12.31.2011
Whirlwind
This month has been such a whirlwind! I can't believe the month and the year is over today! Christmas was definitely different this year my Hazel was still all I could think about! It never really felt quite like Christmas anyways here are some cute pics and still to come my 2011 recap!!
12.29.2011
The Birth Story
DISCLAIMER: LONG and detailed and from the best of my memory
Thursday Dec 16th was my last doctors apt and my cervix was completely closed.. my sister arrived on saturday the 18th and we started doing all kinds of crazy things to get my labor started.. jalapenos, hula-hooping, crab walking, hiking, up and down the stairs, scrubbing the floor..i had pretty regular contractions that saturday night but nothing real- she then checked me on monday morning and i was dilated to a 2.5. she strippped my membranes on monday and that started some bad contractions that evening but again nothing regular. so at that point i was over trying to do anything i could- i mean nothing i had tried had worked besides i think people just tell others the very last thing they did before they went into labor and blame it on that! so It all REALLY started on wednesday night december 21st. My mom and I went to go hang out with my sister at her house. I was sitting on her living room floor doing some butterfly stretches when all of a suddden I felt like i wet my pants.. i had not wet my pants the entire pregnancy so i thought this was super weird.. so i ran to the bathroom and kinda was freaking out.. uhhhh britt, ash, someone come here... so they both ran in the bathroom and there was this green fluid all over my underwear... "what is it?!" both britt and ash started screaming and jumping and very excited and then told me it was my water with thin meconium in it. This was at 9:25 PM- we needed to go to the hospital right then. I called Jason (he was at my house with my dad) and told him my water broke and he needed to get my hospital bag and go with my dad and meet us at the hospital. On our drive down to Kaiser in Vallejo, ash called down and they were super busy(but they saved me a room)! we got there and i got all hooked up to the monitors and then they needed to start my IV.. but i was very swollen. It was AWFUL- 3 different people had to try and finally on the 4th try they got an IV in.
my battle wounds
They started antibiotics and let me chose whether i wanted to try to let contractions start on their own or start pitocin right away. we decided to try to let contractions start and maybe get some sleep but start pitocin in the morning. i slept on and off from 12-430 and no contractions were starting so we started pitocin at 5 am. i didn't feel any regular contractions until about 6 am. slowly they started to get more and more painful. i tried and tried to breath through them but by about 7 there was no way and i was in tears through everyone. i called the nurse and she told me to try to wait longer. so i called my dad- he came in and told me there is no point in waiting if i wanted an epidural. so he checked and i was still 2.5 cm dilated but called to get the anesthesiologist. they were on shift change but as soon as they could they would come give me and epidural. in the mean time the nurse gave me some IV fentanyl but right before i got up one last time to go to the bathroom- the fentanyl helped some but made me feel so loopy and out of it. Finally by about 8 am they started to get ready for my epidural- everyone had to leave the room but I had this wonderful nurse who held my hand and talked me through it all. The anesthesiologist was amazing. I did not feel a thing and it she got it in right away. I was expecting this immediate relief from the pain of contractions but then she said she hadn't given me the loading dose yet.... she then gave me the dose but told me it would take about 5 contractions for me to really feel relief. those were the longest 5 contractions ever. finally i was feeling great by about 8:30 and then they placed my catheter and checked me again and i was at a 4. everyone came back in and decided that my dad would head back to work and my sister would go to her apt she had. they left and i was able to fall asleep. Ashley arrived at the hospital at about 9:45 and saw that baby girl was having some decels. I was waking up at this point and she went to find a nurse to check me. the nurse came in and said "well (long pause) you are 100% effaced and about a 8, no a 9. yep a 9." that had happened a lot quicker than anyone had expected. ashley quickly called my dad and sister to get back asap. They hurried and got back to the hospital by about 10:45. by this time i was complete and just waiting. i started slowly pushing about 11:15 then about 11:30 i really started pushing- while i was pushing her heart rate kept dropping- everyone looked worried but whenever i would ask everyone would tell me nothing was wrong (until after when my dad admitted that he was a little nervous) i think about 11:45 my dad had to use the vacuum. he vacuumed her a couple of times and then she was born at 11:57! They had previously warned me that since there was meconium in my water they may have to take her right away if she didn't start crying so they could prevent her from swallowing meconium- well my little girl started squealing right away . They immediately placed her on my chest skin to skin. It was the most amazing experience to have my sweet baby Hazel right there with me on the outside they dried her off and put blankets over us all while she kept pooping so they continued to clean her up while Jason and I enjoyed and cried and cried.. That moment didn't seem to last long enough. I delivered the placenta and got a few stitches. I didn't tear in the front or back but to the side(?) i kept asking what degree of a tear but apparently it is no degree when you tear like that(? i'm still confused about it all haha) and then my umbilical cord was crazy weird. check out THIS post about it- SO crazy! the body is truly AMAZING. Then my sisters helped her latch for a little and then I just got to snuggle and kiss her they did her assessment all while she stayed right on my chest. An hour or two later Ashley was able to give her her first bath and did her footprints! They then gave her vitamin k hep b and aquamephyton eye drops and then she got passed around. Then I was moved to a post partum room about 3. We were discharged the next morning about 11 am. Hazel is now a week old and we are adjusting as well as we can. As much as my breasts have been so sore it is such a fun bonding time to be able to be breast feeding. We have our first pediatrician appointment next thursday and then head back home a few days after that. It is so much fun to see Jason with Hazel. He watches her like a hawk. he always wants to hold her and always wants to make sure he watches everyone who is holding her. It is so sweet.
Thursday Dec 16th was my last doctors apt and my cervix was completely closed.. my sister arrived on saturday the 18th and we started doing all kinds of crazy things to get my labor started.. jalapenos, hula-hooping, crab walking, hiking, up and down the stairs, scrubbing the floor..i had pretty regular contractions that saturday night but nothing real- she then checked me on monday morning and i was dilated to a 2.5. she strippped my membranes on monday and that started some bad contractions that evening but again nothing regular. so at that point i was over trying to do anything i could- i mean nothing i had tried had worked besides i think people just tell others the very last thing they did before they went into labor and blame it on that! so It all REALLY started on wednesday night december 21st. My mom and I went to go hang out with my sister at her house. I was sitting on her living room floor doing some butterfly stretches when all of a suddden I felt like i wet my pants.. i had not wet my pants the entire pregnancy so i thought this was super weird.. so i ran to the bathroom and kinda was freaking out.. uhhhh britt, ash, someone come here... so they both ran in the bathroom and there was this green fluid all over my underwear... "what is it?!" both britt and ash started screaming and jumping and very excited and then told me it was my water with thin meconium in it. This was at 9:25 PM- we needed to go to the hospital right then. I called Jason (he was at my house with my dad) and told him my water broke and he needed to get my hospital bag and go with my dad and meet us at the hospital. On our drive down to Kaiser in Vallejo, ash called down and they were super busy(but they saved me a room)! we got there and i got all hooked up to the monitors and then they needed to start my IV.. but i was very swollen. It was AWFUL- 3 different people had to try and finally on the 4th try they got an IV in.
my battle wounds
They started antibiotics and let me chose whether i wanted to try to let contractions start on their own or start pitocin right away. we decided to try to let contractions start and maybe get some sleep but start pitocin in the morning. i slept on and off from 12-430 and no contractions were starting so we started pitocin at 5 am. i didn't feel any regular contractions until about 6 am. slowly they started to get more and more painful. i tried and tried to breath through them but by about 7 there was no way and i was in tears through everyone. i called the nurse and she told me to try to wait longer. so i called my dad- he came in and told me there is no point in waiting if i wanted an epidural. so he checked and i was still 2.5 cm dilated but called to get the anesthesiologist. they were on shift change but as soon as they could they would come give me and epidural. in the mean time the nurse gave me some IV fentanyl but right before i got up one last time to go to the bathroom- the fentanyl helped some but made me feel so loopy and out of it. Finally by about 8 am they started to get ready for my epidural- everyone had to leave the room but I had this wonderful nurse who held my hand and talked me through it all. The anesthesiologist was amazing. I did not feel a thing and it she got it in right away. I was expecting this immediate relief from the pain of contractions but then she said she hadn't given me the loading dose yet.... she then gave me the dose but told me it would take about 5 contractions for me to really feel relief. those were the longest 5 contractions ever. finally i was feeling great by about 8:30 and then they placed my catheter and checked me again and i was at a 4. everyone came back in and decided that my dad would head back to work and my sister would go to her apt she had. they left and i was able to fall asleep. Ashley arrived at the hospital at about 9:45 and saw that baby girl was having some decels. I was waking up at this point and she went to find a nurse to check me. the nurse came in and said "well (long pause) you are 100% effaced and about a 8, no a 9. yep a 9." that had happened a lot quicker than anyone had expected. ashley quickly called my dad and sister to get back asap. They hurried and got back to the hospital by about 10:45. by this time i was complete and just waiting. i started slowly pushing about 11:15 then about 11:30 i really started pushing- while i was pushing her heart rate kept dropping- everyone looked worried but whenever i would ask everyone would tell me nothing was wrong (until after when my dad admitted that he was a little nervous) i think about 11:45 my dad had to use the vacuum. he vacuumed her a couple of times and then she was born at 11:57! They had previously warned me that since there was meconium in my water they may have to take her right away if she didn't start crying so they could prevent her from swallowing meconium- well my little girl started squealing right away . They immediately placed her on my chest skin to skin. It was the most amazing experience to have my sweet baby Hazel right there with me on the outside they dried her off and put blankets over us all while she kept pooping so they continued to clean her up while Jason and I enjoyed and cried and cried.. That moment didn't seem to last long enough. I delivered the placenta and got a few stitches. I didn't tear in the front or back but to the side(?) i kept asking what degree of a tear but apparently it is no degree when you tear like that(? i'm still confused about it all haha) and then my umbilical cord was crazy weird. check out THIS post about it- SO crazy! the body is truly AMAZING. Then my sisters helped her latch for a little and then I just got to snuggle and kiss her they did her assessment all while she stayed right on my chest. An hour or two later Ashley was able to give her her first bath and did her footprints! They then gave her vitamin k hep b and aquamephyton eye drops and then she got passed around. Then I was moved to a post partum room about 3. We were discharged the next morning about 11 am. Hazel is now a week old and we are adjusting as well as we can. As much as my breasts have been so sore it is such a fun bonding time to be able to be breast feeding. We have our first pediatrician appointment next thursday and then head back home a few days after that. It is so much fun to see Jason with Hazel. He watches her like a hawk. he always wants to hold her and always wants to make sure he watches everyone who is holding her. It is so sweet.
12.23.2011
Hazel Cathleen Pickett
What an amazing experience becoming a mom! Birth story to come later but here is my pretty little princess born on her due date December 22,2011 at 11:57 am weighing 7lbs 5oz and 20 inches long. We are madly in love obsessed with her and tired but all so worth it
12.22.2011
12.19.2011
No baby yet.
It's true no baby yet otherwise you would see a million pictures of her but I do get to play with this cutie all week- here she is showing off all the different angry bird costumes- oh and then she took them all off piled them up an jumped on top of them so they would get 'angry' haha oh don't tell grandma!! 
12.14.2011
38 weeks
I will be 39 weeks tomorrow so i better post my 38 week picture! lets see- this week i flew on an airplane, made it back to california safely, live in and love my slippers, clothes are getting tighter by the minute, may have found a few more stretch marks, got to hear babys heartbeat, fit in lots of clients before she arrives, got to go to lunch with some great friends, made christmas treats, had bad heartburn, had over/under active bowels, eaten many many sandwiches, don't enjoy wearing ANY jewelry (it's irritating) still have an innie belly button that my niece call's 'hazel's belly button' ordered my stroller and carseat (finally, right!?) tomorrow is another big dr. apt. cant wait to see if there has been ANY progress?! oh and i had a few 'fun' comments this week: "i like your waddle" "auntie devyn, your belly keeps getting BIGGER" (thanks ethan- i realize i am not getting any SMaller!)
38.6 weeks! December 14th, 2011
38.6 weeks! December 14th, 2011
12.13.2011
single digits
seriously- single digit days until my due date 9 to be exact. I know you are all probably sick of these posts but ill try to make them more exciting and post more pictures. lets see this week my feet have been more swollen than ever, i have had more contractions than ever (actually hurting ones- but no regular ones yet!) been more exhausted than ever, clumsier than ever (i almost fell down the stairs yesterday) and i still have so much to do before my little sweetie gets here!! Today- i will do a few clients go to lunch with a friend and then maybe finish some christmas shopping! I better get all that done while i can- oh and i need to wrap and send off a couple packages! AND i got my assigned preceptorship for my last semester of nursing school. I have been assigned to Provo Canyon School day shifts -It is a school for troubled youth ages 12-17. I am actually really excited to be able to work with these teens and be a real nurse!!
12.10.2011
Some last minute shopping
Well besides my last minute Christmas shopping.. I had to pick up a few more things to get my hospital bag packed- 12 days- but like anyone is counting right?? Oh and my doctors appointment yesterday went okay- my bp is a bit high but all labs are normal- and then they did a non-stress test, she is looking Great but they said that my placenta is looking 'old' so for a few reasons my doc said he didn't think I'll make it to my actual due date thanks doc! But now you're getting my hopes up- and when I'm a week late I'll be calling you ;)
12.08.2011
Sweet Message
Last night my visiting teachers came to visit me before i left for the rest of the month. They are two of the sweetest girls and gave me a cute baby gift and a card with a quote that read, "Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me; and whosoever receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me." Mark 9:36-37 "What a wonderful blessing we have to receive sons and daughters of God into our home." Neil L. Anderson 2011 general conference. This card made me beam with joy. I cannot wait to welcome a child of God into my home and call her my own. I am about to embark on an amazing journey of motherhood- who everyone tells me is more amazing than words can explain. Thank you visiting teachers for a sweet message of children last night. and since i just finished all my finals for the semester i am off to the airport to make it back to California to wait for the arrival of my sweet little Hazey. Wait- you will LOVE this article my boss told me about it and told me to be careful when I fly tonight
12.05.2011
countdown
okay so here is a list of my current countdown:
Days until Ashley arrives: 3
Making it home to California to deliver: 4 days
Classes left in the semester: 3
Finals left in the semester: 4
days until Jason returns to CA: 11
Days until my actual due date: 17
Days until Christmas: 20
Days until i get to talk to Elder Wagner: 20!!
Hours left until my first final: 2. ugh.
did you know pregnancy drops your IQ 10-20 points.. here's to hoping i pass ;)
Besides all i can think about is keeping my little Hazey in there! Oh and check out my sidebar and make your guesses for when you think she will arrive and weight/height :)
Days until Ashley arrives: 3
Making it home to California to deliver: 4 days
Classes left in the semester: 3
Finals left in the semester: 4
days until Jason returns to CA: 11
Days until my actual due date: 17
Days until Christmas: 20
Days until i get to talk to Elder Wagner: 20!!
Hours left until my first final: 2. ugh.
did you know pregnancy drops your IQ 10-20 points.. here's to hoping i pass ;)
Besides all i can think about is keeping my little Hazey in there! Oh and check out my sidebar and make your guesses for when you think she will arrive and weight/height :)
12.03.2011
Favorite Christmas song
In case any of you fellow readers have forgotten- This christmas is going to be a different one- a more exciting one- i can't wait! and everytime i hear this song, any version, i do tear up.. because all i want for christmas is you (hazel)
i absolutely love the Michael Buble version too..
The lyrics just make me smile.
i absolutely love the Michael Buble version too..
The lyrics just make me smile.
12.01.2011
37 weeks
37 weeks, 21 days left. I can't tell you how many prayers i need right now. I know its not too common for first time mom's to go into labor super early- but it is SO critical that she stays in there until next friday when i make it back to CA and it has been a definite stress... so stay in there little Hazel!! here are a couple pictures.. yes Erin did request my 37 week picture to be in my FAVORITE feety pajamas. they are the best- i bought larges so my belly would fit in them!
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