Knox Remington Brannon - Birth Story

Monday, June 9th, we went for a check up on little man.  I had been feeling a lot like he was going to be joining us any second.  I was 38.4 weeks and 3 centimeters!  My doctor seemed excited tell to me that I was in "early labor" and he was looking forward to seeing me in the next day or two at the hospital.  We were thrilled!  Blake and I just couldn't wait to meet this little man.  

The next day, Tuesday, I just knew it was time to go to the hospital.  I was very nervous because I was induced with Gabbi and didn't know what to expect or even what contractions actually feel like.  After a disappointing and emotional trip to the hospital we drove back home to continue this "early labor" phase for another 36 hours or so. 

Blake and I went to bed Wednesday night still very anxious and a little frustrated about the unknown. I woke up at 3:30am on Thursday, June 12th with a stomach ache.  A laid in bed, wide awake, and 4am I was having very strong contractions every 3 minutes.  I immediately felt crazy for thinking I was in active labor Tuesday.. silly me!  I was prepared and planned to labor at home as long as possible, I was NOT going to be sent home again!  I woke Blake up at 4:22 and told him what was going on.  He asked, "does it hurt?"  Hah, does it hurt?!  About that time I had another contraction and he swiftly jumped in the shower and got ready to take me in.  We called my mom to come stay with Gabbi who was happily sleeping in her bed.  

By 5:30am we were checked in to the hospital, 8 centimeters, and waiting on an epidural.  This happened so fast!  Gosh, I just can't put into words the feeling of those contractions.  Thankfully, the anesthesiologist came in to give me spinal anesthesia around 6:15am (much quicker to work than the epidural, most commonly used for c-section births).  What a wonderful man he was!  I immediately needed to push and was so happy to see that my doctor had walked in during the spinal, he made it in time!  And finally during the 3rd push, at 6:28am, just as the medicine began to work Mister Knox Remington joined us.  

Blake and I cried as they laid him on my chest and we couldn't believe how much he looked like Gabbi.  Just beautiful.  They took him over to clean him up, measure and weigh, and by the time I got to hold him again he had already changed.  He was beginning to look just like his handsome daddy, and I couldn't have been happier.  

The grandparents came in to meet the new addition.  No one else made it in time, it was very early and an extremely quick process compared to last time.  By 8am Blake and I were enjoying our sweet baby and breakfast from Denny's and by 9am we were settled in our recovery room.  After Gabbi's afternoon nap Thursday she came to meet her new brother.  Just 9 days shy of a year old, she was the cutest little big sister I've ever seen!  

In just 24 hours we were headed home with our new roommate for the next 18 years.  This experience was dramatically different from our first born.  I am so thankful for my doctor, the sweet nurse that comforted me with her resume when we didn't think my doctor would make it in time, my amazing husband that reminded me to breathe when I was about to pass out, and our supportive families for encouraging me those last few days and loving on Gabbi while we were away.  

I have to share a quick story of how God works and how good He is.  About a year ago I wrote a post about my grandfathers passing.  I was unable to go to the funeral as I was 38 weeks pregnant with Gabbi.  I have missed him desperately since.  Around the time Knox was conceived (before I knew I was pregnant) I had a dream of my sweet grandfather giving me a hug and a kiss and waving goodbye to me and two small children.  I woke up angry at God for giving me that little glimpse of him in my dream and missing him even more.  A few weeks later, I was begging for more dreams just to see him again.  And a few weeks after that, I found out we were expecting - just maybe expecting that second child in my dream.  When we went to the doctor and got a due date of June 15th, I immediately told my family that this baby would be born on June 12th, the day my grandfather went to be with the Lord.  You see, my grandfather has a sense of humor similar to God's!  And he would have wanted nothing more than to turn that sad day into a day of celebration.  So thank you Dad Sales, for being in cahoots with God.  I couldn't be happier to have woken up that morning, going into labor, and knowing that you were standing next to God, watching over us.  

36 Weeks

Wow Knox, how did we get this far so fast?!  We went for your 36 week checkup today and measured your sweet, smooshed self!  Your 6.5 pound body is running out of room, and boy are your legs long!  We are getting close to meeting you and we are so excited.  We love you sweet boy! 

How far along:  36 weeks

Gender:  Boy

Movement:  Ouch!  

Weight Gain: 12 pounds

Maternity Clothes:  So ready for regular clothes!

Stretch Marks:  I'm sure they are hiding under there somewhere, but I certainly can't see it!

Sleeping Habits:  Sleep.. what is that again?

Miss Anything:  Lots to miss, but I am enjoying this while it lasts.

Appetite:  Heartburn is killing me and causing a light appetite. 

Cravings:  Still sweets and lots of ice!

Symptoms:  Just feeling pretty large and waddely these days. 

Belly Button:  Out a little.

Mood:  Well, while I am certainly ready to be unpregnant, I'm not so sure how I feel about bringing home a second baby.  I'm freakin' a little, but for whatever reason God thought this was a good idea so I'm going with it. 

Favorite Moments:  I have been enjoying baby hiccups and his constant movements.  He is a very busy little boy in there but quickly running out of room. We also really enjoyed our ultrasound today to measure him!  He is right on track and about 6.5 pounds, except his legs are measuring 38 weeks!  Yay for Daddy's height :)

Gabriella Grace - 9 Months

I can't believe I haven't written in 4 months!!  Where do I even begin?!  

Little Miss Gabbi is the light of our lives.  She brings so much joy to our day it is hard to describe.   She began crawling on Christmas Day at 6 months old and hasn't been still since.  She started pulling up around 7 months.  Gabbi's 8th month of life has been one of my favorites! (Besides the 1st month, that was good stuff!)  She STILL doesn't have a single tooth but she eats like she has a mouth full of chompers.  She is pretty much over baby foods and would much rather feed herself table food.  

As I wrote last time, she started day care at 6 months, and it is really working for us.  Gabbi just loves her teachers and friends, she is such a social bug waving at everyone when she gets there.  She does realize that I am leaving, but she is so distracted with breakfast time that she could care less!  (The girl likes to eat!)  I will admit, with a very selfish heart, that I take full advantage of the time she is there to keep my body rested and healthy.  My back is taking a beating carrying her and this belly around since she can't walk yet. 

Yesterday she had her 9 month checkup.  She is in the 80th percentile for both height and weight, coming in at a whopping 20 pounds!  Being as vertically challenged as I am, this 80% makes Momma happy!  She may have actually gotten some height from her daddy ;)  Gabbi's current happenings have us laughing most of the day.  She yells some type of gibberish constantly and says DaDa all the time.  Sweet Gabbi has the most heart melting smile I have ever seen, she is such a happy girl.  She is pulling up on everything, opening cabinets and banging tupperware, walking down anything she can hold on to, standing alone, and crashing and burning after about two steps!  She is getting very good at falling, and as you can tell from the picture above, she is not still for more than a second.  Being the busy girl that she is, she is sleeping for 12 hours or more at night.  Again making this tired Momma a happy lady!

Daddy and I have had so much fun watching her grow and her super fun personality develop.  I have a feeling Miss Thing will keep us on our toes for many years to come.  For the next couple of months before her brother arrives we are soaking in every single moment with her.  I get very sad thinking about sharing my time and energy, but I am certain we have enough love for both of these miracles - so bring it on!

25 Weeks

Son, your due date changes every time we see the doctor.  This is kind of exciting for me because I have a feeling you will surprise us when you are good and ready, but on the other hand I am so ready to meet you I can't stand not knowing for sure when that will be.  Keep growing little man, we love you to pieces! 

How far along:  25 weeks

Gender:  Boy

Movement:  Very strong kicks and punches!  

Weight Gain: 3 pounds

Maternity Clothes:  Bring 'em on.

Stretch Marks:  Nah

Sleeping Habits:  Not too bad, big sister keeps me busy so I have no trouble falling asleep.

Miss Anything:  Leaning forward.. he wants to take up ALL the space I have available.

Appetite:  Pretty good but I am already getting heartburn.

Cravings:  Non fat, decaf, iced white mocha, whip first, then shake!

Symptoms:  So very tired!

Belly Button:  Out a little.

Mood:  Pretty calm most of the time, Blake is kinda freaking out because I'm not ;)

Favorite Moments:  Well this picture and these facts are from 25 weeks, but I am currently 27.5 weeks and last week my Meme was in town to help us move so she came to my checkup.  I asked for an ultrasound since it had been 10 whole weeks since I had seen Knox last, I had no idea she had never seen a baby via ultrasound!  It was neat for my sweet doc to show her all of his limbs and beating heart!  So that was my favorite recent moment!

Pregnancy So Far.. Round 2

Surprisingly similar to Round 1 at 20 weeks!

Today I am somewhere between almost 21 or 22 weeks.  Since this pregnancy was so close to my last, and I was still nursing, we can't quite pinpoint the weeks.  My due date has stayed at June 15th but this little man is measuring a little bigger!  So far I feel better good.  I wasn't near as sick as I was with Gabbi, which is wonderful!!  But boy am I tired.  I can literally fall asleep in mid conversation, standing up, with my eyes open, holding my 7 month old.  And that's the truth!

Knox seems to move much less than Gabbi did, and he is pretty sweet about it.  Soft, steady kicks mostly in the morning and at night.  He has seemed to stay in the same position so far so he isn't doing all the flipping over his big sister did.  He is probably just bracing himself for this crazy world he will be entering in 4 short months.  4 months.  Yikes!  Mother of two in just 4 months.  I have tons of emotions going on surrounding this thought.. mostly excitement.  But tons of fear, anxiety, wonder of how people do this with 5 and 6 children.  I know how quickly these last months go (remind me I said that around 34 weeks!) so I am trying to soak it all up and enjoy every step without fear of the future!

Here we go, for Round 2!

How far along:  21ish weeks

Gender:  Boy

Movement:  Mostly in the morning and at night

Weight Gain:  I lost 10 pounds during the first trimester so I'm working on getting that back right now!  5 lbs to go before I start actually gaining.

Maternity Clothes:  Just broke out the bottoms this week!

Stretch Marks:  I have one tiny mark on my lower stomach left over from Gabbi.  I never saw it until she was out.. little stinker!  We'll see what homeboy does to me!

Sleeping Habits:  What is that sleep thing again?  Gabbi still eats once during the night sooo.. 

Miss Anything:  STILL a glass of wine and normal clothes.

Appetite:  Ehh, one day. 

Cravings:  Definitely sweet and plenty of caffeine. 

Symptons:  Moody, pudgy, sleepy.

Belly Button:  In

Mood:  Excitedly overwhelmed!

Favorite Moments:  Daddy feeling him kick.  And the fact that he clearly knows he has a very loud big sister and prefers to kick hardest after she is quietly put to bed!