Home on the Prairies

Home on the Prairies

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Going back in time part 5: Caeleb joins the family. September to November 2010.

September 13 2010

The lst ward picnic/corbust ended up being on Friday September 13 at Sandy Beach park. I was fretting a bit about whether it would rain or not but it did not rain. About 65 people showed up and we had a potluck and corn and roasted hotdogs by an open fire. I think it was a success.

Well, little guy arrives in less than 2 weeks. Chris is talking about how he will have “his little guy very soon.” He will be such an amazing dad! His snuggling skills are up to par. I don’t know what to think. I am excited and nervous and excited and a bit inpatient – all at the same time. We went to a 2 hour new parent class on Saturday Sept 11. We learned about diapers, baby states, bath time, care seats, etc and it has made us even more excited. We have our baby corner set up in our room with Mom Watters’ old baby basinet for baby’s first month as well as a nice change table we found at once upon a child. We have quite a few pieces of clothing. And I have my hospital bag ready to go. Since I am on maternity leave, I am trying to keep myself busy with the

nesting instinct of cleaning and organizing. I feel baby kicking and I am nice and round and as ready as I feel I will ever be. Goodness, we are excited for yet another chapter in life.

Sept 14 2010

Wow. Yesterday was when the last Journal entry was entered and today our lives changed. It all started at 2:00 in the morning. I woke up with “gas pains.” Yah, I did not think it was anything really. Just indigestion. But I could not get back to sleep and the pain just kept on coming back. I could not sleep at all and that was unusual.  So I woke Chris up at 4:00 and said,”I can’t sleep, will you watch a movie with me. So we watched about an hour of Avitar but I would have to get up every 5 minutes or so because I was having  this rhythmic pain that I could not get rid of. Well, about  5:00 am we decided to go into the hospital to have it checked out. We were not panicking or nervous at all. We had our showers and breakfast and Chris even had time to shave. We were laughing and talking on the way over and I remember hearing the song, “my wish” by Rascal Flatt and thinking about Camellia.

We arrived at the hospital at 6:00 am and walked right through Emergency and up to the 6 floor. I told the receptionist that I thought I was in labour.  She showed me to a triage room and a Nurse checked to see how things were going. Much to our surprise, I was 5 cm dialated, 100 % effaced and having frequent contractions so they told me that I was not going home. Instead they gave me a gown and we called our parents and Camellia and Doug and texted the other family.

The contractions started getting painful and I was like, “I am not opposed to an epidural.” However, the labour rooms were full so I had to wait in triage with no epidural until 11:00 (my opinion is if we have the blessing of technology, use it!).  Chris was a big help and he rocked back and forth with me. I knew my labour Nurse - April.  She walked in the room and I said, “I know you.” She was my preceptor from BYUI in the NICU and I had not seen her for 6 years. What a tender mercy of the Lord. It distracted me for a while as we talked and got updated on each other’s lives. The epidural worked fast and I was able to rest for about an hour. Mom and Dad sneeked in to see me for ten minutes. It was good to see them. At about 2:30 pm, I was fully dialated and ready to push so 45 minutes after that – 3:17 pm to be exact –little Caeleb was born. 8 lbs 8 oz and 20 inches long. A beautiful baby boy. So alert from the start. The Nurse took me to the postpartum unit about an hour after delivery. I couldn’t walk because of the epidural but I felt really good.

(Written on Oct 8). Mom and dad came to see me right after and Camellia did not take too much longer to arrive. Nathan and Doug could not come. It was a busy night in postpartum so I did not see my Nurse too much but I understand as I am a Nurse myself. I guess a record was set today for the number of babies born in the rockyview hospital. This being my first hospital admission, I was very impressed by the nurses who took care of me. I admired their knowledge and patience – especially the labour Nurses. It takes a special kind to be a labour nurse – I am convinced of that! Well little Caeleb seemed to do good with feeding right off the bat and he woke up about 3 times in the night for feeding. I was a bit weak but right on the ball and excited to be alert to his every need. Bishop Palmer was doing rounds in the morning at the hospital as Pediatrician and Chris saw him in the hall so he popped by. Also, we went to the feeding class in the morning and then I had a rest for a while. Mom and dad came to visit again and then we spent the afternoon doing paperwork and preparing to go home. It went by fast and we were ready to leave by about 7:00 pm. Stopped by shoppers drugmart on the way home – Caeleb’s first shopping trip.

The first night at home was busy but Chris was a huge help. He would wake Caeleb up and change his diaper and I would feed him and then Chris would put him to bed. Chris had 3 weeks off of work – so smart of him to take his vacation time now. We worked as a team these 3 weeks ( Sept 14 – Oct 5). I keep telling him that his vacation time consisted of learning how to breastfeed and change diapers but he didn’t mind at all. I don’t know what I would have done without Chris. He has been such a support. Mom and Dad have been a support as well and Camellia too. They have been up several times to help out. Caeleb was slow to gain weight and he went down more than 8% of body weight after birth so we

worked with Lactation consultants and have been weighing him frequently at the clinic to help him grow. And he is now (on Oct 8 2010) past his birth weight at 9 lbs 2 oz.

We had Woolfs up the end of September and we went down to the farm – Caeleb’s first adventure  there. It was fun to be at the farm with Heather, Logan, Justin, Mom, Dad, Nathan, Camellia and Doug. Camellia and Mom took night shift for Caeleb and gave us a rest. Nana and Grandpa Smith are the proudest Grandparents ever. We love to watch them with their Grandson.

We also went to General Conference on Sunday in the Champion ward and it was fun to show Caeleb off to some ward members.

Caeleb is the hightlight of our lives now. Chris is back to work – day 3. I feel so blessed being a mom – that Heavenly Father has entrusted us with a little guy is humbling and makes me want to be ever so better. We are loving every minute. Right now, Caeleb has been eating all morning and has just fallen asleep on my lap. He is so alert during the day now that he is in his 3rd week of life. He likes to look around but is not focusing yet. He coos and makes a lot of noises but only cries when hungry or has tummy pains. He is holding up his head really well now – thanks to Chris’ coaching. We sure love our little guy or as Chris calls him – snugs or snuggly lump.

Oct 13.

I just want to let the world know that I love my family. I love my Chris and my Caeleb and feel so blessed to have them in my life. We had Caeleb’s baby blessing this last Sunday – Oct 9. We had mom and dad Watters out from Victoria which was fun. The blessing was beautiful and Caeleb looked so handsome in his white romper. Chris, Dad, Gary and Ryan Michelson were in the circle. We had a Thanksgiving supper at Aunt Sharan’s after. Those who attended: Mom and Dad Smith, Mom and Dad Watters, Camellia and Doug, Kurt and Meghan, Kamille, Paul and the girls, Todd, Aunt Brenda, Uncle Gord and Pheobe and Aunt Sharan of coarse.  We spent thanksgiving Monday with mom and dad Watters and Kurt. We drove out to Elbow falls and had a hotdog roast out there which was a lot of fun.

Caeleb insert – 1 month old: Wow, I am so excited to be here on this earth. I can tell my family and friends love me so much. People always say how cute and handsome I am. They even give me gifts. I am now lifting my head quite well though I don’t like my tummy time too much. I have learned that mommy means food and daddy means comfort and sleep time. I don’t quite smile yet but I will be there soon (though now I like to put on serious expressions) and I like to move my arms and legs but I don’t really know what they are for. I like to sleep and eat and I do like to cry too at times for no apparent reason at all but it seems to relax me. I do like back floor time up to ½ hour at a time and you know something, Dad’s uncle Toni gave me a vibrator chair which I absolutely love unless I am hungry or feel like I need to be held.

Oct 25th: Well, we are packing up boxes here at our little apartment. I am kind of sad. We will have lived here a year next weekend and that is when we are moving out.

Oct 30

We have had many wonderful experiences in this little one room apartment on the 14th floor this last year. Just read back on them.

On Friday, or October 22, I recreated Chris and my first date to celebrate our 1st anniversary (on October 24). I made him lasangua like he made me on our first date. Then we dropped of Caeleb at Aunt Sharan’s  (not like our first date) and went to see the new temple site (we actually went to nose hill on our first date). Then we went dancing at the same place Chris took me on our first date. We learned the Cha Cha. We had Chris’ favourite icecream when we got home – Chocolate Moose Tracks. It was a simple and beautiful memory night.

Nov 11 2010. (Katherine talking).

Well, this last month has been yet another busy month. Caeleb continues to grow and at his 6 week checkup (Oct 26), he was over 11 pounds. He is long and is starting to put on a little bit of chubbiness. Mom (me) was a little bit scared that he was not smiling yet or that he did not focus well but in the days that followed his check-up, he did both. I remember my visiting teacher (Sister Palmer) came over and she whistled at Caeleb and he gave the biggest grin. That was the first big one I really noticed.

We moved to Edendale cresent up in Northwest Calgary on October 30. It was a very busy day even though I worked hard the week before packing up all our things. My goodness we have a lot of things – most things have come from our wedding we figure. It took me about 5 days to unpack – with baby and all his needs, it takes longer to get things done.

Mom and dad Smith came up Nov 7-10. It was fun having them here and we feel blessed to have so much room. Mom (or Nana should I say) and I made turtles while “Grandpa” and Caeleb bonded. We went for daily walks and Dad and I went shopping. The weather has stayed fairly warm. I do love the fall.

On Nov 11 (today) we went to a remembrance day service in Bowness. It was packed there and it felt so good to see so many out and wearing their poppies. I love Rememberance day and I think it is so important. I think of Grandpa and his sacrifice and how he would march with the other veterans on remembrance day and how he would have a huge smile on his face. I will always remember that smile.

 

Nov 15 2010.

(Katherine) Caeleb and I went for a super long walk today. It was beautiful outside – about 6 degrees. We walked 40 minutes to Super Store to do our weekly grocery shopping and then walked 40 minutes back. Caeleb slept most of the way and I couldn’t help but smile as it was so good to walk so far. We enjoyed it while we could as tomorrow we are to see the white stuff.

Nov 19 2010

(Katherine) I am glad we went for a walk on Monday because on Tuesday it snowed and snowed and it is still snowing. But I love this winter wonderland. I went out with Lisa last night to do some Primerica and I enjoyed it. We were out late though – till midnight and both our husbands called being worried about us. Caeleb is sleeping right now. He is such a good little boy. We ventured out in the snow on Tuesday for a meet and greet doctor’s appointment for him and then again on Wednesday evening for his first vaccinations. He cried hard for about 3 minutes but calmed down and forgot all about it after. Being a paranoid mother, I still gave him 2 doses of Tylenol for comfort measures even though he really did not need it I think. Caeleb is cooing quite loudly now and it seems as though he has a giggle every day or so. Really cute! He is a smart little boy. Kind of funny though, Caeleb is bigger than average for height and weight (75th percentile or so) but he has a small head (25th percentile). I had a big head for a baby I think so I think this is strange but Chris isn’t concerned in the least and we will just go with the flow. I am sure Caeleb is as bright as ever and he is a handsome little guy – more big people proportioned and we laugh at that a little.

Nov 27th 2010

A fun weekend this weekend. I went and visited a friend, Mallory, on Friday as she wanted to see Caeleb. We work together and she is on maternity leave too with a baby 6 month old. We had lunch at her place and had fun talking and laughing. Afterwards I went and visited my co-workers at the hospital and they loved seeing little Caeleb. He was so good for them. Then I picked Chris up from work and we did not get out of the city until 6:30 or so because of the roads (they were a bit snowy and it was a bit windy). We got to mom and dad’s by around 8:00 tonight and slept over night. Then we went to Camellia and Doug’s at the Draper Cabin for a pig roast which was a blast. About 30 people were there including Mom and Dad Smith, Nathan and the Radfords. We had fun chatting and ate so much good food including a pig, potatoes, and tons of salads and desserts. Doug and Camellia were so good to do that for us. Chris and I talked at church on Sunday so we had to leave at 7:00 in the morning. But we got there in time and I enjoyed our talks so it was definitely worth it.

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