Look out below...

I have been peed on several times in the last week but nothing compares to what Ryan experienced last night. I had just got out of the shower when I heard Ryan calling me from Ryker's room. When I got in the room Ryan was gagging and Ryker had pooped all over himself, the changing table padding and a receiving blanket. The worst part of this was that he was not finished so we had to let him continue to poop before we could begin cleaning up the mess.

We decided to give him a bath instead for trying to wipe the whole mess up. Ryan made it through without getting sick and gave Ryker a bath while I washed all the evidence from the changing table. This was possibly the funniest thing ever! Good times with a newborn!

Froggie

Ryan has not came up with any nicknames (with the exception of the normal little man, buddy, baby and such) for Ryker yet however I have. He is my little Froggie! He likes to sit on our chest with his little legs pulled up. He is really strong and will scoot/bounce a little. I love my little frogman!

Tired...

Ryker continues to do really well and we have no doubt that he is getting plenty of milk because he is filling up lots of diapers! We are trying to get on some kind of schedule however it is a little difficult. He is sleeping in his pack-n-play in our room for now so during the night when he wakes up we change him in his room and then I feed him in our room. Putting him back to sleep is the problem. He goes back to sleep 2 out of the 3 times he is up pretty easily. When mommy needs a break daddy is always willing to get up with him and take him into the other room. The only problem with that is Ryan is scared to nap when Ryker is asleep. He says he has to watch him to make sure he is still breathing plus he sleeps really hard so he is afraid he won't hear Ryker if something happens. Ryan likes to take Ryker to his room so that I can not hear him crying (which I still can most of the time) in the hopes that I can sleep undisturbed for a few hours.

We are still getting adjusted but I think we are doing well. I am so lucky that Ryan is always willing to help now I just have to keep working on asking for it. I think that mommies have this idea that it is our primary responsibility to take care of the babies. I am no exception even though I know Ryan loves the one on one time he gets with his boy (just maybe not at 5:00 am).

1st of many 1st

Ryker has been doing so well since we brought him home. He is breastfeeding like a champ and he has been making the appropriate amount of diapers. He has had many first these last couple days including his first car ride, bath at home and doctors appointment. Ryan gave him his bath while I assisted when necessary and took pictures. Ryan is doing so well and is really trying to do everything on his own. He is such a good daddy! The appointment went great. His umbilical cord and circumcision are healing well and there was no sign of jaundice.

We are going to try and get assigned to a civilian doctor so that we do not have to go on base for his appointments. I will be making phone calls to Tricare to see if this is possible.

The Birth!

Around 3:00 pm on Sunday April 18, 2010 I begin having pains that felt different from the normal Braxton Hicks contractions that I had been having. Ryan was all set to go fishing however he decided to wait around to see if these indeed were the real thing. The pains begin getting worse and coming more regularly at around 5:00 pm. I began having several other symptoms so I called the Labor and Delivery floor at Trinity Hospital. The ladies there were awesome and talked me through some things to do to help with the pain. I wanted to wait as long as possible before going to the hospital so that I would not be encouraged to get unnecessary interventions. My contractions continued to intensify and came closer together although they were not on an exact time schedule. At around 10:15 pm I told Ryan I was ready to go to the hospital. Fortunately, Ryan had the car packed, backed out and ready to go because my contractions were now 2 to 3 minutes apart.

We arrived at Trinity Hospital and the staff took us straight into Labor and Delivery. By the time I got into bed I was already past 7 cm. My labor progressed pretty fast at this point and I was told I was in the most intense part of labor. We were still waiting on the doctor to get there to give me the epidural which seemed like hours. I can't even begin to describe the pain I was in. I don't think there are words but Ryan and my nurse were great and helped talk me through the contractions. I received two bags of fluid before I could get the epidural because I was getting dehydrated from the "other symptoms" that I mentioned before. The doctor got there to give me the epidural and I was dilated to around 8 1/2 cm. He said it took longer than usual to begin working because of where I had already progressed.

For the next couple hours we waited. I was finally able to relax and let my body do the rest. Ryan's mom, Renee arrived at the hospital. The delivering doctor came in and broke my water when I was 9 1/2 cm. Not too long after this it was time to push. I talked to Sonja on the phone because she was just a few minutes from the hospital and told her I would be out shortly with my new baby. The nurses finished setting up the room and we got started. Ryan and I didn't really know what to expect. I actually thought the 2nd stage of labor would be quick. I ended up pushing for an hour and ten minutes. Ryker's head was 14 1/4 inches so they had to use the vacuum once to try to help him out. They also had to keep turning him because he was facing up.

At 4:10 am on Monday, April 19, 2010 my beautiful, perfect baby boy was born. Ryker Eben was 8 lbs 3 oz, 20 1/2 inches long. This was another indescribable moment and the best in my life. The doctor put Ryker onto my stomach as soon as he came out. I was unable to speak. I just held my baby and cried while they cleaned him up. Ryan surprisingly cut the umbilical cord (which he said that he was not going to do from the beginning). When it was time for Ryker to be weighed, Ryan held him for the first time. Seeing these two people who I loved so much together for the first time was wonderful. I could never imagine going through this without Ryan. He has been in my life (one way or another) for a long time and at that moment I had a new different kind of love for him.

When my stitches were complete Ms. Renee and Sonja were able to come in to meet Ryker. Even though I was extremely exhausted I was unable to sleep. Later that day Melita, Mama, Daddy, and Aunt Nannette arrived. We also had visits from two of my friends in Augusta, Allison and Brooke as well as several phone calls and texts. Ryan's daddy, Keith, came to meet Ryker on Tuesday.

During the stay in the hospital, we kept Ryker in the room with us with the exception of a couple of hours Monday and Tuesday night and when they had to do his testing. He adjusted well to his new world. We began breastfeeding immediately and he was not allowed any other forms of food. We gave him his pacifier on Tuesday in the early morning hours.

We were released from the hospital on Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at around 11:00 am. So, our adventure is now beginning and we couldn't be more excited and nervous for what is to come. Although, we will probably make many mistakes we are ready for the challenge. Ryan has luckily been able to take 17 days off of work so that he can bound with his son and I have nothing but time with my boy until I go back to school in August.

Web Nursery!

I just discovered that Trinity Hospital has a Web Nursery. I am not sure what I have to do to have Ryker on there but I will check it out. This is the website to check out after he is born:

http://www.trinityofaugusta.com/Services/Pages/Web%20Nursery.aspx

39 weeks!

I went to the doctor today and he said that I was dialated 2 cm and 50% effaced! He also said that he would be surprised if I may it to my appointment next week which is on Tuesday. We shall see! I am super excited and can't wait to meet my little guy. Ryan had a dream last night that the doctor told him Ryker would look like Derek Jetter or Alex Rodriguez when he was older. HOT! I will keep you posted.