Heaven Sent

The 2009 Holiday Season

2010-01-22T19:09:00.000-08:00

So much for my New Years resolution to blog more regularly! Maybe my resolution should have been to shower at least every 48 hours! LOL. I have come to realize that Rylan totally dictates my schedule from meals, to showers, to free-time (if any), to errands and everything in between. Unfortunately all those things come before blogging on the priority list...so you'll have to settle for as often as I get a chance. :) Since my last post was from Halloween, I obviously have alot to catch up on (which is a warning that this will be a fairly long post).

All during the fall we talked about how excited we were to celebrate Rylan's 1st holiday season. Although Halloween was fun, as an 8 month old Rylan was not really able to participate in the festivities. Thanksgiving and Christmas, however, were a different story. Since Rylan has been eating table food for awhile now, he was able to eat Thanksgiving dinner with the family. He ate a little of everything, including turkey, green beans, potatoes, mac & cheese, rolls and even a little dessert. While its safe to say that half of his meal ended up in his high chair, he did a good job eating all of his food. He even fed himself most of the time! After dinner we watched the football game, took a walk, and watched Rylan take a nap on my lap (so sweet). It's always good to catch up with family!

After Thanksgiving, we started preparing for Christmas. We were eager to see Rylan's reaction to all the decorations. Rylan was in awe of the tree! He really seemed to love the lights, as well as the presents and the stockings. During the month of December, we made and effort to take Rylan to do "traditional" Christmas activities, including looking at Christmas lights, visiting Santa and singing Christmas carols. One of Rylan's favorite Christmas activities was going to "Prairie Lights" in Grand Prairie, TX. "Prairie Lights" is a drive through light display with over 4 million Christmas lights! Since we were driving super slow (like 2mph), we took Rylan out of his car seat and held him in our laps with the window rolled down. He loved it! He looked like a puppy with his tongue sticking out, lapping up the breeze. While he was a fan of the lights, he was not as kosher with Santa. He screamed, to be more exact. Maybe he'll like him a little better next year.

With so many family members in town for the Christmas holiday, we were a little stressed about how we were going to accommodate everyone as well as celebrate our own family Christmas all in one day. Yet, it turned out that there was no need to worry, as Mother Nature determined our Christmas Eve/Christmas Day plans. It started snowing on Christmas Eve around lunchtime. We had gone to lunch and were heading to the grocery store to pick up ingredients for Christmas morning breakfast (which I don't suggest doing on Christmas Eve--it was a nuthouse) when the snow really started picking up, so we headed home. As the day continued, the snow kept coming and by nightfall we had around 4 inches.

Since we live an hour from where our parents live, we decided that trying to drive to Christmas Eve service might not be the best idea. Instead, we stayed at home and lit a fire, watched SMU whoop Nevada in their bowl game, read Rylan the Christmas story, baked cookies for Santa, listened to Christmas music and went to bed at a decent hour. The next morning we awoke to the ground covered in white! It was beautiful! The first white Christmas in Dallas since before I was born, and it happened on Rylan's 1st Christmas! It was very special. I made a breakfast casserole and we sat together and opened our stockings and presents at a leisurely pace. Once the sun was out and the snow began to melt, we headed to Paul's parents house and then my parents house. Rylan was a trooper and made it through the day relatively happy, but without a nap he was pretty exhausted by dinner. We made it home around 11pm and we all crashed. It took several days to unpack, open and sort through all the presents. Half of Rylan's room was covered with Christmas goodies! We had a mountain of cardboard boxes on our fireplace for at least a week.

Now Rylan has all the toys that little boys should have. Trucks, balls, trains, you name it! It's amazing how much more active he became after he had all these toys to look at and crawl after. Once all the toys were in his room, he pulled himself up every morning to stare at them. Unfortunately, he was also teething at Christmas, so in addition to pulling up, he completely chewed up the side rails of his crib. The perfectionist side of me was a little upset, but the mom side of me is happy to have a healthy beautiful little boy that is able to chew on his crib. Some things are just more important.

Halloween at the Fort Worth Zoo

2009-11-15T14:53:00.000-08:00

Since Rylan is not old enough to enjoy trick-or-treating (and Mom and Dad don't need the extra candy in the house), we decided to do something else that we thought Rylan would like. So, we all piled in the car and headed up the road to the Fort Worth Zoo. For those who have never been, the Fort Worth Zoo is beautiful. This zoo attempts to make its visitors feel as though they are actually walking through jungle (or plains or whatever terrain applies). Although Rylan didn't gawk at every animal or exhibit, he seemed to enjoy the animals as well as being outdoors on what turned to be a beautiful day. Our trip also turned out to be quite a workout! When you're pushing a 30lb stroller with an 18lb kid sitting in it up and down inclines you get a little winded! My favorite exhibit was the gorillas...we got to stand inches away from one (with plexiglass in between of course)! We'll definitely be returning as Rylan gets older!

After the zoo, we drove to Coppell to see Nana, Popy, Grandma, and Grandpa. After dinner Rylan put on his Halloween costume. He was a very cute and ferocious lion! We walked by a few neighbors houses to show him off. He lasted about an hour in his costume, but probably could have gone longer had it not been so hot! The costume was very warm, and since it is still close to 80 here (unusual even for Texas) it was to hot for him! Although we didn't go trick-or-treating, Rylan still came home with some goodies! He got some Puffs, a stuffed pumpkin, and some Halloween books. That's about all you can give an 8 month old. :) Thanks Nana, Popy, Grandma, and Grandpa! We can't wait for next year!

Fall Family Pics

2009-11-01T19:52:00.000-08:00

On the Move

2009-10-16T09:21:00.000-07:00

Rylan started crawling two days ago! He's not on all fours yet, but he's definately making progress! I've heard it called scooting, creeping, and commando crawling. It's time to baby-proof the house! :)

Oct-o-Brr!

2009-10-12T18:28:00.000-07:00

It's been almost a year since I've started this blog. This time last year I was newly pregnant, wondering what the next year of my life would bring. What a year it has been! I admit I haven't been the best blogger in the world. But, I've done the best I can and I hope the more we get out as he gets older, the more things I'll have to blog about. The fall weather has finally arrived, and unfortunately it has been accompanied by lots of rain and gloomy days. It's been awhile since we've seen the sun.

September was a busy month around here. We attempted to take Rylan to St. Ann's carnival for the first time, but it rained NON-STOP the entire weekend from midday Friday to some time the following week. So his first carnival was a wash...literally! We also celebrated my 26th birthday. I got to get back to the spa for my bday and got my first massage since the pregnancy. It was the best! I really needed that, especially after carrying around an infant all day! I don't feel older when birthdays roll around, but what does make me feel older is seeing people like my sister turn 21! People seem to freeze at a certain age to me...even those you see alot. And when you see someone you haven't seen in a long time (like a 4 year old who is almost 15 now) or see your sister hit a "milestone" age, it makes you feel really old!

Rylan is coming up on 8 months this week and it is a painful reminder of how fast the time has flown by. I see baby shows on tv now and think that the babies on the show are so small! Its hard to believe Rylan was that size. He has outgrown his infant carrier and is moving into a big boy car seat. He weighed in at 18lbs, 1oz at the pediatricians office this morning, and was a very brave boy for his flu shot. He didn't even cry! He just looked at me like he was waiting for a lollipop or a bottle or something. While he's not quite ready for lollipops yet, he has eaten his first bites of REAL solid food! He likes the Gerber Graduates Puffs and Lil' Crunchies (kinda like Cheetos Lite). He has also tried rolls, tortillas, strawberries, Cheerios and a couple other random things. He's becoming an excellent chewer, and now has the help of his one and only tooth! This tooth has been "coming in" for quite some time, but right before it broke through, Rylan started chewing like crazy! He chewed on his fingers, his sleeves, toys, teething rings, food, and even his toes again (he hasn't done that in awhile).

I'm excited to have our first real family portraits taken this weekend. We went and bought Rylan a particularly cute winter outfit for the pictures, complete with matching beanie and handsome loafers. I'm also excited for the Pumpkin Patch and Halloween. Part of the fun of having children is participating in these events and seeing it through their eyes, making it a whole new adventure. I'll post pictures as soon as I get them.

And now I must be turning in for the night. Tuesday are "go in the office" days, so I have to get up earlier than usual to drop Rylan off and commute to work. I am going to finish my book before I head to bed. I have started pleasure reading again for the first time in about 20 years. "Forced reading" at school kind of ruined the pleasure reading for me, but during the last year I have slowly started reading again and can see why so many do it as a hobby. It is a relaxing way to wind down at the end of a long day. Sweat Dreams.

Nursery Pics and Almost Famous

2009-09-09T17:37:00.001-07:00

Since Rylan came a whole month early, the nursery was not complete when we came home from the hospital. We had the walls painted and the furniture in, but the little details were not complete. It took 4 months after he was born to complete it. Below are pictures from his nursery...

The Changing Table

The Closet/Window Corner

The Rocker/Reading Corner

The Convertible Crib

The Dresser

The bedding is from www.babybedding.com. I love it. They have lots of cute prints and designs and you can custom create your own color/print combinations using their vast fabric selections. The furniture is from Babies R Us. It scratches easily but other than that, we're happy with it. We hope it will at least last into his teens! There is a sign above his bed that reads, "Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray thee Lord my soul to keep."

It didn't take long for Rylan to become somewhat of a "celebrity." Tommy at 360 Wraps (who wrapped Rylan's DOC Band) started a NPO for his free wrapping services called Wrap Buddies (formerly DOC Buddies). He featured a picture of Rylan on the front page. Check it out! The link is www.wrapbuddies.com

Rollin, Rollin, Rollin

2009-08-27T18:15:00.000-07:00

We've hit the halfway mark! People said this time would go by fast, and they weren't kidding. He is literally changing on a daily basis. The biggest change as of late is his mobility! Rylan can now roll from his stomach to his back and vice versa. He has also started grabbing everything, including hair, clothes, jewelery and things on his changing table. It's like he became independent overnight! Well, not quite, but he doesn't seem like a baby anymore!

His 6 month appointment went well. The doctor feels like he is catching up developmentally and gave us the go ahead to explore more foods. He is still measuring tall and skinny. He is also still going for weekly visits to the DOC Band clinic, but they told us on Friday that he only has to wear it two more weeks! Praise God! It hasn't been bad at all, but it is causing some skin irritation. It's probably harder for us than it is for him; we miss our little boy's head! Everyone has been so receptive of his helmet, and I am grateful for that. Luckily, we still get to live life as normal...including an end of summer trip to the "Hurricane Savannah" pool (our friends' community pool that I compare to Hurricane Harbor because it is the coolest pool in a subdivision I've ever seen.) Below is a pic of our day of fun in the sun.

The DOC Band and Plagiocephaly

2009-08-02T21:20:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, Rylan was diagnosed with plagiocephaly about a month ago. For those of you that don't know what "plagio", it is defined as a condition characterized by an asymmetrical distortion (flattening of one side) of the skull. Plagiocephaly affects thousands of children and can be caused by intra-uterine pressure, prematurity (more malleable skulls), torticollis, and external pressure from items like cribs, car seats and swings. Since the induction of the "Back to Sleep" campaign to prevent SIDS, the number of plagio cases has risen dramatically from 1 in 300 children to 3-10 out of every 30 children. Once Rylan's plagio was recognized by our pediatrician, she referred us to Cranial Technologies. CT specializes in the treatment of plagio and other skull deformities through the use of the DOC band and physical therapy. The DOC band applies mild pressure to the more prominent areas of the head while leaving room for growth in less prominent areas, resulting in a rounder shaped head. While this may sound purely cosmetic, more doctors believe now that untreated plagiocephaly may lead to vision and jaw problems later on in life. Once treatment was agreed upon (after a severity assessment) they created a 3-D image of Rylan's head and then developed a custom fit DOC band for him. Also called a helmet, the band is worn 23 hours a day for 6-16 weeks with weekly progress assessments and re-fittings. The helmets look rather medical; they are white with a hard plastic outer shell and a foam interior. So, in an effort to make the bands look less medical and have some fun, many parent (including us) decorate their child's helmet. You can paint, wrap and put stickers on the helmet. We were lucky enough to find a company, 360 Wraps, in the DFW area that would wrap Rylan's helmet...and they did it for FREE! Tommy was wonderful and decorated a custom helmet that looks super cool!

So we are 2 weeks into treatment and already can see a difference! It's amazing how far medicine has advanced even since I was born. Rylan is totally used to the band and doesn't seem to mind it other than some minor skin irritation. This experience has helped me to realize not to judge a book by its cover. Many people believe that plagio kids have seizures, have had brain surgery, or are mentally disabled. Some stare and some ask questions, but so far the reaction has been pretty positive. So if you see someone who is disabled, has a brace, or looks different...don't judge. If you ask, I'm sure they'd be more than happy to explain it to you!

For more information about plagiocephaly and the DOC Band, visit http://www.cranialtech.com/. They offer free evaluations to any child. For more info on vehicle and helmet wraps, visit www.360wraps.com

Laugh Out Loud

2009-07-20T17:06:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite sound in the whole wide world. :)

*Pause the music player at the bottom of the screen*

Busy Bees

2009-06-24T20:58:00.000-07:00

After weeks of attempting to post I am finally getting one finished! Things have been so crazy around here that I have hardly had time to look at the blog, let alone type a post! Summer is always a busy time for us, only second to December. This summer has been busier than usual with 3 friends getting married, "weekly" doctor's appointments (or at least it seems that way), crazy work hours, oh yeah....and a 5 month old!

Besides all the flurry of activity in our friends lives, we have had some changes of our own in the Lund household. First of all, I got a new car! That's right, no more Penelope (Plymouth Breeze)! We are now the proud owners of Bella, our new 2009 Nissan Altima! I love it! It is slate gray, has a push button start, an aux audio input, lots of room, and most importantly...it runs! I named it Bella in honor of the day she was purchased on, the 4th of July! In addition to Rylan being totally cool with the fireworks, the new car made a great holiday even better! Another change taking place in the Lund House is the addition of another "job" to our resume...bandmembers! Paul and I are the guitar player/female vocalist (respectively) for 10pact, a 60's-00's cover band! My Dad started this band as an outlet for all our musical friends and family members to get together and jam. We have only had a few rehearsals, but plan to do a concert some time in the fall. We'll keep you posted! We also got to celebrate Paul's 28th birthday! It was around this time last year that we found out that we were pregnant, so it was really fun to be able to celebrate this year with our little boy!

Watchin the fireworks!

Happy 28th Birthday Paul!

Rylan has grown alot since my last post! He turned 5 months old yesterday! As of a few weeks ago, he is sleeping in his crib full time, which is a huge accomplishment for him! Currently, he is sleeping 11-12 hours a night! Love it! :) However, that does mean some days with little to no nap, which can be rough on Mommy! He has also started pushing up more with his arms during tummy time! He has great head control and can sit supported. A few weeks ago we bought him an Exersaucer which he seems to enjoy! He likes to touch things that move or make noise. He has also become quite the chewer! He LOVES to put things in his mouth, including his hands during mealtime! We are making great strides with solid food. He has already tried sweet potatoes, carrots, peaches, applesauce, bananas and squash! He is a really good eater...not too picky yet! Oh...and he loves to watch TV. He's his mother's son. :)

Playing in his Exersaucer

First bites of "solid" food

Playing with his friend, Abbey

Tummy Time

Watchin cartoons with Nana

Parenthood is becoming more and more fun as Rylan gets older. At this stage, he recognizes his Mom and Dad and other relatives. He smiles when I wake him up in the morning and he laughs when you tickle him. He looks to us for comfort and reassurance. Everyday there is a deeper bond than the day before. As cliche as it sounds, there really is an indescribable bond between a parent and a child that can only be understood through experience. It will change your life forever! And...it will make it very hard to keep up a normal blogging schedule. :)

P.S. I started this post a long time ago, so its says June on the header even though I am posting it on July, 17.

Memorial Day Weekend

2009-05-25T20:12:00.000-07:00

I love long weekends! With an extra day I can get all the chores and errands done and still have time to fit in a little fun! The weekend actually began with some bachelor and bachelorette party activities. Paul and the boys headed out to a offroading park in east Texas with their Jeeps while the girls had a spa/pool party. Since I had Rylan, I only made it to the facial portion of the party...but we had a great time! I had my first facial and it exceeded my expectations (meaning it actually worked)! It helped lighten my rosacea and reduce the redness of my post-pregnancy acne. It was great to spend time with the girls and get to know them a little better...as we only see each other every couple of months. One of the pitfalls of all of us living in outlying suburbs (so we could afford bigger houses)!

On Memorial Day we had our families over to enjoy some time by the pool and some burgers on the grill. It was Rylan's first time in the pool and his cute swimsuit! Since he doesn't like baths, I had a feeling he wouldn't like to pool. He tolerated having his feet stuck in the water, but gave me a big 'ole pout when I stuck him under the fountain. I can't wait until he is old enough to enjoy the kiddy pool! Although I am not a fan of Texas heat, nothing beats a sunny early summer night in Texas. I wish every weekend lasted 3 days.

P.S. Thanks to all the men and women who fight for our safety and freedom.

P.S.S. I tried to load a really cute video of Rylan on the blog but it is too big. It is posted on my facebook page. Go watch it! :)

Three Months Old

2009-05-19T21:45:00.000-07:00

Rylan celebrated his three month "birthday" this past weekend! We are so blessed to have a healthy, beautiful little boy in our lives. He has already taught us so much and we can't wait for the lifetime of birthdays and tender moments he will bring! Below are monthly pictures of him marking his journey so far!

1 month old

2 months old

3 months old

First Mother's Day

2009-05-11T21:14:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day is one of those holidays that doesn't change much from year to year. You take your mom out to eat, buy her a present, write her a note in your Hallmark card and tell her you love her. Well, this Mother's Day had all of that...but this time it was for me! At this stage of your life you don't get to experience many firsts anymore, but the last few months has been full of them and yesterday was no exception.

It was so wonderful to spend the day with my husband and son and celebrate our new family. Paul and Rylan got me beautiful flowers, cute cards, and a "post-natal" massage (that I've been begging for since the birth)! After spending the morning hanging out together, we had a lovely Italian dinner and then went to see our moms. We also got some great pictures of Rylan, our big 12 week old boy!

Saturday was also a great day! It was our first real date since Rylan was born. As I mentioned in a previous post, my parents bought us Rent tickets for Christmas, as well as dinner and a night of free babysitting! So...we got dressed up for the first time in a long while and went out for a night on the town. We had an awesome dinner at Pappadeaux, which is our favorite restaurant. It was ironic that they stuck us next to a table with 5 kids (3 of them babies)...so much for a quiet dinner! It was ok though...it made us laugh, because we understand completely! After dinner we headed to Fair Park to see Rent! The music was excellent, and the cast was a well-crafted ensemble. Paul and I didn't realize that the show had such a cultish following (partially for obvious reasons)! The two male leads were the original Broadway actors from the premier, which added a special touch to the performance. Everytime we go to events like this, a small part of me is sad that I didn't persue a singing career. But, I wouldn't trade my family for the world.

Well, it's getting late, so I'll leave you with a picture to brighten your day...

Smilin' Rylan

2009-05-03T12:56:00.000-07:00

If you couldn't guess based on the title, this post is all about Rylan's first smiles! It all started last week while Paul was at a rehearsal. I was in the office singing to him and playing with his hands and feet and all of a sudden he had a huge open mouth smile on his face. He did it a couple of times in a row so I was sure it wasn't just gas! Then this weekend, when Paul woke him up for his bottle, he did it again! I figured out that the best chance of getting one is right when he is woken up by Paul or I (vs. letting him wake up himself and start crying). Just talk in a high pitched voice and make over the top smiles yourself, and voila! You make me smile!

I've been trying all week to get pictures and that was the best I've gotten so far (thanks to Aunt Brittany). I'll post more as soon as I can capture them! For those of you keeping track, Rylan will be 11 weeks old tomorrow! Can you believe it?? I can't. Now that we are out and about more often, we seem to notice other children alot more. We also notice how much bigger they look than our child! Our friends' kids (almost 2 years old) seem like they are 3 1/2 feet tall! I can't fathom Rylan being that size any time soon, but I know it will happen. He has already grown and changed leaps and bounds since his birth.

Not much else is happening in our world right now. Work is pretty busy for both of us, and this summer will be crazy as well. Weddings and birthdays and babies, oh my! Gotta run...Rylan is awake, and is most definetely NOT smiling. :)

Rylan Connor Lund: The Birth Part I

2009-04-26T23:25:00.001-07:00

It was about 6:30pm when we arrived on the L&D floor for my “24 hour observation”. Since we had pre-registered for the birth, they whisked us straight into an L&D room and hooked me up to several monitors…after I put on my gorgeous hospital gown, of course. They hooked me up to a fetal monitor, a blood pressure machine, drew my blood and started running tests. At first they were checking my blood pressure every 15 minutes, which was still in the 160/110’s. Once I was settled in they brought me “dinner” (lasagna which smelled nothing like the Italian dish that it is) and gave me my BP meds. They also offered me some Ambien, a sleeping aid, which I initially declined but after some convincing I decided to take. Well, that turned out to be a disaster when I went crashing into a table at 3:00am on my way back from my umpteenth trip to the bathroom. The next morning my blood pressure was still high, and although my blood results showed normal organ function, I was spilling more protein than I had been. After breakfast they moved us to an ante-partum room, and I began to get the feeling that our stay was not going to end after 24 hours. Sure enough, Dr. Flowers told us on Tuesday that I would need to stay another day, so we settled in. I had a different nurse every 12 hours, and they would ask me the same questions during each rotation. For those of you who are unfamiliar with pre-eclampsia it is defined as pregnancy-induced high blood pressure that causes severe swelling and/or a high concentration of protein in the urine. The classic symptoms of pre-eclampsia are swelling, severe headaches, upper abdominal pain and visual disturbances. My close family sat with me in shifts while trying to juggle their jobs and homes. On Tuesday night the weather started to take a turn for the worse, so my Dad decided to move his car to the parking garage. As soon as he got the elevator, alarms started going off and a voice came over the intercom saying "Code Black, Code Black.” Within seconds nurses came by and wheeled all the pregnant women into a hallway. After we returned to our rooms we found out that Code Black was indicative of a tornado! By Wednesday we knew that we would be there for the rest of the week, so we started making long term arrangements. Our wonderful friends, Chris and Jen, offered to take our two crazy dogs until I was released from the hospital. Paul’s parents went to our house and did laundry as well as put our new baby gifts together. My parents brought me real food and anything else I needed. Once word started getting out that I was in the hospital, our friends started to drop by. As the days passed without much change in my BP, my condition was deemed more serious. I was confined to the bed all day, minus trips to the bathroom and the occasional shower. I begged my doctor for daily wheelchair rides, and she eventually authorized 30 minute excursions, albeit hesitantly. During these rides we’d sit in the cafeteria, look at other babies in the nursery, and go outside for fresh air.

When my original medication quit having an effect (even after increasing the dose), they switched me to Labatelol. I also had to wear leg pumps for 8 hours a day, which I affectionately called my “geriatric socks;” the pumps were used to ensure that I didn’t get a blood clot after laying horizontal for days on end. Although I technically had a month left in the pregnancy, I was already very uncomfortable. My hips and back would throb and after days of laying down my behind was always numb. Since I could no longer make it up to Dr. Flowers’ office for sonograms, I was taken to a Perinatalogist, or fetal medicine doctor, to have in-depth sonograms. He would thoroughly check out Rylan and use a little vibrating buzzer on my stomach to make him move. Luckily, my BP did not seem to be having an effect on Rylan’s growth. At my Thursday sono, Dr. Graham said that Rylan was about 6lbs. 9oz. At this point I was 35 ½ weeks, so the doctor’s decided to give me a series of steroid shots to help Rylan’s lung development in preparation for his early arrival. After days of waiting “just one more day” it became clear that I was destined to be in the hospital until Rylan was born. This actually made it easier to tolerate being there without the false hope of going home every day. During our daily excursions and occasional tests outside of my room I began to meet other women who were living on the ante-partum floor. Many of them had been there for weeks or were scheduled to be there for weeks until their due date. Most of them were carrying twins, but a few others had pre-eclampsia like me. Between the days on end in a tiny room and nurses coming in all hours off the day and night to check my BP my schedule was thrown totally off. Paul would work during the day and come stay with me at night. He bought a parlor guitar for Rylan during our stay and brought it to our room so he could play songs for Rylan. The nurses monitored him twice a day for movement and contractions. In order to get him kicking, I would drink a shot of cran-grape juice (my new fav) and he be up and around in less than 2 minutes. On Saturday we celebrated Valentine’s Day in the hospital. We had originally planned to go to Pappadeaux’s, as was our yearly Valentine’s ritual. My mom had brought up her leftover decorations from her school party and put them up in my room. My dad brought me flowers and a gift, as he does every year, and my wonderful husband brought me takeout from Pappadeaux’s since we couldn’t go together (he brought me flowers, too). Although Rylan was doing fine, my condition started to get worse. My swelling was increasing and my BP was extremely unstable. While we were taking bets as to when Rylan would be born (we kept a tally on the white board), the nursing staff seemed more alarmed by my BP readings. I knew something was up when I was told Dr. Graham would be coming in Sunday evening to do another ultrasound (all my other appointments were in the morning and I wasn’t scheduled for another until Monday). After seeing me, he spoke with my OBGYN. My mom was with me that night and had brought me Boston Market for dinner. We had just finished and I was about to take a shower when Dr. Flowers and Dr. Graham came in to tell me that my time was up! They were inducing me at 4AM the next morning!

Two Months Old

2009-04-18T12:14:00.000-07:00

Rylan is two months old! The time has flown by...it seems like I just gave birth to him yesterday. We went to the pediatrician's yesterday for his two month check-up and vaccinations. Rylan doesn't mind the doctor until they want to take his clothes off (hopefully that will remain a trend well into his teenage years)! He was already crying before the shots began, and by the end of it we were both crying. Its very hard to see your child in pain, but I know that they are good for him. The doctor was pleased with his weight gain; he is now 10lbs 1.5oz and 23 1/2 inches long. He is catching up! Since Rylan still has trouble with spitting up (alot) she recommended switching him to a formula with rice starch. So, we are testing the Similac Sensitive and Enfamil A.R. brands right now...and they seem to be working! He is also sleeping through the night more! I think in the last week we have had 2 or 3 nights with at least 6 hours of straight sleep! Hooray! Now, we just have to get him to sleep in his crib instead of his swing. For your viewing pleasure I have added a picture timeline of Rylan from birth until now...

Birth

In the Hospital

Newborn Photo Shoot

1 Month

2 Months

Happy Easter!

2009-04-12T19:57:00.000-07:00

After much debate about what to do with an 8 week old on Easter weekend, we decided to head up to the Gaylord Texan to take some pictures in the bluebonnets. Although Rylan still can't sit up on his own, there were some areas in the wildflowers that would have been perfect to prop him up in, had it not been for the bees! So, Mom and Dad held him while taking pictures instead. Nana and Popy came along for moral support and to get some quality Rylan, I mean family, time. :)

On Easter Sunday, we went to church and lunch with Grandma and Grandpa. It was great to see everyone at Rejoice, especially since I missed the baby shower they threw for me due to being hospitalized against my will. Luckily, I had a stand in...Paul. :) If only I had been there when he opened up the nursing pads...HAHA! After lunch we went back to Tom and Maggie's house to pick up Rylan's first Easter basket and some yummy cookies for Mom and Dad and then made the incredibly long 1 mile drive over to Nana and Popy's house. At the Sumrall's Rylan got his second Easter basket and Mom and Dad got to do their own Easter Egg Hunt complete with dinner for two in the "golden egg!" Nana also read Rylan the story of Easter, which sounded much better than the one I told him over his morning diaper change. Thanks Mom(s) and Dad(s)/Grandma and Grandpa/Nana and Popy!

Rylan will be 8 weeks old tomorrow, and with that comes his second month shots this week. Mom is definitely not looking forward to that! On top of that, I went back to the doctor (again) and found out I have swollen glands and an infection in my throat. The pain is shooting from my neck up into my teeth, jaw, and behind my ear. It's awful! I decided that the reason I got sick was because I stopped taking my prenatals, since I did not get sick one time during my whole pregnancy. For many of you, this week will also be tax time...but not for us! I did our taxes back in January knowing that I might not have time to do them in April. Genius, I know. Now if only I had packed a hospital bag before my 35 week appt...

Rylan Connor Lund: The Pregnancy

2009-04-11T18:44:00.000-07:00

Paul and I started talking about having children in 2008. After months of talking about it, we finally decided to start trying in June 2008. Imagine our surprise when we found out we were pregnant on July 8th, 2008. Since we had made the conscious decision to start trying, I had bought books, surfed websites, and constantly analyzed my body for signs of pregnancy. I had also bought several pregnancy tests, including some at the dollar store so I could test really early without wasting the $10 digital tests. I started testing about a week after I ovulated, and got a couple of negatives. Four days later, I decided I would use the more expensive tests. I knew the accuracy rate was much lower this early, but it was the earliest date the test was supposed to work, according to the box. Since you are supposed to test first thing in the morning, I decided to “hold it” the night before so that the chances of the hormone being in my system would be greater (or so I thought). At 3AM, I woke up and had to go, so I thought “what the heck” and took a First Response test with the lines. At first there was nothing, but after a few minutes there was a FAINT gray line. The line wasn’t pink like the instructions said there would be, but there WAS a line…so I went to the office in the middle of the night to research. I read about evaporation lines, and convinced myself that this is what had happened to me. I swore to myself I wouldn’t test again until the next day and went back to sleep. Upon waking at 9AM, I couldn’t stand the uncertainty, so despite already going once that morning, I tested again with a digital test. I waited for the test to say “Not Pregnant” so I could go about my day without obsessing over the gray line I had gotten during the night. After what seemed like an eternity, the test came back and said “Pregnant.” I was shocked. I sat there in the bathroom and stared at the test for several minutes. For the past several weeks, I had waited for signs of pregnancy that never came. Paul had convinced me that it wouldn’t happen on the first try, and I had started to agree with him. I decided that I would take the other test and it gave a positive reading faster than the first one. I immediately made an appointment to see my family physician that afternoon and requested a blood and urine test. She confirmed what I already knew, and after the appointment I raced over to meet Paul and his family for Maggie’s (mother-in-law) birthday dinner.

It was torture to sit through dinner and keep the exciting news to myself, but I wanted to tell Paul in private first. They went to the house for cake, but I decided to go home and get a gift ready for Paul. On my way home, my car skid off the road and two strangers had to help pull me out of a ditch. I called Paul and he raced home to make sure I was ok. While sitting on the couch, I told him that I had forgotten to give him his birthday card with his present, which was a week earlier. He opened the card which said “Happy Birthday Daddy” on the front. I waited for him to react, but he opened the card without questioning the message on the front. Once he read the inside of the card, signed from “The Baby,” he realized what I was trying to tell him. He looked at me and said, “What?! No way. Are you serious? Woah. Are you serious?” After asking me about ten times if I was serious, I showed him the test and we hugged and kissed. We figured out our due date, March 17, and eagerly waited for our first visit to the OBGYN.

We had talked about keeping the pregnancy a secret until we had made it through the first trimester, to make sure that the pregnancy was viable. After realizing that there was no way we could make it that long without telling anybody, we made plans to tell our parents that weekend. We bought picture frames that said “Grandchildren” on it and gave it to them, saying that is was a gift for helping with the 4th of July party we had hosted weeks before. Our news was met with elation from family and friends. By week 6 I had developed morning sickness, and was nauseous from sun up to sun down. Although I never threw up, I constantly felt like I had just stepped off a tilt-o-whirl. I also experienced a little cramping which luckily turned out to be nothing. On August 5th, we had our first visit with Dr. Flowers, our OBGYN. She performed a sonogram and we got our first glimpse of the baby at 8 weeks gestation. The baby was a tiny dot on the screen, but we could already see it’s little heart beating. Dr. Flowers told us that the baby looked great and that she would see us once a month for the next several months. By the end of August the morning sickness had finally subsided. In September we took at trip to New York City, and during the Celine Dion concert at Madison Square Garden I felt the baby move for the first time.

At 18 weeks, we went in for another sonogram. We were hoping the baby would cooperate so we could finally find out the sex. Paul was convinced it was a girl, and although I had thought it was a girl for several weeks, I had recently started to feel like it was a boy. The sonographer slowly and meticulously looked at the baby’s head, stomach, spine, heart, and limbs before checking the gender. Once she found it on the screen I knew without a doubt that it was a boy! We immediately began searching for the perfect name and decided on Rylan Connor Lund right before Christmas. By the holidays we had already painted the nursery and ordered his furniture. Around 25 weeks, while lying on the couch together, Paul saw the baby move. Desperate for him to feel Rylan kick, I told him to stare at my stomach when I started to feel the baby move. He watched in amazement while Rylan stretched his feet out, extending my belly. Paul put his hand up where he had seen Rylan’s feet and finally felt his son move. It was a moment neither of us will ever forget.

After the first of the year, things really started to get crazy. Paul and I were super busy at work, trying to get things ready at home, plan for showers, etc. My appointments moved from monthly to bi-weekly to weekly. The closer we got to our due date, the higher my blood pressure rose. By the middle of January, I had been labeled a “high-risk” pregnancy, complete with extra appointments, tests, sonograms and stress tests. Our first shower was scheduled on January 24, but had to be postponed after I was put on modified bed rest due to rising blood pressure. After positively responding to blood pressure medication, I was allowed to attend the shower/Super Bowl party and have maternity pictures taken the following weekend. We had 2 more showers scheduled, one on February 8 and the other on February 15th. The first week of February, my feet and ankles began to swell, in addition to the backaches, sore joints, headaches, and frequent bathroom trips. On February 8th, we had a beautiful shower hosted by a long-time family friend.

The following day, we went back to Baylor for our 35 week appointment and expected the doctor to put me back on bed rest. Although my blood pressure reading had been good that afternoon, it was significantly elevated at the doctor’s office, and after examining me she informed me that I would not be going home. So, without a bag, dinner, or a change of clothes we walked across the building and rode the elevator up to the second floor, home of the Labor and Delivery unit.

Seasons of Love

2009-04-07T18:07:00.000-07:00

I chose the title of this post for two reasons. For those of you choir and theater participants, you may recognize the title as a song from the hit Broadway musical Rent. I am so excited to see this show in May! My parents bought us tickets for Christmas and it could quite possibly be our first date since Rylan's birth! This will be my 8th "professional" Broadway show to see...now if only I can be in one!

The second reason I chose to title this post "Seasons of Love" is to pay tribute to our lovely, extremely unreliable Texas weather. There is a reason we have the saying around these parts..."If you don't like the Texas weather, wait 5 minutes." Only in Texas can it be in the 30's with snow flurries and 91 degrees in the same week. OK, maybe 2 weeks, but its still ridiculous. The cold weather put us in a predicament, as we really have very few warm clothes for Rylan. Honestly, in April I didn't think we would need any. So, on my 7,657th trip to Babies R Us I picked up a little track suit on the clearance rack.

Pretty cute, huh? He's my little eskimo! With the cute little hoodie, I couldn't resist. At least children's clothes are cheaper, so I don't feel as bad about the occasional impulse buy. He's finally growing into his clothes, and the newborn stuff is starting to get a little snug! Now if I could just get him to stop peeing and puking on them :). That is precisely why I shop the clearance rack; no sense in paying $40 for an outfit that will be puke-stained and outgrown in 3 weeks!

I apologize for all the bodily functions talk, but that has been the focus of my life as of late. And I'm here to tell it like it is. And its good.

Back To Reality

2009-04-02T17:44:00.001-07:00

It's official...maternity leave is over. The doctor (OBGYN) gave me a "clean bill of health" and a piece of advice; she said don't get pregnant for at least a year! I told her that wouldn't be a problem. I wonder if they tell everyone that or just me since I have BP issues. I am pretty agitated with my fluctuating BP; one doc says its fine while the other says its not...one says its post-partum while the other says chronic. I'm not sure who to believe. I do know I don't want to be on medication for the rest of my life, so I guess its back to the gym/diet. If I lost 50lbs once, I can do it again!

I returned to work yesterday after 7 weeks off (1 pre-birth in the hospital and 6 after). I don't want to make a habit of talking about work on my blog, but suffice it to say its going to be a very long and very busy couple of months. Although I am blessed to work from home, I am learning it is not easy to work and take care of a newborn at the same time! If you see me out and about this spring, don't be surprised if I look like a zombie!

As I mentioned in my previous post, Rylan went back to the pediatrician Tuesday for a 6 week weight check. I am happy to report that he was up to 9lbs, 6 oz and has risen to the 18th percentile! The doctor seemed happy with his progress. Unfortunately, we also discovered he has an umbilical hernia. These hernias occur when the abdominal wall doesn't completely close before birth which causes part of the intestines to protrude through the hole and behind the naval. It isn't painful and should clear up on its own. So for now, my son has a glorified "outie" that gets bigger when he's fussy!

One thing that hasn't changed from our "old reality" (pre-baby)....eating dinner before 9:00pm. I guess I should go eat. :)

Milestones

2009-03-30T17:39:00.000-07:00

The past few weeks have been quite busy for us. Other than the numerous doctors appointments, errands, ER visits and mid-night feedings, there has also been some moments worth celebrating. First and foremost, Rylan is already 1 month and 2 weeks old! For being a preemie, he is doing pretty well. He has recently developed "reflex," so the pediatrician has put him on medication which seems to help some. He is gaining weight, albeit slower than Dr. K would like. He is a tall little boy; at his 1 month appointent he had already grown almost 3 inches! He goes back tomorrow for another weight check. He was 8 lb. 4 oz. his last weigh in. Despite the slow weight gain, he is a strong little boy. He can already hold up his head for several seconds and would probably be crawling already if his neck permitted! Below are some pictures that were taken around the 1 month mark (kudos to Alicia for the awesome shots!)...

This month also marked the celebration of my mom's 50th birthday! My dad hosted a surprise birthday for her, complete with both daughters, son-in-law and her new grandson in attendance. After all the help she has been to us since I was put in the hospital, it was nice to see others celebrate her. The party was complete with friends, a beautiful cake, and a chocolate fountain (good idea Dad)!

As for me, well...I am still "on the mend" but am feeling alot better. My incision is alot better...not perfect, but getting there! My BP is starting to slightly rise again, so it looks like I'll have to go back on meds for the time being. Apparently this is common for those of us moms who suffered from pre-eclampsia. I am ready to feel like myself again...complete with unrestricted activity! Hopefully all will go well with the doctor tomorrow. Speaking of my OBGYN, I just want to say what a wonderful experience I had with Dr. Flowers. She is an amazing woman and doctor, and I look foward to future pregnancies with her. That's right...I said future pregnancies...this whole experience temporarly squashed my will to be pregnant again, but it is obviously wearing off. Don't expect me to drop a bombshell anytime soon, though. :) So that's been our life as of late. Nothing too exciting, minus the whole birthing a baby thing! We are enjoying our time at home with Rylan. We're still working on the whole "routine" thing. Other than wanting to eat every 3-4 hours, he isn't quite on a schedule yet. As for Paul and I, we're still trying to keep the house clean for 5 seconds (which has yet to occur since Rylan was born) and get everything caught up from life before I got put in the hospital. There are still lots of projects to be done (finish Rylan's room, birth announcements, gardening, etc.), but those will have to wait until Rylan sleeps through the night. Of course, once that happens, all my spare time will be spent sleeping too. :)

He's Here!

2009-03-24T16:10:00.000-07:00

First and foremost, I have to apoligize for the 5 month lapse in blogging. I fully intended to blog often from the start, but things got crazier as the pregnancy progressed and I never quite got the hang of it. I promise to make a better effort this go around. Of course, now I have a baby to take care of too :).

Paul and I are thrilled to announce the birth of our son, Rylan Connor Lund, born on February 16, 2009. He we born via c-section at 5:52pm, weighing 7 lb. 11 oz and measuring 19 3/4 inches. After a scary week in the hospital with pre-eclampsia, Rylan was born without complications but still spent a week in the NICU due to his prematurity. I am happy to report that we are all home and doing well. I am still healing from post-cesaerian complications but am finally off all the medications. We are all adjusting to life with a newborn and enjoying each moment with our new son (well, some moments more than others...I enjoy the moments from 9:00am-11:00pm better). Just kidding...:)

I plan to write a more detailed account of Rylan's birth story but cannot find the energy to do it today. Since we were in the hospital two weeks, it will be a pretty long post. So, I figured I would ease back into the blogging scene instead of writing a novel for my first post-pregnancy post.

Now I must go figure out how to post pictures and video on here. Until then, if you want to see pics of Rylan, you'll have to be my friend on facebook...or ask nicely. :) Ciao!

Welcome!

2008-10-27T20:49:00.000-07:00

After years of urging, we have finally hopped on the blogging bandwagon. After mastering the facets of Facebook, we felt like it was time to start documenting our crazy life for your viewing pleasure. We'd like to thank Alicia Hinrichs for creating this beautiful looking blog; hopefully our posts will live up to it!

It's finally starting to cool down in Texas, and tonight we lit out first fire of the season (which our dogs aren't quite sure what to make of). I thank God everyday that I am not pregnant in the middle of the summer; it's better to waddle in the cold than the heat! Speaking of the pregnancy, I am happy to announce that as of tomorrow, we will officially be halfway done! 20 weeks down and 20 weeks to go. Two weeks ago, we found out that we're expecting a baby BOY! So, the race is on to get everything done by March 17. We have ordered the furniture; now we're trying to find bedding, paint the room, and pick a name! If you have any suggestions, feel free to send them (no promises that we'll pick yours, though!).

Sorry this blog is short, but I spent most of my alloted blog time messing with gadgets and layout instead of writing. And now, I must go play referee with my dogs. :)