2006
Swollen
Just call me Swollen 'Stottsy because thats what I have become. Everything. Swollen.
I cant believe it's Monday today already. A whole new fresh week ahead of me. It only feels that way because Im not working. If I was working, I'd hate today. I need to shower, but Tracy and I are going to paint some more trim (supposedly it's going on tonight) so what's the point in cleaning my body only to sweat some more? I might as well wait. Wait in my filth.
Last week Delanie came over to help me organize my crazy messy spare room. It was filled with baby stuff, renno stuff, Kyles junk, rubbermaid tubs of our storage, and I dont think it had been vaccumed once since we moved in. *gasp* I know, Im ashamed, but I couldnt clean it up by myself. There were too many heavy things to move around. The morning started out with my finishing the painting which has been half done for about three or more months. (thanks to the hubby who has issues finishing what he starts) Then as I was finishing Delanie came and we started cleaning it out. We made room in the "inbetween" area of our houses for the renno stuff and for Kyle's huge bike box which has just been sitting out in the open for no reason at ALL. We organized and cleaned and organized. Delanie insisted that she needed to use her own vacuum, so she went home to get it. I thought it was a little extreme, but I tried it, and it's an incredible vacuum. She's a bit of a vacuum freak, but I was ok with it, because it made my house clean. I originally invited her for the sole purpose of clearing out the baby's room and getting it ready but then she moved on to the rest of the house and gave everything a thorough cleaning. It felt good. My house needed it. The rest of the house wasnt really messy or anything, but it had been a while since it had been cleaned that well. Anyway, I feel more at peace. The baby can come, and I am ready. No more waking at 4am and not being able to sleep because of that room nagging at me that its not ready for baby. I suppose you could say I went through my nesting period. Well I have a nest now. And a huge thanks to Delanie.
Saturday was fun. We had "girls" picnic- Tracy, Katie, Delanie, Mom and I. We went to a park where the little girls all played and we sat around a picnic table and talked and ate of course. There was crispy kentucky fried chicken (which happened to hit the spot well at that time) and pizza from Sis Brooks's new shop, and cheesies, chips, juice, apples, carrots. Im sure a complete list of the the food wasnt needed, but you just got it. Mary was a huge fan of the cheesies. Her whole face and hands were covered in a bright orange coating, and after she'd finish each plate she'd say "more chipsies!" At one time someone passed her the chips, and she was mortified "those arent chipsies!" *sigh* kids are funny. Then we went to the dance recital. It was fun to watch. I couldnt help but get a little choked up while watching my beautiful neices who are growing up so fast show the ballerinas that they are quickly becoming. Natalie's dance was soooo cute too! I helped Katie with her hair.
Well I feel like i just wrote a lot about boring things. Oh well.
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Sarahstottle posted @ 9:34 AM