Hello All,
Life has been a bit more busy in the Craig household. Camille is adapating and learning everyday. From the day we brought her home, she has settled in nicely. After five days of life, she experienced her second photography session. Since then, we have been the professionals. Although the pictures are abundant, we know we will appreciate them when she is older. Since she has entered our lives there has been an explosion of pink! I'm so glad she doesn't seem to mind. She is such a good baby and really only fusses when she wants to be held, fed, or is tired. Everyday her eyes absorb everything around her and you can tell she is trying to process what is going on.
The first month, Camille lost her umbilical cord 17 days after her birth. The next day she had her first bath. She really enjoyed it and continues to appreciate bath time. Another bonus is she quickly adjusted to nights and days. She has been a very good sleeper since her second week. I would only wake up twice a night to nurse her and then we woud resume sleeping. We are currently using cloth diapers and the process could not be easier. Not only does her rump benefit but so does Mother Nature. Most of Camille's first month was spent sleeping and growing. It seemed like it was going to be smooth sailing through the newborn stage.
The second month, Camille started staying awake more often during the day. By her fifth week, she was already ten pounds. Again, she was pretty easy going and easy to please. Once she reached week six, I anticipated a growth spurt. During that week she was inconsolable and that carried on into week seven and eight. During this time, she didn't sleep very well and the days were long. It seemed like I couldn't do anything to calm her or make her happy. Just when I started to feel discouraged she started smiling! From then on she couldn't be stopped. It is more and more obvious that she now realizes that we are her parents and love her very much. Now she smiles when she is happpy and our hearts melt. Around eight weeks the crying jag ended. She is back to her easy going self and we couldn't be happier. Now if only we could get her to sleep through the night...
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Camille Moxie Craig is born!
I'd like to first announce that Camille Moxie Craig is finally here! She was born on February 29, 2012 at 1038. She weighed 8lbs 2oz and measured 19" long.
On Monday, February 27th, Jason went to work and was home mid-day to take me out for a nice lunch. At this point, I was very uncomfortable and it had been very hard to walk due to the sciatic nerve pain. However, I knew I should enjoy a nice meal before going to the hospital. So, later that afternoon, I went through my checklist to make sure everything was done, ready, and packed. At 1500, I received a phone call from a nurse to tell me that they had run out of hospital beds and that I needed to come in at 1800. No problem! I was too embarrassed to take all my stuff in my hospital room because it looked like I was ready to move in. Like with most things, I over prepared. So, we took just the necessities for me and left the rest to sneak in later. I met with the nurse on shift and Dr. Foreman. After a check, Dr. Foreman determined I was 2cm dilated and decided to use cervidil to help me progress with labor. It didn't take long before my contractions were steady and strong. They were 3 minutes apart on average that evening. The weeks prior to labor I had experienced a lot of spinal pain when I used my right leg so I had an inkling that BC was sunny side up. During the evening my speculation proved right. I experienced back labor and it was pretty painful. The nurses had mercy and gave me systemic pain medication to take the edge off. After the medication, I had my last meal. *sigh* Throughout the night, I experienced very strong contractions and lots of back pain. I could hardly stand to bear any weight on the left side of my bottom. The night went on with very little sleep and lots of nurse visits.
On Tuesday, February 28th, my contractions were still steady and Dr. Ajala came in to check to see if I had made any progress. Unfortunately, my cervix had not progressed at all. Dr. Ajala decided pitocin would most likely help speed things up. The nurse started at the smallest dosage and before too long she had increased it to the highest. By 6pm, Dr. Ajala decided if there was no progression we would have to discuss a c-section. I shuddered at the thought. At this point, BC was still doing quite well with my contractions and showed no signs of distress. I, on the other hand, developed an infection. I was put on three different antibiotics and had spiked a fever. My body was shaking uncontrollably and I did my hardest to do the Lamaze I had learned through each contraction. Just when I thought I had enough, the nurse came in and helped me decide to have an epidural. After 24hrs of back labor, I decided it might be a good idea since I was only 4cm dilated. After the epidural, I felt alot better and tried to get some rest to hopefully labor soon. Throughout the night, I still had a great deal of pain and pressure. Again, I could not bear weight on the left side of my bottom. Throughout my discomfort, Jason was always by my side to help alleviate it in any way he could. My second night in the hospital was also very sleep deprived and I worried if I would have the strength to deliver.
Wednesday, Feb. 29th, the doctor came in around 0900. After checking me, she determined there was not enough progress and we had to get the baby out. BC's little head was pushed against my cervix with each contraction but went no where. As a result the nurse could feel swelling on her head. Also, my infection was starting to affect her. The doctor said that my contractions were strong and steady enough to have made me fully dilate but my body was not allowing it to happen. Most likely because BC was too big and my pelvis was too small. So, I was prepped for a c-section. As the doctor went through the risks involved, I was pretty scared but knew that it must be done. I had been on pitocin so long that the doctor feared it might take longer to stop the bleeding after surgery. After a quick prayer and a phone call to parents, I was wheeled into surgery. Jason was soon by my side and before long I heard the most beautiful noise ever: my baby's first cry. She was finally here! Camille's little cries were music to my ears. She actually came out holding her umbilical cord. After being cleaned up, she was right next to me in Jason's hands. As soon as I spoke to her she stopped crying. Her little eyebrows lifted and her eyes opened and she looked right at me. We locked eyes and she started cooing. It was like she was telling me all about her experience. She kept going for 30 seconds and it was amazing! I gave her a kiss before feeling a wave of pain. It felt like my organs were being pushed down and my heart was on fire. I didn't think this was right because I was in a great deal of pain. I became sick and was in tears. The nurse asked what was wrong and I told her "I can feel it. I feel alot
After 40hrs of labor, Camille finally arrived via c-section and we went home two days later. Now the real adventure begins!
Here are some photos from the hospital. Camille is 1 day old :)
On Monday, February 27th, Jason went to work and was home mid-day to take me out for a nice lunch. At this point, I was very uncomfortable and it had been very hard to walk due to the sciatic nerve pain. However, I knew I should enjoy a nice meal before going to the hospital. So, later that afternoon, I went through my checklist to make sure everything was done, ready, and packed. At 1500, I received a phone call from a nurse to tell me that they had run out of hospital beds and that I needed to come in at 1800. No problem! I was too embarrassed to take all my stuff in my hospital room because it looked like I was ready to move in. Like with most things, I over prepared. So, we took just the necessities for me and left the rest to sneak in later. I met with the nurse on shift and Dr. Foreman. After a check, Dr. Foreman determined I was 2cm dilated and decided to use cervidil to help me progress with labor. It didn't take long before my contractions were steady and strong. They were 3 minutes apart on average that evening. The weeks prior to labor I had experienced a lot of spinal pain when I used my right leg so I had an inkling that BC was sunny side up. During the evening my speculation proved right. I experienced back labor and it was pretty painful. The nurses had mercy and gave me systemic pain medication to take the edge off. After the medication, I had my last meal. *sigh* Throughout the night, I experienced very strong contractions and lots of back pain. I could hardly stand to bear any weight on the left side of my bottom. The night went on with very little sleep and lots of nurse visits.
On Tuesday, February 28th, my contractions were still steady and Dr. Ajala came in to check to see if I had made any progress. Unfortunately, my cervix had not progressed at all. Dr. Ajala decided pitocin would most likely help speed things up. The nurse started at the smallest dosage and before too long she had increased it to the highest. By 6pm, Dr. Ajala decided if there was no progression we would have to discuss a c-section. I shuddered at the thought. At this point, BC was still doing quite well with my contractions and showed no signs of distress. I, on the other hand, developed an infection. I was put on three different antibiotics and had spiked a fever. My body was shaking uncontrollably and I did my hardest to do the Lamaze I had learned through each contraction. Just when I thought I had enough, the nurse came in and helped me decide to have an epidural. After 24hrs of back labor, I decided it might be a good idea since I was only 4cm dilated. After the epidural, I felt alot better and tried to get some rest to hopefully labor soon. Throughout the night, I still had a great deal of pain and pressure. Again, I could not bear weight on the left side of my bottom. Throughout my discomfort, Jason was always by my side to help alleviate it in any way he could. My second night in the hospital was also very sleep deprived and I worried if I would have the strength to deliver.
Wednesday, Feb. 29th, the doctor came in around 0900. After checking me, she determined there was not enough progress and we had to get the baby out. BC's little head was pushed against my cervix with each contraction but went no where. As a result the nurse could feel swelling on her head. Also, my infection was starting to affect her. The doctor said that my contractions were strong and steady enough to have made me fully dilate but my body was not allowing it to happen. Most likely because BC was too big and my pelvis was too small. So, I was prepped for a c-section. As the doctor went through the risks involved, I was pretty scared but knew that it must be done. I had been on pitocin so long that the doctor feared it might take longer to stop the bleeding after surgery. After a quick prayer and a phone call to parents, I was wheeled into surgery. Jason was soon by my side and before long I heard the most beautiful noise ever: my baby's first cry. She was finally here! Camille's little cries were music to my ears. She actually came out holding her umbilical cord. After being cleaned up, she was right next to me in Jason's hands. As soon as I spoke to her she stopped crying. Her little eyebrows lifted and her eyes opened and she looked right at me. We locked eyes and she started cooing. It was like she was telling me all about her experience. She kept going for 30 seconds and it was amazing! I gave her a kiss before feeling a wave of pain. It felt like my organs were being pushed down and my heart was on fire. I didn't think this was right because I was in a great deal of pain. I became sick and was in tears. The nurse asked what was wrong and I told her "I can feel it. I feel alot
After 40hrs of labor, Camille finally arrived via c-section and we went home two days later. Now the real adventure begins!
Here are some photos from the hospital. Camille is 1 day old :)
Monday, February 6, 2012
Birth Month is here!
Hello All!
Well, 2012 has been good to us so far. Jason did not have to leave for three weeks after all. It is a good thing too because I have needed his help more than ever. It has been quite a task getting around. I have to say that looking back the road has not been as long as it once appeared to be. I have already (mostly)forgotten the nausea I experienced the first 24 weeks. As we approach the end of this journey, we are becoming excited to start the adventure of parenthood. We have taken several classes offered by the USMC and local hospital birthing center. Over the next couple of weeks, we will take our very last class in child birth. I am so fortunate to say that I feel adequate and ready to bring BC home and care for her. Jason has been so wonderful and I know he will be such a great partner in parenting. He has been giving me massages at my request, enduring my restless nights, and still working 12 to 14hr work days. Lately, he has been doing so much more around the house while I do less and less. I am so grateful God has blessed me with such a strong husband and a loving father for BC.
January was a great month. We had a visit from my brother, Artie, and his wife, Vanessa. We gave them a tour around Beaufort, Savannah, and Charleston. This was my brother's first trip to SC and it was very enjoyable. Of course, the visit was perfect timing because I could still get around with little discomfort. After their departure, I celebrated my 30th birthday a week later. It was very casual and we managed to play miniature golf, go to the movies, I received a manicure, and ended with a nice dinner and cake among friends. Around this time, I had started having increased pain in my right leg. It seems BC decided to park it on my sciatic nerve. So for the last six weeks, I have had shooting pains down my leg and lots of numbness. Pretty strange walking on a numb leg. Anyways, the week following my birthday, I had a baby shower thrown by the wives of Jason's unit. It was such a fun and sweet celebration. Not only was I expecting but so was the other guest of honor who happens to be a Marine. She is expecting a boy and I'm expecting a girl so it was a perfect balance of blue and pink. The gifts were very cute, the food was excellent, and the company was fabulous. Of course, what would a baby shower be without reminding the mother-to-be how big she is with a toilet paper roll and sniffing a diaper to determine the candy bar inside. It was a really good time! The last event of the month was an ultrasound. On January 26th, BC had a growth ultrasound to make sure she wasn't too large. She has made it quite clear that she likes her personal space and when she felt the ultrasound wand on my belly she gave it a jab. It was clearly seen on the screen. The ultrasound technician could not get a good view of her face. It seems she still favors being balled up. She had a fist in front of her face, an open hand, and a foot! At this appointment it was determined that she weighed 5lbs 6oz. The birth weight guesstimate is 6.5 to 7lbs. She still falls right in the middle of the fetal growth chart which means perfect.
So, lately I have been experiencing more contractions and she has dropped. All are good indications and normal. At 36 weeks, I have gained 5lbs and am convinced she has eaten a liver or kidney because it doesn't make much sense to me. The doctor says that he can't praise me enough on my weight gain and says that everything is perfect. My blood sugar levels have also been regulated and there are no problems there either. As of right now, I am scheduled to be induced on Feb. 27th at 4pm. The doctor says we'll have our baby on Feb. 28th. Whew, barely escaped leap year! Our little "year of the dragon" baby will be here almost two years after her Daddy walked away from a helicopter crash. What a blessing! I know she loves him so much already. Twice a week she is hooked up to a fetal monitoring device, and they monitor her heart rate to look for normal activity. She has a base line heart rate of 140 but they look for it to go up as high as 180 to indicate normal neurological activity. Not only have they been able to determine that everything looks textbook but also that she responds well to the contractions I have been experiencing. Jason popped in for one of these monitoring sessions and he bent down and started talking to her. Her little heart went from 140 to 170 and did not stop until he stopped talking. She proved to be really excited when she heard his voice. He made her heart beat faster every time he spoke to her. She has always calmed down when he places his hand on my stomach which is why it took so long for him to feel her move. I can't wait for them to finally meet. As for me, she has no problem giving me a punch or kick to back off. Ha ha! The other night I felt something poke through my stomach and when I grabbed it she didn't move away. I'm almost positive I had a tiny little fist in my hand. It was so cute. More good news, she is head down and is showing that she is practicing her breathing. We saw her diaphragm move on an ultrasound and she has the hiccups often. I know she is doing all her preparations as we are out here. This past weekend we set up the nursery, installed the car seat, and I have packed a bag. This upcoming weekend we plan to devote time to making as many meals as possible to freeze and store.
Well, look out for us next month when our little family becomes whole with the birth of our little girl. Until then I'll be on the sofa...
Well, 2012 has been good to us so far. Jason did not have to leave for three weeks after all. It is a good thing too because I have needed his help more than ever. It has been quite a task getting around. I have to say that looking back the road has not been as long as it once appeared to be. I have already (mostly)forgotten the nausea I experienced the first 24 weeks. As we approach the end of this journey, we are becoming excited to start the adventure of parenthood. We have taken several classes offered by the USMC and local hospital birthing center. Over the next couple of weeks, we will take our very last class in child birth. I am so fortunate to say that I feel adequate and ready to bring BC home and care for her. Jason has been so wonderful and I know he will be such a great partner in parenting. He has been giving me massages at my request, enduring my restless nights, and still working 12 to 14hr work days. Lately, he has been doing so much more around the house while I do less and less. I am so grateful God has blessed me with such a strong husband and a loving father for BC.
January was a great month. We had a visit from my brother, Artie, and his wife, Vanessa. We gave them a tour around Beaufort, Savannah, and Charleston. This was my brother's first trip to SC and it was very enjoyable. Of course, the visit was perfect timing because I could still get around with little discomfort. After their departure, I celebrated my 30th birthday a week later. It was very casual and we managed to play miniature golf, go to the movies, I received a manicure, and ended with a nice dinner and cake among friends. Around this time, I had started having increased pain in my right leg. It seems BC decided to park it on my sciatic nerve. So for the last six weeks, I have had shooting pains down my leg and lots of numbness. Pretty strange walking on a numb leg. Anyways, the week following my birthday, I had a baby shower thrown by the wives of Jason's unit. It was such a fun and sweet celebration. Not only was I expecting but so was the other guest of honor who happens to be a Marine. She is expecting a boy and I'm expecting a girl so it was a perfect balance of blue and pink. The gifts were very cute, the food was excellent, and the company was fabulous. Of course, what would a baby shower be without reminding the mother-to-be how big she is with a toilet paper roll and sniffing a diaper to determine the candy bar inside. It was a really good time! The last event of the month was an ultrasound. On January 26th, BC had a growth ultrasound to make sure she wasn't too large. She has made it quite clear that she likes her personal space and when she felt the ultrasound wand on my belly she gave it a jab. It was clearly seen on the screen. The ultrasound technician could not get a good view of her face. It seems she still favors being balled up. She had a fist in front of her face, an open hand, and a foot! At this appointment it was determined that she weighed 5lbs 6oz. The birth weight guesstimate is 6.5 to 7lbs. She still falls right in the middle of the fetal growth chart which means perfect.
So, lately I have been experiencing more contractions and she has dropped. All are good indications and normal. At 36 weeks, I have gained 5lbs and am convinced she has eaten a liver or kidney because it doesn't make much sense to me. The doctor says that he can't praise me enough on my weight gain and says that everything is perfect. My blood sugar levels have also been regulated and there are no problems there either. As of right now, I am scheduled to be induced on Feb. 27th at 4pm. The doctor says we'll have our baby on Feb. 28th. Whew, barely escaped leap year! Our little "year of the dragon" baby will be here almost two years after her Daddy walked away from a helicopter crash. What a blessing! I know she loves him so much already. Twice a week she is hooked up to a fetal monitoring device, and they monitor her heart rate to look for normal activity. She has a base line heart rate of 140 but they look for it to go up as high as 180 to indicate normal neurological activity. Not only have they been able to determine that everything looks textbook but also that she responds well to the contractions I have been experiencing. Jason popped in for one of these monitoring sessions and he bent down and started talking to her. Her little heart went from 140 to 170 and did not stop until he stopped talking. She proved to be really excited when she heard his voice. He made her heart beat faster every time he spoke to her. She has always calmed down when he places his hand on my stomach which is why it took so long for him to feel her move. I can't wait for them to finally meet. As for me, she has no problem giving me a punch or kick to back off. Ha ha! The other night I felt something poke through my stomach and when I grabbed it she didn't move away. I'm almost positive I had a tiny little fist in my hand. It was so cute. More good news, she is head down and is showing that she is practicing her breathing. We saw her diaphragm move on an ultrasound and she has the hiccups often. I know she is doing all her preparations as we are out here. This past weekend we set up the nursery, installed the car seat, and I have packed a bag. This upcoming weekend we plan to devote time to making as many meals as possible to freeze and store.
Well, look out for us next month when our little family becomes whole with the birth of our little girl. Until then I'll be on the sofa...
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year everyone! This year was the best New Year's for us. Not only was Jason home, but this was the first one with our BC. Our eve included dinner at the local Mexican restaurant to satisfy my craving, sparkling grape juice, video games, fireworks, the movie Rio, and ended with a kiss.
The day after Christmas I experienced Braxton Hicks for the first time. At least it was the first time I was awake and felt them. It was strange. It felt like a muscle cramp on my stomach and when I touched my belly it was really hard and tight. It was slightly uncomfortable but quickly passed. Moments later, I felt another one. At this poiont, I was still unaware of what was going on. I stood up and they stopped. After a little late night research, I found an answer to my unexplained tight stomach: Braxton Hicks. Maybe I'll have nice abs after delivery at this rate. I know, wishful thinking! Anyways, I know that they are completely normal and that my body is getting ready for the big day. We now have less than 9 weeks until my due date. She is making it a little tougher to sleep at night now. The little kung fu expert still practices and makes use of her time when I'm trying to catch zzz's. Except now, it really hurts! I wake up in the morning expecting to find bruises on my stomach like Bella from Breaking Dawn. Instead, I wake up to a lopsided belly.
I'm happy to annouce that BC is right on track with her growth. On December 29th, I went in for an ultrasound with Jason. This was the first time Jason was able to see our little Honey in utero. She didn't really put on a show this time around. I was nearly 31 weeks and it's much harder to get good pictures after 20 weeks of pregnancy because there is less room for babies to do sumersaults. Instead, we saw a very balled up BC. She was so balled up that the ultrasound tech giggled. We all laughed when we saw a foot on BC's forehead. She is quite flexible! Some notable observations: BC is still a girl, she had the hiccups, she is head down and very low, she weighed 3lbs 10oz, she is right in the middle of her growth chart and perfect!
Now, we are busily preparing for her arrival. Jason and I spent the New Year's weekend painting her room. Soon we'll decorate and have it all put together. His squadron will be throwing me a baby shower in January and we are so grateful. Also, Jason may leave late January for three weeks aboard the USS Kearsarge, yet again. We are both hoping he doesn't have to go in case I go into labor early. One thing is for sure, he will be gone the whole month of April. Therefore, that month would be great for visitors. We are looking forward to spending the month of March getting to know our daughter and establishing a routine for her. As much as we look forward to showing everyone our little bundle, we would like to have a full 4 weeks alone with her to bond and allow her immunties to build up. Don't worry, everyone will probably have picture updates everyday! With everything going on, I have hardly noticed that I will finally hit a 30th birthday milestone this month. Perhaps that is a good thing. ;)
In the meantime, please enjoy her latest ultrasound picture and a 31 week photo of me and BC on New Year's Eve.
The day after Christmas I experienced Braxton Hicks for the first time. At least it was the first time I was awake and felt them. It was strange. It felt like a muscle cramp on my stomach and when I touched my belly it was really hard and tight. It was slightly uncomfortable but quickly passed. Moments later, I felt another one. At this poiont, I was still unaware of what was going on. I stood up and they stopped. After a little late night research, I found an answer to my unexplained tight stomach: Braxton Hicks. Maybe I'll have nice abs after delivery at this rate. I know, wishful thinking! Anyways, I know that they are completely normal and that my body is getting ready for the big day. We now have less than 9 weeks until my due date. She is making it a little tougher to sleep at night now. The little kung fu expert still practices and makes use of her time when I'm trying to catch zzz's. Except now, it really hurts! I wake up in the morning expecting to find bruises on my stomach like Bella from Breaking Dawn. Instead, I wake up to a lopsided belly.
I'm happy to annouce that BC is right on track with her growth. On December 29th, I went in for an ultrasound with Jason. This was the first time Jason was able to see our little Honey in utero. She didn't really put on a show this time around. I was nearly 31 weeks and it's much harder to get good pictures after 20 weeks of pregnancy because there is less room for babies to do sumersaults. Instead, we saw a very balled up BC. She was so balled up that the ultrasound tech giggled. We all laughed when we saw a foot on BC's forehead. She is quite flexible! Some notable observations: BC is still a girl, she had the hiccups, she is head down and very low, she weighed 3lbs 10oz, she is right in the middle of her growth chart and perfect!
Now, we are busily preparing for her arrival. Jason and I spent the New Year's weekend painting her room. Soon we'll decorate and have it all put together. His squadron will be throwing me a baby shower in January and we are so grateful. Also, Jason may leave late January for three weeks aboard the USS Kearsarge, yet again. We are both hoping he doesn't have to go in case I go into labor early. One thing is for sure, he will be gone the whole month of April. Therefore, that month would be great for visitors. We are looking forward to spending the month of March getting to know our daughter and establishing a routine for her. As much as we look forward to showing everyone our little bundle, we would like to have a full 4 weeks alone with her to bond and allow her immunties to build up. Don't worry, everyone will probably have picture updates everyday! With everything going on, I have hardly noticed that I will finally hit a 30th birthday milestone this month. Perhaps that is a good thing. ;)
In the meantime, please enjoy her latest ultrasound picture and a 31 week photo of me and BC on New Year's Eve.
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