Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Baby Colt - Week 1

We stayed in the hospital for three days after the birth of Colt.  We had lots of visitors and sweet gifts to welcome him to the world.  Mom (Lou Lou) stayed with us during the days, which was a tremendous help.  I got up and walked the halls as soon as I could to help speed my recovery along.  I was thrilled when I could eat normal food again!  Even ice water tasted like a gourmet meal after not eating for almost 24 hours!  Colt did pretty well as far as sleeping and eating, but he refused to eat for one 10-hour span which resulted in some significant weight loss before we went home on Friday.  Because of that, he was borderline jaundiced and needed to gain some weight back, so we were instructed to supplement his breastfeeding with formula. 

Friday afternoon, we got to go home.  The car ride was a bit miserable for me because of all the jostling around, but Colt seemed to enjoy it very much!

I napped most of the rest of the day.  Colt's Grandma and Grandpa came over with dinner that evening, and everyone enjoyed holding the new baby.  The first night home was a relatively uneventful one....Colt slept and ate very well and Mommy and Daddy got a decent amount of rest.

Lou Lou got to stay with us until Sunday.  Then she had to go home.  Having her around allowed Jason to get some housework and errands done, and it allowed me to get some much needed rest without having to tend to Colt between feedings for a few hours of napping.  Lou Lou also ran some errands to pick up some supplies we didn't expect to need (due to my surgery).

Saturday, some dear friends of ours, Patrice and Jason, brought us dinner.  We were very thankful for the food and time to visit since we had not seen them in quite some time. 


Colt with Patrice
 Saturday night, however, Colt DID NOT want to sleep.  He was fussy most of the night, not settling down until around 4 am.  We prayed that this trend would quickly stop.

Sunday, Aunt Dee Dee brought dinner and came to hold Colt.  She brought him his first Christmas ornament for the tree - a star-shaped horse (colt).  Dinner was delicious and it is always a blessing to be around Dee Dee.  Sunday he slept very well, but still had a bit of a fussy period from 1 to 3 am. 

Monday, we had an appointment with the pediatrician to check on the jaundice situation and on Colt's weight gain.  Thankfully, he had gained 11 ounces since Friday's check!  (He had lost 13).  We could stop using formula and keep him strictly on breastmilk.  Yay!  Everything else at his appointment checked out great too.  We were very thankful.  We could not believe that he was already one week old!

The Birth Day

If you don't care about the details of the birth of our son, you can skip this post and move on to the next.  I promise not include any gory details or descriptions. :-)

Early EARLY on September 7, we all (Mom, Jason and I) woke up.  I showered using the nasty-smelling antiseptic soap according to the doctors' orders; we all thought it was pretty silly that I had to wash as if prepping for surgery....after all what were the chances of that?  I was 41 1/2 weeks along in my pregnancy.  Surely this baby would be born after being induced!


Getting ready to leave for the hospital

We left the house at 4:15 am.  After a quick run by Whataburger for Mom and Jason (I hadn't eaten anything since midnight and wouldn't eat again until after Colt entered the world), we arrived at the hospital.  We followed the directions and had Jason drop us off at the emergency room doors (all other doors are locked at that hour), and a nice security officer drove us to labor and delivery in his golf cart because the doors were apparently unlocked for several of us coming in to be induced that morning.

Nervously, we took the elevator upstairs to the second floor.  We called the nurses' station and told them we were checking in.  "We will be right with you," was the reply.  So we waited.

And waited.  We met a few other patients who were waiting too.  One went in before us.  One was waiting to see if she could take her baby home that day. 

And we waited.  Another couple came in who had been sent over by their doctor.  Labor was well under way. 

And we waited.  Around 7:15, they came and brought us back to our L & D room.  We were told that there had been an emergency, and that is why we had to wait.  We were relieved to hear everything turned out okay with that situation.

As soon as I got changed into the glamorous hospital gown, I hopped (ok, so that is an exaggeration) into bed and they got everything hooked up - IV, pitocin drip, fluid bag (so I could get that glorious epidural later), lab work, and fetal monitor.  And we were on our way!

Or so we thought....several hours later after what I know were contractions (but didn't feel worse than cramps), my nurse informed me that I wasn't making any progress at all.  In fact, I hadn't made any progress EVER over the past several weeks.  I was told to lie on my side because Colt's heart rate was decelerating slightly with the minor contractions I was having, and they didn't need him to be in distress before labor actually started.

It was around 11 am, and Jason was hungry.  Since we were obviously HOURS away from having a baby, we sent him off to get some lunch.  Several people had arrived at the hospital for the waiting game by this point - my mother-in-law, a few of Jason's aunts, and a few friends.  They came in to wish me luck and say hello.

My doctor was the next visitor I had.  He attempted to break my water to get labor moving.  Unfortunately, my water was too high and he could not break it.  At that point, he informed my mom and me that if he had arrived earlier in the day, he would have sent us home and scheduled the induction for later in the week.  However, since we had already been there for so long and because Colt's heart rate was decelerating, he decided that a c-section was the best option for both of us.  He looked at the books and his schedule, and an operating room was set aside for me at 2:00 pm.  We gave everyone the update in the waiting room and via text message....and I sent Jason a message to get back as soon as he could.

Jason got back around noon, and we told him all that had transpired while he was gone.  They increased the amount of fluid I was getting to prepare me for surgery.  They brought Jason some very cute blue sterile scrubs to wear.  Dee Dee, our sweet friend came in and prayed with us before we went off to surgery. 


Jason, right before I was brought into surgery

At 2:00, Mom gathered all of our bags and other belongings.  My nurse disconnected the fetal monitor and helped me out of bed.  Jason was dressed in his outfit and he followed the nurse and I down the hall.  I opted to walk to the operating room because I didn't know when the next time I would walk would be. 

The operating room was FREEZING!  I had been infused with so much fluid, it made the temperature even more noticable.  I was shaking so terribly, I wondered if even the spinal block would keep me still.  My nurse and anesthesiologist prepped me and gave me the spinal block.  I was very nervous about it, and I swear I could still feel my toes (a slight moment of panic and freaking out ensued at that point).  As soon as the medication was administered I was lowered onto the table.  I was told to keep my arms still or they would tie me down.  I focused on keeping perfectly still.  I could hear the doctors talking, beginning their dictation about the procedure.  According to them, it was 2:28 pm.  I heard them call for "the husband" and soon Jason was by my side holding my hand. 

The next several minutes I focused on keeping my arms still.  My anesthesiologist talked me through the entire process, but I don't remember much.  Then I heard a wail.  A good strong cry.  A very angry cry.  And I knew that our son had been born.  I looked at Jason and I think I smiled, but I can't be sure if that is actually what happened.  The doctor told Jason he could go with Colt to his exam on the other side of the room, and I told him to go.  I was fine....and I had to focus on not moving my arms.

I strained my ears listening to the sounds of a sweet baby crying.  Meanwhile, the doctors finished with me.  For a brief few seconds, a beautifully swaddled pink baby was placed in front of me, and then he and his daddy left the room to go to the nursery.  I was left on the table, tired and happy, but still a little weirded out that I couldn't feel my legs (thankfully). 



After the surgery, I was wheeled to recovery for the next few hours.  I couldn't move or feel my legs at all throughout recovery.  The nurses taught me how to use the morphine pump.  I kept myself sane by watching my blood pressure statistics on the monitor above my head (though, it dropped drastically and I had to get some epinephrine to keep me stable); I was aware of it the whole time, so it couldn't have been too terrible.  And no warning alarms were set off, so that was a relief.  Also, I was glad that directly across from my bed was a huge clock on the wall.  I have never been so thankful for my LASIK surgery as I was that day.  Without it I would have had no sense of the passage of time.  I did sleep some, mostly in 3-5 minute spurts that felt like 12-13 hours of good rest.  I was so cold.  I had so many blankets draped on me and wrapped around me.  I even had one rolled up around my head like a hood.  Mom had told me that the best part of having a baby (besides the baby) was the warm blanket they give you afterwards.  I totally agree with her!

My first time to hold Colt - I was still a bit groggy....


With Daddy

After about 2 1/2 hours, I was taken to my post partum room.  Mom and Jason were there.  Colt joined us shortly after that, and for the first time I got to hold my precious miracle.  I got to hear all about his statistics and about his visit to the nursery.
 

Colt Daniel McCullough was born Tuesday, September 7, 2010 at 2:34 pm.  He weighed 8 lbs. 0 oz. and was 20 inches long. 





Uncle Micah


Grandma and PaPa


Aunt Misty


Granna

I love my sweet little boy!

Monday, September 6, 2010

The Next Step in the Adventure

In approximately 9 hours we will be checking in to the hospital to be induced, and soon (hopefully) after that we will be holding our sweet son!

I can't thank everyone in our lives enough for all of their prayers and support over the past months, and the past few weeks especially!

The weekend of Colt's due date (August 27-29) we were blessed to have Veronica's family (at least most of them) come to visit.  Liesl and Andy, Jon and Allison, Donnie and Sarah, and MaryLou all came down. MaryLou is still here and will be until this coming weekend, thank goodness.  We had all hoped Colt would make his appearance with the family present, but we had no such luck.  Now everyone is trying to rearrange schedules to come meet Colt as soon as they can.

Tomorrow our lives will change forever, but we could not be more excited about it!  Hopefully we will all be able to settle our minds down and rest tonight, but I doubt it will be a restful short night!  Say a pray for us for a healthy labor/delivery and a healthy baby boy!

Sunday, August 22, 2010

The Beginning of a Grand Adventure

As we prepare to welcome our son into the world, I have decided to take up blogging for a number of reasons.  We desire an easy way for family and friends (especially those far away from Houston) to keep up with us more easily.  We (well, Veronica) want a project to keep us busy (though I know my hands will be quite full when the baby gets here!).  We want to share our memories and life's little excitements with those we love.  And we hope to bring a few smiles along the way.

A brief history of us...

Jason and I met in March 2007 when I was still living and working south of Houston.  We love telling our story because it is a true demonstration of God's perfect timing.  Both Jason and I had previously been engaged but had not gone through with the weddings.  Though we had both been hurt in the past, we still desired to find the "perfect" one in our lives.  Thanks to some persuasive friends, we both joined eHarmony.com.  I had made a promise to myself that I would never try any online dating, but with my job, geographical location, and social circles, I knew I wasn't going to find my future husband.  Jason felt the same way.  (So, yes, we are shameless supporters of eHarmony).  "Love at first sight" doesn't even quite describe what we discovered in each other.  It was more like "love at first sight of an online profile."  Reading through pages and pages of emails and questions/answers, I discovered my true soulmate.  By the time we met in person, we had both decided in our own minds that this was IT.  Our dating relationship was short and filled with meeting friends and family until he asked me to marry him May 12, 2007.



We had a beautiful wedding September 8, 2007 in Humble, where we now live.  In fact, our reception was at the country club in the neighborhood where we now live (and his parents live, too).  I started teaching at a new school in 2007, and Jason continued his job in oil-field services.  Together, we started our new life as husband and wife, enjoying every second of it.

Our first dance
For that time, our family consisted of us and our three "children" with four legs and tails - Leddoux, Cooper and Baylor.  We love our dogs, and always will, but we will never ever have three at one time again!  Jason had the two bigger dogs and I had the little beagle before we were married.  Thankfully, our children took to each other very well.  Baylor and Cooper are inseparable!  You would think they were from the same litter and raised from birth together.  Even to this day, they follow each other from room to room.  When one goes out for a walk, the other waits expectantly at the door.  Leddoux, who is older, bigger and stronger, stays outside and doesn't get to socialize with the other two.  Don't feel too badly for him, though!  He has a playmate in Syrus (Jason's parents' dog) who he visits just about every single day while Jason is at work.

Leddoux
Baylor and Cooper
In 2008 we decided it was time to get a bigger home (though we loved our little cozy townhome).  Though plans for a family were not immediately before us, we knew we were headed in that direction.  We found a lot and built a house.  After a wonderful trip (with students of mine in tow) to Italy and France, we moved in to our new house in the summer of 2008.  Before we could even finish unpacking all of our boxes, however, we, and the rest of the Houston/Galveston area, were visited by Hurricane Ike at the beginning of September.  Thankfully, our new home was not damaged at all by the storm or the rains.  We lost a few tree limbs and were without electricity for 17 days (not fun in hot, hot, hot Texas!), but we thanked God every day that we did not suffer any major damage.  Christmas brought a special treat -  a Quick family trip to Disney World.

The Colosseum - 2008
Our neighbor's yard the morning after Ike
Our house decorated for Christmas
Family photo with Cinderella - Christmas 2008
In 2009, I continued teaching and Jason took on a management position with his job.  The summer of 2009 brought about another fabulous trip to Europe - this time to Italy and Greece.  Jason will tell you that his favorite place he has visited in Europe is Mykonos, Greece.  I hope that someday we will get to go back to the island together and spend some time there.  The fall of 2009 started what I knew in my heart would be my last year teaching.  Jason and I had discussed starting a family, and we both felt it best that I be a stay-at-home-mom.  How blessed I am to have a husband who supports me in my "dream job!"

Mykonos, Greece - 2009
I guess the real changes started at the end of 2009 with the marriage of my sister Liesl to Andy.  The entire Quick family feels incredibly blessed that Liesl found such an amazing husband.  They live in Lubbock where they both attend school.  We learned from Jon (Quick child #3) that he had met the girl of his dreams, Allison, and planned on asking for her hand in marriage.  A few days after that, my parents learned that Daniel (Quick child #4) was finishing up his deployment in Iraq earlier than expected and was due home in January 2010.

Liesl and Andy's wedding - December 2009
When we arrived home from the December wedding festivities, a few days before Christmas, Jason and I found out that we were pregnant!  Announcing to the family that a new arrival was coming was so much fun.  We surprised Jason's parents with bibs for Christmas that said "I love my Grandma" and "I love my Grandpa" on them.  All four grandparents are so excited to welcome a new grandson to the family!

Grandpa David and Grandma Brenda get the news a new grand-baby is on the way!  Merry Christmas!
I am not sure how my parents managed to not have heart attacks with all of that news!  As expected, 2010 has turned out to be a fantastic year so far.  Daniel safely made it home and is living in Lubbock with my parents.  Jon did ask Allison to marry him in the spring, and they will be married New Year's Day 2011.  We all (Mom, Dad, me, Jason, Andy, Liesl, Jon, Allison, Daniel, Donnie, and his girlfriend Sarah) got to spend Easter in Lubbock.  During the weekend, we were blessed to have an ultrasound so everyone could see Colt.  Allison graduated from Texas A&M in May and Jon will graduate soon.  Both will be working in Tyler this fall.  Donnie is still at Texas A&M and loving every second of it.

"Quick" family - Easter 2010 (preparing for the egg hunt)
At the beginning of June, I closed the teaching chapter in my life for the time being.  I will greatly miss my students and co-workers, but I know that staying home is the best choice for us right now.  This summer has been full of baby showers, doctor appointments, and preparing for a sweet baby boy.  We get to spend lots of time with Jason's family because they all live nearby.  I have been so blessed with amazing in-laws.  Brenda and David are wonderful!  I have a fantastic brother-in-law and sister-in-law, too, and two awesome nephews - Nick and Will.  We are very excited about getting watch Will play football this year!  Go Saints!!!

The McCullough Family Christmas 2009
My family has come down to visit us all summer long.  We have gotten to spend lots of quality time with close friends.  We have also spent time getting to know Allison better, and we love her more each time we see her.  We couldn't be happier for the upcoming wedding!

July 2010
Colt Daniel McCullough is due to arrive any day now.  The official due date is August 29, but we aren't sure when he will exactly make his debut.  Jason and I both very excited about our growing family, though we are handling it in different ways.  Of course there are some similarities in the way we have prepared ourselves.  We both pitched in making the nursery what it is (and we LOVE it).  We both feel incredibly blessed by the outpouring of love, support, prayers and gifts from our friends and family.  We both have been reading pregnancy/child development books avidly.  However, I have taken on many "artsy" projects this summer, including quilting, painting, and experimenting in the kitchen (yes, I am very excited to be a stay-at-home-mom and housewife!).  I have organized several unimportant areas in the house, but I admit I feel an overwhelming sense of accomplishment with each shelf or cabinet completed.  I have enjoyed countless hours of sitting in the nursery rocker thinking about Colt.  Jason, on the other hand, has been in more of the nesting "frenzy" as far as cleaning is concerned.  Just this weekend, he decided to scrub all the baseboards.  Neither of us (thankfully) feel stressed or anxious about the arrival of a newborn, but we know that our lives are about to be forever changed.  Please pray for us to get enough sleep PRIOR to his arrival.  Jason is having a hard time staying asleep at night, and I just flat out can't get comfortable these days.

Colt's nursery - ready for a baby!


Soon we will be posting pictures about our new baby boy!  Until then, God bless!