I can't believe Olivia is already 5 weeks old!! Time is going by so quickly and sometimes I wish I could just freeze it. This newborn stage is just so sweet...I love cuddling with and holding my baby girl, just sitting and staring at her and all the cute little noises she makes. I know that each stage will be so fun and exciting and eventually I will get tired of getting up in the middle of the night to feed her so I guess she can continue to grow :).
Being a mother is the most wonderful thing in the world. I can't describe the joy that I have in caring for Olivia and the tremendous amount of love I had for her from day one. It's amazing how the Father's love for us has taken on a whole new meaning now that I have my own child! How deep the Father's love for us is and how amazing it is that He gave His only Son to save us from our sin and to provide a way for us to be reconciled to Himself!
Being a mother also has its challenges and is stretching me already but the joys far outweigh the challenges!! Nursing was something for me that in the beginning was so difficult. It required patience and perseverance and I am so thankful I stuck with it! It was hard not to get frustrated and just give up. It is so rewarding now even though we are still working through some issues. I absolutely love the fact that every 3-4 hours I know I get one on one time with her and I love the bond that it has created. I love the fact that I am the only one that can meet that need for her!
Olivia is such a sweet little girl. She loves her sleep and likes to be held while sleeping during the day...we are working on taking some naps in our bed :). She is content when awake except for in the evening at dinner time. I don't think I have eaten one dinner with two hands yet...unless of course Grandma or Daddy are holding her. She loves bath time and loves listening to music and having Grandma and Mommy sing to her. Some of the things that make us laugh most are her hiccups, which she gets ALL the time, her snoring, her "whistle face" as Daddy calls it, and her squeaking noises, which are usually made when she is gassy or "has the toots" as Daddy says :). I'll leave you with a couple videos of her when she has the hiccups:
Friday, September 11, 2009
Monday, August 17, 2009
Olivia's birth story
My due date was August 22, 2009 and I had a very normal, uncomplicated pregnancy. I really enjoyed being pregnant and am thankful for such a wonderful pregnancy. I never had any swelling even though I was told it was inevitable with a summer baby - I like to think all my water drinking helped this!
On Tuesday, July 21 I had a doctor's appointment and was told I was dilated a fingertip, cervix was thinning out and the baby was at a -3 station. My doctor told me I could go to the beach with my family the next week for a couple days because she did not feel delivery was imminent. So, I went to the beach July 26-30th and made sure to drink LOTS of water and not go out into the ocean as that was the only orders my doctor gave me. On the way home from Hilton Head I started having contractions and back pain. We had to drive through downtown on the way home and decided to stop at my doctor's office to get me checked out. I was 36 weeks and 4 days. They sent me over to the hospital to be monitored. I was having contractions every 2 minutes although they were just uncomfortable not really painful. I was dilated 2 cm and 75% effaced. My doctor decided she wanted to stop my labor so I was given IV fluids, 3 shots of terbutaline and some demerol and the the contractions finally stopped. I was quite disappointed because I knew I was so close to full term (37 weeks). I was put on bedrest for the weekend and sent home.
The next week I spent walking every day and praying Olivia would come soon because I was so ready to meet her and hold her in my arms. I would have pretty regular contractions every evening and then when I went to bed they would slow down. My family would ask me every night if I thought they should pack their bags for the hospital.
Thursday night (37 weeks 4 days pregnant) I knew was different than the other nights that week. I was having contractions every 7 minutes but they were more painful than I had experienced before. We went to bed early hoping to get some sleep because we thought it was possibly the night we would be heading to the hospital. I told my family to be ready :). I slept maybe an hour before the contractions got really uncomfortable. I tried to lay in the bed and count contractions myself but ended up waking Wesley up around 1:30 am to help me. I did a lot of walking around as it made it easier to get through the contractions. At 4:45am Wesley convinced me to go wake up my mom and sister because we needed to go to the hospital. We arrived at the hospital around 5:45.
The nurse in triage checked me and said I was dilated 4cm and nearly 100% effaced. She said "You're going to have a baby today" and started the process of admitting me and getting me into a LDR room.
Once in the room the contractions continued to get stronger and I was really having to concentrate on breathing through them. I must say I am thankful I did the early labor at home because once at the hospital I had to stay in bed. Not being able to move around during the contractions was much more uncomfortable. I found out my doctor was out of town and one of her partners would be delivering me. I was a little disappointed because I was hoping to have a woman deliver me. The doctor and nurse told me we would probably have a baby by lunch time.
I waited about 45 minutes to get the epidural and once I got it I felt no pain at all. I still had feeling in my legs and was able to move them. Wesley, my mom, my sister and I were able to talk and listen to music and the time really went by quickly. Our nurse was a Christian and was so wonderful...I could not have picked a better nurse! Around 11:30 I told her I could tell when I was having contractions so she checked me and said I was at 9cm and we would start pushing soon! My water broke shortly after this and then we began pushing.
I pushed for about an hour. In that hour I had a 15 minute break because Olivia's heart rate would drop during contractions. After some oxygen and that break I was ready to push again. Pushing was exhausting but once I saw my little girl I forgot how tired I was! At 12:58pm on August 7, 2009 our little girl made her arrival! She came out crying and was given a 9.9 apgar. Holding her for the first time was the most wonderful experience. I was so thankful to have Wesley, my mom, and my sister there to encourage me throughout labor and delivery!
After 45 minutes of repairing mommy, Wesley's parents and my Dad were able to join us in the room and meet Olivia for the first time. We had a little scare when it was time to move me to the postpartum room. My blood pressure dropped scary low and I started to black out. The nurse kept me awake by having me tell her how Wesley and I met and started dating. I was given more IV fluids and after a little while was ready to go to the postpartum room.
While in the hospital Olivia had to have a few extra tests done but ended up being perfectly fine. She was 6lbs 3oz and 19 in long at birth. She had to have her bilirubin levels checked more often because she tested positive for coombs which just means that her blood (B) and mine (O) mixed and it could put her at risk for jaundice. When we left the hospital she had the lowest levels in the entire nursery...no jaundice for our little girl! She also had to do a barium swallow because she spit up green (stomach bile) and that could be a sign of a blockage or something wrong in her intestines. Thankfully everything came back normal!! When we left the hospital she weighed in at 5lbs 13oz. Good thing we decided to bring a preemie size outfit just in case the newborn one was too big!
Recovery has been difficult for me but it is so worth it! We love Olivia more than words can describe and are just in awe that the Lord chose to bless us with her! She is just beautiful...a mix of Mommy and Daddy. She has Daddy's eyes and forehead and Mommy's nose and mouth we think. Wesley and I could stare at her all day long and are loving snuggling with her. She is still such a sleepy little thing but has good awake periods during the morning and late evening. We can't wait to get to know her and see what her personality is going to be like. She is a content and peaceful baby unless she is hungry or getting her diaper changed. I'll leave you with some pictures from her first week of life...time is already going by too quickly!!
On Tuesday, July 21 I had a doctor's appointment and was told I was dilated a fingertip, cervix was thinning out and the baby was at a -3 station. My doctor told me I could go to the beach with my family the next week for a couple days because she did not feel delivery was imminent. So, I went to the beach July 26-30th and made sure to drink LOTS of water and not go out into the ocean as that was the only orders my doctor gave me. On the way home from Hilton Head I started having contractions and back pain. We had to drive through downtown on the way home and decided to stop at my doctor's office to get me checked out. I was 36 weeks and 4 days. They sent me over to the hospital to be monitored. I was having contractions every 2 minutes although they were just uncomfortable not really painful. I was dilated 2 cm and 75% effaced. My doctor decided she wanted to stop my labor so I was given IV fluids, 3 shots of terbutaline and some demerol and the the contractions finally stopped. I was quite disappointed because I knew I was so close to full term (37 weeks). I was put on bedrest for the weekend and sent home.
The next week I spent walking every day and praying Olivia would come soon because I was so ready to meet her and hold her in my arms. I would have pretty regular contractions every evening and then when I went to bed they would slow down. My family would ask me every night if I thought they should pack their bags for the hospital.
Thursday night (37 weeks 4 days pregnant) I knew was different than the other nights that week. I was having contractions every 7 minutes but they were more painful than I had experienced before. We went to bed early hoping to get some sleep because we thought it was possibly the night we would be heading to the hospital. I told my family to be ready :). I slept maybe an hour before the contractions got really uncomfortable. I tried to lay in the bed and count contractions myself but ended up waking Wesley up around 1:30 am to help me. I did a lot of walking around as it made it easier to get through the contractions. At 4:45am Wesley convinced me to go wake up my mom and sister because we needed to go to the hospital. We arrived at the hospital around 5:45.
The nurse in triage checked me and said I was dilated 4cm and nearly 100% effaced. She said "You're going to have a baby today" and started the process of admitting me and getting me into a LDR room.
Once in the room the contractions continued to get stronger and I was really having to concentrate on breathing through them. I must say I am thankful I did the early labor at home because once at the hospital I had to stay in bed. Not being able to move around during the contractions was much more uncomfortable. I found out my doctor was out of town and one of her partners would be delivering me. I was a little disappointed because I was hoping to have a woman deliver me. The doctor and nurse told me we would probably have a baby by lunch time.
I waited about 45 minutes to get the epidural and once I got it I felt no pain at all. I still had feeling in my legs and was able to move them. Wesley, my mom, my sister and I were able to talk and listen to music and the time really went by quickly. Our nurse was a Christian and was so wonderful...I could not have picked a better nurse! Around 11:30 I told her I could tell when I was having contractions so she checked me and said I was at 9cm and we would start pushing soon! My water broke shortly after this and then we began pushing.
I pushed for about an hour. In that hour I had a 15 minute break because Olivia's heart rate would drop during contractions. After some oxygen and that break I was ready to push again. Pushing was exhausting but once I saw my little girl I forgot how tired I was! At 12:58pm on August 7, 2009 our little girl made her arrival! She came out crying and was given a 9.9 apgar. Holding her for the first time was the most wonderful experience. I was so thankful to have Wesley, my mom, and my sister there to encourage me throughout labor and delivery!
After 45 minutes of repairing mommy, Wesley's parents and my Dad were able to join us in the room and meet Olivia for the first time. We had a little scare when it was time to move me to the postpartum room. My blood pressure dropped scary low and I started to black out. The nurse kept me awake by having me tell her how Wesley and I met and started dating. I was given more IV fluids and after a little while was ready to go to the postpartum room.
While in the hospital Olivia had to have a few extra tests done but ended up being perfectly fine. She was 6lbs 3oz and 19 in long at birth. She had to have her bilirubin levels checked more often because she tested positive for coombs which just means that her blood (B) and mine (O) mixed and it could put her at risk for jaundice. When we left the hospital she had the lowest levels in the entire nursery...no jaundice for our little girl! She also had to do a barium swallow because she spit up green (stomach bile) and that could be a sign of a blockage or something wrong in her intestines. Thankfully everything came back normal!! When we left the hospital she weighed in at 5lbs 13oz. Good thing we decided to bring a preemie size outfit just in case the newborn one was too big!
Recovery has been difficult for me but it is so worth it! We love Olivia more than words can describe and are just in awe that the Lord chose to bless us with her! She is just beautiful...a mix of Mommy and Daddy. She has Daddy's eyes and forehead and Mommy's nose and mouth we think. Wesley and I could stare at her all day long and are loving snuggling with her. She is still such a sleepy little thing but has good awake periods during the morning and late evening. We can't wait to get to know her and see what her personality is going to be like. She is a content and peaceful baby unless she is hungry or getting her diaper changed. I'll leave you with some pictures from her first week of life...time is already going by too quickly!!
Friday, June 19, 2009
Pregnancy update!
As of tomorrow I will be 31 weeks...I can't believe it! I had my first appointment with my new doctor here in Augusta yesterday and everything is looking great! I'm measuring right on track and her little heartbeat sounded great as always. I also found out that Olivia is already head down - so exciting and relieving! I absolutely love the new doctor - she is so sweet. I signed up to take a tour of the hospital in July and take a breastfeeding class as well. Wesley is not so excited about the latter class as he's already been dragged to one :).
I can't say I have any major pregnancy complaints but I have noticed sleeping is not as easy as it used to be. Part of it is waking every 3 times a night to go to the restroom and part of it is not always being able to get comfortable. I think Olivia is going to be a morning person because she is most active at around 6 or 7 in the morning! I've started to have pressure as well, which I found out is because she is head down. No swelling yet but I'm sure it's coming with all this heat and humidity here. I've gained 13 pounds so far and Wesley said he can't tell where I've gained other than the belly so that made me happy :). My belly button is still an innie but when I wear tighter fitting clothes you can definitely see it.
I've started thinking about things I need to write down for Wesley and I to remember at birth. After talking to the doctor yesterday I think I have decided to get the epidural because she said with my bone structure it would really help. I plan on trying to get to 4 cm without it though. I thought it was too early to be nesting but I've had this urge to get everything prepared and ready for her arrival. Wesley and I can't wait to meet our little girl! Here is a picture taken today:
I can't say I have any major pregnancy complaints but I have noticed sleeping is not as easy as it used to be. Part of it is waking every 3 times a night to go to the restroom and part of it is not always being able to get comfortable. I think Olivia is going to be a morning person because she is most active at around 6 or 7 in the morning! I've started to have pressure as well, which I found out is because she is head down. No swelling yet but I'm sure it's coming with all this heat and humidity here. I've gained 13 pounds so far and Wesley said he can't tell where I've gained other than the belly so that made me happy :). My belly button is still an innie but when I wear tighter fitting clothes you can definitely see it.
I've started thinking about things I need to write down for Wesley and I to remember at birth. After talking to the doctor yesterday I think I have decided to get the epidural because she said with my bone structure it would really help. I plan on trying to get to 4 cm without it though. I thought it was too early to be nesting but I've had this urge to get everything prepared and ready for her arrival. Wesley and I can't wait to meet our little girl! Here is a picture taken today:
We've moved!!
Yes, that's right, we have moved! After months of praying and waiting on the Lord we felt a peace in making the decision that we did. We left the great state of Texas and moved to Augusta, GA. So, over the spring I did lots of organizing and packing. The first weekend in June we loaded the Penske truck, cleaned the apartment and stayed with friends a couple of days until we left town. It was so hard leaving friends in Texas and we will miss them greatly. Wesley drove the truck with his car towing behind it and I drove my car. It took us 2 days, cost us who knows how much, and gave us one flat tire but otherwise the trip was not too bad...well, I say that now :). We put all of our stuff in a storage unit and moved in with my parents until we can get on our feet. We are so thankful for my parents opening up their home and helping us through this stage in our lives.
We are planning on getting involved with a church here in Augusta and serving in the college ministry as that is Wesley's passion! Wesley is currently looking for a job and we would appreciate your prayers as we wait on doors to open.
This week I've been busy washing baby stuff, getting settled in my parents house, changing over car insurance and license/title/tags, opening a new bank account, and all the other stuff that comes with moving. I'm surprised all this hasn't sent me into early labor :)!! We would appreciate your prayers as we continue to seek the Lord's plan for our lives and trust in His provision!!
We are planning on getting involved with a church here in Augusta and serving in the college ministry as that is Wesley's passion! Wesley is currently looking for a job and we would appreciate your prayers as we wait on doors to open.
This week I've been busy washing baby stuff, getting settled in my parents house, changing over car insurance and license/title/tags, opening a new bank account, and all the other stuff that comes with moving. I'm surprised all this hasn't sent me into early labor :)!! We would appreciate your prayers as we continue to seek the Lord's plan for our lives and trust in His provision!!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
So, I am WAY behind in blogging and am going to try to play catch up. Life has been crazy this spring and hopefully after this post you will see why!
On April 26 I had my first baby shower!! It was thrown by the college minister's wife, Shelley, and a college student who I have mentored the past year, Katelyn. These girls have been such a blessing in my life and made me feel so loved and appreciated! We had some yummy snack foods, played a few fun game
s, and laughed a lot!
On May 16 I had my second baby shower! This shower was thrown by three close friends - Courtney, Tera, and Stacy. They did an amazing job with the invitations, planning the brunch menu, and decorating. Everything was perfect! My mom flew in from Georgia just for the shower and was able to see our home in Texas for the first time. I'm so glad she was able to do this - it meant the world to me :). It was such a blessing at both of the showers to be given to so generously!!
On May 9 Wesley graduated from seminary with his Master of Divinity degree!! His parents and grandparents drove all the way from Georgia to be with us on his special day. We had so much fun with them! I am so proud of Wesley and all of his hard work while
at seminary!
The last week in May we went with my family to the beach in Isle of Palms, SC. We stayed in a beautiful home just a block away from the beach and had our own pool. My grandparents, my mom's parents, were able to come and it was so much fun having them there! We did a lot of laying out, swimming, walking on the beach, reading, and of course EATING! I think my favorite meal was at a seafood place called Sullivan's where I got blackened Mahi Mahi with an amazing dill-cucumber relish on top. The fried green tomatoes and hush puppies were also amazing there! We were also able to see my cousin Mandy and her husband Nelly who live in Charlesto
n, SC.
On April 26 I had my first baby shower!! It was thrown by the college minister's wife, Shelley, and a college student who I have mentored the past year, Katelyn. These girls have been such a blessing in my life and made me feel so loved and appreciated! We had some yummy snack foods, played a few fun game
s, and laughed a lot!On May 16 I had my second baby shower! This shower was thrown by three close friends - Courtney, Tera, and Stacy. They did an amazing job with the invitations, planning the brunch menu, and decorating. Everything was perfect! My mom flew in from Georgia just for the shower and was able to see our home in Texas for the first time. I'm so glad she was able to do this - it meant the world to me :). It was such a blessing at both of the showers to be given to so generously!!
On May 9 Wesley graduated from seminary with his Master of Divinity degree!! His parents and grandparents drove all the way from Georgia to be with us on his special day. We had so much fun with them! I am so proud of Wesley and all of his hard work while
at seminary!The last week in May we went with my family to the beach in Isle of Palms, SC. We stayed in a beautiful home just a block away from the beach and had our own pool. My grandparents, my mom's parents, were able to come and it was so much fun having them there! We did a lot of laying out, swimming, walking on the beach, reading, and of course EATING! I think my favorite meal was at a seafood place called Sullivan's where I got blackened Mahi Mahi with an amazing dill-cucumber relish on top. The fried green tomatoes and hush puppies were also amazing there! We were also able to see my cousin Mandy and her husband Nelly who live in Charlesto
n, SC.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
This past week my sister, Courtney, came to Texas for the week. We are so glad she decided to spend her spring break with us!! She came to work with me everyday and helped out with the kiddos, who absolutely loved her. We made some good food, went downtown with friends for dinner and ice cream, went out for coffee, went to the Texas Rangers vs. Cleveland Indians baseball game, got Pedicures (well, except for Wesley :)), and did lots of shopping!! She got to experience Texas wind and the smell/smokiness of a large grass fire nearby.
I am so thankful for my sister. She is such a godly woman and I could not be more proud of her!! It was nice to have family here in Texas with us and I'm sad the week went by so quickly!
I am so thankful for my sister. She is such a godly woman and I could not be more proud of her!! It was nice to have family here in Texas with us and I'm sad the week went by so quickly!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Olivia Jane Croft
It's a girl!! I had a feeling it was a girl but I didn't want to say in case I was wrong :). The sonographer kept us in suspense as she checked out all of the organs and measurements and then the last thing she did was tell us the gender. She is measuring right on track and everything else looked great!! Here are some pictures of Olivia:
Side view -- you can see her head, heart, spine, bottom and legs
Profile --she was moving around a ton so it was hard for the sonographer to get a good one
Her little foot --this is Wesley's favorite picture
One more exciting thing I wanted to tell is that my mom got me the car seat and stroller travel system that I wanted. Thank you Mom!!!
Side view -- you can see her head, heart, spine, bottom and legs
Profile --she was moving around a ton so it was hard for the sonographer to get a good one
Her little foot --this is Wesley's favorite picture
One more exciting thing I wanted to tell is that my mom got me the car seat and stroller travel system that I wanted. Thank you Mom!!!
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