Video of Boston

Boston Alexander

~A Gift From Down Under~ Thank you Ann!!!

I have a special e-mail friend from Australia... her name is Ann. She follows my mom's blog and that is how we started communicating. She and I were pregnant at the same time and our due dates were within the same month. I am not sure if she has had her baby yet... but she and her baby are in my thoughts and prayers. We haven't gotten back in touch since I had Boston. I hope we do soon. Anyway, we have become good friends and she helped me out a lot with such good advice throughout my pregnancy. The other day I received this in the mail from her. These gifts were sent to us all the way from Australia which makes them that much more special. The back pack is for Boston. The soap and lotion are for me =) This was such a neat and thoughtful gift I had to post about it!! Thank you so much Ann!! This back pack will always be special to me and I am sure it will be to Boston too!!

Birth Story~Boston Alexander

WOW... can't believe I am FINALLY getting on here to post again. It's been a crazy few weeks that's for sure.

I have been meaning to get on here and tell my birth story....

November 23~ I had my 38 week appointment... even though I would be 39 weeks the very next day. That is another story in and of itself... good ol' Army hospital. Anyway... the doctor said the baby's head was down but still had some engaging to do and I should enjoy my last days of pregnancy. She was pretty sure that I would probably go to my due date. I was happy with that prediction and went about my day as normal. I went and ran errands... decorated my house for Christmas, went and got dinner and took it to the fire station to eat with Alex.... same old same old. However, this day I did do two things out of the ordinary... two old wives tales that I thought just might get the process going so I at least wouldn't go past my due date.... HA! First, I went and got Wendy's chili... and then I bought some pineapple and ate almost the whole can. Now, I am not sure that these two things had anything to do with what would happen later that night... could have been coincidence I guess...

So around 9ish after having come home from the fire station.... I was feeling great... no contractions and no pain... just enjoying a peaceful evening. I was getting ready to make a cup of hot tea, put my pj's on and watch t.v. when my water broke!!!! I called Alex at the station and told him he had better get home.... it was time!!! =) I could hear the excitement in his voice when he told me he was on his way. We were both rushing around frantically trying to make sure we had everything... even though I had packed our bags a week before.

We arrived at the hospital around 9:45 p.m. The doctors confirmed that my water had broke and said I was dilated to a 2 and 90% effaced. I was unusually calm... nervous about the health of my baby but not all that afraid of what was about to take place. They started me on pitocin to get my labor going since my water had broke and by 3 a.m. I was dilated to a 4 and I was SO READY for an epidural.... best decision I could have ever made by the way... although I know some would disagree... it was the best thing for me. I was able to rest up some and this was nice considering I was going to have to do some hard work later and it was the middle of the night. Also, I almost ALWAYS took a nap during the day because I was always so tired but that day I had been running around and nesting so I hadn't and I was very very tired.

They kept checking me and by about 9:15 a.m. I was dilated to a 10 and 100% effaced. Now I was afraid!!!! Giving birth went pretty smooth lasting only about 30 minutes and since I had an epidural I actually enjoyed it... it was an amazing experience that's for sure.

Boston Alexander was born on Tuesday November 24th at 9:50 a.m. weighing 7 pounds 14 ounces and he was 19 inches long.

Boston had some trouble transitioning from being in fluid to breathing air so he was taken to the intermediate care nursery... this was a very scary thing for this mommy and I shed a lot of tears. Later that day I FINALLY went to see my baby. It was hard because although they didn't think anything was wrong other than he had trouble transitioning, they were running all kinds of tests just to be sure. He was also on an IV with antibiotics just in case there was an infection present. They were pretty sure we would still go home after 48 hours.... well... that changed.

The next day Boston was still breathing great on his own and the doctors said he was showing no signs of infection but we were still waiting on the cultures. It looked like all would be well by the next morning as long as those came back negative. However, after having routine 24 hr. blood work done we found out that Boston tested coombs positive also known as ABO incompatibility which meant that some of my O+ blood had crossed the placenta and mixed with his B+ blood and the antibodies in the different blood types were attacking each other. This happens a lot and isn't too dangerous except for that it can cause severely high bilirubin numbers if not kept under control. So, just when we thought we would be getting out of the ICN, Boston was kept in to be treated with phototherapy. In just a few days the problem was resolved and we FINALLY got to go home on Sunday evening.

It was a very trying but wonderful time for both of us. Our baby boy is just as precious as we had imagined and we love him to pieces. I am sure this blog will become mostly about him!! =)

I have lots more to post about but no guarantees about when I will get it all posted.... little man definitely keeps me busy.

Thank you all for your prayers!!!

~Alex, Ashley, and Boston

a cute baby shower decoration

Here is a centerpiece from a table at my baby shower... I thought this was such a cute idea!!

Boston and Mommy ~ 38 weeks and 4 Days

Alright alright... here is the picture people have been asking for.... I know I will appreciate these one day. I am just not enjoying the pale skin and larger portioned version of myself... besides my belly... I love my belly.

(If you click on the image you can see a better view of it.)

Nesting at Christmas Time

So... today I definitely hit the nesting phase...

I started buzzing around this house today doing all sorts of things...

I actually went outside in the cold windy weather and pulled up dead plants out of the garden, picked up leaves, took down our fall decorations and started putting up Christmas.

We normally do not do anything Christmas until the day after Thanksgiving. However, we have a baby coming and I would like it to all be done before he arrives... which I am hoping will be any day now. ( I have been showing some pre-labor signs) Also, my mom and brother and sister will be here next weekend... I am SO EXCITED!!

So Christmas is coming early this year!!!

Of course, I didn't get very far because I need Alex's help hanging the lights and such. Tomorrow I am going to see if I can convince him to get the rest of it out!!

He loves loves loves Christmas so I am sure that won't be a problem! =) I plan on bribing him with taco soup (one of his favs), cinnamon rolls, and coffee.

For us... Christmas time is here!!

Tomorrow I am going to try to post a new belly pic.... if I don't go into labor tonight ;)

~Ashley

Here are a couple pics from Christmas last year...