2 Weeks Old!

Lauren turned two weeks old today! I cannot believe how quickly this time has passed. It's really exciting, yet scary, at the same time. I know that she'll grow so quickly and that I have to cherish our time together as much as I can. Paul held her tonight so that I could snap pictures of her. She hasn't gotten the hang of looking at the camera quite yet, but we're working on it! She has been working hard with her neck muscles so she can look around, especially when we're burping her. She gets a good 3 inches away from my body before I get nervous and hold her close. She's arching her back to help support her head movements, too, which only helps her get stronger. She will sometimes try to hold her bottle with both hands, but as she has grown and her formula supply has increased, she has a little trouble. She likes to put both hands on or near her bottle, though, so as soon as her arm/hand muscles mature, I know she'll be helping more! We're still having a time with the hiccups and there is nothing we can do, which I hate. She gets them frequently during the day and in the evening, which can make her fussy, but who wants to hiccup? Lauren responds well to my voice and touch and is almost instantly soothed when I pick her up or talk to her after she's been crying. She hates having her diaper changed which I think has to do with the cold air reaching warm parts. Once she has a clean diaper on, she's grinning again. We have been so blessed with this child! She's such a joy to me.

Bath Time and Other Photos

All of that Hair--I tried to take a picture of Lauren's hair when Paul was at work (which explains why I cut her head off in the photo). See how much hair she has! It's more blonde on the sides and a little darker on top and in the back. She even has a little bit of wave to her hair (thanks to Paul, I'm sure). She has kept her hair as far as I can tell. I think this will be one feature of Paul's she has inherited.



New Belly Button--Lauren's umbilical cord fell off on Sunday. Here is what her button looks like. I've cleaned it up since the photo was taken. As she has grown and it has healed more, it's become more of an "inny" and looks more like a real belly button.

Lauren had a bath Wednesday before her doctor's appointment. This time I was smarter and had her clean diaper very near, so I did not get soaked again.

2 weeks Doctor's Appointment 08-29-07

Lauren is a healthy girl!! She's still not back up to her birth weight, but she's gained 4 oz. since last Thursday. She weighs 7 pounds and 6.25 ounces. Paul and I both thought that she had grown longer, so we asked for a length check--Lauren has grown 1 inch, bringing her to 21 inches long! The doctor wants us feeding her every 3 hours like we have been. He was shocked to hear that Lauren is sleeping 6-7 hours each night since Saturday. He didn't like hearing that she's sleeping on her stomach and encouraged us to train her on her side. He told us she was beautiful and appeared calm and content--all good signs that we're doing things right.

Lauren is growing and changing so much, so quickly. She still startles easily. Her hair is all still there, but it's wavy in back. Her eyelashes are darkening so they are more visible. Her skin isn't wrinkly--though she is still peeling--and it's smooth, soft, and very white. You can tell that her ancestory is Western European! Her cheeks are filling out as she's gaining weight. We think she'll end up with my hazel eyes--hers were blue yesterday and are more gray today.

Puddles

On Sunday, Lauren was 10 days old. She lost her umbilical cord. I cried, of course, thinking that it was the last little bit of me that was tied to her. I know our emotional bonds are much stronger than just a scabby-looking piece of cord, but it was emotional nonetheless. It looks like she'll have a nice "inny" belly button.

Lauren slept 7 hours last night, all in one time! She slept on the bed, on her belly, and didn't stir at all. (I didn't sleep horribly either, but I was worried about her being able to breathe.) We decided last night that all napping and sleeping was to occur in her crib so that she had familiar surroundings at all times. So far, this routine has worked well for her! She's had 3 naps today, all in her crib on her belly, and she's slept soundly and happily! Yea!

I also gave Lauren a wash cloth bath today. I kept her diaper on her, in case she felt the urge, to avoid a mess. After the rest of her was clean, I took her in her room to finish under the diaper so that I'd have a fresh diaper ready for her when I was done. I decided to lotion her (her skin is flaking off), but thought I'd let her air dry before putting on another diaper. That was the WRONG thing to do! I took Lauren, in her towel to keep her warm, into the bathroom to wash my hands and grab the lotion from the counter. As I picked up the lotion, I felt very warm...and wet...and realized she had peed on me! My waist and right leg were soaked, as were the towel and Lauren. I raced back into the bedroom to wash her again before throwing on a diaper. I got her dressed and plopped her in her crib to change myself and wipe up the mess. You wouldn't believe how much she had gone! There was an 8 inch puddle on the bathroom floor...not including what the two of us wore and was absorbed by the towel and my clothes! At least we know she's healthy! She kept silent for the 15 minutes that I was cleaning up the mess. I couldn't believe that I was the first to be initiated...I always assumed that it would be Paul!

Daddy Duty

Lauren has decided that she doesn't like to sleep in her crib or have any alone time. She prefers to be held constantly. I'm not sure what the issue with her crib may be. So, in order to get sleep ourselves, we've had to have her sleep with or near us (which I always vowed never to do--desperate times...). Paul took over baby duty last night because I really needed some uninterrupted sleep. The picture above is what I found when I woke up this morning. I woke Paul up because I had to use the flash to get the picture to take, but it was well worth it. Before I took the picture, Paul's head was facing his raised arm, just like Lauren's. Too cute!

1 Week Old

Lauren turned 1 week old today! She has already changed and grown up so quickly! She had her first bath last night and did well. She hadn't been sleeping well at night and had been extremely fussy. We decided she may have a milk allergy or lactose intolerance (Paul was on soy formula and I was on prescription when infants), so we made a formula change. The good news is that my milk is coming in better and hopefully I'll be able to use my milk most of the time. I dont' think I'll get to the point of only using my milk, but we can be hopeful!

Lauren had an ultrasound of her kidneys today to check their growth, just in case there are problems. Her kidneys were enlarged while she was developing. It was caught at our 20 week appointment and we were watched closely. However, around week 35, she grew into them, but we wanted to make sure to catch and correct any issues, should they be there, early to avoid pain for her later. She did a great job and only got upset when she had been naked for too long (which was toward the end of the ultrasound). She then went to Ace Hardware to meet everyone Paul works with. We were supposed to go to the hospital to consult with lactation, but they weren't in.

It has been a tiring but wonderful week with our little one. I'm thinking we'll get the fussiness under control shortly. She slept for a solid 5 hours last night and only woke up when I tried to breastfeed her!

Strong baby girl

This morning I was feeding Lauren as I was trying to feed myself. Lauren has been grabbing at her pacifier, holding it in her mouth with both hands, and even pulling it out and tossing it on her lap at times. Today she grabbed her bottle with both hands and held onto it! I ran to grab my camera (yes, so I was holding onto an infant, a burp cloth, a bottle, and a camera at once!), but she dropped her grip as I was turning on the camera. She grabbed that bottle about 2 minutes later and held for quite a long time! You can see my left arm under Lauren, holding her, as my right hand takes the picture! I was completely shocked! I guess it shouldn't be too big of a surprise, though--she was rolling from her back to her side at two days, and at 4 days, she rolled from her back to her right side, then from her right side to her left--without stopping on her back! We might be in for an active baby, but I don't care--she's strong and healthy. That is very important!

First Doctor's Appointment

Lauren had her first well-baby check on Monday the 20th. Paul and I both took her to see Dr. Vierling at our family doctor's office. (Paul sees this doctor.) She's doing really well. Reflexes, alertness, and color are all in check. She weighed 7 lbs. 2 oz., so she lost 8 ounces the first 4 days, but 10% weight loss is expected. (She was stripped completely naked, and, as you can see, wasn't too happy about that!) We were told to keep feeding her well and often and do what we're doing because it's working well for Lauren. Her next appointment with Dr. Vierling will be next Wednesday at 2:30. She's going to have an ultrasound on her kidneys this Thursday to ensure that they are developing normally and not enlarged. She's been having frequent and regular urine and bowel movements, so we really aren't too worried at this point in time.

We're at Home!!

The Wade Family: Lisa, Paul, and Lauren


Paul feeding Lauren for the first time--an hour after we arrived home from the hospital.


3 generations of Bernoskys

3 generations of Wades

What an emotional journey we've all been through this past week! Paul and I are just so incredibly blessed that it's hard to believe she came from us! She's been a good eater (once we realized she wasn't getting food from the breast), she burps well, and she sleeps. Our goal this week is to continue to figure out sleeping patterns so that we aren't all up at 2 am and sleep all day!


Paul is working half days to help me with the stress of coping with motherhood. The past two days have been much less stressful than before. I'm figuring out how to pump, soak in the bathtub to help my stitches (I tore pretty badly--2nd degree tear) heal, and try to get the house into a more organized form of choas. Paul has been great. I think what we did last night worked well for us all. I went to bed around 7:30 pm while Paul stayed up with Lauren. He put her to bed at 10 when he went to bed, but she was up at 11 (her normal waking hour). I got up with her, fed and changed her, and she was back in bed at 12:30. We slept for a while and I woke up wide awake at 3:00, so I puttered around the house and pumped more. Lauren woke up around 6:30 for a feeding and change. Paul helped before going to work. We got Lauren back into bed around 7:15 and she slept soundly until about 10:15. We're just working out the kinks!

WE HAVE A BABY!!!

Lauren Elizabeth Wade was born on August 16, 2007 at 7:25 pm. She weighed 7 pounds 10 ounces and was 20 inches long.

Lisa was admitted to the hospital around 7:00 am and had her water broken at 7:50 am. Lauren arrived about 12 hours later. It was a fairly easy labor. Lisa is doing well, and we're both thrilled to finally have our beautiful baby girl.

40 1/2 weeks

Here are two last pictures of me pregnant. Do I look ready to have a baby? (Maybe I shouldn't ask that question...)

Doctor's Appointment 08-15-07

I saw the doctor today. There has been no change as I'm still 3 cm dilated and 75% effaced. My blood pressure was very high (140/80). (After we met with the doctor, my blood pressure was checked again and it was 130/60. Paul's was 112/80--he seems stressed.) I gained 2 pounds (for a total of 35 pounds, right within the average range). Lauren's heartbeat is strong.

Paul and I are anticipating going to the hospital at 7 am tomorrow morning. The plan is for my water to be broken around 7:30 or 8:00. I'm going to be watched for an hour to see if contractions start. If not, they may start me on a very low dose of Pitocin to get things moving. Dr. Faruque is quite confident that breaking my water will help things progress naturally.

We anticipate becoming parents by the afternoon at the latest! Please keep all of us in your prayers!

Latest Update 08-13-07

No baby yet. I just cannot figure it out! (What is keeping her put?) I did call my doctor this morning to see what our plan of attack was to be because the doctor expected me to have had Lauren this weekend after stretching my membranes on Thursday. (Obviously, that didn't happen.) So, I will go to my doctor's appointment on Wednesday afternoon to see how we are progressing if I haven't had Lauren by then. On Thursday at 7 am, I will go to the hospital to be induced (if there is room at the hospital). That's the plan.

40 Weeks

No Lauren yet! I have been walking for the past several weeks at least 20 minutes a day. After my doctor's appointment Thursday, Paul has been dragging me out to walk in air conditioned places (it's been 100+ the past week) to help move things along. We were out for two hours Friday night and over an hour tonight hoping that keeping me active will help. Around 11 Friday night, I started to have contractions while in bed. They were exactly 5 minutes apart and lasted 30-45 seconds. After 30 minutes, I got up to walk around in the kitchen. After 10 minutes, I didn't have any more contractions, went back to bed, and slept the rest of the night. It looks like Lauren is destined to come on one of our birthdays, her due date, or later. As I said, my doctor will induce me Wednesday if she isn't here by then.

My belly button has started to stick out a little more and it's harder than it's been. Maybe my idea that it would pop like the little temperature thing on a Butterball turkey when Lauren was completely cooked wasn't ridiculous after all! I promise that we'll let you all know when she comes.

Doctor's Appointment 08-09-07

Lauren will be here any time! I am dilated almost 3 centimeters and I'm effaced 75%. Dr. Faruque stretched my membranes to help me dilate a little more. She said that with my cervix as effaced as it is, helping move along dilation will send me into labor (she believes) by the end of the weekend. She seems to think that I can go into labor as early as tonight or as late as Saturday. (Dr. Faruque said that tomorrow works well for her!) She said it typically takes only 1-2 days after she stretches someone for them to go into labor. Lauren is ready! Just pray that she doesn't enjoy the comfort of her home too much and makes her arrival difficult.

I gained 2.5 pounds since my last appointment. I still only measure 32 but that doesn't really matter. Lauren's heartbeat is good. My blood pressure has gone up to 120/60, but it may be the heat. (We've been in the way upper 90s and low 100s with heat indexes up to 110.)

I'm starting to really panic about delivering, but I know that she has to come one way or another. I've just been so busy and distracted with school and work that I haven't had time to really and truly think about it. Now that I've had some time to think, I'm scared! But I have a phenomial doctor and a wonderful hospital and Paul, so maybe it won't be as rough as I think. Plus, I'm in favor of the drugs!!

39 Weeks

Okay, okay--still no baby! I had a final pedicure yesterday and had the pedicurist massage my feet, hoping to stiumlate something. I have a massage on Monday and my feet will be massaged again. I have a doctor's appointment on Thursday and I plan to see if she'll strip my membranes to get moving. We're safe and all is well!

Lauren weighs between 6 and 9 pounds (I pray it's closer to 6 pounds!). She's between 18 and 22 inches long. She has plenty of fat to keep her warm for her arrival. She was pretty active on Thursday and has been jabbing me some with her feet today. She is either small or my uterus is pretty big for all of the wiggling she's been doing. Not sure which.

My belly is very round and I'm having a lot of trouble seeing things that get under my feet (like the cats). I'm getting to the point that I'll be happy to wear sneakers and my wedding rings and I can't wait to sleep on my stomach again.

Doctor's Appointment 08-01-07

I had a good appointment today. I've only gained a pound, and my blood pressure is good. Lauren's heartbeat was in the 160 range and she was wiggling around enough that the doctor commented on it! (She was surprised she was moving as much as she was given that I'm 38 weeks and there is usually very little room to wiggle.) I'm dilated just shy of 2 cm (that's about a .5 cm increase) and I have started to efface (50%) where I hadn't before. She said Lauren can come any time, but she would expect her around my due date. At least she waited for August first!