3 months already!

How fast these three months have gone by! Kaylee turned 3 months old on the 22nd of December. We also celebrated our first Christmas with our monkey. She wore the cutest Christmas dress. It was gold and black. She looked like a little doll. She got a ton of clothes (which is awesome!) some blocks a glow worm and a soothe and glow sea horse (score! add to the list of favorite things!) My Grandpa & Sadie gave her a toy that she lays under and she grabs for the little dangling toys under it and when she gets one it plays music. She loves it! Mommy and daddy got her a mobile & a baby carrier. I never really decorate for Christmas. Just a the tree goes up but I suddenly want to decorate the whole house for her next year. I bought some stuff on clearance the day after Christmas and Chris told me I was crazy cause I wanted to put it all up that day. Ha ha he was right.
Chris and I went out without her for the first time as well. We left her with Grandma Liz and went out bowling with some friends. After bowling, we went back to their house to play Rock Band. Next thing I knew Chris said it was 1:00AM. I freaked and felt horrible! All I could think was we had to go get her and take her out at that hour and what kind of mom has her three month old out at 1:00AM! I got to my moms and she had just woke up and my mom was feeding her. I apologized profusely to my mom and she told me not to worry about it. She said I wasn't a bad mom and she would have called if she was having trouble or wanted us to go get her. It made me feel better but I felt strange leaving her. I am sure that is something I will get over.

These are a few of our favorite things..

Lets start with the boppy..

(cue angelic music)
Whoever invented this pillow.. I want to kiss you! No more tired arms from holding Kaylee. Just hold her and rest your arms on the pillow. Another thing is she falls asleep in it all the time. Then I can just carry her to her crib. The best part, the covers come in all different styles (including the adorable cupcake one given to her by her honorary aunt Stephanie.) and come off to throw in the machine. This thing goes with us everywhere!
Next her Aquarium Take-along swing..

this too goes everywhere with us. It is super light and rocks her all by itself. No winding or tapping with your foot to keep it going. Just set to one of the 8 speeds and give it a little push. That's it. Plus the lights and music soothe Kaylee to sleep when she is tired. Oh and did I mention it folds flat? Yes flat. Making it perfect for packing for weekends at the cabin or any where.
Now when I saw these at the store I thought "seriously? Who needs that?" Then all my friends who had one raved about it. I am talking about a Wipe Warmer.

It makes changing her much less traumatic then having her cry when the cold wipe jolts her out of her half asleep state.
Next up,lavender tea.

Kaylee had gas issues at about a month old. I was having to give her mylicon drops numerous times a day and was thinking of switching formulas.
One night, after about 45 minutes of bouncing her, rocking her, rubbing & patting her back & trying mylicon and still having a screaming baby I remembered my Dede saying to use lavender tea. I sent Chris to the store I brewed a jar full and she drank an ounce. About ten minutes later, she was asleep. That was the first time she slept though the night. Not to mention when you brew it your whole house smells like lavender & so does your babies breath after a while. Her pediatrician said just not to give her more than 2 ounces a day & never give her tea that was brewed more than a week ago.
Mylicon drops also make my list as I use them in emergencies.

I just prefer the tea since I know whats in that since I brew it myself. I have noticed that you get twice as much with the Walgreen's brand for the same price and Kaylee actually prefers them. So do I since they have no dye. The pink ones turn everything pink if they spit it out.
Munchkin formula dispensers.

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We own 2. One for the diaper bag and one for late night feedings. You measure out how much formula you need into the three pockets of the dispenser and then you just open a bottle with the correct amount of water in it and pour and shake. Then you twist the lid to the next compartment. Making night time feeding a breeze since everything is all measured out for you.
Last but not least Sam's Club.

While that may seem way out of left field its really not. Diapers, wipes and formula there are allot cheaper. We were paying the Walmart price of $20 for an 88 pack of Pampers Swaddlers. Sam's club price :$40 for 284. Yes that's right. 284 for what you would pay at walmart for 176 (that's almost like 100 diapers for free.) The only thing is they only carry size 1 and up.
Now on to the formula. We were paying $22.00 for Enfimil Premium Lipil 25.7 oz. My sister in law Laura said that the Members Mark formula is the same thing (go ahead and compare them, They are right next to each other at Sam's) and you get 51.4 oz for under $20. Yes over 3 lbs of formula for $20.
After a trip or two for diapers and formula, your $40 membership has paid for its self! Plus they also have a Gentle formula too!


Oh yeah, and anything and every thing Carters.

Kaylee is here!

Well since I am starting this blog a little later than I wanted to I guess I should start with the story of her birth.
Because of my kidney issues and past history with miscarriage, It was a high risk pregnancy. The chances of developing Pre-eclampsia (pre-e) when you have an underlying kidney issue is a big one.
The Friday before she was born, I was at work and had a really bad headache and swelling. I called my perinatologist (pregnancy specialist) who stated I should go to OB right away. I got there and they took my blood pressure. It was 160/90. I was admitted to the OB unit & told they were going to call my Doctor to come. She was out of town so the on call Dr would be coming to see me. She came in and said she was hesitant to induce since I was only 35 weeks 4 days. She sent me home on bed rest till I could get in to see my regular OB on Monday.
On Monday Chris & I went to my 4:30 appointment thinking they were going to send me home on bed rest for the remainder of my pregnancy. Not my idea of fun since that whole weekend all I did was think of everything that had to be done around the house and I was not look forward to having to start my leave at work without spending that time with my daughter.
We got to the exam room and the nurse took my blood pressure. She took the stethoscope off and said " Its still high. Looks like we are having a baby today!" Then she walked out and left Chris and I starring at each other. Dr combs came in and took my blood pressure again. She explained that they were going to induce my since I was showing signs of early Pre-E. Before I knew it, we were headed to the OB wing at Los Alamos Medical center. Chris called our parents while I was getting connected to monitors.
At about 5:00 they brought me the pill. This pill was going to start it all. I remember thinking as I swallowed it.. No turning back now. This is it. Then my mom got there and we started the waiting game that is labor.
I was able to sleep through that night pretty comfortably. Cant say the same for my mom and Chris. Poor things slept in chairs all night long.
the next morning they started Pitocine. This really got things moving and brought on the contractions. At first I thought "this isn't so bad. I can handle this." Haha.. about two hours later, I didn't feel that way at all! After they broke my water it was PAINFUL! The only thing that helped was focusing on Chris' eyes during the contractions. After they told me I was 4 cm, the contractions were coming a minute and a half apart and I was ready for my epidural.
The nurse, Delane(who was awesome)came in and said the pitocin was up too high. They turned it down and called for the anesthesiologist. She came in to talk to me and informed me that my blood pressure was still dangerously high and based on that and the kidney issue she wasn't sure she could give me the epi. That was the only time during labor I felt like I couldn't do it. I almost started to cry and she must have sensed it cause she said "lets run some lab and see how those come back. Then we will decide."
It was a painful 45 minute wait for the guy from the lab to come do the blood draw. The whole time we were waiting I was thinking by the time he got there, it was going to be too late and I was going to be forced into natural childbirth. (which I have a new found respect for women who have done this!) Thankfully, it was James (they guy who had done all my lab through out the pregnancy and we had become friends) who came up from the lab. My mom expressed our concern to him and he said he was going to do everything he could to get them as fast as possible.
About 20 minutes later, I was getting my epidural. I thought I would feel something, a poke, pressure, pain, but once I was numb,I felt nothing. I was able to get some sleep after the epi kicked in and Chris told me after that the contractions I felt were nothing compared to the ones registering on the monitor after the epi. I felt nothing. I woke up and was told I was about to have my baby. Then it all became a blur. I was told my blood pressure was extremely high and I had to lay on my side cause they didn't want me to have a seizure. I couldn't move. Everything was hazy and I felt like I was checking out of the whole thing. The nurse said "You have to roll onto your side, for the baby." that was all she had to say and I put my arm out and Chris helped me roll onto my side. I heard the nurse say "we need oxygen" next thing I knew I had an oxygen mask on and I was back. It was instant. Dr Combs said it was time and after pushing for what felt like 20 minutes, at 3:47, september 22, 2009, Kaylee Deandra was born. She weighed 5lbs 4 oz.



She was crying but it wasn't a normal cry. She was put on my chest for about thirty seconds & I heard the pediatrician say "she isn't breathing right." He turned around and cut her cord and then everyone was gone. I couldn't move my legs from the epidural but Chris came in and said she had to be on oxygen since she was considered a premature baby. She had to stay in the hospital for a week.
Fast forward almost three months and you would never know this cupcake was a preemie. She is so cute and funny and I cant remember my life without her. She is starting to laugh out loud and every time she does it it just melts my heart. Once I think I cant love her anymore.. she gives me a cute little look and my love grows even more. I am going to use this blog to share my feelings, thoughts and milestones. I think it will be a great thing to show her when she is older. I cant wait to share our life with her! This adventure has just begun!