In God's Grace

Holly's baptism was held on December 4th with both sets of grandparents in attendance, and her aunts, uncles and cousins from my side of the family. Unfortunately, her auntie, uncle and cousin on Pat's side were unable to attend, but were there in our hearts.

She was well received by the congregation and I know she'll be in good Hands always. God bless my darling little angel!

Thanksgiving Shenanigans

Holly's first Thanksgiving was a fun experience! She mostly slept, ate and watched football - much like the adults in the family! She'll fit in just fine. :)

For the past few weeks we've been giving Holly a teaspoon of rice cereal mixed in with an ounce of formula prior to bed. Last night we introduced her to the spoon! We prepared some rice cereal for her in a bowl (the consistency of thin gruel) and she loved it! She would cry when I didn't get the food in her mouth fast enough. Obviously we have some more practice ahead of us with eating from a spoon, but I have every confidence that she'll get the hang of it quickly. Unfortunately, there were no pictures or video of this milestone, but sometime this week we'll record it.

Holly's continuing to sleep well for us at night. Ideally, we'd like for her bedtime to be between the 8:00 and 8:30 time frame, but she's a stubborn munchkin and will fight us the whole time and finally collapse into sleep around 9:00, 9:30 or 10:00. She'll get anywhere between six and nine hours of sleep, which is something we definitely do not complain about. Last night she was in bed by 9:00 and slept in until almost 6:00 this morning. I don't know if it was the cereal, the breast milk at 8:30 (after fighting sleep for the previous 45 minutes) or she was just that tired, but we liked it. Here's hoping for more nights like that!

I did manage to record a video of Holly playing under our Christmas tree. She absolutely adores the lights and she happily laid under our tree for a good hour or so last night.

2 Month Check-Up

Little Miss Holly doesn't seem to be so little anymore! She went in for her 2-month appointment yesterday and weighed in at 12 pounds 6 ounces putting her in the 90th percentile for weight. She's also 23-1/4 inches long which is in the 80th percentile for length! She's a growing baby and happy, too! She's cooing and smiling up a storm. We see a lot of smiles early in the morning, but she'll still smile quite a bit throughout the day, too.

We don't have any results back on her ultrasound yet. The radiologist who came in during her appointment was Indian and had an extremely thick accent and he was very difficult for us to understand clearly. What we were able to take away from that appointment is that she has a shallow hip socket on the right side. What that means, we're not sure. Unfortunately, the results were not sent to Holly's pediatrician, so we have longer to wait until we find out more about the ultrasound appointment.

In other news, all of Holly's plumbing works beautifully and there was never any doubt in my mind (although there was some concern in Pat's). Her plumbing works so well that we had her second blowout this evening. Our comforter is currently taking up residence with Holly's sleeper suit, onesie and changing pad cover in the washer. Holly herself got the benefit of being washed off under the tub's faucet. Needless to say, she was a happy little girl and smiling like crazy! Ahhh, the joys of parenthood! :)

Happy "Holly"ween!

Happy "Holly"ween! Our little pumpkin can thank her father for that creative greeting. He was playing with her one morning while she was wearing her "Baby's 1st Halloween" onesie and instead of spelling H-a-l-l-o-w-e-e-n, he replaced the 'a' with an 'o' and the 'o' with a 'y.' He is the most adorable first-time father I've ever seen as I watch him come up with the most random and crazy things to say to his daughter. I love it and him! Holly is very lucky to have him as a daddy and I can't wait until she's old enough to go running to him with big hugs and kisses and telling him how much she loves him. For now, I settle for when I watch her face light up with a big smile as she sees or hears him. :)

Last night Pat and I took her to the Family Fun Night that my work puts on annually for the children and their families. It was kind of like her big debut to all my students and their parents and I had so much fun introducing her to everyone. She was very intent on everything going on around her and then about halfway through she gave up the ghost and fell asleep. I'm always impressed with how well children can sleep through anything. It was loud and noisy in the gym and yet she was sound asleep - until she wet her diaper, at which point she was quite vocal about wanting to go home and get changed!

Holly also got to meet C, who was the one who had nicknamed her "Biscuit." He even had a gift for her (thanks, C!), which she took full advantage of in bed this morning:

Snapshots

Loving on Daddy!













Happy Halloween from Lisa. Pat nicknamed the feetsies "Dallas" and "Bailey." I'm not sure which foot is which. ;)



















Out with the laundry, perhaps?

Another milestone

Last night was the first night Holly slept entirely through the night! She fell asleep around 10:00 PM, made a few noises around 3:30, but did not wake up until 5:00 AM. I am so proud of my little one! However, I know my excitement will be short-lived because she's sleeping away the morning today AND we're making a 2-1/2 hour drive later this evening. Ha! Definitely won't be sleeping through the night tonight.

Tomorrow we will be taking her to Children's Hospital for the ultrasound on her hips. Here's hoping they tell us that her alignment is perfect and we have nothing to worry about!

Seriously, already?!

Holly is 5 weeks old and I put her on her belly for some tummy time. She was on her belly for maybe a minute before she decided that was most definitely not where she wanted to be!

Progress?

It's only 9:02, but we've had an interesting morning so far! I was up at 6:30 with Holly to get her in the shower with me while I still had Pat's help. This was the first time she showered with me and she loved it! Once she was out, I quickly finished mine because she was demanding food. She also pooped on her towel. Strike one!

Pat changed her, I fed her and we were good to go. Or so I thought. I dug out my Halloween shirts from last year and discovered they still fit! Score! And then Holly spits up on one, so to the hamper it goes. Strike two!

Then she's hanging out quite happily in her bouncer and I hear the tell-tale gurgle-bubble of another change in pants coming. She's talking away, looking around everywhere and basically having a grand old time in her bouncer. She's not crying or in any way distressed by the activity in her diaper (which is unusual). I go to take her out and she's had a blow out! I feel like we've had our first milestone in diaper changing now. I'm all too familiar with blow outs considering the number of years I've worked with children in diapers and so with her I took it all in stride. I suspect that if Pat had been home, he'd be having a flashback to when our nephew B was younger and it came burbling out the back of his pants.

So I'm currently running a load of laundry that consists of my jeans, Holly's onesie, the towel from earlier this morning and the bouncer cover. Strike three! I truly think that Holly was conspiring to get back into the bath tub, because I just stripped her and cleaned her under the tub's faucet. She, of course, had an awesome time back in the water.

Ultrasound Scheduled

We finally have Holly's ultrasound appointment scheduled for this month. She will be heading to Children's Hospital to have an ultrasound done on her hips to ensure that they are still in good alignment and that no damage was done as a result of being breech. This will also give us an excuse to go back and see Grammy and Pah again while in town! Here's hoping for good news in a few weeks after the ultrasound.

In other news - Holly is one month old today! Holy wow! Where did the time go? I can't believe it has been four weeks since her birth. It seems like just yesterday that I was in recovery and that brand new baby was just mere feet away from me being held by whatever visitor was there at the time. I grow more and more in love with my daughter with each passing day!

Happy one month birthday, Kitten, I love you!

Surprise Visits

Last Friday Pat and I decided to make a spontaneous trip with Holly to go see Grammy and Pah. Shortly after Holly was born, I had considered this particular weekend specifically and would have Pat leave me there for the week and he would return to get Holly and me the following weekend. However, considering the setbacks I had with my incision and his hernia, we decided that a week stay with Grammy and Pah could wait until a later date.

So! Short trip instead and Grammy and Pah had no idea that we were coming. I had called them earlier in the day to feel them out and determine what their plans for the weekend were. Pat and I left with our little one in tow around 5:30 that evening and when we were about 5 minutes away, I called Grammy and Pah again to make sure they were still awake (it was nearly 8:00 and although Grammy usually makes it a habit to stay up late, she had been behind on her sleep since helping us care for Holly when she was visiting us). Luckily, they were and as we pulled into the drive, I suggested Grammy turn her porch light on. She, of course, was quite confused until she realized where we were. SURPRISE!

Our plot was a success and we even got to introduce Holly to her Aunt H, Uncle G and cousins P and B. Can't beat that with a stick! She still has some more family members to meet, but there will be another time for that. Her cousins P and B were so delighted to meet her and wanted to hold her. B loved to put his face close to hers and with her wildly swinging fists, she would "get" him to his utter delight. P, on the other hand, was quite content to hold her and hum to her. So sweet!

Three generations!












First family photo (outside the hospital, that is).

2 Week Appointment

We took Holly in for her 2 week check-up and are quite happy to announce that she has surpassed her birth weight and length! She is now 9 pounds 12 ounces and 21 inches long. She is in the 90th percentile for weight and 75th for length. As her pediatrician said, she is a well proportioned baby. Go Holly!

Her next appointment will be her 2 month check-up in November. I am still waiting to get a call about scheduling an ultrasound for her hips. Her pediatrician wants to make sure that there is no problem with her alignment since she was a breech birth, thus the ultrasound of her hips. That will take place around 6 weeks of age and, unfortunately, the hospital here in town does not perform ultrasounds (don't know why) so I'll need to take her to Children's Hospital out where my parents are. Upside to that is we get in a visit with Grammy and Pah AND with her aunt, uncle and cousins (who are just itching to get a chance to meet her) and I'll have Grammy come with us to the ultrasound appointment. Can't beat that!

The downside to today's appointment - Holly's weight. Of course, we all knew she would steadily gain weight, but once she's over 10 pounds Pat won't be able to pick her up anymore. Back in August he decided he was going to train for the Turkey Trot (a 5k race) held on Thanksgiving and during training he developed a hernia. His weight restriction is to lift things less than 10 pounds. He's devastated that he won't be able to help care for Holly as she gets bigger, but he'll do what he can considering his restrictions. His surgery is scheduled for November 1st (just ten days before Holly's next appointment) and we're all praying that he will be able to endure during the next few weeks and his pain does not get any worse.

Nighttime is Playtime!

These past few nights I have come to the conclusion that Holly thinks that the hours between 3:00 AM and 5:00 AM are playtime. She doesn't seem to understand yet that this is when Mommy and Daddy would much prefer to be sleeping after she's done feeding! Go figure, right?

Last night was an adventure! Holly fed for five minutes at 11:30 PM and then slept straight through until 3:00 when she decided she was finally and truly hungry. She ate for about 20 minutes and then after was all wide-eyed and bushy-tailed! She topped off her tank about 4:20 AM and then was content to fill her pants and then while I was changing her she would pee. On the bed, on her clothes, in the fresh diaper. We went through two sleepers, perhaps five to six diapers and our bed sheet and mattress protector all within that two-hour time frame. (It's definitely laundry day today!) Then at 5:00 AM she decided, "Okay, I'm done playing. Goodnight!" and promptly fell asleep, much to my utter relief.

I realize that at only two weeks old she is not going to sleep through the night and I'm not complaining. That does not, however, stop me from reminiscing about the nights prior to her birth and my pregnancy when I was capable of sleeping entirely through the night. I'll be enjoying those reminisces for some time!

For now, Holly is enjoying a morning snooze on Grammy's chest. Best. Place. To. Sleep. EVER!

Movin' and Groovin'

Holly's pretty active and talkative - when she's awake!

Healing

I had my results back from the culture the doctor took at my last visit and there is no infection remaining in my incision. Yay! The antibiotics that were prescribed did their job and the hole is almost completely closed. Now it's time for continued healing and rebuilding my strength. After all, I did have major abdominal surgery! Never in my wildest dreams did I guess that I would have a C-section, but stranger things can happen.

Coming Home

Holly's due date was set for September 12th, but what the doctors were really saying was that she would be coming home on that day! I'd like to say that there was a lot of fan fare and balloons and cheers, but in all reality, it was just a very slow walk from the car to the door - and I couldn't even carry my little angel.

I know that C-sections are a lot more common these days for one reason or another, but coming from a family that has had nothing but vaginal deliveries, I was disappointed that I had to be "set apart." Aside from that, I look positively at the situation and who I got from it. I could not be any happier to be a mother and have my little girl in my arms every day. Other than my husband, she is the center of my universe!

I am eternally grateful to all my family who have helped Pat and I at home with Holly during the ensuing days at home. Although I was discharged from the hospital on time after my C-section, it hasn't been without its own pitfalls. I was advised that the steri-strips that were put on my incision line after the staples were removed were to be there for two weeks, but they were removed a week later when I had to return to the doctor because I had an opening in my incision. Turns out the small opening that was visible from beneath the steri-strips was a bit larger than the small hole we thought was there - about an inch and a half in length. So now it seems to be a greater adventure in healing! I'll be going back to the doctor to have the incision checked again and hopefully see some positive progress.

Holly's Birthday!

On Thursday, September 8, 2011 I had a 3:00 PM (39 week) OB/GYN visit. While there, the doctor informed me that I was one centimeter dilated and approximately 50% effaced. She gave me the option of inducing labor or waiting out the weekend and seeing if I went into labor naturally. If Pat and I chose to induce, we could go into the hospital either that night or Sunday night. I made the decision to go ahead and get the ball rolling because at that point I was done being pregnant!

I went home and Pat returned to work to finish out his day. I began to get the house in order and ready for my parents' arrival later that evening. Pat and I were due at the hospital at 7:00 PM for check-in and induction was scheduled to begin around 8:00 PM. It seemed like it was a whirlwind of activity as I vacuumed, washed and put away dishes, straightened up the house, double-checked the contents of my hospital bag and the diaper bag.

Pat arrived home around 5:00 PM and ate a quick dinner, then cleaned the bathrooms, took out all the trash, and packed the car. Finally, it was 6:45 PM and we were ready to leave! We were both feeling pretty excited and nervous - after nine months of waiting, we were finally at the finish line!

Once we were checked in and situated, Pat left to hit up the ATM and the nurse was checking my progress. While checking my progress, my water broke at 8:15 PM! (I blame the vacuuming from earlier in the evening that caused that breakage.) Poor Pat missed most of the excitement and returned as the nurse was cleaning up the remaining mess. Pitocin was started and labor began at 9:00 PM. Things were progressing nicely and I got my epidural when I hit four centimeters. By 3:00 AM I was five centimeters dilated and 75% effaced - and something was determined to be "not quite right." The nurse fetched the ultrasound machine and checked the position of the baby - and discovered that she was breech! Surprise! As a result, an emergency C-section was scheduled for 7:30 AM on Friday morning.

My parents and Pat's parents were both present the following morning around 6:30 AM for support and well wishes as Pat and I prepared for surgery. I admit to being disappointed that it was necessary for a C-section, but I understood the necessity for it. By 7:30 AM they were wheeling me back into the OR and at 7:49 AM on Friday, September 9, 2011 Holly Ann was born! She weighed in at 9 pounds, 2 ounces and 19.5 inches long!

A Big Welcome!

Pat and I are expecting our first child - a daughter - on September 12, 2011 and we have only four days left! Until the due date, that is. Seeing as I am a first-time mother, I expect I will surpass my due date and our little girl will be born later.

I feel that I should explain the title of the blog "Biscuit's in the Cabbage Patch" for our readers. I work as an early childhood educator and the children in my class never fail to entertain me on a daily basis. Early on in my pregnancy, one of my kids was snuggled up against my side and patting my belly.

I asked him, "What's in my belly?"
He responded, "A bay-be." (He put quite a bit of emphasis on "bay.")
I asked him, "Is it a boy or a girl?"
He grinned around his thumb and said, "A girl!"
I asked, "What's her name?"
And he responded with ... "Biscuit!"

I have no idea where he came up with that, because we had discussed baby names previously, but C insisted that her name was going to be Biscuit. Ultimately, the nickname has stuck and most of the pregnancy jokes of "a bun in the oven" have been converted to "a biscuit in the oven." :)

My goal for this blog is to capture all aspects of my daughter's growth. I know that as I grew, my mother collected a number of rather amusing memories of me, but were never cataloged (as far as I know). My daughter may not thank me later ... or if she's like me she'll pretend to be incredibly embarrassed, but secretly loves to hear about her childhood antics!

So without further ado, welcome to the blog and enjoy the photos and stories that will soon shared!