Striving to be better!

Well it is official, I suck at blogging! The last blog I published was Dax's birth story.....Dax is now 2 years old and we've added another Carden to the clan! WHAT?!? The point of this blog was to document our lives and keep my close friends and family informed about what we have going on. How do I have a 2 year old that I didn't write one post about? I will blame this on mommy brain! Which before being pregnant or having kids I'm sure I thought was completely made up, but let me tell you something it does exist. Children literally make you stupid...stupider...more stupid...see I don't even know words! So I'm going to chalk up this 2 year absence from the blog as Momma Brain and pledge to do better. I'll start with a post about our 2nd....Jude, and his birth story. Poor 2nd child....the least I can do is write down the beginning of his story before my Momma Brain completely takes over!

Dax's Birth Story

Wow I'm seriously the worse blogger ever, but I'm going to try to do much better!! I created this blog to keep all family members informed and to have a place to record all my memories and I've done a horrible job! But if I don't ever blog again I wanted to make sure I recorded this one memory.....for a few reasons....1) because Dax's birth was one of the best days of my life (becoming a Christian and marrying Waldo are the others) 2) because I loved reading other people's birth stories when I was pregnant, so if someone stumbles upon my blog I want to share mine!! So here it goes, yes he is 9 months old and I'm just getting around to typing this out.........

So really it starts a few days before he made his entrance.....I was ready to meet my boy, I was sick of being fat, not being able to breath, but most of all I was sick of waiting!!! I wanted him here and in my arms, not kicking me in the ribs :) So I literally read every web page there is to read about getting labor started.....I did not want to be induced, I wanted to go in to labor. So I walked everyday sometimes twice a day, Waldo even walked with me (that's how you know its bad), I bought a yoga ball and bounced while watching TV, I drank some tea that was suppose to help, me & Waldo did stuff married people do ;)....and nothing! I was 1 cm dilated and 75% effaced at 37 weeks and I stayed that way until 1 day before my due date when I only progressed to 3 cm dilated and 75% effaced.....Not much progress!!! I left the doctors office that Tuesday (July 3rd) depressed and I'm sure I cried at some point. Even though the 4th was my due date we went ahead and made plans with our friends Julie & Wes to celebrate the 4th, it didn't seem like anything would be happening anytime soon......however, when I went to sleep that night I had a feeling he might come the next day.

July 4, 2012

I woke up around 6:30 because I had to pee.....shocker that's pretty much all you can do when you have a small person sitting on your bladder! Anyway, I woke up at 6:30 went to the bathroom and right before I sat down water goes every where.....Crim follows me to the toilet in the mornings and it was literally inches from going all over him!! I wasn't sure what had just happen my first thought was "really did I just pee on myself, that's it I need this baby out," but then the water just kept coming so I knew this was different. I went back to the bedroom and said "Uh Waldo I think my water just broke." Well he shot up and said "What do you mean you 'think' your water just broke?" I said "Well a bunch of water just came out and my pants are all wet" to which he responded "Well of course your water broke Candice whens the last time you peed on yourself." Very typical Waldo response. So we started getting ready...we packed our bags, grabbed Dax's bag, took showers, got dressed. I text Dr. Edwards and told him I thought my water broke.....he immediately called and confirmed he thought that it had indeed broke and we should go the hospital. It was July 4th so of course Dr. E was off, but he said he would check in with the on call doctor and probably let her get me through most of the day, but he would be there for the delivery. So we got in the car and headed to the hospital...we called our parents and let them know to head down we were going to be meeting Dax that day! Then we called Julie and Wes to let them know we would not be providing ice cream for the 4th of July cook out, we were going to be having a baby instead!

We got to the hospital and Dr. Emig (the on call doctor) was waiting on us, we got checked in and the nurse check to make sure my water had broken and she confirmed it did and I was in labor. I was quickly hooked up to the contraction monitor and the fetal heartbeat monitor. To my surprise I was even having contractions, I couldn't feel them at all! Dr. Emig came in and checked me and of course NO PROGRESS....3 cm dilated and 75% effaced. She told me she would give me about an hour and a half and she would come back and check again, she said my water breaking might speed things along. So we waited. In the meantime a friend of mine, Olivia, came in (on her day off) to be my labor & delivery nurse. Our hospital puts a nurse with you at all times once you are in labor....so Olivia came to wait with us.

Dr. Emig eventually came back to check me again and still no change so she decided to start pitocin to help speed the process along. Which seemed to work, shortly thereafter I could definitely feel my contractions. In the meantime mine and Matthew's parents showed up. Dr. Edwards stopped by as well and he too checked me...I was still at 3 cm but he said my contractions were looking much better. My family ask when he thought Dax would come and Dr. E said since it was my 1st it would probably be a long process so sometime later that day (after 5ish). Dr. E left and said he would be back later, that everything looked great and he'd see me later. So we waited.....My family left to go get some lunch and my mom went to our house to rest for a bit. The hospital room was small and there was no need for everyone to be crammed in there, plus my contractions were starting to hurt and I was ready for an epidural. Olivia paged the anesthesiologist (he took FOREVER), but eventually he showed up and I got my epidural. Oh the epidural what a wonderful invention....why you would have a baby without one I do not know. It was instant relief. 

So, shortly after the family left and I had received the wonderful epidural Olivia starts noticing Dax's heartbeat was dropping. She had me move into different positions and put me on oxygen and it seemed to come back up. The oxygen mask however freaked my sister out and when she saw me in it she began to cry....I assured her all was ok! Isn't that suppose to work the other way around, wasn't I in labor and she should reassure me?? Anyway, Dax's heartbeat went back up and we kept moving along...Olivia called Dr. E just to keep him in the loop and he told her to call him back if it happened again. At this point I'm perfectly calm, didn't even realize a drop in heartbeat was that big of a deal....but then it happened again and apparently this time it was really low. Olivia ask my Dad and Cara to leave and she had me move around again. His heartbeat didn't go back up, some other nurses came in and tried, but it still stayed down. I could tell the nurses were starting to panic a little, so I started to worry just a bit. One nurse checked me to see if I was dilating which could cause the heartbeat to drop, but I was only at 4 cm so that couldn't have been the call. The nurses kept ripping off the pages of Dax's heartbeat from the monitor and running them to Dr. Emig who was preforming a C-section in the OR. I later found out that outside my room the nurses seemed to be in a panic and my Dad knew something was wrong, so he ran home to get my mother. Back in the room I felt like everybody and their brother was checking me....I think literally every nurse in the hospital "checked me".....I felt like yelling "I'm not dilated, quit checking!!!!" Eventually Dr. Emig made the call that the heartbeat wasn't coming back up and we needed to get Dax out ASAP! This meant emergency c-section. Olivia looked at me and said I'm so sorry Candice be we have to get Dax out now, your going to have to have a c-section. Although I might have appeared to have it together on the outside my thoughts were...."A what? A c-section, I didn't even pay attention to that part of the birthing classes, I don't want a c-section!!!" Then I realized how panicked everyone was....they started ripping the machines I was hooked up to out of the wall and throwing the cords on the bed and next thing I know I'm being wheeled down the hall toward the OR. So now I'm upset and worried.....I just want Dax to be okay and I have no idea what is going on. Did I mention that although I loved the epidural it gave me a case of the shakes. So now I'm crying and that makes my shakes worse.....I'm literally convulsing and I can't talk, I can only whisper.....strange I know but the epidural messed me up and now my panic is adding to it. So we get to the OR and Dr. Emig runs out of the other OR tells me things are going to move fast from here on out, but we needed to get Dax out and it would happen quick but just to calm down and everything will be okay. Being calm didn't seem possible but since I had the shakes all I could do was cry, shake, and nod my head. I was then rolled into the OR and lifted onto the operating table/bed and then the anesthetists gave me the numbing agent.....Everyone is still running around crazy getting everything ready to operate and I'm searching the room for Waldo. I'm strapped to the table with my arms straight out and I feel completely helpless and I can't find Waldo anywhere which is about to make me panic even more. Eventually the nurse antithesis leans down and tells me he can't come in until I'm completely numb. Waldo later told me he was about to break the door down and come in or put on a surgical mask and sneak in like he was suppose to be in there! Although it felt like eternity I'm sure it wasn't and Waldo finally came to my side. He kissed my forehead, ask if I was okay, and told me everything was going to be fine. At this point I'm suppose to be numb and when they pinched my belly to ask I could feel the pinch but it didn't hurt so I shook my head yes. However when the c-section began it was horrible, it hurt so bad, but at that point I didn't care I wanted my baby OUT!! I do remember whispering to Waldo (b/c again, I couldn't talk) that it hurt bad, but he was so scared he couldn't really tell the doctors to stop. Finally I felt them pull Dax out....WOO HOO.....but then he didn't cry so I started panicking again!!! I kept staring at Waldo like HELLO whats going on???? Finally he said "Oh yeah all is good they are suctioning his mouth he can't scream yet!" And, as if on cue, I heard him scream. Praise God our baby boy was out and alive. The nurses took him and started cleaning him up and Dr. Emig started to finish up my c-section. So now I'm in pain again.....after he was cleaned up a little they brought him around for me to see him and Waldo got to hold him. Of course Waldo got to hold him first....I only carried him for 40 weeks and had him ripped out of my stomach, so of course Waldo should hold him first..haha...I'm glad Waldo got to hold him, because once he was in my arms I didn't plan on sharing! Anyways Waldo was holding him and all I remember of this was kissing his forehead and thinking I was so glad he was ok, but I really wanted this c-section to be over!! I remember thinking I was a horrible mom because I didn't want to just stare at him forever, but at the time I was hurting so bad I just wanted to get out of that OR!! The nurses eventually took Dax he needed to get cleaned up, weighed, and checked to be sure all is good! Did I mention I was blessed again...one of my friends happened to be Dax's nurse, so off he went with my friend Tara, I knew he was in good hands! Dr. Edwards showed up about this time, Olivia had called him right before we rushed out to the OR.....he felt so bad that he wasn't there, but who would have know, everything had gone so well until then. Dr. Edwards did go tell my family everything was ok and then he came back and helped Dr. Emig sew me up. Again this was so painful and I kept asking Waldo if it should hurt that bad....but at that point what could they have done....finally they were done and I was wheeled back to my room.

When we got back to the room there were still a few things Olivia had to take care of before I was ready to see my sweet little man and have visitors, but I remember my Dad coming in the room (I was not decent, but quickly covered up) with a panicked look on his face. He said are you ok....."Uh yes?" Apparently his little girl having surgery was a scary event and he didn't care if I was decent or not he was coming in to see for himself how I was doing. I assured him I was ok and he could come back in just a bit. It was about 30 minutes later when I was finally ready to have visitors and see Dax. He was still in the nursery and his temperature had dropped so I would have to wait just a bit longer to see my little man, but they eventually brought him to me!!

He was perfect! I know I'm his mamma but he was and is the most beautiful baby I have ever seen! Praise be to God for giving me that tiny miracle. He was born at 4:11 p.m. on July 4th, he weighed in at 7 pounds 11 ounces and was 20 inches long. Matthew and I were instantly in love and we are so grateful that God chose us to be Dax's parents. We can't wait to see what God has in store for our sweet boy and our hope is he grows up to be an amazing man of God!! We love our little Daxie Doodle!!

Grandparents and Dax 

Dax's first few visitors at the hospital! 

Going home!

Dax's first visitors at home! 

Update!

I have been a bad blogger lately, I haven't posted in forever.....I've been trying to keep myself busy so I don't sit at home and think about when this baby will come or buy stuff for him. So, I'm going to try to give a brief run down of what has been going on lately!

All doctors appointments are still going good. Dr. E is very impressed with how good I'm feeling and my weight gain, so that makes me feel good. I've only recently (around 33-34 weeks) started feeling uncomfortable. My lower back really starts to hurt late in the day and I have trouble sleeping at night, but I figure if I've made it this far with absolutely no problems I can't really complain to much. I've started sleeping with a body pillow at night (Waldo is jealous of the pillow) and that has helped with being uncomfortable, but not really with the insomnia I'm experiencing now. Not sure if the insomnia comes from being anxious for sweet Dax's arrival or if its just a side effect of pregnancy....either way I dislike it. Other than that I feel great! We have started going to the doc every week now and I'll be checked each time. Dr. E last predicted (2 weeks ago, Week 34 for me) that Dax weighed about 6 - 6.5 lbs right now. I told him I weighted that when I was born and he told me Dax would not be that small!!! I'm still measuring a week early as well. This last visit he checked me and I was already 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced so things are moving along. Dr. E also said he could feel his head. I ask if he thought he'd make his arrival before his July 4th due date and Dr. E said he thought there was better than a 50% chance that he would arrive early. Which is fine by me, I'd love to get rid of this back pain, plus I can't wait to hold him!!! I think that catches us up on baby progress, we go back to the doc tomorrow so I'll have new news then. 

In the meantime we have been getting ready for Dax, I had my first shower in Tuscaloosa a few weeks ago. It was super cute, my girlfriends threw it for me. It had a whale theme.....everything was blue and green and oceany! It was a wonderful shower and Dax got a lot of wonderful things including his baby monitor! I can't wait to use everything. 

Next big event was our Babymoon!! Waldo and I went to Destin for a few days, for our last getaway before Dax arrives. It was a great few days, actually its the first time we have been to the beach by ourselves except for our honeymoon.....every other time we've gone some where we've had friends with us, so it was a nice time by ourselves. Waldo even dug out a big hole in the sand so I could lay on my belly! Unfortunately, Dax didn't really enjoy me laying like that and wiggled the whole time. I also forgot how hard it was to walk in the sand and 20 extra lbs was killing me, Waldo basically had to carry everything to and from the beach because I was doing good to get my self down and back! We also got to eat at my 2 favorite restaurants...Old Bay Steamers and The Red Bar and this prego ate A LOT!! We met up with Laura and Craig, my best friend from college and her husband, at the Red Bar.....they came baring gifts for Dax (so sweet) and it was good to catch up with them!!! Overall the beach trip was wonderful, the only bad thing was when I think Dax decided to flip....I'm not positive, but Waldo and me think this weekend is when he turned head down, there were a few times he felt like he was coming out my sides....I'm positive he sat sideways for a couple of days! Thank goodness he is head down now and that uncomfortable process is over. 

Next, I dragged Waldo to Birmingham for some maternity pictures! Actually he was a really good sport, he didn't complain at all. My sweet friend AJ took the pictures for us, she is super talented and I'm so thankful for her, she did an excellent job. I'm going to post a few below. After our photo shoot we went back to AJ's to cookout, her and her husband Brent just bought a new house so we got to see it and visit with their precious little one Jackson. It was a wonderful Saturday!! So thankful for such wonderful friends! 

Finally, we went to Hartselle this weekend for a shower given by Waldo's side of the family. It was a great weekend. We got to visit with everyone and Waldo finally got to spend sometime with his brother Andrew who he hasn't really got to visit with since January, which also means we got to see his precious baby girl Anniston!! I got to spend Saturday laying out at the pool with our cousins Cassie Beth and Marietta....I even went down a water slide, which might be frowned upon when you are 35 weeks pregnant. Sunday we had the shower and it was wonderful! It was Alabama themed (of course), Waldo says my family is overboard Alabama, but so is his family, which is fine by me....Waldo tries not to be a bammer, but he really is! We loaded up at the shower and now have a closet full of clothes, can't wait to put Dax in them. Waldo thinks all the clothes are ridiculous!! We also got our diaper bag, a nap nanny, and a bouncy seat....all things we really needed!! My mom, dad, and Cara all came over for the shower as well....they bought Dax the cutest little rocking horse. It was a great weekend, the shower was beautiful and we are so blessed to have 2 wonderful families supporting us during this exciting time. I can't wait for both the Cardens and Cordells to meet Dax, can he please hurry up and get here!!! 

Think that catches us up, I'll try to do better....we go to the doc tomorrow so I'll post again ASAP! I feel like the boys need a little face time in this post as well, so here is a pic of each, poor guys their lives are about to change forever....they will still be my babies, we are just gonna add another one to the mix! 

Who does he look like?

Today we went for our 4D ultrasound, which is best to have around 27-28 weeks.....you don't want them too big or you can't see to much because they take up so much room. So I scheduled ours during the 27th week because I knew Dax was pretty big. Other things that I knew about Dax so far were:  1.that he doesn't like showing his face he loves to put his hands up in front of his face 2.he will show you his man parts anytime 3.he does not respond to jiggling my belly 4.he likes to be scrunched up in one area.

Today was no different!!! Dax is big, put both his hands and his feet in front of his face, gave us a full show of his man parts, and didn't move at all when prompted. We got some pretty good shots of his face, but for the most part he sat with both hands up and then at one point grabbed his foot and put it in front of his face as well. But when the ultrasound tech went down to just double check we were having a boy....the answer was a resounding YES.... he held those legs up for all to see! No doubt he is a man and we can already see what he is most proud of. 

We tried to get him to move, I drank a mt. dew before the visit, I rolled from side to side, the ultrasound tech jiggled and jiggled my belly....but we got nothing, if anything he just jumbled himself up even more. At one point he had both hands and feet and his umbilical cord in front of his face! He also had tons of room to move around in and he kept his head in my rib cage and his butt right below it, he never spread out! Needless to say the child is stubborn, I would like to chalk that up to one of his father's attributes, but unfortunately that he gets from his Mom. 

I'll post pictures below and ya'll can be the judge of who he looks like, however, I think he looks like his Dad. Apparently he has fat cheeks....the ultrasound tech kept going on about his fat cheeks. He is also still measuring big...still measuring 2 weeks ahead of schedule and weighting in at 2lbs 15oz. His head looked massive since the last time we saw it and the ultrasound tech got a good shot of his femur bone and wanted to measure it......she said it looked really big and of course it was about 2 weeks ahead of schedule. So today just confirmed what we already know....he is chunky and stubborn! But.....he is also the cutest, most beautiful baby I have ever seen and I can't wait to kiss those chubby cheeks! Although we didn't see a great shot of his face what we did see was perfect....so were his little feet and hands, and even his man parts that he is so proud of, I can't wait for Dax to get here, I am literally counting down the days. It is hard to believe that in just 13 weeks we'll get to see his sweet face. 

The Top image is a picture of his man parts! 

Cute little feet in the top picture! 

Thought I would post a few baby pictures of both me and Waldo and ya'll can decide for yourselves who Dax looks like, I don't have any really little ones of me, I'll have to grab a few next time I go home.

I just posted this picture because I literally laugh out loud every time I see it! 

I think it is pretty clear who the cheeks come from :)! I go back to the doctor Wednesday for my check up, I'll update more then. I also get Dax's bedding today so I'll post pictures soon!

On a side note, I need to brag on my hubby for just a bit......Northridge beat County High twice this past week, meaning they will be in the 6A State Baseball Playoffs for the first time in school history!! So proud of  him, the other coaches, and all the players!!