Jody's A Mommy & I Have A Nephew!

Ok folks...here goes the story. I feel as though I've told the important bits multiple times over facebook already, but I guess things get lost in the mix.

Mom, correct me if any of this is incorrect...the days all blended together, as well as the amount of times she was sent home!

Friday, December 4, Jody and Nigel were asked to come to the hospital for an ultrasound. Jody understood that if baby was decidedly large, they were going to C-section that day. Nigel understood they'd induce her if baby was large. Turns out one doc (Jody's) figured they should get him out, but the head obstetrician figured he could wait a bit and let Jody go into labour naturally. The ultrasound showed baby was about 7lb 10oz - 7lb 11oz at that point. The OB said that's not abnormal because they "have tiny Asian women who come in here and push out 8lb babies all the time". In other words, he wasn't concerned. They were sent home and told to call Saturday morning.
Jody thought they were to go in on Saturday, so in they went...and they were sent home again...as I figured. Nobody thought it was worth it to induce her. She was told on Saturday that she should come back Sunday and they might induce her.
Sunday rolled around and Jody and Nigel headed back in early to get things checked out after she woke up and noticed her water was broken around 6am (could've been broken a couple hours, she figured). Monitors showed she was in the early stages of labour, so the doc wouldn't induce her and she was sent home. I went from the hospital to church half asleep. Jody and Nigel joined us for lunch after church and Jody was ok, but obviously uncomfortable. Jody stayed the afternoon and "napped" in the guest room..Nigel went home. Sunday evening (midnight-ish) comes and Nigel is sleeping, dead to the world, and Jody is suffering some really bad back labour. She calls mom crying asking mom to go over so someone awake is there with her. Mom spent the night Sunday night and went to the hospital with them on Monday morning, where they finally admitted her and she started active labour.
Mid-morning on Monday, mom whipped home, woke me up and we left for the hospital figuring things were going to progress quickly. They didn't. Jody had very, very uncomfortable back labour almost the whole time, yet wasn't dilating past 4-5cm for hours. Baby and mom were both stable, though, and morphine was ordered. After the morphine was administered, Jody was still uncomfortable and the only difference was that she was extremely drowsy. Awhile later they gave her fentanyl. It also did nothing to help with her pain. Jody was in and out of "consciousness" for a number of hours. Eventually the epidural was ordered, administered, and we had our Jody back! She was in great spirits, though tired, and even mentioned that her tummy was itchy! We hadn't heard that all day! She also was able to realize how hungry and thirsty she was, but wasn't able to eat anything once doc had it in his mind that they might do surgery. The poor girl!
Shortly after the epidural, we noticed baby's heart rate increase significantly...up into the 170s, and within a couple minutes (when doc was out of the room on a phone call), the heart rate went up to the mid 180s! It was determined at that point that a c-section was going to happen for sure. She'd dilated to 6-7cm by this point (post epidural), but it wasn't quickly enough for the doc and baby's head was still facing up. So we were at the point that doc wasn't happy with her progress, baby's head was up, and baby's heart rate was up indicating possible infection setting in because of the amount of time that had passed since her water broke. From the time Jody's water broke to this point was about 36 hours. In my mind, that's completely unfair and abnormal. It's one thing to want to let her labour naturally, but when her water broke Sunday morning I think it should've been a max of 12 hours after that they'd induce!!
Just before 9pm on Monday night, Jody was wheeled into the OR with 2 grandmas and an auntie waiting in anticipation on the other side of the doors.
Gavin Peter Guest was born at 21:21 on Monday, December 7th and weighed 9lbs 8oz!! He was 20 and 3/4 inches long and after mommy held him for a few seconds, he was whisked from the OR to the NICU...right past the waiting grandmas and auntie...we looked like the paparazzi :) He was also born with a microform cleft (this isn't Gavin, but this is similar to what his lip looks like...just on the opposite side) that managed to heal itself in the womb. Apparently that is very rare...go Gavin!! The doctors have no concerns about it. His breathing was too rapid for comfort, which is why they took him to the NICU...but once they got there and got his breathing under control, they also noticed his blood sugar levels to be very low.
(they wheeled Jody in there post-recovery to check him out)
He was put on an IV of sugar water to help regulate that, as well as now feeding him formula to help wean him off his meds. Apparently blood sugar issues are common in newborns, but I'd never heard of it. They originally said 24-48 hours in there, but as of today, it's been almost twice that.
Jody has been doing well, but has been very tired...rightfully so...and she is quite swollen from all the fluids they pumped her with, and they finally removed her catheter and her IV fluids and meds yesterday. She is also sore from the surgery, but is surviving. She was discharged today without her son, but will hopefully have him in her arms soon. Nigel has had to go back to work the day after Gavin was born, and I stayed at the hospital with her all day, every day. She enjoyed a few visitors (thanks guys!) yesterday, and we're working on finding someone to stay with her at home during the next couple days while Nigel is at work. I have unfortunately come down with a cold or something, so we don't want her catching a cough. Having an incision and a cough would not be a good thing...so I'm staying away. It's really tough though!!
As far as I've last heard, they were hoping to remove his IVs either tonight or tomorrow and see how he does, and he should be home in a couple days! They have also lowered his meds from 18ml/hour to 4ml/hour and he seems to be regulating his blood sugars ok!! I might be lucky enough to get to hold him once before I move home at 6am on Sunday morning.
I'll be back for a baby steal at Christmas with my husband!! :)

Here are the pictures of his first couple days and all of these are through a window with no flash, so pardon the out of focus-ness :)

Gavin's 2nd day - first 24 hours:

Gavin's 3rd day:




Since Jody was discharged today, I worked overnight, and I've managed to come down with a cold, I didn't go to the hospital at all today. There will be no more pictures until Christmas...unless he comes home before I leave on Sunday!

~K~

40 weeks

Somehow I forgot to post Jody's 40 week pictures here! Suppose it works out well, since Wednesday is (according to Doc's last guess) her due date and she'll REALLY be 40 weeks then :)
These were taken at church on Sunday, and I hopefully will get a couple more in before baby arrives. We'll see though!
I know I already posted all these on FB so this is kinda redundant, but my parents only see them here and enjoy reading the blog...so here's for the parentals!

Still glowing, but sore and uncomfortable...she just doesn't show it.

Today I saw this belly under the shirt. It really looks like her skin will burst open any second. Poor girl.How is this even possible?

Come out, Christmas baby!!

~K~

It's About ME!

**WARNING!! THIS IS LOOONNGGGGG**

Not *everything* is about me....but this time the post on MY blog will be about ME. Not my sister or her belly or the fact that there's no baby yet. Not a photo journal of baby duckies (oh wait, that was on Facebook!). Not even a post with pictures of all my friends' children because I don't have my own (hmm..that was probably on Facebook too).
Nope, it will be about me, my current situation, and my future. Being that this blog was started to document moments in the life of Duane and/or myself (with little input from Duane), I'd say that's a concept! But don't you worry. When there's a baby out in this world waiting to be captured on camera...I will be there, and there will be a subsequent post on this blog. But right now, it's about ME.

Things are looking up and I can now say, confidently, that I have a future to look forward to. Another concept! Isn't that what life is supposed to be about? Goals, dreams and a future waiting to capture happy memories? I think so.

My journey:

When I blogged on the 28th of April to tell you all that I was taking a hiatus from the blog world, it was because, 2 days prior, Duane and I decided to separate and take a break from our marriage for a time. Things were not going well, but I will not go into details. Leave it to say I had a lot of work to do along with some serious soul-searching. Neither of us really knew what this separation would look like; whether it was a temporary thing, or whether it would turn into something permanent.

The day before my birthday, Duane dropped me off in Calgary at my relatives' home where my parents and siblings would also be before long. The drive from Fernie to Calgary was long, quiet and almost to the point of painful. There was no real goodbye. My family wrapped me in their loving embrace and allowed me time to cry on their shoulders. I love them for that.
I was in Calgary to celebrate the marriage of my beautiful cousin to the love of her life, and to celebrate my birthday on the same day. I can honestly say it was one of the hardest days of my life that I have had to endure. I hate that I have to say I endured my cousin's beautiful day...but honestly, it was hard. I was celebrating a marriage when mine felt like it was falling apart. Celebrating my birthday was the furthest thing from my mind, but endured that too and put on a smile for the camera when we went out for dinner anyway. This is a birthday I won't forget, but will constantly be reminded of. The silver lining is that I can never forget Mel's anniversary! :)
The ride "home" to Abbotsford was also long and there wasn't much that was discussed. My family seemed sensitive to my pain and pretty much left it alone. I can't say I enjoyed the drive that day.

May was a very hard month. I suffered through a ton of emotions...probably every one you can list, except the happy ones. I'm not sure I knew which end was up for most of the month. I spent a lot of time in bed and didn't eat much. I didn't spend time with anyone and kept myself holed up in the basement suite. Yes, I felt sorry for myself. I'm also pretty sure I went through some sort of depression. **Note: this is my side of the story (and helps me remember where I've come from), not a pity party...and I'm not discrediting what Duane went through. I just don't really know what he went through since we didn't talk. At this point, all I really know is that he was angry. For very good reasons.**
Eventually (near the end of May) I sorta picked myself up, sorta went job-hunting, sorta hung out with people and sorta started showing my face and my new stick-thin self. I even went up to Whistler for a girl's weekend to celebrate a friend's birthday, which I've wanted to join in on for years. I also walked a lot, took lots of pictures of things that made me happy, and posted them on Facebook as a way to show everyone I was up and (not really) running. I don't feel I attempted to prove I was "better" or even completely happy, but there is a point where you don't want to air your dirty laundry to the world, so select people were told (mostly those who asked) of the separation and kept the "mask" on for everyone else. The mask wasn't used for me to pretend like things were ok when they weren't, it was a means of self-protection and privacy controlled only by me. And I think that's fair. It's just what you have to do, especially when you're out there promoting yourself as confident and capable to the business world as a potential employee. It doesn't mean I'm happy, it just means I can put everything out of my mind and be my "normal" self when I go to work because I'm not going to go there and be a crab for 8 hours and whine about how terrible my life is. That is unacceptable.

June came with me starting my job almost full time in the shoe department at WalMart. Somewhere I never expected myself to have to work again. I felt that time was done in my teens and that it should be left there, but I did what I had to do to earn an income. I also began counselling with a psychologist twice a month at $150/session. What a mistake that was. Financially and emotionally, it was a mess. After two sessions she told me I was going to be getting a divorce and I should work to accept that and work through the emotions that would come with that instead of the emotions I was already dealing with. I chose not to go back. That was one of the smarter decisions I've made in my 7 months in Abbotsford. After my last session there, I went to a ladies retreat with my mom's church. That weekend kick-started something in me and I just don't know how to explain what it was. I was motivated to be a better wife and to fight for my marriage. Maybe it was all the estrogen in the air. I started with a new counsellor who was far more reasonably priced a week or so later, with a fresh outlook and a knowledge of what I needed/wanted to do to help my marriage along. June flew by. Since then, our sessions have worked towards that and worked at understanding what went wrong in the first place. I had my last session with her a week ago, and I would say (and I think Duane would agree) it was well worth it.

July happened with a lot of friend time, walks, picture taking and playing with kids. I think I pretty much just tried to enjoy myself in July.

In August I took a short trip to Calgary to visit Duane. I won't go into detail here either, but things went far better than I could have hoped for. I had no idea what to expect from the visit, as three months with little communication makes for a potentially awkward reacquainting. Essentially, we communicated very well, had a few lovely days together mixed with tears (happy ones!), forgiveness and re-commitment. Like I said, it was more than I could have hoped for. In the end, it was a VERY hard goodbye and I felt like a three year old on the first day of preschool...tears, clinging, cries of "don't go!" and hugs. I think I cried in the van for half an hour...then I slept. My family reminded me that now I knew things were going to be different, and that I would see him again. In a way, that goodbye was harder than the first one. There was no anger in my heart the second time like there was the first time. Love makes leaving all that much tougher.
August was also the celebration of Miss Ava's third birthday! I was SO happy to be able to be home for it this year, and I've loved the time I've been able to spend with the Murison family.


September meant the start of full time courses online for me (STRESS!). I am working towards my Early Childhood Ed. certification which was initially meant to end in June. I dropped hours at work in order to accommodate time during the week for school and getting assignments done, and while it helped, I was still feeling a LOT of stress and pressure to do well. I put that on myself. Duane was supportive and encouraging. September also included much phone/iChat time with Duane...almost every evening. We also started a devotional and were very committed to it, even though it was difficult with only one copy of the book and reading it over video chat or the phone.

Part way through October Duane drove in for another quick visit and we spent a day/night in Vancouver. We had a lovely time and celebrated Thanksgiving with my family. We visited the Vancouver Aquarium and took a very long walk on the Sea Wall through Stanley Park. We did manage to lose our way winding through the trails at one point, but then the iPhone and some people along the way got us back on the right track. There was also the opportunity to visit with his parents and brother there (who were in the city for a relative's wedding), which we gladly took. We ended up having lunch in New West on the Saturday and had to quickly race back to Abbotsford afterward to get me to work and so Duane could get back to Fernie at a decent hour. I really enjoyed having him here and having the chance to work on our communication in person! October also brought a bout of the Swine Flu (or some variation of) for me, and I was out for a week. I consider myself lucky with the mild symptoms I had compared to friends of mine! I felt like garbage and couldn't focus much on school (lost quite a few marks that week and a bit), but it was nothing compared to them. Since then, I have had a very tough time staying focused and motivated to finish school. All I can think about is going home to Fernie and getting my life back. I ended up dropping half my course load after my bout with H1N1, which I felt very at peace with even though I lost a lot of money doing it. My sanity was more important.
October was also another birthday celebration for a couple Murison family members, though I only was able to celebrate Levi's with the family. The big boy turned one!

While I feel I have adapted pretty well to living "on my own" in my parent's basement, hanging out with friends, doing school, working and helping my sister prepare for the baby, I still feel like something is missing....that would be my life with my husband in Fernie. I felt very in limbo here in Abbotsford with no future, knowing it wasn't where I was meant to be...even though it was meant to be for a time. My friends have been everything to me..keeping me in good spirits and giving me days to look forward to when we planned get-togethers. My family has also been supportive and is there for me when I need them. It isn't easy, but I'm surviving.

November has been hectic, to say the least. I made a sort of last-minute trip to Fernie to attend the job fair so I could find work. It was a silly waste of time, unfortunately, in that I was only able to drop off three resumes in the end, but not a waste of time in the area of being with my husband in our house in our town. It was refreshing. It helped motivate me to continue looking for work from a distance, with Duane's help. I think my Chai Matcha Latte from the Tea House was also a helpful boost :) I'd been craving it for a good 6 months!! Speaking of the Tea House...I start work there in just a couple of weeks! More on that in a minute.

The last couple of weeks have revolved mainly around baby...is it coming early or not? Does Jody have everything she needs? I have not focused on school as I should and am feeling the pressure of the possibility of failing a few of my courses. One of these courses is one I need in order to be able to apply successfully for my Early Childhood Ed Assistant certificate, and I'm worried I won't be able to rack up enough marks in the coming weeks to pass it. My focus has been on my excitement about baby and Fernie and spending as much time with friends as I can before I leave, and I haven't been able to focus my attention where it needs to be focused. I wonder sometimes if I'm dealing with mild burnout symptoms. The feeling that nothing can be done, that all is lost...but this is only about school, not about life...so I don't know.
These last weeks have also been spent applying for jobs online when I see something I might be interested in, and this last week has proved very successful for me!
While in Fernie at the beginning of the month, I left a resume at the Fernie Tea and Coffee House...only because I know the owners and was aware their daughter had to leave her position there to teach piano full time...not because I know a THING about being a barista! Things happen when you know people. I received a call shortly after I returned to Abbotsford, asking if I would like to join the team for 8 hours a week. This week we had a conversation on the phone about hours and how that would work for me. Being that it would be a supplementary job, I needed to find something that would work alongside that job before I could agree to join them. I asked for some time, which they gladly gave me, and in the following few days I threw resumes out there like crazy via email and applied for a part time childcare job through a job website in Fernie. I had two other phone/video chat interviews this past week, after which I was offered the job for both! One was a full time front desk position at a lodge and it had potential of some decent benefits in the future. The other was for the part time childcare job. The first was for the Tea House. This has clearly proven to me that last year was NOT my time to be in Fernie, and that God sees this as "His timing" now. This encourages me in that I think, if He's providing these jobs for me now, He knows my relationship with my husband will be fully restored! Woohoo and woot woot!! *lol* Funny thing was that I was offered the job for the front desk position about 24 hours earlier than he told me he'd phone and I hadn't had my video interview for the childcare job yet! I asked for some time to get back to him on it so I could finish the other interview and get a feel for things. The feeling I got was great, and the race was on for whether the mom would get back to me before my time ran out to call the lodge back with my answer! Oddly enough, I was phoned later that night (while I was at work) and offered the childcare job! I was able to wake up the next morning, phone the lodge and (nicely) refuse his offer, and call my new employer to sort out details.

Since then, I've been trying to figure out how and when I would get back to Fernie, as my first shift at the Tea House begins on Monday the 14th! I start my job as a nanny to three cute kidlets at the beginning of January. I don't have a date yet, but my guess is as soon as mom and dad go back to teach when school opens! Two of the kids belong to one set of parents and the youngest, coincidentally, belongs to a couple I know from church! A God-thing...I think so!! I am really looking forward to getting to know both couples, all three kids, and getting back into my life with Duane in Fernie!

Here's to 2010!!

*and ok...it did turn into a bit of a photojournal of sorts, but it would have been the dullest post ever if I hadn't added some element of color!**

~K~

39 Week Doc Update

Jody had her doc's appointment a day later this week (Wed). Here's the update:

• She's gained almost 10 pounds in a week...that makes her about 150. SO weird for a sister in our family!!
• Baby is weighing approx. 7 pounds...and if there's a week to go, there's potential for that child to be around EIGHT when it is born!! YIKES!! That poor girl.
  
• She's measuring 44cm...and I'm not sure why the doc hasn't induced her yet!!
• There is still a LOT of fluid (probably more now than last week!)
• Doc seemed very surprised to see her sitting in the waiting room...but still wants to give her some time before an induction.
  
• She is feeling very uncomfortable and baby's head is quite far down in the pelvis....good sign? Movement is also slowing down...also a good sign.
  
• Doc has scheduled her next visit for yet another day later in the week next week (Thurs)...I think he's giving her as much time to go into labour naturally as possible.

Duane's guess is for TOMORROW. I'd be ok if he was right.

~K~

39 Weeks...Check!

If we're going by the first due date (Nov. 29), which I am because I'm stubborn, then the little mommy has 5 days to go!! Now, if we go by the last mentioned due date (Dec. 4), then the poor dear still has over a week! Can you imagine?? I do suppose some of you can.
Well I can't, and I'm impatient and want this baby out NOW! Aside from seriously wanting to meet the little person who's turned my sister into a house, I'm concerned baby won't make its appearance until after I've gone to Fernie...and there happens to be potential of that happening SOON. Like Monday. And that sucks for me (except for the fact that I get a job out of the deal). I do know Duane would be happy with this concept, however :)

Do we think she can make it to 40 weeks (or 39 weeks and 2 days if we use the last date)??

Maneuvering is not a skill Jody possesses right about now...she couldn't even get herself all the way on the bench :)
Sort of hiding the belly...just think of it as daddy's protecting hand...or something...
Frontal! Doesn't look nearly as big this way.
Nigel needs a reminder to smile...oops...but they're still cute!
Could she get any bigger?? No SHE can't...but that belly sure can!!

Or any rounder, for that matter??? The nasty sister made her get all the way down to the steps...oops. Don't worry, I helped her up :)

Are we done yet???

~K~

Here's Mommy at 38 Weeks!

We didn't get a chance for a "proper" shoot this week, so the quality is a bit lacking. Sorry 'bout that, but I wasn't willing to get the almost-mother drenched outside...as much fun as that could have been. Maybe it was more selfish and I just didn't want to get drenched.
Instead, we got a few casual pictures that may or may not include a wood-paneled wall. Again, sorry 'bout that.
Then I went and laughed at her when she tried to get up from the couch, and instead of helping I took a picture! Whoops.
This week also produced a first-ever "mommy view" of the belly. Fun.


The church shot...baby was VERY distracting that day!

Ah yes, wood paneling. Right, this is about the pretty soon-to-be-mommy...not the wall.

38 Weeks!!

What'd I tell ya? She has trouble getting up off the couch and I go take a picture. Bad sister.

I think there's a baby in there, or else she should stop walking around with a ball under her shirt.

I do think she needs to go into labour now. Purely for selfish reasons, of course.
(maybe this is the last belly post???)

~K~

Early?

I was updated via email last night regarding Jody's 37 week doctor's appointment.

Seems she has a lot of amniotic fluid in there which, in turn, will create quite a lovely and possibly embarrassing mess when her water breaks! No chance of her just having a trickle! Ha ha...can't believe I'm talking about this on my blog :) Too funny.

Anywhoo...best news from yesterday's appointment is that the doctor thinks the baby will come EARLY!!! This is VERY good news for the very excited auntie-to-be! I've been particularly bothered that baby may not come until after I've moved back to Fernie permanently (though moving is a GOOD thing..), and I was very sad about the possibility of missing the actual birth. Sort of bittersweet I think. I do suppose there is still that chance as the doctor can't be 100% sure, but hearing that from the doc makes me just a little more hopeful that the anticipated event will occur any time now!

COME ON BABY!!!

~K~

Week Thirty-Six!!!

Only a month to go! Or less...so this mommy-to-be thinks.

We'll have to see. I'd better get my notice in to work so I'm not at work with the vehicle when grandma and grandpa need to get to the hospital :) Oh yeah...and the very excited auntie!!



I'm starting to change my tune a wee bit, methinks. Is she maybe having a girl?? I might have to join the masses and say that she is. I dunno, but this shot looks rather girl-like to this anticipating aunt!!

As always, finishing off with a close-up of the wee one!


Until 2 weeks!

~K~

"it" got me

Maybe I was a little too sure of myself...cocky even. Maybe it was inevitable...me and my weak immune system. I don't know but whatever the case, "it" got me. That dang flu I was so sure I would avoid.
Now I'm stuck at home, in the basement, alone (except when my lovely mother graces me with her ever-bidding presence...love her!).
I shall not complain much because I know a few people who were hit harder with "it" than I...but nonetheless, it still sucks. So much so that I was in tears this morning. Maybe that has something to do with the "mom effect". Mom comes down to soothe and feed me medicine, and the faucet turns on...anyone else get that way when you're sick and mom is around? It reminds me of a child who, without mom around, is fine to run and play but as soon as mom or dad shows up, the tears start. Strange phenomenon. I don't know that I would've cried had she not come in, even though the constant coughing at 7:30 in the morning really was wreaking havoc on my weak and achy body. Mom, I'm not so sure that onion is working.
My bedroom is adorned with garlic and onions. Ah, home remedies.
My day-time area is adorned with warm beverages, vitamins, pills and cough syrup. It's oh so glamorous. I'm pretty sure I'm done with it all.


~K~

Here She Is!

I forgot to take the 34 week shots on Sunday. Oops. However, with her due dates being switched left, right and centre, who really knows how far along she is anyway?
So here she is today at somewhere around 34 weeks :)




I also have a B&W of this one (which Jody likes better), but I like the color!


Until next time!

~K~