Lessons Learned

1. Never underestimate yourself, even when other people do.

2. Appreciate your family. They could've given up on you.

3. Never use tingling lotion when you're tanning for the first time all year.

4. Don't sweat the small stuff.

5. Do weigh all options in all situations.

6. Don't sell yourself short.

7. Never take for granted what's in front of you.

8. Never forget what's behind you.

9. Think before you speak.

10. If you can't love yourself, you can't possibly love anyone else.

11. Be faithful.

12. Count your blessings.

13. Hair dye is for prosfessionals. Unless you use the new perfect 10!

14. Figure out who your real friends are and let go of one's that you doubt.

15. Know God.

16. Forgive and pray for the people that have hurt you the most.

17. Disposable razors provide a closer shave.

18. Be who you want to be. Don't conform.

19. Never say I love you if you don't mean it.

20. Pick your battles.

Kolby's 2 month check-up!

July 10, 2008 I went in to Kolby's peditrician for his 2 month check-up. I knew he was getting a few shots so I prepared myself for him to be upset. It was a little harder than I expected. Before I went in I thought I'm not going to be one of those moms who cry when their babies are getting shots. I thought he is going to have these shots regardless if I'm upset about it or not, so why not be strong for him? Well, first the nurse comes in to measure and weigh him. All the good stuff! Kolby now weighs 13.4 lbs, and is 23" tall. The last time he went in for a doctor visit at 2 weeks he weighed 8.4lbs, so his weight percintile was at 90%. Which is kind of high. He's a chunker! His height is right at 50%. Kolby was very happy during this visit, vocalizing his new skills of cooing and gurgling to people when they talk to him. It killed me because I knew he had no idea of what was to come, but yet he was happy to be there. Good thing he won't remember this. The nurse comes in to give him his shots. Two in one leg and one in the other as quickly as she can. Kolby screams bloody murder with real tears streaming down his face. It wasn't one of those "I'm hungry cries," it was a "pause cry." You know, the ones that start as a scream, and then a long pause where you are thinking, breath! It was heartbreaking. All I wanted to do was cuddle him, and make him feel better, but now it was time to leave. I felt so bad for Kolby the rest of the day. I gave him baby tylenol when I got home, and every 4 hours after that. He slept most of the day away. Thank goodness his 2 month check-up is OVER!

Kolby's Delivery Story

Most of you know Kolby made a grand entrance into the world on May 10, 2008 at 9:55 AM. It all started on Friday May 9th. I went to my last doctor appointment. When I got there they took my blood pressure manually and couldnt find my heart rate. They hooked me up to a blood pressure monitor and my blood pressure was extremly high. My doctor took one look at the rates and decided he wanted to induce me immediately. I went home to grab my things and back to the doctor's office I went. They gave me a balloon catheter to help me get started. That is a catheter they insert into the cervix (I was already dilated to a "1"). The catheter caused dilation. When I got to the hospital, he started me on magnesium to help my blood pressure . I had 3+ edema in my feet, and 4+ Clonus (decreased reflexes). The catheter worked great and by about 3:00 AM they took the catheter out and broke my water. He checked my cervix and I was about a 4 . I started to get very strong contractions and asked for an epidural about 4:45AM. Unfortunately I had a hot spot with the epidural and they decided to change the type of medicine I was getting . About 7 or 8 AM the doctor came to check my cervix. I had dilated to a good 5, but hadn't made much progress. Here's where things happened fast. Time for a C-Section. He said the baby was fine, but I could have a seizure if my B/P stayed up. In the OR, they started to do the incision and I could still feel everything. I was pushing the Dr's hands away under the surgical drapes. The spinal block hadn't worked. So, quickly they decided to give me a general anesthetic. While I was asleep, Kolby was born, not breathing. The medicine they used to put me asleep coupled with all the magnesium did a number on him. They called "Code Pink" overhead. (This part my mom remembers. I was out of it) Everyone scrambled. Nurses yelling at the station, ER doctors arriving, Dr. Nesmith came, respiratory therapy came. They had to "bag" Kolby. He was never without oxygen. Just as they were fixing to put a tube down him, he began to kick and cry. They also had given him Narcan to counteract the drugs he got. It scared my mom and dad to death, because the nurses at first forgot and called Code Blue instead of Pink. So, at first they thought it was me & then had to hear it was Kolby. He was fine though. I woke up in Recovery. After getting general anesthesia, an epidural and then a spinal, I felt like I couldn't breathe. I kept gasping for air and saying I can't breathe. They kept telling me I could. Finally, everything wore off enough that I could breathe. They had threatened to put a tube down me too. The first day I was on a morphine pump and in a fog. I stayed 5 days in the hospital due to high B/P and my swelling. Today, I'm home with Kolby, get my staples out tomorrow (more fun). We are both doing great. It might have been hard, but we ended up with a great little Kolby Blaine.