CherrickVille

Surprises and Rewards

I've been surprised by several things as we have taken on the role as parents.  Let's get straight into it, shall we?

1. Being on call 24/7 is much easier than I thought it would be at this stage - It's actually kinda fun
2. People in the stores - I LOVE how people just come right up to me when I'm out in public and want to take a look at what I have in the stroller.  She puts a smile on their faces by just being around.  Too cool.
3. How much fun it is to stare at her.  I thought she'd get more interesting as she got older - but she's pretty fascinating to me now.
4.  Her noises:  she can sound like a bird, a cat, a Velociraptor (from Jurassic Park), a puppy, a fire engine, a motor boat and of course, a sad baby all within moments
5. How quickly I've adapted to having her as my sidekick where ever I go.

This week's milestones:
1. She's trackin' objects (like my face) with her eyes
2. More clothes are starting to fit :-)
3. She grasps a finger
4. Still so perfect!

One Month and counting!

Reagan is now one month old!  Time really does fly! She feels so big now (compared to just a week ago)!  She had her one month well check up yesterday.  She weighs 8 pounds 13 ounces and she is 21 inches long.  She is in the 48th percentile for height and the 36th percentile for weight.  I love how tiny she is!

This is her wide-eyed look.

She is a wiggle worm - always kicking her feet and exercising her little muscles.

She is getting so big and gaining so much weight!  Look at those cheeks all filled out!

This week's milestones:

1. Her eyes are starting to focus on faces and things

2. She's been able use her activity mat (and seems entertained)

3. First ride in her Red Stroller

4. Meeting the GrandCherricks and Uncle Kyle and Tia Nebai

5. A smile may be very near :-)

Reagan's 3rd Week

It was another big week for Reagan.  She was out and about with mom a lot more.  She continues to be very easy going and content.  Reagan's biggest frustrations: gas and spit up.





There's a flower on my head.







Hello world!

This week's milestones:
1. Visit to the chiropractor
2. First trip to the gym
3. Less spit up
4. Finally fitting into some clothes (Newborn size)
5. 7 pounds 13 ounces!!!!  She gain 1 lb in one week!
6. Mom is fitting into more clothes too!!!

Birth Story

I have done my best to tell the story while realizing that some things are better left untold.  But, here it is for what it's worth:

8 am – drank 1 oz (2 tablespoons) of Castor Oil

1:30 pm – began to have mild cramps

9 pm – a few intense contractions, but not in regular intervals or intensity

10 pm – definitely more intense – Kevin called our doula – Greta to come over and help me through the pain

12 pm – decide to go to the hospital

12:15pm – arrive at the hospital and head to triage

 

Time stops for me, but here’s the rest:

-          in triage I was hooked up to a fetal heart rate monitor, an IV and a contraction monitor (really annoyed by all of the cables) – made laboring more challenging

-          The nurse checked me and I was 4 cm dilated and progressing

-          We walked down the hall to the delivery room

-          I labored for a little while and said I was ready to push at around 2:30am

-          Reagan was born at 3:44 am J

-          They placed her on my chest, Kevin cut the chord and then he was able to hold her for the first time

-          Trouble with the placenta

-          I started to bleed a lot without passing the placenta

-          My Dr. called for the anesthesiologist to come and administer a drug that would relax my uterus – they didn’t have it available

-          I began to get lightheaded

-          I asked them to bring Reagan back over to me so that I could be distracted from the drama happening

-          It really comforted me to have her close and to have Kevin next to me

-          They gave me Demerol and performed a DNC to remove the placenta

-          Bleeding stopped and I was ready to head up to the recovery room

-          They took me with Reagan on my chest in a bed since I was too weak to walk after the blood loss and a bit loopy from the Demerol (which is a narcotic)

 

Labor and Delivery side notes:

-          The contractions became more intense, but they didn’t feel as intense as when they first came on.  My body was able to relax through them.  I remember during one contraction, I grabbed Kevin’s hand and leaned into him and I felt comforted and the pain lessened immediately.

-          During the pushing I remember thinking that I really didn’t want to push.  I was scared of the pain and scared of the unknown.  I remembered what my pastor’s wife said to me a few weeks ago – “Giving birth is the closest that we can come to sharing in Christ’s sufferings – His decision to go through intense pain (and death) in order that we might have life through Him.”  All I thought of was Christ at walking up the hill to

Calvary

with the Cross on His back… prepared to give us life.  And then I kept thinking, the only way for this little girl to have life is through this pain.

-          I don’t remember the pushing being as painful as the contractions.  It was just hard.  But, my body would take over at the end of each push to help her get out.  (A bit like throwing up where muscles tighten without control.)

-          I pushed for one hour

-          I will never forget the moment that I first saw our daughter.  It was magical.  Totally worth it.

 

 

 

Reagan's Second Week

This week Reagan has gone to the store, gained 13 ounces and made smiling faces.  She has been sleeping great at night and eating great.  The only challenge for her has been belly gas.




She's a little furry.



She's a little burrito baby.




Here's Reagan at her first weigh-in.