One Week Old

Kyler was one week old yesterday. He had his first shopping trip to get some needed supplies and look for clothes for Kyler and I to wear for an upcoming wedding. He slept the whole time. He enjoys being in his car seat, especially when we're moving.

Remember all those books we got at the baby shower? Well, we are already putting them to good use. Here is Brett reading Kyler his first book, "Are You My Mother?" We enjoy reading to him and he seems to like it to (although he is a pretty content baby so I'm not sure what he doesn't like). We know he has no idea what we are doing when we are reading to him but the experts say it is really good for these babes.

Brett reading to Kyler.

(Kyler was awake, just having a hard time keeping his eyes open.)

Kyler has also been Skyping with Grandma and Grandpa Brack and Great Aunt Shelly. It is hard to get him to stay awake on the web cam. This will be really nice to have so we can show him off to Uncle Ryan and Aunt Jessica in Japan. And we are up at all hours so the time difference might not even be a big deal for now! We are going to purchase an external web cam so we don't have to angle the laptop to show the little man.

Daddy and Kyler on Skype with Grandma and Grandpa Brack

Right before bedtime, Kyler got his first real bath (not just a sponge bath). Unfortunately, bathtime is so hectic that we forgot to get a picture so Brett snapped this one while we were drying him off (and he was peeing in his clean towel).

Kyler after his first real bath.

A lot of people have been asking how Kyler does sleeping and if he cries a lot. The answer is that he is a great baby so far. He very very rarely cries, just a few squeaks to let us know he is hungry. He also sleeps pretty well. He wants to eat about every two hours until his 2:00 am feeding. Then he starts sleeping in 3 1/2 hour increments until around lunch time. I have been able to get around 7 hours of sleep each night which has been great. Today I even went back to sleep from 8:00 am to 11:00 am while Kyler and Brett spent some time sitting outside (the weather was beautiful this morning), read a book or two, and listened to some Jack Johnson. We are going to be sad when Daddy goes back to work next week, he is a big help and it is just awesome to have him around to spend so much quality time with Kyler!

Little Kyler in his big crib.

First Doctor Visit

A couple more "firsts" for Kyler took place last night and this morning. Kyler got his first bath at home last night. It was a sponge bath since his cord had not fallen off yet. Well, I thought that it had not but when I undressed him, it was gone. He didn't mind the bath too much although he wasn't real happy when he got a little cold. It was a little hectic because he first peed on me and later decided to poo on the towel he was laying on. Hopefully our real bath tomorrow goes more smoothly!

5 Days Old - Just Trying to Stay Warm

This morning was Kyler's first doctor visit at six days old. It went really well. Kyler had actually already gained back his birth weight (which can take about two weeks) and then some. His birth weight was 6 pounds 8.7 ounces. When we went home from the hospital when Kyler was three days old his weight was 6 pounds 1.5 ounces. Today he weighed in at a whopping 6 pounds 12 ounces. Daddy was proud of his growing little boy and I was glad to hear that he was getting plenty to eat!

5 Days Old - Showing his Forehead Wrinkles

One more thing I forgot to mention... Brett has finally changed some diapers and Kyler got him good! I had fed the little guy and was super tired so I headed to bed and let Daddy take over putting him to sleep. As Brett was changing Kyler's diaper, Kyler first peed all over. Then to top things off, he decided he was not done pooping as the new diaper was going on. Needless to say, Brett was getting pretty frustrated and I ended up getting back up to help out. I wonder if this is an indication of how ornery Kyler is going to be!

Kyler's First Trip

Brett and I aren't the type to sit around and pass up opportunities to hang out with family and friends. So it might or might not be surprising that we packed up the family and headed to Seneca the day after we got out of the hospital to attend my brother's high school graduation party. (Don't worry, I did check with my doctor first.) The trip went really smoothly and it was great to be able to introduce all of our family and friends to little Kyler.

Uncle Brent seemed to enjoy his new nephew. And he wasn't upset that Kyler was the center of attention at his party.

Brett even had his first babysitting experience while I attended the graduation ceremony. Brett is great with Kyler and a natural father. I think his "fatherly instinct" is a little better than my "motherly instinct" which is sometimes a little over-protective and extreme. His main job so far is to put Kyler to sleep if he doesn't fall asleep on his own after eating. (Although I have to note that he has avoided changing a single diaper so far - because of this, I have asked Kyler to be sure to pee on his daddy when he does change his first diaper.)

Kyler also got to meet Great Grandma and Grandpa Haverkamp at the party along with a ton of other relatives and family friends.

Welcome Home, Kyler

Kyler got to come home when on his fourth day of life. Brett and I were ready to move out of the hospital and get home. I had cabin fever being stuck in the same room for three days. We were also ready to be home where there are no nurses waking Kyler or I up every few hours to get checked on or have a procedure done. The nurse we had the last morning at the hospital was great and got us out of there pretty quickly. I think we made it home by around 11:30 in the morning. Kyler fell asleep before we left the hospital and didn't wake up for a while after we were home. We thought it was pretty cute that when we pulled into the driveway and went to get him out of the car, Kyler was holding his pacifier in his hand.

When we got home, our two dogs, Maggie and Baxter, were very excited to see us all. We brought Kyler into the living room in his carrier and set it down so that the dogs could check him out. It was pretty amusing because Baxter was actually scared of him at first. Then Baxter thought the baby should be playing with him and tried to pull the hat off his head and play with his kicking feet. We have had to keep a good eye on Baxter since he is extremely interested in Kyler and wants to lick and touch him with his paws. It is all innocent but could obviously scratch our precious baby boy. Maggie is much better with Kyler and just occasionally gives him a sniff or lick but that is the extent of her interest.

Grandpa Charlie came over shortly after we got home to meet Kyler. Grandma Tammy had been staying at our house since Thursday and was a big help. Maggie and Baxter appreciated that they did not have to be locked up the whole time we were in the hospital. And Grandma also picked up some more diapers (because the little guy is too small for the newborn cloth diapers right now) and some warmer clothes (even though it is almost 90 degrees, Kyler is always cold and has not been able to regulate his temperature on his own yet).

A little later Kyler had some more visitors. Grandma Debbie came over with her sisters, Sherry and Sandy, and Great Grandma Rita.

Kyler's First Days

May 19, 2010 is a day we will always remember. I barely slept the night before and it will be a long time before I get a full night's rest again! We woke up at 6:00 to get ready for our big day. I showered, packed, and Brett snapped a few last pictures of me pregnant.

We got to the hospital around 7:30 and they showed us to our recovery room and started prepping for the procedure. Around 9:15 I was wheeled back to the operating room and given the spinal anesthetic. Brett waited outside so that he wouldn't faint. We stared at a blue sheet during the surgery while the doctor told us what was happening. Before we knew it, we could hear a very loud cry and she told us it was a boy. Once they got his cord untangled, they held him above the curtain so that we could see. He was tiny and purple but screaming his head off. The nurses and doctors kept commenting on how loud he was. While they finished up the surgery, Brett accompanied our baby boy to get weighed and measured and have his temperature taken. They gave him a score of 9 out of 10 right after he was born which was amazing. The baby was swaddled and handed to his daddy to hold next to me as they finished things up.

We were moved back to the recovery room for a couple of hours while the baby was bathed and footprints were taken. He also had to be put under a warmer right away because his temperature was low and he was not able to regulate it himself. We contemplated names, deciding between Kyler and Gavin. We called our parents. First were Tammy and Charlie who were pretty surprised that the baby had already arrived. Then Tig and Deb who were so excited they left as soon as they got off the phone. By the time we moved to the mother/baby room, we had decided on Kyler for our son's name. The middle name would remain to be determined.

Once we got settled into our room, we continued to spread the news of our little guy's arrival. Within a couple of hours, Kyler had his first visitors - Grandpa Tig and Grandma Debbie. They were so proud and got to spend some quality awake moments with tiny Kyler. Uncle Brad stopped by as soon as he heard. Then great-aunt Susan and Matt. When I called Susan to tell her she was a great aunt she asked why... and then realized I wasn't just saying she was a really good aunt. And our last visitors were Andy and Sarah. Andy said he was almost as excited and proud as Grandpa Tig.

We were all pretty exhausted after such a big day. We struggled to get Kyler to wake up enough to eat and even Brett was hard to wake up during the night when we needed his help. But we are slowly getting caught up and used to this crazy schedule. We have been able to take it easy this morning. There have been doctor and nurse visits and we had to complete the birth certificate information. That meant that we needed to decide on a middle name. Since I got my pick for the first name, I let Brett choose Kyler's middle name. We had talked yesterday about Gavin or Jordan but in the end Brett decided that Jacoby would be his middle name.

Grandma Tammy is on her way to visit now and second cousins Taylor, Kelsey, and Avery will also be visiting this afternoon. There will be some other friends and family stopping by later this evening to meet our tiny little man.

So there you have it - the first day (and some change) of Kyler Jacoby Brack's life. Sometimes when he is looking around checking things out you can just tell he is wondering what in the heck just happened! I can't wait for everyone to meet him. Hopefully you will think he is at least a fraction as awesome as we do.

Pregnancy Reflections

Ninth Month

Girl or boy? Now that I've gotten to know you, I think you will
be a:

I really have no idea. I was so convinced it was a girl in the beginning but now for some reason I am thinking boy. Probably because that's the name we have not been able to agree on. Also because of the size, lower heart rate, and how active the baby is. Dad is convinced it is a girl so we will see who knows best.

My favorite names for you are:

Austyn for a girl or Kyler for a boy. Now if Dad would just agree on Kyler and get over the name Jacoby, we would be in good shape on names. I think I will get the final stay after all the hard work I've done the past 9 months! Otherwise we will have to go with Gavin which is a very popular name right now but at least we both like it.

The strangest name someone suggested is:

There have been a variety of strange names. Uncle Brent had some pretty crazy ideas and Lynch banned some interesting names. Our neighbor, Pedro, suggested his name. I think we'll pass on all of the above.

The most useful advice I've received is:

I'm not sure I can answer this question before the baby gets here. I guess so far it is Brett's advice to not work so much. Although now he is wanting me to not take any PTO so that I get paid for the entire 12 weeks of maternity leave. :) I think we will just have to sacrifice my pay for that last week because I am getting less productive and it is getting pretty uncomfortable to sit at a desk in dress pants for 40 hours each week.

I can't wait for your birth because:

There are just so many unknowns that I want to find out the answers to. How will it happen? Will it be a boy or a girl? When will it happen? We can't wait to meet our little one and bring him or her home. It is so hard to know what the experience will be like before it happens.

At this month's prenatal visit, I learned that:

The baby will probably be around 8 pounds at birth.

My hopes:

That we don't have any complications during labor and delivery. We want a healthy baby! Also that that day comes sooner than later. I really don't want to go all the way to my due date (or past it)!

My fears:

That there will be any complications that put the baby at risk for developmental problems or disabilities.

Eighth Month

My pregnancy classes are:

A little scary, fairly informative, and one part was just strange. We found out a lot about what to expect during labor. But we were a caught off-guard a little when we learned a relaxation exercise (meditating and envisioning yourself on a beach having contractions) rather than the traditional breathing exercises. That was a little disappointing but I guess we'll figure it out whent the time comes.

In the classes, I've learned how to:

Time contractions while in the sand. :)

What I've bought for you so far:

My first purchase was a Nebraska hat. Brett's first buy was a t-shirt (size 2T - it was the smallest they had) from Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Brett and I also bought some onesies, a bib, and a little puppy stuffed animal. We've also bought many necessities - diapers, a mattress, storage baskets, a travel system, and a dresser. It has only just begun!

What other people have bought for you:

Your first gift was a Christmas present from Grandma Debbie. She got a little toy that is supposed to be a baby favorite. Then she got you a stuffed animal - a soft little white kitty - for Valentine's Day. Grandma and Grandpa Brack came into town with a soft little lamb that plays music. And this weekend we had a shower where you received lots and lots of books, toys, clothes, and some furniture.

The strangest food craving I've had during this pregnancy is:

I really don't think I have had any cravings. I have always liked sweets and that is the main thing I am wanting so I don't think that counts. I did eat a lot of peanut buttter and jelly sandwiches throughout the pregnancy but I think that is mostly due to convenience and lack of energy to make anything else.

At my prenatal visit, I learned:

That the baby is now head-down. Somehow he or she found enough room to change position. So now a c-section may not be necessary.

My hopes:

That we get through these next several weeks with no complications and that it goes by quickly. I am ready to hold my healthy baby!

My fears:

That there will be some sort of complication that will put stress on the baby.

Seventh Month

I've started thinking about the nursery:

But we are just not getting too far. It is going to be pretty plain at first, especially not knowing if you will be pretty in pink or all boy. We are going to get the room cleared out and the carpets cleaned in the upcoming weeks. Then after the shower we will get everything furnished and put together.

I've been dreaming about you:

In the beginning of my pregnancy, I thought for sure I was having a little girl. All of my dreams were about baby girls and I just couldn't imagine anything different. But now in my dreams I have a baby boy so I'm not so sure. Once I even had a dream that I had twins!

I used to love food! Now I avoid:

I really don't have any food aversions or cravings that are different than before I was pregnant. I have noticed in the past weeks that even though my belly is much bigger, my stomach is getting smaller. I get full really fast and have to eat more often.

I never thought pregnancy would make me:

Emotional. Okay, so maybe I did think that but it catches me off guard. I get angry and sad at times when I normally would be able to brush something off my shoulders. I am also a little more obsessive about baby things than I thought I would be. It is consuming my life already!

I can't wait to:

Meet this little person and find out if it is my son or daughter and see what he or she looks like. I might be crazy but I hope these next couple of months fly by. I also can't wait to see Brett's reaction. It will be a very exciting and special moment!

My prenatal visit this month taught me:

The baby is still growing exactly on track and appears to be healthy and normal. I was also able to find out exactly where he or she is positioned - the back is along the top of my belly (bottom of my ribcage), the head is on my left down lower, and the legs and feet are on my lower right side.

My hopes:

That we have a healthy baby and that everything goes smoothly. Also that the next couple months of waiting go by fairly quickly.

My fears:

As always, I fear that something could go wrong. We've made it this far and it would be crushing if something happened to this little one.

Sixth Month

Buying maternity clothes was:
Awful! I hate shopping as it is and maternity shopping is really bad. The clothes are harder to find than I thought too. You would be surprised how few stores carry them.

The biggest change in my body has been:
The obvious... my belly is getting bigger and bigger. Brett reminds me every day!

My favorite change in my body has been:
I don't think I really have one. The changes are such a pain in terms of clothes - I wear the same 5 things to work each week. If I could wear sweats everyday I would probably like my belly a little more - it is definitely reassuring to feel that little body moving around throughout the day.

What I never thought would change was:
My bootie... I have never had any junk in the trunk before. :)

At this month's prenatal visit I learned that:
The baby weighs 1 pound 10 ounces at 24 weeks.

My hopes:
That we will deliver a healthy baby at the beginning of May (or later as long as he or she is healthy).

My fears:
That we will have complications.

Fifth Month

The first time I felt you kick:
I had been thinking I was feeling things but wasn't sure if it was my imagination or really kicks. On Christmas night as I was feeling some funny movements, I put my hand on my belly and felt a kick on my hand. What an awesome Christmas gift!

The strangest food craving I've had is:
I really haven't had many cravings through my pregnancy. I would say that I crave more "good for you" food and am less hungry than normal for sweets... which is crazy for me!

This month's prenatal visit taught me that:
The baby is growing at a normal rate and everything looks fine. No more trips to the specialist unless something else comes up later. (Keeping our fingers crossed!)

My hopes:
Same as always... that the baby goes as close to term as possible, that the baby will grow without restriction, and that we do not have any major complications. We just want a normal, healthy, and happy baby!

My fears:
My biggest fear is having the baby pre-term. I also worry a little about growth restriction and other complications we could have. Although right now we are very optimistic and haven't heard any really bad news!

Fourth Month

What I least expected with this pregnancy was:
For everything to be so normal with the baby. I sort of expected a miscarriage or something to be wrong with the baby but so far, the baby is very healthy as far as we can tell even though he or she is trying to scare me. :) I also didn't realize how much my sleep cycle would be disturbed.

The best bit of advice I've received is:
To drink a lot more water. My nurse told me this and I have been trying. Haven't received much other advice...

What has changed the most in my life with this pregnancy is:
I have had to work in a LOT of doctor appointments without telling anyone the real reason why. I'm sure my bosses/managers and co-workers were wondering what is going on. I finally told my boss at 16 weeks so I won't have to sneak out anymore.

What made me realize that I was really pregnant was:
My stomach is starting to get bigger. Also, I have to pee a lot more often. I am waking up at least once during the night to go, or really early in the morning.

This month's ultrasound was:
The ultrasounds have been pretty good. The good thing is the baby is measuring normal and still moving around and the heart is beating strong. The not-so-good is that the baby is breech and the placenta is not in the best place (although my OB said that the placenta thing is normal for this point in the pregnancy - and so is breech for people with normal anatomies).

At my prenatal visit this month I discovered that:
The first trimester screen came back negative. That means that the chances of having a severe genetic abnormality are very low. Also, everything is holding together well so no bed rest for now. Yay!

My hopes:
That the baby will be fine and not have any growth restrictions. Also that we go as close to full term as possible.

My fears:
I am trying to stay positive. But my fears are basically the opposite of my hopes.

Third Month

What I'm enjoying the most about my pregnancy so far is:
Knowing that everything is going well and is normal as possible for me. Each appointment is just a total relief.

Names that I've been thinking of:
Girl names: Austyn, Ava, Julia ("Dad" only likes Austyn)
Boy names: Carter, Damon, Kyler

Girl or boy? I think you will be a:
For some reason I am just sure it is a girl. I am putting all of my childhood photos into a scrapbook (since my baby book has been falling apart for years) and I almost bought a ton of baby girl scrapbook stuff since I could use it again on my baby... until I realized I didn't know that it was a girl for sure.

At my prenatal visit this month I found out that:
The heart is still beating and when my stomach starts to grow people may be able to tell that the baby is on the right. Also that we will have around 10 ultrasounds by the time the baby comes... the one benefit to having a high-risk or abnormal pregnancy.

My hopes:
That everything goes well.

My fears:
That something will go wrong. I am still too afraid to buy any baby things.

Second Month

The hardest thing for me to give up is:
Drinking... mostly because it makes it hard to hide my pregnancy.

This month I told:
We decided to tell my parents for my dad's 50th birthday. I also hinted to a co-worker who had been observant enough to figure it out.

They reacted by:
My parents were shocked and extremely excited. My co-worker was really happy for us and was interested in hearing all about it which was nice since I haven't been able to talk to anyone about the pregnancy yet at this point.

This month at my prenatal visit I learned that:
The baby has a heartbeat already... and we were able to hear it!

New pregnancy symptoms I had this month:
Nausea and "the twins" were a little sensitive at first.

My hopes:
That we have a healthy baby in May and that the pregnancy goes somewhat fast... I am excited!

My fears:
A lot could go wrong in the next eight months. We could have a miscarriage or issues with pre-term labor or breech presentation at the end.

First Month

I started thinking I might be pregnant when:
I was feeling just a little different than normal and I thought since I had been on medications the previous months my cycle would be on time.

I found out I was pregnant when I:
I didn't find out until my second month when I took another pregnancy test and had it confirmed by going to the doctor.

I felt:
Shocked!!! How in the world did this happen? I mean, I know how it happened, but we didn't think it was possible for us!

The first person I told was:
Brett.

They reacted by:
Being very skeptical. It was hard to believe and we knew there were risks.

The first ultrasound was:
Again, not until the second month. But it was amazing. "Dad" was shocked that we could hear a heartbeat - there really was a baby in there. And very excited when he found out it "happened in Vegas."

At my first prenatal visit I learned that:
We were about two weeks earlier than what we had calculated. (Again, this was in the second month when we found out.)

My baby will be born:
Hopefully around May 23, 2010.

It's a Boy!

We are proud to announce Kyler Jacoby Brack has arrived! 18.5 inches, 6 pounds 8.7 ounces and born at 9:48a.m. Mother and baby are doing well.

The procedure went smooth and everyone is telling us we have a healthy handsome boy.

The Baby is Coming!

Today was our final prenatal appointment and it was a very exciting one! The doctor checked to see if there was any progress. While she thought the baby had dropped even further, I still was not dilated at all. She wanted to revisit our options of doing a c-section if I didn't go into labor. So she asked if we wanted to wait it out another week or go ahead and schedule a c-section for this week. Because we have a feeling that I am not going to go into labor natually (I haven't even had a single contraction yet), we decided to forego waiting another week and go ahead with the c-section this week. We also felt that this would be the safest route for the baby since there was less risk of stress or a problem with the cord or any other type of emergency situation. The doctor asked us which day we wanted to do it. And she gave us the option of tomorrow. So we decided to do it! The surgery is scheduled for 9:30 tomorrow morning and we have to be at the hospital at 7:30.

I also had what is called a non-stress test performed because I told the doctor I was feeling less movement and have been occasionally concerned about it. I think the test was named as such so that the parents don't get alarmed... because I would think calling it a stress test would be more appropriate. Basically what happened is they put the fetal heart monitor on my belly and checked the baby's baseline heartrate. Then the nurse pulled out a metal bedpan and a spoon and asked me if the baby was head down. Since it is, she banged on the pan about 5 times right next to the bottom of my belly. The monitor started speeding up as the baby's heartrate increased and then the poor thing got the hiccups. I felt terrible! Obviously that scared the crap out of the baby. I guess I should have kept my mouth shut about it not being as active. The good news is the baby is doing fine and is not deaf!

I don't think it has fully sunk in that I will be having a baby tomorrow. We are so excited and can't wait to meet him or her. I can't imagine what that moment will be like. After the appointment we both rushed to work to get things taken care of since we will be out for a while. Everyone so far has been pretty shocked (and so have we) that all of a sudden we know that we are having a baby in less than 24 hours. Before our lives completely changed, we decided to have one last dinner just the two of us. It was an awesome evening to sit outside and eat. Now we just need to finish packing the hospital bags and do a little more cleaning around the house. And Brett is giving the dogs plenty of attention since they will surely be a little neglected in the upcoming days. He is drinking a couple of beers so he can get some sleep... I wish I could do the same. I'm sure I will be up all night with excitement.

Only about 12 more hours until we find out if we have a son or daughter! I can't wait! Too bad we still don't have names picked out...

38 Weeks Down, ??? To Go

The 38 week appointment was today. Nothing notable happening yet. I am still gaining weight :( and the doctor thinks that the baby has dropped some since the last time she checked 2 weeks ago. There was some more talk of c-section today. If labor has not started by a couple days after the due date, we will probably be scheduling a c-section. The doctor feels safer doing that than inducing and trying to force a vaginal delivery. We agree. So we should for sure have a baby by around May 26th but we are still hoping it comes earlier. We are so ready (I think)!

We also finally purchased the last item for the nursery - a glider. Speaking of the nursery, our little dog Baxter had a fun time in there this weekend. I convinced Brett to give him a little more freedom while we were out Saturday night. When we got home, there were baby toys everywhere. Apparently he had just been dying for an opportunity to raid the toybox and play with all the soft little toys. Only one was destroyed and it was an old stuffed animal that I have had since high school or college.

In other news Brett is almost done replacing the surface of the deck. He will probably finish that up while he is on paternity leave. And today is our anniversary. The weather is the same every year so far. Cold, windy, and rainy. Brett got us tickets to a Cirque du Soleil show called Alegria. We are going Wednesday night (assuming we are not in the hospital having a baby).

37 Week Appointment - Nothing Happening Yet

We had another appointment this morning. Nothing new yet. It will probably be a couple more weeks at least before the baby comes. We are trying to be as patient as possible but these last weeks are going very slowly so far!

B got a lot done this weekend. I pretty much just sat around and did laundry. I'm not much help right now when it comes to moving furniture, doing yardwork, or building a deck. He rented a carpet cleaner and got our carpet at least somewhat sanitary. All the baby items are washed and put away. Oh, and I got our hospital bags mostly packed.

We are ready when you are, baby.