Just Mommy and Daddy...

Last night it was just Mommy and Daddy and today was the first full day alone with Raychel. It had been so nice to have both grandmas here and plenty of people stopping by to help and "play" with Raychel, but it is also nice to have her all to ourselves!

Last night Raychel went to sleep about 12:45, but woke up by 1:00. Daddy rocked her back to sleep at 1:15 and she slept for another 1/2 an hour. Then, she woke up again at 1:45 and Daddy (Mommy didn't even hear her) rocked her for another hour! At 2:45 she slept till 5:45 and then slept again until 10:00! Daddy gets a lot of credit for hearing her and spending a lot of time getting her back to sleep...I didn't even know the world existed at that point! Between the two of us, we are getting the hang of this!

Derek got to sleep in this morning, something he needed after a long day and night! Raychel had a good nap this afternoon, allowing me to have a great nap too! It is sooo nice to lay on my stomach, on the couch, and take a nap! WOW...it really is the "little" things that make a day great!

Raychel is eating 2oz. at a time now, almost every time she eats (every 2 hours). So, we are excited that she is doing so well on the formula! Unfortunately, my supply does not appear to be increasing. We will most likely continue to feed her with formula. Definitely NOT in the plans, but there are some things that are just out of our control! We will try for a few more days to establish a supply.

10 days old and I'm SOOOO happy!

Yesterday was a hard day! We found out that she had lost MORE weight. She went from 7.4 (leaving the hospital) to 6.5 (4 days later), and then down to 6.2 yesterday (or 5.14 on the Manhattan scale). We were SOOOO scared!

We made an appointment with the lactation specialist in Manhattan and found out that baby and I were doing everything correctly, but I did not have enough of a supply to keep her happy and gaining weight! So, we are supplementing with formula now! We have a new baby! She is happy 100% of the time now (not that she wasn't happy before, but she did cry and fuss at night)! We went back to the Dr. today and found out that she had put on 5 oz. in the past 24 hours!! YIPPEEEE!!!!

Way to go Raychel!!

In the meantime, I am taking to herbal supplements (Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle) to attempt to start a good supply of milk. They give me 4 days to get a supply started. I guess the herbs either start to work in 4 days or don't work at all! So, cross your fingers!

I want to ride my bicycle...

This is her signature move! She was bicycling immediately after birth, even the nurses commented on her riding "skills"! She also spent many nights bicycling before she was born! Now we understand why my belly moved so much all at once MANY nights...she was out for her bicycle ride! =)

Sleeping Beauty

WOW!!!! My one-week old just slept for 6 hours straight! Grandma put her down at 3:30 a.m. and she slept soundly until 9:3o this morning! Of course her Mom, Dad, and Grandma were sleeping soundly too!! It is amazing how wonderful 6 hours of sleep feels after just one week! All of this sleep after a marathon eating session all day yesterday. She ate for almost half an hour of EVERY hour on Tuesday. The other half hour she slept and Mom recovered! I think this little girl is busy growing!!

Wish us luck for great sleeping tonight too!!!

6 days old...

Raychel is 6 days old today! She went to the Dr. for the first time and we found out that she is losing weight! She was born 7lbs 7oz, left the hospital at 7lbs 4oz, and 6 days later she weighs 6lbs 5oz. The Dr. wants to check her again later this week to see if we are heading back up on the scale or not! Grow Raychel GROW!! =) We tried sneaking her chocolate chip cookies, but she didn't want them for some reason! (We will definitely have to change that in a couple years!) Otherwise, she is just perfect!

Her favorite past times are stretching out on her blanket and doing the "bicycle", looking around the house, listening to birds, and talking to Mommy and Daddy at all hours of the day and night! The "bicycle" is when she holds her legs up in the air and rotates them again and again, like she is riding a bike! (have to get pictures of this too!) LOL

She also loves to sleep! She was so darn cute on the couch today, I just HAD to take pictures! Don't you agree??

Mommy got her new video camera!!!

The new video camera came in the mail!! Yeah, eBay!!!! I just had to play with it today! Guess what? I found someone to record!!!

She is already talking to us...I asked her what she wanted to say to everyone and look what I got!! "Talk to the hand!"

I said, "Please, Raychel." I received this message..."oh, no!" LOL

Raychel Joy!

IT'S A GIRL!!!!!!

Raychel Joy Deines, born at 11:25 p.m. on June 17th, 2008!!

She's beautiful!

Brand new Daddy!

Brand new Mommy!

Daddy's little girl!

Baby Tweety outfit, going home 6-19-08!

More pictures at http://photobucket.com/raychel_joy

It's a...

GIRL!!!!! Raychel Joy Deines was born on her due date (6-17-08) at 11:25 p.m. She is 7lbs 7 oz. and 19.75 inches long!!! She is beautiful and perfect!! I'll type birth story when I have 2 hands!!!

I have a computer at the hospital, but no camera cord...so no pictures until I go home tomorrow!! So, stay tuned!!!

Jill and Derek

Contractions slowing down :(

We are going to Dr. office to get checked out... They slowed down about 10 and then started up again a little bit ago. We will see what they have to say. Maybe today....maybe?!?!?!

DUE DATE!!!!

Well....

Went to the Dr. yesterday (6-16-08) and I had made NO progress. He said I was still at 1cm and 50% effaced. He tried to stretch my cervix and was shocked when I was smiling/laughing through the whole thing and not in tears or having to breathe through it. He said, "Are you sure you are okay? Did your brother Jay beat you up a lot growing up?" (Linda and I have the same Dr., so he knows Jay)" I didn't think it hurt that bad, the nurse (who just had a kid 6 months ago) said that should be hurting REALLY BAD! The Dr. said I should have a pretty easy labor if I didn't think that hurt! Here is hoping to an easy labor!!

After the appointment Derek and I met up with friends (Nick, Crystal, and Holly) for dinner. About half-way through dinner I started getting a few contractions...YEAH! On the way home, 9:30, they started to become more regular. From 9:30-4:30 (right now) I have been getting contractions anywhere from 5-10 minutes apart. I have been trying to sleep, but have not had much luck. I wake up everytime there is a contraction. I thought I would get up for a while and time them a little better. They are currently closer together, about 4 minutes!!!! I think they have to stay steady for an hour before calling or going to the hospital!

So, that is where we are at right now. Will it continue and be REAL labor or stop? WHO KNOWS! Only time will tell!! I keep feeling or seeing the baby move, so I know that it is still a happy camper... I am just wondering if it is packing its bag for the trip home?!?!?!

Maybe Baby D. will come on its due date!!! We have high hopes for this kid to be "on-time"...it may be the first baby in the Deines/Sievers/Sleichter families to be "on-time" anywhere...let alone for it's birthday!

Pictures of Mommy and Daddy To Be!

My sister-in-law, Linda, took pictures of us at our local park. They look great!

Happy Father's Day!

I surprised Daddy with a pancake "cake" this morning! He was very surprised! I told him that he doesn't get the rest of his present until I actually have the baby! I don't think that will be today...but hopefully very soon!

We waited till he "woke up" to take more pictures!

The "New Dad" card!

New Dad:

A look at the specifications of and make up of the modern father.

-Ears: pick up the slightest sound from the baby monitor

-Shoulder: great place for spit up

-Throat: laryngitis from boasting about gifted child

-Heart: big enough for three now

-Chest: swelling with pride

-Wallet: pictures where money used to be

-Fingers/hand: sore from clicking on parenting-support web sites

-Knee: perfect for bouncing baby on

He is going to be a GREAT DADDY!! =)

A guest bedroom or a big mess?

Work has started in the basement! Derek has been tearing out closets, walls, and entire rooms in the basement, in hopes of creating a "nicer" bedroom for our Mothers to stay in after the baby arrives. Eventually this room will be a laundry/storage room in our basement!

We are 3 days from baby... What do you think....will it be ready?? hahahaha

Looking through the former closet and wall!

The old workshop.

Besides a big mess, he is finding that the floor is barely covered with concrete. Derek thinks it was once a dirt floor that someone dumped "a little" concrete over!


Looks like fun, right? I think maybe we'll set up a bed in another part of the basement!! =)

4 days...No monkeying around!

Okay, it is Friday the 13th and just so EVERYONE knows...I do NOT want to have the baby today! LOL ANY OTHER DAY from now on is PERFECT! My Mom fought to not have me on the 13th of November (which would have been a Friday on my 1st birthday) and I will cross my fingers that NOTHING happens today!!!

THE NURSERY IS OFFICIALLY DONE!!!!!

Derek put the crib back together today with new screws and the metal pins that we were missing! It is officially alllll done!! YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is it a BOY or a GIRL???

These are the "going home" outfits. The yellow dress says "Baby Tweety" on it! The blue one says "Mr. Fix It"! So, which will it be??? Mommy and Dadddy want to know!!

1 week till due date!

Well....I guess my body is getting ready to have this baby. I have been feeling yucky all morning and slept pretty bad last night! As Derek says...aren't your syptoms good, even though they are yucky? I said...YES! =) It is all just so fun!

I worked on putting music back on my computer yesterday. I had all of my playlists done and then the music got deleted from my computer. So, I had to put it all back on and now I just have to create the playlist and we are set! That is on the plan for today! I have an iPod shuffle and speakers for labor/delivery/afterwards. I am hoping that the music helps!!!

I had another Dr. apointment yesterday. This time my blood pressure was fine...so I guess it was just a fluke last week. (He was concerned that it was getting high last week!) I am dialated to 1 cm and I am guessing still 50% effaced (he didn't say anything about that). He was pushing very hard and said, "Oh gosh, sorry, does that hurt? I just have to push so hard!" It wasn't too bad, but never good when the Dr. apologizes for "hurting" you!

He said that he would schedule an induction for a week past my due date, that would be the 24th of June. So, whether its natural or induced, we should meet baby D by the 24th!! YEAH!!! He says that I have good bones and the baby is where it is supposed to be, so I should be able to have this kid naturally, that I have only an 8-10% chance of having a c-section if I end up getting induced! That is good news! =)

10 days and counting

Well 10 days from my due date today! 06-07-08! I thought it would be fun to have a baby on this birthday, but I think that Baby D. wants to wait a little longer!! Okay, fine! =) Not like I have a choice anyways!

Today Daddy Derek and I took pictures at the Zoo Park in Clay Center! Aunt Linda was our photographer! We are excited about baby D's arrival and want to show that in pictures as well! I will post pictures when I get them back!

The nursery is ALMOST done! The closet got a brand new make over and now Mommy has to clean everything again. The closet got some new dry wall, filled in cracks, and a new paint job! Oh and a new shelf and rod! This baby is already spoiled!! The nursery also has a brand new ceiling fan that looks very nice! I will take pictures when it is finally finished!

I am definitely starting to get more uncomfortable...but that is good, right? Pain = progress!

This past week I washed and put away all the clothes, bedding, diapers, and blankets! Everything is labled and organized (for now)! The bags are packed for the hospital! No, I'm not moving in...but is sure looks like it! The car seat is also ready and installed in the car! I think we are READY! =)