A Quick Update...

So we have been home for almost a week now-and wow-our lives have completley changed. You would think that being pregnant for 10 months would prepare you for what you are stepping into--wrong. It's been trial and error with the little guy. Rob and I are learning how to function on a few hours of sleep a night-trying to stick to a feeding schedule-and keep ourselves some what rested. I've been trying to get out of the house once a day to help keep me feeling normal.

We had his first dr. appointment last Friday-everything went good-they said that we needed to feed him some more. It's interesting that the hospital and the pediatrician tell you two different things. Very confusing. So until he resumes back to his birth weight we are to be feeding the little guy every 3 hours. So sometimes he wants to eat lots-and sometimes not so much. He's sleeping really well-we mostly have to wake him up in the middle of the night to feed him. We go back to the dr. tomorrow to check his weight to make sure that he has gained back his 6 oz that he lost. I told him that he could borrow some weight from his momma...

His Mimi (Donna) is coming today-and we are so excited to see her! Rob can't wait to show Grayson off to her.

So here are a few pictures of the little guy since we came home. He had his first photo shoot yesterday-so the announcement cards should be done in a few weeks. Hope all is well with everyone!

The Story of Baby Gray

I know you have all been waiting for this...the story of how Baby Grayson joined our world!

On Sunday-Feb 15 Rob and I went to check into Shawnee Mission Medical Center around 8 PM. We of course were scared out of our minds--I had already cried once that day. They got us situated in our room and around 9:00 Nurse Maggie came in and started the Cervedil-to help ripen my cervix. About 3:15 AM my water broke on it's own--and it was off to the races! At around 4:00 AM the contractions started coming about every 5 mins. It was really weird-we could clock them. Dr. Piquard came in about 8:15 expecting to break my water-but was very happy to see that I didn't need it. She came in during one of the major contractions-and of course I was crying. She asked if I wanted my epidural yet-she said that being dilated to a 4 was not too early to get one. So I said bring it on! By this time our family was there-helping Rob and I get through the contractions. Then my saving grace came--the epidural. It was amazing. Once I had it-I didn't even realize when I was having contractions--I was just chatting away with everyone.

Nurse Joann checked me at about 12:00 and I was dilated to a 9-we were moving right along! Then around 1:30 it was go time! Dilated to a 10-ready to go! Everyone left the room but Rob and Nurse Joann. Everything was being brought in-the tanning lights-his little cradle-and then I started crying again. Dr. Piquard hadn't arrived yet-but Baby Grayson wasn't waiting. Started pushing-which if you haven't done it-it's really exhausting-and all I wanted to do was sleep and eat something. When Dr. P came in-she walked in and started talking-"Hey Kiddo--whoa--ok we are ready!" I think she was there for maybe 5 minutes before he came out. I only pushed for about 45 minutes--and then 2:49 PM here comes a perfect 8 lb 6 oz 19 1/2 inches long baby boy! Rob was crying--I was still so out of it-I didn't know what was going on. But all of a sudden I had a baby boy on my stomach-and then he was in Rob's arms! 10 fingers 10 toes everything was perfect! I just laid there and I have no idea if I was awake or not-that epidural was amazing! Plus it was great when they kept coming back to give me higher dosages-which was fantastic!

So Rob went with Grayson to the nursery to watch them do everything-bath him-give him some shots, etc. The family all stood outside the nursery and looked at him through the window. During this time I was being all cleaned up and taken care of. Then he was able to come back to his momma and the family came in. The first thing I wanted was McDonald's-Yum! I hadn't eaten since Sunday night-and it was probably about 3:30 at this time. So I got my McDonald's-and then we had lots of visitors. Probably around 6:00 they moved us from the delivery room into the room we would be staying in. I try to remember the ride to the next room, etc. but I really can't. All I remember is that I tried to walk-and my legs were totally numb.

The first night in the room-we kept Grayson for a little bit-but then our fabulous Nurse-Sherry-suggested that maybe she take him to the nursery because he had a little mucus in his nose that they needed to get out--we really think she saw how exhausted we were and wanted us to sleep-I was still on some major drugs-and Rob was going on about only 2 hours of rest. So we racked out-then she kept coming in every 2 hours to help with feeding him. On Tuesday his pediatrician-Dr Nelson came and checked him out-and mentioned how cute his face is-which of course it is! Everything was perfect for him. Had lots more visitors on Tuesday-then Tuesday night had Nurse Sherry again-and she mentioned again that maybe we should take him to the nursery since we wouldn't be able to probably get a good night's rest for awhile after we left. So around 11:30 PM he went back to his friends-and we passed out again.

Came home yesterday afternoon-mom's been here to help with whatever-which is fantastic. Last night was let's say...pretty good for 2 people that have never had a 2 day old baby to take care of. He slept mostly through the night-momma didn't--daddy did a little-but that's about it. I figured out that in order to get him to sleep-I needed to put my finger in his hand over the Pack N Play so he could hold onto it-and he was fine.

Today he is having some pictures taken around 2 PM-so that should be fun. What every baby needs--a professional photo shoot! Here are a few more photos of the little guy that Aunt Sara took at the hospital. Of course we have tons more-I just have to download them. Enjoy!

He's Here!

Yup folks-that's right! Grayson John Swindle arrived on February 16 at 2:49 PM 8 lbs 6 oz and 19 1/2 inches long. More to come about it all later-but here's what everyone has been waiting for...pictures!

First here is what I looked like at 40 weeks-the day that we went into the hospital.

And here are some great pictures of the most handsome baby in the world.

We'll post lots more when we get home-little busy here in the hospital!
-Rob, Leah and Grayson

Last Dr. Appointment...

We had our last dr. appointment yesterday with Dr. Piquard. Apparently-the little guy is pretty content inside of me and is not wanting to come out. I'm still only dilated to a 1. So...Dr. P is still holding out hope that he'll come on his own--which he may-but I doubt it. We are scheduled to go into the hospital on Sunday night to start being induced to deliver on Monday. At least I have a date in my head now! I tried explaining to her how much back pain I was having to see if she would have some sympathy for me and want to push up the date--but she gave me a prescription for Tylenol with Codeine to help with the sciatica. Definitely going to get that today.

Rob is finishing up some last minute work things today so that he can take tomorrow off and we can just hang out for the next few days-which makes me very happy. He's been getting up at 5 AM everyday this week trying to get everything squared away for when Grayson comes. So we've got lots of plans coming up in the next few months with family coming in town, etc. Going to be an exciting ride!

Next time I post it will probably be with some baby photos!! Eeeekkk!!! Yahoo!

First Day of Maternity Leave

So today was the first day that I didn't have to go to work-and it was a little strange. What does a person do when they can't move very much and are super uncomfortable? Lay around all day...and that's what I did. I made it out to the post office-stood in line for about 10 minutes and had to come home-thought I was going to pass out. I called Dr. P today to see if she wanted me to come in today for an appointment-and boo-she said to continue to wait until Wednesday. Grayson has decided once again to set up shop right on my sciatic nerve on my right side-which causes severe pain in my back all the way down my leg whenever I decide to do anything. It's starting to cause lots of back pressure throughout my back as well. I had to ask the nurse when I called about what to do-and she just said to take Tylenol (check) put heat/cold on it, rest (check) and just know that it's part of this whole thing.
So when we go on Wednesday-I'm assuming that we will talk about being induced since Saturday is our due date-I really don't think that this guy is going to come out on his own-even though Rob and I would LOVE for him too...he already isn't listening to his parents!
Keep on checking...I'll update after Wednesday's appointment!

T-Minus 12 Days

Went to see Dr. McGee today-Dr. P is out on vacation--and as you can tell by the title of this post-no Baby Grayson today. Dr. McGee listened to his heartbeat-it was great and then checked me. I'm doing good too-now we just continue to wait. He said that he didn't think that we would be having a baby this week-but sometime next week he was coming. But then again-he said we might surprise him and my water might break tonight and we could have a baby. We go back next Wednesday afternoon to see Dr. P. I'm supposed to call and see if I can get in earlier because she was totally booked and the schedule lady wouldn't book me an appointment-so I have to call her nurse to over-ride the scheduler. So we'll see if Dr. P allows me to wait until Wednesday-or as Rob says-maybe we won't even have to go back on Wednesday. Only time will tell...

We've all been doing good in the Swindle household. Rob and I have been trying to sleep at night-Tubs and Addy haven't been having any problems in that area. Rob and I have been having some restless nights just awaiting the little guys arrival. I've had some major lower back pain and some cramping-and heartburn which keeps me up at night-and then when I'm tossing and turning (well as much as you can with a watermelon in your belly)-I guess I'm not the quietest and that in turn gets Rob awake. Just preparing us for the next 18 years of our lives I guess. This Friday will be my last day of work for the next 3 months. I was going to work right up until I deliver-but if Dr. P is going to need to induce me next week-we have things to do around the house, try and rest, etc. Plus it's getting more and more difficult for me to be on my feet for more than 10 minutes at a time.

I got some cute pictures of Lucy and Olivia the other night from having Sara's birthday dinner at Dad and Becky's-I'll try and post those this weekend. As for now-it's off to bed. Have an excellent week everyone-and stay tuned...