Emma's Hospital Experience

Last Sunday, February 27, we took Emma to Phoenix Children’s Urgent Care and was then transferred to Cardon Children’s Hospital. The day before, on Saturday, she was sneezing and coughing. Later on that day, she ended up getting a high fever. She hardly slept that night and at 5 am, she had a 102.5 fever, which is very high for a 2 month old. If she was 3 months or older, it'd be no big deal. I called her pediatrician and he instructed me to take her Phoenix Children's Urgent Care. We spent about an hour waiting and then were finally seen. They starting running lots of tests.

First, they try to stick a cathedar in, in order to get a urine sample to see if she could possibly have a urinary tract infection. It took 7 different attempts to insert that cathedar. It was so hard as a mother to see my baby lying there, screaming, knowing that I could not pick her up or hold her. Forty-five minutes later, they were finally able to get it in and extract a sample of urine. Then they had to start an IV and take her blood. By that point, I was already super emotional and could not stand hearing my baby cry anymore. So I left the room while Jacob stayed with her. They started an IV and took her blood from her foot but the IV didn't take....poor girl! Then they searched around for another vein and finally got an IV started in her wrist. After that, they gave her fluids and antibiotics. The doctor told us that she thought Emma might have Meningitis and would need to have a lumbar puncture (aka Spinal Tap). What?! I was almost positive that Emma had RSV, not meningitis!

They sent Emma by ambulence to Cardon Children's Hospital to have the "lumbar puncture" done. Once we got in a room, the doctor there came in to examine Emma and told us that he thought she had RSV, not meningitis and that he was not going to do the lumbar puncture. Thank goodness! So they did an RSV test where they shoot fluid up one side of her nose and suck out all the junk through the opposite side of her nose. They also took chest X-Rays and gave her more fluids through her IV. At last, the tests were done and the doctor concluded that Emmas had RSV and bronchiolitis. Luckily, we did not have to stay the night. We were sent home at around 9 pm. She still had 102 fever but the doctor felt like the antibiotics were enough and she could now recover from home. Phew! That was a long story!

Ready to go home!!

Valentine's Day & My Birthday

I am so lucky because I get to celebrate Valentine’s Day and my birthday on the same day! I love it! Some people may dislike or even hate Valentine’s Day but I love it! I can honestly say that I have never had a bad Valentine’s Day!

My husband is soooooo sweet! He did so much for me this year! I have to confess a weakness of mine first, before I tell you all the things he did. I kind of make a big deal of birthdays. I don’t mean to but it’s just who I am. And just so you don’t think I’m totally selfish, I like to make a big deal of EVERYONE’S birthdays. I love to go all out and extravagant for my husband’s birthday, friends, parents, etc. I know it’s kind of weird but it’s so fun. Anyways, my husband isn’t quite as crazy and insane as me so a lot of times I have an idea of all these super sweet things he’s going to do for me and when he doesn’t do every single thing, I feel bad. But it’s not his fault because I never told him. I just assumed he could read my mind.

So anyways, this year I told him some things that I would like. One of the things on the list was for him to make me a homemade cake (meaning a Betty Crocker cake mix). He acted like he didn’t want to and he didn’t know how, etc, etc, etc. Well, the morning of my birthday, I wake up to find that he had stayed up until 3:00 am to make me my birthday cake as a surprise so I wouldn’t know he was doing it. Seriously? Is that not the sweetest thing?! He also wrapped all my gifts, cleaned the house, did the dishes, etc. To me, this is HUGE because he doesn’t cook or clean. This was the best birthday present I could have ever received. It’s the little things that mean soooo much to me, not material things.

After we woke up, we exchanged Valentine’s gifts and cards and then I opened my birthday presents. Then we headed off to Hobby Lobby, my favorite store and then to breakfast at IHOP. Following breakfast, we spent about an hour shopping at the mall and then picked up some Subway to take with us for lunch at The Phoenix Zoo. It’s our tradition that we do every year on my birthday. Talmage had a BLAST and it was so fun to reminisce about our first date there and to bring our 2 KIDS there too!

After a tiring day at the zoo, we came home and relaxed. We ended the day by eating at Olive Garden and watching “Letters to Juliet”, my new DVD I got for my birthday. The day was PERFECT! And I owe it all to my wonderful, handsome, sweet, caring, and sexy husband.

2 month Stats

(Taken at the Zoo on Valentine's Day, my Bday)

Emma went to the doctor a week ago for her 2 month checkup and shots. She is growing so fast! She's no longer a newborn anymore which is bittersweet. Her personality is starting to show as she becomes more aware of her surroundings and more interactive. She's smiling a lot now and has even somewhat laughed. I love it! She is also getting more and more beautiful each day. I feel so lucky and privileged to be her mommy!

So without further adieu, here are her stats...

11lbs 1 oz (53%)
22.75 in long (63%)

At 2 months old, Talmage was 13 1/2 lbs so I don't think she's going to be quite as chunky but then again she is a girl.

A Name and a Blessing

Emma Maren Lewis

Blessed February 6, 2011

By her daddy - Jacob CML Lewis

Our little family

Brother & Sister - Emma & Talmage

My side of the family

Our family with Jacob's parents & my mom

Grandma Lewis

Jacob's side of the family

Playtime

1 month old

1st Day at Church: 4 weeks old

Emma is 4 weeks old today and went to church for the first time. Here are some pictures of her all dressed up! I'm so in love with this beautiful girl!

Birth Story (2 weeks late!)

So I'm finally finding some time to blog about the birth of our baby girl. It was a WONDERFUL birth! With Talmage, he came exactly 2 weeks early, weighing almost 8 lbs! So, naturally, when 38 weeks rolled around, I was anxious and good to go! Then 39 weeks rolled around and still nothing. My doctor was kind enough to schedule an induction for me at 39 1/2 weeks. Well, that day came and went out the door. I was scheduled to be induced on Saturday, December 11th at 11:00 am. Jacob had taken off work to be there. We had our bags packed and were heading out the door when my cell phone rang. And, lo and behold, it was the hospital! They called to tell me they were way too busy and would call when they had a bed available. Soooo.... we waited around all day for a call...nothing. Sunday came and we waited...all day and nothing! I was getting so frustrated and even mad that the hospital would even schedule me to be induced if something like this was going to happen. Anyway, Jacob decided to call the hospital around 5:15 pm, Sunday night, to see what the status was and if we were next on the waiting list. They told him no and unless I could go into labor on my own, it'd probably be Monday. Well, at 5:30 pm, my water broke! I was sooooo excited! Finally! I knew that there was NO WAY I could be turned down now! It was an answer to many of our impatient prayers.

We arrived at the hospital around 6 pm, got checked in, changed, etc. They hooked me up to the IV (after 3 painful and bruising tries!) and checked me. I was 5 cm dilated. I was also contracting every 2-4 minutes and in pain but not bad. They gave me some medicine in my IV to take the edge off and ordered for my epidural. It was so nice to have the epidural already ordered and in progress before I was in immense pain. I received my epidural at 8 pm and was feeling great! My nurse checked me and I was still at 5 cm! Boy was I discouraged. I pretty figured we'd be there all night and deliver sometime Monday. The nurse said she'd check me 2 hours later since I was only at a 5. 1 1/2 hours later, I started to feel lots of pressure but thought it was nothing. So I decided to just wait another 30 min until the 2 hours were up when the nurse was going to check me. At 10 pm, the nurse checked me and I was fully dilated at 10 cm! Holy cow I was shocked! I had no idea that in less than 2 hours my body could go from 5 to 10 cm...with an epidural. They called the doctor and got everything prepped for delivery. I only pushed through 3 contractions! She was posterior so during the pushing process, the doctor had to turn her face down for delivery. Emma was born at 10:32 pm on Sunday night, December 12th. And the best part of the delivery...I didn't tear...at all!! Woo Hoo! It only took 5 hours from the time my water broke to her delivery. It was awesome!

I have been feeling so good and recovering great! With Talmage, I was in soooooo much pain and had countless stitches from tearing. After Emma, I'm happy to say that I have felt ZERO discomfort in that area. The worst part was the after birth contractions and a few days of mood swings. Other than that, I'm great! My body is getting back to its normal size very quickly, which I am so excited about!

I love my baby girl! It's definately been more challenging with 2 kids but I'm learning.

1 week old

She's Here!

Emma Maren Lewis

12.12.10

10:32 pm

7 lbs 7 oz

19 in long

More details and pics to come...

39 weeks

Yes, I'm still pregnant!

3 1/2 cm dilated

80 % effaced

-1 station