Got a bunch of pictures... This first one of Ryan is one of my all time favorites. My compliments to the photographer... Korryn!

All is well as far as my health goes. I will be seeing a neurologist tomorrow because my headaches while much better have yet to go away completely. My OB wanted me to go and I was so hoping I would not need the appointment. I hope he tells me I wasted his time and my headaches are a big nothing and they will go away.

Kathryn hits 4 weeks old on Friday. She is a super sweet baby. Ryan seems to love her as much as we do. Adjusting to being parents of two has it's challenges, but the rewards far outnumber the difficulties. I am trying to soak up every moment, because we all know it goes so fast.

A gift from his Grandma Kathie for his 2nd birthday. Kathryn's first submerged bath. She SO hated me for a good 10 minutes after it was done. It was not her idea of fun.

Grandad Mike

Grandma Kathie

Daddy and his baby girl - self portrait

Snack time at the wading pool

How it all went down. . . Part 2

A very tired Mom, post hospital discharge. It's kind of a bummer that there is a part 2 to Kathryn's story in how she joined our family. It was frightening and shocking. I am so thankful for proper medical care because without it, our story would have probably ended differently. A week ago on Monday, I went to my OB for a routine follow up post-op check. My blood pressure was a little elevated in the office so the doctor restarted my blood pressure medication and requested I come back in 48 hours for a recheck. The next evening I took my blood pressure at home and noted that it was even more elevated, despite the blood pressure medication. I figured I was just doing too much and promptly showered and went to bed. About 2 a.m. Wednesday morning, I woke with a severe headache and having dealt with high blood pressure with Ryan's pregnancy and again with this pregnancy, I knew this was a bad sign. Took my blood pressure again and it was 190/90! I called the OB on call, was instructed to take another pill for my blood pressure right then and again in the morning. My headache continued and it truly was the worst headache of my life. I had appointment scheduled with the OB that afternoon, got to the office, the nurse took my blood pressure and it was even higher, 198/102. My OB calmly told me not to freak out, but I was being sent directly to the ER to be readmitted to the hospital. I was in denial at this point, not realizing how bad it was.... which in hindsight scares me because I know better, I'm a nurse! I think it was self preservation to keep me from really going over the edge with anxiety. We got to the ER, got shuffled in almost immediately and put on all kinds of monitors. An IV was put in, and it seemed like there were 5 different people in the room at all times, coming in and out doing different things. I was given blood pressure medication via IV right there and then put on an IV medication called Magnesium Sulfate, it's the treatment for pre-eclampsia - basically really high blood pressure, pregnancy related. That medication works well, but makes the person quite sick in while on it. It relaxes all the soft muscle tissue in the body, so by the end of the next day (it was a 24 hour regimen) I was barely able to hold my own weight, I had double vision, slurred speech and felt just awful. But it worked. And that's what counts. What I experienced, post partum eclampsia, is not unheard of, but not all that common either. So, after about a 40 hour stay in the hospital - they put me back in the Childbirth Center in order to let me have Kathryn stay with me so I could continue to breast feed her - we went home and I am on bed rest until my next appointment with my OB on Tuesday. I am thankful for so many things as I sit back and think over all that happened. Korryn was available right then to come get Ryan and care for him, as well as take our dog into her home so we would not have to worry about that. Paul had to stay with me, to be Kathryn's primary caregiver in the hospital, since I was allowed to do nothing but feed her. Paul stepped up and just took over everything and continues to do so, as I sit and "rest". I am not the best patient and not good at being waited on, but Paul has taken on the challenge with no complaints. I will be on blood pressure medication for the next few months at least and I can just hope this is not a long term issue. I feel if I can get active again and drop baby weight (plus the excess I carried into the pregnancy to begin with!) I can deal with this unmedicated, but we will have to wait and see. Thanks to all of you that sent positive wishes and prayers our way while we went through this. We are lucky to have such wonderful people in our life!

Few more pictures. . .

Auntie Korryn being our nurse at Kathryn's first pediatrician appointment. She is gaining weight fabulously - exclusively breast fed! I am thrilled about that because I really struggled to breast feed Ryan and from day one he got formula as well. I will have to introduce formula in the next month or so for her since I will be going back to work, but for now I take a lot of pride in being able to feed her all on my own. (btw - Korryn, you look really good in this photo!)

Sleeping on Daddy's chest. Look at those cheeks!Fantastic Moby Wrap. I love this thing! Kathryn is so secure in there and my hands are free.

How it all went down. . . .

A few have asked how our birth experience was, helping Miss Kathryn join our family... so here is a synopsis of how it all went. Our due date was 7/29/09 - aka the hottest day in Seattle history! That day came and went with no signs of impending labor. My OB had said early on and reinforced her concern about me trying to have a natural delivery after going through a C-section with Ryan when we saw that Kathryn had the chance to be 8 pounds or larger. So, two weeks prior to our due date my OB scheduled a repeat C-section with the hopes that baby would come on her own before that time. She was apparently quite cozy in her "home" and stayed put. July 31st, at 1 pm was the scheduled repeat C-section. When I got to the hospital that day, they hooked me up the the monitors, and asked if I had had any contractions. My response was no, but lo and behold I was contracting at that time, just could not feel them. Within an hour I was feeling them, so I am pretty sure we were going into labor, finally! We went ahead with the C-section anyway and after seeing I was carrying a 8 lb. 14 oz. little girl, I am ok with not having the chance to attempt a natural delivery. My recovery has been amazing and nearly pain free, much to my surprise. Miss Kathryn is a champ at eating and for the first few days was fond of sleeping. The past two or three days she is more fond of fussing with a few cat naps here and there. Regardless of lack of sleep and dealing with the fuss - we are thrilled we have a healthy baby girl. I'm still in awe I have a girl, even though the entire pregnancy I thought it was going to be one. I love that we have a son and a daughter. I feel like my family is so complete. It's funny that my sister Korryn has a son and daughter too... in that order.. born 8 days apart. Now I have the same, with the children born 5 days apart. Yet Korryn and I had our children 15 and 17 years apart!

Here's a few pictures of our time in the hospital:

Very emotional when I saw Ryan after Kathryn was born.

Proud Aunties right before Kathryn's first bath, given by Korryn. Grandma (my Mom) letting the two get to know each other. Very proud Grandad (my Dad).

Paul's side of the family.

Getting ready to go home... in the same outfit my niece Kelsey wore when she went home from that very hospital, 15 years ago.

Our baby girl

She joined our family July 31, 2009 at 2:31 pm.

8 lbs 14 oz, 20 3/4" long

Ryan met her once (he is staying at my parents place until we go home and get settled) and seemed quite confused about why I looked different than usual and why everyone was fussing over the new squirmy little thing. I am sure many more posts to come on how he adjusts!