Comfy Grandpa Cox

A (Sleep) Walk in My Shoes

Lance had Friday off and offered to get up with Kimball on Thursday and Friday night. Of course, I still woke up every time he needed to be fed but at least I got to stay in bed and go back to sleep. Boy, I was spoiled! And Lance got to experience what its like to feed him every 2-3 hours and run on limited sleep. So it was good for both of us and he has a greater appreciation for what I do, not that he didn't before. Thanks Sweetie for that priceless gift!

First Bath

We gave Kimball his first bath last week and he hated being so cold! He loved the warm water though and zonked right out when we put him in the swing for the first time directly after his bath.

Meeting Great Grandma and Grandpa Watson

My Snuggle Bug

My Early Christmas Present

Grandma Cox had to get a few pictures of Kimball in the stocking she made him.

Life Fulfilled

I have so much to be grateful for! I just know that Father in Heaven is so mindful of His children and that he knows exactly what we need, when we need it. I know that He answers my prayers and has heard every plea and whisper from myself and Lance. I'm so thankful for all that I've been blessed with and how everything has turned out. True, this pregnancy was quite difficult with the hyperemesis, multiple hospital stays, preterm labor and contractions, and the placenta previa. Given the previa is a complication in itself, I never once had a problem with it other than the actual existence of it. Things could have gone to worse or deadly in a matter of minutes but again, not once did I have any problems with it. I see the previa as a huge blessing because #1 I was able to go four weeks early which was awesome since being pregnant was so awful. #2 I was able to have a scheduled c-section and will probably opt for it again if there are any more children in the future. #3 I got to choose the doctors I wanted who were phenomenal.

I'm so thankful to have this beautiful baby boy who is just my own little buddy. He has added a whole new dimension and purpose to my life. Prior to his coming, I worked full time to pay the bills and put Lance through school. Sure I cooked dinner and cleaned and all that good wife stuff in the evenings. And it's true that I did all of that in preparation for our future. But now, my purpose has changed to being a wife and a mother. Everybody said that once I laid eyes on my baby it would be like Christmas morning times a million. Being honest, I didn't feel that way. I didn't have a chance to see Kimball until seven hours after surgery and when I first visited him in the NICU, it was different. I was meeting a stranger for the first time. A stranger that was my new responsibility and I didn't know what to do with him. Of course I loved him as I was carrying him, but it has been a gradual process and if its possible, every day I love him more and more. It's definitely been a day by day journey the past nine months and everyday I feel more and more fulfilled.

I'm so thankful for this sweet baby!!! I love his fuzzy brown hair and super soft skin. I love his warmth and innocence as a new spirit from Heavenly Father. I love his flailing arms and legs and utter wriggling at times he's not wrapped up. I love his beautiful navy eyes and the way they make his forehead wrinkle up 20 times like an old man when he's looking around. I love his little skinny body. I love his long fingers and toes and all their perfectness. I love his pointy elf ears - people have said they'll eventually round out and that it's common with preemies. I love his hilarious facial expressions, especially the way he smiles when he sleeps. I love the way he sticks out his bottom lip. I love his plump Cox cheeks. I love his sighing whimpers when he's sleeping. I love his sneezes, he's always got at least seven in a row. I love his sweetness and the way he always smells so good. Words are hard to find to describe the love I have for this precious little baby of mine. Every little inch of him is just so precious!

I love him because of the new purpose he has given me. I'm treasuring this short and precious time I have him as an infant because they grow up too fast. But at the same time I'm anxious to see his personality develop and watch him grow into a toddler and little boy. I'm so thankful for my new family of three and I'm cherishing every day, every moment I'm given.

Easy As Pie

Because I'm so intolerant to pain I had planned on being down for at least 6 weeks after the c-section in writhing, uncomfortable pain. Turns out, recovery has been a breeze and I was right about one thing: nursing is far more painful than the surgery. I'm talking sharp, excruciating pain. That's all I'm going to say about that.

I was up and walking in no time at the hospital and because the NICU was a little jaunt down several hallways from my room, it made for good exercise and movement. Two things that made a huge difference for me was staying on top of the pain meds and being as prepared and informed as I could. I was given a book called The Essential C-Section Guide which goes through every aspect of the surgery and recovery, which I highly recommend reading if you have to have the surgery. Because of this I knew exactly what to expect and what was going on.

The pain hasn't been bad at all; not directly after the surgery, not recovering in my hospital room, and not at all since I've been home from the hospital. Staying on top of the pain meds was key and has made recovery a breeze. I'm talking easy as pie. They say no lifting anything heavier than the baby, no housework especially vacuuming, just rest. This wasn't an issue in my case because I recovered so quickly and it has been so nice! I know I haven't experienced regular labor, but for those that have fears of c-sections, I would do it again in a heartbeat over regular labor.

Tuckered Out

Going Home

Stamp This

Sweet Halloween

This is the first Halloween Lance and I aren't dressing up or hosting a party which is a bummer but our reason is so worth it. I mean, look at this little mummy of a man that the NICU nurses dressed him as. They made the onesie with actual gauze and little google eyes, so creative! Of course we had to get a picture with the cute bib that the ladies from the bank gave him even though its super big.

Little Old Man

I love this picture because his mouth and cheeks and both chins look like an old man to me. But not just any old man, a very cute old man!

Daddy Time

I wish I got a video of this but this snapshot was Dad singing and dancing for Kimball. It made me laugh.

First Family Photo

Tiny Feet

Early Treat

One of the nurses brought in these little hats for all the NICU babies. They said they were going to do something special with them for Halloween tomorrow so I'm anxious to see what they're planning. The hat is quite big obviously but it's so cute!

Few Hours Old

These pictures are from Lance's iphone taken in the NICU a few hours after Kimball was born.

Bittersweet Parting

Tonight we are going home from the hospital, leaving Kimball behind in the NICU. It will be so hard but we know he's in good hands, the nurses are awesome. They did disconnect his IV and his eating through the tube is consistent but his breathing remains the same on the cannula and his jaundice is worse so he's on the glow worm blanket. He's such a soft, cute little guy though!

Progress Report

Kimball is in the NICU for his difficulty breathing. Yesterday they took him off the ventilator but kept the cannula in. I tried nursing a few times today but the little guy is just so tuckered out he slept. One of the nurses tried to give him a bottle which was too much, he choked a little and started having breathing problems again. Overall, he's doing great though. I assume I'll be able to go home tomorrow but I haven't heard yet and he'll stay in the NICU for a few more days at least.

Our First Meeting

The C-Section at 36 Weeks

5:15am heading for the hospital

6:00am ready for all the prep

We arrived at the hospital at 5:30am and had quite a chipper nurse which would have been awesome, but not so much at that early hour, I wasn't in the mood and didn't sleep at all the previous night. I was hoping to be poked only once for my IV since they are painful and I hate them but that didn't happen despite my attempts at being as hydrated as possible with Sir Lancelot as my water sergeant. Walking into the OR was weird, I thought I'd be wheeled in there but I had to pause at the door for a moment. That's when I became scared. Bright lights, doctors and nurses in scrubs standing and waiting for their patient, lots of machinery, lots of tools laid out in perfect rows, sterile everything. It kinda freaked me out and reality hit that I was about to have surgery. I sat up on the table and had to be poked a few times for the numbing medicine before the actual spinal block. That wasn't very pleasant and I was sad Lance wasn't in the room because I had two good zingers and he missed them both. I guess my joking was my own little way of dealing with the fear.

After that everything happened really fast but not fast enough to avoid the nausea and throwing up. Next thing I knew they were cutting into me and Lance was nowhere to be seen. I asked the nurse, where's Lance? She said she didn't know. Ten seconds pass by, where's Lance? She said he disappeared. Ten more seconds pass, where's Lance? She said she didn't know and that he had disappeared. I asked 20 times too many where Lance was and nobody seemed to know. I could feel the tugging and pulling and knew the baby was coming soon. Finally Lance walked in right as they pulled the baby out which he was quite happy about until he came to the other side of the drape where I was bawling. I was red faced, tear smeared, one heck of a hot mess. I was livid! My only source of comfort wasn't there when I needed him and no nurse would go find him. When he finally did show up he kept asking me why I was crying and what was wrong. The only thing I could say was everything, because it didn't matter at that time if he was there, my security blanket was gone and all the fear and anxiety and unknown seeped into my whole being. So for the remainder of the stitching up I bawled and bawled and nothing could settle me down.

Then the shakes started which I had read about but forgotten and it freaked out Lance. I got wheeled into the recovery room when I demanded from Lance what in the world happened and why he wasn't there. Turns out Lance was all dressed in scrubs ready to go, waited for 20 minutes and nobody called him in yet (this was the time the anesthesiologist poked me several times because it took him a few times to get it) and natures calls. He went to the restroom and was there for about a minute and a half. Nobody went to look for him, he walked in the OR just in time to see the doctor pull out the baby. Lance felt terribly guilty. I was so upset and still so livid, I just kept crying all through the recovery room and into the postpartum room. I wasn't mad at Lance, just the nurses. Why didn't anybody get him???

At this point I had been awake for 2 days so I was like a zombie who just underwent surgery. I tried to sleep but to no avail. I finally had the chance to see Kimball in the NICU and it was great for us to be a family of three for the first time. After visitors left and Lance went home home to sleep, I finally drifted off into a slumber. Of course I had to wake up several times for vitals and blood draws and the like but I was so relieved to sleep.

He's Here!

Kimball John Cox was born this morning at 7:53 weighing in at 5 pounds 7 ounces and 18.5 inches long. His lungs are underdeveloped so he'll be in the nicu for 1-2 weeks. More details to come.

October Craft Day

Of all the people I wanted to a baby shower, I really wanted my sister there. I don't know why, probably because she's the only sister I have. Even though she had to arrange her work schedule she made it and hosted an awesome family baby shower for me during October's craft day. Thanks so much to Christine, Mom, and all the sisters who helped, it was fantastic! (Charity was my photographer during craft day, thanks Charity)!

Whenever Peytin sees a camera, he's got his little grin ready!

This is a SUPER cute quilt my mom made me. It's all barnyard animals.....right up my alley. Love all the polka dots!

This little blanket mom made with Charity. Charity picked it all out and laid out the patterns and stuff for Grandma, she couldn't wait for me to open it and take a picture with her. Thank you Charity!

Quiet please, game time!

This super chic quilt Heidi made....I had no idea she even sewed and to top that off she said this is the first quilt she's ever made. I'm floored! I LOVE the colors!