Leila is 6 Months!

 

My baby girl is growing up and I can't believe how quickly the past 6 months have flown by!  Here are her 6 month stats:

Weight: 15.3 pounds 31st percentile (up from the 11th percentile at 5 months--she's chunking up!)
Length: 25.62 inches 33rd percentile (up from the 23rd percentile at 4 months)
Head Circumference: 16.75 inches 56th percentile (up from the 54th percentile at 4 months)

Basically her head is average sized but it is certainly still the biggest part of her.  The rest of her is catching up fast though!  Her hair is finally starting to fill in and her eyes are getting darker.  Other highlights:

She now rolls over both from stomach to back and back to stomach.  She is almost always kicking her feet, especially when she is on her stomach.  She also sits up really well by herself as long as I balance her pretty well to start with.

She isn't as content to just sit and snuggle and constantly wants to go, go, go.  She is very observant of everything around her and loves watching people.  She's got her hands figured out and will reach for and grab anything and everything (especially Auntie Annie's hair).  She has also discovered her toes and loves to suck on them whenever she gets the chance.  She also pulls her socks off on a regular basis.

She is becoming more vocal and makes some funny noises, especially when she gets excited.  She LOVES watching Elmo and it surprises me how much it holds her attention.  She enjoys being outside and likes going for walks now that the weather is starting to warm up.  She has been eating rice cereal for about a month and will be starting other baby foods soon.

Bathtime!

We gave Leila her first real bath yesterday.  She loved it...right up until I scrubbed her head.  Then, she was not so happy with me.

Leila's First Week

I can't believe how fast our first week with little Leila has flown by!  She is truly a sweetheart, so I think we'll keep her.  It quickly became evident that she has her days and nights slightly mixed up as she likes to be wide awake from 11pm-3am.  So we tried keeping her awake more during the day...to no avail.  When this girl gets into a deep sleep, there is no waking her!

Silly Daddy

Sleepy Baby

 Aside from our hospital visitors, we also had some visitors come to our home.

My Grandma and Grandpa Marshall came up from Arizona to meet this little angel.  This also prompted my Aunt Kris to come for a visit. 

Four Generations

Aunt Jori was also able to come down from BYU-Idaho to meet her first niece.  Everyone commented on two things: how round her head is and what nicely colored skin she has.  

 The Ziebarths have also made their way to visit their first grandchild.  They even drove all night long so they could see her that much sooner.

One Proud Grandma

Aunt Jessica

Aunt Darlene

They will be here for a few more days, squeezing as much Leila-time in as possible.  It is going to be hard for them to live so far away from us.  Guess we'll be making even more trips to sunny southern California.  Darn.

One not-so-happy update: Jason was laid off from his job on Friday.  The company merged with another about 6 months ago, and apparently they decided to go with the other company's support team--eliminating the need for LanSchool's 2 support people.  The company has never let anyone go--go figure we'd be the first.  It is far from great timing, but they did offer a good severance package and now I'll have Jason around to help me even more.

I'm also extremely grateful for the wonderful network of support we have!  My mother has been cooking our meals and doing our dishes most of the week.  Jessica has offered to stay up with the baby when she is wide awake in the middle of the night.  It is great to be part of such amazing families!

Welcome Baby Leila!

Remember how I said I was ready to meet this baby?  She listened!  And, even better, we did it all on our own without being induced. But, I'm getting ahead of myself.  Let's go back to how it all started.

Since the ultrasound on Thursday, I had resigned myself to not having a baby during the weekend.  I even went to a bridal shower in Ogden Saturday morning.  I felt fine--well, as fine as a 39 week pregnant woman ever feels.  A couple nights in a row I had some emotional freakouts (sad to happy to mad to happy within an hour), but other than that, everything was status quo.

I fell asleep watching a movie around 9 Saturday night.  Jason put me to bed, then finished the movie.  Looking back, he wishes he would have gone to bed with me.  Around 1am I started having contractions.  These were really the first contractions I'd experienced, so I took my time in waking up Jason.  I tried switching positions and walking around, but the contractions still seemed fairly regular.  So, after about 20-25 minutes, I woke up Jason and told him that we needed to start timing these and decide whether or not to go to the hospital.

The contractions were just irregular enough to make us doubt going.  We timed for another hour before deciding that we needed to go, just in case.  The worst that would happen is us getting sent home.  So, we loaded up the hospital bag and checked into the hospital around 2:45am.  They put me in a room to observe me for an hour and I still wasn't convinced I was in labor.  All doubts were solved an hour later when I had progressed from a 3 to a 5 and the nurse told me I wasn't going home.

I texted my mom and told her we were definitely having a baby.  She was so excited and could hardly get ready fast enough to join us at the hospital.  Meanwhile, I got all settled into my labor & delivery room and they got me prepped for my epidural.  Unfortunately, I don't have the easiest veins to stick needles into, so putting my IV in took some work by both nurses trying two different sites.  The first place they tried was the back of my hand and it failed, miserably.  It was swollen within minutes and I knew I'd have a nasty bruise there.  Thankfully they finally got it into my arm and I got my epidural.  I am definitely a fan of epidurals!  Once that kicked in, the rest of the labor was a breeze.  

Waiting

I went from a 5 to a 6 within the next hour, but then the progress slowed down a bit.  My parents left to get some breakfast so that Jason and I could try and take a little nap.  Since Jason had only gotten an hour of sleep before the contractions started, he fell asleep pretty quick.  I had too much racing through my brain to do much more than rest my eyes and relax. 

At one point, probably around 7:30am, the nurse came into the room followed quickly by my doctor.  They had seen baby's heartbeat drop a bit and had come to see why.  They put an oxygen mask on me and her heartbeat quickly recovered.  Dr. Allen asked if I was feeling more pressure and I told him no.   They all left after checking the placement of my monitors and I settled back into my state of relaxation.

20 minutes later, they all came into the room again because the monitor monitoring baby's heart rate wasn't picking it up anymore because she had dropped down lower.  They repositioned the monitor and I mentioned to the doctor that the pressure was starting to increase.  He checked and surprised me (and a half asleep Jason) by saying that I was complete and it was time to start pushing.

I pushed during one set of contractions and the doctor noticed that baby was twisted a little bit and not wanting to come down on her own.  Also, she was low enough that her heart rate was once again dropping, so he decided he needed to use forceps to help out.  Once he had the necessary equipment, I pushed again and again and out she came at exactly 8:15am on October 9.

Jason looked a little flushed and all of the nurses were concerned he was going to fall over.  But he cut the umbilical cord before taking a seat with his head between his legs while one of the nurses brought him some juice.

The team dried baby off and gave her to me and I couldn't believe it.  She was actually here.  I was officially a mom.  I can't even describe the immense love I felt for her instantaneously.

Saying "Hi" to Mom

The nurses then took her away to get all of your stats while the doctor delivered the afterbirth.  Then she was right back in my arms.  All 6 pounds 9 ounces and 20 inches of her.  She was healthy.  She was perfect.  Unfortunately, since she decided to come so fast, I did tear a bit and the doctor had to take his time stitching me up.  But they left her with me until he was done, so I didn't mind one bit.

First Family Picture

My parents had made it back to the waiting room just in time to hear your first cries and were overjoyed when they got to meet her. 

Eventually they took her away to get her cleaned up and perform a few more tests.  Jason went with her to take some pictures and oversee the whole process while I was transferred to my room.

The first thing I did when I got to my room was order room service because I was starving!  Thankfully the food was really tasty AND I no longer had to watch my diet.  Needless to say, I loaded up on the carbs.  Jason brought baby back to me and the pediatrician gave her the all clear.  She had a clean bill of health, and I couldn't have been happier.

Working the Tongue

During our stay at the hospital, we had several visitors including: Uncle Jared and Aunt Annie, my Aunt Debbie, Uncle Bryan, cousin Laura and her husband David, my friend/work supervisor Sally and her husband David, my Aunt Janae, and great Grandma and Grandpa Larsen.  Everyone remarked how beautiful she was and instantly fell in love with her.  Who could blame them?

Getting to Know Uncle Jared and Aunt Annie

We brought her home from the hospital today and are "ready" to start this new chapter of our lives with her!

Leila Kay Ziebarth
6 pounds 9 ounces, 20 inches
October 9, 2011 at 8:15am

My Pregnancy: Week 39

Baby's now the size of a mini-watermelon!

Your baby's waiting to greet the world!  She continues to build a layer of fat to help control her body temperature after birth, but it's likely she already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon.  The outer layers of her skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.

I went in on Tuesday for my weekly appointment and Dr. Allen was concerned that I was measuring a bit small again and I hadn't gained any weight for almost 2 weeks.  He wanted to do another ultrasound and compare it with the one from a couple weeks ago.   If your overall growth percentile had shrunk, he was thinking they might need to induce me.  Unfortunately all of the ultrasound techs had already left for the evening and Dr. Allen's next available appointment wasn't until Thursday afternoon.  That made for a very long, anxious-filled two days.

Thankfully, when we went in for the ultrasound, everything checked out fine.  I was even measuring back on track and had suddenly gained 4 pounds (must have been rib lunch I ate just before my appointment).  The doctor was at a loss as to why my measurements fluctuate so much, but said there was nothing to worry about.  Apparently you just have a hiding spot somewhere.

The ultrasound places you right about 6 pounds 13 ounces, so no inducing for the time being.  Dr. Allen would really like me to go into labor naturally, especially since you are my first.  Says it will be less painful and easier that way.  I had kinda gotten my hopes up for having a baby and even pushed Dad to help clean the house and get everything ready--just in case we had to go to the hospital sooner rather than later.  So now we are back to the waiting game and only time will tell!

During the ultrasound, the tech saw that your face was unobstructed and snuck us a few 3D pictures.  I am soooo ready to meet you!  Hurry up! 

39 weeks and ready!

My Pregnancy: Week 38

Baby's now the size of a leek!

Your baby has really plumped up.  She weighs about 6.8 pounds and she's over 19 1/2 inches long (like a leek).  She has a firm grasp, which you'll seen be able to test when you hold her hand for the first time!  Her organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb.  Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be?  You may not be able to tell right away.  If she's born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown.  If she's born with steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time she's 9 months old.  That's because a child's irises may gain more pigment in the months after she's born, but they usually won't get "lighter" or more blue.

Thankfully, this week was a lot better for me than last.  It's amazing what a difference it makes when my emotions decide to level out a little.  Plus, I gave in more to the exhaustion this week and took advantage of more afternoon naps than ever before.  Figured it was best to get all the sleep I possibly could while I still can!

I also had a lot of headaches early in the week.  It would come and go each afternoon and eventually led to a migraine Tuesday afternoon.  I don't get migraines, so it was weird to be sitting at work when suddenly I started getting blindspots in my vision.  Made it rather difficult to continue working since my job involves looking for details on a computer screen.  Thankfully that only lasted about 1/2 an hour but then the headache hit hard.  My shift was over, so I went home and slept.  I felt pretty loopy the rest of the night, but the headache didn't come back the next day.  I talked to the doctor about it when I went in and he said it was most likely a combination of tiredness and maybe some dehydration since my blood pressure is still normal.

Speaking of my doctor's appointment, it was another bit of a crazy one.  I dragged your dad with me out of paranoia from last week and we sat in the waiting room for over half and hour--even after everyone else had been called back.  That is extremely unusual to be in the main waiting room for so long.  Plus, it was after 5 so a lot of the staff was leaving.  

I was worried I had been forgotten and was going to have to come back another day.  I finally managed to catch the attention of the receptionist who went to make sure that the nurses knew I was waiting.  They did, but my doctor was busy dealing with a complication with another patient and was therefore suddenly very delayed.  One of the other doctors was just finishing up with his last patient, so they asked if it would be okay if I saw him instead.  That way I wouldn't have to continue waiting, especially since they didn't know how long it would be.

This was my first time seeing one of the other doctors, but it was probably a good thing since whichever of the 3 who is on call when I go into labor will most likely deliver you.  Might as well meet them ahead of time.  Once we got in with the doctor, everything went smoothly.  

Your heartbeat still sounds healthy (and is still the most magical sound to me).  My tummy measurement was closer to average this week.  I am just shy of 3cm dilated and was once again given the signs of labor, just in case.  This is the second opinion that I will not make it to my due date.  This doctor guessed that it would happen within the 10 days, but could happen at anytime.  Basically, I am to the point now where I am sitting on a ticking time bomb.

I think I had one set of Braxton Hicks contractions wake me up in the middle of the night a few nights back, but it didn't last long and didn't repeat once I got up to go to the bathroom.  Also, my pelvis is feeling somewhat sore as your head is hitting it more and more frequently.  Other than that, I feel pretty much the same.  Once you started dropping and the temperatures cooled off a bit, my feet have all but stopped swelling.

How Tall...or How Big?

Baby Mine Baby Shower

My attitude has definitely improved since my last post and a big part of that is because of the AMAZING baby shower my co-workers threw us on Saturday.  Vikki and Sally worked together to create the perfect Baby Mine (from Dumbo) themed baby shower.  

Vikki did an wonderful job setting the mood with a mobile with baby pictures of me and Jason, a fun sign-in table where guests would create a baby footprint using their hands, balloons, flags, paper flowers on the tables and chairs, popcorn & peanut party favors, and even a hired pianist to play Disney songs in the background!

She also put together a delicious food spread that featured waffles from The Waffle Shoppe (with the most delicious homemade syrup I've ever eaten), fruit, and quiche.

Sally was the entertainment ringleader and lead us through a baby word scramble, guess how big mommy's tummy is using streamers, and baby shower gift bingo.  We were also all given a small pink clothespin and weren't allowed to say the word "baby" or whoever caught us could take away our pin (as well as whatever ones we'd collected from others).  Everyone who had to leave early gave me their pins and everyone else was too nice to take them away, so I won the prize (a jar of the delicious syrup).

I had a wonderful time and hope everyone else did too.  It meant a lot to me to see all of those who support me on a regular basis.  There were even those who couldn't join in the festivities who sent their regards (and goodies) our way.  Yes, we are well-stocked and well-loved.  Now we just need to get you here so they can all meet you!

My Pregnancy: Week 37

Baby's now the size of a stalk of Swiss chard!

Congratulations--your baby is full term!  This means that if your baby arrives now, her lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though your due date is still three weeks away.  Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard).  Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long.  But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours.  Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blondes or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes.  And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.

This was one of the longest weeks of my pregnancy to date!  Of course, I think it was just a long week in general, not necessarily because I'm pregnant.  Complete exhaustion has settled back on me which makes waking up at 5am EXTREMELY difficult.  The fact that there has been little to do at work lately isn't helping my motivation.

But it hasn't all been bad, here's a run down.  Good news: you have dropped somewhat making it loads easier to breathe.  Not-so-good news: the change in position is causing a whole lot more back pain.  Good news: I got a surprise ultrasound today and got to see you again!  You were being shy and covering your face with your hands the entire time.  Not-so-good news: I had to have the ultrasound because my tummy is measuring a bit small.  Good news: You are still healthy, just a smaller baby currently weighing in at approximately 6 pounds (about 1 week behind).  Granny D says this isn't a surprise since all of her babies were small (I was the biggest at 7 pounds 3 oz--and I was 3 weeks late!).  Good news:  I am still progressing and am still not looking like I will make it all the way to October 13th.

I did get a little down after my doctor's visit today.  The appointment itself was stressful enough as I was waiting for the ultrasound to make sure that everything is okay with you.  For the rest of my appointments, I will be bringing your dad just in case something like that happens again--or they don't let me go home but sent me straight to the hospital!

I also felt like the doctor made me think your birthdate was a whole lot more imminent last week.  He was so surprised at how much I was already progressing that it made me feel like I'd be rushing to the hospital any day.  That made for one loooooooong week of anticipation/anxiety.  This week he was all professional again and put me "at ease" that while I continue to progress, I probably wouldn't be running to the hospital right away.  The only trouble was that I had already accepted an early delivery in my mind, making the next 3 weeks seem like an eternity.

But when push comes to shove, you'll come whenever you are ready.  I am just grateful that you are still healthy and growing.  You're also officially considered full term now, so if you do decide to come soon, you'll most likely thrive.

My Pregnancy: Week 36

Baby's now the size of a crenshaw melon!

Your baby is still packing on the pounds--at the rate of about an ounce a day.  She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long.  She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix cascosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath.  At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term.  Most likely she's in a head-down position.

Summertime is quickly fading and along with it comes the cooler temperatures of fall.  Being as pregnant as I am, I am extremely grateful for this!  My feet don't swell as much and I'm actually able to sleep under a blanket again.  It is amazing some of the simple joys that can make all of the difference.

I had another doctor's appointment and have to say I have been thoroughly impressed with how quickly they've been getting me in and out the last couple of visits.  I have never been a fan of going to the doctor, mostly just from the amount of time it always seems to take.  But they've had me in and out within 30 minutes the last two visits!  Hopefully that stays true since I will now be making said visits once a week.

Once again, everything seems to be going well as far as vitals go.  My blood pressure is normal (I keep expecting this to spike for some reason), your heartbeat is strong and steady, and you are measuring right on the mark.  I didn't gain any weight this week (in fact I actually lost a pound), so they are going to be watching that closely over the next week, but the doctor said not to worry since you seem to be measuring alright.

After the typical visit stuff was over and done with, I was also tested for GV B Strep.  I won't have the results from this for a few more days, but I'm not worried.  Even if I have it, it only means an IV of antibiotics during delivery.  

After he was done with this test, the doctor asked if I'd like him to check my cervix.  I thought that he may as well and I'm glad I did!  Turns out that I am 1cm dilated and almost 70% effaced.  While the doctor obviously couldn't guarantee it, he said that he suspected I wouldn't make it all the way to my due date.  He even ran me through all of the signs of labor, on the off chance that I go into labor before my next appointment.

When I told your dad about this possibility, he was shocked and had a deer in the headlights type of expression on his face for quite awhile after.  I for one wouldn't mind a slightly earlier delivery, but want to give you as much time to grow and develop as possible.  Maybe just one week early...but I guess I'll get my hospital bag packed just in case!

Guess it is a good thing we've put some more finishing touches on the nursery.  Its been crazy how obsessed I became with this room.  It isn't a very large room, but I have managed to cram a lot in there.  And IKEA has become my favorite place to shop for it because a lot of the stuff that is on clearance right now just happens to fit in perfectly with the color scheme.  A very dangerous thing indeed.

Nursery entranceway

My favorite little nook

Complete with Mickey & Minnie lamp

Lots of places to store things

We also got the cradle and changing table from your Granny D and Grampa Nolan.  This set was made by your Grampa Nolan 25 years ago when Granny D was pregnant with me!  We are excited to be able to share this with you too!

Homemade cradle bedding

My Pregnancy: Week 35

Baby's now the size of a honeydew melon!

Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that she's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon).  Because it's so snug in your womb, she isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times she kicks should remain about the same.  Her kidneys are fully developed now, and her liver can process some waste products.  Most of her basic physical development is now complete--she'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

5 weeks to go and I can certainly tell that I'm heading into the home stretch!  While we were in California last weekend, Grandma Z and Aunt Jessica threw a mini baby shower for us since they won't be able to come out for my other one in a couple of weeks.  They were so sweet to load us up with diapers, wipes, clothes, a crib mobile, blankets, toiletry needs, and even infant laundry detergent!  Yes ma'am, you are going to be one spoiled baby!

My Pregnancy: Week 34

Baby's now the size of a cantaloupe!

Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long.  Her fat layers--which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born--are filling her out, making her rounder.  Her skin is also smoother than ever.  Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well.  If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine.  They may need to stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few sort-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

You'd best not be planning to come this early little one!  Thankfully it doesn't appear like that will be an issue.  I had another doctor's appointment today and everything is still plugging away.  My blood pressure looked good.  I am still gaining weight.  Your heartbeat is strong and steady.  The only slight flag was that my belly is measuring about 1cm less than average.  Doctor said that it is nothing to worry about, just that you were probably sitting differently this afternoon.  He also gave me the all clear for going ahead with our California trip.  One more appointment in 2 weeks, then it is weekly visits for me!

My Pregnancy: Week 33

Baby's now the size of a pineapple!

This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark.  She's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and her skeleton is hardening.  The bones in her skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for her to fit through the birth canal.  (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.)  These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as her brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

My Pregnancy: Week 32

Baby's now the size of a jicama!

By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus.  You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb.  She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz).  Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.

Not much to report on this week.  I went to the doctor today and everything still seems to be going right on track.  He did notice that my feet have started to swell a little, but said it wasn't anything to be concerned about.  Just supposed to prop my feet up when I can and lay on my left side when relaxing/sleeping.

The dieting and exercising continues to manage the gestational diabetes and seems to be working great since all of my numbers are within range.  The most frustrating part has been cutting pasta out of my diet.  I love me some fettucini alfredo and have been craving it like no other this week.  I've already made your dad promise that he will get me some from Olive Garden just as soon as possible.   

You continue to hang out in your favorite spot: beneath my right rib cage, making it extremely uncomfortable for me at times.