Seeds of the Flower

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Olivia's Birth Story

Three Children here and I am feeling complete. Maybe. There is always room for one more, but right now my heart is full. I am thankful for my 3 precious children. Olivia Rose Johnson arrived on a Tuesday afternoon Feb. 5th 2013, just before noon. She weighed in at 7.9oz and was 21 some inches long. She looks a lot like her brother and sister with a little more hair then Xander had and not as much as Lucelia had.

I woke up Monday morning with Contractions. They were about 5 min apart and lasting about 30sec. I had Jeremy stay home from his Monday morning work meeting but sent him off to school because the contractions died off. Only coming every 10 to 20 min. We hired my niece Megan to be our Nanny for a few weeks and she showed up about 10:30am. We waited for Xander to get home from Preschool and then we drove around and I showed her all the different places that she would have to take him. I kept having contractions.....but nothing consistent. Jeremy kept calling and asking if I was going into Labor. "No sweetie" Come home if you want but I don't think this is it. Nothing consistent. He came home.

We had yummy steak sandwiches for dinner and then Jeremy and I decided to go walk around the mall. The contractions came stronger if I walked around. We went to go buy a baby wrap, and they did not have them. I saw a kiosk in the mall that was doing eyebrow plucks with thread and it was only 12 dollars so I figured what the heck. I kept on having contractions and they were stronger and closer, and my eyebrows looked wonderful.

We decided to go to another store in Westminster to get the wrap, they had them. Contractions were coming stronger. Some workers asked if I was in Labor as I made pain faces as we were walking around. Jeremy enthusiastically replied yes. We made everyone happy. There is something about new babies and women in Labor, that makes people happy. I am glad they were happy. I was in pain.

We came home and I told Jeremy, I would call the doctor if the contractions kept coming until 8:30pm. They kept coming. I stood up to call and I felt a trickle down my leg. The Doctor said to go to the hospital for a Labor check and fluid check.

When we arrived at the hospital and they put me on the monitor, my contractions stopped. Nothing. I told the nurse that they were stronger, if I walked around. She told me to get up and walk around for an hour. So Jeremy and I walked around for an hour and the contractions came back.

I was at a 4 and since I tested positive for Group B strep and wanted to put me on Antibiotics, they kept me! I thought for sure that they would put me on PIT to keep the contractions steady, like they did for my last two babies, but they didn't and the contractions kept coming. My body was doing its job, all on its own! My goal was to make it to a 6 or a 7 before I took the epidural and I did it. It was painful and I really did not have husband support as he was asleep on the couch and a little grumpy, but he tried.

I kept getting different nurses. One came in about 5 in the morning and checked me and said I was at an 8 and that I would for sure be having this baby in the next hour. I was so excited and proud of my little body, but my little body stalled. My contractions slowed down and I didn't see another nurse until like 7am. Jeremy and I started to get frustrated with every text from family members asking if I had had this little bundle yet.

I began to go into c-section mode and negative thoughts once again began to enter my mind. I was not progressing. On a positive note, the baby Olivia was doing GREAT! Her heart rate was wonderful the whole labor which was a problem with both Celia and Xander.

The Doctor came in and said they were going to put me on PIT to pick up the contractions and see what happens. So we waited and waited and they came back about 10:30am and increased my PIT again. The nurse told me to buzz her, if I felt pressure. About 11:20am, I thought I felt pressure, I did have an epidural afterall and was not exactly sure what pressure felt like.

The nurses came in and I was at a 10 and +1! I was ready to push! The nurse called the doctor and said we are going to start pushing. Well I pushed one time and had the baby most of the way out. So she hurried and called the doctor back and said, we need you now!

I had to wait for 2 contractions before the doctor arrived and one more push and my beautiful baby girl was on my stomach and not in it anymore. It was the most spiritual experience this time around. Jeremy and I both cried. I did not cry for the other two. I think maybe knowing that this was probably the last time I was going to experience this as a mortal brought tears to my eyes.

I am so thankful to be able to be a mother. It makes me wonder if the birth experience is the same in Heaven, or will it be more Heavenly?

So many wonderful things to look forward to, with this little princess. She is a gem. Good eater, sleeper, pooper, farter. Her body works and it keeps her happy, which means, I get enough sleep and feel happy to enjoy my other kids.

I have also been blessed to have Megan Downs be with us for the last 3 weeks and entertain and drive the other two jewels around. I have been able to enjoy this little new one to the fullest!

I love my family! God is great! Jesus is my Savior and I owe all to him.

Monday, January 28, 2013

January Update

What has been going on in our life lately. We are waiting for this baby #3 to come. I am expecting her to arrive around the 6th of February but we will see. Xander is the most excited as he asks questions daily about how is Olivia going to come out of me. For example,

"How is she getting out of your tummy Mommy"

"Well, you know how you poop?"

"yes"

"It is kinda like that."

"Like a poop?" Giggles, "No, Mom that is not how she is coming out." "She is going to come out of your belly"

"Yes, she could, that is how you came out, the doctor cut open my tummy and pulled you out, and then they put my tummy back together."

"What, and you didn't die?"

"No, the Doctors took care of me and sewed me back up."

"Well, maybe Olivia should come out your hip, armpit or nose because I bet that is less dangerous. "

"Ha Ha"

"We will see Xander."

Xander is 4.5 years old and loving life. He keeps very busy with Joy School and going to Preschool. He loves all his friends. I signed him up for Gymnastics this month and he is enjoying doing that again. He doesn't even say that he doesn't want to go, like he used too and then be happy when we arrived like he did when he was 3. He is such a good listener as of late, he comes when he is called and does not linger longer like he used too. It has made life a little easier.

Xander has also been a big help with Celia. She adores him. She laughs and giggles so hard whenever he does anything. She loves to attack him when he is watching TV. She pushes him, sits on him, and grabs his arms. For the most part, he is very patient and tolerates it well. He would love to wrestle with her, but the way he wrestles, I fear for her little one year old life, so I try to keep it to a minimum.

I was all set up to have the kids get their pictures taken at Target this month. I had Xander all ready and Jeremy was getting Celia ready upstairs. Celia came out on the balcony and Xander was jumping up and down and making her laugh and jammed his head into the corner of the desk in the kitchen.

Ouch! So No pictures for us. We took Xander to Urgent Care instead and it actually turned out to be no big deal. They would not do stitches at Urgent Care because it was so close to his eye, so they suggested that we take him to Children's Hospital where they would put him in a restrainer and give him drugs etc... Or we could just let it heal on its own and he would have a scar until he was 6. We decided to just go with the scar. He is such a tough kid, and really the event was more tragic for me vs. him. I am so blessed to not have many medical events in my kids lives because I don't handle medical anything very well.

Celia is 15 months and just as happy as can be. She says, Cracker, Chocolate, Bubbles, Mama, Daddy, Blankie, Teddy, and of course Xander! Now we are the only ones who can understand these words as we say them to her and she repeats them back to us but it is fun!

She loves her bottle at night with her blanket and Teddy but is not attached to any blanket in particular. She will take any one. She even loves Xander's Angry bird costume blanket.

Bubble Baths with Xander is a favorite activity. They will play in the bath for a good hour on some days. She also loves to go outside. She will sit on the stairs to get her shoes and coat on as soon as you say, "Outside".

I am a little worried about how she is going to react to this new little one, but my niece Megan is going to come and help me out, so I think that with her help, I will give her the attention that she needs.

Jeremy has started back in school again and we are down to the final 3 semesters. It is getting so close! I can't wait! It is hard to believe that we have lived with my parents for almost 2 years. We had hoped that he would be graduating this May when we first moved in, but in order for him to get a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering, it is going to take us one more year then we planned. May 2014 here we come :). It has been hard and frustrating at times but it is well worth it!

So that is the January update. Nothing real exciting or new but we are happy.

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

32 or 34 weeks Pregnant

Dear Olivia Rose

This is me pregnant with you. I love you so much! I am excited for you to come and make our family complete. You were a surprise as I did not expect you to come so soon, but I am glad you are going to be here when you are. I really hope that you and Celia become best friends and enjoy growing up together. You two have the BEST BROTHER in the WORLD. He is a true Angel. I thank Heavenly Father for him everyday. I am sure you two are going to give him lots of fun and mischief.

Thanks for the Heart Burn, you pressed on lots of different organs and such during your time with me, which sometimes made breathing hard. I ate a lot of chocolate with you, mostly because you were my Christmas baby. Celia was Big Macs and Xander was Cinnamon Rolls. My Three Sweeties!

Your time with me has been the fastest and I can't believe you are almost here. Your brother and Sister have kept me pretty busy. Xander, Celia and I had fun going through the clothes you are going to wear. Celia loves clothes. She carried around her old things that she wore when she was an infant that will soon become your new things. Don't worry, I bought some special new things for you :) I know it stinks that you will have to share with your sister a lot and get her things, but I promise to make some things special for you too!

The girls in this family are going to have some good times. I am already dreaming of all the memories we will create together.

Shopping

Crafting

Running

Cooking

Dancing

Singing

Camping

and

Laughing

Love you so Much! Thanks for picking me to be your Mom!