The world as a new mom

 

I never knew just how much becoming a mom was going to rock my world!  I am amazed at the small things in life that have changed before my very eyes...such as my driving - I'm so aware of the people around me, and I now watch people fly past me because I'm just mosying along with him in the car (except for the other day when he was hungry and I was trying to get home to him so he could eat).  I don't want to be away for him for any given amount of time. 

My in-laws gave us a gift card for valentines day with the stipulation that when we used it that they could babysit. They called the other day and asked if we wanted to go out that night and they would take care of him...we decided that we should go - I needed some tennis shoes and we could run to eat and get shoes all in a 2 hour span (getting back before he was hungry).  We got to the restaurant and the waitress asked if we were celebrating anything special - Jonathan whips out his phone and says, "Well our baby is three weeks old today - want to see a picture?" I asked him when she left if he had been showing it to other people and he said "Yes! Anyone I talk to I show them a picture of him!" 

Isn't it so funny how our life can change so quickly? Without even knowing it, I became more aware of our lifestyle, ways to try and make it better, and wanting to do anything to protect our sweet new addition...words just can't explain how I feel about him.  I just feel so responsible for everything to do with him - if he cries I just want to sweep him up and make everything better, and when his tummy hurts, I try to figure out what I ate to bother it so it doesn't happen again (thankfully chocolate doesn't seem to affect him yet), and I just find myself staring at him for hours, watching him sleep and smile and coo.  He's forming such a sweet little personality more every day!

I'm going back to work in such a short time and I just don't know how I'm going to do it...I hate the thought of leaving this little guy for more than an hour, much less 10 or more a day!  How do you do it?  How can you leave this precious gift? I'm really struggling with the thought of it - crying every time I think about it. I haven't left him for over 3 hours anywhere yet, and I know I'm so not ready to...I hope I get brave soon!

Our First Doctor's Appointment

On Tuesday, February 15th, we had our first doctor's appointment with Tucker.  Jonathan took off in order to go with us.  The nurse had us take off all his clothes and take him out to be weighed and measured, so we wrapped him in a blanket and went ahead with it.  He was unhappy to say the least - this was a picture we took when we got him back in the room - completely annoyed with us for bothering him!

We had a great report - he was in the 50th percentile for weight and76th percentile in height, he was also 7 lbs, 6 oz (so he lost 10 oz from the hospital), but he was still 21 inches (duh), and was just a little jaundice.  When testing for Jaundice, a 5 on the scale is normal, and anything above this is considered jaundice, but sever is in the high teens.  Tucker was an 8, so they told me to put him in the sun and it would go away, and thankfully it has.  They had to stick his heel, and I cried when they did - it's just so sad to see your little one in pain - I would so do it for him if I could - This is going to be such a learning and growing experience - for us all!

Tucker Wiley Golding has arrived!

On February 11, 2011 at 2:18 pm we welcomed our sweet bundle of joy to the world.  It has been such an amazing month! I went in at 4am (we got up at 2am in order to get into town and get to the hospital in time).  I was induced because he just didn't want to come on!  By 4:30 I was hooked up to the IV's and my petosin had begun.  We were just waiting for everything to really get started then...I was struggling a little with the contractions, but nothing that I couldn't handle, so I was hoping to maybe go natural....then they broke my water (at 9am).  After my first contraction it was so intense, I knew there was no doing it, so I said "hook me up!" I had complete relief within 30 minutes and couldn't really even feel pressure until I was dilated to 9 cm.  It took from 4:30 until noon for me to become fully dilated, but my OB was at Methodist Germantown delivering another baby, so I was pretty much on hold until she arrived - 45 minutes later we started pushing.

I have to say that giving birth was NOTHING like I had expected.  The nurses and staff at Baptist were amazing and so encouraging.  They answered all my questions and really helped me through the whole birthing process.  I really had a great experience.

We visited with our parents, and a few others before everything got under way.  I pushed for about an hour and a half, and he arrived at 2:18pm - so perfect! 10 fingers, 10 toes, with a set of pipes!  Tucker started crying the second he was out into the world - and didn't stop until they were completely finished with checking him and handed him back to us.

What a miracle...I just cannot even explain what an amazing gift children are.  I knew when I was pregnant that I was going to love this little thing more than I could ever imagine, and man was I right.  I cannot even put into words...I finally get the saying "You will never know until you have your own."

This was right after arriving at 4am and being hooked up to everything - ready for all the excitement of the day.

Right after he arrived - getting checked out - 8 lbs, 0 oz, and 21 inches long.

Our first family photo

The next morning - the outfit swallowed him!

Headed home - we look exhausted...had no idea that we weren't even close to being as tired as we would in the days to come :)

My amazing nurse, Leslee - she was so great.

Proud Mimi holding her first grandson

Grammy and Papaw holding their first grandson - the first grand baby on both sides

Popa came to visit again the next morning before heading to work - they can't get enough of this little guy!

Sweet Tucker in his going home outfit - right before we left the hospital the next day.

I can't even remember what we used to do to fill up our time before he arrived - we are so blessed!