James Crew Peterson

So as you can tell, I've failed in updating this blog but thats because I have a freaking baby now! There isn't enough emojis in the world to express how I feel about motherhood or the past two weeks of it.

James Crew Peterson

Born: March 27, 2016

Weight: 7 LBS 4 OZ

Height: 20 Inches

Yes, a whole month early and on Easter. My due date was April 22nd which is the day Thomas has his graduation ceremony.  If he came a week earlier than that then he would have interrupted finals week.  But thankfully he actually came at a time where Thomas could miss school and work.  Seriously this kid and his timing.

It all started on Saturday night.  We had a friend over and ended up going to bed around 12:30.  I've pretty much gone to bed from 9-10pm every night of my pregnancy so it was a pretty big deal I stayed up that long.  I got up an hour after laying down to go pee.  Then another hour passes and as I was laying down sleeping, I feel a gush of water come out but by miracle I was able to hold it..(well most of it..). I woke up Thomas and said "I think I'm peeing the bed! Help me up!!" So I seriously run waddle with my legs closed, probably looking really awkward, to the bathroom and I "peed" like a race horse. I was soooo confused for two reasons. 1) I had peed an hour before and there is no way I could have that much liquid stored in my bladder for that short amount of time 2) it was 2:30 in the morning and I was so sleepy that nothing made sense at that point.  I told Thomas and made him look at my pee (what are husbands for??) which was a weird orange color.  With the two of us being really groggy we put it together that maybe, just maybe, that was my water breaking.  I didn't really think about my water breaking ever.  Apparently only 10% of women experience their water breaking naturally.  We thought "lets just go to the ER, worst case scenario we will just do the walk of shame home because I peed myself."  

Luckily I had been so OCD and anxious about James' arrival that I had already packed my hospital bag weeks before so we just put some last minute things together and I took a body shower (because RIP clean body for the next 24 hours).  We were then on our way to the hospital!  I decided to drive which probs wasn't a good idea because that's when I started feeling my first contractions.  It was only like a 10 minute drive so it wasn't too bad.  We show up to labor and delivery and I tell them about the gush of water.  They tell me that they have to take a swab to see if it really is amniotic fluid and it'll take 30 minutes to get the results back.  But the nurse tells me she is like 98% sure that my water did in fact break and they already start admitting me to the hospital.  By 3:30 am I was officially "in labor."

I was 3cm dilated at that point which the nurse said was great for a first time mom.  Cool? Thanks I guess? Now it was a waiting game.  By 5:30 am, I had already gone through 3 nurses.  Apparently Easter was a popular day and a ton of women went into labor so there was a shortage of staff.  Honestly I couldn't even tell because I was very much taken care of.  By 7 am, the sleep deprivation and the hunger strike.  They were able to feed Thomas but I made him go on the other side of the room since I couldn't eat. Worst feeling ever. Yes, even before labor. BUT I could eat ice chips.  It was the good ice too...ice pebbles AND it was flavored.  Stepping their game up. They said if I had come in a few weeks, they'd have a snow cone machine by then. Not fair. Jk.

Anyways, I try to sleep but between the hunger, the nurses asking a billion questions and the stupid blood pressure cuff squeezing the crap out of my arm, sleeping was a joke.  Not to mention the contractions getting stronger. By about 10:30 AM, I was dilated 6cm and thats when I asked for the glorious epidural.  The anesthesiologist was my best friend solely because he complimented my newly done pedicure and well because he gave me the drug.  Because I've been shoving a needle inside me every week due to my arthritis, the epidural didn't scare me one bit.  I am so glad I got it.  It really was the best decision for me.  I loved labor, especially the pushing part. Yes, I could still feel it.   I only "practice" pushed with my nurse for 30 minutes then my doctor came and 4 pushes later at 2:51 pm James was here!  She held him up and said "Woah! He's a big preemie!" 

Thomas was able to capture when I first saw James

the final push

my first reactions

^^ we like this photo because it looks like James' is so happy...which he better be..jk jk.

The whole experience was perfect.  I honestly can say I enjoyed labor.  It was great to have my husband by my side the entire time and it was the most beautiful way to celebrate Easter.

It has now been a little over two weeks since his birth.  I'm recovering very well..

                                ^^...except for the massive elephant feet I had for a week..

and we're still adjusting to little sleep.  Thomas has been the perfect dad.  He's super hands on and really stepped to the plate even though he's never really been around a newborn.  He's a natural.  

As for James, well he's been a fighter since day 1.  He didn't need any NICU time and he passed all of his test which made our hospital visit just 48 hours.  He did, however, have Jaundice and he was in basically a tanning bed for 2 days.  That was pretty terrible for multiple reasons that I don't want to remember.  There are times where I want to get frustrated/mad at James for being a bit needy but then he'll smile really big in his sleep, and it melts my heart even though I know he's only smiling because he's farting...motherly love, eh?

And now heres a few pictures of my little J crew

xoxo

The perks, the wierds and the woe's of pregnancy

So I'm heading into my 26th week of pregnancy which marks 7 months.  Lately the YSA of the ward have been asking me when my due date is and when I tell them they say "so close!!" and in my head I'm screaming "not close enough!!"  Don't get me wrong, I'm very grateful to be pregnant and this is a miracle baby due to my diagnosis last year but pregnancy has not been easy for me in any way.  All woman are different and you sort of have expectations of your own but I think maybe mine were too high?? Also there's a lot of things women don't talk about when it comes to pregnancies.  Sure the swollen feet, morning sickness, the waddling, etc. but theres so much more!! Here is my list of the the woe's, the weirds and the perks of MY pregnancy.

I'll start with....

 the WOE'S:

• Morning sickness and vomiting (though this is a pretty normal symptom, no one in my family had it except me) I literally laid on my couch for 3 months. I barely went out, ate or did my hair/make up. I cringe looking back at the first trimester and my heart goes out to all the women who suffer from morning sickness throughout their entire pregnancy.  
• Arthritis flare ups.  No, not the normal pregnancy related ones.  I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis when I was 14 years old and I remember them telling me 70% of women who have RA and get pregnant, their symptoms go into remission for those 9 months.  Another expectation set too high because I fell in the 30% where my symptoms are still present. I can't take my injections or any anti-inflammatory pain relievers. It doesn't help that I'm about 50 pounds heavier than I was before pregnancy and hypothyroidism and also my baby is getting bigger which causes more pressure on my joints.  But thankfully, I have a sweet husband who massages me every night.  I also permanently smell like Icy hot. 
• I miss sleeping comfortably and I have to accept the fact that I won't be for the rest of the year. Bye sleep. Miss you already.
• I'll also randomly feel super nauseous if I haven't slept well.

the WEIRDS:

• My hair is so much longer but SO tangly. No matter how many times I brush it, it always ends up as a rat's nest.
• Stretch marks. I saw my first one on my stomach at week 13 and asked my cousin who was 28 weeks at the time if she had any and she said no.  So I of course freak out and I'm embarrassed by it.  I definitely have a lot more but they are perfectly lined like a tiger. Seriously, they are.  Now I'm more proud of them for being so nice to me. Weird, I know.
• My digestive system has been awesome.  Constipation is not something I have to worry about. #sorrynotsorry
• Ever since I started my second trimester, I can't tell if I need to pee. Like I don't feel that sense of urgency anymore.  I'll feel a little off and then think "maybe I need to pee" and then I feel better.
• I don't like hot cheetos.  Anyone who knows me knows that this is a big deal.  I hated them my first trimester, I finally got to eating some my second trimester but I don't care for them anymore.
• I cry so much more now. I guess it's pretty common to be hormonal but for me, it's weird.  I cried when I watched dumbo for the first time, cried during elf which I've seen a billion times, I cried when the mash potatoes were gone at Thanksgiving dinner. I legit got so pissed at pizza hut for getting our order wrong that I cursed (not my best moment.) I cried when I randomly remembered that I was so mean to my cousin when we were little and one day in Elementary school, she bought me a big stick popsicle because I didn't have any money to buy one. Like seriously??  This is me: 
  

• When we went down to San Diego for Christmas break, we went out to eat Chinese food with my family.  As we were heading out, a random waitress (not even the one who served us) just came up to me and rubbed my belly and said "soo cute!" in her little Chinese accent. I thought WOAH LADY...my family doesn't even rub my belly then I thought, hey she's probably buddhist and wanted to rub my belly for good luck.

the PERKS:

• I can eat anything and any time I want (including church) without feeling judged. I do this every Sunday and call it "snacks in the back." Thomas loves it too since he eats half my snacks...
• Maternity clothes are like wearing sweats all day. SO COMFY. I don't want to go back to regular clothes...ugggh.
• I can now feel Baby P kick! He kicks the most when I watch Star Wars, eat tamales or bagels.  I love that he already has a little personality even inside my belly. I can NEVER get enough of feeling him move.
• I have already been super blessed with my mom and a couple of my friends who love baby P so much that he's been spoiled with lots of clothes! Baby clothes are just THE CUTEST. I can't get enough!!
• I don't have diabetes! I call this a win because I was expecting to have it and not be surprised.  But I am so grateful I atleast don't have to deal with that!
• The ULTIMATE perk: using the "I'm pregnant" excuse for basically anything. I even think Thomas uses it more than I do.  Free pass for anything. #noshame

I keep dreaming about life with baby P.  It's so exciting and a little terrifying for mostly selfish reasons (no sleep, what if he isn't cute??, name choosing is a lot of pressure) but it's been fun to watch him grow.

Can't wait to hold you baby P!!

xoxo