Happy 1 Week Birthday Cash!

Greeting from the Porcaro house!  We can't believe that our sweet baby boy is already a week old!  We have had a pretty good week overall.  For two people that have never done this before, I have to say that Jeff and I are holding our own.  As I said to Jeff this morning, we must be doing good since Cash is still alive and so are Jeff and I!  The first few days were of course a lot of trial and error.  We had to try to figure out what would work for Cash and how to read his cues to us.  We had a pretty difficult night on Sunday and Monday.  Cash was nursing for what seemed like hours, then he would cry and scream and couldn't be calmed down.  We could hear his belly gurgling and thought that he had some gas, so we used the gas drops.  It would initially calm him down and then he would get going again.  Finally, we came to the conclusion that although Cash was nursing, he was probably suckling and not actually getting any if much milk at all.  This would also explain his weight loss from the hospital discharge to our doctors visit on Monday morning.  Thank goodness we had some formula at the house...I had been given some samples at my OB's office, received some in the mail and also got some in our goodie bags we brought home from the hospital.  We gave him a two ounce bottle and it was gone in about five minutes!  He calmed down and was like a completely different child. Since that night, we are giving Cash breast milk and supplementing with formula.  Tuesday was a great day...he was so much happier and ate well and slept well.  Jeff and I said we weren't surprised...poor little boy was probably starving!  We went for a weight check this morning and from Monday to today (Thursday), Cash had gained 11 ounces!  Dr. Liou, our pediatrician, was very happy with his weight gain and asked what we were doing different.  We explained and he said "good job mom and dad for taking control and trying something.  It obviously worked and you have a thriving little boy on your hands!"  This made us feel great!  Jeff and I are very happy with our decision to go with Dr. Liou.  He is great with Cash and he is just so laid back and friendly.  He gave me a hug before he left the room today and said that we were doing great and to keep up the good work.

Here are some new pics of Cash from the week.  Right now he is pretty much eating, sleeping and pooping!  We can already see that he is a very independent child and that he will do things on his own time!  Jeff and I love seeing his facial expressions and are both loving our cuddle time with our sweet baby boy.  We can't wait for our family to come visit and meet Cash so they can share in the excitement and joy that is our little Cash!

Momma loving on her sleepy little boy

Talk about relaxed!

Our little miracle is one in a million!

Gotta love those lips!

First time in his swing...he was out!

Cash and daddy love cuddle time

Our little angel

Welcome to the world sweet baby boy!!!

Hello to family and friends!  What an exciting and wonderful couple of days it's been.  As you all know, I was scheduled for my induction on Thursday morning.  Jeff and I arrived at the hospital at 6am and the nurses were all ready for us.  By 7am, we were settled in our labor/delivery room with IV in place, fetal heart monitor on, blood drawn and mom and dad ready to get the show on the road.  Our nurse, Amanda, came in to get my antibiotics going and to get ready to start the Pitocin and Lil Man's heart rate was increasing. We thought it may be from excitement/nerves of everything so I was placed on oxygen and was rolled onto my left side.  After 15/20 minutes of this, the baby's heartrate was still climbing and wasn't coming down so Dr B was called.  He was on his way in and would be in my room first.  He came in and checked me and the baby out and decided that a c section would be the best option since the baby's heart rate was not coming down.  I of course, started to worry and get upset, but there was no time for that.  Within 15 minutes of this decision, I was being rolled into the operating room and getting ready for my spinal block.  I can't even begin to explain all the thoughts going through my head at this point, but I'm sure that for those of you that are mothers or fathers, you can imagine.  My first concerns were for the baby...fetal tachycardia means that the baby's heart if pumping/working so fast that the blood doesn't have time to circulate and get enough oxygen to his body.  He needed to get out and get out fast.  Then I was worried about the c section itself...you read about how it's becoming much more common now, but it is still major surgery and there are always risks.  But like I said, I didn't have time to worry much or even think about all of this.  Before I knew it I was leaning forward on Nurse Amanda getting the spinal and losing all control of my legs and lower half of my body.  For anyone who hasn't had this done, it feels like going to the dentist and the tingling of getting Novocaine. Except it's in your legs!  I couldn't feel from my boobs down (sorry if that was too much)!  Once the spinal was done, I was strapped to the table and prepped and then Jeff was walking in.  Within 10 minutes, our baby boy was here!  Cash Albert Porcaro was welcomed into the world on May 12th at 9:10 am, weighing in at 7 pounds 5 ounces and 19 1/2 inches long!  The most beautiful sound I heard that morning was my son screaming his lungs out!  Jeff went with the baby and got to cut the cord and bring him over to meet me.  It was an emotional high for me!  All the thoughts of pain from the surgery were gone...my sweet baby boy was here.  After delivery, Jeff went with the baby to our room while the DR finished closing me up.  I arrived back to the room and got to hold Cash for the first time which was wonderful.  After a few hours, we were moved to other side of the floor into our room for the rest of our stay.  All of the rooms are private and after you deliver, the room you go to also has a bed for daddy to stay in which is wonderful since there is no nursery for the babies.  Your baby is kept with you in your room til you go home, which I think is nice.  You get a chance to "get a grip" on being a parent and dealing with a newborn. Jeff and I were so blessed to have such an amazing night nurse.  Stella was the ultimate definition of a nurse.  She was so friendly and knowledgeable.  She would talk to you and help you with any problems or concerns that you were having and she fell in love with Cash!  And he loved her too...she was the only one that he didn't fuss too much with!  Stella was our night nurse both nights we were at the hospital and she gave us such words of support before we were discharged.  We wound up leaving the hospital on Saturday afternoon and have been figuring this parenting thing down as best as we can since then!  Cash seems to be a very well natured baby...he is a good eater and HAS to eat when he says!  He is starting to get into a schedule...at least we think he is!  Overall, he is a joy and Jeff and I can't imagine our life without him!  Here are some pics from Cash's birthday and his first few days.  Love to all of you from the three of us!

Happy Birthday to Cash Albert!!!!

Daddy cutting the cord

Sweet baby boy!

The two loves of my life

Here I am really seeing my son for the first time...nothing compares to that...

Except maybe that first kiss!

Momma finally getting to hold and check baby out

Look at those lips and cheeks!!

Our first family photo as a family of three!

Uncle Moke was Cash's first visitor at the hospital

Daddy changing Cash's diaper...Jeff was on night duty the first night since I couldn't get out of bed at all.  He did a GREAT job!

My two boys...they were listening to the Red Wings game on the radio!

This was how Cash ended up after he was done nursing...he just decided to stretch out and make himself comfortable

Welcome home Cash!

Such a sweet little face

Our Little Boy Will Be Here THIS WEEK!!!!!

Hello to family and friends!  Yesterday I had appointments at both MFM (Maternal Fetal Medicine) and my OB.  My first appointment was at MFM for an amniotic fluid check.  The baby was checked for good breathing and heartbeat, cord blood flow...all of this looked great.  The boy was of course being a stinker and not wanting any good face shots to be taken!  At one point both of his hands and a foot was up nearly covering his face!  Guess he just wants me to wait to see how handsome he will be!  My amniotic fluid was measured at 10.1 which is great for me!  I met with Dr. O'Brien, one of the doctors there, and he said that everything looked great and they would not need to see me back since I would be having that baby soon! 

I met with Dr. B, my OB later in the morning.  I first had an NST (non stress test/heart monitor).  Everything looked great on there, although the baby had to be "woken up" since he was very lazy at the beginning.  I have a feeling he wasn't too happy about this as he was VERY active and kicking up a storm after that!  The nurse came in and used a "noise maker" type thing on my belly...made a loud buzzer like noise.  Like I said, after that, he was super active and moving all over!  Upon meeting with Dr. B, he asked if I was ready to meet that baby!  He called the hospital and set up my induction for 6am Thursday morning!  So, whether this little boy comes on his own before then or he gets a little help on Thursday, we will get to meet our son this week!  Jeff and I are so excited and getting anxious about it all.  I have been having crazy dreams since my appointment last week and have really been having issues sleeping...not only am I uncomfortable, but I have to use the bathroom 20 times during the night!  So between that and having wacky dreams (my water breaking while in bed, Jeff throwing the baby across the room at me like a football) I am ready to get a couple hours of solid sleep.  Not that that will be happening very easily with a newborn!  I have been taking advantage of getting naps in while I can...as Jeff says, sleep when you can!

We are both so excited to share in the debut of our son this week!  We will do our best to put some pics and info up on here as soon as we can after he is born.  I'm sure that between our parents, texts or Facebook, many of you will be able to hear the news on Thursday.  Until then, wish us a safe and speedy delivery for all of us...daddy included! 

It's the FINAL countdown!!!

Hello to all!  Just wanted to give an update after my visit with my OB today.  My NST (non stress test/heart monitor) looked great...Lil Man sure was active today.  Jeff says that he is getting excited for his birthday!  Dr B checked me out and as of this morning, I was dilated 2 cm and 60% effaced!  I know that I can stay this way for quite awhile, but I could also have this little boy any time!  I have an appointment on Monday morning after I go to MFM...that is, as Dr B says, if he doesn't see me this weekend!  I am feeling pretty good and have gotten a lot done this week...trying to wrap up any and all loose ends before Lil Man makes his debut.  I had a little talk with the baby this week...just let me get to Thursday afternoon...I have a manicure and pedicure appointment that I really want to get to!  Being the sweet little boy I know he will be, he let me get my pamper time in!  So now the waiting game begins!  I am on high alert for any and all signs of labor...none yet that I can tell.  I will keep you all posted and will be sure to update once this little one shows up!  Love to all...wish us luck for a safe & speedy delivery!

38 Weeks!

Getting closer and closer!

37 Weeks!

Hello all!  Just wanted to give an update from my appointment this morning at Maternal Fetal Medicine.  This visit was not only to check my amniotic fluid, but to also get updated measurements of the baby and make sure that everything is on point.  Lil Man was being a stinker as usual and hiding his face so we didn't get a good look at it but all of his measurements looked great.  He is weighing in at 7lbs!  At this point, babies gain a half pound to a pound a week, so the tech said that if I were to go the two weeks til my due date, he could be anywhere from 8 to 8 1/2 pounds!  Looks like we might have a little bit of a chunker on our hands!  My amniotic fluid was at 9.7 today which is great!  We got to see Dr. McCurdy this morning, which Jeff and I were very happy about.  He said that my fluid level looks great and that he wanted me to see Dr. B at the end of the week since we would have a longer time span between visits and can have more sound information from the NST (fetal heart monitor).  My appointment was supposed to be Wednesday but has been moved to Thursday morning.  Dr. McCurdy said that he would like Dr B to see me Thursday and depending on what we find, see me back at MFM Monday and then possibly induce the end of next week!  He said to us to feel free to go into labor at this point!  Dr. McCurdy was mostly concerned with getting me to 38 weeks (which is Wednesday) and rather than have to worry about going into labor on my own and worrying about fluid levels until that happens, inducing would solve the problem and we would get to meet our Lil Man!  Jeff and I freaked out a little bit...we knew that this was coming but to hear that we could have our son next weekend made it become real!  So I see Dr B on Thursday and will hopefully know more then...he will be checking me to see if I am dilated at all and I haven't had any contractions yet, only Braxton Hix ones.  I will continue to keep you updated on what I hear.  If anything, we could be posting pictures of our Lil  Man's debut and sharing the joy of his arrival with all of you very soon!