Connor's 3 Week Appointment

Today we had Connor's 3 week appointment. The doctor was VERY impressed with Connor's growth today. When he saw him 3 weeks ago he was 5 lbs. 7 oz and 18 inches long, and today he is almost 2 lbs. heavier and 2.5 inches longer, weighing 7 lbs. 3 oz and measuring 20.5 inches long!! He is definitely a GREAT eater! Everything else looks great with him and we will go back at 2 months! It's hard to believe that he is already over 3 weeks old and tomorrow was supposed to be his due date!

My Beautiful "Big Girl"

Riley had a great time at the park running around and getting pictures taken!
Her favorite part was "washing her face" in the fountain, and least favorite was definitely the angel wings (notice that there is only one of those, LOL).

Our First Two Weeks

Well two weeks down, countless more to go! Things are going pretty well at the O'Neill home, but we are all still adjusting.

Connor is an AWESOME baby! He eats well, sleeps well, and rarely cries. He usually has one time during the day where he is a bit gassy, so he is fussy for a little while but nothing that I can't handle. He definitely looks like he has grown to me, so I am excited to see how big he is now when we go back to the doctor on the 30th. He is also wearing his cloth diapers now, so that is fun!

Riley is having to adjust to not only being a big sister, but to also being at home during the day. I think the latter is the most difficult for her. She is so used to have friends to play with, that she doesn't really want to play by herself at all. She really loves playing outside, but unfortunately it has been SO hot here lately we have had to cut the outside play very short. Yesterday we played outside with chalk and then it was so hot I just sprayed her with the hose, LOL. She of course loved it and didn't want me to stop! She loves Connor, though, and wants to help mommy out sometimes by holding him (definitely have to watch for this!). She enjoys giving him kisses, rubbing his head, and pointing out his different body parts.

I am adjusting pretty well. The hardest part is leaving the house! It's not bad if you are going on an "extended" shopping trip, but it's almost pointless to run quick errands because getting them in and out of the car takes longer than the actual errand! I am very glad that Connor is so easy right now because Riley is definitely testing the waters and requires a lot of attention.

We got very lucky and I found a local photographer on Craigslist who was looking to build up her portfolio. She was searching for newborns to do a free photosession for so I quickly took advantage! The pictures are AMAZING and she actually did a second session with Connor yesterday AND is doing an outdoor session with Riley on Wednesday evening! I feel so fortunate to have found this opportunity!

Here are lots of pictures to enjoy!

Introducing Connor Ross!

On Saturday afternoon, 6/6/2009, I was outside watching Riley play for a few minutes. We came in about 3:15 PM and when I put Riley down on the floor, and crouched slightly, I felt a “trickle”. It didn’t feel like I peed, but I wasn’t sure. I knew that if it was that my water had broken, it would happen again, so I waited. It didn’t really happen again, so I was confused. At 4:00 PM, though, I had had NO doubt that my water had indeed broken! My pants were soaked and the fluid wasn’t stopping. Steve was at work and wasn’t answering his cell phone, so I had to track down the phone number for his work so I could get a hold of him. We arranged for my friend Crystal to come over and spend time with Riley until my mom could get down to Kansas City from Lincoln. At about 6:00 PM, we headed to the hospital to have a baby!

As soon as I arrived at the hospital the doctor confirmed that my water had indeed broken and got me into a room. She did not check to see if I had dilated anymore because she wanted to decrease the chance of infection, so assumed I was still at 3 cm dilated and between 25% and 50% effaced (thinned out). I started to have some contraction on my own, but nothing close to regular or enough that would make it be called “labor”. So, at 7:15 PM (4 hours after my water had broken), we decided to start some Pitocin to help labor along. My labor was really slow to start, but the contractions were getting uncomfortable. At 1:00 AM I got the epidural. It was a horrible experience for me this time because they were having trouble getting the catheter inserted, so it took FOUR tries! OUCH! The nurse checked me at 2:00 AM, and I was only 4 cm and hadn’t effaced any additional amount! I was very frustrated and could tell I was in for the long haul again (this labor story is starting to sound VERY similar to Riley’s….). The contracts started coming VERY regularly every two minutes after that and at 4:30 AM the nurse checked me and I had progressed to 5.5 cm and 80% effaced, and the baby was at 0 station, meaning that as he was as low as he could get without me being dilated more. YEY! Only one hour later, at 5:30 AM I had progressed to 7 cm dilated. Things were finally moving along! The next two hours were HORRIBLE. Even though I had the epidural and had no pain, the “transition” part of labor brought on nausea and SEVERE shaking. I didn’t experience any of those symptoms with Riley, so this was new and very unpleasant. At 7:30 AM, I was fully dilated and effaced, but the nurse wanted me to wait a little longer to push to see if the last slightest “lip” of cervix would disappear to make pushing easier. At 8:45 AM, I called the nurse back, basically insisting that I was ready, the doctor said that it was time, so they got everything ready. At 8:55 AM I started pushing and at 9:11 AM Connor Ross O’Neill was born!! I once again was lucky and didn’t tear at all. My body sucks at getting into a good labor pattern, but it’s GREAT at the actual delivery, LOL! He weighed 5 lbs. 11.8 oz, and was 18 inches long. He did AMAZING for being slightly premature and scored an 8 and then 9 on his APGARs.

This labor was FULL of every possible medication intervention, like Riley’s labor. Connor’s heart rate would decelerate with some of the contractions, so in addition to the IV fluids, Pitocin, and epidural, I also had an oxygen mask, internal monitors placed, and at the end an amnioinfusion (saline fluid pumped back into my uterus). I started to develop a fever at the end of my labor from my water being broken so long and at that point Connor’s heart would INCREASE with every contraction instead of decreased. I also struggled with very low blood pressure after I got the epidural and that lasted several hours after delivery so my transition over to the mother/baby unit was delayed to stabilize me (which was nice because then we were able to get a bigger room on the mother/baby unit).

Connor is doing well and has taken to breastfeeding pretty well. The nurses were all amazed at just how well he did with everything for being a “36 weeker”. It crazy all of the extra stuff that they have to do when your baby is just a few days short of being “term”. Riley just adores him! She constantly is asking for the baby and is able to say his name. At the hospital she even tried to share her toys and books with him and got upset when she couldn’t sit next to him anymore. She has done well with him coming home and entering her “space” as well. I couldn’t have asked for a better transition! I hope that it continues….

It's Not Over Yet...

The rollercoaster ride continued over the last couple of days. As I was getting ready to leave the house on Wendesday to take Riley to daycare and go to my doctor appointment, I all of a sudden had a GUSH of blood . In both of my pregnancies, I have never experienced any bleeding. So we immediately went to the hospital to see what was going on. They did an initial examination and couldn't figure out what it happened, but we were all glad to see/hear that baby Connor was doing well. As a result of the unexplained bleeding I again had to be admitted to the hospital.

They did an ultrasound and still couldn't figure out why the bleeding happened. They did determine that I will likely have another small baby though. Right now at 36 weeks Connor is measuring only 5 lbs. 3 oz! The bleeding stopped over the course of the day and my doctor and the perinatologist (who by the why suggested I just make an appointment to come in to the hospital next Wednesday, haha) suspect that my placenta possibly started to separate from the wall of the uterus but then the blood clotted and the separation did not continue.

So, I was released from the hospital yesterday (Thursday) at 5:30 PM after 24 hours of no bleeding. My doctor has put me on some more strict "modified bedrest" until I deliver to prevent any unnecessary stress on my body that would cause additional bleeding. Thankfully Steve's mom is coming to stay next week to help with Riley because today is her last day of daycare!

Here is a picture from the hospital showing my belly at 36 weeks (under the gown, of course).