Saturday, September 25, 2010

I don't know a lot, but I know this...

After 9 LOOONNNGGG months of being preggers and 1 1/2 weeks into parenting, I do know a few things that I would like to share.  Mostly as a reminder to myself when we get around to baby #2.  Please note, that in no way do I think that I am an expert in parenting, I have no idea what I'm doing nor will I pretend that I do.  None of the less, here are the lessons that I have learned.

1.  I WILL cry over spilled milk!  I worked hard to get my milk in that little bottle.  Please do not spill it, spit it up nor let is go bad!  Amen?
2.  WATER, WATER, WATER and more WATER!
3.  For the love, get a pedi and wax the eye brows!  I know they are expensive, but when you feel (and well face it, look like) a cow, you should at least be able to look down and see some awesome painted hot pink toes.  And those pictures are going to be around for a life time, poorly maintained eye brows are just an embarrassment!
4.  You need to laugh at yourself when you are lying in bed with your sweet husband and your sleeping baby that sounds like a little goat and you start crying for no reason (baby blues anyone?!?).  And for the love, let your husband laugh at your ridiculousness, it will make it more barible for all parties (yes Frank, I will cry about it).
5.  Sitz baths are a non-negotiable.  They feel so good and help you heal faster but mostly they give you 5 to 10 minutes of alone time where no one is trying to nurse on you or your husband will keep from asking where you put something (and you have no idea where it is because it fell victim to your last nesting episode!).
6.  Take a shower and make sure that you brush your teeth everyday.  It will make you feel pretty when you still feel like your insides are about to fall out.
7.  It's okay to cry because you miss your days of boredom (you didn't realize how bored you were until your little bundle of joy showed up!) and sleep.  And by sleep, I mean more than a hour and half at a time!
8. Witch Hazel, enough said!
9.  An incredible husband is of the upmost importance.  Someone who gets up and rocks that babe when you just layed down, or will get up to put the passy back in.  He will rock her, sing toher and for the love, kiss her sweet cheeck and lips all the time!
10.  All the things that you said that you will never do, you will do.  (introducing the passy during week 1, being brand loyal to diapers because they get the best reviews... yeah right, people give them to you, you will use them!).

What are you other lessons learned??

Friday, September 24, 2010

Happy Brithday sweet girl!

Many friends have asked about how the birth went, what happened- they want all the details.  I feel as though it's like when you go on a mission trip and people say they want to hear all about it... but they really just want the highlights.  They tell us during the debriefing from the trip, they tell you to have a one liner, two minute and fifteen minute answer... I feel like I have to say the same thing with the birth of my sweet girl!

So here is the whole story (for all you who are curious, but mostly for me to remember that sweet day that is only becoming further and further away!).

So here is the warning:  If you don't like blood and guts, move on! 

Giving birth is the most beautifully messy this that we do!  On Tuesday we were suppose to get to the hospital but we were running late.  We get there and the lady in the ER that was signing us in (admin had left for the day) and she said that we needed to talk to the head nurse but that she was in the delivery room.  As we sat there, I realized that i had a message and a missed call from the hospital.  It was her asking if we could come in at 7pm instead because they had more people come in than they had planned.  So, off to McAlisters for dinner.  Please note that is where I grabbed lunch the day of my wedding, I love that these two huge events were kicked off with McAlisters. 
We went back and got checked in.  Michelle greeted us in the room and told us that she would be our nurse for the evening.  She got us all set up and asked about 1 million questions about both Frank's and my family medical history (thank goodness that we are all healthy people!!).  This man Dr. came in and inserted a cervadil.  It hurt so bad and frank about hit him for not being gentle.  Michelle gave my a huge sleeping pill and we said goodnight.  The next morning, I took a shower, got all ready and started having contractions.  They set me up with the petosin and around 10am they gave me an epidural.  I was making great progress and made it through the day with lots of friends and family to make me laugh.  Popsicles were a life saver!  I stopped dialating around 8pm.  I could not get past the hump.  After talking to Michelle and telling her that a c-section was not an option (like I had a choice!).  She told me that she would talk to my Dr. and she would see what she could do.  They stopped the petosin for about 30 minutes and then started again.  I just couldn't relax.  Michelle kicked everyone out of the room, turning the lights off and got me to sleep for a little bit.   At this point, it's around 10:30-11pm.  After moving me to different positions to get the dialing going again, I finally made it to 9.5cm.  Dr. Gregory said that I was ready to start pushing.  They got me all hooked up with more epidural and started getting to business.  I pushed through 5 contractions.  About 3 to 4 sets of counting to 10 each and she was out.  When her head was out, frank looked at me with tears in his eyes and said, "she looks just like you".  One more push and she was out and on top of me.  I could not believe it!  Annabelle started crying, it was the most pathetic "wah wah wah" cry.  Frank went over as the sweet nursery cleaned her up.  It was amazing to see him taking pictures of the miracle and watching the nurses every move. 
When Annabelle came out, the was the most amazing feeling ever.  The pressure that was released was incredible.  Then when the placenta came out, it was the same way.  The most amazing miracle was that when they pulled the placenta came out, they were looking at the cord, there was about a inch stretch that was spaghetti noodle thin.  I asked Dr. Gregory what could have happened, then said I didn't want to know if it had torn or severed.  She told me that I didn't want to know!
Dr. Gregory worked so hard to get me all stitched up and set to go.  The family came in to see us after I got all cleaned up and everyone cried, it was such a sweet moment.  Finally after 20 hours of being awake and having a babe, Michelle gave me a big sleeping pill and we went to bed around 4am. 

Some of the highlights of the evening:
*When Annabelle came out, it was such a release of pressure.  I told the Dr. "I feel so empty."  Frank's response, as he was holding his new baby girl, "I don't."  I'll never forget that moment, or the fact that Dr. Gregory and Michelle and I teared up as we all looked at each other.
*How sweet Frank was during the whole day.  He changed things, touch things, move things, moved me and took total care of me and really helped Michelle out.  I could not be more blessed to spend the rest of my life with this man!

So this is our story.  It was a a ride that I will never forget.  We are so thankful that our sweet Annabelle made it out safely and healthy! 
Happy Birthday sweet Annabelle!

Saturday, September 11, 2010

9 years ago....

I can not believe that it has been 9 years already!  I will never forget that morning, being woken up by my uncle and watching mass chaos unfold on TV and in our own city!  I remember being at work and co-workers parents were not home yet from work.  There was no way to get a hold of anyone.  It was terrifying.  Fighter planes flying over our house, making it shake... you could see the missiles locked and ready to go.  My uncle said, "Abbey, go look, you may never see this again."  I pray to this day that he was right!

That day at school changed everything.  Most of the middle eastern kids were so scared to come to school.  I remember waiting to see if my class was going to happen or if it had been cancelled.  One of my classmates and I were sitting outside waiting (did I mention that it was the most perfect fall day outside?) and started talking.  He told me that he moved to VA when he was a babe and they were from Pakistan.  His story was incredible.  As I sat there and listened... my heart broke for him.  He said that his mom was terrified to come out of her house, what would be people say?  What would they do?

That day I learned about forgiveness, we all need it.  We all make mistakes... what if I was held accountable for things done that were out of my control?  What if I were lumped in with the Germans during WWII?  Or with the Vietnam conflict?  Or desert storm?  All of these horrible things that we lump people into just because of their color or their nationality, needs to be let go.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Motherhood

I had, what I was praying would be, my last Dr. appointment this morning.  To be honest, I was hoping to not even make it to the appointment because that would be mean 2 things...
1. Frank would be here for a whole week.
2.  I would be in the hospital having Annabelle and nursing taking care of both of us!

But it didn't happen that way.  On the way home, I was thinking about the whole motherhood thing and what are my expectations of myself in this life long journey.

So here is a charge to myself for the next 70 years:

1.  Laugh, a lot.  Make those days of blowouts and meltdowns seem like they don't matter in the long run.  If you can't laugh, you can't make it, right?
2.  Really enjoy each new phase as it comes.
3.  Be brave!  Let's be honest, I'm a little over whelmed at the responsibility that is coming my way and it's a little scary that I will be held accountable for the things that I teach/ don't teach the little Robertson's.
4.  Love their sweet daddy more and more each day.  There is nothing more comforting than having parents that love each other more than anything.
5.  Really work on their relationships with grandparents, cousins and aunts (yes, my child don't not have an uncle right now... we are working on making them legal through).
6.  To make sure that i forgive myself for the mistakes that their sweet daddy and I will make.
7.  To carve out family time that is fun and making memories that they will carry into adulthood and will pour over into their families.
8.  For Frank and I to leave a legacy for the future Robertson generations.
9.  To make time for myself to make sure that i am not lost in the journey of parenthood.  To make sure that I am the wife that I know Frank needs me to be and the wife that the Lord is calling me to be.  And to make sure that my jeans fit.

I think that is all for now.  I'm sure that there will be more in the years to come or changed as the times change as I get older and add we add more babes to the Team Robertson.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

So apparently I have readers... and have been accused of being a slogger... I'm sorry!  So buckle up and here we go!!

Frank and I have decided that we are moving to Charlotte.  I said it, Charlotte!  We are so excited but sad to close this chapter in our lives.  We met here, dated here, got married and will have our first child here and the list goes on.  Frank went ahead of me and started work last week and is looking for a place for us as we speak.  He is rockin' it out there and I'm so proud of him!!  Dallas and I were uber bored without him. Last week I was here alone (which I'm not going to lie, I loved it!) and I made this:
My hooter hider!

Bored Dallas!

I wanted a hooter hider and did not get it at my shower... so I looked online and found a pattern, begged Mel to borrow her machine and made it!  I'm pretty pleased with the way that it turned out and am making one for a friend (she asked me!!).

Here is week 37:

My dad came to stay with me this week...
We all need a break from working so hard nesting, right?
WHAT A BLESSING!!  Let me say that again, what a blessing he has been!  He started doing a load of laundry and didn't stop.  There is not a dirty sock left in my house.  I can not believe it... THANK YOU DAD!  I needed to pick up some last minute things at target the other night- I had some awesome diaper coupons that were going to expire- yeah he bought all that too.  I hid my tears from him... I'm so thankful for his generosity.  Last night I made him some guacamole, if you have never had some Robertson guacamole, call me, I'll tell you what to get and come over immediately... IT"S SO YUMMY!!!

Today as I'm sitting here, I'm 38 weeks and 5 days preggers... what does that mean? I'm the most fun and loving person ever a ticking time bomb!  Last night I woke up to use the potty and was having contractions hard core and couldn't go back to a good sleep.  I finally gave up at 6:30 and got up.  My back was killing me... long story short, we went to the Dr. and she said "nope, no labor yet!!"  And yes, my dad waited in the waiting room.  Last week my Dr. set up an induce date, the 15th, and today she said that I would not make it that far... which is good news.  I'm so ready to get this kid out!!!
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