Eden's Picture a Day

Head on over to Ahlstromology to see Eden's picture a day from now until she turns one!

New Calling

Now that Eden is here, the ward caught me and gave me a calling. Sunday I was called to be the ward chorister and also the Relief Society pianist. I'm really excited to play the piano, and kind of to be the chorister, but a little nervous for that one. However, no one really watches anyway right? I guess I get to put my conducting class to use though!

Oh...and I'm also playing the violin in the stake Christmas fireside. Just accompanying the choir, but it should still be fun.

First Thanksgiving

This is how Eden spent her first Thanksgiving dinner. She was asleep so Russell put her down so we could eat, but she figured that out pretty quick and woke up. She was quite upset that we were eating good food without her I guess.

We spent Thanksgiving just at home relaxing in our PJ's. It was fun to have just the three of us even though I love to have family around, and for some reason dinner tastes better when mom cooks it!

Two-Week Check-Up

Eden had her two week check-up a couple weeks ago and she's doing great. Here's her stats:

• 8 lbs 10 oz - 50th Percentile
• 21 inches long - 75th Percentile
• 35.5 cm head - 40th Percentile

I couldn't believe she had already gained more than a pound! And there's no way she grew 4 inches. Dr. Teschke said they probably didn't get her length right at the hospital, which apparently happens quite often.

Anyway, she's doing great and gets to have tummy time now that her cord came off. Most of the time she enjoys it too!

Bassinet

Once Grandma left we needed Eden to be in our room because she really doesn't make much noise when she wakes up, and I was paranoid I wouldn't here her. I also just wanted her to be close until she's a little bigger.

I wanted a certain bassinet from Babies R Us, but when I got there they didn't have any, and they've been discontinued. So, I ended up buying a pack and play with a bassinet. It's been really nice to have her right by us, and I'm sure the pack and play will come in handy when we travel.

First Dr. Appointment

A couple days after Eden came home she had her first appointment with the pediatrician, just a check up. She did great! She had gained 4.5oz and looked great. While there I got a Swine Flu shot. So....I've taken Tamiflu and gotten the vaccine and I haven't even had any symptoms. I should be safe from the Swine Flu.

Coming Home

We finally were able to break free of the NICU a week after Eden was born! They STILL wouldn't let Russell come to the hospital, so my mom and I went and picked Eden up and then we went over to Russell's work and he was able to finally hold her. He held her his whole lunch hour, and then most of the night when he got home.

Once we went home, I gave her a bath to get all the IV tape off her and make her smell like a baby. Then we just snuggled till Daddy came home.

Getting Eden dressed up pretty to go home. It's really hard to dress a kid in an incubator!

All dressed and ready for mommy to sign the papers.

Sooooo excited to be free and go visit Daddy!

In the car with Grandma.

Loving Daddy on his lunch break.

After her first bath.

Eating with Daddy her first night home.

A Week in the NICU

Spending a week trekking back and forth to the NICU isn't really the funnest thing in the world, but it sure made me grateful that Eden was actually really healthy, especially compared to the other babies there. We are so lucky that she only had to be there a week instead of months. Here's some pictures from the NICU.

Loving Grandma Flanagan her first night in the NICU.

Me finally able to hold Eden at midnight two days later!

BIG Yawn.

When I was burping her one time she just snuggled in while sitting up all bent over. Silly girl. She has a diaper on her foot to keep her from kicking her IV off.

Her heart monitor leads on, and the IV now in her arm.

Showing off her cool IV.

Eden Taylor Ahlstrom

Eden was born earlier this month, and it was quite the experience. Dr. Koperek decided to induce me, which was just fine! We got to the hospital at 7 a.m. that morning and by 10 a.m. I was all hooked up, my water broke, and her heart monitor on her head. She was a little dramatic when they broke my water and her heart rate went down for a few minutes, but it finally came back up and everything was good.

Russell was sick, so they had him wear a mask the whole day. Bummer.

Me all hooked up and just waiting and waiting.

At about 1 p.m. I finally got an epidural, and it was heavenly! Then about 7:30 p.m. I was totally ready to push her out, but the Dr. was in an emergency c-section so I had to wait. I think they should have more than one Dr. there! Finally we got started, and I pushed for about an hour. The pushing really wasn't that bad, but my hands and arms were totally numb and hurt like crazy.

She was born at 9:42 p.m. weighing 7 lbs and measuring 17 inches. Because she had some meconium in her lungs the NICU team was there to suction her out, which took forever. She stopped breathing at one point, and they had to breathe for her for about 30 seconds. Drama Queen!

The NICU team working on little Eden.

Eden all cleaned up!

Then after everything and everyone was cleaned up, the Dr. came back in and told us that because Russell was sick and had a fever and because I had gotten a fever during delivery (and because they are paranoid and assumed that Russell had the swine flu) we would not be able to hold Eden for 48 hours. They wanted me to take Tamiflu for that long to make sure I didn't have anything even though I didn't have any symptoms. Dumb. So they took her away to the nursery and eventually we went to sleep.

The next morning they made Russell leave the hospital because of his fever, and so then I was alone with no husband or baby. Definitely not the ideal situation for any of the three of us. That night they ended up moving Eden to the NICU in order to give her two different antibiotics because her labs suggested that she had some type of infection. My mom flew in that night and was able to go hold her in the NICU since she hadn't been around anyone that was sick.

The next day I left the hospital, but Eden had to stay for a week to finish her antibiotics. They wouldn't let Russell in to see her, even once he felt better, so my mom and I trekked back and forth to the hospital twice a day and put on gowns, masks, and gloves to go and hold her. I couldn't wait to hold her without all that junk!

From Two to Three

So Thursday I got a call from the hospital telling me that I was scheduled to be induced on Monday and all the instructions. I called them right back because I had NO CLUE that was happening. The nurse was quite confused and told me to call Dr. Koperek's nurse and see what was going on. I did, but it was close to five and apparently she had already left. However, when I went to my non-stress test Friday morning they said Dr. Koperek wanted to talk to me after. Good, because I need to talk to him!

Turns out, he had a patient who was scheduled for Monday deliver and thought I wouldn't mind the spot since I hadn't come in in labor yet and he was going to have to schedule something anyway. PERFECT! So, I'm being induced tomorrow morning at 7am.

So....I've spent the weekend trying to get last minute things ready. I wanted to have the house clean to come home to, and needed to get the rest of the hospital bag packed. I didn't quite clean the whole house, but the parts we are mostly in are clean and the rest will just have to wait.

I headed to church this morning by myself because Russell is still not feeling the greatest and as I was sitting there it was just weird to think that all of the sudden tomorrow it won't just be me and Russell, but a baby too. I'm super excited, but nervous too, and I'm sure as much as I try I won't sleep a whole lot tonight!