My high school friends Emily, Carolyn, Carole and their daughters came over on Saturday morning with brunch to meet Jenna. Dave and Andrew went out for the morning to do "manly" things, while all the girls came over and caught up. All the girls traveled from out of state and put together a delicious brunch. My friends have been there for me for many years now (like over 20 years :)), it meant a lot to me to have my friends meet Jenna and share in the joy that she is bringing. We don't get together as often as we should due to our busy lives - I know everyone is very busy with their families, so THANK YOU ladies for everything!!!
And as a surprise, I got the call from my friend Beth that she was also visiting on Saturday - also traveling from out of state. So, I was able to catch up with Beth, my god daughter Erin and baby Eli. So in one morning's time, I was able to catch up with very close friends I rarely see in person.
I turned 39 yesterday. Our friend Melissa who lives close by brought over dinner (birthday cake and all!). Since Jenna's arrival she had arranged for our family to have dinner delivered by friends twice a week the entire month of April. How awesome is that!! THANK YOU Melissa!! THANK YOU Judy, Denise, Colette, Mary, Michelle, Cindy & Danelle!!!
I HAVE THE GREATEST FRIENDS!!!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
This Week
Last Thursday we brought Jenna to her 2 week check up. Jenna weighed 8lbs 2oz. She's doing great! Now she is enjoying being held, so she isn't sleeping as soundly on her own as she once was in the day. She's still sleeping very well though, especially at night. Dave left for a work trip to Spain (yes Spain) on Sunday. He'll be back this Thursday. Now that Dave is back to work and out of the country Andrew, Jenna and I are back to our downstairs sleeping arrangements until I have been cleared to lift again in 6 to 8 weeks.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Oh My! ..... Let the pictures begin!!!
Today is Easter Sunday. Yesterday Dave's side of the family came over for dinner and today my mom and brother Jon came over for lunch. Right now Jenna is napping with Dave. Drew and I just woke up and the girls are in quiet time after their candy/sugar high from an hour or so ago. Yesterday we colored eggs, made Jello eggs and today we had out egg hunt for the girls here at home.
Since Jenna has been home it's been quite easy. She sleeps most of the day, so much so we googled it online the other day to make sure she wasn't sleeping too much! She has a wakeful time in the morning and then at dinner time. She wakes every 2 1/2 hours- 3hours for a bottle. Dave, Ava and I took Jenna to the pediatrican last Tuesday for her first appt. All was well - her weight at 6lbs 15oz.
Dave has been home all this past week, and I hope he will be home all next week! Dave and Ava went for a lunch date for Chinese food on Wednesday, Dave & Drew went to physical therapy and for hair cuts on Thursday, and on Friday Amelia & Dad went up to Hunting Creek to go fishing, hiking, and for milk shakes.
Lots of family and friends came over our first week. We've been overwhelmed with cards, gifts, dinners. Thank you everyone!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Jenna's Arrival
Jenna Danielle Ablondi arrived last Thursday, April 2nd at 9:00 am.
The story....so I won't ever forget the details.......
The kids were in good hands with Grandma spending the night. Dave and I couldn't sleep the night before, so we were more than ready to leave our house at 5:30am to stop for Starbucks for Dave, and arrive at the hospital at 6:00am as we were directed. We went right to the labor and delivery floor and were called back to the operating prep. room where I was asked to get into my gown, blood was taken and an IV was placed. I am not scared of needles, but per usual placing the IV made me very dizzy and faint, so I was told to lay down until I felt better...it was a few minutes when I was myself again. The OR prep room was empty except for our three nurses - Cathy, Kelly and Ginny. Cathy was asked to oversee our case by the social worker at the hospital. Cathy was the nurse who had been trained in (I guess) delicate birth situations. We did not ask for this, or did not know that we would be assigned Cathy, but Cathy was awesome. Very funny, made sure she discussed every detail with us. She brought up our past and how it may be difficult for us to get through the birth - basically counseling us. Kelly took all of our information for the hospital, and Ginny was assigned to care for me afterwards in recovery. About 8:15am my doctor - Dr. Manley came and said hello along with that pediatric hematologist (Dr. Cooper) I had mentioned in a previous post. I did not go see him two days earlier, so he wanted to be there to meet us and get I guess a "feel" for us before Jenna was born. He was a bit unusual, but a nice man (I'll leave it at that)..... Come to find later, that he would make an appearance daily if not more for the rest of our hospital stay. Back to the birth, I was wheeled into the OR around 8:35am without Dave. I clung onto Cathy and my doctor for dear life while the spinal was administered. Not that it hurt, just was scared. I was very, very queasy and thought about fainting again until the anesthesiologist gave me medicine to counteract that. By the time Dave was brought in, I was fine. Surgery begun, no pain of course - lots of tugging and pressure, and very quickly by 9:00 am exactly I heard the cry and then that was it - I cried. Dave wasn't watching the surgery, but saw the nurses carry Jenna over to be cleaned and examined. Dave said she was big and later told me she was blue very briefly. The nurses immediately said she looked great and that she had a dimple on her chin, some hair and was once again doing just fine. The nurses kept asking - "Who has the dimple?" Which Dave would answer, "I don't know." (Dave has the dimple) Dave was told he could go over for pictures when he was called, so he did snap some pictures and then came back to show me. During this time, the surgery was still taking place. I kept asking Dr. Manley was I okay?, was I okay. She kept telling me everything was fine. Finally the nurses brought Jenna over and I just couldn't believe it - and still today a week later sitting here at home and watching her - I just can't believe it. Jenna weighed 7lbs, 8oz and was 20 inches long. The staff pediatrician said she was fine. The surgery on me finished up- this part I remember as taking the most time. Seemed like forever I was on that table after her birth. I was then holding my baby while they wheeled me to recovery. I was a bit out of it, so Dave took her to hold her. He also called home and spread the news as well as found my Mom out in the waiting room who had been out there since 7am - just waiting for any news at all. Jenna was taken to the WELL BABY nursery - cleaned, checked and so on, while Dave watched and my mom watched from the window. Within an hour I was wheeled to my room. Jenna came a bit later. Of course Jenna received the standard newborn care, as well as a head and kidney ultrasound. She also received a few more blood tests then normal - piece by piece everything checked out HEALTHY!!
Dave went to pick up Grandma and the kids around noon. They all came to see us that afternoon. Andrew with his very loud "happy" talk, Amelia with all of her curious medical questions, and Ava with her "Oh, look at the baby, can I kiss her?" self.
Our pediatrician came the first night to examine Jenna. Everything again, fine except Jenna has a tongue tie. The doctor informed us it wasn't a big deal. Come to find out later that the tongue tie would interfere with Jenna's nursing. I was so happy that Jenna latched on the first try, but didn't realize until the end of my stay when the lactation consultant pointed it out that her latch wasn't strong enough or long enough to get her nourishment. The consultant recommended getting the tongue tie clipped immediately once we were home for breastfeeding purposes. I am happy and relieved that I was supplementing bottle feeding Jenna those first few days.
The hospital stay was uneventful. We had family and friends stop by each day to meet Jenna. That added to the experience. The staff there were incredible. They made our experience even more special. Come to learn over the years with the doctors and nurses that they have their conferences before shifts and I guess "fill" each other in about each patient. Seems every nurse knew of our past and were very, very caring. I owe so much to Dr. Manley and all of the staff at my OB-GYN office. I never dreamed that I would be blessed with another child and get to experience all of this as it should be. I'm in awe......
The story....so I won't ever forget the details.......
The kids were in good hands with Grandma spending the night. Dave and I couldn't sleep the night before, so we were more than ready to leave our house at 5:30am to stop for Starbucks for Dave, and arrive at the hospital at 6:00am as we were directed. We went right to the labor and delivery floor and were called back to the operating prep. room where I was asked to get into my gown, blood was taken and an IV was placed. I am not scared of needles, but per usual placing the IV made me very dizzy and faint, so I was told to lay down until I felt better...it was a few minutes when I was myself again. The OR prep room was empty except for our three nurses - Cathy, Kelly and Ginny. Cathy was asked to oversee our case by the social worker at the hospital. Cathy was the nurse who had been trained in (I guess) delicate birth situations. We did not ask for this, or did not know that we would be assigned Cathy, but Cathy was awesome. Very funny, made sure she discussed every detail with us. She brought up our past and how it may be difficult for us to get through the birth - basically counseling us. Kelly took all of our information for the hospital, and Ginny was assigned to care for me afterwards in recovery. About 8:15am my doctor - Dr. Manley came and said hello along with that pediatric hematologist (Dr. Cooper) I had mentioned in a previous post. I did not go see him two days earlier, so he wanted to be there to meet us and get I guess a "feel" for us before Jenna was born. He was a bit unusual, but a nice man (I'll leave it at that)..... Come to find later, that he would make an appearance daily if not more for the rest of our hospital stay. Back to the birth, I was wheeled into the OR around 8:35am without Dave. I clung onto Cathy and my doctor for dear life while the spinal was administered. Not that it hurt, just was scared. I was very, very queasy and thought about fainting again until the anesthesiologist gave me medicine to counteract that. By the time Dave was brought in, I was fine. Surgery begun, no pain of course - lots of tugging and pressure, and very quickly by 9:00 am exactly I heard the cry and then that was it - I cried. Dave wasn't watching the surgery, but saw the nurses carry Jenna over to be cleaned and examined. Dave said she was big and later told me she was blue very briefly. The nurses immediately said she looked great and that she had a dimple on her chin, some hair and was once again doing just fine. The nurses kept asking - "Who has the dimple?" Which Dave would answer, "I don't know." (Dave has the dimple) Dave was told he could go over for pictures when he was called, so he did snap some pictures and then came back to show me. During this time, the surgery was still taking place. I kept asking Dr. Manley was I okay?, was I okay. She kept telling me everything was fine. Finally the nurses brought Jenna over and I just couldn't believe it - and still today a week later sitting here at home and watching her - I just can't believe it. Jenna weighed 7lbs, 8oz and was 20 inches long. The staff pediatrician said she was fine. The surgery on me finished up- this part I remember as taking the most time. Seemed like forever I was on that table after her birth. I was then holding my baby while they wheeled me to recovery. I was a bit out of it, so Dave took her to hold her. He also called home and spread the news as well as found my Mom out in the waiting room who had been out there since 7am - just waiting for any news at all. Jenna was taken to the WELL BABY nursery - cleaned, checked and so on, while Dave watched and my mom watched from the window. Within an hour I was wheeled to my room. Jenna came a bit later. Of course Jenna received the standard newborn care, as well as a head and kidney ultrasound. She also received a few more blood tests then normal - piece by piece everything checked out HEALTHY!!
Dave went to pick up Grandma and the kids around noon. They all came to see us that afternoon. Andrew with his very loud "happy" talk, Amelia with all of her curious medical questions, and Ava with her "Oh, look at the baby, can I kiss her?" self.
Our pediatrician came the first night to examine Jenna. Everything again, fine except Jenna has a tongue tie. The doctor informed us it wasn't a big deal. Come to find out later that the tongue tie would interfere with Jenna's nursing. I was so happy that Jenna latched on the first try, but didn't realize until the end of my stay when the lactation consultant pointed it out that her latch wasn't strong enough or long enough to get her nourishment. The consultant recommended getting the tongue tie clipped immediately once we were home for breastfeeding purposes. I am happy and relieved that I was supplementing bottle feeding Jenna those first few days.
The hospital stay was uneventful. We had family and friends stop by each day to meet Jenna. That added to the experience. The staff there were incredible. They made our experience even more special. Come to learn over the years with the doctors and nurses that they have their conferences before shifts and I guess "fill" each other in about each patient. Seems every nurse knew of our past and were very, very caring. I owe so much to Dr. Manley and all of the staff at my OB-GYN office. I never dreamed that I would be blessed with another child and get to experience all of this as it should be. I'm in awe......
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
The Day has Finally Come!
Well, as of 1:20 this afternoon, I'm still pregnant and everything is still a go for tomorrow morning at 8:30 am. 37 Weeks and 2 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We made it!!!!!!!!!!! Now, more importantly.....to just get to meeting baby Jenna and seeing that she has stayed healthy too.
I went to the doctor for my last visit this morning. The girls and I met my mom there. I pointed out the hospital to the girls where I would be staying for a few days and where they would first meet Jenna.
My weight is 183lbs, my BP 137/57. The baby checked out okay on the sonogram. She is still laying head down. Her heart rate is in the 130 range. I talked with the doctor about finalizing tomorrow's plan. We are to be at the hospital at 6:30 am for an 8:30am c-section. Dave's mom is coming over this evening to spend the night and take care of the kids in the morning. Dave will come home for them at some point tomorrow morning to meet their sister.
This past week or so, everyone has been calling me and e-mailing me to wish me well. It's the best feeling to know that I have such caring, thoughtful family and friends praying for us, wishing us well, and cheering us on through all of this. My friends and family have helped me more than you all know -- through all of this.
Now, to get through tonight and all the anticipation..........................
I went to the doctor for my last visit this morning. The girls and I met my mom there. I pointed out the hospital to the girls where I would be staying for a few days and where they would first meet Jenna.
My weight is 183lbs, my BP 137/57. The baby checked out okay on the sonogram. She is still laying head down. Her heart rate is in the 130 range. I talked with the doctor about finalizing tomorrow's plan. We are to be at the hospital at 6:30 am for an 8:30am c-section. Dave's mom is coming over this evening to spend the night and take care of the kids in the morning. Dave will come home for them at some point tomorrow morning to meet their sister.
This past week or so, everyone has been calling me and e-mailing me to wish me well. It's the best feeling to know that I have such caring, thoughtful family and friends praying for us, wishing us well, and cheering us on through all of this. My friends and family have helped me more than you all know -- through all of this.
Now, to get through tonight and all the anticipation..........................
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