April 28, 2008

I'm back...Being a mom to 3 kids has certainly gotten me out of my normal routine and it's been hard for me to keep up with everything I was doing before plus Corbin.

About a year ago, we wondered if Dallin was lactose intolerant or intolerant to milk protein. We started down a path of drinking soy milk to see if the lack of cow's milk helped his diarrhea problem to get better. It seemed to be better for a while and so we assumed that he must need to drink soy milk. We bought a 50 pound bag of soy milk powder in the meantime...and then the diarrhea came back and we realized that it wasn't the soy that had made him briefly better. So, before the bag of soy milk arrived, we were back to drinking cow's milk.

The soy milk has since sat in our closet and I've wondered what to do with it. It was unopened and I wished I could sell it. It cost me $100 and I knew we weren't going to use it. So, I posted it on craigslist.org last night to see if I could sell it. Today, my sister called me because she heard that someone in the ward wanted to buy it! YAY! I sold it today for $100, it is out of my closet, and I don't have to worry about it anymore.

What a blessing!

March 31, 2008--April 11, 2008

Since I delivered Corbin, I haven't updated my Tender Mercies. So, this is my attempt to remember the Tender Mercies that I have been blessed with in the last 12 days.

1. After wishing for 8 months that the timing of Corbin's delivery would coincide with Scott's Spring Break, it did!
2. My water broke on March 31 at 3:30am...this was the first day of Spring Break.
3. Despite the surprise Corbin coming 3 weeks early, we had great friends, the Smiths, who took Dallin while I was having my cesarean.
4. March 31 was our day scheduled at Kylie's preschool to be parent of the day. She had really, really been looking forward to this day because she knew that Scott would be on Spring Break and would come with her to school. (It was a bigger deal to have dad come than mom.) Instead though, Uncle Gary agreed to be Uncle of the Day...Kylie had a wonderful time and felt so special. Gary even took her to school on the bus, one thing that Kylie especially loves.
5. We got to the hospital at around 7:30am. Corbin was delivered at 11:18am. We were so blessed that they got us in so quickly.
6. Scott is a worthy Priesthood holder and was able to give me a blessing before my surgery. I knew that everything would be okay.
   
7. Even though my hematocrit was very low and a blood transfusion was a possibility for me, we were very blessed that I only lost half of the amount of blood during surgery that is normally lost. I didn't have to have a blood transfusion.
8. Although I was looking forward to Dr. Schlegel delivering Corbin, we had a great doctor who was on call. Dr. Thorpe did a wonderful job (and we didn't have a resident this time!)
   
9. We decided on a name for our little son just in the knick of time. Corbin fits just perfectly.
10. Even though Corbin was 3 weeks early, he weighed a whopping 8 pounds 2 ounces!
11. Corbin's apgar scores were great; a 9 and 9.
    
12. I was only in the recovery room for about 2 hours after surgery.
    
13. Corbin latched on and was a champion nurser from the get-go.
14. Since it was Spring Break, Scott was able to stay at home with Kylie and Dallin most of the time while I was in the hospital. That was a big relief to me because I didn't have to worry about someone else taking care of my kids.
15. Corbin was a great baby in the hospital. He slept most of the time and nursed all night the second night in an attempt to get my milk to come in.
16. My milk came in on the third morning!
17. I had several visitors in the hospital that helped to keep me company.
18. I was able to get up and walk. I only had 1 percocet in the hospital which helped in convincing the doctors and nurses to let me go home after 2 days.
    
19. I had great nurses in the hospital who helped me with Corbin while I was alone and couldn't get around as well.
20. My recovery has been amazing! I was able to walk around outside with the kids at the playground only 3 days after giving birth!
21. My mom came to help on Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday. It was kind of her to take off of work to come be with me.
22. I got my staples out on Monday and it felt so good to have them out!
23. Since my cesarean was scheduled for April 9, Scott had the 9, 10, and 11 off from school. He has been able to be home with me the latter part of this week. It has been SO nice!
24. Kylie and Dallin have adjusted amazingly well to having Corbin in our family. They love him so much!
    
25. Corbin has been a great sleeper and eater so far! He is sleeping 20+ hours per day.
    
26. He has a great temperament and rarely cries.
27. Corbin had lost more weight after being discharged from the hospital. He weighed 7 pounds 2 ounces on Friday, April 4...but only 5 days later on the 9th, he had gained a full pound! 8 pounds 2 ounces and 3 grams :)
    
28. We were able to afford a new computer this week, as our old computer was about to bite the dust.
29. We were able to sell some of our old cloth diapers for a decent price. Hopefully, we will be able to sell some more soon!
30. We were able to purchase new cloth diapers that are better than our old ones!
31. We have 31 wonderful blessings including a beautiful son, Corbin, born on March 31!