Thursday, April 8, 2010
1st Easter
We had a great Easter! Got all dressed up and went to Church. Natalie took about a 3 hour nap in the afternoon, and afterwards we went walking in the park :) Perfect weather too!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
4 Month Update
Check out what Natalie can do at 4 months old!
- Laughs out loud (though not a belly aching laugh quite yet)
- Squeals when mom or dad picks her up from daycare
- Coos
- Rolls over from tummy to back
- Smiles constantly and now smiles at her stuffed animals when they "talk" to her
- Good at tummy time! She can't seem to close her mouth - always hanging open when on her tummy :)
- Holds her head up very well. Still bobbles a bit when tired though!
- Starting to grasp objects, like rattles and stuffed animals
- Sleeps through the night (usually 8-10 hrs)
- Starting to become more of a wiggle worm!
- Mimics sounds that mommy and daddy make
- Most always has her hand in her mouth. Anything she can hold goes there too!
- Has developed quite a personality: serious, but gives us plenty of smiles (laughs are still rare)..She cries now in the middle of a bottle (while being patted for a burp) - she wants to let momma know she is not done!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Natalie's Birth Story
Natalie Ann Thompson was born on Wednesday, November 25th (the day before Thanksgiving) at 10:58 p.m. She weighed 6 lbs 14 ounces and was 20 inches long. Our little girl arrived two weeks early! That morning I went to my 38 week appointment and I was excited to see if I had progressed any more. Jeff and I got to the doctor's office and I stepped on the scale...I gained 4 pounds since my appointment the week before..ugh. I gave my urine sample to the nurse, who tested it like any other appointment. Except this time,I noticed she tested it twice. She remarked that I had some protein in my urine. She then checked my blood pressure and it was much higher than normal at about 146/92. The nurse said she would be right back with the doctor and that she would check for induction. My head just about spun 360 degrees at that one. Induction?!
The doc came in and said that with the weight gain, swelling, protein in my urine, and high blood pressure, I was developing preclampsia and that I had one of two options. I could go straight home from this appointment and remain on bed rest for the next week..Or, we could deliver this baby today. At 38 weeks, the baby was fully developed and he said that leaving little Natalie in the womb another week or two would not provide much benefit. He asked what I wanted to do, and I said I would follow his recommendation. On a side note, the next day was Thanksgiving and he was going to be on a plane out of town. So, there was some urgency on his part too!
The nurse called the hospital to make sure there was an opening for an induction that day. She came back and said they were waiting for me at the hospital and they would like to start the induction immediately. The nurse told me to go straight to the hospital..I could not even go home to pick up my hospital bag (which luckily I had started packing the weekend before). The whole time the doc was discussing my options of bedrest/induction my adrenaline was pumping and I could hardly believe what I was hearing. I was having a baby today! Jeff's eyes were as big as saucers this whole time and he was just jumping at the bit, he was so excited. He told me later on that if I had decided to take the bed rest, he was going to urge me to take the other option and deliver! We were both so ready to meet our little girl! So, Jeff and I left the doctor's office. He had to run by work to pick up his computer and then to the house to get my hospital bag, boppy, etc. Meanwhile, I drove to the hospital a whole bag of emotions - scared out of my mind of the unknown and pure excitement of meeting Natalie. I called my mom as I was getting into my car and announced that they were inducing me that day. She asked me if I was serious about three times! LOL. She was off work that week, so she was able to pack up and drive down to Oklahoma! I then talked to Jeff's mom, Nita, who happened to be in town for Thanksgiving. She was so excited!
That drive to the hospital was surreal..well really the whole experience was so surreal! Here I was in my work clothes, with a brand new hair cut I had gotten the night before, driving to the hospital instead of work! I had gotten pretty uncomfortable at this stage of the pregnancy and had told my coworker, Robin, several times - wouldn't it be cool to go to my doctor's appointment and have the doctor announce I would be having my baby that day? Surprise!
The weather could not have been more perfect - sunny and not a cloud in the sky. I talked to my step-mom, Shannon, and she was ecstatic - they would be heading up from Texas that afternoon. I got to the hospital and my cell phone was ringing off the hook. I checked in and got into my hospital gown. They started the pitocen at about 11:00 or so. Jeff got there shortly after. He was a bit frazzled by this point. I, was strangely calm. It was sinking in what was about to happen. At about 1pm, they broke my water. That was a strange experience! By about 3pm, I was about 3 or 4 cm and the contractions were getting pretty intense. They gave me the epidural at this point. Getting the epidural was really no big deal, and made the rest of labor a breeze! I got nauseous at times and had the shakes, but did not feel any pain. I got very sleepy and dozed much of the afternoon and evening. I think Mom arrived at about 6:30 or so and Dad, Shannon, and Zach arrived shortly after. At about 9:30, I told the nurse I suddenly felt this pressure really low. She checked me and told me I was at 10cm and I would start start pushing soon. She called the doctor, and at about 10:00pm I started pushing. Jeff held my hand and held up our favorite sonogram picture of Natalie for me to focus on. I pushed and Natalie kept turning sunny side up, and then face down, and then sunny side up again. I pushed for an hour and was afraid I would have to have a c-section. Towards the end, the doctor said he could see her hair and that it looked brown. Doc was so serious and I kept watching his face as I pushed for any indication that she was almost here. Finally, at 10:58 pm, Natalie was born and Jeff looked at her with tears in his eyes. She was so quiet and did not make a sound. I was so happy that she was finally here as they placed her on my chest. As I looked at her for the first time, my heart swelled to a size I never thought possible. She looked so much like her daddy, the love of my life! They then took Natalie and placed her on the heater table. She started crying then. I started to talk to her and she stopped crying. She did the same when Jeff talked to her. So amazing that she recognized our voices!
I was exhausted and hungrier than I had ever been in my life. I remember that roast beef sandwich that the hospital served me being the best I had ever had. Family came in to visit for awhile and hold her. Then everyone left and after about an hour or two, the nurse helped me out of bed to see if I could walk. At about 3am, we packed up all of our things and they wheeled me to the recovery room in a wheel chair. Natalie went to the nursery and they would bring her in every few hours to feed (which she took to like a champ by the way). She was checked out by a visiting pediatrician and had her hearing test. She passed the hearing test. We were told that she probably had a blocked tear duct on her left eye and that we may have to wait it out for a year to see if it goes away. Long story short, the tear duct issue resolved on its own (thank God!) and she is a perfectly healthy baby girl!
Thanksgiving Day...
The doc came in and said that with the weight gain, swelling, protein in my urine, and high blood pressure, I was developing preclampsia and that I had one of two options. I could go straight home from this appointment and remain on bed rest for the next week..Or, we could deliver this baby today. At 38 weeks, the baby was fully developed and he said that leaving little Natalie in the womb another week or two would not provide much benefit. He asked what I wanted to do, and I said I would follow his recommendation. On a side note, the next day was Thanksgiving and he was going to be on a plane out of town. So, there was some urgency on his part too!
The nurse called the hospital to make sure there was an opening for an induction that day. She came back and said they were waiting for me at the hospital and they would like to start the induction immediately. The nurse told me to go straight to the hospital..I could not even go home to pick up my hospital bag (which luckily I had started packing the weekend before). The whole time the doc was discussing my options of bedrest/induction my adrenaline was pumping and I could hardly believe what I was hearing. I was having a baby today! Jeff's eyes were as big as saucers this whole time and he was just jumping at the bit, he was so excited. He told me later on that if I had decided to take the bed rest, he was going to urge me to take the other option and deliver! We were both so ready to meet our little girl! So, Jeff and I left the doctor's office. He had to run by work to pick up his computer and then to the house to get my hospital bag, boppy, etc. Meanwhile, I drove to the hospital a whole bag of emotions - scared out of my mind of the unknown and pure excitement of meeting Natalie. I called my mom as I was getting into my car and announced that they were inducing me that day. She asked me if I was serious about three times! LOL. She was off work that week, so she was able to pack up and drive down to Oklahoma! I then talked to Jeff's mom, Nita, who happened to be in town for Thanksgiving. She was so excited!
That drive to the hospital was surreal..well really the whole experience was so surreal! Here I was in my work clothes, with a brand new hair cut I had gotten the night before, driving to the hospital instead of work! I had gotten pretty uncomfortable at this stage of the pregnancy and had told my coworker, Robin, several times - wouldn't it be cool to go to my doctor's appointment and have the doctor announce I would be having my baby that day? Surprise!
The weather could not have been more perfect - sunny and not a cloud in the sky. I talked to my step-mom, Shannon, and she was ecstatic - they would be heading up from Texas that afternoon. I got to the hospital and my cell phone was ringing off the hook. I checked in and got into my hospital gown. They started the pitocen at about 11:00 or so. Jeff got there shortly after. He was a bit frazzled by this point. I, was strangely calm. It was sinking in what was about to happen. At about 1pm, they broke my water. That was a strange experience! By about 3pm, I was about 3 or 4 cm and the contractions were getting pretty intense. They gave me the epidural at this point. Getting the epidural was really no big deal, and made the rest of labor a breeze! I got nauseous at times and had the shakes, but did not feel any pain. I got very sleepy and dozed much of the afternoon and evening. I think Mom arrived at about 6:30 or so and Dad, Shannon, and Zach arrived shortly after. At about 9:30, I told the nurse I suddenly felt this pressure really low. She checked me and told me I was at 10cm and I would start start pushing soon. She called the doctor, and at about 10:00pm I started pushing. Jeff held my hand and held up our favorite sonogram picture of Natalie for me to focus on. I pushed and Natalie kept turning sunny side up, and then face down, and then sunny side up again. I pushed for an hour and was afraid I would have to have a c-section. Towards the end, the doctor said he could see her hair and that it looked brown. Doc was so serious and I kept watching his face as I pushed for any indication that she was almost here. Finally, at 10:58 pm, Natalie was born and Jeff looked at her with tears in his eyes. She was so quiet and did not make a sound. I was so happy that she was finally here as they placed her on my chest. As I looked at her for the first time, my heart swelled to a size I never thought possible. She looked so much like her daddy, the love of my life! They then took Natalie and placed her on the heater table. She started crying then. I started to talk to her and she stopped crying. She did the same when Jeff talked to her. So amazing that she recognized our voices!
I was exhausted and hungrier than I had ever been in my life. I remember that roast beef sandwich that the hospital served me being the best I had ever had. Family came in to visit for awhile and hold her. Then everyone left and after about an hour or two, the nurse helped me out of bed to see if I could walk. At about 3am, we packed up all of our things and they wheeled me to the recovery room in a wheel chair. Natalie went to the nursery and they would bring her in every few hours to feed (which she took to like a champ by the way). She was checked out by a visiting pediatrician and had her hearing test. She passed the hearing test. We were told that she probably had a blocked tear duct on her left eye and that we may have to wait it out for a year to see if it goes away. Long story short, the tear duct issue resolved on its own (thank God!) and she is a perfectly healthy baby girl!
Thanksgiving Day...
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Dr. Appointment
I had my 37 week appointment today.. I am dilated to 2cm, 25-50% effaced, and the baby's head is at a 0 station - she has dropped! Hooray!! Dr. doesn't think we will make it to the due date. He guessed maybe I'll deliver at 39 weeks! That's just 2 weeks away!!
He asked if I wanted to induce on my due date if she wasn't here by then. I told him I'd rather wait a few days past the due date before inducing. So, we picked Dec. 10th and he's going to check with the hospital to see if that will work.
The end is in sight!!
He asked if I wanted to induce on my due date if she wasn't here by then. I told him I'd rather wait a few days past the due date before inducing. So, we picked Dec. 10th and he's going to check with the hospital to see if that will work.
The end is in sight!!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
37 Week Pictures
It feels like Natalie has begun to drop (based on how well I can breath and no more foot jams in the ribs)..but it's hard for me to tell just by looking. What do you think?
37 Weeks
Only 3 weeks left until Natalie's estimated due date! On the one hand, it feels like time has flown..on the other, it can't get here soon enough. I see pictures of babies that are born at 37 weeks and it's just hard for me to imagine Natalie looking like a full-fledged baby! Jeff and I are so excited and cannot wait to hold and kiss her. Will she have blond or brown hair, or none at all? Will she have a big head and long second toe that seems prevalant among the Noblitt side of the family? Will she have a pug nose that Mom, Nickie, Kyle, Faith and I have? Or will she have a straight nose and chiseled chin like her daddy? Will she have Jeff's tendency to talk with the hands? Those have been my thoughts recently, and it's been so fun to daydream about her.
This past weekend I started noticing an increase in braxton hicks contractions. I would get them same time every night from about 7:30 to 10. Maybe 5-6 total in that time, and most are just somewhat uncomfortable. A few have been painful, but those are in the minority. The past day or so I've been having them more during the day. They are pretty irregular and usually last anywhere from 1-3 minutes. While I know this can go on for weeks, it is still exciting to know that my body is preparing for the big show. Last night I also had menstral like cramps..I had almost forgotten what those felt like! I am definitely feeling the weight of the baby now. My lower back aches quite a bit by the end of the day. Our teacher from class told us how a tennis ball massage helps with back labor. I really LOVE this! It really helps with the back ache. I will definitely be packing the tennis ball in my hospital bag.
On a side note, this past weekend was a great weekend. Jeff and I had date night and went to see the movie 2012 with John Cusack. It had been awhile since a good movie had come out. The movie was predictable at times, but the special effects were awesome - by far the best. Saturday we went to Babies R Us and got the remaining items we needed like a mattress pad, bottles, etc. We got to see Jeff's family that afternoon too for Drew's 5th birthday party. Drew was really cute - he got such a kick out of the Christmas inflatable his Pop gave him. Sunday was mostly spent doing chores. Got most of Natalie's laundry done that day. After spending most of the day on my feet, I went to get a pedicure. Putting on my socks has become close to impossible, let alone clipping my toenails! And, boy, that pedi was probably the best I had ever had! I just wanted to leave my feet soaking in that warm swirling water forever. And I decided right then and there that I was going home that night and taking my first bath of the pregnancy. Not as enjoyable as I had envisioned but it did help my muscles relax somewhat.
Let me back up..when I got home from the pedicure, I found glowing candles and china on the dining room table. Jeff had made dinner! When I saw this, my heart felt as bright as those candles. He continues to surprise me with his kindness and love. Sigh.. What a great weekend it was!
I am keenly aware of how fast our time as "just a couple" is dwindling and am savoring each moment. But at the same time, I am so excited about having a family with him. Already, I am seeing a metamorphosis and it is awesome.
This past weekend I started noticing an increase in braxton hicks contractions. I would get them same time every night from about 7:30 to 10. Maybe 5-6 total in that time, and most are just somewhat uncomfortable. A few have been painful, but those are in the minority. The past day or so I've been having them more during the day. They are pretty irregular and usually last anywhere from 1-3 minutes. While I know this can go on for weeks, it is still exciting to know that my body is preparing for the big show. Last night I also had menstral like cramps..I had almost forgotten what those felt like! I am definitely feeling the weight of the baby now. My lower back aches quite a bit by the end of the day. Our teacher from class told us how a tennis ball massage helps with back labor. I really LOVE this! It really helps with the back ache. I will definitely be packing the tennis ball in my hospital bag.
On a side note, this past weekend was a great weekend. Jeff and I had date night and went to see the movie 2012 with John Cusack. It had been awhile since a good movie had come out. The movie was predictable at times, but the special effects were awesome - by far the best. Saturday we went to Babies R Us and got the remaining items we needed like a mattress pad, bottles, etc. We got to see Jeff's family that afternoon too for Drew's 5th birthday party. Drew was really cute - he got such a kick out of the Christmas inflatable his Pop gave him. Sunday was mostly spent doing chores. Got most of Natalie's laundry done that day. After spending most of the day on my feet, I went to get a pedicure. Putting on my socks has become close to impossible, let alone clipping my toenails! And, boy, that pedi was probably the best I had ever had! I just wanted to leave my feet soaking in that warm swirling water forever. And I decided right then and there that I was going home that night and taking my first bath of the pregnancy. Not as enjoyable as I had envisioned but it did help my muscles relax somewhat.
Let me back up..when I got home from the pedicure, I found glowing candles and china on the dining room table. Jeff had made dinner! When I saw this, my heart felt as bright as those candles. He continues to surprise me with his kindness and love. Sigh.. What a great weekend it was!
I am keenly aware of how fast our time as "just a couple" is dwindling and am savoring each moment. But at the same time, I am so excited about having a family with him. Already, I am seeing a metamorphosis and it is awesome.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
33 Weeks
How far along? 33 weeks
How much does Baby weigh?: ~ 4.4 lbs.
How big is Baby? ~17 inches long
Maternity clothes? Yes
Stretch marks? No
Sleep: Get up every 2 hours or so
Best moment this week: Seeing her respond to Jeff's pokes.
Movement: She's getting in her 10 kicks a day and much more. She feels more solid and I swear I can feel her fingers tapping or her toes wiggling sometimes.
Gender: Girl
Labor Signs: No.
Belly Button in or out? Innie.
What I miss: Sleeping on my back, crossing my legs, a cold beer, being able to put my socks and shoes on without holding my breath, sleeping with just two pillows, my energy level
Milestones: 7 weeks left
Monday, October 5, 2009
Last Ultrasound
We had our last ultrasound this morning. That is, it will be our last as long as nothing unexpected comes up.
One of the first things the tech looked for was to confirm that Natalie was a girl. Yep, she's still a girl! No question. Natalie was head down and her head was REALLY low. So low that it was difficult getting a good face shot of her. Some quick little notes from the appt:
- Natalie measured at 3 lbs 12 oz., 50th percentile, with an estimated birth weight in the 7-8 pound range or low 8's.
- Her measurements placed her ETA at Nov. 29th, though my due date is still officially Dec. 8th
- She was measuring a little on the short side at 15 inches. Not short by much, though - the avg is about 15.7 for this time.
- Her second toe looked to me like it was just as long, if not longer, than her big toe. Cute!
- Since we didn't get a really good shot of her profile, it's hard to tell, but to me, it looked like she had a straight nose and Jeff's chiseled chin, and possibly chubby cheeks :)
- Doctor pointed out that she had a little bit of hair on her head already
- I started seeing my tummy move up and down, and not long after that the tech showed she had the hiccups! You could see her chest and stomach move with each one - so cute.
- She didn't move around a whole lot. The tech had me turn on to my side a few times to see if she could get her to start moving more. But, little Natalie must have been in nap-time mode. Though after about 20 or 30 minutes of poking and prodding, she did move a bit on the screen. I certainly felt her kicks then too.
I'll post pics when I can!
One of the first things the tech looked for was to confirm that Natalie was a girl. Yep, she's still a girl! No question. Natalie was head down and her head was REALLY low. So low that it was difficult getting a good face shot of her. Some quick little notes from the appt:
- Natalie measured at 3 lbs 12 oz., 50th percentile, with an estimated birth weight in the 7-8 pound range or low 8's.
- Her measurements placed her ETA at Nov. 29th, though my due date is still officially Dec. 8th
- She was measuring a little on the short side at 15 inches. Not short by much, though - the avg is about 15.7 for this time.
- Her second toe looked to me like it was just as long, if not longer, than her big toe. Cute!
- Since we didn't get a really good shot of her profile, it's hard to tell, but to me, it looked like she had a straight nose and Jeff's chiseled chin, and possibly chubby cheeks :)
- Doctor pointed out that she had a little bit of hair on her head already
- I started seeing my tummy move up and down, and not long after that the tech showed she had the hiccups! You could see her chest and stomach move with each one - so cute.
- She didn't move around a whole lot. The tech had me turn on to my side a few times to see if she could get her to start moving more. But, little Natalie must have been in nap-time mode. Though after about 20 or 30 minutes of poking and prodding, she did move a bit on the screen. I certainly felt her kicks then too.
I'll post pics when I can!
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