3 weeks

Can't believe it's already been 3 weeks!! Dad is back to work this week, which sucks for me cause he is a huge help, but so far it's gone pretty well! We still get out of the house everyday and its been going good. Tomorrow Grandma Payne gets to watch Melah for a couple hours while mom cashes in on a gift certificate I got for my birthday to have a Manicure and Pedicure! I'm so excited and looking forward to it! Melah is sleeping 2 4-5 hour shifts at night, so that's a huge help! She is a great sleeper but she fights going back to sleep like crazy! Some nights we have good night, and some not so good! It's a lot of trial and error still at this point, trying to get things figured out for when I go back to work! Lots of work, but we are managing it!

2 weeks

Well tomorrow we will have a 2 week old! Today we had another appt and she gained almost a pound since last week! She is now at 8 lbs 14 oz! She is a little eater!! She is a fantastic sleeper during the day, but still having troubles at night. She will sleep really good, but getting her back to sleep seems to be a problem. Still working out some kinks. :). Dr says she is healthy and looks good. She lost her belly button last night, so night it's bath time!!! Since it was 60 degrees out today, I decided to put her in our wrap and go for a short walk to the mailbox to see how she liked it! She loved it and so did I! It was so nice to carry her around without all the weight on my shoulders and feeling like she is safe! We are still getting up and out of the house everyday just to see some fresh scenery and so we don't go crazy sitting at home!

1st week

The first week at home has gone much better then I could have ever anticipated!! Hector is a HUGE help so between switching off on feedings, and diaper changes, we are both getting 6+ hours of sleep a night! For the second night in a row, she has slept for 2 shifts of 5 hrs each!!! Means mommy and daddy are getting spoiled!! Her first Dr appt this week went awesome! She is a very healthy little girl!! She put on some weight since leaving the hosptial, but we are not up to birth weight yet. We go back next week to make sure she is back up to birth weight. She is an eating sleeping machine! We couldn't be more blessed with our sweet little angel! Here are lots of pictures of our little sweetheart!

Melah Rene Ramirez

She is finally here!!! After getting to the hospital on Monday the 19th, the hospital was full!!! I wasn't feeling very good at all so after a few test, they had determined I had mild pre-clampsia starting. The Dr on call wouldn't release me to go home since I developed the pre-clampsia and I was already overdue. Since the hospital was so full and short staffed, the nurses wouldn't let the dr induce me since they didn't have the staff to take care of me. After a battle the Dr refused to release me, so I had to sit around and wait (with lots and lots of walking) until they had staff there to help work with me. By this time I have already had contractions for 4 weeks, and was still only dilated to a 1. After 16 hours of walking, sitting and napping, at 3am Tuesday morning, they finally inserted a pill into my cervix to help start dilating me. By 8 am Tuesday, I was still only a 1. They inserted a second pill and scraped my membranes (OUCH!!) hopping to see some progress, by 3 pm Tuesday afternoon, I still had not dilated to 2! I became to get very frustrated, upset and was in pain. I wanted that baby out and she needed to be out! She continued to kick and have a very healthy heart rate, so no one was concerned at any point that she or I was in any danger. They wanted to try this and that and all these other things, and I said NO! We need to move forward! When I asked the Dr about breaking my water, I was told not till I was a 3-4 would they break my water for risk of infection... However after throwing a bit of a fit, the head nurse came in and talked with the Dr and agreed to break my water. At 3 pm Tuesday, my water was broke. By about 6 I was finally dilated to a 2. Haha! So they started me on Patossin. The contractions had already been coming hard and strong, but once the Patossin kicked in, that increased intensely! By 7:00 I was at a 2-3 and in tons of pain! I got the epidural and was able to relax a bit, but could still feel the back labor. I finally started dilating and went from a 3 to a 5 (where I had to get another shot of the epidural, after getting pain shots and another shot of epidural, I was STILL having intense back labor!) during contractions Hector was pushing on my back as hard as he could to help ease the pain... I progressed to a 7, took a nap and after 1 1/2 hours was at a 10, she had dropped and they could see her hair!!! I was ready to push!! They had me do a practice push and the nurse yelled, "ok stop!!! I gotta go get the dr!" The parents weren't there yet so I said "no we have to wait! I thought we would have more time!!" So the Dr laughed and stalled for a bit.. My mom arrived and once the Dr saw her, it was GO time! The nurses said they usually don't tell patients but thought I broke a record for a first time mom pushing (not that I really did but they said it was incredibly fast!!) after 8 pushes in 15 minutes, our little Melah Rene was born! Wed November 21st, 8 pounds 6.5 oz and 20 1/2 inches long at 1:57 am! Right as she was born, Debbie and Rene made it just in time to hear the news! I tore in 3 spots and got lots of stitches. Because she had swallowed some of her poop in the water sack, they were not able to put her right on my stomach, instead had to take her and suction her out right away before she inhaled. Hector didn't even have time to cut the cord! They said NICU was full and had she inhaled we would have to been flown to Spokane or Seattle!! Thank God she didn't and came out healthy as ever!! Melah was one of 3 born a minute a part that morning.. 1:56, 1:57 & 1:58! We got the middle slot! As soon as they cleaned her up and put her on my chest, the first thing she did was push back with her strong little arms, and looked right up at me and starred into my eyes! My beautiful baby girl was so happy and healthy and we just starred at each other for quite some time! What a special memory! Wed evening we ended up getting kicked up to Pediatrics since the OB was so full and still had no room to put anyone! We had the most amazing nurse that helped us so much... She was a life savor after the poor help we received in the OB due to being short staffed and overpacked! She took Melah for 4 hrs so dad and I could get some sleep, trained her to sleep without having to be held or rocked and gave us the most helpful advise to date!! She was incredible! Thanksgiving day we were finally released around 1:30 pm! What a lot to be thankful for!! We had a very healthy little girl, loosing only 3 oz (2% body weight, 8-10% is normal). And today she is one heck of an eater and sleeper!! We couldn't be more blessed to have an amazing little girl whom we couldn't love more!! Thanks for following in my pregnancy blog, I will continue to write and post all sorts of pictures and stories! Thank you to everyone who called, sent text, emailed, face-booked me, stopped by to visit and help out! Although the labor and hospital stay was the worst experience I have ever had, all of you helped make it better! Lots of love to you all!!
The Ramirez's

40 weeks

After 3 1/3 weeks of contractions, my body and baby are both being stubborn! I am not progressing as I should be. (Or at all for that matter!) After discussing all our options with the Dr, he feels it would not be beneficial to let the baby stay in much longer.. We are looking at other complications If we wait. He tried to get things going in the office on Wed, which has seem to be unproductive. Although I don't want to be induced, I have to trust my Dr knows what is best for me and my baby. As for now I am scheduled to be induced on Monday at some point... Hopping to have the baby without having a c-section. Please pray I go into labor on my own before then! Will keep everyone posted.

39 weeks!

No I'm not smuggling a watermelon out of the grocery store.. Just my daughter locked an loaded and ready to come out! :) she is in position and has "dropped"! Could be any day at this point. Friday is my last day at work and I'm ready to walk and walk and walk until she is ready to come out! Hopefully next week I will be able to post pictures of our little girl :) keep your fingers crossed for us! Her heart rate has dropped this week to 127, which is low for her (usually she is at 147) but the Dr said that was a normal and good heart rate, and at the end it's normal for it to drop a bit. I look funny in the picture because I'm wearing Hector's pants :) which anymore these days that's all I like to wear! He had no idea he had to get enough clothes for two of us! :)

38 weeks

Today I'm at 38 weeks and ready to have a kid :) I saw my dr today and I'm still the same as last week, 80% effaced and only about a fingertip dilated! I'm having pretty constant contractions but its just early labor. This weekend will consist of lots of resting.. In between lots of walks :) Till next week...

Nursery

Although its still a work in progress... Here is the decorated nursery for our little girl :) I love going in here and just looking around and sitting in there. It's one of my favorite rooms in the house right now. The curtains are homemade from some gifts we got at the shower lol. At least it's something for now.

The count down is on!!!

We are now at the month mark! 4 weeks left till the due date of Nov 15th! I have now moved to a temporary sit down job (at my same office just as a receptionist now :) ) to help me make it through the last month! I was having troubles making it the entire day so this is much better for me! I've got incredibly swollen hands and feet and developed some pregnancy induced carpel tunnel... So I'm ready to have this baby and enjoy the heck out of her! Here is my 36 week tummy photo.. I did a side and front view... As you can see she is all out front and has dropped a bit. Still very very very active!!

34 weeks

I will post more baby shower photos in another blog, but here is hector and I at 34 weeks. Babies heart rate was 148 this week and I have started feeling the Braxton hicks contractions as well. She is still very active!

33 weeks

Well I'm down to going to the DR every other week for a couple weeks then going every week from there on out! Still working full time (while sitting every second I get). Sleeping is so-so. Some nights are good and some are pretty bad (by good I mean 6 or more hrs) I finished my prepared child birthing classes and feel much better about everything that's about to happen. She is as usual, VERY active! she is head down now and puts lots of pressure on my pelvic, which makes for walking for long periods a little more difficult. We are counting down the weeks till we get to meet her!!!

1 year!

Well earlier this week Hector and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary!  My how things have changes so much in the past year.. We moved into our brand new house together, did some renovations (patio cover, pool..and other minor things) we wanted done, made HUGE strides with our daughter in both school and out of school issues, gone on some pretty awesome vacations, and now the major one.. having a kid! Its amazing to me that you can fall even more in love as time goes on..(i know everyone says that and i never understood it...but i get it now!)  I have the most amazing, wonderful, funny, truly caring and giving husband anyone could ever ask for! I am WAY more spoiled then anyone should ever be and truly blessed for everything I have! I can't wait to add to our family and all the fun experiences we will be able to enjoy together. Can't wait to see what the next year, 10 years, 20 years has in store for us! It's already been an amazing first year!

31 weeks

I went to the dr this morning because after 3 weeks of a sinus infection, I couldn't handle it anymore. I thought I was over it, but came back again yesterday! I was finally given some antibiotics for only a week to see if I can kick this! I also felt some pain yesterday while I was sitting down and then laughed, I felt the worst muscle pulling sensation that I couldn't get to stop. And this morning my lower abdomen is very sore, to bend over or stand up or even to cough. She said she was pretty sure I tore or strained a muscle in the front of my abdomen and there was nothing I could do about it except rest. Baby's heart rate was 146 this morning but I go back next week for my usual baby check up. Tonight I start my first of 3 classes for prepared child-birthing. I hope to get something useful out of the classes.

30 weeks!!

Only 10 weeks to go!! Really can't wait for the end at this point! I'm hurting from my back down, feet and legs are swelling and I'm pooped. :) I got some new shoes today in hopes that any little added comfort might make next 10 weeks slightly more bearable. Here is a little sneak peak at our little girls rooms. Still a work in progress and will post more pics of the room once completed. As for now she is still an active growing little girl!

29 weeks

This week has been a little rough since I've had a cold along with being very tired, it seems all I have done is sleep. Feeling very large today. Still a very active little girl.

28th week

I had my 28 week check up yesterday. I passed the glucose test with flying colors, meaning I don't have gestational diabetes :)  However I am anemic So I will be starting on Iron pills to help that out.  Babies heart Rate was 142 and everything else measured out great! I am feeling VERY tired and exhausted all the time now a days, (which I'm sure is part of the anemia problem. Hopefully the pills will help with that).  My legs and feet are starting to swell more and more. I have been using compression stockings for quite some time and will continue to use them as I assume they are still helping.  She is as always, very very active!! I have to start the kick counts but I have no problem getting in 10 counts in an hour, I'm upward of 100 kicks in an hour at different times of the day. It appears she has a little to much room to roam around, but at 17 inches long and 2 1/2 pounds, she will start putting on some weight so her room is about to slowly get less and less.  Just like her mommy, she already loves her food :)  As soon as I eat she is one happy girl bouncing all over the place, but when she is hungry, mama knows too... I have a feeling we are going to have a feisty little one.  Still counting down the weeks till we get to meet her!! 

3rd trimester

I am at the beginning of my last trimester!! Wooohoooo! Feeling good other then really sleepy most days!! We are at the beach for the weekend, so this is baby girl and I at Newport beach! 13 weeks to go!!

26 weeks

Jynx wanted his picture too :)

25 weeks

I had my dr appt yesterday and everything looks really good. Me a s the baby are growing normally. I have gained 11 pounds which the dr said was right on track. I'm still feeling pretty good with no problems at all. She is kicking and moving like crazy still. I saw my regular dr this time and she looked at the ultrasound and said that was a very good pictured and a perfect picture shot, and was a distinct girl photo. So grandma Payne came over and painted her room and got a cute border up and all. We are slowly getting the baby's room put together!

24 weeks

Well I feel like I haven't grown much in the past couple weeks so I haven't put up any pictures lately. Not
Much new to report other then I have a very active child!! She has figured out her days and nights and starting this week she has been awake and kicking me all day and finally sleeps in the evening. She has mastered finding my bladder, and pretty sure that's the only thing she likes to kick; so I'm in the bathroom lots these days! I love feeling her kick and move around, hopefully this means a growing spurt for our little girl!!