Must....stay.....awake.......zzzzzzzz

We took Charlotte into the outpatient lab to check her bilirubin levels this morning, and nothing much had changed so we are still living in the land of lights here at my house. Charlotte is getting more used to being in the suitcase, but still fights it with every stubborn redhead recessive gene that she has!! We finally figured out that those super cool goggles are what she truly hates, and if we just stick a hat far enough over her eyes she is much more compliant when she needs to be put back in the suitcase. My mom came over tonight to help and Bryan, my mom and I were making fun of how this suitcase has written all over it, "specially designed by physicians" and how STUPID most of the designs are!! (It is also a suitcase straight out of the 60's era!! Powder Blue and ALL!!) We have a long list that is constantly growing of things we would change or improvements that could be made to this suitcase to make this a more baby-friendly situation. Physicians really aren't that smart I guess, it takes a teacher, a student, and a wonder-mom to come up with the world's really good ideas!! So we can't leave Charlotte in the suitcase unattended, so we are having to take shifts and stay up all night sitting next to her, making sure all is well. That would be why I am blogging in the middle of the night...I need some distraction to keep me awake until the next feeding!!! Speaking of feeding, and dozing off, I thought I would share my funny happening for today. Charlotte can be lethargic at times because of her high bilirubin levels, and she is always falling asleep while she is nursing. I am constantly having to keep her awake and going so she will eat. I will jiggle her, or move her around, or poker her cheek, whatever to annoy her and keep her awake. Well, really early this morning, I was feeding her and she was wide awake (as most babies are at 4:30 in the morning, which makes no sense to me AT ALL!!) and eating like a champ, while I was struggling to keep my eyes open. My eyes were opening and closing, feeling like sheets of steel that I just could not keep from slamming shut, when I completely dozed off. The next thing I know, Charlotte gave a particularly hard tug that sent a shot of pain throughout my entire body and woke me with a startle. I looked down at her and she was looking back at me as bright eyed as ever with, I swear, a smug little look of, "now were even!!" :) Gotta love bein' a mom!!

I love this picture, with the lights and such it is so ethereal. It is like she is saying, "Blessed World, I hail from above with a very important mission. I have come to be a part of the lives of Bryan and Danielle Kennedy, for they needed the most help." :) I love my little girl!!

We're Home!

After 48 hours of Labor, 48 hours in the hospital, we are finally home!! It was quite the drama filled day. It started out early, with us getting up around 6 so that we could be out of the hospital by 8:30. All went well until we went into the nursery and the doctors were still checking Charlotte. We waited for the pediatrician, and he told us that Charlotte's bilirubin levels were high. That isn't abnormal for newborns, but she was in the higher end of those levels and they wanted to keep her under bili-lights a while longer, and then they decided that they were going to send us some bili-lights to keep her under at home. So we were a little worried not really knowing much about the lights and all it would entail, and just knowing that something isn't right with your brand new child is heart wrenching!! But we took it in stride, and continued to get ready to go. It was like everyone decided to wait to come in and see us until 8:30! We had the nurse give me my vaccinations last minute, they had the social worker come in to explain the bili-lights come in last minute, then even the lactation specialist showed up last minute!! The nurse finally said, "We are going to just release you paper work wise, and you can just leave when you're all done!" It also allowed us to keep Charlotte under the lights a little longer, so it turned out okay. We finally left the Hospital at about 10:00 and headed to the pharmacy to fill my prescriptions that I was needed to take right away now that we were so late leaving the hospital. As we were leaving the parking lot, a girl rear ended us!! Yup! Charlotte has now been in her first (and hopefully only!) car accident!! She was so good that she slept right through it!! But that was only because of Bryan's fast reactions. He saw the girl backing into him, and knew she wasn't stopping so he threw it into drive and tried to get away from her!! He lessened the blow so that it wasn't bad at all for us, and saved us from probably having to go back to the hospital for whiplash. He was just amazing!! Well, after all that drama, we finally made it home and Mom showed up helped us settle in and even brought us dinner later on! We had a nice relaxing rest of the day, with a few fabulous visitors, and some well deserved naps! (Man, I love me a good nap!!) Charlotte is getting used to her bili-light spa, and hopefully we'll see some improvement on her levels.
Here she is looking "oh so styling" in her saftey goggles!!

This is her little suitcase that she has to stay in as much as possible! The lights aren't warm, they're just florescent so she didn't like them at first cause she loves to be warm!!
You can see she has a portable light as well strapped to her body that goes with her everywhere, so when she is getting fed, or changed she still has some bili-light action!

Introducing....Charlotte Raynes Kennedy

Here are the pictures. On the 3rd of October 2009 Danielle Dawn (Raynes) Kennedy gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Charlotte Raynes Kennedy. She was born in Provo, UT and weighed 7 pounds and 15 ounces and was 20 inches long. She had an interesting time coming into the world but we are so happy that she has joined our family.

We are going to be at the hospital until probably early Monday, and the hospital has changed it visiting policy to only having two visitors at a time, both over 14 and not being sick. We also want people to have had there flu shots. We love having visitors, so we can have some at the hospital and would love people to come by and see her at home. We are more relaxed on some points than the hospital, we take people of all ages and allow more than 2, but we do ask that people visiting her before she has received her immunizations (usually 1 1/2 to 2 months but call when closer and we will let you know for sure) to have had their flu shots, and also that they not come if they know they are sick. Danielle and I both appreciate the respect you show us by respecting our wishes regarding this, so thank you. But please call and let us know if you want to come and visit us at home and we would love to have you.

So what you really came to see. The pictures (and a video):

Time for a Flu Shot

Hey Family and Friends,
I have an odd but firm request. With the baby coming in the midst of the flu season, we are asking anyone that wants to come to see the baby (before the baby gets his or her own shots at around 2 months) to get a flu shot. I truly didn't know that so many people were so against flu shots until I started just mentioning that that was what I was wanting to have happen. Please know that I understand if you don't get a flu shot and will not hold it against anyone who chooses that. You'll just get to "ooh" and "ahh" a little later than the rest, as soon as the baby gets his or her shots. Now we aren't talking about getting the Swine Flu Shot, that is your own decision. We are talking just the regular, ol' Flu Shot. (If you didn't know you're supposed to get the regular one even if you get the Swine Flu Shot) We aren't crazy fanatics, but we would like to lessen the exposure as much as we can for our little one that is being born in the thick of the season. So, thanks for understanding, or at least respecting our decision, and we can't wait to show off this little kid, at 2 months or earlier if you choose!

4 Weeks Left

(How many of my siblings burst into song at reading that graphic??? he he he I know you all did!)

Well, we've finally hit the month mark. Today is exactly 4 weeks from my due date! Let me list to you all the million things I have to do in just one month's time! (You know me and lists! I love crossing things off so I'll put even the littlest thing on a list!!)

To Do:
-Maternity Leave Plans: yeah think writing subplans for like three months, it sucks! I had to write a couple half day subplans for this week and it was like pulling teeth!
-Home Visits to each of my students families: every night for about 2 1/2 hours for the next three weeks.
-Clean my humongous house (It only seems huge cause I need to clean it!)
-Go Gluten Free........Again (starting tomorrow I promise! I was really good at it before but when I wasn't gaining any weight I was told to just eat and wheat was all I wanted!)
-Baby Prep: all my last minute nesting, and prepping, and reading and AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!
-Oh, and enjoy the last few days I'll ever have of non-motherhood!!!

So I have grossly misused my allotment of exclamation points in this post, but I feel like my life is a living exclamation point at this time, so you should forgive me. Luckily, I have an amazing husband that is helping out where ever he can, and a fabulous family that is always willing to come with me to a Home Visit, or give some baby tips. I feel blessed despite it all, and closer to tears more often then I hope to ever be again. (Me no likely to cry!) In one month I get to have this little being in my arms that has been invading my space and ribs with straight prejudice for months now. I get to hold him or her (yes, we really still do not know, despite all the people swearing that they know what it is) and give him or her all the kisses I want and they can't do anything about it cause I'm the momma now! (poor kid!) In closing, I really am excited! But I have also been tainted by the involvement I've had for years now with nieces and nephews, and my students, and just kids in general. I know how much work they are! But I know that mine will be worth it, well, I hope!!




By the way, did I mention that it is Halloween Season! Yes!! IT IS!! I saw ads with Halloween paraphernalia and that means that I can put up all my Halloween stuff! Just so you know, they will be up until December cause there is no way I'm taking it down so soon after having the baby, so just deal!! Oh! I should add that onto my To Do list, "Put up Halloween Decorations!!!!"