Wow!

My title of this post says it all! Wow, am I in love! Wow, has my life changed! Wow is my baby boy a pure joy! Wow, am I tired! Burke is one week and four days! Greg and I have had a full week. With lots of help from my mom...who has been an absolute God send. We are so thankful she was able to come stay with us for nine days! She taught us a lot of things, made many suggestions that actually worked, and insisted that I take naps (which I so desperately need)! Greg has been an awesome daddy as I always knew he would be. He is super calm with Burke and doesn't crack under pressure. I am doing well. It has been an adjustment for me physically, as I am not used to going without sleep. I am tired and maybe a tad emotional, but other than that we are all doing well. I am quite nervous when Greg goes back to work on Thursday, but I know Burke and I will do just fine. I just have to remind myself of that!

Burke met his cousins today! They were disappointed that all he did was sleep. I never mentioned that my sister was awesome when I was in the hospital! She was my own private nurse (both her and my mom are RN's). Heather and my mom have offered so much help, pointers, advice, etc. I am so thankful for them. Wow, life sure has changed! Keep in mind I used to be such a know it all! Uhm...not on babies! Enjoy the pictures of our little peanut. He is so little. I forgot to mention he got down to 5 pounds 11 ounces. That was majorly scary and stressful. Luckily, we started formula and he is putting on some weight. He gained 10 ounces and we were so thankful and happy! Enjoy the pictures!

My cutie!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

He's Here

Greg here posting for a resting Alicia. We are happy to announce that Burke was born today at 1143 AM. He weighed in at a whopping 6 lbs 11 ozs. He is 19 inches long and is doing well. He had some initial breathing issues, but worked through them and is now doing fine. Alicia is also doing very well. She is a little tired and sore, but overall, doing well. We want to thank everyone that has been praying for Alicia and Burke. God has blessed us with a beautiful son that is doing very well. Here are some pictures for those of you anxious to see him.

Burke in the OR just after delivery.

Proud Momma with Baby Burke

Baby Burke checking everything out

Burke showing off his "Guns" for the camera

A week changes everything...

Here is a picture just after finding out tomorrow is the BIG day!!
Remember last week when I was crying the blues about not having Burke until Jan. 27? Well, God called my number this morning and time is up! We saw my OB this morning. I went from saying at 9:00 this morning to my sister, "I'm glad I have another week, I need to get stuff done and it just works well". To hearing this: "After talking to Dr. K (specialist) we have decided it isn't in the best interest to keep your baby in you another week. I have you scheduled for tomorrow at 12:00 to have a c-section." GULP! Greg and I looked at each other and about died! Pure excitement, pure fear, pure love for a baby boy that was 14 years in the making! Obviously, I don't have a lot of time to type right now. I have been running around like a crazy woman since about noon today. I really must go. My sister will be here around 9:00 p.m. and my parents will be here on Friday. I didn't want them here for the c-section as I know I will REALLY need my Mama once I bring Burke home. Ok, I need to go. I will upload pictures of Burke as soon as I am able too! Please pray for everything to go well for Burke and I. Everything has gone so perfectly and I just pray everything continues to stay that way!

Love,

Alicia

Please pray

I have become quite the blogging girl. I enjoy reading others blogs and find that I consider some of these people friends I may never meet. I have been following Kelly's Korner for sometime now. Kelly was induced on Friday. When I woke up Saturday I was so excited to see her precious baby Harper. Unfortunately, Kelly's baby is struggling and is in the NICU. Please pray for Kelly's sweet baby Harper.

Another blog I follow is often times difficult for me to read as Adrienne has a blood clotting mutation. As you all know I do too, although I don't think we have the same one. Please pray for Adrienne who is struggling right now.

There is always a reason....

I was frustrated and annoyed. I am doing OK though, because now I know why things are taking a little longer. We saw my OB today. Burke has decided he likes where he is at and did not "drop". I still only have a 50% chance of a successful delivery. So, it was decided I will have a C-Section on January 27. Burke is doing well in my womb and since things are going so well my OB thinks we should give Burke an extra week to get ready. Obviously, I was sad, BUT I want my baby healthy and I don't want him to come on my time schedule, but when he will have the best chance to be a healthy baby boy!

I called my mom when we got home. Mom has been battling what we thought was a sinus infection. I guess last night she got pretty bad and went to the doctor again this morning. She has pneumonia! She won't even return to work until next Tuesday. So, as sad as I was about waiting another week to meet Burke I quickly saw that there was a reason, as my mom would not be healthy enough to come. Now the really neat part is that Burke will be born on his Grandma's Birthday, January 27! So we must get my mom well so she can meet her grand baby.

My anxiety level got pretty high today and I am still pretty anxious. I worry about Burke. Even though I know my body is the safest place for him, I worry. Have I told you all I am a worry wart? I am. I don't know what I will do with myself for the next 13 days. I guess I will cook some meals, bake some cookies, read my book for my book club...especially since now I can attend the next meeting, and of course, clean.

I see my OB next Tuesday. I'll continue to keep you posted if anything were to change!

Love,

Alicia

Just so excited!

So tomorrow we find out if I will have a c-section or be induced. I talked to my good friend Jinny over the weekend. Jinny is a Neonatologist, and she said exactly what I was thinking. Pushing a seven pound baby out doesn't sound so great, having abdominal surgery certainly doesn't sound fun...now tell me what is option "C"?! It is nice to know even doctor's think birth sounds rather scary!

I am so excited! I mean so excited. I am not sleeping so great, I am so excited! Once I wake up for my third restroom trip in five hours, I just can't get back to sleep. I start picturing in my head what Burke will look like. I think about how I hope he is healthy, how I want him to be a nice person (sometimes in my childhood I wasn't very nice...it is VERY important to me that my son be friendly to EVERYONE), will he look like Greg? will he look like me? will his head be big like Greg's?(did I just type that?) haha! Greg does have a big head! I think about the photo ops of him with his doting little cousins. I think about my conversation with my niece Summer over the phone on Saturday...she is six.
Me: Your cousin Burke will be here in 11 days!
Summer: Burke will be here in 11 days?
Me: Yes, Auntie will finally hold Burkie
Summer: Don't push too hard because you know if you do it will come out the other end!
Me: cracking up...did Gregie tell you that or Daddy?
Summer: I just know, if you push to hard it will come out your other end!
I hear my sister in the back ground saying "Summer did you just say what I think you said?". Summer said, "it's true Mom"!

We are on the countdown! I just can't wait to meet my baby boy that feels like I've waited forever for! Please pray that my doctor makes the right decision for Burke and I. I am not afraid of the pain...I really am not. I am afraid of the medication that will cause contractions. Crazy, huh? I'll let you all know when the date is and how Burke is going to arrive tomorrow!

Love,

Alicia

January 20 or 21, 2009

My news is VERY exciting, but I wanted more...more concrete news. Let me start at Tuesday. We saw Dr. K on Tuesday. Burke looked great again. In fact, at first he looked so good that Dr. K said, "we will go to 38 weeks." I was surprised as I had been told 36-37 weeks for induction. No biggie...I just want Burke to be healthy. Then he said, "do you see that? That is calcification on the placenta". That means the placenta is deteriorating. 37 weeks it is. We will induce at 37 weeks. Stop the Lovenox on the 17th of January, and induce on the 19th of January. Can you be ready in 12 days?". I was a little scared with the whole placenta thing, but I know I am going to one of Houston's best. I was thrilled as 12 days is right around the corner. We told Dr. K thank you for taking such good care of Burke and I and we said our goodbyes. I won't see him again unless I get pregnant again. Greg and I were/are on cloud nine. I counted out ten shots...that is all I had left if I was to stop them on the 17th. I also, though felt that Dr. P may change the plans a little. He may not be on call, Monday may not work for him, etc. So I hesitated to tell anyone...just family.

Today I took number 2 of my 10 last shots and headed to see Dr. P. Dr. P asked if I wanted to try to have a regular delivery. I said "yes, but I will do whatever to keep Burke safe". He said, hummm......Long story short, we won't have Burke on Monday the 19th. We will either have him Tuesday or Wednesday! I know that is only a day different, but I WANTED TO KNOW MY EXACT DATE TODAY!!! And the big thing is he may come C-Section. It seems Burke is still quite comfy and has made no plans to move into place for the big day. Dr. P feels my chances of a successful delivery are only about 50%. Since I am high risk everything changes. Everything is looked at and evaluated just a little more than on an average lady. I could be induced and still have to have a C-Section. So, we wait and see. Next Wed. we go in for another ultrasound, if Burke is over 7 pounds or/if Burke is not engaged (getting into place for birth) we will have a C-Section. I often joked that a c-section would be so much easier, but I never dreamed I would need to have one. I am a little surprised, incredibly excited, and extremely nervous. I just wanted that exact date, but we got pretty close. Burke will be here on January 20th or the 21st.

So the countdown is on! I have 12 or 13 days left before I meet my precious baby boy. The boy who I begged God for... who will take my breath away... who I will kiss over and over again... and love more than life itself.

Until next week!

Alicia

A Special Gift

This last week Greg was able to visit a friend of ours who is a Missionary in Mongolia. It just so happened that Josh was in Texas for the holidays, his first time being in the States for three years. We have not seen Josh since he was a Groomsman in our wedding. I was unable to go see Josh and his family, however Greg made the trip. Greg had a great visit with Josh and his family. They sent Greg home with an adorable pair of shoes that were handmade in Mongolia, for Burke. I'm not sure I will ever let Burke wear them because they are just too darn cute! I wanted to show them to you all. Thank you Josh for the precious little shoes!

Have a great weekend!

Alicia

Happy New Year!

I simply cannot believe it is 2009! 2008 was an amazing year for me! I had the worst heartache I think I have ever felt and yet I also was given the most joy I have ever felt. Greg says, "what was so hard?" I think he forgets I wasn't pregnant the whole year! In May, I thought, I'm going to lose my mind if I can't get pregnant. Little did I know just a month later I would become pregnant! I sit here typing thinking about what I will be able to talk about next year! We will know Burke, we will have held him for almost a year, we will have seen his first smile, smelled his sweet skin, kissed him time and time again, witnessed his first crawl, heard his first laugh, oh the list could go on and on.

So here is a recap of the last year!

In January I took my only trip to my parents. Little did I know I was to become pregnant and would not be able to travel for nine months. Heather, Summer, Lilly, and I surprised my mom for her 57th Birthday!

February 7, I turned 33! Yep, it's true, I know, I know, I only look 27!


In March, my parents came for Easter. We all went to San Antonio as my sister was very pregnant and could no longer travel.


March Madness Baby! Rock Chalk Jayhawk! We saw the Jayhawks win a National Championship title! We had a blast cheering on the Jayhawks!

April 19, Adalynn Brooke was born! I have another niece! I love those girls so much!

June 16, Greg turned 33! Everyone ask what a young girl like me is doing with such an old man! haha!


June 25, the BIGGEST day for Greg and I! I found out I am pregnant!



June 29, we made a quick trip to our hometown in Kansas to see our grandparents. We were able to see other family members and several friends!


July 30, we got to see our baby for the third time. He was already beautiful!

September 24, We are having a BOY!

September 25, we saw Dr. K and he said our baby boy looks GREAT!

October 6, we announced our baby boy's name is Burke William!

Thanksgiving, all my family came to Houston for the holiday!

December 15, Burke is growing big! Dr. K says he looks good, but big...he may come early!

December 25, My parents came for Christmas and surprise Greg and I!

I want to wish you all a wonderful 2009! Like I said, I can't imagine the fun Greg and I will have in 2009! Thank you for reading my blog, for praying for me and Burke, and for being my friend...even those of you I may never meet!

Love,

Alicia