Its been three months, but here's Karaline's birth story!

I had just returned to work after my Vacation to my parents house, and it was a Wednesday (June 10th) I noticed that early on in the morning, I was having more contractions, so I took one of my "anti-contraction" pills my doctor had given me a few weeks prior and went in to work. I noticed at work that my contractions had never stopped, and in fact they were getting into a pattern. They weren't painful so I didn't think much about them. I told my manager that I couldn't walk around much that day and he didn't care, and put me at the front door anyway without a chair. (It was not allowed to have a greeter sitting...even if she WAS 8 months pregnant.) I begged for a chair because my contractions kept getting closer together. He told me no and to just stand there for one more hour. So I did. I also wrote down each contraction. When I was 45 minutes into standing there, I had already recorded 12 contractions! I went on my break and called my mom asking her what to do. She told me to call my doctor, but I didn't want to bother anyone since this was probably no big deal. (I'd been having braxton hicks for over a month) My mom then proceeded to lecture me about the health of the baby and remind me of the money I was paying them to answer these type questions. So I called. They told me to leave work right away and go to Labor and Delivery to be hooked up to monitors. I called my manager and told him and he said "Good Luck". I told him that I'd be right back, because I wasn't having the baby any time soon. I was only 33 weeks!
I went to the emergency entrance as the nurse had told me on the phone, and they asked me if I was in labor. I told them that I didn't know. I see now how crazy I must have seemed! I told them what was going on and they sent me to admissions where I sat for 30 mins answering questions. The lady asked if I needed a wheelchair to get to L&D and I told her no...I would walk! I called and told James where I was going, but not to leave work because I wouldn't be long.
I got hooked up to my IV to stop my contractions (which didn't work) and an IV of fluids. I started feeling like I was going to pass out and the nurse realized I had a glucose fluid drip...with my gestational diabetes! My blood sugar was at 290. James came to see me and his parents asked if I needed my labor bags I had packed and I told them no, because I was going home soon, doggonit! Mom was getting worried because they were leaving for vacation on Friday and didn't know if they should go. I kept telling her to go because we were NOT having this baby any time soon.
On Friday I was told that I would be going home with a monitoring system to watch my contractions and Karaline's heart rate. In fact, I was in my wheelchair to head to be discharged when my doctor showed up and told them to put me back in bed, re-do my IV and hook up monitoring 24/7. Karaline's heart rate was decreasing. My doctor then ordered an ultrasound which showed Karaline was head-down and her cord was around her neck and it was getting cut off even without a contraction. He told me he wanted me to hold out until at least Monday so I would be 34 weeks. I had already had one shot of steroids, and received my second shot that day. I told my mom that they were going to induce Karaline on Monday so they should come down, but not to rush, since we still had a few days.
At 5:30am on Saturday morning the 13th, my doctor woke me up and told me that Karaline was not improving, but getting worse. He discussed it with his partners and they all agreed that I needed a C-section asap. I called my mom in hopes they had made it the night before to the campground as planned. However, they had stopped 2 hours away from mobile to rest during the night and were starting out on the road just then. I told them Kara was being delivered within the hour. I begged the doctor to wait another hour so my mom could be in the delivery room, but he said he couldn't wait.
I worried about the epidural more than being cut open. I was honestly shivering because I was so scared of that needle! However, I felt NOTHING! It was a breeze! My legs got warm then I couldn't feel anything.
About 15 people were present. 4 doctors and 11 nurses. I remember feeling sick to my stomach and telling the doctor and him giving me something in my IV and the nauseousness was gone. (I want some of that!) I then heard "There she is!" and a kitten cry. I couldn't see her because everyone was around her, but I could hear her. I felt a little relieved. At least she was breathing! She was 5lbs 7oz and 18" long. My diabetes helped her be a good size! About this time, 2 nurses took James out in a wheelchair because he got pale and nearly passed out. ;-)
My doctors were sewing me up when I started losing alot of blood. My doctor gave me a shot in the arm (ouch) to help me clot. I remember a nurse swaddling Karaline up and showing her to me for a split second as they rushed her our of the room to the NICU. I never even got to see her face. That's what hurt the most. I then got another drug in my IV which made me really sleepy and loopy. I went into recovery and saw James who showed me some pictures. The Neonatalogist came in to tell me about Kara, but I couldn't really speak because I constantly felt sick. I just nodded when he told me they were running alot of tests on her.
Two hours later I was being wheeled out to go to the postpartum unit, and the nurses told me they cleared out the whole nursery so I could be wheeled in my bed next to Kara in her incubator so I could finally see her. She was so beautiful. I wanted to stay by her forever.
I finally got to hold Karaline when she was 2 days old.
After oxygen therapy and fighting with her weight and temperature, Karaline got to come home 12 days after she was born. She was 5lbs. She was technically 35.5 weeks when she came home. She was such a fighter!

My pregnancy was rocky the entire 8 months, with points where we thought we were losing Karaline. I was on a couple medications to prevent miscarrying her, and went to the emergency room 3 times during the pregnancy. She was determined to have a dramatic entrance!!

She is my miracle baby, and I thank God daily for giving me a healthy, beautiful baby girl.

Even if NOTHING went according to plan, at least she was healthy.

Plans were made to be broken!

And I know that as I wake up tonight at 2am to her stirring in her crib, and I cuddle her to me to nurse her and she stops to stare up at me and smile, how very blessed I am.

No blessing could ever be as sweet as the one sleeping soundly in my husbands arms, lightly snoring, as I type.

My heart!

So its been a while....AGAIN! This is hard with a baby! :) Karaline is perfect and is now 2 months and 3 weeks old. Time has flown by. She now coos and smiles alot, and is almost 12 pounds! I have videos of her, which I will upload later.

Here are some pictures to get you by until I can figure the video thing out!

Our baby!!

Our new family

I know, its been FOREVER! Things were crazy for a while, and still are, but as my dear hubby watches our darling daughter for me, I can have a moment to update!

Karaline Mae was born on June 13,2009 weighing 5lbs 7oz and 18" long. She was 7 weeks early. I went in on the 10th with consistenet contractions and was admitted to Labor and Delivery for monitoring. They could never fully stop my contractions, but I was not dialating so they were gonna discharge me and send me home with a monitor. As I was literally getting into the wheelchair to leave, my doctor came back in and told them to put me back and monitor me and the baby constantly because the baby seemed to be in distress on his printouts. He sent me for an Ultrasound and they saw that the cord was around her neck and every time I had a contraction and even randomly, her heartrate would plummet. My doctor didn't want to take her so soon so he ordered another steroid shot (my second) and said he would be back in the morning to check me. Well, at 5am my nurse called my doctor saying that Kara was getting worse, and he showed up an hour later and told me he was going to take the baby. I begged him to let me have her naturally, but he said she wouldn't make it through the labor. So I frantically called my parents to see where they were (They live in TN but I had told them Friday night that things werent looking good and they were supposed to drive all night to get to the hospital saturday morning.) When I called they were 2 hours away, but the doctor said we couldn't wait. So at 7:13am my precious baby girl was born. I didn't get to see her as they rushed her to NICU after they cleaned her up. I did hear her "Meow" cries as she was taken away. For 12 days she stayed in the NICU on oxygen, UV light, IV fluids, Antibiotics, a warmer and a feeding tube. (All of these only last a few days each) The hospital let us board for free until she was discharged. She lost weight down to 4lbs 14oz but she was back to 5lbs 3oz when we took her home. Today she is 5lbs 8oz an 19" long! She is healthy and doing great!!Just born!

poor baby

mommy loves me!


I'm going home!!!


2 weeks old! loving that finger!

Our First Year!

I can't believe that its almost James' and my 1 year anniversary. I love him more than I ever have, and just when I think I couldn't love him any more...I do. I am so very lucky to have him in my life. I don't know how in the world I deserve a man so wonderful. Many married women struggle to get their husbands to even lift a finger around the house or pay them attention, and I can honestly say that I have never had that problem....if anything, he never lets me do ANYTHING! I never have to wonder if James loves me, he tells me constantly in words and in actions. I don't think I have a single complaint on him...no pet peeves that he does...nothing! Did I mention how lucky I am? lol!

I was always told that the first year is the hardest. I beg to differ.

James and I have endured alot in our first year of marriage. We got married and bought our first home. Then on August 13th, 2008 we found out I was a tad over 6 weeks pregnant...and a week later on August 22nd our baby left us. I never knew you could love someone so much that you have never even met....but you can. Instead of it pushing us apart, James and I got so much closer and I began to really realize what a treasure James was and is in my life. I could have never made it through that without him.

After that current OBGYN told me that "It happens, you'll have more" I got rid of him. He wouldn't listen to me that something was wrong. He just kept saying I had plenty of time for children. How did he know??

I located the only board certified fertility specialist in Mobile a week later and he -cared- what I had to say. He did tests and found out that I was lucky to get pregnant at all. I only had two chances a year to catch it out of 12. So we took the next step and went the fertility drug route - injections and all - ouch.
On November 12th, 2008, three months after losing our first, I found out we were pregnant again. 3 weeks and 4 days pregnant to be exact! :)

My OBGYN was amazing. When I started going through the first stages that I went through when losing my first, he saved our little girl. Its amazing how God can put the right people in your life at the right time. He discovered that I'd need this medication every time I get pregnant in order to carry through the first trimester without losing our baby and future babies.

I continued my college education in order to finish before I had little Kara. I had always promised my parents I would graduate before I had my first child. And I DID! With 2 months to spare! It was hard. I worked 40+ hours a week and attended the University of Mobile full time with 15 hours in order to finish. I was one tired pregnant lady! I don't think James and I saw each other that much during that time except to say good night or when he came to spend my hour lunches with me at work. And I'm happy to announce I made a 3.6 GPA with the 5 classes I took!

All during this time, James and I had been trying to put our home up for sale, with no bites. The market was horrible. We finally rented it out this month after moving in with his parents in April until we have Kara and move to Tennessee in August.

All in all, we have had one stressful, busy, tiring, and sad first year with some amazingly wonderful moments filling out the rest. All the while, I never wanted anyone else by my side cheering me on, supporting me, and loving me except for James. I never will.

I mean, heck, I got a pre-trained husband....I can't get rid of him now! :)

Anyway, I meant for this to be a short post about our first year coming to a close, and ended up with a novel. Our second year will be filled with little miracles (Karaline) and lots of changes...all very much welcomed! :)

Our family has been priceless this first year as well. Supporting us, grieving with us, and celebrating with us. No one could ask for more! We love them all.


Happy (early) 1 year anniversary James! I love you!

Its a....

Well James and I went to out gender ultrasound a couple weeks ago (sorry for taking so long to post) and found out...Very excited to say the least! Karaline Mae Richardson will be here on July 20th 2009 via induction! We will be moving to Tennessee a month or so after the baby is here.
I got to see her again yesterday and watch her suck her thumb and play with her toes. Shes quite the character!! We can't wait to meet her! Some pics:

Update on appointment

So I went in for my (lovingly called) Vampire Appointment. I sat in the doctors office and prayed he would try to find the heartbeat to ease my mind. He did. It was so funny cause he couldn't find him for the longest, so he "trapped" him between two of his fingers so he couldn't move and what does my little clever child do? Slides DOWN into my pelvis. Smart little bugger. So he finally got him/her to be still enough to hear that wonderful "whoosh whoosh" sound then sent me off to get sucked dry of all the blood in my body. (or so it seemed). I'll hear back next week on if anything came up unusual. I go in on Feb. 27th for the Gender ultrasound. I'll be 19 weeks. I'm so excited. I dont care girl or boy, but I can't wait to know...its like Christmas all over again!! Anyway. Thats all the update I have. Much love.

15 and a half weeks already!!

Ok, it has been a while since I last posted on here, so I think we need an update! I am now 15.5 weeks pregnant and very excited to get to find out the gender in a couple weeks! I can't believe how blessed we are! I have endured alot during this pregnancy with a few scares and ER visits, but my baby sure is a fighter! (and a wiggle worm) :-)
I am currently finishing up my degree before the baby arrives and I will graduate in May after 7 long years of schooling!
James and I are trying to sell our home so we can move to Tennessee in November to be closer to my mom and dad, and to open up new opportunities for James in the job field.

I can't believe that we have reached this point! I thank God for giving the knowledge of Clomid to doctors as well as injections (I hate needles, but oh so worth it!) And also for air conditioning since I will spend the last few months of my pregnancy in the wonderful summer months. :)

God is good and will bless!