Birth Announcement

Seriously can't get enough of this little princess! She just melts my heart!!!

Little Miss Harper Lynne Shade

I have been meaning to record this story for a while now but as you can imagine, having a newborn leaves little time for blogging. And, with a story as detailed as this one, I needed time. Harper is sleeping in her bassinet, Doug is working and I finally have some time to catch up. So, here goes the long awaited story of little miss Harper's arrival.
** SIDE NOTE ** I realize that some of these details are repeated from the previous blog but I wanted to tell Harper's story from start to finish. So, I apologize if you have already read some of this.
Friday, September 17 was a normal day for me. I felt great and had a lot of energy. I thought it would be a good idea to make a few meals ahead of time and freeze them for after the baby was born. So, I went grocery shopping and started cooking and baking away. Around 8:00 pm, I was in the kitchen and felt a gush of water. WEIRD! I was 30 weeks and 1 day pregnant so it was too soon for my water to break, right?! I gave it a few minutes and felt the same thing again. Trying to stay calm, I called the on-call Dr and explained my situation. The Dr told me to come immediately to the hospital, which is about 45 minutes away from our house. Doug was working and my Mom was working. I called both of them and explained to them that I thought my water broke and that I needed to get to the hospital right away. Doug said he would leave work right away and come pick me up but he was only about 10 minutes from the hospital. By the time he would drive all the way back home and then drive me to the hospital, it would be over an hour. I felt fine...no contractions and no pain...so I decided that I would just drive myself to the hospital and meet him and my Mom there. Of course, I was freaking out thinking that I was going into labor! By the time I arrived at the hospital, I was amazingly calm and at peace with whatever was going to happen.
We got to triage and after multiple tests, they determined that my water did break and that I would be admitted. I was informed that I would be on complete bed rest at the hospital until I went into labor with the goal being to get to 34 weeks. They say 34 weeks because prior to 34 weeks, the chance of complications from pre-term labor is greater than the chance of infection. After you hit 34 weeks, the chance of infection becomes greater than the chance of complications from pre-term labor. So, Thursday, October 14 (my 34 week mark) was the goal. We saw so many Dr.'s that night and all of them seemed to think if I could make it through the 1st 48 hours without going into labor, I had a very good chance of making it to 34 weeks. No pressure, right?!
So, the waiting game called bed rest had begun. Once I was transferred to the "mom unit," I received a GIANT steroid shot in the butt. The steroid shot was intended to speed up the maturation process of the baby's lungs. The 1st shot was followed by a 2nd shot 24 hours later. Not the most fun I've ever had.
I ended up making it through the 1st 48 hours and thought I would definitely make it to October 14. As hopeful as I was to make it to the 14th, I was also dreading it. Being on bed rest in the hospital was a total mental game. All I did was sit there and think. It was so frustrating thinking about all of the things that I still needed to do and all of the things I was missing out on while being stuck in bed all day. It probably sounds so nice to most people but staring at white walls all day and being away from my husband and family was very hard! The highlight of my day was my 10 minute shower.
Turns out, I was never able to make it to the 14th. On day #11 of bed rest, I started having very minor contractions. They checked me and said that I was only 1 cm dilated and they weren't concerned at that point. They had me drink a lot of liquids and monitored me very closely. All was fine through the night and I felt the same the next morning. While on bed rest, I had daily ultrasounds to check my fluid levels and make sure the baby was not in any distress. Every ultrasound received 10 out of 10 points until day #12. September 29. The Dr came in and told me she was concerned but consulted the high risk Dr.'s and they did not feel it was necessary to induce me at this point. We were just going to see what happened throughout the day and see how my ultrasound looked the next day. I had lunch and fell asleep shortly after. The next thing I know, the Dr and a nurse came barging into my room and told me that I had been contracting steadily and they needed to check me. 2:00 pm, 4 cm dilated and 90% effaced. SERIOUSLY?!?!!! Within 5 minutes, my entire room had been packed up and I was being wheeled down to labor and delivery. I called Doug and told him the news and that he should head down to the hospital. Once again, I was amazingly calm. I was definitely uncomfortable, but nothing like what I thought labor would feel like. Doug and my Mom arrived and my contractions started to get more intense. A lot of it was in my back, which was really painful. 6:00 pm, 6 cm dilated and I decided I needed an epidural. About 40 minutes later, I felt like a brand new woman. I think I instantly fell in love with my 50 year old, bearded anesthesiologist. I hung out with my family in my room and we talked about whether or not the baby was a boy or a girl (we were going to be surprised) and how crazy it was that we were about to become parents. Before I knew it, I was 10 cm dilated and ready to push. 45 minutes later at 9:36 pm on September 29, 2010, our little girl, Harper Lynne Shade, took her first breaths. She weighed 4 lbs 9.9 oz and was 18 inches long. The NICU Dr.'s were in the room ready to assess her due to her early arrival. To be completely honest, Doug and I were hoping for the best but expecting the worst. We were pleasantly surprised. She did not need any oxygen or breathing support at all (yay for the steroid butt shots) and she was so stable that Doug was able to take pictures and cut the cord (apparently, this is extremely rare with preemie deliveries).
Harper spent 18 days in the NICU at Abington. She was great from the beginning but she had to learn to do all of the things that baby's learn in the womb. Her biggest obstacle was learning to eat. That suck/breathe/swallow skill was a lot of work for her! I spent every single day at the hospital and felt like my heart was being ripped in two when I had to leave. It was SO incredibly hard having to ask for permission to hold my daughter or change her diaper or feed her. Everything was monitored and watched so closely. I knew it was the best place for her but it was the hardest place for me. This was, by far, the hardest thing I have ever gone through in my entire life.
On Sunday, October 17, exactly 1 month from when my water broke, Harper was discharged from the NICU and we were finally able to bring our baby girl home!
Being a Mom is the greatest and hardest thing I have ever done! I'm beyond exhausted but I love it. There is no way to describe the feeling of looking into the eyes of the most beautiful little thing and knowing that Doug and I made her. She is perfect in every way and I feel like the luckiest girl in the world! I am blessed far beyond what I deserve!!

Changes...

You would think that after all of these years, I would learn to expect that things don't ever go exactly as planned. Probably because I am such a planner. That's just the way things work.
I have had all of this energy lately and have been nesting up a storm. On Friday afternoon, I did a big grocery order and found a bunch of recipes that I could make ahead and then freeze to use for when the baby is here. Doug was working on Friday night so I decided to surprise him with a nice breakfast for Saturday morning. I was in my own little world, baking and cooking away, when I felt a gush of water all of the sudden. SERIOUSLY?!?!??!!!!! My water had broken and I was only 30 weeks and 1 day along. I called the Dr and they said I needed to get to the hospital right away. I felt perfectly fine (no contractions or pain) and since Doug was working 20 minutes away, I decided I would just meet him at the hospital rather than wait for him to pick me up. (Our hospital is 25 minutes away from our house as it is) So, after a bunch of very uncomfortable exams and HUNDREDS of questions, they confirmed that my water did break and I would be spending the remainder of my pregnancy on bed rest.
So, here I sit.....waiting.
The plan is to try and stay pregnant for as long as possible without any infection setting in. Unfortunately, there is absolutely NOTHING I can do to control this, which totally stinks! I have been on antibiotics and so far no signs of infection. I also received 2 steroid shots (in the butt-talk about fun!) to help develop the baby's lungs. So, best case scenario is that I stay pregnant until I hit 34 weeks (October 14) and then they induce me. The Doctor's look at the risk of infection vs. the risk of complications from pre-term labor. Right now, the pre-term labor complications are much higher than infection. Once I hit 34 weeks, it flip-flops. So, we are really praying that this little one stays put until October 14.
Even with the best case scenario, the baby will be in the NICU. That is the hardest part of all of this. Trying to mentally prepare yourself to see this perfect little baby all hooked up to machines and breathing tubes and I.V.'s is so hard!
I just keep telling myself that God already knows everything about this angel and there is nothing I can do to change what is in his plans. So, I'm trying to trust that all will work out and stay as calm as possible.
Looks like I will be doing A LOT of reading over the next several weeks. Maybe I'll learn how to crochet? Why not...I certainly have the time.

Pregnancy Photo Shoot

Just a few of the phenomenal photos that our friend, Suzanne, offered to take for us. She is so talented and I couldn't be happier with the outcome. Check out her work at www.collierimages.com

22 weeks

Only 22 weeks and already starting to feel uncomfortable. At the top of the list of complaints are the achy hips. MY GOODNESS! No one ever told me that your hips would hurt. I can't sleep because of it and so that just throws off my entire day. BUT...I'm trying my absolute hardest to enjoy every minute of pregnancy and I love the belly and all of the special treatment that comes along with the belly. The baby is moving like crazy now and everyone can see and feel it from the outside. The baby is measuring about 1 lb and we are still on track for November 25. My Mom delivered 2 weeks early with me so here's hoping I can deliver and still be able to enjoy thanksgiving dinner! ;)
Renovations on the nursery are in full swing and Doug's awesome Aunt is taking us to get our crib on Saturday. Things are slowly coming along and I will most definitely post pics as the nursery progresses!

18 weeks and counting

Feeling great and rockin' the prego belly!

Goldfish in my tummy

About 2 weeks ago, I was able to experience by far the coolest sensation I have ever felt--the baby moving! The best way for me to describe the first couple of times is to relate it to a fish. It feels like a tiny goldfish is just swimming around down there. It was so quick and did not last long, but there was no mistaking that it was the baby. Since then, I have felt it more often. Yesterday, I felt a much more pronounced "kicking" feeling that felt a bit like popcorn popping. As I am typing this now, I can feel the "popcorn" and I absolutely love it! It usually only happens if I am slouching on the couch and relaxing. Even more of a reason to take it easy! Doug keeps trying to feel it but no such luck just yet. It's still early so I don't expect him to feel it yet but he is very anxious.
I'm feeling good most days and much more energetic than I was the first 3 months. I enter my 5th month next week so I'm sure I'll start to see (and feel) more changes. I am officially in maternity clothes, mostly because they are just more comfortable. I could probably squeeze into my pre-prego clothes but I don't want to stretch them out and ruin them. It's nice not being in that in-between stage anymore. A lot less melt-downs when I'm trying to get dressed in the morning! ;)
I went with a girlfriend last week and registered. Boy, was that a process! Seriously, I don't think I would have survived without a friend who has been through it before. At one point, she was just pointing to things and telling me to scan them and I had no clue what I was scanning. Glad that part is over. I never realized how overwhelming that store can be when you have no idea what you are looking at. The plus side of registering is that seeing all of those baby products made me realize how quickly our little blessing will be here. I just can't wait to hold this baby and smell it! Oh the smell of babies! Is there anything sweeter?!

Velez Family Pictures

I was CERTAINLY not prepared for the challenge that a large family brings when photographing. Regardless, I would like to think I was able to capture a few classic shots. The photos were taken at Fischer's Park-an absolutely beautiful location with lots of fun photo opportunities.

Barefoot and ...

...PREGNANT, of course! It feels so good to finally be able to announce this to everyone. The 1st 12 weeks of hiding it and keeping it a secret is so not fun. Although, if you know me at all, I did tell a select few. ;)

The morning sickness is over (and boy oh boy was I ever SICK! Think the flu, except it lasts for WEEKS!) and I am finally starting to feel more like myself. Still exhausted, but I hear that will even go away for a few months as well.

This is definitely the craziest adventure we have ever been on and I will do my best to update those of you who live far away as much as possible.

Seth's newborn pics

What a trooper this little guy was! He let us put him in all sorts of props and basically slept through the entire shoot! Congrats, Melinda and Steve! Seth is adorable!!

Declan's 1st birthday party

Talk about a perfect day! The weather was absolutely gorgeous and allowed us to spend most of the day outside on the deck. It was great to get together with old friends and spend the day celebrating Declan's 1st birthday. Happy Birthday, Declan!!

San Francisco and Napa Valley

What a fabulous trip! Doug has family that lives in San Jose (about 1 hour South of San Fran) and they were kind enough to invite us out to stay with them. So, we decided to try and fit in as much as possible. The first night that we flew in, we drove to San Francisco and had dinner at Gary Danko's What an amazing restaurant! After we ate more than 2 people should ever eat, we drove an hour north to Napa Valley. We stayed at this adorable little hotel and then woke up the next morning at 5:00 am for a balloon ride. One of my dreams has always been to go up in a hot air balloon. And what better place to do it than over Napa Valley?! We arrived at one of the wineries and were told that we had to go to an alternate location for the balloon because there was some fog at the 1st location. So, we drove about an hour west to the 2nd location. The balloon was being blown up when we arrived. We all got pictures and were so excited to go up. About 20 minutes after we had been waiting, the pilot told us that more fog was moving in and he had to cancel the flight. Talk about MAJOR disappointment! It took everything I had not to cry (I know, total baby!). Doug promised that we would do it some day.
So, after that crazy morning, we were ready to tour the vineyards. And boy did we ever. We went to some amazing places and got to sit outside on the most beautiful day and sip some of the best wine I have ever tasted! It was straight out of a movie!
The next day we spent exploring San Fran. We did all of the touristy things: Cable cars, Ghiradelli Square, Golden Gate Bridge...
It was so much fun and such a gorgeous city.
Saturday was spent exploring Sausalito and Muir Woods. As we were walking through the woods, we saw a trail that said "Ocean View Trail." Doug had on dress shoes and I had on my uggs. Neither of us were intending to take a long hike. After about 2 hours and a couple of foot blisters, we finally reached the top. The view was breathtaking and so worth the long hike! And the smell! Oh my! The entire forest smelled so sweet! It was like nothing I have ever smelled before. Pure and unpolluted. Absolutely divine! It is what I would imagine heaven smells like!
Next to our day in Napa, Sunday was probably my favorite day of the trip. After Church, we drove down the coast to Carmel and did the 17 mile drive. Talk about beautiful! I could totally see myself living here....if only I had more money! ;) Carmel was so adorable! Tiny little cottages right on the rocky beach. It might just have been the most romantic place I have ever been! If you have never done this drive or visited Carmel, it is definitely a must! You will not be disappointed! We finished our beautiful day in Carmel by eating at this quaint little restaurant called Casanova
We had such a great time and felt so blessed to be able to enjoy loving family, amazing food and some of God's most beautiful creation all in one trip.