Movin' Time!

Well, the craziness abounds in our home.  As I’ve mentioned earlier, we are in the process of moving.  Tomorrow we are making the “official” move over to the house, and we will start living there!  We don’t have internet in the house yet, so this may be my last blog for a while.  This does not mean we are completely moved…there will still be quite a bit of stuff left at the apartment, but Jer will move that a little at a time.  We were able to avoid hiring a moving company because our good friend, Jayne, let us borrow her awesome van.  This helped tremendously, and Jeremy and his dad were able to fit all our large items in it.  It was such a help!  They have run themselves ragged the past week.  I even made Jeremy take a long nap today, so he doesn’t collapse on me! 

Speaking of my in-laws, we had to say goodbye to them today.  It was really difficult to see them go!  I can’t imagine how hard it was for them to say goodbye to Eli.  There was, of course, lots of tears from all of us.  Luckily, it will just be March when they get to see this sweet face again!

We had our first pediatrician check-up this past Monday.  It wasn’t the best appointment ever.  Basically, Eli had lost weight since leaving the hospital.  It wasn’t a lot, but he should have been gaining and caught back up to his birth weight.  The doctor said it was probably that he wasn’t getting enough breast milk.  This is a common problem in women who had c-sections.  She referred me to a lactation specialist and told us to supplement with formula.  We had another check-up today, and he has surpassed his birth weight!  We were so relieved.  She told us that he gained more weight than she was hoping for, so praise the Lord!  It was obvious that he was having a food problem though because last week, he was getting really cranky.  He wasn’t sleeping hardly at all, and he was crying a lot.  The past five days, he has been a dream baby.  He just wasn’t getting his little tummy full last week and was trying to let us know!  Here is a picture of my little munchkin heading to the doctor.  I love this cute outfit with the ears!  

We also gave him his first bath on Wednesday.  I can’t say he thoroughly enjoyed it as you can see here:

And here:

He got even with us though when we took him out.  Basically he peed all over himself and the bathroom vanity.  So, back in the water he went!  He took another bath last night, and he was much calmer.  I think the water just shocked him for a bit.  Here is a picture of the clean baby with the not-so-clean mommy and daddy:

I love how we have the great “new parents” look with the bags under my eyes and Jeremy’s facial stubble!  We may be sleep deprived, but we’re happy!  :o)    

Update From Mommyland

I love my little munchkin.  What can I say?  He’s the perfect little baby!  I love his little sighs and coos, and even his pterodactyl cries melt my heart.  Eli will definitely be a mama’s boy.  To quote Monica from the show Friends when they finally adopted their babies, “I’m going to love you so much that no woman will ever be good enough for you!”  

Eli has been doing really well, and he has been sleeping through the night most every night.  I have learned I have to keep my diet really bland to not upset his little tummy though.  This includes no sugar or chocolate.  You know I love my baby if I give this up willingly!  :o)  His umbilical cord fell off two days ago, and I was glad to see it go.  That thing freaked me out every time I touched it!  I was so afraid I was hurting him!  My mom kept mine when it fell off, and it always grossed me out.  I was adamant about throwing Eli’s away! 

I wanted to share Jeremy’s baby picture with you.  It looks so much like Eli right now.  I tried to find a picture of Eli that showed how much, but I think you really need to see him in person to really see the resemblance.  

It’s still up in the air if he’ll have daddy’s brown eyes or mommy’s blue eyes.  No matter what, I’ll be happy!  He’ll be a handsome little man either way.  :o) 

We got the keys to our house yesterday, so moving commences immediately!  Our landlord gave us the keys one week early, and I’m so happy because this means Jer’s parents will still be here to help.  I think we’ll work Ronnie to death putting together Ikea furniture!  Please keep us in your prayers as we tackle this huge undertaking with a newborn.  Unfortunately, I can’t really help because of my recent surgery.  We have to be completely moved in three weeks when Jeremy leaves to go on tour.  Please don’t say we’re crazy!  :o)

The Best Week of My Life

Yesterday Elijah was officially one week old!  And what a week it has been!  I can honestly say that it has been the happiest, scariest, most life-changing week I’ve ever had.  A lot of you have asked to hear my side of the birth story, so since my little angel is sleeping, I thought this would be a good time!  

Jeremy gave you guys good background details on what led to the c-section, so I’ll skip over all that.  I’ll start at the place where they first came in and told me that Eli’s heart rate was dropping.  I broke down.  When the slew of nurses and doctors started pouring in, I started hyperventilating.  Jeremy did a good job of trying to calm me down by getting in my face and telling me to breathe, but the nurses still had to give me oxygen.  I have never been so scared in my life.  After giving me an IV, Eli’s heart rate went back up for a while.  My OBGYN arrived, and she told me a c-section was necessary.  This did not help with my nerves!  I’m not a big fan of major surgery.  However, I was VERY eager to do whatever it took to make sure my son was safe.  They immediately started stripping my clothes and prepping me for the emergency cesarean.  By the time they got me to the operating room, I was shaking uncontrollably.  Unfortunately they had escorted Jeremy away for a while to change, so I really felt alone as I was surrounded by German commands and instructions.  I was very happy to see his face again right before my spinal!  This was something else that terrified me…a giant needle being inserted into my back.  Luckily, the anesthesiologist was very good, and I only felt a small amount of pain as it was being inserted.  He also asked me if I would like something to help me relax at this point.   YES!  After that, everything went a lot smoother for me.  I stopped shaking, and I was able to just focus on being able to see my son in just a few minutes!

The actual operation was an odd sensation.  There was no pain, but there was a lot of pulling and pressure.  I remained completely clueless as to where they were in the surgery.  That is, until I heard the most beautiful, healthy cry of my baby.  Relief flooded through me and happy tears filled my eyes.  He was okay!  When they handed him to Jeremy, I felt that I would burst with love.  God blessed us tremendously, and I was eternally grateful for bringing Eli safely into the world.

We were able to come home this past Friday, and it has been so good to be home.  I’m not going to lie; it really stinks recovering from a c-section.  I’m pretty helpless in some areas, and I am totally dependent on Jeremy and our parents.  But each day is getting a little better, and I’m looking forward to the day when I can sit up without grunting! 

As I said earlier, yesterday marked Eli’s first full week in the world.  At first, it was a little rough going because his small body was trying to adjust to breast milk.  He was having very bad gas pains and would be up for long stretches making these awful cries.  It was obvious he was a good baby though because as soon as it was over, he would calm down and just coo at us.  He is now adjusted and is nursing well.  He has also started sleeping through the night several times, but I’m not counting on this being the norm!  :o)

Though Jeremy and I are scared every minute that we are doing something wrong, being a parent is the most incredible thing in the world.  I marvel at the unique little details of this tiny person.  He has a small birthmark on his right elbow.  A dimple graces his right cheek.  He likes to make a scrunchy, concentration face when he’s really examining something.  And he has been able to lift his head since the day after he was born.  I am so excited about the upcoming days and years of seeing him develop and grow into our little man.  I apologize if I haven't called or emailed some of you to let you know how we're doing.  I promise once I recover more (and get more sleep) I'll be touching base.  Thank you all so much for your prayers and well wishes…I hope to introduce Eli to all of you very soon!

For more pictures of us coming home and Eli at one week click here!

Elijah's Here!

The wait is finally over!  Elijah Joel Wilson was born at 10:08 AM on Sunday, January 11^th, 2009!  He weighed in at 7 lbs. 11oz. and was 19 ¾” long.  

As our regular blog-readers know, we were scheduled to go in for an induction Sunday.  When we arrived at the hospital early in the morning, the first thing they did was hook Kristi up to a CTG machine, which monitors the baby’s heart rate and also any contraction activity.   Everything was normal for the first 30-minute CTG scan, but about half an hour after they gave Kristi a tablet that was supposed to induce labor, Elijah’s heart rate began to drop dramatically about every five minutes.   Things began to happen very quickly.   All the sudden, the room was filled with midwives, nurses, and technicians who were trying to figure out what was going on.   Our doctor arrived a few minutes later, and after surveying the situation she said she believed there was a problem with the umbilical cord.   She said Elijah’s heart rate was behaving as if the cord was choking him, and it was her recommendation to proceed with an immediate C-section.

 Again, things happened very quickly.  Within 5 minutes, Kristi was in a hospital gown on her way up to the operating room and I was running down the hall to tell our parents what was going on.  They began to pray as I ran upstairs to change into scrubs so that I could be in the O.R. with Kristi.  By the time I made it up there, they had her on the operating table and were preparing to anesthetize her.    I will let Kristi tell you more about the experience from her point of view in a later post, but from my angle it was one of the most terrifying and equally exciting experiences I’ve ever had.    I didn’t feel at all faint as the medical team proceeded, but I know that those things can come quickly, so I kept talking to myself, reminding myself to breath and NOT to lock my knees (embarrassing note of the day: I learned not to lock my knees when I had to stumble off the stage during a 3^rd-grade Glee Club concert right in the middle of “Winter Wonderland”).  Kristi stayed awake during the whole operation and I was allowed to hold her hand and talk to her.  I know she was very scared, but she was truly amazing during and after the surgery.

Within just a few moments, we heard probably the most beautiful sound we’ve ever heard, when our little baby boy filled his lungs with air for the first time and let out a scream so loud that the nurses down the hall from the O.R. commented on it later.  They took Eli across the room and cleaned him up a little bit and then laid him in my arms next to Kristi.   Here’s the moment our lives changed forever:

I was able to take Elijah out to meet his grandparents, and I do believe that the first sounds Eli will remember will be the gentle ‘click’ of camera shutters!  Let’s just say that PaDaddy, NaNa, and MiMi would make a great living if they decide to pursue careers as Paparazzi!  Speaking of photos, here's a video I made (surprise, surprise) of Eli’s first day.  Hope you enjoy it!

 There is one final bit of important business to attend to:  the results of the online baby pool!   For those who didn’t participate, each contestant was asked to enter his/her guess at ExpectNet.com for the baby’s birth date, weight, length, and gender.   Points were given for each category, but the gender and date counted the most.  It was a close race, but in the end it was our good friends George & Martha Robbins from Rocky Mount, North Carolina!!!!  They had the birth date correct within about 9 hours (which is especially close if you figure in the time difference), and as a prize they will be receiving the baby’s umbilical cord in the mail!!!  (just kidding)  As an extra special (but less disgusting) secondary prize, January 11th just happens to be Martha's birthday!  Happy Birthday Eli and Martha!

The Top 5 contestants were:

1)    George & Martha Robbins (Rocky Mount, NC)

2)    Karen Waters (Nashville, TN)

3)    Emily Apuzzo (Nashville, TN)

4)    Lynesa Bell (McMinnville, TN)

5)    Mary Mullican (Morrison, TN)

Thanks to everyone who played the game.  Kristi would like me to point out that SHE was 6^th in the rankings, and I was 11^th. 

 Before I sign off to change another dirty diaper, I would like to say THANK YOU to everyone for all your well wishes, gifts, cards, emails, and especially prayers.   Kristi and I praise God for this wonderful gift, and continue to seek his guidance as we strive to be the kinds of parents He wants us to be.  Many of you also know that we have been very fortunate to have much of our family here to support us and to witness Elijah’s first days.  It has been a blessing and an amazing time, and we will sorely miss them all when they go.

Here’s one last photo, but you can find many more HERE.

No Eli Today...

Hi Everyone!  Just a quick update...Eli will not be joining us in the world today.  We went to the hospital today, and I got sent home after a few hours.  They simply felt like I wasn't far enough along physically to induce yet.  They injected me with a medicine that should prepare me more, and I will be induced on Sunday.  I'm also supposed to drink castor oil tomorrow!  Jeremy and I were obviously disappointed, but I think overall this will be better.  I will be more prepared physically, so induction won't be so taxing on me or Eli.  Please keep us in your prayers, and we'll continue to keep you updated!

Prosit Neujahr

As I mentioned in an early post, this was our first year in Vienna over the holidays.  This gave us the chance to experience the super fun New Year’s celebrations in Vienna!  It made it extra special for us because this was Jeremy’s first year playing in the Vienna Philharmonic’s New Year’s Concert that is broadcast around the world to billions of people.  The tickets are ridiculously expensive (around $1000 a piece), so the parents and I took advantage of the MUCH cheaper Generalprobe, or dress rehearsal, the day before.  They still have the beautiful flowers decorating the Musikverein, and we heard the exact program, just minus the tuxes!  I loved being able to experience it in person with our parents…it was a really special time!  I’ll let Jeremy give you details about the concert in a later post, but here are a few photos we took:

Something else that we were completely unaware of is Vienna goes crazy on New Year’s Eve.  I really thought our apartment was under attack!  "Why?", you ask.  Well, everyone, I mean EVERYONE and their mother buys fireworks to shoot off.  Not a big deal, right?  Well, they don’t just mess around with those silly bottle rockets and roman candles.  No, no…they all buy heavy artillery and shoot them off from their windows, terraces, and balconies.  So, we were literally surrounded buy the war sounds of New Year’s.  We climbed up on our terrace to watch some of the festivities, and here is a short video to prove I’m not exaggerating!

There is still no Eli, so it looks like I’ll be going in tomorrow morning for an induction.  We’ll keep you updated and post pictures as soon as we can!

Due Date...Yeah Right!

Well, it's officially my due date!  I can't believe I actually made it to this day, but I guess weirder things have happened.  As you can see from my picture above, Eli is still very much happy in his amniotic home.  I wish I could tell you I'm having contractions as I type, but unfortunately, I'm still feeling really good!  We made a trip to the hospital today to get an EKG for Eli to make sure he isn't under any stress.  He is a healthy little boy with a perfect heartbeat, so he'll stay put for a little while longer.  They did tell us that we can induce him on Friday, January 9 if he doesn't come on his own before then.  I'm not sure why, but being induced scares me a tad.  I think because right now I'm in complete ignorant bliss about when he'll come.  Putting a time and date on his arrival makes all this a little more real!  I just hope I can sleep now!  I would also like your prayers because I recently came down with a cold.  Since you can't take much of anything when your pregnant, I don't feel the best.  Plus, how am I supposed to breathe through contractions if I can't breathe?  :o)  Anyway, we promise to keep you posted on any baby alerts!

p.s. Happy Birthday to my sweet future sis-in-law, Dani!

Frohe Weihnachten!

This Christmas was a first for Jeremy and me.  It was the first time either of us have spent the entire holidays away from home and family.  As most couples do once they are married, we alternate which family we spend Christmas with.  But we eventually make it around to everyone, and we’re ALWAYS with some family on Christmas.  This year was different because I’m about to pop, so flying home was obviously out of the question.

On Christmas Eve we attended a candle light service at our church.  It was a nice time of singing German and English carols and hearing about our Savior.  (Random fact #258 about Austria: the song “Silent Night” was written here)  We arrived at church a little late, so we got the candles sans the wax collectors.  Kind of scary holding a lighted candle with such a burgeoning belly that tends to welcome collections of food and debris!

After the service, we were invited to join a lovely couple at their home for a traditional Austrian celebration. This couple’s home is a penthouse on the 31^st floor overlooking the Danube.  It’s spectacular, to say the least!  It was a real honor being asked to come over because Austrians have 90% of their Christmas festivities on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas day.  They usually have a meal of fish with a side of fish, sing some carols, and open presents.  Later that night, the Christkindl visits and brings the children more presents.  They usually have real Christmas trees, and they light actual candles on them.  Jeremy and I experienced a little excitement when they put sparklers in the tree, and it caught fire!  Apparently this happens a lot because they had a bowl of water ready to extinguish it.  I think I’ll take the good ol’ artificial trees with electric lights any day!

They prepared a turkey because I wasn’t the only pregnant woman there that wouldn’t be able to stomach fish.  When it was done, they ran into the living room yelling, “We need the American to cut the turkey!  We don’t know how!”  What’s funny is Jeremy had never cut a turkey either.  He did a pretty good job though!  At the dinner table we had a fun time trying to explain to an Austrian, Canadian, Grecian, and Romanian what exactly biscuits and gravy is.  All in all, I think we brought a new level of “classy” to the get-together!  

On Christmas day, we enjoyed a relaxing day of watching movies and cooking some traditional Southern food.  That night Jeremy had to play in The Nutcracker ballet, so I went with my friend Beth to watch.  It was the first time I had ever seen The Nutcracker…well, in person and not on PBS!  Here are some photos from that night:

Overall, it was a good Christmas away from home, and now we get to anxiously await the day when our little family becomes three!