Lennox 1 Month Old

It is so hard to believe that you are a month old little one! Everyone says they grow up fast, and they really really do!  Our first month has been a little more eventful than we would have liked.  We came home from the hospital on Monday, August 13^th.  You were able to meet Bindi!  She wasn’t so sure of you, but I know before too long y’all will be best friends!

It was great having MeMe and G-pa staying with us as we adjusted to caring for you!  I really think we would have been scared to death caring for you on our own!

We had your first doctor’s appointment on Thursday, August 21^st.  We really liked your pediatrician.  At your appointment your weight was 6 pounds 11 ounces and you had grown half an inch making your height 21.5 inches.  You did so good riding in the car to and from the doctor!  Here are pictures from your appointment...

 

 

 

The weekend after coming home from the hospital you were able to meet your Great Nana, Uncle Reid and Aunt Lisa.  It was so great to spend time with them and introduce them to you.  They were all absolutely crazy about you! 

 

 

 

On Saturday, August 18^th, you had your newborn pictures taken at our house!  They turned out pretty cute!  This one was our absolute favorite, but there were many other cute ones.

On Sunday, August 19^th, Meme and G-pa had to head back to Texas.  It was so hard telling them goodbye!  Before they left you and your buddy G-pa took pictures with your matching hats!

 

Sunday night was mine and Barrett’s first night alone with you.  Mommy woke up the next day not feeling well.  You were such a good baby sleeping while Mommy didn’t feel good.  You traveled with us to the doctor that day and then rode with Daddy to pick Meme up from the airport.  She flew back in to help Mommy since she wasn’t feeling well.  Later that night we ended up in the ER because Mommy was so sick.  You were such a great baby through everything! 

 



Mommy started feeling better the next day and having Meme with us really helped.  Meme stayed another week with us. 

You took your first long road trip to Texas when you were only a little over 2 weeks old!  We rode with Meme back to Texas on Tuesday, August 28^th. 

Daddy was sad that we were leaving him for a few days, but he wanted you to be able to meet family and friends in Texas.  You did such a good job riding in the car.  We had to stop several times during the drive to change you and so you could eat.  You were able to meet more of our family and friends in Texas during our visit.  Some of the people you met were: Great Granny and Papa, Great Aunt Vickie and Uncle Jimmy, Connie, Raven, your cousin Rhonda, Coach C, and finally your Uncle Rylie.  Uncle Rylie was in Texas for the Alabama Michigan game that was played in Dallas.  We were so happy you were able to meet him!

Great Granny & Papa

Great Aunt Vickie & Uncle Jimmy

Connie

Uncle Rylie

Raven

Coach C

Rhonda

 

We headed back to Tennessee with Meme and G-pa on Sunday September 2^nd.  Your Daddy was SO HAPPY to see you and missed you so much while we were gone.  Meme and G-pa left on Monday (Labor Day) and we were able to spend the day with Daddy after he finished at football practice!

    After Meme and G-pa left we were able to finally get use to being at home together while Daddy was at work.  We miss him so much during the day, but you love sitting with him when he comes home from work.  You especially like tummy time on Daddy and listening to Zac Brown Band music. 

 

We can’t believe how fast time is flying with you!  We already can’t imagine our lives without you and cannot wait to watch you grow!  It has been a busy but exciting first month for you little guy!

1 MONTH STATS

Weight: We really aren’t sure about your weight, but maybe 8 pounds.

Length: Around 21.5 inches (we will have to wait until your 2 month appointment for your official length)

Eating: nursing exclusively roughly every 3 hours.  Mommy had been waking you up every 3 hours even at night until you were 3 weeks old.  Now you usually eat around 9:30pm and can sleep until 2 or 3am before eating again.  The rest of the day you eat every 2.5-3 hours.  You haven’t had a problem at all with an appetite but sometimes can be a challenge when it comes to nursing. 

Bedtime: Usually between 10-11pm

Awake: usually awake for the day around 9am, but you usually wake up around 6:30am for a morning feeding then go back to sleep. 

Naps: You usually take a 30 minute to 1 hour nap between each feeding.  Some days you will sleep on mommy’s chest just fine and then when I put you down you only sleep 5 more minutes!  Mommy has to do her chores quickly before you get upset and want to be held.   

Diapers: Newborn

Clothes: Newborn and some smaller 0-3 month.

Favorites: You love your pacifier, the mobile in your crib and pack and play, music – especially Zac Brown Band, Elton John, and Elvis.

Latest Tricks: You have been holding your head up since the day you were born, but you continue to get better “head control”.  You are such a strong little one.  It won’t be long and you will be rolling over.  It has been amazing to watch you figure out how to kick your legs and move your arms.  You have become quite the wiggle worm.  Sometimes it looks like you have figured out how to put your pacifier back in your mouth when it starts slipping out.

Coming Home From the Hospital

 

 

We came home from the hospital with our little man on Monday, August 13th.  It was fun dressing Lennox in his going home outfit and getting all packed up to head home.  The feelings were bitter sweet.  As crazy as it sounds, the hospital made me feel like we were living in a bubble and our little guy was protected.  Soon we would be taking him out into the big world!  Again, I was so happy that Mom and Dad were staying with us so I could get use to caring for a baby!

 

Here's a picture of me just looking at our little miracle!

Love this picture of Dad and Barrett trying to figure out the car seat!

 





 

All ready to go home!  Look at how tiny he is in that car seat!

 



Getting escorted out of the hospital!

 



 

Once we were home it was time for Bindi to meet Lennox.  The introduction went ok...I really don't think Bindi knew what was going on!

I think she was just happy that we were finally home!

 



 

It was so surreal bringing home our baby!  We are so beyond blessed and excited to begin the journey of parenthood with this precious little one!

Pictures at the Hospital

A professional photo group visited us in the hospital the day before we left.  Lennox didn't cooperate as much as we would have liked, but we were able to get a few good shots of him and us!

Lennox's Birth Story

Lennox’s Birth Story

**Disclaimer – I tried to not be too graphic in the blog post, but I am also writing this post to be able to remember the details of Lennox’s birth.  I hope you will enjoy the glimpse into the miracle of Lennox entering the world.  It was very evident throughout his labor and delivery journey that God has his hand in every detail and all worked according to His perfect plan.  
 

I was wheeled over to labor and delivery and was checking in at the front desk at 9 am. While I was checking in Barrett was calling my dad making sure he had gotten everything we needed from the house.  He told my dad he was “sweating bullets” and hoped he remembered how to get to the hospital!  Here is a picture of my checking in at labor and delivery!  

 

After getting checked in, my nurse for the day, Pam, came to get me and take me back to my labor and delivery room.  Mom and Dad waited in the lobby while they got me situated.  As soon as we made it to the room I changed into a hospital gown and they began hooking me up to a fetal monitor, a heart monitor for me, a contraction monitor, and an IV.  I had to answer a ton of questions about my medical history and pregnancy. 

The first step of the induction process was for me to receive ½ a bag of fluid before they would start the pitocin.  Pam also checked me and told me she thought I had dilated to between a 3-4.  Again, I was pretty excited that my body was moving to the labor process mostly on its own.  Once they started me on the fluids Mom and Dad came to the room and Barrett arrived shortly after. Shortly after Barrett arrived they started me on the pitocin.  I appreciated that they started me at a low level with the progression to “bump it up a little more” every 30 minutes.
   

The next part of the birth story was the waiting game.  I really liked the labor and delivery room because it was nice and spacious.  There was plenty of room for me, Barrett, Mom and Dad.  I continued to have contractions pretty regularly, but I wasn’t too uncomfortable.  Pam had told me at the beginning of the process that I could receive my epidural at any time.  She told me to allow 30 minutes for the anesthesiologist to make it to my room, so her advice was not to wait until I was in terrible pain.  I knew I wasn’t against getting the epidural, but I did want to wait as long as I could before getting it.  Pam continued to come in my room regularly and see how close my contractions were and check vitals, ect.  One of the things I enjoyed about this part of the labor process was being able to hear Lennox’s heart rate the entire time!  Dad was hysterical sitting by the bed monitoring my contractions.  He would tell me if they were “good ones”.  See him in action…

Here are some pictures of us while we were waiting…
 

 

At 12:50pm I was still doing really well with handling the contractions.  I could tell when they were strong, but I wasn’t to the point to ask for the epidural.  The doctor who had sent me to labor and delivery from my OBGYNs office came to see me.  He told me he was going to go ahead and break my water to try and move things along.  He went ahead and checked me first and I was dilated to a 4, 79% effaced and the Lennox’s position was a -1.  He then broke my water.  I kept waiting to feel a “gush” or a “trickle” but nothing ended up happening.  He told the nurse that sometimes after he breaks the water it takes a bit to come out.  He told the nurse to monitor and report when the fluid began leaking.  I kept having contractions and they were getting a little more intense, but again, I was proud of myself for managing them!  
 

At 1:45pm I was able to meet the anesthesiologist.  He came in to talk to me about pain management options and discuss the epidural.  I hadn’t asked for the epidural yet, but he had to give his normal “spill”.   My contractions were definitely picking up and were starting to dread the next one.  I had decided on my own that once I started really dreading the contractions that I would ask for the epidural (keeping in mind that it would be 30 minutes after asking that I would get it).  I was still torn about when to get the epidural so my nurse and I told the anesthesiologist that we were going to take everything in 15 minute increments.  We told the anesthesiologist to check back in the room in 15 minutes.

At 1:55pm the on call doctor from my OBGYN’s office came to visit me.  I was really excited to meet her because I had heard so many positive things about her!  I felt a sense of relief knowing that she would be the one delivering Lennox and I immediately felt comfortable with her.  As soon as she entered the room I looked at my nurse and the doctor and told them that I thought my fluid was leaking from having my water broken.  While the doctor was introducing herself to me and visiting I told her again that I thought I was really leaking the fluid.  She explained she was going to check me and insert an internal monitor to check on Lennox.  When she went to check me she said I was between a 4 and 5 and that I wasn’t leaking fluid but blood.  She mentioned that the bleeding could be from a “cervical change” due to the labor process picking up.  I really wasn’t concerned at this point, but I continued to feel leaking even as she inserted the monitor.  After she inserted the monitor she left the room.  

This is where things started getting REALLY crazy…
 

As soon as the doctor left the room we lost Lennox’s heart rate.  Pam, my nurse immediately started putting the outside fetal monitor all over my belly trying to find his heart rate.  Then she told me to quickly flip on my right side.  The entire time this was going on I continued to feel fluid leaking between my legs.  I flipped on my right side and Pam told my mom to use the call button and ask for another nurse.  Then Pam told me to flip on my left side.  When I flipped to my left side Pam told me she was so glad that I hadn’t gotten the epidural yet otherwise they would not have been able to have me move and flip to try and find the heart rate.  When the other nurse came in the room she hooked me up to oxygen.  While I was on my left side I caught a glimpse of the pad under me and it was VERY full of blood.  At this point my back was turned to Barrett and I knew he was probably getting a glimpse of the blood and I worried how he was taking it.  I could tell he and my mom were really worried and there was a lot of talking and scurrying in the room, but all I could focus on was keeping myself calm and trying to listen for Lennox’s heart rate.  I really can’t explain the peace and calmness I felt.  Finally after what seemed like an eternity Pam was able to find Lennox’s heart rate and my doctor was back in the room.  Pam told the doctor that I had filled two of the pads on my mattress with blood and then there was talk of a placenta abruption (meaning the placenta had pulled away from my uterine wall prematurely).  The doctor immediately began talking to me about how they really needed to perform a c-section “like now” to get the baby out due to the possible  placenta abruption.  As soon as she mentioned c-section Barrett had to leave the room.  He was so worried and had already seen so much he thought he was going to be sick and it was just too much for him to handle.  I immediately started worrying about him!  I told the doctor that we needed to do what was best for the baby and she quickly left the room to prep for the OR.
 

After the doctor left the room, Pam bent down and told me that my room was going to get pretty crazy because a team was going to come in and prep me for the OR.  I just remember still being hooked up to oxygen, laying on my left side and listening to Lennox’s heart rate.  I really can’t tell you what all they did to prep me in the room, but at 2:15 we were leaving my room.  I do remember a different anesthesiologist coming into my room.  He had such a cool and calm demeanor and I remember him telling me “it’s going to be ok”.  At the time I remember thinking, “yes, I know it is going to be ok” and I really couldn’t figure out why everyone was so worked up and worried.  As soon as I was prepped and we entered the hallway I saw Barrett, my Mom, my Dad, and Barrett’s family had just arrived (not knowing what all was going on).  They were headed to see me in my room.  I remember telling everyone that I was ok, and everything was going to be ok.  I remember Barrett telling me that he didn’t know if he would be able to come in the OR for the birth and me telling him it was ok that he needed to do what was best for him.  I remember telling him that if he wasn’t going to come in the room that I wanted my mom to be in there so that someone was in there with me.  And then I was by myself with the OR team.
 

They wheeled me down the hallway to the OR and once inside I was amazed at all the people in there!  There was a team for me, a team for Lennox (and I also heard them call to have NICU present), anesthesiologist, and the OBGYN’s team.  Total there were probably 15 people in the OR! They moved me to a different bed and I had to continue being on my side.  They hooked the monitor in for Lennox’s heart rate, and it again being able to hear his heart rate had such a calming effect on me.  I had to get a spinal epidural and it was interesting because I had to get it while being on my side.  My anesthesiologist was absolutely amazing.  He was so kind and really did a great job of explaining things and keeping me calm.  I was really worried about getting the spinal, but it was really no big deal.  There was a sweet nurse who let me squeeze her arm and talk to her while I was getting it done, but it didn’t even hurt.  The spinal really gave me the weirdest sensation.  I could feel people touching me but it didn’t hurt.  After getting the spinal they started putting the curtains up and prepping my belly.  I heard the nurses saying it was time to go get dad, and at this point I wondered who would be walking in the OR to be with me – would it be Barrett, or would it be my mom.  One of the nurses went to go get my support person and this is when they did my chart read.  They stated the time as 2:31pm, stated my name, DOB, condition, etc. 

As soon as they finished the chart read Barrett walked in the door!  I was so happy it was him and that he was going to try to be in the room for the birth of our son!  When he sat down beside me I immediately kept telling him I was ok and everything was going to be ok, because I was worried about him.  I remember Barrett getting his phone out trying to text our family in the waiting room to let them know we were ok so far and I finally told him to put his phone up and hold my hand because I had started to feel them tugging and pulling around my belly.  

Remember, I said they read my chart read happened at 2:31pm and at 2:33pm we heard Lennox cry for the first time!  It was the most beautiful thing to hear his sweet cry, and it was also hard not to see him.  They told Barrett he could peek over the curtain and look at him, but Barrett said he wanted to wait until he was cleaned off!  I was crying and smiling and so so happy!  I could hear the nurses taking care of Lennox talking about how good his coloring was and I also heard them comment about his long feet!  After they cleaned Lennox up and continued working on me Barrett was able to go over and get the first glimpse of our little man!  He took a picture that he sent to our families in the waiting area and brought the picture over to me so I could look at him!  He was beautiful and looked mad that everyone was messing with him!  

 

After they finished working on Lennox they handed him to Barrett and while the nurses finished wrapping me up I heard Barrett and the doctor talking.  She told him that I did have a placenta abruption and that once they started the c-section it was evident that I had no amniotic fluid left and it was only blood.  It was a really good thing that the events took place as they did – including the doctor walking in as soon as I started bleeding.  She was very confident that the best decision had been to do the c-section and it was a good thing we didn’t waste any time.

After I was all patched up, we were headed to recovery from the OR.  Finally I was able to hold and look at our little one!  He was absolutely perfect and it was so surreal to be looking at our son!  While they were wheeling me to recovery and I was holding Lennox I started feeling really nauseous.  I remember telling Barrett, the nurse, and the anesthesiologist who were going to recovery with us that I was feeling like I was going to be sick at my stomach.  As soon as we arrived at my recovery room everyone started looking at me saying that I looked really pale.  They took my blood pressure and it was 80/40.  At the time I didn’t know it, but this was all a result of the amount of blood I lost from the time I started bleeding in the labor and delivery room and from my c-section.  The anesthesiologist moved fast and put some type of medicine in my IV.  In about 10 minutes I was back to feeling normal.  
 

We had to stay in recovery for an hour before we would be moved to our maternity room.  While we were in the room a nurse from the nursery came and did some of Lennox’s assessments and also gave him his Vitamin K shot.  We ended up having to stay in recovery for well over an hour (I think it was closer to 2 hours) because they didn’t have a room ready for us yet on the maternity floor.  I know that during this time our families were going crazy in the waiting room!  

Finally we were taken to our room in maternity.  Once in our room my nurse wanted to get me situated before family came in the room, which meant more waiting for our families.   At 5:30pm our families were able to come in the room and see us and meet Lennox!  It was such a special time as everyone got to see him for the first time! Here are some pictures of our families meeting Lennox for the first time!
 

 

 

 

We ended up staying in the hospital for 3 days.   We had lots of special visitors during our hospital stay! Here are pictures of some of our visitors!

By the second day they were talking to me about going home a day early.  Barrett and I decided it might be best to go ahead and stay the third night to so Lennox could continue to work on nursing and I could continue to be monitored.  Lennox continued to get great reports while we were in the hospital.  He was circumcised the day after his birth and he passed his hearing test.  Nursing him was pretty tough.  The best way I could describe him was intense.  We met with several nurses and two different lactation consultants, but many times he would get frustrated and scream.  The nurses did a great job encouraging me and told me that they felt once my milk came in that Lennox would do just fine nursing (and he did)! He ended up getting down to 6 pounds 4 ounces by the time we discharged, but this is common in babies to lose weight while in the hospital.

It really wasn’t until the second day that my doctor came to see me that I realized just how serious the labor had been.  The doctor told me that I had lost a lot of blood and that I hadn’t needed a blood transfusion, but I had come close.  She told me I would be more pale skinned than normal and it would be several months before my energy level was back to normal. Throughout the whole labor process I had a sense of calmness and peace that everything was going to be ok.  After meeting with the doctor reality started hitting me how serious and how blessed we were that the events took place as they did.  

The whole process of labor and delivery is such a miracle.  It is amazing how an event like this truly changes your life.  Barrett and I are completely in love with this little one.  We already can’t imagine our lives without him.  It has been awesome to introduce him to his grandparents, aunts & uncles, cousins and friends.