Saturday, February 28, 2015

Z's {FIRST} birthday party.

After many many MANY months of planning and prepping, Zara had her first birthday party and it was so much fun!

My husband and I love throwing parties, so when Zara turned one we went a little crazy. We had a lot of of help from sweet people who helped us made this party come to life. 

We are so blessed to have friends and family who love our daughter as much as we do. Thank you so much to everyone who came and celebrated our daughter's first year and for being a part of her life thus far. 

The first year has been a roller coaster of emotions and a learning process that we are still trying to figure out. God ha been so gracious and has placed awesome people in our lives that have been a key element to our sanity and we are forever thankful. 

Cheers to the first year of many many more to come! 

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Zara {48 Weeks}

365 days, 48 weeks, 12 months, One year, however you want to label it, it went by too fast.

It honestly feel like it was just yesterday when she was just a newborn and now she is running everywhere with her little legs and her big personality. 

Zara has 6 teeth now, loves to dance and listen to music. Bath time is her favorite time of the day and she enjoys clapping while I sing the bubble song. 
Her hair is slowly growing. I can manage to get a tiny pigtail on the top of her head and that makes me happy. 
She learned to stomp her feet and clap at the same time when she likes a song. 

Every morning and night time we read books and her attention span is getting better, she can actually sit through a whole picture book now. 

Zara sleeps better at night, longer hours and less nursing at night. I have started weaning her during the day and it's been rough as she is very strong willed and will stand up for what she wants (well more like cry for what she wants) but she is now down to nursing just for naps and bed time. 

The first year was fun, it was everything I imagined and way more. We are looking forward to many more years of learning with her. 

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Zara's {Birth} story

For the six first months after Zara was born I avidly tried to write her birth story but I was so tired and busy trying to figure out this tiny little human that I just couldn't get my thoughts straight. I was sleep deprived, I was overwhelmed with joy and with all kinds of emotions that it was very difficult to type anything that made sense. 
After the first six months I thought it was too late and so I decided to wait until her first birthday to write it. 

And this is how it all began...

It feels like it was just yesterday that I woke up at one in the morning on Valentine's Day last year and I started feeling some contractions.
Nothing too painful, they were not too close together and I was able to walk, so I thought it wasn't my time yet. 
We waited until decent hours to go to the hospital and get checked. It was already two weeks after my due date so I was due for a check up that morning.
I told Jon that morning that we needed to take my hospital bags just in case I had to stay, my instinct was telling me this could be it, maybe we were going to have a little valentine baby. 

At ten in the morning that morning that day my contractions were still not close enough but my blood pleasure was a bit higher than usual so the nurse re took it three different times and it was still high. 

I'm not gonna lie, I started to get nervous. 

After the third time I had my blood pressure taken and every time it came out higher than the last one, they had to do an ultra sound to check on baby. 
The amniotic fluid was low, there was a leak and baby was now exposed to possible infections and there was a possibility that the fluid could run out so they told me I needed to get admitted right away. 

Right after the sonogram my husband and I walked to the hospital that was just across the street from the clinic. The whole time I was calm and making all kinds of phone calls to our families who were eagerly waiting for news.

We checked in labor and delivery by 11:30am. My birth plan of having our baby at the birthing center was not even an option at this point. 
I received a hospital gown ,the nurse hooked me up to monitors that were checking my blood pressure and baby's heart beat and she placed an IV.
After 30min. of monitoring us my midwife came in the room and told me I had preeclampsia so I had to be given magnesium through the IV to prevent seizures during labor and that because of the leak in the placenta I needed to get induced.

As if labor wasn't scary enough on its own I had to do it while under the effects of magnesium. 

At 2:00pm they checked me to see how dilated I was and I was just 2cm dilated so they induced me at 2:30pm that day. 
Other than blurry vision, slurred speech and nausea I spent the night at the hospital and Valentine's Day came and went and still no baby Zara. 

The next morning I woke up and I was very tired from the magnesium and all the side effects that come with it. 
Nurses came in and out, the midwife came in and checked me and I was dilating very slowly. 
The magnesium made my body so weak that every contraction felt like I was gonna break in half. 
Around 11:00 am the anesthesiologist came in the room and asked me if I wanted an epidural, I really didn't want it but due to the circumstances and the magnesium I caved in and had it. 

An hour later my water broke, and it was go time. 
With epidural and all I was still able to feel the contractions so I was able to push with every contraction instead of the midwife telling me when to push. 
It sounds easier than it actually was but it really helped to feel when to go. 

One hour went by and still no baby, I was getting very tired. My doula was a sweetheart, she fanned me and fed me ice cubes, gave me Chapstick and made sure to let me know I was doing a great job. 
I kept pushing with every contraction for two and a half hours, I was exhausted I even remember saying "I can't anymore" until the midwife told me baby was crowning and at that moment I got a second wind and out she came. The most beautiful little human I had ever seen. 

Zara was born at 2:34pm on Saturday, February 15,2014. 6lbs3oz - 20.90 long
So peaceful & quiet, she was placed on my chest with her eyes wide open and placing her cheek on my chest. Hands down the best moment of my life yet. 

I had to stay under the magnesium for 24 hrs after delivery so we stayed at the hospital one more day and we were able to go home Monday. 

And just like that "Ramirez party of 3" was born and ready to go home.