New pics of the girls

Ava Grayson Valdez 12-20-09

so much to blog about because I have not been on here in forever! So here it goes. It all started on Friday Dec 18, I was having contractions really bad Friday evening but as usual I took a ambien and went to sleep and they went away. (the Ambien was per my Doc's orders) Sat I woke up and was feeling pretty good but it went down hill fast! The hospital gave me a kick count sheet when I went in for my steroid shots and I had been counting Ava's movements twice a day but she was not moving at all Sat night. I tried everything I could to get her to move around but she was so still and I was contracting like crazy so Vic and I went in about 8 PM. A big part of me has known this entire pregnancy that I would deliver early but I really thought I would make it to it least 36 weeks. So I thought going in to the hospital it was going to be like every other time they monitor me and say "wow you are contracting like crazy" but not changing my cervix so they send me home. Not this time! They hooked me up and I was contracting every 2-3 min and the baby was having some decells so they told me we are going to admit you. They gave me some meds to try and stop my labor but by 3pm Sunday my water broke and there was no turning back! UAMS is a teaching hospital so the Idiot (this is how my Mom, Dianne and I refer to this guy) who gave me my epidural was a student and not only was he nervous, which is never good when you are about to stick a needle in someones spine, but he did it wrong and I was only numb on one side. He proceeded to move the needle to fix it and then I was not numb at all! GREAT! He also sprayed me with Mastasol (spelling?) which is an adhesive spray to re stick the tape holding the epidural in place. I did not know it at the time but I am allergic to this spray and the following day my back was covered in burned skin and oozing hives from my neck to my bottom. PLEASANT, and all for an epidural that did not work!!! So back to the delivery, after my water broke I went fast! Dianne called Victor and Mike and told Vic to leave Ella with Mike and get to the hospital fast because I was at a 7. Shortly after Vic arrived it was time to push. Ava was small so it only took 3 counts of 10 and she was out! 5 pounds 1 oz at 5:30 PM. Not real sure what happened after that because I went into shock and my BP was 200/120, yes you read right 200/120. They unplugged the machine thinking it was reading wrong but it was right and I could see the panic on my Mom, Vic and Dianne's faces. They hooked some meds up to My IV and it went back down, thankfully before I could have a stroke or seizure! I think that labor and delivery was the most painful experience of my life! Having a baby is NEVER easy for me, it sucks! Moral of the story I will NEVER EVER have another baby! Ava was having a hard time breathing being that she was born at 34 weeks and 5 days. They took her away and hooked her up to some oxygen and I did not get to see her until the next day. Thankfully she did really well in the NICU and she only had to be on oxygen for 1 day and her only problem was learning to suck and swallow her food. She was there for 18 of the longest days of my life but she is home now and gaining weight! She came home at her birth weight 5 pounds 1 oz and 3 weeks later she is 6 pounds 9 oz! I sware all I do these days is pump and feed, but it is all so worth it! Thank God for seeing us throughout this ordeal! We are so lucky she is thriving so well! My back is just now well and we are all feeling like we are getting back to "normal"! Enjoy the pics!

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween everyone! Ella had a great time Trick or Treating this year and she got a BIG bag full of candy!

Pumpkin Patch

It has been so long since I posted! I have some random pics added in with the Pumpkin Patch. The first pick is from the first day of gymnastics class. Ella absolutely LOVES it! She decided to take Gymnastics instead of dance this year and she could not be happier! The second pic is from the first day of school. She goes to school Monday, Wednesday and Friday and has a blast playing with all her friends and my gosh she has learned SO much this year. Such a smart girl!

Pumpkin Patch

So I have been on bed rest for about four weeks now but I took what I call a "get out of jail free card" and went to the p patch with my fam. I hate that I am missing so much, but I know it is what is best for the baby. I am taking shots every week (17P) to try to keep me from going into full labor and I am still contracting a lot. My Mom has been her for 4 weeks now, and she is such a trooper! She has a hard job keeping up with Ella and all the "housework" around here! We don't know what we would do without her! We also finally came up with a name, it took forever, her name will be Ava Grayson Valdez. So glad we could name her after my Daddy who I miss so much! So back to the p patch. We went with our good friends Mike and Dianne and their little girl Megan. Dianne is also pregnant, with a little girl, and due 10 weeks after us. It is going to be great to add two more girls to the group! Ella had a so much fun picking a pumpkin, feeding the animals and watching the pig races. I am so glad I got to go!

It's a Girl!

So most of you know already that we have another baby girl on the way! We are so excited and can not wait until she gets here in January! We still have not picked a name, thanks to Victor, who thinks that this is rocket science! LOL! We do have a list and we have narrowed it down to 3 names so hopefully we will have one soon! Victor keeps saying are you sure we can't get a second opinion ultrasound to make sure it is a girl. He knows he is in a lot of trouble with 2 girls in the house and now he is going to have 3! Ella is over the moon about the baby. She rubs, hugs and kisses my belly every day and tells me how much she loves her baby sister and can't wait until she "pops out" her words not mine! I can tell you that this is going to be the last one for me! Victor thinks we need to try one more time for a boy, but I say enough is enough! I am not at all a good pregnant person. This pregnancy is way worse than the last I was really sick at the beginning and I have already been put on and off bed rest twice! GREAT TIMES! Hopefully the end will be different from last time and I will not have to stay on bed rest for the last 10 weeks, we are keeping our fingers crossed! The outcome will be so worth it! Especially if she is anything like our first blessing, Ella!

Dance Recital "Chicken Chow Mien"

Boogie down Ella!
With her Flowers

She was so excited to see her Gran and Daddy waiting on her after her dance!

Dance recital was great!  Everyone is well aware that Ella has never been a big fan of dance, but I was determined to have her finish what she started!  I am so glad she did!  She was wonderful, and she absolutely had a blast dancing on stage.  She is already asking when she can go back again.  I am a very proud Mommy.  Not only did she do her dance but she sang "Where is the Chicken in the Chicken Chow Mien" the loudest!  She sang so loud the girl next to her slapped her!  Hope you all enjoy the pics! 

Disney World

We had so much fun on the Disney trip!  We want to go back every year!  Ella had a blast with her Gran!  She was so excited to meet ALL the princesses!  We have LOTS of pics so I hope you all enjoy them!