Thursday, January 31, 2013

Labor Story


Paisley Ann Lohner was born on Monday, December 31, 2012 at the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, UT at 11:29 am.  She weighed 7 pounds even and was 19 inches long.  She came almost a week early by induction.  

Chris' grandpa (who was an OB) is really good friends with Dr. Dayton who was one of our doctors so we were really hoping he would deliver her for us.  Grandpa Lohner talked to him and then I met with him at 37 weeks for an appointment.  I was only dilated to a 1 and about 60% effaced which isn't much so he said to shoot for like the 2nd or 3rd of January to induce me if I was dilated to a 3.  Well the day after Christmas I met with another doctor and he was concerned because my uterus wasn't growing.  It measured at 35 cm when it should have been at 38 cm.  The concern is that it measured 35 cm 2 weeks straight, which could cause the fluid level to be too low and for her to not have enough room and not get the nutrients she needs.  So, the doctor decided that I should do a non-stress test just to make sure everything was going okay.  I was still only dilated to a 1 so it wasn’t looking good to be induced early.  We went in on the 27th and they do an ultrasound to measure the fluid level.  They measure the black spots on the ultrasound and mine was at a 6.  Apparently if it is at a 5 they will automatically induce you because It isn’t safe for the baby anymore.  They also put on a monitor to measure my contractions as well as her heartbeat.  I was having contractions, although I didn’t feel them.  They watch her heartbeat for 20 minutes looking for increases, which looked perfect.  She was doing great.   

We decided to call Dr. Dayton and tell him the situation and see what he said.  So Chris called him up and Dr. Dayton decided to go ahead and induce me on the 31st but I would have to spend the night before in the hospital to help my cervix dilate and soften.  So Sunday night finally came and we headed in to the hospital at around 6:45 pm.  They got us all checked in and took us to our room.  I got changed and then the nurse came in to get me all hooked up to an IV and the monitor that measures my contractions and baby’s heartbeat.  She then checked to see what I was dilated to and I was still the same.  She said I was having pretty good contractions but we went ahead and started the Cytotec.  We started the first dose at 9 pm.  At midnight she came in and checked me, and my cervix still hadn’t changed much, so she started another dose.  At 3 am she checked again and I was at a 2, so we did the last dose.  At 6 am she checked and I was at about 2 ½ cm and 80% effaced which still isn’t great.  At 7 am they finally started me on the Pitocin.  I was able to sleep most of the night luckily, other than when they came in to check me.  I was on the Pitocin for about an hour and a half and the doctor came in.  I still hadn’t changed much so he decided to break my water at 8:30am.  He basically just took this plastic stick and stuck it up there until all this water just gushed out.  Immediately after he did that I was having intense contractions that were so painful!  I was grabbing Chris’ hand and just kept thinking I can’t do this!  I told the nurse I wanted my epidural right away and at about 9:15am I got the epidural.  I hardly even felt it cause I was in so much pain, but apparently he had to poke me 3 times cause I kept moving.  By 9:40 am I could hardly feel a thing and was able to just relax.  The nurse came in and checked me again at 10:30 am and I was now at a 6, so things were progressing pretty quickly.  15 minutes later she just had to look down there and could see that I was at a 10 and ready to go!  We did a couple practice pushes and she could see Paisley’s head so she went to grab the doctor.  The doctor came in and got all dressed and ready and we started pushing.  It was surprisingly painless with the epidural.  All I had to do was when the nurse told me to, I would push and hold my breath for 10 seconds 3 times in a row.  I pushed just a couple of times and her heart rate started dropping so they put oxygen on me and decided they needed to do an episiotomy and use the forceps to get her out quick.  Literally 3 minutes later she was out. 

He immediately put her up on my lap and I was in shock!  She was covered in white gunk and blood and the umbilical cord was still attached.  My first thought was that she didn’t look anything like me and I was kind of sad!  I grabbed her little hand and she held my finger.  It was such an amazing feeling knowing that she is my daughter and that I basically grew her for the last 9 months!  They cut the cord and took her over to clean and weigh her.  The doctor finished stitching me up, and then they brought her back and let me do some skin to skin time with her.  At that point Chris and I both just started crying and holding our little family.  I just felt so overwhelmed and in awe.  She ended up coming so quick that we hardly had time to get ready or tell anyone she was coming.  
It was such an amazing experience and looking back and reflecting on it I feel so much gratitude to have had the opportunity to experience this miracle.  I feel so blessed not only to have had this experience, but also for how smoothly everything went throughout both the pregnancy and the delivery.  Paisley is such a sweet little girl and is such a blessing to our little family.  We could not have asked for anything more and are so excited to get to know her and raise her.  It truly is an instant love, more than we could have ever imagined.  







Friday, January 25, 2013

Paisley Ann Lohner

  Our beautiful little girl was born on Monday, December 31st at 11:29am.  She weighed 7 lbs and was 19 inches long.  Labor was amazing, 3 hours and I only pushed through 3 contractions.  Her heart rate starting dropping though, so they had to use the forceps and get her out quick!  It was such an amazing and spiritual experience and we loved every second of it!  She is so perfect and healthy, and such a good baby!  We love her so much and love this whole experience of being new parents!  









Monday, December 10, 2012

Maternity Pics

One of my good friends I met while we were living down in Houston, TX recently started doing photography so I had her snap some pics of us.  I love how they turned out and it was so fun doing it!  Thank you Bug!!!  This is me at 35 weeks.  






Monday, November 12, 2012

Crafts Galore!

So when I am not cooking, cleaning, or nannying, I spend my time crafting and working on projects.  I figure I will probably never get this free time ever again so I might as well enjoy it right?  Well here are some of my favorite projects as of late.

Halloween Wreath

Fall Wreath

Copycat from Potterybarn

Paisley will be so cute!


More Hair accessories 

Had to make something to hold all her headbands and clips, but I didn't want to display it so this hides perfectly behind the door
Painted my old mirror, looks way better!

Jewelry holder




Sunday, September 9, 2012

Welcome to Idaho!

We finally have internet!!!  I have felt so lost without it this last week.  Well, we have officially moved to Nampa, Idaho, just West of Boise.  Chris is still getting into the swing of things at H&R Block and is  now the Assistant District Manager over 16 offices.  Luckily, this is still just a learning experience so we will be back next May.  We are all settled and I am currently on the lookout for a job.  I had to quit my two jobs back home that I absolutely loved!  I have worked as a Hygiene Assistant at Lexington Heights Dental and a coach for Celtic Storm Soccer Club for the last 3 years and loved every minute of both jobs!  I was so sad to leave but I am so excited for the next stage of life and our little girl to get here!  Here are some pics of our new apartment:

Our lovely kitchen, living and dining room- feels like home!

The bedroom, 2 bathrooms, the office/soon to be baby girl's room, and the awesome view from our balcony!


Monday, July 16, 2012

1.6.13

We were so excited when we found out that our first baby is coming January 6th!  I was so nervous to take a pregnancy test that I waited almost a full week and finally took it on on May 3rd and it was definitely positive!!! 


We have had multiple ultrasounds already because of my history, but so far everything seems to be okay!  This ultrasound is from mid June, but you can see it's little head and body!  It is so cute!  We find out on Friday what it is so I will have to post again!  What do you all think???  Boy or Girl???


Sunday, April 1, 2012

Our Jackson Experience...

For those of you who don't know, we moved up to Jackson Hole, Wyoming in January so Chris could manage the H&R Block office up there.  Although it was only temporary, we had a lot of fun and were able to do some fun things while we were up there!  



Chris' parents and 2 of his younger siblings came up and spent a weekend with us.  We ended up having quite the adventure!  We first went to the elk refuge and took a sleigh ride out and learned about them.  There are thousands that come every winter.  We also decided to rent some snowmobiles and go snowmobiling on Saturday.  It turned out to be the worst day ever!  It was so snowy, windy and cold but we decided to go anyways!  We went out to Togwotee Pass which is about an hour outside of Jackson.  You have to drive through snow fields and with the wind it literally creates a white out on the roads and you can't even see 2 feet in front of you!  There was no way to turn around so we continued on and went snowmobiling.  It was cold but fun.  Once we were done, we loaded back up and headed back to Jackson.  At Moran Junction, there were tons of cars lined up waiting to turn towards Jackson.  They had closed the road and we waited for over 4 hours before they finally decided they wouldn't open the road that night and tried to figure out sleeping/food arrangements for all the stranded people.  The owners of the Signal Mountain Lodge were very generous and opened up their Summer Lodge to all of us and even cooked dinner.  Most everyone slept in the foyer but we decided to make our own private arrangements in the laundry room.  We spent the night there and they opened the road early Sunday morning, just in time for us to make it back for our talks at church.






We had tons of other visitors while up there.  Our friends Sean and Ariel came and stayed, my sisters all came, and my parents.  When Sean and Ariel came we went to dinner at the famous Million Dollar Cowboy Bar and saw the movie "The Vow".




Melissa, David, and Sharissa came up St. Patrick's Day and we went to the Pond Skim at the Snow King Resort.  Basically everyone tries to get enough speed to get all the way across the pond without getting wet.  There were a couple of young kids who were really good!  People started getting more drunk and try more crazy things ha!  People went down on tubes, snowboards, waterskis and tried doing all sorts of flips and spins.  And yes, there were girls in bikinis.   




Our last weekend up in Jackson together, they had the snowmobile hill climb.  It is a huge snowmobile competition where people come from all over to compete by getting to the top of the mountain the quickest.  It was such a warm day, they were basically going up in mud.  There were a couple good wrecks where you could see the sleds tumbling down the mountain.  It was totally redneck and absolutely hilarious to see some of the people there.  We sat and watched for a while and once we got home, Chris had fried his face!