First Week or So

I can't believe Kellen is almost two weeks old. He is the sweetest thing! All he does is sleep, sleep, and sleep some more. The first week or so, we didn't see much of his eyes. However, over the last several days, he's become more and more alert. I'm hoping he'll be our mellow child to balance everything out. Ella is pretty mellow but definitely a girl with a lot of emotions!!

I don't want to jinx us, but he's been sleeping through the night since day 3! Our first night home was a little rough but since then, I have to wake him up to eat. I usually do this around 2 and 5a. Then, we fall back asleep until Brian wakes Ella up for school. I'm not very much help getting her ready b/c I'm so tired but end up laying in the bed snuggling with and talking to Ella until they leave. Then, we feed again and go back to sleep! The last 2 weeks have flown by! I hope my 5 months off don't go so fast! Once we get into a better routine, I hope we don't sleep the day away so we can enjoy the sunshine (when it's here, that is:)). I'm also really excited that two friends here have babies due any day. I can't wait for baby play dates and walks!!


Yes, I am starting to take a lot of pictures again. And, yes, I'll be posting them all (even if some look the same) so family and friends far away can see them. Below are the ones I took during the last week or so. Enjoy:)

This free photo slideshow generated with Smilebox And, here's a picture I took today on my phone of my sweet girl!! I also wanted to share the "Day You Were Born" print I had made for Kellen's room. I just love it!

Hospital Pics

I was super impressed with the new photography company our hospital uses. The day we left was super chaotic (circumcision, foot pricked for blood draw, & hearing test) and I almost said "forget it" on the pictures. I'm so glad I didn't tell the girl no when she came by for the 4th time. I bought the disc of digital files. I'll post them on my Shutterfly account in case anyone wants to buy some.

http://themeewesclan.shutterfly.com/

Here they are:

Kellen Michael Meewes

Kellen Michael Meewes arrived on Mother's Day - Sunday, May 13th. Born at 11:40 a.m., he weighed 7 lbs 0.2 oz and was 18 1/4 inches long. He has a full head of hair just like his big sis, although not as much, and we think he's going to be a little blondey, just like Ella Grace.

Ella loves him to pieces! She loves to hold him and put blankets on him. We are dealing with some tough tantrums but at least she's taking her aggression out on us and not her brother. Her sweet soul is so happy yet so confused. Overall, we think Ella is doing well and will be such a great big sister!

Labor and delivery were super fast! MUCH different from Ella as with her, my water broke and I didn't have much labor pain. This time around, I experienced what real labor actually feels like (kudos to you women who go without an epidural!) I had contractions starting at 3 a.m. Around 4, I woke up Brian. Shortly after, I decided to take a shower and get things together. We woke up Ella and all headed to the hospital, arriving around 6ish. We were admitted to triage and by 7:30, they asked if I could walk around for an hour to make sure things were progressing. This part was pure TORTURE! I was so pissed. The only thing I could do was text while walking the halls to keep my mind off the pain. So, I texted Emily and she was with my Mom and Gran. Let's just say that they got to hear all sorts of profanities and comments from me and found it humorous. I did not! By 8:30, Ella's teacher had picked her up to keep her, we went back into triage, and Suzanne, my friend who delivered Ella, confirmed she would be our labor & delivery nurse. Yay! I was then checked in to my room and shortly after, given an epidural and pain meds. Things were much better! I believe around 11 they broke my water. I kept telling Suzanne I was feeling pain so we had the anesthesiologist come in and give me a higher dose to ease pain. Shortly after he left, I still kept feeling pain. Suzanne was busy filling out my paperwork and I looked at her and said "I'm pretty sure he's coming." She checked and sure enough, he was. So, within 30 minutes I went from 5 to 10 cm, had the nurses and Dr. scrambling to get everything ready, pushed for 10 minutes, and he was here! Besides the labor walking I had to do, this was the easiest delivery ever! And recovery - there really hasn't been any since everything went so perfect! My only recovery right now is getting sleep and my ribs, which are still in pretty bad shape.

Here's some pics of our little man!

Digital slideshow generated with Smilebox

And, our sweet pookie bear!

Love her!!

God is good!

Lately

I'm currently in a phase totally not like me....hardly pick up my camera, find it hard to sit down and keep this blog updated, not too interested in talking on the phone except for to my Gran (I hate talking on the phone anyway, but even more right now) and to get updates from family members on her progress, and the list goes on. But you know what, I really don't care. I'm perfectly content! And, it's all mostly because I'm extremely tired from running around like crazy on the weekends!


What have we been up to lately?


Ella is silly as ever. Her new thing is wiggling that booty. She does have the cutest booty in the world. I love to pinch it!! She is also my BIGGEST helper. Seriously, I am so proud of her. Trying to teach her life lessons and her being totally up for it makes me one happy Momma! She helps unload the dishwasher by putting the silverware away. She helps put the sheets on her bed and make it. She helps me unload clothes out of the washing machine and place them in the dryer. She helps me fold clothes (she does a pretty darn good job, too!). She feeds Otis every night. She goes with me to walk him and always offers to get his leash. She has even started getting food out of the fridge within reach by using her stool to help me with making her meals. She also helped me bag 3 huge garbage bags of weeds. It's awesome! Some of the tasks might have to be reworked a bit by me when she's not looking, but that is A-OK! If I can get her into lifelong habits starting at the age of 3, I feel I've done a good job! 


This is how she writes her name:

And, this is what she wants to be when she grows up:

Me? I'm not going to lie, it's been a REALLY tough 4 weeks. Until this point, pregnancy was super easy and uneventful. THEN, what I call the "Amazon Flu" hit the office. All sorts of nasty illnesses were around me and I was bound to catch something. I ended up with an upper respiratory infection for 3 weeks. I'm still fighting it but feel 100 times better. I missed 3 days of work in a week in a half and went through more bottles of Robitussin and boxes of Benadryl and Sudafed than I have in years! Friday, I stopped taking that stuff and really started feeling better. Then, came the ribs. My cough was so bad that starting Saturday, my chest, right upper ribs and right side of back started hurting. Now, it feels like they are full blown fractured or broken. Not exaggerating! I'm sitting here now with an ice pack under my arm and coughing isn't even an option because even the slightest one feels like a knife is being stabbed in my chest. Soooooo - yeah, I'm pretty pathetic. And, yes, I want this all over as soon as possible!!!! I WAY prefer bed rest over this pain.


To make things worse, my sweet grandmother, who I'm EXTREMELY close to had a massive stroke last Tuesday and I was devastated. Sorry Gran, because I know you're going to read this and I don't want to upset you, but I think I cried for 24 hours straight. It was awful! Hearing how much she has progressed each day and being able to talk to her on the phone, even if she can't say as much back as she usually can, is keeping me going. She likes to talk and go, go, go too much so I know she'll get there through physical and speech therapy.


Then, today I walk into the doctor's office for my weekly appointment to find out that it was Monday. I wanted to cry but instead just burst out laughing. The girls behind the desk did, too. It was hilarious! It went something like this:


Me: Hi. I'm here for my appointment with Dr. Pray. Last name Meewes.
Cute girl behind desk: Hmmm. We have your next appt on the 14th.
Me: Oh, well I now come weekly (as I look in my purse and grab out my appt schedule they gave me). It shows today, see.
CGBD: Did you not make it to your appt?
Me: Staring at her confused...no, it's today right?
CGBD: It was on the 7th.
Me: What's today?
CGBD: The 9th.
Me: Oohhhhhh! (super embarrassed wanting to cry).  I'm going crazy.


And, then I burst out laughing. She and the other cute girl did, too. And, then they told me it happens all the time and that they would fit me in. So, I got in in less than 5 minutes, met with a different doc, and basically all she said was "any day girl." It was the quickest I've ever been in and out...so quick I didn't even have to pay for parking. So any day, baby brother will be here...whatever that means!


To add to my craziness, I'm heading to meet a friend for lunch today and my category's HR rep stops me and says "are you Lauren?" I replied that I was and she asked if she could speak to me for a minute. I said "ok, but I'm already running late." She assured me it would only take a minute. I'm walking with her thinking "what on earth does she need to talk to me about?" She then tells me that there have been several confirmed cases of whooping cough on our floor and she wanted to let me know. Of course I'm thinking "oh great, another blow. I haven't had the shot, I've been sick for 3 weeks, and baby is due any day now." So I thanked her for telling me, went to lunch, and called the Dr. while my friend was getting her food. The nurse decided I should go ahead and still get the shot and they put me on a Zpack to be safe (something they were hesitant to give me for the 3 weeks I was sick and dying!!!! I was pretty annoyed). I called Ella's pediatrician to make sure she was up to date on her shots, and she was (she doesn't have her 3 yr appt til August). I went to Walgreens on the way home and had the shot. And, I'm about to start the antibiotics.


So, at this point I'm pretty much like "Bring It." God, what else do you have for me?


Here is me at 36 weeks:

I've gained 25 lbs thus far (gained 32 total with Ella) and the doc today thinks he will be a small one - maybe 7.5 lbs. I go back to the doctor on Monday (and won't miss this one).


I did 6 hours of yard work last weekend and swore he was going to come Sunday or Monday but that didn't happen. I have more to do this weekend so we'll see if he messes up those plans or not:)


Here are some random iPhone pics.

 Sunday morning laziness before the yard work began again

And, my boo bear Friday morning before we left for school

Oh, and Ella is watching "Pidonkeyo" right now:)

For Our Gran

Gran,

I know I'm super behind on posting pictures from Utah and Ella's birthday! So, until I have more time to load all the pictures, below are some just for you!!!

We love you and think about you every millisecond of the day. We know you're going to get better soon! Keep your spirits high and you know we would be there if this baby wasn't on his way any day now. We'll come see you as soon as we can!!!

 In Utah at Paige's wedding at The Canyons in Park City

 Minnie and Mickey ice cream cake on her actual birthday

 Loving her new adirondak chair Granddaddy Kelley and Rose gave her

 Ella and Lilly

  Ella and some of her friends making silly faces at her party

 

 Ella and her Wesley. She told me this morning that they were getting married.

Singing Happy Birthday to Ella. She was super shy!

Going down the slide at Kidz Bounce where we had her party

WE LOVE YOU!!