More pics! 6 weeks

Here are some more pics of Jeriah. He is currently 6 weeks old.  Of course we can't get enough of taking pictures of this little guy. 

This is his outfit he wore to the meeting on Wednesday.

This is his outfit he wore for his first time out in field service. 

Coffee break after field service!

Taking a walk around the neighborhood on a beautiful sunny day. 

Meeting his new friend Super Bear. 

Seahawks SuperBowl party. 

First Outings

First Sunday meeting

1/25/14 at 5 weeks old

Sunday was Jeriah's first time going to the Kingdom Hall. It was my first time too since delivery. Jeriah is 5 weeks now so I assumed he is okay to be in crowds. It was nice seeing everyone and going to the meetings again. I really missed going and getting encouraged and taught by Jehovah as well as seeing my brothers and sisters. Although, did I mention that some of the friends from the hall have been so sweet and bringing us meals when our family went back to Texas. 

So I have been seeing some of my friends since then but is not the same when going to the hall. 

Also, this past Friday I had to go to work for a few hours and I took Jeriah with me. The babysitter got sick so I had to take him with me. At first in the morning he did great. After feeding and changing him he would go back to sleep. In the afternoon he was fussy because he was hungry and needed to be changed again but I was in the middle of getting instructions from another employer on a job I needed to do. So I couldn't get it done because baby was crying. So I had to excuse myself and leave early to take care of his needs. Now I know I can't take him to work unless I have quick small things to do and not work so long. 

1 Month

1 Month Old

One month already!  Time does fly when you're sleep deprived.  It's been a learning experience for the both of us.  We are trying to put Jeriah on a sleep schedule.  He has his night and day mixed up so we are up during the night.  It's been hard on Andy too since he has to go to work in the mornings.  
But who can be upset with a face like that.  We didn't realize how much we were going to love him. 
He has learned to suck on his thumb, once in a while.  He is starting to look at us as if trying to get to know us and follows our voice.  What I love most is his smile and laugh. Both of which he does sometimes in his sleep,
Andy has been on diaper duty (or should I say, doody) and has become an expert at it.  I'm getting better with breastfeeding, which at first was s challenge.  But now he has been eating well, as you can tell, and currently weighs about 9lbs. I call him my "chunky monkey",  So far we've been told he looks like Daddy with some features of his Mommy.  
We haven't been out in public much with him and don't plan to until he is about 6 weeks. Just taking precautions.  But we are proud parents of this cutie and can't wait to show him off.  

Jeriah's first sponge bath a week ago

He fell asleep right after

 Andy trying out the Moby Wrap with Jeriah 

  

He's Finally Here!

Jeriah Ben

Born: 12/17/14 -  8:46AM

Weight: 7 lbs 10 oz

Length: 19 1/2 inches

Picture taken at the hospital

(Original picture not yet received, so this is the sample)

It all started Tuesday, December 16 at 8AM when contractions started to hit.  This was of course after Andy left to work.  But at first I wasn't sure if they were contractions since I also had an upset stomach like if I ate something bad.  I didn't want to alert Andy just in case it was false labor. So I waited and started to clean around the house preparing for my parents to arrive that day.  I couldn't continue since the contractions were getting stronger and closer together. I then started timing them.  They were 7 and 2 minutes apart.  (A contraction would come on, then 7 minutes later another, then 2 minutes later another then 7 minutes another and so on.)  By now (9AM), I called out to the sister that lives above us and told her that I think I am going into labor.  I kept timing the contractions and it changed to 5 and 2 minutes apart.  So the sister quickly took me to the hospital.  So we started our 45 min drive to the Seattle hospital.  NOW I'm calling Andy along the way.  I told him that I am on my way to the hospital and to meet me there. He was in shock and asked "Did you time the contractions? You mean we are having a baby now?" I told him to please just start driving towards the hospital since he was 1 hour away.  Once we arrived to the hospital, Andy got there right when we did.  (Don't know if he was speeding.)  My OB first wanted to see me at her clinic there at the hospital to monitor the contractions and the baby's heart beat.  At first I was only 4 cm dilated, and the contractions were so irregular.  So they told me to walk around the hospital for an hour and come back.  WHAT?! I could barely walk a few steps and then a contraction would come on.  But I did it anyway.  Now it was about 11AM and Andy was hungry so we went to the 1st floor of the hospital where there is a Subway.  He ordered some food for the both of us but I wasn't sure if I could eat.  I was hungry but my stomach wasn't feeling too good.  So I snacked a little on chips and some chocolate milk. BIG MISTAKE.  About an hour later I threw it all up.  My body was preparing to have a baby so it needed to stay clean.  So I couldn't hold anything down, (not even juice, which I found out later on).  Then I went back to the clinic to get rechecked and they said I was now 6cm dialted and ready to be admitted to the hospital.  From there I was sent to Triage where they checked me in and prepared me to be moved into my birth suite. 

At the clinic when first arrived.  

Monitoring my contractions and baby's heart beat,

Arrived at my birth suite and the waiting begins...

 along with many contractions...

Andy was of great help and support through out it all. I tried many soothing methods to distract me from the contractions like: listening to kingdom melodies, getting on the exercise ball (to relieve back and hip pain), got into their jacuzzi tub (which was heavenly!!), or just held on to Andy tight while a contraction hit.  

By around 6PM that same day (12/16/14) I was told that I was still at 6cm and my water still hadn't broken.  Meanwhile, I was having what they called cluster contractions where I would have one large contraction and 2 minutes later a smaller one then a few minutes later after that another large one...

I didn't have much of a break in between contractions.  So they suggested they needed to break my water to get things going.  I was worried that the contractions were going to be stronger then they were already so I requested an epidural before they broke my water.  Once that was done I couldn't leave the bed.  Which made my legs feel very numb like if they fell asleep. So even though I could no longer feel the contractions I still had bad back and hip pain.  Then later on that night they saw that I was still at 6cm so they suggested Pitocin to induce labor since the contractions were not strong enough to initiate labor after they broke my water. 

Then more waiting...

By around 7AM the next morning, 12/17/14 I was finally at 10cm, fully dilated and ready.  So shortly after that the nurses came in and coached me on what to expect and how to push.  

The pushing was a slow process, not at all like you see in the movies where they only push twice and the baby pops out.  So slowly with each contraction I pushed for 1 1/2 hours.

Then out comes Jeriah!  Andy got to cut the umbilical cord.  

When Andy and I both saw Jeriah, we both cried with joy.  

We couldn't believe that this was our baby!

Born almost at 9AM the following morning.  Almost 24 hours but worth the wait.

Andy praying thanking Jehovah for this gift.

First diaper change in the hospital the next day.

12/18/14 Finally home!

With the Grandparents

Even Romeo got some loving

(Can you see him next to Grandpa?)

Good night!

We will be putting up pictures as he gets older. 

Month by month.

Also thank you to all family and friends for all your support.  

We see how Jehovah has really taken care of us and shown us His love.