Elyse Afton Bradford

Dr. Swainston, you're my hero...

Okay, so last Monday I went into the dr just for my regular check up. When Swainston measured my belly it only measured at 30 week and I was 37 weeks. Swainston calmly panicked a little and did a quick ultrasound. The baby looked small but was moving around really well and my amniotic fluids were okay. He stated that he was really worried about her growth and that I needed to come in later in the week for an ultrasound with the technician. So I did a non stress test and the baby looked fabulous then I made my appointment for my u/s on Wed the 13. Wednesday came along and I went into the dr's office for my u/s. She measuered the baby who measured a little over five lbs and small for gestational age. My amniotic fluid was at a 6 and was supposed to be at a 10. The u/s tech talked to the nurse practioner about my fluids being low and they decided to do another NST.  It had been a while since I'd eaten (like three hrs) so the baby didn't move enough. They gave me juice and the baby woke up and did her moving around. When I was getting off the monitor Dr. Reynolds (another dr in the office) went over my u/s resultts. When she saw my fluid was at a six she told me to stick around because she was going to call Dr. Swainston and that he'll probably wanna move up my c-section date. So I waited for about 20 min and she told me to leave and call in a couple hrs if I hadn't heard back from them. Swainston is in the O.R. all day on Wednesdays. That's his "opperating day". So, I drive home start "getting ready" then I called Swainston's office thinking they'd tell me I had to deliver the baby sooner, but I didn't think that they'd tell me that He wanted to deliver me that night!! So, I had to find somebody to watch the kids, we waited until Alex got home from school, dropped them off at Grandma and Grandpa Bradford's house then we headed to the hospital. We arrived at the hospital about 5:30 and waited in the E.R. for 45 min before the nurse took me up to L.D. I got there filled out paperwork got in my fancy gown and socks and at about 7 a nurse came in and said Dr. Martin and Dr. Swainston were already there and wanted to do my section at 7:30. I barely got checked in before they wheeled me back to the OR. I was so nervous,  but Swainston and Martin are hillarious!! They made me feel at ease. They were singing and dancing, talking about who was more ghetto and what Swainston was going to name the placenta (Skyler). LOL They kept my mind off of what was going on. Swainston was playing with my stomach muscles (after they sliced into them.) He asked me what I was doing with my muscles. IDK, it was funny at the time because I was totally confused! As soon as they pulled Elyse out she started crying! I was so happy! Then when Swainston held her up for me to see i started crying. I'd never seen such a little baby and she was so tiny and beautiful! I just couldn't help but cry! They got her weighed and wrapped up. She was 5 pounds 2 ounces and 17 1/2 inches long. They let Danny hold her and bring her over by my head so I could see her. At first site she looked like all three of our boys wrapped into one!! She was so tiny and perfect! I got to stare at her and Danny for a few min and then they left to go into my L.D. room and then I got my tubes tied and got all glued and stitched together. When they were done I got wheeled back to my room and Elyse was laying under the warming lights just crying!! She was starving and I couldn't do anything about it! I wanted to pick her up and feed her! Then I had an awkward moment with the baby nurse.... She brounght the baby over, unbuttoned my gown, grabbed my nipple and shoved it into Elyse's mouth.. She didnt ask if I was breast feeding, she just did it, lol! It was awkward.. Elyse was starving and never latched on and she just cried harder and harder with every attemp to to her latched. I finally just said, she's starving and frustrated. GIVE ME A BOTTLE! I told her I didn't care how the baby was fed, it just needed to be done. My nurse then told me that she prefered she were nursed. I just looked at her like "really?" She did give me a bottle... I fed Elyse and she was happy! We went into recovery and there were no more awkward moments! I layed in bed for two days... Fun! When Dr. Swainston discharged me from the hospital he told me that Elyse would've died if he would've left her "on the vine" for very much longer. I almost started crying. It made me so sad to think about it but so happy that she was here and completely safe and healthy. He's literally saved the lives of my last two children and for that i'm so, so thankful!! I'm just happy to be done having kids!! Every pregnancy just gets harder and harder with more and more complications! We're so thankful for mommy's good Dr and healthy babies! I just don't think that I can emotionally deal with any more hard pregnancies! I'm thankful for the kids I have and my ability to easily get pregnant,  but I'm done. 

(p.s. if this doesn't make sense, sorry. I'm on pain killers :))

Baby Day

I went to the dr on Monday. I have decided to do a repeat c-section. I've never gone into labor on my own and being induced for a VBAC sounded way too scary and risky. I have a few complications. One being gestational diabetes. It's only a big deal if not dealt with. I've been rocking it and blood sugars have been completely normal. I also have thrombophelia. It is a blood clotting disorder that makes your blood clot faster than it should, which obviously could be dangerous. One more minor disorder is I am rh negative and Danny is rh positive. I have to get rogham shots at 32 weeks of pregnancy and then again at the birth (since all my babies have taken after their daddy and have positive blood type. It's not a major complication, but it can be. The baby having a different blood type, your body can make antibodies against the baby which can cause miscarriage in early pregnancy or, worse case scenario death to the baby, but I think that's pretty rare. That's why they do bloodwork on patients and their husbands if they don't know their blood type. With that being said. I have set my section date! This baby is coming the 25th of March! I am excited and so ready to be done being pregnant FOREVER!! Pregnancy is so not glamorous. It's uncomfortable, and mostly not so much fun. There are things I will miss. I love watching and feeling the baby moving around, but that's about where it ends. I am getting anxious now that I see an end. It has gone by pretty fast and now I question my ability to raise four children it's a little late to think about these things now, but, oh well. Anyway!! We can't wait for little baby girl to get here!

Christmas and Alex's Mini Christmas Concert

The week before Christmas was a busy one this year. It was "Christmas Spirit Week" where the kids dressed up everyday. Alex was sick and stayed home on Wednesday and unfortunately missed the riegndeer run. He was feeling better on Thursday, so he got to go sing with his class. He was so cute! He knew i was going to come, but when he walked in the classroom and saw me sitting there he got so excited!! He never took his eyes off me. It was sweet and so cute how excited he was to see mommy, grandma, Mattingly, Cam, and Jonathon. After the performance he introduced me to his friends. Most of them were girls! Yeah, it's starting already *aaahhhhh!!!***. Then on Friday Alex got to wear his pajamas to school. He thought it was awesome and he passed his site word reading test. He's on list #3 now (go Alex)! Saturday we went to Lara's for a family Christmas party. Santa came and the kids all thought it was amazing! Sunday Cam was really sick, so we stayed home and rested. Monday we went to the Bradford's and did a nativity scene. Alex was a shepard. We sang and i ate until i felt like my belly was going to burst! After coming home we put the kids to bed then we wrapped presents. We were up until 1 a.m.. The kids woke up about 7 Christmas morning. We opened all our gifts then went to Nadja and Nathan's for Christmas breakfast. Oh, and Jonathon woke up really sick Christmas morning. So not fun :(. Anyhoo! That was our exciting Christmas week!  Will post pics soon!

Elementary School Tragety

Can I say that i'm terrified to send Alex to school now? The shooting in Connecticut, killing 20 five to seven year olds has just broken my faith in humanity (not that i had much before..). I can say that i've never cried so much about people i dont know dying. My heart is broken for those parents/siblings of those who were shot and killed. Did I mention that the majority of those children killed were kindergarteners??!! Alex's age! The last thing you think about when sending your young child to school is that they will be shot and killed by some monster only 12 days before Christmas! Ir's terrifying and devistating! I can't imagine going through that and i pray for those families.   I feel like a piece of me died that day. No i didn't know any of those families, but i feel i can relate. Babies shouldn't die. They were just babies... So, so sad

Total Girly Post

Okay, now that I'm five months pregnant, the recurring thought? Repeat c-section or VBAC? Seriously is such a hard decision for me! My last three pregnancies were easy. I was pregnant, i'd go into the hospital, deliver a baby, go home. Jonathon being an emergency c-section totally threw off my game! I know I have about three to four months to make a decision, but I can't stop thinking about it. People give me their opinions, but the truth is, statiscally, the chance of me losing a bunch of blood and needing a transfusion during c-section is higher than my uterus rupturing during VBAC. But- if on the small chance my uterus did rupture, obviously isn't good. There's a very small chance of me dying and a slightly larger (but still very small chance) of the baby dying. The chance of me dying during c-section, very low, but still real. Doesn't matter what I do, there's a small possible chance of something bad happening. I've never been so scared of having a baby before. Nervous, because having a new baby is always a little worrysome, is the baby going to be good or colicy? Is he going to sleep ever? How is the other kid going to react to the new baby? This has always been my one and only concern with a new baby. I honestly dont like to hear "this is what i'd do if it were me" from people who've never been in my situation. It's hard for me! I dont know what to do. Either way, this baby is going to have to come out one way or another and I just want to make the right decision. I'd like to not put the baby or myself in any risk, but there's no such thing! I know I have one of the best dr's who'd never let anything bad happen, but sometimes crap happens and there's nothing you can do about it. I guess all I can do is see if my insurance will even cover a VBAC because my pregnancies were less than 18 months apart and go from there. Pray everything will go great regardless. Oh, to add more risk. I'm on blood thinners! I had an IV a few weeks ago and my blood just poured out from the needle. Just an IV! If I went into labor (my labors are only four hrs) my blood thinner injection will not have worn off in that time and I have to take it until I deliver. SCARY,SCARY, SCARY! So, yeah. I cant help but worry about every little detail. That's what I do! I honestly know everything will go well because I pray for our safety EVERYNIGHT, but I cant help but worry. Not worrying to me is like not breathing. I CAN'T do it, LOL! I just had to get that off my chest, and now I feel better!

Thanksgiving Dinner and Things I'm Thankful For

This year (like every year) we spent Thanksgiving dinner with the Bradford's. This year I offered to make the greenbean casserole. I dont eat greenbean casserole and have never made it before. So I apologize if it was disgusting. Alex blessed the food and could've gone on all night, but when it was time to end instead of saying in the name of Jesus Christ he said in the name of cheese and crust. It was hilarious! I laughed so hard my eyes teared.
 The evening was pretty uneventful. The kids played with their cousins, I ate way too much. It was nice to see everybody! That's it. Awesome me didn't take any pics, though.. Lame!
Things I am greatful for...
1- Danny. He is such a great husband and father!
2- My children. They are so awesome and sweet! (most of the time.)
3- My home. It isn't much, and summer was brutal, but I'm glad we have a roof over our head!
4-Our vehicles. They run.
5-Both mine and Danny's families. They're all pretty awesome!
6- Friends- what would we do without them?
7-My fertility (lol)- Though this pregnancy was a huge surprise, I'm thankful that I don't have issues getting pregnant.
8-My unborn daughter- right now she's just a little kicker in my belly, but I'm thankful for her! I never thought i'd have a little girl.
9- All the little things in life. The little things are just plain awesome!

It's a Girl!!

 I think it is now safe to say that we are finally having a GIRL!!

I'm so excited but scared also, that she might turn into a boy,LOL! The boys Alex and Cam (Jonathon's too young to really know what's going on) are so excited!! They can't stop talking about "baby sister" (who does not have a name yet.). I'm serously so excited!! I can gardly stand it! I wish I could just go on a shopping spree and buy all things pink! Anyhoo. We are so excitde and can't wait to meet our little girl :)