Birth of Eli Part 2

Eli is born at 35 weeks 5 days and weighs 6 lbs 3 oz.  After the surgery he is taken to the nursery and they find him healthy and happy.  He is brought to me in the recovery room to nurse.  He does great and therefore get to stay with mommy.  My baby boy is healthy!!  I am so happy!  I will get to take Eil home with me.  This is the best news ever.

 

Elisabeth,and I go back to my room.  Eli goes to get his first bath.  I am dizzy.  I feel like sleeping.  The walls are turning.  They had to give me more medication during the operation then expected.  But I know I can sleep it off and that my baby will be coming home with me.

 

My sweet neighbors, Kacie and Sara, bring the twins by to see Eli and me.  Savannah's first questions is, "Mommy where is your tummy?".  They are interested in my tummy band-aid, my socks, and my hospital gown.  They don't stay long.  I can't keep my eyes open.  So they go to the nursery and get to see brother for the first time.

 

I then say good-bye to everyone and sleep.  But you really don't sleep in hospitals because there is a nurse in your room every 3 hours.  And now I have a little baby to nurse every 2 hours.  But Eli and I make it through the night.  We bond together.    

 

 

Saturday comes and I am feeling better.  Eli is a wonderful baby, I love him already.  I could hold him all day.  Together Eli and I are excited to see our family.  The twins are now with our adapted Grandparents (Bob and Becky).  They will come visit us after picking up Leif from the airport. 

 

At 6:00 p.m there is a knock on our door.  Leif walks in with the twins.  Micah and Savannah are both so so excited to see baby Eli in "real life".  Savannah asks to see his feet, his hands, his legs, and his tummy.  She comments that he can't walk or crawl.  Micah is all smiles and want to hold Eli.  Both kids brought Eli a present from the store (Becky let them each pick one out).  And they want Eli to "play" with his toys.

 

Leif is natural holding Eli.  Eli looks just like his Dad.  It is good to finally see my husband.  All the worries and tears from the day before are forever gone.  We have only been a family of 5 for less then a day, but it feels right.  I love my family. 

 

 Sunday is a special day.  Leif come to the hospital and spends the day with just Eli and I.  We get to enjoy our new son together.  It is a precious time.  We look at the little miracle we created and fall in love with him.  The day goes by fast. 

Monday we take our baby home from the hospital.  We love our little son. We love our little family. 

Birth of Eli Part 1

It is Thursday, November 7th, 2013. Leif is out of town doing interviews in Idaho.  I have hit my 35 week mark and am feeling great.  The C-section is scheduled for November 18th, so I still have one week to get ready.  My parents are coming into town to help out with the delivery and to watch the twins.  I am feeling great and am excite to finally have a "normal delivery". 

 

Since Leif is out of town, I plan a "girls night" to make picture boards.  All the girls stay till around 11:00 p.m.  After they leave, I decide to clean my house and read till late.  Micah comes in my room, so I stop reading and we fall asleep together.  At 3:00 a.m my sleep is awoken.  It is awoken by a gush of water running down my leg!!

 

  I try to tell myself it is just a lot of pee. But I know the truth.  I call Leif, but what can he do all the way across the United States?  He tells me to go to the hospital, and that he loves me.  I pack a bag and head out the front door.  Then I remember that I have 2 babies inside.  But it's 3 a.m.!!! I call my single neighbors.  They don't answers.  I climb the stairs and bang on their door.   They come and very willing to watch the twins through the night and into the next day.  They offer to drive me, but since I still haven't had a single contraction I drive myself to the hospital.

 

Yes, that is right... I drive myself to the hospital.  I check myself in.  They monitor the baby and put me on IV's.  I am told that I will have a C-Section the next morning at 9:30, and to get some rest.  Everything is happening too fast.  I cry.  I don't want to do this alone.  I want my husband next to me.  It wasn't supposed to be this way.  This was going to be my "normal delivery." 

 

A sweet nurse comes in and sees me crying.  She puts her hand on my leg and tells me that the doctors and nurses will look after me. Her words are comforting, but I still feel alone.  The nurse then tells me to call a friend.  I take her advice.

 

In the morning I call some friends.  Word gets around fast and soon there is a knock at my door.  My good friend Jefra came to keep me company.  The C-Section time is changed to 3:00, and Jefra's visit keeps my mind off the surgery. Another friend, Elisabeth, comes around 2.  Elisabeth goes with me into the operation room and holds my hand.  Her presents gives me comfort.  She is there for the birth of my son.  Eli Paul Kanooth comes into this world at 3:30 p.m. 

 

Eli P. Kanooth

34 Weeks

 I am 34.5 weeks pregnant!!!  Which means that I am the most pregnant I have ever been.
The twins were born right at 32 weeks so I feel full-term.  But I know the truth.  This little guy needs to stay in as long as possible.  Truth be told, I feel great.  Yes, I get tired.  I pee all throughout the night.  I can't bend down and pick up toys anymore. I have to nap each afternoon.  But I do feel great. 

Yesterday the Dr. office called me to schedule the C-Section.  They want to deliver me right at 37 weeks!!  I had to say yes. SO....this little man is coming into the world on Monday, November 18th at 7:30 a.m. 

By then I will be considered full-term, but it feel too soon.  Now my mind keeps racing about the one million things I have to do before the baby comes.  But I don't really know what there is to do. 

His clothes are washed and in the dresser.
There are new diapers and wipes in the changing table.
The car-seat fits in the car (just not in there yet).
I made Eli his first baby blanket and an E with his name on it.
The twins have shirts that say "Big Brother/Sister".
We made a count-down chain for baby's arrival.
My parents are coming down for the week to watch the twins.
Leif already took the time off of work.
What else?????

I am sure I will think about it all night and probably bake a couple dozen cookies tomorrow.

Halloween 2013

Halloween 2013 was full, full, full.  This is our 3rd Halloween here in Florida so we knew all the good Pre-Halloween events to go to.  Our candy income started 2 weeks before Halloween when the twins trick-or-treated at Largo Mall.  The next week we trunk-or-treated at our ward party and went to the City of Bellair's Halloween night.  The week of Halloween we trunk-or-treated at Chick F' Lit and the library.  Then on Halloween we got to go trick-or-treat once again.  

The import of candy into our house was..... LOTS.  With me still being pregnant and Leif not good about self-control a lot of the candy was hidden.  A lot of the candy was put into the freezer and a lot of the candy found its way to the garbage can.  BUT getting the candy was a pure blast for the twins.  They sure were careful about what type they picked.  They knew Daddy liked the blue Almond Joys and Mommy liked the orange Resses.  And they are still little enough that they picked our favorite candies to please us!!! They loved being pumpkins and they loved helping me decorate the house/door for Halloween.   

 

Happy Halloween from our little Pumpkin Patch

Putting the kids to work

Halloween decoration

We love Halloween at our house.  The home-made decorations are what make it so much fun. This week the twins and I had a blast making the house "scary".  We decorated our door and front room with lots of fun things. 

Family Days

Leif got 2 days off in a row!!  For the first day we had a family day.  And on the second day we got to have a "date day".  Both days were so pleasant. 

In September our MOSI pass got us into Lowery Zoo for free.  The zoo here has rides for kids, a splash park, train rides through Africa and lots of animals.  It was fun watching the kids ride the roller-costar, boat-ride, planes and horses.  Savannah was in love with the zebra's and elephants.  Micah loved the bats.  My favorite was learning about a new animal called Okapi.  Even though it was September... it was still HOT outside.  So after walking around for 3 hours we were ready to leave.  As soon as we got home we went for a swim.  ( I am sure going to miss having a pool right in my backyard).  We ended the night with movie and popcorn.  I love my little family.

 For our Date Day, Leif and I went to the temple.  It had been too long since we had been together last.  And it was much needed.  We enjoyed the drive there and back talking about "our future". We enjoyed the temple, and we enjoyed a lunch together.  I sure do love the temple.

 

30 weeks

Everyone always asks "How is your pregnancy going?"  Well, it is going.  I still get nervous that this baby will come early.  But as the weeks pass along my confidence increases.   Each week that passes is pure joy to me.  All I wish for is a healthy baby who I can take home WITH ME from the hospital.   Having NICU babies was very difficult.  Having a still-born was indescribable.  Having a normal pregnancy is what I desire.  And my doctor is hopeful that it will be.

Yet, this week we had a big scare.   It was Sunday and I was 29 weeks.  My left side started to cramp.  I had back pain.  My desire to eat was gone.  I felt tired and dizzy.  And this pain in my left side wasn't subsiding.  So I called my doctor and was told to go into the hospital just to make sure it wasn't Pre-Term Labor. 

Long story short.  it wasn't labor.... I was so relieved... My baby boy was still doing fine. 

 They sent me home and told me to rest.  I rested.  The pain(s) didn't go away.  The left side cramp got stronger and more intense.  By Tuesday I was back in the hospital for undesirable pain.   We thought it was a kidney stone.  But all the tests said nothing was wrong with me.  After 2 days in the hospital the pain was manageable without medication.  Again they sent me home and told me to rest.  So I did.  Leif was a great help.  He was super Dad all week.  My friends here were amazing.  They helped take care of the twins, brought me meals, and even came to do my laundry.  I don't know what I would have done without them.  We are all doing better now and feeling back to normal. 

Saying Good-Bye

My dear Chinese-Friends Sang Ming (or Lora) moved away.  I am so sad.  I meet Sang Ming about one year ago.  Her husband was from Washington, she from China, and therefore we had an instant connection.  Right after meeting Lora, I inviting her over for lunch and showed her all my Chinese pictures (she was very interested).  I loved using my Chinese on her and I loved helping her improve her English.  Our kids did story-time together and we became visiting-teaching companions.  Lora had a heart of gold.  Lora loved serving others and she loved cooking.  So a lot of our visiting-teaching appointments turned into lunches.  And she was a wonderful cook.  I now make fried-rice and stir-fry the correct "Chinese Way".  For Christmas last year, Lora and her family did the 12 days of Christmas on us.  We looked forward to our nightly gifts and felt so loved by them.  I will forever remember Sang Ming.  I feel sad that good friends have to come and go.      

 

A lunch date with Lora in her beautiful home.

Sang Ming and Rachel

Short visit

Uncle Mike had a meeting in Clearwater for a day.   So we got to stay the night at our house and spend a short Monday morning with us.  It was very short, but the twins remembered "Uncle Mike" and had a lot of fun playing with him.  He is the only uncle who has visited us here in Florida so the twins truly to remember him and get excited to horse-play.  Thanks Mike for the visit!!

Pre-School

Some friends and I started a little pre-school.  Each week we get our kids together and take turns teaching.  The "students" learn a new letter each week.  We then have snack and teach about a monthly theme.  And of course there is play time at the end and social time for the Mom's.  The kids LOVE it.  And I am loving it too.  I forgot how much I love to teach.   It is the best feeling to see students remember things, or understand.

 Every day Micah & Savannah ask if they are going to Pre-School.  It is so fun watching them be a part of a group and interacting with other.  We also do story time once a week with another friend.  So between pre-school and story times these twins are becoming little learners.

I taught the first week.  We learned about the letter A and then made "apple jack" necklaces.  It was a big hit since none of the kids get sugar cereal at home.