The Latest

Well Miss Hailey Jo certainly has been growing. In the past week she cut two teeth and learned how to clap. It's all going so fast I just feel like I'm missing something because I work so much. But that's another story for another time.

Hailey had an ear infection a few weeks back. She also had a urinary tract infection. The doctor wants her to go and have some tests done on her kidneys just as a precaution. Nothing to worry about just an ounce of precaution.

So David takes her for a re-check on her ears last Friday 10/9 and she smiles at him like she usually does and there they are! Two teeth! No fever, no bad tummy, no crying all night...just our usual good sport.

Hailey's amazing. She rolls over, she claps, she giggles, she talks (all the time), she sleeps 10 hours a night. What else can parents ask for? The doctor said that if she is clapping waving bye-bye is not too far away. It's all just flying by!

We're so lucky!!

Updated Photos

4 month check up (it was really 15 weeks and 2 days)

Hailey is now 11 pounds 9 ounces and 24 3/4 inches long. She's about 2 pounds underweight but very healthy. We're almost ready for solid foods. She sleeps like a champ! About 10-12 hours a night. She is starting to try and talk. But mostly she's a drooler.

They love Hailey at daycare and she seems to be very happy there. The environment is very loving and they take great care of her.

Life is pretty great.

Some new pictures of the Morell Family

Our little Princess!

Hailey Jo is such a great baby. She's got Daddy wrapped very tightly around her little finger.

The past week - things are going to be different

Last week I was blessed with a beautiful heathy baby. Even more than just having a baby...last week we became a family. Unfortunately we kind of had to go through a little bit of hell to get here.

Tuesday we started my labor at 6am. At 2am that night (Wednesday) after almost 20 hours of labor I finally asked for my epidural. I held off as long as I could because I heard that it could slow labor down but at that point I was sure we were getting close.

On Wednesday at 11am I had not progressed. It had been 30 hours so my doctor told me he would be performing a C section at noon.

What no one told me was that the longer you have the epidural line in the less effective it is. Let's just say I felt way too much of the C section. I'll spare you the details but at 12:23pm on Wednesday 2/25/09 Hailey Jo was born. She was 7 pounds 7 ounces and 20 inches long. Turns out that she would have been born via C section no matter what because her cord was wrapped around her neck. She wasn't in distress at all though and scored a 9 on her apgar.

Anyway...C section recovery sucked! I can't even describe the pain and I am not sure if it was worse because I didn't have all the anesthesia I was supposed to but all I have to say it that I have no idea who would want to have one of these. It was awful!My blood pressure never came down. In fact I heard probably the worst news in my life when the nurse walked in on Sunday morning (I should have been home and waking in my bed for 2 days already) and said "We think you may have had a heart attack". Okay I am 34 years old, I just had a baby, and here I am listening to someone tell me I may have had a heart attack.

I was transferred back to labor and delivery. At this point all the nurses on L&D and post pardum know me by name. I've been there for a week! I have to have a treatment to prevent seizures which also makes you feel like you've run a marathon and you have to pee every 45 minutes and the dry mouth! Anyway thank goodness for David. He stayed with me every night I was in the hospital and really helped me with Hailey.

The cardiologist put me on a couple of medications to bring down my BP and I have to start seeing him now. He said although there were a couple of hinkey things on the EKG and the cardiac enzymes it wasn't a heart attack and I just have to be really careful and start really being on top of myself. I have crappy genes!

I'm lucky...I have a new lease on life. I am thankful for all the things I have. I'm a pretty lucky girl.

Where we are now.

I went to the doctor every single day last week. Bed rest is getting to be hard work! Friday at the specialist he drew amniotic fluid so that he could determine HJ's lung maturity. If all is well then I am set to be at the hospital at 6am Tuesday for induction.

The doctor said that the induction can take up to two days so we know we're in for a long day and night at the hospital. But it's all for a good cause. At this time next week we'll be sitting at home with HJ so whatever it takes is what we'll do.

Other than that David finished painting the baby's room today. He's so proud of himself...it's really quite adorable. My bag is packed and in the car just in case we have to go in a rush. David is playing with the video camera so that he's sure he knows how to use it. Not that we're going to be taping the birth in it's entirety. Oh no! I don't think anyone wants to see that!

David also got a haircut today so he can look good for all the pictures. I mean it's not like anyone is going to notice his hair when he's passed out on the floor but it makes him feel better.

We're just really excited and we can't wait for Tuesday to get here already!

Bored!!

Okay bed rest is the most boring thing in the whole world. 13 more days until I am induced. I have to be at the hospital at 6am much to David's dismay. He hates the morning more than anyone I know.

If nothing happens between now and 2/24 (induction day) I'll just be sitting on my couch. So feel free to call or write!

Our newest news

Today we met with the OB and the perinatalogist. It seems that our daughter is getting pretty big. No problems with her getting what she needs in her temporary home. Right now the doc says she is 6 pounds 9 ounces. The doctor actually commented on how long her legs were.

Right now I am 35 weeks today. If nothing happens between now and February 20th then I will have an amniocentesis on February 20th to determine her lung maturity. Since she is measuring a week ahead and the tests have all been going so well the doctor doesn't see an issue and thinks it's most likely just a precaution.

Induction should be on February 23rd or February 24th. I really wish I had a scanner hooked up at home so I could post the 4D picture we got today of her face. It's amazing to be able to get such a good look at her! The one thing we can tell for sure is that she has my lips. Other than that we still have our fingers cross for David's nose. I think I saw his chin there in the picture too.

No, no, no, no...

I'm on bed rest. While most people would think a vacation from work would be awesome I am bored. No...I don't want to stay home all day and do nothing. I am wasting the 12 weeks I have to spend with HJ after she's born.

Is the room ready? No...David is almost finished painting. The furniture won't be delivered until after HJ is born. My parents have a beautiful cradle for her at their house that we'll use until then.

Do we have diapers and the essentials for when HJ comes home? No...but my mom promised she can have a shopping cart full in 10 minutes and I believe her. Also my baby shower is on February 8th so it's just around the corner.

Have you had any interviews with a pediatrician? No...while we did find one close to the house and with a good recommendation our work schedules do not allow time for David to come to my doctor's appointments let alone to have an interview with a pediatrician.

Pray for my sanity. Pray for David's good mood and patience to continue. Pray for my blood pressure to come back down. If it doesn't then HJ will be here in 2 weeks. Which is good and bad. Good because we can't wait to meet her but bad because we don't know if the cake has cooked enough. The doctors are confident that she'll be fine so I am going to have to trust them.

Look how big she is!!

Here's our little girl. According to the doctor she is now 4 pounds 5 ounces. We're pretty sure she has my lips and mouth and David's chin. We're hopeful that she'll have Daddy's nose.

She's already head down and so now I know it's which part of her is kicking me/punching me where.

I keep having these panic attacks that she's going to come and we won't be ready at all. Like I won't have diapers and I'll have to wrap her up in my clothes or something. I really need to get a grip.

In other news Dr. Patel has asked to see me weekly for sonograms and an NST which monitors her heartrate and contractions to see how she is handling the stress of being in her temporary home. With my blood pressure starting to get a little out of control again he needs to watch closely so he can decide when it's time for her to come. It's looking like it's going to be sooner than we thought.

February's birthstone is amethyst :)

Stay in there!

So our little bundle of joy wants to meet us so badly that she made her way down a little further than she should be. She got my blood pressure up a bit and starting waving hello from an uncomfortable spot.

We see Dr. Patel (the specialist) next week for my 8 month check up so we'll see how much longer she needs to bake in the oven before it's safe for her to come out.