No More Mr. Fussypants (we hope!!!)

If you’ve been following our blog, you know that we have been battling “Mr. Fussypants” for a couple weeks now. It has been a tough couple weeks, but we really feel like God has delivered us from this little monster. We don’t know exactly what the one true solution was; however, we have seen a remarkable turnaround over the past week. He is so much happier now! On a side note, he is now on his 5^th night of sleeping through the entire night!! Thank you Jesus!!!

As if that wasn’t big enough news, Easton has changed so much over the past two weeks. He can now see and is beginning to recognize our faces. Ryan and I love “talking” to him through our facial gestures and silly voices. It warms our hearts to hear him laugh and to see his cute little smile. I think we have fallen in love with him all over again!

Tonight Ryan thought Easton was sound asleep, so he placed him in his cradle. Twenty minutes later we snuck in to check on him and were greeted with smiles and laughter.  This cracked us up. He is turning out to be a real ham!

Mr. Fussypants

Three weeks ago Easton was diagnosed with colic. I, like many people, cringed at the idea of our sweet little boy having anything remotely associated with Colic. We discovered that a child with colic has a very immature and easily irritated digestive system. 

When an episode hits, it is heartbreaking for Ryan and I.  Easton’s entire body tightens up and he curls up into a ball. He clenches his fists, screams loudly for an extended period of time, and turns bright red, almost purple. Nothing we do seems to console him. You have to wait for it to pass. Placing him on his side, holding him close to us, and rubbing his little tummy and back seem to provide some comfort. These fits started out happening in the evenings and lasted from 5pm to near midnight on some occasions. After experiencing this for a couple days we made an appointment with his pediatrician, where we discovered that we would have to contend with “Mr. Fussypants” for about three months. (By the way, three months seems like an eternity right now!) 

After much research and talking with the doctor, we have made many adjustments. I am on a completely dairy free diet, we’ve done away with foods that naturally make adults gassy, and have found that propping him up while he sleeps helps as well. After two weeks, we have noticed some improvement. Mr. Fussypants makes his appearances usually in the early mornings now and on rare occasions in the late evening. The episodes don’t last nearly as long as they did in the beginning. The doctor prescribed a stronger anti-gas drop, which works well.

The Day Our Lives Changed Forever

As we approach our one week anniversary of Easton's birth I feel it necessary to share how one day changed our lives forever.

For those that know me well, I work best off of a regimented schedule. Wednesday, August 22 started off like any other Wednesday. Ryan and I hit the gym at 5:00am, I took a short nap and then it was time to clean. Wednesdays are my cleaning days. I don't know if it was a bit of nesting or what, but I went to town cleaning. I was a mess at the end of the day! It's not usually that intense, but I was feeling great and went with it. Ryan had told me numerous times during my pregnancy to "take it easy" and "let me take care of some of this." My hormones were speaking louder than Ryan's words.

We went to bed early that night, only to be woken up at midnight with intense back pain. This pain was unlike any back pain I had ever felt before. Ryan rubbed my back, I laid on the heating pad, I took a couple Tylenol, but didn't get any relief. I honestly thought it was because I did too much the day before. Two hours later, at 2:00am I passed my mucous plug and around 5:00 my water broke. It wasn't a gush like you see on television or in movies. I really didn't know at the time that I was leaking amniotic fluid.

I ended up dozing off on the couch for a bit. Ryan and I had breakfast and he headed out to work.

Thursdays are my grocery shopping/errand running days. Wanting to knock it out before the grocery store got crowded, I showered and headed out. There were a couple times when I thought maybe this was a bad idea, but I was hardheaded and determined to knock out the day's errands. I ran to Kroger, Publix, Target, the dry cleaners, and the shoe shop. The back pain hadn't let up, in fact it got worse with each stop. I called my friend Teresa around 9:00 and described what was going on. Thank goodness I have her in my life because she fussed at me (with good reason) and sent me home. "Lauren, you are in labor. That fluid is your amniotic fluid. Go home! Tell Ryan to come home! Go to the hospital!" was her response.

I got home around 10:00 and called the doctor. Of course I had to leave a message, so while waiting for a return call I attempted a nap. At this point I was able to recognize that the pain I was feeling also included contractions that were 6 minutes apart. Finally, the doctor called and sent me to Labor and Delivery at Trinity Hospital. Ryan rushed home and we were admitted by 11:30.

With only being dilated one centimeter, we were sent home. We were given all kinds of advice on how to speed the process up - walking, shopping, hot shower, and one bit of advice that Ryan particularly loved hearing. The nurse said that we should have a baby sometime after midnight that night.

We were so excited!! We went to Five Guys and pigged out on cheeseburgers to celebrate. We made a few other stops before heading home. As the afternoon progressed, so did my contractions. We got home around 4:00 and my contractions were 4 minutes apart. We showered, made sure we had everything packed, and tried to mentally prepare for our big night. Ryan was the official time keeper, helping me keep track of how long and often the contractions were coming. By 6:30, I had had enough. Contractions were 2-3 minutes apart and I was officially ready for my epidural! 

We got admitted to the hospital again and everything went into fast forward! When the nurses checked me, I had dilated to 5 centimeters and my contractions were 2 minutes apart, becoming more extreme. at 7:30, I had dilated to 8 centimeters. Things were moving. The nurses were shocked! The anesthesiologist had gone home for the day and had to be paged. I was certain he wouldn't make it in time. Ryan and the nurses helped me with my breathing and rubbed my back. At one point I was on all fours on the floor (talk about embarrassing). It was after 8:00 when the anesthesiologist FINALLY came and by that time I was a full 10 centimeters dilated, ready to start pushing! The doctor still wanted me to have some medication, but not the full dose, just to help with pushing. I had to sit on the edge of the bed, through intense contractions as he injected the medicine in my back. I was told not to move, which wasn't easy to do. Before the medicine could take effect, I was told to start pushing.

Ryan held one leg and the nurse held the other. The doctor arrived (not mine, the one on call) and it was all business for the next 30 minutes.

At 9:15pm, Easton James Kilbreth made his BIG entrance into the world, weighing in at a whopping 8 lbs 15 ounces! The diameter of his head was 13 1/2 centimeters! He was a product of all that Greek yogurt I pigged out on during pregnancy!

Ryan and I were both instant cry babies and couldn't hold in our emotions. Before they washed Easton off we were given a few minutes of cuddle time. This was amazing!

Trinity Hospital is known for their family-focused childbirth unit, so Easton was washed up right there in the room.  Ryan went crazy snapping pictures. We were FINALLY parents!! As soon as Easton was cleaned up, he was swaddled and the snuggling began. We couldn't take our hands off of him!!

I instantly fell more in love with Ryan during all of this as well. Ryan and I have always had an intense connection, and having Easton made us that much closer. I am truly blessed to be married to such an amazing and supportive husband. He is gift from God. 

Overall, this pregnancy was super easy and the delivery was extremely short. There is no doubt that this was the Lord's plan. He wanted us to be parents, and not just any child's parents, Easton's parents. All the glory goes to Him!

Easton's Nursery

Here are some pictures of Easton's nursery. It is finally finished!! All it needs now is a little boy to take up residence!!
  


Easton's Crib and Dresser










Easton's Glider

 The Changing Table

Easton's TV, chalkboard, and bookshelf. I love the Dr. Seuss quote (I guess that is the teacher in my coming out!)

The Waiting Game

As we near Easton’s due date Ryan and I are both anxious and very eager to meet our little boy. In many ways it feels like this pregnancy has flown by, however this last month has not! I feel like the month of August is twice as long! Like my mother would say, “All good things come to those that are patient.” Ugh! Why did God not give me the gift of a patient heart?!

On the positive side, being pregnant has been such a blessing. To be honest, I have had no true complaints. I was only nauseous for the first trimester, and never got sick. The second trimester was perfect (I’m thinking that it is for most women.). I looked pregnant and could still wear the majority of my regular clothes, with a belly band. The third trimester got a little hot and uncomfortable, but I was lucky enough to go through this during the summer and not have to go to work. I wonder if our next pregnancy will be just as easy. I sure hope so!

The nursery is all set up. Our bags are all packed. Arrangements for the doggies have been made. Now we just wait and wait some more. I actually don’t blame Easton for wanting to stay in my tummy. He’s in a climate controlled environment, gets fed yummy food several times a day, and has my undivided attention most of the time. He’s got it made!

Our due date is Sunday, August 26^th. We meet with the doctor on Monday, August 27^th for an ultrasound. This should tell us how big he really is and what our options are. Please pray that the Lord guides the doctors and nurses as we prepare for this huge event. Hopefully, this will be my last post as a pregnant girl!! :)

Preparing for Our Little Man

Ryan and I have spent the entire summer preparing for our little Easton’s arrival. We have made repairs to the house, gotten maintenance checks on both cars, cleaned like crazy, and have frozen 23 meals. I’d say we are ahead of schedule, if there is such a thing.

It’s hard to believe that in less than a month we will take on a new role in this life; the role of mommy and daddy.  I think the reality of it set in when we placed the car seats in both vehicles. It was an extremely hot Saturday afternoon, we had sweat dripping everywhere, when Ryan and I both looked at each other with silly smiles and realized that this was for real. Before long we will become the three musketeers.

Let the final countdown begin!!!

Sleepy Mommy-to-Be

I feel so incredibly blessed that I have had such an easy pregnancy. Other than the typical exhaustion and being uncomfortable, I have absolutely no complaints. The exhaustion has really set in here at the last little bit of the third trimester. This has been a little difficult for me to accept. Typically, I am an on the go girl, rarely stopping for a break. Boy, pregnancy can really put you in your place. I suppose this is my body's way of preparing me for all the sleep I won't be getting when he comes. Too bad I can't bank these napping hours. I have a feeling I will really be needing them soon.


Easton's nursery is 95% complete and is anxiously awaiting a little boy to take up residence. I will post pics when we are completely finished.

I'm Going to be a Stay at Home Mommy!!!

Ryan and I have decided that it would be best for our little family if I stayed home with Easton. The idea of someone else raising our child is quite disturbing to us. I've worked in child care facilities, both the low end and high end, and what I have witnessed is the exact opposite of what I want our baby to be exposed to.

I feel so incredibly blessed that Ryan will be able to financially support us as we make this transition. He is such a wonderful provider and will be an amazing father.

Time to Register!!!

We finally decided to dive in and create a baby register last night. We did our research beforehand, looking at reviews and made a couple lists. I even chatted with some of my "Mommy" girlfriends to ensure we included every item that would be needed. After a romantic dinner and movie, Ryan and I headed for Target. We thought this would be a quick task and that we could run over to Babys R Us to complete the second and last registry. We armed ourselves with a scanner and our lists and hit the ground running. We were about 30 minutes into the process and realized that we had only gone down two aisles. Seriously?! I kept checking off items on the lists as he scanned. We completed the task in a little over two hours. Exhausted, we pulled away from Target and didn't even consider Babys R Us. We both decided that we would leave that for next weekend. Ryan and I have come to two conclusions. The first is we have a LOT to learn. The second is having a baby is definitely not CHEAP!!

It's a Boy!!

We went in for our 21-week ultrasound and found out that we will have a little boy in August. Ryan wore his blue shirt and was relieved to discover that our little one would be more interested in footballs and baseballs vs. Barbies and tea parties. We thoroughly enjoyed watching our little man twist and turn on the screen. By the way, Coke does the trick.  We had a Coke (I haven't had caffeine since we found out we were pregnant.) before going in to the doctor's office, and it enabled them to see so much. It was really neat to see him move and then actually feel him as well. Everything looked really good. There was one small concern about his kidneys. They appeared dilated on the screen. The doctor didn't seem all that worried, but wants to check again in four weeks. He said this sometimes happens when the picture is taken at the wrong angle. Either way, we are praying that all is well. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers as well.

We have named our little one Easton James Kilbreth. This was actually the first boy name that Ryan and I both agreed on. We feel like it is a strong, unique name, perfect for our little boy. 

 

 Here are a few pictures of Easton at 21 weeks. Perhaps you will fall in love with him, just as we have!

Did You Feel That?

Baby K must really enjoy being at the beach. This little one has been quite active in the womb this week. Some of his/her little kicks have been strong enough for Ryan to feel. The kicks and pokes come mainly when I am resting, but they arrive daily and are much anticipated. Sometimes I send a little poke back to the baby and he/she responds. My favorite part of the day is when I am resting in bed, reading a book, and I feel those little rhythmic pokes.

A Little Kick

People have always said that feeling your baby kick for the first time is such a memorable and unique experience. I now understand what all of the hype is about. Today I was blessed with a little nudge from Baby K. I was sitting at my desk at school when I felt two little nudges. I quickly placed my hands on my ever-growing belly and anxiously awaited another kick. Seconds later the fire alarm sounded (only a drill) and I had to rush out of the building with my kiddos. I wonder what the baby thought of all of that noise! I just hope he/she won't think that this is my response to feeling those little pokes.

What a truly amazing feeling this was. I look forward to the next little nudge and to the day when Ryan can feel it as well. I do know there will come a day when I will want the nudging to stop, but for now I anxiously await the next little poke.

Baby K will NOT be a Gamecock!!

On February 24, during one of routine doctor appointments, we had the opportunity to hear Baby K's heartbeat using a heart rate fetal monitor. The doctor told us that there was a chance that we wouldn't be able to hear the heartbeat, because at the time I was only 13 weeks along. As soon as he placed the monitor on my belly we heard a strong heartbeat from our little one. Our doctor, a graduate from the University of South Carolina, stated, "That must be a little Gamecock in there!" As soon as he made this announcement, Baby K moved away from the monitor. It was hilarious. When all of the "Gamecock Talk" ended, the heartbeat returned. Thank heavens that our little Tiger already knows what he/she stands for.

Our First Ultrasound - January 23, 2012

Baby K at 9 weeks 4 days

Our first ultrasound was one of the sweetest moments of my life. Getting to see our little one swimming around on the screen brought tears to our eyes and tons of joys to our heart. This is the moment that our pregnancy became "real." Ryan and I didn't want to walk away from the screen. Baby K's heart was beating at a strong 176 bpm. The little arm and leg buds weren't very well-developed, but flapped away. We had the nurse make multiple copies of the pictures, so that we could send them to both sets of grandparents and one great grandmother. This was such a sweet moment that makes us yearn for the next one......all the way in April!!!

Baby K - The Beginning of Our Little Family

Dearest Baby K,
The day that we discovered that we were pregnant with you is a day that your daddy and I will remember forever. Some would say you were a "surprise", but for us you were an answer to years of prayer. It was only five months prior to this day, after rounds of testing, that our fertility specialist said that it would take extensive fertility treatments to get pregnant. Even with the treatments, there was no guarantee that any of his methods would work. Frustrated and saddened, we decided that we would not continue with this doctor. It was at this time that we really learned to trust God and hand over the desires of heart completely to Him. We really and truly believed that if it were God's will for us to be parents, that it would happen in His time. We prayed for you everyday. There were days when we completely lost faith and felt you would never come to us. Thank goodness that the Lord had other plans.

It was two days after Christmas that we learned that you had taken up residence in my belly. We had to take six home pregnancy tests just to be sure. We were elated! Our doctor's office was closed for Christmas, so we had to go to a walk-in clinic for a blood test. Three days later that test came back to confirm that we were going to be parents. You made our Christmas! You were the best present!

Because we were bursting with excitement we called your grandparents in Florida to share the news. There were some happy tears and hollers, all exclaiming how happy everyone was. We didn't tell your grandparents in South Carolina until we arrived for New Year's. Rock, our Pit Bull pup, delivered the news. He wore a t-shirt that said, "I am going to be a big brother!" We thought this would be a creative way to share our very exciting news.

Our lives forever changed that Tuesday, December 27th. We had been given the best gift; the gift of a family. We can't wait to meet you and share this story in person.

We love you so much!
Love,
Mommy and Daddy