December 29, 2009

First Christmas

It's been a very busy weeks for us! Grace was taken off the bilibed Monday afternoon (YAY!) and we left for Midland later that day to see the family.  Grace's first road trip was pretty uneventful, she slept the whole way, which was a relief because it would of been much more stressful otherwise.  We soon realized that you have much much more to pack with a newborn, our car was packed to the roof! We stayed and visited with the whole family for about 6 days before we headed back home to Lubbock where Gracie saw her first snow!

When we got home we just wanted to crawl in bed and relax but... we came home to a frozen thermostat stuck at 39 degrees! Jonathan ran out to get some fire wood and me and Gracie closed ourselves in the bathroom with the hot water running to steam it out.  After an hour the temp had only risen to about 45 degrees so we bundled up and went out to eat.  After dinner we went to Jonathan's study place (Day Break Coffee Shop) and listened to some "interesting" musicians.  "Interesting" is the only way to explain what was going on there. We finally headed home after hearing an acoustic version of Dancing Queen.  Home had warmed up enough to go to bed and get some sleep (atleast until it was time to feed).
Today Gracie had her 2 week check-up with Dr. Stripling.  She's up to 8 pounds and 21 1/2 inches! Which means we can sleep longer at night!!! She's doing perfectly and there's no problems, we feel absolutely blessed!

Well, time to get some chores done while Gracie's still napping!





December 19, 2009



Our last post seemed to have scared some people (Mom), but Grace is doing amazing.  The nurse came this afternoon to do her levels and check her out; Grace's level went up but only slightly which our nurse said is normal for a 4 day old baby and she gained 3 ounces back.  Cinnamon (and yes that's really our nurses' name!) is amazing, she reassured us that Grace is doing wonderfully and is on track to not look like a baby pumpkin soon. She'll come again tomorrow to do her levels again.  Jonathan and I are just ready to hang out with our daughter and spoil her with hugs but we are confident in the Lord.  Here's a picture of Grace sleeping in her tanning bed. 

December 18, 2009

Meet our Baby Girl

It has been a very busy week for us so far! To catch everyone up here's what's been going on:
Monday: We went to the OB in the morning and we decided to go to the hospital that night around 8pm to have the medicine cervidil which softens the cervix. Because the medicine sometimes, rarely, induces labor they asked that we stay overnight, so we did.  Jonathan's parents and little sister drove up and stayed at our place also.
EARLY EARLY Tuesday Morning: About an hour after receiving cervidil I starting getting really bad lower back pains and cramps.  After being hooked up to the fetal monitors they saw that I was having contractions every 3 minutes which were increasing in pain with each one.  They started an iv and things were on their way! (I guess I'm one of those rare people that cervidil induces) Throughout the morning my contractions were stacking up on each other, most of the time not giving me a break between.  Jonathan is completely miserable at this point also because he had just finished with his last final Monday morning and he hadn't slept in several days.  
Tuesday: They started pitocin around 6 am I decided to have an epidural not much longer after that.  After I got the epidural things were much much much more comfortable and enjoyable.  My family made their way to Lubbock late morning and Jonathan's younger brother joined the hospital crew. I slept most of the morning and then things started moving very fast, within a few hours I was fully dialated but the baby hadn't dropped yet. Around 11:30 I was ready to start pushing...AN HOUR AND 15 MINUTES LATER: I though she was never going to arrive.  My doctor arrived and delivered the baby within 10 minutes.
Madison Grace Coulon was born December 15, 2009 at 1:02pm
7 lbs 12oz and 21 inches long



After a sleepless night full of nurses visits every hour or so we were ready to get into our own bed.  We were discharged from the hospital around 5pm on Wednesday.  We came home to a freshly clean home and fully stocked kitchen all thanks to my mother and felt relieved at once.  We also noticed a huge change in Grace, she opened her eyes more and was more aware.  
This morning Grace had her first doctor visit and it was the first time to leave our home with a baby! 
Dr. Stripling told us that she was looking very jaundice and so she had to have some blood drawn to find out her levels.  Turns out her level is 14.1 and it should be closer to 10 :(  He said treatment would be phototherapy which is a uv light treatment.  A nurse came to our house later in the day and showed us how to work the bed and what treatment would be like: 18 hours a day in the bed for maybe 2 days.  The bed is like a mini tanning bed for babies without the lid.  I think this is going to be much harder on me and daddy then it will be on her! She likes the warmth and it makes a constant soft humming noise but it makes me so sad to have to keep her in it for such long periods of time :(  
Which brings me to this current moment, she is sleeping like an angel in a mini tanning bed.
Here are some pictures I took today before she was confined to "the bed"



December 14, 2009

And baby makes 3...

We went to our doctor this morning and it looks like we will be inducing in the morning! My placenta seems to be calcifying more than normal which can reduce the blood flow to baby.  I have been having contractions for a few days now, nothing consistent though, and I'm a few centimeters dialated so we're hoping to go as natural as possible.  
We ask for your prayers tonight and tomorrow for a safe labor and healthy baby girl and a peaceful, comfortable momma!


December 9, 2009

Weekly Check-Up

Doctor's visit this morning, he said everything is looking good and could be any day now! He's still suprised every visit at how long her legs are (I guess because me and Jonathan are shorties) and how big her head is (hopefully she'll take after dad and be super smart). 
I think we're ready for her...I guess we'll see when she gets her though! I went to BabiesRUs yesterday to get some last minute things like pack-n-play sheets and a carseat mirror.  I was looking at the sheets when the lights went out and then I start hearing a creepy baby doll laugh/cry coming from behind me; I froze and was wondering how fast I could possibly run if I had to being this big.  The lights came back on and I guess it was some sort of motion/light sensor dolls that sounded like they were going to murder me in the middle of BabiesRUs.  So I hurried to find everything and to get back out into the freezing tornado winds to go home.

Jonathan finished his last day of class as an undergrad this morning and is chest deep into studying for his finals. Hopefully he will be done with his 2 finals before Grace gets here! We sent in his deposit for dental school and ready to move to Louisiana next summer!

December 5, 2009

Grace's Baby Shower


   
   
  Kasey, Ashley, Brandy and Crystal

Growing Belly