The Busy Mommy Life & Unseen Photos

So I was going through photos on the computer and realized the hubby had some photos that I never seen before. This is 24 hours into labor I think? I'm feeling pretty high at this point...and tired...

 Daddy and his baby burrito!

 I remember these exhausting days. I know you are not supposed to sleep with your child but at this point, I was in survival mode. I needed sleep and if this is how I was to get it then so be it. Note Lola has joined us...lol she wasn't the only baby anymore.

Little princess when her newborn clothes swallowed her :) Just a couple of weeks old :)

Since Sophia was a little over 2.5 months old I began to work full time. My whole life I wanted to be a social worker, Sophia comes and in a matter of months she changed my whole mind set. I love being at home with her and my family. I love sleeping in the mornings with them and just being with them at every moment I possibly can. It definitely is not easy either working full time and being a mother to a baby...I don't have much free time which is why my blog gets updated once every 5 years....sorry readers :) My free time I do have is spent cleaning, working extra, eating, sleeping, showering, etc. I am so grateful I have a wonderful husband who helps me out so much tho! Love him!

So until the day I can eventually be a stay at home, I will continue to work and think about my baby every second I possibly can. For those that know me well, you also know I haven done everything I possibly can to keep up with breastfeeding Sophia. I have come to terms with feeding her some formula when I don't have enough milk or Dan and I want to go on a date night. I am okay with giving her as much milk as I can from me then supplementing with formula. I am finally at my last resort...taking a prescription medication that helps me produce more milk. The only problem with it is the side effect of depression. I am usually a very happy go lucky person and now it is a battle to sometimes make myself happy because I know the medication is affecting me. Is it worth it to be depressed and feeding her or being happy and feeding her formula? Problem is, I LOVE feeding her....I almost quit in the beginning because breastfeeding was so hard for me but now that Sophia and I got the hang of it, I love it, and I love the bond I have with her, and I love knowing I am giving her something healthy. I am weening myself off of the medicine...although, the less I take the less I am producing milk. It wasn't supposed to happen like this, once I stopped the medicine, my milk was supposed to stay up but of course, my body won't cooperate with me. Soon she will probably have to be on formula full time....boo :/ But at least I can say I tried everything in my power to do it for her.

Well I'm coming to the end of this for tonight...I'm tired...of course ;)

Happy 1 Month Sophia!

 Welcome to the world baby! Sophia Rae Marino born 6/14/12 at 11:57 p.m weighing 8 lbs 1 ounce.

Kangaroo Care: The above photo is what is called Kangaroo Care and it's amazing :) Right after you give birth, they put the baby on your chest with skin to skin contact and then throw warm blankets on top of you. For 1 hour, your precious baby is all yours not even your hubby's (sorry hubs!). No one is else is allowed to hold for one hour so I was able to lay there while the doctor finished up and finally relax while sweet Sophia rested on my chest. It was an unbelievable moment!

No onto labor...terrible, horrible, no good, very bad labor!! Oh it was awful and I give major PROPS to any woman who goes through natural child birth! So here is my story:

I was not dilating and I was about at my due date, I was miserable and my doctor didn't want to go past my due date if she didn't have to because it would make the baby bigger and harder for me. So I was to get induced @ 12am on Wednesday night going into Thursday, June 14th. I was given medicine to help me sleep as I had never slept in a hospital before and I was so anxious! Needless to say, I didn't know I would have to sleep with all of these wires and monitors hooked up to me so I maybe slept 30 minutes that night. I had been dilated a half cm for over a month and so they gave me medicine to soften my cervix...by 9am on the 13th, I had not dilated at all. Then they gave me Potusin (however you spell that...it's the medicine that induces you) and had me on the maximum dosage till about 1:30pm. During that happy, I was a happy camper because it was a waiting game and I couldn't feel the tiny contractions I was having. At 1:30pm, I had only dilated to 1cm. At that point Dan and I had a major decision to make. I was to go home and return a week after my due date to try again or I could have my water broken and if I didn't dilate by 11pm then I was going to have a C-section which I really did not want. After a lot of thought, we decided I had already been through a lot of pain (see picture/explanation below) so let's go for it...time to break my water! Immediately after my water was broken I began to have contractions. But since I didn't have my "cushion" anymore during the early part of my labor, all of my contractions were extremely painful despite the pain medicine they were giving me. Finally about 8:30pm that night (still NO sleep),  I was told I had dilated to 4cm and it was time for my epidural. I screamed out "Hallelujah" as I was happy to soon be out of my pain! The epidural didn't hurt a bit since I was too busy with the pain I was already in! Well well well....after just an hour or so I began to feel the worst pain I have ever felt in my life! I couldn't describe it except to say I felt like my pelvis bone was breaking in half. I began to scream constantly in pain and everyone including Dan thought it was just normal contractions but I knew something was wrong. The remote I had that I could push to give myself extra pain medicine wasn't working. So finally the anesthesiologist came to my rescue! My epidural had fallen out while I was 8cm!! Phewwwww there is no way I could ever do natural childbirth after I got just a taste of it! As soon as the epidural kicked in for real this time, it was Heaven on Earth and I let out a huge breath! Finally for once that day I was not in pain! But I did get nauseous and started throwing up right as I got to 10cm so they gave me some more medicine that also has a side effect of sleepiness. At this point, I was delirious! So much that I had an apparent conversation with my doctor that I completely do not remember! I was only told of it from my doctor and Dan who were all laughing at me, I was 10 cm, ready to push, talking about pineapples and rainbows, and despite her hard work, my doctor couldn't get me to concentrate on pushing. So they were forced to leave the room, turn off all the lights, and let me sleep for 30 minutes or so and then when they came back, they said your 10 cm, it's time to push! Yeehaw I was ready! I had that bad girl out in less then 30 minutes! What a relief it was when I heard the doctor say how she had a head full of hair and to hear her cry for the first time (not so happy about hearing the crying now, haha). We stayed in the hospital for 2 more nights and all was well!!

Parenthood: Now my little princess is 1 month old and what a shock she has been to my life! I've always wanted a little girl and I got her but shewww motherhood is not easy! I was used to my 8-10 hours of sleep and if I got less than that, I literally couldn't function right. Now I get 2 hours here and if I'm lucky 3 hours (since I'm breastfeeding and she hasn't been given a bottle yet) and I am able to do everything I did before on less than half the sleep! Go me! I admit, in the past month, I've probably done my hair and make up less than 10X which if you knew me, I basically did my hair and make up every single day, and I'm probably a bit more grumpy then normal but I know all this will improve! Looking at the big picture, Sophia really is a good baby. She doesn't just cry over anything, if she cries there is something wrong and once it's fixed she is okay, she doesn't throw up a lot, and although we had our meltdowns in the beginning because she wasn't a good latcher, we are all better now and she eats a lot!!  I am very blessed to have her AND my husband who has been incredible at helping me in anything and everything! He basically showered me when I was weak in the hospital and has done anything and everything for me and the baby! I couldn't do it without him!!

Above is why I chose not to leave the hospital and return a week later to restart everything. I loved the hospital and nurses where I gave birth except the first nurse I had. One arm she got my iv stuck in a valve and the other needle blew my vain. Finally after both of those tries she gave up and had a "real" nurse come in who knew what she was doing and put my iv in me in 10 seconds painlessly. But these first 2 tries hurt so bad I was in tears just as much as I was when I was having contractions. I had gone through too much pain already to give up, go home, and then possibly go through that again! I'm blessed and lucky that me and the baby were kept healthy and safe through it all though :)

We're ready for Sophia!

I think Niko says it all....we're ready for you Sophia! Lol I couldn't help but snap this photo. Every time I go into the nursery to do something, Niko trails in behind me and just lays down until I leave the room. Niko definitely knows that I'm pregnant as he has become more protective but also he is curious about absolutely everything in that room! He looks quite chubby in this photo though, haha but he really is not. Well Sophia and I both have our bags packed , extra packing list attached to suitcase just in case now counting down the days...

18 days to go.....

Sophia's Nursery & Thank You!

 Sophia's crib

 Bags packed!

Car seat ready to go!

Here is Sophia's nursery so far! We have worked hard on cleaning and organizing this room and the closet to make space for all of Sophia's things. We still are not done, we have curtains and some decorations to put up plus I plan on getting a glider rocker for the room as well. But I'm very happy with this cute little monster's room :) 

I would also like to say THANK YOU to everyone. To everyone family or friend that has helped Dan and I with anything that has to do with Sophia, all of the gifts, help, kindness, and love that has been shown to us go never goes unnoticed. I have never felt more loved and supported as I do now and I pray that all of my friends and family who have been there for me are showered with blessings because you all deserve it. Heavenly Father has truly blessed me with a chance to raise my own beautiful family, a loving husband, a few close family members, and a church with MANY people who all make me feel loved every day :) Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

GirL's RoCk!

 Did I ever mention that I LOVE LOVE LOVE absolutely LOVE shopping for a little girl?! Dan and I have only bought a few things as I've been told over and over "wait for your baby showers!" but there are just some times and some things that you can't pass up on! I found some adorable outfits (the color is actually purple not blue). The pink skirt below is one that I saw in a store 2 months and they sold out in the size I needed! I was heart broken! I swore if I ever saw it again I would get it....who would have thought 2 months later I would receive not only a coupon in the mail but an ad for the same skirt at another store?!? I was stoked and immediately went out and got the last pink skirt in her size! Ahhh victory! LOL

Isn't this just so darn adorable?!? So I won't do this with EVERY thing I get for Sophia....maybe just a few tho ;) Graduation is in 2 days...Sophia is due in 6 weeks...I couldn't be happier. I am doing well with my happy little family and now that I am done with school I have time to read some books, catch up on cleaning the house, and doing what I can to prepare for little Sophia Rae :)

* Babies & Graduations! *

 

This is what our current "nursery" looks like...not exactly what I had planned. This used to be our movie room and then we got surprised with a soon to be little girl. But since our lease is up less than a month before the baby is due, the baby furniture you see there still in the boxes weights over 90 lbs each, and the fact that we are wanting to move, we haven't decided what to do yet with this room. I have been reassure by Dan though, IF Sophia comes early...this room will be set up while I am in the hospital and before I come home. But those of you know really know me, I am a perfectionist....I love to organize, clean, and keep items in their rightful places....this room? It's KILLING me!!! LOL. I'd honestly feel better if the room was just empty so I am now in the process of carefully storing things away in orderly fashion and throwing away stuff at the same time. Good bye movie room with all of my Twilight memorabilia until we get an extra room...but.....

My graduation is in 13 days!!!! I am STOKED, HAPPY, EXCITED, and READY FOR THIS!!! I have been imaging this moment for years and it's so close I can taste it! Every moment of my life up until in 13 days, I have always had to plan my life around school, work for free, work for less so that I could go to school at the same time, and just my life revolved around school. I do plan on getting my masters but for now I just want my degree and to concentrate on being a new mommy :) I don't know how this summer will be...jobs I or Dan will have...we have things in the works right now so if you ask me two days in a row what my plan is you will probably get 5 different answers, I'm not worried though, I know things will work out one way or another, I just have to sit back and watch how they will work out.

And here is part of my happy family....we all like naps :) I didn't realize I had passed out nor that someone was spying on me ;) But this is our typical family naps...Niko lays beside me or Dan on the ground and Lola is somewhere cuddled on top of one of us. I almost don't even look pregnant in this photo...unless you look super close and see a little bump peeking up.


Well well....I am 32 weeks along....8 more weeks to go! I am doing good...craving sweets every bit of the way and even though I passed my dreaded 3 hour glucose test I got a lecture from my ob that I still have really high sugar. Have you ever been pregnant and tried NOT eating the few things you were craving?!?! It is SO difficult and when I'm not eating sweets I'm thinking about eating sweets. For the past week, every person I've seen that knows me has just glowed with joy about how big I "suddenly" am...really? Hmmm I feel like the weight has been coming on pretty steadily but apparently others view me differently. Oh well, it totally does not offend me when people say how big I look..although I've heard your not supposed to say that to a pregnant woman because it's rude? I don't know...it doesn't offend me at all but that's just me. Dan has been amazing throughout the pregnant...completely sweet and amazing! He tries to shop for me and choose low sugar items, he's fixed me breakfast before I go into work, and when he comes home from work or leaves for work, he always kisses Sophia and says "Hello little girl" or "Goodbye little girl". She has already acquired more nicknames then I could imagine before she is even in this world. Haha I've given up already as well on wanting people to call her Sophia and only Sophia.

2 Days Is Not Long Enough....

I felt compelled to share this story and I hope my dear friend doesn't mind that I'm actually sharing "her" story. I just read a blog post from a good friend however, I won't share her name or her exact post because it is very personal to her family but I wanted her to know how much her story affected me. Reading her blog post broke my heart, made me cry, but also made me more thankful than ever for the blessings I have. Here a just a few things going through my head:

The average time it takes a for a couple to get pregnant is approximately 8 months.

I got pregnant in about 6 weeks.

I'm almost 22 weeks along and many women by this time have swelling, pain, back aches, nausea still, or may have other health problems going on such as high blood pressure.

I was nauseated for 6 weeks in my first trimester and that was all. I'm feeling great, every so often I may have a LITTLE gas or a spurt of tummy pain from my ligaments/muscles stretching but that's all. No swelling no nothing.

Baby? Oh yea, she (Sophia Rae) is healthy so far! 1 more ultrasound to go to double check the heart but all 4 valves were seen in the last ultrasound and looked good. She has no birth defects. All tests and bloodwork done on mommy and baby have come back normal.

BUT.....

For a dear friend of mine, she got to her 20 week mark with her second baby......her world was then turned upside down.

Her sweet baby boy was diagnosed with a heart defect. 

Why is it this things have been easy for me? I've had minor stuff here and there and a little pain here and there but that's nothing. Why has Heavenly Father decided to bless me so greatly? But for my friend, her and her son's fate were so extremely different?

Why did she have it so hard? She's one of the most genuine, amazing, sweet, beautiful, good-hearted people I've ever met. Why her? She deserves the world.

In January, he was born. Surprisingly he was doing great. Then....something went wrong. No one knows what failed him, but it wasn't his heart. It heart kept fighting. But ultimately Heavenly Father felt the boy deserved to be with him and so....

Quietly, Heavenly Father took him.  

I don't know the answers to my own questions but I know in some way some how this will all work out in the end. When we all meet again, we will finally know the reasons for these things. I know, have faith, love, and trust my Heavenly Father that he knows what he is doing.

Not a day or a minute goes by that I don't thank Heavenly Father for my blessings, that I don't think of how incredibly lucky and grateful I am for the amazing experience I am going through.

And all I can do is hope and pray for my friend and her family that their healing comes quick, Heavenly Father will take away their pain, and that they will meet their beautiful boy again.

I want people to know to not take what they have for granted and just because your going through struggles, there will always be someone else to have it worse. Be thankful for the times you do and don't have...live in the moment and don't dwell on the past or future.

With all my love,
Cari

4 DaYS TiLL We FiNd OuT!

Friday is a BIG BIG day! We find out if we're having a boy or girl! SOOOO excited that the only thing that is keeping my mind off of it is because I have the first 10 pgs of a 35-50 pg paper of my Capstone ( my final graduation paper- kinda like a thesis that English majors have to do) due on Thursday. At least I have something else to concentrate on! My pregnancy is going well and I'm very thankful for that. I am feeling great....I still get sick here and there but who doesn't? It is harder to sit straight up because I feel like I'm going to pop my stomach open so I'm starting to have to lean back more when sitting down or popping my stomach out when I'm walking, lol. Time is still going by SLOWWWWWW for me...I'm ready to get this show on the road and start being able to be active with baby, I've only felt it kick strongly once and the other times I can't tell if it's gas, twitching, the baby kicking, or whatever it may be! Welp I'm sure I'll write again! P.S. I FINALLY finished the scrapbook for my hubby and I's wedding and honeymoon, I'll post pictures soon because it's my first true scrapbook and I'm so proud of it! :)

 

CraFTs AnD PrEgGo UpDaTe

 

The glass jar above is something I made for a friend. I had an empty pickle jar and couldn't figure out what to do with it and then I thought of this! Next time I would use Mod Podge so the jar could get wet if need be but I didn't have so I used a hot glue gun, scrapbook paper, ribbon, and a button there we go! It took 5 mins...it's easy, cute, and can be used for anything! I love the jars that can be used to store pencils, pens, candy, add some stones and put a candle in the middle, seashells, etc. you name it you can do it! :)

The wreath is a project from my other blog entry http://carianddanmarino.blogspot.com/2011/08/fabric-wreath.html  . But I have a different camera now and I thought these photos looked better so I retook the pictures :)

 Pregnancy Update!

First and foremost, I have to say how incredibly blessed I am for my pregnancy and my family. Over the past few months I've learned of several friends that have miscarried, had difficult pregnancies, lost their newborns, or have not been able to get pregnant at all. I am so extremely blessed because I have my pregnancy has started and is going by with ease. Yes I was very sick for about 6 weeks in my first trimester but it is nothing compared to the pain some of my other friends are feeling and I know that I owe my blessings to Heavenly Father. I haven't gained any weight yet but that's okay, my last dr appt the heartbeat was 156, all of my lab work and everything has been normal so far. January 27th, I find out if it is a boy or girl and that's when they do the entire fetal check of heart, lungs, etc.  I feel the "butterflies" often now and I have been able to tell 2X where my baby is in my stomach. Once the baby was crammed into my left rib and the other it was crammed into my right rib. Dan and I are very excited and we can't wait till we can find out what it is and feel the full blown kicks :) My moods are still pretty normal, my friend told me she noticed me "waddling" a little bit, I refuse for that to be the case so early in the pregnancy. I got maternity clothes to fit me now and I love them! Slip on maternity jeans are the best!! I am still LOVING potato chips but I am also loving tuna fish but I have to limit my amount (DARN!). Limiting one of the few things that I am loving stinks tho! Well that's all for now, see ya'll later!