Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Brooklyn's Birth Story

          Brooklyn Nicole Barney was due October 2, 2014, but she had her own timetable and did not arrive until October 6, 2014!  Those 4 extra days were not welcomed, but she was worth every second!
            At 38 weeks we went in for our last ultrasound to check her heart and make sure it had developed properly (Drew had heart surgery as a child, so they wanted to double check that she was fine) At that ultrasound Brooklyn was already measuring 9lbs 2oz! Huge, especially for a first baby!  The ultrasound tech was just as surprised as us at her weight and said the doctor would probably induce me early because of her size.  This was the start of the ‘due date run around’!  After that I went back in early the next week to have a non-stress test, everything came back normal and Dr. Jones said he had no plans to induce me early because he did not want me to have a c-section.  I was pretty upset, well devastated would be more accurate.  The comment from the ultrasound tech got me all excited about meeting my little girl early!
            So, I went home and tried every ‘at-home’ induction technique known to man!  I walked, lunged, took long baths, jumped on a trampoline, took castor oil (that one was the worst!) and had lots of sex!   Anything to get this baby out!  I was huge and was ready to be a real mom! J
            My next appointment Dr. Jones was delivering a baby (not mine L) so I saw his physicians’ assistant.  My non-stress test came back irregular and my blood pressure was high, so she told me to go to Labor and Delivery the next morning to get checked out again and they would most likely induce me because of babies size and my blood pressure.  So, I though ‘Yes! This is it!’  Drew took the day off work because we were going to have a baby!
            We got to the hospital right at 9 am I was not wasting anytime! And after about 1 hour of testing and observation, they sent me home!  I was crushed even worst than the last time, I cried for hours and poor Drew was so sweet and supportive of his crazy pregnant wife!
            After getting over this horrible blow to my excitement I went the next week and a half waddling my way through life, and fielding ‘you’re STILL pregnant!’ comments and questions.

            At 11 pm on October 5th, I woke up to horrible contractions and bleeding, so I called the doctor and he decided it was time to go into the hospital…again!  When I got there they found that I was 90% effaced and about 4cm dilated, but my contractions were not consistent at all.  They would be 5 minutes apart, then 10 minutes, then 2 minutes, no real pattern.  So it looked like I might be going home, but since I was scheduled to be induced the next day the doctor decided I should just stay! Yay!
            When the doctor, Dr. Haskett, came in to examine me he was really worried about Brooklyn being so big and she was still up in my ribcage, she hadn’t dropped yet!  We talked about our options of laboring and trying a vaginal delivery or doing a c-section.  Dr. Haskett was really concerned about Brooklyn getting her shoulder displaced and brain damage by being too big and getting stuck in the birth canal.  After Drew heard brain damage, he was ready to meet this ‘little’ girl via c-section!  I was not so sure.  So we called my parents and Annette, who was in town for the birth, to come down to the hospital because it was time!  When my parents got there my dad and Drew gave me a blessing of health and to help us decide what was right for Brooklyn and I. 
            After talking to a couple nurses and the doctor again, we decided on a c-section, we wanted what was best for Brooklyn and her movement had slowed significantly so it was time to get her out!  Within minutes they had me hooked up to IV’s and were pumping antibiotics and fluids into me, I swelled up like a balloon from all the liquids!
            Within 30 minutes they got Drew a jumpsuit and hairnet and were wheeling me into the Operating Room.  It was freezing in there!  They had to put multiple heated blankets on me to keep me from shivering so they could do the spinal block.  It worked really fast and I flopped onto my side on the table.  Finally they let Drew come in!  I was scared so I was really glad to see him!  He was so helpful rubbing my head and arm and talking to me about meeting out little girl!
            The anesthesiologist was so nice!  He talked me through the whole procedure!  The medicine made me super sick, so he kept giving me anti-nausea medication throughout the procedure (it did not work!) 
            Brooklyn did not want to come out!  The doctor had to lay on top of my ribcage/stomach because she was so far up there they couldn’t just pull her out.  She was not going easily.  And as soon as she hit air she screamed!  All our family in the waiting room said they could hear her screaming when she came out!  All 9lbs 7ounces of her!
            Drew ran over to the warmer to get pictures and see his new baby girl!  After they cleaned her off they brought her over to my face so I could meet her!  It was magical, she was still screaming when they brought her over, but as soon as I spoke to her she stopped crying!  I kissed her and told her how much I loved her!  Then, it was Drew’s turn to hold her (I’m still jealous he got to see her and hold her first!) it was the sweetest sight I have ever seen.  He just starred at her in awe and cried.  The nurse was so sweet and took pictures for us so I could have the memories!
            After that Drew went with Brooklyn to get cleaned up and tested.  They pulled 22 cc’s of meconium out of her lungs!  And it took forever for them to stitch me up and bring me back to my room.  I was not feeling well, I vomited several times on the way to my room.  By then everyone was there and waiting!  My parents, Drew’s mom, my sisters and my brother!  My sisters came into my room with make-up to help me look good for pictures (they were so sweet), but I was much to nauseas to concentrate on putting on make-up!

            Then, all of the sudden I could hear Drew coming down the hall wheeling my new baby with him.  He had to go next to the waiting room to get to my room so all the sudden I hear all the family start gushing over this perfect little girl and I hadn’t even got to hold her yet!  So I screamed at the top of my lungs, “DREW! BRING ME MY BABY!!”  I wanted her in my arms now!  Him and the nurse hustled to my room after that display of fierce momma bear!


            After that I worked on nursing and everyone came in to meet her! The rest of my stay was idyllic, I healed well, and Drew and I spent our days just starring in awe of this perfect human we made!



We also had her newborn photo shoot in the hospital!  I love them!  Drew and I had no idea we were going to be in them, so we were not ready for pictures!  No, make-up, hair a mess!  That is the honest look of new parents!






















 I can't imagine life without her!



Wednesday, August 6, 2014

31 weeks and all that has happened up until now!

I am 31 weeks and 6 days!  Eeep, it's getting so close I can feel it (literally some days! Those Braxton Hicks contractions are a serious matter!)  So, I thought I would update on all that has been happening in the Barney household, and let me assure you, there has been a lot! 

First for some bump photos! :)  This little baby girl is growing bigger everyday!






                                                                                        

Now on to what we have been doing while this bump has been taking over my body :)

Camping!   Little did we know at the time this would be our last camping trip in Idaho before we moved :(  But we had a lot of fun taking our little family into the woods and having a great time!  The only bad part of camping while pregnant was sleeping on the hard ground and having to sleep on my side :P
Drew got to bring his hammock! I was surprised I could get him out of it for eating!

We bought floating lanterns to try out! They worked great!
                                                                 

Idaho has a lot to offer in free-family-friendly-entertainment! And we found a movie in the park with our friends Dan and Polly!  They played Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, it was actually very cute!
Aren't we two cute couples!
                                                                         

Since our sweet baby girl is set to arrive October 2nd, and the October birthstone is an opal, I decided that Drew and I should go opal mining to find some beautiful gems for our soon-to-be little princess.  Little did I know that we would be sitting in a huge mound of rocks in the middle of a parking lot just hitting these 'opal rocks' with hammers trying to find something pretty!  All in all, it was sort of a waste of money, but a good memory and we got to hit things with hammers and break them so that was fun!


Our 'opal' spoils! Kinda sad!

After we admitted defeat in this endeavor we decided to head up to one of Drew's mission areas because it was just two hours away!  It was so great to be able to see where he served and lived for some of his mission time!  It also brought up great stories!
He's just so handsome :)
                                                                           
My mom and I love the aquarium and since they opened a new one near her in Utah we just had to check it out!
 Doing some live-action Harry Potter revival with the big snake in the cage :)
 So cool! A bubble in the middle of the aquarium so you can see like the fish!
Penguins that look like they're about to start a dance battle!
                                                                               
My family came up for 4th of July and to do the Color in Motion 5k!  We had soo much fun! 
We went to Yellowstone in the morning for the 4th of July, and then came back to Menan to BBQ dinner and set off our own fireworks!! It was soooo much fun! 
Then, bright an early the next morning we were up for the Color in Motion 5k!  Everyone in the whole family participated!!  Most of them left my mom and I in the dust as I waddled along at 27 weeks pregnant! Such a wonderful experience!
The only picture I have right now of the amazing time!
                                                                             
So, during the week of Drew's finals I made my way up to Utah to stay out of his hair and let him study and work hard!!  While there we went to the Country Explosion Concert!  It was a 4 day event with different performers each night!  We went to two nights and saw Rascal Flatts and Toby Keith (among others)

Dan and Polly got free tickets to the Toby Keith concert and it was so fun seeing them there!

                                                                                                 
Drew is GRADUATED!!!!!
Yay! It was such a wonderful day with his family and my family all there to celebrate this great accomplishment!







 
Getting all graduated!!

Yay!! He's officially done with school!!
                                                                            
The next morning after Drew graduated it was time to pack up our home and get ready for our move to Utah!  
We were so lucky to have Carey, my dad, and David there to help us!  My mom and I were on indoor cleaning duty :)

Everything out on the lawn!

My mom is so funny!

Everything on the trailer!
Our last photo together at the Menan house!
                                                                                         
Right after packing everything on to my parents' trailer it was time to head to a cabin in Island Park for some serious Barney family fun!  We went to Yellowstone, the Grizzly and Wolf Reserve, and had some good ol' fashion fun around the camp fire!  Such a great time!



Partners in crime!

All Jake wanted to see was wolves in Yellowstone, so it was a good thing we found this place that had tons of wolves for him! :)

In a bear trap!


It was MARSHMALLOW MADNESS the whole time we were there!
                                                                           
Now that we are in Utah we have been enjoying some of the local scenic drives!  David and Drew went off-roading in American Fork Canyon one day and Drew and I went back the next day to go swimming and sight seeing!  Unfortunately, it ended up being too cold to swim in the lake, but we still had a nice time in the sun and on the trails!
David and his truck!
There's Drew!

This bump is taking over :)

The sights were BEAUTIFUL!
                                                                      
So, those were some of the highlights of our crazy Barney life :) Soon we will get even crazier with a little girl coming!