Cole Is HOME!

Cole was finally able to come home from the hospital yesterday!!! YAAAAY!

He was treated with antibiotics from last Friday to this Friday, although the pediatrician acknowledged that we'll never really know what kind of infection it was (maybe Group B strep, maybe E. coli, maybe pneumonia...). I am GBS positive, so it's a little distressing that Cole managed to (possibly) catch that infection despite the antibiotics that I was given during delivery. Yikes... I really hope that this doesn't happen again with Future Baby #3.

The only indication that there was something wrong with Cole was that he started making a little grunty, moany sound shortly after he was born. Tim and I thought it was darling (we nicknamed him "Sir Grunts-A-Lot"), but it turns out that it was actually a very bad sign (ha... who knew). After noticing it for a couple hours, the nurses contacted the pediatrician-on-call, who ordered stat blood work, and when that came back looking "not so hot" (love that doctor-speak) due to an elevated CRP, baby Cole had to have a spinal tap to check for meningitis. As soon as they started dropping the "M" word, this mama bear naturally freaked out and broke down in tears in the hospital room. Fortunately, meningitis was eventually ruled out, and Cole only had to endure the seven days of gentamicin and ampicillin.

I know that a lot of you have probably gone through things like this, but y'know what I realized this week? It's REALLY, REALLY HARD to leave a baby at the hospital. It's emotionally hard because I missed him SO MUCH, and whenever I saw a baby at a restaurant or saw a bag of diapers at Target, I wanted to cry that I had a baby but didn't really have a baby. It's hard physically because I was constantly coming and going from the hospital, and doing so as clandestinely as possible so as not to upset Weston too much. (He understood that baby Cole was "sick" and had to "stay at the hospital," but he did not take it well when I would leave him to be with Cole. So, I had to start sneaking around.)

Over the past week, I visited the nursery three times a day -- I'd set my alarm for 5 AM and get there by 6 or 6:30, and then stay for 2-3 hours. Then, I'd go during Weston's nap and stay for 3 hours in the afternoon. Finally, I'd go in the evening after Weston's bedtime, and stay for another 3 hours, just nursing and holding Cole. I wish I could've been there 24/7, but even so, it was exhausting, because every time that I was home again, I had to be fully "on" with Weston, too. I was already short on sleep from my own hospital stay (I think I slept an hour and a half the second night), and the 4 to 5 hours of sleep each night just did not do it for me.

Poor Cole... in addition to the spinal tap and the circumcision, he had to get 3 different IVs during his antibiotic treatment -- two in his hands and one on his scalp.

Right-hand IV (covered with a diaper -- his little boxing glove)

Scalp IV... and still so cute

Usually during the afternoon, Tim's mom would come with me to the hospital to have some baby grandson time, and we would sit in one of the maternity waiting areas to cuddle him. Once we also brought Tim and Weston, although Weston lost interest in Cole after about 10 minutes and just wanted to go home... so we didn't do that anymore. :-)

Tim, Gangy, and Cole

The 10 minutes of interest by Weston

Tim came with me in the evenings since Gangy was at home, and sometimes we had our baby time in the pumping/storage closet in the nursery (haha), while other times we hunkered down in the circumcision room, depending on what the nurses suggested.

Late at night in the storage closet

Late at night in the "circ" room

Finally, finally, on Friday, it was agreed that Cole would be discharged, so he was released from his perpetual IV, and I was finally able to dress him in baby clothes like I'd been looking forward to the whole time!!

Clone of Weston

And now he's hoooooooooome!!!! I am so happy!! His first night at home was pretty typical of a newborn, with a few diaper changes and lots of getting-up-and-down by me and Tim. However, I think I still got more sleep last night than I have the previous several nights, hahaha! After Cole's 6 AM feeding, I just kept him in bed with me, which actually resulted in his longest stretch of sleep. That was nice. This whole time, I've been most excited about dressing him in baby clothes, wrapping him in non-hospital blankies, and snuggling with him in bed. :-) YAY!!!

Home at last

Anyway, that's the update! Cole is doing well (lots of eating and sleeping and pooping), Weston is doing well (lots of "he's so cute!'s" and blankie-sharing, although a teensy bit clingy with me), and the rest of us are doing well (just happy to have the kid home). We're just doing our best right now to keep Weston's cold from spreading to Cole, because that would just suck. :-)

FYI, I'm planning on posting my birth story soon, so that'll be a little recap of the whole labor-and-delivery experience (much improved this time around!). Huzzah!! Thank you all SO MUCH for keeping Cole in your prayers!!! We love you!

(PS - Sorry about the weird spacing and editing in this blog post. Blogger is infuriating with its messed-up default spacing, but today I don't feel like going crazy for an hour trying to fix it all.) :-)

Introducing Cole Anderson (a.k.a. Weston v2.0)

There will be more to come, but here are a few pics to hold you over...

Introducing...

Cole Willard Anderson!!

b. May 20, 2011, 1:38pm Mountain Time
Weight: 9lbs 5oz!
Length: 21"

(photos yet to come, don't worry)

I will let Jean fill you all in with details later (we got lots of pictures, thanks to doula/photographer Liz!), but it's late, and this dad is tuckered out. I'll give the very abbreviated version for now.

The induction began with the doctor breaking Jean's water, and ended about 5 hours later with a happy mommy, a proud papa, and a beautiful baby boy. The delivery went very very well, and Jean's recovery is going much more smoothly this time.

We lovingly nicknamed Cole "Sir Grunts-a-lot" because of his tendency to vocalize every exhalation, but we soon learned that could actually be an indication of ill health/infection (sometimes babies don't develop the symptom of infection-related fevers quite so early on-- or so it was explained to us). After some blood tests, they determined that he is showing signs of some sort of infection, and they ran another series of tests (one of which was a lumbar puncture, poor little guy) to determine where and to what degree he has an infection.

Unfortunately, it looks like the best case scenario is that he'll be in the hospital to receive the necessary treatment of antibiotics for about 7-10 days. If it is more severe, that could wind up being more like 20 days. We're glad that they caught the symptoms so soon, and we are optimistic that he will receive the proper treatment and help, but we're obviously sad that we won't get to bring him home right away. The whole situation is so new and is still currently developing, so we're not entirely sure how to react just yet. Please keep little Cole in your thoughts and prayers, and we hope to post some good news on here soon.

I'm sure Jean will address this in her more complete post later, but I want to take a second to thank Liz Johnson for all of her help during the labor and delivery portion. I think the word Jean used to describe her the most was "unflappable," and I will attest to the fact that she cannot be flapped. She was such a great help during labor, and she got some really great pictures that we would not have gotten otherwise. Her coaching and morale-boosting really helped things go smoothly, and I want to add my thanks to the gratitude that I know Jean will convey in her upcoming post.

By now, you're probably thinking that I have a warped concept of the term "abbreviated," so I'm going to wrap this up. We'll post updates as we get them, and again, we'd appreciate your thoughts and prayers as we figure out how to help our little Sir Grunts-a-lot.

It's Induction Time! Ka-CHOW!

NO BABY YET! AHHHH!

So, I'm being induced tomorrow (Friday) morning. A tentative induction had previously been set for next Tuesday, but at my appointment on Wednesday, I still wasn't very progressed (still only about 2 cm). Plus, my mother-in-law is only here for so long, and I'd reeeaaaally like her help with the newborn. So, my doctor said we could just bump up the induction to Friday, which is the plan now! I guess seven days overdue with Megamind is a little better than nine days overdue with Weston, right?

So, wish me luck! I have NO idea what to expect with an induction, and I have butterflies in my stomach. (They're mixing with the Cafe Rio tamales. C'mon, how can I not take advantage of Tamale Thursday for my last meal?) Anyway, my goal tomorrow is to NOT end up with a C-section, although statistically speaking, inducing increases that possibility. Here's hopin.'

Oh, and Tim and I went to see Thor tonight. It was pretty awesome. However, on the way home from Cafe Rio and Target, I sat with Weston in the backseat and he held both my hands (a very uncommon, cuddly gesture from him). After we dropped him and Gangy off at home to head to the theater, I started crying in the car because I realized that this is the last time that it's going to be just him. And thinking about that makes me want to cry all over again. (Is there such a thing as pre-baby blues? Because I'm FEELIN' the wacky emotions already, folks!!!)

So, there's a lot on my mind right now. I reeeaaally hope that I do okay with the induction. I reeeaaally hope that Weston does okay with this baby. And I reeeaaally hope that the "Doomsday" people are right, that the Day of Rapture will occur on May 21st and not May 20th. I'd really like to deliver this baby in a nice, clean, functional hospital before all the chaos and mass destruction ensues. :-)

Jean's Random Thoughts... In No Particular Order

1. My fabulous, fantastic, phenomenal mother-in-law, Anne Marie, is here!!! We're having a blast with her (and oh, is Weston LOVING all the attention and play time). I adore her. And I adore my mother, who sent her blessing with Anne Marie because she couldn't come herself. I am very, very lucky in the Mothers Department.

2. Anne Marie was laughing at me yesterday because I didn't have my hospital bag packed yet, even though I'm four days overdue. Hahaha! That was my project tonight, and aside from the last-minute stuff, I am proud to announce that my hospital bag is now packed. :-) (Geez, I used to be such a hyper-organized, over-prepared perfectionist freak. At some point -- probably when that first baby came along -- I think I realized I needed to mellow out or die.)

3. Um, I'd really like to know when this baby is going to come. I asked Weston this morning if the baby was coming today, and he said, "Not yet." Then I asked, "What about tomorrow?", and he replied, "Yes." So, we'll see how intuitive he is about the womb where he once resided.


4. Because I'm a tad overdue now, I have a non-stress test tomorrow (Wednesday) morning, followed by a regular doctor's appointment. I seem to be having irregular, contraction-y feelings, so my doctor is guessing that Megamind will come sometime this week... could it be tomorrow? Could it?? Could it?? COULD IT???? (If you haven't noticed, my thoughts lately have been slightly preoccupied with going into labor.) Am I anxious? A little. Am I freaking out? Maybe. Am I going nuts from this interminable waiting game? Most likely.

5. A few of you have noticed that the floating baby ticker on the right is now counting UP, instead of counting down. Yeah, it's kind of wonky. My recommendation? It has different displays, so click on it until it says "40 weeks 4 days so far." That's a bit more accurate.

6. I can't stop thinking about how Weston's little world is about to be completely turned upside-down, and how he has no idea. I'm really hoping that this whole thing isn't too jarring for him.

7. I had some crazy labor dreams last night. First, when I arrived at the hospital, a bunch of my friends were nurses there (Lisa, Liz, Lauri...). That was awesome. Unfortunately, the labor and delivery unit was completely PACKED -- there were women all over the place, sitting on beds and couches and floors. At one point my friend-nurses disappeared and were replaced by very mean, stressed-out nurses. After a lot of prying, I managed to find out from one of them that there was at least a six-hour wait until women could be seen in triage. So, I made an announcement to all the laboring women that we're all going to have to wait at least six hours just to be assessed. That caused an uproar, and a bunch of the husbands and wives left for other hospitals. Those of us who remained (who didn't have anywhere else to go) had to sign up on a list for a spot in labor & delivery, and my spot was 2 days later. SOMEHOW, I managed to NOT give birth during those 2 days, and when I returned, I finally met with my OB, who told me that I was definitely in labor and that I should go ahead and select a "delivery doctor." I said, "Wait... so you're not going to deliver the baby??" and he replied, "Well, I can do it, but you need to call my assistant to get it approved." So, I called his assistant (his wife), who said that my OB would only deliver the baby if I could provide his birth date. Obviously I had no idea, so I had to hang up and then start the process of finding a "delivery doctor" (all the while being in active labor). Hahahahaha!!!! I eventually woke up, so I don't know what happened in the end, but it was pretty wild.

8. In non-baby news, my mom pointed out that this blog's Site Meter is currently just under 29,900 visitors. So, if (in the next week or two) YOU are the lucky person who gets to be #30,000, then you win my baby. GUARANTEED.* (*Guarantee is not a guarantee.)

Due Date Jingle

I came up with a little jingle to celebrate my due date today. Let's try this to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot":

I'm a pregnant mama
Huge and stout
Here is my due date
Here is my pout
Soon I'll get all owie
Hear me shout
Please tip me over
And pull him out!!

Hahahahahahahahahahahaha........

(And have I mentioned -- no, I have not! -- that I am "1.5-2 cm" dilated and 60% effaced? Hooray for SOME progress!)

And in other news: LIZ (yes, of Book of Armaments fame!) is in UTAH!!! YAAAAAAAAAAY!!! We've already hung out three times (she's being very accommodating of my need for socializing before the newborn-recluse stage begins for me), and I can't get enough of her. Sorry, I don't have any pictures of us together yet, but just imagine Liz and Jean studying literature and solving crimes and baking the perfect souffle and completing construction projects and flying airplanes and eliminating smallpox and other fun activities like that. That's pretty much how it's gone so far. :-)

More Blogitos

I'm still nesting with my blog. We're 39 weeks over here, and whatever "tightness" or "pressure" that I thought I was feeling in my abdomen has pretty much stopped. Ha! Megamind changed his mind -- he wants to stay a little longer. So, in the meantime, I'll keep doing my little blogitos, lest he change his mind again very suddenly. :-)

Blog #1: FRIENDS!

Have I mentioned how much I LOVE getting together with distant friends?? LOOOOVE IT!!! AAAAHHHH!!! Last week I got to hang out with a few girls from the ol' Wymount days, and it was FABULOUS! You always wonder if it's going to be awkward to see people in person who you've only been able to blog-stalk for the past several years, but... no! Not at all! Considering how natural it was to visit with them, we could've all just had church together last week in the 148th ward. Haha! I love these girls. (Let's get together again SOOOOOON!!!)

Kendra and Bridget:
Carly and the twinsies:

I didn't get pictures of all seven kiddos, but here's Kendra's little man, Owen, who indulged me very kindly by letting me hold him and sit him on the grass next to me for a pretty long time. (And no, he's not really scowling; it was just a really sunny day, haha!):

One of Carly's adorable little ladies, Kate (who does not actually have a dot on her forehead... that's just my camera being annoying!):

And here are Weston and Paige rocking the twisty slide:

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Blog #2: Provo!

On Saturday the weather was spectacular, so we drove down to Provo to check out the Bean Museum and Bridal Veil Falls. Here's Weston at the museum with his billy club (okay, actually it's just a little baseball bat that he's currently in love with... but doesn't it look like he's going to beat someone?):

Weston and the mama:

The wall o' animals:

"Hello, my name is Tim, and I like to do drawrings!!"

Here's lookin' at you, hippo:

Then we drove down to the falls, which were SO beautiful:

We sat at the edge of the walkway:

...and dipped our toesies into the freeeeezing-snow-melt water:

The Provo River was gushing from all the snow melt. (Don't you agree that there are few things better than a big, gushing river on a warm spring day??)

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Blog #3: The Sweet Tooth Fairy!

I've been dying to try this bake shop ever since I first read about it on the Nie Nie Dialogues. Fortunately, they were giving away free cakebites to moms on the Saturday before Mother's Day, so I had a perfect excuse to head over there. YUUUUM!

We marveled at the tasty, tasty selection:

...and drooled quite a bit on the glass:

Weston was very pleased with his chocolate cupcake:

...and I was delighted with my frosted sugar cookie (cameo by Tim):

Tim snapped a picture of me:

...and then made fun of the way that I ALWAYS pose for the camera:

My response? Well, sir, then I give you THIS:

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Blog #4: My Project

You guys. I am thrilled to announce that I have (dot dot dot) A Project. Yes, an actual project!! Usually I am quite hobby-less, and I'm always (ALWAYS) trying to think of things that I can do to give my life a little more purpose. After all, I have some really talented, purpose-driven friends. Kristen makes quilts. Tiffany sings. Lauri photographs. Dana and Dana design things. Allison bakes. Abby teaches. And the list goes on and on! Actually, I'm pretty sure that I'm the only one I know who doesn't really have a "Thing." But, now I do. I have a Thing. And it is...

GARDENING!

Yeah, I know, big deal. Millions of people have gardens. But I've never attempted it before (besides successfully killing scores of houseplants), and I am so excited!! Last week I tilled and planted a whole bunch of seeds, and given that the germination requires 7-10 days, I guess we'll know if this will actually be a "garden" (or just a big dirt rectangle) by next week.

The only potential hang-up with my little Project is that... well... I don't actually know ANYTHING about gardening. I wish my grandma were still alive, because every year she successfully planted a small crop of tomatoes just along the side of her house... and they tasted amazing. I haven't read any books on gardening, and I'm hoping that Mother Nature will simply guide me and help me know what to do. (Nature, or the backs of the seed packets. They tell you how deep to plant the seeds and what not. Haha!) Anyway, there's probably a 90% chance that this will turn out to be a dismal failure. But until then, I am guardedly optimistic, and I head out back every evening with a watering can and a look on my face that says, "Hey, I did something! Yay me."